This paper aims to provide EFL teachers in the Algerian secondary schools practical insights to overcome the array of anomalies present in their teaching and assessment practices that resulted in negative effects on their outcomes. In order to achieve this objective, an oral test was incorporated in the developed achievement tests. The oral test was put into practice on a selected sample that consisted of eight EFL teachers and classes in the Biskra region. In the investigation, a qualitative study was carried out, employing observation as a data collection method. The number of sessions observed was estimated to 55 during one school year. In order to minimize the differences in observation and make teaching comparable, only four observed classes were used in this study. To collect and analyse data, the researcher opted for the Communicative Orientation of Language Teaching (COLT). Procedures for data analysis consisted in global viewing of the lessons, general coding of all the observed lessons, sorting and putting the interaction patterns into the observation schedule, and providing detailed description of the organization structures. In terms of the analysis of findings, this study had revealed that the incorporated, oral test had had interesting effects on teachers' teaching strategies and materials.


The efficient development of multi-threaded software has, for many years, been an unsolved problem in computer science. Finding a solution to this problem has become urgent with the advent of multi-core processors. Furthermore, the problem has become more complicated because multi-cores are everywhere (desktop, laptop, embedded system). As such, they execute generic programs which exhibit very different characteristics than the scientific applications that have been the focus of parallel computing in the past.
Implicitly parallel programming is an approach to parallel pro- gramming that promises high productivity and efficiency and rules out synchronization errors and race conditions by design. There are two main ingredients to implicitly parallel programming: (i) a con- ventional sequential programming language that is extended with annotations that describe the semantics of the program and (ii) an automatic parallelizing compiler that uses the annotations to in- crease the degree of parallelization.
It is extremely important that the annotations and the automatic parallelizing compiler are designed with the target application do- main in mind. In this paper, we discuss the Paralax approach to im- plicitly parallel programming and we review how the annotations and the compiler design help to successfully parallelize generic programs. We evaluate Paralax on SPECint benchmarks, which are a model for such programs, and demonstrate scalable speedups, up to a factor of 6 on 8 cores.


Silver (Ag) is one of the widely investigated catalysts for CO2 electroreduction. To improve the faradaic efficiency for CO production over Ag catalysts, many efforts have been devoted to tuning the size and morphology of Ag catalysts, using Ag-containing complex compounds or ionic liquid electrolyte. Herein, we report a strategy to enhance CO2 electroreduction by constructing a Ag2O/layered zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) composite structure via one-pot hydrothermal treatment of ZIF-7 nanoparticles (NPs) in AgNO3 aqueous solution. The Ag2O/layered ZIF shows much higher CO faradaic efficiency and current density than the layered ZIF or Ag/C alone. The performance improvement in CO2 electroreduction over the Ag2O/layered ZIF is probably attributed to the synergistic effect between Ag2O NPs and the layered ZIF, as well as facilitated mass transport due to the high specific surface area of the Ag2O/layered ZIF.


Interlaboratory Comparisons using common (reference) materials of known composition are an established means for assessing overall measurement precision and accuracy. Intercomparisons based on common data sets are equally important and informative, when one is dealing with complex chemical patterns or spectra requiring significant numerical modeling and manipulation for component identification and quantification. Two case studies of "Chemometric Intercomparison" using Simulation Test Data (STD) are presented, the one comprising STD vectors as applied to nuclear spectrometry, and the other, STD data matrices as applied to aerosol source apportionment. Generic information gained from these two exercises includes: a) the requisites for a successful STD intercomparison (including the nature and preparation of the simulation test patterns); b) surprising degrees of bias and imprecision associated with the data evaluation process, per se; e) the need for increased attention to implicit assumptions and adequate statements of uncertainty; and d) the importance of STD beyond the Intercomparison-i.e., their value as a chemometric research tool. Open research questions developed from the STD exercises are highlighted, especially the opportunity to explore "Scientific Intuition" which is essential for the solution of the underdeternined, multicollinear inverse problems that characterize modern Analytical Chemistry.


To evaluate the efficacy of a mixture of barium and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) suspension in upper gastrointestinal contrast studies, and to determine its optimal concentration and method for use, eight healthy beagle dogs underwent conventional upper gastrointestinal contrast imaging and a modified procedure using a mixture of barium sulphate and CMC. Four different procedures were carried out on the dogs at weekly intervals. In the first, the dogs were administered 10 ml/kg of 60 per cent barium suspension for conventional study of the upper gastrointestinal tract. The second, third and fourth procedures involved modified methods in which the dogs were given 10 ml/kg of a mixture of 25 per cent barium and 0.5 per cent CMC prepared to a low, moderate or high viscosity, respectively. All four procedures were evaluated by four criteria: the quality of the images obtained, the translucency and distensibility of the bowel, and the transit time. The method of imaging which used a moderately viscious CMC formulation provided excellent image quality, high translucency, a rapid transit time and suitable bowel distension to enable more precise diagnosis of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.


Apatite-forming ability on a zirconia surface was investigated using a conventional SBF (c-SBF), a 1.4 SBF (concentration of ions 1.4 times higher than in SBF) and a supersaturated Ca/P solution. After 5 days a small amount of hydroxyapatite was formed on the zirconia surface in the 1.4 SBF, whereas no apatite was detected on the zirconia surface exposed to the c-SBF for 5 days. In the supersaturated Ca/P solution some isolated clusters of hydroxyapatite were observed on the zirconia surface after only 2 hours, and after 27 hours of immersion time, the zirconia surface was homogeneously covered with hydroxyapatite. Some of the covered zirconia substrates were heat treated at 1050°C for 1 hour. The thermally treated and untreated samples were immersed in SBF for 7 and 14 days. The results confirmed that additional hydroxyapatite was formed in the SBF in both cases, regardless of whether the covered zirconia substrate was pre-heated or not.


There are various reasons why women account for less than 30% of the science and engineering workforce. These reasons include a lack of female role models, gender stereotyping, and less family-friendly flexibility in the STEM fields. In order to develop an interest in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields and recruit females into these fields, Grand Valley State University (GVSU) has been running a Science, Technology, and Engineering Preview Summer (STEPS) Camp for female students entering the seventh grade. The STEPS Camp provides female role models in the STEM fields, dispels stereotypes, and helps foster an interest in science, technology, and engineering. One effort used to retain females that enroll in the engineering program at GVSU is the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) student chapter. The SWE student group provides the female engineering students with a welcoming atmosphere and sense of camaraderie. Since the student chapter was started at GVSU it has been growing in size and vitality.


Assessment can be defined as information obtained via observation, questioning, physical examination and clinical investigations in order to establish a baseline for planning intervention (Collins et al, 2002). The effective management of patients with wounds and wound problems depends on the nurse taking a systematic, logical, holistic approach to assessment. This includes assessment of the individual, the wound, factors affecting healing and the environment in which the patient lives and functions (Bale and Jones, 1997). Management of the individual patient is of the utmost importance and the patient journey should be monitored, assessed and reassessed at every stage to maintain high standards (Timmons, 2007).


To date, the dependent nature of the recognition and transduction mechanisms in optical glucose sensors based upon Concanavalin A (ConA) has tended to prevent the sensors' full potential from being realized. In this paper, these mechanisms are independently optimized for a given assay configuration in order to decrease the predictive error of a ConA-based glucose sensor and to give a more accurate demonstration of its potential. To this end, we used fluorescence anisotropy as the transduction mechanism to determine the binding of ConA to 4 kDa FITC-dextran by measuring the change in the rotational correlation lifetime between the bound and unbound populations. By tracking the fluorescence anisotropy of this ligand, the ranges of ConA and 4 kDa FITC-dextran concentrations capable of being explored were not limited by the transduction mechanism. Using predetermined association constants, the binding responses to physiological glucose concentrations were predicted for different assay configurations, and experimentally collected fluorescence anisotropy data displayed the predicted trends for these assay configurations. From the experimental results, a calibration fit was generated for the optimized assay configuration to predict the glucose concentrations using the fluorescence anisotropy. This optimized assay displayed a mean standard error of prediction of 7.5 mg/dL (0-300 mg/dL), and 100% of the data points fell within clinically acceptable zones (A and B) upon the Clarke Error Grid Analysis. This indicates that, by independently optimizing the recognition and transduction mechanisms for the final assay configuration, the sensitivity of a competitive binding chemistry using ConA can be appropriately configured for continuous glucose monitoring applications.


We developed a visual and rapid reverse transcription–loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay targeting the S gene for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The strength of our study was that we validated the RT-LAMP assay using 481 clinical respiratory samples from two prospective cohorts of suspected COVID-19 patients and on the serial samples from an asymptomatic carrier. The developed RT-LAMP approach showed an increased sensitivity (88.89%) and high consistency (kappa, 0.92) compared with those of reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) for SARS-CoV-2 screening while requiring only constant-temperature heating and visual inspection, facilitating SARS-CoV-2 screening in well-equipped labs as well as in the field. The time required for RT-LAMP was less than 1 h from sample preparation to the result (more than 2 h for RT-qPCR). This study showed that the RT-LAMP assay was a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for SARS-CoV-2 infection and can facilitate COVID-19 diagnosis, especially in resource-poor settings. ABSTRACT The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak urgently necessitates sensitive and convenient COVID-19 diagnostics for the containment and timely treatment of patients. We aimed to develop and validate a novel reverse transcription–loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay to detect SARS-CoV-2. Patients with suspected COVID-19 and close contacts were recruited from two hospitals between 26 January and 8 April 2020. Respiratory samples were collected and tested using RT-LAMP, and the results were compared with those obtained by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Samples yielding inconsistent results between these two methods were subjected to next-generation sequencing for confirmation. RT-LAMP was also applied to an asymptomatic COVID-19 carrier and patients with other respiratory viral infections. Samples were collected from a cohort of 129 cases (329 nasopharyngeal swabs) and an independent cohort of 76 patients (152 nasopharyngeal swabs and sputum samples). The RT-LAMP assay was validated to be accurate (overall sensitivity and specificity of 88.89% and 99.00%, respectively) and diagnostically useful (positive and negative likelihood ratios of 88.89 and 0.11, respectively). RT-LAMP showed increased sensitivity (88.89% versus 81.48%) and high consistency (kappa, 0.92) compared to those of RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 screening while requiring only constant-temperature heating and visual inspection. The time required for RT-LAMP was less than 1 h from sample preparation to the result. In addition, RT-LAMP was feasible for use with asymptomatic patients and did not cross-react with other respiratory pathogens. The developed RT-LAMP assay offers rapid, sensitive, and straightforward detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection and may aid the expansion of COVID-19 testing in the public domain and hospitals. IMPORTANCE We developed a visual and rapid reverse transcription–loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay targeting the S gene for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The strength of our study was that we validated the RT-LAMP assay using 481 clinical respiratory samples from two prospective cohorts of suspected COVID-19 patients and on the serial samples from an asymptomatic carrier. The developed RT-LAMP approach showed an increased sensitivity (88.89%) and high consistency (kappa, 0.92) compared with those of reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) for SARS-CoV-2 screening while requiring only constant-temperature heating and visual inspection, facilitating SARS-CoV-2 screening in well-equipped labs as well as in the field. The time required for RT-LAMP was less than 1 h from sample preparation to the result (more than 2 h for RT-qPCR). This study showed that the RT-LAMP assay was a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for SARS-CoV-2 infection and can facilitate COVID-19 diagnosis, especially in resource-poor settings.


In this paper, we propose a geometric approach to the theory of evidence based on convex geometric interpretations of its two key notions of belief function (b.f.) and Dempster's sum. On one side, we analyze the geometry of b.f.'s as points of a polytope in the Cartesian space called belief space, and discuss the intimate relationship between basic probability assignment and convex combination. On the other side, we study the global geometry of Dempster's rule by describing its action on those convex combinations. By proving that Dempster's sum and convex closure commute, we are able to depict the geometric structure of conditional subspaces, i.e., sets of b.f.'s conditioned by a given function b. Natural applications of these geometric methods to classical problems such as probabilistic approximation and canonical decomposition are outlined.


PURPOSE
Results of a study to implement targeted interventions to increase the number of documented i.v.-to-oral conversions and to increase cost savings from these documented conversions are reported.

METHODS
A before-and-after analysis of i.v.-to-oral conversions at an academic medical center following the addition of targeted interventions to an existing pharmacist-initiated conversion program was conducted. Targeted interventions included staff training on i.v.-to-oral conversions, implementation of a new documentation system, and feedback to the staff. Major outcomes studied included the total number of i.v.-to-oral conversions documented per month and the cost savings generated by these conversions.

RESULTS
The mean ± S.D. number of i.v.-to-oral conversions documented per month significantly increased after the implementation of targeted interventions (25 ± 9 before and 57 ± 6 after implementation, p < 0.0001). There was a nonsignificant increase in cost savings generated per month after implementation of the interventions. The most commonly converted medication was pantoprazole. Conversions of levetiracetam generated the highest cost savings.

CONCLUSION
Addition of several targeted interventions to an existing pharmacist-initiated i.v.-to-oral conversion program led to a significant increase in the total number of documented conversions.


This paper examines trends in the labour market position of British women and men from 1972 to 2004, using micro data from three British Birth Cohort Studies, of 1946, 1958 and 1970.  Women's rates of employment and hourly pay have been lower than men's over this period, but generally increasing.  Because employment decisions are influenced by the level of pay on offer, changes in women's relative pay in the working population may not be representative of changes in their labour market position.  We accounted for selection into employment by imputing missing hourly wages for non-employees using observed wages of employees of the same sex and age with similar work and family histories, matched on their propensity score.  At each survey, women's median hourly pay was lower than men's.  Although relative pay increased across the cohorts, it decreased with age within each cohort.  Accounting for selection into employment gave a lower estimate of young women's potential pay relative to men's in the two earlier cohorts, flattening the within-cohort profile for the earliest cohort.  This evidence supports the view that the improvement in young women's labour market position since the 1970s has been substantial, and is underestimated in pay trends for the working population.


Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have received great attention due to their outstanding performance and their low processing costs. To boost their performance, one approach is to reinforce the built‐in electric field (BEF) to promote oriented carrier transport. The BEF is maximized by reinforcing the work function difference between cathode and anode (Δμ1) and increasing the work function difference between lower and upper surfaces of perovskite film (Δμ2) via introduction of electric dipole molecules, denoted as PTFCN and CF3BACl. The synergistic reinforcement of BEF improves charge transport and collection, and realizes markedly high photovoltaic performances with the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) up to 21.5%, a growth of 15.6% as compared to the control device, which is higher than the superposition of improvements achieved by either raising Δμ1 or Δμ2. Importantly, dual‐functional CF3BACl not only supplies dipole effect for tuning the surface potential of perovskite but offers hydrophobic trifluoride group toward the long‐term stable unencapsulated PSCs retaining more than 95% PCE after storing 2000 h under ambient conditions. This work demonstrates the synergistic effect of Δμ1 and Δμ2, providing an effective strategy for the further development of PSC in terms of photovoltaic conversion and stability.


It is well known that interference of the human body affects the performance of the antennas in mobile phone handsets. In this contribution, we investigate the use of miniaturized metallodielectric electromagnetic band gap (MEBG) structures embedded in the case of a mobile handset as a means of decoupling the antenna from the user's hand. The closely coupled MEBG concept is employed to achieve miniaturization of the order of 15:1. Full wave dispersion relations for planar closely coupled MEBG arrays are presented and are validated experimentally. The performance of a prototype handset with an embedded conformal MEBG is assessed experimentally and is compared to a similar prototype without the MEBG. Reduction in the detuning of the antenna because of the human hand by virtue of the MEBG is demonstrated. Moreover, the efficiency of the handset when loaded with a human hand model is shown to improve when the MEBG is in place. The improvements are attributed to the decoupling of the antenna from the user's hand, which is achieved by means of suppressing the fields in the locality of the hand.


AT the meeting of the Northumberblended biblical and pagan elements in land and Durham Classical Association a manner typical of the Renaissance, in Newcastle on November 3, the Rev. Canon Cruickshank spoke of certain H. K. Mann, D.D., read a paper on peculiarities of Hrosvitha's style and 4 A Medieval Terence: Hrosvitha,' in grammar, and mentioned that some of which he discussed the dramas of the her dramas had been represented in nun of Jandersheim and illustrated their recent times at Paris. Canon Paterson contrast in aim and in style with those suggested the possibility of the influence of Terence. Dr. Mann read his own of Hrosvitha's A braham on an incident translation of Abraham, as perhaps in Charles Reade's Cloister and the exemplifying her powers at their best. Hearth; and Mr. Basil Anderton spoke Dr. J. Wight Duff, who presided, conof the recovery of the manuscript of trasted Hrosvitha not only with Terence Hrosvitha's plays and referred to the but with Schoon (' Schonaeus'), whose allegation that they were forged, six Latin plays in the sixteenth century


The SAGE Course Companion on Human Resource Management is an accessible introduction to the subject that will help readers to extend their understanding of key concepts and enhance their thinking skills in line with course requirements. It provides support on how to revise for exams and prepare for and write assessed pieces. Readers are encouraged not only to think like an HRM student but also to think about the subject critically.

Designed to compliment existing textbooks for the course, the companion provides:

- Easy access to the key themes in HRM

- Helpful summaries of the approach taken by the main course textbooks and their strengths and weaknesses

- Guidance on the essential study skills required to pass the course

- Sample exam questions and answers, with advice on common themes that must always be addressed, how to use information effectively and pitfalls to advoid

- Themes that run throughout the major points covered by the book

- Taking it Further sections that suggest how readers can extent their thinking beyond the `received wisdom'

Much more than a revision guide for undergraduates, it is an essential tool that will help readers take their course understanding to new levels and help them achieve success in their undergraduate course.


The term transnational has had a strong impact in various corners of literary and cultural studies over the past decade, but is only now emerging as a significant category of analysis among Native American writers and critics and in Native American Studies. This essay grew out of a specific attempt to make some sense of why so many Native scholars in literary studies have steered clear of discourse on the transnational. It aims to provide a deeper understanding of how criticism fits into larger constellations of ethnic studies, politics, and culture.


A study was undertaken on the durability of high performance concrete (HPC) mixtures produced using locally available materials in the State of Missouri. Eighteen (18) mixtures were categorized as HPC. 30 % fly ash replacement by cement weight was utilized in the HPC mixtures, and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) was also substituted by 5 % of the cement for some mixtures. The mixtures included locally available limestone, trap rock, and river gravel as coarse aggregate. The mixtures of HPC without cement replacement displayed higher strength development at the end of 56 days. The compression strength development of the mixtures produced with locally available dolomitic limestone performed superior relative to other mixtures. All the mixtures performed poorly under 300 freezing and thawing cycles, except the control mixtures. The samples in which GGBFS was utilized performed poorly relative to the other samples. Similar poor performance was obtained from the same samples in chloride permeability tests.


THIS PAPER PROPOSES A NOVEL VARIABLE-LENGTH BEAM ELEMENT THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE EFFECT OF BEAM SPINNING. THIS IS THE FIRST SUCH BEAM ELEMENT OF VARIABLE LENGTH BASED ON THE ABSOLUTE NODAL COORDINATE FORMULATION. IN ADDITION TO THE POSITION AND SLOPE VECTORS, THE ANGLES OF ROTATION AROUND THE ELEMENT AXIS OF CROSS SECTIONS THAT CONTAIN TWO NODES ARE INTRODUCED INTO THE ELEMENT COORDINATES TO DESCRIBE THE SPINNING OF AN ASSUMED EULER–BERNOULLI BEAM WITH CIRCULAR CROSS SECTION. THE MATERIAL COORDI-NATES OF THE TWO NODES ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE ARBITRARY LAGRAN-GIAN–EULERIAN DESCRIPTION USED FOR PREVIOUS ELEMENTS TO DESCRIBE THE VARYING ELEMENT LENGTH CAUSED BY MASS TRANSPORTATION AT THE BOUNDARIES. THE PROPOSED ELEMENT FACILITATES CONVENIENT AND EFFEC-TIVE NUMERICAL MODELING OF THE DYNAMICS OF A CIRCULAR-CROSS-SECTION BEAM WITH TRANSPORTATION BOUNDARIES AND THAT IS SPINNING. NU-MERICAL EXAMPLES DEMONSTRATE THAT THE PROPOSED ELEMENT CAN DESCRIBE THE DYNAMIC BEHAVIOR OF A CIRCULAR-CROSS-SECTION BEAM EFFECTIVELY. IN THE FIELD OF ENGINEERING, THIS NOVEL ELEMENT COULD BE USED IN THE DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF DRILL STEMS, THE SLENDER WORKPIECE OF A CYLINDRICAL SHAFT DURING THE TURNING PROCESS, AND THE LEAD SCREW IN A BALL SCREW MECHANISM.


The currant paper characterizes constraint in fracture: J-modifled resistance (J M R) curves were developed for two tough structural materials, 6061-T651 (aluminum) and IN718-STA1 (nickel-base superalloy). A wide variety of configurations was tested to consider load configurations from bending to tension including three specimen types (compact tension, center-crack tension, and single-edge notched tension), and a range of ligament lengths and thicknesses, as well as side-grooved and smooth-sided ligaments. The J M R curves exhibited an inflection point after some crack extension, and the data were excluded beyond the inflection. Qualified J M R curves for the two materials showed similar behavior, but R-curves were identical for equal ligament length-to-thickness ratio, RL, for the aluminum alloy, with increasing slope for increasing R L , while for the nickel, the resistance curves aligned for equal ligament thickness, B, and the slope increased for decreasing B. Displacements at the original crack tip (δ 5 ) were recorded throughout the test for several specimens. δ 5 -versus-crack extension curves were developed, and data were excluded beyond the inflection point (as with the J M R curves). The data collapsed into two distinct curves, thought to represent the surface, plane stress effect and the central, plane strain effect. This was observed for both materials. A technique called profiling is presented for the aluminum alloy only, where the crack face displacements are recorded at the final point of the test as a function of the position throughout the crack cavity, along with an effort to extract the observations in a usable form. Displacements were consistent throughout the cross-section at and behind the original crack tip. In the region where the crack grew, this displacement was developed by a combination of stretch and crack growth. The stretch required to initiate crack extension was a function of the depth beneath the surface into the cross-section.


Reaction of Phenyldiazomethane with 1,3-Thiazole-5(4H)-thiones: Base-Catalyzed Ring Opening of the Primary Adduct

Reaction of 1,3-thiazole-5(4H)-thiones 1 and phenyldiazomethane (2a) in toluene at room temperature yields the thiiranes trans- and cis-1,4-dithia-6-azaspiro[2.4]hept-5-enes (trans- and cis-4; Scheme 2). With Ph3P in THF at 70°, these thiiranes are transformed stereospecifically into (E)- and (Z)-5-benzylidene-4,5-dihydro-1,3-thiazoles 5, respectively. In the presence of DBU, 1 and 2a react to give 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives 6 or 7via base-catalyzed ring opening of the primary cycloadduct (Scheme 3). In the case of 2-(alkylthio)-substituted 1,3-thiazole-5(4H)-thiones 1c and 1d, this ring opening proceeds by elimination of the corresponding alkylthiolate, yielding isothiocyanate 7. The structures of (Z)-5c and 6b have been established by X-ray crystallography.


Background: It is often assumed that pathogens evolve towards reduced virulence, but counterexamples abound. Faced with a new pathogen, such as SARS-CoV-2, it is highly desirable to be able to forecast the case fatality rate (CFR) and overall disease burden into the future. Considerable effort has been invested towards the development of a mathematical framework for predicting virulence evolution. Although many approaches accurately recapitulate complex outcomes, most rely on an assumed trade-off between CFR and infection rate. It is often impractical to empirically validate this constraint for human pathogens. Methods: A compartment model with parameters tuning the degree to which symptomatic individuals are isolated and the duration of immunity is constructed and evaluated at both short timescales and at equilibrium (when it exists). Results: We reveal kinetic constraints where the variation of multiple parameters in concert leads to decreased CFR and increased pathogen fitness, whereas independent variation of the parameters decreases pathogen fitness. Smallpox, SARS-CoV-2, and influenza are analyzed as diverse representatives of human respiratory viruses. We show that highly virulent viruses, such as smallpox, are likely often constrained by host behavior, whereas moderately virulent viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, appear to be typically constrained by the relationship between the duration of immunity and CFR. Conclusions: Evolution of human respiratory epidemics appears to be often kinetically constrained and a reduction in CFR should not be assumed. Our findings imply that, without continued public health intervention, SARS-CoV-2 is likely to continue presenting a substantial disease burden. The existence of a parameter regime admitting endemic equilibrium suggests that herd immunity is unachievable. However, we demonstrate that even partial isolation of symptomatic individuals can have a major effect not only by reducing the number of fatalities in the short term but also by potentially changing the evolutionary trajectory of the virus towards reduced CFR. Open Peer Review


The 2011 Global Initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) guidelines recommend a combined assessment for measuring the impact of COPD which considers current symptoms and future exacerbation risk (A: low risk, less symptoms; B: low risk, more symptoms; C: high risk, less symptoms; D: high risk, more symptoms). Two symptom cut-points are proposed: COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score ≥10 and modified Medical Research Council Dyspnoea (mMRC) score ≥2.

This analysis examined health status scores split by these cut-points, using CAT and mMRC data together with SGRQ and SF-12 Physical Function (PC) scores, in a primary care population from the Health Related Quality of Life in European COPD Study.

Data from 1817 patients (mean [SD] FEV1 1.6 [0.6] L; age 64.9 [9.6] years; males 72%) could be used. The SGRQ and SF-12PC scores are tabulated. The mMRC classified 57.2% patients as having low symptoms versus 17.2% with the CAT. The distribution of low symptom patients into low risk and high risk categories differed. Patients categorised by mMRC as having low symptoms (Groups A & C) had much higher SGRQ scores (>3 times the minimum clinically important difference) than those categorised by CAT.

![Figure][1]

The mMRC cut-point of ≥ 2 classified a high proportion of these patients as having low symptoms, despite having moderately high SGRQ scores and poor SF-12 PC scores.

 [1]: pending:yes


Varicella zoster virus (VZV), a human alphaherpesvirus, causes varicella and subsequently establishes latency within sensory nerve ganglia. Later in life VZV can reactivate to cause herpes zoster. A reduced frequency of VZV-specific T cells is strongly associated with herpes zoster illustrating that these immune cells are central to control latency. Dendritic cells (DCs) are required for the generation of VZV-specific T cells. However, DCs can also be infected in vitro and in vivo allowing VZV to evade the antiviral immune response. Thus, DCs represent the immune systems' Achilles heel. Uniquely among the human herpesviruses, VZV infects both DCs and T cells, and exploits both as Trojan horses. During primary infection VZV-infected DCs traffic to the draining lymph nodes and tonsils, where the virus is transferred to T cells. VZV-infected T cells subsequently spread infection throughout the body to give the typical varicella skin rash. The delicate interplay between VZV and DCs and its consequences for viral immune evasion and viral dissemination will be discussed in this article.


This study examines the controversy regarding Hells Canyon on the Snake River, North America's deepest gorge. Throughout the 1950s, federal and private electric power proponents wrangled over who would harness the canyon's potential for generating hydroelectricity. After a decade of debate, the privately-owned Idaho Power Company won the right to build three small dams in the canyon versus one large public power structure. The thesis concludes that private development of Hells Canyon led to incomplete resource development. Further, support of private development led to extensive Republican electoral losses in the Pacific Northwest during the 1950s.


The definitions for the measurement of electrical power quantities under sinusoidal, nonsinusoidal, balanced, or unbalanced conditions are established in IEEE Standard 1459-2000. Measured magnitudes, such as apparent powers or effective quantities, are evaluated considering the frequency spectrum of voltage and current signals (fundamental, nonfundamental, and combined magnitudes). Previous papers implement these definitions in the frequency domain (DFT) and in the time domain (Clarke-Park Transformations). In the time domain, low-pass filters (LPFs) must be applied to obtain the fundamental magnitudes but, in this case, the quality of the measurements depends on the LPFs orders and their cutoff frequencies. This paper proposes a time-domain implementation of the standard definitions without LPFs and employs a recursive averaging algorithm which improves the measurements precision and reduces the computational burden. Simulation and experimental tests showing the proposed method performance are included


Integrated CPU-GPU architecture provides excellent acceleration capabilities for data parallel applications on embedded platforms while meeting the size, weight and power (SWaP) requirements. However, sharing of main memory between CPU applications and GPU kernels can severely affect the execution of GPU kernels and diminish the performance gain provided by GPU. For example, in the NVIDIA Tegra K1 platform which has the integrated CPU-GPU architecture, we noticed that in the worst case scenario, the GPU kernels can suffer as much as 4X slowdown in the presence of co-running memory intensive CPU applications compared to their solo execution. In this paper, we propose a software mechanism, which we call BWLOCK++, to protect the performance of GPU kernels from co-scheduled memory intensive CPU applications.


Au-catalyzed self-assembly of GaAs nanowires on (1¯1¯1¯)B GaAs by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy is reported between 375 and 500°C, using tertiarybutylarsine and trimethylgallium in H2. The nanowires are [1¯1¯1¯]B aligned and kink-free. Below 425°C the nanowires have narrow base diameter distributions, closely matching the size (∼60nm) of the Au nanoparticles at their tip (no tapering). Above 425°C the nanowires show a hexagonal-based pyramidal shape with base edges normal to the ⟨2¯11⟩ in-plane substrate directions and base diameters which increase exponentially with temperature, indicating a kinetics limited growth along the nanowire sidewalls. Activation energies in the range of ∼20–23kcal∕mol were estimated for growth along both the sidewalls and the [1¯1¯1¯]B direction.


With the rapid spread in use of polymers the study of diffusion in them is becoming increasingly important. For a number of industrial processes diffusion coefficients and elemental distributions need to be quantified precisely. From a more scientific approach accurate models need to be devised to describe the various diffusion mechanisms involved as well as the concentration and temperature dependencies of the diffusion coefficients. Using ion beam analysis techniques (Rutherford Backscattering and Nuclear Reaction Analysis) three systems were studied. The first was an industrially relevant system of relatively small dye molecules diffusing into a number of different polymer matrices. For fixed diffusion settings, diffusion coefficients were measured and found to correlate with the matrix glass transition temperatures. Surface dye concentrations, on the other hand, were independent of matrix properties. The other two systems studied involved polymer interdiffusion. Based on different assumptions, two contradictory theories have been developed to describe the concentration dependence of the mutual diffusion coefficient; the 'slow' and 'fast' theories. In one system, blends of low molecular weight (unentangled) polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) our data followed the 'slow' theory at low temperatures and the 'fast' theory at high temperatures. An equation describing the concentration dependence of the mutual diffusion coefficient at all intermediate annealing temperatures (hence linking the 'slow' and 'fast' theories) was developed and found to describe the data accurately. In the second system, blends of entangled poly(methyl methacrylate) of several molecular weights, the mutual diffusion coefficient was found to follow the 'fast' theory at all studied temperatures. In all three systems the temperature dependence of the tracer diffusion coefficients of the various components were accurately described by the semi-empirical equations of the Free Volume theory.


More than two million child abuse reports are filed annually on behalf of children in the United States. Each of the reported children becomes a concern, at least temporarily, of the professional who files the report, and each family is assessed by additional professionals. A substantial number of children in these families will subsequently enter foster care. Until now, the relationships between the performance of our child welfare system and the growth and outcomes of foster care have not been understood. In an effort to clarify them, Barth and his colleagues have synthesized the results of their longitudinal study in California of the paths taken by children after the initial abuse report: foster care, a return to their homes, or placement for adoption. Because of the outcomes of child welfare services in California have national significance, this is far more than a regional study. It provides a comprehensive picture of children's experiences in the child welfare system and a gauge of the effectiveness of that system. The policy implications of the California study have bearing on major federal and state initiatives to prevent child abuse and reduce unnecessary foster and group home care.


The COVID-19 crisis has underlined the need for accelerated innovation to rapidly help business solve social problems. These problems require access to capabilities and knowledge that no single organization or existing supply chain possesses. Drawing on the experience of the open innovation and rapid-scale-up achieved by the VentilatorChallengeUK to address a shortage of ventilators required by patients seriously ill with COVID-19, this article develops a framework for accelerated innovation and delivery that crosses traditional industry boundaries. It offers a series of important lessons for how open innovation, exaptation, and ecosystem strategies—backed by a set of enabling initiatives—can be used to solve multi-faceted social and business problems at speed.


The application of several industrial and technical biomass lignins from forestry and agricultural residues extracted by different chemical pulping processes in view of biobased polyurethanes were studied. Several qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized to characterize and elucidate lignin profiles by evaluating their physical and chemical properties as a potential substitute for petroleum-based polyols. The morphology, molecular weight distributions, elemental compositions, glass transition temperature and several important functional groups containing hydroxyl units were classified and their contents were determined quantitatively. In this chapter, lignin substitution in polyurethane by (i) direct substitution, (ii) with combination of polyols or (iii) chemically modified was reviewed. The emerging information aims at addressing a number of pressing issues relevant to the scientific development for value-added applications from lignins during industrial production of biofoams.


While sharing and processing digital data, many problems arise due to huge evolution in technology. The first and front most important issue is security. In order to conquer this problem a technique known as Digital water marking is applied to digital data while undergoing sharing and processing. In the recent years many researchers have proposed several methods. The selection of optimal scaling factor is a main problem in the watermarking. The proposed technique is a Optimal Alpha based Curvelet and SVD (OACSVD), called the Cuckoo Search (CS) which is used to find the optimal scaling factor for grey image watermarking in CWT-SVD transform domain. The OACSVD method handles secret sharing to accomplish more security of watermark. The proposed technique used many attacks to explore the robustness and various results are obtained. OACSVD method shown PSNR and NCC values as 44.13% and 99.29% respectively.


textabstractThe Redes de Trueque (RT) thrived during the economic crisis of 2001 – 2002 in Argentina and still stand out as one of the largest Complementary Currency System in the world. These local exchange networks reach a large scale during times of severe economic distress, but as large non-state initiatives, they pose a governance problem. Four types of governance systems were structured within the Argentine RT, of varying degrees of sustainability: a) loosely regulated market systems, b) hierarchies, c) associational regional networks, and d) local communities. Based on a four dimensional analytical framework, this paper discusses the rules of governance and sustainability of the governance systems in the RT. It found that some became more sustainable than others in terms of achieving combinations of scale and organisational modes.


As conceptions of academic development expand to encompass a more diverse and flexible set of supports, traditional approaches to evaluation, including impact studies of formal programming, become insufficient. A program may appear ineffective when evaluation ignores additional supports that interact to counteract implementation or alternatively satisfy individuals' needs. Recognizing the inherently interactive nature of academic development within systemically complex social contexts, this paper examines four evaluative lenses (traditional, ecological framework, complexity theory, and developmental) applied to graduate students' support. By selecting an appropriate evaluation lens, based on local purposes and context, academic developers are better positioned to assess and improve supports provided.


Abstract The law values fairness, proportionality, and predictability. Accordingly, in the context of criminal law, punishments should be carefully calibrated to reflect the harm caused by an offense and the culpability of the offender. Yet, while this would suggest the dominance of "smooth" input/output relationships—for example, such that a minuscule increase in culpability would result in a correspondingly small increase in punishment—in fact, the law is laden with "bumpy" input/output relationships. Indeed, a minuscule change in input (be it of harm, culpability, or any number of other measures) may result in a drastic change in output, creating significant discontinuities. Leading scholars have argued that smooth input/output relationships, which feature careful gradation and calibration, better accord with dominant theories of punishment than do bumpy relationships, which lack fine-tuning. Accepting as a starting premise that smooth input/ output relationships are to be preferred in the criminal law, this Article focuses on the significant doctrinal and practical impediments to smoothing out these relationships. This analysis reveals challenges to smoothing out relationships between inputs and outputs, as well as the difficulties associated with addressing discontinuous relationships among inputs and outputs. Specifically, it exposes the law's classification of inputs and outputs itself as contestable and responsible for a range of hard-to-resolve discontinuities. In doing so, this Article begins the task of laying the groundwork for further analysis and possible reforms.


BACKGROUND
Penetrating cardiac injury (PCI) has highly mortal outcome. Therefore, management of this emergency situation is extremely important. The present study is an investigation of main factors that can affect mortality and morbidity in PCI.

METHODS
Records of 112 patients who were admitted to emergency department with PCI in the last decade were evaluated retrospectively. Demographic data, initial approach, transfer duration and conditions, vital status and findings, type of injury, localization, characteristics, and type of surgical application were recorded.

RESULTS
Demographic findings (age, sex, cause of injury) were not found to be significant factors affecting mortality. Early mortality (1-week observation period) occurred in 14 (12.5%) patients. Method of transfer to hospital (under medical team supervision by ambulance, or without supervision), transfer duration, initial vital findings upon arrival (blood pressure, rhythm, breathing, consciousness), operation timing (elective or emergency), and injuries to additional organs were determined to be important predictors of survival.

CONCLUSION
Cardiac injury is highly mortal emergency situation. Expert medical management is important for survival. However, basic first aid measures and immediate hospital transfer are as important as expert clinical management.


SUMMARY Early submarine lithifications are common in the Albian and Cenomanian Red Chalk and Lower Chalk of eastern England. They have developed generally in shallow water sediments deposited relatively slowly in the aphotic zone of the Chalk sea. Five varieties of early lithification are described and interpreted in detail. The lithification has occurred during the intrinsic diagenesis of the sediment ranging from very close to the water/sediment interface to some metres below. It has been caused by the precipitation of a ferroan calcite cement (2940–8900 ppm Fe 2+ ) under anaerobic alkaline conditions. The preservation of aragonitic fossils indicates that sources from within the sediment and the external reservoir of sea water supplied the necessary Ca 2+ and CO 3 2− . Indirect evidence suggests that (1) bacterial ammonification and sulphate-reduction have effected the precipitation of the ferroan calcite cement, and (2) porewater temperature, depositional rates, and the content of aragonite and organic matter in the sediment were important factors in controlling the development of early lithification. The importance or the bacterial mechanism as a general lithification process in the aphotic marine environment is discussed.


Scorpions are found in six continents of the world. Of the 2000 species, most are not lethal and a sting results in local pain and burning sensation only. On the other hand, a scorpion sting can result in envenomation with systemic toxicity on one hand and an allergic reaction including anaphylaxis on the other hand. Many deaths due to scorpion stings have been reported in literature. The aim of this report is to emphasise that signs and symptoms of envenomation and anaphylaxis might overlap which may result in delayed and improper management with poor treatment outcome including death. We report a child who presented with overlapping clinical picture of anaphylaxis versus envenomation. Within minutes following a scorpion sting on her leg, she developed irritability, excessive crying, vomiting, angioedema of face and a red rash. She was given intramuscular hydrocortisone in local health facility and was referred to our university hospital. On her way to hospital, her condition further deteriorated and developed upper and lower air way obstructive symptoms with drooling of saliva, stridor and respiratory distress and desaturation. On arrival, she was in compensated shock with poor pulses and poor perfusion. She was managed as a case of scorpion sting envenomation and anaphylaxis was not considered initially as one of the possible differential diagnosis. She received anti-venom for scorpion, aggressive fluid resuscitation and respiratory support. She made a slow but complete recovery in the following 24 h. She had a past history of fire ant stings and no previous scorpion sting. Fire ant and scorpion venom are known to cross react. Unfortunately in our centre, facility to test specific Ig E for scorpion venom was not available. Due to symptoms overlap, we suggest that first responders and emergency physicians should consider anaphylaxis as a possible differential when managing envenomation due to scorpion sting.


Since the Chicano/a cultural renaissance of the 1960's and 1970's, the Midwestern United States has emerged as a geographical reality in Chicano/a literature, sometimes merely as a common destination for Chicano/as seeking work, but more and more often as a site of vibrant Chicano/a communities. This paper examines the divergent perspectives and attitudes in this lit - erature toward the Midwest, and toward Chicano/as and Mexicans who have made their homes there. The first section examines texts by Pat Mora, Alicia Gaspar de Alba, and Wendell Mayo, focusing on the ways in which these texts offer the Southwest as the true Chicano/a homeland and suggest that the experience of Chicano/as in the Midwest is one of exile and isolation. The second part of this paper discusses texts by Tomas Rivera, Ana Castillo, Sandra Cisneros, and Hugo Martinez-Serros, and explores representations of transnational and heterogenous communities of Chicano/as and Mexicans in the Midwest. This analysis reveals the limitations of a conception of Aztlan narrowly associated with the Southwest, and suggests that the complexities of Chicano/a identity demand greater attention to the diversity of regions in which Chicano/as live and work.


This paper presents a simulation-based instructional system for harbor crane operators training. The configurable design of the simulator allows the training of several crane types: Quay-Side Gantry, Rubber Tired Gantry, Mobile, Reach-Stacker and Ro-Ro tractor. In this paper the simulator architecture, the Virtual Reality techniques, the projection system, the configurable cabin and the instructional design are described. The virtual environment design includes the representation of harbor terminals, container ship load and unload operations, mobile crane driving and bulk material handling. The simulator includes an automatic evaluation system that measures the trainees' evolution in terms of their abilities. The instructor's panel gives full control on the exercise and on many parameters such as weather conditions, crane failures or load distribution during the simulation. The system also includes an advanced debriefing system for exercise revision and evaluation.


A new permutation method for ICA (independent component analysis) separated signal blocks is presented. The proposed method utilizes the associativity in column vectors of estimated mixing matrix and tracking filter. It has advantages of not requiring array calibration, efficient computation, and real time updatability. Furthermore, it is shown, by an experiment using radio wave signals, that the proposed algorithm successfully permutes the separated signal blocks.


Pain conditions are among the leading causes of global disability, impacting on global healthcare utilization (HCU). Health seeking behavior might be influenced by cognitive and emotional factors (CEF), which can be tackled by specific therapies. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the evidence concerning associations between CEF and HCU in people experiencing pain. Three databases were consulted: PubMed, Web of Science and EconLit. Risk of bias was assessed using the Downs and Black Checklist (modified). A total of 90 publications (total sample n = 59,719) was included after double-blind screening. In people experiencing pain, positive associations between general anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms and catastrophizing and pain medication use were found. Additionally, there appears to be a relationship between general anxiety and depressive symptoms and opioid use. Symptom-related anxiety and psychological distress were found to be positively related with consulting behavior. Last, a positive association between use of complementary and alternative medicine and level of perceived symptom control was confirmed in people with pain. For other relationships no evidence or inconsistent findings were found, or they were insufficiently studied to draw firm conclusions, indicating that more research on this topic is needed.


Background: Implant removal represents one of the most common operations in bone and joint surgery. After fracture union, the implant loses its purpose and continues to exist only as a foreign object inside the patient's body and the question arises whether the implant should be removed, and if so, why and when. While early implant removal increases the risk of re-fracture, delayed removal may result in more difficult and extensive operating procedures, due to a stronger bony integration and overgrowth on implants. This will provide essential information needed for hospital policy formulation. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence, indications and outcomes following orthopaedic implant removal and to proffer appropriate solutions. This will provide essential information needed for hospital policy formulation. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective study of all cases of implant removal performed in the Orthopedic Unit of Federal Medical Center and Surgery Department of Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital all in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, North-western Nigeria from January 2011 to December 2017. Case notes of the patients were retrieved and relevant information was extracted and analysed. Results: A total of 113 implants were removed from 111 patients. There were 78 males and 33 females, with a male to female ratio of 2.4:1. The peak age group is the 36–45 years. The longest duration of implant was from 13 to 18 months. Plate and screws constituted 76 (67%) of all implants removed. The femur was involved in 49 (43.3%) cases. Patient's request constituted 46 (41.5%) of the indications. There was retained hardware in 6 (5.4%) cases while external fixation (17, 15.3%) was the most common additional procedure performed. Conclusion: Most of the implants stayed for more than a year. Plate and screws were the most common implants removed. The femur was the most involved bone. Patient's request was the most common indication for removal. Retained hardware was the most common post-operative complication while external fixation was mostly performed as an additional procedure.


Evidence from fMRI has consistently located a widespread network of frontal, parietal, and temporal lobe regions during episodic retrieval. However, the temporal limitations of the fMRI methodology have made it difficult to assess the transient network dynamics by which these distributed regions coordinate activity. Recent evidence suggests that beta oscillations (17–20 Hz) are important for top–down control for memory suppression. However, the spatial limitations of the EEG methodology make it difficult to assess the relationship between these oscillatory signals and the distributed networks identified with fMRI. This study used simultaneous EEG/fMRI to identify networks related to beta oscillations during episodic retrieval. Participants studied adjectives and either imagined a scene (Place Task) or judged its pleasantness (Pleasant Task). During the recognition test, participants decided which task was performed with each word ("Old Place Task" or "Old Pleasant Task") or "New." EEG results revealed that posterior beta power was greater for new than old words. fMRI results revealed activity in a frontal, parietal network that was greater for old than new words, consistent with prior studies. Although overall beta power increases correlated with decreased activity within a predominantly parietal network, within the right dorsolateral and ventrolateral pFC, beta power correlated with BOLD activity more under conditions requiring more cognitive control and EEG/fMRI effects in the right frontal cortex correlated with BOLD activity in a frontoparietal network. Therefore, using simultaneous EEG and fMRI, the present results suggest that beta oscillations are related to postretrieval control operations in the right frontal cortex and act within a broader postretrieval control network.


1. The HLA-matching effect in Type 1 diabetic patients applied only to those receiving a kidney alone. Those receiving simultaneous pancreas transplants did not benefit significantly from HLA-matching, although graft survival was high. Nevertheless, an HLA-matching effect could be shown for grafts from cadaver donors who were 25-35 years of age. Grafts from older donors apparently were more vulnerable to diabetic complications. The highest graft survival in diabetic patients was obtained with HLA-identical living donor grafts-60% at 10 years, which was in marked contrast to the 35% survival rate of HLA-mismatched cadaver donor grafts. 2. Functional graft survival analysis (censoring deaths) of Type 1 diabetics showed that graft survival was low because of deaths, presumably resulting from diabetic complications. 3. The HLA-matching effect was modest for focal glomerulonephritis patients. However, a small HLA-matching effect was noted in retransplants from cadaver donors and grafts from living donors. 4. Patients with polycystic kidney disease had the highest overall graft survival rates in all HLA-mismatch categories. Zero-ABDR-mismatched first cadaver transplants had a 60% ten-year survival rate and a 78% survival rate from HLA-identical living donors. 5. Patient survival in all the disease groups was not affected by HLA matching. Graft failure and return to dialysis apparently did not affect survival of patients. 6. Overall graft survival rates have improved markedly with newer immunosuppressants and improved patient care. The 3-year graft survival rate for the worst mismatches improved from 67% in 1987-90 to 73% for 1990-92 transplants to 73% for 1992-94, 78% for 1994-96, and 80% for transplants performed in 1996-98. 7. Projected 10-year graft survival for patients transplanted since 1994 was 64% for 0-HLA-mismatched grafts and 47% for 5-6 antigen-mismatched transplants--a 17% differential. Thus, despite newer immunosuppression, HLA matching continues to be an important factor.


Professional experience and lay wisdom teach us the benefits of exercise and the hazards of idleness. Yet the myth persists that "bed rest is good for you" when ill or convalescing. Abundant scientific evidence in the past 50 years has demonstrated the specific damage done to each of the body's organ systems by inactivity. Both aging and inactivity lead to strikingly similar kinds of deterioration. I summarize the data from military and veterans' hospitals, rehabilitation experience, aerospace research, and gerontology and review the physiologic and metabolic changes of aging and inactivity, along with strategies to help prevent the iatrogenic complications of bed rest.


Summary. We develop a general methodology for tilting time series data. Attention is focused on a large class of regression problems, where errors are expressed through autoregressive processes. The class has a range of important applications and in the context of our work may be used to illustrate the application of tilting methods to interval estimation in regression, robust statistical inference and estimation subject to constraints. The method can be viewed as 'empirical likelihood with nuisance parameters'.


This volume of three books presents recent advances in modelling, planning and evaluating city logistics for sustainable and liveable cities based on the application of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems). It highlights modelling the behaviour of stakeholders who are involved in city logistics as well as planning and managing policy measures of city logistics including cooperative freight transport systems in public-private partnerships. Case studies of implementing and evaluating city logistics measures in terms of economic, social and environmental benefits from major cities around the world are also given.


The paper presents follow-up results of narrow-beam proton therapy (1000 MeV) in 75 female patients suffering from prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas. Prolactin concentrations reduced both in macro- and microprolactinomas patients. The response was achieved in 96% of the cases in adenoma stages I-IIIa. Such results are superior to those reached with other treatment modalities. The efficacy of the above proton treatment can be raised by adjuvant use of chemotherapy.


A near-consensus position in modern macroeconomics is that policy rules have greater advantage over discretion in improving economic performance. For developing countries in particular, simple instrument rules appear to be feasible options as prerequisites since more sophisticated targeting rules are generally lacking. Using Pakistan's data, this study has attempted to estimate the Taylor rule and use it as monetary policy strategy to simulate the economy. Our results indicate that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has not been following the Taylor rule. In fact, the actual policy has been an extreme deviation from it. On the other hand, counterfactual simulation confirms that macroeconomic performance could have been better in terms of stability of inflation and output, had the Taylor rule been adopted as monetary policy strategy. The study also establishes that further gains are possible if the parameter values of the rule are slightly modified.


: Mechanical forces are known to control rates of chemical reactions and govern reaction pathways, possibly inducing a change of mechanism with respect to the zero force one. Here, we report on a switching of mechanism from concerted at zero force to sequential under tension for the retro Diels-Alder reaction of four furan–maleimide adducts, mechanophores widely used in polymer mechanochemistry for their ability to undergo reversible breakage under tension. The four adducts differ by their regio-and stereochemistry. The reaction paths on the force modified potential energy surfaces were characterized by isometric and isotensional approaches and determining stationary points (equilibrium geometries and transition states) as a function of the applied force, as well as by analyzing the redistribution of strain energy over the internal degrees of freedom. We evidence different bond breaking pathways and rate constants for the four isomers, the proximal configurations being favored over the distal ones. The switch from a concerted pathway at zero force to a sequential one occurs for a threshold force that is significantly higher (≈ 2.4 nN) for the distal-exo adduct than for the other three (≈ 1 nN), explaining its larger resistance to breaking and its almost inert character under tension. The switch is accompanied by the rupture of one of the two scissile bonds which leads to a twice smaller imaginary frequency of the transition state and an increase of the activation barrier, which then decreases for higher force strengths (> 3nN) to become barrierless at a critical force value.


Basin analysis of facies patterns and basin geomorphology reveals a complex subsidence pattern for part of the Rio Grande rift in north-central New Mexico, United States. The Santo Domingo basin study site is located in the accommodation zone between the east-tilted northern Albuquerque basin and the west-tilted Espanola basin half-graben. Upper Miocene through lower Pleistocene basin-fill sediment records a longitudinal, south-flowing, ancestral Rio Grande and flanking piedmont stream systems. Chronology of deposition is provided by 40Ar/39Ar geochronological study of lava flows and pyroclastic deposits interbedded with the sediment. Down-to-the-east faults concentrated in the western basin illustrate increasing displacement toward the north and merge with structures forming the western margin of the Espanola basin. Down-to-the-west faults in the central and eastern basin exhibit southward-increasing displacement and become the principal structures along the eastern margin of the northern Albuquerque basin. The latitudinal overlap of these fault systems in the Santo Domingo basin gives the appearance of a symmetrical graben with anticlinal bedding attitudes. Analysis of the distribution of sedimentary facies, high-level geomorphic surfaces, and Pleistocene terraces indicates, however, that the basin subsided in a seesaw fashion rather than as a symmetrical graben. During the late Miocene and early Pliocene, the course of the ancestral Rio Grande was deflected to the west, suggesting strong westward tilting of the basin. In late Pliocene and Pleistocene time, however, eastward tilting brought the river into the eastern basin. At that time, an east- sloping pediment was eroded across west- dipping strata in the western basin. Pediment gravel and tuff present as unconformity-bounded strata in the western basin correlate with continuously aggraded conformable basin-fill strata to the east. A return to westward tilting since middle Pleistocene time is suggested by unpaired terraces consistent with net westward migration of the Rio Grande, lack of post–middle Pleistocene motion on faults in the eastern basin, and numerous fault displacements of the pediment gravel in the western basin.


This research involves the creation of standard factors that more accurately reflect observed outcomes in the development stages of major programs. Traditionally, estimation techniques such as analogy, parametric, engineering build-up, and factors are utilized to develop budgets and serve as the baseline for measuring project progress. This effort accomplishes the development and creation of 443 new standard cost factors that are delineated by five categories: commodity type, contract type, contractor type, development type, and service. The factors are developed for those elements that are "common" in a wide array of projects such as program management, systems engineering, data, training or site activation. This research conducts statistical analysis of factor values at the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) element level, as well as the subcategories of the five identified categories. Statistical differences between subcategories were identified only 34.38% of the time, likely due to the high Coefficient of Variation (CV) values across the dataset. In refined subsets of the dataset, the CV generally decreased, indicating that the average percent estimating error improved when more detailed information was available. Thus, the outcome of this research is that cost estimators must employ both statistical and practical analysis in the creation of cost estimates. Furthermore, analysts will have a reference tool made up of 443 unique factors from which to begin analysis for creating estimates and conducting the iterative process of refining cost estimates.


A 'violation' of Fitts' Law, or Fitts' Equation, occurs when each potential target location is outlined before and during a reaching movement. Past studies have measured the violation in highly controlled laboratory environments, limiting the generalizability of findings. The purpose of the study was to replicate the violation of Fitts' Equation in the homes of participants using a novel portable apparatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Movements were measured independently with an accelerometer and touch screen, which allowed for kinematic, temporal, and spatial outcomes to be measured in remote environments. The violation of Fitts' Equation was found with the touch and acceleration measurements and was thus seen in ecologically valid environments. The apparatus used may be used as a model for future field research.


Ongoing antigenic stimulation appears to be an important prerequisite for the persistent expression of programmed death 1 (PD-1), an inhibitory TCR coreceptor of the CD28 family. Although recent publications have emphasized the utility of PD-1 as a marker for dysfunctional T cells in chronic viral infections, its dependence on antigenic stimulation potentially renders it a sensitive indicator of low-level viral replication. To explore the antigenic threshold for the maintenance of PD-1 expression on virus-specific T cells, we compared PD-1 expression on virus-specific and memory T cell populations in controlled and uncontrolled SIV and HIV-1 infection. In both controlled live attenuated SIV infection in rhesus macaques and HIV-1 infection in elite controllers, elevated levels of PD-1 expression were observed on SIV- and HIV-1–specific CD8+ T cells. However, in contrast to chronic wild-type SIV infection and uncontrolled HIV-1 infection, controlled SIV/HIV-1 infection did not result in increased expression of PD-1 on total memory T cells. PD-1 expression on SIV-specific CD8+ T cells rapidly decreased after the emergence of CTL escape in cognate epitopes, but was maintained in the setting of low or undetectable levels of plasma viremia in live attenuated SIV-infected macaques. After inoculation of naive macaques with a single-cycle SIV, PD-1 expression on SIV-specific CD8+ T cells initially increased, but was rapidly downregulated. These results demonstrate that PD-1 can serve as a sensitive indicator of persistent, low-level virus replication and that generalized PD-1 expression on T lymphocytes is a distinguishing characteristic of uncontrolled lentiviral infections.


We investigate the application of neural networks to the automation of MK spectral classification. The data set for this project consists of a set of over 5000 optical (3800–5200 A) spectra obtained from objective prism plates from the Michigan Spectral Survey. These spectra, along with their two-dimensional MK classifications listed in the Michigan Henry Draper Catalogue, were used to develop supervised neural network classifiers. We show that neural networks can give accurate spectral type classifications (σ68= 0.82 subtypes, σrms= 1.09 subtypes) across the full range of spectral types present in the data set (B2–M7). We show also that the networks yield correct luminosity classes for over 95 per cent of both dwarfs and giants with a high degree of confidence.  Stellar spectra generally contain a large amount of redundant information. We investigate the application of principal components analysis (PCA) to the optimal compression of spectra. We show that PCA can compress the spectra by a factor of over 30 while retaining essentially all of the useful information in the data set. Furthermore, it is shown that this compression optimally removes noise and can be used to identify unusual spectra.  This paper is a continuation of the work carried out by von Hippel et al. (Paper I).


Summaries of technical papers of Annual Meeting Architectural Institute of Japan. D-1, Environmental engineering I, Room acoustics and acoustic environment noise and solidborne sound environmental vibration light and color water supply and drainage water environment urban installation and environmental management environmental psychology and physiology environmental design electro-magnetic environment


Mature push button tools have emerged for checking trace properties (e.g. secrecy or authentication) of security protocols. The case of indistinguishability-based privacy properties (e.g. ballot privacy or anonymity) is more complex and constitutes an active research topic with several recent propositions of techniques and tools. We explore a novel approach based on type systems and provide a (sound) type system for proving equivalence of protocols, for a bounded or an unbounded number of sessions. The resulting prototype implementation has been tested on various protocols of the literature. It provides a significant speed-up (by orders of magnitude) compared to tools for a bounded number of sessions and complements in terms of expressiveness other state-of-the-art tools, such as ProVerif and Tamarin: e.g., we show that our analysis technique is the first one to handle a faithful encoding of the Helios e-voting protocol in the context of an untrusted ballot box.


Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a frequent complication in patients with diabetes. Although the majority of DN models and human studies have focused on glomeruli, tubulointerstitial damage is a major feature of DN and an important predictor of renal dysfunction. This study sought to investigate molecular markers of pathogenic pathways in the renal interstitium of patients with DN. Microdissected tubulointerstitial compartments from biopsies with established DN and control kidneys were subjected to expression profiling. Analysis of candidate genes, potentially involved in DN on the basis of common hypotheses, identified 49 genes with significantly altered expression levels in established DN in comparison with controls. In contrast to some rodent models, the growth factors vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) showed a decrease in mRNA expression in DN. This was validated on an independent cohort of patients with DN by real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR. Immunohistochemical staining for VEGF-A and EGF also showed a reduced expression in DN. The decrease of renal VEGF-A expression was associated with a reduction in peritubular capillary densities shown by platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1/CD31 staining. Furthermore, a significant inverse correlation between VEGF-A and proteinuria, as well as EGF and proteinuria, and a positive correlation between VEGF-A and hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha mRNA was found. Thus, in human DN, a decrease of VEGF-A, rather than the reported increase as described in some rodent models, may contribute to the progressive disease. These findings and the questions about rodent models in DN raise a note of caution regarding the proposal to inhibit VEGF-A to prevent progression of DN.


Chinese Utopianism: A Comparative Study of Reformist Thought with Japan and Russia, 1898-1997, by Shiping Hua. Washington: Woodrow Wilson Center Press; Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2009. xviii + 186 pp. US$35.00 (hardcover). In his latest of many works on Chinese political culture, Hua Shiping widens his focus to how Utopian thought in Japan, Russia and China related to political reforms that in turn were responses to internal and external challenges. In this short work (107 pages of text and 46 pages of notes, plus bibliography), Hua utilizes a breadth of Chinese, Russian and Western sources to make bold generalizations and comparisons, some of which are provocative while others seem over-generalized. His main thesis is that the varying directions taken by reforms in the three countries from the 19 century to the present were heavily influenced by varying forms of utopianism, a term he defines as hope for a future ideal society. Even readers skeptical of the political culture approach will find this book useful. Just as one may accept that homeopathic practices such as acupuncture or chiropractic can achieve successful results even if one doubts the validity of the theories underlying those practices, so too can one question whether the hypotheses generated by the political culture approach are really falsifiable and yet still find the approach useful as a suggestive form of analysis. Hua finds that Japan's tradition of an "optimistic tone toward life" and a "moral relativism" based on particularistic values made social transformations easier for Japanese people. Hua claims that Japan's culture of borrowing from other countries led to a more inclusive attitude toward religions, which in turn was more conducive to the growth of a pluralistic society and made it much easier for Japan to adopt modernizing reforms, including the Meiji Restoration and Japan's democratization after WWII. In this broad generalization, Hua mostly ignores the flaws in the Meiji constitution and the militaristic elements of its political culture that led to military rale in Japan during the 1930s and '40s, a system which had to be forcibly removed by the United States before Japan could democratize. Nevertheless, even a person who questions the empirical basis of Hua's claims can still find provocative his view of the relative pluralism of Japanese society, a view at odds with that of many Western scholars. In a similarly idiosyncratic vein, Hua sees China's political culture as based on more universalistic values than are found in Japan's tradition, especially China's Confucian tradition of datong, or "Grand Harmony", which Hua posits as a hope for a collective good which provided a more monistic and egalitarian influence on Chinese political culture. This view contrasts with Western views of Chinese Confucianism as leading to a particularistic political culture which, if not as rigidly enforced as in Japan, justified a hierarchical society that made national unity very hard to achieve in the face of modern challenges from the 19th century to the present (a view reflected in Sun Yatsen's famous phrase about China being made up of loose grains of sand). …


Considerable epidemiological evidence has accumulated regarding the effect of postmenopausal estrogens on coronary heart disease risk. Five hospital-based case-control studies yielded inconsistent but generally null results; however, these are difficult to interpret due to the problems in selecting appropriate controls. Six population-based case-control studies found decreased relative risks among estrogen users, though only 1 was statistically significant. Three cross-sectional studies of women with or without stenosis on coronary angiography each showed markedly less atherosclerosis among estrogen users. Of 16 prospective studies, 15 found decreased relative risks, in most instances, statistically significant. The Framingham study alone observed an elevated risk, which was not statistically significant when angina was omitted. A reanalysis of the data showed a nonsignificant protective effect among younger women and a nonsignificant increase in risk among older women. Overall, the bulk of the evidence strongly supports a protective effect of estrogens that is unlikely to be explained by confounding factors. This benefit is consistent with the effect of estrogens on lipoprotein subfractions (decreasing low-density lipoprotein levels and elevating high-density lipoprotein levels). A quantitative overview of all studies taken together yielded a relative risk of 0.56 (95% confidence interval 0.50-0.61), and taking only the internally controlled prospective and angiographic studies, the relative risk was 0.50 (95% confidence interval 0.43-0.56).


In this research, an agriculture reservoir irrigation management system has been built which will be used as prototype to give a detail description of the system referred. It will be operated with sensors based, furthermore, the aim of this research is to manage agriculture reservoir irrigation, it is considering the water level of reservoirs, the humidity of farmland and the type of agricultural commodities. If the land requires the water flow from the agricultural reservoir then the reservoir's gate will be opened, this consideration will be based on the analysis of land needs using AHP and forward chaining method. The tehnology applied to agricultural irrigation is needed especially in the reservoirs, as agricultural irrigation centers. The using of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Forward Chaining can be selected because of this method is rather considered as very flexible and is a model to rank the data and making the right decision. The inputs of the system are (1) the humidity sensor data of agricultural land; (2) data of reservoir water level; And (3) type of plant commodity data, it is sent by microcontroller. those datum will be processed in two stages, the first stage is AHP, at this stage, the data need to be processed by holding the manufacture of matrix comparison criteria, seeking the priority weights vector with KAW 0032, KOML1 0175, KOML2 0046, KOML3 0044, KOML4 0056, KOML5 0072, KELL1 0076 , KELL2 0104, KELL3 0135, KELL4 0118, KELL5 0136, at 12:27 lamda and value consistency index (CI) 0:13, 1:51 RI value, then, it is discovered that the consistency ratio (CR) is 0:08, because the value of CR <0.1 hence the rank of the rating is accurate data , After that, the data will be processed in the Foward Chaining process which is defined according to the given control structure in the form of final decision with 16 rule bases. The result of water level sensor calibration of reservoir shows linear correlation with the determination of water level sensor coefficient which is 0,9918 shows positive value which is interrelated. Calibration of humidity sensor of agricultural land is done by converting output data of electric voltage (volts) with humidity sensor value, it is found that coefficient of determination of humidity sensor which is 0,9849 shows positive value is also interrelated.


Niobium–tantalum-oxide minerals from five localities with moderately to highly fractionated granitic pegmatites were examined for their Zr and Hf contents. Wodginite was found to contain up to 9.59 ZrO 2 and 1.15 wt.% HfO 2 , and columbite-group minerals, up to 1.26 and 0.12 wt.%, respectively. The Zr/Hf value is decidedly high in columbite-group minerals (13 to 6) relative to wodginite (4 to 1). Coexisting wodginite-group and columbite-group minerals behave similarly with respect to the overall behavior of Zr + Hf and with respect to the partitioning of Zr versus Hf. In individual pegmatite bodies, no systematic changes in Zr + Hf or Zr/Hf are discernible among the various zones. However, a positive correlation of Zr + Hf with Sn, Mn and Ta is locally observed, and a negative correlation with Ti. No clear trends are shown by Zr/Hf. The Zr/Hf value in the (Nb,Ta)-oxide minerals generally corresponds to its range in associated zircon–hafnon. Considerable depolymerization of highly fractionated, (F, B, P)- and H 2 O-rich pegmatite-forming melts, in part alkaline in boundary layers (particularly significant in final stages of consolidation), is responsible for shifting oxygen coordination of Zr and Hf from [8]- to [6]-fold. Consequently, the abundance of zircon decreases, and the (Nb,Ta)-oxide minerals become geochemically significant carriers of Zr and Hf. This effect apparently operates not only in granitic pegmatites but also in other granite-related environments.


This guide introduces library resources on different technologies and applications for delivering multimedia content (information that combines different formats, such as text, motion video, audio, still images, graphics and animation).


Back pain is commonly reported among adults in the U.S., it is the second most common reason adults seek medical treatment. There is steady growth in the number of older adults seeking spine surgeries, especially complex surgeries. Additionally, the number of citizens over the age of 65 is steadily increasing and will continue to increase over the next several decades. The rising number of older adults seeking spine surgery raises concern for the well-being of this population given the risk of complications in spine surgery. It is imperative for clinicians to understand all potential risk factors for their patient's undergoing surgery. Protein malnutrition is a risk factor for postoperative morbidity and mortality. While there is no universally accepted pre-operative measure of nutrition status, certain blood biomarkers are recognized as clinically important in evaluating patient's pre-surgical nutrition status. To further evaluate pre-surgical biomarkers and risk of complications we conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults aged 50 years and over undergoing elective spine surgery over the course of 12 months. After creating a case list from the electronic medical record system, data was collected on each patient fitting predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The relation between the biomarkers and risk of complications was assessed using log-binomial regression, pre-albumin and transferrin risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated. After adjusting for confounding factors, the prealbumin relative risk of any complication was 1.1 (95% CI: 0.8-1.5), or 10% greater risk among patients with pre-albumin level above the median than the risk of those with pre-albumin level below the median. In the same model, the transferrin adjusted relative risk of any complication was 1.1 (95% CI: 0.8-1.5). In this retrospective cohort study of 211 patients, for adults aged 50 years and older, we found that preoperative nutrition, as defined by the biomarkers pre-albumin and transferrin was not an independent risk factor for medical complications within 30 days of elective spine surgery.


BACKGROUND/AIMS
Biliary stricture is the most common and important complication after right-lobe living-donor liver transplantation (RL-LDLT) with duct-to-duct biliary anastomosis. This study evaluated the efficacy and long-term outcome of endoscopic treatment for biliary stricture after LDLT, with the aim of identifying the factors that influence the outcome.

METHODS
Three hundred and thirty-nine adults received RL-LDLTs with duct-to-duct biliary anastomosis between January 2000 and May 2008 at Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) was performed in 113 patients who had biliary stricture after LDLT. We evaluated the incidence of post-LDLT biliary stricture and the long-term outcome of endoscopic treatment for biliary stricture. The factors related to the outcome were analyzed.

RESULTS
Biliary strictures developed in 121 (35.7%) patients, 95 (78.5%) of them within 1 year of surgery. The mean number of ERCs performed per patient was 3.2 (range, 1 to 11). The serum biochemical markers decreased significantly after ERC (p<0.001). Stent insertion or stricture dilatation during ERC was successful in 90 (79.6%) patients. After a median follow-up period of 33 months from the first successful treatment with ERC, 48 (42.5%) patients achieved treatment success and 12 (10.6%) patients remained under treatment. The factors related to the outcome of endoscopic treatment were nonanastomotic stricture and stenosis of the hepatic artery (p=0.016).

CONCLUSIONS
Endoscopic treatment is efficacious and has an acceptable long-term outcome in the management of biliary strictures related to RL-LDLT with duct-to-duct biliary anastomosis. Nonanastomotic stricture and stenosis of the hepatic artery are correlated with a worse outcome of endoscopic treatment.


According to the analysis conducted in this article, based on individual firms' balance sheet information, Spanish corporate investment tended to pick up from 2014 and to do so with greater intensity at SMEs than at large corporations, after having contracted more forcefully during the early stages of the crisis at SMEs. In any event, as regards the stock of productive assets (tangibles and intangibles alike), the investment level attained in 2016 is expected to still be below pre-crisis figures. Analysis of investment determinants highlights the fact that the strength of the financial position and of profitability are positively related to business investment decisions, especially during the post-crisis period. As to the sources of financing used, firms with net positive investment resorted, throughout the period, both to own and borrowed funds, although the relative weight of the latter fell significantly from 2008. Firms investing intensively in intangibles – which were financed, until 2007, both with own and borrowed funds – began, with the onset of the crisis, to depend practically exclusively on own funds. That suggests the possible existence of greater difficulties for firms with a high concentration of intangible assets in gaining access to borrowed funds.


Gene trap mutagenesis in mouse embryonic stem cells has been widely used for genome-wide studies of mammalian gene function. However, while large numbers of genes can be disrupted, individual mutations may suffer from limitations due to the structure and/or placement of targeting vector. To extend the utility of gene trap mutagenesis, replaceable 3' [or poly(A)] gene trap vectors were developed that permit sequences inserted in individual entrapment clones to be engineered by Cre-mediated recombination. 3' traps incorporating different drug resistance genes could be readily exchanged, simply by selecting for the drug-resistance gene of the replacement vector. By substituting different 3' traps, we show that otherwise identical fusion genes containing a large first exon (804 nt) are not expressed at appreciably lower levels than genes expressing small first exons (384 and 151 nt). Thus, size appears to have less effect on the expression and processing of first exons than has been reported for internal exons. Finally, a retroviral poly(A) trap (consisting of a RNA polymerase II promoter, a neomycin-resistance gene, and 5'-splice site) typically produced mutagenized clones in which vector sequences spliced to the 3'-terminal exons of cellular transcription units, suggesting strong selection for fusion transcripts that evade nonsense-mediated decay. The efficient exchange of poly(A) traps should greatly extend the utility of mutant libraries generated by gene entrapment and provides new strategies to study the rules that govern the expression of exons inserted throughout the genome.


Nelson and Morfey have derived an expression for the sound power radiated from an in-duct spoiler subjected to the action of fluctuating drag forces arising from the flow turbulence in the vicinity of the spoiler. Although the derivation of an analytical expression for the fluctuating drag forces is impractical, an alternative approach could be the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The Navier-Stokes equations, which are the basis of CFD, provide a valid description of nearly all practically relevant flows including turbulent ones. However, in order to solve the relevant equations with sufficient accuracy to describe the fine detail of turbulent flow would mean working with a three dimensional mesh large enough to cover the region of interest but with spacing smaller than the smallest turbulent eddy present in the flow. Therefore the computational time required is unrealistically large even on modern super computers and using very efficient algorithms. In this paper an engineering approach is followed similar to that of Nelson and Morfey and other researchers to explore the possibility of an alternative method in which information provided by standard turbulence models can be employed as the basis of an airflow noise prediction method. In view of the success of early investigators in collapsing experimental data based upon the assumption of a proportional relationship between steady and fluctuating forces, an attempt was first made to confirm the validity of the model developed against this assumption using computational fluid dynamics. Experimental results presented by previous investigators have been processed and compared with CFD predictions. As well as providing a degree of validation for the approach developed in this paper, this investigation sheds further light on the assumption implicit in much of the early work of a single constant of proportionality relating the fluctuating to steady state drag forces.


Over the past decade there has been an increased internationalisation of services via trade and investment as well as an increased international outsourcing of services. However, to date there is a lack of solid empirical evidence on the extent and determinants of the internationalisation of services in the European Union and its effects on productivity, employment growth and competitiveness. This study discusses recent theory and empirical evidence on the internationalisation of services and its effects on firm performance. In addition, it outlines existing knowledge gaps and proposes a research agenda and methodology to address them.


Background: The Public Health Responsibility Deal (RD) in England was launched in 2011 as a public‐ private partnership which aims to "tap into the potential for businesses and other influential organisations to make a significant contribution to improving public health by helping us to create this environment". It has come under criticism from public health advocates and others,  who have suggested that it will be ineffective or perhaps even harmful. Like many public health policies, there have also been demands to know whether it "works". Methods and results: We conducted a scoping review and used this, supplemented with interviews with stakeholders, to develop a detailed logic model of the RD (presented here) to help understand its likely outcomes and the pathways by which these may be achieved as a basis for planning an evaluation. Conclusions: Evaluations of complex interventions require not just assessment of effects (including outcomes), but also a clear conceptualisation of the intervention and its processes. The way the RD and the pledges made by participant organisations have been presented makes it difficult at this stage to evaluate whether the RD "works" in terms of improving health. Instead, any evaluation needs to put together a jigsaw of evidence about processes, mechanisms and potential future health and non‐health impacts, in part using the current scientific evidence. This task is ongoing.


Contrary to the common belief that all attributes denoting a change of state belong to one and the same uniform class, we strongly defend in the present paper the existence of two distinct syntactic-semantic kinds of change of state attributes in the English language: on the one hand, those that complement the aspectual variants of the semantically vacuous copula be; and, on the other hand, those that combine with lexically autonomous verbs and are, therefore, optional for the grammaticality of the construction. Due to the markedly different behaviour they exhibit, we are going to distinguish both classes of attributes from a terminological point of view: we will call the members of the former group 'change of state attributes', strictly speaking, and those of the latter type, resultative attributes. To prove our hypothesis, we are going to base our study mainly on the nature of the verbal constituent that surfaces in the attributive structure and, as a consequence, on the syntactic and semantic relation it maintains with the attribute under discussion.


The mode and mechanism of phosphate transport in the light portion of the rabbit cortical collecting duct were studied with isolated tubular perfusion. Control studies (n = 48) revealed a mean transepithelial potential difference (PD) of -16.5 +/- 1.3 mV and net phosphate absorption (JPO4) of 0.58 +/- 0.07 pmol.mm-1.min-1. To characterize transport, the effects of flow rate, ouabain, amiloride, and phosphate concentration, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were analyzed. There was a significant linear relationship between JPO4 and flow rate (n = 48) (r = 0.71, P less than 0.025). Increasing the difference between lumen and bath phosphate concentration from -8.0 to +8.0 mg/dl was associated with a stepwise increase in JPO4 from -0.18 +/- 0.02 to 0.93 +/- 0.05 pmol.mm-1.min-1. PTH had no effect on JPO4. To assess the effects of PD, the tubules were treated with either amiloride (n = 6) or ouabain (n = 7). JPO4 fell significant in both circumstances with reduction of PD, although there remained significant residual transport following amiloride addition. The data demonstrate significant phosphate transport in this segment that is independent of PTH and altered by transepithelial electrical and concentration gradients as well as flow rate.


The rampant spread of SARS-CoV-2 worldwide increases the likelihood that
dental health care professionals will treat this subset of the patient population. Due to the characteristics
of the profession and the virus, two situations deserve attention: the disinfection of surfaces that can be
contaminated during dental treatment and the presence of the virus in the oral cavity and the countless
possibilities of microbial interaction with microorganisms in the oral cavity.

The objective of this review was to point out the current stage of the discussion on dental biosafety
involving professionals, the work team and patients.

The following databases were consulted: MEDLINE (National Library of Medicine, USA -
NLM), Lilacs, Scielo, Embase, Web of Science and Google Academic with the keywords COVID-19
and dental practice, dentistry, oral conditions, mouthrinses.

Disinfection of surfaces has always been paramount and the protocol to prevent the spread of
SARS-CoV-2 seems to be established. SARS-CoV-2 is vulnerable to oxidation, it is recommended to
use a mouth rinse containing oxidizing agents.

Dentists are among the professionals who are most at risk of COVID-19 infection, and they
must have extra attention during this period, biosafety measures must be reinforced and patients must be
motivated to maintain a strict oral hygiene routine so that there is no accumulation of biofilm and this
may somehow interfere with their systemic condition.