The dissertation consists of three chapters that represent separate papers in the area of asset pricing. The first chapter studies investors optimal asset allocation problem in which mean reversion in stock prices is captured by explicitly modeling transitory and permanent shocks. The second chapter focuses on option pricing with stochastic dividend yield. In this work, we present an option formula which does not depend on the dividend yield risk premium. In the final chapter, we work on commodity derivative pricing under the existence of stochastic convenience yield. In this paper, we discuss a Gaussian complete market model of commodity prices in which the stochastic convenience yield is assumed to be an affine function of a weighted average of past commodity price changes.


Loop closure detection is an essential component of Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) systems, which reduces the drift accumulated over time. Over the years, several deep learning approaches have been proposed to address this task, however their performance has been subpar compared to handcrafted techniques, especially while dealing with reverse loops. In this paper, we introduce the novel LCDNet that effectively detects loop closures in LiDAR point clouds by simultaneously identifying previously visited places and estimating the 6-DoF relative transformation between the current scan and the map. LCDNet is composed of a shared encoder, a place recognition head that extracts global descriptors, and a relative pose head that estimates the transformation between two point clouds. We introduce a novel relative pose head based on the unbalanced optimal transport theory that we implement in a differentiable manner to allow for end-to-end training. Extensive evaluations of LCDNet on multiple real-world autonomous driving datasets show that our approach outperforms state-of-the-art techniques by a large margin even while dealing with reverse loops. Moreover, we integrate our proposed loop closure detection approach into a LiDAR SLAM library to provide a complete mapping system and demonstrate the generalization ability using different sensor setup in an unseen city.


In this article, we introduce a new sensor-based control method that regulates (by means of robot motion) the temperature of objects that are subject to a radiative heat source. This valuable sensorimotor capability is needed in many industrial, dermatology, and field robot applications, and it is an essential component for creating machines with advanced thermomotor intelligence. To this end, we derive a geometric-thermal-motor model, which describes the relation between the robot's active configuration and the produced dynamic thermal response. We then use the model to guide the design of two new thermal servoing controllers (one model-based and one adaptive), and analyze their stability with Lyapunov theory. To validate our method, we report a detailed experimental study with a robotic manipulator conducting autonomous thermal servoing tasks. We show that the temperature of multiple objects with unknown thermophysical properties attached to the same end-effector can be effectively regulated by controlled robot motion. Although thermal sensing is a mature technology in many industrial thermal engineering applications, its use as a feedback signal for robot control has not been sufficiently studied in the literature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that temperature regulation is formulated as a motion control problem for robots.


Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine descriptive characteristics of dental students, to investigate their professional expectations, career decision criteria, and related factors; to examine how (if any) seniority in school affects these. Subjects and methods: During the period of 2018-2019, all 1-5 grade students (n = 754) of Hacettepe University Dental School were invited to participate and those who accepted had filled under observation a standard questionnaire form of 35 questions (83.4%). In the analysis of the data, descriptive statistics, chi-square, Student's t-test and ANOVA and Odds ratio methods were used. Results: In this cross-sectional study, 66% of the group were female, age range was 18-30 (mean±SD= 21.2 ± 1.7). The most common reasons for choosing dentistry were "financial benefits", "job security" and "professional status". "Undertake specialist training" (80.2%) was the most common short-term expectation after graduation; two most common long-term expectations were "having a private clinic" (57.9%) and "completing specialization training" (56.0%). The most important factors affecting the post-graduation working plans were work-life balance and economic stability. Conclusion: It is recommended to provide adequate counseling and guidance to students about potential career paths to maximize a balanced and widely accessible oral health service delivery across the country with more motivated dentists. Qualitative research may improve our understanding of how dental education can be improved to fulfill students' expectations from school, and to motivate dental students towards general practitioning in the future.


Background The reconciliation process detects medicines errors and is a key point in improving patient safety. Purpose To analyse the incidence, type and seriousness of reconciliation errors at admission to a Cardiology Unit. Materials and methods Descriptive prospective observational study in September 2013 in patients admitted to the Cardiology Unit in a tertiary hospital. Demographic data: sex and age. The patient's usual long-term treatment, obtained by a thorough interview with the patient and by reviewing the clinical history, was compared with medicines prescribed upon admission in order to identify: No Discrepancies (ND), Intentional Discrepancies (ID) (formulary substitutions/modifications in response to patient's clinical status) and apparently unexplained Discrepancies Requiring Clarification with the physician (DRC). After clarification, Reconciliation Errors (RE) (discrepancies resulting in physician order changes) were classified by type and severity. Results 75 patients were admitted. Only 25 were reconciled due to logistical reasons. The median age was 74.9 ± 8.9 years. 64% were male. 315 medicines were investigated: 75 ND (23.81%), 193 ID (61.27%) and 47 DRC (14.92%). After clarification, 37 (78.72%) DRC were RE. 11.75% of prescriptions (37/315) were RE. RE affected 19 (76%) of the study patients. The average RE per patient was 1.95. Types of RE were: omissions (n = 25), different dose/route/frequency (n = 3), unnecessary medicines (n = 2), wrong medicine (n = 1) and incomplete prescription (n = 6). In terms of severity, RE were distributed as follows: No error, but possible (n = 8), errors that did not reach the patient (n = 22), errors that reached the patient but were not harmful (n = 6) and errors that caused temporary harm requiring intervention (n = 1). Conclusions The process of taking a pharmacotherapeutic history at hospital admission is inadequate since three out of four patients showed RE, mostly omissions. Although most of RE caused no damage, if perpetuated at discharge, they might have worse consequences and/or affect the effectiveness of treatment. The pharmacist's work in hospitalisation units is vital to reduce errors in care transitions and represents an opportunity to draw attention to the medicines in order to increase patient safety. No conflict of interest.


Over the years, datasets and benchmarks have proven their fundamental importance in computer vision research, enabling targeted progress and objective comparisons in many fields. At the same time, legacy datasets may impend the evolution of a field due to saturated algorithm performance and the lack of contemporary, high quality data. In this work we present a new benchmark dataset and evaluation methodology for the area of video object segmentation. The dataset, named DAVIS (Densely Annotated VIdeo Segmentation), consists of fifty high quality, Full HD video sequences, spanning multiple occurrences of common video object segmentation challenges such as occlusions, motionblur and appearance changes. Each video is accompanied by densely annotated, pixel-accurate and per-frame ground truth segmentation. In addition, we provide a comprehensive analysis of several state-of-the-art segmentation approaches using three complementary metrics that measure the spatial extent of the segmentation, the accuracy of the silhouette contours and the temporal coherence. The results uncover strengths and weaknesses of current approaches, opening up promising directions for future works.


The PCR technique and highly degenerate oligonucleotide primers were used to amplify a 282 bp fragment of the horse (Equus caballus) epidermal growth factor (EGF) cDNA. The clone corresponded to 94 amino acids of the EGF precursor molecule. The deduced amino acid sequence of the 53 residue EGF mitogenic peptide within the precursor sequence showed 60-70% identity with five other published EGF sequences. The PCR cDNA fragment hybridized to a 4.9 kb transcript in horse kidney and endometrial RNA which was of a similar size to the mature EGF transcript found in other mammalian species. The horse cDNA clone was used in Northern blots to monitor EGF expression in the endometrium of pregnant mares up to day 83 of gestation (term = 330-340 days). The level of expression increased from day 33 and showed a further dramatic increase between days 35 and 45, which coincides with the onset of implantation and placentation in this species. Levels remained elevated up to day 83. The horse DNA sequence was used to design sense and antisense oligonucleotide probes (45-mers) for in situ hybridization studies. The antisense probe showed specific hybridization to the glandular, but not lumenal, epithelial cells of the endometrium and there was no signal in fetal membranes. The in situ hybridization signal increased between days 35 and 45 to a similar degree to that observed in the Northern blot analysis. This dramatic increase in EGF expression in the glandular epithelium of the mare's endometrium during pregnancy may provide a mitogenic stimulus to the endometrium and/or trophoblast to facilitate placental differentiation and attachment. Alternatively, the precursor could be involved in the endometrial gland secretory process which is necessary to produce uterine milk for fetal sustenance. The PCR cloning methods used in this study should be generally applicable to the cloning of EGF cDNAs from other species.


Modern interconnected computer systems handling classified information can be built using mainstream COTS software platforms. The technique provides each user with a private desktop in which to work, along with services for sharing data. Within a desktop, the user is helped to label their data. When data is shared, labelling prevents accidental compromise, but other measures defend against other forms of compromise. Purple Penelope is a prototype that extends Windows NT security to support this approach. It adds discretionary labelling, easy-to-use role-based access controls and effective accounting and auditing measures to shared files.


Tourism has become an important sector for many rural areas in Sweden. For the island Öland tourism is an important economic niche and along with agriculture, the backbone of the local economy. Island tourism systems can however, be vulnerable to environmental change. Algae blooms have repeatedly affected Baltic Sea coastlines in recent years, and destination planners in Öland reported losses of 27 million Euros for the season in 2005 alone. This article investigates related impacts on tourist decisions within the camping sector, through interrelationships of algae blooms, weather conditions, supply of camping facilities and distance to attractions outside the camping area. It goes on to evaluate how important camping visitors state these different factors to be for their choice of destination. The method used in this article is a stated preference where the respondents are requested to evaluate a number of hypothetical alternatives. The results show that camping is an important niche within Swedish summer tourism. However, high reliance on sea, sun and sand as the primary tourism product might be challenged by weather extremes, precipitation and biotic change in the future. Proactive strategies and adaptation strategies are important steps to take in order to mitigate potential negative impacts for the future.


MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY: A GUIDE TO CURRENT USAGE. Davies PM. William Heinemann 1985. £10.50. ISBN 0 433 071842. 'The aim of this book is to help both student and members of professions allied to medicine to acquire a good working knowledge of medical terms in current use in medical practice.' It is arranged so that it maybe used either as a source of reading reference or for more systematic study. The book is divided into five parts. The first deals with general aspects of mediCine, terminology and the practice of medicine and allied professions. The second is concerned with medical terms referring to general pathological processes, and the third with infectious diseases. Part four, the largest section, deals with diseases of the various systems of the body. The final section is concerned with certain other types of disease which do not easily fit into any of the above categories. These include genetic disorders, tropical diseases, disorders due to physical agents including poisoning and radiation, and nutritional disorders. The definitions of diseases and descriptions of disease processes are clear, concise and readable. The explanations of medical investigations are brief but clear and are included with relevant diseases. There are special footnotes included for diagnostic radiographers. I noted with interest that the definition of occupational therapy used was that of the Education Board of the College of Occupational Therapists. The appendix is particularly relevant. It includes standard works and journals consulted by the author. In the glossary of terms, the prefixes and suffixes used in medical terminology are given in the sense in which they are commonly used. Components of words referring to body structure are also explained as are important abbreviations.


Recent research on Concurrent Multipath Transfer (CMT) and CMT with a Potentially-Failed destination state (CMT-PF) uses the transport layer multi-homing protocol Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) to increase application throughput by distributing transmitted data across multiple end-to-end paths. This paper investigates and evaluates the performance of CMT with Partial Reliability (CMT-PR) and CMT-PF with Partial Reliability (CMT-PF-PR), novel extensions of SCTP for real-time video distribution. The Evalvid-CMT platform was implemented in the University of Delaware's SCTP/CMT ns-2 module to perform emulation experiments in order to compare CMT and CMT-PR, CMT-PF and CMT-PF-PR,respectively. The results presented in the paper show how the CMT-PR and CMT-PF-PR outperform CMT and CMT-PF respectively. Consequently the former are suggested as strategies for real-time video concurrent multipath transmissions.


In this study we used a portable event-triggered video surveillance system for monitoring flower-visiting bumblebees. The system consist of mini digital recorder (mini-DVR) with a video motion detection (VMD) sensor which detects changes in the image captured by the camera, the intruder triggers the recording immediately. The sensitivity and the detection area are adjustable, which may prevent unwanted recordings. To our best knowledge this is the first study using VMD sensor to monitor flower-visiting insects. Observation of flower-visiting insects has traditionally been monitored by direct observations, which is time demanding, or by continuous video monitoring, which demands a great effort in reviewing the material. A total of 98.5 monitoring hours were conducted. For the mini-DVR with VMD, a total of 35 min were spent reviewing the recordings to locate 75 pollinators, which means ca. 0.35 sec reviewing per monitoring hr. Most pollinators in the order Hymenoptera were identified to species or group level, some were only classified to family (Apidae) or genus ( Bombus ). The use of the video monitoring system described in the present paper could result in a more efficient data sampling and reveal new knowledge to pollination ecology (e.g. species identification and pollinating behaviour).
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Vaginal administration is a promising alternative to the per-oral route in achieving systemic or local therapeutic effects, when intestinal drug absorption is hindered by problematic biopharmaceutical drug properties. The aim of this study was to establish an in vitro vaginal model and use it to characterize biopharmaceutical properties of liposomally associated curcumin destined for vaginal delivery. The in vitro permeability, metabolism, and tissue retention of high/low permeable compounds were assessed on cow vaginal mucosa and compared to the permeabilities determined through Caco-2 cells and rat jejunum in vitro. The results showed that the intestinal mucosa was superior to the vaginal one in categorizing drugs based on their permeabilities in high/low permeable classes. Passive diffusion was found to be the main mechanism of drug penetration through vaginal mucosa and it was not affected by transporter–enzyme alliance, as their expression/activity was significantly reduced compared to the intestinal tract. Curcumin permeability from the solution form was the lowest of all tested substances due to its significant tissue retention and curcumin–mucus interactions. The permeability of liposomally associated curcumin was even lower but the binding of liposomally associated curcumin to the vaginal tissue was significantly higher. The permeability and tissue retention of liposomal curcumin were vesicle size dependent. Vaginal application of liposomally associated curcumin provides relatively high levels of curcumin in vaginal tissue, with limited systemic absorption.


We introduce a methodology for integrating functional data into densely connected feedforward neural networks. The model is defined for scalar responses with at least one functional covariate and some number of scalar covariates. A by-product of the method is a set of functional parameters that are dynamic to the learning process which leads to interpretability. The model is shown to perform well in a number of contexts including prediction of new data and recovery of the true underlying coefficient function; these results were confirmed through cross-validations and simulation studies. A collection of useful functions are built on top of the Keras/Tensorflow architecture allowing for general use of the approach.


The purpose of this study is to show how popular rioting and fear of popular rioting and unrest came to be such a major concern of the Prefect of the City and his subordinates during the fourth century, a period when Emperors no longer lived at Rome (and so did net have to fear for their personal safety, when Plebeians were rioting in Rome), and in the early years of which the Praetorian Guard, the only force in Rome capable of crushing popular riots by brute force, was disbanded. The first chapter deals with the status of Rome in the fourth century. It was no longer the political centre of the Empire, but it seems to have been the centre of patriotic feeling more than ever before, which is perhaps why Emperors were less harsh to the plebeians when they rioted than to provincials, and is why they took pains to help the Prefect of the City in dealing with plebeian grievances. Chapter 2 deals with the discomforts of living in Rome, and subsisting there on the one hand, and the compensations, the bread and circuses, on the other. The third chapter deals with the causes of disturbances at Rome, and how typical of the metropolises of the Empire (Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Carthage and Constantinople) were the causes of riots, and their level of violence. Fourth century Rome is also compared to Rome in the Severan period to see how much or little it had changed. Chapter 4 concerns the short term solutions to disturbances that is the immediate options available to and adopted by the authorities once the disturbance had started. Chapter 5 deals with the laws passed by Emperors to ensure that the people got their bread and circuses, and with other areas in which Emperors concerned themselves, such as the provision of a rudimentary health service.


A variation of the time warp protocol for efficient parallel logic simulation on a massively parallel SIMD machine is proposed. A scheme in which each object has a single event queue instead of three queues needed in the conventional time warp protocol is developed for fast queue manipulation and small storage requirement. An immediate cancellation technique of the rollback mechanism of time warp is proposed which does not require the use of antimessages and works well for the single queue structure. To minimize the queue size needed for simulation, a lower bound of rollback at each object is computed and used to discard processed events with timestamps less than the bound. Even if extra work is needed for computing and delivering the lower bound, the simulation using the lower bound of rollback is faster than the time warp protocol since queue manipulation time is significantly saved. Preliminary experimental results of the time warp variation on the Connection Machine-2 indicate significant savings in time and space over the time warp protocol. Moreover, the proposed scheme is much faster than the Intermetric VHDL simulator.<<ETX>>


In literature there are very many studies highlighting the correlation between oral health and diverse social factors, including lifestyle, social and cultural environment, health organization and care as well as the health policy. The educational level may represent an important risk factor for health in the context in which it is associated to poverty and to a hostile physical environment. In the context of oral health, a low education level also associated to the footprint characteristic to the cultural level of a person may determine their lack of interest towards the prevention of oral disorders, the practicing of an inadequate oral hygiene and the adoption of a vicious lifestyle. In this context, the health promoting programmes must rely on viable strategies that may eliminate not only financial barriers but also the ones preventing the equal access of the disfavored population to education and health.


Metal runoff from fields fertilized with poultry litter may pose a threat to aquatic systems. Buffer strips located adjacent to fields may reduce nutrients and solids in runoff. However, scant information exists on the long-term effects of buffer strips combined with grazing management on metal runoff from pastures. The objective of this study was to assess the 12-yr impact of grazing management and buffer strips on metal runoff from pastures receiving poultry litter. The research was conducted using 15 watersheds (25 m wide and 57 m long) with five treatments: hayed (H), continuously grazed (CG), rotationally grazed (R), rotationally grazed with a buffer strip (RB), and rotationally grazed with a fenced riparian buffer strip (RBR). Poultry litter was applied annually in spring at 5.6 Mg ha. Runoff samples were collected after every rainfall event. Aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe) concentrations were strongly and positively correlated with total suspended solids, indicating soil erosion was the primary source. Soluble Al and Fe were not related to total Al and Fe. However, there was a strong positive correlation between soluble and total copper (Cu) concentrations. The majority of total Cu and zinc was in water-soluble form. The CG treatment had the highest metal concentrations and loads of all treatments. The RBR and H treatments resulted in lower concentrations of total Al, Cu, Fe, potassium, manganese, and total organic carbon in the runoff. Rotational grazing with a fenced riparian buffer and converting pastures to hayfields appear to be effective management systems for decreasing concentrations and loads of metals in surface runoff from pastures fertilized with poultry litter.


Introduction Desmoid-type fibromatosis is fibroblastic proliferation occurring in the deep soft tissues and is characterized by infiltrative growth and tendency towards local recurrence but does not metastasize. It represents 3.5% of fibrous tumors and 0.03% of all neoplasms. Desmoid fibromatosis are rare in children, may occur in head and neck region but are extremely rare in the mediastinum with only five cases being reported in the literature till date. This case is being presented for its rarity Case presentation Three year old male child presented with a gradually progressive, firm 17x10cm swelling, fixed to the chest wall with dilated veins. Radiological imaging revealed possibility of soft tissue sarcoma/Ewing's sarcoma. Cytological diagnosis of spindle cell tumor of intermediate grade, possibly of neuronal origin was made. Thoracotomy and excision of tumor was performed. Grossly there was a single, partially skin covered, grey white mass measuring 17x10x5cm, C/s showing grey white areas of whorling and cartilage projections. Microscopically interlacing fascicles of bland spindle cells in a collagenous background were seen with fusiform nuclei, uniform chromatin and inconspicuous nucleoli. No pleomorphism, mitoses were seen. Surrounding adipose tissue and bone was infiltrated by tumor. On Immunohistochemistry the tumor showed diffuse positivity for vimentin, focal positivity for S-100 and was negative for desmin. A diagnosis of mediastinal fibromatosis was made. However, the Patient succumbed to intraoperative cardiac arrest. Conclusions Fibromatosis should be considered in differential diagnosis of any spindle cell tumor of anterior mediastinum. It is impossible to give a preoperative definite diagnosis of fibromatosis on FNAC but with a core needle biopsy and IHC, the differential diagnoses can be narrowed.


The direct anterior approach to the hip for total hip arthroplasty has seen a recent rise in popularity. Deemed as a minimally invasive procedure, the direct anterior approach has an associated steep learning curve but can be preformed on most patients needing a total hip arthroplasty. The following will provide an in-depth description of the procedure including tips and trick and pitfalls.


We quantify the importance of precautionary labor supply using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) for 2001-2012. We estimate dynamic labor supply equations augmented with a measure of wage risk. Our results show that married men choose about 2.5% of their hours of work or one week per year on average to shield against unpredictable wage shocks. This implies that about 26% of precautionary savings are due to precautionary labor supply. If self-employed faced the same wage risk as the median civil servant, their hours of work would reduce by 4%.


Gastric infection with Helicobacter pylori is a cosmopolitan problem, and is especially common in developing regions where there is also a high prevalence of gastric cancer. These infections are known to cause gastritis and peptic ulcers, and dramatically enhance the risk of gastric cancer. Eradication of this organism is an important medical goal that is complicated by the development of resistance to conventional antimicrobial agents and by the persistence of a low level reservoir of H. pylori within gastric epithelial cells. Moreover, economic and practical problems preclude widespread and intensive use of antibiotics in most developing regions. We have found that sulforaphane [(−)-1-isothiocyanato-(4R)-(methylsulfinyl)butane], an isothiocyanate abundant as its glucosinolate precursor in certain varieties of broccoli and broccoli sprouts, is a potent bacteriostatic agent against 3 reference strains and 45 clinical isolates of H. pylori [minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for 90% of the strains is ≤4 μg/ml], irrespective of their resistance to conventional antibiotics. Further, brief exposure to sulforaphane was bactericidal, and eliminated intracellular H. pylori from a human epithelial cell line (HEp-2). In complementary experiments, sulforaphane blocked benzo[a]pyrene-evoked forestomach tumors in ICR mice. This protection resulted from induction of phase 2 detoxication and antioxidant enzymes, and was abrogated in mice lacking the nrf2 gene, which regulates phase 2 enzymes. Thus, the dual actions of sulforaphane in inhibiting Helicobacter infections and blocking gastric tumor formation offer hope that these mechanisms might function synergistically to provide diet-based protection against gastric cancer in humans.


In this study the occurrence of a number of enzymes involved in gluconeogenesis was investigated in both tomato fruits and leaves during their development and senescence and in some other fruits. The enzymes studied were phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK) and glyoxysomal isocitrate lyase (ICL). PPDK was detected in the ripe flesh of tomato, and much smaller amounts were detected in the flesh of both peach and pepper, whereas it was not detected (not present or at very low abundance) in the other fruits which were investigated (apricot, aubergine, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, grape, plum, raspberry, red current and tomato). By contrast PEPCK was present in the flesh of all the fruits investigated. Very small amounts of ICL were detected in ripe tomato flesh. PEPCK was present in the skin, flesh, locular gel and columella of tomato fruit, and in these its abundance increased greatly during ripening. PPDK showed a similar distribution, however, its abundance did not increase during ripening. PEPCK was not detected in tomato leaves at any stage of their development or senescence. The content of PPDK g-1 fresh weight (FW) increased in tomato leaves as they matured, however, it declined during their senescence. In tomato leaves the content of ICL g-1 FW increased until the mid-stage of development, then decreased as the leaf matured, and then increased during the latter stages of senescence. In the flesh of tomato fruits the contents of PPDK and PEPCK g-1 FW decreased during senescence. The results suggest that in fruits other than tomato the bulk of any gluconeogeneic flux proceeds via PEPCK, whereas in tomato both PEPCK and PPDK could potentially be utilised. Further, the results indicate that the conversion of pyruvate/acetyl-CoA to malate by the glyoxylate cycle, for which ICL is necessary, is not a major pathway utilised by gluconeogenesis in fruits under normal conditions of growth. Finally, the results contribute to our understanding of the role of several enzymes in the senescence of both leaves and fruits.


Kurds constitute a trans-border population and the world's largest non-state nation. Conceptually, as well as empirically, they have long challenged the boundaries of the Middle East's nation-state system. Due to recent developments in Syria, the country's (stateless) Kurds find themselves at a double historic juncture. Firstly, some non-citizen Kurds have 'benefitted' from the exceptional naturalization brought in as a reconciliatory reform by the current regime during the Revolution's early stages. Secondly, the transformation of state identity, which is presently being negotiated between Islamists, secularists and Arab nationalists etc, not only impacts upon citizen-state relations, but also determines the position of both stateless and citizen Kurds. Drawing on fieldwork conducted with stateless Kurds, both in Syria and displaced in neighbouring countries, this paper argues that not only is access to citizenship being transformed, but so too is the very definition of being a citizen. The paper concludes that enjoyment of citizenship for Kurds of Syria cannot be understood from a quantitative statistical analysis alone.


Researching hard-to-reach populations that are criminally active is difficult. Gaining access to these populations is essential to the success of the project, however, strategies to obtain access can involve navigating through complex and dangerous situations. Prior research has identified a range of factors that can influence the ability of researchers to gain access to offenders. Qualitative projects that encompass obtaining information from individuals mandate researchers to consider from whom they need to gain information, and how to appeal to the individuals. This relationship building is facilitated by strategies of gaining access that aid not only the recruitment of participants but also increase the quality of interactions and data collection. In this paper, we examine the importance of identity, rapport, and commitment acts in relationship building to gain access to active offenders in fieldwork. This contribution offers examples in which researchers can negotiate the difficulties in gaining access.


Key Points Question Does the inquiry-based stress reduction technique improve the psychological well-being, sleep quality, and psychosocial variables and change views on risk-reducing surgery in women in Israel with BRCA1/BRCA2 variants? Findings This randomized clinical trial including 100 patients using an IBSR intervention found that IBSR improved the well-being and sleep quality of women with BRCA1/BRCA2 variants. After the intervention, the participants who underwent IBSR had more favorable view on risk-reducing oophorectomy and mastectomy. Meaning These findings suggest that IBSR may be used as a tool to enhance the psychological well-being of women with BRCA variants and support them in considering risk-reducing surgery.


Extracellular action potentials were recorded from identified cells in the dentate gyrus of the awake freely moving rat during performance of a two-tone discrimination task. The effects of low doses of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-THC) were assessed on the firing patterns of granule cells to the tone stimuli. Intraperitoneal injections of delta 9-THC at 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg, but not 0.5 mg/kg, produced a significant suppression of granule cell activity lasting up to 4 hr. This suppression was present in both the spontaneous (pretone) activity and tone-evoked responses of granule cells. The tone responses of cells recorded from the inferior colliculus were unaffected by THC injection at 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg, implicating further the hippocampus as a site of specific action of delta 9-THC. In the preceding paper it was demonstrated that such doses produced both impairment of discrimination behavior and modifications of sensory-evoked potentials recorded from the dentate gyrus. However, the influence of delta 9-THC on cell firing in the dentate gyrus was more severe both in magnitude and duration of suppression than were the effects on behavior and on sensory-evoked potentials.


Nowadays, computer generated images can be found everywhere, through a wide range of applications such as video games, cinema, architecture, publicity, artistic design, virtual reality, scientific visualization, lighting engineering, etc. Consequently, the need for visual realism and fast rendering is increasingly growing. Realistic rendering involves the estimation of global illumination through light transport simulation, a time consuming process for which the convergence rate generally decreases as the complexity of the input virtual 3D scene increases. In particular, occlusions and strong indirect illumination are global features of the scene that are difficult to handle efficiently with existing techniques. This thesis addresses this problem through the application of discrete shape analysis to rendering. Our main tool is a curvilinear skeleton of the empty space of the scene, a sparse graph containing important geometric and topological information about the structure of the scene. By taking advantage of this skeleton, we propose new methods to improve both real-time and off-line rendering methods. Concerning real-time rendering, we exploit geometric information carried by the skeleton for the approximation of shadows casted by a large set of virtual point lights representing the indirect illumination of the 3D scene. Regarding off-line rendering, our works focus on algorithms based on path sampling, that constitute the main paradigm of state-of-the-art methods addressing physically based rendering. Our skeleton leads to new efficient path sampling strategies guided by topological and geometric features. Addressing the same problem, we also propose a sampling strategy based on a second tool from discrete shape analysis: the opening function of the empty space of the scene, describing the local thickness of that space at each point. Our contributions demonstrate improvements over existing approaches and clearly indicate that discrete shape analysis offers many opportunities for the development of new rendering techniques


INTRODUCTION
Treatment of head and neck cancer patients amidst the COVID-19 pandemic is challenging, whereas prolonged treatment initiation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma may increase mortality and likelihood of recurrence. Special attention is needed to ensure safe and appropriate care of these patients. This article aims to review and discuss existing research on treatment prioritization and risk stratification of head and neck cancer patients during the pandemic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The authors conducted literature search in three databases (PubMed, Cochrane, and Clinical Key) on July 15th, 2020. The keywords were ("Head and Neck Mucosal Malignancy" OR "Head and Neck Cancer") AND ("Management" OR "Head and Neck Surgery") AND ("COVID-19" OR "Pandemic"). The inclusion criteria were cancer in adult patients, published from 2020 in English, and with available access to full text. The exclusion criteria were comments, letters, and case reports. The articles were critically appraised using the Centre of Evidence-based Medicine (CEBM), University of Oxford and Duke University. The literature search strategy is illustrated using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) flow diagram.

RESULTS
A total of 150 articles were identified; 21 articles were gathered from Clinical Key, 33 from Cochrane, and 96 from Pubmed. After screening abstracts and reviewing the full text, the authors determined five articles met the inclusion criteria. There are several key points of head and neck cancer management in the COVID-19 pandemic. Head and neck cancer management is considered a high-risk procedure; the clinician should use proper personal protective equipment. Before operative treatment, all patients should undergo a PCR test 14 days before surgery. In diagnosing head and neck cancer, laryngoscopy should be considered carefully; and cytology should be preferred instead. Medically Necessary, Time-sensitive (MeNTS) score is recommended for risk stratification and surgery prioritization; it has three domains: procedure, disease, and patient. However, it is not specified to head and neck cancer; therefore, it should be combined with other references. Stanford University Head and Neck Surgery Division Department of Otolaryngology made surgery prioritization into three groups, urgent (should be operated immediately), can be postponed for 30 days, and can be postponed for 30- 90 days. Some urgent cases and should be operated on immediately include cancers involving the airways, decreased renal function, and metastases. For chemoradiation decision to delay or continue should refer to the goal of treatment, current oncologic status, and tolerance to radiation. In terms of patient's follow up, telephone consultation should be maximized.

CONCLUSION
MeNTS scoring combined with Guideline from Department of Otolaryngology at Stanford University prioritizing criteria can be helpful in decision making of stratifying Risk and prioritizing surgery in head and neck cancer management.


Sufficiency has long been regarded as the primary reduction pro- cedure to simplify a statistical model, and the assessment of the procedure involves an implicit global repeated sampling principle. By contrast, condi- tional procedures are almost as old and yet appear only occasionally in the central statistical literature. Recent likelihood theory examines the form of a general large sample statistical model and finds that certain natural condi- tional procedures provide, in wide generality, the definitive reduction from the initial variable to a variable of the same dimension as the parameter, a variable that can be viewed as directly measuring the parameter. We begin with a discussion of two intriguing examples from the literature that compare conditional and global inference methods, and come quite extraordinarily to opposite assessments concerning the appropriateness and validity of the two approaches. We then take two simple normal examples, with and with- out known scaling, and progressively replace the restrictive normal location assumption by more general distributional assumptions. We find that suffi- ciency typically becomes inapplicable and that conditional procedures from large sample likelihood theory produce the definitive reduction for the analy- sis. We then examine the vector parameter case and find that the elimination of nuisance parameters requires a marginalization step, not the commonly profferred conditional calculation that is based on exponential model struc- ture. Some general conditioning and modelling criteria are then introduced. This is followed by a survey of common ancillary examples, which are then assessed for conformity to the criteria. In turn, this leads to a discussion of the place for the global repeated sampling principle in statistical inference. It is argued that the principle in conjunction with various optimality criteria has been a primary factor in the longstanding attachment to the sufficiency approach and in the related neglect of the conditioning procedures based di- rectly on available evidence.


The sol-gel process allows to modify clinoptilolite by the nucleation of synthetic zeolite. From the viewpoint of methanol conversion, the obtained high Al content nucleation-deposited zeolite decreases the catalytic activity of clinoptilolite. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the selection of suitable synthetic zeolite as to its composition. Contamination of zeolite surfaces by carbonaceous fragments during catalytic process results from physico-chemical properties of the used and processed zeolite, and according to DTA and TG analysis it significantly affects the readsorption of water vapours and likely also the zeolite activity in methanol conversion.


Many young people have short spells of unemployment during their transition from school to work; however, some often get trapped in unemployment and risk becoming long-term unemployed. Much research has been undertaken on the factors that influence unemployment risk for young people during their school-to-work transition. However, very little is known about the factors associated with long-term unemployment (LTU) risk for those youths who become unemployed. This article attempts to fill this gap in the literature by identifying the characteristics associated with young peoples' LTU risk in Ireland. The research, which is conducted using multivariate statistical analysis, uses a combination of unemployment register data and information gathered from a specially designed claimant questionnaire that was issued to all jobseekers making an unemployment benefit claim between September and December 2006. The results indicate that factors such as a recent history of LTU, a lack of basic literacy/numeracy skills and low levels of educational attainment, all have a significant impact on the likelihood that young people will remain unemployed for 12 months or more. A number of attributes are gender-specific, such as the presence of children, additional welfare benefits and spousal earnings for females and apprenticeship training and participation in a public sector job creation scheme for males. Comparisons with the characteristics associated with older welfare claimants LTU risk reveal some interesting difference between younger and older unemployed individuals.


Background: The anterior transpedicle screw technique for L5 and S1 is crucial for proper anterior lumbar interbody fusion. This study aimed to determine the projection, screw trajectory angle, and bone screw passageway length (BSPL) of the anterior transpedicle screw in L5 and S1, as well as the screw's insertion regularity and the operating area that is safe for its insertion.Methods: Forty patients with low back pain, all of whom had lumbar computed tomography scans available, were included in a retrospective analysis. Radiographic parameters were measured, including the distances from the projection to the upper endplate, lower endplate, and midline; the transverse and sagittal screws' angles; and the BSPL. Ten fresh adult cadaveric lumbosacral spine segments were chosen to determine the safe anatomical area at which to operate. Finally, anterior transpedicle screws were inserted in L5 and S1 to determine the regularity of anterior pedicle screw insertion.Results: We measured the anterior projection parameters, including the distances to the upper endplate (L5:12.5 ± 1.3 mm; S1: 4.54 ± 0.87 mm), lower endplate (L5: 17.3 ± 1.6 mm), and midline (L5: 6.6 ± 0.7 mm; S1: 6.6 ± 0.6 mm); the screw trajectory angle, including the transverse screw angle (L5: 25.3° ± 2.8°; S1: 25.7° ± 2.6°), sagittal screw angle (L5: 17.1° ± 1.7°; S1: 22.4° ± 1.1°); and the BSPL (L5: 48.6 ± 3.5 mm; S1: 48.0 ± 3.5 mm). We then identified the safe operating area and the regularity of L5 and S1 anterior pedicle screw insertions.Conclusions: We determined the projection, screw trajectory angle, and BSPL of anterior transpedicle screws in L5 and S1, their insertion regularity, and the area in which the operation could be safely performed.


This study investigates the exchange rate volatility and foreign direct investments in Turkey, using quarterly data over the period of 1998 and 2018. Since exchange rate volatility is not directly observable, a GARCH (Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity) model which allows volatility to change over time is used while estimating the exchange rate volatility. In addition, other variables which are frequently used in the literature such as output volatility, openness and interest rates, are added into the model to explain the other determinants of foreign direct investment, and the results are analyzed.


This paper presents the results of a clinical trial employing the PERCRO L-Exos (Light-Exoskeleton) system, which is a 5-DoF force-feedback exoskeleton for the right arm, for robotic-assisted rehabilitation. The device has demonstrated itself suitable for robotic arm rehabilitation therapy when integrated with a Virtual Reality (VR) system. Three different schemes of therapy in VR have been tested in the clinical evaluation trial, which was conducted at the Santa Chiara Hospital in Pisa with nine chronic stroke patients. The results of this clinical trial, both in terms of patients performance improvements in the proposed exercises and in terms of improvements in the standard clinical scales which have been used to monitor patients progresses will be reported and discussed throughout the paper. It is to be noted that statistically significant improvements have been demonstrated in terms of Fugl-Meyer scores, Ashworth scale and increments of active and passive ROMs on shoulder, elbow and wrist joints of the impaired limb.


In recent years, the integration of mobile and wireless networks with wired ones has gained in popularity. Many new applications have been brought up and there is increasing demand for enhanced services supporting mobile collaborations. However, many challenging issues, such as scalability and reliability, are very difficult to tackle in such an integrated network environment rather than in the wired network environment. In this paper, we address these issues by proposing a RingNet hierarchy of proxies. This hierarchy is a combination of logical rings and logical trees. Therefore, it takes advantages of the simplicity of logical rings and the scalability of logical trees. More importantly, such a combination makes this hierarchy more reliable than the tree-based hierarchy. Based on this hierarchy, we propose a fault-tolerant group communication protocol in large scale and highly dynamic groups. Both theoretical analysis and simulation studies show that this protocol scales very well when the size of the network becomes large and that it is highly resilient to failures when the node failure probability becomes large. This protocol is especially suitable for those service providers and network operators who have deployed their machines in a hierarchical setting, where each machine can be locally configured to know the information about its sibling and parent machines


This work deals with a full Monte Carlo (MC) simulation of a radiotherapy treatment facility including a multi-leaf collimator (MLC) and electronic portal imaging device (EPID). A method for a planar calibration of the EPID response in terms of dose using the MC technique is presented. Calibration measurements and simulations with several blocks of attenuating material are carried out down to approximatively 5% of the open field transmitted dose. A linear relationship is shown between the squared EPID signal and the MC calculated dose. The calibrated EPID was used as a dosimetric system to validate a MC model for the MLC. Computations and measurements agreed within 2% of dose difference (or 2 mm in regions of high dose gradient). The technique described herein is not significantly limited by physics transport model constraints. Therefore it can potentially provide a more accurate verification of dose delivery to inhomogeneous anatomical regions in patients undergoing complex multi-field conformal or intensity-modulated radiation therapy.


The provision of care by extended family members and close friends is a common cultural practice in Ghanaian traditional communities. With a recent interest by stakeholders in Ghana to consider kinship care as an alternative care option in child welfare policy, this study explores current kinship care challenges to help identify and address potential setbacks for policy and practice recommendations. In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 young adults with experience as Children in Kinship Care (CKC). The participants with CKC experience reported inadequate basic needs, educational neglect, and lack of adequate emotional attachment as the major difficulties experienced by children in kinship care. The study revealed that challenges faced by CKC in Ghana mostly come from the limited financial and emotional resources of caregivers. For policy recommendations, common cultural practices like CKC should be adequately examined with clear guidelines on how to promote the welfare of children and young people.


Abstract The Grotte Chauvet is world renowned for the quality and diversity of its Palaeolithic art. Fire was particularly important to the occupants, providing light and producing charcoal for use in motifs. Charcoal samples were taken systematically from features associated with the two main occupation phases (Aurignacian and Gravettian). Analysis showed it to be composed almost entirely of pine (Pinus sp.), indicating the harsh climatic conditions at this period. No distinction in wood species was found between either the two occupation episodes or the various depositional contexts. The results throw new light on the cultural and palaeoenvironmental factors that influenced choices underlying the collection of wood for charcoal production.


We report on further observations of homoepitaxially grown 4H silicon carbide (SiC) cantilevers on commercial on-axis mesa patterned substrates. Mesa shapes with hollow interiors were designed to significantly increase the ratio of dislocation-free cantilever area to pregrowth mesa area. Mesas that did not contain axial screw dislocations (SD's) continued to expand laterally until uncontrolled growth in the trench regions rises up to interfere / merge with the laterally expanding cantilevers. Molten KOH etching revealed high defect density in regions where trench growth merged with the laterally expanding cantilevers. The remaining portions of the cantilevers, except for central coalescence points, remained free of dislocations.


We consider the fitting of normal or t-component mixture models to multivariate data, using maximum likelihood via the EM algorithm. This approach requires the initial specification of an initial estimate of the vector of unknown parameters, or equivalently, of an initial classification of the data with respect to the components of the mixture model under fit. We describe an algorithm called EMMIX that automatically undertakes this fitting, including the provision of suitable initial values if not supplied by the user. The EMMIX algorithm has several options, including the option to carry out a resampling-based test for the number of components in the mixture model.


Background: Transient mild stress hyperglycaemia is a common clinical finding while severe hyperglycaemia in response to stress is unusual in children. The practice of strict glycaemia control using intravenous insulin therapy remains controversial within paediatric critical care practitioners and considerable disparity exists between physician beliefs and actual practice habits regarding glycaemia control in their critically ill paediatric patients. Clinical Case: A case of a 5 year old girl without pre-existing diabetes presenting to a paediatric emergency with severe asthma exacerbation and hyperglycaemia is discussed. The patient was commenced on a strict glycaemia control through the use of intravenous intensive insulin therapy. Insulin infusion therapy was safe and effective in the treatment of her persistent severe hyperglycaemia in response to acute stress. No serious adverse side effects of insulin therapy were noted. Conclusion: We recommend that intravenous insulin therapy may be used for initial treatment of severe stress hyperglycaemia in children presenting acutely unwell in an emergency setting.


Hydrogen is recognized as a promising and attractive energy carrier to decarbonize the sectors responsible for global warming, such as electricity production, industry, and transportation. However, although hydrogen releases only water as a result of its reaction with oxygen through a fuel cell, the hydrogen production pathway is currently a challenging issue since hydrogen is produced mainly from thermochemical processes (natural gas reforming, coal gasification). On the other hand, hydrogen production through water electrolysis has attracted a lot of attention as a means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using low-carbon sources such as renewable energy (solar, wind, hydro) and nuclear energy. In this context, by providing an environmentally-friendly fuel instead of the currently-used fuels (unleaded petrol, gasoline, kerosene), hydrogen can be used in various applications such as transportation (aircraft, boat, vehicle, and train), energy storage, industry, medicine, and power-to-gas. This article aims to provide an overview of the main hydrogen applications (including present and future) while examining funding and barriers to building a prosperous future for the nation by addressing all the critical challenges met in all energy sectors.


Based on the occurrence condition of coal seams and the geological condition on coal seam mining in Coal Mine Group Baijiazhuang, after pillar mining the 8th coal seam was well controlled, ascending mining the 6th coal seam, mining process was numerically simulated by FLAC3D,the variation law of displacements field on interlayer strata between the 6th coal seam and the 8th coal seam at different face advance were analyzed. Vertical displacement on rock strata increased gradually from below. A control stratum existed on rock strata and could play a control function for steady of strata movement, which provides a theory basis for further study on upward mining.


Brachytherapy is a form of radiation treatment for cancer that involves the placement of sealed radioactive sources inside or in close proximity to the tumour in order to deliver radiation dose to the cancerous cells. Although the growing use of imaging has improved the quality of treatment the patients receive, there are still challenges to overcome. In cervical brachytherapy the radiation dose is delivered using an applicator. The applicator position is used for treatment planning therefore misplacement of the applicator could result in inaccurate treatment, increased levels of toxicity in healthy tissues and even punctures in the uterus during the insertion process. During the insertion the applicator is not visible therefore the treatment may be compromised. It was shown in previous studies that the applicator displacement between each brachytherapy was greater than 1cm. The main question to achieve applicator tracking was to examine if the electromagnetic tracking system that is used to track the ultrasound probe during image registration could be used to solve this issue. Through this thesis a tracking system methodology was developed and its accuracy was measured in a trial and in clinic. For the phantom trial the magnitude of error was measured to be ≈ 3mm and for the clinical evaluation of the tracking system at Royal Surrey County hospital (RSCH) the magnitude of error was measured to be ≈ 5mm. In prostate brachytherapy a computer tomography (CT) scan is performed to the patient in order to aid the verification process but unfortunately the seeds produce multiple artefacts that make the verification process difficult and sometimes impossible because the contour of the prostate is not clear therefore the dosimetry results are inaccurate. A filter methodology was developed to address that issue by performing exemplar image inpainting for the corrupted portion of post prostate CT images. The filtered images were qualitatively compared with a state of the art filter for reducing metal artefact. Additionally the filter is currently being evaluated in a study where the aim is to measure the inter-observer reliability of contouring the prostate in unfiltered and filtered in post prostate brachytherapy CT scans. Two observers from the RSCH agreed on contouring 11 patient dataset for this study. There are only preliminary results for this study but they do not show any improvements in contouring the prostate. The trial is still on-going therefore more data will show the actual effect of the filter.


The aim of this paper is to examine if the Swedish political party Sverigedemokraterna by visiting high schools in the three counties of Kalmar, Kronoberg and Jonkoping managed to win more votes for them in the election "Skolvalet 2010". There were no statistical data that supported the papers theory that the Swedish political party "Sverigedemokraterna" would win more votes in the school election "Skolvalet 2010" by visiting the schools and informing and/or debating. To come to this conclusion the paper performed different statistical analysis where the variables "Swedish democratic presence at schools", "Number of votes the Swedish democrats won in the school election", "number of persons in the municipality with foreign background" and "Swedish democrats number of votes in the municipality election" all were tested against each other.


The impact on the intense exchange of information makes essential the use of Wireless Information Systems (WIS). Further, the use of standards like the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) in this kind of system means that the applications can be made available on a massive scale. Before implementing a WIS designed with this type of standard, it is necessary to analyze the different scenarios in which it might be implemented because these systems can be very complex, being very expensive or impossible to improve them once developed; for this reason the importance of carrying out an evaluation architectural of their design before developing it. This paper describes the architectural analysis of a WIS based WAP architecture for an insurance company. The analysis focuses the Modifiability and Portability attributes because they are deemed to be fundamental for the WIS client company. The best architecture was selected using the evaluation method known as the Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM).


This paper describes the architecture of a development environment for computer-aided parallel software engineering. The environment comprises tools for program design, simulation , and visualisation. The toolset supports an interactive, performance-oriented software development life-cycle, and the user interface makes extensive use of graphics and animation.


In an attempt to overcome T cell unresponsiveness to filarial antigens, 65 individuals belonging to the three clinical groups of elephantiasis patients, microfilaraemics, and asymptomatic amicrofilaraemics who exhibited unresponsiveness to Brugia malayi adult worm antigen (BmA) were studied. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were co‐cultured with antigen and one of the following reagents that have been reported to be effective in reconstituting T cell proliferation: interleukin‐2 (IL‐2), interleukin‐7 (IL‐7), anti‐interleukin‐4, anti‐interleukin‐10, anti‐CD2, anti‐CD27, anti‐CD28, indomethacin, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), or calcium ionophore (A23I87). We were able to overcome antigen‐specific unresponsiveness in only a minority of the individuals studied. Co‐culture with IL‐2, IL‐7, indomethacin and PMA were the only conditions which resulted in enhanced proliferation to BmA in these individuals. In general, unresponsiveness in elephantiasis patients was easier to reverse than in other clinical groups: in 50% of elephantiasis patients, in 12.5% of microfilaraemics and in 20% of asymptomatic amicrofilaraemics. The results indicate that more than one distinct immunological mechanism may account for the antigen‐specific unresponsiveness in individuals exposed to and infected with brugian filariasis.


Methods are described for the partial purification of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae class III gene transcription factor TFIIIB from yeast whole cell extracts. A major component (30% of the total protein) of our most highly purified TFIIIB preparation was a polypeptide with an apparent Mr = 60,000 when analyzed by denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This protein was purified by preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and polyclonal antibodies were raised against it. Using immunological methods it was shown that TFIIIB transcription factor activity was associated with this purified polypeptide. Furthermore, the polyclonal sera raised against the yeast TFIIIB polypeptide was also shown to specifically neutralize the activity of the human TFIIIB equivalent when it was added to a human KB cell S-100 in vitro transcription system.


A polymer film draping over a point of contact will wrinkle due to the strain imposed by the underlying substrate. The wrinkle wavelength is dictated by a balance of material properties and geometry; most directly the thickness of the draping film. At a critical strain, the stress in the film will localize, causing hundreds of wrinkles to collapse into several discrete folds. In this Letter, we examine the deformation of an axisymmetric sheet and quantify the force required to generate a fold. We observe that the energy of formation for a single fold scales nearly linearly with the film thickness. The onset of folding, in terms of a critical force or displacement, scales as the thickness to the four-ninth power, which we predict from the energy balance of the system. The folds increase the tension in the remainder of the film causing the radial stress to increase, thereby decreasing the wavelength of the remaining wrinkles.


In the present study we investigated the mechanism inherent in the decision-making process in a single-trial with the game called Prisoner's Dilemma (PD), in which players might simultaneously encounter different conditions that influence cooperation: namely, reciprocity, perceived control, and risk taking. We conducted 2 experiments to examine how, and to what extent, these conditions contribute to cooperation. By incorporating direct measurements of the potential conditions into a paradigm produced in previous studies, we were able to test the reliability of backward inference and to quantify the effect exerted by each condition. Results consistently revealed a complex cognitive process in single-trial PD: each condition had an influence on decision making, but none of them showed a dominating power to prompt cooperation independently; reciprocity served as a moderator.


This study uses the 'natural experiment' provided by China's implementation of its 2007 Accounting Standards for Business Enterprises No.18 — Corporate Income Tax Accounting and 2008 Enterprise Income Tax Law to address two questions. Have China's tax regulatory environment changes had an impact on the corporate tax avoidance of its listed companies? Does ownership structure — i.e., state-controlled, private or foreign-invested — impact on companies' responses to regulatory change? Drawing on effective tax planning, agency, tax avoidance and legitimacy theories, this study uses a balanced panel-data sample for the 2007 to 2010 period on 1,224 companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. We find that tax avoidance by listed companies, measured by the book-tax gap, has reduced as a result of regulatory reform. Additionally we tentatively support the influence of ownership/control on corporate tax avoidance in China, with state-controlled companies evidencing lower levels of the book tax gap.


A new design of power supply based on the idea of switched capacitors, as applied to pocket computer systems, is presented. This new type of power supply is inductorless and, consequently, suitable for hybridization and even monolithic integration. The new design is also based on distinguishing characteristics of pocket digital computer systems, in which a switched-capacitor converter can work well, since minimal regulation is required. The new device may enable the pocket computer system to be powered by only one battery, resulting in a simple topology. Two switched-capacitor converters, +12 V/-12 V, +5 V and +5 V/+12 V, -12 V, are shown, respectively, as an example for demonstrating the basic principle and its performance. PSPICE simulation and laboratory models show good results for this new type of power supply.


A new method for the simultaneous quantification of 12 mycotoxins was developed and optimized using reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) with a photodiode array (PDA) and fluorescence detector (FLD), a photochemical reactor for enhanced detection (PHRED) and post-column derivatization. The mycotoxins included aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2), ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins (FB1, FB2, and FB3), T-2 and HT-2 toxins. A double sample extraction with a phosphate-buffered saline solution (PBS) and methanol was used for co-extraction of mycotoxins, and a multifunctional immunoaffinity column was used for cleanup. Optimum conditions for separation of the mycotoxins were obtained to separate 12 mycotoxins in FLD and PDA chromatograms with a high resolution. The method gave recoveries in the range 72–111% when applied to spiked corn samples. The limits of detection (LOD) were 0.025 ng/g for AFB1 and AFG1, 0.012 ng/g for AFB2 and AFG2, 0.2 ng/g for OTA, 1.5 ng/g for ZEA, 6.2 ng/g for FB1, FB3 and HT-2 toxin, 9.4 ng/g for FB2 and T-2 toxin, and 18.7 ng/g for DON. In addition, the limits of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.04 ng/g for AFB2 and AFG2 to 62 ng/g for DON. The method was successfully applied to the determination of these mycotoxins in 45 cereal samples obtained from the Malaysian market. The results indicated that the method can be applied for the multi-mycotoxin determination of cereals.


We offer a theoretical framework to help isolate persistence estimates of fundamental earnings innovations from the effects of accounting measurements. We show that a downward bias results when persistence of earnings innovations is estimated using reported earnings. We show that the greater the accrual estimation errors, the greater this downward bias, thus explaining the empirically observed positive association between accrual quality and estimated earnings persistence. However, when we debias reported earnings persistence as guided by our theoretical framework, we fail to detect any such association. We further show that market returns around earnings announcements are associated with the debiased measure of earnings persistence incremental to reported earnings persistence indicating that the market is able to undo the bias in a manner consistent with our theoretical model. Overall, our results help bring clarity to the literature by pointing out that accrual quality per se does not bear any relation to persistence of earnings innovations; rather, improving accrual quality merely improves the precision in estimating the persistence of these innovations.


The purpose of this article is to show how the different measures of duration can be employed to estimate the interest rate sensitivity of a mixed-asset portfolio. The authors start by reviewing alternative measures of duration, indicating the appropriate measures to use for different asset classes. They then discuss the calculation of equity duration, provide examples of equity durations for several widely traded equity securities, and then illustrate a possible computation of duration for a mixed asset portfolio. Having discussed the limitations of this methodology, they observe in the conclusion that the relationship between changes in interest rates and financial asset returns has been of significant interest to investment professionals for many years.


The murine bacterial pathogen Chlamydia muridarum (Cm) has been used to study human Chlamydia infections in various mouse models. CD4+ T-cells, natural killer cells, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-mediated immunity are important to control experimentally induced Cm infections. Despite its experimental use, natural infection by Cm has not been documented in laboratory mice since the 1940s. In 2022, the authors reported the discovery of natural Cm infections in numerous academic institutional laboratory mouse colonies around the globe. To evaluate the impact of Cm infection in severely immunocompromised mice, 19 NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) mice were cohoused with Cm shedding, naturally infected immunocompetent mice and/or their soiled bedding for 4 weeks and subsequently euthanized. Clinical disease, characterized by lethargy, dyspnea, and weight loss, was observed in 11/19 NSG mice, and 16/18 NSG mice had neutrophilia. All mice exhibited multifocal to coalescing histiocytic and neutrophilic bronchointerstitial pneumonia (17/19) or bronchiolitis (2/19) with intraepithelial chlamydial inclusions (CIs). Immunofluorescence showed CIs were often associated with bronchiolar epithelium. CIs were frequently detected by immunohistochemistry in tracheal and bronchiolar epithelium (19/19), as well as throughout the small and large intestinal epithelium without lesions (19/19). In a subset of cases, Cm colonized the surface epithelium in the nasopharynx (16/19), nasal cavity (7/19), and middle ear canal (5/19). Endometritis and salpingitis with intraepithelial CI were identified in a single mouse. These findings demonstrate that Cm infection acquired through direct contact or soiled bedding causes significant pulmonary pathology and widespread intestinal colonization in NSG mice.


The application of literacy strategies in the context of inquiry-based elementary science instruction betokens an expansion of contemporary thought regarding cross-curricular instruction. Yet, in light of the potential and promise of new developments, the perceptions of preservice teachers, who will soon be expected to make use of such cross-curricular instructional strategies, remain largely unexplored. Through the use of structured interviews and surveys, insight was gleaned regarding why preservice teachers did, or, as in most instances, did not make use of literacy strategies during their elementary science field experience, wherein they were tasked with teaching an inquiry-based science lesson. Results indicate that though the vast majority of participants acknowledged the value of using the strategies, most elected not to employ them, as a result of numerous and varied concerns. Implications allow teacher educators to utilize perspective variances to support preservice teachers' abilities to understand and apply novel instructional approaches.


From the Publisher:
Around the world, scientists and engineers are participating in a high-stakes race to build the first intelligent robot. Many robots already exist -- automobile factories are full of them. But the new generation of robots will be something else: smart machines that act ever more like living creatures.
What will happen then? With our prosthetic limbs, titanium hips, and artificial eyes, we are already beginning to resemble our machines. And when we implant chips in our bodies to connect ourselves directly to computers, the likeness will become only more pronounced. Science fiction will have become science fact.
Meanwhile -- and equally important -- our machines are beginning to resemble us. Robotic spiders, crabs, geckos, and dogs are already spilling from the laboratories. The next steps are to re-create Homo sapiens itself and then go beyond. Robots can already walk, talk, and dance; they can react to human facial expression and obey verbal commands. When scientists go on to create fully autonomous robots with greater intelligence than human beings, will they be our partners or our rivals? Will it be simply a robotic revolution or a true extension of evolution? Could machines and humankind meld into a single species -- Robo sapiens?
In Robo sapiens, award-winning journalists Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio present the next generation of intelligent robots and their makers. Accompanying brilliant photographs of more than a hundred robots are extensive interviews with robotics pioneers, anecdotal field notes with behind-the-scenes information, and easy-to-understand technical data about the machines. Robo sapiens is a field guide to our mechanical future.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Peter Menzel is a photographer known for his coverage of international feature stories on science and the environment. His award-winning photographs have been published in Life, National Geographic, Smithsonian, the New York Times Magazine, Time, Stern, GEO, and Le Figaro.
Faith D'Aluisio is a former television news producer. Her documentary and new series pieces have won regional and national awards from the Headlines Foundation, United Press International, Associated Press, and the Radio-Television New Directors Association.
Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio are the co-creators of the books Material World: A Global Family Portrait and Women in the Material World. They are also the co-authors of Man Eating Bugs: The Art and Science of Eating Insects.


Introduction: Heterotopic ossi fi cation (HO) is a known complication diagnosed following hip arthroscopy. Purpose/Hypothesis: This study sought to review the current literature on chemoprophylaxis for HO following hip arthroscopy and to describe what agents and doses are being utilized. Study design: Systematic Review. Methods: A systematic review was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines on the use of chemoprophylactic medications for HO prevention following hip arthroscopy. Mechanical and radiation prophylaxis were not included in the current analysis. Results: A total of 203 studies were identi fi ed, of which 15 were included with 6463 patients. There was one randomized control trial (RCT) and 4 additional comparative studies. The most commonly utilized chemopro-phylactic agents were the following: naproxen (n ¼ 8), celecoxib (n ¼ 3), indomethacin (n ¼ 3), aspirin (n ¼ 1), etoricoxib (n ¼ 1), and etodolac (n ¼ 1), and non-speci fi c non-steroidal anti-in fl ammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (n ¼ 1). Naproxen was either given at a dose of 500 mg once or twice daily for 2 – 4 weeks. RCTs and additional comparative studies showed signi fi cant HO prevention using chemoprophylactic agents following hip arthroscopy. Conclusions: HO is a known and common complication following hip arthroscopy. The current systematic review found signi fi cant heterogeneity across the literature with respect to speci fi c chemoprophylactic agents and their dosing regimens aimed to reduce the incidence and severity of HO following hip arthroscopy. Additionally, this review demonstrates that most studies that utilize chemoprophylaxis use NSAIDs with successful reduction in the incidence of HO. Level of Evidence: Level IV Evidence


Transgene copy number has a great impact on the expression level and stability of exogenous gene in transgenic plants. Proper selection of endogenous reference genes is necessary for detection of genetic components in genetically modification (GM) crops by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) or by qualitative PCR approach, especially in sugarcane with polyploid and aneuploid genomic structure. qPCR technique has been widely accepted as an accurate, time-saving method on determination of copy numbers in transgenic plants and on detection of genetically modified plants to meet the regulatory and legislative requirement. In this study, to find a suitable endogenous reference gene and its real-time PCR assay for sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) DNA content quantification, we evaluated a set of potential "single copy" genes including P4H, APRT, ENOL, CYC, TST and PRR, through qualitative PCR and absolute quantitative PCR. Based on copy number comparisons among different sugarcane genotypes, including five S. officinarum, one S. spontaneum and two S. spp. hybrids, these endogenous genes fell into three groups: ENOL-3—high copy number group, TST-1 and PRR-1—medium copy number group, P4H-1, APRT-2 and CYC-2—low copy number group. Among these tested genes, P4H, APRT and CYC were the most stable, while ENOL and TST were the least stable across different sugarcane genotypes. Therefore, three primer pairs of P4H-3, APRT-2 and CYC-2 were then selected as the suitable reference gene primer pairs for sugarcane. The test of multi-target reference genes revealed that the APRT gene was a specific amplicon, suggesting this gene is the most suitable to be used as an endogenous reference target for sugarcane DNA content quantification. These results should be helpful for establishing accurate and reliable qualitative and quantitative PCR analysis of GM sugarcane.


This paper analyses the diversification properties of country equity factors across six equity factors and twenty developed markets from 1991 to 2015. The factors considered are the market excess return, size, value, momentum, low beta and quality. I find substantial diversification benefits along the country dimension as well as the factor dimension. In a portfolio setting, country diversification significantly reduces the volatility compared to single country investing for each of the six equity factors. Factor diversification works in each of the twenty markets by means of reducing the portfolio volatility.


The Hillsborough football stadium disaster (1989) in Sheffield, UK, led to the deaths of 97 football fans and
 resulted in the longest jury case in British legal history (2016). This article examines the witness statements of two Sheffield
 residents who claim to have attended the match. Using a mixed-methods approach that incorporates a cognitive linguistic framework
 (Text World Theory) with visualisation software (VUE) we consider both form and function of a number of linguistic features, such
 as meta-narrative, evaluative lexis, syntax, and modality to investigate how institutional voices permeate and potentially distort
 layperson narratives. Our analysis casts doubt on the veracity of the statements and raises questions about what can be
 considered evidential in a forensic investigation.


The use of nodal segments from in vitro etiolated plants is an alternative for micropropagation of pineapple plants. The aim of this work was to evaluate the micropropagation of ten accessions (BGA-025, BGA-203, BGA-205, BGA-206, BGA-207, BGA-232, BGA-233, BGA-465, BGA-472 and BGA-772) from wild varieties of Ananas comosus var. microstachys using nodal segments from in vitro etiolated plants. Fourteen plants of each accession were introduced in MS medium, supplemented with 3% of sucrose, 0.54 μM NAA and 0.89 μM BA, solidified with 7 g L(‑1) of agar and pH adjusted to 5.8 in the etiolation stage under dark condition at 27±1°C. The nodal segments obtained were used for multiplication and were inoculated on MS medium with 30 g L(‑1) sucrose, 0.54 μM NAA and 0.89 μM BA, solidified with 7 g L(‑1) agar and pH adjusted to 5.8, under 16-h photoperiod and light intensity of 22 µmol m‑2 s(‑1) and 27±1°C. To evaluate plant etiolation, the following traits were measured after 60 and 90 days of incubation: length of the principal stem (cm); number of stems; number of nodal segments stem(‑1) and formation of aggregates (clusters). The multiplication rates were evaluated in five subcultures at intervals of 45 days, considering the number of buds plant‑1. The response of accessions to etiolation was variable and the best multiplication rates were obtained with accession BGA-203. The use of nodal segments from in vitro etiolated plants was effective for most accessions evaluated.


STUDY DESIGN
retrospective cohort.

OBJECTIVE
To report normative measurements of L1-S1 lumbar neuroforamina on plain film radiography (PFR), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), accounting for patient sex and ethnicity.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA
Quantitative criteria for diagnosis of neuroforaminal stenosis (NFS) remains unknown. Acquiring a thorough understanding of normative foraminal dimensions is a key step in formulating objective parameters for NFS.

METHODS
We measured 988 images from 494 patients between 18 and 35 years-old without spinal pathology who received PFR, CT, or MRI within one year of each other. Neuroforaminal measurements were defined as the height, area, and sagittal and axial widths. Statistical analyses were performed to assess relationships among PFR-, CT-, and MRI-derived neuroforaminal measurements as well as the influence of patient sex and ethnicity.

RESULTS
330 PFR, 377 CT, and 281 MRI were measured. Of these, 213 PFR and CT, 117 PFR and MRI, and 164 MRI and CT intrapatient images were compared. Statistically significant differences were observed among PFR, CT, and MRI measurements across all levels L1-S1. PFR measurements were larger compared to those derived from CT and MRI. Weak-to-moderate correlations were observed between PFR and CT, PFR and MRI, and CT and MRI, with the magnitude of correlation decreasing caudally from L1-S1. Variations in neuroforaminal anatomy were observed based on sex and ethnicity.

CONCLUSION
This study reports 25,951 measurements of normal L1-S1 neuroforaminal anatomy assessed by PFR, CT, and MRI. The values reported in this study may be used as normative reference measurements of the lumbar neuroforamina. PFR measurements of the neuroforamina are larger compared to those derived from CT and MRI across all levels from L1-S1. There is poor correlation among PFR, CT and MRI when measuring the lumbar neuroforamina. Differences in neuroforaminal anatomy are evident based on patient sex and ethnicity.


The evolution of American trade policy is best understood over the long run as a function of the international distribution of power and wealth, but in the short run policy it is dominated by the exigencies of domestic politics. The decline in that country's position has long raised doubts regarding its readiness to lead, and those doubts have been greatly amplified by the Trump administration. The arc of the administration's policy thus far appears as a series of year-long phases by which almost inchoate sentiments have been progressively transformed into ever more concrete policy, culminating in the resuscitation of trade laws that were nearly forgotten but not gone. Chief among them were a "reciprocity" statute that gives the president broad powers to define and enforce U.S. rights; a global safeguards law that had been quiescent since the Bush administration used it to protect steel in 2002; and especially a national security law that the president invoked to restrict steel and aluminum imports. In 2019 the Trump administration has supplemented its trade war with new negotiations, including talks with the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Japan. While these talks do not directly engage China, the U.S. strategy is driven largely by a desire to isolate that rival. The world may well be headed towards a system where most commercially significant countries are pressed to align with one or another of these giants. No matter who occupies the White House, trade policymaking will remain perennially challenging for a system of government that is always divided by branch and frequently by party. Donald Trump was able to act in 2017-2018 with little restraint from Congress, but some of the things he aims to do now will require the acquiescence of Congress. Securing that cooperation will be more challenging as a result of the 2018 elections, in which Democrats recaptured control of the House of Representatives. Over the long term, Trumpism may well survive Trump, unless pro-trade forces manage to retake control of one of the two major parties.


In this compelling, and important book, John Schmitz brings order to the world of chaos that surrounds us. The Second Law of Life refers to the second law of thermodynamics, entropy, which is an omnipresent force that quietly and crucially determines every aspect of our society, culture and daily lives. Unless we come to understand entropy, future generations will face consequences of the unstoppable laws of physics. Entropy explains the amount of energy no longer capable of doing work; in other words, wasted energy or heat loss. Each moment of every day, we lose irreplaceable energy and modern technology is not helping. In fact, it is accelerating the problem at a catastrophic rate. And we will ultimately face a heat death crisis and utter destruction of the Earth. Even actions we take to improve the environment may actually do more damage than good. For example, recycling is considered environmentally, socially and politically correct. Under the influence of entropy, however, it is a prolific waster of energy; we must look at entire systems, not just parts. It is critical that we find ways to reduce energy loss. Seeing the problems with greater clarity will lead to solutions. This fascinating and accessible journey through the second law of thermodynamics is a step in the right direction.


The molar ratio between glycan and teichoic acid was studied in the cell wall of Actinomyces thermovulgaris. A chain of teichoic acid consisting of 13 glycerophosphate units was found to correspond to 6--7 disaccharide units of glycan. The cell wall contains 31% of the glycan of the glycopeptide and 25% of teichoic acid. The content of glycan was calculated using the concentration of muramic acid in the wall. The cell wall was found to contain 1.02% of O-acetyl groups.


INTRODUCTIONBiological and ethical constraints hinder studies of human germ cell development despite its importance to reproductive health, including fertility and tumorigenesis. Thus, most of what we know of human germ cell development has been extrapolated from studies in model organisms. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) may provide an ideal system for probing the developmental genetics of germ cell formation and differentiation in vitro. The growth factors BMP (bone morphogenetic protein) 4, BMP7, and BMP8b are required for development of primordial germ cells (PGCs) in mice. It has been shown that these BMPs significantly increase germ cell differentiation from hESCs in vitro. This protocol describes a method to induce germ cell differentiation from hESCs by the addition of BMPs to hESC differentiation medium. The protocol can be used to study the basic mechanism of germ cell development in human cells.


This paper presents a series solution for electromagnetic wave propagation in a medium in which the dielectric constant is given by ∊ = ∊0 − ∊2 (z)r2, without recourse to the WKB approximation. The results have been put in a form suitable for numerical computation. Explicit expression has been obtained for the irradiance distribution in the paraxial region, when the incident wave front is plane gaussian. These investigations are applicable to propagation of laser beams in self-focusing fibers/rods.


What is Confucianism? What are its teachings? What is its culture? How did it grow in Indonesia? What is Confucianism like in West Kalimantan? The book, Agama Konghucu (Confucianism) written by Samsul Hidayat, was written to answer those questions. The author of this book, a lecturer at the State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN) of Pontianak, has long been doing a study on Confucianism in his capacity as an expert in the field of comparative religion.


The heavy noble gases (Ar, Kr, Xe) are key tracers of planetary outgassing, atmospheric formation, and atmospheric evolution. On Mars, at least 3 distinct noble gas signatures have been observed: (1) Noble gas ratios different from the curent Mars atmosphere, but derived from mantle sources, was first found in Chassigny. (2) Shergottites, especially their shock glasses, contain unfractionated Martian atmosphere. (3) The nakhlite Martian meteorites and the ortho-pyroxenite ALH84001 contain fractionated Martian atmosphere that has been explained through several possible mechanisms: (1) The fractionation could represent ancient Martian atmosphere with a noble gas signature different from today. (2) The elementally fractionated noble gases could have entered the rocks via magma, either as a crustal component or via magmatic assimilation of aqueously altered crustal rock. (3) The elementally fractionated noble gases could have entered the rock during the formation of aqueous alteration minerals. Using data from Lafayette 'iddingsite', pure pyroxene mineral separate and whole rock samples, we have previously calculated that such an aquously fractionated component could have a 84 Kr/ 132 Xe of ~8.

All meteorites that show a fractionated Martian atmospheric component contain alteration products. Carbonates are the main alteration product in ALH 84001, accompanied by magnetite. In the nakhlites several alteration phases have been found; Lafayette contain carbonates, clay (ferric saponite, serpentine), sulfides, and an amorphous component.


A water use simulation for citrus (Citrus sinensis) was used to estimate the effects of climate, soil-available water, rooting depth, allowable depletion of available water, and partial coverage irrigation on the annual irrigation requirements. The soil in the study was excessively drained Candler sand (hyperthermic, uncoated Typic Quartz- ipsamments) of the Central Florida Ridge. Variation of annual rainfall from 667 to 1827 mm had a relatively small impact on annual irrigation requirements. Soil-available water, depth of root zone, and allowable depletion of available water all affected irrigation management and the number of irrigations annually. Simulated annual irrigation requirements varied over a wide range depending on the allowable depletion of soil-available water, irrigation depth, and the fraction of the land area that is irrigated. Effective rain estimated by the TR21 method during months of high rainfall was higher than estimates by the water budget. Monthly irrigation requirements varied seasonally and peaked in normally dry spring months of April and May. The irrigation simulation is a useful tool for examining the range of management strategies that can be considered for citrus.


To cite: Sato Y, Inokuchi M, Takagi Y, et al. J Clin Pathol Published Online First: [please include Day Month Year] doi:10.1136/jclinpath2015-202987 ABSTRACT Aims Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) is reported to have tumour suppressor function through an IGF-dependent pathway in various malignant tumours. However, the expression of IGFBP7 in adenocarcinoma and its relationship with tumour progression and survival differs among studies. Our aims were to investigate the relationship between the expression of IGFBP7 and clinicopathological variables and outcomes of patients with gastric cancer. Methods Tumour samples were obtained from 219 patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy. The expression of IGFBP7 protein was examined by immunohistochemical staining. IGFBP7 mRNA levels were analysed using real-time quantitative reversetranscriptase PCR in 24 of the gastric cancer tumours and in adjacent non-tumour tissues. Correlation of IGFBP7 expression with clinicopathological features was analysed. Results The protein expression of IGFBP7 was positively correlated with depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis or recurrence and pathological stage. High expression of IGFBP7 protein was associated with a significantly worse disease-specific survival (p<0.001) and was an independent prognostic factor in multivariable analysis (HR, 4.8; 95% CI 2.1 to 10.6; p<0.001). The IGFBP7 mRNA level was significantly higher in advanced gastric cancer than in early gastric cancer, in tumours with lymph node metastasis than in tumours without lymph node metastasis, and in tumours with distant metastasis or recurrence than in tumours without distant metastasis or recurrence. Conclusions Overexpression of IGFBP7 was associated with tumour progression and poor survival in gastric cancer. IGFBP7 may play a role in tumour progression in gastric cancer.


Background The recognition of the role of primary partners in HIV transmission has led to a growth in dyadic-focused HIV prevention efforts. The increasing focus on male couples in HIV research has been paralleled by an increase in the development of interventions aimed at reducing HIV risk behaviors among male couples. The ability to accurately assess the efficacy of these interventions rests on the ability to successfully enroll couples into HIV prevention research. Objective This study aimed to explore factors associated with successful dyadic engagement in Web-based HIV prevention research using recruitment and enrollment data from a large sample of same-sex male couples recruited online from the United States. Methods Data came from a large convenience sample of same-sex male couples in the United States, who were recruited through social media venues for a Web-based, mixed method HIV prevention research study. The analysis examined the demographic factors associated with successful dyadic engagement in research, measured as both members of the dyad meeting eligibility criteria, consenting for the study, and completing all study processes. Results Advertisements generated 221,258 impressions, resulting in 4589 clicks. Of the 4589 clicks, 3826 individuals were assessed for eligibility, of which 1076 individuals (538/1913, 28.12% couples) met eligibility criteria and were included in the study. Of the remaining 2740 ineligible participants, 1293/3826 (33.80%) were unlinked because their partner did not screen for eligibility, 48/2740 (1.75%) had incomplete partner data because at least one partner did not finish the survey, 22/2740 (0.80%) were ineligible because of 1 partner not meeting the eligibility criteria. Furthermore, 492/3826 (12.86%) individuals were fraudulent. The likelihood of being in a matched couple varied significantly by race and ethnicity, region, and relationship type. Men from the Midwest were less likely to have a partner who did not complete the survey. Men with college education and those who labeled their relationships as husband or other (vs boyfriend) were more likely to have a partner who did not complete the survey. Conclusions The processes used allowed couples to independently progress through the stages necessary to enroll in the research study, while limiting opportunities for coercion, and resulted in a large sample with relative diversity in demographic characteristics. The results underscore the need for additional considerations when recruiting and enrolling, relative to improving the methods associated with these research processes.


The grape seed oils are characteristic by a very high content of substances. However, a lipid oxidation is the fundamental problem of the seed oils quality degradation. The important indicator for determining the specific type's purity, stability and level of oil degradation might be its colour parameter. The aim of this study was to identify the different varieties of oils, to evaluate its development during storage and to identify changes in different pressed seed oils. The CIELAB method and NIR spectroscopy were used during the research. Its main advantages include speed, accuracy and simplicity. The use of NIR seemed to be unsuitable as it could not reliably identify different kinds of grape seed oils. Only three kinds of grape seed oils out of six were identified. Contrary, the colour values obtained, using the CIELAB method, correlated significantly with the maturity of the individual varieties. This method can help to verify the authenticity of the oil. The CIELAB method also enabled colour changes in storage. The results show that after six months of storage, the oil got browner and the L* value had decreased. After another 6 months, the shift in values was not so significant. Similarly, the values of other parameters had changed. Using the CIELAB method can be recommended for testing of larger sample sizes for future use in the evaluation of the authenticity and quality of seed oils. The CIELAB method will not replace the standard methods but it might be used for pre-selection of tested samples. Keywords: CIELAB method, colour parameter, grape seed oils, NIR spectroscopy, oil degradation Article DOI: Article DOI: http://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2017.038