Fish waste management is one of the main problems in fishing industry which can be possible to eliminate through making compost. Though nutrient content is high in fish waste and most of the nutrients are removed from final product during composting process due to low decomposition rate. The present study was carried out to increase decomposition rate by adding different additives to fish waste compost at International Food Stuff Company Farm at Kamburupitiya in October 2014. Pit method was used for making compost and two additives, i.e., sulfuric acid and citric acid were used with two concentrations (0.5 ppm and 1.0 ppm). Five treatments i.e., fish waste compost treated with 1.0 ppm sulfuric acid (T1), fish waste compost treated with 0.5 ppm sulfuric acid (T2), fish waste compost treated with water (control) (T3), fish waste compost treated with 0.5 ppm citric acid (T4) and fish waste compost treated with 1.0 ppm citric acid (T5) were used as treatments and pits were arranged in complete randomised block design (RCBD) with tri-replicates. Temperature, pH, EC, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and particle size distribution of end product was taken as variables. Data were analysed using ANOVA. Fish waste compost treated with water showed maximum temperature within three days time while acid treated fish waste composts (T1,T2,T4 and T5) took five days time to reach their maximum temperature.1.0 ppm sulfuric acid treated fish waste compost showed significantly lower (P<0.05) pH value than all other treatments while pH ranges from 5.4 to 6.5 in all the treatments. Significantly higher (P<0.05) EC value (961 μs/cm) was in acid treated fish waste compost and lowest value (583 μs/cm) was in control treatment. Significantly higher (P<0.05) nitrogen content (0.5016 g/kg) was recorded in T1 followed by fish waste compost treated with others (T1,T2,T4 and T5) respectively. Fish waste compost treated with 1ppm sulfuric acid showed significantly higher phosphorous concentration (46.4 ppm) while T3 showed significantly lower phosphorous (35.62 ppm). With regard to phosphorous, there was no significant difference among all other acid treated fish waste compost was detected. Compared to all acid treated fish waste compost potassium concentration was higher in control treatment (36.40 ppm). There was no significant difference in particle size distribution of all the treatments was detected. Acid treatment showed positive effect on nitrogen and phosphorous availability while negative effect on potassium availability of fish waste compost. This trend increased with the increment of the concentration of acid. Among the different fish waste compost mixtures, 1.0 ppm sulfuric treated fish waste compost showed higher N and P content and low K content with better pH and EC values compared to all other treatments. Therefore, 1.0 ppm sulfuric acid could be used as additive for treating fish waste compost.


Lukin, A. (2018). Possibility of application of collagen preparation in egg white cream manufacturing technology. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 24(5), 879–884 The purpose of the research was to study the applicability of a collagen preparation in the egg white cream manufacturing technology. The manufacturing technology of a collagen preparation was developed. As a raw material second category byproducts (lips and ears of cattle) and Protepsin enzyme preparation were used. We have studied the effect of the obtained collagen preparation on functional and technological properties of egg whites (foaming capacity and foaming stability). We also took ready dried protein-containing products to compare functional and technological properties of fresh egg whites with the added collagen preparation. Egg whites with 5% added collagen preparation proved to have high functional and technological properties. The foaming capacity was 97%; the foaming stability was 90% in the fi rst minutes, and 80% in the next 15 minutes. The resulting cream with the addition of 5% collagen preparation from the mass of egg whites did not differ in organoleptic characteristics from the traditional formula of egg white cream.


Membrane Lipid Replacement (MLR) is the use of functional dietary supplements containing cell membrane glycerolphospholipids and antioxidants to safely replace and remove damaged essential membrane phospholipids that accumulate during aging and in various chronic and acute illnesses. Most, if not all, clinical conditions and aging are characterized by cellular membrane phospholipid free radical oxidative damage, resulting in loss of membrane and cellular functions. In particular, loss of mitochondrial function, the key organelle responsible for over 90% of cellular energy production, can result in excess fatigue and other symptoms, and this is a common problem in almost all, if not all, age-related chronic diseases. Clinical trials have shown the benefits of MLR supplements in replenishing damaged membrane phospholipids and restoring mitochondrial function, resulting in reductions in fatigue and other symptoms in aged subjects and patients with a variety of clinical diagnoses. Here we have specifically reviewed the beneficial results of MLR on subjects older than 60 years. MLR provides general membrane and nutritional support during aging and illnesses to improve membrane function and overall health without risk of adverse effects. The case reports here and elsewhere and published clinical trials demonstrate that this is a safe and effective alternative or addition to pharmaceutical approaches for alleviating fatigue, pain, gastrointestinal and other symptoms associated with normal aging and age-related chronic illnesses. Keywords: Aging, Fatigue, Pain, Gastrointestinal symptoms, Phospholipids, Clinical trials, Case reports, Cellular membranes


When experimenters require their subjects to perform some readily recorded response to gain access to discriminative stimuli but do not permit this behavior to alter the schedule of reinforcement, the response is classified, by analogy, as an "observing" response. Observing responses have been used not only to analyze discrimination learning but also to substantiate the concept of conditioned reinforcement and to measure the reinforcing effect of stimuli serving other behavioral functions. A controversy, however, centers around the puzzling question of how observing can be sustained when the resulting stimuli are not associated with any increase in the frequency of primary reinforcement. Two possible answers have been advanced: (a) that differential preparatory responses to these stimuli as conditional stimuli make both the receipt and the nonreceipt of unconditional stimuli more reinforcing; and (b) that information concerning biologically significant events is inherently reinforcing. It appears, however, that the stimulus associated with the less desirable outcome is not reinforcing. The maintenance of observing can be reconciled with the traditional theory that the acquisition of reinforcing properties proceeds according to the same rules as those for Pavlovian conditioning if it is recognized that the subject is selective in what it observes and procures a greater than proportionate exposure to the stimulus associated with the more desirable outcome. As a result of this selection, the overall frequency of primary reinforcement increases in the presence of the observed stimuli and declines in the presence of the nondifferential stimuli that prevail when the subject is not observing.


Cluster explosively formed penetrator􀯭 CEFP􀯭 warhead was a new EFP warhead which assemble a plurality of liners on the outer surface of spherically shaped explosive and projected high velocity explos ively formed penetrators uniformly and radially in 3D s pace . Based on the increased specific surface area of the charge which used to assemble the liners, CEFP had significantly more lethality and higher destructive effects than conventional Warheads . In order to further investigate characteris tics , the nonlinear dynamics code was applied to explore the EFP forming of different liner shapes (basically hemispherical shape).By a series of simulation, we studied the effect of the liner's configuration parameters, namely the thickness of the liner, diameter and the radius angle on the formation parameters, such as the velocity and length/diameter ratio of penetrators.


is a new field in which notable contributions have been made by A.E.D.C. The material is reviewed clearly and concisely, and in sufficient detail to repay intensive study. The next chapter returns again to the problems of evaluating data obtained in transonic tunnels, this time from tests on complete aircraft models over the full transonic speed range. Again criticisms may be made of the way this has been done, and these are likely to be strongest from those who have had personal experience of making such an assessment. These readers are not likely to accept without question all the general conclusions Goethert draws from the experimental material presented in the text and will rely to some extent on their own experience. However, readers less versed in tunnel technique may be a little misled and need perhaps to be reminded that the degree of interference permitted depends markedly on what quantity is being measured, what use is to be made of the results, and the particular model and tunnel geometries involved.


Despite the common assumption that atrophy in a certain brain area would compromise the function that it subserves, this is not always the case, especially in complex clinical syndromes such as primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Clinical and demographic information may contribute to PPA phenotypes and explain the manifested impairments better than atrophy. In the present study, we asked how much variance of the object and action naming impairments observed in PPA may be attributed to atrophy in the language network alone vs. additional clinical and demographic factors including language severity and education. Thirty-nine participants with PPA underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for volumetric analysis and a complete neuropsychological examination, including standardized tests of object and action naming. We used stepwise regression models to compare atrophy (volumetric model) to clinical/demographic variables (clinical-demographic model) for naming objects and actions. The clinical-demographic model was the best-fit model that explained the largest amount of variance in both object and action naming. Brain volume measurements alone explained little variance in both object and action naming. Clinical factors, particularly language severity, and demographic factors, particularly education, need to be considered in conjunction with brain volumes in PPA. The present study emphasizes the complexity of PPA as a syndrome and provides an example of how volumetric, clinical and demographic factors may interact in determining naming performance/deterioration.


Predicting the effects of seasonality and climate change on the emergence and spread of infectious disease remains difficult, in part because of poorly understood connections between warming and the mechanisms driving disease. Trait-based mechanistic models combined with thermal performance curves arising from the metabolic theory of ecology (MTE) have been highlighted as a promising approach going forward; however, this framework has not been tested under controlled experimental conditions that isolate the role of gradual temporal warming on disease dynamics and emergence. Here, we provide experimental evidence that a slowly warming host–parasite system can be pushed through a critical transition into an epidemic state. We then show that a trait-based mechanistic model with MTE functional forms can predict the critical temperature for disease emergence, subsequent disease dynamics through time and final infection prevalence in an experimentally warmed system of Daphnia and a microsporidian parasite. Our results serve as a proof of principle that trait-based mechanistic models using MTE subfunctions can predict warming-induced disease emergence in data-rich systems—a critical step towards generalizing the approach to other systems.


Although the description of the emplacement and the weathering of the New Caledonia peridotites are well documented in the literature (Trescases, 1975), the processes and the age of the planation surfaces formed upon the ultramafic massifs are poorly documented. Ambiguities remain on: 1) the timing and modality of weathering, 2) formation of supergene nickel ore and 3) the role of the parameters controlling its evolution: •The overall geometry of the ophiolitic nappes and structures possibly inherited from the obduction history, •The lithology of the bedrock (dunite, wehrlite, harzburgite, gabbro, amount of serpentinisation ...), •The post-obduction uplift history, and the paleogeographic and paleoclimatic evolution of New Caledonia up to Present. •The geomorphologic evolution related to recent tectonics and sea level changes, Several planation surfaces have been recognised along the island and their correlation in the southern part of the Grande Terre has been done (Chardon and Chevillote, 2006), but no reliable ages could be attributed up to now. Authors established relationships with recent tectonic events; however several issues remain unresolved: •Are all planation surfaces of the same age? Are they deformed (faulted) at a regional scale? •Or alternatively are there stepped planation surfaces of different ages? Are differences in elevation related to variations of the uplift rate? •Are there 1, 2 or more generations of weathering profiles associated to those surfaces? Are possible differences in petrography, mineralogy and geochemistry related to different ages and thus to contrasting paleoclimatic and/or geodynamic settings? The weathering being still active on the peridotites in the current differentiated landscape and tropical climate, the beginning of the lateritic profiles development is not well constrained and assumed to have occurred between 34 Ma (end of obduction) or 25 Ma (last granodiorite intrusions) and Present. Llorca & Monchoux (1991) have found hollandite minerals which are judged as reliable to estimate the age of weathering (Vasconcelos et al., 1992). Work is in progress to analyse this kind of material. Moreover, ferricretes and various ferruginous materials are largely present in the weathering profiles and in the fluvio-lacustrine sediments as well. They would record the ancient geomagnetic field providing means of age determination (e.g. Theveniaut & Freyssinet, 2002 ; Ricordel, 2007). In tropical soils, most of the primary remanence carrying minerals are dissolved during weathering and secondary magnetic minerals, such as goethite and haematite, are formed in situ acquiring a crystallisation (or chemical) remanent magnetization (CRM). Assuming that no significant tectonic movements occurred between New Caledonia and Australia during the Neogene, the paleomagnetic pole recovered by demagnetizing the CRMs are plotted on the apparent polar wandering (APWP) reference curve of the Australian Plate, providing an age for the different parts of the paleoweathering profiles (ie ferricretes capping the lateritic profiles, and iron oxide concretions occurring deeper in the profiles). The data and interpretations we present here are based on paleomagnetic analysis of ferricretes capping the weathering profiles along the Grande-Terre. Well constrained ages have been obtained for the first time. Four sub-sites along a section crosscutting the Tiebaghi plateau (Northwest) have consistently provided an age of ca. 25 ± 5 Ma. In contrast, the samples of the Goro site (South) span over a larger time range of 0-5 Ma to 25 Ma, highlighting possible stepped paleosurfaces. These paleomagnetic data give the first dating constraining the morphogenesis of the Grande Terre paleolandscapes. They could allow reliable correlation of the planation surfaces. The planed future developments include: •The study and dating by paleomagnetism and U-Th/He geochronology (Lippolt et al., 1998) of a larger number of lateritic ferricretes and an analysis of fluvio-lacustrine ferruginous material (iron oxides concretions), which are of major importance for discriminating the different paleosurfaces, refining the steps of downwards progression of weathering, and reconstructing the regolith history, •A comparison with isotopic curves and paleoclimatic evolutions at a global and a regional scale in the Southwest Pacific during the Neogene, •Additional O and H isotopic data on Fe oxides from the same ferricretes, iron oxide concretions and from kaolinite sampled in weathering profiles developed from felsic rocks below similar planation surfaces, to precise the paleoclimatic conditions of the weathering (Girard et al., 2000), •Additional thermochronological data (Gallagher et al., 1998) and petrographic studies of the weathering profiles from the ferricrete until the unweathered bedrock. They all should help to decipher the roles of climate, tectonics and lithology respectively.


This work was developed as a complement to the ecological restoration component contemplated within the framework of action of the Environmental Management Plan of FONAG (Fund for Water Conservation), an institution attached to the Municipality of Quito. The document is part of the baseline in the creation of a suitable scenario to undertake activities of rivers ecological restoration, where it is necessary. At the municipal level, it is important that the considerations discussed here, as well as initiatives for river restoration, should be inserted as one of the main components within the environmental management plans that each local government (GAD) has to undertake in the territory of its jurisdiction, and it is addressed as an element that requires a permanent monitoring in order to detect the changes in the quality and quantity of water that can be presented in a given area and the corresponding management actions to be taken.


The new Mo free duplex stainless steel UR2202 was developed by Industeel in close cooperation with Ugitech - Schmolz + Bickenbach. It can be used in many construction or transport applications, as a substitute for 304 and 304L. With at least the same corrosion properties, the new UR2202 has higher mechanical properties. This provides the potential for significant weight savings for fabricated tanks, pressure vessels etc., when compared to the austenitic grade. Different welding products are considered to achieve homogeneous or heterogeneous welds with the lean duplex base metal and can be selected according to the required corrosion resistance, toughness and tensile properties.


We study smoothed online convex optimization, a version of online convex optimization where the learner incurs a penalty for changing her actions between rounds. Given a Ω(pd) lower bound on the competitive ratio of any online algorithm, where d is the dimension of the action space, we ask under what conditions this bound can be beaten. We introduce a novel algorithmic framework for this problem, Online Balanced Descent (OBD), which works by iteratively projecting the previous point onto a carefully chosen level set of the current cost function so as to balance the switching costs and hitting costs. We demonstrate the generality of the OBD framework by showing how, with different choices of "balance," OBD can improve upon state-of-theart performance guarantees for both competitive ratio and regret; in particular, OBD is the first algorithm to achieve a dimension-free competitive ratio, 3 + O(1/α), for locally polyhedral costs, where - measures the "steepness" of the costs. We also prove bounds on the dynamic regret of OBD when the balance is performed in the dual space that are dimension-free and imply that OBD has sublinear static regret.


The conserved, polar loop region of subunit c of the Escherichia coli F1F0 ATP synthase is postulated to function in the coupling of proton translocation through Fo to ATP synthesis in F1. We have used a random mutagenesis procedure to define the essential residues in the region. Oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis was carried out with a random mixture of mutant oligonucleotides, the oligonucleotide mixture being generated by chemical synthesis by using phosphoramidite nucleotide stocks that were contaminated with the other three nucleotides. Thirty mutant genes coding single-amino-acid substitutions in the region between Glu-37 and Leu-45 of subunit c were tested for function by analyzing the capacity of plasmids carrying the mutant genes to complement a Leu-4-->amber subunit c mutant. All substitutions at the conserved Arg-41 residue resulted in loss of oxidative phosphorylation, i.e., transformants could not grow on a succinate carbon source. The other conserved residues were more tolerant to substitution, although most substitutions did result in impaired growth on succinate. We conclude that Arg-41 is essential in the function of the polar loop and that the ensemble of other conserved residues collectively maintain an optimal environment required for that function.


Drill ship is a ship-shaped structure with a drilling unit at its center and with oil compartments, which is moored and kept in position using anchors. These ships should be capable of working in deep sea for a long time, hence affected by harsh ocean environment. Drill units are said to have greater heave motion, and the height of the derrick influences the vessel's stability. MARPOL Oil Outflow Analysis is performed for damaged crude oil carriers or tankers and Mobile offshore drilling units (MODU) in damaged condition. In the present study, probabilistic analysis is performed on drill ship to understand its stability behavior under damaged condition. Stability assessments are carried out by considering single and multiple damage locations. Oil outflow analysis is carried out for different damage cases of oil tank. Probabilistic damage assessment is done for load cases up to 50% flooding, to obtain stability charts. These charts will be useful to understand variations in stability parameters under damaged conditions.


RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is a crucial technique for many scientific studies and multiple models, and software packages have been developed for the processing and analysis of such data. Given the plethora of available tools, choosing the most appropriate ones is a time-consuming process that requires an in-depth understanding of the data, as well as of the principles and parameters of each tool. In addition, packages designed for individual tasks are developed in different programming languages and have dependencies of various degrees of complexity, which renders their installation and execution challenging for users with limited computational expertise. The use of workflow languages and execution engines with support for virtualization and encapsulation options such as containers and Conda environments facilitates these tasks considerably. Computational workflows defined in those languages can be reliably shared with the scientific community, enhancing reusability, while improving reproducibility of results by making individual analysis steps more transparent. Here we present ZARP, a general purpose RNA-seq analysis workflow which builds on state-of-the-art software in the field to facilitate the analysis of RNA-seq data sets. ZARP is developed in the Snakemake workflow language using best software development practices. It can run locally or in a cluster environment, generating extensive reports not only of the data but also of the options utilized. It is built using modern technologies with the ultimate goal to reduce the hands-on time for bioinformaticians and non-expert users. ZARP is available under a permissive Open Source license and open to contributions by the scientific community. Contact firstname.lastname@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com


This paper proposes a new approach for implementing fast multicast and broadcast in multistage interconnection networks (MINs) with multiport encoded multidestination worms. For a MIN with k/spl times/k switches and n stages such worms use n header flits each. One flit is used for each stage of the network and it indicates the output ports to which a multicast message must be replicated. A single multiport encoded worm has the capability to cover a large number of destinations with a single communication startup. A switch architecture is proposed for implementing multidestination worms without deadlock. Grouping algorithms of varying complexity are presented to derive the associated multiport encoded worms for a multicast to an arbitrary set of destinations. Using these worms a multinomial tree-based scheme is proposed to implement the multicast. This approach significantly reduces broadcast/multicast latency compared to schemes using unicast messages. Simulation studies indicate that improvement in broadcast/multicast latency up to a factor of 4 is feasible using the new approach. Interestingly, this approach is able to implement multicast with reduced latency as the number of destinations increases beyond a certain number.


Social work is traditionally human-centered in practice, even though for many the bond between humans and animals is the most fundamental of daily-lived experiences. The intent of this paper is to reflect on the predominant humanistic basis of social work and to consider the growing evidence for developing a wider perspective to incorporate the human-animal connection into social work practice. Joanne Emmens (2007:9) observes that the human-animal bond is considered by some as '…too mainstream (in the sense of being lightweight, cliche or sentimental), or as not mainstream enough…as substantial material worthy of study.' In this article we argue that the human-animal bond is neither sentimental nor fringe and that our attitudes toward this relationship is based on a construction of western thought. To support this we offer a review of literature that provides evidence of good practice that can move social work beyond a purely humanistic approach to a more holistic view resulting in a more comprehensive toolkit for practice. We explore the literature and practice surrounding the place of animals in social work, both in New Zealand and internationally. In addition, we identify some of the ways the human-animal bond is currently utilised in rehabilitation, therapy, as animal assistants and as an indicator of domestic violence within New Zealand. We argue that this area of research and practice is highly relevant for social work as evidence-based practice. The paper concludes by offering some suggestions for discussion within the social work profession, and considerations for social work educators, researchers and theorists.


ABSTRACT Edna Dell Weinel is a former executive director (1980–1991) of the Family Care Center, a federally funded neighborhood health center in St. Louis, Missouri; this position capped her career as a county public health nurse, state maternal-child nursing consultant, and educator. In all her positions, Weinel lived her values: working at one's highest level of skill, social justice, and teamwork, and used political skills to build alliances for the improvement of community health. Her many contributions to public health and public health nursing were recognized by the Public Health Nursing Section of the American Public Health Association in 1993 with the Ruth B. Freeman Distinguished Career award. In interviews conducted early in 2007, Weinel spoke of her pride in being a public health nurse, her unchanging belief that health care can best be delivered by teams, and that public health nurses are an essential part of any effective team.


Hyperspectral images (HSIs) contain the response of each pixel in different spectral bands, which can be used to effectively distinguish various objects in complex scenes. While HSI cameras have become low cost, algorithms based on it have not been well exploited. In this paper, we focus on a novel topic, weakly-supervised semantic segmentation in cityscape via HSIs. It is based on the idea that high-resolution HSIs in city scenes contain rich spectral information, which can be easily associated to semantics without manual labeling. Therefore, it enables low cost, highly reliable semantic segmentation in complex scenes. Specifically, in this paper, we theoretically analyze the HSIs and introduce a weakly-supervised HSI semantic segmentation framework, which utilizes spectral information to improve the coarse labels to a finer degree. The experimental results show that our method can obtain highly competitive labels and even have higher edge fineness than artificial fine labels in some classes. At the same time, the results also show that the refined labels can effectively improve the performance of existing semantic segmentation algorithms. The combination of HSIs and semantic segmentation proves that HSIs have great potential in high-level visual tasks for automatic driving.


Spectrum (presentation, an image) is a set of all values of any that characterizes, for example, sound-wave propagation. In exact sciences, the expansion of oscillatory function in terms of harmonics, by calculating the Fourier coefficients denotes a spectral analysis. The paper discusses how to further improve the existing sanitary document regulating the order of noise measurement in the area of an apartment block and in residential and public buildings. The author proposes to supplement the document with a procedure for the comparative analysis of the spectral contents of noises.


Background: Information about the prevalence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) among HIV infected and HIV uninfected patients receiving anti-tuberculous therapy in Africa is limited due to unavailability of local data or publications and hence the basis of this study. Objective: To determine the prevalence of adverse drug reactions among HIV infected and HIV uninfected adult patients on anti-TB therapy. Design: A retrospective cohort study. Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya. Subjects: HIV infected and HIV uninfected patients receiving anti-TB therapy between January 2006 to December 2007 Main Outcome Measures:Documented adverse drug reactions. Results: Three hundred and fourteen records were reviewed, 157 for both HIV infected and HIV uninfected. Of the 314 patient files, 96 (30.5%) had ADRs; 70 (44.6%) verses 26 (16.6%) for HIV infected and HIV uninfected respectively. Overall, the most frequent ADR among the two groups was gastrointestinal disturbances (21.7%) verses (10.2%) for HIV infected and uninfected respectively, (RR=2.44 [1.28-4.63], P=0.006). This was followed by peripheral neuropathy (16.6%) verses (4.5%) for HIV infected and uninfected respectively, (RR=4.25 [1.79-10.12], P=0.005). 73(46.49%) of the HIV infected patients were also receiving anti-retroviral therapy, of which 36(49.31 %) of them had ADRs documented. Twenty five (29.8%) of the HIV infected who were not taking anti-retroviral therapy, had ADRs documented. Conclusions: Gastrointestinal disturbances and peripheral neuropathy were the most common ADRs in both groups. Surveillance systems should be established in hospitals for ADRs monitoring and control.


Fractal image compression currently relies on the partitioning of an image into both coarse \domain" segments and ne \range" segments, and for each range element, determines the domain element that best transforms into the range element. Under normal circumstances, this algorithm produces a structure equivalent to a recurrent iterated function system. This equivalence allows recent innovations to fractal image compression to be applied to the general inverse problem of recurrent iterated function systems. Additionally, the RIFS representation encodes bitmaps (bi-level images) better than current fractal image compression techniques.


Abstract Several studies have suggested that the neuropeptide oxytocin may enhance aspects of social communication in autism. Little is known, however, about its effects on nonsocial manifestations, such as restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. In the empathizing–systemizing theory of autism, social deficits are described along the continuum of empathizing ability, whereas nonsocial aspects are characterized in terms of an increased preference for patterned or rule-based systems, called systemizing. We therefore developed an automated eye-tracking task to test whether children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to matched controls display a visual preference for more highly organized and structured (systemized) real-life images. Then, as part of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, we examined the effect of intranasal oxytocin on systemizing preferences in 16 male children with ASD, compared with 16 matched controls. Participants viewed 14 slides, each containing four related pictures (e.g., of people, animals, scenes, or objects) that differed primarily on the degree of systemizing. Visual systemizing preference was defined in terms of the fixation time and count for each image. Unlike control subjects who showed no gaze preference, individuals with ASD preferred to fixate on more highly systemized pictures. Intranasal oxytocin eliminated this preference in ASD participants, who now showed a similar response to control subjects on placebo. In contrast, control participants increased their visual preference for more systemized images after receiving oxytocin versus placebo. These results suggest that, in addition to its effects on social communication, oxytocin may play a role in some of the nonsocial manifestations of autism.


We report a comprehensive experimental study of photoinduced processes in azobenzene-containing liquid-crystalline polymer. The kinetic and optical characteristics of the photoisomerization reaction and photo-orientation process have been determined. The spin probe technique has been used to elucidate the details of orientation order and rotational mobility of molecular fragments within the liquid-crystalline polymer. The evolution of orientation order parameters ⟨P₂⟩, ⟨P₄⟩, and ⟨P₆⟩ in the course of photoinduced ordering of the material as well as the change of liquid-crystalline domain sizes have been studied quantitatively. The obtained experimental results are compared with the predictions of the existing models of photo-orientation.


Abstract. We developed a simultaneous visible-light (Vis) and near-infrared (NIR) dual-band optical coherence tomography (OCT) system using a single supercontinuum laser source. The goal was to benchmark our newly developed Vis-OCT against the well-developed NIR-OCT. The Vis-OCT subsystem operated at 91 nm full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) bandwidth centered at 566 nm; the NIR-OCT subsystem operated at 93 nm FWHM bandwidth centered at 841 nm. The axial resolutions were 1.8 and 4.4  μm in air for the Vis- and NIR-OCT subsystems, respectively. We compared the respective performances, including anatomical imaging, angiography, absolute retinal blood flow measurements, and spectroscopic analysis for retinal blood oxygen saturation (sO2), between the two subsystems in rodents in vivo. While demonstrating minor discrepancies related to operation wavelengths, both subsystems showed comparable performances in the first three tests. However, we were only able to retrieve sO2 using the Vis-OCT subsystem.


A technique for simulating the point spread function (PSF) of gamma-camera images which treats primary photons and detected scattered photons separately is described. The primary photon PSF was measured at different distances in air from the camera. The scatter PSF was also assessed with different thicknesses of water between the point and the camera, and fitted to a circularly symmetric bi-exponential function. An analysis of the variation of detected scattered radiation based on the results is presented. Simulation of the PSF at a given distance from the camera and thickness of attenuating medium was then possible from the sum of the appropriate primary photon PSF corrected for attenuation and the appropriate scatter PSF. The accuracy of the technique has been studied with variation in depth, density and uniformity of thickness of the attenuating medium.


Epiduroscopy is very useful in the treatment of not only low back pain caused by failed back surgery syndrome, epidural scar or herniated disc but also by chronic refractory low back pain which does not respond to interventional conservative treatment including fluoroscopically-directed epidural steroid injections and percutaneous adhesiolysis. Because cauterization using a laser fiber has become recently available, a wider opening is required to enter into the sacral canal in the case of epiduroscopic laser neural decompression (ELND). However, in a few patients, it is difficult to insert a device into the epidural space due to stenosis around the opening, and there is no alternative method. Herein, we report a case where a hiatus rasp specially designed for such patients was used to perform the operation.


Concerning the dispositional determinants of prosocial behavior and cooperation, work based on the classic 5 personality factors, and especially Agreeableness, has turned out somewhat inconsistent. A clearer picture has emerged from consideration of the HEXACO model of personality--though supported entirely by hypothetical behavior as criterion, so far. Thus, in 2 studies and a reanalysis, we investigated "actual behavior" in the form of individually and socially consequential distribution decisions. As expected, HEXACO Honesty-Humility consistently predicted prosocial behavior, including a theory-consistent pattern on the facet level. Importantly, this pattern might explain why five-factor Agreeableness has only sometimes been found to account for prosocial behavior. Indeed, further results indicate that five-factor Agreeableness comprises some aspects that are predictive of prosocial behavior--aspects well covered by HEXACO Honesty-Humility--but also others that play no role for this criterion. As such, the links between five-factor Agreeableness and prosocial behavior are well-covered by HEXACO Honesty-Humility, but not vice versa. Taken together, these findings hint that especially HEXACO Honesty-Humility (and certain aspects of five-factor Agreeableness) account for prosocial behavior--thus explaining previous inconsistencies and providing a more nuanced understanding of the links between basic personality and prosocial or cooperative behavior.


: A new method to treat advanced urinary bladder cancer with locoregional chemotherapy has been developed which can be implanted by the radiologist. So far 3 patients with urinary bladder cancer invading the surrounding anatomical structures were treated. A 5F catheter is introduced into the internal iliac artery by the translumbar approach. Then, this catheter is exchanged with a coaxially assembled catheter port system over a guide wire. A subcutaneous tunnel through the puncture site is formed to receive the port. 10 mg mitomycin were infused three times at intervals of one to three weeks. Computed tomograms and cytoscopy showed complete disappearance of the tumour.


OBJECTIVE
To characterize the clinical features of visceral mast cell tumors (MCT) without associated cutaneous involvement in dogs.

DESIGN
Retrospective study.

ANIMALS
10 dogs with histologically confirmed MCT without associated cutaneous lesions.

PROCEDURE
Information on signalment, clinical signs, laboratory examinations, and time from first admission to death was obtained from the medical record of each dog.

RESULTS
Purebred male dogs of miniature breeds appeared to have a higher prevalence of visceral MCT. Clinical signs included anorexia, lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea. Anemia (n = 7), hypoproteinemia (5), and mastocythemia (5) were detected. Treatments, including glucocorticoids, were not successful. Primary sites of tumors were the gastrointestinal tract (n = 6) and the spleen or liver (1); the primary site was not confirmed in the remaining 3 dogs. In 7 dogs, tumors were categorized as grade II or III, on the basis of histologic findings. The prognoses were poor, and all dogs died within 2 months after first admission.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Visceral MCT is uncommon in dogs, and the prognosis is extremely poor. Biological behavior and drug susceptibility of visceral MCT may be different from cutaneous MCT. The lack of specific clinical signs may result in delay of a definitive diagnosis. The rapid progression of clinical signs and difficulty in diagnosis contributes to a short survival time.


Since 1992, numerous sinkholes have developed northwest of the Amistad Reservoir dam on the Rio Grande. Increases in the discharge of springs south of the dam, on the western side of the Rio Grande, in Coahuila, Mexico, have been documented. In 1995 the Mexico Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) completed a study of the western embankment (Coahuila, Mexico) of the dam that included surface geophysics, borehole geophysics, and installation of piezometers to learn more about subsurface conditions. As part of a 5-year safety inspection in 2005, technical advisors recommended that one line of similarly constructed piezometers be installed on the eastern embankment (Val Verde County, Texas) of the dam for comparison of water levels (potentiometric head) on both the western and eastern embankments of Amistad Reservoir dam. To provide technical assistance for the horizontal and vertical placement of piezometers on the eastern embankment of Amistad Reservoir dam, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Section of the IBWC, conducted a study along both the western and eastern embankments of Amistad Reservoir dam. The study involved an integrated approach using surface and borehole geophysical methods. In the western embankment investigation, geological and geophysical characteristics that indicate relatively large water-yielding properties of the Salmon Peak Formation were identified. The direct-current (DC) resistivity method was selected as the surface geophysical reconnaissance technique to correlate relatively large water-yielding properties of the Salmon Peak Formation, identified from analysis of borehole geophysical logs, with variations in subsurface resistivity. The dipole-dipole array and the reciprocal Schlumberger array were selected as the most applicable DC resistivity arrays. Two resistivity units were identified in both the dipole-dipole array data and the reciprocal Schlumberger array data along DC resistivity profiles on both embankments. Resistivity unit 1 generally is of relatively low resistivity, ranging from 45 to 150 ohm-meters compared with resistivity unit 2, which ranges from 120 to 345 ohm-meters (depending on the DC array type). The presence of mapped sinkholes in the reservoir north of the western embankment study area and the zone of increased water content (as indicated by zones of low neutron log count rates in nearby piezometers) leads to the conclusion that resistivity unit 1 is a preferential flow path where surface water from Amistad Reservoir is forced into the ground-water system (because of increased head from the reservoir). In the eastern embankment investigation, trends in the spatial distribution of sinkholes and the occurrence of weathered zones were identified from geologic descriptions of cores. The correlation of surface geophysical DC resistivity, historical lithologic data, and general trend of documented sinkholes along the eastern end of the eastern embankment profile were used to justify further exploration (drilling of piezometers) in the eastern expression of resistivity unit 1. The spatial location of the piezometers and the screened intervals were selected to best match the locations of the screened intervals of the western embankment piezometers. Six piezometers were installed on the eastern embankment and logged using borehole geophysical techniques. Surface DC resistivity sections superimposed on the resistivity logs for two piezometers indicate three discernible resistivity units that correlate with resistivity units 2, 1, and 2, respectively, identified in the western embankment study area. Resistivity units 1 and 2 in the DC resistivity profiles generally correspond with low and high resistivity zones, respectively, on the normal and lateral resistivity logs collected in the nearby piezometers at the time of installation ( Stanton and others, 2007, Stanton and others, 2008).


Abstract Cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) is a parasitic skin disease caused by the accidental percutaneous penetration and subsequent intraepidermal migration of larvae of various nematode parasites of the hookworm family. The hookworms responsible for CLM are spread worldwide, but the infection occurs mostly in tropical and subtropical climates. Nowadays, because of ever increasing foreign travel, the disease is no longer confined to these areas. Moreover, a significant increase of autochthonous cases in southern Europe has been observed in recent years. We report two new patients from Serbia who acquired CLM, none of them having traveled abroad. As the recommendations for the treatment of CLM are not uniform, two different treatment modalities were applied in these patients, both with an excellent response.


Medico-legal problems experienced by histopathologists differ from those of other clinicians as they are rarely in direct contact with patients. Nevertheless, the pathologist owes a duty of care to the patient and is liable for medical negligence. In the absence of local guidelines, it is prudent to follow guidelines published by learned Colleges elsewhere. This is also true when delegating duties to nonpathologists, technical and other support staff. Errors in diagnosis and documentation pose the most common problems in histopathology. In this, liability also depends on many factors including the provision of adequate clinical information by clinicians and competence of laboratory staff. Clinicopathological discussions, participation in quality assurance programmes and adherence to standard operating procedures are important audit activities to minimize and detect errors as well as prevent grievous outcome to patients. Issues also arise over the retention of specimens and reports. In general, wet, formalin-fixed tissues should be kept until histopathological assessment is finalized and preferably after clinicopathological sessions, and even longer if there is potential litigation. Reports should be archival. Paraffin blocks should be kept for at least the lifetime of the patient, and histology slides for at least 10 years, to facilitate review and reassessment. Despite adverse publicity in the foreign press over the use of human organs and tissues for research and education, it is accepted that processed tissues can be used for research and educational purposes provided the patient's identity is kept confidential. Nevertheless, it would be prudent to revise consent forms for surgery and autopsies to include the possibility that tissues removed can be stored or used for research and education. Good medical practice in pathology encourages a willingness to consult colleagues when in doubt, but advises that the treating clinician be informed if histopathological material is referred away for a second opinion. The Telemedicine Act of Malaysia (1 997) requires practitioners outside Malaysia providing diagnosis through telepathology to hold a certificate to practice telemedicine issued by the Malaysian Medical Council. It is likely that the medico-legal scene in histopathology will change in the coming years with the advent of other new ancillary investigative techniques.


Human transferrin receptors (TR) and receptors for polymeric immunoglobulins (pIgR) expressed in polarized MDCK cells maintain steady-state, asymmetric distributions on the separate basolateral and apical surfaces even though they are trafficking continuously into and across these cells. The intracellular mechanisms required to maintain these asymmetric distributions have not been located. Here we show that TR and pIgR internalize from both surfaces to a common interconnected endosome compartment that includes tubules with buds coated with clathrin lattices. These buds generate vesicles that carry TR to the basolateral border. The lattices contain γ-adaptin and are dispersed by treatment with brefeldin A (BFA). Since BFA treatment abrogates the vectorial trafficking of TR in polarized MDCK cells, we propose that the clathrin-coated domains of the endosome tubules contain the polarized sorting mechanism responsible for their preferential basolateral distribution.


Gout is a urate crystal deposit disease; crystal deposit is present at the time of the first attack – that signals the presence of a urate deposit – and if hyperuricemia persists, it grows and expands to other sites. Urate crystals are recognized by the innate immune system triggering inflammation that results in gout attacks and also during intercritical periods in persistent subclinical chronic inflammation linked to the crystals. Crystal deposition is far from innocuous and gout – through the acute and subclinical inflammation –associates to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and other arteriosclerotic consequences. Most important, reduction to normal values results in dissolution and final disappearance of the crystals. So, gout is currently taken as a curable disease. The main aim of gout treatment is to fully dissolve the urate crystals. Secondary aims include to avoid the attacks, treat them if they occur and recognize and treat associated conditions. Crystal dissolution is achieved by reducing urate crystals to normal values; lower values result in faster dissolution and earlier disappearance of the crystals. New EULAR guidelines take this in account and suggest lower values when crystal deposits are heavy as in long standing gout having affected several joints or in tophaceous gout. Maintained values below 3 mg/dl are not recommended because possible association with Parkinson disease. The xantine oxidase (XO) inhibitor Alopurinol is the mainstay of gout treatment. Since severe toxicity has been linked to the starting dose, it is appropriate to start with a 50 or 100 mg/d to escalate to the necessary dose; frequently under dosed at a fixed 300 mg/dl it can escalated and given up to 800 mg/d, in occasional patients with severe gout. This escalation also reduces the flares that occur at the start of serum uric acid lowering treatment. Febuxostat – also a XO inhibitor – is highly effective and particularly indicated in patients with intolerance to allopurinol or those with renal failure in whom achieving a particularly low uricemia appears appropriate. Uricosurics combined with XO inhibitors are useful in difficult to treat patients in whom XO inhibitors in full dose are insufficient. Pegloticase/rasburicase result in very low uricemia and rapid dissolution of the crystals though only a limited number of doses can be given; they may have a role in the initiation of treatment of very severe and difficult gout. Prophylaxis (prevention) of attacks is especially necessary at the initiation of serum uric acid reducing treatment that commonly triggers attacks as a result of the drop in uricemia. Prophylaxis is achieved by reducing the subclinical inflammation linked to the urate crystals making it more stable. Colchicine 0.5–1 mg/d is the usual approach. If not tolerated NSAID's can be tried (as 500–1000 mg/d of naproxen). If inappropriate because of the frequent gout comorbidities, a small dose of prednisone 5 to 15 mg/d at least until stable target uricemia is achieved can be given. A single dose of Canakinumab lasting up to three months offers an alternative. Treatment of gout attacks - that are the usual reason of seeking medical attention – should be started as early as possible. Effective drugs include colchicine at doses of 1.2 to 1.6 mg the first 24 hours, followed by 1–1.2 mg/day. Most NSAID's at full dose are effective, but are less desirable in patients that frequently suffer from comorbidities. Corticosteroids are frequently used; a short course of oral prednisone (as 30 mg initially to be tapered in 4 to 6 days) is an option mostly free of side effects. If accompanied by colchicine in prophylactic doses (0.5–1 mg/d) from the start, the gout rebounds that accompanied too short treatment schedules are usually avoided. A Intraarticular corticosteroid – especially if accompanied by a local anesthetic – often offers prompt resolution of the symptoms. Finally the anti IL1 drugs – especially anakinra – is increasingly utilized in this context. Gout management should include evaluation – and treatment if required – of its frequent comorbidities. Life style modification and patient information should not be forgotten. Disclosure of Interest None declared DOI 10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-eular.6315


Hinge zones accommodate the differential tidal movement between floating ice shelves, which move with the sea tide, and grounded ice sheets, which do not. Observations on Rutford Ice Stream and Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica, using the kinematic method of Global Positioning System, have yielded the first continuous tidal displacement profiles from an ice sheet hinge zone. The form of these tidal displacement profiles indicates that the flexure can be fit to an elastic beam model using a parameter space optimization technique. The model matches the observed tidal deflection profile to within 5 cm which is similar to the observational uncertainty. The same model and parameter fitting technique is then successfully applied to various other published and unpublished tidal displacement data from Doake Ice Rumples, Bach Ice Shelf, and Ekstrom Ice Shelf, Antarctica, and Jakobshavns Glacier, Greenland. I conclude that the elastic beam model with a single value of the elastic modulus (0.88±0.35 GPa) adequately describes almost all the data and so can usefully be applied elsewhere. Earlier studies of tidal dissipation in ice shelf hinge zones, based on a viscous or transient creep rheology, showed that perhaps 30% of global tidal energy dissipation could be occurring in ice shelf hinge zones. This study suggests, however, that an elastic rheology may be equally appropriate, in which case this estimation of the tidal energy dissipation is excessively high.


The effects of sun-, cabinet-, and drum-drying on the behaviour of submerged culture lactic-fermented pure cassava, maize and finger millet and composites of maize–finger millet and cassava–finger millet were investigated in a Brabender amylograph. The cereal flours and maize–finger millet composite had higher onset and peak gelatinization temperatures but lower peak viscosities than cassava or cassava–finger millet composites. Fermentation alone or in combination with drying increased the viscosity of the flours, except for the fermented and drum-dried cassava–finger millet composite flour. This increased viscosity of uji on fermentation and drying makes it more difficult to cook. Fermented and drum-dried flours recorded high initial viscosities, at 30 °C, when the amylograph was switched on. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry


In this study, we report the semisynthesis and in vitro biological evaluation of thirty-four derivatives of the fungal depsidone antibiotic, unguinol. Initially, the semisynthetic modifications were focused on the two free hydroxy groups (3-OH and 8-OH), the three free aromatic positions (C-2, C-4 and C-7), the butenyl side chain and the depsidone ester linkage. Fifteen first-generation unguinol analogues were synthesised and screened against a panel of bacteria, fungi and mammalian cells to formulate a basic structure activity relationship (SAR) for the unguinol pharmacophore. Based on the SAR studies, we synthesised a further nineteen second-generation analogues, specifically aimed at improving the antibacterial potency of the pharmacophore. In vitro antibacterial activity testing of these compounds revealed that 3-O-(2-fluorobenzyl)unguinol and 3-O-(2,4-difluorobenzyl)unguinol showed potent activity against both methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 0.25-1 μg mL-1) and are promising candidates for further development in vivo.


(61%) had a stage IA tumor on final histology and 37 (39%) a stage IB or more. The ''objective'' model retained pre-operative grading and minimal free myometrium as variables and obtained an AUC of 0.76 (95% CI, 0.66 to 0.86). The ''subjective'' model retained preoperative grading and subjective assessment of myometrial invasion and obtained an AUC of 0.78 (95% CI, 0.68 to 0.87). Comparison between the two models showed no difference in AUC: P-value 0.64. Conclusions: Both objective and subjective model predicted the high risk endometrial cancers with reasonable accuracy. After external validation they might be helpful for pre-operative triaging of patients with endometrioid cancer.


In this paper we apply conjoint analysis as an empirical method to study the influence of tax labeling and tax earmarking on the perceived tax burden. As reference for the individual behavior we use the model of a rational utility maximizer described by the economic theory. We determine a significant influence of the labeling and the earmarking of taxes. We can show that the labeling and earmarking effect can decrease the perceived tax burden for the test persons which results in a deviation from a (rational) consumption maximizing behavior. These results give important implications for tax policy regarding further reforms of the tax and contribution system.


Abstract This article uses evidence drawn from hymenaios and wedding ritual to reach a new interpretation of the third stasimon of the Hippolytos, and its rôle in the play. There is longstanding contention about whether a second (male) chorus participates in the ode, singing in antiphony with the existing tragic chorus. Even scholars who accept that a second chorus is present have tended to regard it as an aberration which needs to be explained away, rather than a deliberate choice with poetic significance. I discuss the cultural implications of such a chorus, examining our evidence for real-life mixed choruses, and then applying this to the ode itself. The evidence for mixed choruses suggests they are strongly associated with marriage. Looking more closely at the language and imagery of the ode, there are allusions to the topoi of wedding songs and ritual running through it. The ode can use these as a device to trigger deep-rooted responses and associations from the audience, as these motifs are drawn from the cultural tradition which the audience shares. The topoi tie in with the theme of marriage and sexuality within the Hippolytos as a whole. But while their usual purpose is to set up conventional models and ways of thinking, the way they are deployed in the ode in fact serves to undermine these models, and to put a darker spin on the norms of sexual behaviour. This strand of imagery therefore also provides a filter for interpreting Hippolytos' own attitude towards sexuality, and a guide to how we are meant to respond to it.


Background/Aims: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory and destructive skin disorder. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to stop its progression. Data concerning adolescent-onset HS are scarce. The aims of this study are to describe the prevalence of adolescent-onset HS and to explore potential risk factors and the disease features of these patients. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study including 134 patients was performed. Results: Adolescent-onset HS occurred in 51.5% (69/134) of patients. Adolescent-onset HS was associated with female sex, positive family history, presence of pilonidal sinus, acne conglobata, longer disease duration and a worse perception of disease severity. Conclusion: Adolescent-onset HS might be more frequent than previously reported. Female sex, positive family history and the presence of elements of the follicular occlusion tetrad identify individuals with a higher risk of early onset. These patients experience a longer disease duration and perceive their disease as severer.


This work devotes to investigate synthesis and electrical properties of spinel MgCo2O4 that is considered as a candidate of the cathode materials of magnesium-ion batteries in future. Samples were synthesized by two types of techniques: solid-state reaction and wet process. The crystal structures of the samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, and their electrical conductivities were obtained through the dc resistance and ac impedance measurements. By solid-state reaction, sample of a single MgCo2O4 phase was not obtained; a sample synthesized at 800 � C for 24 h after milling of Co3O4 and MgO powder was comprised of dual phases of spinel-type and rocksalt-type structures, and samples synthesized at temperatures higher than 880 � C showed a single rocksalt-type phase without electrical conductance. The former sample showed p-type semiconducting behavior as well as spinel-type Co3O4, but its electrical conductivity around room temperature was shown to exceed that of Co3O4. In contrast, a sample consisting of a single spinel-type phase was successfully synthesized by wet process, which exhibited an electrical conductivity of the order 10 � 2 Scm � 1 , being much higher than those of the samples synthesized by solid-state reaction. Thus, substitution of Co 2þ in Co3O4 with Mg 2þ is found to enhance the electrical conductivity of the spinel-type phase.


As the avian flu pandemic threatens Europe, consumer awareness of the theoretical possibility of contraction of the avian flu virus through consumption of chicken saw a decline in demand at the end of 2005, with peaks between 40% - 50% in Southern European countries such as Italy whilst having little impact on demand in Northern countries like the UK. Such food scares, coupled with an increasing awareness of food safety issues by the general public, highlight the importance of evaluating the perceived risks associated with food purchasing and consumption are paramount in order to provide effective policy communication in this area. There is considerable empirical evidence that different consumers respond to food risk communication in different ways. This implies that policymakers and food firms cannot rely on a single public information strategy for emerging food risks. Furthermore, the impact of food safety information varies significantly according to the sources that provide it. Using data are from a nationally representative pan-European survey of 2 725 respondents from five EU countries (France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and the United Kingdom), we show that in a situation of increased perceived risk hence increased levels of involvement households across the EU are likely to respond in culturally specific ways which suggest a need for country level policy design.


INTRODUCTION
A substantial number of urology admissions constitute of emergency cases and sizeable proportion are urology emergency referral cases. There have been few studies conducted on this aspect but there lie geographical variations in the presentations of urological emergencies. Hence, this study was conducted to analyse various urological emergency presentations and their interventions.

OBJECTIVE
To estimate the proportion of urological emergencies and analyse the different type of urological emergencies with the required management.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A hospital based observational descriptive study was undertaken in our institution over a period of one year.

RESULTS
A total of 11,139 cases were admitted in the urology department; of which a significant percentage (21.05%) was from emergency room. Majority of cross references came from the Department of Medicine (22.59 %). Renal colic (24.2%) happened to be the most common presentation in emergency room followed by acute urinary retention (14.7%). Among referred cases, hematuria was the leading presentation with 17.75% followed by traumatic catheterization (11.97%). Most common urological intervention in referred cases was supra pubic catheterization (27.20%) while it was percutaneous nephrostomy (32.78%) in directly admitted cases.

CONCLUSION
Urological emergencies constitute a significant proportion of total urology admissions (27.18%). The most common non-traumatic injury was renal colic whereas traumatic was traumatic catheterization in our study. Most common surgical intervention in direct admitted emergency cases was percutaneous nephrostomy whereassuprapubic catheterization in within hospital emergency referral cases.


In this paper there are described methods for grading the local skin reactivity induced by bacterial filtrates. The grading is accomplished by titration of the skin-preparatory factors; and by studies on the duration of ensuing reactivity. It was found that the duration of reactivity depends upon the mode of preparation of filtrates and the microorganisms employed. Thus, it lasts for 96 hours with meningococcus "agar washings" filtrates; for 72 hours with B. typhosus "agar washings" filtrates; it disappears within 48 hours with B. typhosus tryptic digest broth culture filtrate and B. typhosus "agar washings" filtrates previously heated in the Arnold sterilizer for 20 minutes. Comparative titrations of the preparations employed demonstrate that the duration of reactivity is in direct relationship to the reacting potency. It is also shown that the skin-preparatory potency of the filtrates and the duration of the ensuing local reactivity are not modified by cellular anaphylactic sensitization (Arthus phenomenon) to animal proteins. The exposure of tissues to the effect of certain soluble bacterial factors induces a high susceptibility to humoral toxic principles resulting from intravascular antigen-antibody interaction.


This paper was my attempt to build a theory of public factors of production such as scientific knowledge and to see whether there is any way that Arrow-Debreu general equilibrium theory can cope with the nonconvexities that arise. I propose that the economy might be partitioned into provision of social overhead goods and ordinary goods in such a way that given the quantities of social overhead goods, the remaining activities satisfy the assumptions needed for the existence of competitive equilibrium. I proposed and examined a notion of Lindahl-Hotelling equilibrium in which individuals were assigned Lindahl prices for the social overhead goods. These Lindahl prices depend on the effects of the social overhead goods on competitive prices for ordinary goods. This allows a nice application of duality and indirect utility functions.


The contiguous Cerro Verde and Santa Rosa porphyry copper deposits are hosted by Paleogene granitoid rocks and Precambrian gneiss, and spatially associated with 61 ± 1 Ma (U-Pb zircon: Mukasa, 1986) dacitic porphyry stocks. The age of hydrothermal activity is constrained by laser-induced incremental-heating 40Ar-39Ar sericite (muscovite-2M1) dates of 61.8 ± 0.7 (2 σ ) and 62.0 ± 1.1 Ma for Cerro Verde, and 62.2 ± 2.9 Ma for Santa Rosa, representing the terminal event in the Arequipa segment of the Coastal batholith.

The deposits crop out on the Santa Rosa erosional pediment, which itself is incised into the older La Caldera surface. Two populations, of ages 36.1 to 38.8 Ma and 24.4 to 28.0 Ma, are identified by multiple analyses of a sample from Cerro Verde comprising alunite partially replaced by natroalunite, demonstrating that supergene activity had commenced by the latest Eocene, during the Incaic orogeny, thereafter continuing through the Oligocene. In the Santa Rosa deposit, deep (ca. 300–350 m) leaching in the late Oligocene is recorded by ca. 26 Ma natroalunite that is inferred to have formed beneath the La Caldera surface. At the top of the Cerro Verde pit (2738 m bench), veins of alunite (ca. 23 Ma) and natroalunite (ca. 21 Ma) in a hematitic leached zone are truncated by the Santa Rosa surface, which is inferred to have developed after 21 Ma. Decreasing ages of alunite-group minerals with increasing depth in the Cerro Verde pit (e.g., ca. 12 Ma at the 2648 m level, and 4.9–6.7 Ma at the 2618 m level) are evidence for deepening of the supergene profile through the Miocene beneath this pediment. Jarosite dates (0.7–1.3 Ma) record the persistence of minor supergene activity into the Pleistocene.


Background: The goal of this report is to show our results with extension block technique for treatment of mallet fracture. The indications for this technique were the presence of a large bone fragment, and palmar subluxation. Methods: We retrospectively assessed the results of treatment in 14 mallet fractures which have been treated by extension block technique to determine the range of motion in distal interphalangeal joint and associated complications. Results: According to the Crawford criteria there were 6 excellent, 4 good and 4 fair results. At an average follow-up period of 19 months, the average extension lag and the average final active flexion of distal interphalangeal joint were 6° and 54° respectively. Conclusion: We have found that this technique effective and minimally invasive and it does not disrupt the remaining extensor mechanism. This technique requires percutaneous transarticular pin, which does not allow early joint mobilization and requires meticulous pin care with regular dressings. In our opinion, joint transfixation is probably the commonest reason for incomplete restoration of the joint range of motion.


This is a concise text, consisting of 417 pages. The first two chapters detail the clinical office evaluation of the hearingimpaired and/or dizzy patient. Neurologic considerations and common neurologic disorders associated with dizziness are re viewed. Approximately 20% of the book is devoted to three chap ters on the audiologic evaluation for neurotologic diagnosis, in cluding auditory brain stem response measurements and electro cochleography. These three chapters are exceedingly well written and supply basic and advanced, clinically useful i^ormation con cerning specific techniques for carrying out and interpreting evoked potential measurements.


OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to identify the drug treatment protocols applied by primary care physicians or pneumologists for patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Spain, to determine the agreement between prescription practices and current recommendations and to assess differences between the two levels of patient care.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
The study was observational, descriptive and multicenter. A stratified random sample of patients treated by family physicians or pneumologists was taken for every region in Spain.

RESULTS
Five hundred sixty-eight (63.2%) of the 898 subjects fulfilled COPD diagnostic criteria; 100 were treated by primary care physicians and 460 by pneumologists. In 8 cases the caregiver was unknown. Obstruction was mild-to-moderate in 144 cases and severe in 416. The drugs most commonly prescribed were ipratropium bromide (77.8%), inhaled short-acting beta(2) agonists (65.8%), inhaled corticosteroids (61.0%), long-acting beta(2) agonists (46.4%) and theophyllines (41.3%). Primary care physicians prescribed inhaled short-acting beta 2-agonists most often, whereas pneumologists prescribed anticholinergics most often. In the primary care setting, no differences in treatment protocols were observed based on severity of COPD, degree of dyspnea or quality of life. More consistent differences were seen in treatment by pneumologists. In both settings, prescription was more frequently given when COPD was severe. The most commonly prescribed inhalation device was the Turbuhaler in primary care and the pressurized canister in pneumology.

CONCLUSIONS
Treatments prescribed for COPD patients do not follow current guidelines strictly, particularly in the primary care setting. Different prescription protocols are used at the different levels of patient care.


A major challenge of our times is to understand and manage the increasing complexity of socio-economic reality. This has immediate relevance for sustainable development. The impact of recent contributions from systems and complexity sciences in addressing this issue has not filtered down into effective practice -- notably, there remain problems caused by the legacy of competing paradigms and the application of their associated methodologies. This book argues the urgency for the application of analytical tools that embody the principles of complexity management. The authors describe a theoretical framework based on complexity science with a focus on organisational and second order cybernetics, one that presents a powerful new insight into the concept of sustainability. The book also describes actual applications of the ideas in the area of organisational, societal and environmental management, and reflects upon the impact of such an approach on current practice.


A suitable and effective design method of distributed power amplifiers, based on the optimum FET load requirement for power operation, is proposed in this paper. An analytical determination of the gate and drain line characteristic admittances provides both the initial values and right directions for an optimum design. The best trade-offs between wide band and high power operation have been investigated. To validate the method, a FET amplifier demonstrator with a gate periphery of 1.2 mm has been manufactured at the Texas Instruments foundry. The MMIC amplifier demonstrated state of the art power density performance of 340 mW/mm over the 2-18 GHz band associated with 14.2% power added efficiency, 26.5% drain efficiency and 26.1 dBm output power at 1 dB compression in CW operation.<<ETX>>


Idiopathic lobular granulomatous mastitis (ILGM) is a relatively rare disease in women during reproductive life and may commonly mimic carcinoma. Histopathology is the most definitive method of diagnosis. Herein, we report three cases who had very similar clinical-radiological findings to malignancy. None of the women has systemic disorder or history of a specific infection. All lesions were widely excised. Histopathological investigation revealed a lobular, non-caseating granulomatous inflammation. Clinicians should consider the possibility of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis in young women with clinical and radiological findings which are similar to malignancy of breast lesions.


Although many models of ad processing and response have been developed, most experimental tests of these models have exposed subjects only to advertising stimuli. In the marketplace, however, consumers often receive negative brand information in addition to advertising. In this study, we explored whether traditional models accurately predict ad processing and response when consumers integrate advertising with negative word-of-mouth (WOM) communications about the brand. A test was conducted using four experimental groups: ad only, negative WOM only, advertising then negative WOM, and negative WOM then advertising. Results show that (a) advertising mitigates the detrimental cognitive effects of negative WOM communication (when the ad is processed first) and the detrimental affective and conative effects (when the ad is processed last), (b) integrating ad content with negative WOM communication causes significant changes in the message processing of both, (c) negative WOM communication significantly reduces the perceived credibility of advertising as well as brand attitudes and purchase intentions, and (d) the effect of attitude toward the ad on brand attitude becomes nonsignificant when subjects process both types of information. Implications for marketing research and practice are discussed.


Uncertainty is an omnipresent issue in real-world optimization problems. This paper studies a fundamental problem concerning uncertainty, known as the beta-robust scheduling problem. Given a set of identical machines and a set of jobs whose processing times follow a normal distribution, the goal is to assign jobs to machines such that the probability that all the jobs are completed by a given common due date is maximized. We give the first systematic study on the complexity and algorithms for this problem. A strong negative result is shown by ruling out the existence of any polynomial-time algorithm with a constant approximation ratio for the general problem unless P=NP. On the positive side, we provide the first FPT-AS (fixed parameter tractable approximation scheme) parameterized by the number of different kinds of jobs, which is a common parameter in scheduling problems. It returns a solution arbitrarily close to the optimal solution, provided that the job processing times follow a few different types of distributions. We further complement the theoretical results by implementing our algorithm. The experiments demonstrate that by choosing an appropriate approximation ratio, the algorithm can efficiently compute a near-optimal solution.


One of the key tenets of work in the social studies of science and technology (ssst) is that the conditions of scientific and engineering knowledge determine their contents (Bijker et al., 1987; Bijker & Law, 1992; Woolgar, 1991; Pickering, 1992; Hacking, 1999; Latour, 1999). In other words, the content of knowledge is not a mirror of what is. Rather it is a constructed and contingent network of representations, artifacts, processes and skills that could have been otherwise if social, cultural, economic and cognitive conditions were otherwise. In the context of ssst, these networks have been called actor networks (Callon, 1986; Callon et al., 1986; Callon, 1991; Callon et al., 1997; Latour, 1987; Latour, 1991; Latour, 1996). For the purposes of this paper, actor networks in which scientific and engineering knowledge is established, maintained and extended are referred to as knowledge networks. The aim of our work in progress is to study knowledge networking and to participate in a potential, emerging software engineering knowledge network. One outcome of the work will be to produce a case study of the potential software technology transition network we are helping to establish. Additionally, we plan to evaluate and adopt new methodologies and tools that support the development and study of knowledge networks.


In-vehicle information systems (IVISs) can enhance or compromise driving safety. Such systems present an array of messages that range from collision warnings and navigation instructions to tire pressure and e-mail alerts. If these messages are not properly managed, the IVIS might fail to provide the driver with critical information, which could undermine safety. In addition, if the IVIS simultaneously presents multiple messages, the driver may fail to attend to the most critical information. To date, only simple algorithms that use priority-based filters have been developed to address this problem. This paper presents a dynamic programming model that goes beyond the immediate relevance and urgency parameters of the current Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) message scheduling algorithm. The resulting algorithm considers the variation of message value over time, which extends the planning horizon and creates a more valuable stream of messages than that based only on the instantaneous message priority. This method has the potential to improve road safety because the most relevant information is displayed to drivers across time and not just the highest priority at any given instant. Applying this algorithm to message sets shows that scheduling that considers the time-based message value, in addition to priority, results in substantially different and potentially better message sequences compared with those based only on message priority. This method can be extended to manage driver workload by adjusting message timing relative to demanding driving maneuvers.


NiMgAlO catalysts were prepared by two methods: coprecipition and impregnation. They were used to simultaneously adsorb SO2 and NO with O2 in a fixed bed at atmospheric pressure. Typically the molar composition of the feed gas was 1% SO2, 0.2% NO and O2 with ultra-high purity Ar as the diluent. The results showed the catalysts were excellent materials for the simultaneous oxidation adsorption of SO2 and NOx. The two kinds of catalysts were compared for the SO2 and NOx adsorption capacity. The NiMgAlO catalyst prepared by coprecipition had better adsorption than impregnation. When NiMgAlO catalysts with 10 wt-% Ni content were calcined at 550°C, adsorption capacity was the largest at 120°C adsorption temperature: 1.392 mmol SO2 and 0.213 mmol NOx were adsorbed on 1 g catalyst prepared by the coprecipition method. The causes are seen by the XRD, surface area and porous size analysis.


This article examines policy innovations and data concerns related to water trading in Colorado, and develops econometric models of transactions occurring over two distinct time periods. The Punctuated Equilibrium Theory (PET) of policy adaptation is used to examine shifts in Colorado water trading policy paradigms. Creating better policy frameworks for water trading is a key concern for agricultural, urban, and environmental water interests, given hotter temperatures and more variable precipitation patterns in the western U.S. Contractual arrangements of varying types are being used to engage farmers in providing reliable water supplies for ecosystem and urban needs through changes in farm water use practices. While various pieces of information about changes in water use can be gleaned from public databases, transaction price information is notably lacking. Recent Colorado policy innovations related to water trading emphasize reducing on-farm consumptive use and making water available for other purposes without permanently drying up irrigated cropland. The use of econometric models analyzing water rights transactions provides insight into how changes in key external factors affect transaction prices. The econometric models developed here focus upon Colorado's urbanizing Front Range and examine the effect of demographics, housing prices, drought indicators, and agricultural profitability on prices at which water is traded. Volume traded, drought measures, housing prices, alfalfa prices, and water source characteristics are statistically significant in these models. The article concludes by discussing factors that contribute to water trading policy innovations and the broader relevance of Colorado's innovative trading arrangements to water management challenges in arid regions.


This article presents a sub-6GHz ISM-band flexible wearable MIMO antenna array for wireless body area networks (WBANs) and biomedical telemetry devices. The array is based on metasurface inspired technology. The antenna array consists of $2\times 2$ matrix of triangular-shaped radiation elements that were realized on 0.8 mm thick Rogers RT/duroid 5880 substrate. Radiation characteristics of the array are enhanced by isolating the surface current interaction between the individual radiators in the array. This is achieved by inserting an electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) decoupling structure between the radiating elements. The radiating elements were transformed into a metasurface by etching sub-wavelength slots inside them. The periodic arrangement of slots acts like resonant scatterers that manipulate the electromagnetic response of the surface. Results confirm that by employing the decoupling structure and sub-wavelength slots the isolation between the radiators is significantly improved ( $>34.8$ dB). Moreover, there is an improvement in the array's fractional bandwidth, gain and the radiation efficiency. The optimized array design for operation over 5.0-6.6 GHz has an average gain and efficiency of 10 dBi and 83%, respectively. Results show that the array's performance is not greatly affected by a certain amount of bending. In fact, the antenna maintains a gain between 8.65-10.5 dBi and the efficiency between 77-83%. The proposed MIMO antenna array is relatively compact, can be easily fabricated on one side of a dielectric material, allows easy integration with RF circuitry, is robust, and maintains its characteristics with some bending. These features make it suitable for various wearable applications and biomedical telemetry devices.


In the process of evolutionary development of animal psyche flickers of consciousness in forms of surmise appear. At a certain stage of evolution of humans these surmises are fixed in language, which causes formation of nets of nerve connections, which do not coincide with nets of non-speech psychological reflections. In the process of its development language turns into system of signs and begins to develop according to its own laws, which are supposedly connected to laws of development of consciousness. Along with language, the next generation transmits the experience not only of surmise but a system of flickers of conscience. In the process of learning a native language a child has singular flickers of consciousness accumulated by humanity, which join in constant streams of consciousness. Regulation of consciousness is realized by means of psychological and speech reflex replications, each of those separately may be available to consciousness only as singular flickers, but combined they can deliberately regulate streams of psychological reflections according to demands of actively purposeful actions, provide a possibility to understand being. Mechanism of regulation is retention of one of the streams (psychological or speech reflex) in the sphere of consciousness due to variability of the other, in the context of establishing identity of stable and variable. Key words: guess, image, perven', psyche, reflex, consciousness . Accepted : 02.06.2017 Reviewed : 02.20.2017 Published : 03.24.2017 * * * * * Download/read PDF


Conservation, renovation, restoring and urban regeneration activities have been carried out in the historic centre of Ankara, in Ankara Citadel since 2007 and right beside it, in Hamamönü both by local government and investors from the public sector and small-scale enterprises. Hamamarkası region has been the last episode of this process. These activities construct spaces for the consumption and demands of the tourists as well as urban travellers and create a new nostalgia culture based on the phenomenon of authenticity by means of aestheticisation practices. Local ties of belonging which weaken with modernization of globalization come to the fore again and become determining in the production and consumption phases of nostalgia culture. The aim of this study is to examine the formation of the nostalgia culture in these historic regions of Ankara and the diversities that have been produced within it by several actors. Based on the fieldwork comprising the enterprises like cafés, restaurants, antique shops, art galleries, art studios, boutique hotels in the regions, the study presents the repercussions of social memory, traditions, perceptions and longings of the past in the urban culture of Ankara. In the light of these data, it is seen that in these three regions different nostalgia cultures are formed and the emerging cultures are both influenced by neo-liberal globalization and the prevailing political dynamics in Turkey, particularly by the policy of neo-Ottomanism which has been effective in the last ten years.


Introduction: Intestinal specimens received frequently are of both non neoplastic and neoplastic lesions. Non neoplastic lesions includes non specific enteritis, congenital anomalies, tuberculosis where as carcinoid and carcinomas are neoplastic lesions. Clinical and radiological findings of these lesions are non specific. Therefore histopathological study is required for the diagnosis. Materials and Methods: One year study was done during the period of June 2016 to May 2017 at M R Medical college, Kalaburagi on 32 intestinal specimens (16 small intestinal and 16 large intestinal).The specimens were processed routinely and special stains were done where ever required. Results: A wide spectrum of intestinal lesions were studied. Congenital anomalies accounted for 22% which included meckels diverticulum(4), heterotopic pancreas (1), jejunal atresia (1) and hirschsprung's disease(1). Inflammatory lesions constituted 53.1% which were mainly chronic non specific inflammation(12), Tuberculosis(4) and diverticulitis(1). Two cases of juvenile polyp, two cases of carcinoid tumor and one case each of ileal lipoma, ileal hemangioma, anal papilloma and signet ring cell adenocarcinoma were reported. Conclusion: A greater awareness of various diseases affecting the intestines and understanding their pathogenesis, on the part of the pathologist is felt necessary for a better diagnosis. Hence a detailed histopathological study of the intestinal specimens should be done in constant correlation with the clinical and radiological findings for an accurate diagnosis.


A primary goal for Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration is to improve stream health and function in 10% of stream miles by 2025. Predictive spatial modeling of stream conditions, when accurate, is one method to fill gaps in monitoring coverage and estimate baseline conditions for restoration goals. Predictive modeling can also monitor progress as additional data become available. We developed a random forests model to predict biological condition of small streams (<200 km2 in drainage) in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Biological condition was measured with the Chesapeake Bay Basin-wide Index of Biotic Integrity (Chessie BIBI), a stream macroinvertebrate index. Our goal was to predict biological condition in all unsurveyed small streams present in a 1:24,000 scale catchment layer as a 2004–2008 baseline. We reclassified the 5-category Chessie BIBI ratings into two categories, poor and fair/good, to align with management goals of the Chesapeake Bay Program. The model included 12 geospatial predictor variables including measures on spatial location, bioregion, land cover, soil, precipitation, and number of dams in local catchments. We trained the model with a random 75% subset of Chessie BIBI data (n = 1449), and used the remaining 25% of Chessie BIBI data (n = 484) as test data. The model performed well, correctly predicting 72% of samples in training data and 73% of samples in test data, but model accuracy varied among bioregions. We performed uncertainty analyses by adding bands of either ±0.05 or ±0.10 BIBI units to the cutoff between poor and fair/good. These uncertainty analyses resulted in 14.5% (±0.05 band) and 24.8% (±0.10 band) of samples in test data being classified as in uncertain condition. For 95,877 small stream reaches in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the model predicted 64% in fair/good condition, the ±0.05 uncertainty analyses predicted 57% in fair/good condition, and the ±0.10 uncertainty analysis predicted 50% in fair/good condition. These reported values have different implications for the number of improved stream miles required to meet the goal of improving 10%. Incorporating uncertainty provides an assessment of model strength as well as confidence in predictions. We, therefore, suggest increased reporting of uncertainty in studies that spatially predict stream conditions.


In our study of the development of diving in Gal pagos fur seals, we analysed changes in diving activity and body mass trends over the lunar cycle. Based on previously observed lunar cycles in colony attendance patterns, we hypothesized a greater impact of prey migrations of deep scattering layer organisms on younger fur seals. Using electronic dive recorders, we determined that seals dived less and deeper on moonlit nights than at new moon, and incurred body mass losses. These changes in foraging over the lunar cycle correlate with the suppression of the vertical migration of prey by lunar light. All effects were more pronounced in juveniles than adult females, with greater relative mass loss during full moon, which must (i) negatively affect long-term juvenile growth rates, (ii) lengthen periods of maternal dependence, and (iii) contribute to the lowest reproductive rate reported for seals. This underlines the importance of studying ontogeny in order to understand life histories, and for determining the susceptibility of animal populations to fluctuations in food availability.


A homologous series with carboxy (-COO-) as central group and -COOC4H9(ter.) as terminal end group have been synthesized by treating p-p'-n-alkoxy benzoic acid with p-hydroxy ter-butyl Benzoate. Pentyl to Hexadecyl homologues of the series are mesomorphic in nature. First, fore members of the series are non-mesomorphic. Pentyl,Hexyl, Octyl,decyl, dodecyland tetradecyl derivatives are enantiotropically nematogenic. Smectogenic character is totally absent. Phase behavior of a phase diagram is normal for transition curves. Odd-even effect is observed for nematic-isotropic transition curve. Transition temperatures of the homologues are determined by an optical polarizing microscope, equipped with a heating stage. Analytical data supported the structures of molecules. Liquid crystal properties of the titled series are compared with structurally similar homologous series.Thermal stabilities and other mesogenic characteristics are compared with other structurally similar homologous series.Textures of the nematic phase are threaded or schlieren. Thermal stability for nematic is 190.57 C° and the degree of mesomorphism vary from 10.0 C° to 22.0 C° at the C5 and C10homologue respectively. It is a middle ordered melting type series, whose relative group efficiency order for nematic derived.


The data of the known field experiment on water injection in the borehole were analyzed. Parameters of self-similarity of seismicity were estimated in comparison with the changes of water pressure. Changes of seismicity parameters that indicate the redistribution of the failure from lower scales to upper are revealed. The total number of earthquakes per series of the water initiation found to be depended exponentially on the water pressure and seismic activity maximum is delayed gradually relative to beginning of initiation. The growth of induced seismicity zone in time differs from diffusion model for water flow in the porous medium. Analysis carried out from laboratory data indicates that diffusion growth of the failure area may be realized in the dry specimen, without fluid. It could be assumed that both kinetic processes — water and the failure diffusion — can be significant for the development of seismicity induced by the water injection.


Since 2014:Q3, the U.S. dollar has experienced the third-fastest appreciation in over 30 years, with its nominal exchange and real exchange rate rising 15 percent against almost all foreign currencies (as measured by the Major Currencies Dollar Index). This sudden and rapid gain has engendered concerns about how a stronger dollar will affect U.S. export and import prices and ultimately, consumer prices and inflation in the United States. This paper assembles a rich database, spanning the period from 1985:Q1 through 2014:Q4, that combines several measures of prices and exchange rates in order to examine the likely outlook for U.S. import and export prices and consumer prices in the short run (one quarter) and over a 24-month period.


This paper establishes monotonicity of the chi-square test statistic. As the more efficient parameter estimator is plugged into the test statistic, the degrees of freedom of the resulting chi-square test statistic monotonically increase.


of Christianity—including spiritual formation through monastic discipline, the European university, Christian dogma, and exegetical rules and methods—were therefore formed and fomented in the crucible of ancient African Christian life. Oden attributes long-standing neglect and ignorance of this historic African heritage to deep-seated prejudice within Western scholarship. But he reserves his strongest admonitions for contemporary African scholars and church leaders. He charges that their strenuous efforts to fashion a new African Christian identity are bedeviled as much by inattentiveness to this rich African heritage as by misconceptions of the African tradition inherited from modern scholarship. This charge is not without foundation. Then again, no mention is made of major works like Ghanaian theologian Kwame Bediako's Theology and Identity: The Impact of Culture upon Christian Thought in the Second Century and in Modern Africa (1999), which scrutinizes early African Christianity in a way that informs the modern African Christian experience. Still, Oden makes a compelling case that a reappropriation of Africa's ancient apostolic tradition not only affirms the indigenous nature of African Christianity but also recovers its historic relevance within world Christianity. Burton's The Blessing of Africa also attempts to place African Christianity in its wider global context, but there the similarity ends. The book focuses on "biblical Africa" and the historical significance of African peoples and events as depicted throughout Scripture. Its basic premise is that biblical Africa—which the author equates with the "land of Ham"—had geographic boundaries that extended far beyond the modern African continent, encompassing "Saudi Arabia and the countries that share its peninsula, the western regions of the Middle East, including Israel, Iraq, and Lebanon, and possibly the southernmost parts of modern Turkey" (p. 19). This conception, which speculatively associates biblical Put with sub-Saharan Africa, will be strongly contested. It also renders the book's title somewhat misleading. Yet this comprehensive study offers some compelling arguments and useful insights that challenge conventional assumptions about geographic Africa and about African ethnicity and racial identity. As is to be expected, Eurocentric reading of the Bible, the Crusades, and colonial Christianity receive withering criticism. But readers expecting a robust or novel treatment of the Bible and modern African Christianity will be disappointed—in this regard, Philip Jenkins's The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South (2006) has much more to offer. Perhaps because of its historical links to biblical Israel, Ethiopian Christianity is covered in interesting detail, and the interface between the Bible, the Qur'an, and Islam is thoroughly explored. The book's revisionist approach will attract scholarly censure, but the case for a fresh look at the significance of Africans in the biblical record and the impact of the Bible on the African story is convincingly made. In important ways these two books confirm the monumental tasks that confront a new generation of African Christian scholars. —Jehu J. Hanciles