In this thesis, I focus on the analysis of the emotional isolation of the two main characters, David Scott and Wilhelm Freytag in Katherine Anne Porter?s novel, Ship of Fools. I find that these two characters experience emotional isolations that come from different reasons. Apparently, they also struggle to fight against their emotional isolation, and at the end, they have to encounter the failure. I decide to use literary approach, especially the theory of characterization as the main tool to analyze the reason of their isolation, their struggle to fight against it and the proofs of their failure. In addition, I also use theory of conflict and psychological theory, that is theory of emotional isolation as the supporting tools for helping me in analyzing. Therefore, first of all, I prove the characters? emotional isolation and their reasons why they experience emotional isolation; David who has a very bad childhood cannot trust other people, including his girlfriend, Jenny, and he does not able to build good relationship that makes him feel attached with the others; Freytag, as a German who has a Jewish wife cannot build any close relationship and cannot tell the truth about his wife?s identity, and he also feels lower than the people in his own group. Furthermore, I continue to find the evidences that show their struggle in striving against their isolation in different ways according to their own background. David fights against his emotional isolation by trying to show his deep affection to Jenny, but he fails. Whereas, Freytag fights against his emotional isolation by trying to tell the truth about his wife?s identity but he still cannot have deep relationship and fails. This shows that any kinds of attempts from David and Freytag to fight against their emotional isolation are not successful. Eventhough they try to oppose their isolation but they still fail; David and Freytag cannot choose their backgrounds that cause them to have emotional isolation, and they also cannot deny that they have the strong tendency to fight against it. I find that through what David and Freytag experience, Porter wants to represent their limitation with the limitation of human being in this real world.


Meiotic recombination rate varies across the genome within and between individuals, populations, and species in virtually all taxa studied. In almost every species, this variation takes the form of discrete recombination hotspots, determined in Metazoans by a protein called PRDM9. Hotspots and their determinants have a profound effect on the genomic landscape, and share certain features that extend across the tree of life. Drosophila, in contrast, are anomalous in their absence of hotspots, PRDM9, and other species-specific differences in the determination of recombination. To better understand the evolution of meiosis and general patterns of recombination across diverse taxa, we present what may be the most comprehensive portrait of recombination to date, combining contemporary recombination estimates from each of two sister species along with historic estimates of recombination using linkage-disequilibrium-based approaches derived from sequence data from both species. Using Drosophila pseudoobscura and Drosophila miranda as a model system, we compare recombination rate between species at multiple scales, and we replicate the pattern seen in human-chimpanzee that recombination rate is conserved at broad scales and more divergent at finer scales. We also find evidence of a species-wide recombination modifier, resulting in both a present and historic genome wide elevation of recombination rates in D. miranda, and identify broad scale effects on recombination from the presence of an inter-species inversion. Finally, we reveal an unprecedented view of the distribution of recombination in D. pseudoobscura, illustrating patterns of linked selection and where recombination is taking place. Overall, by combining these estimation approaches, we highlight key similarities and differences in recombination between Drosophila and other organisms. Author Summary Recombination, or crossing over, describes an essential exchange of genetic material that occurs during egg and sperm development and has consequences for the proper segregation of chromosomes, and for the evolution of genomes and genomic features. In our study, we compare genome wide recombination rate in two closely related species of the fruit fly Drosophila to understand if and how recombination changes over time. We find that recombination does indeed change, we observe globally increased recombination in one species, and differences in regional recombination likely reflecting the result of a chromosomal rearrangement in both species. Moreover, we show that the extent that recombination changes is dependent on the physical scale at which recombination is measured, likely reflecting selection pressures on recombination distribution and replicating a pattern seen in human-chimpanzee recombination. Apart from between-species differences, we note several ways in which the Drosophila recombination landscape has changed since Drosophila diverged from other organisms. In contrast to species of fungi, plants, and animals, Drosophila recombination is not concentrated in discrete regions known as hotspots, nor is it increased near the start of genes, suggesting that despite the importance of the recombination process, the determinants of recombination have been shifting over evolutionary time.


Non-covalent π-π stacking interactions often play a key role in the stability of the secondary and tertiary structures of peptides and proteins, respectively, and can be a means of ensuring the binding of ligands within protein and enzyme binding sites. It is generally accepted that minor structural changes to the aromatic ring, such as substitution, can have a large influence on these interactions. Nevertheless, a thorough understanding of underpinning phenomena guiding these key interactions is still limited. This is especially true for larger aromatic structures. To expand upon this knowledge, elaborate ab initio calculations were performed to investigate the effect of halogenation on the stability of 3-methylindole stacking. 3-Methylindole served as a representation of the tryptophan side chain, and is a frequently used motif in drug design and development. Moreover, an expression is derived that is able to accurately predict the interaction stability of stacked halogenated 3-methylindole dimers as well as halogenated toluene dimers, based on monomer level calculated DFT descriptors. We aim for this expression to provide the field with a straightforward and reliable method to assess the effect of halogenation on the π-π stacking interactions between aromatic scaffolds.


Pediatric morphea is an inflammatory, fibrosing dermatologic disorder. Although morphea may be localized to the skin and subcutaneous tissues, differentiating it from systemic sclerosis, there is increasing evidence that morphea is a manifestation of a systemic inflammatory process, with the potential to involve many organ systems. Given the potential risk for irreversible sequelae, pediatric morphea should be treated early and aggressively. Long‐term disease monitoring is essential.


Nitride-related compounds containing AlN and AlON were synthesized from aluminum dross using a combustion reaction, irrespective of the content of Al in Al-dross. The formation of AlON is induced by the exothermic reaction between Al and nitrogen. On the occasion of using high-grade dross, unreacted Al was detected in the combustion products. This may be originated from Al in the dross because Al in dross exists in the dispersed oxide layer. Therefore, its reactivity with nitrogen is relatively lower, compared to Al powder mixed with the dross in the beginning. It is noted that, on the occasion of using low-grade dross, unreacted Al in the product can be controlled by means of adjusting particle size of dross, resulting in improvement of the permeation of nitrogen gas into the compact through the well established open pore channels.


Recurrent or chronic pulmonary hemorrhage is rare in children. Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH) manifests as hemoptysis, diffuse parenchymal infiltrates on chest radiographs and microcytic hypochromic anemia. The hemoptysis present may be mistaken for more common diseases, delaying the diagnosis and further management. Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis is a disorder of unknown etiology. Treatment of IPH includes immunosuppressive drugs along with supportive measures.


SUMMARY The purpose of this investigation was to create an acid etched implant surface that results in a surface similar to that gained by using sandblasting combined with acid etching and to compare it with surfaces of commercially available screw-type implants. Titanium grade V discs were machined in preparation for acid etching. Tests were carried out using different acids and their combinations with variable time exposures. All etched surfaces were scanned with electron microscope (JEOL JSM-5600, Japan) and digital images were made for visual evaluation and description of the surfaces. The etched surfaces were evaluated for surface morphology (combination of micro roughness and waviness) and were best attained by a combination of sulphuric and hydrochloric acids. The etched titanium discs were fixed in resin (two were cut and polished and two – scored and fractured) and the surface profile was examined in. The second part of the investigation used screw-shaped titanium implants. Twenty-eight screwshaped implants that were manufactured from commercially available titanium grade V, were selected and divided into two groups: 3 implants as controls (machined surface) and 25 implants processed using the etching methods used in the first part of the investigation. Magnifications of 27, 200 and 2000 were used to analyse the first two consecutive crests of threads, flanks and root of threads of each implant with the treated surface. A three-dimensional optical interferometer (MicroXam, Phase-Shift, USA) was used to characterize the surface roughness of both control and test groups. Three screws were selected from each group and measured at 9 sites: 3 measurements each on the crest, root and flank of the threads. To describe the surface roughness in numbers, the following parameters were used: the average height deviation (Sa), the developed interfacial area ratio (Sdr), the fastest decay autocorrelation length (Sal) and the density of summits (Sds). Surfaces of 5 commercially available screw-type implants and the experimental ones were comparatively analyzed. It was concluded that the new experimental etched titanium surface had features of a roughened titanium surface with glossily micro-roughness and large waviness. In general, the experimental surface was significantly rougher than the selected commercially available implants and similar to SLA treated surface (top Sa 2,08µm (SD 0,36); Sdr 1,34µm (SD 0,3); valley – 1,16µm (SD 0,1) and 0,68µm (SD 0,1); flank – 2,24µm (SD 0,8) and 1,27µm (SD 0,1) respectively).


A 46-year-old Indian male without any medical history presented in the Emergency Department with a painful right testis; the pain radiated toward both flanks. Palpation of the testis was painful. There was no history of dysuria, unsafe sexual contact or weight loss. Diagnostic imaging using ultrasound revealed a suspicious mass lesion in the right testis of 2.2 cm diameter. The serum tumor markers alpha-fetoprotein and beta-HCG were negative, and LDH levels were normal. The patient was referred to the urology department, and a radical orchiectomy was performed. Histopathological analysis showed an adenomatoid tumor of the testicular parenchyma. No involvement of epididymis or testicular membranes was identified. Patient follow up was done every 6 months, consisting of physical examination and scrotal ultrasound. No new symptoms were present after 9 months follow up. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4021/jmc1068e


Blogs are public sites that document the thoughts, ideas, opinions, and experiences of individuals through posts and images. Initially, these sites were reserved for political and educational discourse. However, the progression of social media and growth of virtual platforms has led to the expansion of blogs, particularly fashion and personal style blogs. Due to this shift in focus, researchers have developed a growing interest in blogs and how they are used to create and communicate online identities. With online identity development, individuals transfer aspects of the self from offline to online, a structured process that results in the creation of a digital self. Fashion bloggers use digital selves to share capital goods, such as clothing selections and accessories, as well as other appearance-related aspects of their identity, including hair and makeup. Similar to actors on stage, these performances are open to evaluation and criticism. Items that are displayed by the blogger and evaluated by an audience can validate or invalidate the online identity. In the case that the identity is invalidated, the blogger will craft and recraft the identity until approval is received from the audience. The two-fold purpose of this dissertation was to gain a better understanding of this process, specifically how fashion bloggers use appearance-related components, including capital, to construct online identities and how blog audiences assess the authenticity of these identities. To address this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with four fashion bloggers to understand their experiences in the blogosphere. Themes that emerged from the data were then used to develop a blogger authenticity scale. This scale was tested in Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) with other related constructs, including blogger responsiveness (H1a-c) and number of sponsorships (H2a-c). Regression was used to determine the relationship between (1) blogger responsiveness and authenticity and (2) number of sponsorships and authenticity. In addition, MANOVA was used to assess gender differences on the three factors of authenticity. Findings from the in-depth interviews revealed three proposed dimensions of authenticity: (1) cognitive intimacy, (2) affirmation, and (3) transparency. These dimensions were confirmed with the completion of an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). As it pertains to the hypotheses, blogger responsiveness had a significant positive relationship with authenticity (H1a-c supported) while number of sponsorships had a non-significant relationship with authenticity (H2a-c not supported). Lastly, males perceived stronger bonds with fashion bloggers than their female counterparts. These findings contribute to existing theory and address gaps in the literature. The new blogger authenticity scale adds a dimension to existing theory (identity theory) by addressing fashion bloggers as a relevant and important group of consumers. Moreover, the use of quantitative instruments addresses a gap in the literature by providing support to findings from previous qualitative studies. In addition, the findings have managerial implications, such as the consideration of blogger activity level when selecting brand ambassadors. Limitations include sampling techniques and suggestions for future research include examination of the perceived bond males have with bloggers.


Species richness of the intertidal macroinfauna of exposed sandy beaches around South America is reviewed in relation to geographic location. This macroinfauna is dominated by cirolanid isopods ( Excirolana ), bivalves  (Mesodesma  and  Donax)  and opheliid and spionid polychaetes. In general, the upper shore of tropical and subtropical beaches is characterized by crabs (Ocypodidae), whereas on temperate beaches it is dominated by talitrid amphipods and cirolanid isopods. The middle shore is primarily occupied by cirolanids and bivalves, and hippid crabs, bivalves and amphipods dominate the lower beach. Generally, species richness increases from upper to lower beach levels. Studies carried out on exposed sandy beaches of south-central Chile  (ca . 40°S) show that different beach states harbour differences in species richness, with the greatest species richness on dissipative beaches, and the least on beaches with reflective characteristics, a pattern also observed in Uruguay.


Summary The Morecambe Gas Field, located in the Irish Sea Basin, came on stream on 1 January 1985 and is to be used as a seasonal storage facility. Structurally the field is a northwest-southeast trending faulted anticline divided into two parts by a narrow southwest-northeast graben system. Gas is produced from the upper part of the Lower Triassic Sherwood Sandstone Group. The reservoir sandstones were deposited predominantly by the action of low sinuosity braided streams during periods of high stage flow. Facies associations recognised from core and wireline log data include: Channel Sandstones, Secondary and Ephemeral Channel Sandstones, Sheetflood Sandstones, Floodplain fine member and Channel abandonment deposits. Reservoir quality is dependent on grain size, shape, sorting, facies control and the distribution and abundance of authigenic cements. Quartz and dolomite cements are a major factor in causing porosity reduction, whilst authigenic illite controls effective permeability. Platy illite only occurs below an identifiable datum believed to represent a 'paleo' gas-water contact. Below the illite datum permeability is impaired by up to one hundred fold. A change in illite crystal morphology in the lower parts of the reservoir results in a basal zone which exhibits improved quality. The main producing horizons are stacked sandbodies within the Keuper Waterstones and Keuper Sandstone Frodsham Member. On the basis of facies modelling a three dimensional reservoir model has been developed for simulation purposes. A simplified three layer model which incorporates the influence of authigenic illite has also been erected and will control future field development. A phased development programme is planned for the field over the next ten years. The first stage is currently underway, utilising slant drilling technology to economically drain the reservoir. Maximum gas production from the field will be 1200 million cubic feet per day.


The aim of this study was to compare a number of potentially stress‐generating factors related to an intensive care unit (ICU) stay from the points of view of patients undergoing liver transplantation or elective major abdominal surgery and their caregivers in order to identify differences and similarities that may help to optimize patient care. The ICU Environmental Stressor Scale questionnaire was administered to 104 liver transplant recipients, 103 major abdominal surgery patients, 35 nurses and 21 physicians. The ICU staff were asked to complete the questionnaire on the basis of their perception of patient stressors. Both patient groups identified Being unable to sleep, Being in pain, Having tubes in nose/mouth, Missing husband/wife, and Seeing family and friends only a few minutes a day as the major stressors; the healthcare providers correctly identified the most stressing factors for the patients, but gave them higher scores. The mean scores were 71.9 ± 18.7 for the transplant recipients, 66.3 ± 20.9 for the patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery, 99.7 ± 19.2 for the nurses, and 92.7 ± 16.1 for the physicians (P < 0.001). The qualitative evaluations of potentially stress‐inducing ICU situations were substantially the same in the 2 patient groups, but the transplant recipients seemed to feel them more acutely. Although the caregivers identified the most discomforting situations, they overestimated the degree of stress they cause. The staff of each ICU should therefore seek to understand and reduce (even by means of simple interventions) the particular causes of psychophysical stress felt by their patients. (Liver Transpl 2005;11:967–972.)


Background: Although guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma have been published over the last 15 years, there has been little focus on issues relating to asthma in childhood. Since the last revision of the 1999 Canadian asthma consensus report, important new studies, particularly in children, have highlighted the need to incorporate this new information into asthma guidelines. Objectives: To review the literature on asthma published between January 2000 and June 2003 and to evaluate the influence of new evidence on the recommendations made in the Canadian Asthma Consensus Report, 1999 and its 2001 update with a major focus on pediatric issues. Methods: Diagnosis of asthma in young children, prevention strategies, pharmacotherapy, inhalation devices, immunotherapy and asthma education were selected for review by small expert resource groups. In June 2003, the reviews were discussed at a meeting under the auspices of the Canadian Network For Asthma Care and the Canadian Thoracic Society. Data published up to December 2004 were subsequently reviewed by the individual expert resource groups. Results: This report evaluates early life prevention strategies and focuses on treatment of asthma in children. Emphasis is placed on the importance of an early diagnosis and prevention therapy, the benefits of additional therapy and the essential role of asthma education. Conclusion: We generally support previous recommendations and focus on new issues, particularly those relevant to children and their families. This guide for asthma management is based on the best available published data and the opinion of health care professionals including asthma experts and educators.


The objective of the present thesis was to investigate organisational members' reactions to change as result of a merger. How do people react when their own group's content and composition changes? How does that affect the extent to which they define themselves as members of the (new) group, and think as well as act in terms of that group membership? The scope of the study was to extend previous intergroup research on mergers (e.g., Haslam, 2001; Terry, 2001) by understanding changing identification processes and intergroup relations as two aspects that play a key role in merger adjustment. Thereby, special emphasis was put on change and the dynamic nature of social psychological processes. I applied a longitudinal design to examine an ongoing higher education merger that involved a university and a polytechnic.


SIR,-I was much interested in Dr. Kathleen Vaughan's letter (Jan. 31, p. 222). I have seen women in Persia deliver themselves in the squatting position, walking to the doorway of their hut to do so. Placenta followed baby almost immediately, and there were never any perineal tears. The babies, however, were always small, averaging 52 lb. (2.5 kg.), and with much smaller heads than most English ones.


This article discusses the organization of collaborative processes in the context of distance learning through digital learning environments. It focuses the issue of the efficiency and effectiveness for such environments do not become spaces in which to work the information without warranty of interaction and development of knowledge. This discussion was organized from digital data collected in one forum in the discipline Knowledge, Technology and Collaborative Processes, specialization in Tutor in Distance Learning, developed by Open and Distance Center, Ouro Preto Federal University. The public is tutor teachers tutors (presential and distance), as well as coordinators of the poles of Open University from Brazil. This work approach education long life and recognize implementation of reflexive practice around context of work and study of participants.


ABSTRACT The demographic processes that have been avolving in recent years around the world and Israeli society in particular, associated with the rise in life expectancy and the aging of population, are rasing the depedency ratio and increasingpublic policy makers' interest in issues related to caring for the elderly and thier support. These circumstances have a considerable effect on family member required to assist thier aging parents, as they raise the potential support ratio and have an even greater impact on employed family caregivers. This article examined the policy implemented in Israel for providing support and assistance to employed family caregivers assisting ageing parents. It shows that the current policy is relatively limited compared to that of other liberal countries and not compatible with caregivers' demands and needs. The article calls for implementing an effective public policy for employed family caregivers and suggests ways of formulating such a policy.


Context. The baryonic Tully-Fisher relation (BTF) is a fundamental relation between baryonic mass and maximum rotation velocity. It can be used to estimate distances, as well as to constrain the properties of dark matter and its relation with the visible matter. Aims. In this paper, we explore if extremely low-mass dwarf galaxies follow the same BTF relation as high-mass galaxies. We quantify the scatter in the BTF relation and use this to constrain the allowed elongations of dark matter halo potentials. Methods. We obtained Hi synthesis data of 11 dwarf galaxies and derive several independent estimates for the maximum rotation velocity. Results. Constructing a BTF relation using data from the literature for the high-mass end, and galaxies with detected rotation from our sample for the low-mass end results in a BTF with a scatter of 0.33 mag. Conclusions. This scatter constrains the ellipticities of the potentials in the plane of the disks of the galaxies to an upper limit of 0-0.06, indicating that dwarf galaxies are at most only mildly tri-axial. Our results indicate that the BTF relation is a fundamental relation which all rotationally dominated galaxies seem to follow.


Abstract The hydrological effects of earthquakes are determined by the style of fault displacement, rather than simply by the magnitude of the earthquake. In the past, many researchers used the analytical solution of Okada (1992) to estimate the pore‐pressure field, which is derived through the stress field by Skempton's B coefficient, after the stress field is calculated from a given forced fault slip in Okada's method (Okada, 1992). This approach is a one‐way coupling approach, as fluid has no effect on rock behavior, and Skempton's B coefficient must be given separately to know the pore‐pressure field. We create a fault‐slip model in conjunction with a poroelastic model and present a new approach in which fault movement is a consequence of reduced friction occurring in a saturated porous medium. This model represents a numerical parallel to the traditional Okada's approach, but with two advantages: (1) it is well suited for more complex geometries and heterogeneous formations for which analytical methods fail; (2) it is fully coupled so that fluid effects are also taken into account. This model shows that all three different faulting regimes exhibit completely different pore‐pressure change distributions in 3D space. The transient pore‐pressure change after a strike‐slip faulting event is axis symmetrical with respect to the imaginary vertical line passing through the epicenter and hypocenter, with increased and decreased areas evenly distributed in a juxtaposed pattern. The transient pore‐pressure changes associated with normal and thrust faulting all display a circular pattern on the model surface, with the largest pore‐pressure increase occurring at the epicenter for normal faulting and the largest decrease for thrust faulting. Many observed field phenomena have been explained in surprising detail by this model.


Technology is influencing education, providing new
delivery and assessment models. A combination between online and traditional course, the hybrid (blended) course, may present a solution with many benefits as it provides a gradual transition towards technology enabled education. This research work provides a set of definitions for several course delivery approaches, and evaluates five years of data from a course that has been converted from traditional face-to-face delivery, to hybrid delivery. The collected experimental data proves that the revised course, in the hybrid delivery mode, is at least as good, if not better, than it previously was and it provides some benefits in terms of student retention.


Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the cereals that provide calorie requirements in the majority of Ethiopians diet. The national average maize yield in Ethiopia is low and thus knowledge of combining ability and heterosis is a prerequisite to develop high yielding maize varieties. The objective of the present study is to estimate combining abilities of double haploid (DH) maize inbred lines for grain yield and related agronomic traits, and to identify crosses with higher standard heterosis. A total of 36 diallel crosses generated by crossing nine maize DH lines using half diallel mating scheme and four standard checks were studied for different desirable agronomic traits during 2017 cropping season at Ambo and Kulumsa Agricultural Research Centers. The genotypes were evaluated in alpha lattice design replicated twice in both locations. Analyses of variances showed significant mean squares due to crosses for most traits studied. The highest grain yields were obtained from crosses L1 x L3, L3 x L8, L4 x L8 and L8 x L9. GCA mean squares were significant for all studied traits, while SCA mean squares were significant only for grain yield, days to anthesis, ear per plant and ear diameter. Relatively larger GCA over SCA variances were observed in the current study for most studied traits revealing the predominance of additive gene action in controlling these traits. Of the DH inbred lines, L3 and L8 were the best general combiners for grain yield, and hence are promising parents for hybrid development. Inbred lines  L2, L4, L6, L7 and L8 were good combiners for earliness whereas, L1, L2 and L6 showed negative and significant GCA effects for plant and ear height. In this study, none of the crosses showed positive and significant standard heterosis for grain yield.

 Key words: Combining ability, general combining ability, highland maize, standard heterosis, specific combining ability.


Aiming at the problem of the influence of joints on machine structure static performance, this paper presents a method of modeling and experiment on static characteristic of BT tool holder-spindle interface. A FEA model of tool holder-spindle interface is established by setting several equivalent springs, whose parameters are identified through experiment. The effectiveness of the proposed method is tested and verified by building finite element model and applying the spring parameters to it. The comparison between the emulational result and experimental result shows that the simulation accuracy has improved tremendously, which the relative error reduces to less than 10% under different axial forces.


Despite the fact that the prolongation in life span is considered as a positive progress, the preparedness of communities for this process is not satisfactory. World Health Organisation (WHO) defines the life quality as individuals' perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns. This study was conducted to evaluate the life quality and effecting factors among elderlies taking home-care. WHOQOL-OLD was used to collect data from (49 female, 51 male) elderlies who accepted to participate in the study. Mean score was 72,91±1,15. Participants who are female, with relatively high educational status, have more frequent contact with their children, and think that their life quality increased after receiving home-care have higher life quality score. Health promoting behaviours have become important in maintaining the functional independence and life quality. Since elderlies' contact with their people affects the quality of home-care positively, a special attention should be given to develop home-care and to improve the communication skills of home-care providers.


Regeneration of pulp–dentin complex in an infected necrotic tooth with an open apex is possible if the canal is effectively disinfected. The purpose of this case report is to add regenerative endodontic cases to the existing literature about the use of plateletrich fibrin (PRF). Three clinically and radiographically diagnosed necrotic immature permanent teeth were treated using PRF as a scaffold for revascularization. The therapeutic protocol involved accessing the pulp chamber, irrigating copiously with sodium hypochlorite, applying a triple antibiotic paste as intracanal dressing, and then provisionally sealing it. After 3–4 weeks, the canal was cleaned and PRF was introduced in the canal that would serve as a scaffold for pulp revascularization. Mineral trioxide aggregate was used to seal the chamber and finally restored with composite. All the cases treated with PRF as a scaffold showed magnificant healing and apical end closure along with thickening of dentinal walls. On the basis of the results obtained in our case reports, we conclude that the revitalization of necrotic infected immature tooth is possible under conditions of total canal disinfection, and PRF is nearly an ideal biomaterial for pulp–dentin complex regeneration.


In this brief overview I review how our understanding of speech variation has changed over the last decades. I argue that depending on the motivation of the scientific investigations and the theoretical points of view, variation has been discussed with respect to biological, social and communicative factors as well as with respect to the nonlinearities between acoustics, articulation, and perception. Since all of these factors can potentially interact with each other, the core challenges now are to explain the underlying mechanisms, to use appropriate methodologies for the analyses, and to understand how far the underlying mechanisms can be generalized to other speakers or communicative events. I conclude that speech variation is not an obstacle, but rather a rich source that allows us to examine the many facets of language.


Mechanisms promoting the evolution of cooperation in two players and two strategies (22) evolutionary games have been investigated in great detail over the past decades. Understanding the effects of repeated interactions in multiplayer spatial games, however, is a formidable challenge. In this paper, we present a multiplayer evolutionary game model in which agents play iterative games in spatial populations. -player versions of the well-known Prisoner's Dilemma and the Snowdrift games are used as the basis of the investigation. These games were chosen as they have emerged as the most promising mathematical metaphors for studying cooperative phenomena. Here, we have adopted an experimental approach to study the emergent behavior, exploring different parameter configurations via numerical simulations. Key model parameters include the cost-to-benefit ratio, the size of groups, the number of repeated encounters, and the interaction topology. Our simulation results reveal that, while the introduction of iterated interactions does promote higher levels of cooperative behavior across a wide range of parameter settings, the cost-to-benefit ratio and group size are important factors in determining the appropriate length of beneficial repeated interactions. In particular, increasing the number of iterated interactions may have a detrimental effect when the cost-to-benefit ratio and group size are small.


ABSTRACT The lack of interest among pre-university students to choose STEM subjects for their higher education is a heavily debated issue in many western-world countries. To boost Danish students' interest in biology, a study event on artificial reefs was introduced when teaching marine biology in lower secondary school and upper secondary school (student age 13–20 years). The purpose was to investigate if the focus on artificial reefs could generate an increased interest in natural science and marine biology among the students. The students' interest in science was evaluated using electronic questionnaires before and after they had completed the teaching programme. The students were significantly more interested in natural sciences and marine biology after than before the teaching program. The development in situational interest in science and in the oceans was different for males and females with females being most interested. Thus, it is possible to trigger a situational interest for science and marine biology by teaching about artificial reefs, but the way interest is triggered differs between different age groups and sexes.


Much has been written about Billy Graham but this book is different. Writing from the viewpoint of the social historian, the author has undertaken to show "precisely what Billy Graham and his revivals represent, and what they signify about the temper of American civilization in the middle of the twentieth century." Although it is not easy to analyze contemporary events, Mr. McLoughlin has done a very acceptable job. He gives an interesting account of Billy Graham's background, training and his rise to great influence. But he goes much farther to examine his theology, his social and political philosophy, particularly as expressed in his preaching. Even his pulpit techniques and revival mechanics are dealt with in considerable detail. In the last chapter the author gives his own appraisal of Dr .Graham and his work. W. G. McLoughlin, Jr., teaches history and American Civilization at Brown University and is recognized as one of the leading authorities on the American revival tradition. Joseph Stiles


Author(s): Kan, Tianze | Advisor(s): Mercier, Patrick; Mi, Chris | Abstract: The concept of wireless power is originated from Heinrich Hertz and well known by the work of Nikola Tesla. Magnetic resonance-based wireless power transfer has been widely applied in charging biomedical implants, consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and lightweight autonomous underwater vehicles due to its convenience and reliability. As a core part of a wireless charging system, coil design is of great importance. This dissertation will introduce four coil designs based on the applications of wirelessly charging electric vehicles and lightweight autonomous underwater vehicles. Chapter 2 proposes an integrated coil design for bipolar coils in EV wireless chargers using LCC compensation topology, which simplifies the design, makes the system more compact, and increases the system power density. Finite element analysis by ANSYS MAXWELL is conducted to verify the proposed idea. In addition, a design method on improving system efficiency is given and experimental results demonstrate that wireless charging system with the proposed integrated coil design can transfer 3.0 kW at a DC-DC efficiency of 95.5%. Chapter 3 extends the work of Chapter 2 and presents another integrated coil design which is compatible with unipolar coils in EV wireless chargers using LCC compensation topology. The aspect ratios of the compensated coils are study in ANSYS MAXWELL to minimize the extra cross-side coupling coefficient. A wireless charging with the proposed integrated coil design is built to achieve 3.0 kW power transfer at a DC-DC efficiency of 95.5%. Furthermore, a comparative study of the two wireless charging systems in Chapters 2 and 3 are conducted, and the results show the wireless charging system in Chapter 3 has competitive performance in fully aligned and door-to-door misaligned cases, and superior performance in vertical and front-to-rear misaligned cases. Chapter 4 puts forward a three-phase coil design for lightweight autonomous underwater vehicles. Finite element analysis shows the proposed coil structure has concentrated magnetic fields, which have less adverse effects on the instrumentations within the AUV. A compensation method is presented and a three-phase wireless charging system is built to transfer 1.0 kW at a DC-DC efficiency of 92.41%. Chapter 5 proposes a rotation-resilient coil design with a two-part reversely wound receiver for lightweight autonomous underwater vehicles in order to achieve a constant power transfer over rotational misalignment. Finite element analysis is performed to verify the proposed coil design and a mesh-current method is applied in analyzing the circuit. A wireless charging system is built to deliver 745 W at a DC-DC efficiency of 86.19% when the system is fully aligned, and efficient under worst-case rotational misalignment.


Aim

Species-sorting predicts the influences of the environment on ecosystem composition across heterogeneous landscapes. It assumes that extinction and adaptation are negligible at ecological scales. Meanwhile, shifts associated with global change have been observed in metacommunity composition (species pools affected by extinctions and introductions) and in phenotypes. This suggests that predictions of future composition must move beyond re-sorting present-day species with fixed traits. We extend plant species-sorting concepts to consider biogeography and demography. We give an empirical context, highlighting the influences of biogeography, species-sorting and adaptation on community composition.

Location

Global; case studies focus on the terrestrial mediterranean biome.

Methods

We review case studies of empirical approaches that have examined community composition at various scales. We develop a mathematical model based on community mechanics that incorporates species-sorting with shifting phenotypes and species pools.

Results

As illustrated by real examples, community composition is influenced by factors such as history, modern extinction risk, species-sorting, biotic interactions, adaptation and ecological drift. There is ample evidence that species pools and phenotypes are not constant at ecological scales in the context of global change. Any implicit assumption in community analysis that they are constant should therefore be revisited. Our model breaks down shifting community constraints into intraspecific components – including genotype sorting, selection and plasticity – and interspecific components, including changes in relative abundance and species replacement from a shifting metacommunity.

Main conclusions

Predictions of community composition could benefit from extending species-sorting, to allow species pools and species traits to shift through time, as dealt with explicitly in our framework. The model predicts that responses to a shifting community constraint can be more diverse than deterministic species re-sorting. Consequently, the rate of species replacement depends on factors such as species adaptive capacity, competition, physical disturbance and habitat fragmentation.


Recently, there have been several breakthroughs in the study of atmospheric electricity using ground based cosmic ray detectors. The observations reported from these cosmic ray detectors can lead to a better understanding of the physical mechanisms that initiate lightning. In addition, they allow the
study of rare atmospheric phenomena such as, Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs), and elves. In this talk, I will present some of the recent observations and their impact. I will also discuss the role of these cosmic ray detectors as the world's leading instruments for the detection of atmospheric electric fields, TGFs, and lightning initiation mechanisms. The successful use of ground based cosmic rays detectors, designed to study astrophysical phenomena, for the study of lighting in Earth's atmosphere attests to the vitality of this field of experimental research, which is now dedicated not only to solving the mysteries of the universe but also the mysteries of our own atmosphere.


ing genetic effects where pooling of genes will occur, but it is not acceptable in assessing radiation carcinoma and leukaemia risk. However, perhaps the worst anomaly lies in the collection of radiation records. Radiation workers in establishments subject to the Factories Actl 2 must, by law, have correct and accurate radiation records which are transferred with them when they change jobs. Other establishments such as universities and hospitals generally adopt the same procedure for their radiation workers,3 and recently the National Radiological Protection Board has set up a computerized record system which represents the first attempt to institute some form of central register. The irony of the situation is that a large proportion of radiation workers will receive doses of less than 0.25 rem per year, this being the limit of measurement, and such doses will be carefully recorded. Doses obtained from medical and dental exposures for particular individuals on the other hand, which will in many cases considerably exceed these figures, will in general not be precisely known and will not be recorded. Such a situation is palpably absurd and it is obviously time that all radiation doses received by any individual from any source, whether it be occupational or from medical or dental diagnosis, should be accurately known and centrally recorded. Only when this is done can any reasonable evaluation of radiation risk be made.-I am, etc.,


A numerical method to calculate the four-center electron-repulsion integrals for strictly localized pseudoatomic orbital basis sets has been developed. Compared to the conventional Gaussian expansion method, this method has an advantage in the ease of combination with O(N) density functional calculations. Additional mathematical derivations are also presented including the analytic derivatives of the integrals with respect to atomic positions and spatial damping of the Coulomb interaction due to the screening effect. In the numerical test for a simple molecule, the convergence up to 10(-5) hartree in energy is successfully obtained with a feasible cost of computation.


Background: The increasing use of regional anesthesia and peripheral nervous blocks and also local anesthetic effects of meperidine, made us adding this drug to lidocaine-induced axillary block for patients undergoing upper extremities surgery to measure its effects and especially block length time. Objective: The aim of this study is effect survey of meperidine on lidocaine-induced axillary block in patients undergoing upper extremities surgery. Materials and Methods: This randomized double-blinded clinical trial was conducted on consecutive forty patients aged between 15 and 56 years, rated as the American Society of Anesthesiology I-II who were scheduled for upper extremities surgery. The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. These 40 patients divided into two groups which were similar in terms of age, gender, and weight. The patients were randomly assigned to receive one of the two following protocols for axillary block: (1) 40 ml lidocaine 1% plus 0.01 ml/kg normal saline and (2) 40 ml lidocaine 1% plus 0.01 ml/kg equaling 1 mg/kg meperidine. The blocking method was similar in both groups (Ultrasound-Guided Axillary block). The analysis was done with Chi-square and Fisher's exact test for complications and t-test for quantitative variables in both groups. Results: Both two groups were similar in terms of block onset time, the intensity of analgesia block and side effects such as nausea, vomiting, hypotension, dizziness, arrhythmia, and convulsion. The obtained results from this study suggest that meperidine added to lidocaine-induced axillary block prolongs the duration of blocked (238 ± 67.04 vs. 166.7 ± 39.6) which is statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion: According to the study findings, the axillary block onset time was not statistically different between two groups. Totally adding meperidine to lidocaine-induced axillary block did not lead to increase the systemic side effects, but prolonged duration of blockade significantly. It is suggested to use this method for prolonged surgeries especially in emergency patients with contraindication for general anesthesia and also for general populations who have short time upper extremity surgery and also to provide a long-term postoperation analgesia.


This paper describes the ability of the Azimuth Discrimination and Resynthesis algorithm (ADRess) to separate multiple speech signals from two mixtures in a simulation environment. ADRess exploits the spatial signature of each of the contributing speech sources to demix the mixtures. Speech sentences taken from the TIMIT database and noise signals from the NOISEX database were mixed synthetically to create pairs of mixtures. ADRess can exploit the spatial signature of noise and speech sources to remove or isolate them from a mixture. To simulate the spatial location of different sources the relative attenuation and phase difference of each source between the two mixtures were manipulated. This was performed for numerous different angles of arrival so as to robustly test the algorithm. Objective measures and promising informal listening test results show the suitability of ADRess for cleaning noisy speech mixtures and document the performance of ADRess for speech mixtures with different numbers of sources.


Abstract: Glutamic acid and glycine were quantified in cells and medium of cultured rostral rhombencephalic neurons derived from fetal rats. In the presence of 1 mM Mg2+, NMDA (50 μM) significantly stimulated (by 69%) release of newly synthesized 5‐[3H]hydroxytryptamine ([3H]5‐HT). d‐2‐Amino‐5‐phosphonopentanoate (AP‐5; 50 μM) blocked the stimulatory effect of NMDA. AP‐5 by itself inhibited [3H]5‐HT release (by 25%), suggesting a tonic control of 5‐HT by glutamate. In the absence of Mg2+, basal [3H]5‐HT release was 60% higher as compared with release with Mg2+. AP‐5 blocked the increased [3H]5‐HT release observed without Mg2+, suggesting that this effect was due to the stimulation of NMDA receptors by endogenous glutamate. Glycine (100 μM) inhibited [3H]5‐HT release in the absence of Mg2+. Strychnine (50 μM) blocked the inhibitory effect of glycine, indicating an action through strychnine‐sensitive inhibitory glycine receptors. The [3H]5‐HT release stimulated by NMDA was unaffected by glycine. In contrast, when tested in the presence of strychnine, glycine increased NMDA‐evoked [3H]5‐HT release (by 22%), and this effect was prevented by a selective antagonist of the NMDA‐associated glycine receptor, 7‐chlorokynurenate (100 μM). 7‐Chlorokynuren‐ate by itself induced a drastic decrease in [3H]5‐HT release, indicating that under basal conditions these sites were stimulated by endogenous glycine. These results indicate that NMDA stimulated [3H]5‐HT release in both the presence or absence of Mg2+. Use of selective antagonists allowed differentiation of a strychnine‐sensitive glycine response (inhibition of [3H]5‐HT release) from a 7‐chlorokynurenate‐sensitive response (potentiation of NMDA‐evoked [3H]5‐HT release).


Abstract Background Artificial intelligence (AI) research in colonoscopy is progressing rapidly but widespread clinical implementation is not yet a reality. We aimed to identify the top implementation research priorities. Methods An established modified Delphi approach for research priority setting was used. Fifteen international experts, including endoscopists and translational computer scientists/engineers, from nine countries participated in an online survey over 9 months. Questions related to AI implementation in colonoscopy were generated as a long-list in the first round, and then scored in two subsequent rounds to identify the top 10 research questions. Results The top 10 ranked questions were categorized into five themes. Theme 1: clinical trial design/end points (4 questions), related to optimum trial designs for polyp detection and characterization, determining the optimal end points for evaluation of AI, and demonstrating impact on interval cancer rates. Theme 2: technological developments (3 questions), including improving detection of more challenging and advanced lesions, reduction of false-positive rates, and minimizing latency. Theme 3: clinical adoption/integration (1 question), concerning the effective combination of detection and characterization into one workflow. Theme 4: data access/annotation (1 question), concerning more efficient or automated data annotation methods to reduce the burden on human experts. Theme 5: regulatory approval (1 question), related to making regulatory approval processes more efficient. Conclusions This is the first reported international research priority setting exercise for AI in colonoscopy. The study findings should be used as a framework to guide future research with key stakeholders to accelerate the clinical implementation of AI in endoscopy.


A summary of my 2014 Rhoads Lecture is presented that explores our progress in understanding the complex interplay of malnutrition and inflammation. A historical perspective is provided that highlights the contributions of some of the key pioneers in the nutrition assessment field. Advances in agriculture, education, public health, healthcare, and living standards have affected traditional settings for malnutrition. The chronic disease, surgery, and injury conditions that are associated with modern healthcare are becoming prevalent settings for malnutrition. One consequence has been a growing appreciation for the contributions of inflammation to malnutrition in these clinical conditions. This recognition has driven a fresh look at how we define and think about malnutrition syndromes. An inflammatory component is included in the definitions suggested by the recent Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition consensus report that also describes characteristics recommended for the identification and documentation of malnutrition. Efforts are currently underway to evaluate the feasibility and validity of this approach. Recent advances in research highlight the profound impact of inflammation-mediated erosion of muscle mass on clinical outcomes. Research to identify better biomarkers of inflammation and malnutrition must be a leading priority. New "omics" approaches are an especially promising avenue of biomarker investigation. Inflammation can be a good thing; let's try to keep it that way.


Topological changes in mobile ad hoc networks frequently render routing paths unusable. Such recurrent path failures have detrimental effects on the network ability to support QoS-driven services. A promising technique for addressing this problem is to use multiple redundant paths between the source and the destination. However while multipath routing algorithms can tolerate network failures well their failure resilience only holds if the paths are selected judiciously. In particular the correlation between the failures of the paths in a redundant path set should be as small as possible. However selecting an optimal path set is an NP-complete problem. Heuristic solutions proposed in the literature are either too complex to be performed in real-time or too ineffective or both. This paper proposes a multipath routing algorithm called Disjoint Pathset Selection Protocol (DPSP) based on a novel heuristic that in nearly linear time on average picks a set of highly reliable paths. The convergence to a highly reliable path set is very fast and the protocol provides flexibility in path selection and routing algorithm. Furthermore DPSP is suitable for real-time execution with nearly no message exchange overhead and with minimal additional storage requirements. This paper presents evidence that multipath routing can mask a substantial number of failures in the network compared to single path routing protocols and that the selection of paths according to DPSP can be beneficial for mobile ad hoc networks since it dramatically reduces the rate of route discoveries.


In humans, telomere length homeostasis regulates the balance between cellular immortalization and senescence. In particular, aberrant activation of telomere lengthening allows evasion of cellular senescence leading to uncontrolled replication, both considered major hallmarks of cancer (1). Conversely the regenerative potential of an organ depends on the replicative capacity of its stem cell compartment that is limited by telomere shortening. Indeed, excessive telomere shortening is a condition typical of chronic diseases involving lung and liver (such as fibrosis), blood (aplastic anemia) and skin (2). Due to its fundamental role in maintaining the physiological life-cycle of a cell, telomere homeostasis is tightly regulated by a wide intertwinement of molecular mechanisms. The main process controlling telomere length in somatic cells is "telomere attrition", that induces the progressive shortening of telomeres at each mitosis, thereby acting as a "mitotic clock" to sense cell aging. When telomeres become critically short (so-called "Hayflick limit"), a DNA-damage program is activated to protect chromosomes' integrity during cell division, leading to cell senescence or apoptosis. On the contrary, the constitutive expression of telomerase (a ribonuclear enzymatic complex responsible for telomere elongation) allows immortal cells, such as stem or cancer cells, to maintain long telomeres (3). The shelterin proteins complex also participates to this mechanism contributing to telomere protection by binding specifically to telomeres. The main actors of this complex are the telomeric repeat-binding factors 1 and 2 (TRF1-TRF2), that bind double strand DNA conferring telomere stability (2). Furthermore, other mechanisms, such as alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) based on homologous recombination (1), are known to participate to telomere elongation independently from telomerase.


Aims: The diagnostic and therapeutic impact of endometrial biopsy in the luteal phase of the preceding cycle before artificial reproductive technology (ART) was determined in a prospective case control study.

Methods: From 1/2017 until 8/2018 all women treated with ART were asked to participate in the study at a University Fertility Center. 115 endometrial biopsies were performed prior to controlled ovarian stimulation. The endometrial tissue was analyzed immunohistochemically for hCG and CD138 positive plasma cells (CD138+). The results of 84 ART cycles after endometrial biopsy were compared to 204 controls.

Results: The clinical pregnancy rates after or without endometrial biopsy did not differ significantly (35.7 vs. 39.2%, p=0.578). Lower live birth rates were seen after intervention but this difference was not significant (23.8% vs. 32.4%, p=0.150). In 19/84 samples of endometrial tissue CD138+-plasma cells were detected (22.6%). In this group the clinical pregnancy rate was lower than in the group without signs of inflammation (26.3 vs. 38.5%, p=0.337).

Conclusions: A therapeutic benefit of endometrial biopsy in the midluteal phase of the preceding menstrual cycle was not proven for the following ART cycle in this prospective study. Women with signs of chronic endometritis with CD138+-plasma cells showed a reduced clinical pregnancy rate. The detection of CD138+-plasma cells as a marker for impaired implantation should be investigated in larger studies as a routine diagnostic work-up for infertility prior to ART.


Visual saliency detection model simulates the human visual system to perceive the scene, and has been widely used in many vision tasks. With the development of acquisition technology, more comprehensive information, such as depth cue, inter-image correspondence, or temporal relationship, is available to extend image saliency detection to RGBD saliency detection, co-saliency detection, or video saliency detection. RGBD saliency detection model focuses on extracting the salient regions from RGBD images by combining the depth information. Co-saliency detection model introduces the inter-image correspondence constraint to discover the common salient object in an image group. The goal of video saliency detection model is to locate the motion-related salient object in video sequences, which considers the motion cue and spatiotemporal constraint jointly. In this paper, we review different types of saliency detection algorithms, summarize the important issues of the existing methods, and discuss the existent problems and future works. Moreover, the evaluation datasets and quantitative measurements are briefly introduced, and the experimental analysis and discission are conducted to provide a holistic overview of different saliency detection methods.


Many fragile watermark methods have been proposed for image recovery and their performance has been greatly improved. However, jagged edges and confusion still exist in the restored areas and these problems need to be solved to achieve a better visual effect. In this paper, a method for improving recovery quality is proposed that adopts singular value decomposition (SVD) and edge detection for tamper detection and then uses a median filter for image recovery. Variable watermark information can be generated that corresponds to block classifications. With mapping and neighborhood adjustment, the area that has been tampered can be correctly detected. Subsequently, we adopt a filtering operation for the restored image obtained after the inverse watermark embedding process. During the filtering operation, a median filter is used to smooth and remove noise, followed by minimum, maximum and threshold operations to balance the image intensity. Finally, the corresponding pixels of the restored image are replaced with the filtered results. The experimental results of six different tampering attacks conducted on eight test images show that tamper detection method with the edge detection can identify the tampered region correctly but has a higher false alarm rate than other methods. In addition, compared with the other three similar methods previously, using a median filter during image recovery not only improves the visual effect of the restored image but also enhances its quality objectively under most tampering attack conditions.


Fe2O3-based photocathodes are one of the least expensive options for hydrogen generation by water splitting. Although p-type N,Zn-doped Fe2O3 (N,Zn–Fe2O3) has been reported to possess a negative conduction band minimum position sufficient for photocathodic hydrogen generation, the efficiency and stability of the resulting H2 production is low and the reaction is sacrificial. In the present work, analysis by hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) showed that these negative characteristics result from the self-redox reaction of p-type Fe2O3. Based on this result, a TiO2 layer was introduced onto the surface of p-type N,Zn–Fe2O3 to passivate surface defects. In addition, to ensure efficient electron transfer, a thin Cr2O3 layer was also inserted between N,Zn–Fe2O3 and a bottom side conductive oxide layer to generate a favorable band alignment for hole transfer. The resulting Pt/TiO2/N,Zn–Fe2O3/Cr2O3 electrode exhibits a highly stable, significantly enhanced cathodic photocurrent during H2 production under AM 1.5 irradiation. The mechanism providing this improvement was investigated by combining electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, open-circuit voltage decay analysis and scanning tunneling electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Stoichiometric water splitting without an external electrical bias was also demonstrated by connecting the Fe2O3-based photocathode to an n-type SrTiO3−x photoanode, representing the first-ever example of stoichiometric overall water splitting using an Fe-based photocathode.


Background
Despite the rich array of data available on seven self-care and mobility activities, a functional outcome measure, which sums the scores across these activities, has not yet been developed or validated for use in the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS).

Methods
Using longitudinal data from NHATS, we evaluted 7,609 participants who were living in community settings. Development of the functional outcome measure was guided by the presence of consistent mortality gradients across a 5-category, 4-category, and two 3-category scales for each of the seven activities, whereas validation was based on predictive accuracy for mortality and concurrent change in physical performance.

Results
Consistent mortality gradients were observed only for the two 3-category scales (with each activity scored as 1 [fully able/independent], 2 [vulnerable], or 4 [assistance]). Each version of the corresponding functional outcome measure, which had a range of composite scores from 7 (no disability) to 28 (highest disability), demonstrated strong predictive validity for mortality and concurrent change in physical performance, with a 2-point change being clinically meaningful. The version that defined vulnerability on the basis of accommodations, reduced activities, or difficulty, rather than difficulty alone, is preferable for use in NHATS based on a more even distribution of composite scores, a wider and more consistent mortality gradient without any mortality reversals, and slightly stronger associations with the two outcomes.

Conclusions
These results provide strong, albeit preliminary evidence supporting the value of a new functional outcome measure for use in NHATS, a rich resource for investigating late-life disability.


Factors affecting the real estate market are of great importance worldwide. This study will investigate the factors influencing Saudis to purchase real estate. The study examine the effect of attitude, subjective norm perceived behavior control on the intention to purchase real estate. A total of 450 questionnaires were distributed to respondents in Jeddah. Based on 322 questionnaires collected, the results show that there is a positive significant relationship between Attitude, and Subjective Norm toward the intention to purchase real estate, while the Perceived Behavior Control had not effect toward the customers' intention to purchase real estate.


Over a long professional lifetime, Ragnar Rommetveit contributed to numerous disciplines in the social sciences and humanities, reflecting discussions in global social science and his own unending quest to understand social and individual life. His remarkable career and impact can be outlined in terms of four main phases. The first involved general social psychology in the 1950s and was reflected in Social Norms and Roles (1953/1955). In the second phase during the 1960s and 1970s, he focused on language-related psycholinguistic research leading to publications such as his 1968 volume Words, Meanings and Messages. The third phase came in the 1970s and 1980s and was motivated by his critique of formal linguistics and resulted in his short, magisterial 1974 volume On Message Structure. The fourth phase between 1980 and 2010 focused on "dialogism," giving rise to works such as his 1992 article "Outlines of a dialogically based social-cognitive approach to human cognition and communication." Along with his intellectual accomplishments, Rommetveit's brilliance and generosity inspired students and colleagues at the University of Oslo, as well as from around the world. His capacity to engage with others in unending mediations on communication and mental life ranks among his most important legacies.


Regardless of merit, most individual employment discrimination claims die a fast death at summary judgment. Judges apply the fine mesh net created by McDonnell Douglas v. Green, and most cases are caught in its trap. This dated, obfuscatory Supreme Court case creates a complex and flawed binary approach to causation: either discrimination or an innocent reason caused an adverse employment action. For decades, all three levels of the federal judiciary have wrestled with McDonnell Douglas, creating snarls and knots in construing causation. Because of this causal confusion, the ideal of equal opportunity in employment is on life-support.

Judges and practitioners must take note of Bostock v. Clayton County, a stunning Supreme Court case that lays a new foundation to clear this causal confusion. In this Article, I argue that Bostock creates a new mixed-motive paradigm that, if correctly applied, should transform individual discrimination law in this country by allowing juries to hear more cases. Bostock explicitly recognizes what the social sciences have long known: decision-making in the workplace is often complex, and both discriminatory and innocent reasons may be "but-for" causes of an employer's adverse action against an employee. Tort law labels these "multiple sufficient cause" cases. In the first work of its kind, I apply the causation standards in Bostock to create a taxonomy of causation scenarios that should guide lower courts in their analysis of individual discrimination cases at pre-trial stages.

As Bostock borrows its causation standards from tort law, this Article examines the nuances of that discipline to determine the legitimacy of Bostock's causation discussion. I conclude that while Bostock conforms to tort law, the riddle of causation persists in that and almost every discipline. Still, Bostock's causation logic is sufficient to guide courts into the future on firm ground. In the first comprehensive work of its kind, this Article assists courts by applying Bostock at each stage of litigation through jury trials. Bostock can help revive the ideal of equal opportunity in employment.

I conclude the paper with tandem principled suggestions. First, I posit that the Court or Congress could create a burden-shifting scheme in multiple sufficient cause cases. Second, such a burden shifting of proof would pave the way for an allocation of fault scheme, similar to that found in tort law, whereby the plaintiff would recover those damages that correlate to the employer's percentage of discriminatory causation.


Finding new antimicrobial compounds is vital to combat the growing threat of resistance. Most currently used antibiotics originate from actinomycetes discovered more than half a century ago. We recently reported the new species Streptomyces formicae, isolated from the African fungus-farming plant-ant, Tetraponera penzigi. S. formicae produces a novel family of polyketide antibiotics, the formicamycins, that have potent activity against resistant pathogens including MRSA and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE). Using CRISPR/Cas9, we have identified and characterised the genes responsible for formicamycin biosynthesis in the native producer. In addition, we used cappable RNA- and ChIP-sequencing to determine the transcriptional organisation of the pathway. We exploited this information to generate multiple mutants of S. formicae that overproduce formicamycins and their biosynthetic intermediates, some of which also have bioactivity. Furthermore, the potential for novel chemistry from S. formicae is not limited to the formicamycin pathway; antiSMASH analysis shows this talented strain contains at least 45 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). Under standard laboratory conditions, wild-type S. formicae also exhibits antifungal activity against the drug resistant Lamentospora prolificans, and when the formicamycin BGC is deleted, the strain produces even more potent antibacterial activity against MRSA. To identify the biosynthetic pathways for these metabolites, entire BGCs up to 208 kbp were deleted using CRISPR. Overall, this work demonstrates that searching under-explored environments for new species combined with genome editing is a promising route towards finding novel anti-invectives.


We consider a dual-hop vehicle to vehicle (V2V) relay channel, where a source vehicle communicates with a destination vehicle using a third vehicle as a relay node. The inter-vehicle relay channel is the product of two independent fading processes generated by two independent groups of scatterers. A novel MMSE estimator is proposed for the aforementioned dual-hop relay channel. The fading process at each hop is modeled as Rayleigh fading as well as Nakagami-m fading. The latter is widely used for modeling severe fading in V2V channels.


Abstract DNA damage assays have various limitations in types of lesions detected, sensitivity, specificity and samples that can be analyzed. The Northern Lights Assay (NLA) is based on 2D Strandness-Dependent Electrophoresis (2D-SDE), a technique that separates nucleic acids based on length, strandness, structure and conformation changes induced by damage. NLA is run on a microgel platform in 20–25 min. Each specimen is analyzed in pairs of non-digested DNA to detect single- and double-stranded breaks (DSBs) and Mbo I-digested DNA to detect other lesions. We used NLA to evaluate DNA in solution and isolated from human cells treated with various genotoxic agents. NLA detected and distinguished between single- and DSBs, interstrand and intrastrand DNA crosslinks, and denatured single-stranded DNA. NLA was sufficiently sensitive to detect biologically relevant amount of DNA damage. NLA is a versatile, sensitive and simple method for comprehensive and simultaneous analysis of multiple types of damage, both in purified DNA and in DNA isolated from cells and body fluids. NLA can be used to evaluate DNA quality in biosamples, monitor complex molecular procedures, assess genotoxicity, diagnose genome instability, facilitate cancer theranostics and in basic nucleic acids research.


: This study is an analysis of the electrocardiograms (ECGs) of 87 adult patients taken during hospital admission for sickle cell disease (homozygous S). The age range was 18 to 55 years: 38 were men and 49 were women. Seventy-two percent of all patients had abnormal ECGs. Nonspecific ST-T (NS-ST-T) wave abnormalities (53 percent) and QT interval prolongation (12 percent) were frequent. Seventy-five percent of the normal ECGs occurred in women (P < .05); and 74 percent of those with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) were men (P < .05). Fifteen of 21 (71 percent) patients with arrhythmias had NS-ST-T abnormalities. Systemic hypertension and ECG evidence for right-sided heart disease were rare, as was the incidence of LVH by ECG.


Nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) of chlorophyll fluorescence plays an important role in the protection of plants against excessive light. Fluorescence quenching of the major light-harvesting complex (LHCII) provides a model system to study the mechanism of NPQ. The existence of both quenched and nonquenched states of LHCII has been postulated. We used time-resolved fluorescence and hydrostatic pressure to study differences between these states. Pressure shifts the thermodynamic equilibrium between the two states. The estimated volume difference was 5 mL/mol, indicating a local conformational switch. The estimated free energy difference was 7.0 kJ/mol: high enough to keep the quenched state population low under normal conditions, but low enough to switch in a controlled way. These properties are physiologically relevant properties, because they guarantee efficient light harvesting, while at the same time maintaining the capacity to switch to a quenched state. These results indicate that conformational changes of LHCII can play an important role in NPQ.


PURPOSE
The changes in matrix material properties and intrinsic vascularization that have been noted in intrasynovial tendon stumps after avulsion injury may be of considerable clinical relevance with regard to the results of surgical repair. Our objective was to determine both the time course and the source of neovascularization of the tendon stump in an in vivo canine model of flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) avulsion after a clinically relevant delay in diagnosis.

METHOD
The FDP tendon was released from bone directly by sharp dissection and the vinculum brevis profundus was lacerated, simulating an avulsion injury with interruption of the vascular supply to the tendon stump. After death at 7 and 21 days, tendon vascularity was evaluated with India ink injection and clearing using a modified Spalteholtz technique.

RESULTS
All 7-day specimens showed an absence of vascularity compared with the controls. In all 21-day specimens a direct vascular supply originated from local fibrovascular adhesions contacted the stump on its surface and blood vessels penetrated the tendon stump circumferentially. Progressive vascularization of the avulsed tendon stump occurred between 7 and 21 days after injury, originating from fibrovascular adhesions to the surrounding synovial sheath.

CONCLUSIONS
Whereas previous studies of intrasynovial flexor tendon laceration and repair have shown a progressive proximal to distal neovascularization of the FDP during the early postoperative period, longitudinal proximal to distal growth from the proximal blood supply of the FDP was not observed toward the unrepaired tendon stump.


The problem of whether seasonal decomposition should be used prior to or after aggregation of time series is quite old. We tackle the problem by using a state-space representation and the variance/covariance structure of a simplified one-component model. The variances of the estimated components in a two-series system are compared for direct and indirect approaches and also to a multivariate method. The covariance structure between the two time series is important for the relative efficiency. Indirect estimation is always best when the series are independent, but when the series or the measurement errors are negatively correlated, direct estimation may be much better in the above sense. Some covariance structures indicate that direct estimation should be used while others indicate that an indirect approach is more efficient. Signal-to-noise ratios and relative variances are used for inference.


The efficiency with which heat may be converted into resonance radiation in a cesium thermionic diode is investigated theoretically. An analytical model of a thermionic converter is used which combines the coupled effects of line radiation transport, excited-state kinetics, and plasma diffusion. Operating regimes are established for various degrees of optical density in the plasma. The results indicate that monochromatic radiation can be produced with efficiencies on the order of 30% provided there is an adequate voltage drop across the plasma. A drop of one volt was used since it can be maintained without any electrical power input to the device. It is found that high efficiencies are due to the higher interelectrode distances which the solutions will accommodate, and that radiation can be generated efficiently, even with optically dense gases. >


Case series Patients: Female, 17-year-old • Male, 63-year-old • Male, 65-year-old Final Diagnosis: Atrial fibrillation Symptoms: Palpitations Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Cardioversion Specialty: Cardiology • Pediatrics and Neonatology Objective: Unusual clinical course Background: The energy delivered by a defibrillator is expressed in joules (J). However, current is what actually defibrillates the heart and is related to the voltage-to-impedance ratio. With the same energy, the lower the transthoracic impedance, the higher the current delivered. In obese patients, pushing the chest wall toward the heart during electric shock can result in an improved outcome. Case Reports: We report the cases of 3 obese patients with previously failed cardioversion/defibrillation who had an eventual shock success. (1) A 17-year-old girl failed multiple defibrillation efforts for her recurrent ventricular fibrillation. After ECMO, with the physician pushing down the chest wall, a 200-J defibrillation converted her VF. (2) A 63-year-old man with recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) had an unsuccessful 150-J shock followed by a successful 200-J cardioversion. His AF recurred. After amiodarone bolus, a 200-J shock converted it to sinus. Another recurrent AF failed 150-J cardioversion. With chest pushing down, a 150-J cardioversion was successful. (3) A 65-year-old man underwent elective cardioversion for AF. A 200-J shock was unsuccessful. A 200-J shock with pressure on the chest successfully converted it. Conclusions: We performed successful electrical cardioversion/defibrillation with this "pushing down the chest while shocking" method. Many clinicians are still unaware of this method, especially in obese patients. With the increasing prevalence of obesity, it is urgent to perform a randomized study to confirm the efficacy and safety of this method, and integrate it into advanced cardiac life support protocols.


My German colleagues were certain: Germany was going to kick Greece out of the euro: but which one? I considered it unprecedented luck being in Berlin on the day of the Greece v. Germany football match for the semis of the Euro 2012 championships, during my participation at the EPSA annual conference. Walking alongside the former East and West Cold War borders, fans had been gathering by the Brandenburg Gate early on to watch the game on the big screens. I was surrounded by thousands of Germans in full attire of flags, face paint and other team paraphernalia and had to remain under the radar about my national identity. The outcome of the game was humbling but the excuse was that a small team like Greece was taking up one of the strongest teams in the world. Nonetheless, the message on the posters on Karl-Marx Allee was clear the following day: Ouzo and Out! (Yet still in the Eurozone.)


Mn-doped ZnO nanowires were successfully synthesized on silicon substrate by chemical vapor deposition method with Au catalyst. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern indicates that the Mn-doped ZnO nanowires are hexagonal wurtzite structure and no second phase. The X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS) spectra exhibited the Mn ions were induced into the ZnO nanowires. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra were excited by 325 nm Xe lamp laser. Three peaks are observed in Mn-doped ZnO nanowires, two ultraviolet (UV) emissions at 370 nm and 386 nm, a visible emission at 405 nm. The emission at 405 nm is first found in Mn-doped ZnO nanowires that attributed to the electron transition from bottom of the conduction band to zinc vacancy defect energy level. The existence of Mn element changes the optical property of the ZnO nanowires.


World estimates 16.7 million people globally die every year due to cardiovascular diseases. Huge attention is required towards CVD as it is causing quick health impact and lacking a better therapeutic solution. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic effect of modified arjunarishta on isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats. In the experiment, animals were randomly divided into four groups (n = 6 rats per group). Group 1 served as normal control. Group 2 (Induced group) received Isoproterenol 85mg/kg body weight subcutaneously for the first two days (24 hrs interval) to induce myocardial infarction. Group 3 (Therapeutic model) received Isoproterenol as per group 2 followed by the administration of Modified Arjunarishta orally from 3 rd day to end of the experiment (16 th day). The effective dose of 400mg/kg body weight was fixed by dose fixation study. Group 4 (Arjunarishta model) received Isoproterenol as per group 2 followed by the administration of Standard Arjunarishta orally 2ml/kg body weight daily from 3 rd day to rest of the experiment period. At the end of the two-week experiment, Isoproterenol induced rats showed a significant increase in the levels of LDH, CPK, CK-MB, Troponin, SGOT, SGPT, Cholesterol, TGL, LDL and a significant decrease in the levels of HDL. The therapeutic activity estimated through biochemical parameters, cardiac markers and lipid profile.


This paper presents some results of plasma oxidizing of Al alloys. The oxidation of aluminium alloys was carried out in the mid-frequency pulsed excited plasma. The processing temperature was 450~500°Cand the processing time was 4 hours. The modified layer was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). AFM and SEM observations indicated that there were no evident defects appeared in the modified layer. The immersion experiments in 3.5% NaCl solutions were carried out to test the effect of plasma oxidation on the corrosion resistance of Al alloys. After immersion for 200 hours, the severe pit-corrosion was occurred on the untreated sample surface while for the treated sample no evident corrosion was observed.


Breast tomosynthesis (BT) is a new X-ray modality that reconstructs the breast volume in many slices instead of, as in mammography, showing a single 2D projection of the breast. The slice thickness is typically 1 mm for clinically used BT-units. In screening the review of breast images with BT takes two to four times longer than the review of mammography images. In an effort to reduce the review time for BT, slabbing (a post-processing technique to make thicker slices) or reconstruction of thicker slices is investigated in this work. This work also includes an initial study on whether slabbing can make it easier to detect microcalcification. This study was divided into three parts, investigating if it is possible to reduce BT reviewing time. In the first part many different slabbing methods were tested together with different reconstructed slice thicknesses on 16 hybrid images and the best three conditions with respect to image quality were further investigated in the second part. The second part was a visual grading analysis task to compare how the image quality of the three selected methods differs from that of the regular sets of images that are used today. One radiologist and three medical physicists participated in the study which was based on 27 pathological images. The final part was a free-response detection study where two radiologists reviewed 30 normal and 5 abnormal images, on two different occasions. The review times of the method which scored highest in the second part and the image presentation mode used in clinical routine work were measured and compered. This work also includes an initial study investigating if slabbed images can make it easier to detect microcalcification cluster. The results of the final part showed that one radiologist had a significant reduced review time when slices were combined to slabs for the regular images while the other radiologist did not show any significant time difference between the two sets of images. When the two results were combined no significant difference could be seen between the two sets of images. The results of the study on improving microcalcification detection suggested that using images with slabbing instead of regular ones is not helpful to improve the detection. The study was inconclusive, suggesting that more radiologists have to be included to predict if slabbing can reduce reading time. The results of the reading times of the two radiologists were too divergent to be generalized. The results from the microcalcification study showed that other methods must be investigated in preference to slabbing.


OBJECTIVES
Self-efficacy is an important factor influencing diabetes self-management behaviours. Previous studies have examined self-efficacy as a general measure in diabetes care for all self-care treatment recommendations together. This current study was designed to examine if low self-efficacy in each of the measured self-care treatment recommendations is related to decreased adherence for each specific recommendation.

METHODS
The self-efficacy was measured in 119 patients for four different treatment recommendations: blood glucose self-monitoring, exercise, diet and oral medication intake and correlated with The Resistance to Treatment Questionnaire.

RESULTS
Significant and positive Pearson's correlations were found between the frequency of adherence to treatment recommendations and the self-efficacy regarding different recommendations. The correlation between self-efficacy and diet and physical activity was 0.5 and 0.67, respectively. The higher the resistance to treatment score, the less confident the patient is in his or her ability to adhere with treatment recommendations. This pattern was not present in adherence to medication intake.

CONCLUSIONS
Self-efficacy impacts adherence to treatment and therefore plays a role in the clinical outcome. The practical implication is that assessment of self-efficacy in people with diabetes may be a first step in the development of individually tailored interventions.


The increase in area burned by wildfire has simultaneously brought increased concern about smoke impacts, both from wildfires and fires intentionally set to manage landscapes. Public concern about the potential health and other impacts of smoke can cause apprehension among managers who are considering prescribed burns, some to the point that they choose not to burn. Yet, very little is known about public acceptance of smoke. Using results from public surveys in four states, this paper explores the factors that influence public acceptance of smoke from six types of fire (wildfire, prescribed fire, agricultural burns, managed fire, pile burns and burns on private lands) as well as aggregate acceptance across all fire types. Overall, the public is generally accepting of smoke, particularly for fire types that are either viewed as uncontrollable (wildfire) or providing benefits to broader society rather than individuals. However, a sizable minority does not accept smoke. Factors that influence acceptance of smoke vary by fire type, but several coincided for multiple types of fire, including both health and non-health related risk, confidence in managing agencies, beliefs about benefits of prescribed fire use and rural living, among others. Prior experience with negative health impacts from smoke only influenced acceptance for agricultural burns.


In this article, the authors examine how historical price information influences consumers' decision to defer a purchase. They focus on two aspects of historical price information: the direction and the frequency of past price changes. The authors advance a theoretical framework postulating that the interaction between these two factors shapes consumers' decisions to buy now versus later. Controlling for the total magnitude of price changes, the authors propose that consumers are more likely to defer purchase when the price of the product has previously increased compared with when the price has decreased. Importantly, the authors hypothesize that this effect is more pronounced when consumers observe a single large change in price (e.g., a decrease of $100 vs. an increase of $100) compared with when they observe multiple smaller changes that establish a trend (e.g., four decreases of $25 vs. four increases of $25). The authors argue that these effects are driven by differences in consumers' expectations about future prices. They test their predictions, as well as two moderators of the proposed effects—the monotonicity and the timing of price changes—in six well-powered preregistered experimental studies (N = 5,713) using both hypothetical and actual purchases.


Endovascular aneurysm sealing (EVAS) using the Nellix system is a new and different method of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Normal postoperative imaging has unique appearances that change with time; complications also have different and specific appearances. This consensus document on the imaging findings after Nellix EVAS is based on the collective experience of the sites involved in the Nellix EVAS Global Forward Registry and the US Investigational Device Exemption Trial. The normal findings on computed tomography (CT), duplex ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and plain radiography are described. With time, endobag appearances change on CT due to contrast migration to the margins of the hydrogel polymer within the endobag. Air within the endobag also has unique appearances that change over time. Among the complications after Nellix EVAS, type I endoleak usually presents as a curvilinear area of flow between the endobag and aortic wall, while type II endoleak is typically small and usually occurs where an aortic branch artery lies adjacent to an irregular aortic blood lumen that is not completely filled by the endobag. Procedural aortic injury is an uncommon but important complication that occurs as a result of overfilling of the endobags during Nellix EVAS. The optimum imaging surveillance algorithm after Nellix EVAS has yet to be defined but is largely CT-based, especially in the first year postprocedure. However, duplex ultrasound also appears to be a sensitive modality in identifying normal appearances and complications.


Biodiversity values at forest ecosystem depend on how people use, manage and interact with the forest trees and trees outside the forest. Between 1990 and 2010 Kenya"s forest cover significantly reduced by 6.5%. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of human activities on vegetation characteristics in Chepalungu Forest (CF). Specifically, the objectives were to establish human activities affecting vegetation in CF, determine vegetation characteristics, establish local community"s perception on conservation measures and discern viable conservation measures in CF. Primary data constituted responses from randomly sampled local community, the herbalist, cultivators and foresters interviewed. Their response rate was 96%, 100%, 100%, and 60% respectively that were analyzed in SPSS. Obtaining firewood, grazing fodder, honey, herbs among others occurred very frequently in 88%, 83% 93%, and 90% respectively. Cutting, trampling and browsing as disturbance on trees accounted for 73%, 15% and 12% respectively. 98%, 81%, 75% and 40% of the respondents considered charcoal making, grazing, and browsing and firewood collection to be very destructive human activities occurring in CF respectively. The forest has decreased in a margin of 9% between 1985 and 2010 in its area with 7% attributed to clear-cutting established using change detection technique. CF has a tree diversity of 0.6, 0.4 and 0.3 in the edge, core and middle zones respectively measured on Simpson Species Diversity Index. It is dominated by Acokanthera schimperi, Teclea simplifolia and Euclea divinorum with common height of 3 m and range of 1 m to 7 m. This data was collected using stratified random sampling with established square quadrants along line transects. The forest is managed by protecting and replanting trees which 91% and 76% of residents and forest officers considers inadequate. The local community feels alienated from the conservation as 89% are of the view that conservation management be done by the residents. Collaboration of all stakeholders is preferred by 87% of the respondents and 95% proposed that fencing be done compared to 82% in favour of planting trees on farm among other viable conservation measures. Chi-square was conducted to test the significance of association. The forest has been over exploited by unregulated use. It has low tree diversity and diminishing potential for natural regeneration without which no conservation can be said sustainable. The community has the will though not involved thus alienating them. It is recommended that clear guidelines on the legal activities be developed by the forest department with public participation to regulate use of its resources. The forest department to develop inventory on what they are conserving to allow periodic audit that will guide conservation strategies. Determine and guide annual allowable cut. The forest department to embrace participatory management by encouraging and supporting the formation of community forest association.


Introduction: The aim of the authors' study was to evaluate the effects of protraction face-mask therapy on the craniofacial and upper airway morphology in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP). Methods: Twenty-three growing UCLP patients (mean age: 8.3 + 2.4) were enrolled in the study group. Protraction face-mask in combination with Hyrax appliance was applied for the correction of anterior crossbite and maxillary insufficiency. Twenty-six patients with maxillary retrusion (mean age: 8.1 + 2.5) were evaluated as the control group. The pharyngeal airway morphology was assessed via the area measurements of upper airway structures on the lateral cephalometric radiographs. Results: The upper airway morphology was similar compared with the control group subjects at the beginning of the treatment. The pharyngeal airway area was increased significantly following the maxillary expansion and protraction. Nasopharyngeal area increased and the oropharyngeal area decreased significantly. There was an increase in the sagittal and vertical dimensions after the protraction therapy. Conclusion: The pharyngeal morphology in both UCLP patients and control group patients was similarly improved with the protraction face-mask therapy.


Herbrand disjunctions are a means for reducing the problem of whether a first-oder formula is valid in an open theory T or not to the problem whether an open formula, one of the so called Herbrand disjunctions, is T -valid or not. Nevertheless, the set of Herbrand disjunctions, which has to be examined, is undecidable in general. Fore this reason the practical value of Herbrand disjunctions has been estimated negatively (cf. [30]). Relying on completeness proofs which are based on the algebraization technique presented in [30], but taking a more optimistic view, we show how Herbrand disjunctions become the base of a method for building in theories into automatic theorem provers [26]. Surveying newer results we discuss how to treat heterogeneous theories [29] as well as practical implications of different normal form transformations.


A light-emitting diode (LED) light communication system was implemented with a controlling switching light module using the ATmega16 micro-controller. To solve the existing modulation effect and disturbance in visible light communication, an integrated interface was evaluated with a driving light module and analyzes its reception property. A transmitter/receiver using the Atmel's micro-controller, high-intensity white LED-6 modules, and infrared sensor KSM60WLM and visible sensor TSL250RD were designed. An experiment from the initial value of distance to 2.5 m showed 0.46 V of the voltage loss, and if in long distance, external light interference occurred and light intensity was lost by external impact and thus data had to be modified or reset repeatedly. Additionally, data could be transmitted up to 1.76 m without any errors during the day and up to 2.29 m at night with around 2~3% communication error. If a special optical filter can reduce as much external light as possible in the integrated interface, the LED for lighting communication systems may be applied in next generation networks.