Urban slums have proliferated in India with poor health and socio-economic status with no organized health system. They are at high risk for contracting communicable diseases including leprosy. In order to obtain reliable data on knowledge, attitudes and treatment of leprosy; a random sample cluster survey was done in Kolkata slums. House to house screening for leprosy was done in 6 representative random samples of slums, each with a population of at least 5000, using accepted methods for detection. Suspects were confirmed by medical officers. Intensive interviews were done by qualified male and female investigators. A majority had some knowledge of leprosy but hardly any knew early signs or symptoms or where to get proper diagnosis and treatment. Half the respondents felt leprosy must be treated separately from general patients but stated they had no hesitation in working with or visiting a leprosy patient. There were 11 suspects of which 9 were confirmed for leprosy and sent to nearest centre for MDT. Glaring gaps are noticed between knowledge and practice of slum population regarding leprosy. An integrated health program is needed urgently in urban slums to control leprosy and other diseases using a variety of resources including medical colleges.


Carbonate environments inhabit the realm of the surface, intermediate and deep currents of the ocean circulation where they produce and continuously deliver material which is potentially deposited into contourite drifts. In the tropical realm, fine‐grained particles produced in shallow water and transported off‐bank by tidal, wind‐driven, and cascading density currents are a major source for transport and deposition by currents. Sediment production is especially high during interglacial times when sea level is high and is greatly reduced during glacial times of sea‐level lowstands. Reduced sedimentation on carbonate contourite drifts leads to early marine cementation and hardened surfaces, which are often reworked when current strength increases. As a result, reworked lithoclasts are a common component in carbonate drifts. In areas of temperate and cool water carbonates, currents are able to flow across carbonate producing areas and incorporate sediment directly to the current. The entrained skeletal carbonate particles have variable bulk density and shapes that lower the prediction of transport rates in energy‐based transport models, as well as prediction of current velocity based on grain size. All types of contourite drifts known in clastic environments are found in carbonate environments, but three additional drift types occur in carbonates because of local sources and current flow diversion in the complicated topography inherent to carbonate systems. The periplatform drift is a carbonate‐specific plastered drift that is nearly exclusively made of periplatform ooze. Its geometry is built by the interaction of along‐slope currents and downslope currents, which deliver sediment from the adjacent shallow‐water carbonate realm to the contour current via a line source. Because the periplatform drift is plastered on the slopes of the platforms it is also subject to mass gravity flow and large slope failures. At platform edges, a special type of patch drift develops. These hemiconal platform‐edge drifts also contain exclusively periplatform ooze but their geometry is controlled by the current around the corner of the platform. At the north‐western end of Little and Great Bahama Bank are platform‐edge drifts that are over 100 km long and up to 600 m thick. A special type of channel‐related drift forms when passages between carbonate buildups or channels within a platform open into deeper water. A current flowing in these channels will entrain material shed from the sediment producing areas. At the channel mouth, the sediment‐charged current deposits its sediment load into the deeper basin. With continuous flow, a submarine delta drift is built that progrades into the deep water. The strongly focused current forming the delta drift, is able to rework coarse skeletal grains and clasts, making this type of carbonate drift the coarsest drift type.


Current compensation systems are not working for the new and emerging models of health care systems. While there is not a perfect solution, there are alternatives that should be considered. The dynamics that are influencing compensation include: consolidation and integration are creating tighter group infrastructures than have previously existed--groups must place greater emphasis on the manner in which physicians function in support of common goals; the regulatory environment has increased due to the Stark legislation; the marketplace is a force in super-specialties and primary care physician compensation; and managed care is demanding new methods of compensation. Market-based compensation is attracting interest because of the complexity of external pressures. It is defined as the relationship between productivity and compensation and utilizes external benchmarks. Future market-based compensation plans will have five main components: productivity, as measured by dollars or RVUs; resource utilization, as service becomes a cost that is debited against capitated revenue; outcomes will be fundamental; service ratings will be instrumental; and physician "citizenship" will garner a higher profile.


On large events, most people come in groups, and for appropriate handling of calamities knowledge of these groups is essential. Groups can have at least two kinds of leaders, formal and informal leaders. The type of leader was expected to have an influence on the interpersonal distance between group members and the success of leadership. Several possible other variables with a possible mediating and moderating role, or independent variables were introduced, namely overview (a state and a trait variable), openness to experience, extroversion, leadership quality, leader prototypicality, and unity of the group. An experiment was conducted with groups with informal and formal leaders, where the participants filled in a pre- and post-questionnaire; in between these measurements, they did two teambuilding activities and a scavenger hunt. Type of leader predicted leadership success and unity appeared as a mediator. The other effects, however, could not be found in this data. The knowledge and liking of others seemed to play an important role. This effect might have been stronger than in other research projects, due to the small number of participants (N=55) and the fact that many groups consisted at least partly of friends.


This paper handles the medical waste disposal facility location problem in Istanbul by using fuzzy TOPSIS (FETOPSIS) to select the adequate place between some candidate points that are obtained from the Ishii's undesirable facility location algorithm. Medical waste must be disposed without damaging environment and human health, complying with new regulations. The aim is to provide an alternative method to the medical waste disposal facility location problem in Istanbul, able to handle the fuzziness of the real world. People attempt to minimize the undesirable effects introduced by the new facility by maximizing its minimum Euclidean distance with respect to all demand points and also to minimize the total transportation costs. This study proposes a modified model of Ishii's algorithm to obtain a list of candidate points. Then a selection is made between these candidate points considering other criteria as earthquake risk, distance to natural water sources and level of air pollution.


The aim of the present review is to investigate the cerebral correlates, more particularly the role of the parietal lobe, when imitating intransitive gestures, a task highly sensitive to apraxic errors. By providing an integrative review of functional imaging and brain lesion studies, we focused our attention on the meaning of gestures (meaningful and meaningless) and the body parts (finger and hand). We found that imitation of intransitive gestures is relying upon a bilateral brain network including fronto-parietal areas irrespective of meaning or body parts. Moreover, we observed that while imitation of meaningful and meaningless gestures is predominantly impacted following left parietal lesions, more brain areas are engaged during meaningless gesture imitation. Concerning body parts, whereas imitation of hand postures is relying upon the left parietal lobe (angular gyrus), imitation of finger postures is more likely to be impaired following lesions in the frontal lobe, insula and basal ganglia. These results question neuropsychological theories on apraxia and open promising avenues for a better understanding of apraxia.


This paper provides first evidence of negative peer disclosure (NPD), an emerging corporate strategy to publicize adverse news about industry peers on social media. Consistent with NPDs being implicit positive self-disclosures, disclosing firms experience a two-day abnormal return of 1.6-1.7% over the market and industry. Further exploring the benefits and costs of such disclosures, we find that NPD propensity increases with the degree of product market rivalry and technology proximity and that disclosing firms outperform non-disclosing peers in the product markets in the year following NPD. These results rationalize peer disclosure and extend the scope of the literature beyond self-disclosure.


In a retrospective study we assessed the outcome of the criptogenic and symptomatic forms of West syndrome and evaluated the efficacy of adrenocorticotropic hormone, vigabatrin, prednisone, valproate and nitrazepam in the spasms control. Seventy patients were follwed up by 2 years. Twelve (17%) were criptogenics and 58 (83%) symptomatics. In criptogenic group significantly more patients were in regular school classes and with normal motor development, better control of seizure, less tendency to evoluate to Lennox Gastaut syndrome and 83. 3% had control of spasms (72.4% of patients from symptomatic group had control of spasms). Adrenocorticotropic hormone and vigabatrin were the most efective drugs, with 68.75% and 60% of spasms control, respectivelly, when used as first line of therapy and 75% and 50%, respectivelly, as second line of therapy.


Background: Air pollution and concerns about health impacts have been raised in metropolitan cities like Tehran. Trend and prediction of air pollutants can show the effectiveness of strategies for the management and control of air pollution. Artificial neural network (ANN) technique is widely used as a reliable method for modeling of air pollutants in urban areas. Therefore, the aim of current study was to evaluate the trend of sulfur dioxide (SO2) air quality index (AQI) in Tehran using ANN.Methods: The dataset of SO2 concentration and AQI in Tehran between 2007 and 2013 for 2550 days were obtained from air quality monitoring fix stations belonging to the Department of Environment (DOE). These data were used as input for the ANN and nonlinear autoregressive (NAR) model using Matlab (R2014a) software.Results: Daily and annual mean concentration of SO2 except 2008 (0.037 ppm) was less than the EPA standard (0.14 and 0.03 ppm, respectively). Trend of SO2 AQI showed the variation of SO2 during different days, but the study declined overtime and the predicted trend is higher than the actual trend.Conclusion: The trend of SO2 AQI in this study, despite daily fluctuations in ambient air of Tehran over the period of the study have decreased and the difference between the predicted and actual trends can be related to various factors, such as change in management and control of SO2 emissions strategy and lack of effective parameters in SO2 emissions in predicting model.


Objective: The presence of anti-HDV antibodies in HBsAg-positive subjects suggests HBV/HDV co-infection. Anti-HDV antibodies may remain after recovery and the disappearance of HBsAg, but active HDV and/or HCV infections can also sometimes decrease HBsAg production. However, there are few epidemiological data concerning anti-HDV antibodies in HBsAg-negative subjects. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of anti- HDV antibodies in HBsAg-negative subjects with other markers of HBV infection in an urban area of northern Italy in order to evaluate their significance in the presence/absence of HCV, and to contribute to HDV epidemiology by comparing the results with those obtained in a previous study of HBsAg-positive subjects in the same area.
Methods: Anti-HDV antibodies were retrospectively investigated in 1287 HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive subjects who hade been examined for HBV markers. Signs of possible liver alterations and HCV and HIV infections were sought in the clinical records of the anti-HDV-positive patients, and HBV-DNA, anti-HBc IgM, anti-HDV IgM and HDV-RNA were detected.
Results: Thirteen samples (1.0%) were anti-HDV-positive. The clinical evaluation of 12 of these patients showed that nine had had previous HBV/HDV co-infections; two had concomitant HCV infection, and one occult HBV infection. The prevalence of past HDV infection was 0.7%. The prevalence of anti-HDV in HBsAgpositive patients in the same area was 4.9%.
Conclusion: The prevalence of past HDV infection in the study area is low, but interference from HCV is possible in a few cases. Comparison with data obtained from HBsAg-positive subjects suggests that about one-quarter of HBV/HDV co-infections resolve naturally.


Introduction Outcome predictions of patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) still have some limitations in the prenatal estimate of postnatal pulmonary hypertension (PH). We propose applying Machine Learning (ML), and Deep Learning (DL) approaches to fetuses and newborns with CDH to develop forecasting models in prenatal epoch, based on the integrated analysis of clinical data, to provide neonatal PH as the first outcome and, possibly: favorable response to fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion (FETO), need for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), survival to ECMO, and death. Moreover, we plan to produce a (semi)automatic fetus lung segmentation system in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which will be useful during project implementation but will also be an important tool itself to standardize lung volume measures for CDH fetuses. Methods and analytics Patients with isolated CDH from singleton pregnancies will be enrolled, whose prenatal checks were performed at the Fetal Surgery Unit of the Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico (Milan, Italy) from the 30th week of gestation. A retrospective data collection of clinical and radiological variables from newborns' and mothers' clinical records will be performed for eligible patients born between 01/01/2012 and 31/12/2020. The native sequences from fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be collected. Data from different sources will be integrated and analyzed using ML and DL, and forecasting algorithms will be developed for each outcome. Methods of data augmentation and dimensionality reduction (feature selection and extraction) will be employed to increase sample size and avoid overfitting. A software system for automatic fetal lung volume segmentation in MRI based on the DL 3D U-NET approach will also be developed. Ethics and dissemination This retrospective study received approval from the local ethics committee (Milan Area 2, Italy). The development of predictive models in CDH outcomes will provide a key contribution in disease prediction, early targeted interventions, and personalized management, with an overall improvement in care quality, resource allocation, healthcare, and family savings. Our findings will be validated in a future prospective multicenter cohort study. Registration The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier NCT04609163.


Unequivocally understandable requirements are vital for software design process. However, in practice it is hard to achieve the desired level of understandability, because in large software products a substantial amount of requirements tend to have ambiguous or complex descriptions. Over time such requirements decelerate the development speed and increase the risk of late design modifications, therefore finding and improving them is an urgent task for software designers. Manual reviewing is one way of addressing the problem, but it is effort-intensive and critically slow for large products. Another way is using measurement, in which case one needs to design effective measures. In recent years there have been great endeavors in creating and validating measures for requirements understandability: most of the measures focused on ambiguous patterns. While ambiguity is one property that has major effect on understandability, there is also another important property, complexity, which also has major effect on understandability, but is relatively less investigated. In this paper we define a complexity measure for textual requirements through an action research project in a large software development organization. We also present its evaluation results in three large companies. The evaluation shows that there is a significant correlation between the measurement values and the manual assessment values of practitioners. We recommend this measure to be used with earlier created ambiguity measures as means for automated identification of complex specifications.


The results of an ab initio calculation, based on pseudopotentials and the density functional theory, for the atomic and electronic structures of the chemisorption of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTS) on the Si(001)-(2 × 2) surface are presented. Two possible models for the chemisorption location of the APTS molecule are considered on the hydroxylated Si(001)-(2 × 2) surface:  (i) an above-pedestal position (intra-row) between adjacent Si dimers and (ii) an above-hollow position. The first case is found to be energetically more favorable than the latter by 1.04 eV. The electronic band structure of this site has been compared with that of the bare Si(001)-(2 × 2) surface. It is observed that the chemisorption of APTS has considerably changed the electronic structure of the Si(001)-(2 × 2) surface.


Shelf arthroplasty is an old technique which by a classical approach, proposed by Lance in 1925, had a low morbidity rate and long term known results. A minimal invasive approach reduces the magnitude of the operation, its consequences and might allow one to broaden its indications. The approach is 4 cm long at the anterolateral part of the hip, through the space between tensor fascia latae and gluteus muscles. A 3×3 cm cortical-cancellous autograft is applied using a guide wire positioned by fluoroscopy and the osteosynthesis is based on a cannulated screw. 76 cases were reviewed over two years (4.6 years average, 2–8 years). The average hospitalization period lasted for three days; patients have to respect partial weight bearing for two months and no one has been placed in a re-education center. 75% patients had a completely painless hip without limiting their activity. 93% shelves are consolidated with a callus in three months; 6% nonunion was due, in part, to a technical mistake. No infection, no phlebitis, no palsy of the cutaneo lateral nerve has been evidenced.


In this thesis I wish to present an ordered account of the life and works of Han Yongun. As a Buddhist priest and philosopher, as a poet and novelist, as an essayist and commentator on his own time the body of his work is many-faceted. This is reflected in the various views of his work. Some critics emphasise his nationalism and the part he played in the independence movements which followed the March 1, 1919 uprising and interpret his work in this light. Others concentrate on his most famous work The Silence of 'Nim' and stress his contribution to the new forms of modem Korean poetry. No modem anthology of Korean poetry is complete without an excerpt from this collection. Han Yongtu is a figure who still symbolizes for many Koreans their yearning for a national identity and a national culture which adapts itself to the twentieth century without destroying the sense of a unique past and an enduring intellectual and religious tradition. I hope to demonstrate in this account of his life and works that the unifying principle of his life was his deep commitment to the reform of Korean society through the social expression of his Buddhist philosophy. I believe that an understanding of his Essay on The Renewal of Korean Buddhism is crucial to the appreciation of his poetry and novels as well as to an understanding of his lifelong political activism. Ham Yongun's own philosophy was essentially secular and strongly influenced by nineteenth century European philosophy. Enlightenment was to be achieved in this world. His work can best be understood as an attempt to bring enlightenment to the mass of people through teaching and social reform.


Turkish students' motivation sources, organisational approaches, physical needs and environmental and interpersonal preferences during the homework process were examined in 1776 students in Grades 5–8 from 10 randomly selected schools in two districts of a major urban city in Turkey. These constructs were examined to determine grade, gender, socio‐economic status (SES) differences and interaction effects amongst the three grouping variables. Grade differences were demonstrated in some elements (e.g. motivation) whereas others (e.g. physical needs) were stable across grades. Gender differences were not significant in most elements, and Turkish students with low‐SES background reported more positive attitudes towards homework and more culturally acceptable ways of engaging in homework than did their high‐SES peers. The significance of the study in Turkish education system was discussed.


This study used Focus Group to analyze user requirements for user interface so as to understand what capabilities of the Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) Instructional Platform were expected by users. After 12 focus group interviews, the following four functions had been identified as essential to the CPS Instructional Platform: CPS instructional models, instructional resources database, evaluation system, and instructional plan sharing. The user interface for the CPS Instructional Platform were designed accordingly. After programmers of the integrated project had completed system development based on the design, the study was proceeded usability evaluation of user interface of the CPS Instructional Platform. As for the satisfaction survey, 33 users were chosen based on purposive sampling. In the Likert Scale of five levels, the average score of this system was 4.1 by the testers. And, it indicated that most users were satisfied with the system user interface design and functions.


This study – a year-long ethnographic exploration of disability and education in Bhutan – finds that two dominant discourses around 'disability' are entering Bhutan simultaneously: the discourse of the medical model of disability and the discourse of the social or human rights model of disability. In this paper, I argue that these two discourses are especially exposed in the Bhutanese context to be opposing forces in shaping local conceptualisation and construction of 'disability'. By examining the Bhutan case, it can be seen that these kinds of disparate and contentious exogenous constructions of 'disability' occur everywhere in the world and negotiate with local constructions of 'disability' uneasily. Understanding the interactions of disability discourses in the Bhutanese context can help to understand the interactions of disability discourses writ large.


Symmetric-key primitives designed over the prime field Fp with odd characteristics, rather than the traditional Fn2 , are becoming the most popular choice for MPC/FHE/ZK-protocols for better efficiencies. However, the security of Fp is less understood as there are highly nontrivial gaps when extending the cryptanalysis tools and experiences built on Fn2 in the past few decades to Fp.At CRYPTO 2015, Sun et al. established the links among impossible differential, zero-correlation linear, and integral cryptanalysis over Fn2 from the perspective of distinguishers. In this paper, following the definition of linear correlations over Fp by Baignères, Stern and Vaudenay at SAC 2007, we successfully establish comprehensive links over Fp, by reproducing the proofs and offering alternatives when necessary. Interesting and important differences between Fp and Fn2 are observed.- Zero-correlation linear hulls can not lead to integral distinguishers for some cases over Fp, while this is always possible over Fn2proven by Sun et al..- When the newly established links are applied to GMiMC, its impossible differential, zero-correlation linear hull and integral distinguishers can be increased by up to 3 rounds for most of the cases, and even to an arbitrary number of rounds for some special and limited cases, which only appeared in Fp. It should be noted that all these distinguishers do not invalidate GMiMC's security claims.The development of the theories over Fp behind these links, and properties identified (be it similar or different) will bring clearer and easier understanding of security of primitives in this emerging Fp field, which we believe will provide useful guides for future cryptanalysis and design.


This work supports further development of language technology for the languages of Africa by providing a Wikidata-derived resource of name lists corresponding to common entity types (person, location, and organization). While we are not the first to mine Wikidata for name lists, our approach emphasizes scalability and replicability and addresses data quality issues for languages that do not use Latin scripts. We produce lists containing approximately 1.9 million names across 28 African languages. We describe the data, the process used to produce it, and its limitations, and provide the software and data for public use. Finally, we discuss the ethical considerations of producing this resource and others of its kind.


Stalled bacterial ribosomes are freed by transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA). With the help of small protein B (SmpB), protein synthesis restarts and tmRNA adds a tag to the stalled protein for destruction. The conformation of a 347 nt long tmRNA from a thermophile and its interactions with SmpB were monitored using structural probes. The RNA is highly folded, including the reading frame, with <30% of unpaired residues. Footprints between SmpB and tmRNA are in the elbow of the tRNA domain, in some pseudoknots including one essential for function and in the lower part of the stem exiting the tRNA domain. The footprints outside the tRNA domain are scattered onto the tmRNA sequence, but form a cluster onto its tertiary structure derived from cryo-EM data. Some footprints flank the first triplet to be translated in tmRNA, suggesting that SmpB participates in the insertion of the tmRNA-encoded reading frame into the decoding center. To discriminate between a conformational rearrangement of tmRNA and independent binding sites, surface plasmon resonance was used and has identified three independent binding sites of SmpB on the RNA, including the site on the tRNA domain. Accordingly, SmpB is proposed to move on the tmRNA scaffold during trans-translation.


I knew we had no aviators, neither men nor women, and I knew the Race needed to be represented along this most important line, so I thought it my duty to risk my life to learn aviation and to encourage flying among men and women of our Race who are so fax behind the white Race in this modern study.(1) Bessie Coleman, 1921 Since the development of science and technology, women, especially African-American women, have been, the most part, excluded. Science and technology has usually been considered a white male dominated area; customarily the women may have been the nurses or the assistants behind the men if they were even involved at all. Fortunately, there are African-American women willing to break the mold in science and technology as in any other profession. These women have proven to society that "Yes, I can." They have altered the perspective and made it clear that women cannot and no longer will, be the Mammies, Jezebels, and Sapphires of the twentieth century.(2) African-American women have endured too much to be ignored any longer, and it is time that they receive recognition for their accomplishments. Although in the science field women are still the minority, the numbers are increasing. Women like Bessie Coleman, the first African-American female astronaut, have shown us that there are many qualified women in our society to take a chance to modify the stereotypes of women and African-Americans. Despite racial, gender, and class restrictions, these two women have conquered the world in their own right. Although they are two different women from two different time periods, their struggles are very similar. Fortunately, Bessie blazed the trail for Mae Jemison and many other future aviators. Here are their histories, similarities, differences, and contributions. You will see just how high they really can fly. Bessie Coleman was born on January 26, 1893 in Atlanta, Texas. She began life in an environment which was poverty stricken. She and her family had to pick cotton and launder clothing to survive.(3) Her mother, Susan, was African-American and her father was of Indian descent. Between them, they had thirteen children, Bessie being the twelfth.(4) When Bessie was seven years old, her father left the family in search of Indian territory, mainly in Oklahoma. He encouraged Susan and the children to come, but she refused and he departed.(5) Susan and Bessie rejected the idea of being helpless. Susan encouraged her children to go t,o school and earn an education. Bessie did not argue. She enjoyed learning and was also assigned the family bookkeeping responsibilities. She even taught herself to read: I found a brand new world in the written word. I couldn't get enough. I wanted to learn so badly that I finished high school, something very unusual for a black woman in those days. The teachers I had tried so hard. I don't wish to make it sound easy, but I decided I wanted to go to college too. Since my mother could not afford college, I took in laundry and ironing to save up the tuition money.(6) After graduating high school, Bessie had saved some money and enrolled in the Langston Industrial College in Oklahoma. Unfortunately, she could only attend one semester because she lacked the funds.(7) After leaving Langston, she moved to Chicago to live with her brother(s) and soon enrolled in the Burhham's School of Beauty Culture to study manicuring. After entering into the Cosmetology field at the White Sox Barber shop in Komisky Park, she found it uninteresting and began to pursue a career as a pilot.(8) She began to study the lives of her idols, Harriet Quimby, the first American woman to earn a pilot's license in 1911, and Raymonde de Laroche, the first woman to, earn a license in 1909.(9) In order for her to fulfill her desire of becoming a pilot, she needed money. Therefore, she took a second job as a waitress at a chili parlor in Chicago to supplement her income.(10) Dishearteningly, she was not allowed to enroll in a aviation school in the United States. …


The Oregon State University Physics Department has recently initiated an undergraduate degree program in computational physics. associated with that program is a National Science Foundation-funded project to develop curricula materials for introductory and advanced computational science classes. While we plan to publish traditional paper texts for these courses, we also are exploring ways to publish digital versions of these materials containing features that exploit new technologies. Specifically, we wish to advance digital books using multimodal and interactive elements to increase the access and understanding of mathematics and science. This installment of the education department describes the motivation behind, and the technologies needed for, the features we envision in future scientific documents.


To the Editor: We read with great interest the review by Behan and Rinaldi (1) on cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) for heart failure. They stated that CRT is indicated for a selected group of chronic heart failure patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVEF < 30%), drug refractory symptoms and a QRS duration > 120 ms. It was correctly pointed out that patients should be already on optimal medical therapy, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin-receptor blockers, beta-blockers, diuretics and aldosterone antagonists. However, digoxin therapy was not considered. In the post hoc analysis of the Digitalis Investigation Group (DIG) trial (2), digoxin added to the therapy of diuretics and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors has been shown not only to reduce hospitalisation caused by heart failure in a wide spectrum of ambulatory chronic heart failure patients in sinus rhythm, but also to reduce all-cause mortality and all-cause hospitalisation provided a low blood concentration (i.e. in the range of 0.5–0.9 ng/dl). Therefore, it should be wise, if symptoms of heart failure persist despite an optimal use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta-blockers and diuretics, to try with digoxin, which is safe and cheap, before considering cardiac resyncronisation therapy in the subgroups of patients in sinus rhythm and wide QRS complex.


Background: Central nervous system (CNS) infections are relatively rare but associated with high mortality worldwide. Empirical antimicrobial therapy is crucial for the prognosis of patients with CNS infections, which should be based on the knowledge of pathogens distribution and antibiotic sensitivities. China is a vast country, and the pathogens distribution varies nationwide. The aim of this study is to investigate the features of pathogens in patients with CNS infections in north China and we tried to evaluate the risk factors for mortality.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the patients with positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture in a teaching hospital between January 2012 and December 2019. The following information were collected: demographic characteristics, laboratory data, causative organisms and antimicrobial susceptibility results. Univariate analysis and binary logistic regression analysis were performed to identify the risk factors for mortality.Results: In this eight-year retrospective study, a total of 72 patients were diagnosed with CNS infections and 86 isolates were identified. Among all the microorganisms detected, Gram-positive strains consisted of 59.3%, Gram-negative bacteria of 30.2% and fungi of 10.5%. The predominant Gram-positive isolate was coagulase-negative staphylococci. Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella were the common Gram-negative strains. Compared to 2012-2015 years, the proportion of Gram-negative bacteria increased markedly during 2016-2019 years. Vancomycin, teicoplanin and linezolid were still 100% sensitive to Gram-positive bacteria. For the multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, only tigecycline was the 100% sensitive antibiotics. The mortality of the 72 patients was 30.6%. In the multivariate analysis, age >50 years, combined pulmonary infection and CSF glucose < normal value were associated with poor prognosis. Conclusions: CNS infections cause high mortality worldwide. Although Gram-positive bacteria are still the primary pathogen of CNS infections, Gram-negative bacteria had increased in recent years and should be considered in the choice of empirical antibiotic treatment. Special attention should be given to older patients and those combined pulmonary infection and with low CSF glucose level.


In this article, we present two methods based on thermodynamic integration for computing solid-fluid interfacial free energy for a molecular system. As a representative system, we choose two crystal polymorphs of orcinol (5-methylbenzene-1,3-diol) as the solid phase and chloroform and nitromethane as the liquid phase. The computed values of the interfacial free energy are then used in combination with the classical nucleation theory to predict solvent induced polymorph selectivity during crystallization of orcinol from solution.


Application and desktop sharing allows sharing any application with one or more people over the Internet. The participants receive the screen-view of the shared application from the server. Their mouse and keyboard events are delivered and regenerated at the server. Application and desktop sharing enables collaborative work, software tutoring and e-learning over the Internet. We have developed an application and desktop sharing platform called ADS which is efficient, reliable, operating system independent, scales well, supports all applications and features true application sharing.


We present the application of an optimizer-coupled finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulator for the optimal design of waveguide transitions. The software package contains a standard FDTD algorithm and common optimization routines. The illustrated approach is a very efficient way for various design problems of wave-guide discontinuities. Several types of transitions in an unusual aligned geometry were investigated. A broad-band minimization of reflection losses up to 14 GHz was achieved. Close agreement has been obtained between FDTD results and measurement over a wide frequency range.


This paper aims to overcome the salient deficiency of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) modulation, namely its high Peak to Average Power Ratio (PAPR). This study is carried out in Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) context. By first mitigating PAPR with Deep-Clipping solution, the paper dwells on tradeoffs between Modulation Error Rate (MER) and Power Spectral Density (PSD). It is revealed that the proposed technique is very simple and fits DVB standard requirements very well. This solution has been recently successfully implemented in DVB terrestrial and portable modulators.


Concrete is one of the most utilised materials in the world. It is used to construct buildings, bridges and highways and is comprised of four key ingredients: cement, sand, gravel, and water. Although, there are environmental implications regarding the use of concrete, e.g. high embodied CO2, it is a flexible material in that it is possible to incorporate waste materials whilst maintaining structural integrity. Very little work has been done in replacing or partially substituting water as the hydration of cement is a key reaction to strength development. This paper investigates the possibility of utilising wastewater sludge (WWS) from the brewery industry as a water substitute in concrete. With the adverse effects of climate change resulting in water shortages around the world, there are sustainable implications of finding water substitutes. Experiments were carried out by supplementing water by volume in concrete mixes with WWS at 25%, 50%, and 100% steps at the point of need. Results were compared with a control specimen, which was made with 100% pure water. The results showed impressive compressive strengths that were suitable for structural applications, even at 100% WWS content. The results showed good repeatability and highlight the potential of WWS as a water replacement, which could enhance the sustainability aspect of concrete.


In today's competitive business environment, most companies realize that the better they can manage their customer relationships, the more successful they will become. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software systems are key tools for companies to manage the customer-facing processes of their businesses. However, many companies have resisted implementing this most critical customer-oriented application due in large part to the lack of a single-point resource on implementing a CRM system. This book attempts to fill that gap. Implementing SAP CRM will help technologists and managers come to grips with the vision, concept, and technology of CRM. It begins by laying out the groundwork for understanding CRM. It explains the concept and context of CRM and the tangible business benefits of CRM adoption. Demonstrating a professional approach to the evaluation and selection of SAP, it details the critical success factors (CSFs), patterns, and anti-patterns of a successful SAP CRM implementation. CRM implementations can add significant benefit to the companys bottom line only if the company first transforms itself into a customer-centric and customer-responsive enterprise. This book explains what it means to be a customer-centric and responsive enterprise, and provides a framework for business operations based on customer relationships, rather than the traditional four Ps (product, positioning, price, promotion). It further spells out business process reengineering (BPR) strategies to configure internal business processes and operations with SAP CRM to improve customer-facing strategies, services, and relationships.


The behavior of AT-quartz resonators subject to acceleration is studied. For an AT-strip resonator with cantilever mounting, piezoelectric theory predicts that excitation of the pure lowest frequency flexural mode of vibration generates no charge. However, experiments show electromechanical resonance corresponding to this mode for sinusoidal support motion normal to the plane of the crystal with no applied electric field. An amplifier with a voltage follower first stage senses charge output from the crystal. Shielding is required to reduce sixty hertz and drive frequency electromagnetic interference. Measurement of resonant frequency and damping factor for the lowest frequency flexural mode is reported for a group of 17.76 MHz oscillator crystals. This mode is responsible for crystal breakage in some portable communications products. Significant variation in sensitivity among crystals was observed. Charge sensitivity of this mode is attributed in part to mechanical coupling to other modes involving torsion and lateral flexure.


The work deals with solderabilty of high-purity aluminium with the lead-free tin solders. Soldering was performed in the air with and without application of flux and with mechanical removal of surface oxides. Wettability measurements have shown that all lead-free solders wetted aluminium surface with wetting angle below 42°. The shear strength of experimental joints attained the values from 25 to 48 MPa. The study of boundary zones of fabricated joints was performed by use of EDX analysis.


We have derived a new age estimate for the nearby young star AB Dor and have investigated the resulting implications for testing theoretical evolutionary models with the data reported by Close and coworkers for the low-mass companion AB Dor C. Using color-magnitude diagrams, we find that the AB Dor moving group is roughly coeval with the Pleiades (τ = 100-125 Myr) and is clearly older than IC 2391 (τ = 35-50 Myr). In fact, based on a comparison of the kinematics of AB Dor and the Pleiades, we suggest that the stars identified by Zuckerman and coworkers as members of a moving group with AB Dor are remnants of the large-scale star-formation event that formed the Pleiades. Using the age of τ = 50 Myr adopted by Close, the luminosity predicted by the models of Chabrier and Baraffe for AB Dor C is larger than the value reported by Close but is still within the quoted uncertainties. Meanwhile, the agreement is good when our age estimate for AB Dor C is adopted. Thus, we find no evidence in the data presented by Close for AB Dor C to suggest that previous studies using the models of Chabrier and Baraffe and bolometric luminosity as the mass indicator have significantly underestimated the masses of young low-mass stars and brown dwarfs.


Various underground communications (water or gas supply systems, sewage, power lines) have been installed in recent years using trenchless technologies, i.e. horizontal directional drilling (HDD). This technique by its nature does not disturb the traffic and is environmentally friendly. One must be aware that, with HDD, pipeline building time is shortened. With respect to the above, HDD is especially effective in highly populated or industrial areas. However, it is necessary to ensure that HDD works, in order to prevent damage to installed underground facilities. The aim of this work is to propose a user-friendly and inexpensive simulation tool with required functionality for HDD trajectory-planning under field conditions. The optimization of HDD trajectory-planning consisted of analyzing the methods for pilot bore trajectory construction: step-by-step, six-point, and four-point control. The statistical evaluation of such methods revealed their similarity regarding time resources (when using any of the methods mentioned above, the upper limit of 95% confidence interval of HDD trajectory-planning duration does not exceed 1 min). The tests of the simulation tool at work places with Ditch Witch JT922 demonstrated good functionality due to its intuitive interface and simple and fast ability to replan a HDD trajectory. Increased accuracy of bore path planning and simpler pilot bore construction were achieved.


Growht and mortality of the mollusk Pteria sterna in wild banks of Southern Baja California, Mexico. The Gulf of California nacre shell Pteria sterna is an important marine resource in Mexico, and the main species for "half" and round pearl production in the American continent. Wild spat can only be extracted legally for research or culture activities. This study calculates growth and mortality parameters for wild stocks in the eastern coast of Southern Baja California. Height's data (353 dorso-ventral measurements) were taken from 1997 to 1999 at Santa Rosalia, Mulege and Loreto Bay coast. The maximum length was estimated at 130.35 mm (124.22-136.48 mm, p>0.95). The length frequency data were set in a "virtual year". Seasonal von Bertalanffy growth parameters were calculated in the ELEFAN I routine, the values are: L ∞ = 156.02 mm, k = 0.48 year-1, t 0 = -0.216 years, C = 0.43, WP = 0.73. and t s = 0.5. The growth performance index was Φ' = 4.068. The total mortality was calculated from length-converted catch curve Z = 3.34 year-1. The length-weight relationship was fixed for the equation W = 0.000756 * L (i) 2.7075 (r2 = 0.90, n = 233). The growth parameters values in experi- mental repopulation conditions are quite different, in contrast with the growth estimated in wild stocks oysters. The value of total mortality is similar to the estimations for Pinctada fucata populations from the Red Sea and P. radiata from the Mediterranean Sea. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (3): 659-670. Epub 2009 September 30.


Background and Aims: Occupational burnout is a psychological syndrome resulting from continuous tensions which causes absence, conflict, job changing, etc. In spite of much effort done in optimizing the work conditions and satisfying the employed persons, the dentists still suffer from this incident. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of occupational burnout in Birjand dentists and to provide an approach. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study by the census method, 38 dentists were investigated using Maslach questionnaire. Average values were compared with chi-square and comparison among the groups was performed by Tukey test using SPSS software. P 4 0.05 was considered as the level of significance. Results: In this study, there were 68.4% men and 31.6% women with average age of 37.9 ±7.6 years and average work experience of 12.5±7.3 years, 15.8% single and 84.2% married. Frequency of exhaustion, intense depersonalization, and intense feeling of being unsuccessful was 21.1%, 81.6%, and 100%, respectively. There were no significant differences between occupation burnout dimensions and the other variable, such as gender, sports, marital status, and workday hours (P>0.05). Conclusion: Protection of this stratum, providing educational programs and creating job variations are necessary for optimizing the work environment. Future studies with more sample size are suggested to determine the effect of factors.


References html#ref-list-1 http://rspa.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/465/2109/2703.full. This article cites 57 articles, 3 of which can be accessed free Subject collections (79 articles) mathematical physics • Articles on similar topics can be found in the following collections Email alerting service here the box at the top right-hand corner of the article or click Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article sign up in


Steganography is an additional method leading to better securing messages up which goes hand by hand with the cryptography. This is the reason why revealing of such a message is difficult because a final steganogram uses multimedia or other transportation media along with genuine functionality. This paper deals with a blind steganalysis based on a universal neural network classification and compares it to Stegdetect - a linear classification tool. The results show that neural networks were better than the linear classification tool. The worst result was 1% in the case of neural network compared to Stegdetect where 4% was normal and 7.5% was the worst one on the same samples.


Newly launched products in the consumer goods and services markets show high failure rates. To reduce the failure rates, companies can integrate innovative and knowledgeable customers, the so-called lead users, into the new product development process. However, the detection of such lead users is difficult, especially in consumer product markets with very large customer bases. A new and potentially valuable approach toward the identification of lead users involves the use of virtual stock markets, which have been proposed and applied for political and business forecasting but not for the identification of experts such as lead users. The basic concept of virtual stock markets is bringing a group of participants together via the Internet and allowing them to trade shares of virtual stocks. These stocks represent a bet on the outcome of future market situations, and their value depends on the realization of these market situations. In this process, a virtual stock market elicits and aggregates the assessments of its participants concerning future market developments. Virtual stock markets might also serve as a feasible instrument to filter out lead users, primarily for the following two reasons. First, a self-selection effect might occur because sophisticated consumers with a higher involvement in the product of interest decide to participate in virtual stock markets. Second, a performance effect is likely to arise because well-performing participants in virtual stock markets show a better understanding of the market than their (already self-selected) fellow participants. So far, only limited information exists about these two effects and their relation to lead user characteristics. The goal of this paper is to analyze the feasibility of virtual stock markets for the identification of lead users. The results of this empirical study show that virtual stock markets can be an effective instrument to identify lead users in consumer products markets. Furthermore, the results show that not all lead users perform well in virtual stock markets. Hence, virtual stock markets allow identifying lead users with superior abilities to forecast market success.


Among a group of 116 clinically significant isolates of Bacteroides spp., 24 exhibited beta-lactamase activity greater than the basal level characteristic of most Bacteroides strains. Investigation of specific enzyme activity, iso-electric point and enzyme inhibition profiles revealed that the beta-lactamases involved could be divided into four groups, some showing similarity to those described in previous studies. Seven of the enzymes were able to hydrolyse cefoxitin, latamoxef or imipenem, and eight enzymes degraded penicillin in the presence of clavulanic acid. Five strains showed reduced susceptibility to cefoxitin, latamoxef or imipenem which was not associated with beta-lactamase activity.


It has been shown previously that two overlapping circular zone plates will create the image of two separate zone plates, two circular dots of light, with the closeness of the dots proportional to the degree of overlap of the zone plates. It is shown here that more complicated patterns can be produced by superpositioning of zone plate sections if the zone plates are cut so that the same number of sections overlap in each area.


This book, now in its 6th edition, has become a classic. Written in 1977, it was the first to define Post-Modernism in architecture - an event which led to its subsequent adoption in other fields. Perhaps no other book has had such importance in shaping opinions and practice, and this 6th edition brings the story up to date. "The Language of Post-Modern Architecture" is unique in combining a theoretical treatment of the architectural language with a record of the Post-Modern movement at 6 different stages in its history; a book which has helped steer the course of this tradition and now, at the very moment of its troubled success, charts a new direction. In it, the reader will find the key buildings of Robert Venturi, Michael Graves, James Stirling, Hans Hollein, Aldo Rossi, Ed Jones, Charles Moore, Cesar Pelli, Arata Isozaki and many others who have influenced the course of this major architectural movement.


Paraneoplastic syndromes are defined by symptoms or signs resulting from damage to organs or tissues that are remote from the site of malignant neoplasms or its metastasis. They are due to tumor secretion of functional hormones or peptides or are related to immune cross-reactivity with the host tissue. In particular, paraneoplastic endocrine syndromes are mainly caused by ectopic hormone production by the tumor such as PTHrP in humoral hypercalcemia in malignancy and ACTH in ectopic ACTH syndrome. Recently, it has been reported that a specific form of hypophysitis is caused as an immune-mediated paraneoplastic syndrome; paraneoplastic autoimmune hypophysitis, in which an ectopic pituitary antigen expression in the tumor evoked autoimmunity against pituitary-specific antigens, resulting in hypophysitis and exhibiting the injury of specific anterior pituitary cells by cytotoxic T cells. This novel clinical entity, paraneoplastic autoimmune hypophysitis consists of several conditions such as anti-PIT-1 hypophysitis and a part of isolated ACTH deficiency and immune checkpoint inhibitor-related hypophysitis with common mechanisms. These conditions can explain at least in part, the underlying mechanisms of acquired specific pituitary hormone deficiencies. In addition, it is important to apply a comprehensive discipline of onco-immuno-endocrinology to understand the pathophysiology and this approach; the expansion and application of immune-mediated paraneoplastic syndrome to endocrine diseases may give a new clue to understand pathophysiology of the autoimmunity against endocrine organs.


Significance Single molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing theoretically offers the opportunity to directly assess certain base modifications of native DNA molecules without any prior chemical/enzymatic conversions and PCR amplification, using kinetic signals of a DNA polymerase. However, the kinetic signal changes caused by 5mC modification are extremely subtle. Hence, the robust genome-wide measurement of 5mC modification has not been achieved. We enhanced 5mC detection using SMRT sequencing by holistically analyzing kinetic signals of a DNA polymerase and sequence context for every base within a measurement window. We employed a convolutional neural network to train a methylation classification model, leading to genome-wide 5mC detection. The sensitivity and specificity reached 90% and 94%, with a 99% correlation of overall methylation level with bisulfite sequencing. 5-Methylcytosine (5mC) is an important type of epigenetic modification. Bisulfite sequencing (BS-seq) has limitations, such as severe DNA degradation. Using single molecule real-time sequencing, we developed a methodology to directly examine 5mC. This approach holistically examined kinetic signals of a DNA polymerase (including interpulse duration and pulse width) and sequence context for every nucleotide within a measurement window, termed the holistic kinetic (HK) model. The measurement window of each analyzed double-stranded DNA molecule comprised 21 nucleotides with a cytosine in a CpG site in the center. We used amplified DNA (unmethylated) and M.SssI-treated DNA (methylated) (M.SssI being a CpG methyltransferase) to train a convolutional neural network. The area under the curve for differentiating methylation states using such samples was up to 0.97. The sensitivity and specificity for genome-wide 5mC detection at single-base resolution reached 90% and 94%, respectively. The HK model was then tested on human–mouse hybrid fragments in which each member of the hybrid had a different methylation status. The model was also tested on human genomic DNA molecules extracted from various biological samples, such as buffy coat, placental, and tumoral tissues. The overall methylation levels deduced by the HK model were well correlated with those by BS-seq (r = 0.99; P < 0.0001) and allowed the measurement of allele-specific methylation patterns in imprinted genes. Taken together, this methodology has provided a system for simultaneous genome-wide genetic and epigenetic analyses.


Using a cross sectional data obtained through a multistage sampling technique, this study estimated the technical efficiency of Ginger crop production in Jaba Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria and further examined the factors that determined the differential in efficiency index. A total of 78 Ginger crop farmers in the study area were randomly selected for the study. The stochastic frontier production model was used in the analysis to determine the relationship between output and the level of input used in the study area. The empirical results revealed that farm size,. Planting materials, fertilizers and hired labour were statistically significant at 5% level while chemicals and family babour were not statistically significant. The estimated gamma parameters (γ) of 0.37 indicated that 37% of the total variation in total output was due to technical inefficiencies of the respondents. The mean technical efficiencies (χ) level was 0.68. It was therefore concluded that there is scope for increasing the technical efficiency of ginger crops production by 0.68% with the present technology. Therefore the study confirmed that increased land, planting material, fertilizer and hired labour can be used in the area by the farmers in ginger production.


Abstract. The intercontinental transport of aerosols from the Sahara desert plays a significant role in nutrient cycles in the Amazon rainforest, since it carries many types of minerals to these otherwise low-fertility lands. Iron is one of the micronutrients essential for plant growth, and its long-range transport might be an important source for the iron-limited Amazon rainforest. This study assesses the bioavailability of iron Fe(II) and Fe(III) in the particulate matter over the Amazon forest, which was transported from the Sahara desert (for the sake of our discussion, this term also includes the Sahel region). The sampling campaign was carried out above and below the forest canopy at the ATTO site (Amazon Tall Tower Observatory), a near-pristine area in the central Amazon Basin, from March to April 2015. Measurements reached peak concentrations for soluble Fe(III) (48 ng m−3), Fe(II) (16 ng m−3), Na (470 ng m−3), Ca (194 ng m−3), K (65 ng m−3), and Mg (89 ng m−3) during a time period of dust transport from the Sahara, as confirmed by ground-based and satellite remote sensing data and air mass backward trajectories. Dust sampled above the Amazon canopy included primary biological aerosols and other coarse particles up to 12 µm in diameter. Atmospheric transport of weathered Saharan dust, followed by surface deposition, resulted in substantial iron bioavailability across the rainforest canopy. The seasonal deposition of dust, rich in soluble iron, and other minerals is likely to assist both bacteria and fungi within the topsoil and on canopy surfaces, and especially benefit highly bioabsorbent species. In this scenario, Saharan dust can provide essential macronutrients and micronutrients to plant roots, and also directly to plant leaves. The influence of this input on the ecology of the forest canopy and topsoil is discussed, and we argue that this influence would likely be different from that of nutrients from the weathered Amazon bedrock, which otherwise provides the main source of soluble mineral nutrients.


Circular economics (CE) is increasingly discussed among researchers, practitioners, and politicians. The discussions between the parties and the confusion about the concept cause the issue to remain on the agenda. According to the general view, CE is the slowing, shrinking, and closing of the welding flow to increase the welding efficiency. However, little attention has been devoted to measuring the CE level of a given economic system. The aim of this chapter is to demonstrate the emergence and development process of CE, and also to show how the CE level of any economic system can be measured. In this context, it is important for developing countries to interest with the issue but not in practice. To put this into perspective, the study examined Turkey's economic system. Turkey's economic, environmental, and social indicators examined were found to have a remote structure of the CE principle. It is expected that the results of the study will lead to a positive social change and become a framework for increasing the contribution of developing economies to the sustainable world.


Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) was limited to peak oxygen consumption analysis (VO2peak), and now the ventilation/carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO2) slope is recognized as having independent prognostic value. Unlike VO2peak, the VE/VCO2 slope does not require maximal effort, making it more feasible. There is no consensus on how to measure the VE/VCO2 slope; therefore, we assessed whether different methods affect its value. This is a retrospective study assessing sociodemographic data, left ventricular ejection fraction, CPET parameters, and indications of patients referred for CPET. The VE/VCO2 slope was measured to the first ventilatory threshold (VT1-slope), secondary threshold (VT2-slope), and included all test data (full-slope). Of the 697 CPETs analyzed, 308 reached VT2. All VE/VCO2 slopes increased with age, regardless of test indications. In patients not reaching VT2, the VT1-slope was 32 vs. 36 (p < 0.001) for the full-slope; in those surpassing VT2, the VT1-slope was 29 vs. 33 (p < 0.001) for the VT2-slope and 37 (all p < 0.001) for the full-slope. The mean difference between the submaximal and full-slopes was ±4 units, sufficient to reclassify patients from low to high risk for heart failure or pulmonary hypertension. We conclude that the method used for determining the VE/VCO2 slope greatly influences the result, the significant variations limiting its prognostic value. The calculation method must be standardized to improve its prognostic value.


The development of a 45-item scale is reported that will measure ego function in such a way as to allow clinicians to correlate the given state of a person's functioning with somatic function indices. It is our hope that the development of such an instrument will allow more meaningful understanding of clinical states than do such concepts as diagnosis and symptom clusters, especially with regard to the schizophrenias as observed during states of regression and return to optimal functioning. Others have been interested in this type of approach and their work demonstrates how much more advanced the somatic function indices are than those of psychological function. This scale is to be considered primarily a clinical one, not too complicated, admittedly imperfect, but designed to stimulate further thinking and investigation.


Snakebite is an important medical problem in India. Among their various manifestations, cerebral complications are uncommonly found in literature. Moreover, Ischemic stroke following snake bite is quite rare. Here we report a case series of two such cases that developed neurological manifestations following Russell's viper bite. On computerized tomography (CT) scan of brain; cerebral infarcts were revealed. Their likely mechanisms are discussed in present study which include disseminated intravascular coagulation, toxin induced vasculitis and endothelial damage.


The KArlsruhe TRItium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment will measure the absolute mass scale of neutrinos with a sensitivity of mν = 200 meV/c2 by high-precision spectroscopy close to the tritium β-decay endpoint at 18.6 keV. Its Windowless Gaseous Tritium Source (WGTS) is a β-decay source of high intensity (1011 s−1) and stability, where high-purity molecular tritium at 30 K is circulated in a closed loop with a yearly throughput of 10 kg. To limit systematic effects the column density of the source has to be stabilized at the 10−3 level. This requires extensive sensor instrumentation and dedicated control and monitoring systems for parameters such as the beam tube temperature, injection pressure, gas composition and so on. In this paper, we give an overview of these systems including a dedicated laser-Raman system as well as several β-decay activity monitors. We also report on the results of the WGTS demonstrator and other large-scale test experiments giving proof-of-principle that all parameters relevant to the systematics can be controlled and monitored on the 10−3 level or better. As a result of these works, the WGTS systematics can be controlled within stringent margins, enabling the KATRIN experiment to explore the neutrino mass scale with the design sensitivity.


What is "authoritarian constitutionalism"? How can we know it when we see it? In this paper, we provide a conceptual and analytical framework that addresses both ingredients of this intriguing concept: (1) a regime type commonly known for its tendency to abuse power, with (2) a centuries-old lineage of theories and practices seeking precisely to place limits on how it be used. After discussing different conceptualizations of "authoritarian constitutionalism", we argue that it properly is a phenomenon that takes place under an authoritarian regime that exhibits institutional constraints on power. We thus distinguish authoritarian constitutionalism from "abusive constitutionalism" (that takes place under democracy) and from "constitutional authoritarianism" (authoritarian regimes where there are no institutional limits on power). We illustrate each one of these categories with examples from Latin American constitutional history.


In a previous study1the normal smegma, particularly about the clitoris, was found to harbor spirochetes, together with fusiform bacilli in twenty-one of thirty-six women (58 per cent.). Spirochetes have been observed by others (Csillage2and Rona3) in normal women, but fusiform bacilli were described with the spiral forms only in ulcerative conditions of the vulva. Our observations have revealed that bacilli as well as spirochetes are to be considered normal inhabitants of the external genitalia. Associated with these organisms are invariably pyogenic bacteria, such as staphylococci, streptococci, colon bacilli, diphtheroids and others. In the present study, the distribution of these organisms in the vaginal tract and in certain pathologic conditions was noted. For the demonstration of these organisms, 5 per cent. carbol fuchsin and the Fontana method of staining spirochetes were employed. Smears were made from various parts of the vaginal tract of fifty-four women, chiefly


This report is the public version of the deliverable B.3.7 "Life cycle assessment of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies - Inventory of work performed by projects funded under FCH JU"; it provides an overview of the progress achieved so far and a comprehensive analysis on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for various hydrogen technologies and processes. The review considers 73 Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 2 Joint Undertaking (FCH 2 JU) funded projects: for some of those the LCA study was requested in the call topic, while other projects decided to perform the LCA study on a voluntary basis. The LCAs have been assessed regarding the adherence to guideline recommendations (e.g. reported properties, system boundary definitions, goal and scope definitions), methodology and overall quality of the work. Methodology is a critical issue for the comparability of results, as this is only possible if all LCAs follow the same guidelines; in addition, LCAs were often only partially fulfilling the selected guideline requirements. It is recommended that future FCH 2 JU call topics asking for environmental analysis to be performed are setting out some minimum requirements, such as the guidelines to be used and the impacts to be assessed. Based on the outcome of this analysis, a harmonisation effort in the approach to LCA for the FCH JU funded projects is proposed; in particular a Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database useful for the projects is required togheter with the identification of a reference cases to be used as benchmark for future LCAs.


This comparative research study seeks to explain and evaluate the European perspective of the school curriculum and its repercussions on school reforms implemented in Spain at the end of the twentieth century. First, a study is made of the interpretations, content and pedagogical characteristics of the European dimension of education. In the second part of the study the European aspects of the Spanish educational reform are analysed and evaluated, taking into account both the levels of the school system and how it affects teacher training. This analysis considers both the reforms carried out by the Socialist government (Organic Law on General Organisation of the Education System) and the actions of the conservative government currently in power.


The mammalian and yeast α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of Senna italica, Tinospora fragosa, Manilkara mochisia, Xanthocercis zambesiaca, Ozoroa cf. albicans, Peltophorum africanum, Cassia abbreviata were investigated using p-nitrophenyl glucopyranoside as a substrate. All the plant species tested had low inhibitory activity against rat intestinal α-glucosidase. The highest concentration of C. abbreviata resulted in no observable loss of rat intestinal α-glucosidase activity. At 2.5 mg/ml, X. zambesiaca managed only 25% inhibition of rat intestinal glucosidase activity. M. mochisia led to about 60% loss of activity at 5 mg/ml. On the other hand, all plant species tested had good inhibitory activity against Baker's yeast α-glucosidase. These findings suggest that a chemical substance that inhibits yeast α-glucosidase activity will not necessarily inhibit mammalian α-glucosidase. The validatation of the antidiabetic activity of medicinal plant extracts, with the focus on the inhibition of carbohydratedigesting enzymes, will require, in addition, investigation of mammalian enzymes. The antioxidant activity of these plant species was also investigated, with C. abbreviata and ascorbic acid as the positive controls. The IC50 values were estimated. P. africanum had good antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 0.030 mg/ml, similar to the IC50 value resulting from the positive control, ascorbic acid.


SSL/TLS communication channels play a very important role in Internet security, including cloud computing and server infrastructures. There are often concerns about the strength of the encryption mechanisms used in TLS channels. Vulnerabilities can lead to some of the cipher suites once thought to be secure to become insecure and no longer recommended for use or in urgent need of a software update. However, the deprecation/update process is very slow and weeks or months can go by before most web servers and clients are protected, and some servers and clients may never be updated. In the meantime, the communications are at risk of being intercepted and tampered by attackers. In this paper we propose an alternative to TLS to mitigate the problem of secure communication channels being susceptible to attacks due to unexpected vulnerabilities in its mechanisms. Our solution, called Vulnerability-Tolerant Transport Layer Security (vtTLS), is based on diversity and redundancy of cryptographic mechanisms and certificates to ensure a secure communication even when one or more mechanisms are vulnerable. Our solution relies on a combination of k cipher suites which ensure that even if k − 1 cipher suites are insecure or vulnerable, the remaining cipher suite keeps the communication channel secure. The performance and cost of vtTLS were evaluated and compared with OpenSSL, one of the most widely used implementations of TLS. 1998 ACM Subject Classification C.2.2 Network Protocols; D.4.6 Security and Protection


The related phenomena of degradation and woody plant encroachment have transformed huge tracts of rangelands. Woody encroachment is assumed to reduce groundwater recharge and streamflow. We analyzed the long‐term (85 years) trends of four major river basins in the Edwards Plateau region of Texas. This region, in which springs are abundant because of the karst geology, has undergone degradation and woody encroachment. We found that, contrary to widespread perceptions, streamflows have not been declining. The contribution of baseflow has doubled—even though woody cover has expanded and rainfall amounts have remained constant. We attribute this increase in springflow to a landscape recovery that has taken place concurrently with woody expansion—a recovery brought about by lower grazing pressure. Our results indicate that for drylands where the geology supports springs, it is degradation and not woody encroachment that leads to regional‐scale declines in groundwater recharge and streamflows.


Using three waves of data and tracing the same refugees over time, this paper shows that some factors associated with settlement experience are different from life satisfaction. Evidence shows that although settlement experience has not improved over time, life satisfaction of both male and female refugees has. The non-linear effect of age on life satisfaction disappears over time while that of settlement experience lingers on. Discrimination affects both male and female life satisfaction but is only a concern for females and the younger cohort's settlement experience. Psychological capital did not appear to moderate the discrimination effect, but this needs to be robustly examined further. Lastly, different support for refugees over time and a targeted focus on some groups is likely to be more effective than a blanket support policy.


Background In recent years, many oral antineoplastic agents (OAAs) have appeared providing patient convenience. According to law, in the Autonomous Community of Región de Murcia (Spain), these drugs are dispensed at hospital pharmacies in the outpatient setting. Hospital pharmacists, because of their frequent contact with cancer patients on treatment with OAA, play a pivotal role in improving adherence and ensuring that medicines are taken correctly through oral and written information. Purpose To know patient satisfaction with pharmaceutical care (PC) through a survey in ambulatory cancer patients who take OAA. Materials and Methods A Likert-type scale on patient satisfaction with PC was designed and run on every other week for six weeks. The survey was completed by patients in an anonymous and voluntary manner. It included 17 questions in 5 groups: demographical data, PC request, opinion about the information provided to them, consultation with the pharmacist and global satisfaction degree with PC. Only these 2 latest question groups were considered for the analysis, including 5 items: pharmacist accessibility, courtesy, professional competence, patient opinion about pharmacist utility and global satisfaction degree with PC. Survey internal consistency was measured with Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Results This survey was completed by 57 patients (71.25% of the total; 53% men; 47% women). Answers to questions were graded with 5 points. For the items pharmacist accessibility, courtesy, professional competence, patient opinion about pharmacist utility and global satisfaction degree with PC, the mean plus/minus standard deviation values achieved were 4.53 ± 0.49, 4.53 ± 0.49, 4.29 ± 0.53, 4.29 ± 0.53 and 4.46 ± 0.53, respectively. Overall satisfaction extent was 88.33%. In this survey, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.85, so we can say that this scale is trustworthy. Conclusions In this patient group, the degree of overall satisfaction with pharmaceutical care was satisfactory. Future surveys will be needed to cheque and improve our service. No conflict of interest.


Subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) forecasts have the potential to provide advance information about weather and climate events. The high heat capacity of water means that the subsurface ocean stores and re-releases heat (and other properties) and is an important source of information for S2S forecasts. However, the subsurface ocean is challenging to observe, because it cannot be measured by satellite. Subsurface ocean observing systems relevant for understanding, modeling, and forecasting on S2S timescales will continue to evolve with the improvement in technological capabilities. The community must focus on designing and implementing low-cost, high-value surface and subsurface ocean observations, and developing forecasting system capable to extract their observation potential in forecast applications. S2S forecasts will benefit significantly from higher spatiotemporal resolution data in regions that are sources of predictability on these timescales (coastal, tropical, and polar regions). While ENSO has been a driving force for the design of the current observing system, the subseasonal time scales present new observational requirements. Advanced observation technologies such as autonomous surface and subsurface profiling devices as well as satellites that observe the ocean-atmosphere interface simultaneously can lead to breakthroughs in coupled data assimilation (CDA) and coupled initialization for S2S forecasts. These observational platforms should also be tested and evaluated in ocean observation sensitivity experiments with current and future generation CDA and S2S prediction systems. Investments in the new ocean observations, as well as model and DA system developments, can lead to substantial returns on cost savings from disaster mitigation as well as socio-economic decisions that use S2S forecast information.


Objective Parents are under pressure from their adolescent children if they, contrary to their own convictions, are compelled to bend rules or adapt decisions to submit to the demands of their children. The objective of this investigation was to determine which factors contribute to this phenomenon. Method The sample comprised 177 adolescents and their parents in the Mpumalanga province. Variables taken into account were individual factors (gender, age and personality of parents and adolescents); factors related to the family (family structure, working circumstances of parents, family relationships and birth order position of adolescents); developmental factors (identity formation of adolescents); and wider contextual factors (peer pressure during adolescence). Results From the parents' side factors such as self-concept, personality and parent–adolescent relationship explained almost 62% of the variance in the pressure that parents experience. Only one prominent adolescent factor could be identified, namely adolescent–parent relationship (seen from the adolescents' side). Conclusion The results indicate that the pressure which parents encounter from their adolescent children is associated with parental variables rather than adolescent variables. Adolescents do not deliberately plan to place their parents under pressure, but factors on the parents' side create such a situation.


We report a numerical study of strong-field ionization rates of the H{sub 2} molecule using time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT). In the dc field limit, TDDFT results for the rate of tunneling ionization agree with molecular Ammosov-Delone-Kralnov (MO-ADK) predictions, as well as results from a complex scaling method at the full configuration interaction level. Our study demonstrates the effect of photon energy, molecular vibration, and orientation on the ionization. Calculated rates for 800-nm lasers are about four times greater than the values predicted by the slowly varying field approximation for tunneling ionization. The rate for the ground vibrational state is higher than that of the fixed nuclei value at the equilibrium distance. This difference decreases with increasing field intensity. When the field intensity is sufficiently high, the two rates are very similar, and the fixed nuclear distance rate may be used to approximate the ground-vibrational-state rate. TDDFT methods predict an anisotropy slightly larger than the prediction obtained from the MO-ADK method. We also find that the field intensity plays a role in the anisotropy, which the MO-ADK results do not show.


This paper presents a new procedure for a heat treatment embedded between two cold forming steps. A first cold forming step induces a defined strain hardening in the material. The following step is the heat treatment which takes place in a furnace at various temperatures and for certain durations. The application of such an intermediate heat treatment reduces the strain hardening of the material and enhances the elongation. This allows a higher degree of deformation in the second cold forming operation. The achievable properties of the aluminum alloy AlMg4.5Mn (AA5182) were discussed in detail. Further investigations using Nakajima test setup revealed an increased formability of the material. First the Nakajima samples were pre-strained along different linear strain paths to a predefined strain value. Afterwards the samples were heat treated without allowing the aluminum alloy to recrystallize. After cooling down the samples to room temperature, the tests are continued until the material's fracture. As a result heat treatment dependent forming limit curves (FLC) are obtained. In comparison with a measured FLC at room temperature the support of the intermediate heat treatment on enhanced formability were shown. Furthermore the method is not restricted to AA5182 aluminum alloys.


The growing rate of ICT utilization particularly the Internet and mobile phones has influenced at an exponential rate online interaction and communication among the generality of the populace. However, with the enormity of businesses on the Internet, Tanzania is yet to harness the opportunities for optimal financial gains. This study is exploratory in nature as it attempts to unveil the prospects of ecommerce implementation, participation, motivation and opportunity to the developing countries like Tanzania where by the domestic market is very big to ensure the growth of agricultural sector. The paper proposes to investigate the ability of consumers to purchase online, the available motivation to do so, and the opportunities for Internet access. We argue the Government and central bank to encourage innovative new technological developments by pre-regulating electronic money to familiarize itself with electronic money schemes generally. Findings revealed that Tanzanians have the ability to participate in e-commerce, but there is need for improved national image to bring in the element of trust and discipline within, and before the international communities. Currently, consumers source for information online but make purchases the traditional way.


We report on a novel biocompatible, highly conductive three-dimensional cathode manufactured by direct growth of flexible multiwalled carbon nanotubes on reticulated vitreous carbon (NanoWeb-RVC) for the improvement of microbial bioelectrosynthesis (MES). NanoWeb-RVC allows for an enhanced bacterial attachment and biofilm development within its hierarchical porous structure. 1.7 and 2.6 fold higher current density and acetate bioproduction rate normalized to total surface area were reached on NanoWeb-RVC versus a carbon plate control for the microbial reduction of carbon dioxide by mixed cultures. This is the first study showing better intrinsic efficiency as biocathode material of a three-dimensional electrode versus a flat electrode: this comparison has been made considering the total surface area of the porous electrode, and not just the projected surface area. Therefore, the improved performance is attributed to the nanostructure of the electrode and not to an increase in surface area. Unmodified reticulated vitreous carbon electrodes lacking the nanostructure were found unsuitable for MES, with no biofilm development and no acetate production detected. The high surface area to volume ratio of the macroporous RVC maximizes the available biofilm area while ensuring effective mass transfer to and from the biofilm. The nanostructure enhances the bacteria-electrode interaction and microbial extracellular electron transfer. When normalized to projected surface area, current densities and acetate production rates of 3.7 mA cm−2 and 1.3 mM cm−2 d−1, respectively, were reached, making the NanoWeb-RVC an extremely efficient material from an engineering perspective as well. These values are the highest reported for any MES system to date.


Although numerous studies have shown that cochlear impairment exists in audiogenic-seizure (AGS)-susceptible mice, there is only one report of cochlear potentials obtained from AGS-susceptible rats. To investigate the hypothesis that cochlear impairment also exists in AGS rats, cochlear microphonics (CM) and the primary afferent activity of the auditory division of the eighth cranial nerve (N1) were studied in AGS rats. AGS rats were obtained from the Veterans Administration Medical Center (Shreveport, La.) colony of Sprague Dawley derived animals, and control rats were obtained from Sprague Dawley, Inc. Two school bells ringing simultaneously were used to produce a sound of approximately 115 dB (AGS test stimulus). Exposure to the AGS test stimulus was once per week for three consecutive weeks. Chloramphenicol was used to treat the frequent otitis media found in the colony of AGS rats. Two categories of AGS-susceptible and control rats were studied: (1) rats exposed to the AGS test stimulus and chloramphenicol regimen; and (2) rats not receiving these treatments. All rats were anesthetized with i.p. Dial-Urethane and prepared for cochlear round window recording. Cochlear microphonics were recorded in response to a click stimulus. A significant decrease in cochlear sensitivity was seen in both groups of AGS rats when compared to appropriate controls as reflected by a 25-35 dB shift in all CM and N1 input-output functions. These results support the hypothesis that a functional cochlear impairment exists in the AGS rat.


Companies are trying to influence consumers into buying their product instead of their competitors' products. To do so, they need to differentiate themselves. They need to convince the customers that their product offers a higher value. Since corporate brand values originate from organisational heritage and culture, and guide employee behaviours, they enable the company as a whole to unite behind a particular strategic intent. The concept of corporate branding finds its origin in product branding. Branding refers to the creation of such a distinctive product or service. Corporate branding brings to marketing the ability to use the vision and the culture of a company as part of a unique selling proposition (Hatch and Schultz, 2003). The idea of corporate branding is based on the assumption that consumers create images of companies based on the whole experience of these companies (Heding et al., 2009). The objective of the study was to determine corporate branding strategy and performance of Safaricom Limited. This research used a case study design. A case study refers to the collection and presentation of detailed information about a particular individual unit, example participant, a group or an event. A case study was therefore appropriate for this study because it allowed for a detailed investigation of a single subject. Primary data was collected from the company (Safaricom ltd) by use of interview guide in order to determine how corporate branding strategy has influenced performance of Safaricom ltd. The data was collected from two senior managers in each of the following departments: retail department, sales and marketing department and customer care department. The data collected was analyzed using content analysis since it's a case study. This involved reviewing what the respondents have indicated to see what themes emerges out of their responses. The study found that corporate branding strategy help in improving organization performance through creating the company and product awareness , it helps in pushing up sales, performance, enhancing customer satisfaction and that corporate branding strategy seeks to create unique identity and position for its product and services and ensures that both product and organization create value beyond that ol their competitors. Employee involvement in corporate branding strategy helps in successful implementation of the corporate branding strategy through ensuring responsibility in the implementation thus improving the adaptability and effectiveness , employees of Safaricom Ltd through face to face contact with subscribers are able to identify customers' needs and are able to advise marketing on these areas .


in this article the authors analyze the picture and symbol in a region of contradictions as the main. And conflict, as a particular case of the General. Semantically, these word-concepts have a wide spectrum of socio-cultural interpretations. These goals are not only theoretical analysis of the contradictions and conflicts, but the get-technology of scientific knowledge. The authors conclude that conflict resolution requires a clear alignment of hierarchies of meanings of the used word-concepts from the General «Contradiction» to the part of the General «conflict». The basis of this conclusion is the system of scientific knowledge creation through the hierarchy of categorical apparatus presented in the form of ontologems, epistems and gloss. 1) ontologemy included in a meaningful and conceptual base of science, i.e., discursive practices, based on the patterns and symbols that make up a certain subjective image of objective reality; 2) episteme explaining the basics of the database, techniques of thinking, i.e. knowledge — theorizing technology, calculated on the result for comprehension skills and meaning activities; 3) glosses — i.e. the agreement on the rules of distinction of the object's images. These categories are designed to give a description language for the science of «conflict Science», interpretation technology and cognitive elements of conflict knowledge, creating the most complete picture of understanding the phenomenon of «conflict» and its particular components — «conflict». This approach will allow avoiding narrow interpretations of conflict behavior, which can eventually regulate a private conflict, transferring it from the actual phase to the latent, which does not remove the contradictions that give rise to this conflict. The new view, proposed by the authors of the work, helps to build a conceptual scheme of conflict management and regulation on the principles of holistic approach.


monitoring The aim of intraoperative monitoring methods is to obtain early information about central nervous function during critical phases of the operation. To this end it can be useful to accept modifications of the method or the technical Parameters such as changes of the electrode positions. of the system's bandpass, the analysis time or the number of sweeps used for averaging. Additionally emphasis is laid upon the fact that there is no knowledge concerning the critical changes of potential which might indicate functional disturbances or impending postoperative neum-logical deficits. At the present time intraoperative EP-Monitoring is not an established method for clinical use. Evidence is lacking that supervision of the operation by these means results in a reduced operation risk.


Fahr's syndrome affects fewer than 1 in 100,000 people. It is an inherited neurological disorder, which is distinguished by atypical calcium deposition in the movement-controlling areas of brain, that is thalamus, dentate nucleus, basal ganglia, cerebellum, cerebral cortex, hippocampus and subcortical white matter. The majority of patients often experience extrapyramidal symptoms, cerebellar signs, speech difficulty, dementia and neuropsychiatric manifestations. This disease's molecular genetics have not been thoroughly investigated. Typically, young to middle-aged adults are affected though basal ganglia calcification in hypoparathyroidism is quite uncommon. Laboratory results and radiographic brain imaging helps in reaching the diagnosis. The treatment is mainly symptomatic. We present a case of Fahr's syndrome associated with hypoparathyroidism.


The outcome of a young person's future is affected by the support received from the family. Support that is received is related to the quality of family functioning of the young person. Family-oriented interview assesses the family of a patient who presents for consultation, through the patient. It diagnoses relationship issues in a family and helps in solving them. It may be best suited for the young-person encounter in a clinic as it ensures privacy, an important requirement for young-person care. The study objective was to assess the perceived family function of young persons and the perceived effect on this of family-oriented interview. The study had a quasi-experimental, pre- and post-test design, and the setting was in the family medicine clinic. Family-oriented interview was conducted for 221 young persons after an initial family function assessment. They were each followed up for 12 weeks and family function was reassessed. Perceived family function was significantly associated with very close relationships with the family members, especially fathers and mothers. Family-oriented interview may have significantly improved perceived family function in the study. Family-oriented interview of young persons presenting for medical care is recommended.


Molecular linkage maps representing the rice genome have been an important tool for breeding programs because they allow the elucidation of polygenic traits and are an efficient tool for monitoring wild introgressions in interspecific crosses. Common markers among rice genetic maps are important in defining the homology of chromosomes and the synteny between genomic target regions. We used 148 markers (expressed sequence tags, microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms) to construct a molecular linkage map based on co-dominant markers for an interspecific backcross population using a wild rice (Oryza glumaepatula) from Brazil and performed a comparative analysis with other interspecific maps. The comparative analysis revealed a Spearman correlation index of 0.86 for marker order conservation to a previous map constructed for an interspecific cross using the same wild parent. Approximately 90% of markers common to other interspecific maps kept the same order. These results indicate that it will be possible to generate a unique genetic map using the wild donor and that it may be a helpful tool for breeding programs because plants derived from different interspecific populations can be rapidly scanned using markers associated with useful wild traits.


. Nowadays, web applications are one of the most popular types of target of evaluation within the framework of the information security certification. The relevance of the study of web applications vulnerabilities during information security certification is due to the fact that web technologies are actively used while producing modern information systems, including information systems critical from the information security point of view, and on the other hand carrying out basic attacks on such information systems do not require violators of high technical competence, since data on typical vulnerabilities and attacks, including the attacking tools are heavily represented in publicly available sources of information, and the information systems themselves are usually available from public communication networks. The paper presents the results of a study of the security of web applications that are target of evaluation within the framework of certification for information security requirements against cross-site requests forgery attacks. The results of systematization and generalization of information about the cross-site requests forgery attacks and security controls used by web application developers are presented. The results of experimental studies of 10 web applications that have passed certification tests against information security requirements are presented. The results of experimental studies have shown that most developers do not pay enough attention to protection from cross-site request forgery attack - 7 out of 10 web applications tested have been vulnerable to this type of attack. Based on the results of processing the results of experimental studies, the distribution of security controls used in web applications and identified vulnerabilities by programming languages were obtained. Recommendations regarding the protection of web applications against cross-site request forgery attack for developers planning to certify their software are formulated.


In this article, we quantify the impact of the crop diversification measure implemented in France as part of the 2013 common agricultural policy greening reform. We exploit a discontinuity in the constraints imposed on farms larger and smaller than 30 ha, respectively, and apply regression differences-in-differences with a regression discontinuity set-up on land use data collected from a representative sample of French farmers. We find that farms greater than 30 ha increased compliance with the measure and the number of crops grown on their lands and that farms larger and smaller than 30 ha responded differently to the reform.