The purpose of the study is to investigate the extent to which librarians use social networking sites (SNSs) and the level of skills possessed by librarians to effectively use these tools. A questionnaire was used to collect data on the skills and use of social networking sites by librarians in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The questionnaire was developed using SurveyMonkey and administered using an online method. The study revealed that Facebook, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Twitter, Skype and YouTube are the most popular SNSs used by the Librarians. Other social networking sites such as 'Nigerian Library Association (NLA) online forum' and 'Research gate' were also mentioned by the librarians. The study also revealed that marketing library services, sharing information about the library resources, and news about the library were indicated as the top reasons for using the SNSs by librarians in Nigeria. Librarians in Nigeria rated their skills such as interacting with friends and relatives, searching and navigating different SNSs, applying information ethically, and ability to evaluate information on SNSs to be higher than others. The librarians mentioned power failure, bad network/low bandwidth, lack of time and lack of interest by some librarians as the major challenges in using SNSs in Nigeria. This study offers insights for academic libraries to make informed decisions in applying social networking tools.


Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) is a begin, but lethal tumor, where cysts accumulate on the adult kidney progressively impairing renal function. Many mutations are linked to ADPKD, but its complex nature has hampered efforts to define the mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis. Recently Kher et al. had shown that ectopic cadherin-8 expression, present in most cystic kidneys, suffices to initiate ADPKD. We have developed a 3D multi-cell simulation of the renal tubule to investigate the mechanisms behind this experiment. Our model predicts that loss of cell-cell adhesion in a single cell suffices to trigger ADPKD and that the pattern of cyst initiation differs from that which disruptions of contact-inhibition produces. Based on these simulations we conducted hanging drop and 4D visualization of in vitro human renal-derived cysts. These experiments validate our model predictions. Together these data provide the first mechanical explanation for the onset of ADPKD .


The church disagreed with Galileo. That set off a controversy that rages on today. The passion remains but the issues have changed and the arguments have become more complex. Do miracles conflict with scientific laws? How did the universe begin? Does the creation story in Genesis conflict with evolution? Hummel sets these controversies in historical perspective by telling the fascinating stories of Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo and Newton. Through their eyes we see how science flourished and floundered under the influence fo the church, setting the scene for modern conflicts. Then Hummel turns to the Bible, discussing its relationship to science, the place of miracles and the biblical account of the origin of the universe. His treatment of modern controversies is respected and fair-minded. Yet he does not hesitate to criticize the views of others and argue for his own.


Dr. Sinaly's frank frontal attack charms and disarms me, for I am a great admirer of military succinctness. I note with satisfaction, however, that Dr. Sinaly does not deny the existence of the verbal malfunction which I tried to hold up to ridicule. Dr. Sinaly merely objects to my calling the entity the "military verb." Here I am prepared to compromise and suggest the substitute term "paramilitary verb." Since neither is likely to get into future grammars and manuals of style, it really does not matter much. I am particularly interested in Dr. Sinaly's implied suggestion that the military-paramilitary verb owes its existence to the pernicious influence of Ph.D.'s. This possibility bears further scrutiny, for it cannot be denied that most military medical writers have at some time been exposed to Ph.D. influence. I happen to have spotted the condition only in the writings of military medical men, but I


One of the most significant recent changes in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is that the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 mandated the conversion of the program to an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) system by October 1, 2020. This mandate has led to some technical challenges and policy issues. Focusing on the adoption of a generic price look-up (PLU) code, an important EBT mechanism intended to facilitate the redemption of fresh produce, this research examines how different mapping approaches in using the generic PLU code are associated with WIC participants' cash value benefit redemption. Using the redemption data of 121,021 Virginia WIC participants in 2015, the first year after the full implementation of the EBT system in Virginia, the authors identified three groups of WIC participants based on their exposure to the generic PLU code. Results show that WIC participants who had ever been exposed to the generic code tended to have a significantly higher fruit and vegetable redemption rate than those who had never experienced the generic code. The authors also conducted a qualitative study to provide insights regarding the potential mechanism underlying the hypothesized relationships. Relevant policy implications and future research directions are discussed.


Theoretical studies suggest that mating and pair formation is not likely to be random. Computer simulations suggested that sex among genetically complex organisms requires mate choice strategies for its evolutionary maintenance, to reduce excessive genetic variance produced by out-crossing. One strategy achieving this aim efficiently in computer simulations is assortative mating modeled as "self seeking like". Another one is selection of "good genes". Assortative mating increases the probability of finding a genetically similar mate, without fomenting inbreeding, achieving assortative mating without hindering the working of other mate selection strategies which aim to maximize the search for "good genes", optimizing the working of sex in evolutionary terms. Here we present indirect evidence that in a significant proportion of human reproductive couples, the partners show much higher facial resemblances than can be expected by random pair formation, or as the outcome of "matching for attractiveness" or the outcome of competition for the most attractive partner accessible, as had been previously assumed. The data presented is compatible with the hypothesis derived from computer simulations, that human mate selection strategies achieve various aims: "self seeking like" (including matching for attractiveness) and mating with the best available genes.


The CISE directorate of the NSF is rolling out a requirement that all NSF grants include a Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) plan (www.nsf.gov/cise/bpc/). This has the potential to drive important institutional change across CS departments in the U.S. This panel of BPC experts will offer their perspectives on meaningful BPC activities, talk about existing BPC programs, and share BPC-related resources that can help PIs and departments craft high-quality BPC plans. The panelists will offer contrasting perspectives on topics such as K-12 outreach, the allocation of department funds for BPC, faculty engagement, and first steps departments should take. Ultimately, NSF review panels made up of CISE community members will evaluate BPC plans, but we hope to spark productive conversations in the interest of fostering institutional change to achieve the social imperative of BPC.


Raw materials, such as SBS modified asphalt, graphite powder and crumb rubber were selected to blend with aggregate mixture to product electrically conductive asphalt concrete. Experimental results demonstrated the stress or strain had a great influence on the resistance of conductive asphalt concrete, which exhibited sensitive piezoresistivity. In fact, the piezoresistivity reflects the change in microstructure. The reason for piezoresistivity may involve proximity effect, microcrack and the dislocation of conductive paths due to shear strength of aggregates. With further study on the variation of the resistance, it is hopeful to explore the microstructure change of asphalt concrete under dynamic compressive stress. Therefore this new-style asphalt concrete has extensively practical foreground in fatigue damage testing, highway traffic intelligent monitoring and so on.


A key feature of the mammalian innate immune response to viral infection is the transcriptional induction of interferon (IFN) genes, which encode for secreted proteins that prime the antiviral response and limit viral replication and dissemination. A hallmark of severe COVID-19 disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 is the low presence of IFN proteins in patient serum despite elevated levels of IFN-encoding mRNAs, indicative of post-transcriptional inhibition of IFN protein production. Herein, we show SARS-CoV-2 infection limits type I and type III IFN biogenesis by preventing the release of mRNA from their sites of transcription and/or triggering their nuclear degradation. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 infection inhibits nuclear-cytoplasmic transport of IFN mRNAs as a consequence of widespread cytosolic mRNA degradation mediated by both activation of the host antiviral endoribonuclease, RNase L, and by the SARS-CoV-2 protein, Nsp1. These findings argue that inhibition of host and/or viral Nsp1-mediated mRNA decay, as well as IFN treatments, may reduce viral-associated pathogenesis by promoting the innate immune response.


Introduction Catheter-based ambulatory monitoring to study gastro-oesophageal reflux (GER) is conventionally performed using a single pH sensor to detect intra-oesophageal acid. A less-often used system is a dual pH catheter, allowing simultaneous measurement of oesophageal and gastric pH. In our tertiary referral GI Physiology Unit, we routinely perform pHmetry or impedance-pHmetry using dual-pH sensor probes for concurrent oesophageal and gastric pH monitoring. Aim: To evaluate the additional diagnostic yield associated with using gastric pHmetry analysis during gastro-oesophageal reflux pH monitoring. Method We retrospectively evaluated 2916 dual pH reflux studies done in our unit between 2009 and 2016 (pH-only or combined pH-impedance). In patients having 'off' PPI studies we looked for evidence of prolonged gastric pH buffering by meals that provoked further investigation with gastric emptying study, and for evidence of gastric achlorhydria. In patients having 'on' PPI studies (for investigation of reflux refractory to PPI therapy) we evaluated whether inadequate gastric acid suppression (defined as gastric pH >4 for>50% of study period1) could be seen on gastric pH monitoring. Results 271 patients (9.4%) had studies performed 'on' the patient's current proton pump inhibitor therapy (PPI) to investigate refractory GORD symptoms. 150/271 patients (55% of 'on PPI' studies) were shown to require escalation of treatment, due to inadequacy of gastric acid suppression (defined as gastric pH >4 for>50% of 1) The gastric pH profile further contributed to the diagnostic workup in 135 patients studied 'off' acid suppressive therapy (5% of 'off PPI' cohort). 111 patients with overlapping symptoms of reflux and dyspepsia had prolonged postprandial elevation of gastric pH period study2, prompting suspicion of gastroparesis. 72/111 underwent formal gastric emptying testing on 13C-octanoic acid breath test or scintigraphy, and 59/72 were confirmed to have delayed gastric emptying. Finally, latent gastric achlorhydria (gastric pH >4 for the entire study period) was discovered in 24 patients, thus explaining PPI failure and obviating the need to continue PPI for presumed acid reflux. Conclusion For small extra cost (£5 per study in the UK) and no additional labour (automated gastric pH analysis), intragastric pH profiling in routine GER monitoring contributes to diagnostic yield and subsequent clinical management in three ways: 1) assessing adequacy of gastric acid suppression 'on PPI' in the event of persistent symptoms; 2) suggesting underlying gastroparesis in reflux-dyspepsia overlap syndromes; 3) revealing latent gastric achlorhydria. References . Bonapace ES, et al. Dig Dis Sci. 2000Jan;45(1):34–9. . Ooi & Glasinovic, et al. UEG Journal 2016;4(5S):A157–A720.A497.[P0991] Disclosure of Interest J. Ooi: None Declared, P Woodland Conflict with: Reckitt Benckiser (Hull, UK), E Glasinovic: None Declared, K Nikaki: None Declared, S Sonmez: None Declared, E Yazaki: None Declared, D Sifrim Conflict with: Reckitt Benckiser (Hull, UK); Sandhill Scientific (CO, USA)


Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and its N-terminal 1-34 fragment were shown to be hypotensive in dogs. In this study, synthetic bovine PTH fragments containing the N-terminal amino acids 1-34, 24-34, 24-28 and 25-27 [bPTH-(1-34), bPTH-(24-34), bPTH-(24-28) and bPTH-(24-27)] were synthesized and tested for hypotensive activity in dogs. bPTH-(1-34) is the most potent of these. The tripeptide is ineffective at doses as high as 2 mg/kg. bPTH-(24-34) and bPTH-(24-28) exhibited hypotensive activity but were less effective than bPTH-(1-34). A decrease in chain length decreased the hypotensive activity. The maximum response produced by bPTH-(1-34) was greater than that of either bPTH-(24-34) or bPTH-(24-28). The maximum responses, however, of bPTH-(24-34) and bPTH-(24-28) were similar. Another striking difference between bPTH-(1-34) and the other two effective fragments was the duration of action. Whereas the action of bPTH-(1-34) at ED50 lasted for up to 6 min the action of bPTH-(24-34) and bPTH-(24-28) lasted for less than 1 min. The hypotensive effect of these three bPTH fragments was not affected by propranolol, phentolamine, atropine, promethazine or cimetidine. In the perfused rat hindlimb, bPTH-(24-28) produced log dose-related sustained vasodilation.


Research on organizational routines embodies the classical paradoxical tension between stability and change; yet, most findings are empirically based on stable, simple, technology-based and continuous processes. This paper inductively identifies mechanisms explaining the origin and the evolution of routines using data of problem-solving communication of two repeating car development projects. The study tackles the question of how organizations get new things done – repeatedly. Therefore, this article studies how cross-functional teams organize themselves over time when solving new problems in the fuzzy-front-end phase of innovation. It presents the result of a qualitative longitudinal case study of a project team working on the exterior car design at an automotive manufacturer. The case study concerns an in-depth analysis of a new, and hence reoccurring, technical problem. The research contributes to literature on organizational routines and innovation management in three ways. Firstly, we characterize the performative character of problem-solving, unveiling the generativeness of activities. Secondly, we show the difference of applied activities in new and routinized problem-solving, unveiling the evolution of a routine Thirdly, we observe the ostensive character of routines exemplified by the sequence and combination of activities. Finally, the study unveils reinforcing mechanisms for stabilizing new routines e.g. the intensive usage of engineering artifacts.


New pollen, phytolith, charcoal and diatom data from 14C AMS-dated sediments from three clusters of former occupation sites on the southern Yangtze Delta – Liangzhu, Majiabang and Chuodun – reveal that hydrological conditions were a key factor influencing early food production on the southern Yangtze Delta. At least two episodes of inundation are recognized, the first occurring at c. 7200–5700 cal. yr BP and a second from c. 4700 cal. yr BP. The first involved increasing salinity of surface waters, likely associated with marine intrusion linked to post-glacial sea-level change (meltwater pulse (MWP) 2). The second appears to have been freshwater in nature and driven at least in part by extreme meteorological events of high levels of precipitation in combination with impeded drainage. These two episodes had profound impacts on Neolithic settlement and farming. Further hydrological changes, presumably linked to changes in sedimentary regime, geomorphology and drainage of the Taihu depression, recorded at the Chuodun site after c. 3000 cal. yr BP, appear to have had a major effect on technologically relatively advanced food production systems. While environmental pressures appear to have played an important role in shaping human activities and settlement on the southern Yangtze Delta, people responded by adopting strategies that included an increased reliance on food production, migration to more clement locations and implementation of new technologies, which possibly included the construction of flood defence works.


Immigration's impact on native labor markets is the central issue in forming immigration policy. Traditional economic theory suggests that immigration puts downward pressure on wages and increases unemployment. However, most empirical studies of these relationships find little to no impact of immigration using crosssectional data. We add to this literature by examining these same relationships in the long-run through use of a VAR model on both state and national level data. Our results indicate that while immigration has no impact on wages and unemployment at the national level, it can impact these variables at the state level, but not instantaneously.


This thesis report presents the analysis and design work associated with luminescent solar concentrators (LSC) and photovoltaic integrated systems in microalgae cultivation application, which is the dissertation topic of my graduation dissertation in Engineering major, Murdoch University. Around the main topic of LSCs, a few relevant studies have been carried out in sequence. To start with, the contents focus on brief introduction and theoretical analysis and they act as the foundation of the whole analysis. Therefore, the majority works of this part of analysis are finished by looking through literature works; a significant number of relevant articles are cited here. Afterwards, the data from experiment is expressed and presented. From the experiment's data, the two specimen LSC, flat sheet LSC and hollow cylinder LSC can emit fluorescent light at bottoms up to 6.9 times and 1.85 times stronger than coinstantaneous sunlight illumination respectively. Moreover, when the sample photovoltaic cell is receiving the concentrated fluorescent light from the two LSCs, the cell can produce up to 4mW power from flat sheet LSC emission light irradiance and 13.5mW from tubular LSC emission irradiance. Another major achievement of this project is that an integrated system has been designed, which has the ability to supply the power requirement entirely by itself.


Technology-based methods for assessing diet in those with disability remains largely unexplored. The aim was to assess the feasibility of assessing diet with an image-based mobile food record application (mFR) in 51 adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome (PANDs). Adherence was also assessed with the instruction to include a fiducial marker object in the before and after eating images. The PANDs sample completed a four-day mFR and results were compared with a sample of young adults from the Connecting Health and Technology study (CHAT, n = 244). Compared to the CHAT sample, PANDs participants reported more fruit (2.2 ± 1.8 versus 1.0 ± 0.9 serves respectively) and vegetables (2.4 ± 1.3 versus 1.9 ± 1.0 serves, respectively), but no differences in energy-dense nutrient-poor (EDNP) foods and beverages were observed. Compared to CHAT, PANDs participants captured fewer images with the mFR (4.9 ± 2.3 versus 4.0 ± 1.5 images, respectively). Adherence to the instruction to include the fiducial marker in images was lower for PANDs compared with the CHAT sample (90.3% versus 96.5%). Due to the quality of information captured in images and the high acceptability of the fiducial marker, the mFR shows great promise as a feasible method of assessing diet in adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome.


The classification of electronic excitations in molecules and molecular nanostructures plays an important role when tailoring materials with desired properties. One example of such a class of excitations are plasmons. Plasmons appear in solid-state physics, where they are characterized as density oscillations in an electron gas that are driven by the restoring forces associated with the electromagnetic field induced by the density oscillations themselves. Here, we investigate how this concept can be transferred to molecular systems by performing a step-by-step analysis, starting from three-dimensional bulk systems and ending with molecules. On the basis of this analysis, we propose to scale the electron–electron interaction in quantum-chemical response calculations in order to identify plasmons in molecules. This approach is illustrated for molecular chains and clusters. Our results show that the concept of plasmons is still applicable for extended molecular systems and demonstrate that the proposed scali...


Vojvodina is situated in the northern part of Serbia. The region is divided into: Bačka in the northwest, Banat in the east and Srem in the southwest. A small part of the Mačva region is also located in Vojvodina, in the Srem District. Vojvodina is abundant with numerous grasslands suitable for sheep grazing. The present study was conducted in 90 sheep flocks from the territory of Vojvodina in the period of March 2014 to January 2015, using into consideration the biodiversity and sesonal occurance and prevalence of isolated parasites. Fecal samples were examined by using qualitative and quantitative coprological methods. Infection we occurred at 81.22% of sheep. We found eggs of Nematodirus sp. (71.22%), Ostertagia sp. (69.22%), Trichostrongylus sp. (66.55%), Haemonchus sp. (64.44%), Chabertia ovina (60.11%), Dictyocaulus spp. (49.00%), Oesophagostomum sp.(36.77%), Dicrocelium dendriticum (34.66%), Marshallagia sp. (29.66%), Cooperia sp. (27.88%), Moniezia sp. (26.77%), Bunostomum sp. (22.33%) and Skrjabinema sp. (13,66%).


The paper deals with semi-active chatter absorber based on an electrodynamic transducer built around high-energy permanent magnets. Also, a fuzzy logic control system for the absorber control system has been designed. The principal advantage of fuzzy control is the possibility to implement practical experience gained by machine operators in the control algorithm. Hence, the possibility of factoring such quantities, as vibrations experienced by selected points of the machine-tool, and sound emitted by working machine into the analyzed chatter absorber fuzzy control system has been studied in the paper. The control system has been tested by way of simulation with the use of the process and cutting force models.


The COVID‐19 outbreak has disrupted global health care networks and caused thousands of deaths and an international economic downturn. Multiple drugs are being used on patients with COVID‐19 based on theoretical and in vitro therapeutic targets. Several of these therapies have been studied, but many have limited evidence behind their use, and clinical trials to evaluate their efficacy are either ongoing or have not yet begun. This review summarizes the existing evidence for medications currently under investigation for treatment of COVID‐19, including remdesivir, chloroquine/hydroxychlorquine, convalescent plasma, lopinavir/ritonavir, IL‐6 inhibitors, corticosteroids, and angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors.


To alleviate late‐onset hypogonadism, testosterone treatment is offered to suitable patients. Although testosterone treatment is commonly given to late‐onset hypogonadism patients, there remains uncertainty about the metabolic effects during follow‐ups. We assessed the associations between testosterone treatment and wide range of characteristics that included hormonal, anthropometric, biochemical features. Patients received intramuscular 1,000 mg testosterone undecanoate for 1 year. Patient anthropometric measurements were undertaken at baseline and at each visit, and blood samples were drawn at each visit, prior to the next testosterone undecanoate. Eighty‐eight patients (51.1 ± 13.0 years) completed the follow‐up period. Testosterone treatment was associated with significant increase in serum testosterone levels and significant stepladder decrease in body mass index, total cholesterol, triglycerides and glycated haemoglobin from baseline values among all patients. There was no significant increase in liver enzymes. There was an increase in haemoglobin and haematocrit, as well as in prostate‐specific antigen and prostate volume, but no prostate biopsy intervention was needed for study patients during 1‐year testosterone treatment follow‐up. Testosterone treatment with long‐acting testosterone undecanoate improved the constituents of metabolic syndrome and improved glycated haemoglobin in a stepladder fashion, with no adverse effects.


ABSTRACT The population of Istanbul increased from three to fifteen million from 1970 to 2018. The city, which has no perennial fresh water resources within its metropolitan boundaries, has long imported water from other basins. In this study, the performance of a reservoir system fed by surface runoff and inter-basin water transfer is investigated and applied. Simulations are run for water demand estimates and with Gamma-distributed realizations of monthly precipitation, based on 105-year temperature and precipitation data. The research shows that after 2060, existing and transferred water alone will not be sufficient to meet demand and it is expected that the megacity Istanbul will be on a path towards water crisis after this date, if not before. It is concluded that it is vital to adopt a more diversified water supply and demand management portfolio with extensive Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) measures for "Water Sensitive Cities". Strategies for reliable system operation that take foreseeable environmental problems into account are proposed.


The Fomichev plug is of characteristic producing equal unit-reduction of wall thickness along its perforation section during seamless tube piercing. This paper introduces the design of a novel Fomichev plug based upon the analysis of roll opening, taking into account for both feed angle and toe angle of a cone type piercer, then presents a 3-D coupled thermo-mechanical simulation of the novel Fomichev Plug's performance characteristic during cone-roll piercing process, with the aid of FE code MSC.SuperForm. In comparison with conventional plugs, as FEM simulation result shows that the new plug makes the metal deformation distribute uniformly along its perforation section, which brings about well-distributed plug wear. The novel Fomichev plug is able to decrease the slip between the roll and workpiece and avoid rolling block owing to its smaller plug force, which can increase piercing efficiency so, moreover, analyzing stress distribution, it's more suitable for metal deformation with fewer defects in tube piercing, makes resistance to metal elongation smaller, reduces wedge cleaving to tube billet, and prevents lamination defects during piercing high-alloy billet.


This study investigates the effect of time horizon in patterns of green consumption. Previous studies have shown that consumer behavior is influenced by an individual's willingness to delay or expedite receiving gains and losses (i.e., take a time horizon orientation). This paper describes the effect of short-term or long-term conditions in complying with green and not-green consumption. The paper also reports the results of an experimental study showing that time horizon plays an important role in driving consumer behavior, especially when green consumption is expected.


Auxin's capacity to regulate aspects of plant development has been well characterized in model plant systems. In contrast, orchids have received considerably less attention, but the realization that many orchid species are endangered has led to culture-based propagation studies which have unveiled some functions for auxin in this system. This mini-review summarizes the many auxin-mediated developmental responses in orchids that are consistent with model systems; however, it also brings to the forefront auxin responses that are unique to orchid development, namely protocorm formation and ovary/ovule maturation. With regard to shoot establishment, we also assess auxin's involvement in orchid germination, PLB formation, and somatic embryogenesis. Further, it makes evident that auxin flow during germination of the undifferentiated, but mature, orchid embryo mirrors late embryogenesis of typical angiosperms. Also discussed is the use of orchid protocorms in future phytohormone studies to better understand the mechanisms behind meristem formation and organogenesis.


Objectives : To assess public perceptions towards Genetically Modified (GM) Crops and foods in Kenya. Specifically, to: (1) find out Kenyans' level of awareness and knowledge of GM crops and foods; (2) find out the attitudes of Kenyans' towards GM crops and foods in relation to their demographics (age, gender, educational qualifications and their agro-ecological regions and (3) give suitable recommendations from the findings on the future of GM crops/foods in Kenya. Methodology and Results: A survey was carried out in Kenya covering all the country's 8 provinces between November 2007 and June 2008, targeting the adult civilian population (aged 18 years or older). The objective was to attain a sample size of over 700 subjects so as to achieve a sampling error rate of +3.7 percent. Four clusters were set to ensure a balanced representation of all stakeholders in the country; A (general consumers), B (farmers), C (academia), D (resource persons). In addition, efforts were made to ensure that the sample drawn for this study was representative of the Kenyan population through Simple Random Sampling, Systematic Sampling, Convenient and Snowball Sampling as was appropriate. The data was obtained via self completion questionnaires. Specifically, the survey instrument was designed to gather information on the public's general awareness, knowledge and attitudes on various issues pertaining to the use of genetic engineering on crops and food production, public approval of the use of genetic engineering and public views about various private, foreign and public institutions associated with biotechnology research and product development. The survey also sought some information on the respondent's economic demographic and value attributes, including respondent's views about scientists, companies and government regulators associated with genetic engineering products. The response/cooperation rate was 68%. Overall, 58%, of the respondents had positive perceptions and believed that genetic engineering of crops would alleviate hunger and malnutrition and reduce poverty in Kenya. Conclusions and recommendations: Results of the study indicate that acceptance of genetically engineered food crops is related not only to the public's demographic characteristics but also to their value attributes. Younger people were generally more optimistic about GM crops/ foods. However, female respondents were clearly less supportive of GM crops/ foods than were their male counterparts. More-educated individuals and those with higher levels of scientific knowledge were more optimistic about introduction of GM crops and foods in Kenya. The results suggest the need for a well designed and effective program to educate the public about various issues relating to the use of genetic engineering in agricultural and food production. Scientists need to communicate with the public at large with complete information and in a proactive way. In order to enhance public trust, all interested parties, including those opposed to GM foods, should be


Background Childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematous (cSLE) patients are at higher risk for renal disease than those with adult-onset disease. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and intravenous cyclophosphamide (IV CTX), commonly used for induction therapy of proliferative lupus nephritis (LN), are considered equally efficacious in adults. Comparative data in the paediatric population are lacking. To reduce treatment variability and facilitate comparative effectiveness studies, the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) published a consensus treatment plan (CTP) for induction therapy in childhood proliferative LN. The CTP recommended treatment with MMF or IV CTX and one of three steroid regimens: primarily oral, primarily IV, or mixed oral/IV. We report physician decision-making and 6-month response rates in a multi-centre pilot feasibility study. Materials and methods This observational study enrolled 41 cSLE patients from 10 CARRA sites. Subjects had new-onset biopsy proven class III or IV proliferative LN and were starting MMF or IV CTX. Complete renal response (CRR), defined as normal renal function, inactive urine sediment, and spot urine protein/creatinine ratio of <0.2, was measured at 6 months. Subjects were followed for up to 24 months. Baseline demographics, disease-related features, physician decision-making and achievement of CRR were compared according to induction treatment group and among steroid regimens. Results The majority of participants were female (83%) with a mean age of 14 years. There were no significant differences in demographics between MMF or IV CTX groups or among steroid regimens. Those with class IV nephritis (35.3% vs 73%, p = 0.015) and hematuria (36% vs 74% p < 0.001) were more likely to be treated with IV CTX. Physicians more often reported compliance concerns as a reason for selecting treatment for the CTX group compared to MMF (22% vs 0%, p = 0.04). Overall, physicians reported "this is what I or my group always does" as the most common reason for choice of induction agent and steroid regimen. Induction agent use did not differ significantly according to study site. Steroid regimen differed significantly by study site and induction agent. CRR at 6 months was achieved for 56% with MMF and 64% with IV CTX (p = 0.6); the study was not powered to evaluate treatment efficacy. Conclusions Class IV nephritis, hematuria and patient adherence influenced selection of induction agent. Steroid regimens differed by study site and induction regimen. To evaluate comparative effectiveness, future larger studies will be needed. Acknowledgements CARRA Registry, Lupus Foundation of America, Arthritis Foundation, Duke Clinical Research Institute. NIH T32GM00756.


results in our area than nystatin used in the standard fashion over a 14-day period (93% success rate with chlotrimazole, 840' success rate with nystatin).' Carrying this principle even further, we have recently shortened the course of clotrimazole to three days only (two pessaries nightly for three nights). This time our success rate was 89%. Throughout these investigations our trial criteria were identical and diagnoses and assessment were based on cultural as well as clinical grounds. Although such short-term results are clinically acceptable, relapse and/or reinfection remain a constant problem so there is no room for complacency. Much more has to be done before we can regard the problem of candidosis as solved and under control.


Alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs; EC 184.108.40.206), a subset of oxidoreductases requiring NAD(P) as a cofactor, are present virtually in all life forms. Among them, Group I ADHs are Zn-dependent enzymes of ca. 350 amino acid residues. Owing to biochemical characterization and crystallographic studies on Group I ADHs allowing for information on structure-function relationship, much knowledge is available on the role of specific amino acid residues. Over the last decade a significant amount of work has been done also on molecular characterization of bacterial and yeast Group I ADHs, making it possible to estimate, among others, structure-function relationships in the ADHs for which only primary structure is available. In this paper we review the role of conserved amino acid residues of well characterized microbial NAD(P) and Zn-dependent ADHs in catalysis, sequestration of catalytic and structural zinc, cofactor binding and substrate specificity.


It is widely believed and lamented that students from the US perform poorly in international comparisons of academic achievement. Such perceptions have led to grave concerns about the future economic competitiveness of the US internationally. These concerns have been based on a generation of older international surveys on mathematics and science achievement. Fortunately, a recent generation of high quality international achievement surveys has been completed since 1990 on a wider array of subjects—reading, mathematics, science, and civics. Accordingly, the purpose of this report is to assemble and organize the results of all major international achievement surveys re-ported since 1990 in order to determine how well US students have performed in comparison with their peers from 21 other industrialized nations. Upon aggregating the standing of US achievement scores across subject matters and grade levels, the results indicated that US students score somewhat higher than their peers in other industrialized nations, with only 24% of national scores being significantly higher than the US and 35% being significantly lower. Therefore, US students generally perform above average in international comparisons instead of poorly. The exception was mathematics, a subject in which US students score somewhat below average. It was also found that US students performed above aver-age at the elementary grade level, and average at the middle and secondary levels. More detailed comparisons of achievement scores were made with the major economic competitors of the US—the G7 nations. At the middle and secondary grade levels (the levels at which the US is least competitive), US scores are comparable to those of other Western G7 nations in reading, mathematics, and science, and considerably higher in civics. Scores of Japanese students in reading are comparable to Western G7 nations and the US, but much higher in mathematics and science. With respect to academic achievement, the US is quite comparable to other major Western nations, whereas the Western G7 nations consistently trail Japan in mathematics and science. Because of the well-known achievement gap in the US between White and minority students, scores were further analyzed by race/ethnicity (White, Black, and Hispanic). US achievement scores for the majority White students were consistently greater than those of the other five Western G7 nations, even though these nations were pre-dominantly White. By comparison, the scores for US Black and Hispanic students were very low and well below other scores. This is compelling evidence that the low scores of two minority groups were major factors in reducing the comparative standing of the US in international achievement surveys. That is, if these minority students per-formed at the level of US White students, the US would lead all G7 nations (including Japan) in reading and would lead Western G7 nations in mathematics and science, while still trailing Japan in mathematics. We conclude that US students have generally performed above average in comparisons with industrialized nations instead of poorly as widely perceived. The misconception of poor US performance may be due to several reasons—inadequate information, unreasonable expectations that the US should be first-in-the-world, biased report-ing, and/or misleading comparisons of the US (a large multi-state nation) with small and homogeneous nations such as Finland and Ireland. In this respect, we compared TIMSS-linked science scores This report is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/gse_pubs/409 of 40 US states with TIMSS science scores of 22 European nations (eighth grade level). The mean and variability of US science scores was very similar to that of scores from the European nations. Disciplines Education This report is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/gse_pubs/409 IS THE UNITED STATES WINNING OR LOSING THE INTERNATIONAL HORSE RACE IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT? NEITHER—IT IS RUNNING WITH OTHER WESTERN G7 NATIONS Erling E. Boe, Ph.D. Professor of Education


The network of cosmic strings generated in a phase transition during inflation enters the scaling regime later than that of usual strings. If it occurs after the recombination, temperature anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) at high multipole moments are significantly reduced. In this paper, we study such effects qualitatively and show that the constraint on the cosmic string tension from the CMB temperature anisotropies and B-mode polarizations can be relaxed. It is shown to be difficult to explain the recent BICEP2 and POLARBEAR results in terms of signals induced by cosmic strings alone even if we take into account the delayed scaling. However, the inflationary tensor-to-scalar ratio required to explain the observed B-mode signals can be slightly reduced to be consistent with the Planck constraint.


EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP WATKINS, ALECIA LYNETTE B.S. UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA, 1997 M.ED. ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY, 2006 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE STUDENTS' SUCCESS IN LEARNING SUPPORT AT A TWO-YEAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE Committee Chair: Dr. Sheila Gregory Dissertation dated May 2012 The University System of Georgia (USG) requires students take the COMPASS placement exam to determine their academic level and if they are ready for the rigor of college-level courses prior to taking any courses. The COMPASS evaluates students' skill levels in reading, writing, math, and English as a Second Language (ESL) (American College Testing [ACT], 2010). Students who test below the acceptable standard scores are placed into Learning Support (LS) courses, designed to help build the foundational skills needed for success in college-level courses. A student is successful if he or she passes the LS course(s) with a grade of C or better and pass the COMPASS exit exam for that LS area. If students are not able to exit LS in the allotted amount of time, they are placed on LS exclusion for one year during which they are not allowed to attend any USG school. In the fall of 2009, the college used in this study had one of the largest enrollments of Learning Support students in the USG with 57.9% of the total enrollment. The problem is that over half of these students are not matriculating to their college-level courses. The economic impact on both the students and the institution is huge. Nationally, approximately 60% of students entering community colleges are required to take at least one remediation course and less than 25% of these earn a college degree or certificate within eight years (Bailey & Woo Cho, 2010). The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine factors that influence the success of Learning Support students as measured by their LS course grades and their COMPASS exit exam scores. The following independent variables were examined: Curriculum Alignment of Learning Support Courses with the COMPASS exit exam, Higher Education Seminar (HEDS 1011), Purpose, Frequency, and Use, of the Learning and Tutoring Center, Instructional Delivery of Learning Support courses, Academic Advising, Academic Self-Efficacy, Number of Learning Support Areas, Number of Learning Support Courses, Student Status, Enrollment Status, Employment Status, Caregiver Status, Generational Status, and High School Grade Point Average. A correlation study was conducted using the variables that were identified to determine if there is a significant relationship between the dependent and each independent variable. A regression analysis was used to determine the order of contributions by each independent variable to the dependent variable. The results indicated the following: a lack of curriculum alignment between the LS courses and the COMPASS exit exam and students' personal characteristics more so than institutional characteristics affect students' success in Learning Support. In an effort to increase degree attainment in the United States, President Obama seta goal for an additional five million community college graduates by the year 2020. This is an additional 280,000 more degrees and certificates per year. The researcher developed success strategies for the institution to utilize to help improve the success rates of their Learning Support students. 2 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE STUDENTS' SUCCESS IN LEARNING SUPPORT AT A TWO-YEAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF EDUCATION


CONTEXT
Web 2.0 applications, such as social networking sites, are creating new challenges for medical professionalism. The scope of this problem in undergraduate medical education is not well-defined.

OBJECTIVE
To assess the experience of US medical schools with online posting of unprofessional content by students and existing medical school policies to address online posting.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
An anonymous electronic survey was sent to deans of student affairs, their representatives, or counterparts from each institution in the Association of American Medical Colleges. Data were collected in March and April 2009.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Percentage of schools reporting incidents of students posting unprofessional content online, type of professionalism infraction, disciplinary actions taken, existence of institution policies, and plans for policy development.

RESULTS
Sixty percent of US medical schools responded (78/130). Of these schools, 60% (47/78) reported incidents of students posting unprofessional online content. Violations of patient confidentiality were reported by 13% (6/46). Student use of profanity (52%; 22/42), frankly discriminatory language (48%; 19/40), depiction of intoxication (39%; 17/44), and sexually suggestive material (38%; 16/42) were commonly reported. Of 45 schools that reported an incident and responded to the question about disciplinary actions, 30 gave informal warning (67%) and 3 reported student dismissal (7%). Policies that cover student-posted online content were reported by 38% (28/73) of deans. Of schools without such policies, 11% (5/46) were actively developing new policies to cover online content. Deans reporting incidents were significantly more likely to report having such a policy (51% vs 18%; P = .006), believing these issues could be effectively addressed (91% vs 63%; P = .003), and having higher levels of concern (P = .02).

CONCLUSION
Many responding schools had incidents of unprofessional student online postings, but they may not have adequate policy in place.


Background Caregiving in stroke is complex, with most carers having little to no preparation to care for individuals with a history of stroke, leading to emotional impact. Technologies such as Mobile Health can provide the carer with real-time support and prepare the carer to assume their new roles and responsibilities. Objectives To perform a heuristic evaluation of mHealth interventions designed to support carers of individuals with a history of stroke and determine the user preferences in stroke caregiving technology to inform future researchers and developers regarding the best practices to support these individuals. Methods Twenty adults (i.e. 10 usability experts and 10 carers) participated in an iterative user-centred design study that focused on developing and modifying the mHealth intervention (StrokeCaregiver (SeCr)) created to support stroke caregiving. The intervention was repeated in four cycles, including two cycles with five usability experts each and five carers each. Results SeCr was iteratively improved to develop a highly usable product in multiple cycles. Participants demonstrated critical needs in personalized information support, communication with their healthcare needs, and the trust of the user, content, and developer. These critical needs are required to be met to promote long-term acceptance and adherence. Conclusions While SeCr was developed to address the needs of carers of individuals with a history of stroke, several considerations must be made to ensure it can be used in a real-world setting. Researchers and developers can use co-design or living lab approaches to further meet the needs and expectations of the carer and enable these individuals to be better prepared for stroke caregiving.


Because of the special capillary and water-sensitive characters, the moisture content of silt subgrade in Alluvial Plain of the Yellow River is generally higher than the optimum value, which will lead to bad support conditions of subgrade. In order to analyze the water-absorbent property of silt subgrade, both the rainfall seepage and the capillary phenomenon were simulated in laboratory, which reveals that both factors have distinct effects on the moisture content of compacted silt soil. Triaxial tests of compacted silt soil reveal that the cohesive force reduces obviously with the increasing of moisture content. What's more, the internal friction angle also reduces rapidly arriving at saturation state. By adopting Geo-slope code, the rainfall infiltration mode of silt subgrade was simulated under different rain type and rain duration. Results show that the subgrade slope is easy to lose stability because of much rainfall infiltration. In addition, the minimum safety coefficient happens at the time of rainfall ending. And the slope safety can be threatened seriously by the repetitious rainfall.


Air conditioning is becoming increasingly important in the energy supply of buildings worldwide. There has been a dramatic increase in energy requirements for cooling buildings in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This is before taking the effects of climate change into account, which will also entail a sharp increase in cooling requirements. This paper presents the potential of using a solar thermal absorption cooling system in Sub-Mediterranean Climate. Four sites in Jordan are now equipped with water-lithium bromide (H₂O-LiBr) absorption chillers with a total nominal capacity of 530 kW. The focus of the paper was on the pilot system at the German Jordanian University (GJU) campus with a cooling capacity of 160 kW. The system was designed and integrated in order to support two existing conventional compression chillers with a nominal cooling capacity of 700 kW. The system was economically evaluated based on the observed cooling capacity results with a Coefficient of Performance (COP) equals 0.32, and compared with the values observed for a COP of 0.79 which is claimed by the manufacturer. Several techniques were implemented to evaluate the overall economic viability in-depth such as present worth value, internal rate of return, payback period, and levelized cost of electricity. The aforementioned economic studies showed that the absorption cooling system is deemed not feasible for the observed COP of 0.32 over a lifespan of 25 years. The net present value was equal to −137,684 JD and a payback period of 44 years which exceeds the expected lifespan of the project. Even for an optimal operation of COP = 0.79, the discounted payback period was equal to 23 years and the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) was equal to 0.65 JD/kWh. The survey shows that there are several weaknesses for applying solar thermal cooling in developing countries such as the high cost of these systems and, more significantly, the lack of experience for such systems.


The aim of this study was to develop a realistic network model to predict qualitatively the relationship between lockdown duration and coverage in controlling the progression of the incidence curve of an epidemic with the characteristics of COVID-19 in a closed and non-immune population. Effects of lockdown time and rate on the progression of an epidemic incidence curve in a virtual closed population of 10 thousand subjects. Predictor variables were R0 values established in the most recent literature (2.7 and 5.7), without lockdown and with coverages of 25%, 50%, and 90% for 21, 35, 70, and 140 days in 13 different scenarios for each R0, where individuals remained infected and transmitters for 14 days. We estimated model validity by applying an exponential model on the incidence curve with no lockdown, with growth rate coefficient observed in realistic scenarios. Pairwise comparisons were performed using Wilcoxon test with Bonferroni correction between peak amplitude, peak latency, and total number of cases for each R0 used. For R0=5.7, the flattening of the curve occurs only with long lockdown periods (70 and 140 days) with a 90% coverage. For R0=2.7, coverages of 25 and 50% also result in curve flattening and reduction of total cases, provided they occur for a long period (70 days or more). Short and soft lockdowns had no relevant effect on incidence or casuistry. These data corroborate the importance of lockdown duration regardless of virus transmission.


A method is described for calculating equilibrium concentrations of all species in multi-metal-multi-ligand mixtures from the pH of the solution; total concentration of each metal, complexing agent, and the relevant equilibrium constants (pK(a) values and stability constants). Ternary and quaternary metal chelates of some biologically important bivalent transition metal ions viz. Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) formed with biologically significant ligands, viz. IMDA/Uracil and Proline have been investigated. The relevant stability constants and complexation equilibria of quaternary metal chelates in solution at 37±1oC and at constant ionic strength (I=0.1M NaNO3) have been studied potentiometrically. Species distribution curves are obtained by plotting percent (%) concentration of the species obtained through SCOGS computer technique against pH. The distribution curves are finally sketched by running the computer programORIGIN 4.0. The metal ligand formation constant of ML1, ML2, ML1L2 and M1M2L1L2 type of complexes follow IrvingWilliamorder. The order of stability constants of quaternary systems has been observed and probable solution structures of metal complexes with said ligands have been discussed.


Various attacks (e.g., SQL injections) may corrupt data items in the database systems, which decreases the integrity level of the database. Intrusion detections systems are becoming more and more sophisticated to detect such attacks. However, more advanced detection techniques require more complicated analyses, e.g, sequential analysis, which incurs detection latency. If we have an intrusion detection system as a filter for all system inputs, we introduce a uniform processing latency to all transactions of the database system. In this paper, we propose to use a "unsafe zone" to isolate user's SQL queries from a "safe zone" of the database. In the unsafe zone, we use polyinstantiations and flags for the records to provide an immediate but different view from that of the safe zone to the user. Such isolation has negligible processing latency from the user's view, while it can significantly improve the integrity level of the whole database system and reduce the recovery costs. Our techniques provide different integrity levels within different zones. Both our analytical and experimental results confirm the effectiveness of our isolation techniques against data corruption attacks to the databases. Our techniques can be applied to database systems to provide multizone isolations with different levels of QoS.


In 2008/09, the public sector spent £220 billion on goods and services alone, accounting for one third of all spending. However, there is multiple overlap in terms of procurement processes and structures across the public sector and collaboration across organisational boundaries has been slow to develop. Chris Cox and Paul Rainford report from a recent seminar organised by the London School of Economics and the Design Council in which it was argued that innovative procurement will be crucial if the public sector is to reduce duplication, provide value for money and survive austerity.


The past twenty years have seen an avalanche of digital information which is overwhelming people in industry, government, and academics. This avalanche is two-sided: while the past decade has seen an onslaught of digitized records – as governments, publishers, and researchers race to make their records digital, the electronic and software tools for computationally analyzing this data have quickly evolved to face this challenge.
Many of these challenges evolve around recurring patterns, including the presence of text, bits of information about pairs of items, and sequential observations. In this work we present several methods to address these challenges in data analysis which take advantage of these recurring patterns.
We begin with a method for identifying influential documents in a collection which evolves over time. We demonstrate that by encoding our assumptions about influential documents in a statistical model of the changes in textual themes, we are able to provide an alternative bibliometric which provides results consistent with—yet different from—traditional metrics of influence such as citation counts.
We then introduce a model for measuring the relationships between pairs of countries over time. We will demonstrate that this model is able to learn meaningful relationships between countries which is extraordinarily consistent across different human labels.
We next address limitations in existing models of legislative voting. In one extention we predict legislators' votes by using the text of the bills they are voting on combined with individual legislators' past voting behavior. We then introduce a method for inferring these lawmakers' positions on specific issues.
A recurring theme in the methods we present is that by using a small set of statistical primitives, we are able to apply known (or mildly adapted) methods to new problems. Several advances in the past few decades in statistical modeling will make the development and discussion of our models easier, as they will provide both this set of primitives (which can be interchanged easily) and the tools for working with them. As a final contribution, we describe a new method for fitting a statistical model with variational inference, without the time investment typically required of practitioners.


Pharmaceutical research is achieving and focusing new goals in the field of delivery systems, which are helpful to aggravate therapeutic objectives while alleviating side effects. As per current reviews, it has been critiqued that multiparticulate (MP) specifically with low-risk of dose dumping formulations will be much more suitable in context to achieve controlled and delayed release profile. These systems have received the great attention of pharmaceutical industry as they deliver an accurate amount of drug at the right time and location thus increasing patient compliance and economic feasibility. Despite recent advancements in MP drug delivery systems, further exploration of this technology is need of the hour to find out a solution to many of the dose/release/drug combination efficacy related problems. Present review comprehensively summarizes various aspects related to development and features of recently developed MP dosage forms and recent industrial advancements by extensively literature search on various scientific databases, Google, and websites of various associated pharmaceutical industries and patenting authorities across the world. MP system consists of pellets, granules, beads, microspheres, mini/micro tablets filled into sachets, capsules, or compressed into tablets. In comparison to single traditional dosage form, in the MP system dosage forms of the drug has been divided among various discrete delivery entities. Besides this, these are preferred due to their comparatively greater dispersibility in gastrointestinal tract, increased bioavailability, reduced-risk of systemic toxicity, decreased dosing frequency, increased patient compliance, lesser variability in concern to absorption, reduced chances of dose dumping, and accurate dosing. This article mainly emphasizes on technical intricacies and further possible exploration of these smart formulations for versatile pharmacotherapeutic benefits.


Minimal pneumatization of the temporal bone is characteristic of otitis media. The classic radiographic assessment of mastoid air cell system size is the Runstrom II view, but the Law lateral view is the commonly used clinical view in the United States. Isolated temporal bone specimens are most accurately positioned using a modified Law lateral view (with the film perpendicular to the central X-ray beam). Computerized tomography is the best radiographic means of assessing mastoid pneumatization. The mathematical relationships of mastoid pneumatization size determined by the Runstrom II, Law, and modified Law lateral radiographs, and computerized tomography were determined in 30 adult cadaver specimens. These data may facilitate additional study of otitis media.


This study builds on an earlier finding from the May 1980 Current Population Survey that one-third of full-time dual-earner couples with children in the United States include at least one spouse who works other than a regular day shift. Using the same data source, the relevance of husbands' and wives' job characteristics (occupation and industry) on their shift work status are considered, and the nature of the association between husbands' and wives' work shifts is explored. Four alternative models are initially posed and tested with log-linear analysis; these models vary in the extent to which a spouse's shift work status is contingent upon the job characteristics of a husband or wife. None of these models fit the data. A modification of the simplest of the four models (using forward selection) is the best fitting model. It is not symmetrical: the wife's shift is contingent upon both her occupation and industry and that of her husband, but the husband's shift is contingent only upon his occupation and industry. There is a relationship between husband's and wife's shift, the direction of which depends upon the occupations of both spouses. This study demonstrates the importance of taking a "couple" perspective on shift work among married persons, and the need for models that include interaction effects.


Compared to televised debates using a single‐screen presentation, those using a split screen presenting both debaters simultaneously show viewers the nonverbal reactions of a debater's opponent. This study examined the effect of such reactions on viewers' ratings of both the speaker's and the nonverbal communicator's veracity. Students watched one of four versions of a televised debate. One version used a single‐screen presentation, showing only the speaker, while the other three versions used a split‐screen presentation in which the speaker's opponent displayed constant, occasional, or no nonverbal disbelief regarding the content of the speaker's message. After watching the videos, students rated the veracity of the debaters' communication. Analysis indicated that when the nonspeaking debater showed constant signs of disbelief, his communication was perceived as deceptive, while his opponent's communication was perceived as truthful. Moderate signs of disbelief lowered truthfulness ratings for both debaters' communication. These results and their implications are discussed.


Cyriocosmus venezuelensis sp. n. from Venezuela, State of Lara and Carabobo, is described, diagnosed and keyed. The new species can be distinguished from all other congeners by its uniformly coloured carapace, dark ventral band on the abdomen and by the paraembolic apophysis in male palpal bulb being half the length of the embolus. Cyriocosmus rogerioi Pérez-Miles & Weinmann, 2009 is placed in the synonymy of C. pribiki Pérez-Miles & Weinmann, 2009, from which it does not differ in any characters of specific significance.


ABSTRACT: The Bogda Mountains, Xianjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, western China, expose an uppermost Permian–Lower Triassic succession of fully continental strata deposited across three graben (half graben) structures in the mid-paleolatitudes of Pangea. A cyclostratigraphy scheme developed for the succession is subdivided into three low-order cycles (Wutonggou, Jiucaiyuan, Shaofanggou). Low-order cycles are partitioned into 1838 high-order cycles based on repetitive environmental changes, and their plant taphonomic character is assessed in > 4700 m of high-resolution, measured sections distributed across ∼ 100 km. Four taphonomic assemblages are represented by: permineralized wood (both autochthonous and allochthonous), megafloral adpressions (?parautochthonous and allochthonous) identifiable to systematic affinity, unidentifiable (allochthonous) phytoclasts concentrated or disseminated on bedding, and (autochthonous) rooting structures of various configurations (carbon films to rhizoconcretions). Their temporal and spatial occurrences vary across the study area and are dependent on the array of depositional environments exposed in any particular locality. Similar to paleobotanical results in other fully continental basins, megafloral elements are rarely encountered. Both wood (erect permineralized stumps and prostrate logs) and adpressions are found in < 2% of meandering river and limnic cycles, where sediment accumulated under semi-arid to humid conditions. The absence of such assemblages in river-and-lake deposits is more likely related to physical or geographical factors than it is to an absence of organic-matter contribution. With such a low frequency, no predictable pattern or trend to their occurrence can be determined. This is also true for any horizon in which rooting structures are preserved, although paleosols occur in all or parts of high-order cycles developed under arid to humid conditions. Physical rooting structures are encountered in only 23% of these and are not preserved equally across space and time. Allochthonous phytoclasts are the most common taphonomic assemblage, preserved in association with micaceous minerals on bedding in fine-grained lithofacies. The consistency of phytoclast assemblages throughout the succession is empirical evidence for the presence of riparian vegetation during a time when models propose the catastrophic demise of land plants, and does not support an interpretation of vegetational demise followed by long-term recovery across the crisis interval in this basin. These mesofossil and microfossil (palynological) assemblages offer the best opportunity to understand the effects of the crisis on the base of terrestrial ecosystems.


In this study, we introduce five unique scanning probes developed in our laboratory for different fields of application. These probes are the results of excellent collaborations with many external partners. Each probe possesses many advanced features that one can hardly obtain with plane probes for conventional optical deflection system. The applications of these probes are very versatile, from atomic force microscope for the exploration of Mars to in vivo measurements of human knee cartilage. Copyright © 2010 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.


The educational achievements and wellbeing of Looked After Children (LAC) have been a cause of concern for government health and education departments for the past three decades. This is because of a continually growing body of research detailing the disadvantage and poor outcomes that this population is at risk of experiencing in many areas of their lives. This thesis was produced as part of the written requirements for the new full-time Doctoral training in Educational Psychology. Volume One contains three chapters: Chapters One introduces the research study and literature review, provides contextual information about the relevance of the subject area at local and national levels and reflects on the challenges of brokering the study. Chapter Two evaluates existing research evidence which claims to chart major risk and protective factors encountered by LAC throughout their care and school experience. Chapter Three reports on findings from research carried out with the Year 11, 2006-07 cohort of Looked After Children (LAC) under the care of a West Midlands Local Authority (LA) in the year (2007-08). A mixed method approach was adopted in order to identify educational and within care risk and protective factors for those LAC within this cohort who were not entered for GCSE examinations or alternative qualifications. Statistical analysis of quantitative data was carried out and a sub-sample of young people interviewed to elicit their views on factors which were influential in their educational outcomes.


Energy utilisation at work in the labour-intensive building industry is of prime importance to contractors who match people to jobs. This paper provides an insight into modelling energy expenditure in a specific task, namely brick laying in various postures. It therefore takes previous "generic" biomechanical-energy prediction models, and makes the case for applying and adapting broader theoretical models to a specific occupational task. This refinement of established models provides a meaningful and valuable contribution to interpreting and predicting energy expenditure during a defined occupational task - brick laying. Results obtained show that in the standing position, fewer muscles are brought into action. For the sitting position, the muscles are more relaxed, relieving the bricklayer of stress, but the center of gravity is still lower than the standing position. In the case of squatting, there is a lot of strain in the body by considering the muscles of the arms, legs, and back resulting in more energy released in the body. The bending position has repeated movement of the muscles at the back and the center of gravity varies. Thus, this research on energy expenditure in brick layers may be of interest to ergonomists and those interested in biomechanical-energy modelling.


The interaction of human galectin-8 and its two separate N-terminal and C-terminal carbohydrate recognition domains (CRD) to their natural ligands has been analysed using a synergistic combination of experimental NMR and ITC methods, and molecular dynamics simulations. Both domains bind the minimal epitopes N-acetyllactosamine (1) and Galβ1–3GalNAc (2) in a similar manner. However, the N-terminal and C-terminal domains show exquisite and opposing specificity to bind either Neu5Ac- or Fuc-containing ligands, respectively. Moreover, the addition of the high-affinity ligands specific for one of the CRDs does not make any effect on the binding at the alternative one. Thus, the two CRDs behave independently and may simultaneously target different molecular entities to promote clustering through the generation of supramolecular assemblies.


In this study, we analyze the performance persistence of hedge funds over short- and long-term horizons. Using a non-parametric test, we first observe that the Relative Value and the Specialist Credit strategies contain the highest proportion of outperforming managers. We next analyze the performance persistence of portfolios ranked according to their average past returns. Persistence is mainly observed over one- to three-month holding periods but rapidly vanishes as the formation or the holding period is lengthened. We finally examine long-term risk-adjusted returns persistence of hedge fund portfolio within an APT framework. This leads us to detect a slight overreaction pattern that is more pronounced among the directional hedge fund strategies.


This article aims at clarifying the role played by licenses within the increasingly relevant Open Source Software (OSS) phenomenon. In particular, the article explores from a theoretical point of view the comparative properties of the two main categories of OSS license--copyleft and non-copyleft licenses--in terms of their ability to stimulate innovation and coordination of development efforts. In order to do so, the paper relies on an incomplete contracting model. The model shows that, in spite of the fact that copyleft licenses entail the enjoyment of a narrower set of rights by both licensors and licensees, they may be preferred to non-copyleft licenses when coordination of complementary investments in development is important. It thus provides a non-ideologically-based explanation for the puzzling evidence showing the dominance, in terms of diffusion, of copyleft licenses.


Pulmonary mucormycosis (PM) is an uncommon fungal infection most often seen in immunocompromised patients. The fungus grows on decaying food, soil, and animal excrement. Patients usually become infected by inhalation of spores. The most common risk factors include diabetes mellitus, hematologic malignancy, and solid organ or stem cell transplant. PM can have a nonspecific appearance at imaging. For example, early imaging may show peribronchial ground-glass opacity. Later, the disease progresses to consolidation, nodules, or masses. Because patients are usually immunocompromised, the differential diagnosis often includes invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). Various radiologic findings suggestive of PM have been identified to help differentiate it from IPA. For example, the reverse halo sign is more closely associated with PM than with IPA. The reverse halo sign is an area of ground-glass opacity surrounded by a rim of consolidation. In addition, the presence of pleural effusions and more than 10 nodules is more suggestive of PM than it is of IPA. PM can progress rapidly in neutropenic patients. Identification of the hyphae in tissue by using endobronchial or percutaneous sampling can allow differentiation from IPA and help confirm the diagnosis of mucormycosis. Because of the high mortality rate associated with PM, early identification of the disease is critical for an improved likelihood of survival. A multimodality treatment approach with antifungal agents and surgical débridement has been shown to improve outcomes. The authors review the risk factors for PM, describe its imaging appearance and disease process, and describe the treatment of the disease. ©RSNA, 2020.


A geochemical characterization of the middle Rio Conchos basin is presented based on two contaminants, salts (Ca and Na) and toxic metalloids (As and Sb). Their content in surface water and sediment samples was determined, and their spatial distribution was mapped to show the relationship to each other, to the geology and hydrology, and to other potential factors affecting their distribution (i.e., prevailing winds). Correlation analyses between salts, toxic metalloids, and associated elements, and their spatial distribution aided in determining their sources, which included mines, rock outcrops, urban centers, irrigation waste water, and agricultural runoff. The salinity of the Rio Conchos reached a critical level after receiving waters of its contaminated tributary Rio Chuviscar and irrigation drain returns from the Irrigation District 005, but further downstream the water quality improved when it mixed with Ca-rich water, signifi cantly reducing its Na concentration. Based on its spatial distribution, the content of As in alluvial material was found to be associated with the presence of Ag-Pb mines and to a lesser degree to Oligocene ignimbrites. A correlation of As with Sb, Cu, and Bi suggests that natural sources are the dominant contribution of As within the area, although concentrations above permissible level for water were found in river water samples at a few places where sewage was also present, suggesting an additional (anthropogenic) important source of As. A characterization of natural sources affecting the chemistry of surface waters is a fi rst step toward understanding the natural processes taking place and for documenting natural background levels that are needed to predict the response of the environment to various human activities.


Level 2 Details on Drug-resistant Tuberculosis 1. What is tuberculosis and why is it a concern?........................................................2 2. What is the Global Project on Anti-tuberculosis Drug Resistance Surveillance?...................................................................................................................3 3. What are current trends in drug-resistant tuberculosis?....................................3 3.1 How many people are affected by drug-resistant tuberculosis?..............................................3 3.2 How do trends vary from region to region?.........................................................................4 3.3 How common is extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis?......................................................4


Aims: This experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effect of β–calcium sulfate hemihydrate (CSH) as a bone graft substitute on the bone response around CAD/CAM machined zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) implants. Materials and methods: Forty ZrO2 implants were digitally designed and manufactured using computer–aided design/ computer aided–manufacturing CAD/CAM machine. Twenty New–Zealand rabbits were included in the experiment and a bed was made for implantation in each head of the left femur. Each animal received a ZrO2 implant in the mesial femoral head and this group of implants was considered as a control group. Then the calcium sulfate hemihydrate was placed in the implant bed at the distal femoral head followed by fixation of an implant, and this group was considered as an experimental group. The twenty rabbits were randomly allocated into four groups, to represent the study periods i.e. 3 days, 7days, 14 days, and 21 days. Bone response was assessed around each of the forty implants by measuring the bone mineral density using densitometric analysis of the digital periapical radiological image which was taken after the euthanization of the animals according to study intervals. Results: The results showed a statistically significant difference between the control group (ZrO2 implants) and the experimental group (ZrO2 implants with CSH) in bone mineral density. Conclusions: the use of CSH as an artificial bone graft around ZrO2 implant is beneficial for increasing bone formation around the implant as it increases bone density.


Phosphorus, a limiting nutrient of biosphere, exists as dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP), particulate inorganic phosphorus (PIP) and particulate organic phosphorus (POP) in water of soil as well as ponds, lakes, etc. The only available phosphorus for plants are DIP, while the other forms need to be converted to DIP by the decomposing microorganisms of the soil. The heavy metals (such as arsenic and chromium), which are the menace of both terrestrial and aquatic environment, are taken up by the plants and animals causing toxicity at physiological level. However, the metal (Cr and As) toxicity can be mitigated competitively by phosphorus, since the latter is a structural analogue. Since, phosphorus is an essential nutrient, plants prefer it over Cr or As. At the same time, if excess of phosphorus is applied in the soil in the form of fertilisers, it gets discharged into the water bodies (ponds, lakes, etc.) through agricultural runoff, causing eutrophication followed by harming the health of the water bodies. This can be further mitigated by employing the phenomenon of luxury uptake by the aquatic plants such as Pistia stratiotes.


The United States has long been the leading destination for immigration. In 2014, there were more than 42 million immigrants in the US, which constitutes 13.3% of the total population in the country (Zong & Batalova, 2016). Of these different immigrant groups, one group in particular has received increasing attention from labor economists: refugees. Unlike economic immigrants who moved to the United States for better economic opportunities, refugees fled to the United States to escape persecution in their home country. In other words, economic immigrants chose to come to the US under their free will, whereas refugees did not have much liberty to choose when and where they would be resettled for humanitarian purposes. Hence, economic immigrants and refugees differ primarily based on the length of time and variety of resources they have at their home country to prepare for settlement in the United States, namely acquiring English skills to increase the likelihood of employment. Refugees are likely to have less time and fewer resources to gain such US-specific skills prior to immigration and therefore be disadvantaged in the US labor market. It is hence important for policymakers to understand how the refugees fare in the United States to formulate better humanitarian resettlement programs. This paper aims to investigate how refugees perform in the US labor market in relation to economic immigrants, while controlling for demographic and human capital variables. The paper is organized in the following order: literature review, theoretical model, data/ empirical model, empirical results, and conclusion. This article is available in The Park Place Economist: https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/parkplace/vol25/iss1/19


BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES
Flaxseed has functional properties in the reduction of the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Regardless of its high energy density, the consumption of flaxseed tends to promote body weight maintenance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate energy and macronutrient balance after flaxseed consumption.

SUBJECTS/METHODS
Twenty four healthy volunteers were allocated into 3 experimental groups, when they consumed flaxseed (FS), defatted flaxseed flour (FF), or flaxseed oil (FO). During the control period they were provided a diet without flaxseed products for 7-9 days. Following that diets containing 70 g of one of the flaxseed products were consumed for another 7-9 day- period. Test foods were consumed exclusively in the laboratory and fecal excretion was collected during the study. There was a higher energy excretion (P < 0.05) in the FF and FS groups, compared to their control and FO group.

RESULTS
The excretions of total lipid and the PUFA α-linolenic acid were higher in FS group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
The intake of 70 g/day of FS and FF raised lipid and energy excretion, which may mitigated the effect of flaxseed consumption on body weight.


Resource allocations are performed statically for traditional distributed/parallel applications prior to launching application executions. This limitation could cause long resource waiting time when multiple resources need to be co-allocated. In contrast, the Adaptive Distributed/Parallel Applications (ADA), allowing resources to be added and released during executions, can adapt to the dynamic feature of common distributed computing environments (e.g. the Grid). The goal of the work is to create a tool to allow users to easily develop and run ADAs without dealing with the underneath distributed resource environments. We introduce a novel software package, Application Agent (AA), to support the execution of ADAs, including automatic resource allocation, dynamic process deployment, and enabling process wide-area communication. An AA-enabled application can be started on any internet-connected machines and the AA will dynamically configure a virtual machine from the local machine to remote available machines to satisfy the execution. The AA is composed of two parts. The first part is a library of AA interface routines, which contains user-callable functions for developers to integrate their applications with the AA. This second part is the daemons, which dynamically collect computational resources on the Internet to create a wide-area virtual machine to execute an application.


Treatment with RAF inhibitors such as vemurafenib causes the development of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cSCC) or keratoacanthomas as a side effect in 18% to 30% of patients. It is known that RAF inhibitors activate the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and stimulate growth of RAS-mutated cells, possibly accounting for up to 60% of cSCC or keratoacanthoma lesions with RAS mutations, but other contributing events are obscure. To identify such events, we evaluated tumors from patients treated with vemurafenib for the presence of human papilloma virus (HPV) DNA and identified 13% to be positive. Using a transgenic murine model of HPV-driven cSCC (K14-HPV16 mice), we conducted a functional test to determine whether administration of RAF inhibitors could promote cSCC in HPV-infected tissues. Vemurafenib treatment elevated MAPK markers and increased cSCC incidence from 22% to 70% in this model. Furthermore, 55% of the cSCCs arising in vemurafenib-treated mice exhibited a wild-type Ras genotype, consistent with the frequency observed in human patients. Our results argue that HPV cooperates with vemurafenib to promote tumorigenesis, in either the presence or absence of RAS mutations.


Biomass is a promising energy resource for the Southeast Asian countries. There are currently many biomass related technology development projects taking place in the emerging countries of the region (Thailand, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Myanmar, Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos). In this paper, we investigate the critical characteristics of Japan-supported biomass energy technology development projects in those countries, specifically on; technology type, biomass feedstock type, the technology's readiness, and the geographical location. Information about the projects was collected from major Japanese organizations and Japanese private companies' websites. The results highlight the trends and direction of biomass energy conversion technology development in the region. Among them are the following: 1) Biorefinery is the most popular technology used in the development projects mainly in Thailand, 2) Boiler, Turbine, Generator (BTG) projects exist in all countries discussed in this study, 3) Agricultural residue from rice plantation and Oil Palm are the two most popular type of feedstocks used in the projects, 4) Most of the projects' are still in "feasibility study" and "pilot demonstration" readiness levels.


Engineering test courses are the core curriculums for the electromechanical majors. They are imperative or elective courses for the majors of Mechanical Design Manufacture and Automation, Test Control Instrument and Meter, Material Moulding and Control, and Process Equipmemt and Control. There are two problems which commonly exist in the textbooks and the problems have impact on students' understanding and absorbing of the professonal knowledge. Based on the two problems, the paper researches on innovation and practice of numerical simulation teaching platform of Engineering Test courses based on Matlab, establishes half practicality simulation platform to realize signal acquirement, A/D transformation and signal display based on PLC controller , and builds Matlab codes platform to display typical signals, examples and exercises, so as to realize graphics interchange format and PPT static results, and real-time dynamic interchange demonstration in class.


The study sought to identify the kinds of knowledge and skills possessed by or lacking in persons serving as laboratory assistants in Zimbabwean schools in relation to their effective functioning. Data was obtained through focused group discussions and questionnaires within the framework of a national survey. The informants were 124 designated laboratory assistants, 79 heads of science departments from different high schools and regions and 9 science education officers. The main finding was that these assistants require in- service education in basic repair and service of equipment, preparation of chemical solutions, general laboratory management skills, and safety and calibration of equipment.


Abstract Advances in computed tomography (CT) imaging are opening new avenues toward more precise characterization and quantification of connective tissue microarchitecture. In the last two decades, micro-computed tomography (microCT) has significantly augmented destructive methods for the 3D micro-analysis of tissue structure, primarily in the bone research field. Recently, microCT has been employed in combination with contrast agents to generate contrast-enhanced images of soft tissues that are otherwise difficult to visualize due to their native radiodensity. More recent advances in CT technology have enabled ultra-high resolution imaging by utilizing a more powerful nano-focused X-ray source, such as that found in nano-computed tomography (nanoCT) systems. NanoCT imaging has facilitated the expansion of musculoskeletal research by reducing acquisition time and significantly expanding the range of samples that can be imaged in terms of size, age and tissue-type (bone, muscle, tendon, cartilage, vessels and adipose tissue). We present the application and early results of nanoCT imaging in various tissue types and how this ultra-high resolution imaging modality is capable of characterizing microstructures at levels of details previously not possible. Contrast-enhanced imaging techniques to enable soft-tissue visualization and characterization are also outlined.


Orientation microscopy in TEM and SEM is a particularly well suited tool to study recrystallisation processes because these are always associated with orientation and microstructure changes. The present work discusses the possibilities and limits of the TEM and SEM based techniques and illustrates their use by means of 3 different examples. The examples include studies on nucleation mechanisms of primary recrystallisation where the techniques meet their limits in spatial resolution. The problem of in-situ observations of annealing processes is discussed and it is shown how recrystallisation simulation techniques based on experimental data may be used. Furthermore the new technique of 3-dimensional EBSD in a focused-ion-beam (FIB) SEM is presented with one example. Finally, the statistical analysis of very large orientation data sets is discussed by an example of secondary recrystallisation in electrical steels.


Multi-rotor wind turbine systems are proposed as an additional technology to the future of wind energy, and a way of achieving wind turbines generating 20 MW or more. Research regarding the electrical connections of such a system is lacking, and this is key parts of the system. The controllability and power losses are important factors in the different topology options. In this study, three different electrical topologies are proposed and their controllers are implemented respectively. The systems are fairly simplified. Further, ways to measure the power losses within the power converters are researched, and a way of doing so is implemented on the three systems. The simulations performed on the system show the validity of the controllers as well as the power loss calculation method. In this study, the power losses found in the different topologies in total are quite similar to each other, right above 1%, so it is hard to prefer on of the topologies based on this. However, this serves as a tool that can be adjusted and used on more complex systems, and in this way contribute to finding an optimal electrical collector topology for a multi-rotor wind turbine system.


BACKGROUND
The evidence on the use of dexamethasone implants in the treatment of Behçet's disease (BD)-related uveitis is limited to a few cases.

OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the efficacy of dexamethasone implants on ocular functional, morphological, and clinical parameters in BD patients with severe refractory uveitis.

METHODS
Five eyes from five BD patients were enrolled. A single intravitreal dexamethasone injection was applied to each eye. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT) assessed with optical coherence tomography, retinal vasculitis assessed by fluorescein angiography, vitreous haze score (Nussenblatt scale), intraocular pressure (IOP), and lens status (LOCS III, Lens Opacities Classification System III) were recorded at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 month follow-up visits.

RESULTS
At baseline, all eyes showed marked macular edema and 4/5 had concomitant active retinal vasculitis. Mean BCVA was increased from baseline at each control visit with a mean improvement of 0.26 ± 0.18 lines at 6 months follow-up. Mean CMT decreased from baseline at each control visit with a mean improvement at 6 months follow-up of 198.80 ± 80.08 µm. At the end of the study, none of the eyes showed macular edema and the mean CMT was 276.80 ± 24.94 µm. Retinal vasculitis resolved in all eyes. One eye experienced an IOP spike during treatment that resolved spontaneously, and one eye developed a clinically significant lens opacity at 6 months follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with a dexamethasone implant in BD-uveitis and inflammatory macular edema was safe and effective as an additional treatment combined with systemic immunomodulatory drugs.


The Design & Intelligence Laboratory at Georgia Tech is expanding the capability of its on-demand agent-based simulation generator to enable users to divide components into separate habitats. The Virtual Ecological Research Assistant (VERA) currently provides a concept map creator to designate biotic organisms and abiotic factors with their relevant relationships which then feed parameters into a compiler that generates server-side NetLogo code that is runtime compiled and executed and then outputs to the end user for a line graph displaying the population cycles of the organisms involved. The software enables easy access to generate multiple simulations by changing parameters and settings to meet user chosen goals such as more correctly emulating realistic natural environments or testing potential solutions to a problem. In reality, organisms and abiotic factors are often divided into separate habitats by a variety of factors such as a wall or by their very nature such as an ocean being separate from a landmass. With the additional feature of habitats to the VERA project, we can enable experiments that will show the viability of this approach to create more accurate models.


Abstract. Tuber initiation and tuber bulking stages are critical part of various phenological phases for potato production. Tuber initiation covers the period from the formation of spherical rhizome ends, the flowering and the start of tuber bulking. In general, the tuberization spans from 3 to 5 weeks after emergence and ends with the row closer i.e. canopies in adjacent rows touch each other across the furrow. Hence, this rapid growth seeks critical agronomic management practices such as irrigation and fertilization. It majorly influences the growth of stems, foliar area, dry weight and number of tubers particularly at the phase of tuber initiation. During these phenological stages, potato crops are susceptible to the infestation of late blight diseases caused by Phytophthora infestans and largely affects the potato production. Thus identifying the crop risk using remote sensing approaches can provide an efficient potato growth monitoring framework. In the context of monitoring crop dynamics, quad-pol Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data has proven to be effective due to its sensitivity towards dielectric and geometric properties. In addition to SAR data, optical remote sensing data derived vegetation information can provide an improved insight into crop growth when combined with SAR data. In this research, quad-pol RADARSAT-2 and Sentinel-2 optical data are analyzed to monitor potato tuberization phase over Bardhaman district in the state ofWest Bengal, which is one of the major potato growing regions in India. The proposed approach uses polarimetric parameters such as backscatter intensities, ratio (HH/VV, VH/VV, linear depolarization ratio), and co-pol correlation (ρHH–VV) along with the vegetation indices derived from the Sentinel-2 data for understanding the spatio-temporal dynamics. The initial results show a promising accuracy in monitoring the dynamics of potato tuberization. Integration of such earth observation (EO) data, in conjunction with in-situ field measurements, might significantly enhance the current capabilities for crop monitoring.


INTRODUCTION
Teaching exodontia to novice undergraduates requires a realistic model. Thiel-embalmed cadavers retain the flexibility of the soft tissues and could be used to teach exodontia.

OBJECTIVE
The objective was to determine whether Thiel-embalmed cadavers were perceived to be a more realistic model by undergraduates in comparison with mannequins.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Over a period of 4 years (2011-2014), students were randomly assigned into two groups: those taught exodontia on mannequins only (NT) and those who also experienced cadaveric teaching (T). This was followed by an assessment.

RESULTS
There were 174 students in the T group and 108 in the NT group. Sixty-five per cent of the T group and 69% of the NT group provided feedback. Ninety-eight per cent (98%) felt that they had been advantaged by being included in the group compared with 95% in the NT who felt disadvantaged. The majority (98%) thought that using the cadavers was advantageous and gave a realistic feel for soft tissue management (89%) and that it was similar to managing a patient (81%). Self-reported confidence in undertaking an extraction was not different between the two groups (P=.078), and performance in the extraction assessment was not significantly different between the two groups over the 4 years (P=.8).

CONCLUSION
The Thiel-embalmed cadavers were well received by the students who found it a more realistic model for exodontia than a mannequin, even though this did not impact on their performance in a following assessment. Future work on these cadavers may be expanded to include surgical procedures.