Objectives: The aims of this study were to compare the expression of fibronectin type III domain containing 1 (FNDC1) in gastric cancer (GC) and normal gastric tissue, to explore the prognostic significance of FNDC1 expression in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma, and to analyze FNDC1-related signaling pathways. Methods: The expression level of FNDC1 was initially predicted using the Oncomine and Cancer Genome Atlas databases. A Kaplan-Meier plotter database was mined to examine the clinical prognostic significance of FNDC1 mRNA in patients with GC. Subsequently, immunohistochemistry was used to measure FNDC1 protein expression levels in tissue from 90 cases of GC and paired adjacent normal tissue. Kaplan-Meier univariate and Cox multivariate survival analyses were used to determine the prognostic role of FNDC1 expression. Results: Bioinformatic data indicated that FNDC1 mRNA expression levels were significantly highly expressed in GC compared with normal gastric tissue (all P < 0.05), and patients with GC with high FNDC1 mRNA expression levels had remarkably lower overall survival (all P < 0.01). Immunohistochemical results revealed that expression levels of FNDC1 protein were significantly increased in GC compared with normal gastric tissue (P < 0.001). Additionally, Kaplan-Meier univariate and Cox multivariate survival analyses indicated that increased expression of FNDC1 was an independent predictor of poor prognosis in patients with GC (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: FNDC1 was highly expressed in GC, and high expression of FNDC1 was an independent predictor of poor prognosis in patients with GC. FNDC1 co-expressed genes were largely enriched in extracellular matrix-receptor interactions, which are closely related to tumor metastasis.


Surface electrodes were used to record electromyographic (EMG) activity of the long digital extensor muscle on the right hindlimb of 8 Thoroughbred horses for 8 s at the walk and 8 s at the trot before (unfatigued) and after (fatigued) an exercise test. The exercise test was performed on a motorised treadmill set on a 10% grade. Each test started at a speed of 6 m/s which was increased by 1 m/s each minute until the horse fatigued as indicated by its inability to keep pace with the treadmill with minimal encouragement. Observations were made on the horses prior to conditioning (untrained state) and after 8 weeks of regular exercise (trained state). The mean root-mean-square (rms) values of EMG bursts collected in each experimental trial were determined for each horse and group means were derived from the mean of independent subjects. Statistical comparisons for differences in rmsEMG were related to gait, fatigue and training. Mean rmsEMG at the trot was consistently higher than at the walk (P<0.05). At the walk, mean fatigued rmsEMG tended to be higher than the mean unfatigued rmsEMG in the untrained state and was significantly higher in the trained state (P<0.05). At the trot, mean fatigued rmsEMG was higher (P<0.05) than mean unfatigued rmsEMG in both the untrained and trained states. Training did not have an effect on mean rmsEMG of unfatigued muscles at the walk or the trot (P>0.05). However, fatigued muscles experienced higher EMG activity in the trained state at the walk (P<0.05). A similar tendency was observed at the trot. Results of this study suggest that surface EMG measurement may be useful for evaluating fatigue in exercising horses.


A high-bandwidth power-scalable 10-bit pipelined ADC utilizing a newly-proposed bandwidth-reconfigurable operational amplifier is presented and verified. The ADC accomplishes power-scalable functionality by altering the bias currents of the opamps in proportion to the ADC's sampling frequency without pushing the MOS transistors into a weak inversion regime. Post-layout simulation in a 1.2-V 65-nm CMOS process shows that power consumption is scaled from 21.4 mW (100 MS/s) to 9.8 mW (25 MS/s) while maintaining an SNDR higher than 58 dB over the entire sampling frequency range. The ADC achieves an FOM of 0.29 pJ/conversion-step for a sampling rate of 100 MS/s with an input signal frequency of 20.7 MHz.


BACKGROUND
Poor quality sleep in hospitals may be problematic for patients, negatively impacting their recovery and wellbeing. This project aimed to investigate the effectiveness of codesign in addressing key issues affecting sleep disruption in the healthcare setting.

METHODS
Codesign with patients, staff and consumer representatives was conducted in an acute metropolitan tertiary public hospital in Sydney, Australia. Through a four-stage process, a multimodal intervention to address and reduce the impact of sleep disruptions among hospital inpatients was created. Pre- and post-intervention evaluation was used to determine changes in patient-reported sleep disruption.

RESULTS
'The HUSH Project' (Help Us Support Healing) intervention resulted from the codesign process, which included the provision of HUSH Sleep Packs (with earplugs, eye masks and herbal tea), patient information resources, and ward-based Sleep Champions. Survey data from 210 patients revealed a statistically significant decrease in patient-reported noise disturbances for patients in shared rooms following the 4-week intervention period of the HUSH program.

CONCLUSION
The HUSH Project demonstrated that a novel multimodal intervention may be valuable in reducing sleep disruption in hospitals. These findings also indicate the benefits of using codesign methodology to support improvement projects that seek to enhance patient experiences of care.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION
This project utilised codesign methodology, which involved significant contributions from patients and consumer representatives, from research conceptualisation into intervention design, implementation and project evaluation.


Three human rights myths serve to limit the debate over human rights in the United States and bias our perspective in dealing with the human rights claims of citizens from other countries. The first myth is that human rights belong solely to individuals and protect them largely from nega tive actions by the state. The second myth declares that civil and political rights are primary while economic, cultural, and social rights are secondary. The third myth asserts that the only rights that count are legal in nature and that moral or personal claims are invalid or irrelevant. Even a brief historical analysis reveals that all three myths are just that-myths. The group rights of corporations are protected under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Consti tution, economic rights have been upheld over political claims as witness the Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision, and legal debates over rights have often obscured the political, personal, and identity questions that many rights arguments revolve around. Only a conception of human rights that views them as the gradual empowerment of people or groups or the deconcentration of power removes them from the realm of an elite debate among experts and allows for cross-cultural comparison and action.


Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), the only international airport in the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal, is geographically situated in the middle of the country at an elevation of 4,390 feet (AMSL) in a valley surrounded by hills. The airport was in an isolated area at the time of its establishment in 1949, but now is in the middle of dense human settlement and local market places. The polluted rivers on either side of runway, un-scientific municipal solid waste management, and emergence of earthworms near the runway and taxiways after monsoon rains in late summer are some of the bird attractants. Birds of prey such as kites, eagles, vultures, and falcons are major bird types hazardous to aircraft operations at TIA. There were 6 separate bird strike incidents to civil aircraft during August-October 2000. In one of these incidents, an engine of a B-757 aircraft was heavily damaged. The Airport authority took several immediate measures to prevent bird strikes, including minimizing garbage dumping near airport and shooting birds that would not disperse. Short, medium and long-term plans have been developed to solve the problem systematically. In order to address the bird strike problem, a national level Bird Strike Control Committee and individual airportlevel Bird Strike Committees have been formed following the incidents in 2000. The Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (RONAST) presently is carrying out research on bird activities in and around the airport. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal is committed to reducing bird and other wildlife hazards at all airports in Nepal by developing integrated management programs.


BACKGROUND
Mosquitoes of the Culex pipiens complex are the vectors of several arboviruses, and are thus subjected to insecticide control worldwide. However, overuse of insecticides selects for resistance. While assessing the resistance status of the vectors is required for effective and sustainable disease control, resistance has so far only been sparsely studied in Morocco. In this study, we establish a first countrywide assessment of the levels of resistance to various insecticides and potential responsible mechanisms involved. Cx. pipiens larvae have been collected from natural populations of five regions of Morocco, and their taxonomic status has been determined (molecular forms). The level of their susceptibility to insecticides was assessed by single-diagnostic-dose bioassays. Molecular identification of known resistance alleles was investigated to determine the frequency of target-site mutations.

RESULTS
This study confirms that Moroccan populations are an interbreeding mix of pipiens and molestus forms, with large gene flow for the resistance alleles. We also found that Cx. pipiens mosquitoes are resistant to all insecticide families, all over Morocco: resistance is high for insecticides used in mosquito control, but also present for other pesticides. Resistance alleles are similarly more frequent for mosquito control insecticides. However, their distribution is heterogeneous in the five regions, with significant genetic differentiation between populations, revealing the crucial role of local insecticide treatment practices.

CONCLUSION
This study provides reference countrywide data that highlight the need for further research to refine the distribution of resistance in Morocco and to understand the role of agriculture/urban residuals in its spread.


Abstract This paper discusses a printed edition of a hitherto unknown Tangut linguistic text called Homonyms, which was sold at auction in Beijing in 2014. The book is complete in 14 folios, and comprises two prefaces on three folios; an initial section on two folios showing the cursive forms of sample Tangut characters, ordered by components; and a main section on nine folios which lists 577 groups of homophone characters, listed under head characters that derive from the Tangut books Synonyms and Mixed Characters. The homophone groups do not closely correspond to homophones in other Tangut linguistic texts such as Homophones and Sea of Writing, and so this text may represent the phonetic system for a different dialect or historical stage of the Tangut language.


In this paper, the case for the conservation of plants that have arisen in cultivation is provided and the mechanisms for extinction discussed, with examples. The approach to cultivated plant conservation over the past 30 years is reviewed and a basis for revising that approach explained. A new, far more comprehensive and rigorous method for prioritisation is proposed. This has been developed for the Plant Heritage Threatened Plants Project.


The purpose of the research are to analyze language style im Till It's Gone and the relevance of language style toward learning in SMA. Data collection used documentation, meanwhile data analysis used fiction analysis. The steps includes identification, classification, interpretation, and conclusion of the data. The result of the research found 18 simile, 8 hyperbole, 5 personification, 2 metaphor, 2 euphemisms, 2 anaphoric, and 3 sarcasm. It is concluded that Till It's Gone Novel by Kezia Evi Wiadji more dominant used simile and hyperbole in language style. For relevance in learning literature for SMA, This novel can be used as additional material in learning Indonesia languange and literature subject for eleventh grade students about intrinsic and extrinsic elements of novel related to three aspects namely language, psychology and cultural background. In summary, Till It's Gone by Kezia Evi Wiadji used comparative, affrimative and allusive language styles.
Keywords: Language style and relevance. literary learning


To the Editor: Adult vaccination rates are low (1), and workplaces are a useful location for increasing vaccination (2). In 2008, only 41% of US workers 50–64 years of age reported vaccination against influenza virus (3). Workplace vaccination is common and increases with employer size (4). Among adults, the workplace is the most common site for influenza vaccination for persons 18–49 years of age and second most common for persons 50–64 years (2). Offering vaccination in the workplace increases vaccination coverage (5).

Consistent with guidelines and economic incentives, employers have focused workplace vaccination on seasonal influenza (4), but the workplace has also been a key site for vaccination against influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009 and could be a site for other adult vaccinations. The most recent guidelines from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommend annual influenza vaccination of all adults (6). In most years, the seasonal influenza vaccine and predominant circulating viruses are well matched, and employers have an economic incentive to decrease worker absenteeism by increasing influenza vaccination (7). The workplace is also potentially a site for delivery of herpes zoster, pneumococcal, and tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccines (6).

Our experience with employers suggests that most contract with external organizations (i.e., community vaccinators) to provide workplace vaccination, but we found little or no information about these organizations in the literature. Therefore, we interviewed community vaccinators about their 2009 experience with workplace vaccination against seasonal influenza virus and pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus, their business practices, barriers encountered, and delivery of other adult vaccines.

We selected a diverse study population of community vaccinators. We combined the 10 US Department of Health and Human Services regions to create 5 study regions. Beginning with a list of vaccinators provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta, GA, USA) and searching with Google for "on-site vaccinators," we identified 17 national and 28 local vaccinators (full list available from the authors). We selected at least 1 national and 1 local vaccinator from each region and then purposively sampled them to increase geographic and organizational diversity. Our sample comprised 5 national vaccinators, 7 local vaccinators serving urban and rural workplaces, a mobile-clinic vaccinator, a visiting nurses association, and an occupational health specialist.

The qualitative study (8) used a structured telephone interview with community vaccinators' lead personnel responsible for worker vaccination. Our theoretical approach was content analysis. After 2 pilot interviews, 2 interviewers completed 10 additional interviews. Because the questions in the pilot and final interviews were similar, we analyzed both groups together and report here on all 12 interviews. We designed the interviews to last <20 minutes and conducted them during March and April 2010. One interviewer used Atlas.ti software (Atlas.ti Software Development, Berlin, Germany) to code the interviews, with review and concurrence from the second interviewer. The Human Subjects Division of the University of Washington approved this study as exempt from review.

Challenges reported for the 2009 influenza vaccination season included the need for workers to receive 2 vaccines (seasonal and pandemic [H1N1] 2009) and a mismatch between vaccine demand and supply, resulting in delayed or lost business (9/12 respondents). Some vaccinators found the season more challenging than in prior seasons (4/5 national; 2/7 local), yet most reported having added clients (4/5 national; 4/7 local).

Vaccinators' reported business practices include vaccinating at sites in addition to workplaces, for example, churches and faith-based settings (9 vaccinators), schools (9), and community centers (8). Most (9) reported vaccinating on multiple work shifts and at multiple worksites. Ten vaccinators also reported they can help employers publicize workplace vaccination events. Most did not report patient-level vaccination information to health plans (10 vaccinators), primary-care providers (9), or registries (8). Many directly bill Medicare (8) and private insurers (7) if asked.

Additional findings related to barriers and delivery of other vaccines. Commonly reported barriers to increasing workplace vaccination rates were worker reluctance (voiced as "I'm too busy," "I don't need it," or "It gives me the flu") (10 vaccinators); worker out-of-pocket costs (9); and low worker awareness of workplace vaccination events (5). Other vaccines offered by these workplace vaccinators included the following: tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (10 vaccinators), pneumococcal (10), hepatitis A and B (7), and herpes zoster (4).

This qualitative study, although small and not necessarily representative, found remarkable consistency across community vaccinators. Vaccinators were challenged by the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccination season, but the season also provided new clients. Most reported vaccinating at diverse sites in addition to workplaces, and most already vaccinated against diseases other than influenza. Vaccinators consistently identified workers' reluctance and out-of-pocket costs, and poor publicizing of workplace vaccination events as remediable barriers to vaccination. Tackling of these barriers is supported by the literature (9,10) and the Guide to Community Preventive Services (5).


Regardless of what security professionals do to motivate personal users to adopt security
technologies volitionally, the end result seems to be the same—low adoption rates. To increase these
rates, we propose activating their positive psychological capital (PsyCap), which consists of hope,
self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism (i.e., their "HERO within"). We propose that greater PsyCap
toward a security technology is associated with greater adoption rates (and intentions thereof)
because positivity increases motivation. We further posit that PsyCap both moderates and is
moderated by other constructs. We suggest that personal users' conditioned fear from the security
threat moderates the effect of PsyCap on adoption intentions because some fear is necessary to
activate their positive PsyCap to form their behavioral intentions to adopt security technologies. We
further hypothesize that PsyCap moderates the effect of adoption intentions on actual adoption rates
because activating an individual's HERO within encourages individuals to exert the effort necessary
to translate their intentions into actual adoption. Finally, we theorize that enhancing fear appeal
messages with appeals to an individual's HERO has a greater effect on volitional adoption rates
relative to messages without these PsyCap-related appeals. To support our hypotheses, we conducted
two experiments using the volitional adoption of a password manager application and a two-factor
authentication (2FA) service. We found differential support for our hypotheses across the two
security technologies, which suggests technology characteristics might mitigate the impact of
PsyCap on volitional adoption decisions.


Simultaneous determination of enalapril maleate (ENA) and nitrendipine (NIT) in pharmaceutical preparations was performed using liquid chromatography (LC) and the partial least-squares-1 (PLS-1) method. In LC, the separation was achieved on a C8 column and the optimum mobile phase for good separation in a gradient elution programme was found to be acetonitrile-water (φr = 81: 19) and optimum flow-rate, temperature, injection volume, and detection wavelength were set at 1.0 mL min−1, 25°C, 10 μL, and 210 nm, respectively. Dienogest was selected as an internal standard. In the spectrophotometry, a PLS-1 chemometric method was used. The absorbance data matrix related to the concentration data matrix was established by measurement of absorbances in their zero order spectra with an increment of Δλ = 1 nm in the 220–290 nm range for ENA and with Δλ = 1 nm in the 230–290 nm range for NIT in the PLS-1 method. Following this step, calibration was established by using this data matrix to predict the unknown concentrations of ENA and NIT in their binary mixture. These optimised methods were validated and successfully applied to a pharmaceutical preparation in tablet form and the results were subjected to comparison.


BACKGROUND
There is concern about the educational impact and possible stress on registrars of new out-of-hours co-operatives.

AIM
To compare the confidence in managing out-of-hours problems of registrars in traditional on-call rotas and co-operatives with that of their trainers. To determine how frequently registrars discussed problems out-of-hours with their trainers, and to compare the referral pattern of registrars with their trainers out-of-hours.

METHOD
Analysis of log diaries of out-of-hours experiences kept by registrars and trainers over two, two-month periods in winter and summer.

RESULTS
Thirty registrars (out of a possible 51) and 34 (out of a possible 52) trainers took part in the winter, and 18 registrars and 29 trainers in the summer. Registrars were confident in their management, and their confidence increased over the year (59% versus 72% difference = 12%, 95% CI = 6% to 20% for very confident). Registrars varied in their discussion of problems with trainers. When 'a little worried' they discussed their management 30 out of 53 times (57%); if 'very confident', 36 out of 576 times (6%). Registrars during the summer segment of the study referred more frequently to hospital than trainers (20% versus 10% difference = 10%, 95% CI = 3% to 17%. Registrars in traditional rotas recorded a slightly higher but statistically insignificant level of confidence in their management of problems than those registrars in cooperatives.

CONCLUSIONS
While many registrars are confident in their work and are using their trainer for information appropriately, some are not. Registrars may be referring to hospital at a much higher rate than their trainers. More research is required to confirm and further explore these findings.


J. Edward Swan I1 Mississippi State University, USA It is increasingly important to provide fidelity mecrics for rendered images and interactive virtual environments (VEs) targeting transfer of training in real-world task situations. Computational metrics which aim to predict the degree of fidelity of a rendered image can be based on psychophysical observations. For interactive simulations, psychophysical investigations can be carried out into the degree of similarity between the original and a synthetic simulation. Psychophysics comprises a collection of methods used to conduct non-invasive experiments on humans, the purpose of which is to study mappings between events in an environment and levels of sensory responses to those events. This tutorial will present the techniques and principles towards conducting psychophysical studies, for assessing image quality as well as fidelity of a VE simulation and how results from such studies contribute to VE system design as well as to computational image quality metrics. Methods based on experiments for measuring the perceptual equivalence between a real scene and a computer simulation of the same scene will be reported. These methods are presented through the study of human vision and include using photorealistic computer graphics to depict complex environments and works of art. In addition, physical and psychophysical fidelity issues in the assessment of virtual environments will be emphasised. Specifications for correct matching between the psychophysical characteristics of the displays and the human users' sensory and motor systems will he discussed as well as some examples of the consequences when systems fail to be physically well matched to their users. Complete experimental cycles will be described from the initial idea and design, to pilot study, experimental redesign, data collection, analysis and post-experiment lessons learned. Examples will include research on spatial orientation in Virtual Reality, assessing fidelity of flight simulators, fidelity of simulation of humans and clothing and measuring perceptual sensitivity to latency. This tutorial requires no fundamental prerequisites. It would help if the attendee had some knowledge of experimental design, and of some personal experience of computer graphics and simulation systems. However, the course will be self-contained.


Disturbances of walking is one of the most significant presentations of Parkinson's disease that frequently determine patient's status and quality of life. In Parkinson's disease (PD, which is the most frequent nosological form of parkinsonism (up to 80% of cases), disturbances of walking are related to dopaminergic mechanisms , e.g., hypokinesia and rigidity, and only partly respond to standard antiparkinsonian drugs. In less frequent vascular parkinsonism (VP), disturbances of walking develop early and do not respond to dopaminergic drugs. Therefore, the elaboration of non-pharmacological methods of treatment is urgent. Patients with PD and VP are characterized by shorter step length with the increase in the variability of length. The preliminary determination of the individual optimal frequency of sound waves provides the higher effectiveness of treatment. Audio stimulation using portable audio/sound reproduction devices is available in outpatient clinics and is able to maintain the achieved positive effect.


We have created a new electronic musical instrument, referred to as the Termenova (Russian for "daughter of Theremin") that combines a free-gesture capacitive-sensing device with an optical sensing system that detects the reflection of a hand when it intersects a beam of an array of red lasers. The laser beams, which are made visible by a thin layer of theatrical mist, provide visual feedback and guidance to the performer to alleviate the difficulties of using a non-contact interface as well as adding an interesting component for the audience to observe. The system uses capacitive sensing to detect the proximity of the player's hands; this distance is mapped to pitch, volume, or other continuous effect. The laser guide positions are calibrated before play with position-controlled servo motors interfaced to a main controller board; the location of each beam corresponds to the position where the performer should move his or her hand to achieve a pre-specified pitch and/or effect. The optical system senses the distance of the player's hands from the source of each laser beam, providing an additional dimension of musical control.


The relationship between cAMP and the capacity of two partially-purified fractions of porcine follicular fluid (PFF) to suppress mouse oocyte maturation was investigated. The fractions used were: 1) a low molecular weight filtrate (less than 10,000) derived from Amicon PM10 filtration of PFF (PM10), and 2) a fraction from Bio-Gel P2 chromatography of the PM10 filtrate (Bio-Gel) that has meiotic inhibitory activity in porcine oocytes. PM10 alone produced a transient inhibition of the maturation of both cumulus cell-enclosed and denuded mouse oocytes, as manifested by germinal vesicle breakdown. The addition of FSH or (Bu)2cAMP to medium containing either of the PFF fractions resulted in dramatic synergism of the inhibitory effect of PFF alone in cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes. Forskolin or (Bu)2cAMP promoted a similar synergistic response with either PFF fraction in denuded oocytes. The degree of inhibition was consistently greater in cumulus cell-enclosed than in denuded oocytes. The putative inhibitor was dialyzable through tubing having a nominal molecular weight cutoff of 1,000. Proteolysis, acid hydrolysis, or ether extraction of PM10 did not reduce its inhibitory synergism with (Bu)2cAMP. However, inhibition was completely abolished by charcoal extraction. Steroid hormones did not mimic the PM10-induced synergism when added to (Bu)2cAMP-containing medium in a concentration at least 14-fold greater than that present in PM10-supplemented medium. In conclusion, our results demonstrate the presence of a factor(s) in PFF that acts synergistically with a cAMP-dependent process to inhibit oocyte maturation in vitro. Furthermore, although PFF fractions suppressed the maturation of both denuded and cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes, cumulus cells appear to mediate the inhibitory activity of PFF. The data also suggest that the PFF inhibitor is a small (mol wt less than 1,000) hydrophobic molecule but not a peptide or nonpolar lipid.


The effects of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] on the ability of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) to accumulate and release Ca2+ and on the Ca2+ sensitivity of the contractile proteins were investigated using chemically (saponin) skinned cardiac fibers (60-120 microns diam) obtained from normal and pressure-overloaded hypertrophied rat left ventricles. Left ventricular pressure overload was induced by partial ligation of the abdominal aorta 3-6 wk before study. Age- and weight-matched normal rats served as controls. Pressure overload increased the left ventricular weight-to-body weight ratio by 45%. Ins(1,4,5)P3 at a concentration of 10 microM did not change the Ca(2+)-tension relationship at Ca2+ concentrations of 10(-7) to 10(-5) M in either normal or hypertrophied fibers. Ins(1,4,5)P3 also did not influence Ca2+ uptake by the SR in either normal or hypertrophied fibers. Ins(1,4,5)P3 did not induce Ca2+ release from the SR directly in either group. However, pretreatment with Ins(1,4,5)P3 enhanced the 5 mM caffeine-induced Ca2+ release by 80.5 +/- 22.7% in normal fibers enhances, rather than directly induces, SR Ca2+ release in normal rat hearts and that sustained pressure overload diminishes the response of the SR Ca(2+)-release system to Ins(1,4,5)P3, an action that may be partly responsible for contractile dysfunction in cardiac hypertrophy.


The paper provides a consistent time-series of poverty estimates for the period 1963- 64 to 1992-93 for both the rural as well as the urban areas, examines the influence of macroeconomic policies on the poverty levels, analyses the impact of Structural Adjustment Programmes on the levels of poverty, and suggests a strategy for poverty alleviation in Pakistan. The paper explores in particular the influence on poverty of such factors as economic growth, agricultural growth, terms of trade for the agriculture sector, industrial production, rate of inflation, employment, wages, remittances, and the tax structure. While the paper cautions that on account of the limited number of observations the results of the study should be interpreted cautiously, the study does suggest that the growth above a threshold level of about 5 percent, increase in employment, and remittances are the most important variables explaining the change in poverty over time. The paper also comes to the conclusion that the policies pursued under the Structural Adjustment Programme have tended to increase the poverty levels mainly because of decline in growth rates, withdrawal of subsidies on agricultural inputs and consumption, decline in employment, increase in indirect taxes, and decline in public expenditure on social services. The paper also outlines a strategy for poverty eradication and argues that besides the safety nets, the employment programmes, as well as promotion of informal sector enterprises, are essential.


Background: Limb-sparing resection and reconstruction for pelvic sarcomas in multiple small studies have been fraught with complications, reoperations, and impaired patient function. However, the non-oncologic complication and reoperation rates and functional outcomes for patients have never been rigorously compiled, to our knowledge. A systematic review was undertaken to more accurately determine the non-oncologic complication and reoperation rates and functional outcomes for patients after pelvic sarcoma resection and reconstruction. Methods: The review was performed in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. PubMed and Cochrane database searches of English-only studies using the terms "pelvis AND sarcoma" and "pelvis AND sarcoma AND surgery" were performed. Study inclusion criteria were ≥10 patients enrolled, at least 12 months of follow-up, utilization of comparable functional outcome measure(s), and the majority of the resections treating primary bone sarcoma. Results: In this study, 2,350 studies were reviewed, of which 22 Level-IV studies with a total of 801 patients met inclusion criteria. Reconstructive techniques varied widely and included allografts, allograft-prosthesis composites, saddle prostheses, custom endoprostheses, and irradiated autografts. Pooled means showed a mean 5-year patient survival of 55%. The mean non-oncologic complication rate was 49%. The mean non-oncologic reoperation rate was 37%. The mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score was 65%. Conclusions: The non-oncologic complication and reoperation rates for pelvic reconstructions are remarkably high and 5-year survival is poor. Functional outcomes are acceptable but may not be better than a resection of the same Enneking and Dunham type without reconstruction. Consideration should be given to forgoing pelvic reconstruction, especially in patients with poor overall prognosis. Further studies comparing non-oncologic complication rates, reoperation rates, and functional outcomes in patients with equivalent resections treated with or without reconstruction are needed to further elucidate the utility of pelvic reconstruction. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.


Background and purpose Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) is amultifaceted disease associated with Psoriasis. Key pathogeneic mechanisms seen at all disease sites include angiogenesis, invasion, migration, proliferation and more specifically to joint involvement, osteoclastogenesis. These aberrant processes have been previously associated with dysregulated miRNA expression, a class of small non-coding RNAs which exert their function through suppression of specific target genes. More specifically, the miR-23a Cluster (miR-23a, miR-27a and miR-24–2) as in other chronic conditions, such as cancer. Methods Synovial tissue biopsies and/or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were obtained from PsA (n = 8), osteoarthritis (OA) (n = 7), and healthy controls (n = 8). To determine factors involved in regulating miRNA expression, primary PsA synovial fibroblasts (SFC) were isolated and cultured with candidate pro-inflammatory stimuli including TLR ligands: Pam3CSK4 (1 µg/ml), LPS (1 µg/ml), polyIC (10 µg/ml) and pro-inflammatory cytokines: IL-1β (1 ng/ml), TNFα (10 ng/ml) and IL-17 (20ng/ml). MiR-23a, miR-27a and miR-24–2 expression was quantified by RT-PCR using RNU48 as an endogenous control. Clinical demographics such as synovitis, vascularity, DAS-28 CRP, TJC, SJC and patient global were also assessed. Results All members of the miR-23a cluster, miR-23a, miR-27a and miR-24–2, were significantly decreased PsA synovial tissue versus OA (p = 0.0172). Synovial miR-23a expression negatively correlated with matched PBMC miR-23a (r=-1.00, p = 0.0167), demonstrating a dissociation in miR-23a expression between systemic and local inflammation. In addition, miR-23a expression in PsA synovial biopsies inversely correlated with DAS28-CRP (r= -0.5294, p = 0.035) and distinguished patient synovial vascularity and synovitis into high versus low groupings (all < 0.05). TLR activation via PolyIC (TLR3) and LPS (TLR4), but not Pam3CSK4 (TLR2), significantly decreased miR-23a expression in PsA SFC (all p < 0.05), with no effect observed for pro-inflammatory cytokines. Finally, in silico analysis identified putative targets for miR-23a, including PDE4B and PTK2B, which are known mediators in immune pathways, osteoclast function and angiogenic mechanisms. Conclusion Our data provides evidence that the miR-23a cluster is significantly decreased in PsAsynovium. Synovial miR-23a levels, regulated by TLRs, correlate and distinguish clinical markers. Both previously confirmed and new potential targets identified here may have putative pathogenic implications for PsA pathogenesis. Thereby, the miR-23a cluster may represent a potential novel biomarker for disease activity or elucidate new therapeutic strategies.


We assess the accuracy of horizontal velocity estimates from the Basin and Range Geodetic Network (BARGEN), a continuous GPS network that has been in operation since 1996. To make this quantitative assessment, we use a procedure that we term the "whole‐error" method. In this method, the measure of the velocity errors is the root‐mean‐square (RMS) residual velocity relative to a simple geophysical model. This method produces a conservative estimate of the uncertainties, since errors in the geophysical models also contribute to the RMS residual. Using estimates from two different BARGEN subnetworks, the Northern Basin and Range and the Yucca Mountain Cluster, we determine velocity uncertainties of 0.1–0.2 mm yr−1. Since BARGEN covers a significant fraction of area of the proposed Plate Boundary Observatory component of EarthScope, our results indicate a good ability of this project to determine highly accurate long‐term horizontal crustal velocities and deformation rates in this region.


Depressive symptoms (e.g., anhedonia) have been observed in cannabis users. Alterations in delay discounting have been observed in depressed individuals. Steep discounting (i.e., impulsive choice) has been associated with tobacco, alcohol, and cocaine abuse, but not cannabis abuse. This study evaluated the association between anhedonia, cannabis use, and delay discounting. Participants (329 undergraduates) were assessed for marijuana use patterns (age of first use, weekly dose, MPS, DSM-V CUD), anhedonia (SHAPS), and delay discounting (impulsivity) using an online Qualtrics survey to determine the covariation among these variables. Anhedonia and measures of marijuana use were not significantly associated and neither measure was significantly associated with delay discounting. Significant correlations were observed primarily among marijuana use measures. In multiple regression analysis, neither anhedonia nor marijuana use amount was a significant predictor of delay discounting. A significant quadratic trend was observed for marijuana use amount on discounting, suggesting a dose-dependent relationship. ANHEDONIA, DISCOUNTING, AND CANNABIS USE 3 Table of


The timing of marriage in pre-industrial England has received a great deal of attention from historical demographers, but its more recent history has been neglected. One obvious reason for this has been the inaccessibility of the civil registers for the post-1837 period. However, this note suggests that worthwhile research is still possible, using a combination of published statistics and parish registers to reveal the impact of economic fluctuations on family life.


Abstract. Tropical deforestation contributes to the build-up of atmospheric carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Within the deforestation process, fire is frequently used to eliminate biomass in preparation for agricultural use. Quantifying these deforestation-induced fire emissions represents a challenge, and current estimates are only available at coarse spatial resolution with large uncertainty. Here we developed a biogeochemical model using remote sensing observations of plant productivity, fire activity, and deforestation rates to estimate emissions for the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso during 2001–2005. Our model of DEforestation CArbon Fluxes (DECAF) runs at 250-m spatial resolution with a monthly time step to capture spatial and temporal heterogeneity in fire dynamics in our study area within the ''arc of deforestation'', the southern and eastern fringe of the Amazon tropical forest where agricultural expansion is most concentrated. Fire emissions estimates from our modelling framework were on average 90 Tg C year−1, mostly stemming from fires associated with deforestation (74%) with smaller contributions from fires from conversions of Cerrado or pastures to cropland (19%) and pasture fires (7%). In terms of carbon dynamics, about 80% of the aboveground living biomass and litter was combusted when forests were converted to pasture, and 89% when converted to cropland because of the highly mechanized nature of the deforestation process in Mato Grosso. The trajectory of land use change from forest to other land uses often takes more than one year, and part of the biomass that was not burned in the dry season following deforestation burned in consecutive years. This led to a partial decoupling of annual deforestation rates and fire emissions, and lowered interannual variability in fire emissions. Interannual variability in the region was somewhat dampened as well because annual emissions from fires following deforestation and from maintenance fires did not covary, although the effect was small due to the minor contribution of maintenance fires. Our results demonstrate how the DECAF model can be used to model deforestation fire emissions at relatively high spatial and temporal resolutions. Detailed model output is suitable for policy applications concerned with annual emissions estimates distributed among post-clearing land uses and science applications in combination with atmospheric emissions modelling to provide constrained global deforestation fire emissions estimates. DECAF currently estimates emissions from fire; future efforts can incorporate other aspects of net carbon emissions from deforestation including soil respiration and regrowth.


Tonsillectomy is a very common surgical procedure performed worldwide. We retrospectively reviewed the data on tonsillectomy in the past 10 years from 1996 to 2006. There were a total of 329 children undergoing tonsillectomy. The median age was 6.8 years. Two hundred and sixty (79%) children received tonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnoea, 69 (21%) for recurrent tonsillitis. The average operative time was 1 hour and 4 minutes. Intraoperative complication included 1 dislodged endotracheal tube during surgery while postoperative complication included 8 (2.4%) secondary haemorrhage. The average length of stay in hospital was 2.5 days. Majority of children resumed soft diet on day 2 after surgery. Tonsillectomy remains a safe and important operation in the field of Paediatric Otolaryngology.


Objectives:BR55, an ultrasound contrast agent functionalized with a heterodimer peptide targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), was evaluated in vitro and in vivo, demonstrating its potential for specific tumor detection. Materials and Methods:The targeted contrast agent was prepared by incorporation of a biospecific lipopeptide into the microbubble membrane. Experiments were performed in vitro to demonstrate the binding capacities of BR55 microbubbles on immobilized receptor proteins and on various endothelial or transfected cells expressing VEGFR2. The performance of BR55 microbubbles was compared with that of streptavidin-conjugated microbubbles targeted to the same receptor by coupling them to a biotinylated antibody. The specificity of BR55 binding to human and mouse endothelial cells was determined in competition experiments with the free lipopeptide, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), or a VEGFR2-specific antibody. Molecular ultrasound imaging of VEGFR2 was performed in an orthotopic breast tumor model in rats using a nondestructive, contrast-specific imaging mode. Results:BR55 was shown to bind specifically to the immobilized recombinant VEGFR2 under flow (dynamic conditions). BR55 accumulation on the target over time was similar to that of microbubbles bearing a specific antibody. BR55 avidly bound to cells expressing VEGFR2, and the pattern of microbubble distribution was correlated with the pattern of receptor expression determined by immunocytochemistry. The binding of targeted microbubbles on cells was competed off by an excess of free lipopeptide, the natural ligand (VEGF) and by a VEGFR2-specific antibody (P < 0.001). Although selected for the human receptor, the VEGFR2-binding lipopeptide was also shown to recognize the rodent receptor. Tumor perfusion was assessed during the vascular phase of BR55, and then the malignant lesion was highlighted by specific accumulation of the targeted microbubbles on tumoral endothelium. The presence of VEGFR2 was confirmed by immunofluorescence staining of tumor cryosections. Conclusions:VEGFR2-targeted ultrasound contrast agents such as BR55 will likely prove useful in human for the early detection of tumors as well as for the assessment of response to specific treatments.


The Nordic Dictionary for Children is an electronic dictionary consisting of approximately 3,400 entries in each of the three Scandinavian languages, Danish, Norwegian (Bokmal and Nynorsk) and Swedish. Each entry has a short written text (e.g. definition, example). All entries including the short text will be recorded so that the users can listen to them. When one is working with the neighbouring languages in Scandinavia the pronunciation often causes interference problems which blur the understanding. The dictionary is intended for children from 12 years upwards, it is for free use on Internet and as an app for the iPhone. It is intended as a resource in the teaching of neighbouring languages in school, which is part of the curriculum in Scandinavia from undergraduate level onwards. Users knowing Faroese, Icelandic, Greenlandic, Finnish or Northern Sami may use their own language for searching, but the hits will be in one of the Scandinavian languages. The project is part of the campaign to maintain inter-Nordic language understanding among children and young people. It has Nordic funding and is edited by three seniors from the Language Councils in Scandinavia. The dictionary will be launched in August 2012.


When nervous, unprepared, or less knowledgeable about a subject area, speakers may become increasingly worried that they are revealing telling acoustic cues about their anxiety level (e.g., hesitation before speaking or vocal jitter) to their audience. The current study is a two-part (production/perception) experiment that sought to evaluate when 1) speakers produce telling acoustics and 2) listeners become sensitive to vocal confidence cues produced by the speaker. The results indicated that when a speaker produced discriminating (un)confidence cues (e.g., rising intonation and delayed speech onset), the listener was significantly better able to predict the speaker's confidence level. Interestingly, the speaker was significantly more likely to produce discriminating acoustic cues when more social pressure was applied, suggesting that speakers may intentionally communicate information about confidence. This indicates that confidence cues may be produced for the benefit of the listener and not to the detriment of the speaker.


Severe epileptics may require curative neurosurgery. Sometimes focus localization requires recording with electrodes inserted deep into the brain, which may cause death or permanent neurological damage. Since epileptic seizures are associated with marked changes in cerebral impedance, the authors propose that electric impedance tomography (EIT) with sub-dural electrodes (inserted between the brain and skull) could provide a superior and less dangerous method for the localization of epileptic foci. The purpose of the experiments reported here was to determine whether EIT could be used to localize the origin of seizure activity. In terms of impedance characteristics, an appropriate model is cortical spreading depression in the animal brain. Six rabbits were anaesthetized and paralysed and the brain exposed. EIT images and DC potentials were recorded from an array of 16 electrodes on the brain during cortical spreading depression induced by a DC stimulus. Cortical spreading depression could be localized by EIT with an accuracy of 8.7%+or-6.4% (mean +or-SD) of electrode array diameter. The errors in localization appeared to be distributed randomly. In a phantom of similar geometry, the error was 5% after correction for a systematic component. Results are sufficiently encouraging that the authors intend to extend this study to human patients.


In a preliminary report we described the effects of rat prolactin on the incorporation of [14C]acetate into lipids by a cell line from a dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced rat mammary tumor. The characteristics of the response to prolactin were very similar to those described for the normal rat mammary gland; namely, insulin was required for full expression of the response, maximal activity was not seen until 36 hr after the addition of the hormones, and growth hormone was able to elicit the same response. However, we were unable to detect binding of 125I-labeled prolactin to these cells, and furthermore, other more purified prolactin preparations were inactive. Upon further investigation we discovered that the activity resided in a low-molecular-weight fraction of the rat prolactin B-1 preparation and was probably either vasopressin or oxytocin or both. These data suggest the possibility that vasopressin may play a role in rodent mammary tumorigenesis.


In simulations scientific workflows are used to coordinate complex implementations incorporating different kinds of simulations. Typically, the amount of data to be analyzed is huge and it is impossible to store all intermediate or alternative results. Thus, the access to data services has to be coordinated such that applications read the right data and do not overwrite one another. In this paper, we present a possibility to coordinate different scientific simulations accessing and updating the same data using existing Web service technologies: We extend the concept of choreography spheres by allowing control-links between them and the property "permeability" stating whether a cross-boundary link may be traversed before the start or completion of a choreography sphere. This paper is the first presenting a state model for choreography spheres.


Today, countries that focus more on economic development considers the tourism industry as a major contributor to it. As one of the major field of tourism, ecotourism is seriously promoted. Estimating monetary value of environmental resources of ecosystem function is a method for understanding if the investments for conservation, improvement or revival of the environmental resources earned social welfare improvements. In this study, The recreational value of Bamo National Park (BNP) was estimated and measured using two methods of Contingent Value Method (CVM) and Travel Cost Method (TCM). The variables, inhabitance, distance from park, first visit, number of visit, deontologist, education, travel cost, visitors income, museum existence and existence of animal species were the effective variables on willingness to pay (WTP) of visitors in 2015. Monthly expected willingness to pay of Consequentialist and Deontologist visitors was US$ 2.08 and 2.47, respectively. Finally, the recreational value of Bamu Park, which were estimated in two methods was equivalent US$ 43940.47 and 79959.25, respectively, in 2015. The travel cost method used the market price information and it revealed there is willingness to pay and 90.7% of visitors have zone inhabitance. Further, travel cost function was ideal for the econometrics theoretical aspect and preferred using the travel cost method instead of contingent value method to valuating the Bamo National Park.


Exposure of proliferating cells to genotoxic stresses activates a cascade of signaling events termed the DNA damage response (DDR). The DDR preserves genetic stability by detecting DNA lesions, activating cell cycle checkpoints and promoting DNA damage repair. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase-related kinases (PIKKs) ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM), ATM and Rad 3-related kinase (ATR) and DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) are crucial for sensing lesions and signal transduction. The checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) is a traditional ATR target involved in DDR and normal cell cycle progression and represents a pharmacological target for anticancer regimens. This study employed cell lines stably depleted for CHK1, ATM or both for dissecting cross-talk and compensatory effects on G₂/M checkpoint in response to ionizing radiation (IR). We show that a 90% depletion of CHK1 renders cells radiosensitive without abrogating their IR-mediated G₂/M checkpoint arrest. ATM phosphorylation is enhanced in CHK1-deficient cells compared with their wild-type counterparts. This correlates with lower nuclear abundance of the PP2A catalytic subunit in CHK1-depleted cells. Stable depletion of CHK1 in an ATM-deficient background showed only a 50% reduction from wild-type CHK1 protein expression levels and resulted in an additive attenuation of the G₂/M checkpoint response compared with the individual knockdowns. ATM inhibition and 90% CHK1 depletion abrogated the early G₂/M checkpoint and precluded the cells from mounting an efficient compensatory response to IR at later time points. Our data indicates that dual targeting of ATM and CHK1 functionalities disrupts the compensatory response to DNA damage and could be exploited for developing efficient anti-neoplastic treatments.


The acquisition of labels for supervised learning can be expensive. To improve the sample efficiency of neural network regression, we study active learning methods that adaptively select batches of unlabeled data for labeling. We present a framework for constructing such methods out of (network-dependent) base kernels, kernel transformations, and selection methods. Our framework encompasses many existing Bayesian methods based on Gaussian process approximations of neural networks as well as non-Bayesian methods. Additionally, we propose to replace the commonly used last-layer features with sketched finite-width neural tangent kernels and to combine them with a novel clustering method. To evaluate different methods, we introduce an open-source benchmark consisting of 15 large tabular regression data sets. Our proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art on our benchmark, scales to large data sets, and works out-of-the-box without adjusting the network architecture or training code. We provide open-source code that includes efficient implementations of all kernels, kernel transformations, and selection methods, and can be used for reproducing our results.


I develop a model of endogenous bounded rationality due to search costs, arising implicitly from the decision problem's complexity. The decision maker is not required to know the entire structure of the problem when making choices. She can think ahead, through costly search, to reveal more of its details. However, the costs of search are not assumed exogenously; they are inferred from revealed preferences through choices. Thus, bounded rationality and its extent emerge endogenously: as problems become simpler or as the benefits of deeper search become larger relative to its costs, the choices more closely resemble those of a rational agent. For a fixed decision problem, the costs of search will vary across agents. For a given decision maker, they will vary across problems. The model explains, therefore, why the disparity, between observed choices and those prescribed under rationality, varies across agents and problems. It also suggests, under reasonable assumptions, an identifying prediction: a relation between the benefits of deeper search and the depth of the search. In decision problems with structure that allows the optimal foresight of search to be revealed from choices of plans of action, the relation can be tested on any agent-problem pair, rendering the model falsifiable. Moreover, the relation can be estimated allowing the model to make predictions with respect to how, in a given problem, changes in the terminal payoffs affect the depth of search and, consequently, choices. My approach provides a common framework for depicting the underlying limitations that force departures from rationality in different and unrelated decision-making situations. I show that it is consistent with violations of timing-independence in temporal framing problems, dynamic inconsistency and diversification bias in sequential versus simultaneous choice problems, and with plausible but contrasting risk attitudes across smalland large-stakes gambles.


: A casuistic observation is described, in which 4 primary multiple tumors of various histogenesis were detected on autopsy in a 56-year-old patient. In the upper part of the jejunum, there was a 3 X 4 cm carcinoid of a mixed structure with metastases to the liver. The primary disseminated malignant glomas tumor as multiple interfluent nodes measuring up to 1.0 X 1.5 cm was present in the parietal and visceral peritoneum. A 2.0 X 2.5 x 3.0 cm pheochromocytoma and a 1.5 X 2.0 X 2.5 cm malignant angiomyolipoma were detected in the right kidney. The tumors had a typical histological structure, yet it was indicated that the detection of paragangliomoid sites in the malignant carcinoid slightly made it difficult to differentially diagnose it with the primary disseminated malignant glomus tumor of the peritoneum.


ABSTRACT This paper investigates the effect of related and unrelated variety on regional growth in West Germany. In particular, it analyzes the role of regional absorptive capacity and new business formation for these effects. It finds that West German regions benefit from both types of varieties. The positive effect of unrelated variety on growth is more pronounced in regions with higher levels of absorptive capacity in terms of research and development activities and with higher levels of new business formation. Such moderating effects cannot be found for related variety.


Cement mortar shows piezoresistivity after being mixed with small amount of graphite, thus the resistivity of the material will changed with stress. In this study, specimens embedded double electrodes which made of cement based material with small amount of graphite (3 wt.% of cement) are used in the experiments of one-time loading and cyclic loading, and the relative resistivity are measured by a series connected AC circuit. The results show that the specimens' piezoresistivity goes down while the stress increases, and different curves of piezoresistivity can be observed in experiments with different loading methods. The relative resistivities of the specimen show a similar change as strain.


Bioinformatics is usually concerned with applying statistical and computational methods to analysis of data determined from sequenced DNA and/or RNA or the simulation of protein-protein interactions. Rheumatic Arthritis (RA) is an immune system ailment which implies that our own body insusceptible framework assaults the tissues. Due to this Rheumatic arthritis causes aggravation and delicate tissue swelling mainly at diarthrodial joints. This will result in significant loss of portability or movability because of the pain and joints destruction. According to NHS (National Health Survey) that rheumatic arthritis affects almost 2-4% of world population and in India it is around 0.5 %, with women has twice chance of developing RA compared to men. This project aims at development of software module for detecting and analysis of Rheumatic Arthritis by genome analysis using high-throughput sequencing. Genome sequencing is a technique in which the query sequence (subject sequence) is compared with entire stretch of human normal sequence (reference sequence) genome, in order to detect and analyze the variants in the query sequence. The process starts by mapping (aligning) the query sequence with reference sequence using burrows wheel aligner tool, then ambiguities and duplicates are removed to increase the accuracy using Picard tool. Variants are detected from the mapped data with help of GATK java toolkit, detecting and annotating these variants will provide essentials details for experts to analyze the condition of the rheumatic arthritis disease. The Rheumatic Arthritis disease affected data is imported from the expert doctor and normal genome data is imported from GenBank to perform whole genome sequencing with reference genome. The proposed methodology is applied to several RA affected and normal sample, and obtained results will provide the information about existence of disease and gene-level analysis of genes that are associated or in relation to the cause for RA disease. Outcome of proposed methodology for a sample of acquired RA disease data resulted in total 897 affected genes, the gene TYK2 has major impact factor score on RA disease is 0.4215 and MAP1A low impact factor score of 0.009e-03. Other genes that are normally found in RA disease subject are HLA-B, HLA-C and TNFRS10B has score 0.4, 0.3 and 0.25 respectively are also appeared in the detected sample. Thereby, whole genome analysis and variants detection will able to detect and analyze the presence of rheumatic arthritis disease.


Background : About one-forth of the patients admitted to the emergency department complain of acute abdominal pain. According to surgical records, most surgeons believe that pain relief for these patients may interfere with the clinical examinations and the final diagnoses. As a result, analgesics are withheld in patients with acute abdominal pain until the determination of a definite diagnosis and suitable management plan. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of analgesics on the evaluation course and treatment in acute abdomen. Methods : Two hundred patients at a surgical emergency department with acute abdominal pain were enrolled in this prospective study and randomly divided into two groups at the time of admission. The case group consisted of 98 patients who received intravenous analgesia immediately after admission. The other 102 patients in the control group did not receive analgesia until a definite diagnosis was made. Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures were similar between the two groups. The primary and final diagnoses, and the time intervals between the admission and definite diagnosis, and that between admission and surgery were gathered and analyzed. Results : The mean time to definitive diagnosis was 1.7 and 2.04 hours in the case and control groups, respectively. There was no statistically significant relationship between analgesic use and gender, age, time to definite diagnosis, or accuracy of the diagnosis. In fact, the time required to achieve a definite diagnosis and the time between admission and surgery were less in the group that had received analgesics. Conclusions: In spite of the fact that analgesics remove the very symptoms that brings patients to the emergency room, appropriate use of analgesics does not reduce diagnostic efficiency for patients with acute abdominal pain.


Protected areas are leading tools in efforts to slow global species loss and appear also to have a role in climate change policy. Understanding their impacts on deforestation informs environmental policies. We review several approaches to evaluating protection's impact on deforestation, given three hurdles to empirical evaluation, and note that "matching" techniques from economic impact evaluation address those hurdles. The central hurdle derives from the fact that protected areas are distributed nonrandomly across landscapes. Nonrandom location can be intentional, and for good reasons, including biological and political ones. Yet even so, when protected areas are biased in their locations toward less‐threatened areas, many methods for impact evaluation will overestimate protection's effect. The use of matching techniques allows one to control for known landscape biases when inferring the impact of protection. Applications of matching have revealed considerably lower impact estimates of forest protection than produced by other methods. A reduction in the estimated impact from existing parks does not suggest, however, that protection is unable to lower clearing. Rather, it indicates the importance of variation across locations in how much impact protection could possibly have on rates of deforestation. Matching, then, bundles improved estimates of the average impact of protection with guidance on where new parks' impacts will be highest. While many factors will determine where new protected areas will be sited in the future, we claim that the variation across space in protection's impact on deforestation rates should inform site choice.


The need of housing corresponds with the increasing population growth. Such condition affects the demand of timber used for building construction. On the other hand, the government extremly minimizes forest logging to protect the forest from degradation. To solve the problem of increasing need of timber, one of the efforts is by utilzing bamboo as local materials for laminated products. However besides the advantages, bamboo is a susceptible material for organism. Improving the durability of bamboo againts organism can be achieved through preservation.This research (study) is aimed to recognize the effect of bamboo preservation to the strength and durability of laminated bamboo. In this study, Petung bamboo (Dendrocalamus sp) was treated with boron plus 63% preservative with the concentration of 1.57% and 3.15% using Bouherie-Morisco method with 3 kg/cm 2 and 4kg/cm 2 air pressure. The glulam bamboos in 25 mm x 30 mm x 2000 mm dimension were made from preserved bamboo with polimer isocyanate adhesive in 50#/MSGL under 1.2 MPa pressure. Untreated bamboo were used as control for each treatment, 3 aplications were applied. Results of this research showed that moisture content was affected by the preservation pressure. The preservation treatments were not affected by the density, compressive strength parallel to the grain, tensile strength parallel to the grain, internal bond strength, horizontal bending strength, vertical bending strength, horizontal modulus of elasticity, vertical modulus of elasticity of the tested glulam bamboo as well as retention of preservatives was affected by the concentration of preservatives or the pressure of the treatment. The treatment method affected the termites mortality percentage but not the mass lost percentage. The physical and mechanical properties of treated bamboo was not indefference to the untreated bamboo. There was a tendency that mass lost precentage in untreated bamboo was higher than in treated bamboo while the termite mortality percentage in treated bamboo was lower than un treated bamboo.


Background Bartonella bacilliformis is the causative agent of Carrion's disease, a neglected illness with mortality rates of 40–85% in the absence of treatment. The lack of a diagnostic technique to overcome misdiagnosis and treat asymptomatic carriers is of note. This study aimed to identify new B. bacilliformis antigenic candidates that could lead to a new diagnostic tool able to be implemented in endemic rural areas. Methodology/Principal Findings Blood (n = 198) and serum (n = 177) samples were collected in northern Peru. Clinical data were recorded. Specific 16S rRNA amplification by RT-PCR, IFA and ELISA for IgM/IgG with whole cells as antigens was done. Western blot analysis and N-terminal amino acid sequencing detected seroreactive proteins. ELISAs for IgM/IgG for the antigenic candidates were performed. Of the population 33.3% reported at least one symptom compatible with Carrion's disease; 25.4% (IFA), 27.1% (ELISA-IgG), 33.9% (ELISA-IgM) and 38.9% (RT-PCR) of samples were positive. Four proteins were considered potential antigenic candidates, including two new antigenic candidates, succinyl-CoA synthetase subunit α (SCS-α) and succinyl-CoA synthetase subunit β (SCS-β). On Western blot both Pap31 and SCS-α interacted with IgM, while GroEL and SCS-β interacted with IgG. The presence of specific antibodies against the antigenic candidates varied from 34.5% (IgG against SCS-α) to 97.2% (IgM against Pap31). Conclusions/Significance RT-PCR and the high levels of positivity for specific ELISAs demonstrate high levels of B. bacilliformis exposure and asymptomatic carriers among inhabitants. The new antigens identified might be used as a new rapid diagnostic tool to diagnose acute Carrion's disease and identify asymptomatic carriers.


ABSTRACT This paper examines the regulatory systems for the private security industry in the European Union (EU). Building upon other studies to compare regulatory systems it proposes a much more sophisticated approach to assess the quality of regulatory systems using 22 different criteria based on two areas: legislation and societal foundations. From this analysis a maximum of 100 points are possible and the paper is able to rank 26 of the 28 member states of the EU. The league table ranks Belgium and Spain as having the most comprehensive regulatory systems in the EU. The paper then provides analysis of some of the key findings from the league table noting some of the implications. One of the most important of which is the substantial differences between member states and the challenges this poses for an effective single market in the provision of security services.


We present the results of a multiplicity survey of 126 stars spanning ~0.1-3 M☉ in the ~2 Myr old Chamaeleon I star-forming region, based on adaptive optics imaging with the ESO Very Large Telescope. Our observations have revealed 30 binaries and six triples, of which 19 and four, respectively, are new discoveries. The overall multiplicity fraction we find for Cha I (~30%) is similar to those reported for other dispersed young associations, but significantly higher than seen in denser clusters and the field, for comparable samples. Both the frequency and the maximum separation of Cha I binaries decline with decreasing mass, while the mass ratios approach unity; conversely, tighter pairs are more likely to be equal mass. We confirm that brown dwarf companions to stars are rare, even at young ages at wide separations. Based on follow-up spectroscopy of two low-mass substellar companion candidates, we conclude that both are likely background stars. The overall multiplicity fraction in Cha I is in rough agreement with numerical simulations of cloud collapse and fragmentation, but its observed mass dependence is less steep than predicted. The paucity of higher order multiples, in particular, provides a stringent constraint on the simulations, and seems to indicate a low level of turbulence in the prestellar cores in Cha I.


The purpose of this article is to offer some new insights into the 'gift vs. commodity' debate. It examines the assumption that commodities and gifts represent two different realities, as first proposed by Marcel Mauss and later elaborated by Chriss Gregory and other anthropologists. It analyzes the conjecture that commodity-exchange is an exchange of alienable, impersonal and anonymous items, devoid of moral and social considerations or obligations, and therefore different from gift-exchange. A detailed analysis conducted along five basic dimensions that traditionally distinguish gift-exchange from commodity exchange reveals that contemporary marketing very often adds to commodity-exchange various elements that are traditionally attributed to gift-exchange only: market-exchange is not always impersonal, but can aim at creating certain types of social bonds and mutual obligations between exchange parties. The commodity, like the gift, can possess a quality of the giver, and manifest a form of inalienability from the giver (producer or seller) which is otherwise characteristic of a gift. Besides that, similarly to gifts, commodities not only continue to embody the identity of the giver but can also impose this identity upon the receiver (a buyer) and vice versa.


The dynamic pricing problem concerns the determination of selling prices over time for a product whose demand is random and whose supply is fixed. We approach this problem in a novel way by formulating a dynamic optimization model in which the demand function is isoelastic but the random demand process is quite general. Ultimately, what we find is a strong parallel between the dynamic pricing problem and dynamic inventory models. This parallel leads to a reinterpretation of the dynamic pricing problem as a price-setting newsvendor problem with recourse, which is useful not only because it yields insights into the optimal solution, but also because it leads to additional insights into how pricing recourse affects the actions and profits of a price-setting newsvendor. We make contributions in three areas: First, we develop structural properties that define an optimal pricing strategy over a finite horizon and investigate how that policy impacts a newsvendor's optimal procurement policy and optimal expected profit. Second, we establish a practical and efficient algorithm for computing the optimal prices. Third, we examine how market parameters affect the optimal solution through a series of numerical experiments that utilize the algorithm.


This paper reports important developments achieved with CdTe thin‐film photovoltaic devices produced using metalorganic chemical vapour deposition at atmospheric pressure. In particular, attention was paid to understand the enhancements in solar cell conversion efficiency, to develop the cell design, and assess scalability towards modules. Improvements in the device performance were achieved by optimising the high‐transparency window layer (Cd0.3Zn0.7S) and a device‐activation anneal. These increased the fill factor and open‐circuit voltage to 77 ± 1% and 785 ± 7 mV, respectively, compared with 69 ± 3% and 710 ± 10 mV for previous baseline devices with no anneal and thicker Cd0.3Zn0.7S. The enhancement in these parameters is associated with the two fold to three fold increase in the net acceptor density of CdTe upon air annealing and a decrease in the back contact barrier height from 0.24 ± 0.01 to 0.16 ± 0.02 eV. The optimum thickness of the window layer for maximum photocurrent was 150 nm. The cell size was scaled from 0.25 to 2 cm2 in order to assess its impact on the device series resistance and fill factor. Finally, micro‐module devices utilising series‐connected 2‐cm2 sub‐cells were fabricated using a combination of laser and mechanical scribing techniques. An initial module‐to‐cell efficiency ratio of 0.9 was demonstrated for a six‐cell module with the use of the improved device structure and processing. Prospects for CdTe photovoltaic modules grown by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition are commented on. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


A fast multilevel direct solver for the method of moments applied to electrically small structures is presented. The approach is based on a combination of low-rank decompositions and fill-in control. It is particularly advantageous for multiple right-hand-side problems such as those encountered in digital circuit and IC analyses, as is demonstrated by numerical simulation results presented.


Objectives and Backgrounds There is growing evidence to recommend the use of "Whole Body" CT (WBCT) scanning in the early management of severe blunt multitrauma patients. A recent study [Lancet 2009;373:1455–61] reported a survival advantage with WBCT compared to a non-WBCT approach. We present the results of our analysis of a large retrospective case series taken from the Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN) database. Methods We utilised retrospective, multicentre data of severe blunt multitrauma (ISS >15) direct ED admissions aged >15 years recorded in the UK TARN database to compare survival at 30 days between two groups of patients: (1) those who underwent WBCT scans, and (2) those who received a focused CT scan approach as part of their initial management in the Emergency Department. A total of 12 792 cases were included in the final dataset. Results 2822 (22%) of 12 792 cases underwent WBCT from the ED. The median ISS for the WBCT group was 22 (IQR 14–33) compared to 16 (IQR 9–25) for the focused CT group. The calculated crude mortality rate for the WBCT group was 10.1% compared to 8.7% in the focused CT group (p=0.0124). Multivariate analysis with adjustments for potential confounding factors demonstrated an OR of 1.313 (95% CI 1.083 to 1.592, p=0.006) in favour of survival in the WBCT group. Conclusions Despite the crude mortality rates appearing to demonstrate a poorer outcome in the WBCT group, correcting for confounding factors revealed an around 30% improvement in survival for the WBCT group. However, when also correcting for the potential effect of clustering, the benefit of WBCT is less clear, with an around 20% improvement in survival and a lower level of significance (p=0.084). Overall, the results of our investigation appear to suggest a potential survival benefit from the use of WBCT in severe blunt multitrauma.


The activities of the Regional Centre 3 of the Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program (GSHAP) covering Europe north of 46°N and west of 32°E are summarized starting with the establishment of the GSHAP Centre at the GFZ Potsdam in 1993 and leading finally in the calculation and creation of the GSHAP seismic hazard map in terms of horizontal Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA). Moreover, the activities of separate working groups which contribute with their results for certain parts of the study area to the final product of the Regional Centre are described. Details are given on the development of the homogeneous seismicity working file, the delineation of seismic source zones, the data preprocessing as well as on the chosen PGA-attenuation relations.


Structured illumination microscopy is a new technique which delivers optical sectioning capability. As a widefield microscopy technique, structured illumination has improved imaging rate over scanning type optical sectioning microscope as it only require 3 image frames for sectioned images. It also has an advantage in that it gives better contrast compared to the established confocal microscope. As part of the effort to develop an endoscopy system, a study is done to examine the feasibility of the structured illumination for endoscopy purpose. Fringe pattern is generated from the TI-DMD digital micromirror and projected onto the specimen (Allium cepa, onion) via 10times/0.25NA lens. The advantage of this fringe system is that it allows for adjustable sectioning strength which allows it to be adaptable for different biological specimen. This study show appreciable sectioning capabilities and fast imaging rate for structured illumination microscopy which affirmed the feasibility for endoscopic development. Potential difficulties that needed to be overcome for future study is also put forth.


The conventional view of market timing suggests an unambiguous, negative relation between equity misvaluation and the equity share in new issues - that is, firms with overvalued equity issue more equity and, all else equal, less debt. We question this conventional view in the paper. Using price pressure resulting from mutual funds' flow-induced trading to identify equity misvaluation, we first show that equity and debt prices are affected by the same shocks, but to different degrees. Next, we document substantial cross-sectional variation in the sensitivity of issuance decisions to equity misvaluation. In particular, firms with sufficient internal resources increase equity issues and yet decrease debt issues in our measure of equity misvaluation; in contrast, firms that are heavily dependent on external finance increase both equity and debt issues, to take advantage of the misvaluation in both. In sum, this paper provides evidence that equity and debt can be jointly (mis)priced, and more important, examines the resulting impact on firms' issuance decisions.


In his 1952 Reith Lectures on the British Broadcasting Corporation, "The World and the West", the eminent London historian Professor Arnold Toynbee sought to explain inter alia why western European hegemony over much of the world was widely resented. His interpretation incorporated the "challenge and response" theory of successive civilisations which underlay his multi-volume A Study of History. Toynbee's lectures drew sharp criticism from many quarters, not least because he gave the impression that the era of Western hegemony was waning and that much of the momentum of world history was moving to the East. This in itself was a controversial perception in the Cold War. In some Christian circles, his overarching interpretation was rejected as historiographically flawed. In the ensuing debate, the prominent English Roman Catholic historian and publisher Douglas Jerrold argued in his The Lie about the West: A Response to Professor Toynbee's Challenge that he had unjustly underestimated the endurance of Christian civilisation and failed to recognise its inherent value as the source of many fundamental values which should not be surrendered to supposedly inexorable historical processes.


Winner of the 1992 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award Nearly half a century after the Nazi massacre of the Jews in Europe, the Holocaust is now moving from the domain of experience to that of history. It is becoming the subject of recorded rather than living memory. Is real comprehension of the development and horror of the Nazi onslaught accessible to us? If so, through what intellectual processes or categories of understanding, and in the face of what temptations or diversions? How can we preserve, expand, and apply our knowledge of why and how barbarity came to prevail? What meaning can present and future generations derive from the catastrophe? These are the vital questions addressed by the essays in this volume.


(1) Is the claim that psychology and psychiatry are scientific disciplines valid in Western Europe, when their results are reproducible and even bettered by primitive magic in Africa ? (2) Dr. Lambo endorses Tooth's1 statement: " So that, until African psychiatrists can be trained, it would seem better to allow the care of the majority of the insane to remain in lay hands." What conceivable reason is there for training Africans in the principles of Western psychiatry if their own psychotherapeutic measures practised at the natives centres " are as effective and as scientifically sound" as any seen in Europe ? The B.M.J. is the official organ of the B.M.A., one of whose primary objects is the promotion of the medical and allied sciences (B.M.A. Year Book, 1956-7). You, Sir, have an annotation (p. 1420) on Dr. Lambo's article without once commenting on the use of magic in medical treatment, so patently commended by the author. I should be glad to know how you reconcile this omission with the declared objects of the Association.-I am, etc.,


This class introduces a practical application of the UML diagrams and function-class decomposition (FCD) concept to requirements analysis, software architecture analysis and design, and software design and implementation for a complex embedded system. Based on the function-class decomposition concept, the UML diagrams for requirement analysis, and software architecture analysis and design are shown in detail. This is followed by decomposing the complex software architecture into UML class and state diagrams. Two detailed software implementation examples (including a application manager and a device driver) that include UML diagrams and C++ code are shown.


Statement of the Problem: Medicine identified that recurrent and chronic infections of palatine tonsils are exacerbated by the creation of biofilms by microorganisms in the wet and warm folds of the tonsils which act as a repository of infection (Abu Bakar et al., 2018). Although 99% of all bacteria exist within biofilms, it is the planktonic state and swab samples from tonsillar surface that historically have received the attention. This is likely due to the fact that disease - causing bacteria is grown more rapidly in the planktonic form and it is much easier to sample fluids as opposed to surfaces (Snyder et al., 2009). Clinical Practice: At Pauls Stradiņs Clinical University Hospital was decided to microbiologically analyze the punch biopsy samples of tonsillar crypts of patients with chronic tonsillitis. Patients who met Paradise criteria were admitted to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology for tonsillectomies. Biopsies were taken before operations. Pathogenic bacteria of biopsy samples were tested for antibacterial susceptibility and biofilm producing ability. Results of the microbiological analysis revealed variety of pathogenic bacteria with resistance to common antibiotics un strong biofilm formation ability. Conclusion & Significance: Isolated pathogens from tonsillar crypts were resistant to antibiotics which are used to treat tonsillitis. Isolated pathogens from tonsillar crypts were weak, moderate or strong biofilm producers. Only 20 % of strains did not produce biofilm. During further studies the role of strong biofilm producers has to be evaluated as biofilm production plays a key role in the pathogenesis of chronic tonsillitis.


one person, and it is difficult for anyone other than the operating surgeon to observe what is taking place. How do Baxter and O'Dwyer propose to teach the minilaparotomy procedure to surgeons in training, particularly iffuture trainees have little or no experience with the open operation? Perhaps the most pressing reason for leaving minilaparotomy cholecystectomy out of the equation at this stage is that it is not yet recognised as a routine procedure.


The index of refraction of fused quartz glass was determined for 24 wavelengths from 0.34669 to 3.5078 microns, using the minimum deviation method. The whole range is covered with a single instrument. The variation in index between samples was determined and no definite variations in dispersion were observed. Possible relations between purity and index are discussed.


In 1939, when the Hollywood Studio System, at the peak of its power, produced such films as "Gone with the Wind", "Ninotchka", "Stagecoach", "The Wizard of Oz", "Mr Smith Goes to Washington" and "Wuthering Heights", the movies' number-one box-office attraction was not Gable, Garbo, Wayne, Garland, Stewart or Olivier. In 1939, 1940, and 1941, the most popular performer in the American cinema was Mickey Rooney, who owed his success primarily to a low-budget MGM series that concentrated on his character, Andy Hardy. At some point in the late 1980s/early 1990s, film studies, once the one of the most innovative of the humanities disciplines, began to harden into a catechism of predictable questions and answers. By committing itself exclusively to rational critique, film studies left itself overmatched by the enormously popular, seductive and enigmatic representations that constitute the movies. And by eschewing experimentation with the forms of criticism, film studies ironically cut itself off from the new methods of research and writing prompted by the 20th century's revolution in communications technologies. Robert Ray's book about Andy Hardy proposes that alternative ways of thinking and writing about the movies can be derived from the humanities' equivalent of science's pure research - the avant-garde arts. Drawing on the Surrealist tradition, with its use of games, chance, fragments, anecdotes and collage, Ray invents for film studies alternative forms of research that imitate the cognitive habits encouraged by photography, computers and the cinema itself.


Vending machines play an important role in our daily life. Because it is very convenient and not only can save the time of customers, but also the vendors. Thus it brings great convenience to the masses. Vending machine is a good example of mechatronics systems that combing different aspects including, not limited to, electrical, mechanical and control. In Engineering Technology department having a project for building a vending machine integrated with PLC will enhance and craft the student's hands-on skills. In this paper, the authors are proposing a group project to design and control a vending machine in a machine design course. Another purpose of this project is to insure that students enrolled in the course offered as part of the program sponsored by the university is to have a hands on approach toward technology. Students also can learn of the importance of cost by comparing design criteria for different projects. This paper is presented at a time when traditional techniques for learning are being challenged. It is therefore considered necessary to incorporate different design criteria into the course. Different design criteria can be incorporated into the course by incorporating different project applications into the course such as vending machine. The emphasis is to place on designing a vending machine and developing programs to control the motion that can be seen in certain vending machines, which can be considered a marketing ploy. The motion occurring in the vending machine and sequent program development provided the opportunity of using standard equipment offered by manufactures. The development of software for motion control is considered to be an important feature of the class.


Technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Social Computing offer promising opportunities to envision and shape augmented experiences in a wide variety of cultural spaces. Such interactive technologies act as a hook to attract visitor's attention, but if they do not provide opportunities to engage people in a more personal and meaningful way, they can be soon discarded. Augmented experiences need to be motivating and connect with values and expectations of visitors and institutions. In a world that is becoming more and more connected and moving towards a participatory culture, the need to participate actively to co-produce knowledge and meaning can be exploited as a powerful intrinsic motivator. In this article, we describe how the Social Display Environment (SDE) promotes participation in cultural spaces whilst keeping the physical connection with the exhibition objects. The SDE makes use of Augmented Reality (AR) technology to augment physical artifacts in an exhibition with overlays of digital information that is generated by the end user (e.g., the visitor). The prototype was exhibited in a cultural center over a weekend to investigate different dynamics in terms of content generation, visitors' interactions and perceptions with respect to the interplay of digital information and physical artifacts. The prototype was assessed as easy to learn and useful and showed potential to promote a number of meaningful social interactions around the objects involved in the exhibition.


Assessing voice quality by means of objective parameters is of great relevance for clinicians. A large number of indexes have been proposed in literature and in commercially available software tools. However, clinicians commonly resort to a small subset of such indexes, due to difficulties in managing set up options and understanding their meaning. In this paper, the analysis has been limited to few but effective indexes, devoting great effort to their robust and automatic evaluation. Specifically, fundamental frequency (F0), along with its irregularity (jitter (J) and relative average perturbation (RAP)), noise and formant frequencies, are tracked on voiced parts of the signal only. Mean and std values are also displayed. The underlying high-resolution estimation procedure is further strengthened by an adaptive estimation of the optimal length of signal frames for analysis, linked to varying signal characteristics. Moreover, the new tool allows for automatic analysis of any kind of signal, both as far as F0 range and sampling frequency are concerned, no manual setting being required to the user. This makes the tool feasible for application by non-expert users, also thanks to its simple interface. The proposed approach is applied here to patients suffering from cysts and polyps that underwent micro-laryngoscopic direct exeresis (MLSD).


bacteriology of the gastrointestinal tract is rapidly changing in laboratory techniques and clinical correlations. The flora is found to be very complex, predominantly anaerobic, and importantly dependent on diet. An etiologic role for colon bacteria in colon cancer is suggested by correlations between epi-demiologic data and prevalent dietary patterns and stool culture findings. Cultures from aspiration pneumonia, subphrenic abscess, and other intra-ab-dominal sepsis all yield anaerobes, and for best results antibiotic therapy should combat them as well as aerobes.


In this paper, the formation of a diffusion layer on aluminum, which includes aluminum hydrides, in non-equilibrium conditions of electrolyte plasma with high local temperatures, high heating and cooling rates were studied. As a result of the research it was obtained that in the diffusion layer formed complex nanosized inclusions of polymorphic modifications (AlН3)n and AlB3H12. The diffusion in the non-equilibrium conditions of the electrolyte plasma is carried out in hydrogen environment, where the hydrogen atoms have the greatest energy and is one of the main forces that activate the diffusion process and influence the structure, composition and micromechanical characteristics of the diffusion layer.


In the hands of the gestalt psychologists, experiments on visual perception have had an artistic flavor from the beginning. This is so because men like Wertheimer, Kohler and Koffka concentrated on the organizational processes that give form to the raw material of retinal stimulation. Quite naturally these men were interested in the arts and often drew examples from the various media. This is true also for Wolfgang Metzger, who has written on art education, creativity, etc. His principal work, however, has been in strict experimentation and in the theoretical discussion of the gestalt principles. His book on the laws of seeing, first published in the early 19409, has now grown into an impressive and expensive tome, richly illustrated and equipped even with red-green spectacles for stereoscopic and stroboscopic demonstrations. Metzger's chapters deal with the usual topics of perceptual investigations. For the lint time, however, we receive a systematic survey of the many brilliant studies of the past decades, among them prominently those of Kanizsa, Metelli, Galli, Vicario and their teams at Trieste and Padua. There is no lack of curiosities, magic tricks and puzzles, but the author reminds his readers that all these 'illusions' are only conspicuous symptoms of the fact that constantly and universally all aspects of the visual field are subject to modifying interaction, which distinguishes the ontogrum (physical projection on the retina) from the phenogram (experienced image). Of particular interest is the extensive treatment of movement perception, in the course of which the art historian might note that Duchamp's demonstrations on the turntable are preceded by Benussi's equally imaginative experiments on 'stereokinetics', published in 1927. In depth perception, the question of exactly how disparate images combine in binocular vision is shown to be a richly revealing problem. Unfortunately, the phenomena of visual expression are given short shrift and the discussion of color is limited mostly to properties it shares with brightness. There are choice tidbits, such as the note on why weavers use checkerboard patterns only for clowns' costumes. Metzger writes a gracefully relaxed prose and he speaks his mind sharply when he deals with his adversaries. His arguments against attempts, held over from Helmholtz, to explain perceptual organization through noncommittal references to 'past experience' should act as a coup de gruce. And when it comes to the politically inspired objection that statements on the general functioning of the human mind are worthless because they neglect ideological determinants, Metzger is willing to reply: 'Since the way in which, under similar circumstances, a bird, a rat, a fish, or an octopus, and in some respects even a fly, see the world shares essential features with the vision of m a n a fact on which Soviet and American psychologists do not disagret i t is hard to understand why the world should look different to the professor who puts the garbage out on the curb than to the sanitation man who collects it.'


A deterministic, dynamic model was developed, to enable predictions of phosphorus (P) digested, retained and excreted for different pig genotypes and under different dietary conditions. Before confidence can be placed on the predictions of the model, its evaluation was required. A sensitivity analysis of model predictions to ±20% changes in the model parameters was undertaken using a basal UK industry standard diet and a pig genotype characterized by British Society Animal Science as being of 'intermediate growth'. Model outputs were most sensitive to the values of the efficiency of digestible P utilization for growth and the non-phytate P absorption coefficient from the small intestine into the bloodstream; all other model parameters influenced model outputs by <10%, with the majority of the parameters influencing outputs by <5%. Independent data sets of published experiments were used to evaluate model performance based on graphical comparisons and statistical analysis. The literature studies were selected on the basis of the following criteria: they were within the BW range of 20 to 120 kg, pigs grew in a thermo-neutral environment; and they provided information on P intake, retention and excretion. In general, the model predicted satisfactorily the quantitative pig responses, in terms of P digested, retained and excreted, to variation in dietary inorganic P supply, Ca and phytase supplementation. The model performed well with 'conventional', European feed ingredients and poorly with 'less conventional' ones, such as dried distillers grains with solubles and canola meal. Explanations for these inconsistencies in the predictions are offered in the paper and they are expected to lead to further model development and improvement. The latter would include the characterization of the origin of phytate in pig diets.