Recent study shows an increasing interest towards the implementation of augmented reality in teaching and learning. Majority of the studies in this area focuses on how this technology could impact students' performance and various skills including visualization skills. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine the differences in students' visualization skills after utilizing Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) and conventional learning in orthographic projection classroom. This study involved 60 students and was conducted in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia: 30 students in experimental group used MAR; 30 students in control group used conventional learning. In this study, mental rotation skills were measured using Purdue Spatial Visualization Test of Rotation (PSVT:R) due to its importance to ensure students understanding in orthographic projection. Results from this study showed a significant difference between students in both group where students in experimental group displayed a significantly higher level of visualization skills in terms of mental rotation skills compared to students in control group. At the end of their study, respondents were given a set of questionnaires to obtain their feedback on the use of MAR. Based on students' positive feedback on MAR, the result proved that it can be an effective spatial visualization tool. MAR is also practical to be used in classrooms since it has low production cost.


Purpose. This study was initiated to investigate the role of different therapeutic modalities in the outcome of the surgical treatment of pterygium. Methods. The results of treatment of pterygia with a variety of surgical techniques were studied in 56 eyes (49 patients) operated on at Bristol Eye Hospital during a period of five years. The surgical techniques included simple excision; bare sclera; conjunctival autograft; sliding conjunctival flap; lamellar keratoplasty and penetrating keratoplasty. Twelve eyes received additional beta irradiation in a fractionated total dose of 40 Gys. Results. The incidence of recurrence was 23.2% for the 43 treated primary pterygia, and 23% for the 13 recurrent pterygia. All recurrences occurred between 2.5 and 11 months postoperatively. None of the 11 cases where additional beta irradiation was used showed any recurrence or other complication within the study period. In the recurrent pterygia group, the cases treated with a combination of surgical excision and beta irradiation, showed significantly lower recurrence rate (p<0.001) compared to those cases treated with surgical excision alone. Conclusions. Beta irradiation as a complement to surgical treatment of pterygium, is successful in treating high risk cases such as reoperations, whereas for the majority of primary pterygia surgical excision alone is adequate. Additionally, follow up of one year will reveal any recurrences.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the long-term efficacy, safety, and tolerability of adjunctive perampanel for the treatment of patients with refractory focal-onset seizures (FOS), with or without focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (FBTCS), from the Asia-Pacific region.

METHODS
Study 335 (NCT01618695) was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase III study. Patients aged ≥12 years with refractory FOS who completed the Core Study could enter an open-label extension (OLEx) Phase (6-week Conversion and ≥46-week Maintenance Period). Endpoints included median percent reduction in seizure frequency per 28 days, 50% responder and seizure-freedom rates, and treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs).

RESULTS
The Intent-to-Treat Analysis Set included 704 patients (529 received perampanel and 175 received placebo during the Core Study; all patients received perampanel during OLEx). The median percent reduction in seizure frequency and 50% responder rates in patients who received perampanel during the Core Study were maintained throughout the OLEx Phase (Week 64-75: 55.9% and 54.3%, respectively). Seizure freedom for ≥12 consecutive months at any time during perampanel treatment was achieved by 4.1% of patients with FOS and 14.2% of patients with FBTCS. Among patients treated with perampanel 4 mg/day (n=83), median reduction in seizure frequency was lower in those who received concomitant enzyme-inducing anti-seizure medications (EIASMs) than those who received non-EIASMs. The most common TEAE was dizziness (n=318; 46.8%); 141 (20.8%) patients had TEAEs that led to study/drug withdrawal.

SIGNIFICANCE
Overall, long-term seizure control was achieved with adjunctive perampanel in patients with refractory FOS, with or without FBTCS, in an Asia-Pacific population.


We first report discovery of the spinel-garnet-orthopyroxene granulite with pure CO2 fluid inclusions from the Fuyun region of the late Paleozoic Altay orogenic belt in Central Asia, NW China. The rock is characterized by an assemblage of garnet, orthopyroxene, spinel, cordierite, biotite, plagioclase and quartz. Symplectites of orthopyroxene and spinel, and orthopyroxene and cordierite indicate decompression under UHT conditions. Mineral chemistry shows that the orthopyroxenes have high XMg and Al2O3 contents (up to 9.23 wt%). Biotites are enriched in TiO2 and XMg and are stable under granulite facies conditions. The garnet and quartz from the rock carry monophase fluid inclusions which show peak melting temperatures of around -56.7℃, indicating a pure CO2 species being presented during the ultrahigh-T metamorphism in the Altay orogenic belt. The inclusions homogenize into a liquid phase at temperatures around 15.3-23.8℃ translating into CO2 densities of the order of 0.86-0.88g/cm^3. Based on preliminary mineral paragenesis, reaction textures and petrogenetic grid considerations, we infer that the rock was subjected to UHT conditions. The CO2-rich fluids were trapped during exhumation along a clockwise P-T path following isothermal decompression under UHT conditions.


Performance guarantees can be given to tasks in an embedded system by ensuring that access to each shared resource is mediated by an appropriate scheduler. However, almost all previous work on CPU scheduling has focused on thread-level scheduling, resulting in systems that are vulnerable to a lower-level form of overload that occurs when too many interrupts arrive. This paper describes three new techniques, two software-based and one hardware-based, for creating systems that delay or drop excessive interrupt requests before they can overload a processor. Our interrupt schedulers bound both the amount of work performed in interrupt context and its granularity, making it possible to provide strong progress guarantees to thread-level processing. We show that our solutions work and are efficient when implemented on embedded processors. We have also taken a description for a microprocessor in VHDL, modified it to include logic that prevents interrupt overload, synthesized the processor, and verified that it works using simulation. By allowing developers to avoid making assumptions about the worst-case interrupt rates of peripherals, our work fills an important gap in the chain of reasoning leading to a validated system. These techniques cannot replace careful system design, but they do provide a last-ditch safety guarantee in the presence of a serious malfunction.


Background This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor-aspirin versus clopidogrel-aspirin in Chinese patients by the presence and clinical presentation of intracranial artery stenosis (ICAS) using randomized trial data from the CHANCE-2 (Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients With Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events-II) trial. Methods and Results A total of 6412 patients with minor stroke or transient ischemic attack who carried CYP2C19 loss-of-function alleles were randomized to either the ticagrelor-aspirin or clopidogrel-aspirin group. Patients without imaging of the intracranial artery were excluded from the nonprespecified subgroup analysis of CHANCE-2. All patients included were classified into the following groups: without ICAS, symptomatic ICAS, or asymptomatic ICAS. The primary efficacy outcome was new strokes within 90 days. There were 5893 patients (median age, 64.8 years; 33.9% women) included, and 172 (4.9%), 171 (10.5%), and 57 (7.7%) cases of new strokes occurred within 90 days in the without ICAS, with symptomatic ICAS, and with asymptomatic ICAS groups, respectively. Ticagrelor-aspirin was associated with reduced risk of new stroke in patients without ICAS (62 [3.5%] versus 110 [6.3%]; hazard ratio [HR], 0.57 [95% CI, 0.41-0.78]) but not in those with symptomatic ICAS (HR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.56-1.05]) or in those with asymptomatic ICAS (HR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.43-1.38]) compared with clopidogrel-aspirin (P for interaction=0.14). There were no significant differences in the proportion of severe or moderate bleeding events among different ICAS groups. Conclusions Patients without ICAS received a significantly greater benefit from ticagrelor-aspirin than clopidogrel-aspirin after minor ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack, and there was no statistically significant difference between treatments in patients with symptomatic ICAS or asymptomatic ICAS. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT04078737.


Earthquake is the result of sudden release of energy in the earth's crust that generates seismic waves. Ground shaking and rupture are the major effects generated by earthquakes. It has social as well as economic consequences such as causing death and injury of living things especially human beings and damages the built and natural environment. In order to take precaution for the loss of life and damage of structures due to the ground motion, it is important to understand the characteristics of the ground motion. The most important dynamic characteristics of earthquake are peak ground acceleration (PGA), frequency content, and duration. These characteristics play predominant rule in studying the behavior of structures under seismic loads.The strength of ground motion is measured based on the PGA, frequency content and how long the shaking continues. Ground motion has different frequency contents such as low, intermediate, and high. Present work deals with study of frequency content of ground motion on reinforced concrete (RC) buildings. Linear time history analysis is performed in structural analysis and design (STAAD Pro) software. The proposed method is to study the response of low, mid, and high-rise reinforced concrete buildings under low, intermediate, and high- frequency content ground motions. Both regular and irregular three-dimension two, six, and twenty- story RC buildings with six ground motions of low, intermediate, and high-frequency contents having equal duration and peak ground acceleration (PGA) are studied herein. The response of the buildings due to the ground motions in terms of story displacement, story velocity, story acceleration, and base shear are found. The responses of each ground motion for each type of building are studied and compared. The results show that low- frequency content ground motions have significant effect on both regular as well as irregular RC buildings. However, high-frequency content ground motions have very less effect on responses of the regular as well as irregular RC buildings


While the Surgeon General's Consumer Guide lists weight-gain as an important relapse trigger, the 2001 Surgeon General's Report on Women and Smoking concludes, paradoxically, that actual weight-gain during cessation does not appear to predict relapse. This dichotomous view reflects longstanding scientific uncertainty about the role of weight-gain in triggering relapse. This scientific uncertainty, which stems from mixed clinical trial results, is problematic for insurance coverage decisions such as state Medicaid programme decisions to cover or exclude smoking-cessation and weight-control pharmaceuticals. Analysts hypothesize that selection bias may explain the inconsistency between the negative clinical results and the persistent view that weight-gain triggers relapse, if weight-concern is both a key determinant of the transition from 'smoker' to 'ex-smoker,' and a key moderating variable in the relationship between weight-gain and relapse. We therefore use the nationally representative 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY97) to test the relapse-trigger hypothesis, and conclude that post-smoking-cessation weight-gain triggers relapse among weight-concerned white women, but it is associated with quitting success among Hispanic women. In addition, our results do not support the hypothesis that the mixed clinical trial results reflect selection bias based on weight-concern.


Rocks in detachment zones are commonly enriched in K 2 O, thought to originate from K-metasomatism by basin brine associated with tectonically controlled basins in semi-arid settings. We used infrared spectroscopic and remote sensing techniques to investigate the geologic and mineralogical context of K-metasomatism associated with the Buckskin-Rawhide detachment fault near Swansea, Arizona, where spectacular alteration and exceptional exposures are observed. The goals are to (1) determine the miner alogy associated with K 2 O enrichment in this area, (2) define the lithologic and structural controls on alteration in this region, and (3) construct a general model for alteration in detachments zones, context of K 2 O enrichment, and relation to detachment-related ore deposits. In the Swansea area, Miocene volcanic rocks were completely and pervasively altered in an early stage of K-metasomatism to ferruginous illite, K-feldspar, and hematite, and later replaced by calcite, celadonite, hematite, and jasper. The mineralogy of these altered rocks and their geologic context suggest initial K-metasomatism by warm, alkaline surface water and/or groundwater related to a Miocene lacustrine environment. We propose that the carbonate overprint occurred due to increased fluid temperatures as the K-metasomatized rocks moved down the detachment fault in an environment of high heat flow. The spatial distribution of alteration minerals observed in the field and from remote sensing data shows that alteration was driven by reactivity of host rocks and host-rock permeability; normal faults and fractures associated with detachment faulting were not significant conduits of hydrothermal fluids. These results illustrate well the spatial relationships between alteration minerals and fluid conduits in detachment zones, which are usually studied only by chemical analyses.


A theoretical study of the magnetoelectronic properties of zigzag and armchair bilayer graphene nanoribbons (BGNs) is presented. Using the recursive Green's function method, we study the band structure of BGNs in uniform perpendicular magnetic fields and discuss the zero-temperature conductance for the corresponding clean systems. The conductance quantized as 2(n+1)G_ for the zigzag edges and nG_0 for the armchair edges with G_{0}=2e^2/h being the conductance unit and $n$ an integer. Special attention is paid to the effects of edge disorder. As in the case of monolayer graphene nanoribbons (GNR), a small degree of edge disorder is already sufficient to induce a transport gap around the neutrality point. We further perform comparative studies of the transport gap E_g and the localization length in bilayer and monolayer nanoribbons. While for the GNRs E_{g}^{GNR}is proportional to 1/W, the corresponding transport gap E_{g}^{BGN} for the bilayer ribbons shows a more rapid decrease as the ribbon width W is increased. We also demonstrate that the evolution of localization lengths with the Fermi energy shows two distinct regimes. Inside the transport gap, xi is essentially independent on energy and the states in the BGNs are significantly less localized than those in the corresponding GNRs. Outside the transport gap \xi grows rapidly as the Fermi energy increases and becomes very similar for BGNs and GNRs.


This paper analyzes how the implementation of the Electronic Document Management (EDM) can contribute for a lean management in AEC sector, particularly in the design process. The main concepts of EDM are presented and illustrated with examples of its application in the design process. Some considerations are show on the document management problems in design process. The most common errors embedded on documents are: Inconsistency in design information, mismatch between connected parts, component malfunction. The authors propose how to use EDM systems for a lean design process based on the ideas proposed earlier by Koskela and Tzortzopoulos and Formoso. The lean concepts discussed here are: Reduce the share of non-value-add ing activities, reduce variability, reduce cycle time, simplify by minimizing the number of steps and parts, increase output flexibility, increase process transparency, balance flow improvement with conversion improvement. The paper ends with a brief description of an implementation of EDM for a lean design process. The purpose of the paper is to bring the discussion on Information Technology (IT) usage on a lean management context. The ideas presented here is an initial step on this research in order to have a theoretical framework to analyse case study under development in a construction company in Curitiba.


Patient and public involvement (PPI) in research has become expected practice by funders and Research Ethics Committees (RECs).1–3 Working with public contributors from the outset in designing and undertaking patient-related research aims to ensure that the focus is relevant to, and grounded in, their lived experiences.4 Despite sustained UK research policy advocating the importance of PPI,3 public contributions are often absent or minimal in reports of primary care research.5 In this patient perspectives edition of the BJGP , only two papers report on public contributions to the design and execution of the research.6,7 When PPI input is described, research reports are rarely specific about the input of public contributors along the way; how their concerns, reviews, suggestions, and objections have actually shaped or changed the course of the research.1,4,8 PPI work often remains a 'black box'.

This editorial makes the case that meaningful PPI makes a positive contribution, but the nature and content of PPI work need to be transparent and appropriate. PPI collaboration in research is time consuming and more problematic for both public contributors and researchers than best-practice guidelines suggest.4,9 The reasons why general practice research is not designed and undertaken with public contributors are numerous, including insufficient resources and a desire to avoid complicating a project.2,8 We draw on our experience as three researchers and one PPI group member to highlight some of the key challenges and practicalities involved.

The impact of public contributions on research quality remains disputed and the evidence evaluating its impact is limited.3,5,10 The literature highlights three broad approaches to the involvement of public contributors in research. The first is an ideological democratic model, in which public contributors …


Pathological examinations of 23 fatalities due to sepsis caused by polymicrobial flora revealed in 7 cases polymicrobial flora in metastatic foci of dissimilar composition in different foci, in 4 cases monomicrobial flora but varying in different foci, in 12 cases monomicrobial flora similar in all examined septic foci despite the presence in the blood of two or more agents. Localization of metastatic septic foci to a certain extent dependent on the nature of the sepsis causative agents comprising the association. Polymicrobial forms of sepsis were found in fatal cases due to leukemia in 50.0%, to burn sepsis in 10.8%, and to other diseases in 2.8% of the cases, indicating the dependence of their development on the degree of reduction of immunological responsiveness of the patients. The effect of antibacterial therapy given to the patients on the etiology of sepsis is discussed.


This study uses mixed (quantitative, qualitative, and ethnographic) methods and a multiple-theoretical framework, especially sexual configurations theory, to examine the health of cross-sectional samples of persons who engage in alternative sexualities, especially consensual non-monogamy (CNM), and compares their health, happiness, educational attainment, sexual frequency, sexual health knowledge, marital happiness, experiences of discrimination and other adversities, and other variables with cross-sectional samples from the general US population. For those who are so oriented, CNM within current human populations unite local sociocultural values and contexts with human sexual plasticity evolved from ancient times, and these behaviors are associated with holistic health, which is fostered within intentional communities that provide supportive spaces where persons who engage in alternative sexualities may thrive, experience conditions for optimal health, happiness, relationship satisfaction, sexual health, protection, and resilience in the midst of oppressive and deleterious forces exerted by some individuals and institutions in majority society and their attempts to flatten and erase human sexual diversities. The findings presented herein indicate that those who are actively CNM are more educated, have more frequent sexual interaction, with more partners, and are as happy and healthy (and in most cases happier and healthier), happy in their marriages (and frequently happier), and are more attentive to their sexual health than are individuals from the general US population. These findings hold generally true across the lifecourse, across genders and marital status, and among various behavioral sexual orientations.


This paper constructed a web site supervision system to analyze the sentiment orientation of the articles (document, text) on the web sites in intranet. A scheme based on Vector Space Model (VSM) is put forward for identifying the sentiment orientation of document. Considering the feature of a document is relative to the term frequencies appears in the document and corpus, we extract the feature of document by using the popular formula TF-IDF (Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency), and the weight of term is computed based on a sentiment lexicon, which is built manually. In the sentiment lexicon, we divide Chinese words into three types according to the sentiment orientation of word and each word is assigned a weight according to the polarity of words. At begin, we introduce some text classification techniques such as feature representation, feature extract and text classifiers based on VSM. The structure and the working process of the web site monitor system are also described in the end of this paper.


We report on the measurements of monoenergetic neutrons from DD and DT fusion reactions by use of the capture gating method in a heterogeneous plastic-glass composite scintillation detector. The cylindrical detector is 5.08 cm in diameter and 5.05 cm in height and was fabricated using 1-mm diameter Li-doped glass rods (GS20) and scintillating polyvinyl toluene (EJ-290). Different scintillation decay constants are used to identify energy depositions in two materials constituting the composite scintillator. Geant4 simulations of the neutron thermalization and capture process were conducted, finding a mean capture time of approximately 2.6 μs for both DD and DT neutrons. A capture gating time acceptance window based on simulation results was used to identify the neutron thermalization pulses. The total scintillation light yield produced in neutron thermalization was measured and found to show consistency on event-by-event basis despite the variety of neutron thermalization histories prior to capture. The ratio of light yields from thermalization of 14.1 MeV and 2.45 MeV neutrons in the EJ-290 scintillator was determined to be 14.6, and the light output from 2.45 MeV neutrons was also correlated to its electron equivalent, obtaining a value of 0.58±0.05 MeVee.


Māori and Indigenous people are methodological, yet how we theorise our ways of being, our languages and our cultural beliefs is often held to the academic margins. Sophisticated systems of Māori knowledge production, retention and transmission over many hundreds of years, twined together with hard-won kaupapa Māori territory, positions us well to re-centre our theorised ways of being, doing and speaking, as a robust research methodology most capable of telling our stories through our own Māori lens. Contributing to a whakapapa of Māori and Indigenous decolonising methodologies, I introduce here Whatuora—a kaupapa Māori arts-based methodology that emerged from research about living as Māori women and the stories the women spoke and wove into the Māori cloaks they created.


This research attempts to explore the impacts of different types of justice and their interactions on the satisfaction toward service failure recovery. We attempt to classify justices into hygiene, motivator, or asymmetric variable, based on the concept of asymmetric effect and two factors theory proposed by Herzberg. Specifically, we predict that procedural and distributive justices are hygiene or performance factor and interpersonal justice is motivator. In addition, based on expectancy-disconfirmation theory (EDT), we also attempt to understand the interaction between paired justices by arguing that motivator can generate more effect when hygiene factor or performance factors meet initial expectation. An experiment, with 3x2x2 between-subjects factorial design consisting of three factors to represent different levels of justice provided by online retailer, will be conducted to test the proposed hypotheses. A two-step approach will be used to (1) confirmation the types (hygiene, performance, or motivator) that each justice dimension belongs to, (2) understand the impact of each justice on satisfaction, and (3) test whether motivator will generate more effect when hygiene and performance factor are satisfied. Keyword: Expectation disconfirmation theory, Justice theory, Service failure and recovery, Two factor theory, Satisfaction


Background. Myasthenic crisis can induce Takotsubo cardiomyopathy leading to transient systolic and diastolic left ventricular dysfunction and wall-motion abnormalities, including the characteristic apical ballooning. We aimed to define the clinical features of this disease entity. Methods. A systematic review was conducted to examine the characteristics of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy presenting in myasthenia gravis patients. Case reports were accessed by searching MEDLINE/PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases. 523 articles were identified and 14 were selected for review. Results. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy presenting in myasthenia gravis' patients tends to affect women between the ages of 40 to 77. History of atrial fibrillation or hypertension was found in a minority of cases. Generalized weakness, fatigue, dysphagia and respiratory distress were common at presentation. Vital signs demonstrated normal blood pressure without tachycardia or bradycardia. Elevated values of troponins, creatine kinase (CK), and CK-MB isoenzymes were recorded. ST-segment elevation followed by T-wave inversion were predominantly found on electrocardiograms. Apical abnormalities in the form of ballooning, hypokinesia, or sparing and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (≤45%) were observed using transthoracic echocardiogram or left ventriculography. Coronary angiography demonstrated no obstructive lesions. Ventilatory support, cholinesterase inhibitors and glucocorticoids resulted in the recovery or improvement of the left ventricular ejection fraction and hemodynamic stability. Only a minority of patients died of refractory heart failure. Treatment with inotropes and/or vasopressors led to poorer outcomes, including death or intractable heart failure. Conclusion. The management of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy developing in myasthenia gravis patients should focus on addressing the myasthenic crisis, while proving supportive care in and intensive care setting.


The silicon-based heterostructures composed of silicon nanowire/silver oxide/silver nanodendrite are first demonstrated as functional light emitting sources after electro-activation. The high fill-factor nanoscale out-of-plane heterostructures are fabricated into silicon substrate using low-cost silver nanoparticles assisted wet chemical etching. The emitted light spectrum spanning a visible–NIR range of 400-850 nm is analyzed to excite three predominant intensity peaks with photon energies of 1.87, 2.05 and 2.27 eV under forward biases of 20-50 V, corresponding to the color of dark red, yellow and green. The heterostructure device proposed paves a way to eliminate the use of relatively expensive direct band gap materials for the potential optoelectronic applications, such as optical interconnections and displays.


Observations of the nearest regions of massive star formation such as Orion are reviewed. Early-type stars in the local OB associations, as well as their superbubbles and supershells provide a fossil record of massive star birth in the Solar vicinity over about the last 40 Myr. This record shows that most massive stars are born from dense, high-pressure, hot cores which spawn transient clusters that dissipate into the field soon after formation. A large fraction (15 to 30%) of massive stars are high-velocity runaways moving at more than 20 km s$^{-1}$. High-mass stars have a larger companion fraction than their lower-mass siblings. The Orion star forming complex contains the nearest site of on-going massive star formation. Studies of the Orion Nebula and the dense molecular cloud core located immediately behind the HII region provide our sharpest view of massive star birth. This region has formed a hierarchy of clusters within clusters. The Trapezium, OMC-1S, and OMC-1 regions represent three closely spaced sub-clusters within the more extended Orion Nebula Cluster. The oldest of these sub-clusters, which consists of the Trapezium stars, has completely emerged from its natal core. The OMC-1S and OMC-1 regions, are still highly embedded and forming clusters of additional moderate and high mass stars. Over a dozen YSOs embedded in OMC-1S are driving jets and outflows, many of which are injecting energy and momentum into the Orion Nebula. Recent proper motion measurements indicate that the Becklin-Neugebauer object is a high-velocity star moving away from the OMC1 core with a velocity of 30 km s$^{-1}$, making it the youngest high-velocity star known. Source I may be moving in the opposite direction with a velocity of about 12 km s$^{-1}$. The projected separation between source I and BN was less than few hundred AU about 500 years ago. The spectacular bipolar molecular outflow and system of shock-excited H$_2$ fingers emerging from OMC-1 has a dynamical age of about 1100 years. It is possible that a dynamical interaction between three or more stars in OMC-1 led to the formation of this eruptive outflow.


We propose a theory of subtle discrimination, defined as biased acts that cannot be objectively ascertained as discriminatory. We present a model in which candidates compete for a promotion. When choosing among similarly qualified candidates, the principal subtly discriminates by favoring candidates from a particular group. Subtle discrimination matters because it affects decisions to invest in human capital. The model predicts that discriminated agents perform better in low-stakes careers while favored agents perform better in high-stakes careers. In equilibrium, firms are polarized: high-productivity firms strive to be "progressive" and have diverse top management teams, while low-productivity firms prefer to be "conservative" and have little diversity at the top.


: The optical density of amniotic fluid at 650 nm (OD650) has been proposed as a rapid means of assessing fetal pulmonary maturity. Two hundred eighty-two amniotic fluid samples were analyzed for OD650, L/S ratio and creatinine concentration, and those values were related to the infants' pulmonary outcome. Among those infants delivered within 72 hours of amniocentesis, pulmonary maturity was predicted accurately in 98.3% by the OD650, 97.7% by the L/S ratio and 97.6% by the creatinine concentration. All three tests were unreliable in predicting pulmonary complications when the tests revealed pulmonary immaturity. OD650 values were found to vary inversely with centrifugation speed, reaffirming the need for standardized processing techniques to achieve reliable results. Marked discrepancies occurred between the diagnoses given by three neonatologists asked to retrospectively evaluate the likely etiology of pulmonary problems in nine infants suspected of having respiratory distress syndrome.


Spin echo and gradient reversal MR imaging techniques provide a noninvasive means of analyzing the state of ventricular myocardium in patients with atherosclerotic and valvular heart disease. Local ischemic changes are manifested on spin echo MR examination as loci of increased signal intensity, most likely representing accumulation of local myocardial edema. Administration of intravenous paramagnetic contrast material further enhances local changes, increasing the sensitivity of MR methods for detecting such change. Application of spin echo and gradient reversal techniques also provides direct demonstration of morphologic changes in chamber volume and myocardial wall thickness and thickening, the sequelae of ischemic and acquired valvular heart disease, as well as direct demonstration of abnormal blood flow across diseased valves. Newer methods of analysis of these flow abnormalities provide information concerning pressure gradients across stenotic valves and regurgitant fractions across insufficient valves. Thus, application of MR imaging techniques provides clinically relevant information needed by referring clinicians for the management of patients with acquired heart disease.


This paper presents an overview of an interactive multimedia vibrations program called GT Vibrations. GT Vibrations contains a series of modules that deal with elementary vibrations, transient vibrations, and continuous systems. The program is intended to be used as a supplemental tool for undergraduate courses in vibrations and system dynamics at Georgia Tech. The underlying goal of the program is to enhance the student's knowledge of vibrations by supplementing complex problems with text, graphics, animation, sound, and interaction. The program presents the student with what-if design scenarios in which he can modify different parameters of a mechanical system; in this fashion the student can see how different parameters affect the overall response of a system. The program is essentially a visual design tool which complements the theory and problem solving done in the classroom.


Cow/calf producers operating in the Dakotas were surveyed on their price discovery strategies, marketing channel preferences, and their perceptions of how regime change in the public price reporting system for fed cattle affected the beef industry in general and the cow/calf industry in particular. Survey results indicate cow/calf producers consider local institutions (auction barns, etc.) to be more reliable for price discovery than regional or national institutions (futures market, USDA public price reports, satellite auctions, etc.). The auction barn marketing channel is the preferred channel for marketing cattle and is considered the most reliable source of market information by producers. Dakota cow/calf producers perceive livestock mandatory price reporting as benefiting the beef industry in general, but consider public price reports to be less reliable than local sources of market information.


Universities in the United Kingdom have witnessed, but largely ignored the continued decline in part-time mature students. Firmly focused on young full-time undergraduate learners the recruitment, retention and achievement of postgraduate Masters students has largely been left to chance. This study explores the individual experiences of five working part-time postgraduate students enrolled on a taught Masters course at a large northern post-1992 university. The thesis seeks to make their experiences visible and their voices heard.
Adapting visual narrative methodology, the participant stories of their experiences and transitions are retold and visualised. Creatively combining photo-elicitation method and geotagged experience maps the colour, vibrancy, depth of the stories comes to life. The data we co-constructed was analysed to provide both individual participant stories and a collective social worlds narrative of part-time postgraduate experience informed by social worlds perspective.
Returning to study the participants found themselves disorientated, overwhelmed and unsure of the expectations, practices and discourse of postgraduate study. It took varying lengths of time for the participants to feel more confident and stop questioning their entitlement and belonging in the part-time postgraduate world. The excitement and enthusiasm expressed by most participants provided some balance within their stories. All were positive about progressing their careers and transferring their learning into the other areas of their life. There was a definite message of transition and self-transformation as participants developed strategies to manage and embed the part-time postgraduate world within their individually patterned social worlds space (SWS). Each SWS comprised a unique constellation of social worlds, multiple memberships, borders, and intersections which affected how and to what extent the individual participated and performed their social roles in each social world. Without doubt becoming a part-time postgraduate learner was a meteoric juggling of worlds.


Health information grows exponentially (doubling every 5 years), thus generating a sort of inflation of science, i.e. the generation of more knowledge than we can leverage. In an unprecedented data-driven shift, today doctors have no longer time to keep updated. This fact explains why only one in every five medical decisions is based strictly on evidence, which inevitably leads to variability. A good solution lies on clinical decision support systems, based on big data analysis. As the processing of large amounts of information gains relevance, automatic approaches become increasingly capable to see and correlate information further and better than the human mind can. In this context, healthcare professionals are increasingly counting on a new set of tools in order to deal with the growing information that becomes available to them on a daily basis. By allowing the grouping of collective knowledge and prioritizing "mindlines" against "guidelines", these support systems are among the most promising applications of big data in health. In this demo paper we introduce Savana, an AI-enabled system based on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Neural Networks, capable of, for instance, the automatic expansion of medical terminologies, thus enabling the re-use of information expressed in natural language in clinical reports. This automatized and precise digital extraction allows the generation of a real time information engine, which is currently being deployed in healthcare institutions, as well as clinical research and management.


: Numerous methodological and computing errors characteristic of coherence analysis as applied to EEG studies are discussed. The comprehensive review of basic disadvantages of coherence function does not allow the author to consider it as a reliable and effective index of EEG synchronism.


Global Positioning System (GPS) data, collected by campaign-style GPS experiments at five sites along the Gulf of California in 1996 and 1998, determine a locally based estimate for current relative motion between the Pacific and North American plates. At the mouth of the Gulf of California, the Pacific plate moves 50.4 ± 3.4 mm/yr, along an azimuth of N59.0°W ± 2.7°, relative to mainland Mexico. These estimates substantiate and refine previous locally based GPS-determined rates, and agree with GPS determinations of global plate motion. A reexamination of magnetic anomalies in the gulf used in the widely accepted NUVEL-1A global plate model has yielded an average Pacific–North American relative velocity from 0.78 Ma to the present of 51.1 ± 2.5 mm/yr. The new GPS-determined velocity agrees with this estimate, supporting the ideas that the transfer of Baja California to the Pacific plate continued until ca. 1 Ma, and that the current Pacific–North American rate is greater than the 3.16 Ma average. The azimuth determination is ∼5° west of the NUVEL-1A results calculated from earthquake slip vectors and azimuths of gulf transforms offsetting both oceanic and continental crust. The Tamayo fracture represents the only fault zone used in the NUVEL-1A model that offsets solely oceanic crust. This fault zone trends N60°W, consistent with the GPS-determined azimuth at the mouth of the gulf.


Terrorism has adversely affected the educational environment in Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa Province. This study was conducted to know the impact of Terrorism on managerial efficiency of heads of secondary schools in Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa that included Malakand, Mangawara, Dir, Hangu , Bannu and D I Khan which are the highly affected areas of terrorism. Sample of the study comprised 120 Heads of Secondary schools, 60 males and 60 females. A five point scale was designed for data collection. The study concluded that Terrorism has badly affected the managerial efficiency of secondary school heads. The morale of the school Heads is low. Government has to immediately devise a strategy to control the terrorism and the school heads are to be given administrative and managerial training to improve their managerial efficiency.

 Key words:  Impact, terrorism, managerial efficiency, head, secondary schools.


Dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages (MΦs) are well-known antigen presenting cells with an ability to produce IL-12 which indicates that they have potential of directing acquired immunity toward a Th1-biased response. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of Leishmania specific KMP-11 antigen through comparison of immune responses after presentation by DCs and MΦs to T cells in Indian patients with VL. Patients with DCS and MΦs were directed against a purified Leishmania donovani antigen (KMP-11) and phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). The cytokines (IL-12, IL-10, and TGF-β) producing abilities of the DCs and MΦs against these antigens were determined by flow cytometry. The transcription factor (NF-κB) and T-cell cytokine support (IFN-γ, IL-10), which could be significant in effector immune function, were also determined. Severe hindrance in the immune protection due to Leishmania parasites, as revealed by decreased expression of IL-12 and upregulation of IL-10 and TGF-β expression in the MΦs compared to DCs, occurred in VL patients. The production of IL-12 in response to L. donovani KMP-11 antigen was increased in DCs which was reduced in MΦs of VL patients. In contrast, the presentation of KMP-11 antigen by DCs to T-lymphocytes in VL patients significantly increased the IFN-γ produced by these immune cells, whereas the levels of IL-10 were significantly elevated after presentation of KMP-11antigen by MΦs. The VL patients were observed with severely dysfunctional MΦs in terms of NF-κB activity that could be recovered only after stimulation of DCs with L. donovani KMP-11 antigen. Immunologically the better competitiveness of KMP-11 antigen through a dendritic cell delivery system may be used to revert T-cell anergy, and control strategy can be designed accordingly against kala-azar.


Knowelden were members of this small group, and we adopted two firm principles. These were: (a) that the quality of the existing community health services must not be compromised; (b) that as in other branches of medicine control of training and accreditation must lie largely in the hands of senior practitioners of that specialty. We did not consider it our responsibility to protect existing career structures since that is not a function of colleges or faculties. I believe that the current draft embodies our two principles, but it is not yet finalisedalthough a preliminary draft has been shown to the chief medical officer. The report can never, however, be more than the considered opinion of its authors, and it will be no more than one of the documents that the chief medical officer will have available to him when he advises his ministers. I am sure that Sir Raymond is as grateful as I am to Dr Dalzell and to other community health doctors for the advice they have given us. I also entirely understand how frustrating it must be for a specialty that is insecurely represented in the establishment that is officially charged with advising on education and training. I hope that the present discussions will help towards remedying that problem. ALWYN SMITH President Faculty of Community Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians of London, London WIN 4DE


The Multimodal Bio-Medical Systems Workshop (MBM) was held on October 22, 2004 in the Lister Hill Auditorium at the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland. It allowed for unique interactions among experts of life sciences and physical sciences working on various aspects of multimodal biomedical systems research, whose goals are to collect, process, analyze, integrate, model, synthesize, visualize, and simulate vast amounts of heterogeneous multi-modal, multi-scale data for emerging real world applications in life science. The workshop targeted both the micro/nano level and the macro level of biomedical systems. At the micro/nano level, unlike alphanumeric genetics and genomics data, multimodality biological data are increasingly generated by high throughput or high content data acquisition devices, including a broad spectrum of microscopes (e.g., fluorescence, light, optical, confocal, two-photon laser scanning, time-lapse, laser capture dissection, and electronic), biosensors, and microarrays. The pragmatic goal is to translate scientific discovery into clinical practice, including diagnosis, prognosis, therapeutic prevention, repair, drug development, and disease management, in an effective manner. During the workshop, the attendees reached considerable consensus to address the following items as the selected grand challenges of multimodal biomedical systems: to allow early detection of where and when an infectious disease outbreak occurs, whether it is naturally occurring or man-made, in real time; to develop multidimensional drug profiling data bases to facilitate drug discovery and to identify biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring the progress of individual disease treatments; to connect activities and events derived from cellular processes to high level cognition; and to support personalized medical care and clinical decision for patients.


A speciation study was carried out for lanthanide complexes formed in the organic phase after solvent extraction with quaternary ammonium and phosphonium nitrate extractants. These extractants are liquid at room temperature and were applied in their undiluted form. A comparison was made between the quaternary compound trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium nitrate, the nitrate form of the commercial extractant Cyphos IL 101, and Aliquat 336 nitrate, the nitrate form of the commercial trialkylmethylammonium chloride extractant Aliquat 336 (alkyl = mixture of C8 and C10 chains). The structures of the lanthanide complexes across the entire lanthanide series (with the exception of promethium) were determined by a combination of solvent extraction techniques, FTIR, NMR, high-resolution steady-state luminescence spectroscopy, luminescence life time measurements, elemental analysis and EXAFS spectroscopy. The results suggest that the lanthanide ions form an anionic nitrate complex in the organic phase by coordinating with five bidentate nitrate ligands. Charge neutralization is provided by two counter cations of the extractant present in the outer coordination sphere of the complex. Furthermore, it is suggested that the pentanitrato complex is the sole lanthanide species that is formed in significant concentrations in the organic phase.


markdownabstractIncreasingly, companies compete on platform technologies that bring together groups of users in two-sided networks. Examples include smartphones and on-line search engines. In industries governed by platform technologies, it is common to see one emerging as the de-facto standard because they are especially prone to network externalities (i.e. when the benefit that can be derived from a technology increases exponentially with the number of users). Competitions for the de-facto standard are high-stakes games. These 'winner-take-all' markets demonstrate very different competitive dynamics than markets in which many competitors can coexist relatively peacefully, as they often have a single tipping point which shifts market adoption to one particular technology. The academic field lacks a robust clarification on how firms can shape the odds of their technology emerging as the de-facto standard.
This study develops an integrative framework and corresponding methodology for understanding the process by which a technology becomes the de-facto standard. By applying the framework to several technology competitions, insight is provided in how firm-, technology- and market-related elements influence technology competitions. Results indicate that the emergence of every de-facto standard displays a unique path. This path can be divided into six phases, and can be influenced by 40 unique elements, of which 19 are subject to strategic decision making. Patterns between technology competitions indicate a common set of focal points per phase.


Renal elimination of the immunosuppressant ciclosporin is virtually unknown. Therefore, in 17 renal allograft recipients under steady-state conditions we studied the urinary excretion of ciclosporin and 17 of its metabolites in blood and 24-hour urine. Patients with liver dysfunction or treated with drugs potentially influencing the metabolism and elimination of ciclosporin were excluded from the study. Ciclosporin and its metabolites were measured by HPLC. Metabolite but not ciclosporin excretion was strongly correlated with creatinine clearance. Metabolites 18 and 26 (beta, epsilon-cyclic metabolite) were rarely found in blood but were excreted in considerable amounts in urine. Approximately 3% of the administered dose of ciclosporin per day undergoes renal elimination in unchanged form or as metabolites investigated. The data suggest glomerular filtration of ciclosporin metabolites, a difference in the rate of elimination between ciclosporin and the metabolites and some kind of metabolism or active transport mechanism for metabolites in the kidney.


The widespread concern over the increasing prevalence of obesity and associated diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some forms of cancer has led in part to a new emphasis on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).1 Noncommunicable diseases are a challenge in developed countries but, even more, in developing countries where increasing urbanization and socioeconomic changes lead to the adoption of a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, smoking, stressful behavior, and exposure to other risk factors such as pollutants. Not only is the prevalence of NCDs increasing, but these disorders are being observed in younger members of the population,2 for whom the long-term costs of health care, loss of earnings, and social consequences are likely to have devastating effects. The problem is associated with social inequalities, affecting lower-socioeconomic status groups in many societies.


Can time-inconsistent preferences justify a mandatory saving program like social security? Previous studies have considered this research question speci…cally for the extreme assumptions of missing credit markets and perfect credit markets, but not for the intermediate case in which borrowing is costly. We consider a more general setting with a credit spread between the interest rates on borrowing and saving. Our setting nests the extremes of missing credit markets (in…nite spread) and perfect credit markets (zero spread), and it also includes the full spectrum of credit spreads in between. We prove that a fully-funded social security arrangement is irrelevant only at the knife edge of perfect credit markets. In other words, if there are borrowing costs of any size then social security can improve the welfare of individuals with time-inconsistent preferences. We conclude that non-standard preferences provide a more compelling justi…cation for the mandatory saving role of social security than previously supposed.


Summary form only given. Vacuum electronic sources of THz regime (0.1-10 THz) radiation will require advanced methods to precisely fabricate miniature waveguides. We are exploring the design and fabrication of THz-regime waveguides using bulk silicon-based microfabrication, specifically, deep reactive ion etching. Due to the waveguide's dimensions it is advantageous to fabricate it in halves on two separate silicon wafers. Final assembly consists of metallizing the halves and thermocompressively bonding them together. Finding an appropriate diffusion barrier and bonding technique is vital to the success of this design and has recently been our primary focus. Along with the development of THz-regime waveguides, we are exploring a novel coupling technique that consists of a tapered silicon tip, made by wet chemical etching. These silicon tips, fabricated from square silicon rods approximately the size of the waveguide, can be fabricated with a tolerance of less than one micron by monitoring the electrolytic current in the etchant bath and controlling the submersion depth of the silicon rod via robotic controls. In conjunction with the development of the waveguides and couplers, we are also investigating how THz regime radiation interacts with metallic thin films. We are developing computational models to predict effective RF conductivity of metallic thin films at THz frequencies, including the effects of surface roughness scattering at the interfaces. Experimentally, our micro fabricated THz-regime waveguides provide us with an excellent platform for validating the model. By measuring the throughput power for different lengths of waveguide, we can determine the ohmic loss per unit length. This presentation will discuss the latest developments in all of these research efforts namely the fabrication of THz regime waveguides, coupling techniques and our investigation into electron transport in metallic thin films at THz frequencies.


Doubts remain in EU sustainable finance policy as to the role that the MiFID II suitability obligation will play in making sure that advisors and portfolio managers adequately service their client's sustainability preferences. This article tackles this problem by examining the link between 'sustainability preferences' and the suitability requirements set forth in article 25(2) MiFID II. To this end, four versions of draft delegated act (DDA)—issued by the Commission over the 2018-21 period and aimed at modifying the MiFID II Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/565—are analysed and discussed.

After introducing the MiFID II rules on suitability, the notion of sustainability preferences is defined. Subsequently, a critical analysis is offered as to whether a client's sustainability preferences should be subsumed into the definition of a client's 'investment objectives' in article 25(2) MiFID II. Two policies are identified: a policy of 'alignment' by which the client's sustainability preferences constitute investment objectives, and a policy of 'decoupling' whereby the definitions of preferences and of investment objectives are bifurcated and deemed to be independent concepts. Although the Commission's stance has oscillated between these two distinct policies over time, it seems to be the case that the Commission has tilted to the side of alignment in its latest DDA (2021).

In the last section of the article, the accountability effects of alignment and decoupling are identified and discussed. The policy of decoupling is found to be suboptimal owing to weaker liability incentives by investment firms to adequately treat their clients' sustainability preferences. Decoupling connotes a more fragile model of investor protection. Conversely, a policy of alignment promotes a more effective enforcement of the MiFID II suitability requirements for the benefit of investors. The discussion presented in this article helps us delineate the MiFID II investor protection standards in sustainable finance policy.


We are writing to present the atypical case of a rare first manifestation of granulomatosis with polyangiitis. The patient is a 74-year-old woman who came to our centers' Emergency department due to 4 days with persistent headache associated to a red right eye and ptosis of the same side. The process had an abrupt onset and was not associated to fever or trauma, persisting over time and not improving with rest. Upon examination the patient had no cardiopulmonary, abdominal, locomotor, central or peripheral nervous system alterations; just the right red eye and ptosis were found. In the urgent laboratory tests requested we only found a CRP of 78 mg/l and ESR of 109 mm/h, with the rest of the serology within normal limits. Eye examination showed unilateral proptosis of the right eye, red eye with a negative Tyndall effect, absence of cells in the anterior or posterior chamber, without retinal lesions. The patient had a 0.6 visual acuity of the right eye and of 1 on the left eye. A cerebral magnetic resonance was performed showing an increase in the size of the right lacrimal grand with supracilliar and lateral and superior orbital affection of the right eye, compatible with dacryocystitis/infiltrative process (Fig. 1, coronal plane), leading us to the diagnosis of orbital pseudotumor with muscle affection and dacryocystitis, beginning treatment with high dose steroids and intravenous antibiotics, due to the severity of the process. A biopsy of the swollen area was performed but the result was non significant and response to medication was tapered, due to the severity of the eye manifestations. We only found positivity to PR3 45 U/ml (normal <3), with infectious serology (HIV, Syphillis, Brucella, hepatitis B and C, Toxoplasma), autoimmunity (RF, ANA, anti-DNA negative; ANCA: MPO negative), thyroid hormones and tumor markers negative. The chest X-ray did show a nodular pattern in the lower right lobe. Two weeks later the patient presented non specific muscle and joint pain of the upper limbs, a single ulcer on the base of the tongue and fever. We performed a thoracic computed tomography which revealed several symmetric and random nodules, mainly on the right lung base, measuring 5 and 15 mm, some of them cavitated, possibly related to granulomatosis. The lateral segment of the middle right lobe showed a condensation possibly related to the same process. A transbronchial lung biopsy was performed showing a granulomatous vasculitic process, with segmental vascular necrosis and neutrophil and monocyte infiltration, making us reach a conclusion of granulomatosis with polyangiitis. With respect to later treatment, once the diagnosed was reached we began treatment with: (a) pulse steroid 1.000 mg for three doses, continuing with oral prednisone 1 mg/kg for 2–4 weeks and reducing to 20 mg/day at the end of the second month, with a progressive downward adjustment for 6 months, (b) associated with cyclophosphamide boluses for 4 weeks intravenously, and (c) trimetoprim-sulphamethoxazole, orally, 3/week for Pneumocystis carinii prophylaxis.


Abstract Limiting the intake of added sugars in the diet remains a key focus of global dietary recommendations. To date there has been no systematic monitoring of the major types of added sugars used in the Australian food supply. The present study aimed to identify the most common added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners in the Australian packaged food supply. Secondary analysis of data from the Australian FoodSwitch database was undertaken. Forty-six added sugars and eight non-nutritive sweetener types were extracted from the ingredient lists of 5744 foods across seventeen food categories. Australia. Not applicable. Added sugar ingredients were found in 61 % of the sample of foods examined and non-nutritive sweetener ingredients were found in 69 %. Only 31 % of foods contained no added sugar or non-nutritive sweetener. Sugar (as an ingredient), glucose syrup, maple syrup, maltodextrin and glucose/ dextrose were the most common sugar ingredient types identified. Most Australian packaged food products had at least one added sugar ingredient, the most common being 'sugar'. The study provides insight into the most common types of added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners used in the Australian food supply and is a useful baseline to monitor changes in how added sugars are used in Australian packaged foods over time. Abstract Objective: Limiting the intake of added sugars in the diet remains a key focus of global dietary recommendations. To date there has been no systematic monitoring of the major types of added sugars used in the Australian food supply. The present study aimed to identify the most common added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners in the Australian packaged food supply. Design: Secondary analysis of data from the Australian FoodSwitch database was undertaken. Forty-six added sugars and eight non-nutritive sweetener types were extracted from the ingredient lists of 5744 foods across seventeen food categories. Setting: Australia. Subjects: Not applicable. Results: Added sugar ingredients were found in 61% of the sample of foods examined and non-nutritive sweetener ingredients were found in 69 %. Only 31 % of foods contained no added sugar or non-nutritive sweetener. Sugar (as an ingredient), glucose syrup, maple syrup, maltodextrin and glucose/dextrose were the most common sugar ingredient types identi fi ed. Most Australian packaged food products had at least one added sugar ingredient, the most common being ' sugar ' . Conclusions: The study provides insight into the most common types of added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners used in the Australian food supply and is a useful baseline to monitor changes in how added sugars are used in Australian packaged foods over time.


Using symmetric 112Sn+112Sn, 124Sn+124Sn collisions as references, we probe isospin diffusion in peripheral asymmetric 112Sn+124Sn, 124Sn+112Sn systems at incident energy of E/A=50 MeV. Isoscaling analyses imply that the quasi-projectile and quasi-target in these collisions do not achieve isospin equilibrium, permitting an assessment of the isospin transport rates. We find that comparisons between isospin sensitive experimental and theoretical observables, using suitably chosen scaled ratios, permit investigation of the density dependence of the asymmetry term of the nuclear equation of state.


The performance of wide-field multiple-aperture imaging systems is dominated by easily understood, low-order errors. Each aperture produces an individual image, each pair of apertures produces a set of fringes under a diffraction envelope, and the system bandwidth produces a coherence envelope. For wide-field imaging, each of these elements must be coincident in the image plane as the field angle changes. We explore the causes of image degradation, derive first-order rules for preserving image quality across field, and give an example design that enforces some of the rules to achieve a relatively wide-field interferometric imaging telescope.


Objective: Selenium status plays a major role in health impacts of various RNA viruses. We recently reported potential antisense interactions between viral mRNAs and host mRNAs of the antioxidant selenoprotein thioredoxin reductase (TR). Here, we examine possible targeting of selenoprotein mRNAs by Zika virus (ZIKV) as a pathogenic mechanism, because microcephaly is a key manifestation of Progressive Cerebello-Cerebral Atrophy (PCCA), a genetic disease of impaired selenoprotein synthesis. Methods: Potential antisense matches between ZIKV and human selenoprotein mRNAs were initially identified via nucleotide BLAST searches, using ZIKV genomic RNA as a probe. The strongest antisense matches of ZIKV regions, against human TR1 and selenoprotein P (SePP1), were validated by algorithms for prediction of RNA hybridization and microRNA/target duplexes. The ZIKV-SePP1 interaction was further assessed by gel shift assay. Findings: Computationally, ZIKV has regions of extensive (~30bp) and stable (ΔE < −50kcal/mol) antisense interactions with mRNAs of both TR1 and SePP1, a selenium carrier protein essential for delivery of selenium to the brain. The ZIKV/SePP1 hybridization was experimentally confirmed at the DNA level using synthetic oligonucleotides. Conclusion: Antisense inhibition of TR may be a general RNA virus strategy to favor RNA synthesis over DNA. ZIKV-mediated antisense inhibition of SePP1 and TR1 in fetal brain could mimic SePP1 knockout in mice, contribute to neuronal cell death, and mimic the genetic disease PCCA, characterized by brain atrophy and microcephaly. When given to nursing mothers, sodium selenite can counteract neurological deficits in SePP1 knockout mice, suggesting that a similar approach might help reduce ZIKV-induced human fetal abnormalities.


Carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes (hollow fibers) have been studied for application as possible separation units for selected industrial gas streams. Gas streams at petrochemical plants (polypropene and polyethene) and upgrading of biogas to fuel specifications have been in focus. Gases present in biogas (N(2), CO(2), H(2)O(vap), and CH(4)) and gas streams at polyolefin plants (C(2)H(4), C(3)H(6), and C(3)H(8)) have been measured; both as pure gases and in mixtures. Aging of the CMS-membranes as a function of humidity and pore blocking is discussed; likewise, possible regeneration methods when flux decrease is experienced. Transport mechanisms depending on pore size and molecular properties are also discussed. Excellent separation properties were documented for these applications, but also the need for frequent regeneration of the membrane in order to maintain permeability flux. The mixed gas experiments documented clearly the need for careful pore tailoring in order to optimize selectivity when the membranes were used for alkane-alkene separation.


An experiment was conducted using a total of 120 Lohmann Brown hens, 16 wk of age, to compare 3 different supplemental dietary Cu sources incorporating supraoptimal amounts of Cu (250 mg/kg) on layer performance, egg yolk cholesterol, and blood parameters. Layers were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments with 10 replications of 3 birds each for each treatment. Layers were fed diets containing 0 (control) or 250 ppm of Cu from Cu sulfate, Cu proteinate, or Cu lysine for 24 wk. No differences were observed among Cu sources for BW, egg mass, feed conversion, egg specific gravity, egg yolk cholesterol, plasma total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, or glutathione peroxidase. Supplementation with 250 ppm of Cu sulfate improved egg production but decreased egg weight ( P < 0.05) and feed intake ( P < 0.01) as compared with the other diets. Supplementation with Cu proteinate resulted in decreased feed intake ( P < 0.01), but egg production, egg mass, and egg weight were not changed as compared with the controls. Eggshell thicknesses of layers fed the Cu sulfate and Cu lysine diets were lower than the eggshell thickness of layers fed the control diet ( P < 0.001). Copper contents of eggs and excreta were significantly ( P < 0.001) increased regardless of Cu source as compared with birds fed the control diet. The results of this trial did not con-firm the finding that Cu alters lipid metabolism and decreases cholesterol in the egg yolk. We conclude that increasing the dietary Cu intake through the use of different Cu compounds did not affect layer performance and cholesterol content of the egg yolk.


Abstract This paper describes the development and evaluation of a toolkit to support organizations in improving their learning from incidents (LFI) activities. Grounded in adult learning theory, extensive literature review and empirical research within the energy sector, the LFI Toolkit has five key components: a Process Model; a Framework; a Questionnaire; a set of Guidelines and a series of Engagement Exercises. The LFI Toolkit fosters participatory learning enabling broader employee engagement, sensemaking and contextualization. The Toolkit was developed and evaluated through participatory co-design methodology including two large energy companies. The data were drawn from four participatory co-design workshops and a stakeholder engagement review meeting including practitioners from a variety of organizations and roles – shop floor workers, frontline and middle managers, senior leaders, health and safety specialists and representatives of professional bodies. The findings provide insight into the clarity, usability and relevance of the Toolkit and the feasibility of its application across other companies.


Dip plates (sometimes referred to as scum plates) are used with increased frequency upstream of weirs in drainage systems in order to separate sewage from clean, rain (storm) water and in streams and canals to protect the weir structure from floating debris. However, there is a marked lack of information on the effect that introduction of these structures has on the discharge over a weir. The present investigation was initiated in an attempt to rectify that situation. The problem was tackled both experimentally and analytically. Apparatus used for the experimental part of the investigation consisted of a suitably modified laboratory test channel 24 inches (609. 6 mm) wide, in which additional measuring stations were introduced. Modifications of channel geometry consisted of designing and building a weir dip plate assembly which enabled the distance between the two plates to be varied. False side plates were also introduced and suitable adjustable fittings designed so that the ratio of channel/weir width could be pre-set as required. Tests were carried out at three values of that ratio; these were 1/1, 1. 6/1 and 2. 4/1. Water surface level was measured at various points both upstream and downstream of the dip plate. Measurements of flow velocities were also carried out. In positions where the velocities were small and the use of pitot tubes resulted in inadmissibly low readings of manometers, a specially designed velocity meter based on the principle of drag on a sphere was used. Altogether 107 calibrations of the weir with the upstream head ranging from zero to 7 inches were carried out. The distance between weir and dip plates was varied from \ inch to 5 inches. The depth of immersion of the dip plate varied from the bottom edge of the plate level with the sill of the weir to 4 inches below it. The width of the weir was 10 inches (254 mm). In addition to depth and velocity measurements, the pattern of flow both on the surface and within the body of the fluid was observed. Visualisation of surface currents was done by sprinkling coloured perspex filings on to the water surface. Deep currents could be seen by observing the motion of small polystyrene beads dropped into the flow. Further indication of the flow pattern was obtained from tracings and photographs of motion of the beads in a narrow glass sided flow visualisation flume. As a first approach to the analytical solution of the problem of discharge over a weir provided with a dip plate, a unidimensional approximation was applied. The flow through dip plate - weir configuration was considered to be equivalent to a flow which first passes through a drowned orifice and then over a weir. The head downstream of the orifice (formed by the dip plate) acts at the same time as the upstream head of the weir. Bearing in mind that the rate of flow is the same through both devices, a relationship determining the value of the head downstream of the dip plate in terms of the upstream head and the channel - dip plate - weir configuration is established (equation 3. 12). Substitution of this expression into the conventional equation for a rectangular weir gives a prediction of a rate of flow over the weir (equation 3. 13). The flows calculated using the analytically deduced equation and based on the assumption of the coefficient of discharge for the weir, equal to unity, are compared with the experimentally obtained results. The correlation between the two sets of results is such that it only requires an introduction of a constant value coefficient of discharge (independent of the variation of upstream head) in order for the calculated values to fall within the band of uncertainty of experimental results. The values of the coefficient, dependent on the dip plate - weir plate configuration, are all found to fall numerically in the range accepted (BS 3680) for the coefficients of discharge for sharp crested rectangular weirs. The variation in the value of coefficient is observed and discussed. The investigation thus resulted in providing a method of prediction of the rate of flow over a rectangular sharp crested weir fitted with a dip plate. It has also indicated a method of approach to any similar problem. In addition, the change in a flow pattern resulting from the introduction of a dip plate was studied and discussed.


Dimitrije Pavlovic 1 Ivana Budic 2,3 Tatjana Jevtovic Stoimenov Dragana Stokanovic 5 Vesna Marjanovic 2,3 Marija Stevic 6,7 Milan Slavkovic Dusica Simic 6,7 1Clinic for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Clinical Centre Nis, Nis, Serbia; 2Department of Surgery and Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia; 3Clinic for Anesthesia and Intensive Therapy, Clinical Centre Nis, Nis, Serbia; 4Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia; 5Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia; 6Department of Surgery and Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; 7Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, University Children's Hospital, Belgrade, Serbia; 8Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Children's Hospital, Belgrade, Serbia Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the effect of UGT1A9 98T>C, CYP2B6 516G>T and CYP2C9 430C>T genetic polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetics of propofol in children of different sexes and ages who undergone total intravenous anesthesia (ТIVA) and deep sedation during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Patients and Methods: The prospective study included 94 children, ASA I-II status, 1 to 17 years of age, who undergone standard anesthetic protocol for TIVA, which implied the continuous use of propofol. Before the administration of propofol, venous blood was sampled to determine the presence of genetic variations in UGT1A9, CYP2B6 and CYP2C9 gene using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). From each patient included in the study blood samples were taken: 10 mins after the induction of anesthesia, immediately before the discontinuation of the propofol infusion, 10 mins after discontinuation of the propofol infusion and 20 mins after discontinuation of the propofol infusion to determine the pharmacokinetics of the drug in the plasma of the subjects The plasma propofol concentration was determined by HPLC analytical technique. Results: UGT1A9 genotype is an independent predictor of the propofol concentration in children immediately after the end of the continuous infusion and 10 mins afterwards. In the carriers of the polymorphicUGT1A9 C allele, the propofol distribution constant was higher. The carriers of the polymorphic CYP2B6 T allele received a significantly lower overall and initial dose of propofol. Unlike polymorphism of the UGT1A9 gene, the tested CYP2C9 and CYP2B6 gene polymorphisms are not independent predictors of the pharmacokinetics of propofol. Conclusion: Further investigations of UGT1A9, CYP2B6 and CYP2C9 and other genes that participate in propofol metabolism as well as detailed analyses of the general conditions, administered therapies and associated diseases could explain the large interindividual variability of propofol metabolism in children.


We tested the hypothesis that whole-tree water consumption of olives (Olea europaea L.) is fruit load-dependent and investigated the driving physiological mechanisms. Fruit load was manipulated in mature olives grown in weighing-drainage lysimeters. Fruit was thinned or entirely removed from trees at three separate stages of growth: early, mid and late in the season. Tree-scale transpiration, calculated from lysimeter water balance, was found to be a function of fruit load, canopy size and weather conditions. Fruit removal caused an immediate decline in water consumption, measured as whole-plant transpiration normalized to tree size, which persisted until the end of the season. The later the execution of fruit removal, the greater was the response. The amount of water transpired by a fruit-loaded tree was found to be roughly 30% greater than that of an equivalent low- or nonyielding tree. The tree-scale response to fruit was reflected in stem water potential but was not mirrored in leaf-scale physiological measurements of stomatal conductance or photosynthesis. Trees with low or no fruit load had higher vegetative growth rates. However, no significant difference was observed in the overall aboveground dry biomass among groups, when fruit was included. This case, where carbon sources and sinks were both not limiting, suggests that the role of fruit on water consumption involves signaling and alterations in hydraulic properties of vascular tissues and tree organs.


Background: More than 450,000 rotator cuff repairs are performed annually, yet healing of tendon to bone often fails. This failure is rooted in the fibrovascular healing response, which does not regenerate the native attachment site. Better healing outcomes may be achieved by targeting inflammation during the early period after repair. Rather than broad inhibition of inflammation, which may impair healing, the current study utilized a molecularly targeted approach to suppress IKKβ, shutting down only the inflammatory arm of the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway. Purpose: To evaluate the therapeutic potential of IKKβ inhibition in a clinically relevant model of rat rotator cuff repair. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: After validating the efficacy of the IKKβ inhibitor in vitro, it was administered orally once a day for 7 days after surgery in a rat rotator cuff repair model. The effect of treatment on reducing inflammation and improving repair quality was evaluated after 3 days and 2, 4, and 8 weeks of healing, using gene expression, biomechanics, bone morphometry, and histology. Results: Inhibition of IKKβ attenuated cytokine and chemokine production in vitro, demonstrating the potential for this inhibitor to reduce inflammation in vivo. Oral treatment with IKKβ inhibitor reduced NF-κB target gene expression by up to 80% compared with a nontreated group at day 3, with a subset of these genes suppressed through 14 days. Furthermore, the IKKβ inhibitor led to enhanced tenogenesis and extracellular matrix production, as demonstrated by gene expression and histological analyses. At 4 weeks, inhibitor treatment led to increased toughness, no effects on failure load and strength, and decreases in stiffness and modulus when compared with vehicle control. At 8 weeks, IKKβ inhibitor treatment led to increased toughness, failure load, and strength compared with control animals. IKKβ inhibitor treatment prevented the bone loss near the tendon attachment that occurred in repairs in control. Conclusion: Pharmacological inhibition of IKKβ successfully suppressed excessive inflammation and enhanced tendon-to-bone healing after rotator cuff repair in a rat model. Clinical Relevance: The NF-κB pathway is a promising target for enhancing outcomes after rotator cuff repair.


Objective: To assess the effectiveness and safety of pharmacological conversion of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) with a combined propafenone plus ibutilide regimen. Methods and results: 100 consecutive patients (66 men, mean (SD) age 65 (10) years) with persistent AF (mean (SD) duration 99 (92) days) admitted for elective pharmacological cardioversion were randomly assigned to treatment with either intravenous ibutilide (1 mg plus an additional 1 mg, if required; n  =  51) or oral propafenone (600 mg) plus intravenous ibutilide at the same dose (n  =  49). Success rates were 41.1% (21 of 51 patients) for ibutilide alone and 71.4% (35 of 49 patients) for propafenone plus ibutilide (p  =  0.0044). However, cardioversion occurred earlier in the ibutilide alone group (55 (20) minutes) compared with the combination group (81 (32) minutes, p  =  0.0019). A comparable increase in the QTc interval was observed in both groups but one case of sustained torsade de pointes, requiring electrical cardioversion, was observed in the propafenone plus ibutilide group. No other complications were noted during the hospitalisation period. Conclusion: Concurrent administration of propafenone plus ibutilide for pharmacological cardioversion of persistent AF is safe and more effective than ibutilide alone.


In this paper, we introduce ParaGlide, a visualization system designed for interactive exploration of parameter spaces of multidimensional simulation models. To get the right parameter configuration, model developers frequently have to go back and forth between setting input parameters and qualitatively judging the outcomes of their model. Current state-of-the-art tools and practices, however, fail to provide a systematic way of exploring these parameter spaces, making informed decisions about parameter configurations a tedious and workload-intensive task. ParaGlide endeavors to overcome this shortcoming by guiding data generation using a region-based user interface for parameter sampling and then dividing the model's input parameter space into partitions that represent distinct output behavior. In particular, we found that parameter space partitioning can help model developers to better understand qualitative differences among possibly high-dimensional model outputs. Further, it provides information on parameter sensitivity and facilitates comparison of models. We developed ParaGlide in close collaboration with experts from three different domains, who all were involved in developing new models for their domain. We first analyzed current practices of six domain experts and derived a set of tasks and design requirements, then engaged in a user-centered design process, and finally conducted three longitudinal in-depth case studies underlining the usefulness of our approach.


Deviations from normal body weight are observed prior to and after the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Midlife obesity confers increased AD risk in later life, whereas late‐life obesity is associated with decreased AD risk. The role of underweight and weight loss for AD risk is controversial. Based on the hypothesis of shared genetic variants for both obesity and AD, we analyzed the variants identified for AD or obesity from genome‐wide association meta‐analyses of the GERAD (AD, cases = 6,688, controls = 13,685) and GIANT (body mass index [BMI] as measure of obesity, n = 123,865) consortia. Our cross‐disorder analysis of genome‐wide significant 39 obesity SNPs and 23 AD SNPs in these two large data sets revealed that: (1) The AD SNP rs10838725 (pAD = 1.1 × 10−08) at the locus CELF1 is also genome‐wide significant for obesity (pBMI = 7.35 × 10−09). (2) Four additional AD risk SNPs were nominally associated with obesity (rs17125944 at FERMT2, pBMI = 4.03 × 10−05, pBMI corr = 2.50 × 10−03; rs3851179 at PICALM; pBMI = 0.002, rs2075650 at TOMM40/APOE, pBMI = 0.024, rs3865444 at CD33, pBMI = 0.024). (3) SNPs at two of the obesity risk loci (rs4836133 downstream of ZNF608; pAD = 0.002 and at rs713586 downstream of RBJ/DNAJC27; pAD = 0.018) were nominally associated with AD risk. Additionally, among the SNPs used for confirmation in both studies the AD risk allele of rs1858973, with an AD association just below genome‐wide significance (pAD = 7.20 × 10−07), was also associated with obesity (SNP at IQCK/GPRC5B; pBMI = 5.21 × 10−06; pcorr = 3.24 × 10−04). Our first GWAS based cross‐disorder analysis for AD and obesity suggests that rs10838725 at the locus CELF1 might be relevant for both disorders. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a contagious disease affecting small ruminants. It has been targeted by the global community for eradication within the next 10 years. Implementing eradication requires significant financial efforts, human resources, coordination among actors, and individual commitments. The objective of this study is to estimate the cost of PPR at household level, thereby providing economic information about the potential benefits for small ruminant keepers of PPR control and management strategies. Fifteen Sub-Saharan countries are included in this study, for which publicly available household level data assembled by FAO were used. We built a bioeconomic model to estimate the impact of PPR for a standardized theoretical area where each household raises an average herd comprising either 6 goats or 3 sheep and their offspring. We then used the outputs of the model to estimate the income loss due to PPR at household level. We constructed different income scenarios to account for the variability of small ruminant income in total annual income. The household income losses ranged from 0.6 to 44.8 percent of the total annual income. The percentages vary depending on the income scenario and on the gross annual economic impact of PPR on small ruminant production, which ranges from 25 to 80 percent based on the results of the bioeconomic model. Regardless of the income scenario, households in lower income quintiles are relatively more affected by PPR than households in upper quintiles. As expected, the more small ruminant production contributes to household income the greater the impact. We provide here estimates that may help, from a policy perspective, identifying the most relevant strategies and tailoring them at regional level to mitigate PPR impacts.


The macrophage MR has been the subject of investigation for over 20 years, and several important physiological functions have been described. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate MR signaling and trafficking during these processes still remain elusive. The focus of the current paper was to identify potential cellular MR‐interacting proteins. An initial screen of binding proteins in MR‐expressing cells was performed using coimmunoprecipitation, followed by identification of matching peptide sequences using proteomics and MS. The major class of binding proteins identified belonged to the heat shock family of proteins. The specific interaction of the MR with HSP70 family members was validated by Western blot analysis, ligand binding assays, and intracellular colocalization using confocal microscopy. Additional studies indicated that inhibition of the HSP BiP by treatment of cells with EGCG reduced BiP interaction with and surface expression of the MR. Studies of possible motifs within the cytoplasmic tail of the receptor suggested that a juxtamembrane dibasic sequence may contribute to the interaction with BiP. These findings suggest that the molecular association of the MR with HSP70 family members via the receptor cytoplasmic tail may contribute to MR trafficking in macrophages.


This paper is focusing on the mathematics teaching of Helena, a Swedish novice teacher. Helena is one of seven teachers in a case study of primary school mathematics teachers' professional identity development. She is also an example of a teacher whose mathematics teaching, from an observer's perspective, may appear inconsistent with her talk about mathematics teaching. However, in this paper a conceptual framework aimed at analysing professional identity development will be used making the process of her mathematics teaching visible and then her mathematics teaching appear as consistent.


The treatment of brain tumors and neurodegenerative diseases, represents an ongoing challenge. In Central Nervous System (CNS) the achievement of therapeutic concentration of chemical agents is complicated by the presence of distinct set of efflux proteins, such as ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) transporters localized on the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB). The activity of ABC transporters seems to be a common mechanism that underlies the poor response of CNS diseases to therapies. The molecular characterization of Breast Cancer Resistance Protein (BCRP/ABCG2), as an ABC transporter conferring multidrug resistance (MDR), has stimulated many studies to investigate its activity on the BBB, its involvement in physiology and CNS diseases and its role in limiting the delivery of drugs in CNS. In this review, we highlight the activity and localization of BCRP on the BBB and the action that this efflux pump has on many conventional drugs or latest generation molecules used for the treatment of CNS tumors and other neurodegenerative diseases.


Urologic procedures useful to the emergency physician in the diagnosis and management of urinary tract disorders are presented in this article. Discussed are urinalysis, diagnostic radiologic modalities (KUB film, intravenous pyelography, retrograde cystourethrography, computerized tomography, angiography, ultrasonography, and renal scintigraphy), and urologic procedures (urethral catheterization, percutaneous suprapubic cystostomy, suprapubic bladder aspiration, dorsal-slit procedure, and meatotomy). Where appropriate, indications, contraindications, method, and complications are presented for the various procedures.


Calcium signals in the nucleus elicit downstream effects that are distinct from those of cytosolic calcium signals. In the present work, we have evaluated the ability of plant nuclei to sense stimuli directly and to convert them into calcium changes. We show that individual mechanical stimulation of isolated nuclei elicits a single calcium transient at acidic pHs, whereas a series of stimulations leads to oscillations whose frequency reflects that of the stimuli. Conversely, at alkaline pHs, nuclei respond to temperature but not to stretch. The stretch- and the temperature-activated processes differ by their sensitivity to pharmacological drugs known to affect ion channel activities in animal cells. Our data demonstrate that isolated nuclei are able to gauge physical parameters of their environment. This might have a profound influence on the functioning of calcium-dependent processes known to control a large array of molecular events in the nucleus.


: The paper discusses the results of phase II clinical trials of chemotherapy regimens using newly-developed cytostatics for disseminated small cell lung cancer. Taxotere (docetaxel)/cisplatin and campto(irinotecan)/cisplatin were investigated as first-line treatment. Doxorubicin and vincristine in combinations with a novel antitumor cytostatic aranoza were studied for application as second-line treatment. Safety and immediate- and end results were reviewed. Taxotere (docetaxel)/cisplatin and campto(irinotecan)/cisplatin regimens were compared.


Compressed sensing (CS) is an emerging field of mathematics and engineering that challenges the conventional paradigms of digital data acquisition. Since the seminal publication of Candes et al. (2006), the field has developed a substantial academic literature and has provided the foundation for major innovations in medical imaging, astronomy, and digital photography. Although CS is very mathematical, it can be conceptually intuitive. This tutorial provides a brief introduction to CS concepts through simple examples and interactive figures in an accompanying Jupyter notebook at github.com/seg/tutorials.


To study the epidemiology of pertussis in Greece and epidemiologic changes throughout a period of twenty-nine years, we conducted a retrospective analysis of available data of pertussis cases for the past twenty-nine years (1980–2008) and a prospective analysis of hospitalized pertussis cases from a children's hospital in Athens for eight years (2001–2008). From 1980 through 2008, the incidence of pertussis in Greece declined from 11.2 to 0.05 cases per 100,000. Epidemic cycles occurring every 3 to 5 years were observed. Since pertussis circulation cannot be fully controlled by present immunization programs, efforts should be made to vaccinate infants at the recommended age, early diagnose, treatment as well as contact tracing of pertussis cases. Control of pertussis in social susceptible populations is necessary. A national program with adolescent and adult booster could decrease the circulation of B. pertussis. Despite an overall decrease for pertussis cases, pertussis is still a present and future challenge of public health service in Greece.


Our modern society is in many ways built with and dependent on fossil fuels, which are used for energy production as well as for transporting humans and goods. Without the oil, many of the things we take for granted would not be possible. During the last century, the use of oil has increased steadily and will probably keep increasing as the world population and the economic well-being for many people increase. Since the oil is a finite resource, we will have to find other fuels that can replace it if we want to keep the same rate of development in the future as the availability of petrol fuels will decrease with rising prices as a result. Furthermore, fossil fuels have the disadvantage that they produce harmful emissions when combusted and thus affect the climate and air quality locally and globally. In this report we present a number of renewable fuels which could work as substitutes for diesel as fuel for trucks. The alternatives are evaluated along the three dimensions of sustainable development in a qualitative and a quantitative analysis. The result of the study shows that it will be difficult to completely replace the diesel with renewable fuels by 2030, but that the best alternative available today is biogas, which should be focused on for further development.


Operational risk is now among the three most significant types of risks in the financial services industry, and its management is mandated by Basel II regulation. This paper studies how bank operational risk event frequency (or error rate) and severity (potential losses) are affected by workload to inform better labor decisions. To achieve this goal, we use a unique operational risk event data set from a commercial bank in China that contains 1,441 operational risk events in two years. We find that workload has a U-shaped impact on operational risk frequency. More specifically, the error rate of operational risk events would decrease first as workload increases and then increase. In addition, we show that workload has an invertedU shaped impact on bank profit. Based on the causal relationships between workload and operational risk events and profit, respectively, we discuss bank capital allocation impact of changing the staffing level among branches so as to reduce operational risk losses and improve profit. We compare our optimal staffing policy with bank's original policy, and estimate that the new staffing policy would reduce the current number of employees by 7.56%, which would further decrease the number of risk events by 4.51%, cut the total losses by 4.58%, and increase profits by 1.24%.


Contemporary learners demand and deserve a hybrid approach to learning that blends technology, community space, and faculty talent with the demands of an evolving student population. In the fall of2000, more than 17,000 college students will benefit from undergraduate education delivered online, in shopping centers and high schools, off-site, on the weekends, and via television. Indiana's most comprehensive urban university creates opportunities for students to enter college, complete degrees, and begin a program of lifelong learning through the IUPUI Community Learning Network.


Qualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS) provides costs protection to claimants in personal injuries claims. If the claimant wins, the defendant should be ordered to pay the claimant's costs in the usual way. However, if the claimant loses, under QOCS, while the claimant remains liable to pay its own lawyers' costs, and may be ordered to pay the successful defendant's costs, the claimant will be protected against actually having to pay those costs to the defendant. This chapter discusses cases where QOCS applies; the effects of QOCS; and loss of QOCS protection.


Research shows that mate-selection styles have an important role in marital and relationship satisfaction. This study was conducted with purpose of to compare of marital satisfaction in married nurses according to mate-selection styles (free choice, arranged and mixed marriage). The present survey was descriptive-causal comparative study. A sample of 222 married nurses were selected using random sampling form two educational hospitals affiliated to Jundishapor University of Medical Sciences and four private hospital during 2015 and completed a Mate-selection Styles Questionnaire, and the Short Form of Marital Satisfaction Scale. The data analysis was conducted using One-way Analysis of Variance and SPSS-16 software. The findings showed that there was significant different in marital satisfaction among nurses with mateselection styles. Also, Scheffe follow-up test indicated that there were significant differences between nurses with free choice and arrange style, and between nurses with free choice and mixed style in marital satisfaction. But, there was not difference between nurses with free arrange and mixed style in marital satisfaction. Because the people with free choice mate-selection selected their partner according to the choice of self-filter are more satisfied than other pattern of mate-selection.