Data governance is concerned with leveraging the potential value of data in data infrastructures. In IS research, data governance has developed as a management perspective, implying a narrow view of who makes decisions about the data in infrastructures. In contrast, we propose a data governance in practice view and focus on the day-to-day decisions of users working with the data. Drawing on an interpretive case study of three data infrastructures in the Norwegian public sector, we ask: How can we characterize data governance in practice? We find that the work of data curation is a fundamental element of data governance practice. Data emerge dynamically as assets, enfolding the involved users' interests and contexts. We contribute to the IS literature in two ways. First, we characterize three main practices of data curation: achieving data quality, filtering the relevant data, and ensuring data protection. In so doing we foreground the role of the users as contributing to shaping data infrastructures. Second, we develop an analytical framework which specifies the unfolding of user involvement in data infrastructures-in-use and conceptualizes this work as emergent. Our contributions have implications for developing training support for users as data curators, and for the ethics of data management.


A damaging collision

T wo independent trends in the developed world are likely to reverse some of the hard won improvements that have been made in road safety. One is the ageing of the population; the other the increase in the use of sports utility vehicles (SUVs, high performance four wheel drive cars capable of off-road driving). The first trend produces a growing number of vulnerable road users; the second produces a likelihood of more severe injuries when vehicles and pedestrians collide. Public health professionals will need to work with transportation and road safety agencies to avoid the inevitable consequences of more vulnerable road users and more lethal vehicles.

Among road users, pedestrians are already a group at high risk, and elderly pedestrians are particularly at risk. People over 60 are more than four times as likely to die if injured by a car than younger people1: in a pattern repeated around the developed world, older people in Ireland account for 30% of pedestrian deaths but only 11% of the population.2 The World Health Organization has recognised protection of older pedestrians as a key safety measure for this age group.3 Pedestrian protection is an even more pressing problem in the developing world. Pedestrian injuries …


Trajectories left behind cars, humans, birds or any other moving object are a new kind of data which can be very useful in decision making process in several application domains. These data, however, are normally available as sample points, and therefore have very little or no semantics. The analysis and knowledge extraction from trajectory sample points is very difficult from the user's point of view, and there is an emerging need for new data models, manipulation techniques, and tools to extract meaningful patterns from these data. In this paper we propose a new methodology for knowledge discovery from trajectories. We propose through a semantic trajectory data mining query language several functionalities to select, preprocess, and transform trajectory sample points into semantic trajectories at higher abstraction levels, in order to allow the user to extract meaningful, understandable, and useful patterns from trajectories. We claim that meaningful patterns can only be extracted from trajectories if the background geographical information is considered. Therefore we build the proposed methodology considering both moving object data and geographic information. The proposed language has been implemented in a toolkit in order to provide a first software prototype for trajectory knowledge discovery.


While it has long been appreciated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) can act as second messengers in both homeostastic and stress response signaling pathways, potential roles for ROS during early vertebrate development have remained largely unexplored. Here we show that fertilization in Xenopus embryos triggers a rapid increase in ROS levels, which oscillates with each cell division. Furthermore, we show that the fertilization induced Ca2+ wave is both necessary and sufficient to induce ROS production in activated or fertilized eggs. Using chemical inhibitors, we identified mitochondria as the major source of fertilization induced ROS production. Inhibition of mitochondrial ROS production in early embryos results in cell cycle arrest, in part, via ROS dependent regulation of Cdc25C activity. This study reveals for the first time, a role for oscillating ROS levels in the regulation of the early cell cycle in Xenopus embryos. Highlights ROS, including hydrogen peroxide, are produced after fertilization in Xenopus Ca2+ signaling after fertilization induces ROS production in mitochondria Mitochondria are the major source of oscillating ROS levels ROS regulate Cdc25C activity and the early cell cycle


Opportunistic Networks are examples of wireless, ad hoc networks where there is an absence of a continuous end-to-end path. The proliferation of mobile device usage creates opportunities for nodes to forward packets in a dynamic way, utilizing nodes as they present themselves. In more conventional, static network infrastructures, it is typical to measure efficiency of message passing between nodes. We review approaches to the measurement of efficiency in networks, and propose a qualitative and quantitative metrics framework and simulation model that would be suitable for the evaluation of performance in opportunistic networks.


In the 19th and 20th centuries economists of the German and Swedish language areas strongly influenced each other and made significant contributions to the development and critique of neoclassical economics. In our paper, we focus on the prominent contributions of Wicksell, Cassel, Hayek and Myrdal, but consider also others, such as Lutz, Neisser, Palander and Schneider. It might look far fetched to describe their interaction as a "Baltic exchange", since (for example) Vienna is not part of that region. But history and geographical proximity made German the scientific language for Scandinavian academics in the 19th century, helping Swedish economists to spread their ideas widely on the Continent, before they made an impact in the English language area. Much of the interaction happened indeed close to the Baltic Sea. In the paper we discuss the German influence on Swedish economics that occurred mainly before the First World War, and the Swedish influence on German economics, mainly thereafter. We provide biographical, bibliographical and textual evidence for an exchange of ideas that has stimulated the development of economics far beyond the Baltic Sea.


Samuel Johnson's 1755 two volume, 2,300 page dictionary marked a milestone in language. The work of a great reader and writer, and an earnest compiler, it was England's definitive dictionary for over 150 years until it was superseded by The Oxford English Dictionary. This new edition contains more than 3,100 selections faithfully adapted from the original. Bristling with quotations, the Dictionary offers a treasury of memorable passages on subjects ranging from books and critics to dreams and ethics. For those who appreciate literature and love language, this is a browser's delight - an encyclopaedia of the age and a dictionary for the ages. fribbler n.s. [from the verb.] A trifler A fribbler is one who professes rapture for the woman, and dreads her consent. Spectator No. 288 to lisp v.n. [hlisp, Saxon.] To speak with too frequent applauses of the tongue to the teeth or palate, like children. Come, I cannot cog, and say, thou art this and that, like a many of these lisping hawthorn buds, that come like women in mens apparel and smell like Bucklersbury in sampling time. Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor urinator n.s. [Urinateur, Fr. Urinator, Lat.] A diver; one who searches under water. The precious things that grow there, as pearl, may be much more easily fetched up by the help of this, than by any other way of urinators. Wilkins Math. Magic. abnormous adj. [abnormis, Lat. Our of rule] Irregular, misshapen. Afterclap n.s. Unexpected events happening after an affair is supposed to be at an end.


Objective: To outline a profile of pediatric trauma victims and verify the likelihood of trauma in children on a high traffic roadway. Methods: A descriptive cohort study of the records of emergency medical service activations on the Rio-Niterói Bridge, a high traffic roadway in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Descriptive statistics were expressed as absolute and relative frequencies. The estimated risk of trauma in children aged < 12 years was calculated by means of odds ratios, with a 95% confidence interval. Results: Trauma accounted for 514 of 1,244 activations (41.31%) of the Rio-Niterói Bridge emergency medical service between March 2002 and March 2003. Response to incidents involving children aged < 12 years accounted for 52 of these (4.18%). Half of victims were between the ages of 6 and 12 years (n = 26), and 55.76% were male (n = 29). Of the 52 victims, 37 (71.15%) were involved in motor vehicle accidents (OR: 3.70; 95%CI: 1.94-7.13; p < 0.0001). Of these, 28 were vehicle–vehicle collisions (75.67%). The most common sites of injury were the extremities (n = 12; 32.43%), face (n = 10; 27.02%), and head (n = 9; 24.32%). Pre-hospital procedures were performed on 23 of the 37 patients (62.16%), and 44.23% (n = 23/52) required hospital transportation. There were no deaths during the study period. Conclusions: In this study, children were at significantly higher odds of being treated for trauma while on a highway with heavy traffic flow. The most common sites of injury in this sample were the lower extremities and the head, face, and neck complex.


This dissertation is concerned with the construction of the locally developed Ferro-precipitator which can be utilised outside a laboratory environment. The American developed Ferrograph machine, besides being expensive (R42 000 + GST in 1984), can only be used inside a dust free, temperature controlled room. As lubricants in machinery moving parts play an important role in their performance and durability many methods of evaluating the health of machines have been devised, but none by themselves can give a complete picture of what is happening inside the machine. Various methods of oil analysis have been studied in this dissertation for comparison and/or complementary purposes, so as to establish the role of the Ferro-precipitator in the context mentioned. Spectrometric, Debris and Radio Tracer methods are based on quantitative aspects of wear particle analysis, whereas the Magnetic Plug method shows visibly large wear particles in the very high wear pattern range. A further aspect to consider is the fact that the Spectrometric analysis method, which is the most common and comprehensive method available in South Africa, is laboratory orientated. This means that an oil sample has to be taken from a machine and then sent to a laboatory for analysis. Besides being time consuming from the time the samples are taken to the time when the results are known, the Spectrometric analysis method is also very expensive. The Ferro-precipitator that has been developed, is sensitive to particle size and to the rate at which these particles are generated. This is due to the phenomenon that a varying magnetic field strength will attract different size ferrous particles accordingly. This concept was validated by manufacturing ferrous particles of various sizes, firstly by grinding and secondly by sieving. These particles, in both cases, were passed through the Ferro-precipitator in a medium of oil, and graphs of density versus distance along the slide were plotted. The graphs showed distinct variations between particle sizes. The manufactured particles were also statistically evaluated by establishing the correlation between the machined and/or the sieved particles to the optically measured particles. The sensitivity of the Ferro-precipitator was further demonstrated by comparing results obtained from an engine test carried out under controlled conditions using the Spectrometric method. If developed further, the Ferro-precipitator .could, be used in the field, which would eliminate the time lost due to samples being sent ot a laboratory. Also the cost of the machine would be a fraction of the price of the Ferrograph and/or the Spectrometer. An in-depth study of particle morphology can be carried out on the wear particles deposited on the slide, with the aid of a Scanning Electron microscope using its X-Ray attachment. The potential for such a study was demonstrated on the engine test performed for this dissertation.


Graphene (GR) functionalized with aerosol 501 "dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium" (DSS/GR) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS/GR) were synthesized and characterized by analytical techniques including BET surface area, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis  (TGA). The SEM images provide a direct evidence for the existence of sulfonic and sulfate anchors, respectively, by adding DSS and SDS surfactants to graphene structure where GR cavities effectively reduced. The XRD patterns of SDS/GR and DSS/GR exhibit reflection peaks at 2θ of  22.69° and 21.72° with interlayer spacings of 0⋅39 and 0.41 nm, respectively. These interlayer spacings were larger than that of GR, due to intercalating functional groups of SDS and DSS. The characteristic features of these samples were investigated as adsorbents to remove 137 Cs ions from low level radioactive waste (LLW). It was found that adsorption of 137 Cs ions onto GR, SDS/GR and DSS/GR were relatively fast and the equilibrium state reached after 60, 40, and 30 min, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity (Q m ) of 137 Cs ions inferred from the Langmuir model increases in the following order: GR ˂ SDS/GR ˂ DSS/GR. Results suggest that the sorption of 137 Cs ions onto each samples followed the pseudo second-order model. The thermodynamics were discussed.


The biochemical compounds of red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) fruits cultivated with conventional growing technology and on a nutrient substrate were studied during 2019–2020 at the Federal Horticultural Research Center for Breeding, Agrotechnology and Nursery, Moscow, Russia. The antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds, and ash constituents of the fruits and the metabolites of the alcoholic extract of the raspberries were determined. The effect of growing technologies, i.e., conventional vs. nutrient substrate, on the accumulation of macro- and microelements in raspberry fruits was established. In red raspberries grown on nutrient substrate, the antioxidant activity decreased by 25 times (aqueous extract) and 1.5 times (alcoholic extract). The K and Na contents and Se contents of red raspberries grown on nutrient substrate were 1.5 and 3 times higher than those of raspberries of grown with conventional technology. Raspberries grown with conventional technology contained 2 times more Ca, Ni, and Mn and 7.4 times more Fe than raspberries grown on nutrient substrate. The total amount of elements in raspberries grown through soilless cultivation was 5.5% higher than that in berries grown conventionally. A total of 48 compounds were identified in the alcoholic extracts, and only 29 substances were found in berries grown on a nutrient substrate. Sugar and citric acid constituted the largest share of red raspberry components. Fructose and turanose disaccharide synthesis in raspberries grown on nutrient substrate was 20% higher than that in conventionally grown raspberries. A total of 48 organic compounds with different biological activities were identified. They included five substances with antimicrobial activity, three phenolic substances, eight organic acids, four sugar acids, nine amino acids, and 19 sugars and their derivatives. At the same time, 42 compounds were found in raspberries grown with traditional technology, and 21 compounds were identified in raspberry fruits grown on nutrient substrate. Three fatty acids, namely, ɑ-linoleic acid (polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid), palmitic acid, and stearic acid (saturated fatty acid), along with cinnamic acid, shikimic acid, and chrysin were found in berries grown conventionally.


In response to previous unsuccessful attempts to produce a valid measure of intercultural sensitivity, Weiss (2012) created the Integrated Measure of Intercultural Sensitivity (IMIS). The aim of the current thesis was to examine the validity of an English version of the IMIS. After back-translation of the scale, two studies were conducted. Study 1 tested the construct validity of the IMIS amongst a population of native English speakers. Study 2 investigated the predictive and incremental validity of the IMIS subscales in regard to outcomes relating to success in a multicultural workplace. The results of these two studies reveal that only one subscale is a valid predictor of such outcomes; this subscale did not predict additional variance when compared to existing predictive measures such as the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire and the Cultural Intelligence Scale. The results of these two studies indicate that the IMIS is not a valid measure of intercultural sensitivity; however the potential for a valid measure intercultural sensitivity is emphasized.


This work traces the historical, cultural, and political development of the small Iron Age tribe on the banks of the River Tiber who developed into the rulers of an empire that dominated the Western world. The history of this people has been traced, allowing readers a concise insight into the Roman world, including its culture, art, and technology. Maps highlighting the development of Rome, its commerce, military conquests, and its collapse complement the historical narrative. Coverage includes Rome and Italy, the early Roman republic, Hannibal and Portras, the late Roman republic, the fall of the Roman republic, Caesar Augustus, civil war and imperial dreams, Pax Romana, collapse and Christianity, the later emperors, the barbarian invasions, and the fall of Rome.


Soil erosion has a significant role in ecology, economy and in environmental protection therefore its quantification and prediction are very important, particularly on a national level. Although some details can be described using physical equations, the entire soil erosion process is rather complicated and can be determined only empirically, which requires large measured datasets. Because plot measurement is the most convenient and therefore the most popular way of capturing erosion data, we used plot measurement to understand erosion in Hungary. The northern and the western parts of the country are endangered by sheet erosion, which is why the plots were carried out in those areas. Most of the plots were constructed to determine the "K" factor of the USLE (Universal Soil Loss Equation) under permanently tilled soils without vegetation cover. Additionally the soil protection effect of various field crops and the additional land use types (forest, pasture) was measured in the plots. Furthermore descriptive investigations, rainfall simulations and soil tracer detections were also used to quantify sheet erosion at different environmental conditions and scales. Despite the large amount of measured data collected, only a few of them have since been published. Due to a lack of available data, national erosion research, erosion prediction, and model calibration are less precise and effective Scaling problems among the measured levels also emphasized a definite need for a larger and more accessible national database. Finally, without the financial base of additional plot measurements, the publication of the previously gathered data is absolutely necessary to continue soil erosion studies in Hungary.


The results of a full potential linear muffin-tin orbital (FP-LMTO) study on the electronic properties of ionic insulator cesiumbromide (CsBr) under pressure is presented. The equilibrium lattice constant, bulk modulus, pressure derivative of bulk modulus and the phase transition pressure at which the compounds undergo structural phase transition from CsCl to HCP structure is predicted from the total energy calculations. The ground state properties and band gap values are compared with the experimental results.At normal pressure CsBr is a direct bandgap semiconductor. When the pressure is increased there is enhanced overlapping between the wave functions of the neighbouring atoms.As a result thewidths of the valence and empty conduction bands increase. These changes lead to the narrow-ining and direct closing of band gap in CsBr (metallization). On further increase of pressure, CsBr becomes superconductor, and this material comes under the class of electron-phonon-mediated high pressure superconductor.The superconducting transition temperatures (Tc) of CsBr is obtained as a function of pressure for HCP structure. It is also confirmed that themetallization, structural phase transition and onset of superconductivity do not occur simultaneously in ionic compounds. Subject classification : 71, 71.15Fv , 61.50.Ks, 64.70.Kb, 74.62.Fj;


Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are extreme bursts of radio emission that last for a few milliseconds. They were discovered in 2013, and, in 2014, the number papers on FRBs skyrocketed. The origin of these transients is still uncertain — we can't even agree if they are extraterrestrial! Astrobites has already covered two possible origins: stellar flares and neutron star mergers. Today's paper suggests an even more exotic source: dark matter annihilation of neutron stars. [13]


We study the boundary structure of closed convex cones, with a focus on facially dual complete (nice) cones. These cones form a proper subset of facially exposed convex cones, and they behave well in the context of duality theory for convex optimization. Using the wellknown and very commonly used concept of tangent cones in nonlinear optimization, we introduce some new notions for exposure of faces of convex sets. Based on these new notions, we obtain some necessary conditions and some sufficient conditions for a cone to be facially dual complete using tangent cones and a new notion of lexicographic tangent cones (these are a family of cones obtained from a recursive application of the tangent cone concept). Lexicographic tangent cones are related to Nesterov's lexicographic derivatives.


—For the last 14 years, we have been studying the sociobiology, demography, and population dynamics of blacktailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota. Our study colony covers 6.6 hectares (16 acres) and has not expanded during the period of research; in late spring of each year the colony contains a mean + SD of 133 + 29 adults and yearlings and 81 jf 33 juveniles. We have discovered four surprising aspects of the demography and populations dynamics of prairie dogs. (1) Mortality during the first year is approximately 50% for both sexes. Those males that survive the first year can live as long as 5 years, and females that survive the first year can live as long as 7 years. (2) Litter size ranges from 1 to 6, the mean + SD is 3.05 + 1.08, and the mode is 3. (3) Although individuals of both sexes usually defer first breeding until the second year, 9% of females and 3% of males first produce offspring as yearlings. (4) Infanticide is the major source of juvenile mortality, accounting for the partial or total demise of 51% of all litters born. In the most common type of infanticide, lactating females kill the unweaned offspring of their sisters and daughters.


Iranians' imagination of heaven, which is the reward of a person's good deeds during their life, has shown itself in pleasant and green gardens where earthly gardens were made as representations of paradise. Iranians are also quite interested in making their earthly gardens and plantations around their buildings. With Iran's hot and dry climate with a lack of sufficient water for plantation coverage, it becomes noticeable how important it is to Iranians' art in making gardens. This study, with regard to examples, documents and library studies, investigates the characteristics of Persian gardens. The result shows that elements such as soil, water, plants and layout have been used in forming a unique style of Persian gardens. Bagh-e Shah Zadeh Mahan (Mahan prince garden) is a typical example and has been carefully studied. In this paper I try to investigate and evaluate the characteristics of a Persian garden by means of a descriptive approach. Keywords—environmental planning, Persian garden, landscape, shah zadeh garden, soil and water, gardening.


OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to determine the reliability of detecting features and making diagnoses of lower respiratory infections from chest radiograms in young infants.

METHODS
Forty chest radiograms of infants younger than 6 months of age admitted with lower respiratory tract infection to a tertiary care pediatric hospital were independently reviewed on two separate occasions by three pediatric radiologists blinded to the patients' clinical diagnoses. For each radiograph the radiologists noted whether a feature was present, absent or equivocal on a standardized form. The features examined were hyperinflation, peribronchial thickening, perihilar linear opacities, atelectasis and consolidation. On the same form each radiologist indicated whether the radiograph was normal or showed airways and/or airspace disease. Within and between observer agreement were calculated by the average weighted kappa statistic.

RESULTS
Within observer agreement for the radiologic features of hyperinflation, peribronchial wall thickening, perihilar linear opacities, atelectasis and consolidation were 0.85, 0.76, 0.87, 0.86 and 0.91, respectively. The between observer kappa results for these features were 0.83, 0.55, 0.82, 0.78 and 0.79, respectively. The within and between observer kappa statistics for interpretation of the radiographic features were best for airspace disease (within, 0.92; between, 0.91), and lower for normal (within, 0.80; between, 0.66) radiogram and for airways disease (within, 0.68; between, 0.48). The presence of consolidation was highly correlated with a diagnosis of airspace disease by all three radiologists.

CONCLUSIONS
Clinicians basing the diagnosis of lower respiratory infections in young infants on radiographic diagnosis should be aware that there is variation in intraobserver and interobserver agreement among radiologists on the radiographic features used for diagnosis. There is also variation in how specific radiologic features are used in interpreting the radiogram. However, the cardial finding of consolidation for the diagnosis of pneumonia appears to be highly reliable.


The minister for health has assured the chairman of the General Medical Services Committee that fundholding would definitely remain voluntary. At a meeting last week Mr Gerald Malone told Dr Ian Bogle that ministers had not set targets and they did not intend to do so. Mr Malone promised to pass on to officials the GMSC's wish that it would be part of any negotiations about purchasing arrangements for all general practitioners and about the new arrangements for fundholding which the health secretary announced at the conservative party conference (22 October, p 1039). Dr Bogle will ask for assurances in writing that health authorities will give equal support to commissioning non-fundholding general practitioners as it does to fundholders.

Several GMSC members said that there was a difference between what the minister said and what was happening. Although there had not been pressure to become a fundholder in north Tyneside, Dr George Rae reported that his family health services authority had been told to make only the fundholding scheme attractive. At a meeting in Leeds Dr Sadiq Ali and his colleagues were told that they would all eventually become fundholders.

At a press briefing after the meeting one of the GMSC's negotiators, Dr Brian Goss, said that each practice needs to choose freely the appropriate form of commissioning. "An unwilling fundholder," he said, "is no use to anyone."

As well as seeking assurances in writing the committee will ask for examples of where there has been undue pressure of coercion to become a fundholder.

Representatives of Britain's 35 000 general practitioners have totally rejected the government's proposals for their role in supporting patients' claims for incapacity benefit. They believe that it will put them in a policing role, will jeopardise patients' confidentiality, was a way of providing a cheap service, and …


Slums have been present in developing cities landscapes for quite some time. And while central and local governments continue their quest for making their cities slum-free, the overall outcome of slum policies is in most cases unknown or unclear. Some studies have revealed that slum policies might have unexpected benefits such as the improvement of children's health or household's access to credit. Yet, others have pointed unforeseen side-effects such as poverty recycling: where poor slum dwellers aren't able to maintain new living conditions and sell/rent their dwelling moving back to the slum. This paper focuses on the effects of slum rehabilitation on residential mobility in order to test the myth of poverty recycling. In order to do so, an exhaustive household survey was carried out in the city of Mumbai, comprising 510 households in 4 rehabilitated sites and 5 to-be-rehabilitated sites. Results show that the magnitude of poverty recycling is small and that in most cases slum rehabilitation actually serves as a platform to attain better living conditions both for those who left as for newcomers.


Objective We aimed to investigate the anatomical features and variation pattern of the nonrecurrent laryngeal nerve (NRLN), summarize the methods for identifying the NRLN before and during thyroidectomy, and share experiences regarding preventing and treating its injury. Study Design Retrospective case data analysis. Setting First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University. Subjects and Methods Between January 2002 and May 2016, 7392 patients underwent thyroidectomy in our hospital. Of them, 28 patients with NRLN were identified, and their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Results This study included 7392 patients in which the recurrent laryngeal nerves (RLNs) were routinely identified during surgery. The presence of NRLN was intraoperatively confirmed in 28 patients. All the NRLNs were located on the right side and its overall incidence was 0.37%. Five of the NRLNs were classified as type I, 19 as type IIa, and 4 as type IIb. Of the 28 cases, 4 NRLNs were injured during surgery, in which primary end-to-end anastomosis or local seal with corticosteroid injection was performed as a remedy. In the 4 patients with NRLN injury, 2 presented with postoperative hoarseness that indicated vocal cord paralysis confirmed by laryngoscope; the other 2 patients' voices had no significant changes. Conclusion The NRLN, which is rare in clinical practice and predominantly right-sided, is anatomically more complex and variant at a higher risk of surgical injury. The key factors to accurately identify NRLN and to effectively prevent its injury include careful interpretation of auxiliary examination results before surgery, raising awareness of its presence, meticulous dissection, and routine exposure of the RLN during surgery.


Elevated levels of testosterone have repeatedly been associated with antisocial behavior, but the psychobiological mechanisms underlying this effect are unknown. However, testosterone is evidently capable of altering the processing of facial threat, and facial signals of fear and anger serve sociality through their higher-level empathy-provoking and socially corrective properties. We investigated the hypothesis that testosterone predisposes people to antisocial behavior by reducing conscious recognition of facial threat. In a within-subjects design, testosterone (0.5 mg) or placebo was administered to 16 female volunteers. Afterward, a task with morphed stimuli indexed their sensitivity for consciously recognizing the facial expressions of threat (disgust, fear, and anger) and nonthreat (surprise, sadness, and happiness). Testosterone induced a significant reduction in the conscious recognition of facial threat overall. Separate analyses for the three categories of threat faces indicated that this effect was reliable for angry facial expressions exclusively. This testosterone-induced impairment in the conscious detection of the socially corrective facial signal of anger may predispose individuals to antisocial behavior.


Abstract. We examine the large-scale ultraviolet aurora and convection responses to a series of flux transfer events that immediately followed a sharp and isolated southward turning of the IMF. During the interval of interest, SuperDARN was monitoring the plasma convection in the dayside northern ionosphere, while the VIS Earth Camera and the Far Ul-traviolet Imager (UVI) were monitoring the northern hemisphere's ultraviolet aurora. Reconnection signatures were seen in the SuperDARN HF radar data in the postnoon sector following a sharp southward turning of the IMF. The presence of flux transfer events is supported by measurements of a classic dispersed ion signature in the low-altitude cusp from the DMSP spacecraft. Subsequent to the onset of reconnection, the postnoon convection and ultraviolet aurora expanded in concert, reaching 18 MLT in half an hour. The auroral oval was found to move equatorward at the convection speed in the 16–18 MLT sector, implying that it was related directly to an adiaroic magnetospheric boundary. In the present study, we have estimated the field-aligned current response to magnetic reconnection in terms of the vorticity of the ionospheric plasma convection velocity. The convection velocities were obtained using two methods: (a) direct reconstruction of the full vector velocities from bistatic measurements of the convection by the SuperDARN HF radars in a relatively small region of the auroral zone, and (b) from global-scale spherical harmonic fits to the SuperDARN velocities deduced from the map potential model. Regions of high vorticity, which were predicted to be an estimate of a component of the total field-aligned current, agree extremely well with the images of the dayside UV aurora, indicating that, in this case, the plasma vorticity is an excellent estimator of the morphology of dayside field-aligned currents (FACs). The morphology of the aurora and ionospheric electric field in the postnoon sector supports the existence of a dayside current wedge induced in response to dayside reconnection. Key words. Magnetospheric physics (auroral phenomena; magnetosphere-ionosphere interactions; solar wind magne-tosphere interactions)


This text is about two constitutive movements in Lev Vygotsky, perceived in two of his works: Mind in Society, the Development of Higher Psychological Processes (2000) and Thought and Language (1991). These movements can be said as archeology in movement and opening of the possible. Through the first one, we follow a return toward ontogenesis and phylogenesis of the dialectic process of development and learning. Through the second one, we perceive the meaning of education inscription, especially on the Zone of Proximal Development, with all the methodological and practical consequences brought by it. The methodology used is a bibliographic research conducted under the inspiration of Paul Ricoeur's Critical Hermeneutics.


Abstract Even though many aspects that show the way to run a democratic government, but the most important aspect is related to the leadership of integrity. The leadership of integrity put the perspective of power in the orientation of partisanship on the people. Also, democratic governance at the local level can be run effectively and constructively if the leadership held with integrity. In another word, the leadership of integrity is a requirement to run a democratic government. Therefore, the integrity of local leadership should be encouraged. Strengthening the integrity of local leadership includes two main things, namely giving a great opportunity for people participation and is committed to a clean and accountable government. Our conception of the strengthening the local leadership integrity and relevance of a democratic government explains important aspects of leadership in maintaining the continuity of a government. For success or failure of a reign depends on how to reach a democratic government that can be reached and gets the highest appreciation from the community. Therefore, the purpose of the writing of this article is to explain the significance between the leadership of integrity with democratic governance and elaborating how to strengthen the integrity of the leadership in the efforts to reach a democratic government. Keywords: Leadership, Leadership Integrity, Democracy, Local Government, Democratic Governance.


SummaryThe cucurbit family includes a number of valuable crop species (melon, cucumber, squash/pumpkin, watermelon). Much of this review is concerned with transgenic resistance to viruses, shown to be the major application of biotechnology in the cucurbit family. Progress made with the production of transgenic cucurbit crops is discussed. Published data on field tests of transgenic cucurbits are reviewed, showing that much progress has been made with multiple virus-resistant cucurbit crops which can be productive without chemical control of insect virus vectors. Modes of virus resistance in trangenic cucurbits are discussed, as is the bio-safety of such crops. For the first time a detailed analysis has been made of world-wide and US field test applications for cucurbit crops. World-wide, most field test applications were for melon (54%), followed by squash (32%). World-wide most field test applications were for virus resistance (84%), and most applications (77%) were in the USA. Two transgenic multiple virus-resistant squash crops have been deregulated (released for sale). Additionally, the analysis shows that there are transgenic multiple virus-resistant crops in all major cucurbit species already available, for which several different companies have applied for field tests. This would imply that such crops are ready to be marketed should conditions permit, which would have an impact world-wide in reduction of ecological damage due to chemical control of the insect viral vectors.


This chapter specifically deals with mental illness, a concept associated with a 'clinically significant behavioural or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual and is associated with significant distress and disability' (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. xxi). The common types of mental disorders that affect people are Anxiety Disorders, Mood Disorders, Psychosis and Personality Disorder and these are discussed in this chapter, in terms of what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples may have experienced in both traditional and current contexts.

It is important to view the information in this chapter in the context of other material in this book, particularly the chapters on psychology, social determinants, and substance abuse (Chapters 2, 6 and 9). I also caution that any diagnosis of mental illness affecting an Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander person should be conducted by expert clinicians such as psychiatrists and psychologists within a culturally safe context wherever possible. This allows for a more accurate assessment of the person being reviewed, with recognition of culturally relevant issues
in addition to the recognised availability of adjunctive therapeutic supports such as social and emotional wellbeing counsellors to assist the person if appropriate.

The chapter does not recommend any specific treatments for the conditions discussed per se, but mentions a number of standard resources that may be used by the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander person suffering from mental illness and their family to discuss available treatments with their clinicians.


Abstract Introduction : The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficiency of total thyroidectomy (TT) when performed by an experienced surgeon in benign multinodular goitre (BMNG) in an endemic region. Materials and Methods : A total of six hundred and twenty consecutive patients, who underwent a total thyroidectomy for BMNG between July 1004 and May 1011, were reviewed in this study. Results : Of the one hundred and nine men and 511 women examined, the mean ± SD (standard deviation) ages were 48 ± 14 in men (range: 19–79) and 51 ± 16 in women (range: 18–84 years). The annual mean number of operation was 80 ± 14 (range: 68–86). The mean operation time lasted 64 ± 11 minutes (range: 48–95). About 1.3 ± 0.4 (range: 1–4) parathyroid glands were observed during thyroidectomy. Parathyroid auto transplantation was performed in seventy-eight patients (11.5%). Patient-stay in hospital was approximately 1.3 ± 0.3 days (range: 1–5). TT was performed in all patients as the primary operation. Pathologic findings revealed BMNG in four hundred and seventy (75.8%) cases, papillary carcinoma in 66 (10.3%), thyroiditis in 59 (9.5%), follicular carcinoma in 10 (1.6%), follicular adenoma in 5 (0.8%), and thyroid lymphoma in 3 cases (0.5%). Postoperatively, bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury was seen in one case (0.3%) and unilateral RLN injury in 5 (0.8%) cases. Three months later, only three cases (0.5%) were permanent. The histological diagnosis in all patients with permanent RLN injury was thyroiditis. Transient hypoparathyroidism was found in forty-eight cases (7.8%), three of which (0.5%) were permanent. Four cases were re-operated due to re-bleeding (0.6%). Seroma developed in three cases (0.5%) and wound infection in two (0.3%). Conclusion : TT can be performed safely by an experienced surgeon with a minimal risk in a high volume hospital.


The experiments presented in this thesis elucidate selected interactions between the phytoplankton, the zooplankton and the microbial food web in aquatic ecosystems. The objective is to provide a mechanistic understanding of classic general ecology topics including competition, predator-prey relations, food web structure, succession, and transfer of matter and energy. Special relevance is attributed to the role of mixotrophic organisms, marine cladocerans, and gelatinous mesozooplankton. Although they may contribute substantially to plankton composition they have thus far been neglected in common ecosystem models. All experiments were based on enrichment with nutrients and organic compounds. Enrichment with nutrients and organic compounds that influence overall system productivity is one of the most pervasive human alterations of the environment and profoundly affects species composition, food web structure, and ecosystem functioning. In order to predict the consequences of such enrichment, a better understanding of the impact that trophic structure has on community dynamics and ecosystem processes is required.
The presented thesis consists of two studies. The first study includes three experiments in which I investigated the role copepods, cladocerans and doliolids play in plankton interactions. Copepods, cladocerans and doliolids are major mesozooplankton groups in marine systems. The first experiment (Katechakis et al. 2004) showed that copepods, cladocerans and doliolids have different food size spectra and different assimilation efficiencies. According to my experiment, copepods actively select for larger food items, whereas cladocerans and doliolids passively filter medium-sized and small food items, respectively, with doliolids being the only group that feeds efficiently on bacteria and picoplankton. The results illustrate that food niche separation enables copepods, cladocerans and doliolids to coexist. In addition, they emphasize the fact that doliolids are favored in low nutrient environments, characterized by small food items, whereas cladocerans and copepods have competitive advantages at moderate and high nutrient supplies, respectively. Furthermore, copepods obviously utilize ingested food best, gauged in terms of produced biomass, followed by cladocerans and doliolids, which suggests that the different mesozooplankton have different impacts on energy transfer efficiency within the food web.
In the second experiment (Katechakis et al. 2002), I investigated how copepods, cladocerans and doliolids directly influence the phytoplankton and the microbial food web over a longer period of time by grazing. Furthermore, I investigated how they indirectly influence the system's nutrient dynamics through "sloppy feeding" and their excretions. According to my experiment, in the long run, doliolids and cladocerans promote the growth of large algae whereas copepods shift the size spectrum towards small sizes with different consequences for food chain length. Doliolids, cladocerans and copepods also affect the microbial food web in different ways. Size-selective grazing may lead to differences in the nanoplankton concentrations. These in turn can affect bacterial concentrations in a trophic cascade. My findings offered the first experimental evidence for the occurrence of top-down effects in marine systems. Although top-down explanations of phytoplankton size structure had been acknowledged for limnic systems before, they had not been attempted for marine systems.
In the last experiment of this series (Katechakis and Stibor 2004) I sought to complement the knowledge about the feeding behavior of marine cladocerans. Marine cladocerans are difficult to cultivate in the laboratory. Therefore, the three cladoceran genera found in marine systems, Penilia, Podon and Evadne, had never before been compared under similar conditions. Existing studies with single cladoceran genera were to some extent contradictory. My experiments indicate similar feeding characteristics for Penilia, Podon and Evadne, that is to say, similar food size spectra, clearance and ingestion rates. However, Evadne obviously has problems feeding on motile prey organisms.
The results generated by my first study have been summarized and their importance has been hypothetically extended to ecosystem level by Sommer et al. (2002) and by Sommer and Stibor (2002).
My second study includes two experiments that refer to the ecological role of mixotrophs in aquatic systems. Mixotrophic organisms combine phototrophic and phagotrophic production dependent on the availability of light and nutrients. Although they are common in aquatic systems, their function for nutrient cycling and as a link to higher trophic levels has never before been examined.
In my first experiment (Katechakis et al. 2005) I investigated if mixotrophs influence energy transfer efficiency to higher trophic levels differently than predicted for purely phototrophic organisms. My results indicate that compared to phototrophic specialists mixotrophs may enhance transfer efficiency towards herbivores at low light conditions and in situations when limiting nutrients are linked to bacteria and to the picoplankton. Additionally, the results suggest that mixotrophs may have a stabilizing effect on variations in trophic cascade strength caused by perturbations to light and nutrient supply ratios.
My second experiment (Katechakis and Stibor 2005a) served as a first step towards analyzing if the results gained from the first experiment have any ecological relevance in situ, that is, if mixotrophs in nature-like communities can gain enough importance to relevantly influence transfer efficiency and system stability. Competition experiments revealed that mixotrophs may invade and suppress plankton communities that consist of purely phototrophic and purely phagotrophic specialists at low nutrient conditions while high nutrient supplies prevent mixotrophs from successfully invading such communities. In systems where mixotrophs suppressed their specialist competitors they indeed had a habitat-ameliorating effect for higher trophic levels, gauged in terms of plankton food quality.


Dynamically adaptive systems (DAS) such as smart grids, cloud computing applications, sensor networks and P2P networks tend to change their structure at runtime. Therefore, design-time modeling for such systems are sometimes not enough to incorporate self-* properties. To this end, we have developed a dynamic mathematical modeling framework for runtime optimizations for DAS. In this paper, we describe how our system engineers a linear programming model by using a smart-grid application for power distribution as a case-study. At runtime whenever an optimization is desired this modeling framework captures the state of the system, converts it into an appropriate linear programming model, plan the changes using mathematical manipulations and apply the changes to the actual system. Our results show that this framework is able to capture accurate runtime models of large power systems and is able to adapt itself with the change in the size or structure of the system.


Abstract The paper provides a brief review of recent basic studies made by the Department of Immunology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg. They show that with a panel of macrophage-like cell lines of varying maturation (P388D, THP-1, U937, HL-60), the ability to produce TNF alpha spontaneously and to synthesize TNF alpha in response to atherogenic low-density lipoprotein stimulation correlates with the degree of cell differentiation that can be in turn induced by agents such as phorbol myristic acetate. The TNF alpha molecular site responsible for the macrophage-activating action of TNF alpha was identified as peptide 123-131. The latter was demonstrated to be uninvolved in the cytotoxic activity of TNF alpha. In addition to its activating and modulating effects against neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes, the acute-phase reactant C-reactive protein was found to be able to bind the antiinflammatory cytokines IL-4 and TGF beta.


With the advent of digital imaging technology, the options available in consumer imaging have increased. However, the relative environmental impacts of these different options are not clear cut. Assessment of the impacts of these options can help to provide feedback to decision makers and give insight that will help reduce environmental impact through product system design. In this paper, we present the use of Life Cycle Assessment to evaluate different product and service scenarios for both traditional film and digital imaging systems, and the results obtained for ten different consumer imaging scenarios. Results and implications for systems design and performance improvement are discussed.


This paper explores the challenges and difficulties faced by theatrical translators and stage directors during the process of acculturating and adapting foreign written plays to the target audience. More specifically, the focus is on the translation and performance of some of Arthur Miller's plays such as "Death of a Salesman", "The Crucible", "A View from the Bridge", "Incident at Vichy" in Albania during the socialist realism and in the democracy era. The paper contains translation and stylistic analysis of the above-referred plays as well as performance analysis in the target culture supported by concrete examples in both SL and TL. Furthermore, the paper provides a depth insight of the differences noted in terms of collaboration between theatrical translators and stage directors in the socialist realism and in the democracy era supported by archival images, article stories, reviews, etc. In conclusion, the paper aims at praising the job of theatrical translators and stage directors because they are providers of quality, professionalism, aesthetic pleasure. They both intend to render the meaning of the ST with dynamic equivalence in attempt to achieve the most awaited success on stage. Keywords: Theatrical translation, translation devices, semiotic signs, stage performance, stage directing, etc.


Abstract Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) and purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.) are invasive weeds that displace native vegetation. Herbicides are often applied to these weeds during flowering, so it would be ideal to identify them early in the season, possibly by the leaves. This paper evaluates the spectral separability of the inflorescences and leaves of these plants from surrounding vegetation. Leafy spurge, purple loosestrife, and surrounding vegetation were collected from sites in southeastern North Dakota and subjected to spectral analysis. Partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to separate the spectral signatures of these weeds in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Using PLS-DA, the weeds were discriminated from their surroundings with R2 values of 0.86 to 0.92. Analysis of the data indicated that the bands contributing the most to each model were in the red and red-edge spectral regions. Identifying these weeds by the leaves allows them to be mapped earlier in the season, providing more time for herbicide application planning. The spectral signatures identified in this proof of concept study are the first step before using ultra–high resolution aerial imagery to classify and identify leafy spurge and purple loosestrife. Nomenclature: Leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula L.; purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria L.


Abstract : The electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectra of ethanolic solutions of several semiquinones of biological interest have been observed, and splitting constants as well as percent enhancement measurements have been made. The ENDOR results, which are especially useful in obtaining unequivocal analyses of the more complex ESR spectra, also showed greatly increased resolution by resolving small splitting constant differences unobservable in the ESR. These results were used to evaluate accurate spin densities. It was found that the introduction of a long side chain in the vitamin semiquinones in place of a methyl group has very little effect on the spin density distribution including that at the ring carbon to which the side chain is attached. Alternating linewidth effects were observed in the ESR of the semiquionones derived from vit. K(1) and co-enzyme Q-10 (ubisemiquinone, USQ) with associated linewidth effects in the ENDOR. (Modified author abstract)


Evolution of flow stress and microstructures of an Al-Zn-Mg series alloy during deformation at elevated temperatures and large ranges of strain rates have been investigated by isothermal compression testing on Gleeble 1500 thermomechanical simulator. The results showed that the flow stress exhibited a characteristic of peak stress followed by smoothing out in the imposed strain rate and temperature ranges. The hot deformation of the alloy is a thermally activated process, which is controlled by rate-controlling mechanisms of dislocation generation and dislocation annihilation. The flow stress decreases with the increase of true strain at higher temperature and lower strain rate, indicating that dynamic softening dominates instead of strain hardening during hot deformation of the alloy. Microstructure observation revealed that typical subgrain cluster structures obviously developed in the original elongated grains of the alloy during hot deformation. The subgrain size of the alloy increased with deformation temperature and downturn of strain rate, where the Zener-Hollomon parameter increased. Fine equiaxed recrystallized grains with large-angle grain boundaries developed significantly in the alloy during hot compression at low Z values, implying activation of dynamic recrystallization.


SUMMARY: The ascospores of Podospora anserina (Ces.) Rehm are delimited by a double membrane system. The primary spore wall develops within this, the outer part of the double membrane being pushed out to form the spore membrane and the inner part forming the plasmalemma of the spore. Starting in the middle of the matrix of the expanding primary wall, a secondary wall is laid down and gradually extends to the outer periphery of the spore wall. Later, a thick tertiary wall is formed at the inner side of the secondary wall by blocks of electron-dense material between which channels of the primary wall matrix remain. This is the pigmented layer of the spore wall. On the innermost side of the spore wall, a part of the original primary wall remains.
The primary appendage at the base of the spore arises as part of the spore initial, but, after it has been cut off by a septum, its contents degenerate and it is bounded only by the primary and secondary wall layers. The secondary appendages, formed at the apex of the spore and at the bottom of the primary appendage, are considered to be actively growing processes bounded by the spore membrane.


Two ferrocenyl benzimidazoles with carboxylic (1) and nitro (2) anchors have been synthesized and characterized using microanalyses, IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and in one case using single crystal X-ray diffraction. UV-Vis spectroscopic studies indicate that in comparison to ferrocene the electronic absorption bands of the synthesized 1 and 2 dyes are bathochromically shifted up to 530 nm with concomitant enhancement in their intensities. The synthesized dyes have been exploited as a photosensitizer in TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The photovoltaic performances and charge transport properties (EIS spectra) were studied to evaluate the synthesized dye performance in DSSCs. Amongst both the dyes, the one with the carboxylic anchor showed relatively superior photovoltaic performance in comparison to the dye with a nitro anchor. The superior performance of 1 is probably due to the better anchorage and superior dye loading capability on the TiO2 surface, which suppresses charge recombination, prolongs electron lifetime, and decreases the total resistance of the DSSC. The assembly fabricated using 1 showed the best performance with an overall conversion efficiency η of 5.81%, Jsc of 12.74 mA cm−2, and Voc of −0.648 V. The obtained efficiency is ∼84% of the cell efficiency compared with the state-of-the-art N719 dye in similar conditions.


Like many countries, the Republic of Moldova faces a growing NCD burden. This report examines the challenges and opportunities faced in the Republic of Moldova in order to accelerate improvement in NCD outcomes. In recent years, the Government of the Republic of Moldova has implemented a number of important reforms that have increased efficiency and equity in resource allocation, and have provided incentives to improve service delivery, including for NCDs. Challenges include further scale up and implementation of new initiatives in the area of NCD risk factor management. Major gains can be made through relatively low-cost public health and primary health care interventions. These include, among others, strengthening tobacco, alcohol, and dietary polices and their implementation, improving detection and treatment of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including hypertension and hyperlipidaemia, strengthening clinical protocols, and improving rational prescribing practice. This report examines in depth the health system challenges and opportunities for improved prevention and control of NCDs and concludes with policy recommendations for the consideration of policy makers in the Republic of Moldova.


This article explores border crossing and the Palestinian city as a literary metropolis—two major themes in the works of emerging Palestinian novelists in Israel. It looks at the "re-Palestinization" of urban space by writers who belong to a post-Oslo generation of Palestinian intellectuals that left villages and small towns in Israel to go and study, work, and live in the city. What distinguishes the literature of this generation is its negotiation of border crossing in a fragmented geography and its engagement with the city as a space of paradoxical encounter between a national imaginary and a settler-colonial reality. Based on a critical reading of their works, the article argues that Adania Shibli and Ibtisam Azem challenge colonial border discourse, exposing the ongoing Zionist erasure of the Palestinian city and creating a new topography for Palestinian literature. The article also traces the role of these writers in the "twinning" of Haifa and Ramallah starting in the late 1990s, and it examines how this literary and cultural "sisterhood" informs spatial resistance.


The reiterated structures of the vertebrate axial skeleton and muscles are derived from the metameric structure of somites. Messenger RNAs (mRNAs) of Notch signaling molecules, such as Hes1, oscillate in 2-hour cycles during somite segmentation. However, the molecular mechanism of such oscillation remains unknown. Hirata et al. now describe the oscillation of Hes1 mRNA and protein in cultured cells after serum treatment. This oscillation requires Hes1 protein synthesis and degradation and relies on the negative autoregulation of Hes1 mRNA synthesis by Hes1 protein. Hence, this work indicates that Hes1 represents a 2-hour-cycle clock gene. Furthermore, because Hes1 oscillation occurs in many cell types, this clock may apply to several biological processes as well as to somite segmentation. H. Hirata, S. Yoshiura, T. Ohtsuka, Y. Bessho, T. Harada, K. Yoshikawa, R. Kageyama, Oscillatory expression of the bHLH factor Hes1 regulated by a negative feedback loop. Science 298, 840-843 (2002). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Abstract Objective: Many patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) seem to go undetected within primary dental health care. Primarily we evaluated if the implemented intervention increased the clinical decision-making for TMD patients; secondarily we evaluated if other factors could be identified that predicted performed or recommended TMD treatment. Material and Methods: This case–control study was carried out within the Public Dental Health service in Västerbotten County, Sweden. An intervention based on a decision-tree with three screening questions for TMD (3Q/TMD) was implemented during 2015 in four clinics and compared with the remaining county. A total of 400 individuals were selected—200 3Q-positives and 200 3Q-negatives. The 3Q/TMD consists of Q1—frequent jaw pain, Q2—frequent pain on function, and Q3—frequent catching and/or locking of jaw. The 3Q/TMD answers were analyzed in relation to TMD treatment and any TMD related decision that was collected from the digital dental records. Results: The intervention did not increase the frequencies of traceable clinical decisions among patients with TMD. Conclusions: Despite the implemented intervention aimed, the indicated undertreatment of patients with TMD remains. Future studies are still needed to gain a deeper understanding of the clinical decision-making process for TMD patients in general practice dentistry.


1. The determination of Wright's index of the opsonic content of the blood and other fluids of the body is open to serious and in part unavoidable errors and should be abandoned in its present form. 2. Conclusions based upon the determination of the opsonic content of the blood, according to Wright's method, are accordingly not uniformly reliable. 3. The percentage index is a valuable check on Wright's bacillary index, but likewise does not furnish an adequate idea of the opsonic content of the blood, unless carried out with progressive dilutions to the point of opsonic extinction. 4. The opsonins of normal blood serum are not specific. 5. The specificity of the opsonins in "immune" sera has not been satisfactorily established, but appears probable. 6. An opsonic immunity, in the sense of a continued high opsonic content of the blood does not exist. 7. In the blood and exudates of infected individuals substances may be present which exercise an inhibitory effect upon phagocytosis.


The paper reflects upon the intellectual contribution of both David Blockley and the late Barry Turner to contemporary thinking about organisational accidents and safety cultures in hazardous systems. When they first worked together in the 1980s, events such as the Chernobyl and Challenger accidents highlighted the fact that in seeking the causes of many modern large-scale accidents we must now consider the interaction between technology and organisational failings. Theoretical models also moved on at that time from descriptions of accidents and their causes, in an attempt to specify 'safe' cultures and 'high-reliability' organisations. Recent research has shown us that while effective learning about hazards is a common assumption of such attempts, organisations can still be very resistant to learn the full lessons from past incidents and mistakes. This paper discusses the ways of addressing barriers to learning in high-risk socio-technical systems.


Objective: The article analyses and characterizes the ethical principles that underpin publication rules about authorship disputes in the education journals listed in Journal Citation Reports (JCR).

Methodology: The article analyses the content of the ethical principles, submission conditions and author and reviewer guidelines required by the journals listed in the JCR subject category "Education and Educational Research". It analyses the presence of the following categories: inclusion and exclusion criteria, author order and maximum number of authors, corresponding author's role, changes to authorship and conflicts of interest between students and their supervisors or mentors. The results are classified according to publisher, geographical region and JCR quartile.

Results: A little over half of the journals analysed include authorship-related ethical principles in their publication rules. Most commonly, these principles relate to inclusion criteria, followed by author order and corresponding author's role. Geographical region plays a decisive role in determining how far these principles are applied, while impact factor does not.


Opinions differ regarding the scientific quality of the atlas by Govard Bidloo, Ontleding des Menschelijken Lichaams (Dissection of the Human Body) (1689) and the plagiarism made thereof by William Cowper, The Anatomy of Humane Bodies (1698). Both books were also published in Latin; the Society of the Dutch Journal of Medicine has acquired a copy of all 4 atlases. The anatomical plates were made by the artist Gerard de Lairesse (Liège 1640-Amsterdam 1711) and their great artistic value is beyond all doubt. De Lairesse settled in Amsterdam in 1665, a few months after the reopening of the city theatre, and subsequently achieved fame as an innovative creator of theatre sets. He also became one of the favourite artists of prince William III and many other well-to-do citizens of Amsterdam. The great artistic value of his anatomical plates justifies more attention for his importance as a medical illustrator in medical history.


Security and privacy are fundamental objectives characterizing contemporary cloud computing. Despite the wide adoption of encryption for protecting data in transit and at rest, data in use remains unencrypted inside cloud processors and memories, as computation is not applicable on encrypted values. This limitation introduces security risks, as unencrypted values can be leaked through side-channels or hardware Trojans. To address this problem, encrypted architectures have recently been proposed, which leverage homomorphic encryption to natively process encrypted data using datapaths of thousands of bits. In this case, additional security protections are traded for higher performance penalties, which drives the need for more efficient architectures. In this work, we develop benchmarks specifically tailored to homomorphic computers, to enable comparisons across different architectures. Our benchmark suite, dubbed TERMinator, is unique as it avoids "termination problems" that prohibit making control-flow decisions and evaluating early termination conditions based on encrypted data, as these can leak information. Contrary to generic suites that ignore the fundamental challenges of encrypted computation, our algorithms are tailored to the security primitives of the target encrypted architecture, such as the existence of branching oracles. In our experiments, we compiled our benchmarks for the Cryptoleq architecture and evaluated their performance for a range of security parameters.


ABSTRACT We evaluated the role of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) in protecting neurons from virus-induced injury following central nervous system infection. IFN-γ−/− and IFN-γ+/+ mice of the resistant major histocompatibility complex (MHC) H-2b haplotype and intracerebrally infected with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) cleared virus infection from anterior horn cell neurons. IFN-γ+/+H-2b mice also cleared virus from the spinal cord white matter, whereas IFN-γ−/−H-2b mice developed viral persistence in glial cells of the white matter and exhibited associated spinal cord demyelination. In contrast, infection of IFN-γ−/− mice of the susceptible H-2q haplotype resulted in frequent deaths and severe neurologic deficits within 16 days of infection compared to the results obtained for controls. Morphologic analysis demonstrated severe injury to spinal cord neurons in IFN-γ−/−H-2q mice during early infection. More virus RNA was detected in the brain and spinal cord of IFN-γ−/−H-2q mice than in those of control mice at 14 and 21 days after TMEV infection. Virus antigen was localized predominantly to anterior horn cells in infected IFN-γ−/−H-2q mice. IFN-γ deletion did not affect the humoral response directed against the virus. However, the level of expression of CD4, CD8, class I MHC, or class II MHC in the central nervous system of IFN-γ−/−H-2q mice was lower than those in IFN-γ+/+H-2q mice. Finally, in vitro analysis of virus-induced death in NSC34 cells and spinal motor neurons showed that IFN-γ exerted a neuroprotective effect in the absence of other aspects of the immune response. These data support the hypothesis that IFN-γ plays a critical role in protecting spinal cord neurons from persistent infection and death.


We show that for every graph $G$ and every graph $H$ obtained by subdividing each edge of $G$ at least $\Omega(\log |V(G)|)$ times, $H$ is nonrepetitively 3-colorable. In fact, we show that  $\Omega(\log \pi'(G))$ subdivisions per edge are enough, where $\pi'(G)$ is the nonrepetitive chromatic index of $G$. This answers a question of Wood and improves a similar result of  Pezarski and Zmarz that stated the existence of at least one 3-colorable subdivision with a linear number of subdivision vertices per edge.


"We know that there are many well-educated, strong and powerful minds among us, that have need only to be discovered ...."--The Christian Recorder (1852) "Family metaphors abound in Civil War literature."--Catherine Clinton In April, 1864, at the height of the Civil War, Julia C. Collins's first contribution to the important Black weekly, The Christian Recorder, appeared in its pages. During the next 16 months, reports of the Fifty-Fourth Massachusetts Regiment's triumphant march into Charleston, South Carolina, of Congress's vote to establish the Freedmen's Bureau, and of Abraham Lincoln's reelection and then assassination, were laid out in columns alongside the six essays and then the serialized novel Collins sent in week after week. (1) This small-town Pennsylvania school teacher, wife, and mother did not have a previous record of publication or service when she turned her attention to public authorship in a paper with national reach. Still, when her story, The Curse of Caste; or The Slave Bride, began to be serialized in February of 1865, the paper's cross-class readership eagerly followed its twists and turns as they also tracked the war's racial and military retreats and advances. In spite of Collins's efforts and the public's interest, The Curse of Caste was never completed. As the all-but-solved mystery of the heroine Claire Neville's familial and racial heritage was about to be unveiled to her, the already in-the-know audience expecting to encounter Claire's reaction faced this announcement instead: We are sorry to inform our numerous readers that we received a letter informing us of the illness of our correspondent of "The Curse of Caste; of Slave Bride" [sic] notoriety. We hope that her sickness is not unto death. We look forward to a speedy return of health and the continuation of her beautiful story. N.B.--Many persons are anxious to know whether this story will be published in book form. To all such persons we have only to say, that we do not know whether it is the author's intention to publish it in book form or not. ("Correspondent Sick," 30 Sept. 1865) Collins did not recover; nor did the story appear in book form. Instead, war news and the paper's other religious and secular concerns speedily filled the space where Claire Neville's fate would have been resolved. The anxious queries of Collins's "numerous readers" communicate the novel's popularity as well as the reach of the paper in which it appears. The eagerness that readers express to see The Curse of Caste published in book form echoes the representational and implied archival values the newspaper's editors first communicated when, in its prospectus, they emphasized its appearance "in a form so as to be folded as a book or pamphlet, that families and individuals may have books made of it and preserved for future references" (McHenry 138). As Elizabeth McHenry suggests, the editors of early Black papers such as the Recorder believed that literature could not serve its function to educate and inspire Black communities if it did not reach multiple generations of engaged readers. Although we now know that The Curse of Caste was among the first--if not the first--novel by an African American woman to appear in print, Collins passed from public notice for almost 150 years. (2) Such functional deaths, or textual disappearances, complicate critical discussions about the value and valence of placement in literary genealogies that are plotted on multiple temporal, referential, and historical axes of production and reception. In other words, though The Curse of Caste is just now being republished in the early twenty-first century, its "place" in literary history can most productively be "recovered" in diachronic time. Interestingly, the dynamics of the novel's reintroduction mirror issues of displacement, disruption, and recuperation that Collins narrates in the story itself. …


Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) such as warfarin have traditionally been the major therapeutic option for anticoagulation in clinical practice. VKAs are effective and extensively recommended for the prevention of venous and arterial thromboembolism in cardiovascular disease. Despite its effectiveness, warfarin is limited by factors such as a narrow therapeutic index, drug-drug interactions, food interactions, slow onset and offset of action, hemorrhage, and routine anticoagulation monitoring to maintain therapeutic international normalized ratio. During the last 2 decades, the approval of anticoagulants, such as low-molecular-weight heparins, indirect factor Xa inhibitors (eg, fondaparinux), and direct thrombin inhibitors (eg, argatroban, lepirudin, and desirudin), have expanded the number of available antithrombotic compounds with additional targets within the anticoagulation pathway. Although these medications offer several potential therapeutic advantages, they all require parenteral or subcutaneous administration and are substantially more expensive than VKAs. Thus, VKAs, despite several limitations, have remained the major option for most patients requiring chronic anticoagulation. These limitations have prompted interest in the development of newer oral anticoagulants. Novel anticoagulants targeting inhibition of factor Xa and thrombin (factor IIa) have now been incorporated into clinical practice based on the results of large randomized clinical trials, with the recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of dabigatran for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation and rivaroxaban for deep vein thrombosis and stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation, with multiple other agents in various stages of development for these and other indications. This review discusses the pharmacological properties, clinical results, and therapeutic applications of novel and new anticoagulants, thereby providing an outline for the future of anticoagulation in cardiovascular disease.


Queues and late delays in the shipping industry is both common and has a huge disadvantage if you look at the environmental and economic aspects for all parts that are in included in a maritime transport.
This report includes general information over Energy Port, Port of Gothenburg, and also describes how it's done when a ship is arriving in Energy Port these days.
The dissertation investigates whether how it should be done to make arrivals and departures in the Port of Gothenburg more efficient.
In addition to this, the report also presents already existing methods that already are being implemented in the industry of shipping and also projects that are under development in form of a prototype.
The report is based on the todays current situation of already existing rules and procedures for port calls and also qualitative and semi-structured interviews with subsequent triangulation to create an understanding including the arrivals and departures in Energy Port for tankers.
Through research, surveys and interviews the current situation in the Port of Gothenburg has been analyzed and has been identified during the process of the report and is presented in the section of results. This section provides the reader that there are potential and actions to be made to create more efficient solutions in the port.
The most common reasons causing delays and extending lay times for docks are often due to physical document management, lack of information between stakeholders in maritime transports or misconceptions in communication among the port staff.
The report describes and presents alternative solutions for the already demonstrated parts to be more efficient.
For the physical document management that is common for use today, electronic document management is presented as a solution and reported as an efficiency method in the report.
In the absence of information, the STM Validation Project is reported and misconceptions in communication, developed work instructions.
The main conclusion and discussion cover the writers' thoughts and opinions, as well as facts about the impact of the mentioned efficiency-enhancing methods as well as the potential opportunities that can be achieved because of their implementation.


In arson cases, the detection and identification of fire accelerants is of high importance for elucidation of such crimes. The present study aims to investigate the remaining fraction of kerosene hydrocarbons impregnated on four kinds of textiles (nylon, polyester, wool and cotton). The volatile fraction was collected by SPME on non-burnt and burnt samples at successive times (0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 h.), then analyzed by GC-MS. Among the 27 characteristic compounds identified in kerosene, aromatic hydrocarbons were the predominant components, but their evaporation was faster than alkanes in unburnt textiles. Also, in the case of non-burnt samples, the total amount of kerosene residues was higher in synthetic tissues than in natural materials. After burning the different kinds of impregnated textiles, 22 hydrocarbons were detected with a decreasing amount over time, while the concentration of linear alkanes remained higher during the sampling time. All the partially burnt samples displayed much less kerosene residues than in the same unburnt samples. Unlike the non-burnt samples, the profile of kerosene amount as function of time was very similar on the four investigated kinds of fabrics after burning. These results and the proposed procedure should help forensic investigators in the field of fire debris analysis, in arson cases.


We report a hybrid mesophase consisting of magnetic nanorods confined between the non-ionic surfactant bilayers of a lamellar phase. The magnetic field-induced ordering of the nanorods was measured experimentally and modeled by a two-dimensional Onsager theory including the third virial coefficient. The nanorods are strongly confined in layers, with no orientational coupling from one layer to the next. At high volume concentration they exhibit spontaneous in-plane orientational ordering and form a stack of independent twodimensional nematic systems. This isotropic-nematic transition is first-order.


Counterfactual attitudes like imagining, dreaming, and wishing create a problem for the standard formal semantic theory of de re attitude ascriptions. I show how the problem can be avoided if we represent an agent's attitudinal possibilities using "multi-centered worlds", possible worlds with multiple distinguished individuals, each of which represents an individual with whom the agent is acquainted. I then present a compositional semantics for de re ascriptions according to which singular terms are "assignment-sensitive" expressions and attitude verbs are "assignment shifters".

http://dx.doi.org/10.3765/sp.5.5

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Malignant hypertension was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by a complete aortic ligation above the left renal artery. The effects of saline (0.9% NaCl) administration on the development and course of the malignant hypertensive vascular disease were studied and the treated rats were compared to non-saline-treated animals and to sham-operated controls in the early and chronic phases of the disease. In the early phase, blood pressure, hematocrit, body weight, and hypertensive vascular disease were characteristic of the malignant hypertensive process and were without significant difference in saline- and non-saline-treated animals. In contrast, the sham-operated rats remained normotensive and did not present abnormal histological findings. Plasma renin activity although decreased in the hypertensive saline-treated animals was not suppressed. In the chronic phase, NaCl administration caused an average increase of 40 g body weight during the 1-wk period this solution was given, but did not result in any improvement in blood pressure levels and vascular disease in treated rats compared to non-saline-treated animals.


The shift from reactor to accelerator based neutron production has created a renewed interested in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). This method is typically used to treat inoperable brain tumours (glioblastoma) that cannot be treated by traditional forms of radiotherapy or chemotherapy. BNCT is reliant upon the favourable uptake of boron 10 by tumour cells along with the interaction with neutrons to produce high LET fragments (He and Li nuclei) that deposit energy locally within the tumour site. As with any radiation based treatment, Quality Assurance (QA) is crucial in terms of patient safety. This study extends previous work in proton and Heavy Ion Therapy and concerns the application of solid state microdosimetry in the field of BNCT. The project has been performed by means of Monte Carlo simulations. Geant4 was used to model and optimise the design of silicon on insulator and diamond based microdosimeters. Detector optimisation in this context, pertains to the geometry and materials (i.e., sensitive volume size and probability of neutron activation) to be used in the construction of detectors. The study has shown conclusively that the currently available microdosimeters do not pose any radiation protection risk with the typical exposure times of BNCT. Whilst the materials currently used in the fabrication of silicon and diamond based microdosimeters are appropriate, there are changes with respect to the sensitive volume thickness that must be addressed. Lastly, the applicability of previously determined correction factors to convert microdosimetric spectra from silicon/diamond to water was evaluated within the context of BNCT.


BACKGROUND: Mallet finger injuries, still represent a controversy as the best way of treatment, when to treat conservatively and when to go for surgical management . OBJECTIVE: This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate functional outcome of conservative versus surgical treatment of acute and chronic mallet finger injuries. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted between November 2011 and December 2013 . Forty six patients with mallet finger deformity were treated,21 by non-operative technique and 20 were treated surgically, the time between injury and commencement of treatment ranges from 3 days to 3 years mean ( 17 weeks).Follow up ranges from 12 months to 18 months mean( 15 months). RESULTS: Successful outcome was found in 57.15% of mallet fingers treated conservatively by splintage .patient satisfaction with conservative treatment was 66.7%. Successful outcome of surgical treatment was 65% while patient satisfaction was found in75% of cases treated surgically. Patients started conservative treatment within 4 weeks of injury had better outcome (success rate 81.8%) than those started treatment after 4 weeks (success rate 30%). Mallet finger injuries treated after 4 weeks from injury, show a better functional outcome in surgically treated group(success rate 61.5%), than injuries treated by splint (success rate 30%). CONCLUSION: Conservative treatment is safe, effective well tolerated, method of treatment for early closed and uncomplicated cases, with better outcome in patient started treatment within 4 weeks of injury than those started treatment after 4 weeks .Surgical treatment is required for open ,chronic cases and those complicated by swan neck deformity. Mallet injuries presented after 4 weeks show a better outcome if surgical treatment is undertaken.


Although HIV/AIDS prevalence in Kenya has shown a downward trend in the recent years, it continues to impact negatively on agricultural production and food security in rural areas. The declining trends in crop production remain a challenge for development efforts. This study examines the extent to which AIDS has impacted on agricultural production, incomes and food security. Using a sample of 212 households, the study examines changes in welfare of households experiencing death and illness associated with HIV/AIDS condition. Poverty incidence and severity are observed to be higher among affected and non-affected households. The higher poverty levels among the affected cohort can partly be explained by lower crop and livestock production. In the absence of formal insurance mechanisms, medical costs take precedence over crop and livestock intensification; any credit that may be available goes to cater for medicare; the few assets available are disposed for purposes of meeting health needs. There is less land under crops and more fallow among the affected households. The effects are worse for farm households in the marginal areas an indication that there may be need for special programmes for arid and semiarid areas. Given that poverty seems to reinforce the spread of the HIV/AIDS and that once AIDS strikes it becomes a driver of poverty, the study adds further support to views that intervention strategies need to deal with poverty and HIV/AIDS problems concurrently.


A serological survey of primary school children from six schools in Chachoengsao Province, Thailand, was performed at the end of the peak of dengue transmission. GIS analysis of sero-positive cases was carried out to determine transmission foci. Vector control implementation was conducted in the foci and also within 100 meters around the foci in the treated areas by community participation in collaboration with the local government. Vector control strategies included source reduction together with the use of screen covers, a combination of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis and Mesocyclops thermocyclopoides, and lethal ovitraps. Implementation of vector control strategies in the foci was continued until the end of the rainy season. Vector control effectiveness was monitored using entomological, serological, and clinical parameters. Results showed a significant reduction of dengue vectors as well as a decrease in sero-positive children and clinical cases in treated areas when compared with untreated areas.


A simple model is presented for the dynamic calculation of the sludge blanket height and concentrations of suspended solids (diluted, sludge blanket and return sludge) in circular secondary settling tanks. The model combines a mass balance equation with three empirical equations, which account for the main processes. These equations form a non-linear, dynamic system, which cannot be solved explicitly; thus, a trial-and-error method is adopted. Field data were obtained from a full-scale treatment plant in transient and steady state conditions and were used in the calibration, the verification and the application of the model. Model calibration involved the determination of only two coefficients, which were found to be relatively constant in various operating conditions. Model verification and application were successful showing a satisfactory agreement with field data. A discrepancy of the model to over-predict sludge blanket height during sudden hydraulic overloads was noted and explained.


Over the last few decades, the traditional Nordic reluctance vis-a-vis judicial review has come under attack. A unique combination of constitutional continuity and change has emerged. It makes the Nordic countries an ideal setting for assessing some of the core insights of canonical constitutional theory. Most notably, the traditional Nordic resistance to judicial hyperactivism alongside the region's exceptional record on both the democracy and human development fronts provide ample material to assess the perception of judicial review as a necessary supplement to democracy and its supposed contribution to human development and good governance. The Nordic countries also provide a perfect context for studying what may be termed globalization in constitutional law as well as the emergence of amalgams of the local and the global reflecting centripetal convergence processes alongside patterns of enduring divergence. Likewise, it is difficult to think of a more suitable region for studying the links between economic liberalization, the reconstruction of the welfare state, and the rise of judicial review and rights discourse. The constitutional transformation of the Nordic countries may thus serve as a magnifying glass for similar processes of constitutional change elsewhere.However, despite this intriguing set up, constitutional events in the Nordic countries seldom generate international scholarly interest. Surprisingly, none of the major works critical of judicial review's legitimacy, democratic credentials, or effectiveness in limiting government draws on the Nordic experience to substantiate its claims. It is much less surprising, to be sure, that none of Ronald Dworkin's pro-judicial review works considers the possible lessons from the Scandinavian model of judicial review. With few notable exceptions, the region's potential contribution to contemporary debates in comparative constitutional law and politics remains for the most part unexploited and under-theorized. In this essay, I offer several realist observations concerning the possible lessons from Nordic constitutionalism with respect to two core questions. First, how necessary, let alone sufficient, a condition is active judicial review, strong or weak, in accomplishing high levels of democracy, human development, and other such ideals? And, by extension, what is the place of constitutional rights in a larger scheme of the modern welfare state? Second, what are the links between economic liberalization and shifting political power constellations on the one hand, and the rise of judicial review and rights jurisprudence on the other? With respect to each of these two questions, Nordic constitutionalism offers a counter-narrative to canonical insights of constitutional theory.


This study has explored issue relating to orientations and practices relating to maintenance schedule, maintenance inspections, maintenance planning, maintenance reporting, maintenance process based on information collected from selected stakeholders in the operations of Colleges of Education in Ghana. Data was collected from teachers and students in Colleges of Education in Ghana. Generally the analysis suggests that maintenance practices and orientation, both among students and staff is relatively low. A direct and related consequence of this problem is the delays in the execution of maintenance works. Also, the Colleges of Education do not have a fully equipped maintenance unit as well as qualified personnel. The implication is that the few tradesmen do the minor maintenance works sometimes with improvised equipment. It is recommended that the process through which maintenance requests and budget proposals go through should be revisited and reduced to the barest minimum in order to facilitate quick reactions to complaints when they are reported. Secondly, maintenance Clubs should be set up in the Colleges to do periodic inspection of buildings that is a post occupancy evaluation every quarterly. This will enable the maintenance needs of the buildings to be discovered in time before the situation gets out of hand. Officers should oversee and ensure that thorough periodic inspections of buildings' conditions are done. Further, building inspection should be planned, because proper planning is a sure way to lessen cost of maintenance since doing so can provide perception into future maintenance needs and avoid unnecessary costs.


This feature article provides a progress review of atomic layer deposition (ALD) for fabrication of oxide-ion as well as proton conducting ceramic fuel cells. A comprehensive analysis of structural, chemical, surface kinetics, and electrochemical characterization results of ALD membranes is also presented. ALD is a surface reaction limited method of depositing conformal, high quality, pinhole-free, uniform thickness nanofilms onto planar or three-dimensional structures. Deposition by one atomic layer at a time also affords unprecedented opportunities to engineer surface termination, to form compositionally graded structures or graded doping, and to synthesize metastable phases that cannot be realized otherwise. Indeed, thin ceramic electrolyte membranes made by ALD exhibit enhanced surface exchange kinetics, reduced ohmic losses, and superior fuel cell performance as high as 1.34 W cm−2 at 500 °C. More importantly, ALD offers the opportunity to design and engineer surface structures at the atomic scale targeting improved performance of not only ceramic fuel cells, but also electrochemical sensors, electrolysers and pumps.


Complementary and alternative medicine involves the use of herbs and medicinal plants as an alternative to mainstream western medical treatment. A large number of Indian medicinal plants have been reported to possess immunostimulant activity and thus can serve as potential source of drug in various immunocompomised states including AIDS, cancer and for treatment of various chronic infections. This review describes role of plant derived Immunostimulants in health care.


BACKGROUND
The strong observational association between total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations and risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and the null associations in the homocysteine-lowering trials have prompted the need to identify genetic variants associated with homocysteine concentrations and risk of CAD.

OBJECTIVE
We tested whether common genetic polymorphisms associated with variation in tHcy are also associated with CAD.

DESIGN
We conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on tHcy concentrations in 44,147 individuals of European descent. Polymorphisms associated with tHcy (P < 10(⁻⁸) were tested for association with CAD in 31,400 cases and 92,927 controls.

RESULTS
Common variants at 13 loci, explaining 5.9% of the variation in tHcy, were associated with tHcy concentrations, including 6 novel loci in or near MMACHC (2.1 × 10⁻⁹), SLC17A3 (1.0 × 10⁻⁸), GTPB10 (1.7 × 10⁻⁸), CUBN (7.5 × 10⁻¹⁰), HNF1A (1.2 × 10⁻¹²)), and FUT2 (6.6 × 10⁻⁹), and variants previously reported at or near the MTHFR, MTR, CPS1, MUT, NOX4, DPEP1, and CBS genes. Individuals within the highest 10% of the genotype risk score (GRS) had 3-μmol/L higher mean tHcy concentrations than did those within the lowest 10% of the GRS (P = 1 × 10⁻³⁶). The GRS was not associated with risk of CAD (OR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.98, 1.04; P = 0.49).

CONCLUSIONS
We identified several novel loci that influence plasma tHcy concentrations. Overall, common genetic variants that influence plasma tHcy concentrations are not associated with risk of CAD in white populations, which further refutes the causal relevance of moderately elevated tHcy concentrations and tHcy-related pathways for CAD.


Containerless solidification of Bi32.5In51Sn16.5 eutectic alloy under microgravity conditions was investigated by using a 3 m length drop tube. The Bi-In-Sn system is an important material for lead-free solder and fuse element for electrical protection. It has a low eutectic melting temperature of 60°C, which is suitable for experiments in restricted environments like the International Space Station (ISS), where the security requirements are very strict. Droplets, with diameters in the range of 200 to 400 m, solidified under microgravity, were obtained consistently with irregular ternary eutectic structure, whereas, previous results under normal gravity presented both regular lamellar and irregular structures.