Aim This study is part of a larger cross-sectional study exploring the views of people affected by lung cancer about their experiences of discussing preferences and wishes for end of life care. Design and method 19 family members (16 women, 3 men) took part in single, joint and group interviews conducted between: 2006 and 2008. Participants were mainly from lower socio-economic classes in the north of England, UK. Findings The main findings were that family members supported the person with lung cancer to 'carry on as normal', which included continuing routine activities, planning holidays and special celebrations. They experienced emotional upset following disclosure of the person's prognosis and expressed feelings of loneliness and isolation when their needs for information about the future were not fulfilled. They also expressed the fear of being seen as 'disloyal' by the person with lung cancer if they initiated the conversation about plans for end of life care. Family members supported the person with lung cancer in practical planning for the future such as planning funerals, wills and financial plans. They had their own needs for practical planning in relation to sourcing equipment and services for the future to support them in their caring role. Conclusion Health and social care professionals conducting advance care planning (ACP) need to consider the needs of family members about discussing preferences and wishes for end of life care, which may be different to those living with cancer. ACP interventions should be developed to meet the needs of both patients and their family members.


The study described the Length-Weight Relationship (LWR) of commercially important and indigenous freshwater catfishes from Peninsular Malaysia. Seven species of freshwater catfishes from three families (Bagriidae, Clariidae and Pangasidae) were collected from various rivers in Peninsular Malaysia. Allometric coefficient, b in LWR varied between 2.19 and 3.20. The LWR with high correlation coefficient (r2) is significant for all species except P. nasutus. The present study also documented first reference for Pangasius nasutus and Pseudomystus siamensis.


The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of the users' perception of library facilities on quality of service at Sam Jonah Library University of Cape Coast, Ghana using Library Quality (LibQUAL+) model approach. The survey used the LibQUAL+ model to evaluate quality of service at Sam Jonah Library University of Cape Coast, Ghana. The data were collected from library users by administering the LibQUAL+ questionnaire in a printed format. Using the survey design, both open-ended and close-ended questions were used to obtain data from 400 respondents, comprising of 310 and 50 undergraduate and postgraduate students, respectively and 40 faculty members. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 was used to analyze data from the questionnaire and descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies and percentages. Inferential statistics was also used to determine the relationship between gender and adequacy of library resources. Findings from the study showed that majority of the respondents agreed that the library had adequate number of computers to meet their needs. The respondents also affirmed that the library had comfortable tables and chairs for effective learning and a space that is conducive for learning. However, postgraduate students did not consider the library environment conducive for learning. The respondents indicated that the printing materials in the library were inadequate. Students' expectations were higher than their perceptions on what the library provided. Therefore, the researchers recommended that the library should establish knowledge commons for undergraduate students and research commons for postgraduate students.


The Malaysian government started to introduce goods and service tax (GST) in April 2015 as an initiative to enhance capability, effectiveness, and transparency of tax management. However, would the taxpayers, particularly the working citizens, be satisfied with the implementation? Would they understand the GST legislation? And would the computation of GST be burdensome to them? This study attempts to answer the above research questions by looking at Malaysian working citizens' perspectives on the matter. The participants of the study were the employees who work in firms that process the GST transactions. We investigated the positive and negative reactions towards GST implementation among the working citizens. Importantly, we evaluated the influence of income on their perceptions. To analyze the data, MANOVA was employed to compare the employees based on their income level. The results presented that the low-income group was significantly different from the higher-income groups regarding their positive reactions as well as the negative reactions. It was concluded that GST had the most effect on the low-income group of employees. This preliminary, exploratory study can shed some lights into investigating more complex issues on GST.


The peptidase of the HIV type 1 (HIV PR) is required for the replication of and further infection by the virus. A concerted effort has taken place in the past 15 years to understand the properties of this enzyme, as it serves as an excellent drug target for control of the virus. Owing to drug pressure, many mutations arise during turnover of the virus and some of these lead to resistance to the effects of the inhibitors. Recent advances in the understanding of the changes these mutations cause to the enzyme and its interaction with substrates and inhibitors have been described. In addition, studies of closely related retroviral enzymes from simian immunodeficiency virus, feline immunodeficiency virus and HIV-2 have expanded the structure-function paradigm. The role of the flexibility of ligands and of the enzyme in active-site interactions is discussed.


The degradation produced by hot carrier(HC) in ultra-deep sub-micron n-channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor(nMOSFET) has been analyzed in this paper. The generation of negatively charged interface states is the predominant mechanism for the ultra-deep sub-micron nMOSFET. According to our lifetime model of p-channel MOFET(pMOFET) that was reported in a previous publication, a lifetime prediction model for nMOSFET is presented and the parameters in the model are extracted. For the first time, the lifetime models of nMOFET and pMOSFET are unified. In addition, the model can precisely predict the lifetime of the ultra-deep sub-micron nMOSFET and pMOSFET.


The assertion that the mid-twentieth century Black freedom struggles across the African diaspora was a masculine era is one that continues to strike a chord with many African women whose voices have remained absent from the rhetoric on national liberation struggles across the continent. In an effort to broaden and diversify the scholarship on African freedom struggles, which has focused inordinately on masculinist narratives from the Anglophone regions of the continent, this essay centers the experiences of Angolan women and their involvement in the 1961–1975 armed struggle against Portuguese colonialism. It pays particular attention to how nationalist movements deployed the trope of patriotic motherhood to appeal to women to join and support the fight for national independence. Focusing primarily on the maternal body, this essay argues that while women are often rendered invisible in national politics because of their relegation to the domestic realm, their presence as historical agents and patriots in the body politic of the nation is made possible through the figure of a patriotic mother.


Blood pressure can increasing when one is aged 45-55 years old. The artery walls became thick to the collagen accumulation in the muscle layers. As a result, the blood vessels will grandually narrow and became rigid. Elderly gymnastics is a light exercise designed specifically for the elderly and has a positive impact on improving organ function. This study aimed to determined the effect of the elderly  gymnastic on the blood pressure of the ederly.
This research is an experimental study with the One Group Pre and Post Test Design. The research sample of 40 total elderly people of  Posyandu Lansia Mawar Desa Cerme. The independent variable is the elderly gymnastic exercise, while the dependent variable is blood pressure level of elderly. Data were taken using tension meter and observation sheet.
The results showed that 30 elderly people on average systolic blood preasure before being given elderly gymnastic exercise are 154.33 mmHg and systolic blood preasure after being given elderly gymnastic are 132,00 mmHg. On average diastolic blood preasure before being given elderly gymnastic is 154.33 mmHg and after being given elderly gymnastic is 132,00 mmHg. After being given elderly gymnastic decreased systolic blood preasure by 22,33 mmHg and diastolic by 15,33 mmHg.
Elderly gymnastics is very important for the health of elderly people, especially elderly people whom have hypertension, The more often do elderly gymnastics then the blood circulation more smoothly and blood pressure will decrease and can become normal. So that hypertension disease will decrease.


Background The use of remote data capture for monitoring blood glucose and supporting digital apps is becoming the norm in diabetes care. One common goal of such apps is to increase user awareness and engagement with their day-to-day health-related behaviors (digital engagement) in order to improve diabetes outcomes. However, we lack a deep understanding of the complicated association between digital engagement and diabetes outcomes. Objective This study investigated the association between digital engagement (operationalized as tagging of behaviors alongside glucose measurements) and the monthly average blood glucose level in persons with type 2 diabetes during the first year of managing their diabetes with a digital chronic disease management platform. We hypothesize that during the first 6 months, blood glucose levels will drop faster and further in patients with increased digital engagement and that difference in outcomes will persist for the remainder of the year. Finally, we hypothesize that disaggregated between- and within-person variabilities in digital engagement will predict individual-level changes in blood glucose levels. Methods This retrospective real-world analysis followed 998 people with type 2 diabetes who regularly tracked their blood glucose levels with the Dario digital therapeutics platform for chronic diseases. Subjects included "nontaggers" (users who rarely or never used app features to notice and track mealtime, food, exercise, mood, and location, n=585) and "taggers" (users who used these features, n=413) representing increased digital engagement. Within- and between-person variabilities in tagging behavior were disaggregated to reveal the association between tagging behavior and blood glucose levels. The associations between an individual's tagging behavior in a given month and the monthly average blood glucose level in the following month were analyzed for quasicausal effects. A generalized mixed piecewise statistical framework was applied throughout. Results Analysis revealed significant improvement in the monthly average blood glucose level during the first 6 months (t=−10.01, P<.001), which was maintained during the following 6 months (t=−1.54, P=.12). Moreover, taggers demonstrated a significantly steeper improvement in the initial period relative to nontaggers (t=2.15, P=.03). Additional findings included a within-user quasicausal nonlinear link between tagging behavior and glucose control improvement with a 1-month lag. More specifically, increased tagging behavior in any given month resulted in a 43% improvement in glucose levels in the next month up to a person-specific average in tagging intensity (t=−11.02, P<.001). Above that within-person mean level of digital engagement, glucose levels remained stable but did not show additional improvement with increased tagging (t=0.82, P=.41). When assessed alongside within-person effects, between-person changes in tagging behavior were not associated with changes in monthly average glucose levels (t=1.30, P=.20). Conclusions This study sheds light on the source of the association between user engagement with a diabetes tracking app and the clinical condition, highlighting the importance of within-person changes versus between-person differences. Our findings underscore the need for and provide a basis for a personalized approach to digital health.


This analysis responds to a qualitative study on the effectiveness of the judicial principle of citizen participation in the implementation of educational public policies in Colombia at the basic level. Qualitative research methodology was used and the results permit contrasting the main bibliographic and documentary findings, from a social-judicial approach, which seeks to recognize the effectiveness of the precept of participation by the so-called recipients of the judicial norm consecrated in the Political Constitution as in the legislation. The reflection proposed was made from the perspective associated to reform processes of the State in Latin America during the mid 1990s, which sought to implement strategies to democratize and generate trust in public management. This theoretical analysis permitted evidencing the principal challenges confronted by citizen participation against institutional practices, above all local, in charge of the implementation of public policies on the quality of education at the basic level


The macrolide antibiotic erythromycin interacts with bacterial 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) making contacts that are limited to hairpin 35 in domain II of the rRNA and to the peptidyl transferase loop in domain V. These two regions are probably folded close together in the 23S rRNA tertiary structure and form a binding pocket for macrolides and other drug types. Erythromycin has been derivatized by replacing the L‐cladinose moiety at position 3 by a keto group (forming the ketolide antibiotics) and by an alkyl‐aryl extension at positions 11/12 of the lactone ring. All the drugs footprint identically within the peptidyl transferase loop, giving protection against chemical modification at A2058, A2059 and G2505, and enhancing the accessibility of A2062. However, the ketolide derivatives bind to ribosomes with widely varying affinities compared with erythromycin. This variation correlates with differences in the hairpin 35 footprints. Erythromycin enhances the modification at position A752. Removal of cladinose lowers drug binding 70‐fold, with concomitant loss of the A752 footprint. However, the 11/12 extension strengthens binding 10‐fold, and position A752 becomes protected. These findings indicate how drug derivatization can improve the inhibition of bacteria that have macrolide resistance conferred by changes in the peptidyl transferase loop.


In this work, temperature dependences of small-signal model parameters in the SiGe HBT HICUM model are presented. Electrical elements in the small-signal equivalent circuit are first extracted at each temperature, then the temperature dependences are determined by the series of extracted temperature coefficients, based on the established temperature formulas for corresponding model parameters. The proposed method is validated by a 1 × 0.2 × 16 μm2 SiGe HBT over a wide temperature range (from 218 K to 473 K), and good matching is obtained between the extracted and modeled results. Therefore, we believe that the proposed extraction flow of model parameter temperature dependence is reliable for characterizing the transistor performance and guiding the circuit design over a wide temperature range.


Pole to Pole How do fission yeast cells decide when to grow at a single end (or pole) of the cell or whether to grow in a multipolar manner? Das et al. (p. 239, published online 17 May) found that accumulation of the active form of the small guanine nucleotide–binding protein Cdc42 at the growing tip of the cell oscillated with a period of a few minutes. In cells growing at one pole, the oscillations were primarily present at that pole and during bipolar growth symmetrical anticorrelated oscillations were observed. Dynamic competition for Cdc42 between multiple growth zones could represent a flexible mechanism to modulate cell growth asymmetry. The regulation of a yeast cell-growth enzyme is dynamic rather than on-off. Cells promote polarized growth by activation of Rho-family protein Cdc42 at the cell membrane. We combined experiments and modeling to study bipolar growth initiation in fission yeast. Concentrations of a fluorescent marker for active Cdc42, Cdc42 protein, Cdc42-activator Scd1, and scaffold protein Scd2 exhibited anticorrelated fluctuations and oscillations with a 5-minute average period at polarized cell tips. These dynamics indicate competition for active Cdc42 or its regulators and the presence of positive and delayed negative feedbacks. Cdc42 oscillations and spatial distribution were sensitive to the amounts of Cdc42-activator Gef1 and to the activity of Cdc42-dependent kinase Pak1, a negative regulator. Feedbacks regulating Cdc42 oscillations and spatial self-organization appear to provide a flexible mechanism for fission yeast cells to explore polarization states and to control their morphology.


Folk songs have been described as a musical representation of a society's entire culture. The field of ethnomusicology combines aspects of music and anthropology, and the study of folk music can give considerable insight into worldviews, histories, and traditions. Yet there are few study abroad program providers using this discipline as an approach to cultural analysis and exploration. The proposed Middlebury Music Studies in Albania program would introduce diverse folk music traditions in three distinct cities, giving students the chance to learn the basics of the Albanian language, understand the historical, geographical, and social influences on the music in the past, and analyze the significance of folk music as it relates to current issues of Albanian identity. A series of individual interviews was conducted, and the resulting data informed the program design and supported the rationale and needs assessment. This program would be proposed as a one-time Summer Study course at Middlebury, and would tie in well with the institutional goal of developing Middlebury's global network. The combination of coursework, co-curricular activities, and guided reflection would provide an appropriate and effective introduction to Albanian folk music, complete with the cultural learning and engagement that is at the heart of Middlebury's international programs. MUSIC AS A CULTURAL GATEWAY 7


To evaluate the immunogenicity of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination with Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine nonsimultaneously and simultaneously, 145 babies, aged 15 months were enrolled into two groups. Group A received MMR and JE vaccines nonsimultaneously at an interval of 6 weeks; group B received the vaccinations simultaneously. Antibody titers of MMR and JE were detected before and 8 weeks after vaccination. A total of 118 babies (61 in group A; 57 in group B) completed the study. In group A, mean increments of logarithmic geometric mean titers (GMTs) of MMR and JE were 4.51, 5.93, 4.07 and 1.99; seroresponse rates were 100% (61/61), 77.05% (47/61), 96.72% (59/61) and 59.02% (36/61) respectively. In group B, mean increments of logarithmic GMTs of MMR and JE were 4.35, 5.37, 4.44 and 1.93; seroresponse rates were 98.25% (56/57), 77.19% (44/57), 98.25% (56/57) and 5 7.89% (33/57) respectively. There were no significant differences between these two groups. These results suggest that simultaneous and nonsimultaneous vaccination with MMR and JE vaccines were similar in immunogenicity.


Three pH neutral conjugated polymers based on thiophene and benzene derivatives, namely PCP-Na, PCF-Na, and PFS-Na, were designed and synthesized. In the three polymers, PCP-Na exhibited a self-doping effect in aqueous solution, and the thin film of PCP-Na demonstrated a high electrical conductivity of 1.66 × 10–3 S/cm and a deep HOMO level of −5.22 eV; these properties make it an ideal anode interfacial layer (AIL) material in polymer solar cells (PSCs). The single-junction PSC modified with PCP-Na AIL showed a PCE of 9.89%, which is comparable to that of the PEDOT:PSS-modified device (PCE = 9.53%). Notably, PCP-Na AIL exhibited excellent thickness insensitivity in fabricating PSC devices; i.e., the PSC devices with very thick PCP-Na interlayers over 300 nm still demonstrated a high fill factor over 70%, indicating the PCP-Na layer has excellent charge collection and transport properties. Furthermore, the homo-tandem PSC device was fabricated using a new connecting interlayer, which consists of PCP-Na as...


Accumulative roll bonding (ARB) is an effective method to produce ultrafine‐grained (UFG) sheet materials with high strength. In this work, the ARB process up to five cycles was performed to the starting materials AA1050 and AA6061 and produced three different laminates: AA1050/AA1050, AA6061/AA6061, and AA1050/AA6061. The grain size of AA1050 and AA6061, in all laminates, was reduced significantly after ARB deformation. Meanwhile, a remarkable enhancement in the hardness was achieved. The materials were annealed at different conditions and the microstructures and mechanical properties of the materials were investigated. Static annealing was carried out at temperatures of 100–400°C for 30 min in order to examine the thermal stability of the aluminum alloy. The grain size and hardness evolution of both the AA1050 and AA6061 alloys, in all the three laminates, showed a similar change with the annealing temperature. Annealing induced hardening was observed at 100°C for all the materials examined, and the microstructure of the alloys stayed almost the same as the as‐deformed alloys. The materials softening started after annealing at 150°C, and the hardness decreased rapidly between 150 and 300°C and then stayed stable. The change of the hardness values with the annealing time at low temperature was nearly negligible. The hardness and grain size values of the AA1050 and AA6061 in both the monotonic laminates and composite are similar.


Cryptococcosis is a systemic mycosis caused by the capsulated yeast Cryptococcus neoformans. Cryptococcus remains an important opportunistic pathogen in HIV positive patients. It is usually acquired through inhalation of spores and by invasion of the respiratory system, and then, the organisms may spread hematogenously to other viscera mainly central nervous system. Although there are some reports of primary cutaneous cryptococcosis, cryptococcal skin disease is a rare feature of disseminated cryptococcosis and has poor outcome if undiagnosed and untreated. We present a case of secondary cutaneous cryptococcosis in a 50-year-old male, who was diagnosed as a case of retroviral disease 3 years back but not on anti-retroviral therapy.


The movement of people in Southeast Asia is an issue of increasing importance. Countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are now the origin of 8 percent of the world's migrants. These countries host only 4 percent of the world's migrants but intra-regional migration has turned Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand into regional migration hubs that are home to 6.5 million ASEAN migrants. However, significant international and domestic labor mobility costs limit the ability of workers to change firms, sectors, and geographies in ASEAN. This report takes an innovative approach to estimate the costs for workers to migrate internationally. Singapore and Malaysia have the lowest international labor mobility costs in ASEAN while workers migrating to Myanmar and Vietnam have the highest costs. Singapore and Malaysia's more developed migration systems are a key reason for their lower labor mobility costs. How easily workers can move to take advantage of new opportunities is important in determining how they fare under the increased economic integration planned for ASEAN. To study this question, the report simulates how worker welfare is affected by enhanced trade integration under different scenarios of labor mobility costs. Region-wide, worker welfare would be 14 percent higher if barriers to mobility were reduced for skilled workers, and an additional 29 percent if barriers to mobility were lowered for all workers. Weaknesses in migration systems increase international labor mobility costs, but policy reforms can help. Destination countries should work toward systems that are responsive to economic needs and consistent with domestic policies. Sending countries should balance protections for migrant workers with the needs of economic development.


Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) has been recognized as important contributors in the economy of many countries. It is vital for an SME to grow in order to remain competitive. According to researchers, there is no single theory which can sufficiently explain growth of an SME. Information Communication Technology (ICT) SMEs are no exception. The objective of this study was to determine growth strategies pursued by SME ICT firms in Kenya. In addition the study explored the factors influencing choice of growth strategies pursued by these firms. The scope of the study was small and medium enterprise ICT firms operating in Kenya. The 25 firms under focus of this study are those listed among top 100 SMEs in a study conducted by KPMG and Nation Media in their annual study in year 2008 and 2009. Descriptive survey was used in the study. This study population focused on all 25 SME ICT firms listed in a survey "Top 100 Medium sized companies" conducted by KPMG and Nation Media in 2008 and 2009. Primary data was used in the study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Percentages and frequencies were used to analyze questions on the profiles of the respondents. Mean scores and standard deviations were be used to analyze data to determine the growth strategies pursued. The data was presented in tables and frequency charts The findings indicate, SME ICT firms have adopted various growth strategies in order to have a competitive advantage. Product development strategy was adopted by SME ICT firms to a large extent as a growth strategy. Most of the firms however have adopted a combination of various growth strategies with product development being adopted by a majority of the firms. Organic growth strategy on the other hand is more preferred by most of the SME ICT firms as a form of growth in comparison with inorganic growth strategy .On the factors affecting choice of growth strategies; corporate image has taken the lead. This is closely followed by competitive forces, and technological developments. The study therefore found that all SME ICT firms pursue various growth strategies as a means to survive in the competitive corporate world.


This article provides an account of the possibilities of using Photovoice as a research method that can empower participants by foregrounding the data produced by Ruby (a pseudonym) to highlight women's unique experiences of imprisonment and release. Designed using an anti-oppressive, critical social work perspective, this project aims to gain a greater understanding of the post-release experiences of ex-prisoners in South Australia. Participants were posed with the research question 'if you were able to spend 15 minutes with a politician or policy maker, what would you want to tell them about your experiences?' Through her lens, Ruby returns the gaze of surveillance, commenting on the disempowerment women experience in prison and their attempts at reclaiming their rights and dignity. Ruby's data discredit some of the pervasive myths surrounding criminalised women, while calling for fair medical treatment and equal opportunities for women to prepare for their release. This article concludes that the solidarity built between women in prison helps them to tolerate undignified spaces and that their freedom is tempered with an enduring concern for those left behind.


The detection of many extrasolar gas giants with high eccentricities indicates that dynamical instabilities in planetary systems are common. These instabilities can alter the orbits of gas giants as well as the orbits of terrestrial planets and therefore eject or move a habitable planet out of the habitable zone. In this work 423 simulations with 153 different hypothetical planetary systems with gas giants and terrestrial planets have been modelled to explore the orbital stability of habitable planets. The initial parameter variations include the number, distances and masses of the giant planets and the star type. Linear correlations between the initial number and the initial distances of gas giants and the survival rate of habitable planets were found. Planetary systems consisting of two giant planets are fairly benign to terrestrial planets, whereas six giant planets very often lead to a complete clearing of the habitable zone. Systems with initial distances of five Hill Radii between the giant planets have a high chance to harbour a habitable planet, although more compact systems are very destructive. The giant planet masses have a smaller impact on the stability of habitable worlds. Additionally, a link between the present-day orbit of an observed giant exoplanet and the survival rate of habitable planets was established. As a rule of thumb, observed gas giants with eccentricities higher than 0.4 and inclinations higher than 20 degrees have experienced strong planet-planet scatterings and are unlikely to have a habitable planet in its system. Furthermore, it was found that habitable planets surrounding a K or M-star have a higher survival rate than those surrounding a G-star.


Abstract:  Conservation efforts involving introductions, reintroductions, and translocations of populations have an inherent and inescapable problem of small initial populations. Small founding populations are likely to have a small proportion of the genetic variability carried by the original population. This may manifest phenotypically through changes in individual morphology, such as decreased body size, increased degree of fluctuating asymmetry, or changing susceptibility to environmental stressors. I investigated the effects of population and landscape variables on the morphology and fluctuating asymmetry in individual bush‐crickets by examining 584 individual Roesel's bush‐crickets (Metrioptera roeseli) from 29 established populations from different propagule sizes that were introduced in areas previously unoccupied by the species. The introduction sites were in landscapes similar to where the species occurs naturally, but sites differed in connectivity and amount of surrounding suitable habitat. Individuals were caught up to 9 years after the initial introduction, and five different morphological traits were measured. All introduced individuals originated from the same population and individuals from this source population were also collected for comparison in the analyses. Male body weight and female body length were positively affected by initial population size and degree of connectivity of the introduction patch. Isolation also affected fluctuating asymmetry in male tibias, with a higher degree of asymmetry in males that came from more isolated populations. In a relatively short time period, I was able to detect the effect of isolation and small population sizes on morphology and asymmetry. Small propagule sizes and habitat isolation are both likely to have resulted in decreased genetic diversity, the latter by reducing population sizes through decreased survival. These results show the importance of both large propagule sizes and good connectivity of habitats when introducing populations. The differences between the sexes in response to the variables examined also indicate that studies on morphology and fluctuating asymmetry need to consider males and females separately to avoid inaccurate generalizations of the state of the population.


The Internet of Things (IoT) has been considered as an emerging research area where the IPv6 over low-power wireless personal area network (6LoWPAN) protocol stack is considered as one of the most important protocol suite for the IoT. Recently, the Internet Engineering Task Force has developed a set of IPv6-based protocols to alleviate the challenges of connecting resource limited sensor nodes to the Internet. In 6LoWPAN networks, heavy network traffic causes congestion which significantly degrades network performance and effects the quality of service aspects, e.g., throughput, end-to-end delay and energy consumption. In this paper, we formulate the congestion problem as a noncooperative game framework where the nodes (players) behave uncooperatively and demand high data rate in a selfish way. Then, the existence and uniqueness of Nash equilibrium is proved and the optimal game solution is computed by using Lagrange multipliers and Karush–Kuhn–Tucker conditions. Based on this framework, we propose a novel and simple congestion control mechanism called game theory-based congestion control framework (GTCCF) specially tailored for IEEE 802.15.4, 6LoWPAN networks. GTCCF is aware of node priorities and application priorities to support the IoT application requirements. The proposed framework has been tested and evaluated through two different scenarios by using Contiki OS and compared with comparative algorithms. Simulation results show that GTCCF improves performance in the presence of congestion by an overall average of 30.45%, 39.77%, 26.37%, 91.37%, and 13.42% in terms of throughput, end-to-end delay, energy consumption, number of lost packets, and weighted fairness index (WFI), respectively, as compared to duty cycle-aware congestion control for 6LoWPAN network algorithm.


MUS 139. Keyboard Skills III. 1 Credit. Performance of rhythmic patterns, scales, intervals, and chord progressions. Harmonization, transposition, improvisation, and figured bass on the keyboard. Sequence. Keyboard lab fee. Prereq: MUS 132, MUS 135, MUS 138 or satisfactory placement test score. MUS 141. Popular Piano and Musicianship I. 4 Credits. Understanding general musicianship—what it is and how it relates to genre and culture—in popular music. Sequence with MUS 142, MUS 143.


Objective: The recent results of the SPRINT study suggest that "intensive" reduction of systolic blood pressure (BP) (to less than 120 mmHg) might provide greater cardiovascular protection as compared to less intensive (< 140 mmHg) reduction of BP, at least in some subsets of patients. Only few studies, have investigated the possible effect of tight blood pressure control on indices of left ventricular hypertrophy, and have been mainly based on electrocardiography. Aim of our study was to evaluate cardiac organ damage according to "on treatment" blood pressure values in a large cohort of hypertensive patients undergoing echocardiography (2D, M-mode with conventional and tissue Doppler analysis)at the echo-lab of an ESH Excellence Centre in Italy. Design and Method: The analysis included 976 treated hypertensive patients (43% female, age 59 ± 12 yrs, age range 15–90). Patients were subdivided in three groups according to BP values at the time of the echocardiogram, defined as follows: uncontrolled (UC; SBP >or equal to140 mmHg), controlled <140 (C140; SBP between 139 and 120 mmHg) and controlled <120 (C120; SBP <120 mmHg). Results: In 407 patients (42%) SBP values were>140 mmHg, 449 patients (46%) had SBP was between 139 and 120 mmHg (C140) and in 120 (12%) SBP was <120 mmHg (C120). Left ventricular mass (LVM) and LVM index (LVMI) were progressively lower in UC, C140 and C120 (LVM: 162 ± 51, 159 ± 47 and 149 ± 44 gr respectively, p for trend < 0,001; LVMI: 40 ± 11, 38 ± 10 and 35 ± 9 gr/m 2.7 respectively, p for trend < 0,001). No significant difference was observed for relative wall thickness. Left atrial volume (LAV) and LAV/BSA were progressively lower in UC, C140 and C120 (LAV/BSA: 25.6 ± 7.6, 23.7 ± 7.9, 22.7 ± 8.5, respectively, p for trend < 0,001). These differences remained significant even after adjusting for possible confounders. Conclusions: Lower achieved BP targets are associated with a progressive lower left ventricular mass, left ventricular mass index and left atrial volumes. These findings are in line with previous results indicating a favorable effect of tight BP control on electrocardiographic indices of LV hypertrophy. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the possible favorable effect of tight BP control on echocardiographic indices of LVH, and their relation to CV events.


Introduction Upper limb (UL) rehabilitation is most effective early after stroke, with higher doses leading to improved outcomes. For the stroke survivor, the repetition may be monotonous. For clinicians, providing a clinically meaningful level of input can be challenging. As such, time spent engaged in UL activity among subacute stroke survivors remains inadequate. Opportunities for the stroke survivor to engage with UL rehabilitation in a safe, accessible and engaging way are essential to improving UL outcomes following stroke. The NeuroBall is a non-immersive virtual reality (VR) digital system designed for stroke rehabilitation, specifically for the arm and hand. The aim of the Rehabilitation using virtual gaming for Hospital and hOMe-Based training for the Upper limb post Stroke study is to determine the safety, feasibility and acceptability of the NeuroBall as a rehabilitation intervention for the UL in subacute stroke. Methods and analysis A feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT) will compare the NeuroBall plus usual care with usual care only, in supporting UL rehabilitation over 7 weeks. Twenty-four participants in the subacute poststroke phase will be recruited while on the inpatient or early supported discharge (ESD) stroke pathway. Sixteen participants will be randomised to the intervention group and eight to the control group. Outcomes assessed at baseline and 7 weeks include gross level of disability, arm function, spasticity, pain, fatigue and quality of life (QoL). Safety will be assessed by recording adverse events and using pain, spasticity and fatigue scores. A parallel process evaluation will assess feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. Feasibility will also be determined by assessing fidelity to the intervention. Postintervention, semistructured interviews will be used to explore acceptability with 12 participants from the intervention group, four from the usual care group and with up to nine staff involved in delivering the intervention. Ethics and dissemination This trial has ethical approval from Brunel University London's Research Ethics Committee 25257-NHS-Oct/2020-28121-2 and the Wales Research Ethics Committee 5 Bangor (Health and Care Research Wales) REC ref: 20/WA/0347. The study is sponsored by Brunel University London. Contact: Dr Derek Healy, Chair, University Research Ethics committee (firstname.lastname@example.com). Trial results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals, presented at national and international conferences and distributed to people with stroke. Trial registration number ISRCTN11440079; Pre-results.


The increasing number of international students whose teaching and learning practices are very different from the UK, is studying in the U.K. This study poses the question of whether Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is still the most effective and appropriate approach in today's multicultural society regardless of cultural differences. The Japanese teaching method (Japanisation) was presented as an alternative teaching method to CLT, and the study investigates any impacts on multicultural students in Japanese language teaching at a university in the south of England. The study was conducted for one semester using two groups (total of 34 students) in 2009/2010. Two teaching methods, Japanisation and CLT, were applied. The concept of Japanisation is drawn from the study of Japanese car manufacturing industries and transferred to the language teaching context. Three tests which provided quantitative data to generate data. The quantitative results showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two teaching methods regarding the attainment in the first two tests. However, Japanisation was associated with significantly higher results in the final test, compared with CLT. The implication of this study is embedding elements of Japanisation and Japanese educational culture in the Japanese language teaching will possibly enhance students' learning of reading and writing skills. Those who develop the teaching curriculum are encouraged at a strategic level to examine other educational cultures and teaching practices from non-Anglophone countries and assess how they may be combined with CLT to reflect new international characteristics of teaching and learning environments.


Antitrust authorities both in the U.S. and in Europe have analyzed wide parts of the complex mechanisms used in the credit card industry to ensure the functioning of the systems. Such arrangements include the honor-all-cards rule, the no-discrimination rule, the price structures such as the interchange fee, and the rules governing access to payment schemes by banks and other financial entities. Sometimes authorities privileged implicitly a 'discrete' approach in the analysis and did not consider the overall functioning of the industry in deciding the compatibility of its peculiarities with competition rules. Results in Europe and in the U.S. are not always consistent. Moreover, the European Union introduced the Payment Service Directive to harmonize certain aspects of the internal market of payments. The provisions of the Directive also impact the credit card industry and will concur in the definition of a new legal framework for the payment industry in Europe.


In this study, it was aimed to produce solid fuel by applying torrefaction process to agricultural wastes, left in the field (usually left to decay) after harvest or post-cultivation period. An eggplant stalk left in the field as an agricultural waste after production period was used in the study. The torrefaction process was applied to the original plant parts cut in certain lengths, and also to the pellets prepared from the same plant. The torrefaction experiments were performed in a pyrex glass reactor placed inside a vertical cylindrical refractory chamber, through which resistance wires are passed. The torrefaction process was performed in N 2 atmosphere at the operation temperatures of 220, 260 and 300 o C. The proximate and elemental analyses of the solid product were performed. Besides, the energy yield was determined by measuring the higher heating values (HHV) of the original sample and solid product. Depending on torrefaction temperature ıt was determined a decrease in the solid product yield, an increase in the yields of liquid and gas products. While the volatile matter content of the solid product was decreased, it was found that the rate of fixed carbon increased. It was also determined that elemental carbon ratio increased and oxygen ratio decreased as a result of the torrefaction process. It was detected that the higher heating value of the biomass increased with rising torrefaction temperature and 65.58% of the energy that contained has been maintained at severe (300ᴼC) torrefaction conditions.


ABSTRACT The incorporation of envelope (Env) glycoproteins into virions is an essential step in the retroviral replication cycle. Lentiviruses, including human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), encode Env glycoproteins with unusually long cytoplasmic tails, the functions of which have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we examine the effects on virus replication of a number of mutations in a helical motif (α-helix 2) located near the center of the HIV-1 gp41 cytoplasmic tail. We find that, in T-cell lines, small deletions in this domain disrupt the incorporation of Env glycoproteins into virions and markedly impair virus infectivity. Through the analysis of viral revertants, we demonstrate that a single amino acid change (34VI) in the matrix domain of Gag reverses the Env incorporation and infectivity defect imposed by a small deletion near the C terminus of α-helix 2. These results provide genetic evidence, in the context of infected T cells, for an interaction between HIV-1 matrix and the gp41 cytoplasmic tail and identify domains of both proteins involved in this putative interaction.


We establish sufficient conditions for the asymptotic normality of kernel density estimators, applied to causal linear random fields. Our conditions on the coefficients of linear random fields are weaker than known results, although our assumption on the bandwidth is not minimal. The proof is based on the $m$-approximation method. As a key step, we prove a central limit theorem for triangular arrays of stationary $m$-dependent random fields with unbounded $m$. We also apply a moment inequality recently established for stationary random fields.


This article focuses on the process of workers' self-management brought about by a wave of experimentation with alternative organizational forms taking place in Greece since the beginning of the current financial crisis. The discussion is supported by empirical evidence from qualitative fieldwork conducted in three workers' collectives. Drawing on the findings of my research, I argue that the members' values and everyday practices give shape and meaning to their aspirations of creating a space that not only critiques the existing forms of work but also puts into practice other possibilities that give emphasis to reciprocal relationships and prioritize collective working, egalitarianism and autonomy. I also argue that their established consensus-based decision-making models, far from representing a state of agreement, allows—within collectively determined boundaries—the creation of a space where diverse opinions flourish rather than being suppressed.This encourages the development of more inclusive models of participation and the construction of rule-creating rather than rule-following individuals.


In this paper, we present a comprehensive, in-depth survey of the literature on reinforcement learning approaches to ridesharing problems. Papers on the topics of rideshare matching, vehicle repositioning, ride-pooling, and dynamic pricing are covered. Popular data sets and open simulation environments are also introduced. Subsequently, we discuss a number of challenges and opportunities for reinforcement learning research on this important domain.


This study aims at identifying how the Korean scholarly group's internet language features changed during the last 10 years. For this study, 2,450 written texts on the same web-site in which a previous study collected data were analyzed. This comparison study showed the following results: 1)First of all, the scholarly group's internet texts still involved standard language, high-quality vocabulary and long sentences; 2)However, it was very difficult to find Chinese characters and the percentage of the usage of English increased significantly; 3)Presenting objective data and numbering were still frequently seen; 4)Furthermore, typical internet languages such as slang, argot and abbreviations began to appear; 5)Texts showing self-reflection and teaching tone have been decreased. Instead, texts implying psychological pressure and worries about their jobs have increased; 6)The biggest change was that most of communicator's names were written in English (or unidentified words) or commonly used internet names. This study concludes that comparing to the previous study, the scholarly group's internet language features have changed (although some based on occupational variables remained the same), and that these changes might be affected by social changes taking place in the scholarly group.


The electric currents between electrodes in the electrospinning process are based on the movement of charge carriers through the spinning space. Themajority of the charge carriers are formed by ionization of the air close to the metallic needle and to the polymer jet. The salt contained in the polymer solution contributes to the concentration of charge carriers, depending on its amount. The conductivity of polymer jets does not significantly affect the current since the jets do not link the electrodes.


ABSTRACT Moraxella catarrhalis is a human respiratory tract pathogen that causes otitis media in children and lower respiratory tract infections in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We have identified and characterized a zinc uptake ABC transporter that is present in all strains of M. catarrhalis tested. A mutant in which the znu gene cluster is knocked out shows markedly impaired growth compared to the wild type in medium that contains trace zinc; growth is restored to wild-type levels by supplementing medium with zinc but not with other divalent cations. Thermal-shift assays showed that the purified recombinant substrate binding protein ZnuA binds zinc but does not bind other divalent cations. Invasion assays with human respiratory epithelial cells demonstrated that the zinc ABC transporter of M. catarrhalis is critical for invasion of respiratory epithelial cells, an observation that is especially relevant because an intracellular reservoir of M. catarrhalis is present in the human respiratory tract and this reservoir is important for persistence. The znu knockout mutant showed marked impairment in its capacity to persist in the respiratory tract compared to the wild type in a mouse pulmonary clearance model. We conclude that the zinc uptake ABC transporter mediates uptake of zinc in environments with very low zinc concentrations and is critical for full virulence of M. catarrhalis in the respiratory tract in facilitating intracellular invasion of epithelial cells and persistence in the respiratory tract.


RRichard 'Dutch' Thomson (d. 1613), best known today as a Bible translator and one of the earliest English Arminians, was admired in his own day for his learning. This book provides the first biography of Thomson. It maps his connections with his contemporaries, reconstructs his reading, and edits his surviving correspondence, some seventy-eight letters. Thomson moved among the greatest scholars of his day, and was good friends with Joseph Scaliger and Isaac Casaubon. He travelled in Italy, Germany, and the Low Countries, became a member of five universities, and worked with manuscripts in the libraries in England, Florence, Geneva, Heidelberg and Leiden. Modern scholarship, working within national boundaries, has tended to see only a part of the whole picture.


Abstract. Factors controlling the distribution of relative humidity in the absence of clouds are examined, with special emphasis on relative humidity over ice (RHI) under upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric conditions. Variations of temperature are the key determinant for the distribution of RHI, followed by variations of the water vapor mixing ratio. Multiple humidity modes, generated by mixing of different air masses, may contribute to the overall distribution of RHI, in particular below ice saturation. The fraction of air that is supersaturated with respect to ice is mainly determined by the distribution of temperature. The nucleation of ice in cirrus clouds determines the highest relative humdity that can be measured outside of cirrus clouds. While vertical air motion and ice microphysics determine the slope of the distributions of RHI, as shown in a separate study companion (Haag et al., 2003), clouds are not required to explain the main features of the distributions of RHI below the ice nucleation threshold. Key words. Atmospheric composition and structure (pressure, density and temperature; troposphere – composition and chemistry; general or miscellaneous)


Autophagy, a regulated cellular degradation process responsible for the turnover of long-lived proteins and organelles, has been increasingly implicated in neurological disorders. Although autophagy is mostly viewed as a stress-induced process, recent studies have indicated that it is constitutively active in central nervous system (CNS) neurons and is protective against neurodegeneration. Neurons are highly specialized, post-mitotic cells that are typically composed of a soma (cell body), a dendritic tree and an axon. The detailed process of autophagy in such a highly differentiated cell type remains to be characterized. To elucidate the physiological role of neuronal autophagy, we generated mutant mice containing a neural cell type-specific deletion of Atg7, an essential gene for autophagy. Establishment of these mutant mice allowed us to examine cell-autonomous events in cerebellar Purkinje cells deficient in autophagy. Our data reveal the indispensability of autophagy in the maintenance of axonal homeostasis and the prevention of axonal dystrophy and degeneration. Furthermore, our study implicates dysfunction of axonal autophagy as a potential mechanism underlying axonopathy, which is linked to neurodegeneration associated with numerous human neurological disorders. Finally, our study has raised a possibility that "constitutive autophagy" in neurons involves processes that are not typical of autophagy in other cell types, but rather is highly adapted to local physiological function in the axon, which is projected in a distance from one neuron to another for transducing neural signals. Addendum to: Komatsu M, Wang QJ, Holstein GR, Friedrich Jr. VL, Iwata J, Kominami E, Chait BT, Tanaka K, Yue Z. Essential role for autophagy protein Atg7 in the maintenance of axonal homeostasis and the prevention of axonal degeneration. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2007; 104:14489-94.


was still visible 45 minutes later. There was no reaction to any of the other d r u g indicating that the patient was specifically hypersensitive to atracurium. There was no cross sensitivity with the other muscle relaxants, gallamine and tubocurarine, both of which are known to retease histamine readily. This result suggests that the bronchospasm may also have been due to atracurium. The data sheet for atracurium reports that hypotension due to histamine release may occur, but no mention is made of bronchospasm. Atracurium has advantages over existing muscle relaxants, Hoffman degradation and non-accumulative properties and may well become increasingly popular. However, in susceptible patients, is it possible that bronchospasm may prove to be a problem?


Background: Until recently, only two polyomaviruses, JC virus (JCV) and BK virus (BKV), were known to commonly infect humans. In 2007, two new human polyomaviruses, KI polyomavirus (KIV), and WU polyomavirus (WUV) were discovered in respiratory samples of children suffering from acute respiratory tract disease. Due to their relative novelty, many details about KIV and WUV's viral infectious cycles, pathobiology, and epidemiology could only be assumed by parallel comparison with other polyomaviruses. Thus, further studies were needed to elucidate the epidemiology, and pathogenesis of KIV and WUV. Methods: Epidemiology: Nearly 3000 respiratory samples collected over an entire year were screened for WUV and KIV by PCR, along with 8 other common respiratory viruses. An encapsidation assay was used to determine if whole viral particles were present in the respiratory tract of patients. Detection methods: Two KIV and six WUV real-time PCR (rtPCR) assays were designed and evaluated against a panel of other respiratory and blood pathogens, and clinical samples to establish sensitivity and specificity. Plasmid controls were created to establish analytical sensitivity. Tissue tropism: Collections of blood, urine, upper and lower respiratory tract secretions, faeces, and cerebrospinal fluid from both immunocompetent and immunocompromised adults and children were screened for WUV, KIV, JCV and BKV, and detection rates were compared. Representative WUV and KIV isolates had their VP1 and non-coding control regions (NCCR) sequenced, and analysed for changes respective to their site of detection. Transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) were predicted and compared to those of JCV and BKV. Global WUV diversity and genotyping: Forty nine WUV isolates collected across four continents had their genomes fully sequenced and analysed for levels of diversity, existence of genotypes, impact on predicted protein functional sites and association with disease or patient demographics. A genotyping scheme was also evaluated for fidelity against the whole-genome phylogenetic tree. Results: KIV and WUV showed a 2.6% and 4.5% average annual prevalence, respectively, in the study population. Predominance of WUV (93%) and KIV (78.6%) detections were in patients under the age of five. There was no significant seasonal variation of KIV, or WUV. The level of co-infection of KIV or WUV with other respiratory viruses was 74.7% and 79.7%, respectively. Respiratory symptoms were indistinguishable from those of other common respiratory infections. The encapsidation assay demonstrated that WUV DNA was fully protected from digestion in a respiratory sample with high WUV load. Seven rtPCR assays did not cross react with unrelated organisms, and all could reliably detect 10 copies of genomic DNA equivalents per reaction, which was more 10x more sensitive than conventional methods. Compared to the conventional PCR assays, clinical sensitivity was 100% in one of the KI and two of the WUV rtPCR assays. Clinical specificity was higher than 95% in four of the assays; the calculations suffered from poor sensitivity in the gold standard however. WUV and KIV were predominantly detected in upper and lower respiratory tract specimens, and faeces from paediatric patients. JCV and BKV were primarily detected in blood, urine and faeces from adult patients. WUV and KIV NCCR/VP1 sequence similarity ranged from 99.5-100% and 97.5-100%, respectively. No substantial difference was noted between the TFBS of JCV, BKV and WUV and KIV. Three main WUV genotypes and five subtypes were identified, provisionally termed Ia, Ib, Ic, II, IIIa and IIIb. Overall nucleotide variation was low (0-1.2%), however individual protein sequence variation between subtypes was as high as 3.0%, with VP1 being the most variable gene, indicating a possibility of multiple serotypes. A general geographical association was also noted. The discriminatory power of the previous VP2 fragment typing method was found to be limited and a new larger genotyping region within the VP1 was proposed. Conclusions: Both of the newly-discovered human polyomaviruses are frequently present in the respiratory samples of children suffering from upper and lower respiratory tract disease. The detection peaks for both WUV and KIV indicates an early age of primary exposure followed by reactivation in older age and under immunosuppression, similar to that seen in JCV and BKV. Clinical symptoms were indistinguishable from other respiratory infections, and the high rate of co-infections confounded any direct association with disease, however evidence of active WUV replication was observed. Multiple real-time PCR assays were developed which were sensitive and specific for use in the detection of WUV and KIV. Both novel viruses have a more restricted tissue tropism range in comparison to JCV and BKV, but VP1/NCCR sequences alone do not appear to offer suggestions as to why. The first extensive genomic survey of global WUV diversity revealed multiple genotypes which were more associated with geo-ethnicity rather than clinical disease. Overall, this series of studies has contributed substantial knowledge to the epidemiology and pathobiology of WUV and KIV, and has created validated tools to facilitate further studies into both of these viruses.


In a series of influential studies, McKinsey (2015, 2018, 2020) report a statistically significant positive relation between the industry-adjusted EBIT margin of global samples of large public firms and the racial/ethnic diversity of their executives. However, when we revisit McKinsey's tests using recent data for US S&P 500® firms, we find statistically insignificant relations between McKinsey's inverse normalized Herfindahl-Hirschman measures of executive racial/ethnic diversity and not only industry-adjusted EBIT margin, but also industry-adjusted sales growth, gross margin, ROA, ROE, and TSR. Our results suggest that despite the imprimatur often given to McKinsey's (2015, 2018, 2020) studies, caution is warranted in relying on their findings to support the view that US publicly traded firms can deliver improved financial performance if they increase the racial/ethnic diversity of their executives.


The paper describes the physiological effects of various biogenic amines, their occurrence in the body, and degradation. It outlines the present views of diversity of flavin adenine dinucleotide-dependent and semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidases. Methods for preparation of various tissue extracts and spectrophotometric and radiation techniques for determination of the activity of these enzymes, by using various substrates, are described.


Articular cartilage repair remains a clinical and scientific challenge with increasing interest focused on the transplantation of chondrogenic cells. This study evaluated the repair response during a 1-year period after implantation of allogenic perichondrium cell polylactic acid composite grafts into 3.7 × 5 mm osteochondral defects drilled into the medial femoral condyles of 82 adult New Zealand White rabbits. The repair tissue was evaluated grossly, histologically, histomorphometrically, biochemically, and biomechanically at 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year after implantation. After gross evaluation, cartilaginous material appeared to fill the defect in 70 experimental knees, for an overall repair frequency of 85%. The histomorphometric results and the histologic appearances were variable. None of the specimens were completely normal at 1 year. Only specimens with subchondral bone reformation displayed a definable cartilage appearing surface with chondrocytes surrounded by dense matrix. Subchondral bone reformation was inconsistent, reaching 50% at 1 year. Biochemically, the repair tissue matured during a 1-year period into a hyaline Type II collagen dominant tissue, whereas glycosaminoglycan content remained low at all time periods. The measured compressive properties of the repair tissue at 1 year were not significantly different from those of the contralateral knee that was not surgically treated. The treatment of osteochondral defects in the rabbit knee with allogenic perichondrium cell polylactic acid composite grafts yielded a high percentage of grossly successful repairs that showed inconsistent subchondral bone reformation. These results suggest that healthy subchondral bone is important to articular cartilage repair. They also highlight that a cartilaginous appearing tissue at gross inspection may not represent structurally normal articular cartilage. Continued multidisciplinary studies on the arthroplastic potential of rib perichondrial cells are needed before human studies, which rarely can extend beyond gross assessment of repair tissue appearance can be undertaken.


This paper proposes a simple yet versatile rotor position computation algorithm (RPCA) for the rotor position and speed of a doubly fed induction machine. The rotor position is computed in a straightforward manner obviating the need for estimation. The resolved components of stator flux vector are computed using measurable stator and rotor quantities. Although it is an open-loop technique, it does not involve integration, recursive techniques, recomputations or programmable low-pass filters, etc. Starting on the fly, accurate computation near and through the synchronous speed, immunity against fluctuations in the grid voltage, and frequency are the other advantages of the algorithm. Reduced complexity and the computational burden facilitate the easy implementation of the algorithm on a low-cost fixed-point processor. Furthermore, unlike most techniques reported so far, there is no need to assume a constant stator flux since the algorithm is versatile to allow for variations in the grid or stator flux. For the purpose of verification, the proposed RPCA, employed in decoupled power control, is implemented for the laboratory test bench with a 3-hp doubly fed induction generator (grid-connected) system and a TMS320LF2407A DSP controller. The efficacy of the algorithm is demonstrated through the extensive experimental results. Overall, the very encouraging results endorse the proposed algorithm.


The verbpsilas properties determine the number and property of the semantic elements under its control. Meanwhile, such properties also confine the projecting position of these elements in syntactic structures. The semantics of a verb is determined by the set of semantic features of its components. In the present article, 23 semantic features are provided, from which a semantic classification tree is derived.


I believe that, subject to costs and a relaxed availability of training, any medical graduate with the desire to do so should be allowed to train for his or her chosen speciality. Let them then survive on their own ability, not that of their Association. If there should be any limitations on medical manpower, then they should be at the stage of input, that is, at medical school level, and on the number of overseas registrations.


ABS": A comn problem confronting the semiconductor industry is the number of redundant and often conflicting quality audits device mufacturers require of their suppliers - the members of SEMI. Thousands of hours and millions of dollars are consumed by customers and suppliers annually in the search for the holy grail of supplier quality. Customers and suppliers alike are subject to a disorganized pursuit €or meaningful information about supplier quality [I]. One approach being used by SEMATECH member companies is a Standardized Supplier Quality Assessment, or SSQA. These companies have agreed to use a cor" documentation and quality assessment process and to cooperate in staffing the assessment teams [21. This paper reports on the results and benefits of the SEMATEM SSQA assessments in the industry. Information was obtained from a survey of SEMATECH members and companies that have participated in the SSQA process [3]. Results are reported in graphical form to compare the expectations of the device manufacturers and the companies subject to the assessment. The survey attempts to provide insight into the effectiveness of the SSQA process in gathering quality data, as a mechanism for partnering between supplier/customer and as a tool for continuous improvement.


Two newborns, both boys, presented with unexplained respiratory distress. One developed recurrent pneumonias in the first neonatal week and was diagnosed with primary ciliary dyskinesia at the age of 2.5 years. The other had respiratory problems besides a situs inversus totalis and was diagnosed with primary ciliary dyskinesia in the neonatal period. Although 65-90% of children with primary ciliary dyskinesia present with neonatal respiratory distress, the disease is often diagnosed after a considerable delay. Primary ciliary dyskinesia should be considered in newborns with unexplained respiratory problems and in children with recurrent respiratory problems. The disease is diagnosed by taking a nasal brush biopsy of the cilia and examining it using electron microscopy or using phase contrast microscopy. Early diagnosis and adequate treatment may prevent further lung damage


Apparent mean reversion and excess volatility in stock market prices can be reconciled with the Efficient Market Hypothesis by specifying investor preferences that give rise to the demand for portfolio insurance. Therefore, several supposed macro anomalies can be shown to be consistent with a rational market in a simple and parsimonious model of the economy. Unlike other models that have derived equilibrium mean reversion in prices, the model in this paper does not require that the production side of the economy exhibit mean reversion. It also predicts that mean reversion and excess volatility will differ substantially across subperiods.


Proper growth and development of broccoli may be affected by the application of N and B. Accordingly, the objective herein was to verify the effects of N and B application on growth and the nutritional status in the vegetative phase of broccoli. The experimental design was a completely random one in a factorial (4 × 2 +1) scheme, with four doses of B (0.25, 0.50, 1.00, and 2.00 mg dm -3 ) and two doses of N (200 and 600 mg dm -3 ), and the check treatment (no B and no N), with four repetitions. The green color index, the accumulation of N and B in the plant aerial part, leaf area, and the aerial part dry matter content were evaluated. The interaction between nitrogen and boron was not important for the green color index, N and B accumulation, leaf area and dry matter production of broccoli in the vegetative phase. However, the isolated effects of nitrogen fertilization and boron doses were beneficial for broccoli development.


Immune based strategies have shown early promise in multiple myeloma (MM), and are likely to prove a valuable addition to the therapeutic platforms for these patients. B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is a promising therapeutic target with selective expression on plasma cells, including MM cells. In the first report of BCMA targeting therapies, an anti-BCMA scFv-based chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) had clinical activity, albeit with short lived responses (Ali et al, 2016). Observed challenges included low expression level of BCMA, shedding of BCMA and potential loss of expression. In addition to BCMA, MM cells also express transmembrane activator and calcium modulator and cyclophilin ligand interactor (TACI) which functions in plasma cell survival and differentiation. TACI is selectively expressed within lymphoid tissue and at reduced levels compared to BCMA, as measured by RT-PCR on normal tissues. TACI and BCMA share a common ligand called a proliferating ligand (APRIL), a compact self-protein forming a trimer and binding with nanomolar affinity to TACI and BCMA. The natural trimerization of APRIL would serve to enhance cell binding, especially important in the case of low levels of target antigen. Concurrent targeting of two tumour antigens, by increasing antigen density, would improve efficacy as well as reducing the risk of antigen negative disease escape. We quantified APRIL targets on primary MM cells by flow cytometry and observed BCMA expression in all of 41 patients tested (median 1051, range 105-8323 antibodies bound per cell, ABC) with most patients (78%) also expressing TACI (333, 0-21301 ABC). We designed an APRIL based 3rd generation chimeric antigen receptor (APRIL-CAR) comprising an engineered APRIL protein as antigen-binding domain. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were activated, transduced with APRIL-CAR and CD56-depleted before testing against cell lines expressing a wide range of BCMA and TACI (1005-1.5x10^5 and 2200-1.6x10^5 ABC respectively). We confirmed the cytolytic capability of APRIL-CAR against engineered targets, even at the low antigen levels observed in primary cells. Using standard chromium release, there was significant cytolysis of the lowest antigen expressers, with 40.9±3.8% (mean±SEM) and 42.6±5.7% cell death in SUPT1BCMAlo and SUPT1TACIlo respectively cf 15.0±5.8% for control SUPT1NT targets, at an E:T ratio of 4:1 (n=4, p We confirmed cytolytic activity of APRIL-CAR against primary MM cells. Allogeneic PBMCs transduced with APRIL-CAR and CD56-depleted were co-cultured 1:1 with CD138+ bone marrow MM cells from 5 patients. Despite variable BCMA and TACI expression between patient samples (BCMA 1224-7728 and TACI 563-1213 ABC), tumour cytolysis was evident in all cases (APRIL-CAR 72.9±12.2% specific cell death cf media control 2.8±15.3%; p Finally we tested the in vivo activity of APRIL-CAR in an intramedullary model established with tail vein injection of MM.1s.Fluc cells into NOD scid gamma (NSG) mice. Animals were analysed by bioluminescent imaging and FACS analysis of bone marrow for tumour cells. Complete clearance of established intramedullary disease was seen 5 days after infusion of 5x10^6 APRIL-CAR positive PBMCs in 12/12 animals. Elimination of tumour cells was confirmed in the bone marrow (p In summary we report for the first time a 3rd generation CAR utilising a natural ligand to simultaneously target two antigens found on MM cells. Our APRIL-based CAR demonstrated potent activity at the low levels of BCMA and TACI found in primary MM cells, at low (physiological) E:T ratios, and in an intramedullary MM model. This APRIL based CAR holds particular promise and deserves testing in clinical studies. Disclosures Lee:Bloodwise: Research Funding; Autolus Ltd: Patents & Royalties: APRIL based chimeric antigen receptor. Draper:Autolus Ltd: Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties: APRIL based CAR. Chaplin:Autolus Ltd: Equity Ownership. Philip:Autolus: Equity Ownership. Thomas:Autolus Ltd: Employment. Kokalaki:Autolus Ltd: Employment. Francis:Autolus Ltd: Employment. Yong:Autolus Ltd: Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties: APRIL based chimeric antigen receptor; Janssen: Research Funding. Pule:Autolus Ltd: Employment, Equity Ownership, Research Funding; UCL Business: Patents & Royalties; Amgen: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria.


The pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) is a complex of at least 15 genetically different host races that are native to specific legume plants but can all develop on the universal host plant Vicia faba. Despite much research, it is still unclear why pea aphid host races can accept and colonize their native host plants while non-native host races are not. To determine the changes in the host plant chemistry and their possible influence in the specificity of the pea aphid host races, we used several metabolomics aproaches on full factorial experimental set ups by infesting separately four different plant species (Medicago sativa, Trifolium pratense, Pisum sativum, and Vicia faba) with native and non-native pea aphid clones of various host races. Our results from the non-targeted and targeted approaches suggested that the plant species investigated have developed different complexities of chemicals to defend themselves from the attack of herbivores including phloem feeders. Our results also suggested that A. pisum clones have evolved different feeding strategies to manipulate the host plant defense signaling, reduced deterrence or toxicity, improved host quality, reduction of enemies, and improved quality of future food sources in the vicinity to perform better on these plants. We have selected a group of polar and non-polar secondary metabolites that might be associated with the discrimination and compatibility of the pea aphid host races with the different legume species used in this project. However, additional experimentation is necessary to fully understand the effects and influence of these compounds in the specificity of the pea aphid host races.


Flights of terraces that flank range fronts throughout the Rocky Mountains record episodic stream incision over the past 1.5 Ma. Studies dating terraces in the Denver Basin along the Colorado Front Range suggest that these high surfaces were formed during glacial intervals and were rapidly incised and abandoned during interglacials. Modulation of sediment supply or transport capacity associated with climate change related to glacial‐interglacial cycles have been suggested as possible drivers for the repeated aggradation and abandonment of these high surfaces. Potential mechanisms for increasing sediment supply and transport in rivers include variations over time in sediment flux from intermittently glaciated major valleys, the efficiency of hillslope sediment transport, and the magnitude and timing of rainfall intensity and stream flow. In this study, we use a landscape evolution model to determine whether any of these processes, in isolation or in combination, is sufficient to explain the observed rates and patterns of terrace formation and abandonment along the Colorado piedmont. Cycles of channel aggradation and incision are apparent in the models when either mean rainfall intensity is varied or a glacial source of sediment is added. The models suggest that in the absence of a large addition of sediment to the streams, changes in stream power are necessary to allow channel aggradation and the planation of bedrock surfaces, and increased sediment flux from hillslopes is necessary to match observations of increased denudation rates that coincide with the deposition of terrace‐capping gravels.


Looking at two descriptions of landscape in Lucan's Bellum Civile (the sacred grove near Massilia and the Libyan desert), we will try to show that the poet uses bucolic elements to depict some places. However, he does not use these pastoral elements to describe a locus amoenus but a locus horridus. Lucan's landscape can be defined as an inversion and a subversion of the bucolic one.


Aorta eddy is one of the most important parameters of aorta. The incidence of arteriosclerosis can affect the characteristics of eddy current. In this study, we applied trans-esophageal echocardiography to compare aortic vortex parameters between cerebral apoplexy patients (n=102) and normal controls (n=20). Cardiac ultrasound (time resolution=15.4 ± 3.7 milliseconds, 60-80 frames/cardiac cycle) was carried out through esophagus between two groups. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of aorta vortex were performed for the position, form, undulate shape and other parameters. In the control group, irregular-shaped vortexes were observed in the descending aorta position. The vortex of patients with cerebral apoplexy was in the single form, and a majority of them were round and partially merged, etc. In quantitative analysis of the depth of eddy current, the relevant parameters in the control group were significantly higher than those in the cerebral apoplexy group (all P<0.05). The incidence of aortic plaque in the cerebral apoplexy group was 56.4%, significantly higher than 10.9% in the control group (P<0.05). The Vortex Depth (VD) which reflected the main parameters of aortic vortex position in the control group was 0.612 ± 0.171, significantly higher compared with 0.582 ± 0.122 in the cerebral apoplexy (P<0.05). The eddy strength-related parameters of cerebral apoplexy patients were significantly higher than those in the control group. Statistical significances were identified between the cerebral apoplexy and control groups. Trans-esophageal echocardiography can effectively evaluate the form and intensive parameters of aorta vortex.


5-axis milling processes are widely used in industries where complex surfaces are machined, and cutter accessibility is limited due to geometrical constraints on the workpiece. Additional motion capability increases the accessibility of the cutting tool, so it becomes possible to machine complex surfaces despite the geometrical constraints. In most of these industries dimensional tolerance integrity, surface quality, and productivity are of great importance. Therefore, identification of optimal or nearoptimal process conditions, and selection of appropriate machining strategy for a given workpiece are required. Increased motion capability in 5-axis complicates the geometry and the mechanics of the process. Thus, optimization of 5-axis milling processes becomes a complex engineering problem. In order to solve such a problem, process models should be used together with geometrical analysis methods. In selection of appropriate machining strategy, surface characteristics should be known together with the process mechanics. In this thesis, a complete geometrical model is presented for 5- axis milling processes using ball-end mills. The developed model is integrated with an existing 5-axis process model in order to simulate the cutting forces throughout a given toolpath. Also, the effect of lead and tilt angle pair on process mechanics is investigated, and optimized values of those under various conditions are identified. In addition, a model suggesting the most appropriate strategy among various machining strategies for roughing and finishing operations for regular free form surfaces is presented. The developed models are verified through experiments and their applications are demonstrated on complex surfaces.


To achieve the flexibility required by the small amount of repeated work in some industries, automated systems should be capable of being reprogrammed quickly and efficiently. One way of doing this is to create software dedicated to the task of generating the required code. Using Object-Oriented Programming techniques, a software engineer can write efficient code for machines that is faster to implement and extendable. This paper gives a brief overview of object-oriented programming and then goes on to discuss research into the use of that technique to create programs to generate code for a mobile welding robot in the shipbuilding industry.


Visceral obesity is frequently associated with the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D), a highly prevalent chronic disease that features insulin resistance and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction as important hallmarks. Recent evidence indicates that the chronic, low-grade inflammation commonly associated with visceral obesity plays a major role connecting the excessive visceral fat deposition with the development of insulin resistance and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. Herein, we review the mechanisms by which nutrients modulate obesity-associated inflammation.


Individual pools of intracellular inorganic phosphate (Pi) can be observed in the dark in intact cells, protoplasts and chloroplasts from photosynthetic tissue by using 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (n.m.r.). Estimates for the pH of vacuolar and extravacuolar compartments are reported although it is shown that intracellular pH is determined by the pH of the suspending medium. Mannose treatment of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) cells and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) protoplasts results in the inhibition of photosynthesis. The mechanism of mannose phosphate sequestration of free Pi is supported by the 31P n.m.r. spectra of mannose-treated tissue. There is a fundamental difference in 31 P n.m.r. spectra of mannose-treated spinach protoplasts and asparagus cells, reflecting a difference in the availability of vacuolar Pi for cellular metabolism in these species. The 31P n.m.r. spectrum of intact spinach chloroplasts is reported.


The article provides a critical overview of the latest phase of scholarly engagement with Eurocommunism, firstly, by pointing out the resilience of a 'Cold War framing' in many of the new studies of the phenomenon, secondly, by stressing the resulting blind spots in the assessment of
 its geographical scope (e.g., the lack of attention paid to Spain, scarce contributions on Eurocommunism's ramifications beyond West Europe). It then proposes a de-centred perspective on the phenomenon that is able to encompass its global roots and outreach, especially regarding the Third
 World; contrary to the prevalent focus on individual national cases of Eurocommunism, the article calls for a framing of Eurocommunist coordination as a transnational formation, so that both the leading role of Italian communists and the cross-border exchanges that shaped it can factor into
 a revised scholarly engagement with the topic. From this vantage point, Eurocommunism emerges as a strategy of transition for the global conjuncture of multiple crises that the 1970s represented, one that nevertheless failed to present a viable alternative to neoliberalism, another product
 of the decade in question. The article concludes by approaching the little explored gender dimension of Eurocommunism, visible in its entanglement with the second-wave feminism.


The successful demonstration of reaping machines by Obed Hussey and Cyrus McCormick in 1833 and 1834 inaugurated long series of events that eventually revolutionized the harvesting of small grains and grasses, drastically altering the lives and productivity of grain farmers. Given the ultimate success and widespread impact of the reaping machine, historians have long pondered why almost twenty years elapsed between the date when Obed Hussey sold his first machine in 1833 and the first wave of popular acceptance in the mid-1850's. Why did it take twenty years for a significant number of farmers to begin to exchange their cradles and scythes for reapers and mowers? What important economic and technological factors governed the initial diffusion of this invention? These are important historical questions, the answers to which can significantly influence our broader perceptions of the problem of technological diffusion.


Aim: Meropenem-vaborbactam and delafloxacin activities were not assessed against Achromobacter spp. (Achr), Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (Smal). Methodology: A total of 106 Achr, 57 Bcc and 100 Smal were tested with gradient diffusion test of meropenem-vaborbactam, delafloxacin and comparators. Results: Meropenem-vaborbactam MIC50 were 4 μg/ml for Achr, 1 μg/ml for B. cepacia, 2 μg/ml for B. cenocepacia and B. multivorans, and 32 μg/ml for Smal. Delafloxacin MIC50 were 4 μg/ml for Achr, 0.25 μg/ml for B. cepacia and B. multivorans, 2 μg/ml for B. cenocepacia, and 0.5 μg/m for Smal. meropenem-vaborbactam MICs were fourfold lower than meropenem for 28.3% Achr, 77.2% B. cepacia, 53.8% B. cenocepacia and 77.2% B. multivorans. Conclusion: Meropenem-vaborbactam and delafloxacin are in vitro active against Bcc and Achr.


Pulse oximetry to monitor oxygen saturation during pediatric dental sedations has revolutionized the early detection of hypoxemia. Previous sedation studies confirmed the occurrence of hemoglobin oxygen desaturation when sedative agents are administered in conjunction with nitrous oxide. The purpose of this study was to monitor the hemoglobin oxygen saturation levels of nonmedicated pediatric patients during routine restorative procedures to study the effect of nitrous oxide, chronologic age, tonsil size, and lidocaine dose. Two identical pulse oximeters and probes were attached to a patient's right and left feet to validate the occurrence of oxygen desaturations. The results revealed that 20.3% of the patients demonstrated at least one occurrence of oxygen desaturation during the routine dental procedure. Administration of nitrous oxide had no effect on the prevalence of oxygen desaturation. Although chronologic age, tonsil size, and lidocaine dose did not exert a statistically significant influence when analyzed independently, when combined they were related statistically (P < 0.0001) to the occurrence of oxygen desaturation as defined by the parameters of the study. These data suggest that some of the oxygen desaturations recorded during routine restorative appointments may result from probe error and a combination of patient-related variables.


In this paper, we investigate a Quasi-Orthogonal Space-Time Block Coded (QO-STBC) protocol with relay selection in the eight-user cooperative communication environment. The QO-STBC coded protocol could provide a full rate and a full diversity to cooperative communications. Computer simulation results show that QO-STBC coded protocol yields 3-dB lower probability of error compared with a conventional decode- and-forward protocol.


Abstract– LaPaz Icefield (LAP) 04581 is a shock‐stage S2 LL5 chondrite that initially consisted of unrecrystallized LL3 material with a moderately abundant fine‐grained porous matrix (on the order of 15 vol%). A rare oblique impact created shearing stresses that produced a petrofabric in the rock, induced frictional melting of troilite (thereby forming a large troilite vein), and caused chondrule flattening. The latter process was facilitated by impact‐induced collapse of matrix pores. Chondrule flattening could not have occurred if the rock had been impacted after it had been metamorphosed to type 5 levels because the fine‐grained matrix would have previously recrystallized and developed low porosity. Ar‐Ar dating of LAP 04581 yields an age of 4175 Ma. This date is long after 26Al had decayed away and most likely reflects the timing of a second impact event that shocked the rock to S4–S5 levels. The troilite vein became polycrystalline at this time and the whole rock was annealed to petrologic type 5, perhaps by being buried beneath hot ejecta of low thermal diffusivity. After annealing, the rock was weakly shocked to S2 levels. LAP 04581 serves as an example of impact‐induced heating being a viable mechanism for chondrite metamorphism.


Recovery rates for B-cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) are up to 70% with current standard-of-care treatments including rituximab (chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody) in combination with chemotherapy (R-CHOP). However, patients who do not respond to first-line treatment or develop resistance have a very poor prognosis. This signifies the need for the development of an optimal treatment approach for relapsed/refractory B-NHL. Novel CD19chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell redirected immunotherapy is an attractive option for this subset of patients. Anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy has already had remarkable efficacy in various leukemias as well as encouraging outcomes in phase I clinical trials of relapsed/refractory NHL. In going forward with additional clinical trials, complementary treatments that may circumvent potential resistance mechanisms should be used alongside anti-CD19 T-cells in order to prevent relapse with resistant strains of disease. Some such supplementary tactics include conditioning with lymphodepletion agents, sensitizing with kinase inhibitors and Bcl-2 inhibitors, enhancing function with multispecific CAR T-cells and CD40 ligand-expressing CAR T-cells, and safeguarding with lymphoma stem cell-targeted treatments. A therapy regimen involving anti-CD19 CAR T-cells and one or more auxiliary treatments could dramatically improve prognoses for patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell NHL. This approach has the potential to revolutionize B-NHL salvage therapy in much the same way rituximab did for first-line treatments.


A small, self-selected discussion group was convened to consider issues surrounding impact factors at the first meeting of the Open Scholarship Initiative in Fairfax, Virginia, USA, in April 2016, and focused on the uses and misuses of the Journal Impact Factor (JIF), with a particular focus on research assessment. The group's report notes that the widespread use, or perceived use, of the JIF in research assessment processes lends the metric a degree of influence that is not justified on the basis of its validity for those purposes, and retards moves to open scholarship in a number of ways. The report concludes that indicators, including those based on citation counts, can be combined with peer review to inform research assessment, but that the JIF is not one of those indicators. It also concludes that there is already sufficient information about the shortcomings of the JIF, and that instead actions should be pursued to build broad momentum away from its use in research assessment. These actions include practical support for the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) by research funders, higher education institutions, national academies, publishers and learned societies. They also include the creation of an international "metrics lab" to explore the potential of new indicators, and the wide sharing of information on this topic among stakeholders. Finally, the report acknowledges that the JIF may continue to be used as one indicator of the quality of journals, and makes recommendations how this should be improved. OSI2016 Workshop Question: Impact Factors Tracking the metrics of a more open publishing world will be key to selling "open" and encouraging broader adoption of open solutions. Will more openness mean lower impact, though (for whatever reason—less visibility, less readability, less press, etc.)? Why or why not? Perhaps more fundamentally, how useful are impact factors anyway? What are they really tracking, and what do they mean? What are the pros and cons of our current reliance on these measures? Would faculty be satisfied with an alternative system as long as it is recognized as reflecting meaningfully on the quality of their scholarship? What might such an alternative system look like?


The use of medication in primary health care has increased steadily in recent decades, thus highlighting the relevance of assessing the pharmaceutical care provided to patients in the primary care setting. This article aimed to evaluate the pharmaceutical care provided by the public system in Greater Metropolitan Santos, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, focusing specifically on women during gestation. Methods included secondary data analysis, document analysis, interviews with key players, and visits to health services and to the pharmaceutical supply center. Deficiencies were identified in most stages of pharmaceutical care: selection, planning, purchase, storage, distribution, and dispensing. The results suggest that in order to improve primary health care, with better access, equality, and comprehensiveness, the evaluation of pharmaceutical care should be incorporated as a routine procedure.


An increasingly important issue of trade and development is the high cost of the transfer of technology from the developed countries to the developing world. Rough estimates suggest that payments by developing countries for the use of patents, licenses, trademarks, and managerial and technical services amounted to about $1.5 billion in 1968 [19]. For Pakistan, the issue is of particular importance. l Based on conservative estimates by Mahbub ul Haq, Pakistan's annual payments for technology transfer in 1965-70 averaged $102 million; this magnitude-again reflecting payments for the use of patented knowledge and technical services only-represents a payment rate of almost 16 percent of annual export receipts r19]. If other costs such as profit repatriation and transfer pricing are included, the payment rate is substantially higher.


The purpose of this study is to examine successful aging among Spanish-speaking older adults in Costa Rica and in Spain using the proactive framework proposed by Kahana et al. (2014). More specifically, we hypothesized that older adults' life satisfaction would be positively associated with the frequency and perceived level of social support, spirituality/having purpose in life, and the use of proactive physical, cognitive, and social self-care behaviors. Our results confirmed these hypotheses, not only for the overall group of participants, but also separately for older adults in Costa Rica and in Spain. The present study contributes to the literature of successful aging among older adults, by examining the protective factors associated with life satisfaction among Spanish speaking older adults in Costa Rica and in Spain. It identifies specific protective factors (spirituality/purpose in life, social support, and self-care) associated with the values and preferences held by participants in the study.


The scope of this research was to understand the assistance provided by psychologists to patients diagnosed with depression in the municipal health care network. In this study, the phenomenon is examined from its broader perspective, taking the psychosocial dimensions of health into account. A group of 22 psychologists participated in this study of a qualitative nature. Data collection began with participant in-field observation of the institutional context followed by semi-structured interviews. Grounded theory methodology was used to analyze information, thereby facilitating its integration and categorization.The results revealed that in the primary care network the treatment of depression is essentially restricted to its biological aspect; the choice of individual psychotherapy as the main form of treatment refers to traditional practices of psychological care for depression; the use of institutional and community methods as part of the therapeutic approach suggests mental health interventions that address the psychosocial dimension. The findings indicate that transcending the traditional models of care for patients with depression and the construction of forms of treatment using psychosocial resources are ongoing, indicating that comprehensive care needs to be further consolidated in primary care.


Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) is extensively used to study microcirculatory disorders, a main problem facing modern medicine. A wealth of data have been obtained on microcirculation in diabetes mellitus, HD, venous insufficiency and other diseases. This review focuses on basic principles of the method for the assessment of microcirculatory disorders by LDF using the domestically produced equipment. The main elements of the microcirculation system, capillary hemodynamics, and mechanisms of its regulation are described. The main elements and terms of LDF are considered, such as microcirculation index, flux, and variation coefficient along with elements of analysis of the amplitude-frequency fluctuation spectrum and different types of tissue blood flow. Active factors of microcirculation control modulate the blood flow from the vascular wall; their action is mediated through its muscular component. Passive factors cause variations of bloodflow outside the microcirculation system; they are the pulsed wave originating from arteries and the sucking action of the venous respiratory pump. Under normal conditions, the vasomotor rhythm driven by the pacemaker in the precapillary segment of the microcirculation bed predominates. The compensatory role of other regulatory mechanisms increases with decreasing contribution of vasomotion to the active modulation of microcirculation hemodynamics. A change in the low to high frequency rhythm ratio reflects the microcirculation index (MI). In case of well-balanced active vasomotor and passive compensatory modulations of tissue blood flow observed in normoemic type of microcirculation, MI amounts to 2.2±0.05.Enhancement of high-frequency and pulsed fluctuation spectra results in a decrease of MI to 1.73±0.04 (hyperemic type) and 1.86±0.053 (hypoemic type).