"This paper challenges the assumption that complexity is necessary for educationally effective computerized business simulations by demonstrating, for a sample of proven simulations, there is a correlation between complexity and the duration of the simulation. It discusses complexity in terms of two mechanisms. The first mechanism gives rise to the assertions about complexity by suggesting that realism is a key determinant of educational effectiveness and that realism is produced through complexity. However, there is a second mechanism where the amount of cognitive processing performed by participants relates to the simulation's complexity. In turn, the simulation's duration relative to cognitive processing produces cognitive pressure that may lead to role overload. With role overload producing a negative influence on andragogic effectiveness. When combined, these mechanisms produce a peak in the function linking complexity with andragogic effectiveness and, the position of this peak is determined by the simulation's duration. The peak in effectiveness is shown using data from several business simulations that have been used extensively on short courses by practicing executives. Finally the findings are discussed in terms of the design and use of business simulations for Executive Short Courses. "


This study was undertaken to elucidate the mechanism(s) of potentiation of cisplatin (CDDP) cytotoxicity by interferon α‐2a (IFN α‐2a) in human squamous carcinoma cell lines SCC‐25 and SCC‐4. IFN α‐2a treatment significantly increased the cytotoxicity of CDDP in both cell lines in a dose‐dependent manner. In SCC‐25 cells, the cytotoxicity of CDDP was increased by about 2‐ and 4‐fold, respectively, by treating the cells with 400 and 800 1U/ml IFN α‐2a. Sensitivity of SCC‐4 cells to CDDP was increased by about 3‐ and 7‐fold, respectively, by 400 and 800 1U/ml IFN α‐2a treatment. Drug uptake experiments revealed approximately 1.4‐ to 5‐fold higher platinum accumulation in IFN α‐2a‐treated cells as compared to respective controls. Cellular levels of glutathione (GSH) and GSH transferase, which have been suggested to be important determinants of tumor cell sensitivity to CDDP, were not altered by IFN α‐2a treatment in either of the cell lines. Northern blot analysis showed a moderate increase (about 30–40%) in the level of MT‐IIA mRNA by IFN α‐2a treatment in these cells. Our results suggest that IFN α‐2a‐mediated sensitization of SCC‐25 and SCC‐4 cell lines to CDDP in vitro may be due to an increase in intracellular platinum accumulation.


Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) can be successfully applied in a wide range of applications. Efficient data dissemination is a fundamental service which enables many useful high-level functions such as parameter reconfiguration, network reprogramming, etc. Many current data dissemination protocols employ network coding techniques to deal with packet losses. The coding overhead, however, becomes a bottleneck in terms of dissemination delay. We exploit the concurrency potential of sensor nodes and propose MT-Deluge, a multithreaded design of a coding-based data dissemination protocol. By separating the coding and radio operations into two threads and carefully scheduling their executions, MT-Deluge shortens the dissemination delay effectively. An incremental decoding algorithm is employed to further improve MT-Deluge's performance. Experiments with 24 TelosB motes on four representative topologies show that MT-Deluge shortens the dissemination delay by 25.5-48.6 percent compared to a typical data dissemination protocol while keeping the merits of loss resilience.


In this article, the luminescence and photochemical properties of a selection of organotransition metal compounds are reviewed and discussed. The examples are classified according to the identity of the carbon-containing ligands, which include the carbonyl, isocyanide, cyanide, alkynyl, alkenyl, arene, aryl, alkylidene, alkylidyne, cyclometalating, and alkyl ligands. The luminescence and photochemistry of selected tungsten, molybdenum, and rhenium carbonyl compounds are described in this article, followed by some examples with the analogous isocyanide and cyanide ligands. The luminescence properties and potential applications of these systems are discussed. Transition metal complexes containing alkynyl ligands display a very wide structural diversity and catalytic properties, and many systems also show intriguing photoluminescence properties, especially those of rhenium(I), platinum(II), palladium(II), and the coinage metals. Studies focused on the photophysical studies and the excited-state chemistry of selected alkynyl systems and related alkenyl, arene, and aryl complexes are outlined and discussed. Luminescent metal–carbon multiple bonded systems including the alkylidene and alkylidyne compounds have received relatively little attention, and examples have been confined to the complexes of molybdenum and tungsten. However, much effort has recently been devoted to exploring the interesting emission properties of alkylidene and alkylidyne systems with other metal centers such as rhenium, ruthenium, osmium, platinum, and coinage metals, which are outlined in this article. Some recent examples in the areas of cyclometalated complexes, especially those of rhodium(III), iridium(III), platinum(II), and gold(III) centers are highlighted in this article as many examples display impressive photophysical and photochemical behavior. Metal alkyl systems represent a special class of luminescent organometallic system due to their strong σ-donating properties of the alkyl ligands, and the photophysical and excited-state properties of some selected examples are described. Finally, luminescent organotransition metal compounds with application potentials in the development of new materials, photodevices, and sensory systems are summarized in various parts of this article.

Keywords:

excited states;
luminescence;
metal–carbon bonds;
molecular orbitals;
organometallics;
photochemistry;
photophysics;
transition metals


The review is focused on the domain structure and function of protein 4.1, one of the proteins belonging to the membrane skeleton. The protein 4.1 of the red blood cells (4.1R) is a multifunctional protein that localizes to the membrane skeleton and stabilizes erythrocyte shape and membrane mechanical properties, such as deformability and stability, via lateral interactions with spectrin, actin, glycophorin C and protein p55. Protein 4.1 binding is modulated through the action of kinases and/or calmodulin-Ca2+. Non-erythroid cells express the 4.1R homologues: 4.1G (general type), 4.1B (brain type), and 4.1N (neuron type), and the whole group belongs to the protein 4.1 superfamily, which is characterized by the presence of a highly conserved FERM domain at the N-terminus of the molecule. Proteins 4.1R, 4.1G, 4.1N and 4.1B are encoded by different genes. Most of the 4.1 superfamily proteins also contain an actin-binding domain. To date, more than 40 members have been identified. They can be divided into five groups: protein 4.1 molecules, ERM proteins, talin-related molecules, protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPH) proteins and NBL4 proteins. We have focused our attention on the main, well known representatives of 4.1 superfamily and tried to choose the proteins which are close to 4.1R or which have distinct functions. 4.1 family proteins are not just linkers between the plasma membrane and membrane skeleton; they also play an important role in various processes. Some, such as focal adhesion kinase (FAK), non-receptor tyrosine kinase that localizes to focal adhesions in adherent cells, play the role in cell adhesion. The other members control or take part in tumor suppression, regulation of cell cycle progression, inhibition of cell proliferation, downstream signaling of the glutamate receptors, and establishment of cell polarity; some are also involved in cell proliferation, cell motility, and/or cell-to-cell communication.


In this paper we explore the recent topic of point cloud completion, guided by an auxiliary image. We show how it is possible to effectively combine the information from the two modalities in a localized latent space, thus avoiding the need for complex point cloud reconstruction methods from single views used by the state-of-the-art. We also investigate a novel weakly-supervised setting where the auxiliary image provides a supervisory signal to the training process by using a differentiable renderer on the completed point cloud to measure fidelity in the image space. Experiments show significant improvements over state-of-the-art supervised methods for both unimodal and multimodal completion. We also show the effectiveness of the weakly-supervised approach which outperforms a number of supervised methods and is competitive with the latest supervised models only exploiting point cloud information.


Summary: One non-xerophilic fungus, Penicillium digitatum, and four xerophilic fungi, Penicillium janczewskii, Eurotium chevalieri, Wallemia sebi and Polypaecilum pisce, were grown at six different water activities (a
w) on media containing various concentrations of sodium chloride. Each species was sampled as soon as visible growth appeared and up to six times thereafter during various stages of the growth cycle. The fungal mycelium was extracted and assayed for glycerol using a specific enzymic method. At the highest a
w, 0.997, only small amounts of glycerol were present in the fungi. At lower a
w values, glycerol concentrations rose rapidly at first, then declined as the cultures aged. There appeared to be a correlation between the amount of glycerol accumulated, and the complexity of the spore-bearing structures. Glycerol depletion appeared to be related to the formation of spores and their maturation.


Language model pre-training has achieved success in many natural language processing tasks. Existing methods for cross-lingual pre-training adopt Translation Language Model to predict masked words with the concatenation of the source sentence and its target equivalent. In this work, we introduce a novel cross-lingual pre-training method, called Alternating Language Modeling (ALM). It code-switches sentences of different languages rather than simple concatenation, hoping to capture the rich cross-lingual context of words and phrases. More specifically, we randomly substitute source phrases with target translations to create code-switched sentences. Then, we use these code-switched data to train ALM model to learn to predict words of different languages. We evaluate our pre-training ALM on the downstream tasks of machine translation and cross-lingual classification. Experiments show that ALM can outperform the previous pre-training methods on three benchmarks.1


Dendritic cells (DCs) represent a group of antigen-presenting leukocytes which are very effective in activating resting T-cells. DCs are present in almost all tissues of the body, but they are generally difficult to isolate. The study of human DCs has recently become greatly facilitated due to the advent of methods for isolation and in vivo generation of DCs from blood. Experiments in animal models have shown that DCs loaded with tumour antigens may induce effective immune responses against cancer. Now the potential of vaccination with tumour antigens presented on DCs is being evaluated in cancer patients. Preliminary clinical studies have shown encouraging results.


We present several approximation algorithms for the problem of embedding metric spaces into a line, and into the two-dimensional plane. Among other results, we give an O(√n)-approximation algorithm for the problem of finding a line embedding of a metric induced by a given unweighted graph, that minimizes the (standard) multiplicative distortion. We give an improved Õ(n1/3) approximation for the case of metrics generated by unweighted trees. This is the first result of this type.


It is believed that the research questions addressed, the methodology employed, and the results interpreted, are reflective of researchers' epistemological perspective. The purpose of this paper is to investigate different research paradigms within two articles regarding the implementation of Proposition 227 in the state of California through the lens of teachers' beliefs and their classroom practice. The review of these two articles has revealed that there is not a universal or best methodology for any research practice. The diversity of paradigms leads us to the ramification of the unknown and thus provides us rich understanding of the world. The demonstration of this study implies that researchers may want to assume a multitude of comprehension of what produces knowledge and make our own contributions toward this process.


This paper presents several case studies to demonstrate how open source software can achieve long-term sustainability by adopting the relevant business models. The objectives of this paper are to study the different models, processes, and legal/licence requirements that have been successful for such transformations. We classify the business models used in the open source area into five types: (a) Support Contracts; (b) Split Licensing; (c) Community; (d) Valued-added closed source; (e) Macro R&D Infrastructure. Each model's strengths and weaknesses are discussed. The five business models detailed in this paper are the most common and arguably the most successful methods of generating revenues from open source software. Those in the e-Science community are encouraged to consider these methods for longer term sustainability.


Following the uprising and governmental changes of 2011, Libya's National Transitional Council in August 2012 handed over the country's direction to the newly elected General National Congress. Although faced with the pressing priorities of reestablishing national stability, a major challenge for the government is the provision of a transport infrastructure that will meet the nation's needs (Libyan General Council for Planning, 2013). It is likely that Libya's prospects for national economic prosper ity will be seriously undermined due to its poor transport infrastructure. In fact, the inadequacy of the existing road network predates the recent conflict, and recent examination of road construction procurement and management suggests that the country's approach to developing its transport infrastructure have, to-date, been less than successful. As with many developing economies non-technical issues such as management, planning and financing are the major barriers to the efficient and effective provision of transpor t infrastructure (see, for example, World Bank, 1988, 1994). The research presented in this paper relates to an examination of the means and methods of approaching these problems in Libya. In particular, procedures and practices in the ministries responsible for road infrastructure are examined. An in-depth investigation has been made into the Libyan planning and legislative context, in order to construct a normative framework for the future design of appropriate procurement arrangements. The ultimate aim of the wor k is to establish a set of criteria that would be at once beneficial for national development and attractive to the infrastructure providers themselves.


Background: Little is known about the relationship between medical student participation in service and performance outcomes. Purpose: To examine relationships between involvement in required service learning and measures of academic and professional achievement and specialty choice. Methods: Using preexisting, self-reported data for Tulane University School of Medicine's class of 2004, we categorized students as low, moderate, or high on commitment and involvement in service learning (CISL) and compared to multiple outcomes: class rank; election to the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Society; election to the Gold Humanism in Medicine Honor Society; total percent scores on 2 multistation, structured, clinical examinations; and specialty choice per 2004 residency match results. Results: Service learning involvement was related to class rank. There was a marginal relationship between CISL and election to AOA but no association with election to the Gold Humanism in Medicine Honor Society, Year 2 or 3 clinical skills examination results, or specialty choice. Conclusions: High participation in service learning and service learning leadership identify a group of students less likely to be in the top quartile of their class yet who are making important contributions to the community and profession.


Trends in nurse staffing levels in nursing homes from 1997 to 2011 varied across the category of nurse and the type of nursing home. The gaps found in this study are important to consider because nurses may become overworked and this may negatively affect the quality of services and jeopardize resident safety. Nursing home administrators should consider improving staffing strategically. Staffing should be based not only on the number of resident days, but also allocated according to particular resident needs. As the demand for nursing home care grows, bridging the gap between nurse staffing and resident nursing care needs will be especially important in light of the evidence linking nurse staffing to the quality of nursing home care. Until more efficient nursing care delivery exits, there may be no other way to safeguard quality except to increase nurse staffing in nursing homes.


Concrete structures deteriorate over time due to different reasons and thus may not perform
their function satisfactorily. Repair and rehabilitation of deteriorated concrete structures is often
preferred over demolition and rebuilding for economic reasons. Various metallic and nonmetallic
materials have been used in the past for repair and rehabilitation. These materials have
advantages and disadvantages. The latter are connected with the mismatch in the properties of
these materials with the material of the structure being repaired which often resulted in
unwanted failure modes, e.g. delamination. For this reason, new cement-based ultra-high
performance reinforced with steel fibres repair materials have been developed in the last two
decades, which restore (and even enhance) the structural response and improve the durability
of repaired concrete structures. One such ultra-high-performance fibre-reinforced concrete
material is CARDIFRC. It is characterized by very high compressive strength, high tensile
/flexural strength, and high energy-absorption capacity. However, it is very expensive and thus
industrially uncompetitive due to the very high cost of thin brass-coated steel fibres used in it.
It is therefore important to develop a version of CARDIFRC that is industrially competitive.
This is one of the objectives of this research. An ultra-high-performance fibre-reinforced
concrete (UHPFRC) has been developed that is far less expensive than CARDIFRC and at the
same time self-compacting. The steps necessary to achieve this have been described in this
work. In addition, a full mechanical and fracture characterisation (i.e. size-independent fracture
energy and the corresponding bi-linear stress-crack opening relationship) of this UHPFRC is
presented. A nonlinear cracked hinge model has been used to back calculate the stress-crack
opening relation of this material in an inverse manner from the test data.
The second objective of this research concerns the flexural fatigue behaviour of this new
UHPFRC. Tests have been conducted under several stress amplitude ranges. It has been found
that the distribution of fibres plays a vital role in its fatigue resistance. Regions with few or no
fibres can drastically reduce its fatigue life. As expected, non-zero mean stress leads to a
significant reduction in the fatigue life of a material compared to cyclic loading with zero mean.
The variation in compliance during cyclic loading has been used to estimate the expected fatigue
life under a given cyclic load range, since the tests were terminated at one million cycles.
The third objective of this research concerns the flexural fatigue behaviour of RC beams
retrofitted with precast strips of this self-compacting UHPFRC on the tension face. Fatigue tests
under several stress amplitude ranges have shown that this UHPFRC is an excellent retrofit
material under fatigue loading. Again, the variation in compliance during the fatigue loading
has been used to estimate the expected fatigue life for retrofitted RC beams.


Innovative 21st-century methods for teaching biology should provide both content knowledge and diverse scientific competencies. The Curriculum Guidelines of the American Society for Microbiology highlight the importance of developing scientific thinking skills, which include the abilities to formulate hypotheses, to communicate fundamental concepts effectively, and to analyze and interpret experimental results. Additionally, contemporary science education should enhance creativity and collaboration as key student assets in its bid to overcome negative perceptions and learning difficulties. In recent years, the expanding movement for so-called "STEAM" approaches (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) has increased in STEM curricula. The movement seeks to integrate the arts into science classes to transfer enthusiasm, support individual self-sufficiency, and encourage creative solutions. To meet all these demands, we developed an inquiry-based approach that actively engages students in hands- and minds-on activities on the topic of "decoding the DNA structure" in an outreach laboratory. Since teaching abstract molecular phenomena is a challenge in biology classes, we combine classical experimental tasks (DNA isolation, gel electrophoresis) with creative modeling. The experiments are linked by the modeling phase: immersed in the story of the discovery of the DNA structure, our participants independently construct a DNA model from a box filled with inexpensive craft supplies (e.g., glue, straws, pipe cleaners, beads). After initial pilot testing, the implementation of our approach clearly produced short- and mid-term learning effects among the students, providing a successful example of a STEAM-based approach in a laboratory setting.


Introduction This Part describes the process of creating the 2015 American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines Update for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC), informed by the 2015 International Consensus on CPR and ECC Science With Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR) publication. The process for the 2015 International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) systematic review is quite different when compared with the process used in 2010. For the 2015 systematic review process, ILCOR used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) (www.gradeworkinggroup.org) approach to systematic reviews and guideline development. For the development of this 2015 Guidelines Update, the AHA used the ILCOR reviews as well as the AHA definition of Classes of Recommendation (COR) and Levels of Evidence (LOE) (Table 1). This Part summarizes the application of the ILCOR GRADE process to inform the creation of 2015 Guidelines Update, and the process of assigning the AHA COR and LOE.


—Population growth of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomvs ludovicianus) was studied in 1985 and 1986 at 20 prairie dog towns on shortand mixed-grass rangeland in western Nebraska, to determine the efficacy of 2 years deferred (May 1 Sept. 1) grazing in reducing population growth rates following population reduction. In 1985, population growth measures on deferred sites were not significantly different from grazed sites, perhaps due to drought conditions. In 1986, natality and population growth (? increase in animals) were significantly lower on deferred sites than on sites grazed by livestock. Deferred sites studied both years showed significant reductions in 1986 active area: 4 of 5 deferred sites decreased in size; 6 of 8 grazed sites increased in size. Results of this study suggest that deferred grazing may be effective in reducing reinfestation rates of prairie dogs following control, given favorable vegetative growth conditions.


Microstructural and mechanical characterization of Nitinol gas tungsten arc weld (GTAW) and furnace brazing (FB) welds for grade 1 titanium plates are carried out in order to study the microstructure developed after welding and its effect on the mechanical properties of welds. The GTAW process yields the highest hardness weld. The constituents for this weld consist of a dendritic structure of NiTi and NiTi2 intermetallic phases. The FB process promotes a change of the welds chemical composition due to atomic diffusion of Ti. The weld microconstituents consist of a mixture of a Ti-rich and NiTi2 eutectic and a proeutectic Ti-rich phase.


Sigma factors are important global regulators which control bacterial gene expression during growth and in response to stress. Previous work showed that mRNA of the sigJ gene was up-regulated in late stationary-phase and after rifampicin treatment. In order to verify the function of SigJ, we constructed a Mycobacterium tuberculosis mutant lacking the sigJ gene. In a microaerophilic stationary-phase model, the sigJ mutant showed the same growth pattern as the wild-type strain. In an immune stasis murine model in which the bacterial number plateaued between the second and the 15th week, the mutant showed a similar growth curve to the wild-type strain. However, the sigJ mutant was more susceptible to killing by H2O2 than its parental strain. The parental level of sensitivity to H2O2 was recovered in the sigJ complemented strain. These data suggest that the SigJ protein is not essential for survival in long-term stationary phase or in bacterial stasis in mice. However, the sigJ gene may control an alternative H2O2 resistance pathway.


The present research aimed to develop the implicit relational assessment
procedure (IRAP) as a means of quantifying tobacco addiction in terms of implicit (i.e.
automatic) evaluative processes. Chapter 1 begins by highlighting the fundamental
importance of such processes to the losses of personal autonomy which characterise
tobacco addiction. Accordingly, thereafter, Chapters 1-3 involve critically reviewing all
major measures of addiction-related implicit processes in terms of their respective
abilities to distinguish between implicit evaluating of one topic as distinct from another.
The review culminates by recommending the IRAP, and its behaviour analytic rationale,
as a tool for both functional and cognitive theorizing about tobacco addiction. Chapter 4
reports a study showing that the IRAP compares favourably with the most popular
implicit measurement tool, the implicit association test (IAT), in terms of its ability to
validate against multiple defining features of tobacco addiction. Indeed, this was despite
the fact that both implicit measures were focused on evaluative topics specifically
designed to favour the IAT rather than the IRAP; and also despite the fact that as a
result the relevant IAT convincingly outperformed all of its predecessors in the
literature. In response, Chapter 5 describes research that explored the potential of the
IRAP to target complex, mood-conditional aspects of smokers' implicit reasons for
smoking that were unavailable to the IAT, or any other implicit measure. Crucially, by
revealing motivational distinctions that were simply not available using other existing
measures of implicit cognition, the IRAP's experimental precision allowed us to
identify aspects of implicit evaluating with unprecedented levels of criterion validity in
relation to tobacco addiction. For example, these findings suggested a preliminary
functional model wherein tobacco addiction is motivated by complex, coordinated and
mood-dependent networks of implicit evaluative processes which collectively insist that
one should regulate one's ongoing emotional experiences – particularly negative
craving-related affect – by smoking. Extending this model, the three experimental
studies reported in Chapters 6 and 7 confirmed that smokers' most popular, and also
least successful, method of managing their (implicit) tobacco cravings is ultimately selfdefeating
insofar as it involves experientially avoidant tactics like thought suppression.
Accordingly, Chapter 8 concludes by recommending the IRAP, with certain important
qualifications, as a useful means of quantifying tobacco addiction in such a way as to
begin clarifying the motivational problem(s) that smoking-cessation treatments must
ultimately tackle.


Our experiments investigate the extent to which traders learn from the price, differentiating between situations where orders are submitted before versus after the price has realized. In simultaneous markets with bids that are conditional on the price, traders neglect the information conveyed by the hypothetical value of the price. In sequential markets where the price is known prior to the bid submission, traders react to price to an extent that is roughly consistent with the benchmark theory. The difference's robustness to a number of variations provides insights about the drivers of this effect. (JEL D44, D82, D84, G12, G14)


Grace in Galatia is an innovative socio-rhetorical study of Paul's most polemical letter. Ben Witherington breaks new ground by analyzing the whole of Galatians as a deliberative discourse meant to forestall the Galatians from submitting to circumcision and the Jewish law. The commentary features the latest discussion of major problems in Pauline studies, including Paul's view of the law and the relationship between the historical data in Galatians and in Acts. Yet the narrative character of Witherington's work allows it to remain exceedingly accessible. The volume also includes sections following the major divisions of the commentary that point to the relevance of the text for believers today, making Grace in Galatia of special value to pastors and general readers as well as students and scholars.


This paper measures the relative importance of conditional cooperation and unconditional cooperation in a large public goods experiment conducted in Mali. I use expectations about total public goods provision to estimate a structural choice model with heterogeneous preferences. While unconditional cooperation can be captured by common preferences shared by all participants, conditional cooperation is much more heterogeneous and depends on unobserved individual factors. This structural model, in combination with two experimental treatments, suggests that leadership and group communication incentivize public goods provision through dierent channels. First, I nd that participation of local leaders eectively changes individual choices through unconditional cooperation. A simulation exercise predicts that even in the most pessimistic scenario in which all participants expect zero public good provision, 60% would still choose to cooperate. Second, allowing participants to communicate fosters conditional cooperation. The simulations suggest that expectations are responsible for around 24% of the observed public good provision and that group communication does not necessarily ameliorate public good provision, it may even worsen the outcome when expectations are low.


The report discusses a cognitive model in which a key concept is Multimodal Record (MMR)--an organized aggregate of transcripts of signals representing all information an Agent continuously acquired for a certain period of time. The MMR consists of a video track, sound track, and a number of tracks containing transcripts of the values of temperature, pressure, etc., as well as transcripts of states of the Agent's internal structure. Three basic operations on MMRs, i.e. multimodal difference (m-), multimodal union (m+) and multimodal intersection (m*), to be performed using neural network has been introduced. Based on the operations one can explain and/or implement a number of psycho-linguistic phenomena. MMR may be considered as a computable form of Image Scheme--the basic concept of Lakoff-Langacker Cognitive Grammar. Hence, the proposed model seems to be a bridge over the gap between the non-computational Cognitive Linguistics and an applied neurocomputing. Moreover, it may be considered as a step towards a unified symbolic-connectionist paradigm.


BACKGROUND
Blood molecular profiling of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can enable monitoring of patients with metastatic melanoma during checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy (CII) and in combination with targeted therapies. We developed a microfluidics-based CTC platform to explore CTC profiling utility in CII-treated patients with melanoma using a melanoma messenger RNA (mRNA)/DNA biomarker panel.

METHODS
Blood samples (n = 213) were collected prospectively from 75 American Joint Committee on Cancer-staged III/IV melanoma patients during CII treatment and those enriched for CTCs. CTC profiling was performed using 5 known melanoma mRNA biomarkers and BRAF V600E DNA mutation. CTC biomarker status associations with clinical outcomes were assessed.

RESULTS
CTCs were detected in 88% of blood samples from patients with melanoma. CTC-derived biomarkers and clinical variables analyzed using classification and regression tree analysis revealed that a combination of lactate dehydrogenase, CTC-mRNA biomarkers, and tumor BRAF-mutation status was indicative of clinical outcomes for patients with stage IV melanoma (n = 52). The panel stratified low-risk and high-risk patients, whereby the latter had poor disease-free (P = 0.03) and overall survival (P = 0.02). Incorporation of a DNA biomarker with mRNA profiling increased overall CTC-detection capability by 57% compared to mRNA profiling only. RNA sequencing of isolated CTCs identified significant catenin beta 1 (CTNNB1) overexpression (P <0.01) compared to nondisease donor blood. CTC-CTNNB1 was associated with progressive disease/stable disease compared to complete-responder patient status (P = 0.02). Serial CTC profiling identified subclinical disease in patients who developed progressive disease during treatment/follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS
CTC-derived mRNA/DNA biomarkers have utility for monitoring CII, targeted, and combinatorial therapies in metastatic melanoma patients.


for Cell Symposia – Microbiome and Host Health May 12-14 2013, Lisbon, Portugal Lipid hydrolysis products affect the composition of microbiota isolated from infant fecal samples after in vitro fermentation. Rikke MG Bennike, Tine R Licht, Lars I Hellgren Some lipid hydrolysis products such as medium-chained free fatty acids (FFA) and monoacylglycerols (MAG) have antibacterial activity, while others, including oleic acid, have been reported to be essential for optimal growth of Lactobacillus species. Thus, the FFA and MAG concentration in the distal ileum and in colon can be expected to selectively modulate the growth rate and hereby the composition of the microbiota. In earlier studies, we have shown that this concentration is dependent on the type of emulsification of the triglycerides, which deviates between breast milk and formula milk. Here, we have determined effects of selected combinations of FFA and MAG on microbial composition during a 24-hour anaerobic in vitro fermentation in microbiota obtained from infant fecal samples (age 2-5 months). PCR-based quantification of 11 different bacterial taxa revealed that the growth of Firmicutes, Lactobacillus and B.longum is significantly increased in the presence of a mixture of C10-C14 FFAs.


PURPOSE Insertion mutations in Erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 gene (ERBB2 or HER2) exon 20 occur in 2%-5% of non–small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) and function as an oncogenic driver. Poziotinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was evaluated in previously treated patients with NSCLC with HER2 exon 20 insertions. METHODS ZENITH20, a multicenter, multicohort, open-label phase II study, evaluated poziotinib in patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC. In cohort 2, patients received poziotinib (16 mg) once daily. The primary end point was objective response rate evaluated by independent review committee (RECIST v1.1); secondary outcome measures were disease control rate, duration of response, progression-free survival, and safety and tolerability. Quality of life was assessed. RESULTS Between October 2017 and March 2021, 90 patients with a median of two prior lines of therapy (range, 1-6) were treated. With a median follow-up of 9.0 months, objective response rate was 27.8% (95% CI, 18.9 to 38.2); 25 of 90 patients achieved a partial response. Disease control rate was 70.0% (95% CI, 59.4 to 79.2). Most patients (74%) had tumor reduction (median reduction 22%). Median progression-free survival was 5.5 months (95% CI, 3.9 to 5.8); median duration of response was 5.1 months (95% CI, 4.2 to 5.5). Clinical benefit was seen regardless of lines and types of prior therapy, presence of central nervous system metastasis, and types of HER2 mutations. Grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events included rash (48.9%), diarrhea (25.6%), and stomatitis (24.4%). Most patients had poziotinib dose reductions (76.7%), with median relative dose intensity of 71.5%. Permanent treatment discontinuation because of treatment-related adverse events occurred in 13.3% of patients. CONCLUSION Poziotinib demonstrates antitumor activity in previously treated patients with HER2 exon 20 insertion NSCLC.


Background: Globally, tuberculosis remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality for children. Diagnosis and management of childhood TB especially Extra pulmonary tuberculosis is challenging. Method:  A cross-sectional study was conducted on 0-14 year children who were registered and being treated, in district Tarn Taran, Punjab from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2018. The treatment outcome with their clinico-demographic determinants was ascertained. Data management and analysis was done by using Microsoft excel and SPSS. Results: Out of 62 registered patients, 62.9% of the children were in age group of 11-14 years. 67.7% were females. The various treatment outcomes observed were-cured 32.3%, treatment completed 61.3%, lost to follow up 1.6%, regimen changed 1.6%, not evaluated 3.2%. The success rate (cured+ treatment completed) was 93.6%. On statistical analysis, it was observed that age (p= 0.002), site of disease (p=0.000), contact history (p=0.012) and diagnostic method (0.000) was significantly associated with the treatment outcome whereas gender, area of residence and type of case had no association with the treatment outcome in children. Conclusions:  We also found that the overall treatment success rate was 93.6%. Increased focus be on those with household contact with TB.


ABSTRACT We investigate the effect of having opposite sex siblings on cognitive and noncognitive skills of children in the United States at the onset of formal education. Our identification strategy rests on the assumption that, conditional on covariates, the sibling sex composition of the two firstborn children in a family is arguably exogenous. With regard to cognitive skills, learning skills and self-control measured in kindergarten, we find that boys benefit from having a sister, while there is no effect for girls. We also find evidence for the effect fading out as early as first grade.


Background Efforts to improve the implementation of effective practice and to speed up improvements in quality and patient safety continue to pose challenges for researchers and policy makers. Organisational research, and, in particular, case studies of quality improvement, offer methods to improve understanding of the role of organisational and microsystem contexts for improving care and the development of theories which might guide improvement strategies. Methods This paper reviews examples of such research and details the methodological issues in constructing and analysing case studies. Case study research typically collects a wide array of data from interviews, documents and other sources. Conclusion Advances in methods for coding and analysing these data are improving the quality of reports from these studies.


We address the problem of sub-ordinate class recognition, like the distinction between different types of motorcycles. Our approach is motivated by observations from cognitive psychology, which identify parts as the defining component of basic level categories (like motorcycles), while sub-ordinate categories are more often defined by part properties (like 'jagged wheels'). Accordingly, we suggest a two-stage algorithm: First, a relational part based object model is learnt using unsegmented object images from the inclusive class (e.g., motorcycles in general). The model is then used to build a class-specific vector representation for images, where each entry corresponds to a model's part. In the second stage we train a standard discriminative classifier to classify subclass instances (e.g., cross motorcycles) based on the class-specific vector representation. We describe extensive experimental results with several subclasses. The proposed algorithm typically gives better results than a competing one-step algorithm, or a two stage algorithm where classification is based on a model of the sub-ordinate class.


This paper proposes a neural semantic parsing approach – Sequence-to-Action, which models semantic parsing as an end-to-end semantic graph generation process. Our method simultaneously leverages the advantages from two recent promising directions of semantic parsing. Firstly, our model uses a semantic graph to represent the meaning of a sentence, which has a tight-coupling with knowledge bases. Secondly, by leveraging the powerful representation learning and prediction ability of neural network models, we propose a RNN model which can effectively map sentences to action sequences for semantic graph generation. Experiments show that our method achieves state-of-the-art performance on Overnight dataset and gets competitive performance on Geo and Atis datasets.


A full test on the flexible behaviors of the long flanges and trapezoidal section high-strength concrete thin-walled box girder has been performed. The deflection horizontal distribution, strain and strain distribution of concrete and reinforced bars in the compressive flanges, strain distribution along rib height have been studied. The results demonstrate that reinforced concrete thin-walled box girder has fine flexible behavior and ductility, strain distribution along rib height agrees with the basic assume, i.e. Plane section before deforming remain plane, and the destructive experimental results disclosed the full process law of shear lag effect and equivalent calculated coefficient of compressed flange width at middle span section, which can be served as a reference for that applying elementary reinforced concrete beam theory settles the ultimate flexural capacity calculation of concrete thin-walled box girder.


AIM
Although the National Health Service (NHS) Breast Screening Programme is aimed at asymptomatic women, inevitably patients attending screening report symptoms. The study aim was to assess the usefulness of recall based on clinical symptoms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Information on breast symptoms is recorded at screening and radiologists can make recall decisions based on mammography and symptom history. We identified 1394 women with significant symptoms, between 1991 and 1996. The majority (54%) complained of a lump, 21% had breast distortion, 18% breast pain alone and 6% reported nipple discharge.

RESULTS
Of the 1394 women, 262 were recalled because of mammographic suspicion and of these, 45% had breast cancer. The other 1132 women had symptoms and benign mammograms and 44% of these were recalled. Seven breast cancers were diagnosed; all had complained of a breast lump. In two the cancer would have been seen on two-view mammography. Of 638 not recalled, five women went on to develop an interval cancer.

CONCLUSION
The results indicate that collecting details on symptoms is useful given the high rate of breast cancer in those with mammographic abnormality. When mammography is benign, however, the low rate of cancer detection means recall should be selective based on only the most relevant symptoms.


The atherosclerotic process begins when vascular endothelial cells undergo pro-inflammatory changes such as aberrant activation to dysfunctional phenotypes and apoptosis, leading to loss of vascular integrity. Our laboratory has demonstrated that exposure of mice to second hand smoke triggers an increase in expression of metalloproteinase-9. Further, metalloproteinase-9 released by second hand smoke—activated leukocytes may propagate pro-atherogenic alterations in endothelial cells. We have shown that levels of metalloproteinase-9 were increased in the plasma from apolipoprotein E deficient (ApoE-/-) mice exposed to second hand smoke relative to non-exposed controls. Moreover, we have collected data from two different, but complementary, treatments of second hand smoke exposed atherosclerotic mice. Animals received either cell specific metalloproteinase-9 directed siRNA to minimize metalloproteinase-9 expression in neutrophils and endothelial cells, or a pharmacological inhibitor of Bruton's tyrosine kinase which indirectly limits metalloproteinase-9 production in neutrophils. These treatments reduced atherosclerotic changes in mice and improved overall vascular health. We also demonstrated that metalloproteinase-9 could activate endothelial cells and induce their apoptosis via cleavage of protease activated receptor-1. In summary, better understanding of metalloproteinase-9's pathogenic capabilities as well as novel signaling pathways involved may lead to development of treatments which may provide additional benefits to atherosclerosis patients with a history of second hand smoke exposure.


External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for the treatment of cancer enables accurate placement of radiation dose on the cancerous region. However, the deformation of soft tissue during the course of treatment, such as in cervical cancer, presents significant challenges for the delineation of the target volume and other structures of interest. Furthermore, the presence and regression of pathologies such as tumors may violate registration constraints and cause registration errors. In this paper, automatic segmentation, nonrigid registration and tumor detection in cervical magnetic resonance (MR) data are addressed simultaneously using a unified Bayesian framework. The proposed novel method can generate a tumor probability map while progressively identifying the boundary of an organ of interest based on the achieved nonrigid transformation. The method is able to handle the challenges of significant tumor regression and its effect on surrounding tissues. The new method was compared to various currently existing algorithms on a set of 36 MR data from six patients, each patient has six T2-weighted MR cervical images. The results show that the proposed approach achieves an accuracy comparable to manual segmentation and it significantly outperforms the existing registration algorithms. In addition, the tumor detection result generated by the proposed method has a high agreement with manual delineation by a qualified clinician.


Despite the promising use of debit cards for e‐payment and online transactions, to the best of our knowledge, there has not been any study regarding students' intentions to use debit card services in Nigeria. This research aims to examine factors that influence university students' decision to use debit card services in Nigeria. A Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) integrated with the trust of bank and online transaction factors are used in the study. Data were purposively selected from 400 students in the Faculty of Business Administration in Nigeria University using a survey questionnaire. The multiple linear regression results reveal that social influence, the trust of online transaction and performance expectancy exert significant influences on students' behavioural intention to use a debit card. However, the insignificant results obtained for effort expectation and facilitating condition warrant for further investigation. We have confidence that the findings of this study will guide debit card services providers and professionals in the field in improving and promoting debit card services by revealing the students' priorities regarding debit card services in Africa, particularly in Nigeria.


Glucocorticoids are potent osteopenic agents, producing negative calcium and bone balance via actions at many sites. The most significant adverse effects of glucocorticoid drugs on the skeleton are probably a direct inhibition of matrix synthesis by the osteoblast, reductions in calcium absorption in both the gut and the renal tubule, and the production of hypogonadism, particularly in men. Reductions in bone density of 10-40% result, the loss being more marked in trabecular bone and in patients receiving a high cumulative dose of the steroid. Fractures occur in about 30% of individuals who take these drugs for an average of 5 years. Bone loss is reversible when glucocorticoid treatment is withdrawn. Bone density can also be increased by sex hormone replacement in those with demonstrable deficiency, by bisphosphonates, and possibly by vitamin D metabolites. All patients treated with glucocorticoids for more than 6 months should be considered for bone densitometry and be offered appropriate drug treatment if values are towards the lower end of the young normal range or if there is already evidence of fractures occurring after minimal trauma. With this approach, the significant morbidity associated with steroid osteoporosis might be substantially avoided.


The aromatic features in M101 were studied spectroscopically and photometrically using observations from all three instruments on the Spitzer Space Telescope. The global SED of M101 shows strong aromatic feature (commonly called PAH feature) emission. The spatially resolved spectral and photometric measurements of the aromatic feature emission show strong variations with significantly weaker emission at larger radii. We compare these variations with changes in the ionization index (as measured by [Ne III]/[Ne II] and [S IV/S III], which range from 0.03 to 20 and 0.044 to 15, respectively) and metallicity [expressed as log (O/H) + 12, which ranges from 8.1 to 8.8]. Over these ranges, the spectroscopic equivalent widths of the aromatic features from seven H II regions and the nucleus were found to correlate better with ionization index than metallicity. This implies that the weakening of the aromatic emission in massive star-forming regions is due primarily to processing of the dust grains in these environments, not to differences in how they form. The behavior of the aromatic feature versus ionization index correlation can be described as a constant equivalent width until a threshold in ionization index is reached ([Ne III]/[Ne II] ∼ 1), above which the equivalent widths decrease with a power-law dependence. This behavior is also seen for the starburst galaxy sample presented in the companion study by Engelbracht and coworkers, which expands the range of [Ne III]/[Ne II] ratios to 0.03-25 and log (O/H) + 12 values to 7.1-8.8. The form of the correlation explains seemingly contradictory results present in the literature. The behavior of the ratios of different aromatic features versus ionization index does not follow the predictions of existing PAH models of the aromatic features, implying a more complex origin of the aromatic emission in massive star-forming regions.


A phenolic glycolipid was obtained in high amounts (2% of dry weight) from Mycobacterium leprae isolated from infected armadillo liver. Infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that it is closely related to "mycoside A" from Mycobacterium kansasii and is therefore a glycosylphenolic phthiocerol diester. The crucial difference between the two products is in the composition of the attached trisaccharide. Gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy showed that the product from M. kansasii is composed of 2,4-di-O-methylrhamnose, 2-O-methylrhamnose, and 2-O-methylfucose, whereas that from M. leprae contains 2,3-di-O-methylrhamnose, 3-O-methylrhamnose, and 3,6-di-O-methylglucose. The distinct composition of the oligosaccharide segment of the glycolipid from M. leprae may make it useful for the chemical and serological differentiation of this organism from other mycobacteria. Surprisingly large quantities (2.2 mg/g of dry liver) of the glycolipid were also found in infected liver residue freed of M. leprae, suggesting that it may be responsible for the electron-transparent "foam" surrounding the organism in infected lepromatous tissue.


Mercury and copper inventories are low in central Lake Superior and increase markedly towards the Keweenaw Peninsula. Total copper flux to Lake Superior sediments averages 5.0 ± 2.5 μg cm−2 year−1 (mean ± 95% confidence limits), whereas mercury flux averages 7.5 ± 4.2 ng cm−2 year−1. In the Keweenaw Peninsula region, copper, mercury and silver inventories are elevated and highly correlated. High copper, silver and mercury inventories can be traced back to shoreline stamp sand piles, the parent ores and to smelters. Mercury occurs in elemental form, probably as a natural amalgam, in native metal (copper, silver, gold) deposits and was liberated as volatile Hg0 during on-site copper smelting. Stamp mills discharged at least 364 Mt of 'stamp sand' tailings, whereas smelters refined 5 Mt of native copper, liberating together at least 42 t of mercury. The Keweenaw situation is not unique, as mineral-bound mercury is commonplace in US and Canadian Greenstone Belts and is of worldwide occurrence in massive base metal ores.


While the mechanical distortions change the electronic properties of graphene significantly, the effects of electronic manipulation on its mechanical properties have not been known. Using first-principles calculation methods, we show that when graphene expands isotropically under equibiaxial strain, both the electron and hole doping can maintain or improve its ideal strength slightly and enhance the critical breaking strain dramatically. Contrary to the isotropic expansions, the electron doping decreases the ideal strength as well as critical strain of uniaxially strained graphene while the hole doping increases both. Distinct failure mechanisms depending on type of strains are shown to be origins of the different doping induced mechanical stabilities. Our findings may resolve a contradiction between recent experimental and theoretical results on the strength of graphene.


We present the experimental investigations of the optical properties of ultrathin niobium films embedded in a dielectric that form quantum well structures. The linear optical properties of the Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-Nb-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ structures in the near infrared and visible spectral ranges exhibit periodic dependencies on the Nb layer thickness that can be explained by the influeuce of quantum size effects on the electron scattering rate. The absorption bands that can be ascribed to the intersubband transitions have not been found in the linear optical spectra. The investigations of the optical second-harmonic generation from the Nb films show that the thickness dependencies of the second-harmonic intensity reveal resonant behavior that can be accounted for by the intersubband transitions in the niobium quantum wells. The microscopic local-field calculations qualitatively explain the thickness dependence of the SHG observed in the experiment. >


: We generalize earlier results on one-point functions in N = 4 SYM with a co-dimension one defect, dual to the D3-D5-brane setup in type IIB string theory on AdS 5 (cid:2) S 5 , to a similar setup in the (cid:12) -deformed version of the theory. The treelevel vacuum expectation values of single-trace operators in the two-scalar-subsector are expressed as overlaps between a matrix product state (MPS) and Bethe states in the corresponding twisted spin-chain picture. We comment on the properties of this MPS and present the simplest analytical overlaps and their behavior in a certain limit (of large k ). Importantly, we note that the deformation alters earlier interpretations of the MPS as an integrable boundary state, seemingly obstructing simpli(cid:12)cations of the overlaps analogous to the compact determinant formula found in the non-deformed theory. The results are supplemented with some supporting numerical results for operators of length eight with four excitations.


Capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) share food even if their partner is behind a mesh restraint. Pairs of adult capuchins were moved into a test chamber in which 1 monkey received cucumber pieces for 20 min and the other received apple slices during the following 20 min. Tolerant transfers of food occurred reciprocally among females: The rate of transfer from Female B to A in the second test phase varied with the rate from Female A to B in the first test phase. Several social mechanisms may explain this reciprocity. Whereas this study does not contradict cognitively complex explanations (e.g., mental record keeping of given and received food), the results are consistent with a rather simple explanation: that food sharing reflects a combination of affiliative tendency and high tolerance. The study suggests that sharing mechanisms may be different for adult male capuchins, with males sharing food more readily and less discriminatingly than females.


Fast Self-Shadowing Using Occluder Textures. (December 2006) Christopher Ryan Coleman, B.S., Texas A&M University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Frederic I. Parke A real-time self-shadowing technique is described. State of the art shadowing techniques that utilize modern hardware often require multiple rendering passes and introduce rendering artifacts. Combining separate ideas from earlier techniques which project geometry onto a plane and project imagery onto an object results in a new real-time technique for self-shadowing. This technique allows an artist to construct occluder textures and assign them to shadow planes for a self-shadowed model. Utilizing a graphics processing unit (GPU), a vertex program computes shadowing coordinates in real-time, while a fragment program applies the shading and shadowing in a single rendering pass. The methodology used to create shadow planes and write the vertex and fragment programs is given, as well as the relation to the previous work. This work includes implementing this technique, applying it to a small set of test models, describing the types of models for which the technique is well suited, as well as those for which it is not well suited, and comparing the technique's performance and image quality to other state of the art shadowing techniques. This technique performs as well as other real-time techniques and can reduce rendering artifacts in certain circumstances.


Introduction: Reconstruction of the skull bones can prove challenging. There are three indications for carrying out cranioplasty: (1) recovery of protection against trauma, (2) recovery of the cranial contour, and (3) treatment of the syndrome of the trephined. The objective of this report is to present the experience of the author with cranioplasties, and discuss surgical reconstruction strategies. Methods: This report presents a retrospective analysis of 16 consecutive cases of cranial reconstruction, which were operated in 2013 and 2014 in the public health service (INTO RJ) and in the private practice. Results: From January 2013 to January 2014, 16 patients underwent surgery. Thirteen were men. Their age ranged from 10 to 72 years. Twelve patients underwent reconstruction with a parietal graft, two with custom prosthesis, one with fracture reduction and fixation, and one with reconstruction of soft parts . Most of the defects were located in the fronto-orbital region. The customized prostheses were used in defects of 192 cm2 and 22.5 cm2. Complications occurred in five patients: lesion of the sagittal sinus, irregularity in the contour, seroma, failure in graft integration, leakage of cerebrospinal fluid, and extrusion of the prosthesis. All the complications were resolved without impairment to the reconstruction. The follow-up time ranged from 10 to 22 months. All the patients were pleased with the reconstructions, and improvement of the neurological functions was reported. Conclusion: Cranioplasty is a primarily restorative surgical procedure that is used to restore the protective function of the skull and to treat the syndrome of the trephined. The autologous parietal graft is the surgeons' first choice. The prosthesis is indicated when there is a major defect or when the harvesting of a parietal graft is not possible. ■ ABSTRACT


This paper presents a Real-time Traveler Information System (RTIS) for Hong Kong, in which a novel solution algorithm is proposed for estimation of both the current and instantaneous travel times using automatic vehicle identification (AVI) data. The proposed algorithm also deduces the travel times on the other road links without real-time AVI data. By integration of the filtered real-time and off-line database together, the RTIS can provide area-wide traffic information in the whole network of Hong Kong. The travel time estimates are updated once every five minutes in the RTIS. Observation surveys are conducted during different time periods at a selected path in Hong Kong urban area to validate the RTIS travel time estimates. With the use of the same set of observation data, comparison is also given to the estimation results of the other three existing AVI travel time estimation algorithms: TransGuide, TranStar and Transmit algorithms in US. It was found that the proposed RTIS algorithm could generate the current travel time estimates for the three study periods with the minimum absolute errors and absolute percentage errors. The estimations of instantaneous travel times on the road sections with and without real-time AVI data have also been illustrated. The validation results show that the performance of RTIS is satisfactory and acceptable.


Here, we study quasi-two-dimensional crystals of Co3O4 grown by electrochemical synthesis on Pt electrodes with a nanoflake morphology to serve as a gas sensor. When synthesizing in aqueous electrolytes under applied electrical bias, the material follows a self-hierarchical architecture to primarily appear as the hexagonal nanoflakes α-Co(OH)2. After heating up to 300 °C in air, the as-synthesized material transforms to Co3O4, preserving the original hierarchical morphology. The Co3O4 nanoflakes have been found to have remarkable chemiresistive response when exposed to various kinds of alcohol vapors, at low ppm concentrations in a mixture with air, over a wide range of temperatures up to 300 °C with a detection limit down to the ppb range with direct dependence on the molecule weight of the alcohol. We explain the observed features of the gas response of the Co3O4 nanoflakes by a shift in the electron density under the chemisorption of VOCs, verified by DFT calculations.


Cdc25A, a dual specificity protein phosphatase, is well-recognized as a critical regulator for cell cycle progression. We recently found that it also regulates mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathway. Inhibition of Cdc25A activity by a K vitamin analog Compound 5 (Cpd 5) can induce a strong and prolonged activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-MAPK pathway, which leads to suppression of transcription factors CREB and c-Myc, resulting in decreased expression of Cdc25A and cyclin D1 levels. Our investigations suggest that Cdc25A plays a central role in regulating and linking cell cycle progression and MAPK signal transduction pathways. Several other recently synthesized K vitamin analogs also affect this pathway, including the non-quinone PM20 and fluoro-Cpd 5. Thus, searching for new and efficient small molecules to inhibit Cdc25A activity may provide new means to control cancers of the liver and other sites.


We compare the present‐day sediment discharge (solid phase) of some of the largest rivers in Asia to the average discharge deduced from the mass accumulated in several sedimentary basins during the Quaternary. There is a very good correlation, especially for the largest rivers: the Ganges–Brahmaputra, the Changjiang, the Huanghe and, to a lesser extent, the Indus and the Zhujiang. This suggests that present‐day average discharge at the outlet has remained constant throughout the Quaternary at least for very large rivers (drainage area of the order of 105–106 km2). This, in turn, suggests either that continental denudation of large Asian catchments has remained on average constant, implying a strong tectonic control on erosion during the Quaternary, or that the river network has the ability to buffer changes in hillslope erosion or in sea‐level in order to conserve the total discharge at the outlet. We show how this buffering capacity relies on the characteristic reaction time‐scale of Asian alluvial plains (of the order of 105–6 years), that is, much higher than the time‐scales of the Quaternary climate oscillations (of the order of 104 years). A short‐term perturbation originating in hillslopes will be diluted by the floodplain. At the outlet the signal should have a longer time span and a smaller amplitude. In the same manner, an alluvial plain should not instantaneously react to a 104‐year sea‐level drop because of its inertia. Along with long‐term tectonic control we infer this buffering to be the main cause for the average constancy of sediment yield of large Asian rivers during the Quaternary.


The objective of this descriptive study is to examine the relationship between traditional gender roles and academic career at Hacettepe University. The research sample was composed of 283 academics employed at the Sihhiye and Beytepe campuses, selected through a stratified sampling method. This study determined that women generally take academic leave for three or more months due to personal reasons such as pregnancy and child care, while men usually take academic leave for professional purposes. It was also found that the average number of publications for men and women are similar, even though female academics assume more responsibilities due to traditional gender roles, such as housework and child care, and they allocate less time to research in the workplace and at home. It was also found that 39.2% of women and 23.7% of men stated that they were not content with their working hours, and a majority of these women desired increased flexibility. Moreover, 54.8% of female academics who experienced intimidation and discrimination in the workplace indicated that it was due to their sex. Our findings suggest that Hacettepe University specifically, and Turkish academic institutions in general, must do more to improve working conditions in order to ensure women equal opportunities in academia, especially during promotion to the rank of associate professor, which corresponds to the timeframe of pregnancy, childbirth and child care.


An existing conservatory could only be used in the warmer months therefore the clients wished to replace the unit with a permanent insulated structure which still exploited the excellent vies of the Tyne valley.

We propose installing an entirely zinc clad box, with the cladding echoing the existing main house which has tiles wrapping the roof and walls. Large openings to the North and West allow natural light to flood into the re-instated open plan layout of the main house.


: Purpose: The paper assesses expectations regarding the amount of discount in insurance premium, which could compensate insured for loss of privacy should it transpire that one's driving style is to be monitored. Design/Methodology/Approach: The analysis is carried out using data collected through a survey conducted on a sample of clients of insurance companies. As part of the analysis, Pearson's Chi-Square Test is used. It is based on comparing empirical values with expected values, where expected values are treated as variables that would occur if there were no relationship between them. Findings: Analysis showed that 75% of the respondents who would allow the possibility of concluding a UBI type contract at all would expect a discount of up to 30% of their current premium. While a maximum of 15% discount relates to as many as 37,45% of the respondents. The factors like gender, age, education, and place of residence of the respondents influence the level of expectations. Practical Implications: The paper conducts an empirical study on the impact of the loss of privacy on the discount in insurance premium thus the topic might be of interest to insurance companies and their clients making the final insurance purchase decision. Originality/Value: Is the first study when UBI expectations are explained in terms of Poland one of the biggest insurance market in CEE region. The findings might have a practical and science value. From practical point of view, it gives the insurance professionals the knowledge of the expected level of possible decrease in premium that might result in intensification of UBI. From scientific point of view the study provides useful information for further research especially in terms of factors that determine the level of expectations.


Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze nurses' perceptions and evaluations of healthcare developmental work after the introduction of Lean and Six Sigma and, how nurses aspire to maintain a high reliability organization (HRO).

Design/methodology/approach

Nurses' roles and the way they respond to new efficiency and quality working methods are crucial. Underlying themes were analyzed from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with (n=17) nurses at two Swedish hospitals.

Findings

The nurses perceived that Lean worked better than Six Sigma, because of its bottom-up approach, and its similarities with nurses' well-known work qualities. Nurses coordinate patients care, collaborate in teams and take leadership roles. To maintain high reliability and to become quality developers, nurses need stable resources. However, professional's logic collides with management's logic. Expert knowledge (top-down approach) without nurses' local knowledge (bottom-up approach) can lead to problems. Healthcare quality methods are standardized but must be used with flexibility. However, HROs ensue not only from method quality but also from work attitudes, commitment and continuous work-improvement.

Practical implications

Management can support personnel in developmental work with: continuous education, training, teamwork, knowledge sharing and cooperation. Authoritarian method structures that limit the healthcare professionals' autonomy should be softened or abandoned.

Originality/value

The study uses theoretical concepts from HROs, which were developed for unexpected events, to explain the consequences of implementing Lean and Six Sigma in healthcare.


The global pandemic caused a crisis in the Ukrainian cinema industry. Some entities were closed, but the biggest market players were able to concentrate their efforts on interacting with visitors through social networks, public attention, frequent press mentions and discussions of influencers as synergies of communication policy tools. The purpose of the paper is to make proposals for improving the communication policy of cinema chains under new challenges. Based on a system analysis and indices of activity in social media of ten key Ukrainian cinema chains during the COVID-19 period, the main trends of their behavior and vision of development were determined. Changes were detected in the product strategy. To increase the effectiveness of communication policy, a focus should be on enhanced communications with consumers, especially through the implementation of a content-plan for publications on Facebook and Instagram, including facts from the lives of actors or filmmaking process, uniting followers around the filming theme, interacting, etc. Based on the above, the proposals are made to strengthen communication policy: activating posting frequency, generating more interesting content, and focusing on engaging with the followers. It turned out that such changes affect the key quality efficiency of social media marketing in two cinema chains. Such events rebuild the online community of moviegoers, which fosters loyalty and increases in visitors in the post-pandemic period. In this context, the implementation of online cinema in cooperation with distributors will contribute to formatting an online platform aimed at attracting a larger number of consumers, regardless of external circumstances.


We estimate the frequency spectrum of the diffuse anomalous microwave emission (AME) on the North Celestial Pole (NCP) region of the sky with the Correlated Component Analysis (CCA) component separation method applied to WMAP 7-yr data. The NCP is a suitable region for this analysis because the AME is weakly contaminated by synchrotron and free-free emission. By modeling the AME component as a peaked spectrum we estimate the peak frequency to be GHz, in agreement with previous analyses which favored l 23 GHz. The ability of our method to correctly recover the position of the peak is verified through simulations. We compare the estimated AME spectrum with theoretical spinning dust models to constrain the hydrogen density . The best results are obtained with densities around 0.2–0.3 cm−3, typical of warm ionised medium (WIM) to warm neutral medium (WNM) conditions. The degeneracy with the gas temperature prevents an accurate determination of , especially for low hydrogen ionization fractions, where densities of a few cm−3 are also allowed.


Nanotechnology is generating entirely new scientific and technological opportunities that offer revolutionary solutions to major problems of society including energy, health, environment, climate, and economic development. The robust advancement of research and development for Nanotechnology within the United States will require the support of a state‐of‐the‐art physical infrastructure that is widely accessible. For the past decade, the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN) has served as a major and enabling factor for extremely‐successful development. As the NNIN moves toward the end of its designated program term and as nanotechnology progresses toward the new Nanoscale systems, an important issue is: what capabilities should NSF generate and nurture in order to provide the important and critical needs for continued development of Nanotechnology? Accordingly NSF has supported a workshop of recognized national experts to evaluate the needs of, and appropriate future investments in, a national infrastructure for nanotechnology. The workshop was held in Arlington, VA on April 3‐4, 2012 with 22 participants representing a wide range of stakeholders. The participants examined the opportunities provided by a nanotechnology infrastructure as well as the needs of the scientific and technological communities for realization of these opportunities. On this basis, the workshop participants urge the formation of a new infrastructure network. As envisioned, the infrastructure network will build on the fundamental fabrication tools that have been developed by the electronics industry, including lithographic patterning. However the infrastructure will be distinguished from the current NNIN by incorporating the following major elements, to offer a much broadened scope and user‐base:

(1) Emphasis on utilization of the network nature of the program to provide value to the stakeholders far greater than individual components.
(2) A user‐base that is much broadened beyond electronics and electronic device fabrication to include less traditional communities such as environmental sciences, geosciences, and biosciences.
(3) Availability of new cutting edge fabrication capability to users who require it.
(4) Capabilities to create complex and three dimensional Nanoscale systems through heterogeneous integration.
(5) Capabilities to build Nanoscale systems across multiple dimensional scales through hierarchical design and fabrication.
(6) Major extension of capabilities for fabrication in soft matter including potentially biological interfaces.
(7) New generations of modeling and simulation along with the use of new design tools to maximize overall understanding and fabrication efficiency.
(8) Facilities capable of supporting the translation of discovery into prototypical elements suitable for evaluation of manufacturability and proof of business concept.
(9) Partnerships with industry, government, and other groups to provide specialized capabilities within the network when warranted. The network will also include linkages with other networks and federal infrastructure investments, such as facilities at NIST and DOE.
(10) Coherent unified program of education and outreach built upon the unique nature of the network and funded at a level commensurate with the goals and directions of the program.
(11) Commitment to support and champion environmental responsibility, health, and safety (EHS) by providing direct capabilities (characterization and fabrication/synthesis) as well as establishment of the benchmark for EHS within a university environment.
(12) Incorporation of understanding of societal and ethical implications (SEI) of nanotechnology.

This infrastructure network will cultivate support through strong partnerships and collaborations with other federal agencies with active interests in Nanoscale Science and Engineering as well as with industrial and governmental research facilities.


Book synopsis: This timely book seeks to demonstrate the coherence of lesbian and gay studies. It introduces the reader to the principal inter-disciplinary approaches in the field and critically assesses their strengths and weaknesses whilst asking: What is lesbian and gay studies? When did it emerge? And what are its achievements and research agenda?
The gay and lesbian movement has emerged as a major political and cultural force. It poses a series of far reaching questions about the organization of identity, the operation of power and the limits of tolerance. Lesbian and Gay Studies has emerged as a vital and enriching field. It offers challenges to more traditional disciplines and requires new forms of thought about the connections between academic work and personal politics.


In this chapter, a hybrid power system that consists of multiple proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) systems, batteries, and supercapacitors (SCs) is developed for a hybrid tramway. Three energy management strategies that included a fuzzy logic control (FLC), an equivalent consumption minimization strategy (ECMS), and a state machine strategy based on droop control (SMS-DC) are utilized to coordinate multiple power sources, avoid the transients and rapid changes of power demand, and achieve high efficiency without degrading the mechanism performance for an energy manage- ment system of hybrid tramway. A hybrid system model of tramway is established with commercially available devices, and then the different energy management strategies are evaluated with a real driving cycle of tramway from Turkey. The results compared with these strategies demonstrate that the higher average efficiencies of the tramway, the lower tramway-equivalent hydrogen consumptions, and more efficient use of the batteries and SCs energy are achieved by the SMS-DC. Therefore, the appropriate energy management system for high-power hybrid tramway will improve the hydrogen consumptions of overall hybrid system and the efficiencies of each power source.


Virtually all patients with anterior sacral meningocele have a pelvic mass with symptoms and signs relating to pressure of the mass on adjacent structures. Constipation is a universal complaint; urinary incontinence is common. A headache often develoips when the patient stands, due to lowered spinal fluid pressure as the meningocele sac fills. A scimitar-shaped sacrum on anterioposterior plain roentgenograms of the spine is pathognomonic. The coccyx may be absent, and the lower sacral laminate may be absent or incomplete. Myelography confirms the diagnosis and should be done with large volumes of iophendylate in order to fill the sac. Only approximately 130 anterior sacral meningoceles have been reported in the literature. This article presents 2 more cases, both seen at the North Carolina Baptist Hospital. The surgical approach to both was through a sacral laminectomy; the communicating stalk was ligated and the meningocele was removed. One patient was 11 years old and had a large suprapubic pelvic mass found on routine examination. She is neurologically normal postoperatively. The other was 7 years old and had had fecal incontinence since birth. That incontinence is less severe postoperatively and the patient is neurologaically normal.


The different mechanisms involved in vertebrate synovial joint development are actively being uncovered. A variety of studies have thus far discovered the involvement of several large molecules in the processes of joint development and cavitation. Such molecules include glycosaminoglycans glycoproteins proteoglycans growth factors and adhesive molecules. The coordinated spatiotemporal expressions of these molecules among them chondroitin-sulfate proteoglycans (CSPG) are believed to play a crucial role in synovial joint formation. A previous study has shown that isoforms of the CSPG versican are abundantly expressed in the developing chick synovial joint during progressive stages of embryonic development (Shepard et al. 2007). The purpose of this study is to better understand the importance of versican in the developing limb joints by inhibiting its expression. We employed adenoviral-mediated RNA interference and inovo microinjection techniques to knock down endogenous versican protein levels. Results show an average reduction of 14% in the non-chondrogenic space of the joint interzone of day 10 embryos in response to versican knockdown that was coupled with attenuated expressions of key versican associating molecules such as hyaluronan tenascin CD44 and link protein. Impacts of versican knockdown also resulted in lowered collagen II expression among articular chondrocytes implying possible delays in chondrogenesis or early transition toward an osteogenic fate.


The principal aim of this study was to elucidate how physiotherapists work with patients with traumatic brain injury in acute inpatient and later home-based phases of rehabilitation. Another aim was to investigate what assessment, treatment and outcome evaluation methods they use. Further objectives were to find out if there were any methodological differences in the different phases of the rehabilitation, why the methods were chosen, and to which International Classification of Functioning (ICF) components the methods were related. The ICF was used to facilitate comparison between the different methods. A qualitative design with four focus group interviews was used. The data were collected in four different rehabilitation settings with a total of 13 physiotherapists. Semi-structured questions were used. The data were analysed, categorized and related to ICF components. The main categories drawn from the interviews were: the work of the physiotherapist, assessment, treatment and outcome evaluation methods used, reasons for choosing the different methods, and relations to the ICF. The interviewees talked about a complex and difficult working field with persons with traumatic brain injury who had problems in all ICF components. The assessment was largely non-instrumental and consisted of inspection, specification of problems and functional testing. The physiotherapists used existing therapeutic methods as a source of ideas for their individualized treatments. They combined ideas from all the existing methods. All of the physiotherapists considered functional training important. There were no major differences in choice of methods between the rehabilitation phases. The physiotherapists used scientific evidence-based methods when available. In addition, they chose methods appropriate for the patient's capacity and needs. The instruments mostly used for assessment and outcome evaluation aligned with the ICF components body function and activities/participation. This was also true for the treatment methods. The results indicated that there is a need for new assessment and outcome evaluation methods that are able to capture all aspects of rehabilitation and pay more consideration to quality of life and functional performance.


A collinear wakefield test facility using two linacs with a common test section is constructed. Beams from one linac excite wakefields in a test medium such as a plasma, while beams from the other linac witness the wakefields. The time interval between the two beams is controllable with an accuracy of ~1 psec. Plasma wakefield acceleration experiments were conducted using this facility.


An unresolved issue exists in the study of mental ability: which aspect of cognition is responsible for the emergence of psychometric "g" (Spearman, 1904, 1927), a general factor that predicts performance in all kinds of cognitive tasks and many important life outcomes? On the basis of themes present in the literature on fluid intelligence (Chapter 1), this thesis explores the relative contributions of processing, storage, and task modelling demands to the recruitment of g in task performance. Six experiments are presented which employed two computer-based tasks. The tasks were designed such that the level of demand for processing and storage was separated and manipulated in order to establish their relationship to scores on a standard test of g. Task manipulations were implemented in the context of varying the number of distinct verbal chunks in which task instructions were presented, whilst controlling for the presented amount of operative task-relevant information. The findings showed that the recruitment of g in task performance was strengthened by the presence (versus the absence) of a requirement to inhibit a prepotent response tendency (Experiments 1, 2, and 3), and by the presence of requirements to inhibit a prepared response and to maintain and update information in working memory (Experiments 4 and 5). However, these effects were observed only when task instructions were presented as four (and not as two) distinct rules. Additional findings showed that reconceptualisation of task requirements—that is, flexibly imposing order on a complex set of instructions thus reducing the number of distinct verbal chunks—was dependent on performance on the test of Spearman's g (Experiments 3 through 6). These findings are deemed consistent with a task conceptualisation theory of g, with real-time execution demand, particularly inhibition, posing as a risk factor for the recruitment of g only when task requirements are maintained in mind as a relatively large number of chunks or rules.


The systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) and derived neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR) are novel indexes that simultaneously reflect the host inflammatory and immune status and have prognostic value in some cancers. SII was associated with major cardiovascular events in coronary artery disease patients who received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, dNLR correlations with clinical outcomes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing PCI remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the predictive values of SII and dNLR on the long-term prognosis of patients with ACS undergoing PCI. In total, 1,553 ACS patients undergoing PCI were consecutively enrolled from January 2016 to December 2018. The subjects were divided into high and low SII and dNLR groups for comparison (high vs. low). The SII and dNLR cutoff values for predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were calculated using receiver operating characteristic curves, and Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models were used for survival analyses. The endpoint was a MACE, which included all-cause mortality and rehospitalization for severe heart failure during follow-up. The Kaplan-Meier curves showed that a higher SII or dNLR value was associated with a higher risk of MACE (all P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression models showed that SII (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.545; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.416-4.574; P = 0.002) and dNLR (HR: 2.610, 95% CI: 1.454-4.685, P = 0.001) were independent predictors for MACE. dNLR may be a suitable laboratory marker to identify high-risk ACS patients after PCI.


We present SplashRNA, a sequential classifier - analogous to face detection algorithms - to predict ultra-potent microRNA-based short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) for virtually any gene. Trained on existing and novel large-scale datasets, SplashRNA outperforms previous algorithms and reliably predicts the most efficient shRNAs for a given gene. Combined with the optimized miR-E backbone, >90% of high-scoring SplashRNA predictions trigger >85% protein knockdown when expressed from a single genomic integration. SplashRNA can significantly improve the accuracy of loss-of-function genetics studies and facilitates the generation of compact shRNA libraries. The open source SplashRNA platform completes the RNAi toolkit to harness microRNA-based shRNAs for robust single-gene and multiplexed inducible and reversible target inhibition. Citation Format: Raphael Pelossof, Lauren Fairchild, Christina S. Leslie, Christof Fellmann. SplashRNA, a sequential classification algorithm for ultra-potent RNAi [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-271. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-LB-271


In England, governing bodies continue to be responsible for the conduct of publicly funded schools. This article compares the governing of publicly funded primary schools (for 5–11 year olds) and secondary schools (for 11–18 year olds). The research analysed policy documents and the governing of 16 primary and 14 secondary schools. The main governance mode for both primary schools and secondary schools is hierarchical and similar in nature, and the governing bodies of primary and secondary schools use broadly similar governing instruments. However, they differ in significant ways. In primary schools, governing is smaller in scale and less complex. Primary school governing is closer to the school and children, and the images held by governors of the system to be governed are better developed in primary schools. Functional knowledge was more useful in primary school governing, and the use of informal meetings as instruments of governance was more widespread in primary school governing. The findings and their implications need to be taken into account in the analysis of and policy making for school governing.


During the period from 1900 to 1918 new governmental buildings were constructed throughout New Zealand as part of a campaign to provide accommodation for government departments. Post offices, court houses and departmental buildings appeared in provincial towns as well as in major cities, almost all products of the government's architectural office, led by John Campbell. The exuberant Imperial Baroque style adopted for these buildings reflects a new national confidence but also follows closely the precedent of British public building of the period. Auckland's former Chief Post Office (1908-11) for example, is closely modelled on Sir Henry Tanner's Central Post Office in London (1907).
The extent and consistency of the Government's building programme was intended to promote a sense of national unity although its dependence on British models seems to confirm Hurst Seager's argument that New Zealand had yet to develop a distinctive architectural style. The use of the Imperial Baroque style, culminating in Campbell's design for Parliament Buildings of 1911, reflected New Zealand's strong sense of identification with the British Empire, also expressed through the contributions of its politicians at Imperial Conferences from 1897 to 1911. Unlike their counterparts from Canada and Australia, New Zealand politicians argued for stronger imperial bonds as a way of ensuring greater influence over imperial policies. This paper will argue that in fact, New Zealand public architecture of the period 1900-18 reflects a clear sense of national identity but one that is defined in terms of Britishness and conceived within the larger framework of the security provided by imperial solidarity.


Study Design. Prospective, single-cohort study. Objective. To assess the minimal clinically important change (MCIC) on the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain in patients with neck pain. Summary of Background Data. Both measurement instruments are frequently used in research and clinical practice, but which changes are clinically relevant is still unknown. Methods. The MCIC was estimated with 2 different methods, both integrating an anchor-based and distribution-based approach: the minimal detectable change (MDC) and the optimal cutoff point of the ROC curve. The study population consisted of 183 patients with nonspecific neck pain. Results. The results show an MDC of 10.5 points for the NDI (scale range, 0–50) and 4.3 points for the NRS (scale range, 0–10), and optimal cutoff points of the ROC curve of 3.5 for the NDI and 2.5 for the NRS. Conclusion. The estimated MCIC should be used as an indication for relevant changes in clinical practice. Using the optimal cutoff point of the ROC curve, false positives and false negatives are equally weighted; and if there are no objections doing so, the optimal cutoff point of the ROC curve may be a good choice.


Aim. In order to quantify diphenhydramine tablets the methods based on reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography with UVspectrometry detection at 254 nm (HPLC-UV) have been used.Methods and results. The mobile phase used a mixture of a phosphate buffer: acetonitrile (80:20). The proposed method is applied to the two dosage forms of diphenhydramine tablets to 0.1 and 0.05, produced by various Ukrainian pharmaceutical companies. The main characteristics are validated by Pharmacopoeia of Ukraine.Conclusion. According to the experimental data, the technique can be correctly reproduced, and is suitable for use in pharmaceutical and forensic analytic laboratories.


The National Biodiversity Strategy developed in Chile aims to protect 10% of the surface area of the most relevant marine ecosystems. The waters around the Juan Fernandez Archipelago were not protected until 2014, when a Multiple Use Marine Protected Area was created in the 12 nautical miles around the archipelago, which includes five marine parks in sites of high conservation value. Three of these parks are located around Robinson Crusoe Island. This study aims to define a baseline for monitoring the impact of the marine protected area and provides ecological information to improve the understanding of coastal marine ecosystems around Robinson Crusoe Island. In addition to a characterization of bathymetry and habitats, intertidal and subtidal communities were sampled using transects and quadrats within the marine parks. We quantified species richness and abundances, which were later organized into functional groups for algae and trophic groups for mobile organisms. Although species richness did not vary between sites nor among the habitats sampled, we observed important differences in species abundance and composition as well as in functional and trophic groups both between sites and habitats. Among our results, we highlight: a) the dominance of endemic algae in intertidal and subtidal (mainly corticated and corticated foliose) habitats, b) high abundances of macroinvertebrate herbivores in intertidal habitats and detrivores in subtidal habitats, c) dominance of invertivorous fish in the subtidal, which are the primary predators of mobile benthic organisms. This characterization includes both the inter and subtidal coastal communities of the Juan Fernandez Archipelago.


Several surgical approaches for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have been developed to minimize soft-tissue trauma and expedite functional recovery. A group of 61 subjects undergoing computer-navigated, minimally invasive TKA were randomized to receive a mini-parapatellar, standard parapatellar, mini-midvastus (MV), or mini-subvastus approach. Before and after treatment, subjects were asked to negotiate stairs in a self-selected manner. This study used the manner of stair negotiation (i.e., use of handrail, step-over-step, step-by-step) as a proxy for functional ability. Subjects who received TKA through a mini-MV approach demonstrated a significantly lower level of function at 2 and 4 months. If early functional recovery is a goal of TKA, surgeons should be cautious when considering the mini-MV approach, which was found to be inferior to other approaches in this study.