We studied the infestation of the burrowing polychaete Polydora ricketsi on the shells of Crepidula fecunda in relation to the degree of intertidal exposure in Yaldad Bay (Chile). 175 specimens of C. fecunda were collected from five stations located at tidal levels experiencing air exposures of 0, 2, 4, and 6 hours, respectively. The spionid Polydora rickettsi inhabited C. fecunda shells and occurred at all the sampling stations. However, only those gastropods exposed for two hours showed significantly higher degrees of infestation. Gastropods collected under and over that tidal level exhibited lower degrees of infestation and were not significantly different among them. There was not a clear relationship between shell surface and polychaete infestation. Large P. rickettsi were found only at the station with the highest gastropod aggregation at the lower intertidal, suggesting that exposure exerts some limitation to old but not necessarily young infesting polychaetes.


The direct conversion of solar energy to electricity by photovoltaic cells or thermal energy in concentrated solar power systems is emerging as a leading contender for next-generation green power production. The photovoltaics (PV) area is rapidly evolving based on new materials and deposition approaches. At present, PV is predominately based on crystalline and polycrystalline Si and is growing at >40% per year with production rapidly approaching 3 gigawatts/year with PV installations supplying <1% of energy used in the world. Increased cell efficiency and reduced manufacturing expenses are critical in achieving reasonable costs for PV and solarthermal. CdTe thin-film solar cells have reported a manufactured cost of $1.25/watt. There is also the promise of increased efficiency by use of multijunction cells or hybrid devices organized at the nanoscale. This could lead to conversion efficiencies of greater than 50%. Solar energy conversion increasingly represents one of the largest new businesses currently emerging in any sector of the economy.


One of the urgent issues in translation studies is how to identify a good translation, which is inevitably related to its assessment. Various approaches have been introduced to deal with these issues, and while all of them should be considered as important variables, it would be impossible to use all of them in developing an assessment method, which can be applied to all types of translation. Under these circumstances, this paper is designed to show the procedure of the development of an error typology to assess translations from English into Korean for students in translation programs. To do this, studies done in translation assessment and error typologies until now have been presented, and an error typology consisting of four categories: (a) causes of errors, (b) types of errors; (c) results of errors; (d) significance of errors has been developed. Since it is an on-going project, the next step will be to apply it to data to verify its effectiveness.


Abstract Combined U–Pb, Lu–Hf and O isotope data of detrital zircons from the Devonian sandstone of southern Libya provide important new boundary parameters for reconstruction of palaeosource areas and sediment transport and may lead to novel approaches to test current plate tectonic models, with important implications for our understanding of the evolution of northern Gondwana (in present-day coordinates) during the Palaeozoic. Detrital zircon U–Pb ages from Devonian sandstone of the eastern margin of the Murzuq Basin show four main age populations: 2.7–2.5 Ga (13%), 2.1–1.9 Ga (10%), 1.1–0.9 Ga (25%) and 0.7–0.5 Ga (46%). The ubiquitous occurrence of c. 1.0 Ga detrital zircons is characteristic of the Saharan Metacraton sedimentary cover sequence and provides new insights into palaeogeographic reconstructions of Gondwana-derived terranes in the Eastern Mediterranean and SW Europe. The Lu–Hf isotope data suggest that zircons crystallized within a narrow time interval from magmas with heterogeneous Hf isotope compositions. These magmas were derived by melting of pre-existing rocks, rather than being juvenile. The calculated Hf model ages range from 3.7 Ga to 1.3 Ga, with a major population between 2.8 Ga and 1.9 Ga, indicating prominent recycling of Archaean and Palaeoproterozoic crust.


Ground-based measurements of solar UV spectral irradiance made from Ushuaia, Argentina at latitude 55 degrees S reveal a large degree of variability among corresponding months of different years over the period from September 1990 through April 1998. The magnitude and wavelength dependence of year-to-year changes in monthly spectral UV-B irradiation are consistent with expectations based on the behavior of column ozone and cloudiness. When combined with satellite measurements of column ozone, a regression model fit to the ground-based data set allows estimates of monthly UV-B irradiation over a time frame of two decades, 1978-1998, during several months of the year. Results show a general increase in ground-level irradiation at 305.0 nm from the end of the 1970s to the early 1990s during calendar months from September through December. This is followed by generally smaller irradiances through the middle to late 1990s for all months except November, where the increase continues through the end of the data record. The long-term variability in monthly irradiation over the time period studied is more complicated than can be described by a simple linear trend.


Measuring the effect of herbicides on the natural environment is essential to secure sustainable agriculture practices. Amount of carbon dioxide released by soil microorganisms (soil respiration) is one of the most important soil health indicators, known so far. In this paper we present a comprehensive quantifying study, in which we measured the effect of 14 herbicides on soil respiration over 16 years, from 1991 to 2017, at Debrecen-Látókép Plant Cultivation Experimental Station. Investigated herbicides contained different active ingredients and were applied in various doses. It was found that 11 out of the examined 14 herbicides had a detrimental effect on soil respiration.


Background: Herbal remedies and more particularly essential oils are increasingly used throughout the world. In Morocco, the practice of aromatherapy is becoming more and more important, but the knowledge, attitudes, and expectations of healthcare professionals towards essential oils have never been studied. Aim: To assess the attitudes, knowledge, and expectations towards essential oils and aromatherapy of Moroccan healthcare professionals. Methods: We conducted a survey among 205 Moroccan healthcare professionals from different categories using an anonymous electronic questionnaire. Results: The participants to our survey have a good general knowledge and 47.8% of the them have already prescribed or advised essential oils. However, only 10.2% of them considered essential oils as widely available. Moreover, only 3.9% of the respondents judged their theoretical knowledge of essential oils and aromatherapy as perfect, 36.6% considered the lack of information in this field as the limiting factor in prescribing and advising essential oils, and 88.3% were in favor of integrating aromatherapy into their basic training course. The prescription or advice of essential oils are statistically correlated with age, profession, factors mentioned as limiting the prescription and advice of essential oils, and the theoretical knowledge. Conclusion: Empowering healthcare professionals' capacities could help them overcome their fears and enable them to offer aromatherapy advice to their patients with confidence. This could also help to expand the use of essential oils in Moroccan healthcare facilities.


Elimination of misfolded membrane proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) affects cell survival and growth and can be triggered by either local physiologic events or disease-associated mutations. Regulation of signaling receptor degradation involves both cytosolic and ER luminal molecular chaperones, but the mechanisms and timing of this process remain uncertain. Here we report that calreticulin (CRT) and Hsp90 exert distinct effects on the stability and cell surface levels of native and misfolded forms of the human insulin receptor (hIR) and a human variant found in type A insulin resistance. CRT was unique in stabilizing the disease variant and in augmenting hIR expression when glycolysis was abrogated. Effects of Hsp90 were independent of receptor tyrosine phosphorylation and did not change levels of downstream signaling kinases. Live cell imaging revealed that movement of the hIR through the ER was accelerated by misfolding or by overexpression of either CRT or Hsp90. Together, our results indicate that both CRT and Hsp90 control expression of hIR at its earliest maturation stages and modulate its movement within the ER before either degradation or cell surface expression.


With the rapid development of high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies, the amount of DNA sequence data is accumulating exponentially. The huge influx of data creates new challenges for storage and transmission. This paper proposes a novel adaptive particle swarm optimization-based memetic algorithm (POMA) for DNA sequence compression. POMA is a synergy of comprehensive learning particle swarm optimization (CLPSO) and an adaptive intelligent single particle optimizer (AdpISPO)-based local search. It takes advantage of both CLPSO and AdpISPO to optimize the design of approximate repeat vector (ARV) codebook for DNA sequence compression. ARV is first introduced in this paper to represent the repeated fragments across multiple sequences in direct, mirror, pairing, and inverted patterns. In POMA, candidate ARV codebooks are encoded as particles and the optimal solution, which covers the most approximate repeated fragments with the fewest base variations, is identified through the exploration and exploitation of POMA. In each iteration of POMA, the leader particles in the swarm are selected based on weighted fitness values and each leader particle is fine-tuned with an AdpISPO-based local search, so that the convergence of the search in local region is accelerated. A detailed comparison study between POMA and the counterpart algorithms is performed on 29 (23 basic and 6 composite) benchmark functions and 11 real DNA sequences. POMA is observed to obtain better or competitive performance with a limited number of function evaluations. POMA also attains lower bits-per-base than other state-of-the-art DNA-specific algorithms on DNA sequence data. The experimental results suggest that the cooperation of CLPSO and AdpISPO in the framework of memetic algorithm is capable of searching the ARV codebook space efficiently.


Chemically, methyl trans-cinnamate offers treatment at the three main reactive sites such as substitution at the phenyl ring, addition at the α,β-unsaturation, and substitution at the carboxylic methyl ester functionality. We focus our research to the amide and related derivatives of cinnamates because of their lesser known attributes towards antidiabetic activities. In this research, we modify methyl trans-cinnamate by amidating the carboxylic methyl ester functionality using several amines introduced in functional groups of methyl trans-cinnamate. A series of cinnamamide derivatives was synthesized and evaluated for α-glucosidase inhibitory effects. The structure of synthesized compounds was characterized by IR, melting point, UV, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and mass spectral analysis. All 13 cinnamamide showed higher α-glucosidase activity than the starting compound. The substitution of cinnamic acid with an amide group altered the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Increased bulkiness and the chain length of the amine substituents decreased the inhibitory activity. Propylcinnamamide (3c) showed the most potent inhibitory activity among all the cinnamamide derivatives, all of which act through a competitive inhibitory mechanism. These compounds may be worth exploring further.


This paper uses a global value chain framework to analyse the globalised struggle over the
embeddedness of agriculture between neoliberalism as a system and the fair trade network. The
neoliberal model of governance is discussed in terms of its effects on value chain dynamics and
power relationships. Neoliberal governance promotes the pursuit of individual gain at the expense of
social considerations, i.e. a Polanyian disembedded economy. It is argued that the three crucial
aspects of neoliberal governance are that it forces economic actors with unequal access to resources into a
system of global competition, resulting in a loss of local control over the development process. Together,
these characteristics drive the process of global and local unequalisation. The fair trade network in
contrast is considered here as an attempt to re-embed the agricultural economy by creating a sense of
producer-consumer solidarity and building an alternative consumer-driven value chain governance
model with the aim of enhancing producer livelihoods. Based on a discussion of power and space in
the governance of global agricultural value chains, it is argued that fair trade's ability to counter the
disembedding effects of neoliberalism – unequal access to resources, competition, and delocalisation
– has been and will likely continue to be limited. It is argued that the fair trade consumer-driven
model might benefit from forging alliances with other civic groups who can challenge the neoliberal
model directly in the spaces of governance in which it is dominant.


Uniquely amongst industrialized countries worldwide, Germany does not impose a general speed limit on highways. This is different in the Netherlands, where a limit of 130km/h is implemented. The direct border between the two countries provides an opportunity to construct a natural experiment and analyze the social impact of a general speed limit of 130 km/h for passenger cars on German highways. I quantify the social welfare impacts from travel time, accident victims, fuel consumption and emissions for two highway sections in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The results are obtained by a descriptive comparison of micro data on travel speeds and accidents, collected on the two designated cross-border highways. In the central case, I conclude that on both highways a speed limit would be beneficial from the social and private perspective. The impacts found on the two highways differ in magnitude, but the qualitative decisions are identical and sufficiently robust to their core assumptions.


A child's sense-making is grounded in his or her bodily interactions with the environment and tied to the body's sensory experience. Digital technologies are being introduced into children's learning environments and they experience virtual materialities to a greater extent now ever before. This study aimed to uncover how young children make sense of the world through explorative touch interactions with physical and virtual materialities. Children's sense-making was studied through an explorative inquiry that was supported by video documentation. This article discusses how the combination of materials, digital technologies and experiences of different materialities offers new opportunities for explorative interaction, transforming and shaping children's experience of the world through joint sensemaking. It also identifies how children's past experience of material touch is important for them in their process of grasping virtual materiality.


Objective: To evaluate efficacy and safety of post placental intrauterine contraceptive device (PPIUCD) insertion during cesarean section.
Study Design: Case series.
Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted at Federal General Hospital PMNHC Chak Shahzad for a period of 1 year, from May 2015 to May 2016.
Methodology: Seventy five pregnant women were recruited in antenatal period after counseling and convincing of patients and their husbands. CuT-380A was inserted manually after delivery of placenta during caesarian section. Women having premature rupture of membranes (PROM) more than 18 hours, postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), fever, structural malformed uterus, fibroid uterus were excluded from study. The women were followed at 6 weeks and 3 months to measure safety and efficacy of PPIUCD insertion.
Results: Among 75 patients included in this study, majority (44%) belonged to 25-30 years' age group. 89% were literate. 46% were para-3 and were going under 2nd or 3rd caesarian section. 85% had no knowledge of intra caesarian PPIUCD. 7% had bleeding problems, while 13% complained of vaginal discharge. PPUICD was expelled in 2 cases and 1 case got infected.
Conclusion: Intracaesarian PPIUCD was found to be highly effective, safe, long acting, cost effective and reversible method of contraception. Awareness of intracaesarian PPIUCD was low but counseling of patients and family members was highly effective to increase acceptance. Strategies have to be developed to increase public awareness of PPIUCD through media and ground level workers.


For chaotic systems there is a theory for the decay of the survival probability, and for the parametric dependence of the local density of states. This theory leads to the distinction between 'perturbative' and 'non-perturbative' regimes, and to the observation that semiclassical tools are useful in the latter case. We discuss what is 'left' from this theory in the case of one-dimensional systems. We demonstrate that the remarkably accurate uniform semiclassical approximation captures the physics of all the different regimes, though it cannot take into account the effect of strong localization.


The aim of this study was to determine the effects of static stretching exercises and gender on the kickboard flutter kicking swimming times of 11- to 12-year-old swimmers. Twenty-nine (15 boys and 14 girls) competitive swimmers performed short-distance (25 m and 50 m) flutter kicking swims with a kickboard under both unstretched and stretched conditions on separate days. The conditions were randomly assigned to the participants. In total, 4 static stretching exercises (3 active and 1 passive) were applied to the lower extremities (2 x 30 s; 10 s rest). The results indicated that 25 m (girls: 22.72 ± 2.60 s, 22.54 ± 2.26 s; respectively; boys: 23.35 ± 3.85 s, 22.69 ± 3.77 s; respectively) and 50-m (girls: 51.40 ± 6.04 s, 50.23 ± 5.93 s; respectively; boys: 50.38 ± 6.80 s, 49.30 ± 6.56 s; respectively) distances flutter kicking swim times were not significantly different between no stretch and the stretch conditions or between boys and girls (P > 0.05) According to these findings, and contrary to the results of certain studies of land performance, the static stretching exercises did not have any effect on the kickboard flutter kicking swimming time and did not result in any difference in performance level between genders.


A framework is presented for the prediction and estimation of the design yield of VLSI systems through design refinement steps. The design yield is calculated from simple analytical formulas and provides an effective early-warning tool for the logic designer that can be used to eliminate the necessity of running simulation programs for different versions of a given design. A number of metrics that are useful during the design process are introduced. These metrics can be included into a set of CAD tools. Test cost minimization is proposed as a possible application of this approach. Finally, a small example is developed to demonstrate that this approach is practical.<<ETX>>


Beyond gaining an overview of the forces driving change, a vital part of preparedness for the future of work is assessing the time horizon, as detailed in a paper published by the International Labour Organization. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides the framework for inclusive global sustainable development efforts for the coming decade. Among the 2030 targets of Goal 8 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, "Decent work and Economic Growth," are to achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities and equal pay for work of equal value.When reflecting on the world of work and the future, differences in economic and social development between and within countries must not be overlooked. Employment opportunity is influenced by factors like digitalization, demographic transition, environmental change and globalization. Digitalization and globalization, for example, have sparked radical shifts in how we live and work. The coronavirus crisis has accelerated these beyond anything we could have imagined, as detailed in a publication by the OECD.This paper provides perspectives into the future of work in terms of incremental and disruptive changes to the workplace. It also presents key insights and policy implications to promote sustained, inclusive, full and productive employment. The methodology employed is robust and evidence-based approach, involving an extensive literature review and an analysis of trends, innovations and disruptions. The findings point to an inclusive approach that fosters global collaboration and flexible working arrangements coupled with regenerative and lifelong learning.


Agriculture is the sector most vulnerable to climate change due to its high dependence on climate and weather conditions. Climate change is a main challenge for agriculture, food security and rural livelihoods for millions of people in India. Among India's population of more than one billion people, about 68% are directly or indirectly involved in the agricultural sector. This sector is particularly vulnerable to present-day climate variability. In this paper an attempt is made to map and analyze the vulnerability to climate change in different districts of four south Indian states: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. We have taken five sources of vulnerability indicators: socio-demographic, climatic, agricultural, occupational and common property resources vulnerabilities to compute the composite vulnerability index. The composite vulnerability index suggests that, Adilabad, Chamarajanagar, Thiruvarur and Kasaragod are the most vulnerable districts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala respectively, whereas Hyderabad, Belgaum, Thoothukkudi, Kottayam are the least vulnerable districts.


Although it is a cardinal feature of involutional osteoporosis, there is often disagreement on what constitutes a vertebral fracture. We measured vertebrae T4‐L5 in 52 healthy women to develop a normal range (mean ± 3 SD) for vertebral shape and used these data to assess the prevalence of vertebral fractures. We classified vertebral fractures by type of deformity (wedge, biconcavity, or compression) and further by the degree of deformity (grades 1 and 2). In 195 postmenopausal women who were an age‐stratified random sample of the Rochester population (ages 47–94), 40 (21%) had vertebral fractures (mean, 2 per person). There was a similar number of compression and wedge fractures, and grade 2 fractures were as common as grade 1. In a referral sample of 74 women with suspected osteoporosis, 62 (84%) had vertebral fractures (mean, 3.3 per person). Wedge fractures were most common, and grade 2 fractures were more common than grade 1. The distribution of type and grade of fractures differed between the two patient groups (P < 0.01). Bone mineral density of the lumbar spine was related to mean fracture grade (r = −0.33, P < 0.05) and to fracture number (r = −0.57, P < 0.001) but not to fracture type. We conclude that a comprehensive approach is required in describing vertebral fractures. Using this approach we found distortion in the fracture characteristics of women referred to an osteoporosis clinic compared to women in the community.


After oil extraction, palm fruit biomass contains abundant water-soluble phytochemicals (PCs) with proven bioactivity in regulating oxidative stress and inflammation (OSI). For optimal bioefficacy following oral consumption, the pharmacokinetic plasma peak (Tmax) should be bio-matched with the onset of OSI, which can be predicted from the Phytochemical Absorption Prediction (PCAP) model and methodology. Predicted absorption and potential for regulation of OSI by measures of total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and hydrogen peroxide production capacity, were applied to characterise eight extracts from mesocarp fibre and kernel shells of oil-depleted palm fruits. Results indicated post-consumption absorption Tmax ranges of 0.5-12 h and 2-6 h for intake in liquid and solid forms, respectively, and generally high antioxidant activity of the extracts. The research supports that PC extracts of palm fruit biomass have broad potential uses for human health as dietary antioxidants in foods, supplements or functional beverages.


A simple and rapid procedure for the simultaneous screening of 14 benzodiazepines in oral fluid is presented. The procedure involves a solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). The target compounds include diazepam, oxazepam, temazepam, nordiazepam, lorazepam, chlordiazepoxide, alprazolam, alpha-hydroxyalprazolam, desalkylflurazepam, hydroxyethylflurazepam, clonazepam, 7-aminoclonazepam, flunitrazepam, and 7-aminoflunitrazepam. Oral fluid was obtained using a simple device that collects approximately 0.4 mL of oral fluid and dilutes it with 0.8 mL of preservative. The oral fluid sample preparation involves a solid-phase extraction on a Varian Bond Elut cartridge. Quantitation was performed by LC-MS-MS using nordiazepam-d(5) as the internal standard. The extraction efficiency exceeded 83% for all compounds except for 7-aminoclonazepam, which had a recovery of 55%. The limits of quantitation ranged from 0.1 ng/mL to 1.0 ng/mL in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. This method was used to confirm 41 patients that screened positive using the OraSure Technologies Benzodiazepine Intercept MICRO-PLATE Enzyme Immunoassay kit. All screened-positive patients were positive for at least one of the analyzed benzodiazepines, thus showing that this method is suitable for confirmation of the Intercept Benzodiazepine assay.


Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail has recently generated tremendous high spirits for a few and concern for others. It is supported that it will open floodgates for foreign retailers to speculate and can modification the retail landscape forever in India. FDI in retailing is much talked concerning subject by politician, media, trade specialist and industry experts. The Indian Retail market particularly the small Kirana store is not so well known by the actual means of FDI. The views given by politicians on the topic are terribly numerous and changes from party to party and person to person that has supplementary confusion in mind of those individuals. Retailing in Indiais the pillar of economy and accounts for about 22 percent of its GDP. The Indian retail sector is estimated to be US $500 billion and one of the top five retail markets in the world. India is the fastest growing retail markets in the world with 1.2 billion people.The Retail Business in India is presently at the point of inflection. As of 2008, speedy amendments with investments of US $ 25 billion were being planned by many Indian international firms within the next 5 years. The present study intends to explore the growth trends of FDI in Indian retail sector and also determine the SWOT (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis of Indian retail Industry. Int. J. Soc. Sci. Manage. Vol-3, issue-2: 129-134


The number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices has experienced a large growth during the last decade, as well as the data volume gathered from remote sensors. Satellites are still a suitable communication method and may be preferable for a remote ubiquitous sensor network (USN), which sometimes are located in places without much communications infrastructure where coverage is the principal drawback. Alternatively, the proposed solution for this article aims at a near-vertical incidence skywave (NVIS) channel for high frequencies (HF) with a low-cost platform, allowing a low-power transmissions coverage area up to 250 km for USN. The HF standards are focused on generic communication channels not being robust for NVIS communications. In this article we study and test an alternative based on orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) modulations to make them more robust and less dependent on the channel NVIS communications. For that purpose, we test the HF standard modulations and a designed OFDM modulation to prove the robustness of each. This study has been tested between Barcelona and Tarragona, using different transmission power levels and modulation orders.


Development of multi-story and high-rise steel three-dimensional (3D) garages is an effective way to solve the parking problem in modern cities. In this paper, several types of multi-story and high-rise steel 3D garages are presented. The structural configurations and design parameters of the 3D garages, such as structural planar layout, storey height and limit value of horizontal displacement, are analyzed. Then the economic performances of the steel 3D garages are compared and their suitable storey numbers are obtained.


In the introduction to this special issue, the editors attempt to portray the emergence/formation of a pluralistic atmosphere in Mughal India in the early modern era as a reciprocate reaction beginning with the migration of a group of not entirely religiously open-minded Iranian scholars to a not yet pluralistic Mughal India. They point out that the migration of Iranian scholars to Mughal India both enhanced the plurality of the Mughal intellectual atmosphere and their own openness. They then highlight some significant characteristics of the new/newly emerged discourse in the Mughal empire, such as pluralism, rationalism, antiquarianism, and Persianization. The editors moreover endeavor to point out these characteristics in the processes investigated by the authors of the special issue.


This paper presents the hydrological analysis and grain size characteristics of fluvial sediments in a river basin and their combination to characterize a flood event. The overall objective of the research is the development of a practical methodology based on experimental surveys to reconstruct the hydraulic history of ungauged river reaches on the basis of the modifications detected on the riverbed during the dry season. The grain size analysis of fluvial deposits usually requires great technical and economical efforts and traditional sieving based on physical sampling is not appropriate to adequately represent the spatial distribution of sediments in a wide area of a riverbed with a reasonable number of samples. The use of photographic sampling techniques, on the other hand, allows for the quick and effective determination of the grain size distribution, through the use of a digital camera and specific graphical algorithms in large river stretches. A photographic sampling is employed to characterize the riverbed in a 3 km ungauged reach of the Tescio River, a tributary of the Chiascio River, located in central Italy, representative of many rivers in the same geographical area. To this end, the particle size distribution is reconstructed through the analysis of digital pictures of the sediments taken on the riverbed in dry conditions. The sampling has been performed after a flood event of known duration, which allows for the identification of the removal of the armor in one section along the river reach under investigation. The volume and composition of the eroded sediments made it possible to calculate the average flow rate associated with the flood event which caused the erosion, by means of the sediment transport laws and the hydrological analysis of the river basin. A hydraulic analysis of the river stretch under investigation was employed to verify the validity of the proposed procedure.


A physical based model is developed to describe recrystallization phenomena of titanium alloys during hot working of the β phase. Continuous dynamic recrystallization is attributed as the restoration mechanism based on the progressive transformation of low angle boundaries (subgrains) into high angle boundaries (grains). The model describes both, the microstructure, and the flow stress evolutions during hot deformation with large strains. The microstructure is conceived as been formed by three different populations of dislocations, and high as well as low angle grain boundaries. Evolution rates of all microstructural features are determined based on the effects of generation, interaction and annihilation of dislocations during deformation due to dynamic recovery, continuous dynamic recrystallization and static recovery. Continuous dynamic recrystallization is modelled and is considered to occur homogeneously within the microstructure. The model is able to predict the formation of subgrains from a fully annealed microstructure and the progressive formation of high angle grain boundaries. The subgrain and grain sizes are also obtained as output of the model. The model was applied to describe the hot compression behaviour of a Ti5553 alloy deformed between 880°C to 920°C and strain rates from 0.001 s−1 up to 10 s−1. The model is validated with flow curves and microstructural characterisation of hot deformed, and with microstructural information of non-deformed samples. The critical strain rate increases with increasing strain rate and decreasing temperature, similar to the discontinuous dynamic recrystallization phenomenon. The model can be implemented to simulate the microstructure and predict flow stresses of titanium alloys in industrial processes.


The effects of cyclic AMP on Na+/K+-ATPase activity were studied in the gill and kidney of the euryhaline brown trout Salmo trutta using two different experimental approaches. In the first series of experiments, in situ Na+/K+-ATPase activity was analyzed by measuring the ouabain-sensitive uptake of non-radioactive rubidium (Rb+) into gill cells and blocks of gill and kidney tissue. Rubidium uptake was linear for at least 30 min and was significantly inhibited by 1 mmol x l(-1) ouabain. Several agents presumed to increase the intracellular cyclic AMP concentration inhibited ouabain-sensitive Rb+ uptake in both gill (0.5 and 2 mmol x l(-1) dibutyryl-cyclic AMP, 1 mmol x l(-1) theophylline, 10 micromol x l(-1) forskolin and 10 micromol x l(-1 )isoproterenol) and kidney (10 micromol x l(-1) forskolin) tissue from freshwater-acclimated fish. In a separate series of experiments, ATP hydrolase activity was assayed in a permeabilised gill membrane preparation after incubation of tissue blocks with 10 micromol x l(-1 )forskolin. Forskolin elevated gill cyclic AMP levels 40-fold, inhibited maximal enzymatic Na+/K+-ATPase activity (Vmax) in gill tissue from both freshwater- and seawater-acclimated fish and reduced the apparent K+ affinity in the gills of seawater-acclimated fish, demonstrating that the effects are mediated through modifications of the enzyme itself. The protein phosphatase inhibitors okadaic acid and cyclosporin A did not affect forskolin-induced inhibition of Na+/K+-ATPase activity, indicating that forskolin-mediated modulation was stable for the duration of assay. We suggest that cyclic-AMP-mediated phosphorylation through protein kinases may underlie the rapid modulation of Na+/K+-ATPase activity in the osmoregulatory tissues of euryhaline teleosts.


Cotton is the major fiber crop in Pakistan that accounts for 2% of total national gross domestic product (GDP). After picking of cotton, the dry stalks are major organic waste that has no fate except burning to cook food in villages. Present research focuses use of cotton stalks as feedstock for biochar production, its characterization and effects on soil characteristics. Dry cotton stalks collected from agricultural field of Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan were combusted under anaerobic conditions at 450oC. The physicochemical analysis of biochar and cotton stalks show higher values of % total carbon, phosphorus and potassium concentrations in biochar as compared to cotton stalks. The concentration of nitrogen was decreased in biochar. Similarly biochar had greater values of fixed carbon that suggest its role for carbon sequestration and as a soil amendment. The fourier transformation infrared spectroscopic spectra (FTIR) of cotton stalks and biochar exposed more acidic groups in biochar as compared to cotton stalks. The newly developed functional groups in biochar have vital role in increasing surface properties, cation exchange capacity, and water holding capacity, and are responsible for heavy metal remediation in contaminated soil. In a further test, results show increase in the water holding capacity and nutrient retention by a sandy soil amended with biochar. It is concluded that cotton stalks can be effectively used to prepare biochar.


An expression for expected classifier performance previously derived by the authors (ibid., vol.11, no.8, p.873-855, Aug. 1989) is applied to a variety of error estimation methods and a unified and comprehensive approach to the analysis of classifier performance is presented. After the error expression is introduced, it is applied to three cases: (1) a given classifier and a finite test set; (2) given test distributions a finite design set; and (3) finite and independent design and test sets. For all cases, the expected values and variances of the classifier errors are presented. Although the study of Case 1 does not produce any new results, it is important to confirm that the proposed approach produces the known results, and also to show how these results are modified when the design set becomes finite, as in Cases 2 and 3. The error expression is used to compute the bias between the leave-one-out and resubstitution errors for quadratic classifiers. The effect of outliers in design samples on the classification error is discussed. Finally, the theoretical analysis of the bootstrap method is presented for quadratic classifiers. >


Understanding the individual's collectivistic orientations toward group goals and task activities is critical for developing cooperative and productive teams. The complex environment of modern construction, where the emphasis shifts from individually oriented to team‐based work, has led to many challenges. There are important issues of cooperative behaviours in a world of cultural pluralism in which interpersonal cooperation is juxtaposed with organizational citizenship behaviour. Behaviours of construction project participants are important manifestations of culture that are dependent upon norms, values and beliefs. Certain organizational cultures support individualistic behaviours while others emphasize the benefits to the collective whole. Collectivistic orientation is examined as the cultural dimension of individualism‐collectivism (IC) and found to be related to organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) where the correlations of IC and most OCB variables are significant for quantity surveyors in Hong Kong. Generally, the (more) individualistic persons are less likely to exhibit organizational citizenship behaviours.


: The ultrastructural study of spermatozoa of hermaphroditic land molluscs Trichia hispida and Succinea putris has shown that the general pattern of their structure is similar. At the same time differences were found in the fine structure of acrosome, centriolar region (neck) and mitochondrial derivate (accessory nucleus). The mitochondrial derivate of spermatozoa of both the species contains three secondary spirals of varying length (vs. one-two in other species of pulmonate molluscs).


The origin of Precambrian banded iron formations is controversial. One type of evidence is a comparison of different occurrences. Three of the best-preserved basins of Precambrian iron formation deposition are here denned and compared systematically: the Hamersley Basin of Western Australia, the Animikie Basin of North America, and the Transvaal System Basin of South Africa. After a brief summary of the broad structural and stratigraphic evolution of each basin, their differences and similarities are reviewed. They differ mainly in: major stratigraphic sequence, thickness of iron formation, thickness variation, stratigraphic continuity, lithology of iron formation, nature of sedimentary structures, conspicuousness of varves (micro-banding), clastic association, and abundance of diagenetic riebeckite. With some reservations, they resemble each other in: age, basin size, chemistry and mineralogy, broad time-structural evolution of basin, precedence of chert, volcanic association, and in the restricted, medial and transitional stratigraphic status of the main iron formation. It is concluded that the Western Australian and South African iron formations are very closely similar, but that both differ markedly from the Animikie iron formations of the Lake Superior area. However, all three are more closely similar in chemistry than is required by the fact that their definition is chemical. Quantitative geochemical argument indicates a direct volcanic contribution of iron to the Hamersley Basin; it is possible that such vulcanicity is restricted to a limited medial part of basin development in a particular kind of basin-forming process.


Men's altruism may have evolved, via female choice, as a signal of either their genetic quality or their willingness to allocate resources to offspring. The possibility that men display altruism to signal their genetic quality may be tested by examining women's preference for men's altruism across the stages of the menstrual cycle. Because women can maximize reproductive benefits by mating with men who have "good genes" on high-fertility versus low-fertility days, women should show a heightened preference for male altruism on high-fertility days compared to low-fertility days, and this heightened preference should be more apparent when women evaluate men for short-term sexual relationships than for long-term committed relationships. The possibility that men display altruism to signal their willingness to provision, as opposed to their genetic quality, may be tested by examining women's preference for men's altruism toward different recipients. More specifically, altruistic behavior toward family members may reflect a willingness to provide resources for kin and, hence, willingness to provision, whereas altruistic behavior toward strangers may function as an honest signal of genetic quality. In two samples of young women (TVs = 131 and 481), we found no differences between high- and low-fertility participants in preference for men's altruism, and women preferred men's altruism more in long-term than short-term relationships. The findings suggest that men's altruistic behavior functions as a signal of willingness to provide resources rather than genetic quality.


Drivers are becoming more fatigued and uncomfortable as traffic densities increase, and so, can show slower reaction time. They then face the danger of traffic accidents due to their inability to cope with frequent shifting. To reduce this risk, some drivers prefer automatic transmissions to manual transmissions. However, automatic transmission requires both higher fuel consumptions and costs. For this reason, attention to automated manual transmission that can provide high efficiency, low cost and easy manufacturability has been increasing. In addition, the function and performance of the electronic control unit of automobiles has improved continually and rapidly with the growing electronics technology. The ECU is a representative embedded system in automobiles, which has to satisfy high performance and reliability under the constraints of size and cost. In this paper, the embedded system platform for automobiles is developed on the basis of MPC565, and a test rig is developed to perform the basic function test for automatic clutch actuation. The developed embedded system and clutch control algorithm are validated by the experimental results performed on the test rig.


Objective: To examine whether older parents in China would benefit more from daughters' care than from sons' emotional care. Method: Analysis of the unique data sets of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey conducted in 2002, 2005, and 2008-2009 in 22 provinces. Results: As compared with having son(s), having daughter(s) is significantly more beneficial at older ages in China, with regard to maintaining higher cognitive capacity and reducing mortality risk. Such daughter advantages in providing emotional care to older parents are more profound among the oldest-old aged 80+ as compared with the young-old aged 65 to 79 and surprisingly more profound in rural areas as compared with urban areas, even though son preference is much more common among rural residents. Discussion: We describe how educational campaigns aimed at informing the public about the benefits of daughter(s) for older parents' health outcome could help promote gender equality and reduce traditional son preference, especially in rural China.


The increasing demand for canola (Brassica napus) for both food (e.g. vegetable oil) and non-food (e.g. biofuel) applications presents significant socio-economic benefits. While genetic engineering offers great potential to speed up the process of canola improvement, such an effort relies on a good understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying seed development, fatty acid (FA) metabolism, and oil content. Applying a well-defined algorithm to a time-series gene expression dataset of B. napus during seed development, and a well selected dataset of interactions between transcription factors and their target genes, we derive a dynamic regulatory map that is able to recover many of the known aspects of these responses. Predictions made in this study are further validated through literature search, leading to potential new roles for LEC1, LEC2, WRI1, FUS3, MYB30, and ABI3 in controlling B. napus seed development and FA metabolism related genes, thus potential targets for genetic improvement of oil production.


As the timing guardband continues to increase with the continuous technology scaling, better-than-worst-case (BTWC) design has gained more and more attention. BTWC design can improve energy efficiency and/or performance by relaxing the conservative static timing constraints and exploiting the dynamic timing margin. However, to avoid potential reliability hazards, the existing dynamic timing analysis (DTA) tools have to add extra aging and variation guardbands, which are estimated under the worst-case corners of aging and variation. Such guardbanding method introduces unnecessary margin in timing analysis, thus reducing the performance and efficiency gains of BTWC designs. Therefore, in this paper, we propose AVATAR, an aging- and variation-aware dynamic timing analyzer that can perform DTA with the impact of transistor aging and random process variation. We also propose an application-based dynamic-voltage-accuracy-frequency-scaling (DVAFS) design flow based on AVATAR, which can improve energy efficiency by exploiting both dynamic timing slack (DTS) and the intrinsic error tolerance of the application. The results show that a 45.8% performance improvement and 68% power savings can be achieved by exploiting the intrinsic error tolerance. Compared with the conventional flow based on the corner-based DTA, the additional performance improvement of the proposed flow can be up to 14% or the additional power-saving can be up to 20%.


This paper is about the twenty-four hour city and analyses this phenomenon with the assistance of a case study dispersed across (temporally and spatially) twenty-four hours spent moving in, around and with the city centre of Cardiff, UK. Reporting from a continuous twenty-four hour period of fieldwork the paper describes the round-the-clock work of a range of urban patrols – street sweepers, Police Community Support Officers and outreach workers – who, in various ways, contribute to the maintenance of the social and physical fabric of the city centre. Describing the seemingly disparate activities of these patrols, we make an argument for an attention to the polychronic mobility practices in and through which the street-level politics of space, movement and time are produced and negotiated. Indeed, the circulations of these patrols throws up a supporting cast of vulnerable street-populations – the homeless, street drinkers and street-based sex workers. Here, then, we juxtapose our description of this quotidian city with the imagery and politics of the '24-Hour City' in pointing to a nuanced (rather than adversarial) and mobile (rather than static) relationship between need and vulnerability and the management of space, time and mobility in the city centre.


Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and the receptor for advanced glycation end products (AGER) are pattern recognition receptors that regulate intestinal inflammatory homeostasis. However, their relevance in colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis is unclear. We investigated expression of TLRs, AGER, and interacting proteins in association with CRC mortality in a retrospective cohort study of 65 males diagnosed with primary resectable CRC between 2002 and 2009. Multiplex quantitative nuclease protection assay was used to quantify the expression of 19 genes in archived tissues of tumor and paired adjacent normal mucosa. We evaluated the association between log2 (tumor/normal) expression ratios for single and combined genes and all-cause mortality using multivariable Cox regression analysis. The false discovery rate adjusted q-value less than 0.10 indicated statistical significance for single gene. Five-year survival time was calculated from diagnosis of CRC to death, lost to follow-up, or December 31, 2014. Compared to paired normal mucosa, expression levels of AGER, IL1A, MYD88, and TLR5 were lower (q = 0.0002); while CXCL8 and S100P were higher (q = 0.0002) in tumor epithelia. Higher tumor expression of IL1A (HRadj = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.49-0.94), IL6 (HRadj = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.52-0.94), MyD88 (HRadj = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.30-0.93), and TLR5 (HRadj = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.52-0.98) was associated with higher mortality risk. There was a synergistic effect on lower five-year survival in lower co-expressers of IL-6 and MyD88 (P < 0.0001). Our findings suggest that a TLRs/MyD88-mediated inflammatory response may play a role in CRC prognosis. The role of pattern recognition receptor-mediated immunity in CRC mortality warrants further research.


The use of tumor megaprostheses in patients with bone tumors has provided a successful limb salvaging treatment option in oncology patients. Unfortunately, the prevalence of periprosthetic infection is much higher after oncologic joint arthroplasty than after regular joint arthroplasty, ranging from 7% to 28%. This increased risk of infection is caused by local and systemic immunodeficiency due to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, long duration of surgery, large wound areas and the use of large implants. This review focused on specific issues regarding infected megaprostheses in oncology patients, aiming to give directions for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infected megaprostheses.


We compare and classify various types of Banach algebra norms on C through geometric properties of their unit balls. This study is motivated by various open problems in interpolation theory and in the isometric characterization of operator algebra norms.


Three-dimensional transient deformations of clamped flat and doubly curved polycarbonate (PC) panels impacted by a rigid smooth hemispherical-nosed circular cylinder have been numerically studied by the finite-element (FE) method to delineate effects of the panel radius of curvature to its thickness ratio on their penetration resistance. The PC is modeled as thermoelastoviscoplastic with the effective plastic strain rate depending upon the hydrostatic pressure. The effective plastic strain of 3.0 at failure is ascertained by matching for one set of flat panels the computed and the experimental minimum perforation speeds. It is found that a negative curvature (i.e., the center of curvature toward the impactor) of a panel degrades its penetration performance, and the positive curvature enhances it especially for thin panels with thickness/radius of curvature of 0.01. However, the benefit is less evident for panels with the panel thickness/radius of curvature of 0.04 or more. For positively curved thin panels, an elastic hinge forms around the central impacted area during an early stage of deformations, and subsequent deformations occur within this region. No such hinge is observed for flat plates, negatively curved panels of all the thicknesses, and positively curved thick panels. Furthermore, the maximum effective stress induced in regions surrounding the impacted area is less for positively curved panels than that for flat panels. The dominant failure mechanism is found to be the deletion of failed elements due to the effective plastic strain in them exceeding 3.0 rather than due to plug formation. For an example problem, the dependence of the effective plastic strain rate upon the hydrostatic pressure and the consideration of the Coulomb friction at the contact surfaces exhibited minimal effects on the penetration characteristics. This information should be useful for designers of impact-resistant transparent armor, such as an airplane canopy, automobile windshield, and goggles. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4034520]


The large subunits of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 ribonucleotide reductases contain unique amino-terminal regions comprising 311 and 318 residues respectively, which are not found in ribonucleotide reductases from other sources. We report the mapping of the epitope recognized by monoclonal antibody 1026, which is specific for the large subunit (R1) of HSV-1, and then deduce the structural relationship of the amino-terminal region of R1 with the rest of the protein. A panel of 10 fusion proteins containing sequences spanning the entire R1 subunit were constructed. They were used together with proteolytic fragments of R1 and several synthetic peptides to show that the epitope is discontinuous and appears to be a loop structure centered on a previously located trypsin-sensitive site at residue 305. The existence of the loop was suggested by the observation that reactivity of the antibody with R1 could be blocked by peptides corresponding to residues 289 to 303 and 308 to 313 which flank the trypsin-sensitive site. Our results suggest that the unique amino-terminal region of R1 consists of a structurally distinct domain which is linked to the conserved carboxy region by an exposed loop.


A Model Predictive Control (MPC) strategy for Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) combustion timing and output work control that takes into account actuator constraints is designed. The MPC is based on the linearized version of a nonlinear Control Oriented Model (COM). The COM for the HCCI engine has combustion timing and engine load as outputs and valve timing and fueling rate as the inputs. The COM model is developed and validated and found to be accurate enough for control purposes and can be implemented in real-time. A Detailed Physical Model (DPM) is used to test the controller using the valve timing and fueling rate as constrained actuators. Constraints on combustion timing and output work are also considered to prevent ringing or misfire. The simulation results show that the developed controller works over a range of load conditions and can maintain HCCI combustion timing and load to their desired values.


BACKGROUND
Because ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) extensively damages the heart, regenerative therapy with pluripotent stem cells such as multilineage-differentiating stress enduring (Muse) cells is required.Methods and Results:In a first-in-human study, 3 STEMI patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤45% after successful percutaneous coronary intervention received intravenously 1.5×107cells of a human Muse cell-based product, CL2020. The safety and efficacy on LVEF and wall motion score index (WMSI) were evaluated for 12 weeks. No adverse drug reaction was noted. LVEF and WMSI were markedly improved.

CONCLUSIONS
The first-in-human intravenous administration of CL2020 was safe and markedly improved LV function in STEMI patients.


Only a little over a decade ago the vast majority of primary total hip replacements performed in North America, and indeed globally, employed a conventional polyethylene insert, either in a modular version or in a cemented application. Beginning in the early 2000's there was an explosion in technology and options available for the bearing choice in total hip arthroplasty.

Highly cross-linked polyethylene was introduced in 1998, and within a few short years the vast majority of polyethylene inserts performed in North America were manufactured from this material. Globally there was a mixed picture with variable market penetration. Surgeons had seen historically poor results with attempts at "improving" polyethylene in the past and many were hesitant to use this new technology. Many randomised clinical trials have been performed and all have shown to a greater or lesser degree, that indeed the highly cross-linked polyethylene insert has undergone less linear and volumetric wear than its more conventional counterpart. This replicates well the hip simulator data. The challenge however is as we approached mid-term results, orthopaedic manufacturers began altering the polyethylene to improve wear and improve mechanical strength. Therefore while ten-year and greater data will ultimately be published, the actual polyethylene in use at that time will be a different material. Additionally while wear rates are undoubtedly lower, we are still waiting for long-term results of actual osteolytic lesion development and the effect that highly cross-linked polyethylene will have on this clinical scenario. That being said, with over a decade of clinical experience, unquestionably highly cross-linked polyethylene has truly been a revolution in design, essentially eliminating polyethylene wear as an early failure mode.

During this same decade metal-on-metal implants had seen a significant resurgence in use. Most major orthopaedic companies produced a metal-on-metal implant whether in the form of a more conventional modular insert, or a monoblock resurfacing-type implant, or both. Metal-on-metal implants had in-vitro advantages with very low wear rates. They allowed the use of large metal heads and articulations, thereby improving range of motion and stability. Concerns always existed regarding the production of metal ions and the potential for metal hypersensitivity, as well as possible systemic effects. Metal hypersensitivity remains a diagnosis of exclusion with no definitive diagnostic tests to either screen for it, or diagnose it, if suspected. Over the past few years metal-on-metal implant use has dropped significantly, to the point now in 2013, where the only remaining application is resurfacing implants in the younger male patient.

Ceramic-on-ceramic bearings enjoy the lowest wear rates of all currently available hip articulations. Historically there has been concern regarding fracturing of both the inserts and the heads, although current generation ceramic-on-ceramic bearings have a much lower reported fracture rate. The phenomenon of a squeaking articulation remains a concern for both patient and surgeon. Conflicting reports exist on whether this is related to implant mal-position or is a function of the bearing itself. As with other bearings, improvements in technology continue to evolve and newer ceramics have recently been introduced and are in clinical practice.

The future will continue to see the evolution of the articulation in total hip arthroplasty. Patients are undergoing total hip replacements at younger ages and clearly have higher demands than seen historically. That being said, two factors have will have a major influence on future developments. The tremendous clinical success of highly cross-linked polyethylene should have us all question the need for significant changes in bearing material and the current environment following the multiple issues with metal-on-metal is one of evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, design and introduction.


Monitoring equipment including means for receiving a measurement result indicating the patient's blood glucose level, and for staring it in a first memory means. In order to improve and facilitate the treatment of the patient, the monitoring equipment further includes means for receiving data concerning the patient's diet, medication and physical strain, and for storing it in the first memory means, data processing means for calculating a predictive value on the basis of the data stored in the first memory means, and corrector means for calculating the difference between the calculated predictive value and the patient's actual blood glucose level, and for correcting the mathematical model utilized to calculate the predictive value in order to take into account the aforementioned difference in subsequent calculations of predictive values.


This investigation examined the influence of inclined viscous damper on column axial force in a simple one-story frame building for harmonic loading and earthquake ground motion. It is shown that the peak column axial force in a system with inclined damper can be several times that in a system with horizontal damper, both having the same damping ratio. The amplification factor increases with increasing ratio of the forcing frequency to the system's natural frequency for harmonic loading, and with increasing system's natural vibration period for earthquake loading; the amplification also increases with increasing damping ratio. Furthermore, the peak column axial force lags the peak displacement-related elastic forces significantly. A proper consideration of this phase lag may be important for accurate estimation of the design actions in columns.


Summary Background: It is generally accepted that patients with Wilson's disease excrete excess copper in urine. However, there has been no study, on a large series of patients, as to whether there are differences in the rate of excretion at different stages of the disease or what changes may be expected after treatment. Design: The present study follows from an analysis of the results of urinary copper excretion of 192 patients with Wilson's disease seen between 1955 and 2000. These patients were divided into three groups, pre-symptomatic, hepatic and neurological Wilson's disease. Patients were studied for basal pre-treatment, 24-h urinary copper excretion and for 6 h after a test dose of 500 mg penicillamine. The tests were repeated after approximately 1 and 2 years of chelation therapy with either penicillamine, or in a small minority of cases, trientine. Results: The basal, pre-treatment copper excretion was the lowest in pre-symptomatic patients (207.93mg/24 h) and the highest in the hepatic patients (465.75mg/24 h). Those with neurological Wilson's disease gave an intermediate figure (305.58mg/24 h). The response to penicillamine was the highest in the neurological patients and the lowest in the pre-symptomatic group. After 1 and 2 years of treatment all groups showed significant falls in both the basal and the after penicillamine rate of excretion of copper. The small subgroup treated with trientine, rather than penicillamine, showed similar results. Conclusions: The rate of copper excretion in patients with Wilson's disease shows wide variation from patient to patient, but in general patients with pre-symptomatic disease excrete less copper than those with symptomatic disease. All groups show a great increase when challenged with penicillamine. After 1 and 2 years of treatment, there is significant decrease in copper excretion in both basal and after penicillamine challenge. This presumably indicates a reduction in the body load of copper.


Time efficiency and accurate path tracking represent two conflicting demands typical of robotic applications: Time efficiency induces one to plan extremely fast trajectories which can easily collide with the manipulator kinematic and dynamic constraints, thus causing a reduction of accuracy. To deal with this problem, several approaches can be found in the literature mainly based on the synthesis of dynamic filters used for the online trajectory scaling: A possibly unfeasible input trajectory is automatically scaled to fulfill given dynamic bounds. In this way, an accurate path tracking is guaranteed. This paper can be collocated in such a framework. A new discrete-time filter, with novel capabilities, is designed. Differently from other proposals, not only torque constraints are considered but also kinematic constraints are easily handled. Moreover, to preserve time efficiency, the new filter always attempts to recover any delay caused by the constraints.


Many city administrations follow the smart city concept to grasp the potential of citizen participation. However, most participation concepts are not developed thoroughly, this leading to unexploited poten-tial. Citizens are experts of their everyday life and are best aware of their personal needs. However, current forms of citizen participation stop at the idea phase of service engineering. Following design science research, we iteratively build and evaluate a so-called "digitalization street" which aims to systematically guide the citizens through the refinement and further development of their services. This digitalization street is implemented in a mid-size European city and integrates five modules which let citizens (1) describe their project proposal, (2) concretise according strengths, weaknesses, opportuni-ties and threats, (3) identify the gain creators and pain relievers, (4) create their solution, (5) present their solution. Based on literature and a requirement elicitation workshop, a first instantiation of the artefact was developed. We contribute to the existing body of knowledge by presenting a framework for creating services based on a citizen-centric approach. We exhibit how the digitalization street can be implemented into existing processes in the city administration and help to increase the citizen par-ticipation from a project to an evaluated prototype.


This study was performed to investigate the effects of dietary inclusion of 20% rapeseed meal (RSM) as an alternative to soybean meal (SBM) in a three-month feeding experiment with growing finishing pigs. Dietary alteration affected growth performance, several carcass traits and transcriptional responses in the skeletal muscle, but did not affect measured meat quality traits. In general, pigs fed the RSM test diet exhibited reduced growth performance compared to pigs on SBM control diet. Significant transcriptional changes in the skeletal muscle of growing pigs fed RSM diet were likely the consequence of an increased amount of fiber and higher polyunsaturated fatty acids, and presence of bioactive phytochemicals, such as glucosinolates. RNAseq pipeline using Tophat2-Cuffdiff identified 57 upregulated and 63 downregulated genes in RSM compared to SBM pigs. Significantly enriched among downregulated pathways was p53–mediated signalling involved in cellular proliferation, while activation of negative growth regulators (IER5, KLF10, BTG2, KLF11, RETREG1, PRUNE2) in RSM fed pigs provided further evidence for reduced proliferation and increased cellular death, in accordance with the observed reduction in performance traits. Upregulation of well-known metabolic controllers (PDK4, UCP3, ESRRG and ESRRB), involved in energy homeostasis (glucose and lipid metabolism, and mitochondrial function), suggested less available energy and nutrients in RSM pigs. Furthermore, several genes supported more pronounced proteolysis (ABTB1, OTUD1, PADI2, SPP1) and reduced protein synthesis (THBS1, HSF4, AP1S2) in RSM muscle tissue. In parallel, higher levels of NR4A3, PDK4 and FGF21, and a drop in adropin, ELOVL6 and CIDEC/FSP27 indicated increased lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation, reflective of lower dressing percentage. Finally, pigs exposed to RSM showed greater expression level of genes responsive to oxidative stress, indicated by upregulation of GPX1, GPX2, and TXNIP.


We develop a diagrammatic categorification of the polynomial ring $\mathbb{Z} [x]$, based on a geometrically-defined graded algebra and show how to lift various operations on polynomials to the categorified setting. Our categorification satisfies a version of the Bernstein-Gelfand-Gelfand reciprocity property, with indecomposable projective modules corresponding to $x^n$ and standard modules to $(x -1)^n$ in the Grothendieck ring. This construction generalizes to
categorification of various orthogonal polynomials.


We outline a theoretical framework to analyze information processing in biological sensory organs and in engineered microsystems. We employ the mathematical tools of communication theory and model natural or synthetic physical structures as microscale communication networks, studying them under physical constraints at two different levels of abstraction. At the functional level, we examine the operational and task specification, while at the physical level, we examine the material specification and realization. Both levels of abstraction are characterized by Shannon's channel capacity, as determined by the channel bandwidth, the signal power, and the noise power. The link between the functional level and the physical level of abstraction is established through models for transformations on the signal, physical constraints on the system, and noise that degrades the signal. As a specific example, we present a comparative study of information capacity (in bits per second) versus energy cost of information (in joules per bit) in a biological and in a silicon adaptive photoreceptor. The communication channel model for each of the two systems is a cascade of linear bandlimiting sections followed by additive noise. We model the filters and the noise from first principles whenever possible and phenomenologically otherwise. The parameters for the blowfly model are determined from biophysical data available in the literature, and the parameters of the silicon model are determined from our experimental data. This comparative study is a first step toward a fundamental and quantitative understanding of the tradeoffs between system performance and associated costs such as size, reliability, and energy requirements for natural and engineered sensory microsystems.


Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy is known to promote symptom improvement, increased survival, and decreased hospitalizations for heart failure. However, one third of patients on cardiac resynchronization therapy may not achieve any clinical improvement. One of the factors for the lack of improvement is an inadequate adjustment of the cardiac device programming, because such adjustments are commonly made at rest.   Cardiac resynchronization therapy optimization can be done by adjusting the cardiac resynchronizer during cardiopulmonary exercise testing, this allow the program to align with the functional class of the patient, thus maintaining atrioventricular synchronism and biventricular pacing according to the chronotropic response to effort. However, there is a lack of protocols that propose device adjustment through cardiopulmonary exercise testing and that evaluate the response to its readjustment. Objective: To develop a cardiac resynchronizer readjustment protocol using cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Methods: This was a randomized controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of device readjustment during maximal exercise. The variables used to measure the degree of response to readjustment will be: Functional capacity by the six-minute walk test, life quality by means of the Minessota questionnaire and sleep quality by means of the pittsburg. Participants will be divided into two groups (control and intervention group), then, the six-minute walk test will be applied, followed by life quality and sleep evaluation. The cardiopulmonary test will be the last proposed activity and will not be performed on the same day as the other evaluations. After three months, they will be submitted again to the same testes mentioned previously.  During the initial evaluation by cardiopulmonary testing, the components of the intervention group will undergo cardiac resynchronization readjustment by means of a protocol. Results: We hope that the intervention designed by the protocol can contribute to the improvement of functional capacity, quality of life and sleep.


Information seeking is essential for effective patient-centered decision-making. However, prostate cancer patients report a gap between information needed and information received. The importance of different information sources for treatment decision remains unclear. Thus, using the Comprehensive Model of Health Information (CMIS) framework, we assessed the antecedent factors, information carrier factors, and information-seeking activities in localized prostate cancer patients. Data were collected via semistructured one-on-one, interviews and structured survey. Men with localized prostate cancer were recruited from two urban health-care centers. Following the interview, participants completed a survey about sources that were helpful in learning about prostate cancer treatment and decision-making. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and subjected to a thematic analysis using NVivo 10. Fifty localized prostate cancer survivors completed the interviews and surveys. Important antecedent factors that were observed were age, marital status, uncertainty, anxiety, caregiver burden, and out-of-pocket expenses. We identified complexity, magnitude, and reliability as information carrier characteristics. Preferred sources for information were health providers, medical websites, and pamphlets from the doctor's office. These sources were also perceived as most helpful for decision-making. Urologists, urological oncologists, and radiation/radiation oncologists were important sources of information and helpful in decision-making. Prostate cancer patients obtained information from multiple sources. Most prostate cancer patients make patient-centered choices by incorporating personal factors and medical information. By considering factors that influence patients' treatment decisions, health-care providers can enhance the patient-centeredness of care. Multiple strategies and interventions are necessary for disseminating valid, reliable, and unbiased information to prostate cancer patients to facilitate informed decisions.


Take the issue of optimizing paraments of the extraction unit as the background, according to the effect of the extraction unit on evaluation indexes of safety production, optimization model of which is established. First, two-parameter optimization model is established, accoding to evaluation indexes such as yield, efficiency and benefit, and for the joint distribution charateristics of the parameters. Second, according to toncoal cost, the model has been established, by fractional and polynimial function. Third, for the two-parameter optimization model is nonlinear unconstrained optimization problem, the model has been solved by adopting the DFP method, according to the charateristic of which, and the optimization result matches pratical case. Finally, analyze and evaluate its result. And the quantitative prediction is carried out according to the parameter model of the extraction unit


Allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) is a technique based on allele-specific primers, which can be used to analyze single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) effectively including the transition, transversion and insertion/deletion polymorphism and has been exploited in the study of diseases research, molecular diagnosis, and forensic biological evidence. The article systematically reviews the principle, the detection methods, improvement of AS-PCR, and its research updates in the fields of autosome, Y chromosome and mitochondrial SNP, as well as its application in forensic science.


: Azobenzene exerted no significant effect on the dynamics and the species composition of the saprophytic soil bacterial complex, which remained almost the same as in the control and was characterized by the predominance of Curtobacterium sp., Arthrobacter globiformis, and Bacillus megaterium in all stages of succession. Some heterotrophic bacteria were found to be able to accumulate azobenzene. Bac. cereus and Bac. polymyxa degraded azobenzene during their cultivation in nutrient media.


A high-power contactless RF microelectromechanical system (MEMS) varactor and an impedance tuner that utilizes this varactor and is simultaneously optimized for maximum impedance coverage and power handling are presented in this paper. The proposed varactor can successfully handle 4 W of RF power (hot tuning) for more than 10/sup 8/ cycles when tested with no hermetic packaging or nitrogen protection. This is the highest power handling under hot tuning conditions reported to date. In addition to this MEMS device, a 30-GHz four-varactor impedance tuner optimized for high-power operation is demonstrated. The power handling capability of this tuner is 4.5 times higher than conventional designs. These results experimentally demonstrate for the first time the significant advantages of contactless MEMS devices over contact-based structures (e.g., switches) for high-power applications.


Liver-derived paraoxonase-1 (PON1) enzyme that is found in the circulation is bound to high-density lipoproteins and reduces the amount of oxidized lipids with its antioxidant effect. Humans have at least three different PON gene regions which are adjacent to the other on the 7th chromosome. It has been shown that PON1 gene and its polymorphisms are related with various diseases. It is also known that, hepatitis C virus (HCV) is tightly associated with the cell lipoproteins in each step of its replication cycle leading to modulation of the host lipid metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the response to chronic hepatitis C (CHC) therapy and aminoacid changes in 55' and 192' regions of PON1 enzyme believed to be involved in the pathophysiology of many chronic diseases. A total of 49 CHC patients (27 male, 22 female; mean age: 52.9 ± 12.6 yrs), all infected with HCV genotype 1b and positive for anti-HCV and HCV-RNA were included in the study. Patients who were HCV-RNA negative at the sixth month following at least once pegilated interferon + ribavirin treatment, were considered as therapy-responders, whereas those who were HCV-RNA positive were considered as non-responders. The genomic DNAs were isolated from patients' blood samples in their routine followups and Q/R192 and L/M55 PON1 polymorphism analysis in 55. and 192. regions was performed by T-ARMS-PCR (Tetra-primer amplifi cation refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction) method. In our study, the analysis of PON1 polymorphisms yielded 44.1% of LL, 44.1% of LM and 11.8% of MM genotypes at position 55 and 55.9% of QQ, 41.2% of QR, and 2.9% of RR genotypes at position 192 in therapy-responders. In the evaluation of combined genotype analysis of the patients, there was only one case who was responsive to treatment with LL/RR genotype. Of the patients, eight harbored LL/QQ genotypes and seven of them (87.5%) were responsive to treatment. However, statistical analysis indicated that there was no relationship between PON1 L/M55 and PON Q/R192 polymorphisms and response to CHC treatment (chi-square test, p> 0.05). Our data did not support a relationship between PON1 polymorphisms and response to CHC therapy, in contrast to a few studies pointing out of this correlation. This might be attributed to relatively low number of patients included. In conclusion, since antiviral agents used for CHC therapy are limited and costly, it was thought that further investigations with large numbers of patients should be conducted to establish the presence of any relationship between the response to CHC therapy and genotypes of the PON1 enzyme.


Aim: This paper will discuss current approaches to performance reporting and whether there are real benefits to healthcare organisations or whether it is a time consuming activity that adds little to improving quality healthcare and organisational performance. Most importantly, this paper will argue that performance reporting will not prevent another major healthcare scandal, such as that seen at Bundaberg Hospital or NHS Mid Staffordshire Trust. The paper will also outline learnings for Australia from other health systems where performance reporting is part of management practice. Approach: While performance reporting is largely designed to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare organisations, this paper will explore the approach from a practical managerial perspective. Context: This paper explores performance reporting across a range of Australian healthcare organisational settings to highlight differing approaches to improving performance. Main findings: Performance reporting can be an effective tool to improve organisational performance. For performance reporting to be successful, managers and clinicians need to work collaboratively to identify areas for performance improvement and useful measures to address these. Additionally, organisations must choose a meaningful suite of measurements that can help drive performance improvement. Real time performance reporting, such as through performance dashboards, provides managers with the opportunity to make timely, incremental improvements. Finally, performance reporting must be done in a way that does not detract from providing safe, quality patient care. Conclusions: Performance reporting can be a useful management tool for healthcare organisations, however organisations must consider timeliness of performance reporting and select a number of measurements that have impact for their given facilities and avoid the wholesale analysis of data that has little opportunity to improve practice or performance.


This thesis analyses French policies towards and perceptions of the British colony of Rhodesia, from the immediate aftermath of the Second World War up until the territory's independence as Zimbabwe in 1980. Its main objective is to challenge notions of exceptionality associated with Franco-African relations, by investigating French engagement with a region outside of its traditional sphere of African influence.

The first two chapters explore the development of Franco-Rhodesian relations in the eighteen years following the establishment of a French Consulate in Salisbury in 1947. Chapter One examines the foreign policy mind-set that underpinned French engagement with Rhodesia at this time, whilst Chapter Two addresses how this mind-set operated in practice. The remaining three chapters explore the evolution of France's presence in this British colony in the fourteen and a half years following the white settlers' Unilateral Declaration of Independence. Chapter Three sets out the particularities of the post-1965 context, in terms of France's foreign policy agenda and the situation on the ground in Central Southern Anglophone Africa. Chapter Four analyses how the policies of state and non-state French actors were implemented in Rhodesia after 1965, and Chapter Five assesses the impact of these policies for France's relations with Africa, Britain and the United States, as well as for the end of European rule in Rhodesia.

This thesis argues that France's African vision began to expand to include Anglophone Africa, not in the post colonial or post-Cold War eras, but immediately following the Second World War, thus challenging the view that France was solely concerned with its own African Empire at this time. Throughout, Rhodesia was intertwined with France's policies towards Francophone Africa in terms of motivations, methods and men. This, in turn, had far reaching consequences for France's presence on the African continent, its relationship with "les Anglo-Saxons" and the course of Rhodesian decolonisation.


This study tests whether a government's social purpose helps account for the likelihood of states to engage in militarized disputes. Ruggie has argued that states whose social purpose reflected the `compromise of embedded liberalism' would be more cooperative in their economic relations and would promote the creation of economic regimes which reflected this social purpose. We investigate whether governments which possess this `embedded' liberal social purpose are also more cooperative in the security arena. We introduce two measures that provide insight into the nature of state/society relations which are consistent with the government's commitment to a liberal social purpose. These measures are negatively related to several aspects of militarized disputes. This is tested using binary time-series-cross-sectional analysis at the monad level while controlling for other important variables and for contamination caused by temporal and cross-sectional disturbances. This study identifies two state-level characteristics that indicate whether liberal social purpose states are more peaceful in general, in spite of the failure of measures of democracy to do the same.


One of the most dynamically changing parts of the labor market relates to information technologies. Skillsets demanded by employers in this sphere vary across different industries, organizations and even certain vacancies. The educational system in the most cases lags behind such changes, so that obsolete skillsets are being taught. This article proposes an algorithm of skillsets identification that allows us to extract skills that are needed by companies from different occupational groups in the information technologies sector. Using the unstructured online-vacancies database for the Russian regional labor market, skills are extracted and unified with the use of TF-IDF and n-grams approaches. As a result, key specific skillsets for various occupations are found. The proposed algorithm allows us to identify and standardize key skills which might be applicable to create a system of Russian classification for occupations and skills. In addition, the algorithm allows us to provide lists of the key combinations of skills that are in high demand among companies inside each particular occupation.


DEVELOPMENT OF ULTRASENSITIVE
VOLTAMMETRIC ION-SELECTIVE ELECTRODES
Mohammed Basem Garada, M.S.
University of Pittsburgh, 2015

Low concentration detection of ions is an important part of many industrial and medical fields. While current technologies in the form of ion chromatography and LC/MS present a reliable means of sensitive ion detection, they also can be quite expensive and bulky, and thus not always readily available to those who need them. Ion-selective electrodes offer a good alternative in the form of cheaper and smaller tools for ion detection. Most importantly, the level of detection of ion-selective electrodes can match that of more expensive methods and in some cases go beyond them. Through ion-transfer voltammetry ultrasensitive electrodes are created and used to be able to detect ions at sub-nanomolar levels. The specific electrodes used here consist of a gold electrode coated by an ion-to-electron transducing conducting polymer further overlain with an ionophore-doped organic PVC membrane. Various types of ions have been studied by both cyclic voltammetry and stripping voltammetry, including hydrophilic inorganic ions (Ca2+), hydrophobic organic surfactants (PFOS-) and biologically relevant macromolecules (protamine20+). Detection of surfactants is highlighted here, with an emphasis on an achievable detection limit of 50pM for PFOS- without any ionophore. This detection limit which is in fact lower than the EPA minimum reporting level was made possible due to the very high lipophilicity of PFOS- which allows it to be concentrated into the organic PVC layer to a greater extent during ion-transfer stripping voltammetry. Other surfactants including alkyl carboxylates, alkyl sulfonates and perfluorinated carboxylates were also tested, but a focus was made on PFOS- due to it being the most lipophilic on the EPA's list of environmentally important surfactants. It was found that the conducting polymer used for surfactant detection, POT, led to oxidation of certain carboxylate surfactants. Previous issues of reduction of certain cations like Ag+ and Pb2+ with the other conducting polymer used, PEDOT, as well as lack of a stable potential for both POT and PEDOT led us to synthesize and electrochemically polymerize a new conducting polymer, 4,4'-dibutoxy-2,2'-bithiophene. This marks the first such electrochemical polymerization of this dimer.


In many emergent markets, cross-industry alliances are necessary to develop and market new products and services. The resource-based view suggests that firms form alliances to access or acquire valuable, rare, non-imitable and non-substitutable resources, and that such access determines the level of profits. Hence, firms confronted with the choice between partners with strong versus partners with weak resource endowments should choose the former. We contest this view and argue that firms benefit from allying with weak partners at certain times. In essence, we suggest that partner selection involves assessing the relative importance of strong resource endowments and aligned strategic aspirations over time. By adopting an evolutionary approach, we show that appropriate partner selection criteria are dynamic and may involve allying with weak partners in the initial exploratory stage, with weak and/or strong partners in the development stage and with strong partners in the maturity stage. Our findings suggest that the resource-based understanding of strategic alliances should be extended to include a more profound role for a partner firm's strategic aspiration.


The lung clearance index (LCI) derived from a nitrogen multiple breath washout test (N2-MBW) is a promising tool to assess small airways disease in primary ciliary dyskinesia, but it is difficult to apply in routine clinical settings because of its long measuring time. In this study, we aimed to assess alternative indices derived from shorter washout protocols. 49 patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (mean age 14.7±6.6 years) and 37 controls (mean age 14.3±1.4 years) performed N2-MBW and double-tracer gas (DTG) single-breath washout tests. Global (LCI and moment ratio (M2/M0)), conductive (Scond) and acinar ventilation inhomogeneity (DTG Slope III (SIII-DTG)) were determined for each individual. The main outcomes were 1) the ability to detect abnormal lung function from washout indices (>1.64 z-scores) and 2) measurement duration. The prevalence of abnormal values for LCI2.5% was 37 out of 47 (79%), for LCI5% was 34 out of 47 (72%), for M2/M0 was 34 out of 47 (72%), for Scond was 36 out of 46 (78%) and for SIII-DTG was 12 out of 35 (34%). Mean±sd duration of measurement was 19.8±11.2 min for LCI2.5%, 10.8±4.6 min for LCI5% and 8.6±2.3 min for Scond. Compared to standard LCI2.5%, ventilation inhomogeneity was detected by LCI5%, moment ratio and Scond with comparable sensitivity while measurement duration was significantly shorter. Longitudinal studies will show which outcome is most suitable and practical in terms of sensitivity, duration and variability within the course of primary ciliary dyskinesia lung disease. Alternative washout outcomes of shorter test duration detect ventilation inhomogeneity in patients with PCD http://ow.ly/ffnL307OzWX


In this meta-analytical study, in vivo experimental studies with adsorbents and biological products as feed additives for inactivation of aflatoxin (AF) in poultry feeds are summarized. Totally, 231 researches carried out in 42 different countries were examined and listed with the first author's country name and presented their results in summary. This review presents the results of the experiments for nutritionists in the feed industry and scientists and provides a basis for total evaluation on the basis of regional results. The studies have been performed mostly in broilers (85%) among poultry species; and mostly in humid countries and/or the countries which import feedstuffs from them. Experiments to reduce negative effects of AF in poultry feed have been mainly performed with clays such as bentonites (BENT) and hydrated Na Ca aluminosilicate (HSCAS) single or in combination with biological matters such as yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae; SCE) and yeast derivates (Esterified glucomannan; EGM). The best way for producers and researchers, it is preferable to evaluate the preventive efficacy of feed additives as total in terms of performance, biochemical-hematological, immunological and gross and histo-pathological parameters, comparing AF group with AF plus feed additive groups. Scientists can assess the preventive efficacy and practical usability of feed additives in more detail by following the titles of articles, associate authors and/or materials and methods of related articles. In fact, for application in practice, focus on limiting AF contamination by optimizing harvesting and storage conditions should be stressed instead of expecting miracles from feed additives which have shown positive effects under experimental conditions.


An experimental study of light propagation near a small band gap for a lattice-of-holes InP photonic crystal waveguide is reported. Polarization-resolved measurements of power transmission, reflection and group delay clearly reveal the PC waveguide filtering properties. Group delay enhancement was observed close to the band-edges together with very large dispersion. The test devices were fabricated with a novel technique that allows incorporation of deeply-etched photonic crystals within an InP photonic integrated circuit.


A registry of brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumor patients in Hong Kong
comprising of data from both public and private neurosurgical practices (with approximately 98%
patients of Chinese origin), suggested geographical or racial variations in disease incidence. The
data confers the finding of a comparatively lower incidence rate of meningioma and malignant
gliomas as in other parts of Southeast Asia.

With data suggesting epidemiological difference, the treatment response, particularly in highgrade
glioma, was studied. Patients suffering from glioblastoma (GBM) in Hong Kong received
the standard of care, which involves safe, maximal resection followed by the Stupp regime.
5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-based fluorescence-guided surgery was found to be feasible and
safe to adopt in the treatment of local WHO Grade III & IV gliomas patients. Survival benefit was
seen in a group of patients using extended adjuvant temozolomide (TMZ) treatment for newly
diagnosed GBM as compared to those treated with the standard 6 cycles. Salvage therapies with
either single agent bevacizumab or bevacizumab plus irinotecan appeared to be effective treatment
options in Hong Kong patients with recurrent malignant glioma, with a good associated 6-
month progression-free survival (PFS) rate which was comparable to previously published overseas
data in this disease type in the same overall population.


An ongoing study of the longhorned beetle fauna in the cloud forests of Cusuco National Park revealed multiple additions to the Honduran fauna. Four new species are described: Heterachthes caceresae sp. nov. (Cerambycinae, Neoibidionini), Oreodera kawasae sp. nov. (Lamiinae, Acrocinini), Phrynidius guifarroi sp. nov. (Lamiinae, Apomecynini), and Strangalia lunai sp. nov. (Lepturinae, Lepturini). Additionally, Lagocheirus parvulus Casey, 1913 (Lamiinae, Acanthocinini) is revalidated as Lagocheirus araneiformis parvulus Casey, 1913 (Lagochirus [sic]). We recorded Arixiuna varians (Bates, 1881) (Lamiinae, Hemilophini) for the first time for Honduras. These findings confirm how poorly the invertebrate biodiversity of cloud forests is documented and hints at the large number of species we are losing with the ongoing deforestation.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Opportunities to improve health care quality and contain spending may differ between high and low resource users. This study's objectives were to assess health care and spending among children with Medicaid insurance by their resource use. METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 2012 Medicaid health administrative data from 10 states of children ages 11 months to 18 years. Subjects were categorized into 4 spending groups, each representing ∼25% of total spending: the least expensive 80% of children (n = 2 868 267), the next 15% expensive (n = 537 800), the next 4% expensive (n = 143 413), and the top 1% (n = 35 853). We compared per-member-per-month (PMPM) spending across the groups using the Kruskal–Wallis test. RESULTS: PMPM spending was $68 (least expensive 80%), $349 (next 15%), $1200 (next 4%), and $6738 (top 1%). Between the least and most expensive groups, percentages of total spending were higher for inpatient (<1% vs 46%) and mental health (7% vs 24%) but lower for emergency (15% vs 1%) and primary (23% vs 1%) care (all Ps < .001). From the least to most expensive groups, increases in PMPM spending were smallest for primary care (from $15 to $33) and much larger for inpatient ($0.28 to $3129), mental health ($4 to $1609), specialty care ($8 to $768), and pharmacy ($4 to $699). CONCLUSIONS: As resource use increases in children with Medicaid, spending rises unevenly across health services: Spending on primary care rises modestly compared with other health services. Future studies should assess whether more spending on primary care leads to better quality and cost containment for high resource users.


An efficient and flexible ASIC implementation method suited for static DSP algorithms is presented. It is aimed at low power implementations with moderate speed requirements. The method allows for the processing elements to be multiplexed in order to reduce the amount of resources required. A method to find a minimal number of resources and a corresponding architecture from the cyclic scheduling formulation is described. An implementation of a wave digital bandpass filter is used as an example. The low power consumption and high resource utilization is obtained by using the cyclic scheduling formulation that leads to a maximally fast implementation. The excess speed can be converted to low power consumption by reducing the power supply voltage.