Energy security, is being located at the intersection of all political, military and economic policies, is directly related to foreign policy strategies of the states in an interdependent world order. As the main pillar of this concept, pipeline politics is a very important component of foreign policy making process. Within this context, the Blue Stream pipeline project and its role within the broader framework of energy based emerging Turko-Russian cooperation and implications over foreign policy strategies of the actors in Eurasia is examined. The Blue Stream is both economically and strategically in disadvantage of Turkey, It has shifted the regional balance of power between the Russian Federation and Turkey in favor of the former. Furthermore, to somehow it has undermined the Western high interests led by US by providing Russia to become a more active player in Eurasian energy game.


We investigate the influence of efficacy of synaptic interaction on firing synchronization in excitatory neuronal networks. We find spike death phenomena: namely, the state of neurons transits from the limit cycle to a fixed point or transient state. The phenomena occur under the perturbation of an excitatory synaptic interaction, which has a high efficacy. We show that the decrease of synaptic current results in spike death through depressing the feedback of the sodium ionic current. In the networks with the spike death property the degree of synchronization is lower and insensitive to the heterogeneity of neurons. The mechanism of the influence is that the transition of the neuron state disrupts the adjustment of the rhythm of the neurons oscillation and prevents a further increase of the firing synchronization.


The Wittig olefination utilizing phosphoranes and the related Horner-WadsworthEmmons (HWE) reaction using phosphonates transform aldehydes and ketones into substituted alkenes. Because of the versatility of the reactions and the compatibility of many functional groups towards the transformations, both Wittig olefination and HWE reactions are a mainstay in the arsenal of organic synthesis. Here, an overview is given on Wittigand Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) reactions run in combination with other transformations in one-pot procedures. The focus lies on one-pot oxidation Wittig/HWE protocols, Wittig/HWE olefinations run in concert with metal catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, Domino Wittig/HWE—cycloaddition and Wittig-Michael transformations.


BACKGROUND
A major cause of death in dogs with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is thromboembolism. Previous studies suggest unfractionated heparin (UH) is not effective in preventing thromboembolism in IMHA; however, subtherapeutic dosing could explain the seeming lack of efficacy.

HYPOTHESIS
Providing therapeutic plasma concentration of UH by individually adjusting doses based on antifactor Xa activity would improve survival in IMHA.

ANIMALS
Fifteen dogs with primary IMHA.

METHODS
Randomized, prospective, controlled clinical trial. Dogs received standardized therapy for IMHA and either constant dose (CD) (150 U/kg SC) (n = 7) or individually adjusted dose (IAD) (n = 8) UH, monitored via an anti-Xa chromogenic assay, adjusted according to a nomogram. UH was administered every 6 hours until day 7, and every 8 hours thereafter. UH dose was adjusted daily in IAD dogs until day 7, weekly until day 28, then tapered over 1 week. Dogs were monitored for 180 days.

RESULTS
At day 180, 7 dogs in the IAD group and 1 in the CD group were alive (P= .01). Median survival time for the IAD group was >180 days, and 68 days for the CD group. Thromboembolic events occurred in 5 dogs in the CD group and 2 dogs in the IAD group. Doses of UH between 150 and 566 U/kg achieved therapeutic anti-Xa activity (0.35-0.7 U/mL).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
This study suggests that IAD UH therapy using anti-Xa monitoring reduced case fatality rate in dogs with IMHA when compared with dogs receiving fixed low dose UH therapy.


The absorption, heating and relative intensities of ultrasonic beams used for physiotherapy are studied in water and in simulated tissue as a function of position in relation to the transducer head. It is found that the heating effects are significantly different from the beam profile shape. The effective area and depth of ultrasonic physiotherapy treatment is established for various situations, and tissue temperature rise curves are obtained. The results are appropriate for treatment planning. As an example, the typical volume of tissue effectively treated by ultrasound is a cylinder 6 to 8 cm in diameter and 1 cm deep.


Caesarean scar ectopic pregnancy (CSEP) is considered an extremely rare entity, but life threatening, however, with the increase in C/S rates it is becoming a more common finding. To explore the possibility of utilizing ultrasound guided transvaginal aspiration and injection of 50 mg methotrexate followed by mechanical disruption as a promising primary treatment approach for CSEP. In a series of 11 cases at Tawam Hospital (UAE) diagnosed with CSEP, an ultrasound guided transvaginal aspiration of the amniotic fluid and gestational tissue, followed by injection of 50 mg Methotrexate into the remaining chorionic sac and then disruption of the sac with the needle. B-hCG level were measured on: day of procedure, day 1 or 2 after the procedure and then weekly. Final resolution was considered when B-hCG returned to < 5mIU/mL. All cases presented and diagnosed in the 1st trimester, mean gestational age at diagnosis was 6.6 weeks (range 5-10). The presenting symptoms were mainly lower abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding in 8/11 patients (73%) while three women were asymptomatic (27%) and CSEP was diagnosed incidentally at viability scan. Nine out of eleven cases showed cardiac activity (82%). B-hCG day 1 or 2 post procedure dropped in all cases but by variable levels, ranging from 1.1% to 74.7%, while the drop during days 7-10, was more significant and reassuring; ranged from 45.7% to 92.5 %. No complications were reported with 100% success rate. Ultrasound guided transvaginal aspiration and injection of 50 mg Methotrexate followed by needle mechanical disruption is a promising primary treatment approach for CSEP. However, more studies with more numbers are needed to further support this treatment method.


Abstract In the second edition Preface of Religion Within the Bounds of Bare Reason Kant responds to an anonymous review of the first edition. We present the first English translation of this obscure book review. Following our translation, we summarize the reviewer's main points and evaluate the adequacy of Kant's replies to five criticisms, including two replies that Kant provides in footnotes added in the second edition. A key issue is the reviewer's claim that Religion adopts an implied standpoint, described using transcendental terminology. Kant could have avoided much confusion surrounding Religion, had he taken this review more seriously. We therefore respond to three objections that Kant failed to address: how the Wille–Willkür distinction enables the propensity to evil to be viewed as coexisting with freedom of choice; how moral improvement is possible, even though the propensity to evil is necessary and universal; and how a 'deed' can be regarded as 'noumenal'.


Accurate skin lesion segmentation is an important yet challenging problem for medical image analysis. The skin lesion segmentation is subject to variety of challenges such as the significant pattern and colour diversity found within the lesions, presence of various artifacts, etc. In this paper, we present two fully convolutional networks with several side outputs to take advantage of discriminative capability of features learned at intermediate layers with varying resolutions and scales for the lesion segmentation. More specifically, we integrate fine and coarse prediction scores of the side-layers which allows our framework to not only output accurate probability map for the lesion, but also extract fine lesion boundary details such as the fuzzy border, which further improves the lesion segmentation. Quantitative evaluation is performed on the 2016 International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging (ISBI 2016) dataset, which shows our proposed approach compares favorably with state-of-the-art skin segmentation methods.


Deriving products from a software product line is difficult, particularly when there are many constraints in the variability of the product line. Understanding the impact of variability binding decisions (i.e. of selecting or dismissing features) is a particular challenge: (i) the decisions taken must not violate any variability constraint, and (ii) the effects and consequences of every variability decision need to be understood well. This problem can be reduced significantly with good support both for variability specification and decision making. We have developed an extension of the ADORA language and tool which is capable of modeling and visualizing both the functionality and the variability of a product line in a single model and provides automated reasoning on the variability space. In this paper we describe how our approach supports stepwise, incremental derivation of a product requirements specification from a product line specification. We visualize what has been derived so far, automatically re-evaluate the variability constraints and propagate the results as restrictions on the remaining product derivation options. We demonstrate our approach by showing a sequence of product derivation steps in an example from the industrial automation domain. We claim that our approach both improves the efficiency and quality of the derivation process.


In this paper, assuming that each vertex is neighboring to at least one fault-free vertex, we investigate the (t,k)-diagnosability of a graph G under the PMC model. Lower bounds on the numeric degrees of (t,k)-diagnosability are suggested when G is a general graph or G is a regular graph. In particular, the following results are obtained. Symmetric d-dimensional grids are ({N-m\over 2d}, {\min} \{m, 2d-1\} )-diagnosable, where d\ge 2, 1\le m\le 2d-1, and N are the number of vertices. Symmetric d-dimensional tori are ({N+0.62 N^{{2\over 3} }-2\over 4},1)-diagnosable if d=2, and ({N-m\over 2d}, {\min} \{m, 4d-2\} )-diagnosable if d\ge 3, where 1\le m\le 4d-2. Hypercubes are ({N-2\log N+2\over \log N},2\log N-2)-diagnosable. Cube-connected cycles are ({N-m\over 3}, {\min} \{m, 4\} )-diagnosable, where 1\le m \le 4; k-ary trees are ({N-1\over k}, 1)-diagnosable.


A method for the detection of spermine oxidase activity was developed using the amino acid analyzer to follow the changes in composition of incubation mixture of spermine or spermidine. Spermine oxidase activity could be detected in fetal calf serum (FCS), and six major spermine oxidation products were revealed in the incubation mixture. Incubation of spermine or spermidine with FCS produced oxidation products which suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced mitogenesis and the murine mixed lymphocyte reaction. Oxidation was inhibited by the spermine oxidase inhibitors hydroxylamine and isonicotinic acid hydrazide, and inhibition of the immune response was no longer evident suggesting that the inhibitory material was a product of the action of the enzyme on spermic and spermidine. When FCS was used as the source of the spermine oxidase, some suppression via a cytotoxic effect could not be excluded. Mouse amniotic fluid was found to contain high levels of a spermine oxidase having a somewhat different specificity than that in FCS, and this enzyme produced a noncytotoxic immune inhibitor from cadaverine, spermidine and spermine. These data raise questions concerning the role polyamine oxidation products may play in the immunosuppression associated with pregnancy and in the generation of nonantigen-specific suppressors by cells cultured in FCS or other media containing polyamine oxidase activity.


Due to rapid advancement in the e-commerce technology online shopping is becoming favourite trend among people. Credit card is the mostly preferred payment mode for online as well as regular purchase. Along with increased use of credit cards, frauds associated with it are also increasing day by day. Objective of this paper is to introduce a system which detects fraudulent transactions. It is possible with the use of Hidden Markov Model(HMM). HMM is initially trained with the behaviour of cardholder. If an incoming transaction is not accepted by the trained HMM with sufficient probability then it may be fraudulent. To ensure that transaction is fraudulent or not we are using Implicit Password Authentication (IPAS).This will also try to ensure that genuine transactions are not rejected by properly distinguishing between genuine and fraudulent transaction.


Background and aims: The outcomes of current treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are unsatisfactory and development of new and more efficacious therapeutic strategies are required. The Notch pathway, which is necessary for cell survival to avert apoptosis, induces the resistance of cancer cells to antitumour drugs. Notch pathway activation is controlled by the cleavage of Notch proteins/receptors mediated by A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17); therefore, ADAM17 is a reliable intervention target for anti-tumour therapy to overcome the drug resistance of cancer cells. This work aims to develop and elucidate the activation of Compound 2b, a novel-structured small-molecule inhibitor of ADAM17, which was designed and developed and its therapeutic efficacy in NSCLC was assessed via multi-assays. Methods and results: A lead compound for a potential inhibitor of ADAM17 was explored via pharmacophore modelling, molecular docking, and biochemical screening. It was augmented by substituting two important chemical groups [R1 and R2 of the quinoxaline-2,3-diamine (its chemical skeleton)]; subsequently, serial homologs of the lead compound were used to obtain anoptimized compound (2b) with high inhibitory activity compared with leading compound against ADAM17 to inhibit the cleavage of Notch proteins and the accumulation of the Notch intracellular domain in the nuclei of NSCLC cells. The inhibitory activity of compound 2b was demonstrated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. The specificity of compound 2b on ADAM17 was confirmed via point-mutation. Compound 2b enhanced the activation of antitumor drugs on NSCLC cells, in cell lines and nude mice models, by targeting the ADAM17/Notch pathway. Conclusion: Compound 2b may be a promising strategy for NSCLC treatment.


P212 Background: After a cerebral embolic event, complex plaques in the proximal aorta constitute an important finding by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Yet, there is no consensus regarding its optimal treatment, and we studied the short-term outcome in this group of patients. Method: Between August 1995 and August 1998, 424 patients were examined with TEE after a suspected cerebral embolic event. We re-evaluated the 94 examinations with any plaques noticed in the proximal aorta and reviewed the medical charts for previous embolic events, diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, ECG, laboratory findings, antithrombotic treatment and outcome (mean follow-up time 19 months). Results: Of 94 patients with any plaques in the proximal aorta, 75 were complex (protruded more than 4 mm or had a mobile component), and 55 of these were finally diagnosed as having suffered cerebral embolism. After exclusion of 8 patients with atrial fibrillation, 47 patients constituted the study group. As secondary prevention, 32 and 15 patients were on antiplatelets and oral anticoagulation, respectively, at event or end of follow-up. In the antiplatelet group (A), 8 of 32 patients (25%) suffered a new cerebral embolic episode vs. none in the anticoagulant group (B) (p=0.03). Mean time to recurrent embolism was 10 months. No hemorrhagic stroke or other important bleeding occurred during follow-up. Leukocyte count was slightly higher in group A (8.7±2.4 vs. 7.2 ± 1.9× 10 9 /L, p=0.04), no other significant difference was found between groups A and B regarding mean age (64 vs. 67 years), systolic blood pressure (171±32 vs. 166±23mmHg, p=0.60), left atrial size (17.9±4.0 vs. 19.0±5.0 cm 2 , p=0.42), hemoglobin conc. (143±15 vs. 140±14 g/L, p=0.53), S-cholesterol (5.9±1.5 vs. 6.5±1.2 mmol/L, p=0.23), S-triglycerides (1.9±1.0 vs. 2.0±1.1 mmol/L, p=0.70), history of diabetes, ischemic heart disease, hypertension or smoking. Conclusion: Complex plaques in the proximal aorta are frequently found in patients with cerebral embolism. Our study indicates that these patients benefit from oral anticoagulation, while treatment with antiplatelets is associated with a high incidence of recurrent embolism.


The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene is considered to be a major determinant of the risk of melanoma. The role of MC1R polymorphisms as predisposing factors for the development of a second primary melanoma is not well established. The present study analyses the characteristics from subjects with certain MC1R variants without any other genetic predisposition, as well as the risk of second primary melanoma associated with these variants. We performed a prospective longitudinal single‐centre study based on follow‐up information of 402 patients diagnosed with cutaneous melanoma. MC1R gene was sequenced in all subjects. High‐risk variants were defined as those previously associated with melanoma (V60L, V92M, I155T, R160W, R163Q and D294H). 253 (63%) patients had at least one predisposing variant. These individuals had higher proportion of red/blonde hair, multiple primary melanomas and first melanoma diagnosis under the age of 60. Second primary melanomas were detected in 28 (3.8%) subjects. Having more than 25 melanocytic nevi was associated significantly to the development of second primary melanomas. A higher proportion of individuals carrying at least one predisposing MC1R variant develop a second melanoma, although statistical significance was not reached. Therefore, some MC1R polymorphisms might determine clinical and histological differences between patients with cutaneous melanoma and may represent a risk factor for second primary melanoma, although more studies are needed.


Procedures for enrichment, isolation and purification of exosomes from complex biological samples are difficult, tedious, non-standardized, and require bulky instrumentation such as ultracentrifugation (UC). In this article, a simple method for isolating exosomes. Size-Selective Method (SSM) was established based on commercially available materials, and the UC and ExoQuick-TC kits (EQkit) methods were compared in terms of morphology, particle size, quantity, Western Blot (WB), and extraction time. Results showed that all three different exosome separation methods could obtain circular membranous vesicles, with a diameter of 30-110 nm. There were more non-exosome components in the samples extracted by SSM, such as large microvesicles, with a lower purity. UC obtained a large number of exosomes with a higher purity, but it required an ultracentrifuge, costed much time and had low yield. Both EQkit and SSM were easy to operate, but EQkit tended to aggregate exosomes and consume much time. WB results showed that exosomes extracted by all the three methods expressed CD63 protein. The SSM had the highest CD63 protein content and at the same protein concentration. The above evidences showed that SSM was fast and had high recovery, low cost and high protein concentration, but had more non-exosome protein components, which can be a choice for exosome separation.


Coalbed methane (CBM) which is clean energy has received great emphasis recently, and the multi-fracturing technology is widely applied in the exploitation of CBM. Due to the complexity, the randomness, and the anisotropism of the porous medium and the anomalous diffusion process, the fractal theory and fractional calculus are utilized to establish a semi-analytical fractal-fractional mathematical model considering the stress sensitivity of the cleat system for multi-fractured horizontal wells in CBM reservoirs. Through line-sink theory, Pedrosa transformation, perturbation theory, Laplace transformation, element discretization, superposition principle, and Stehfest numerical inversion, the pressure-transient analysis curves are plotted in the double logarithmic coordinates. By comparing with the existing model, the validation of the proposed model is illustrated. Also, nine flowing stages are identified according to different characteristics. Then, sensitivity analysis is conducted and influence laws are summarized. At last, a field application is introduced to furtherly verify the reliability of the proposed model. The relevant results analysis can provide some new significant guidance for interpreting the field data more precisely.


Background: The responsibility for the management of diabetes mellitus, a highly prevalent and serious chronic condition, falls mostly on our primary health care services. Macassar Community Health Centre (CHC) in the Western Cape provides care for over 1000 patients with diabetes. Many studies show that disease and case management can improve patient care for chronic illnesses and the researcher decided to assess the management of diabetic patients at this CHC.

Aim: To perform an audit on diabetes care in the Macassar Community Health Centre population and implement a cycle of quality improvement.

Methods: An audit (as part of a quality improvement cycle) was done to assess the standard of care as reflected in 2009. Two hundred and fifty patient folders were selected randomly and assessed. A year of interventions, including training of staff and the use of a patient-held chronic care card took place. This was followed by a second audit of 250 folders from 2010, and the results were compared.

Results: Most of the targets for structure outcomes were achieved, yet only 3 out of 13 process outcomes, and 3 out of 11 patient outcomes were achieved. In general there was an improvement in all outcomes with the second audit yet some issues will still need particular attention in the next quality improvement cycle. There was a big difference between these results and the Integrated Audit of Chronic Disease Management of 2009 which only looked at 10 folders, for example the CDM audit found that 75% of HbA1c's were under 7, yet in this audit which assessed the same year, only 5% of HbA1c's were under 7.

Conclusion: The study was successful in determining the current standard of care of diabetics at Macassar CHC and commencing a cycle of quality improvement. An audit team was created and involved in setting target standards. They possibly overestimated their current standards when setting the targets which explain why only 3 out 13 process outcomes, and 3 out of 11 patient outcomes were achieved in the second audit, despite the general improvements after the cycle of interventions. Retinal photography is available and must be fully utilised by staff and patients. Foot examinations need to take place more frequently with prevention of complications being the focus. Hand-held patient cards were handed out to most of the patients, but this intervention would have to be assessed separately with a different research tool to assess its particular impact on improved management of diabetics. The audit also showed the need for both training of the clinic staff, as well as patients in the future. The quality improvement cycle should continue with new interventions taking place and periods of reflection, until the target standards are met.


Starting from the books Critères esthétiques et jugement de gout of Yves Michaud and The Transfiguration of the Commonplace of Arthur Danto, the aim of the present article is to underline the influence of the values which are specific to Antiquity over modern and contemporary art and over literature which, in time, has proven to be an important pillar of the development of human society. We based our research on the contribution of ancient people to the subsequent development of different periods of artistic creation, starting from the ancient Kalos kagathos and underlining its connections with modern and contemporary art and also literature, in Evgheni Vodolazkin's Laur.


This paper aims to examine qualification rationalization processes in Vocational Education and Training internationally to establish lessons learned such that they can be applied to the Australian system. Current interest in rationalization in Australia is being driven by research undertaken by the Department of Education, Skills and Employment, and promoted by the Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison.. They suggest that the current system is difficult to understand and use, and outline that the system would benefit from a reduction in the number of qualifications currently on offer. Zero or minimal uptake is the most commonly documented approach to qualification rationalization internationally and is most effective when paired with a process of stakeholder consultation and engagement. Effective consultation should be inclusive of training providers, enterprises, social partners, employment services, public authorities and research organisations to ensure qualifications on offer meet industry and social needs. Care should be taken to ensure rationalization does not deplete flexibility in the system that has intentionally been embedded to allow qualifications to match workplace requirements. The benefits in ensuring units of competency and qualifications are promptly updated and adapted to emerging needs rather than rationalized are noted. The 'updating' approach could be paired with an education program for users of the system and a program of stakeholder marketing to ensure that the system is fully understood by all those who use it.


To compare the protective effect of dexamethasone and lactate against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity. Materials and methods: Thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups. After the rats were sedated with intraperitoneal (IP) ketamine hydrochloride (50 mg/kg) and xylazine (7.5 mg/kg), baseline ABRs (auditory brainstem evoked responses) were measured in response to clicks and tone pips of 4, 8, 12, and 16 kHz. After auditory thresholds were determined, the animals received drug administration as follows: Group 1 (n: 6) received intratympanic (IT) saline (0.9% NaCl) solution, Group 2 (n: 8) IP cisplatin (20 mg/kg) alone, Group 3 (n: 8) IT dexamethasone (0.1-0.3 mL), and Group 4 (n: 8) IT lactated Ringer's (LR) solution (0.1-0.3 mL) followed after 30 min by 20 mg/kg cisplatin. Dexamethasone, LR solution, and saline application were continued for 3 days. At the end of the study, ABR testing was performed and threshold changes were recorded. Results: Group 2 animals showed marked hearing loss with average threshold shifts of 39,6 dB for clicks, 7.2 dB at 4 kHz, 8.4 dB at 8 kHz, 71.1 dB at 12 kHz and 71.8 dB at 16 kHz. No significant loss was observed in Group 3 with average threshold shifts of 1.6 dB, 4.7 dB, 8.7 dB, and 4.2 dB for clicks and tone pips at 4, 8, 12, and 16 kHz, respectively. Similar findings were observed in Group 4 with shifts of 3.5 dB, 6.8 dB, 11.3 dB, and 15.2 dB for clicks and tone pips at 4, 8, 12, and 16 kHz, respectively. Significant protection was seen in Group 3 and 4 animals compared with Group 2 animals. There was no side effect in IT administration of LR solution and dexamethasone for hearing functions. Both of these appear to be easier and safer to apply and have a usable protective effect against cisplatin ototoxicity. Conclusion: IT administration of LR solution and dexamethasone appear to be easy and safe to apply and have a useful protective effect. Clinical applications including these agents could be considered for use in order to reduce the side effects of ototoxic chemotherapy protocols.


ABSTRACT Interleaves are pieces of paper which are meant to protect illuminations, illustrations, and opposite folios from pigment and ink deterioration. The Dalā'il al-Khayrāt or 'Guidelines to the Blessings', one of the most widespread prayer books for Muslims, was written by Muhammad ibn Sulaymān al- Jazūlī (died c.1465 CE), a Moroccan mystic Sufi. Depending on the place and date of production, from West (Morocco) to East (Southeast Asia), the manuscripts reflect local styles in the text design and the cover. From the sixteenth up to the end of the nineteenth century, some Moroccan copies were supplied with interleaves which were dyed in a colour range from pale yellow to bright fuchsia. This study comprises seven copies from collections in Qatar for which the physical features of the interleaves were studied and the dyestuffs were identified with HPLC. The analyses conducted at KIK-IRPA in Brussels have revealed that safflower was used as the main dyestuff until the industrial era, when imported synthetic dyes supplanted natural colorants. Conservation issues were also raised since early synthetic dyes found were very unstable to environmental factors. Then, the significance of these materials was explored in comparison with the silk curtains found in European medieval manuscripts.


Prokinetic benzamides (e.g., cisapride) enhance gastrointestinal motility and transit. In vitro studies on the guinea pig ileum suggest that their effect is mediated via serotonergic 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT4) receptors, resulting in a facilitation of cholinergic neurotransmission. However, most in vivo studies have been performed on the canine stomach. Therefore, our aim was to determine whether the findings obtained on the guinea pig ileum can be extrapolated to another species and another organ. Does a benzamide facilitate cholinergic neutrotransmission on strips of the canine stomach in vitro? If so, does the benzamide exert its effect via a serotonergic 5-HT4 mechanism? Longitudinal muscle strips with adhering myenteric plexus were isolated from the canine stomach and were electrically stimulated at submaximal frequencies resulting in a mean contractile response of 16 +/- 7% of the response to methacholine (10(-6) M). Atropine and tetrodotoxin (both 3 x 10(-7) M) abolished the contractile responses, whereas hexamethonium (10(-4) M) had no effect. Cisapride (3 x 10(-7) M) enhanced the contractile responses from 14 to 70% (59 +/- 5% increase). 5-HT (3 x 10(-7) M) similarly enhanced the responses from 12 to 72% (58 +/- 5% increase). Cisapride induced a sustained enhancement throughout the duration of the experiment; in contrast, the effect of 5-HT subsided in about 90 min. Single-concentration administration of cisapride (10(-8)-10(-6) M) and 5-HT (10(-9)-3 x 10(-7) M) resulted in EC50 values of 1.0 (0.8-1.4) x 10(-7) M for cisapride and 1.3 (0.8-2.1) x 10(-8) M for 5-HT. Methiothepin and methysergide (both 3 x 10(-7) M; 5-HT1-receptor antagonists), ketanserin and LY 53857 (both 3 x 10(-7) M; 5-HT2-receptor antagonists), granisetron (3 x 10(-7) M; 5-HT3-receptor antagonist) or ICS 205-930 (3 x 10(-7) M; 5-HT3-receptor antagonist and in addition 5-HT4-receptor antagonist at 3 x 10(-6) M) did not reduce the responses to both cisapride and 5-HT. 1-(1-Naphthalenyl)piperazine (10(-6) M; 5-HT-receptor antagonist in the rat gastric fundus) significantly reduced the increase by 5-HT (24 +/- 7%; 7-31%) but had no effect on the cisapride (3 x 10(-7) M)-induced increase (69 +/- 4%; 8-77%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


Levothyroxine absorption in hypothyroid patients can be influenced by several factors, particularly medications and concomitant food administration. This is especially evident in intensive care unit patients, where a continual enteral diet and the administration of multiple medications changes its absorption. Changes or adaptations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, in conjunction with clinical abnormalities possibly related to under-treatment of hypothyroidism, render levothyroxine replacement therapy very challenging. Here, we report two intensive care hypothyroidism patients and their respective levothyroxine replacement management issues, focusing on a number of controversial issues, such as the optimal replacement dose, how fast the levothyroxine doses should be increased, triiodothyronine requirements, the interference of an enteral diet with absorption, and finally, the possible consequences of undertreated hypothyroidism and levothyroxine replacement monitoring useful clinical/laboratory parameters.


A series comprising 26 patients with bronchial adenoma, consisting of 23 carcinoid tumours, 2 mucoepidermoid tumours, and 1 cylindroma, treated during the period 1956-71 is presented. Eighteen of the carcinoid adenomas showed invasive growth, and six had metastases, five with lymph node metastases and one with hepatic metastases without node involvement (Case 17) at the time of operation. Both of the mucoepidermoid tumours and the cylindroma showed invasive growth, and one of the former had metastases. The average history of the patients was three to six months. The diagnosis was established preoperatively in 13 cases. It should be stressed that a cytological examination in 21 patients revealed pathological cells in seven. The patients have been treated according to the same principles followed in the case of malignant lung tumours. Four patients died owing to progression of the tumour, two from complicating diseases, and four from postoperative complications. Sixteen patients are alive and have been followed up. Three of these patients have been submitted to a non-curative operation. One year later they show no clinical signs of tumour progression. Twelve patients were submitted to a curative operation six months to 15 years before the follow-up. None shows any signs of recurrence. One patient refused operation. The five-year survival rate for lung carcinoids was 56%, or 68% after exclusion of four immediate postoperative deaths. It is concluded that bronchial adenomas are potentially malignant tumours and should be treated like other malignant lung tumours; because of their slow growth rate and the later development of metastases, extensive operations in cases of invasive tumours and reoperations in cases of recurrence may be carried out with good results. It is further concluded that cytological examinations have greater value than was hitherto assumed.


We introduce a strategy for parallelizing a state-of-the-art sequential search algorithm for optimization on a grid of computers. Based on the AND/OR graph search framework, the procedure exploits the structure of the underlying problem graph. Worker nodes concurrently solve subproblems that are generated by a single master process. Subproblem generation is itself embedded into an AND/OR Branch and Bound algorithm and dynamically takes previous subproblem solutions into account. Drawing upon the underlying graph structure, we provide some theoretical analysis of the parallelization parameters. A prototype has been implemented and we present promising initial experimental results on genetic haplotyping and Mastermind problem instances, at the same time outlining several open questions.


The paper is reviewing an array of recent literature sources arguing that the Neoliberalism and the New Public Management are the driving forces behind the observable increase in numbers of terminated employments in several countries in recent decades. The further focus of the literature review is on recent researches suggesting that the non-tenured staff members tend to have less pedagogical skills and are excluded from the internal quality culture. The synthesized findings of the both review sections suggest that the inclusion of the non-tenured staff into the institutional quality culture can augment the quality of higher education. This constitutes the core motivation for the authors to further research within this article whether the tendencies of increasing share of non-tenured staff members can be identified in Latvia as well. The empirical section of this article is based on statistical analysis of data from different reliable sources. The study suggests that due to shrinking higher education market and necessity to handle the impact of 2008-2012 Economic crisis, the share of academic faculty staff is being consolidated around the core elected faculty staff. Nevertheless, it is important to consider a timely inclusion of the non-tenured staff into the institutional quality culture. However, in view of recent higher education reforms and new academic career model being introduced, it is hard to predict the further dynamics of the non-tenured positions in higher education of Latvia. This paper is an effort to start filling the existing research gap in the emerging but under-researched subject of non-tenured staff in Latvia.


Clinical diagnosis is a process of logical deduction from the data gathered by history and physical examination. When organic causes of an illness have been ruled out, a diagnosis of "functional disorder" or "conversion reaction" is considered. Cost of care of such patients can be enormous, especially when a large number of investigations are done to find an organic illness, which does not really exist. In such cases, a positive and early diagnosis of a conversion reaction can save needless tests and much distress to the patient. This report describes a case of paraplegia that was investigated for years before a diagnosis of conversion reaction was firmly made, based on a novel observation. We believe that we describe here a new physical sign, which can be used to diagnose "hysterical paraplegia."


Abstract Context. Grazing by domestic stock can directly influence and shape the functions of an ecosystem. Most remaining remnant native grasslands in Australia are under some form of grazing management, with some possible adverse impacts for endemic grassland biota. For the endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard (Tiliqua adelaidensis), grazing of its remnant native grassland habitat has been seen as a potential conservation threat. Aim. We aimed to investigate whether lizards altered their basking and foraging behaviour as a response to simulated grazing of the grassland habitat surrounding their burrows. Methods. We used field manipulations over 3 years event by manually removing above-ground vegetation in 1 m2 around occupied lizard burrows, to simulate intense grazing events. We video-recorded lizard responses to these manipulations. We filmed lizards before and after the simulated grazing event and monitored basking and foraging response. We also simultaneously filmed a control group of lizards that were not exposed to a simulated grazing event. Key results. Although overall time spent basking did not differ between treatment and control groups, the lizards spent more of their basking time completely emerged (bold basking) in the grazing treatment, suggesting they changed behaviour after simulated grazing. Perhaps they were more confident of evading predators that they could more clearly see approaching. In one season lizards made more attempts to catch prey in the grazed treatment than in a control treatment following the treatment, suggesting that grazing might enhance visibility for the ambush predation method that these lizards use. Conclusions. The results suggest that grazing may produce some benefits for lizards already established in burrows. This contrasts with some previous results and suggests that management of grazing regimes requires careful consideration of the conditions currently prevalent. In this case, the study was conducted during a drought period, and different results might have emerged in higher rainfall years. Implications. Grazing management for lizard conservation requires detailed understanding of the complex relationships among lizard behaviour, vegetation cover and invertebrate prey availability.


Natural language processing often involves computations with semantic or syntactic graphs to facilitate sophisticated reasoning based on structural relationships. While convolution kernels provide a powerful tool for comparing graph structure based on node (word) level relationships, they are difficult to customize and can be computationally expensive. We propose a generalization of convolution kernels, with a nonstationary model, for better expressibility of natural languages in supervised settings. For a scalable learning of the parameters introduced with our model, we propose a novel algorithm that leverages stochastic sampling on k-nearest neighbor graphs, along with approximations based on locality-sensitive hashing. We demonstrate the advantages of our approach on a challenging real-world (structured inference) problem of automatically extracting biological models from the text of scientific papers.


In an article published early in 2021, we shared results indicating that expectancy (i.e., competence beliefs) and value (i.e., interest in learning, utility value, mastery and performance goals) perceptions among a sample of 90 French Canadian students (Mage = 14.81) in grades 9 and 10 remained at similar levels from few weeks before the first wave (January 2020) to the second wave (November 2020) of the COVID-19 pandemic. One perception (i.e., interest) even improved, suggesting that, after experiencing a confinement, students re-approached in-class activities with enthusiasm. To determine if this pattern of results remained the same as the pandemic persisted, an additional measurement has been performed during the third wave. Analysis with this additional data point revealed that interest, utility value and mastery goals ended up declining. These new data suggest that, ultimately, this pandemic has negative effects on students' motivation, even if they keep benefiting from in-class activities.


It is connected with various gauges existing in Euro-Asian continents. Such differences impedes the operation seriously as on the contact of railway tracks of different gauge the cargo must be either transshipped or the running assemblies of rail vehicles must be exchanged. Those operations are costly, time-consuming and require extended infrastructure together with very expensive storage and transshipment facilities at border-crossing point. Moreover, those operations extend transportation time considerably. Therefore, Effectiveness of railway transportation systems significantly depends on track gauge change 1435/1520mm, which connects with complicated handling-shifting operations.
The paper concerns assessment of effectiveness in strategical rail systems with gauge changing. The paper presents short description of transport system with gauge changing and initial assessment of shifting technologies. Method of system assessment comparison based on Life Cycle Cost model is described here as well.


The well-known Cohesive Crack Model describes strain localization with a softening stress
variation in concrete members subjected to tension. An analogous behaviour is also observed in compression,
when strain localization takes place in a damaged zone and the stress reaches the compressive strength with
surface energy dissipation. In the present paper, we propose the new concept of Overlapping Crack Model,
which is analogous to the cohesive one and permits to simulate material compenetration. The two aforementioned elementary models are merged into a more complex algorithm able to describe both cracking and crushing growths during loading processes in RC members. A numerical procedure based on elastic coefficients is developed, taking into account the proposed constitutive laws in tension and compression. With this algorithm, it is possible to effectively capture the flexural behaviour of RC beams by varying the reinforcement percentage and/or the beam depth


BACKGROUND
Ideally, inverse planning for HDR brachytherapy (BT) should include the pose of the needles which define the trajectory of the source. This would be particularly interesting when considering the additional freedom and accuracy in needle pose which robotic needle placement enables. However, needle insertion typically leads to tissue deformation, resulting in uncertainty regarding the actual pose of the needles with respect to the tissue.

PURPOSE
To efficiently address uncertainty during inverse planning for HDR BT in order to robustly optimize the pose of the needles before insertion, that is, to facilitate path planning for robotic needle placement.

METHODS
We use a form of stochastic linear programming to model the inverse treatment planning problem. To account for uncertainty, we consider random tissue displacements at the needle tip to simulate tissue deformation. Conventionally for stochastic linear programming, each simulated deformation is reflected by an addition to the linear programming problem which increases problem size and computational complexity substantially and leads to impractical runtime. We propose two efficient approaches for stochastic linear programming. First, we consider averaging dose coefficients to reduce the problem size. Second, we study weighting of the slack variables of an adjusted linear problem to approximate the full stochastic linear program. We compare different approaches to optimize the needle configurations and evaluate their robustness with respect to different amounts of tissue deformation.

RESULTS
Our results illustrate that stochastic planning can improve the robustness of the treatment with respect to deformation. The proposed approaches approximating stochastic linear programming better conform to the tissue deformation compared to conventional linear programming. They show good correlation with the plans computed after deformation while reducing the runtime by two orders of magnitude compared to the complete stochastic linear program. Robust optimization of needle configurations takes on average 59.42 s. Skew needle configurations lead to mean coverage improvements compared to parallel needles from 0.39 to 2.94 percentage points, when 8 mm tissue deformation is considered. Considering tissue deformations from 4  to 10 mm during planning with weighted stochastic optimization and skew needles generally results in improved mean coverage from 1.77 to 4.21 percentage points.

CONCLUSIONS
We show that efficient stochastic optimization allows selecting needle configurations which are more robust with respect to potentially negative effects of target deformation and displacement on the achievable prescription dose coverage. The approach facilitates robust path planning for robotic needle placement.


Using a basic biogeochemical approach, constructed wetland treatment systems (CWTSs) can be designed to renovate contaminated waters for beneficial reuse. The purpose of this article is to present the fundamental design strategy for CWTSs for a variety of contaminated waters. In designing a CWTS, the contaminants of concern are identified in the water to be treated, and effective biogeochemical pathways by which the targeted constituents can be transferred or transformed are determined. Specific transfer processes in wetland cells of a CWTS include sorption, volatilization, precipitation (and settling), and bioconcentration. Transformation processes in the wetland cells include photolysis, hydrolysis, speciation and ionization, oxidation, reduction, and biotransformation. Physical models (pilot-scale CWTSs) are built according to the process-based design, and their performance is measured in terms of rate and extent of removal of targeted constituents as well as functional parameters indicating readiness to perform. Demonstration-scale systems may be used to provide additional site-specific data. Full-scale CWTSs are designed for site conditions, and performance is monitored as part of the operation and maintenance to ensure treatment. A variety of contaminated waters can be treated effectively and efficiently using well-designed CWTSs.


Ancient travellers called the Caucasus the mountain of languages. Greeks, Persians, Romans, Goths, Arabs, Mongols and Turks have all passed through the region; poets and artists have been inspired by its rugged beauty and yet its history is a tragic one - for centuries it has been ravaged by virtually continuous war. Every 50 years, it seems, Russia attempts to take control of this hugely strategic part of the world - sandwiched as it is between Iran, Turkey and Russia and crossed by some of the most valuable oil pipelines in the world. The latest conflict to sweep across the area began when Vladimir Putin invaded Chechnya in 1999. Thousands of Russian soldiers and thousands more Chechens - both rebels and civilians - died and Chechnya's towns and cities were bombed beyond recognition. Sebastian Smith travelled to Chechnya during this period. A mixture of travelogue, history and war journalism, "Allah's Mountains" tells the story of the conflict between this nation of mountain tribes and the might of the Russian army.


The article presents the results of the first Russian open randomized comparative multicenter study on the effectiveness of Famotidine in the prevention of NSAID-gastropathy--Barrier. In addition, were showen the results of studies of the drugs effect used for prevention of NSAID gastropathy (Famotidine, Lansoprazole, Misoprostol) for the synthesis of prostaglandins in the gastric mucosa in patients with osteoarthritis. Was shown the impact of alternative anti-inflammatory drug on the basis of an extract of ginger as joint pain, and the mucous upper gastrointestinal tract in patients with osteoarthritis.


Optimal conditions for rapid and efficient reconstitution of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) activity are demonstrated by using an improved method for the dissociation of the multienzyme complex into its constituent E1 (substrate-specific 2-oxoacid decarboxylase) and E3 (dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase) components and isolated E2/X (where E2 is dihydrolipoamide acyltransferase) core assembly. Selective cleavage of the protein X component of the purified E2/X core with the proteinase arg C decreases the activity of the reconstituted complex to residual levels (i.e. 8-12%); however, significant recovery of reconstitution is achieved on addition of a large excess (i.e. 50-fold) of parent E3. N-terminal sequence analysis of the truncated 35,000-M(r) protein X fragment locates the site of cleavage by arg C at the extreme N-terminal boundary of a putative E3-binding domain and corresponds to the release of a 15,000-M(r) N-terminal fragment comprising both the lipoyl and linker sequences. In native PDC this region of protein X is shown to be partly protected from proteolytic attack by the presence of E3. Recovery of complex activity in the presence of excess E3 after arg C treatment is thought to result from low-affinity interactions with the partly disrupted subunit-binding domain on X and/or the intact analogous subunit binding domain on E2. Contrasting recoveries for arg C-modified E2/X/E1 core, and untreated E2/E1 core of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex, reconstituted with excess bovine heart E3, pig heart E3 or yeast E3 point to subtle differences in subunit interactions with heterologous E3s and offer an explanation for the inability of previous investigators to achieve restoration of PDC function after selective proteolysis of the protein X component.


In spite of the growing theoretical literature on cascades of failures in interbank lending networks, empirical results seem to suggest that networks of direct exposures are not the major channel of financial contagion. In this paper we show that networks of interbank exposures can however significantly amplify contagion due to overlapping portfolios. To illustrate this point, we consider the case of the Austrian interbank network and perform stress tests on it according to different protocols. We consider in particular contagion due to (i) counterparty loss; (ii) roll-over risk; and (iii) overlapping portfolios. We find that the average number of bankruptcies caused by counterparty loss and roll-over risk is fairly small if these contagion mechanisms are considered in isolation. Once portfolio overlaps are also accounted for, however, we observe that the network of direct interbank exposures significantly contributes to systemic risk.


Community organizing is a process for achieving social change through the mobilization of resources and the formation of collective identity. Relational community organizing is a particular approach to developing new leaders and building organizational capacity for sustaining a powerful movement, and is especially relevant in the climate justice movement because relationships serve to bring actors from isolation and despair toward communal identity and hopeful action. Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light (MNIPL) is a community organization that is using relational organizing to activate faith communities to take action on climate change. This paper describes the design and first phase of evaluation of MNIPL's Movement Builder Program, a networked distributed leadership model that uses peer mentors to increase the efficacy of new organizers. Can a peer-to-peer network increase the leverage of organizers? Will supportive relationships move people to increased action and to develop the leadership of others? We provide an introduction to this inquiry as well as the foundational frameworks and historical context of this new approach.


Honeycomb sandwich structures are widely used in aircraft owing to the superior characteristics, such as the light weight, the high specific bending stiffness and the high specific in-plane compressive strength. However the honeycomb sandwich structures are prone to have debonding damages at the interfaces between the skin and the honeycomb core, which degrades the mechanical properties largely. For inspection of damages in plate-like structures, the propagation of ultrasonic guided waves along the plate is effective. In this research, we attempted to detect the debonding at the skin/core interfaces in a honeycomb sandwich panel by using a laser ultrasonic visualization method. Debonding damages were artificially introduced in a sandwich panel consisting of two CFRP skin plates and an aluminum honeycomb core. Then, ultrasonic guided waves were excited in the panel through scanning of a laser irradiation on a surface of the plate and were received by a piezoelectric sensor installed on the same surface by using a laser ultrasonic visualizing inspector. As a result, we obtained visualization animations of the ultrasonic propagation behavior. From the change in the maximum amplitude distribution of the guided wave, we were able to identify the debonding damages at the skin/core interfaces in both the laser-irradiation side and the opposite side. Furthermore, a finite element analysis of the ultrasonic propagation in the honeycomb sandwich panel was conducted to confirm the phenomena observed in the experiments. From the calculation results, the mechanism of the observed phenomena was able to be clarified.


Purpose

The approach of Western companies to internationalise their R&D by establishing R&D sites in emerging markets (EMs) has led to a discussion about the role of R&D in home markets and host markets. The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the evolution of foreign R&D sites of Western companies in EMs and their role using China as the empirical context.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses the State Intellectual Property Office database, and investigates about 2,000 patent families of the top 14 Western patent applicants in China.

Findings

The results indicate a gradual shift from an exploitative to an exploratory role of R&D sites in China. The study also shows evident learning effects on Western R&D from local counterparts.

Research limitations/implications

The paper motivates further research of R&D internationalisation approaches within EMs, and explores the changing role of local subsidiaries. While the study is only focussed on China, the applicability of the results is limited in context of other countries, due to cultural, economic and legislative differences.

Practical implications

This study shows the increasing importance of EMs such as China and how these markets, known for imitations and cheap resources, are gradually moving towards innovations and creating new technologies locally.

Originality/value

Based on the patent analysis, this study shows the growing importance of the local R&D subsidiaries of Western multinationals in China.


Abstract Abstract. Male chickens, Gallus gallus , produce aerial alarm calls in response to a broad range of stimuli moving overhead, including both predators and innocuous objects. Computer-generated animations of raptor-shaped images were presented on an overhead video monitor to explore the stimulus characteristics necessary for eliciting both aerial alarm calls and non-vocal anti-predator behaviour (e.g. crouching and visual fixation). In experiment 1, apparent size (angle subtended at the bird's eye) was varied from 1° to 8°. Stimuli subtending more than 4° elicited qualitatively more alarm calls than smaller stimuli. The magnitude of non-vocal responses also increased significantly with stimulus size. In experiment 2, apparent speed was varied over a range extending from values characteristic of soaring raptors at one end (1·875 lengths/s), to values near the highest recorded (30 lengths/s) at the other. Stimuli moving faster than 7·5 lengths/s evoked significantly more alarm calling than slower-moving stimuli. Increases in apparent speed also caused a small but significant increase in the magnitude of non-vocal responses. Hence, the non-vocal anti-predator behaviour elicited by overhead stimuli is strongly influenced by apparent size. In natural encounters, this cue varies with object altitude and is likely to be a good predictor of the probability of detection and attack by a raptor. The data on vocal responses suggest that, at least when shape is constant, the probability of alarm calling is dependent on whether stimuli exceed threshold values for apparent size and speed. This perceptual strategy has the advantage of requiring minimal processing and may be adaptive for species, like the jungle fowl, that have evolved in habitats where visibility is limited and reaction times must therefore be brief.


This is a solution-based book, showcasing the real power of ArcGIS Geodatabase by following a real-world, example-based approach. This book is aimed at geospatial developers who want to work with ArcGIS geodatabases as well as manage them. Having knowledge of building a geodatabase from scratch isn't a must; Learning ArcGIS Geodatabases is ideal for those who want to use ArcGIS geodatabase for the first time, or for those who want to migrate from their existing legacy database to a geodatabase.


Flooding and flash floods that cause significant economic and social damage have been widely studied in the last few decades. The European Commission Flood Directive 2007/60 Flood Risk Management Plans require the assessment of potential damage to give an appreciation of the magnitude of the consequences of a flood event and so help stakeholders to use a cost benefit approach to planning flood mitigation measures. This paper evaluates the direct tangible flood damage applying the JRC water depth-damage functions for the European territory to estimate the potential economic damage. Intangible damage is evaluated with the Life Safety Model (LSM) to study the dynamic interactions among people, vehicles, buildings and the flood wave. LSM assesses potential flood damage and allows the development of a Flood Evacuation Plan in case of an emergency, underlining the evacuation routes adopted by people and vehicles. This enables emergency managers to avoid evacuation bottleneck problems and identify areas of potential high mortality. The impact of changes such as road network improvements, the location of safe havens and timing of flood warnings can be assessed in terms of potential loss of life. The developed methodology has been applied on the Sardinian Flood Risk Management Plan pilot basin, the Coghinas river lowland basin.


Paradigm Function Morphology (PFM) is an evolving approach to modeling morphological systems in a precise and enlightening way. The fundamental insight of PFM is that words have both content and form and that in the context of an appropriately organized lexicon, a language's morphology deduces a complex word's form from its content. PFM is therefore a realizational theory: a language's grammar and lexicon are assumed to provide a precise characterization of a word's content, from which the language's morphology then projects the corresponding form. Morphemes per se have no role in this theory; by contrast, paradigms have the essential role of defining the content that is realized by a language's morphology. At the core of PFM is the notion of a paradigm function, a formal representation of the relation between a word's content and its form; the definition of a language's paradigm function is therefore the definition of its inflectional morphology. Recent elaborations of this idea assume a distinction between content paradigms and form paradigms, which makes it possible to account for a fact that is otherwise irreconcilable with current morphological theory—the fact that the set of morphosyntactic properties that determines a word's syntax and semantics often differs from the set of properties (some of them morphomic) that determines a word's inflectional form. Another recent innovation is the assumption that affixes and rules of morphology may be complex in the sense that they may be factored into smaller affixes and rules; the evidence favoring this assumption is manifold.


Central place foraging insects like honeybees and bumblebees learn to navigate efficiently between nest and feeding site. Essential components of this behavior can be moved to the laboratory. A major component of navigational learning is the active exploration of the test arena. These conditions have been used here to search for neural correlates of exploratory walking in the central arena (ground), and thigmotactic walking in the periphery (slope). We chose mushroom body extrinsic neurons (MBENs) because of their learning-related plasticity and their multi-modal sensitivities that may code relevant parameters in a brain state-dependent way. Our aim was to test whether MBENs code space-related components or are more involved in state-dependent processes characterizing exploration and thigmotaxis. MBENs did not respond selectively to body directions or locations. Their spiking activity differently correlated with walking speed depending on the animals' locations: on the ground, reflecting exploration, or on the slope, reflecting thigmotaxis. This effect depended on walking speed in different ways for different animals. We then asked whether these effects depended on spatial parameters or on the two states, exploration and thigmotaxis. Significant epochs of stable changes in spiking did not correlate with restricted locations in the arena, body direction, or walking transitions between ground and slope. We thus conclude that the walking speed dependencies are caused by the two states, exploration and thigmotaxis, rather than by spatial parameters.


The article deals with the main trends of using the dynamic model of the epidemic process in meningococcal infection in close groups with a view of solving scientific and practical tasks connected with the analysis of the epidemic situation, the formation of conditional groups with specified properties in relation to the spread of meningococci. The parameters used in the model, characterizing the process in the closed group, are described, and possible sources of information allowing to determine these parameters are indicated. Limited possibilities for practical use of mathematical simulation of the epidemic process in meningococcal infection at the contemporary level of knowledge is shown.


We report operating temperatures and heating coefficients measured in a multilayer black phosphorus device as a function of injected electrical power. By combining micro-Raman spectroscopy and electrical transport measurements, we have observed a linear temperature increase up to 600 K at a power dissipation rate of 0.896 K μm(3)/mW. By further increasing the bias voltage, we determined the threshold power and temperature for electrical breakdown and analyzed the fracture in the black phosphorus layer that caused the device failure by means of scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The results will benefit the research and development of electronics and optoelectronics based on novel two-dimensional materials.


Waste-derived chloride present in a landfill cell was used as a hydrologic tracer in conjunction with a mathematical model to better elucidate landfill hydrologic dynamics for a municipal solid-waste landfill in which the cover material is significantly more permeable than the waste material. Long-term temporal chloride data from a lined landfill cell in Florida were used to calibrate a variably saturated dual-domain model (originally developed for soil-science research) to landfill hydrology and solute transport. The model successfully simulated the chloride temporal trend. The dual-domain processes were needed to simulate the long-term decline in conservative chloride concentrations. However, the temporal variations about the general trend could only be simulated accurately by considering the variations in landfill recharge. The fitted value of Darcy flux (0.274 cm/day) was less than literature values, and the dispersion coefficient (900 cm2/day) was higher than simple estimates based on heterogeneous aquifers. The other fitted parameters, first-order mass transfer coefficient (0.0018/day) and fraction of mobile water (0.22), were within the range of values reported in the literature. Model sensitivity studies were conducted to assess the relative importance of each parameter. The most sensitive parameter was recharge rate to the landfill, a factor that can be measured with the proper instrumentation. Although the model performance was not as sensitive to the values of the dual-domain parameters, inclusion of these parameters was required to accurately simulate the long-term temporal trend.


Abstract Wildlife strongly alter behaviour in response to human disturbance;however, fundamental questions remain regarding the influence of human infrastructure and activity on animal movement. The Covid-19 pandemic created a natural experiment providing an opportunity to evaluate wildlife movement during a period of greatly reduced human activity. Speculation in scientific reviews and the media suggested that wildlife might be increasing movement and colonizing urban landscapes during pandemic slowdowns. However, theory predicts that animals should move and use space as efficiently as possible, suggesting that movement might actually be reduced relative to decreased human activity. We quantified space use, movement, and resource-selection of 12 GPS-collared mountain lions (eight females, four males) occupying parklands in greater Los Angeles during the Spring 2020 California stay-at-home order when human activity was far below normal. We also tested the hypothesis that reduced traffic on Los Angeles area roadways increased permeability of these barriers to animal movement. Contrary to expectations that wildlife roamed more widely during pandemic shutdowns, resident mountain lions used smaller areas and moved shorter distances relative to their historical behaviour in greater Los Angeles. They also relaxed avoidance of anthropogenic landscape features such as trails and development, which likely facilitated increased travelling efficiency. However, there was no detectable change in road-crossing, despite reduced traffic volume. Our results support the theoretical prediction that animals maximize movement efficiency and suggest that carnivores incur energetic costs while avoiding humans. While mountain lions may restrict movement at the landscape level relative to barriers, they appear to increase distances moved at finer scales when avoiding human activity ? highlighting the scale-dependent nature of animal responses to human disturbance. Avoiding humans can reduce direct mortality of large carnivores and is often suggested to be an important mechanism promoting coexistence in shared landscapes. However, energetic costs incurred by increased movement and space-use while avoiding human activity may have important consequences for population viability, predator?prey interactions, community structure, and human?wildlife conflict. Management providing sufficient wild prey and education regarding best practices for protection of domestic animals are important for conserving large carnivores in human-dominated landscapes.


We use data from an in-house call center of a multi-national mobile network operator to study how co-worker productivity affects worker productivity via network effects. We also exploit data from a field experiment to analyze how exogenous changes in worker productivity due to on-the-job training affect co-worker productivity, including non-trained workers. We show that there are strong network effects in co-worker productivity. This effect is driven by conformist behavior. We also show that exposure to trained workers increases the productivity of non-trained workers. This effect works through strategic complementarities (knowledge spillovers). We demonstrate how our network model of worker productivity can be used to inform a variety of practical decisions faced by personnel managers including the design of optimal training policy.


Solenoid operated electromagnetic control valve (ECV) playing an important role for car's air conditioning control system. ECV is used in external variable displacement swash plate type compressor and controls the entire air conditioning system by means of a pulse width modulation (PWM) input signal supplying from an external source (controller). Complete form of ECV contains number of internal features like valve body, core, valve guide, plunger, guide pin, plunger spring, bellows etc. While designing the ECV; dimensions of different internal items must meet the standard requirements as it is quite challenging. In this research paper, especially the dimensioning of ECV body and its three pressure ports through which the air/refrigerant passes are considered. Here internal leakage test analysis of ECV body is being carried out from its discharge port (Pd) to crankcase port (Pc) when the guide valve is placed inside it. The experiments have made both in ordinary and digital system using different assumptions and thereafter compare the results. Keywords—Electromagnetic control valve (ECV), Leakage, Pressure port, Valve body, Valve guide.


Different techniques are available for the estimation of order parameter in the nematic phase of liquid crystals. However, most of these methods are not applicable to Cholesteric and smectic phases and therefore, the experimental data regarding the order parameter in these phases are hardly available. Measurement results of birefringence and refractive index of liquid-crystalline N-(p-n-pentyloxybenzylidene)-p-n-pentylaniline, 5O.5, N-(p-n-pentylbenzylidene)-p-n-pentylaniline, 5.5, N-(p-n-pentylbenzylidene)-p-n-pentyloxyaniline, 5.O5, and N-(p-n-hexyloxybenzylidene)-p-n-pentyloxyaniline, 6O.O5, were presented. Using these data, the polarizability anisotropy was calculated for both Vuks and Neugebauer local field models. Polarizabilities calculated in this way were applied to determine Δα (polarizability anisotropy in the case of perfect orientation) using either Haller's and/or Subramhanyam's normalization procedures. Further, the polarisability anisotropy in the perfect order was calculated theoretically using the δ-function model developed by Lippincott et al. These procedures enabled the calculation of the orientation order parameter. Polarizabilities calculated using both local field models and from δ-function model developed by Lippincott et al. have been compared. The values of polarizability anisotropy for both local electric field models differ significantly. No criterion is known to decide which value is correct. To avoid the determination of uncertain αi and Δα values considering different local field models, a simple procedure developed by Kuczynski et al. was used for evaluation of S, based solely on birefringence measurement. This procedure gave very reasonable results.


Halosulfuron is a proposed alternative to methyl bromide for managing nutsedges (Cyperus spp.) in several vegetable crops, including cucurbits. Field studies were conducted to evaluate the crop sensitivity to halosulfuron in a spring squash (Cucurbita pepo L.)—fall cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) rotation from 2000 to 2002. Treatments included applica- tion of halosulfuron to the soil surface after forming the bed, but before laying mulch (halosulfuron-PRE), halosulfuron applied through drip irrigation (halosulfuron-DRIP) after forming bed and laying mulch, metham applied through drip irrigation after forming bed and laying mulch, a nontreated control with mulch, and nontreated control without mulch. Each treatment was applied to both direct seeded and transplanted zucchini squash. Halosulfuron treatments reduced squash plant diameter relative to metham, however plant diameters in halosulfuron-PRE (transplant and direct seed) and halosulfuron-DRIP (transplant) treatments were not different from the nontreated control. Halosulfuron-PRE delayed squash fruit production relative to the mulched nontreated control. However, ap- plication of halosulfuron-PRE and halosulfuron-DRIP did not reduce squash yield at the conclusion of the season, relative to the nontreated control. Cucumbers were transplanted and direct seeded into previous squash plots and received either an application of halosul- furon-DRIP, or were not treated. Differences in cucumber yields were not detected with second crop treatments. Cucumbers appear to have adequate tolerance to halosulfuron, making it a potential replacement for methyl bromide for nutsedge control. Suppression of early season squash growth by halosulfuron may hinder the adoption of halosulfuron


This study focuses on sexual orientation discrimination in the Turkish work life, which is a relatively less studied subject in Turkish literature. The study aims to determine the discriminatory behaviors against LGBT + individuals who are in active work life due to their sexual orientation if any. The study follows a qualitative research design. Based on an interview protocol, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 LGBT+ individuals using a snowball sampling method. Content analysis of the data emphasizes five distinct issues. First, it is determined that LGBT+ individuals in Turkish work life are subjected to formal discrimination in such as recruitment, dismissal processes. Findings also demonstrate that LGBT+ individuals are subject to informal discrimination through disdain, insult, etc. behaviors. Additionally, the findings of the study indicate a homophobic work environment in the Turkish context. Moreover, it is found that LGBT+ individuals use various mechanisms to cope with discriminatory behavior at the workplace, and mostly tend to conceal their sexual orientations. Finally, findings reveal that this process affects LGBT+ individuals in a negative way.


Computation paradigms are changing due to the idea of quantum computers. Although today this kind of technology is not available and has not reached its full potential, public-key cryptography is at risk since its security depends on problems that classical computers cannot solve in polynomial time, while quantum computers can. Quantum resistant cryptography has been developed for years and this work proposes a new implementation that reduces the processing time of XMSS signature generation of SPHINCS+, a stateless scheme designed for digital signature and is in process of standardization by the National Institute of Standards and Technology of the United States. The proposed implementation has a tradeoff between time and memory space. While original documentation is focused on space optimization, this new implementation needs additional 20 kB of memory for each tree during the signing process in order to generate a signature, but optimizes the time the internal process requires in the authentication path generation, from exponential to linear complexity. Digital signatures generated by both ways are the same.


Community supported agriculture (CSA), an innovative food distribution model that encourages environ-mentally sound agricultural production, has been embraced in Turkey since the early 2000s. Although the model has been widely studied within the framework of ethical consumption, environmentalism and social justice, its perspectives as a domain of economic exchange in Turkey has yet to be explored. The present study attempts to investigate the viability of CSAs in Turkey as domains of economic exchange by looking at the interaction between their performance and their main resource, namely their social capital. Following an exploratory approach, we, first, examined the characteristics of the operational, organizational and sup-port models to determine the performance factors indispensable for CSAs in Turkey to survive as domains of economic exchange. We then expanded this understanding by looking into the relationship between these performance factors and social capital indicators of three CSAs in Turkey. The findings reveal that each CSA adopts different support, operational and organizational models that result in different levels of risk shar-ing. In all three CSAs, the character of the social capital that interacts with the performance indicators is bonding rather than bridging. Therefore, investing in bridging social capital can be a potentially beneficial strategy for CSAs in order to become more sustainable as domains of economic exchange.


The simultaneous relationship between industrial R&D and internationalization is investigated, using unique data on Swedish multinationals in manufacturing 1986-90. The statistical analysis supports the view that MNCs partIy base their international competitiveness, measured as foreign sales, on technological capabilities created through R&D. On the other hand, the analysis also indicates that more sales in foreign markets induce larger R&D expenditures, e.g. by increasing the rate of return on each R&D dollar spent.


We investigated the use of demographic characteristics to differentiate between closely related coral species that are difficult to distinguish morphologically and genetically. We looked at colony size and density in six morphospecies of the coral genus Madracis in Curacao (Netherlands Antilles). Colonies of all species (n = 1585), including individuals as small as 0.01 cm 2 , were measured in 30 x 1 m belt transects over a reef slope at 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 and 60 m depth. This resulted in a detailed description of species population structures over depth. Temperature, light, sedimentation and water movement were recorded. Our survey showed Madracis to be one of the most abundant coral genera (mean of 9.2 colonies m -2 ) at the reef slope. The size frequency distributions were species specific and provide us with a set of characteristics, in addition to traditional morphological and genetic species classifications, to distinguish between coral taxa. Species density (n m -2 ) and mortality rates differed between morphospecies and within morphospecies among depths, suggesting that population density is under environmental control (selective environment). Population structure, in terms of size frequency distribution, remained stable over depth and appears to be largely dependent on differences in species-specific life-history strategies (developmental environment). The population structure of all Madracis species changed only at the upper and lower margin of their distribution. These changes were similar in all species: (1) Densities of populations decreased, resulting in 'saw-shaped' size distributions; (2) Overall variation in un-transformed colony size distributions, expressed as coefficient of variation (CV), decreased while the variation in log-transformed size-distributions, which is indicative of the time a colony is present on the reef, increased; (3) Decreasing skewness (g 1 ) in untransformed size-distributions indicated that the proportion of smaller colonies decreased within the population; (4) The relative differences in the contribution of larger individuals to the total population surface increased, indicated by higher values for the Gini-coefficient (G); and (5) Mean colony sizes, after range standardization of size-data, became larger than 0.12. Life-history strategies partially overlap for morphospecies sharing the same colony morphology. Population turnover rates differed between species present at the same depth, ranging between >100 yrs for Madracis senaria to five yrs for Madracis decactis, which reflects species-specific susceptibility to environmentally induced mortality.


SUMMARY: Fresh clinical isolates of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were tested for the production of β-lactamase and amidase. Techniques for identifying and studying the latter enzyme are described, in relation to its action upon penicillins and other substrates. Various commensal and pathogenic Gram-negative bacilli produce a pen-amidase of relatively narrow specificity, though no species invariably produces it. A specific pen-amidase was not formed by the Gram-positive bacteria examined, though non-specific amidases were present. Escherichia coli and paracolon bacilli produced pen-amidase more often than β-lactamase but the Klebsiella-aero-genes group did the reverse. Among other organisms, enzyme production was very variable but absence of either enzyme did not necessarily connote sensitivity of an organism to any penicillin. Administration of penicillin to a patient promotes colonization of the gut and oropharynx by β-lactamase-forming coliforms, but not of amidase-forming organisms. There is a strong association between resistance to the penicillins and formation of β-lactamase by an organism; with pen-amidase, the association is less strong. Neither enzyme accounts completely for bacterial resistance to the penicillins, even within any one species of organism, but the lower resistance of coliforms to ampicillin may be related to the lesser susceptibility of this derivative to amidase.


OCCASIONALLY, two parathyroid adenomas are found in a single patient; however, the occurrence of three true adenomas is exceedingly unusual. When more than one adenoma is encountered, the possibility of parathyroid hyperplasia should be considered. This is a report of a patient in whom three parathyroid adenomas were identified and removed and a normal appearing fourth parathyroid gland identified and biopsied. Report of a Case A 37-year-old housewife had the sudden onset of acute lower abdominal pain on March 26, 1965. This pain was associated with some left shoulder pain which was accentuated with respiration. The patient was hospitalized in her hometown with the diagnosis of possible ruptured ovarian cyst. Following admission to her local hospital, she became febrile and a pleural effusion on the left was noted, and therefore she was transferred to the University Hospitals on April 4, 1965, with a diagnosis of possible pneumonia. Admission roentgenograms of


BACKGROUND
This study investigated whether genetic polymorphisms in the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) gene's promoter region play a role in severe acute alcoholic hepatitis (AAH).

METHODS
One-hundred and fifty patients (58 AAH patients, 45 cirrhosis group free-AAH, 47 healthy group) were genotyped for 3 TNFalpha polymorphisms (-238, -308, -863) using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. Serum TNFalpha levels were determined.

RESULTS
The TNFalpha-308 allele A frequency was significantly lower in AAH group (0.09), than cirrhosis (0.28) (p < 0.001), and healthy groups (p < 0.001). The TNFalpha-308 A/G, A/A genotypes were significantly lower in AAH group, than cirrhosis (p = 0.005), and healthy groups (p < 0.001). For AAH group, there were no clinical, biological, and serum TNFalpha differences between the -308 G/G and A/G, A/A genotype patients, apart higher transaminase in the former group (p = 0.02). AAH and cirrhosis groups did not differ for the frequency of TNFalpha-238, -863 polymorphisms. The specific genotype did not appear to have any influence on the therapeutic response following corticotherapy or posttreatment 6-month survival. In the AAH group, nonsurvivors had higher TNFalpha levels than survivors (7.9 +/- 8.8 vs. 3.3 +/- 1.6 pg/ml, p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS
These results attest to the involvement of TNFalpha-related genetic factors in susceptibility to AAH.


Ischaemic optic neuropathy and resulting visual loss is a known perioperative complication. In the intensive care unit (ICU), however, it is rarely seen. We present a case of ischaemic optic neuropathy and describe factors associated with this condition, found in the current literature. Our patient who was admitted and treated in the ICU of Medical Center Haaglanden in The Hague, is a 33-year-old male, who sustained blunt abdominal trauma resulting in liver rupture. He underwent multiple operations, was mechanically ventilated in the prone position with high positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) received large amounts of fluids and was treated with vasoactive drugs. He developed blindness because of ischaemic optic neuropathy (ION). We believe that the ION was caused by a combination of risk factors. Current anaesthetic literature describing ION after surgery indicates several independently associated risk factors for this rare complication. In our patient these were male sex and the large volume of estimated blood loss. Further review of the literature suggests massive fluid resuscitation, hypotension and the use of vasopressors as possible risk factors, but these are not proven to be independently associated with ION.


When the whole earth is considered as a geographic place, it is clearly seen that the physical and social processes in the Earth's crust have a direct or indirect connection with geography. In this century named information era, it is vital to find new solutions to people's problems by getting different results from gathering, providing, and querying information.

Geographic information systems are frequently used in the preparation and implementation stages of environmental impact assessment (EIA) projects. However, the failure to use spatial data effectively during the monitoring phase, which is the final step of the assessment process, causes the inability to determine whether the activities undertaken in the report are implemented. This situation causes EIA reports and activities to be questioned or even not accepted by the public.

By inter-organizational data sharing, geographical data needs can be met and duplicate data productions can be avoided.  However, the problem of updating the geographical data provided always comes out as the real problem.  At this point, there are approaches that are defined as Crowdsourcing which refers the way of solving the problems of the institutions by utilizing the knowledge and experience outsourced. The most important institutional concern regarding crowdsourcing and geographical data extraction reveals itself as data consistency and accuracy.

With the system developed within the scope of this study, the status of EIA projects in implementation with the development of the project will be effectively controlled with the participation of the administration and the public. A crowdsourcing-based system has been prepared and introduced to ensure the participation of the public. With this study, the development of the project and the problems experienced during the monitoring phase can be controlled. Thus, it will be ensured that any negative situation that could be experienced will be prevented or minimized in a way that will not harm the environment.


Currently for the nT × nR MIMO channel, any explicitly constructed space-time (ST) designs that achieve optimality with respect to the diversity multiplexing tradeoff (DMT) are known to do so only when decoded using maximum likelihood (ML) decoding, which may incur prohibitive decoding complexity. In this paper we prove that MMSE regularized lattice decoding, as well as the computationally efficient lattice reduction (LR) aided MMSE decoder, allows for efficient and DMT optimal decoding of any approximately universal latticebased code. The result identifies for the first time an explicitly constructed encoder and a computationally efficient decoder that achieve DMT optimality for all multiplexing gains and all channel dimensions. The results hold irrespective of the fading statistics.


The visually impaired personnel face a variety problem in their day to day life. They come under very challenging situation on a daily basis. Walking with a stick and confusion in mind due to the trial and error method making it very hard to navigate in unfamiliar locations. With the advent of technology in this data driven world, the barrier for blind society can be cut down with innovative adaptations in technologies such as machine learning, deep learning and computer vision.
QR codes can be used to inform some familiarized locations giving quick response in a closed environment for the blind person. This makes it is possible to help navigate the blind person in a closed environment.
The project attempts to help the blind people to get comfortable and be confident in unfamiliar locations through a speech assistive system. The projects consist of 3 modules namely:(i) Object Detection and positioning.(ii) Text to Speech Conversion.
The project helps the user to find obstacles in his path and avoid them, it also makes it possible to locates some of the locations in a closed environment, this is done with the help of CNNs and some APIs like Opencv, Yolo and Tensorflow, QRCode, pyzbar (used for generation of qrcode). The detected items are reported to the user in the form of speech with the help of some python libraries like pyttsx3.


The study area, located in the southern section of the Central Iranian volcano–sedimentary complex, contains a large number of mineral deposits and occurrences which is currently facing a shortage of resources. Therefore, the prospecting potential areas in the deeper and peripheral spaces has become a high priority in this region. Different direct and indirect methods try to predict promising areas for future explorations, most of which are very time-consuming and costly. The main goal of mineral prospecting is applying a transparent and robust approach for identifying high potential areas to be explored further in the future. This work presents the procedure taken to create two different Cu-mineralization prospectivity maps. The first map is created using a knowledge-driven fuzzy technique and the second one by a data-driven Artificial Neural Network (ANN) approach. In this study aim is to investigate the results of applying the ANN technique and to compare them with the outputs of applying the fuzzy logic method. The geo-datasets employed for creating evidential maps of porphyry Cu mineralization include the solid geology map, alteration map, faults, dykes, airborne total magnetic intensity, airborne gamma-ray spectrometry data (U, Th, K and total count), and known Cu occurrences. Based on this study, the ANN technique is a better predictor of Cu mineralization compared to the fuzzy logic method. The ANN technique, due to capabilities such as classification, pattern matching, optimization, and prediction, is useful in identifying the anomalies associated with the Cu mineralization.


A new method of Second order PSO for a more effective capacitor sizing in radial distribution feeders to reduce the real power loss and to improve the voltage profile is proposed. The location of the nodes where the capacitors should be placed is decided by a set of rules given by the fuzzy expert system and the sizing of the capacitors is modeled by the objective function to obtain maximum savings using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The newer upgrade to PSO enables the problem to use the knowledge of past solutions into present sizing and hence a second level of optimization procedure to provide better results. A case study with an existing 15-bus radial distribution feeder is presented to illustrate the applicability of the newer algorithm.


An experiment involving 204 residents of Brisbane, Australia is outlined and the results are reported and analysed. Two consecutive surveys of the respondents provide data about their stated knowledge of 23 wildlife species present in tropical Australia, many of which exclusively occur there. In addition, these surveys provide data about the willingness of respondents to pay for the conservation of those species belonging to three taxa: reptiles, mammals, and birds. The respondents' stated knowledge of the species is compared with their willingness to pay for species' conservation, and relevant inferences are drawn. When the respondents' knowledge of the species is experimentally increased in a balanced way, it is found to result in more dispersion (greater discrimination) in respondents' willingness to contribute to conservation of the different wildlife species in the set considered. A set of factors likely to be important in influencing individuals' support for the conservation of wildlife species is identified and there is critical comment on recent valuation literature. Both theoretical and policy conclusions are drawn from the results.


BACKGROUND
Opioids may influence the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Some studies have observed AD pathology in the brains of opioid abusers. No study has examined the association between prescription opioid use and dementia-related neuropathologic changes.

OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between prescription opioid or NSAID use and dementia-related neuropathologic changes.

METHODS
Within a community-based autopsy cohort (N = 420), we ascertained opioid and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use over a 10-year period from automated pharmacy data and calculated total standardized daily doses (TSDDs). A neuropathologist assessed outcomes including neuritic plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and macroscopic infarcts. Outcome measures were dichotomized using established cutpoints. We used modified Poisson regression to calculate adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), accounting for participant characteristics and using weighting to account for possible selection bias related to selection into the autopsy sample.

RESULTS
Heavier opioid exposure was not associated with greater neuropathologic changes. For neuritic plaques, the adjusted RR [95% CI] was 0.99 [0.64-1.47] for 91+ TSDDs of opioids versus little to no use, and for neurofibrillary tangles, 0.97 [0.49-1.78]. People with heavy NSAID use had higher risk of neuritic plaques (RR 1.39 [1.01-1.89]) than those with little to no use, as we have previously reported. Neither opioid nor NSAID use was associated with higher risk of macroscopic infarcts or with Lewy body disease.

CONCLUSION
Prescription opioid use is not associated with dementia-related neuropathologic changes, but heavy NSAID use may be. More research is needed examining chronic pain, its pharmacologic treatments, and neuropathologic changes.


The ongoing multifaceted crisis of the 21st century demonstrates tight interconnectivity among governments, business and civil society as well as the urgent need for change. Permanent transformations cause changes in all areas of activity, principles and actors, which result in meaningful shifts in the public governance paradigm. This paper examines the participatory development of local communities from the perspective of farmers' social responsibility. The underlying research question is: "What level of social responsibility is assumed by farmers to support the involvement and development of a local community?" To answer the research question, positivist methodology was applied. Theoretical modelling was used to localize the research object – the participatory development of local communities - in conjunction with relevant paradigms of new public governance and corporate social responsibility. Farmers' social responsibility was defined and theoretically explained from the participatory development approach. A representative empirical study was performed in Lithuanian farms. Research results show that the participatory development of local communities in the context of farmers' social responsibility is just evolving in Lithuania. The top five responsibilities most often assumed by Lithuanian farmers and even those never assumed lack core values of social responsibility due to its rare occurrence, and thus give foresight for more targeted development of farmers' social responsibility in the future in the field of farmers' support schemes.


We employed the Health Belief Model (HBM) as a theoretical lens to explore the influence of an exercise intervention on the perceptions and knowledge of modifiable risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among women from a low-resource setting in South Africa. We used a mixed-methods design, gathering qualitative and quantitative data at baseline (n = 95) and again after 12 weeks (n = 55) and 24 weeks (n = 44) of an exercise intervention. Qualitative data consisted of focus group discussions exploring the knowledge and perceptions of modifiable risk factors for NCDs at the three time points. We collected quantitative measurements of modifiable risk factors for NCDs (waist-to-hip ratio, body mass index, blood pressure, peripheral blood glucose, and cholesterol) as well as objective physical activity (PA) data over seven consecutive days. Surveys on coronary heart disease and PA knowledge were conducted at all three time points. Qualitative findings indicated that health exposures and cultural traditions influenced the participant's perceptions about PA and NCDs. Waist circumference significantly decreased at 12 weeks compared to baseline MD = 4.16, p < 0.001. There was significant improvement at 12 weeks, compared to baseline, MD = 0.59, p = 0.009 for PA knowledge, and MD = 0.68, p = 0.003 for heart disease knowledge. There were reductions from baseline to 24 weeks in diastolic blood pressure (MD = 4.97, p = 0.045), waist circumference (MD = 2.85, p = 0.023) and BMI (MD = 0.82, p = 0.004). Significant heart disease knowledge improvements were found at 24 weeks compared to baseline (MD = 0.75, p < 0.001). Supervised exercise positively influenced Black African females′ health behaviours by understanding cultural perceptions of modifiable risk factors for NCDs.