Objectives: Different cost-effectiveness analyses have been presented for interferon beta-1b (IFNB) in the treatment of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). All studies have used modeling techniques since any effect on progression of disability achieved during a clinical trial will last beyond the trial. Different approaches to extrapolation have been taken, but generally they have been based on disease progression and relapse rates in clinical trials. The problem with this approach is that the population in clinical trials is a selected group of patients, which has the potential to bias results. A better method for extrapolation is to use epidemiologic data. The objective of this study is to incorporate natural history data for MS into a previously presented cost-utility model and to compare the two methods of extrapolation. Methods: Clinical trial data were used to model disease progression during the first 3 years in the model. To extrapolate beyond the trial (10 years), data on progression of disability were available from a geographically based epidemiologic study of the natural history of MS in Canada. There were 568 patients who had converted to SPMS during the follow-up that were included in the data set. Mean costs and utilities for each Markov state were calculated from a population-based cross-sectional study in Sweden. Results: The extrapolation using clinical trial data appears to have underestimated the progression of disability in the long term and thus also the potential benefit of treatment. Using the epidemiologic data, the incremental cost per QALY is SEK 257,000 (US $25,700; US $1 = SEK 10; November 2000) when all costs (direct, informal care, and indirect) are included (discounted 3%). This compares to SEK 342,000 in the previous model. The lower cost-effectiveness ratio is mostly due to a larger QALY gain with treatment than in the previous model (0.217 compared with 0.162). Conclusion: Cost-effectiveness analysis in SPMS requires that the effect of treatment beyond clinical trials be included. The method of extrapolation clearly affects the results, and when available, epidemiologic data should be used. Using the longitudinal data from Canada, the cost-utility ratios for IFNB-1b in the treatment of SPMS appear well within the acceptable range.


The quality, effectiveness, and sustainability of provided service depend on the people who are the most important source in health institutions as it is in all businesses. Workers who keep corporate values ahead of personal values, and satisfied, and devoted are the greatest power of enterprise. Enterprises which take into consideration of workers' behavioral and emotional aspects in conjunction with own personality, experiences, and values make them different from other enterprises. This study determined the effect of "Managers' level of perception of workers' safety" on Bolu Ýzzet Baysal Training and Research Hospital midwives, nurses, health officers, technicians / technicians who served as health personnel. The questionnaire used in this study consists of three parts. In the first part, socio-demographic characteristics of participants were asked; in the second part questions were asked associated with safety culture, and last section was about job satisfaction. At conclusion there was positive correlation between job satisfaction and a year of work, and this was not associate with gender and title. Also it was found that there was positive correlation between workers' perception of level and their job satisfaction. In addition job satisfaction level was found different according to their mode of work and education status. There was found positive correlation between level of perception of workers' and their job satisfaction.


Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are a pool of diseases with poor prognosis and there is no orphan drug available. Currently, no molecular targets have been tested as druggable oncogenic drivers. C-ros oncogene 1 (ROS1) rearrangements have been previously described in various tumors, including BTCs; however, data regarding their incidence and biological significance are controversial. Therefore, a retrospective multicenter study was performed to assess the incidence of ROS1 rearrangements in BTCs by means of immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The present study failed to demonstrate ROS1 expression in a multicenter series of 150 cases with BTCs and revealed that D4D6 was the most specific clone compared with other ROS1 primary antibodies, namely PA1-30318 and EPMGHR2. Notably, negative results obtained with D4D6 completely matched to data sorted out by FISH analysis, thus confirming a lack of ROS1 gene rearrangements in BTCs and false positive results when PA1-30318 and EPMGHR2 clones were used. These results suggest that ROS1 rearrangements may not be targets for molecular therapy of BTCs with specific inhibitors.


This research explored the information needs of patient families and hospital staff at a pediatric hospital system in Dallas, Texas. Library statistics recorded in four hospital libraries from 2011 - 2013 were used to analyze the information requests from patient families and hospital staff. Crosstabulations revealed the extent to which patient families and hospital staff used the libraries to satisfy their information needs. The data showed that patient families used the libraries very differently than hospital staff. Chi-square tests for independence were performed to identify the relationships between the Classification (Patient Family, Hospital Staff) and two descriptors of information needs (Request Type, Resources Used). There were a total of 1,406 information requests analyzed. The data showed that patient families and hospital staff information requests differed greatly in the number of information requests, the type of information requested, the resources used and the time the library staff spent on the requests. Chi-square analyses revealed relationships statistically significant at the p < .05 level; however, the strength of the relationships varied.


: We used Ficoll-Hypaque isolated peripheral lymphocytes and PMNs to investigate the relationship between viral exposure and beta-adrenergic responses in target cells. Lymphocyte E-rosette formation with sheep red blood cells and PMN beta-glucuronidase release in response to opsonized zymosan particles are two cell activities regulated by beta-adrenergic agonists. After incubation with influenza or measles virus, the treated cells have decreased response to isoproterenol, a beta-adrenergic agonist. The in vitro viral exposure causes a decreased beta-adrenergic response in target cells.


In this paper, we compare the radio propagation channels characteristics between 28 and 140 GHz bands based on the wideband (several GHz) and directional channel sounding in a shopping mall environment. The measurements and data processing are conducted in such a way to meet requirements for a fair comparison of large- and small- scale channel parameters between the two bands. Our results reveal that there is high spatial-temporal correlation between 28 and 140 GHz channels, similar numbers of strong multipath components, and only small variations in the large-scale parameters between the two bands. Furthermore, when including the weak paths there are higher total numbers of clusters and paths in 28 GHz as compared to those in 140 GHz bands. With these similarities, it would be very interesting to investigate the potentials of using 140 GHz band in the future mobile radio communications.


This article focuses on a detailed analysis of Chekhov's training schema as he developed it as part of his studio activity at Dartington using the scene study of the Fishers' scene (1936–37), written by Paul Rogers. Described by Deirdre du Prey as the scene designed by Chekhov 'to provide training and experience for the student-actors, directors, playwrights, musicians, technicians, designers etc.', it is a training regime in microcosm and one which du Prey singled out as a teaching tool when she later trained actors in the Chekhov technique in the US. There is an entire box of unpublished materials dedicated to this scene in the Devon Records archive, including the actors' own visualised performance scores and art works associated with Goethe's colour psychology. These diverse sources are brought together here for the first time and related to Chekhov's later publications. This paper addresses the themes of interdisciplinarity and of Chekhov, training and the archive, paying close attention to the archival records by reconstructing on paper what Deirdre Hurst du Prey later called 'a truly classic example of the use of Chekhov's method' in Laurence Senelick's book Wandering Stars (1992). Its conclusion moves to a wider consideration of progressive education in the inter-war period and positions Fishers' as a key example of alternative pedagogy, alongside those of Black Mountain and Cornish colleges.


Assay sensitivity can be a limiting factor in the use of PCR as a tool for the detection of tick-borne pathogens in blood. We evaluated the performance of Tick-borne disease Capture Sequencing Assay (TBDCapSeq), a capture sequencing assay targeting tick-borne agents, to test 158 whole blood specimens obtained from the Lyme Disease Biobank. These included samples from 98 individuals with signs and symptoms of acute Lyme disease, 25 healthy individuals residing in Lyme disease endemic areas, and 35 samples collected from patients admitted to the Massachusetts General Hospital or referred to the infectious disease clinic. Compared to PCR, TBDCapSeq had better sensitivity and could identify infections with a wider range of tick-borne agents. TBDCapSeq identified a higher rate of samples positive for Borrelia burgdorferi (8 vs. 1 by PCR) and Babesia microti (26 vs. 15 by PCR). TBDCapSeq also identified previously unknown infections with Borrelia miyamotoi, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia species. Overall, TBDCapSeq identified a pathogen in 43 samples vs. 23 using PCR, with four co-infections detected versus zero by PCR. We conclude that capture sequencing enables superior detection of tick-borne agents relative to PCR.


Brazil is a significant global grape producer (Vitis spp.). The state of Rio Grande do Sul produces 59% of the national output. Despite the large national production, the grapevine has not yet been tested sufficiently to obtain data from long-term experiments in both production as well as suitable nutritional management. The DRIS method is one of the useful tools required to assess plant quality. The normal nutrient ranges were determined from 63 commercial fields, in order to interpret the concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in the culture through statistical analysis and regression. The DRIS indices were related to the respective contents present in the leaf dry matter samples collected during the veraison and opposite to the first bunch of the fruiting branch. Although the general index of the nutritional balance of the DRIS did not permit the establishment of a relationship with productivity, it enabled, based on the standards, the determination of the normal ranges for the nutrients evaluated. The results were in accordance with those reported in the literature. The potential response to fertilization was proven ineffective as an interpretive methodology.


Chlamydomonas reinhardtii exhibits photophobic and positive and negative phototactic responses that can be defined for cell populations using computerized cell tracking and motion analysis. Mutants CC‐2359 and FN68 are pigment deficient mutants that are blocked in carotenoid synthesis and lack these photo responses. In particular, neither mutant exhibits flash‐induced photophobic responses to visible light stimuli to which wild‐type gametic cells exhibit a strong response, with several behavioral stages. Upon addition of all‐trans retinal to these mutants, the photophobic responses are restored with minor quantitative differences from wild‐type populations. Using both light and electron microscopy, we have compared the ultrastructural characteristics of wild‐type C. reinhardtii to those of both mutants. As previously described, wild‐type cells contain an eyespot consisting of 2–4 layers of pigmented granules encased within thylakoid membranes, located between the distal extremities of the flagellar root. This structure is also visible as an orange‐red spot in light microscopy. The photoreceptor is thought to be concentrated in the plasma membrane above the eyespot. The mutant, CC‐2359, lacks this eyespot as seen by both light and electron microscopy, even when the photophobic response has been restored. FN68‐like mutants studied earlier by Morel‐Laurens and Feinlieb and others contain an eyespot which can be seen only by electron microscopy. In FN‐68, the eyespot generally has the same dimensions as in wt cells, differing mainly in pigment granule appearance. Consistent with these findings, several laboratories have shown that the full range of phototactic responses can be reconstituted in FN68 and CC‐2359, but that negative phototaxis requires a significantly stronger light stimulus in the latter strain. We confirm the suggestion that the eyespot is not necessary for the photophobic response, and is not critical for the appropriate assembly and function of the photophobic response receptor in the membrane. Furthermore, the locus of reconstitution of the functional receptor is not the eyespot. Because of the definitive demonstration of the absence of the eyespot in CC‐2359, however, the eyespot may play a role in negative phototaxis.


To address the unprecedented scale of HL-LHC data, the Exa.TrkX project is
investigating a variety of machine learning approaches to particle track
reconstruction. The most promising of these solutions, graph neural networks
(GNN), process the event as a graph that connects track measurements (detector
hits corresponding to nodes) with candidate line segments between the hits
(corresponding to edges). Detector information can be associated with nodes and
edges, enabling a GNN to propagate the embedded parameters around the graph and
predict node-, edge- and graph-level observables. Previously, message-passing
GNNs have shown success in predicting doublet likelihood, and we here report
updates on the state-of-the-art architectures for this task. In addition, the
Exa.TrkX project has investigated innovations in both graph construction, and
embedded representations, in an effort to achieve fully learned end-to-end
track finding. Hence, we present a suite of extensions to the original model,
with encouraging results for hitgraph classification. In addition, we explore
increased performance by constructing graphs from learned representations which
contain non-linear metric structure, allowing for efficient clustering and
neighborhood queries of data points. We demonstrate how this framework fits in
with both traditional clustering pipelines, and GNN approaches. The embedded
graphs feed into high-accuracy doublet and triplet classifiers, or can be used
as an end-to-end track classifier by clustering in an embedded space. A set of
post-processing methods improve performance with knowledge of the detector
physics. Finally, we present numerical results on the TrackML particle tracking
challenge dataset, where our framework shows favorable results in both seeding
and track finding.


Device-to-device (D2D) communication is considered a promising technique to provide wireless peer-to-peer communication services. Due to increasing demand on mobile services, available spectrum for radio frequency (RF) based communications becomes scarce. Recently, visible light communications (VLC) has evolved as a high speed wireless data transmission technology for indoor environments with abundant available bandwidth. In this paper, a novel VLC based D2D communication that provides wireless peer-to-peer communication is proposed. Potential low operating power devices for an efficient D2D communication over increasing distance of separation between devices is analyzed. Optical repeaters (OR) are also proposed to enhance the performance in an environment where direct D2D communications yield degraded performance. Simulation results show that VLC plays an important role in providing efficient D2D communication up to a distance of 1 m between devices. It is also found that the OR significantly improves the coverage distance up to 3.5 m. Keywords—Visible light communication, light emitting diode, device-to-device, optical repeater.


We present a new method for controlling levels of detail (LODs) of triangulated polygonal objects by a gaze-driven approach. The method relies upon a hierarchical mesh representation we call a merge-and-split tree (MST) of vertices, in which objects are described at nearly continuous LODs. The idea behind the LOD control is to adjust the mesh shape quality adaptively under a geometrical definition of gaze points and fovea regions. Not only does it generate a circular fovea region with smooth transition of LODs, but it also makes possible a real time updating of the whole mesh for moving gaze. We have applied our LOD control technique to several large models, and the results show that the method is effective in revealing high details in a fovea region guided by a gaze point moving freely across 3D surfaces.


Synopsis : Briquettes of oxidized iron-scrap containing coke breeze are attracting much attention as a new raw material for ironmaking from the viewpoints of energy saving, recycling and environmental protection. The reduction and melting of the oxidized iron-scrap briquettes in a moving bed reactor has been proposed for hot metal production. The aim of this study is to investigate the reduction and melting behavior of the briquette in the reduction-melting furnace. For this purpose, a total mathematical model of the reduction-melting furnace has been developed considering the rates of briquette reduction, iron melting and carburization to molten iron. The model was applied to the reduction-melting furnace, of which inner shape is a cylinder of 1 m in inner diameter, 4.5 m in effective height and the tuyere opening is 10% of the cross-sectional area of the furnace. Computations were performed under the conditions of air flow rate of 1.7 kg/s, air preheating 673K and coke ratio of 350 kg/thm. The numerical simulation describes flow of three phases (gas, solid and liquid), chemical reactions and phase changes; specifically, the distributions of temperature of the three-phase, gas concentration, reduction degree and carbon content of molten iron in the furnace. From the calculated distribution of temperature and melting ratio, it was proven that the briquette could be melted with preheated air blowing at 673K. The reduction degree distribution showed that sufficient carbon content of coke breeze in the briquette is necessary in order to obtain higher reduction degree.


Heavyionbeams/LET/Apoptosislp531Caspase-9. Conventional cljnical treatments with X-rays provide an effective modality fbr widely various human cancers, however, therapeutic results are sometimes poor. Many mutations have been reported to be in the p53 gene in advanced human cancers, The p53 plays a pivotal ro]e in the pathway which controls apoptosis, cell growth and cell proliferation, and mutations or deletions in the p53 gene lead to resistance to eancer therapy. The involvement of the p53 gene in determining the sensitivity of many cell types toward low Iinear energy transfer (LET) radiation is now well established. In contrast to low LET radiation, high LET radiation has several potential advantages ovev X-rays, one of which is the fact that its effects may be independent of cellular p53 gene status. It is conceivable that effective future therapeutic strategies may be designed on the basis of genetic and biochemical events involved in cell death. Therefore, the accurate characterization and quantification of the mode of cell death, such as apoptosis and necrosis, has become increasingly important for the further understanding of the biological effectiveness of high LET radiation, This Teview discusses the mechanisms of p53-independent apoptosis by high LET radiation.


This paper compares and analyzes various common sub-pixels layouts in the outdoor LED (Light Emitting Diode) display industry. According to the basic principles of chromatics and the instructions about central wavelength of LED lamps, proposed that the ratio (2:1:1) of the red, green, blue lamps in one display unit of the 4-subpixels arrangement should be changed to 1:2:1 to improve the clarity of the screen. Besides, to solve the chaotic situation of relating technologies, the paper proposed that optimizing technologies of image quality around LED screen can be classified into two groups based on sub-pixels layouts---centralizing and dispersing evenly.


The decomposition of solid electrolytes at the surface of the cathode has become one of the critical bottlenecks in the further widespread of all-solid-state batteries. To this end, we applied a fluidized bed coating method on the cathode and obtained the LiAlO2 coated NCM622 (LiAlO2@NCM622), and Al2O3 coated NCM622 (Al2O3@NCM622). The morphologies, structures, and electrochemical properties of NCM622, LiAlO2@NCM622, Al2O3@NCM622 were characterized by SEM, EDS, ICP-AES, XRD, laser particle size analyzer, and electrochemical tests. For LiAlO2@NCM622 and Al2O3@NCM622, the coating layers are uniformly distributed on the surface of the cathode active material while the intrinsic structures of NCM622 remain unchanged after coating. Besides, the particle sizes of LiAlO2@NCM622 and Al2O3@NCM622 are larger than NCM622. Furthermore, solid-state batteries were assembled with NCM622, LiAlO2@NCM622, and Al2O3@NCM622 as cathodes, respectively, polyoxyethylene as the solid electrolyte and lithium metal as the anode. The electrochemical tests show that the assembled batteries with LiAlO2@NCM622 and Al2O3@NCM622 exhibit better cycle performance than pristine NCM622. The capacity retention decreases to 80% at the 28th cycle for NCM622, 64th cycle for LiAlO2@NCM622, and 55th cycle for Al2O3@NCM622, respectively, demonstrating that the compatibility between the surface-coated cathode and the solid electrolyte has been significantly improved. This work promotes the application of surface modification technology and paves the way toward next-generation solid-state batteries.


Until recently, the on-going legal discussions about 'Brexit', the United Kingdom's upcoming withdrawal from the European Union (EU), have predominantly focused on the requirements and consequences of the withdrawal procedure set out in Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). A hitherto neglected, though arguably no less important question concerns the effect, if any, that a withdrawal from the EU will have on the UK's membership in the European Economic Area (EEA): Given that the EEA extends many aspects of EU membership beyond the EU's borders, resulting in a Common Market 'light', a future UK membership in the EEA could – at least from a European business law point of view – effectively result in 'business as usual', as a significant share of EU law would continue to apply to UK companies, albeit in form of EEA law.
Against this background, it is interesting to note that legal analyses of Brexit generally assume that the UK's EEA membership will be terminated ipso iure, should the UK decide to withdraw from the EU. According to this view, the UK subsequently could (re-)apply for EEA membership should its government so choose, with such an application having to be accepted by all remaining EEA Contracting Parties – an option commonly referred to as the 'Norway option' in reference to Norway's status within the EEA. The present article challenges the underlying (and often merely implicit) assumption that the UK's withdrawal from the EU will automatically result in its withdrawal from the EEA, given that the EEA Agreement is a separate international treaty subject to separate legal rules governing withdrawals and effects of possible changes in EU membership. It argues that a withdrawal from the EU will in fact not affect the UK's continuing EEA membership, as long as the UK does not voluntarily choose to also withdraw from the EEA. It then analyses the post-Brexit situation under the EEA Agreement by addressing its practical application to a number of different areas, as inter alia the free movement of UK companies within the EEA, the future of the 'European passport' for UK credit institutions and investment firms, as well as the free (but possibly restrictable) movement of workers in the EEA.


Relaxor ferroelectric single crystals of Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 (PZN-PT) are of interest as high performance transducers due to their very large piezoelectric coupling and dielectric properties. A high temperature flux solution method was used to grow (1- x)PZN-( x)PT, where x= 0.0, 0.1 and 0.15 single crystals. Processing conditions were optimized to increase the size and yield of the perovskite crystals, including variation of the flux to composition ratio, cooling rate, soak time and soak temperature. The crystals varied in size from 0.01 cm to 1.5 cm on an edge, and in color from opaque to brown due to the changes in processing conditions. The crystals were characterized by XRD, dielectric constant and dielectric loss measurements. As the content of PT increased the transition from the paraelectric to the ferroelectric phase approached first order behavior and the crystal structure transformed from rhombohedral to tetragonal. This structure transition caused the lattice constant along the c-axis to elongate as the c/a ratio increased. At room temperature, the dielectric constants for the PZN-PT compositions along the [111] or [001] axes were as great as 5000 and the dielectric losses were as low as 0.01.


The bacterial community associated with black band disease (BBD) of the scleractinian corals Diploria strigosa, Montastrea annularis and Colpophyllia natans was examined using culture-independent techniques. Two complementary molecular screening techniques of 16S rDNA genes [amplified 16S ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) of clone libraries and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE)] were used to give a comprehensive characterization of the community. Findings support previous studies indicating low bacterial abundance and diversity associated with healthy corals. A single cyanobacterial ribotype was present in all the diseased samples, but this was not the same as that identified from Phormidium corallyticum culture isolated from BBD. The study confirms the presence of Desulfovibrio spp. and sulphate-reducing bacteria that have previously been associated with the BBD consortium. However, the species varied between diseased coral samples. We found no evidence of bacteria from terrestrial, freshwater or human sources in any of the samples. We report the presence of previously unrecognized potential pathogens [a Cytophaga sp. and an alpha-proteobacterium identified as the aetiological agent of juvenile oyster disease (JOD)] that were consistently present in all the diseased coral samples. The molecular biological approach described here gives an increasingly comprehensive and more precise picture of the bacterial population associated with BBD. To understand the pathogenesis of BBD, our attention should be focused on the pervasive ribotypes identified in this study (the Cyanobacterium sp., the Cytophaga sp. and the JOD pathogen).


: Ethiopathological and clinical factors of vertebral blood flow insufficiency development are discussed in the article. Distinct connection between pathogenesis and stages of clinical manifestation is proved and nosological independence of vertebrobasilar disease is validated. Used in combined therapy of patients with the disease, cavinton is shown to exert a positive effect on the main clinical symptoms.


A two-dimensional numerical model of a horse is presented that predicts the locomotory behaviors of galloping horses, including how stride frequency, stride length, and metabolic rate change from a slow canter to a fast gallop. In galloping, each limb strikes the ground sequentially, one after the other, with distinct time lags separating hind and forelimb footfalls. In the model, each stance limb is represented as an ideal linear spring, and both feed-forward and feedback control strategies determine when each limb should strike the ground. In a feed-forward strategy, the first hindlimb and the first forelimb to strike the ground are phase-locked such that the time separating their adjacent footfalls is held constant by the controller. In distinction, in a feedback strategy, the footfalls of the second hindlimb and the second forelimb begin when the first hindlimb and the first forelimb are perpendicular to the model's trunk, respectively. While any limb is in contact with the ground, the controller also employs a feedback control to move each stance foot at a constant tangential velocity relative to the model's trunk. With these control schemes, the galloping model remains balanced without sensory knowledge of its postural orientation relative to vertical. This work suggests that a robot will exhibit behavior that is mechanically similar to that of a galloping horse if it employs spring-like limbs and simple feed-forward and feedback control strategies for which postural stabilization is an emergent property of the system.


This article presents a switched-capacitor (SC) voltage boost converter and its control methods for implementing dc-ac and ac-dc power conversion. The SC converter employs a switched-capacitor circuit augmented with the main converter circuit to the power source, thus providing unique features that cannot be attained by the traditional voltage-source inverter (VSI) or boost VSI. The additional features include doubling the area of the linear modulation region and eliminating both the large inductor in the boost dc-dc stage and the large filtering capacitor, which leads to a higher energy density and lower cost. The SC converter concept can be applied to all dc-ac, ac-dc, ac-ac, and dc-dc power conversions. To describe the operating principle and the control, we focus on one example: a bidirectional SC converter for dc-ac and ac-dc power conversion in electric and hybrid electric vehicles. This paper is accompanied by a video demonstrating the change of the modulation functions with the value of A.


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ABSTRACT This study shows that the Swedish 'housewife era' roughly occurred in 1930–1970. During the 1950s, the ratio of women's worked hours to men's worked hours reached a low point. In the early 1970s, it rose to above 50%. We argue that models of joint utility maximisation, assuming equal gender power relations unrestrained by cultural and institutional settings, cannot alone explain this era. The two principal structural mechanisms behind the rise of the breadwinner household were the decline of the farm household and the increased proportion of married women. Both weakened the bargaining position of women. Three results in our study weaken the claims of the joint utility maximisation model. Firstly, marriage was much more important than motherhood in determining the probability of women's labour force participation, although the age of the child is then not taken into account. Secondly, the labour force participation of married women was similar across different social strata outside of the farm and top income households, indicating a prevalent capitalist patriarchal structure. Thirdly, women's leisure was valued less than men's, demonstrating that the preferences of the husband were prioritised over those of the wife.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the sensitivity and specificity of a new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay with uninterrupted reverse transcription and complementary DNA amplification (RT-PCR) for the diagnosis of enteroviral (EV) meningitis in children.

DESIGN
A prospective, cohort study.

SETTINGS
Two medical centers: 1 university hospital and 1 children's hospital in San Diego County, California, during a 5-week period.

PATIENTS
All pediatric patients younger than 16 years who underwent a lumbar puncture for evaluation of possible meningitis.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
The results of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) RT-PCR were compared with viral cultures and clinical histories.

RESULTS
During the 5-week period, 90 patients were entered into the study. Nonpolio EVs were cultured from 10% (9/90) of the patients from the following sites: CSF, 6.7% (6/90) of the patients; stool, 19% (4/21) of the patients; and throat swabs, 5.6% (1/18) of the patients. The EV genome was detected in the CSF by using RT-PCR in 7 of 9 EV culture-positive patients. The sensitivity and specificity of the CSF RT-PCR assay to detect EV meningitis were 77.8% and 100%, respectively. This compared with a sensitivity of 66.7% for detection of EV in CSF by viral culture alone.

CONCLUSION
The new RT-PCR assay is a rapid and reliable method for the detection of EV infection in childhood.


The wireless sensor network (WSN) is mainly composed of a large number of sensor nodes that are equipped with limited energy and resources. Therefore, energy consumption in wireless sensor networks is one of the most challenging problems in practice. On the other hand, data fusion can effectively decrease data redundancy, reduce the amount of data transmission and energy consumption in the network, extend the network life cycle, improve the utilization of bandwidth, and thus overcome the bottleneck on energy and bandwidth consumption. This paper proposes a new data fusion algorithm based on Hesitant Fuzzy Entropy (DFHFE). The new algorithm aims to reduce the collection of repeated data on sensor nodes from the source, and strives to utilize the information provided by redundant data to improve the data reliability. Hesitant fuzzy entropy is exploited to fuse the original data from sensor nodes in the cluster at the sink node to obtain higher quality data and make local decisions on the events of interest. The sink nodes periodically send local decisions to the base station that aggregates the local decisions and makes the final judgment, in which process the burden for the base station to process all the data is significantly released. According to our experiments, the proposed data fusion algorithm greatly improves the robustness, accuracy, and real-time performance of the entire network. The simulation results demonstrate that the new algorithm is more efficient than the state-of-the-art in terms of both energy consumption and real-time performance.


The brachial plexus is a complex anatomic structure. No object oriented models of the plexus are described previously. The project goal was to develop an object oriented brachial plexus model. An object oriented model of the plexus called PLEXBASE has been created using Lisp. Interface functions were developed to query the knowledge base. Using logic programming and backchaining rule-base, decision support rules to diagnose plexus disorders were developed. Development of plexus disorder benchmarks was done to exercise the rule-base. Testing of rules against benchmarks was completed. The sensitivity of each diagnostic rule set (for the corresponding benchmark) was 100%. The brachial plexus model and associated software is comprehensive and accurate for anatomic study and clinical analysis of this important structure.


INTRODUCTION The Danish National Board of Health recommends graduated care of type 2 diabetes patients based on risk stratification. This requires a systematic monitoring of indicators for the development of complications. MATERIAL AND METHODS Retrospective evaluation of type 2 diabetes patients referred from general practice in the 2004-2007 period. INCLUSION CRITERIA 1) Diabetes duration = two years, 2) Diabetes control exclusively handled in primary care in the previous two years, 3) Referred from general practice to outpatient assessment by the diabetes centre, 4) The physician used a laboratory affiliated to the Aarhus County laboratory database, 5) Written referral could be found. Data was gathered by reviewing records, searching the laboratory database and register of diabetic eye care service. RESULTS A total of 97 patients were included. By the time at referral (mean): Age 61.5 years, diabetes duration 8.4 years, body mass index 31.7 kg/m2. In the last two years before referral, the following percentage had at least one p-lipid measurement: 85%, eye examination: 61% and measurement of microalbuminuria: 53%. HbA1c at referral was 9.0% (n = 97), 9.1% (n = 93) seven months before and 8.7% (n = 82) 20 months before referral. CONCLUSION Glycaemic control was poor 20 months before referral. The prerequisites for the recommendation of The Danish National Board of Health was not present since eye examination was not performed in 39% and assessment of microalbuminuria was not performed in 47% of the patients in the previous two years before referral.


Tolerancing decisions can profoundly impact the quality and cost of electro-mechanical assemblies. Existing approaches to tolerance analysis and synthesis in design entail detailed knowledge of geometry of the assemblies and are mostly applicable during advanced stages of design, leading to a less than optimal design process. During the design process of assemblies, both the assembly structure and associated tolerance information evolve continuously. Therefore, significant gains can be achieved by effectively using this information to influence the design of the assembly. Motivated by this, we identify and explore two goals for future research that we believe can enhance the scope of tolerancing for the entire design process. The first goal is to advance tolerancing decisions to the earliest possible stages of design. This issue raises the need for effective representation of tolerancing information during different stages of design and for effective assembly modeling. The second goal addresses the appropriate, synergistic use of available methods and best practices for tolerance analysis and synthesis, at successive stages of design. Pursuit of these goals leads to the definition of a multilevel approach that enables tolerancing to be addressed at successive stages of design in an incremental fashion. The resulting design process, which we call the design for tolerance process, integrates three important domains: (1) design activities at successive stages of design; (2) assembly models that evolve continuously through the design process; (3) methods and best practices for tolerance analysis and synthesis. We demonstrate major steps of our proposed approach through a simple, yet illustrative, example.


This paper proposes a hybrid liveness-enforcing method for a class of Petri nets, which can well model many flexible manufacturing systems. The proposed method combines elementary siphons with a characteristic structure-based method to prevent deadlocks and enforce liveness to the net class under consideration. The characteristic structure-based method is further advanced in this work. It unveils and takes a full advantage of an intrinsically live structure of generalized Petri nets, which hides behind the arc weights, to achieve the liveness enforcement without any external control agent such as monitors. This hybrid method can identify and remove redundant monitors from a liveness-enforcing supervisor designed according to existing policies, improve the permissiveness, reduce the structural complexity of a controlled system, and consequently save the control implementation cost. Several examples are used to illustrate this method.


Abstract Twenty-first century learners in post-secondary educational environments find themselves involved in online learning. Acquiring graduate degrees, especially for working professionals, has precipitated the need for effective, rigorous, relevant, and timely coursework online. Utilizing the qualitative research method of auto-ethnographic reporting, we explored one individual's experience acquiring an online doctor of education degree from a research university in the state of Texas. The results indicated three major components: (1) personal: including but not limited to family, work, and cultural responsibilities; (2) coursework: including but not limited to rigor, relevance, requirements, collaboration, and personal contact with instructors; (3) writing of the record of study (ROS): including but not limited to the selection of the dissertation committee, formulation of the research topic, approval of topic, researching, writing, defending, and submitting the ROS. The implications on future program development are discussed, as well as an exploration of normative boundaries associated with online learning.


Fire was perhaps man's first double-edged sword, for throughout history, it has served as well destroyed mankind. Burns have tremendous medicolegal importance as they may be considered to be the one of the commonest cause of unnatural death in India. Often, the circumstances of burns are enveloped in mystery, obscurity and unreliable statements. The reason behind this action may be personal, domestic, occupational or social tragedy, and more recently dowry death. This was a prospective study carried out at Sri Aurobindo Medical College and Post Graduate Institute, Indore during March 2014 to June 2015 involving all cases admitted in burn ward and post mortem examination done in Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. A total number of 120 cases of burn injuries were taken; of which 88 patients died and a detailed post mortem examination was conducted. Out of total 88 autopsies, 21 (23.86%) cases were magistrate inquest and rest 67 (76.13%) were police inquest. Manner of burn was accidental in nature in majority i.e. in 113 (94.17%) cases, followed by suicidal in 7 (5.83%) cases. Out of total 7 suicidal cases, dying declaration was recorded in 5 cases. Of all autopsied cases carbon soot particles were found in only 5 cases (5.69%). Present study is an effort in highlighting the medicolegal importance of thermal burns. The government should come forward with strict laws and monitoring should be done for strict implementation of the Anti-dowry Act would go a long way in bringing down the incidence of these 'accidents'.


Traditionally, file systems were implemented as part of operating systems kernels, which provide a limited set of tools and facilities to a programmer. As the complexity of file systems grew, many new file systems began being developed in user space. Low performance is considered the main disadvantage of user-space file systems but the extent of this problem has never been explored systematically. As a result, the topic of user-space file systems remains rather controversial: while some consider user-space file systems a "toy" not to be used in production, others develop full-fledged production file systems in user space. In this article, we analyze the design and implementation of a well-known user-space file system framework, FUSE, for Linux. We characterize its performance and resource utilization for a wide range of workloads. We present FUSE performance and also resource utilization with various mount and configuration options, using 45 different workloads that were generated using Filebench on two different hardware configurations. We instrumented FUSE to extract useful statistics and traces, which helped us analyze its performance bottlenecks and present our analysis results. Our experiments indicate that depending on the workload and hardware used, performance degradation (throughput) caused by FUSE can be completely imperceptible or as high as −83%, even when optimized; and latencies of FUSE file system operations can be increased from none to 4× when compared to Ext4. On the resource utilization side, FUSE can increase relative CPU utilization by up to 31% and underutilize disk bandwidth by as much as −80% compared to Ext4, though for many data-intensive workloads the impact was statistically indistinguishable. Our conclusion is that user-space file systems can indeed be used in production (non-"toy") settings, but their applicability depends on the expected workloads.


In this paper, we introduce a kernel-based estimation principle for nonparametric models named local partitioned regression (LPR). This principle is a nonparametric generalization of the familiar partition regression in linear models. It has several key advantages: First, it generates estimators for a very large class of semi- and nonparametric models. A number of examples that are particularly relevant for economic applications will be discussed in this paper. This class contains the additive, partially linear, and varying coefficient models as well as several other models that have not been discussed in the literature. Second, LPR-based estimators achieve optimality criteria: They have optimal speed of convergence and are oracle-efficient. Moreover, they are simple in structure, widely applicable, and computationally inexpensive. A Monte Carlo simulation highlights these advantages. Copyright The Econometric Society 2006.


Periodic crystal lattice rotations within compact clusters of shear bands, developed in copper, have been characterized over a range of scales by optical microscopy, high resolution FEG-SEM-EBSD and TEM orientation mapping, to examine the role of local lattice re-orientation on slip propagation across pre-existing barriers to dislocation motion. Two different cases were analysed in detail. The single crystal analysis addresses the relation between the crystallographic microtexture and microstructure development due to the crystal anisotropy after a strain path change. All the changes in strain path directly lead to crystallite subdivisions and strain localization in the form of macroscopically visible bands of different morphology at the micro scale. The elongated cell substructure formed during primary straining was the source of anisotropy after changing deformation path. It is thought that the presence of this structure (here subcells) as barriers to dislocation motion is crucial for the occurrence of shear banding. The analysis of pure polycrystalline copper has been focused on the influence of local lattice re-orientations within particular grains on slip propagation across grain boundaries. The crystal lattice rotated in such a way that one of the {111} slip planes became nearly parallel to the direction of maximum shear (due to the actual state of anisotropy). A natural consequence of this rotation was the formation of a specific microtexture which facilitated slip propagation across grain boundaries.


In fact there is extremely strong evidence of the efficacy of monthly injections of benzathine penicillin in preventing recurrences of rheumatic fever. The references confirming this statement are far too numerous to be quoted in their entirety, but I might mention a two-year follow-up of children who had had rheumatic fever.5 In roughly 190 patient/years there were nine recurrences with oral penicillin, four recurrences with sulphadiazine, and no recurrences with benzathine penicillin 1.2 mega units in 2 ml. intramuscularly every four weeks. C. M. McCue et al.' review 5,289 patient/months on benzathine penicillin prophylaxis and found one single recurrence. They comment on the advantage of this form of treatment. The report of the World Health Organization on the Prevention of Rheumatic Fever7 states that " prophylaxis with penicillin by mouth (100,000-200,000 units of benzyl penicillin twice a day) or by injections (1.200.000 units of benzathine penicillin intramuscularly once a month) has proved somewhat more effective than prophylaxis with sulphonamides. Oral penicillin has the advantage of ease of administration but, as in the case with sulphonamide drugs, has the disadvantage of requiring careful supervision to be sure of continuous prophylaxis. It is also expensive. Intramuscular henzathine penicillin assures continuous protection and is less expensive but has the disadvantage of requiring repeated injections, which are painful and which may be followed by local or general reactions."


We experimentally demonstrated a 20 Gbaud 256QAM over 20 km of SSMF in a 25 GHz grid employing Kramers-Kronig scheme to reconstruct optical phase. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that 256QAM format is implemented in a Kramers-Kronig single-sideband direct detection system.


RNA performs a diverse array of important functions across all cellular life. These functions include important roles in translation, building translational machinery and maturing messenger RNA. More recent discoveries include the miRNAs and bacterial sRNAs that regulate gene expression, the thermosensors, riboswitches and other cis-regulatory elements that help prokaryotes sense their environment and eukaryotic piRNAs that suppress transposition. However, there can be a long period between the initial discovery of a RNA and determining its function. We present a bioinformatic approach to characterise RNA motifs, which are the central building blocks of RNA structure. These motifs can, in some instances, provide researchers with functional hypotheses for uncharacterised RNAs. Moreover, we introduce a new profile-based database of RNA motifs - RMfam - and illustrate its application for investigating the evolution and functional characterisation of RNA. All the data and scripts associated with this work is available from: https://github.com/ppgardne/RMfam


A cuprate superconductor containing double mercury layers was synthesized with a high-pressure, high-temperature technique. The compound, with chemical formula Hg2Ba2-Y1-xCaxCu2O8-δ, contains a double HgO layer with structure similar to that of rock salt. The prototype compound Hg2Ba2YCu2O8-δ is an insulator. Superconductivity is induced in the system by partially replacing yttrium with calcium.


This work describes an actively controlled frequency selective surface (FSS) to implement ultrawideband radio identification (RFID) tags. The tag exploits the change in the radar cross section (RCS) of the FSS, which is loaded with switching PIN diodes to modulate the backscattered time-domain response of the tag to an input ultra-wide band pulse. The basic operation theory of the system is explained. An experimental setup based on a ultrawideband radar working as a reader is proposed to measure the modulated radar cross section of the tags. As a proof of concept, a battery-assisted or semipassive tag has been developed.


This monograph delineates the retention mechanisms of emerging trace organic contaminants by several nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis membranes. Retention of neutral trace organics by a tight NF or RO membrane is dominated by steric (size) exclusion, whereas both electrostatic repulsion and steric exclusion govern the retention of negatively charged trace organics by a loose NF membrane. Speciation of trace organics may lead to a dramatic change in retention as a function of pH, with much greater retention observed for ionized, negatively charged trace organics. Retention of the negatively charged trace organics decreases as the solution''s ionic strength increases due to charge shielding and double layer compression. For uncharged trace organic species, intrinsic physicochemical properties of the trace organic molecules can substantially affect their retention. This monograph also critically demonstrates the possible complexity of a real membrane filtration system where trace organic contaminants are of concern. Factors such as operating conditions and feed solution composition can influence the filtration of trace organics.


Nicotine has been well characterized to improve memory and attention. Nicotine is the primary, but not only neuroactive compound in tobacco. Other tobacco constituents such as anabasine and anatabine also have agonist actions on nicotinic receptors. The current study investigated the effects of anabasine and anatabine on memory and attention. Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were trained on a win-shift spatial working and reference memory task in the 16-arm radial maze or a visual signal detection operant task to test attention. Acute dose-effect functions of anabasine and anatabine over two orders of magnitude were evaluated for both tasks. In the radial-arm maze memory test, anabasine but not anatabine significantly reduced the memory impairment caused by the NMDA antagonist dizocilpine (MK-801). In the signal detection attentional task, anatabine but not anabasine significantly attenuated the attentional impairment caused by dizocilpine. These studies show that non-nicotine nicotinic agonists in tobacco, similar to nicotine, can significantly improve memory and attentional function. Both anabasine and anatabine produced cognitive improvement, but their effectiveness differed with regard to memory and attention. Follow-up studies with anabasine and anatabine are called for to determine their efficacy as therapeutics for memory and attentional dysfunction.


The various trauma-induced pathologies found at necropsy following road traffic accidents in the Bassetlaw area of Nottinghamshire from 1961 to 1986 were recorded and related to the time of death. The catchment area was mainly rural, including stretches of the A1 and A57, but included two small towns (Worksop and Retford). Pick up times varied considerably depending on the site of the accident, extraction procedures and ambulance journey distance.


Establishing a common strategic framework is a decisive factor in the Ukrainian-Polish relations in the current social and political context. The complexity of the partnership between the two states arise from their geographical location on the borderline between civilizations, the site of historical cataclysms. At the same time, national sovereignty of was always a high priority for both peoples. The recognition of Ukraine's independence by Poland marked a new stage of rapprochement between Warsaw and Kyiv, the act being evidence of maturity of the Polish political elite. Poland made its best to promote the interest of Ukraine in the international political arena. The article suggests periodization in the history of the Ukrainian-Polish partnership. Ukrainian policy can be modelled on Poland's experience of the transformation of society. Being a member of the European Union, Poland advocates the idea of European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine. Increased economic cooperation is one of the aspects of the Ukrainian-Polish partnership. Cooperation at regional level, between local government bodies is also important for the relations between the two states. Step by step, visa regulations are being liberalized, interpersonal contacts broadened. The beginning of the 21 st century witnesses a change in political consciousness of Ukrainian and Polish people, who reconsider painful events from their past.


Human cortical evoked potentials under conditions of stimulation are registrated in the post-stimulatory phase of a five minutes lasting equally masking white noise (90 dB HL). Changes of the evoked potentials during to adaptation, possible analogy with high tone losses after noise representation and the origin of tinnitus are examined. Stimulation was started 3 sec after the off-effect of the noise. For five minutes periodically tone bursts were represented. Each train of stimulation consists of tone bursts of three frequencies: 2 kcs, 4 kcs, 8 kcs. The 0.5 sec lasting tones were separated by pauses of 2 sec. During the experiment stimulation and analysis were controlled by a computer. Changes in latency and amplitudes of the cortical evoked potentials were registered. Changes of the adaption patterns as a function of the poststimulatory time are discussed.


Smooth-muscle actin was isolated from pig uterus and from pregnant-rat uterus. Methods involving acetone-dried powders were unsuccessful, and a column-chromatographic procedure was developed, with proteinase inhibitors and avoiding polymerization as a purification step. The yield of pure actin was 0.8--1.5 mg/g wet wt. of uterus, which should be compared with an expected yield of actin from skeletal muscle of 2--4 mg/g wet wt. The actin was pure as judged by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, and exhibited alpha-, beta-, and gamma-forms on isoelectric focusing. It possessed a blocked N-terminal amino acid residue, and its amino acid analysis conformed to those of other actins. The rat uterine actin was available only in small amounts (5--10 mg) and did not polymerize. The pig uterine actin could be obtained in amounts up to 30 mg, polymerized reversibly, and activated a skeletal myosin Mg2+-dependent ATPase.


This article examines the current military-political strategy of France in the Baltic region. This area has not traditionally been among the main priorities of French diplomacy. However, under President Emmanuel Macron, France pays closer attention to the Baltic Sea due to the growing tension between Russia and the West. According to France's key strategic documents, the government assesses the present-day situation mainly in a negative way, considering Russian actions as the main reason for the militarization of the region and expressing its readiness to show solidarity with NATO allies. On this basis, Paris is gradually increasing its military presence in the Baltic region, which now exceeds its contingents in the Middle East and the Sahel. For example, French forces still participate in the NATO air policing programme as well as in naval exercises, keeping the troops in Estonia within the Lynx mission. France's further activity in the region includes enhanced cooperation with Sweden and Finland after they accede to NATO, an already planned increase in military contingent in the Baltic States in 2023, and the development of the European Political Community project. The author concludes that even if France's presence in the Baltic does not yet pose a critical threat to Russian security, Paris's policy is becoming more pro-Atlantic to the detriment of previous statements about 'European sovereignty' and dialogue with Russia.


Selina Concise Physics Class 8 ICSE Solutions Chapter 3 Force and Pressure: In this article, we bring you the detailed Selina Publishers Concise Physics ...


Gout is the most common form of microcrystalline arthropathy, and does not usually pose a diagnostic challenge when patients have a typical presentation, appropriate biochemical picture and classical radiographic appearance. However, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is increasingly used as the first-line imaging modality in patients with first presentation of joint pain or mass, and tophaceous gout is frequently a forgotten differential diagnosis. This article serves to review the MR imaging characteristics and appearance of gouty tophi in various joints, their clinical presentations and complications, as well as the common differential diagnoses.


The spatial structure of the subsurface is an important factor when interpreting seismic data. The Bayesian methodology is a valuable tool for integrating these spatial relations in the inversion process as it merges the information together and assesses the uncertainty of the model. In the everyday use of the Bayesian methodology, however, the computational cost is a challenge. We describe a new approach that utilizes a local neighborhood to include the spatial constraints and assess the uncertainties in the inversion using fast and parallelizable computations. The approach is applicable for both discrete lithology-fluid prediction and estimation of rock properties, such as porosity and saturation.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the diagnostic accuracies of HRCT chest and RT-PCR results in diagnosis of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in a tertiary care hospital in Lahore.

STUDY DESIGN
Descriptive study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY
Department of Radiology and Central Research Lab, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore, from April to July, 2020.

METHODOLOGY
Patients aged 18 to 83 years, who had clinically suspected symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough/sore throat or shortness of breath) presenting in outpatient or emergency department, were included. These patients had their HRCT chest conducted from Radiology Department and RT-PCR performed at Central Research Lab. These data were retrieved from electronic system of PACS. Results were categorised into positive and negative findings for COVID-19. Diagnostic accuracies of HRCT chest and first RT-PCR along with 95% confidence interval were calculated.

RESULTS
A total of 94 patients, 55 (58.5%) males and 39 (41.5%) were females. Out of them, 83% patients had positive HRCT chest findings of COVID-19, 17% had negative HRCT chest findings; while 40.4% had positive and 59.6% had negative first PCR. Among the repeat second PCR, 19.6% had negative, 1.8% had positive PCR results; while 78.6% patients didn't undergo repeat PCR. The sensitivity, specificity, NPV, PPV and accuracy of HRCT chest was 92%, 23%, 81%, 45%, and 51%; while of first RT-PCR was 45%, 81%, 23%, 92% and 51%, respectively.

CONCLUSION
The sensitivity of HRCT chest is higher (92%) as compared to first RT-PCR (45%). Key Words: COVID-19, RT-PCR, HRCT chest, Sensitivity, Specificity.


Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common thyroid malignancy, and cervical nodal metastases are frequent at presentation. The most common site for nodal metastases from PTC is the central compartment of the ipsilateral neck in the paratracheal and pretracheal regions. The decision to resect these lymph nodes at the time of thyroidectomy often depends on if nodes with suspected malignancy can be identified preoperatively. If nodal spread to the central neck nodes is known, then the consensus is to remove all nodes in this area. However, there remains significant controversy regarding the utility of removing central neck lymph nodes for prophylactic reasons. Herein, we review the potential utility of central neck lymph node dissection as well as the risks of performing this procedure. As well, we review the potential of molecular testing to stratify patients who would most benefit from this procedure. We advocate a selective approach in which patients undergo clinical neck examination coupled with ultrasound to detect any concerning lymph nodes that warrant additional evaluation with either fine needle aspiration or excisional biopsy in the operating room. In lieu of clinical lymphadenopathy, we suggest the use of patient and disease characteristics as identified by multiple groups, such as the American Thyroid Association and European Society of Endocrine Surgeons, which include extremes of ages, large primary tumor size, and male gender, when deciding to perform central neck lymph node dissection. Patients should be educated on the potential long-terms risks versus the lack of known long-term benefits.


The relation has not been reported consistently between the polymorphisms in the gene of apolipoprotein A5 (APO A5) and coronary artery disease (CAD). To clarify the discrepancy, we conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed and EMBASE for all available casecontrol studies to explore the association between two APO A5 polymorphisms and CAD. Two reviewers independently selected studies. Statistical analyses were carried out using the STATA software package v 10.0. Thirteen studies investigated the association between the APO A5 -1131T>C polymorphism and risk of CAD were selected in this meta-analysis with 5,050 cases and 7,272 controls. For the S19W APO A5 gene polymorphism, 5 studies were included with 2,196 cases and 3,933 controls. We observed a significant statistical association between Apo A5 -1131T>C polymorphism and CAD (recessive genetic model: OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.37-2.19; dominant genetic model: OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.25-1.61; allelic contrast: OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.22-1.39, respectively). After restricting our analysis to Chinese individuals, we found that the association was stronger. We also observed strong association between the APO A5 S19>W polymorphism and risk of CAD under a recessive genetic model. This meta-analysis reveals that the minor allele of the -1131T>C polymorphism in the promoter of APO A5 gene significantly increases the susceptibility to CAD. This effect is more pronounced in Chinese subjects.


A new method was developed for in situ generation of active Fe catalysts for the hydrogenation of olefins from bench-stable Fe(II) complexes and easily accessible LiAlH4. This method makes the hydrogenation very easy to handle and enables the development of several new Fe catalysts for olefin hydrogenation through practical ligand evaluation. One of the Fe catalysts derived from a Fe complex of a phosphine-bipyridine ligand exhibited unprecedented activity for the hydrogenation of olefins, with turnover numbers up to 10 000 and turnover frequencies up to 37 740 h−1. The NMR studies of the active Fe catalyst showed that a Fe-hydride species stabilized by Al might be a real catalyst.


This dissertation highlights and discusses some essential aspects of young people's meaning-making deliberations on future issues and sustainable development. In the first two of four articles, recurring components of the discussion that appear to be important for its progression are both identifi ed and illustrated. In the two latter articles these components are then used to study how the identities of the conversers are constituted through the deliberations and to describe how the individual participants assume their place in them as free political subjects. The dissertation's theoretical starting point has been the pragmatist arguments and positions mainly found in Dewey's concept of experience, Rorty's anti-representationalistic perspective of meaning-making and Wittgenstein's discussions relating to language games. A methodological attempt developed from these arguments is transaction analysis – originally formulated by Wickman and Ostman and later called practical epistemology. The study begins with this analysis and develops it further. The empirical data included in the dissertation's studies is based on recorded interviews and students discussions. The students who participated either attended upper secondary school or a folk high school. The results of the dissertation's four articles show that human confl icts of interest and value relations should be regarded as central stages in students' discussion processes on sustainable development. The dissertation also shows how these components can be used to study pluralism and how students' collective identity is constituted. In the dissertation's conclusion, a number of tools are developed that are suitable for research where one intends to further analyse how students create meaning about future issues and sustainable development through discussion. The conclusion also describes eight educational points that need to be taken into account when creating constructive discussion situations that support students' learning in the field of sustainable development.


PET images that have been reconstructed with unregularized algorithms are commonly smoothed with linear Gaussian filters to control noise. Since these filters are spatially invariant, they degrade feature contrast in the image, compromising lesion detectability. Edge-preserving smoothing filters can differentially preserve edges and features while smoothing noise. These filters assume spatially uniform noise models. However, the noise in PET images is spatially variant, approximately following a Poisson behavior. Therefore, different regions of a PET image need smoothing by different amounts. In this work, we introduce an adaptive filter, based on anisotropic diffusion, designed specifically to overcome this problem. In this algorithm, the diffusion is varied according to a local estimate of the noise using either the local median or the grayscale image opening to weight the conductance parameter. The algorithm is thus tailored to the task of smoothing PET images, or any image with Poisson-like noise characteristics, by adapting itself to varying noise while preserving significant features in the image. This filter was compared with Gaussian smoothing and a representative anisotropic diffusion method using three quantitative task-relevant metrics calculated on simulated PET images with lesions in the lung and liver. The contrast gain and noise ratio metrics were used to measure the ability to do accurate quantitation; the Channelized Hotelling Observer lesion detectability index was used to quantify lesion detectability. The adaptive filter improved the signal-to-noise ratio by more than 45% and lesion detectability by more than 55% over the Gaussian filter while producing "natural" looking images and consistent image quality across different anatomical regions.


There is no gold-standard treatment for idiopathic toe walking (ITW). Some previous evidence suggested that botulinum neurotoxin-A injection might improve ITW. This is a single-center retrospective study on children with ITW treated with incobotulinumtoxinA injection in the gastrocnemius medialis/lateralis muscles. We screened the charts of 97 ITW children treated with incobotulinumtoxinA (January 2019–December 2021), and the data of 28 of them, who satisfied the inclusion/exclusion criteria, were analyzed. The maximal passive ankle dorsiflexion (knee extended) was assessed at three time points, i.e., immediately before incobotulinumtoxinA injection (T0), after incobotulinumtoxinA injection during the timeframe of its effect (T1), and at follow-up, when the effect was expected to disappear (T2). The maximal passive ankle dorsiflexion was improved by incobotulinumtoxinA injection, and the effect lasted up to 6 months in some children. No adverse effects were reported to incobotulinumtoxinA injections. The treatment with incobotulinumtoxinA might improve the maximal passive ankle dorsiflexion and is safe and well-tolerated in ITW with a longer-than-expected effect in comparison to cerebral palsy. These results may offer ground to future randomized controlled trials and studies assessing the effect of BoNT-A in combination with other non-invasive approaches and exercise programs in children with ITW.


Abstract We study the impact of reductions in interchange fees on payment card services. We find that consumer and merchant acceptance and transaction volumes increased when interchange fees were reduced. Our results suggest that a 10% reduction in the rate of decline per quarter in the average interchange fee by an acquirer resulted in a rate of increase in merchant acceptance per quarter of up to 1.4%. In addition, a 10% increase in the rate of interaction of merchant acceptance and the total number of cards increased the rate of quarterly issuer transaction volumes up to 1.7%.


Serious gaming is one of the newest developments in the world of learning and is recently gaining increasing attention and interest in the business environment. Many people claim that serious gaming has more influence on the behaviour of trainees than a normal presentation, but very little evidence is available in literature. Therefore in this paper the following research question will be answered: "Is people's demonstrated behaviour after playing a serious game, which is highlighting the need for a specific set of behaviours, different from their demonstrated behaviour after attending a presentation with the same content, and why?"
To answer this research question, an experiment lasting four months was conducted within a consulting company. A presentation was given twice and a serious game was played twice, both addressing the same content. In total 82 participants played a serious game and 72 participants attended a presentation. Consequently, participants' behaviour was measured in a business simulation environment.
This experiment shows that a serious game is more effective than a presentation when it comes to making people demonstrate a specific set of behaviours. Experiencing failure is an important element of learning in a serious game and most learning occurs during a debriefing when participants reflect on their in-game experiences. The importance of learning elements like goal setting, feedback and challenge is shown as well. Finally and not surprisingly, results indicate that a serious game is more engaging than a presentation.
Although it is difficult to generalize about the effectiveness of serious games over presentations, as it also depends upon the learning elements included, this study is one of the first to show evidence on the effect on behaviour of serious gaming.


The degradation and failure of protective coatings (paints and sealants) is a key element influencing the service life of aircraft. Such degradation is influenced by the response of coatings to environmental factors such as high temperatures and exposure to ultraviolet radiation, as well as chemical factors. However, the effect of loading and load history on coating durability has received little attention, despite clearly being a factor in determining failure sites (such as joints) and the rate of degradation. This paper describes the key characteristics of coatings at aircraft joints, and the nature of the strains experienced by coatings in locations influenced by in-service loads. It is first step in assessing the complex strain history at joint strain concentration locations as part of developing a prognostic capability for the service life of aircraft coatings. The configuration of coating layers at different joints is important and this research has considered a simplification of a butt strap joint from a RAAF military aircraft and a generic lap joint; predictions of critical movements/displacements have been made using finite element analysis; the predictions will be tested later as part of an experimental program associated with a full-scale fatigue test.


The main dietary carbohydrates are starch, cell wall polysaccharides (cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectins), some monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose, etc.) and oligosaccharides (sucrose, lactose, alpha-galactosides, etc.). Recent analytical methods applied to these substances are described and criticized. A-type starches (cereals), cooked starches and some oligosaccharides are mainly digested in the small intestine of monogastric animals by enzymes of the salivary glands, pancreas and intestinal brush border. The total digestibility of these carbohydrates is almost 100%, whereas it is less than 70% for B-type starches (ex. potato). Cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectins and some oligosaccharides are partly digested by the microflora of the large intestine. Fiber total digestibility varies considerably and depends on the nature of the fiber and the animal species. It is less than 10% in chickens, whereas pigs seem to digest fibers as well as sheep. Hydrothermic treatments usually have no effect on starch digestibility but can be used for B-type starches. Some chemical treatments may improve fiber digestibility in monogastric animals.


The article considers the classification of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems. The role of AI has increased significantly recently in all areas of life. The use of AI in public administration, in production, in medicine, in the military, in the social sphere, etc., raised a number of questions related to the definition of AI and classification of AI systems. Classification of AI is necessary to understand the role of AI in the digital economy. Classification becomes important in the context of intensive development of international standards for AI systems and knowledge-based systems (expert, neural, multi-agent, cyber-physical systems and systems based on the industrial Internet)


We propose that social capital has potential in helping to create dynamic, interested and 'lean forward' thinkers in higher education. In the last twenty years the measures used to assess social capital in education have moved beyond achievement and attainment to include aspiration, engagement and motivation . Attendance, behaviour and commitment to education have also been used as successful indicators which suggests that educational innovations that promote these factors will see an increase in the equality of opportunity. For optimum development of social capital, it is proposed that a blend of bonding, bridging and linking connectivity is aspired to and we discuss how learning and teaching innovations at the research site can contribute to developing such connectivity. By creating dynamic collaborative experiences we are not only encouraging the students to take control over their education; we are also creating deep horizontal and vertical ties; in short developing social capital.


The PVC composite was prepared by extrusion melt using a new plasticizer octodecyl acyl tributyl citrate and PVC resin. Influence on mechanical and resistance to cold properties of PVC was studied by tensile and low temperature impact tests. The thermal behavior, texture and mechanism of plasticizing of OTBC plastifying PVC were supported by TG, DSC and SEM. The result indicated that the glass transition temperature of plastifying material was about 36°C, breaking strength was 25.3MPa, elongation at break was 250% and, plasicizing efficiency was 0.88, resistance to cold property better than plastifying material of DOP's, domains between two phases of micro-texture were small and distributed homogeneously when OTBC content in PVC resin was 30%.


By combining the molecular donor p-DTS(FBTTh2 )2 with a readily produced perylene diimide acceptor we are able to achieve a power conversion efficiency of 3.0%, making this one of the most efficient non-fullerene organic solar cells to date. The reduced power conversion efficiency of the present system compared to the use of phenyl-C71 -butyric acid methyl ester as an electron acceptor is shown to primarily be related to a significant reduction in the internal quantum efficiency. These results indicate the potential of small-molecule:non-fullerene bulk-heterojunction organic photovoltaics.


Summary The objective of the study is to prepare and invest igate the herbal formulation of Tinospora cordifolia, Trigonella foenum and Emblica officinalis for antidiabetic effects. Herbal formulations PD1, PD2 and PD3 were prepared using Tinospora cordifolia, Trigonella foenum and Emblica officinalis extracts. Herbal formulations were evaluated for hypoglycemic effects and Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) in normal and Alloxan induced diabetic rats. In hypoglycemic study and OGTT, there was a significant decrease in Blood Glucose Level (BGL) in normal rats with formulation PD3, marginal decre ase in formulation PD2 and very less decrease in formulation PD1. In diabetic rats PD3 shown signif icant decrease in Fasting Blood Glucose Level (FBGL) which was comparable to Glibenclamide while the effects of formulation PD2 and PD1 was not significant after treatment with prepared herbal formulations. These results were also supported by serum lipid p rofile and histological studies of liver and kidney .


To conduct a number of studies into the prevalence of neural tube defects (NTD) in the area covered by the Oxford Record Linkage Study (ORLS), multiple sources were used to build a local register of cases occurring in Oxfordshire and West Berkshire between 1968-1990. One source of potential cases--namely, termination and congenital malformation monitoring data available for the locality from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) data--were kept separate. Comparison of the local cases recorded by OPCS and those known to the register from 1974-1990, using the method of capture-recapture, suggested that national data are only about two thirds complete, but that this underreporting is likely to be reasonably consistent from year to year. OPCS data can therefore be used to study NTD trends if not absolute risks. The local register seemed, by the same yardstick, to be very complete and is being used in a variety of studies of the occurrence of NTD. Survival to one year in this area, over the period 1968-1990, has only improved in the recent past, if at all. Most NTD pregnancies now end in termination rather than birth, and there has been a true decline in the occurrence of NTDs, and likewise the different subtypes.


ABSTRACT The two human neurotropic alphaherpesviruses varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) both establish latency in sensory ganglia. Human trigeminal ganglia are known to frequently harbor both viruses, and there is evidence to suggest the presence of both VZV and HSV1 DNA in the same neuron. We ask here whether VZV and HSV1 can exclude themselves and each other and whether they can productively infect the same cells in human neurons and human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF). Simultaneous infection (coinfection) or consecutive infection (superinfection) was assessed using cell-free HSV1 and VZV expressing fluorescent reporter proteins. Automated analysis was carried out to detect singly and dually infected cells. We demonstrate that VZV and HSV1 both display efficient superinfection exclusion (SE) in HFF, with each virus excluding either itself or the other virus. While SE also occurred in neurons, it was with much lower efficiency. Both alphaherpesviruses productively infected the same neurons, whether applied simultaneously or even consecutively, albeit at lower frequencies. IMPORTANCE Superinfection exclusion by VZV for itself or the related neurotropic alphaherpesvirus HSV1 has been studied here for the first time. We find that while these viruses display classic SE in fibroblasts, SE is less efficient for both HSV1 and VZV in human neurons. The ability of multiple VZV strains to productively infect the same neurons has important implications in terms of recombination of both wild-type and vaccine strains in patients.


Recently growing attention has been paid to the issue of public-sector innovation: scholars have progressively developed a fully-fledged field of study in this direction, since remarkable differences exist between public and private organizations. Perhaps paradoxically, the decline of NPM itself from the 1990s onwards has paved the way to further developments of this field of study, surpassing the existent model through the exploration of innovative tools for stakeholders' involvement in public decision-making. New Public Management reforms of public administration combined with the use of information and communication technologies have brought many innovations to the public sector, among others also public e-procurement. Our objective is to identify the driver and barriers of e-procurement use in contracting-out of public goods and services based on analysis in one selected region and its four municipalities in Slovakia. This study uses a qualitative and quantitative approach and is based on original data from our own research, including data collected within the LIPSE (Learning from Innovation in Public Sector Environments) research project. The main findings of our analysis are that the use of public e-procurement is an innovative tool for contracting out the public services and as such facilitates modern public-administration reforms based on information and communication technologies.


We describe both measurements and theoretical models of the beryllium carbide electron-energy-loss K-shell near-edge fine structure (ELNES). Methods for the interpretation of spectra obtained using transmitted kilovolt electrons and the very small probe sizes available in modern electron microscopes are discussed. Explicit constraints on the use of the projected local density of states used to interpret x-ray absorption near-edge structure are summarized. An initial attempt to interpret the measured ELNES using a tight-binding approximation plus core-hole ''impurity'' calculation shows good agreement for the carbon site, but poorer agreement for the Be site. Good agreement is obtained for both sites using a ground-state, real-space multiple scattering calculation if a charge corresponding to three electrons is assumed to be transferred from Be to C. This suggests that ground-state, one-electron theory and the muffin-tin form of the crystal potential may be a useful guide to the interpretation of near-edge structure in some ionic crystals if the effects of ionicity are explicitly incorporated.


Botanic Garden represents an ecosystem area in which parasitic plants such as mistletoes are also incorporated. Mistletoe of Dendrophthoe pentandra (L.) Miq. (Loranthaceae) was a parasite of various plants cultivated in Botanic Gardens of Purwodadi, Bali, and Cibodas. The mistletoe attacked 143 host species which included in 48 plant families in those three Botanic Gardens. The most attacked host plants were belong to family Moraceae, especially Ficus spp., following by members of Myrtaceae, especially Syzygium spp. The ability to become parasite of various plants species assured that mistletoe of D. pentandra did not chosen certain host plants. The parasitic study of mistletoe D. pentandra is also reported in this paper.


Alzheimer's amyloid peptide, A beta(1-42) and its fragments, A beta(1-28) and A beta(1-16), were chromatographed on IDA-M(II) columns (M: Cu2+, Ni2+ and Zn2+). The retention of A beta(1-42) and its fragments on IDA-Cu(II) could not be reversed in decreasing a gradient of pH, from 7.0 to 4.0. All A beta peptides were recovered from IDA-Ni(II) columns in a decreasing pH gradient from 7.0 to 4.0, within the pH range from 5.6 to 5.1. A beta(1-42) peptide was strongly retained on IDA-Zn(II) at pH 4.0, but its A beta(1-28) and A beta(1-16) were only transiently retained on IDA-Zn(II) columns when applied at pH 6.1. We submit that histidine clusters, residing both in the Alzheimer's beta-amyloid peptide and in most of the APP/APLP superfamily of proteins, constitute high-affinity binding sites for immobilized metal chelates.


The nepheline syenite pegmatite in the Saima alkaline complex in northeastern China is characterized by REE mineralization, mainly rinkite-(Ce) and associated alteration minerals. As the most abundant REE-bearing mineral in the pegmatite, rinkite-(Ce) closely coexists with microcline, nepheline, natrolite, and calcite. Some rinkite-(Ce) grains show compositional sector-zonation, in which the inner core displays relatively high Ti, Ca, and Sr concentrations, but low Zr, REE, and Na contents. Primary rinkite-(Ce) has undergone multiple episodes of fluid interactions, and accordingly, from weak to strong, three different mineral assemblages of hydrothermal alteration can be summarized: (1) rinkite-(Ce) + secondary natrolite ± K-feldspar ± minor fluorbritholite-(Ce); (2) rinkite-(Ce) relics + secondary natrolite + K-feldspar + fluorbritholite-(Ce) + unidentified Ca-Ti silicate mineral + fluorite and calcite; and (3) pseudomorphs after rinkite-(Ce). The pseudomorphs can be divided into two groups characterized by distinct mineral associations: (1) Ca-bearing strontianite + fluorbritholite-(Ce) + natrolite + fluorite + calcite coexisting with silicate minerals; and (2) calcite + fluorite + fluorbritholite-(Ce) + rinkite-(Ce) relics ± Ca-bearing strontianite ± ancylite-(Ce) associated with a calcite matrix. These alteration mineral assemblages are evidence of magmatic-derived alkali metasomatism due to an alkali-CO2-F-rich fluid and Ca-metasomatism due to a different, externally derived Sr- and Ca-rich fluid. The metasomatic events acted as the potential driving force for the rinkite-(Ce) dissolution and pseudomorph-forming process. The high concentration of rinkite-(Ce) in the nepheline syenite pegmatite results from the fractional crystallization of the Saima CO2-rich alkaline silicate magma, and the successive alterations of rinkite-(Ce) attest to the important role played by hydrothermal fluids in controlling the remobilization of REE and the crystallization of secondary rare earth minerals.


AIM
The purpose of this study was to compare the shaping characteristics of Ni-Ti K-files and Ni-Ti S-files manipulated by hand.

METHODOLOGY
A total of 60 extracted human roots were embedded in resin blocks. The embedded roots were divided into three groups: (i) roots with straight; (ii) apically curved; and (iii) continuously curved canals. Each of the three groups was randomly divided into two subgroups; one subgroup in each group was prepared with Ni-Ti K-files and the other with Ni-Ti S-files. The files were used with a step-back technique and enlarged so that the master apical file was size 30, and the canals were stepped back to size 40. The performance of the files was assessed by the superimposition of projected radiographs taken in bucco-lingual and mesio-distal directions before and after the preparation. The results were analysed statistically using analysis of covariance and Duncan's multiple range test.

RESULTS
Although canal preparation using Ni-Ti K-files was quicker, there were no statistically significant differences between file types. The Ni-Ti S-file removed significantly more material at the most coronal level (P < 0.05). There were minor differences between instruments at the apical level. Only in the proximal view of apically curved canals prepared with Ni-Ti S-files was significantly more dentine removed from the outer aspect of the curvature (P < 0.05). At the middle level (wide danger zone) the Ni-Ti S-files removed more dentine from the inner aspect of the curvature in those roots with apically curved canals.

CONCLUSIONS
Under the conditions of this study, preparation with Ni-Ti K-files produced more appropriate shapes in roots with apically curved canals than Ni-Ti S-files.


Quasars, active galactic cores in distant galaxies, are one of the most energetic objects in the universe. The supermassive black holes that power quasars accrete matter and, in the proccess, cause the accretion disk to release massive amounts of radiation and, on occasion, ejects large amounts of matter. These ejections, called outflows, can be observed in quasar spectra as UV/optical broad absorption lines (BALs). Some of these outflows can reach speeds larger than 0.1c. In this study, 6760 quasar spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 9(SDSS DR9) were analyzed in search of outflows. Of these spectra, 23 quasars were found to have outflows. These spectra were then cross-correlated with the Very Large Array Faint Images of radio Sky at Twenty cm (VLA FIRST) survey in order to search for possible trends between radio properties and outflows. None of the quasars in this sample had any measured radio flux. In comparison, 3.5% of the quasars from the SDSS DR9 quasar catalog had measured radio flux. These findings suggest that radio emissions are not a prerequisite for outflows in quasars.


Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) are part of the nutritional support for malnourished patients. Although the terms "adherence" and "compliance" have different connotations, they tend to be interchangeable in literature and in the daily clinical practice. Adherence can be measured through objective and subjective methods. However, research results vary enormously due to the huge differences in design, measurement methodology, adherence definition, scope and type of patients. There are several factors that may have a detrimental effect on adherence to nutritional supplements and, therefore, compromise patients' nutritional condition. These factors are associated to the patient, the environment in which the supplement is taken, the supplement itself and the prescriber's role. Researches published to date show considerable limitations in terms of targets, quality and the period of time over which adherence is estimated. A global approach may help malnourished patients requiring a dietary prescription in the medium-long term improve their intake of nutritional supplements. It is essential to conduct further research with specific population groups, particularly with malnourished patients, evaluating not only the organoleptic properties of ONS but also the influence of all factors directly or indirectly affecting adherence to nutritional supplements.


The authors set out to map the journey of their research process for a project on violence against women as a public health issue. Discussion of the research process usually involves only the methodological or theoretical framework, rather than the whole complex and shifting relationships of the various aspects. Not only does one's research design affect the outcome of the research, the original intent is often changed along the way. The authors hope to contribute as feminists to the dialogue on the implications and consequences of research choices, and the contradictions raised in reconciling feminist politics and community activism with funding requirements. Introduction This paper sets out to map a journey, to tell a story that is not often told. We hear about the research of our colleagues normally only in its final stages and then, we see only the product. The treatment of the research process is usually limited to explaining the methodological or theoretical framework within which the work has been placed. We believe, and in fact have come through our research practice to be convinced, that the means and ends of scholarly work are difficult to distinguish, and have a relationship that is complex and shifting. This goes far beyond any straightforward causal or even dialectical relationship. It's not just that the means one uses -- that is, one's research design and process -- affects the outcome, but that the process, even the original intent, is changed along the way. The means not only enter into the end and change it: the end, rather than being a fixed point, is a process that constantly transforms the means. All of us begin the research process with a plan. How many of us follow through with that plan exactly as pre-thought, towards a pre-visioned, predictable finite end? We are of the opinion that feminist researchers should address what we all know to be true in a forthright, open manner. That is, that the systems we function within and interact with, be they institutions, funding bodies or community groups, operate dynamically with research intentions, process and outcome. How we reconcile feminist politics, community activism, academic credibility and the imperative of seeking and gaining funding for research is often problematic and complex. Although an examination of where any of us as feminist researchers might be in this process is not simple, and may be personally disconcerting, it is extremely important. This is especially the case when dealing with a topic like violence, which has such critical importance for the actual lives of so many women, whatever their position on the social matrix. What we have to say about this issue has real-life consequences that have to be carefully considered at each stage of the research journey. Each time that a shift in research direction, process or intent is undertaken, all the locations on the route change relative to each other. The imagery of mapping is useful to adopt here: we are not talking about moving in a straight causal line from point A to point B. We offer our own research story here, as a modest attempt to open a dialogue, in the hope that it may encourage others to examine their own research journeys and reflect upon the implications, even moral consequences, of their locations relative to where they have been, or might be in the future. Background This paper is the story of the "research journey" undertaken by four researchers affiliated with Queen's University. Dawn Blessing, who was the originator of our project, was at the time a faculty member with the School of Nursing at Queen's University and has a Masters degree in Nursing. She was also a research associate with the local Health Unit in the city of Kingston, and the counties of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington (KFL&A) in eastern Ontario. Her many years of work in the health field and her concern as a feminist with the issue of violence against women led her to question why there was so little connection between these two important interests. …


Based on the confirmation of the continuous increase in the number of politicians who are active at the national level (federal representatives, senators and ministers) linked to some type of association or syndicate, we examine how this is related to the respective social trajectories and positions occupied within political space. For these purposes, we consider politicians linked to the associations and syndicates of urban and rural workers, of civil servants, university faculty and businessmen, for people who were elected to office between 1994 and 2003. Our main hypothesis refers to the increased use of associative capital that can be observed in conjunction with the intensification of electoral competition in the aftermath of the authoritarian regime; it suggests that electoral processes bring together a variety of resources and principles of legitimation and representation. Modes of reconverting associative capital into political resources and dynamics of electoral politics/associative involvement relations are not seen as a consequence of some general principles but as part of specific configurations.


Vanadium complexes bearing easily synthesized, differently functionalized salen and salphen ligands were prepared and tested for their ability to catalyze the cycloaddition of carbon dioxide to epoxides resulting in cyclic organic carbonates. The reactivity of the prepared catalysts dramatically increases when a coordinating hydroxyl group is present as a substituent in the organic epoxide. The commercially available [VO(acac)2] complex was used as reference compound, and, in this case, we found that V10O26⋅(NBu4)4 was formed during the catalytic reactions. This compound, characterized by X‐ray diffraction analysis, is likely the active catalyst, and it results in significantly better yields of cyclic carbonates compared to those obtained with Schiff base containing vanadyl complexes. The high activity of the mixed polyoxo vanadyl‐vanadate complex marks it as a powerful catalyst within the context of CO2 fixation chemistry.