The difficulties some service members have reintegrating into and reconnecting with civilian society are well established across the literature. Despite the veteran's voices describing these struggles to connect with civilians and the current zeitgeist in psychotherapy on the therapeutic relationship and multicultural competence, little attention has been given to the implications of the civilian military divide in therapy. This study used a mixed method approach to conduct an exploratory study of 70 service members' perceptions of working with a civilian and active duty or veteran therapist and what factors contribute to therapeutic alliance. Of interest are service members' beliefs about what knowledge about the military is important for a therapist, what makes for a good first encounter, and what they look for to determine trust. Statistical analyses looked to explore the impact of combat, homecoming, and military experiences on Working Alliance Inventory scores for an imagined veteran and civilian therapist. Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data to look for basic themes within service members' responses. Results indicated no difference between a civilian and active-duty/veteran therapist, a strong emphasis on being understood by their therapist, and that interpersonal negative homecoming experiences decrease therapeutic alliance. Based on these findings and the clinical literature, guidelines are proposed for effective ways to work with service members.


Recent research has shown that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) effectively reduces food insecurity. Questions remain, however, about the extent to which SNAP affects the quality of adult participants' diets. These questions have surfaced in the context of the increasing public costs of diet-related illnesses, such as diabetes, high blood cholesterol, and heart disease, and have led to discussions about restricting the use of SNAP benefits to purchase some food items. This report examines Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores for adults in low-income households that do and do not participate in SNAP. To disentangle the choice of whether to participate in SNAP from diet choices, this model uses a unique data set that matches State-level SNAP policy variables to individual-level data from four waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Two important kinds of results emerge: the effect of SNAP on the diet quality of those who choose to enroll, and a total comparison of SNAP participants and nonparticipants after SNAP's effects are taken into account. On the first, this report shows that SNAP participation results in a large increase in the likelihood of consuming whole fruit and a slightly lower consumption of dark green/orange vegetables. On the second, the report finds that SNAP participants have slightly lower HEI scores (both total and components) than nonparticipants, meaning that they have slightly lower diet quality. They do, however, consume less saturated fat and sodium than nonparticipants.


Abstract The diagnosis of dysplasia and early neoplasia in Barrett's esophagus by conventional endoscopy is based on a four- quadrant random biopsies protocol that is prone to sampling errors. Novel endoscopic techniques have been developed to enhance the detection of premalignant and malignant lesions by real time assessment of microvasculare architecture and mucosal structure. Chromoendoscopy with magnification has improved the visualization of lesions, but the dye application impairs a clear evaluation of vascular network. Narrow band imaging endoscopy enhances vascular imaging by using narrow bandwidth lights, with penetration to superficial mucosal structures. Different classification systems of mucosal and vascular patterns have been developed to improve the diagnostic accuracy of non-dysplastic and dysplastic BE, as well as of early esophageal cancer. This article is focused on both the clinical benefits and controversies surrounding conventional and advanced endoscopic methods used for screening and surveillance of patients with Barrett's esophagus. Current evidence shows that the adoption of new technology in routine practice requires a high level of performance as well as the standardization of various classification systems.


Atypical PKC (PKCι) is a key organizer of cellular asymmetry. Sequential extractions of intestinal cells showed a pool of enzymatically active PKCι and the chaperone Hsp70.1 attached to the apical cytoskeleton. Pull-down experiments using purified and recombinant proteins showed a complex of Hsp70 and atypical PKC on filamentous keratins. Transgenic animals overexpressing keratin 8 displayed delocalization of Hsp70 and atypical PKC. Two different keratin-null mouse models, as well as keratin-8 knockdown cells in tissue culture, also showed redistribution of Hsp70 and a sharp decrease in the active form of atypical PKC, which was also reduced by Hsp70 knockdown. An in-vitro turn motif rephosphorylation assay indicated that PKCι is dephosphorylated by prolonged activity. The Triton-soluble fraction could rephosphorylate PKCι only when supplemented with the cytoskeletal pellet or filamentous highly purified keratins, a function abolished by immunodepletion of Hsp70 but rescued by recombinant Hsp70. We conclude that both filamentous keratins and Hsp70 are required for the rescue rephosphorylation of mature atypical PKC, regulating the subcellular distribution and steady-state levels of active PKCι.


Uninterrupted growth of international trade and the constant threats to global supply chains have led to the emergence of numerous voluntary compliance guidelines based on standards and compliance. Initiatives, such as, the Authorised Economic Operators is the result of the global efforts to facilitate, prevent and secure international trade against cross-border crime. The Authorised Economic Operator is an initiative of the World Customs Organisation and its member countries. Its core philosophy is developing public to private partnerships for the safety of international trade and trade facilitation. These initiatives are growing in scope with a variety of programmes developed by governments. The objective of these programmes is encouraging an ethos of voluntary compliance based on standards, best practices and self-governance. Certified firms can obtain a trusted trader status and cross-border benefits when they demonstrate that their supply chain is secure. New Zealand has its own programme called the Secure Export Scheme. While this programme is voluntary in nature, firms entering the programme are required to adopt, maintain, and comply with the standards of security for their supply chain. This thesis investigates the compliance behaviour of New Zealand exporters with the standards of security of the Secure Export Scheme.  The Authorised Economic Programme is a new concept, and while there is scholarly research of other types of voluntary standards, research in this particular area is minimal. To the best of the researcher's knowledge, this is one of the first studies to examine the compliance behaviour of firms that have been part of the programme since inception. Accordingly, this study is guided by the various views of the compliance theory and proffers a conceptual framework to delineate the different actors and factors that influence firms' compliance behaviour. The study measured compliance and non-compliance of firms to understand the underlying patterns with specific best practices. This study contributes towards our current understanding of compliance behaviour. While, overall, the compliance of the New Zealand exporters with the best practices is high, there are some areas of concern. The study further identified that a number of firms were not compliant with certain best practices. This finding indicates that other factors, such as, the way the governing body presents its written requirements might influence the compliance behaviour with those specific best practices. The conceptual model proposed in this study lays the foundation for further research seeking to probe compliance behaviour of Authorised Economic Operators.


OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative quality-improvement model using a toolkit supplemented by workshops and Web casts in decreasing nosocomial infections in very low birth weight infants. DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study of continuous California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative members' data during the years 2002–2006. The primary dependent variable was nosocomial infection, defined as a late bacterial or coagulase-negative staphylococcal infection diagnosed after the age of 3 days by positive blood/cerebro-spinal fluid culture(s) and clinical criteria. The primary independent variable of interest was voluntary attendance at the toolkit's introductory event, a direct indicator that at least 1 member of an NICU team had been personally exposed to the toolkit's features rather than being only notified of its availability. The intervention's effects were assessed using a multivariable logistic regression model that risk adjusted for selected demographic and clinical factors. RESULTS: During the study period, 7733 eligible very low birth weight infants were born in 27 quality-improvement participant hospitals and 4512 very low birth weight infants were born in 27 non–quality-improvement participant hospitals. For the entire cohort, the rate of nosocomial infection decreased from 16.9% in 2002 to 14.5% in 2006. For infants admitted to NICUs participating in at least 1 quality-improvement event, there was an associated decreased risk of nosocomial infection (odds ratio: 0.81 [95% confidence interval: 0.68–0.96]) compared with those admitted to nonparticipating hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: The structured intervention approach to quality improvement in the NICU setting, using a toolkit along with attendance at a workshop and/or Web cast, is an effective means by which to improve care outcomes.


ABSTRACT This paper selectively traces the art history of the gesture in drawing and painting with electronic painting systems/programs. Beginning with Ivan Sutherland's Sketchpad (1963), which mechanized the hand gesture via light pen; Richard Shoup's SuperPaint system (1973), with the Summagraphics tablet and stylus; the Quantel Paintbox (1983); and the Macintosh (1984), the author concludes with a review of contemporary finger painting via capacitive touchscreens in the iPhone and iPad. A selection of nine classically trained visual artists who have sought to expand their work by creating art via the computer while heuristically inventing unique ways of working reveals the genesis of a hybrid vocabulary for the visual arts.


Hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-PBDEs), as one of the derivatives of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), have received extensive concern recently. In this paper, the interaction of OH-PBDEs and human serum albumin (HSA) was investigated using 4-OH-2,2′,3,4′-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (4-OH-BDE-42) as a representative. The binding constant, the number of binding sites and the binding site were investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy. The predominant forces of the interaction were van der Waals and hydrogen bonds, which was made clear by the calculation of thermodynamic parameters. The alterations of HSA protein secondary structure in the presence of 4-OH-BDE-42 were confirmed by UV-Vis and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The distance between HSA and 4-OH-BDE-42 was studied by Forster's non-radioactive energy transfer theory. An equilibrium dialysis experiment was performed, which indicated that 4-OH-BDE-42 severely affects the physiological function of HSA in transportation of 3,3′,5-triiodothyronine (T3), Trp and VB2. This paper has made deep investigation and detailed interpretation of the interaction of 4-OH-BDE-42 and HSA.


This study of Dryden's poetic career addresses the nature of covert argument in an age of violently contested political and religious issues.Originally published in 1982.The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.


Adults of three species of mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti, Anopheles quadrimaculatus and Culex pipiens, showed essentially similar patterns of nitrogen output as judged by their excretion of total nitrogen and by their excretion of nitrogen as uric acid, urea, ammonia, amino acid, and protein. About 80 percent of their total nitrogen has been accounted for. Substances that seem on analysis to be like glycoprotein have been found in the excreta of the three species.


This chapter presents a pilot exploratory case study that seeks to bridge the classic gap between teacher preparation and practice by exploiting the affordances offered by digital simulations for contextualizing novice teachers' learning and pedagogy. Using the simulated classroom SimSchool as a virtual field experience, a teaching intervention focused on mathematics education and the use of technology was conducted in order to determine best practices. Both undergraduate and graduate education students participated in the study. The study explored participants' views on the experiences with the simulated environment. Interviews and self-reflection reports were used for data collection. Findings suggest that participants appreciated simulations as virtual environments that provide the opportunity to practice and experiment on particular teaching approaches in a safe environment. Nevertheless, they also express a number of concerns related to how they compare simulations with real classroom experiences and their interaction with virtual students, as well as some technical considerations. Simulations have a great potential to create reality-based learning contexts that foster opportunities for preand in-service teachers to improve their pedagogy. Thus, further research is required to unfold all aspects of such approaches.


Objective:Although all intracompartmental pressure (ICP) measurement, magnetic resonance imaging, and near-infrared spectroscopy seem to be useful in confirming the diagnosis of chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS), no standard diagnostic procedure is currently universally accepted. We reviewed systematically the relevant published evidence on diagnostic criteria commonly in use for CECS to address 3 main questions: (1) Is there a standard diagnostic method available? (2) What ICP threshold criteria should be used for diagnosing CECS? (3) What are the criteria and options for surgical management? Finally, we made statements on the strength of each diagnostic criterion of ICP based on a rigorous standardized process. Data Sources:We searched for studies that investigated ICP measurements in diagnosing CECS in the leg of human subjects, using PubMed, Score, PEDRO, Cochrane, Scopus, SportDiscus, Web of Knowledge, and Google Scholar. Initial searches were performed using the phrase, "chronic exertional compartment syndrome." The phrase "compartment syndrome" was then combined, using Boolean connectors ("OR" and "AND") with the words "diagnosis," "parameters," "levels," "localisation," or "measurement." Data extracted from each study included study design, number of subjects, number of controls, ICP instrument used, compartments measured, limb position during measurements, catheter position, exercise protocol, timing of measurements, mean resting compartment pressures, mean maximal compartment pressures, mean postexercise compartment pressures, diagnostic criteria used, and whether a reference diagnostic standard was used. The quality of studies was assessed based on the approach used by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in judging the quality of diagnostic studies, and recommendations were made regarding each ICP diagnostic criteria in the literature by taking into account the quality and quantity of the available studies proposing each criterion. Main Results:In the review, 32 studies were included. The studies varied in the ICP measurement techniques used; the most commonly measured compartment was the anterior muscle compartment, and the exercise protocol varied between running, walking, and ankle plantarflexion and dorsiflexion exercises. Preexercise, mean values ranged from 7.4 to 50.8 mm Hg for CECS patients, and 5.7 to 12 mm Hg in controls; measurements during exercise showed mean pressure readings ranging from 42 to 150 mm Hg in patients and 28 to 141 mm Hg in controls. No overlap between subjects and controls in mean ICP measurements was found at the 1-minute postexercise timing interval only showing values ranging from 34 to 55.4 mm Hg and 9 to 19 mm Hg in CECS patients and controls, respectively. The quality of the studies was generally not high, and we found the evidence for commonly used ICP criteria in diagnosing CECS to be weak. Conclusions:Studies in which an independent, blinded comparison is made with a valid reference standard among consecutive patients are yet to be undertaken. There should also be an agreed ICP test protocol for diagnosing CECS because the variability here contributes to the large differences in ICP measurements and hence diagnostic thresholds between studies. Current ICP pressure criteria for CECS diagnosis are therefore unreliable, and emphasis should remain on good history. However, clinicians may consider measurements taken at 1 minute after exercise because mean levels at this timing interval only did not overlap between subjects and controls in the studies we analyzed. Levels above the highest reported value for controls here (27.5 mm Hg) along with a good history, should be regarded as highly suggestive of CECS. It is evident that to achieve an objective recommendation for ICP threshold there is a need to set up a multi-center study group to reach an agreed testing protocol and modify the preliminary recommendations we have made.


This study investigated the effects, on their own mathematics interest and achievement, of girls' and boys' perceived teacher support behaviors, domain-specific gender stereotyping, and ability expectations. Furthermore, effects of perceived parents' valuing and school support on students' mathematics interest and achievement were analysed. Questionnaire data were collected at two measurement points, mid-year and three months later, from 361 students in grades 8, 9, and 10 (41.3% female) attending ten public schools located in Berlin, Germany. Results from structural equation modelling showed a positive effect of perceived parental school support on students' interest and a negative effect of perceived teacher support on students' grades. Multiple group analysis revealed that gender functioned as a moderator for these relationships.


The need for rapid response capabilities and effective joint operations dictates a new approach in which deployment planning is integrated into the mission-planning processes. In the research reported here, we explored new technologies to enable rapid identification of feasible transportation options and enhance shared awareness of commander's intent and inter-command collaboration. Our solution extends state-of-the-art Tabu Search algorithms, producing effective transportation solutions in significantly less time than current models. The human guidance and collaborative components of HALO enhance performance by accommodating dynamic operational requirements. HALO benchmark tests demonstrated superiority to other optimization algorithms on Multi-Vehicle, Pickup and Delivery Problems with Time Windows (MVPDPTW) reported in the literature. When applied to intra-theater MVPDPTW distribution problems, HALO generated feasible, near-optimal solutions acceptable to subject matter experts in less than a minute. We conclude that HALO is a powerful decision tool that is easily integrated into current planning processes with strong user acceptance.


This thesis analyzes the everyday practices of male youth living in Icerenkoy neighborhood, an inner-city area in Istanbul, which is recorded as having high social and criminal risk. Through narratives of young people and ethnographic fieldwork on their everyday practices, I explore their means of resistance for survival and personal dignity. Derived from Foucauldian approach, the concept of "resistance", which centers on the relation between structural constraints and the subject, constitutes the core of analysis both in the narratives and ethnographic research. In this respect, this study investigates the agency of inner city youth in relation to structural constraints, gender relations, age hierarchy, violence, concluding with policy implications. I also suggest that everyday resistance furthers youth's self-destructive behavior and social marginalization in the long term. Based upon the idea that both youth and masculinity are produced by a particular context, this study also aims to be a guide for policy-makers and civil society initiatives.


Different theories have changed the way we address to technol-ogy. In the debate on the core of Information System (IS), El Sawy identi-fied three faces of IS views: connection, immersion, and fusion. El Sawy contends that it may be time for a natural shift of emphasis from the con-nection view to the immersion view to the fusion view as IT continues to morph and augment its capabilities. In the fusion view, IT and IS are fused within the business environment, such that business and IT and IS are in-distinguishable to standard time-space perception and form a unified fab-ric. There exist different traditional IS evaluation approaches, like experi-mental, pragmatic, constructivist, pluralist and realist IS evaluation re-search. These approaches evaluate IS when it is positioned either in the connection or immersion view. However, we believe that the fusion view will influence the way IS is evaluated. This paper uses the relational emer-gence theory, based on the philosophy of critical realism where emergence refers to an entity as a 'whole' whose parts are structured by the relations among each other. Emergent entities possess properties different from its individual parts' properties. Considering the similarity to fusion concept, the emergence concept is used to theorize and operationalize the fusion view, as it lacks a theoretical grounding. Based on this, we present and discuss the implications for IS evaluation in terms of how to evaluate a process as well as the output of the process. The discussion on IS evalua-tion is illustrated through an empirical example, drawn on a research study within a police organization. This paper concludes that in the fusion view, the evaluation process shall embrace a holistic perspective. The focus of the evaluation process shall be the emergent entity which consist of IS,users, task and processes structured by means of relationships among each other. The properties exhibited by this emergent entity shall be evaluated.


The Lactobacillus sakei 23K chromosome was analysed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis after digestion with the restriction enzymes AscI, NotI and SfiI. The chromosome size was estimated to be 1845+/-80 kb. The use of I-CeuI, specific for rrn genes encoding 23S rRNAs, showed that seven rrn loci were present, on 40% of the chromosome. The seven rrn clusters were mapped and their orientation was determined, allowing the position of the replication origin to be estimated. Partial I-CeuI digestions were used to construct a backbone and the different restriction fragments obtained with AscI, NotI and SfiI were assembled to a physical map by Southern hybridization. Eleven L. sakei gene clusters previously identified were mapped, as well as 25 new loci located randomly on the chromosome and 11 regions flanking the rrn gene clusters. A total of 47 clusters were thus mapped on L. sakei chromosome. The new loci were sequenced, allowing the identification of 73 complete or incomplete coding sequences. Among these 73 new genes of L. sakei, the function of 36 could be deduced from their similarity to known genes described in databases. However, 10 genes had no homologues, 10 encoded proteins similar to proteins of unknown function and 17 were similar to hypothetical proteins.


A computational framework is presented for the simulation of eukaryotic  cell migration and chemotaxis. A pattern formation model, based on a system of nonlinear reaction-diffusion equations, is approximated in the  evolving cell membrane using an arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian surface finite  element method (ALE-SFEM). The solution state is used to drive a  mechanical model of the protrusive and retractive forces of the cell  boundary. Movement of the cell is achieved using a parameterised finite  element method. Building on an earlier model of ours, we extend our computational  technique to include the coupling with two-dimensional intra and extra-cellular effects such as surface receptor ligand binding kinetics and cell adhesion. We will discuss the efficient grid generation for two-dimensional evolving domains and the solution of reaction-diffusion equations on the evolving cell membrane coupled to processes in the bulk. The capability of the numerical framework will be demonstrated in a range of biological simulations including chemotaxis.


This paper addresses the vision based autonomous walking control system. To handle the obstacles which exist beyond the field of view(FOV), we used the 3d panoramic depth image. Moreover, to decide the avoidance direction and walking motion of a humanoid robot for the obstacle avoidance by itself, we proposed the vision based path planning using 3d panoramic depth image. In the vision based path planning, the path and walking motion are decided under environment condition such as the size of obstacle and available avoidance space. The vision based path planning is applied to a humanoid robot, URIA. The results from these evaluations show that the proposed method can be effectively applied to decide the avoidance direction and the walking motion of a practical humanoid robot.


Food-safety problems constitute a new, urgent, and multifaceted challenge to Chinese people, society, and the state, involving a number of social, political, and ethical issues beyond those of food safety, nutrition, and health. In light of Ulrich Beck's theory of risk society, this article examines food-safety problems in contemporary Chinese society at the levels of food hygiene, unsafe food, and poisonous foods and argues that food-safety problems not only affect the lives of Chinese people in harmful ways but also pose a number of manufactured risks that are difficult to calculate and control. More importantly, food-safety problems in China have contributed to a rapid decline of social trust, thus posing a risk of distrust that has far-reaching social and political ramifications. In this sense, a risk society has already arrived in China but it comes with certain local characteristics and poses some new theoretical questions.


The degree to which the selectin inhibitor TBC1269 reduces neutrophil infiltration in specific microscopic locations of the lung during acute pneumonia of neonates was determined. Neonatal calves were inoculated intrabronchially with Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica or saline, and lung tissue was collected at 2 and 6 hours postinoculation (PI). One 6-hour group inoculated with M. haemolytica received TBC1269 intravenously before and after inoculation with M. haemolytica. Infiltrates of neutrophils were significantly higher in the alveolar lumen and septae but lower in the bronchial lumen and epithelium at 6 hours PI than at 2 hours PI. Significantly fewer neutrophils (P > 0.05) were present in the alveolar lumen and septae, and the bronchiolar lumen and lamina propria in the lungs of TBC1269-treated calves compared with untreated calves at 6 hours PI. TBC1269 did not alter the infiltration into bronchi and blood vessels or the expression of the selectin-independent adhesion molecule, ICAM-1. This work suggests that during acute pneumonia of neonates 1) neutrophil infiltrates progressively increase in the alveolar lumens and septae but decrease in the bronchial lumen and epithelium with time, 2) TBC1269 reduces neutrophil infiltration into specific regions of alveoli and bronchioles rather than uniformly throughout the lung, and 3) selectin inhibition does not affect the location and intensity of ICAM-1 expression.


Problematic bird species are interesting for their remarkable implications mostly in the economic field, and many efforts are made for their management by public administrations. The present study investigated the densities of Hooded Crow, Corvus corone cornix, and Magpie, Pica pica, in eight environments which form the main environmental typologies of the central southern part of the province of Cosenza. The study was conducted counting the nests along linear transects in wintertime. The value of total densities found for both corvid species are, on average, low if compared with the values found in North and Central Italy in the most recent years.


The Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF) system introduced to the New Zealand tertiary sector in 2003 will reallocate some public funding to universities from a student enrolments basis to criteria partially based on the past research output performance of the universities. This paper uses the PBRF research quality scores as input to an analysis of the overall cost efficiency of the eight NZ universities. We find that performance differs markedly across the sector. We find that total research output could be increased by reallocating funding between the universities, but that the actual PBRF funding system will realise only a small proportion of the potential improvements. We raise concerns about the long‐run implications of the new policy regime.


Although range scanning technology has offered great improvements to digital model creation in recent years, it has also introduced some new concerns. Specifically, recent work shows that topological errors such as tiny handles can significantly lower the overall quality of range-scanned models for down-stream applications (such as simplification and parameterization). In this paper we present our investigation into the source of this topological error in the range scanning process, and our methods to alleviate the error. We concentrated our investigation of the scanning process on: (1) signal noise or calibration error in the laser scanner (resulting in bad data points) and (2) error during the model reconstruction phase. We found that by modifying the surface reconstruction phase of the range scanning process, we were able to reduce the amount of topological noise in the resulting 3D model by up to 60 percent.


We have optimized the deposition conditions for fabricating Ti-Ni shape memory films by dc unbalanced magnetron sputtering using Taguchi method. The deposited films were annealed at 600°C for 60 min for crystallization and memorization into a flat shape after dissolving the Cu substrates. These films were subjected to DSC measurements and thermal cycling tests under a constant stress. The Joule heat induced shape memory behavior was also characterized by a specially designed tensile testing machine.   The transformation temperature of Ni-rich films was found to be lower than RT. On the other hand, those of Ti-47∼49.4 at%Ni films were higher than RT, which means they can be expected to show the shape memory effect at RT. The Ti-47∼49.4 at%Ni films showed a perfect shape recovery under a constant stress by Joule heat of less than 0.1 J.


This paper analyzes the relationship between economic performance and institutional development in several Central and Eastern European Countries. Our meta-argument is that the structural transformations at the levels of the quantitative variables and mechanisms are only a part of the transition processes. In order to view the big picture, the qualitative aspects related to public policies and institutions should also be considered. We test the linkages between the quality of public policies and institutions for seven Central and Eastern European countries (Bulgaria, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia and Romania) for a time span between 2001 and 2011. These countries are displaying a certain degree of heterogeneity in terms of economic performances and the design and implementation of public policies. We use for our analysis the World Bank indicators from World Wide Governance Indicators. In order to deal with the potential reverse causality issues, we employ Generalized Method of Moments Framework (GMM) by using the lagged variables as instruments. The impact of governance indicators is statistically significant even if we use several control variables: exchange rate, unemployment, current account deficit, taxes burden and price stability. The corresponding Sargan and Arellano-Bond test for zero autocorrelation in first-differenced errors tests shows that the results display a corresponding robustness. The main policy implications for our findings may be synthesized by the thesis, according to which a proper design of public policies, a high degree of their effectiveness and accountability, a stable social and political environment together with the rule of law and efficient anticorruption mechanisms are critical determinants of economic growth even in emerging markets. The impact of the government "size , economic structure and markets" mechanisms , monetary policy and price stability , ownership structure and legal rights , international exchange, freedom of exchange in capital and financial markets on economic growth is far from being negligible. Hence, the Central and Eastern European countries joining the EU should implement policies strength their institutions and to improve the quality of public decisions.


Purpose To assess the long-term safety and clinical effectiveness of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters in patients with stroke. Method and materials In this institutional review board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant retrospective study, we reviewed the clinical data of patients who had stroke and were treated with an IVC filter from 2002 to 2009. The demographics, clinical data, indications for IVC filter, procedural complications, symptomatic post-filter pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), caval occlusion and incidental, imaging-evident filter-related complications were recorded. Safety was assessed through occurrence of filter-related complications during placement and follow-up. Effectiveness was assessed through occurrence of post-filter fatal and non-fatal PE. Results During this period, 371 patients (224 male; mean age 67.5 years) with stroke received an IVC filter. The stroke was hemorrhagic in 28%, ischemic in 20%, associated with intracranial malignancy in 21% and trauma in 31%. 235 (63%) patients (PE in 159) had venous thromboembolism on imaging. The indications for IVC filter included contraindication to anticoagulation in 251 (68%), prophylaxis in 83 (22%), added protection in 22 (6%) and complication or failure of anticoagulation in 15 (4%). There was one procedural complication. During a follow-up of 1.74±2.36 years, 180 (49%) patients died, three due to post-filter PE and the remainder all due to primary disease. Symptomatic post-filter PE and DVT occurred at a frequency of 15% (54/371) and 16% (60/371), respectively. Of these, 15 (4%) had imaging-proven PE. Three (0.8%) succumbed to post-filter PE. Imaging-proven new or recurrent DVT occurred in 6% and 8%, respectively. Symptomatic caval occlusion was seen in five (5/371, 1.3%). Conclusion IVC filters have an acceptable safety profile in stroke patients. In our cohort, they were effective in preventing life-threatening PE.


Abstract We studied the drying of polyacrylamide (PAAm)-multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) composites, prepared by free radical crosslinking copolymerization in water, with a steady state fluorescence technique. Composite gels were prepared at room temperature with pyranine (Py) doped as a fluorescence probe. Drying experiments were performed in air at various MWNT contents by real time monitoring of the Py fluorescence intensity (I) which increased as the drying proceeded. The Stern-Volmer equation, combined with the moving boundary diffusion model, was used to explain the behavior of I during drying. It was observed that the desorption coefficient (D) increased as the temperature increased. Drying energies (ΔE) were measured for the drying processes for each MWNT content gel, by using fluorescence, gravimetrical and volumetric methods. It is understood that ΔE values decrease by increasing MWNT content, until 1 wt% MWNT, and then increase above the level of this threshold value. The energy of drying is strongly correlated with the MWNT content in the composite. ΔE drops to its lowest value, at which conducting cluster starts to appear.


Trade agreements do not necessitate business cycle comovement. Focusing on NAFTA, we investigate whether business cycles in Canada, Mexico, and the US have become more synchronous after the landmark trade agreement came into effect in 1994. To this end, using the newly-developed Hamilton filter, we decompose the real GDPs of the three countries to derive their business cycle components; then, we conduct time-difference analyses, which illuminate correlations at different time intervals, to study business cycle synchronization. We find that business cycles in Mexico and the US have become positively correlated after NAFTA—they were weakly and negatively correlated during the pre-NAFTA period. Contrastingly, correlations amongst the US and Canadian business cycles have weakened during the post-NAFTA period; nevertheless, these two countries' business cycles continue to be tightly and positively correlated. The oft-used Hodrick-Prescott filter is utilized to confirm the robustness of the results—the two filters lead to similar conclusions.


Objective: Self-assessment scores such as the Patient-Oriented Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (PO-SCORAD) index being recommended by public health authorities for chronic disease management, we aimed at analysing correlations between PO-SCORAD and physician and patient assessment scores of atopic dermatitis (AD) severity and quality of life. Methods: We perfomed an observational study conducted in 12 European countries in 4,222 atopic patients aged ≥1 month and prescribed Exomega® emollient cream. AD severity was measured by the SCORAD index, PO-SCORAD, Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM) and Self-Administered Eczema Area and Severity Index (SA-EASI) scales, and patient and family quality of life by the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Dermatitis Family Questionnaire Impact (DFQI) scales, respectively. Their correlations were analysed. Results: PO-SCORAD was the only self-assessment score to be highly correlated with the SCORAD index and POEM (r ≥ 0.70). It was also the best correlated with the DLQI (r = 0.67) and DFQI (r = 0.56). After a 5-week treatment, SCORAD index and PO-SCORAD severity scores had decreased significantly by 60 and 56% (p < 0.0001), and quality of life had improved. Conclusion: PO-SCORAD is better correlated with quality of life scales than other self-assessment scores.


Aim: To perform Iron estimation by UV-Visible spectroscopy using an Experimental design approach. Objectives: The robust analytical method was developed for the estimation of iron (III) using 1, 10-phenanthroline reagent. Methods: The analytical method is an exploration of the chemical reaction of iron with 1, 10phenanthroline reagent to form a colored complex which was measured in the UV-Visible region at 509 nm. To monitor the effect of diverse factors like the concentration of reagent (A), volume of reagent (B), pH (C) and time (D) on the formation of iron 1, 10 – phenanthroline complex the full factorial design (two-level) was used. From the Pareto chart, Normal plot and half normal plot, it was studied that a combination of all factors was initiate to be significant. Then significant variables are optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) via Box-Behnken design. The evaluation of design was performed to study the effect on the selected response by quadratic effects and main interaction effects. The contour plot and surface plot used for the determined response of the selected factors for their optimum value. Results: The prime reaction state, Beer's law were obeyed in 2.0-10.0 μg/ml concentration range with a correlation coefficient of 0.998. Conclusion: The method was successfully applied for the estimation of iron in iron sucrose injection. The optimized method was used for the quantitative analysis of iron sucrose injection.


ABSTRACT The present study investigated the effect of a model urease-binding polysaccharide in combination with a histamine H2 receptor antagonist on Helicobacter pylori colonization in vivo. Euthymic hairless mice were treated daily with dextran sulfate via drinking water and/or famotidine via intragastric gavage starting at 1 week postchallenge with a CagA+ VacA+ (type 1) strain of H. pylori. Treatment of precolonized mice for 2 weeks with dextran sulfate combined with famotidine yielded a group mean bacterial load (per 100 mg of gastric tissue) of log101.04 CFU, which was significantly lower than those of the famotidine (log10 3.35 CFU, P < 0.01) and dextran sulfate (log10 2.45 CFU, P < 0.05) monotherapy groups and the infected nontreated group (log103.64 CFU, P < 0.01). Eradication was achieved after 2 weeks of treatment in 50% or more of the test mice using drug combinations (1 or 2 weeks of famotidine plus 2 weeks of dextran sulfate) versus none in the monotherapy and positive control groups. The enhanced activity of the drug combination may be related to the daily pattern of transient acid suppression by famotidine inducing periodic bacterial convergence to superficial mucus sites penetrated by dextran sulfate from the lumen. Increased urease-dextran sulfate avidity was observed in vitro in the presence of famotidine and may partly account for the enhanced activity. With potential utility in abbreviating treatment time and eradication of antibiotic-resistant strains, the use of urease-targeted polysaccharides concurrently with a gastric acid inhibitor warrants consideration as an additional component of the standard multidrug chemotherapy of H. pylori infection.


The multiservice uplink capacity and the interference (intracellular and intercellular) statistics (mean and variance) of the sectors of cigar-shaped wideband code-division multiple access (WCDMA) microcell are studied using a model of 5 highway microcells in rural zone. The two-slope propagation loss model with lognormal shadowing is used in the analysis. The capacity and the interference statistics of the microcell are studied for different sector ranges, antenna side lobe levels, standard deviation of the power control error, breakpoint distance, and different intersites correlation coefficient. It is shown that reducing the antenna side lobe level increases the sector capacity. Also, it is shown that the sector range that gives the quasi the maximum sector capacity is in the order of 800 to 1200m.


Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic not only imposed severe health risks but also raised major challenges to the economy, due to widespread and severe measures to control the spread of the disease. Food value chains were disrupted by restrictions of the movement of people and commodities, which had significant impacts on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. The purpose of this research is to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Bangladeshi vegetable farmers. A total of 320 vegetable farmers were selected from the North-West region of Bangladesh. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through a digital survey method. Analysis revealed that around 3–5% of the marketed surplus of the farms was reduced during the pandemic due to the disturbances. The majority of the farm households reported that there was a significant reduction in their family income and, as a consequence, around 38% of farm households had cut down on their food consumption during the pandemic. The farmers were found to follow different strategies to cope with the difficulties and respond to government initiatives to mitigate such impacts. Despite all the restrictions and risks, extension services were still available to help the farmers. On the basis of the findings, this study suggests the importance of collaborative participation of the relevant bodies to decrease the effects of COVID-19 on farm households by employing all available mechanisms and focusing more on identifying effective coping strategies that can be supported in the event of future shocks, for more sustainable and resilient food systems.


In this short note, we discuss the basic approach to computational modeling of dynamical systems. If a dynamical system contains multiple time scales, ranging from very fast to slow, computational solution of the dynamical system can be very costly. By resolving the fast time scales in a short time simulation, a model for the effect of the small time scale variation on large time scales can be determined, making solution possible on a long time interval. This process of computational modeling can be completely automated. Two examples are presented, including a simple model problem oscillating at a time scale of 10-9 computed over the time interval [0, 100], and a lattice consisting of large and small point masses. © World Scientific Publishing Company.


Background "Handover of care is one of the most perilous procedures in medicine, and when carried out improperly can be a major contributory factor to subsequent error and harm to patients."1 Changing work patterns such as EWTD and full shift rotas have created a need for improved handover of clinical responsibility and information. There is a growing recognition that enhanced training and systems for effective and safe handover are essential to maintain high standards of clinical care.2 We became interested in junior doctors training in the handover process with a view to improving patient care. Methods An online survey was distributed to the RSCH 2014 cohort of foundation year doctors asking a range of specific questions relating to their experience of handover, the extent of formal handover training and any evidence of patient safety issues as a result of poor handover. The plan was then to design and deliver simulation sessions targeting deficiencies in the handover process. Results More than 50% of the foundation doctors were involved in handover at least twice a day and all 100% considered it an important part of patient safety. Despite this 50% had never received formal handover training although 82% thought that it would be beneficial. A worrying 40% had experienced at least one incident when patient safety was jeopardised as a direct result of poor handover. 100% selected simulation as the preferred form for training delivery. We are now in the process of developing the appropriate simulation package and will present our final version. Impact Handover is a vital area of medical practice but one where training is deficient. The Royal Surrey simulation handover project will address this need and enhance patient safety. This is a national problem and we plan to roll out our programme to the wider medical community. References Professor Sir John Lilleyman Medical Director National Patient Safety Agency, 2006 JDC (2006) Safe handover: safe patients Guidance on clinical handover for clinicians and managers; British Medical Association Junior Doctors Committee (2003) Making IT work for hospital Juniors: Supporting Working Practices and Training with the New Contract and the EWTD. London: British Medical Association


The emergence of the middle class in modern India is largely due to the introduction of English education by the British. The middle class in India has always been the melting pot for academics, researchers, and policy makers. Interestingly, the middle class is not merely a social category instead, it is a phenomenon. Due to its intermediary position, the middle class assumes tremendous significance for the survival and progress of India's society since it truly acts as the balancing class. In India's post-1990 phase, the urban middle class became the focus of attention of policy makers and multinational companies largely due to its consuming abilities. Thus, images of the urban middle class started to undergo change. However, these images have described the urban middle class as highly flourishing, hypocritical, and self-centered. Unfortunately, this description is not objective. The urban middle class is in a phase of transition and crisis a crisis rooted in socio-economic, psycho-political, and cultural factors. This book looks at the present crisis of urban middle class, along with its causes and consequences.


ABSTRACT What do we disagree about when we disagree about logic? On the face of it, classical and nonclassical logicians disagree about the laws of logic and the nature of logical properties. Yet, sometimes the parties are accused of talking past each other. The worry is that if the parties to the dispute do not mean the same thing with 'if', 'or', and 'not', they fail to have genuine disagreement about the laws in question. After the work of Quine, this objection against genuine disagreement about logic has been called the meaning-variance thesis. We argue that the meaning-variance thesis can be endorsed without blocking genuine disagreement. In fact, even the type of revisionism and nonapriorism championed by Quine turns out to be compatible with meaning-variance.


The contribution presents two geophysical projects to investigate the Siberian part of the Arctic Ocean and adjacent continental margin
First project bases on high-resolution multichannel seismic reflection lines collected in 1998, 2008 and 2014 in the Siberian part of the Arctic Ocean. The data provide an insight into the sedimentary cover and crustal surface of the Lomonosov Ridge and adjacent Laptev Sea in which in turn depositional and tectonic processes are documented. Part of the study was to develop a new seismostratigraphic model for the East Siberian part of the Arctic via the incorporation of drill site data to the seismic. Another aim is to propose suitable drilling locations for the upcoming IODP708 project (ACEXII) on the Lomonosov Ridge. Further we intend to tie in our data with seismic profiles of Russian colleagues to improve stratigraphic models and, thus to enhance our understanding of the tectonic development of East Siberian Sea and Margin.
The second project comprises investigations of the seismicity and the lithospheric structure
of the SW Lena Delta, which is part of the Laptev Sea Rift System. The distribution and kinematics
of active fault zones might also help to better understand regional emissions of gases with deep
origin at the surface and the seafloor. In 2016 we installed 12 seismological stations in the Lena delta to study the local seismicity along the southern part of the Olenek Fault Zone and 13 stations in an array SE of Tiksi to study the regional seismicity of the Laptev Sea. This work is carried out in a cooperation of various Russian and German institutions.


Circadian health is increasingly recognized for the contributions it makes to general health. Few instruments assessing circadian rhythms have been translated into Spanish, however. The present study describes a Spanish translation of the Circadian Energy Scale (CIRENS). The instrument was designed according to the language norms of those living along the US-Mexico border by a bilingual research team. The CIRENS was completed by both English and Spanish speaking border residents, in their preferred language.

 Data were collected from a sample of N=100 individuals of Mexican descent living in Nogales, Arizona. CIRENS is a 2-item scale that assesses chronotype by examining overall energy level in the morning and evening. Translation of the instrument into Spanish was done according to the following process: (1) a bilingual study team member attempted an initial translation; (2) a bilingual community member edited the translation; (3) a certified medical translator edited the revision; (4) a focus group of N=5 bilingual community members made further contextual edits; (5) a back-translation was performed; (6) an additional bilingual focus group examined the final version for compatibility; and (7) the medical translator certified the accuracy of the final version. T-tests examined differences between those who completed the measure in Spanish vs English.

 Of the N=100 survey respondents, N=42 completed the CIRENS in Spanish. No significant differences were observed in overall chronotype determination between those who took the Spanish versus English version (p=0.22) of the instrument. As a continuous score, the respondents in Spanish demonstrated slightly more morningness (p=0.01). Per the individual items, no differences were seen for evening energy levels (p=0.22), but Spanish respondents reported slightly higher morning energy scores (2.76 vs 2.17, p=0.008).

 The individuals that completed the CIRENS in Spanish reported higher morning energy scores but no significant differences in chronotype. Future studies can use the Spanish CIRENS to evaluate circadian factors across cultural/linguistic groups.


In the beginnings, Protestant theology was very hostile to all kinds of metaphysics. Theology and Aristotelian philosophy excluded themselves each other. During the later 16th and the early 17th century the attitude towards philosophy and even metaphysics changed. It appeared impossible to teach theology without discussing metaphysical questions. Thus Aristotelian metaphysics returned to the protestant universities and colleges. At the little university of Duisburg Johannes Clauberg, under the influence of Nederland cartesianism and covenant theology, started an new philosophical approach to theology which fitted in very well with the tolerant church regiment of prince of this region, the duke Elector of Brandenburg.


Control of oxidation is the key mechanism in the regulation of energy metabolism. In glycolysis the oxidation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate is controlled by DPNH, which inhibits glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. In oxidative phosphorylation the inhibition of electron flow from DPNH to oxygen, called "respiratory control," is the subject of this paper. After a discussion of the physiological significance of the "tight coupling" between phosphorylation and oxidation, studies on "loosely coupled" submitochondrial particles are reported. These particles are capable of oxidative phosphorylation in the presence of a suitable phosphate acceptor system, but in contrast to controlled, intact mitochondria they oxidize DPNH in the absence of phosphate and ADP. The addition of o-phenanthroline to submitochondrial particles gives rise to an inhibition of respiration, which is partly reversed by phosphate and ADP or by dinitrophenol. The properties of this model system of respiratory control will be described.


The analysis and design of structures are influenced by earthquakes. A structure's behaviour under particular load combinations is determined through an analysis process. The process of determining suitable requirements for the construction is called design. Manually, the design of the structure and the analysis would take a long time. Any structure's study and design can be completed quickly using the software. The main goal of this study is to analyse and construct a commercial building using various slab configurations, including flat slabs, grid slabs with drop panels, and conventional slabs. A structure is considered commercial if at least half of its floor area is devoted to business purposes. Buildings with various slab layouts and the impact of seismic and wind forces has been analysed by utilising SAP2000 software. The engineering software programme SAP2000 is used for structural analysis and design. The IS 456-2000 code book is used for analysis and design, and M30 grade concrete and Fe500 steel are used. According to Design Code IS-875, dead load is taken (Part 1). Live loads are calculated in accordance with Design Code IS-875 (Parts 2) and (Parts 3), while earthquake zones 3 and 4 are used for analysis. Both 1.2 (DL + LL + EQ) and 1.5 (DL + LL + WL) combination are taken into consideration. A number of issues have an impact on how well building's function, including story drift, base shear, and story displacement are key factors in determining how well structures respond to wind and seismic loads. The results are presented using tables and bar charts. Story displacement increased along with story height. In comparison to all other slab arrangements used in the wind and seismic load analyses, the results demonstrate that buildings with grid slabs are more stable.


The raw, cooked and roasted seed parts of Treculia africana commonly called "afon" in Yoruba and "ukwa" in Ibo languages were investigated for the mineral composition using standard methods. Calculations of Ca/P, Na/K, [K/(Ca+Mg)], Ca/Mg ratios and mineral safety index were also carried out. In the mineral composition, raw samples were best in Na and K; roasted samples were highest in Ca and Mg; cooked samples  were highest in Zn, Fe,  Mn and P; in all the samples, Ca/P was generally lower than the 0.5 recommended for favourable absorption of calcium in the intestine  for bone formation;  the samples were all good in Na/K in that they were all lower than 0.6 recommended as the  highest limit ratio that prevent high blood pressure; both the raw and processed samples were high in [K/(Ca+Mg)] and non of the sample type was good in Ca/Mg. In the mineral safety index (MSI) values:  Fe with  standard MSI of  6.7 recorded negative values of -3.20 and -4.20 in roasted seeds testa and cooked testa flours respectively whereas in all other sample parts positive values were recorded. The statistical analysis results (linear correlation) on a pair-wise comparison showed that the mineral contents in raw/roasted and raw/cooked were significantly different at ? = 0.05, df=n-1. The research has provided nutritional information with respect to processing methods on the minerals in the various parts of the seeds analyzed and that levels of nutritive minerals were more positively enhanced in the roasted seeds flour than in the cooked sample flours.


The present work focuses on the application of 'Taguchi Approach'. In the cold forging process at the die/billet interface plays a significant role. were as deciding the billet material, lubrication ,and number of stages to make products .in this work, the influence of varied friction conditions on the hardness is studied. The friction factors of these lubricants molybdenum disulphide(m=0.29), Teflon grease(m=0.37)and silicon grease(m=0.44) were obtained from ring compression test(RCT). The whole configuration assumed to be axisymmetric and the AA2014 solid cylindrical billets compressed between the dies. At each and every incremental level of deformation process, the following results were noted down. From the simulation study mainly hardness depends upon three major factors as friction effect, aspect ratios, and temperature effect. By using these parameters were optimized to get much uniform distribution of hardness in the billet, to reduce the deformation load and barrelling effect. Keywords— Ring compression test(RCT);Ageing; Machining; forging.


We are interested in developing an automatic emphasis correction system, which converts any unemphasized word in an utterance into emphasized. Analyzing how prosody changes from unaccented to accented is crucial for the task. While previous works on prosody reconstruction only model the prosody contour itself instead of the increment, we propose a framework to study the prosody increment induced by pitch accents from real speech in a statistically rigorous manner. This framework also infers the degree of emphasis of each word to account for the additional prosody variations due to metalinguistic factors. According to the analysis results, this framework provides a lot of useful insights into the prosody increment, which are consistent with many existing studies on pitch accent and emphasis.


Intercultural competence is an essential, but understudied, aspect of communication for successful interactions between international teaching assistants (ITAs) and undergraduate students. This qualitative study employs transcendental phenomenology to describe the essence of the development of intercultural competence from the lived experiences of Chinese ITAs studying at a mid-size university in the northeast. The initial pool of participants was international graduate assistants from mainland China with a minimum of one semester experience as a teaching assistant. Two participant screening tools were employed. First, department mentors were asked to nominate potential participants with good levels of intercultural competence. Second, nominees were invited to complete the online Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) (Hammer, Bennett, & Wiseman, 2003). As a result, seven individuals who had both mentor nominations and mid to high scores on the IDI participated in interviews. The result of this study is a composite textural-structural description of the essence of the factors that challenge, support, and influence the development of intercultural competence. The essential structure involves perceptions of cultural difference, intercultural experiences and interactions with others, and strategies to communicate with undergraduate students, to teach effectively, and to intentionally develop intercultural competence. This study provides a description of the unique perspectives and firsthand accounts that experienced ITAs offer on how they have developed effective ways of communicating with those who are culturally different from themselves. Rather than emphasizing a deficiency model of what ITAs are lacking or an ethnocentric model of what undergraduate students are demanding, the study focuses on a strength-based, intercultural model of what effective ITAs share from their perspectives. Suggestions are made for ways to apply the findings of the study to the fields of intercultural communication and ITA training.


Abstract The Food Guide for the Brazilian Population (GAPB) is an official document that addresses principles and recommendations for an adequate and healthy diet, and it is configured as a support tool for food and nutrition education actions. This article aims to analyze the guide content, which is one of the main instruments of public policies related to food in Brazil, in the light of the concepts of social theory, especially theories of modernity, identity, and risks. In the detailed analysis of the guide content, we found that the document considered the cultural and biological food diversity of Brazilian regions. It is based on food not on nutrients, making illustrative recommendations easy to public understanding. It avoided food risks, considering the issue of acquiring adequate and healthy food. However, two risks were not addressed: the problem of processed and ultra-processed foods (PU); and the omission of warnings regarding transgenic foods (GMOs). Although the guide has been designed in an innovative way, stimulating time, attention, and companionship at the table, the GAPB needs revision.


Deciding who should receive a liver transplant (LT) depends on both urgency and utility. Most survival scores are validated through discriminative tests, which compare predicted outcomes between patients. Assessing post-transplant survival utility is not discriminate, but should be "calibrated" to be effective. There are currently no such calibrated models. We developed and validated a novel calibrated model to predict individual survival after LT for Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC). We applied a software tool, PSSP, to adult patients in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (n = 2769) who received a LT for PSC between 2002 and 2013; this produced a model for predicting individual survival distributions for novel patients. We also developed an appropriate evaluation measure, D-calibration, to validate this model. The learned PSSP model showed an excellent D-calibration (p = 1.0), and passed the single-time calibration test (Hosmer-Lemeshow p-value of over 0.05) at 0.25, 1, 5 and 10 years. In contrast, the model based on traditional Cox regression showed worse calibration on long-term survival and failed at 10 years (Hosmer-Lemeshow p value = 0.027). The calculator and visualizer are available at: http://pssp.srv.ualberta.ca/calculator/liver_transplant_2002. In conclusion we present a new tool that accurately estimates individual post liver transplantation survival.


This paper considers dilemmas for organization and management scholars of studying and writing about environmental sustainability. It suggests that sustainability requires new ways of thinking which in turn require new forms of representation to help foster their emergence. Consequently, the paper takes the experimental form of a 'metalogue' (Bateson, 1973), in which the structure of the conversation between the authors is intended to be reflective of the problematic subject discussed, in this case their experiences of trying to publish an article about sustainability. This experimental form, which invites the reader to eschew expectations of typical points of orientation, enables an appreciation of how forms of argument seem to replicate epistemological challenges in the field. The paper shows how metaloguing becomes not only an alternative form but also an inquiry process for considering sustainability that can support embodied reflexivity, critical questioning and appreciation of entanglements of people-scholars. Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE


Abstract. The intelligent interpretation of remote sensing images based on deep learning has become a hot spot with the increasing satellite images acquired due to the rapid development of aerospace technology. Sufficient and reasonable distributed samples are essential for the accuracy of deep learning. The spatial distribution of natural features is inhomogeneous in the real world. When people create sample dataset, they often collect within a certain local range, which may bring problems of unbalanced distribution of samples, including the unbalance between training dataset and validation dataset, and the unbalance among different sample categories. This long-tail distribution of samples (i.e., a few classes account for most of the data, while most classes are under-represented) can lead to bias in the training model and make it difficult to ensure accuracy.In this paper we tried to solved the above-mentioned problem in landcover classification with high spatial and spectral resolution (HSSR) remote sensing images. We first adopted an iterative stratification method for multi-label data classification to ensure that both training dataset and validation dataset contain reasonable proportion of landcover classes. Then we proposed a weighted loss algorithm to further strengthen the learning ability of the model for rare categories. Experiments on a large volume HSSR dataset shows that with our methods the accuracy of landcover classification increased by 2%.


The performance of applications based on natural language processing depends primarily on the environment in which these applications are applied. Intelligent environments will be one of the major applications used to process natural language. The methods for speaker ' s gender classification can adapt and improve the performance of natural language processing applications. That is why, this chapter will present an effective speaker ' s pitch value detection in noisy environments, which then allows more robust speaker ' s gender classification. The chapter presents the algorithm for the speaker ' s pitch value detection and performs the comparison in various noisy environments. The experiments are carried out on the part of the publically available Aurora 2 speech database. The results showed that the automatically determined pitch values deviate, on average, only by 8.39 Hz from the reference pitch value. A well-defined pitch value allows a functional speaker ' s gender classification. In this chapter, presented speaker ' s gender classification works well, even at low signal to noise ratios. The experiments show that the speaker ' s gender classification performance at SNR 0 dB is higher than 91% when the automatically determined pitch value is used. Speaker ' s gender classification can then be used further in the processes of natural language processing.


The use of laminated composite curved panels is common in many engineering fields; the study of vibration problems arising in spherical shells/panels has become increasingly important. Free vibration frequencies and mode shapes are essential for the analysis of resonant response and flutter. Due to its significance in structural mechanics, many researchers have worked on the vibration characteristics of spherical shells/panels.
Composite structures have extensive use in aerospace, civil, marine and other engineering applications. Laminated composites are becoming key components in many of them. Their high performance places them at the top of the list of engineering materials needed for advanced design applications. This is because controlling the lamination angle and the stacking sequence can alter their structural properties leading to an optimal design. The higher specific modulus and specific strength of these composites means that the weight of certain components can be reduced. The increasingly wider application to other fields of engineering has necessitated the evolution of adequate analytical tools for the better understanding of the structural behavior and efficient utilization of the materials.
Composites have the specific advantage that their structural characteristics can be tailored to suit the design requirements. Hence they are finding increased use in primary and secondary structures in aerospace projects. The composites, like most structural materials, are fabricatedwith appropriate quality control. The control works under finite limits due to practical and economic considerations. This results in variation in material properties, making them random.
In this thesis work, an analytical solution of frequency characteristics for the free vibration of laminated composite thin spherical panels has been obtained by using the first order shear deformation theory as well as a higher order shear deformation theory. Compared with classical theory and higher order theory, the "first order shear deformation theory" combines higher accuracy and lower calculation efforts. The higher order shear deformation theory is based on a displacement field in which the displacements of the middle surface are expanded as cubic functions of the thickness coordinate and the transverse displacement is assumed to be constant through the thickness. This displacement field leads to parabolic distribution of the transverse shear stresses and zero transverse normal strain and hence no shear correction factors are used.
The objective of this study is to examine the effect of various shell parameters on the frequency characteristics of laminated composite cross-ply thin spherical panels. For reasons of simplicity, the simply supported boundary conditions are assumed for the panels. The formulation is general. Frequency envelopes for different lamination schemes for the panels have been plotted. The results obtained by both the shear deformation theories have also been compared. From the results, the influence of radius to length ratio on natural frequency of the spherical shell is larger than that of length to thickness ratio. Also there is not much difference in the results by the first and higher order shear deformation theory.


We investigated whether genetic polymorphisms of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), potential candidate genes in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infection (UTI) and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), are associated with the susceptibility to UTI and VUR, and renal scarring. We recruited 89 controls and 86 UTI and 58 VUR children. The UTI group was subdivided into two groups according to renal scarring. Two polymorphisms of VEGF and three of TGF-β1 genes were investigated by using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. In both UTI and VUR groups, there was an increase in frequency of the VEGF –460 CC (control, 4.3; UTI, 15.9; VUR, 17.8%; p < 0.05), TGF-β1 –509 CC (control, 8.7; UTI, 34.6; VUR, 35.1%; p < 0.001), and TGF-β1 –800 GG genotypes (control, 19.1; UTI, 40.5; VUR, 40.4%; p < 0.05). An increase in the TGF-β1 +869 CC (scar-positive, 35.4; scar-negative, 10.3%; p < 0.05) and a decrease in the +869 TC genotype (scar-positive, 29.2; scar-negative, 55.2%; p < 0.05) were observed in the scar-positive subjects. There were no differences in +405 VEGF genotype frequencies. The VEGF T-460C and the TGF-β1 C-509T, G-800A, and T869C polymorphisms could be genetic markers of the process of UTI and VUR.


The investment boom in multi-family residential buildings observable in Polish metropolises at the turn of the 20th century seems to have slowed down. Due to the growing difficulty in obtaining and repaying mortgages, potential customers have become more demanding. Users' needs come first once again, including the need to dwell in beautiful surroundings. Developers implementing projects of multi-family housing estates in different scales more and more often pay attention not only to the floor area, but also to the aesthetics of new buildings. Many housing estates put into use in Poland in recent years are as good in this respect as their contemporary western counterparts. Quality of workmanship and finishing standards of buildings and their immediate surroundings increase, too. This study covers examples of new housing investments, regarded as prestigious, from Poland's three biggest cities (Warsaw, Cracow, Lodz), implemented in 10 recent years. The goal was to verify by means of a comparative analysis whether their architectural quality has changed compared to previous years. Does it mean that beautiful residential architecture comes into being? Is it a common phenomenon? Is life comfortable in beautiful, prestigious housing estates? Do they form real, efficient habitats, or only bedroom communities, or are they another type of investment? What are the relations of contemporary multi-family estates with the urban tissue in light of the growing spatial chaos in Poland's biggest cities? According to the study results, in recent years Poland saw more and more multi-family housing estates, attractive in their contemporary form, furnished with well-tended and carefully arranged social – predominantly green – spaces. Alas, due to a limited number of services they are usually closed enclaves, often fenced. Frequently they lack sufficient services necessary for proper functioning of the housing environment: trade, education (nursery and primary schools), healthcare, basing on the existing overloaded city infrastructure. Therefore, their contribution to building of sustainable spatial structures is limited, not to mention such obvious drawbacks as lack of continuity of the public domain in the form of public greenery systems, pedestrian routes, or squares. Responsibility for this situation goes not only to designers and investors of such complexes, but mostly to local authorities, whose goal should be to maintain spatial order in cities. These are still, however, single islands on the sea of mediocre dense residential architecture. Growing transport-related problems result from scarcity of appropriate road infrastructure and limited municipal investments in public transport and education / sports services, which do not balance the increase of developers' residential investments. One of the basic causes of this situation is the aforementioned crisis of spatial planning, observable in the three cities included in the study.


The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of management control systems (MCS) to support the implementation of lean management strategy to achieve competitive advantage and improve firm performance. Data collected using a questionnaire survey. A total of 123 managers in manufacturing firms participated in this study. Data were analyzed using structural equation models. The results show that a lean management strategy is positively and significantly related to MCS and competitive advantage; MCS has a positive and significant effect on competitive advantage and firm performance. Furthermore, these results show that MCS serves as a mediating variable to the relationship between lean management and competitive advantage, and firm performance. The results of the study show the role of lean MCS as an integral part of lean management to achieve competitive advantage and improve firm performance. This result is the initial evidence of how MCS mediates the relationship between lean management strategy, competitive advantage, and firm performance.


The chromospheric double hard X-ray (HXR) sources generally appear at the conjugate footpoints of flaring loops with asymmetric flux distributions. The behavior of such HXR footpoint asymmetry should be affected by several effects simultaneously and cannot be attributed to a single effect easily. In this study, we attempt to address the properties of photospheric magnetic fields in the areas coinciding with asymmetric HXR footpoints based on RHESSI observations during 2002–2009. A total of 172 time intervals in 22 flares closed to the solar disk center with available pre-flare MDI magnetograms are investigated. The strong HXR footpoint is found to preferentially (75%) locate at the region with weak magnetic field strength, which is qualitatively consistent with the asymmetric magnetic mirror scenario. The HXR footpoint fluxes become more asymmetric when the footpoints move to the areas with more asymmetric field strength. A feature of asymmetry reversal between different energy ranges is observed in some flares, although no significant energy dependence of footpoint asymmetry is found in our statistical results. We also investigated the possible causes of time-dependent HXR footpoint asymmetry by examining the 2004 November 4 M5.4 flare and the 2004 November 6 M3.6 flare. By comparing the estimated asymmetry quantities with the HXR light curves, the asymmetry reversal in the late period of the M5.4 flare is mainly attributed to the difference of coronal energy release or acceleration processes in different periods, while it is associated with the location changes of HXR footpoints moving to different magnetic field regions in the M3.6 flare.


The influence of underdense environments on the formation and evolution of galaxies is studied by analyzing the photometric properties of ∼200 galaxies residing in voids, taken from our Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR10 void catalog up to z ∼ ?> 0.055. We split void galaxies into two subsamples based on the luminosity density contrast of their host voids: "sparse void" δ s = δ < − 0.95 ?> and "populous void" δ p = δ > − 0.87 ?> . We find that galaxies in sparse voids are less massive than galaxies in populous voids. The luminosity distribution of galaxies in populous voids follows the same distribution observed across the SDSS survey in the same redshift range. Galaxies in the sparse voids are also bluer, suggesting that they may be going through a relatively slow and continuous star formation. Additionally, we find that the luminosity function of galaxies in populous voids is represented with the Schechter function, whereas the same does not hold true for sparse voids. Our analysis suggests that the properties of a host void play a significant role in the formation and evolution of the void galaxies, and determining the large-scale evolution of voids is an important step to understand what processes regulate the evolution of galaxies.


The quality of computer rendering and perception of realism greatly depend on the shading method used to implement the interaction of light with the surfaces of objects in a scene. Ambient occlusion (AO) enhances the realistic impression of rendered objects and scenes. Properties that make Screen Space Ambient Occlusion (SSAO) interesting for real-time graphics are scene complexity independence, and support for fully dynamic scenes. However, there are also important issues with current approaches: poor texture cache use, introduction of noise, and performance swings. In this paper, a straightforward solution is presented. Instead of a traditional, geometry-based sampling method, a novel, image-based sampling method is developed, coupled with a revised heuristic function for computing occlusion. Proposed algorithm harnessing GPU power improves texture cache use and reduces aliasing artifacts. Two implementations are developed, traditional and novel, and their comparison reveals improved performance and quality of the proposed algorithm.


The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) give aid to Africa a new emphasis. Yet aid flows to Africa have trended downward over the last decade, and as a consequence more Africans now live in poverty. This is especially true of Sub-Saharan Africa. Any progress towards the main MDG target of halving the number of people living in poverty clearly requires more aid. It also requires a better understanding of what drives aid volumes to Africa and precisely how these flows impact on African economies. This paper examines trends in official aid to Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa in particular, over the period 1960 to 2002, highlighting falls in aid since the early 1990s. It concludes with consideration of future challenges for aid to Africa. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


SYNOPSIS Subnormal red-cell folate values were encountered in 20 of 63 thalassaemic subjects in a population with a low incidence of megaloblastosis. The abnormality was not associated with haematological changes of megaloblastosis and could not be explained on the basis of incomplete liberation of intra-erythrocytic folates, serum conjugase deficiency or vitamin B12 deficiency. Evidence is presented to indicate that it is unlikely to represent a state of subclinical folate deficiency. The exact cause of the abnormality is unknown.


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The Sugi absorbent swab, which is made out of cellulose, can swell up 10-15 times its own weight on absorbing blood and secretions. The offending swab presumably had been left behind in the nasopharynx at the end of surgery. After extubation, the spontaneous respiratory efforts would have propelled the swab to the glottic region. Had it entered the tracheobronchial tree, it could have led to the obstruction of one of the smaller bronchi, with pulmonary collapse and infection. As the swab is radiolucent, the exact cause of the postoperative chest problem would have been missed. This case illustrates the importance of getting the surgical team to account for all the Sugi swabs used during DCR.


At Golden Cross, andesitic lavas and volcaniclastic rocks host epithermal
veins that formed in the shallow part (<500 m depth) of a hydrothermal
system. Calcite is a trace mineral in precious metal-bearing quartz veins and a
common replacement mineral in the surrounding intensely altered host rocks. Late
barren calcite veins crosscut the precious metal-bearing quartz-sulfide veins
and were a significant source of dilution in the underground workings of the
mine; where large, they also posed significant problems for ground control.
These veins range up to 10 m in width and contain more than 99 percent calcite,
predominantly as massive coarse crystals, with only trace amounts of quartz,
pyrite, and clays. Fluid inclusion data indicate that much of the late barren calcite formed
between 160° and 220°C, overlapping the temperature range of fluid inclusions
from the precious metal-bearing quartz-sulfide veins. Ice melting temperatures
range from 0.0° to –1.1° C. Slight vapor bubble expansion during crushing of
a few calcite-hosted fluid inclusions indicates the presence of dissolved carbon
dioxide. These results indicate that the hydrothermal solutions responsible for
late calcite deposition were very dilute (<2 NaCl wt percent equiv) and
contained up to approximately 2.5 wt percent dissolved carbon dioxide. The best
interpretation of the steep T h vs. T m cooling trend is
carbon dioxide gas loss through phase separation combined with variable amounts
of mixing. The δ 18 O
composition of calcite from the altered country rock and late veins ranges from
3.4 to 15.4 per mil, with the bulk of the data corresponding to equilibrium δ 18 O
water compositions of –2 to –6 per mil; this range of compositions is 0 to >
2 per mil lower than the δ 18 O
compositions for the waters in equilibrium with quartz from precious metal
bearing quartz-sulfide veins. The δ 13 C
composition of calcite ranges from –3.1 to –9.0 per mil. The equilibrium δ 13 C
compositions of carbon dioxide for most of these data fall between –7 and –9
per mil. Electron microprobe analyses indicate that calcite contains less than 10 mole
percent combined Mn, Mg, and Fe. Replacement calcite and veinlet calcite show
greater substitution by these elements compared to calcite in massive veins,
which is nearly pure. The minor element compositions of calcite appear to be
primarily controlled by solution composition, and these constituents may be
locally derived from the country rock. Using the knowledge from active geothermal systems of the Taupo Volcanic Zone
as a framework for interpretation, we propose that the late massive calcite
veins were deposited from downward-moving, CO 2 -rich, steam-heated
water. This water was heated and locally reached vapor saturation as it
descended into the former upflow zone of the hydrothermal system during waning
activity. The reverse solubility of calcite accounts for the selective
deposition of calcite over all other common hydrothermal phases, and
condensation of steam into local ground water accounts for the slightly lower δ 18 O
water values. From this we suggest that, for some low-sulfidation epithermal
prospects, the occurrence of barren calcite veins may be indicative of CO 2 -rich,
steam-heated waters that formed as a result of boiling.


Let $g$ be a fixed-point free biholomorphic self-map of a bounded symmetric domain $B$. It is known that the sequence of iterates $(g^n)$ may not always converge locally uniformly on $B$ even, for example, if $B$ is an infinite dimensional Hilbert ball. However, $g=g_a\circ T$, for a linear isometry $T$, $a=g(0)$ and a transvection $g_a$, and we show that it is possible to determine the dynamics of $g_a$. We prove that the sequence of iterates $(g_a^n)$ converges locally uniformly on $B$ if, and only if, $a$ is regular, in which case, the limit is a holomorphic map of $B$ onto a boundary component (surprisingly though, generally not the boundary component of $\frac{a}{\|a\|}$). We prove $(g_a^n)$ converges to a constant for all non-zero $a$ if, and only if, $B$ is a complex Hilbert ball. The results are new even in finite dimensions where every element is regular.


Shells extracted from loess deposits at Achenheim (Rhine Graben) have been investigated for AMS 14C and for U-Th dating by the isochron method on single shells. The two chronometers provide results that are not in agreement : the obtained 14C date is 38 ka B.P. In contrast, U-Th results provide much older ages. The 238U/232Th --230Th/232Th isochron diagram gives an age of 69 kyr, whereas a slightly younger age of 64 kyr is derived from the other, 234U/232Th -- 230Th/232Th, diagram. 234U/238U ratios have not been found to vary from a shell to another : the average value is 1.199, slightly higher than radioactive equilibrium. For both isochrons, the Y-axis intercept is slightly negative, which indicates that there is no evidence for a significant detrital component. Thorium 232 that is present in the shells is probably incorporated in the material. The negative intercepts suggest that the two ages have been probably "aged" resulting from a slight mobilisation of uranium. By constraining the Y-axis intercepts at 0, ages that are in good agreement from one to another, can be calculated at 60.9 kyr and 60.4 kyr, respectively. In both cases, the statistical quality of the alignment is only slightly deteriorated.

Since U-Th ages are in agreement with stratigraphic data, in contrast to the 14C date, one may believe that they date the end of early diagenesis, with uranium trapping. In contrast, the AMS 14C date is either thought to reflect analytical limitations of AMS 14C dating for such type of material, or to date a younger geologic event. In this latter case, a possible hypothesis is that this event has triggered the slight opening of the 238U -- 234U system.

In any case, this study demonstrates once again that surface formations often tell such complex stories that only one single dating method cannot usually be sufficient to describe precisely these histories. Instead, informations derived from different independent chronometers have to be compared.


Study Design. A retrospective review of consecutive patients with graft migration or displacement after anterior cervical corpectomy surgery was performed. Objectives. To examine the associated risk factors and results of treatment among patients who sustained graft displacement or migration after anterior cervical corpectomy surgery. Summary of Background Data. Graft migration or displacement after anterior cervical corpectomy is a potential complication that may require revision surgery, but because of the low incidence, the factors associated with graft movement and the results of treatment are not well defined. Methods. All patients who had undergone a cervical corpectomy were examined for graft migration or displacement. None of the patients had a previous cervical laminectomy or prior posterior cervical surgery. All the patients were treated with autogenous strut grafting after decompression. Results. Over a 25-year period, 249 consecutive patients underwent one- to five-level anterior cervical corpectomies and strut grafting. All the patients were fused using autogenous bone grafts (iliac crest or fibula). During the postoperative period, 16 of the patients (10 women and 6 men; average age, 61.4 years) experienced migration of their grafts. The average follow-up period was 4.7 years (range, 2–12 years). The graft migration rates increased with more levels of fusion (odds ratio of 1.65 for having a displaced graft with each additional level): 4 of 95 single-level grafts, 4 of 76 two-level grafts, 7 of 71 three-level grafts, and 1 of 6 for four-level grafts. Of the 16 patients with graft migration, 14 had procedures involving a corpectomy of C6 with a fusion inferiorly extending to the C7 vertebral body (P = 0.001, statistically significant difference). Of these 16 patients, 5 underwent revision surgeries acutely for displacement and associated fracture of the inferior graft and vertebral body junction. None of the patients sustained a neurologic or respiratory complication as a result of graft migration ordisplacement. All of the patients went on to successfulfusion. Conclusions. This study demonstrated that a greater number of vertebral bodies removed and a longer graft are directly related to an increased frequency of graft displacement. Graft displacement may require revision surgery, but no patient in this study experienced a permanent adverse result from this complication. Corpectomies involving a fusion ending at the C7 vertebral body were associated with a higher rate of graft migration.


Objective Investigate the effect of relaxation training/thermal biofeedback on blood circulation in the lower extremities of diabetic subjects. Research Design and Methods Diabetic subjects (n = 40) aged 17–73 yr were volunteers recruited through the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, the local ADA Chapter, and a medical clinic. A within-subjects experimental design was used. During phase 1, all subjects used a self-selected relaxation method and recorded toe temperatures daily. During phase 2, subjects were taught a biofeedback-assisted relaxation technique designed to elicit sensations of warmth in the lower extremities and increase circulation and temperature. Subjects relaxed at home with the use of a designated relaxation tape. They measured and recorded toe temperatures. Each phase lasted 4 wk. Results Toe temperature and blood volume pulse (BVP) data were gathered at the beginning and end of phases 1 and 2. Paired t tests compared the means of temperature percent change scores between 1 and 2. Mean temperature change scores were 8.73% (phase 1) and 31.38% (phase 2) (t = −8.00, df = 39, P < 0.001). Mean BVP change scores were 2.33% (phase 1) and 22.47% (phase 2) (t = −9.24, df = 35, P < 0.001). Based on eta squared, 71% of the BVP increase in phase 2 was attributed to the relaxation technique. A multiple regression analysis indicated that none of the other examined variables affected by diabetes were significant predictors of BVP increase. Conclusions Data indicate that diabetic patients show significant increases in peripheral blood circulation with this technique. This noninvasive method could serve as an adjunct treatment for limited blood flow in some complications of diabetes.


The Carina Nebula Complex is known to be an active star-formation region. This work presents a large catalogue of point-like sources assembled from archive data of the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) onboard the Spitzer Space Telescope. This catalogue covers a region of 2.3 deg × 3.0 deg, which makes it the most extendended mid-infrared survey undertaken of the Carina Nebula Complex to date. From the catalogue a subsample of candidate young stellar objects is extracted utilising the fact that young stellar objects exhibit typical mid-infrared excesses.

These catalogues are employed to characterise the young stellar population of the Carina Nebula Complex. Using them, it was possible to identify three new extended green objects and five compact green objects and find the probable sources for 28 further objects connected with jets emitted from young stars, such as molecular hydrogen emission-line objects and Herbig-Haro jets. For 17 of them, observational data from the near-infrared (from HAWK-I and 2MASS) to the far-infrared (from the Herschel Space Observatory) could be collected and their spectral energy distributions fitted. From the fit parameters, stellar characteristics such as stellar and disk masses could be estimated. No young stellar objects with masses above 10 M_sol could be evidenced, pointing towards an intermediate-mass population currently forming.

It could be shown that the Gum 31 region on the outer periphery of the Carina Nebula Complex is not only part of the complex but also an important centre of star formation. A large sample of candidate young stellar object was obtained from the WISE All-Sky Data Release, which allowed a detailed comparison with both the candidate young stellar objects from the IRAC catalogue and those identified from Herschel observations. Evidence could be found that two modes of triggered star formation are going on in the HII region: Young stellar objects are found in and in front of dust pillars, which is an indicator of radiative triggering, and a 'collect and collapse' model of the region was shown to produce results in agreement with the observations.

An objective and large-scale search for clusters of young stellar objects in the complex was performed using a nearest-neighbour algorithm. This search derived 22 clusters not described before. Nine of those are new detections in the fields of previous studies of clusters while the majority are found in fields surveyed for clusters for the first time here. Clusters are also found in agreement with previous studies where study fields overlap, thus corroborating the validity of the study. It is found that ∼40% of the young stellar objects in the Carina Nebula Complex occur in clusters while up to 60% are part of a distributed population. A total population for the 2.3 deg × 3.0 deg study field of ∼200 000 young stars is estimated.


Pre-clinical training is traditionally conducted in 'siloed' disciplines limiting inter-professional learning (IPL) opportunities. A pilot using Mask-Ed^TM^ technology was used to simulate an authentic IPL experience for health-care students and enhance the IPL experience of students in a preclinical simulation-training program. A multidisciplinary, simulated ward experience was conducted using Mask-Ed^TM^. Students completed pre- and post-pilot Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Surveys (ICCAS). A focus group was conducted to explore participant IPL experience and pre-clinical skill development. Statistically significant improvements were found in all six domains of the ICCAS (collaboration, roles and responsibilities, patient centred approach, conflict management and team functioning). Focus group analysis generated three themes: authenticity, mistakes are ok and learning. This pilot study suggests that Mask-Ed™ simulation is an effective method to teach IPL to health students.


An American Army population of 36,000 in which hashish was commonly smoked was studied over a three-year period. Direct medical and psychiatric observations of 720 hashish smokers revealed that the casual smoking of less than 10 to 12 gm of hashish monthly resulted in no ostensible adverse effects other than minor respiratory ailments. Panic reactions, toxic psychosis, and schizophrenic reactions were infrequent occurrences except when hashish was simultaneously consumed with alcohol or other psychoactive drugs. Highdose hashish abuse of over 50 gm per month in 110 patients was associated with a chronic intoxicated state characterized by apathy, dullness, and lethargy with mild-to-severe impairment of judgment, concentration, and memory. Severe hashish abuse and its simultaneous use with alcohol or other psychoactive drugs by large numbers of young American men is alarming.