Inbreeding in alfalfa (Medicago saliva L.) may reduce heterozygosity and permit population improvement through selection of favorable alleles and elimination of deleterious ones. Two-allele autotetraploid populations (TAPs) are suitable for studying the effectiveness of selection because they are derived from chromosome doubling of heterozygous diploid plants and therefore have a maximum of two alleles and a single allelic interaction per locus. The effectiveness of inbreeding and selection was tested by comparing TAPs that had undergone inbreeding and selection with their original counterparts. The original (designated OGDC) and improved (designated AGDC) populations were produced by intercrossing two single-cross lines from the original and improved TAPs, respectively. Self fertility, female cross fertility, and S 1 forage yield performance were compared in original and improved populations. Self fertility increased by 57% in the AGDC compared with the OGI)C, whereas female cross fertility was reduced by 12% in this population. A higher proportion of plants in the AGDC population produced sufficient S 1 seeds (82%) for field evaluation than did plants in the OGDC population (57% ). The mean forage yield of the AGDC S 1 families was significantly higher (13.3%) than their comparative OGDC S 1 families. Improvement in self fertility and S 1 forage yield by inbreeding and selection was consistent with population improvement due to elimination of deleterious alleles and a corresponding increase in the frequency of favorable ones. However, the concurrent decrease in female cross fertility was inconsistent with this hypothesis. Therefore, selection for cross fertility may be necessary during inbreeding in alfalfa.


Because of special structure and dynamic behavior, the dynamic equations of metamorphic mechanism are variable during the process of configuration change. In order to combine dynamics analysis and structure design of metamorphic mechanisms intimately, a new method of forming dynamic model of metamorphic mechanisms is proposed based on fully Cartesian coordinate's method and the relation between origin mechanism and sub-configuration. A new concept named origin constraint equation is introduced which can be converted into constraint equations of each sub-configuration easily by adding corresponding constraint equations of configuration change. Constraint equations commonly used in configuration change and dynamic equations of each configuration are given in the form of natural coordinates. Finally, a four-bar spherical metamorphic mechanism is used as an example to validate this dynamic modeling method.


Abstract The paper discusses the problem of possibility of the detecting surface defects in carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) materials on the basis of the milling time series. First, the special defects in the hole-shaped with various depth were made. Next, the cutting forces are measured during the milling machining. Finally, the recurrence plot and quantification analysis was applied. The obtained results show that the depth defect influences the selected recurrence quantifications, which can be used as the simple defect indicators. The conducted research allow to determine the percentage share of the detectable defects. The novelty of the work and an unresolved problem is the selection of recurrence quantifications with the simultaneous use of them to detect the size of defects in carbon fibre reinforced plastics.


To prevent improper design and construction of fire compartments through-penetration in buildings, and in order to reinforce public building safety management, all beams, pillars, ceilings, floors, doors, walls, and interior decorative materials must have fireproof properties. Moreover, cable conduits, water pipes, and air ducts located in through-penetration sites within buildings should be properly designed to block the spread of smoke and hot air, thus, reducing losses due to fire disasters. This study used common firestop materials, such as firestop sheets, mineral wool, and two-pack fire barrier foam to conduct 10-min surface burning tests on individual substrates. The flame spread distance and smoke per minute were measured and recorded in order to calculate the Flame Spread Index (FSI) and Smoke Developed Index (SDI). The results showed that all three firestop materials meet with the ASTM E84 Class A.


Alvaro Valcarce, Guillaume de la Roche, Lajos Nagy, Jean-Fr ed eric Wagen, and Jean-Marie Gorce Owing to its direct applicability in solving problems of the telecommunications industry, propagation prediction for a long time has been an important area of research and development. Because of the increasing complexity of wireless networks, growing number of smaller cells, and higher intercell interference, software tools that aid in network optimization are necessary. Therefore, in the study of particular environments, where wireless networks are deployed, deterministic propagation models play an important role. Deterministic models can predict the path loss in a given scenario through the simulation of the main propagation phenomena such as reflections and diffractions. The most commonly used deterministic solutions for radio coverage prediction are ray models, which model electromagnetic (EM) waves through optical laws. However, since their appearance nearly 40 years ago, there has been an increasing interest in using other techniques such as finite-difference EM methods. These methods [the most well known is finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method] solve Maxwell's equations on a discrete space– time grid. They can provide highly accurate results, provided there are accurate boundary conditions, since the reflections, diffractions, and scattering effects are implicit. This contrasts with ray-based methods that must account explicitly for a limited number of rays. This also explains why Yee's FDTD methods, first presented in [1], have been and are still widely used today, especially in confined environments such as for antenna design that involves reasonable grid sizes. Over the last ten years, the increasing performance of computers has opened the door for their usage in larger


ABSTRACT Research findings This study aimed to explore whether the fusion of constructivism and instructivism could be observed in the teaching dialogs during the Engineer Block Building (EBB) activities in Chinese kindergartens. Altogether 20 block building activities about the theme of architecture were videotaped and coded with the Engineer Design Process (EDP) framework and the Cam-UNAM Scheme for Educational Dialogue Analysis (SEDA). Analysis of the 5808 coded turns of dialogs found that: (1) all the six EDP phases could be observed in the 20 activities, which could be regarded as EBB; (2) all the SEDA types were adopted by the 15 Chinese teachers, who endeavored to deliver EBB knowledge and skills; (3) the teachers from high ranking or public kindergartens employed significantly more Try and Decide processes of EDP than those from no-ranking or private kindergartens; and (4) the top three types of SEDA employed by the teachers were "invite opinions or ideas", "propose action or inquiry activity", and "state agreement or position". These results jointly indicated that the fusion of pedagogies was also dominant in Chinese EBB activities. Practice or Policy: More culturally and contextually appropriate guidance and training on EBB and EDP should be provided to enhance early childhood teachers' professionalism and professional development.


For the most part, owners of tax-exempt hospitals and other health care facilities should welcome the issuance of the proposed regulations because they generally clarify and liberalize former law. As pointed out, however, in certain instances the proposed regulations do impose additional requirements not found in current law. Accordingly, in those instances in which exempt facility owners may elect to apply the proposed regulations prior to their finalization, a careful analysis needs to be made of whether the old or new regime would be most beneficial.


SiCp/Al composites were fabricated by ceramic mold freedom infiltration and pressureless infiltration, respectively. The microstructure and phases are analyzed by metallurgical microscope and coefficient of thermal expansion of SiCp/Al composites were tested by thermal dilatometer. The results show that SiCp/Al composites are compact and uniform. SiC particles were dispersed uniformly in Al matrix, and SiCp segregation was not found in composites. Under a certain SiCp size range, space between SiCp decreases with decreasing of SiCp size, and CTE of SiCp/Al composites also decreases with decreasing of particles size. Compared with CTE of composite with pure aluminum as matrix, CTE of composite with ZL101 as matrix is less. Under the annealing process, CTE of SiCp/Al composites with ZL101 as matrix is less than that with the solution and aging, which indicated that its dimensional stability of resisting to temperature fluctuation is better, and thermal expansion behavior and characteristic of SiCp/Al composites are also better.


BACKGROUND
Inhaled antibiotics are commonly used to treat persistent airway infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa that contributes to lung damage in people with cystic fibrosis. Current guidelines recommend inhaled tobramycin for individuals with cystic fibrosis and persistent Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection who are aged six years or older. The aim is to reduce bacterial load in the lungs so as to reduce inflammation and deterioration of lung function. This is an update of a previously published review.

OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the effects of long-term inhaled antibiotic therapy in people with cystic fibrosis on clinical outcomes (lung function, frequency of exacerbations and nutrition), quality of life and adverse events (including drug-sensitivity reactions and survival).

SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Cystic Fibrosis Trials Register, compiled from electronic database searches and handsearching of journals and conference abstract books. We also searched ongoing trials registries. Date of last search: 28 June 2022.

SELECTION CRITERIA
We selected trials where people with cystic fibrosis received inhaled anti-pseudomonal antibiotic treatment for at least three months, treatment allocation was randomised or quasi-randomised, and there was a control group (either placebo, no placebo or another inhaled antibiotic).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two authors independently selected trials, judged the risk of bias, extracted data from these trials and judged the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE system.

MAIN RESULTS
The searches identified 410 citations to 125 trials; 18 trials (3042 participants aged between five and 45 years) met the inclusion criteria. Limited data were available for meta-analyses due to the variability of trial design and reporting of results. A total of 11 trials (1130 participants) compared an inhaled antibiotic to placebo or usual treatment for a duration between three and 33 months. Five trials (1255 participants) compared different antibiotics, two trials (585 participants) compared different regimens of tobramycin and one trial (90 participants) compared intermittent tobramycin with continuous tobramycin alternating with aztreonam. One trial (18 participants) compared an antibiotic to placebo and also to a different antibiotic and so fell into both groups. The most commonly studied antibiotic was tobramycin which was studied in 12 trials. Inhaled antibiotics compared to placebo We found that inhaled antibiotics may improve lung function measured in a variety of ways (4 trials, 814 participants). Compared to placebo, inhaled antibiotics may also reduce the frequency of exacerbations (risk ratio (RR) 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.47 to 0.93; 3 trials, 946 participants; low-certainty evidence). Inhaled antibiotics may lead to fewer days off school or work (quality of life measure) (mean difference (MD) -5.30 days, 95% CI -8.59 to -2.01; 1 trial, 245 participants; low-certainty evidence). There were insufficient data for us to be able to report an effect on nutritional outcomes and there was no effect on survival. There was no effect on antibiotic resistance seen in the two trials that were included in meta-analyses. We are uncertain of the effect of the intervention on adverse events (very low-certainty evidence), but tinnitus and voice alteration were the only events occurring more often in the inhaled antibiotics group. The overall certainty of evidence was deemed to be low for most outcomes due to risk of bias within the trials and imprecision due to low event rates. Different antibiotics or regimens compared Of the eight trials comparing different inhaled antibiotics or different antibiotic regimens, there was only one trial for each unique comparison. We found no differences between groups for any outcomes except for the following. Aztreonam lysine for inhalation probably improved forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV1) % predicted compared to tobramycin (MD -3.40%, 95% CI -6.63 to -0.17; 1 trial, 273 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). However, the method of defining the endpoint was different to the remaining trials and the participants were exposed to tobramycin for a long period making interpretation of the results problematic. We found no differences in any measure of lung function in the remaining comparisons. Trials measured pulmonary exacerbations in different ways and showed no differences between groups except for aztreonam lysine probably leading to fewer people needing treatment with additional antibiotics than with tobramycin (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.86; 1 trial, 273 participants; moderate-certainty evidence); and there were fewer hospitalisations due to respiratory exacerbations with levofloxacin compared to tobramycin (RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.98; 1 trial, 282 participants; high-certainty evidence). Important treatment-related adverse events were not very common across comparisons, but were reported less often in the tobramycin group compared to both aztreonam lysine and colistimethate. We found the certainty of evidence for these comparisons to be directly related to the risk of bias within the individual trials and varied from low to high.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Long-term treatment with inhaled anti-pseudomonal antibiotics probably improves lung function and reduces exacerbation rates, but pooled estimates of the level of benefit were very limited. The best evidence available is for inhaled tobramycin. More evidence from trials measuring similar outcomes in the same way is needed to determine a better measure of benefit. Longer-term trials are needed to look at the effect of inhaled antibiotics on quality of life, survival and nutritional outcomes.


The Seventh-day Adventist Church appears to have grown dramatically in Ghana. Of the four fields in Ghana, the Central Ghana Conference was organized in 1933 and has a membership of 88,380. The South Ghana Conference, organized in 1987, has a membership of 38,573. The North Ghana Mission, organized in 1968, has a membership of 157,532, Ahantas form 1.9 percent. Not even 5 percent of the total union membership is of the middle class who control the economy of the country. This Doctor of Ministry dissertation suggests a Sequence Evangelism Seminar as a viable strategy for reaching the rich Ahanta middle class who will help to expand the word of God in Ahantaland. Chapters 1-4 of this project lay the foundation for the development of a strategy to evangelize the Ahanta middle class by analysing: 1. The cultural identity, historical important, religious practices, and traditional beliefs, and characteristics of the target group. 2. The biblical, Spirit of Prophecy, and historical basis for the suggested strategy. 3. The methods the early Christian missionaries used in evangelizing the Ahanta and why they failed. The last chapters of the project deal with six suggested principles and practices which should be applied in evangelizing the Ahanta middle class. Provision is made in strategy for the involvement of the educated laity in order that they may reach out to their contemporaries. Training seminars and a step-by-step approach of the strategy is explained in easy-to-follow steps so that the laity can be part of this team approach.


The study looks into the impact of thermal post-processing using Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIPping) and/or T6-peak aging treatment, post-process machining, as well as the build orientation on the microstructural and mechanical properties development in AlSi10Mg alloy fabricated using Selective Laser Melting (SLM). The builds contained fine columnar grains, with a fine Si-enriched cellular dendritic network, resulting in tensile strengths exceeding the castings. To elucidate the as-fabricated microstructure and strength, thermal modelling was employed, predicting cooling rates of 10 5 -10 6 °C/s. Voids, mostly due to oxide films, were observed using Micro-CT in the as-fabricated condition. HIPping collapsed most voids, showing virtually no trace even after a further T6 treatment. Generally, the tensile properties of the majority of conditions were significantly better than in the cast+T6 equivalent alloy. Post-process machining was also found to improve the strength (compared to the as-fabricated surface). However, HIPping+T6 allowed the builds to achieve the required tensile properties, without surface machining. By assessing the influence of powder recycling, it was found that the void content linked to oxide layer formation increased following powder recycling, resulting in a drop in tensile properties. The interaction between the microstructure, surface condition, thermal post-processing, and fracture mode is discussed.


There is currently a great deal of interest in the potential for technologies commonly called Blockchain or Distributed Ledger, to transform many aspects of the world financial system. Many aspects of this technology and much of the enthusiasm/hype began with an attempt to create a new form of currency/payment system called Bitcoin. This paper discusses nature of money in the modern world from the economic, legal and accounting perspectives. It argues that the current nature of money imposes a number of constraints on what can be done with Blockchain/Distributed Ledgers. These constraints will both set the limits on the benefits and ultimately shape the application of the technology. Those trying to build new financial infrastructure without an understanding of these constraints are likely to waste a great deal of effort.


Edge-fuzzy graphs constitute an essential modeling paradigm across a broad spectrum of domains ranging from artificial intelligence to computational neuroscience and social network analysis. Under this model, fundamental graph properties such as edge length and graph diameter become stochastic and as such they are consequently expressed in probabilistic terms. Thus, algorithms for fuzzy graph analysis must rely on non-deterministic design principles. One such principle is Random Walker, which is based on a virtual entity and selects either edges or, like in this case, vertices of a fuzzy graph to visit. This allows the estimation of global graph properties through a long sequence of local decisions, making it a viable strategy candidate for graph processing software relying on native graph databases such as Neo4j. As a concrete example, Chebyshev Walktrap, a heuristic fuzzy community discovery algorithm relying on second order statistics and on the teleportation of the Random Walker, is proposed and its performance, expressed in terms of community coherence and number of vertex visits, is compared to the previously proposed algorithms of Markov Walktrap, Fuzzy Walktrap, and Fuzzy Newman–Girvan. In order to facilitate this comparison, a metric based on the asymmetric metrics of Tversky index and Kullback–Leibler divergence is used.


CONTEXT
Following major surgery, post-operative hyperglycemia (POHG) is associated with suboptimal outcomes, among diabetics and non-diabetics. A specific genetic variant, rs13266634 (c.973C>T; p.ARG325TRP) in zinc transporter SLC30A8/ZnT8, is associated with protection against Type-2 Diabetes, suggesting it may be actionable for predicting and preventing POHG.

OBJECTIVE
To determine independent and mediated influences of a genetic variant on POHG in patients undergoing a model major operation, complex abdominal ventral hernia repair (cVHR).

PATIENTS AND METHODS
For 110 patients (mean BMI 34.9±5.8, T2D history 28%) undergoing cVHR at a tertiary referral center (January 2012 to March 2017), multivariate regression was used to correlate the rs13266634 variant to pre-operative clinical, laboratory and imaging-based indices of liver steatosis and central abdominal adiposity to POHG. Causal Mediation Analysis (CMA) was used to determine direct and mediated contributions of SLC30A8/ZnT8 status to POHG.

RESULTS
Variant rs13266634 was present in 61 patients (55.4%). In univariate models, when compared to patients with rs13266634, the homozygous wild-genotype (C/C, n=49) was associated with significantly higher risks of POHG (OR= 0.30 95%CI =0.14, 0.67, P=0.0038). Multivariate regression indicated that the association was independent (OR= 0.39 95%CI 0.15-0.97, p=0.040). In addition, CMA suggested that rs13266634 protects against POHG directly and indirectly through its influence on liver steatosis and central adiposity.

CONCLUSIONS
In medically complex patients undergoing major operations, the rs13266634 variant protects against POHG and its associated outcomes, through independent and mediated contributions. In C/C patients undergoing major operations, SLC30A8/ZnT8 may prove useful to stratify risk of POHG and potentially as a therapeutic target.


Context. In the past decade, sensitive, resolved Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) studies of galaxy clusters have become common. Whereas many previous SZ studies have parameterized the pressure profiles of galaxy clusters, non-parametric reconstructions will provide insights into the thermodynamic state of the intracluster medium.Aim. We seek to recover the non-parametric pressure profiles of the high redshift (z = 0.89) galaxy cluster CLJ 1226.9+3332 as inferred from SZ data from the MUSTANG, NIKA, Bolocam, and Planck instruments, which all probe different angular scales.Methods. Our non-parametric algorithm makes use of logarithmic interpolation, which under the assumption of ellipsoidal symmetry is analytically integrable. For MUSTANG, NIKA, and Bolocam we derive a non-parametric pressure profile independently and find good agreement among the instruments. In particular, we find that the non-parametric profiles are consistent with a fitted generalized Navaro-Frenk-White (gNFW) profile. Given the ability of Planck to constrain the total signal, we include a prior on the integrated Compton Y parameter as determined by Planck.Results. For a given instrument, constraints on the pressure profile diminish rapidly beyond the field of view. The overlap in spatial scales probed by these four datasets is therefore critical in checking for consistency between instruments. By using multiple instruments, our analysis of CLJ 1226.9+3332 covers a large radial range, from the central regions to the cluster outskirts: 0.05 R500 < r < 1.1 R500. This is a wider range of spatial scales than is typically recovered by SZ instruments. Similar analyses will be possible with the new generation of SZ instruments such as NIKA2 and MUSTANG2.Key words: galaxies: clusters: individual: CLJ 1226.9+3332


Background: Guidelines give robust recommendations on which biopsies should be taken when there is endoscopic suggestion of gastric inflammation. Adherence to these guidelines often seems arbitrary. This study aimed to give an overview on current practice in tertiary referral centres across Europe. Methods: Data were collected at 10 tertiary referral centres. Demographic data, the indication for each procedure, endoscopic findings, and the number and sampling site of biopsies were recorded. Findings were compared between centres, and factors influencing the decision to take biopsies were explored. Results: Biopsies were taken in 56.6% of 9,425 procedures, with significant variation between centres (p < 0.001). Gastric biopsies were taken in 43.8% of all procedures. Sampling location varied with the procedure indication (p < 0.001) without consistent pattern across the centres. Fewer biopsies were taken in centres which routinely applied the updated Sydney classification for gastritis assessment (46.0%), compared to centres where this was done only upon request (75.3%, p < 0.001). This was the same for centres stratifying patients according to the OLGA system (51.8 vs. 73.0%, p < 0.001). More biopsies were taken in centres following the MAPS guidelines on stomach surveillance (68.1 vs. 37.1%, p < 0.001). Biopsy sampling was more likely in younger patients in 8 centres (p < 0.05), but this was not true for the whole cohort (p = 0.537). The percentage of procedures with biopsies correlated directly with additional costs charged in case of biopsies (r = 0.709, p = 0.022). Conclusion: Adherence to guideline recommendations for biopsy sampling at gastroscopy was inconsistent across the participating centres. Our data suggest that centre-specific policies are applied instead.


Background The group-level responsiveness of the Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS) is similar to that of the short-form PASS (SFPASS). This result is counterintuitive because the PASS has more items (12) and response levels (4) than does the SFPASS (5 items and 3 response levels). Objective The purpose of this study was to compare individual-level responsiveness between both measures to determine whether the SFPASS can detect change with as much sensitivity as the PASS. Study Design and Setting Two hundred fifty-one patients were assessed using the PASS at 14 and 30 days after stroke onset in a medical center. Methods The SFPASS scores were calculated from the patients' responses on the PASS. Individual-level responsiveness was calculated on the basis of the value of minimal detectable change (MDC). If a patient's change score was greater than the MDC of the PASS or SFPASS, his or her improvement was considered significant. The difference in the number of patients scoring greater than the MDC and the units of MDC (the MDC ratio) improved by the patients on both measures was examined. Results Fifty-three percent of the patients scored greater than the MDC of the PASS, whereas 43.0% of the patients scored greater than the MDC of the SFPASS. The difference was significant. The mean (±SD) MDC ratio of the PASS (1.8±1.7) was significantly higher than that of the SFPASS (1.2±1.3). Limitations The scores of the SFPASS were retrieved from those of the PASS, which limits the generalization of our findings. Conclusions The PASS has better individual-level responsiveness than does the SFPASS. To comprehensively report effects of clinical trials, future studies using the PASS should report the individual-level effect (eg, number of patients scoring greater than the MDC).


The influence of systematic variations of chemical composition on rupture properties at 1200 degrees F. was determined for 62 modifications of a basic alloy containing 20 percent chromium, 20 percent nickel, 20 percent cobalt, 3 percent molybdenum, 2 percent tungsten, 1 percent columbium, 0.15 percent carbon, 1.7 percent manganese, 0.5 percent silicon, 0.12 percent nitrogen and the balance iron. These modifications included individual variations of each of 10 elements present and simultaneous variations of molybdenum, tungsten, and columbium. Laboratory induction furnace heats were hot-forged to round bar stock, solution-treated at 2200 degrees F., and aged at 1400 degrees F. The melting and fabrication conditions were carefully controlled in order to minimize all variable effects on properties except chemical composition. Information is presented which indicates that melting and hot-working conditions play an important role in high-temperature properties of alloys of the type investigated.


Background: Increased stiffness of large arteries is an important determinant of cardiovascular disease risk. Higher values of arterial stiffness measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) have been measured in adult African-Americans compared with whites. Studies assessing ethnic differences in cf-PWV among children and adolescents are scarce. This study sought to evaluate the association between ethnicity and cf-PWV in Brazilian children and adolescents. Methods: Seven hundred and seventy-one children and adolescents (211 blacks and 560 nonblacks, 11.3 ± 2.7 years) were included. Arterial stiffness was evaluated by cf-PWV. The ethnic classification was obtained by a single interviewer according to general phenotypes such as skin color, hair shape and facial traces. Results: Blood pressure was similar in blacks and nonblacks across all pubertal stages. Differently, cf-PWV was higher in blacks than nonblacks pubescent (5.9 ± 0.7 vs. 5.6 ± 0.8 m/s, P = 0.001) and postpubescent (6.1 ± 0.7 vs. 5.7 ± 0.7 m/s, P = 0.042), whereas no difference was detected between blacks and nonblacks prepubescent. These analyses were adjusted for sex, age, height, BMI, SBP and heart rate. Conclusion: Our study showed that higher cf-PWV values in blacks appear in adolescence and are independent of blood pressure values. Therefore, our data suggest adolescence as the key phase for the appearance of the vascular profile found in adults black individuals.


In vivo tissue-engineered vascular grafts constructed in the subcutaneous spaces of graft recipients have functioned well clinically. Because the formation of vascular graft tissues depends on several recipient conditions, chemical pretreatments, such as dehydration by ethanol (ET) or crosslinking by glutaraldehyde (GA), have been attempted to improve the initial mechanical durability of the tissues. Here, we compared the effects of short-duration (10 min) chemical treatments on the mechanical properties of tissues. Tubular tissues (internal diameter, 5 mm) constructed in the subcutaneous tissues of beagle dogs (4 weeks, n = 3), were classified into three groups: raw tissue without any treatment (RAW), tissue dehydrated with 70% ET (ET), and tissue crosslinked with 0.6% GA (GA). Five mechanical parameters were measured: burst pressure, suture retention strength, ultimate tensile strength (UTS), ultimate strain (%), and Young's modulus. The tissues were also autologously re-embedded into the subcutaneous spaces of the same dogs for 4 weeks (n = 2) for the evaluation of histological responses. The burst pressure of the RAW group (1275.9 ± 254.0 mm Hg) was significantly lower than those of ET (2115.1 ± 262.2 mm Hg, p = 0.0298) and GA (2570.5 ± 282.6 mm Hg, p = 0.0017) groups. Suture retention strength, UTS or the ultimate strain did not differ significantly among the groups. Young's modulus of the ET group was the highest (RAW: 5.41 ± 1.16 MPa, ET: 12.28 ± 2.55 MPa, GA: 7.65 ± 1.18 MPa, p = 0.0185). No significant inflammatory tissue response or evidence of residual chemical toxicity was observed in samples implanted subcutaneously for four weeks. Therefore, short-duration ET and GA treatment might improve surgical handling and the mechanical properties of in vivo tissue-engineered vascular tissues to produce ideal grafts in terms of mechanical properties without interfering with histological responses.


Abstract The rising number of scandals leading to the closure of many large companies is worrisome. The traditional belief is that business and ethics are oxymorons and one is not expected to be totally virtuous during business operations. Nonetheless, this does not mean ethical standards should be side-lined. Professional associations such as the Chartered Financial Institute (CFA) uphold moral values and urge members to exercise high moral standards and diligence in their duties. Philosophically, major accounting scandals could have been nipped in the bud by whistle blowing before the wrong deeds escalated. However whistle blowing is a major issue and is viewed as disloyalty. In this paper, the dilemmas of whistle blowing are evaluated using contemporary ethical theories which are: egoism, deontology and utilitarianism. The analysis shows that deontology and utilitarianism are based on altruism and may support whistle blowing because they are grounded on consideration of other people. It is worth noting that morally upright adults are often a result of being brought up as ethical children from a psychological standpoint.


This article discusses the ways sound design in film guides the emotional affect of both sound and pictures on the viewer. Following the theory of conceptual metaphors, the article proposes an approach to "audiovisual metaphors," analyzing emotional and embodied aspects of film sound. It states that pictures and sound have to share emotional and physical characteristics that can be merged by sound designers conceptually and metaphorically in order to improve the emotional and physical affects of a fictional character or object in a film. Thus it argues that the synchresis (audiovisual fusing) of pictures and sound is most effective when embodied image schemata are used by sound design that guide, on an unconscious level, our perception of film. In audiovisual metaphors, image schemata as "force" or "balance" are projected on sound and pictures that create an audiovisual and emotional gestalt of the objects. Using examples from Stanley Kubrick's The Shining and Francis Ford Coppola's Rumble Fish, the article shows how the emotional attributes of fictional character, spaces, and objects can be conceptualized metaphorically, via their very materiality, by sound design—attributes that are perceived prominently on a presymbolic and preconscious level by the viewers but that communicate complex cultural and narrative meanings.


Marine protected areas (MPAs) are an important tool for conservation but can be victims of their own success—higher fish biomass within MPAs create incentives to poach. This insight underpins the finding that fishing persists in most MPAs worldwide, and it raises questions about MPA monitoring and enforcement. We propose a novel institution to enhance MPA design—a 'Conservation Finance Area (CFA)'—that utilizes leased fishing zones inside of MPAs, fed by spillover, to finance monitoring and enforcement and achieve greater conservation success. Using a bioeconomic model we show that CFAs can fully finance enforcement, deter illegal fishing, and ultimately maximize fish biomass. Moreover, we show that unless a large, exogenous, and perpetual enforcement budget is available, implementing a CFA in a no-take MPA would always result in higher biomass than without. We also explore real-world enabling conditions, providing a plausible funding pathway to improve outcomes for existing and future MPAs.


A partially-wetting liquid can deform the underlying elastic substrate upon which it rests. This situation requires the development of theoretical models to describe the wetting forces imparted by the drop onto the solid substrate, particularly those at the contact-line. We construct a general solution using a displacement potential function for the elastic deformations within a finite elastic substrate associated with these wetting forces, and compare the results for several different contact-line models. Our work incorporates internal contributions to the surface stress from both liquid/solid Sls and Ssg solid/gas solid surface tensions (surface stress), which results in a non-standard boundary-value problem that we solve using a dual integral equation. We compare our results to relevant experiments and conclude that the generalization of solid surface tension Sls s Ssg is an essential feature in any model of partial-wetting. The comparisons also allow us to systematically eliminate some proposed contact-line models.


For when American literature was being established as a field of study, there was still a sense in the world of scholarship that the language and literature of the United States was a field not limited to English. (Werner Sollors, in Shell 1) ROLVAAG BELONGS TO THE GROUP of writers who, as immigrants America in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, continued sing their native immigrant languages. In The Multilingual Anthology of American Literature edited by Werner Sollors and Marc Shell, this literary tradition is illustrated by the works of twenty-nine authors, many of whom write in European languages. The volume also includes, however, Arabic, Chinese, and some Native American texts, with English translations. This publication is an apt reminder of American literatures' multilingual past as well as a means of giving today's readers access to this tradition spanning three centuries. Although Rolvaag's novels are Norwegian literature in terms of language, they can also be considered American literature in that they were written in America and deal with American life. Sollor's term "American literary texts in languages other than English" (Multilingual America 6) is appropriate. These writers in numerous languages were anchored in their ethnic communities and often focalized the double perspective of old and new homelands. Some also reached back to the country from which they emigrated--as did Rolvaag--by publishing their works there. What is unique about Rolvaag's texts is their transnational and transcultural nature; Norwegian-American literature is, thus, the term that best defines them. Contemporary American writers who are immigrants to the United States have, unlike Rolvaag and his generation, mostly opted for English as their literary language. Examples abound ranging from twentieth-century canonical luminary Vladimir Nabokov through today's prominent authors like Julia Alvarez, Junot Diaz, Aleksandar Hemon, Ha Jin, and Bharati Mukherjee to name just a few. They are what Steven Kellman calls "translingual authors," i.e. they have chosen the language of their new homeland for their artistic endeavors, not their mother tongue. With migration and exile as such prominent aspects of our contemporary life, the translingual writer is also common in European literatures including Scandinavian. Today's writers from migrant backgrounds in the Nordic countries (the most prominent example being the Swedish author Theodor Kallifatides) have mainly chosen to write in the Nordic languages in contrast to the practice of the earlier Scandinavian immigrant writers in America who wrote primarily in their first language. These facts offer an interesting backdrop for studying Rolvaag and provide a contextualization of different transcultural, translingual, and transnational combinations that may be open for worthwhile comparisons. Very few literary works belong to three literary traditions as is the case with O.E. Rolvaag's immigrant epic I de dage, Riket grundlogges, Peder Seier, and Den signede dag published in 1924, 1925, 1928, and 1931 respectively. Written in Norwegian, in the Norwegian-American community of the upper midwest, which maintained a lively literary tradition from roughly 1870 to 1930, Rolvaag's novels were published in Norway as rare examples of works by writers from Norwegian-America. In English translation, they were widely read contributions to American literature. Giants in the Earth, consisting of volumes I and 2 of the Norwegian edition, was published in 1927 and subsequently offered as a Book-of-the-Month selection. It was followed by Peder Victorious in 1929 and Their Fathers' God in 1931. They are, thus, a tetralogy in the Norwegian original, but a trilogy in the English version. The translations, authorized by Rolvaag himself, are in part rewritings, especially in the case of Giants in the Earth on which the author and translator collaborated in a way that they called the "double action" (Haugen 94). …


This essay argues that for Henri de Lubac, a sacramental ontology provides the link between a Eucharistically based ecclesiology and the issue of the relationship between nature and the supernatural. For de Lubac it is the sacramental order of reality that draws humanity to a deeper participation in the divine life. Maurice Blondel's substitution of Tradition for the dilemma between extrinsicism and historicism shapes de Lubac's sacramental ontology. The latter's concern for the social character of the Church and his opposition to an individualist ecclesiology are key to his understanding of the relationship between the supernatural and the Eucharistic character of the Church. Arguing that Eucharist and Church are mutually constituting, de Lubac wants to counter both extrinsicist and historicist approaches to the Church. For de Lubac, the Eucharist provides an avenue for the mutual interpenetration of nature and the supernatural, thereby overcoming the dualism between extrinsicism and historicism. It is through the sacramental means of Christ, the Church, and the Eucharist, that God is present in the world. This presence means for de Lubac neither an acceptance of the State on its own terms nor an exaggerated spiritualist critique of Constantinianism.


We report the clinical and pathologic features of an adenoid cystic carcinoma of the submandibular gland that metastasized to the ovaries 10 years after initial presentation. A 30-year-old woman underwent excision of a right submandibular adenoid cystic carcinoma followed by regional external beam radiation therapy. Three years later, she underwent extended hepatic resection and localized radiotherapy to the hepatic region for metastatic disease. The patient was without evidence of disease for 7 years when she developed pelvic pain and a pelvic mass was found. A solid and cystic 10-cm left ovarian mass and a single metastatic tumor nodule involving the right ovary were excised via the laparoscope. Histologically, the tumor was identical to the patient's initial salivary gland neoplasm. The neoplastic cells were CAM 5.2 positive, S100 positive, muscle-specific actin positive, and smooth muscle actin positive. Ultrastructurally, characteristic pseudocysts (pseudolumina) with abundant basal lamina and true glandular lumina lined by short microvilli were present. Other than a single anecdotal account of a parotid gland adenoid cystic carcinoma, this case represents the first documented report of an adenoid cystic carcinoma of salivary gland origin that was associated with symptomatic ovarian metastases. This case demonstrates that the ovary is a potential site for metastatic disease many years following the diagnosis and treatment for a primary neoplasm however uncommon or remote the site of origin. Since metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma can rarely present as an ovarian mass, a clinical history of this neoplasm should be heavily weighed in the differential diagnosis of any unusual ovarian tumor with a predominant cribriform, trabecular, or tubular pattern.


This paper presents a power-efficient neural stimulator integrated circuit, designed to take advantage of our understanding of iridium-oxide electrode impedance. It efficiently creates a programmable set of voltage supplies directly from a secondary power telemetry coil, then switches the target electrode sequentially through the voltage steps. This sequence of voltages mimics the voltage of the electrode under the constant current drive, resulting in approximately constant current without the voltage drop of the more commonly used linear current source. This method sacrifices some precision, but drastically reduces the series losses seen in traditional current sources and attains power savings of 53%-66% compared to these designs. The proof-of-concept circuit consumes 125 μW per electrode and was fabricated in a 1.5-μm CMOS process, in a die area of 4.76 mm2.


Decision-making under uncertainty in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) has been intensively studied over the last twenty years regarding both "hot" and "cold" components. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex is a key region involved in processing somatic marker information, though recent findings suggest that dorsolateral regions are also important. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is also known as a substrate of executive functions—the cold component of decision-making. However, there is contradictory evidence about the role of executive functions, as well as the hot component of decision-making—emotional intelligence. This study seeks to address this inconsistency. Previous findings suggest that patients with right frontal lobe lesions should find decision-making more problematic in IGT. This article investigates the importance of emotional intelligence as the hot and executive functions as the cold components of decision-making in IGT. We obtained data from patients with right frontal lobe tumours and healthy controls who undertook IGT, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and D-KEFS Colour-Word Interference Test. The current findings imply that performance in IGT is highly correlated with several parameters of set-shifting in the WCST: correct answers, conceptual level responses and non-perseverative errors. However, no correlation is found with cognitive inhibition parameters in the Colour-Word Interference Test, while an interaction between the emotional intelligence parameters and the performance on IGT is low.


Spatial information extraction is essential to understand geographical information in text. This task is largely divided to two subtasks: spatial element extraction and spatial relation extraction. In this paper, we utilize BERT (Devlin et al., 2018), which is very effective for many natural language processing applications. We propose a BERT-based spatial information extraction model, which uses BERT for spatial element extraction and R-BERT (Wu and He, 2019) for spatial relation extraction. The model was evaluated with the SemEval 2015 dataset. The result showed a 15.4% point increase in spatial element extraction and an 8.2% point increase in spatial relation extraction in comparison to the baseline model (Nichols and Botros, 2015).


One of the main aims of the Erasmus programme is to promote a sense of European identity. Whereas several empirical studies have already investigated this relationship, few studies investigate what students actually mean when they refer to 'Europe'. Therefore, in this paper I investigate the different latent dimensions of the concept Europe, as well as which of these dimensions are particularly associated with an exchange period abroad. The analyses are based on an online survey conducted with higher education students in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Poland and Sweden in 2011 (n1⁄4 4278). The presented models reveal four latent dimensions, namely a 'cultural', 'political', 'rights' and 'experiential' dimension. Furthermore, the analyses suggest that exchange students are largely a self-selected group, being a priori more likely to identify with Europe and score higher on the four dimensions.


The present study examines whether Positive Psychotherapy (PPT) fulfills the three common efficacy factors of psychotherapy postulated by Grawe et al. (1994) and in doing so takes the therapists' assessment of the common factors, the length of professional experience of therapists and multiple times of measurement into account. 207 outpatients (66 males, 41 females) and their therapists – who were trained in PPT – evaluated the fulfillment of the three common factors after an individual therapy session. Results provide support for the effectiveness of PPT: patients and therapists both assessed PPT to fulfill the three common efficacy factors. However, patients perceived all three factors to be fulfilled to an even higher degree than therapists did. Additionally, two of the common factors were judged to be more fulfilled when the treating therapist had more rather than less professional experience. Lastly, patients experienced therapy as even more effective over time. The verification of the effectiveness of Positive Psychotherapy via an explicit measurement of the common efficacy factors leads to a gain of knowledge and has important implications for psychotherapists practicing and teaching PPT alike. Furthermore, the present study provides new and interesting approaches for future research.


Switching between states of an intrinsic bistable device is usually accomplished by changing the input intensity II, increasing it above the switch-up value It or below the switch-down value With a constant input intensity satisfying I↓⪅ II < I↑, switching can be actuated by external pulses. Switch-on by a 10-ps, 600-nm, 1-nJ pulse in less than the 200-ps detector response time is attributed to screening of the GaAs free excitons by hot carriers. Switch-off in ≤20 ns by a 7-ns, 600-nm, 300-nJ pulse is attributed to heating the etalon and increasing I4, until it exceeds the constant II. Under certain con-ditions the competition between excitonic and thermal effects causes the etalon to switch on and off repeatedly in a relaxation oscillation fashion. These regenerative pulsations could be the basis of an all-optical oscillator. The transverse profile has been examined for switching actuated by intensity modulation of the input. Whole-beam switching is observed, i.e., when switch-on occurs, it occurs out to large radii simultaneously. Computer simulations show whole-beam switching for strong diffractive coupling but show radially dependent switching for weak diffraction, neglecting transverse diffusion. The same etalon emits a near-band-gap laser pulse when pumped sufficiently by an above-band-gap pulse, serving as a wavelength converter. All of these modes of operation of the GaAs etalon, i.e., switchable memory, oscillator, and wavelength converter, could be useful in all-optical logic and computing systems.


Estimating and monitoring the construct-irrelevant variance (CIV) is of significant importance to validity, especially for constructed response assessments with rich contextualized information. To examine CIV in contextualized constructed response assessments, we developed a framework including a model accounting for CIV and a measurement that could differentiate the CIV. Specifically, the model includes CIV due to three factors: the variability of assessment item scenarios, judging severity, and rater scoring sensitivity to the scenarios in tasks. We proposed using the many-facet Rasch measurement (MFRM) to examine the CIV because this measurement model can compare different CIV factors on a shared scale. To demonstrate how to apply this framework, we applied the framework to a video-based science teacher pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) assessment, including two tasks, each with three scenarios. Results for task I, which assessed teachers' analysis of student thinking, indicate that the CIV due to the variability of the scenarios was substantial, while the CIV due to judging severity and rater scoring sensitivity of the scenarios in teacher responses was not. For task II, which assessed teachers' analysis of responsive teaching, results showed that the CIV due to the three proposed factors was all substantial. We discuss the conceptual and methodological contributions, and how the results inform item development.


OBJECTIVE: To provide a scientific method for the development, validation, and correct use of a survey tool. BACKGROUND: Many athletic trainers are becoming involved in research to benefit either their own situations or the larger profession of athletic training. One of the most common methods used to gain this necessary information is a survey, with either a questionnaire or an interview technique. Formal instruction in the development and implementation of surveys is essential to the success of the research. As with other forms of experimental research, it is important to validate and ensure the reliability of the instruments (ie, questionnaires) used for data collection. It is also important to survey an appropriate sample of the population to ensure the appropriateness of applying the findings to the larger population. Lastly, to ensure adequate return of data, specific techniques are suggested to enhance data collection and the ability to apply the findings to the larger population. DESCRIPTION: A review of the procedures used in the development and validation of a survey instrument is provided. Information on survey-item development is provided, including types of questions, formatting, planning for data analysis, and suggestions to ensure better data acquisition and analysis. ADVANTAGES: By following the suggested procedures in this article, athletic training researchers will be able to better collect and use survey data to enhance the profession of athletic training.


During the severe famine that struck North Korea in the 1990s, refugees started flowing out of the country and into neighboring China. The Chinese government, with few exceptions, adheres to a policy that refuses North Korean defectors transit through Chinese territory and deports any found within its borders. Although many stay in China, some refugees, fearing deportation, elect to make the lengthy and perilous journey to South Korea. Through an analysis of primary news accounts as well as other sources, this paper examines one route taken, in which refugees transit from China to South Korea through the Philippines. For years, the Philippines have quietly been assisting North Korean refugees to reach the relative safety of South Korea. In this, they have followed a tradition of helping refugees and other displaced persons unwanted in other countries.


Abstract The Alpine orogen in the Cyclades, wherein both high-pressure metamorphic rocks and ultramafic rocks co-occur, is a key area in studying the emplacement of mantle rocks into the crust. Within the Cyclades three distinct ultramafic associations occur: (1) HP–LT ophiolitic mélanges of the Cycladic Blueschist Unit (CBU) on Evia and Syros; (2) meta-peridotites associated with migmatized leucogneisses on Naxos, which represent the deepest exposed levels of the CBU; (3) a greenschist-facies metamorphosed dismembered ophiolite juxtaposed on top of the CBU by an extensional detachment on Tinos. Most of the Cycladic ultramafic rocks were serpentinized prior to Alpine metamorphism, suggesting denudation prior to reburial. The Naxos meta-peridotites preserve, however, relict mantle assemblage and mantle-like oxygen isotope ratios, and thus indicate direct emplacement from the mantle into an underthrust continent during collision and HP metamorphism (M1). Thus conditions for M1 in the Naxos leucogneiss core are constrained by ultramafic assemblages to 550–650 °C and ≥14 kbar. Mafic blocks of the ophiolitic mélanges in the NW Cyclades span a wide range of chemical compositions indicating derivation from variable oceanic settings and sequential events of alteration and metasomatism. Given the comparable geochemical heterogeneity in the Syros and Evian mélange intervals, the garnet-bearing meta-basites of the Syros mélange record higher M1 temperatures (450–500 °C) than the garnet-free epidote blueschists of the Evian mélanges (400–430 °C). It follows that going southeastwards from Evia progressively deeper (i.e. hotter) levels of the subducted plate are exposed. Correspondingly, temperatures of the M2 overprint also increase from pumpellyite-bearing assemblages on southern Evia, through greenschists on Syros to upper-amphibolite, sillimanite-bearing gneisses on Naxos. The diverse P–T paths of the CBU form an array wherein the deeper a rock sequence is buried, the 'hotter' is its exhumation path. Such a pattern is predicted by thermal modelling of tectonically thickened crust unroofed by either erosion or uniform extension.


The genus Nitrospira represents a dominant group of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in natural and engineered ecosystems. This genus is phylogenetically divided into six lineages, for which vast phylogenetic and functional diversity has been revealed by recent molecular ecophysiological analyses. However, the genetic basis underlying these phenotypic differences remains largely unknown because of the lack of genome sequences representing their diversity. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of Nitrospira, we performed genomic comparisons between two Nitrospira strains (ND1 and NJ1 belonging to lineages I and II, respectively) previously isolated from activated sludge. In addition, the genomes of these strains were systematically compared with previously reported six Nitrospira genomes to reveal their similarity and presence/absence of several functional genes/operons. Comparisons of Nitrospira genomes indicated that their genomic diversity reflects phenotypic differences and versatile nitrogen metabolisms. Although most genes involved in key metabolic pathways were conserved between strains ND1 and NJ1, assimilatory nitrite reduction pathways of the two Nitrospira strains were different. In addition, the genomes of both strains contain a phylogenetically different urease locus and we confirmed their ureolytic activity. During gene annotation of strain NJ1, we found a gene cluster encoding a quorum-sensing system. From the enriched supernatant of strain NJ1, we successfully identified seven types of acyl-homoserine lactones with a range of C10–C14. In addition, the genome of strain NJ1 lacks genes relevant to flagella and the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-Cas (CRISPR-associated genes) systems, whereas most nitrifying bacteria including strain ND1 possess these genomic elements. These findings enhance our understanding of genomic plasticity and functional diversity among members of the genus Nitrospira.


The purpose of the current research was to examine: (a) if a relationship existed between an individual's sex-role orientation and that individual's method of coping; and (b) which sex-role orientation was most adaptive in coping with stress. According to Bern (1974), extreme amounts of masculinity or femininity \become negative and even destructive\, while the androgynous sex-role is related to \adaptiveness\ and \psychological health\. There were four hypotheses in the current research: (a) the androgynous sex-role orientation will have higher problem-focused and emotion-focused coping scores than the other three sex-role orientations; (b) the androgynous group will have a higher adaptive coping score than the other three sex-role orientations; (c) androgynous individuals will have a higher total coping score than the other sex-role orientations; and (d) undifferentiated individuals will tend to use a significantly greater amount of less useful coping strategies than the other three sex-role orientations. Ninety-eight college students enrolled in courses at Fort Hays State University were asked to complete two questionnaires: (a) a Short Bern Sex-Role Inventory, and (b) the COPE questionnaire. The Short Bern Sex-Role Inventory is designed to measure an individual's sex-role stereotype. The COPE questionnaire is designed to measure general types of coping methods and specific coping strategies. Results indicated that sex-role orientation tended to be an important factor in an individual's method of coping, although the results failed to conclusively support the androgyny theory. The androgynous sex-role orientation employed greater use of problem-focused plus emotion-focused coping than did the other sex-role orientations with the exception of the masculine sex-role orientation. The androgynous sex-role orientation displayed greater coping adaptiveness than did the undifferentiated sex-role orientation. A total coping score indicated that the androgynous sex-role orientation utilized a greater number of coping methods than did the masculine and undifferentiated sex-role orientations.


This thesis looks at international labour migration from the point of view of those who are left behind'. It focuses on the experiences of Filipino women married to Filipino seamen and specifically examines the spatiality and temporality of their gender identity, agency and subjectivity. Through the concept of social imaginary, it reconceptualises the role of these women in migration and considers them to play a more active role in migration processes than is suggested by the label ‗left behind'. How the women were constrained by and creatively responded to their material and social relations not least those obtaining in the alternating absence and presence of their husbands is approached from a generative theory of subject formation. The spatiotemporality of these women's gender identity, subjectivity and agency is elaborated through critical analyses of aspects of their experiences and lives: on being on their own', routine and the temporal organization of family life, imagined communion' and intimacy, and autonomy. These analyses show the embeddedness of the women in material and social contexts including ties of reciprocity and indebtedness. They demonstrate the mutual implication of space and time, show their navigation of the spatial and temporal dimensions of their lives, as well as link the women's subjective and personal experiences to wider social and political narratives. The thesis concludes with a synthesis of and further reflection on the implications of the main arguments of the study. This includes a discussion of some specific strategies employed by the women to negotiate their spatiotemporal locations: waiting game', mental choreography' and gender negotiation'. Finally, it reflects on the study's theoretical, empirical, methodological and policy contributions.


Purpose : To evaluate the acticonvulsant activity of Cichorium intybus ( C. intybus ) and Taraxacum serotinum ( T. serotinum ) in maximal electroshock (MES), as well as pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)- and strychnine nitrate (STN) - induced seizure models in rats. Methods : For each model, 8 groups of Swiss albino rats (n=10) were used. The 1st group was kept as control, 2nd as standard (diazepam, 7.5 mg/kg); 3rd - 5th were treated with C. intybus ethanol extract (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg); and 6th - 8th treated with T. serotinum extract (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg). After 30 min of administration, the rats were exposed to a shock of 150 mA by a convulsiometer, via ear electrodes for 2 s (in MES test) or sc injection of PTZ (85 mg/kg) or STN (2.5 mg/kg). Anticonvulsant activity was confirmed by abolition of hind limb tonic extension (HLTE) in MES test and by measuring the latency to PTZ or STN-induced threshold seizures, and the duration of seizures in the rats. Results : In MES model, 500 mg/kg of C. intybus and T. serotinum resulted in complete abolition of HLTE in 70 and 50 % of the rats, respectively, compared to 80 % in diazepam-medicated animals. Both extracts at 500 mg/kg prolonged latency to seizure onset in PTZ model to 144.7 and 114.7 s, respectively (vs 55.2 s in control group; p < 0.05). Both extracts failed to protect rats against STNinduced seizures. Conclusion : C. intybus and T. serotinum possess anticonvulsant effect as they both abolish HLTE induced by MES and delay the latency of seizures produced by PTZ. Keywords : Cichorium intybus , Taraxacum serotinum , Anticonvulsant, Seizures, Maximal electroshock, Pentylenetetrazole, Strychnine nitrate


Purpose
To identify the imaging features indicative of sarcoid-like reactions in patients with intrathoracic lymphadenopathy after complete remission of malignancies.

Materials and Methods
This study enrolled five patients with histopathologically confirmed sarcoid-like reactions that developed after cancer remission. The clinical features and findings of CT and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT were assessed.

Results
The underlying malignancies included breast, nasopharyngeal, colon, and endometrial cancer and lymphoma. The time intervals between complete remission of malignancy and the diagnosis of sarcoid-like reaction ranged from 6 to 78 months. CT findings of sarcoid-like reaction included bilateral hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathies (n = 5), pulmonary nodules (1-15 mm) with peribronchovascular, fissural, or subpleural distribution, and interlobular interstitial thickening in the lungs (n = 4). 18F-FDG PET/CT revealed hypermetabolic uptake in the mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes and both lungs in the absence of extrathoracic uptake (n = 3). The sarcoid-like reactions resolved in all patients after corticosteroid treatment.

Conclusion
In patients with complete remission of malignancies, newly developed bilateral hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathies with or without pulmonary nodules of perilymphatic distribution, in the absence of recurrence at the primary tumor site and extrathoracic metastasis, may suggest a sarcoid-like reaction. Such cases warrant histologic evaluation of the lymph nodes to prevent unnecessary systemic chemotherapy.


lot of extra work on the police; (c) they did not have enough statistical knowledge; and (d) compulsion represented an infringement of individual rights. Through the London Ambassadors and High Commissioners of the sixteen countries where seat-belt wearing is mandatory an imposing amount of data has been assembled; and at Mr William Rodgers's request has been sent to the appropriate quarter in the Department of Transport. With regard to (a) I could quote, for example, the Soviet reply: "It has been confirmed that safety belts are effective in reducing the gravity of injuries in accidents at speeds below 90 km/h provided they were used properly-that is, when there was the necessary minimum gap between the belt and the body. If the gap is increased the effectiveness of safety belts is sharply reduced. The belts also prove ineffective in the accidents occurring at speeds higher than 90 km/h. Practically all fatal accidents involving persons using safety belts occurred at speeds of 90-140 km/h. There is no record of cases when safety belts were causing injuries." The other countries agree that seat belt injury is too uncommon to be of statistical significance. In regard to (b), none of the police forces in these countries find that their work has become more onorous. To quote the Swiss Embassy, "An inquiry among competent cantonal police organisations reveals that the compulsory wearing of seat belts causes no appreciable extra work"; and Sweden says, "As to the police co-operation, the central police authorities have been much in favour of the compulsory legislation." Objection (c) can be countered by the mass of reports now at the Ministry of Transport. France's extensive official survey of its results had to be translated into English-as had the Israeli one. It was understandable that the Lords should have viewed objection (d)-infringement of individual rights-with some misgiving; for like their legal counterparts they desire to uphold the principle of freedom wherever possible. And none can deny that this is something very valuable. But Dr James Cameron in his letter to Parliament brings to our attention that more than half of all male deaths in the age group 15 to 19 are due to road traffic accidents. This sombre fact must surely make the Lords think again. We, as GPs and surgeons, are more acutely aware than any others in our community of the deep and lasting distress caused by the tragic deaths of these young people; and it is to be earnestly hoped that Parliament will take our advice. R S Ross


Twelve to thirty-six months after a major hurricane, bankruptcy filing rates appear to increase for affected areas. The Article draws that conclusion by examining all eighteen hurricanes that hit the fifty United States between 1980 and 2004 and that caused $1 billion or more in damages. Despite substantial limitations in the data that would obscure all but the strongest relationships, distinct patterns emerge. Although further empirical analyses should be done, these findings suggest that Congress should except victims of hurricanes and other natural disasters from recent legislation that will make it more difficult to get bankruptcy relief. Because higher bankruptcy filing rates can be a seen as a symptom of financial distress, this Article also suggests other ideas for legislative relief, including both temporary moratoria on debt collections and adverse credit reporting and more permanent relief such as mandatory debtor-creditor mediation before a creditor could get a court judgment against hurricane victims.


PARAESOPHAGEAL hiatus hernia is a congenital defect that is usually found only in adults. Its incidence in general is fairly low, while in infants or the newborn it is extremely low. The paradox of finding an adult type of diaphragmatic hernia in a newborn infant is unique. We are reporting such a case. REPORT OF A CASE I. S., a full-term white girl, was born on Dec. 8, 1951. She appeared normal at birth, but later, when feedings were begun, regurgitation with slight cyanosis was noticed at every attempt to swallow. Physical examination revealed good ventilation of both lungs. The heart tones were clear, and the abdomen was soft. A catheter passed into the esophagus would encounter an obstruction in the distal portion. Chest x-rays showed a gas-filled viscus in the mediastinum to the right and dorsally from the heart. The diagnosis of diaphragmatic hernia was confirmed by an iodized


The pH values of dilute solutions and soils were measured with the standard glass-reference electrode combination and with the glass-silver, silver chloride pair without liquid junction. At low ionic strengths, the pH values of the soils and solutions determined with the glass-Ag, AgCl Combination were about 0.1 to 0.2 unit lower than those obtained using the standard reference electrode. With the soils, the differences were observed even when the KCl junction was kept in the clear supernatant liquid. Stirring the solutions and the soil suspensions and increasing the salt concentration decreased the pH values measured with the glass-reference pair but not with the glass-halide electrode combination. From these observations it was concluded that pH measurements made at low ionic strengths using the standard reference electrodes with restricted diffusion of KCl were subject to direct liquid junction errors. These liquid junction potentials were distinct from Donnan-electromotive force (emf) effects caused by interaction of the charged soil particles with the KCl junction. Like the Donnan-emf effects, they could be reduced by increasing the electrolyte concentration in solution.


The period of social change from the 1960s to the 1980s saw a flowering of utopian novels, from Huxley's Island (1962) and Le Guin's The Dispossessed (1964) through to Callenbach's Ecotopia (1975) and Piercy's Woman on the Edge of Time (1976). These works were infused with a vision of an ideal world structured as a decentralised network of small villages or precincts. In each novel, local, participatory decision-making was the key to a utopian "good place" both for people and for ecological communities as a whole. The need to reharmonise with ecological systems saw a rejection of wasteful technologies which cater to consumerism. Instead, these utopias explored "high-tech, low-tech" societies. "High technology" (in the sense of sophisticated technology) was particularly encouraged for certain utopian purposes, such as biotechnology to improve ecology and agriculture. Technologies or sciences that might ravage the natural world were excluded, leading to a return to "low technology" (in the sense of simple, low-impact technology), such as bicycles for transport and manual labour for food production. Each of these utopian works was environmentally thoughtful, if not radical, in its suggested path to a better world. But did these communalist visions sufficiently challenge both the oppositions (nature/society) and the hierarchies (man's interests before others) that have proven so destructive in the current age, or is a further radical shift needed in our vision of a reharmonised planet?


From his primitive nonseries beginnings through the well known Fox series of 44 films (1931-1949), here is the complete history of famous film detective Charlie Chan. The films are presented in chronological order, with full cast and credits, synopses and evaluations. Biographical details on the three most famous screen Chans--Warner Oland, Sidney Toler, and Roland Winters--and background information on series directors and supporting players, insights into the making of the films and the full story of the abrupt halt in 1949 as well as a full array of the detectives aphorisms (or Chan-o-grams) are included. Numerous photos throughout.


Traditional biomass-burning stoves are used for cooking and heating across the globe. These stoves generate smoke that results in household air pollution, which poses a significant risk to human health. In the past decades, there have been many efforts to promote the adoption of improved cookstove designs, but uptake of improved stoves is often slow due to high costs, inconsistent supply chains, and incompatibility with local cooking practices. This paper presents survey results from rural villages in Uttarakhand, India regarding routines and attitudes on cooking and space heating. Significant findings include the dual use of liquified petroleum gas and biomass fuels, the interconnected and seasonal nature of cooking and space heating, the cultural significance of traditional cookstoves, and the prominence of locally available materials in cookstove construction and maintenance. Comparisons of these surveys' findings to previous investigations on energy use in the Himalayan region show many common trends, but also reveal regional differences. The paper concludes that due to the significance of culture and context in cookstove design, understanding user needs and behaviors and working with local communities are integral parts the design methodology for clean cookstoves. These results provide a case study which agrees with existing literature on the importance of participatory design in global development.


During the first half of the 20th Century, the period when all of the United States' major workers' rights statutes were enacted, the American labor movement claimed the rights to organize and strike under the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S Constitution. Beginning in 1909, it was the official policy of the American Federation of Labor that a worker confronted with an unconstitutional injunction had an "imperative duty" to "refuse obedience and to take whatever consequences may ensue." At a time when union institutions were as weak as they are today, every attack on workers' rights was met with an impassioned defense of the constitutional rights to organize and strike. At the same time, the movement took a long-term approach to legislative reform, demanding the full freedom to associate in organizing unions and staging strikes. In recent decades, by contrast, the movement has often shied away from defending the right to strike at moments of conflict (the 2005 New York subway strike being a prominent example), and has shaped its legislative proposals to fit what it sees as the short-run possibilities (for example, the Employee Free Choice Act, which makes no attempt to protect the right to strike). This article suggests that elements of the old labor movement's constitutional strategy might be useful in the struggle for workers' rights today.


The histologic appearance of atherosclerosis has been well described but its pathogenesis is still vigorously debated. The purpose of the present study is to clarify the stimuli for smooth muscle cells (SMC) migration and proliferation as well as the way of cholesterol crystals (CC) generation. We performed postmortem ultrastructural analysis of myocardial samples obtained from 45 patients (33 males, 12 females, age range 18-85) who died from different diseases, mainly from acute myocardial infarction-MI (37 cases). Tissue was taken by transthorax express-necropsy method immediately after patients' death in the clinic. In myocardial infarction cases intact zones of the heart were examined. We have found a few foci of modified SMC proliferation in the periarteriolar space around necrotic cellular debris in elder patients. Lymphocytes, myofibroblasts and some leukocytes infiltrated those areas. The modified SMC phagocyted necrotic material and formed secondary lysosomes, inside which from one to three CC originated. In parallel with the reduction of necrotic mass inside the lysosomes, CC size increased. In the final phase the CC were discharged from the SMC into the interstitium. After exocytosis a tendency for the CC to accumulate was observed. They formed clusters consisting of 20-30 crystals. Most of the CC were of typical needle-like or rhomboid shape. Modified SMC were producing not only CC but also collagen and elastin. This study indicates that atherosclerotic process in the myocardium is connected with the appearance of modified SMC inside which CC are generated.


Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is a disease involving inflammation of small blood vessels. It most commonly occurs in children. The inflammation causes blood vessels in the skin, intestines, kidneys, and joints to start leaking. The main symptom is a rash with numerous small bruises, which have a raised appearance, over the legs or buttocks. Although HSP can affect people at any age, most cases occur in children between the ages of 2 and 11. It is more common in boys than girls. Adults with HSP are more likely to have more severe disease compared to children. HSP usually ends after four to six weeks -- sometimes with recurrence of symptoms over this period, but with no long-term consequences (recurrences are fairly common). If organs such as the kidneys and intestines are affected, treatment is often needed and it is important to have regular follow-up to prevent serious complications.


Objective To determine whether there is a reduction in the risk of IUGR with folic acid supplementation. Design A retrospective cohort study using the West Midlands Perinatal Institute population based database. Setting West Midlands, UK. Participants Births to West Midlands residents (July 2009-June 2012). Multiple pregnancies and congenital anomalies were excluded. Main Outcome Measures Prevalence and relative risk of IUGR, defined as birth weight <10th customised centile with 95% confidence intervals. Results There were n = 117260 births with data for folic acid supplementation antenatally, of which 85% of women reported taking folic acid. Nullips constituted 42.6% of the cohort overall and 44% of those that took folic acid antenatally. For those women where the dose of folic acid was recorded (n = 42537), 95% took a dose of 400 mcg, 4% at 5 mg and 1% at other dose. For timing of folic acid supplementation, 26% commenced pre-conception, 34% at <5 weeks, 35% at 5–10 weeks and 5% at a later gestation. There were n = 60077 cases with complete pregnancy and demographic data allowing a logistic regression analysis adjusted for maternal age, smoking, hypertension, deprivation, ethnicity, employment status, diabetes (including gestational), BMI, single/partner, drug use, father blood relation, time of booking and parity. The risk of IUGR for women with no folic acid supplementation was prevalence13%, RR 1.09 (1.03–1.16), p < 0.01. For women that took folic acid, only the 400 mcg dose taken pre-conception showed a significant reduction, prevalence 9.7%, RR 0.90 (0.83–0.98) p = 0.01. Conclusion Folic acid supplementation pre-conception significantly reduces the risk of IUGR.


Peer-to-peer (P2P) botnets have recently been adopted by botmasters for their resiliency to take-down efforts. Besides being harder to take down, modern botnets tend to be stealthier in the way they perform malicious activities, making current detection approaches, including [6], ineffective. In this paper, we propose a novel botnet detection system that is able to identify stealthy P2P botnets, even when malicious activities may not be observable. First, our system identifies all hosts that are likely engaged in P2P communications. Then, we derive statistical fingerprints to profile different types of P2P traffic, and we leverage these fingerprints to distinguish between P2P botnet traffic and other legitimate P2P traffic. Unlike previous work, our system is able to detect stealthy P2P botnets even when the underlying compromised hosts are running legitimate P2P applications (e.g., Skype) and the P2P bot software at the same time. Our experimental evaluation based on real-world data shows that the proposed system can achieve high detection accuracy with a low false positive rate.


An archeological Egyptian cartonnage dating back to the Greco-Roman period around the third century BC was elementally analyzed via the sample-friendly technique, Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). The unique characteristics of LIBS as being a simple and fast technique, has been exploited to obtain surface elemental distribution and depth profiles for the investigated sample. An Nd:YAG laser operating at the fundamental wavelength of 1064 nm has been used as the excitation source along with an echelle spectrometer coupled to an ICCD detector for spectral dispersion and detection. Under the experimental conditions, four distinct regions were studied as ten elements were analyzed for spatial distribution along the surface and also for their depth profiles. Rapid and comprehensive visualization of the investigated regions are provided. The most relevant elements i.e. carbon, calcium, silicon, oxygen and iron suggest that the cartonnage was manufactured via the traditional method, mainly dependent on natural pigments such as metal oxides and calcium carbonate (calcite) which is consistent with the previous results of other conventional techniques used in the field of Archaeology. Supporting studies obtained by both scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray micro-analysis (SEM-EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) have been presented for comparison purposes.


High moisture extrusion has been used to produce vegetable meat analogues that resemble real animal meat and can provide significant health benefits. Since visual and textural properties are key factors for consumer acceptance, assessing fiber formation in the extruded products is important for quality control purpose. Recently, we developed a nondestructive photon migration method to quantify fiber formation in meat analogues. In this study, we implemented this technique in a real-time optical scanning system. This system can scan the entire sample area in real-time and provide 2-dimensional maps to visualize the degree of fiber formation and fiber orientation in the sample. The new system has a potential to provide a fast, nondestructive means for online monitoring of the fiber formation in meat analogues.


The dangers of writing history in twenty-first-century Britain are not profound. The academic historian might incur a stinging book review, find it hard to place articles in leading journals, fail to attract research funding or, worst of all, find a secure teaching position. These things can be disappointing. But, there are no government spies leaning over our shoulders, no overt political scrutiny of our work, no conviction on the part of the state that, as Nikita Khrushchev observed, 'Historians are dangerous, and capable of turning everything topsy-turvy. They have to be watched.' Yet it was not always so.

John Hayward discovered the ideological limits of historical writing the hard way. When he published his history of the reign of Henry IV in 1599, he dedicated it to the earl of Essex. The following year, when Essex launched his attempted coup against Elizabeth I, Hayward found himself in the Tower, accused of sedition. The affinity between Elizabeth I and Richard II, whom Henry had deposed, was too great to be ignored. Over and again Hayward's interrogators – leading members of the Privy Council – returned to his authorial intentions, especially the possibility of a link to Essex and to his apparent intention to stir trouble amongst what they called the common people. What Hayward failed to recognise was that, when writing about certain historical subjects, he had to be very cautious. The next time that he wrote a study of a reign – this time that of Edward VI – he trod carefully. In particular, his presentation of the popular rebellions of 1549 was markedly hostile, depicting the rebels as irrational, base and senseless. This time, Hayward uncritically reproduced the dominant values of his age, scripted into the historical past.

Richard Grafton's Chronicle (1569) provided a blunt statement of the intended effects of reading history. From the study of the past, Grafton wrote,

Kings maye learne to depende upon God, and acknowledge his governance in their protection: the nobilitie may reade the true honor of their auncestours: The Ecclesiasticall state maye learne to abhorre trayterous practices and indignities done against kings by the Popishe usurping clergie: high and lowe may shonne rebellions by their dreadfull effectes, and beware how they attempt against right, how unhable soever the person be that beareth it.


—With the growth of computation-intensive real-time applications on multi-core embedded systems, energy-efficient real-time scheduling becomes crucial. Multi-core processors en- able intra-task parallelism, and there has been much progress on exploiting that, while there has been only a little progress on energy-efficient multi-core real-time scheduling as yet. In this work, we study energy-efficient real-time scheduling of constrained deadline sporadic parallel tasks, where each task is represented as a directed acyclic graph (DAG). We consider a clustered multi-core platform where processors within the same cluster run at the same speed at any given time. A new concept named speed-profile is proposed to model per-task and per-cluster energy-consumption variations during run-time to minimize the expected long-term energy consumption. To our knowledge, no existing work considers energy-aware real-time scheduling of DAG tasks with constrained deadlines , nor on a clustered multi-core platform . The proposed energy-aware real- time scheduler is implemented upon an ODROID XU-3 board to evaluate and demonstrate its feasibility and practicality. To complement our system experiments in large-scale, we have also conducted simulations that demonstrate a CPU energy saving of up to 57% through our proposed approach compared to existing methods.


This paper presents the results of the laboratory and field evaluation of the piezoelectric weigh-in-motion (WIM) sensors of two manufacturers, namely Vibracoax (VC) and Measurements Specialties Incorporated (MSI). The laboratory evaluation involved fatigue testing of two sensor types for each manufacturer, one factory-encapsulated and the other bare. The fatigue testing involved three contact stresses as well as dry and wet conditions. Significant sensor fatigue was experienced only under wet conditions. The field evaluation of these sensors was carried in both asphalt concrete (AC) and Portland concrete (PC) installations. The facilities at Nevada's WesTrack and at a CalTrans Heavy Vehicle Simulator site were used, respectively. All sensors exhibited high raw signal precision at any given time. Raw signal amplitude seemed to depend on temperature for the sensors installed in the AC pavement. For increasing pavement temperature, the raw signal amplitude of the VC sensors decreased, while that of the MSI sensors increased. The signal-to-noise ratio of the raw signal increased with increasing temperature for the sensors installed in the AC pavement. WIM load measurement precision and sensitivity to temperature varied between sensors. The poor load precision of some of the sensors was attributed to the load calculation algorithm in the WIM data acquisition system, rather than to sensor malfunctioning. During the period of the field tests, no consistent changes in WIM axle load measurements were observed that could be attributed to piezoelectric sensor fatigue.


Atrazine is the most widely used agricultural herbicide in the United States and a known endocrine disruptor. In amphibians, it has been shown to cause gonadal malformations, feminization of males, behavioral changes, and immune suppression; however, its mechanism of action is unknown. We hypothesized that atrazine reduces the production of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) in the hypothalamus. Axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) were exposed to atrazine, 10 M ß-estradiol-3-benzoate, or no treatment and were sacrificed at 6, 8, and 10 months of age. GnRH neurons were labeled using immunocytochemistry, and labeled neurons were then counted using confocal microscopy. Although no significant difference was found in the total number of GnRH neurons, ectopic GnRH expression was seen in some brains. A significant negative correlation was found between presence of ectopic GnRH and number of normal GnRH neurons. Atrazine-treated animals were more likely than control or estrogentreated animals to have ectopic GnRH expression. The data implicate a central site of action of atrazine.


Iam an NP, but I am also a patient with a disability. I have earned the right to call myself an expert on falls—not because of my professional background, but because of my medical history, which includes a perplexing neurologic condition called chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, which is best described as a chronic Guillain–Barré syndrome. If there were a track event for falls, I'd be a star. I've performed them all: falls with injury, falls without injury, falls with idiocy involved (why was I standing on that chair anyway?), and falls that simply happened. As a result, I have arrived at the same conclusion as various health care institutions: no matter how well researched fall prevention may be, it remains mystifying to nurses, patients, and administrators. Why is this? For years, health care has focused on extrinsic fall risk factors (hospital equipment, slippery floors, access to bathroom facilities, types of slippers). More recently, the focus has shifted to also include the study of intrinsic risk factors (hyponatremia, vitamin D deficiency, disequilibrium, motor or sensory weakness, polyneuropathy, and a myriad of potential precursors to falls, including the effects of some medications). Over the course of time, I have had numerous physicians ask why I fell. From an insider's viewpoint, I can answer that most patients do not know. Falls happen—suddenly and unexpectedly. No patient awakens in the morning and thinks "this is a fabulous day to take a fall." Falls hurt, even without significant injury. They can be fatal or leave a victim with lasting disability. Fall risk increases with age, at least in part because muscle mass, particularly in the lower extremities, diminishes over time. Most patients and health care providers are unaware of the significance of this finding. Until I suffered from repetitive falls, I was as well. A rehabilitation assessment was pivotal in providing a comprehensive depiction of my functional status. The specialists were able to assess underlying mobility factors such as gait disturbance, balance, coordination, proprioception, and intrinsic muscle strength. The education and instruction I received helped me understand why someone who appeared healthy could still be at risk for falls. It has also been useful to me to stay in the "rehab loop," no matter where I am in the system. Outpatient classes geared to building muscle mass, improving balance and coordination, and refocusing my energy as much on safety as independence have helped me avoid further episodes. Nurses are taught to be independent. But was it really worth it, I had to ask myself, to clean the highest kitchen cupboards myself? Over time, I've learned that fostering the patient's independence should include encouraging a realistic sense of limitations. This was fully reinforced the day I performed a face-plant in the driveway after a light snow inspired me with an insurmountable desire to start shoveling. Had I focused on what the rehab specialists taught me, I would have remembered the risk involved. Patients, especially nurses who are fall "veterans," need support and reinforcement in learning to choose safety whenever possible. Hospital programs typically focus on bed alarms, booties, hourly rounding, and patient signatures on fall prevention guidelines. These only scratch the surface of a complex, multidimensional issue. To examine only extrinsic risk factors means overlooking the link between disease and disease management. Patients don't want to fall any more than you want them to, yet, as my experience shows, patients may be "experienced" in the art of falling, yet ultimately clueless about practical steps they can take, such as sitting a few minutes longer before standing; staying hydrated; maintaining adequate nutrition, with enough protein; and keeping active. As further research examines intrinsic as well as extrinsic risk factors, a more distinct picture of why we fall may begin to emerge. This research should include the study of fall "insiders" such as myself. In the meantime, I strongly encourage patients at risk to be assessed and reassessed by rehabilitation services as frequently as possible. ▼


Aimed at all the members of the stroke team, including doctors, nurses, stroke co-ordinators, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapy members, this new edition provides a holistic approach to the care of patients with transient ischemic attacks (TIA) and stroke. It covers the wide range of knowledge and skills needed to tackle problems that may lead up to, or follow on from a stroke, and follows the course of a patient's journey from diagnosis to life at home, incorporating recent changes in the field and the latest clinical trials. It also covers the principles of rehabilitation, as well as secondary prevention, discharge planning, specific interventions, prognosis for various neurological deficits, and longer terms problems, including spasticity and psychiatric complications.


Organizational research frequently involves seeking judgmental data from multiple informants within organizations. Researchers are often faced with determining how many informants to survey, who those informants should be and (if more than one) how best to aggregate responses when disagreement exists between those responses. Using both recall and forecasting data from a laboratory study involving the MARKSTRAT simulation, we show that when there are multiple respondents who disagree, responses aggregated using confidence-based or competence-based weights outperform those with data-based weights, which in turn provide significant gains in estimation accuracy over simply averaging respondent reports. We then illustrate how these results can be used to determine the best number of respondents for a market research task as well as to provide an effective screening mechanism when seeking a single, best informant.


The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hematocrit changes on coronary pressure-flow relations during maximum vasodilation to define the relative importance of changes in hemoglobin concentration, blood viscosity, and perfusion pressure in determining maximum myocardial oxygen transport. An anemic group and a polycythemic group of dogs were studied under halothane anesthesia at the hematocrit extremes and after serial exchange transfusions to intermediate hematocrits. Circumflex pressure-flow relations were generated at each hematocrit during maximum pharmacological vasodilation (adenosine 20 micrograms X kg-1 X min-1 or chromonar 8 mg/kg). Maximal coronary vascular conductance (incremental conductance) decreased in an approximately linear fashion with increasing hematocrit. Maximum myocardial oxygen transport showed an "inverted U-shape" relation to hematocrit with the peak occurring at or slightly above normal hematocrit. Hemoglobin concentration, viscosity, and perfusion pressure were all found to be physiologically important determinants of maximal myocardial oxygen transport. Given normal perfusion pressure, arterial oxygen saturation, and myocardial oxygen extraction, we found that maximum myocardial oxygen delivery greatly exceeds the level necessary to supply basal myocardial oxygen needs at all hematocrits studied.


A reverse transcriptase – polymerase chain reaction based assay for Borrelia species detection in ticks was developed. The method was based on amplification of 552 nucleotide bases long sequence of 16S rRNA, targeted by Borrelia specific primers. In the present study, total RNA extracted from Ixodes ricinus ticks was used as template. The results showed higher sensitivity for Borrelia detection as compared to standard dark-field microscopy. Method specificity was confirmed by cloning and sequencing of obtained 552 base pairs long amplicons. Phylogenetic analysis of obtained sequences showed that they belong to B. lusitaniae and B. afzelii genospecies. RT-PCR based method presented in this paper could be very useful as a screening test for detecting pathogen presence, especially when in investigations is required extraction of total RNA from ticks.


This study examines levels of secondary traumatic stress (STS), compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction in social workers in the State of Montana. It also seeks to explain how specific organizational factors or peer support can potentially reduce the impact of these phenomena. A mixed methodology was utilized. Respondents (N = 256, response rate = 56%) completed 4 short measures: (a) the Social Work Demographics/Workplace Questionnaire, (b) the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS; Bride, Robinson, Yegidis, & Figley, 2004), (c) the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) (Stamm, 2010), and (d) an original peer support survey. A smaller sample (N = 15) of follow-up interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data. A theory-based approach guided the qualitative data analysis, for which ATLAS-Ti software was used. Findings indicate that social workers in the sample experience significant levels of STS (M = 33.63, SD = 11.30), with 40.9% (n = 105) meeting the criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder, using the STSS (&agr; = .92) as a proxy measure. ProQOL (&agr; = .76) results confirm the presence of high levels of burnout and compassion fatigue on subscale scores, with t tests indicating that individuals performing case management reported lower levels than other groups. Age and time in current job were not found to be significant factors, whereas lower levels of job satisfaction and intent to look for other work were predictive of higher burnout and compassion fatigue scores. Qualitative data analysis revealed themes related to worker perceptions of factors that contributed to their levels of STS. Implications for policy and practice changes are offered.