Since the discovery of kiloparsec-scale X-ray emission from quasar jets, the physical processes responsible for their high-energy emission have been poorly defined. A number of mechanisms are under active debate, including synchrotron radiation, inverse-Comptonized cosmic microwave background (IC/CMB) emission, and other Comptonization processes. In a number of cases, the optical and X-ray emission of jet regions are inked by a single spectral component, and in those, high-resolution multi-band imaging and polarimetry can be combined to yield a powerful diagnostic of jet emission processes. Here we report on deep imaging photometry of the jet of PKS 1136−135 obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. We find that several knots are highly polarized in the optical, with fractional polarization Π > 30%. When combined with the broadband spectral shape observed in these regions, this is very difficult to explain via IC/CMB models, unless the scattering particles are at the lowest-energy tip of the electron energy distribution, with Lorentz factor γ ∼ 1, and the jet is also very highly beamed (δ ⩾ 20) and viewed within a few degrees of the line of sight. We discuss both the IC/CMB and synchrotron interpretation of the X-ray emission in the light of this new evidence, presenting new models of the spectral energy distribution and also the matter content of this jet. The high polarizations do not completely rule out the possibility of IC/CMB optical-to-X-ray emission in this jet, but they do strongly disfavor the model. We discuss the implications of this finding, and also the prospects for future work.


In recent years, complexity of fault diagnosis in the advanced distribution networks, mainly due to the increased use of distributed generations and fault with impedance result in proposing of adaptive fault location technique using neural network. Radial basis function neural networks are used for fault diagnosis and fault location. The proposed approach reduces the complexity of the fault location in case of impedance fault. The predicted results prove the effectiveness of the proposed online automatic procedure for fast and accurate fault diagnosis of the system for a wide range of system conditions.


This paper describes the case of the National Assembly of Wales and the relevance of information and communications technology (ICT) to supporting its internal and external democratic processes. We review a number of tele-democracy initiatives from around the world and develop a case study of tele-democracy as it impacts upon a recent attempt to introduce a form of devolved government in the UK. We consider the current manner in which ICT is being used by the National Assembly of Wales to conduct its internal processes. We also consider some of the ways in which the National Assembly makes use of ICT to enable its links with the Welsh population. We examine some of the problems experienced, and consider some of the possible ways in which tele-democracy may be encouraged within Wales in the future.


XMAX is a novel test data compression architecture capable of achieving almost exponential reduction in scan test data volume and test time while allowing use of commercial automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) tools. It tolerates presence of sources of unknown logic values (also referred to as X's) without compromising test quality and diagnosis capability for most practical purposes. The XMAX architecture has been implemented in several industrial designs.


My contribution is a systematic account of strategies for cooperation and feedback between public health sciences and research. A feature both areas have in common is their committment to empirically based knowledge. Rational models of cooperation (or rather, models based on belief in rationality) presume simple linear links between research and its application. Diffusion models, however, seem to be far more adequate for translating public health research into reality. The best model is the Discourse Model based on continuous communication and feedback between science and practice. It seems to promote the diffusion of public health innovations most effectively. In the second part I give examples of how to translate the Discourse Model into practical reality. Summing up, its strategic elements are : 1. responsive project shaping, 2. interactive running of projects, 3. shared processing of results, 4. active diffusion of results.


This paper describes and evaluates an objective measurement that grades the quality of a complex musical signal. The authors have previously identified a potential correlation between inter-band dynamics and the subjective quality of produced music excerpts. This paper describes the previously presented Inter-Band Relationship (IBR) descriptor and extends this work by conducting more thorough testing with real-world music excerpts and a greater number of listening subjects. A high degree of correlation is observed between the Mean Subject Scores (MSS) and the objective IBR descriptor suggesting it could be used as an additional model output variable (MOV) to describe produced music quality. The method lends itself to real-time implementation and therefore can be exploited within mixing, mastering and monitoring tools.


The geographic and temporal variability of freshwater supply in the United States constrains the choice and level of use of future energy sources. Ecological criteria for acceptable freshwater consumption, together with hydrological data on stream flow, provide a framework for estimating these constraints. The water consumption requirements for a variety of energy options are presented, and comparative judgments drawn. Attention is focused on problems resulting from synthetic, gaseous, and liquid fuel production. Scenarios describing possible future levels of coal and electricity use are analyzed. They point to the importance of water supply constraints in both the eastern and western United States.


This paper investigated the nanosilver detection method by ICP-MS and digestion method in complex matrix, such as in apple juice, grape juice and milk. The results showed that the silver calibration curves have excellent related coefficient with the range of 0.999906 to 0.999972, and the method detection limit of ICP-MS for silver was 1.1653ppb. The sample digestion method for apple juice, grape juice and milk were optimized at different temperature and contact time, in which the optimal digestion method for apple juice and grape juice was at temperature of 95 °C and contact time of 25min, but that for milk should be enhanced the temperature to 155 °C.


As suggested by its title, this book is based on the assumption that non-IT business managers need to know about IT management. We have read literally hundreds of books and articles relating to IT management and have found much that is useful. But we also have found much material that is not particularly relevant to the needs of mid-level business managers. We aspired to write a book that is readable and relevant for current and aspiring business managers. Not surprisingly, most IT management publications are written for IT managers. Those publications written for (non-IT) business readers are often written as if they were to be read primarily by C-level executives. Their content, while useful, is often painted with broad strokes. Too often, these trade publications lack the mundane but necessary details needed to help business managers implement their prescriptions. It is as if they dont want to bother the executives with boring details; after all, C-level executives have staff to handle the details. Our book is different because it provides practical, actionable knowledge that business professionals can apply to help their enterprises better employ information and information technology. We take to heart the cautions offered by two distinguished scholars, Pfeffer and Sutton (2006), who advised their readers to stop treating old ideas as if they were brand new and to be suspicious of breakthrough ideas and studies (p. 71). They are particularly critical of peddlers of management ideas who ignore antecedents [of their work] and represent insights as being wholly original (p. 71). Accordingly, we emphasize two points. Point one: Most of this books content represents a synthesis of the work of the many thought leaders cited. Our contribution has been to sift through thousands of pages of academic- and practitioner-oriented literature to cull the most useful information (for our chosen audience) and present it concisely. We do not claim that the cited authors would agree with all of our interpretations and recommendations, although we have worked diligently to acknowledge the intellectual contributions of these authors and to fairly and accurately present their work. Point two: We do not any offer silver bullets or managerial panaceas. Management is a tough job necessarily combining theory with great amounts of judgment and intuition. Managers continually deal with ambiguity and uncertainty. They often face conflicting goals and objectives as well as conflicting opinions regarding how to achieve the organizations goals and objective. IT managers face the same type of ambiguity and uncertainty but must deal with technical complexity as well. This book should help business managers make sense of the IT management domain and help them understand the role they can and should play in designing, implementing and using IT services. It is not a cookbook for good IT management; we do not believe such a book can be written. We use this book as a supplemental text in a required IT course in our colleges MBA program. Consequently, we have made some content choices you would not commonly find in a trade book. We have stressed more concepts, definitions, explanations, and simple examples than one generally finds in trade publications. For example, we have included an appendix to Chapter One that provides definitions for many of the key terms included in the text. Along with each definition we discuss the context in which these terms are being used. We again define these terms as they occur in the text. Consequently, we acknowledge that some redundancy exists. We think the repetition (and ability easily to go back and reread the discussions) is useful for promoting understanding and retention. The book contains much that can benefit practitioners, and we encourage you to plunge on.


The joint effects of IQ imbalance and phase noise on OFDM systems are analyzed, and a compensation scheme is proposed to improve the system performance. The scheme consists of a joint channel estimation algorithm and a joint data symbol estimation algorithm. In the proposed channel estimation algorithm, the channel coefficients are jointly estimated with the IQ imbalance parameters and the phase noise components. Its performance is demonstrated to be close to the associated Cramer-Rao lower bound. In the proposed data symbol estimation algorithm, the joint compensation is decomposed into IQ imbalance compensation and phase noise compensation. It is shown both by theory and computer simulations that the proposed scheme can effectively improve the signal-to-noise ratio at the receiver. As a result, the sensitivity of OFDM receivers to the physical impairments can be significantly lowered, simplifying the RF and analog circuitry design in terms of implementation cost, power consumption, and silicon fabrication yield.


PURPOSE To determine transforming growth factor (TGF) beta effects on matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) as a potential cause of the blood-retinal barrier breakdown at the onset of angiogenesis. Previously, glial cells were shown to play a role in the angiogenesis process and to express the angiogenic regulating factor TGF-beta, which becomes active under hypoxia conditions. Here, the authors demonstrate that retinal endothelial cells express MMP-9 when treated with TGF-beta or cocultured with glial cells and that both TGF-beta and MMP-9 increase endothelial cell permeability. METHODS Primary cultures of bovine retinal endothelial (BRE) cells grown on porous membranes were treated with TGF-beta or purified MMP-9, and permeability changes were assayed. The amount and distribution of the tight junction protein occludin also was analyzed by immunocytochemistry and Western blotting. Cell extracts or conditioned media from TGF-beta-treated BRE cells and from glial cell-BRE cocultures were analyzed for MMP-9 content by substrate gel electrophoresis (zymography) or Western blotting. RESULTS Both TGF-beta and MMP-9 increased the permeability of BRE monolayers and reduced the levels of the junction protein occludin. The effect of MMP-9 on permeability was rapid, but the TGF-beta-induced permeability required longer incubation and was blocked by anti-TGF-beta and anti-MMP-9 antibodies as well as by TGF-beta latency-associated peptide. Zymography showed that MMP-9 activity, which was very low or absent in untreated BRE cultures, was dramatically increased by TGF-beta as well as by coculturing with either astrocytes or Muller glial cells. Anti-TGF-beta antibody blocked the TGF-beta effect, but not the coculture effect on MMP-9 production. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate a direct correlation between TGF-beta-induced MMP-9 activity and increased endothelial cell permeability. Moreover, endothelial cell production of MMP-9 is regulated by glial cells through expression of TGF-beta or by direct cell-to-cell contact. During retinal disease, glial cell production of active TGF-beta may contribute to breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier by stimulating endothelial cell MMP-9 production.


High salinity synthetic wastewater was treated in a four-step sequencing batch reactor (SBR) for nutrient removal at different salt (NaCl) concentrations by using Halobacter-added and Halobacter-free activated sludge cultures. Salt (NaCl) concentration was varied between 0 and 6% (w/v). The sequencing batch operation for nutrient removal consisted of anaerobic, oxic, anoxic, and oxic phases with hydraulic residence times (HRT) of 1/3/1/1 h and a settling phase of 45 min. Sludge age (SRT) was kept constant at 10 days in all experiments. Effects of salt content on percent removals of COD, NH4-N and PO4-P were investigated for both cases. Percent COD, NH4-N and PO4-P removals decreased with increasing salt content for both cultures, resulting in high effluent nutrient levels and high sludge volume indexes (SVI) at high salt contents. However, Halobacter-added activated sludge culture resulted in considerably higher percent nutrient removals, especially at salt contents above 2%. Nearly, 73% COD, 51% NH4-N, 3...


The objective of the project ImPAC Lyon was to evaluate the thermal, physico-chemical and microbiological impacts potentially associated to a ground water heat pump. It is based on two experimental parts : one in laboratory and the other on land (8th district of Lyon). The main results indicate that : - On land, no physical and microbiological disturbances were able to be revealing in the conditions of the study (range of temperature : 16-24 °C). Only thermal disturbances were observed. - The bad sizing of the doublet (which seems significant of the practices in urban with few space) could leads thermal disturbances and a progressive heating of the aquifer in an interannual scale. In these conditions, it seems all the more necessary to pursue the works begun in Lyon by treating the other ranges of temperatures. - The experimental approach of laboratory displayed in this study (range of temperature: 15-25 °C) indicates a sure influence of the temperature on the native bacterial microflora, but not enough to compromise the ecosystem balance. However, the other conditions of environment have to be studied (T > 25 °C and T< 15 °C, different redox conditions). - Behavior of pathogenic bacteria and organic pollutants in front of thermal modifications were not able to be observed to Lyon (no pollutions observed). They will also have to be studied in new projects.


Abstract. The in‐vitro antilipolytic response to insulin and procaine hydrochloride by adipose tissue from young rats (150–180g) and lean mice has been compared with that from aged Wistar rats (600g) and obese (ob/ob) hyperglycaemic mice. 1. The adipose tissue from the obese mice showed diminished responsiveness to insulin and to procaine hydrochloride. Response to these agents, however, was restored by prewashing the tissue, suggesting that the apparent resistance in this tissue reflected saturation of the insulin receptors to endogenous insulin. 2. In adipose tissue of old Wistar rats the antilipolytic effect of insulin was also impaired, but this was not restored after extensive washing. Unlike adipose tissue ghosts prepared from young rats, insulin did not decrease the binding of calcium to ghost membrane preparations from old rats. Neither did insulin inhibit the adrenaline stimulated 45calcium efflux from perifused isolated fat cells prepared from old rats. These results suggest that the insulin response of fat cells from old rats is impaired because of a defect either in their insulin receptors or in their post‐receptor responses. 3. Procaine‐hydrochloride, however, when added to the medium perifusing fat cells of these old rats inhibited the adrenaline stimulated lipolysis, reduced the Ca efflux and decreased the binding of Ca to fat cell ghosts; as it did with similar preparations of young rats. Thus the cells from old rats still show full post‐receptor responsiveness to an insulin‐like stimulus, provided the stimulus for such a response is given at a point beyond the insulin receptor itself. The results suggest that the insulin resistance observed in old rat fat cells may be related to some by deficiency in the insulin receptors, possibly due to their lower replacement with age.


In 16 workers with lead poisoning of varying degrees, a comparison was made between the therapeutic efficacy of sodium calciumedetate (Ca-EDTA) and penicillamine (PCA), administered intravenously and orally. The question of comparable dosages of ligands, forming metal complexes in different ways, is discussed. With the dosages given, intravenous Ca-EDTA promoted the greatest output of lead in the urine, followed by intravenous and oral PCA. These three agents also had a very satisfactory effect on the output δ-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) in urine. Oral Ca-EDTA was found to be greatly inferior in both these respects. In order to study the absorption of the agents and the renal excretion of the formed lead complexes, the urine was collected quantitatively and fractionated in consecutive 4-hour periods, after which the lead excretion during each period was determined. It was found that the oral absorption of PCA was rapid and quantitatively great, whereas the oral absorption of Ca-EDTA was very slow and quantitatively small. The possible resorption of ligand-lead complexes is discussed and indications were found of resorption of the Ca-EDTA-lead complex but not of the PCA-lead complex. The renal excretion of the different ligand-lead complexes was very effective and reached its maximal level within four hours. However, in some subjects excretion of the Ca-EDTA-lead complex showed some delay. An investigation, in four subjects, of a blocking effect of probenecid on the renal excretion of PCA and/or PCA-lead complexes gave no conclusive results. It is concluded that oral PCA is satisfactory in most cases of lead poisoning. However, in more severe cases intravenous treatment is preferable. Which agent should be chosen, Ca-EDTA or PCA, appears to be unimportant as both are quite satisfactory from the point of view of treatment, but it seems that Ca-EDTA may cause more serious side-effects. Oral Ca-EDTA is quite unsatisfactory and there is good evidence to indicate that the agent causes a resorption of Ca-EDTA-lead complexes from the gastro-intestinal tract.


PROBLEM/CONDITION
CDC conducts active surveillance annually from October through May on the emergence and spread of influenza virus variants and the impact of influenza-related morbidity and mortality. Influenza activity is also monitored throughout the year by passive surveillance.

REPORTING PERIOD COVERED
This report summarizes U.S. influenza surveillance from October 1992 through May 1994.

DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM
Influenza surveillance comprises four components, three of which provide weekly data from October through May: a) state and territorial epidemiologists provide estimates of local influenza activity; b) approximately 140 sentinel physicians report their total number of patient visits and the number of cases of influenza-like illness; and c) approximately 70 collaborating laboratories of the World Health Organization (WHO) report weekly influenza virus isolations and submit selected influenza isolates to CDC for antigenic analysis. Throughout the year, vital statistics offices of 121 cities report deaths related to pneumonia and influenza (P&I), providing an index of the impact of influenza on mortality.

RESULTS
Influenza B viruses predominated during the 1992-93 influenza season, but influenza A(H3N2) isolates increased and were associated with outbreaks in nursing homes at the end of the season. The increase in influenza A(H3N2) activity was associated with a rise in P&I-related mortality. Preseason outbreaks of influenza A(H3N2) virus were reported during August and September 1993 in Louisiana. In the past, preseason outbreaks of influenza have been associated with earlier than usual epidemic-level activity. During the 1993-94 influenza season, activity rose during November and December and peaked earlier than usual, during the last week of December and the first week of January; influenza A(H3N2) viruses predominated.

INTERPRETATION
The change in predominance from influenza B to influenza A in the spring of 1993 emphasizes the importance of annual influenza surveillance. Although influenza vaccine is effective against both influenza A and B, the antiviral drugs amantadine and rimantadine are effective only against influenza A. Outbreaks during the summer of 1993 emphasize that influenza should be considered a possible cause of respiratory infections during summer and early autumn.

ACTIONS TAKEN
Surveillance data were provided weekly throughout the influenza season to public health officials, WHO, and health-care providers.


A laboratory experiment is described that can be performed by electrical engineering graduate students and senior undergraduates. The experiment involves the assembly of a diesel-engine oil pump with an IBM RS-1 robot. The robot is instrumented with a force-sensing gripper and an optical binary sensor to detect parts in the gripper. A GE Optomation binary vision system is also used to monitor the manipulator workspace through a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera mounted on the robot arm. The students are required to program the manipulator and to process the information from the various sensors, which are used to recognize assembly components and to verify assembly operations in real-time. This assembly experiment is designed to familiarize electrical engineering students with the problems which dominate robot-based assembly systems and to demonstrate a number of practical sensor-based motion strategies which can overcome part and robot positional uncertainty found in typical manufacturing environments. These sensor-based motion strategies improve the reliability of a robot assembly system. The sensor-based assembly experiment, the laboratory setup, and the sensor-based motion strategies are discussed in detail. >


Actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative infection usually caused by Actinomyces israeli. It is rarely located in the gallbladder and, if so, it can masquerade as a chronic cholecystitis. The case history of a 54-year-old female patient with actinomycosis of the gallbladder is described, and a survey of the literature is given. Although surgical drainage is the initial treatment of choice, a prolonged postoperative antibiotic treatment is advocated.


Toko Laurike located in Bogor Regency, is a member of the small-medium enterprises (SMEs) group. It produces Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) and sells its products through several e-marketplaces, namely Tokopedia, Bukalapak, and Elevenia. Among these e-marketplaces, Tokopedia sells product from Toko Laurike more than Bukalapak or Elevenia. This research aims to examine the factors that determine Consumers' intention to use of Tokopedia specifically for SMEs' food agribusiness products in the form of liquid and gel. This research also analyzed the pattern of design and security perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. The other purpose is analyzing the contribution of security, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness on consumers' intention to use. Data analysis tool using structural equation modeling - partial least squares (SEM-PLS) based on stimulus theoretical framework technology acceptance model (STF-TAM). The study involved Tokopedia's users who making purchasing for SMEs food agribusiness products in the form of liquid and gel. The 71 samples were collected. The results showed that perceived ease of use is most influencer among these factors. Design and security associated with perceived ease of use. Security was not associated with consumers' intention to use. The result can be used by Laurike to enhance e-commerce performance.
Keywords: Laurike's e-commerce, SMEs, SEM-PLS, STF-TAM, Tokopedia


Background: Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions occurring in childhood. However, the consequences of epilepsy extend beyond seizures to include psychosocial effects interfering with the child's social experiences, quality of life (QOL), and family relations. One particular challenge children living with epilepsy (CWE) and their parents face is the presence, or fear, of societal epilepsy-related stigma, which can sometimes limit family discussions about epilepsy. However, little is known about epilepsy-related dialogue between CWE and their parents.
Aims: This study aims to explore CWE's and parents' experiences of talking about epilepsy together, and the relationship between epilepsy-related communication and a number of demographic, clinical and psychosocial variables.
Methods: A systematic review of available evidence relating to epilepsy-related communication in families living with childhood epilepsy was conducted. Following this, a sequential exploratory mixed-method design was employed involving two phases; 1) qualitative interviews with 29 CWE and 33 parents, and 2) cross sectional surveys completed by 47 CWE and 72 parents.
Results: Integrative findings revealed that CWE and their parents experience many challenges and facilitators to dialoguing about epilepsy, including; condition visibility, epilepsy-related knowledge, fear of causing worry, quest for normalcy, CWE desire for autonomy and parent's desire to protect, and epilepsy-related attitudes. Closed epilepsy-related communication was associated with poorer psychosocial outcomes for CWE and their parents, including; greater perceived-stigma, poorer illness-attitudes, negative self-perceptions, less social support, and poorer QOL. Conversely, open epilepsy-related communication was associated with positive psychosocial wellbeing.
Conclusions: This study contributes significantly to the under-researched area of parent-child epilepsy-related communication. The findings provide valuable information surrounding the contextual factors influencing CWE and parents epilepsy-related dialogue, and the impact of this communication on CWE's and parents' wellbeing. Family-based communication interventions should endeavour to increase epilepsy-related knowledge and CWE autonomy in order to enhance effective parent-child dialogue about epilepsy.


I review linguistic and interdisciplinary research on the non-linguistic correlates of language change, particularly as they apply to small populations, highly mobile groups, and hunter-gatherers. I summarize the areas which have been argued to display differences between hunter-gatherers and agriculturalists, small and large populations, and sedentary and non-sedentary ones, although finding that none of this work is conclusive and much is contradictory. Hunter-gatherer languages in particular have played a prominent role in the development of theories of language change in addition to the comparative method and family trees, but for the wrong reasons, since the comparative method is powerful for diagnosing relationships even in the case of heavy borrowing where tree models are not useful. The field is in great need of systematization, and of incorporating current knowledge about variation and the spread of change with reconstruction over a longer time span.


In the higher education sector, developing students' information literacy skills has been a hot issue in policy making and program development for almost a decade. But how do academic staff develop and maintain their information literacy skills? How do they cope in an increasingly electronic environment? In 1999 the University of Wollongong Library introduced an ambitious program coined Academic Outreach which targeted 100% of academics campus-wide. Identified as a strategic initiative of the Reference Services team, the program was designed to keep our academics on the cutting edge of information sources in their field. The aim was to help them explore the myriad of electronic resources available from their own desktop and foster skill development in using these resources. A systematic approach was adopted which involved: developing promotional strategies; setting a timeline and targets for actual visits; allocating human resources and undertaking in-house training; creating a content checklist; Faculty Librarians venturing out to the academics' offices to provide individual, tailored instruction; regular communication and review. A comprehensive evaluation from the perspective of both the academics and Faculty Librarians was also undertaken. This paper traces the program from its inception to its evaluation and highlights the enormous benefits gained by everyone involved.


Credible delegation of discretion obtains when it is a rational strategy for managers not to overrule employee decisions that are based on delegated decision rights or renege on the level of delegated discretion (and this is common knowledge). Making delegation of discretion credible becomes a crucial issue when organizations want to sustain the advantages that may flow from delegation: Such advantages are dependent on motivated employees, and managerial overruling or reneging is harmful to motivation. However, little work has been done on how organizations can make delegation credible. We argue that key elements of organizations (i.e., organizational structure, coordination mechanisms, reward structures, and interdependencies between activities) and how these fit influence the credibility of delegation. Fit configurations of organizational elements reduce the probability of managerial intervention that may harm employee motivation. This introduces a neglected incentive dimension to the organizational design literature. Moreover, it is argued that harmful intervention may be reduced by increasing managers' costs of intervening. Refutable propositions are derived.


: Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) represents the second most common occupational disease in the US. Although the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has promulgated an occupational noise exposure standard and associated recordkeeping requirements, OSHA inspections increasingly document practices that violate both the noise standard and recordkeeping regulation. This paper describes five deviations from good clinical practices masking the true societal costs of NIHL, leading to missed prevention opportunities, and creating burdens for individuals and society. These include attributing NIHL to non-occupational sources, exculpating the workplace because of audiogram patterns without careful documentation, ignoring symptoms or physical examination findings, and simply denying work-relatedness, leading to employers inappropriately lining-out cases from the OSHA 300 log. The practices identified by OSHA suggest that many individuals are not following widely recognized and accepted practices when administering hearing conservation programs.


Multifunctional polymers of poly(amidoamine) structure were proposed as sensor coatings for the detection of sulfur dioxide. They were amorphous rubber-like materials, and therefore characterized by good conformational dynamics. This property is particularly significant in view of applications in the sensors field, because it favors diffusion of the analyte's molecules through the coating layer. The electronic devices used for evaluating the extent of SO2 sorption by the poly(amidoamine) coatings were gravimetric resonant sensors based on quartz crystal microbalances. The polymeric coatings were in the form of thin films obtained by casting procedures from dilute methanol solutions. All experiments were performed under controlled humidity and temperature environments. All materials were sensitive to SO2 variations of the order of ppm. The response times were in the range of 3–4 min. The dependence of SO2 sorption by poly(amidoamine) films on moisture content and film thickness was investigated.


Longitudinal data, or data that are repeated measurements on various subjects across time, are commonplace in everyday life. Multi level mixed models are often used for analyzing longitudinal data and drawing meaningful inferences about them. This paper discusses two common mixed models, the linear growth model and the logistic growth model, and fits them to a prototypical example that involves repeated measures on forest growth. Parameter estimates and model fitting results from two analyses are compared. The nonlinear logistic growth curve is selected as the suitable model for the current data, even though evidence from model fit statistics seems to suggest otherwise. Computer implementation is via PROC NLMIXED in the SAS® 9.2 program. A plot of the data, code descriptions, and output interpretations are also presented.


CDIO (Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate) is a kind of learning based on the whole process of an engineering project as well as a revolution against the lecture-oriented teaching model. The objective of CDIO is to teach the basic concepts and disciplines of engineering in the context of hands-on exercises where students have the opportunity to manipulate concrete objects and ground abstract thought in experience. CDIO, however, does not make explicit mention of operation and design method for students' projects in project-based learning (an important part of CDIO). There is little guidance or consideration around operation and design method, and enablers of manipulability, adaptability and diversity for CDIO projects. Therefore, this paper analyzes the problems of project-based learning with CDIO in computer specialty of Shantou University. Then, for training and exercising students' engineering practice ability adequately and effectively, a new method named as project-based learning with step-up method is presented in this paper. Projectbased learning with step-up method divided the traditional project-based learning into four phases projects, which are level 1 projects, level 2 projects, Sci-tech Innovation projects and Social projects. The results of questionnaires supported our hypothesis. Firstly, Projectbased learning with step-up method could make significance impacts on technical study and students' subjective initiative; secondly, the new method is better able to cultivate the CDIO abilities of students compared with traditional projects setting. After reform practice, we believed that Sci-tech Innovation projects and Social projects is a valuable supplement to initial projects in terms of technical study, subjective initiative and abilities cultivation in computer specialty of Shantou University. The method presented in this paper may be useful for educators who desire to promote the CDIO projects for students of computer specialty or other engineering specialties.


PURPOSE
To determine if improvements in physical function and peripheral circulation after 6 months of exercise rehabilitation could be sustained over a subsequent 12-month maintenance exercise program in older patients with intermittent claudication.

METHODS
Seventeen patients randomized to exercise rehabilitation and 14 patients randomized to usual care control completed this 18-month study. Patients exercised three times per week during the first 6 months of a progressive exercise program, followed by two times per week during the final 12 months of a maintenance program. Patients were studied at baseline, 6 months, and 18 months during the study.

RESULTS
Eighteen months of exercise rehabilitation increased the initial claudication distance by 373 meters (189%) (P <.001), the absolute claudication distance by 358 meters (80%) (P <.001), walking economy by 11% (P <.001), 6-minute walk distance by 10% (P <.001), daily physical activity by 31%, and maximal calf blood flow by 18% (P <.001). These changes were similar to those found after 6 months of exercise rehabilitation (P = NS), and were significantly greater than the changes in the control group throughout the study (P <.05).

CONCLUSION
Improvements in claudication distances, walking economy, 6-minute walk distance, physical activity level, and peripheral circulation after 6 months of exercise rehabilitation are sustained for an additional 12 months in older patients with intermittent claudication using a less frequent exercise maintenance program.


The aim of this text is to identify the effects of Information Technologies on the organization of industries, and especially on interfirm relations. First, we propose a model of IT effects of industries organization, which comes from theoretical frameworks. We especially study the transaction cost theory and the question it raises. Do Information Technologies lead to more market or to more hierarchy ? But we have observed that changes are different from firms point of view. Competencies are changed. To take that into account, we propose a model of industries strategic change by using the supply chain as a level of analysis. The second part of this paper aims at illustrating these concepts on a case : the textile and garment industry. This case analysis permits to identify precisely the activity transfers, the changes in the positioning of different partners... We particularly identify the emergence of new intermediaries : the retailers and the technology suppliers. In both cases, these intermediaries roles are characterized by the same tendencies : existing functions are assumed by others, new roles organized around information system competencies, new activity included in the manufacturing process.


Life tables are seldom derived at the local level, despite a shift toward health service planning to that level. We calculated life tables by sex for the 42 public health units in Ontario, using 1988 1992 mortality files. Traditional methods of life table construction were compared and validated. Data quality, particularly geographical coding of death certificates, poses the greatest difficulty in deriving accurate life tables for comparison between areas. Migration will affect estimates, but it is best considered during the interpretation of results. Except for the final age interval, methods of modelling life tables have little impact on final life expectancy estimates. It is feasible to calculate local level life tables with data and tools that are readily available. The results highlight the importance of examining such life tables, as variations within a province in life expectancy at birth may be as important as the differences between provinces.


Injection Drug use (IDU) are always at high risk of catching infections such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C and other blood-borne pathogenic diseasesdue to direct sharing of used syringes and other injectables. Global percentage of people who inject drugs (PWID) is around 13 million among which 1.7 million are infected with HIV (WHO). It is generally seen that PWID are ought to be disproportionally associated with Hepatitis C prevalence which globally is 67% among these users. Further, this situation is further worsen by a chance of co-infection of HIV–hepatitis C virus which is approximately 2.2 million co- cases which altogether results in more than half the number of cases among PWID (WHO). The prevalence of HIV infection is found to be comparatively higher in lower and middle income countries.This systematic review summarizes important components of various comprehensive program meant for prevention of highly communicable infectious diseases which are launched by government such as legal distribution of sterile syringes under various programs and enhanced pharmacy services. Government sponsored opium substitution treatment programs and various behavioural interventions workshops add more meaning to them.


Our prizes for best papers in the last year have become as eagerly awaited as the Oscars and are much more glamorous. As before, we have awarded GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE prizes in the following categories: paediatrics, adult clinical, basic science and epidemiology. This is the first of two reviews of manuscripts published in Thorax in 2014 dealing with manuscripts on the clinical aspects of paediatrics and adult respiratory medicine. Decisions are purely those of the editors and deputy editors. Our only restriction has been to not consider manuscripts exclusively from Imperial and Oxford because we have conflicts of interest. Next month we deal with basic science and epidemiology manuscripts and reveal the overall winner.

The year 2014 has featured a large number of strong paediatric manuscripts covering the whole range of respiratory medicine, including really important data on the early origins of adult lung disease. Patients with traditional 'paediatric' diseases, such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy are now surviving into adult life, further blurring the barriers between adult and paediatric chest physicians. But nonetheless, this year has re-emphasised that aspects of what appears to be the same disease are different and show developmental changes. We cannot unlock the secrets of disease in children by studying adults.

The early bird gets an unwanted worm: Early life events are of huge importance long term. The Melbourne cohort has run for >40 years; and this year they showed that severe asthma at the age of 10 years is a bigger risk factor for COPD than smoking, at least in their cohort, and furthermore, at age 10 years the COPD adults had the lowest spirometry.1 Interestingly, the rate of decline of lung function did not seem different between the groups. Our editorialists highlight the key importance of optimising lung health early—a …


Purpose: The aim of this study was to estimate a metastasis prediction image factor in non-small cell lung cancer by correlation next generation sequence gene expression level and fluorine-18-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography image features.Methods: RNA-sequencing data and 18F-FDG PET images of 63 patients with NSCLC (29 metastasis and 34 non-metastasis) from The Cancer Imaging Archive and The Cancer Genome Atlas Program databases were used in a combined analysis. Weighted correlation network analysis was performed to identify gene groups were related metastasis. Module was selected with high module significance. Genes selection was performed by gene function related metastasis and high AUC (AUC > 0.6). A total of 47 image features were extracted from PET images as radiomics. The relationship of Gene expression and image features were calculated by using a hypergeometric distribution test with the Pearson correlation method. Metastasis prediction model was validated by random forest algorithm using image texture features related gene expression.Results: 36 modules were identified by gene expression pattern with WGCNA assay. The modules had highest module significance was selected assay. 7 genes from selected module were identified to involve in the epithelial mesenchymal transition pathway that have important role in the cancer metastasis and had high AUC. Also, expression of these genes was related to quantitative of image feature (GLCM_contrast, -log10 P-value: 2.45~3.89). The AUC value (accuracy: 0.856 ± 0.06, AUC: 0.868 ± 0.05) was shown from the EMT-related gene and GLCM_contrast model and AUC value (accuracy: 0.842 ± 0.06, AUC: 0.838 ± 0.09) was shown from GLCM_contrast image texture model. Conclusion: GLCM_contrast image texture feature shows relationship with EMT related gene expression. We developed a model for predicting metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer using 18F-FDG PET image feature and evaluated its accuracy.


Between three per cent and five per cent of all girls and one per cent to two per cent of all boys will experience a urinary tract infection (UTI) before reaching puberty. While most of these children do not suffer permanent renal damage, a systematic approach to the management of UTI allows the detection of the minority who are at risk.


Polarization forces have become of high interest in micro- and nanomechanical systems. In this paper, an analytical model for a transduction scheme based on the Kelvin polarization force is presented. A dielectric beam is actuated by placing it over the gap of two coplanar electrodes. Finite element method simulations are used to characterize the scheme and to evaluate a field correction factor, which results from simplifying the form of the electric field. The model has been shown to be valid for dielectrics with different permittivities. The presented model facilitates the design of microresonators and nanoresonators with dielectric actuation, which offers a great freedom in the choice of structural material.


This chapter proposes a position viewpoint, discussion, and analysis of various aspects of solving 2E-CVRP problems via exact methods, more precisely the use of set partitioning formulations (and consequently set covering ones), as well as column generation to produce bounds and feed branch-and-prize approaches. After an overview of the main exact methods used to solve 2E-CVRP approaches, the author defines the main notions and variables to model the problem via set covering and set partitioning models. Then the paper presents two methods to generate bounds via column generation: the first is a decomposition approach in which first-echelon and second-echelon routes are generated separately, without any relation, and the second generate sets of linked first-echelon and second-echelon routes. The main implications and considerations of those methods are addressed. Finally, main issues regarding the suitability of exact methods for vehicle routing in city logistics are presented.


Background : Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects all organs of the body. It is becoming increasingly clear that SLE is not as rare in Kenya as was previously thought. Due to its chronicity SLE has been known to affect the quality of life of those affected by it. There is minimal data on SLE in East Africa and especially in Kenya. The quality of life of SLE patients in this country has never been assessed.
 Objectives : To document the quality of life of patients with SLE in Kenyatta National Hospital using LUPUS QOL questionnaire. We also sought to correlate HRQOL with duration of illness, drugs used and age of the patient.
 Design : This was a cross sectional study done on patients attending Rheumatology Clinic in Kenyatta National Hospital.
 Methods : Patients who satisfy the ACR criteria were consecutively recruited. All patients with SLE attending the clinic were included in the study. Consent was obtained from the patients after which their demographic data was obtained. Patients were examined for the presence of malar rash, discoid rash, arthritis/athralgia, photosensitivity, CNS symptoms, serositis and oral ulcers. The patients then filled the LUPUS QOL questionnaire. The information acquired was then analysed using SPSS version 17.0 using student t test and regression analysis. The quality of life was calculated and then correlated with age, duration of illness and drug management.
 Results : Sixty two patients were analysed (60 females 2 males). Mean age of the population was 37.3 years (range 14-71 years). All patients had some level of education with 61.3% of the population having some form of secondary education. Most patients 54.8% were married. Mean age of diagnosis was 34.5 years with mean duration of illness 1.5 years. Majority (88.7%) had arthritis/ athralgia, oral ulcers (62.9%), malar rash (59.7%), photosensitivity (58.1%), serositis (32.3%), CNS symptoms (27.4%) and discoid rash (17.7%). Patients scored globally low in all domains of LUPUS QOL. Highest domain was planning 63.7 (29.3), emotional health 61.3 (26.5), burden to others 58.9 (31.2), fatigue 57.5 (30.0), pain 56.6 (29.6), physical health 54.0 (23.3), body image 47.1 (24.2) intimate relations 41.1 (38.4).The most common drug in use in our population was prednisone at 74.2%. This was followed by HCQ at 69.4%, NSAIDS 54.8%, azathioprine 37.1%, methotrexate 22.6%, mycofenolate mofetil 8.1%, CCB 11.3%, cyclosporine 3.2%. HRQOL correlated positively with advance in age for the domains. Physical health, burden to others, emotional health and fatigue. There was no correlation between HRQOL and duration of illness or drugs used by the population.
 Conclusion : The HRQOL of our SLE patients was found to be low in all domains and to correlate with advance in age in the domains of physical health, burden to others, emotional health and fatigue. However there was no correlation with duration of illness or the drugs used by the patients.


Background: Translating research evidence into clinical practice (TRIP) is an important initiative for health services so that care delivered is cost-effective, is efficient, and improves patient outcomes. Most TRIP studies have reported on disseminating and implementing clinical practice guidelines, protocols, or care pathways and have been undertaken in acute rather than community settings. Objectives: To identify the factors that influence incontinence TRIP and to present key international studies on incontinence TRIP. Methods: Existing literature on TRIP was analyzed to generate a plan for future research. Results: Several methods to effect incontinence TRIP are described, including clinical practice guidelines and protocols, clinical pathways, partnerships between organizations, a model for incorporating UI research based on generic questions, and implementation strategies that incorporate change theory and consideration of barriers. Conclusions: Future research is needed on incontinence TRIP in the following areas: barriers, the best theoretical approaches, the effectiveness of empowerment approaches, the value of mentors, effective strategies for nurses and unlicensed personnel, the impact of international collaboration, and regulations across settings.


Aims The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of clonal haematopoietic stem cell disorders characterised by inefficient haematopoiesis and risk of progression to acute myeloid leukaemia. Metaphase cytogenetics is an extremely valuable clinical tool in the management of haematological malignancies. However, metaphase cytogenetics requires cellular proliferation, its sensitivity and resolution depends on the proportion of clonal cells in the sample and size of the lesion, respectively. Single-nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP-A) does not depend on the presence of dividing cells, is able to detect copy number variations with a high resolution and to detect copy number neutral loss of heterozygosity or uniparental disomy (UPD). The aim of this study was to illustrate that the use of SNP-A can cover cryptic chromosomal lesions not identified by metaphase cytogenetics in patients with MDS. Methods Metaphase cytogenetics was performed on bone marrow aspirate using standard methods. Genomic DNA from total bone marrow cells were submitted to SNP-A using Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP CytoScan HD. Results In our cohort of 15 patients with a diagnosis of MDS and related diseases, chromosomal abnormalities were found in 47% of the cases by SNP-A and in 33% by metaphase cytogenetics. SNP-A detected all lesions identified by metaphase cytogenetics, except a balanced translocation and a marker chromosome. Notably, SNP-A detected a total of 30 new lesions: 1 (3%) gain, 17 (57%) losses and 12 (40%) UPDs in 5 patients with MDS. Conclusions SNP-A may complement metaphase cytogenetics to improve the detection of chromosomal abnormalities in myeloid neoplasms.


Most prostate cancer patients who undergo androgen-deprivation therapy or orchiectomy will eventually develop castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), often preceded by a nonmetastatic CRPC state known as M0CRPC. The recent development of second-generation antiandrogens provides clinicians with efficacious and safe treatments for M0CRPC. However, the complexity of these patients, who typically have to deal with underlying comorbidities and polypharmacy, often challenges therapeutic decisions in this setting. The recent development of novel imaging techniques also provides clinicians with tools for detecting metastases with high sensitivity and specificity. However, the lack of evidence on the early detection of metastases and the corresponding impact on therapeutic decisions makes these techniques a double-edged sword that must be managed appropriately. Here, we present the expert view of the rapidly evolving concept of M0CRPC and provide recommendations for the identification of these patients, the appropriate use of the emerging imaging modalities, and patients' management, particularly considering their clinical complexity and the recent development of next-generation antiandrogens.


: This paper focused on the energy saving by controlling the light intensity of street light according to the street condition which be measured by the sensor such as light dependent resistor (LDR), passive infrared sensor (PIR), and rain sensor module. LDR detects the natural light intensity which are low, medium, high light intensity. PIR sensor detects the movement of vehicle on the street while the rain sensor module detected the weather at variation phase of water drops (rain) as a safety purpose. In this project, the light intensity of street light is controlled using a functional controller known as the fuzzy logic controller. This type of controller is not based on the model but based on the power detection mechanism. The functional of the system simulates using Proteus Software. The results show the rectangular sinusoidal of the limit of street light intensity.


ABSTRACT Rural internet use, although still limited, is growing, raising the question of how rural people are using social media politically. As a vehicle of communication that permits the rapid transmission of information, images and text across space and connections between dispersed networks of individuals, does technological advance in rural areas presage significant political transformations? This article investigates this question in the light of a poor result for the Cambodian People's Party in the 2013 elections, and the subsequent banning of the main opposition party, before the 2018 elections. Expanding internet use in rural areas has linked relatively quiescent rural Cambodians for the first time to networks of information about militant urban movements of the poor. Rural Cambodians are responding to this opportunity through strategies of quiet encroachment in cyberspace. This has had real effects on the nature of the relationship between the dominant party and the rural population and suggests the declining utility of the election-winning strategy used by the party since 1993. However, the extent of this virtual information revolution is limited, since neither the urban nor rural poor are mapping out new online political strategies, agendas or identities that can push Cambodia's sclerotic politics in new directions.


Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is ubiquitously expressed on parenchymal and immune cells of the liver and is the most studied TLR responsible for the activation of proinflammatory signaling cascades in liver ischemia and reperfusion (I/R). Since pharmacological inhibition of TLR4 during the sterile inflammatory response of I/R has not been studied, we sought to determine whether eritoran, a TLR4 antagonist trialed in sepsis, could block hepatic TLR4-mediated inflammation and end organ damage. When C57BL/6 mice were pretreated with eritoran and subjected to warm liver I/R, there was significantly less hepatocellular injury compared to control counterparts. Additionally, we found that eritoran is protective in liver I/R through inhibition of high-mobility group box protein B1 (HMGB1)-mediated inflammatory signaling. When eritoran was administered in conjunction with recombinant HMGB1 during liver I/R, there was significantly less injury, suggesting that eritoran blocks the HMGB1-TLR4 interaction. Not only does eritoran attenuate TLR4-dependent HMGB1 release in vivo, but this TLR4 antagonist also dampened HMGB1's release from hypoxic hepatocytes in vitro and thereby weakened HMGB1's activation of innate immune cells. HMGB1 signaling through TLR4 makes an important contribution to the inflammatory response seen after liver I/R. This study demonstrates that novel blockade of HMGB1 by the TLR4 antagonist eritoran leads to the amelioration of liver injury.


From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, different groups have been protesting measures implemented by different government bodies in Germany to control the pandemic. It was widely claimed that many of the offline and online protests were driven by conspiracy narratives disseminated through groups and channels on the messenger app Telegram. We investigate this claim by measuring the frequency of conspiracy narratives in messages from open Telegram chat groups of the Querdenken movement, set up to organize protests against COVID-19 restrictions in Germany. We furthermore explore the content of these messages using topic modelling. To this end, we collected 822k text messages sent between April 2020 and May 2022 in 34 chat groups. By fine-tuning a Distilbert model, using self-annotated data, we find that 8.24% of the sent messages contain signs of conspiracy narratives. This number is not static, however, as the share of conspiracy messages grew while the overall number of messages shows a downward trend since its peak at the end of 2020. We further find a mix of known conspiracy narratives make up the topics in our topic model. Our findings suggest that the Querdenken movement is getting smaller over time, but its remaining members focus even more on conspiracy narratives.


OBJECTIVES
This report describes ambulatory care visits to hospital outpatient departments (OPDs) in the United States. Statistics are presented on selected hospital, clinic, patient, and visit characteristics. The report highlights new items on continuity of care of OPD visits, including: whether the visit was the first or a followup for a problem, number of visits to the clinic during the past 12 months for established patients, and whether other physicians shared care for the patient's problem. The report also highlights variation in utilization across the major types of OPD clinics surveyed.

METHODS
The data presented in this report were collected from the 2001 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS). NHAMCS is part of the ambulatory care component of the National Health Care Survey that measures health care utilization across various types of providers. NHAMCS is a national probability sample survey of visits to emergency and outpatient departments of non-Federal, short-stay, and general hospitals in the United States. Sample data are weighted to produce annual national estimates.

RESULTS
During 2001, about 83.7 million visits were made to hospital OPDs in the United States. The 2001 rate (29.9 per 100 persons) represents a 33 percent increase since 1992. Females had higher OPD visit rates than males (35.2 versus 24.3 visits per 100 persons) and black or African-American persons had higher OPD visit rates than white persons (48.8 versus 27.9 visits per 100 persons). The majority of visits to hospital OPDs were made by patients with previous visits to the clinic (84.2 percent); 70.0 percent had visited the clinic one or more times during the past 12 months. Preventive care visits comprised 15.5 percent of all OPD visits; nearly three out of four preventive care visits were made by females (72.8 percent). Diagnostic and screening services were ordered or provided at 85.0 percent of visits, therapeutic and preventive services were ordered or provided at 45.6 percent of visits, and medications were prescribed at 64.6 percent of visits. Most patients were given an appointment to return to the clinic (60.1 percent).


Grid-interfacing converter systems with enhanced voltage quality are proposed for microgrid applications in this paper. By adapting the conventional series-parallel structure, a group of grid-interfacing system topologies are proposed for the purpose of interfacing local generation/microgrid to the grid, or interconnecting microgrids. The functionality of the proposed systems is also reconfigured in order to ease the control design and to improve overall system performance, differing from existing series-parallel structure-based systems. Experiments with a concrete laboratory system are given to detail the proposed concepts and to demonstrate the practical implementations. Two three-phase four-leg inverters, together with dc microsources and nonlinear loads, are employed to construct a general series-parallel grid-interfacing system. Through the introduction of multilevel control objectives, it is illustrated that the proposed system could ride through voltage disturbances and continue the power transfer between the local generation and the grid, while a high-quality voltage is maintained for the local loads. The system also shows the possibility to achieve auxiliary functions such as voltage unbalance correction and harmonic current compensation. The main design aspects of the controllers are specified, and the entire system is effectively validated on a laboratory setup.


Most studies investigating the usefulness of ferning and nitrazine methods for detecting the presence of amniotic fluid following ruptured amniotic membranes have employed samples from vaginal pooling. Reported accuracies are 84 to 100% for the ferning test and 87 to 97% for the nitrazine test. Our study was designed to determine if these tests are applicable throughout gestation. Samples were obtained from amniocenteses between 14 and 42 weeks. Part I: Of 112 samples allowed to dry on a slide for 3 minutes only, 86.6% were ferning positive and 100% were nitrazine positive. Flame-drying increased the presence of ferning to 96.4%. Part II: 363 samples were allowed to dry completely for up to 10 minutes. All samples were ferning and nitrazine positive. Part III: 17 samples were tested for ferning and nitrazine at 1 hour, and again at 1 week. Sixty-six samples were tested within 1 week and again at 2 weeks. All samples remained ferning and nitrazine positive. Therefore optimal analysis of suspected amniotic fluid occurs when specimens are air-dried for 10 minutes. These tests may be reliably performed at gestations of 12 to 41 weeks.


Ida Ayu Oka Rusmini is a major contemporary Indonesian author. She has published two novels, Tarian Bumi (2000) and Kenanga (2003a), a collection of short stories, (Sagra, 2001), and a volume of poetry, Patiwangi (2003b, republished in 2007 as Warna Kita, with the omission of some 12 poems). Born in Jakarta in 1967 of Balinese parents, she was a member of the highest Balinese caste, the brahmana caste, but renounced this status, including her title, after her marriage to the East Javanese essayist and poet Arif B. Prasetyo. Oka Rusmini is a graduate of the Indonesian Studies Department, Udayana University, and lives in Den Pasar where she works as a journalist for the Bali Post.

Most of Oka Rusmini's prose works explore the constraints into which the socioreligious practices of caste place all members of society, but most especially women. Both of her novels tell of a woman's abandonment of her brahmin caste status as the result of her marriage to a sudra. The title of the poetry book, Patiwangi, refers to the ritual practice by which this degradation is confirmed, and the poem which gives the book its title bears the footnote: 'Patiwangi: pati = death; wangi = fragrant. Patiwangi is a ritual that is performed on a noble women in her Village Temple to remove her noble status as a consequence of having married a man of a lower caste. The ritual often has a serious psychological impact on noble women' (107). In both novels, and many short stories and poems, their loss of status brings enormous scorn and hardship to the major woman characters. Nevertheless, as we shall see, stepping outside patriarchally-dominated caste ties may also provide an ambiguous freedom for any woman who is positioned to take advantage of the opportunities which the modern, potentially secular, nation state of Indonesia, offers her.

In this paper, I am interested in the way in which the short story, 'Cenana' (Sagra, 270-318), uses a traditional myth to deal various cross-caste transgressions in contemporary Balinese society. The story draws on one of the foundation myths of medieval Javanese history, the story of Ken Angrok, founder of the dynasty of Singhasari, East Java, in 1222 AD, and his consort, Ken Dedes, the wife of Ken Angrok's predecessor. To my knowledge, although the myth has been the subject of a number of modern literary works, Oka Rusmini's is the only account by a Balinese woman. Through its focus on the transgressions committed by strong female characters of all caste backgrounds, and dissolute male characters, Oka Rusmini's narrative in 'Cenana' allows for a revision of conceptions of feminine agency in a society based on respect for high caste men and marriage to them.


GL is a verified tool for proving ACL2 theorems using Boolean methods such as BDD reasoning and satisfiability checking. In its typical operation, GL recursively traverses a term, computing a symbolic object representing the value of each subterm. In older versions of GL, such a symbolic object could use Boolean functions to compactly represent many possible values for integer and Boolean subfields, but otherwise needed to reflect the concrete structure of all possiblealues that its term might take. When a term has many possible values that can't share such a representation, this can easily cause blowups because GL must then case-split. To address this problem, we have added several features to GL that allow it to reason about term-like symbolic objects using various forms of rewriting. These features allow GL to be programmed with rules much like the ACL2 rewriter, so that users may choose a better normal form for terms for which the default, value-like representation would otherwise cause case explosions. In this paper we describe these new features; as a motivating example, we show how to program the rewriter to reason effectively about the theory of records.


In this paper we have discussed all possible boundary values used in the ordinary Skyrme model. Among the solutions to these boundary conditions the non-skyrmion and skyrmion one exist according to certain choices. The free parameter R in the boundary value conditions is shown to be related to the density of the nuclear matter in its Wigner-Seitz model. All three types of skyrmion can describe the nucleon in a good agreement with the experimental values of the axial coupling constant and isoscalar radii. However, all three types of skyrmion lead to a large value of the nucleon mass and a too small mass splitting between the nucleon and delta particles. The phase transitions of the skyrmions of Type III are also observed in the numerical computations as the density of the nuclear matter varies.


The Arab spring has highlighted once more the European Union's failure to bring about democratic change in the Middle East and North Africa through its Mediterranean democracy promotion policy. However, Arab authoritarian countries engage to different degrees in cooperation on democracy promotion, giving the EU more or less influence on domestic institutional change related to political participation, respect for human rights, and the rule of law. A comparison of domestic change and cooperation in Morocco and Tunisia in 2000–2010 shows that the EU has been instrumental in supporting and potentially reinforcing domestic reform initiatives. Yet the EU cannot trigger domestic institutional change in the first place. The degree of political liberalisation determines the fit between the domestic political agenda and external demands for reforms. It reflects different 'survival strategies' between political inclusion and exclusion and is therefore a scope condition for rather than the result of cooperation and change.


General objective: To know the nursing care provided to systemic arterial hypertension patients assisted by the e-sus program from the patient's perspective. Methodology: Exploratory research with a quantitative approach. A form was used as an instrument, applied through home visits to 50 elderly people in March 2020. CEP approval opinion no. 3,534,141, on August 27, 2019. Results and Discussion: It was found in the research that 60% of the elderly were between 60 and 75 years old, 70% were female and 60% were illiterate. Regarding quality of life, 64% of the elderly reported physical inactivity, 78% were obese or overweight, and 54% reported having another pathology. In addition, 60% reported not participating in educational activities, hindering health promotion and prevention. As for the use of antihypertensive medications, 94% of the users informed that they were taking them, and 45.3% cited the verification of BP as care taken by the team. Conclusion: Therefore, it becomes relevant the implementation of new strategies and the improvement in the approaches already used by professionals, aiming at a quality of life for the elderly.


Stepparents with no formal adoptive ties who have developed with their stepchildren "familial bonds" or parental-like relationships should have greater statutory third party childcare standing even though they are not "de facto" parents. Such stepparent childcare should at least be recognized when a parent facilitated loving stepparent-stepchild relations and when the preservation of those relations furthers the child's best, or perhaps compelling, interests, notwithstanding any current objections by the parent. Unfortunately, to date, American state lawmakers, chiefly legislators, have failed to address adequately stepparent childcare issues, as illustrated by a review of current statutes and some recent legislative initiatives. This article describes how new laws can preserve better the strong bonds between children and their stepparents while respecting constitutionally-recognized superior parental rights.


Establishing a reasonable profit distribution scheme is important for the success of VE. In view of the virtual enterprise' characteristics, such as the distribution and diversity of members, the idea of Distributed Decision-making(DDM) is applied to the profit distribution of virtual enterprise. According to the different circumstances of relationship between members and information state of virtual enterprise, describes how to use Distributed Decision-making to solve the profit distribution of virtual enterprise, and develops an organizational-DDM profit distribution model for those virtual enterprise which are in relation to team or enforced-team in the case of asymmetric information, discusses the solution of the model. Analysis shows that the idea of distributed decision-making can be effectively solved the problem of virtual enterprise profit distribution.


The intrathecal (IT) route of administration represents a means to reduce the dose of morphine administered for analgesia, potentially minimizing interactions between opioid effects and experimental outcomes. Perceived technical difficulty, and previously described invasive methods, may limit its use. This report describes a minimally invasive technique for IT administration of morphine by direct transcutaneous lumbosacral puncture in rats; and assesses antinociceptive properties of morphine in anaesthetized rats. Rats (n = 28) anaesthetized with sevoflurane (inspired fraction of sevoflurane: FiSevo = 2.4%) were randomly allocated to receive: IT morphine (0.2 mg/kg); subcutaneous (SC) morphine (3 mg/kg); SC buprenorphine (0.05 mg/kg); or SC or IT sodium chloride (NaCl). After a wash-in period (40 min), thermal nociceptive stimuli were applied at nine locations corresponding to different rostrocaudal dermatomes of the rat. Nociceptive stimulation cycles were repeated at all locations after successive decrement of FiSevo by 15%. Presence or absence of gross purposeful movement (GPM) was recorded for each individual stimulation. IT injection of morphine by direct puncture with a 25 G hypodermic needle is easily performed (successful first attempt: 82%) without complications. IT morphine reduced the frequency of GPM following nociceptive thermal stimulation in a way comparable with SC buprenorphine or morphine. It was not possible to delimit any rostral spinal spread of morphine. This report describes a refined and effective technique of administering morphine IT in rats using readily available materials. IT doses being markedly smaller than the systemic equivalent, analgesia could be provided whilst minimizing the potential interactions of non-analgesic opioid effects with research protocols.


The latest version of the draft bill regarding Law on the Prohibition of Monopolistic Practices and Unfair Business Competition has added new arrangements about the abuse of a superior bargaining position. The new law proposal which is intended to amend existing Indonesian competition law (Law Number 5 Year 1999) stipulates that any business actor is prohibited from abuse its superior bargaining position within a partnership agreement with other less dominant entities. Under Law Number 20 Year 2008 on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, a partnership agreement means any agreement made between micro, small and medium enterprises and large enterprises like state or privately owned national businesses, joint ventures and foreign businesses that conduct economic activities in Indonesia. For example under the Indonesian Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (SoE) Regulation No. 7 of 2015, the SoE is obligated to arrange a business partnership agreement with small scale enterprise. Unlike the arrangements on abuse of dominant position which requires the establishment of monopoly power or dominance in a relevant market, the abuse of superior bargaining position may exist without market power and only required competition authority to detect whether there is any exploitation by the counterparty in a relatively stronger bargaining position. Such a condition makes many antitrust experts or economists question the relevancy of regulating abuse of superior bargaining position under competition law. However, several jurisdictions –Japan, Korea, Taiwan, France, and Germany- have regulated the abuse of superior bargaining position under their national competition laws


Below are listed 2005 publications, in English, within the general area of accounting history. The definition of what constitutes an accounting history article is not always a straightforward matter, and we have interpreted the description fairly broadly to include any accounting article with a significant historical input. Business history articles are not included as they are examined in the annual survey article published by Business History.


ABSTRACT The Health and Physical Education (HPE) profession has increasingly advocated for caring teacher-student relationships. In this paper, we draw on data from an international research project called 'EDUHEALTH' [Education for Equitable Health Outcomes – The Promise of School Health and Physical Education] to explore caring teaching and the complexity of building good relationships as pedagogies for social justice in HPE. The data reported on in this paper were generated through 20 HPE lesson observations and interviews with 13 HPE teachers across schools in Sweden, Norway and New Zealand. In our analysis of the data, we employed Nel Noddings 'Care Theory' [(1984. Caring, a feminine approach to ethics & moral education. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press; 1997). Pedagogisk filosofi [Philosophy of education]. Oslo: Ad Notam Gyldendal] to study the constitution of relationships and caring teaching in HPE practice. The findings demonstrate that caring teaching is inevitably built on developing good relationships, and that developing such good relationships is a complex process influenced by three key elements. First, teachers have to develop knowledge about their students on a societal, group and personal level; second, teachers have to reflect on the individual, environmental and relational aspects required for building good relationships; and third, teachers have to implement caring teaching strategies, such as planning, caring actions and doing 'the little things'. Drawing on Nodding's care theory, we conclude that pedagogies for social justice are enacted when teachers use their own knowledge and knowledge about the students, together with reflection and caring teaching strategies, to arrange a learning environment that promotes inclusion and equitable outcomes for all students.


The essay argues that the theological content is indeed the most important contribution of Reformed confessional documents, but that the theological content can only be understood against the specific historical, which most often means socio-political, circumstances in which these confessions were originally adopted. Regarding the Confession of Belhar , the theological content consists in three confessional claims (each including allusions to the false teaching that is implicitly thereby unmasked and rejected) within the broader framework of an introduction and conclusion, involving key theological claims as well, respectively about the nature of the church and the lordship of Jesus Christ. After some interpretive comments on all five of these structural aspects – the introduction and conclusion and the three claims – brief consideration is given to the nature of reception of confessional documents in the Reformed tradition and some implications for the reception of the theological content of the Confession of Belhar . Article text in Afrikaans


Anatomical screening using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of short lengths of smooth coalified axes (mesofossils) from a Lochkovian (Lower Devonian) locality in the Welsh Borderland, Shropshire has revealed extensive diversity in the architecture of centrally aggregated, elongate cells. At least 14 types have been discovered, each distinguished by variation in wall architecture and combination of the cells in the central strand. End walls have not been seen. These elongate cells may have smooth, uniformly thick or thin walls, walls with smooth projections either traversing or lining the lumen, or bilayered walls, the innermost perforated by pores of plasmodesmata dimensions. The latter type may be further divided on presence or absence of projections which may line the lumen, but usually cross it and are highly disorganized. Indeed, none of the cells shows the regularity associated with the secondary thickenings of tracheids, but the imperforate/pitted forms with projections superficially resemble the S-type tracheids of the Rhyniopsida in basic construction. Simply pitted types show greater similarity with the water-conducting cells (WCCs) of liverworts and Takakia. To facilitate direct comparison with bryophyte conducting elements, SEM studies were undertaken on the WCCs of a number of mosses and liverworts and on the leptoids of mosses, in conjunction with a range of degradation experiments designed to assess the fossilization potential of these cells. With the exception of polytrichaceous hydroids, the latter demonstrated the resilience of hydroids and leptoids to the chemical treatments. In addition, dehydration of the leptoids produced globular residues similar to those seen in some of the fossils. This combination of techniques raises the possibility that food-conducting cells might well be preserved in coalified fossils, and hence extends the interpretation of the functions of the elongate cells. Broadly speaking, imperforate bilayered examples may have been involved in water conduction, cells with globular residues with or without pitting involved in metabolite movement, and smooth walled examples with or without projections involved in support. The wider affinities of the plants which produced the axes remain equivocal and in the absence of sporangia it is impossible to assign them to a genus. However, this anatomical diversity in vegetative remains of extreme simplicity demonstrates far greater diversity in early land vegetation than is apparent from perusal of species lists.


Given a quiver algebra A with relations defined by a superpotential, this paper defines a set of invariants of A counting framed cyclic A–modules, analogous to rank–1 Donaldson–Thomas invariants of Calabi–Yau threefolds. For the special case when A is the non-commutative crepant resolution of the threefold ordinary double point, it is proved using torus localization that the invariants count certain pyramid-shaped partition-like configurations, or equivalently infinite dimer configurations in the square dimer model with a fixed boundary condition. The resulting partition function admits an infinite product expansion, which factorizes into the rank–1 Donaldson–Thomas partition functions of the commutative crepant resolution of the singularity and its flop. The different partition functions are speculatively interpreted as counting stable objects in the derived category of A–modules under different stability conditions; their relationship should then be an instance of wall crossing in the space of stability conditions on this triangulated category.


: The found bactericidal activity of ozone and oxygen mixture containing ozone, 10 mg/l, and ozoned solutions of furacilin (dilution 1:5000) and chlorohexidine (0.05%) against the nonspecific microflora and Mycobacteria tuberculosis allowed them to be used in the treatment of 55 patients with pleural empyema. Analyzing the outcomes of treatment in these patients versus 59 matched patients indicated that local ozone therapy accelerated sanitation and stimulation of reparative processes in this disease on the average by a fortnight. Local ozone therapy used in the preoperative preparation of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and pleural empyema reduced the number of purulent postoperative complication to 17.7% versus 30.4% in the controls, enhanced the efficiency of multimodality treatment by 15.6% and reduced mortality by 9.5%. Analyzing the results of prevention of purulent bronchopleural complications after pleuropulmonectomy in 31 patients in the experimental group and in 35 in the control one showed that with local ozone therapy, complications occurred in 16.1 and 28.6%, respectively, and the efficiency of surgical management increased by 13.1% and mortality rates reduced by 9.6%.


Autophagy is a cellular self-digestion process activated in response to stresses such as energy deprivation and oxidative stress. However, the mechanisms by which energy deprivation and oxidative stress trigger autophagy remain undefined. Here, we report that activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) by mitochondria-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) is required for autophagy in cultured endothelial cells. AMPK activity, ROS levels, and the markers of autophagy were monitored in confluent bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) treated with the glycolysis blocker 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG). Treatment of BAEC with 2-DG (5 mM) for 24 hours or with low concentrations of H2O2 (100 µM) induced autophagy, including increased conversion of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3)-I to LC3-II, accumulation of GFP-tagged LC3 positive intracellular vacuoles, and increased fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes. 2-DG-treatment also induced AMPK phosphorylation, which was blocked by either co-administration of two potent anti-oxidants (Tempol and N-Acetyl-L-cysteine) or overexpression of superoxide dismutase 1 or catalase in BAEC. Further, 2-DG-induced autophagy in BAEC was blocked by overexpressing catalase or siRNA-mediated knockdown of AMPK. Finally, pretreatment of BAEC with 2-DG increased endothelial cell viability after exposure to hypoxic stress. Thus, AMPK is required for ROS-triggered autophagy in endothelial cells, which increases endothelial cell survival in response to cell stress.


A novel hybrid of 2D Ni–Mo–S nanosheet integrated nitrogen doped graphene (NG) is successfully developed via a simple, scalable, and cost-effective hydrothermal process, and its application towards energy conversion devices is explored. The presence of exclusive mesoporous structures combined with an excellent conducting NG network in the Ni–Mo–S/NG hybrid exhibits superior electrocatalytic activities as a counter electrode (CE) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline electrolytes. SEM and TEM studies demonstrate the uniform anchoring of ultra-thin Ni–Mo–S nanosheets on NG networks. The hierarchical Ni–Mo–S/NG hybrid outperformed Ni–Mo–S, NG, and Pt when used as a CE in DSSCs and showed excellent ORR activity. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of DSSCs with the Ni–Mo–S/NG hybrid as the CE achieved 9.89%, outperforming conventional Pt CEs (8.73%). Furthermore, Ni–Mo–S/NG showed high catalytic activity for the ORR with an onset of 0.98 VRHE and outstanding durability compared to commercial Pt/C. The present study demonstrates the unique role of integrated Ni–Mo–S nanosheets anchored NG towards I3− reduction and the ORR, and demonstrates an efficient strategy for designing highly catalytically active and cost-effective electrocatalysts for DSSC and fuel cell applications.


This paper examines two main issues for the case of inflation targeting countries. The first is to investigate whether monetary authorities react to the exchange rate movements, in addition to inflation and output gap, as in simple monetary policy rule. The second is to investigate whether reactions to the exchange rates have any implications for the inflation targeting performance. The main result of the analysis indicates that some inflation targeting countries react to the exchange rate movements. The policy to stabilize the exchange rate movements helps achieve the inflation target; however, this is not robust across different specifications. In contrast, the real exchange rate variability worsens the inflation targeting performance. The other main finding from the panel data model is that the deviation of the inflation from the target rate exhibits a high and systematic persistence. Additionally, central banks with constant inflation targeting are more successful controlling inflation in the target path compared to banks with a nonconstant inflation target. Finally, restriction on capital controls helps the inflation targeting performance.


Besides numbers of commercial manufacturing attempts, nanoscience is regarded as the key technology of the 21 st century. It provides novel products and facilitates applications of innovative techniques in medicine, pharmacy, computer technology, and sensing. At the same time, it is recognised that their application may raise new challenges in the safety, regulatory or ethical domains. Such challenges provide a new word, called Green nanoscience or nanotechnology. It means applications of nanotechnologies must be environmentally benign and sustainable. Use of nanotechnology in medicine are especially promising, and areas such as disease diagnosis, drug delivery targeted at specific sites in the body and molecular imaging are being intensively investigated and some products are undergoing clinical trials. But the area of health and medicines is more sensitive than others so the use of sustainable and green nanotechnology reduces the risk of negative impacts on environment, plant and animals. Many nanotechnologies pose no new risks to health and almost all the concerns relate to the potential impacts of deliberately manufactured nanoparticles and nanotubes that are free rather than fixed to or within a material. Several studies have shown that altering the surface chemistry of nanoparticles has been effective in preventing toxicity of the core nanomaterials.


The purpose of this paper is to discuss the importance of incorporating asset holding and its distribution into the study of growth-equity relationship in the context of regional disparity. We have tried to discuss this issue by taking the Inclusive Growth Strategy (IGS) introduced by the Union Government of India in 2006. Although it is too early to assess the impact of IGC at this stage, the followings are some of the important findings of our analysis. First, the performance of the post-reform period is characterised by the higher economic growth and declining poverty ratio on one hand, and the increasing disparity in terms of consumption, income and asset holding on the other. Second, the magnitude of poverty and disparity is much more evident in asset holding, notably land, as compared with consumption and income, among economically and socially disadvantageous segments of rural communities. Third, if the inherent social inequality were overcome in the growth process, access to asset, notably land, has to be facilitated either by political process or through market transaction. In either case, the prospective is not yet bright. The paper strongly advocates, among others, the necessity of incorporating incomeasset relationship and structural aspects in discussing poverty and disparity issues in development. Keywords: Growth-Poverty Linkage, Income-Asset Relationship, Inherent Social Inequality, Inclusive Growth Strategy, Land Market, Capital Gain, Land Reform, Rent-land Price Ratio, Ginicoefficient.


Novel phthalocyanines with eight octa-1-(3-furyl) methanimine phthalocyanine, (CufurylImPcO) groups. Present paper discuss the synthesis and characterizatiopn of metal (II) 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24- octa-1-(3-furyl) methanimine phthalocyanines (M-furylImPcO) (M = Cu, Co, Ni, Zn) by an efficient simple method. Octaamino metal (II) phthalocyanines were synthesized by the reduction of the corresponding nitro phthalocyanines. The dark green octa-1- (3-furyl)methanimine phthalocyanine derivatives were characterized by elemental analysis, magnetic susceptibility, electronic, IR and powder X-ray diffraction studies to check the purity, structural integrity and crystalline properties of the complexes. Magnetic susceptibility studies on Co (II) and Cu (II) octa-1-(3-furyl) methanimine phthalocyanine complexes exhibit a variation of the magnetic moments as a function of field strength indicating the presence of inter molecular co-operative effect. The complexes were screened for antifungal activity.


A cash transfer programme 'Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty' has been implemented with the aim of addressing poverty and vulnerability in Ghana. This study looks at the impact of this conditional cash transfer programme on households' supply of labour for agriculture, paid employment, and non-farm enterprise. We used a difference-in-difference approach to examine the effects of the programme on 3,008 households to learn about their labour supply decisions. We find that the cash transfer leads to a reduction in agricultural labour supply but increases that of paid employment. A careful look at the subsequent targeting of beneficiaries is recommended.


Selective two-dimensional NMR correlation experiments are demonstrated to be particularly well suited to the problem of obtaining quantitative three-bond coupling constants in samples of DNA. The techniques were demonstrated by obtaining high-resolution spectra of cross peaks between sugar protons, which were then iteratively fitted to simulations derived from trial coupling topologies to determine the coupling constants which contribute to the cross-peak patterns. These coupling constants were then used to determine structural parameters such as the phase angle of the deoxyribose pseudorotation and the backbone torsion angles delta and epsilon. Examples are given for both single-stranded and duplex DNA. We have studied both the unmodified 8-mer duplex d(GCGTACGC)2 and the furan-side monoadduct formed between the thymidine of one of the strands and 4'-(hydroxymethyl)-4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen (HMT) of the same DNA sequence. We comment on the structural differences between the two.


The review gives recent data on the structure of hepatitis C virus genome. Linear RNA comprises one translated and two nontranslated regions: 5'UTR and 3'UTR. Translation of viral RNA gives rise to a single polyprotein precursor that contains structural and nonstructural regions. The structural region comprises one nucleocapsid core-protein and two envelope proteins known as E1 and E2. E2 protein includes two hypervariable regions: HVR1 and HVR2. The nonstructural region consists of 7 proteins: p7 (NS1), NS (metalloproteinase), NS (serine protease/ helicase), NS4A (co-factor protease, co-factor RNA-dependent RNA polymerase), and NS4B, NS5A, NS5B (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase). NS5A includes ISDR (interferon-sensitivity-determining region).


This paper presents the results of study about an urban high school in Ontario that performed a stage play that portrayed the legacy of the Indian residential schools in Canada. We wanted to know the impact this arts-based response had on teachers and students. From the data that we obtained from focus groups, we identify four learning outcomes of the legacy project: reflection on knowledge and identity; fact-finding through the processes of respecting memory; using the arts to remember; and broadening perspectives: remembrance (memory), reconciliation, and memorialization. Our research can assist educators and researchers to implement an arts-based model that honours and respects residential school survivors and their families.


We present here a 7 years' old boy presented with recurrent abdominal pain and vomiting causing severe growth failure since 6 months of age. He had some dysmorphism including fish like mouth, upturned nostrils, hypertelorism, low set posteriorly rotated ears, absence of left kidney and closing ventricular septal defect (VSD). Barium study revealed extrinsic obstruction in duodenal 3rd part with high up caecum. Laparotomy showed Ladd's band. Ladd's procedure was done upon this child, which led to resolution of his clinical abdominal problems.

(J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2007; 25 :157-160)


The introduction of new rapid diagnostic tools for tuberculosis (TB) and the promising TB drugs pipeline together with the development of a new World Health Organization Strategy post 2015 allows new discussions on how to direct TB control. The European Respiratory Society's European Forum for TB Innovation was created to stimulate discussion on how to best take advantage of old and new opportunities, and advances, to improve TB control and eventually progress towards the elimination of TB. While TB control is aimed at reducing the incidence of TB by early diagnosis and treatment of infectious cases of TB, TB elimination requires focus on sterilising the pool of latently infected individuals, from which future TB cases would be generated. This manuscript describes the three core components that are necessary to implement the elimination strategy fully. 1) Improve diagnosis of latent TB infected individuals. 2) Improve regimens to treat latent TB infection. 3) ensure public health commitment to make both 1) and 2) possible. Old and new evidence is critically described, focusing on the European commitment to reach elimination and on the innovative experiences and best practices available. Diagnosis and treatment of latent TB infection is the core intervention to reach elimination http://ow.ly/mjW0R


We develop a method based on the cross-spectrum of an intensity-modulated CW laser, which can extract a signal from an extremely noisy environment and image objects hidden in turbid media. We theoretically analyzed our scheme and performed the experiment by scanning the object placed in between two ground glass diffusers. The image of the object is retrieved by collecting the amplitudes at the modulation frequency of all the cross-spectra. Our method is non-invasive, easy-to-implement, and can work for both static and dynamic media.