Abstract In 2005 we obtained very precise interferometric measurements of the pole-on rapid rotator Vega (A0 V) with the longest baselines of the Center for High Angular Angular Resolution (CHARA) Array and the Fiber Linked Unit for Optical Recombination (FLUOR). For the analysis of these data, we developed a code for mapping sophisticated PHOENIX model atmospheres on to the surface of rotationally distorted stars described by a Roche-von Zeipel formalism. Given a set of input parameters for a star or binary pair, this code predicts the interferometric visibility, spectral energy distribution and high-resolution line spectrum expected for the system. For the gravity-darkened Vega, our model provides a very good match to the K-band interferometric data, a good match to the spectral energy distribution – except below 160 nm – and a rather poor match to weak lines in the high dispersion spectrum where the model appears overly gravity darkened. In 2006, we used the CHARA Array and FLUOR to obtain high precision measurements of the massive, non-eclipsing, double-line spectroscopic binary Spica, a 4-day period system where both components are gravity darkened rapid rotators. These data supplement recent data obtained with the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI). Our study follows the classic 1971 study by Herbison-Evans et al. who resolved Spica as a binary with the Narrabri Stellar Intensity Interferometer (NSII). We will report on our progress modeling the new interferometric and archival spectroscopic data, with the goal towards better constraining the apsidal constant.


This paper investigates the challenges emerging trends on latest Information and Communication Technology and cybercrime in mobile money transaction services in Tanzania. The objective of this is to evaluate the challenges associated with this rapid growth in ICT and to determine factors influencing Cybersecurity readiness and Cybercrimes in mobile money transaction services.  Cyber Security plays a significant role in the field of Information and Communication Technology especially on mobile money transaction services. The study recognizes the provision of mobile money services by both telecommunication companies and local banks, the fact is that whenever we think about the cyber security, the first thing that comes to our mind is "cybercrimes" which are increasing extremely day to day and become a threat. Cybercrimes are mostly practiced through both internet and mobile money services. Securing the information has become one of the major challenges in the present day. Various Governments and companies are taking measures in order to prevent these cybercrimes. Besides cyber security remains concern to many. This paper mainly focuses on challenges faced by cyber security on the latest information and communication technology and cybercrime especially in mobile money transaction services in Tanzania. Its latest techniques, ethics and trends that change the face of cyber security. Relevant data was collected from the Forensic Section of the Tanzania Police Force, Mobile banking mobile money agents and users of the mobile-money services. This study also used the Pearson correlation and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to establish different facts and determine whether the independent variables had a combined effect on the dependent variable. The findings of the study revealed that there is a positive and significant correlation between users' awareness, mobile money agents training, top management support, technical and logical controls and cybersecurity readiness. The study also concluded that effective training programs aimed to enlighten the users and mobile money agents on cybersecurity issues are an important ingredient for cybersecurity readiness in cybercrime in mobile money transaction services.


More than 60 mutations of the copper/zinc superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene have been identified. We are aware of 19 reported autopsied cases of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) linked to these mutations. A review of these cases disclosed remarkable heter‐ogenicity of ALS, not only in molecular genetics but also clinicopathologically. However, it is noteworthy that all patients with alanine to valine substitution at codon 4 (A4V) mutation of SOD1 in familial ALS apparently disclose a distinct characteristic phenotype. All these patients manifested a rapid course of progressive muscular atrophy and died less than 1 year after the onset of illness. Microscopic findings were essentially identical in three cases: (i) marked loss of anterior horn neurons and Clarke's nuclei; (ii) the presence of intracytoplasmic Lewy body like hyalin inclusions and cord‐like enlargements of the processes in some of the affected neurons. The Lewy body like inclusions were also recognized by antibodies to phos‐phorylated neurofilaments protein, ubiquitin, and SOD1. Under electron microscopy, the inclusions consisted of a network of 10 nm neurofilaments intermingled with ill‐defined coarse linear structures; (iii) degeneration of spinocerebellar tracts, and middle root zone of the posterior column.


Conduction anesthesia with 1-2% solution of trimekain or novokain with a vasoconstrictor was used in 142 operations on the upper and lower extremities. The technique of blockade of nerve trunks of the upper and lower extremities is described. Good results of the anesthesia were obtained. There were only two complications, no lethal outcomes.


Thinking back, from an historical perspective, into the concept of development and into the ways in which it has been appropriated over space and time by different actors (politicians, economists, practitioners, activists etc.) seems today particularly timing for two reasons. On the one hand, the global economic crisis has forced a reassessment of the triumphalism that followed the end of the Cold War; on the other, the anxieties linked to the irreversibility of climate change and the growing concerns on sustainability call for a deeper awareness of what has been done in the past in order to better outline sound approaches and visions for the future. Indeed, development – as demonstrated by two recently published volumes, Sara Lorenzini's "Una strana guerra fredda. Lo sviluppo e le relazioni Nord-Sudµ and Corinna Unger's "International Developmentµ. A Postwar History – can be used as a useful lens to dig into the mechanisms that have shaped our societies and still affect them.


Ytterbia and Lutecia were adopted to stabilize α-sialon ceramics during a two-step hot press sintering, respectively. Although Yb3+ and Lu3+ possess the similar small ion size (0.86 Å and 0.85 Å) as two adjacent rare-earth elements, Yb- and Lu-α-sialon ceramics present very different microstructure and properties. Yb-α-sialon ceramic is fully composed of α-sialon phase without any secondary phase. The ceramic incorporated with Lu2O3 also consists of α-sialon phase, but a trace amount of intergranular phase J′ (Lu4Si2-xAlxO7+xN2-x) still remains at the boundary. Microstructure observation indicates the fully equiaxial grain morphology of Yb-α-sialon ceramic. However, elongated grains appear in the Lu-α-sialon ceramic, coexisting with small equiaxed grains. Owing to the almost full α-sialon phase assemblage, both ceramics present high hardness with the value of over 21 GPa. Lu-α-sialon ceramic possesses good toughness, which is attributed to the elongated grains assisting the facilitation of toughening mechanism. The equiaxied grain morphology results in a comparatively lower toughness for Yb-α-sialon ceramic.


In recent years, frames have been the focus of active research, both in theory and applications. In this paper, the notion of multiple affine pseudoframes for subspaces of space is introduced. The concept of a generalized multiresolution structure(GMRS) is proposed. The sufficient condition for the existence of a class of multiple pseudoframes with filter banks is obtained by virtue of a generalized multiresolution structure. An approach for constructing one GMRS of Paley-Wiener subspaces of is presented based on the pyramid decomposition scheme The characteristics of affine pseudoframes for subspaces of space is provided.


A study of the South from colonial times to the Civil War. Emphasis will be given to black-white relations, especially as they relate to the growth of the plantation system, extension of the frontier, commerce, industry, culture, and the institution of sl


OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of intramural and subserous myomas in in vitro fertilization cycles, as well as its perinatal results. TYPE OF STUDY: Cases and controls. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All the IVF cycles between October 1999 and December 2004 were included. The variables of size and type of myomas, as well as variables of IVF cycles, implantation and pregnancy rates, and perinatal results were analyzed. We calculated the chi-square test to analyze the relationship between myomas and pregnancy. The t-Student test was used to establish the difference in the average between both groups regarding the studied variables. In the logistic regression analysis we controlled confusing variables. RESULTS: We analyzed 431 cycles made in 364 patients divided into two groups: study cases (with myomas-65 cycles) and control cases (without myomas-366 cycles). Age was two years older in the study group (35.7 vs 33.5, p 0.05). Logistic regression showed that myomas do not affect the possibility of getting pregnant. CONCLUSION: Intramural and subserous myomas < 5 cm do not seem to have an effect in the IVF cycles nor in its perinatal results. In women with myomas < 5 cm that no dot distortion the uterine cavity it is questionable the usefulness of a myomectomy prior to IVF cycles.


This policy analysis reviewed the current legislation and policies on the economic empowerment of people with disabilities in Uganda and explored the views of national stakeholders on the implementation of these policies in practice. The analysis was conducted through a document review and in‐depth stakeholder interviews. The study found that anti‐discrimination policies can only do so much for disability inclusive recruitment. Questions about policy implementation, stakeholder ownership, trust and efficiencies within the system and sufficient accountability mechanisms need addressing, if the existing framework is to be effective and positively impact the lives of people with disabilities in Uganda. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of International Development published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd


Non-stability factors affect stability of radial ring rolling process, and lead to fluctuating of ring position. This decreases rolling precision. Evaluating stability of the process is very important. A stability evaluating method is proposed. The stability can be measured with the mean square root of sequence of oscillation of ring geometrical centerline displacement. Using ABAQUS/Explicit, the stability is analyzed. It is showed that guide-roll position angle has the significant effect to the stability. If guide-roll is located at the tangential position to the ring's fringe, the stability will vary with the angle between two planes. One passes through axes of guide roll and ring blank, and another passes through axes of drive roll and ring blank. The stability is highest when guide roll is situated at the position angle of 100˚to 130˚at exit side of ring rolling mill.


A retrospective multicenter study. Body mass index (BMI) is recognized as an important determinant of osteoporosis and spinal postoperative outcomes; however, the specific impact of BMI on surgery for osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVFs) remains inconclusive. This retrospective multicenter study investigated the impact of BMI on clinical outcomes following fusion surgery for OVFs. 237 OVF patients (mean age, 74.3 years; 48 men and 189 women) with neurological symptoms who underwent spinal fusion were included in this study. Patients were grouped by World Health Organization BMI categories: low BMI (<18.5 kg/m2), normal BMI (≥18.5 and <25 kg/m2), and high BMI (≥25 kg/m2). Patients' backgrounds, surgical method, radiological findings, pain measurements, activities of daily living (ADL), and postoperative complications were compared after a mean follow-up period of 4 years. As results, the proportion of patients able to walk independently was significantly smaller in the low BMI group (75.0%) compared with the normal BMI group (89.9%; P = .01) and the high BMI group (94.3%; P = .04). Improvement in the visual analogue scale for leg pain was significantly less in the low BMI group than the high BMI group (26.7 vs 42.8 mm; P = .046). Radiological evaluation, the Frankel classification, and postoperative complications were not significantly different among all 3 groups. Improvement of pain intensity and ADL in the high BMI group was equivalent or non-significantly better for some outcome measures compared with the normal BMI group. Leg pain and independent walking ability after fusion surgery for patients with OVFs improved less in the low versus the high BMI group. Surgeons may want to carefully evaluate at risk low BMI patients before fusion surgery for OVF because poor clinical results may occur.


During the past decade, we have witnessed the emergence of social media, which has prominence as a means for the general public to exchange opinions towards a broad range of topics. Furthermore, its social and temporal dimensions make it a rich resource for policy makers and organisations to understand public opinion. In this thesis, we present our research in understanding public opinion on Twitter along three dimensions: sentiment, topics and summary.

In the first line of our work, we study how to classify public sentiment on Twitter. We focus on the task of multi-target-specific sentiment recognition on Twitter, and propose an approach which utilises the syntactic information from parse-tree in conjunction with the left-right context of the target. We show the state-of-the-art performance on two datasets including a multi-target Twitter corpus on UK elections which we make public available for the research community. Additionally we also conduct two preliminary studies including cross-domain emotion classification on discourse around arts and cultural experiences, and social spam detection to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of our sentiment corpus.

Our second line of work focuses on automatic topical clustering of tweets. Our aim is to group tweets into a number of clusters, with each cluster representing a meaningful topic, story, event or a reason behind a particular choice of sentiment. We explore various ways of tackling this challenge and propose a two-stage hierarchical topic modelling system that is efficient and effective in achieving our goal.

Lastly, for our third line of work, we study the task of summarising tweets on common topics, with the goal to provide informative summaries for real-world events/stories or explanation underlying the sentiment expressed towards an issue/entity. As most existing tweet summarisation approaches rely on extractive methods, we propose to apply state-of-the-art neural abstractive summarisation model for tweets. We also tackle the challenge of cross-medium supervised summarisation with no target-medium training resources. To the best of our knowledge, there is no existing work on studying neural abstractive summarisation on tweets. In addition, we present a system for providing interactive visualisation of topic-entity sentiments and the corresponding summaries in chronological order.

Throughout our work presented in this thesis, we conduct experiments to evaluate and verify the effectiveness of our proposed models, comparing to relevant baseline methods. Most of our evaluations are quantitative, however, we do perform qualitative analyses where it is appropriate. This thesis provides insights and findings that can be used for better understanding public opinion in social media.


The majority of informal economic actors were micro enterprises, and they were believed to play an important role in providing employment opportunity. Based on this belief, many organizations had attempted to provide assistance in order to empower this group. This article mapped out various assistance programs, including the name of the providing institution, type of activity, and target group. By providing this information, the writers expected to provide basic information for formulating appropriate strategy for micro and small enterprises development.


The dynamic conductivity and electromagnetic (EM) absorption of a two dimensional electron-photon system are formulated via calculating the exact time-dependent electronic states and the density matrix of the electron-photon system with its contribution to the electrical current, including electron-THz-photon interaction to all orders. Computations are performed to obtain quantitative results. The exact response function of the magnetically quantized THz driven heterostructure is calculated from the induced charge density. Then collective excitation eigenfrequencies are computed quantitatively. The current in a two dimensional electronic system under a quantizing dc magnetic field and ac electromagnetic radiation field is formulated by determining the exact time-dependent electronic states and density matrix of the system. Under the resonant condition of when photon sideband gap equals Landau level separation and the special case of a weak magnetic field and a low-frequency electromagnetic radiation, the plasmon modes are calculated. Based on a simple physical picture of resonant electron-electromagnetic field coupling, a roton-like plasmon mode and a sound wave are predicted. The dielectric function of a two dimensional electron system with spin orbit coupling is formulated exactly for the special case where the frequency of the electrical field driving the electrical current vanishes.


The purpose of this grant proposal is to evaluate education outcomes in children with nonsyndromic orofacial clefts who have undergone medical therapies to assist in problems with speech. The public health implications for orofacial clefts include its prevalence as well as the exorbitant costs of medical interventions without a consensus of treatment outcomes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that each year approximately 7000 children are born in the United Stated with orofacial clefts. With respect to healthcare expenditures, multiple reports have shown intervention costs in children with orofacial clefts are five to six times higher than those who are unaffected by orofacial clefts.
Early goals of care for this population include improving speech function. Speech problems have been categorized as trouble with speech sound development, velopharyngeal dysfunction, and hearing loss. Therapies include speech therapy and medical interventions such insertion of ventilation grommets in the middle ear and the use of continuous positive airway pressure.
Studies have shown speech delay in children with orofacial clefts. However, outcomes have focused on results such as test scores and grade point average (academic performance). This proposal looks to evaluate education outcomes that include not only academic performance but also classroom participation and peer to peer interaction. Other studies that consider all speech disorders have used the child's education plan under the IEP at their school to evaluate education outcomes.
This study will evaluate education performance through a similar method. An abstraction form will be used to collect information from social work notes on education plans and medical chart review to see if there is a correlation between various treatments and improved education outcomes. If improvements are seen as it relates to speech function and education outcomes, then a protocol can be developed from which children with orofacial clefts can enroll in to better help meet their needs and achieve success in education.


Abstract Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) with Cold EI is based on interfacing GC and MS with a supersonic molecular beam (SMB) and sample compounds ionization with a fly‐through ion source as vibrationally cold compounds in the SMB (hence the name Cold EI). We explored the use of nitrogen and hydrogen as carrier and make‐up gases with Cold EI and found: Nitrogen is very effective in cooling compounds in SMB and while helium requires 60 ml/min nitrogen provides effective cooling with only 7–8 ml/min combined column and make‐up flow rate. Hydrogen is less effective than helium and requires higher flow rates. The transition from helium to nitrogen (or hydrogen) is simple and fast and requires just closing the helium valve and opening the nitrogen valve. The same column used with helium can be used with nitrogen or hydrogen. The same elution times could be obtained with nitrogen or hydrogen as with helium. The GC separation with nitrogen was reduced compared with helium and peak widths were increased by an average factor of 1.5 for similar elution times. Hydrogen provided ~0.7 narrower peak widths than helium. The signal with nitrogen was reduced compared with helium by an average factor of 3.3 and the signal loss was reduced with higher compounds mass. With hydrogen the signal loss was about a factor of 1.5 but the baseline noise was higher thus with similar S/N as with nitrogen. USEPA 8270 semivolatile mixture was easily analyzed with both nitrogen and hydrogen carrier gases.


This paper proposes lower layer protocols for a portable multimedia satellite communication system using a bi-directional satellite circuit. The point-to-point protocol is extended for controlling forward satellite channels based on a reservation scheme. Simulation results show that this control scheme enlarges the number of simultaneous accessing users and enhances TCP throughput.


Patients with oral or pharyngeal cancer in the two main textile regions of England were matched for age and sex with patients having cancers not known to be associated with textile work. Data were recorded on age, sex, cancer site, and smoking, chewing and drinking habits together with dental and occupational history. There were 102 and 61 matched pairs of males and 52 and 60 matched pairs of females in the North-west and West Yorkshire regions respectively. There were significantly (P less than 0.05) more textile workers in the cases compared with their matched controls for only the females in the North-west. No particular type of textile work occurred more frequently for the cases than the controls in all four matched comparisons. Only for the males in the North-west were there significant differences (P less than 0.05) in the proportions of textile workers in the three cancer sites of the tongue, mouth and pharynx. These results do not confirm the association between textile work and oral or pharyngeal cancer found by the mortality study of Moss and Lee (1974). The results for the association between oral or pharyngeal cancer and smoking, drinking, chewing and wearing of dentures are discussed.


Introduction Increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and the presence of carotid plaques are both considered surrogate markers of atherosclerosis. Although inter-related, these two phenotypes represent heterogenous pathophysiological processes. Increased IMT is largely correlated to normal ageing and blood pressure, whereas plaques are synonymous with established atherosclerosis. We sought to determine the distinct relationships of carotid intima-media thickness and carotid plaque disease with quantitative parameters of left ventricular (LV) function. Methods We studied 2279 healthy subjects recruited from the LOLIPOP (London Life Sciences Prospective Population) study free of clinical cardiovascular disease. Bilateral carotid ultrasonography was performed on all subjects to determine presence of carotid plaque, with the total number of plaques identified providing a plaque score. Subjects with a plaque score of 0, 1–2, 3–5 and > 5 were classified as having no, mild, moderate and severe plaque burden respectively. Tissue Doppler imaging was performed on all subjects for derivation of parameters of LV longitudinal function and filling pressure (myocardial Sa velocity, myocardial Ea velocity and the E/Ea ratio). Results Subjects with higher plaque score were older, more likely to be male, have a greater prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and history of cigarette smoking (all p<0.001). A severe plaque burden was associated with attenuated Sa velocity compared to those without plaques, and increasing plaque burden was associated with reduced Ea velocity and increased LV filling pressure in a dose-dependent manner (Abstract 111 Figure 1). After multivariate regression analysis (ANCOVA) for age, gender, race, blood pressure, antihypertensive therapy, diabetes, body mass index and LV mass, the presence of severe plaque burden remained independently associated with attenuated Sa velocity (p=0.003), attenuated Ea velocity (p=0.007) and increased E/Ea ratio (p=0.009). Increased IMT was independently associated with Ea velocity, but not with either Sa velocity or E/Ea ratio. Conclusions This study confirms that distinct relationships exist between different forms of carotid artery disease and LV function. Carotid plaque disease severity, but not increased IMT, is associated with reduced systolic function and increased LV filling pressure in asymptomatic individuals. Abstract 111 Figure 1 Myocardical longitudinal function and LV filling pressure stratified according to severity of carotid plaque burden, with SE bars. *p=0.002, †<0.001 vs subjects with no carotid plaque disease, after Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons.


Background Emergency admissions to hospital have been increasing for several decades in Glasgow, and across Scotland as a whole. The Reshaping Care for Older People Programme is a national programme aimed at enabling older people to stay independent and well at home without the need for care and support. The Change Fund was set up to stimulate a shift from institutional care to home and community based care via a programme of interventions across Scotland. This study aimed to describe the change in emergency admissions to hospital and inequalities in emergency admissions to hospital during the Change Fund period in Scotland. Methods Monthly crude and standardised rates of emergency admission between April 2011 and August 2014 were calculated, for residents of Glasgow City aged 65 years+, using annual population and corresponding monthly estimates. Multilevel Poisson models for emergency admissions nested by datazone were created, adjusting for sex, 5-year agegroup, area-level deprivation (SIMD quintile), season, month and month squared. Results Emergency admissions first rose then fell between Apr 2011 and Aug 2014. Similar trends were also observed in crude and standardised rates during this period. When modelled, both month (RR and 95% CI = 1.03 (1.02, 1.03)) and month squared (RR = 0.997 (0.997, 0.997)) were significant, indicating a rise in admissions followed by a fall. Males were more likely to be admitted to hospital than females, and risk increased with increasing agegroup. A seasonal effect was also measured with a greater risk of admission in winter (RR = 1.22 (1.19, 1.24)) when compared with spring, and a lower risk in summer (RR = 0.81 (0.79, 0.82)). SIMD1 (most deprived) residents accounted for 10 times as many emergency admissions as SIMD5 (most affluent). After adjustment for age and sex, risk of going into hospital for those from SIMD5 was 0.37 (0.35, 0.39) relative to those from SIMD1. An interaction term between month and SIMD quintile suggested significantly greater reductions in admissions among those living in SIMD1. When modelled separately, risk of admission increased over time for those living in SIMD5 (RR = 1.02 (1.01, 1.02 that of previous month)), while for those living in SIMD1 both month (RR = 1.08 (1.08, 1.09)), and month squared (RR = 0.997 (0.997, 0.997)) were significant, describing an increase, followed by a reduction from around July 2012 onwards. Conclusion Overall, emergency admissions have reduced during the Change Fund period. Additionally, socioeconomic inequalities in emergency admissions among those aged 65 years+ reduced over time.


West Africa, from the coast of Senegal to Lake Chad and Cameroon's Sanaga River, is home to 60 primate species and subspecies, 46 of which occur nowhere else. They range from the nocturnal angwantibo, pottos, and galagos, to the mangabeys, baboons, and the drill, to guenons and colobus monkeys. In addition, no less than three of the great apes are restricted to this region, including two chimpanzees and the Cross River gorilla. This comprehensive guide provides a brief introduction to the region, its topography, climate, vegetation, native peoples and history, and includes as well essays on the classification and evolutionary history of the region's primates, and a review of conservation activities and primate field research projects since the 1960s. The bulk of the book is dedicated to accounts for each primate species and subspecies, providing information not only on their identifying features and geographic distributions, but also on their natural history -- their populations and habitats, locomotion, vocalizations, activity patterns, diets and feeding, ranging, and social behaviors.


Ingestion of multi-nutrient supplements aimed at enhancing performance has become common practice as part of athletes and fitness client's regular training and/or competition preparation. Although there is limited information available, global industry analysis market research reported yearly expenditure on nutritional supplements in the United States alone at US$ 20.7 billion in 2012 and is expected to grow by 9.0% from 2013 to 2019, to reach an estimated value of US$ 37.7 billion in 2019. Athletes and fitness clients are perceived to be the greatest consumers of supplements as they aim to exploit nutritional ergogenic benefits, such as enhance acute muscular performance, optimise exercise-induced hormonal response, and promote post-exercise recovery. In recent times, supplement use in sport and fitness has been highlighted in the press and media for what has been deemed 'Controversial' practice following the release of the ACC Report on Organised Crime and Drugs in Sport. This lead to revelations that professional athletes and fitness clients may be using substances unrelated to therapeutic nutrition such as anti-obesity and anti-ageing drugs. However, are such findings really that surprising given that supplement use is embedded in both professional sport and the fitness world as athletes and clients look to gain the 'competitive edge'? A more 'Conventional' approach to supplementation may be one that follows a therapeutic nutrition model, focusing on the provision of nutrients to maintain and/or restore optimal health and function. In this presentation Dr Bird will provide examples from professional sport and fitness, providing an overview some of the lesser known nutritional supplements.


An analytic formalism developed earlier to describe the time evolution of the basic enzyme reaction is extended to fully competitive systems. Time-dependent closed form solutions are derived for the three nominal cases of competition: even, slow and fast inhibitors, allowing for the first time the complete characterization of the reactions. In agreement with previous work, the time-independent Michaelis-Menten approach is shown to be inaccurate when a fast inhibitor is present. The validity of the quasi-steady-state approximation on which the present framework is based is also revised.


PURPOSE
To explore a more effective treatment for localized nasal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma, we conducted a phase I/II study of concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Treatments comprised concurrent radiotherapy (50 Gy) and 3 courses of dexamethasone, etoposide, ifosfamide, and carboplatin (DeVIC). Patients with a newly diagnosed stage IE or contiguous IIE disease with cervical node involvement and a performance status (PS) of 0 to 2 were eligible for enrollment. The primary end point of the phase II portion was a 2-year overall survival in patients treated with the recommended dose.

RESULTS
Of the 33 patients enrolled, 10 patients were enrolled in the phase I portion and a two thirds dose of DeVIC was established as the recommended dose. Twenty-seven patients (range, 21 to 68; median, 56 years) treated with the recommended dose showed the following clinical features: male:female, 17:10; stage IE, 18; stage IIE, 9; B symptoms present, 10; elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase, 5; and PS 2, 2. With a median follow-up of 32 months, the 2-year overall survival was 78% (95% CI, 57% to 89%). This compared favorably with the historical control of radiotherapy alone (45%). Of the 26 patients assessable for a response, 20 (77%) achieved a complete response, with one partial response. The overall response rate was 81%. The most common grade 3 nonhematologic toxicity was mucositis related to radiation (30%). No treatment-related deaths were observed.

CONCLUSION
Concurrent chemoradiotherapy using multidrug resistance-nonrelated agents and etoposide is a safe and effective treatment for localized nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma and warrants further investigation.


The authors present a case of acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) in an almost fatal relapse with quadriplegia, bulbar paralysis and coma. Intravenous hematin produced an immediate arousal from coma and allowed a gradual resumption of bulbar and autonomic functions. Persistent tachycardia and hypertension necessitated huge doses of intravenous propranolol. Both hematin and propranolol administrations were followed by a remarkable decrease in urinary amino-levulinic acid and porphobilinogen excretion. Nevertheless, after the acute stage, the patient was left with a severe generalized muscle wasting. After 7 months of intensive physical therapy, complete recovery of all neuromuscular functions was achieved. The modern aspects of the management of AIP are presented; the efficacy and the limits of hematin and propranolol therapy are discussed.


Google Scholar (GS) is the only available global database for the citation analysis of Indian LIS journals. The present study is an attempt to highlight the citation output of research articles in DESIDOC Journal of Library and Information Technology (DJLIT) published during the period 2006–2015. This study is based on Google Scholar data. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were applied in the study. 406 articles were published during 2006–2015, which were cited 4122 times in Google Scholar. Based on Google Scholar, this study proves that the citation output of articles published in the DJLIT differs significantly with their publication year. The level of citation is not constant throughout the study period. There is also a weak negative correlation between citations of articles and its publication year. Although, GS covers wide spectrum of scholarly literature worldwide, this study found that DJLIT journal article's visibility is decreasing in GS database.


The recent interest in boiling heat transfer in small diameter tubes has led to the study of boiling heat transfer outside a compact tube bundle of diameter 3mm. The bank comprised 3 columns each of 10 stainless steel electrically heated tubes of 3mm outside diameter, with pitch to diameter ratio of 1.5 in an in-line arrangement. These tests were carried out using distilled water and R113 at nominal atmospheric pressure over a range of heat fluxes between 4-21 kW/m2 for mass fluxes from G=5.6 - 32.8 kg/m2s. The recent three-zone evaporation model developed by Thome, Dupont and Jacobi for boiling inside micro channels was used to compare with experimental results as photographic study showed that bubbles confined within the bundle were responsible for the heat transfer enhancement observed. It was observed that the three state model was promising in its application to the bundle arrangement as the confinement number Co for bundle has been shown to be in the order of 0.63


Dispersal is a critical process in ecology. It is an important biological driver of, for example, invasions, metapopulation dynamics, spatial pattern formation and pathogen movement. Much is known about the effect of environmental variability, including turbulence, on dispersal of diaspores. Here, we document experimentally the strong but under-explored influence of turbulence on the initiation of dispersal. Flower heads of two thistle species (Carduus nutans and Carduus acanthoides) with ripe seeds were exposed to series of laminar and turbulent air flows of increasing velocity in a wind tunnel. Seed release increased with wind speeds for both laminar and turbulent flows for both species. However, far more seeds were released, at significantly lower wind speeds, during turbulent flows. These results strongly suggest a need for more quantitative studies of abscission in the field, as well as dispersal models that incorporate variability in the diaspore release phase.


In this paper we investigate the necessary interaction between expropriation and the cadastre. We investigate first the role of expropriation in modern society and the stake holders and then analyze the interaction with land registration and cadastre. The "simple cadastre" framework allows a treatment independent of national particulars. A simple cadastre is a minimal model that satisfies the needs of the users of the cadastre and abstracts from non-essential aspects, any national legislation is full of. In this paper we investigate how a cadastre supports expropriation and what the necessary interface is. We conclude that the expropriation procedures need access to registration data and a process to register a transfer of ownership effectuated by a court judgment, but no special arrangements that would only serve expropriation procedures.


Neurons from the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related tauopathy patients contain neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Tau normally stabilizes microtubules (MTs); however, tau hyperphosphorylation leads to loss of this function with consequent MT destabilization and neuronal dysfunction. Accordingly, MT-stabilizing drugs such as paclitaxel and epothilone D have been shown as possible therapies for AD and related tauopathies. However, MT-stabilizing drugs have common side effects such as neuropathy and neutropenia. To find previously undescribed suppressors of tau-induced MT defects, we established a Drosophila model ectopically expressing human tau in muscle cells, which allow for clear visualization of the MT network. Overexpressed tau was hyperphosphorylated and resulted in decreased MT density and greater fragmentation, consistent with previous reports in AD patients and mouse models. From a genetic screen, we found that a histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) null mutation rescued tau-induced MT defects in both muscles and neurons. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of the tubulin-specific deacetylase activity of HDAC6 indicates that the rescue effect may be mediated by increased MT acetylation. These findings reveal HDAC6 as a unique potential drug target for AD and related tauopathies.


Dr. Philippe Spiess is a genitourinary oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center and Professor of Urologic Oncology at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. Prior to joining Moffitt, Dr. Spiess completed a three-year SUO-accredited urologic oncology fellowship at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Dr. Spiess' research interests include novel therapies for advanced renal, bladder and penile cancer.


The farmed salmon industry is important economically for several countries with Norway as the main producer constituting 53% of the world total. Bacterial contamination of salmon products may occur during processing, constituting potential life-threatening health hazards (e.g. listeriosis). The L. monocytogenes threat and thus strict legislation on ready-to-eat salmon products (i.e. smoked salmon) makes plant cleaning and hygiene important issues in the salmon industry. The present situation regards measured hygienic quality (i.e. cleanliness as means of total bacterial counts and the presence of L. monocytogenes), and hygiene standards and procedures in Norwegian salmon processing plants were investigated through visits and interviews at plants. The aim of the study was to identify potential sources of cross-contamination through the processing line and critical points for cleaning. Four salmon processing plants were visited during the autumn of 2015. A total of 91 samples were collected. Sampling was performed during full operation from: gutting machines and drains, water tanks, conveyor belts, floors, and from round fish (skin and gills) using Sodi-box cloths, FloqSwabs and water samples. Total aerobic bacteria and Listeria spp. were enumerated by plate counting and the presence of L. monocytogenes confirmed. From 91 samples, 6 were positive of L. monocytogenes. L. monocytogenes was found in one gutting machine at 2 out of the 4 plants, occasionally on floor, drains, and conveyor belts, once in a water tank, but not on ungutted fish. There was not found any correlation between the level of Listeria spp. and the total bacteria count (R = 0,026, n = 30). Even though the levels were low, the findings of L. monocytogenes in processing equipment may potentially pose a threat to food safety. L. monocytogenes is a ubiquitous bacterium that is easily introduced from different sources. The main challenge is to hinder plant colonization through improved hygienic practice and hygienic design.


Although early studies qualitatively documented the importance of cross-habitat energy transfers from seagrasses to coral reefs, such exchanges have yet to be quantified. Empirical evidence suggests that grazing by reef-associated herbivores along the coral reef-seagrass interface can be intense (e.g. conspicuous presence of bare-sand 'halos' surrounding coral reefs). This evidence must be interpreted with caution, however, as most of it comes from areas that have experienced sus- tained, intense overfishing. To quantify the impacts of piscivore removal on cross-habitat energy exchange at the coral reef-seagrass interface, we compared grazing intensity along fished and no- take reefs in the upper and lower Florida Keys. Using visual census techniques and direct measures of seagrass grazing, we documented the impacts of piscivore density on herbivory along the seagrass-coral reef interface. Grazing rates were greater than observed seagrass (Thalassia testudi- num) production near reefs in the upper Keys, but less than 48% of production in the lower Keys. Analyses showed that these large differences were not related to regional differences in either herbi- vore density or species composition. Seagrass biomass was also lower near reefs in the upper Keys, where estimates of grazing were highest. Piscivores were dominated by transient predators (jacks and barracudas) whose densities varied with region and distance from reef, but not with protection from fishing. A nonsignificant negative correlation between great barracuda density and leaf losses from tethered shoots, coupled with the greater abundances of larger grazers near reefs, suggests that pre- dation risk, rather than direct reductions in density, may limit grazers to intense feeding on seagrasses adjacent to reefs in the upper Keys. The large-scale variation in grazing intensity illustrates the need for more detailed quantifications of energy exchanges along the seagrass-coral reef boundary.


With this first comprehensive history of the Ndau of eastern Zimbabwe and central Mozambique, Elizabeth MacGonagle moves beyond national borders to show how cultural identities are woven from historical memories that predate the arrival of missionaries and colonial officials on the African continent. Drawing on archival records and oral histories from throughout the Ndau region, her study analyzes the complex relationships between social identity and political power from 1500 to 1900. Ndauness has been created and recreated within communities through marriages and social structures, cultural practices that mark the body, and rituals that help to sustain shared beliefs.A sense of being Ndau continues to exist into the present, despite different colonial histories, postcolonial trajectories, and official languages in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. MacGonagle's study of ethnic identities among the marginalized Ndau sheds light on the conflicts and divisions that haunt southeast Africa today. This compelling interpretation of the crafting of identity in one corner of Africa has relevance for readers interested in identity formation and ethnic conflict around the world. Elizabeth MacGonagle is assistant professor of African History at the University of Kansas.


Uterine leiomyoma is the most common type of benign tumor in women of reproductive age. This disease is rare before menarche, and its incidence decreases after menopause. Uterine leiomyoma is known to be related to hormonal changes, but the precise underlying mechanism has yet to be determined. Although it is a benign disease, the most common form of management involves surgical intervention. Uterine leiomyoma is also related to infertility and obstetric complications. Here, we present a review of the literature regarding uterine leiomyoma and discuss management of this disease.


The upper portion of a small Celtic cross slab was discovered in the south gable of the south transept of the Cathedral. It is much weathered and the carving on one face is almost illegible. On the unworn face the sculpturing is clear and sharp. The upper limb of the cross and both arms are covered with a doublecord interlaced pattern. The compartments above the arms are filled with a zigzag fret. There is a double square recess in the angles at the intersection of the arms. On one side there is a spiral and fret pattern; and on the other side a more open but more weathered one. The other fragment was found in the eastern cemetery. The ornament on one face is mainly spiral, but there is some fret as well. The other face shows part of the shaft of a cross and part of the left arm, which are covered with interlaced work. part of a coped-coffin cover was removed from the Abbey wall. The seventeenth-century tombstone commemorates a Margaret Taylor who died in 1636.


Salt solution ingress into concrete will result in serious deterioration of concrete materials, and then bring concrete structure in danger. So researchers pay more attention to the transportation of salt solution in concrete. In this paper, the ingress of 5% NaCl, 5%Na2SO4 and H2O into concrete under capillary siphon effect were investigated, and the influence factors such as water to binder ratio, mineral admixture, porosity and pore structure were also analyzed by methods of capillary solution-absorption experiment and evaporated water test. Results show that in capillary siphon effect, first the salt solution ingress into concrete increase quickly in very short time and then with the increase of time the solution absorption mass keep stable gradually. The types of salt solution are not the decisive factors controlling the solution ingress. Addition proper mineral admixture such as compound of fly ash (FA) and silica fume (SF) can decrease solution absorption mass under capillary siphon effect efficiently. In capillary effect, pores with aperture above 30 nm have close relativity with solution absorption mass. The decrease of porosity and improvement of pore structure can reduce the ingress of solution into concrete.


Gelatin microspheres and gelatin sponges were prepared by coacervation and freeze drying techniques, respectively. Both systems were crosslinked with glutaraldehyde. The mean diameter of the microspheres were in the range of 40–80 mm and the mean pore size of the sponges was 130–220 mm depending on the preparation conditions. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was added into the preparation solutions and entrapped in the microspheres and sponges. BSA addition to sponges was also achieved by addition of BSA-containing microspheres into the sponges. The release kinetics of BSA from the prepared systems were examined. Studies demonstrated that release is dependent on the amount of BSA present in the system and crosslinking densities of microspheres. It was concluded that gelatin microspheres and gelatin sponges are promising carrier matrices for macromolecules.


In order to explore the application of glottis' deformable modulation model, used to simulate the human phonation process, in high power pneumatic speaker, a simulation model was established to model the flow field in the time-dependent shape vocal tract of air-modulated speaker. Characteristics of unsteady flow field in duct under typical working conditions were analyzed. The evolution process of pulsating sound source in the vocal tract was presented. The speaker's characteristic parameters with different chamber pressures and modulated frequencies were investigated. The simulation results provided an useful guidance for possible application of improving the acoustic characteristics of pneumatic speaker.


ABSTRACT Contamination of soils with heavy metals (HMs) is an important issue due to the contamination of agricultural crops, which are further transferred into the food chain. Phytoremediation is an emerging method of remediating metal-contaminated soils. Sunflower has been widely adopted for phytomanagement of HM-contaminated soils owing to its high biomass production and capacity for metal accumulation. Sunflowers can tolerate the toxic effects of certain HMs through different mechanisms, such as enhancements in antioxidant enzyme activities, deposition in nonactive parts of the plant, and stimulation of osmolytes. Stress caused by HMs affected negatively the seed germination, nutritional status, photosynthesis, and growth of sunflower. However, the responses of sunflowers to this stress vary with cultivar/variety, soil type, metal type, dose, and duration of metal exposure. This review critically summarizes the effects of HMs in sunflowers and examines field-relevant approaches to improve the phytoextraction capability of sunflowers. Proper selection of tolerant cultivars along with agronomic practices may be an effective strategy for the phytomanagement of soils contaminated with HMs.


This paper presents the family physician with a comprehensive yet simple classification that is easily followed. By a system known as 'pattern recognition', the physician may determine cause in the majority of headaches in his own office. With use of ancillary investigatory procedures where necessary, he will refer only when the diagnosis warrants it.


This paper investagates dividend policy decision in Indonesian Stock Exchange (IDX) through studying non-financial firms. Panel data were obtained from 1490 non-financial firms over the five year period from 2006 to 2010, where 310 firms pay dividend and 1180 firms were not. Logistic regression model were used to test the six research hypotheses. The result revealed that size of firms, debt equity ratio, and return on equity increases the probability of paying dividends, whereas the public ownership decreases the probability of paying dividends. Two variables, free cash flow and growth of sales insignificantly affect to the probability of paying dividends. Overall, research findings that companies list on Indonesian Stock Exchange (IDX) paid dividends to reduce agency conflict and enhance their companies reputation. Keywords : Dividend payout decision, Non-financial firms, Panel data, Logistic regression model.


Hurricane Katrina destroyed more than 200,000 homes and led to massive economic and physical dislocation. Using a panel of tax return data, we provide one of the first comprehensive analyses of the hurricane's long-term economic impact on its victims. Katrina had large and persistent impacts on where people live; small and mostly transitory impacts on wage income, employment, total income, and marriage; and no impact on divorce or fertility. Within just a few years, Katrina victims' incomes fully recover and even surpass that of controls from similar cities that were unaffected by the storm. The strong economic performance of Katrina victims is particularly remarkable given that the hurricane struck with essentially no warning. Our results suggest that, at least in this particular disaster, aid to cover destroyed assets and short-run income declines was sufficient to make victims financially whole. Our results provide some optimism regarding the costs of climate-change driven dislocation, especially when adverse events can be anticipated well in advance.


Background: Cell block technique is a method of preparing cytological material so that it can be processed, sectioned, stained, and viewed as a histology section. The study compared two methods of cell block preparation, plasma-thromboplastin method and collodion bag technique of cell block preparation.
Materials and Methods: Samples were randomly processed by plasma-thromboplastin technique or by collodion bag technique. Hematoxylin/Eosin stained cell block sections were examined and scored scaling from 1 to 3 for cellularity, clarity, nuclear features, cytoplasm, use of ancillary test and recovery of cell-cluster and fragments. Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparing two methods and establishing statistical significance.
Results: The median cellularity score was 2.0 for plasma-thromboplastin and 1.0 for collodion bag. The median morphological preservation score and use of ancillary test score were 2.0 for both of the method while median score for recovery of cell cluster and fragments was 2.0 for collodion bag and 1.0 for plasma-thromboplastin. Statistically, both of the methods had similar results in cell block quality.
The median total score for plasma-thromboplastin and collodion bag were 10.0 and 11.0 respectively. Diagnostic cell blocks were obtained in 46.51% of cell block by plasma-thromboplastin method and 60.52% of cell block by collodion bag method improving the diagnosis over conventional smear in 76.74% and 81.57% respectively.
Conclusions: Cell block by plasma-thromboplastin and collodion bag method are cost effective, useful adjunct to FNA for diagnosis of mass lesion. Both techniques has no significant difference in quality of cell block produced.


The development of a new polymerization methodology affords polymer materials with new structures and functionalities. Multicomponent polymerizations (MCPs) as a facile tool for preparing multifunctional polymers with complicated structures have attracted increasing attention from polymer scientists, owing to their high efficiency, high atom economy, simple procedure, structural diversity, and environmental benefit. In this work, a series of efficient one-pot multicomponent polymerizations of diynes, disulfonyl azides, and N-protected isatins are developed to afford oxindole-containing poly(N-acylsulfonamide)s with advanced properties. After optimization of the polymerization conditions, the MCP can proceed smoothly at room temperature or 30 °C in dichloromethane/t-BuOH with CuI as the catalyst and LiOH as the base, generating poly(N-acylsulfonamide)s with high molecular weights of up to 30 600 g mol−1 in excellent yields of up to 98%. This MCP enjoys general applicability of a series of electron-rich or electron-deficient alkynes and alkyl group or aromatic group-substituted isatins, generating six poly(N-acylsulfonamide)s from different combination of monomers, and nitrogen gas as the only byproduct, demonstrating high atom economy and environmental benefit. The obtained poly(N-acylsulfonamide)s can be dissolved in alcohol or alcohol/water mixtures, but cannot be dissolved in THF or dichloromethane, which show opposite solubility after the polymers are acidified with HCl, indicating reversibly tunable hydrophilicity of the polymers. Furthermore, water can participate in the MCP as the fourth component when the MCP is conducted in DMF with CuI as the catalyst and Na2CO3 as the base, generating random copolymers consisting of 3-alkenyloxindole moieties and two chiral center-containing 3-hydroxyindole moieties in the backbone. Some of the oxindole-containing poly(N-acylsulfonamide)s exhibit yellow to red emission in their solid state. These MCPs provide an efficient approach for the synthesis of functional polymers with unique structures, which directly build the oxindole and N-acylsulfonamide moieties in situ, demonstrating high synthetic efficiency.


The objective of this study is to update the status of Guinea worm and Eradication Program in Borno State and to demonstrate the effectiveness of adopting appropriate intervention strategies. The assessment of the prevalence of Dracunculus medinensis was carried out by active case search. Three hundred and ten thousand and ninety-two (310,092) residents were examined from 136,892 households spread across 148 villages. Residents were examined for guinea worm disease infection between July 1, 2003 and June 30, 2004. Diagnosis of cases was based on the World Health Organization case definitions: "an individual exhibiting or having a recent (about one year) history of a skin lesion with emergence of a guinea worm". In addition, the Surveillance reports submitted to Global 2000 from 1995(the first target date for the eradication of guinea worm) to 2002 were reviewed alongside the data from this study. The result revealed that number of cases increased from 1995 (587) to 1998(2,063) and then declined to 195 in 2002. The results of the 2003/2004 survey showed that 34 (0.01%) out of the 310,092 individuals examined had emerging guinea worm. Also, 12(8.11%) out of the 148 villages surveyed were still endemic for the infection. Sex and age related distribution of infection revealed that 25(0.02%) out of 162,972 males and 9(0.01%) out of the 147,120 females examined were infected, while individuals within the age group 10-40 years were more affected (0.8%) among females and age group 11-20 (0.07%) in the male category were most affected. Farmers (0.02%) and Nomads (0.02%) had the highest prevalence rates of infection. The peak transmission period in the state was July through November. All the 34 (100%) cases appeared on the legs and feet. The success story of Guinea Eradication Program in Borno State without the provision of adequate potable water to every affected community demonstrates that the disease could be contained with or without potable water supply. Keywords : Guinea worm; Dracunculus medinensis ; eradication program; Nigeria International Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences Vol. 2 (3) 2006: pp. 182-188


In Ohio v. American Express, both the majority and dissent injected into Supreme Court jurisprudence a new test for evaluating restraints under the rule of reason: a less restrictive alternatives test. Occasionally appearing in circuit court cases, less restrictive alternatives tests have not been a part of Supreme Court's approach to the rule of reason, which generally balances the procompetitive and anticompetitive effects of a restraint. No previous Supreme Court case has offered less restrictive alternatives as part of its formulation of the rule of reason.

Nevertheless, by virtue of its adoption by the Ninth Circuit, a less restrictive alternatives test is now the subject of a pending Supreme Court case: Alston v. NCAA. Alston provides a rare opportunity for the Court to clarify the role that less restrictive alternatives should play in rule of reason analysis.

Although it has not explicitly mentioned less restrictive alternatives prior to American Express, the Supreme Court has discussed alternatives in antitrust cases, and many find in those cases a less restrictive alternatives test as a distinct step within the rule of reason. Careful analysis of the cases shows that the Court does not use a less restrictive alternatives test within the rule of reason. Nor should it. The boundaries of the less restrictive alternatives inquiry are not just vague, they are indescribable, and the test is likely to draw antitrust courts into increasingly strict review of restraints. Lessons drawn from other areas of law show that any real approach to "less" restrictive alternatives is likely to lead to a "least" restrictive alternatives test. Rigorous consideration of alternatives will chill innovation, with outsized effects on particular industries and restraints, particularly in two-sided platform markets and more generally in recently highly scrutinized "big tech" markets.

This paper considers the development of the less-restrictive means test in antitrust scholarship and commentary and consider how consideration of alternatives actually does, and should, inform antitrust analysis. The injection of less restrictive alternatives in rule of reason analysis reflects the need for increased attention to whether restraints are ancillary to productive transactions and highlights the need for a reinvigorated approach to the ancillary restraints doctrine.


We present non-linear weak lensing predictions for coupled dark energy models using the Coupled Dark Energy Cosmological Simulations (CoDECS) simulations. We calculate the shear correlation function and error covariance expected for these models, for forthcoming ground-based [such as Dark Energy Survey (DES)] and space-based (Euclid) weak lensing surveys. We obtain predictions for the discriminatory power of a ground-based survey similar to DES and a space-based survey such as Euclid in distinguishing between Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) and coupled dark energy models; we show that using the non-linear lensing signal we could discriminate between ΛCDM and exponential constant coupling models with β0≥ 0.1 at 4σ confidence level with a DES-like survey and β0≥ 0.05 at 5σ confidence level with Euclid. We also demonstrate that estimating the coupled dark energy models' non-linear power spectrum, using the ΛCDM HALOFIT fitting formula, results in biases in the shear correlation function that exceed the survey errors.


Racial divides have been central to political conflict in the United States throughout its history, no less so in candidate evaluation and vote choice. The news media and campaign messages can play a key role in reinforcing or diminishing the prevalence and impact of negative racial attitudes based on the ways they represent race. In this study, we examine whether and how racial frames and references emerge in mainstream news and ideologically targeted opinion programming. Drawing on coverage of 2012 presidential election campaign in mainstream news (New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, NBC Nightly News, Fox Special Report) and in opinion programming (Rachel Maddow Show, O'Reilly Factor, Rush Limbaugh Show), we demonstrate that racial themes receive relatively limited attention in mainstream news, but are much more prominent in opinion programming. Our results show that, compared with 2008, there was less attention to Obama's own race in mainstream news coverage though there was still considerable reference to the racial coalitions supporting the various candidates. In this way, mainstream media coverage arguably continued to prime race though in more innocuous ways. By contrast, racial themes were prominent in ideologically targeted media – with important and not unexpected variations across different ideologically targeted programs.


All agricultural educators are expected to teach each student the three aspects of the agricultural education program, FFA, Supervised Agricultural Experience programs, and classroom and laboratory instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of an agricultural educator in the state of West Virginia. Agricultural educators rated reading, writing, and mathematics incorporation into the curriculum above average in the survey. They also felt that they encouraged professional and respectful relationships with their students almost all of the time. The amount of sarcasm used in the classroom, and bypassing school policy when the situation warranted it, returned varying results that should be studied more intensely in the future. Agricultural educators, based on the results of this instrument, need to become more involved in professional organizations in order to keep themselves truly abreast of new developments within their profession.


The mental health of university students is not only a predominant topic for psychology and education researchers but also a source of interest for policymakers and various stakeholders. Although there has been a lot of research on higher education students' mental health, we have little understanding on the mental health of international students (MHIS). Despite their distinctive characteristics compared to native students, the mental health issues of international students only started receiving attention very recently. So far, the literature on this topic lacks a comprehensive overview of its sub-topic and trending issues. By using bibliometric analysis, this research aims to fulfil this gap and provide a review of the extant literature about MHIS. Specifically, this study aims to (i) draw the growth trajectory and geographic distribution of the literature on MHIS; (ii) identify the documents and authors that have the greatest impact, generally and locally, within the major topic clusters of the literature on MHIS; and (iii) identify the most researched keywords in the literature on MHIS over time. The results have shown that academic documents about international students' mental health are increasing in number and becoming more extensive content-wise. The research's findings provide implications for stakeholders and identifies some prominent research avenues for the future.


Abstract 1809 Direct contact of multiple myeloma (MM) cells with the bone marrow (BM) stroma promotes cell survival leading to cell adhesion mediated drug resistance (CAM-DR). Dexamethasone is a conventional anti-MM drug that effectively induces MM cell death at presentation and in relapsed patients but the signalling pathways involved in its mechanisms of action are not completely understood. Resistance of MM to Dexamethasone may result from genetic changes in MM cells or through the contact of MM cells with the BM microenvironment. It has been shown that CAM-DR blocks the effect of Dexamethasone by the binding of MM cells to the BM stroma. Our data indicate a key role of the binding of MM CXCR4 receptor on stromal cell derived SDF1-a in CAM-DR against Dexamethasone. Dexamethasone induced upregulation of CXCR4 in the MM1.S cell line (sensitive to Dexamethasone) whilst, as expected, having no effect on the MM1.R cell line (resistant to Dexamethasone by expression of a mutated form of the glucocorticoid receptor). Bortezomib induced down regulation of CXCR4 in both MM1.S and MM1.R cell lines in a dose dependent manner that correlated with decreased adhesion on BM stromal cells and increased sensitisation of MM cells in the presence of the BM stroma. The Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome Protein (WASP) is an adaptor protein that regulates actin polymerization and organization of cell adhesion molecules of the integrin family in haematopoietic cells. WASP is involved in the signalling pathway downstream of CXCR4 in various leukocytes and we hypothesised that blocking this pathway would prevent MM cell adhesion on stromal cells and sensitise them to treatment with Dexamethasone. We found that downregulation of WASP in the Dexamethasone-sensitive cell line MM1.S using shRNA reduced the adhesion to the BM stroma. However, it also rendered MM1.S cells resistant to treatment with Dexamethasone but not with Bortezomib, Doxorubicin or Melphalan independently of the presence of BM stromal cells. Similarly, downregulation of WASP in MM1.R cells did not affect their sensitivity to Bortezomib, Doxorubicin or Melphalan. Dexamethasone has been shown to induce changes in actin dynamics or in levels or activity of actin and/or adhesion related proteins. Western blot analysis showed both Dexamethasone and Bortezomib to cause modulation of WASP expression, inducing partial downregulation and upregulation, respectively. Downregulation of WASP expression in MM1.S cells using shRNA or treatment with Dexamethasone or Bortezomib did not affect the expression of other proteins involved in WASP-mediated F-actin remodelling or cell adhesion such as WIP, Arp 2/3 or vinculin. We conclude that WASP is involved in the signalling pathways that promote cell-adhesion of MM cells on BM stroma but it is also a vital component of the signalling pathway of Dexamethasone9s mechanism of action. These data indicate that while blocking WASP signalling could theoretically have potential therapeutic benefits to prevent CAM-DR to Dexamethasone, it would inhibit the action of Dexamethasone rendering cells resistant to treatment with this drug. Our study suggest a possible paradox of a dual pro-apoptotic and pro-survival effect of certain therapies targeting pathways involved in the interaction of MM cells with the microenvironment. Detailed studies of the intricate connexion between the intracellular pathways involved in the process of adhesion and drug induced cell death through modulation of actin dynamics may lead to improved therapeutic strategies to overcome drug resistance against Dexamethasone and perhaps other drugs. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


There is no single mechanism of electrophoretic deposition (EPD). Just as there are several mechanisms for creating a stable colloidal suspension, there are several mechanisms by which particles can be destabilized to form an adherent deposit at an electrode surface. The goal of this paper is to provide a listing of the mechanisms by which electrophoretic deposition can occur. Several of these mechanisms have already been demonstrated, while others remain speculative. The first step in this process is to provide a clear definition of what exactly EPD is, and, equally important, to clearly distinguish EPD from three other very similar processes: electrostatic coating, electrodeposition, and electrocasting. From this definition a series of logical steps leads to a list of mechanisms by which a stable colloid can be converted to a stable particle compact.


The present paper is one of the first to investigate the use of bend-twist adaptive blades on a variable-speed pitch-controlled tidal turbine in order to reduce hydrodynamic loads. The realisation of the substantial unexploited hydrokinetic energy of tides is currently driving hydrokinetic turbine research. In contrast to wind turbines, tidal technology has not yet reached maturity and new designs are required in order to take into account cavitation, leading edge roughness, and the high energy density of flowing water. In particular, reinforced blade structures are required to deal with the high hydrodynamic loads experienced by tidal turbines. In this research, the potential benefit of using bend-twist adaptive blades on tidal turbines in order to reduce hydrodynamic loads is explored. A Tidal Turbine Hydrodynamic code (TTHydro) capable of simulating tidal turbines equipped with adaptive blades is developed and validated. It is found that employing bend-twist adaptive blades on variable-speed pitch-controlled tidal turbines reduces both power and loads. It was also observed that a substantial reduction of hydrodynamic loads could be achieved at the price of a small power loss.


In this study, we present a scheme that combines LSB (Least Significant Bit) DWT (Discrete Wavelet Transform) watermarking techniques. Data compression has rapidly evolved due to variable mobile terminals and the vast amount of images and video. It is necessary to prevent access to and maintain the confidentiality of data. LSB and wavelet watermarking methods have arisen to address this need. However, unlike the LSB insertion method, the proposed scheme is effective against several attacks. The scheme first inserts a watermark using LSB in a test image, and 3-level DWT decomposition is implemented for robustness and security. We measured the Mean Squared Error (MSE) and Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) to validate the scheme and acquired reasonable results. This study highlights the hierarchical structure of the LSB and wavelet-based watermarking technique. Keyword-Digital watermarking, LSB, DWT, usage control


PURPOSE
Palatal implants have been used in the last 2 decades to eliminate headgear wear and to establish stationary anchorage. The aim of this investigation was to establish a method and easy protocol for palatal implant placement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study comprised 8 male and 15 female patients each having a 4.5 x 8-mm stepped screw titanium implant placed in the palatal region for orthodontic purposes. A surgical template containing metal drill housing was prepared. Angulation of the drill housing was controlled according to the radiologic tracing of the maxilla transferred to a plaster cast section in the paramedian plane. Implants were placed using a noninvasive technique (incision, flap, and suture elimination) and left transmucosally to facilitate the surgical procedure and reduce operations. The paramedian region was selected so as to avoid connective tissues of the palatine suture and because it was considered to be a suitable host site for implant placement.

RESULTS
After 3 months of healing, all implants were osseointegrated and no implant was lost throughout the orthodontic treatment.

DISCUSSION
Palatal implants can be used effectively for anchorage maintenance and space-gaining procedures.

CONCLUSION
Usage of a 3-dimensional surgical template eliminated faulty implant placement, reduced chair time, and minimized trauma to the tissues while enhancing osseointegration.


A regulated level of pruning, in which the number of fruiting units retained is balanced with the past vegetative growth of the vine, did not entirely overcome the low-yielding tendencies of very vigorous grafted vines. Fruiting efficiency of the individual spur, based on the ratio of prunings to fruit produced, was markedly lower from vines on the very vigorous stock, Dogridge, and highest on the own-rooted Grenache vines. Over the six-year period that harvest records were obtained, the heaviest-yielding vines and those showing the best balance between growth and fruit production were on the V. Champini selection, Salt Creek. Total carbohydrate content was markedly increased and total nitrogen level decreased in the shoots by girdling during bloom. Only the yields of the vigorous vines on Dogridge were increased by this treatment. Topping the vine at bloom did not change carbohydrate levels in the shoots at the time of berry shatter, but gave some reduction in vine vigor. A growth retardant, maleic hydrazide, used at 500 ppm as a foliar spray during bloom, was not effective in changing nutrient levels in the shoots. However, evident leaf symptoms and reduction in shoot elongation was noted late in the growing season.


Background: Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) likely involve dysregulation of multiple genes related to brain function and development. Abnormalities in individual regulatory small non-coding RNA (sncRNA), including microRNA (miRNA), could have profound effects upon multiple functional pathways. We assessed whether a brain region associated with core social impairments in ASD, the superior temporal sulcus (STS), would evidence greater transcriptional dysregulation of sncRNA than adjacent, yet functionally distinct, primary auditory cortex (PAC). Methods: We measured sncRNA expression levels in 34 samples of postmortem brain from STS and PAC to find differentially expressed sncRNA in ASD compared with control cases. For differentially expressed miRNA, we further analyzed their predicted mRNA targets and carried out functional over-representation analysis of KEGG pathways to examine their functional significance and to compare our findings to reported alterations in ASD gene expression. Results: Two mature miRNAs (miR-4753-5p and miR-1) were differentially expressed in ASD relative to control in STS and four (miR-664-3p, miR-4709-3p, miR-4742-3p, and miR-297) in PAC. In both regions, miRNA were functionally related to various nervous system, cell cycle, and canonical signaling pathways, including PI3K-Akt signaling, previously implicated in ASD. Immune pathways were only disrupted in STS. snoRNA and pre-miRNA were also differentially expressed in ASD brain. Conclusions: Alterations in sncRNA may underlie dysregulation of molecular pathways implicated in autism. sncRNA transcriptional abnormalities in ASD were apparent in STS and in PAC, a brain region not directly associated with core behavioral impairments. Disruption of miRNA in immune pathways, frequently implicated in ASD, was unique to STS.


We report here a facile one-pot green synthesis method to prepare a self-assembled membrane of reduced graphene oxide-gold nanoparticle (RGO-AuNP) nanohybrids at a liquid-air interface. The obtained sandwich-like multilayer RGO-AuNP hybrid membranes were characterized by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy, and the obtained results prove that GO and chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) were synchronously reduced by glucose successfully. In addition, the experimental data indicate that the self-assembly and formation of RGO-AuNP hybrid membranes are mainly governed by the Brownian motion and electrostatic interaction between RGO and AuNPs, and the encapsulation of AuNPs in the hybrid membrane can be easily adjusted by changing the concentration of HAuCl4. The created functional semi-transparent RGO-AuNP hybrid membranes are very stable in various organic and inorganic solvents, and can be used to fabricate a novel nonenzymatic amperometric biosensor of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The fabricated H2O2 biosensor reveals a wide linear range from 0.25 to 22.5 mM, low detection limit of 6.2 μM (S/N = 3), high selectivity, and long-term stability. It is expected that this one-pot green method for fabricating sandwich-like multilayer hybrid functional membranes has broad applications in biosensing, catalysis, and energy storage.


Abstract The biosynthesis of the molybdenum cofactor (Moco) is a highly conserved pathway in bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes. The molybdenum atom in Moco-containing enzymes is coordinated to the dithiolene group of a tricyclic pyranopterin monophosphate cofactor. The biosynthesis of Moco can be divided into three conserved steps, with a fourth present only in bacteria and archaea: (1) formation of cyclic pyranopterin monophosphate, (2) formation of molybdopterin (MPT), (3) insertion of molybdenum into MPT to form Mo-MPT, and (4) additional modification of Mo-MPT in bacteria with the attachment of a GMP or CMP nucleotide, forming the dinucleotide variants of Moco. While the proteins involved in the catalytic reaction of each step of Moco biosynthesis are highly conserved among the Phyla, a surprising link to other cellular pathways has been identified by recent discoveries. In particular, the pathways for FeS cluster assembly and thio-modifications of tRNA are connected to Moco biosynthesis by sharing the same protein components. Further, proteins involved in Moco biosynthesis are not only shared with other pathways, but additionally have moonlighting roles. This review gives an overview of Moco biosynthesis in bacteria and humans and highlights the shared function and moonlighting roles of the participating proteins.


Background: Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS; OMIM 130650) is a rare overgrowth syndrome with tumor predisposition resulting from the abnormal expression or function of imprinted genes of the chromosome 11p15.5 imprinting gene cluster. The aim of this study was to identify the epigenotype-phenotype correlations of these patients using quantitative DNA methylation analysis. Methods: One hundred and four subjects with clinically suspected BWS were enrolled in this study. All of the subjects had been referred for diagnostic testing which was conducted using methylation profiling of H19-associated imprinting center (IC) 1 and KCNQ1OT1-associated IC2 in high-resolution melting analysis and methylation quantification with the MassARRAY assay. Correlations between the quantitative DNA methylation status and clinical manifestations of the enrolled subjects were analyzed. Results: Among the 104 subjects, 19 had IC2 hypomethylation, 2 had IC1 hypermethylation, and 10 had paternal uniparental disomy (pUPD). The subjects with IC2 hypomethylation were characterized by significantly more macroglossia but less hemihypertrophy compared to the subjects with pUPD (p < 0.05). For 19 subjects with IC2 hypomethylation, the IC2 methylation level was significantly different (p < 0.05) between the subjects with and without features including macroglossia (IC2 methylation level: 11.1% vs. 30.0%) and prenatal or postnatal overgrowth (8.5% vs. 16.9%). The IC2 methylation level was negatively correlated with birth weight z score (p < 0.01, n = 19) and birth height z score (p < 0.05, n = 13). For 36 subjects with clinically diagnosed BWS, the IC2 methylation level was negatively correlated with the BWS score (r = −0.592, p < 0.01). The IC1 methylation level showed the tendency of positive correlation with the BWS score without statistical significance (r = 0.137, p > 0.05). Conclusions: Lower IC2 methylation and higher IC1 methylation levels were associated with greater disease severity in the subjects with clinically diagnosed BWS. Quantitative DNA methylation analysis using the MassARRAY assay could improve the detection of epigenotype-phenotype correlations, which could further promote better genetic counseling and medical care for these patients.


The ability to organise daily life tasks and to execute them on time constitutes an essential component of being efficient and may have consequences for an individual's well-being. The objective of the study was to develop a self-report scale for detecting difficulties in the organisation of daily life tasks on time, as perceived by the individual, and to examine its validity and reliability. In order to test the scale's content and face validity, 228 Israeli adults, 83 (36%) males and 145 (64%) females, aged 18–44 (mean age 26.49, SD = 5.83), participated in the study. Internal consistencies following factor analysis, as well as construct validity, were initiated. Results of the analysis of the Time Organisation and Participation Scale (TOPS) revealed three distinct factors with Eigen values > 1, comprised of 32 items. These three factors explained 49.68% of the total variance. The scale demonstrated good internal consistency for the overall score (α = .92), as well as for the three factors (α ranges .87 to .92). The corrected item total correlation that was performed for each of the three factors indicated good results, ranging from .46 to .76. Construct validity was confirmed, while the MANOVA yielded significant age group differences. Initial results suggest that the TOPS is a valid and reliable tool for detecting difficulties in the organisation of daily life tasks on time among adults.


─Abstract ─ As a result of the increasing population of the globe, the temperature of the blue planet has increased during the period from the industrial revolution to the current day and has brought problems such as Global Warming and Climate Change for humankind to face. While measures regarding Polution Prevention were seen sufficient in the past years, today the concepts of Life Cycle, comprising all activities in the value chain activities, and Green Activities have become not only necessities, but even more imperatives. The goal of this study is to analyze green production activities, which at first glance seem to be a financial burden on businesses, and to evaluate these activities' outcomes in terms of both the society and the businesses. As the subject area of the study, Cumra Sugar Integrated Plant operating in the Konya province is discussed, and their green-production related activities are examined according to the goal of the study.


Increasing evidence has suggested that the host inflammatory status is associated with prognosis of several solid tumors. Preoperative platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), both acquired from routine blood tests, can reflect the status of systematic inflammation. However, whether they are correlated with clinical outcomes of esophageal carcinoma is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic value of preoperative PLR and NLR in patients with resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Preoperative PLR and NLR were evaluated in 317 eligible ESCC patients from September 2008 to December 2010. Receiver operating characteristic curves were applied to establish optimal cutoff points. The prognostic values of PLR and NLR were determined by both univariate and multivariate analyses. The optimal cutoff value of preoperative PLR and NLR were 103.0 and 2.1, respectively. One hundred and ninety-seven (62.1%) patients showed high level of preoperative PLR, while 148 (46.7%) patients showed high level of preoperative NLR. Both elevated PLR (P < 0.001) and NLR (P = 0.009) were correlated with poor disease-specific survival in univariate analysis. However, only preoperative PLR (P = 0.003) had a significant correlation with prognosis in multivariate analysis. In subgroup analyses, the predictive value of PLR was significant for stage I (P = 0.008) and stage II (P = 0.044) patients, but not for stage III patients (P = 0.100). Preoperative PLR is easily obtained from a routine blood test and may provide additional prognostic information for ESCC patients, especially in the early stage.


In order to fabricate the metal matrix composites by low-pressure infiltration by gravity casting machine, the preform made from FeCrSi fiber with 40μm and matrix of A336.0 aluminum alloy was used. The volume fraction of fiber in preform was about 20%. The temperatures of die, preform and molten alloy were 200 oC, 400 oC and 750 oC, respectively. By controlling the infiltration of molten aluminum alloy to one direction by using barrier plate, the quantity of pores caused by curling of air degrades dramatically. Molten aluminum alloy was able to infiltrate at low pressure of 0.2MPa. As increasing the pressure, porosity in composites decreased. The composite with no pores was obtained by barrier plate and 0.8 MPa of molten alloy pressure. This composite had high strength at high temperature of 200-400oC.


Sleep disturbances are associated with hormonal imbalances and may result in metabolic disorders including obesity and diabetes. Therefore, circuits controlling both sleep and metabolism are likely to play a role in these physiopathological conditions. The hypocretin (Hcrt) system is a strong candidate for mediating both sleep and metabolic imbalances because Hcrt neurons are sensitive to metabolic hormones, including leptin and ghrelin, and modulate arousal and goal‐orientated behaviours. This review discusses the role of Hcrt neurons as a sensors of energy balance and arousal and proposes new ways of probing local hypothalamic circuits regulating sleep and metabolism with unprecedented cellular specificity and temporal resolution.


MWCNT supported Pt, Ru, and Pt–Ru catalysts were prepared and reduced at two different temperatures, 375°C (LTR) and 675°C (HTR) for the selective hydrogenation of citral to the corresponding unsaturated alcohols (geraniol and nerol). The catalysts were characterized by BET Surface area measurement, TPD, SEM, EDAX, TEM, XRD and XPS. It was found that the XRD of Pt and Ru shows fcc and hcp crystalline structure respectively, which is uniformly dispersed with an average particles size of 3.5 nm and zero valence metallic state. The removal of acidic oxygen surface group is observed when heat- treatments in a inert atmosphere at 675°C were performed. The bimetallic catalyst of Pt-Ru/MWCNT (HTR) was found to afford remarkably high conversion levels (85%) and high selectivity (95%) provided that a thermal pretreatment was performed on the catalyst. These results can be rationalized in terms of electron transfer from the support to the metal. The catalysts are environment friendly and can be recycled for more than eight times.


This paper proposes as thesis that in Argentina bioethics runs the risk of operating as an institution in the anthropological sense this term and that, as such, far from contributing to the crystallisation of the emancipatory rationality, it performs the function of legitimating the statu quo . In Argentina, the three bioethic stages (the emotive, the reconstructive and the consolidation stage) coexist, with all the inherent dangers to each one of them. The legalism and the lawfulness of the ethical conflicts, the fundamentalism, the cheaters, the expert-cracy and the snobbism adulterate its real purpose of democratic coexistence. Finally, it is postulated that bioethics should promote the realisation of the ideal community of communication and that, therefore, the pluralistic, transdisciplinary and procedural character should prevail in this speech like a sine qua non condition for the articulation of people's emancipatory interests.


This paper presents the design of a monobit 6th order delta-sigma modulator in a GaAs 0.2 μm technology. The central frequency is 750 MHz and the sampling frequency is 3 GHz. The reached resolution is 10.5 bits over a 10 MHz bandwith. The modulator operates from ± 5 V power supplies and consumes 5.7 W. Each block of the modulator is presented at transistor level. Two drawbacks are pointed out: low pass terms of Gm-LC resonators and the lowpass characteristic of the adder. Two solutions are proposed. Finally, simulation results of the complete modulator are given.


Corrosion resistance of iron can be drastically improved by addition of passivating alloying elements. A supersaturated solid solution of Fe-25at%Sn was produced by mechanical alloying of commercially pure iron and tin powders for 24 hours using a planetary ball mill. Electrochemical measurements were performed on cold compacted unsintered specimens.. XRD investigation on produced alloy showed the characteristics of a supersaturated solid solution. Corrosion behavior of the solid solution alloy was investigated in 0.1M H3PO4 employing potentiodynamic and potentiostatic polarization techniques. The anodic behavior of mechanically alloyed specimens was compared with specimens prepared from individually compacted iron, tin and appropriate admixture of tin/iron powders. Potentiodynamic polarization of supersaturated specimen featured a gradual decrease in anodic current density, indicating a feature of quasi passivation which was attributed to the tin surface enrichment as a result of preferential iron dissolution. Anodic current density from the result of potentiostatic polarization of the prepared alloy also showed a gradual decrease with time following it relationships indicating a characterization of passivity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) examination of the specimen surface after potentiostatic anodic polarization test confirmed the presence of high tin content on the surface. doi: 10.5829/idosi.ije.2012.25.02c.06


The objective of this paper is to share the holistic approach to managing aging fleet for offshore fixed steel structures. PETRONAS is currently operating a fleet of more than 200 fixed offshore structures in Malaysian water. More than half of it has exceeded the original design life. With enhanced oil recovery and other developing technologies, offshore platforms often than not are required to continue operating beyond its original design life.
 A holistic approach for life extension of fixed offshore structures are being developed to ensure safe operations of the facilities. PETRONAS has started SIM journey since 2007. The approach of Data, Evaluation, Strategy and Programme in line with API RP 2SIM set the basis for managing the integrity of the offshore fleet. An integrated solution was developed to manage both topsides and substructures. The Structural Integrity Compliance System (SICS) which houses the integrity management of topsides deteriorations to prioritize resources through risk based anomalies management. Risk based underwater inspection also formed part of the solutions, addressing mainly extreme storm in the region. Other Major Accidental Hazards (MAHs) risk ranking included in SICS are vessel collision and seismic. Management of facilities with minimal redundancy such as guyed wire monopod is addressed through time based inspection. A regional hazard curve is also developed to ensure the facilities are meeting the acceptance criteria set forth by the industry.
 Besides aging, other integrity triggers including shallow gas and subsidence required a different scheme in managing the integrity of the facilities, primarily addressed through a comprehensive monitoring programme.
 There is no one size fit all recipe in managing the aged platforms for life extension. The data plays a crucial role in ensuring the right methodology is deployed in support of digitalization and data driven decision making. Implementation of the system is proven to be reliable in ensuring the offshore fixed structures are intact to support safe and continuous operations to the operator in a cost optimum manner. The data analytics help to enhance the predictive model to optimize the inspection and maintenance programme.
 Strong ownership and commitment of the structural integrity engineers in ensuring the data integrity maintain the challenge in sustainability of the system and provide reliable source for data driven decision making to the operator.
 Category: Operational Excellence (136 - Managing Aging Facilities)


SHRIMP U-Pb ages were determined on single zircon grains separated fromcombined samples (i.e. GA8-GA9) belonging to a trachytic andesite, Galalaharea,Walash arc volcanic rocks, Northwestern Zagros Suture Zone, NE Iraq. Therock suite in the studied area ranges from calc-alkaline to alkaline (i.e., Ga8-Ga9).The New reconnaissance SHRIMP U-Pb zircon ages of GA8 GA9 reveal twoepisodes of Palaeoproterozoic inherited zircon growth:11953±39 Ma cores.2ca. 1777±28 Ma rims. This provides evidence for the ancestry of terrane(i.e. crystalline basement).which had been pervasively overprinted by Mesoproterozoic thermal eventsthat facilitate the growth of zircon rims.The cathodoluminescence (CL) imagesshow no evidence of the zircon growth during Tertiary magmatism. The rims arewide and darker in CL compared to the cores. The oscillatory zoned cores probablygrew from magma of probably dioritic to gabbroic in composition, due to the highzircon Th/U ratio of ~1. The lower Th/U and high-U zircon rims could have grownin a superimposed migmatitic event with the growth of new zircon in localisedmelting. The core-rim pair of analyses is interpreted as indicating that the zirconsare inherited / recycled Paleogene magma due to crustal contamination. ThePalaeoproterozoic U-Pb zircon age may be correlated with the Khida terrane(1800-1650 Ma), in the north-westernmost portion of the ''Arabian Craton'' inSaudi Arabia. Here, a thinned Palaeoproterozoic continental basement fragment in Neo-Tethys might have contaminated the upwelling calc-alkaline magma beforeerupting.


Copeland and comprehensive multi-index comparison methods were used to rank and screen hazardous chemicals using original and pre-treatment data sets. The results show that the Copeland method can yield similar results for the two data sets. The results of a comprehensive multi-index comparison with the pretreatment dataset also show some similarities to those obtained using Copeland method. The results of the two methods show 18 common chemicals that belong in the top 20 chemicals. Of these chemicals, six are different types of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, seven are POPs, three are polycyclic aromatichydrocarbons, and two are pesticides. These substances should be regarded as chemicals of concern, and appropriate handling should be followed. Overall, the Copeland method with the original dataset can rapidly, reasonably, and effectively rank and screen hazardous chemicals.


The aim of the present study was to understand the perception of nurses regarding the integrality of human beings in the practice of nursing care provided through the Family Health Strategy. An exploratory and descriptive study with a qualitative approach based on the Theory of Social Representation was carried out. A convenience sample of 29 nurses from a Regional Family Health Strategy was interviewed between June and September 2015. The transcript content was coded and analyzed based on the Collective Subject Discourse technique. The respondents revealed a clear perception of the importance of integrality in nursing care and understood that attending to and viewing people based on their individual characteristics will translate this perception. In order to achieve integral care within the therapeutic plan, certain external conditions are required, involving the synchronized performance of a multidisciplinary team acting within the macrostructure of the system, which translates into Health Care Networks.


It is a well known fact in regression analysis that multicollinearity and autocorrelated errors have adverse effects on least squares estimator. In this paper, the r 􀀀 (k; d) class estimator (O¨ zkale, 2012) which was developed to combat the problem of multicollinearity has been generalized to address autocorrelated errors simultaneously. Necessary and sufficient conditions for superiority of the proposed estimator over other competing estimators have been derived under mean squared error (MSE) matrix criterion. A simulation study has been done to evaluate the performance of the estimators.