For decades, we monitored numbers and weights of the macrozoobenthos in a vast tidal‐flat area in the Dutch Wadden Sea. We used data collected since 1992 to estimate annual secondary production. Data on chlorophyll concentrations and primary production were available for a nearby tidal inlet, showing rapid increases in the late 1970s and gradual declines since the late 1980s. The benthos responded with a doubling of biomass around 1980 and gradual declines of summer biomass, annual production as well as seasonal biomass gain for the 1992–2019 de‐eutrophication period. In nearly all years, production of bivalves (on average 25.5 gAFDM m−2 yr−1) accounted for more than half of the total zoobenthic production (averaging 42.7 gAFDM m−2 yr−1). Production values for individual years were not correlated with chlorophyll concentrations or primary production of that year, but did show a significantly positive relationship with bivalve recruitment success in the preceding year. As recruitment was governed by predation pressure on early bivalve bottom stages, it is a top‐down process. Bottom‐up processes were expressed in the gradually declining long‐term trend of bivalve growth rates and secondary production during the de‐eutrophication period and also in a few years when bivalve numbers were so high that growth rates were reduced by food competition. In by far most years, numbers of bottom animals were too low to fully exploit the carrying capacity of the system and production increased linearly with preceding recruitment.


After two years, MAKE has become one of most celebrated new magazines to hit the newsstands, and certainly one of the hottest reads. If you're just catching on to the MAKE phenomenon and wonder what you've missed, this book contains the best DIY projects from the magazine's first ten volumes -- a surefire collection of fun and challenging activities going back to MAKE's launch in early 2005. Find out why MAKE has attracted a passionate following of tech and DIY enthusiasts worldwide with one million web site visitors and a quarter of a million magazine readers. And why our podcasts consistently rank in the top-25 for computers and technology. With the Best of MAKE, you'll share the curiosity, zeal, and energy of Makers -- the citizen scientists, circuit benders, homemakers, students, automotive enthusiasts, roboticists, software developers, musicians, hackers, hobbyists, and crafters -- through this unique and inspiring assortment of DIY projects chosen by the magazine's editors. Learn to: Hack your gadgets and toys Program micontrollers to sense and react to things Take flight with rockets, planes, and other projectiles Make music from the most surprising of things Find new ways to take photos and make video Outfit yourself with the coolest tools Put together by popular demand, the Best of MAKE is the perfect gift for any maker, including current subscribers who missed early volumes of the magazine. Do you or someone you know have a passion for the magic of tinkering, hacking, and creation? Do you enjoy finding imaginative and unexpected uses for the technology and materials in your life? Then get on board with the Best of MAKE!


Details:
four cycles, for large ensemble (15 players), was composed during participation in the London Sinfonietta's Blue Touch Paper
scheme. Written for and premiered by the London Sinfonietta, it was subsequently broadcast on BBC Radio 3, Hear and Now.

Context:
This work is empirical in nature, being written over a four-year period of experimentation with members of the London
Sinfonietta under the guidance of mentor Simon Holt. The research questions posed manifest themselves in the work's largely
didactic approach, which is presented as an ongoing investigation into the study of musical time – exploring different levels of
rhythmic activity and different rates of harmonic change. Part of the investigation was to examine what happens when the level
of rhythmic activity is increased but the rates of harmonic change slowed down. To investigate these concerns, systematic
processes were devised, which governed both the length of the pitch cycles and the rates of rhythmic activity within an
underlying grid structure. The work is essentially monodic in conception, treating the whole ensemble as one large instrument
and exploring the ways in which harmonic resonance, for example, might be used to prolong pitches, merge harmonies or
create aggregate textural results.

The work is presented as four movements, which each adopt a different organisational principle to a single melodic trajectory.
The second movement draws on the writings and phenomenological experiments into Shepard tones by American composer
James Tenney. Similarly, in this piece, the movement emerges from plotting pitches against a single upward trajectory. The grid
structure adopted in this movement derives from research into the work of British painter Bridget Riley and the employment of
curvilinear grids. As the title suggests, the piece makes extensive use of circular structures, which operate on both a micro and
macro level throughout the four movements.


A mass number of tagged items are predicted to be in use in future applications of HF RFID/NFC systems. One such application, where items such as books or other items contained on a shelf or in a cupboard, can use RFID technology to ascertain the position and logging of such items in addition to identifying their existence on the shelf hence defined as a smart shelf. In the first instance, a new theoretical approach is presented to increase bandwidth of RFID reader antennas operating at HF band to improve the reception of the backscattered RFID response. A prototype antenna is designed and evaluated by measurement for its capability in being used for smart shelf applications. The more bandwidth will support subcarrier frequencies for the all the existing HF RFID standards (ISO/IEC 15693 and ISO/IEC14443) to be detected more easily and thus leads to increased range of identification. Also, it is shown that in the presence of books, the HF RFID technology is capable of identifying the distance of a tag antenna based on the received H-field, which could be used in a smart shelf management system.


With the cutting model of high-speed milling cutter in vibration condition, milling cutter vibration and effect of tooth error on cutting parameter are researched and high-speed milling cutter multi tooth uneven cutting behavior characterization methods are proposed. Use of high speed milling cutter cutting experiments and simulation results of surface topography, processing surface morphology characteristic parameters of cutter multi-tooth uneven cutting behavior response characteristics are revealed under the influence of milling cutter vibration and error, surface topography criterion is established in the cutting behavior of high speed milling cutter with multi-tooth, judgment method of multitooth uneven cutting behavior of high speed milling cutter with multi-tooth is proposed. Use the above criteria and evaluation method, reveal the formation mechanism of multi tooth uneven cutting, proposed compensation method of multi tooth uneven cutting behavior of high-speed milling cutter and do an experiment to verify the method.


Nucleophilic ring opening reactions of epoxides with aromatic amines are in the forefront of the synthetic organic chemistry research to build new bioactive scaffolds. Here, a convenient, green and highly efficient regioselective ring opening of sterically hindered (2R,3S)-3-(N-Boc-amino)-1-oxirane-4-phenylbutane with various poorly reactive aromatic amines are accomplished under microwave irradiation in nitromethane. All the reactions effectively implemented for various aromatic amines involves reuse of nitromethane that supports its dual role as a solvent and catalyst. The corresponding new β-alcohol analogs of hydroxyethylamine (HEA) are isolated in 41-98% yields. The reactions proceed under mild conditions for a broad range of less reactive and sterically hindered aromatic amines. Proton NMR and UV-visible spectroscopic studies suggest that the nucleophilicity of amines is influenced by nitromethane, which is substantiated by the extensive computational studies. Overall, this methodology elucidates the first time use of nitromethane as a solvent for the ring opening reactions under microwave conditions involving equimolar ratio of epoxide and aromatic amine without any catalyst, facile ring opening of complex epoxide by less reactive aromatic amines, low reaction time, less energy consumption, recycling of the solvent and simple workup procedures.


The aim of this project is to understand the main determinants of Southwest Airline's presence on U.S. domestic routes, over the period 2002 to 2007. A new dataset has been constructed, using quarterly and annual data from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DB1B and T100 Origin and Destination databases), and a number of socio-economic and geographic (regional) variables. A range of discrete choice (probit and logit) models have been built and estimated, both for individual quarters, and for the full sample period, and under various assumptions on the construction of key variables. The resulting model is seen to outperform one of Boguslaski et al.'s (2004, Review of Industrial Organization) recently published Southwest Airlines entry models, in terms of model fit. The model is used both to examine Southwest's current route presence, and to form predictions of its likely future behaviour. In particular, it is suggested that Southwest's announced Mar 2009 entry into Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) is likely to be more successful than its planned expansion into New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA). Further, the model is able to identify likely expansion of routes out of airports that are currently served by Southwest, such as Denver International Airport (DEN) and Bob Hope Airport (BUR), and can be used to explore the potential implications of a repeal of the 1979 Wright Amendment restricting Southwest's traffic out of Dallas Love Field (DAL).


Reports of outbreaks of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) among human immunodeficiency virus-negative immunocompromised patients have suggested a person-to-person transmission of P. carinii. In this study, 17 bronchoalveolar lavage isolates from patients in 3 PCP outbreaks were genotyped, 2 in renal transplant recipients and 1 outbreak among patients with haematological disorders. Genotypes in the P. carinii sp. f. hominis (P. carinii f.sp. hominis) mt large subunit ribosomal RNA site 85 were detected by 2 methods: direct sequencing and 3 different allele-specific polymerase chain reaction assays. Although limited data on patient contacts were available, the detected P. c. hominis genotypes do not support person-to-person transmission as the predominant transmission route of P. carinii in humans.


To commit in bargaining is crucial: in the ultimatum game with its one-sided commitment power the 'proposer' (almost) receives the whole pie while the 'responder' is left with (almost) nothing. When bargaining parties commit simultaneously the symmetric Nash (Econometrica, 1950, vol. 18, pp. 155-162) bargaining solution predicts equal shares. Continuously connecting these two games yields a one-parameter family of games ( Fischer et al. , Experimental Economics, 2006, vol. 9, pp. 17-33) for which we distinguish two behavioral dispositions, namely (1) neglecting commitment power and (2) reacting to it strategically. Their pay-off implications define the evolutionary set-up for which we derive the evolutionarily stable behavioral disposition. Our analysis sheds light on the hypothesis that in experiments participants neglect strategic aspects such as commitment power. Copyright © 2007 The Authors; Journal compilation © 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.


Telangiectases and chronic erythema are the usual components of the cutaneous lesions of lupus erythematosus (LE). These vascular alterations are found in the discoid, subacute, or systemic varieties of LE. Steroids, antimalarial drugs, thalidomide, immunosuppresive drugs, sunscreens, and cosmetic agents have been employed in the treatment of these lesions, showing different results. The flashlamp pulsed dye laser (FPDL) (585 nm) has proven useful in a variety of vascular lesions. We have treated four patients with systemic LE (SLE) using an FPDL. Report of Cases. Case 1. A 42-year-old woman was diagnosed with SLE in 1983. She had a malar rash, photosensitivity, and leukopenia and positive findings for antinuclear antibodies and anti-DNA. Facial bilateral telangiectasias were the main cutaneous findings, and a diagnosis of LE telangiectoides was made. Cutaneous examination revealed bilateral and symmetric facial telangiectasias. A skin biopsy specimen and an direct immunofluorescence examination showed features of LE. Case 2.


INTRODUCTION: Thromboembolic events are a serious concern due to the high rates of morbidity and mortality as well as the possibility of existing disease presenting with scarce and often nonspecific symptoms. Prevention is the most effective management method for this kind of event, which can quickly lead to death once it occurs. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted between May 2009 and May 2010 on patients undergoing plastic surgery at the Ivo Pitanguy Institute. All patients underwent the protocol for the prevention of venous thromboembolism after being assessed for risk factors. These factors were summed to generate a score, which determined the prophylaxis to be implemented. RESULTS: During one year, 1351 patients were assessed. There was no incidence of venous thromboembolism. There were 16 cases of hematoma, 9 (56.25%) of which occurred after heparin prophylaxis and 7 (43.75%) of which occurred without the use of prophylaxis. CONCLUSIONS: The protocol for the prevention of venous thromboembolism at the Ivo Pitanguy Institute was effective, with no occurrence of VTE cases and the incidence of hematomas remained below that found in the medical literature.


We present a novel architecture for comparing a pair of images to identify image regions that have been subjected to editorial manipulation. We first describe a robust near-duplicate search, for matching a potentially manipulated image circulating online to an image within a trusted database of originals. We then describe a novel architecture for comparing that image pair, to localize regions that have been manipulated to differ from the retrieved original. The localization ignores discrepancies due to benign image transformations that commonly occur during online redistribution. These include artifacts due to noise and recompression degradation, as well as out-of-place transformations due to image padding, warping, and changes in size and shape. Robustness towards out-of-place transformations is achieved via the end-to-end training of a differentiable warping module within the comparator architecture. We demonstrate effective retrieval and comparison of benign transformed and manipulated images, over a dataset of millions of photographs.


In this study, density functional theory calculations were used to identify the structure of the radiation-induced radicals in solid state β-D-fructose, using a single molecule approach. Four model radicals were proposed,and the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) parameters were calculated for the optimized geometries. These calculated parameters were subsequently compared with those of two radical species, observed in an experimental EPR and electron nuclear double resonance study on irradiated fructose (Vanhaelewyn, G.; Lahorte, P.; De Proft, F.; Mondelaers, W.; Geerlings, P.; Callens, F. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2001, 3, 1729). On the basis of this preliminary comparison, three model structures were rejected. By varying the main degree of freedom of the remaining model, a number of conformations were obtained that yielded isotropic and anisotropic hyperfine tensor components in close agreement with experimental results. To disentangle between these possible conformers, a detailed study was made of the hyperfine tensor eigenvectors. One conformation was found to be in close agreement with the experimental measurement of the hyperfine tensor of the two observed radical species. It was concluded that these experimental species are in fact manifestations of one and the same radical, with a structure conforming to our model but with slightly altered conformations.


Acute hypoxia changes the redox-state of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). This might influence the activity of redox-sensitive voltage-gated K+-channels (Kv-channels) whose inhibition initiates hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV). However, the molecular mechanism of how hypoxia—or the subsequent change in the cellular redox-state—inhibits Kv-channels remains elusive. For this purpose, a new multifunctional gas-tight microfluidic system was developed enabling simultaneous single-cell Raman spectroscopic studies (to sense the redox-state under normoxic/hypoxic conditions) and patch-clamp experiments (to study the Kv-channel activity). The performance of the system was tested by optically recording the O2-content and taking Raman spectra on murine PASMCs under normoxic/hypoxic conditions or in the presence of H2O2. Oxygen sensing showed that hypoxic levels in the gas-tight microfluidic system were achieved faster, more stable and significantly lower compared to a conventional open system (1.6 ± 0.2%, respectively 6.7 ± 0.7%, n = 6, p < 0.001). Raman spectra revealed that the redistribution of biomarkers (cytochromes, FeS, myoglobin and NADH) under hypoxic/normoxic conditions were improved in the gas-tight microfluidic system (p-values from 0.00% to 16.30%) compared to the open system (p-value from 0.01% to 98.42%). In conclusion, the new redox sensor holds promise for future experiments that may elucidate the role of Kv-channels during HPV.


Abstract. Data and models of the built environment enable urban systems to serve their inhabitants and adapt to ever increasing rates of change in society, climate, and. Models of the built environment at or above the ground surface need to be 3 dimensional to best fill that role, but the subsurface also has critical 3-dimensional properties that are even more difficult to characterize being hidden from view. There are many compelling use cases for high quality data on the underground environment at varying levels of detail, from which a list of 6 critical use cases are presented here. Data on the location and disposition of buried utility are difficult to collect and maintain, but the value of avoiding damage, delay, injury and cost with good underground data in all these cases far outstrips the cost and difficult of obtaining it. Effective management and utilization of underground data also depend on models and schemas to organize them. Sharing and exchange of such data require standard models that are agreed between data providers and consumers. There are presently a number of applicable models and standards, but they often reflect a specific perspective, focus, and priorities that make it difficult for any one of them to provide a holistic awareness of the entire underground built environment at the multiple levels of complexity required by the use cases. The draft Model for Underground Data Definition and Integration (MUDDI), a comprehensive integration model for underground information takes a modular approach, with a conceptual core that covers basic geometric representations of underground assets, and a number of extension modules that add more specialized capabilities as well as interfaces with existing models. Several prototyping efforts have generated physical implementations of the MUDDI conceptual model and application deployments populated by operational utilities data, in particular the NUAR and LUAR pilot projects sponsored by the UK Geospatial Commission. An Open Geospatial Consortium Standards Working Group (SWG) is being formed to build on the draft MUDDI model as well as the experiences gained in pilot projects, in order to publish a full specification of the model at the conceptual, logical, and physical levels. Another SWG objective will be to create a roadmap of critical extension modules, particularly those which support upcoming 3D-4D digital twin technologies for visualization, operation, and simulation. Other advanced use cases for these extensions, such as mixed reality visualization and navigation, are expected to become common as both the demands on our built environment and the data available to manage it continue to expand.


Bump-hunting or mode identification is a fundamental problem that arises in almost every scientific field of data-driven discovery. Surprisingly, very few data modeling tools are available for automatic (not requiring manual case-by-base investigation), objective (not subjective), and nonparametric (not based on restrictive parametric model assumptions) mode discovery, which can scale to large data sets. This article introduces LPMode--an algorithm based on a new theory for detecting multimodality of a probability density. We apply LPMode to answer important research questions arising in various fields from environmental science, ecology, econometrics, analytical chemistry to astronomy and cancer genomics.


Background Predicting the death trend caused by traffic accidents and its analysis is a useful tool for planning and policy-making by the authorities in the field of road traffic, conducting interventions appropriate with death trend, and taking the actions required for controlling future conditions. Methods In a cross-sectional research, all the information related to the traffic accidents leading to death available in the database of Iran Legal Medicine Organisation from 2004 to the end of 2013 was used to determine the change points (multi-variable time series analysis). Role of regulations and rules in the variations of death caused by traffic load was studied using Box Jenkins multi-variable time series models and critical path analysis (CPA) over time. Using autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model, rate of death caused by traffic accidents was predicted for 2014 and 2015 and, finally, the actual rate of death caused by traffic accidents was compared with the predicted value to determine the efficiency of the model. Results Results showed that rate of death in 2014 was almost equal to the actual rate of death recorded for this year, while rate of death in 2015 decreased compared with the previous year (2014) during all months. It was also predicted that, in January and February 2015, rate of death would reach its minimum value in that year, i.e. 4.1%. Conclusions According to the prediction and analysis of the trend of death caused by traffic accidents, it was observed that applying and continuing the intervention conducted in the previous years for road safety improvement, motor vehicle safety improvement, particularly training and culture-fostering interventions, as well as approval and execution of deterrent regulations for changing the organisational behaviours can significantly decrease the loss caused by traffic accidents.


ABSTRACT Background Type 2 diabetes (T2D) incurs tremendous health costs associated with various complications due to poor diabetes control. Medication adherence, which is correlated with patients' health literacy, should be consistently practiced achieving optimal diabetes control. A deeper understanding of the specific communication and psychosocial factors related to medication-taking behaviors across different levels of health literacy among people with T2D will guide the development of effective interventions and strategies to enhance medication adherence. Objectives This cross-sectional study aimed to identify salient patient factors associated with diabetes medication adherence across different levels of health literacy. Methods A questionnaire was administered via a face-to-face approach with 205 participants at a family medicine clinic. Study participants were all above 20 years of age with T2D, were prescribed at least one oral diabetes medication, and understood English. The questionnaire assessed participants' health literacy, self-efficacy for medication use, beliefs in medicines, patient-provider communication, perceived barriers to medication adherence, and self-reported medication adherence. Separate analysis of covariance was used to compare the mean scores of patient factors related to medication adherence across people with different health literacy levels. Results The mean age of participants was 61 years old, and the majority of the participants were female (57%), White (75%), and college educated (62%). Thirty-three percent of the participants had adequate health literacy, but only 43% of them reported high adherence to their diabetes medications. Analysis of covariance showed that having stronger self-efficacy (P < 0.001), lower concern beliefs about medication (P = 0.047), and fewer perceived barriers to medication-taking (P < 0.001), are necessary for better medication adherence. Conclusion Findings suggest that practitioners should address concern beliefs among low-adherent patients with low health literacy, help improve self-efficacy, and address perceived barriers to medication adherence among all low-adherent patients to optimally support patients' diabetes care.


Purtscher retinopathy and fat embolism syndrome are chorioretinopathies occurred after indirect ocular trauma. These diseases look like similar conditions but there are important differences which are help to differential diagnosis. In general, trauma is responsible from these diseases; but crush trauma play role in Purtscher retinopathy, while bone fracture play role in fat embolism syndrome. Retinal whitening is dominant funduscopic finding in these diseases; but whitening is wide and centrally in Purtscher retinopathy, while it is smaller and located more peripherally in fat embolism syndrome. These clinical findings associated with Purtscher retinopathy and fat embolism syndrome, resolve spontaneously in weeks or months but permanent visual loss can be seen in survivors. In this manuscript, we aimed to give general information about emergence and clinical course and differentiation of Purtscher retinopathy and fat embolism syndrome.


Hot spots with dimensions of only a few nanometers form in numerous nanoelectronic devices. Based on recent advances in spatial resolution, these hotspots can now be studied by means of Scanning Thermal Microscopy (SThM). Here, we discuss SThM for nanoscale thermometry in comparison with other established thermometry techniques. In situ measurements of semiconductor channels for logic, and phase change memory devices are used to demonstrate today's measurement capabilities. Temperature fields characterize not only energy dissipation in in-tact devices but can also serve to identify device failure and fabrication issues.


This research investigation aims to examine the urban consumers' attitude towards organic food, and the factors affecting for their attitude. A consumer survey consisting of a sample of 600 consumers was conducted, using a pre-tested questionnaire, in major cities of six main districts of Sri Lanka during November 2016 - May 2018. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results revealed that majority of the consumers were married females. Most of them were of 18-40 years of age category and were educated up to the GCE advanced level. The sample's monthly income ranged from Sri Lankan Rupees 58000 – 85000.  Although the majority of the consumers (75.2%) were aware of organic food, only 11.5% possessed a good knowledge about them. As per the mean analysis, the consumers had a positive attitude towards most aspects of organic food. According to factor analysis, four factors (environmental factors, quality factors, health factors, and marketing factors) were extracted as they are influenced to the consumer attitude for purchasing of organic foods. Results of multiple linear regression analysis revealed a positive relationship between consumers' attitude and the extracted four factors which were based on the consumers' attitude on purchasing of organic foods. Main problems faced by consumers in buying organic food were the high price, unavailability of organic food, lack of trust, and lack of market information on organic food. It can be concluded that by providing the necessary conditions such as arranging better marketing facilities with useful market information, a continuous supply of organic foods with reasonable price levels, and enhancing consumer knowledge, will motivate the consumers to purchase more organic food. As relatively low is known about consumers' purchasing pattern of organic foods in Sri Lanka, findings of this study would be beneficial to the traders and policy makers to formulate effective strategies designed to marketing of organic foods in the country.
JEL CODE: Q13
ARTICLE IN PRESS!


In this paper we present a computational study of the stability of time dependent dual problems for compressible flow at high Reynolds numbers in two dimensions. The dual problem measures the sensitivity of an output functional with respect to numerical errors and is a key part of goal oriented a posteriori error estimation. Our investigation shows that the dual problem associated with the computation of the drag force for the compressible Euler/Navier--Stokes equations, which are approximated numerically using different temporal discretization and stabilization techniques, is unstable and exhibits blow-up for several Mach regimes considered in this paper.


The economics of a Payment for Watershed Services (PWS) is examined as a way to finance the restoration of the Baviaans catchment. The proposed PWS consists of Gamtoos-valley farmers "buying" watershed services from upstream farmers in the Western Baviaanskloof, who need to change their farming practices to ensure the delivery of this service. The economic valuation of the watershed services is discussed and it is found that, although more quantitative and scientific research is necessary, the downstream farmers will reap economic benefits and that both parties are willing to participate in the scheme. This is a synthesis paper written for PRESENCE.


Law no. 62/2011 of social dialogue, as it was regulated by the lawmaker, comes and reunites within it a series of fundamental institutions in social matters, such as: social dialogue (trade unions, employees' representatives, owners' associations), the Economic and Social Council, the collective employment contract, labour conflicts and, not lastly, a series of elements pertaining to labour jurisdiction. It thus abrogates the old regulations in the matter: Law no. 54/2003 with respect to trade unions, Law no. 356/2001 regarding owners' associations, Law no. 109/1997 regarding the organizing and functioning of the Economic and Social Council, Law no. 130/1996 with respect to the collective employment contracts, Law no. 168/1999 regarding the settling of labour conflicts and Government Decision (G.D.) no. 369/2009 regarding the establishment and functioning of the social dialogue commissions at the level of the central public administration and at the territorial level.


Background: Improper use of antibiotics in the past decades has lead to appearance of strains which are resistant to methicillin and vancomycin . Hospital personnel are the major source of infection and transmission of this bacterium. The aim this study was to determine the antibiotic susceptibility of to S.aureus isolated from personnel of Shiraz hospitals. Material and Methods: In this cross - sectional study in 1391,a total of 591 samples were collected from anterior nose of health care and health service workers of Shiraz hospitals. After identification of Staphylococcus aureus by biochemical and microbiological tests, antibiotic resistance patterns of isolates were investigated by disk diffusion method (CLSI) for 13 antibiotics. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for vancomycin ,ticoplanin, linezolid and Quinupristin-Dalfopristin were assayed by E-test method (Liofilechem, Itly). Results : In this study14.6% of people were carriers of Staphylococcus aureus in their nose. 74% were health care workers and 26% were health service personnel. There was not statistically significant relation between being a nasal carrier with different jobs, wards or sex of personnel (p>0.05). The lowest resistance was seen for vancomycin, tiecoplanin, linezolid and Quinupristin-Dalfopristin (95.3%) and the high resistant antibiotic were amoxicillin and ampicillin (3.5%). In E-test method only two isolate was resistant to vancomycin. Only two strains were resistant to vancomycin in E-test method. Conclusion: As 14.6% of personnel in this study were carriers of Staphylococcus aureus and the isolates were resistant to most common antibiotics, thus determination of antibiotic resistance patterns for these resistant strains from hospital personnel can prevent nosocomial infections.


This paper responds to the call often voiced in today's knowledge society for popularization of specialized knowledge within a field relevant to us all, viz. medicine. Specifically, the aim of the paper is to explore the popularization potential of specialized terminology within this field. Whereas many previous studies of popularization within different LSP fields have been preoccupied with the actual linguistic strategies employed in the mediation of specialized knowledge to non-expert audiences, the present study explores whether subcategories of terms associated with medicinal products exhibit different degrees of popularization potential, i.e. whether there are differences in the degree to which terminological subcategories in this field lend themselves to popularization.
Empirically, the investigation is based on a corpus of two derivationally related text types: The specialized pharmaceutical genre named Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and the patient-oriented counterpart, the so-called Patient Information Leaflet (PIL), which contains user-relevant information, recontextualized from the SmPC, about the medicinal product in question. The PILs are legally required to be written in a lay-friendly register.
We identified four categories of specialized terms from the SmPCs that are recontextualized in the PILs: a) terms for medical disorders, b) biochemical and microbiological terms, c) terms for medicinal products or the active substances of these, and d) terms for so-called excipients (carrier substances in the drug).
Using the so-called 'coupled-pairs' methodology known from Translation Studies, whereby lexical items with a medico-pharmaceutical content in the PILs were traced back to their origin in a specialized SmPC term, we identified patterns of popularization strategies that differed markedly between the four categories of terms: Terms for medical disorders are either replaced with established core-vocabulary equivalents, or their constituent Greek/Latin morphemes or words are translated more or less directly into English. Biochemical/microbiological terms and terms for medicinal products/active substances, on the other hand, are not actually replaced by such reformulations, but are in virtually all cases retained in the PILs and accompanied by a definition. Excipients, it turned out, are in effect not popularized at all, but transferred directly from the SmPC without any kind of reformulation or explanation.
We argue that these different types of strategy, i.e. a) replacement by a core-vocabulary equivalent or translation, b) definition and c) direct transfer, represent a scale of popularization, with replacement strategies representing the top degree and direct transfer the lowest degree. Since the findings show a very clear correspondence between the different types/degrees of popularization and the terminological subcategories, we conclude that this overlap indicates clear differences in popularization potential: When a given category of terms is consistently popularized by means of one type of strategy rather than others, this must be taken as indicative of what the category in question allows.
We also venture explanations for the observed divergences in popularization potential. Thus, in the medical-disorder category of terms, etymology turned out to a key factor, since the Greek/Latin origin of most of these terms makes for easy translatability (in the ordinary, i.e. interlingual, sense of the word). This is because the original Greek/Latin constituent morphemes/words of these terms represent a wholly non-specialized vocabulary that is easily translated into core English lexis. In the biochemical/microbiological category and the medicinal-products/active-substances category, this etymologically based translatability is absent, and so the only other popularization strategy available appears to be definition. Definitions using terms understandable to the lay reader are, however, possible in these two categories, since the salient parts of the definitions turned out to consist in references to bodily functions or diseases for which lay terms exist, or for which the medical term is typically known to the average lay reader. The absence of explanatory definitions in the excipients category, on the other hand, is in all likelihood due, not to the impossibility of defining such terms (since any specialized term is definable), but to the impossibility of providing definitions based on concepts known to the lay reader. Excipient terms denote substances that are only definable by reference to their chemical composition and to their location within a specialized taxonomy of chemical substances and compounds – a taxonomy, in other words, which is bound to be beyond the chemical knowledge of most lay readers.
With medico-pharmaceutical terminology as a case in point, the implications of the paper's findings are that popularization is not equally possible across terminological categories. Hence popularization may at best be able to only partially bridge the knowledge divide, or asymmetry, between experts and non-experts.
The investigation is here limited to a particular field of LSP terminology, i.e. medicine, and a particular language, i.e. English. Even so, theoretically, the paper may be seen as representing a first step towards creating a taxonomy of popularization strategies that may be further explored and refined in future studies encompassing other specialized domains and other languages than English.


Children of immigrant families often have great difficulties with language and disadvantages in schooling. Phonological problems appear especially common. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine whether music training has a positive effect on the phonological awareness in these children. The effects of a music program were compared with an established phonological skills program and with a sports control group. Preschoolers of immigrants (19 boys, 20 girls) were randomly assigned to one of the three groups. All groups were trained three times a week for 20 min each, over a period of 14 weeks. Phonological awareness was tested prior to the beginning of the training and after the training phase. At the pre-test, no differences between the groups were found regarding phonological awareness and control variables (age, gender, intelligence, socioeconomic status, language background, music experience). At the post-test, the music group and the phonological skills group showed a significant increase in phonological awareness of large phonological units. The effect size of the music training was larger compared to the phonological skills program. In contrast, the sports control group showed no significant increase in phonological awareness. The current results indicate that a music program could be used as an additional opportunity to promote phonological skills in children of immigrant families.


The manner and context of teachers' verbal discourse has been well documented and much has been written on
the ways in which teachers' use of spoken language impacts on the teaching and learning process. However,
there has been little about 'the spaces' between the words and the ways in which different social and personal
constructions of 'silence' may translate into classroom practice. This study begins to explore how silence occurs
intentionally or non-intentionally within the duration of a learning session and how some teachers conceptualise
and use silences. It is based on a pilot study acting as a prelude to a larger scale piece of research. The subject
under investigation is teachers' perceptions of silence, exploring the hypothesis that people have different
conceptions of silence and different associations with various kinds of silence. The inquiry focuses on teachers'
conceptions of silences in their everyday lives (i.e. personal lives separate from their professional lives as
teachers) and, using these personal conceptions as a base, the ways in which they perceive their use of silence in
the classroom. By using their silences rather than their talking, the study begins to examine ways in which
teachers may be helped to explore a different way of looking at their own practice.


Chronic viral infections are characterized by the up-regulation of a set of immunomodulatory receptors. The over-expression of co-inhibitory molecules on T cells leads to a dysfunctional T cell response with an "exhausted" phenotype. Programmed Death-1 (PD-1) is a molecule that exerts an inhibitory signal on the T cell receptor when it binds to the PD-L1 or PD-L2 ligands present on antigen-presenting cells. Also, the expression of these molecules has been associated to the loss of T cell functions as well as clinical markers of the progression of HIV infection. The study of these molecules has gained attention due to reports indicating that blockade of PD-1 pathway could partially reconstitute T cell functions. In fact, this mechanism has been proposed as an alternative treatment for some chronic viral infections such as HIV infection. This review is focused on those mechanisms that might be favouring the over-expression of PD-1 and its ligands during HIV infection and on the possible new approaches that, by reducing its expression, might represent new strategies for the treatment of HIV infection. Knowing the exact mechanism leading to PD-1, PD-L1 and PDL2 expression in physiologic and pathological conditions is essential for the development of successful treatments. Novel molecular mechanisms inhibiting PD-1 activation might have potential therapeutic use not only in HIV infection but also in other diseases.


Tactile Sensing and Position Estimation Methods for Increased Proprioception of Soft-Robotic Platforms Nathan McClain Day Department of Mechanical Engineering, BYU Master of Science Soft robots have the potential to transform the way robots interact with their environment. This is due to their low inertia and inherent ability to more safely interact with the world without damaging themselves or the people around them. However, existing sensing for soft robots has at least partially limited their ability to control interactions with their environment. Tactile sensors could enable soft robots to sense interaction, but most tactile sensors are made from rigid substrates and are not well suited to applications for soft robots that can deform. In addition, the benefit of being able to cheaply manufacture soft robots may be lost if the tactile sensors that cover them are expensive and their resolution does not scale well for manufacturability. Soft robots not only need to know their interaction forces due to contact with their environment, they also need to know where they are in Cartesian space. Because soft robots lack a rigid structure, traditional methods of joint estimation found in rigid robots cannot be employed on soft robotic platforms. This requires a different approach to soft robot pose estimation. This thesis will discuss both tactile force sensing and pose estimation methods for soft-robots. A method to make affordable, high-resolution, tactile sensor arrays (manufactured in rows and columns) that can be used for sensorizing soft robots and other soft bodies isReserved developed. However, the construction results in a sensor array that exhibits significant amounts of cross-talk when two taxels in the same row are compressed. Using the same fabric-based tactile sensor array construction design, two different methods for cross-talk compensation are presented. The first uses a mathematical model to calculate a change in resistance of each taxel directly. The second method introduces additional simple circuit components that enable us to isolate each taxel electrically and relate voltage to force directly. This thesis also discusses various approaches in soft robot pose estimation along with a method for characterizing sensors using machine learning. Particular emphasis is placed on the effectiveness of parameterbased learning versus parameter-free learning, in order to determine which method of machine learning is more appropriate and accurate for soft robot pose estimation. Various machine learning architectures, such as recursive neural networks and convolutional neural networks, are also tested to demonstrate the most effective architecture to use for characterizing soft-robot sensors.


In this survey, we present a review of methods and resources for texture recognition, presenting the most common techniques that have been used in the recent decades, along with current tendencies. That said, this paper covers since the most traditional approaches, for instance texture descriptors such as gray-level co-occurence matrices (GLCM) and Local Binary Patterns (LBP), to more recent approaches such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and multi-scale patch-based recognition based on encoding approaches such as Fisher Vectors. In addition, we point out relevant references for benchmark datasets, which can help the reader develop and evaluate new methods.


Insect phenology models are widely used for decision support in pest management and more recently in risk assessments. During the last two decades, numerous linear and nonlinear models have been used to describe insect development rates and estimate various critical temperatures (CT) including optimal development temperature (Topt), maximum development temperature (Tmax), minimum development temperature (Tmin) and thermal constant (K) (e.g. day degree requirements to complete development). Using a database comprising more than 600 species from laboratory and field experiments, the relationship between CT for the six main insect orders, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Homoptera and Hemiptera, was compared. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) between Topt andTmax for all orders, but Tmin and K showed significant (P<0.001) differences between orders, with Hemiptera and Coleoptera having the highest and Homoptera the lowest Tmin for egg to adult development. Conversely, the thermal constant (K) for egg to adult development was highest for Lepidoptera and lowest for Hymenoptera. A possible explanation for the observed differences in Tmin and K may relate to trophic level within the insect kingdom. The lack of significant variation of Topt and Tmax across orders may simply relate to the models used to calculate these variables, with linear models sometimes fitted to nonlinear temperature dependent development patterns.


There is little evidence of regional, let alone worldwide, trends in local finances, although trends within particular countries certainly exist. Given the path-dependent and context-specific nature of country experiences, one must be very careful both in categorizing the local finance systems found in different countries and in making cross-country empirical studies of local finances. In analyzing and comparing country experiences, it is important to be clear about the different (implicit or explicit) normative models to be found in the literature and exemplified in practice in different countries.


Introduction: Hyperreactio Luteinalis (HL) is a rare benign condition in pregnancy which is characterized by bilaterally multicystic ovarian enlargement containing theca lutein cysts caused by increased production of hCG. HL is mostly associated with hydatidiform mole and multiple pregnancies. Case Report: We report a unique case of hyperreactio Luteinalis (HL) in spontaneous singleton pregnancy with elevated level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) for who referred to our center for high blood pressure and proteinuria which subsequently developed early–onset HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count) at 18 weeks of pregnancy. Termination of pregnancy was considered and a patient passed a normal dead fetus. Placental histology showed evidence of hypoperfusion with focal villous infarction and ischemic changes without evidence of trophoblastic abnormalities. Conclusion: Hyperreactio luteinalis associating with high level of hCG in second trimester can be consequence of inadequate trophoblast invasion and may be a risk factor for early onset HELLP syndrome.


Abstract Overcoming traditional tourism silos to develop long-term relationships with stakeholders is essential for transformational change. Adopting broader networks connects researchers to pertinent issues facing society, develops reciprocal capacities for learning, and creates inclusive sustainable partnerships. As critical tourism scholars and not-for-profit employees, we illustrate the journey of how we engaged collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, from businesses, not-for-profits and the university, to tackle issues of economic disadvantage and social exclusion. Critical hospitality and dialogue theory were adopted to provide a framework for the processes of collaboration, research, networking, and advocacy work for inclusive sustainable spaces. Drawing on our involvement with co-founding a collaborative research network, the Network for Community Hospitality, and analysis of data from two Ketso workshops and interviews with 41 network members, we present reflections on setting up and facilitating the network. In addition, two examples of collaborative Network activities are presented to illustrate the techniques and dialogic communication processes for doing critical hospitality. The article thereby contributes by providing empirically informed and reflexive understandings into the experiences of working and communicating within long-term inclusive partnerships with diverse stakeholders to create traction for positive social sustainable change.


The neuroendocrine tumor, also known as carcinoid tumor, is a neoplasm of the diffuse neuroendocrine system4. The occurrence of this type of tumor in the small intestine is rare and has a genetic influence in its etiology. It has been estimated that the deletion of the tumor suppressor gene PLCβ3 causes the uncontrolled growth of the neuroendocrine cells2,4. The incidence ranges from 1 to 2 per 100,000 and affects men and women equally. Most of these tumors are well-differentiated and have an indolent course. Consequently, the onset of symptoms is late and, in most cases, the diagnosis is made at advanced stages of the disease. The chosen therapeutics is tumor resection. For the initial stages, the method aims at healing; while in advanced phases, the cytoreductive operation, associated to the multidisciplinary treatment, provides an increase of the survival time9. The objective of this study was to present a case of a metastatic neuroendocrine tumor of small intestine with a characteristic course of carcinoid syndrome.


In many cell types, lateral diffusion barriers compartmentalize the plasma membrane and, at least in budding yeast, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, the molecular nature of these barriers, their mode of action and their cellular functions are unclear. Here, we show that misfolded proteins of the ER remain confined into the mother compartment of budding yeast cells. Confinement required the formation of a lateral diffusion barrier in the form of a distinct domain of the ER-membrane at the bud neck, in a septin-, Bud1 GTPase- and sphingolipid-dependent manner. The sphingolipids, but not Bud1, also contributed to barrier formation in the outer membrane of the dividing nucleus. Barrier-dependent confinement of ER stress into the mother cell promoted aging. Together, our data clarify the physical nature of lateral diffusion barriers in the ER and establish the role of such barriers in the asymmetric segregation of proteotoxic misfolded proteins during cell division and aging. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01883.001


The complex of the small molecule biotin and the homotetrameric protein streptavidin is key to a broad range of biotechnological applications. Therefore, the behavior of this extraordinarily high-affinity interaction under mechanical force is intensively studied by single-molecule force spectroscopy. Recently, steered molecular dynamics simulations have identified a low force pathway for the dissociation of biotin from streptavidin, which involves partial unfolding of the N-terminal β-sheet structure of monovalent streptavidin's functional subunit. Based on these results, we now introduced two mutations (T18C,A33C) in the functional subunit of monovalent streptavidin to establish a switchable connection (disulfide bridge) between the first two β-strands to prevent this unfolding. In atomic force microscopy-based single-molecule force spectroscopy experiments, we observed unbinding forces of about 350 pN (at a force-loading rate of 10 nN s-1) for pulling a single biotin out of an N-terminally anchored monovalent streptavidin binding pocket - about 1.5-fold higher compared with what has been reported for N-terminal force loading of native monovalent streptavidin. Upon addition of a reducing agent, the unbinding forces dropped back to 200 pN, as the disulfide bridge was destroyed. Switching from reducing to oxidizing buffer conditions, the inverse effect was observed. Our work illustrates how the mechanics of a receptor-ligand system can be tuned by engineering the receptor protein far off the ligand-binding pocket.


Focuses on the characterization and classification of reconfiguration techniques. The techniques are differentiated according to the type of redundancy (time or hardware), allocation of redundancy (local or global), replacement unit, (processor or a set of processors), switching domain (global or local), and switching implementation (switching element, bus, or network). Typical techniques from four major classes-set switching, processor switching, local redundancy, and time redundancy-are reviewed. The proposed taxonomy can be used as a guide for future research in design and analysis of reconfiguration schemes.<<ETX>>


Landing ship tank with well dock has the important mission transferring troops or landing equipments from sea to shore. Such transfers are usually carried out using landing craft, which are loaded or unloaded in flooded well dock. In this situation, as relative motions are occur between well dock and landing craft, safety verifications are demanded. On this paper, seakeeping and safety performances are investigated via model test. First of all well dock dimensions are reviewed, model tests are performed with sea state 3&4 in 180degree wave direction. Model tests are conducted for three relative positions and seakeeping performances are investigated each position.


A public university in Malaysia is generically geared towards three core businesses, namely teaching-learning, research, and consultancy and community services. Being a young university in the country and the first one in the state of Sarawak, UNIMAS has had to hire young graduates to put together eight faculties at the time it opened its doors to the first intake of students in 1994. The more experienced faculty members are lecturers who have taught elsewhere in Malaysia, mostly with more than five years of teaching experience at university level. As the academic community at the university grew, and as the student population increased each year, the university realized how much the quality of teaching-learning needed to be effectively addressed, in terms of training and recognition. The university acknowledged the necessity to put in place a mechanism to train lecturers the basics of teaching, to ensure effective learning and the achievement of learning outcomes, as part of the contribution to a quality education at the university. It is also hoped that, with the current fresh interest in upgrading the skills of teaching among lecturers, the academic community will collectively be more inclined toward improving the delivery of learning and skills in their courses. After a decade of existence, the university introduced a special training program—the Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning as a strategy to fulfill its mission to achieve excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship. As one of the youngest universities in the country, UNIMAS is now at a crucial stage of seriously considering developing a culture to enhance the scholarship of teaching and learning to provide quality education.


The unexpected advent of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a sudden disruption of routine medical care, with a subsequent reorganization of hospital structures and of care. Case studies are becoming available in the literature referring to the logistical difficulties involved in a hospital resuming normal activity following the first COVID-19 lockdown period. This paper details the experience of a study site, a private hospital in Dublin, Ireland, in the redesign of service delivery in compliance with new COVID-19 prevention regulations to facilitate the resumption of routine hospital activity following the first wave of COVID-19. The aim was to resume routine activity and optimize patient activity, whilst remaining compliant with COVID-19 guidelines. We employed a pre-/post-intervention design using Lean methodology and utilised a rapid improvement event (RIE) approach underpinned by person-centred principles. This was a system-wide improvement including all hospital staff, facilitated by a specific project team including the chief operation officer, allied therapy manager (encompassing health and social care professionals), infection prevention and control team, head of surgical services, clinical nurse managers, patient services manager and the head of procurement. Following our intervention, hospital services resumed successfully, with the initial service resumption meeting the organizational target of a 75% bed occupancy rate, while the number of resumed surgeries exceeded the target by 13%. Our outpatient visits recovered to exceed the attendance numbers pre-COVID-19 in 2019 by 10%. In addition, patient satisfaction improved from 93% to 95%, and importantly, we had no in-hospital patient COVID-19 transmission in the study period of July to December 2020.


Characterized by vomiting, fever, abdominal pain and diarrhea, acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a common illness in pediatric populations. In Canada, pediatric AGE accounts for 200,000 emergency visits, 20,000 hospital admissions, and 30 deaths a year. Yet, there continues to be significant practice variations in the treatment of AGE. Knowledge translation (KT) can help close the research-practice gap. In particular, art and stories are powerful mediums that cut across age, culture, language, literacy, and gender barriers. The purpose of this study was to work with parents to develop an e-Book and whiteboard animation video for parents on pediatric AGE. Using a multi-method research process, we developed a 2 minute 57 second video and 39-page e-Book for pediatric AGE. Both tools underwent usability testing with parents in three Canadian emergency department waiting rooms in urban, rural, and remote regions. Focus groups were also conducted with parents in each of the three regions. Overall, parents felt that digital and paper-based KT tools would be beneficial knowledge dissemination mediums. Our study showed that parents positively rated an e-Book and whiteboard animation video for pediatric AGE. These findings demonstrate how working together with key stakeholders can facilitate the development of KT tools for parents that are usable, relevant, and increase parental confidence. Furthermore, the type of KT tool developed is an important decision that may depend on parental preferences as well as when and where parents access the tools.


After the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, the ability to rapidly restore transportation, power, water, and environmental services to users was absolutely critical, especially to those involved in the immediate search, rescue, and recovery operations. What better way could infrastructure serve its users—both emergency workers and the general public—than to be able to respond quickly in a crisis? The ability to provide these services required a degree of flexibility, often unanticipated and unplanned, that only became apparent as the response efforts unfolded. The capability of basic infrastructure service providers to respond to public needs for transportation, energy, communication, water, sanitation, and solid waste removal after the September 11th attacks was to a great extent influenced by the flexibility of the initial infrastructure design and management functions to respond to normal system disruptions and to extreme, but not necessarily terrorist-related, events.


Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and chloride contents in the blood plasma of calves at parturition have been established to correspond to their levels in blood of cows during their calving period. Iron and inorganic phosphorus contents in calves blood plasma appeared to increase and copper content to be lower in this period as compared to postnatal period. By the third day of postnatal ontogenesis sodium concentration in calves blood decreased, copper level increased and the rest indices of water-salts metabolism in calves and adult animals were alike. Digestion disturbances in the calves were accompanied by changes in levels and magnitude of Na+/K+ ratio, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese and zinc contents in blood, liver and kidneys as well as Ca++/Pi ratio in mitochondria and cytosol of liver and jejunum mucose layer cells in comparison with clinically healthy animals.


Abstract. Snow is a key component of the hydrologic cycle in many regions of the world. Despite recent advances in environmental monitoring that are making a wide range of data available, continuous snow monitoring systems that can collect data at high spatial and temporal resolution are not well established yet, especially in inaccessible high-latitude or mountainous regions. The unprecedented availability of user-generated data on the web is opening new opportunities for enhancing real-time monitoring and modeling of environmental systems based on data that are public, low-cost, and spatiotemporally dense. In this paper, we contribute a novel crowdsourcing procedure for extracting snow-related information from public web images, either produced by users or generated by touristic webcams. A fully automated process fetches mountain images from multiple sources, identifies the peaks present therein, and estimates virtual snow indexes representing a proxy of the snow-covered area. Our procedure has the potential for complementing traditional snow-related information, minimizing costs and efforts for obtaining the virtual snow indexes and, at the same time, maximizing the portability of the procedure to several locations where such public images are available. The operational value of the obtained virtual snow indexes is assessed for a real-world water-management problem, the regulation of Lake Como, where we use these indexes for informing the daily operations of the lake. Numerical results show that such information is effective in extending the anticipation capacity of the lake operations, ultimately improving the system performance.


The goal of this research is to investigate to what extent gamblers and stock investors share similar characteristics. Using survey data, a hierarchical model of personality is employed to compare the traits of gamblers and investors. The results reveal that gamblers and investors share five trait characteristics and differ on three traits. Cluster analysis supports the proposal that gamblers and investors can be divided into four groups that differ across the personality traits. As a result, divergent communication strategies should be used to influence each group's propensity to invest and/or to gamble.


Shadow of the Other is a discussion of how the individual has two sorts of relationships with an "other"--other beings, other individuals. The first regards the other as an entirely different being from oneself, but one which is still recognizable. The second understands and recognizes this other by its function as a repository of characteristics cast from oneself. In recognizing how this dual relationship is reconciled within the self, and its implications in male/female relations, Jessica Benjamin continues her exploration of intersubjectivity and gender, taking up questions of contemporary debates in feminist theory and psychoanalysis.


Although some witnesses at the United States Sentencing Commission9s February 2012 hearing advocated legislative changes designed to make the Guidelines more binding or mandatory, other witnesses (including the author) opposed those changes and testified that the system is working reasonably well. This essay argues that the Commission9s data do not show a level of variance that should be regarded as troubling and provide no justification for legislative changes to reduce judicial discretion. The data do show an increase in below-guideline sentences and significant variation in the rate of below guideline-sentences in different federal districts and circuits. But these statistics do not demonstrate either unjustified disparity or the need for fundamental changes in the federal sentencing system. 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) instructs the sentencing court to consider "the history and characteristics of the defendant," and below-guideline sentences based on relevant offender characteristics are not unwarranted. Similarly, variations in the rate of below-guideline sentences are not presumptively unwarranted. They reflect a wide variety of factors, including significant differences in prosecutorial–not judicial–practices, to which sentencing judges may appropriately respond. The Commission also heard testimony advocating other legislative changes that would preserve judicial flexibility but lower severity levels, simplify the system, enhance the reliability of fact-finding, and insulate sentencing from Congressional micro-management. In short, there is no consensus on the kinds of change, if any, that should be made. This is not the time to invite Congress to overhaul the federal sentencing system.


With the progression of novel design, material and manufacturing technologies, the wind energy industry has successfully produced larger and larger wind turbine rotor blades while driving down the levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Though the benefits of larger turbine blades are appealing, larger blades are prone to instabilities due to their long and slender nature, and one of the concerning aero-elastic instabilities of these blades is classical flutter. In this work we assess classical flutter prediction tools for predicting flutter speeds in the design of large blades. Flutter predictions are benchmarked against predictions of previous studies. Then, we turn to the main focus of the study, which is design to mitigate flutter. Trends in flutter speeds and flutter mode shapes are examined for a series of 100-meter blade designs. Then, a sensitivity study is performed to assess the impacts of blade design choices (e.g. materials choice and material placement) on flutter speed in a redesign study of a lightweight 100-meter blade with small flutter margin. A new design is developed to demonstrate the ability to increase the flutter speed while reducing blade mass through structural design.


This thesis analyses the industrialisation of Singapore with special focus on the roles of the state and international capital. The interest in Singapore is due to its status as a newly-industrialising country (NIC) which has been successfully incorporated into a new international division of labour. This new structure has emerged in the last two decades, opening up opportunities for manufacturing production in the Third World. Since both Singapore and NICs in general have been promoted as models for other developing countries wishing to industrialise, it is essential we clarify the reasons for such success.

The argument of this thesis is that Singapore's rapid industrialisation through incorporation into this new international division of labour has been facilitated by the state assuming a pervasive and decisive role, intervening at the social, economic and political levels. This intervention has helped shape Singapore's comparative advantage as well as establish the necessary pre-conditions for the attraction of international capital. The capacity of the state to perform such functions should not be taken for granted: it derives from a convenient juncture of historical and social structural conditions.

To argue that the state has played a role in NIC, and in this case Singapore's, industrialisation is not novel. Certainly there are accounts which ignore the state's role. More commonly, however, neo-classical economists have acknowledged state intervention in the economic sphere but have emphasised market forces in explaining rapid industrialisation. Such an approach generally misrepresents the relationship between market and state. The relationship between the two is presented as dialectical in this thesis, and one which encompasses social and political, and not just economic, factors. Nevertheless, this thesis is not just at odds with such neo-classical analysis, it also challenges the voluntarism of rational-choice approaches and the determinism of dependency theory. So, not only does this thesis examine the various ways in which the state influences the pattern of industrialisation, especially the pattern of investment by international capital, it also examines the reasons for the state's behaviour. It is here that we see the state's complexion is contingent upon a complex set of domestic and international relationships. In Singapore's case, domestic class formations have combined with fortuitous tendencies in international capital accumulation: in short, a relatively autonomous political state has emerged with sufficient need and will to exploit and contribute to this new international division of labour.

Divided into four parts, this thesis provides a chronological account of Singapore's industrialisation. After an introduction to the theoretical concerns of the study, Part I outlines the historical developments of colonial Singapore affecting the island's long-term economic and social structure. Part II looks at how historical and political developments after World War II gave rise to the People's Action Party (PAP) which, in turn, came to assume the status of a virtual 'state party'. In Part III we see how extensive state power was of primary importance not just to the implementation of the export-oriented industrialisation (EOD programme which incorporated Singapore into the new international division of labour, but also to the ongoing management and modification of this relationship. This culminates in the late 1970s in various economic and social contradictions. Part IV examines the so-called 'Second Industrial Revolution', the government's policy response to these contradictions. This was designed to affect an accelerated transition to a more sophisticated technological base and represents the boldest attempt by any NIC government to test the objective limits to the state's ability to influence the pattern of private capital investment in industry.

In essence, this thesis attempts to redress the lack of serious analysis of the state's role in the industrialisation of Singapore and other NICs.


Glaucoma is a common optic neuropathy. It is the second common cause of blindness. The molecular basis of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is not fully understood. Thus, this study aims to examine the polymorphisms of antioxidant genes and to establish a predictive model based on the metabolite profiles using both genomics and metabolomics approaches. A total of 252 healthy volunteers and 23 POAG patients were recruited. Blood and serum samples were collected. Allele specific-PCR was developed and validated. The technique was efficient to detect genetic variations of antioxidant genes. Manganese superoxide dismutase polymorphism (Val16Ala) showed higher frequency in POAG patients. Val genotype/allele was found to be significantly higher among Chinese. No polymorphisms of catalase (C262T) and glutathione peroxidase (P200L) were detected. Thirty eight different metabolites were detected by global metabolomics. Molecular feature extraction, data filtering, and statistical analysis [/?-value <0.01 (unpaired t-test) and 2-folds change, ANOVA and PCA were able to differentiate metabolites expression between the two groups. Glycine-conjugated bile acids, palmitoylcamitine, inosine, and Pureidoisobutyric acid were increased in POAG patients. These metabolites indicate oxidative stress states. A predictive model using metabolites profiles was developed and validated. It discriminated each group in separate clustering. An overall predictive accuracy of 96.7% was obtained by this model. Ten features model was the best with highest sensitivity and specificity (AUC =0.999, Cl 0.991-1). The model testing resulted in predictive accuracy around 0.95 (AUC= 0.985 95% Cl: 0.944-1), and empirical P< 0.002 at 1000 times permutation test. This pilot study provides further evidence on the involvement of oxidative stress in POAG. The predictive model would be applicable after further validation. This generates new hypothesis for designing medicine and substantial improvements in patients' clinical outcomes.


Based on social network theory, this paper studies the mechanism of betweenness centrality on public service motivation and how this influence is mediated by organizational commitment. The theory of public service motivation, as a product of the crisis of Western social government, has attracted a lot of academic interest because of its completely different ideas. In the subsequent development, it has become a parallel with Weber's bureaucratic theory, representative bureaucracy, and public choice theory. One of the four theoretical schools that describe bureaucratic behavior. As an emerging topic in the field of public management research, in-depth study of public service motivation not only helps to select a qualified civil service, but also helps to better improve public service motivation in the public sector and accelerate service-oriented government construction pace. Through a questionnaire survey of 206 public sector members, the empirical analysis shows that the higher the betweenness are, the more motivated individuals are. In addition, the organization promises to play an intermediary role between the betweenness centrality and public service motivation. The article's research conclusions, from the point of view of social network theory, enrich the angle and strength of interpretation of public service motivation, and also provide new ideas for the future public sector to further enhance the public service motivation of the organization members. Keywords: public service motivation, betweenness centrality, organizational commitment


Although the intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) saves many lives, complication rates as high as 36% have been reported. Many of the complications require surgical attention. In 794 patients of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, an IABP was inserted into either the femoral or iliac artery between Nov 1, 1968, and June 30, 1981. Eighty-seven major vascular complications occurred in 70 (8.8%) of them. Of those 70 patients, 95% denied previous symptoms of vascular disease, and 78% had had normal pulses before insertion. The two most common complications were limb ischemia (n = 36) and arterial trauma (n = 20). Other complications included sepsis (n = 14), wound problems (n = 10), and hemorrhage (n = 7). No limbs were lost. Analysis of each group of complications allowed specific conclusions to be drawn concerning prevention, early diagnosis, and the most appropriate treatment.


Endothelial cells transduce the frictional force from blood flow (fluid shear stress) into biochemical signals that regulate gene expression and cell behavior via specialized mechanisms and pathways. These pathways shape the vascular system during development and during postnatal and adult life to optimize flow to tissues. The same pathways also contribute to atherosclerosis and vascular malformations. This Review covers recent advances in basic mechanisms of flow signaling and the involvement of these mechanisms in vascular physiology, remodeling, and these diseases. We propose that flow sensing pathways that govern normal morphogenesis can contribute to disease under pathological conditions or can be altered to induce disease. Viewing atherosclerosis and vascular malformations as instances of pathological morphogenesis provides a unifying perspective that may aid in developing new therapies.


Introduction: In a rapidly aging society, the number of people suffering from osteoporosis keeps increasing. However, effective prevention strategies for osteoporosis are not yet currently available. Objective: In this study, we examined the ameliorative effects of tranexamic acid on osteoporosis in 24-month-old mice. Methods: During the study period, mice were orally administered tranexamic acid 3 times per week. Results: Bone mineral density, which is a parameter of osteoporosis, was improved following tranexamic acid administration. In addition, female mice evidenced a stronger phenotypic improvement than male mice. In female mice treated with tranexamic acid, ovary abnormalities were reduced. Furthermore, the levels of transforming growth factor-β, hyaluronic acid, CD44, reactive oxygen species, and apoptosis, as well as the number of infiltrated neutrophils and macrophages in the ovary were lower than those in the control or solvent-administered mice. In addition, 17β-estradiol levels in blood increased when compared with the control or solvent-treated mice. In addition, administration of tranexamic acid to 24-month-old male mice decreased the level of apoptosis in the testis. However, the levels of 17β-estradiol and testosterone in blood increased compared with the control or solvent-administered mice. Conclusions: The use of tranexamic acid had an ameliorative effect on osteoporosis, possibly by protecting ovaries and testes.


Case report of a woman with the diagnosis of primary open-angle glaucoma who was submitted to a successful surgical procedure of deep sclerectomy in the right eye. In the postoperative period, at month 3, the surgical procedure was evaluated with ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) utilizing two distinct equipments (UBM 840-Zeiss; UBM-VUMAX-Sonomed), with 50-MHz transducers. The diagnostic method of ultrasound biomicroscopy can be utilized as a non invasive method to evaluate the internal architecture of the eye at the topography of deep sclerectomy. It allows to identify the anterior segment structures, their anatomical relationship, and also the intact trabecular-Descemet membrane and the intrascleral space. Ultrasound biomicroscopy showed to be useful in evaluating postoperative status of the surgical procedure.


Miriam Toews' novel, A Complicated Kindness, delves into the concept of Mennonite martyrdom. Looking back into the history of violence, the Mennonites experienced during the Reformation and later in the Russian Revolution, Toews looks forward to the modern day, charting the effects of this martyr script as it transformed over time. Here, Toews follows a pair of sisters – Tash and Nomi – as they navigate their lives as Mennonites, both rebelling against and embracing their Mennonite community while experiencing violence at the hands of that same community. This violence is portrayed as a new wave of martyrdom, this time affected by the Mennonite community itself as it turned inward against its own members. The sister pair is offered as representative martyrs of the new oppressor – the Mennonite community. Through the reversal of the expected roles in the martyr/martyrer dyad, Toews decries these types of martyrdoms where martyrs are created by those within the Mennonite community.
Toward the close of the novel, Toews forces the reader to rethink the martyrdom discussion yet again as Nomi comes to a new and complex understanding of life and her community as a whole spurred on by her provisional New Religion based on the tenets of Mennonite religion, such as love, forgiveness and redemption but rejecting the concept of a life after this. In this way, Toews claims the binaries erected throughout the novel are unhelpful – in fact, are harmful – tools with which to build identity, calling for an eradication of binaries altogether. Toews skillfully weaves a postmodern counterplot that denies the crux of much of Mennonite literature that has held so tightly to the martyr complex, opting for a more mysterious way of being and believing in the world.


Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) is a technique to obtain microcrystallographic information from materials by collecting large-angle Kikuchi patterns in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). An important fundamental question concerns the scattering-angle dependent electron energy distribution, which is relevant for the formation of the Kikuchi diffraction patterns. Here we review the existing experimental data and explore the effective energy spectrum that is operative in the generation of backscatter Kikuchi patterns from silicon. We use a full pattern comparison of experimental data with dynamical electron diffraction simulations. Our energy-dependent cross-correlation based pattern matching approach establishes improved constraints on the effective Kikuchi pattern energy spectrum, which is relevant for high-resolution EBSD pattern simulations and their applications.


Measurement and analysis of the temperature dependence of avalanche gain and excess noise in InAs electron avalanche photodiodes (eAPDs) at 77 to 250 K are reported. The avalanche gain, initiated by pure electron injection, was found to reduce with decreasing temperature. However no significant change in the excess noise was measured as the temperature was varied. For avalanche gain > 3, the InAs APDs with 3.5 µm i-region show consistently low excess noise factors between 1.45 and 1.6 at temperatures of 77 to 250 K, confirming that the eAPD characteristics are exhibited in the measured range of electric field. As the dark current drops much more rapidly than the avalanche gain and the excess noise remains very low, our results confirmed that improved signal to noise ratio can be obtained in InAs eAPDs by reducing the operating temperature. The lack of hole impact ionization, as confirmed by the very low excess noise and the exponentially rising avalanche gain, suggests that hole impact ionization enhancement due to band "resonance" does not occur in InAs APDs at the reported temperatures.


Fishers (Pekania pennanti) in the west coast states of Washington, Oregon, and California, USA have not recovered from population declines and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed options for listing them as threatened. Our objectives were to evaluate differences in survival and mortality risk from natural (e.g., predation, disease, injuries, starvation) and human-linked causes (e.g., rodenticide exposure [toxicants], vehicle strikes). We monitored survival of 232 radio-collared fishers at a northern and southern study site in the Sierra National Forest, California. We retrieved fisher carcasses, and used necropsy examinations to determine causes of death. We estimated survival and mortality rates using the Kaplan–Meier estimator and nonparametric cumulative incidence functions, respectively, and integrated risk-specific survival rates into a Leslie matrix to evaluate how population growth (λ) might improve if management can reduce mortality from any of the risks. We determined cause of death for 93 of 121 fishers, and annual survival was 0.69 for all fishers, and 0.72 for female fishers. Mortality rates were 19.5% for predation; 2.5% for disease, injury, and starvation; and 1.9% for toxicant exposure and vehicle strikes. Predation rates were similar between sexes, and relative risk was 51% lower in fall and winter compared to spring and summer. Combined mortality from disease, injuries, starvation, vehicle strikes, and toxicants was 4.4%, and 11 times higher for males than females. We estimated a base λ at the northern site of 0.96, which had the potential to increase to 1.03 or 1.11 if predation were reduced by 25% or 50%, respectively, whereas λ could increase to 0.97 in the absence of deaths from all other risks except predation. Predation was the dominant limiting factor in our study population, and was also the most common mortality risk for fishers in the 3 West Coast states (67%), followed by disease, injury, and starvation (12%) and vehicle strikes (8%). Direct mortality from toxicants appeared limited to fishers in California. Our results identified the need for continued and potential expanded restrictions on habitat disturbance in fisher denning habitats. Research is needed on contact rates between larger predators and fishers, including whether fishers are more vulnerable to attack in open forests or along roads used by coursing predators. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.


SUMMARY The Netherlands experienced an unprecedented outbreak of Q fever between 2007 and 2010. The Jeroen Bosch Hospital (JBH) in 's-Hertogenbosch is located in the centre of the epidemic area. Based on Q fever screening programmes, seroprevalence of IgG phase II antibodies to Coxiella burnetii in the JBH catchment area was 10·7% [785 tested, 84 seropositive, 95% confidence interval (CI) 8·5–12·9]. Seroprevalence appeared not to be influenced by age, gender or area of residence. Extrapolating these data, an estimated 40 600 persons (95% CI 32 200–48 900) in the JBH catchment area have been infected by C. burnetii and are, therefore, potentially at risk for chronic Q fever. This figure by far exceeds the nationwide number of notified symptomatic acute Q fever patients and illustrates the magnitude of the Dutch Q fever outbreak. Clinicians in epidemic Q fever areas should be alert for chronic Q fever, even if no acute Q fever is reported.


Abstract For centuries islands have been identified in European discourses as places of simplicity, innocence, peace and abundance. The abiding appeal of islands in general, and St Helena in particular, is one to which academic discourse, too, has not been immune. Representations of the South Atlantic island of St Helena epitomize this employment of Edenic, Arcadian and Picturesque imagery in the textualization of islands in an imperial and colonial context. Although some descriptions of St Helena run counter to prevailing Arcadian ones, they do so largely because they portray the island as a once paradisiacal place now despoiled. This allegorical quality of islands is one which is of considerable normative value, as well of lasting appeal.


Background: Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease that involves multiple organ failure. In APS3, autoimmune thyroid disease occurs with other autoimmune diseases, but not with Addison disease. APS3a is defined as APS3 including autoimmune diabetes. The information about clinical backgrounds of APS3a is very limited. We studied to understand clinical, endocrinological and immunological characteristics of Japanese patients with APS3a. Methods: We reviewed our previously published case reports about APS3a, and picked up patients with type 1 diabetes and autoimmune diabetes, who showed the positivity for anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (anti-GAD ab) or anti-islet antigen 2 antibody (anti-IA2 ab) or anti-thyroglobulin antibody (anti-TG ab) or anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti-TPO ab) or anti-thyroid stimulating hormone receptor antibody (anti-TR ab) between January 2010 and January 2016. We collected data including age, sex, anti-GAD ab, anti-IA2 ab, HbA1c, serum fasting C-peptide immunoreactivity (CPR), urinary CPR, treatment for diabetes, anti-TPO ab, anti-TG ab, anti-TR ab, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), findings of thyroid ultrasonography and treatment for thyroid diseases. Results: Present study revealed a remarkable female predominance in APS3a. Among patients with autoimmune diabetes, slowly progressive insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (SPIDDM) was the most common type of diabetes, and almost 80% of patients with APS3a showed the positivity for anti-GAD ab. Among patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases, almost 80% of patients had possible Hashimoto thyroiditis. Almost 70% of patients with APS3a showed the positivity for anti-TPO ab. Almost 20% of APS3a patients had possible Grave's disease, and 83% of patients with possible Grave's disease showed overt Grave's disease. In patients with possible Grave's disease, the positive rate of anti-TR ab was 100%. Conclusion: We revealed clinical, endocrinological and immunological characteristics of patients with APS3a in Japan. J Endocrinol Metab. 2016;6(2):46-51 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jem348e


Despite political turmoil and economic crises in various parts of the world, tourism is one of the successful stories of present time and has shown constant economic grown in past few decades. Tourism has significant social and economic benefits for different countries, and tourism policy created by various governments is one of the primary factors for the existence and development of tourism sector. The subject of this article is tourism policy in Republic of North Macedonia, as seen through the prism of historical development, past issues and future challenges. The article provides basic data for the country such as: territory characteristics, population, number of international tourists, tourism law and key tourism policy creators on national, regional and local level. Table showing government bodies responsible for tourism, national, regional and local tourism development strategies as well as tourism related legislation is used to prepare an analysis of tourism policy in the country. For the purpose of article, we use research methodology and secondary data sources by consulting official tourism development plans, government bodies and tourism laws in Republic of North Macedonia. An analysis and review of tourism development plans, government bodies and tourism legislative has been made, based on systematical evaluation of their actual content. The article concluding remarks are regarding the structure of tourism policy and how the policy makers determine prospects and directions of tourism development in the Republic of North Macedonia.


SIR,-The readers of the BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNALeven it readers of The Times are denied the privileae of being informed-are among 'those whose art is guided b)y " the fervour and faithl and courage of those wvho toil," and for this reason they are entitled to kInow the proper thierapeutic value of hypnotism. Althouglh it is not an enviable procedure to interfere in " famlily quarrels," because both disputants have an unpleasant way of turning r'ound to rend tlhe' rash person who 'intervenes, yet I feel thlat in this instance certainly the trutlh must lie between' two extremes, one of which was e'xpressed by Dr, Mercier in The Times of April 22'nd to be " the uselessness 'of 'hypnotism as amethod of thterapeutics," and tlhat 'in consequence' he h4d abandoned the practice. Afte'r,'e'`plaining tlhat' Charcot. often employed l,ight hypnosis, Dr^i Mercier added, in The Times of April"'25tb, that "no p'atient of mine has e'verreceived any,, benefit from '4ypn-osi9'-a very definite, positive, and categorical statemeint.' The other extreme' was expressed'by"'Professor' William'Brown in The Times of April 26th, when he stated that tbe condition of 'lighthypnosis allows' the physician -to recall certain emottional mnemories with rieat vividness, this recall effecting cure8 in hundreds of consecutive cases, and 'which, 'so far as could' be ascertained to -date, proved to'be,"permanent recoveries' through tlle aid of hlypnotism. " i'_'_' '' *I should like to' add that my on experience in the' main supports Dr. Mercier's, because Ithave had occasion to use hypnosis mainly; for the psychoses-that` is, for mental cases whom it hlas fail'ed to relieve; but' I have'watched its' use, and have also to' a limited' 'extent practised it miyself, in the neuroses, with whiat I can 'only describe as marvello'us' results. I have, as its effeects, se'en the dumb 'speak, the blind see, the" maimed 'and the lialt made whole, and stammerers cured. Herein lies the difference between results under tlhese two eminent authorities; Dr. Mercier, with a wide reading, a wealth of knowledge, and practical experience, refers mainly to mental cases-which his practice has naturally included and covered; whiereas Professor William Brown, with an equally full knowledge, guided by a complete acquaintance With the literature of the subject, asjell as by its practical application, refers to tlhe neuroses,in which mental dissociation or repression, or whatevr-the condition may be-and tllis is uncertain-is often dependent upon one. overwhelming emotion; it is temporary, and it is far less marked than it is. in the psychoses; so thiat, although there is no definite hi4e of demarcatiou bet!ween them, yet the; "mind "-the attqntion and feeling, coguition, and conation -is able to work.with the physician i the one, whilst it cannot be seized or held in the otlier. The two conditions are not really comparable, although the one may merge into the other; yet throughout the war all the psychoses have been treated, so far as registration or certification has been concerned, as "hospital" cases, and wisely so; and they have had the advantage of the newest practices and methods of the, physician psycho. logist, but it must not be assumed that -the practice of the psychiatrist in another field must be scrapped, or that it is useless and out of aate. The treatment of the neuroses and psychoses has ;been most successful during the war, because they have come under treatment early, even within a few hours of the onset of symptoms, and it is the similar application of this early treatment that is now anxiously awaited for the civilian.-I am, etc., London, S.W., May 12th. ROBERT ARMsTRoNff-JONEs.


Cinnamomum malabatrum is a small, tropical tree which grows up to 15 metres height, which belongs to the family Lauraceae. The fresh leaves of the plant were collected; it was extracted by successive solvent extraction. A preliminary phytochemical screening of the extracts were carried out. The leaves and bark of the young tree shows rich presence of various the phytoconstituents like Phenolics, Flavonoids, lignins, Terpenes and terpenoids, Plant acids, phytosterols etc. Therefore the objective of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory potential in the alcoholic extract of Cinnamomum malabatrum, by comparing with the standard drug Indomethacin. The method used for this study was Carrageenan induced rat paw oedema model, using a Plethysmometer. and male Wistar albino rats was used for carrying this work. The paw volume was measured at 1,2,3,4 hours after 1 hour of Carragenan(a well known Phlogistic agent) administration by mercury displacement method using plethysmograph. The change in the paw volume was observed and it is recorded, and the percentage of inhibition was calculated by using a specified formula. The alcoholic extract showed significant anti-inflammatory activity. The Ethanolic extract at a dose of 250mg/kg exhibit maximum anti-significant dose depended antiinflammatory activity. The pharmacological observations of the study concluded that the leaves of Cinnamomum malabatrum can be used for acute inflammation.


ABSTRACT Thermal comfort (TC) parameters were measured in 130 rooms from nursing homes (NH), following ISO 7730:2005 in order to evaluate the influence of winter season TC indices on quality of life (QoL) in older individuals. Mean radiant temperature (mrT), predicted mean vote (PMV) and predicted percent of dissatisfied people (PPD) indices, and the respective measurement uncertainties were calculated using Monte Carlo Method. The WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire was conducted from September 2012 to April 2013, during the winter season TC sampling campaign. Winter PMV and PPD indices showed significant differences between seasons in median values for comfort. There were also significant differences between seasons for air temperature, air velocity, mrT, and relative humidity. The winter PMV index displayed a "slightly cool" [≤−1] to "cool" [≤−2] in thermal sensation scale [−3 to 3]. PPD index reflected this discomfort as evidenced by a high rate of predicted dissatisfied occupants (64%). The influence of winter season TC on older individual QoL results demonstrated that values of PMV above −0.7 had higher mean score of QoL (coefficient estimate: 11.13 units) compared with values of PMV below −0.7. These findings are of relevance to public health and may be useful for understanding NH indoor environment variables thus implementing preventive policies in terms of standards and guidelines for these susceptible populations.


Changes in the ground surface tilt and in the rate of seismicity indicate that an aseismic deformation event may have occurred between 1978 and 1980 along the plate boundary in the eastern Aleutians, Alaska, within the Shumagin seismic gap. Pavlof Volcano was unusually quiescent during this period. The proposed event would cause an increase of stress on the shallow locked portion of the plate boundary, bringing it closer to rupture in a great earthquake.