PURPOSE
Socioeconomic inequalities in physical activity at the individual level are well reported. Whether inequalities in economic development and other macroenvironmental variables between countries are also related to physical activity at the country level is comparatively unstudied.

METHODS
We examined the relationship between country-level data on macroenvironmental factors (gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, public sector expenditure on health, percentage living in urban areas, and cars per 1000 population) with country-level physical activity prevalence obtained from previous pan-European studies. Studies that assessed leisuretime physical activity (n = 3 studies including 27 countries in adults, n = 2 studies including 28 countries in children) and total physical activity (n = 3 studies in adults including 16 countries) were analyzed separately as were studies among adults and children.

RESULTS
Strong and consistent positive correlations were observed between country prevalence of leisure-time physical activity and country GDP per capita in adults (average r = 0.70; all studies, P G 0.05). In multivariate analysis, country prevalence of leisure-time physical activity among adults remained associated with country GDP per capita (two of three studies) but not urbanization or educational attainment. Among school-age populations, no association was found between country GDP per capita and country prevalence of leisure-time physical activity. In those studies that assessed total physical activity (which also includes occupational and transport physical activity), no association with country GDP per capita was observed.

CONCLUSION
Clear differences in national leisure-time physical activity levels throughout Europe may be a consequence of economic development. Lack of economic development of some countries in Europe may make increasing leisure-time physical activity more difficult. Further examination of the link between country GDP per capita and national physical activity levels (across leisure-time, occupational, and transport-related domains) is warranted.


High-grade endometrial carcinoma (HGEC) is a heterogeneous group of tumors with various morphologic, genetic, and clinical characteristics. Morphologically, HGEC includes high-grade endometrioid carcinoma, serous carcinoma, clear cell carcinoma, undifferentiated/dedifferentiated carcinoma, and carcinosarcoma. The morphologic classification has been used for prognostication and treatment decisions. However, patient management based on morphologic classification is limited by suboptimal interobserver reproducibility, variable clinical outcomes observed within the same histotype, and frequent discordant histotyping/grading between biopsy and hysterectomy specimens. Recent studies from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network established four distinct molecular subtypes: POLE-ultramutated, microsatellite unstable, copy number high, and copy number low groups. Compared to histotyping, the TCGA molecular classification appears superior in risk stratification. The best prognosis is seen in the POLE-ultramutated group and the worst in copy number high group, while the prognosis in the microsatellite unstable and copy number low groups is in between. The TCGA subtyping is more reproducible and shows a better concordance between endometrial biopsy and resection specimens. It has now become apparent that the molecular classification can supplement histotyping in patient management. This article provides an overview of the pathologic diagnosis/differential diagnosis of HGEC and the TCGA classification of endometrial cancers, with the clinical significance and applications of TCGA classification briefly discussed when appropriate.


In 2010, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education released its resident duty hours restrictions, requiring that faculty monitor their residents' patient handoffs to ensure that residents are competent in handoff communications. Although studies have reported the need to improve the effectiveness of the handoff and a variety of curricula have been suggested and implemented, a common method for teaching and evaluating handoff skills has not been developed. Also in 2010, engineers, informaticians, and physicians interested in patient handoffs attended a symposium in Savannah, Georgia, hosted by the Association for Computing Machinery, entitled Handovers and Handoffs: Collaborating in Turns. As a result of this symposium, a workgroup formed to develop practical and readily implementable educational materials for medical educators involved in teaching patient handoffs to residents. In this article, the result of that yearlong collaboration, the authors aim to provide clarity on the definition of the patient handoff, to review the barriers to performing effective handoffs in academic health centers, to identify available solutions to improve handoffs, and to provide a structured approach to educating residents on handoffs via a curricular blueprint. The authors' blueprint was developed to guide educators in customizing handoff education programs to fit their specific, local needs. Hopefully, it also will provide a starting point for future research into improving the patient handoff. Increasingly complex patient care environments require both innovations in handoff education and improvements in patient care systems to improve continuity of care.


A wafer-scale hermetically packaged self-healing RF MEMS switch, which utilizes liquid gallium (Ga) contacts to take the place of the traditional solid metal contacts, is proposed in this paper. Liquid Ga contact switch features significantly improved power handling capability compared to conventional MEMS switches. The switch is driven by an electrostatic actuator, which includes upper electrodes on a silicon nitride bridge and lower electrodes on the substrate. Small liquid Ga droplets serve as a self-healing interface between the upper and lower contact electrodes. To minimize RF loss, a quartz wafer is used as the substrate material. To prevent oxidation of the liquid gallium, a hermetical packaging process with frit glass seal is used. A pyrex glass cap wafer is connected to the quartz device wafer by the frit glass seal. Finite element analysis is used to simulate the electro-thermal heating of the package. The measured package leakage rate is below 1 Torr/year.


This preliminary study explores to what extent three- and four-year Canadian industrial and graphic design programs have included the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their curricula. Research was divided into two parts. The first was a review of online program descriptions, and the second a semi-structured interview of program coordinators. Findings show the SDGs are relatively unknown to Canadian industrial and graphic design programs, their institution, and professional community. However, coordinators discussed the role of design in overcoming sustainable development (SD) challenges, and our findings show most programs have already worked SD concepts into their curricula. Furthermore, student reaction to learning about SD was positive. What coordinators questioned was how the SDGs related to applied learning and aligned with faculty research. This study concludes proposing future research into the SDGs in relation to design school curricula and faculty research.
Keywords: Sustainable Development Goals; sustainable development; design curricula; professional design associations; Canadian context.


Multipole configurations are used as magnetic rollers in eddy current separators as well as in copy machines. The magnetic field attracts ferromagnetic particles. Therefore, it is the aim to calculate the magnetic field distribution and the force density distribution, even if only the magnetic field outside the magnetic roller is available. Transforming the measured magnetic field values into a set of magnetic vector potentials and using them as the magnetic source in the finite element analysis, makes this method independent of the real excitation (permanent magnets or electromagnets). In this way is possible to evaluate the force components acting on the particles.


Increasing land scarcity forces Rwandan farmers to expand the area under food crops at the expense of pasture, fallow, and forest. Since the non-cropping uses of land provide more vegetative cover against erosion than most food crops, land scarcity appears to be associated with unsustainable land uses. However, demographic pressure also pushes farmers to grow crops in dense associations, which increases vegetative cover on cultivated fields. The estimated relationship between farm size and protective crop cover depends crucially on how the measure of vegetative cover is adjusted to account for high cropping densities. Without any adjustment, the association between land scarcity and erosive land use is strong; with the adjustment used here, it disappears, except for high altitude areas, where bananas, the only major food crop that protects land well against erosion, do not grow well.


Increasing Turnover Rising concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are likely to stimulate plant growth, leading to increased biomass and soil carbon stocks, thereby lessening the rate of the rise in atmospheric CO2 levels. Van Groenigen et al. (p. 508, published online 24 April) report the results of a meta-analysis and modeling that show that increasing the concentration of atmospheric CO2 also stimulates microbial decomposition of organic carbon in soils, by roughly the same amount that it increases soil organic carbon, leading to lower equilibrium soil carbon inventories and limiting the accumulation of carbon. Thus, soils may not provide as much carbon storage as hoped. Soil carbon turnover increases as atmospheric carbon dioxide rises, which limits carbon accumulation in soils. Soils contain the largest pool of terrestrial organic carbon (C) and are a major source of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Thus, they may play a key role in modulating climate change. Rising atmospheric CO2 is expected to stimulate plant growth and soil C input but may also alter microbial decomposition. The combined effect of these responses on long-term C storage is unclear. Combining meta-analysis with data assimilation, we show that atmospheric CO2 enrichment stimulates both the input (+19.8%) and the turnover of C in soil (+16.5%). The increase in soil C turnover with rising CO2 leads to lower equilibrium soil C stocks than expected from the rise in soil C input alone, indicating that it is a general mechanism limiting C accumulation in soil.


Objective: Define a security zone to avoid possibles vascular and ligamentar complications during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Methods: Arthroscopic reconstruction using the transtibial and transportal technique in cadaver knees was performed followed by dissection and measurement of the distance between the femoral tunnel and the proximal attachment of the lateral collateral ligament and the femoral tunnel and the lateral superior genicular artery. Results: The measure of the analysed distances show us an aproximation between the major branch of the lateral superior genicular artery and the femoral insertion of the colateral lateral ligament and the femoral tunnel during the transportal technique. Conclusion: We realize that the use of technical ship it to arthroscopic ACL reconstruction has a higher probability of injury to the lateral geniculate artery and insertion of the lateral collateral ligament, promoting post-surgical complications such as instability of the knee, osteonecrosis of the femoral condyle and ligamentizacao graft.


A classification procedure was developed that uses hidden Markov models (HMMs) to identify sub-groups within a chronic lower back pain (CLBP) patient population based on their time series of lifting patterns during a repetitive lifting task. Based on clinical observations of a repetitive lifting task, our approach assumed that the patient population was composed of two groups: one group that performed lifts more similar to controls than to other patients and another group that lifted differently from control subjects. Two HMMs were designed to describe the repetitive lifting data, one derived from the control subject data and one derived from the CLBP subject data. The HMMs were designed based on the results of a data reduction procedure that reduced and combined the multidimensional lifting parameters into discrete lifting patterns using factor analysis and cluster analysis. Simulation studies were performed to demonstrate that the HMMs could reliably identify subjects from one group that were intentionally mislabeled as the other group. When the HMMs were applied to clinical data, 35 of the 81 CLBP subjects were classified to the control HMM and 46 were classified to the CLBP HMM. For the control group, 46 of 53 control subjects were classified to the control HMM and only seven were classified to the CLBP HMM. The CLBP groups were found to use different lifting patterns during the task. The CLBP subjects that were classified to the CLBP HMM were found to use a lifting pattern that involves slow, controlled movements. Self-reported measures of the two groups of CLBP subjects were compared and self-reported pain intensity, pain severity and perceived self-efficacy found to be statistically different. The CLBP subjects that were classified to the CLBP HMM reported higher pain intensity and pain severity, and lower self-efficacy suggesting that the CLBP population is heterogeneous and that the HMM classification procedure can successfully identify two meaningfully different sub-groups of CLBP patients.


Macrophage dysfunction is considered an important contributory factor for increased propensity of infections in uremia. Because nitric oxide (NO) is believed to be an effector molecule of macrophage cytotoxicity, we propose that the dysfunction may be related to impaired NO synthesis. To verify this hypothesis, we evaluated macrophage NO synthesis in the presence of urea, a compound that accumulates in renal failure and is believed by some to be a uremic toxin. Macrophages (RAW 264.7 cells) were incubated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide to induce NO synthesis, whereas the test groups had various concentrations of urea in addition. NO synthesis was measured by assaying the supernatant for nitrites and nitrates by chemiluminescence. We observed that urea consistently produced a dose-dependent reversible inhibition of inducible NO production in macrophages, whereas parathormone, another toxin retained in uremia, had no such inhibitory effects. Further studies revealed that mRNA for inducible NO synthase was not inhibited by urea. We thus conclude that urea inhibits inducible NO synthesis in macrophages by a posttranscriptional mechanism and that this may be important in macrophage dysfunction of uremia.


Light becomes something quite strange and powerful in the region of the electromagnetic spectrum in which wavelengths are shorter than in the near-UV ultraviolet waveband. This region, shown in Fig. 4.1, includes the extreme ultraviolet, x-ray and gamma-ray wavebands. X rays and gamma rays are electromagnetic waves with such short wavelengths (and correspondingly high energies) that they interact with matter very differently than do the longer wavelengths discussed previously. For the purposes of the following discussion I
shall describe x rays and gamma rays in the context of photons, which are particles of light. Light has a dual nature: it can behave as a wave sometimes and a particle at other times. When it is a particle, or photon, it is best described by its energy; that is more appropriate than describing this light as a wave of a particular wavelength. This method of description reflects the way these high-energy photons interact with matter: when an x ray or a gamma ray does interact with an electron or a nucleus in material, there is a significant amount of energy transferred to a very localized area, like a bullet hitting a metal target. That is why x rays and gamma
rays are considered radiation and are dangerous to living beings - the energy transfer often produces permanent chemical changes, which can lead to cellular mutation in living tissue. At the same time, when x rays and gamma rays traverse matter, the probability that they will interact with the matter is fairly low, and if the material is thin or has a low atomic number, then a significant fraction of the light can pass through with little or no loss. The thicker or denser the material, the more reduction in the intensity of a transmitted beam of x rays or gamma rays. This is the principle behind radiography: the film or detector receives more radiation along a path of lower density or thickness through the material being imaged, and less along a thicker or denser path. Thus, the bones of the hand appear darker in a radiograph than the surrounding flesh, since the photographic film is less exposed. X rays and gamma rays were not initially recognized to be electromagnetic waves at all. Their wave-like properties were hard to detect because their wavelength (~10 nm and smaller) is very short, and it was not until some years after the discovery of x rays that it was conclusively shown that they are electromagnetic waves, producing diffraction patterns on a screen after passing through a narrow metal slit or a crystal.


In this research, the optical properties for (PEG-TiO 2 ) nanocompositeshave been studied. For this purpose, solutions were prepared with different percentage (0.05 and 0.1) wt.%of (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles. Experimental results for optical properties show that the electronic transitions were indirect, the values of the energy gap has been found, it decreases with the increase of the concentration of the additive. The optical constants absorption coefficient, refractive index, extinction coefficient, real and imaginary dielectric constant have all been measured and it was found out that all these constants increase with the increase of the concentration of (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles.  2016 Trade Science Inc. INDIA


Although much is known now about behavioural, cognitive and physiological consequences of insomnia, little is known about changes after cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia on these particular factors. We here report baseline findings on each of these factors in insomnia, after which we address findings on their changes after cognitive behavioural therapy. Sleep restriction remains the strongest determinant of insomnia treatment success. Cognitive interventions addressing dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep, sleep-related selective attention, worry and rumination further drive effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia. Future studies should focus on physiological changes after cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, such as changes in hyperarousal and brain activity, as literature on these changes is sparse. We introduce a detailed clinical research agenda on how to address this topic.


A photonic crystal based structure is proposed for sensing exceptionally small refractive index changes of a background medium. In a typical photonic crystal, we show that the band edges and the defect band(s) (if present) are very sensitive to the dielectric contrast. Hence, a propagating electromagnetic wave at a particular frequency gains significant phase shift due to the index changes. When the phase shift is measured interferometrically, it is possible to infer refractive index changes as small as 10⁻¹¹ per lattice distance. We have mainly concentrated on the band edge shifts of the two lowest bands of a square lattice of dielectric rods. Calculations reveal that an optimized design of 100x100 rods could be utilized to sense an index modulation of ten to the power minus thirteen per square roots Hertz with a modulation bandwidth of 1 Hz, which is approximately 10⁵ times better than the resolution of novel waveguide based sensor configurations. We also report that defect modes in photonic crystals are even better candidates to be adapted for sensing applications. A further resolution enhancement on the order of 10 could be achived due to the high sensitivity of the defect bands. We have performed proof of principle experiments in the microwave regime with a photonic crystal wave of 7x7 alumina rods placed in a gas chamber, whose inner pressure can be adjusted with a nitrogen tank. Obtaining the index modulations by changing the inner pressure, we witnessed that the experimental results are in very good argeement with the theory at the band adges.


Modern video games are increasingly becoming a more mature and respected form of storytelling and art. The way in which games can interact with players provides those players with a control over their product that is unmatched by literature or cinema. Games communicate with players in many direct and indirect ways. This paper explores how audio and haptic modes of communication are employed by different types of video games to support both elements of gameplay and the themes and rhetoric that a game possesses. Specifically, this paper focuses on how Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild express different aspects of control and procedural rhetoric through audio and haptic communication. This paper also takes into account philosophical concepts of play, widening the scope of the paper to consider why video games are an essential pastime to generations of players.


This article studies the type of leadership that managers are currently exercising in the Catalan health system in Catalonia. A questionnaire (MQL-5X) was sent to 120 people occupying management positions in healthcare centers and hospitals as well as 14 others who also hold such positions in these healthcare centers and hospitals, were interviewed. The mixed methods research design attests that the Catalan health system is managed through a structure of simultaneous transformational and transactional leadership. However, the efficacy of this system is conditioned purely by the communicative competence that a manager may or may not possess, as the system itself makes no effort to encourage transformational leadership. Transformation leadership inspires positive change, conveys a clear vision and enhances morale, motivation and job performance. It galvanizes a team into changing their expectations and perceptions and motivates them to work towards common goals.


To date, most simulations of the chemistry in protoplanetary discs have used 1 + 1D or 2D axisymmetric α-disc models to determine chemical compositions within young systems. This assumption is inappropriate for non-axisymmetric, gravitationally unstable discs, which may be a significant stage in early protoplanetary disc evolution. Using 3D radiative hydrodynamics, we have modelled the physical and chemical evolution of a 0.17 M⊙ self-gravitating disc over a period of 2000 yr. The 0.8 M⊙ central protostar is likely to evolve into a solar-like star, and hence this Class 0 or early Class I young stellar object may be analogous to our early Solar system. Shocks driven by gravitational instabilities enhance the desorption rates, which dominate the changes in gas-phase fractional abundances for most species. We find that at the end of the simulation, a number of species distinctly trace the spiral structure of our relatively low-mass disc, particularly CN. We compare our simulation to that of a more massive disc, and conclude that mass differences between gravitationally unstable discs may not have a strong impact on the chemical composition. We find that over the duration of our simulation, successive shock heating has a permanent effect on the abundances of HNO, CN and NH3, which may have significant implications for both simulations and observations. We also find that HCO+ may be a useful tracer of disc mass. We conclude that gravitational instabilities induced in lower mass discs can significantly, and permanently, affect the chemical evolution, and that observations with high-resolution instruments such as Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) offer a promising means of characterizing gravitational instabilities in protosolar discs.


Summary The language of monumental inscriptions on Middle Kingdom stelae is often regarded as highly standardised and formulaic, thus its potential for assessing social practices is considered to be fairly limited. An analysis that integrates textual and contextual evidence may, however, facilitate a better understanding of some formulae and the role those stelae played in the construction of contemporary social models. The rare smyt-formula is attested in nine objects of the late 12th or early 13th dynasty. Most of these are stelae found at Abydos, hence saturated with the site's cultic importance. Although their disparate stylistic features rule out their being products of a single workshop, the use of the formula and its arrangement after a list of personal names is strikingly consistent. The way in which people, who are mentioned on those lists, are related to the dedicatees of the monuments may provide a clue as to why this formula emerged in the late Middle Kingdom, a time when kinship relations were often celebrated and commemorated on stelae in the context of the ritual landscape of Abydos. Moreover, the smyt-formula signposts a latent tension between two modes of group formation, focused respectively on ego or on his ancestors.


We use a rich data set consisting of 123,000 houses sold in Switzerland between 2004 and 2017 to investigate different automated valuation techniques in settings where the models are updated regularly. We apply six methods (linear regression, robust regression, mixed effects regression, gradient boosting, random forests, and neural networks) to both moving window and extending window models. With respect to the criteria of appraisal accuracy and stability, the preferred methods are robust regression using moving windows, gradient boosting using extending windows, or mixed effects regression for either strategy.


The complex task of managing a virtual memory multiprogramming system is considered as one which can be achieved by allowing the operating system to make use of measurement data gathered on-line in the scheduling decisions it has to make. System performance optimization is achieved by continuous monitoring of critical system parameters and workload characteristics and by use of this information in a real-time adaptive feedback control policy. As a specific application of this approach, the maximization of system throughput by the regulation of the degree of multiprogramming in a virtual memory system is examined. The specific form of this performance measure as a function of the number of active processes sharing main memory is used in the design of an adaptive and statistical maximum-seeking algorithm designed to respond to abrupt changes in program locality. The data gathering and smoothing procedures and the optimization policy are then implemented in a simulator of a virtual memory time-sharing system and evaluated in simulation runs with a random and time-varying workload. These experiments are used to tune the various parameters of the algorithm and to demonstrate its ability to maintain the system at an optimal level of performance. Statistical confidence intervals for these simulation runs are given in order to provide a measure of significance to the experiments.


Prompted by perceived shortcomings of prevailing conceptualizations of digital technology in IS, we propose a theory aimed at capturing both the ontological complexity of digital objects qua objects, and how their identity and use is bound up with various social associations. We begin with what it is to be an object, the differences between material and nonmaterial objects, and various categories of nonmaterial objects including syntactic objects and bitstrings. Building on these categories we develop a conception of digital objects and a novel "bearer" theory of how material and nonmaterial objects combine. The role of computation is considered, and how the identity and system functions of digital objects flow from their social positioning in the communities in which they arise. Various implications of the theory are identified, focusing on its use as a conceptual frame through which to view digital phenomena, and its potential to inform existing perspectives with regard both to how digital technology per se and the relationship between people and digital technology should be theorized. These implications are illustrated with reference to secondary markets for software, the treatment of digital resources in the resource-based, knowledge-based, and service-dominant logic views of organizing, and recent work on sociomateriality.


Abstract Caspase family proteins play important roles in different stages of the apoptotic pathway. To date, however, functions of Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) caspase family genes are poorly known. This paper focuses on the morphology, mitochondrial membrane potential, and expression profiles of two novel B. mori caspase family genes (ice-2 and ice-5) in 3 µM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) damaged B. mori cells, which were separated from the ovary of B. mori. In addition, comparisons were made between damage caused by H2O2 and by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The results showed that the potential change of the mitochondrial membrane occurred at 0.5 h after H2O2 stimulation, which was sooner than occurred in the UV treated model where the obvious decrease appeared at 6 h after stimulation. In addition, the total change in the potential of the mitochondrial membrane in H2O2 treated B. mori cells was larger than with UV treated cells during the whole process. Analysis of fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR demonstrated that ice-2 and ice-5 might be involved in both H2O2 and UV-induced apoptosis in B. mori cells. Notably, after exposure to H2O2, the expression patterns of ice-5 were remarkably higher than those of ice-2, while the result was the opposite after exposure to UV irradiation. The data indicate that apoptosis induced by H2O2 was directly related to the mitochondrial pathway. The two isoforms of B. mori ice may play different roles in the mitochondrion associated apoptotic pathway in B. mori cells, and the apoptotic pathway in H2O2 induced B. mori cells is different from the UV induced apoptotic pathway.


Recently, research attention has been directed towards the coordination driven synthesis of gels, including coordination polymer gels (CPGs) and metal-organic cage based gels, which have shown applications in diverse fields, including optoelectronics, catalysis, sensing, gas-storage, and self-healing. A wide variety of CPGs and metal-organic cage based gels have been reported, to date, by choosing the right combination of metal ions and rationally designed organic linkers. In this article, we focused on recent developments in CPGs and metal-organic cage based gels and their applications.


OBJECTIVES
Teamwork and communication often play a role in adverse clinical events. Due to the multidisciplinary and time-sensitive nature of trauma care, the effects of teamwork and communication can be especially pronounced in the treatment of the acutely injured patient. Our hypothesis was that an in situ trauma simulation (ISTS) program (simulating traumas in the trauma bay with all members of the trauma team) could be implemented in an emergency department (ED) and that this would improve teamwork and communication measured in the clinical setting.

METHODS
This was an observational study of the effect of an ISTS program on teamwork and communication during trauma care. The authors observed a convenience sample of 39 trauma activations. Cases were selected by their presenting to the resuscitation bay of a Level I trauma center between 09:00 and 16:00, Monday through Thursday, during the study period. Teamwork and communication were measured using the previously validated Clinical Teamwork Scale (CTS). The observers were three Trauma Nursing Core Course certified RNs trained on the CTS by observing simulated and actual trauma cases and following each of these cases with a discussion of appropriate CTS scores with two certified Advanced Trauma Life Support instructors/emergency physicians. Cases observed for measurement were scored in four phases: 1) preintervention phase (baseline); 2) didactic-only intervention, the phase following a lecture series on teamwork and communication in trauma care; 3) ISTS phase, real trauma cases scored during period when weekly ISTSs were performed; and 4) potential decay phase, observations following the discontinuation of the ISTSs. Multirater agreement was assessed with Krippendorf's alpha coefficient; agreement was excellent (mean agreement = 0.92). Nonparametric procedures (Kruskal-Wallis) were used to test the hypothesis that the scores observed during the various phases were different and to compare each individual phase to baseline scores.

RESULTS
The ISTS program was implemented and achieved regular participation of all components of our trauma team. Data were collected on 39 cases. The scores for 11 of 14 measures improved from the baseline to the didactic phase, and the mean and median scores of all CTS component measures were greatest during the ISTS phase. When each phase was compared to baseline scores, using the baseline as a control, there were no significant differences seen during the didactic or the decay phases, but 12 of the 14 measures showed significant improvements from the baseline to the simulation phase. However, when the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to test for differences across all phases, only overall communication showed a significant difference. During the potential decay phase, the scores for every measure returned to baseline phase values.

CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that an ISTS program can be implemented with participation from all members of a multidisciplinary trauma team in the ED of a Level I trauma center. While teamwork and communication in the clinical setting were improved during the ISTS program, this effect was not sustained after ISTS were stopped.


Three aspects of basement structure and rift-related salt distribution have especially influenced the evolution of the deep-water northern Gulf of Mexico: (1) creation of a basement high (Toledo Bend flexure), separating a chain of interior basins from the central Louann salt basin, (2) segmentation of the central Louann salt basin by the Brazos transfer fault into eastern and central domains, and (3) salt provinces formed during basin opening. The Toledo Bend flexure was reactivated as a hinge during the Cenozoic uplift of the North American craton. This uplift triggered gravity gliding, forming fold belts in the seaward parts of the continental margin. The geometry of the Toledo Bend flexure influenced the position of these fold belts. The Brazos transfer fault separates the west sector of the study area from the central and east sectors. Most of the salt in the deep-water northern Gulf of Mexico lay in the central sector, which sourced most of the Sigsbee salt canopy. The western sector was narrower and was subdivided by the East Breaks basement high. Splitting the Callovian salt basin in two as the gulf opened created a southward-thinning wedge of salt at the seaward end of the northern Gulf of Mexico. We divide this wedge into a series of provinces on the basis of the geometry of the base of the deep salt. Original salt thickness influenced diapir location, the geometry of the Sigsbee canopy, the geometry and style of later compressional fold belts, and petroleum systems.


"Bubbia" perrieri, a primitive angiosperm collected once in 1909 in northwestern Madagascar, differs from all other members of its genus and family (Winteraceae) in its bicarpellate, unilocular ovary. Moreover, its inflorescences are terminal, and its development is partially sympodial. It therefore represents the survivor of a previously undetected evolutionary line that should be accorded at least subfamilial status. If so, Winteraceae might, more likely than previously, be considered as allied to Canellaceae, a group of primitive angiosperms that has an ovary of "Bubbia" perrieri type and is specialized in some other respects.


This paper presents a block-overlap-based validity metric for use as a measure of motion vector (MV) validity and to improve the quality of the motion field. In contrast to other validity metrics in the literature, the proposed metric is not sensitive to image features and does not require the use of neighboring MVs or manual thresholds. Using a hybrid de-interlacer, it is shown that the proposed metric outperforms other block-based validity metrics in the literature. To help regularize the ill-posed nature of motion estimation, the proposed validity metric is also used as a regularizer in an energy minimization framework to determine the optimal MV. Experimental results show that the proposed energy minimization framework outperforms several existing motion estimation methods in the literature in terms of MV and interpolation quality. For interpolation quality, our algorithm outperforms all other block-based methods as well as several complex optical flow methods. In addition, it is one of the fastest implementations at the time of this writing.


Objective: Local-level statistics are generated from different data sources for planning and decision-making. A strategy is needed to restructure existing databases in order to construct an integrated database for generating statistics. Methods/ analysis: To achieve this objective, data structures of existing nation-wide surveys and census were studied, and useful data warehousing techniques in combining these data sources for constructing an integrated database were identified. The steps undertaken to build an integrated database were consolidated to formulate the needed strategy. To illustrate the veracity of the strategy, Philippine nation-wide survey and census databases were combined and local-level statistics were generated for exploratory data analysis. Findings: The study was able to identify features of existing databases that were used for the database restructuring and building of an integrated database. Likewise, the study was able to identify the lowest level unit of observation to which data could be disaggregated which will also serve as basis for combining different data sources. From the learning's using some of the Philippine nation-wide surveys and census, the study has developed a strategy to access and combine different nation-wide databases that are physically separated but are related to each other in terms of their data architecture. This led to building an integrated database which could be a source for the generation of statistics that are useful in exploratory data analysis. The results of this analysis are useful for planning and decisionmaking. Furthermore, the study was able to identify ways to warehouse the generated statistics across time and space for future data analysis. Such ways were also incorporated in the developed strategy. Novelty/improvement: The formulated strategy of combining different databases into an integrated database as a source for generating local statistics is scalable to more databases for a richer set of generated statistics.


Macrolides are bacteriostatic antibiotics with a broad spectrum of activity, widely used to combat respiratory tract infections, skin and soft tissues caused by Gram-positive pathogens and Gram-negative pathogens. Although generally well tolerated, macrolides can cause adverse effects with special clinical significance and drug interactions, by several mechanisms, the best studied mechanism being the inhibition of cytochrome P450 enzymes, especially 3A4 enzymes, which play an important role in the metabolism of many medicines. Macrolides are metabolised by the enzyme 3A4, being strong inhibitors of this enzyme, which is why they can cause serious drug interactions with other drugs metabolised by 3A4. In the presence of an inhibitor of this enzyme (e.g., erythromycin or clarithromycin), drugs that require cytochrome P450 3A4 for metabolism will accumulate, leading to toxic concentrations for the human body. Cytochrome P450 3A4 has many substrates of clinical relevance, but statins and calcium channel blockers (especially in patients with cardiovascular disease) are of particular importance. The coadministration with a macrolide may lead to increased blood levels, with the the risk of sudden cardiac death, persistent hypotension, myopathy or increased toxicity in the liver or kidney. These observations, based on cohort studies on the population, imply a recommendation to avoid co-prescribing these antibiotics and drugs that are metabolised by cytochrome P450, enzyme 3A4.


ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized through a one-step precipitation process. Effect of time and temperature on the formation reaction was investigated. The synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet (UV) visible absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectrophotometry. Based on XRD and UV-Vis data, the particles produced at 70 °C had a mean particle size of about 5 nm. Increasing time and temperature of the synthesis reaction resulted in photoluminescence intensification. PL spectroscopy helped understanding the adsorption kinetics of oxygen on ZnS nanoparticles during the precipitation synthesis process. Fabrication of ZnS structures with appropriate oxygen adsorption capacity was suggested as a means of PL emission intensity control.


An assessment of hydro project-related geohazards (AHPRG) has as its salient features vast assessed project areas, timeliness, complex objects and contents, lack of large scale geologic maps and poor traffic conditions. Unfavorable factors often hinder engineering geologists arriving at geologic disaster sites successfully and in time. With the development of aerospace science and technology, more and more high-resolution terrain data are being used to assist geohazard assessments, and to some degree, with this type of assistance, the unfavorable factors inherent in conventional assessment procedures could be mitigated or even overcome. Moreover, some computer operation systems, such as Google Earth, have been developed to build visual terrain models directly on computers and allow users to manipulate the viewing parameters so that they may look at an object from different angles. The RIMS system is just one of these types of systems but is unique in that some functions were added to enable users to measure the orientations of engineering geologic features (virtual geologic compass (VGC)) and to directly map what they have observed, etc. After using RIMS and Google Earth in real AHPRG situations, the authors believe that these types of terrain image operation systems would be powerful tools for future AHPRG by combining basic geologic data, geohazard inventories and terrain images from different times.


Nowadays, the security of ASV systems is increasingly gaining attention. As one of the common spoofing methods, replay attacks are easy to implement but difficult to detect. Many researchers focus on designing various features to detect the distortion of replay attack attempts. Constant-Q cepstral coefficients (CQCC), based on the magnitude of the constant-Q transform (CQT), is one of the striking features in the field of replay detection. However, it ignores phase information, which may also be distorted in the replay processes. In this work, we propose a CQT-based modified group delay feature (CQTMGD) which can capture the phase information of CQT. Furthermore, a multi-branch residual convolution network, ResNeWt, is proposed to distinguish replay attacks from bonafide attempts. We evaluated our proposal in the ASVspoof 2019 physical access dataset. Results show that CQTMGD outperformed the traditional MGD feature, and the fusion with other magnitude-based and phase-based features achieved a further improvement. Our best fusion system achieved 0.0096 min-tDCF and 0.39% EER on the evaluation set and it outperformed all the other state-of-the-art methods in the ASVspoof 2019 physical access challenge.


1. A N-NH4 tracer release study was conducted in a macrophyte-rich stream, the River Lilleaa in Denmark. The objectives of the study were to compare uptake rates per unit area of NH4 by primary producers and consumers in macrophyte and non-macrophyte habitats, estimate wholestream uptake rates of NH4 and compare this to other stream types, and identify the pathways and estimate the rate at which NH4 enters the food web in macrophyte and non-macrophyte habitats. 2. Macrophyte habitats had four times higher primary uptake rates and an equal uptake rate by primary consumers per unit habitat area as compared to non-macrophyte habitats. These rates represent the lower limit of potential macrophyte effects because the rates will be highly dependent on macrophyte bed height and mean bed height in the River Lilleaa was low compared to typical bed heights in many lowland streams. Epiphytes accounted for 30% of NH4 primary uptake in macrophyte habitats, illustrating a strong indirect effect of macrophytes as habitat for epiphytes. N flux per unit habitat area from primary uptake compartments to primary consumers was four times lower in macrophyte habitats compared to non-macrophyte habitats, reflecting much greater biomass accrual in macrophyte habitats. Thus, we did not find higher N flux from macrophyte habitats to primary consumers compared to non-macrophyte habitats. 3. Whole-stream NH4 uptake rate was 447 mgN m )2 day. On a habitat-weighted basis, fine benthic organic matter (FBOM) accounted for 72% of the whole-stream uptake rate, and macrophytes and epiphytes accounted for 19 and 8%, respectively. 4. We had expected a priori relatively high whole-stream N uptake in our study stream compared to other stream types mainly due to generally high biomass and the macrophyte's role as habitat for autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms, but our results did not confirm this. In comparison with other N-NH4 release study streams, we conclude that nutrient concentration is the overall controlling factor for N uptake rates across streams, mostly as a result of high biomass of primary uptake compartments in streams with high nutrient concentrations in general and not in macrophyte streams in particular. 5. Our results indicate that macrophytes play an important role in the longer-term retention of N and thus a decrease in net downstream transport during the growing season compared to streams without macrophytes, through direct and indirect effects on the stream reach. Direct effects are high uptake efficiency, low turnover rate (partly due to no direct feeding on macrophytes) and high longevity. An indirect effect is increased sedimentation of FBOM in macrophytes compared to non-macrophyte habitats and streams which possibly also increase denitrification. Increased retention with macrophyte presence would decrease downstream transport during the growing season and thus the N loading on downstream ecosystems.


Inverted pendulum is a system in which the centre of the mass is above the pivot point, where the mass can freely rotate. The inverted pendulum has a unique trait; it is unpredictable, non-linear and consists of multiple variables. Balancing by PID controller is a continuous process where it corrects the feedback system error from the difference between the measured value and the desired value. This research mainly focusses on balancing an inverted pendulum with reaction wheel. The research objectives are to construct a self-balanced inverted pendulum and using PID controller to control the stability of the pendulum. The PID configuration is then evaluated based on the response of the system. The idea is to use the reaction torque generated by the motor to counter balance the inverted pendulum. The factor which governs the amount of torque generated is the height of the pendulum and the mass of the wheel. To balance the pendulum, tuning the PID gain is essential. Proportional gain is tuned first to get oscillation, next is to tune the integral and derivative gain to get a smoother and quicker response. Idea is to get short settling time, and minimum overshoot percentage. Hypothesis is that higher proportional gain will give a faster response rate and the acceleration of the motor is the key on generating torque. A simulation of the pendulum falling is simulated and the results are recorded in term of the response of the pendulum against time. At initial point, proportional gain, integral gain and derivative gain are set to zero to validate the simulation. The finding in this research is that torque is generated by the acceleration of the reaction wheel. Higher acceleration gives a high torque. Others findings is the PID parameter; Proportional gain increases the response rate; Integral gain is used to eliminate steady state error; Derivative gain is used to lessen the overshoot.


Compared to individuals without disabilities, those with disabilities experience inequalities in finding and sustaining employment that are more profound among women and minorities. The purpose of this study is to examine differences in employment outcomes for African American and white women with disabilities who received vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. The VR data that this study used included 18,602 women, 18–65 years old at entry into the VR system in a Midwestern state. Using logistic regression analyses, we found that, compared to white women, African American women had lower odds of employment. Middle-aged women were more likely to find jobs than were younger women, and women of both racial groups who received SSI/SSDI were less likely to be employed. Finally, VR services were significantly associated with employment for both races. We discuss the need to examine VR policies and practices to improve employment outcomes of African American women with disabilities.


This study assessed the idea that theme park visits can influence cultural beliefs about the past and, further, that such effects depend on the schema of the park most available to the particular visitor. Subjects were randomly assigned to complete a questionnaire either before entering or after exiting Old Tucson, an Old West theme park and movie location. In addition, subjects were given either an "authentic Old West town" cue, a "famous movie location" cue, or no cue. It was expected that the cues would affect Old Tucson's impact on beliefs about the Old West. There was a significant entrance-exit by cue interaction for beliefs in the myth of the Old West. As expected, when no cue was provided, belief in the Old West myth was stronger for exit subjects than for entrance subjects. When the town cue was provided, belief in the myth of the Old West was not affected by the visit. When the movie cue was provided, belief in the Old West myth was weaker for exit subjects than for entrance subjects. For movie cue subjects, the Old Tucson experience seemed to debunk the myth.


We measured laser-action properties of some novel eight-position substituted 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-2,6-diethyl pyrromethene-BF2 complexes in a Littman-type cavity pumped by the second harmonic of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The substitution effects were investigated by comparing the spectroscopic and laser-action properties of various eight-position substituted complexes, such as absorption, excitation, and fluorescence emission, and triplet–triplet absorption spectra, dye-laser wavelength-tuning spectra, and output-pulse energy versus the pump-laser energy. The results showed that 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-2,6-diethyl pyrromethene-BF2 complexes with phenyl, p-methoxyphenyl, and p-fluorophenyl substituted at the eight-position outperformed the commercially available benchmark laser dye Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) in fluorescence quantum yields, laser efficiency, and laser wavelength-tuning range.


The article is about problems in increasing motive activity for children of primary school age, the aim of which is improving their health. Thanks to a sufficient amount of physical activity children of all age groups have an optimum level of health, physical development and will acquire motor skills. One of the important problems of our time is to improve the health of children. The study indicates a relatively low level of health in children of primary school age, which is associated with decreased levels of physical activity. Studies show that for children of 6 to 7 years of age the number of hours on average and high levels of motor activity tend to decrease. At the age of six 2 hours. 10 min (9,1%) are spent at the average level, 40 minutes (2.6 per cent) – at the high level, and at the age of seven – 1 hour. 7 min(7,35%) are spent at the average level, 20 min (1,05%) – at the high level. The greatest number of hours is spent at the basic level (44,5% at the age of 6, 39.4% – at the age of 7). At the age of six 88.3% of the time are given to the base and low level, at the age of seven – 91.6 %, 11.7 % and 8.4 % are given to the average and high levels accordingly, which indicates a sedentary lifestyle. The solution to the problem of preservation of health and ensuring harmonious development of personality in educational institutions is of great practical importance. In this regard physical culture, as the basis of ensuring the strengthening of children's health, has new challenges that require the development and creation of physical education system in secondary schools which provides improvement of all components in health mental, social, physical. One of the conditions of effectiveness in the system of organization of sports and recreation activities is the introduction of various forms of work, taking into account the interests and motives of the children.


This review describes the use of Lipid-based Nanocarriers (LNCs) for the parenteral delivery of pharmaceutical actives. Firstly, the two generation of LNCs such as ''solid lipid nanoparticles'' (SLNs) and ''nanostructured lipid carriers'' (NLCs) are explained in term of preparation, characterization and stability. Although the use of LNCs through parenteral administration has shown many benefits, their use is limited by opsonization, an immune process that causes their short half-life (3-5 min). Therefore, many strategies are discussed to realize "stealth" systems suitable for parenteral administration. Successfully, the requirements and applications of parenteral lipid nanoparticles are reviewed for the delivery of natural compounds, synthetic drugs and genetic materials. In the last period, the latter application has been a remarkable interest due to the numerous benefits of mRNA vaccines to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.


As a drug delivery carrier, a novel pH/temperature sensitive bead (pTSB) with core-shelled structure from poly(N-acryloylglycine) (PAG), copoly(N-acryloylglycine methyl este and N-acryloylglycine ethyl ester) was prepared by two steps. In pH=7.4 phosphate buffer solution (PBS), the cumulative release amount of indomethacin loaded in the pTSB was about 60.1 % within 500 mins, but this value only reached to 22.3 % in pH=2.1 PBS. The release behaviors of indomethacin from pTSB also exhibited a remarkable dependence on PAG content in the core. Additionally, the release rate of indomethacin was much faster at 18 oC than that at 37 oC due to the temperature sensitivity of poly(N-acryloylglycinates). The experimental results indicate that pTSB seems to have a potential application in the drug release system controlled via pH or temperature in the biomedical fields.


Research has shown that comorbidities, one or more additional disorders (or diseases) co-occurring with the primary disease, occur more frequently in patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases than in the general population, and are sub-optimally prevented, screened for and managed. In order to contribute to improvement, a EULAR task force has developed points to consider for reporting, screening and preventing selected comorbidities in daily practice. The points to consider and the results from the literature that supported their development have been presented at the EULAR conference in Rome in 2015 and have recently been accepted for publication in ARD. In accordance with the EULAR Standardized Operating Procedures, a multidisciplinary task force from 12 different countries selected six comorbidities (ischemic cardiovascular diseases, malignancies, infections, peptic ulcer, osteoporosis, depression), based on their frequency and severity (e.g. their impact on mortality and disease outcomes) in a first meeting. Results from a systematic literature review of existing recommendations or guidelines on the reporting, screening, or prevention for each of the selected comorbidities guided the second meeting of the task force. In this consensus meeting a reporting form, an extensive list of variables to be collected in order to report history/occurrence of the comorbidity and current treatments, risk factors and screening, or prevention, was decided on. Standardization of the screening for and reporting of comorbidities will enhance implementation across Europe. The role of patients in the management of their own disease, including the screening for comorbidities, is increasing. Facilitating patients' involvement in their own care requires various activities. Regarding comorbidities, awareness about the points to consider by developing and disseminating a lay version is necessary but is not sufficient. Tools such as self-administered questionnaires and supporting information can help strategic implementation of the points to consider, particularly if they are supported with further explanation to the patient whilst empowering them to become more actively engaged in comorbidity self-management. Tools however, also need to make sense to the patient, and should be easily administered and results should be easily interpreted. Also, follow-up of results should be clear. In what way such a tool can be integrated in daily care, what educational materials for patients are necessary, and how concerns for comorbidities can be reduced needs further exploration. Disclosure of Interest None declared


Adult T cell leukemia-derived factor (ADF) is a human homologue of thioredoxin with many biologic functions including IL-2R induction, growth promotion, thiol-dependent reducing activity, and radical scavenging activity. The regulatory effect of ADF on the cytotoxic activity of TNF was examined by using a human histiocytic lymphoma cell line, U937. When U937 cells were preincubated with recombinant ADF (rADF) (0.1-100 micrograms/ml) at 37 degrees C for 30 min, TNF-dependent cytotoxicity on U937 cells was markedly inhibited. This inhibitory effect was as high as 95% in the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay (rADF 100 micrograms/ml) and 85% in the 51Cr-releasing assay (rADF 10 micrograms/ml). After pretreatment of U937 cells with IFN-gamma to augment the sensitivity to TNF, an inhibitory effect of rADF was also found. When U937 cells were washed after preincubation with rADF, resistance to TNF-dependent cytotoxicity was still observed, indicating that rADF inhibited the sensitivity of U937 to TNF-dependent cytotoxicity rather than modifying TNF molecules. Scatchard analysis of TNF receptors on U937 cells using 125I-TNF showed that rADF modulated neither the density nor the affinity of the cell membrane significantly. rADF also reduced the cytotoxicity induced by anti-Fas IgM mAb which shows cytotoxicity quite similar to TNF. rADF (10 micrograms/ml) reduced 90% of the cytotoxicity by anti-Fas IgM mAb, without a detectable change either in Fas Ag expression (MFI 58.1 vs 53.3) or in the degradation of anti-Fas IgM mAb as determined by flow cytometric analysis. These findings indicated that the rADF-induced resistance to the cytotoxic effect of TNF and anti-Fas mAb was not related to the modulation of the TNF receptor or Fas Ag.


Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) regulates a large variety of cellular activities. Binding of TGF- beta to its cell surface receptor triggers several signaling cascades, among which the TGF- beta -Smad pathway is the most extensively studied. TGF- beta also activates protein kinases, including MAPK, PKA and PKC, and modulates gene expression via its delicate interaction with other signaling pathways. During endochondral bone formation, TGF- beta acts as a potent inhibitor of the terminal differentiation of epiphyseal growth plate chondrocytes. This effect appears to be primarily mediated by Smad molecules, although MAPK-ATF2 signaling is also involved. The rate of chondrocyte maturation is tightly regulated through the interactions of Smad-mediated signaling, the Wnt signaling pathway, and the transcription factor Runx2. Improving our understanding of the exact mechanisms underlying TGF- beta -mediated signaling pathways and their effects may greatly impact the diagnosis and treatment of many common orthopaedic diseases.


Problem statement: Wireless access networks can provide high level of quality of services at low network installation budget if the networks are planned by using proper methods. In this research, we developed efficient network planning methods for Wireless Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) networks in which the multiple hops of relay stations are deployed. Approach: An integer linear programming model was applied to the proposed problems for WiMAX networks. Our key contribution of the proposed model is two-fold. First, it aims at maximizing the quality of services of the networks, including the physical data rate and the received signal strength. Second, it aims at minimizing the cost to install the networks. The output from the proposed model is the optimal locations for the installation of the WiMAX base stations and the relay stations so that the network can accommodate user traffic demand over the target service area. Results: To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed model, we conducted numerical experiments in the real network service environments. Conclusion: Applying our proposed model, performances of WiMAX networks can be improved in both the physical data rate and the service coverage area.


The present research sought to assemble the plastomes of 42 species in the Apocynaceae, tribe Marsdenieae. Fast-Plast, a chloroplast assembly pipeline, was used to assemble the plastomes, with alignment to reference plastomes (Asclepias syriaca and Nerium oleander) and manual editing of the alignments carried out in Geneious. Marsdenieae plastomes proved difficult to assemble, due to presequencing, sequencing, or assembly errors or biological realities. Only 35.7% of the species of Marsdenieae included assembled at all, and no finalized contigs were produced for any species. In most taxa, not all of the contigs aligned with either reference, and nearly all alignments had gaps between contigs. Fast-Plast-assembled contigs and raw reads exhibited many mismatches and gaps when alignments were visually-inspected, the result of errors or biological realities. However, when four metrics—number of contigs assembled, percent of assembled contigs that aligned to each reference plastome, percent coverage of contigs aligned to each reference sequence, and NG50—were considered, most species were deemed to have assembled well, suggesting that these metrics are insufficient to assess assembly quality. Although alignments to the N. oleander plastome were slightly better, there was no significant difference between these alignments and those to the Asclepias syriaca plastome. When raw reads were aligned to reference plastomes, a pattern of high coverage, accompanied by many gaps and mismatches, suggested that greater genetic distance from a reference sequence may be responsible for at least some of the poor alignment outcomes. Suggestions for improving the alignments and assemblies are given, with an emphasis on possible reasons for the high numbers of variable regions, including assembly or alignment errors, sequencing problems, and taxon-specific chloroplast structure.


This work provides a comprehensive physically based framework for the interpretation of the north Australian rainfall stable isotope record (δ18O and δ2H). Until now, interpretations mainly relied on statistical relationships between rainfall amount and isotopic values on monthly timescales. Here, we use multiseason daily rainfall stable isotope and high resolution (10 min) ground‐based C‐band polarimetric radar data and show that the five weather types (monsoon regimes) that constitute the Australian wet season each have a characteristic isotope ratio. The data suggest that this is not only due to changes in regional rainfall amount during these regimes but, more importantly, is due to different rain and cloud types that are associated with the large scale circulation regimes. Negative (positive) isotope anomalies occurred when stratiform rainfall fractions were large (small) and the horizontal extent of raining areas were largest (smallest). Intense, yet isolated, convective conditions were associated with enriched isotope values whereas more depleted isotope values were observed when convection was widespread but less intense. This means that isotopic proxy records may record the frequency of which these typical wet season regimes occur. Positive anomalies in paleoclimatic records are most likely associated with periods where continental convection dominates and convection is sea‐breeze forced. Negative anomalies may be interpreted as periods when the monsoon trough is active, convection is of the oceanic type, less electric, and stratiform areas are wide spread. This connection between variability of rainfall isotope anomalies and the intrinsic properties of convection and its large‐scale environment has important implications for all fields of research that use rainfall stable isotopes.


Data science provides powerful tools and methods. CSCW researchers have contributed insightfulstudies of conventional work-practices in data science - and particularly machine learning. However,recent research has shown that human skills and collaborative decision-making, play important rolesin defining data, acquiring data, curating data, designing data, and creating data. This workshopgathers researchers and practitioners together to take a collective and critical look at data sciencework-practices, and at how those work-practices make crucial and often invisible impacts on theformal work of data science. When we understand the human and social contributions to data sciencepipelines, we can constructively redesign both work and technologies for new insights, theories, andchallenges.


We investigate the creation of dark matter particles as a result of the decay of the scalar field in the framework of warm inflationary models, by using the irreversible thermodynamics of open systems with matter creation/annihilation. We consider the scalar fields, radiation and dark matter as an interacting three component cosmological fluid in a homogeneous and isotropic Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) Universe, in the presence of the curvature terms. The thermodynamics of open systems as applied together with the gravitational field equations to the three component cosmological fluid leads to a generalization of the elementary scalar field-radiation interaction model, which is the theoretical basis of warm inflationary models. Moreover, the decay (creation) pressures describing matter production are explicitly considered as parts of the cosmological fluid energy-momentum tensor. A specific theoretical model, describing coherently oscillating scalar waves, is considered. In particular, we investigate the role of the curvature terms in the dynamical evolution of the early Universe, by considering numerical solutions of the gravitational field equations. Our results indicate that despite the fact that the Universe becomes flat at the end of the inflationary era, the curvature terms, if present, may still play an important role in the very first stages of the evolution of the Universe.


We present a constructive, pictorial introduction to low-genus, non-orientable surfaces such as Mӧbius bands, cross-caps, and Boy's surface. We explore the use of these compact surface elements as general building blocks to make topologically equivalent models of arbitrary complex surfaces immersed in 3D Euclidean space, such as Klein bottles and single-sided surfaces of higher genus. As a by-product we generate some models for geometrical sculptures and for other whimsical artifacts, such as self-intersecting hats and furniture with unusual shapes.


The softmax function is a ubiquitous component at the output of neural networks and increasingly in intermediate layers as well. This paper provides convex lower bounds and concave upper bounds on the softmax function, which are compatible with convex optimization formulations for characterizing neural networks and other ML models. We derive bounds using both a natural exponential-reciprocal decomposition of the softmax as well as an alternative decomposition in terms of the log-sum-exp function. The new bounds are provably and/or numerically tighter than linear bounds obtained in previous work on robustness verification of transformers. As illustrations of the utility of the bounds, we apply them to verification of transformers as well as of the robustness of predictive uncertainty estimates of deep ensembles.


Fluoralkylpolysiloxane modified Polyurethane (FSPU) films with high water contact angle (CA) were prepared. fluoralkylpolysiloxane was obtained using perfluoro octyl sulfuryl fluoride and terminal amino-silicone oil as reactants. Then, the isocyanate end capped PU prepolymer was synthesized by reacting isocyanate with a soft segment mixed by active amino-end-capping fluoralkylpolysiloxane and polyether glycol. The fluoralkylpolysiloxane modified PU films were obtained after the PU prepolymer was cured by 3,3 '- dichloro -4,4' – amino - diphenyl methane (MOCA). The results showed that the modified polyurethane with 10% (mass fraction) PFATPS had a good compatibility, low surface energy, surface water contact angle and surface oil contact angle was improved by 49° and 37° respectively, and heat resistance, water resistance was apparently improved.


Zinc doped Nickel ferrites with chemical formula Ni(1−x)ZnxFe2O4 (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8) were synthesized using both Sol-gel auto-combustion and Hydrothermal methods. The synthesized powders were characterized for their physical and magnetic properties. The crystal structure and lattice parameter of these compounds were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and morphology has been confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The magnetic properties of after-calcined nanoparticles were measured at room temperature using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). X-ray diffraction of these samples shows the presence of a single-phase cubic spinel ferrite structure. The VSM analysis indicates that the Zn content has a significant influence on the magnetic properties such as Saturation Magnetization (Ms), Coercivity (Hc), and Remanence (Mr). The doping concentration of Zn increase with an increase of x which causes a significant increase in the Ms from x=0.2 to 0.4 then decrease from x=0.6 to 0.8. A critical Rietveld analysis of XRD reveals the presence of a very small amount of NiO phase along with the ferrite phase. The Rietveld analysis also confirms the crystallite size and lattice parameter.


We analyzed samples of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in neurologically normal patients from one day after birth to age 76 years. CSF samples were separated on SDS-PAGE and then transferred to nitrocellulose membranes where IGFBPs were detected by Western ligand blot using [(125)I]-IGF-II, confirming other reports where we found the presence of IGFBP-2, 3, 4, 5. The 34 kDa IGFBP-2 was present in all samples, and progressively decreased with age. A broad 28- to 30-kDa IGFBP band, having the appearance of IGFBP-5, was triphasic: faint during infancy, barely detectable at 6 months, but intense in adult and aged individuals. The 24-kDa IGFBP-4 band was only seen in neonatal CSF samples, while the IGFBP-3 doublet gradually increased during aging. Thus, these present results show that IGFBP-2, 3, 4 and 5 in CSF are developmentally regulated, suggesting roles for these molecules in the development of the nervous system.


This research considers default among borrowers of Esperanza International, a microfinance institution in the Dominican Republic. Though Esperanza holds high repayment rates, it is of value to examine the 3 to 5 percent of clients that have not had success with the program. If success is defined as repayment and can be correlated with socio†economic characteristics, it may point towards the development of remedial programs and/or interventions. In coordination with organizational interests, this study examines 15,104 loans divided amongst 8,991 borrowers between April 2005 and October 2007. Default for each loan (defined as the failure to repay any quota for 120 days) is considered against gender, marital status, number of dependents, level of education, age, size of loan, type of microenterprise, and regional office. Results of a first linear regression indicate that regional office is most important among included variables. This is followed by education, gender, and marital status †with women, those with less education, and those classified as cohabitating defaulting less often. A second linear regression indicates that an alternate categorical division of microenterprise does not improve the variable's significance. Two final regressions consider default separately among borrowers that were and were not identified as Dominican†Haitian. These results showed that Dominican†Haitians defaulted least often when widowed or married, and defaulted most often at the Santo Domingo office. Overall these results call for further investigation, particularly into dissimilarities among Esperanza's various branches.


The study of the effect of angiogenesis inhibitors on tumors is limited by our ability to assess their effect in vivo. Approaches that are currently employed have significant limitations. An ideal approach would employ a widely available noninvasive technology that can be used repeatedly to assess the antiangiogenic effect on the same lesions in a serial fashion. We describe here a specialized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)–based technique that we employ in the study of angiogenesis of brain tumors. This technique, called relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) mapping, is a noninvasive technique that adds just a few minutes to the conventional MRI study of a human brain tumor in the clinical setting. We hope that such a technique will serve as a model for developing new imaging techniques for the assessment of angiogenesis modulation in other tumor settings. We describe the technical basis and some examples of using rCBV mapping in neoplastic angiogenesis assessment, including a discussion of current limitations and future directions.


Introduction: Diabetes self-management education (DSME) aims to empower people to engage in effective self-management behaviour and behaviour change. Goal-setting/action planning has been incorporated into many DSMEs to facilitate behaviour change. However, this component of DSMEs is understudied. Using DESMOND as a model of a DSME, this study measures the number of people who have identified a behavioural change goal and completed an action plan to meet their goal on completion of DESMOND and how successful they have been in sustaining an action plan. Methods: Copies of completed goal-setting/action-planning forms were collected from participants following completion of DESMOND. Postal questionnaires were sent to participants at one week and at three months following DESMOND to assess individual factors associated with identifying goals and setting and sustaining of action plans.  Results: 55% (279/511) of DESMOND attendees agreed to participate in the study. Four withdrew, leaving 275 for analysis purposes. Of the 275 included in the analysis, 92% (n =253) completed a goal-setting/action plan within one week of completion of DESMOND. 87% (n = 220) selected one or more goals they wanted to target. The most common goals targeted were reducing weight (49%), lowering blood glucose (35%) and lowering cholesterol (26%). Over two thirds included physical activity in their action plan with 24% combining it with dietary changes.  27% of participants focused on diet alone. 68% (186/275) of participants returned a three month questionnaire of which 92% (n = 172) responded to the question on whether they were still working on an action plan. 96% (n = 165) indicated that they were still working on an action plan. 87% were successful in sustaining their action plan with 16% (n = 26) meeting their action plan always and 71% (n = 116) meeting it usually. Discussion: Our results suggest that goal-setting as part of a DSME can lead to behaviour change with the majority of participants sustaining an action plan three months following completion of DESMOND. Over two thirds of people included physical activity as part of their action plan. Conclusion: The majority of participants reported successfully setting and sustaining their behaviour change action plan three months following completion of DESMOND.  Lessons learned: Goal-setting as part of a group education self-management programme is acceptable to participants with the majority completing and sustaining their action plans. Limitations: Participants may have been more likely to complete an action plan than if they were not taking part in the study. Successful behaviour change was based on self-report  which may have resulted in some successful behaviour change being reported because of social desirability. The percentage of successful behaviour change may have been overestimated as it was only evaluated in those who returned a 3 month questionnaire. Those lost to follow-up may have been less likely to have sustained their action plan. Suggestions for future research: The key mechanisms that lead to the successful initiation and sustainment of behaviour change in the real world needs to be better understood in people with type 2 diabetes.


The results of a comparative analysis of formulas for calculating the mechanical characteristics of asynchronous traction motors are presented, as well as a new method of determining the absolute slip for the required moment is proposed.


Background The purpose of this multicenter case–control study was to search for causes and risk factors related to the severe upper digestive tract lesions often seen in neonates. Methods Case patients were full-term neonates with endoscopically confirmed severe bleeding or ulcerative lesions of the esophagus and/or stomach. Matched control subjects were the next infant born in the same maternity unit who met the same criteria and had no clinical abnormality (and, for ethical reasons, no endoscopy). The analysis was based on 137 case–control pairs and considered data showing the mothers' medical and obstetric background, the infants' clinical status and laboratory results, feeding details, and the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire, which was used to assess the anxiety of the mothers. Results Cases and controls did not differ in any demographic or social factors. Antacid and anti-ulcer drugs were used significantly more frequently during the last month of pregnancy by case mothers than by control mothers (28% and 10%, respectively;P < 0.001). Mode of delivery was similar. Case infants more frequently experienced cardiac deceleration during labor and delivery (28% and 12.9%;P = 0.003). Breast-feeding at birth was less frequent for case infants (36% and 49%;P = 0.05). The mean trait anxiety scores did not differ between the two groups, but the mean state anxiety score was higher in case mothers. Multivariate logistic regression found that three factors were independently and significantly associated with esophageal and gastric lesions: use of antacid and antiulcer treatments (odds ratio [OR], 3.9;P < 0.001), cardiac deceleration (OR, 2.2;P = 0.03), and breast-feeding (OR, 0.5;P = 0.02). Conclusions Antacid drug use by mothers during the last month of pregnancy was associated with esophageal and gastric lesions. Breast-feeding may play a protective role against severe lesions in neonates.


The rapid proliferation of mobile phones and other mobile devices has created a new channel for marketing. Mobile advertising has emerged as one of the most popular application in mobile commerce, particularly in the form of SMS advertising. This research investigates the influence of message content, message source, and incentive on consumer attitudes toward SMS advertising. An emprical method is used and three hypotheses are tested. Our findings confirmed the three hyphoteses. The analysis is based on a consumer survey. For this purpose a judgemental sampling of 200 cellular phones users in Semarang has been assesed. The results indicate (1) consumer give a great attention toward the entertainment aspect on message content which in further lead to positive attitudes toward sms advertising; (2) message source is the most important factor affecting consumer attitudes toward sms advertising; (3) incentives that offer monetary incentives such as pulse and free minutes lead to more positive attitudes to receive and read SMS advertising Keywords : content, source, incentives, SMS advertising, attitude


Whilst there may be universal agreement that 'something must be done' about child abuse, there is much less clarity about what qualifies as child abuse and what should be done about it. Policy makers often invoke the law at times of crisis which are seen to demand a societal response. The presence of legislation on the statute book or the creation of rules and protocols which professionals must follow is one socially acceptable sign that the problem has been recognised and that an effective response has been implemented. In the last two decades of the twentieth century, the numerous controversies about the response of public agencies and the courts to allegations of child abuse, as well as campaigns to reform the treatment of child witnesses in adversarial trial systems, provided the impetus for legal reform in both criminal and civil proceedings in England and Wales. These legal initiatives were ad hoc responses to specific problems, and not part of a coherent and integrated programme of reform across the criminal and civil systems. Legislators and the courts in family, criminal, and tort proceedings have constructed different liability and evidential rules in parallel rather than in tandem with the other courts adjudicating the same issues, and often regarding the same child. Similarly reforms in other common law jurisdictions have often been only partially understood by lawmakers in England and Wales. This book looks across the legal and geographical boundaries within which the legal discussion of child abuse is usually confined. It considers the themes and policy considerations driving each form of legal response to the problem of child abuse. It also provides a detailed discussion of the law governing the trial of allegations of child abuse in the key areas of family, criminal and tort law in English law, and compares this with the approaches in other common law jurisdictions using the adversarial mode of trial, in particular in Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia. In its breadth and depth, Child Abuse Law and Policy Across Boundaries marks a significant contribution to the rapidly evolving field of child protection law. The book was awarded the Inner Temple Book Prize 2008.


The area described comprises the SE plunging extension of the anticlinorium of Mondonedo-Lugo-Sarria and several structural units to the NE of it. The stratigraphy compares with that of neighbouring areas. Certain new observations have been made regarding the west flank of the East Galician-West Asturian miogeosyncline at the end of the Precambrium and during the Early Palaeozoic. Stromatolites or algae played an important part in the formation of carbonate deposits during late Precambrian (Candana limestone) and Lower Cambrian time (Vegadeo limestone). An imprint, possibly attributable to a specimen belonging to the Precambrian Ediacara fauna, was found in the Candana Schist Formation. A shallow or relatively high zone existed during that time in the region around Incio. The same general area formed a high again at the end of the Ordovician, causing erosion and a marked disconformity of the Silurian. The Hercynian structures can be explained by assuming roughly WSW-ENE compression and shortening. In the NW of the area this is expressed in the first place by the recumbent folds of the Lugo-Sarria anticlinorium, and in the SE by the narrowness of the steep folds and their slightly changed direction in the general area of Seoane and El Cebrero. Normal crossfaults are related to the folding and the compression. They show locally a deviation in accordance with the direction of shear stress. Horizontal displacement along such faults in an EW direction was probably of little importance. Finally a few observations are given on the occurrence of Pb-Zn ores at the mine of Rubiales.


Mucor fragilis grown on bovine blood powder as the sole carbon source abundantly produced β-N-acetylhexosaminidase. The enzyme activity was several times higher than that of a culture obtained with glucose medium. The enzyme had two different molecular weight forms. The high-molecular-weight form had somewhat higher β-N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity than the lower-molecular-weight enzyme which had β-N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity equivalent to about 40% of its β-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity. Bovine blood seemed to induce both enzymes, but N-acetylamino sugars specifically induced the low-molecular-weight form. N-Acetylgalactosamine had an especially marked effect on activity. The low-molecular-weight form of enzyme was purified from the culture filtrate by fractionation with ammonium sulfate and various column chromatographies. The purified enzyme was found to be homogeneous by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The optimum pH was 4.0 to 5.0 for β-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity and 5.5 to 6.5 for β-N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity. The enzyme hydrolyzed natural substrates such as di-N-acetylchitobiose, tri-N-acetylchitotriose, and a glycopeptide obtained by modification of fetuin.


Kenya's new constitution, inaugurated in August 2010, altered the institutional structure of the state in complex ways. The general motivation behind reform was to enhance the political representation of ordinary citizens in general and that of marginalized ethno-regional groups in particular, and to devolve control over resources to the county level. In the land domain, reform objectives were as explicit and hard-hitting as they were anywhere else. Reform of land law and land administration explicitly aimed at putting an end to the bad old days of overcentralization of power in the hands of an executive branch considered by many to be corrupt, manipulative, and self-serving. Kenya's 2010 Constitution and the 2012 Land Acts produced three types of institutional restructuring that were designed to touch directly on land rights and land administration: devolution to 47 new county governments would be more accountable and responsive to local interests, and directly responsible for administration of community (ex-Trust) land; separation of powers at the pinnacle of the national political system to extinguish the president's arbitrary authority to allocate land while placing oversight and regulatory authority in the hands of a non-partisan, transparent, and law-governed National Land Commission (NLC); and deconcentration of the NLC to give this nonpartisan, independent agency a strong watchdog, advocacy, and decision-making role at the local (ie., county) level. This research asks how these significant reforms are changing land control and governance in rural Kenya. The question is of acute importance for the economic and political future of both Kenya and East Africa as a region. In 2005, approximately 70% of all Kenyans lived in the rural areas, and 60% of all employment is in agriculture (WB 2009: 2, 6 [2005 data]). Today, an estimated 65% live in the rural areas, and agriculture accounts for 30% of GDP. Land pressure is acute for smallholders and pastoralists, due to a vector of forces that includes a long history land grabbing on the part of the rich and powerful, starting with colonial expropriations in the early 20th century and continuing under successive postcolonial regimes, demographic pressure on the land, rising land values, forest destruction and conservation, wildlife conservation efforts, and the slow growth of non-farm rural livelihoods and jobs. Since the 1980s, the process of land accumulation on the part of the ruling elite has been matched by progressive immiseration of the ordinary farmers, pastoralists, the rural landless, and the urban poor. There is much in Kenya's new constitution and the Land Acts that aimed to have a direct impact on the land interests of ordinary citizens. Constitutional reforms gave devolved county governments and the NLC new powers over untitled land (over 60% of all land in Kenya), land held under title by family farmers, public land in rural areas, and pastoralists' land, as well as powers aimed to curb rural "land grabbing" and even recover land grabbed in the past. The Constitution and the Land Acts thus set the stage for a contentious politics of institution-building and reform that would be shaped by conflicts of interest and powerstruggles. Struggles unleashed in the implementation of these progressive reforms could answer questions -- and raise new ones -- about the politics of devolution, and land politics, in Kenya. The study adopts a subnational perspective, leveraging in-county variation in an attempt to understand how struggles around the supposedly non-partisan powers of the NLC and the CLMBs would be shaped by the partisan, center-periphery, and ethnic factors that previous scholars have identified as salient in understanding the politics of devolution in Kenya. Focusing on eight counties that capture much of the partisan, ethno-regional, and economic diversity of Kenya's new counties, we sought to probe the explanatory power of existing arguments (theories) of the politics of devolution. The passing of key implementing legislation was stalled, the NLC and the executive branch were locked in bitter turf-wars, the NLC was under court challenge, and powerful groups had introduced new legislation to undo key provisions of the new land dispensation. The county-level case studies show how the old and new land powers of government were being used in a context of open conflict over both institutional structure and process. Part I reviews existing scholarly work on devolution in Kenya to extract four distinct (but notmutually exclusive) hypotheses about how devolution could transform the nexus between land and politics. Part II shows that the NLC 's powers have been reduced by bureaucratic obstructionism and executive branch claw-back. In Part III, the county cases show that the history of land use/politics/tenure in each county goes far in determining the salience of land issues in defining political alliances/cleavages between the county government, the national government, and the NLC. The case studies show that the use of the NLC's powers at the county level have been largely subordinated to larger political logics. Part IV returns to the four hypotheses outlined in the first part of the paper. The conclusion summarizes and draws implications for devolution.


A novel compact band-stop frequency selective surface (FSS) with angular and polarization stability performance for ultra-wide band (UWB) applications is presented in this paper. The designed unit cell consists of a square loop element and a crossed dipole with a ring slot element. The novel unit cell size is miniaturized to 0.047λ × 0.047λ, where λ is free-space wavelength corresponding to the lowest frequency of the UWB band. The –3dB bandwidth of the proposed FSS is between 3.05 GHz and 10.73 GHz frequencies which covers the whole UWB band as defined by FCC. Due to compact size of unit cell, the proposed FSS has good angular stability up to 60° incident angles both perpendicular (TE) and parallel (TM) polarization. The maximum resonance frequency deviation is 1.75% for TE polarization. In addition, the proposed FSS has excellent stable resonant frequency. The designed FSS is fabricated and experimental measurements are performed. There is a good consistency between numerical simulations and measurement results.


This article tackles the issue of violence inside Ananda Marga, a contemporary Indian religious movement based in West Bengal. It analyzes a controversy Ananda Marga has been through and questions its role within the movement by examining its link with an internal characteristic of the group: an initiatory process into asceticism. Based on long-term anthropological fieldwork in India, I describe the structure of Ananda Marga and then distinguish between the "history" of the movement, which is written and given collectively, and the "stories" of the movement, which are told orally and individually. By confronting these different versions of the same event, I argue that the controversy can be seen as a part of a larger initiatory process in which committed disciples gradually acknowledge the legitimacy of violence.


An extraction-spectrophotometric technique has been applied and approved for the estimation of orphenadrine citrate in the presence of paracetamol in a binary synthetic mixture and in combined drugs. The procedure is built on the formation of a soluble red colour orphenadrine citrate – eriochrom black T (EBT) ion pair complex at pH 1.40, while the paractamol not paired. The produced red colour ionpair complex was extracted with chloroform and showed maximum absorption at 509 nm. For quantitative evaluation Beer's law applied to plot the absorbance against concentration, the relation was a linear in the concentration range of 0.106.00 μg/ mL with the molar absorptivity 4.4025 x10 4 L / mol. cm. The limit of detection and limit quantification were 0.024 μg/ mL, and 0.100 μg/ mL respectively. The intra-assay precision evaluated in terms of % relative standard deviation (RSD) (< 2%). And accuracy was validated with % recovery (98.8102.5%). The results showed that orphenadrine citrate could be determined successfully in the combined tablet without interference by paracetamol and other common co-formulated substance.


BACKGROUND
Most research on refugee mental health has focused on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Besides PTSD, however, traumatised refugees are often burdened by comorbid somatic and psychiatric conditions, as well as postmigration living difficulties (PMLD). It is unclear how these conditions interfere with presentation and treatment of PTSD.

METHODS
This preliminary cross-sectional study investigated 134 severely traumatised refugees and asylum seekers in treatment in two psychiatric outpatient units in Switzerland. Trauma exposure, PMLD, somatisation and explosive anger were assessed and related to symptom severity of PTSD using correlation and regression analyses.

RESULTS
PTSD symptoms were significantly related to somatisation, anger, PMLD and trauma exposure. Regression analysis revealed that PTSD symptoms were mainly predicted by somatisation and anger.

CONCLUSIONS
Symptom severity of PTSD is associated with somatisation, explosive anger and, to a lesser extent, PMLD. Standard PTSD treatment may benefit from implementing targeted strategies to assess and address these factors in traumatised refugees.


One of the main questions most of the globalization theorists have been dealing with is how to provide an adequate classification and systematization of vast and different theories of globalization. In this work we give a closer look to an infamous and highly influential Helds division of globalization theorists on globalists and skeptics. According to globalists, globalization represents a real and significant historical process without a precedent, which generates new forms of global economy, global politics and global culture. On the other side, there are skeptics who discard globalization discourse simply as a myth or alternatively as an ideological project of the West. The first part of our investigation of the great globalization debate is dedicated to investigation of the globalist perspective (both the hyperglobalists and transformationists).


In big data era, machine learning is one of fundamental techniques in intrusion detection systems (IDSs). Poisoning attack, which is one of the most recognized security threats towards machine learning- based IDSs, injects some adversarial samples into the training phase, inducing data drifting of training data and a significant performance decrease of target IDSs over testing data. In this paper, we adopt the Edge Pattern Detection (EPD) algorithm to design a novel poisoning method that attack against several machine learning algorithms used in IDSs. Specifically, we propose a boundary pattern detection algorithm to efficiently generate the points that are near to abnormal data but considered to be normal ones by current classifiers. Then, we introduce a Batch-EPD Boundary Pattern (BEBP) detection algorithm to overcome the limitation of the number of edge pattern points generated by EPD and to obtain more useful adversarial samples. Based on BEBP, we further present a moderate but effective poisoning method called chronic poisoning attack. Extensive experiments on synthetic and three real network data sets demonstrate the performance of the proposed poisoning method against several well-known machine learning algorithms and a practical intrusion detection method named FMIFS-LSSVM-IDS.