Aim: The investigation of the theological and legal questions derived from the application of prenatal and preimplantation genetic control on human embryos. Moreover, the review of the European and Greek legislation with regard to the prenatal and preimplantation control. Material and Method: A literature review based on both review and research literature, conducted during the period of 1984-2009, derived from MEDLINE, SCOPUS and IATPOTEK databases using as key words Prenatal diagnosis , Bioethics, Orthodox ethics, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Legislation. Results: The orthodox theology adopts a negative view for the abortion of fetus, which it is considered murder in any stage of growth. The legal approach brought two basic questions a) the securing of consent from the examined individual and b) the constitutional protection of fetus' life. Conclusions: The orthodox theology, through their teaching places the moral criteria for facing the moral questions derived from the application of prenatal and preimplantation genetic control on human embryos. Also, the Greek citizens need to be informed for all the diagnostic examinations on embryos that should be provided by all public health organizations.


Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest reported cholera incidence and mortality rates in the world. In 1997, a cholera epidemic occurred in western Kenya. Between June 1997 and March 1998, 14,275 cholera admissions to hospitals in Nyanza Province in western Kenya were reported. There were 547 deaths (case fatality rate = 4%). Of 31 Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates tested, all but one were sensitive to tetracycline. We performed a case-control study among 61 cholera patients and age-, sex-, and clinic-matched controls. Multivariate analysis showed that risk factors for cholera were drinking water from Lake Victoria or from a stream, sharing food with a person with watery diarrhea, and attending funeral feasts. Compared with other diarrheal pathogens, cholera was more common among persons living in a village bordering Lake Victoria. Cholera has become an important public health concern in western Kenya, and may become an endemic pathogen in the region.


Total hip replacement is a common orthopedic surgery today with a population with an increasing life expectancy and a more active lifestyle. Most implants have a life expectancy of 10 years or longer, however after 25 years one out of four implants has been revised. This means that the risk of a secondary surgery is high for young patients. In many cases the reason for revision is the formation of nanometer to micrometer sized particles that activate the immune system to resorb bone. The implants today usually consist of a femoral head of a cobalt chromium alloy and a cup of polyethylene. Replacing these materials with a cobalt chromium alloy with a silicon nitride coating is hoped to generate less and smaller wear particles that will not activate the immune system to resorb bone. This study compares wear particles from three different silicon nitride coatings with wear particles from polyethylene and a cobalt chromium alloy. The first was a standard coating, the second had a layered structure and the third had a nitrogen content gradient. This study uses a reciprocating motion with an alumina ball that slides against a sample of cobalt chromium with a silicon nitride coating in a serum solution to generate wear particles. The particles are then analyzed with a scanning electron microscope. In order to separate the particles from the serum solution two different methods were used. The first one used hydrochloric acid and the second used the enzyme proteinase K. Apart from the particles the wear tracks were investigated with vertical scanning interferometry and the adhesion was studied with scratch tests and light microscopy. The results show that the wear particles do not differ between the coatings. All coatings show a high wear volume, which is believed to be a consequence of the material combination, movement pattern or surface roughness of the counter surface. In conclusion the test set up generates particles of a relevant size and both methods for serum digestion were successful.


There is a growing consensus that voters withdraw support from a politician when they receive clear information that the politician has engaged in corruption. But do voters punish an elected executive for corrupt acts carried out under his or her watch, even if the executive is not personally implicated in corruption? To answer this question, we present the results of an embedded experiment from a nationally-representative survey in Brazil. Using vignettes that describe a hypothetical mayor, we find that citizens appear willing to punish a mayor who is involved in corruption, but that punishment of the mayor is attenuated if members of the municipal administration, and not the mayor per se, are charged with corruption. The difference is particularly pronounced when corruption information comes from a credible source and among politically sophisticated respondents. Our findings point to the importance of the availability of specific and credible information in facilitating political accountability.


More than 40 percent of the population in the world chooses agriculture as the primary occupation. The main objective of the project is to design a multitasking vehicle for agriculture which could run automatically. It is designed to minimize the labor of farmers in addition to increase the speed and accuracy of the work. The control and monitoring are based on internet of things, due to which the actual status of the field can be monitored and controlled from any part of world using internet. In our project we have two control systems i.e. field control and robot control. In field control the soil moisture, temperature and humidity is sensed using suitable sensors and the field is controlled by suitable actions as well as the information is updated to the farmer by an app. The theft of crops by humans and the attack of animals in the agricultural land cause heavy loss in cultivation. For intruder detection in the agricultural field we can use PIR sensor and do image processing technique to detect them. Usually, fires occur naturally in agricultural fields, ignited by heat from the sun or a lightning strike. So, we design a system in the field to extinguish such fire at very early stage. The robot control has a camera to provide a live vision of the field so while it performs its basic operations, we can monitor everything. The whole system can be switched to automated mode for complete control of the farm by the robot and manual mode for control by farmer. The robot sprays pesticides and weedicides to control attack of pest and weeds in the field. Also, the battery can be recharged by the solar panel kept above the vehicle. This ensures the using eco-friendly energy source and prevents frequent charging of the vehicle.


The focus of my thesis is to build upon the method of Shells and Spheres developed in our laboratory. The method as previously implemented extracts medial points based on the divergence of the direction function to the nearest boundary as it changes across medial ridges, and reports the angle between the directions from the medial point to two respective boundary points. The direction function is determined by analyzing the mean and variance of intensity within pairs of adjacent spherical (circular in 2D) regions in the image. My thesis research has involved improving the search method for determining the distance function and identifying medial points, and then clustering those medial points to extract features including scale, orientation and medial dimensionality. These are then analyzed to detect local geometric shapes. I have implemented the methods in N dimensions in the Insight Toolkit (ITK). In 3D, the method yields three fundamental dimensionalities of local shape: the sphere, the cylinder, and the slab, which, along with scale, are invariant to translation and rotation. Tests are performed on simple geometric objects including the hollow sphere (slab), torus (cylinder) and sphere. The results confirm the capability of the system to successfully identify the described medial shape features, and lay the foundation for ongoing research in identifying more complex anatomical objects in medical images.


The soil is a natural resource, the fertility preservation is an important part of the sustainable development. We have to monitor the transformation dinamics of the organic nitrogen-containing substances, to get accurate information about the changes of the nitrogen cycle in the soil.
Physical and chemical properties of the soil and the microorganism effect on the organic matter in the soil – in addition to the composition of organic matter. Wide variety of extracellular enzymes are present in this decomposition. These enzymes help in the transformation of the macromolecules to transforming low molecular weight compounds so they will be available during the assimilation.
The urease enzyme, catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea to CO2 and NH3. The urease is widely spread in the nature, it is present in the microorganisms, plants and animals.
We found that the soil moisture content, the rotation and the fertilization affect to the amount of urease in spring. Furthermore, we get significant difference between the irrigated and non irrigated samples in the second period of the year. Based on our results we can state that the activity of urease was higher in spring 2014.
The objective of our study was to present how the different agronomic factors affect on the activity of urease in a long term fertilizationexperiment.


This paper focuses on the problem of adaptive blind source separation (BSS).First, a recursive least-squares (RLS) whitening algorithm is proposed. By combining it with a natural gradient-based RLS algorithm for nonlinear principle component analysis(PCA), and using reasonable approximations, a novel RLS algorithm which can achieve BSS without additional pre-whitening of the observed mixtures is obtained. Analyses of the equilibrium points show that both of the RLS whitening algorithm and the natural gradient-based RLS algorithm for BSS have the desired convergence properties. It is also proved that the combined new RLS algorithm for BSS is equivariant and has the propertyof keeping the separating matrix from becoming singular. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified by extensive simulation results.


The 0.4mol•L-1CuSO4 liquor and 5mol•L-1NaOH liquor were prepared by CuSO4·5H2O and NaOH as raw materials. The Cu2O powders were prepared by dextrose reducer and PVP dispersant. The Cu2O oxidation reaction DTA-TG-DTG curves were obtained by SDT 2960 simultaneous DSC-TGA analysis apparatus. The mensuration condition were that rise temperature velocity 15°C·min-1 and deoxidize gas air. The Cu2O oxidation reaction kinetics was calculated by DTA-TG-DTG curves data. The results indicate that the cuprous oxide powders shape were spherical, their particle' sizes were 100,200,1000nm. Their apparent activation energy were 164.38, 175.54, 282.65 KJ·mol-1, the apparent activation energy increase with Cu2O particle' size. Their frequency factors were 1.22×1013, 1.40×1013, 2.88×1020, the frequency factors increase with particle' size Cu2O. Their reaction progressions were 1.02, 1.00, 0.96, the reaction progression increase with Cu2O particle' size decreased.


A Student's Guide to the Rules of Criminal Procedure, Second Edition is the perfect companion to any criminal procedure or federal criminal law coursebook. This text provides a straightforward overview of the criminal justice system, explains all the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure (including the 2005 Proposed amendments), and tracks recent cases from all jurisdictions. The text discusses recent changes in the law, including changes in death penalty law, criminal investigations under the Patriot Act, effective assistance of counsel, special discovery issues, and sentencing issues.


Introduction. Hematuria is a clue to the diagnosis of renal and extra renal diseases. In this survey we evaluated the prevalance of hematuria in asymptomatic adults.
Methods. Non - probability convenience sampling method was applied to choose 1000 subjects among the medical staff and patients" relatives in Noor and AI-Zahra Hospitals affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (IUMS). On the basis of inclusion criteria, urine samples of subjects were tested with dipstick and some were crossed out based on exclusion criteria. Remaining samples were centrifuged and urine sediments were examined with light microscope. Hematuric samples were divided in to glomerular and non-glomerular groups. Data analysis was performed with SPSS software package and results were statistically compared with X2 method.
Results. The relative prevalance of hematuria in this study was 2.6 percent. Glomerular and non-glomerular hematuria accounted for 1 percent and 1.6 percent of cases, respectively. The origin of hematuria in younger age groups was glomerular in most cases (66.6 percent) and non-glomerular in older age groups (90 percent). There was significant difference between the prevalance of non-glomerular disease (1 percent) and those with non-glomerular origin (P < 0.001). In subjects with non glomerular hematuria who underwent urological workup, 62.5 percent were diagnosed with a specific disease. Given their normal hematologic and serological test resultes, kidney biopsy was not indicated for subjects with glomerular hematuria. All of these subjects had isolated hematuria. The pre valance of hematuria evaluated with dipstick was significantly different from the results obtained from microscopic examination of urine specimens (P < 0.001).
Discussion. Most cases of hematuria were non-glomerular origin in patients older than 50 years and glomerular in younger age groups. The diagnosed diseases did not affect, the subjects prognosis and this way of patient screening do not seem to be cost-effectiveness. More extensive evaluation are essential in high risk groups and individuals older than 50 years.


Abstract The Bewani-Torricelli-Prince Alexander Mountains, along the northern margin of Papua New Guinea, probably formed as a tholeiitic island arc in the Late Eocene-Early Oligocene. The arc is interpreted to have accreted to the margin by the Late Oligocene, but may have formed on a ribbon of extended continental crust along the New Guinea margin. Inferred roll-back of the subducting slab beneath New Guinea in the Early Miocene placed the margin into extension, creating starved graben in northern New Guinea and causing regional subsidence. Near the graben, metamorphic core complexes resulted as the upper crust was pulled off the lower crust along low angle detachments such that lower crustal rocks cooled rapidly from temperatures >500°C. The two inferred core complexes that have been dated show rapid cooling from 27-23 Ma and 20-18 Ma. Continued subduction beneath New Guinea resulted in formation of the Maramuni arc in the Middle Miocene and the end of extension. In the Late Miocene, collision of the Melanesian arc caused regional uplift of all basement of northern Papua New Guinea, mainly from 8-5 Ma, causing at least 3–4 km of denudation. The compressional deformation propagated south causing uplift, denudation and cooling in the Papuan Fold Belt at c. 4 Ma, but is continuing at the present.


The paper discusses the near wall region of soft abrasive particle flow in weak force finish machining method. Turbulent flow morphology in near wall region of rectangular channel with different viscosity is numerically simulated and compared. Through the analysis of kinetic equation of abrasive particle, the abrasive particle motion trace of different diameter in turbulent flow with different viscosity is simulated and compared. The result reveals the condition under which the fluids with different viscosity can form Turbulent flow is different. The greater the viscosity is, the greater the velocity needed is. Also the quantitative relation of velocity and flow volume is available to determine the pump parameter in abrasive particle flow machining. Fluid at wall has pressure and shear stress on work piece. The greater the viscosity and velocity is, the greater the wall pressure and shear stress is. So it is helpful to make material removal on work piece surface. But the greater the viscosity is, the greater the velocity attenuation of abrasive particle is. Abrasive particle mainly move along the flow direction with the movement of fluid. The velocity attenuation of larger diameter abrasive particle is much than the smaller particle but the latter can maintain greater velocity in a longer distance favorable for collision with the work piece surface salient.


The aim of this study is to analyze the persistence of the impact of market timing on
capital structure of non-financial firms listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange. Market
timing is measured from the perspective of IPO event, and divides the market into
two sections, hot market and cold market. Firms that go public in hot market are
identified as the market timers. From 93 sample data, the result shows that hot
market-firms substantially issue more equity than cold market-firms do. Therefore,
market timing has no impact on capital structure of non-financial firm in Indonesia,
both in short-term and long-term. After going public, the impact of market timing
vanished, which is indicated by the rise of the leverage level of hot market-firms in
Indonesia.
Keywords: Market timing, IPO, hot market and cold market, capital structure


Influences of Ca addition on microstructures and mechanical properties at room and elevated temperatures have been investigated for Mg-1.5%Nd-1.0%RE-0.5%Zn-(0~1.0)%Ca casting alloys, on basis of experimental results from X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), tensile and creep tests. Microstructures of the alloys are characterized by dendritic α-(Mg) grains surrounded by Mg12Nd-Zn-(Ca) eutectic network phase. The average size of α grains decreases gradually with an increase in Ca content. At room temperature, yield strength (YS) is enhanced with increasing Ca content with a decrease in ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and elongation to fracture, whereas the Ca addition leads to greater YS and UTS at 175oC. The tensile creep strain and secondary creep rate, measured at 150 and 200oC under 100MPa for 100hrs, become lower with the increase in Ca content. The obtained tensile properties at elevated temperature demonstrate that the addition of Ca plays a role in improving high temperature mechanical properties including creep resistance for the Mg-Nd-RE-Zn-(Ca) alloys. In view of microstructural evolution, this would be attributed to the refined primary α grains and higher thermal stability of the Mg12Nd-Zn-Ca eutectic strengthening phase.


The heat-resistant steel after aluminized was treated by laser shock processing (LSP) with high power Nd:YAG laser, and then was tensile tested at 400°C. The effects of the high-temperature behavior after LSP were analyzed from residual stress and fracture organization. The results showed that the yield strength and tensile strength of heat-resistant steel after aluminized were improved obviously during the tensile testing at high temperature, and the High-temperature fatigue life of 00Cr12 with composite processing was enhanced vastly. Compared with the LSP, the High-temperature fatigue life of 00Cr12 heat-resistant steel by aluminizing and LSP had a larger increase.


In India due to heavy traffic on roads and highways Vehicle accidents are one of the main primary causes of death. The instance between a mishap incidence happens and the emergency medical persons are dispatched to the incident spot is the crucial aspect in the endurance rates after a mishap. By eliminating that time between an accident incident and the earliest responders are dispatched to the scene decreases death rates so that we can accumulate lives. Single approach to wash out that delay between accident occurrence and first responder dispatch is to use an accident Alert and Vehicle tracking system, which intellect when a traffic accident is likely to occur and instantly notify emergency occurred. In this paper, system describes the main application of early accident detection. In this method, primarily the GPS takes input data from the satellite and stores the co-ordinate values in microcontrollers' buffer. If we have to track the vehicle, we need to notify the GSM device, by which it gets activated. It also gets activated by sensing accident on the shock sensor allied to Raspberry Pi. Simultaneously deactivates GPS with the help of transition .Once GSM gets activated it takes the last tracked coordinate positions values from the buffer and sends a notification via message to a central emergency mail server which is predefined in the program. This system uses the following things i.e. Raspberry Pi, shaking sensors, GPS and GSM modules to identify traffic accidents. This paper also gives review on the accident sensing techniques and some outlooks in the same field. Now-a-days lots of accidents occur on roads and highways due to enhance in traffic and also due to rash driving of the vehicle drivers. And in many conditions the family members or the ambulance and police and traffic control authority is not clued-up in time. This effect in delaying the help reached to the person suffered due to accident. Road accidents comprise the major part of the accident .The theme of the project is to find the vehicle where it is and locate the vehicle by means of sending a notification using a thing placed inside of vehicle system Many of the times we may not be able to find accident location because we don't know where accident will take place. Our research Accident Notification Alert and Vehicle Tracking System using GPS and GSM is planned to pass up such situations. The accident happens very quick moment the notification goes to the nearby hospital.


Catatonic syndromes in patients under 18 appear sporadically in literature. It is probable that its frequency in the clinic is greater than is recognised. On the basis of study and treatment of an adolescent in the acute Unit in our service, an exhaustive revision of literature was realized. The most relevant conclusions that we can gather are the following: 1) the catatonic syndromes in adolescence obey a multitude of psychiatric and organic causes which make a minicule study which rules out somatic associated pathology obligatory; 2) among the psychiatric forms of catatonic syndrome in adolescence unusual pictures of unspecific psychosis may predominate although schizophrenia or affective pathologies are not infrequent together with unspecific psychoses; somatic ethiology (medical diseases or induced substances) is the most frequent; 3) benzodiazepines and ECT appear to be efficient and safe treatment for catatony in adolescents although, they require more investigation; 4) it is especially important to distinguish catatonic syndromes provoked by neuroleptics from those forms of malignant catatony associated with psychotic clinical pictures; 5) the studies realized among these populations are very scarce. It is necessary to look deeper into the psychotic psychopathology of infancy and adolescence and specifically in the infant-juvenile catatonic syndromes. The lack of clinical studies implied difficulties in recognising and adequate treatment of juvenile catatonic syndromes.


Peat is a common substrate used for the cultivation of potted plants. However, the use of peat in horticulture has recently been questioned from an environmental standpoint, since it is a non-renewable resource and plays a major role in atmospheric CO2 sequestration. The aim of this work was to assess the potentialities of substrates obtained from vermicompost, compost and anaerobic digestion processes to partially substitute peat for sage (Salvia officinalis L.) cultivation. Therefore, we planned an experiment to assess the effect of these substrates on essential oil (EO) yield and composition, as well as on leaf nutrients concentration of sage plants. The three substrates were mixed with commercial peat (Radicom) at a ratio of 40% of alternative substrates and 40% of commercial peat. The chemical properties of the alternative substrates did not affect the leaf content of macro and micronutrients, as well as of heavy metals. Moreover, the EO yield and quality was not affected by the substrates and did not differ among them. Results provided evidence that the three alternative substrates can be used to partially substitute peat in soilless cultivation of sage plants. However, due to the higher values of the electrical conductivity of the substrates obtained from composting and anaerobic digestion processes, such substrates must be used with caution.


INTRODUCTION
Multiple sclerosis (MS) was first described by Charcot in 1868 and the first case in Cuba was reported in 1965. Prevalence rate is now considered to be about 10 cases/100,000 inhabitants. Cuba is an island that can be divided into three different geographical regions and a comparison of these areas is interesting because it is known that geographical features exert an influence on MS. Demographic differences are also present.

AIMS
The purpose of this study was to evaluate a sample of cases from the Western part of the country as regards their results on two important scales and the results of evoked potentials (EP), and to compare them with two samples of patients from the other two regions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
The first sample was made up of 50 patients living in the western region; their diagnosis was confirmed, the scales were applied and the EP test was performed because of its high degree of sensitivity, objectivity and reproducibility. Results were then compared with the other two studies that had already been reported.

RESULTS
Most cases had a score of between 0.5 and 5.5 points on the EDSS and only 6% scored above 7.0 points. Patients with PP type MS obtained higher scores. More than half the cases had more than 80 points on the Scripps scale and the second largest group had between 61 and 80 points; the two progressive forms behaved in a similar manner. The most sensitive EP are visual, followed by somatosensory and, lastly, by brain stem auditory EP (BAEP). The vast majority of the results compared with the series from the central region and from Santiago de Cuba were similar, yet some significant differences were found: progression time is longer in the West, EDSS scores were higher in the primary progressive form in the East and the BAEP were less sensitive in the West.

CONCLUSIONS
Our findings correspond to those available from other countries around the world and it can be seen that some of the parameters differ between the three regions.


This paper proposes the use of metrics in design space exploration that highlight where in the structure of the model and at what point in the behaviour, prevention is needed against transient faults. Previous approaches to tackle transient faults focused on recovery after detection. Almost no research has been directed towards preventive measures. But in real-time systems, hard deadlines are performance requirements that absolutely must be met and a missed deadline constitutes an erroneous action and a possible system failure. This paper proposes the use of metrics to assess the system design to flag where transient faults may have significant impact. These tools then allow the design to be changed to minimize that impact, and they also flag where particular design techniques – such as coding of communications or memories – need to be applied in later stages of design. Keywords—Criticality, Metrics, Real-Time Systems, and Transient Faults.


ABSTRACT Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania is most famous for producing some of the first discoveries of fossil hominins in East Africa. Zinjanthropus (= Paranthropus) boisei was initially discovered in 1959 from Olduvai Bed I. During screen-washing operations to search for more hominin material at Olduvai, an associated faunal assemblage was accumulated including 40 numbered specimens of fossil bats. Except for seven dental specimens, this collection consists entirely of postcrania, almost exclusively complete or fragmentary humeri representing both proximal and distal ends. Although briefly discussed in preliminary reports, these specimens have remained undescribed for over 50 years and have never been comprehensively compared to extant species. Our analyses indicate that the Olduvai bat fossils represent five families and nine genera, and include four new species: Myzopoda africana, n. sp., Cardioderma leakeyi, n. sp., Scotoecus olduvensis, n. sp., and Nycticeinops serengetiensis, n. sp. The Olduvai bat fossils come from the FLK North 1 and FLK NN1 levels, both of early Pleistocene age, and ranging between 1.80 and 1.85 Ma based on 40Ar/39Ar dating techniques, respectively. Compared to the meager Pleistocene bat record from elsewhere on mainland Africa, the Olduvai bat assemblage, although richer, is similar in the predominance of vespertilionids. The East African Olduvai bat fauna differs from Pleistocene faunas from South Africa in including both Myzopoda and Cardioderma but lacking both hipposiderids and rhinolophids. These taxonomic differences are likely the result of differential sampling due to variation in roosting site preferences (cave-dwelling vs. non-cave-dwelling taxa) and foraging habitats (open vs. forested) in East and South Africa.


In the United States, there are a large number of people suffering from memory and attention deficit problems. For example, patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dementia have difficulties in performing activities of daily living and have a low quality of life. Currently, there exist no effective treatment for these memory and attention issues in specific cognitive impairments. In this paper, we developed a gamified platform of brain-computer interface (BCI) for cognitive training, which can engage users in the training and provide users qualitative and quantitative feedback for their training of spatial working memory. The user is able to control the movement of a drone using motor imager, which is imagined movement of body part. Sensorimotor rhythms of the user are calculated using the user's EEG to drive the movement of the drone. Twenty normal healthy subjects were recruited to test the user experience. Our system showed the capability of engaging users, good robustness, user acceptability and usability. Therefore, we think our platform might be an alternative to provide more accessible, engaging, and effective cognitive training for people with memory and attention problems. In future, we will test the usability and effectiveness of the system for cognitive training in patients with ADHD and dementia.


The screening blood test is a stage that is carried out by each PMI to ensure the safety before blood transfusion. It is usually done on antibodies (Ab) such as anti-HCV, anti-HIV, TPHA or antigen (Ag) such as HBsAg. HBsAg is the outer coat protein of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and a sign that the individual has been infected with the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B virus can cause acute problems and even cirrhosis of the liver. One of the screening blood test methods which is used to detect hepatitis B is ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay) method. This research was conducted at UTD PMI Sampang by using the data collection in February 2020, and aimed to find out the overview of HBsAg examination results on the screening blood test using ELISA method based on age and sex. Based on the screening blood test, 9 people (3%) were reactive HBsAg and 345 people (97%) were non-reactive. In the age category, the highest number of reactive HBsAg donors was in the age group of 18-24 years old, that was 4 donors (1.1%), while the highest number of non-reactive HBsAg donors was in the age group of 25-44 years old, that was 184 people ( 51.9%). In the gender category, donors with the most reactive HBsAg results were male, that was 8 people (2.3%) and donors with the highest non-reactive HBsAg results was male, that was 283 people (79.9%). In order to minimize hepatitis B, it is expected that society should avoid activities which can cause hepatitis B infection. Keywords        : HBsAg, Blood Transfusion, Screening Blood Test


Epoxidized methyl or ethyl oleate were used as models of FAtty Methyl Esters to explore their functionalization via ring opening of the internal epoxide by alkyl glycosides. Overcoming solubility issues, medium to long-chain alkyl glucosides gave better results than methyl glucoside. Er(OTf)3 turned out to catalyze at room temperature the selective formation of hydroxyalkylethers with good yields versus transesterification, despite the concomitant formation of fatty ketones. A brief scope of the reaction, using several available alkyl glycosides, suggests that the strategy can easily lead to new highly functionnalized amphiphilic compounds, potential precursors for biobased materials.

Practical applications

Interested in the formation of original high-value intermediates from renewable materials, we tackled the reaction of unprotected carbohydrates and unsaturated vegetal oils featuring an internal epoxide. After ring-opening, the obtained highly functionalized polyols are potential precursors to produce new biobased polymers, lubricants or surface-active compounds for high-value cosmetic or biopharmaceutical formulations.


This thesis studies the provision of school buildings in
Saudi Arabia with particular reference to the city of Jeddah. It
attempts to provide general design guidance and criteria, which
incorporate suitable educational, environmental, social,
religious and economic factors in the country.
Early investigation of population statistics and the result
of the survey held in the city of Jeddah indicated that:
intermediate schools should be given priority in this study. The
second point was that most of the existing schools which are
provided by the authorities are educationally, environmentally
and economically inadequate.
The study emphasizes and interlinks three major subject
areas: education, environment and architectural design.
Reference is made to the development of education and consequent
Implications for school buildings in developed countries. An
attempt is made to define environmental requirements for hot arid
regions such as Saudi Arabia. Traditional Islamic architecture
and school building (Madares) is examined. The outcome of this
study indicated that: two major issues should be considered in
the formation of the final brief. First, the relationship of the
existing educational situation and its future. The western
educational model is the origin, yet Islamic education can not be
disregarded and any development in the existing system will
Initially be religiously oriented. The architectural response
should on the one hand be localized and related to the
traditional Islamic values. On the other hand, it should be
modern and up to date with future needs borne in mind. The
second major decision is that, for many reasons, internal
environment should be of a high standard. This should be
generated by a natural process of ventilation and lighting.
For educational demands layouts have been suggested and
developed to meet existing and future needs with a minimum of
physical alterations. These layouts respond to environment by
blending traditional elements in such a way as to provide crossventilation by the controlled movement of cool air. This is
assisted by an original use of the stack-effect in building in a
way which reflects traditional architecture, yet provides modern
standards of light and thermal control.


Abstract Objective Chinese migrants have a low utilisation of mental health services but a high proportion of involuntary admissions to mental health services in Australia. This study aims to screen for psychological distress among Australian Chinese migrants and to understand the potential correlates that contribute to elevated psychological distress in this population. Method Chinese migrants were recruited through several social websites to complete an online health survey. A total of 414 participants (female 55%; male 45%) aged 14–63 years completed a Kessler 6‐item scale and a questionnaire that collected information on demographics as well as health‐related behaviours and perceptions. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the associations between demographic, health‐related factors and moderate to high level of psychological distress. Results The findings indicated that Chinese migrants, who are young, single, currently studying, and have stayed in Australia less than 5 years, tended to report significantly higher levels of psychological distress. This study also revealed that the participants' level of satisfaction of primary health services is associated with psychological distress (odds ratio: 0.34; 95% confidence interval: 0.17–0.66). Conclusions This exploratory study adds important information about the prevalence and correlates of psychological distress among Australian Chinese migrants. Intervention programmes tailored to improve migrants' level of satisfaction of the Australian primary health‐care services may contribute to the mental health well‐being of Chinese migrants in Australia.


Dynamic interactions between cancer cells and their surrounding microenvironment influence tumor survival, growth and metastasis. The tumor microenvironment harbors a complex variety of cells including lymphocytes and macrophages that produce a host of cytokines, chemokines, growth factors or interleukins, all of which presumably work in coordination to determine net tumor biology. Immune cells can offer a critical check-point in tumor progression. Interestingly however, infiltration of the tumor by immune cells appears to have dual functionality - they can reportedly either be pro-metastatic or anti-metastatic in their contribution. These clearly conflicting roles of immune cells limit our comprehension of their actual input to tumor advancement. The presence of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes has emerged as a good prognostic marker for a variety of cancers. However, the key molecular factors that regulate the cross-talk between tumor cells and lymphocytes, and the underlying signaling pathways are still ill-defined. Moreover, the impact of lymphocytes of the inflammatory tumor microenvironment, on the epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity and associated metastatic traits in breast cancer cells, is incompletely understood. We previously demonstrated that two key EMT/CSC factors - FOXC2 and Twist - are critical requirements for breast carcinoma cells to metastasize. The objective of this study is to systematically investigate the role of immune cells in EMT/CSC-dictated breast tumor progression using two isogenic breast cancer cell lines (67NR and 4T1) that form primary mammary tumors similarly, but differ drastically in their ability to metastasize. Citation Format: Robiya Joseph, Rama Soundararajan, Anurag Paranjape, Sendurai Mani. Immune regulation of EMT and metastatic competence in breast tumor progression. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Inaugural International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; September 16-19, 2015; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(1 Suppl):Abstract nr A130.


Feature extraction techniques can be important in character recognition, because they can enhance the efficacy of recognition in comparison to featureless or pixel-based approaches. This study aims to investigate the novel feature extraction technique called the hotspot technique in order to use it for representing handwritten characters and digits. In the hotspot technique, the distance values between the closest black pixels and the hotspots in each direction are used as representation for a character. The hotspot technique is applied to three data sets including Thai handwritten characters (65 classes), Bangla numeric (10 classes), and MNIST (10 classes). The hotspot technique consists of two parameters including the number of hotspots and the number of chain code directions. The data sets are then classified by the k-Nearest Neighbors algorithm using the Euclidean distance as function for computing distances between data points. In this study, the classification rates obtained from the hotspot, mark direction, and direction of chain code techniques are compared. The results revealed that the hotspot technique provides the largest average classification rates.


In communication studies, ideology seems only legitimate in the critical perspective and discussed in a contested manner. However, ideology as an important and unavoidable dimension of cultural identity has profound influences on communication at all levels and in all contexts. The present study is an attempt to theorize about the ideological issues of intercultural communication in Ideology Complexity Model (ICM) based on the current research of cultural identity implied by a metaphorical model---Caltrop Matrix of Identity (CMI). Based on the brief application of a case of ideological conflict in a real-life intercultural setting, I discussed about the theoretical and practical implications of ideological considerations in intercultural communication scholarship.


The idea of the direct computer mapping (DCM) of process models, and the recently developed generic, bilayered net (GBN) model have been introduced. The method gives a common framework for the simulation of the hybrid (discrete & continuous, quantitative & qualitative) conservation and information processes. The GBN/DCM framework makes possible a new interpretation of the information processes, as well as the development of model based parallel SW/HW architectures. The application of the simulation method for intelligent signal processing is illustrated by the example of the model based diagnostics and control of a simulated moving bed unit. This method is based on the use of the simplest process model of the weakly isomorphic network structure, which learns from the detailed simulation trials, continuously.


Date Presented 04/06/19
 This mixed-methods study explored pediatric OTs' experience of participating in a short-term learning community on evidence-based practices for children and youth with autism, integrated with an online competence assessment platform. The findings demonstrate the potential for socially mediated learning experiences, linked to competence assessment, to support professional development and practitioner-initiated use of evidence-based practices.
 Primary Author and Speaker: Christine Myers
 Additional Authors and Speakers: Ashley Parigian, Sandra Brown


Objective: For many years, disproportion of ventricles and great arteries has been the main ultrasonographic finding to suspect and diagnose coarctation of the aorta prenatally. This is associated with low positive predictive value. We report the use of three-dimensional ultrasound (3D-US) in 2 fetuses with suspected coarctation and highlight the role of 3D-US in these cases. Materials and methods: We used the combination of twodimensional (2D-US) and 3D-US to assess the aortic isthmus in 2 fetuses with suspected coarctation of the aorta (CoA) at 23 and 32 weeks of gestation. Bidirectional high definition flow (HDF) was used to examine the aortic isthmus area directly during standard 2D imaging and 3D volume acquisition. Results: Using 2D-US, the aortic isthmus was seen well on transverse views in both cases but not on longitudinal views. 3D-US allowed good visualisation of the isthmal area in all views. Both fetuses showed a discrete isthmal narrowing prenatally (coarctation ''shelf?). Both newborn babies had coarctation requiring surgical treatment. Conclusion: 3D-US improves visualisation of the isthmus part of the aorta and the presence of the shelf when it exists. We suggest that this technique is of additional value in fetuses suspected to have coarctation of the aorta. This may improve the accuracy of prenatal diagnosis of coarctation.


On Parkway Square in north Tehran is a large banner sponsored by a political party not supporting Ahmadinejad. It reads, 'If the majority does not vote, the minority will govern.' This sentence is part of the Islamic Republic's campaign to obtain high voter turnout. It also has a subtle meaning aimed at the youth and urban populations which constitute an electoral majority and thus underscores a dynamic of the 2009 presidential elections, considered by many to be the most important election since 1989. A large voter turnout amongst these groups will bring defeat to the current president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and ensure victory of one of the reformist-leaning candidates, Mehdi Karrubi or Mir Hossein Mussavi.


The study was a cross-sectional survey designed to determine whether the experience of stressful life events and gender would predict somatic complaints. It was thus hypothesised that somatisation would be predicted by stressful life events; and that the effect of stressful life events on somatisation would vary across gender. A total of 1 02 (men = 58, women = 44) non-academic staff of a Nigerian university, drawn on the basis of availability and accessibility participated in the study. They completed and returned the Stressful Life Events Inventory (Holmes & Rahe, 1967) and Enugu Somatisation Scale (Ebigbo, 1986) individually administered on them. The results of a multiple regression analysis of the data showed that stressful life events accounted for over 22 of the variance in somatisation (adjusted R2 = .22; F = 2.55, p < .001). Gender and interaction effect of stressful life events and gender was negligible, thus confirming the first but not the second hypothesis. Implications of the findings were discussed.


The mechanism of cardiac muscle damage in virus-induced myocarditis remains to be fully understood. In particular, a direct role for viral replication has been obscured by evidence of immune-mediated injury. The combined use of severe combined immunodeficient (scid) and doubly mutant scid/beige mice of different genetic backgrounds has provided a unique opportunity to study the consequences of viral proliferation apart from the influence of immunologic responses. In these immunodeficient animals, inoculation with coxsackievirus B3 caused severe myocardial injury, indicating a profound and direct pathogenic potential of viral infection. These studies, in turn, serve to illustrate the value of the scid mutation in experimental biology, as defined among different genetic backgrounds and combined with other mutations.


Objectives: To evaluate the independent and combined contribution to short-term predictive value for mortality in severe IUGR of clinically used and recently described cardiovascular Doppler parameters. Methods: Umbilical artery, middle cerebral artery, ductus venosus (DV), aortic isthmus flow index and modified-myocardial performance index (Mod-MPI) were measured in a cohort of 97 preterm IUGR fetuses. Logistic regression was performed to select those variables that were independently associated to perinatal mortality, and an algorithm to estimate probabilities of death was constructed including the best combination of parameters. Results: A combination of gestational age (below or above 28 weeks), DV atrial flow (positive or absent-reverse) and ModMPI (normal or above 95th percentile) had the highest predictive value for perinatal mortality in IUGR cases. An algorithm including these 3 parameters had a better predictive accuracy than any single parameter. The risk for death below and above 28 weeks respectively was: normal DV and Mod-MPI, 18% and 0.1%; either abnormal, 70–73% and 6–7%; both abnormal, 97% and 45%. Conclusions: The use of composite cardiovascular Doppler scores may help to refine considerably the short-term prediction of perinatal mortality at different gestational ages in severe IUGR fetuses.


In biological experimentation and especially in drug discovery there is a trend towards more complex test systems. Cell‐based assays are replacing conventional binding or enzyme assays more and more. This development is strongly driven by novel fluorescent probes that give insight into cellular processes. Target proteins are studied in their natural environment; this gives much more realistic test results, especially with respect to enzyme location and kinetics. However, in the complex environment of cells, many parameters contribute to the performance of the protein of interest. Therefore, it would be desirable to monitor simultaneously as many of the relevant cellular processes as possible. Here, we discuss the possibilities and limitations provided by multiparameter monitoring of cellular events with fluorescent probes. Some novel examples of the use of fluorescent probes and multiparameter imaging are shown.


A straightforward synthetic route to chiral metal–organic frameworks is proposed that relies on an acid–base interaction between an acid linker and a chiral primary amino acid derived diamine organocatalyst. High ee values for the aldol condensation of linear ketones and aromatic aldehydes are reported with this heterogeneous catalyst. Three consecutive catalyst reuse experiments demonstrated that the majority of the activity was preserved, as was the enantioselectivity.


In this study the mechanisms influencing recycling rates around the system maximum are deliberated. On the one hand, Policies, System design and how Citizens understand the two aforementioned are pitted against each other. This is done in a setting where individual rewards from action are in turn set against the values of the community and the compliance measures/social marketing of recycling companies and policy makers. This is the dynamic setting of this dissertation. In the past much research into recycling has been focused on how to get recycling started. Sweden is in a bit of a different position with recycling levels often being very high in an international comparison. This means other challenges face citizens and policy makers alike. The determinants influencing recycling rates are studied and compared to contemporary research. Policy makers and social marketers that wish to see a system used to its fullest need to understand the determinants that remain to be influenced near the system optimum. The studied recycling system points to a trichotomy of determinants influencing recycling rates. Social or public marketing being one part; the community's understanding of recycling being a second part, and individual knowledge and understanding forming the third. Successive elimination of potential determinants in a Zwicky box, using statistical analysis, indicates that strengthening individual autonomy and ability to participate efficiently remains as the key to further and sustainable development in the field. The study suggests compliance rates can still be improved upon, even when recycling rates are in excess of 80%, although methods might have to change. Instead of an oft used emphasis on coercive compliance and "scare tactics", a careful study and propagation of the recycling techniques developed by the many efficient citizens is pivotal. In addition, further improvements in terms of recycling facilitation may offer policy makers a sustainable path to near system optimal recycling rates.


Synopsis:
Young children are cute and delightful or are having temper tantrums. Primary school children are eager and enthusiastic; gaining mastery of their world; defiant and difficult at times, but still mainly wanting to please, responding to suggestions and requirements. Then comes adolescence and the rules of engagement change. Young adolescents aged ten to fourteen years are still legally children: parents or carers are responsible for them and their behaviour. However, these young people begin to see themselves as separate independent individuals. Friendships become more intense and the peer group becomes increasingly significant. External issues can be vital: clothes, hair style, make up, activities, behaviour in school or outside all come to signify to which group the young person belongs. Home and the family become less and less important...

Description:
'Early adolescence is a time of change, challenge and fun. Young people are rather like preschool children and want independence, but at the same time need support and firm parenting. Management of these conflicting needs is a developmental process for the young person and their parents.

This book starts with developmental issues and describes how the young person must move forward, not only physically but emotionally, in social skills and relationships, and also intellectually and with a moral sense.

Problems that can occur are considered: psychosocial problems when the young people struggle in their environment and with relationships, and then mental health problems. These latter can be frightening for the young person and it is important to recognise 'adolescent turmoil' where the mood and state of mind is distressing but fluctuates over time and is not fixed, and also the more long term difficulties which probably need outside help.

The importance of parents is emphasised, for parents to manage the difficulties and hostility and yet to continue to be there when the young person needs help or is in trouble. Young people tend to open up and want to talk just at times when parents are weary and ready for bed. This is acknowledged but parents are encouraged to do their best to be available.

Writing this book after many years of work with families when they had broken down was an interesting and different experience. Hopefully, despite the perspective being from the very troubled end, the book will provide useful thoughts about how to recognise, and when possible prevent, problems, and to alert parents to what they can manage themselves, and when other help needs to be sought.'
- Judith Trowell

'Once upon a time parents celebrated the arrival of puberty with pride, and in many cultures family and community joined together to celebrate this passage from childhood to adulthood and independence. It is sad that today we live in times when this transition is viewed with anxiety and fear. Of course, as ever before, the ex-child comes to this point in his/her life with a mixture of excitement and ambivalent anticipation, but now their parents often experience a sense of isolation and dread, not knowing how to ensure that the next ten to twelve years run smoothly for their child and for themselves. Judith Trowell has had a rich professional life working in a variety of settings and contexts with adolescents and their parents. In this book, she describes and discusses in a lucid and sensitive manner the physical and emotional changes that younger adolescents, aged between 10 and 14 years, go through and how these affect and are influenced by their parents.'
- Dr A.H. Brafman, from the Series Editor's Foreword


Aims: to determine the perceptions of management of change in investment in ICT and internet access in selected residential and community aged care services in regional Queensland. Methodology: a convenience sample using structured telephone interviews of senior executives or managers of service Providers. Findings: participating aged care providers were found to have made significant recent investment in ICT. There was also better availability of access to the internet for staff. Summary: aged care has not generally seen to be a sector that has taken advantage of ICT; that appears to be changing and there is now significant investment in ICT and better access to the internet.


Abstract. Significance: Skin malformations in dermatology are mostly evaluated subjectively, based on a doctor's experience and visual perception; an option for objective quantitative skin assessment is camera-based spectrally selective diagnostics. Multispectral imaging is a technique capable to provide information about concentrations of the absorbing chromophores and their distribution over the malformation in a noncontact way. Conversion of spectral images into distribution maps of chromophores can be performed by means of the modified Beer–Lambert law. However, such distribution maps represent only single specific cases, therefore, some extensive method for data comparison is needed. Aim: This study aims to develop a more informative approach for identification and characterization of skin malformations using three-dimensional (3D) representation of triple spectral line imaging data. Approach: The 3D-representation method is experimentally tested on eight different skin pathology types, including both benign and malignant pathologies; an imaging device ensuring uniform three laser line (448, 532, and 659 nm) illumination is used. Three spectral line images are extracted from a single snapshot RGB image data, with subsequent calculation of attenuation coefficients for each working wavelength at every image pixel and represented as 3D graphs. Skin chromophore content variations in malformations are represented in a similar way. Results: Clinical measurement results for 99 skin pathologies, including basal cell carcinomas, melanoma, dermal nevi, combined nevi, junctional nevi, blue nevi, seborrheic keratosis, and hemangiomas. They are presented as 3D spectral attenuation maps exhibiting specific individual features for each group of pathologies. Along with intensity attenuation maps, 3D maps for content variations of three main skin chromophores (melanin, oxyhemoglobin, and deoxyhemoglobin), calculated in frame of a model based on modified Beer–Lambert law, are also presented. Advantages and disadvantages of the proposed data representation method are discussed. Conclusions: The described 3D-representation method of triple spectral line imaging data shows promising potential for objective quantitative noncontact diagnosis of skin pathologies.


This paper examines the willingness of consumers to pay a premium for organic food product with a contingent valuation data from urban Kumasi of Ghana. Consumer's willingness to pay a premium is estimated with a bivariate Tobit model. The empirical findings indicate that apart from socioeconomic characteristics and consumer perceptions, product attributes tend to influence consumer preferences for organic water melon and lettuce. The estimated mean WTP premium for 1 kilogram of water melon is GH¢0.5554 (US$ 0.4575) and that of organic lettuce is GH¢1.2579 (US$1.0361).


Background: We compared the natural multicomponent, multitarget therapy SUC (Solidago compositum ad us. vet., Ubichinon compositum and Coenzyme compositum, Heel GmbH, Baden-Baden, Germany) to the well-known angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor benazepril in a prospective, observational, nonrandomized, two-arm cohort study of cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The objective was to assess the tolerability and the effectiveness of SUC in cats with CKD. Material and Methods: One hundred thirty-six cats were screened for CKD, and 70 cats were eligible for the study. Thirty-three cats were assigned to the SUC treatment, and 35 cats received benazepril. All cats were diagnosed with CKD. The follow-up period was 168 days. Response was assessed as an improved or stable serum creatinine from baseline to the end of the study. Additionally, a clinical summary score, as measure of quality of life, was evaluated. Results: Serum creatinine remained close to baseline in both study groups with slightly improved values in the SUC group. The clinical summary score improved significantly in the SUC group on days 3, 7, 28, 56 and 112, but not on day 168. Conclusions: Within the limitations of the study, the results carry implications for the usefulness of SUC as an interesting new treatment option for feline CKD. The results indicate that SUC might be more effective if given at least twice weekly.


To analyze anaerobic infection 158 specimens were obtained from deep necrotic tissues and exudates under burned subeschar, secretion of eyes and blood. The results showed that more anaerobes were isolated from deep necrotic tissues (46.88%) and smelly exudates of subeschar (38.71%). Most of them were mixed with aerobes (97.1%). In 43 strains of anaerobes, Clostridium accounted for 18 strains (41.86%), and Bacteroides for 17 strains (39.53%). Fusiform nucleatum. Peptococcus, and Veillonell paryula were also differentiated. The recent total detectable rate of anaerobes (38.71%) from burn wounds was higher significantly than that of 1980-1983 (14.7%). It may be due to the exact selection of specimens and modification of cultural medium and equipment.


This is the first book-length study of Forster's posthumously published novel. Nine essays focus exclusively on Maurice and its dynamic afterlives in literature, film and new media during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Begun in 1913 and revised over almost 50 years, Maurice became a defining text in Forster's work and a canonical example of queer fiction. Yet the critical tendency to read Maurice primarily as a 'revelation' of Forster's homosexuality has obscured important biographical, political and aesthetic contexts for this novel. This collection places Maurice among early twentieth-century debates about politics, philosophy, religion, gender, Aestheticism and allegory. Essays explore how the novel interacts with literary predecessors and contemporaries including John Bunyan, Oscar Wilde, Havelock Ellis and Edward Carpenter, and how it was shaped by personal relationships such as Forster's friendship with Florence Barger. They close-read the textual variants of Forster's manuscripts and examine the novel's genesis and revisions. They consider the volatility of its reception, analysing how it galvanizes subsequent generations of writers and artists including Christopher Isherwood, Alan Hollinghurst, Damon Galgut, James Ivory, and twenty-first-century online fanfiction writers. What emerges from the volume is the complexity of the novel, as a text and as a cultural phenomenon.


Purpose of review To provide an overview of selected randomized studies reported over the last 2 years evaluating antiplatelet therapies in patients with either acute or stable manifestations of atherosclerosis. Recent findings From large outcome trials included evidence for reduced risk of ischemic events associated with use of ticagrelor and aspirin versus aspirin alone, albeit with an increased bleeding risk in patients with stable coronary artery disease and history of myocardial infarction. No benefit regarding ischemic outcomes could be demonstrated for ticagrelor monotherapy compared with aspirin or clopidogrel in patients with stroke or peripheral vascular disease, respectively. Results from pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies suggest that switching from prasugrel to ticagrelor is safe, regardless of the use of a loading dose, and that loading with prasugrel or ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel leads to more prompt and potent platelet inhibition in patients undergoing ad hoc percoutaneous coronary intervention. No evidence could be demonstrated for the prognostic value of routine platelet function monitoring to adjust antiplatelet therapy. Summary Large outcome trials demonstrated various effects of antithrombotic strategies including ticagrelor on clinical outcomes across patient populations. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies confirmed a more prompt and potent platelet inhibition after loading with the new P2Y12 inhibitors versus clopidogrel, and suggested the safety of switching from prasugrel to ticagrelor.


In every society groups rather than individuals are given responsibility for producing results that individuals potentially could produce just as well, but without the benefits of group effort. Once a small discussion group is convened, the members can be counted on to interact, often at length and sometimes contentiously, incontrovertible evidence that their interaction accomplishes something over and above what comes about because of characteristics of the task, cognitive processing, and context. And in order for members to achieve the collaboration and interdependence that make them a group rather than co-present individuals, they must interact. Hence, it is essential for small group researchers to examine behavioral data (by which we mean interactional conduct) if we are to understand what gives small groups the distinct utilities with which they are credited. This position does not mean that individual motivation, cognition and information processing, and other related phenomena should be ignored. It means rather that these matters are secondary to and contingent on interactional conduct and processes.


We present several fractal trees created by iterating building blocks constructed from photographs of real trees. The use of photographs of different types of trees, along with variation of the parameters available for construction of the trees, allows a wide variety of forms to be realized. The trees shown have self-similarity fractal dimension varying from 1.45 to 2.17, and infinite series have been used to characterize the number of branches and the area of the trees. Randomization of the construction process is demonstrated to yield less regular and more naturalistic tree forms.


This thesis aims to interrogate the role and representation of the United States presidency, presidential figures and avatars, and the question of executive power more generally, in the works of Thomas Pynchon, Philip Roth and Cormac McCarthy. Observing a gap in current criticism of these authors, and American literature generally, I propose that the presidency/executive provides a new and important way of mapping these authors' work. In this I seek to build on Sean McCann's work on this area in A Pinnacle of Feeling. My project situates itself in a historical framework, investigating the extensive network of historical evidence that each author uses in their conception of and dialogue with the presidency and executive power. My argument takes Pynchon's portrayal of George Washington, the United States' semi-mythical first president, in Mason & Dixon as its starting point, then proceeds to consider a range of texts before finally discussing the presence of Ronald Reagan and the rise of corporate power in McCarthy's No Country for Old Men. I posit that in each of these authors' work, the executive power is present simultaneously as an embodied and a "phantom" force, shaping the narrative and subjective individual experiences even when characters are not expressly engaged in political activity. A complex relay between embodied and phantom forces is apparent, with the identity and even physicality of individual presidential figures and avatars substantially affecting the operation of this power, amid a nuanced dialogue with the nation's historical narrative. This dynamic occurs across these authors' work, although they have divergent political and literary approaches. This thesis aims finally to establish this framework of executive power as a fundamental aspect of these authors' writing that is vital to understanding their thinking about the United States, its history, and socio-political context, which could ultimately be extended to many other cultural and literary texts and their producers.


The tidal wave of wonderful works on the issue of race, civil rights, and U.S. diplomacy during the Cold War that have appeared in recent years begs the question of whether anything else of signiacance can be said on the topic. Books and articles by Brenda Gayle Plummer, Penny Von Eschen, Tom Borstelmann, Carol Anderson, Mary Dudziak, Cary Fraser, Gerald Horne, and a host of others have been published in the last decade or so. Any new scholarship, therefore, faces the somewhat daunting task of anding something original and signiacant to add to the literature or run the risk of reinventing the wheel. The Opinions of Mankind: Racial Issues, Press, and Propaganda in the Cold War, by Richard Lentz and Karla K. Gower, manages to do a bit of the former and, unfortunately, much of the latter. Lentz and Gower perform a herculean bit of research in scouring U.S. newspapers and magazines, as well as some English-language versions of foreign print media, in pursuit of their main tasks: illustrating how America's race problem was portrayed by the U.S. media to both domestic and foreign audiences and explaining how the coverage simultaneously helped to damage the American image abroad and motivate change and civil rights progress at home in the years from 1946 to 1965. Using a straightforward chronological approach, the chapters focus on major events in the civil rights struggle in the United States and then summarize the press coverage from both U.S. and overseas sources. In doing so, the authors add some interesting information to the existing literature on race and U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War. Whereas most of the scholarship has focused almost exclusively on African Americans, Lentz and Gower devote separate chapters to the roles played by Native Americans, Latin Americans (and, to a lesser extent, Hispanic Americans), and Asians and Asian Americans in the propaganda battle between the United States and the Communist bloc. This is a terriacally important contribution and will, one hopes, spur additional research. The book also performs a useful role by collating so much of the press coverage at home and abroad dealing with race and civil rights. The wide-ranging coverage gives extra credence to the argument that the civil rights struggle in the United States was one of international importance. In addition, the focus on press coverage from Com-


Abstract In our paper we aim to analyze the tax wedge between labor costs and net wage, this being the main indicator for assessing the tax burden on labor. We analyze the components of the tax wedge and its evolution in time, in the OECD countries and in Romania. In this way we can get an image of the total labor cost, observing that our country belongs to countries where labor taxes have a very high level. Thus, from our analysis we showed that in Romania the tax wedge is around 42%, while the OECD average was only 35.9%. In these circumstances it is necessary to adopt certain measures for shifting the tax burden from labor to other tax bases, with the purpose of a fiscal relaxation of labor income


Dipolar order has recently regained attention in MRI to analyze dipolar broadened lines in CEST and inhomogeneous Magnetization Transfer (ihMT), leading to new frequency irradiation patterns for enhanced saturation and access to an unexplored degree of freedom. A better understanding of dipolar order is of great interest to guide intuition and may lead to fundamental optimization of the ihMT technique, which is a promising tool providing new tissue contrasts. In this contribution we propose to review this concept, considering a simplified model of isolated proton pairs and the general Provotorov theory of RF saturation which applies to an ensemble of coupled spin.


Phosphorus-based materials are of great importance for many advanced optoelectronic and electronic devices. The most common techniques used for growing phosphorus containing epitaxial structures are MOCVD, GSMBE and CBE. All these growth methods use highly toxic hydrides as group-V sources. As environmental regulations, safety precautions and cost effectiveness are important issues in compound semiconductor business, there is an urge for a simpler and cheaper growth technique. Molecular beam epitaxy using solid sources for both phosphorus and arsenic (SSMBE) would be the simplest choice. However, the problematic physical properties of phosphorus have hampered the use of SSMBE until recently. The new valved cracker technology has overcome the problems associated with the use of solid phosphorus and SSMBE has matured to the level that state-of-the-art phosphorus-based materials and devices can be produced. In this paper, we review some of our results for SSMBE grown phosphide-based devices. These include strained-layer InGaAsP/InP SCH-MQW and strain-compensated InAsP/InGaP/InP MQW lasers emitting at 1.3 /spl mu/m, strained-layer InGaAs/InGaAsP/GaInP QW lasers for 980 nm and 905 nm, 680 nm strained-layer GaInP/AlGaInP QW lasers, and InGaAs/InP HBTs.


Between fifty and ten thousand years ago, most large mammals became extinct everywhere except Africa. Slow-breeding animals also were hard hit, regardless of size. This unusual extinction of large and slow-breeding animals provides some of the strongest support for a human contribution to their extinction and is consistent with various human hunting models, but it is difficult to explain by models relying solely on environmental change. It is an oversimplification, however, to say that a wave of hunting-induced extinctions swept continents immediately after first human contact. Results from recent studies suggest that humans precipitated extinction in many parts of the globe through combined direct (hunting) and perhaps indirect (competition, habitat alteration) impacts, but that the timing and geography of extinction might have been different and the worldwide magnitude less, had not climatic change coincided with human impacts in many places.


This book edited by a NeuroOphthalmologist, is a symposium in early January 1966 sponsored by the Department of Ophthalmology of the University of Miami. The 19 contributors spoke on subjects in which they were interested. There was an emphasis on pediatric neuro-ophthalmology and pediatric neuropathology. Contained in this book are discussions of diseases which are not usually associated with pediatric medicine. This will represent no problem to a pediatrician using the book as a reference since the material related to primarily adult entities is in separate chapters. The chapter on the extraocular muscles and their diseases by David Cogan of Boston, discusses ocular physical findings of myasthenia gravis, pituitary-thyroid dysfunction, connective tissue disease, and glycogen-storage diseases. This discussion is basic, easily followed, and retained. The chapter on roentgen diagnosis of changes of the sphenoidal strut in the presence of chiasmal lesions has much useful clinical application. Bronson Ray of New


From a pedagogical perspective, school-work alternation (SWA) represents an important opportunity to create synergies between the educational and the professional field. Moreover, SWA may allow to value individual learning styles, interests and vocations, to promote flexible teaching/learning strategies and to stimulate the development of the key competences in view of the life project. In order to fully exploit the potential of SWA, teacher education and training is a crucial aspect. In this respect, the course for Special Education Teachers (Ministerial Decree 30 September 2011) provides the laboratory of "Orientation, Life Project and School-Work Alternation" addressed to upper secondary school teachers. On the basis of the analysis of the projects works developed by the prospective teachers who attended the course at University of Rome Foro Italico (A.Y. 2013/2014 and A.Y. 2014/2015), the present research aims to identify a set of indicators that may be helpful to design inclusive SWA projects, taking into account all students' needs, school curriculum and opportunities offered by the local area.


Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to be highly affected with the HIV infection worldwide. Studies have shown that the organization of healthcare systems and how the MSM perceive it play a major role in granting or denying them access to healthcare services. Little is known in Tanzania regarding the barriers that MSM face while accessing health services within the country. The study was geared towards determining the proportion of MSM who accessed health care and disclose their sexual orientations to health care workers (HCW). It also intended to find out the anticipated barriers from HCW's if they were to disclose their sexual orientations to them and consider the types of social networks used when facing various challenges. Methods: The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. Participants were enrolled in the study Respondent Driven Sampling. Quantitative data was entered and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences v.20. Qualitative data was collected using in-depth interviews read and interpreted to identify themes and create categories. These were manually analysed and interpreted according to the study objectives. Results : The majority (87.7%) of MSM accessed healthcare services when sick, only a few (3.4%) did nothing due to lack of financial resources. Only a third of them had ever disclosed their sexual orientations to healthcare workers. This was due to lack of confidentiality, fear of stigma and discrimination, shame and mistreatment at the health facilities, and fear of the healthcare worker's reaction after they disclosed their sexual orientation to them. Conclusion : MSM need to be empowered to overcome their perceived fears towards healthcare workers and health facilities. Efforts should be put into breaking the cycle of negative information and perceptions MSM have about healthcare workers and how they deal with same sex practices' health related problems.


The radiation induced xerostomia is a common and, up to now, irreversible side effect of the definitive or postoperative treatment of ENT cancers. A possible mechanism is the apoptosis of serous gland cells. The sequelae of xerostomia are increasing cavities, plaques and parodontosis, infections in the pharynx, taste alterations and weight loss. Therapeutic approaches include improved oral hygiene, dietetic adjustments, artificial saliva and most recently, medication. Pilocarpine, a parasympathomimeticum, results in a degranulation of the secretoric granula and consequently, lowers the radiosensitivity of the cells. Amifostine acts a scavenger of radicals and is concurrently tested in a phase III clinical trial to evaluate the selective protection of normal tissue during radiotherapy.


Novel unsaturated poly (ester- amide) resins (UPEAs) were prepared by the reaction between an epoxy resin, namely diglycidyl ether of bisphenol–A (DGEBA) and unsaturated aliphatic bisamic acids using a base catalyst. These UPEAs were then blended with a vinyl monomer namely, Vinyl acetate (VA) to produce a homogeneous resin syrup. The curing of these UPEAs-VA resin blends was carried out by using benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as an initiator for the radical polymerization and was monitored by using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The glass fibre reinforced composites (i.e. laminates) of these UPEA-VA resin blends were fabricated using the DSC data. The chemical, mechanical and electrical properties of the glass fibre composites have also been evaluated. The unreinforced cured samples of the UPEA-VA resin blends were also analyzed by thermogravimetry (TGA).


Circulating cell-free tumor-DNA (cfDNA) testing ('liquid biopsy') is increasingly being employed both in clinical trials as well as clinical practice. With respect to colon cancer, the trends in cfDNA are associated with the responses observed (1). Furthermore, it is not only helpful in identifying inherent mutations conferring resistance to targeted therapies e.g., RAS/RAF mutations, it is also useful in identifying acquired mechanisms of resistance e.g., MET -amplifications as a mechanism of resistance to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) monoclonal antibodies (2,3).


We have established the primary structure of human tenascin-R (TN-R), a component of the extracellular matrix of the central nervous system, by sequencing cDNA clones which cover its complete coding region. The deduced amino acid sequence of human TN-R (1358 amino acids) showed a homology to chicken and rat TN-R of 75 and 93%, respectively. By reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction we have studied the existence of TN-R isoforms generated by pre-mRNA alternative splicing in various human astrocytomas and meningiomas. Our findings demonstrate the existence of a human isoform in which one fibronectin-like repeat is omitted. Northern blot analysis of the poly(A)-rich RNA from different tissues showed two mRNAs having sizes of about 10 and 11 kilobases. Using DNA from a panel of human-hamster and human-mouse somatic cell hybrids and by fluorescence in situ hybridization, we have assigned the gene for human TN-R to the region 1q23-q24. The mouse mutation loop-tail (Lp), which has been proposed as a model for human neural tube defects, maps to region of mouse chromosome 1 syntenic with human 1q23-q24.


Abstract. The last interglacial, also known as the Eemian, is characterized by warmer than present conditions at high latitudes. This is implied by various Eemian proxy records as well as by climate model simulations, though the models mostly underestimate the warming with respect to proxies. Simulations of Eemian surface air temperatures (SAT) in the Northern Hemisphere extratropics further show large variations between different climate models, and it has been hypothesized that this model spread relates to diverse representations of the Eemian sea ice cover. Here we use versions 3 and 4 of the Community Climate System Model (CCSM3 and CCSM4) to highlight the crucial role of sea ice and sea surface temperatures changes for the Eemian climate, in particular in the North Atlantic sector and in Greenland. A substantial reduction in sea ice cover results in an amplified atmospheric warming and thus a better agreement with Eemian proxy records. Sensitivity experiments with idealized lower boundary conditions reveal that warming over Greenland is mostly due to a sea ice retreat in the Nordic Seas. In contrast, sea ice changes in the Labrador Sea have a limited local impact. Changes in sea ice cover in either region are transferred to the overlying atmosphere through anomalous surface energy fluxes. The large-scale spread of the warming resulting from a Nordic Seas sea ice retreat is mostly explained by anomalous heat advection rather than by radiation or condensation processes. In addition, the sea ice perturbations lead to changes in the hydrological cycle. Our results consequently imply that both temperature and snow accumulation records from Greenland ice cores are sensitive to sea ice changes in the Nordic Seas but insensitive to sea ice changes in the Labrador Sea. Moreover, the simulations suggest that the uncertainty in the Eemian sea ice cover accounts for 1.6 °C of the Eemian warming at the NEEM ice core site. The estimated Eemian warming of 5 °C above present day based on the NEEM δ15N record can be reconstructed by the CCSM4 model for the scenario of a substantial sea ice retreat in the Nordic Seas combined with a reduced Greenland ice sheet.


The Methodist-Episcopalian minister-turned-physician and philosopher of healing Warren Felt Evans (1817–1889) was one of the earliest practitioners of mental healing, also known as "mind cure." Originating in New England in the second half of the 19th century, mind cure spread through the country in the 1880s. Drawing from Evans's unpublished journals, I recount his struggles with chronic ill health and his turn to the Quietist mystics and Swedenborg, and then to the mesmerist-turned-mental-healer P. P. Quimby to procure both healing for his ills and philosophical sanctification for his soul. The transformational route Evans traveled reflects the mythico-religious journey of the wounded healer who suffers through a creative illness on the way to becoming a healer himself. The article places Evans and the mind cure movement within late-19th-century Boston's medical and cultural milieu. Evans's approach to psychological healing is explored by focusing on his mind-body healing philosophy and mental therapeutics as described in his first 2 mind cure books The Mental Cure (1869) and Mental Medicine (1872).


This study investigated the effect of sulphate concentration and residence time on the performance of anaerobic sulphate reduction by a mixed sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) culture using lactate as the sole carbon source and electron donor. The process performance is related to the population structure of the microbial consortia and dominant metabolic reactions. Laboratory scale chemostat cultures at different residence times (1-4 d) and sulphate concentrations (1.0-10.0 g/L) were employed. Lactate oxidation was prevalent at feed sulphate concentrations of 1.0 to 5.0 g/L. A corresponding increase in the volumetric sulphate reduction rate with increasing volumetric loading rate was also observed at this range. However, at the higher feed sulphate concentration range (10.0-15.0 g/L), sulphate inhibition, lactate fermentation and an increased microbial diversity were evident. At each feed concentration of sulphate in the range 5.0 to 15.0 g/L, varying dilution rates resulted in significant shifts in dominant metabolic reactions. Sulphate concentration and residence time have significant effects on both the structure of the microbial population and kinetics of biological sulphate reduction.


Objective: To investigate the relationship between Modic changes (MCs) and recurrent lumbar disc herniation (rLDH), and that between the herniated disc component and rLDH following percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD). Methods: We included 102 (65 males, 37 females, aged 20–66 yrs) inpatients who underwent PELD from August 2013 to August 2016. All patients underwent CT and MRI preoperatively. The presence and type of Modic changes were assessed. During surgery the herniated disc component of each patient was classified into two groups: nucleus pulposus group, hyaline cartilage group. The association of herniated disc component with Modic changes was investigated. The incidence of recurrent disc herniation was assessed based on more than 2-year follow-up. Results: In total, 11 patients were lost to follow up; the other 91 were followed up during 24–60 months. Of the 91 patients, 99 discs underwent PELD; 28/99 (28.3%) had MCs. Type I and II MCs were seen in 9 (9.1%) and 19 (19.2%), respectively; no type III MCs were found. Among 28 endplates with MCs, according to the herniated disc component, 18/28 (64.3%) showed evidence of hyaline cartilage in the intraoperative specimens, including 6/9 and 12/19 endplates with type I and II MCs, respectively. Among 71 endplates without MCs, 14/71 (19.7%) showed evidence of hyaline cartilage in the intraoperative specimens. Hyaline cartilage was more common in patients with MCs (P<0.05). We found 2 cases of rLDH in the non-MC group (n=71); 6 cases rLDH were found in the MC group (n=28), including 2 and 4 cases for types I and II, respectively. There was no significant difference between types I and II (P>0.05). rLDH was more common in patients with MCs (P<0.05). We found 5 rLDH cases in the hyaline cartilage group (n=32); 3 rLDH cases were found in the nucleus pulposus group (n=67). rLDH was more common in the hyaline cartilage group (P<0.05). Conclusions: MCs were associated with the herniated cartilage disc component. rLDH following PELD preferentially occurs when MCs or the herniated cartilage are present. Patients with MCs following PELD might require a second operation.


Lung inflammation was induced in rabbits by intratracheal injections of chemotactic fragments obtained from zymosan-activated serum (CF-ZAS), and the route of vascular emigration and alveolar surface interaction of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and monocytes migrating into the lung was characterized by transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron-microscopic examination. Leukocytes migrated from capillaries and venules into the alveolar wall interstitium by adherence to the vascular endothelium and migration through the endothelial intracellular junction to attain a position between a reapposed endothelial cell junction and the vascular basement membrane. The cells then migrated into the interstitium through a narrow opening in the basement membrane. Leukocyte entrance into the alveolar space from the interstitium appeared to occur through small openings in the epithelial basement membrane at or near the Type I epithelial intercellular junction. Once in the alveolus, PMNs and macrophages demonstrated surface adherence and spreading along with evidence of migration, pseudopod extension, interalveolar pore transit, and retraction fiber formation. This study indicates the leukocyte influx into the alveolus in acute chemotactic-factor-induced inflammation is via a continuum of migrational activity, beginning at the pulmonary capillary endothelial surface and persisting on the alveolar epithelial surface.


A thin vertical plate makes small, simple harmonic rolling oscillations beneath the surface of an incompressible, irrotational liquid. The plate is assumed to be so wide that the resulting equations may be regarded as two-dimensional. In addition, a train of plane waves of frequency equal to the frequency of oscillation of the plate, is normally incident on the plate. The resulting linearized boundary-value problem is solved in closed form for the velocity potential everywhere in the fluid and on the plate. Expressions are derived for the first- and second-order forces and moments on the plate, and for the wave amplitudes at a large distance either side of the plate. Numerical results are obtained for the case of the plate held fixed in an incident wave-train. It is shown how these results, in the special case when the plate intersects the free surface, agree, with one exception, with results obtained by Ursell (1947) and Haskind (1959) for this problem.


An automated method for γ-emission spectrum calibration and deconvolution is presented for spaceflight applications for a Cerium doped Lanthanum Chloride, (LaCl3(Ce)) γ-ray detector system. This detector will be coupled with a pulsed neutron generator (PNG) to induce and enhance nuclide signal quality and rates, yielding large volumes of spectral information. Automated analytical methods are required to deconvolve and quantify nuclide signals from spectra; this will both reduce human interactions in spectrum analysis and facilitate feedback to automated robotic and operations planning. Initial system tests indicate significant energy calibration drifts (>6%), that which must be mitigated for spectrum analysis. A linear energy calibration model is presently considered, with gain and zero factors. Deconvolution methods incorporate a tabu search heuristic to formulate and optimize searches using memory structures. Iterative use of a peak likelihood methodology identifies global calibration minima and peak areas. The method is compared to manual methods of calibration and indicates superior performance using tabu methods. Performance of the Tabu enhanced calibration method is superior to similar unoptimized local search. The techniques are also applicable to other emission spectroscopy, eg. X-ray and neutron.


Reamed intramedullary nailing was carried out on R57 Gustilo grade-IIIB tibial fractures in 55 patients. After debridement, there was substantial bone loss in 28 fractures (49%). The mean time to union was 43 weeks (14 to 94). When there was no bone loss, the mean time to union was 32 weeks; it was 45 weeks if there was bone loss. Fractures complicated by infection took a mean of 53 weeks to heal. Revision nailing was necessary in 13 fractures (23%) and bone grafting in 15 (26%). In ten fractures (17.5%) infection developed, in four within six weeks of injury and in six more than four months later. Of these, nine were treated successfully, but one patient required an amputation because of osteomyelitis. Our results indicate that reamed intramedullary nailing is a satisfactory treatment for Gustilo grade-III tibial fractures.


The Research Unit of Physical and Sports Performance (UIRFIDE) of the Department of the University of Valencia, has established a line of research of major sport events in which one has been in line of this work. This investigation has been carried out after the execution of the Grand Prix Formula 1 celebrated in Valencia in 2008. 194 surveys have been carried out among the citizens of the city of Valencia, being 50% of them residents on the nearest districts to the Circuit. As most important results we can emphasize, that Valencia citizens have a great knowledge for Formula1, as well an extend majority has not hopes for the celebration of the event in the city. In your opinion, the event has a repercussion local and international, especially. Tourism and economy are the areas would be benefit with carrying out the event, and the organizers, the XX and the politics are the most benefit groups and otherwise, fewer benefits would be citizens. The interviewers think that level of preparation of the city is good for to organize this event, and 83% say that will not go to the event.  Key Words: Events, Formula 1 organization, economic impact, image, social perception


Contemporary deployment environments are volatile, with conditions that are often hard to predict in advance, demanding solutions that are able to learn how best to design a system at runtime from a set of available alternatives. While the self-adaptive systems community has devoted significant attention to online learning, there is less research specifically directed towards learning for open-ended architectural adaptation – where individual components represent alternatives that can be added and removed dynamically. In this paper we present the Emergent Web Server (EWS), an architecture-based adaptive web server with 42 unique compositions of alternative components that present different utility when subjected to different workload patterns. This artefact allows the exploration of online learning techniques that are specifically able to consider the composition of logic that comprises a given system, and how each piece of logic contributes to overall utility. It also allows the user to add new components at runtime (and so produce new composition options), and to remove existing components; both are likely to occur in systems where developers (or automated code generators) deploy new code on a continuous basis and identify code which has never performed well. Our exemplar bundles together a fully-functional web server, a number of pre-packaged online learning approaches, and utilities to integrate, evaluate, and compare new online learning approaches.


Fixed-frequency beam scanning leaky-wave antennas (LWAs) that can scan their main beam over a specific frequency band are highly desired for future wireless communication systems. A composite right-/left-handed (CRLH) LWA is developed in this article that facilitates fixed-frequency continuous beam scanning over a wide operational frequency band. A variation of a simple single-layer nonreconfigurable frequency-based continuous beam scanning CRLH LWA is considered first. Its dispersion properties are approximately investigated using an equivalent circuit model. It is reported how two groups of varactor diodes can be incorporated into its basic circuit model to electronically control its dispersion behavior. An optimized reconfigurable CRLH LWA with practical dc biasing lines is then realized from this nonreconfigurable design. Fixed-frequency continuous beam scanning, from backward to forward directions through broadside, is reported over a wide operational frequency band. Simulations predict that the antenna can operate from 4.75 to 5.25 GHz with the main beam being continuously scannable at each frequency point. A prototype was fabricated, assembled, and tested. The measured results confirm its simulated performance characteristics.


BACKGROUND
There is growing empirical evidence that as safety climate improves work site safety practice improve. Safety climate is often measured by asking workers about their perceptions of management commitment to safety. However, it is less common to include perceptions of their co-workers commitment to safety. While the involvement of management in safety is essential, working with co-workers who value and prioritize safety may be just as important.

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a concept of safety climate that focuses on top management, supervisors and co-workers commitment to safety, which is relatively new and untested in the United States construction industry.

METHODS
Survey data was collected from a cohort of 300 unionized construction workers in the United States. The significance of direct and indirect (mediation) effects among safety climate and safety behavior factors were evaluated via structural equation modeling.

RESULTS
Results indicated that safety climate was associated with safety behaviors on the job. More specifically, perceptions of co-workers commitment to safety was a mediator between both management commitment to safety climate factors and safety behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS
These results support workplace health and safety interventions that build and sustain safety climate and a commitment to safety amongst work teams.


Vitamin B12 deficiency may induce neuropathy, myelopathy, dementia and optic neuropathy. The diagnosis is established by vitamin B12, homocysteine and methylmalonic acid measurements. Myelin and axon destruction in the white matter of the spinal cord are observed. The posterior column of the cervical and thoracic level is the most common involved area. The involvement of the anterior column is restricted to advanced and relatively severe cases. Treatment is based on vitamin B12 injections, and the prognosis depends on the stage of vitamin deficiency and deterioration at treatment onset. We report a case with transverse myelitis due to vitamin B12 deficiency. This picture is relatively uncommon, however, we believe patients with transverse myelitis should have vitamin B12 studies as part of the diagnosis work up.


Medicinal plants are the local heritage with global importance. They have curative properties due to presence of various complex chemical substances of different composition, which are found as secondary plant metabolites in one or more parts of these plants. These plant metabolites according to their composition are grouped as flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, saponins etc...Guiera SenegalensisnbspJ. F. Gmel. (Combretaceae) is one of the most important West African medicinal plants, often used to treat a variety of microbial infections.nbsp