The analyses of geographic variations in the prevalence of major chronic conditions, such as overweight and obesity, are an important public health tool to identify "hot spots" and inform allocation of funding for policy and health promotion campaigns, yet rarely performed. Here we aimed at exploring, for the first time in Luxembourg, potential geographic patterns in overweight/obesity prevalence in the country, adjusted for several demographic, socioeconomic, behavioural and health status characteristics. Data came from 720 men and 764 women, 25–64 years old, who participated in the European Health Examination Survey in Luxembourg (2013–2015). To investigate the geographical variation, geo-additive semi-parametric mixed model and Bayesian modelisations based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo techniques for inference were performed. Large disparities in the prevalence of overweight and obesity were found between municipalities, with the highest rates of obesity found in 3 municipalities located in the South-West of the country. Bayesian approach also underlined a nonlinear effect of age on overweight and obesity in both genders (significant in men) and highlighted the following risk factors: 1. country of birth for overweight in men born in a non-European country (Posterior Odds Ratio (POR): 3.24 [1.61–8.69]) and women born in Portugal (POR: 2.44 [1.25–4.43]), 2. low educational level (secondary or below) for overweight (POR: 1.66 (1.06–2.72)] and obesity (POR:2.09 [1.05–3.65]) in men, 3. single marital status for obesity in women (POR: 2.20 [1.24–3.91]), 4.fair (men: POR: 3.19 [1.58–6.79], women: POR: 2.24 [1.33–3.73]) to very bad health perception (men: POR: 15.01 [2.16–98.09]) for obesity, 5. sleeping more than 6 hours for obesity in unemployed men (POR: 3.66 [2.02–8.03]). Protective factors highlighted were: 1. single marital status against overweight (POR: [0.60 (0.38–0.96)]) and obesity (POR: 0.39 [0.16–0.84]) in men, 2. the fact to be widowed against overweight in women (POR: [0.30 (0.07–0.86)], as well as a non European country of birth (POR: 0.49 [0.19–0.98]), tertiary level of education (POR: 0.34 [0.18–0.64]), moderate alcohol consumption (POR: 0.54 [0.36–0.90]) and aerobic physical activity practice (POR: 0.44 [0.27–0.77]) against obesity in women. A double burden of environmental exposure due to historic mining and industrial activities and past economic vulnaribility in the South-West of the country may have participated to the higher prevalence of obesity found in this region. Other demographic, socioeconomic, behavioural and health status covariates could have been involved as well.


Comparative embryology of closely related species can shed light on the evolution of developmental processes. An important mechanism in the evolution of developmental processes, which can lead to significant changes in larval or adult form, is variation in the sequence and timing of developmental events. We compared the development of 12 species of anurans, including a wide taxonomic range as well as a number of congeneric species. The comparison consisted of monitoring a series of external morphological markers and histological markers. For each species we noted the timing of each of the markers, using a uniform parameter of normalized time. We compared the normalized time of each of these events among the species, as well as the sequence of the events. Our analysis revealed many differences in sequence and in timing of developmental events. We mapped these differences on a cladogram of the studied species, using sequence units as discrete characters. The differences do not seem to be connected to the phylogenetic relations between the species or to any obvious ecological factors. We suggest a hypothetical ancestral sequence of developmental events, and discuss the possible factors that could have caused the observed variations from the ancestral sequence.


SNP arrays offer the opportunity to get a genome‐wide view on copy number alterations and are increasingly used in oncology. DNA from formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded material (FFPE) is partially degraded which limits the application of those technologies for retrospective studies. We present the use of Affymetrix GeneChip SNP6.0 for identification of copy number alterations in fresh frozen (FF) and matched FFPE samples. Fifteen pairs of adenocarcinomas with both frozen and FFPE embedded material were analyzed. We present an optimization of the sample preparation and show the importance of correcting the measured intensities for fragment length and GC‐content when using FFPE samples. The absence of GC content correction results in a chromosome specific "wave pattern" which may lead to the misclassification of genomic regions as being altered. The highest concordance between FFPE and matched FF were found in samples with the highest call rates. Nineteen of the 23 high level amplifications (83%) seen using FF samples were also detected in the corresponding FFPE material. For limiting the rate of "false positive" alterations, we have chosen a conservative False Discovery Rate (FDR). We observed better results using SNP probes than CNV probes for copy number analysis of FFPE material. This is the first report on the detection of copy number alterations in FFPE samples using Affymetrix GeneChip SNP6.0. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The Irish playwright and socialist George Bernard Shaw has been of marginal concern for historians of biology because his vitalist Lamarckism has been viewed as out of step with contemporary science. However, Julian Huxley and J.B.S. Haldane were certainly of the opinion that Shaw was a man of influence in this regard and took pains to counter his views in their own attempts to engage the public in science. Previously, Shaw's colleague and friend H.G. Wells had also agued with Shaw from his own mechanistic neo-Darwinian perspective. The very public debate between Shaw and Wells, which continued to concern Huxley and Haldane, shows that public concern over the moral implications of Darwinism has a long history. Taking into account the opinions of John Maynard Smith on this matter, I suggest that a consideration of Shaw in this context can give us an understanding of the historical popularity of vitalist tele ology as well as of the persistent ambivalence to the non-normative character of Darwinism.


This study aims to identify the key factors in developing successful new products in order to increase customers' attraction rate through identification and prioritization of the key factors in new product development. To this purpose, authors applied the Bass diffusion model and then studied the dynamics of the system and the fundamental theory methods and model development.


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Elevated dioxin concentrations in Dutch cow's milk originating from areas
near municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerators triggered an extensive
research programme in the Netherlands, including (1) emission
measurements of all Dutch municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerators, (2)
compliance of MSW incinerators with licences and directives, (3)
dispersion and occurrence of dioxins in air, soil and cow's milk, and (4)
dioxin exposure of the Dutch population. These investigations resulted
in a large number of reports. This report provides a comprehensive
overview of research results and associated policy implications. Seven
out of the twelve incinerators did not comply with the licenses, whereas
nine of them did not satisfy the Incineration Directive 1985. Technical
management and process control were found to be unsatisfactory in several
cases. Dioxin emissions varied between 2,2 to 360 ng TEQ/m3 flue gas.
Four installations were closed down in 1990. Near several MSW
incinerators dioxin concentrations in milk were found exceeding the milk
standard of 6 pg/g fat. Milk and related products from these areas were
banned from consumption. The milk standard was based on the result of an
exposure analysis that at this value less than 1% of the Dutch population
would exceed the TDI of 10 pg TEQ/kg body weight. At background dioxin
concentrations in milk and related products (2 pg TEQ/g fat), the TDI is
exceeded by a small fraction of children below 7 years of age. A
mathematical chain model was developed that succeeded in quantitatively
relating dioxin emissions with amounts in cow's milk. In addition, this
model showed that emissions below the required level of 0.1 ng/m3 (to be
satisfied at 30 November 1993) will make a negligible contribution to
levels in cow's milk. Great efforts are presently made to reduce the
emissions to this required level. Therefore, it may be expected that in
the near future exceedance of the milk standard will not occur anymore in
the Netherlands. At some sited levels of 3-4 pg TEQ/g fat will endure
because of dioxins that have accumulated in soil from high emissions in
the past. Although the dioxin problem in the Netherlands has triggered
drastic improvements in emissions, it has at the same time aroused
opposition from the Dutch population against incineration of municipal
waste. Therefore a delay in growth in incineration capacity may be
expected.


This paper presents an application of parallel genetic algorithm to optimal long-range generation expansion planning. The problem is formulated as a combinatorial optimization problem that determines the number of newly introduced generation units of each technology during different time intervals. A new string representation method for the problem is presented. Binary and decimal coding for the string representation method are compared. The method is implemented on transputers, one of the practical multi-processors. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated on a typical generation expansion problem with four technologies, five intervals, and a various number of generation units. It is compared favorably with dynamic programming and conventional genetic algorithm. The results reveal the speed and effectiveness of the proposed method for solving this problem.


Insulin is an ancient, multi-functional hormone with essential roles in glucose homeostasis and energy storage. Recently, our group has taken advantage of the ability to limit insulin secretion in vivo by reducing insulin gene dosage to demonstrate that insulin hypersecretion is a requirement for diet-induced obesity. Our previous studies employed male Ins1+/−:Ins2−/− mice that exhibit a complete inhibition of diet-induced hyperinsulinemia relative to Ins1+/+:Ins2−/− littermate controls, as well as female Ins1−/−:Ins2+/− mice with transient, partial reduction in circulating insulin relative to Ins1−/−:Ins2+/+ littermates. In the present study, we sought to extend these studies to male Ins1−/−:Ins2+/− mice on the same chow and high fat diets. Surprisingly, while reduced Ins2 gene dosage appeared capable of reducing Ins2 mRNA, insulin protein levels in these mice were not significantly reduced. Moreover, there was a marked hyper-variability in circulating insulin levels within and between two independent cohorts of mice that persisted over at least the first year of life. In Cohort 1, we observed a paradoxical increase in body weight in some high fat-fed male Ins1−/−:Ins2+/− mice relative to Ins1−/−:Ins2+/+ littermate controls. This phenomenon is consistent with the known satiety effects of insulin and our previous observations with Ins2 can be expressed in the brain. Collectively, our data reveal unexpected complexity associated with the Ins2 gene in male mice, and establish the Ins2 gene as a candidate for studying the effects of modifier genes and/or environmental influences on gene-to-phenotype variability. Further studies are required to define the molecular mechanisms of this phenotypic hyper-variability and to define the role of reduced Ins2 gene dosage in the brain.


Simulation results for the design and fabrication of an electrically driven solid state modulator are presented. The design criteria has identiped various trade-offs in the manufacturing of an electrically driven modulator using a p-i-n diode to be made from high purity Ge. The issues relating to the doping, layer thickness and contact material for the diode fabrication are discussed. A compromise between the high 'ON' state transmission and uniformity is required to achieve the optimum performance from the device. Using FEMLAB and ATLAS a p-i-n diode with different apertures has been simulated which clearly show the effects of non-uniformity and the requirement of a mesh-type electrode for a uniform absorption across the large device apertures.


In order to improve the Grid-Connection of the wind turbine and the voltage stability of the power system, the study the reactive power characteristics (R.P.C) of the double-fed variable speed constant frequency wind turbine is vital. This paper adopts the equivalent circuit of the doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) to derive the equation of the reactive power balance. Based on the equivalent circuit, the paper discussed the relationship of the reduced reactive power (R.P) between the stator and rotor circuit with different frequency. All of those reveal that the DFIG has an enormous mechanism to adjust the reactive power flexibly. After studying the stator and rotor R.P.C of the DFIG , we summarized the influence of the rotor R.P from the slid ratio and the stator R.P. And the end, we verify the correction of theory by a simulation.


We es t~mated the mortality of hatchery-raised pink Oncorhynchus gorbuscha and chum 0 keta salmon fry from seabird predation near a salmon hatchery In Lake Bay, Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA. Fleld counts of seabirds and observations of feeding rates for plunge-diving seabirds were obtained durlng salmon fry releases between Apnl and June 1995. Several hundred birds of 7 piscivorous species aggregated in front of the hatchery. Consumption rates were determined from focalanimal sampling and energetic models. For most species, per capita consumption rates based on behavioral data were lower than those calculated from energetic considerations. From energetic models and fry movement rates, w e estimated that 2.7 to 5.9 million juvenile salmon (1.1 to 2.4 "" of released fry) were consumed during the study period. Differences between the energetics models accounted for 64 % of this range; assumptions about fry movement rates accounted for the remainder. Gulls recorded during aerial surveys throughout Prince William Sound were significantly associated with s p a w n ~ n g herring and hatchery sites, but not with miles of coast with herring spawn present. The correlation of bird aggregations with the presence of these small fish indicates that concentrations of prey fish have an important influence on the distribution of birds at sea during this time of the year. Bird numbers in both boat counts and aerial surveys declined from early May to early June. Taken together, these results lndlcate that salmon fry just entering the marine environment were not especially susceptible to avlan predation Thelr vulnerability to predation was apparently buffered by the presence of other attractlve food patches within seabird foraging range early in our study period, and by declines in the numbers of seabirds foraging along the shoreline later In the study.


Metal exposure is associated with several toxic effects; herein, we review the toxicity mechanisms of cadmium, mercury, arsenic, lead, aluminum, chromium, iron, copper, nickel, cobalt, vanadium, and molybdenum as these processes relate to free radical generation. Free radicals can be generated in cells due to a wide variety of exogenous and endogenous processes, causing modifications in DNA bases, enhancing lipid peroxidation, and altering calcium and sulfhydryl homeostasis. Melatonin, an ubiquitous and pleiotropic molecule, exerts efficient protection against oxidative stress and ameliorates oxidative/nitrosative damage by a variety of mechanisms. Also, melatonin has a chelating property which may contribute in reducing metal‐induced toxicity as we postulate here. The aim of this review was to highlight the protective role of melatonin in counteracting metal‐induced free radical generation. Understanding the physicochemical insights of melatonin related to the free radical scavenging activity and the stimulation of antioxidative enzymes is of critical importance for the development of novel therapeutic strategies against the toxic action of these metals.


Metabolic syndrome (MetS) includes several conditions that can increase an individual's predisposition to high-risk cardiovascular events, morbidity, and mortality. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a predominant cause of cirrhosis, which is a global indicator of liver transplantation and is considered the hepatic manifestation of MetS. FibroScan® provides an accurate and non-invasive method for assessing liver steatosis and fibrosis in patients with NAFLD, via a controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM or E) scores and has been widely used in current clinical practice. Several machine learning (ML) models with a recursive feature elimination (RFE) algorithm were applied to evaluate the importance of the CAP score. Analysis by ANOVA revealed that five symptoms at different CAP and E score levels were significant. All eight ML models had accuracy scores > 0.9, while treebags and random forest had the best kappa values (0.6439 and 0.6533, respectively). The CAP score was the most important variable in the seven ML models. Machine learning models with RFE demonstrated that using the CAP score to identify patients with MetS may be feasible. Thus, a combination of CAP scores and other significant biomarkers could be used for early detection in predicting MetS.


: At an acute phlegmonous cholecystitis in the human being, certain changes in ultrastructure of organelles of hepatocytes and slight rearrangements in their surface are revealed. Destruction of microfilaments, hypertrophy and fragmentation are observed in Golgi complex (GC) and in the granular endoplasmic reticulum. The structure of the GC and of the endoplasmic reticulum demonstrates their active functional state, that is evidently manifested as a defensive reaction of the organism to the lesion.


This paper explores a computational formula for the Particular solution of one sort of Inhomogeneous differential equation with constant coefficient.


The record of Catania enea–enel accelerometric station, with its anomalously high amplitude, represents an outlier for the dataset of seismograms recorded by the Italian accelerometric network during the 13 December 1990 M 5.8 East Sicily earthquake. Using numerical modeling tools, we corroborate the interpretation of this anomaly as an effect of the crustal structure or site response, rather than as a finite source effect.

In the first part of this study, we compare the recorded seismograms to those computed by two numerical methods—the 2D Spectral Element Method (spem), a technique which solves the 2D full-wave propagation through a complex geological structure; and the Wavenumber Integration Method (wim), which solves the 3D full-wave propagation in a horizontally-layered structure. The comparison shows that the recorded waveforms are reproduced accurately using a laterally heterogeneous structure, whereas none of the representations in terms of horizontal plane layers, which simplify the same structure, provides satisfactory results. Furthermore, we compare the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios (hvsr) obtained from (1) the earthquake record, (2) the seismogram simulated by the spem, and (3) the seismic noise recorded at the same site. Again, the overall agreement is very good.

This study has several outcomes. Firstly, that the numerical modeling approach based on the spem, and used in a previous study to simulate ground shaking for a destructive scenario earthquake, provides reliable results. Secondly, that the 2D model used to represent the crustal structure beneath this area is realistic. Indeed, simplified 1D models may not be an adequate means to reproduce realistic seismograms and predict the ground motion in the frequency band of interest for seismic hazard (i.e., 0.5–10 Hz). Finally, the high amplitude displayed by the Catania station during the 1990 earthquake is explained as a combined effect of site and structure-path, while finite source models appear unnecessary. In general, this study emphasizes the importance of methods that accurately model the wavefield propagation through realistic geologic structures for predicting ground motion.


The Chickasaw Indians were Mississippi's second largest Indian group after the Choctaws. Before the United States government forced their removal in the 1830s, the Chickasaw resided in north Mississippi with their villages centered between the headwaters of the Yazoo and Tombigbee rivers around present-day Tupelo. They also claimed lands covering present-day western Tennessee. Their population numbers fluctuated over the 18th century between 2,000 to 5,000 people.


Enhancing energy/resource efficiency of neural networks is critical to support on-chip neural image processing at Internet-of-Things edge devices. This paper presents recent technology advancements towards energy-efficient neural image processing. 3D integration of image sensor and neural network improves power-efficiency with programmability and scalability. Computation energy of feedforward and recurrent neural networks is reduced by dynamic control of approximation, and storage demand is reduced by image-based adaptive weight compression. Emerging devices such as tunnel FET and Resistive Random Access Memory are utilized to achieve higher computation efficiency than CMOS-based designs.


Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the main causes of death with a significant impact on the quality of life and mental health of the patients as well as on the health system. The social costs of COPD are significant, because this pathology has a negative impact on patients's professional performance and daily activity. The major risk factors for COPD are age and smoking. Extrapulmonary comorbidities are frequently associated with COPD and may have an influence on the symptoms severity, and the frequency of the exacerbations, hospitalizations and mortality. Psychiatric disorders, especially anxiety and depression, have been observed in clinical trials with an increased prevalence of COPD. The relationship between anxiety, depression and COPD is complex. Psychiatric pathology is involved in influencing the pathophysiology of COPD with a proven impact on the patient's prognosis. COPD sleep disorders can aggravate pre-existing psychiatric pathology, the relationship between the two pathologies being bidirectional. The aim of this paper is to review the latest clinical trials on the existing evidence of psychiatric comorbidities impact on the evolution and prognosis of COPD and the therapeutic alternatives for their improvement. The conclusion of the present study is that anxiety and depression should be periodically assessed by a multidisciplinary team in order to provide a complete management (pharmacological, pulmonary rehabilitation and cognitive-behavioral therapy), improving the patient's quality of life and prognosis.


Objective A review of the implementation outcomes of clean cookstove use, and its effects on blood pressure (BP) in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Design Systematic review of studies that reported the effect of clean cookstove use on BP among women, and implementation science outcomes in LMICs. Data sources We searched PubMed, Embase, INSPEC, Scielo, Cochrane Library, Global Health and Web of Science PLUS. We conducted searches in November 2017 with a repeat in May 2018. We did not restrict article publication date. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies We included only studies conducted in LMICs, published in English, regardless of publication year and studies that examined the use of improved or clean cookstove intervention on BP. Two authors independently screened journal article titles, abstracts and full-text articles to identify those that included the following search terms: high BP, hypertension and or household air pollution, LMICs, cookstove and implementation outcomes. Results Of the 461 non-duplicate articles identified, three randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (in Nigeria, Guatemala and Ghana) and two studies of pre–post design (in Bolivia and Nicaragua) met eligibility criteria. These articles evaluated the effect of cookstove use on BP in women. Two of the three RCTs reported a mean reduction in diastolic BP of −2.8 mm Hg (−5.0, –0.6; p=0.01) for the Nigerian study; −3.0 mm Hg; (−5.7, –0.4; p=0.02) for the Guatemalan study; while the study conducted in Ghana reported a non-significant change in BP. The pre–post studies reported a significant reduction in mean systolic BP of −5.5 mm Hg; (p=0.01) for the Bolivian study, and −5.9 mm Hg (−11.3, –0.4; p=0.05) for the Nicaraguan study. Implementation science outcomes were reported in all five studies (three reported feasibility, one reported adoption and one reported feasibility and adoption of cookstove interventions). Conclusion Although this review demonstrated that there is limited evidence on the implementation of clean cookstove use in LMICs, the effects of clean cookstove on BP were significant for both systolic and diastolic BP among women. Future studies should consider standardised reporting of implementation outcomes.


Employers commonly use adjustments to health insurance premiums as incentives to encourage healthy behavior, but the effectiveness of those adjustments is controversial. We gave 197 obese participants in a workplace wellness program a weight loss goal equivalent to 5 percent of their baseline weight. They were randomly assigned to a control arm, with no financial incentive for achieving the goal, or to one of three intervention arms offering an incentive valued at $550. Two intervention arms used health insurance premium adjustments, beginning the following year (delayed) or in the first pay period after achieving the goal (immediate). A third arm used a daily lottery incentive separate from premiums. At twelve months there were no statistically significant differences in mean weight change either between the control group (whose members had a mean gain of 0.1 pound) and any of the incentive groups (delayed premium adjustment, -1.2 pound; immediate premium adjustment, -1.4 pound; daily lottery incentive, -1.0 pound) or among the intervention groups. The apparent failure of the incentives to promote weight loss suggests that employers that encourage weight reduction through workplace wellness programs should test alternatives to the conventional premium adjustment approach by using alternative incentive designs, larger incentives, or both.


A hybrid FDTD/PEEC method is used to analyse radiation from multilayer PCBs. A Huygen's surface is obtained from the PEEC method that can be used as an excitation for a traditional FDTD simulation from which radiation patterns, and hence EMC/EMI performance, can be obtained. The use of the Huygen's excitation will remove the necessity to place 3 or 4 FDTD cells across the thin PCB tracks resulting in much reduced simulation times. Comparisons between pure FDTD and the hybrid method are shown for the simple case of a 50¿ microstrip line and good agreement is obtained for current distributions and radiation patterns. A pure FDTD simulation of a complex, multilayer PCB used in a 2.5Gb/s optical transceiver is carried out and initial results are presented.


This article looks at the evolution of China's Company Law by reference to selected variables and seeks to locate China within the legal origins debate. The central thesis is that the evolution of China's Company Law has been driven more by its own internal logic and, in particular, by the structural norms that underpin the legal system itself, than by any legal origins effect defined by reference to conventional categories such as common law, civil law or socialist law. Four structural norms are put forward as supporting the internal logic of Chinese law and underpinning the evolution of China's Company Law. The findings underscore the extent to which the structural norms - driven largely by the view that the legal system has of itself, its role and responsibilities - have shaped and influenced the reception, implementation and development of legal concepts and rules. The findings also challenge conventional notions that law in China is purely instrumental in nature and that its sole purpose is to implement the aims and objectives of the state. Instead, the legal system operates and evolves independently of the state to a material extent, albeit in a manner that is subordinate to the state.


'One of the first books that anyone should read in beginning to try to understand this war and this century' New York Times Book Review It was to be the war to end all wars, and it began at 11.15 on the morning of June 28, 1914, in an outpost of the Austro-Hungarian Empire called Sarajevo. It would end officially almost five years later. Unofficially, it has never ended: The horrors we live with today were born in the First World War. It left millions - civilians and soldiers - maimed or dead. And it left us with new technologies of death: tanks, planes, and submarines; reliable rapid-fire machine guns, poison gas and chemical warfare. It introduced us to unrestricted war on civilians and mistreatment of prisoners. Most of all, it changed our world. In its wake, empires toppled, monarchies fell, whole populations lost their national identities as political systems and geographic boundaries realigned. Instabilities were institutionalised, enmities enshrined. Manners, mores, codes of behaviour, literature, education and class distinctions - all underwent a vast sea change. In all these ways, the twentieth century can be said to have been born on the morning of June 28, 1914.


My doctoral research focuses on understanding semantic knowledge in neural network models trained solely to predict natural language (referred to as language models, or LMs), by drawing on insights from the study of concepts and categories grounded in cognitive science. I propose a framework inspired by 'inductive reasoning,' a phenomenon that sheds light on how humans utilize background knowledge to make inductive leaps and generalize from new pieces of information about concepts and their properties. Drawing from experiments that study inductive reasoning, I propose to analyze semantic inductive generalization in LMs using phenomena observed in human-induction literature, investigate inductive behavior on tasks such as implicit reasoning and emergent feature recognition, and analyze and relate induction dynamics to the learned conceptual representation space.


The ultrastructure of the lytic cycle of phage 41c in Bacillus subtilis 168 was examined by transmission electron microscopy. Thin sections of phage 41c-infected cells revealed that, prior to the appearance of phage structures, a marked rearrangement of the tightly packed, vesicular mesosomes was usually seen within the host cells. These mesosomes opened up into loosely arranged, lamellar forms. As phage accumulated, they appeared to be preferentially associated with the mesosomes. Towards the later portion of the lytic cycle, the mesosomes took on distinctive, loosely organized, spiral configurations. These ultrastructural changes occurred even in the presence of chloramphenicol, indicating that protein synthesis was not responsible for the alterations. Since it was possible that phage assembly was mesosome associated, infected cells were treated with lysozyme to form protoplasts. However, phage were never found within the extruded mesosomes. Furthermore, phage replication occurred in protoplasts, although the burst size was decreased. Sucrosestabilized protoplasts only produced a burst of 1-2% of that in whole cells, while sorbitol-stabilized protoplasts produced a burst of 25-30% of that in whole cells. Results of energy-dispersive X-ray analysis indicated less potassium and phosphorus in infected cells than in noninfected cells. These results suggested that the mesosome alterations may have occurred due to differences in the ionic composition of the cells. A characterization study of phage 41c was also conducted. Phage 41c produced a burst size of 10('3) phage per host cell, following a latent period of 50 minutes. In addition, phage 41c (a double-stranded DNA phage) was found to be remarkably similar to another B. subtilis phage, SSP1. They were almost identical in size, morphology, sensitivity of infection to deoxyribonuclease or streptomycin, plaquing efficiency, host range, and incorporation of ('3)H-thymidine into their DNA. Differences were detected in the molecular weights of their structural proteins and in their plaque morphologies. Phage SPP1 produced a series of changes in the ultrastructure of the host cell which was identical to that of 41c-infected cells. In contrast, a dissimilar phage, SP82G, did not produce such changes in the host cells.


The Governments' promotion and support of Best Value within the Social Housing
Sector has been a prime catalyst in the move by Registered Social Landlord's [RSL's]
away from the traditional culture of acceptance of the lowest bid towards
consideration of both price and quality criteria as a basis for contractor selection.
Manifestly this radical change in the way the sector procures its construction services
has forced many of its stakeholders to undergo significant cultural and organisational
changes within a relatively short period of time, and problems have developed during
this transitional period that have affected the efficiency of the best value process.
This research traced the root causes of these problems and its overarching aim was to
develop an approach which will enable RSL's and their stakeholders to streamline the
best value tender analysis procedure thereby allowing tenders to be dealt with
effectively and efficiently whilst also creating a transparent and auditable decision
making process. The approach has been established using a mixed methods research
methodology utilising; case studies, surveys, rational decision analysis and system
evaluation. The main output of the research is the development of a support tool
known by the acronym OVID-BV which aids the multi objective decision making
process. The underlying rationale for the support tool is based on the innovative use of
uncertainty in decision making and the functionality of the tool uses a combination of
the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), multi attribute utility theory (MAUT) and
whole life costing (WLC).


In terms of the convention governing the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), management advice for the Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) fishery should take the needs of the predators of krill into account in order to reduce the risk of deleterious impacts on such predators (e.g., baleen whales and numerous fish, seal, penguin, and flying bird species). A single species yield model is currently being used by the CCAMLR Scientific Committee to recommend an annual krill catch limit, which is expressed as a proportion (γ = 0.116) of a survey biomass estimate. This approach takes the needs of predators into account in only a crude way by assuming that a median krill escapement of 75% of its unexploited biomass would be sufficient to meet the needs of predators. A krill–predator modeling procedure is presented that could be used to directly assess the impact of krill harvesting on krill predator populations and therefore to revise this recommended harvesting level (γ) for Antarctic krill. Application of a deterministic form of this model to an Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) data set from Bird Island, South Georgia, Antarctica, indicates that the level of krill fishing intensity (γ) that would reduce this population to half the equilibrium size in the absence of krill fishing (γhalf) lies between 0.03 and 0.18, which includes the level recommended by CCAMLR. This large range results primarily from the sensitivity of the model to the maximum growth rate parameter, for which a range of 5–15%/yr is investigated. A plausible range of values for this parameter (5–15%/yr) results in estimated γhalf values from 0.04 to 0.23. Stochastic calculations (which take account of interannual fluctuations in the abundance of the krill population due to recruitment variability) yield higher estimated γhalf values than the less realistic deterministic calculations. However, simulation tests indicate that the estimated γhalf values are biased upward; this modeling approach is therefore likely to yield γhalf values that would lead to a depletion of the Antarctic fur seal population to more than half its pristine size.


In the US legal system, jurors may make good-faith efforts to construe and apply facts and law, but extralegal considerations are difficult to avoid, and under some circumstances lay constructions of liability and criminality may be vulnerable to bias. We explore whether stereotype effects in juries' decision-making are sensitive to the stringency of the burden of persuasion. This article represents an important addition to the growing field of experimental jurisprudence and empirical legal studies, as it uses a novel computational method to visualize a stereotype of a specific criminal subtype. More importantly, it tests the intersection of the stereotype with legal conclusions for different standards of proof. For the less-stringent criminal standard— probable cause, which typically is used in a grand-jury setting—the stereotype mattered to the outcome, with the clear implication that lax standards may leave room for jurors to improperly consider extralegal factors like race and ethnicity.


The transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is considered as the master regulator of antioxidant and cytoprotective gene expressions. Moreover, it plays a pivotal role in cancer progression. Nrf2 mediates the adaptive response which contributes to the resistance to chemotherapeutic pro-oxidant drugs, such as cisplatin (CDDP), in various tumors, including bladder cancers. For this reason, Nrf2 could be a promising target to overcome chemoresistance. There are several known Nrf2 pharmacological inhibitors; however, most of them are not specific. The use of a specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting the Nrf2 gene (siNrf2) loaded into nanovehicles is an attractive alternative, since it can increase specificity. This study aimed to evaluate the biological activity of siNrf2 loaded on guanidine-terminated carbosilane dendrimers (GCDs) in overcoming CDDP resistance in bladder cancer cells with a high level of Nrf2. Parameters such as viability, proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and oxidative stress level were taken into account. Results demonstrated that siNrf2-GCD treatment sensitized CDDP-resistant cells to CDDP treatment. Moreover, data obtained by treating the non-cancerous human kidney HK-2 cell line strongly suggest a good safety profile of the carbosilane dendrimers loaded with siNrf2. In conclusion, we suggest that siNrf2-GCD is a promising drug delivery system for gene therapy to be used in vivo; and it may represent an important tool in the therapy of CDDP-resistant cancer.


AIM
The retrospective evaluation of correlations between semi-quantitative breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) and invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC) sub-types.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The biopsy specimen of 50 histologically-proven IDCs were retrospectively evaluated concerning receptor status, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/Neu) status, Ki-67 level and classification into IDC sub-types. These results were compared to the relative uptake factor (RUF) in BSGI. Depending on RUF, we described four categories to outline the predictive value of RUF.

RESULTS
A total of 50 IDCs with a mean diameter of 20.36 mm were included. RUF differed reliably between luminal-A and non-luminal-A IDCs. RUF exceeding 6.5 pointed to non luminal A-carcinoma, with a specificity and positive predictive value of 100%. RUF of less than 2.6 was unlikely to be associated with a non-luminal A-carcinoma (negative predictive value: 76.5%). Comparable results were calculated for the correlation between RUF and the K-67 level.

CONCLUSION
RUF may help classify the sub-type of an IDC in addition to pathology.


Global Software Development (GSD) refers to distributed software development in form of offshore insourcing and outsourcing. GSD promises benefits like cost-saving, time to market reduction, access to global talents, and task modularization. However, GSD encounters issues caused by team separation which has five dimensions: geographical, temporal, cultural, organizational, and work. These issues affect GSD activities. Issues reported in GSD are greater than identified solutions. Thus, it can be inferred that GSD lacks a guide on how it should be done (planned and implemented). This study aims to build a framework using open-ended inductive theory building method, to explain why GSD fail (due to team separation), and how it can succeed. The framework will be grounded in Process Virtualization, Task-Technology Fit, and Transactive Memory theories. This study will use the case study approach under phenomenological research of qualitative design to understand the phenomenon thru experiences of participants, and processes involved.


Current board technologies are inherently performance-limited (FR-4) or cost-prohibitive (Al/sub 2/O/sub 3//AlN). New package or board materials with low CTE and high elastic modulus are needed for the next generation of high-performance convergent Microsystems to be able to fabricate ultra high-density wiring without big capture pads and to assemble area-array flip-chips with minimal stress on solder joint or perhaps completely eliminate underfills around the solder joint. A novel manufacturing process has been demonstrated to yield large-area thin carbon-silicon carbide (C-SiC) based composite boards with potentially low cost and desired thermomechanical properties - ultra high modulus, Si-matched CTE and large-area manufacturability. The reliability performance of this material was evaluated with flip chip test vehicle using conventional epoxies and advanced dielectrics such as BCB and PPE. Bumped dies were assembled and liquid-liquid thermal shock tests and Shadow Moire measurements were carried out to assess the solder joint reliability of these boards. In parallel with experiments, numerical models were also developed to analyze warpage, dielectric cracking and solder fatigue failure, and provide design guidelines. Though boards with Si-matched CTE are essential to lower the solder joint strains, they result in a high CTE mismatch between the build-up dielectrics and board, generating higher stresses in the dielectric which could lead to cracking. In this work, we show that dielectric cracking can be minimized with stiffer boards and thinner build-up layers. Based on the results, it can be inferred that high board stiffness and low CTE (/spl sim/3-4 ppm//spl deg/C) are needed to ensure reliability of high-density packages without the use of underfill. The test vehicle evaluation supported by modeling results indicate that the novel low-cost large-area processable ceramic matrix composite (C-SiC) has potential to be a promising candidate substrate material for next-generation microsystems.


The rapid proliferation of decentralized learning systems mandates the need for differentially-private cooperative learning. In this paper, we study this in context of the contextual linear bandit: we consider a collection of agents cooperating to solve a common contextual bandit, while ensuring that their communication remains private. For this problem, we devise \textsc{FedUCB}, a multiagent private algorithm for both centralized and decentralized (peer-to-peer) federated learning. We provide a rigorous technical analysis of its utility in terms of regret, improving several results in cooperative bandit learning, and provide rigorous privacy guarantees as well. Our algorithms provide competitive performance both in terms of pseudoregret bounds and empirical benchmark performance in various multi-agent settings.


The impact of MRI continues to grow due to progress in all phases of the development cycle. Since its initial use for human imaging approximately 20 years ago, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has developed into a widely used clinical imaging modality. Now, at the start of the 21st century, the number of MRI systems worldwide is in excess of 10,800. With an average of over ten patients examined per day per machine, the number of clinical studies per day is well over 100,000. Along with X-ray imaging, ultrasound, computed X-ray tomography, and nuclear medicine, MRI is well recognized as a commonly used medical imaging modality. In spite of this significant growth over the last two decades, technical and application development continues. The purpose of this article is to identify the current development of MRI and to attempt to indicate future trends. In some sense this is an update of a similar technical assessment of MRI made four years ago.


Prior research has identified a number of antecedents to infant mortality, but has been focused on either structural (demographic) forces or medical (public health) factors, both of which ignore potential cultural influences. Our study introduces a cultural model for explaining variations in infant mortality, one focused on the role of community-level religious factors. A key impetus for our study is well-established religious variations in adult mortality at the community level. Seeking to extend the growing body of research on contextual-level effects of religion, this study examines the impact of religious ecology (i.e., the institutional market share of particular denominational traditions) on county-level infant mortality in the U.S. Analyses of congregational census and Kids Count data reveal that a high prevalence of Catholic and most types of conservative Protestant churches are associated with lower rates of infant mortality when compared with counties that feature fewer Catholic and conservative Protestant congregations. However, communities with a large proportion of Pentecostal churches exhibit significantly higher infant mortality rates. After discussing the implications of these findings, we specify various directions for future research.


Purpose: An improved understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of brain metastases, one of the most common and devastating complications of advanced melanoma, may identify and prioritize rational therapeutic approaches for this disease. In particular, the identification of molecular differences between brain and extracranial metastases would support the need for the development of organ-specific therapeutic approaches. Experimental Design: Hotspot mutations, copy number variations (CNV), global mRNA expression patterns, and quantitative analysis of protein expression and activation by reverse-phase protein array (RPPA) analysis were evaluated in pairs of melanoma brain metastases and extracranial metastases from patients who had undergone surgical resection for both types of tumors. Results: The status of 154 previously reported hotspot mutations, including driver mutations in BRAF and NRAS, were concordant in all evaluable patient-matched pairs of tumors. Overall patterns of CNV, mRNA expression, and protein expression were largely similar between the paired samples for individual patients. However, brain metastases demonstrated increased expression of several activation-specific protein markers in the PI3K/AKT pathway compared with the extracranial metastases. Conclusions: These results add to the understanding of the molecular characteristics of melanoma brain metastases and support the rationale for additional testing of the PI3K/AKT pathway as a therapeutic target in these highly aggressive tumors. Clin Cancer Res; 20(21); 5537–46. ©2014 AACR.


Bentonites are candidate materials for encapsulation of radioactive waste. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) has proven to be one of the most sensitive parameters for detecting changes in mineral properties in bentonite-alteration experiments. An interlaboratory study of CECs and exchangeable cations for three reference bentonite buffer materials that were used in the Alternative Buffer Material test (ABM) project in Äspö, Sweden, was conducted to create a suitable database. The present study focused on CEC accuracy and compared CEC methods where care was taken to prevent dissolution of soluble minerals such as calcite and gypsum. The overall quality of the CEC and exchangeable cation values measured using non-Cu-trien CEC methods were good, with CECs of 74–91±0.5–3.3 meq/100 g and exchangeable cation values of 22–61±1.2–3.9 meq/100 g Na+, 7–23±0.8–1.5 meq/100 g Mg2+, and 19–39±0.8–1.6 meq/ 100 g Ca2+. The precision was comparable to the standard Cu-trien method even for exchangeable Ca2+, although the laboratories used different solution/solid ratios and reaction-time parameters for Cu-trien which affect carbonate dissolution. The MX80 and Dep.CAN bentonite exchangeable Ca2+ values were more accurate than standard-Cu-trien values. Using the optimized methods of this study, MX80 and Dep.CAN exchangeable Ca2+ values averaged 20.2±1.6 and 38.8±1.4 meq/100 g which amounts to ~70% of the inflated Cu-trien values. A more complex analysis of the CEC data using different methods, anion analyses, and mineralogical analysis is necessary to obtain plausible and accurate CEC values. Even with a more complicated analytical procedure, the CEC and exchangeable cation values were still not accurate enough because of excess anions. Chloride, sulfate, and dolomite might have increased the exchangeable Na+, Mg2+, and Ca2+ values.


In recent years, face detection has experienced significant performance improvement with the boost of deep convolutional neural networks. In this report, we reimplement the state-of-the-art detector SRN and apply some tricks proposed in the recent literatures to obtain an extremely strong face detector, named VIM-FD. In specific, we exploit more powerful backbone network like DenseNet-121, revisit the data augmentation based on data-anchor-sampling proposed in PyramidBox, and use the max-in-out label and anchor matching strategy in SFD. In addition, we also introduce the attention mechanism to provide additional supervision. Over the most popular and challenging face detection benchmark, i.e., WIDER FACE, the proposed VIM-FD achieves state-of-the-art performance.


Abstract This paper addresses the question of how firms react to tax incentives in a formula apportionment (FA) tax regime. Under FA, the profits of all consolidated entities of a business group are summed and then allocated according to a formula based on FA factors. We hypothesize that firms may change the allocation of real production factors and/or manipulate the FA factor through tax avoidance strategies. Analyzing FA tax effects of the German local business tax with payroll expense as the exclusive FA factor, we find empirical evidence consistent with both hypotheses. Regarding the allocation of production factors, we observe significant tax effects on labor input at the intensive margin but not on labor input at the extensive margin. In addition, we find evidence of an indirect FA spillover effect on capital investment. Our findings on tax avoidance proxies are consistent with tax-induced manipulations of payroll expense as an FA factor to save tax payments.


The main problem when the conventional PSpice JFET model is used to simulate a vertical short-channel buried-grid JFET is caused by the constant values of Threshold Voltage (VTO) and Transconductance (BETA). This paper presents a new model for the vertical short-channel buried-grid 1200V JFET, where both VTO and BETA vary with respect to the Drain-Source voltage. Simulation data from Medici have been analyzed in order to extract the analytical equations for VTO and BETA. Also other PSpice parameters are extracted from these data. The proposed circuit model has been simulated in Matlab by optimizing the same algorithm that PSpice uses. A variety of results are shown and discussed in this paper.


SUMMARY In the past decade Hooded Crows showed a significant growth in Debrecen. The aim of this study was to become acquainted with Hooded Crows nest-site selection in urban circumstances. The research revealed that Hooded Crows are not choosy when it comes to selecting the species of the trees, but we noticed differences regarding nesting height - Hooded Crows living in the city build their nests in higher regions than those living in places outside Debrecen. We discovered a significant difference between nesting heights and the tree species, which is probably due to the different characteristics shown by the given tree species. As for nesting heights, we found that in typical urban habitats there were no relevant differences shown. Samet the situation, when we compared these habitats in pairs, it came to light that nesting heights - when comparing lonely trees - wood segments and tree raws – wood segments - did not show significant differences too, which can be explained by the various conditions provided by the habitats mentioned. To sum up, during our research the following results emerged: 1. Hooded Crows prefer approximately the same nesting heights in all kinds of habitats, urban environment and tree species. 2. Nesting height depends on the tree species but independent from habitat.


Reciprocating engine driven generator sets (or "gensets") are a leading class of distributed energy resources (DERs) from the low kilowatt up to hundreds of kilowatt ratings. Natural-gas-based DERs are more likely to be favored by both industries and utilities in the near future because of their low cost due to the newly found shale deposits at many places in the world. The DERs such as gensets when operating under islanded conditions are susceptible to stalling and can bring down the entire industrial power system, particularly if they are loaded beyond 80% of the rated engine capacity. This paper presents graphical and analytical methods to determine the stalling conditions of the most common type of gensets that have a synchronous generator as the utility interface. A systematic approach is developed from the first principles of generator electromagnetic energy conversion. The engine fuel map limits have been integrated into the generator speed versus active power characteristics for this purpose. The stalling prevention by applying an underfrequency load relief (V/Hz) scheme is also discussed.


Abstract We study the problem of safety stock placement in a supply chain with market selection decisions. A manufacturer with deterministic, load-dependent lead time supplies multiple warehouses, each serving multiple retailers. Each retailer has access to a set of potential markets with different characteristics. Serving more markets increases revenues, but also increases the manufacturer's lead time, resulting in higher inventory costs. Adopting the Guaranteed Service Approach, we present a nonlinear mixed-integer programming model and reformulate it to eliminate integer variables related to service times at warehouses. We then propose a successive piecewise linearization algorithm and a mixed-integer conic quadratic formulation to solve the resulting nonlinear binary formulation. Computational experiments show that the successive piecewise linearization algorithm outperforms two state-of-the-art solvers, BARON and CPLEX, which are used to solve instances of the original formulation and the mixed-integer conic quadratic reformulation, respectively. The value of incorporating load-dependent lead times is greatest when capacity is limited relative to available demand. The benefit of integrating market selection and safety stock decisions is greatest when capacity is limited and marginal revenue is relatively low.


PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of telework and management control systems (MCSs) on the congruence of civil servant objectives in the Brazilian justice system.Design/methodology/approachTo this end, the authors have carried out a survey with 468 employees of the Ministério Público Federal (Federal Public Ministry), whose data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsAmong the main results are the perceived efficiency of telework, and the finding that action and personnel controls are positively related to the congruence of objectives. However, the moderating relationship of the MCSs presented individual characteristics. Action controls showed no evidence of moderating the relationship between the perceived efficiency of telework and congruence of objectives. However, personnel controls showed a significant and negative relationship, that is, more intense personnel controls in telework weakened the congruence of individual objectives with those of the organization.Practical implicationsThis study contributes to practice by identifying barriers and facilitators in organizational telework programs and also spotting how controls can be planned for their activities.Originality/valueThe authors' research evaluates the effect of MCSs on the relationship between the perceived efficiency of telework and the congruence of employee objectives, considering that the telework regime is in its initial phase of implementation in public entities, but this has been intensified by the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.


In vertebrates, provitamin A carotenoids are converted to retinal by (cid:1) -carotene-15,15 (cid:1) -dioxygenase. The enzyme activity is expressed specifically in intestinal epithelium and in liver. The intestinal enzyme not only plays an important role in providing animals with vitamin A, but also determines whether provitamin A carotenoids are converted to vitamin A or circulated in the body as intact carotenoids. We have found that a high fat diet enhanced the (cid:1) -carotene dioxygenase activity together with the cellular retinol binding protein type II level in rat intestines. Flavonols with a catechol structure in the B-ring and 2,6-di- tert -butyl-4-methylphenol inhibited the dioxygenase activity of pig intestinal homogenates and the conversion of (cid:1) -carotene to retinol in Caco-2 human intestinal cells. Thus, the bioavailability of dietary provitamin A carotenoids might be modulated by the other food components ingested. Regulation of the dioxygenase activity and its relation to the retinoid metabolism as well as to lipid metabolism deserve further study. In contrast to enzymatic cleavage, it is known that both retinal and (cid:1) -apocarotenals are formed in vitro from (cid:1) -carotene by chemical transformation, which cleaves conjugated double bonds at random positions under various oxidative conditions. Moreover, recent studies have indicated that the oxidation products formed by chemical transformation might have specific actions on the proliferation of certain cancer cells. We have found that lycopene, a typical nonprovitamin A carotenoid, was cleaved in vitro to acycloretinal, acycloretinoic acid and apolycopenals in a nonenzymatic manner, and that the mixture of oxidation products of lycopene induced apoptosis of HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells. Thus, it is worth evaluating the formation of oxidation products and their biological actions, in order to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the beneficial effects of carotenoids on human health. J. Nutr. 134: 237S–240S, 2004.


Cowpea is one of the most consumed annual legumes in the world, but, despite its economic importance, the crop has low productivity in the Northeast of Brazil, being related to the genotypes used, climatic factors, and soil quality. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the physiological parameters of nine genotypes in different phenological stages, cultivated under rainfed conditions. The experiment was carried out in the area of cowpea multiplication, belonging to the Federal University of Ceara (UFC), using a completely randomized design in a 9x2 factorial scheme, referring to nine genotypes and two stages of development (vegetative and reproductive) with ten repetitions, totaling 90 experimental plots. The evaluation of gas exchange (photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration, Ci/Ca ratio, and water use efficiency) were performed in the vegetative and reproductive phases (30 and 60 days after sowing), using the infrared gas analyzer (IRGA). It was verified that the variables of photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and transpiration presented higher values in the vegetative stage concerning the reproductive stage, standing out of genotypes CE693, CE701, and CE735. For variables, Ci/Ca ratio, and water use efficiency, the genotypes with the lowest mean values were CE390 and CE570. The genotypes CE693, CE701, and CE735, presented better stability in the physiological parameters in the two phenological stages, and this may favor the production of cowpea.


The aim of this work is to fabricate an ethylene gas sensor based on polyaniline (PANi). The conductive layer of emeraldine base PANi was prepared by electrochemical synthesis. The aqueous aniline solution in sulfuric acid was electrolyzed by repeating potential cycling between -0.4 and 1.0 V relative to the silver reference electrode and platinum counter electrode. The conductive layers of PANi were deposited on patterned interdigited gold substrate. The numbers of repeated potential cycles on the amount of deposited layers of PANi were investigated for ethylene gas detection. The morphology of PANi films was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The ethylene gas sensing of PANi-H2SO4 was evaluated based on the changes in conductivity of PANi-H2SO4. The results revealed that the magnitude sensing provided a good sensitivity against ethylene with concentration in the parts per million (ppm) ranges. The effect of amount of deposited layer of PANi on ethylene gas sensing will be presented.


Purpose The safety of the balloon remodeling technique remains a matter of debate. In this report we analyze the safety of the balloon remodeling technique compared with coil embolization alone for the treatment of ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms. Material and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records, procedures notes, and angiograms of 491 patients treated with coil embolization alone and the balloon remodeling technique from March 2002 to March 2010 at the Division of Interventional Neuroradiology at NYPH/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The aneurysms were classified in two groups according to the size of the aneurysm dome: 7 mm or less and larger than 7 mm. A wide-necked aneurysm was defined as a neck diameter >4 mm or a dome-to-neck ratio <1.5 mm. The adverse events were classified in three groups: thromboembolic events, intraprocedural ruptures, and device-related problems. Clinical outcomes of these adverse events were classified as none, transient or permanent neurologic deficit and death. Results A total of 491 aneurysms (371 women, 120 men; mean age, 55.36±12.35 [SD]; range, 11–92 years) were embolized. 236 aneurysms were treated using the balloon remodeling technique, however; in 8 cases (3.4%) the balloon placement failed. Of the 491 treated aneurysms, 274 aneurysms (55.8%) presented with a previously ruptured aneurysm. 303 aneurysms (61.8%) measured 7 mm or less and 187 (38.2%) were larger than 7 mm. Dome-to-neck ratio was 1.5 or less in 169 (34.4%) and >1.5 in 322 patients (65.6%). Thromboembolic events, intraprocedural rupture, and device-related problems were encountered in 12 (2.4%), 19 (3.9%) and 16 (3.3%) patients respectively, for both treatment modalities. The rate of adverse events related to the balloon remodeling technique was seen in 26 cases (5.3%) compared to coil embolization alone that was 21 cases (4.3%). Patients treated with coil embolization alone were more likely to have a previously ruptured aneurysm compared to the balloon remodeling group (67.8% vs 42.8%). There was no statistical difference between both groups after treatment of aneurysms with a dome to neck ratio <1.5 (p=0.88, χ2 test). The risk of thromboembolic events was the same in both groups (OR=0.92; 95% CI 0.29 to 2.91; p=0.89). A trend toward a lower risk of intraprocedural rupture was observed in the coil embolization group, but the results were not significant (OR=0.53; 95% CI 0.20 to 1.36; p=0.19). There was no statistical difference detected for the risk of device-related problems in both groups (OR=0.92; 95% CI 0.34 to 2.50; p=0.88). Conclusions The balloon remodeling technique does not increase the risks of periprocedural complications associated with endovascular embolization of intracranial aneurysms.


This paper lays out and simulates a multi-agent, multi-period model of an RTGS payment system. At the beginning of the day, banks choose how much costly liquidity to allocate to the settlement process. Then, they use it to execute an exogenous, random stream of payment orders. If a bank's liquidity stock is depleted, payments are queued until new liquidity arrives from other banks, imposing costs on the delaying bank. The paper studies the equilibrium level of liquidity posted in the system, performing some comparative statics and obtaining: i) a liquidity demand curve which links liquidity to delay costs and ii) insights on the efficiency of alternative system configurations.


Assessing the relative performance of the processes used in transforming given inputs into output is key to increasing agricultural productivity and enhancing food security and income. This study therefore examined the technical efficiency of snail farmers in Abia State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used in selecting the respondents used for the study. Primary data, collected using structured questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools and maximum likelihood estimation procedure using the computer software frontier version 4.1. Results showed that the significant factors influencing output of the snail farmers were stock size, labour, feed and capital. The significant determinants of technical efficiency of the snail farmers were age of the farmer (P = 0.05), educational attainment (P = 0.05), farming experience (P = 0.01), extension contact (P = 0.05), and cooperative membership (p = 0.01). The result also showed that majority (52%) of the snail farmers have an efficiency of between 61 – 80%, with the least efficient and most efficient farmers having efficiencies of 41.6% and 99.9% respectively. The mean level of efficiency was 75.6%. It was recommended that in order to enhance the efficiency and thus productivity of snail farms, policies that would encourage the youths to go into farming should be put in place. In addition, educational and training programmes should be organized regularly for the farmers as well as strengthening the extension services delivery system to provide the farmers the needed information on improved farming practices and innovations.


Resin canal discolouration (RCD) NDASH a quality defect that appears during fruit ripening, reduces the market price and consumer appeal of mango fruits. Abiotic and biotic factors such as fruit maturity, time of harvest after rainfall event and opportunistic bacteria are implicated in RCD incidence. No study been has been conducted elucidating the possible contribution of nutrients on RCD. In this study, we analysed the nutrient contents of developing mango fruits from an orchard with high RCD incidence (RCD+) and fruits from an orchard without RCD incidence (RCD-). Fruit samples were collected from upper, lower, sunny (west) and more shaded (east) side of the tree, oven-dried, ground and analysed for macronutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S) and micronutrient (B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) content. Nutrient balance was determined based on compositional data analysis using isometric log ratio (ilr) transformation. Results showed that fruit from RCD+ orchard had higher variations in Ca/K and Ca/Fe ratios while RCD- fruit had higher variations in Ca/Cu and Ca/Zn ratios. Principal component analysis indicated a distinct separation of nutrient content between mango fruit from RCD+ and RCD- orchards. Moreover, dendrogram of fruit ionome showed an imbalance of Ca/Cu, B/Mn and Fe/Zn ratios. These variations in nutrient ratios may indicate a possible role of nutrient imbalances to RCD. Further analysis is needed to confirm the usefulness of the balance approach to diagnose susceptibility of mango to RCD and develop a remediation program.


The process of accurately gauging lifetime improvements in organic photovoltaics (OPVs) or other similar emerging technologies, such as perovskites solar cells is still a major challenge. The presented work is part of a larger effort of developing a worldwide database of lifetimes that can help establishing reference baselines of stability performance for OPVs and other emerging PV technologies, which can then be utilized for pass‐fail testing standards and predicting tools. The study constitutes scanning of literature articles related to stability data of OPVs, reported until mid‐2015 and collecting the reported data into a database. A generic lifetime marker is utilized for rating the stability of various reported devices. The collected data is combined with an earlier developed and reported database, which was based on articles reported until mid‐2013. The extended database is utilized for establishing the baselines of lifetime for OPVs tested under different conditions. The work also provides the recent progress in stability of unencapsulated OPVs with different architectures, as well as presents the updated diagram of the reported record lifetimes of OPVs. The presented work is another step forward towards the development of pass‐fail testing standards and lifetime prediction tools for emerging PV technologies.


This paper constitutes a review on the welfare aspects of piglet castration that considers the scientific literature published after 2004. Castrating during the neonatal period (1 to 3 days of age) is clearly painful. In addition, inflammatory processes may take place at the sites of incision, thus adding further pain to the procedure. Surgical castration with general and local anaesthesia, in combination with long-term analgesia, has been shown to reduce pain but the additional handling and injection of the anaesthetic, the effectiveness and limited safety margins have to be thoroughly evaluated. Raising entire males during the whole fattening period or immunocastration of males towards the end of the fattening period are other alternatives with welfare benefits in young pigs compared to current surgical castration, but with some potential welfare drawbacks regarding handling stress and behaviour during fattening. Based on the current knowledge, it can be concluded that sperm sexing and raising entire males after genetic control of boar taint are potentially preferable alternatives to current practices, but need further research, as these methods are not yet available.


We report on the results of our optical photometric observations of a black hole X-ray binary, V4641 Sgr during an outburst in 2003 August. During the outburst, we detected several properties having noteworthy similarities to those observed during an outburst in 2002 May; the outburst lasted about 6 days, during which it exhibited flares and rapid fluctuations, having timescales of 102–4 s. In complicated profiles of light curves, we identified several recurring patterns, which were also observed during the 2002 outburst. First, the object frequently experienced sudden temporary fadings, which we call "dips", appearing just after the states characterized by strong short-term fluctuations. Second, we detected optical flashes, which are characterized by a brightening by ∼ 0.5mag within ∼ 50s. Based on the similarity of the outbursts in 2002 and 2003, we conclude that they have the same nature. This is the first time that repetitive outburst phenomena have been confirmed in V4641 Sgr. The object probably has an outburst interval that can be as small as 1–2 years.


In this work, a waveform agile sensing method for the target tracking problem has been described. By dynamically selecting the transmitted waveform from a generalized FM chirp signal library with different phase functions and chirp parameters, the tracker can improve the performance dramatically. The waveform design algorithm is based on the myopic optimization of a cost function, which is the predicted mean squared error. The cost function is approximated using the CRLB combined with unscented transformation. Then the generalized FM phase function and the corresponding parameters are configured according to a grid search over all the phase function candidates and allowable parameter values. Due to the nonlinearity of the measurement model in the tracking system, particle filtering is applied to track the state of the target. This approach was demonstrated by tracking a target moving in a 2-D cluttered environment with two active sensors. The simulation results showed that the mean squared error of the tracking was dramatically reduced by adaptively adjusting the transmitted signal.


This study explores the use of motivational interviews to make non-compliant rejected migrants ('rejecteers') return. The study is based on qualitative data from field visits in accommodation centres for rejecteers ('departure centres') and from interviews with rejecteers and with the police interviewers conducting the interviews. A thematic analysis showed that these interviews differ from similar dialogue techniques by confronting the interviewees with their situation as seen by the state, in turn eliciting negotiations of belonging and borderwork in the form of repeated rejections. The motivational interviews fail to convince rejecteers that return is viable, especially because they reduce the complicated social situation of rejecteers to a need for responsibilisation. Rather than changing the spatial imaginaries of rejecteers, these motivational interviews block dialogue and engender incomprehension, demotivation and frustration on both sides of the table. In lieu of solving the problem of return, the main function of the motivational interviews is to be spectacles of enforcement that serve to individualise responsibility and to absolve the state of the responsibility for the social problems of 'rejecteers'.


As the volume and interconnectedness of corporate data grows, data quality is becoming a business competency essential to success. Existing methods for managing data quality do not scale up to large volumes of data in a way that is directly manageable by the owner of the data. For the past two years a new breed of data quality products, built on applied AI techniques, are empowering non-technical users. Over 150 businesses are benefiting from these products including NASDAQ, Visa, Experian, Oracle, Fidelity, Bank of America, Volvo, Dell, Sabic, and Dassault Systems. The applied AI techniques described include lightweight ontologies to efficiently find inexact textual matches in large data sets.


The decade 2003-2013 was an exceptional one for Latin America in social terms, but less clearly so in economic terms. Growth slowed down significantly after the exceptional factors that fed the 2003-2007 boom came to an end. The possible unwinding of the super-cycle in commodity prices and, to a lesser extent, of the expansionary monetary policy of the United States, has added new challenges. But the major issue is the need to overcome the poor long-term economic performance that has characterized the region in the post-market reforms period, particularly by adopting active production sector development strategies.


Editor's note: From its first issue in 1900 through to the present day, AJN has unparalleled archives detailing nurses' work and lives over the last century. These articles not only chronicle nursing's growth as a profession within the context of the events of the day, but they also reveal prevailing societal attitudes about women, health care, and human rights. Today's nursing school curricula rarely include nursing's history, but it's a history worth knowing. To this end, From the AJN Archives will be a frequent column, containing articles selected to fit today's topics and times.

As an accompaniment to this month's original research article on loneliness in chronically ill rural older adults, we thought you'd enjoy a look back at Lavinia L. Dock's firsthand account of the mutual aid provided by people from a rural mountain region in Pennsylvania to an older man in the community. This article, from the December 1906 issue and published here in its entirety, provides a fascinating look at how one community came together to "sit up" with this ailing man, and the beliefs people held about illness-for example, keeping windows tightly shut-at the time.


This study is the first to our knowledge to simultaneously measure the predictors of lawyers' satisfaction with their careers and the predictors of lawyers' satisfaction with their lives more broadly. One class of the University of Virginia School of Law was studied between their matriculation in 1987 and their graduation in 1990. All 360 living graduates of this class were contacted in 2007, with a response rate of 72.2%. Descriptive information was obtained and empirically validated measures of both career satisfaction and life satisfaction were administered. Respondents were found to have taken many diverse career paths, with most (85%) having changed jobs at least once, and half having changed jobs at least twice. Gender differences in the personal and professional lives of respondents were pervasive. Women graduates were far more likely than men to interrupt or forego full-time employment (39% v 1%), mainly in order to care for children, and were also more likely to have a spouse or partner employed full-time outside the home (77% v 24%). Working conditions at large private law firms emerged as a significant problem for many respondents; half of those who started their careers in large firms left to go to a different type of employer. Finally, both career satisfaction and life satisfaction were found to be high, with 81% of the respondents satisfied with their decision to become a lawyer, and 86% satisfied with their lives more broadly.


Female workers are often exposed to various risk factors that potentially threaten their health, including reproductive health. One of the reproductive problems for female worker is a pregnancy disorder. Disorders during pregnancy can result in the occurrence of infant mortality and maternal death. The aim of this study was to analyze the factors associated with maternal health in female workers in Sidoarjo Industrial area. The study was a cross-sectional study with 388 chosen by simple random sampling. Data was analyzed using chi-square. The results showed that there was a correlation between pregnancy disorders and maternal education (p=0.05), work shift (p=0.036), dust (p=0.04), vibration (p=0.009). Maternal and child health is influenced by internal factors such as education level and external factors in the form of work shifts, hazards dust and vibration in the company environment. Industrial management needs to provide health education to reduce the risks of pregnancy disorders.


Freshwater faunal diversity and abundance have declined dramatically worldwide, concurrent with changes in streamflow and sediment loads in rivers. Cumulative effects and interdependencies of chronic covarying environmental stressors can obscure causal linkages that may be controlling the population dynamics of longer-lived freshwater fauna, such as mussels. To understand changes in long-term mussel population density, we developed a dynamic, process-based interaction model that couples streamflow, suspended sediment, phytoplankton, and mussel abundance under the hypothesis that chronic exposure to increased suspended sediment and food limitation are the primary factors controlling native mussel population density in a midwestern USA agricultural river basin. We calibrated and validated the model with extensive survey data from multiple time periods and used it to evaluate changes in mussel abundance at a subbasin scale over decades. We evaluated sensitivity of simulated mussel densities across a range of mortality rates and initial population densities. In scenarios representing altered sediment concentrations, such as might occur with climate or landuse-induced changes in streamflow or sediment generation rates, mussel population density showed critical threshold responses to long-term changes in suspended sediment concentration. This model of mussel population density can be used to test hypotheses about limiting factors, identify priority locations for restoration activities, and evaluate the effects of climate- or landuse-change scenarios.


pulse timing in a raised arm and a control arm kept at heart level. The artery expands in the raised arm leading to a decrease in blood velocity. An estimate of the dilation of the brachial artery is obtained from the assumption that the flow in the raised arm is unchanged due to the position of the arm. The pulse timing difference measured at similar points in the two arms (index finger or wrist) is due to the dilation of the artery. The square of the radial dilation d is given by the length of the brachial artery divided by the product of the systolic blood velocity in the control arm times the observed pulse timing difference. Measurements were obtained by placing transducers on the index fingers of both hand and the lower leg of the subject. Measurements are recorded at a 1 kHz rate using a laptop computer. Initially, the subject places both hands at heart level. After a period of 1 minute, the right hand is raised at an angle of 45 o and sup- ported by a platform. Pulse timing measurements are computed using the two sensors on the hands and the pulse wave velocity is computed using the left hand and leg sensors. Simultaneous measurements of pulse wave velocity are inversely correlated with the pulse timing difference. Objectives: To study structural and functional alterations of arteries in patients with Erdheim-Chester disease, a rare acquired idiopathic histiocy-tosis characterized by a circumferential fibrosis of the aorta and its main branches. Methods : Fifteen patients underwent peripheral arteries assessment with measurement of intima media thickness (EIM), carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) by Complior (cid:1) , radial augmentation index (AI) by Sphygmocor (cid:1) and OMRON HEM9001 (cid:1) , and ankle brachial index (ABI) (cid:1) . Blood pressure was assessed by 24h measurement. population consisted in 85% of men 76 years old. of hypertensive, of smokers of diabetics. was under interferon, corticosteroids the restwere untreated.IMTs aperi- carotidal fibrosis aortitis pulse wave velocity (PWV) as measures of wave reflection and arterial stiffness, respec-tively, were recorded using the SphygmoCor system. Intraparenchimal renal resistive index (RI), a measure of vascular damage, was obtained in the interlobar arteries by Duplex ultrasound. Results: Analysis was performed in 175 hypertensive patients (52.9 (cid:1) 11.7 yrs), without renal artery stenosis or primary kidney disease. RI was 0.630 (cid:1) 0.065, PWV 8.41 (0.633 (cid:1) (cid:1) p reflection Background: The method of estimating distance traveled by the pulse wave, used in the calculation of pulse wave velocity (PWV), is not standardized. Our objective was to assess whether different methods of distance measure- ment influenced the association of PWV to cardiovascular mortality in hemodialysis patients. hemodialysis was PWV Results: The three resulted in significantly different PWV Background: Ultrasonic wall tracking is a common tool in cardiovascular screening, where it is applied to assess arterial diameter distension wave-forms. However, using multiple tracking points within the arterial wall and under the assumption of planar deformation, circumferential and radial strain can be obtained as ε qq Z D/D and ε rr Z v D/ v D. Methods: We investigated the accuracy of these arterial strain estimates, using 10 representative data sets of the Asklepios population study . Tracking was done using a scanline perpendicular to the common carotid artery, far enough from the bulbus and showing clear intima-media and media-adventitia transitions. We started tracking from a designated point on the media-adven-titia transition and from there on every 100 micrometer towards the lumen. Results & Discussion: Data revealed an S-shaped curve of ε qq throughout the wall for all 10 subjects (fig.1, solid line), which was different from D/D calculated from conservation of mass (dashed line: 1/D 2 -trend). Radial strain strongly varied from inner to outer wall, limiting its use as strain or compressibility measure. Using a multiphysics simulation incorporating


The work presented is based on an imaging method using dual-frequency band pulses for imaging of nonlinear scatters from stiff particles like micro calcifications. The pulse complex consist of a high-frequency imaging pulse and a low-frequency manipulation pulse which overlap in time. The frequency ratio between the two pulses is in the range of 10:1. This technique has already demonstrated to perform well while imaging resonant nonlinear scatters from such as micro bubbles. However, imaging of lower intensity nonlinear scatters from stiff particles has not yet been achieved. It can be shown that the magnitude and the polarity of the nonlinear scatters follows the magnitude and the polarity of the low-frequency pulse. Imaging of stiff particles requires higher manipulation pressure, but the manipulation pressure does not change the scattering only. The co-propagating high frequency pulse observes a non homogeneous low frequency pressure and becomes distorted. This distortion of the high frequency pulse masks the nonlinear scattering, and to achieve sufficient suppression of the linear scattering the distortion must be corrected for. In this thesis two agar based phantoms have been made. In both phantoms reverberation layer(s) of plastic was mounted. Steel wires with diameters 0.5mm, 0.3mm were positioned below the plastic layer(s) together with calcium particles of bead size 190 micrometer. Images of both phantoms have been compared using conventional B-mode imaging and the presented method. In the first phantom, Phantom A, the SNR for two steel wires and a calcium particle were increased by 8 - 9dB while class 3 reverberations were suppressed down to the backscatter noise level. Similarly for the second phantom, Phantom B, class 1,2 reverberations were suppressed and the SNR for two steel wires were increased by 11 - 12dB.


W. R. LawsonABE, K. C. ~oulte?~, R. J. ~enr~~~, G. A. KongBD and J. K. ~ochrnan~~ Abstract An F2 population of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) was tested for segregation of a gene conferring resistance to sunflower rust (Puccznia helzanthi) Australian Race 0 (North American Race 1). The resistant parent, RHA279, of this cross was thought to possess a single dominant resistance gene to this race. Genetic analysis confirmed that this population was segregating for a single dominant gene, the R1 gene, for resistance to this race of the pathogen. Using bulked segregant and RAPD analyses, two markers were identified which co-segregated with the rust resistance gene in the F2 population. These markers, designated OT06959 and 01\/112850, are linked to the rust resistance gene at a distance of 4.5 cM and 26 chl, respectively, with the markers situated one either side of the gene. The availability of markers closely linked to this gene will greatly enhance selection for the gene in future breeding programs, and especially assist efforts to pyramid the gene with other rust resistance genes to produce sunflower varieties with more durable resistance to rust.


To cope with the challenges of monitoring dynamic and variable quality variation into supply chain, diagnosing the abnormal variation at the right moment, is a difficult problem that a enterprise in supply chain faces in process quality control. A dynamic process quality control method, which integrated quality prevention, analysis and diagnosis, was all put forward. This method integrated several enabling technologies such as the theory of similarity manufacturing, Statistical Process Control (SPC), neural network. Furthermore, some key enabling technologies were studied in detail, including process quality analysis on-line based on similarity process and process quality diagnosis based on Elman. It is basis of realizing network, intelligent and automatic process quality control.


Anthozoan cnidarians (corals and sea anemones) include some of the world's most important foundation species, capable of building massive reef complexes that support entire ecosystems. Although previous molecular phylogenetic analyses have revealed widespread homoplasy of the morphological characters traditionally used to define orders and families of anthozoans, analyses using mitochondrial genes or rDNA have failed to resolve many key nodes in the phylogeny. With a fully resolved, time-calibrated phylogeny for 234 species constructed from hundreds of ultraconserved elements and exon loci, we explore the evolutionary origins of the major clades of Anthozoa and some of their salient morphological features. The phylogeny supports reciprocally monophyletic Hexacorallia and Octocorallia, with Ceriantharia as the earliest diverging hexacorals; two reciprocally monophyletic clades of Octocorallia; and monophyly of all hexacoral orders with the exception of the enigmatic sea anemone Relicanthus daphneae. Divergence dating analyses place Anthozoa in the Cryogenian to Tonian periods (648-894 Ma), older than has been suggested by previous studies. Ancestral state reconstructions indicate that the ancestral anthozoan was a solitary polyp that had bilateral symmetry and lacked a skeleton. Colonial growth forms and the ability to precipitate calcium carbonate evolved in the Ediacaran (578 Ma) and Cambrian (503 Ma) respectively; these hallmarks of reef-building species have subsequently arisen multiple times independently in different orders. Anthozoans formed associations with photosymbionts by the Devonian (383 Ma), and photosymbioses have been gained and lost repeatedly in all orders. Together, these results have profound implications for interpretation of the Precambrian environment and the early evolution of metazoans.


The optical immunoassay test (FLU OIA, BioStar, USA) for rapid detection of influenza A and B viral antigens was compared with viral isolation in cell culture. A total of 103 respiratory specimens were tested on 75 pediatric patients with acute respiratory illnesses. Influenza viruses were recovered in 40 specimens (type A: 5, Type B: 35). FLU OIA demonstrated 80.0% sensitivity and 68.8% specificity for nasopharyngeal aspirates and 36.7% sensitivity and 83.9% specificity for throat swabs. We also tested FLU OIA, retrospectively, using 78 supernatant samples from pediatric patients with influenza A virus infection frozen after cell culture. FLU OIA demonstrated 91.4% sensitivity and 92.3% specificity for nasopharyngeal aspirates and 50.0% sensitivity and 91.7% specificity for throat swabs diluted in viral transport media. Nasopharyngeal aspirates showed higher sensitivity than throat swabs for detection of influenza virus by FLU OIA. We believe this rapid test kit is useful for the detection of influenza A and B viruses.


Maize is a common staple food for human consumption and livestock feeds. It provides employment and means of livelihood for women in both rural areas and urban centres in Nigeria. However, the entrepreneurial skills of women engaged in its value addition have not been fully enhanced. This study was conducted to look into rural women entrepreneurial skills in maize value addition in Abeokuta metropolis of Ogun State, Nigeria. Two hundred and ten respondents were selected using snow ball sampling technique. Data were analyzed with chi-square. Results revealed that fifty percent of the respondents were 31 40 years of age and 60% had spent 6 – 10 years in maize processing. Most (85.7%) of the respondents' added value to maize by converting it to popcorn, 80.0% turned it to corn cake and 52.9% processed it to kokoro. Majority (88.6%) of the respondents acquired entrepreneurial skills through fellow processors and 62.9% got it from friends and neighbours. Serious constraints identified by 95.7% and 88.6% of the respondents were scarcity of raw materials during off season and ineffective preservation methods respectively. Results of chi-square revealed that significant association existed between sources of entrepreneurial trainings for the rural women and value addition at p < 0.05. The study concluded that value addition of maize is very low in the study area. It is hereby recommended that extension service providers should pay more attention to the maize processors in terms of entrepreneurial trainings for better processing and value addition of maize.


Between June 1981 and July 1983, 28 microearthquakes were recorded in north- and east-central New York State by a new network of seismic stations. These events ranged in size from about magnitude 1 to 3. Calculated focal depths are generally less than 9 km except in the vicinity of East Berne, New York, where depths of 13 to 19 km are determined. Of the 28 located earthquakes, 18 are associated with six sequences in which multiple events cluster in space and time. Fault plane solutions for three events in east-central New York indicate thrust faulting on northerly to northwesterly striking planes. A solution for one event in north-central New York exhibits a combination of dip-slip and strike-slip faulting. The horizontal projection of the P-axis for all four events is oriented in an east-northeast to northeast direction, although for the northcentral event it has a moderate plunge. The direction of maximum compressive stress inferred from these new solutions is consistent with the results of others for northern and western New York State, and suggests a uniform stress domain exists over much of the state.


Kagome antiferromagnets (KAFMs) have long been known to host exotic
electronic states due to their strong geometric frustration, including the quantum spin
liquid (QSL) state in S =
1/2
systems. Away from that limit, S = 1 KAFMs are also
predicted to host unconventional ground states, such as spin nematic phases, but a
paucity of studies on known model materials has restricted progress.
Here, we present the crystal structure and preliminary magnetization measurements
on the newly synthesized S = 1 KAFM, NH4Ni2.5V2O7(OH)2.H2O, which has the 3-
fold symmetry of the kagome lattice but significant site depletion, with ∼ 77 % site
occupancy. Bulk magnetic data show clear evidence of frustration and competition
between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions. We propose that the
magnetic Hamiltonian is frustrated and that anisotropic terms cause the formation
of an unconventional ground state.


BACKGROUND
The prevalence of albuminuria in the general population is high, but awareness of it is low. Therefore, we sought to develop and validate a self-assessment tool that allows individuals to estimate their probability of having albuminuria.

STUDY DESIGN
Cross-sectional study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS
The population-based Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study for model development and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2004 for model validation. US adults 45 years or older in the REGARDS Study (n = 19,697) and NHANES 1999-2004 (n = 7,168).

PREDICTOR
Candidate items for the self-assessment tool were collected using a combination of interviewer- and self-administered questionnaires.

OUTCOME
Albuminuria was defined as a urinary albumin to urinary creatinine ratio ≥30 mg/g in spot samples.

RESULTS
8 items were included in the self-assessment tool (age, race, sex, current smoking, self-rated health, and self-reported history of diabetes, hypertension, and stroke). These items provided a C statistic of 0.709 (95% CI, 0.699-0.720) and good model fit (Hosmer-Lemeshow χ(2)P = 0.49). In the external validation data set, the C statistic for discriminating individuals with and without albuminuria using the self-assessment tool was 0.714. Using a threshold of ≥10% probability of albuminuria from the self-assessment tool, 36% of US adults 45 years or older in NHANES 1999-2004 would test positive and be recommended for screening. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for albuminuria associated with a probability ≥10% were 66%, 68%, 23%, and 93%, respectively.

LIMITATIONS
Repeated urine samples were not available to assess the persistency of albuminuria.

CONCLUSIONS
8 self-report items provide good discrimination for the probability of having albuminuria. This tool may encourage individuals with a high probability to request albuminuria screening.


We have developed a simple, cost-effective, and labor-efficient two-step protocol for preparing adherent cells for high-throughput flow cytometry. Adherent cells were grown on microplates, detached with 2.9 mM EDTA (pH 6.14) added directly to wells containing cell culture medium, stained, and then analyzed on a flow cytometer. This protocol bypasses washing, centrifugation, and transfer between plates, reducing the cell loss that occurs in standard multistep protocols. The method has been validated using six adherent cell lines, four commercially available dyes, and two antibodies; the results have been confirmed using two different flow cytometry (FC) instruments. Our approach has been used for estimating apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species, and autophagy in response to exposure to pure compounds as well as plant and bacterial extracts.