In this thesis an experimental model for the interface between the cell membrane and the supporting cytoskeleton has been developed and analysed. The experimental platform is a novel approach to the design of supported membrane based devices and technologies.
The system consists of a single component lipid bilayer coupled to an elastic substrate, the area of which can be reversibly increased and decreased. We uncover three independent mechanisms that the membrane may use to respond to changes in substrate area.
If the elastic support is partially hydrophilic, the area of the planar portion of the membrane is strongly coupled to the substrate area. The membrane responds to increasing substrate area by absorbing lipid protrusions, and when the substrate area is decreased the excess membrane area is projected back out in the form of lipid tubes. This mechanical remodelling of the membrane occurs above the plane of the support and mimics the passive means of membrane area regulation recently uncovered in live cells.
In contrast, when the surface support is completely hydrophilic, two further mechanisms of substrate stress relaxation are uncovered. When the pH of the solu- tion is greater than 7 the membrane is able to slide over the expanding and contract- ing substrate. This membrane sliding motion occurs in the plane of the support and is dynamic. The effectiveness at which membrane tension is relaxed is dependent on the rate at which the substrate area is changed.
When the pH is reduced below pH 7, the membrane area becomes strongly coupled to that of the support and the membrane dramatically ruptures, opening large circular pores, in response to substrate deformation. The pores exhibit a dynamic area change, revealing a complex flow of membrane across the support to equilibrate stress.
This novel supported membrane behaviour reveals the rich physics possessed by
supported lipid systems, that may assist in the design of new supported lipid based technologies.


The rate of female incarceration continues to surge, resulting in over 714,000 women currently being held behind bars worldwide. Females generally enter carceral facilities with low educational profiles, and educational programming inside is rarely a high priority. Access to education is a proven contributor to women's social and economic empowerment and can minimise some of the obstacles they encounter after being released from custody. Support for the intellectual potential of incarcerated female 'students' can address intersecting inequalities that impede access to social protection, public services and sustainable infrastructure.  Policymakers, academics and activists concerned with gender equality must begin by focusing on academic and vocational program development for female prisoners, built through strong community partnerships, and inclusive of trauma informed supports.


We introduce here the notion of exhaustiveness, which is related with the notion of equicon- tinuity, in asymmetric metric spaces. We give the relation between equicontinuity and exhaustiveness in such spaces and some theorems and results about it. We show that in the asymmetric situation forward convergence does not imply backward convergence (or vice versa), the limit of a sequence of exhaustive functions may not be continuous, also may not be unique. Also, we prove a type of Ascoli theorem using the notion of exhaustiveness in the asymmetric case. Finally, following Caserta and Koˇ (3), we will investigate some properties of a statistical version of exhaustiveness in asymmetric metric spaces.


ABSTRACT Background To promote better collaboration for patient care, interprofessional education (IPE) is required in many health professions courses. However, successful IPE implementation at scale can be challenging because of complicated logistics and competing priorities. Implementing across multiple geographies adds further complexity. Objective This paper describes the implementation of a full cohort IPE activity for medical and pharmacy students delivered at both the Australian and Malaysian campuses of Monash University. Design We designed a 150-minute, blended learning activity centred around asthma care for second-year medical and pharmacy students. Student perceptions were measured with a pre- and post-activity survey using the validated ten-item, three-factor, SPICE-R2 instrument. Analysis focused on differences between professions and countries. Results All second-year medicine (N = 301 in Australia and N = 107 in Malaysia) and pharmacy students (N = 168 in Australia and N = 117 in Malaysia) participated in the learning activity. A total of 326/693 (47%) students participated in the associated research by completing both the pre- and post-activity surveys. The pre-activity survey showed significant differences in four items between medicine and pharmacy students in Australia and two items in Malaysia. Post-activity, we observed significant changes in 8/10 items when the two professions were combined. Specifically, we noted changes across the countries in perceptions of roles and responsibilities for collaborative practice and patient outcomes from collaborative practice. Conclusions IPE across different professions and countries is feasible. Positive outcomes in role understanding and perceived patient outcomes are achievable through a context-sensitive, locally driven approach to implementation. Longitudinal experiences may be required to influence perceptions of teamwork and team-based care.


Advertising Positions integrates 3D scanning, motion capture, novel image mapping algorithms and custom animation to create data portraits from the advertisements served by online trackers. Project volunteers use bespoke software to harvest the ads they receive over months of browsing. When enough ads have been collected, the volunteer is interviewed, 3D scanned and motion captured. Each ad is then mapped to a single polygon on the textured skin of their virtual avatar. Outcomes have been displayed as 2D/3D images, animations and interactive installations.


The current treatment for the acquired retinal vasculopathies involves lifelong repeated intravitreal injections of either anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy or modulation of inflammation with steroids. Consequently, any treatment modification that decreases this treatment burden for patients and doctors alike would be a welcome intervention. To that end, this research aims to develop a topically applied nanoparticulate system encapsulating a corticosteroid for extended drug release. Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) supports the controlled release of the encapsulated drug, while surface modification of these NPs with chitosan might prolong the mucoadhesion ability leading to improved bioavailability of the drug. Triamcinolone acetonide (TA)-loaded chitosan-coated PLGA NPs were fabricated using the oil-in-water emulsion technique. The optimized surface-modified NPs obtained using Box-Behnken response surface statistical design were reproducible with a particle diameter of 334 ± 67.95 to 386 ± 15.14 nm and PDI between 0.09 and 0.15. These NPs encapsulated 55–57% of TA and displayed a controlled release of the drug reaching a plateau in 27 h. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) analysis demonstrated characteristic peaks for chitosan (C-H, CONH2 and C-O at 2935, 1631 and 1087 cm−1, respectively) in chitosan-coated PLGA NPs. This result data, coupled with positive zeta potential values (ranged between +26 and +33 mV), suggests the successful coating of chitosan onto PLGA NPs. Upon coating of the NPs, the thermal stability of the drug, polymer, surfactant and PLGA NPs have been enhanced. The characteristics of the surface-modified NPs supports their use as potential candidates for topical ocular drug delivery for acquired retinal vasculopathies.


Background: Individuals living in endemic areas acquire immunity to malaria following repeated parasite exposure. We sought to assess the controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) model as a means of studying naturally acquired immunity in Kenyan adults with varying malaria exposure. Methods: We analysed data from 142 Kenyan adults from three locations representing distinct areas of malaria endemicity (Ahero, Kilifi North and Kilifi South) enrolled in a CHMI study with Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites NF54 strain (Sanaria® PfSPZ Challenge). To identify the in vivo outcomes that most closely reflected naturally acquired immunity, parameters based on qPCR measurements were compared with anti-schizont antibody levels and residence as proxy markers of naturally acquired immunity. Results: Time to endpoint correlated more closely with anti-schizont antibodies and location of residence than other parasite parameters such as growth rate or mean parasite density. Compared to observational field-based studies in children where 0.8% of the variability in malaria outcome was observed to be explained by anti-schizont antibodies, in the CHMI model the dichotomized anti-schizont antibodies explained 17% of the variability. Conclusions: The CHMI model is highly effective in studying markers of naturally acquired immunity to malaria. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov number NCT02739763. Registered 15 April 2016


Seeds of Success (SOS) is a national seed collection program led by the Bureau of Land Management. SOS represents the most comprehensive native seed repository in the United States, supporting native plant restoration, management, and research. Since inception in 2000, SOS has collected seeds from over 24,400 native plant populations from ~5,600 taxa from 43 states. Collections include species important to wildlife, pollinators, and indigenous people, and over 10,000 collections have been shared for restoration and research use. We asked how many SOS sites have burned since collection, and identified 662 fires at 631 sites. If fire continues at the pace observed since 2011, an estimated 14% of collection sites will burn by 2050 and over 24% by 2080, putting genetic diversity at risk in areas where fire is linked with invasion. Analysis of 14 native forb species from the western United States found that many collections were from the warmest and driest portions of their range, areas at the highest risk of wildfire, subsequent invasion, and local extinction. SOS provides an opportunity to understand change in natural populations, and represents a critical repository of native plant genetic resources for conservation and future use.


A case of a 12 cm giant renal artery aneurysm (RAA) in an 59-year-old woman is reported. The patient was referred to our hospital for flank pain and spot hematuria. Ultrasonography (US) revealed some wide lacunar areas in her right kidney and a thin cortex. Three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) revealed a giant right renal arteriovenous malformation (AVM). AngioCT scan showed a pervious right renal artery. The cavities of the right kidney were dilated and the parenchyma was markedly reduced. Two months later the patient underwent an open resection of the aneurysm and a right nephrectomy. She had an uneventful recovery and a healthy status (last follow-up: 9 month). In this particular case, a safe approach is the transabdominal approach since the aneurysm was very large, friable, and located on the right side. This report confirms the opportunity of a planned nephrectomy once there is adequate renal reserve in the opposite kidney using a midline approach.


BACKGROUND
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) occurs in 9% to 34% of herpes zoster (HZ) patients, and the incidence of PHN is positively correlated with age. A number of patients suffer from poor therapeutic effects or intolerable side effects and need to accept minimally invasive analgesia.

OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to investigate the effects of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) on the treatment of elderly patients with HZ-related pain persisting beyond the acute phase.

STUDY DESIGN
A prospective, randomized-controlled trial.

SETTING
Research was conducted at the National Pain Management and Research Center, China-Japan Friendship Hospital (Beijing, China).

METHODS
We selected 63 patients aged over 50 years with zoster-related pain of 1 to 6 months onset. They were randomly divided into an SCS group and a PRF group. In the SCS group, the stimulus electrodes were placed in the affected spinal ganglion segment of the epidural space for 2 weeks. In the PRF group, the radiofrequency needle was percutaneously punctured in the affected dorsal root ganglion. The main outcome measures were the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS-11) score, response rate, and complete remission rate. The secondary endpoint was defined as the use of analgesics and calcium channel antagonists.

RESULTS
The NRS-11 score in the SCS group decreased to 2.90 ± 1.83 (1 week post operation) and 4.37 ± 2.43 (24 weeks post operation), while that in the PRF group decreased to 3.13 ± 1.78 and 4.23 ± 2.64, respectively (compared with baseline, P < .001); there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (P > .05) . The effective rate of pain management was in the range of 56.67% to 81.25%, and the complete pain relief rate ranged from 37% to 71%. The number of patients still using analgesics and calcium channel antagonists after operation were significantly less than those pre-operation (P < .001). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that the operation method, age, gender, and course of disease did not affect surgical efficacy.

LIMITATIONS
The main limitation of this study is that all the cases were from the same center.

CONCLUSION
It therefore can be concluded that SCS and PRF can effectively relieve PHN.

KEY WORDS
Spinal cord stimulation, pulsed radiofrequency, postherpetic neuralgia.


Introduction: In 2009, Spain launched its Escuela2.0 initiative, which aims to digitalise over 14,000 classrooms in primary and secondary schools (Presidencia del Gobierno 2009). Similarly, China is planning to provide 90 per cent of schools with Internet connectivity by 2010 (UNESCO 2009). Following similar initiatives in the UK, the National Curriculum now requires the use of technology in modern foreign languages. Countries such as Spain and China may, therefore, soon require the same in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes. Consequently, there is a need to assess the state of the art of new technologies7 in language learning (henceforth Computer- Assisted Language Learning; CALL)8 in primary and secondary education, sectors not traditionally associated with CALL (Jung 2005). The results of a systematic review (as defined by the EPPI-Centre 2007) conducted in response to this need are presented here.


How to optimize the interior space of symmetric (for example, hollow carbon spheres) and asymmetric (for example, hollow carbon bowls) hollow carbon structures is a big challenge for their application in energy storage devices. Here we synthesize open helmet-like carbon skeletons, carbon nanohelmets (CNHs), which preserve all advantages of hollow structures but also fully utilize the inner walls of carbon. As an example, the as-fabricated NiO/CNH anode exhibits high reversible capacity, excellent cycling stability and superior rate properties in lithium-ion batteries. These remarkable performances are attributed to the ingenious helmet-like structures, which provide a large amount of active sites for Li+ insertion/extraction from the inner walls of carbon; buffer the large volume change of NiO during charging/discharging effectively with the open structure; and reduce the internal resistance significantly due to excellent contact between NiO nanoparticles and carbon. The facile strategy reported in this work may open an avenue to synthesize open hollow structures for practical applications.


Label-free photonic biosensors fabricated on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) can provide compact size, high evanescent field strength at the silicon waveguide surface, and volume fabrication potential. However, due to the large thermo optic coefficient of water-based biosamples, the sensors are temperature-sensitive. Consequently, active temperature control is usually used. However, for low cost applications, active temperature control is often not feasible. Here, we use the opposite polarity of the thermo-optic coefficients of silicon and water to demonstrate a photonic slot waveguide with a distribution of power between sample and silicon that aims to give athermal operation in water. Based on simulations, we made three waveguide designs close to the athermal point, and asymmetric integrated Mach- Zehnder interferometers for their characterization. The devices were fabricated on SOI with a 220 nm device layer and 2 μm buried oxide, by electron beam lithography of hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) resist, and etching in a Cl2/HBr/O2/He plasma. With Cargile 50350 fused silica matching oil as top cladding, the group index of the three guides varies from 1.9 to 2.8 at 1550 nm. The temperature sensitivity of the devices varied from -70 to -160 pm/K under the same conditions. A temperature sensitivity of -2 pm/K is projected with water as top cladding.


Background—Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a potentially lethal but highly treatable cardiac channelopathy. Treatment options include pharmacotherapy, device therapy, and left cardiac sympathetic denervation (LCSD). Here, we sought to determine the characteristics of LQTS patients who have had ≥1 LQTS-related breakthrough cardiac event (BCE) after LCSD. Methods and Results—We performed retrospective chart review for 52 consecutive patients (24 males; mean age at diagnosis, 10.0±10 years; mean QTc, 528±74 ms) with LQTS who underwent LCSD between 2005 and 2010 (mean age at LCSD, 14.1±10 years) and have been followed up for 3.6±1.3 years. A BCE was defined as either (1) an appropriate ventricular fibrillation-terminating implantable cardioverter defibrillator shock or (2) arrhythmogenic syncope, seizures, or aborted cardiac arrest after LCSD. Thirty-three patients (61%) had LCSD as primary prevention because of either high-risk assessment or &bgr;-blocker intolerance. So far, 12 of 52 (23%) patients (7 males) have experienced ≥1 BCE post LCSD. The clinical phenotype of patients with BCEs was significantly more severe than patients without a BCE. No BCEs were seen in patients undergoing LCSD for &bgr;-blocker intolerance (0/12 versus 17/40; P<0.001). Conclusions—Although a marked reduction in number of cardiac events is usually seen after LCSD, ≈50% of high-risk LQTS patients have experienced ≥1 post-LCSD breakthrough. Therefore, LCSD must not be viewed as curative or as an alternative in implantable cardioverter defibrillator for high-risk patients. Prophylactic LCSD may provide another option to counter a suboptimal quality of life resulting from medication-related side effects.


From late middle Eocene through earliest Oligocene, high-latitude regions cooled, and by the end of the period, continental ice sheets existed in Antarctica. Diversity of planktonic microorganisms declined, and modern groups of terrestrial vertebrates originated. Coeval faunal changes in deep-sea benthic foraminifers have been related to cooling of deep waters and increased oxygenation. Cooling, however, occurred globally, whereas species richness declined at high latitudes and not in the tropics. The late Eocene and younger lower-diversity, high-latitude faunas typically contain common Epistominella exigua and Alabaminella weddellensis , opportunistic phytodetritus-exploiting species that indicate a seasonally fluctuating input of organic matter to the sea floor. We speculate that the species-richness gradient and increase in abundance of phytodetritus-exploiting species resulted largely from the onset of a more unpredictable and seasonally fluctuating food supply, especially at high latitudes.


Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a major issue following treatments for common male genitourinary cancers like those of the prostate. Placement of a penile prosthesis is the end stage of management in those men with ED post cancer therapy. Described nicely by Dadhich et al. (1), patients post-surgery for certain cancers require nuances during the placement of a penile prosthesis that are critical to success such as proper reservoir placement, curvature correction and concurrent placement of an artificial urinary sphincter.


Background— The definition of a normal heart rate (HR) response to exercise stress testing in women is poorly understood, given that most studies describing a normative response were predominately based on male data. Measures of an attenuated HR response (chronotropic incompetence) and age-predicted HR have not been validated in asymptomatic women. We investigated the association between HR response to exercise testing and age with prognosis in 5437 asymptomatic women. Methods and Results— Participants underwent a symptom-limited maximal stress test in 1992. HR reserve (change in HR from rest to peak), chronotropic index, and age-predicted peak HR were calculated. Deaths were identified to December 31, 2008. Mean age at baseline was 52±11 years, with 549 deaths (10%) over 15.9±2.2 years. Mean peak HR was inversely associated with age; mean peak HR=206–0.88(age). After adjusting for exercise capacity and traditional cardiac risk factors, risk of death was reduced by 3% for every 1–beat-per-minute increase in peak HR, and by 2% for every 1–beat-per-minute increase in HR reserve (P<0.001). Inability to achieve 85% age-predicted HR was not an independent predictor of mortality, but being ≥1 SD below the mean predicted HR or a chronotropic index <0.80 based on the prediction model established by this cohort were independent predictors of mortality (P<0.001 and P=0.023, respectively). Conclusions— Chronotropic incompetence is associated with an increased risk of death in asymptomatic women; however, the traditional male-based calculation overestimates the maximum HR for age in women. Sex-specific parameters of physiological HR response to exercise should be incorporated into clinical practice.


Research can contribute to better understanding of the forced migration experience to inform policy and programming, but it can also cause inconvenience and harm to research respondents. [1] In situations of forced migration, the stakes are particularly high because of precarious legal status, unequal power relations, far-reaching anti-terrorism legislation, and the criminalization of migration. In response, the Canadian Council for Refugees, York University's Centre for Refugee Studies, and the Canadian Association for Refugee and Forced Migration Studies collaborated to complement established ethical principles with specific ethical considerations for research with people in situations of forced migration. This document highlights our guiding principles and applies the ethical concepts of voluntary, informed consent; respect for privacy; and cost-benefit analysis. It is of relevance to anyone involved in gathering information—whether in an academic or community setting—and those who are asked to take part in research. [1] Recognizing power relations inherent in facilitating true participation, this document uses the term respondent to indicate those individuals who are providing information as part of the research. In some ethics documents, the term human subject is used.


Cervical malignancy is still the leading cause of death for middle-aged women in the developing world. In Uganda, literature has shown that, cervical cancer incidence and death rates was 45.6 and 25 per 100,000 women respectively. However, the actual magnitude of cervical malignancy in Uganda might be higher since most of the cases are never reported. This study assessed the prevalence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia among women from hospitals in Eastern Uganda. This was a longitudinal study, with follow-up until diagnosis of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). One thousand and seventy seven women aged 15-55 years were recruited into the study. Pap-smear tests were conducted on all study participants. Women who had abnormal cytology were referred for immediate colposcopic and histological assessment. Surveillance was maintained on these women, and treatment postponed, until there was histological evidence of high-grade CIN (CIN2 or CIN3). At that point women were treated. Those that were pap smear negative were advised to return for screening for three consecutive negative smears before they were allowed to leave the study. Factors associated with cervical cancer were obtained by use of questionnaires. The general prevalence of CIN among women in Eastern Uganda was 416/1077 (38.6%). Two hundred and fourteen, 214/1077(19.9%) had severe CIN3, 180/1077(16.7%) had moderate CIN2, and 22/1077(2.0%) had mild CIN1. Older women aged 45-55-years were frequently diagnosed with the advanced disease stage as compared with young adults aged 15-24 who were less commonly diagnosed with the disease. The study showed that age, use of contraceptives, history of STI and HIV status had statistical significant association with development of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia among the studied participants. There is need for routine surveillance of precancerous lesions and treatment in a timely manner.

 Key words: Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, risk factors, cervical cancer.


ABSTRACT The goal of this study was to investigate whether the semantic processing of the audiovisual combination of communicative gestures with speech differs between men and women. We recorded event-related brain potentials in women and men during the presentation of communicative gestures that were either congruent or incongruent with the speech. Our results showed that incongruent gestures elicited an N400 effect over frontal sites compared to congruent ones in both groups. Moreover, the females showed an earlier N2 response to incongruent stimuli than congruent ones, while larger sustained negativity and late positivity in response to incongruent stimuli was observed only in males. These results suggest that women rapidly recognize and process audiovisual combinations of communicative gestures and speech (as early as 300 ms) whereas men analyze them at the later stages of the process.


The Problem of the Study:  Despite the globalization in health services and technological integrations, patients still face with uncalled-for waiting times in service encounter process. This waiting time cannot be limited to not only waiting physicians but also waiting for treatment, waiting for an emergency or waiting for an accident case. It is aimed in this study to understand the effects of these waiting times on psychological effects on patient satisfaction. The Purpose of the Study:  It is aimed in this study to evaluate the level of patient satisfaction by analyzing and evaluating waiting in queues and appointment system in policlinic units of State Hospital. Method: This study mainly consists of the patients that are provided services from State Hospital. The study was conducted based on a survey system with 150 patients in 4 policlinics between 28.04.2014 and 09.05.2014. Findings and Results :  Even though waiting periods change in each polyclinics, the most intense times of queues are between 08:00-11:00 and 13:00 and15:00. Generally waiting periods in Otorhinolaryngology is 62 minutes, 45 minutes in General Surgery , 47 minutes  in Ophthalmologic clinic and 68 minutes in Internal Diseases clinic. The highest contentedness level in appointment system is  in Ophthalmologic  clinic. Periods in waiting in queues are much more than those in appointment system. At the end of the study, it is determined that appointment system is more efficient than waiting in the queues.


The D1.1 deliverable clarifies baseline, progress, and state of the art that CHOReOS will address. For each of the first four CHOReOS work packages, WP1 to WP4, this deliverable gives a precise definition of the state of the art, an indication of the envisaged progress beyond the state of the art by CHOReOS and the baseline for its research.


Nowadays, the use of social media such as Twitter is necessary to monitor trends of people on political issues. As a case study, we collected the main stream of Twitter related to the 2010 UK general election during the associated period. We analyse the characteristics of the three main parties in the election. Also, we propose a simple and practical algorithm to identify the political leaning of users using the amount of Twitter messages which seem related to political parties. The experimental results showed that the best-performing classification method -- which uses the number of Twitter messages referring to a particular political party -- achieved about 86% classification accuracy without any training phase.


In public advisory services, the individual's satisfaction depends less on extrinsic factors (e.g., monetary rewards) than on their inner needs fulfillment. Currently used IT-systems supporting citizen advisory services neglect these intrinsic needs of their users, hence insufficiently fostering their satisfaction. In this article, we aim to close this gap by assessing the design requirements needed to develop value-added IT-systems supporting citizen advisory services. We argue that previous developments of design requirements for correspondent IT-systems neglect the users' motives and focus merely on their actions. We thus refer to self-determination theory as a theoretical lens to analyze current literature on how to design adequate IT-systems fostering users' basic needs. In doing so, we introduce design goals and demonstrate to what extent they are fulfilled when these design requirements are implemented in a real-world IT-system that supports citizen advisory services. We follow a design science approach, in which the previously elaborated requirements are implemented in a software prototype, and are then evaluated qualitatively in two user studies with real-world advisors and citizens to assess their suitability relative to the design goals. Our results show that this approach promises to reveal the design requirements that matter in citizen counseling, signifying an important step toward developing a conceptual IT systems design theory.


With ever increasing barriers for widening participation students to enter higher education, it is vital that when enrolled on a programme, their social norms and needs are not ignored. When trying to acclimatise themselves in a higher education institution, these heterogeneous students are faced with greater challenges compared to traditional students. Nevertheless these students are determined to study in order to enhance their career potential. Moreover the skills, knowledge and experiences that they offer, can potentially enrich higher education. A number of widening participation Student-Researchers developed, conducted and analysed their own Student Sounding Boards, with the purpose of evaluating various business and administration programmes. These Student Sounding Boards had a dual-purpose in that they also helped to enhance the Student-Researchers' learning and helped them overcome some of the challenges faced when studying at an elite higher education institution. The research reveals how this innovative method utilises and strengthens the rich knowledge and experiences of a diverse student body.


Both second and third chromosome substitution lines isolated from natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster affect the expression of catalase (EC 18.104.22.168) at both the larval and adult stages of development. In each case, the level of catalase activity is strongly related to the level of catalase-specific cross-reacting material. Turnover studies employing the catalase inhibitor 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole were conducted on a selected number of lines. Although the variation in steady state levels of catalase protein was highly significant among lines, variation in intracellular degradation rate was not. These results suggest that the different steady state levels observed among lines largely reflect different rates of catalase synthesis.


The Finnish higher education system has recently gone through many changes. There is a national government project in Finland aiming at making Finland the most educated nation by year 2020. The program also aims at improving the quality of work life in Finland to make it the best in Europe by year 2020. At the same time, the country has experienced a long financial recession where the state budget money spent in education has been cut. Improving the quality of education and work life at the same time as cutting the financing of education has put the universities of applied sciences as any other institutions of higher education in a situation where they are required to produce results that are more positive and/or better results with less costs. New performancebased higher education funding models where the state allocates funding based on the achievement of predefined objectives have been introduced for both traditional universities and universities of applied sciences. The effect of such funding model is very strong in a country like Finland, because in Finland there are, in general, no higher education tuition fees that higher education institutions could use to finance their operations. However, at the same time with the new funding model, introduction of tuition fees for the incoming students from non-EU/EEA area can be seen depicting a clear divergence from the long tradition for tuition free education in Finland. Admitting that Finnish higher education authorities are still deliberating and developing financial models, nonetheless, we depict, at the conceptual level, the impacts of the recently introduced funding model on the quantitative and qualitative targets of universities of applied sciences and their alignment to larger political targets set by the Finnish government.


The study of autocracies and weakly institutionalized countries is plagued by scarcity of information about the relative strength of different players within the political system. This paper presents novel data on the composition of government coalitions in a sample of fifteen post-colonial African countries suited to this task. We emphasize the role of the executive branch as the central fulcrum of all national political systems in our sample, especially relative to other institutional bodies such as the legislative assembly. Leveraging on the impressive body of work documenting the crucial role of ethnic fragmentation as a main driver of political and social friction in Africa, the paper further details the construction of ethnic composition measures for executive cabinets. We discuss how this novel source of information may help shed light on the inner workings of typically opaque African political elites.


Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects approximately 17.3 million adults in the United States each year. For more than 50 years, the serotonin hypothesis of MDD, which hypothesizes that a deficiency of monoaminergic neurotransmitters results in depression, has been the foundation for neuropsychological research. However, studies reveal that only an estimated 50% of MDD patients respond to traditional, biogenic-amine-based antidepressants (ADs), like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Research has noted that the neuroplasticity hypothesis, which posits that weakened excitatory synaptic transmission results in depression, offers an alternative mechanism by which ketamine-like drugs lacking the abuse liability and psychoactive effects of ketamine are able to induce AD-like effects. This study focuses on establishing the importance of the neuroplasticity hypothesis of MDD in relation to novel ADs and designing clinical trials that will help determine the most effective and fastest-acting MDD treatments. A compilation of studies involving rodent models of depression, MDD patients, and postmortem hippocampus analyses was examined in order to understand the relationship between long-standing theories and newer hypotheses of how depression manifests in rat and human brains. Research shows that because ketamine-like drugs, including L-655,708 and (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine (HNK), modulate α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) expression to promote neuroplasticity, the novel compounds induce AD-like effects within twenty-four hours and strengthen the brain's cortico-mesolimbic reward pathway in rodent models of depression. While the monoamine theory and the neuroplasticity theory of MDD focus on different mechanisms by which ADs reverse stress-induced changes in synaptic strength and hedonic behavior, the theories overlap to justify the ability of ketamine-like drugs, which act as AMPAR potentiators, and biogenic-amine-based ADs to augment each other's activity. More clinical trials must be conducted in order to understand if and how the simultaneous administration of ketamine-like drugs and traditional ADs could result in shorter latency periods and higher efficacies in MDD therapies. Dual-drug treatments that maximize the synergism between long-standing and novel ADs may offer a new therapy method that would alleviate the severe depressive symptoms faced by a large population of treatment-resistant MDD patients. The Substantiality of the Neuroplasticity Hypothesis of Major Depressive Disorder: mechanism.


The present guideline is a review based on methods for article search and selection compatible with the approach to systematic reviews developed within evidence-based medicine. This procedure ensures adequate impartiality, reproducibility, transparency and sensitivity in the selection and evaluation of scientific articles for elucidation of the efficacy of health technologies. Detailed information is provided in Appendix 1. Even when their results are inconclusive, systematic reviews have potential to attain higher levels of scientific certainty relative to a given clinical question. The degree of certainty and strength of recommendations in systematic reviews depend on the quality of the scientific evidence available in the retrieved primary articles.


In this study, an in-situ multifunctional micro-moire interferometry system (M3I) was developed. The system can be used to conduct the deformation measurement of electronic packages subjected to thermal/thermal cycling, thermal/moisture, and thermal/mechanical loadings. With the system, the long-term reliability of a plastic ball grid array (BGA) assembly was studied. The fatigue life predicted by the in-situ moire interferometry technique was found to be very close to that obtained from the accelerated thermal cycling (ATC) tests. The system was also employed to investigate the fracture behavior of a copper/solder/copper sandwiched sample. It was found that the system is a useful experimental tool for a multilayer material bonded system for the determination of stress intensity factors (SIFs), strain energy release rate, and phase angle.


Background In order to get a decrease in incidents with impact on safety and improve the effectiveness of the prescriptions, the authors implemented ISOFAR software for electronic prescription. Purpose To describe the impact of the implementation of electronic prescription in the nature of pharmaceutical interventions recorded in the ISOFAR software. Materials and methods From November 2009 to February 2010 the authors implemented the electronic prescription with the e-osabide application in the 488 hospital beds. The authors have evaluated pharmaceutical interventions recorded in the ISOFAR software in the period 1 November 2008–31 October 2009 (preimplantation) and in the period 1 November 2009–31 October 2010 (postimplantation). The impact of each pharmaceutical intervention has been assessed and classified according to their impact on safety or efficacy, based on the software. Results The number of registered pharmaceutical interventions has decreased from 1129 in 2009 to 766 in 2010. This decrease is due, to some extent, to the great effort that this implantation has caused, which made it difficult for us to devote to other activities. There was also a decrease from 94.2% to 74.1% in interventions with impact on safety and an increase from 5.8% to 22.6% in interventions with impact on the effectiveness of treatment. Conclusions It can be considered that the implementation of electronic prescription has improved security, because of the decrease in incidents with impact on safety and therefore the possibility of potential adverse events, and interventions with impact on effectiveness have increased


The pharyngeal flora of a group of ambulatory alcoholic patients was studied and compared with the pharyngeal flora of a control group. Sixty-eight patients were studied, 34 alcoholics and 28 controls. Of the alcoholic patients, 59% had Gram-negative bacilli in their pharyngeal flora, while 14% of the control group had the same organisms. There were no differences in Gram-positive cocci colonization between the groups. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most frequent isolate (40%) and the Klebsiella-Enterobacter group accounted for 76% of the isolates. Colonization rates of greater than 10 colony forming units/ml were found in 43% of the alcoholic patients. The high prevalence and higher colonization rates of Gram-negative bacilli in alcoholic patients might explain the higher incidence of Gram-negative bacillary pneumonia among alcoholics. ( Arch Intern Med 138:1815-1816, 1978)


Over a century, human beings have consumed this easily available finite resource very inefficiently. This increasing energy consumption based on fossil reserves has resulted in financial instability, climate change, major depletion of the reserves, and political turmoil in the world. Initially generation of electricity from large power plants was encouraged; because it was considered to be more efficient than a large numbers of small dispersed power plants. Because of this trend in development along with depletion of fossil fuel reserves and the associated widespread environmental pollution, it has become urgent to find energy alternatives that are cost effective, sustainable and environment friendly. Renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydro and biomass provide energy security and will play an important role in the future to supply increasing global energy demand. Research and development in renewable energy technologies confirm that renewable energy sources are undoubtedly sustainable and that green technologies can shift global dependence away from fossil fuels.


Abstract Synchronizing the convergence of the two-oppositely moving DNA replication machineries at specific termination sites is a tightly coordinated process in bacteria. In Escherichia coli, a "replication fork trap" – found within a chromosomal region where forks are allowed to enter but not leave – is set by the protein–DNA roadblock Tus–Ter. The exact sequence of events by which Tus–Ter blocks replisomes approaching from one direction but not the other has been the subject of controversy for many decades. Specific protein–protein interactions between the nonpermissive face of Tus and the approaching helicase were challenged by biochemical and structural studies. These studies show that it is the helicase-induced strand separation that triggers the formation of new Tus–Ter interactions at the nonpermissive face – interactions that result in a highly stable "locked" complex. This controversy recently gained renewed attention as three single-molecule-based studies scrutinized this elusive Tus–Ter mechanism – leading to new findings and refinement of existing models, but also generating new questions. Here, we discuss and compare the findings of each of the single-molecule studies to find their common ground, pinpoint the crucial differences that remain, and push the understanding of this bipartite DNA–protein system further.


DNA-PK is a key component within the DNA damage response, as it is responsible for recognizing and repairing double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) via non-homologous end joining. Historically it has been challenging to identify inhibitors of the DNA-PK catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) with good selectivity versus the structurally related PI3 (lipid) and PI3K-related protein kinases. We screened our corporate collection for DNA-PKcs inhibitors with good PI3 kinase selectivity, identifying compound 1. Optimization focused on further improving selectivity whilst improving physical and pharmacokinetic properties, notably co-optimization of permeability and metabolic stability, to identify compound 16 (AZD7648). Compound 16 had no significant off-targets in the protein kinome, and only weak activity versus PI3Kα/γ lipid kinases. Monotherapy activity in murine xenograft models was observed, and regressions were observed when combined with inducers of DSBs (doxorubicin or irradiation) or PARP inhibition (olaparib). These data support progression into clinical studies (NCT03907969).


A technique for measuring resistance to outflow in enucleated eyes is described. The technique minimizes the artifactual effects of ocular stretching and anterior chamber deepening. Using this perfusion technique, it was found that the resistance to outflow in normal, enucleated human eyes increases directly and linearly with intraocular pressure. This phenomenon, termed the outflow obstruction effect, was defined as the fractional increase in baseline outflow resistance (outflow resistance at an outflow pressure of zero) per millimeter of Hg intraocular pressure rise above baseline and was designated by the letter Q. The value of Q was found to be 0.012 mm. Hg-1 plus or minus 0.0014 indicating that the outflow resistance rise above its baseline value approximately 1 per cent per millimeter of Hg rise in intraocular pressure. Estimates of Q, calculated from data published by other investigators over the past two decades, are also included.


In the midst of an addiction epidemic, this newly updated edition of The American Society of Addiction Medicine Principles of Addiction Medicine, 5th edition is the sought-after text every addiction researcher and care provider needs. This comprehensive reference text dedicates itself to both the science and treatment of addiction. You'll receive a thorough grounding in both the scientific principles behind the causes of addiction and the practical aspects of clinical care. Chapters are written by recognized experts, covering areas such as the basic science of addiction medicine; diagnosis, assessment and early intervention; pharmacologic and behavioral interventions; mutual help and twelve-step; and co-occurring addiction, medical and psychiatric disorders-backed by the latest research data and successful treatment methods. Features: numerous figures, tables and diagrams elucidate the text; chapters include case examples; list of data research reports provided at end of each chapter; new material on Prescription Drug Abuse, Club Drugs, Nursing Roles in Addressing Addiction, Conceptual and Treatment Issues in Behavioral Addictions, Rehabilitation Approaches to Pain Management, Comorbid Pain and Addiction, Pharmacotherapy for Adolescents with Substance Use Disorders, Preventing and Treating Substance Use Disorders in Military Personnel, and more. Now with the print edition, enjoy the bundled interactive eBook edition, offering tablet, smartphone, or online access to: complete content with enhanced navigation; a powerful search feature pulls results from your notes, everything in the book, and even the web; cross-linked pages, references, and more for easy navigation; ability to highlight text for easier reference of key content; ability to share notes with friends and colleagues; ability to save your favorite content for future, quick reference; and interactive question bank with more than 300 questions.


A model for the high-frequency backscatter angular response of gassy sediments is proposed. For the interface backscatter contribution we adopted the model developed by Jackson et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 79, 1410-1422 (1986)], but added modifications to accommodate gas bubbles. The model parameters that are affected by gas content are the density ratio, the sound speed ratio, and the loss parameter. For the volume backscatter contribution we developed a model based on the presence and distribution of gas in the sediment. We treat the bubbles as individual discrete scatterers that sum to the total bubble contribution. This total bubble contribution is then added to the volume contribution of other scatters. The presence of gas affects both the interface and the volume contribution of the backscatter angular response in a complex way that is dependent on both grain size and water depth. The backscatter response of fine-grained gassy sediments is dominated by the volume contribution while that of coarser-grained gassy sediments is affected by both volume and interface contributions. In deep water the interface backscatter is only slightly affected by the presence of gas while the volume scattering is strongly affected. In shallow water the interface backscatter is severely reduced in the presence of gas while the volume backscatter is only slightly increased. Multibeam data acquired offshore northern California at 95 kHz provides raw measurements for the backscatter as a function of grazing angle. These raw backscatter measurements are then reduced to scattering strength for comparison with the results of the proposed model. The analysis of core samples at various locations provides local measurements of physical properties and gas content in the sediments that, when compared to the model, show general agreement.


We consider the economics and the design of border adjustments (BAs) under a carbon tax. BAs are taxes on imports and rebates on exports on the emissions from the production of a good. They are thought to be a method of reducing inefficiencies from a unilateral carbon price, such as shifts in the location of production, known as leakage. After examining the basic economics of BAs, we examine three design issues: which goods BAs should apply to, which emissions from the production of those goods should be taxed, and from and to which countries BAs should apply. We conclude that BAs will impose high administrative costs and need strong welfare justifications.


Amidst the growing popularity of complex dialog systems it has become quite difficult to grasp the implementation of such systems. The intention of this document is to introduce the designers and researchers new to this field to tools and design techniques which may be used to develop dialog systems. We looked into systems such as OpenEphyra, Trindikit and Ariadne. We then shifted our gaze to MyBus, a text based dialog system which makes use of Olympus architecture and concluded that it would stand very nicely for our cause . .


Hydrocortisone (HC) reduced the macrophage content of four murine tumors to less than half of control values. Since HC causes monocytopenia and inhibits the recruitment of mononuclear phagocytes at sites of inflammation but does not affect the viability and proliferative capacity of macrophages, this finding suggests that the maintenance of macrophage levels in growing tumors is in part dependent upon the entry into the neoplasm of circulating monocytes. HC inhibited the growth of these tumors. The effect of HC was most marked on the mFS6 and MN/MCA1 sarcomas and 3LL carcinoma, with only marginal inhibition in the M109 carcinoma. HC augmented spontaneous and/or artificial (i.v.) metastasis in these tumor models. Cells from metastatic foci of the mFS6 sarcoma and M109 carcinoma inoculated i.m. were as susceptible to HC as cells from primary tumors. The effects of HC on macrophage content, growth and metastasis of the M109 carcinoma and mFS6 sarcoma were similar in mice with defective T‐cell function (nude or thymectomized) or defective NK activity (beige or antiasialo GM1‐treated) and in controls. The in vitro growth of the mFS6 and MN/MCA1 sarcomas was not modified by HC. Some inhibition of tumor‐cell proliferative capacity was observed with the 3LL and M109 tumors. Tumor cell had high‐affinity binding sites for glucocorticoid hormones, but these were not correlated to susceptibility in vivo. Thus it is unlikely that a direct interaction of HC with tumor cells accounts for the inhibition of tumor growth observed in vivo. To evaluate whether HC affected tumor growth by reducing the macrophage content of tumors, mFS6 sarcoma cells were transplanted, mixed with peritoneal macrophages into normal or HC‐treated mice. Macrophages did not affect the growth of tumor cells in normal mice, whereas in HC‐created animals lesions from mixtures of macrophages and sarcoma cells appeared earlier and weighed more than those from tumor cells alone or tumor cells and thymocytes. However, macrophages did not reconstitute growth of the other sarcoma (MN/MCA1) in HC‐treated mice. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that HC inhibited growth of some poorly immunogenic transplanted murine tumors, at least in part, by interfering with the macrophage levels in neoplastic tissues, tumor‐associated macrophages providing the conditions for optimal tumor‐cell proliferation at least in some neoplasms.


Patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) suffer from inspiratory muscle weakness. However, the pathophysiology of inspiratory muscle dysfunction in PH is unknown. We hypothesized that weakness of the diaphragm, the main inspiratory muscle, is an important contributor to inspiratory muscle dysfunction in PH patients. Our objective was to combine ex vivo diaphragm muscle fiber contractility measurements with measures of in vivo inspiratory muscle function in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients. To assess diaphragm muscle contractility, function was studied in vivo by maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) and ex vivo in diaphragm biopsies of the same CTEPH patients (N = 13) obtained during pulmonary endarterectomy. Patients undergoing elective lung surgery served as controls (N = 15). Muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) was determined in cryosections and contractility in permeabilized muscle fibers. Diaphragm muscle fiber CSA was not significantly different between control and CTEPH patients in both slow-twitch and fast-twitch fibers. Maximal force-generating capacity was significantly lower in slow-twitch muscle fibers of CTEPH patients, whereas no difference was observed in fast-twitch muscle fibers. The maximal force of diaphragm muscle fibers correlated significantly with MIP. The calcium sensitivity of force generation was significantly reduced in fast-twitch muscle fibers of CTEPH patients, resulting in a ∼40% reduction of submaximal force generation. The fast skeletal troponin activator CK-2066260 (5 μM) restored submaximal force generation to levels exceeding those observed in control subjects. In conclusion, diaphragm muscle fiber contractility is hampered in CTEPH patients and contributes to the reduced function of the inspiratory muscles in CTEPH patients.


Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterised by recurrent thromboembolic events (arterial or venous) and/or morbidity in pregnancy (fetal loss, premature birth, or recurrent embryonic losses) in the presence of laboratory evidence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). APS is a multisystem disorder. Several lung manifestations may develop in patients with APS including pulmonary embolism (PE)/infarction; thromboembolic and non-thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (PH) (pulmonary arterial hypertension); pulmonary microthrombosis; acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with catastrophic APS; diffuse alveolar haemorrhage; and pulmonary capillaritis. Postpartum syndrome and cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis (CFA) can be associated with APS. Pulmonary manifestations are relatively rare but are more likely to be life-threatening compared with other complications of APS. Particularly in the presence of aPL, pulmonary manifestations should be suspected in any systemic lupus erythematosus patient with clinical findings such as chest pain, dyspnoea, tachypnoea, and haemoptysis. Early diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary manifestations in APS are essential for improving mortality rates in patients with this condition. The purpose of this review is to assess current evidence around the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of patients with common and rare pulmonary manifestations of APS.


In this work, the problem of determining the currents excited on a wire enclosed within a rectangular cavity is considered. The wire and cavity interior are excited by electromagnetic sources exte rior to the cavity which couple to the cavity interior through a small aperture in the cavity wall. It is assumed that the wire is thin, straight and oriented perpendicular to one of the cavity walls. An integral equation is formulated for the problem in the frequency domain using equivalent dipole moments to approximate the effects of the aperture. This integral equation is then solved numer ically by the method of moments. The dyadic Green's functions for this problem are difficult to compute numerically; consequently extensive numerical analysis is necessary to render the solution tractable. Sample numerical results are presented for representative configura tions of cavity, wire and aperture, and suggestions for future exten sions of this work are discussed.


Changes in the electric reactions of intact endothelium of isolated rat aorta were studied in conditions of aging. A value of resting membrane potential of endothelium of old rats (24-26 mo) was significantly greater, than in control group of animals (6 mo). In responses to acetylcholine and ATP the old rats did not show a typical course of reactions, which was peculiar to control animals. Inability of old rats to produce a typical response to acetylcholine and ATP may signify a disturbance of links between endothelial cells, which resulted in functional clusterization of the latter. The data obtained suggest a possible mechanism of decrease in production and release of potent vasodilator--nitric oxide--due to changes that occur in the electric properties of endothelium in aging.


Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical attributes of three different plantbased, ground beef alternatives in comparison to ground beef of three different fat percentages. Study Description: Ground beef of three different fat percentages, a retail pea protein-based ground beef alternative, and a traditional soy-based ground beef alternative were obtained from retail stores (n = 15 lots/treatment). Samples from 15 lots of a foodservice soy protein-based ground beef alternative were obtained from a foodservice chain. All samples were fabricated into 0.25 lb patties assigned to one of four assays: color analysis, texture profile analysis, shear force, and pressed juice percentage. Results: When evaluating raw color, traditional ground beef alternative had the highest (P < 0.05) a* value and were redder when compared to all other treatments, with retail ground beef alternative having the lowest (P < 0.05) a* value. Traditional and retail ground beef alternative had the highest (P < 0.05) a* value, while foodservice ground beef alternative, and 30% and 10% fat ground beef had the lowest (P < 0.05) a* value for cooked surface color. For texture attributes, retail and foodservice ground beef alternatives had lower (P < 0.05) values for cohesiveness, gumminess, hardness, and chewiness, as well as higher (P < 0.05) values for springiness, than all other treatments evaluated. For shear force, the three ground beef alternatives were more tender (P < 0.05) than all three ground beef treatments, with foodservice and retail ground beef alternatives being more tender (P < 0.05) than all treatments. The three ground beef treatments had greater (P < 0.05) pressed juice percentage values than all ground beef alternatives, indicating the ground beef was juicier than any of the ground beef alternatives evaluated. The Bottom Line: While the ground beef alternative products attempt to mimic ground beef, they provide very different color, texture, tenderness, and cooking characteristics than traditional ground beef.


Haemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) is characterized by the presence of IgG antibodies in the maternal circulation which cause haemolysis in the fetus by crossing the placenta and sensitizing red cells for destruction by macrophages in the fetal spleen. Numerous serological, quantitative and cellular assays have been developed to predict the severity of HDN. These assays all measure and/or characterize alloantibodies in the maternal circulation. Quantitative assays which accurately measure antibody levels correlate with disease severity better than serological assays which are inherently less precise. Nevertheless, high antibody levels are found in some cases of mild HDN and relatively low antibody levels are found in some severe cases. This suggests that disease severity is influenced by factors in addition to antibody concentration. These factors remain to be fully elucidated but may include the subclass and glycosylation of maternal antibodies, the structure, site density, maturational development and tissue distribution of blood group antigens, the efficiency of IgG transport to the fetus, the functional maturity of the fetal spleen, polymorphisms which affect Fc receptor function, and the presence of HLA‐related inhibitory antibodies. Cellular assays which are sensitive to factors affecting antibody function have therefore been developed in an attempt to improve the prediction of disease severity. Although these assays are cumbersome, there are now sufficient data to suggest that some cellular assays, when used as part of a structured approach to diagnostic testing, may provide clinically‐useful information to complement serological and quantitative assays.


1. Changes in ventilation during progressive exercise were measured in eleven normal subjects. Ventilatory response to carbon dioxide at rest was measured in the same subjects using a rebreathing method.

2. The range of ventilatory response to exercise was 16·6–32·0 litres min−1 (litres CO2 min−1)−1 (mean 22·7; SD 5·35); response to O2 uptake was 17·0–43·9 litres min−1 (litres O2 min−1)−1 (mean 29·02; SD 9·07). Ventilatory response to CO2 ( S co2) ranged from 0·81 to 3·22 litre min−1 mmHg−1 (mean 1·87; SD 0·62).

3. There was a highly significant ( P < 0·001) correlation between the changes in response to increasing CO2 output or O2 uptake, and S co2.

4. The results are compatible with the suggestion that ventilation during exercise in normal subjects is directly related to their chemosensitivity to CO2, those having the highest sensitivity showing the greatest exercise ventilation.


The rise of plagiarism is often related to the shift from an analogue to a digital society. Due to the availability of information which makes it possible to discover quickly lots of information on specific subjects it is easy for learners to take information from another source. This fact shows that Academic Integrity is a challenge for those who are concerned with quality of education and research. Academic Integrity can be difficult to measure. There is also a risk that Academic Integrity is being taken for granted. The process of defining what Academic Integrity is and being both visible and practical in demonstrating its impact can do much to reconfirm its importance. There is work to be done and guidance needed. Examples and clear definitions with plans for execution are needed now. These examples and definitions are already present in the academic community. The challenge is to give this community the confidence to share their best practices with their peer institutions. For learners, the importance of Academic Integrity goes beyond a set of rules with which to understand black and white behaviour; Academic Integrity Policy is the rock which helps to understand what to do in grey situations. The temptation and ease with which learners can take short sighted decisions can be better combatted with a more thorough understanding of the long term impact for themselves, their academic work, career and society more widely. But how to start the conversation with learners about integrity and what do we say? How can we prepare learners for an academic life?


"Dogs and slaves are named by their masters; free men name themselves!" Richard B. Moore, The Name 'Negro'--Its Origin and Evil Use Richard B. Moore, lay historian, dynamic orator, community and labor organizer, socialist, and Communist was a leading representative of the intellectual tradition termed as Black "historians without portfolio." (2) In addition to writing historical works, Moore was also a Black book dealer and Africana bibliophile. Arguably the general public usually associates the prototype of Africana bibliophiles with Arthur Schomburg and his extensive collection. Of course, many are now aware that Schomburg's collection forms the basis for the famed research library in Harlem, which bears his name. Less known but equally significant is the fact that not only were Moore and Schomburg close friends and fellow bibliophiles, but also there is Moore's own impressive collection of 5,000 books and 15,000 pamphlets, booklets and periodicals, which serve as the foundation for the Richard B. Moore Library in St. Michaels, Barbados. (3) Moore has not received the full scholarly attention that he richly deserves. In part, this is due to the fact that he stood outside of the walls of academia. What is more, given his radical politics, we discover that his contributions to African American historiography, the African American Marxist political tradition in the United States, Caribbean independence and unity, the Pan-Africanist movement, and his scholarship and teaching toward the elevation of a sense of Black pride and dignity among the grassroots Black community are not fully appreciated. (4) Nonetheless, Moore's life remains a significant and extraordinary chapter in African American history and culture and especially now as we look back on the tremendous intellectual and practical struggles of the twentieth century and now seek to forge new ground in the 21st century. Moore's life covers the full spectrum of Afro-American political activism, cultural development and social advances. Given the expansive scope of Moore's life activities, the need for more diligent research into his biography becomes most glaring. For example, despite considerable research into African American involvement in sports, little has been written about Moore's pioneering role in advancing Black participation in the sport of tennis. Fortunately, we do have record of Moore's efforts to "End Jim Crow in Sports" and his comments at the 1940 World's Fair, where he announced, "If we are to preserve democracy, we must stand firm ... against those forces who trample on the principles of sportsmanship." (5) Moore was a pivotal leader among a contingent of Afro-Caribbean immigrants that arrived in the United States from the late nineteenth century into the early twentieth century, and who emerged as a considerable activist/intellectual influence on the growing sense of new racial and national awareness among Black people in the United States. (6) This resurgence of racial pride developed into a compelling political and cultural movement, which was/is commonly referred to as the "New Negro Movement". During the decade following World War I, when the "New Negro Movement" became closely identified with the "Harlem Renaissance," Moore helped shape these very two concepts ("New Negro Movement" and "Harlem Renaissance") into living monuments. Although, as we shall see, the term "Negro" would later give way to his advocacy for the group name of "Afro-American." (7) Cyril Briggs, Moore's comrade in the African Blood Brotherhood (ABB) and Communist Party, wrote about the idea of a "New Negro" in the 1919 edition of the ABB organ called The Crusader. In many respects, Briggs offers a perspective that summarizes Moore's viewpoint of the importance of the "New Negro Movement." Briggs argues, The Old Negro and his futile methods must go. After fifty years of him and his methods the Race still suffers from lynching, disfranchisement, Jim Crowism, segregation and a hundred other ills. …


This paper presents new radiolarian biostratigraphic and igneous/metamorphic geochemical data for a Mesozoic volcanic–sedimentary mélange on the island of Evia (Euboea or Evvoia), eastern Greece. This mélange includes dismembered thrust sheets and blocks of radiolarian chert and basalt. Biostratigraphic age data show that radiolarites interbedded with basalt-derived, coarse clastic sediments near the base of a coherent succession were deposited in Middle and Late Triassic time (Late Ladinian–Carnian, Norian?). Geochemical evidence shows that associated extrusive rocks, of inferred Triassic age, range from 'enriched' alkaline basalts, to 'transitional' basalts, and more 'depleted' mid-ocean ridge-type basalts. Amphibolite facies meta-basalts from the metamorphic sole of the over-riding Evia ophiolite exhibit similar chemical compositions. Both the basalts and the meta-basalts commonly show an apparent subduction-related influence (e.g. relative Nb depletion) that may have been inherited from a previous subduction event in the region. The basalts are interpreted to have erupted during Middle–Late Triassic time (Late Ladinian–Carnian), related to initial opening of a Neotethyan ocean basin adjacent to a rifted continental margin. Radiolarites located stratigraphically higher in the coherent succession studied are dated as Middle Jurassic (Late Bathonian–Early Callovian). Similar-aged radiolarites are depositionally associated with ophiolitic rocks (including boninites), in some other areas of Greece and Albania. During initial ocean basin closure (Bajocian–Bathonian) the adjacent shallow-water carbonate platform (Pelagonian zone) disintegrated to form basins in which siliceous sediments were deposited and highs on which shallow-water carbonates continued to accumulate. This facies differentiation is seen as a response to crustal flexure as the Neotethyan ocean began to close. The over-riding Pagondas Mélange and other similar units in the region are interpreted as accretionary prisms related to subduction of Neotethyan oceanic crust in Middle–Late Jurassic time. These mélanges were emplaced, probably diachronously during Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian time, when the passive margin collapsed, creating a foredeep ahead of advancing thrust sheets of mélange and ophiolites.


The authors of Chinatowns around the World: Gilded Ghetto, Ethnopolis, and Cultural Diaspora seek to expose the social reality of Chinatowns with empirical data while examining the changing nature and functions of Chinatowns in different countries around the world.


This Article is part of a larger empirical study based on face-to-face interviews with artists, scientists, engineers, their lawyers, agents, and business partners. The book-length project involves the collecting and analysis of stories from artists, scientists, and engineers about how and why they create and innovate. It also collects stories from their employers, business partners, managers, and lawyers about their role in facilitating the process of creating and innovating. The book's aim is to make sense of the intersection between intellectual property law and creative and innovative activity, specifically to discern how intellectual property intervenes in the careers of the artists and scientists. This paper is an overview of the first two chapters of the book. The first is entitled "Inspired Beginnings" and explains how people describe the embarkation on a life's work in art and science mostly as a function of intrinsic or serendipitous forces. The second chapter is entitled "The Work of Craft: Work Makes Work" and explores the varied ways the interviewees describe their daily work in terms of the pleasure of sitting in a defined space (lab, studio, study) and focusing on the details of a project. This second chapter also discusses how work is described in terms of natural metaphors (e.g. harvesting or fishing) and the possible ramifications of this rhetoric for intellectual property law and policy.


: Glaxo Wellcome is developing the NK1 antagonist GR-205171 for the potential treatment of chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced emesis, post-operative nausea and emesis, and migraine. Phase II trials have commenced for both these indications. GR-205171 has a similar affinity for the NK1 receptor as CP-99994 [176071,193105]. Glaxo anticipates NDA and MAA filings in 2000 [244813]. A trial of GR-205171 in combination with ondansetron demonstrated the combination to be highly effective in the prevention of acute cisplatin-induced emesis. Complete responses were seen in all patients receiving high-dose GR-205171 plus ondansetron. The combination provided complete control of nausea in 16 h in 10 out of 12 patients [289484]. The compound has an ED90 value of 0.03 mg/kg against radiation-induced emesis in the ferret [207316]. GR-205171 is also active against adjuvant-induced inflammatory pain in the rat and may be of potential use in the treatment of chronic inflammatory pain.


A key element of new public management in many jurisdictions has been the substitution of public by private sector ownership, and the replacement of public delivery and funding of services by private mechanisms. Despite these substitutions, there remains little credible evidence that ownership per se is a factor in organisational performance. Yet, many jurisdictions such as Australia have placed great faith in privatisation as a means of securing greater efficiencies in the provision of public services. This article suggests that rather than ask the question of whether or not organisations should be publicly or privately owned, a more important question needs to be answered: what makes organisations better able to provide for public outcomes? In answering this question, governments are better able to make decisions about what public services need to be provided and how their public services are best delivered. The article considers the Australian case of privatisation and notes that a focus on privatisation has often blinded the Australian government to the importance of maintaining 'publicness' or the important public outcomes of services they provide or fund.


Avocado is one of the most widely consumed crops worldwide and originated in the Sierra Nevada region in California eight to five million years ago. In Guatemala, a high genetic diversity has been reported by morphological characterisations, but due the crosspollination and interracial hybridisations, these characterisations present complications and it is not possible to detail the total genetic richness. Molecular markers are a useful tool for this type of studies because they are free of environmental effects and focus on differences at the DNA level. The main objective of this study was to analyse the genetic diversity of 189 materials of native Guatemalan avocado collected in seven populations located in eight departments of the country, using 11 SSR molecular marker. A total number of 262 polymorphic alleles were detected with a mean number of 10.701 per population. Among population, the expected heterozygosity varied from 0.738 to 0.837. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that only 2% genetic variation existed among population, while 65 % existed within individuals and 33 % existed among individuals . Moderate differentiations among the analysed populations were indicated by Fst index 0.018. Structure analysis suggested two and four cluster for the whole avocado materials. The lack of population structure is attributed to the process of selection, the system of cross-pollination, the exchange of seeds and the process of domestication to which the avocado is still subject. We therefore suggest the protection of the phytogenetic resource, as well as a complementary agromorphological characterisation, to establish an adequate strategy of exploitation through plant breeding programs.


All information in this listing should be treated as provisional. Many of the events listed are at risk of being postponed or cancelled due to restrictions on people movement and assembly. 23-25 Ju...


Obesity is a chronic disease resulting from various genetic factors and environmental conditions (nutrition, sedentary life-style, psychological factors). The importance of prevention and therapy of obesity is emerging because of the high prevalence of metabolic complications. The first goal of any therapy must be a stabilisation of weight, followed by a reduction of body weight. Any intervention must be long-acting. Short-acting therapies (diets) result in a regain of body weight in over 90%. The most effective therapy is an integrative concept basing on: change of nutrition by reduction of fat and carbohydrate intake (daily deficit of 500-1000 kcal). psychotherapeutic approach, targeting a long-term change of eating-behaviour and life-style, avoiding guilt feelings. encouraging physical activity. Drugs (Orlistat, Sibutramin) may be helpful in selected cases as a part of a limited treatment, they do not replace changes in lifestyle. Surgical interventions (gastric banding, gastric bypass) can be considered in morbid obesity with the presence of metabolic complications, as they are the most effective way of weight reduction.


We present high angular resolution (0.3 arcsec or $37\, \mathrm{pc}$) Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations of the CO(2–1) line emission from a central disc in the early-type galaxy NGC 524. This disc is shown to be dynamically relaxed, exhibiting ordered rotation about a compact $1.3\, \mathrm{mm}$ continuum source, which we identify as emission from an active supermassive black hole (SMBH). There is a hole at the centre of the disc slightly larger than the SMBH sphere of influence. An azimuthal distortion of the observed velocity field is found to be due to either a position angle warp or radial gas flow over the inner 2${^{\prime\prime}_{.}}$5. By forward-modelling the observations, we obtain an estimate of the SMBH mass of $4.0^{+3.5}_{-2.0}\times 10^8\,$ M⊙, where the uncertainties are at the 3σ level. The uncertainties are dominated by the poorly constrained inclination and the stellar mass-to-light ratio of this galaxy, and our measurement is consistent with the established correlation between SMBH mass and stellar velocity dispersion. Our result is roughly half that of the previous stellar dynamical measurement, but is consistent within the uncertainties of both. We also present and apply a new tool for modelling complex molecular gas distributions.


It is shows that the diagnostic Roentgen contrast media (RCM) in a dose of 2.0 g iodine/kg increase the activity of lactate dehydrogenase in rat blood, the effect decreasing in the following order: iodamide > bilignost > triombrast > peritrast > melitrast > omnipaque > hexabrix. At the same time, the RCM in a dose of 0.5 g iodine/kg (iodine concentration, 0.03-30 mg/ml) and gadolinium-containing magnetic-resonance contrast media (MRCM) in a dose of 0.1 mM/kg (gadolinium concentration, 0.2-1 mg/ml) inhibit the enzyme, the effect decreasing in the following order: bilignost = iodamide = triombrast = peritrast > hexabrix > omnipaque = melitrast = ultravist = magnevist = dipentast. The mechanism of action of the contrast media on the LDH activity was studied and it was found that changes in the enzyme activity is correlated with the toxicity (LD 50) of RCM. The groups of risk from the standpoint of side reactions to the intravenous RCM introduction are determined.


Objective(s): In the present work, the effects of L-carnitine (LC) on postischemic cardiac hemodynamic functions and infarction size were studied in isolated rat heart. Materials and Methods: The hearts were subjected to 30 min regional ischemia followed by 120 min reperfusion. Then they were perfused by a drug-free or LC-enriched Krebs–Henseleit (K/H) solution during ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R) (Protocol 1), 10 min before ischemia induction (Protocol 2; preconditioning group) or the first 10 min of reperfusion (Protocol 3; postconditioning group). Results: The perfusion of LC in protocol 1 significantly reduced left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) (P<0.05), and increased left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) (P<0.05), rate pressure product (RPP) (P<0.01) and coronary flow rate (CFR) (P<0.05). The short-term preischemic administration of LC in protocol 2 improved RPP, CFR and decreased the extent of LVEDP elevation. However, protective effects of LC in this protocol were low compared to the whole period perfusion. In protocol 3, LC preserved postischemic cardiac functions not as much as the other protocols. In addition, infarct size significantly decreased by LC in all protocols as opposed to the control group (P<0.001). Conclusion: The results of the present work showed that LC produced protective effects against I/R injury. These protective actions were reversed by concomitant use of etomoxir (a CPT-I inhibitor), suggesting that the efficacy of LC could be due to its mitochondrial action, probably related to the raise in glucose oxidation of the reperfused hearts.


Specific medication in specific maladies is now recognized as the objective point of medical research. Whatever the means employed, the course of events and the processes to that end, the object sought is the all-important question. The men who have, or do now, play a role in the endeavors of medical science, no matter how divergent their opinions may be, no matter how inharmonious their relations, results and manner of work, are only instruments for the accomplishment of a great task, and their personality and differences, as in all processes of evolution, are insignificant and inconsiderable as compared with the achievements sought for the benefit of mankind. Conflicts of intellects are as essential factors of medical evolution as are conflicts of intellects in other


In addition to encouraging people to become more physically active and healthy, participation in outdoor recreation helps to expose people to different instances of environmental degradation in places where they recreate. This exposure may also help people to become more environmentally aware and subsequently informed about environmental conservation programs such as conservation easements. Hence, this paper examined whether people participating in outdoor recreation activities have also placed their lands in conservation easements. Using national level data from the National Survey on Recreation and the Environment (NSRE) people who participated in land-based and water-based recreation activities were examined and grouped into consumptive and non-consumptive activities. Results indicated people who participated in land-based non-consumptive recreations have greater odds of placing their lands in conservation easements than people who participated in consumptive recreation activities.


During the last three years the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Tasmania has used a needs assessment survey to explore the needs of organizations and nursing professionals that facilitate and clinically supervise Bachelor of Nursing students in the workplace. Findings from the survey indicated that staff at healthcare organizations wanted a communication strategy that was easily accessible by clinicians who supervised students during work integrated learning placements. In particular they wanted to receive timely information related to the role and function of supervisors in practice. The development of the digital strategy to strengthen the development of a community of practice between the University, organizations, facilities and clinical supervisors was identified as the key method of improving communication. Blogging and micro blogging were selected as methods of choice for the implementation of the digital strategy because they were easy to set up, use and enable equity of access to geographically dispersed practitioners in urban and rural areas. Change champions were identified to disseminate information about the strategy within their workplaces. Although clinicians indicated electronic communication as their preferred method, there were a number of human factors at a systems and individual level identified to be challenges when communicating with clinical supervisors who were based off-campus. Information communication technology policies and embedded culture towards social presence were impediments to using this approach in some organizations. Additionally, it was found that it is necessary for this group of clinicians to be educated about using digital methods to undertake their role as clinical supervisors in their varied clinical practice environments.


This paper reports data from a study of children's experiences of transition to school in Hong Kong. Hong Kong research into transition to school has been limited to investigation of curriculum issues and teaching practices by the Education Department (1993), a comparative study of skills preschool and primary school teachers believed children needed (Chow, 1993), and a recently released study on primary one students' transition problems in the Shatin area (Chan et al., 1999). In the present study, Hong Kong parents, primary school teachers and children expressed their views on difficulties in transition to school. Two types of primary schools were chosen for the sample: two with preschools attached and two which served neighbourhood preschools. Children and primary teachers were interviewed twice, once in mid October, in the initial "settling in" phase, and again in mid June the following year, at the end of the school year, while parents were surveyed in mid-October. In general, difficulties of "settling in" were overcome at the end of the first or second month. Nearly all children preferred studying in the primary schools during the first interview. However, the second interview revealed that some children wished to go back to the kindergartens where they claimed they had no pressure for examination and study. The results showed that pedagogical discontinuity is a major issue of difficulties in school transition in Hong Kong. The findings echoed those from the Chan et al. (1999) study on the adjustment of primary one pupils in Shatin.


Renal fusion anomalies, in which both kidneys are fused togeher in early embyronic life, are rarely encountered. Once a fused kidney is diagnosed or suspected, further laboratory and imaging evaluation should be performed to assess the status of the kidneys and to look for treatable causes of renal pathology. The early dignosis of potential complications that can accompany this anomaly must be made in order to prevent permanent renal damage. The advantage of multidetector computed tomographic (MDCT) urography is its ability to depict the normal urinary tract anatomy, including both the renal parenchyma, and collecting structures and ureters. MDCT urography is helpful to screen for the presence of stones, hydronephrosis or masses. Additionally, it provides information about the vascular supply of the fused kidneys. Therefore, MDCT urography enables a comprehensive evaluation of patients with renal fusion anomalies in a single examination. Especially three-dimensional reformatted images can provide good delineation of congenital fusion anomalies of the kidney. In this study we report our experience with MDCT urography for the anatomic demonstration of renal fusion anomalies.


BACKGROUND: Deworming programs have had positive impacts on the incidence of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels among schoolchildren.
AIM: This study aimed to evaluate effects of a deworming program on IPIs and Hb levels among schoolchildren in Jakarta, Indonesia.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in one school in Jakarta, Indonesia. Stool samples from schoolchildren were examined using the direct smear and Kato-Katz methods. The Hb concentrations of the schoolchildren were measured using the Easy Touch GCHb tool kit.
RESULTS: A total of 219 stool samples were obtained, and 18.7% (41/219) were positive for IPIs; specifically 8.2% (18/219) were positive for helminth and 10.5% (23/219) were positive for protozoan infections. The prevalences of Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura were 6.4% and 1.8%, respectively. The prevalences of Blastocystis hominis, Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, and Entamoeba coli were 6.8%, 2.7%, 0.5%, and 0.5%, respectively. The prevalence of anemia (Hb < 11.5 g/dL) among the schoolchildren was 19.6% (43/219). The IPIs were significantly associated with Hb concentrations among the schoolchildren (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: The results of this study support the use of integrated programs involving deworming, nutrient supplementation, development of good living conditions, use of sanitary facilities, and active participation in the community to reduce IPIs and to improve the nutritional status among schoolchildren.


BackgroundandObjectives: Depression is one of the most important mental disorders affecting 350 million people in the world. The aim of this study was to explore the similarities and differences in the symptoms and experiences of depression in cities representing the Fars, Turk, and Kurd ethnic groups of Iran. Methods: A qualitative study was implemented in three ethnic groups in Iran between April 2016 and March 2017 using individual interviews with 44 depressed patients, 20 people of their relatives, and three key informants in Tehran (Fars), Tabriz (Turk), and Sanandaj (Kurd) cities. The data were analyzed using directed content analysis. Results: The analysis of the data led to the extraction of four main themes, including cognitive, behavioral, physical, and emotional/motivational symptoms. Conclusions: The study findings would help to explore various expressions of depression and provide a multidimensional construct to develop the culturally specific measurement of depression in three different ethnic groups.


A cross-sectional epidemiologic study about low back pain (LBP) reports and associated factors was conducted in two steel industries. A checklist was used to collect information concerning the health, the LBP history, the personal characteristics as well as the characteristics of the present and past working conditions. This checklist was filled by an interviewer during a free discussion with each worker; 618 blue collar workers participated in this study. Lumbar symptoms were 66%, 53%, and 25%, respectively, during the lifetime, the 12 months, and the 7 days before the interview. The multivariate logistic regression showed an association with two occupational factors: heavy efforts of the shoulders (OR = 1.62) and vehicle driving (OR = 1.15). The other characteristics of the working conditions such as physical workload, postures and movements of the trunk, or exposure to whole body vibrations were not associated with an increased prevalence of LBP.


The present study analyzes the evolution of the concept of the digital gap with the elderly from the perspective of active ageing and in the context of the use of online social networks as a communication instrument. We consider that socio-demographic variables are not enough to explain the elderly's use or non-use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Psychological variables, such as cognitive age, technology anxiety and the level of adventurousness complement the former and can even explain more the elderly person's behaviour regarding the use of online social networks. The results come from a sample of elderly people who are students of an Experience Classroom in a university. They allow us to confirm that our doubts about the stereotype of the elderly concerning the digital divide are correct and that the psychological variables serve to a greater extent to show the significant differences with respect to determining their profile. The elderly user of online social networks feels younger, experiences a lower level of technology anxiety and is more adventurous. In general, psychological characteristics therefore offer a more discriminant power than those that are socio-demographic. This is why we propose the concept of a psycho-digital divide.


EBV can transform human B cells giving rise to lymphoblastoid cell lines that produce and secrete Ig. Herein B cells from various tissues of newborns and adults were transformed by EBV and their Ig products were analyzed with isotype-specific mAb. Although IgG- and IgA-bearing B cells were present in the newborn, EBV transformed IgM-producing cells almost exclusively in both newborn blood and breast milk. IgM-secreting cells were derived from IgM+ B cells and IgM- pre-B cells present in neonatal blood, but only from IgM+ cells in adult blood. Whereas in adults most EBV-transformed cells produced IgM, producers of IgG and of IgA were present in frequencies that varied according to the tissue source. Precursors of IgG-producing cells were relatively abundant in blood, spleen, and tonsil, and relatively infrequent in bone marrow and appendix. EBV-inducible IgA producers were relatively concentrated in the appendix and to a lesser extent in tonsils and blood. Differences in the subclass composition of EBV-transformed populations of IgG- and IgA-producers were also observed for the various adult lymphoid tissues. IgG1-producing cells predominated in most tissues, and precursors of IgG2 were largely confined to the circulation. Whereas IgA1-producing cells were predominant in all tissues, a marked enrichment in IgA2-producers was observed in the appendix. These results indicate a remarkable heterogeneity in the isotype distribution pattern of EBV-transformable B cells that is determined both by developmental age and tissue localization. We propose that EBV selectively transforms primed B cells, the isotype commitment of which varies according to tissue origin and age.


Automatic cleaning of MultiBeam EchoSounder (MBES) bathymetric datasets is a critical issue in data processing especially with the objective of nautical charting. A number of approaches have already been investigated in order to provide solution in views of operationally reaching this still challenging problem. This paper aims at providing a comprehensive and structured overview of existing contributions in the literature. For this purpose, a taxonomy is proposed to categorize the whole set of automatic and semi-automatic methods addressing MBES data cleaning. The non-supervised algorithms that compose the majority of the methods developed in the hydrographic field, are mainly described according to both the features of the bathymetric data and the type of outliers to detect. Based on this detailed review, past and future developments are discussed in light of both implementation and test on datasets and metrics used for performances assessment.


Most sign language translation (SLT) methods to date require the use of gloss annotations to provide additional supervision information, however, the acquisition of gloss is not easy. To solve this problem, we first perform an analysis of existing models to confirm how gloss annotations make SLT easier. We find that it can provide two aspects of information for the model, 1) it can help the model implicitly learn the location of semantic boundaries in continuous sign language videos, 2) it can help the model understand the sign language video globally. We then propose gloss attention, which enables the model to keep its attention within video segments that have the same semantics locally, just as gloss helps existing models do. Furthermore, we transfer the knowledge of sentence-to-sentence similarity from the natural language model to our gloss attention SLT network (GASLT) to help it understand sign language videos at the sentence level. Experimental results on multiple large-scale sign language datasets show that our proposed GASLT model significantly outperforms existing methods. Our code is provided in https://github.com/YinAoXiong/GASLT.


We examine two factors frequently thought to be changing the U.S. workplace, high performance work practices and computer use, and their relationships with pay using a national probability sample of U.S. establishments. The analysis controls for both organizational and individual characteristics and finds that higher wages are associated with several practices, particularly computer use and teamwork, for front-line workers who are the targets of most high performance work practices. Not surprisingly, relationships are not as strong for other occupations and are very weak in the non-manufacturing sector. Computer use is a particularly important influence on the wages of managers and supervisors, although it is computer use by their subordinates that is the important factor. The most unusual result may be the consistently negative and significant relationship between wages and job rotation where additional analyses suggest that job rotation in isolation from other high performance practices may proxy lower skill jobs. Some of the positive relationships vanish when various controls for human capital are added, suggesting that those wage premiums are a return to human capital and may be driven by greater skill requirements.