The recent increased use of injury and illness surveillance programmes has the potential to greatly advance our knowledge about risk factors and treatment effectiveness. Maximising this potential requires that data be entered in a format that can be interpreted and analysed. One remaining challenge concerns whether and when an increase in symptoms should be documented within an existing injury record (eg, exacerbation) versus a new injury record. In this review, we address this challenge using the principles of the multistate framework for the analysis of subsequent injury in sport (M-FASIS). In brief, we argue that a new injury record should be documented whenever there is an increase in symptoms due to activity-related exposures that is beyond the normal day-to-day symptom fluctuations, regardless of whether the athlete was in a 'healthy state' immediately before the event. We illustrate the concepts with concrete examples of shoulder osteoarthritis, ankle sprains and ACL tears.


Some physiological properties of a complex of factor XIII with heparin were studied in relatively pure system in vitro. The complex was shown to exhibite the fibrinolytic activity toward unstabilized fibrin in the presence or absence of xi-aminocapronic acid, optimal pH for the activity was at pH 6.5--7.5 The activity was still observed after heating at 60 degrees C for 30 min. An excess of heparin was found to block the specific hydrolytic activity of the complex studied. The possibility of transition of heparin from a complex adrenaline-heparin to factor XIII with formation of factor XIII--heparin complex was shown. As a result of interaction of heparin with factor XIII the latter lost the fibrin-stabilizing activity.


A patent-pending new class of reconfigurable battery-powered hopping rovers for reconnaissance, exploration, defense, homeland security, and entertainment applications is publicly presented for the first time. A time- periodic linear quadratic regulator for stabilization of hopping maneuvers is presented, with simulation results. Additionally, a novel mechanical design for efficient and multi-modal operation is discussed, including a lockable hopping mechanism for the directed release of gradually accumulated elastic energy, utilizing two coupled four-bar linkages in tandem with a quick- release spring device.


Thrombosis is common in patients suffering from myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN), whereas bleeding is less frequent. JAK2(V617F), the main mutation involved in MPN, is considered as a risk factor for thrombosis, although the direct link between the mutation and hemostatic disorders is not strictly established. We investigated this question using conditional JAK2(V617F) knock-in mice with constitutive and inducible expression of JAK2(V617F) in hematopoietic cells, which develop a polycythemia vera (PV)-like disorder evolving into myelofibrosis. In vitro, thrombosis was markedly impaired with an 80% decrease in platelet-covered surface, when JAK2(V617F) blood was perfused at arterial shear over collagen. JAK2(V617F) platelets presented only a moderate glycoprotein (GP) VI deficiency not responsible for the defective platelet accumulation. In contrast, a decreased proportion of high-molecular-weight von Willebrand factor multimers could reduce platelet adhesion. Accordingly, the tail bleeding time was prolonged. In the FeCl3-induced thrombosis model, platelet aggregates formed rapidly but were highly unstable. Interestingly, vessels were considerably dilated. Thus, mice developing PV secondary to constitutive JAK2(V617F) expression exhibit a bleeding tendency combined with the accelerated formation of unstable clots, reminiscent of observations made in patients. Hemostatic defects were not concomitant with the induction of JAK2(V617F) expression, suggesting they were not directly caused by the mutation but were rather the consequence of perturbations in blood and vessel homeostasis.


textabstract1. The 1988 epizootic among seals in N.W. Europe led to the death of more than half of the population. Several researchers have fitted data from the epidemic with the Kermack and McKendrick model for disease spread. 2. We argue that for animals living in herds or colonies, like seals, the mutual contact behaviour is such that this model ought to be applied with special care for the distinction between numbers and densities. This is shown by a mechanistic description of the contacts among seals, which leads us to a different formulation of the standard model. 3. This formulation is useful for the description of epidemics among all kinds of animals living in herds. 4. Further analysis shows that the survival of infected animals has a disproportionately great influence on the intensity of the epidemic. 5. Marine pollution may not only have contributed to the high death rates, but may have intensified the epizootic as well.


This guide is for students in Penn State Harrisburg's MET 486. It includes databases, research tips, and other resources for various parts of the Mechanical Engineering Technology Design Project.


Over the past 30 years developed countries have seen a remarkable decrease in the total number of fatalities associated with traffic accidents. This has occurred despite the large growth in the total number of kilometers traveled by private vehicles and increases in population. Many pro-active policies are often attributed with leading to this reduction. One factor, infrequently cited as a source of reduce fatalities is the increased knowledge and technology associated with medical care. This paper examines various proxy measures for improvements in medical care and technology and their impact on traffic fatalities. The ability of medical practitioners to treat numerous conditions has increased dramatically over the last 30 years, but has also shown some variation between countries. The analyses in this paper estimates models that include proxies for medical technology improvement and show that some of these factors have had a statistically significant impact on reducing total traffic-related fatalities.


Continuous arches and vaults made of cohesive materials with low but nonzero tensile strength, such as Roman concrete, are a common feature in historic and monumental structures, many of them sited in earthquake-prone regions. The effect of tension capacity on the dynamic behaviour of masonry vaulted structures has scarcely been studied. We describe a series of shaking table tests on model-scale, continuous circular arches of 1m span, with the aims of assessing the effect of tensile capacity on mechanism formation, evaluating the structures' lateral acceleration capacity and comparing their performance to that of voussoir arches. While tested arches fail by forming a four-link mechanism like the no-tension voussoir arch, significant differences in behaviour between continuous and voussoir arches are observed, including: differences in hinge positions; higher accelerations required to initiate rocking; cracking of material required to form hinges; inability of hinges, once formed, to close and move to a different location (travelling hinges). Conventional limit analysis, whose basis includes an assumption of zero tensile strength, is a suitable analytical tool for voussoir arches, but is shown to be inaccurate when applied to arches having a modest tensile capacity. The experimental observations are modelled using nonlinear finite elements Abaqus/Explicit dynamic analysis algorithm, from commercial software Abaqus 2017. By applying the concrete damage plasticity numerical material law, good agreement is obtained between the tests and the numerical predictions, supporting the formation of collapse mechanisms that significantly differ from the mechanisms observed for no-tension arches. Finally, the numerical model is upscaled to study full-size arches with a span of 4m, obtaining results that align with the experimental observations and do not agree with observations and models for the no-tension voussoir arch, evidencing the need to account for tensile capacity of vaulted structures when assessing their dynamic capacity. consistent patterns of behaviour of these arches Arches fail by forming a collapse mechanism and present a degree of variation of failure acceleration (acceleration at formation of first hinge), with SD up to 17.8%, and hinge position that are nonetheless within the inherent variation of the material.


The imbalance between labour supply and demand, both by types of economic activity and by professional groups, differs in Russian regional labour markets, causing long-term unemployment and im-poverishment of the population. The article examines the transformation of the labour market, regional characteristics of market failures and its recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on sample surveys of the labour force conducted by the Federal State Statistics Service, we determined monthly unemploy-ment dynamics and, subsequently, the vulnerability and instability of regional labour markets. It is hypoth-esised that the stronger the contraction of employment and the greater the unemployment, the longer the process of labour market recovery during the pandemic; regions recover from the crisis at different speeds. Indicators of the intensity of labour market failures and its recovery are proposed. Since the pandemic is a peculiar phenomenon that affected the economy and society, human behaviour in the labour market, the concept of excessive unemployment was used (the difference between actual unemployment and its pre-pandemic level). We performed a correlation analysis of the relations between labour market failures and its recovery in four groups of regions characterised by different labour market fluctuations. The cal-culated Spearman's coefficients showed a positive relationship between the indicators. The depth of la-bour market failures and its recovery rate in regions with developed infrastructure, attracting labour mi-grants, are revealed. A positive relationship was established between the unemployment dynamics and the increase in vacancy rate reported by employers to employment agencies, increase in the average monthly salary. This article presents the results of the first research stage. Further studies will expand the time se-ries of employment and unemployment in order to identify long-term trends and build a forecasting model.


Because quitting smoking is a very difficult task to achieve, a variety of interventions must be applied for smoking cessation. Smoking cessation interventions can be divided into clinical and public health interventions. According to the socioecological model, public health interventions can be divided into individual, interpersonal, and community categories. Among the smoking cessation or other health promotion domain interventions published in the Korean Journal of Family Medicine, inpatient management is a representative individual intervention, peer support is a representative interpersonal intervention, and pricing policy is a representative community intervention. In the present issue, Khafagy et al. investigated the effect of patient empowerment versus health education on the nicotine dependence score and progress of patients under different stages of smoking cessation, This study selected 76 smokers attending family medicine clinics, who were allocated into two groups: empowerment and health education groups, finding that the number of participants from the empowerment group who progressed from pre-intervention to post-intervention was significantly higher than in the health education group (P=0.04). There was a significant improvement in the stage of change of patients under the empowerment model, although there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in the number of participants who stopped smoking. In light of these results, it can be said that both the empowerment model and traditional health education have similar positive effects on decreasing the nicotine dependence level. The patient empowerment model, a representative individual intervention, is a combination of counseling and motivation. It is difficult to say that it is clearly more effective than traditional education, but it is undoubtedly one of the many interventions that can be provided for smoking cessation. Smoking cessation is a health promotion area that is very difficult to achieve; therefore, a combination of several interventions should be used to maximize the effect. In this regard, the patient empowerment model has the potential to emerge as a testable tool, although it has the disadvantage of not being easy to implement.


A spinal cord injury (SCI) is a destructive event that causes a permanent deficit in neurological function because of poor regenerative potential. Transplantation therapies have attracted attention for restoration of the injured spinal cord, and transplantation of neural precursor cells (NPCs) has been studied worldwide. Several groups have demonstrated functional recovery via this therapeutic intervention due to the multiple beneficial effects of NPC transplantation, such as reconstruction of neuronal circuits, remyelination of axons, and neuroprotection by trophic factors. Our group developed a method to induce NPCs from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and established a transplantation strategy for SCI. Functional improvement in SCI animals treated with hiPSC-NPCs was observed, and the safety of transplanting these cells was evaluated from multiple perspectives. With selection of a safe cell line and pretreatment of the cells to encourage maturation and differentiation, hiPSC-NPC transplantation therapy is now in the clinical phase of testing for subacute SCI. In addition, a research challenge will be to expand the efficacy of transplantation therapy for chronic SCI. More comprehensive strategies involving combination treatments are required to treat this problematic situation.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate relationships between exposure to community violence (witnessing and victimization) and reported substance use (cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and hard drugs) in a cross-national sample of adolescents, after controlling for the level of the adolescents' own violent behavior.

METHOD
A self-report survey was conducted in 3380 14- to 17-year-old adolescents in urban communities of 3 different countries: Antwerp, Belgium (N = 958); Arkangelsk, Russia (N = 1036); and New Haven, Connecticut (N = 1386).

RESULTS
In all 3 countries, levels of reported smoking, alcohol use, marijuana use, and hard drug use showed increases with adolescent exposure to violence. Although positively related, substance use was increased less markedly in US adolescents who witnessed violence.

CONCLUSION
Current findings further emphasize the association between violence exposure and potential severe physical and psychosocial health problems in adolescents. In addition, the findings suggest that violence exposure and its consequences are a worldwide urban phenomenon. Cross-national differences were found, however, that warrant additional research, and prospective studies are needed to investigate the pathways from violence exposure to substance abuse.


In order to study influences of different load at pile top on the behaviors of negative skin friction piles, field tests of negative skin friction behaviors of three identical piles with different loads at pile top are made in the same site. According to the field test condition, the corresponding numerical simulations are accomplished. The comparison shows that numerical simulation results and field test results in accordance well. The additional settlement induced by negative skin friction is bigger and the neutral position is higher, the additional axial force induced by negative skin friction reduces obviously in piles with pile head load compared with that in piles without pile head load induced by negative skin friction. Along with load increase, the additional settlement increases, the neutral point position becomes higher; the additional axial force reduces obviously. The result indicates there is regularity about the influences of pile head load on negative skin friction. It may be useful to the research for negative skin friction behaviors of pile.


Bombesin-like peptides (BLPs) can regulate the growth of normal and transformed cells. To compare the relative activities of the three known human BLP receptor subtypes [i.e., the gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) receptor, neuromedin B (NMB) receptor, or BLP receptor subtype 3] in growth regulation, we expressed each receptor in a receptor-deficient host, Balb/3T3 cells. None of the receptor agonists used in our study promoted DNA synthesis by quiescent parental, nontransfected Balb/3T3 cells. Using clones stably transfected with the NMB receptor however, we found that NMB stimulated the incorporation of [3H]thymidine 2.5- to 8-fold over basal levels. The greatest net stimulation of [3H]thymidine incorporation occurred when the medium contained insulin. In quiescent Balb/3T3 cells transfected with the GRP receptor, GRP promoted a 15-fold increase in DNA synthesis in the absence of insulin or other growth factors. GRP also induced the labeling of a large percentage (53%) of the cells with bromodeoxyuridine. To determine the length of time that GRP receptor signaling was required to drive quiescent cells into the S phase of the cell cycle, we blocked GRP receptor signaling by addition of a competitive GRP receptor antagonist at different times after stimulating cells with GRP. Our data demonstrate that persistent GRP receptor signaling throughout a large part of the G1 phase of the cell cycle is important in the mitogenic effects of GRP in these cells. Hitherto uncharacterized GRP receptor signaling pathways may be important in this process. BLPs also stimulated a mitogenic response by transfectants expressing the BLP receptor subtype 3 if insulin was contained in the medium. Taken together, these studies indicate that all three BLP receptor subtypes may contribute to growth regulation in vivo.


Abstract. Understanding the future evolution of Himalayan glaciers is important in terms of runoff that provides an essential water source to local populations and has far-reaching downstream impacts. However, the climatic response of glaciers in High-Mountain Asia is complicated by ice stagnation and considerable supraglacial debris coverage, which insulates the ice from warming. Typical runoff modelling only crudely incorporates debris cover and there is currently no consensus on how significantly this may impact future glacier and runoff evolution. Here, a glacio-hydrological model is modified to incorporate fully distributed debris cover, using melt reduction factors that vary depending on debris thickness, and to redistribute mass losses according to observed surface elevation changes. A range of debris thickness data are implemented, including a remote-sensing survey and a modelled debris surface, to analyse the sensitivity of glacier evolution and runoff to possible future debris-cover changes in a series of experiments in the upper Khumbu catchment, Nepal. Simulations are undertaken using climate input data from Regional Climate Model simulations from CORDEX (Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment) which are further statistically downscaled using data from the Pyramid meteorological station. Results suggest that the accurate calibration of the model to volume change compensates for the inclusion of distributed debris cover but only if the climatic sensitivity of the calibration period (1999–2010) and the nature of the debris-covered surface remain constant during future simulations. Altering the nature of the debris surface has a significant impact on simulated ice volume, with melt rates under debris suppressed by up to 85 %. The sensitivity of runoff ranges from 60 to 140 million m3 yr-1, although there are considerable uncertainties relating to non-glacial snow melt. Moreover, incorporating locally enhanced melt at ice cliffs into the model also impacts upon volume loss and discharge, with a greater proportion of ice cliffs leading to enhanced volume losses compared to a homogeneous debris surface. Finally, using the most representative model configuration, the future evolution of Khumbu Glacier under various climate scenarios shows continued mass losses with a reduction in volume ranging from 60 % to 97 % by 2100. Runoff trends show an initial increase followed by an eventual decrease, with runoff in 2100 predicted to be 8 % lower than current levels.


A CMOS imager is presented which has the ability to perform localized compressive sensing on-chip. In-pixel convolutions of the sensed image with measurement matrices are computed in real time, and a proposed programmable two-dimensional scrambling technique guarantees the randomness of the coefficients used in successive observation. A power and area-efficient implementation architecture is presented making use of a single ADC. A 256×256 imager has been developed as a test vehicle in a 0.18µm CIS technology. Using an 11-bit ADC, a SNR of 18.6dB with a compression factor of 3.3 is achieved after reconstruction. The total power consumption of the imager is simulated at 76.7mW from a 1.8V supply voltage.


Pedestrian navigation systems require users to perceive, interpret, and react to navigation information. This can tax cognition as navigation information competes with information from the real world. We propose actuated navigation, a new kind of pedestrian navigation in which the user does not need to attend to the navigation task at all. An actuation signal is directly sent to the human motor system to influence walking direction. To achieve this goal we stimulate the sartorius muscle using electrical muscle stimulation. The rotation occurs during the swing phase of the leg and can easily be counteracted. The user therefore stays in control. We discuss the properties of actuated navigation and present a lab study on identifying basic parameters of the technique as well as an outdoor study in a park. The results show that our approach changes a user's walking direction by about 16°/m on average and that the system can successfully steer users in a park with crowded areas, distractions, obstacles, and uneven ground.


Abstract. Native plants that are able to persist and reproduce in highly disturbed habitats (i.e., "native winners") may be useful to include in seed mixes when restoring similarly disturbed habitat. Establishing whether these plants produce viable seeds that germinate to a high degree under appropriate conditions is a first step to determining their utility as restoration species. We identified 10 potential native winners at sites degraded by cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), an invasive annual grass ubiquitous in the Colorado Plateau. We assessed seed viability for each species to determine its potential to reproduce within a cheatgrass-invaded site, and conducted a series of germination and competition experiments to test how effective these species may be when restoring habitat invaded by cheatgrass. All species produced viable seed (ranging from 56% to 100% viability), and the seeds of many species had high germination under a range of fall conditions without cold stratification, which is thought to increase establishment potential in cheatgrass-dominated habitats. We selected the 5 species with the highest germination and conducted a greenhouse competition study to determine their response to cheatgrass presence. The growth of all 5 forb species was suppressed by cheatgrass. However results from germination and competition trials suggest that several species, in particular Acmispon humistratus, Cryptantha fendleri, and Machaeranthera tanacetifolia, may be beneficial for restoration of cheatgrassinvaded sites. These 3 species have higher percent germination (78%–100%) and germination tolerance (0.42–0.63), and were suppressed less by cheatgrass (relative interaction index of negative 0.28–0.49) than a commonly seeded restoration species, Penstemon palmeri. Acmispon humistratus and M. tanacetifolia, in particular, are also desirable candidates for use in restoration because of the ecosystem sendees they provide. In general, natives that grow, reproduce, and tolerate competition in degraded habitats are potential native winners and worthwhile candidates for use in restoration of similarly degraded sites.


Abstrack -- Exam is one way to evaluate the learning process, but cheating is still a factor common problem in education. Randomization in the presentation about a solution that is often used in dealing with fraud. But there needs to be an additional method that a smaller chance of fraud is to bring several different about each student and the difficulty level classification. In this case the authors try to apply such techniques to create an array of random matrix where the index stratified and randomize elements of each level. The results of this study resulted in the software (software) system in the form of intranet web-based test information using PHP and MYSQL in SMK 7 Semarang. Experiments performed focused on how to display different matter - the difference between the student but has the same weight. From the test results show the system has been running according to plan. The use RandomMatrix been able to generate random problems with similar levels of difficulty for each student. For the future development of the level of difficulty can be created flexibly composed not only easy, medium and difficult course. Keyword s -- Exam, Random question, cheating students, exam scores.


The commercial production of highly cultivated and consumed brinjal is highly dependent on regular usage of insecticides to protect the crop from insect pests. The increased consumer awareness and legal issues on food safety, with special reference to insecticide residues in foods, led us to attempt for cheap and effective methods for removal of pesticide residues to address the issues of consumer and food safety, as the farmers are not following the Good Agricultural Practices i.e pre-harvest intervals. The most commonly used pesticides such as profenophos, chlorpyriphos, dimethoate, malathion, phosalone, quinalphos, triazophos and -cyhalothrin were sprayed at recommended doses at brinjal formation stage, samples were collected at 2 hours after treatment to quantify the deposits. The samples were subjected to various household treatments (tap water wash, lemon water wash, dipping in 2% salt water for 15 min, dipping in 2% tamarind water for 10 min, washing with 0.1% sodium bicarbonate solution, washing with 4% acetic acid solution, biowash, cooking), each in three replications, and analysed for residues using validated quick,easy cheap rugged and simple method (Quechers method and GC-ECD, (GAS Chromatography Electron capture detector) FPD(Flame photometric detector) and GC-MS(Gas Chromatography Mass spectrometry) so as to estimate the % removal and their effectiveness. Out of all treatments, dipping in 2% salt solution for 10 minutes is very effective in removing 45%, 43%, 52%, 50%, 54%, 48% and 76% of dimethoate, chlorpyriphos, quinalphos, profenophos, phosalone, -cyhalothrin and malathion, respectively, and cooking removed insecticides in the range 55-80%. Dipping fruits and vegetables in 2% salt solution for 15 minutes is the best household method for removal of pesticide residues, and also the method is effective in reducing the residues below MRL (Maximum Residue Limits).


This paper assesses consistency in self-reports of human immunodeficiency virus testing using two waves of longitudinal data from a large, national probability survey, the National AIDS Behavioral Survey. Of those reporting at Wave I that they had been tested for reasons other than blood donation, 18 percent reported at Wave 2 that they had never been tested. Of those reporting at Wave I that they had been tested when they donated blood, 29 percent reported at Wave 2 that they had never been tested. Inconsistent responses may be due to poor recall and to high self-presentation bias, that is, a desire to provide socially acceptable answers. Poor recall may be exacerbated by passive conditions such as blood donation. The authors conclude with recommendations for reducing measurement error in surveys of testing behavior.


Minimum element in the manufacturing of photovoltaic (PV) systems is the PV module. For most applications, it becomes necessary to group PV modules until the desired current and voltage levels are achieved.There may be variations in electric characteristics of PV modules due to manufacturing processes, differences in the orientations and inclinations of solar surfaces, temperature-effects, aging-related parametric drift and so forth. Because of mismatching, PV systems show additional losses.These additional losses are caused mainly due to the fault of Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) of individual modules in presence of mismatching operating conditions. If a module becomes partially shaded by buildings or trees then module's output is limited by the cell with the lowest output. The resulting loss of power is referred to as mismatch loss. They can be decreased by a DC-DC converter dedicated to each module is inserted, and each converter performs its own MPPT operation. This process is called Distributed MPPT (DMPPT).To proposed distributed MPPT control Mat-lab Simulink model of CMPPT and DMPPT run for various irradiance condition along with various value of resistances.This paper presents advantages of DMMPT in Mat-lab simulation over centralized MPPT. It is a low-cost high-efficiency dc–dc converter with maximum power point tracking (MPPT) functions & control.


BACKGROUND
Quantitative assessment of right ventricular (RV) systolic function by echocardiography is challenging in patients with congenital heart disease because of the complex geometry of the RV and the iatrogenic structural abnormalities resulting from prior cardiac surgeries. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between echocardiographic indices of RV systolic function and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) derived RV ejection fraction (RVEF) in adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF).

METHODS
Quantitative assessment of RV function was performed with RV tissue Doppler systolic velocity (RV s'), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), and fractional area change (FAC). These echocardiographic indices were compared to RVEF from CMRI performed on the same day as echocardiogram.

RESULTS
Of 209 patients, the mean RV FAC was 39 ± 9%, TAPSE was 18 ± 4 mm, RV s' was 10 ± 2 cm/s, and RVEF was 40 ± 10%. There was a good correlation between TAPSE and RVEF (r = 0.79, P < .001), good correlation between RV s' and RVEF (r = 0.71, P < .001), and modest correlation between FAC and RVEF (r = 0.66, P < .001). TAPSE < 17 mm effectively discriminated between patients with RV systolic dysfunction defined as RVEF < 47% (sensitivity 81%, specificity 79%, area under the curve [AUC] 0.805). FAC < 40% was associated with RVEF < 47% (sensitivity 72%, specificity 63%, AUC 0.719). RV s' < 11 cm was associated with RVEF < 47% (sensitivity 83%, specificity 68%, AUC 0.798).

CONCLUSION
Despite the structural and functional abnormalities of the RV in patients with repaired TOF, quantitative assessment of RV systolic function by echocardiography is feasible and had good correlation with CMRI-derived RVEF.


The pollinia from five cultivars of Dendrobium ('Miss Teen', 'Karen', 'Sakura', 'Willie', and 'Pompadour') were placed on the stigma of openflowers of Dendrobium 'Miss Teen' (or 'Kenny'). The ethylene production and post-pollination development of cross-pollinated flowerswere monitored. The pollinated flowers showed two different development patterns depending upon pollination compatibility. The firstgroup, which was pollinated with incompatible pollen from flowers of 'Karen' and 'Miss Teen', did not exhibit post-pollination symptomsand ovary growth. The second group, which was pollinated with compatible pollen from flowers of 'Pompadour', 'Sakura' and 'Willie',showed premature perianth senescence and induced ovary growth within a day. Compatible pollination of 'Miss Teen' flowers resulted inan immediate burst in the production of ethylene and a rapid ovary growth followed by an increase in pollen tube length. In contrast,when 'Miss Teen' flowers were self-pollinated or pollinated with 'Karen' pollinia, these changes did not occur. In the pollinia of 'Pompadour','Sakura' and 'Willie' there were higher levels of auxin and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acicd (ACC ) than in those of 'Miss Teen'and 'Karen'. Compatible pollination also resulted in higher ACC synthase and ACC oxidase activities within 12 h after pollination than afterpollination with incompatible pollen. There was a low level of ACC oxidase activity in non-pollinated flowers and a higher ACC oxidaseactivity in the column plus pedicel than petal plus sepal and lip.


In this paper, we presented a joint time-frequency beamforming scheme for an OFDM system with MIMO antennas, where both frequency-domain and time-domain beamforming are employed. Using the proposed scheme, better performance can be achieved by using more DFT/IDFT blocks at the receiver and/or the transmitter. However, the margin of the performance improvement decreases along with the increase of the number of DFT/IDFT blocks. Therefore, the proposed scheme can be used to effectively trade off system performance and complexity. Furthermore, to calculate the weighting coefficients for the proposed scheme, we propose an iterative algorithm to achieve good performance with reasonable complexity.


In recent years, the number of taxpayers involved in aggressive tax planning has more than doubled, posing a serious threat to the integrity of Australia's tax system. To deal with the problem, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) implemented a number of initiatives aimed at combating aggressive tax planning. Part of the ATO's crackdown involved issuing amended assessments to the 42,000 Australians who invested in mass marketed tax schemes. The majority of investors, however, resisted the ATO's attempts to recover scheme related tax debts. This paper discusses the findings of an empirical study that shows that the resistance was due partly to the manner in which the ATO dealt with the schemes issue. Using survey data collected from 2301 tax scheme investors, and 2040 taxpayers from the general population, it will be shown that those who invested in tax schemes are more disillusioned with the tax system, are more hostile and resistant toward the ATO, and are more likely to resent paying tax as a result.


Monte Carlo simulation is generally required when a derivaMonte Carlo simulation is generally required when a derivative's payoff is path dependent. For many such instruments, the payoff depends on whether the price of the underlying reaches a stopping point before option expiration, such as the default time for a credit product, or a knock-out barrier. For more complicated products like "Parisian" options, the issue is not just penetrating a fixed price barrier, but how long the asset price stays beyond it. In this article, the authors show how valuation of these instruments can be speeded up, sometimes by a remarkable amount, by modeling the (sequence of) hitting times and filling in the in-between prices as needed. An important tool in doing this is the authors' new technique for simulating paths backward from a future barrier crossing. One additional advantage of their method is that it is possible to use a broad range of simpler derivatives as control variates in the simulation. They provide pseudocode for the procedure in an Appendix.


ABSTRACT Many studies use the same factors to explain attitudes toward specific trade agreements and attitudes toward the principle of free trade and thus treat both objects as interchangeable. Contemporary trade agreements, however, often reach beyond trade in the narrow sense. Consequently, factors unrelated to free trade may affect citizens' evaluations of these agreements. We propose a model of attitude formation toward specific trade agreements that includes the societal context as a constitutive feature. We expect salient aspects of an agreement to activate corresponding predispositions. Empirically, we compare how this contextual model and a standard model perform in explaining German citizens' attitudes toward free trade and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The results show that the standard model performs well in explaining public opinion on the principle of free trade but is less useful in explaining attitudes toward TTIP. The latter were driven by postures toward transatlantic cooperation, predispositions toward the role of interest groups in politics, and market regulation – aspects salient in German public discourse about TTIP. In sum, we find ample evidence for the need to differentiate between the two attitude objects and for our contextual model of attitude formation.


When grown in a chemostat under various nutritional conditions, cells of Bacillus subtilis W23 produce walls containing teichoic acid or teichuronic acid. The binding of Mg2+ to these walls and to the isolated anionic polymers in solution was measured by equilibrium dialysis. In solution the ribitol teichoic acid bound Mg2+ in the molar ratio Mg2+/P=1:1 with an apparent association constant (Kassoc.) of 0.61 X 10(3)M-1, and the teichuronic acid bound Mg2+ in the ratio Mg2+/CO2-=1.1, Kassoc.=0.3 X 10(3)M-1. Cell walls containing teichuronic acid exhibited closely similar binding properties to those containing teichoic acid; in both cases Mg2+ was bound in the ratio Mg/P or Mg/CO2- of 0.5:1 and with a greater affinity than displayed by the isolated polymers in solution. It was concluded that Mg2+ ions are bound bivalently between anionic centres in the walls and that the incorporation of teichoic acid or teichuronic acid into the walls gives rise to similar ion-binding and charged properties. The results are discussed in relation to the possible functions of anionic polymers in cell walls.


Hastuti YP, Rusmana I, Nirmala K, Affandi R, Tridesianti S. 2019. Identification and characterization of nitrifying bacteria in mud crab (Scylla serrata) recirculation aquaculture system by 16S rRNA sequencing. Biodiversitas 20: 1339-1343. Recirculation is one of the systems used for increasing aquaculture production, for example, is mud crab Scylla serrata culture. Aquaculture activities will produce organic nitrogen waste and can be affected to inorganic condition (nitrification bacteria). Nitrifying bacteria are capable of changing aerobically from NH4 to NO2(nitrite) and from NO2to NO3(nitrate). This current work aimed to identify and characterize nitrifying bacteria in mud crab (S. serrata) culture with a recirculated system. Nitrifying bacteria were isolated using serial dilution (10 until 10) of open filter FB water sample previously cultured in a specific medium. Bacterial identification was performed using a procedure of Presto Mini gDNA Kit (Geneid) for DNA extraction and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) primer 63F and 1387R for 16S rRNA gene amplification. Molecular identification using 16S rRNA sequences, the nitrifying bacteria isolated from mud crab recirculation aquaculture system were 99% identified as a group Pantoea calida, Pseudomonas stutzerii dan Halomonas sp. Morphological characterization of the colony morphology showed that a mucoid appearance and appeared cream in color and large size. Furthermore, their cells were recognized as basil and Gram-negative.


aDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; bDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; cFemale Cancer Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; dInstitute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; eDepartment of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC


A reduction of resting chloride conductance (GCl) and a decrease of the voltage threshold for contraction are observed during aging in rat skeletal muscle. The above alterations are also observed in muscle of adult rat after taurine depletion. As lower levels of taurine were found by others in aged rats compared to young rats, we tested the hypothesis that a depletion of taurine may contribute to the alteration of the electrical and contractile properties we found in skeletal muscle during aging. This was accomplished by evaluating the potential benefit of a pharmacological treatment with the amino acid. To this aim 25-mo-old Wistar rats were chronically treated (2-3 mo) with taurine (1 g/kg p.o. daily) and the effects of such a treatment were evaluated in vitro on the passive and active membrane electrical properties of extensor digitorum longus muscle fibers by means of current-clamp intracellular microelectrode technique. Excitation-contraction coupling was also evaluated by measuring the voltage threshold for contraction with the intracellular microelectrode "point" voltage clamp method. In parallel muscle and blood taurine contents were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Taurine supplementation significantly raised taurine content in muscle toward that found in adult rats. Supplementation also significantly increased GCl vs. the adult value, in parallel the excitability characteristics (threshold current and latency) related to this parameter were ameliorated. The increase of GCl induced by taurine was accompanied by a restoration of the pharmacological sensitivity to the R(+) enantiomer of 2-(p-chlorophenoxy) propionic acid, a specific chloride channel ligand. In parallel also the protein kinase C-mediated modulation of the channel was restored; in fact the potency of 4-beta-phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate in reducing GCl was lower in taurine-treated muscles vs. untreated aged, being rather similar to that observed in adult. The treatment also improved the mechanical threshold for contraction of striated fibers which in aged rats is shifted toward more negative potentials, moving it toward the adult values. Our results suggest that the reduction of taurine content could play a role in the alteration of electrical and contractile properties observed during aging. These findings may indicate a potential application of taurine in ensuring normal muscle function in the elderly.


In this paper we problematise the notion of authority as it appears in discourse relating to school discipline. The account of authority that dominates is narrow and restricted, and the term is sometimes used as a synonym for control. This prohibits full consideration of the range of relationships in which authority manifests itself. We draw on sociological and philosophical literature, and argue that a multi-dimensional concept of authority may offer a more nuanced framework for theorising student–teacher relationships in schools. We consider how each of the forms of authority outlined by Wrong (2002)—coercive, legitimate, competent, personal and authority by inducement—may have some application to the classroom setting. In particular we explore the concept of 'personal authority' and its potential to enhance understanding of the contested and under-theorised concept of authority. We begin by exploring ways in which the current policy context presents challenges to particular forms of authority.


In Bleaney's theory of magnetic anisotropy, the second-order crystal field coefficient, Bo2, is predicted to determine the dipolar NMR shift of paramagnetic lanthanide complexes in solution. This parameter has been measured directly, by analysing the europium emission spectra for a series of eight- and nine-coordinate axially symmetric complexes based on cyclen including aza-carboxylate ligands (e.g. DOTA), phosphonates (DOTP), phosphinates and several carboxamides (e.g. DOTAM). For both Yb and Eu complexes with a common coordination number and geometry (square antiprism (SAP) or twisted square antiprism (TSAP)), the dipolar NMR shift correlates very well with this parameter, which also determines the sign and magnitude of a major CD band in the near-IR CD spectra of a series of enantiopure Yb complexes. Measurements of the free energy change associated with axial ligand exchange in a cationic europium tetraamide complex, [Eu(DOTAMPh)](CF3SO3)3 supported by a simple electrostatic perturbation model, have been interpreted in terms of a predominant donor atom polarisation model which affords a simple assessment of Ln ion donor atom preference and ranks the axial second-order ligand field coefficient.


The profession of nursing has undergone significant changes in Ireland in the last decade, within the wider health service reform context. Determining the optimal nursing skill mix for acute hospitals is perceived as important to ensure the efficient use of the nursing workforce in the provision of safe and high quality care. However, the term nursing skill mix, though widely used, is contested, and practices to determine skill mix in acute hospitals in Ireland are poorly understood.

The aim of the study was to examine contemporary policy and practice in determining optimal nursing skill mix in acute hospitals in Ireland. The objectives were to analyse current policy approaches used to determine skill mix nationally and internationally, to examine how the term nursing skill mix is understood and used by managers and policy makers in Ireland and to explore nursing roles in contemporary practice.

A review of national and international policy was undertaken highlighting that despite increasing interest nationally and internationally in various approaches to determining optimal nursing skill mix that there is little evidence base for or standardisation of approaches.
Following this, semi-structured interviews with 54 nursing managers and policy makers were conducted to explore different perspectives on how nursing skill mix is understood and determined in acute hospitals in Ireland.

Themes identified in this study relate to the diversity of influences on skill mix; nursing role ambiguities and inconsistencies in nursing skill mix practices. Results from the quantitative analysis of closed-ended questions confirmed a lack of clarity of who is involved in determining nursing skill mix, the various influential factors and the main principles associated with determining nursing skill mix.

The key conclusions of this study relate to the subjective-objective paradox between the complexity of everyday clinical practice settings and the objective methods proposed to determine skill mix and the macro-micro disconnect of methods and approaches across policy makers and nurse managers. There is a need to integrate the macro-micro and subjective-objective tensions in the development of skill mix policy and practice for nursing in Ireland. Adopting effective skill mix practices will facilitate the effective implementation of key healthcare reforms that optimally utilise the nursing workforce.


A potyvirus, isolated from Habenaria radiaata showing severe mosaic in the leaves named habenaria mosaic virus(HaMV). HaMV was transmitted by inoculation of sap to 6 of 41 species from 4 of 12 families. Systemic infection was cauded in Habenaria radiata, and local infection was produced in Chenopodium amaranticolor, C. quinoa, Spinacia olracea, Tetragonia expansa and Gomphrena globosa. HaMV was also transmitted by Myzus persicae in a non persistent manner, but not by Aphis gossypii. The virus has filamentous particles of c. 750×13nm. Sap from inoculated C. quinoa was infective after dilution to 10-5 but not 10-6, after 10 min at 60℃ but 65℃, or after 8-16 days at 20℃.In ultrathin sections of diseased leaves of Habenaria radiata and inoculated C. quinoa, virus particles were found to disperse in the cytoplasm. Cylindrical inclusions were present in the cytoplasm of infected cells, as pinwheels, scrolls or tubes. The inclusions observed in negatively stained crude sap preparations exhibited fine linear striation at about 5.2 nm intervals.The antiserum to HaMV produced by immunizing a rabbit had a titer of 1/512(precipitin test). HaMV showed distant serological relationships to potyvirus;alstroemeria mosaic virus, bean yellow mosaic virus, calanthe mild mosaic virus, clover yellow vein virus, dendrobium mosaic virus, freesia mosaic virus, turnip mosaic virus and watermelon mosaic virus 2.


Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA Abstract: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) complicates approximately 7% of pregnancies in the United States. Along with risk factors related to pregnancy, women with a history of GDM also have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus later in life. These women require special consideration when discussing contraception and other reproductive health issues. GDM carries a category 1 rating in the US Medical Eligibility Criteria for all contraceptive methods, which supports safety of the various methods but does not account for effectiveness. Contraceptive options differ in composition and mechanisms of action, and concerns have been raised about possible effects of contraception on metabolism. Clinical evidence is limited to suggest that hormonal contraception has significantly adverse effects on body weight, lipid, or glucose metabolism. In addition, the majority of evidence does not suggest a relationship between development of type 2 diabetes mellitus and use of hormonal contraception. Data are limited, so it is challenging to make a broad, general recommendation regarding contraception for women with a history of GDM. Awoman's history of GDM should be considered during contraceptive counseling. Discussion should focus on potential medical comorbidities and the implications of GDM on future health, with special consideration of issues including bone health, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and thrombosis risk. Providers must emphasize the importance of reliable, highly effective contraception for women with GDM, to optimize the timing of future pregnancies. This approach to comprehensive counseling will guide optimal decision-making on contraceptive use, lifestyle changes, and planning of subsequent pregnancies.


The performance of a leak detection and location algorithm depends on the set of measurements that are available in the network. This works presents and optimization strategy that maximizes the leak diagnosability performance of the network. The goal is to characterize and determine a sensor configuration that guarantees a maximum degree of disnosability while the sensor configuration cost satifies a budgetary constraint. To efficiently handle the complexity of the distribuion networl an efficient branch and bound search strategy based on a strucutrual model is used. However, in order to reduce even more the size and the complexity of the problem the present work proposes to combine this methodology with clustering techniques. The strategy developed in this work is successfully applied to determine the optimal set of pressure sensors that should be installed to a District Metered Area in the Baarcelona Water Distribution Network.


Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) includes numerous sensor nodes that are connected to each other through the use of wireless short distance links. The transfer of data between the individual nodes is found to be energy-constrained and the energy-efficient protocol in WSNs is a huge requirement. In addition, the deployment of large numbers of sensor nodes increases the size of the network, which in turn increases the energy consumption rate. An efficient protocol is developed in this research that includes grid-based mobile communication network formation, efficient path selection through cluster head selection and data communication. In addition, multi-stage authentication is implemented to provide security from source node to destination node for the transfer of data. Implementation is performed via NS2-based platform and the result obtained shows that the proposed system outperforms other existing techniques in terms of packet delivery and use of energy through network lifetime.


We present a method for formulating the design problem of maximizing the transduction efficiency of a magnetostrictive patch-type transducer as a topology optimization problem. Unlike existing methods based on magnetic analysis alone, our method is based on a coupled magnetomechanical analysis. It employs a quasi-static magnetomechanical transduction model relating applied magnetic field and induced stress in a magnetostrictive patch to facilitate design optimization. For the generation of a specific elastic wave mode, not only the patch shape but also the state of patch-waveguide bonding should be optimized simultaneously. We therefore developed a modified topology optimization formulation. The optimal results are consistent with physical intuition and some existing experimental findings for the case of torsional and longitudinal waves in a cylindrical waveguide.


This paper describes the implementation of both peer review and record review systems as initiated at the University Hospitals of Cleveland occupational therapy department. Peer review evaluations can be used to ascertain a therapist's need for continuing education in a specific area, to evaluate and improve standards of practice, to gather statistics on professional objectives, and to develop Professional Standards Review Organization criteria. The system of peer review stimulated an improvement in documentation of services provided by occupational therapists, as well as in critical self-awareness of individual strengths and weaknesses. A separate method of record review was instituted to provide a basis for evaluating individual performance for either recognition or disciplinary purposes. Unlike peer review, record review results become incorporated into the therapist's personnel record.


CASE REPORT
This case report describes a 19-year-old male who ingested a product containing butoxyethanol, propylene glycol, and monoethanolamine. Neurotoxicity, acidosis, and butoxyacetic acid persisted after hemodialysis. Hemodialysis was used to treat the acidosis, but the half-life of butoxyacetic acid did not appear to have been significantly altered. Fomepizole, a recently approved alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor for ethylene glycol intoxication, was not available at the time of this case. Residual neurological deficits persisted after recovery from this severe intoxication by a glycol ether.


Cities are increasingly central to the global governance of climate change, and much of their activity takes place within city‐networks operating at national, regional, and global scales. As the scope and ambition of city activities have been augmented over the past decade, so the scholarship has evolved as well. I set out in this review article to trace this evolution by focusing on four lines of inquiry organized around the conceptual foundations of governance experimentation, horizontal coordination, vertical integration, and political contestation. As we stand at the cusp of a vital moment in the global response, I suggest the need for a concerted effort to direct more, and more sustained, attention to the last of these. I argue that careful, critical, and creative thinking with respect to the power relations shaping the role of cities as global climate governors offers a means through which scholars can best contribute to augmenting the capacity for a just and effective urban contribution to the global effort.


In this paper we want to share our experience of using systemic practices from a systemic Fifth Province Approach in the facilitation of meditation groups and retreats.  We refer to our way of being and doing as a 'Fifth Province Systemic Meditative Practice'.  The practices and approach we will present can be likened to a kind of human murmuration, where  surprising, generative, inter/intra-active and relational processes emerge.    These emergent processes or transformations occur spontaneously and are from within the subtle, communicative, behaviour and relational aspects of the whole group.  It is in this context that we use the word 'intra-relational' after the work of Karen Barad (2007 p33).  The term 'subtle' refers to all the non-verbal emergences occurring from the spiritual, mental, emotional, behavioural and social processes at play.
 The first author (Imelda) set the meditation group up twenty years ago and has facilitated it more or less since then. The second author (Jean), facilitates the group from time to time and has, along with the first author, enjoyed tracing and noting both the practices and the emergent processes over time.  Indeed, her Master's in Spirituality examined those processes and explored how they could be learned and applied in a group or individual setting. (Minogue 2018)


This research work includes the use of heuristic algorithms to automatically generate processing time optimized robot programs for manufacturing processes in the automotive industry. For this, we've implemented a genetic algorithm with multi-parent recombination and adjacency-based crossover. A reallocation mutation is also introduced to optimize the load balancing by classifying tasks into common and fixed tasks depending on their location relative to the robots' workspace. The heuristic is compared to an exact solver by applying it to a test problem. Lastly, the methodology is also applied to a real business problem in the area of vehicle sealing.


Reviews the technological developments in neural orthoses for the correction of upper motor neurone drop foot since 1961, when the technique was first proposed by Liberson and his co-workers. Drop foot stimulator (DFS) developments are reviewed starting with hard-wired single-channel and multichannel surface functional electrical stimulation (FES) systems, followed by implanted drop foot stimulators, and then continuing with microprocessor-based surface and implanted drop foot stimulators. The review examines the role of artificial and "natural" sensors as replacements for the foot-switch as the primary control sensor in drop foot stimulators. DFS systems incorporating real-time control of FES and completely implanted DFS systems finish the review.


The deoxyribonucleic acid homologies of Mycoplasma laidlawii type A and type B, M. pulmonis (#47 and #63), and M. hominis were determined by membrane methodology. The homology data revealed a difference in genome size between M. laidlawii type A and type B. This difference also held with stringent conditions of annealing (high temperature). Little or negligible homology was shown to exist between the M. laidlawii strains type A and type B and M. pulmonis strains 47 and 63 and M. hominis. M. hominis showed less than 10% homology to the M. pulmonis and M. laidlawii strains. Neither of the M. laidlawii strains showed more than 2% annealing to the M. pulmonis strains. Reaction rate studies are suggested as a means of demonstrating the phylogenetic relationship between the Mycoplasma and other microorganisms.


Abstract. We quantify weekly methane emissions at 0.25∘ × 0.3125∘ (≈25 × 25 km2) resolution
from the Permian Basin, the largest oil production basin in the US, by inverse analysis of satellite observations from the TROPOspheric
Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) from May 2018 to October 2020. The mean oil
and gas emission from the region (± standard deviation of weekly
estimates) was 3.7 ± 0.9 Tg a−1, higher than previous TROPOMI
inversion estimates that may have used biased prior emissions or background
assumptions. We find strong week-to-week variability in emissions
superimposed on longer-term trends, and these are consistent with
independent inferences of temporal emission variability from tower,
aircraft, and multispectral satellite data. New well development and natural
gas spot price were significant drivers of variability in emissions over our
study period but the concurrent 50 % increase in oil and gas production
was not. The methane intensity (methane emitted per unit of methane gas
produced) averaged 4.6 % ± 1.3 % and steadily decreased from
5 %–6 % in 2018 to 3 %–4 % in 2020. While the decreasing trend suggests
improvement in operator practices during the study period, methane emissions
from the Permian Basin remained high, with methane intensity an order of
magnitude above the industry target of <0.2 %. Our success in
using TROPOMI satellite observations for weekly estimates of emissions from
a major oil production basin shows promise for application to near-real-time
monitoring in support of climate change mitigation efforts.


Slope-movement features common to many areas in the unglaciated Missouri Plateau in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming, which appeared to be earthflows, were studied at a locality in North Dakota. The features were examined at the surface and in a trench on a west-facing slope inclined at 14 deg (25 percent). The trench, 0.76 m (2.5 ft.) wide, 71 m (233 ft.) long, and 1.5-3.7 m (5-12 ft.) deep, extended from near the crest to the base of the slope and exposed the relations between colluvium, alluvium, bedrock, and sliding. The sliding is common to a variety of geological formations in the Missouri Plateau and, at the study site, is in the Sentinel Butte Member of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation. The bedrock is exposed at the surface near the crest of the slope, overlain by colluvium farther down in the upper part of the slope and colluvium and alluvium in the lower (westernmost) 27.3 m (90 ft.) part of the slope. The evidence of movement exposed by the trench consisted of cross sections of scarps and surfaces of parting. The scarps, which appear to be scattered haphazardly over the slope, are typically less than 0.5 m (1.5 ft.) high, 8-15 m (25-50 ft.) long, and crescent-shaped in plan view. The surfaces of parting occur near the top of the B horizon at the base of the root zone in the colluvium and, where colluvium is thin or absent, the parting surface is in a creep zone developed in bedrock. The upslope traces of the parting surfaces could be traced to or within 0.4-0.6 m (1.3-2 ft.) downslope from the scarps. There was no evidence of deeper sliding or flowing in the alluvium, colluvium, or bedrock, and movements that were interpreted from surface form to be earthflows are in fact thin soil slides. Movement has been restricted to thin slabs of soil sliding a short distance on the top of the relatively impermeable, clay-rich B horizon in the soil. Although these soil slides are relatively thin, they could damage structures placed on them. However, understanding the nature of these slides suggests simple control measures that can prevent damage. (Author)


This study highlights the social issues of an urban road confronted after the recent rehabilitation works. The study reveals that the road has facilitated faster travel with rider comfort but does not provide a very safe place for residents, children of the kindergarten and school and, walkers. The study has identified several social impacts caused by rehabilitation such as walker and resident un-comfort, inconvenience for businesses, not abating environmental pollution, absence of facilities for disable people and several more. Because the road platform is devoid of trees, the motorists, residents and pedestrians are stripped off of an array of benefits. Nor the road design has considered the comfort of walkers especially disable, elderly, sick and children by not providing a fully connected road walkway and not providing any tree shade and benches to have a rest on a hot and sunny day. The road has also not addressed environmental concerns especially the mechanisms for reduction of impacts of particle and other noxious gases emanating from motor vehicle movement on inhabitants. A method to analyze road impacts is included that serves as an aid for future rehabilitation of urban roads.


The importance of peer relationships among teenagers makes them form peer groups. Peer groups are children or adolescents with the same age or maturity level. Peer interactions of the same age play a unique role among adolescents. The purpose of this study is to see the effect of peer groups on the self-esteem of Lampung and Java students. The research method used ex-post facto research with 40 research students of Grade XI SMK Negeri Talangpadang Lampung Lesson Year 2016/2017 consisting of 20 students of Lampung tribe and 20 students of Java tribe. The instrument used is a questionnaire of peer groups and self-esteem questionnaires. Data analysis technique used is a parametric statistic with regression analysis. The results showed that there is a significant influence among peer groups on student self-esteem. Peer groups contributed 34.9% of students' self-esteem, while the remaining 65.1% were influenced by other factors.


Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. The high prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension in underserved populations is a major cause of health disparities in the United States and requires innovative health care delivery interventions. We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and comparative observational studies examining the effectiveness of contemporary systems change and quality improvement interventions aimed at improving blood pressure (BP) control published from 2010 to 2020. We included studies evaluating multicomponent practice improvement interventions conducted in the United States in community health centers. We identified 26 studies including 48 187 patients with hypertension with a high proportion of racial/ethnic minorities, low socioeconomic status, and a high burden of chronic illness. Multicomponent interventions led to an average reduction of 5 to 10 mm Hg in systolic BP. Four studies demonstrated the effectiveness of integrating pharmacists into community health centers for BP management and reduced cardiovascular disparities for at-risk populations. Five studies demonstrated the effectiveness of integrating community health workers into care workflows leading to reduction in BP and high patient satisfaction. Five studies used the electronic medical record as a tool for population management and showed only modest reduction in BP. One study demonstrated the effectiveness of incentivizing clinics with higher payments for uninsured and Medicaid patients meeting performance criteria. Very few studies evaluated treatment complications or medications side effects. Multicomponent quality improvement interventions instituted in community health centers are effective in lowering BP. Several components of the interventions were identified as being associated with higher efficacy.


The history of bridge construction is marked by incredible achievements and new technologies that have enabled bridges to become one of the most important tools for bridging cities and countries. Throughout their long history, bridges have managed to influence our culture and improve the way we travel, do business etc. It was a long way from the first bridges to the grandiose constructions. With the arrival of the Ottomans on the Balkan Peninsula, a new specific bridge construction was formed, based on the influence of the Ottoman bridges, but also on the rich tradition of local builders. Remarkable successes were achieved in the construction in the Ottoman period. A considerable number of stone bridges were built in the territory of the Republic of Srpska during that period, which occupy an important place in the construction of that period.


The Sea Is A Big Green Lens is a sound/sculpture installation developed with my brother
David Henderson. Starting with a poem by Paul Celan, "WEISSGERAUSCHE", we proceeded
in parallel to realise a work that translates the poem into sound and space, I working on a
multichannel electroacoustic composition and he on the sculptural installation to contain
and broadcast the sound. The text is not heard: the composition uses the poem for its
structure and source material. Where Celan invents and hybridises words, I use
convolution and cross-synthesis to create compound sound hybrids. Just as I experience
the interdependence of his imagery and the trajectories by which the poem unfolds, so the
composition connects its sounds and modules to each other, and develops its succession
of forms. Celan's work is often very open and can be interpreted in many ways. Part of
our process was to make a number of interpretations that would give us ways to enter into
a dialogue with the text. The one that we always returned to was a simple image: a
message, in a bottle at sea, but from the perspective of the message itself. From this idea
developed a maritime theme and the choice of source material follows this logic as well as
the literal imagery in the poem.
The physical installation comprises an arrangement of fifty objects which sketch the
boundaries of a vast, lenticular void. Ranging from 15cm to 3m in length, the sculptures
are constructed from rigid polyurethane foam and capped with mirror polished stainless
steel plates. These toroidal forms extend upward from the floor and downward from the
ceiling towards the centre of the room and collectively delineate the void. 12 of the
sculptures incorporate loudspeakers, a ring of 8 below and a ring of 4 above, with 2
subwoofers, developing a fully 3 dimensional soundspace. The original 14 channel
composition has been downmixed to 4 channel for this presentation in Magdeburg.


A low power switched decoupling capacitor circuit is proposed to suppress on-chip resonant supply noise. Compared to previous analog techniques, the proposed digital implementation achieves a 9X reduction in quiescent power with improved tolerance to PVT variation and tuning capability for optimal switching threshold. Measurements from a 0.13 mum test chip show an 11X boost in effective decap value and a 9.8 dB suppression in resonant supply noise by using the proposed circuit.


Background: This study analysed the views of a stratified sample of 444 older adult women from selected health districts in Botswana on their family planning (FP) use, knowledge, accessibility and availability. Methods: Four health districts (two rural and two urban) were purposively selected. The sample of 444 older adults was proportionally allocated to the districts. The snowball technique was used in identifying older adults from each district. Results: Contraceptive prevalence among the older adults is low (25. 2%); ever used rate was 23.6%, with unmet need as high as 75.2%. The traditional methods are mainly used. Knowledge, availability and accessibility of the natural methods are high. The likelihood ratio test shows that age, educational status, marital status and employment jointly significantly predicts (p < 0.05) the use of FP. Conclusion: Family planning programme developers and policy-makers should develop educational interventions that will be age specific and relevant to older adults.


To the Editor: The reemergence of measles in Europe is a reminder of the forgotten risk for severe illness and death associated with this disease in industrialized countries. Since 2008, >20,000 measles cases and 9 measles-associated deaths (in 7 immunocompromised and 2 immunocompetent persons) have been reported to the French Institute for Public Health. Among these cases, the reported causes of death were pneumonia and/or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (n = 7) and encephalitis (n = 2). All patients except 1, an immunocompromised patient, had the typical morbillous rash. We report another fatal case of measles, with intractable ARDS but no rash, in an apparently immunocompetent adult.

The patient was a 29-year-old woman in Grenoble, France, who smoked but had no relevant medical history except an episode of depression. In 2011, she sought care for fever, cough, coryza, diarrhea, and a 10-kg weight loss over 10 days. A general practitioner empirically prescribed pristinamycin and oral prednisone (60 mg/d for 5 d) for sinusitis. Five days later, the patient was admitted to the hospital because of persistent signs and symptoms. Physical examination at admission (day 1) detected fever (38.5°C), dyspnea, and a low body mass index of 17.5 kg/m2. Hematologic tests showed nonregenerative anemia (hemoglobin concentration 9 g/dL) and leukopenia (2.2 × 109 leukocytes/L) with profound lymphopenia (0.2 × 109 lymphocytes/L) and mild thrombocytopenia (135.0 × 109 platelets/L). A chest radiograph showed bilateral diffuse interstitial infiltrates. Antimicrobial therapy with levofloxacin and ceftriaxone was started.

On day 2, several examinations were conducted to explore the possibility of underlying immunosuppressive disease. Body scans showed no adenopathy or lesions suggestive of cancer. HIV test result was negative. General immunologic test results were within normal limits (immunoglobulin quantification, autoantibody testing) or consistent only with an acute viral infection (serum protein electrophoresis). A bone marrow biopsy sample indicated isolated erythroblastopenia with no abnormality of other cell lineages (PCR for parvovirus B19 was negative).

On day 3, because of severe respiratory failure, the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit, where the diagnosis of ARDS was confirmed and mechanical ventilation was started. Treatment with tazocillin/tazobactam, ciprofloxacin, amphotericin B, and acyclovir was also started. Microbiological findings from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples were repeatedly negative for bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, and Pneumocystis jirovecii. Cytology of BAL samples showed an acute inflammatory response with atypical epithelial cells, supporting a diagnosis of viral infection. However, none of 14 respiratory viruses or human herpesviruses type 1, 3, 4, 5, or 6 were recovered from BAL samples by PCR. Blood and urine culture results were repeatedly negative, as were serologic test results for Legionella spp., Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Chlamydia pneumoniae.

On day 5, because of refractory ARDS, venoarterial extracorporal membrane oxygenation was started. On day 6, the results of a broad serologic investigation demonstrated isolated IgM against measles virus. The patient was additionally given ribavirin, corticosteroids, and intravenous immunoglobulin. On day 10, the lymphocyte level had returned to reference range and the anemia had become regenerative. However, the patient's respiratory condition did not improve, and after 2 weeks of the oxygenation therapy, the patient died of hemorrhagic shock. Her parents declined an autopsy.

PCR testing of the patient's saliva by the French National Reference Center confirmed the presence of measles virus. Retrospective testing of serum, bone marrow, and BAL specimens collected during days 2–20 of hospitalization demonstrated measles virus RNA. The strain was identified as genotype D4, which is the epidemic strain circulating in France and elsewhere in Europe (1). The patient had no history of enanthem (Koplik spots) or morbilliform rash before or after symptom onset and no documented history of measles vaccination.

Deaths from measles with pneumonia or ARDS but without rash have been reported but mostly in patients with deficient cell-mediated immunity (2–6). Despite all our testing, we found no indications of an underlying immunosuppressive disease in this patient; however, we cannot categorically rule out this possibility, especially that of a primary immunodeficiency. The initial therapy with corticosteroids and the patient's weight loss could also have interfered with her cellular immune response. The diagnosis of ARDS caused by measles was supported by detection of the measles genome in BAL samples and body fluids in the absence of any other pathogen, but pulmonary superinfection with unidentified pathogens could not be ruled out. Detection of the measles genome and isolated erythroblastopenia in the bone marrow biopsy sample is consistent with reports that measles virus can infect erythroid progenitors and interfere indirectly with hematopoiesis (7,8). Although ribavirin and passive immunotherapy have been reported to aid in recovery from severe measles pneumonia, their clinical efficacy is still unproven (9,10); and for the patient reported here, they were probably used too late.

This unusual case underscores the need for physicians to consider the diagnosis of measles, even in the absence of classical clinical features, during measles outbreaks. It also reemphasizes the insufficient vaccination coverage against measles in France.


In this paper we discuss a nonrelativistic system at large charge in a regime where Schrodinger symmetry is slightly broken by an explicit mass term for the dilaton field which nonlinearly realizes nonrelativistic scale invariance. To get there, we first develop the large-charge formalism from the linear sigma model perspective, including the harmonic trapping potential necessary for the nonrelativistic state-operator correspondence. As a signature of the explicit breaking, we identify a √QlogQ term, which depending on the space dimension is either of the same order as the effects coming from the breakdown of the EFT at the edge of the particle cloud, or can be distinguished from these effects over a large range of orders of magnitude.


414 Erciyes Med J 2019; 41(4): 414–9 • DOI: 10.14744/etd.2019.52814 ORIGINAL ARTICLE – OPEN ACCESS This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Betül Özen , Özlem Ceyhan , Nuray Şimşek , Tülay Bülbül Frailty and Quality of Life in the Elderly Living in Nursing Home Objective: This work was designed to determine the association between the level of frailty and quality of life in nursing home residents. Materials and Methods: This descriptive and correlational study was conducted in a nursing home in Turkey that is affiliated with the Ministry of Family and Social Policy. Between May 2016 and August 2016, we included 126 elderly individuals who satisfied the inclusion criteria and who agreed to participate in the study. Results: The mean age of the participants was 78.2±10.7 years. The scores achieved in the Edmonton Frail Scale showed moderate and severe frailty in 33.4% of the elderly individuals. There was a linear correlation between frailty and life quality scores (r=–0.323, p<0.001). In the regression analysis, it was determined that as the age increased, the frailty total score increased significantly (F=9.567, p<0.05, R=0.60, R=0.36). It was observed that as the number of chronic diseases increased, the frailty total score increased. Conclusion: According to the results of the study, it was determined that fragility affected the quality of life in elderly individuals. It is recommended for healthcare personnel in the nursing home to evaluate the elderly in terms of frailty and to know risk factors for the frail elders.


Hydatid cyst disease (Echinococcosis) is a parasitic illness that is rarely located in the brain. Primary cerebral hydatid cyst disease is rarely seen. We report here rare two cases presenting with sixth cranial nerve palsy with increased intracranial pressure syndrome due to primary cerebral hydatid cyst. A 5-year-old female and a 13-year-old boy complained of headache, strabismus, nausea, and vomiting. Neurological examination revealed sixth nerve palsy and papilloedema. The diagnosis was cerebral hydatid cyst disease and was confirmed with radiological and pathological investigations. Both cases were operated on. The cysts were removed without rupture, and therapy was completed with albendazole for a period of six months. They were symptom-free during the follow-up period. In conclusion, cerebral hydatid cyst disease should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of increased intracranial pressure syndrome.


Rolls-Royce AB in Kristinehamn, Sweden, part of Rolls-Royce Marine, is a leading developer and supplier of water jet and propeller based propulsion equipment. Its low volume production series and wide product variety offered to its customers along with an increasingly competitive market has entailed an increased demand on both delivery time and cost reductions. The on-site manufacturing engineering department is responsible for developing all tools and fixtures, and programming required to maintain the on-site production, assembling and quality testing. As part of the departments streamlining efforts this study aimed on evaluating streamlining possibilities related to the existing tool design used for static balancing and function testing controllable pitch propeller assemblies before packaging and shipping, along with the related tool development and manufacturing processes has been conducted.The process evaluation started from the point when a hub assembly design was finalized until when a manufactured tool was delivered for use in production. Work focused on locating inefficient activities and product properties, with respect to tool cost and lead time, followed by setting up an amendment proposal, implementing it and producing an alternate tool design of which the effects on tool cost and manufacturing lead time would be evaluated. Post evaluating the current state of the process and product a set based front loaded product development methodology known as Modular Function Deployment was chosen to be the applied method. This application resulted in a modular tool design that avoided the determined most inefficient manufacturing operation combination of welding and annealing. Modularity increased manufacturing flexibility, enabling more concurrent manufacturing, to reduce the lead time. The tool design also applied integral properties by identifying the common components and features between tool sizes. This led to reducing manufacturing and material costs. Possible lead time reduction for manufacturing was determined to be 35-45%, 3-4weeks, in comparison with the original tool design due to increased parallel manufacturing and avoiding inefficient manufacturing methods. The estimated cost reduction for combined development and manufacturing was determined to be 105K SEK the initial year followed by 175K SEK the second year assuming the current tool manufacturing rate. The combined effects of reduced cost and lead time would be beneficial to Rolls-Royce AB by contributing to an increase in delivery reliability and competitive prices on the market


English also becomes very important for people to exchange meaning and to
represent their feeling and idea. Learning a foreign language is different from
learning one's mother tangue. The student met a lot of difficulties in learning a
foreign language (the target language / TL). The students still do not master the
translate and they still hard to translate from Indonesia to English especially in
transforming plural noun. This research was conducted based on descriptive
qualitative research. The population of this research was the student at SMK SMTI
Bandar Lampung at the second semester of the tenth grade.
In this research, the researcher used descriptive qualitative research. By descriptive
qualitative research, the researcher has described the student's error in translation
plural form and then the reseacher indentify, classify the error in their translation
made by the students based on surface strategy taxonomy; ommision, addition,
misformation, and misordering. The student at SMK SMTI consisted 283 students but
the sample of this research was 30 students. In collecting data, the researcher used
documents in the student task. The researcher gave the paper and ask the students to
translate plural sentences and the total item task was 10 number. Then, the researcher
analyzed them based on surface strategy taxonomy.
After analyzing the data, the researcher found that many students' error in translating
plural. There are 29 items of omission error (23%), 6 items of addition (simple
addition) (05%), 10 items of addition (regularization) error (08%), 16 items of
misformation (regularization) error (13%), 58 items of misformation (alternating
form) error (46%) and 6 items of misordering error (05%). So in this research the
researcher found that misformation in alternating form was the highest error that
made by students. The sources of errors in this reseach were mother tongue influence
(interlingual errors). It was influenced by the native language which interferes with
target language learning. The second was intralingual errors, caused the learners less
knowledge on pattern and apply irregular plural form.


Pairwise data automatically constructed from weakly supervised signals has been widely used for training deep learning models. Pairwise datasets such as parallel texts can have uneven quality levels overall, but usually contain data subsets that are more useful as learning examples. We present two methods to refine data that are aimed to obtain that kind of subsets in a self-supervised way. Our methods are based on iteratively training dual-encoder models to compute similarity scores. We evaluate our methods on de-noising parallel texts and training neural machine translation models. We find that: (i) The self-supervised refinement achieves most machine translation gains in the first iteration, but following iterations further improve its intrinsic evaluation. (ii) Machine translations can improve the de-noising performance when combined with selection steps. (iii) Our methods are able to reach the performance of a supervised method. Being entirely self-supervised, our methods are well-suited to handle pairwise data without the need of prior knowledge or human annotations.


This article focuses on an economic assessment of the target obtained in South Africa regarding the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK) applying both SAM and CGE models. Since both models have advantages and disadvantages, tourism economists are confronted with the predicament of determining which model is most suitable for application to any specific event. The findings reveal that when different models are applied to the same dataset from an event, the reported economic impact results differ significantly. Results indicate that considerations such as the data collection or compilation, expected output, research objectives and costs involved will determine the choice of a specific modelling framework. Data from a visitor survey conducted at the KKNK during 2010 were used in the analyses. This finding serves as a warning to assessors that economic impact results can be misleading and, therefore, the application thereof should be handled with the utmost care as the results can readily be misinterpreted by stakeholders.


Rainfall modeling is significant for prediction and forecasting purposes in agriculture, weather derivatives, hydrology, and risk and disaster preparedness. Normally two models are used to model the rainfall process as a chain dependent process representing the occurrence and intensity of rainfall. Such two models help in understanding the physical features and dynamics of rainfall process. However rainfall data is zero inflated and exhibits overdispersion which is always underestimated by such models. In this study we have modeled the two processes simultaneously as a compound Poisson process. The rainfall events are modeled as a Poisson process while the intensity of each rainfall event is Gamma distributed. We minimize overdispersion by introducing the dispersion parameter in the model implemented through Tweedie distributions. Simulated rainfall data from the model shows a resemblance of the actual rainfall data in terms of seasonal variation, means, variance, and magnitude. The model also provides mechanisms for small but important properties of the rainfall process. The model developed can be used in forecasting and predicting rainfall amounts and occurrences which is important in weather derivatives, agriculture, hydrology, and prediction of drought and flood occurrences.


Non-precious bifunctional electrocatalysts with high water splitting activity are of paramount importance in reducing energy losses in alkaline environments. Herein, we report NiCo–NiCoO2 heterostructures embedded in N-doped carbon (NiCo–NiCoO2@NC) as an efficient bifunctional catalyst for overall water splitting in alkaline media. Partially reduced nickel and cobalt interfaced with nickel cobalt oxide result from thermal decomposition of nickel cobalt double hydroxide precursors encapsulated in high surface area carbon. Bimetallic thin film NiCo–NiCoO2@NC exhibits a synergy of two active metals – Ni and Co, achieving remarkably small onset potentials of 0 and 200 mV, and overpotentials of 94 and 318 mV at 10 mA cm−2 for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), respectively, and achieving TOFs at η = 500 mV more than 2-fold of Pt/C in the HER and IrO2 in the OER. Momentously, a water electrolyzer that achieves 20 mA cm−2 at a voltage of 1.44 V is fabricated by utilizing cheap non-precious NiCo–NiCoO2@NC as anode and cathode catalysts simultaneously. Thanks to the protective carbon coating and the mutual aid of Ni–Co alloy and NiCoO2, NiCo–NiCoO2@NC maintains 20 mA cm−2 for at least 50 h in alkaline media without trivial activity losses. The prominent synergetic and structural effects have been extensively discussed to shed light on the overall water splitting electrocatalyst design.


This paper investigates the deepening of the international division of labor and its effect on factor intensities in Japan, mainly focusing on the manufacturing sector. In the first half of the paper, we analyze the factor contents of trade and find that Japan's factor content net-exports of capital and non-production labor grew rapidly while net-exports of production workers fell by a large amount during the period from 1980-2000. Interestingly, the decline in the factor content of net-exports of production workers was almost entirely caused by Japan's trade with China and Hong Kong. According to our decomposition analysis, however, most of the macro-economic change in the capital-labor ratio and the change in the skilled-labor ratio is attributable to a within-industry'shift rather than a between-industry' shift. Although we clearly see a drastic increase in VIIT and outsourcing to foreign countries, particularly to Asian countries, our empirical analysis provides only weak evidence that the deepening international division of labor contributes to changes in factor intensities in each industry. Our results suggest that specialization in the export of skilled-labor-intensive products may have contributed to the increase in the relative demand for skilled (professional, technical, managerial, and administrative) labor within industry. However, our results suggest that changes in trade patterns (specialization in capital-intensive production) cannot explain the rapid growth of capital-labor ratios in Japan.


The stabilization of nonlinear systems depend strongly on the initial state and the parameters of the systems. The initial state and the parameters with which the system is stabilized can be distinguished by the geometrical structure. It is, however, difficult and sometimes impossible to analyze the structure analytically. Therefore it comes important to show and analyze the structure of the parameters and initial states numerically and visually. In this paper, we present a method to draw and visualize such region and structure in the three dimensional space. In general, the projection of the original high-dimensional space to the lower dimension one is required for using visual analysis. Thus, it is convenient that the viewpoint can be moved, without time loss, in the direction where analyst would like to see. As often as the viewpoint moves, the recomputation as quick as possible is required to realize the quick motion of viewpoint. It is, however, obvious that lots of computation and time are taken to draw the region. Therefore, high performance calculators are needed to realize the real-time drawing. In order to overcome this problem, FPGA and cluster-computing is used in this paper. Then it is demonstrated by illustrative examples that FPGA and cluster-computing shows high performance to draw the region of the parameters and initial state in 3D with which z,+1 z2 ± C can be stabilized, that is Mandelbrot and Julia sets, respectively.


The research was to investigate the difference effect of cooking liquor concentration and bleaching sequence on the properties Kraft pulp sengon wood (Paraserianthes falcataria). The Kraft pulp conditions were alkalinity (16 and 20%) and sulfi dity (20 and 25%). The maximum pulping temperature was 170°C for 4 hours, Liquor to wood ratio of 4:1 and 100 gram OD. Pulp bleaching sequences were P 1 DEP 2 and D1ED 2 P. Utilization of selected Kraft pulping was effective enough for dissolving lignin. The highest and the lowest lignin decreasing were 90% and 61% respectively. The increasing effect of alkali concentration was more dominant than its sulfi dity on the pulp delignifi cation selectivity. Generally, the optimum Kraft pulping conditions were alkalinity 20% and sulfi dity 25%. The sequence bleaching difference of the selected pulp tended on the decreasing of kappa number and pulp yield. The fi rst pulp bleaching method (P 1 EDP 2 ) was relatively better than the second method (D1ED 2 P).


Fifty patients with 8 prism diopters or less of esotropia after the last surgery were studied. Forty-nine percent of those straightened before 12 months of age and 41% of those straightened between 13-24 months developed the M.S. Only one of 22 patients straightened after the age of two developed the M.S. Although D.V.D and overaction of the inferior oblique muscles were associated findings, neither precluded the development of the M.S. Those patients without M.S. had a higher incidence of subsequent exotropia and manifest D.V.D.


This research focused on the feeding trial of formulated feed ration for albino rats and to know the effect of this feed on the rats, compare with those of control feed (Top feeds) by carrying out some analyses such as biochemical, haematological, and growth performance of the rats. The rats (16) were allocated into four dietary treatment groups and fed on a short term study with diet containing different proportions of feed. The outcome demonstrated or revealed that Group II had a mean weight of 131.7, PCV of 51 ± 2.2, WBC of 12727 ± 89.9 X 10 3 mm, AST of 181.4 ± 2.7u/l, ALT 128.3 ± 2.9 u/l, Total protein of 61 ± 1.4 and Cholesterol of 2.9 ± 0.1 g/dL had a positive effect on the growth performance of the rats when compared to the control group which has mean weight of 161.7, PCV of 50.3 ± 2.1, WBC of 12317 ± 164.99 X10 3/ mm, Cholesterol of 2.7 ± 0.2, Total protein of 61.2 ± 1.0 g/dL, ALT of 132.5 ± 6.6u/l, AST of 180 ± 1.7. But Group 1 with mean weight of 124.0, PCV of 52 ± 1.1, WBC of 15586 ± 241.2 X 10 3/ mm, Cholesterol of 6.4 ± 0.6, Total protein of 74.9 ± 6.4 g/dL, AST of 182.1 ± 3.0u/l, ALT of 125.8 ± 2.7u/l has an increased in WBC which can lead to inflammation or infection while In Total protein can leads to liver disease due to high content of groundnut; while Group III with mean weight of 120.0, PCV of 51.4±1.6, WBC of 14190 ± 313.7 X10 3/ mm, Cholesterol of 3.6±0.4, Total protein of 81± 4.8 g/dL, AST of 183.4 ± 3.2u/l, ALT of 130.1 ± 2.6 which also increase.ALT and AST levels in Group l and III suggested liver damage due to increased in their blood serum. This finding strongly suggests the use of Group II's formulated feed diet as a substitute for rat feed. Keywords : Wistar rats, formulated diet, feeding trial.


Bulk samples with the stoichiometry of Mg:B=1:2 and 1:4 were prepared by solid state reaction method. The microstructure and constituent of the samples were investigated by using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the x-ray diffraction (XRD). XRD results showed that the MgB2 phase was first formed in all the samples with different stoichiometry of Mg and B, which indicated that the MgB2 was the most thermodynamically stable phase in the Mg-B binary system. For the samples of Mg:B=1:2, the MgB2 single phase was formed very well when these samples were sintered at 650°C~700°C. For the samples with later added Mg reaching to the stoichiometry of Mg:B=1:2, a longer reaction time or higher reaction temperature was required for the formation of the MgB2 single phase. The SEM results showed that the samples with later added Mg had dense microstructures, suggesting that the later addition of Mg could reduce the porosity of the sample. A small increase of the superconducting transition temperature, Tc, in the Mg addition sample resulted from the dense microstructures.


The US regulatory environment has been characterized as complex due to the greater than 1300 laws promulgated at local, state, and federal levels. Recent declines in the growth rate of US aquaculture have been attributed, in part, to a complex, overlapping, and inefficient regulatory framework. This study is the first to examine this question by quantifying the farm-level regulatory burden and its economic effects in an aquaculture industry sector. A survey was conducted of baitfish and sportfish producers in the 13 major production states in the USA to identify the direct and indirect costs of regulation on producers. Survey responses captured 74% of the national volume of baitfish and sportfish production. The data revealed that only 1% of total regulatory costs are direct costs of regulation, such as license and permit fees, while 99% of the costs are due to manpower used for compliance, farm changes to remain in compliance, and sales lost without replacement. Costs due to regulations varied across states and farm sizes. Across all respondents, average total regulatory costs were found to be $148,554/farm, or $7383/ha. The farm-level cost to the US baitfish and sportfish industry was estimated to be in excess of $12 million. On 38% of the farms, the cost of regulations exceeded the value of profits on baitfish and sportfish farms. Our findings confirm previous reports of the complexity of the regulatory environment. Results show that the total regulatory burden has increased farm-level costs and restricted access to markets, thereby reducing profitability and contributing to reduced growth of the US baitfish and sportfish industry.