Fees charged at the point of use are a barrier to the health services' users, especially for the poorest. Two decades ago, Cambodia introduced the so-called health equity fund (HEF) strategy, a waiver scheme which enhances access to public health services for the poor without undermining the economic situation of facilities. Evidence suggests that hospital-based HEF effectively removed financial barriers and reduced out-of-pocket expenditures. There is less evidence on the effectiveness of the HEF when assistance is extended to the primary level of healthcare. This research explores the impact of a HEF extended to health centres in two rural health districts. Two household surveys and 16-month diary data allowed to assess the impact of the intervention on health-seeking behaviours and expenditure of poor households. Though HEF effectively removed user fees at public health facilities, health centre utilization of sick and poor people did not budge much in the intervention district; self-medication and private provider consultations remained the preferred health-seeking behaviours, by far, even if more expensive. Difference-in-difference estimates confirmed that HEF had a slight impact on health-seeking behaviours, but only for the subgroups of HEF beneficiaries living close to the health centre and ready to test their new entitlement. This research reminds on the importance of the context for the effectiveness of any policy: in a highly pluralistic health sector, waiving already low-user fees in public health centres may be insufficient to increase rapidly the use of those facilities and reduce catastrophic spending. In such context, apart from distance to health centres, perceived quality of services at the health centres, which was relatively low compared with other providers, also matters. Although the HEF scheme plays a role in improving perceived and objective quality of care, complementary means are to be deployed.


Restructuring of central and local government relations has occurred in a number of countries during the 1980s, and has been a striking phenomenon even in such different countries as Poland, Sweden and the US. In the first part of the article a resource framework is presented, designed to make basic comparisons of these relations between different countries. Five sets of resources are identified: constitutional-legal, regulatory, financial, political and professional resources. It is argued that local-government disposal of such resources provides a potential for local discretion. The applicability of the framework is illustrated by reference to a study of Poland, Sweden and the US, focusing on the restructuring of central and local government relations in these countries during the 1980s. The conclusion is that decentralization has occurred in all three cases, especially in terms of regulatory and other non-financial resources. However, in Sweden and the US this trend has been counterbalanced by centralization of financial control. In Poland the post-communist revolution has paved the way for a restoration of the pre-war local self-government system. Democratic elections at the local level are seen as crucial to break down the old, centralized party-state system, and to reintroduce a dual local government system. In all three cases economic pressure, related to the individual countries' positions in the world capitalist system, seems to have been the main driving force beind the decentralization processes. However, the forms, magnitude and effects of decentralization must be seen in relation to the specific political economies and histories of the three countries. Thus, to understand the causes, mechanisms and effects of central–local government restructuring in depth one has to relate the resource approach to a broader theoretical framework.


During the past three years, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has made an effort to address, quantify, and adjust for an undercount in the number of farms indication from its annual June Area Survey (JAS), which is based on an area frame. This undercount is a direct result of the misclassification of agricultural tracts as non-agricultural. The 2007 Census of Agriculture mailing list (CML) was evaluated as a potential source to assess misclassification on the 2007 JAS. The CML was found to be a rich source from which to quantify the undercount of farms on the JAS. However, the CML is only available every five years, and misclassification on the JAS should be assessed each year. Independently of the area frame, NASS maintains a list of agricultural operators, referred to as the list frame. Yearly list-based samples are selected from the list frame. In addition, the list frame serves as the foundation for building the CML. The list frame is updated on an on-going basis and operators are categorized as either active or inactive. Although the CML includes all active records, some of these do not qualify as farming operations. This research report explores the potential of using the list frame on a yearly basis to assess the misclassification of farms on the JAS.


A male born in 1930 was diagnosed as smear-positive borderline leprosy in 1971, and was treated with dapsone and/or sulfamethoxypyridazine from 1972 to 1980 with clinical improvement. However, new skin lesions with smears strongly positive appeared in August 1980, and he was diagnosed as having downgraded to lepromatous (LL) leprosy, but the bacilli recovered from the skin biopsy were fully susceptible to both dapsone and rifampin by mouse foot pad technique. Between 1981 and 1983, the patient was treated with 24 months of rifampin 600 mg and dapsone 100 mg daily, supplemented with prothionamide 500 mg daily during the initial 3 months, and his skin lesions gradually improved during treatment with the combined regimen. Afterward, the patient was kept under surveillance without treatment. From 1984 to 1986, his skin smears were negative, and no bacilli could be found from a skin biopsy taken in 1985. Then in 1987, 52 months after stopping treatment, new skin lesions appeared with a high concentration of Mycobacterium leprae (2 x 10(6)/mg tissue). The drug-susceptibility test again demonstrated that the organisms were fully susceptible to both dapsone and rifampin. Apparently the relapse was due to remultiplication of drug-susceptible persisters.


The introduction of colloidally stable liposomes with low drug leakage rates resulted in a renaissance in liposome applications in cancer therapy. Furthermore, a platform of sterically stabilized liposomes also allows the construction of new generations of drug delivery vehicles. These include targeted liposomes and targeted nucleic acid delivery vehicles, based either on cationic sterically stabilized liposomes or pre-condensed DNA encapsulated in neutral or negatively charged liposomes.


This research developed a machine learning classifier that reliably automates the coding process using the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities as a schema and remapped the U.S. nonprofit sector. I achieved 90% overall accuracy for classifying the nonprofits into nine broad categories and 88% for classifying them into 25 major groups. The intercoder reliabilities between algorithms and human coders measured by kappa statistics are in the "almost perfect" range of .80 to 1.00. The results suggest that a state-of-the-art machine learning algorithm can approximate human coders and substantially improve researchers' productivity. I also reassigned multiple category codes to more than 439,000 nonprofits and discovered a considerable amount of organizational activities that were previously ignored. The classifier is an essential methodological prerequisite for large-N and Big Data analyses, and the remapped U.S. nonprofit sector can serve as an important instrument for asking or reexamining fundamental questions of nonprofit studies. The working directory with all data sets, source codes, and historical versions are available on GitHub (https://github.com/ma-ji/npo_classifier).


The purpose of this pilot study was to describe and analyze the perceptions and alternative ideas of individuals with and without vision impairments regarding the concepts of "density" and "heat". The perceptions of sighted, age- and gender-matched participants were compared with those of visually impaired participants (two groups). Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the analysis of the data followed the method of tracing and developing categories and sub-categories. The analysis revealed that the two groups held diverse understandings about "density", while most participants seemed to identify "heat" as "temperature" and vice versa. The results are presented in the form of conception correlation matrices highlighting common concepts and alternative ideas towards the notions of "density" and "heat". The findings demonstrate that in both groups there are common patterns of alternative ideas, which may lead to the assumption that vision loss or blindness and proficiency in science do not constitute a causal relation. The results may lead to useful implications for differentiated instruction regarding the comprehension of science in an integrated educational setting in conjunction with technological advances and inclusive practices.


Abstract In the field of business and politics, research on the role of business actors in individual fossil fuel industries that contribute to climate change has been sparse. At the same time theorising the role of ad hoc coalitions has been limited even though they appear to be an important vehicle for business actors seeking to shape contemporary policy contests. This paper attempts to address these understudied areas by drawing on a rich empirical dataset to examine the role of three ad hoc coalitions in the U.S. energy sector. In doing so, it builds on the existing literature to establish a theoretical basis for identifying the defining elements of ad hoc coalitions and the conditions under which business actors decide to establish them. Further, it sheds light on how business actors use ad hoc coalitions in three key fossil fuel industries—gas, oil, and coal—to shape policy outcomes, and in turn shape the path to a clean energy transition.


OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors associated with aging of the socially-active elderly in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving a sample of 400 elderly subjects. Through a conglomerate analysis using the combined results of the Flanagan Scale and the quality of life assessment instrument developed by the World Health Organization (WHOQOL-100), the subjects classified as presenting a higher quality of life were considered to have aged successfully. RESULTS: After having been adjusted for the variables gender, age, level of depression, despair, perceived health status, meaning that personal beliefs give to life, satisfaction with social activities and relations, the following factors maintained their independent and meaningful effect on successful aging: family relations and friendships (OR = 4.93; 95% CI: 2.83-8.60), health and perceived well being (OR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.07-2.59), functional capacity (OR = 23.70; 95% CI: 10.98-51.06) and psychosocial support (OR = 7.36; 95% CI: 4.00-13.54). CONCLUSIONS: Independence in performing daily life activities and autonomy, as well as satisfaction with family relations and friendships, were independent predictive factors of successful aging for both men and women. For women in particular, there were various predictive factors: material comfort; feeling physically well; body image and appearance; self-esteem; positive feelings; interpersonal relationships; social support; participation in recreational activities; sexuality; spirituality; and beliefs. The elderly maintain a relationship with themselves, with others and with their beliefs. Family is the main social support system.


Sixty children aged from 1 month to 12 years (mean (SD) 3.18 (3.49) years) with acute bacterial meningitis were studied for the incidence, clinical manifestations and outcome of the inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone syndrome (SIADH). Serum sodium levels and osmolality of serum and urine were estimated on admission and on days 3 and 10. SIADH was diagnosed in 22 out of 60 cases (36.7%) on admission and in six of 48 cases (12.5%) on day 3. Hyponatraemia without SIADH, attributed to vomiting and fever, was detected in seven cases (11.7%). Serum sodium levels returned to normal within 48 hours in these cases. Serum osmolality and sodium levels took longer to return to normal values in patients with SIADH. However, none of the cases showed any evidence of SIADH on the 10th day. A significant correlation with SIADH was observed in cases with evidence of severe meningeal inflammation (p < 0.001). The incidence of SIADH was highest with Streptococcus pneumoniae (75%), followed by Haemophilus influenzae (57.1%). Overall mortality was 26.7%, and mortality was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in cases with SIADH, all of whom died during the 1st 72 hours. Ten out of 22 cases (45.4%) with SIADH who survived beyond the 1st 72 hours had an uneventful course even though all of them had biochemical evidence of SIADH on the 3rd day. Mortality was quite high also in children with severe malnutrition (75%) and in those with S. pneumoniae as the aetiological organism (75%).


Yelp, Angie's List, Avvo, and similar entities enable consumers to access an incredibly useful trove of information about peer experiences with businesses and their goods and services. These "mediated reputation systems," gatherers and dis-seminators of consumer peer opinions, are more trusted by consumers than traditional commercial channels. They are omnipresent, carried everywhere on mobile devices, and used by consumers ready to transact. Though this information is valuable, a troubling conflict emerges in its presentation. Most of these reputation platforms rely heavily on advertising sales to support their business models. This reliance compels these entities to display persuasive advertising right along with their presentation of authentic peer information. Consumers expecting to access this authentic peer information must also confront a persuasive message. The revenue lifeblood for these platforms comes from the very businesses under peer review. This Article argues that the power of peer information provides an exceptionally credible context for persuasive advertising. Accordingly, advertising on reputation platforms should trigger more rigorous regulation in the form of disclosure requirements and prioritized enforcement.


The automatic classification of the wealth of molecular configurations gathered in simulation in the form of a few coordinates that help to explain the main states and transitions of the system is a recurring problem in computational molecular biophysics. We use the recently proposed ScIMAP algorithm to automatically extract motion parameters from simulation data. The procedure uses only molecular shape similarity and topology information inferred directly from the simulated conformations, and is not biased by a priori known information. The automatically recovered coordinates prove as excellent reaction coordinates for the molecules studied and can be used to identify stable states and transitions, and as a basis to build free‐energy surfaces. The coordinates provide a better description of the free energy landscape when compared with coordinates computed using principal components analysis, the most popular linear dimensionality reduction technique. The method is first validated on the analysis of the dynamics of an all‐atom model of alanine dipeptide, where it successfully recover all previously known metastable states. When applied to characterize the simulated folding of a coarse‐grained model of β‐hairpin, in addition to the folded and unfolded states, two symmetric misfolding crossings of the hairpin strands are observed, together with the most likely transitions from one to the other. Proteins 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Upon activation by cAMP, Escherichia coli cAMP receptor protein (CRP) controls the expression of a network of catabolite sensitive genes. The activation of CRP by cAMP involves conformational changes such as realignments between subunits and domains within the protein. To understand the molecular events that lead to the activation of CRP, point mutations at position 128 were introduced via site-directed mutagenesis in an attempt to specifically affect the subunit interfacial interactions, as well as the ligand-binding reaction. The biochemical and biophysical properties of these mutants were rigorously tested with the goal of identifying the partial reactions in the activation pathway that are perturbed by this specific mutation. Results from this study suggest that mutation of Ser 128 to Ala or Pro does not significantly disturb the overall secondary structure as monitored by circular dichroism. The energetics of subunit-subunit interaction and protein stability were monitored by sedimentation and spectroscopic techniques. Although these mutants were designed to interrupt intersubunit interactions, the energetics of subunit association and protein stability remain quantitatively the same as those of the wild-type CRP. Nevertheless, the ability of the subunit to be realigned to the DNA-binding form is significantly affected as reflected by the pronounced decrease in the susceptibility of mutant CRP to proteolytic digestion in the presence of cAMP. In addition, the binding affinity of cAMP to the first ligand site in mutants S128A and S128P is the same as that of the wild type, but the affinity to the second ligand site is reduced. This observation indicates that mutation at position 128 affects ligand binding by amplifying the magnitude of negative cooperativity. Mutation at residue 128 does not impair the ability of interdomain interactions as indicated by the quantitative response of a spectroscopic probe in the DNA-binding domain to the binding of cAMP to the ligand-binding domain. The S128A mutant binds to a specific DNA sequence about 50-fold weaker than the wild-type CRP, while the mutant S128P has no measurable DNA affinity under the same conditions. This observation is consistent with the in vivo result that both mutants display an inactive CRP phenotype (CRP-). In summary, these results suggest that communication between domains induced by cAMP binding can be dissociated from the proper subunit realignment of the CRP dimer that is crucial for the activation of CRP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


The chemokine receptor CCR5 is expressed on the majority of T cells and monocytes in the inflammatory infiltrate of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, renal diseases, and multiple sclerosis. In contrast, little expression of CCR5 is found on peripheral blood leukocytes. A specific depletion of CCR5+ cells could therefore be a useful strategy to reduce the cellular infiltrate in chronic inflammations. Moreover, CCR5 is the major coreceptor for M-tropic HIV-1 strains. Depletion of CCR5+ leukocytes may help to eliminate cells latently infected with HIV-1. We designed two constructs that specifically destroy chemokine receptor-positive cells. The first construct, a bispecific Ab, binds simultaneously to CCR5 and CD3. Thereby it redirects CD3+ T cells against CCR5+ target cells. The Ab specifically depletes CCR5+ T cells and monocytes, but is inactive against cells that do not express CCR5. Furthermore, ex vivo the bispecific Ab eliminated >95% of CCR5+ monocytes and T cells from the synovial fluid of patients with arthritis. Also, we designed a fusion protein of the chemokine RANTES and a truncated version of Pseudomonas exotoxin A. The fusion protein binds to CCR5 and down-modulates the receptor from the cell surface. The chemokine toxin completely destroyed CCR5+ Chinese hamster ovary cells at a concentration of 10 nM, whereas no cytotoxic effect was detectable against CCR5− Chinese hamster ovary cells. Both constructs efficiently deplete CCR5-positive cells, appear as useful agents in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, and may help to eradicate HIV-1 by increasing the turnover of latently infected cells.


This paper describes research on the stability of the MEMS mirror for use in eye tracking systems. MEMS mirrors are the main element in scanning methods (which is one of the methods of eye tracking). Due to changes in the mirror pitch, the system can scan the area of the eye with a laser and collect the signal reflected. However, this method works on the assumption that the inclinations are constant in each period. The instability of this causes errors. The aim of this work is to examine the error level caused by pitch instability at different points of work. Full Text: PDF References W. Fuhl, M. Tonsen, A. Bulling, and E. Kasneci, "Pupil detection for head-mounted eye tracking in the wild: an evaluation of the state of the art," Mach. Vis. Appl., vol. 27, no. 8, pp. 1275-1288, 2016, CrossRef X. Wang, S. Koch, K. Holmqvist, and M. Alexa, "Tracking the gaze on objects in 3D," ACM Trans. Graph., vol. 37, no. 6, pp. 1-18, Dec. 2018 CrossRef X. Xiong and H. Xie, "MEMS dual-mode electrostatically actuated micromirror," Proc. 2014 Zo. 1 Conf. Am. Soc. Eng. Educ. - "Engineering Educ. Ind. Involv. Interdiscip. Trends", ASEE Zo. 1 2014, no. Dmd, 2014 CrossRef E. Pengwang, K. Rabenorosoa, M. Rakotondrabe, and N. Andreff, "Scanning micromirror platform based on MEMS technology for medical application," Micromachines, vol. 7, no. 2, 2016 CrossRef J. P. Giannini, A. G. York, and H. Shroff, "Anticipating, measuring, and minimizing MEMS mirror scan error to improve laser scanning microscopy's speed and accuracy," PLoS One, vol. 12, no. 10, pp. 1-14, 2017 CrossRef C. Hennessey, B. Noureddin, and P. Lawrence, "A single camera eye-gaze tracking system with free head motion," Eye Track. Res. Appl. Symp., vol. 2005, no. March, pp. 87-94, 2005 CrossRef C. H. Morimoto and M. R. M. Mimica, "Eye gaze tracking techniques for interactive applications," Comput. Vis. Image Underst., vol. 98, no. 1, pp. 4-24, Apr. 2005 CrossRef S. T. S. Holmstrom, U. Baran, and H. Urey, "MEMS laser scanners: A review," J. Microelectromechanical Syst., vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 259-275, 2014 CrossRef C. W. Cho, "Gaze Detection by Wearable Eye-Tracking and NIR LED-Based Head-Tracking Device Based on SVR," ETRI J., vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 542-552, Aug. 2012 CrossRef T. Santini, W. Fuhl, and E. Kasneci, "PuRe: Robust pupil detection for real-time pervasive eye tracking," Comput. Vis. Image Underst., vol. 170, pp. 40-50, May 2018 CrossRef O. Solgaard, A. A. Godil, R. T. Howe, L. P. Lee, Y. A. Peter, and H. Zappe, "Optical MEMS: From micromirrors to complex systems," J. Microelectromechanical Syst., vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 517-538, 2014 CrossRef J. Wang, G. Zhang, and Z. You, "UKF-based MEMS micromirror angle estimation for LiDAR," J. Micromechanics Microengineering, vol. 29, no. 3, 201 CrossRef


This book is based on research and observations undertaken for the author's PhD thesis at the National University of Ireland, and represents a case study of national and regional campaigns against both the Irish state's Regional Waste Management Plans and the corporate sector's attempts to develop waste incinerators or dumps in various parts of Ireland. This book provides an in depth account of the mobilizing patterns and framing processes of community campaigns which emerged in the wake of the Irish state's introduction of regional plans for waste management, which included plans for municipal 'waste to energy' plants or incinerators. It is the only book with a sole focus on this aspect of Irish society during the 'Celtic Tiger' boom which preceded the current economic downturn, and examines policy, population, development social issues and local and national electoral processes in detail at a time of immense change in the Republic of Ireland. As such, it provides a salient insight into the societal shifts which provide opportunities for social movements to oppose state or corporate plans which may be perceived to have human health or environmental risks associated with them.


Ecosystem services are often described as the biophysical environment that provide humans and the surrounding habitat with natural, ecological and environmental resources and benefits. Ecosystem services include a wide variety of benefits such as air quality, carbon sequestration, storm water retention, and nutrient cycling; however, they can also refer to a management approach or decisionmaking process for managing these types of resources. Ecosystem services provide an intrinsic value that has been detailed in recent reports to exceed the value of the entire world's annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) revenue. In one of the most widely cited ecosystem service valuation studies, researchers in 1997 estimated that the value of services provided by Earth's ecosystems was at least 33 trillion U.S. dollars, compared to the global (GDP) of approximately 17 trillion dollars at the time. Capital valuation builds an easier understanding about the economic and ecological benefits that are accrued through ecological functions in the environment. Much of the benefits that are realized by humans as a result of ecosystem services are manifested in the form of cost avoidance to storm water infrastructure, provisioning materials such as lumber and foodstuffs, and health benefits such as cleaner drinking water, and reduced air pollution. The research in this report evaluates air quality and carbon sequestration ecosystem services at Spencer's Butte in Eugene, Oregon. Discussed within is a description of typical ecological services and a portrayal of the unique ridgeline habitats found just south of Eugene, Oregon. The analysis included within this research utilizes a popular and commonly used ecosystem service modelling tool—iTree Vue. The modelling software utilizes land use data, canopy and herbaceous layer composition, and impervious surface descriptions to evaluate ecosystem services on a landscape scale. The findings from the model describe quantification in dollar values of the ecological air quality benefits provided by vegetated habitats on Spencer's Butte.


Background Use of antidepressant medications has been linked to detrimental impacts on bone mineral density and osteoporosis; however, the cellular basis behind these observations remains poorly understood. The effect does not appear to be homogeneous across the whole class of drugs and may be linked to affinity for the serotonin transporter system. In this study, we hypothesized that antidepressants have a class- and dose-dependent effect on mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation, which may affect bone metabolism. Methods Human MSCs (hMSCs) were committed to differentiate when either adipogenic or osteogenic media was added, supplemented with five increasing concentrations of amitriptyline (0.001–10 µM), venlafaxine (0.01–25 µM), or fluoxetine (0.001–10 µM). Alizarin red staining (mineralization), alkaline phosphatase (osteoblastogenesis), and oil red O (adipogenesis) assays were performed at timed intervals. In addition, cell viability was assessed using a MTT. Results We found that fluoxetine had a significant inhibitory effect on mineralization. Furthermore, adipogenic differentiation of hMSC was affected by the addition of amitriptyline, venlafaxine, and fluoxetine to the media. Finally, none of the tested medications significantly affected cell survival. Conclusions This study showed a divergent effect of three antidepressants on hMSC differentiation, which appears to be independent of class and dose. As fluoxetine and amitriptyline, but not venlafaxine, affected both osteoblastogenesis and adipogenesis, this inhibitory effect could be associated to the high affinity of fluoxetine to the serotonin transporter system.


The fibre reinforced metal matrix composites (FRMMC-s) are one of the main groups of the composite materials. The composite wires are continuous-fibre-reinforced aluminium matrix composites, which are made by a continuous process. Composite wires already have a few experimental applications for the reinforcement of high voltage electric cables. Other experimental application fields of these materials are the preferential reinforcement of the cast parts. In this way significant decrease in the weight could be achieved. The aim of this study is to show the excellent mechanical properties of the composite wires, and the contact relationship between the mechanical and other properties (i.e. thermoelectric power) and the possibility of their standardized production. The continuous production process of the composite wires and their test results were are shown as well. The difference between the composite wire reinforced double composite structures and direct fibre reinforced blocks were delineated as well. In this paper specimens were examined by tensile tests, bending tests, thermal aging tests and thermoelectric power measurement.


Abstract: This chapter introduces the concept of formulation development assisted by computer applications. Development and optimization of various types of pharmaceutical emulsions microemulsions, self-microemulsifying systems, and double emulsions are presented. Illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate the ability of computer-aided tools to facilitate formulation development. Various techniques, such as design of experiments and artificial neural networks, are implemented for optimization of the formulation and/or processing parameters. Furthermore, some of the critical quality attributes and processing parameters are optimized simultaneously. The examples presented should serve as the foundation for the future quality-by-design development of pharmaceutical emulsion and (self) microemulsion formulations.


ABSTRACT The functional role of UV irradiation, in combination with the E6 and E7 proteins of the cutaneous human papillomavirus (HPV) types in the malignant conversion of benign papillomatous lesions, has not been elucidated. Transgenic SKH-hr1 hairless mice expressing HPV-20 and HPV-27 E6 and E7 proteins in the suprabasal compartment were generated and exposed to chronic UV irradiation. Histological and immunohistochemical examination of skin samples revealed enhanced proliferation of the epidermal layers and papilloma formation in both transgenic strains in comparison to what was observed with nontransgenic mice. Squamous cell carcinoma developed in the HPV-20 E6/E7 transgenic line as well as in the HPV-27 E6/E7 transgenic line. Several weeks after cessation of UV-B exposure, enhanced proliferation, as measured by BrdU incorporation, was maintained only in HPV-20 transgenic skin. Keratin 6 expression was increased in the transgenic mice throughout all cell layers. Expression of the differentiation markers involucrin and loricrin was reduced and disturbed. p63α expression was differentially regulated with high levels of cytoplasmic expression in clusters of cells in the granular layer of the skin in the transgenic lines 20 weeks after cessation of UV-B exposure, in contrast to uninterrupted staining in the nontransgenic lines. p53 was expressed in clusters of cells in nontransgenic and HPV-27 transgenic mice, in contrast to an even distribution in a higher number of cells in HPV-20 transgenic animals.


This very dissertation deals with the valuation methods of the shipping markets considering as one important factor for shipping companies' financial measures the Fleet Utilization Rate. This is a time productivity measure calculated dividing operating days of a ship over its ownership days. This measure can be disaggregated into three separate efficiency ratios (Commercial, Maintenance and Technical). There are several macro-economic and micro-economic factors affecting utilization rate level, while it is believed that shipping companies maintaining high level in this productivity measure will have very good financial performance. Research in 11 listed shipping companies in bulk, tankers and containers sectors for 2004-2014 period with regression models estimations provided evidence that increased utilization rate can lead to high return, especial return on equity. Moreover, increased technical efficiency can lead to increased fixed asset turnover. Economic crisis impact was also investigated. Results showed that before crisis positive effects exist, while after crisis positive effects still exist with lower extent however.


Qesem Cave is a Middle Pleistocene site in Israel occupied between 420 and 200 ka. Excavations have revealed a wealth of innovative behaviors most likely practiced by a new hominin lineage. These include early evidence for the habitual and continuous use of fire, the repeated use of a central hearth, systematic flint and bone recycling, early blade production technologies, social hunting strategies and meat-sharing practices, and more. Fire was used throughout the 200,000 years of human occupation of the cave primarily for meat roasting and cooking. Roasting and cooking, we argue, had an important role in providing the necessary caloric intake of the cave's inhabitants. We see fire as an essential element of the new post-Acheulian human adaptation in the Levant. The ample recurring evidence for focused and repeated use of fire for dietary purposes suggests that fire production, control, use, and maintenance were habitually practiced by the cave's inhabitants and that fire-induced calories became central for their survival. We present an integrative view regarding the use of fire at Qesem Cave and discuss the role of fire within the framework of the significant cultural and biological transformations that took shape in the post-Acheulian Levant during the Middle Pleistocene.


The primary objective of this study is to assess the origin of granophyre in the A-type Long Mountain Granite of southwestern Oklahoma. The magma was emplaced as a thin sheet of crystal-poor, water-undersaturated liquid at or near the base of ∼1.4-km-thick, comagmatic rhyolite cover. Phenocrysts of anorthoclase and quartz were the first products of crystallization, and skeletal to subhedral morphologies indicate their growth involved ∼50 °C of thermal and constitutional undercooling. This initial crystallization, ∼50 vol% of the magma in a wt% ratio of anorthoclase:quartz ≈3:1, resulted from decompression and concomitant migration of the alkali feldspar-quartz cotectic boundary. This residual magma represents the liquid present when crystallization culminated with granophyric intergrowth of quartz and alkali feldspar. Sluggish diffusion of silica away from the growth surfaces of anorthoclase phenocrysts resulted in boundary-layer liquids that were supersaturated in quartz, producing initial granophyric intergrowths in which the modal proportions of quartz were greater than that of the liquid composition. From initial quartz-rich compositions, intergrowths do not follow a consistent trend of fractionation. Instead, following variable or oscillating chemical pathways, they approach and hover around a composition appropriate to the pressure and low water content of magma at the emplacement level. Compositional trends of granophyre demonstrate that the intergrowth records a process in which its growth rate exceeded the rate at which aluminosilicate components could diffuse away through magma. Granophyre in both nature and experiment is formed under a variety of pressures and activities of water but in all cases involves the simultaneous crystallization of quartz and alkali feldspar from a viscous granitic liquid that is cooled well below its liquidus temperature. The estimated undercooling for granophyre growth at Long Mountain, and observed in experiments with granitic compositions, is in the range of 70–150 °C. This magnitude of undercooling is similar to that which produces graphic granite, and it is in the cooling regime between spherulitic obsidian (or felsite) and hypidiomorphic-granular granite.


Abstract Recent seismic measurements from upper Thwaites Glacier indicate that the bed-type variability is closely related to the along-flow basal topography. In high-relief subglacial highlands, stoss sides of topographic highs have a relatively higher acoustic impedance ('hard' bed) with lower acoustic impedance ('soft' till) on lee sides. This pattern is similar to observations of many deglaciated terrains. Subglacial hydraulic-potential gradient and its divergence show a tendency for water to diverge over the stoss sides and converge into the lee sides. Convergence favors a thicker or more widespread water system, which can more efficiently decouple ice from the underlying till. Under such circumstances, till deformation does occur but, fluxes are relatively small. Till carried from the lee sides onto stoss sides of downstream bumps should couple to the ice more efficiently, increasing the ability for transport by till deformation. In turn, this suggests that steady-state till transport can be achieved if the stoss-side till layer is thin or discontinuous. In addition, the large basal shear stress generated in the highlands seems too high for a bed lubricated by a continuous although thin deforming till, suggesting till discontinuity, which would allow debris-laden ice to erode bedrock on stoss sides, supplying additional till for transport.


HDL-associated paraoxonase type 1 (PON1) can protect LDL and HDL against oxidative modification in vitro and therefore may protect against cardiovascular disease. We investigated the effects of PON1 levels, activity, and genetic variation on high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, circulating oxidized LDL (OxLDL), subclinical inflammation [high-sensitive C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP)], and carotid atherosclerosis. PON1 genotypes (L55M, Q192R, −107C/T, −162A/G, −824G/A, and −907G/C) were determined in 302 patients with familial hypercholesterolemia. PON1 activity was monitored by the hydrolysis rate of paraoxon, diazoxon, and phenyl acetate. PON1 levels, OxLDL, and Hs-CRP were determined using an immunoassay. The genetic variants of PON1 that were associated with high levels and activity of the enzyme were associated with higher HDL-C levels (P values for trend: 0.008, 0.020, 0.042, and 0.037 for L55M, Q192R, −107C/T, and −907G/C, respectively). In addition to the PON1 genotype, there was also a positive correlation between PON1 levels and activity and HDL-C (PON1 levels: r = 0.37, P < 0.001; paraoxonase activity: r = 0.23, P = 0.01; diazoxonase activity: r = 0.29, P < 0.001; arylesterase activity: r = 0.19, P = 0.03). Our observations support the hypothesis that both PON1 levels and activity preserve HDL-C in plasma.


Background: Depression and anxiety disorder contribute to a significant part of the disease burden among men, yet many men refrain from seeking care or receive insufficient care when they do seek it. This is plausibly detrimental to men's mental well-being, but there is a lack of population-based research to confirm this. This study investigated 1) if men who had refrained from seeking mental healthcare had poorer mental well-being than those who sought care, 2) if those who sought care but perceived it as insufficient had poorer mental well-being than those who perceived care as sufficient, and 3) if these differences persisted after one year. Methods: This longitudinal study used questionnaire data from a population-based sample of 1240 men, aged 19-64 years, in Sweden. Having refrained from seeking mental healthcare, or perceiving the care as insufficient, at any time in life, was assessed in a questionnaire, 2008. Current mental well-being was assessed in 2008 and 2009 using mean scores on the WHO (Ten) Well-being Index, with a lower score indicating poorer mental well-being. Group differences were calculated using t-tests and multivariable linear regression analysis.Results: Of the men who had perceived a need for mental healthcare, 37% refrained from seeking such care. They had lower mental well-being scores in 2008, compared to those who sought care. Of those seeking care, 29 % perceived it as insufficient. They had lower mental well-being scores in 2008, compared to those who perceived the care as sufficient, but this was not statistically significant when controlling for potential confounders. There were no differences in mental well-being scores based on care-seeking or perceived care-sufficiency in 2009. Conclusions: This population-based study provides some support for the hypothesis that refraining from seeking mental healthcare, or perceiving the care as insufficient, is detrimental to men's mental well-being. However, the lack of differences over time contradicts this hypothesis. The results highlight the need for larger longitudinal studies, measuring care-seeking within a more specified time frame, and using longer follow-up periods. This should be combined with efforts to increase men's mental healthcare-seeking and to provide mental healthcare that is perceived as sufficient.


Renal stone disease is one of the common diseases worldwide. Treatment of renal stones is widely variable. It changed markedly during the last three decades from the more invasive open surgery to the less invasive procedures such as shock wave lithotripsy, percutaneous nephrolithotripsy and recently retrograde intrarenal surgery. Though less invasive, these techniques are more commonly associated with residual fragments after therapy. Larger fragments are considered treatment failure and need re-treatment. Conversely, smaller fragments are usually clinically insignificant and might be considered acceptable outcome. Still, these insignificant fragments might become clinically significant or cause complications. In this article, we reviewed the available literature in a trial to report features of these residual fragments, their clinical significance, their incidence after the commonly performed minimally invasive renal stone therapy, the different imaging modalities used to detect these fragments, the fate of these fragment and the possible lines of management if these fragments are detected.


Professional human translation is necessary to meet high quality standards in industry and governmental agencies. Translators engage in multiple activities during their task, and there is a need to model their behavior, with the objective to understand and optimize the translation process. In recent years, user interfaces enabled us to record user events such as eye-movements or keystrokes. Although there have been insightful descriptive analysis of the translation process, there are multiple advantages in enabling quantitative inference. We present methods to classify sequences of fixations and keystrokes into activities and model translation sessions with the objective to recognize translator expertise. We show significant error reductions in the task of recognizing certified translators and their years of experience, and analyze the characterizing patterns.


The humanoid robots associate and work with human, they should be able to access anywhere people can even in complex and harsh environments. This research proposes an optimal path design for humanoid robots to walk on a narrow beam. The experiments and simulations of a commercial humanoid robot (Bioloid Premium Type A), with 18 Degree of Freedoms (DOFs) were conducted. The multi-objective optimization was used to design the walking path of the robots on the beam by comparing four algorithms: MOWOA, MOGWO, MOHS, and MOGA. The performance comparison was made based on the hypervolume (HV) indicator. The optimal points were chosen from non-dominated solutions by MCDM method and minimization weighted sum method (WSM). There were two objective functions: 1) maximum postural stability of a humanoid robot walk and 2) minimal jerk. 


Acyclovir is an antiviral drug frequently used in clinical practice. It is indicated for the treatment of infections caused by herpes simplex virus and varicella zoster virus. The drug has a good safety profile; however, severe side effects may rarely occur during therapy. These include renal failure as a major risk factor for neurotoxic side effects potentially developing within 24-48 hours of therapy initiation. The paper presents the cases of two patients developing neurotoxic side effects while treated for herpes zoster. The aim of the authors is to highlight the potential for developing neurotoxic side effects in high-risk groups such as the elderly, patients with impaired renal function or multiple comorbidities on polypharmacy, or those using nephrotoxic drugs. Acyclovir use could lead to renal impairment and an increase in its plasma and CNS concentrations with severe neuropsychiatric side effects. The neurotoxic side effects are reversible after therapy withdrawal. Thus, in patients developing mental impairment or showing other neurological symptoms during acyclovir therapy, the patient should be promptly assessed for potential drug neurotoxicity, their therapy should be discontinued and drug elimination with forced diuresis or hemodialysis considered. Early recognition of acyclovir neurotoxic side effects can significantly improve a patient's prognosis.


Based on ethnographic reanalysis and on current qualitative research on poor people's politics, this article argues that routine patronage politics and nonroutine collective action should be exam ined not as opposite and conflicting political phenomena but as dynamic processes that often establish recursive relationships. Through a series of case studies conducted in contemporary Argentina, this article examines four instances in which patronage and collective action intersect and interact: network breakdown, patron's certification, clandestine support, and reaction to threat. These four scenarios demonstrate that more than two opposing spheres of action or two different forms of sociability, patronage, and contentious politics can be mutually imbricated. Either when it malfunctions or when it thrives, clientelism may lie at the root of collective action.


Background: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a disease affecting both children and adults. Cytokines act as inflammatory mediators in childhood NS. Excretion of too much protein in patients' urine as well as reduction in albumin levels in their blood are the most common symptoms of NS. Aim of the Study: The aim is to assess the potential relationship of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (−308 G/A) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) (−509C/T) genes with the incidence of NS. Subjects and Methods: In this study, 99 healthy children and 98 children with NS have been included. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the gene polymorphism of both TNF-α-G308A and TGF-β1 (−509C/T). Results: The TNF-α G308A showed a significant different genotype distribution among children with NS compared with the healthy volunteers (GG vs. AA, P = 0.0009; [odds ratio [OR] 95% CI = 25.2 [2.45–259.23]); GG vs. GA, P = 0.001; (OR 95% CI = 4.84 [1.74–13.5]); as well as alleles distribution of G vs. A, P = 0.022; (OR 95% CI = 1.06 [1.068–2.42]). However, there is a non-significant variation in the frequency of TGF-β1 (-509C/T) genotypes (CC, CT and TT) respectively (11.4%, 78.5% and 10.1) in NS patients, compared with their corresponding levels in healthy control subjects (15.5%, 68% and 16.5). Conclusion: TNF-α-G308A polymorphism may help to early predict the incidence of NS in children, while TGF-β1 showed no effect on the disease incidence.


The demand for food will outpace productivity of conventional agriculture due to projected growth of the human population, concomitant with shrinkage of arable land, increasing scarcity of freshwater, and a rapidly changing climate. Efforts to increase conventional agricultural output come with significant environmental impacts stemming from deforestation and excessive use of chemicals, including soil salinization, erosion, and nutrient runoffs. While aquaponics has potential to sustainably supplement food production with minimal environmental impact, there is a need to better characterize the complex interplay between the various components (fish, plant, microbiome) of these systems to optimize scale up and productivity. For instance, much of our knowledge of beneficial and detrimental microbial communities vis-à-vis crop productivity comes from studies on plant-microbiome interactions in soil. Here, we investigated how the practice of continued transfer of microbial communities from pre-existing systems might promote or impede productivity of aquaponics. Specifically, we monitored plant growth phenotypes, water chemistry, and microbiome composition of rhizospheres, biofilters, and fish feces over 61-days of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) growth in aquaponic systems inoculated with bacteria that were either commercially sourced or originating from a pre-existing aquaponic system. Strikingly, L. sativa plant and root growth was significantly reduced across all replicates inoculated with the established microbiome. Further analyses revealed the reduced productivity was potentially a consequence of plant-specific pathogen enrichment, including Pseudomonas, through transfer of microbiomes from pre-existing systems – a phenomenon consistent with negative feedbacks in soil ecology. These findings underscore the need for diagnostic tools to monitor microbiome composition, detect negative feedbacks early, and minimize pathogen accumulation in aquaponic systems.


Ripening of non-climacteric bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) fruit is characterized by a high accumulation of health-beneficial anthocyanins. Plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) and sucrose have been shown to be among the central signaling molecules coordinating non-climacteric fruit ripening and anthocyanin accumulation in some fruits such as strawberry. Our earlier studies have demonstrated an elevation in endogenous ABA level in bilberry fruit at the onset of ripening indicating a role for ABA in the regulation of bilberry fruit ripening. In the present study, we show that the treatment of unripe green bilberry fruits with exogenous ABA significantly promotes anthocyanin biosynthesis and accumulation both in fruits attached and detached to the plant. In addition, ABA biosynthesis inhibitor, fluridone, delayed anthocyanin accumulation in bilberries. Exogenous ABA also induced the expression of several genes involved in cell wall modification in ripening bilberry fruits. Furthermore, silencing of VmNCED1, the key gene in ABA biosynthesis, was accompanied by the down-regulation in the expression of key anthocyanin biosynthetic genes. In contrast, the treatment of unripe green bilberry fruits with exogenous sucrose or glucose did not lead to an enhancement in the anthocyanin accumulation neither in fruits attached to plant nor in post-harvest fruits. Moreover, sugars failed to induce the expression of genes associated in anthocyanin biosynthesis or ABA biosynthesis while could elevate expression of some genes associated with cell wall modification in post-harvest bilberry fruits. Our results demonstrate that ABA plays a major role in the regulation of ripening-related processes such as anthocyanin biosynthesis and cell wall modification in bilberry fruit, whereas sugars seem to have minor regulatory roles in the processes. The results indicate that the regulation of bilberry fruit ripening differs from strawberry that is currently considered as a model of non-climacteric fruit ripening. In this study, we also identified transcription factors, which expression was enhanced by ABA, as potential regulators of ABA-mediated bilberry fruit ripening processes.


To investigate the density-dependent binding of glycans by lectins using carbohydrate microarrays, a number of C-terminal hydrazide-conjugated neoglycopeptides with various valences and different spatial arrangements of the sugar ligands were prepared on a solid support. The synthetic strategy includes (1) assembly of alkyne-linked peptides possessing C-terminal hydrazide on a solid support, (2) coupling of azide-linked, unprotected sugars to the alkyne-linked peptides on the solid support utilizing click chemistry, and (3) release of the neoglycopeptides from the solid support. By using this synthetic methodology, sixty five neoglycopeptides with a valency ranging from 1 to 4 and different spatial arrangements of the carbohydrate ligands were generated. Carbohydrate microarrays were constructed by immobilizing the prepared neoglycopeptides on epoxide-derivatized glass slides and were used to analyze the density-dependent binding of glycans by lectins. The results of binding property determinations show that lectin binding is highly dependent on the surface glycan density.


Tuberculosis appears to be increasing throughout the world after years of continuous decline, despite the introduction of effective chemotherapy. This resurgence is related to the increasing number of patients immunocompromised by chemotherapeutic agents used to treat other diseases or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS); the appearance of multiple drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis, and aging population. Musculoskeletal tuberculosis arises from haematogenous seeding of the bacilli soon after the initial pulmonary infection.1 Osteoarticular TB can occur in the knee - one study found of 1074 cases, 8.3 percent - or 90 cases - affected the knee.2 The clinical  symptoms are insidious onset, pain, swelling of the joint and limited range of movements. Investigations for suspected cases include: Mantoux test, radiological imaging, fine needle aspiration biopsy, surgical biopsy, bacteriological examination, histopathological examination, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of a suitable specimen. The mainstay of treatment is multidrug antitubercular chemotherapy. The main reason for poor outcome is delayed diagnosis.1 We report a case of osteoarticular manifestation of tuberculosis infection affecting the left knee presenting in a man with a history of tuberculosis pleural effusion. This case highlights, firstly, osteoarticular disease is always secondary to a primary lesion in the lung and, secondly, the diagnosis of tubercular arthritis can be challenging, particularly in the presence of confounding factors such as preexisting arthritis. Ethical approval was not required for this case study.


Theoretical Ecology Principles and Applications. 3rd ed.. Robert M. May and Angela R. McLean, Eds.. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2007. 267 pp. $120, £60. ISBN 9780199209989. Paper, $45, £29.95. ISBN 9780199209996. The contributors offer an up-to-date overview of theories of the structure, function, and dynamics of populations and communities and of applications of these ideas to such issues as fisheries, infectious diseases, food supplies, climate change, and conservation biology.


Managers typically assess what competitors do and strive to do it better. Using this approach, companies expend tremendous effort and achieve only incremental improvement ? imitation, not innovation. By focusing on the competition, companies tend to be reactive, and their understanding of emerging mass markets and changing customer demands becomes hazy.

During the past decade, Kim and Mauborgne have studied companies of sustained high growth and profits. All pursue a strategy, value innovation, that renders the competition irrelevant by offering new and superior buyer value in existing markets or by enabling the creation of new markets through quantum leaps in buyer value.

Value innovation places equal emphasis on value and innovation, since innovation without value can be too strategic or wild, too technology-driven or futuristic. Hence, value innovation is not the same as value creation. Although value creation on an incremental scale creates some value, it is not sufficient for high performance.

To value innovate, managers must ask two questions: "Is the firm offering customers radically superior value?" and "Is the firm's price level accessible to the mass of buyers in the target market?" A consequence of market insight gained from creative strategic thinking, value innovation focuses on redefining problems to shift the performance criteria that matter to customers.

Kim and Mauborgne ask five key questions contrasting conventional competition-based logic with that of value innovation and describe the type of organization that best unlocks its employees' ideas and creativity.

Rather than follow conventional practices for maximizing profits, successful value innovators use a different market approach that consists of (1) strategic pricing for demand creation and (2) target costing for profit creation.

Value innovation as strategy creates a pattern of punctuated equilibrium, in which bursts of value innovation that reshape the industrial landscape are interspersed with periods of improvements, geographic and product-line extensions, and consolidation.


This work elucidates the effects of pretreatment of secondary sludge by microwave irradiation on anaerobic digestion. The soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration increased up to 22% as microwave irradiation time increased, which indicated the sludge particles disintegrated. Three identical automated bioreactors with working volume of 5 l were used as anaerobic digesters at mesophilic temperature (35 degrees C). The reactors were separately fed with sludge with microwave pretreated- and control- sludge at different hydraulic retention times (HRT). The volatile solid (VS) reduction in the control operation was approximately 23.2 +/- 1.3%, while it was 25.7 +/- 0.8% for the reactors with the pretreated sludge. The average biogas production rate with the pretreated sludge at 8, 10, 12, and 15 days HRTs was 240 +/- 11, 183 +/- 9, 147 +/- 8, and 117 +/- 7 ml/l/d respectively, while those with the control sludge were 134 +/- 12 and 94 +/- 7 ml/l/d at 10 and 15 days HRTs. Maximum rates of COD removal and methane production with the pretreated sludge were 64% and 79% higher than those of the control system, respectively.


Abstract During the last century, a whole new 'industry' legitimized its locus as more books and articles in more and more magazines and journals offered more 'new' concepts and frameworks for the efficient running of organizations. In the article it is suggested that this management theory industry serves a wider cultural call. According to the interpretation presented, the management theory industry feeding the management wisdom of the efficient running of organizations is serving an internal, therapeutic, mission. In this sense, the thousands of studies and writings on the management and efficient running of organizations can be seen as communication not only to others but also to oneself. It is thus suggested that the idea of autocommunication, introduced by the Soviet semiotic Yuri M. Lotman, can be applied when trying to understand why the management theory industry gains its legitimacy again and again even though the promised fundamental changes and reforms of actual working life have remained modest.


Taking advantage of the various available trace transforms generated from a single image, the multiple trace feature (MTF) is proposed as a new image representation. In the process of MTF construction, genetic algorithms (GAs) play a key role as an information fusion tool. The systematic evaluations on a combo face data set comprising ORL, Yale, and UMIST databases reveal that MTF presents high discriminative power in terms of outperforming features extracted from principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). In addition, the proposed Bagging-based extension of fitness guides GAs achieving more fitting features for classification.


Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe the experiences and views of the pregnant women regarding the antenatal care services received in the Primary Health Care clinics that were implementing the Basic Antenatal Care (BANC) approach. The BANC approach is listed as one of the priority interventions for reducing maternal and child mortality in South Africa and is used in the public health institutions to provide health care services to the pregnant women. Methods: A descriptive qualitative design was used to conduct the study in the 12 primary health care clinics that were providing antenatal care services and implementing the BANC approach in eThekwini district, KwaZulu-Natal The study took place seven years following the introduction of the BANC approach. Data were collected using semistructured interviews conducted with 54 pregnant women from October 2014 to March 2015. Data were analysed using Tesch's method of data analysis. Findings: Although some participants highlighted how the BANC approach had brought about improvement in the quality of care, other participants were concerned regarding the waiting times, the intervals between antenatal care visits, integration of antenatal care with other primary health care services, limited space at the clinics and attitudes and performance of clinic staff. Conclusion: In the current study, the participants shared their experiences and views regarding the antenatal care services that were provided using the BANC approach. Most of the situations that the participants had encountered and their views regarding Antenatal care services highlighted specific areas of the BANC approach that needed attention. Guided by this, the researchers were able to provide the recommendations from the study that would assist to improve implementation of the BANC approach. These included special emphasis on compliance to service delivery guidelines and protocols by antenatal health care providers, availability of the clinic staff members who had been trained and oriented towards the implementation of the BANC approach, integration of services and reviewing human and material resources for adequacy when new programs are introduced.


In x-ray phototherapy of brain tumours, the tumour is loaded with iodine and exposed to kilovoltage x-rays. Due to the high photoelectric cross sections of iodine, substantial photoelectric interactions occur. The flux of photoelectrons, characteristic x-rays and Auger electrons produce a localized dose enhancement. A modified computed tomography scanner, CTRx, can be used both for tumour localization and delivery of the dose enhancement therapy. Monte Carlo methods were employed to simulate the treatment of iodinated brain tumours with a CTRx. The calculated results reveal the effect of tumour iodine concentration on dose distribution, the degree of skull bone sparing with the application of multiple arcs, and the homogeneity of tumour dose distribution versus iodine concentration. A comparison with 10 MV stereotactic radiosurgery treatment shows the potential of CTRx treatment relative to conventional treatment modalities.


Author(s): Liu, Qiang | Advisor(s): Ihler, Alexander | Abstract: Probabilistic graphical models such as Markov random fields, Bayesian networks and decision networks (a.k.a. influence diagrams) provide powerful frameworks for representing and exploiting dependence structures in complex systems. However, making predictions or decisions using graphical models involve challenging computational problems of optimization and/or estimation in high dimensional spaces. These include combinatorial optimization tasks such as maximum a posteriori (MAP), which finds the most likely configuration, or marginalization tasks that calculate the normalization constants or marginal probabilities. Even more challenging tasks require a hybrid of both: marginal MAP tasks find the optimal MAP prediction while marginalizing over missing information or latent variables, while decision-making problems search for optimal policies over decisions in single- or multi-agent systems, in order to maximize expected utility in uncertain environments.All these problems are generally NP-hard, creating a need for efficient approximations. The last two decades have witnessed significant progress on traditional optimization and marginalization problems, especially via the development of variational message passing algorithms. However, there has been less progress on the more challenging marginal MAP and decision-making problems.This thesis presents a unified variational representation for all these problems. Based on our framework, we derive a class of efficient algorithms that combines the advantages of several existing algorithms, resulting in improved performance on traditional marginalization and optimization tasks. More importantly, our framework allows us to easily extend most or all existing variational algorithms to hybrid inference and decision-making tasks, and significantly improves our ability to solve these difficult problems. In particular, we propose a spectrum of efficient belief propagation style algorithms with "message passing" forms, which are simple, fast and amenable to parallel or distributed computation. We also propose a set of convergent algorithms based on proximal point methods, which have the nice form of transforming the hybrid inference problem into a sequence of standard marginalization problems. We show that our algorithms significantly outperform existing approaches in terms of both empirical performance and theoretical properties.


The current economic context as led to a significant drop of open positions on the workforce market at the same time with the reorganization that many organisations had to accomplish. The consequences haven't stopped appearing in the way in which, today there are many candidates with working experience who have occupied management positions in other companies and are now in search of new jobs. Some organizations have stopped hiring, as it happened in the case of The National Company CFR S.S., and those that still have open positions for recruitment are focusing on skills, multiple competences and proven expertise in a certain field. On the workforce market this thing means that those candidates who have skills and proven expertise are the most demanded ones. The purpose of this paper has been the identification of an adequate methodology of selection regarding railway staff, needed in the main activities of human resources management. The study is based on using the method of global utility and ranking individuals based on the order of skills in order to choose the most suitable manager so that he can take part in a training course organized by the European organism with responsibilities in the field of professional development. The research hypothesis has been as it follows: A proper assessment of human resources in order to choose, following MRU new demands regarding railway transport, causes the growth in efficiency in railway management.


Objective: To examine the epidemiology, primary care burden and treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). Design: Cross-sectional data from primary care practices participating in the Scottish Continuous Morbidity Recording scheme between April 2001 and March 2002. Setting: 55 primary care practices (362 155 patients). Participants: 3135 patients with AF. Results: The prevalence of AF in Scotland was 9.4/1000 in men and 7.9/1000 in women (p<0.001) and increased with age (to 71/1000 in individuals aged >85 years). The prevalence of AF decreased with increasing socioeconomic deprivation (9.2/1000 least deprived and 7.5/1000 most deprived category, p = 0.02 for trend). 71% of patients with AF received rate-controlling medication: β-blocker 28%, rate-limiting calcium-channel blocker 42% and digoxin 43%. 42% of patients received warfarin, 44% received aspirin and 78% receeved more than one of these. Multivariable analysis showed that men and women aged ⩾75 years were more likely (than those aged <75 years) to be prescribed digoxin (men OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.74; women OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.50 to 2.37) and aspirin (2.04, 1.66 to 2.51; 1.79, 1.42 to 2.25) and less likely to receive an antiarrhythmic drug (0.62, 0.48 to 0.81; 0.52, 0.39 to 0.70) or warfarin (0.74, 0.60 to 0.91; 0.58, 0.46 to 0.73). Adjusted analysis showed no socioeconomic gradient in prescribing. Conclusions: AF is a common condition, more so in men than in women. Deprived individuals are less likely to have AF, a finding raising concerns about socioeconomic gradients in detection and prognosis. Recommended treatments for AF were underused in women and older people. This is of particular concern, given the current trends in population demographics and the evidence that both groups are at higher risk of stroke.


Mexican marigold (Tagetes minuta L.) and its accruing products have a long worldwide history of human uses such as food, therapeutics and aromatherapy which are inherent in the plant's unique chemical composition and bioactivities. In the recent past, T. minuta essential oils (EOs) have received great attention in research, and their phytochemistry, bioactivities and uses remain the focus of considerable scientific studies. The interest in EOs is largely due to increased demand by consumers for natural-based products such as additives, drugs and pesticides, whose global acceptability and safety is highly regarded compared to synthetic products. The purpose of this review is to document the existing value addition and evidence-based multipurpose potential and considerations of T. minuta as a new generation crop as provided for by in-depth scientific studies of its EOs. Among the bioactivities and therapeutic properties attributed to T. minuta EOs include: antihelminthic, carminative, arthropod repellency, sedative, weedicidal, antiseptic, diaphoretic, spasmolytic, germicides, stomachic, antispasmodic, antiprotozoal, bactericidal, emmenagogue, nematicidal, insecticidal, fungicidal, antiviral and other microbicidal properties against a wide range of plant, human and animal pathogens, pests and parasites. Oil of T. minuta is therefore a potentially useful agent for protecting food crops on farm and in storage and livestock, thereby enhancing food security and improving human livelihoods. Nevertheless, increased value addition and the need for validation of traditionally claimed usages and applications of T. minuta EOs through in-depth scientific studies should be prioritized to globally position this plant as a new generation crop.


Soil moisture induced droughts are expected to become more frequent under future global climate change. Precipitation has been previously assumed to be mainly responsible for variability in summer soil moisture. However, little is known about the impacts of precipitation frequency on summer soil moisture, either interannually or spatially. To better understand the temporal and spatial drivers of summer drought, 415 site yr measurements observed at 75 flux sites world wide were used to analyze the temporal and spatial relationships between summer soil water content (SWC) and the precipitation frequencies at various temporal scales, i.e., from half-hourly, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h measurements. Summer precipitation was found to be an indicator of interannual SWC variability with r of 0.49 (p < 0.001) for the overall dataset. However, interannual variability in summer SWC was also significantly correlated with the five precipitation frequencies and the sub-daily precipitation frequencies seemed to explain the interannual SWC variability better than the total of precipitation. Spatially, all these precipitation frequencies were better indicators of summer SWC than precipitation totals, but these better performances were only observed in non-forest ecosystems. Our results demonstrate that precipitation frequency may play an important role in regulating both interannual and spatial variations of summer SWC, which has probably been overlooked or underestimated. However, the spatial interpretation should carefully consider other factors, such as the plant functional types and soil characteristics of diverse ecoregions.


Coronaviruses comprise a large family of viruses within the order Nidovirales containing single-stranded positive-sense RNA genomes of 27-32 kilobases. Divided into four genera (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and multiple newly defined subgenera, coronaviruses include a number of important human and livestock pathogens responsible for a range of diseases. Historically, human coronaviruses OC43 and 229E have been associated with up to 30% of common colds, while the 2002 emergence of severe acute respiratory syndromeassociated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) first raised the specter of these viruses as possible pandemic agents. Although the SARS-CoV pandemic was quickly contained and the virus has not returned, the 2012 discovery of Middle East respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (MERS-CoV) once again elevated coronaviruses to a list of global public health threats. The genetic diversity of these viruses has resulted in their utilization of both conserved and unique mechanisms of interaction with infected host cells. Like all viruses, coronaviruses encode multiple mechanisms for evading, suppressing, or otherwise circumventing host antiviral responses. Specifically, our lab has studied coronavirus interactions with antiviral pathways activated by the presence of cytoplasmic viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) such as OAS-RNase L and interferons (IFN). Previous work from our lab demonstrated that the murine coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) uses a phosphodiesterase (PDE) to suppress RNase L activation. We have also now shown that additional viruses within Nidovirales encode similar PDEs that suppress RNase L activation in the context of chimeric MHV, and that a PDE encoded by MERS-CoV, the NS4b accessory protein, inhibits RNase L in its native context. I have further shown that MERS-CoV NS4b is a unique PDE with additional functions inhibiting the IFN response, a role dependent on both nuclear localization and its catalytic activity. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Cell & Molecular Biology First Advisor Susan R. Weiss


Rural tourism has been an important engine for rural development and regeneration. In China, rural tourism is widely encouraged in the less developed regions to mitigate poverty and promote harmonious urban–rural development. Existing research literature finds that the perceptions of stakeholders towards rural tourism development are critical of the final economic and social outcomes. Nonetheless, most research focuses on the perception of a single stakeholder group. In this paper, we fill the research gap by simultaneously examining the perceptions of both the local tourism service providers and the tourists. We select eight Beijing suburban villages that typify the rural tourism development trends in Beijing, and collect sample data from 433 local service providers and 815 tourists. The questionnaire covers a wide range of perceptual variables, with particular focus on how the two stakeholder groups respond differently to the possible approaches to improve rural tourism development. The Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression method is employed to identify the key impact factors for each group. Our test shows that diversifying the tourism products and improving marketing coverage are two approaches that are favoured by both the local service providers and the tourists. However, different concerns are revealed for other approaches, such as improving service quality, increasing accommodation capacity and providing collective tourism activities. We also discover that rural tourism development may cause dramatic social and demographic changes to suburban villages, the impacts of which should be taken into account for development scheme appraisal. This research helps to clarify the policy contexts for rural tourism development and points out the possible priority areas for future research.


Purpose
General data protection regulation (GDPR) entered into force in May 2018 for enhancing personal data protection. Even though GDPR leads toward many advantages for the data subjects it turned out to be a significant challenge. Organizations need to implement long and complex changes to become GDPR compliant. Data subjects are empowered with new rights, which, however, they need to become aware of. GDPR compliance is a challenging matter for the relevant stakeholders calls for a software platform that can support their needs. The aim of data governance for supporting GDPR (DEFeND) EU project is to deliver such a platform. The purpose of this paper is to describe the process, within the DEFeND EU project, for eliciting and analyzing requirements for such a complex platform.

Design/methodology/approach
The platform needs to satisfy legal and privacy requirements and provide functionalities that data controllers request for supporting GDPR compliance. Further, it needs to satisfy acceptance requirements, for assuring that its users will embrace and use the platform. In this paper, the authors describe the methodology for eliciting and analyzing requirements for such a complex platform, by analyzing data attained by stakeholders from different sectors.

Findings
The findings provide the process for the DEFeND platform requirements' elicitation and an indicative sample of those. The authors also describe the implementation of a secondary process for consolidating the elicited requirements into a consistent set of platform requirements.

Practical implications
The proposed software engineering methodology and data collection tools (i.e. questionnaires) are expected to have a significant impact for software engineers in academia and industry.

Social implications
It is reported repeatedly that data controllers face difficulties in complying with the GDPR. The study aims to offer mechanisms and tools that can assist organizations to comply with the GDPR, thus, offering a significant boost toward the European personal data protection objectives.

Originality/value
This is the first paper, according to the best of the authors' knowledge, to provide software requirements for a GDPR compliance platform, including multiple perspectives.


The Meaning of Is: The Squandered Impeachment and Wasted Legacy of William Jefferson Clinton Bob Barr Stroud & Hall Publishers, 2004 Bob Barr is a former U. S. Attorney and prosecutor who from 1995 to 2003 represented Georgia's 7th District in the U. S. House of Representatives. He was a senior member of the Judiciary Committee at the time of the Clinton impeachment, and served as one of the "House impeachment managers" for the trial in the Senate. His book The Meaning of Is is an important addition to the book by David Schippers, Sellout: The Inside Story of President Clinton's Impeachment. Schippers saw the impeachment from much the same vantage-point as Barr, since Schippers was the Chief Investigative Counsel for the Republican majority of the House Judiciary Committee. The significance of both books is made clear when Barr reminds us that the Clinton legacy is almost certain to be defined, at least in the short run, by today's dominant coterie of professional and academic historians, four hundred of whom signed a statement opposing the impeachment. Barr says "the individuals who will write much of the history of the Clinton administration are completely devoid of objectivity." He says "these are the self-styled 'intellectual giants' who occupy posh distinguished chairs in academic ivory towers around the country." One such historian Barr cites is Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., who called Kenneth Starr "America's No. 1 pornographer" because Starr, as the appointed independent counsel, detailed the Lewinsky affair in his report to Congress. Barr sees his own book as helping to "keep the record straight" about the Clinton years. It isn't altogether clear that Barr is correct in thinking the Clinton legacy will be recounted in a heavily favorable way. An interesting thing has happened to the memory of John F. Kennedy during the more than four decades since his assassination: to be sure, much of the popular media continue the "Camelot" myth; but a great deal has come to light from insiders about Kennedy's behavior, both as to his adultery and his relations with mob figures. There, the "court historians" have not permanently defined the JFK image. One suspects that much the same will happen with William Jefferson Clinton. Schippers and Barr were of like mind in having wanted the impeachment inquiry to go far beyond the Paula Jones and Monica Lewinsky episodes. Barr in particular emphasizes that there were stronger grounds for impeachment in the damage Barr sees Clinton as having done to national security, in the misuse of the presidency, and in the undermining of civil liberties. Barr's book goes into considerable detail about each, and this provides much of its substance. "National security," he says, "remains the foremost reason Bill Clinton should have been impeached and removed." "Not only did Bill Clinton take campaign contributions from agents of foreign governments, but he also gave at least one of them a top job at the Department of Commerce. The now-infamous name of this particular individual is John Huang. Huang got his job because he raised massive amounts of cash - more than one million dollars - for Bill Clinton. As was later discovered, much of this money was illegally laundered foreign cash." Red China conducted espionage that sought nuclear parity with the United States, obtained the illegal transfer of missile technology and the easing of export restrictions on technology, and (according to the bipartisan commission headed by congressman Chris Cox, as stated by Barr), "obtained computer models, guidance system designs, and virtually every cutting-edge technology needed to construct world-class nuclear weapons and delivery vehicles." National security was further compromised by the administration's active opposition to security checks on White House personnel, as detailed by FBI agent Gary Aldrich, who served inside the White House at the end of the George H. …


A general methodology is presented for the singularity analysis of kinematically redundant manipulators. The singular configurations are classified based on the possibility of reconfiguration into a nonsingular posture using self-motion. A procedure is presented to test for the possibility of self-motion at a singular configuration. Necessary and sufficient conditions for admissible tangent vectors at the singular configuration are presented, as well as a method to construct such vectors. Sufficient conditions are derived for instances when the singular system can be reconfigured into a nonsingular state by displacements along the admissible null vectors.<<ETX>>


A core technology that has emerged from the artificial intelligence revolution is the recurrent neural network (RNN). Its unique sequence-based architecture provides a tractable likelihood estimate with stable training paradigms, a combination that has precipitated many spectacular advances in natural language processing and neural machine translation. This architecture also makes a good candidate for a variational wavefunction, where the RNN parameters are tuned to learn the approximate ground state of a quantum Hamiltonian. In this paper, we demonstrate the ability of RNNs to represent several many-body wavefunctions, optimizing the variational parameters using a stochastic approach. Among other attractive features of these variational wavefunctions, their autoregressive nature allows for the efficient calculation of physical estimators by providing perfectly uncorrelated samples. We demonstrate the effectiveness of RNN wavefunctions by calculating ground state energies, correlation functions, and entanglement entropies for several quantum spin models of interest to condensed matter physicists in one and two spatial dimensions.


Abstract. Governance of natural resources is inherently complex and requires navigating trade-offs at multiple dimensions. In this paper, we present and operationalize the Governance Disruptions Framework (GDF) as a tool for holistic analysis of natural resource governance systems. For each of the four dimensions of the framework (target adequacy, object adequacy, instrument adequacy, and behavioural adequacy) we formulate guiding questions, to be used when applying the framework to particular governance systems. We then demonstrate the use of GDF by applying it to the core of German agricultural soil policy. We show that for each framework dimension, the governance system exhibits deficits, particularly with respect to object adequacy and instrument adequacy. Furthermore, we use the GDF-based analysis to highlight research gaps. We find that stakeholder analyses are a central gap across GDF dimensions.


Background— Aim of this study was to compare the outcome of beating heart versus conventional coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) strategies in acute coronary syndromes for emergency indications. Methods and Results— 638 consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) receiving emergency CABG surgery via midline sternotomy from January 2000 to September 2005 were evaluated. Propensity score analysis was used to predict the probability of undergoing beating heart (BH) (n=240) versus cardioplegic cardiac arrest (CA) (n=398) strategies. Patients presented with stable hemodynamics (n=531) or in cardiogenic shock (CS) (n=107). Hospital and follow-up outcome was compared by propensity score adjusted multiregression analysis. BH included 116 on-pump and 124 off-pump (OPCAB) procedures. There was a propensity to operate CS patients on the beating heart (multivariate odds ratio [OR], 3.8; P=0.001). Under stable hemodynamics significant predictors for BH selection were logEuroSCORE >20% (OR, 2.05), creatinine >1.8 mg/dL (OR, 4.12), complicated percutaneous coronary intervention (OR, 1.88), ejection fraction <30% (OR, 2.64), whereas left main disease (OR, 0.68), circumflex artery (OR, 0.32), and 3-vessel disease (OR, 0.67) indicated preference for cardioplegic arrest. Time from skin incision to culprit lesion revascularization was significantly reduced in BH patients. BH surgery led to a significant benefit in terms of less drainage loss, less transfusion requirement, less inotropic support, shorter ventilation time, lower stroke rate, and shorter intensive care unit stay. In CS, BH was associated with lower incidence of stroke, inotropic support, acute renal failure, new atrial fibrillation and sternal wound healing complications. In CS patients, hospital mortality rate was reduced when using beating heart strategies (P=0.048). Overall survival, major adverse cerebral and cardiovascular event rate, and repeated revascularization was comparable during a 5-year follow-up. Conclusions— Beating heart strategies are associated with an improved hospital outcome and comparable long-term results for high-risk patients presenting acute coronary syndrome with or without CS.


Report to HEFCE by Liz Hart Associates. "[This] study had two key objectives:
to provide evidence of the impact of two-year accelerated honours degrees on course costs; to make comparisons with the costs of comparable degrees delivered through the traditional three-year route;
and, in addition, the study was to consider any barriers to the possibility of expansion of two-year accelerated honours degrees... The indicative cost comparisons and institutional modelling in this study clearly show the potential for cost savings represented by two-year accelerated honours degrees. However, the realisation of these savings presents further challenges for institutions and the study makes recommendations to HEFCE as to how some of these might be addressed." - pp 3-4.


In 2019, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Upper Colorado River Wild and Scenic Stakeholder Group, studied the magnitude and recurrence interval of streamflow (discharge) needed to initiate bed movement of gravel-sized and finer sediment in a segment of the Colorado River in Colorado to better understand sediment movement and its relation to flow regimes of the river. The study area extended from the confluence of the Blue and Colorado Rivers near Kremmling, Colorado, downstream to the confluence of the Eagle and Colorado Rivers near Dotsero, Colo. Bed movement occurred more frequently and at lower streamflows from State Bridge to Catamount Bridge compared to the study area upstream from State Bridge. As a result, the flushing flow was characterized in the study area using two definitions: the "upstream flushing flow" for locations above State Bridge and the "downstream flushing flow" for locations below State Bridge. Acoustic data from stationary hydrophones continuously deployed in the spring and summer of 2019 and longitudinal hydrophone acoustic profiles manually collected in summer 2019 were used to identify the streamflow needed for incipient gravel-bed movement and establish flushing flows defined for this study. The upstream flushing flow was defined as 3,000 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) at streamgage 09058000 Colorado River near Kremmling, Colo. (the Kremmling streamgage) based on the underwater acoustic data from the downstream location at the Radium stationary site (2,950 ft3/s at the Kremmling streamgage which was rounded to 3,000 ft3/s). The downstream flushing flow was defined as 2,400 ft3/s at the Kremmling streamgage or 3,100 ft3/s at streamgage 09060799 Colorado River at Catamount Bridge, Colo. (the Catamount Bridge streamgage) based on the more conservative streamflow associated with the flushing flow defined using underwater acoustic data from the downstream location at the above Catamount Bridge stationary site (2,310 ft3/s at the Kremmling streamgage which was rounded to 2,400 ft3/s and 3,040 ft3/s at the Catamount Bridge streamgage which was rounded to 3,100 ft3/s). The annual series of peak-streamflow data at the Kremmling streamgage were used to estimate annual exceedance probability (AEP) streamflows to compare to the flushing flow. Results from the Denver Water Platte and Colorado Simulation Model were used to generate daily peak-streamflows for a future conditions scenario provided for this report. The upstream flushing flow of approximately 3,000 ft3/s at the Kremmling streamgage has an AEP near 0.50 (2-year return period) depending on the period of historical record and an AEP near 0.43 (2.33-year return period) for the future period. The downstream flushing flow of approximately 2,400 ft3/s at the Kremmling streamgage has an AEP near 0.67 (1.5-year return period) depending on the period of historical record and an AEP near 0.67 (1.5-year return period) for the future period.


Subglacial Lake Ellsworth has been proposed as a candidate for direct measurement and sampling, to identify microbial life and extract sedimentary climate records. We present a detailed characterization of the physiography of this subglacial lake from geophysical surveys, allowing bathymetry and geomorphic setting to be established. Lake Ellsworth is 14.7 km × 3.1 km with an area of 28.9 km2. Lake depth increases downlake from 52 m to 156 m, with a water body volume of 1.37 km3. The ice thickness suggests an unusual thermodynamic characteristic, with the critical pressure boundary intersecting the lake. Numerical modeling of water circulation has allowed accretion of basal ice to be estimated. We collate this physiographic and modeling information to confirm that Lake Ellsworth is ideal for direct access and propose an optimal drill site. The likelihood of dissolved gas exchange between the lake and the borehole is also assessed.


SYNOPSIS Acrylamide and N,N-methylenebis(acry1amide) (AAm-Bis) copolymerization has been investigated in water at a monomer concentration of 1.8 w/v %. Conversion of monomer and pendant vinyl groups was measured as a function of the reaction time up to the onset of macrogelation. Experimental results indicate that 80% of pendant vinyl groups are consumed by cyclization reactions. When the monomer concentration was kept constant at 1.8%, the critical conversion at the gel point shows a minimum at 7.5 mol % Bis. The equilibrium degree of swelling of the polyacrylamide (PAAm) gels is independent of their crosslinker content. Calculation results show that the average reactivity of pendant vinyl groups for intermolecular links decreases as the Bis concentration increases. All these results suggest formation of PAAm microgels prior to the onset of macrogelation. As the reaction proceeds, microgels are connected to a macrogel through their peripheral pendant vinyls and radical ends, whereas those in their interior remain intact. The microgels seem to act as the junction points of the final inhomogeneous networks. 0 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.


Upon implantation, He ions interact with radiation damage in metals and semiconductors to form bubbles (V. Raineri, Phys. Rev. B 2, 937 (2000) [1]). As far as Si is concerned, recent literature contains much information on the effects of ion implantation, defect formation and the transport of point defects in He-irradiated crystalline silicon (c-Si) whereas little information exists on the effects of He implantation on polycrystalline Si (poly-Si). This paper reports on a systematic comparison of the effects of He implantation on c-Si and poly-Si. Interesting and significant differences were observed in the defect morphology in the two cases. Results on the differences between the two materials are presented and discussed in terms of the role that grain boundaries in poly-Si play in trapping interstitials and the effects that this may have on the overall defect morphology.


Knowledge of acoustic aging of road pavements is needed by road administrators when developing policies and strategies for noise abatement. It is important to know how noise-reducing pavements, as well as pavements without such acoustic properties, perform over time. Methods such as the American traffic noise model method or the Nordic NORD2000 method use acoustic aging for accuracy in predicting noise. Noise performance models for road pavements are necessary if noise is to be integrated as an active parameter in pavement management systems. This paper contributes to ongoing international development in the field of acoustic aging by performing a comprehensive analysis of results from four Californian and Danish long-time noise measurement studies on asphalt pavements. There is not much information on which changes in the surface structure cause an increase in noise in the period between when the bitumen film is worn off and when the pavement begins to deteriorate with distresses such as raveling, cracking, and so forth. This study analyzes and compares trends in the development of noise over time. The development of the noise spectra is also analyzed. The increase of noise has normally been analyzed in relation to the age of pavements. The traffic load and an artificial indicator, defined as the change of noise predicted as a combination of actual physical age and traffic load, are investigated.


BACKGROUND: Mismatch repair (MMR) proteins (MSH2 and MLH1) deficiency is responsible for microsatellite instability (MSI) status. We evaluated p53 and beta-catenin expressions in colorectal cancer specimens with known microsatellite status, previously assessed by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We also analyzed the MMR proteins immunostaining and compared the results with those ascertained by PCR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five colorectal cancer patients were analyzed for immunohistochemical expression of p53, beta-catenin, MSH2 and MLH1 proteins. RESULTS: The microsatellite status was only significantly correlated with p53 expression and MRR proteins pattern. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated a significantly higher p53 expression in MSI colorectal specimens. The concordance rate between immunohistochemistry and PCR was so high (80%) that the immunohistochemical technique can be proposed as a method to select MSI patients for improved outcome and response to chemotherapy.


BACKGROUND
Endoscopic third Ventriculostomy (ETV) is one of the surgical options for obstructive hydrocephalus. There are varying opinions about results of ETV in infants. We are therefore presenting the results of ETV in 54 infants.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A prospective study of 54 infants undergoing ETV in our institution in the last 2 years was carried out. There were 48 cases of congenital hydrocephalus with aqueductal stenosis, 6 of post tubercular meningitis hydrocephalus. Average follow up was 18 months.

RESULTS
There was 83.3% (45 cases) clinical success rate in our study. Infection, persistent cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) leak and bleeding occurred in 4 (8%) cases each while blockage of stoma was observed in 8 (14.8%) patients. Majority of ETV stoma closure (6 out of total 8) occurred following infection (4) or bleeding during surgery (2). One patient (2%) had transient diabetes insipidus. Overall failure rate in our study was 16.7% (8 stoma blocks and 1 procedure abandoned). Low birth weight pre mature infants had higher failure rate (3 out of 5 infants 60%) compared to full term infants with normal birth weight (12.3%). Age did not have any impact on the success rate (P>0.05). Success rates were not significanlty different in patients with aqueductal stenosis (85.4%) and TBM (66.6%) (Fisher's exact test, P=0.3).

CONCLUSION
ETV was fairly safe and effective in full term normal birth weight infants while the results in low birth weight pre mature infants were poor.


Impacts of landuses [old home garden (HG), oilpalm plantation (OP), fallow arable field (FA), grass lawn (GL)] on physico-chemical properties of an ultisol on a flat in the Coastal plains sand of Imo State, Nigeria were evaluated. Landuse significantly (at 5%) influenced the properties sand, organic matter (OM) content, soil reaction (pH), exchangeable cations Ca, Mg, K, exchangeable acidity (Al+H), effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC), base saturation (BS); while available phosphorous (av.P), Ca, Mg, K, Al+H, varied most within and among the management units. Properties varied least in HG, but most in FA and GL. Strong soil acidity and associated problems of nutrient (e.g. Ca, Mg, K) deficiencies, nutrient imbalance, low ECEC were the main limiting factors. The ratio Ca+Mg/Al+H, among other indices OM, Ca+Mg, Al+H, ESP, captured the soils' degradation best. On its basis, the soils' qualities were in the order, HG > OP > FA > GL. Management should aim at meeting the conditions of HG and that should include liming to correct nutrient imbalance as it had not been mitigated by long fallow. Indices identified should be considered in developing quantitative models for estimating soil quality in the location of study. Soil property variability as influenced by land fragmentation in the area needs further investigation using geostatistical technique.

 Key words: Management, Coastal plains sand, indices of soil quality, soil degradation, soil productivity.