ABSTRACT This article offers a new conceptualisation of sensemaking in social work assessment. During assessment, social workers are required to make sense of a wide range of information. This may include written reports, behavioural cues, verbal, sensory and emotional data. In this article, the term "sensemaking" is used to refer to the processes through which social workers gather, select and interpret this varied, and often incomplete, information during assessment. Sensemaking is defined as a psychosocial process which precedes and underpins professional judgement and decision-making. While there has been interest in how social workers assess risk to children, the sensemaking process that occurs before a decision is made has received less attention, and sensemaking lacks a clear definition. Drawing on existing research on assessment and theoretical literature from the fields of psychology and organisational studies, this article offers a view of sensemaking through three lenses: sensemaking as intuitive process, sensemaking as social storytelling and sensemaking as an emotionally-informed process. Drawing together key features from these three perspectives, we advance six propositions about sensemaking in child and family assessment: (1) sensemaking is a process of formulation; (2) sensemaking involves movement between conscious and non-conscious processes; (3) sensemaking can be developed through experience and learning through reflection; (4) sensemaking is inseparable from the environment in which it takes place (5) sensemaking is a dialogic process; (6) sensemaking is an emotionally-informed as well as cognitive process. The article concludes with the implications of this conceptualisation of sensemaking for assessment in child and family social work.


We document the recolonization of an indigenous large herbivore into its historic range. Eighteen wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) were reintroduced into the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary of the Northwest Territories, Canada, in 1963. The population subsequently increased in number and range, peaking at about 2400 in 1989; numbers were estimated at about 1900 in 1998. Recolonization occurred through a series of increases in local areas followed by pulses of dispersal and range expansion. This pattern was originally described for exotic species' introductions. Differences in diet and overwinter survival of calves over the bison's range suggest that intraspecific competition for food provided the stimulus for range expansion. For a conservation strategy, the reintroduction of animals into several independent sites in their historic range would facilitate recolonization and achieve a faster spread than a reintroduction into one site followed by waiting for the population to spread as a result of its own density dependent responses.


Awell-preserved, near-complete goniasterid asteroid, provisionally referred to the genus Ceramaster, is recorded from a rhyolitic ignimbrite assigned to the Dej Tuff Formation, exposed near Ciceu Giurgesti (northwest Romania). The main interest of this specimen lies in the fact that it constitutes a rare example of preservation of (shallow-) marine biota, and echinoderms in particular, in volcanic strata. Superficially, overall disc shape and size, as well as ornament of marginal and abactinal ossicles, resemble to some extent that of coeval and slightly younger material from the Paratethys (south-central Poland, Austria) and the North Sea Basin (northwest Belgium), previously assigned to Ceramaster . So far, only the Polish andAustrian material has been formally named; however, this might actually represent but a single species. The record from Belgium refers to a form which is either conspecific with C. muelleri from the Paratethys, or represents a closely related taxon. These, and associated asteroids (e.g.,Astropectinidae, Luidiidae), are in need of a modern taxonomic revision and a reappraisal of their palaeoecology is called for as well.


The involvement of women candidates in Indonesia regional elections 2015 and the news construction by online media related to that phenomenon are being the core of this research. The curiosity of feminine issues struggle in a patriarchal political culture is served as the background for this study. By using qualitative analysis through framing approach, it aims to explore comprehensive understanding of how online media in Indonesia depicts women candidates throughout one week before and after the D-day of elections. The framing analysis model developed by Robert N. Entman has considered as the one which could support a hypothesis for exploring the context surrounding the text. The result shows that the domination of patriarchal culture in politics is gradually shifting to more equal ones which also proving that political culture is dynamic. Rather than confronting women leaders in term of gender, media actually aiming for public attention by looking at marketable news. Simply said, there is no need for women in politics to adopt masculine values instead of focus on her own empowerment since women and men can be defined only correlatively not comparatively. Keywords: women candidates, regional elections, framing analysis


We investigated the distribution and relationship between draining lymphatic vessels, lymphatic capillaries, and microvascular blood vessels in rabbit ventricular tissue. The left and right ventricular tissue from 15 healthy adult rabbits was obtained, processed, and sectioned for analysis. 5'-nucleotidase-alkaline phosphatase (5'-Nase-Alpase) double staining was first used to identify lymphatic and blood vessels. Dual fluorescent immunohistochemical technique was then utilized with lymphatic endothelial cell marker podoplanin and blood vascular marker PAL-E. In addition, five ventricular samples were examined for ultrastructure using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Draining lymphatic vessels and both lymphatic and blood capillaries were observed in the ventricular tissue. The lumens of draining lymphatic vessels were larger and irregular while the lymphatic capillaries were small in diameter and abundant. All lymphatic vessels were located among blood capillaries in the myocardium and aligned with the longitudinal axis of myocardial cells. The immunofluorescence double staining demonstrated that draining lymphatic vessels, lymphatic capillaries, and microvascular blood vessels were adjacent to each other and the cardiac myocyte with a ratio of lymphatic to microvascular blood vessels of approximately 1:1. This study suggests that lymphatic and blood capillaries exist in abundance and in nearly identical numbers in the ventricular myocardium and that they interweave with each other to comprise a complicated vessel network.


Lead is quantitatively retained on 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol-ammonium tetraphenylborate with microcrystalline naphthalene or by a column method in the pH range 4.0–6.0 from a large volume of aqueous solutions of various samples. After filtration, the solid mass consisting of the lead complex and naphthalene was dissolved with 5 mL of dimethylformamide and the metal was determined by third derivative spectrophotometry. Lead complex can alternatively be quantitatively adsorbed on ammonium tetraphenylborate-naphthalene adsorbent packed in a column and determined similarly. About 0.2 m g of lead can be concentrated in a column from 300 mL of aqueous sample, where its concentration is as low as 0.7 ng/mL. The interference of a large number of anions and cations has been studied and the optimized conditions developed have been utilized for the trace determination of lead in various samples. KEY WORDS: Trace lead determination, Derivative spectrophotometry, 2-(5-Bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylamminophenol, Ammonium tetraphenylborate, Naphthalene Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2003 , 17(2), 129-138.


Introduction There has been significant movement of workers between EU countries seeking work in the social care sector, causing problems for workers and employers who cannot easily evaluate the worth of qualifications gained abroad. The European Care Certificate (ECC) helps workers start work in the social care sector by defining basic knowledge and offering recognition for their learning. Development of product A LEONARDO project involving six countries (BE, UK, AT, DE, RO, PO) established a set of learning outcomes—the BESCLO (Basic European Social Care Learning Outcomes) covering eight key areas of knowledge (not competence). Existing awards and courses become 'ECC compliant' by demonstrating coverage of all the BESCLO. Students pass a multi-choice exam to gain the Certificate. There is a developing system of Lead and Delivery Partners spreading the ECC across Europe. Conclusion The BESCLO covers essential knowledge with a common set of values in social care. The ECC fits within existing training courses, is cheap and easy to operate, is at entry level, covers all client groups, can be made available in any language and is equally useful in recruitment, workplace induction training, or more formal college/university courses as an early achievement marker. Website: http://www.eclicence.eu


Continuum plate model in the form of a cantilever anisotropic plate developed in the framework of the bimoment theory of plates describing seismic oscillations of buildings is proposed in this paper as a dynamic model of a building. Formulas for the reduced moduli of elasticity, shear and density of the plate model of a building are given. Longitudinal oscillations of a building are studied using the continuum plate and box-like models of the building with Finite Element Model. Numerical results are obtained in the form of graphs, followed by their analysis.


Based on artificial neural network (ANN), prediction model of the Charpy impact toughness for automatic welding is built. The input parameters of the model consist of the chemical elements and the diameter of the welding material and the outputs is the average Charpy impact toughness. The ANNs model is established by Visual C++ based on improved back-propagation (BP) arithmetic with momentum coefficients, in which the sample data used are from automatic welding materials for X70 pipeline steel. Based on the prediction model, the influence of chemical compositions, such as C, S, P, Si, Mn, Cu, Ti and Ni on the Charpy impact toughness of welding materials are analyzed. The results show that the influence of metallic elements is significantly greater than the nonmetallic, and the contents of Mn in metallic and the C in nonmetallic have primary effect on the average Charpy impact toughness.


6-[(3S,4S)-4-Methyl-1-(pyrimidin-2-ylmethyl)pyrrolidin-3-yl]-1-(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl)-1,5-dihydro-4H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-one (PF-04447943) is a novel PDE9A inhibitor identified using parallel synthetic chemistry and structure-based drug design (SBDD) and has advanced into clinical trials. Selectivity for PDE9A over other PDE family members was achieved by targeting key residue differences between the PDE9A and PDE1C catalytic site. The physicochemical properties of the series were optimized to provide excellent in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetics properties in multiple species including humans. It has been reported to elevate central cGMP levels in the brain and CSF of rodents. In addition, it exhibits procognitive activity in several rodent models and synaptic stabilization in an amyloid precursor protein (APP) transgenic mouse model. Recent disclosures from clinical trials confirm that it is well tolerated in humans and elevates cGMP in cerebral spinal fluid of healthy volunteers, confirming that it is a quality pharmacological tool for testing clinical hypotheses in disease states associated with impairment of cGMP signaling or cognition.


Contrastive unsupervised representation learning (CURL) is the state-of-the-art technique to learn representations (as a set of features) from unlabelled data. While CURL has collected several empirical successes recently, theoretical understanding of its performance was still missing. In a recent work, Arora et al. (2019) provide the first generalisation bounds for CURL, relying on a Rademacher complexity. We extend their framework to the flexible PAC-Bayes setting, allowing us to deal with the non-iid setting. We present PAC-Bayesian generalisation bounds for CURL, which are then used to derive a new representation learning algorithm. Numerical experiments on real-life datasets illustrate that our algorithm achieves competitive accuracy, and yields non-vacuous generalisation bounds.


This paper presents a robust real-time multi-person tracking framework for busy street scenes. Tracking-by-detection approaches have recently been successfully applied to this task. However, their run-time is still limited by the computationally expensive object detection component. In this paper, we therefore consider the problem of making best use of an object detector with a fixed and very small time budget. The question we ask is: given a fixed time budget that allows for detector-based verification of k small regions-of-interest (ROIs) in the image, what are the best regions to attend to in order to obtain stable tracking performance? We address this problem by applying a statistical Poisson process model in order to rate the urgency by which individual ROIs should be attended to. These ROIs are initially extracted from a 3D depth-based occupancy map of the scene and are then tracked over time. This allows us to balance the system resources in order to satisfy the twin goals of detecting newly appearing objects, while maintaining the quality of existing object trajectories.


Methods of light optical microscopy were used to explore histoarchitectonics, topography and tinctorial properties of the extracellular phase of fibers of jejunum wall intersticium in Mongolian gerbils following 12-day orbital flight aboard Foton-M3, ground-based simulation of the spaceflight factors in the KONTUR-L facility, and in the group of biological control Postflight destructive changes were found in reticulin fibers (type-III collagen) of villi stroma, intercrypt intersticium and submucosa. Local acidophilia and fiber homogenization formed in type I collagen present in the intestinal subserous layer, muscular layers endomysium and submucose against the background of progressing edema and arterial, venous plethora and lymphostasis. Elastic component of the intersticium was disarranged in the structures of internal elastic membrane of submucous vessels, fragmented and partly reduced. Simulation of the orbital factors, except for microgravity, in the KONTUR-L facility called forth similar, although less often and diffuse, changes in intersticium fibers. The results of examination of intestinal intersticium fibers in the vivarium control gerbils discovered expressed species characters that should be taken into account by investigators, especially when comparing with data obtained from other animal species.


Carbon and titanium plasmas are used to investigate the effects of duct bias on the plasma transport through the magnetic duct of a cathodic-arc plasma source as a function of the magnetic-field strength and arc current so as to determine the optimal duct bias, at which the magnetic duct produces the maximum efficiency for plasma transport. The influence of the guiding magnetic field and arc current on the optimal duct bias is investigated. The optimal duct bias increases with the plasma density for carbon plasma, while the relationship is the opposite for the titanium plasma. The carbon-plasma behavior can be explained by a plasma-diffusion model presented in this paper, since the electron-ion collision frequency /spl nu//sub ei/ is less than the electron-cyclotron frequency /spl nu//sub c,e/. On the other hand, in a titanium plasma, /spl nu//sub ei/ is larger than /spl nu//sub c,e/, so this model is inaccurate. Our result shows that different kinds of plasmas have different transport behavior through the magnetic duct and thus, the duct parameters must be carefully chosen in order to achieve the optimal transport efficiency.


Bioassay-directed fractionation of extract of Arnebia euchroma led to the isolation of alkannin (1), shikonin (2), and their derivatives (3-8) as the active principles against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). The stereochemistry of alpha-methylbutyryl alkannin (8) is revealed for the first time, and the antimicrobial activity of 8 was compared with its corresponding diastereomer (9). The derivatives 3-9 showed stronger anti-MRSA activity [minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranged from 1.56 to 3.13 microg/mL] than alkannin or shikonin (MIC = 6.25 microg/mL). Anti-MRSA activity of derivatives was bactericidal with minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC)/MIC < or = 2. In a time-kill assay, the bactericidal activity against MRSA was achieved as rapidly as 2 h. The derivatives 3-9 were also active against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (F935) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (CKU-17) with MICs similar to those with MRSA. Aromatic ester derivatives were also synthesized for antimicrobial activity comparison. None of these compounds were active against Gram-negative bacteria tested. Their cytotoxicity was also evaluated on selected cancer cell lines, and they expressed their activity in the range 0.6-5.4 microg/mL (CD(50)). Our results indicate that the ester derivatives of alkannin are potential candidates of anti-MRSA and anti-VRE agents with antitumor activity.


Chemosensory information processing in the mouse accessory olfactory system guides the expression of social behavior. After salient chemosensory encounters, the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) experiences changes in the balance of excitation and inhibition at reciprocal synapses between mitral cells (MCs) and local interneurons. The mechanisms underlying these changes remain controversial. Moreover, it remains unclear whether MC–interneuron plasticity is unique to specific behaviors, such as mating, or whether it is a more general feature of the AOB circuit. Here, we describe targeted electrophysiological studies of AOB inhibitory internal granule cells (IGCs), many of which upregulate the immediate-early gene Arc after male–male social experience. Following the resident–intruder paradigm, Arc-expressing IGCs in acute AOB slices from resident males displayed stronger excitation than nonexpressing neighbors when sensory inputs were stimulated. The increased excitability of Arc-expressing IGCs was not correlated with changes in the strength or number of excitatory synapses with MCs but was instead associated with increased intrinsic excitability and decreased HCN channel-mediated IH currents. Consistent with increased inhibition by IGCs, MCs responded to sensory input stimulation with decreased depolarization and spiking following resident–intruder encounters. These results reveal that nonmating behaviors drive AOB inhibitory plasticity and indicate that increased MC inhibition involves intrinsic excitability changes in Arc-expressing interneurons. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) is a site of experience-dependent plasticity between excitatory mitral cells (MCs) and inhibitory internal granule cells (IGCs), but the physiological mechanisms and behavioral conditions driving this plasticity remain unclear. Here, we report studies of AOB neuronal plasticity following male–male social chemosensory encounters. We show that the plasticity-associated immediate-early gene Arc is selectively expressed in IGCs from resident males following the resident–intruder assay. After behavior, Arc-expressing IGCs are more strongly excited by sensory input stimulation and MC activation is suppressed. Arc-expressing IGCs do not show increased excitatory synaptic drive but instead show increased intrinsic excitability. These data indicate that MC–IGC plasticity is induced after male–male social chemosensory encounters, resulting in enhanced MC suppression by Arc-expressing IGCs.


Abstract. Drained organic forest soils in boreal and temperate climate zones
are believed to be significant sources of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) carbon
dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), but the
annual fluxes are still highly uncertain. Drained organic soils exemplify
systems where many studies are still carried out with relatively small
resources, several methodologies and manually operated systems, which
further involve different options for the detailed design of the measurement
and data analysis protocols for deriving the annual flux. It would be
beneficial to set certain guidelines for how to measure and report the data,
so that data from individual studies could also be used in synthesis work
based on data collation and modelling. Such synthesis work is necessary for
deciphering general patterns and trends related to, e.g., site types,
climate, and management, and the development of corresponding emission
factors, i.e. estimates of the net annual soil GHG emission and removal, which
can be used in GHG inventories. Development of specific emission factors
also sets prerequisites for the background or environmental data to be
reported in individual studies. We argue that wide applicability greatly
increases the value of individual studies. An overall objective of this
paper is to support future monitoring campaigns in obtaining high-value
data. We analysed peer-reviewed publications presenting CO2, CH4
and N2O flux data for drained organic forest soils in boreal and
temperate climate zones, focusing on data that have been used, or have the
potential to be used, for estimating net annual soil GHG emissions and removals.
We evaluated the methods used in data collection and identified major gaps
in background or environmental data. Based on these, we formulated
recommendations for future research.


The objective of this study was to examine the effect of ensiling and maturity on the in vitro digestion kinetics of the perennial ryegrass cell wall fraction. Preliminary methodological studies concluded that (i) in vitro cell wall digestion profiles were optimised when fermentation tubes were horizontally incubated, (ii) perennial ryegrass cell wall isolation by neutral detergent extraction but not by aqueous extraction (70 °C) adversely affected in vitro digestion kinetics (iii) method of inoculum preservation (untreated and frozen at - 20 °C, with or without cryoprotectant, with or without pre-incubation) did not affect the rate but all imposed a lag (p<0.05) and altered the extent of dry matter (DM) digestion, when compared with fresh inoculum. Pre-incubation was beneficial in the absence of a cryoprotectant only (p<0.05) and the digestion kinetics of the frozen un-treated inoculum were similar to preservation with a cryoprotectant. A dual flow semicontinuous culture was established. In vitro protozoal numbers were less than in vivo (p<0.001) and in vivo ruminal diurnal trends for volatile fatty acid (VFA), ammonia and lactate were qualitatively simulated. When the fresh forage was incubated in vitro, ensiling reduced (p<0.001) the apparent extent of digestion (AED) of a late season perennial ryegrass cell wall fraction. Ensiling had no effect on the AED of the fractionated cell wall fraction, removed from the whole forage by aqueous extraction. There was a maturity x forage interaction for the cell wall digestion of fresh (p<0.01) and fractionated (p<0.05) perennial ryegrass ensiled at different maturities. Maturity (p<0.001) but not ensiling adversely affected the digestion of the isolated cell wall fraction. Ensiling per se decreased the microbial protein production (p<0.001) from the watersoluble fraction but did not affect VFA production. The AED of the isolated cell wall fraction from an extensively preserved perennial ryegrass forage was increased when supplemented with the water-soluble component of the fresh herbage (WG) (p<0.05) or with WG and nitrogen (p<0.05). The AED of the isolated cell wall fraction from the restrictively preserved forage was not influenced by supplementation. The biochemical alterations in the Wg fraction due to ensiling did not influence cell wall digestion of the fresh or extensively preserved forage nor did it influence protozoal numbers, microbial protein or VFA production in the rumen semi-continuous culture.


Today's flight operations work on a pressurised 24/7 timetable as a result of the unrelenting escalation in international long-haul, short-haul, regional and overnight flights within commercial aviation. Air traffic around the world has doubled every 10 years for the last 30 years. Whilst there have been considerable advancements in aviation technology and operational demands, the human operators need for sleep remains. Commercial airline pilots are presently highly suspectible to sleep loss and fatigue due to these demanding, round-the- clock requirements. Whilst flight and duty time limitation regulations are in place to prevent pilot fatigue, they are not based on sound scientific evidence regarding their ability to do so. Furthermore, various European-based investigations have reported very high levels of sleep disruption and fatigue in European cockpits. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the influence of sleep deprivation and associated fatigue on incidents in flight and mental health and to investigate its effects on performance in commercial airline pilots. Firstly, this research found a critical pathway from duty hours through to self-reported incidents in flight with sleep disruption and feelings of fatigue in the cockpit found to be key factors contributing to this pathway (Study 1). This research also found very high incidences of self-reported sleep disturbance, feelings of fatigue in the cockpit, and consequential errors and incidents in flight as a result of fatigue. Further to this, self-reported sleep disruption and feelings of fatigue were also found to significantly influence pilots' self-reported perceived depression or anxiety with those who reported higher incidences of sleep disturbance and fatigue being more likely to report feeling depressed or anxious (Study 2). Additionally, 24 hours' sleep deprivation and subsequent fatigue was found to significantly impair mood and airline pilot core competencies, specifically cognitive flexibility, hand-eye coordination, multi-tasking ability, sustained attention, problem-solving, situation awareness and perceived workload with significant impairments becoming evident following 20 hours of continuous wakefulness (Study 3 & 4). Flying performance was not significantly impaired. Sleep disruption and fatigue is a highly serious and prevalent problem in European cockpits. It negatively impacts flight safety and pilot mental health and well-being. Further investigation in to the current flight and duty time limitation regulations as well as in to potential measures which could act as early detection and warning indicators of declining performance, as a result of sleep loss and fatigue, would enhance flight safety and promote pilot mental health and well-being.


The reproductive biology of the chondrichthyan fishes is remarkably sophisticated. Using both oviparous and viviparous reproductive modes, the group in general has adapted the strategy of producing relatively few young at one time. The oviparous species foreshadow the situation common in oviparous reptiles and universal in birds; viviparous species range from internal incubators to species in which the complexity of placentation and egg yolk reduction approaches the eutherian condition. In certain viviparous elasmobranchs histiotrophic nutrition attains an importance not seen in any other vertebrate group. Associated with the elasmobranch priority on these female reproductive adaptations, a typically vertebrate type of reproductive endocrinology is seen for the first time. This laboratory has focused on ovarian endocrine function and the regulation of the reproductive tract. We report on the steroidogenic capacity of theca, granulosa, and luteal elements and their regulation and correlate this with the natural ovarian cycle and plasma hormone levels. In addition, we describe the biochemistry of the ovarian peptide hormone relaxin and some of its actions on the reproductive tract. As in terrestrial species, relaxin effect on the elasmobranch reproductive tract is steroid hormone-dependent. In general, the results support the concept that the basic endocrine regulatory elements for vertebrate reproductive processes were established in the earliest gnathostomes, the elasmobranchs. These species may therefore provide useful models from which to gain insights into the complexities of higher vertebrate systems that may be obscured by subsequent adaptation to a terrestrial environment and homeothermy.


An extensive literature on adult learning principles has been developed over the last 40 years. Simultaneously, undergraduate medical educational programs have undergone varying degrees of curricular reform. The present paper discusses the educational and societal factors that have functioned as a catalyst for innovations in medical education, and reviews the major initiatives which have been undertaken. Data are analyzed to assess the extent to which some of these changes have been incorporated into medical curricula. A comprehensive review of adult learning principles is than presented, in order to provide a framework for the incorporation of principles of adult learning into the next wave of medical education reform. The review of adult learning principles reveals that undergraduate medical educational reform has underutilized the robust literature on adult learning. The present paper concludes with suggestions for medical education reform that incorporates the principles of adult learning and discusses the major impediment to curricular reform.


Many RNA viruses, following entry into the central nervous system (CNS), remain detectable within the brain long after acute infection has resolved, typically in the absence of clinical signs of CNS disease. In many of these infections, (including measles virus (MV), West Nile virus, sindbis virus, rabies virus, and influenza virus), detection of viral protein or RNAs within the CNS long after the acute phase did not correlate with recovery of infectious virus in infected animals. This led many to consider these residual RNAs as inert viral remnants in neurons that had survived both viral infection and the antiviral host response. In this dissertation, I demonstrate that long-term viral persistence following infection with a neurotropic RNA virus can be reactivated, and that such recrudescence leads to a novel neuropathogenic outcome. In these studies, I characterized the persistence of MV in neurons of the CNS in immunocompetent mice and demonstrate that reactivation of viral transcription and protein synthesis is associated with a loss of adaptive immunity and the onset of severe CNS disease and motor dysfunction in mice that had presumably cleared the acute infection. The cerebellum/brain stem is the primary site of long-term maintenance of viral RNA, and loss of cell mediated viral control induces gait and motor problems consistent with cerebellar ataxia. Finally, using primary neuronal cultures I characterized the role of BST2 during neuronal viral infection and demonstrate, opposite to its well-characterized contributions in restricting viral particle release, that neuronal BST2 promotes viral spread. Together, these results show that persistent viral RNAs in the CNS are not inert, but can result in pathogenic host consequences distinct from those seen during an acute viral infection. Further, my findings underscore the cell-type specific differences of viral infection on ISG functions and immunity, highlighting the ramifications of such viral control mechanisms and their ability to promote the maintenance of viruses in the CNS that can ultimately lead to host pathogenesis. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Cell & Molecular Biology First Advisor Glenn F. Rall Second Advisor Susan R. Weiss


The effect of glucocorticosteroids on the kinetics of mononuclear phagocytes, i.e., peripheral blood monocytes and peritoneal macrophages, was studied in normal mice, as well as in mice in which an inflammatory reaction was evoked in the peritoneal cavity. The administration of glucocorticosteroids resulted in a rapid decrease (within 3–6 hr) in the number of circulating monocytes, the duration being dependent on the nature and dose of the compound. The water-soluble dexamethasone sodium phosphate is only briefly active (less than 12 hr), but hydrocortisone acetate, which forms a subcutaneous depot, reduced the number of monocytes for more than 2 wk. In normal mice, hydrocortisone did not affect the number of macrophages already present in the peritoneal cavity, but the transit of mononuclear phagocytes from the circulation into the peritoneal cavity was arrested. During an inflammatory response in the peritoneal cavity, hydrocortisone suppresses both the increase in the number of monocytes in the peripheral blood and the increase in the number of peritoneal macrophages. This reduction of the inflammatory exudate appeared to be due to a diminished influx of mononuclear phagocytes from the peripheral blood. No lytic action of glucocorticosteroids on the mononuclear phagocytes could be demonstrated.


Objectives Prevention fatigue, relapse into unsafe sex practices and sexual behaviour changes have been reported in the community of men who have sex with men (MSM) since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Engaging in a relationship with a seroconcordant partner is perceived by some HIV-positive MSM as an alternative prevention strategy to consistent condom use. This study addresses whether underlying clinical factors exist characterising HIV-positive MSM in seroconcordant stable partnerships, enrolled in the French national cross-sectional survey VESPA ANRS EN-12. Methods The study group comprised 322 HIV-positive MSM in stable relationships for more than 12 months, with a serodiscordant (n=251) or seroconcordant (n=71) steady partner. Clinical and psychosocial factors were analysed for HIV-positive MSM with a seroconcordant steady partner. Results Multiple adjustment by logistic regression showed that individuals with a seroconcordant steady partner were more likely to have a history of an AIDS-defining event (OR 95% CI 2.0 (1.1 to 3.7), p=0.02) or be diagnosed as HIV positive before 1990 (OR 95% CI 2.2 (1.3 to 3.9), p=0.004). Conversely, HIV-positive MSM experiencing virological success (ie, high treatment adherence and an undetectable viral load) were more likely to have a serodiscordant steady partner (OR 95% CI 0.5 (0.3 to 0.9), p=0.02). Conclusions Longitudinal studies are required to understand to what extent HIV history might influence partnership choices among HIV-positive MSM. Positive prevention programmes and reinforcement of treatment adherence strategies are needed for this population and their steady sexual partners.


Researchers identified two needs of the in-hospital pediatric retail pharmacy. First was the reduction of the risk and frequency of errors. Second was the need to improve the efficiency of primary pharmacy tasks. Interruptions were identified as the primary issue. The team performed an extensive literature review and conducted interviews and observations to assess the pharmacy work system, work flow, and the impact of interruptions. A human factors analysis was done to accurately represent the pharmacy work system from data collection, and derive recommendations to improve efficiency and accuracy. Some of the recommendations were rapidly implemented into the pharmacy work system, including increased staffing during periods of high work demand, changes to counter spacing, and design changes to bags intended to contain refrigerated components. The research team conducted follow-up observations and collected survey data from pharmacy staff to determine the impact of the implemented interventions and identify key improvements.


China is beginning to take part in the high-tech revolution by actively developing its computer technology. The presence of computers in Chinese society has progressed from its exhibit status of a few years ago to its present widespread use in all areas of society. Computers have been incorporated extensively into the Chinese Educational System. Almost all research and development work in the area of CALI is done on micro- and minicomputers because they are more feasible financially. CALI research in China is still in the experimental stage with much of the research being done by teams of computer scientists  and professional educators. There is a strong need for software designed by Chinese educators. This software should have an emphasis on the communicative aspects rather than on the structural  grammar forms of the language being taught.


Results | Among 6887 participants, 2012 (28.6%; 95% CI, 26.5%-30.9%) were current tobacco users and 63 (1.0%; 95% CI, 0.8%-1.3%) had oral HPV-16 detected. Current tobacco users were more likely than nonusers to be male, younger, less educated, and to have a higher number of lifetime oral sexual partners (Table 1). In bivariable analysis, selfreported and biological measures of tobacco exposure as well as oral sexual behavior were significantly associated with prevalent oral HPV-16 infection (Table 2). Oral HPV-16 prevalence was greater in current tobacco users (2.0%; 95% CI, 1.3%-3.1%) compared with never or former tobacco users (0.6%; 95% CI, 0.4%-0.9%) (P = .004). Mean cotinine (157.7 ng/mL vs 57.2 ng/mL, P = .002) and NNAL levels (0.36 ng/mL vs 0.12 ng/mL, P = .02) were higher in individuals with vs without oral HPV-16 infection. All biomarkers of tobacco exposure remained associated with oral HPV-16 infection after adjustment for other factors (Table 2). Significant dose-response relationships were observed between cotinine (P = .02 for trend) or NNAL (P = .01 for trend) levels and odds of oral HPV-16 infection (Table 2). Each log increase in cotinine, approximating 3 cigarettes per day, was independently associated with oral HPV-16 prevalence (adjusted odds ratio, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.07-1.60). Each log increase in NNAL, approximating 4 cigarettes per day, was independently associated with oral HPV-16 prevalence (adjusted odds ratio, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.23-2.28).


This study was undertaken to examine the feasibility of assessing an undergraduate laboratory microbiology project solely online, instead of students submitting and discussing their data in an extensive written report. PHP scripts were used to construct the web forms and the data submitted by the students were stored in a MySQL database. The online assessment proved to be time-efficient for both students and tutors, albeit that the marks achieved by the cohort were higher than expected and were considered to have given a slightly optimistic assessment of the students' abilities, compared to two previous cohorts who had to submit written reports. Analysis of an anonymous student feedback questionnaire revealed that the online method of assessment was well-received by the students.


The Realist interpretation of 'War and Peace' -
articulated by Martin Wight and Stanley Hoffmann - is
based on Tolstoy's understanding of history as it is
elaborated in his account of the Napoleonic invasion
in the second epilogue of the book. There Tolstoy
puts forward a mechanistic view of international
relations which are assumed to be governed by
inexorable laws of history determining human
behaviour and limiting man's exercise of free will.
However, Tolstoy's subjection of man to the workings
of impenetrable laws of history in the second
epilogue is at variance with a multiplicity of
conscious moral choices that his three main
characters - Nikolay Rostov, Andrey Bolkonsky and
Pierre Bezukhov - make throughout the book. It is
argued that the different treatment of the freedom
vs. necessity problem in the fictional and historical
narrative can only be understood contextually, i.e.
from within Tolstoy' rejection of the Enlightenment
tradition of scientific and moral inquiry.


Growth hormone (GH) is released in a pulsatile fashion from the anterior pituitary gland, with the greatest release occurring during sleep and exercise. Under normal conditions, nocturnal GH release is attenuated during sleep deprivation. Acute sleep deprivation can also impair exercise performance and cognitive function. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to assess the impact of acute sleep deprivation on exercise-induced GH release. Secondary aims were to investigate alterations in exercise performance and cognitive function during acute sleep deprivation. Ten male subjects (20.6 ± 1.4 years) were screened for normal sleeping patterns before completing two randomized 24-hour laboratory sessions. They completed a brief, high-intensity exercise bout following either a night of adequate sleep (SLEEP) or acute (24-hour) sleep deprivation (SLD). Anaerobic performance (mean power [MP], peak power [PP], time to peak power [TTPP], minimum power [MinP], fatigue index [FI] and total work per sprint [TWPS]) was determined from four maximal 30-sec Wingate sprints on a cycle ergometer followed by four minutes of active recovery between each sprint. Subjects also performed psychomotor vigilance tasks (PVT) and Paced Auditory Serial Addition Tests (PASAT) during each 24-hr session (0800h, 2000h, 0600h and 0730h) with the latter two taken immediately pre- and post-exercise. The average amount of sleep in the 7 days prior to each session was similar between the SLEEP and SLD sessions (7.92 ± 0.33 vs. 7.98 ± 0.39 hr, p = 0.656, respectively) and during the actual SLEEP session in the lab, the total amount of sleep was similar to the 7 days leading up to the lab session (7.72 ± 0.14 hours vs. 7.92 ± 0.33 hours, respectively) (p = 0.166). Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant interaction effect of sprint x session on PP (p < 0.05). Only the peak power output during sprint 1 of the SLEEP vs. SLD session was significantly greater (1207 ± 177 vs. 1150 ± 137 W, respectively, p < 0.01). MP, PP, MinP and TWPS decreased significantly within each session (p < 0.01), but there were no significant main effects of session. Respiratory rate (RR) was significantly elevated at rest during the SLD vs. SLEEP session (14.8 ± 2.2 vs. 13.7 ± 3.2 breaths/min, p < 0.05) while heart rate (HR) was significantly depressed at rest (60 ± 8 vs. 64 ± 8 bpm, p < 0.05) and during exercise (176 ± 9 vs. 182 ± 9 bpm, p < 0.05). Average oxygen consumption (VO2), metablic equivalent (METS), expired carbon dioxide (VCO2), ventilation (VE), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), respiratory rate (RR), tidal volume (VT), peak VO2 and peak METS were all similar between sessions. Resting GH concentration and time to reach exercise-induced peak GH concentration were similar between the SLEEP and SLD sessions (0.57 ± 0.13 vs. 1.35 ± 0.55 µg/L, p = 0.575; 29.5 ± 2.2 vs. 27.0 ± 1.5 min, p = 0.257, respectively). However, GH AUC (exercise + recovery), peak GH concentration and ?GH (peak GH – resting GH) were significantly lower during the SLEEP session (p < 0.01). PVT scores post-exercise were significantly poorer during the SLD session (326.2 ± 36.6 vs. 298.8 ± 21.1 msec, p < 0.05). In conclusion, acute sleep deprivation influenced exercise-induced peak HR and GH but had minimal effects on exercise performance. Furthermore, sleep deprivation had no effect on cognitive measures at rest, but did impair sensory sensitivity following exercise.


In this paper we describe a research project in nursing ethics aimed at exploring the meaning of ethics for nurses providing direct care with clients. This was a practice-based project in which participants who were staff nurses, nurses in advanced practice, and students in nursing were asked to tell us (or describe to us) how they thought about ethics in their practice, and what ethical practice meant to them. We then undertook to analyze, describe and understand the enactment of ethical practice, the opportunities for and barriers to such enactment, as well as the resources nurses need for ethical practice. We drew out implications of these findings for nursing leaders. We identified practice realities that create a climate for ethical or moral distress, and the way in which nurses attempt to maintain their moral agency. Practice realities included nurses' ethical concerns about policies guiding care; the financial, human and temporal resources available for care; and the power and conflicting loyalties nurses encounter inproviding good care. Maintaining moral agency involved use of a variety of ethical resources and the identification of resources needed to provide good care, as well as the processes used to enact moral agency. Nurse leaders are also moral agents. Important implications of these findings for nursing leaders are that they need moral courage to be self-reflective, to name their own moral distress, and to act so that their nursing staff are able to be moral agents. Nurse leaders need to be the moral compass for nurses, using their power as a positive force to promote, provide and sustain quality practice environments for safe, competent and ethical practice.


Context: Anthrax is a zoonotic and occupational disease caused by bacterium Bacillus anthracis. The agent produces spores which persist in the environment for years. This review assessed previous reports on anthrax disease in Iran from 2000 to 2016. Evidence acquisition: The reports of anthrax from 2000 to 2016 were reviewed. The keywords "Bacillus anthracis", "Anthrax", "clinical signs", "Iran" and "zoonosis" were investigated in the searching databases such as "Google Scholar", "Google", "PubMed" and other sites. The reports of soil isolation and spores from environments were excluded. However, the clinical outcome of the cases, history of animal exposure, wool contaminations and meat in slaughterhouses were included. Results of Persian reports were also included in this review. Data were analyzed using Excel and GraphPad Prism version 6.1. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was used for data analysis.. Overall, 768 cases of anthrax were found in human, sheep, goats and cattle. Six hundred of the human cases aged between 2.5 and 71 years old were included. Four-hundred ten (68.33%) patients were male (mean age=28.1 ± 1.5) and 190 (31.66%) patients were female (mean age = 17±1.5). Clinical manifestations in patients were mostly in 2 cutaneous (56.6%) and gastrointestinal (42.83%) forms. Sporadic anthrax outbreaks occurred in the country in 2007, 2008 and 2011. No molecular typing has been performed for B. anthracis strains countrywide. The virulence factors encoded by the genes located on plasmids pXO1 and pXO2 were detected in various areas with high prevalence. Conclusion: Cutaneous and gastrointestinal anthrax are 2 main manifestations of the disease in Iran. Male patients were significantly more infected. Although rare, anthrax continues to be a dreadful consequence of herds or soil exposure and consumption of undercooked meat of infected animals. Education plans and proper animal vaccination plans with the consideration of virulence factors are helpful for the prevention of the disease.


The widespread use of mobile devices has transformed casual places into meeting places. However, in these places, it is uncommon to have shared information workspace such as a beam projector, making it inconvenient and inefficient to exchange information and to get a direct feedback. To address this challenge, we present Ubi-jector, a mobile system that provides a shared information space that is equally distributed to each participant's mobile device and allows group members to share documents and collaborate real-time. We first characterized the information sharing patterns and identified the limitations of the current practice in meeting places without a shared workspace, by conducting qualitative user studies. Next, we implemented Ubi-jector with the design guidelines drawn in the prior stage. Also, we performed an evaluation study that showed the possibilities of Ubi-jector to facilitate an effective information sharing and foster an active participation even in poorly-equipped environments.


Widely hailed as the next generation auto-identification technology, RFID has captured the imaginations of organizations across different industry sectors. Accordingly, organizational managers are faced with the important but difficult task of evaluating RFID in the context of their organization and deciding upon its adoption. This research uses the real options perspective to understand how managers' recognition of the real options from the adoption of RFID affects their adoption decision-making. Conceptualizing the recognition of real options as a sense-making exercise by managers, we investigate the roles played by the institution in which the organization operates, and managers' own mindfulness in recognizing these options. Using responses collected from 110 managers responsible for RFID adoption in their organizations, we demonstrate that managers recognize and value the presence of real options, and it affects their intention to adopt RFID. Both institutional factors and managerial mindfulness are found important in recognizing


Twenty-six patients who suffered myocardial infarction associated with FC III angina pectoris were examined for the effect of physical training on the health status. 25 patients made up the control group. Physical training lasted II months and included remedial exercise, bicycle ergometry training, and graded walking. The central hemodynamics at rest and during exercise was assessed by tetrapolar chest rheography. All reactions in the hemodynamics were analyzed in respect to the status at rest. Ultrasound sectorial scanning was used to study left ventricular contractile function at rest. The patients undergoing training manifested a decrease of angina pectoris manifestations, a considerable rise of work fitness, improvement of the hemodynamic response towards physical exercise, corresponding to 75% of the initial threshold level. In the control group patients, the clinical status, work fitness and the hemodynamic response towards exercise did not undergo any substantial changes. Neither main nor control group demonstrated any appreciable changes on the part of left ventricular contractile function.


Induced thermal stresses during quenching of micro and nano-structured ZrO2 coatings from 1250 oC to 20 oC has been modeled using finite element method. Thermal stresses distribution of coatings has been also calculated. Results show that thermal stress in x-direction is zero at the edges of both micro and nano-structured samples. It is also concluded that shear thermal stress of nano-structured coatings is 33% lower than its value in micro ones. In addition, shear stresses in TGO layer were also calculated and the results show these stresses are 35% lower than micro ones. Modeling results validates long life time of nano-structured coatings.


Future unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) will be shared by multiple users and will have to operate in conditions where their fully-autonomous function is required. Calculation of a drones trajectory will be important but optimal trajectories cannot be calculated unless mass and flight speed are taken into account. This article presents the case for on-drone trajectory planning in a multi-user dynamic payload mass scenario, allowing a drone to calculate its trajectory with no need for ground control communication. We formulate and investigate on-drone trajectory planning under variable payload mass and flight speed awareness, in cases where it is shared by multiple users or applications. We present efficient solutions using a combination of heuristic and optimization algorithms. To support this investigation, we present a new model for the power dissipation of drone propulsion as a function of speed and payload mass. We evaluate our proposed algorithmic solution on contemporary embedded processors and demonstrate its capability to generate near-optimal trajectories with limited computational overhead (less than 300 milliseconds on an ARM Cortex-A9 SoC).


The result was used to producted mash phytase from recombinat bacteria BL21 (DE3) EAS1-AMP and its applied to mixed corn soybean diet for broiler chickens. Crude and pure extraceluller phytase was producted with Sajidan method (2002). Induction enzyme to producted phytase with IPTG/Isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside (Promega V395D). The in vitro digestible P was determined with Wu et al. (2004). Calculation of digestible P by different of digestible value of P after and before in vitro on dry matter (Tillman et al., 1989). The P containt was determined with Jackson method (1985). Crude phytase extracelluler was mixed wheat corn and hull of rice. Its was leufolized with sun, open and freezer dryer. Stability phytase was determinaned by relative activity enzyme during five weeks (Whitaker dan Stanbury, 1987). Encapsulation enzyme with chitosan. Chitosan was dissolved with acetat acid. The compound of P of hull of rice with phytase and without phytse was high significantly (P<0,01). Wheat rice with phytase had high digestible P than wheat rice without P. In vitro test was shown phytase to increased digestible P 0.002 g, stabilized from pepsin, and unstabilized from pancreas. Chytosan concentration was optimum on 0.8%. Equivalent of chytosan and phytase was optimum on 1:1. Wheat corn more good than hull of rice for carrier on feed additive. Leufolization by freezer dryer more good than oven and sun dryer on feed additive. Phytase on wheat corn and freezer dryer is very good stability during 5 weeks.


ABSTRACT A crucial component of the neoliberal regime is the shift of responsibility for individuals' financial well-being and security from the state and other public bodies to the individuals themselves, who are required to take responsibility for their own financial decisions and their current and future economic situation. This project of responsibilization presumes a world in which calculative subjects can estimate and manage future risks. Nonetheless, compelled to engage with the financial sphere as a key means of assuring their economic security, individuals are exposed in fact to the fundamental uncertainty of financial markets. In this article, we examine conventions formulated and communicated by financial education programs as cognitive devices geared to prompt individuals to imagine and engage with finance as a site of knowable, calculable and manageable risks, rather than as a site of fundamental uncertainty. Aiming to instill among the general public a particular cognitive frame based on the idea that possible futures are assessable and the risks that they carry can be managed through engagement with financial products and services, these conventions contribute to the normalization of financial logics in everyday life and the incorporation of the general population into the process of financialization.


Recent advances in field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA) have made it possible to efficiently build various complex hardware emulation systems. This technology promises new levels of system integration onto a single FPGA, but also presents significant challenges to designers. The proposed reconfigurable virtual instrumentation (RVI) project leverages the latest FPGA technological advances. Its goal is to provide a low-cost reusable hardware/software platform for the emulation of multiple electronic and scientific instrumentation systems. Unlike previous approaches, the proposed architecture leverages a block-based design methodology that emphasizes design reuse as an effective mean to cope with the challenge of a growing design complexity. An open source approach to the project allows future contributors to rely on previously developed software, making the emulation of new instruments increasingly more cost-effective. This paper details the architecture of the RVI system with its main building blocks. It also illustrates its capabilities with multiple implementation examples


This study was carried out to determine the unit production costs and profitability of the farms which are breading and selling Kangal Shepherd dogs in Sivas Province, Turkey. The material of the study was the data from 2018 year which was obtained from 3 farms selected from 9 kangal shepherd dog breeding farms in Sivas province of Turkey. As for the scale of farms, which has 0-30 head dogs are defined as small-scale, 31-50 heads dogs are medium-sized and over 51 heads dogs are defined as large-scale farms. As a result of the study, it has been determined that there are differences in the expense items that constitute the cost in the farms. The obtained data were analyzed using Excel program. Feed is the biggest expense item in large scale farm with 40.80%, this rate while in the other two farms (medium and small scale), 37.15% and 47.20% respectively. When the expenses in large-scale farm are examined, the first five ranking are 40.80% for feed, 21% for labor, 8.74% for fuel, 7.77% for building maintenance and repair and 4.37% for the loan. This ranking is to the medium scale farm; Labor force with 37.15%, feed with 24.49%, fuel with 8.16%, loan with 6.80% of the borrower and 6.80% of the building maintenance repairs. And this ranking is to the small scale farm; labor force accounts for 47.20%, 10.89% health care expenses, 8.47% fuel costs, 7.26% feed depletion and 7.26% for the credit of the operator. When the technical parameters were examined, the average age of swarms was found to be 3.4, the average age of reforming was 8.8, the average number of born puppies was 4.9, the percentage of pregnancy was 60.53%, and the rate of the dead puppies was 24.5%. When the profitability ratio is examined, the average financial profitability is -0.37. Economic rantability is -8.31, -54.57, -32.49 for large, medium and small scale enterprises, respectively. The average cost-to-revenue ratio was 0.69. In conclusion, it was determined that farms breeding and selling Kangal shepherd dogs in Sivas province did not work profitably. Finding of this study were presented as an oral presentation at the "III. Congress of National Livestocks Economics" in Antalya, 2018. Key words : Kangal shepherd dog, Economic analysis, Cost, Profitability


High resolution TEM images of boron carbide (B13C2) have been recorded and compared with images calculated using the multislice method as implemented by M. A. O'Keefe in the SHRLI programs. Images calculated for the [010] zone, using machine parameters for the JEOL 2000FX AEM operating at 200 keV, indicate that for the structure model of Will et al., the optimum defocus image can be interpreted such that white spots correspond to B12 icosahedra for thin specimens and to low density channels through the structure adjacent to the direct inter-icosahedral bonds for specimens of intermediate thickness (-40 > t > -100 nm). With this information, and from the symmetry observed in the TEM images, it is likely that the (101) twin plane passes through the center of icosahedron located at the origin. This model was tested using the method of periodic continuation. Resulting images compare favorably with experimental images, thus supporting the structural model. The introduction of a (101) twin plane through the origin creates distortions to the icosahedral linkages as well as to the intra-icosahedral bonding. This increases the inequivalence of adjacent icosahedral sites along the twin plane, and thereby increases the likelihood of bipolaron hopping.


The declaration of the ongoing mpox (formerly monkeypox) outbreak by the WHO as a public health emergency of international concern has put global attention on mpox disease. As of December 4, 2022, a total of 80,221 mpox cases had been confirmed from 110 countries, with a major proportion of cases being reported from previously non-endemic countries. The current global emergence and spread of the disease has highlighted the challenges and the need for efficient public health preparedness and response. There are several challenges posed in the current mpox outbreak, ranging from epidemiological factors to diagnostic and socio-ethnic issues. These challenges may be circumvented with proper intervention measures such as strengthening surveillance, robust diagnostics, clinical management plans, intersectoral collaboration, firm prevention plans, capacity building, addressing stigma and discrimination against vulnerable groups, and ensuring equitable access to treatments and vaccines. To address the above challenges in the wake of the current outbreak, it is essential to understand the gaps and plug them with effective countermeasures.


In the 1990 income and expenditure surveys, the Central Statistics Office estimated that 40 per cent of Zimbabwe's population (4.2 million people) were poor and 17 per cent were very poor (CSO, 1990). By the mid-1990s a comparable survey estimated that 63 per cent of Zimbabwe's population were poor and 35 per cent were very poor (CSO, 1995; PASS, 1995). Whilst there is some debate on the absolute levels of poverty (discussed below), most observers agree that poverty increased in the early 1990s. From 2000, the stagnation in the overall growth of the economy indicates a continuing deterioration in the levels of poverty.
Poverty in Zimbabwe is primarily a rural phenomenon although urban and peri-urban poverty have grown since the 1990s. Reducing poverty therefore means giving high priority to rural development and sustainable natural resource management. As a key sector in determining overall economic performance, agriculture has the potential to make a significant contribution to poverty reduction. However, despite some well-known success stories, in practice the agricultural sector has not yet made a significant, sustained contribution to improving household security in rural areas (Poulton et al, 2002). Although still of central importance, agriculture and natural resource based activities are increasingly unable to provide sufficient means of survival in rural areas (Ellis, 1999)


This issue welcomes Neal Wyatt, joining Laurie Tarulli as coeditor of the Readers' Advisory column. With her arrival we introduce an occasional series exploring genre and format. For our first foray, Gillian Speace, Readers' Advisory Librarian, NoveList, provides a guided tour of the reoccurring themes of science fiction, suggesting ways advisors can use its perennial concerns to connect readers to the genre's rich backlist as well as keep them immersed in new works—and worlds. By pairing a classic work to a new title and, conversely, a new work to a backlist staple, advisors can make full use of the collection, expand the range of titles they keep in their proverbial RA back pocket, and help readers access the full richness of the genre.—Editor


Objective: The aim of this study was to validate the endoscopic findings against histologic features of the distal esophageal mucosa for the diagnosis of reflux esophagitis in infants. Methods: The data records of 167 patients (88 M; 79F) aged 38364 days, referred for investigation of reflux esophagitis, between January 1995 and December 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. The association between nominal (presence or absence of esophagitis) and ordinal (grades of esophagitis) variables was analyzed through a correlation between the results of endoscopic findings and histology. Results: Endoscopy when compared with histologic analysis had a sensitivity of 45%; specificity of 71%; positive and negative predictive value of 89% and 21% respectively; and accuracy of 50%. Additionally, this study demonstrated that there was a poor correlation between endoscopic and histologic findings when endoscopy was normal or when endoscopic grade I esophagitis was observed (p = 0.10). Normal esophageal appearance failed to identify 79.2% of patients with histologic esophagitis. Conversely, amongst patients with endoscopic grade I esophagitis, 12.1% had normal histology. Conclusions: We concluded that whilst endoscopy had a specificity of 71%, it did not attain an acceptable range of sensitivity (45%) to justify performing an endoscopy without biopsy, as many true cases of esophagitis would not be detected; and that the presence of grade I (non-erosive) esophagitis at endoscopy did not increase the value of the test in predicting histologic abnormality.


Objective: In our search for a new augmentation therapy for stroke patients, we administered cilostazol, an antiplatelet agent. Subjects: The patients suffered from mild hemiparesis or cognitive disorder showing reduced cerebral perfusion in the prefrontal cortex. Methods: We evaluated the functional cerebral blood flow (CBF) before and after the administration of cilostazol using near-infrared resonance spectroscopy (NIRS) during a verbal fluency task (VFT). Results: For the patient with cognitive disorder, statistically significant improvements were observed in the number of generated words in the VFT before and after administration of 50 mg cilostazol (p 0.05, Mann-Whitney U test). Another patient without cognitive disorder, however, showed no significant VFT improvement after administration of cilostazol. Effect size data revealed large or very large effects of cilostazol on brain activation (oxy-Hb levels) at the affected side prefrontal cortex for both patients. The patient with cognitive disorder showed significant improvement in VFT performance as well as an increase in bilateral prefrontal CBF after cilostazol administration. Discussion: These findings suggest that, for patients with cerebrovascular lesions suffering from cognitive disorder, cilostazol may be promising as a drug to improve cognitive function in addition to preventing recurrent cerebral infarction.


can we forget the fascination that our terrariums, aquariums, or chemical crystal gardens held over us when we were children? Watching beautiful and functional structures emerge and then decay taught us a great deal about life and our own ultimate destiny. The Nerve Garden allows users to plant seeds in a digital terrarium and witness the growth of familiar and strange plant and animal structures. Through an artful combination of L-systems, VRML, neural networks, Java, the Web, and a mouse and dataglove interface, participants sow seeds in cyberspace. Participants leave the Nerve Garden proud of their petunias or unnerved by the realization that life may find a way into digital space.


Infections of the distal finger have a varied presentation, course, and treatment. As in other hand infections, initial treatment should always include elevation of the extremity and the avoidance of snug clothing or constricting jewelry. Immunosuppressive states and systemic diseases such as diabetes must be considered, for they will alter the action of the causative organisms as well as the intensity of treatment that a patient will require. Appropriate, specific antibiotic treatment can be part of the initial treatment of acute felons and paronychias, but it should never replace adequate incision and drainage. Finally, "minor" finger infections are only minor when diagnosed and treated properly. If mistreated, their consequences can have long-term implications for both the individual and for society. It is important to understand the natural history, bacteriology, and anatomy of the distal finger if we are to return patients to their jobs with expedience and minimal long-term sequelae.


The ecology of aquatic protists such as testate amoebae is poorly known worldwide, but is almost completely unknown in lakes of the northern Neotropics. To address this knowledge gap, we analyzed testate amoebae (Amoebozoa: Arcellinidae) in lakes of the Lacandón Forest, one of the most biodiverse parts of southern México. We set out to evaluate the diversity of testate amoebae communities and assess whether testate amoebae taxa are reliable indicators of environmental variables dissolved oxygen and water depth. We collected 17 surface sediment samples from a range of water depths in six lakes across the Naha-Metzabok Biosphere Reserve, northeastern Chiapas state. We identified 15 testate amoebae taxa distributed across seven genera. Eleven were identified to species level and four to strain (infra-subspecific level), and taxa were distributed unevenly among samples. Distribution of taxa in samples was related to dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration in the water measured near the sediment surface. Arcella discoides and Centropyxis aculeata strain "aculeata" were the most tolerant of low oxygen concentrations, whereas the other taxa require higher DO levels. The influence of oxygen was also seen at the assemblage level. Sites with low DO concentrations had Shannon Diversity Index (SDI) values <1.5, an indication of stressful ambient conditions. We identified two species assemblage types, which are distinguished by their oxygen concentration requirements. Assemblage 1 was more diverse and possessed species that are intolerant of low oxygen concentrations, whereas Assemblage 2 possessed fewer, rarer, opportunistic species that tolerate stressful conditions. Low oxygen concentrations are related to water depth and the combination of these two variables is important in determining the composition of testate amoebae assemblages in Lacandón Forest lakes. Quantitative relationships between testate amoebae assemblages and water depth will enable use of sedimented amoebae remains for paleolimnological inference of past water level changes in lakes of the Lacandón Forest. Corresponding author: firstname.lastname@example.com


During recent years, case reports of starch granulomas have been appearing with increasing frequency. It is the purpose of this paper to present 3 illustrative cases. to discuss the diagnostic problems created by starch granulomas in the peritoneal cavity, and to alert the surgeon to this iatrogenic disease which increases surgical morbidity and mortality. Almost 30 years ago Antopol reported that talc is capable of producing granulomas in living tissue. As the case reports of talc granulomas increased, an intensive search for an absorbable, nonreactive glove powder was instituted and supposedly consummated with a specially prepared starch powder. An investigative report in 1947 told of the tissues' apparently complete absorption of this specially prepared starch powder,1but this thesis was modified by Lee and his co-workers in a 1952 reappraisal of the so-called "absorbable" powder.2The following reports are clinical demonstrations of the effect of starch glove powder


This paper presents results of an exploratory quantitative analysis of subject representation in the large dataset of over 8 million item-level metadata records in the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) originating from a number of institutions that serve as content or service hubs of DPLA. The findings demonstrate both similarities and differences in subject representation across content and service hub providers. This benchmark study provides empirical data about the distribution of subjects at the hub level (e.g., minimum, maximum, and average number of subjects per record; number of records without subjects; and number of unique subjects) as well as distribution by hub type (content or service hubs), and subjects shared across similar hubs or across the entire aggregation.


ABSTRACT Background and the purpose of the study: Erica arborea  L. (Ericaceae) has been used in Turkey folk medicine as a diuretic, urinary antiseptic and laxative. However, its other pharmacological effects have not been yet elucidated clearly. The aim of this study was to investigate analgesic effects of its methanolic (MeOH) extract in mice using formalin test, as a model of tonic inflammatory pain. Methods: The MeOH extract of aerial parts and its fractions (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% MeOH in water) were prepared by maceration and solid phase extraction method respectively. Effects of the MeOH extract (10, 20 and 30 mg/kg, i.p.) and different fractions (5 mg/kg, i.p.) were compared with analgesic effects of the morphine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) and indomethacine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) as standard analgesic drugs. Results and major conclusion: Results showed that the MeOH extract of E. arborea (10 mg/kg, i.p.) similar to the morphine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) and indomethacen (5 mg/kg, i.p.) decreased formalin-induced paw licking time,. Among the prepared-fractions of the MeOH extract, only fraction of 20% (5 mg/kg, i.p.) caused significant decrease in paw licking behavior. Moreover, the MeOH extract (10 mg/kg, i.p.) did not produce any motor deficit effects in rotarod test. From the results it may be concluded that the MeOH extract and faction of 20% of E. arborea have a good analgesic effects in formalin test.


A fundamental study has been performed to examine the disintegration of oil films emerging from axial passages at the face of a rotating cylinder. The investigation has been conducted in parallel to a similar study on atomization processes at rotating radial holes (Glahn, A. et al., 2001, Disintegration of Oil Films Emerging From Radial Holes Inside a Cylinder, ASME Paper No. 2001-GT-0202) and has used the same approaches in simulating one of the droplet generation sources in aeroengine lubrication systems. Both papers aim to contribute to the establishment of a database that can be used for the development of droplet generation models directly applicable to engine conditions. As with the parallel investigation, the near-term objectives of fundamental oil film disintegration studies are (i) to determine droplet sizes under relevant aeroengine bearing compartment operating conditions, and (ii) to measure individual droplet diameter/velocity relationships. The long-term objective is to incorporate this information into advanced design systems such as CFD-based tools. In the present study, flow visualization has been used to identify the dominant disintegration processes. Droplet diameters and velocities have been obtained for relevant engine operating conditions. Data are presented in terms of both characteristic diameters and size-class resolved droplet velocities and flow angles. A comparison of droplet sprays measured in the present study with those generated by disintegration of oil films at the rim of a rotating disk (Glahn, A. et al., 2000, Droplet Generation by Disintegration of Oil Films at the Rim of a Rotating Disk, ASME Paper No. 2000-GT-0279) has been enabled by introducing nondimensional parameters for atomization products and operating conditions.


Novel phosphorescent bis- and tris-cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes bearing carbazole-appended dendrons were successfully synthesized, and fabrication of non-doped multilayer OLEDs by solution processing was demonstrated by using these complexes as emitting materials. The complexes exhibited sky-blue photoluminescence (PL) at 460–464 nm with excellent PL quantum yields of ca. 0.8, and their neat films also emitted sky-blue photoluminescence: the dendrons effectively suppressed aggregation between the luminescent cores, although referential core complexes, bearing no dendrons, exhibited aggregate-based green PL even when the core complexes were doped into a model host material of the dendron in the same core–dendron molar ratios as the present dendritic bis- and tris-cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes. As hydrophobic tert-butyl groups are placed on the periphery, the dendritic complexes exhibit good solubility in cyclohexane and poor solubility in 2-propanol. Such special properties allow for fabrication of solution-processed non-doped multilayer OLEDs consisting of a stack of the hole-transporting layer (HTL)/emitting layer (the dendritic complex)/electron-transporting layer (ETL). The devices showed sky-blue electroluminescence with excellent electron–hole charge balance factors (γ) of ca. 0.9, which were much higher than those of simple non-doped devices without HTL and ETL (γ; ca. 0.1).


'Vocabulary specialists in different fields do not talk to one another' (Schmitt 2010, p. 42). As vocabulary researchers working in the areas of reading and vocabulary, frequency and incidental vocabulary acquisition, and phraseology, we aimed to bridge this gap by collaborating on the reviews for three books that offer timely contributions to the field of L2 vocabulary acquisition. By distilling and synthesizing a vast and complex body of research findings into readable and approachable volumes, these three books have become standard references for many L2 vocabulary researchers. Additionally, these contributions have the potential to assist with breaking new ground in L2 vocabulary research through the authors' efforts at making the field more accessible. The first book (Schmitt, Researching Vocabulary: A Vocabulary Research Manual) focuses on providing guidance for conducting applied linguistics vocabulary research, which is beneficial for heightening awareness of vocabulary research, teaching, and assessment. The second book (Nation and Webb, Researching and Analyzing Vocabulary) provides direct implications for teaching and learning L2 vocabulary, with a focus on intentional learning, incidental learning, and the measurement of vocabulary knowledge. It is intended to guide junior researchers in critical analysis of published studies as well as intended methodologies of their own studies. The third book (Meara and Miralpeix, Tools for Researching Vocabulary), in contrast to the previous two, presents a set of computer programs that can aid, simplify, and quicken analysis and data collection for L2 vocabulary research.


Background and Purpose: Stroke is a well-known risk factor for vascular dementia. However, the association of transient ischemic attacks with cognitive impairment is less well-established. Methods: Records from Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were abstracted for demographic and medical information for participants with an age !60 years who reported being free of stroke. Five self-reported symptoms (weakness, numbness, loss of vision, inability to speak, and severe dizziness) were used as surrogates representing transient ischemic attacks. Information on conventional risk factors for vascular dementia was also obtained. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine risk factors for memory impairment. Results: 4617 participants were included with a sample-weighted prevalence of memory impairment of 6.6% (1417 participants). The final multivariable analysis revealed a significant association between transient weakness and memory impairment (odds ratio 1.52, 95% CI 1.11-2.07). The other 4 transient ischemic attacks symptoms were not significantly associated with memory impairment in the final model. Systolic blood pressure >140 was most strongly associated with prevalent memory impairment (odds ratio, 9.78, 95% CI 1.49-64.3). Other associated risk factors included non-white race, male gender, age, education ≤12 years, and history of any alcohol use. Conclusion: Among transient ischemic attacks symptoms, self-reported weakness in the face, arm, or leg was significantly associated with memory impairment. This study indicates that transient ischemic attacks symptoms are, even in the absence of stroke, associated with memory impairment. Aggressive risk factor modification in patients with TIA symptoms may be warranted to prevent potential future memory loss.


We propose an optimized coding system for progressive image transmission. This system includes a robust image compression algorithm based on the SPIHT (set partitioning in hierarchical trees) coder. Previous work has shown that with a small amount of extra redundancy, we can integrate error detection into arithmetic coding. This technique is used to provide error detection and to improve the channel decoder performance (list Viterbi algorithm: LVA) by means of a joint source channel decoding scheme. Moreover, an unequal error protection (UEP) method which applies error detection coding only to bits affected by error propagation is introduced. Simulations on binary symmetric channels with bit error probabilities of 1.2/spl times/10/sup -1/ and 2/spl times/10/sup -2/, for the 512/spl times/512 Lena image at a source coding bit rate of 1 bpp, show that significant improvement in terms of packet recovery rates and PSNR can be obtained with the proposed system in comparison with the well-known system presented by Sherwood and Zeger (1997).


The introduction of novel immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) has dramatically improved the survival of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). While it has been shown that patients with specific cytogenetic subtypes, namely t(4;14), have the best outcomes when treated with bortezomib‐based regimens, the relationship between cytogenetic subtypes and response to IMiDs remains unclear. Using DNA synthesis assays, we investigated the relationship between cytogenetic subtype and lenalidomide response in a representative panel of human myeloma cell lines (HMCLs). We examined HMCL protein expression levels of the lenalidomide target cereblon (CRBN) and its downstream target interferon regulatory factor‐4 (IRF4), which have previously been shown to be predictive of lenalidomide response in HMCLs. Our results reveal that lenalidomide response did not correlate with specific cytogenetic translocations. There were distinct groups of lenalidomide‐responsive and non‐responsive HMCLs, as defined by inhibition of cellular proliferation; notably, all of the hyperdiploid HMCLs fell into the latter category. Repeated dosing of lenalidomide significantly lowered the IC50 of the responsive HMCL ALMC‐1 (IC50 = 2.6 μm vs. 0.005 μm, P < 0.0001), but did not have an effect on the IC50 of the non‐responsive DP‐6 HMCL (P > 0.05). Moreover, no association was found between lenalidomide responsiveness and CRBN and IRF4 expression. Our data indicate that lenalidomide sensitivity is independent of cytogenetic subtype in HMCLs. While CRBN and IRF4 have been shown to be associated with response to lenalidomide in patients, these findings do not translate back to HMCLs, which could be attributable to factors present in the bone marrow microenvironment.


Evaporators can minimize the production of regulated waste residues, and increase the potential for recovering valuable materials from those wastes. Multiple-effect evaporators (MEEs) are common to industries that concentrate different products, regenerate solvents,or
separate solid-liquid mixtures. Process integration can help to choose the best configuration of MEE in order to achieve a more efficient process in the sense of energy use.
In present work a number of configurations and difficulties of MEE system such as condensate flashing, vapour bleeding, steam splitting, preheating of liquor using condensate,
variable physical properties and boiling point rise are taken into consideration to develop different models of evaporation system.In the present work seven effect evaporator system of typical Indian pulp and paper industry is considered for analysis based on above configurations. These systems is described by a set of nonlinear algebraic equations that include total and solute mass balances, energy balances, heat transfer rate equations and the composition and temperature dependence of relevant thermodynamic properties such as vapour pressures and enthalpies.The models are solved using 'system of nonlinear equations'.Pinch analysis of the MEE network is also done. Economic evaluation to optimize the number of flash tanks is carried out for seven effect evaporator system. The two different types of configuration of vapor bleeding are considered and comparison of both configurations is done. Considering the optimum number of flash tanks and the best configuration of vapor bleeding, a system was designed.Considering the maximum possible number of flash tanks and preheating of liquor using condensate,a final system was designed. This modified design enhances the steam economy by 23.77% and reduces the steam
consumption by 36.76% in comparison to simple system.


Introduction Physical fitness is one of the richest possession, it cannot be purchased; it has to be earned through systematic and daily routine of physical exercise/physical activity. One of the important, remarkable, beautiful, valuable and priceless things that God has created particularly on the earth is human life. Therefore, it is necessary to protect and maintain human life in order to achieve higher goals and objectives and also to live a happy and meaningful life. Fitness is the capacity of heart, blood vessels, lungs and muscles to function at optimum efficiency. Physical fitness is to the human body what fine tuning is to an engine. 'the ability to endure, to cheer up, to withstand stress, to carry on in circumstances where an unfit person cannot continue, and is a major basis for health and wellbeing'. People can only fulfil their potential when their bodies are healthy and fit. The statistical analysis of data on shoulder muscular strength has been analysed by factorial analysis of variance to test the significant differences between the main effects (age group and areas) and their interactions (age group and areas). Post-hoc test was used wherever interaction was significant followed by post-hoc tests to find out the paired mean differences. The level of significances was set at 0.05. Findings The findings pertaining to the shoulder muscular endurance showed significant difference among the age groups. Thirteen years high school boys irrespective of rural and urban areas had the lowest shoulder muscular endurance. Significant differences in shoulder muscular endurance were found between 13 and 14 year and 13 and 15 year age groups, whereas no significant differences in shoulder muscular endurance was found between 14 and 15 year old high school boys. Irrespective of rural and urban areas, 15 year age group was found superior in shoulder muscular endurance compared to the other two age groups. Significant difference in shoulder muscular endurance was observed between rural and urban high school boys irrespective of age group. Rural high school boys superseded their urban counterparts in shoulder muscular endurance strength. It was noticed from the results that there was an increasing trend in shoulder muscular endurance from 13 to 15 years. This clearly reveals that as the age advances, the shoulder muscular strength also increases. This improvement must be due to the sexual maturity and the boys become more muscular and strong due to the secretions of anabolic-androgenic hormones. The rural boys showed better performance due to their life style and the kind of physical activities they engage. Conclusions On the basis of analysis of results and discussion of findings the final conclusions in shoulder muscular strength, that there was significant difference between 13, 14 and 15 year of rural and urban high school boys. It was found significant difference between 13 and 14; 13 and 15 year of both areas of high school boys.


Episcleral plaques are commonly used for the treatment of ocular tumours such as choroidal melanoma. Treatment planning involves the assignment of seeds to slots on the plaque to achieve a desired dose rate distribution. Seed assignment is rather straightforward if seeds are ordered on demand. However, the assignment task becomes tedious and laborious if the seeds have to be chosen from an existing stock of seeds with different activities. To date, this task has usually been performed by a human planner through trial and error. An algorithm has been developed to automate the task of seed assignment using a mixed-integer programming method. We also explore ways to simplify the problem such that the method becomes practical in most facilities. We have tested the method on three randomly chosen clinical cases from our past records, to show that the algorithm could yield solutions within a shorter time frame and with less deviation from the desired dose rate distributions, as compared with the solutions from a human counterpart.


We approach the problem of a chaser satellite circumnavigating a target object in a relative orbit. The objective is to obtain a map of the scenario and to measure the reciprocal position of the chaser-target pair, in order to subsequently perform proximity operations (active debris removal, rendezvous, servicing, etc.) more reliably. This work analyzes the case of a target-chaser scenario in a closed Clohessy-Wiltshire relative orbit. The chaser satellite has a vision sensor and observes a set of landmarks on the target satellite: the control acts on the yaw-rotation of the detector. By defining a probability distribution over a set of feasible control trajectories, we perform a search for a near-optimal solution. At the core of this approach lies the cross entropy minimization technique for estimating rare-event probabilities, which iteratively approximates the sampling distribution towards regions of progressively lower cost until converging to the optimum. We present simulations of a tracking scenario, demonstrating the validity of the proposed control technique. Performance of the proposed policy is compared with the case of a non controlled sensor by evaluating the time spent under observation and the residual uncertainty bounds on the landmarks. Results confirm the validity of the proposed approach.


The present study has been conducted to investigate convective heat/mass transfer in the cooling passage with bleed holes. The rotating square channel has 40.0 mm hydraulic diameter and the bleed holes on the leading surface of the channel. The hole diameter of bleed hole is 4.5mm and its spacing is ( p/d:4.9) about five times of hole diameter. Exit mass flow rate through bleed holes is of the main mass flow rate respectively. rotation number is fixed 0.2. A naphthalene sublimation technique is employed to determine the detailed local heat transfer coefficients using the heat and mass transfer analogy. The cooling performance is influenced by exit mass flow rate through bleed holes and Coriolis force of rotating channel for fixed Reynolds number. The heat transfer on the leading surface is decreased due to Coriolis force. However the total heat transfer is enhanced around holes on the leading surface because of trapping flow by bleeding.


Often a rule-based system is tested by checking its performance on a number of test cases with known solutions, modifying the system until it gives the correct results for all or a sufficiently high proportion of the test cases. However, the performance on the test cases may not accurately predict performance of the system in actual use. We present a method for making a more accurate performance prediction based on the performance on test cases, coverage of the rule-base by the test cases, how representative the test data is of the population on which the rule-base will be used, and the likelihood of occurrence of different kinds of test cases in the larger population.


The authors examine the impact of word-of-mouth communication on innovation use. Hypotheses are developed linking both personal and virtual word of mouth (vWOM) directly to innovation use. The authors also examine the mediating role of two additional variables that link word of mouth and innovation use. Existing research suggests that personal word of mouth (pWOM) indirectly influences intensity of innovation use through its impact on consumer perceptions of the size of local adopter population. In addition, both personal and virtual word-of-mouth influence should be positively associated with consumer perceptions of the availability of complementary products, which prior studies have linked to variety of innovation use.

The authors test these hypotheses using data collected from 247 Japanese adopters of new-generation portable gaming devices. Findings indicate that both personal and virtual word of mouth are directly related with variety of innovation use, which is in turn related with intensity of use. In addition, pWOM is positively related with both intensity of use and variety of use through its impact on consumer perceptions of (1) the perceived size of the local adopter population and (2) the availability of complementary products. In contrast, through these same two paths, vWOM is negatively related with both intensity of use and variety of use.


Engel's biopsychosocial model, based in systems theory, assumes the reciprocal influence of biological, psychological, and social factors on one another and on mental and physical health. However, the model's application to scientific study is limited by its lack of specificity, thus constraining its implementation in training and healthcare environments. The Biobehavioral Family Model (BBFM) is one model that can facilitate specification and integration of biopsychosocial conceptualization and treatment of illness. The model identifies specific pathways by which family relationships (i.e., family emotional climate) impact disease activity, through psychobiological mechanisms (i.e., biobehavioral reactivity). Furthermore, it is capable of identifying positive and negative effects of family process in the same model, and can be applied across cultural contexts. The BBFM has been applied to the study of child health outcomes, including pediatric asthma, and adult health, including for underserved primary care patients, minoritized samples, and persons with chronic pain, for example. The BBFM also serves as a guide for training and clinical practice; two such applications are presented, including the use of the BBFM in family medicine residency and child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship programs. Specific teaching and clinical approaches derived from the BBFM are described in both contexts, including the use of didactic lecture, patient interview guides, assessment protocol, and family-oriented care. Future directions for the application of the BBFM include incorporating temporal dynamics and developmental trajectories in the model, extending testable theory of family and individual resilience, examining causes of health disparities, and developing family-based prevention and intervention efforts to ameliorate contributing factors to disease. Ultimately, research and successful applications of the BBFM could inform policy to improve the lives of families, and provide additional support for the value of a biopsychosocial approach to medicine.


Tumor resistances to chloroethylnitrosourea (CENU) are mainly due to O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT). Our laboratory has synthesized a new water-soluble AGT inhibitor. O6-benzyl-N-acetylguanosine (BNAG). We have shown that this compound is able to deplete AGT activity on M4Beu human melanoma cells and to enhance the antitumor power of CENU N'-[2-chloroethyl]-N-[2-(methylsulfonyl)ethyl]-N'-nitrosourea (cystemustine) towards the M4Beu melanoma grafted on nude mice. With a view to determining the best combination BNAG/CENUs conditions, we have studied the distribution and metabolism of BNAG in nude mice bearing M4Beu human melanoma. BNAG, labelled with carbon-14 on the benzyl group, was administered by single i.v. dose of 40 mg/kg. Blood analysis showed that the main radioactive compound was unchanged molecule, and only a small part was found as hippuric acid resulting from the metabolic cleavage of the benzyl group. BNAG and hippuric acid were mainly eliminated in the urine. Unchanged BNAG blood kinetics showed three phases: blood epuration (t1/2 (1) = 13 min), reabsorption and elimination (t1/2 (2) = 1.7 hr). This kinetic profile is probably due to an enterohepatic cycle. BNAG is distributed in several tissues (kidney, liver, skin, duodenum, colon, tumor) but not in the central nervous system, suggesting a poor blood-brain crossing. Because an important part of the administered dose is not metabolized, high unchanged BNAG level remains in most tissues, including M4Beu tumor, and AGT depletion can occur several hours after dosing.


Environmentally friendly renewable energy technologies such as photovoltaics and clean, efficient, fossil-fuels technologies such as micro-turbines and fuel cells are among new generating systems driving the demand for distributed generation of electricity. If combined heat and power at residential industrial plants or commercial buildings can be achieved the efficiencies can be higher than conventional central generation plants. The smallness of these new distributed generation along with the low voltages at the interface create a new class of problems which requires innovative approaches to managing and operating the distributed resources. One such concept is the microgrid.


The advantages of using architectures with gate nonoverlapped with source/drain have already been demonstrated in order to measure controlled single electron effects in planar MOSFETs. In this paper, we performed nonoverlapped silicon-on-nothing (SON) transistors with Si-film from 15 down to 9 nm. This leads to the fabrication of a quantum box (QB) defined by two lateral potential barriers in a thin Si-film (due to the camel's back shape of the potential along the channel), and by two vertical potential barriers due to the gate oxide and to the buried dielectric of the SON architecture. This small volume device behaves like a quantum box, and we demonstrated that its own capacitance and consequently the Coulomb-blockade properties were mainly determined by the conduction film thickness. As the SON technology allows us to perform higly-performant fully depleted devices from bulk substrate, we will see in this paper that such devices can easily be adapted in order to fabricate three-dimensional QB, which becomes an alternative to fabricate SET with standard CMOS process.