Xerostomia or dry mouth is a hyposalivation condition that leads to difficulty in speaking, eating, mucosal pain, and enhanced risk of dental and mandibular infection. It can be due to damage of salivary gland nervous system, medications, systematic diseases such as diabetes and Sjogen9s syndrome, and radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck cancer. Current available treatments are ineffective due to limited residual glandular function. Stem cell transplantation therapy may be a very promising future direction in treating this severe condition. Using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) method, we have successfully identified a new population of stem cells from adult mouse submandibular gland. Among all the populations of cells evaluated, the c-Kit+/Sca1+/CD24+/lin− cells generated the highest number of salispheres when cultured in vitro, at least 4 folds more than c-Kit+ or Sca1+ only cells. The c-Kit+/Sca1+/CD24+/lin− cells also expressed significantly higher level of embryonic salivary stem cell marker keratin 5 (CK5) and the basolateral secretory duct maker keratin 14 (CK14), when compared to the CD24+/lin− epithelial cell population. MTT assay showed salispheres derived from c-Kit+/Sca1+/CD24+/lin− population exhibited 10 folds higher enzyme activity than control populations. These spheres continued to express stem cell markers c-Kit and Sca1 after Day 21 and proliferate (Ki67 staining) actively after 14 days in vitro. In addition, these salispheres differentiated into functional acinar cells, indicated by a-amylase staining. More importantly, the dissociated 1st generation of salispheres was capable of generating 2nd salispheres in vitro, indicating the self-renewal property of the these cells. In conclusion, we have identified a subpopulation of adult salivary gland cells that exhibit stem cell properties. Future work will focus on (1) gene expression studies to further elucidate the molecular characteristics of these cells and (2) confirming their renewal capacity in vivo via transplantation studies. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3374. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3374


Background Concussions can negatively impact cognitive, behavioural, and physiological function. The current standard of care does not account for the physiological impact of concussion. Cardiac autonomic function (CAF) is responsive to changes in physical and cognitive exertion in healthy populations. The influence of concussion on CAF is not well understood. Objective To evaluate the evidence regarding the effect of concussion on cardiac autonomic function. Design Systematic Review. Setting Databases [Medline, SportDiscus, HealthSTAR, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, PubMed and ProQuest, Web of Science and Google Scholar] were systematically searched using keywords and MeSH terms. Sample Inclusion criteria: original research, available in English, included participants with concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and had a comparison group. Studies of humans (greater than 6 years old) and animals were included. Ten articles were identified for critical appraisal (six cohort studies, four cross-sectional). Independent variable Diagnosis of a concussion or mTBI. Main outcome measurements Heart rate (HR) and/or heart rate variability (HRV). Critical appraisal was conducted using the Downs and Black criteria. Results There is conflicting evidence regarding CAF at rest following concussion/mTBI. There is evidence of elevated HR and reduced HRV with low intensity, steady-state exercise up to 10 days following concussion. No significant difference in HRV was found during isometric handgrip testing following concussion. The validity of current literature is limited by small sample sizes, lack of female or pediatric participants, varying methodologies and lack of follow-up. No studies evaluating CAF during cognitive exertion following concussion were found. Conclusions There is evidence to suggest that CAF is altered during physical activity following concussion. The limitations in available literature highlight the need further research. Understanding the effect of concussion on CAF will contribute to the development of more comprehensive concussion management and prevention strategies.


Web forms are the interfaces of the deep web. Though modern web browsers provide facilities to assist in form filling, this assistance is limited to prior form fillings or keyword matching. Automatic form understanding enables a broad range of applications, including crawlers, meta-search engines, and usability and accessibility support for enhanced web browsing. In this demonstration, we use a novel form understanding approach, OPAL, to assist in form filling even for complex, previously unknown forms. OPAL associates form labels to fields by analyzing structural properties in the HTML encoding and visual features of the page rendering. OPAL interprets this labeling and classifies the fields according to a given domain ontology. The combination of these two properties, allows OPAL to deal effectively with many forms outside of the grasp of existing form filling techniques. In the UK real estate domain, OPAL achieves >99% accuracy in form understanding.


Psychological studies emphasize the deep connection between beauty and the feeling of peace and security. In today's society, human beings are facing unalike environmental changes. The creation of residential complexes is one of aforementioned fluctuations in the environmental structure of the society. One issue that can be raised is the impact of residential complexes, as new structural alterations, on the security of individuals. Hence, aesthetics is a science that can be applied to generate a sense of safety. Today, the existence of security, as one of the foremost requirements of human beings, is one of the most vital structural factors in the quality of life. This research has been accomplished with a descriptive and analytical method and with the application of both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The present study population includes more than 2000 as the research sample. After distributing the questionnaire, data was analyzed using SPSS software at both descriptive and inferential levels. Findings show that the five main factors have a significant impact on environmental security and crime reduction in the context of residential complexes. These 5 factors are physical security, surveillance, fear of crime, territory, management and maintenance. After comparing their means in the sample group, the results showed that the component of surveillance has a high average and the component of fear of crime beheld a lower average. Other variables (physical security, territory, and management and maintenance) also had a moderate value. Therefore, physical security, supervision, fear of crime, territory, management and maintenance have a significant role in environmental security in the context of residential complexes. Paying attention to these components along with creating natural environments has an imperative role in stabilizing the space with the dominance of beautiful and relaxing structures in residential complexes.


Two assumptions are used to justify selection of equilibria in stable sets. One assumption requires that a selected set is invariant to addition of redundant strategies. The other is a strong version of backward induction. Backward induction is interpreted as the requirement that behavior strategies in an extensive-form game are sequentially rational and conditionally admissible at every information set; viz., quasi-perfect as defined by van Damme. The strong version requires 'truly' quasi-perfect, in that every action perturbation selects a quasi-perfect equilibrium in the set. For two-player games we also provide an exact characterization of stable sets.


HIV sentinel surveillance was performed in five provinces of Morocco in 1993, expanded to 10 provinces in 1996. The activity was done by unlinked anonymous testing procedures. We analysed the data from 1993 to 1999. The groups studied were sexually transmitted infections, clinic attendees, pregnant women and patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. The results show that overall HIV prevalence rate over the whole period in 10 cities was 0.10% (45/44,233). Casablanca had a significantly high rate with 0.39% (10/2567). The patients with pulmonary tuberculosis displayed the highest prevalence with 0.36% (9/2530). These data confirm the assumption that the HIV epidemic is low in Morocco. However, the increase of HIV prevalence lately calls for reinforcing preventive measures to limit its spread.


The Artificial Ground Freezing (AGF) Method play an important role in the geotechnical engineering and the back analysis of thermal conductivity of frozen soil is the main inverse heat conduction problem of temperature field. In this paper the physical modelling test of AGF is carried out with double-row-pipe freezing in the lab. According to the measured temperature, the back analysis of thermal conductivity of frozen soil is solved based on the two-dimensional finite element simulation and the least square principle. It is helpful to investigate the freezing process and determine the frozen wall thickness.


In Lithuanian historiography, the metaphor of 'the split-off branch' is often used when speaking of the fate of the nobility that did not take an active part in the process of the re-establishment of the modern Lithuanian nation and its state. The majority of the nobility identified themselves with the modern Polish nation, and only individual families of the nobles such as the Biržiška brothers, the Lazdynų Pelėda sisters, Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė, Šatrijos Ragana (Marija Pečkauskaitė), Sofija Kymantaitė-Čiurlionienė, and some others became involved in the Lithuanian national movement. For many of them, 'becoming a Lithuanian again' was a rather complex psychological process when often one not only had to oppose the environment of their parents and extended families, but also to learn the Lithuanian language.
 The aim of this article is to find out how noble Lithuanian intelligentsia families made the move from using Polish to speaking Lithuanian at home. As an additional theme, the article addresses the question as to which language was used for communication in the families of those who had made up their minds to identify themselves with the modern Lithuanian nation, in other words, which language was used in the families of parents, spouses, and offspring. The article reflects not completed research but only its beginning. Very likely, it pinpoints a new research problem and points to possible ways of approaching it.
 The first part of the article addresses the question whether there existed an unequivocal requirement in the Lithuanian national discourse of the late nineteenth-early twentieth century for the nobility involved in the Lithuanian national movement to use the Lithuanian language at home as well. The second part of the article dwells on several questions. First of all, an attempt is made to find out which language was used for communication between parents and their children determined to join the Lithuanian national movement. On the other hand, the article also discusses how the Lithuanian language used to be learnt, how Lithuanian functioned among the parents, spouses, and the offspring of noble intelligentsia families. So far, these questions have not been addressed in Lithuanian historiography.
 Late in the nineteenth-early in the twentieth century, noble Lithuanian intelligentsia families in many instances preserved the Polish language in their written communication, although quite a number of the parents of such families knew and could speak Lithuanian, and there were many who supported the national self-determination of their offspring. It should be pointed out that at that time a growing number of noble intelligentsia families were aspiring at starting nationally-engaged families, in which both the spouses and the children had to learn Lithuanian. The instances when one of the spouses did not support the national self-determination of the other and tried to obstruct the formation of Lithuanian national identity in later generations were gradually becoming rarer.


Serum and elutates from dried filter paper bloods from 404 patients with and without amebic liver abscess (ALA) were tested for Entamoeba histolytica antibodies by the indirect hemagglutination test. Eighty-nine percent of the sera from patients with ALA were positive (titers greater than or equal to 1 : 128) and 94% of those without ALA negative. Fifty-five percent of the filter paper bloods from ALA patients were positive. Overall agreement was 80% for positives and negatives and the correlation coefficient between the methods showed a linear relationship (r = 0.77). Although the quantity of sera available from dried filter paper bloods is limited and some antibody activity may be lost, the method should be of value in seroepidemiologic studies where venous bloods are not easily obtained.


Claudins are cell adhesion molecules working at tight junctions (TJs) that are directly involved in compartmentalization in multicellular organisms. The cochlea includes a rather peculiar compartment filled with endolymph. This compartment is characterized by high K+ concentration (∼150 mM) and a positive endocochlear potential (∼90 mV; EP), both indispensable conditions for cochlear hair cells to transduce acoustic stimuli to electrical signals. These conditions are thought to be generated by the stria vascularis, which is adjacent to the endolymph compartment. The stria vascularis itself constitutes an isolated compartment delineated by two epithelial barriers, marginal and basal cell layers. Because TJs of basal cells are primarily composed of claudin-11, claudin-11-deficient (Cld11-/-) mice were generated with an expectation that the compartmentalization in stria vascularis in these mice would be affected. Auditory brainstem response measurements revealed that Cld11-/- mice suffered from deafness; although no obvious gross morphological malformations were detected in Cld11-/- cochlea, freeze-fracture replica electron microscopy showed that TJs disappeared from basal cells of the stria vascularis. In good agreement with this, tracer experiments showed that the basal cell barrier was destroyed without affecting the marginal cell barrier. Importantly, in the endolymph compartment of Cld11-/- cochlea, the K+ concentration was maintained around the normal level (∼150 mM), whereas the EP was suppressed down to ∼30 mV. These findings indicated that the establishment of the stria vascularis compartment, especially the basal cell barrier, is indispensable for hearing ability through the generation/maintenance of EP but not of a high K+ concentration in the endolymph.


OBJECTIVES
This study compared HIV-associated sexual health history, risk perceptions, and sexual risk behaviors of low-income rural and nonrural African American women.

METHODS
A cross-sectional statewide survey of African American women (n = 571) attending federally funded Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children clinics was conducted.

RESULTS
Adjusted analyses indicated that rural women were more likely to report not being counseled about HIV during pregnancy (P =.001), that a sex partner had not been tested for HIV (P =.005), no preferred method of prevention because they did not worry about sexually transmitted diseases (P =.02), not using condoms (P =.009), and a belief that their partner was HIV negative, despite lack of testing (P =.04).

CONCLUSIONS
This study provided initial evidence that low-income rural African American women are an important population for HIV prevention programs.


Social enterprises solve social and environmental problems in rich and poor countries alike. Some advance a social mission and work to expand access to critical goods and services for the poor and under-served, such as healthcare (e.g., affordable ambulance services and cataract surgeries), housing, financial services, and quality employment. Others commit to an environmental mission and develop green products such as eco-friendly household cleaning products and textiles, solar powered cooking stoves, and sustainably sourced food products and minerals.
Social enterprises receive funding from impact investors who expect their investments to generate double or triple bottom line returns: Financial, social, and environmental. Like the social enterprises it finances, impact investing — also referred to as social finance — is hybrid in that it is driven by both commercial and non-commercial imperatives: To generate financial returns alongside a positive social or environmental impact. Impact investors — individuals or institutions like funds, investment banks, foundations, etc. — supply "patient" capital to finance the provision of goods, services, and technological innovation that make the world a better, safer place.
This chapter is concerned with identifying norms, rules, and mechanisms for protecting the promise of social enterprises — and, by extension, social finance. The aim is to maximize the potential for social enterprise to have positive impact while minimizing the risk of "hybridity diversions," which are produced when commercial and non-commercial imperatives come into tension. The argument is that, to protect the transformative promise of social enterprises, hybridity must be regulated, both formally and informally, through a mix of hard and soft norms. To do this effectively, we cannot simply blueprint the regulatory frameworks designed for conventional corporations and conventional finance — frameworks designed to protect financial expectations, not those of stakeholders, and not impact. Instead, a new blueprint must be developed.


In plain iron powder or powder mixtures sintering process, it is very important to control the dimensional change. In the sintering associated events, such as lubricant removal, atomic motion and phase transformation could change dimensions over a wide range. Dilatometric analysis has shown that most contributions in the dimensional change in the sintering of iron powder mixtures were due to the combination of several effects occurring in all stages of the processing, including the heating and cooling stages. The present paper has the objective of studying the dimensional behavior and to determine the transformation temperature of a composite powder mixture of a plain iron powder with various additions of high-alloyed steel, carbon, nickel and lubricant powders, during sintering by dilatometric analysis.


: The success of early management of the inflamed synovial joint in rheumatoid arthritis depends on a team effort. The patient, rheumatologist, orthopaedist, social worker, and physical therapist must communicate with each other and understand the objectives of any treatment program. Present medical therapy is encouraging, but there is still a place for early surgical management. Synovectomy has a definite role, and with careful patient selection using appropriate criteria, satisfactory long-term results may be expected. Future treatment plans will no doubt use medical synovectomy to a greater extent and employ new isotopes, for example, 165Dy. Also, better objective techniques of identifying appropriate candidates with adequate articular cartilage remaining must be developed. No matter which path therapeutic modalities follow, it is necessary to continue developing objective criteria of assessing the long-term results of treatment so that standard methods of reporting follow-up can be used to make appropriate comparisons.


Big data analytics employs algorithms to uncover people's preferences and values, and support their decision making. A central assumption of big data analytics is that it can explain and predict human behavior. We investigate this assumption, aiming to enhance the knowledge basis for developing algorithmic standards in big data analytics. First, we argue that big data analytics is by design atheoretical and does not provide process-based explanations of human behavior; thus, it is unfit to support deliberation that is transparent and explainable. Second, we review evidence from interdisciplinary decision science, showing that the accuracy of complex algorithms used in big data analytics for predicting human behavior is not consistently higher than that of simple rules of thumb. Rather, it is lower in situations such as predicting election outcomes, criminal profiling, and granting bail. Big data algorithms can be considered as candidate models for explaining, predicting, and supporting human decision making when they match, in transparency and accuracy, simple, process-based, domain-grounded theories of human behavior. Big data analytics can be inspired by behavioral and cognitive theory.


We studied the interaction of proteoglycan subunit with both types I and II collagen. All three molecular species were isolated from the ox. Type II collagen, prepared from papain-digested bovine nasal cartilage, was characterized by gel electrophoresis, amino acid analysis and CM-cellulose chromatography. By comparison of type I collagen, prepared from papain-digested calf skin, with native calf skin acid-soluble tropocollagen, we concluded that the papain treatment left the collagen molecules intact. Interactions were carried out at 4 degrees C in 0.06 M-sodium acetate, pH 4.8, and the results were studied by two slightly different methods involving CM-cellulose chromatography and polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. It was demonstrated that proteoglycan subunit, from bovine nasal cartilage, bound to cartilage collagen. Competitive-interaction experiments showed that, in the presence of equal amounts of calf skin acid-soluble tropocollagen (type I) and bovine nasal cartilage collagen (type II), proteoglycan subunit bound preferentially to the type I collagen. We suggest from these results that, although not measured under physiological conditions, it is unlikely that the binding in vivo between type II collagen and proteoglycan is appreciably stronger than that between type I collagen and proteoglycan.


Objective: Comparison of early craniofacial morphology and growth in children with nonsyndromic Robin Sequence (RS), isolated cleft palate (ICP), and unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (UCCLP). Subjects: One hundred eight children with cleft: 7 with RS, 53 with ICP, and 48 with UCCLP were included in the study. The children were drawn from the group of all Danish children with cleft born 1976 through 1981. Method: Three-projection infant cephalometry. Results: The craniofacial morphology in the RS, ICP, and UCCLP groups had some common characteristics: a wide maxilla with decreased length and posterior height, wide nasal cavity, short mandible, bimaxillary retrognathia, and reduced pharyngeal airway. The shortest mandible was found in RS followed by ICP and UCCLP; the pharyngeal airway was reduced in RS and ICP, compared with UCCLP; and the maxillary complex and nasal cavity were wider in UCCLP than in the other groups. The amount of facial growth in all three groups was similar; however, the direction was more vertical in UCCLP than in RS and ICP. Conclusion: Except for a shorter RS mandible, the facial morphology of infants with RS and ICP was similar, as was the amount of facial growth and the growth pattern. The differences in facial morphology can be ascribed to the difference in the primary anomaly. The amount of facial growth was similar in the three groups; however, the growth pattern showed a more vertical direction in UCCLP than in RS and ICP. It is hypothesized that the mandibular retrognathia in RS represents the outer end of that of the ICP distribution.


In recent years, there is considerable interest in the Structural health monitoring. This is a technique to diagnose and evaluate the damage and deterioration of a structure by attaching sensors to the structure, and is useful for judging whether building can be reused or not at that time of a disaster such as an earthquake. There are several types of sensors such as piezoelectric type, optical fiber and strain gauge type and piezoelectric sensors are very suitable for this purpose because they do not require an energy source considering that they produce electrical power by themselves. However, the application range of piezoelectric ceramics used for piezoelectric sensors is narrow because of its fragility. Then, the researches and developments of the piezoelectric ceramics embedded in the matrix that has excellent mechanical strength are carried out. The metal-core piezoelectric fiber/aluminum composite was developed by Asanuma et al. to overcome the problems associated with piezoelectric ceramics, such as poor mechanical properties, reliability; brittleness and low fracture strain. The fracture strain of piezoelectric ceramics fiber significantly improved due to residual compressive stress caused by difference of coefficient of thermal expansion between the ceramics and the matrix during embedding process. However, there is few statistical data on the mechanical properties of piezoelectric ceramic fibers, and the improvement in the properties due to the embedding has not been quantitatively evaluated. In this study, to overcome this problem, the simplified model of metal matrix piezoelectric composite was fabricated and used to compare strengths before and after embedding by 3-point bending test. As a result, it is found that Weibull parameters of piezoelectric ceramics are improved by embedding in the matrix.


Abraham Kuyper (1837 - 1920) is a significant figure in the history of the Netherlands and one of the most remarkable figures in the annals of Calvinism. Kuyper celebrated the Reformed founders, subscribed heart and soul to their teachings, and worked ceaselessly to restore their authority in an age that had either forgotten them or contradicted their word. From their theology, Kuyper extruded a whole worldview, and by that worldview he hoped to refashion the politics, scholarship, art, and social arrangements of his time. "Calvinism" was his soul and system, the purest form of Christianity, the treasure of the past, the hope of the future. This anthology, published in the centennial year of Kuyper's famous Stone Lectures, gathers sixteen key writings by Kuyper never before available in English. Included are his definitive statements on politics, education, culture, and the religious currents and social problems of his time. Also included are Kuyper's own conversion narrative, his critiques of Modernism and of Holiness theology, his proposals on common grace and Calvinist politics, his reflections on a culture in thrall to pantheism and evolution, and his classic address on "sphere sovereignty." In his introduction, editor James Bratt sets Kuyper's work in its 19th century context and shows the relevance of his ideas to contemporary debates on modernism, evangelicalism, and fundamentalism. Bratt also provides helpful explanatory notes and a brief introduction to each piece. Photographs, cartoons, and short excerpts from some of Kuyper's better-known works make this an attractive volume that will stand as the definitive Kuyper anthology for years to come.


This thesis takes as a starting point the results of three large scale evaluations of museum education programmes, which presented an unexpected and potentially highly significant geography of school visits to museums, with 46% of school visits in one evaluation made by schools located in areas classified among the 20% most deprived areas in England. These research findings appear to challenge the widespread popular perception of museums as rather elitist and exclusionary, drawing attention towards the potential for museums to contribute to social inclusion. The findings also chimed well with contemporary government social inclusion agendas. The study combines both quantitative and qualitative investigations to examine and explain the social geography of school visits to museums. Application of the Townsend index and Experian MOSAIC to the original datasets suggests that the pattern of school visits remains broadly similar when each of these measures are used. Pupil postcodes and free school meal (FSM) data are also used to address the ecological fallacy, concluding that analysis at school level is useful to appreciate school contexts at a finer spatial level. Through further quantitative analysis it is concluded that the location and size of museums is particularly significant, emphasising the importance of the local. An interpretive framework based on the concepts of economic, social, cultural and emotional capital is also used to consider the impacts that museums may have on teachers and pupils, which might contribute to social inclusion. Analysis of qualitative data reveals the interplay of the different forms of capital, particularly how each form influences and conditions school visits. It is concluded that in the museum setting social, cultural and emotional capital are potentially more likely to be acquired. It is argued that discussions presented in the research substantiate the results of the original evaluations and help to move discussions beyond the shorthand thinking of museums as either elitist or non-elitist.


BACKGROUND: We observed that increasing fresh gas flow (FGF) decreased exhaled tidal volume (VT) during pressure control ventilation (PCV). A literature search produced no such description whereby unintended VT changes occur with FGF changes during PCV. METHODS: To model an infant's lungs, 1 lung of a mechanical lung model (Dual Adult TTL 1600; Michigan Instruments, Inc, Grand Rapids, MI) was set at a compliance of 0.0068 L/cm H2O. An Rp50 resistor (27.2 cm H2O/L/s at 15 L/min) simulated normal bronchial resistance. The simulated lung was connected to a pediatric breathing circuit via a 3.5-mm cuffed endotracheal tube. A ventilator with PCV capability (Model 7900; Aestiva, GE Healthcare, Madison, WI) measured exhaled VT, and a flow monitor (NICO; Respironics, Murraysville, PA) measured peak inspiratory flow, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), and peak inspiratory pressure. In PCV mode, exhaled VT displayed by the ventilator at FGF rates of 1, 6, 10, and 15 L/min was manually recorded across multiple ventilator settings. This protocol was repeated for the Avance CS2 anesthesia machine (GE Healthcare). RESULTS: For the Aestiva, higher FGF rates in PCV mode decreased exhaled VT. Exhaled VT for FGFs of 1, 6, 10, and 15 L/min were on average 48, 34.9, 16.5, and 10 mL, respectively, at ventilator settings of inspiratory pressure of 10 cm H2O, PEEP of 0 cm H2O, and respiratory rate of 20 breaths/min. This is a decrease by up to 27%, 65.6%, and 79.2% when FGFs of 6, 10, and 15 L/min are compared with a FGF of 1 L/min, respectively. In the GE Avance CS2 at the same ventilator settings, VT for FGF rates of 1, 6, 10, and 15 L/min were on average 46, 43, 40.4, and 39.7 mL, respectively. The FGF effect on VT was not as pronounced with the GE Avance CS2 as with the GE Aestiva. CONCLUSIONS: FGF has a significant effect on VT during PCV in the Aestiva bellows ventilator, suggesting caution when changing FGF during PCV in infants. Our hypothesis is that at higher FGF rates, an inadvertent PEEP is developed by the flow resistance of the ventilator relief valve that is not recognized by the ventilator. In turn, less change in pressure is needed to reach the set inspiratory pressure, resulting in lower VT delivery at higher FGF rates. This underappreciated FGF–VT interaction during PCV with a bellows ventilator may be clinically significant in pediatric patients; prospective data collection in patients is needed for further evaluation.


The article scrutinises the trajectory of China's establishment of a digital state, rooted in a "whole-of-nation" system—or aptly termed (party–)state capitalism. The author illustrates the path of formulating and enforcing strategies to digitalise public services—including, importantly, the digital identity infrastructure—via institutional concentration that exemplifies both the positive and the exclusionary nature of social big data in streamlining administrative procedures. Two catalysts are spotlighted in China's digital transformation: quasi-neoliberal market processes, and technology's social change spillover effects. The author points to the fact that, since its inception, the contemporary Chinese state has created a cybernetic justification for "social governmentality", as a means to redress potential informational imbalances in the process of ruling the state polity. For the Chinese administrative hierarchy, data provides the means to execute a top-down correctivist paradigm for steering societal conduct, a paradigm integrated into (but also to some extent in tension with) data- empowered state capitalism.


Mandatory Disclosure Rules (MDR) have been introduced to the Polish legal system and have been in force since 1 January 2019. It is a regulation imposing an obligation of disclosing tax planning schemes to fiscal administration bodies, and its purpose is to protect the tax system against tax evasion and dishonest lowering of public levies. This regulation introduced significant changes in the scope of practising the profession of a tax advisor with a particular consideration of a change made in the professional secrets of a tax advisor. These changes gave rise to many controversies and doubts both in the doctrine as well as among the tax advisors' self-governing council. The newly-introduced institution may have a negative impact on the practical aspects of performing the profession of tax advisor. The aim of the work is to discuss and analyse the Mandatory Disclosure Rules in terms of professional confidentiality of a tax advisor, as well as to indicate the practical effects of the introduced amendment. The scientific article uses the formal-dogmatic method, analysing the legal text and its interpretation, including jurisprudence.


Micturition, the co-ordinated process of expulsion of urine from the bladder, requires precise control of bladder and urethral sphincter via parasympathetic, sympathetic and somatic motoneurons. In adult mammals this involves a spinobulbospinal control circuit incorporating Barrington's nucleus in the pons (Barr). The largest Barr cell population is comprised of pontospinal glutamatergic neurons that express corticotrophin-releasing hormone. There is evidence that BarrCRH neurons can generate bladder contractions but it is unknown whether they act as a simple switch or a high-fidelity pre-parasympathetic motor drive and whether their activation can actually trigger voids. Combined opto- and chemo-genetic manipulations along with recordings in mice shows that BarrCRH neurons provide a probabilistic drive that generates co-ordinated voids or non-voiding contractions depending on the phase of the micturition cycle. These findings inform a new inferential model of micturition and emphasise the importance of the state of the spinal gating circuit in the generation of voiding.


Sick sinus syndrome (also known as sinus node dysfunction) is a group of related heart conditions that can affect how the heart beats. "Sick sinus" refers to the sino-atrial (SA) node, which is an area of specialized cells in the heart that functions as a natural pacemaker. The SA node generates electrical impulses that start each heartbeat. These signals travel from the SA node to the rest of the heart, signaling the heart (cardiac) muscle to contract and pump blood. In people with sick sinus syndrome, the SA node does not function normally. In some cases, it does not produce the right signals to trigger a regular heartbeat. In others, abnormalities disrupt the electrical impulses and prevent them from reaching the rest of the heart.


Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in the Egyptian economy, in term of their contribution to the GDP and total employment. Yet, their contribution in capital formation is very limited, mainly because of the finance constraints they face. Consequently, to improve the SMEs access to finance, the creation of a junior exchange is a must. In this context, the Cairo and Alexandria Stock Exchanges (CASE) just launched a new platform; that is Nile Stock Exchange with new listing rules and regulations that focus on a cost-effective regulatory regime adapted to the needs and characteristics of SMEs. This research aims to study the role of the Nile Stock Exchange in the development of Small and medium-sized enterprises in Egypt.


This article deals with the possibility of using ERP-systems on Russian construction sites, the need for such a system, how to influence the work of the system in the construction process or increase the introduction of ERP-system efficiency of the enterprise. Also in this paper the question of compliance with established standards.It is shown that the ERP-system should be introduced to the Russian construction, if an investor wants to build your object with the required quality and in time. For the ERP-system in Russia is necessary to create a foundation that would be based on monitoring of standards by means of algorithms and information systems by filling out electronic forms. ERP-system provides objective information to make competent management solutions.


The purpose of this research is to analyze the determinant of fraud diamond that is pressure, opportunity, rationality and capability to financial fraud statement and its impact to company value. The sample of research is 66 manufacturing industry companies indicated to perform financial fraud statement. Methods of data analysis using simultaneous regression with panel data. the result of the research shows: 1) gross profit margin has positive effect to financial statement fraud, 2) frequency of cash flow is not affect to fraud financial report, 3) Board of commissioner have positive and significant effect to fraudulent financial report. 4) Return on asset has positive and significant effect on fraud financial report 5) Receiveable has no effect and positive to fraudulent financial report 6) Independent board of commissioner has negative and significant effect on fraud financial report 7) Independent board of commissioner has positive effect on financial fraud statement, 8) total accruals have a positive and significant effect on financial statement fraud, 9) majority ownership positively and positively influences to financial statement fraud, 10) earnings management negatively affects company value.


The impact between spheres and planes was a fundamental problem in the objects impacts. The impact loads were investigated for the different materials spheres impacting on the different materials planes in this paper. The results of the impact between two elastic materials were consistent with the Hertz results, which indicated that the finite element model was accurate and reliable. The simulation results showed that the impact loads would decrease if there were plastic deformations during the impact. For the same material properties of the plane and the sphere, the impact loads of the plane were higher than ones of the sphere. In other words, the impact between the same materials made the plane prone to fail. If the material properties of the plane and the sphere were different, the impact loads and deformations were depended on the ratio of the contact stress and the yield limit. The material in elastic stage had the lower impact loads compared with one in plastic stage. The material with plastic deformations would keep some residual stress and offset after the contact.


ABSTRACT Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), which can be quickly replaced at a first-level maintenance facility, are widely deployed on capital-intensive systems in order to maintain high system availability. Failed LRU are repaired after replacement and reused as fully serviceable spare units. Demand for spare LRUs depends on factors such as the time-varying installed base, reliability deterioration or growth over maintenance cycles, procurement leadtime of new LRUs, turn-around leadtime of repaired LRUs, etc. In this article, we propose an integrated framework for both reliability analysis and spares provisioning for LRUs with a time-varying installed base. We assume that each system consists of multiple types of LRUs and associated with each type of LRU is a non-stationary sub-failure process. The failure of a system is triggered by sub-failure processes that are statistically dependent. A hierarchical probability model is developed for the demand forecasting of LRUs. Based on the forecasted demand, the optimum inventory level is found through dynamic programming. An application example is presented. A computer program, called the Integrated Platform for Reliability Analysis and Spare Provision, is available that makes the proposed methods readily applicable.


An ad-hoc network is the cooperative engagement of a collection of mobile nodes without the required intervention of any centralized access point or existing infrastructure. In this paper we present Ad-hoc On Demand Distance Vector Routing (AODV), a novel algorithm for the operation of such ad-hoc networks. Each Mobile Host operates as a specialized router, and routes are obtained as needed (i.e., on-demand) with little or no reliance on periodic advertisements. Our new routing algorithm is quite suitable for a dynamic self-starting network, as required by users wishing to utilize ad-hoc networks. AODV provides loop-free routes even while repairing broken links. Because the protocol does not require global periodic routing advertisements, the demand on the overall bandwidth available to the mobile nodes is substantially less than in those protocols that do necessitate such advertisements. Nevertheless we can still maintain most of the advantages of basic distance-vector routing mechanisms. We show that our algorithm scales to large populations of mobile nodes wishing to form ad-hoc networks. We also include an evaluation methodology and simulation results to verify the operation of our algorithm.


To assess effects of mobile telephone use on car driving behavior, 16 experimental studies from several countries were surveyed. Increased variation of lateral position and more driving errors have been found during originating of telephone calls, especially when the keypad is held in the hand or placed on the middle console. Performance tends to deteriorate also during the phone conversation, shown primarily by increased reaction time and reduced headways. Performance decrements increase with the complexity of the telephone task, and are larger among the older than among the younger drivers. Accident risk is probably enhanced during telepohoning, although conclusive studies of telephone involvement in accidents are lacking. Traffic safety can probably be increased by legal measures regulating the use of telephones while driving, as well as by improved facilities for handsfree use both while placing the call and while carrying out the conversation. Future research is needed to get better estimates of the number of accidents where telephone use has been a contributing cause.


The now-famous plant protein patty known as the Impossible Burger is designed to mimic the taste, texture, and even bloodiness of real meat. Raw, it looks just like red ground beef. Grilled medium rare, the soy-based burger firms up but keeps its soft, pink center. "We're replicating the entire sensory experience," says biochemist Celeste Holz-Schietinger, an inventor for Impossible Foods, based in Redwood City, CA. "Even the sizzle." But this marvel of soy and heme isn't the only culinary creation that borrows design principles from one food to create another. Food researchers are constantly trying to develop new products that entice consumers, without changing the look, taste, or appeal of the original version. The aims are for the benefit of human health, as well as environmental responsibility. From plant-based burgers to lower-fat salad dressings and mayonnaises, to nonalcoholic beers, researchers are designing a range of products by studying the full-fat, full-cholesterol, full-alcohol, or meat-based version. "Everything the consumer likes,"Holz-Schietinger says, "how do we understand that on a molecular level and recreate it?"


As the nanopartcles stmulate the olfactory mucosa, an electrochemical initaton will start. The message as an a?erent stmulus passes through the ethmoid bone cribriform plate for delivering such memorandum toward the central nervous system. Thus, the sense of smell will be detected and translated to a pleasant and or non- pleasant memory narratIon.
Head injures such as a coup - counter coup in a blunt trauma, central nervous system`s infectons such viral infecton (COVID-19), bacterial meningits, tumors and surgical manipulatons such as nasal operatons, may be considered as some common cause of olfactory nerve damages. Regeneraton of olfactory nerve afer the damages due to the aforementoned causes depends on the origin and the degrees of the damage. Some tough injuries may even result complete and/or permanent loss of smell (anosmia). Some complete losses may gradually regenerate from anosmia to hyposmia and in follow leading into complete recovery of normal smell functoning (norm Osmia).
We did examine olfactory nerve damage in patents who underwent open rhinoplasty in the past. The research report was issued in November 2008 in PubMed. We tried to investgate "when" the olfactory functon recovers to its normal preoperatve levels. In this pre and post operatve research design, 40 of 65 esthetcs open rhinoplasty candidates with equal gender distributon, who met the inclusion criteria, were assessed. Their olfactory functon using the Smell Identfcaton Test (SIT) by using 40 culturally familiar odors in snifng botles. All the patents were evaluated for the SIT scores preoperatvely and postoperatvely (at week 1, week 6, and month 6). At postoperatve week one, 87.5% of the patents had anosmia. At postoperatve week six, 85% of the subjects experienced mild to moderate degrees of hyposmia. At the six months postoperatve, all patents` olfactory functon reverted to their preoperatve levels. A repeated ANOVA was indicatve of signifcant di?erences in the olfactory functon at the above-mentoned di?erent tme points. According to our post hoc Benfronney, the preoperatve scores had a signifcant di?erence with those at postoperatve week 1, week 6, but not with the ones at month 6. Thus, the primary cosmetc open rhinoplasty may be accompanied by some degrees of postoperatve olfactory dysfuncton. Patents need a tme interval of 6 weeks to 6 months to fully recover from surgical manipulaton and respectve edema into their preoperatve baseline olfactory functon.


Eye reduction occurs in many troglobitic, fossorial, and deep‐sea animals but there is no clear consensus on its evolutionary mechanism. Given the highly conserved and pleiotropic nature of many genes instrumental to eye development, degeneration might be expected to follow consistent evolutionary trajectories in closely related animals. We tested this in a comparative study of ocular anatomy in solariellid snails from deep and shallow marine habitats using morphological, histological, and tomographic techniques, contextualized phylogenetically. Of 67 species studied, 15 lack retinal pigmentation and at least seven have eyes enveloped by surrounding epithelium. Independent instances of reduction follow numerous different morphological trajectories. We estimate eye loss has evolved at least seven times within Solariellidae, in at least three different ways: characters such as pigmentation loss, obstruction of eye aperture, and "lens" degeneration can occur in any order. In one instance, two morphologically distinct reduction pathways appear within a single genus, Bathymophila. Even amongst closely related animals living at similar depths and presumably with similar selective pressures, the processes leading to eye loss have more evolutionary plasticity than previously realized. Although there is selective pressure driving eye reduction, it is clearly not morphologically or developmentally constrained as has been suggested by previous studies.


Human aspects in software engineering play a key role in composing effective team members. However, to date there is no general consensus on the effective personality types and diversity based on software team roles. Thus, this paper aims to discover the effective personality types and diversity based on two software team roles – team leader and programmer by using a rule-based approach. The rule-based approach by employing the rough set technique was used to discover patterns of the data selected. In this study, four main steps were involved to discover the patterns – reduct generation rules, rules generation, rules fi ltering, and rules evaluation. The results show that the rules generated achieved acceptable prediction accuracy with more than 70 per cent accuracy. In addition, the ROC value achieved 0.65, which indicates the rule-based model is valid and useful. The results reveal that the extrovert personality type is dominant for both software team roles and a homogeneous or heterogeneous team plays an equal role to determine an effective team. This study provides useful rules for decision makers to understand and get insight into selecting effective team members that lead to producing high quality software.


OBJECTIVE
To correlate changes in hepatic volume, hepatic perfusion, and vascular anatomy of dogs with congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts, before and after attenuation with an ameroid constrictor.

STUDY DESIGN
Prospective study.

ANIMALS
Dogs (n = 22) with congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts.

METHODS
CT angiography and perfusion scans were performed before and after attenuation of a portosystemic shunt with an ameroid constrictor. Changes in hepatic volume, hepatic perfusion, and vascular anatomy were measured. Portal scintigraphy was performed in 8 dogs preoperatively and 22 dogs postoperatively.

RESULTS
Dogs with smaller preoperative liver volumes had greater increases in liver volume postoperatively compared with those with larger preoperative liver volumes. Hepatic arterial fraction was increased in dogs preoperatively and returned to normal range after shunt attenuation, and was correlated with increase in liver size and decreased shunt fraction. Three dogs with no visible portal vasculature preoperatively developed portal branches postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS
Dogs with smaller preoperative liver volumes had the largest postoperative increase in liver volume. Hepatic arterial perfusion and portal scintigraphy correlate with liver volume and are indicators of successful shunt attenuation. Dogs without visible vasculature on CT angiography had visible portal vasculature postoperatively.


Hydroxyapatite [Ca1o(PO)s(OH)z] is an integral part of the body found predominantly in bones and teeth which provide the main framework and structural support for vital organs. Hydroxyapatite is present in a variety of crystallinities and also substituted with small amounts of ions such as carbonate and magnesium which overall contributes to the mineral phase of bone and teeth [1 , 2]. The first biodegradable ceramic discovered and used was particulate hydroxyapatite in Paster of Paris [3] (CaS04.2HzO) followed by the discovery of hydroxyapatite in 1920's [4]. Commercialization of hydroxyapatite occurred in the 1970's [5]. Despite the resorbability of hydroxyapatite it failed to provide a load bearing function; hence titanium alloy was used as the preferred material. Titanium has since been used extensively in orthopaedic implants for knee and hip prosthesis. Commercial hydroxyapatite implants are produced by plasma spraying hydroxyapatite onto titanium alloy, TisAL4 V which fulfils the load bearing function of the implant.


A 70-year-old man diagnosed with acinar adenocarcinoma prostate (Gleason score 4 + 4 = 8) underwent bone scintigraphy due to high serum prostate-specific antigen level (224 ng/mL; normal <4 ng/mL). Bone scan revealed moderately increased diffuse tracer uptake in the right hemipelvis, while the rest of the scan appeared normal, leading to suspicion of Paget's disease. Gallium-68-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography–computed tomography scan (CT) showed a PSMA-avid lesion in the left lobe of the prostate, with no PSMA uptake in the areas of diffuse sclerosis in the right hemipelvis, as seen on CT. This confirmed the diagnosis of Paget's disease.


We demonstrate that, in the classical non-stochastic regret minimization problem with $d$ decisions, gains and losses to be respectively maximized or minimized are fundamentally different. Indeed, by considering the additional sparsity assumption (at each stage, at most $s$ decisions incur a nonzero outcome), we derive optimal regret bounds of different orders. Specifically, with gains, we obtain an optimal regret guarantee after $T$ stages of order $\sqrt{T\log s}$, so the classical dependency in the dimension is replaced by the sparsity size. With losses, we provide matching upper and lower bounds of order $\sqrt{Ts\log(d)/d}$, which is decreasing in $d$. Eventually, we also study the bandit setting, and obtain an upper bound of order $\sqrt{Ts\log (d/s)}$ when outcomes are losses. This bound is proven to be optimal up to the logarithmic factor $\sqrt{\log(d/s)}$.


In this paper we have developed a model for two dimensional motion of a steady MHD flow through circular pipe which is bounded by a porous medium in presence of applied magnetic field. We have considered Brinkman equation for the flow through porous media using approximate boundary conditions the governing equation have been solved and solution for velocity in both the cases with porous media have been obtained. The results for various values of magnetic field in both the cases on flow characteristic have been obtained and discussed through graphs.


Research has shown that the benefits of acupuncture are truth, not fiction. Acupuncture effects are due to local effects, stimulation of neuroendocrine systems, and modulation of the body's electromagnetic energy. The exact mechanisms activated depend on point selection, type of stimulation, and probably time of day. The effectiveness of the treatment will depend on the disease entity treated and the skill and knowledge of the acupuncturist. Knowledge should include both the fundamental principles of Chinese medicine and the more recent scientific understanding of acupuncture's physiologic basis.


This paper reports on preliminary findings involving a pilot project for a doctoral thesis by research, which seeks to examine the issues of creativity in problem solving and of how such creativity may be fostered in children under instruction. In particular, the design, trial and statistical appraisal of a new self-report instrument (viz: Systems of Reasoning Questionnaire SRQ) that was formulated to assist in the identification, description and measurement of some cognitive and non-cognitive forms of reasoning is described. The SRQ comprises five scales, which tap into Rule-based and Associative forms of reasoning as characterized by Sloman, 1996. The pilot project involved sampling upper primary and lower secondary school students solving novel mathematics problems within the Mathematics Challenge for Young Australians 2000. Cognitive, Non-cognitive, Rule-based, Associative, Creativity


Equine osteochondrosis is a developmental joint disease that is a significant source of morbidity affecting multiple breeds of horse. The genetic variants underlying osteochondrosis susceptibility have not been established. Here, we describe the results of a genome-wide association study of osteochondrosis using 90 cases and 111 controls from a population of Dutch Warmblood horses. We report putative associations between osteochondrosis and loci on chromosome 3 (BIEC2-808543; P = 5.03 × 10(-7) ) and chromosome 10 (BIEC2-121323; P = 2.62 × 10(-7) ).


Women's involvement in domestic decision-making is recognized as a distinct aspect of her autonomy that has its implications for reproductive behaviour. Using data from the Pakistan Fertility and Family Planning Survey 1996-97, this study examines the extent of Pakistani women's participation in household decision-making relative to their husbands and other family members, and determines its effects on the demand for children and higher contraceptive use in both urban and rural settings. The findings reveal that women's decision-making authority is clearly related to the context in which they live as urban women have an almost equal say in household matters, as their husbands, whereas most rural women report that their husbands and other family members have a predominant role in household decisions with regard to seeking medical treatment for a sick child or to make purchases of household items. The results also indicate that women with greater freedom to go outside home alone are also more likely to participate in domestic decisions, and the linkage is stronger for rural than urban women. The multivariate analysis reveals that the effect of decision-making variables on measures of reproductive behaviour is strongly conditioned by socio-economic and demographic factors, implying that measures of women empowerment give only a partial explanation of women's likelihood to desire fewer children and increase contraceptive use. The results in all suggest that Pakistani women's enhanced role in household decision-making has its effects relevant to achieving gender equality and fertility reduction outcomes – the goals that are central to population and development policy.


Bacterial pathogens deliver multiple effector proteins into host cells to facilitate bacterial growth. HopQ1 is an effector from Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 that is conserved across multiple bacterial pathogens which infect plants. HopQ1's central region possesses some homology to nucleoside hydrolases, but possesses an alternative aspartate motif not found in characterized enzymes. A structural model was generated for HopQ1 based on the E. coli RihB nucleoside hydrolase and the role of HopQ1's potential catalytic residues for promoting bacterial virulence and recognition in Nicotiana tabacum was investigated. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing HopQ1 exhibit enhanced disease susceptibility to DC3000. HopQ1 can also promote bacterial virulence on tomato when naturally delivered from DC3000. HopQ1's nucleoside hydrolase-like domain alone is sufficient to promote bacterial virulence, and putative catalytic residues are required for virulence promotion during bacterial infection of tomato and in transgenic Arabidopsis lines. HopQ1 is recognized and elicits cell death when transiently expressed in N. tabacum. Residues required to promote bacterial virulence were dispensable for HopQ1's cell death promoting activities in N. tabacum. Although HopQ1 has some homology to nucleoside hydrolases, we were unable to detect HopQ1 enzymatic activity or nucleoside binding capability using standard substrates. Thus, it is likely that HopQ1 promotes pathogen virulence by hydrolyzing alternative ribose-containing substrates in planta.


The trail-following behavior of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki was evaluated on chemical lines drawn with 2-phenoxyethanol. On non-gradient trails (one concentration), 80-100% of the tested termites responded to the trail with a concentration of 2-phenoxyethanol from 0.023-2.3 μg/cm and all responded to the trail at 0.23 μg/cm. The mean distance traveled increased with increasing concentration from 0.00023-0.23 μg/cm and was significantly greater at 0.023, 0.23, and 2.3 μg/cm than that in the control. More than 50% of the tested termites (53-87%) traveled and reached the end of the trail without reversing or leaving the trail at 0.23 or 2.3 μg/cm. No individuals traveled to the end of the trail at 0.00023, 0.0023, or 23 μg/cm. On gradient trails (a series of four concentrations), termites walking up the trail gradient (lowest to highest concentrations) stayed on the concentration gradients and traveled a significantly greater distance when the initial concentration went from 0.0023 to 2.3 μg/cm than those that went from 0.023 to 23 μg/cm. No termites completed the first gradient when the initial gradient was 0.00023 μg/ cm (increasing-trail gradient) or 23 μg/cm (decreasing-trail gradient). About 40-50% of the termites reversed their direction on the second gradient of the decreasing-gradient test (highest to lowest concentrations), but, in the increasing-gradient test, no termites reversed their direction on the second and the third gradient. Aggregation behavior to 2-phenoxyethanol was also observed.


MPLS enables service providers to meet challenges brought about by explosive growth and provides the opportunity for differentiated services without necessitating the sacrifice of the existing infrastructure. MPLS is a highly scalable data carrying mechanism which forwards packets to outgoing interface based only on label value .MPLS network has the capability of routing with some specific constraints for supporting desired QoS. In this paper we will compare recent QoS Routing Algorithms for MPLS Networks. We are presenting simulation results which will focus on the computational complexity of each algorithm, performances under a wide range of workload, topology and system parameters.


We study a newly designed survey administered to a large panel of wealthy retail investors. The survey elicits beliefs that are important for macroeconomics and finance, and matches respondents with administrative data on their portfolio composition, their trading activity, and their login behavior. We establish five facts inthese data. (i) Beliefs are reflected in portfolio allocations. The sensitivity of portfolios to beliefs is small on average, but varies significantly with investor wealth, attention, trading frequency, and confidence. (ii) Belief changes do not predict when investors trade, but conditional on trading, they affect both the direction and the magnitude of trades. (iii) Beliefs are mostly characterized by large and persistent individual heterogeneity. Demographic characteristics explain only asmall part of why some individuals are optimistic and some are pessimistic. (iv) Expected cash flow growth and expected returns are positively related, both within and across investors. (v) Expected returns and the subjective probability of rare disasters are negatively related, both within and across investors. These five facts provide useful guidance for the design of macro-finance models. (JEL D83, E23, G11, G12, G41, G51)


The term mesenchymoma refers to a group of mixed tumors that are composed of two or more mesenchymal elements, excluding fibrous tissue, not ordinarily found together within the same tumor. Mesenchymomas occur most commonly in the renal and perirenal regions with rare occurrence in the breast. We describe what to our knowledge is the first report of a giant benign mesenchymoma of the breast. The clinical presentation, course, and treatment of a patient with this condition is discussed. Clinicians should be aware that benign mesenchymomas may involve the breast and simulate a malignant breast neoplasm.


AC filter capacitors are a limiting factor for reliability of power conversion systems in network power and alternative energy applications. Conventional capacitors with pressure interrupters or fuses often fail catastrophically with significant collateral damage. A next generation annular form factor dry-film capacitor has been developed to eliminate catastrophic failures using proprietary end connection and segmentation technology. By accepting some small additional capacitance loss over life, potential failure sites are disconnected before they can transition into dangerous faults. Extreme accelerated failure prediction results at 100 deg C and 127% of rated voltage are presented with capacitance loss measurements under more practical operating conditions.


A weblog - blog, for short - is a Web site that uses a dated log format to publish periodical information. The updates are frequent, usually daily, according to the site owner's editorial purposes - or whims. Blogs contribute to Web content by linking and filtering evolving content in a structured way and by establishing interlinked communities - the blogosphere - connecting people through shared interests. Bloggers can link to news feeds, personal journals, and topic-specific blogs of almost every sort. Blogging systems are emerging tools that make it easier to set up a blog; to update, distribute, and archive its information; and to enhance its functionality.


Based on Landsat image,the Landsat Ecosystem Disturbance Adaptive Processing System(LEDAPS) uses radiation change detection method for image processing and offers the surface reflectivity products for ecosystem carbon sequestration and carbon reserves.As the accumulation of massive remote sensing data,the traditional serial LEDAPS for image processing has a long cycle that make a lot of difficulties in practical application.For this problem,this paper design a high performance parallel computing method based on MPI.Research and experiment show that the highest speed ratio reached 7.37 when the number of MPI process is 8.The method not only greatly improve the calculation speed and save computing time,but also realize the load balance between the computing nodes and the computing nodes can be extended.It effectively improves the ability of LEDAPS to handle massive remote sensing data and reduces the forest carbon stocks calculation cycle by using the remote sensing images.


Embedded in the economic competition, public procurement has amajor role to play in being a driving force for the promotion of a globallypositive competition that prides the best sustainable products and services,rather than only the more economically efficient ones. Responsible for ahuge part of the human pressure on natural resources, and having a largeshare in the public funding, the built environment sector provides animportant venue for the use of sustainable public procurement as a tool toenhance the sustainability of societies.Selecting the best sustainable offer is a challenging task requiringenvironmental and social assessments that can only be based on complexlife cycle thinking analysis. Through the development of the "ExhaustiveSustainable public procurement clauses Manual", this paper analyses publicprocurement issues and their potential solutions, with a focus on theenvironmental performance in buildings procurement.


: We report on a prenatal diagnosis with high alpha-fetoprotein level and a positive acetylcholinesterase activity in a presumptive amniotic fluid. Ultrasonographic examinations revealed a hydropic fetus with a nuchal cystic hygroma. Chromosome analysis of the aborted foetus ascertained the suspected Turner syndrome. The highly elevated alpha-fetoprotein concentration and the positive acetylcholinesterase activity as well as the absence of the cells in the fluid make it clear, that the punctate originated from a cystic hygroma. Other cases from the literature are discussed.


It is widely recognized that the chipless finishing process — the burnishing process can be used efficaciously to reduce the surface roughness of components. But most of previous works published concentrated on the conventional burnishing process and experimental researches in the last few years. There are some limitations on the conventional burnishing process in reducing surface roughness. Ultrasonic elliptical vibration burnishing (UEVB) process is proposed. Theoretical model is established to analyze theoretical surface roughness. Steel 45 was selected as material for making the specimens in the experiments and a new device developed by us was used for the burnishing process. The comparison shows that the surface roughness in describing the burnishing process is better than the conventional burnishing process obviously.


The humanitarian community's definition of family and household provides an organizational framework that determines how benefits are offered to refugees. As a result, in refugee camps, social relations become a means to access resources as well as a measure of security, rights, and responsibilities. Bulgur marriage is a disparaging term used by Sierra Leonean refugees in Guinean camps to refer to conjugal unions based on the sharing of bulgur wheat provided by the United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP). For the participants, this arrangement is a form of kinship that carries weight socially, materially, and affectively. An ethnography of "bulgur wives" reveals subtle aspects of navigating relatedness in unstable environments. Their non-linear journeys involve dead ends and censure as well as opportunities to become "big" women in the community. This article examines the moral ambiguity of bulgur marriages, exploring the potential and pitfalls of these new forms of relatedness.


Historically, the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program's Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) was the unique satellite sensor used to collect the nighttime light, which is an efficient means to map the global economic activities. Since it was launched in October 2011, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensor on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) Satellite has become a new satellite used to monitor nighttime light. This study performed the first evaluation on the NPP-VIIRS nighttime light imagery in modeling economy, analyzing 31 provincial regions and 393 county regions in China. For each region, the total nighttime light (TNL) and gross regional product (GRP) around the year of 2010 were derived, and a linear regression model was applied on the data. Through the regression, the TNL from NPP-VIIRS were found to exhibit R2 values of 0.8699 and 0.8544 with the provincial GRP and county GRP, respectively, which are significantly stronger than the relationship between the TNL from DMSP-OLS (F16 and F18 satellites) and GRP. Using the regression models, the GRP was predicted from the TNL for each region, and we found that the NPP-VIIRS data is more predictable for the GRP than those of the DMSP-OLS data. This study demonstrates that the recently released NPP-VIIRS nighttime light imagery has a stronger capacity in modeling regional economy than those of the DMSP-OLS data. These findings provide a foundation to model the global and regional economy with the recently availability of the NPP-VIIRS data, especially in the regions where economic census data is difficult to access.


Objective:
 To determine if the use of neurostimulant medications enables more patients with acute ischemic stroke to qualify for inpatient rehabilitation at hospital discharge.

 Methods:
 Seventy-eight patients with ischemic stroke, admitted between 2011 and 2014 to an academic tertiary care stroke center, received neurostimulants during their admission and were retrospectively reviewed. A group of 78 controls from our institution's stroke registry was matched 1:1 by sex, NIHSS, and age. The proportion of patients who were initially not candidates for an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) but who subsequently became eligible, either after receiving neurostimulants or with standard care, was then compared between the two groups.

 Results:
 There were 78 patients treated with neurostimulants, 46 of whom did not initially qualify for IRF; of these, 39.1% subsequently converted and qualified for IRF after initiating a neurostimulant medication. In comparison, only 12.5% of patients in the matched cohort converted after initially not qualifying for IRF (Fisher exact test, p=0.028). Mean time to initiation of neurostimulant was 5.5 days in patients who successfully converted to IRF status, compared to 7.3 days in those who did not (Student's t-test, p=0.16).

 Conclusions:
 In patients with acute ischemic stroke, early administration of neurostimulants may enable more to qualify for inpatient rehabilitation at hospital discharge.


A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) method was developed to distinguish Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) and North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.). The method is based on the baseline chromatographic separation of ginsenoside Rf and 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F11, two potential chemical markers present in ginseng root methanolic extracts, and their unambiguous on-line identification using tandem mass spectrometry. Consistent with the literature, 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F11 was detected in abundance in North American ginseng roots in excess of 0.1% (w/w) of the dried root. In contrast to some reports, 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F11 was also identified in Asian ginseng roots at trace levels using LC-MS-MS but at less than 0.0001% (w/w). Besides showing identical tandem mass spectra to authentic 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F11, the corresponding compound in Asian ginseng root coeluted with standard under different HPLC conditions, thus confirming this compound as 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F11. Another ginsenoside often used to distinguish Asian and North American ginseng, ginsenoside Rf, was found in abundance in Asian ginseng roots at more than 0.021% (w/w). In Asian ginseng roots, the ratio of ginsenoside Rf to 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F11 exceeded 700:1. The limit of detection of ginsenoside Rf or 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F11 was 120 pg injected on-column, and the limit of quantification was 240 pg on-column. In summary, LC-MS-MS analysis of ginseng products for the presence and ratio of ginsenoside Rf and 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F11 may be used for the unambiguous identification of Asian and North American ginsengs.


The study of occupational and environmental exposure to chemicals has traditionally focussed on the quantity of dust, aerosol, or vapour inhaled. This has been driven by the high historic prevalence of respiratory illness among those in mining and manufacturing industries. The large proportion of respiratory physicians working in occupational medicine reflects this. Other exposure routes are often overlooked when evaluating the impact of chemicals on health. It is important to remember that in addition to inhalation, chemicals may enter the body by ingestion, by injection, or by uptake through the unbroken skin (dermal absorption).

Often dermal exposure is viewed purely in terms of percutaneous uptake of chemicals. There are however three types of chemical-skin interactions, and an understanding of these is required to characterise the nature of any dermal exposure taking place. Firstly, the chemical may pass through the skin and contribute to the systemic load. Alternatively, the chemical can induce local effects ranging from irritation through to burns or degradation of the barrier properties of the skin. Lastly, the chemical can evoke allergic skin reactions through complex immune system responses that can subsequently trigger responses in the skin at both the point of contact and at skin sites remote to the contact. There is also concern that skin contact may cause respiratory sensitisation. In any given exposure scenario there may be interactions between these modes of action. For example, a chemical can irritate the skin surface leading to increased percutaneous penetration of that, or other, chemicals. However, in each case the substance must diffuse through the outer layers of the skin before any adverse effect is possible.

This article aims to highlight the importance of the dermal exposure and absorption route in occupational settings, identify some of the factors that influence exposure and absorption, and describe methods currently used …


This paper proposes a statistical rejection rule, designed for small baseline stereo satellites. The method learns an a contrario model for image blocks and discards the casual matches between the images of the stereo pair. A formula estimating the expected number of false alarms under the background model is proved. Comparative experiments on quasi-simultaneous stereo in aerial imagery demonstrate the elimination of all incoherent motions.


An interesting class of interface-driven non-collinear spin structures, i.e., chiral domain walls, cycloidal spin spirals and Néel-type skyrmions, have been observed in ultrathin transition metal films grown on heavy-element substrates making use of spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (SP-STM) [1]. Due to a lack of structural inversion symmetry at interfaces, they exhibit a unique rotational sense as a consequence of interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interactions. In this talk, I will present our results based on the investigations of such chiral spin textures under the influence of strain relief and the effect of local electric fields. While a nanoskyrmion lattice was revealed for Fe monolayers (ML) grown on Ir(111), a cycloidal spin spiral ground state has been resolved on Fe double-layers (DL) by employing SP-STM with vectorial magnetic field. As a result of a large lattice mismatch between the epitaxially grown Fe-DL film and the underlying Ir(111) substrate, local uniaxial strain relief occurs, leading to dislocation line patterns. Interestingly, the wavevector of spin spirals is strictly guided along the dislocation lines, while the spin spiral's wavefront exhibits a zigzag deformation [2]. By further increasing the Fe coverage to triple-layers (TL), the zigzag spin spiral remains the magnetic ground state, but with an enhanced periodicity as compared to that of Fe-DL. A magnetic phase transition from the spin spiral to a skyrmionic state, and finally to a saturated ferromagnetic state occurs for Fe-TL by applying an external magnetic field. STM-induced writing and deleting of individual skyrmions is demonstrated with a pronounced bias-polarity dependence, suggesting the decisive role of the local electric field between STM tip and Fe film for the switching mechanism [3]. [1] K. von Bergmann, A. Kubetzka, O. Pietzsch, and R. Wiesendanger, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 26, 394002 (2014) [2] P.-J. Hsu, A. Finco, L. Schmidt, A. Kubetzka, K. von Bergmann, and R. Wiesendanger, Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 017201 (2016) [3] P.-J. Hsu, A. Kubetzka, A. Finco, N. Romming, K. von Bergmann, and R. Wiesendanger, arXiv:16001.02935 (2016)


The Voisey's Bay Ni-Cu-Co sulfide deposits occur within
 troctolites and olivine gabbros of the 1.34 Ga Voisey's Bay intrusion,
 formerly known as the Reid Brook Intrusive Complex. The Voisey's Bay
 intrusion is the oldest known member of the predominantly anorthositic Nain
 Plutonic Suite, which straddles the ca. 1.85 Ga suture between Archean
 gneisses of the Nain province to the east and Paleoproterozoic rocks of the
 Churchill province to the west. The Reid Brook, Discovery Hill, Mini-Ovoid, and Ovoid
 zones are mineralized domains within a subvertical conduit dike system that
 appears to span between two large troctolite intrusions, the Eastern Deeps
 chamber and the lower Western Deeps chamber. The conduit trends east-west
 and extends from near the top of the Western Deeps chamber, at a depth of
 700 m, toward the north margin of the Eastern Deeps chamber close to
 surface. All the mineralized zones in the Voisey's Bay deposits
 occur as magmatic-textured sulfides associated with fragment-bearing
 troctolites and olivine gabbros related to the conduit dikes, rather than
 simply as basal accumulations at the floor of the chambers. Sulfides within
 the system are preferentially concentrated in traps where physical
 irregularities and changes in conduit morphology favor the precipitation,
 capture, and preservation of sulfides as a result of changes in the velocity
 and viscosity of a magma. There is a consistent relationship between
 different sulfide textures and the physical environment existing in the
 conduits where each of the mineralized zones occurs. This suggests that
 sulfides were deposited in their present sites by consistent magmatic
 processes within the conduits but were locally influenced by the physical
 parameters existing at these sites. Later remobilization or mass movement of
 sulfides would not generate the consistent textural relationships observed.
 Therefore, sulfide deposition is ultimately related to a complex interplay
 of dike geometry (i.e., changes in dike orientation and thickness) and the
 fluid dynamics in the fragment-bearing magma within a conduit system, i.e.,
 the Ovoid mineralization appears to fill a bulge in the conduit, and the
 Reid Brook zone is located close to the axis of inflection along its strike.
 The Eastern Deeps zone, although it does occur at the base of the Eastern
 Deeps chamber, is more specifically associated with the line of entry for
 the feeder conduit close to a structural low at the base of the Eastern
 Deeps chamber. The Voisey's Bay deposit does not conform to the
 traditional model for magmatic sulfide generation such as Sudbury, in which
 sulfides accumulate largely by gravitational settling within a magmatic
 chamber, following attainment of sulfur saturation as a result of local
 assimilation. In fact current evidence suggests, in the Eastern Deeps
 mineralized zone, that little gravitational settling took place because a
 large proportion of sulfides occur as high Ni tenor minerals trapped
 interstitially in sulfides in coarse phases of the variable-textured
 troctolite. Furthermore, sulfide saturation and generation of magmas with
 varying sulfide contents clearly appear to have occurred in chambers at a
 depth of several kilometers, rather than at the levels currently exposed. In
 contrast to gravitational settling, sulfide distribution within the Voisey's
 Bay deposit is controlled by magma emplacement through multiple braids of a
 dynamic, channel-like conduit dike system.


The monitoring of outcomes is an essential component in evaluating healthcare, yet in critical illness, outcome assessments can be challenged by several factors. These factors include changing acuity levels, recurrent illness, readmission to hospitals, and patient attrition. Additional issues, particularly for elderly patients, include selecting appropriate outcome measures, overcoming barriers to patient recruitment for research, and using retention measures. This article explores issues in conducting outcomes research in acute care and uses a longitudinal prospective panel research study of elderly patients after critical illness as an example. Strategies are discussed that can be used in elderly subjects to facilitate accurate data collection in acute care outcomes research.


We present a blind recursive algorithm for the estimation of nonstationary SIMO systems. An adaptive algorithm is developed to track the noise projector, to evaluate the degree of intersymbol interference (ISI), and the channel parameters. This method is also capable of handling abruptly changing channels during the observation interval. We define a new filtering operator that matches this projector with the subspace method. Finally, we relate this work with Capon's approach and the beamforming method. Simulation results concerning the performance of the developed method and its comparison with the classical subspace method are presented.


Singular value decomposition (SVD) is a matrix decomposition algorithm that returns the optimal (in the sense of squared error) low-rank decomposition of a matrix. SVD has found widespread use across a variety of machine learning applications, where its output is interpreted as compact and informative representations of data. The Netflix Prize challenge, and collaborative filtering in general, is an ideal application for SVD, since the data is a matrix of ratings given by users to movies. It is thus not surprising to observe that most currently successful teams use SVD, either with an extension, or to interpolate with results returned by other algorithms. Unfortunately SVD can easily overfit due to the extreme data sparsity of the matrix in the Netflix Prize challenge, and care must be taken to regularize properly. In this paper, we propose a Bayesian approach to alleviate overfitting in SVD, where priors are introduced and all parameters are integrated out using variational inference. We show experimentally that this gives significantly improved results over vanilla SVD. For truncated SVDs of rank 5, 10, 20, and 30, our proposed Bayesian approach achieves 2.2% improvement over a naive approach, 1.6% improvement over a gradient descent approach dealing with unobserved entries properly, and 0.9% improvement over a maximum a posteriori (MAP) approach.


Stochastic Volatility Models with Persistent Latent Factors: Theory and Its Applications to Asset Prices. (August 2008) Hyoung Il Lee, B.A., Seoul National University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Joon Y. Park We consider the stochastic volatility model with smooth transition and persistent latent factors. We argue that this model has advantages over the conventional stochastic model for the persistent volatility factor. Though the linear filtering is widely used in the state space model, the simulation result, as well as theory, shows that it does not work in our model. So we apply the density-based filtering method; in particular, we develop two methods to get solutions. One is the conventional approach using the Maximum Likelihood estimation and the other is the Bayesian approach using Gibbs sampling. We do a simulation study to explore their characteristics, and we apply both methods to actual macroeconomic data to extract the volatility generating process and to compare macro fundamentals with them. Next we extend our model into multivariate model extracting common and idiosyncratic volatility for multivariate processes. We think it is interesting to apply this multivariate model into measuring time-varying uncertainty of macroeconomic variables and studying the links to market returns via a consumption-based asset pricing model. Motivated by Bansal and Yaron (2004), we extract a common volatility factor using consumption and dividend growth, and we find that this factor predicts post-war business cycle recessions quite well. Then, we estimate a long-run risk model of asset prices incorporating this macroeconomic uncertainty. We find that both risk


The question was asked how to use alternative investments to protect assets and let them grow at the same time. The Grandes respond: as assets grow, expand the asset classes that are invested into. Theoretically, this lowers risk while increasing the expected rate of return. This is accomplished by reducing the overall volatility of a portfolio. Structured products do offer a viable solution to investing in hard-to-reach assets.


Objective: The pathogenesis of psoriasis involves T-cell mediated immunologic response, keratinocytes hyperproliferation, and resistance to apoptosis. Methotrexate is one of the most reliable modalities in the treatment of psoriasis that target those changes. The study of those variables before and after methotrexate therapy may answer the question: Which of those variables contributes more to the clinical severity of the disease and is more valuable to be targeted in psoriasis treatment. Patients and Methods: A total of 50 cases of psoriasis vulgaris were included, 25 patients received methotrexate therapy. Skin biopsies of psoriatic skin lesions before and after treatment were examined histologically for measurement of epidermal thickness and grading of dermal inflammation. Immunostaining for Ki-67 and p53 was done for assessment of keratinocyte proliferation and apoptosis. Results were correlated with clinical severity of the disease, assessed by psoriatic area and severity index (PASI) score. 15 biopsies of normal skin were included as control. Results: Dermal inflammation, Ki-67%, and p53% were significantly higher in psoriatic skin lesion than in normal skin. Those changes were significantly correlated with PASI score. Multiple logistic regression models revealed that Ki-67 was the most significant variable contributing to clinical severity. One unit change in ki-67% can explain 1.2 unit changes in PASI score with 97% sensitivity, 40% specificity and 25% cut-off value. PASI score, dermal inflammation, Ki-67% and P53% were significantly reduced after methotrexate therapy. No significant difference was detected between the percent reduction in PASI score (81%) and that of Ki-67% (70%). Conclusion: Keratinocyte proliferation was the most significant variable contributing to the clinical severity of psoriasis and it was the single parameter that showed parallel changes to PASI score after methotrexate therapy. Keratinocyte proliferation may be considered as the stimulus that induces all other pathological and clinical changes in psoriasis and should be targeted by therapy.


The lymphatic system performs many crucial body functions to ensure normal health. The lymphatics are responsible for fluid and protein balance, gathering approximately 4 liters/day of interstitial fluid and returning it to the venous system. As this fluid is filtered, undesirable elements such as tumor cells and foreign pathogens are normally destroyed in lymph nodes. This system also plays a part in serving as the primary transport mechanism for the immune system. Lymphedema, a debilitating disease for which there is no known cure, affects a large number of cancer patients who have undergone lymphadenectomy and also trauma victims. The lymphatic system is also the major transport route for metastases of various cancers.Copyright © 2008 by ASME


Low-risk metastatic gestational trophoblastic disease is highly curable with single-agent chemotherapy. Careful monitoring of the response to therapy is essential so that one can alter treatment when signs of drug resistance occur. Because some low-risk patients require complex chemotherapy and/or surgery before achieving remission, therapy should be directed by experienced clinicians at facilities where appropriate ancillary services are available.


Background In many human autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), vitamin D is associated with disease suppression. Furthermore, experimental collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) is prevented by 1,25(OH)2D3 supplementation, the active form of vitamin D. Since high doses of 1,25(OH)2D3 in humans can cause serious side effects, understanding the mechanism behind the suppression may lead to new therapeutic targets. Although currently this mechanism is not known, it is hypothesised that Th17 cells play an important role in the immunomodulatory effect of vitamin D. Here we study the effect of 1,25(OH)2D3 on the differentiation of Th17 cells and the underlying mechanism in the context of the autoimmune-mediated CIA model. Materials and methods DBA/1 mice were immunised with type II collagen (CII) in complete Freund's adjuvant. 10 days after immunisation the mice were sacrificed and spleens were harvested. Total CD4+, naïve CD4+ or effector CD4+ T cells were isolated and cultured for 3–7 days under Th17 polarising conditions with or without 1,25(OH)2D3. Results 1,25(OH)2D3 inhibits Th17 differentiation in total CD4+ T cells in CII-immunised mice. Interestingly, 1,25(OH)2D3 induces IL-4 and IL-10 in these cells. Therefore we investigated whether the effect of 1,25(OH)2D3 on Th17 differentiation was dependent on IL-4 or IL-10. In both naïve and effector CD4+ T cells from CII-immunised mice, 1,25(OH)2D3 inhibited Th17 differentiation as demonstrated by decreased IL-17A, IL-17F and IL-22. Blocking IL-10 did not prevent this effect in either subsets. However, in the effector cells, but not the naïve cells, blocking IL-4 partially reduced the effect of 1,25(OH)2D3 on Th17 differentiation. Conclusions 1,25(OH)2D3 similarly inhibits Th17 differentiation of naïve and effector CD4+ T cells from CII-immunised mice. However, only the inhibition in effector cells, not in naïve cells, is partially dependent on IL-4. These data show that 1,25(OH)2D3utilises different pathways to inhibit Th17 differentiation, depending on the maturation stage of the CD4+ T cell.


Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector has been undergoing a metamorphosis in the era of globalisation for over a decade and a half. Many developments of relevance to SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) have taken place within the country and internationally. Globalisation resulting in fierce competition in various product lines has forced the SME sector to adopt strategies in tune with the global trends. A number of programmes of cluster-specific and firm-specific approaches are being pursued by all India organisations with a wide network of institutions associated with various functions supporting the SME sector at different levels. The present paper discusses a few key approaches, such as the MSMED Act, 2006, Policy of de-reservation, Greater equity participation, Cluster Development Approach (CDA), and National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme (NMCP) which help the SME sector to reorient itself to face the challenges posed by increased competition as a result of globalisation. In an increasingly globalised competitive scenario, SMEs have to upgrade their capabilities by innovation, and adoption of advanced technologies and modern management practices.


Lavas of Pliocene‐Pleistocene age were sampled in two regions in Kenya: Mount Kenya on the equator and the Loiyangalani region, east of Lake Turkana, at about 3°N. We sampled 100 sites distributed around the Mount Kenya Massif and to the northeast along the Nyambini Range. The equator bisects Mount Kenya, and all sites were sampled within 40′ of the equator. Thirty‐two sites were sampled in the Loiyangalani area, making a total of 132 sites. Many sites from the Mount Kenya study were severely affected by lightning; however, after progressive AF demagnetization 69 sites yielded directions with α95 equal to or less than 10°. Normal polarity sites dominate (N = 58 and a mean of declination (dec) = 1.2°, inclination (inc) = −0.7°, and α95 = 3.6°) with only 11 reverse polarity sites (mean of dec = 182.3°, inc = 0.6°, and α95 = 7.2°); no transitional directions were identified. Inverting the reverse sites yields a combined mean direction of dec = l.4°, inc = −0.7°, and α95 = 3.2°. This result is not significantly different from what is expected from the geocentric axial dipole for the mean locality (dec = 0° and inc = 0°); a quadrupole component was not resolved. The samples from the Loiyangalani region were not seriously affected by lightning, and all 32 sites gave satisfactory data with α95 less than 10° (17 reverse sites, dec = 183.4°, inc = 0.8°, and α95 = 6.7°; 15 normal sites, dec = 358.6°, inc = −1.1°, and α95 = 4.7°); after inverting the reverse sites the combined mean was dec = 1.1°, inc = −1.0°, and α95 = 4.1°. Altogether, we had a total of 101 successful sites. A virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) was calculated from each site mean; the VGP dispersion is low, with Sb = 10.9° for Mount Kenya and 9.8° for the Loiyangalani region. This dispersion agrees with updated Model G of McElhinny and McFadden (1997) and model TK03 of Tauxe and Kent (2004) that was tuned to the compilation of McElhinny and McFadden (1997) but disagrees with the higher dispersion near the equator and the smaller latitudinal gradient in dispersion estimated by Johnson et al. (2008). A new database is presented, and the included studies support a systematic decrease of dispersion from high to low latitudes.


A sensitive, specific and precise procedure for the measurement of serum gentamicin by radioimmunoassay is presented. The method is rapid, convenient, and highly reliable for this very important measurement. Studies designed to evaluate the validity and reproducibility of the assay are presented and discussed.


Purpose: This study was done to evaluate the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy in a victimized community district and to determine if the program is an effective nursing intervention to reduce posttraumatic stress disorder symptom, depression and state anxiety. Methods: A nonequivalent control group design was used for the study. The participants, 32 elementary school students, were selected from grades 4, 5, 6 and each student was assigned to either the experimental (16) or control (16) group. Cognitive behavioral therapy was used as the experimental treatment from April 9 to May 28, 2009. The experimental group received cognitive behavior therapy intervention 8 times. Data analysis was done using ANCOVA with SPSS 17.0. Results: After the intervention, the experimental group showed significantly lower levels of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms than the control group. Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective nursing intervention to decrease the level of mental health problems of children in victimized district. Further research is required in order to identify the continuous effects of cognitive behavioral therapy.


In this article, we consider the ways in which educational policies and institutions today enable or obstruct young people who are immigrant English-language learners as they seek to cross cultural and educational borders. Contrasting a class action suit in California protesting high stakes testing that will significantly limit graduation rates, and an ethnographic analysis of the international high schools in which immigrant youth engage with cultural and educational depth and support and graduate at exceptional rates, this article challenges the current policy climate in which immigrant youth are increasingly under siege and at risk of being multiply undocumented. In the spirit of protest, we trace the many sites of resistance and possibility dotting the nation, in which educators, communities, families, advocates, and youth are demanding educational access and justice.