Anxiety is characterized by an increased attention toward threatening information. Anxious adults displayed such attentional biases in tasks involving both implicit and explicit evaluation of Emotional Facial Expressions (EFE). This study investigated whether anxiety can disturb these two levels of information processing in children processing emotional faces. Second, we also intended to examine whether anxious children exhibit comparable responses to adult and child EFE, as children are particularly confronted to peers' faces in their daily life. To this aims, a sample of children with high levels of anxiety on SCARED and STAI-C scales were compared to healthy children ranging in age from 6 to 9 years. They performed a forcedchoice paradigm, consisting in judging the age (adult/child), the gender (male/ female) and the emotion (anger/happiness) of faces presented one by one on a screen. For each condition, correct answers rates (CA) and Reaction Time (RT) were examined for anxious and non-anxious groups. Results showed that children performed generally more accurately for judging emotion as compared to age or gender. However, this effect was moderated by the face's categories, as all children answered with higher accuracy to adult faces in the gender condition, and to children faces in the age condition, meaning they identify more accurately their peers but the sexual characters are more distinguishable on adult faces. All participants were more efficient to identify anger than happiness, but healthy children answered faster to adult angry faces in all conditions, while anxious children did not show this effect and processed more accurately anger on children faces as compared to adult ones. These results suggest that anxious children paid more attention to their peers' disapproval, while non-anxious children focused rather on adults' disapprobation. Further research might examine the role of the social standing and need of social approval in paediatric anxiety.


Mental health is not just the absence of mental illness. It is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community. (WHO, 2007) A clinically significant behavioural or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual and that is associated with present distress (i.e., a painful symptom) or disability (i.e., an impairment in one or more important areas of functioning) or with a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom. The syndrome or pattern must not be merely an expectable and culturally sanctioned response to a particular event. It must currently be considered a manifestation of a behavioural, psychological, or biological dysfunction in the individual. No definition adequately specifies precise boundaries for the concept of mental disorder. Also known as mental health, mental impairment, mental illness, brain illness, and serious brain disorder.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate mitral regurgitation occurring early in the course of acute myocardial infarction with respect to its incidence, the impact of infarct size and location, the accuracy of clinical detection, the contribution of global and regional left ventricular performance, and its influence on prognosis.

DESIGN
Prospective observational study derived from patients entering Phase I of the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) trial.

SETTING
Multicenter trial involving 13 university-affiliated medical centers.

PATIENTS
A total of 206 patients studied within 7 hours of symptom onset during their first myocardial infarction.

MEASUREMENTS
Contrast left ventriculography was used to document mitral regurgitation.

RESULTS
Mitral regurgitation was present in 27 patients (13%). Although the presence of regurgitation correlated with the site of infarction (20 of 27 had anterior infarctions) and the number of akinetic chords, it was not statistically related to the peak creatine kinase value or to left ventricular chamber size or filling pressure. A murmur of mitral regurgitation was heard in only 2 patients (1 incorrectly). The presence of early mitral regurgitation predicted cardiovascular mortality at 1 year by univariate (relative risk, 12.2; 95% Cl, 3.5 to 42; P less than 0.0001) and multivariate (relative risk, 7.5; Cl, 2.0 to 28.6; P = 0.0008) analyses.

CONCLUSIONS
Mitral regurgitation in early myocardial infarction is generally clinically "silent," is more common in anterior infarction, is associated with regional dysfunction but not early ventricular dilation or peak enzyme release, and is an important predictor of cardiovascular mortality.


Technology is making it easier for even very large companies to listen effectively to their customers and to target and tailor their offerings to ever smaller segments. The author, however, identifies six ways that a company's overly zealous pursuit of one-on-one customer relationships can disappoint both the company and the customer: creating engagement without clear benefit; seeking relationships where the balance of power tilts toward the company; fostering interaction that leads to unreasonable customer demands; spending too much time and money to engage low-involvement customers; failing to anticipate how customers can exploit the conversation in unexpected ways; and failing to realize that competitors may be listening. The author suggests that companies can mitigate these effects by engaging in "polylogues," multifaceted conversations that avoid the pitfalls of one-on-one customer communication. He draws on the examples of Amazon.com, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Safelite Auto Glass and CapitalOne to illustrate how companies can use polylogues to engage their partners in providing more complete solutions to customer problems, judge the level of real-time customer involvement and ensure they are not wasting their money on low-involvement customers, and bring neutral participants into the conversation to act as "honest brokers."


The purpose of this study is to identify the correlation between driver's attitude and level of internet addiction by using Attitude towards Safe Driving Scale (ASDS-46) and Internet Addiction Test (IAT). The result showed that ASDS-46 and IAT have a high level of reliability of Cronbach's Alpha value 0.910 and 0.917 respectively. Domain 1, 2 and 4 (self-compliant, self-confidence and self-concern) show a negative correlation with the value of (P=.000 and -.225), (P=.019 and -.111) & (P=.044 and -.095) respectively. This study concludes that driver who has high internet addiction level has a risky behaviour to commit road traffic offenses.Keywords: ASDS-46; internet addiction; driver's attitude; quality of lifeeISSN: 2398-4287 © 2019. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v4i10.1638


Background/Aims Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are rare, life-threatening cutaneous reactions that may occur following exposure to certain medications, including antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). No reliable incidence estimates of SJS/TEN for US populations have been calculated since the introduction of ICD-9 codes specific for SJS/TEN in October 2008. This study seeks to: 1) investigate the incidence of SJS/TEN using retrospective case identification, 2) test the positive predictive values of ICD-9 codes prior-/post-October 2008, and 3) pilot the feasibility of conducting a population-based pharmacogenomic study. Methods With input from dermatologists, pharmacoepidemiologists, and pharmacogeneticists at FDA, HealthCore, and 11 HMORN sites, we validated ICD-9 codes associated with SJS/TEN in 3 cohorts: 1) patients with an inpatient code of 695.1x between 01/01/01–12/31/08; 2) codes 695.12–695.15 from 08/01/08–08/31/12; and 3) codes 279.5, 279.51, 279.53, 695.8, 695.81, 693.0x, 694.8x, 694.4x or diagnosis codes 692.9, E85x.x-E858.9, 693.8, 692.89, 695.89, 695.1x, 692.3x, 695.0 in an inpatient setting plus specific drug exposure between 01/01/01–08/31/12. We extracted a standardized clinical and laboratory dataset. A sample of 265 potential SJS/ TEN cases at 5 sites was selected for adjudication by medical chart review. Statistical models will be created to estimate the total number of SJS/TEN cases at all sites based on the positive predictive value of the case identification algorithm. To pilot the feasibility of a pharmacogenomic study, we estimated the number of living cases available, contacted potential cases, and tested 100 random DNA samples from the Marshfield Clinic Personalized Medicine Research Project for HLA-A*3101/HLA-B*1502 alleles to establish a control source. Results A total of 54,049 patients was identified from electronic records: 3,058 in cohort 1; 1,733 in cohort 2; and 49,258 in cohort 3. Potential cases (n = 9) were identified and will be invited to participate in a genetic study. Among the 100 samples genotyped, 5 were positive for HLA-A*3101 and none were positive for HLA-B*1502, consistent with known frequencies. Conclusions We identified a large number of potential SJS/TEN cases using code-based algorithms that will be used to determine the incidence of these events and to plan a larger follow-up study of specific AEDs and genomic factors.


OBJECTIVES
Investigations of the human femoral bicondylar angle have largely focused on interspecific differences and intrapopulation variation. This analysis assesses the range of variation in the bicondylar angle in humans across four populations, examining the effects of population, sex and age.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The bicondylar angle was assessed in four sex- and age-balanced adult skeletal samples-modern Terry Whites and Blacks and archaeological South Dakota Arikara and Native Alaskans. The overall range of variation was assessed, and variation specific to population, sex, and age analyzed through ANOVAs and post hoc Tukey's honestly significant difference tests.

RESULTS
A one-way ANOVA highlights a significant effect of population on bicondylar angle; however, the only significant difference occurs between the Terry White and South Dakota Arikara samples. Sex displays a significant effect for the total pooled sample; yet, within population, the effect of sex is significant only among South Dakota Arikara. Age also has a significant effect on bicondylar angle in the total sample; however, the interaction between age and population is not significant.

CONCLUSION
The results highlight the degree of variation in the bicondylar angle that exists intraspecifically. Differing degrees of variation due to sex suggest that sexual dimorphism is not universal in the human bicondylar angle. Furthermore, the broad impact of age on this feature is discussed, including the potential for plasticity through adulthood. By recognizing and explicitly examining morphological features that vary in human populations, we can appreciate the origins of variation and its implications for locomotor function, human diversity and evolutionary relationships. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:334-340, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


The variability and limited predictability of wind power challenges the operation of power systems, where the generation and load are required in balance at all times. The transmission system operator (TSO) is the responsible party. In a liberalized energy sector, key technical elements of power system operation have been transferred to markets and are thereby translated into economic responsibilities born by all system parties. The Dutch TSO TenneT operates the 15 min interval real-time system balancing the market platform where energy responsibilities are economically assessed. Market parties subject to programme responsibilities with wind power as part of their generation portfolio must bear the integration costs of wind power's variability and forecast errors. The question arises what the real value of wind power is in the market. In this paper, a straightforward approach is used for the economic evaluation of existing wind power, taking Dutch market as a case study. Factual production data are obtained from a 108 MW offshore wind farm. Two variations of persistence forecast model are applied for the assessment of wind power value, which is quantified using price data on the Dutch wholesale markets and the TSO's balancing market. It is found that presently in The Netherlands, wind power is a price-taker with a value equalling 90–110% of averaged market prices, including the imbalance cost component. The right-skewed distribution of APX (Amsterdam Power eXchange) spot market prices is found to reduce the market value of wind power. The impact of forecast errors on overall wind power value is low due to the small impact of wind power on short-term wholesale market prices. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Furniture has a significant effect on human health. Thus, it is essential to use anthropometric data to guide the design of school furniture as the interface of furniture and the user is perhaps the most critical factor for human comfort. School science laboratory furniture in Malaysia is typically not designed to accommodate the dimensions of the individual student. A one-size-fits-all philosophy has been adopted in the industry. This study examine possible mismatch between the individual body dimensions of students and the
school science laboratory furniture they use. The objective is to determine whether this type
of furniture is well-designed and promotes good sitting posture and also the suitability of the furniture with the task performed. It involves 120 students from multiple races with age range from 16 to 19 years and no physical disabilities. 7 dimension of the school science laboratory furniture and 7 parts of the body segment or anthropometric data for each of the student have
been measured using standard anthropometer set and measurement tape in order to allow a comparison of the student ergonomic needs with the design features of the furniture. Data indicates a substantial degree of mismatch between the students' bodily dimensions and the laboratory furniture available to them. Therefore, the identification of individual anthropometric requirements among school student of the same age could be a useful tool for
the arrangement of the issue of school science laboratory furniture design and allocation


Across the United States many rural communities rely on migrant populations for agricultural labor. Migrant families bring with them children who must be educated and made to feel part of a larger school community. Increasingly rural communities and the school districts that comprise them struggle to ensure that all students have equal opportunities for educational success and improved subjective wellbeing. Educators have expressed concern that communities themselves are dealing with increasingly divided populations wherein majority and minority populations do not appear to interact effectively or work collaboratively. This paper will look at the struggles of migrant families, the theory behind social constructivism, social cohesion, and group efficacy, and the importance of student wellbeing. This will be done through the lens of positive psychology as bedrock on which to build a more cohesive community. An Appreciative Inquiry perspective will be taken to determine methods for increasing social cohesion in order to improve the wellbeing of the region of Southern Chester County, PA. The final product will be a proposal letter initiating the development of a possible 2-3 day Appreciative Inquiry summit, combined with proposed educator-only trainings, to be implemented as a kickoff to the creation of a united Southern Chester County.


As an essential parameter for all kinds of aquatic life, light influences life cycles and the behavior of various marine organisms. However, its primary role is that of a driver for photosynthesis and thus primary production, forming the basis of the marine food web. As a simplification when dealing with light, a common measure (e.g., used in biogeochemical models) is the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), which integrates the spectral distribution of photon flux between 400 and 700 nm into a single value. While passing through the water column, light is attenuated by the water itself and its optically active substances (OAS) [e.g., phytoplankton, chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and non-algal particles], summarized in the diffuse attenuation coefficient of downwelling radiation (Kd). Existing parameterizations for light attenuation in models often consider only phytoplankton as parameter, which is not sufficient for coastal areas where the contributions of CDOM and suspended mineral particles can be substantial. Furthermore, they mostly ignore the spectral variability of Kd by attenuating PAR with only a single coefficient. For this reason, this study proposes a parameterization of Kd that involves all relevant OAS and that attenuates PAR in three bands (trimodal approach). For this, the hyperspectral underwater light field was examined on three expeditions in different areas of the North Sea and along the British and Irish coasts. The derived Kd spectra were stepwise decomposed in the contributions of the different OAS and used in combination with direct OAS measurements to derive substance specific attenuation coefficients for the three bands. For comparison, also a monomodal and a spectral parameterization were developed. Evaluation showed that the trimodal approach was almost as accurate as the full spectral approach, while requiring only marginally more computational performance as the classical monomodal approach. Being therefore an excellent compromise between these factors, it can act as a valuable, yet computational affordable addition to biogeochemical models in order to improve their performance in coastal waters.


When I joined imec in October 2008 to work on test and design-for-test (DfT) of 3D-stacked integrated circuits (ICs), there were only a few test folks active in that emerging field. Consequently, misconceptions about 3D test were omni-present. In the November 18, 2008 issue of Semiconductor International, Alexander Braun wrote: "At a symposium yesterday on 3-D integration, leading expert Philip Garrou detailed the rise of the technology as well as the challenges facing it, including test, yield, and design. (…) Test, again, will be a significant problem. Memory can be stacked as known good die, because the memory chips can be tested, but years from now, as different functions are pulled apart to stack them, there is no clear way to test them because they do not form a complete circuit. This will hold up things like the full partitioning of chips."1 3D InCites' tenth anniversary is a good occasion to report on the state of 3D testing and publicly declare that it's no longer a bottleneck for 3D integration.


The impressive performances of pre-trained visually grounded language models have motivated a growing body of research investigating what has been learned during the pre-training. As a lot of these models are based on Transformers, several studies on the attention mechanisms used by the models to learn to associate phrases with their visual grounding in the image have been conducted. In this work, we investigate how supervising attention directly to learn visual grounding can affect the behavior of such models. We compare three different methods on attention supervision and their impact on the performances of a state-of-the-art visually grounded language model on two popular vision-and-language tasks.


Corpora amylacea (CA) are spherical or ovoid bodies 50-50 microns in diameter. They have been described in normal elderly brain as well as in a number of neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, the incidence of CA in the optic nerves of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients was compared with normal elderly controls. Samples of optic nerves (MRC Brain Bank, Institute of Psychiatry) were taken from 12 AD patients (age range 69-94 years) and 18 controls (43-82 years). Optic nerves were fixed in 2% buffered glutaraldehyde, post-fixed in osmium tetroxide, embedded in epoxy resin and then sectioned to a thickness of 2 microns. Sections were stained with toluidine blue. CA were present in all of the optic nerves examined. In addition, a number of similarly stained but more irregularly shaped bodies were present. Fewer CA were found in the optic nerves of AD patients compared with controls. By contrast, the number or irregularly shaped bodies was increased in AD. In AD, there may be a preferential decline in the large diameter fibres which may mediate the M-cell pathway. Hence, the decline in the incidence of CA in AD may be associated with a reduction in these fibres. It is also possible that the irregualrly shaped bodies are a degeneration product of the CA.


When limited resources are available, creativity and imagination have better opportunities to develop. Through an emergent approach where the process is left free to unfold and rules are relaxed, new ideas transpire and innovation happens. A multiple case study in the townships of Cape Town, South Africa, will describe the evolution of three processes that brought innovations driven by active groups in their underserved communities. In particular, the unguided process approach allowed the innovations to unfold in an ecosystem characterized by frugality and by the desire to bring about social changes. The active collective participation and the social aims are the driving forces of the processes while their un-designed evolving development is the main element of innovation from the bottom. More than any information and communication technology creation.


Adult economic status is positively correlated with parental economic status in every society for which we have data, but no democratic society is entirely comfortable with this fact. As a result, all democratic societies have adopted policies aimed at reducing the effect of family background on life chances, and most left-of-center political parties think that governments should do even more. This paper makes two main arguments. First, equal opportunity does not imply eliminating all sources of economic resemblance between parents and children. Specifically, equal opportunity does not require that society eliminate the effects of all inherited differences in ability. Nor does it require that society prevent parents from transmitting different values to their children regarding the importance of economic success relative to other goals. Second, the size of the correlation between the economic status of parents and their children is not a good indicator of how close a society has come to equalizing opportunity. Measuring equality of opportunity requires data on why successful parents tend to have successful children. In particular, it requires data on the degree to which a society has minimized obstacles to economic success that we know how to alter, such as parental neglect and ineptitude, inequitable distribution of effective teachers, and labor market practices that favor the well-born.


Temperate grasslands are considered the most endangered terrestrial ecosystem worldwide; the existent areas play a key role in biodiversity conservation. The Aguapey Valuable Grassland Area (VGA), one of the most well-preserved temperate grassland areas within Argentina, is currently threatened by the anthropogenic expansion of exotic tree plantations. Little is known about the impacts of afforestation over temperate grassland landscape structures; therefore, the aim of this study is to characterize Aguapey VGA landscape structural changes between 1999 and 2020 based on remotely sensed data. This involves the generation of land cover maps for four annual periods based on unsupervised classification of Landsat 5 TM and 8 OLI images, the estimation of landscape metrics, and the transition analysis between land cover types and annual periods. The area covered by temperate grassland is shown to have decreased by almost 22% over the 20 year-period studied, due to the expansion of tree plantation cover. The afforestation process took place mainly between 1999 and 2007 in the northern region of the Aguapey VGA, which led first to grassland perforation and subsequently to grassland attrition; however, Aguapey's cultural tradition of cattle ranching could have partially inhibited the expansion of exotic trees over the final years of the study. The evidence of grassland loss and fragmentation within the Aguapey VGA should be considered as an early warning to promote the development of sustainable land use policies, mainly focused towards the Aguapey VGA's southern region where temperate grassland remains the predominant land cover type.


We model gravitational collapse leading to star formation in a wide range of isolated disk galaxies using a three-dimensional, smoothed particle hydrodynamics code. The model galaxies include a dark matter halo and a disk of stars and isothermal gas. Absorbing sink particles are used to directly measure the mass of gravitationally collapsing gas. They reach masses characteristic of stellar clusters. In this paper we describe our galaxy models and numerical methods, followed by an investigation of the gravitational instability in these galaxies. Gravitational collapse forms star clusters with correlated positions and ages, as observed, for example, in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Gravitational instability alone acting in unperturbed galaxies appears sufficient to produce flocculent spiral arms, although not more organized patterns. Unstable galaxies show collapse in thin layers in the galactic plane; associated dust will form thin dust lanes in those galaxies, in agreement with observations. We find an exponential relationship between the global collapse timescale and the minimum value in a galaxy of the Toomre instability parameter for a combination of stars and gas Qsg. Furthermore, collapse occurs only in regions with Qsg < 1.6. Our results suggest that vigorous starbursts occur where Qsg ≪ 1, while slow star formation takes place at higher values of Qsg below 1.6. A massive, or gas-rich, galaxy has low initial Qsg, giving it a high star formation rate, while a low-mass, or gas-poor, galaxy has a high initial Qsg, giving it a low star formation rate.


This work consists of a theoretical boundary layer analysis of heat and mass transport in a viscous fluid-embracing gyrotactic micro-organism over a cylinder. The flow governing equations are modeled through boundary layer approximations. The governing non-linear partial differential equations are lessened to a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations using similitude transformation. The boundary layer equations are elucidated numerically, applying the spectral relaxation method with the aid of the computational software MATLAB. The impact of several pertinent parameters on flow convective characteristic phenomena are explored through the use of graphs and tables and are discussed with in-depth physical descriptions. In addition, the friction factor, the rate of heat transfer, rate of mass transfer, and the density number of the motile microorganism are also presented with respect to the above controlled parameters. It is noticed that for the increasing values of the magnetic parameter with reductions and enhancements, the density of the motile microorganism is a declining function of, and the concentration field enhances with the strengthening of, whereas it reduces with the rise of. Furthermore, the streamline patters are emphasized for the impact of controlled flow variables. Current outcomes are compared with the available results from previous cases and are observed to be in agreement.


This study examines the structure of the distribution channels and the underlying factors influencing the most prominent channel choices within the wine tourism industry in New Zealand. This research specifically compares wine tourism in Marlborough and Auckland. It aims to provide a better understanding of the distribution channels for practitioners in the wine tourism industry, with the hope of assisting them to develop their wine tourism businesses successfully and manage the businesses growth effectively. This is a destination-based study performed by employing qualitative approaches focusing on the supply-side through semi-structured interviews. These in-depth interviews were conducted with the owners or managers of the local wine tour operators and wineries in the two regions. The findings generally show that wine tourism businesses place a clear priority on direct distribution of their wine tourism product to visitors "at destination"; the majority of customers of all these businesses are independent visitors. Specifically, overseas independent tourists comprise the largest portion of customers to local wine tour operators in Marlborough and Auckland. The wine tour operators work more actively with intermediaries and reach tourists "in market", "while travelling" and "at destination" than wineries in these two regions. Marlborough wineries and Auckland wine tour operators and wineries receive domestic corporate groups, most of whom are approached "at destination" with direct distribution. Compared with wineries in Marlborough, more corporate groups use Auckland wine tour operators to visit wineries. Marlborough wineries and wine tour operators, and Auckland wine tour operators receive more international visitors, whereas the majority of visitors to Auckland wineries are from Auckland. When considering the function of wine tourism distribution channels, information provision, reservation and purchase are nearly equally important to local wine tour operators in both Marlborough and Auckland; the most widely used functions for Marlborough wineries is information provision; for Auckland wineries, information provision and purchase play significant roles in the distribution of wine tourism product. Factors influencing distribution channel choice include information provision cost, commissions, businesses' attitudes towards tourism, perceptions of the Internet, service diversity, capacity, accessibility, availability, market segments, reputation and nature of intermediaries.


PURPOSE
Our prior work has shown that the health behaviors of head and neck cancer patients are interrelated and are associated with quality of life; however, other than smoking, the relationship between health behaviors and survival is unclear.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
A prospective cohort study was conducted to determine the relationship between five pretreatment health behaviors (smoking, alcohol, diet, physical activity, and sleep) and all-cause survival among 504 head and neck cancer patients.

RESULTS
Smoking status was the strongest predictor of survival, with both current smokers (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3 to 4.4) and former smokers (HR = 2.0; 95% CI, 1.2 to 3.5) showing significant associations with poor survival. Problem drinking was associated with survival in the univariate analysis (HR = 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0 to 2.0) but lost significance when controlling for other factors. Low fruit intake was negatively associated with survival in the univariate analysis only (HR = 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.1), whereas vegetable intake was not significant in either univariate or multivariate analyses. Although physical activity was associated with survival in the univariate analysis (HR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.93 to 0.97), it was not significant in the multivariate model. Sleep was not significantly associated with survival in either univariate or multivariate analysis. Control variables that were also independently associated with survival in the multivariate analysis were age, education, tumor site, cancer stage, and surgical treatment.

CONCLUSION
Variation in selected pretreatment health behaviors (eg, smoking, fruit intake, and physical activity) in this population is associated with variation in survival.


A series of comparative exposures to both argon and krypton lasers have been made at 3 locations in a human retina--the fovea, the macula, and intraretinal vessels. In the fovea argon irradiations resulted in damage to both the inner and outer retinal layers as a result of absorption within the pigment epithelium and the macular pigment, while krypton exposures damaged the outer retina and the choroid. In the macula both systems resulted in damage to the outer retina, and again sufficient krypton radiation passed into the choroid to induce blood vessel occlusion, haemorrhage, and oedema. When intraretinal vessels were irradiated, only with argon was sufficient energy absorbed within the vessels to damage them or their surroundings in the inner retina. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the therapeutic uses of lasers.


This paper compares two methods to compute the parameters of a line-start synchronous reluctance (LSSR) machine, by means of finite element analysis. In both methods, both the impact of the skin effect on the rotor parameters and the impact of saturation on magnetizing inductances are taken into account. The first method is based on an equivalent single-phase model of the machine. A pulsating flux is imposed along the d- and q-axes separately, so as to compute the machine parameters along both d- and q-axes. Magnetizing inductances are achieved as a function of the flux, and the rotor resistances and leakage inductances are obtained as a function of rotor frequency. The second method is based on the d-q axis model of the LSSR machine. A rotating magnetic field is imposed, and the d-q axis parameters are estimated simultaneously from the field solution. In addition, such a method allows the cross-saturation to be considered as well.


INTRODUCTION: N-terminal pro–brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in adults has been reported to be a diagnostic marker of ventricular enlargement and volume overload. However, clinical studies using NT-proBNP in premature infants have been very limited. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether plasma NT-proBNP in premature infants can identify hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA) and determine the correlation between serial plasma NT-proBNP level and echocardiographic assessment of PDA. METHODS: Thirty-nine preterm infants underwent clinical and echocardiographic examinations for PDA on days-of-life 2, 4, and 7 and simultaneous blood sampling to measure plasma NT-proBNP concentrations. When ≥2 clinical features of PDA were detected along with left-to-right ductal shunting demonstrated by echocardiogram, hsPDA was diagnosed and the patient treated with indomethacin or ibuprofen. RESULTS: On day 2, the mean NT-proBNP concentration in the hsPDA group (n = 12) was significantly higher than that in the non-hsPDA group (n = 23) (3160.3 ± 3104.9 vs 618.1 ± 490.7 pmol/L; P ≤ .05). Eight infants (72%) in the hsPDA group became asymptomatic after an initial course of indomethacin or ibuprofen, and their NT-proBNP levels concomitantly declined. NT-proBNP concentrations were significantly correlated with the magnitudes of the ductal shunt, such as left-atrium/aorta ratio and left-atrium volume index (r = 0.753 and 0.596, respectively). The cutoff of NT-proBNP concentration at 1204 pmol/L on day 2 gave the best predictive values for hsPDA with 100% sensitivity, 91% specificity, 86.7% positive predictive value, 100% negative predictive value, and a likelihood ratio of 11.5. CONCLUSIONS: The plasma NT-proBNP level on day-of-life 2 is a sensitive marker for predicting hsPDA in preterm infants. Successful closure of PDA corresponds with a decline in plasma levels of NT-proBNP.


Why are voters in advanced democracies turning away from established mass parties to take their electoral chances elsewhere? This article draws on concepts from marketing scholarship, specifically branding and brand equity, to apply a 'consumer' lens that assesses the major parties in Australia as failing 'brands' being left behind by disillusioned voters. An initial sample of 200 voters were asked what words or phrases came to mind when they thought of each of four Australian federal political parties. The strength of associations for each party, elicited from this sample, was then validated on a broader sample of 1015 voters, in addition to whether the association was considered positive, neutral or negative. Data revealed distinct brand associations for each party and the extent of penetration and brand equity across subgroups of voters. We find that Australian mass parties are caught in a downward spiral of negative brand associations and low brand penetration, leading to voter dissatisfaction.


Today, K-12 education reform in the United States is driven by the business model of competing in the global economy. The result has been a narrowing of education that is counter-productive because business models are ill-suited to solving education problems. With traditional jobs disappearing and unemployment levels unacceptable, the focus on jobs as the ultimate goal of education is understandable. This economic purpose of getting a job or getting into college in order to get a better job has evolved into the de facto primary purpose of K-12 (and higher) education. The business standard drives education policy and practice in various ways. Like dollars in our market economy, standardized test scores, with all their limitations, become the primary measure of success. Questionable dollar-driven spinoffs: for-profit schools and management, including many online and charter schools, performance pay for teachers and students; corporate marketing; soda and snack contracts, and privatizing initiatives in general. Businessmen see businessmodel solutions as the answer to education problems, and some of them donate hundreds of millions of dollars to implement their unaccountable vision in public schools. But the business models they advocate and help fund aren't a good fit for education problems. Indeed, Michael Edwards in Small Change (2010) makes a strong case for why market models don't work for social change in general. There is an alternative that would serve us better: the civic standard. By shifting the emphasis to the critical thinking and empathetic citizens necessary to make our democracy work, the civic standard would also produce the kind of graduates that employers need. Founding fathers' civic standard Although the origins of the business standard in our schools are unclear, the civic standard is rooted in the founders' vision of the primary purpose of education. One could imagine, of course, that economic (or academic) goals might have been the focus of the founders, but their concept of education's primary purpose was never so narrow. They had a broader civic purpose in mind and saw the nation's interest in education as growing out of a desire to make our constitutional democracy work. Perhaps George Washington in his Farewell Address of 1796 said it best: "Promote then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened." Even such fierce political adversaries as John Adams and Thomas Jefferson concurred. Adams: "Education is more indispensable and must be more general, under a free government than any other." Jefferson: "It is an axiom in my mind that our liberty can never be safe but in the hands of the people themselves and that too of the people with a certain degree of instruction." Consider also the words of Benjamin Franklin: "We must have a system of public education; its purpose must be to educate our people in their public duties." The exact words may differ, but the basic concept stressed by the founders is the same: preparing the informed and active citizenry necessary to make our democracy work. Although it has been reiterated for its rhetorical value ever since, few pause to consider the prioritizing implications of the concept. The concept proposed as the civic standard, with each word having important implications for public school policy and practice: The primary purpose of public education is to prepare students to participate effectively as citizens in our constitutional democracy. Content The civic standard requires a basic knowledge of how citizens govern themselves in our democracy. Citizens must know our core values, such as the Bill of Rights, how those values translate into practice, how that practice differs from the ideal, how to know whether the practices should change, and how our democracy enables change and resolving conflicting ideas. …


Background: In KSA, there was an apparent decline in the incidence of NTDs after the folic acid flour fortification. However, the
incidence is still high, and usually associated with serious morbidity.

Aims & Objective: To assess the level of knowledge about folic acid supplements and its associated factors as well as to estimate the
prevalence folic acid intake during first trimester of pregnancy among pregnant women attending antenatal care clinic at Al-Hejrah
primary health care center, Makkah Al-Mokarramah, 2012.

Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional analytic study included a systematic random sample of pregnant women who
attended Al-Hejrah primary health care center, Makkah at the time of conducting the study in 2012. An interview Arabic
questionnaire to assess maternal knowledge and use of folic acid was prepared by the researcher and revised by supervisor.
Validation during pilot study was assaulted. It is consists of 17 questions covering 2 parts; socio demographic features and general
knowledge of folic acid with its coexisting conditions.

Results: The study included 66 pregnant women. Their age ranged between 18 and 41 years with a mean of 29±6.7 years. All were
Saudi. Among more than two-thirds of them (69.7%), physician was the source of information followed by internet (33.4%) and TV
(19.7%). Almost two-thirds (65.2%) of participated pregnant women had sufficient knowledge about the importance of folic acid
supplementation during pregnancy. Pregnant women who read about folic acid and those having more sources of information about
importance of folic acid intake during pregnancy had sufficient knowledge about it. The majority of pregnant women had taken folic
acid during pregnancy (81.8%).

Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the level of knowledge about folic acid and its importance during pregnancy
among pregnant women attended Al-Hejrah primary health care center are satisfactory. However, additional measures directed at
understanding folic acid usefulness and promoting folic acid awareness and consumption among all non-pregnant Saudi women of
childbearing age are warranted.


Cittarium pica is a conspicuous gastropod of the rocky coastlines of the Caribbean. Given its importance in the diet of Caribbean communities, it has been over-exploited, even reaching extinction in some places, and the species has been included in the red lists of marine invertebrates in some countries. Its fishery in San Andres Island-Colombia is artisanal without any regulation, leading to a decrease in its population. Taking into account the socio-economic, cultural and ecological importance of C. pica and its vulnerability to extinction, it is urgent to develop management actions directed to increase the resilience of the species and its sustainability as a fishery resource. To assess the current population state of C. pica from San Andres Island, we estimated size structure, sex structure, maturation size, and growth parameters, based on length-frequency data analysis. From September to December 2013, and January to March 2014, we randomly collected 458 individuals at eight representative sites of the rocky shores of the island. We measured the longest diameter of the shell base, determined the sex by the color of the gonad, and thus determined the minimum maturation size. We found, that 80 % of the population consisted of small individuals < 25.5 mm sizes. The sex ratio was 1:1 except in November, where males were more abundant. The minimum size at the beginning of maturity for both sexes was 14.07 mm. The growth parameters of von Bertalanffy: K (0.730 yr -1 ), L∞ (110.78 mm) and Φ (3.95) were higher when compared to other populations of the Caribbean. The total mortality was 3.39 yr -1 , while natural and fishing mortalities were 1.02 yr -1 and 2.36 yr -1 , respectively. The maximum annual recruitment pulse was estimated for June, and the maximum exploitation rate for a sustainable yield was between 0.563 and 0.640, when the catch size was greater than 40 mm or 50 mm, respectively. The exploitation rate was estimated in 0.70, suggesting a strong extractive resource pressure. With these results we recommend the closure of the fishery and constant monitoring to promote and the population recovery is verified. Until a monitoring shows that the population recovers on the island. Until a monitoring shows that the population recovers on the island.


Background A lack of adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) is the main cause of treatment failure in both children and adults, and it is particularly important in adolescents. Purpose To determine the adherence to ART in HIV-infected children. Materials and methods A one-year observational study (January–December 2012) of HIV paediatric patients. Data collected: age, gender, HIV transmission mode, hepatitis C status, ART, adherence rate, HIV viral load, CD4 cell count, person who collects and administers ART. Adherence was measured by pharmacy refill records, as 'total number units dispensed/total number units needed' x 100. Patients were considered as: adherent (adherence rate ≥90%) or non adherent (adherence rate <90%) Results 14 patients were analysed. Age range: 6–15 years: 10 patients; 18–20 years: 4 patients. 50% male; HIV transmission mode was vertical and 14% were co-infected with hepatitis C. ART received: boosted protease inhibitor (IP/r) with two nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) in 43% patients, IP/r with one NRTI in 14% patients, one non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) with two NRTIs 14% patients, IP/r with an integrase inhibitor in 22% patients and IP/r with one NNRTI in 7% patients. Patients from 6 to 15 years old were 80% adherent; however, the group from 18 to 20 years old was non-adherent. Adherent patients had HIV viral load <20 copies/mL and non-adherent patients had viral load >20 copies/mL, except in 2 patients. All patients had CD4 cell count over 500 cells/mm3. Parent patients or caregivers in the age 6–15 group were responsible for collecting and administering the ART, however, in the group from 18 to 20 years old it was the patient. Conclusions Adherence in patients under the responsibility of family members or care-givers (6–15 years old) was 80%, and was related to the effectiveness of ART. When patients were in charge of their own treatment, adolescents were less compliant and virological failure was greater. No conflict of interest.


The aim of this article is to evaluate impact of FDI on sustainable development indicators of differently developed countries during two periods of time: a time span before (2000−2007) and a time span embracing the global economic crisis period (2000–2009). Reviewed ample supply of relevant scientific literature made a presumption to arise that the impact of FDI differs in developed, developing and underdeveloped countries, i.e. depends on the level of development: developed countries benefit most, developing less and underdeveloped least. Countries are attributed to respective groups according to their level of development and indicators are chosen for investigation. The following indicators capable of reflecting FDI impact on enhancing wellbeing in unevenly developed countries are: GDP, exports, inflation, population, life expectancy at birth, primary school pupils, infant mortality, total health expenditure per capita, total tax rate, internet users, residential consumption of electricity , and differences between developed and underdeveloped countries in the field of economic, social, business environment are taken into account. Several other hypotheses have been formulated and FDI impact on sustainable development indicators has been estimated with the help of empirical research in order to test the initial presumption. Obtained results enabled to compare peculiarities of FDI performance during two periods of time.


In this paper new grasp quality measures considering both object dynamics and pose uncertainty are proposed. Dynamics of the object is incorporated into our grasping simulation to capture the change of its pose and contact points during grasping. Pose uncertainty is considered by running multiple simulations starting from slightly different initial poses sampled from a probability distribution model. A simple robotic grasping strategy is simulated and the quality score of the resulting grasp is evaluated from the simulation result. The effectiveness of the new quality measures on predicting the actual grasp success rate is shown through a real robot experiment.


It is more efficient to use increasing pin bandwidth by creating high-radix routers with a large number of narrow ports instead of low-radix routers with fewer wide ports. building networks using high-radix routers lowers cost and improves performance, but also presents many challenges. the dragonfly topology minimizes network cost by reducing the number of global channels required.


Stress is a fact of life for everyone. Some stress in our lives is probably a good thing and can help us to achieve more and be better motivated. For instance the stress that we are under before going to a job interview will often help us to prepare well for the interview and present ourselves in the best possible way. Different people will react to stress differently and what some people may find exceedingly stressful others may take in their stride. However excessive stress is not a good thing and can be disabling for people with schizophrenia.


One major quantitative trait locus controls melanization of both malaria ookinetes and Sephadex CM beads in a refractory strain of the mosquito, Anopheles gambiae. Hemolymph transferred from a nonmelanizing, Plasmodium-susceptible strain (4arr) to a melanizing, Plasmodium-refractory strain (L35) caused a reduction in the melanization of CM beads. In addition, when beads were first incubated in vivo in susceptible mosquitoes and then recovered, washed, and transferred to refractory mosquitoes, a strong reduction in melanization was observed. No changes in melanization were observed when beads or hemolymph were transferred in the opposite direction or within a strain. Incubation of beads in vitro in refractory or susceptible hemolymph resulted in a reduction of melanization when these beads were subsequently transferred to refractory mosquitoes. This reduction was significantly stronger when susceptible hemolymph was used as the incubating medium. Protection from melanization was observed after 3-, 6-, and 24-h incubations of beads in susceptible mosquitoes with longer incubations resulting in greater protection. Treatment of protected beads with 1 M NaOH resulted in the loss of the protection but treatment with 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 1% SDS/DTT/boiling, or 1 M NaOAc (pH 8.9) did not. These results show that a melanization-preventing factor covalently binds to the surface of CM beads in susceptible mosquitoes and can subsequently prevent melanization in refractory mosquitoes.


This paper describes a new method for the detection of sound from within the heart in man. It employs the technic and equipment of underwater listening developed and used by the Navy in antisubmarine warfare. Records are shown to illustrate the localization of heart sound production to an extent not possible by phonocardiograms from the chest wall. The technic has proved helpful in the evaluation of patients with valvular and congenital heart disease.


Campylobacter jejuni is a curved-rod shaped bacteria, non-spore, microaerophilic Gram-negative and motile. It is commonly found in the feces of animals. They grow at a temperature of 37-42° C and are zoonotic causing a disease called campylobacteriosis. Campylobacter jejuni naturally presents in the chicken digestive tract and does not cause any diseases. However, chicken carcasses contaminated with this bacteria are closely related to the the incidence of campylobacteriosis in humans. Cases of human campylobacteriosis primarily caused by Campylobacter jejuni contamination on chicken carcasses. During the cutting process, Campylobacter jejuni will be able to spread to the chicken carcasses. Alternative approach for detecting Campylobacter jejuni contamination of chicken products is by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Therefore, to determine diagnosis of animal diseases in relation to the veterinary public health due to Campylobacter jejuni is by applying PCR with forward primer: 5'-TGACGCTAGTGTTGTAGGAG-3 and reverse primer: 5'-CCATCATCGCTAAGTGCAAC-3'. The PCR primers can amplify DNA Campylobacter jejuni as long as 402 bp. The PCR method is a molecular laboratory approach which is sensitive, specific, rapid and accurate for determining diagnosis of campylobacteriosis.


Objective: To test the hypothesis that scintigraphic regional myocardial perfusion defects during exercise in patients with normal coronary angiography may be related to abnormal endothelium dependent vasoreactivity of the corresponding myocardial territory in response to cold pressor testing. Methods: 38 patients were classified into two groups according to the presence or absence of exercise induced scintigraphic myocardial perfusion defects. A cold pressor test was done in all patients during routine coronary angiography, followed by dynamic positron emission tomography to establish coronary blood flow mediated vasoreactivity of the epicardial coronary artery and the myocardial territories supplied by the left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary arteries. Results: 28 patients had regional myocardial perfusion defects while 10 had normal scintigraphic imaging. The three dimensional scintigraphic fusion image revealed 49 regional myocardial perfusion defects with a mean (SD) reversibility of the original stress defect of 20 (3)%. In patients with exercise induced regional myocardial perfusion defects, the responses of epicardial luminal area and regional myocardial blood flow (RMBF) to cold pressor testing were reduced compared with patients with normal perfusion imaging (epicardial luminal area: 5.2 (1.2) to 4.2 (0.86) mm2v 4.7 (0.5) to 5.8 (0.5) mm2; RMBF: 0.75 (0.16) to 0.78 (0.20) ml/g/min v 0.75 (0.15) to 1.38 (0.26) ml/g/min; p ≤ 0.03, respectively). In patients with regional abnormal scintigraphic perfusion, the corresponding RMBF response to cold pressor testing was more severely impaired than the mean myocardial blood flow in the remaining two vascular territories, but the difference was not significant (0.75 (0.16) to 0.78 (0.20) ml/g/min v 0.75 (0.10) to 0.87 (0.12) ml/g/min; NS). The endothelium independent increase in RMBF induced by glyceryl trinitrate did not differ between patients with exercise induced myocardial perfusion defects and those with normal perfusion images (0.75 (0.16) to 0.94 (0.09) ml/g/min v 0.75 (0.15) to 0.94 (0.09) ml/g/min; NS). There was a highly significant correlation between the endothelium dependent responses of RMBF to cold pressor testing and the severity of exercise induced scintigraphic regional myocardial perfusion defects (r = 0.95, p = 0.001). Conclusions: Exercise induced scintigraphic regional myocardial perfusion defects in patients with angina but normal coronary angiography may be related to abnormal endothelium dependent vasoreactivity of the corresponding myocardial territory.


Increased sensitivity to benzylpenicillin, ampicillin, claforan, cefzol, novocain and lidocaine was determined by means of the leukocyte allergic alteration (LAA) test in 599 patients with intolerance reactions to these preparations in their medical history. In most of these patients the test results exceeded 30% and reached 98%, their average values exceeding those in the control group no subjects with no drug intolerance. The LAA test ensured a high level (83%) of the detection of drug intolerance.


This study examined if five sessions of short duration (27 min), high intensity, interval training (HIIT) in the heat over a nine day period would induce heat acclimation in Australian football (AF) players. Fourteen professional AF players were matched for VO2peak (mL∙kg∙min) and randomly allocated into either a heat acclimation (Acc) (n = 7) or Control (Con) group (n = 7). The Acc completed five cycle ergometer HIIT sessions within a nine day period on a cycle ergometer in the heat (38.7 ± 0.5 °C; 34.4 ± 1.3 % RH), whereas Con trained in thermo-neutral conditions (22.3 ± 0.2 °C; 35.8 ± 0. % RH). Four days prior and two days post HIIT participants undertook a 30 min constant load cycling test at 60% V̇O2peak in the heat (37.9 ± 0.1 °C; 28.5 ± 0.7 % RH) during which VO2, blood lactate concentration ([Lac]), heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), thermal comfort, core and skin temperatures were measured. Heat acclimation resulted in reduced RPE, thermal comfort and [Lac] (all p < 0.05) during the submaximal exercise test in the heat. Heart rate was lower (p = 0.007) after HIIT, in both groups. Heat acclimation did not influence any other measured variables. In conclusion, five short duration HIIT sessions in hot dry conditions induced limited heat acclimation responses in AF players during the in-season competition phase. In practice, the heat acclimation protocol can be implemented in a professional team environment; however the physiological adaptations resulting from such a protocol were limited.


The purpose of this qualitative single instrumental, exploratory, theory-building, holistic researcher case study was to explore a novel approach to military transformation; a prototype of a problem solving methodology that accounts for an inescapable reality in the current and future operational environment: complexity and uncertainty. Design thinking was used as an essential component supporting a theoretical framework to explore the process of solving complex, illstructured problems. Fifteen participants from a senior U.S. military service college were studied using observations, interviews, and site documents. The data analyzed used the systematic, analytic procedures of Stake (1995, 2008) and Merriam, (1998, 2009) whereby analysis begins as data are collected and more focus is applied to the problem solving process and collaborative learning. Separately, much has been written on the theories of design thinking, problem solving, program improvement, and collaborative learning. However, no material exists that explores the intrinsic value of a design thinking-led education for military planners in a practical setting. Based on the themes that formed through observations, document analysis and individual interviews, I concluded that when presented with a complex, ill-defined problem and in the absence of receiving comprehensive and specific planning guidance, participants effectively collaborated and used the design thinking methodology.


A guide to provide a basic overview of library services and resources useful for conducting research in the field of nutrition.


Background: A single inhaled dose of LO, a long-acting neuraminidase inhibitor, exhibits efficacy to patients with influenza virus infection. However, the relation between PK and its long-lasting efficacy has not fully been investigated. Purpose: Intrapulmonary PK in healthy volunteers and the intracellular drug disposition in mice were evaluated to support its long-lasting efficacy. Methods: Each subject underwent bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) at specified time intervals from 4 to 240 hrs after an inhaled LO dosing (40mg). Plasma, BAL fluid and alveolar macrophage (AM) were analyzed to determine drug concentrations. Microautoradiographic localization in the respiratory tissues in mice and the drug uptake and release were evaluated using primary cultured airway epithelial cells. Results: In healthy volunteers, laninamivir concentration in epithelial lining fluid (ELF) and AM were higher than those in plasma and lasted for 240 hrs. Laninamivir in ELF decreased with a longer half-life (∼ 6 days) and notably exceeded the IC50 values for viral neuraminidase at all time points. In mice, the labeled LO mainly located on the epithelial cells for a long period. LO uptake in epithelial cells increased without saturation and the intracellular laninamivir was released very slowly, which was regarded as a rate-limiting step in the cellular retention. Conclusion: ELF concentration profiles and prolonged high intrapulmonary retention of laninamivir support its long lasting efficacy to treat patients with influenza virus infection by the single inhalation.


The evaluation of toxicological response and sensitivity of some tropical estuarine benthic macro-intertebrates, Clibanarius africanus (Aurivillus) and Tympanotonus fuscatus var radula L. under acute exposure to effluents from brewery, paint and textile industrial establishments in Lagos state, Nigeria was carried out in static laboratory bioassays. On the basis of computed toxicity factors (96h LC50 ratios), the brewery effluent was found to be 6.90 times more toxic than the other test media against the exposed animal. The toxicity sensitivity ranking order for the test animals revealed that C. africanus was more susceptible to the toxicants than T. fuscatus. The relevance of the results in toxicity evaluation and setting realistic environmental standards for aquatic ecosystems in Nigeria is discussed.


The aim of this research was to further understanding of the role of knowledge and knowledge-based processes within the process of technological innovation within the UK upstream oil and gas industry. The scope of the research encompassed three groups of actors within the innovation process: technology providers, enablers and end users. The research employed a qualitative approach using narrative and semi-structured interviews as a method for data collection, and employed an analytical template to analyse the data which was developed by integrating elements of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) with narrative schema. A hypertextual system was also developed to determine how the explicit knowledge of the actors within the innovation process could be codified and transferred. The findings identify six knowledge-based processes present within the technological innovation process: knowledge acquisition and learning; knowledge transfer; knowledge storage and maintenance; knowledge creation; knowledge application and exploitation; and knowledge valuation and measurement. The research shows that different emphases are placed on the importance of these processes according to the role of each group of actors. In relation to the forms and types of knowledge present within the innovation process, the procedural and declarative knowledge of the technology providers are identified as key sources for the creation of new technologies. However, the enabling organisation plays a critical role in the innovation process by acting as a conduit of knowledge between the technology providers and the end users. End users are identified as a source of conditional knowledge relating to the applications of new technologies, and provide essential support for the process through funding. The research contributes to the understanding of the relationships which exist between the knowledge processes within the technological innovation process, and identifies an additional form of conditional knowledge used within the process. Methodological contributions are made in the application of snowball sampling; the development and application of the knowledge-based analytical template; the relationship between narrative schema and soft systems methodology; and the development and application of the hypertextual narrative system.


The Lubigi wetland, which is located in the north-western part of Kampala, receives polluted water from Kampala city and discharges it into Mayanja River. However, there is lack of information and knowledge on the hydrology and hydraulics of the Lubigi wetland, which are important for protection of wetland ecosystems and fulfill the Uganda national policy for the conservation and management of wetland resources. The national policy aims at promoting the conservation of Uganda's wetlands, in order to sustain their ecological and socio-economic functions for the present and future well- being of all the people of Uganda. Pertinent data collection, field tests and surveys were carried out to gather data necessary for establishing the current status of the hydraulics and hydrology of Lubigi wetland. The results revealed that the Lubigi wetland demonstrates considerable impounding reservoir and flood buffering capacity. This is an important service provided by the wetland, to alleviate possible negative impacts of storms and floods events. The Lubigi wetland total influents and effluents discharges, have mean values of 222,377.60±132,365 m3 /day and 221,356.80±122,256 m3 /d, respectively. The wetland water balance is dominated by the influent discharges which account for 93.21% of the total water influx, and the effluent discharges which account for 97.7% of the total water outflow. The wetland main study area hydraulic residence times, varies between 6.0 hours and 10 days. Hence, the wetland is endowed with abundant water fluxes, water impounding capacity and adequate hydraulic retention times. The volumetric efficiency of the wetland main study area is 63% and 38% during wet season and dry season, respectively. This indicates that on average only about 50% of the volume of the Lubigi wetland main study area is lost through short-circuiting. The dispersion number of the wetland was about 0.01 to 0.03, which indicates that the flow regime through wetland is close to plug flow. Key words : Lubigi wetland, Hydraulics, Hydrology


The input constraints and the input-output specifications of the logic circuit are assertions to be satisfied in the operation of the logic circuit. Most of the timing constraints such as the set-up time of the clocked flip-flop can be regarded as the input constraint or the input-output specification. In this paper, the time is considered as discrete with sufficiently small steps, and the input and output of the logic circuit are treated as sequences. The method to describe the set of sequences satisfying the input constraints or the input-output specifications and the method to verify these assertions are proposed anew; # expression and the first # form are proposed as the description methods. The # expression is obtained by adding the newly proposed # concatenation and # closure to the regular expression. The first # form is a restricted # expression, where the number of states of the deterministic finite automaton accepting the set of sequences represented by the expression does not exceed twice the length of the description. In this paper, the logic circuit is regarded as a converter for the set of sequences and the verification of the input constraint or the input-output specification is reduced to the examination of the inclusive relation among the sets of sequences. Consequently, when the set of sequences satisfying the input constraint or the input-output specification is described in the first # form, the verification can be performed efficiently. The proposed method is applied to several actual problems, and is shown to be useful.


Shelley's Ghost: Reshaping the Image of a Literary Family. An exhibition held at the Bodleian Library, Oxford, 3 December 2010–27 March 2011; Dove Cottage, Grasmere, 7 July–31 October 2011; New York Public Library, 17 February–24 June 2012. Accompanying book by Stephen Hebron and Elizabeth C. Denlinger (Oxford: Bodleian Library, 2010). Pp. 192. $35.00. Accompanying website: http://shelleysghost.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/


Interference alignment (IA) is a promising technique for interference mitigation in multicell networks due to its ability to completely cancel the intercell interference through linear precoding and receive filtering. In small networks, the amount of required channel state information (CSI) is modest and IA is, therefore, typically applied jointly over all base stations. In large networks, where the channel coherence time is short in comparison to the time needed to obtain the required CSI, base station clustering must be applied however. We model such clustered multicell networks as a set of coalitions, where CSI acquisition and IA precoding are performed independently within each coalition. We develop a long-term throughput model, which includes both CSI acquisition overhead and the level of interference mitigation ability as a function of the coalition structure. Given the throughput model, we formulate a coalitional game where the involved base stations are the rational players. Allowing for individual deviations by the players, we formulate a distributed coalition formation algorithm with low complexity and low communication overhead that leads to an individually stable coalition structure. The dynamic clustering is performed using only long-term CSI, but we also provide a robust short-term precoding algorithm, which accounts for the intercoalition interference when spectrum sharing is applied between coalitions. Numerical simulations show that the distributed coalition formation is generally able to reach long-term sum throughputs within 10% of the global optimum.


Oligometastatic progression represents a unique manifestation of tumor immune-escape that can lead to disease progression during treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI). The diagnosis and further optimal management of oligometastatic progression through ICI remains unclear. Diagnostic challenges include practical limitations due to the anatomical sites of oligometastatic progression, such as the para-aortic region, where traditional tissue biopsy carries high risk, and circulating-tumor DNA (ctDNA) could aid in diagnosis and disease monitoring as a supplement to surveillance imaging. In this report, we describe two cases of one patient with metastatic melanoma and the other with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) who were treated with ICI and later developed localized resistance due to oligometastatic progression. We further highlight our experience using stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) as a salvage approach to treat the oligometastatic progression. In addition, we describe the temporal and dynamic relationship of circulating-tumor DNA (ctDNA) prior to, during and after SBRT, which highly suggested the diagnosis without obtaining a histological specimen. Our cases highlight a potential role for SBRT in the management of oligometastatic progression. However, large prospective trials are essential to confirm the utility of this approach.


This study researches how essential and general freight movement assists the economic resilience of industry and communities impacted by emergencies. The literature review confirmed this premise, as did six public and private sector workshops. Essential freight is defined as goods or services without which significant further or compounding economic loss would be suffered. General freight includes important and normally repetitive freight flows. For the relatively sparse networks of Australasia, keeping essential and general freight moving offers high economic benefits for disaster affected communities. Potentially, an increased focus by government on this matter could make a worthwhile contribution to the economic, employment and social resilience of disaster affected communities. With the new understanding of the importance of economic resilience during and after emergencies, and the contribution made to this by essential and general freight movement, change is needed. It is suggested that the economic resilient objective needs to change from a helpful reaction to being part of a systematic approach based on this policy imperative. Many suggestions are made in Chapter Four for jurisdictional consideration. One is that incidents on key freight routes likely to disrupt flow for four hours could or should be managed under emergency processes. At the workshops it was evident that good working relations existed between the jurisdictional agencies responsible for emergency management. This provides a sound basis for the suggestions to progress essential and general freight movement. Care is needed in maintaining relationships and focus during government restructurings. It was also evident that, with exceptions, relationships between the jurisdictional agencies and the road freight industry stakeholder/s and operators were not as well maintained. There is much to be gained by both parties through increased engagement.


Information Systems graduates play a vital role in bridging the gap between business needs and technology solutions. But how much business or technology does a graduate need to know? In this paper we focus on the Business Analyst (BA) as a key role currently in high (unmet) demand in Australia. This paper presents the results of an Information and Communication Technology industry-based survey conducted in Australia to determine what knowledge and skills are needed by a BA. The survey is based on prior studies of information systems educational requirements and the internationally-developed Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) that has been endorsed by the Australian Computer Society. From the literature we identified three types of skills: soft, business and technical. With the increasing importance of GreenIT and the pivotal role that the BA could play in green decision making, we added a fourth type of skill: sustainability. The survey considers 84 skills, their importance, the level of attainment of that skill, skill gaps and types of skills. Results show that technical and business skills are in almost equal demand and knowledge gaps are small. Soft skills were found to be the most important, with the smallest knowledge gap. Sustainability skills, however, were perceived to be of least importance and the area with the largest knowledge gap.


This paper surveys some aspects of the state of the art of software reliability modelling. By far the greatest effort to date has been expended on the problem of assessing and predicting the reliability growth which takes place as faults are found and fixed, so the greater part of the paper addresses this problem. We begin with a simple conceptual model of the software failure process in order to set the scene and motivate the detailed stochastic models which follow. This conceptual model suggests certain minimal characteristics which all growth models for software should possess. There are now several detailed models which aim to represent software reliability growth, but their accuracy of prediction seems to vary greatly from one application to another. As it is not possible to decide a priori which will give the most accurate answers for a particular context, the potential user is faced with a dilemma. There seems to be no alternative to analysing the predictive accuracy on the data source under examination and selecting for the current prediction that model which has demonstrated greatest accuracy on earlier predictions for that data. Some ways in which this selection can be effected are described in the paper. It turns out that examination of accuracy of past predictions can be used to improve future predictions by a simple recalibration procedure. Sometimes this technique works dramatically well, and results are shown for some real software failure data. Finally, there is a brief discussion of some wider issues which are not covered by a simple reliability growth study. These include cost modelling, the evaluation of software engineering methodologies, the relationship between testing and reliability, and the important issues of ultra-high reliability and safety-critical systems. On the last point, a warning note is sounded on the wisdom of building systems which depend on software having a very high reliability; this will be very hard to achieve and even harder to demonstrate.


ABSTRACT A conjugative plasmid from the catheter-associated urinary tract infection strain Escherichia coli MS2027 was sequenced and annotated. This 42,644-bp plasmid, designated pMAS2027, contains 58 putative genes and is most closely related to plasmids belonging to incompatibility group X (IncX1). Plasmid pMAS2027 encodes two important virulence factors: type 3 fimbriae and a type IV secretion (T4S) system. Type 3 fimbriae, recently found to be functionally expressed in E. coli, played an important role in biofilm formation. Biofilm formation by E. coli MS2027 was specifically due to expression of type 3 fimbriae and not the T4S system. The T4S system, however, accounted for the conjugative ability of pMAS2027 and enabled a non-biofilm-forming strain to grow as part of a mixed biofilm following acquisition of this plasmid. Thus, the importance of conjugation as a mechanism to spread biofilm determinants was demonstrated. Conjugation may represent an important mechanism by which type 3 fimbria genes are transferred among the Enterobacteriaceae that cause device-related infections in nosocomial settings.


The purpose of this research is to compare the effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation training, guided imagery and the combination of these two methods on sleep quality and headache coping strategies for women with migraine in Arak city. The statistical population of this study is all women with migraine headaches in Arak city, and a statistical sample of 90 people was selected by simple random sampling from the referrals to 4 private clinics of neurology and psychiatry. Therefore, 30 subjects were placed in experimental group 1 (relaxation), 30 in experimental group 2 (guided imagery) and 30 in experimental group 3 (combination of these two methods), where the subjects were matched in terms of gender, age and education level. The research method was of extended designs of the experimental designs, and a questionnaire was used in addition to using the library method for collecting data. The scales used in this study were 3 scales of sleep quality, pain (migraine) coping strategies and demographics. Inferential statistics (covariance) were used for data analysis; the results showed that progressive muscle relaxation training, guided imagery, and the combination of these two methods had a positive effect on migraine headache coping strategies and sleep quality in women with migraine. There was also a difference in the effectiveness of the two methods of progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery and the combination of these two methods on the strategies for coping with migraine headaches and sleep quality of these women, and the combined method was more effective than the other two methods separately.The studies of this research concluded that the guided imagery technique focuses on cognitive and emotional components and can be used to improve migraine headaches due to the ability of imagination force of people to initiate, exacerbate or sustain attacks of effective headache, as well as the progressive muscle relaxation increases the parasympathetic cycle activity, which consequently leads to nerve stress neutralizing and ineffectiveness, and this adaptive skill prevents raising its symptoms through breaking the chain of undesirable effects of stress, thereby it can improve the quality of life in migraine patients.Given that migraine is an important health problem, and considering that migraine studies are very limited and little applied research has been conducted in this field, therefore performing a comprehensive study is necessary for developing appropriate strategies.


Eight oxytocin (OT) antagonists with general structure Mpa(1)Sar(7)Arg(8), substituted at position 2 with conformationally constrained and bulky amino acids, were synthesized and pharmacologically tested. Binding affinities and selectivities of compounds for OT, and vasopressin receptor subtypes were investigated. In vitro effects of antagonists were evaluated via inhibition of OT-induced contractions of isolated guinea-pig uterus. The abilities of OT antagonists to inhibit spontaneous contractility in 24 h postpartum rat uterus were investigated. These peptides exhibited pseudoirreversible pharmacological properties, and comprise a novel group of OT antagonists for potential clinical use. Their noncompetitive pharmacological nature can be of therapeutic benefit through a sustained effect on myometrium.


This paper aims to validate a theoretical model for developing teacher collective learning by using a quasi-experimental design, and explores the management strategies that would provide a school administrator practical steps to effectively promote collective learning in the school organization. Twenty aided secondary schools in Hong Kong were selected by cluster sampling, and 777 teachers took part in the questionnaire survey. A structural equation model was applied to identify the interrelationship of the 5 disciplines of Senge's (1990) learning organization model. Results showed that personal mastery and systems thinking are individual and collective level predictors respectively for teacher collective learning. Building a mental model and shared vision in a sequential order predict systems thinking. Management strategies in cultural, policy and leadership domains are recommended to school administrators who wish to promote teacher collective learning as a means of coping with the changes generated by the curriculum reform in Hong Kong.


Much has been learned about hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection over the last years. We know today that hepatitis E of genotype 3 is a zoonotic infection in the Western world that can be transmitted through the consumption of raw or undercooked pork and game meat, with much higher than anticipated seroprevalence rates, a broad range of hepatic as well as extrahepatic manifestations, and a potential to persist and cause chronic hepatitis as well as cirrhosis in immunocompromised individuals, including transplant recipients as well as patients with haematologic malignancies or poorly controlled HIV infection.1 Fibrosis progression can be rapid in these patients, with a reported 10% developing cirrhosis within 2 years.2 ,3 Reduction of immunosuppressive treatment results in viral elimination in only about 30%.2 ,3 Therefore, antiviral treatment of chronic hepatitis E becomes an important issue. Ribavirin (RBV) is commonly used in this situation.4 However, some patients do not achieve sustained viral elimination even after repeated or prolonged courses and become non-responsive to RBV treatment.

On this background, Todt et al 5 report in this issue an in-depth analysis of HEV genome sequence evolution during RBV treatment of chronic hepatitis E. Using deep sequencing technology, the authors observed in a series of nine patients with chronic HEV genotype 3 infection …


In cold spray, high adhesion of soft materials on hard substrates is commonly achieved by using helium as the propelling gas. This is the case of copper coatings on steel where adhesion may reach values as high as 60 to 80 MPa (glue failure), however, helium is a limited, expensive natural resource, and the use of more abundant nitrogen gas is preferred in an industrial setting. Unfortunately, when using nitrogen gas, little to no adhesion is obtained. In order to eliminate the use of helium gas we studied how laser assisted cold spray could lead to an improvement in adhesion of nitrogen sprayed copper coatings. In this work, several laser parameters (e.g., power and spot size) and process parameters (traverse speed, relative position laser spot vs. gas jet) were varied at a coupon level. Upon optimization, an equivalent adhesion to the coatings prepared with helium was obtained. Furthermore, the cross section of the coatings showed that the copper particles penetrated the steel, similar to what is observed when using helium gas. Optimization of these parameters for application to large diameter (~559 mm) cylinders was also performed. A discussion on the mechanisms which contribute to achieving high adhesion considering the use of helium versus laser assistance is provided.


- The results of environmental degradation of poly(D,L-lactide) (PLA), unmodified or modified with amorphous poly[(R,S)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (a-PHB), in the compost pile with activated sludge or in the Baltic Sea water were presented. The changes of characteristic parameters of both these environments were monitored during the degradation process (Table 1 and 2). The processes of samples degradation in the applied natural conditions were characterized by macroscopic surfaces' changes (Fig. 1) as well as by changes of samples weights (Table 3), molecular weights (Fig. 2) and mixtures compositions (Table 4). It was found that PLA degradation rate depended both on environment type and its conditions. Namely, degradation process is faster in the compost than in sea water. The presence of a-PHB accelerates the degradation process and the greater modifier content the faster degradation (Fig. 3). It was stated that PLA degradation in the natural environments results from both enzymatic hydrolysis and chemical hydrolysis of ester bonds. In sea water environment the chemical hydrolysis runs while in the compost both mechanisms act with predominant role of enzymatic one.


Connectivity is one key to conservation under anthropogenic climate change. Shortfalls in financial and political support are more critical constraints than deficiencies in biological data. This applies especially for private lands in developed nations and public lands in developing nations. Here I examine 3 funding mechanisms: tourism, stewardship schemes, and global branding. A small number of commercial tourism operations make positive net contributions to conservation, some of global significance. Their models deserve duplication. Stewardship schemes have been politically motivated and ecologically ineffective, but they mobilise considerable funds. Principles for effective design are proposed. A well-branded worldwide initiative to link connectivity conservation efforts across national and continental borders could tap new large-scale multilateral funding for adaptation to climate change. In addition, a worldwide initiative could improve links between the many different current mechanisms for connectivity conservation. For example, bilateral aid projects could kickstart conservation tourism in severely impoverished nations. Proximity to protected areas outside national borders could become a criterion for national stewardship incentives. If other potential mechanisms such as water sales or carbon offsets do prove to generate significant conservation funding, they can also be incorporated into the World Wild Web.


When planning a prosthetic rehabilitation of a periodontally compromised case, the clinician is often confronted with difficulties and dilemmas related to selecting the appropriate treatment that would provide long-term successful outcomes in function and esthetics. In such cases, a correct diagnosis and prognosis of the intraoral situation supported by evidence-based dentistry is the basis for the establishment of a proper treatment strategy. In this second part of a two-part treatment planning series, a systematic approach of patient examination and prognosis of each tooth is presented. Furthermore, different removable and fixed treatment possibilities are described and the rationale governing the decision-making process is revealed. The execution of the final treatment plan as specified by the concept of comprehensive dental care is outlined, and the final outcome is discussed according to the literature.


The purposes of this study were 1) to compare the relative effectiveness of two common methods of treating hand edema, retrograde massage and string wrapping, and 2) to compare these two methods with two techniques of combining them. Fifty-six digits of the hands of 14 subjects were studied. Because all of the subjects demonstrated generalized hand edema, comparisons of different digits of the same subject could be made on each visit. Effectiveness rankings of the treatment methods were made after each visit. A clear pattern of effectiveness emerged that suggested that superimposing massage on an already-wrapped digit was more effective than either massage or string wrapping alone. Average circumferential reductions of digits further supported the hypothesis that a combination of string wrapping and massage would be more effective than the individual string-wrapping or massage techniques. No significant difference in effectiveness was found between massage and string wrapping when used singularly.


An otherwise-healthy 82-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain gradually migrating to the right and vomiting. Her body temperature was 37.2°C, abdominal examination showed tenderness in the right lower abdomen, and her WBC was 8,400/μL no plasma levels of enzymes were elevated. She was thin (body mass index 20.4 kg/m2 ) with scoliosis. Non-enhanced Computed Tomography (CT) revealed a massively swollen gallbladder with high dense (Figure 1) and contrast enhanced CT demonstrated poorly-enhanced  edematous  wall thickening (Figure 2), with  twisted pedicle detached  from the liver, suggesting gallbladder torsion. Emergent cholecystectomy was performed, revealing a 270° counterclockwise torsion of the gallbladder. Gallbladder torsion is more prevalent in thin elderly females with spinal deformation [1]. Characteristic contrast enhanced CT findings  are  poorly-enhanced and thickened gallbladder wall, pericholecystic fluid, and twisted pedicle  (whirl sign) [2]. Contrast enhanced CT can help establish the preoperative diagnosis of gallbladder torsion in cases involving elderly females complaining abdominal pain.


In 'Rethinking Disease', Powell and Scarffe1 propose what in effect is a modification of Jerome Wakefield's2 3 harmful dysfunction analysis (HDA) of medical (including mental) disorder. The HDA maintains that 'disorder' (or 'disease' in Powell and Scarffe's terminology) is a hybrid factual and value concept requiring that a biological dysfunction, understood as a failure of some feature to perform a naturally selected function, causes harm to the individual as evaluated by social values. Powell and Scarffe accept both the HDA's evolutionary biological function component and its incorporation of a value component. Their proposed 'new twist' is to revise the value component: 'Our proposed definition of disease is as follows: a biomedical state is a disease only if it implicates a biological dysfunction that is, or would be, properly disvalued'. So, they propose that a disorder is a 'properly disvalued dysfunction' rather than a 'harmful dysfunction', an approach they term 'thickly normative' in contrast to the thin normative approach of the HDA.

There has been a surge of interest recently in better understanding the 'harm' component of the HDA. Powell and Scarffe's analysis is a helpful contribution to this discussion. We focus here exclusively on their proposal regarding the analysis of the concept of disorder and ignore many important related issues that the authors address, ranging from prioritising resource allocation between disorders and non-disorders to whether the concept of disorder should be replaced by a generic welfarist concept. The resolution of these additional issues depends on first understanding 'disorder'. The authors' proposed changes to the HDA also deserve evaluation because the HDA, which has been endorsed by leading nosologists,4 plays an influential role in nosological debate across categories of disorder ranging, for example, from sexual paraphilias5 to psychopathy.6

A basic problem is that Powell and Scarffe misinterpret …


The sedimentary fill of the Marib-Jawf Basin is Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous. Initial marine transgression occurred in the Middle Jurassic, with the Kohlan Formation unconformably overlying Paleozoic sedimentary rocks and Precambrian basement. These basal fluvial to nearshore-marine sandstones and shales are conformably overlain by intertidal to shallow-marine carbonates of the Saba Formation of Callovian-Oxfordian to Kimmeridgian age. Extensional faulting formed grabens that deepened during the Kimmeridgian and Tithonian. Up to 6000 feet (2000 meters) of deep-marine sediments unconformably overlie and lap onto high margins of the basin. At the base are outer-shelf/slope argillaceous carbonates and shales of the Arwa Formation. These pass upwards into slope and basinal shales with minor limestones and sandstones of the Meem Formation, which in turn are overlain by shales with interbedded sandstones and limestones of the Lam Formation. The sandstones were deposited by turbidity currents from the margins of the basin, where submarine fan deposits are present. Shales of the Meem and Lam formations are organic rich and are the source rocks for most of the oil and gas in the basin. A drop in relative sea level occurred in the middle to late Tithonian with restriction of the basin from the open ocean. Three progradational sequences (Yah, Sean and Alif Members of the Alif Formation, from base to top) of fluvial-alluvial to deltaic-marine siliciclastic sediments were deposited down the axis of the basin, passing into offshore-marine shales and basinal evaporites to the east. The sandstones are the main reservoirs for oil and gas in the basin. A transgressive shale at the top of the Alif Formation records marine flooding of the basin, followed by deposition of five sequences of basin-filling evaporites of the Safer Formation. Thick halite beds were deposited subaqueously when the basin was filled with hypersaline water and have thin anhydrite beds at top and base. These evaporites are separated by lowstand fluvial to shallow-marine siliciclastics, including thin, organic-rich shales that are minor source rocks for oil. The evaporites are the primary seal for the reservoirs of the Alif Formation. Berriasian-Valanginian shelfal-marine shales and limestones of the Azal Formation unconformably overlie the Safer evaporites. The lower part of the Azal Formation is dominantly limestone and shale, the middle is shale with few thin limestones, and the upper unit has limestone, shale and minor sandstone. These are overlain by the Tawilah Group, possibly as old as Valanginian-lower Hauterivian and at least as young as Aptian in parts of the basin, equivalent to the Qishn Formation to the east. The Tawilah Group is dominated by nonmarine to shallow-marine sandstones and shales with minor thin dolomite and skeletal-limestone beds. Regional erosion truncates the sedimentary fill of the basin, progressively cutting out more strata toward the west and in places exposing Middle Jurassic rocks at the surface.


The joint influence of the Federal Reserve's (Fed) discount window credit and reserve requirements and FDIC's deposit insurance on a bank's optimal capital structure and asset risk choices is analyzed. The specific seniority of such regulatory claims, and potentially strong negative correlation between bank asset classes, significantly alters our traditional view of such regulatory influences on bank behavior. I find that the discount window's presence does not always prompt bank risk taking and leverage, but it does partially offset such incentives under certain conditions. In addition to its cost, a reserve requirement provides the bank with an indirect subsidy that may encourage deposit funding. Thus, regulatory reforms, such as the FDIC Improvement Act of 1991, which curtail banks' access to the discount window, may not always be appropriate to resolve a bank's incentive for moral hazard behavior. The Fed's presence needs to be more comprehensively examined to design effective regulatory policy.