Investors in mutual funds may have to pay capital gains taxes in some years, even if they do not sell the fund shares. This can even happen in years in which the value of the investment decreases. Tax payments during the holding period represent a distortion, which reduces the rate of return from the investment. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) were not designed as a tax shelter. But their structure, almost serendipitously, helps minimize, if not eliminate altogether, this distortion. This article explains the structural differences between mutual funds and ETFs. It lists the "tax events" within funds, and describes how the structural differences enable a different tax accounting within an ETF, when compared to that within a mutual fund. It discusses how the frequently occurring tax events within a mutual fund, arising from redemptions, can be completely eliminated within an ETF. It also illustrates, with the help of a study, how the infrequent but large mutual fund tax events, resulting from index re-constitution and corporate actions, can be minimized or completely eliminated within an ETF. The article develops the case for the tax benefits of ETFs from first principles and is therefore intended for retail investors who may not be familiar with tax treatments of capital gains and fund structures.


Helping students understand the general nature of scientific models is increasingly regarded as an important goal of the middle and high school science curriculum (e.g., J. K. Gilbert & C. Boutler, 1998. International Handbook of Science Education; Kluwer, London; A. G. Harrison & D. F. Treagust, 2000. Science Education, 352–381). In addition, beginning in middle school, students are introduced to one of the most central models in modern science—the particulate model of matter. Thus, teaching students about this model is an ideal opportunity to help students develop an understanding of the nature of models in the context of learning a central scientific concept—the discontinuity of matter. In this article, we present a software tool that was designed for this purpose. The software engages students with investigating and evaluating competing models of matter in order to help them see the particulate model as a plausible model that can explain a wide range of facts about diverse phenomena. The first and second parts of the paper describe the scientific content of the particulate model and the main ideas about scientific models that we would like to teach, as well as the educational challenges of teaching these ideas to middle school students. The third part describes the structure of the software and the three phenomena we chose to have students explore. These are all phenomena that should be puzzling to students if they assume that matter is continuous, but that can be easily explained if they assume that matter consists of discrete particles. The paper concludes with a description of two studies evaluating the effectiveness of the software in promoting students' understanding of models in general and the particulate model of matter in particular. We found that middle schoolers can engage with fundamental ideas about the nature of models, and that engaging them with these ideas helps them internalize the assumptions of the particulate model of matter. This happened especially for students who had developed relevant macroscopic conceptions of matter based upon quantified and interrelated conceptions of volume, weight, and density. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed87:794–830, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/sce.10069


Lasers are a technological success story, with applications ranging from grocery scanners to compact-disc players. But the semiconductor crystals at the heart of these deviceshave difficulty emitting laser beams in certain colors. Now a new class of materials—plastic polymer thin films—has been coaxed to emit laserlike light in colors across the visible spectrum, as reported on page 1833


In orthopaedic oncology, limb salvage procedures are becoming more frequent thanks to recent major improvements in medical imaging, biomechanical modelling and additive manufacturing. For the pelvis, surgical reconstruction with metal implants after tumor resection remains challenging, because of the complex anatomical structures involved. The aim of the present work is to define a consistent overall procedure to guide surgeons and bioengineers for proper implant design. All relevant steps from medical imaging to an accurate 3D anatomical-based model are here reported. In detail, the anatomical 3D models include bone shapes from CT on the entire pelvic bone, i.e., including both affected and unaffected sides, and position and extension of the tumor and soft tissues from MRI on the affected side. These models are then registered in space, and an initial shape of the personalized implant for the affected side can be properly designed and dimensioned based on the information from the unaffected side. This reported procedure can be fundamental also for virtual pre-surgical planning, and the design of patient-specific cutting guides, which would result is a safe margin for tumor cut. The entire procedure is here shown by describing the results in a single real case.


THIS IS the first of two papers focusing on the question, is adrenal cortical function characteristically affected by depressive illness? The present paper will reevaluate the literature on this point in the light of some important control issues. A subsequent paper will report on the results of a longitudinal psychoendocrine study of 20 patients suffering clinical depressions. The problem of adrenal cortical responses in depressive illness has emerged over the past decade as a much more complicated question than it originally seemed. Numerous psychoendocrine studies in the 1950's had demonstrated in both animals and humans that states of emotional stress and arousal were associated with elevations of corticosteroids in blood and urine. 1-3 It seemed only reasonable to expect, then, that depressive illness would also be associated with an adrenal cortical stress response, since clinical depression certainly appeared to be a psychiatric condition associated with


The Lithuanian Ministry of Education adopted the sexual education and preparation for family life policy in 2016. Policy formulation stage became the centre of the conflict between secular reproductive health and sex education activists and religious civil society organizations as well as Lithuanian Catholic Church which exerts its informal political power and utilizes institutional opportunity structures in various stages of policy-making. These groups clashed not only in the chambers of the Lithuanian Parliament, but also in the media. Competing discourses were created and maintained in various public spaces. Non-governmental human rights organizations have tried to counter the discourse of oppositional conservative and religious political actors and actively participated in policy formulation, but these attempts did not prevent the Ministry of Education from adopting a family and abstinence-oriented sex education which favours religious values. This paper seeks to understand religious influence in sexual education policy formation in Lithuania. I utilize public media reports and anonymous in-depth interviews with various relevant actors involved. This case study also enriches theoretical literature on informal institutions and institutional opportunity structures in relation to religious actors influence in morality policy-making.


Users on the web are unknowingly becoming more susceptible to scams from cyber deviants and malicious websites. There has been much work in the identification of malicious websites using application layer features based on content (HTML, images, links, etc.) and a plethora of classification techniques. However, there has been little work on using features from the other layers in the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) network stack. Capturing features from the transport and internet layers of the network stack based on responses to various Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests may allow for increased classification accuracy. In this paper, we use learning techniques (Winnow, Logit Regression, Naïve Bayes, J48, and Bayesian) utilizing these new features to identify fake pharmacy websites. The results show that using transport and Internet layer features yields an accuracy of 80% to 95% for detecting fake websites using standard machine learning algorithms. The results suggest that many organizations may be hosting multiple websites using shared code and hosting services to enable them to produce the maximum number of fraudulent websites.


Graphical models offer techniques for capturing the structure of many problems in real-world domains and provide means for representation, interpretation, and inference. The modeling framework provides tools for discovering rules for solving problems by exploring structural relationships. We present the Structural Affinity method that uses graphical models for first learning and subsequently recognizing the pattern for solving problems on the Raven's Progressive Matrices Test of general human intelligence. Recently there has been considerable work on computational models of addressing the Raven's test using various representations ranging from fractals to symbolic structures. In contrast, our method uses Markov Random Fields parameterized by affinity factors to discover the structure in the geometric analogy problems and induce the rules of Carpenter et al.'s cognitive model of problem-solving on the Raven's Progressive Matrices Test. We provide a computational account that first learns the structure of a Raven's problem and then predicts the solution by computing the probability of the correct answer by recognizing patterns corresponding to Carpenter et al.'s rules. We demonstrate that the performance of our model on the Standard Raven Progressive Matrices is comparable with existing state of the art models.


This map report is one of a series of geologic and hydrologic maps covering all or parts of States within the Basin and Range province of the' western United States. The map reports in this series contain detailed information on the geohydrology of the province, including the ground-water hydrology, ground-water quality, surface distribution of selected rock types, tectonic conditions, areal geophysics, Pleistocene lakes and marshes, and mineral and energy resources. This work is a part of the U.S. Geological Survey's program for geologic and hydrologic evaluation of the Basin and Range province to identify prospective regions for further study relative to isolation of high-level nuclear waste (Bedinger, Sargent, and Reed, 1984).


The accurate and efficient modeling of Internet worms is a particularly challenging task for network simulation tools. The atypical and aggressive behavior of these worms can easily consume excessive resources, both processing time and storage, within a typical simulator. In particular the selection of random IP addresses, and the sending of packets to the selected hosts, even if they are non-existent or not modeled in the simulation scenario, is challenging for existing network simulation tools. Further, the computation of routing information for these randomly chosen target addresses defeats most caching or on-demand routing methods, resulting in substantial overhead in the simulator. We discuss the design of our Internet worm models in the Georgia Tech Network Simulator, and show how we addressed these issues. We present some results from our Internet worm simulations that show the rate of infection spread for a typical worm under a variety of conditions.


Abstract Risk of cancer increases with age; and socioeconomic factors have been shown to be relevant for (predictive of) cancer risk-related behaviors and cancer early detection and screening. Yet, much of this research has relied on traditional measures of socioeconomic status (SES) to assess socioeconomic circumstances, which limits our understanding of the various pathways through which the socioeconomic environment affects cancer risk. Research on hardship and health suggests that concepts of financial hardship can uncover socioeconomic factors influencing health behaviors over and above traditional SES measures. Thus, consistently including measures of financial hardship in cancer prevention research and practice may help us further explicate the pathway between socioeconomic circumstances and cancer risk-related behaviors and cancer screening among older adults and help us identify intervention and policy targets. We present a conceptual model of financial hardship that can be applied to cancer prevention research among older adults to provide guidance on the conceptualization, measurement, and intervention on financial hardship in this population. The conceptual model advances a research agenda that calls for greater conceptual and measurement clarity of the material, psychosocial, and behavioral aspects of the socioeconomic environment to inform the identification of potentially modifiable socioeconomic factors associated with cancer risk-related behaviors among older adults.


Twenty-nine pruritic, atopic dogs were entered into a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study to evaluate the efficacy of an investigational antiallergenic compound, AHR-13268. Fourteen dogs were evaluated by a veterinary dermatologist (at intervals) and the owner (daily). Fifteen dogs were evaluated only by the owner. The mean (+/- SE) owner scores for pruritus, erythema, and lesions with placebo treatment (higher score = worse signs) were 3.24 (+/- 0.12), 2.73 (+/- 0.12), and 2.61 (+/- 0.09), respectively. With drug treatment, the corresponding scores were 2.89 (+/- 0.12), 2.50 (+/- 0.12), and 2.25 (+/- 0.09). Scores for pruritus and lesions (but not erythema) were significantly better with drug treatment than with placebo treatment. Investigator scores showed similar trends, but the differences were not great enough to be statistically significant. Overall, 11/29 (38%) owners reported their dogs had moderate or better improvement from drug capsules, and 4/29 dogs (14%) improved on placebo capsules. A variety of adverse effects were reported following both drug (9/29 dogs) and placebo (8/29 dogs) capsule administration, but were mild and well tolerated. Results of this study indicate that AHR-13268 has potential for empiric treatment of allergic inhalant dermatitis in some dogs.


This article analyses the competing demands faced by Deutsche Telekom for global consistency and local responsiveness as it attempted to coordinate its human resource management strategies across its Eastern European subsidiaries. It considers the degree to which the former economic and political histories of Eastern Europe continue to influence and/or constrain multinational corporation strategies and practices in the post-2000 era. Institutional path dependency, strategic international human resource management, and international industrial relations theories are used to assist in analyzing the data. The study concludes that managerial constraints associated with the historical and economic legacies of these former socialist countries are rapidly declining, thereby allowing multinational firms to implement "Western-style" human resource management strategies. It further suggests that industrial relations institutions at the European Union level, rather than individual country level, have the greatest potential to impact on international human resource management strategies in the region. Multinational corporations should therefore engage in more-integrated strategic international human resource management and international industrial relations approaches.


In a magnetoplasma, the amplitude of the lower oblique resonance in the mutual impedance of two electric antennas is very sensitive to the plasma frequency. This property can be used to measure the electron density in a simple way when the electron temperature and the magnetic field are known, provided also that the probe has been properly calibrated. As an application, densities are deduced from measurements made by a mutual‐impedance probe on a rocket in the auroral ionosphere. In the future, better practical design and theoretical modeling of the probe should make calibration unnecessary.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to compare the general and metabolic impact of single-anastomosis duodeno-ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy (SADI-S) with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in an obese (ob/ob) mouse model.

METHODS
10-week-old male ob/ob mice underwent either SADI-S, RYGB, or laparotomy surgery (Sham group). General and metabolic parameters were assessed during a 5-week period thereafter.

RESULTS
SADI-S induced a deeper weight loss ([mean ± SEM] -41.2% ± 3.3%) than RYGB (-5.6% ± 3.5%, p < 0.001) compared with the Sham group (+6.3% ± 1.0%, p < 0.05). A significant food restriction was observed after SADI-S only (-31%, 117.4 ± 10.3 g vs. 170.2 ± 5.2 g of food at day 35 in Sham group mice, p < 0.001). Random-fed glycemia and glucose tolerance were more improved after SADI-S than RYGB. SADI-S decreased plasma cholesterol concentration by 60% (0.49 ± 0.04 g/L vs. 1.40 ± 0.10 g/L in the Sham group at day 35, p < 0.01), significantly more than RYGB (1.04 ± 0.14 g/L, p = 0.018). Plasma sitosterol/cholesterol and campesterol/cholesterol ratios were decreased after SADI-S, suggesting a reduced intestinal cholesterol absorption. SADI-S increased exogenous plasma cholesterol-D7 clearance and fecal elimination, also indicating an increased plasma cholesterol excretion. Studying a pair-fed group demonstrated that calorie restriction alone did not explain the beneficial impact of SADI-S.

CONCLUSIONS
SADI-S is associated with a greater improvement in lipid and glucose homeostasis than RYGB in ob/ob mice.


A case of IgG4-related disease with multiple endobronchial nodular lesions Yuko Katayama, Toshikatsu Sado, Yumi Nishihara, Kazuya Tanimura, Yukimasa Hatachi and Hideo Kita Department of Respiratory Medicine, Takatsuki Red Cross Hospital A 68-year-old man complaining of cough with abnormal chest CT findings was admitted to our hospital in January 2011. The chest CT showed multiple bilateral ground glass opacities and nodular lesions in the lungs. Also shown were lymphadenopathy of the hilum and mediastinum. The patient had a tumor of the left submandibular gland, and a histopathologic examination of a left submandibular gland biopsy revealed infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells. We diagnosed chronic sclerosing sialadenitis. Surgical lung biopsy further revealed infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells in the lung lesions. Bronchoscopy was performed, and we observed multiple small nodules in the endobronchial mucosa. These lesions were diagnosed as IgG4-related chronic sclerosing sialadenitis and IgG4-related lung disease. After treatment with prednisolone 30 mg/day, his symptoms improved rapidly, and the lesions improved remarkably. Although endobronchial lesions in IgG4-related disease have been previously reported, multiple small nodules such as those seen in this case have not been described. 617


A comparison of geographically extreme occurrences of calpionellids (southern Mexico, state of Oaxaca, and northeastern Caucasus) with Mediterranean faunas shows that faunal successions are practically identical. There are minor differences concerning the relative frequencies of individual species, but the same species are present throughout, no mutually exclusive endemic species could be observed. Detailed chronostratigraphic correlations over great distances, down to the level of standard subzones, are thus possible. Important palaeobiogeographic limitations do nevertheless exist, but these correspond rather to the total absence of calpionellids in strata of an age where they should be present. Calpionellids appeared first at the beginning of the late Tithonian in the Mediterranean realm and Cuba. From there they extended in successive spreads, reaching eastern Mexico in the early Calpionella Standard Zone (basal Berriasian) and southern Mexico and the Caucasus at the transition to the Calpionellopsis Standard Zone (mid Berriasian). The maximal spread is higher up in the Calpionellopsis Standard Zone (late Berriasian).


As a result of the increase of computer games and high speed internet connections,in-gameadvertising playsasignificant role in this domain.Advertisers'anticipatethat in-gameadvertisingwill be an important marketing methodthat may enable themto reachtargetedconsumers.Consumers' attitudes toward in-game advertising, how consumers think about online advertising and the impact of these attitudes on brand image will be investigated in this study. In order to test the attitudes, several factors such as entertainment, customer engagement, andattitude toward advergames in general are included. The outcomesand results will be discussed at the end of this study. Discussion, implications, conclusion, limitations and future studies areto be provided.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the bacteriome of the oral cavity in healthy dogs and dogs with various stages of periodontal disease.

ANIMALS
Dogs without periodontal disease (n = 12) or with mild (10), moderate (19), or severe (10) periodontal disease.

PROCEDURES
The maxillary arcade of each dog was sampled with a sterile swab, and swabs were submitted for next-generation DNA sequencing targeting the V1-V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene.

RESULTS
714 bacterial species from 177 families were identified. The 3 most frequently found bacterial species were Actinomyces sp (48/51 samples), Porphyromonas cangingivalis (47/51 samples), and a Campylobacter sp (48/51 samples). The most abundant species were P cangingivalis, Porphyromonas gulae, and an undefined Porphyromonas sp. Porphyromonas cangingivalis and Campylobacter sp were part of the core microbiome shared among the 4 groups, and P gulae, which was significantly enriched in dogs with severe periodontal disease, was part of the core microbiome shared between all groups except dogs without periodontal disease. Christensenellaceae sp, Bacteroidales sp, Family XIII sp, Methanobrevibacter oralis, Peptostreptococcus canis, and Tannerella sp formed a unique core microbiome in dogs with severe periodontal disease.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Results highlighted that in dogs, potential pathogens can be common members of the oral cavity bacteriome in the absence of disease, and changes in the relative abundance of certain members of the bacteriome can be associated with severity of periodontal disease. Future studies may aim to determine whether these changes are the cause or result of periodontal disease or the host immune response.


Malnutrition, which encompasses both undernutrition and overnutrition, presents a significanthuman capital as well as economic development challenge across most ASEAN Member States.A healthy, well-nourished, well-educated and skillful population provides the foundation for aproductive life and enables future workers to compete in the dynamic labor markets of digitaleconomies. However, most of ASEAN's lower-income countries face an unfinished agenda withregard to undernutrition. Undernutrition elevates the risk of infant and child morbidity andmortality, increases expenditure on health care and social safety nets, lowers the efficiency ofinvestments in education, and decreases lifelong income-earning potential and labor forceproductivity, with the potential to be transmitted across generations. Estimates for some ASEANmember states show undernutrition resulting in annual losses of between 2.4 percent - 4.4 percent of GDP Overnutrition compounds the challenges. Overnutrition is posing an increasing challenge to ASEAN, with some countries having high prevalence of obesity and overweight. In the last 35 years obesity prevalence across ASEAN increased over 7-fold, most rapidly in Cambodia, Indonesia, and Lao PDR, where obesity rates have risen more than 10-fold. Childhood overweight and obesity is likewise a growing problem, especially in Brunei, Malaysia, and Thailand where childhood overweight prevalence exceeds 25 percent. Overweight and obesity among ASEAN member states have high direct costs for some countries, for example in Brunei it is 16. Direct health care costs related to treatment of obesity and associated chronic diseases due to obesity as well as indirect costs, particularly from the loss of labor productivity, are expected to increase in many ASEAN countries.


The effects of stimulation and blockade of dopaminergic receptors on cerebral blood flow and metabolism were investigated in 15 anesthetized baboons. The intravenous administration of apomorphine resulted in immediate, dose-dependent increases in cerebral blood flow (increased by 58% following 0.1 mg/kg apomorphine) which were always accompanied by increases in cerebral oxygen consumption (increased by 36% with 0.1 mg/kg) and glucose uptake (increased by 72% with 0.1 mg/kg). It is suggested that the primary action of apomorphine is on cerebral metabolism and secondarily on cerebral blood flow rather than directly on cerebral vascular smooth muscle. Pimozide, at doses that totally blocked apomorphine-induced increases, was without effect on cerebral blood flow and metabolism. The dilatatory response of the cerebral circulation to hypercapnia was preserved during dopamine-receptor blockade. The basal level of overall cerebral metabolism and hemispheric cerebral blood flow does not appear to be dependent to any large extent on the activity of the dopaminergic pathways in the central nervous system.


Micronutrient deficiencies, which affect more than two billion people globally, occur when an individual does not receive adequate amounts of essential vitamins or minerals. Biofortification aims to increase the nutritional content of food crops, and it is an important tool in decreasing the effects of micronutrient deficiencies. Specifically, hypocalcemia, or calcium deficiency, causes a wide range of symptoms that affect many different body systems. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that increasing the amount of calcium available to the food crop during growth would increase the amount of calcium present in the food crop. A total of 180 radish (Raphanus sativus) plants were grown in a controlled environment and irrigated with water of varying Ca2+ concentrations. The height of each plant was measured every five days beginning at day 0 to track the growth. At maturity, a random sample of four plants from each group were tested for calcium and magnesium content using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The group that received the highest concentration of Ca2+ grew significantly smaller than most other groups. The Ca2+ contents of leaf samples had no significant difference in Ca2+ or Mg2+ content; however, the Ca2+ content of root samples showed a significant decrease from the control in both Ca2+ and Mg2+ content across several experimental groups. These results provide preliminary evidence that irrigation with Ca2+ solutions does not increase the calcium content of mature plants, but further testing is needed to confirm these results. If increased calcium in irrigation water significantly increases the calcium content of mature radish plants, this technique could be used to increase the calcium content of other crops in areas with high rates of hypocalcemia.


STUDY OBJECTIVES
Neurocognitive impairment is one of the daytime symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We proposed to use tract-specific statistical analysis (TSSA) to investigate whether there are fiber tract abnormalities in OSA, which may be undiscovered using voxel-based approaches, and whether such tract-specific disruptions in brain connectivity are associated with neuropsychological deficits in patients with untreated OSA.

METHODS
We enrolled 38 patients with OSA diagnosed by overnight polysomnography, and 41 healthy sleepers. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) maps were obtained from whole-brain diffusion tensor imaging, and TSSA were used to assess regional deficits of white matter tracts. All participants underwent a battery of neuropsychological tests. To evaluate the association between FA values and clinical, polysomnographic, and neuropsychological parameters in the OSA group, permutation-based tests for correlation were performed preceding cluster-based statistics.

RESULTS
Compared to healthy controls, patients with OSA showed decreased values of FA in the left and right anterior thalamic radiations, and right uncinate fasciculus (UNC) (p < 0.001, p = 0.005, and p = 0.008, respectively). A lower score of digit span backward was associated with lower FA values of right UNC in the OSA group (p = 0.023). The Rey Complex Figure Test copy score revealed a positive correlation with FA values in the right UNC (p = 0.010).

CONCLUSIONS
The TSSA method indeed identified previously unrevealed tract-specific disruptions in OSA. Furthermore, reduced FA values in the frontal lobe portion of the right UNC which has been known to be involved in working memory function were significantly associated with lower cognitive performance in patients with untreated OSA.


A study of 3 vol% Y2O3 + 2–6 vol% BaHfO3 double-doped YBa2Cu3O7–x (BHO DD) epitaxial thin films was carried out to explore the morphology adaption of c-axis aligned one-dimensional BHO artificial pinning centers (1D APCs) to secondary Y2O3 nanoparticles (3D APCs). BHO 1D APCs have been predicted to have the least rigidity in an elastic strain energy model in APC/YBa2Cu3O7–x nanocomposite films. Consequently, they could be best 'tuned' away from the c-axis alignment by local strains generated by the Y2O3 3D APCs. This provides an opportunity to generate mixed-morphology APCs, especially at high BHO concentrations. Motivated by this, we have carried out a systematic study of the transport critical current density Jc(H, T, θ) on the BHO DD samples in magnetic fields (H) up to 90 kOe at different H orientations from H//c-axis (θ = 0), to θ = 45°, and to H//ab-plane (θ = 90°). Enhanced pinning at all three orientations was observed as illustrated in the comparable low alpha (α) values in the range of 0.13–0.25 at 65 K, which is consistent with the mixed 1D (in c-axis) + 2D (in ab-plane) + 3D APCs observed in transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Upon increasing BHO concentration from 2 to 4 vol%, a monotonic increase of the accommodation field H* at θ = 0°, 45° and 90° was observed, indicative of the APC concentration increase of the mixed morphologies. At 6 vol% BHO, the H* continues the increase to 85 kOe at H//c-axis (θ = 0), and >90 kOe H//ab-plane (θ = 90°), while it decreases from 80 to 85 kOe at 2–4 vol% to 60 kOe at 6 vol% at θ = 45°, which is consistent with the TEM observation of the connection of 3D APCs, appeared at lower BHO concentration into 2D ones in ab-plane at the higher BHO concentrations. These results shed light on the quantitative adaptation of APCs of mixed morphologies with increasing BHO doping in the BHO DD thin films and are important for controlling the APC pinning landscape towards minimal angular dependence.


This article examines the making and unmaking of an infrastructural system in the Indo-Iranian borderlands, an area that is often overlooked in an area studies paradigm. In particular, it focuses on the infrastructural network that developed following World War I with the Iranian border town of Dozdab/Zahedan as a nodal point. The article explores two interrelated issues. First, it looks at the role of British strategic interests in shaping infrastructural development, which significantly influenced the direction and kind of movement promoted in the borderlands. Second, through the case of the rise and decline of Sikh migrant communities in eastern Iran, it examines how the borderlands came into being in the absence of strong state authorities. It argues that the prosperity of Sikh migrants depended on the new infrastructural system, which in turn depended on the precarious codependency between the Iranian state, the British authorities, and Sikh drivers and traders. During the 1920s, despite the British and Iranian ambivalence toward border crossers, Sikhs thrived while participating in global networks of Indian anticolonialists. Albeit temporarily, they managed to invite the interventions of competing state authorities as they saw fit, illustrating how erratic narratives marked the emergence of territorialized nation-states in the borderlands.


Compared with other racial/ethnic groups, African Americans have the highest colorectal cancer (CRC) morbidity and mortality rates. It is critical to help improve African Americans' CRC prevention efforts in order to reduce the burden of CRC in this community. The aim of this study was to develop and field test a tablet app, called e-Motivate, designed to improve African Americans' screening colonoscopy rates. The e-Motivate app was field tested, using an iterative approach. The first version of the app, e-Motivate 1.0, was field tested on 20 African Americans over the age of 50. Participants engaged in a think aloud exercise and provided feedback regarding the app's usability and acceptability. The results of the first field test were used to modify the app and develop e-Motivate 2.0. The field test procedures were repeated on a new group of participants (N = 18). The results from the second field test were used to make final modifications to the app. Overall, participants responded positively to the app. Qualitative analyses showed that participants found the app to be easy to use and helpful. Furthermore, descriptive statistics revealed that participants found the app to be highly usable and acceptable, exceeding recommended benchmarks for usability and acceptability. Critiques of the app were used to modify and finalize the intervention. The results from the proposed study suggest that the e-Motivate app is highly feasible and acceptable. The next step in this line of research is to conduct a randomized clinical trial to formally test the efficacy of the e-Motivate app for improving screening colonoscopy rates among African Americans.


III.-Sarcoma of Humerus W. B., aged 28, engineer's fitter. 22.1.31: Admitted to hospital. History.-Aching pain in left shoulder of three months' duration. Small swelling upper part left arm which has gradually increased in size; first noticed six weeks ago. On examination.-Swelling, size of orange, upper third left arm, smooth and apparently involving bone. Egg-shell crackling, but no attachment to skin. Investigation.-Skiagram left arm; extensive tumour involving upper half of left humerus. Expansion of bone with trabeculation. X-ray appearances of sarcoma. Treatment.-29.1.31-23.2.31: H.V. therapy to tumour 4,600 r-no improvement. 25.1.31: Disarticulation through shoulder-joint. Histological report: Myxo-chondro-sarcoma. 2.4.31: Discharged from hospital. After-history.-November 1937: No sign of recurrence.


Abstract This article develops a twofold critique: on the one hand it addresses those accounts commonly associated with the Varieties of Capitalism literature and their associated understanding of neo-liberalism to argue that there is a dominant tendency to collapse into a binary analysis that asserts either we are witnessing convergence or we are experiencing path dependency. On the other hand it addresses 'neo-Gramscian' accounts which tend to overemphasise processes of transnational convergence and the emergence of a transnational capitalist class at the expense of the embeddedness of capital in national-domestic contexts. On this basis, it is argued that several contributions within political geography pose meaningful questions about the premise that neo-liberalism is inherently variegated. Principally, this involves developing the notion of variegated neo-liberalism to analyse the dynamics of a contingent neo-liberal consensus between transnationally-oriented fractions that both drives EU reform in a neo-liberal direction and reinforces domestic linkages organic to the national context. As a result, the article suggests we therefore reject the notion of a transnational capitalist class somehow detached from the national.


CONTEXT
Primary care physicians report high levels of distress, which is linked to burnout, attrition, and poorer quality of care. Programs to reduce burnout before it results in impairment are rare; data on these programs are scarce.

OBJECTIVE
To determine whether an intensive educational program in mindfulness, communication, and self-awareness is associated with improvement in primary care physicians' well-being, psychological distress, burnout, and capacity for relating to patients.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
Before-and-after study of 70 primary care physicians in Rochester, New York, in a continuing medical education (CME) course in 2007-2008. The course included mindfulness meditation, self-awareness exercises, narratives about meaningful clinical experiences, appreciative interviews, didactic material, and discussion. An 8-week intensive phase (2.5 h/wk, 7-hour retreat) was followed by a 10-month maintenance phase (2.5 h/mo).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Mindfulness (2 subscales), burnout (3 subscales), empathy (3 subscales), psychosocial orientation, personality (5 factors), and mood (6 subscales) measured at baseline and at 2, 12, and 15 months.

RESULTS
Over the course of the program and follow-up, participants demonstrated improvements in mindfulness (raw score, 45.2 to 54.1; raw score change [Delta], 8.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.0 to 10.8); burnout (emotional exhaustion, 26.8 to 20.0; Delta = -6.8; 95% CI, -4.8 to -8.8; depersonalization, 8.4 to 5.9; Delta = -2.5; 95% CI, -1.4 to -3.6; and personal accomplishment, 40.2 to 42.6; Delta = 2.4; 95% CI, 1.2 to 3.6); empathy (116.6 to 121.2; Delta = 4.6; 95% CI, 2.2 to 7.0); physician belief scale (76.7 to 72.6; Delta = -4.1; 95% CI, -1.8 to -6.4); total mood disturbance (33.2 to 16.1; Delta = -17.1; 95% CI, -11 to -23.2), and personality (conscientiousness, 6.5 to 6.8; Delta = 0.3; 95% CI, 0.1 to 5 and emotional stability, 6.1 to 6.6; Delta = 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3 to 0.7). Improvements in mindfulness were correlated with improvements in total mood disturbance (r = -0.39, P < .001), perspective taking subscale of physician empathy (r = 0.31, P < .001), burnout (emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment subscales, r = -0.32 and 0.33, respectively; P < .001), and personality factors (conscientiousness and emotional stability, r = 0.29 and 0.25, respectively; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS
Participation in a mindful communication program was associated with short-term and sustained improvements in well-being and attitudes associated with patient-centered care. Because before-and-after designs limit inferences about intervention effects, these findings warrant randomized trials involving a variety of practicing physicians.


The venomous property of certain fishes have been recognized for many years; however scientific investigators have begun recently in finding the pharmacological potential of their venom. A number of venomous fishes have been investigated to explore their biological activities and therapeutic potential. Venomous fish possess wide range of toxins for predation and defense. The discovery of toxins or metabolites from fish venom has been increased significantly. Scorpaenidae family includes the world's most venomous fish species. Their venom represents an incredible source of biologically active substances which affect vital physiological function in different animal model. The venom of these fishes is diverse and chemically complex in nature. The envenomation caused by these fishes are responsible for severe pain, edema and other complications but their venom contain many pharmacologically active component. Many toxins isolated from crude venom have been reported to be affecting cardiovascular, neuromuscular systems. They are also responsible for hemolytic activities. This review describes the pharmacological potential of Scorpaenidae venom that can be useful as research tools or lead compounds for further drugs development.


The field of machine learning is progressing at a faster pace than ever before. Many organizations leverage machine learning tools to extract useful information from a massive amount of data. In particular, machine learning finds its application in cybersecurity that begins to enter the age of automation. However, machine learning applications in cybersecurity face unique challenges other domains rarely do—attacks from active adversaries. Problems in areas such as intrusion detection, banking fraud detection, spam filtering, and malware detection have to face  challenges of adversarial attacks that modify data so that malicious instances would evade detection by the learning systems. The adversarial learning problem naturally resembles a game between the learning system and the adversary. In such a game, both players would attempt to play their best strategies against each other while maximizing their own payoffs. To solve the game, each player would search for an optimal strategy against the opponent based on the prediction of the opponent's strategy choice. The problem becomes even more complicated in settings where the learning system may have to deal with many adversaries of unknown types. Applying game‐theoretic approach, robust learning techniques have been developed to specifically address adversarial attacks and the preliminary results are promising. In this review, we summarize these results.


The main purpose of the address was to explain De Geer's method of estimating late-glacial and post-glacial time which was laid before the International Geological Congress in 1910. At the outset a brief account was given of the successive advances of the ice that radiated from Scandinavia, and of the glacial and interglacial deposits of northern Europe. Thereafter attention was directed to the investigations of De Geer, whereby he hopes to establish a chronology of the earth for the last twelve thousand years. So far, that distinguished glacialist had not published detailed descriptions of his investigations, but the members of Congress had the pleasure of listening to an address from him on the subject, and also an opportunity of examining certain sections near Stockholm, under his guidance, which indicated the nature of the evidence on which his conclusions are based. His method of estimating late-glacial and post-glacial time is based upon certain finely laminated sediments, which were deposited during the retirement of the ice sheet and since its disappearance. In late-glacial time, when the ice shrank backwards from the Baltic coast-lands northwards to the Scandinavian ice-shed, large and small terminal moraines were laid down which indicate stages in the recession of the ice sheet. The great series of Fennoscandian moraines point to long pauses in the retreat of the ice, due to severe climatic conditions. But in other areas, as in the neighbourhood of Stockholm, there are small ridges occurring at regular intervals which, according to De Geer, mark the This 250-word extract was created in the absence of an abstract


Since the end of the 1980's, Swedish county council managers has been preoccupied with planning and implementing organisational change in order to alleviate the financial problems and to create more efficient production systems. Many of these efforts to change have implied changing the systems for management accounting and control, changes that have been inspired both by market-oriented ideologies and by the governance principles of large corporations in the private sector. Literature on management accounting and control indicates, however, that management is unintentionally contributing to the creation of organisational inertia and conservatism. This contradiction is formulated as a change dilemma; "How can managerial principles that make organizations subject to bureaucratization and inertia be used as important strategies for organizational change?" The purpose of the study is thus to analyze the use of management control systems as organizational change strategies in health care, employing a change perspective on management control. When used as a change strategy, management accounting and control becomes manifest as management control initiatives. Actors handle these control inititatives by organising themselves around the issue at hand. This organising process ends or fades away when there are no need for further attention to the control initiative. Empirical studies were made in the councils of Vasterbotten, Sormland and Uppsala counties. Management control initiatives investigated were performance-related pay, quality improvement work, systematic planning procedures, provider/purchaser-models, downsizing projects and profit center systems. The systems for management accounting and control appeared to structure health care organisations in terms of spatial structuring, temporal structuring and actor categorization. The management control initiatives introduced were structured as extraordinary organising processes delimited in terms of space, time and involved actors. Actors in the administrative norm system participated with the intention to change the organisation, while those in the medical norm system aimed at just handling the initiative. Management control initiatives can therefore be seen as passing opportunities to change, passing in the sense that the organising processes are temporary by nature, opportunities in the sense that temporary re-coupling can be used to achieve long-term change. One such opportunity is the formulation of control initiatives; the possibility of using simple and standardized change strategies can be useful, but only if they are also linked to the medical norm system. A second opportunity is the temporary organising processes; if the project form of organising change can also be conveyed to the medical norm system, management control initiatives could result in short, intense courses of events that actually change things. The third opportunity is the recurrent, cyclical properties of management accounting and control systems, enabling recurrent activities around the same themes, thereby keeping them alive.


Rationale Despite the potentially important roles for infection in adult non-cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis disease progression, the bacterial species present in the lower airways of these patients is poorly characterised. Objectives To provide a comprehensive cross-sectional analysis of bacterial content of lower airway samples from patients with non-CF bronchiectasis using culture-independent microbiology. Methods Paired induced sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage samples, obtained from 41 adult patients with non-CF bronchiectasis, were analysed by 16S ribosomal RNA gene pyrosequencing. Assessment of species distribution and dispersal allowed 'core' and 'satellite' bacterial populations to be defined for this patient group. Microbiota characteristics correlated with clinical markers of disease. Measurement and main results 140 bacterial species were identified, including those associated with respiratory tract infections and opportunistic infections more generally. A group of core species, consisting of species detected frequently and in high abundance, was defined. Core species included those currently associated with infection in bronchiectasis, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae, and many species that would be unlikely to be reported through standard diagnostic surveillance. These included members of the genera Veillonella, Prevotella and Neisseria. The comparative contribution of core and satellite groups suggested a low level of random species acquisition. Bacterial diversity was significantly positively correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and bacterial community composition similarity correlated significantly with FEV1, neutrophil count and Leicester cough score. Conclusions Characteristics of the lower airways microbiota of adult patients with non-CF bronchiectasis correlate significantly with clinical markers of disease severity.


The Pipeline embolization device is a flow diverting stent that is now available as an FDA approved treatment for giant wide-neck cavernous and supraclinoid aneurysms. This revolutionary device has made it possible to safely treat large wide necked aneurysms with excellent results. There is limited information on the impact of Pipeline on smaller secondary aneurysms. We present single center data regarding Pipeline's efficacy in the treatment of these aneurysms. Methods: Since August 2012, 24 patients have been electively treated utilizing the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) (Covidien, Mansfield, MA) at Hartford Hospital. Of these patients, 17 patients have had follow up angiograms and 9 (52%) had smaller secondary aneurysms that was covered by the Pipeline stent. For each patient where angiographic follow-up was available, the degree of secondary aneurysm occlusion was assessed utilizing the Raymond criteria. Results: All procedures were successfully completed and a total of 41 PEDS were implanted. No intraprocedural complications were present. During the clinical follow-up period, no major complications resulted. One patient developed a partial CN III and IV neuropathy secondary to thrombosis of a large cavernous aneurysm 4 days following treatment. The results of 6 month follow-up angiography demonstrated that out of a total of 9 cases, 8 cases (89%) with smaller secondary aneurysms resolved and 1 case (11%) improved significantly. In all cases where the smaller secondary aneurysm was occluded, the larger primary aneurysm was also occluded. The single case of significant improvement demonstrated that the primary aneurysm had also significantly decreased in size. Conclusion: Smaller secondary aneurysms are adequately treated by Pipeline stenting. In all cases, the primary aneurysm either improved significantly or totally occluded along with the secondary aneurysms. This suggests that the Pipeline device, in addition to treating large wide-necked aneurysms, can effectively treat smaller associated aneurysms without the need for additional endovascular coiling. Key Words: Pipeline embolization device, giant wide-neck cavernous and supraclinoid aneurysm, secondary aneurysms


Neuroimaging plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and therapeutic management of neurologic infections. This article summarizes imaging findings in brain abscesses, ven-triculitis, viral diseases, and opportunistic infections. In cases of uncomplicated meningitis, cranial computed tomography is sufficient to exclude brain edema, hydrocephalus, and skull base pathology. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is superior in depicting complications (e.g., empyema, vasculitis). Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) shows parenchymal complications of meningitis earlier and is of help in differentiation of pyogenic abscess from other ring-enhancing lesions. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy can produce specific peak-patterns in cases of abscess, such as the presence of lactate and cytosolic amino acids. In toxoplasmosis, DWI may help to differentiate from lymphoma, showing no restriction of water diffusion. In patients with viral encephalitis, DWI allows earlier lesion detection. MRI has revolutionized the rapid diagnosis of spinal abscess.


This paper presents the measurement of vibrational properties of sundatang soundboard. Sundatang is a plucked stringed traditional musical instrument that is popular among the Kadazandusun communities in Sabah, Malaysia. The vibrational properties of the soundboard are measured using CADA-X impact hammering system in a condition where the instrument is without any string. There are two types of sundatang used in this study; one made from acacia and the other from vitex wood. In this measurement, frequency response functions (FRFs) and modal parameters of the top plate and back plate of this instrument are obtained. It is found that in free edge, fundamental frequency of both plates of acacia sundatang is greater than the vitex sundatang in a range of 112$\,$Hz to 230$\,$Hz. However, in clamped edge (attached to its ribs), it was modified to a lower frequency and closer to each other in the range of 55$\,$Hz to 59$\,$Hz. Another finding is the detection of the excitation of similar mode shape at different resonance frequencies. This phenomenon is termed as Different State of Mode (DSM) which is observed may be because the number of testing points is not enough. Findings of this study provide important information to the study of quality development of this instrument.


A healthy mouth with intact functional oral tissue is essential to the wind instrumentalist. Since perioral pressures from playing wind instruments can cause tooth movement and increase muscle tone, orthodontic consultation should be considered when selecting instruments for young players. Maintaining the integrity of the dental arches through regular dental examination, preventative dental procedures, the use of lip shields, bonding materials, replacement prostheses, and splinting and supporting mobile teeth can circumvent loss of tooth structure, malpositioning of teeth, unnecessary tooth extraction, and loss of soft tissue. Complete dentures usually prevent playing; however, improved denture retention methods offer hope for continued playing. Xerostomia and oral cancer are potential problems that become more likely with age and are especially serious for the wind instrumentalist.


Genomes encode all RNAs required for life. For this simple reason the genome's stability is a prerequisite for maintaining the fitness of the cell, the organism and its progeny. Paradoxically, any enzymatic transaction at the DNA, including transcription itself, entails the risk of local destabilization of the DNA helix, thereby threatening genomic integrity. Particularly where transcription and replication meet, the genome may be at an increased risk of nucleotide substitution mutations, deletions or rearrangements. This Extra-view sketches our understanding of the different threats that transcription imposes on genome stability. We will focus on recent work highlighting the role of DNA damage in transcription-associated mutagenesis (TAM) in mammalian cells. Furthermore we discuss the possible implications of TAM for human fitness and disease with an emphasis on carcinogenesis. In addition, we propose an updated nomenclature for the mechanistically different forms of TAM.


Purpose: To report spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) features in patients diagnosed with Susacs syndrome. Methods: Clinical report of two cases. Results: Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography was performed in two patients diagnosed with Susacs syndrome. Both the patients had normal macular perfusion on fluorescein angiography (FA). However, SD-OCT revealed bilateral, temporal macular atrophy with disorganization and thinning of the retinal layers. The outer plexiform layer showed nodularity and waviness suggestive of ischemic swelling of the bipolar cells. Conclusion: Retinal structural changes in Susacs syndrome have not been described earlier. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography may be more sensitive than fluorescein angiography in detecting microstructural retinal alterations in various layers, especially in apparently perfused retina. These findings may provide an insight into the pathogenesis of Susacs syndrome.


THE TREATMENT of histoplasmosis, particularly of the progressive disseminated type, has been for the most part unsuccessful. In vitro studies by Seabury and Artis1revealed that stilbamidine is an effective histoplasmocidal agent, and Snapper has shown that 2-hydroxystilbamidine inhibits the growth of histoplasma capsulatum in vitro in concentrations of 20 to 40 γ per milliliter.2Because of these findings and inferred benefit from stilbamidine in disseminated cases, we felt that a clinical trial with 2-hydroxystilbamidine was indicated in a case of localized histoplasmosis of the hard palate recently admitted to the Veterans Administration Hospital, Hines, Ill. REPORT OF A CASE A 53-year-old white man, a cattle farmer from Nebraska, first noted a painful area involving the gingiva in the region of his left upper premolar teeth in May, 1953. A small nodule developed in this area, and approximately one month after onset of symptoms it became ulcerated. At


This paper highlights the earth fault problem in unearthed (isolated) and compensated neutral medium voltage distribution networks and the transient-based protection as a solution. The technique of transient-based analysis will be discussed considering the sampling window, frequency and data updating. The required transient simulation analysis and its validation will be presented. Many important practical investigations will also be discussed such as the required measured quantities, polarity criterion, magnitude criterion and suitable earth-fault indication tools. Finally, some of the developed techniques and algorithms from the previous work in this area will be summarized.


Baffles enhance heat transfer by disturbing boundary layer and bulk flow, creating impingement, and increasing heat transfer surface area. This study was performed to determine how the two inclined baffles (α=5°; perforated models) placed at a rectangular channel affect heat transfer and associated friction characteristics. The parametric effects of perforated baffles (3, 6 and 12 holes) and flow Reynolds number ranging from 28,900 to 61,800 on the heated target surface are explored. Comparisons of the experimental data with the numerical results by commercial code CFX 10.0 are presented. As for the investigation of heat transfer behaviors on local Nusselt number with two baffles placed at χ /D h =0.8 and χ /D h =8.0 of the edge of baffles, it is evident that the inclined perforated baffles augment overall heat transfer significantly by both jet impingement and boundary layer separation. There exists an optimum perforation density to maximize heat transfer coefficients; i.e., the average Nusselt number increases with increasing number of holes, but the friction factor decreases with an increase in the hole number placed at baffles.


This paper analyzes the effects on present consumption of budget deficits under different assumptions regarding demographics. In the first part, birth and death rates are deterministic, and in the second part, birth rates are assumed to be stochastic. In the case of a deterministic population size, an increase in public debt raises present consumption, if the (deterministic) birth rate is greater than zero, while with a zero birth rate we obtain debt neutrality. This is consistent with the results in Blanchard [1985] and Buiter [1988]. However, for the case of stochastic birth rates, it is shown that we can obtain the result that present consumption will decrease when public debt is increased, both when we have a zero expected birth rate, and when the expected population size is assumed to be constant, so that the expected birth rate is positive and equal to the death rate. The explanation is that with an uncertain birth rate, the future tax base is uncertain, which makes per capita taxes uncertain in the future. Shifting taxes to the future thus implies greater uncertainty about future net income, and induces precautionary savings.


Abstract Implementing the principles of inclusive education within higher education can be challenging. Inclusive education was originally developed for younger students, prior to its application within higher education. However, as more students with disabilities successfully complete their early schooling, the need to move towards inclusive practices within higher education has increased. The purpose of this article is to offer thoughts on inclusive practices within higher education. The paper is organised into three sections: a description of the current situation of inclusive education in relation to students with disabilities in higher education; a review of the literature focused on students with disabilities and on faculty members within higher education; and a discussion of how moving the university towards an inclusive setting requires designing policies, strategies, processes and actions that contribute to ensuring the success of all the students.


H2 clearance is a recently described method of measuring gastric mucosal blood flow that has great potential for clinical use. However, the effects of luminal pH and of secretory activity of the gastric mucosa on the accuracy of H2 clearance measurements have not been systematically examined. We therefore tested the validity of H2 clearance measurements at different pHs in both in vitro and in vivo systems. In addition, we compared measurements by H2 clearance and radioactive microspheres during stimulation and suppression of acid secretion. In vitro, H2 washout was relatively constant over a range of pHs from 2.0 to 8.0. In chambered segments of canine fundus in vivo, H2 clearance was not significantly affected by pH of the luminal solutions either in the resting state or at lower blood flows induced during infusion of vasopressin. Finally, there was a close correlation (r = 0.85; p less than 0.001) between H2 clearance and microsphere measurements under resting conditions, during intravenous histamine stimulation, and after infusion of cimetidine to suppress acid secretion. In summary, H2 clearance reliably and accurately measures gastric mucosal blood flow at different luminal pHs and under conditions that stimulate or suppress acid secretion.


In Japan, although the rapid aging of the population has caused serious traffic problems, only a few studies have investigated the behaviour of elderly drivers in real traffic conditions. The authors have been developing a system to automatically evaluate safe-driving skill through small wireless wearable sensors that directly measure the driver's behaviour. The authors aim is to promote safe driving by providing a personalised training program according to the individual's own shortcomings in driving behaviour. By employing the sensors together with GPS and driving instructors' knowledge, our system can automatically identify shortcomings in driving skill with an accuracy of over 80%. In February 2010, the Kyoto Prefecture Public Safety Commission, in Japan, certified our system as the first and only support tool for its `mandatory retraining course for elderly drivers' that all elderly drivers, aged over 70 years, are required to take when renewing their driver's license. In this study, the authors discuss the effectiveness of our system and investigate elderly drivers' behaviour through a large-scale demonstration experiment, involving 749 elderly drivers, in the mandatory driver-retraining course on public roads. The authors results reveal that although elderly drivers are able to maintain a safe vehicle speed, their tendency to not scan around their vehicle to ensure safety makes their driving risky.


Introduction: Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can result in severe immune suppression, often allowing infections that would normally be controlled by the immune system to persist in HIV-positive individuals. Many of these infections can in turn affect the dynamics of HIV disease progression. Specifically, we hypothesize that herpesvirus infections are associated with more rapid progression of HIV-1 disease, and chronic immune activation that can lead to the development of HIV/AIDS-associated cancers. Alternatively, we postulate that GB Virus C coinfection has been shown to have a protective effect against HIV-1 disease progression, and may reduce chronic immune activation in HIV-1 positive individuals.

Methods: This study investigated the associations of cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, human herpesvirus 6, human herpesvirus 8, and GB Virus C viral coinfections on the development of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in MACS HIV-1 seroconverters pre-combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). 536 seroconverters pre-cART were included in the investigation, including 22 who developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Results: HIV-1 seroconverters who developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma pre-cART experienced CMV and EBV viremia significantly more frequently than those who did not develop non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. HIV-1 seroconverters who did not develop non-Hodgkin's lymphoma pre-cART were more frequently viremic for GBV-C. Levels of EBV viremia were significantly higher in HIV-1 seroconverters who developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and levels of GBV-C viremia were significantly higher in the HIV-1 seroconverters who did not develop non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Additionally, HIV-1 seroconverters who had experienced EBV viremia progressed from HIV-1 seroconversion to lymphoma diagnosis more rapidly than those from whom EBV viremia was never detected. Conversely, those who experienced GBV-C viremia, but never experienced EBV viremia progressed more slowly from HIV-1 seroconversion to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Discussion: This investigation supports the hypothesis that EBV and CMV coinfections drive HIV-1 disease progression and the development of HIV-associated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The results also suggest that GBV-C plays a protective role against the development of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in HIV-1 positive individuals. These findings are of public health significance, because knowledge gained regarding the risks associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma development can contribute to the prevention and early detection of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.


Prestressed concrete double Tee floor slabs are widely used for the roof of building construction. Some problems are met during the development practice of this type of precast structures. Firstly, the overhang flange of the traditional double Tee floor slab is not enough large in the view of economic and utilization. Secondly, it is not easy to dispose the skylights on the roof used double Tee floor slabs in the workshops or the gymnasiums. Thirdly, most of the beams are produced in prestressing plants, but very few productions are made in site. Therefore, a new type of prestressed concrete double Tee floor slabs have been designed with some characters such as 3.0-m outside flange, flange slabs with rectangular opening holes for the skylights or not, and the beams produced in the prestressing plants with pre-tensioning prestressing tendons or post-tensioning with the strands in site.


While the role of unions as collective voice is well understood, how union members themselves voice their preferences within their union is not. This study represents an important step in understanding this critical dimension of the union–member relation. Using survey data from an Australian union, I investigate how union members voice dissatisfaction with their union. Union loyalty, perceived opportunities to voice, union responsiveness, and collectivist ideology predicted willingness to voice directly to the union. Perceived union support and instrumentality did not predict members' willingness to voice directly to the union but were associated with other voice responses.


Abstract : The unexpected gain of the drift-tube amplifier has been reproduced in new experiments. Three tubes demonstrated the correlation between net gain and sidewise gun displacement. No correlation existed between net gain and drift-tube diameter, which is contrary to the beam image pumping hypothesis. The net gain was in excess of 20 db, but the efficiency was poor. A tentative explanation of the gain mechanism is based upon the proposition that transverse waves were excited in the injection process, and that their rotational power was transferred to the beam wave excited by the RF signal. (Author)


Recent studies using magnetic resonance imaging have suggested that the subchondral bone marrow and the entheses are the sites which are primarily involved in the peripheral and axial inflammation found in patients with spondyloarthritides. Histopathological analyses indicated that the typical morphological features at these sites reflect an inflammation (osteitis) at the bone cartilage interface and in the subchondral bone marrow. This finding implies that synovitis may be of minor importance, especially in comparison to other inflammatory joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Here, we summarize current available knowledge on synovial involvement in inflammatory processes related to SpA.


Ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry (UHR-MS) coupled with direct infusion (DI) electrospray ionization offers a fast solution for accurate untargeted profiling. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometers have been shown to produce a wealth of insights into complex chemical systems because they enable unambiguous molecular formula assignment even if the vast majority of signals is of unknown identity. Interlaboratory comparisons are required to apply this type of instrumentation in quality control (for food industry or pharmaceuticals), large-scale environmental studies, or clinical diagnostics. Extended comparisons employing different FT-ICR MS instruments with qualitative direct infusion analysis are scarce since the majority of detected compounds cannot be quantified. The extent to which observations can be reproduced by different laboratories remains unknown. We set up a preliminary study which encompassed a set of 17 laboratories around the globe, diverse in instrumental characteristics and applications, to analyze the same sets of extracts from commercially available standard human blood plasma and Standard Reference Material (SRM) for blood plasma (SRM1950), which were delivered at different dilutions or spiked with different concentrations of pesticides. The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which the outputs of differently tuned FT-ICR mass spectrometers, with different technical specifications, are comparable for setting the frames of a future DI-FT-ICR MS ring trial. We concluded that a cluster of five laboratories, with diverse instrumental characteristics, showed comparable and representative performance across all experiments, setting a reference to be used in a future ring trial on blood plasma.


Tertiary education is a major outlet for the provision of high manpower for national development. This paper therefore highlighted the challenges of tertiary education in Nigeria, early perspectives of mentoring undergraduates, the rationale for academic mentoring, the role of a mentor, and the role of library as catalyst in the mentoring process. The study adopted the systematic review design to ascertain the fundamental challenge hindering the effective development of academic mentoring and to locate, select and analyze relevant literatures. It highlighted the critical role of libraries in ensuring the success of formal mentoring. The study concluded that factors capable of distracting students are prevalent and persistent in nature an if left unchecked, they are capable of disarming even the most academically endowed student from excelling. It was therefore recommended that, faculty members should acquire more knowledge of the inherent challenges of undergraduate education and how these challenges affect academic development. Lecturers should also serve as role models/mentors to students in order to provide proper guidance. The management of tertiary institutions should integrate mentoring as part of the university culture. Keywords: Academic mentoring, Undergraduate students, Tertiary education, Nigerian universities


This multi-site case study examined literacy practices in 10 U.S. schools with one-to-one computing programs where all students had access to laptop computers throughout the school day. Important changes noted in the processes, sources, and products of literacy were along the lines often touted by educational reformers but seldom realized in schools. For example, reading instruction featured more scaffolding and epistemic engagement, whereas student writing became more iterative; more public, visible, and collaborative; more purposeful and authentic; and more diverse in genre. Students also gained important technology-related literacies such as those that involve analysing information or producing multimedia. However, laptop programs were not found to improve test scores or erase academic achievement gaps between students with low and high socioeconomic status. Both the benefits and limitations of laptop programs are discussed in this article.


Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene samples were submitted to dynamical compressive test in a split Hopkinson Pressure Bar. Three thickness/diameter ratio (0.11, 0.44 and 0.64) and two strain rates (3250 s-1 and 6500 s-1) were used to understand how the test set-up influences the stress equilibrium and the constancy of strain rate during the impact. Concepts of stress equilibrium, constancy of strain rate, dynamical stressstrain curves and dynamical mechanical properties of the material were evaluated. All studied samples achieved stress equilibrium, but the samples with smaller ratio achieved it more easily. Nevertheless, samples with the smallest ratio were not able to achieve strain rate constancy. Additionally, dynamical stress-strain curves were plotted to investigate the mechanical properties of this material at high strain rates. T-tests pointed out that the properties are controlled by the strain rate rather than by the specimen's thickness/diameter ratio.


Middle-income countries are facing a growing challenge of adequate health care provision for people with multimorbidity. The objectives of this study were to explore the distribution of multimorbidity and to identify patterns of multimorbidity in the Brazilian general adult population. Data from 60202 adults, aged ≥18 years that completed the individual questionnaire of the National Health Survey 2013 (Portuguese: "Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde"–"PNS") was used. We defined multimorbidity as the presence of two or more chronic conditions, including self-reported diagnoses and responses to the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire for depression. Multivariate Poisson regression analyses were used to explore relationship between multimorbidity and demographic factors. Exploratory tetrachoric factor analysis was performed to identify multimorbidity patterns. 24.2% (95% CI 23.5–24.9) of the study population were multimorbid, with prevalence rate ratios being significantly higher in women, older people and those with lowest educational level. Multimorbidity occurred earlier in women than in men, with half of the women and men aged 55–59 years and 65–69 years, respectively, were multimorbid. The absolute number of people with multimorbidity was approximately 2.5-fold higher in people younger than 65 years than older counterparts (9920 vs 3945). Prevalence rate ratios of any mental health disorder significantly increased with the number of physical conditions. 46.7% of the persons were assigned to at least one of three identified patterns of multimorbidity, including: "cardio-metabolic", "musculoskeletal-mental" and "respiratory" disorders. Multimorbidity in Brazil is as common as in more affluent countries. Women in Brazil develop diseases at younger ages than men. Our findings can inform a national action plan to prevent multimorbidity, reduce its burden and align health-care services more closely with patients' needs.


The Mont-Louis-Andorra granodiorite pluton, Eastern Pyrenees (France, Andorra and Spain) was the subject of a thorough study of its internal structures, principally the measurement of the anisotropy of its magnetic susceptibility and the classification of its microstructures. Regularly spaced sampling (281 sites) allowed the precise mapping of the susceptibility magnitudes, consistent with mapped rock types. The magnetic structures fall into two distinct families which occur in separate parts of the pluton and have different microstructures. Family I is observed almost everywhere and has close to horizontal lineations, remarkably constant in NE–SW azimuth. Magmatic to submagmatic microstructures characterize these rocks. In contrast, family II is confined within NW–SE-trending corridors, where moderate to steep NW-plunges of the lineations are recorded, and subsolidus microstructures are observed. Magnetic structures of family I are argued to equate with the kinematic framework of the deforming magma during its emplacement. Family II structures represent a late to post-consolidation reworking, and therefore record a second stage of deformation in the pluton. It is concluded that magma emplacement was related to a NE–SW-trending strike-slip and/or thrust fault system, coeval with the SW-verging thrust episode documented in the Pyrenees. The second stage corresponds to dextral shear movements with a thrust component on NW–SE-striking planes. Corridors containing family II structures are shear zones responsible for dissection of the massif into three blocks, the eastern block representing the former base, and the western block the top of the pluton. Restoration of the pluton's shape along these corridors demonstrates the importance of the early Variscan NE-SW kinematic direction. Because the family II structures that form shear zones affecting the pluton have similar orientation and kinematics as the compressive, steep main-phase of deformation ubiquitous in the Pyrenees, the pluton of Mont-Louis–Andorra was probably emplaced before this main-phase of deformation.


Patients with type 4 gastric cancer and peritoneal metastasis respond better to chemotherapy than surgery. In particular, patients without gastric stenosis who can consume a meal usually experience better quality of life (QOL). However, some patients with unsuccessful chemotherapy are unable to consume a meal because of gastric stenosis and obstruction. These patients ultimately require salvage surgery to enable them to consume food normally. We evaluated the outcomes of salvage total gastrectomy after chemotherapy in four patients with gastric stenosis. We determined clinical outcomes of four patients who underwent total gastrectomy as salvage surgery. Outcomes were time from chemotherapy to death and QOL, which was assessed using the Support Team Assessment Schedule-Japanese version (STAS-J). Three of the patients received combination chemotherapy [tegafur, gimestat and otastat potassium (TS-1); cisplatin]. Two of these patients underwent salvage chemotherapy after 12 and 4 mo of chemotherapy. Following surgery, they could consume food adequately and their STAS-J scores improved, so their treatments were continued. The third patient underwent salvage surgery after 7 mo of chemotherapy. This patient was unable to consume food adequately after surgery and developed surgical complications. His clinical outcomes at 3 mo were very poor. The fourth patient received combination chemotherapy (TS-1 and irinotecan hydrochloride) for 6 mo and then underwent received salvage surgery. After surgery, he could consume food adequately and his STAS-J score improved, so his treatment was continued. After the surgery, he enjoyed his life for 16 mo. Of four patients who received salvage total gastrectomy after unsuccessful chemotherapy, the QOL improved in three patients, but not in the other patient. Salvage surgery improves QOL in most patients, but some patients develop surgical complications that prevent improvements in QOL. If salvage surgery is indicated, the surgeon and/or oncologist must provide the patient with a clear e


Wieland C24000, also known as low brass, is an 80Cu-20Zn alloy. Low brass, named for its relatively low zinc content, is a choice of many design engineers for applications where strength and formability are required. Due to its higher zinc content (compared to red brass), low brass develops a beautiful antique brass color when chemically treated, making it ideal for many decorative or architectural applications. This datasheet provides information on composition, physical properties, and elasticity. It also includes information on corrosion resistance as well as casting and heat treating. Filing Code: Cu-927. Producer or source: Wieland Rolled Products NA (formerly Olin Brass).


In this paper, we construct two infinite families of binary linear codes associated with double cosets with respect to certain maximal parabolic subgroup of the symplectic group Sp(2n, q). Here q is a power of two. Then we obtain an infinite family of recursive formulas for the power moments of Kloosterman sums and those of 2-dimensional Kloosterman sums in terms of the frequencies of weights in the codes. This is done via Pless power moment identity and by utilizing the explicit expressions of exponential sums over those double cosets related to the evaluations of "Gauss sum" for the symplectic groups Sp(2n, q).


The effectiveness and elasticity of virtual machine placement has become a main concern in modern cloud computing environment. Mapping the virtual machines to the physical machines cluster is called the VM placement. In this paper we present an efficient hybrid genetic based host load aware algorithm for scheduling and optimization of virtual machines in a cluster of Physical hosts. We used two different techniques, first initial VM packing is done by checking the load of the physical host and the user constraints of the VMs. Second optimization of placed VMs is done by using a hybrid genetic algorithm based on fitness function. The presented algorithm is implemented in JAVA Net beans IDE, and Clouds simulator has been used for simulation to assess the execution and performance of our heuristics by comparison with algorithms first fit, best fit and round robin. The performance of the proposed algorithm was examined from both users and service provider's perception. The simulation results show that our proposed algorithm uses the less number of physical servers for placing a certain number of VMs which helps to improve the resource utilization rate. The response time of our algorithm is little bit more than the first fit algorithm because of its nature of allocating VMs is based on the user constraints and past usage history of the VMs. Elevated SLA satisfaction rate and inferior load imbalance rate was observed in results. Since we used a modified version of hybrid genetic algorithm for load optimization the percentage of VM migrations had been decreased through which we can achieve the better results for load balancing along with cost reduction. The results also show that our hybrid genetic based multi dimensional host load aware and user constraints based algorithm is applicable, valuable and reliable for implementation in real data center environments.


This paper presents a design of a general purpose GA. It is described using the Very high speed integrated circuits Hardware Description Language (VHDL), which is one of the Hardware Description Languages (HDLs). The complete system is implemented in a single Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) platform using the Foundation 2.1i, which is a software tool from XILINX. The feasibility of the purposed FPGA-based GA (FPGAGA) is demonstrated by testing it using two case studies. The objective of the first test is to maximize mathematical functions (f(x) = 2x, f(x) = x+5 and f(x) =2x 3 -45x 2 +300x) over the domain 15 x 0   . Simulation results show that the adopted design is able to find the maximum obtainable values for all the functions. The objective of the second test is to solve circuit partitioning problem by distributing given modules (or cells) over two blocks. The number of inter-block connections and the number of modules assigned for each block should be minimum. Simulation results show that the final arrangements reached by the FPGAGA for the given arrangements (consist of 5, 10 and 15 modules) is well optimized in term" of the number of inter-block connections and the modules assigned for each block.


When the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) achieves first light in 2019, it will deliver the highest spatial resolution images of the solar atmosphere ever recorded. Additionally, the DKIST will observe the Sun with unprecedented polarimetric sensitivity and spectral resolution, spurring a leap forward in our understanding of the physical processes occurring on the Sun. The DKIST wavefront correction system will provide active alignment control and jitter compensation for all six of the DKIST science instruments. Five of the instruments will also be fed by a conventional adaptive optics (AO) system, which corrects for high frequency jitter and atmospheric wavefront disturbances. The AO system is built around an extended-source correlating Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor, a Physik Instrumente fast tip-tilt mirror (FTTM) and a Xinetics 1600-actuator deformable mirror (DM), which are controlled by an FPGA-based real-time system running at 1975 Hz. It is designed to achieve on-axis Strehl of 0.3 at 500 nm in median seeing (r0 = 7 cm) and Strehl of 0.6 at 630 nm in excellent seeing (r0 = 20 cm). The DKIST wavefront correction team has completed the design phase and is well into the fabrication phase. The FTTM and DM have both been delivered to the DKIST laboratory in Boulder, CO. The real-time controller has been completed and is able to read out the camera and deliver commands to the DM with a total latency of approximately 750 μs. All optics and optomechanics, including many high-precision custom optics, mounts, and stages, are completed or nearing the end of the fabrication process and will soon undergo rigorous acceptance testing. Before installing the wavefront correction system at the telescope, it will be assembled as a testbed in the laboratory. In the lab, performance tests beginning with component-level testing and continuing to full system testing will ensure that the wavefront correction system meets all performance requirements. Further work in the lab will focus on fine-tuning our alignment and calibration procedures so that installation and alignment on the summit will proceed as efficiently as possible.


Electroactive Polymer actuators (EAPs), also known as EAP artificial muscles, offer a great potential for soft robotics. They are suitable for bio-inspired robotic applications due to their built-in actuation property within the mechanical body. In this paper, we report on a fully compliant micro-stage with built-in actuation. It has been fabricated as one piece inspired from twining structures in nature. We have employed a soft robotic modeling approach and finite element modeling to predict the mechanical output of the stage as a function of the input voltage. Experiments were conducted under a range of electrical inputs (0.25-1.00 V). For a given electrical stimulus, the compliant mechanism results in a linear motion in the middle of the active compliant mechanism, as expected. Experiments and simulation results are in good correlation. The active compliant mechanism can be used as a micro stage as well as an optical zoom mechanism for mobile phone cameras and similar devices.


The stability and dynamics of an axisymmetric lifted flame are studied by means of direct numerical simulation (DNS) and linear stability analysis of the reacting low-Mach-number equations. For light fuels (such as non-premixed methane/air flames), the non-reacting premixing zone upstream of the lifted flame base contains a pocket of absolute instability supporting self-sustaining oscillations, causing flame flicker even in the absence of gravity. The liftoff heights of the unsteady flames are lower than their steady counterparts (obtained by the method of selective frequency damping (SFD)), owing to premixed flame propagation during a portion of each cycle. From local stability analysis, the lifted flame is found to have a significant stabilizing influence at and just upstream of the flame base, which can truncate the pocket of absolute instability. For sufficiently low liftoff heights, the truncated pocket of absolute instability can no longer support self-sustaining oscillations, and the flow is rendered globally stable.


With the rapid growth in multimedia services and the enormous offers of video contents in online social networks, users have difficulty in obtaining their interests. Therefore, various personalized recommendation systems have been proposed. However, they ignore that the accelerated proliferation of social media data has led to the big data era, which has greatly impeded the process of video recommendation. In addition, none of them has considered both the privacy of users' contexts (e,g., social status, ages and hobbies) and video service vendors' repositories, which are extremely sensitive and of significant commercial value. To handle the problems, we propose a cloud-assisted differentially private video recommendation system based on distributed online learning. In our framework, service vendors are modeled as distributed cooperative learners, recommending videos according to user's context, while simultaneously adapting the video-selection strategy based on user-click feedback to maximize total user clicks (reward). Considering the sparsity and heterogeneity of big social media data, we also propose a novel geometric differentially private model, which can greatly reduce the performance (recommendation accuracy) loss. Ou r simulation shows the proposed algorithms outperform other existing methods and keep a delicate balance between computing accuracy and privacy preserving level.


The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of a lactic acid- and citric acid-based antimicrobial product on the reduction of Salmonella on whole broiler carcasses during processing and the reduction of Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 on beef trim. Freshly harvested broiler carcasses were inoculated with an inoculum of Salmonella strains to yield a 10(5) CFU/ml pathogen load on the surface of the carcass. The beef tips were inoculated as well with an inoculum of either E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella to yield 10(4) CFU/100 cm(2). After 30 min for attachment, the broiler carcasses were treated with Chicxide applied for 5 s via a spray or immersed in Chicxide for 5, 10, or 20 s. Broiler carcasses were rinsed in poultry rinse bags with 400 ml of Butterfield's phosphate buffer in which Salmonella was enumerated from the diluents and Butterfield's phosphate. Chicxide significantly reduced Salmonella by 1.3 log CFU/ml with spray treatment and 2.3 log CFU/ml for all dip treatments. Following 30 min of attachment, the beef tips were placed into a spray cabinet with either Beefxide or sterilized water (control) and sprayed at 1 ft/2.5 s chain speed at 40 lb/in(2). The external surface of each beef tip was swabbed (100 cm(2)) to determine pathogen loads. Beefxide significantly reduced E. coli O157:H7 by 1.4 log CFU/100 cm(2) and Salmonella by 1.1 log CFU/100 cm(2) (P < 0.05) compared with the control samples.


Abstract : Ninety plots of digitized temperature boundaries from infrared satellite images of the Gulf Stream along with corresponding image snapshots were compiled to determine stream width propagation speed. The satellite images are from the years 1982, 1983, and 1985 and are often of consecutive days. In this report, these images and digitized plots are presented.


AIM
To evaluate the anthropometric measurements and dietary intake of the free-living elderly in a Chinese community.

METHOD
A survey was carried out on 48 male and female subjects aged 60 to 96 years using anthropometric, dietary intake and questionnaire techniques.

RESULTS
The study indicated female subjects to have more health problems, like pain at the joints (33%), hypertension (17%) and diabetes (27%) as compared to the male subjects. Dietary intake analysis showed the Chinese male subjects to have a higher energy intake (1,623 kcal) compared to the females (1,197 kcal) even though they did not fulfill the recommended dietary intake. The intake for energy, fats and carbohydrates, was found to be significantly different (p < 0.05) between both sexes. Anthropometric measurements indicated male elderly subjects to be significantly heavier (p < 0.05, 55.4 kg) and taller (161.8 cm) than female elderly subjects (49.5 kg; 146.2 cm respectively). About half of the elderly were normal in their BMI (male 55.6%; female 50%) and only 6.6% of the female subjects were obese. More male subjects were found to be underweight (33%) compared to female subjects (17%). Waist hip ratio was 0.92 for male and 0.87 for female.

CONCLUSION
Our study showed that female elderly subjects had more health problems compared to male elderly subjects. On the whole, the elderly did not fulfill the recommended amount for energy intake while the percentage for carbohydrates, fats and protein from the total calorie intake were not in accordance with the healthy diet guidelines. Anthropometrically, male subjects were heavier and taller than female subjects. Looking at body mass index, most of the male elderly subjects were in the normal to underweight range. With these results, more research is warranted to give a clearer picture of the Chinese elderly in the country.


The relationship between the pressure gradient and the instantaneous blood flow in the descending thoracic aorta was studied in six dogs. Instantaneous flow was calculated from the pressure gradient using the simple analog approach of Fry and the more elaborate calculations of Womersley. The flows computed by either of these techniques were essentially indistinguishable from one another and compared favorably with the "true" flow. The "true" flow at the point of pressure gradient measurement was determined indirectly from the flow signals of two electromagnetic flowmetering systems, one placed upstream and the other downstream from the point of pressure gradient measurement. The probes were placed sufficient distances from the site at which pressure gradients were measured so that the pulsations of the vessel at that site were unaffected by application and removal of the probes. Thus, the vessel was presumed to be in its normal pulsating state. It is concluded, first, that the simpler approach of Fry is the method of choice in large vessels such as the aorta because the results do not differ appreciably from those using the Womersley approach. Second, the favorable comparison of either of the pressure gradient techniques with the "true" flow is strong evidence for the validity of this method and places the theoretical considerations of Womersley and others on a firmer experimental footing than previously.


Hair follicles cyclically degenerate and regenerate throughout adult life and require regular stem cell activation to drive the cycle. In the resting phase of the hair cycle, hair follicle stem cells are maintained in a quiescent state until they receive signals to proliferate. We found that the forkhead transcription factor Foxp1 is crucial for maintaining the quiescence of hair follicle stem cells. Loss of Foxp1 in skin epithelial cells leads to precocious stem cell activation, resulting in drastic shortening of the quiescent phase of the hair cycle. Conversely, overexpression of Foxp1 in keratinocytes prevents cell proliferation by promoting cell cycle arrest. Finally, through both gain- and loss-of-function studies, we identify fibroblast growth factor 18 (Fgf18) as the key downstream target of Foxp1. We show that exogenously supplied FGF18 can prevent the hair follicle stem cells of Foxp1 null mice from being prematurely activated. As Fgf18 controls the length of the quiescent phase and is a key downstream target of Foxp1, our data strongly suggest that Foxp1 regulates the quiescent stem cell state in the hair follicle stem cell niche by controlling Fgf18 expression.


: The anticipated benefits of digitized projection radiographic data to medical imaging has generated much interest and activity. Numerous methods for capturing the radiographic image data prior to digitization are being evaluated. In this paper the excellent performance of the film-screen system as a receptor for projection radiographic data is discussed. An experimental system for obtaining high quality digital radiographic data by laser scanning radiographic films is described. This system is being used to evaluate the clinical utility of various digital image processing algorithms. Future plans include an investigation of quantitative analysis of projection radiographic data. Digital data obtained by film scanning can be used with digital image archiving and communications systems.


Computer systems that can directly and accurately answer peoples' questions over a broad domain of human knowledge have been envisioned by scientists and writers since the advent of computers themselves. Open domain question answering holds tremendous promise for facilitating informed decision making over vast volumes of natural language content. Applications in business intelligence, healthcare, customer support, enterprise knowledge management, social computing, science and government would all benefit from deep language processing. The DeepQA project (www.ibm.com/deepqa) is aimed at illustrating how the advancement and integration of Natural Language Processing (NLP), Information Retrieval (IR), Machine Learning (ML), massively parallel computation and Knowledge Representation and Reasoning (KR&R) can greatly advance open-domain automatic Question Answering. An exciting proof-point in this challenge is to develop a computer system that can successfully compete against top human players at the Jeopardy! quiz show (www.jeopardy.com). Attaining champion-level performance Jeopardy! requires a computer to rapidly answer rich open-domain questions, and to predict its own performance on any given category/question. The system must deliver high degrees of precision and confidence over a very broad range of knowledge and natural language content and with a 3-second response time. To do this DeepQA generates, evidences and evaluates many competing hypotheses. A key to success is automatically learning and combining accurate confidences across an array of complex algorithms and over different dimensions of evidence. Accurate confidences are needed to know when to "buzz in" against your competitors and how much to bet. Critical for winning at Jeopardy!, High precision and accurate confidence computations are just as critical for providing real value in business settings where helping users focus on the right content sooner and with greater confidence can make all the difference. The need for speed and high precision demands a massively parallel compute platform capable of generating, evaluating and combing 1000's of hypotheses and their associated evidence. In this talk I will introduce the audience to the Jeopardy! Challenge and describe our technical approach and our progress on this grand-challenge problem.