Although L-dopa is one of the most effective therapies for Parkinson's disease, continued treatment may result in excessive involuntary movements known as L-dopa-induced dyskinesias (LIDs). Because LIDs can become dose-limiting, there is great interest in finding ways to ameliorate or prevent this troubling side-effect of L-dopa therapy. It was recently reported that the D3 receptor partial agonist BP897 reduces LIDs without diminishing antiparkinsonian effects of L-dopa in macaques. In the present study, we tested the effects of BP897 on LIDs in squirrel monkeys, a nonhuman primate particularly prone to dyskinesias. Parkinsonism was induced using MPTP. Animals were then gavaged with L-dopa/carbidopa (7.5 or 15 mg/kg/dose) without and with BP897. The effects of BP897 treatment were evaluated on several components of LIDs, including time course, peak dyskinesias, and area under the curve (AUC), a measure that encompasses both peak and duration of the response. Analyses of the time course and overall dyskinetic response (AUC) showed that BP897 significantly reduced LIDs, but at the expense of the antiparkinsonian effect of L-dopa. BP897 had no significant effect on peak dyskinesias. Correlation studies showed that beneficial effects of BP897 on dyskinesias were linked to a decline in the antiparkinsonian action of L-dopa. Analyses of a subgroup of animals with mild/moderate parkinsonism yielded comparable results. Thus, in squirrel monkeys in contrast to macaques, BP897 fails to exert an antidyskinetic effect without diminishing the antiparkinsonian effects of L-dopa. These results suggest that BP897 may be less effective than originally anticipated for treating LIDs in Parkinson's disease.


The papers of this symposium examine, within the context of several content areas, the methodological implications of a dialectical perspective. Rappoport reviews the four papers of the symposium suggesting that they represent a revolutionary perspective on psychological methodology. Lerner, Skinner, and Sorrell propose five prototypic issues derived from dialectics – relationism, evolving reciprocity, probabilism, timing, and the nonequivalent temporal metric. They argue that these issues, while not changing the scientific method, have implications for specific procedures. Meacham suggests the implications of dialectics for methodology may be illustrated by three dialogues: within the researcher, between the researcher and research participant, and between the researcher and the sociohistorical context. He argues that traditional methodology can be strengthened by embedding it within these dialogues. Gadlin suggests that conceptual and methodological approaches to the study of the family fundamentally reflect the sociohistorical context within which they are embedded. He argues for the development of a philosophical anthropology and comparative methodology appropriate to the study of humans as social beings. Gergen identifies three functions of scientists in a changing world: conceptual constructivist, change agent, and prognosticator. He argues methodology should be designed to facilitate these goals.


We determined the rates of lateral ventricular enlargement and decline in cognitive performance for 11 men and nine women with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT), and compared these rates with the same measures obtained for age-matched healthy controls (nine men and eight women). DAT patients, as a group, had only mild cognitive impairment at initial evaluation, and each patient was followed from 9 months to over 7 years with yearly evaluations. Six DAT patients had isolated memory impairment as their only cognitive deficit early in the course of the disease. The rate of total lateral ventricle enlargement (cm3/yr) was significantly different between DAT and healthy controls, and was more specific and sensitive to the diagnosis of DAT than comparison of cross-sectional volumes at final evaluation. The rate of total lateral ventricular enlargement did not differ significantly by patient sex, ventricular size at initial evaluation, age, or degree of cognitive impairment as measured by Mini Mental State Examination scores. However, in the six DAT patients initially found to have isolated memory impairment, the rate of ventricular enlargement during the period of isolated memory impairment was significantly less than the rate of ventricular enlargement after the onset of nonmemory cognitive impairment. The diagnostic power of total lateral ventricular measures made from two CTs separated by 1 year and obtained early in the course of the illness, however, was only 0.33. We conclude that the total lateral ventricular enlargement accompanying DAT is due to continuous, pathologic cell loss, significantly greater than cell loss due to the healthy aging process. The rate of total lateral ventricular enlargement very early in the course of Alzheimer's disease is significantly less than the rate of ventricular enlargement is after the onset of nonmemory cognitive deficits but is stable for all other degrees of dementia severity, suggesting a biphasic process. Although not diagnostic for the disease early in its course, longitudinal CT measures can still provide a reliable and independent measure of disease progression in patients with DAT.


Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of omega-3 supplement on pulmonary function of ranger troop volunteers who were taking part in classic training. Materials and methods: For this purpose 41 healthy ranger troop volunteers with age mean of 18 6±0 9 years, height mean of 169.9±9.2 cm, weight mean of 63.5±12.7 kg and BMI mean of 23.7±4.7 kg/m2 participated in this study. Subjects randomly divided into supplement and placebo groups. The both groups performed classic training 4-5 sessions per week for 8 weeks. Then each group was asked to consume 1000 mg/day omega-3 (for supplement group) or placebo (for placebo group) for 8 weeks. The pulmonary tests were measured before and after the study period. Results: Results indicated that combination of exercise and omega-3 consumption, significantly up-regulated pulmonary variables. Conclusion: Our study showed that consuming 1000 mg/d omega-3 in the courses of classic training induces positive changes in the lung volumes and capacities of ranger troop volunteers.


The high level of residual nitrogen in Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steels is one of the major factors influencing the performance of the finished product. For high tensile strength galvanised wire applications, nitrogen in interstitial solid solution can severely limit drawability and formability. This problem can be controlled simply and effectively by adding nitride-forming elements to the molten steel so that the nitrogen is removed from solution. Vanadium additions are especially beneficial in high strength steels because the removal of nitrogen as vanadium-nitride can cause extensive precipitation strengthening. This investigation concerns commercial grade steels microalloyed with vanadium and rolled to 5.5mm rod, under controlled Stelmor cooling conditions. This rod is used to produce 2.5mm high tensile strength galvanised wire. The aim of the research was to determine the optimum vanadium/nitrogen (V/N) ratio and Stelmor cooling profile for the vanadium steel rod. This was achieved by extensive production and laboratory trials followed by mechanical and microstructural analyses of the product.


Among the most dynamic Aboriginal peoples in western Canada today are the Ojibwa, who have played an especially vital role in the development of an Aboriginal political voice at both levels of government. Yet, they are relative newcomers to the region, occupying the parkland and prairies only since the end of the 18th century. This work traces the origins of the western Ojibwa, their adaptations to the West, and the ways in which they have coped with the many challenges they faced in the first century of their history in that region, between 1780 and 1870. The western Ojibwa are descendants of Ojibwa who migrated from around the Great Lakes in the late 18th century. This was an era of dramatic change. Between 1780 and 1870, they survived waves of epidemic disease, the rise and decline of the fur trade, the depletion of game, the founding of non-Native settlement, the loss of tribal lands, and the government's assertion of political control over them. As a people who emerged, adapted, and survived in a climate of change, the western Ojibwa demonstrate both the effects of historic forces that acted upon Native peoples, and the spirit, determination, and adaptive strategies that the Native people have used to cope with those forces. This study examines the emergence of the western Ojibwa within this context, seeing both the cultural changes that they chose to make and the continuity within their culture as responses to historical pressures. The Ojibwa of Western Canada differs from earlier works by focussing closely on the details of western Ojibwa history in the crucial century of their emergence. It is based on documents to which pioneering scholars did not have access, including fur traders' and missionaries' journals, letters, and reminiscences. Ethnographic and archaeological data, and the evidence of material culture and photographic and art images, are also examined in this well-researched and clearly written history.


It is becoming increasingly common for laboratories and universities to share computing resources. Also as cloud usage and applications continue to expand, a hybrid cloud working model is fast becoming a common standard practice. In line with these present-day trends, we present in this paper an open-source Python library that provides information on high performance computing (HPC) clusters and systems that are available to a user via a peer to peer (P2P) infrastructure. These metrics include the size of system and availability of nodes, along with the speed of connection between clusters. We will present the benefits of using a P2P model compared to traditional client server models and look at the ease in which this can be implemented. We will also look at the benefits and uses of gathering this data in one location in order to assist with the managing of complex workloads in heterogeneous environments.


The assessment of the sustainability and vulnerability of a particular geographical region could be performed by simulating different scenarios based on environmental changes and water quality models. The gSWAT application allows the calibration of the SWAT models and the execution of different scenarios based on calibrated SWAT model over the Grid infrastructure. The requirements for running the SWAT models involves lots of input and output data, a high number of simulations that must be performed in the calibration process, recommend the Grid infrastructure for storing and execution SWAT models. This paper presents the gSWAT platform highlighting the architectural components and presenting some test cases to assess the system performances.


Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the UK and primary schoolchildren are particularly at risk. With this growing concern the associated co-morbidities of obesity are increasingly evident. There has been limited research undertaken to quantify the impact of excessive body fat mass (adiposity) on the function of the child's lower limb and feet. The primary aim of this research was to explore the relationships between adiposity with lower limb and foot biomechanics in boys age 7 to 11 years old.
Fifty five children were recruited to participate in protocols for body composition and three-dimensional gait analysis established in the initial phases of the study. Kinematic and kinetic variables from four lower limb joints (pelvis, hip, knee and ankle) and four foot joints (hindfoot-shank, midfoot-hindfoot, forefoot-midfoot and hallux-first metatarsal) were analysed over the gait cycle. Statistical analysis by principal component analysis was undertaken and allowed the determination of components, constructed of lower limb and foot variables, to be analysed in multiple regression. Multiple regression was also undertaken to assess the relationships between the lower limb and foot variables and body composition whilst accounting for confounding factors including age, anthropometric and spatiotemporal variables. The key findings demonstrated that higher adiposity was associated with greater hip flexion, knee adduction moments and a pronated foot type. These findings indicate that boys with higher fat mass are at risk of future musculoskeletal co-morbidities including concerns of developing flat feet.
This work presents a novel protocol for advanced understanding of lower limb and foot biomechanics and comprehensive data of paediatric lower limb and foot function during gait in normal weight and obese children. The research details, for the first time, that obesity affects the dynamic function of the paediatric foot. This work underpins the need for further longitudinal research looking at the prevention and management of musculoskeletal complications associated with childhood obesity.


Research suggests that self-oriented perfectionism and socially prescribed perfectionism have unique and distinct motivational properties that are evident among junior athletes. Likewise, harmonious and obsessive passions encompass distinctive patterns of motivation. Based on suggestions that different dimensions of perfectionism may be associated with varying types of passion, the aim of the current study was to test the possibility that self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism could be distinguished based on their relationship with harmonious and obsessive passion in junior athletes. Two hundred and forty-nine athletes (M age = 16.07, SD = 2.22) competing in various youth sports completed measures of perfectionism and passion. Multiple regression and canonical correlation analyses indicated that self-oriented perfectionism predicted higher levels of both types of passion. In contrast, socially prescribed perfectionism predicted only obsessive passion. The findings provide an initial indication that the motivational differences between self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism extend to the types of passion they engender. The findings also provide additional insight into the patterns of motivation that are likely to arise from the two dimensions of perfectionism in junior athletes.


Recent work stresses a potentially important relation between credit supply shocks and aggregate TFP based on factor misallocation. I take three steps to examine this relation. First, using state-of-the-art credit supply shock and aggregate TFP measures, I show that an adverse credit supply shock has a weak and very short-lived effect on aggregate TFP. Second, using firm-level data, I show that firm-level capital stock responses to an adverse credit supply shock produce an insignificant and negligible capital-misallocation-induced TFP response. Third, using employment data by fine firm size category classification, I also find a negligible labor-misallocation-induced TFP response. These findings suggest that the TFP channel of credit supply shocks has a limited role in their transmission to the real economy. JEL classification: D22,D24,E23,E32,E44


Social desirability and intellectual limitations were investigated as possible determinants of two response biases--acquiescence and naysaying--among mentally retarded respondents. Results clearly indicated that naysaying and acquiescence occur more frequently among lower IQ individuals and naysaying occurs more frequently concerning prohibited behavior, whereas respondents acquiesce regarding desirable behavior. These results suggest that intellectual limitations predispose people to biased responding, whereas social desirability factors determine the type of bias.


Before a decade it was very difficult to get an employment when a student who completed his/her PG in Social Work. But at present there are number of opportunities in the field of Social Work. At present there are a plenty of employer like National Health Mission, Kerala Social Security Mission, Social Justice Department, CSR Departments, School Counseling, Multi-National Companies, Medical and Psychiatric Social Work Departments are ready to give job for Social Work Professionals. From the beginning the employment for minimum for one year. Later it shrinks to 3 months and 6 months. Now and then there were a few employer provides job for minimum one year.  The employer decided to take such a decision because of the level of performance appraisal. Here the employer undergoing an assessment in various aspects depending up on the nature of job. The criteria includes Administration Skills, Skills in Documentation, Task Completion, Publication, communication, decision making, understand the individual difference, problem solving and case management etc. The final result is not fair but has to be disclosed. The major reasons are No Effective Aptitude Test, Students are opting their specialization not based on their personal capacity or personal wish it is based on the interest of facilitator and the demand of market / job opportunities the students are only concentrating to complete their course, The facilitators are guest faculties and not much firm in some of the aspects such as submission of research and Field Work Report, failure in Selection of Training and Placement Agency, No trainers in the Placement Agency, sympathetic approach towards the students etc. To protect the dignity of social work profession, this is the right time to develop the skills of the students. Every institution has to awake and to provide training centered education to the professional social work students. Keywords : Competency, employer, appraisal, Administration, Placement


Atom manipulation with the magnetic tip of a scanning tunneling microscope is a versatile technique to construct and investigate well-defined atomic spin arrangements. Here we explore the possibility of using a magnetic adatom as a local probe to image surface spin textures. As a model system we choose a Néel state with 120° between neighboring magnetic moments. Close to the threshold of manipulation, the adatom resides in the threefold, magnetically frustrated hollow sites, and consequently no magnetic signal is detected in manipulation images. At smaller tip-adatom distances, however, the adatom is moved towards the magnetically active bridge sites and due to the exchange force of the tip the manipulation process becomes spin dependent. In this way the adatom can be used as an amplifying probe for the surface spin texture.


The present study examined whether the presence of electronic performance monitoring at work would yield lower perceptions of control, job satisfaction, and commitment among part-time employees. This group of employees has not been traditionally examined in electronic monitoring research. We also tested whether the presence of electronic performance monitoring indirectly decreases citizenship behaviours and increases turnover behaviours through perceived control, satisfaction, and commitment. The sample included 208 students who worked part-time (no more than 30 hours per week). The data were collected using a two-part survey which assessed job attitudes, perceived control, intentions and behaviours, as well as type of monitoring being used in the workplace. The presence of electronic performance monitoring had a significant negative relationship with perceived control and job attitudes. Electronic monitoring indirectly predicted more self-reported turnover behaviour through perceived control, job attitudes, and intentions. The results suggest that monitoring might be an important situational factor that negatively influences employee attitudes and behaviours. The findings suggest that lower working hours within the organisation do not necessarily inure these employees to the effects of monitoring compared to their full-time colleagues, particularly when the performance standards are similarly demanding.


At Columbia University in 1906, William James gave a highly confrontational speech to the American Philosophical Association (APA). He ignored the technical philosophical questions the audience had gathered to discuss and instead addressed the topic of human energy. Trampling on the rules of academic decorum, James invoked the work of amateurs, read testimonials on the benefits of yoga and alcohol, and concluded by urging his listeners to take up this psychological and physiological problem.What was the goal of this unusual speech? Rather than an oddity, Francesca Bordogna asserts that the APA address was emblematic - it was just one of many gestures that James employed as he plowed through the barriers between academic, popular, and pseudoscience, as well as the newly emergent borders between the study of philosophy, psychology, and the "science of man." Bordogna reveals that James' trespassing of boundaries was an essential element of a broader intellectual and social project. By crisscrossing divides, she argues, James imagined a new social configuration of knowledge, a better society, and a new vision of the human self. As the academy moves toward an increasingly interdisciplinary future, "William James at the Boundaries" reintroduces readers to a seminal influence on the way knowledge is pursued.


The abrasive jet finishing process with wheel as restraint is a kind of compound precision finishing process that combined grinding with abrasive jet precision machining, in which inject slurry of abrasive and liquid solvent to grinding zone between grinding wheel and work surface under no depth of cut feed condition when workpiece grinding were accomplished. The abrasive particles are driven and energized by the rotating grinding wheel and liquid hydrodynamic pressure and increased slurry speed between grinding wheel and work surface to achieve micro removal machining. The micro removal machining with grinding wheel as restraint, not only to attain higher surface form accuracy but also to can efficiently acquire defect-free finishing surface with Ra0.15~1.6$m and finally achieve high efficiency, high precision and low roughness values, furthermore, integrating grinding process and abrasive jet finishing into one features. In the paper, surface topography finished by abrasive jet with grinding wheel as restraint was analyzed and evaluated with power spectral density function. Experiments were performed with plane grinder M7120 and workpiece material 45 steel. The machined surface morphology was studied using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and the microscope and microcosmic geometry parameters were measured with TALYSURF5 instrument. The experimental results show that microcosmic geometry parameter values were diminished comparing with ground surface. Furthermore, the mean ripple peak distancing was decreased and, ripple and peak density were increased. The results indicate that surface qualities by machined with abrasive jet precision finishing were improved obviously.


Virtual Synchronous Machines (VSMs) have been introduced as a control concept for emulating the behavior of traditional synchronous machines with power electronic converters. This paper analyses a VSM control scheme where an outer loop for inertia emulation provides references for two cascaded voltage and current controllers. This scheme offers several advantages compared to alternative VSM implementations. However, the interactions between the cascaded control loops and the complex functional dependency of the system dynamics with respect to the controller parameters prevents the effective application of classical tuning methods to this scheme at low switching frequencies. Therefore, a tuning approach for the VSM guided by the eigenvalue sensitivity matrix of a linearized system model is proposed in the paper. The method is implemented in the form of an iterative optimization procedure enforcing stability of the system and ensuring that the system eigenvalues are moved away from critical locations. Numerical simulations in the time domain are presented to verify the improvement in dynamic performance of the system when tuned with the presented algorithm compared to the results achieved by a more conventional tuning method.


Buried paleochannels are of significant interest for understanding hydrological mechanisms and their potential as alluvial gold deposits. Seismic tomographic methods are a suitable solution for resolving the vertical and horizontal structure of such features. We assess a method for seismic 3-D tomographic inversion from refraction arrivals with reflection control over a suspected paleochannel adjacent to the Wyalong gold fields in the Lachlan fold belt of central New South Wales, Australia. A standard multichannel engineering seismic recording and cable–receiver system was used on a 3-D field geometry of multiple linear arrays. More than 3000 P-wave first-arrival traveltime values were inverted using a regularized inversion scheme for which simplified 2-D models served as initial velocity–depth models for the complete 3-D inversion. Seismic reflection arrivals provided additional depth estimates to the bedrock and compensated for a lack of refraction phases at that depth. Correlating the 3-D seismic velocity–depth data with existing drillhole and nonseismic geophysical data resulted in a detailed structural and compositional interpretation of the paleochannel and the incised regolith. The model suggests the presence of a system of deposits from meandering channels overlying a metasedimentary bedrock formation. The general paleodrainage deposit is relatively conductive in electromagnetic surveys, indicating a potential saline storage or transport mechanism.


See related articles, p 9, p 12, p 21, p 38, p 47 Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) is the umbrella term used to describe pathologies of the vascular structures (small arteries, arterioles, capillaries, small veins, and venules) that are located in the brain parenchyma or the subarachnoid space. Despite the fact that some pathological processes can damage both large and small vessels, there is ample evidence suggesting that these conditions have distinct mechanisms and clinical consequences. Even common risk factors, such as hypertension, have discernible effects on the cerebral large vessels (intracranial atherosclerosis) and small vessels (white matter disease, lacunar infarcts as well as intracerebral hemorrhages [ICHs] and microbleeds). Research into the causes and consequences of cSVD have blossomed over the past 2 decades, improving our understanding of the relevance of these microangiopathies as causes of ischemic strokes, ICHs as well as contributors to cognitive impairment, gait disorders and behavioral changes in older adults. Appropriate diagnosis of cSVDs is clinically relevant to select appropriate stroke prevention methods, and research into their mechanisms is key to decrease the burden of age-related dementia and motor impairments, major causes of disability and death. Until recently, the only way to estimate microstructural and molecular alterations in the human brains was to perform detailed histopathologic studies. Such studies are possible only in the context of a postmortem examination, at the tail end of the pathological evolution. The role of histopathologic evaluation is, therefore, limited in identifying the initial changes in the brain and their progression, processes that might take decades before strokes and microstructural changes culminate into motor and cognitive impairments. Understanding the early phases of such progression is key to stopping the pathological cascade before severe damage occurs. Understanding changes in cerebral vessel function and their pathological consequences constitute another major target in cSVD research. Early physiological studies of the vessels in humans included mainly transcranial doppler based approaches that are typically limited to large intracranial vessels. Contrast-based perfusion studies depict hemodynamics at tissue level, but they had relatively low resolution and lacked the capacity to show dynamic changes in vessel function. Most of the research in the field of cerebrovascular physiology came from animal studies that do not always translate into successful diagnostic and therapeutic efforts in humans. For all these reasons, developing neuroimaging methods that can detect microstructural, molecular, and physiological alterations in living humans has been an important goal in cSVD research. The current article will review the contributions of advanced neuroimaging in studies evaluating the mechanisms of common sporadic cSVDs in living humans. The focus will be on studies that used cohorts of patients with relatively severe cerebral microangiopathies, such as primary ICH, where a distinction of the cSVD cause can be made. The aim is to discuss the novel imaging techniques and their applications to cSVD research and showcase results that currently guide our understanding of brain microangiopathies. We will specifically review advanced structural imaging, molecular neuroimaging, novel physiological imaging methods and their contributions to the cSVD field.


Three hermetics are assessed: chemically hardened Delton, light-hardened Estiseal, and composite Evikrol. The study was carried out in 126 children aged 6 years. The decrease of the increment of dental caries depends on the retention of hermetics on the occlusion surface of the teeth, and the efficacy of caries prevention in permanent teeth is much higher if hermetic sealing of fissures and fossae is combined with local fluorine prophylaxis and oral hygiene. All types of hermetics can be used to prevent permanent teeth caries, but chemically hardened ones should be preferred.


AIM
Growth/differentiation factor-5 (GDF-5) plays critical roles in mesenchymal cell differentiation and stimulates human periodontal ligament cell proliferation. Potentially, GDF-5 may also play roles in wound healing including periodontal regeneration and alveolar augmentation. The objective of this review was to provide up-to-date information from pre-clinical/clinical studies evaluating GDF-5 for these indications.

METHODS
A comprehensive search using PubMed and Google search engines was conducted to identify reports on GDF-5 applied to periodontal and alveolar indications. Two reviewers independently screened the titles and abstracts from a total of 479 reports. Full-length articles of 17 pre-clinical and four clinical studies were selected and reviewed.

RESULTS
Canine-, porcine- and non-human primate-based models as well as human clinical trials were used in the evaluation of GDF-5 in support of periodontal regeneration and alveolar augmentation. An absorbable collagen sponge (ACS), β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and a poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) were evaluated as candidate carriers for GDF-5 using various dose and healing intervals demonstrating significantly enhanced periodontal regeneration/alveolar augmentation including cementum, periodontal ligament and alveolar bone with limited, if any, adverse effects.

CONCLUSION
Growth/differentiation factor-5 supports periodontal regeneration/alveolar augmentation without aberrant healing events documented in qualified pre-clinical models and clinical pilot studies. In perspective, GDF-5 appears a promising technology for periodontal regeneration/alveolar augmentation.


This paper presents a digital simulation technique to study a three phase cycloconverter loaded by RL, which is proven to be more flexible. The output voltage, current and their harmonics can be computed easily by this technique. The mathematical models of this system are discussed in detail. Finally this paper gives some simulation results.<<ETX>>


Seminal vesicle protein 4 (SV-IV) is a highly flexible molecule that in aqueous solution behaves as a concentration-dependent self-associating system in which the degree of association (monomer $ dimer $ trimer equilibrium) seems to be related to its biological activities. This review reports the functional role of SV-IV in seminal clotting exerted through the modulation of inflammation, hemostasis, and sperm protection against the damage induced by immunological or reactive oxygen species during the long journey of spermatozoa in the female genital tract.


Abstract. We find that wintertime temperature anomalies near 4 hPa and 50° N/S are related, through dynamics, to anomalies in ozone and temperature, particularly in the tropical stratosphere but also throughout the upper stratosphere and mesosphere. These mid-latitude anomalies occur on timescales of up to a month, and are related to changes in wave forcing. A change in the meridional Brewer–Dobson circulation extends from the middle stratosphere into the mesosphere and forms a temperature-change quadrupole from Equator to pole. We develop a dynamical index based on detrended, deseasonalised mid-latitude temperature. When employed in multiple linear regression, this index can account for up to 60 % of the total variability of temperature, peaking at  ∼  5 hPa and dropping to 0 at  ∼  50 and  ∼  0.5 hPa, respectively, and increasing again into the mesosphere. Ozone similarly sees up to an additional 50 % of variability accounted for, with a slightly higher maximum and strong altitude dependence, with zero improvement found at 10 hPa. Further, the uncertainty on all equatorial multiple-linear regression coefficients can be reduced by up to 35 and 20 % in temperature and ozone, respectively, and so this index is an important tool for quantifying current and future ozone recovery.


Purpose The study investigates the regulatory effects exhibited by lysate of Lactobacillus sakei pro-Bio65 (4%; L.SK) on the human conjunctival epithelial (HCE) cell line. Methods Trypan blue and methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) methods were used to assess cell growth and viability. Mitochondrial membrane potential was assessed by JC-1 staining and cytofluorimetric detection methods. The antioxidant pattern and the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were analyzed by spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric methods. NF-κB luciferase activity was quantified by luminometric detection. NF-κB nuclear translocation, as well as mitochondrial morphology, were investigated by immunofluorescence using confocal microscopy. Cytokines and COX2 expression levels were determined by Western blot analyses. Results This study demonstrates that L.SK exposure does not influence HCE cell proliferation and viability in vitro. L.SK paraprobiotic induces mild-low levels of intracellular ROS. It is coupled to changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), in a context of a regular mitochondrial-network organization. The negative modulation of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) expression levels and rising antioxidant defense efficiency, mediated by the upregulation of glutathione (GSH) and increased antioxidant enzymatic activities, were observed. Conclusions This study demonstrates that L.SK empowers the antioxidant endogenous efficiency of HCE cells, by the upregulation of the GSH content and the enzymatic antioxidant pattern, and concurrently reduces TNF-α protein expression. Translational Relevance Although the obtained in vitro results should be confirmed by in vivo investigations, our data suggest the possibility of L.SK paraprobiotic application for promoting eye health, exploring its use as an endogen antioxidant system inducer in preventing and treating different oxidative stress-based, inflammatory, and age-related conditions.


Rap1 and Rap2 are closely related proteins of the Ras family of small G-proteins. Rap1 is well known to regulate cell-cell adhesion. Here, we have analysed the effect of Rap-mediated signalling on endothelial permeability using electrical impedance measurements of HUVEC monolayers and subsequent determination of the barrier resistance, which is a measure for the ease with which ions can pass cell junctions. In line with its well-established effect on cell-cell junctions, depletion of Rap1 decreases, whereas activation of Rap1 increases barrier resistance. Despite its high sequence homology with Rap1, depletion of Rap2 has an opposite, enhancing, effect on barrier resistance. This effect can be mimicked by depletion of the Rap2 specific activator RasGEF1C and the Rap2 effector MAP4K4, establishing Rap2 signalling as an independent pathway controlling barrier resistance. As simultaneous depletion or activation of both Rap1 and Rap2 results in a barrier resistance comparable to control cells, Rap1 and Rap2 control barrier resistance in a reciprocal manner. This Rap1-antagonizing effect of Rap2 is established independent of junctional actin formation. These data establish that endothelial barrier resistance is determined by the combined antagonistic actions of Rap1 and Rap2.


BACKGROUND
The extent and the number of routine tests performed for blood donor screening to avoid infections transmitted through blood transfusion have been gradually increasing worldwide and is determined nationally. Following the publication of the new "blood and blood components regulation", the blood banking and transfusion system is through a reorganization stage in Turkey. The national guideline including the donor screening algorithms is to be published which requires national data to be created. The aim of this study is to investigate HBV DNA in pooled plasma samples of blood donors in Turkey, which is a middle endemicity country for HBV infection.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS
Presence of HBV DNA was investigated using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method in 187 pooled plasma samples prepared from 4484 blood donors, whose screening tests were found to be negative. The seropositivity for HBsAg of the blood donors in the study blood center is 2.2%.

RESULTS
The rate of false-positivity of the RT-PCR method was found to be 1.6% for the mini pools and 0.04% for the individual blood donors. HBV DNA was not detected in any of the donor bloods.

CONCLUSION
The hospital blood centers in Turkey still have a high proportion of first time donors and replacement donors; also seropositivity of HBsAg in Turkish blood donors is high compared to Europe and US. Our data pointed to the high false positivity rate of RT PCR method which needs to be evaluated in creating national donor screening algorithms.


The actions of organizations and individuals shaped an evolving practice of participatory watershed stewardship of Contra Costa County, California, between 1980 and 2006. This study applies Stokols's (2006) transdisciplinary action research (TDAR) framework to examine how various organizational and volunteer dimensions of watershed stewardship emerged to shape watershed stewardship within the county. Cast from a TDAR perspective and based on participatory research, site visits, interviews, observations, and local watershed documents, this study demonstrates how organizations and individual volunteer practices evolved to manage watershed stewardship across multiple scales. Transdisciplinarity when applied to participatory watershed stewardship involves the generation of knowledge through four primary approaches: (1) participation, (2) collaboration, (3) management, and (4) physical signs of care and ownership. The physical results are the creation of riparian habitat landscapes shaped by local volunteers and watershed groups. Both governmental and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have developed multidimensional and transdisciplinary approaches to watershed stewardship by incorporating the ecological, physical, and social components across geographic scale.


In this position paper, we frame the field of Visual Musicology by providing an overview of well-established musicological sub-domains and their corresponding analytic and visualization tasks. To foster collaborative, interdisciplinary research, we discuss relevant data and domain characteristics. We give a description of the problem space, as well as the design space of musicology and discuss how existing problem-design mappings or solutions from other fields can be transferred to musicology. We argue that, through methodology transfer, established methods can be exploited to solve current musicological problems and show exemplary mappings from analytics fields related to text, geospatial, time-series, and other high-dimensional data to musicology. Finally, we point out open challenges, discuss research gaps, and highlight future research opportunities.


In this paper, an ordered probit model is used to assess the factors that affect the probability of livestock farmers having plans to adopt manure separation technology in the future. A survey, based on a postal and computerized questionnaire of representative dairy and pig farms in the Netherlands was carried out in 2009. The results show that age of farmer and a variable which accounts for the interaction between size and location of the farm are important variables explaining the probability of farmers having plans to adopt manure separation technology. Furthermore, farmers who agreed that future application norms are the driving force for considering adoption of manure separation technology were more likely to consider manure separation as the right strategy for their farm. This outcome implies that farmers are considering manure separation as a strategy to survive the more stringent future application norms. Policy implications are that young farmers with bigger Dutch size unit located in manure regions where there is oversupply of manure are more likely to adopt manure separation technology in the future.


In this paper, a generalized absorbing boundary condition (Z-ABCs) is constructed in the Z-transform domain. Based on Z-ABCs, some well-known ABCs, such as the Mur's ABC, the dispersive boundary condition, Zhao and Litva's ABC, Liao's ABC, etc. can be easily deduced. Besides, it can also result in some new ABCs. Recurrence formulas for the coefficients of Z-ABCs are presented, and the stability and numerical dispersive characteristics are discussed in detail. In order to validate the Z-ABCs, the finite-difference time-domain method is applied to the analysis of transmission lines, integrated filters, patch antennas, and scattering problems.


A three‐dimensional ionospheric reconstruction system is presented that models ionospheric dynamics and accounts for well‐known limitations in the available data by using geometrically transformed prior models based on available models, such as the Parameterized Ionospheric Model (PIM) or the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI), to produce density solutions consistent with available Total Electron Content (TEC) measurement data. It is known that current state of the art prior density models, such as PIM or IRI, can only simulate a statistical mean ionosphere. As a result, sudden variations in ionospheric electron density will not be represented in these models. This paper focuses on a three‐dimensional ionospheric density reconstruction system that uses a set of geometrical transformations to produce Flexible Prior Models (FPM). The Flexible Prior Model process allows means to include flexibility in a prior model in the form of geometrical variations that are not well represented in current state‐of‐the‐art ionospheric prior density models. The updated priors are used as initial solution models for a set of (A, B) Multiplicative Algebraic Reconstruction Technique (ABMART) algorithms, that can easily incorporate additional information and provide a spatially constrained density solution, consistent with the available data and our current knowledge of ionospheric dynamics. The ultimate goal is to create a three‐dimensional adaptive ionospheric electron density reconstruction system that would make it possible to generate real‐time ionospheric maps supported by available TEC data. Such maps would be of significant utility in predicting and correcting the impact of electron density gradients and irregularities on radio waves.


Abstract The aim of this study was to test whether herbicide resistance in rigid ryegrass has led to increased densities of this weed in Western Australian (WA) cropping fields. A total of 503 wheat fields with previously unknown management history and weed status were visited prior to harvest across 15 agronomic areas of the central WA cropping belt in 1998 and 2003. Rigid ryegrass density was visually assessed and, where possible, seed was collected from the population. Ryegrass was found in 91% of the wheat crops sampled. Ryegrass populations were tested in the following year for resistance to chlorsulfuron, sulfometuron, diclofop, and clethodim. With the use of nonparametric and regression statistical methods, resistance status, including multiple-resistance status, was not found to be associated with higher weed density. The results show that growers are generally maintaining low densities in fields with herbicide-resistant rigid ryegrass. The most common rigid ryegrass density at harvest time was less than 1 plant m−2 in both resistant and susceptible populations. Field and model-based studies of weed and herbicide resistance management that allow populations to continue at very high densities are unlikely to reflect common grower practice. Nomenclature: Chlorsulfuron; clethodim; diclofop; rigid ryegrass, Lolium rigidum Gaudin LOLRI; wheat, Triticum aestivum L


Confirmed coronavirus cases in Africa in early November 2020 exceeded 1.8 million, with 45% occurring in Southern Africa (SAF). Most SAF countries lack the capacity to adequately protect lives and livelihoods. High indebtedness means underfunded essential services, and most countries had just emerged from a severe food crisis and the effects of Cyclone Idai. Donors must go beyond temporary debt service suspension and provide new aid grants. SAF governments must not use the pandemic to restrict civil society advocacy on behalf of the most vulnerable people.


We present the observed-frame optical, near-, and mid-infrared properties of X-ray-selected active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the Lockman Hole. Using a likelihood ratio method on optical, near-infrared or mid-infrared catalogues, we assigned counterparts to 401 out of the 409 X-ray sources of the XMM-Newton catalogue. Accurate photometry was collected for all the sources from U to 24 μm. We used X-ray and optical criteria to remove any normal galaxies, galactic stars, or X-ray clusters among them and studied the multi-wavelength properties of the remaining 377 AGN. We used a mid-IR colour-colour selection to understand the AGN contribution to the optical and infrared emission. Using this selection, we identified different behaviours of AGN-dominated and host-dominated sources in X-ray-optical-infrared colour-colour diagrams. More specifically, the AGN-dominated sources show a clear trend in the f x /f RC vs. Rc - K and f 24 μm /f RC vs. R c - K diagrams, while the hosts follow the behaviour of non X-ray detected galaxies. In the optical-near-infrared colour-magnitude diagram we see that the known trend of redder objects to be more obscured in X-rays is stronger for AGN-dominated than for host-dominated systems. This is an indication that the trend is more related to the AGN, which contaminate the overall colours, than to any evolutionary effects. Finally, we find that a significant fraction (~30%) of the reddest AGN are not obscured in X-rays.


Background: Accessory belly of the hypothenar muscles in hand have been involved in vascular and nerve compression.  The most common variable muscle is abductor digiti minimi (AbDM).  The purpose of this study is to investigate the anomaly of  AbDM that is called AAbDM. Objective: To study quantity and describe the AAbDM in Thai people. Study design: A descriptive study Setting: The study was carried out at the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. Subject: The study included six hundred hands from 300 formalin-embalmed cadavers,  25-82 years of age. Methods: 1. Study the number of hands which was found AAbDM. 2. Describe the origin, insertion and nerve supply of each muscle. Results: Only one hand from 600 hands was seen AAbDM.  It was found in the right hand of Thai male cadaver aged 55 years.  The origin of this muscle arises from pisiform bone, splitting from AbDM  then forms aponeurosis and inserts into the base of the proximal phalanx of the fifth finger.  The  innervation is by the deep branch of ulnar nerve. Conclusion: Only one right hand from 600 hands was found AAbDM.  The origin, insertion and nerve supply of this muscle were  described. Key Words: Abductor digiti minimi muscle, Accessory abductor digiti minimi muscle, Variation, Anomaly.


Introduction Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. When cardiovascular disease results in cardiac arrest, the ability to perform basic life support (BLS) can change the outcome from death to survival. There is no definitive statistical data on high schoolers' awareness of basic life support (BLS). Methods A survey-based research study was conducted to find high schoolers' awareness of BLS. A total of 105 students, primarily from Kansas City suburbs, took a survey with questions ranging from their views on whether BLS courses should be integrated into the high school curriculum to the steps they would take when a person collapses on the ground. Results were analyzed to determine the students' knowledge of different aspects of BLS and their interest in taking a BLS course in school. Results Over 70% of the students would take a BLS course should it be offered in a high school class. Most students answered questions regarding BLS steps correctly but lacked critical knowledge on an automated external defibrillator (AED). Conclusions Although over 70% of the students were aware of the basics of BLS, most students lacked knowledge on the critical aspects of BLS, such as the use of an AED. Most students recognize the importance of BLS in the high school curriculum and would acquire the skills in a high school class. Introducing a BLS course in the high school curriculum would improve the students' knowledge and contribute to improved survival rates of victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.


Aeromagnetic data interpretation of the Yola arm of the Upper Benue Trough has previously been carried out. However, no detail modeling of the Crustal Structures has been undertaken. Two composite reduced Aeromagnetic maps on a scale of 1:250,000 were digitized and processed using computer techniques. Analytical Signal, Power Spectrum and Upward Continuation methods were used prior to modeling of the subsurface structures. Forward and inverse modelings were done to determine the subsurface basin configuration. The result shows two sub-basins; the Lau and Yola sub-basins. The variations in sediment thickness within the Lau sub-basin is in the range of 2.0 – 4.5 km and in the Yola sub-basin 2.0 – 3.0 km respectively. The basin configurations from the modeled profiles depict that of horst and graben features resulting to variation in sediment thickness evident in Lau (Barwa to Yanga) subsector and Yola (Muleng) axis. The upward continuation revealed lineament trends in the NE-SW Yola (Muleng) axis and NW-SE Lau (Barwa to Yanga) subsector. Keywords : Upper Benue Trough, Basin configuration upward continuation, Analytical signal, power spectrum. Global Journal of Geological Sciences Vol. 6 (2) 2008: pp. 175-183


Background—Despite the existence of national American Heart Association guidelines and 2 termination-of-resuscitation (TOR) rules for ceasing efforts in refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, many emergency medical services agencies in the United States have adopted their own local protocols. Public policies and local perceptions may serve as barriers or facilitators to implementing national TOR guidelines at the local level. Methods and Results—Three focus groups, lasting 90 to 120 minutes, were conducted at the National Association of Emergency Medical Services Physicians meeting in January 2008. Snowball sampling was used to recruit participants. Two reviewers analyzed the data in an iterative process to identify recurrent and unifying themes. We identified 3 distinct groups whose current policies or perceptions may impede efforts to adopt national TOR guidelines: payers who incentivize transport; legislators who create state mandates for transport and allow only narrow use of do-not-resuscitate orders; and communities where cultural norms are perceived to impede termination of resuscitation. Our participants suggested that national organizations, such as the American Heart Association and American College of Emergency Physicians, may serve as potential facilitators in addressing these barriers by taking the lead in asking payers to change reimbursement structures; encouraging legislators to revise laws to reflect the best available medical evidence; and educating the public that rapid transport to the hospital cannot substitute for optimal provision of prehospital care. Conclusion—We have identified 3 influential groups who will need to work with national organizations to overcome current policies or prevailing perceptions that may impede implementing national TOR guidelines.


A mega-constellation of low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites has the potential to enable long-range communication with low latency. Integrating this with burgeoning unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) assisted non-terrestrial networks will be a disruptive solution for beyond 5G systems provisioning large-scale three-dimensional connectivity. In this article, we study the problem of forwarding packets between two faraway ground terminals, through an LEO satellite selected from an orbiting constellation and a mobile high-altitude platform (HAP) such as a fixed-wing UAV. To maximize the end-to-end data rate, the satellite association and HAP location should be optimized, which is challenging due to a huge number of orbiting satellites and the resulting time-varying network topology. We tackle this problem using deep reinforcement learning (DRL) with a novel action dimension reduction technique. Simulation results corroborate that our proposed method achieves up to 5.74x higher average data rate compared to a direct communication baseline without SAT and HAP.


We are delighted to share with you our sixth Journal Club and highlight some of the most interesting papers published recently [...].


Purpose: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis is a disease with unknown etiology that's mostly treated symptomatically and has no definite cure. Pomegranate (Punica granatum) flowers have been used as medicinal herb that due to its antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and healing effects, has been useful in treatment of oral aphthous. Therefore, we decided to formulate a mucoadhesive gel with pomegranate flower extract to reduce the need for corticosteroid therapy in patients. Methods: Pomegranate flowers are extracted by percolation method. Several formulations with different amounts of carbomer 934, sodium carboxymethylcellulose (SCMC) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose K4M were prepared and the condensed extract was dispersed in polyethyleneglycol (PEG) 400 and added to gel bases. Then the formulations underwent macroscopic and microscopic studies. The formulations that passed these tests successfully were studied through assay tests using spectrophotometry in 765 nm, drug release from mucoadhesive gel using cell diffusion method, viscosity test, mucoadhesion test and accelerated stability test. Results: The phenolic content of pomegranate flower dried extract was found to be 212.3±1.4 mg/g in dried extract. The F4-F6 formulations contains carbomer 934, SCMC, pomegranate flower extract, PEG 400, potassium sorbate and purified water passed all above tests. Conclusion: The F4 formulation had higher viscosity and mucoadhesion values due to its higher carbomer 934 and SCMC content. Since F4, F5 and F6 had no significant variation in drug release, the F4 formulation was chosen as the superior formulation because of proper appearance and uniformity, acceptable viscosity, mucoadhesion and stability in different temperatures.


In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, journalists have the challenging task of gathering and distributing accurate information. Journalists exist as a part of an ecology in which their work influences and is influenced by the environment that surrounds it. Using the framework of disaster communication ecology, this study explores the discursive construction of journalism during the COVID-19 crisis. To understand this process in the field of journalism, we unpacked discourses concerning the coronavirus pandemic collected from interviews with journalists during the pandemic and from the U.S. journalism trade press using the Discourses of Journalism Database. Through discourse analysis, we discovered that during COVID-19 journalists discursively placed themselves in a responsible but vulnerable position within the communication ecology—not solely as a result of the pandemic but also from environmental conditions that long preceded it. Journalists found their reporting difficult during the pandemic and sought to mitigate the forces challenging their work as they sought to reverse the flow of misinformation.


Honeycomb structures are widely used in various engineering fields, including construction, the auto industry, packaging, the aerospace industry, medicine, and sports. The hexagon cells generate excellent structures and reduce material waste. Honeycomb structures have very good mechanical properties and are low cost. Nonwoven fabric is widely used in many applications because the manufacturing process for nonwoven fabric is easy and fast. In this study, Polylactic Acid (PLA) nonwoven fabric and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) honeycomb air cushion (TPU-HAC) materials were combined in a sandwich structure for impact protection. The PLA fibers and low-melting-point PLA fibers were used as raw materials to create PLA nonwoven fabric. The PLA fibers and low-melting-point PLA fibers were mixed at weight ratios of (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%). The mixed fibers were processed using needle punching and thermal bonding to create PLA nonwoven fabric. Additionally, the TPU-HACs were layered to generate various thicknesses (2/8/10 mm, 4/6/10 mm, 6/4/10 mm, 8/2/10 mm). The layered TPU-HAC materials was clamped between two PLA nonwoven fabrics to form a sandwich structure. Impact resistance was assessed using a falling- weight impact-resistance machine. Experimental findings indicate that impact resistance of the sandwich structure of the TPU-HAC materials improved when thin TPU-HAC material was placed on the thick TPU-HAC material. This study demonstrates that the sandwich structure of TPU-HAC materials as excellent impact absorption.


Background Several studies have attempted to identify predictors of outcome following ischaemic stroke. Reduced stroke severity has been reported with pre admission ASA use, and improved outcomes have been reported with pre admission statin treatment. The interaction between pre treatment medications and clinical response to tPA is less clear. The objective of our study was to assess clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischaemic stroke with respect to pre treatment medications. Methods The Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network collected pre morbid and prospective outcome data on 5568 patients with ischaemic stroke. We applied multivariate analyses to correlate pre admission medications with stroke severity on presentation, in-hospital mortality, and modified Rankin at discharge. Analyses were adjusted for age, gender, medical history, tPA administration, blood pressure, and glucose on presentation. Results Pre admission treatment with ASA and clopidogrel was associated with less severe stroke upon presentation. A similar trend was seen with dipyridamole and ticlopidine, but did not reach statistical significance. Pre treatment with ASA and warfarin was associated with improved Rankin scores at discharge. There was no interaction between tPA treatment and pre admission antiplatelets with respect to in-hospital mortality or disability at discharge, although tPA treatment was independently associated with improved Rankin at discharge. Pre treatment antiplatelet use did not result in increased intracerebral haemorrhage following tPA administration. Conclusions Patients with acute ischaemic stroke taking antithrombotic medications at hospital admission have improved functional outcomes. No interaction is noted between use of these medications and outcome following thrombolysis. This large prospective cohort study is consistent with previous published reports, and supports the notion that pre admission antithrombotics may mitigate brain injury during acute stroke.


A survey was conducted of programs which reported requiring a third-year clerkship in family medicine in the 1988-89 AAMC Curriculum Directory to determine the characteristics of these 36 programs. The program characteristics were compared to those outlined by the STFM Task Force on Predoctoral Education in the 1981 monograph, Predoctoral Education in Family Medicine. Only one third of schools nationwide had a required family medicine clerkship; for 36 schools it was scheduled in the third year. Based on the information provided by the 25 (72%) of these 36 programs which responded, the third-year clerkship was likely to be a stand-alone, decentralized six- or eight-week rotation. The curricula were based on a set of "common problems" and emphasized those areas which separate family practice from other specialties. Students were most likely to be graded by faculty rating and a multiple choice examination. The curricula of the programs reviewed did reflect the recommendations of the Task Force, but there was great variability across programs.


Most electrochromic (EC) devices must have a service lifetime of many years, and this is particularly so for "smart windows" in buildings with good energy efficiency and indoor comfort. The central part of oxide-based EC devices contains thin films based on W oxide and Ni oxide together with an interposed electrolyte. Depending on operating conditions, these films may show degradation at a slower or faster pace, and means to prevent or reverse this phenomenon, or as a minimum allow reliable lifetime prediction, have been sought ever since the beginnings of EC technology. Here we survey recent endeavors related to EC films of W oxide and Ni oxide and show that ( i ) electrochemical pretreatment of films in a liquid electrolyte can significantly improve durability, ( ii ) electrochemical posttreatment in a liquid electrolyte can rejuvenate degraded films, ( iii ) mixed oxides can have better durability and optical performance than corresponding pure oxides, and ( iv ) lifetime prediction is possible.


Theory equations and specification equations are currently main methods to calculate wall rock pressure. These equations are created in certain backgrounds, and are applicable in certain ranges, not fit for deep-buried or large span tunnels. Analysis methods combined with actual project are used, and measured data are contrasted with the theoretical results. Common used calculation equations are discussed from the aspects including calculation accuracy, the relationship with buried depth and the relationship with span of underground structure. Revised calculating equation for wall rock pressure of deep-buried and large-span tunnel are put forward, and is proved to be better on the aspects above. It has significance in theory and practice.


People with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) have a particular difficulty in forming and maintaining close relationships. The Relational Affective Model (Mizen, 2014) proposes that intimate relationships activate claustroagoraphobic anxieties as the person alternately seeks and flees emotional closeness. The therapeutic relationship is a specialised kind of intimate relationship in which claustro-agoraphobic anxieties are likely to be activated in a process which psychoanalysis understands as transference. The understanding and working through of this transference is the mutative factor proposed in psychodynamic therapies. This study explored participants' mental representation of the internal psychic space of the other. Ten people with a diagnosis of BPD were asked to describe themselves and significant others, including their therapist in order to understand more about (1) their mental representations of the internal space of the other; (2) their relationship with their therapist with reference to internal space. and (3) the implications for the Relational Affective Model and clinical understanding of BPD. Using a mixed qualitative methodology four broad but distinct ways of describing internal space states emerged: positive, negative, nondescript and merged, which I have termed Alpha, Omega, Non-Alpha and Merged. Case study analyses for the four participants who provided interviews at the beginning and end of their treatment were conducted to attempt to highlight any changes in the internal space states identified. A thematic analysis of therapist descriptions indicated participants were positively engaged with their therapist. Negative internal space (Omega) descriptions of self and mother did not transfer to the relationship with the therapist in the early stages of therapy. The implications for the Relational Affective Model are considered.


The author designs multilevel trellis codes based on lattices and cosets that provide greater immunity to Gaussian noise and/or greater resistance to impulse noise than previous approaches. He shows how to calculate minimum-squared distance and path multiplicity in terms of the norms and multiplicities of the different cosets. The multilevel structure allows the redundancy in the coset selection procedure to be allocated efficiently among the different levels. The proposed codes admit a staged decoding procedure that requires very few trellis states and has performance/complexity advantages over maximum-likelihood decoding.<<ETX>>


Antibiotic resistance necessitates the search for new bioactive compounds with novel mechanisms of action. Natural products derived from bacteria and fungi are widely used in the field of medicine and new environments can be explored as sources of antimicrobials. Bacteria associated with springtails have shown high inhibitory activity against pathogens. Here, we characterized a bacterial strain with high potential for antimicrobial activity, isolated from the gut of the springtail Folsomia candida Willem (Collembola: Isotomidae). The strain was characterized using the 'analytical profile index' and the 'minimal inhibitory concentration' assay to test for antibiotic resistance. Agar overlay and agar disk diffusion assays were used to test the inhibitory activity of the strain and its extract against a variety of pathogens, and reporter assays were used to investigate the mode of action. High‐performance liquid chromatography was used to analyze and fractionate the extract of bacterial culture, followed by additional assays on the fractions. The genome of the strain was screened for presence of antibiotic resistance genes and secondary metabolite gene clusters. The isolate was identified as Bacillus toyonensis Jiménez et al., but it displayed differences in metabolic profile when compared to the type species. The isolate was highly resistant to penicillin and inhibited the growth of a variety of pathogenic microorganisms. Genome analysis revealed an enrichment of resistance genes for β‐lactam antibiotics compared to the type isolate. Also, secondary metabolite clusters involved in the production of siderophores, bacteriocins, and nonribosomal peptide synthetases were identified. In conclusion, a unique Bacillus strain was isolated from the gut of F. candida, for which we provide evidence of inhibitory activity against an array of pathogens. This, coupled with high resistance to penicillin as substantiated by the presence of resistance genes, points to the potential of B. toyonensis VU‐DES13 to provide a new source of antimicrobial compounds.


Leucine-rich amelogenin peptide (LRAP) is an alternatively spliced amelogenin found in the developing enamel organ. LRAP functions to regulate the development of mesenchymal-derived cells; however, its effect on cells of the enamel organ remains unclear. The hypothesis tested in this study is that LRAP also regulates human enamel organ epithelial cells. Recombinant human LRAP (rH58) was synthesized in E. coli, purified, and exogenously added to cultures of human primary enamel epithelial cells, which were analyzed for changes in cell proliferation and differentiation. rH58 had no effect on cell proliferation, but altered enamel epithelial cell morphology, resulting in larger, more rounded cells. Immunofluorescence showed that rH58 treatment increased amelogenin synthesis, but down-regulated Notch1 expression in enamel epithelial cells. LAMP-1, a membrane receptor for LRAP in mesenchymal cells, was identified and was up-regulated in the presence of rH58. These results suggest that rH58 promotes differentiation of human enamel organ epithelial cells.


As the US imperium lurches towards its economic twilight, comparisons with the fate of the British Empire have become increasingly commonplace. Surpassed as the world's most vigorous capitalist manufacturer by Japan and Germany, the US now seems bound for the same rocky shores as those on which Britannia foundered at the end of the nineteenth century. John McClure charts the course of decline, first in the works of Joseph Conrad, chronicler of high imperialism's contradictions, then in the post-war fictions of Joan Didion, Robert Stone and Thomas Pynchon. He maps the complex field of romantic ideology where one can at once excoriate imperialist adventures and yet savor their taste. Late Imperial Romance thus pinpoints the contradictions and aporias of anti-imperial rhetoric among the high intelligentsia of the post-war US. Through close, sensitive, historically informed readings of their work, McClure shows how these writers create an emotive space in which the critique of imperialism is shadowed by a continuing entanglement with its ideology: running through these works is a basic imperialist theme which portrays the non-metropolitan world as enchanted environs where the white hero or heroine is tested - and not infrequently corrupted. Building on work by Frederic Jameson, McClure presents a highly original and provocative account of the ideological function of romantic fictions in the late capitalist US. A model of intelligent cultural analysis, Late Imperial Romance combines skilful literary interpretation with an acute sense of the socio-historical conditions of literary production.


Technological innovations are changing our society at a rapid pace. The expansion of new technologies (e.g., tools and programs) will inevitably change future jobs in the area of, for example, engineering, healthcare, and science. People working in these areas need digital human capital, which is often acquired through education prior to starting a job. As a result, higher education systems around the globe face increasing demands to prepare their students for the changing labor market. To meet these demands, it is essential to focus on both lecturers' and students' digital competencies. Teaching professionals will have to learn to do new things using new resources. This goes beyond merely replacing work forms and resources; it is a complex process that demands a deeper way of learning in which routines and underlying knowledge and beliefs are explicitly reconsidered. Attention needs to be paid to how lecturers can gradually and continuously develop their professional competencies in the field of educational innovation with IT, to ensure these practices become embedded in future higher education. In this reflection paper, we will discuss key digital competencies for both students and lecturers. We will also focus on how lecturers develop these competencies through effective professional development (PD) activities. Based on a literature review, we present a model for effective lecturer PD with 29 'building blocks'. This model will be used to clarify practical examples of effective lecturer PD aimed at using innovative technology in higher education.


In our previous studies the volume-averaged strain rates, of 2–22 s−1, were obtained in an oscillatory baffled column (OBC) based on velocity measurements over a half baffled cell for oscillatory Reynolds numbers of 1000–4030. These values are very low compared with those in a traditional stirred tank vessel (at least >100 s−1) for similar operational conditions and the same power consumption. It was also observed that the volume-averaged strain rates in the OBC fluctuated with the phase of oscillation over any cycle, with high values coinciding with eddy generation, and low values with eddy cessation. The objective of this study is to show that such fluctuations can be attenuated by employing innovative flexible baffles, whose inside edges move with the fluid oscillation. In this paper experimental measurements of velocity vector maps and strain rate distributions using Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV) are presented for both conventional and flexible baffles in an OBC. Mixing characterisation, in terms of axial dispersion coefficients, are compared for both baffle designs. The results show that the flexible baffles can reduce the fluctuations and magnitudes of the volume-averaged strain rates in the OBC without compromising the mixing performance. Low and uniform strain rate distributions in time and space are essential biochemical, biomedical and pharmaceutical applications where shear sensitive cultures are involved.

© 2001 Society of Chemical Industry


Various organizational factors effect successful implementation of IT enabled business transformation. Among them, the most critical success factor is deemed to overcoming change management problem. Lots of studies have been made on implementation methodologies and business process formalizations to encourage organizational members to accept new business process changes. However, the logic of process redesign still depends on qualitative problem solving techniques mostly depending on basically human intuition such as brainstorming, cause-and-effect analysis, and so on. In this paper, we focused on developing analytic framework to design to-be business process structure, which can complement qualitative problem solving procedures. With effective use of IT as an enabler, we provide algorithmic framework applicable to designing various business process changes such as process automation, business process resequencing, and more radical process integration. The framework follows dynamic programming approach in the literature, which is based on the decision making paradigm of organizations to abstract business processes as quantitative decision models. As such, our research can fill the gap of limited development of theory based analytic methodologies for business process design, by providing objective rationale to reach the consensus among the organizational members including senior management.


We present a novel method for the compensation of long duration data loss in audio signals, in particular music. The concealment of such signal defects is based on a graph that encodes signal structure in terms of time-persistent spectral similarity. A suitable candidate segment for the substitution of the lost content is proposed by an intuitive optimization scheme and smoothly inserted into the gap, i.e., the lost or distorted signal region. Extensive listening tests show that the proposed algorithm provides highly promising results when applied to a variety of real-world music signals.


This paper presents a novel switching sequence design for the space-vector modulation of high-power multilevel converters. The switching sequences are optimized for the improvement of harmonic spectrum and the minimization of device switching frequency. Compared to other commonly used switching sequences, the output spectrum of the proposed design shows higher inverter equivalent switching frequency. Meanwhile, the device switching frequency is reduced by using a flexible switching pattern. The proposed switching sequence has been simulated and experimentally tested on a 5-level neutral point clamped H-bridge based inverter. The results from both simulations and experiments consistently verify the above-mentioned features.


Background and objectives: Automated pharmacy data have been used to develop a measure of chronic disease status in the general population. The objectives of this project were to refine and apply a model of chronic disease identification using Italian automated pharmacy data; to describe how this model may identify patterns of morbidity in Emilia Romagna, a large Italian region; and to compare estimated prevalence rates using pharmacy data with those available from a 2000 Emilia Romagna disease surveillance study. Methods: Using the Chronic Disease Score, a list of chronic conditions related to the consumption of drugs under the Italian pharmaceutical dispensing system was created. Clinical review identified medication classes within the Italian National Therapeutic Formulary that were linked to the management of each chronic condition. Algorithms were then tested on pharmaceutical claims data from Emilia Romagna for 2001 to verify the applicability of the classification scheme. Results: Thirty-one chronic condition drug groups (CCDGs) were identified. Applying the model to the pharmacy data, approximately 1.5 million individuals (37.1%) of the population were identified as having one or more of the 31 CCDGs. The 31 CCDGs accounted for 77% (E556 million) of 2001 pharmaceutical expenditures. Cardiovascular diseases, rheumatological conditions, chronic respiratory illness, gastrointestinal diseases and psychiatric diseases were the most frequent chronic conditions. External validation comparing rates of the diseases found through using pharmacy data with those of a 2000 Emilia Romagna disease surveillance study showed similar prevalence of illness. Conclusions: Using Italian automated pharmacy data, a measure of population-based chronic disease status was developed. Applying the model to pharmaceutical claims from Emilia Romagna 2001, a large proportion of the population was identified as having chronic conditions. Pharmacy data may be a valuable alternative to survey data to assess the extent to which large populations are affected by chronic conditions.


High bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) concentrations in the anoxic water layers of some humic lakes have indicated that green sulphur bacteria (GSB) may be ecologically significant. The abundance and spatial distribution of GSB were therefore addressed in 13 small humic lakes using fragment analysis and sequencing of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes. GSB were detected from lakes where the photosynthetically active radiation was at least 1.1 µE m �2 s �1 at the oxic� anoxic boundary layer. In these lakes, 13 to 42% of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of the anoxic water column were assigned to GSB. The spatial distribution of GSB was tightly correlated with the spectrophotometrically measured BChl concentration during the summer season. Maximum BChl concentrations were observed in the uppermost part of the anoxic water layer, covering most of the chlorophyll pigment in these lakes. The GSB of the humic lakes typically belonged to a phylogenetically homogenous group closely related to Chlorobium clathratiforme.


Different coarse-graining techniques for soft matter systems have been developed in recent years, however it is often very demanding to find the method most suitable for the problem studied. For this reason we began to develop the VOTCA toolkit to allow for easy comparison of different methods. We have incorporated 6 different techniques into the package and implemented a powerful and parallel analysis framework plus multiple simulation back-ends. We will discuss the specifics of the package by means of various studies, which have been performed with the toolkit and highlight problems we encountered along the way.


In the first chapter the works of modern scholars who have attempted to write the history of the Eastern Ganga dynasty has been discussed. The sources which have been drawn upon to write this thesis have also been dealt with. Additionally the use of anka regnal years in the inscriptions of the Eastern Ganga dynasty have been discussed. The second chapter deals with some basic but controversial problems, such as different theories regarding the origin of the Eastern Ganga dynasty, the beginning of their authority in Kalinga, the relationship between the early and the later Eastern Gangas as well as their relationship with the Western Gangas of Mysore. In the third chapter some of the epithets of Vajrahasta III and Rajaraja I as well as their relationship with the Colas are examined. The fourth chapter deals with the following: Anantavarman Codaganga's relationship with Permadideva; the two wars between the Colas and the Eastern Ganga armed forces; the annexation of all territory north of the river Godavari from the Vengi kingdom; Anantavarman Codaganga's victory over the King of Mandara; the victory of the Cedi King Ratnadeva II of Ratnapura over Anantavarman Codaganga and the precise location of Trikalinga. Finally the erection of the Jagannatha temple at Puri by Anantavarman Codaganga has also been discussed in this chapter. In the fifth chapter the lengths of the regnal periods of Kamarnava VII, Raghava, Rajaraja II, Anangabhima II and Rajaraja III together with the main events of their reign are discussed. The sixth chapter covers the main events of the reign of Anangabhima III and the controversial views of T.V. Mahalingam regarding a possible invasion and occupation of the Cola kingdom by the Eastern Ganga army. The seventh chapter examines various subdivisions of the Eastern Ganga Kingdom and the order of precedence amongst its officials. It also deals with various types of land grants made by the King, his relatives and officials. In the final chapter the legendary origins of two of the gods worshipped by the Eastern Gangas, i.e., Madhukesvara of Mukhalingam and Jagannatha of Puri are examined, in addition to the religious practices of the Eastern Ganga Kings and their subjects.


This thesis is an in-depth study of the labour market in the UK publishing sector. The aim is to study the role of social ties in publishing in external recruitment and internal promotion. Conventional sociological studies on social ties and labour market outcomes either neglect the perspective of the recruiter and the referrer or fail to explore the mechanisms by which social ties bring about labour market outcomes. This thesis fills these gaps. I used qualitative research methods, i.e. semi-structured interviews and participant observation for this research. The semi-structured interviews were with 40 interviewees, who were working in different roles (e.g. editorial and design) and levels (e.g. senior and junior) in Oxford and London-based publishing houses. I also served as a committee member of a publishing association in Oxford for seven months. Participant observation serves to triangulate the information I obtained through semi-structured interviews. This thesis examines different aspects of the labour market process and mechanisms. Regarding recruitment methods, I found that whether recruiters use formal or informal (word of mouth) methods depend on the level of uncertainty of recruiting a wrong person and the cost of making such mistakes. The greater the uncertainty and the cost, the more likely recruiters are to use social ties. Social ties serve to provide information about the availability of suitable employees. With regard to selection processes, I found that professional skills are a must but not enough in themselves. Recruiters use informal method at the final stage of selection to ensure the recruits possess the relevant qualities. As for job-hunting methods, I found that most newcomers introduce themselves using formal methods to get into publishing but in fact informality is often embedded in formal methods. Interviewees at managerial level almost entirely got their job through informal channels. Social ties have different functions as people rise through the different levels: whereas first entrants use social ties to obtain information about job opportunities, senior level staff members and freelancers carry with them reputation of their fitness to fill a particular position. Finally, when it comes to internal promotion, employers in my sample promote staff from within the company who already possesses the relevant skills, so as to minimize training costs and get around the uncertainties in settling in new staff. From the employees' point of view, so long as they perform well in the job and establish a cooperative link with their boss and team members, they would be able to be promoted.


This report summarizes findings of laboratory and construction evaluations of using residue from an atmospheric fluidized bed combustion (AFBC) process as a component in an experimental road base and subbase application. The base mixture contains pulverized fuel ash, AFBC residue, and limestone aggregates used as bulk filler. The subbase mixture contains AFBC residue and pond ash (ponded fly ash and bottom ash). Mixtures containing various proportions of each component were evaluated in the laboratory relative to maximum dry density, optimum moisture content, and compressive strength development. Two 750-foot test sections of a 22-foot wide roadway, containing the experimental mixtures, were constructed in May and June 1988. Prior to construction, in-place California Bearing Ratio tests, moisture content determinations and Road Rater deflection tests were performed on the prepared subgrade. During construction of the experimental base and subbase layers, relative compaction and moisture contents of the materials were monitored by nuclear devices. Specimens were compacted for subsequent evaluations. Initial post-construction evaluations included compressive strength development, elastic modulus, Road Rater deflection analyses, and monitoring expansion of the experimental mixtures both in the field and in the laboratory.


The Internet of things (IoT) significantly increases the volume of computations and the number of running applications on processors, from mobiles to servers. Big data computation requires massive parallel processing and acceleration. In parallel processing, associative memories represent a promising solution to improve energy efficiency by eliminating redundant computations. However, the tradeoff between memory size and search energy consumption limits their applications. In this paper, we propose a novel low energy Resistive Multi-stage Associative Memory (ReMAM) architecture, which significantly reduces the search energy consumption by employing selective row activation and in-advance precharging techniques. ReMAM splits the search in the Ternary Content Addressable Memory (TCAM) to a number of shorter searches in consecutive stages. Then, it selectively activates TCAM rows at each stage based on the hits of previous stages, thus enabling energy saving. The proposed in-advance precharging technique mitigates the delay of the sequential TCAM search and limits the number of precharges to two low-cost steps. Our experimental evaluation on AMD Southern Island GPUs shows that ReMAM reduces energy consumption by 38.2% on average, which is 1.62X larger than using GPGPU with conventional single-stage associative memory.


Electronic commerce has been reshaping the aspects of businesses and social life over this period of years. This is made possible with the constant innovation of information system (e.g. website, mobile application) and the global computer network (i.e. internet). There are a number of studies that emphasize on the benefits of adapting this strategy. However, though the benefits of this strategy may well overshadow the issues. The adoption of this strategy is not widely used for the small medium enterprise, opposed to large enterprise. Hence, this research study aims to underline the value and provide recommended guide for applying ecommerce for an small medium enterprise (SME) company. Saudi Perfumes & Cosmetics company located in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was adapted as the case study. Quantitative research methodology was adopted as the primary techniques using online survey, alongside sources from books, articles, journals and web contents are used as the secondary data. It was found that the company is facing various issues when using direct selling method (e.g. time consuming, difficulty to understand) and the respondents from this survey believes that applying e-commerce would help to resolve this issues. It was concluded that using an off the shelf application provided by Shopify service is the best option. This is given the rationale of having the software provided by the service provider to support both web and mobile application in a single developed application. Therefore, saving cost and development time.


Abstract A series of 2,5-disubstituted-benzoxazole derivatives (1–13) were evaluated as possible inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). The results demonstrated that the compounds exhibited a broad spectrum of AChE and BChE inhibitory activity ranging between 6.80% and 90.21% except one compound which showed no activity against AChE at the specified molar concentration. Another derivative displayed a similar activity to that of reference drug (galanthamine) for inhibition of AChE and BChE. In addition, molecular docking of the compounds into active site of AChE was performed using recombinant human AChE (PDB ID: 4ey6) in order to understand ligand–protein interactions.


Abstract : The GPS Program Offices, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, has established a Center of Expertise (COE) comprised of several agencies, each providing unique GPS test capabilities for the purpose of developing a Commercial Receiver Test Program (CRTP). The Responsible Test Organization (RTO) for the COE is the 746th Test Group, 46th Guidance Test Squadron, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has been designed as a COE with the responsibility of testing the time output characteristics and accuracy of the commercial receivers. The NRL clock testing facility has time traceable to the U.S. Naval Observatory and the procedure used are taken from the CORE INS/GR/EGI TEST PLAN prepared by RTO.


The continual demand for freshwater by industry (e.g. tourism) and agriculture, a growing population, and increasing development over the past 100 years has resulted in the construction of diversions within many streams of Hawaii. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of stream diversions on riffle macroinvertebrate communities. Benthic macroinvertebrate larval populations were compared above and below a diversion in Iao Stream, Maui, Hawaii, from April to August 2000. During this summer approximately 92–97% of daily stream flow was diverted from Iao Stream. Three taxa, Procanace sp. (Diptera: Canacidae), Atyoida bisulcata (Crustacea: Decapoda), and Amphipoda (Crustacea), were only collected above the diversion. However, the most numerous taxa, Chironomidae (63–64% of the total macroinvertebrate community), Hydroptila arctia (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae; 15%), and Cheumatopsyche pettiti (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae; 8%), were found both above and below the diversion. The relative percentage abundance of these dominant taxa remained relatively consistent above and below the diversion over the study period. However, the mean total density of individual dominant taxa was greater above the diversion. The mean total macroinvertebrate density above the diversion was 46% greater than below the diversion (Student t‐test: df = 30, t = −3.22, p > 0.01). No correlation was found between temperature and density. A positive correlation was detected between Froude number and mean total macroinvertebrate density. Overall, the reduction in macroinvertebrate diversity and in individual and total density below the diversion suggest that trophic interactions, and thus energy flow, could be affected by reduced flow in Hawaiian streams. The information gained from this study will contribute to knowledge on Hawaiian stream ecosystems, help to create minimum instream flow standards for stream restoration, and will provide information for future freshwater management issues on the Hawaiian islands. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Representations of fire in the U.S. are often tinged with nostalgia: for unburned landscapes, for less frequent fires, for more predictable fire behavior, or for a simpler, more harmonious relationship between human communities and wildfire. Our perspective piece identifies four prevalent nostalgic figures that recur in popular representations of wildfire: the Giant Sequoia, the Heroic Firefighter engaged in "the Good Fight", the Lone Frontiersman, and the "Noble Savage". We assess the affordances and constraints of each of these figures for helping and/or hindering fire management. We consider how some forms of nostalgia position particular humans as heroes and fire as a villain, how others prioritize the communities that come together to face catastrophic fire events, and how some romanticize Indigenous burning practices. Drawing on knowledge from fire science, human geography, and the environmental humanities, we suggest that a more nuanced understanding of nostalgia can be useful for fire management and for finding healthier ways of living with more fire in the future.


Abstract.
 Spring-migration ecology of staging Northern Pintails, Anas acuta, was investigated in south-central Nebraska, USA. Habitat associations, local movements, settling patterns, arrival dates, residency times and survival were estimated from 71 radiomarked pintails during spring 2001, 2003 and 2004, and diet determined from 130 females collected during spring 1998 and 1999. Seventy-two percent of pintail diurnal locations were in palustrine wetlands, 7% in riverine wetlands, 3% in lacustrine wetlands, 6% in municipal sewage lagoons and irrigation reuse pits and 10.5% in croplands. Emergent wetlands with hemi-marsh conditions were used diurnally more often than wetlands with either open or closed vegetation structures. Evening foraging flights averaged 4.3 km (SE = 0.6) and 72% were to cornfields. In accord with these findings, 87% of 93 pintails collected during spring 1998 and 1999 returning to evening roosts consumed corn, which represented 84% dry mass of all foods. Pintails collected on non-cropped wetlands ingested invertebrates and seeds from wetland plants more frequently than birds returning to roost. Radiomarked pintails arrived in Nebraska on 7 March 2003 and 18 February 2004; average arrival date was six days earlier during 2004 compared to 2003. Residency time for individuals varied greatly (1–40 days) yet yearly means were similar and averaged 9.5 days within the region. No mortality was detected for 71 birds monitored over 829 exposure days. Conservation planners linking population dynamics and habitat conditions at spring-staging areas need to focus on pintail body condition during spring and its connection with reproductive success and survival during the breeding season.