It is often argued that Islam is not compatible with modernity. This can be seen for instance in the fact of the problem that Islam faces to the challenge of universal values of human rights. Built on this supposition, the present article discusses on the great extent the question of religious freedom in Islam. As freedom of religion in the framework of universal declaration of human rights can mean as freedom to change religion, this contradicts to Islamic prohibition of apostasy, punishable with death penalty. The author argues that Islam in fact guarantees religious freedom. This is clear from the Quranic injunctions assuring the freedom of choice whether to embrace Islam or not. Such a freedom is however often contradicted to one prophetic tradition sanctioning death penalty for apostasy. In her view, the author believes that the hadith more in attunes to the political strategy of the prophet to safe Muslim community from any acts of treason or sedition. Death penalty for apostasy is thus not related to the mere personal crime of changing religion but more that of public law related to war or crimes against state. More relying on the modern interpretation of the Quranic verses as well as the prophetic traditions, the author concludes that Islam is in conjunction with the modern values of religious freedom in which personal choice of religion or belief is the backbone of human rights.


ABSTRACT This paper reports on the use of four poetry writing exercises in the Creative Writing stream of the four-week intensive residential programme, Arts for Recovery, Resilience, Teamwork and Skills (ARRTS), with Australian Defence Force participants diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or anxiety disorders. The programme is hosted twice annually by the University of Canberra. As a Creative Writing Mentor for the programme, I have developed these exercises, which have specific goals: metaphor creation, writing from the senses and using detail, and writing about movement and the body to assist engagement; these exercises are generative. These approaches are predicated on the idea that the therapeutic value of writing is assisted by trying to write well. They highlight the need to both restore and explore symbolic language, an ability which is sometimes lost following trauma; to use sensory detail; and the value of writing in embodied ways. After discussing each exercise, the paper reflects on their usefulness to participants.


Muscle cells were dispersed separately from circular and longitudinal muscle layers of guinea pig intestine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors were characterized in naive cells and in cells in which one receptor type was preserved by selective receptor protection. In naive cells from both regions, 5-HT caused contraction and stimulated increases in cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) (3-fold; p < 0.01) and cAMP levels (40-60%; p < 0.01) that were inhibited, respectively, by the 5-HT2 antagonist ketanserin and the 5-HT1p antagonist N-acetyl-5-hydroxytryptophyl 5-hydroxytryptophan amide (5-HTP-DP). In circular muscle cells, where agonist-induced increase in [Ca2+]i is mediated by Ca2+ release from inositol (1,4,5)trisphosphate-sensitive stores, 5-HT caused an increase in inositol (1,4,5)trisphosphate levels that was inhibited by ketanserin. In cells maximally contracted with a non-5-HT agonist (cholecystokinin octapeptide), 5-HT caused relaxation when the contractile effect mediated by 5-HT2 receptors was blocked with ketanserin; relaxation and the concomitant increase in cAMP were inhibited by 5-HTP-DP. The singular contributions of the Ca2+ and cAMP signaling pathways were identified in cells where only one receptor type was preserved. In cells with only 5-HT2 receptors, 5-HT caused contraction and an increase in [Ca2+]i but not in cAMP levels; contraction and the increase in [Ca2+]i were inhibited by ketanserin. Conversely, in cells with only 5-HT1p receptors, 5-HT caused relaxation and an increase in cAMP levels but not in [Ca2+]i; relaxation and the increase in cAMP levels were inhibited by 5-HTP-DP. The two signaling pathways were functionally linked, converging to regulate the level of [Ca2+]i. Thus, the increase in [Ca2+]i was augmented 1) when cAMP production was inhibited by 5-HTP-DP in naive cells or 2) when cAMP production was suppressed in cells where 5-HT1p receptors were inactivated and only 5-HT2 receptors were preserved. The results imply that the increase in cAMP levels mediated by 5-HT1p receptors acted to attenuate the increase in [Ca2+]i mediated by 5-HT2 receptors. We conclude that the response to 5-HT in muscle cells is a compound effect involving activation of two receptor types coupled to distinct signaling pathways that converge on [Ca2+]i as the determinant of mechanical activity.


The objective of this study is to determine a selection criterion that is applicable for the treatment of patients with dental arch asymmetry caused by loss of a premolar on one side of the mouth. Material and methods. Fifty-seven patients (first maturity level) who had some teeth extracted for orthodontic treatment were included in the study. The patients were divided into basic and control groups. We proposed to shape the extraction socket immediately after the extraction of a permanent tooth. In the basic group the extraction sockets were filled with osteoplastic material. Patients in the control group refused any surgical interventions. Results. According to a given criterion, the correlation between tooth size and dental arch parameters has been determined. When applying this criterion for finding the correlation, the frontal distal diagonal size of the dental arch was multiplied by 1.14 coefficient. The sum of the mesiodistal diameters of seven teeth in the half-arc was subtracted from the obtained value. The value which was equal to 0±1.0mm indicated the correlation between tooth size and dental arch parameters. Conclusion. If there is a correlation between tooth size and dental arch parameters, it is advisable to provide treatment associated with having the post-extraction socket opened and implant therapy performed (most commonly with the use of intraosseous dental implants).


A monogenic quasigroup is one generated by a single element, and as such is not just non-associative but in general non power associative. We show that monogenic quasigroups or loops with various specified characteristics can exist, by demonstrating constructions and by giving examples. This often involves completing an associated partial latin square, or demonstrating that
a completion is possible.

It is shown that for every order n ≥ 4 there are monogenic quasigroups generated by each of any m ≤ n of their elements, and similarly for monogenic loops (n ≥ 6 , 2 ≤ m ≤ n −1).

Any element in a quasigroup must have its powers unambiguous and distinct (called good) up to some degree j ≥ 2, and unambiguous but not necessarily distinct (called clear) up to some degree k ≥ j. The conditions for the existence of a quasigroup of order n having a generator with a good j th and clear k th power are determined.

A monogenic quasigroup may be said to be g-good if every element has a good g th power. An algorithm for finding examples based on diagonally cyclic latin squares is developed, and a computer program used to find comprehensive solutions for g ≤ 16 and odd orders n ≤ 95 (and patchily to g = 17, n = 111), with particular reference to the lowest n affording a solution for any g.

A maximally non power associative quasigroup has every element with all its bracketings up to some length distinct. A diagonally cyclic quasigroup of order
23 with all 23 products of length ≤ 5 distinct for every element is displayed,as is one of order 63 with 63 of the 65 bracketings up to length 6 distinct for each element.

Properties of direct products of monogenic quasigroups, and the significance of parastrophy and isotopy, are considered. The existence or not of monogenic versions of particular types of quasigroups and loops (for example, totally symmetric, inverse property, entropic, Bol and Moufang, among others) is also explored.


Litter production and nutrient return to soil through litter fall is important pathway for the regulation of nutrient cycling and primary production of the forest. Litter fall dynamics is generally influenced by phenology of tree species, seasons and altitude of the forest stand. As most of the information on litter production are from temperate and dry tropical region. A comparative study on litter production and nutrient return were conducted in Terai Sal forest (TSF) and Hill Sal forest (HSF) located in moist tropical region of eastern Nepal. Litter samples were collected from the litter traps (1m × 1m size) placed randomly in the forest. Collection was done at two months interval for one year. Annual litterfall in TSF (8.82 Mg ha-1y-1) was significantly (p < 0.001) higher than in HSF (7.18 Mg ha-1y-1).There was distinct seasonality in litter production. In TSF and HSF, litterfall was maximum in the summer (6.57 Mg ha-1 and 5.05 Mg ha-1, respectively) and minimum in winter season (0.86 Mg ha-1 and 0.72 Mg ha-1, respectively). Amount of nutrient return to forest soil through litter fall (kg ha-1 y-1) was higher in TSF (72.44 N, 6.80 P and 33.23 K) than HSF (54.31 N, 4.84 P and 22.23 K). The difference in litter production between these two forests was influenced by the phenology of dominant tree species, variation in altitude and seasons. Nutrient return through litter fall is a great input of nutrients in soil which is required for production process. Thus, litter constitutes a significant role in forest management.Banko JanakariA Journal of Forestry Information for NepalVol. 28, No. 1, 2018, page: 11-19


Online health communities could be effective interventions for smoking cessation. This study aims to explore the reason why smokers turn to online health communities to support their smoking cessation from the social support perspective. We conducted a qualitative study by interviewing seven users of an online smoking cessation community in Finland. Our findings uncover that emotional support, informational support, and companionship are strong motivators for smokers to use smoking cessation online communities. Further, informational support and companionship are found to have different importance for people at different stages of smoking cessation. The role of companionship also varies between posters and lurkers of smoking cessation online community. The findings in this research provide practical guidelines to smoking cessation online health communities on how to understand smokers' needs and retain them to use smoking cessation online health communities from the social support perspective, aiming to support their smoking cessation.


Auto shock absorbers, with helical surfaces together with multiple punching procedures needed in manufacturing processes, make the measurement and inspection difficult. TieNiu 3DOMS is adopted to acquire their surface data, the digital point cloud data of one single vision within 10s, automatically registering complete point cloud by rotary platform, so that the efficiency of process inspection and final quality control of the work pieces of complicated surfaces are improved. Experiments show that the surface inspection precision is better than 0.05mm, and one single surface inspection within minutes.


It can be difficult to protect a child from ongoing abuse when the child is too traumatized to disclose the abuse to the Child Protective Services interviewer or court evaluator. This article reports on the intensive 2-day trauma-focused treatment of an abused child. The child's traumatization was reduced and she was thereby empowered to clearly and effectively disclose the abuse in two critical interviews.


: A review of the role of evolutionary significant bacterial RecA protein in the cell is presented. The topics discussed are: elementary properties of the protein; its main functions in the cell (recombination and SOS-response); the formation, dissociation and regulation of the activated RecA protein complex and its cofactors, including the single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB); functional domains in the recA gene structure; formation of RecA protein complex with single- and double-stranded DNA; RecA-like proteins in different microorganisms.


In 2020, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic forced teachers in Ontario to move online. Since then, teaching online or in hybrid models has been common across the province. To understand how French as a Second Language (FSL) teachers navigated these spaces, four Ontario French teachers were interviewed about their experience using educational technology and teaching online. Findings were analyzed in light of Hargreaves and Fullan's (2020) reframing of classic understandings of teachers' work in the context of the global pandemic. Findings show that factors influencing these teachers' professional capital reflect common concerns among Canadian educators, alongside those specific to the FSL context. Participants' professional marginalization and seclusion demonstrates the importance of both the psychic rewards of teaching and cultures of collaboration. Ongoing efforts to capture ways in which teaching FSL has been shaped by the pandemic experience, therefore, require looking beyond individual classrooms to connected systems and systematic efforts of reform.


The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is increasing in the pediatric population. Individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) have an increased risk of thrombosis due to central venous catheters (CVCs), as well as acquired thrombophilia secondary to inflammation, or deficiencies of anticoagulant proteins due to vitamin K deficiency and/or liver dysfunction. CVC‐associated thrombosis commonly results in line occlusion, but may develop into serious life‐threatening conditions such as deep venous thrombosis (DVT), superior vena cava syndrome or pulmonary embolism (PE). Post‐thrombotic syndrome (PTS) may be a long complication. Local occlusion of the catheter tip may be managed with instillation of thrombolytics (such as tPA) within the lumen of the catheter; however, CVC‐associated thrombosis involving the proximal veins is most often is treated with systemic anticoagulation. Initial treatment with heparin is a standard approach, but thrombolytic therapy, which may carry higher bleeding risks, should be considered for life and limb threatening episodes of VTE. Recommended duration of anticoagulation with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) or warfarin ranges from 3 to 6 months for major removable thrombotic risks; longer anticoagulation is considered for recurrent thrombosis, major persistent thrombophilia, or the continued presence of a major risk factor such as a CVC. While CVCs are the most common risk for development of VTE in children, studies have not demonstrated a clear benefit with routine use of systemic thromboprophylaxis. The incidence and risk factors of VTE in CF patients will be reviewed and principles of diagnosis and management will be summarized. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2012; 47:105–112. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


After completion of the studies using the PressterTM it can be concluded that comparative
results between PressterTM and rotary tablet presses can be achieved if the compression
parameters are correctly set up. Firstly manufacturing of tablets with the same mass is
important for the comparison. In addition the studies revealed that tablets need to have the
same thickness because otherwise they were differently densified. Thickness is often
specified for packaging of tablets being an important parameter for this reason.
To achieve the same thickness the same band height needs to be set up on both tableting
machines. The PressterTM offers the possibility to measure punch displacement to find out
the actual punch gap. If tablet presses are not instrumented only the out-of-die thickness
can be measured and the band height can be adjusted accordingly.
The set up of two presses to the same compression force is not reliable because the
compression force is a result of the tablet mass and the punch gap and therefore only an
indirect parameter. Calibration of the strain gages is complicated and subject to failures e.g.
with temperature changes.
Recalibration of the PressterTM strain gages using Pfizer Freiburg calibration equipment
revealed excellent results.
When the experiments were performed using the same resulting compression force, the
band height set up on PressterTM partly deviated significantly from the band height set up
on a rotary tablet press, leading to differently densified tablets. If materials are compressed
to the same thickness different compression forces are produced depending on material
and/or batch variability. Thus the height of compression force indicates material properties
and compression force variability points out differences in material properties.
The experiments of this study confirm that precompression of the tablets is very important
regarding the tablet properties. This is even more important if materials show a high
tendency to elastic relaxation in order to prevent capping. PressterTM offers the instrumented
die as a very useful tool to measure the radial die wall pressure.
The mainly directly compressible formulations tested in this study were robust and
compressible on PressterTM and rotary tablet presses without any issues. Only at extreme
conditions: short dwell time, high main compression force and no precompression force
capping occurred with a 90 % (w/w) paracetamol containing directly compressible
formulation compressed on PressterTM simulating the IMA Comprima tablet press. As
PressterTM showed this failure it reliably fulfilled its function to indicate compression
problems.
As the goal of production is short machine run times high compression speeds respectively
medium to short dwell times were tested. No dwell time effect on the tablet properties was
detectable in the tested speed ranges.
In the current work different formulations, batch sizes and tablet presses were tested. In all
cases valuable knowledge about the properties of the tableting formulations was gained
using PressterTM. PressterTM is a useful tool to predict processibility of different formulations
on diverse rotary tablet presses and in varying production scales. The hypothesis postulated
at the beginning of this work is confirmed.


The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the essential issues for consideration in developing perennial crops. It is not intended to be a comprehensive review, rather it seeks to highlight topics that must be addressed in order to secure a strong future for perennial crops. To do so, the paper addresses a series of questions: Why do we need to develop perennial crops. What are the challenges and opportunities they provide. How do perceptions differ in the priority to develop perennial crops. What can be done to address and change these perceptions. How advanced is development of perennial crops. Two cases are then examined: perennial wheat in Australia as a case study for a developed country, and perennial rice in Asia as a case study for a developing country. Policy implications which may arise from development of perennial crops in developed and developing countries are then considered. The paper concludes by recognizing perennial crops may serve different purposes in different situations, so their roles must be carefully articulated. The issues raised are intended to be positive, meaning the perennial crops G E N E T I C S A N D B R E E D I N G : S TAT E O F T H E A R T , G A P S A N D O P P O R T U N I T I E S 6 P E R E N N I A L C R O P S F O R F O O D S E C U R I T Y P R O C E E D I N G S O F T H E F A O E X P E R T W O R K S H O P


Purpose: Penetrating hand injuries related to sharp metal or wooden fences are rarely reported in pediatric population. Most of these traumas occur after accidentally falling on the fence. The aim of this study is to evaluate the characteristics of the patients suffering from fence injuries and to present our management. Materials and Methods: In this study, 14 patients admitted to our emergency department with fence postpenetrating traumas between March 2013 and April 2016 were retrospectively examined. Eleven pediatric patients with fence postpenetrating trauma to upper extremity were included. Patient demographics, zone of injury, injury type, surgical intervention, and follow-up results were documented. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square test. Results: In the past 4 years, 11 patients aged 4 to 15 years with fence-related upper extremity traumas were treated in our clinic. Preteen age group was the most affected group. The most commonly penetrated region was below the elbow (7 patients). All wounds were surgically explored for accompanying injuries and repaired if any neurovascular or muscle injuries were present. Conclusion: To be able to prevent and appropriately treat these types of injuries in children, it is necessary to surgically explore and understand the mechanism.


Indeed, the Black Sea represents a very colorful region, not only from a historical and cultural perspective, but also from a hydrocarbon exploration point of view. This region has a long history of geological and geophysical activity. For example, the Black Sea became the type example of an euxinic basin and the name was literally derived from its earliest ancient Greek name, Pontos Axeinos (the dark or somber sea). Strangely enough, at one point its Latin name became Pontus Euxinus (the welcoming sea).


Abstract Background The purpose of this study is to describe our experience and outcomes in oncoplastic pelvic reconstruction for patients who underwent either vertical rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (VRAM) or omental flap following abdominoperineal resection (APR) at a single tertiary care institution. Methods All patients who underwent pelvic reconstruction following APR with either VRAM or omental flaps from January 1992 to January 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics and relevant comorbidities including chemotherapy and radiation therapy data were collected and analyzed. In addition, margin status at the time of oncologic resection was analyzed. Flap-specific data were collected for each approach. Oncologic data collected included cancer type, stage at time of APR, and rate of tumor recurrence within the flap. Results A total of 562 patients were identified who underwent pelvic reconstruction with either VRAM or omental pedicle flaps. Of these, 274 (48.8%) underwent VRAM reconstruction and 288 (51.2%) underwent omental flap reconstruction. All margins were negative at time of cancer ablation surgery. Complications data included: seroma (VRAM = 2 [0.36%]; omentum = 32 [5.69%], p < 0.0001), wound dehiscence (VRAM = 31 [5.52%]; omentum = 17 [3.02%], p = 0.022), abscess (VRAM = 4 [0.71%]; omentum = 27 [4.8%], p < 0.0001), cellulitis (VRAM = 2 [0.36%]; omentum = 10 [1.78%], p = 0.025). Statistical comparison of tumor recurrence between these two reconstructive approaches showed a significantly higher recurrence rate in omental flaps compared with VRAM flaps (p = 0.000127). Conclusion The results of this study suggest a significantly higher tumor recurrence rate in omental flap pelvic reconstruction compared with VRAM flaps. This knowledge has the potential to influence surgical planning and flap selection in pelvic reconstruction.


More efficient data compression can be achieved in encoding line drawings by vector chain coding (VCC) than by the traditional run-length coding (RLC), provided the total length of the lines within a line drawing is not excessive. More bandwidth or time can thus be saved in transmitting such pictures by using VCC. Although this has so far been established only intuitively, quantitative analysis and comparison of the coding efficiency of these two codes for line drawings are performed in this paper. The coding efficiency is measured in terms of both per-length coding rate and data compression ratio, which are determined for a class of handwirtten line drawings characterised by a proper statistical model. In particular, the critical point of line drawing complexity is derived at which VCC becomes less efficient than RLC. Experimental observations are also presented to verify the theoretical results.


In low-income countries, citizens often pay 'taxes' that differ substantially from what is required by statute. These non-statutory taxes are central to financing both local public goods and maintaining informal governance institutions. This study captures the incidence of informal taxation and taxpayer perspectives onthese payments. It is based on a taxpayer survey, in-depth interviews with government and chiefdom officials, and focus group discussions with community stakeholders across three districts of Sierra Leone. We find, first, that informal taxes are a prevalent reality within areas of weak formal statehoodin Sierra Leone, with households paying an equal number of informal and formal taxes. Second, we find positive taxpayer perceptions of the fairness of informal taxes relative to formal taxes, despite informal taxes beingregressive in theirdistribution. We explain this by the fact that taxpayers are more likely to trust the actor levying these payments, and are more likely to believe that they will be used to deliver benefits to the community.


This study touched upon a current issue; online education offered during the pandemic: Pre-service teachers' observations of the EBA lessons offered via online platform to the students were focused on. In that context, the pre-service teachers' reflections on the EBA TV English lessons in K12 were examined. To describe the offered online teaching process and reveal the good and problematic sides as well as to have the suggestions for better practices, the reflection-on-action approach was adopted and the participants' critical reflections were analyzed through the qualitative case study. The overall results indicated that the participants appreciated some of the practices in EBA lessons while they were mostly critical to material and activity choices. As for the overall evaluation, they were also emphasized the lack of interaction as the disadvantage of the online education, particularly for language learning. The suggestions to improve the teaching practices on this platform were explained.


This letter considers two-relay networks with Rician fading channels. It is assumed that the receiver has full channel information while the relays know the channel means and covariances only. To optimize network performance, we combine distributed space-time coding (DSTC) with relay power allocation. For the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime, we analytically find the relay power allocation that minimizes an upper bound on the pairwise error probability (PEP). Simulation shows that the proposed scheme largely improves network reliability. In some cases, lack of power allocation causes diversity loss.


Recent studies suggest that autism spectrum disorders (ASD) result from interactions between genetic and environmental factors, whose possible links could be represented by epigenetic mechanisms. Here, we investigated the transcriptional activity of three human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) families, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from Albanian ASD children, by quantitative real-time PCR. We aimed to confirm the different expression profile already found in Italian ASD children, and to highlight any social and family health condition emerging from information gathered through a questionnaire, to be included among environmental risk factors. The presence of increased HERV-H transcriptional activity in all autistic patients could be understood as a constant epigenetic imprinting of the disease, potentially useful for early diagnosis and for the development of effective novel therapeutic strategies.


Background Hospices and other palliative and end-of-life care providers are required to develop services that aim to improve the quality of endof-life care and choices for those living with or dying from a life-threatening illness. In 2010, an NHS clinical commissioning group in South Yorkshire, UK, produced a strategic plan that aimed to improve the quality and choice of end-of-life care locally. Aims To explore the views of key stakeholders, including healthcare staff and service users, of the expanded hospice-at-home service. Method A qualitative methodology was used to explore stakeholder views. Focus groups were conducted with four stakeholder groups: patients/carers; community nursing staff; palliative care nurse specialists; and GPs/senior managers. Data analysis used a framework approach to categorise the stakeholder responses. Findings Participants perceived that important aspects of end-of-life care needs were being met including quick access to hospice-at-home services and the prevention of admission to hospital for patients who received visits and treatment at home from this service. Issues that needed improvement included communication between hospital and community services, education and training needs regarding the use of technology and the limitations of the current service in relation to home visits from the hospice-at-home service. Conclusions Recommendations included 24-hour access to home visits over 7 days each week, the provision of training and education for staff in the use of technology, talking to families about advance care planning, and improved communication between and timely transfer of information from hospital to community services when patients are discharged.


In the context of the development of policies and programs to improve the lives of farmers, there is a growing recognition in identifying transaction cost as a policy base for the development of agribusiness. This paper reviewed studies about the associated transaction costs incurred in relation to the distribution and channel management of agricultural produce, particularly on the decision to directly sell to the market, to enter into an agreement with an intermediary, and to become a member in a marketing cooperative. Common themes regarding the marketing channel choice decisions identified in the different studies are the following: (1) farmers who have knowledge about the price of the good in the market are more inclined to sell directly to the market; (2) farmers who trust intermediaries and the workers of marketing cooperatives are more inclined to sell their produce through intermediaries and marketing cooperatives; (3) farmers perceived an increase in their bargaining power and income risk; and (4) institutional arrangements with intermediaries and credit cooperatives require trust and proper implementation of contracts in order for such arrangements to be sustainable. Such common themes reveal that transaction costs are significant in the decision-making process of farmers in the marketing of their produce. Interventions should be undertaken in order to ensure the proper implementation of such arrangements and prevention of abuse of intermediaries and workers of marketing cooperatives.


Asthma is a common disease and appears to be increasing in prevalence. There is evidence linking air pollution, including that from road-traffic, with asthma. Road traffic is also on the increase. Routine surveillance of the impact of road-traffic pollution on asthma, and other diseases, would be useful in informing local and national government policy in terms of managing the environmental health risk. Several methods for exposure assessment have been used in studies examining the association between asthma and road traffic pollution. These include comparing asthma prevalence in areas designated as high and low pollution areas, using distance from main roads as a proxy for exposure to road traffic pollution, using traffic counts to estimate exposure, using vehicular miles travelled and using modelling techniques. Although there are limitations to all these methods, the modelling approach has the advantage of incorporating several variables and may be used for prospective health impact assessment. The modelling approach is already in routine use in the United Kingdom in support of the government's strategy for air quality management. Combining information from such models with routinely collected health data would form the basis of a routine public health surveillance system. Such a system would facilitate prospective health impact assessment, enabling policy decisions concerned with road-traffic to be made with knowledge of the potential implications. It would also allow systematic monitoring of the health impacts when the policy decisions and plans have been implemented.


We report a rare case of primary hyperaldosteronism in an 11-year-old female patient due to a unilateral adrenal cortical adenoma. The patient presented with hypertension, hypokalaemia and metabolic alkalosis associated with inappropriate kaliuresis. The diagnosis was supported by the following laboratory findings: elevated plasma aldosterone, suppressed plasma renin activity, nonsuppressible aldosterone secretion following saline infusion and absent plasma aldosterone response to ambulation. MRI revealed a 1 cm diameter adrenal tumour on the left side. Even though the NP-59 scintigraphy gave a negative result, laparotomy with left adrenalectomy was performed. Pathological examination confirmed an adenoma in the adrenal cortex. The patient's blood pressure and biochemical laboratory data normalized postoperatively within 2 days. We recommended that in hypertensive children with hypokalaemia and metabolic alkalosis, primary aldosteronism should be considered.


Dynamic behaviour of automotive dry clutches depends on the frictional characteristics of the contact between the friction lining material, the flywheel, and the pressure plate during the clutch engagement process. During engagement due to high interfacial slip and relatively high contact pressures, generated friction gives rise to contact heat, which affects the material behaviour and the associated frictional characteristics. In practice excess interfacial slipping and generated heat during torque transmission can result in wear of the lining, thermal distortion of the friction disc, and reduced useful life of the clutch. This paper provides measurement of friction lining characteristics for dry clutches for new and worn state under representative operating conditions pertaining to interfacial slipping during clutch engagement, applied contact pressures, and generated temperatures. An analytical thermal partitioning network model of the clutch assembly, incorporating the flywheel, friction lining, and the pressure plate is presented, based upon the principle of conservation of energy. The results of the analysis show a higher coefficient of friction for the new lining material which reduces the extent of interfacial slipping during clutch engagement, thus reducing the frictional power loss and generated interfacial heating. The generated heat is removed less efficiently from worn lining. This might be affected by different factors observed such as the reduced lining thickness and the reduction of density of the material but mainly because of poorer thermal conductivity due to the depletion of copper particles in its microstructure as the result of wear. The study integrates frictional characteristics, microstructural composition, mechanisms of heat generation, effect of lining wear, and heat transfer in a fundamental manner, an approach not hitherto reported in literature.


Even if an overwhelming majority of historians acknowledges that history can harbour a multitude of interpretations and thus a multitude of narratives of the past, history – as encountered by students from primary school to the first year at the university – more often than not takes the form of a single, coherent narrative marked by an almost inexorable determinism. Ever since the beginning of the 19th century, such public narratives have served as instruments for promoting a shared sense of (national) community, not least within the compulsory school system. In our time, in our pluralistic societies where the idea of a common past shared by all has become untenable, such public narratives also pose a dilemma that is both political and ethical: how can social coherence, inclusion, and integration be achieved if (a) community is dependent on a shared past while (b) no shared past can be found? In this article I suggest that a possible way of solving, or steering clear of, this dilemma is through a history education that strives to promote an understanding of history as interpretations, as (re-)constructions of narratives of the past. Such an understanding underlines the importance of being able to deconstruct already existing narratives. It will also elucidate history's role in society, a role that consists not only of what history says about the past but also of what history does for shaping our perceptions of the present and the future. And, finally, it offers students the tools needed for evaluating and choosing among the many narratives of the past, picking those that may serve them as aids for temporal orientation in everyday life.


In this letter, a dual-band fractal monopole antenna suitable for Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard is proposed. The antenna geometry is based on a perturbed planar Sierpinski fractal shape, whose geometrical descriptors are determined by means of a particle swarm optimization (PSO). The optimized antenna exhibits a good impedance matching within the LTE bands at 700 and 2600 MHz as well as a 24% size reduction with respect to a standard quarter-wave resonant monopole. The efficiency of the proposed antenna is assessed by means of both simulations and measurements.


This research is motivated by the lack of students' creativity on video making in Multimedia subject of Accounting Department. This is caused by the less precise learning model chosen by the teacher. Video making in Multimedia subject is very essential as students are encourage to be able to create media in teaching in order to make the students understand the materials easily. This research is meant to improve students' creativity in video making in Multimedia subject by using problem based learning model. The research used Pre-Experimental Design with One Shot Case Study. This study used quote sampling as the sampling technique and obtained as many as 41 students from the 4 th semester of Accounting Education Department. The data were collected through questionnaires and student learning outcomes. The data were then analyzed by using structural equation modeling (SEM) and partial least squares (PLS) tool. The results showed that the problem-based learning model positively influenced the improvement of creativity in video making. Furthermore, the value of student learning achievment is more than 70.


Energy-driven computing is a recent paradigm that promotes energy harvesting as an alternative solution to conventional power supply systems. A crucial challenge in that context lies in the dimensioning of system resources w.r.t. energy harvesting conditions while meeting some given timing QoS requirements. Existing simulation and debugging tools do not make it possible to clearly address this issue. This paper defines a generic modeling and analysis framework to support the design exploration for energy-driven computing. It uses stochastic hybrid automata and statistical model-checking. It advocates a distributed system design, where heterogeneous nodes integrate computing and harvesting components and support inter-node energy transfer. Through a simple case-study, the paper shows how this framework addresses the aforementioned design challenge in a flexible manner and helps in reducing energy storage requirements.


This paper presents an acceleration control of a hexarotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the earth-fixed frame with a disturbance observer (DOB). Unlike conventional cascade control structures where the outer-loop position controller generates the desired attitude command, the position controller in this paper generates the desired acceleration command in X, Y, Z axis of the earth-fixed frame. With acceleration control combined with DOB, the UAV could manage the lateral disturbance force that makes the trajectory tracking very challenging. This is a new concept compared with existing DOB-based UAV control approaches which aim to cancel the moment disturbance for precise attitude control. The small-gain theorem is used for stability analysis and Q-filter bandwidth design. Both simulation and actual experiment are shown to validate the performance of the proposed design.


This study focuses on how attitudes in the U.S. towards native English, non-native English, and other languages affect and reflect the population that speaks them in an effort to record the attitudes and experiences of bilingual native and non-native English speakers particularly relating to their interactions with native English speakers and their feelings about and identification with English and the other language(s) they speak. 25 recorded in-person and video conference interviews were conducted with native and non-native English speakers in and around Boone, North Carolina that focus on how these individuals interact with English and other languages within the United States. My findings suggest that bilingual L1 English speakers, particularly Anglo Americans, are more highly valued by American society than Americans who may have greater levels of fluency in their languages, but are non-native English speakers, and that this linguistic discrimination is supported by modern racial attitudes and the resulting racialization of linguistic and cultural characteristics in the United States.


PRACTICES IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA A.M. Johnston 1 , F.J. Larney2 and C.W. Lindwan2 ABSTRACT Crop rotations with a high frequency of fallow remain the dominant practice in the semiarid northern Great Plains. The use of tillage to control weeds during fallow increases soils exposure to wind erosion. A long-term summerfallow management study was initiated on a clay loam soil at Lethbridge in 1955. Between 1977 and 1991 fallow treatments of tillage alone, herbicide alone and combinations of tillage and herbicide were compared. During this most recent 15-year period, average spring wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum Vulgare L.) yields were similar regardless of fallow treatment, with a 3.1 bu/acre difference between highest and lowest yielding treatments for wheat, and a 4.1 bu/acre difference for barley. Summerfallow managed using summer herbicides, followed by fall blade, resulted in the highest grain and grain N yields for wheat and barley, and highest soil nitrate-N concentration. Herbicides alone maintained the highest amount of crop residue cover and plant-available water at seeding. Surface (0-4 ft) and profile (010 ft) nitrate-N concentrations were highest for one-way disc, 70-100% higher than the lowest treatment, herbicide alone. While the herbicide alone treatment had the highest percentage of wind erodible aggregates in the spring, its maintenance of crop residue cover provided the best protection to wind erosion. The maintenance of surface residues becomes critical to erosion protection in the absence of tillage, particularly in years of low residue cover. Producers using a cereal-fallow rotation are encouraged to consider herbicides alone or herbicide-tillage combinations for summerfallow as the best means of ensuring adequate erosion protection and optimizing grain yield potential. INTRODUCTION Fallow is an important component of dry land cropping systems in the semi-arid regions of the Great Plains. While fallow has been identified as a contributor to soil loss by erosion, it plays a major role in increasing soil moisture storage and minimizing the impact of drought relative to recrop fields. The risk of wind erosion during the fallow period is greatly increased if drought limits residue production from the previous crop, and/or the residues and weeds are buried by tillage in the misconception that 'black fallow' (no residues or weeds on surface) is the desired


In Sweden spent nuclear fuel is planned to be placed 500 m down in the bedrock. The spent nuclear fuel will be contained in copper canisters. The reason behind the selection of copper is its thermodynamic stability against corrosion in the depository. The copper will be exposed to mechanical loading and will be plastically deformed due to creep. The canisters will be sealed by friction stir welding. Since the canisters have to survive intact for many thousands of years, the properties of the welds are critical. Oxygen free P-doped copper (Cu-OFP) is selected for its excellent creep ductility properties and corrosion resistance. In this thesis work creep ductility behavior of friction stir welded copper chosen at different areas of the weld is evaluated by using the test slow strain rate tensile test. Samples are chosen at different weld areas namely weld, cross weld and HAZ. A sum of 21 specimens is tested. These tests are achieved at three various strain rates and each rate are carried out at three different temperatures. The strain rates used for tests are 1e-4, 3e-6 and 1e-7 [1/s]. The samples are strained until rupture, 20% and 5% of the gauge length. Yield strength and tensile strength are usually decreasing with increasing temperature and at higher temperature the material can be easily deformed. Few strange behaviors are also observed for the samples from HAZ areas at strain rate 1e-7[1/s]. The experimental results are justified by using the Knock-Mecking model. The parametersand ω were evaluated by curve fitting method.


Exploration for oil and gas is moving towards deeper waters. Steel has been the most common riser material. Related to deep water concepts titanium has become an alternative to steel for these applications.Several codes exist today for predicting collapse loads for marine pipes. However, the capacity formulas are developed for steel. If the formulas are applied directly to titanium several parameter uncertainties will be unknown. Ideally, extensive model testing of titanium pipes is required. This thesis discusses and investigates utilisation of experimental material test data and a supplementary numerical approach based on finite element analysis. The relationship between material model parameters as input to the analysis and the collapse capacity is investigated by performing a series of nonlinear FEM analyses.Statistical models for the input material model parameters are established based on tests on small specimens cut from titanium pipes. These models are subsequently combined with results from the FEM analyses by application of response surface methods. As output from the analysis, the probability distributions of the pipe capacity with respect to local buckling/collapse are obtained.Finally, the data from the nonlinear finite element analyses are compared to a relevant design code. Suggestions for a possible basis for design formulas to check for the local collapse capacity of deep water titanium risers are provided.


Blood coagulation cascade ensures the arrest of bleeding and restoration of vascular integrity after physical damage and therefore is essential to normal physiology. However, many pathological conditions can disturb the tightly regulated haemostatic balance. Inflammation or malignancies may promote a hypercoagulable phenotype, while autoimmune diseases may lead to either thrombosis or bleeding depending on the antigen. In this thesis we evaluated the role of plasma proteins β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI), factor VII activating protease (FSAP) and protein S in coagulation pathophysiology. Thrombin generation assay as a global coagulation assay was instrumental in this thesis.

β2GPI is a highly abundant plasma protein which in the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) in complex with anti-β2GPI autoantibodies may create a prothrombotic phenotype. From the B-cell repertoire of two APS patients with the help of phage display we constructed four β2GPI-binding monoclonal antibodies which recognized domain I of β2GPI with or without domain II. Various coagulation assays revealed that their lupus anticoagulant potency is dependent on the affinity for and presence of β2GPI. These antibodies may serve as useful tools in further research on the pathogenesis of APS. Self-antigen recognition and presentation is a crucial step in autoimmune disease, therefore the uptake and the subsequent presentation of β2GPI by dendritic cells was explored. Despite efficient internalization by immature dendritic cells, only a limited number of β2GPI peptides were identified to be presented on MHC class II molecules after dendritic cell maturation. Finding of these peptides will promote further research on T-cell recognition implicated in immune response associated with APS.

Since the discovery of FSAP, numerous functions have been proposed including interactions with the haemostatic system. To contest the initial reported name-giving activity of FSAP, we used recombinant thermolysin-activated FSAP-R313Q mutant to find that FSAP was a poor activator of FVII while retaining its reactivity towards other known substrates of plasma-derived FSAP. Therefore FSAP does not mediate haemostasis through activation of FVII. Instead, thrombin generation experiments revealed that FSAP had a procoagulant effect in plasma which was restricted to low tissue factor concentrations and involved inhibition of tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI). Furthermore, the Marburg-I mutant of FSAP had a decreased interaction with TFPI and a diminished procoagulant effect in thrombin generation. Our data show that FSAP but not its Marburg-I variant may amplify thrombin generation by inhibiting TFPI at the onset of coagulation.

While the role of protein S as a natural anticoagulant is beyond doubt, regulation of its anticoagulant activity by cleavage in the thrombin sensitive region is less recognized. We showed that only intact but not cleaved protein S has anticoagulant properties in plasma. In individuals with pathological conditions characterised by extreme low and high platelet counts, as occurred in patients with haematological malignancies or chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia, we were able to correlate the extent of in vivo protein S cleavage with platelet counts and thus pinpoint the source of the cleaving protease to activated platelets. The modulation of protein S cleavage by platelets may have a potentiating effect on the bleeding phenotype associated with chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia or thrombotic phenotype in malignant platelet proliferation.


This paper offers a rationale for limiting the delegation of (real) authority, which neither relies on insurance arguments nor depends on ownership structure. We analyse a repeated hidden action model in which the actions of a risk neutral agent determine his future outside option. Consequently, the agent can improve his future bargaining position, which gives the principal an incentive to retain sufficient control over the agent's actions. Using respective one-period contracts, the principal can implement the efficient outcome while "selling the shop" to the agent is sub-optimal. This provides an argument for integration if the boundary of the firm is defined by control rights rather than the entitlement to revenues.


AbstractNanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI) and functional pumice modified nanoscale zero valent iron (P-nZVI) were successfully synthesized and used for the removal of tetracycline (TC). These materials were characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, BET. Different factors such as the mass ratio, dosage of adsorbent, pH, initial TC concentration and temperature were investigated. Based on these results; a possible removal mechanism was proposed including TC adsorption and TC reduction via oxidation of Fe0 to Fe3+. In addition, isotherm and thermodynamic parameters were applied to the equilibrium data. The maximum adsorption capacity of TC by nZVI and P-nZVI was 105.46 mg/g and 115.13 mg/g, respectively. Adsorption and reduction kinetics were examined for the TC removal process. The pseudo-second-order model and pseudo-first-order model was observed for adsorption and reduction process, respectively. Finally, more than 90% of TC from aqueous solutions was removed by nZVI and P-nZVI.


Last year acknowledged the 25th year since AIDS was first recognized, and to coincide with that anniversary, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised its recommendations for HIV testing for adults, adolescents and pregnant women in healthcare settings. The new guidelines remove the onus of determining who is at high risk for HIV infection and makes testing a routine part of medical care for all patients between ages 13 and 64 years.


The purpose of this study is to obtain information from businessmen about how far multimoda transportation system that is applied during this time can affect the efficiency of existing logistics costs and what constraints that affect the implementation of the multimoda freight transportation system. The role of multimoda transport is growing very fast in recent decades which are in line with the growth in demand for goods consumed by society and production machines. The movement of goods is keep on increasing that requires an efficient transportation and can be executed quickly, so a system is very needed thatis called multimoda. This system is believed to reduce logistics costs, knowing that the Indonesia logistical index is still below compared to other countries in Asean, that is 24% of the GNP. The research found out that the Multimoda Transportation System has a strong relation with the Logistics Cost Efficiency of r = 0.89 and the regression relationships form Y = -0809 + 1:12 X + e, X = MultimodaTransport System and Y = Logistics Efficiency Costs. The influence of Multimoda System on Logistics Costs in the opinion of the respondents is 80%, assuming other factors are not observed


The use of active vibration control of a thin perforated panel consisting of a closely packed array of holes to reduce noise radiated from a vibrating structure is examined. The advantages of using a perforated panel are that it allows natural cooling of machinery while providing a high level of noise control and it only requires small control forces on the panel to control the noise from heavy structures. The acoustic interaction between the perforated control panel and the radiating primary structure is shown to be negligible, allowing a simple dual source control arrangement to be considered. This model allows more accurate prediction of controlled sound levels to be made compared to previous models that have assumed constant pressure between the primary structure and perforated control panel. [Work Supported by AESIRB.]


Purpose This study evaluated how artificial intelligence-based computer-assisted diagnosis (AI-CAD) for breast ultrasonography (US) influences diagnostic performance and agreement between radiologists with varying experience levels in different workflows. Methods Images of 492 breast lesions (200 malignant and 292 benign masses) in 472 women taken from April 2017 to June 2018 were included. Six radiologists (three inexperienced [<1 year of experience] and three experienced [10-15 years of experience]) individually reviewed US images with and without the aid of AI-CAD, first sequentially and then simultaneously. Diagnostic performance and interobserver agreement were calculated and compared between radiologists and AI-CAD. Results After implementing AI-CAD, the specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and accuracy significantly improved, regardless of experience and workflow (all P<0.001, respectively). The overall area under the receiver operating characteristic curve significantly increased in simultaneous reading, but only for inexperienced radiologists. The agreement for Breast Imaging Reporting and Database System (BI-RADS) descriptors generally increased when AI-CAD was used (κ=0.29-0.63 to 0.35-0.73). Inexperienced radiologists tended to concede to AI-CAD results more easily than experienced radiologists, especially in simultaneous reading (P<0.001). The conversion rates for final assessment changes from BI-RADS 2 or 3 to BI-RADS higher than 4a or vice versa were also significantly higher in simultaneous reading than sequential reading (overall, 15.8% and 6.2%, respectively; P<0.001) for both inexperienced and experienced radiologists. Conclusion Using AI-CAD to interpret breast US improved the specificity, PPV, and accuracy of radiologists regardless of experience level. AI-CAD may work better in simultaneous reading to improve diagnostic performance and agreement between radiologists, especially for inexperienced radiologists.


Although ethical issues and challenges in research are numerous, the tourism literature, with the exception of some critical studies, has been mostly silent on this topic. This chapter sets out five core ethical principles, a set of research decisions and related ethical dilemmas that tourism researchers should address, and offers resources for responding to these challenges.


New York State's School Tax Relief Program, STAR, provides state-funded exemptions from school property taxes. From 2006-07 to 2008-09, these exemptions were supplemented with rebates, which arrived as a check in the mail. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether these two algebraically equivalent but administratively distinct policies of tax relief led to different behavioral responses. Drawing on behavioral economics, we explore the impact of STAR on the price elasticity of demand for school quality based on the concepts of salience and framing. Our main results are that the behavioral impact of the STAR provisions are larger (1) when they are most salient and (2) when they are framed as a property tax reduction instead of as unlabeled income. We also show that salience and framing can help to explain flypaper effects linked to state educational aid and to the resources that are freed up by a decline in the price of education.


The principles embodied by the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) view of 'life history' trajectory are increasingly underpinned by biological data arising from molecular-based epigenomic and transcriptomic studies. Although a number of 'omic' platforms are now routinely and widely used in biology and medicine, data generation is frequently confounded by a frequency distribution in the measurement error (an inherent feature of the chemistry and physics of the measurement process), which adversely affect the accuracy of estimation and thus, the inference of relationships to other biological measures such as phenotype. Based on empirical derived data, we have previously derived a probability density function to capture such errors and thus improve the confidence of estimation and inference based on such data. Here we use published open source data sets to calculate parameter values relevant to the most widely used epigenomic and transcriptomic technologies Then by using our own data sets, we illustrate the benefits of this approach by specific application, to measurement of DNA methylation in this instance, in cases where levels of methylation at specific genomic sites represents either (1) a response variable or (2) an independent variable. Further, we extend this formulation to consideration of the 'bivariate' case, in which the co-dependency of methylation levels at two distinct genomic sites is tested for biological significance. These tools not only allow greater accuracy of measurement and improved confidence of functional inference, but in the case of epigenomic data at least, also reveal otherwise cryptic information.


The present paper focuses on the most popular form of group creativity, brainstorming. Both advantages and shortcomings of the method were examined. There are a number of factors which determine to a considerable degree the effectiveness of brainstorming. Novelty and variability of ideas exchanged, as well as the size of a brainstorming group are the most important ones. Analysis of scientific literature on this topic showed that inhibiting effects which often take place within a brainstorming session are small in dyads, but increase rapidly with group size. Face-toface communication among members of a brainstorming group also plays an essential role in their creative performances. This role is rather controversial: face-to-face communication may either stimulate or impede individual creative activity. There are various modifications in traditional brainstorming based on mediated communication among individuals. Brainwriting and electronic brainstorming are the most popular. These methods have some advantages over traditional face-to-face brainstorming, such as a higher degree of anonymity, opportunities to contribute ideas simultaneously without waiting to articulate them, and a lower risk of the dominance of one or a few individuals. New methods of group idea generation, comprising advantages of various forms of brainstorming, tend to occur.


Ewing sarcoma, characterized by an 11:22 translocation, commonly occurs in bone and soft tissue sites. We present a patient with a history of both chest wall desmoid tumor and a subsequent adenosquamous pancreatic cancer treated with distal pancreatectomy, adjuvant chemotherapy, and radiation. Two years later the patient developed lymphadenopathy, which was biopsied and sent for the tissue of origin testing. Results revealed a sarcoma with 90% certainty, primitive neuroectodermal tumor subtype. The original pancreatic tumor was sent for next-generation sequencing, which revealed an EWSR1/FLI1 fusion as the sole genetic mutation suggestive of an underlying Ewing sarcoma. Additionally, the same fusion gene was detected on the supraclavicular lymph node biopsy. Our case affirms a change in diagnosis that was not suspected clinically with a resultant change in therapy. Though the pancreas is an unusual site of extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma (EES), emerging technologies such as next-generation sequencing can aid in management.


Abstract Please click here to download the map associated with this article. This paper presents a 1:100,000 scale geomorphologic map of the Northeastern sector of San Jorge Gulf (Chubut Province) in Patagonia, Argentina, covering more than 1,000 km. Derived from remote sensing data and validated by three field surveys, it has been compiled in order to understand the past and recent evolution of the area with particular reference to sea-level oscillation studies, for which this map is the basic tool. The very low human impact and rates of dynamic landscape change allow the preservation of extensive palaeo deposits and landforms, including those indicative of sea-level variations. The relative change of sea level dominates landscape evolution, allowing the formation of widespread marine and lagoon deposits often interfingering with fluvial deposits and reworked by aeolian process in the framework of consequent beach progradation.


Background

This study aimed to determine the current corticosteroid use and bone health management status of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in South Korea.
Methods

Data from the Korean National Health Insurance Database regarding bone status, spine radiography findings, bone mineral density, and laboratory test results were obtained, as well as the proportion of patients with spine and lower limb prostheses, occurrence of scoliosis, and age at scoliosis surgery.
Results

Deflazacort dose in the ambulant group (aged <15 years old) increased by age and year. The maintenance dose of prednisolone and deflazacort for the 15–19 group decreased by year. Among the patients, 12.47% underwent spine radiography, 23.11% underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and 22.7% underwent vitamin D tests. Moreover, 40.9% of the patients were prescribed vitamin D at a mean age of 14.6 ± 6.1 years, while 10.22% were prescribed bisphosphonate at 17.92 ± 3.4 years. Further, 16.1% patients underwent posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion at 14.4 ± 2.3 years and 5.3% underwent anterior spinal instrumentation and fusion at 14.4 ± 2.3 years. Ankle-foot orthosis and spine orthosis prescriptions were noted in 4.91% and 1.84% of patients, respectively.
Conclusions

The current status of clinical practice for patients with DMD in South Korea have been presented. It is expected that the findings of this study will contribute to raising awareness on the necessity of establishing a domestic registry in the country for patients with DMD.


The spider monkey (SM) (Ateles geoffroyi) a New World primate species native to Mexican forests, has become endangered in the wild due to environmental perturbations. Little is known about adrenal function and its relationship to reproduction in this species. Our objectives were to assess serum glucocorticoid (GC), mineralocorticoid (MC) and testosterone concentrations in captive SM and evaluate adrenal and testicular responses to potentially stressful animal handling procedures. Seven adult males, housed in a single mixed gender group in an off-exhibit enclosure at the University Park were captured for anesthesia every 2 months over a 1-year period. Blood samples were collected from each male at three time points: (1) ∼5-10 min after ketamine injection in the outdoor enclosure; (2) ∼2 hr later following animal transport to the laboratory and immediately after tiletamine-zolazepam injection; and (3) ∼20-30 min following the second anesthetic injection. Serum samples were frozen and later analyzed for cortisol, corticosterone, aldosterone and testosterone via radioimmunoassay. Cortisol was the primary GC detected in SM serum with much higher mean concentrations than for corticosterone. Capture, restraint and anesthesia resulted in significant increases in both cortisol and corticosterone concentrations. Whereas aldosterone concentrations were unchanged by animal handling procedures, testosterone concentrations significantly declined under anesthesia over time. In summary, these results provide data for the main adrenocortical hormones in male SM and characterize their acute adrenal responses to potentially stressful handling and anesthesia procedures. Our findings also suggest an interaction between acute increases in corticosteroids and decreased concentrations of serum testosterone.


A novel method for the analysis of clay minerals using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy is presented. Clay mineral suspensions are dried on a Si wafer substrate for transmission infrared (IR) analysis. Four natural Source Clays from the Source Clays Repository of The Clay Minerals Society, SWy-2, SAz-1, SHCa-1 and KGa-1b, as well as the synthetic hectorite, Laponite RD, were analyzed using the described method with signal to noise (s/n) ratios in excess of 100,000 for the strongly absorbing Si-O stretching frequency. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show that the mineral films possess suitable uniformity and low surface roughness for transmission IR measurements that is confirmed by minimal deviations in the baseline of collected IR spectra. The IR spectra are generated and peak locations are compared to previously reported values, generated from KBr pellet and attenuated total reflectance methods.


The ligand binding pocket of biogenic amine G protein-coupled receptors is embedded in the membrane-spanning regions of these receptors, whereas the extracellular domains of the peptidergic receptors play a key role in the structure and function of this class of receptors. To examine the role of the extracellular sequences in prostaglandin receptor-ligand interaction, chimeras were constructed with the two G(s)-coupled E-prostanoid (EP) receptors, replacing each of the extracellular sequences of the human EP(2) receptor with the corresponding human EP(4) receptor residues. Replacement of the third extracellular loop (ECIII) yielded a receptor that binds [(3)H]prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2); K(d) = 6.3 nM) with similar affinity as the EP(2) wild-type receptor (K(d) = 12.9 nM). Similarly, replacement of the nonconserved carboxyl-terminal portion of ECII resulted in a receptor that maintains [(3)H]PGE(2) binding (K(d) = 8.8 nM). In contrast, replacement of the amino terminus, ECI, the entire ECII region, or the residues within the highly conserved motif of the amino-terminal half of ECII yielded chimeras that displayed neither detectable [(3)H]PGE(2) binding nor receptor-evoked cAMP generation. Immunoprecipitation demonstrated that each chimera is expressed at levels near that of wild-type receptors; however, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that inactive chimeras have reduced cell surface expression. Similarly, chimeras that exchange the multiple extracellular loop sequences N/ECI, ECII/ECIII, or all four sequences lacked detectable binding and signal transduction, and although expressed, were not detected on the cell surface. These data suggest that the extracellular sequences of the EP(2) receptor are critical determinants of receptor structure and/or function, unlike other G protein-coupled receptors that bind small molecules.


In this paper, we explore the concept of a tracker-sensor feedback loop, i.e., how tracker output can inform sensor processing, and investigate whether it can improve multiple target tracking performance and enable stationary object detection in video. Our implementation of the tracker-sensor feedback loop is based on the Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM) foreground detector. We modify the standard GMM algorithm by measuring target extent directly from the foreground mask and by zeroing out the background update rate of pixels associated with valid tracks. Our tracker-sensor feedback loop is incorporated into the Recursive-RANSAC framework. Recursive-RANSAC, a novel multiple target tracker, is enhanced with the inclusion of the probabilistic data association filter and nearly constant jerk motion model. We apply our algorithm to several pseudo-aerial videos that are similar to what might be captured from a UAV platform. The multiple object tracking precision and accuracy (MOTP and MOTA) and optimal sub-pattern assignment (OSPA) metrics are used to measure tracking performance. Tracker-sensor feedback is shown to produce a significant improvement in the number of missed detections, false positives, and track label switches. In terms of stationary object detection, we demonstrate our method's ability to indefinitely detect parking cars and abandoned luggage (from the PETS 2006 dataset) despite frequent occlusions and other detection challenges.


: Large-scale maps (1:25000) of soil contamination with radionuclides, lateral distribution of 137Cs, 90Sr, Fe and Mn water-soluble compounds and soil toxicity in "Experimental field" site of Semipalatinsk nuclear test site were charted. At present soils from studied site (4 km2) according to basic sanitary standards of radiation safety adopted in Russian Federation (OSPORB) do not attributed to radioactive wastes with respect to data on artificial radionuclide concentration, but they do in compliance with IAEA safety guide. The soils studied can not be released from regulatory control due to radioactive decay of 137Cs and 90Sr and accumulation-decay of 241Am up to 2106 year according to IAEA concept of exclusion, exemption and clearance. Data on bioassay "increase of Chlorella vulgaris Beijer biomass production in aqueous extract from soils" show that the largest part of soils from the studied site (74%) belongs to stimulating or insignificantly influencing on the algae reproduction due to water-soluble compounds effect. Toxic soils occupy 26% of the territory. The main factors effecting the algae reproduction in the aqueous extracts from soil are Fe concentration and 90Sr specific activity: 90Sr inhibits but Fe stimulates algae biomass production.


This thesis consists of four papers and the main theme present is dependence, through time as in serial correlation, and across individuals, as in random effects. The individual papers may be grouped in many different ways. As is, the first two are concerned with autoregressive dynamics in a single time series and then a panel context, while the subject of the final two papers is parametric covariance modeling. Though set in a panel context the results in the latter are generally applicable. The approach taken is Bayesian. This choice is prompted by the coherent framework that the Bayesian principle offers for quantifying uncertainty and subsequently making inference in the presence of it. Recent advances in numerical methods have also made the Bayesian choice simpler.In the first paper an existing model to conduct inference directly on the roots of the autoregressive polynomial is extended to include seasonal components and to allow for a polynomial trend of arbitrary degree. The resulting highly flexible model robustifies against misspecification by implicitly averaging over different lag lengths, number of unit roots and specifications for the deterministic trend. An application to the Swedish real GDP illustrates the rich set of information about the dynamics of a time series that can be extracted using this modeling framework.The second paper offers an extension to a panel of time series. Limiting the scope, but at the same time simplifying matters considerably, the mean model is dropped restricting the applicability to non-trending panels. The main motivation of the extension is the construction of a flexible panel unit root test. The proposed approach circumvents the classical confusing problem of stating a relevant null hypothesis. It offers the possibility of more distinct inference with respect to unit root composition in the collection of time series. It also addresses the two important issues of model uncertainty and cross-section correlation. The model is illustrated using a panel of real exchange rates to investigate the purchasing power parity hypothesis.Many interesting panel models imply a structure on the covariance matrix in terms of a small number of parameters. In the third paper, exploiting this structure it is demonstrated how common panel data models lend themselves to direct sampling of the variance parameters. Not necessarily always practical, the implementation can be described by a simple and generally applicable template. For the method to be practical, simple to program and quick to execute, it is essential that the inverse of the covariance matrix can be written as a reasonably simple function of the parameters of interest. Also preferable but in no way necessary is the availability of a computationally convenient expression for the determinant of the covariance matrix as well as a bounded support for the parameters. Using the template, the computations involved in direct sampling and effect selection are illustrated in the context of a one- and two-way random effects model respectively.Having established direct sampling as a viable alternative in the previous paper, the generic template is applied to panel models with serial correlation in the fourth paper. In the case of pure serial correlation, with no random effects present, applying the template and using a Jeffreys type prior leads to very simple computations. In the very general setting of a mixed effects model with autocorrelated errors direct sampling of all variance parameters does not appear to be possible or at least not obviously practical. One important special case is identified in the model with the random individual effects model with autocorrelation.


OBJECTIVE
Rural residents may experience more arthritis and disability than urban dwellers. This paper reviews data on arthritis in rural areas and describes a new study, the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project, a population-based study of osteoarthritis [OA] of the knee and hip in rural North Carolina.

METHODS
Published reports of urban and rural comparisons of arthritis were reviewed. Data from the first 1,432 African-American and Caucasian participants in the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project were analyzed. Radiographic knee and hip OA were defined as a Kellgren-Lawrence grade > or = 2. Functional ability was assessed by the Health Assessment Questionnaire, timed chair stands, and 8-foot walk time. Unweighted prevalences of knee and hip OA were calculated for age, sex, and racial groups. Associations between hip and knee OA, and hip and knee pain and functional ability were examined.

RESULTS
Hip OA was present in 27.9% and knee OA in 38.4% of participants. Both were strongly related to age (P < 0.0001), but only knee OA to female sex (odds ratio = 1.33, 95% confidence interval 1.05, 1.68). Neither hip OA nor knee OA was related to race. Hip OA, hip pain, knee OA, and knee pain was each associated with self-reported and observed functional ability.

CONCLUSION
Residents in rural areas may experience more arthritis and disability than previously expected. Contrary to other studies, African-American and Caucasian residents of rural Johnston County, North Carolina, have similar high rates of knee and hip OA. Further study is needed to address urban/rural differences in arthritis and its impact, with adequate control of confounders, standard definitions of rural/urban and of disease, and assessment of multiple arthritis outcomes.


The socio-economics of the households in Wellaweediya fishing village in Negombo, Sri Lanka were studied in relation to women involvement in fisheries. No women in the village were engaged in preharvest activities and catching fish. Of the women involved in fisheries, about 50% were involved in fish processing activities such as gutting, salting and sun-drying. Those who were involved in gutting of fish earned about Rs. 300.00 for working for 6 hours per day while those who were engaged in salting and sun-drying were paid only Rs. 200.00 for working for about 12 hours per day. About 31% were involved in marketing the catch. By working for about 3½ hours per day, they earned Rs. 200.00 - 700.00. About 13% were involved in removing fish from small meshed gill nets and they were paid about Rs. 100.00 for working for 2 hours per day. The balance 6% were involved in collecting fish in to transportation baskets and for working for about 2 hours they were paid Rs. 100.00 if the catch was good and Rs. 50.00 if the catch was poor. The women labour of those involved in salting and drying and collecting fish into transportation baskets were found to be exploited with gender discrimination. The mean monthly income of the households where women were involved in fisheries was about Rs. 9350.00, which was about twice of the income of the households where women were not involved in fisheries. Most of the women involved in fisheries could not write and/or read and spent a more traditional way of life. Husbands of most of them were regular consumers of liquor. These women have not changed their gender based household division of labour and carried out activities such as cooking, washing, taking care of children etc.


The Schiff base (4-(2-hydroxy-1,2-diphenylethylideneamino) benzoic acid) was prepared frombenzoin and 4-amino benzoic acid and the complexes of divalentmetals ofCo (II).Ni (II) and Cu (II)were synthesized. The ligand and metal complexeswere characterized by elemental analysis, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, mass spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility measurement. The ligand (HL) was synthesized by condensation of benzoin (H) and 4-amino benzoic acid (L).The geometrical structures of synthesized complexes were identified. Magnetic susceptibility and electronic spectral study of the complexes showed the octahedral geometry. The antimicrobial activity of Schiff base and the metal complexes were studied. The resultswere comparedwith standard antibiotic. Surprisingly, the ligand (HL), the cobalt complex (HL-Co) and the nickel complex (HL-Ni) have shown to be more active against the fungi Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. The cobalt complex is active against the microorganism Staphylococcus aureus. The Pseudomanas aeruginosa is resistant to the ligand and all the metal complexes.


Hide [1997] has introduced a number of different nonlinear models to describe the behavior of n-coupled self-exciting Faraday disk homopolar dynamos. The hierarchy of dynamos based upon the Hide et al. [1996] study has already received much attention in the literature (see [Moroz, 2001] for a review). In this paper we focus upon the remaining dynamo, namely Case 3 of [Hide, 1997] for the particular limit in which the Malkus–Robbins dynamo [Malkus, 1972; Robbins, 1997] obtains, but now modified by the presence of a linear series motor. We compare and contrast the linear and the nonlinear behaviors of the two types of dynamo.


This paper introduces a novel econometric approach to estimate the systematic risk and abnormal returns of illiquid assets based only on their observable cash flows. Our model assumes that the returns of a private equity investment are generated by the standard market model, and that the dividends from the investment occur at a stochastic, yet increasing rate from its unobservable interim values until the investment finally liquidates. Using the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), we then estimate the systematic risk and abnormal returns of private equity by minimizing the distance between the model expected dividends and the cross-section of observed dividends over time. Our methodology generates asymptotically consistent estimates and we confirm its validity via a detailed Monte Carlo simulation in which all model parameters are randomly distributed, and the individual dividend rates of each investment are further correlated with the market returns and dependent on the individual risk and return profile of each investment. We apply our model to two research-quality datasets containing the net cash flows of over 1,000 mature buyout and venture capital funds, and the gross cash flows of almost 15,000 portfolio company investments. This allows us to study the risk and return characteristics at each level individually. Our estimations show that that the exposure to systematic risk is notably higher than previously estimated and widely assumed, with beta coefficients ranging from 2.5 to 3.1. While carried interest provisions reduce the exposure to systematic risk, we find that management fees effectively offset this effect. Our estimations also suggest that buyout deals have generated gross alphas of around 5% per annum, relative to the total returns of the S&P 500, whereas venture capital investments have generated alphas of more than 10%. As expected, both management fees and carried interests have a negative effect on the abnormal returns delivered to institutional investors. For buyout funds, annual alphas are slightly negative but statistically insignificantly different from zero. Net alphas of venture capital funds remain positive and range from 2% to 5%. Relative to the total returns of the Fama-French all U.S. stock market index, we find slightly lower market betas around 2.4 and consistently positive net alphas for both buyout and venture capital funds. In all estimations, our model shows excellent goodness-of-fit properties, explaining up to 95% of the cross-sectional variation in the observed monthly dividends.


Address-based sampling (ABS) frames are based on the Computerized Delivery Sequence (CDS) file, made available to qualified vendors by USPS. Because of low rural coverage for in-person surveys, researchers often resort to hybrid sampling frames that utilize ABS in areas where coverage is expected to be high and traditional field enumeration in areas where coverage is expected to be low. The more areas that are allocated to the ABS portion of the hybrid frame, the greater the cost savings. Since 2009, USPS has made available the No-Stat file, a supplement to the CDS file that contains approximately seven million predominately rural addresses not found on the CDS file. Although the overall coverage gains provided by the No-Stat file are modest, No-Stat addresses are clustered in relatively small geographic areas. In a hybrid frame design, clusters of No-Stat addresses could move some areas that otherwise would rely on field enumeration to the ABS portion of the frame, lowering field costs. This paper measures the efficiencies that are gained by including the No-Stat file for a specified hybrid frame design and coverage estimator. Efficiency gains vary widely across states, and are greater for higher coverage thresholds.


Introduction: The ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) is a serious cardiac emergency that requires urgent management from the setting. Thrombolysis appears to be one the rapid methods of revascularization of the coronary arteries. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the result of thrombolysis for STEMI in the context of isolated cardiology unit. Patients and Methods: It consisted of prospective and descriptive study from 31 July 2012 to 30 June 2014 in the Hospital of Sikasso. It included the patients admitted for STEMI treated by thrombolysis. The studied parameters were epidemiology, clinical and para clinical profiles. The fibrinolysis consisted of administrating 1.5 million international unit of streptokinase in a syringe driver during 1 hour. Results: Overall, 1237 patients were admitted in the hospital of Sikasso during the study period. 177 (14.3%) patients presented with ischemic heart syndrome; amongst them, 37 patients (2.99%) were diagnosed with STEMI. Only 24 patients benefited from fibrinolysis which represented 64.86% of patients with STEMI and 1.94% of all the hospitalized patients in the hospital of Sikasso. Male to female sex-ratio was 3. The average age was 50 years old. 50% of the patients were civil servants and more than the half (83%) were Malian. The main risk factors included smoking associated to stress (20.8%) and the association of high blood pressure and diabetes (16.7%). Regarding the clinical symptoms, 20 patients (83.33%) presented with the classic typical chest pain of acute coronary disease. The cardiovascular examination was normal in 10 patients (41.66%). Troponin test was positive in 7 patient (29.2%). On ECG, the extended anterior area was more representative (41.7%) followed by inferior area (20.8%). All the patients have benefited from echocardiogram and 19 patients (79.16%) presented a preserved left ventricle function; akinesia was the most frequent motion pathology (n=10). Four (04) patients underwent coronary angiography abroad; we noticed 1 vessel disease in 1 patient, 2 vessels disease in 2 patients and 3 vessels disease in 1 patient. The left anterior descending was the most diseased artery. The patient with 3 vessels disease underwent triple coronary artery bypass grafting. All patients were treated with streptokinase and 29.2% of patients presented complications including hemorrhagic stroke (8.3%). Mortality represented 25%. All patients treated within the first 6 hours presented clinical improvement while 37.5% of fatal cases represented those who were treated after the first six hours. Conclusion: STEMI is a huge public health issue as it can lead to high rate of morbidity and mortality. The prognosis depends on the precocity of the thrombolysis which is clearly beneficial during the first hours.


This longitudinal and naturalistic study aims to describe and compare grandparent and infant emotional expressions that precede, accompany and follow spontaneous imitation in the course of their dyadic interaction. Sixteen Greek, Cretan infants were video-recorded in the course of spontaneous dyadic interactions with grandfathers and grandmothers at home from the 2nd to the 10th month of their life. Microanalyses of grandmothers', grandfathers' and infant grandchildren's emotional expressions within well-defined units of interaction provided the following evidence: (a) Grandparents increased pleasure-interest expression while single pleasure and interest decreased in the course of imitation. Grandparent neutral expression remained stable, at low levels, before, during and after imitation. Grandfathers were more interested than grandmothers and grandmothers expressed more pleasure-interest towards their infant grandchildren, compared to grandfathers; (b) Similar patterns of infant grandchildren's emotional expressions in interactions with grandfathers and grandmothers provided evidence that infant interest predominated over the remaining expressions before imitation, it decreased in the course of it and it increased after it. Infant pleasure remained stable before and in the course of imitation and decreased slightly after it. Infant pleasure-interest expression increased and neutral expression decreased in the course of imitation. Infants were more neutral in interactions with their grandfathers, compared to grandmothers, particularly in the course of the first age level (2 to 3.5 months); (c) Infant age correlated with certain infants' and grandparents' emotional expressions. This evidence reinforces the view that grandparents are communicative partners to their infant grandchildren.


The physical properties of suspended particles and the relationship between particle size and structure were investigated. In situ properties of the aggregates in a coagulation–flocculation process were obtained using a non-intrusive image analysis technique. Derived properties, including density, porosity and the number of primary particles in a floc, were estimated from aggregate structure using a fractal approach, which better represents the distribution of mass in an aggregate, compared with a conventional Euclidean approach which considers uniform mass distribution in an assumed spherical shape. A spherical particle assumption overlooks the highly porous nature of real aggregates and underestimates volume, which subsequently influences coagulation and settling estimates in solid–liquid separation processes. The present results illustrate a strong inverse relationship between the fractal dimension and aggregate length, consistent with the idea that larger aggregates in general are more porous. In addition, correlations between the solids content, floc density and the number of primary particles that constitute a floc of a given size were established. It is suggested that the aggregation process produces flocs of constantly changing morphology and related physical properties. Overall, these findings can provide additional information for understanding and modeling suspended particle characteristics.


Within the framework of the characterization of the microflora of an industrial sourdough fermentation, strains of Lactobacillus amylovorus, Lactobacillus pontis and two other strains were isolated which could not be associated with a valid species. These latter strains were Gram-positive, catalase-negative, non-spore-forming, non-motile rods that could be clearly differentiated from known species by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. For further characterization, the morphological, physiological (sugar fermentation, formation of DL-lactate, hydrolysis of arginine, growth temperature, CO2 production) and chemotaxonomic (G+C content, cell wall composition, SDS-PAGE of whole-cell proteins) properties were determined. Fitting of the complete 16S rDNA sequence into alignments of such sequences, together with the subsequent phylogenetic calculations, allowed the reconstruction of a phylogenetic tree. These data showed that the two strains were phylogenetically related but formed an independent cluster distinct from their closest neighbours, L. pontis, Lactobacillus panis, Lactobacillus oris, Lactobacillus vaginalis and Lactobacillus reuteri. The results of DNA-DNA hybridization experiments indicated that the two isolates represent a new Lactobacillus species, for which the name Lactobacillus frumenti is proposed; the type strain of this species is DSM 13145T (= LMG 19473T).


This study delves into the evolution of social networks incorporating both elements of Rational Choice Theory and Feminist Theory inside a Social Network analysis. Simulated data was generated by modeling American female adolescents as an instantiation of a more general set of theoretical ideas about the formation of gendered relational patterns. This study uses the methodology of Computer Simulation to explore micro to macro mechanisms and account for how individual social actions aggregate to generate macro-level network structures. This research examines generative mechanisms and explores under what conditions some characteristics of gendered network structures emerge and are maintained through time. Three AVI files (movies of simulation demos) and a JAR (Java ARchive) of the JAVA code are also included.


Search strategies and resources to go with Unit 1 ~ Discussion Topic & Problem Based Learning (PBL). Additional resources include on 4/8/09 for PBL #3: Vietnam/Iraq.


We investigate the determinants of sovereign wealth fund (SWF) investments' stock prices. We focus on the location of the investment (domestic versus cross-border) and the target industry (strategic versus non-strategic). To control for endogeneity, we use two identification strategies: OLS estimation with SWF-specific fixed effects to control for fund quality/experience, and instrumental variables estimation. Our results show that cross-border investments have an average higher increase in stock price than domestic investments, while investments in strategic industries show an higher drop in stock price than investments in non-strategic industries. We also find that the higher is the politicization of the fund, and the higher is the stock price drop. Our results are robust to controls for bilateral political relations between the SWFs' and target country, fund type (SWFs versus Sovereign Pension Reserve Funds), fund opacity, SWFs' equity stake, use of investment vehicles, target country's market capitalization/GDP ratio, and time effects.


While comprehensive farm level models for the dairy, beef and cereal sectors have previously been developed, to date, relatively little research has been conducted on the economics of the sheep sector at farm level. Nationally representative farm level data from Teagasc's National Farm Survey (NFS) is used to develop a model examining the economic factors of concentrate usage on Irish sheep farms informed by the current body of literature on pastoral based production systems research. Results from a 2 step random effects panel regression of a demand function for concentrate use with log linear functional form support the established production literature. The demand for concentrates on Irish sheep farms was found to be elastic and thus sensitive to price changes. Farm labour input, fertiliser application, subscription to an extension and research provider and date of lambing were found to be significantly associated with concentrate demand on sheep enterprises. Results from a second model specification indicate the presence of spatially heterogeneous effects of lambing on concentrate demand across regions.


For successfully establishing wireless communication in industrial environments, new approaches supporting the stringent requirements of industrial machine-to-machine communication are needed. Thereby, the main challenge is that different applications with distinct requirements compete against each other on the same wireless communication medium. Then again, an essential property of industrial scenarios is that the participating stations typically collaboratively work toward a common goal. In this paper, we thus investigate QWIN, a novel approach that leverages this cooperative nature by enabling the stations to share the scarce transmission resources. The stations hence offload their priority queues into the network and share them according to the quality-of-service requirements imposed by the overlying industrial applications. We implemented the cooperation mechanisms on prototypical hardware and evaluated them in a real-world testbed and by simulations. The evaluation reveals that our distributed decision approach effectively ensures that higher priority messages are conveyed more reliably within 1ms, without reducing the reliability of lower priority messages.


Perspectives presents, abstracts of select articles by wellknown practitioners and academicians. Readers are welcome to contribute their own thought-provoking pieces or those of others that they have come across. Please send us three type-written copies of the article. Correspondence f or Perspectives may be sent to Professor Ranjit Gupta.


Genetic diversity within Salvia is the key to the genetic improvement of the medicine plantSalvia miltiorrhiza. In the current study, morphological and molecular characteristics were studied in 18 taxa of Salvia. A coefficient of variation was based on 18 morphological traits ranging from 17.56 to 115.04%. Among 70 random primers examined, 27 randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers produced 248 extending and repeatable bands, of which 207 bands (83.47%) were polymorphic. All of the data revealed abundant genetic diversity in the genus of Salvia. 18 taxa were clustered into five groups based on the morphological markers or four groups based on RAPD markers. The results showed that there was slighter genetic diversity and narrower genetic backgrounds at the intra-specific level, and that we can easily distinguish S. miltiorrhiza from the rest of Salvia species by two ways. The differences of the two dendrograms might be introduced by many reasons, such as the gene expression, environment, and gene introgressions. However, Mantel's test indicated correction (r = 0.483) of morphological traits and RAPD markers.

 Key words: Cluster analysis, genetic diversity, morphological, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), Salvia.


Relationships between microbiological features and cell composition of lacunar content and morphofunctional status of the immunocompetent tissue of palatine tonsils were studied by histological, histochemical, morphometrical, microbiological, and cytological methods. Cytological and microbiological data on the lacuna content were found to reflect the reactive condition of the tonsils and should be regarded as a component of the morphofunctional characteristics of the palatine tonsils as a whole.