examiner was a specialist in ultrasound. Examinations lasted 30–45 minutes. Reasons were: wanting to know the gender (1), early scan to see if the pregnancy was normal due to earlier negative experiences (4), to get 3DUS not offered at the clinical setting (3), have an examination by a physician due to anxiety for fetal anomalies (3). All women were relieved after the examination and received written information that was signed and they could go back to see the results. Those who had done a 3DUS were amazed by the quality of the images and had shown them to family and friends. Those who had 2DUS were satisfied by the quality but had not shown the pictures in the same way. Conclusions: Reasons for nonmedical ultrasound were not only to get ''keepsake'' images but also to get more information from the examiner which the women felt they were denied in the clinical setting. The quality of the images was generally considered to be better in the nonmedical ultrasound and information given was better in all cases with written and signed results.


The aim of this paper is to assess the nature of sexual/physical and gender-based abuse (SPGBV) experienced by displaced Zimbabwean refugees, perpetrators of such abuses and the gender of perpetrators in South Africa. Refugee and Internally displaced persons are interchangeably used in this study. Through in-depth interviews using a questionnaire, data were collected from 125 randomly selected homeless Zimbabwean refugees in Polokwane, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Age of participants ranged from 18 years to 48 years with a mean age of 28.3 years (SD = 6.27). Participants were assessed on demographic variables and sexual and physical abuses measured with the post-migration difficulties checklists developed by the author. The study showed that rape and sexual harassments were common and perpetrators were mainly border and police officers. Sexes of perpetrators were mainly single men. The study also found other forms of abuse including physical. The findings have significant practical implications for refugees in South Africa where xenophobic feelings are high and on the increase. Recommendations are discussed based on the findings of the study including a need for culturally relevant programmes to help refugees cope and deal with traumas they encounter.


Introduction & BackgroundNetflix now has a consumer base of over 230 million worldwide. During the pandemic, its customers watched 203.8 million hours of content daily, with their activity, content choices and preferences being continually logged. The digital footprint data amassed in this process underpins a symbiotic relationship between supplier and consumer. Black-box algorithms convert these logs into personalised functionality and recommendations, producing improved customer experiences while generating revenue for the business. Whether the consumer willingly accepts this trade-off or not, it's now almost impossible to use online services without leaving digital traces. But how representative of an individual's actual preferences and behaviours are these? What biases exist in such datasets? And to what degree are consumers cognisant of how these datasets are being used?
Objectives & ApproachThis study surveyed participants to interrogate their understanding of the data Netflix makes available to its subscribers. The objectives were to explore their perceptions relating to the data collected about them and encourage them to think critically about their digital footprint. It was also the intention of the research group that participants feel a sense of empowerment / control over the data made available to them.
UK-based participants were provided with instructions on how to access their viewing history (programme titles, dates of access) and invited to inspect it. 61 participants opted to donate their data to the study, along with responses to a survey reflecting their understanding of what they had retrieved.
Relevance to Digital FootprintsWhile it may have been possible to work with Netflix to retrieve viewer data, by accessing via the participants instead, the researchers were enabling them to review and make informed choices about what they shared. One of the potential issues with this approach is that it provides an opportunity for participants to curate their data, should there be content that they would be uncomfortable sharing. Alternately, they may choose to withdraw from the study altogether based on what they see. While this has its drawbacks in terms of data inaccuracies and self-selection effect, it was felt important to the research team to prioritise the participants autonomy, encouraging them to be candid and share. If nothing else, it is hoped that by taking part in the study, there is the potential for participants to be inspired to think about the footprints they leave every time they go online so that they might be more mindful of them in future.
ResultsIn terms of bias, using only the Netflix data meant that the researchers were only accessing participants who pay for that service. Further, the researchers would only be accessing what would be a proportion of the participants' viewing. If only using one service however, Netflix is arguably the service to use as according to statistica©, In 2021 it was the most subscribed (paid) supplier in the UK.
76% of respondents view more streamed content than terrestrial broadcast content and utilise an average of 3.5 streaming services. 36% of respondents also stated that they share their Netflix user profiles with at least one other person. Despite these limitations, 84% of respondents nonetheless considered that the captured content was representative of their 'personal tastes and viewing habits.'
76% were not aware until participating in the study that it was possible to extract their viewing data from Netflix, and 34% said they'd likely review it again. 33% indicated surprise as to the extent of information captured about them; but 91% believed that the streaming platform collected more information than was made available.
Conclusions & ImplicationsThis study shows the potential of data donation to understand viewing habits, binge watching and related well-being indicators, with 43% of surveyed individuals offering their data for research.
What has not been established in this study is why 57% of the group declined to share their data. It can be speculated that it may have been a reluctance to share once the data was inspected or that the process to access and then upload it may have been too much of a hurdle. An implication for this type of study may include a requirement to over-recruit in anticipation of a high drop-out rate or that data extraction and sharing needs to be made as simple and convenient as practicable for the participant.
Given that one of the objectives of the research was to encourage participants to have more curiosity in and awareness / control of their digital footprints, consideration should be given to seeing if participant interest in further exploration of their data could be increased from the 24% seen here. This might be driven by the data type, any perceived utility it might have for the participant or any perceived ways in which it might be used to impact / influence them in some way by a 3rd party.


ABSTRACT Monoconidial isolates of the fungus causing gray leaf spot of maize were obtained from diseased leaves collected throughout the United States and analyzed for genetic variability at 111 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) loci. Cluster analysis revealed two very distinct groups of Cercospora zeae-maydis isolates. Both groups were found to be relatively uniform internally with an average genetic similarity among isolates of approximately 93 and 94%, respectively. The groups were separated from each other by a genetic distance of approximately 80%, a distance greater than that separating each group from the sorghum pathogen, C. sorghi (67 to 70%). Characteristics and dimensions of conidia and conid-iophores produced on infected plants or nutrient media were unreliable criteria for taxonomic differentiation of isolates composing the two groups of C. zeae-maydis. Nucleotide sequences of 5.8S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were identical within each group but different between the two groups and different from C. sorghi. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms generated by digestion of the 5.8S rDNA and ITS regions with TaqI readily distinguished each group and C. sorghi. Isolates in one group were generally distributed throughout maize-producing regions of the United States; isolates in the other group were localized in the eastern third of the country. Both types were present in the same fields at some locations. The genetic distance based on AFLP profiles and different ITS nucleotide sequences between the two morphologically indistinguishable groups indicate that they are sibling species. Although it is unlikely that breeding for resistance to gray leaf spot will be confounded by local or regional variation in the pathogen, a vigilant approach is warranted, because two pathogenic species exist with unknown abilities to evolve new pathotypes.


Bondjers, K. 2020. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder – Assessment of current diagnostic definitions. Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Medicine 1634. 54 pp. Uppsala: Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis. ISBN 978-91-513-0861-6. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition that may arise after exposure to shocking, frightening, or dangerous events. Hallmark symptoms are re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal. Other common symptoms are more ancillary and overlap with other psychiatric disorders (e.g., anhedonia, interpersonal problems, and affective dysregulation). The variety of symptoms associated with PTSD allows for large differences in symptom presentation between individuals. Studies of the latent structure of PTSD (e.g., latent class analysis, confirmatory factor analysis) have been highly influential in the conceptualisation of the disorder. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and the eleventh edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) have taken vastly different approaches to handling the symptom variety, with DSM-5 encompassing a broad definition, and the ICD-11 instead proposing a narrow PTSD construct and introducing the new diagnosis complex PTSD (CPTSD), comprising PTSD in conjunction with ancillary symptoms. The principal aims of the present thesis were to examine how different symptom presentations of PTSD were associated with well-known predictors of PTSD and prospective outcome, to evaluate the dimensional structure of PTSD as it is proposed in current diagnostic nomenclature, to provide methods for assessing PTSD in the Swedish language, and to evaluate the diagnostic agreement between DSM-5 and ICD-11. Using latent class analysis, subgroups with differences in PTSD symptom presentation were examined and assessed regarding their predictive validity. In a sample of natural disaster survivors, subgroups differed mainly in symptom severity. In a mixed trauma sample, subgroups differed in their likelihood of fulfilling hallmark versus ancillary symptoms, and in self-reported concurrent and prospective psychological distress. As for the dimensional structure of DSM-5 symptomology, support was not found for the four-factor DSM-5 model, but rather for a six-factor and a seven-factor model. For ICD-11 symptomatology, the ICD-11 model was supported, both with and without a higher-order separation of PTSD and CPTSD. Two instruments for assessing PTSD were evaluated: the PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and the International Trauma Interview for ICD-11 (ITI). Results indicated support for both instruments as valid and reliable tools. The diagnostic agreement between DSM-5 and ICD-11 was moderate. Summarised, the studies suggest that variables such as secondary stressors and event-specific exposure influence symptom expression, and that the combination of hallmark and ancillary symptoms of PTSD is associated with the long-term maintenance of psychological distress. Results support the use of the PCL-5 and the ITI as assessment tools for DSM-5 and ICD-11 PTSD. The insufficient agreement between DSM-5 and ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD poses a challenge for future researchers and clinicians.


Abstract. Studies based on object-based image analysis (OBIA) representing the paradigm shift in change detection (CD) have achieved remarkable progress in the last decade. Their aim has been developing more intelligent interpretation analysis methods in the future. The prediction effect and performance stability of random forest (RF), as a new kind of machine learning algorithm, are better than many single predictors and integrated forecasting method. In this paper, we present a novel CD approach for high-resolution remote sensing images, which incorporates visual saliency and RF. First, highly homogeneous and compact image super-pixels are generated using super-pixel segmentation, and the optimal segmentation result is obtained through image superimposition and principal component analysis (PCA). Second, saliency detection is used to guide the search of interest regions in the initial difference image obtained via the improved robust change vector analysis (RCVA) algorithm. The salient regions within the difference image that correspond to the binarized saliency map are extracted, and the regions are subject to the fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering to obtain the pixel-level pre-classification result, which can be used as a prerequisite for superpixel-based analysis. Third, on the basis of the optimal segmentation and pixel-level pre-classification results, different super-pixel change possibilities are calculated. Furthermore, the changed and unchanged super-pixels that serve as the training samples are automatically selected. The spectral features and Gabor features of each super-pixel are extracted. Finally, superpixel-based CD is implemented by applying RF based on these samples. Experimental results on Ziyuan 3 (ZY3) multi-spectral images show that the proposed method outperforms the compared methods in the accuracy of CD, and also confirm the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach.


In this paper, we study the inverse maximum flow problem under \(\ell_\infty\)-norm and show that this problem can be solved by finding a maximum capacity path on a modified graph. Moreover, we consider an extension of the problem where we minimize the number of perturbations among all the optimal solutions of Chebyshev norm. This bicriteria version of the inverse maximum flow problem can also be solved in strongly polynomial time by finding a minimum \(s - t\) cut on the modified graph with a new capacity function.


To detect additional markers of placental insufficiency in gestosis accompanied by labor impairments, the authors have performed a comprehensive placental morphological study using organometric, histological, morphometric, and immunohistochemical techniques. Along with the earlier established markers, VEGF and vWF have been found to be additional markers of placental insufficiency. The latter make it possible not only to diagnose, but also to specify the stages of placental insufficiency. Perspectives for using the above agents are outlined.


Variable (diversity) joining [V(D)J] recombination of immune gene loci proceeds in an ordered manner with D to J portions recombining first and then an upstream V joins that recombinant. We present evidence that the non-core domain of recombination activating gene (RAG) protein 2 is involved in the regulation of recombinatorial order. In mice lacking the non-core domain of RAG2 the ordered rearrangement is disturbed and direct V to D rearrangements are 10to 1000-times increased in tri-partite immune gene loci. Some forms of interchromosomal translocations between TCRb and TCRd D gene segments are also increased in the core RAG2 animals as compared with their wildtype (WT) counterparts. In addition, the concise use of proper recombination signal sequences (RSSs) appears to be disturbed in the core RAG2 mice as compared with WT RAG2 animals.


This paper puts forward two different -integral-based methods, which can be used to perform mixed-mode fracture analysis of orthotropic functionally graded materials subjected to hygrothermal stresses. The first method requires the evaluation of both components of -integral, whereas the second method employs the first component and the asymptotic crack tip displacement fields. Plane orthotropic hygrothermoelasticity is the basic theory behind the -integral formulation, which is carried out by assuming that all material properties are functions of the spatial coordinates. Developed procedures are implemented by means of the finite element method and integrated into a general purpose finite element analysis software. Temperature and specific moisture concentration fields needed in the fracture analyses are also computed through finite element analysis. Each of the developed methods is utilized in conjunction with the superposition technique to calculate the hygrothermal fracture parameters. An inclined crack located in a hygrothermally loaded orthotropic functionally graded layer is examined in parametric analyses. Comparisons of the results generated by the proposed methods do indicate that both methods lead to numerical results of high accuracy and that the developed form of the -integral is domain independent. Further results are presented so as to illustrate the influences of crack inclination angle, crack length, and crack location upon the modes I and II stress intensity factors.


The inherited peripheral neuropathies (IPNs) comprise a growing list of genetically heterogeneous diseases. With mutations in more than 80 genes being reported to cause IPNs, a wide spectrum of functional consequences is expected to follow this genotypic diversity. Hence, the search for a common pathomechanism among the different phenotypes has become the holy grail of functional research into IPNs. During the last decade, studies on several affected genes have shown a direct and/or indirect correlation with autophagy. Autophagy, a cellular homeostatic process, is required for the removal of cell aggregates, long-lived proteins and dead organelles from the cell in double-membraned vesicles destined for the lysosomes. As an evolutionarily highly conserved process, autophagy is essential for the survival and proper functioning of the cell. Recently, neuronal cells have been shown to be particularly vulnerable to disruption of the autophagic pathway. Furthermore, autophagy has been shown to be affected in various common neurodegenerative diseases of both the central and the peripheral nervous system including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases. In this review we provide an overview of the genes involved in hereditary neuropathies which are linked to autophagy and we propose the disruption of the autophagic flux as an emerging common pathomechanism. We also shed light on the different steps of the autophagy pathway linked to these genes. Finally, we review the concept of autophagy being a therapeutic target in IPNs, and the possibilities and challenges of this pathway-specific targeting.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to go beyond the market–consumer intersection and investigate consumer collecting as a network constellation, which includes a range of material and human actants.

Design/methodology/approach
This research adopts a qualitative research process that includes non-participatory netnography and semi-structured online interviews to collect both textual and visual data. Researchers drew from the field of visual anthropology to analyse the visual data. In addition, thematic analysis was used to identify, analyse and report the patterns within textual data.

Findings
Findings of this research reveals key agentic properties of collection constellations and explains how they contribute to the development of seriality and the experience of novelty by shaping curatorial practices within collection pursuits. From the time a collection has been assembled to its countless re-configurations, the network that is composed of a focal collector and a host of other actants interacting within a particular collecting ecology plays an essential role in challenging the agency of the market and the individual collectors.

Research limitations/implications
Although this research investigated consumer collecting from a network perspective, it did not explore changes within those constellations and how such changes implicate collecting behaviour. Therefore, future research may benefit from investigating network transformations on consumer collecting, particularly on curatorial practices and how they shape the trajectory of consumer collections.

Practical implications
Understanding collecting as a relational and iterative "network constellation" enables marketers to engage with their consumers in a more meaningful way. By actively seeking to use the network agentic properties, brands can aid avid handbag consumers and passionate collectors to keep their collections relevant and meaningful. It allows brands to play a role beyond the purchasing stage that characterises the market–consumer intersection and build comprehensive relationships with their consumers. Particularly, by adopting a networked approach, brands can provide collectors with privileged and scientific brand knowledge to help them caretake and experience their cherished possessions.

Originality/value
This study goes beyond the market–consumer intersection and atomistic explanations of collecting phenomena in its investigation and theorises collecting as a relational and iterative "network constellation". It challenges the subject-oriented ontology of collections literature through explaining how such network interactions inspire collecting behaviours, help collectors maintain and celebrate their cherished collections and change the trajectory of collections pursuits.


Abstract In his theory of criticism, D. N. Walton presupposes that an opponent either critically questions an argument, without supplementing this questioning with any reasoning of her own, or that she puts forward a critical question and supplements it with a counterargument, that is, with reasoning in defense of an opposite position of her own. In this paper, I show that there is a kind of in-between critical option for the opponent that needs to be taken into account in any classification of types of criticism, and that should not be overlooked in a system of dialogue norms, nor in a procedure for developing a strategically expedient critique. In this third option, an opponent questions and overtly doubts a statement of the proponent and supplements her doubts with a counterconsideration that explains and motivates her position of critical doubt, yet without supporting any opposite thesis, thereby assisting, as it were, the proponent in his attempt to develop a responsive argumentation, tailor-made to convince this particular opponent. First, I elaborate on the notion of an explanatory counterconsideration. Second, I discuss Walton's distinction between premises that can be challenged by mere questioning ("ordinary premises" and "assumptions") and premises that must be challenged by incurring the obligation to offer counter-argumentation (somewhat confusingly labeled "exceptions"). I contend that the latter type of premises, that I would label "normality premises," can be attacked without incurring a genuine burden of proof. Instead, it can be attacked by means of incurring a burden of criticism (Van Laar and Krabbe, 2013) that amounts to the obligation to offer an explanatory counterconsideration, rather than a convincing ex concessis argument. Of course, providing the opponent with the right to discharge her burden of criticism with explanatory counterconsiderations brings a clear strategic ad- vantage to her. It is much less demanding to motivate one's doubts regarding proposition P, than to convince the proponent of not-P. If we want to encourage opponents to act critically, and proponents to develop responsive arguments, the importance of the notions of an explanatory counterconsideration and of a motivated doubt should be emphasized in the theory of criticism.


Wordnets are rich lexico-semantic resources. Linked wordnets are extensions of wordnets, which link similar concepts in wordnets of different languages. Such resources are extremely useful in many Natural Language Processing (NLP) applications, primarily those based on knowledge-based approaches. In such approaches, these resources are considered as gold standard/oracle. Thus, it is crucial that these resources hold correct information. Thereby, they are created by human experts. However, human experts in multiple languages are hard to come by. Thus, the community would benefit from sharing of such manually created resources. In this paper, we release mappings of 18 Indian language wordnets linked with Princeton WordNet. We believe that availability of such resources will have a direct impact on the progress in NLP for these languages.


Abstract Earlier activities on health technology assessment (HTA) started in Spain around 1984, with the creation of a National Advisory Board on HTA, and the development of national and regional HTA organizations in the early 1990s. In 2012, the Spanish Health Ministry established the Spanish Network for Health Technology Assessment of the National Health System (RedETS); funded at national level and including all public HTA organizations at national and regional levels. RedETSis focused on the assessment of nondrug health technologies to inform the revision (approval and funding or disinvestment) of the Benefit Portfolio of the Spanish NHS. In parallel with European Network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA), RedETS has been setting-up and sharing common procedures and methodological guidelines to ensure effective cooperation and mutual recognition of the scientific and technical production in HTA. The output of RedETS is fifty to sixty annual reports, including the production of full HTA reports, Clinical Practice Guidelines, methodological guidance reports, relative effectiveness assessments, tools to support shared decision making between patients and healthcare professionals, and monitoring studies. The HTA assessments requested by the Regional Health Authorities are the biggest component of the annual RedETS working plan. These assessment needs are identified according to a yearly process and prioritized by a Commission composed of representatives from all Spanish regions with the aid of the PRITEC tool. The objectives of this study are to report and update the normative and organizational state of HTA in Spain; describing noteworthy advances witnessed over the past 10 years, as well as discussing existing challenges.


Generic programming libraries have historically traded efficiency in return for convenience, and the generics-sop library is no exception. It offers a simple, uniform, representation of all datatypes precisely as a sum of products, making it easy to write generic functions. We show how to finally make generics-sop fast through the use of staging with Typed Template Haskell.


Introduction: Because of undesirable serum lipoprotein profiles, postmenopausal women are at risk of cardiovascular disease. Soy protein may help protect against these risk factors although its effect on homocysteine and Lp (a) is not clear; however, the effects of soy bean in hyperlipidemic postmenopausal women has not been assessed independently yet. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of soy bean on serum concentration of homocysteine, Lp(a) and lipoproteins in hyperlipidemic postmenopausal women. Material and Methods: In a randomised clinical trial with parallel design, 34 hyperlipidemic postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to group 1 and given 130 g soy bean containing 50 g/d soy protein and 159/9mg isoflavones, while group 2 continued their usual diet for 10 weeks (controls). Serum lipoproteins, homocysteine and Lp (a) were measured at baseline and after the 10 th week. Results: There were significant decreases in Lp (a) LDL-c, TC, LDL-c/HDL-c, TG/HDL-c, TC/HDL-c in group 1, as compared to group 2, after ten weeks of study (p<0.05, p<0.001, p<0.01, p<0.01, p<0.05 and p<0.05 respectively) at the end of the study. Similarly, Lp(a), homocysteine, LDL-c, TC, LDL-c/HDL-c, TG/HDL-c, TC/HDL were significantly decreased ( p<0.01, p<0.05 p<0.01, p<0.01, p<0.01, p<0.05, p<0.01) at the end of the study, compared with initial values of the soy group. Conclusion: We can conclude that Soy protein reduces CVD risk in postmenopausal women because of both modest reductions in serum lipoproteins and Lp(a) in hyperlipidemic postmenopausal women.


In this paper we are drafting the outline of a framework for a Multi Agent System (MAS) for the support of Collaborative Design in the architectural domain. The system we are proposing makes use of Machine Learning (ML) techniques to infer personalized knowledge from observing a users' action in a generic working environment using standard tools such as CAD packages. We introduce and discuss possible strategies to combine Concept Modelling (CM)-based approaches using existing ontologies with statistical analysis of action sequences within a domain specific application. In a later step, Agent technologies will be used to gather additional related information from external resources such as examples of similar problems on the users hard disk, from corresponding work of team-members within an intranet or from advises of expert from different knowledge domains, themselves represented by agents. As users deny or reward resulting proposals offered by the agent(s) through an interface the system will be enhanced over time using methods like Reinforced Learning.


The recent macroeconomic literature dealing with fiscal policy multipliers is dominated by applications of aggregate DSGE (Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium) models, whereas multi-sectoral models (econometric input-output or CGE) are absent. This paper contributes to the debate from a multi-regional, multi-sectoral perspective. The macroeconomic input-output model applied covers 67 countries (plus a statistical rest of world) and incorporates model blocks for private consumption, production, the labour market and the public sector. Household consumption follows the permanent income hypothesis, but with important liquidity constraints. This study calculates macroeconomic and sectoral impacts of fiscal policy in one peripheral EU economy (Spain) as well as their inter-regional spillovers to the rest of Europe. Multipliers are about 1.9 for public consumption and 1.2 for household taxes or transfers in the case of high liquidity constraints (1.6 and 0.9, respectively, for low liquidity constraints). Partially endogenous public spending produces additional domestic effects as well as relatively large spillovers for some highly indebted European countries.


Background: Chest ultrasound (CUS) has been shown to be a sensitive and specific imaging modality for pneumothorax, pneumonia, and pleural effusions. However, the role of chest ultrasound in the diagnosis of thoracic tuberculosis (TB) is uncertain. We performed a systematic search in the medical literature to better define the potential role and value of chest ultrasound in diagnosing thoracic tuberculosis. Aim: To describe existing literature with regard to the diagnostic value of chest ultrasound in thoracic tuberculosis. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus databases were searched for relevant articles. We included studies that used chest ultrasound for the diagnosis or management of any form of thoracic tuberculosis, including pulmonary, pleural, mediastinal, and military forms. Results: We identified five main fields of chest ultrasound application: (1) Detection, characterization, and quantification of TB; (2) detection of residual pleural thickening after evacuation; (3) chest ultrasound-guided needle biopsy; (4) identification of pathologic mediastinal lymph nodes in children; and (5) identification of parenchymal ultrasound patterns. Effusion was also detected, in early stages, with signs of organization in 24–100% of patients. A low to moderate (10–23%), false negative rate was reported for chest ultrasound-guided needle biopsy. CUS was able to identify mediastinal lymph nodes in as many as 67% of patients with negative chest radiography. Conclusions: Very few studies with important methodological limitations analyze the role of chest ultrasound in the diagnosis of TB. The scarce available data suggests potential targets of future diagnostic or feasibility trials, such as the detection of tuberculosis–related pleural effusion, residual pleural thickening, lymphadenopathy, TB parenchymal patterns, or the use of CUS in biopsy guidance.


Time-division duplex (TDD)-based massive MIMO systems rely on the reciprocity of the wireless propagation channels when calculating the downlink precoders based on uplink pilots. However, the effective uplink and downlink channels incorporating the analog radio front-ends of the base station (BS) and user equipments (UEs) exhibit non-reciprocity due to non-identical behavior of the individual transmit and receive chains. When the downlink precoder is not aware of such channel non-reciprocity (NRC), system performance can be significantly degraded due to the NRC-induced interference terms. In this paper, we consider a general TDD-based massive MIMO system where frequency-response mismatches at both the BS and UEs, as well as the mutual coupling mismatches at the BS large-antenna system all coexist and induce channel NRC. Based on the NRC-impaired signal models, we first propose a novel iterative estimation method for acquiring both the BS and UE side NRC matrices and then also propose an efficient NRC-aware downlink precoder design which utilizes the obtained estimates. Furthermore, an efficient pilot signaling scheme between the BS and UEs is introduced in order to facilitate executing the proposed estimation method and the NRC-aware precoding technique in practical systems. Comprehensive numerical results indicate substantially improved spectral efficiency performance when the proposed NRC estimation and NRC-aware precoding methods are adopted, compared to the existing state-of-the-art methods.


Progesterone receptor levels in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells increase as a specific response to estrogen and to some nonsteroidal antiestrogens. In the present study we demonstrate that the type and quantity of serum present during culture of these cells modifies the level of progestin binding activity, but not the level of estradiol binding activity. MCF-7 cells maintained in media supplemented with 5% charcoal-dextran treated calf serum (CDCS) contain 0.3 - 0.4 pmol of cytosol progesterone receptor (PRc) per mg DNA. When cells previously maintained in 5% CDCS-media are shifted to media containing 5% charcoal-dextran treated fetal calf serum (CDFCS), the level of progestin binding increases after day 16, and stabilizes at 2 - 3 pmol/mg DNA at days 30 to 40. Shifting these cells back to 5% CDCS-media, reduces PRc to 0.2 - 0.4 pmol/mg DNA within 3 days. This reduction is dose dependent with a half-optimal decrease at 1% CDCS, and a full decrease at 2% CDCS (4d incubation). Nuclear progestin binding was uniformly low (0.2 - 0.4 pmol/mg DNA) and unaffected by type or concentration of serum, and no consistent change in cytosol or nuclear estrogen receptor levels was observed. These cytoplasmic progestin binding sites are translocated to the nucleus by progesterone, and are similar to estradiol (E2) induced sites by Scatchard binding and sucrose gradient analysis. Similar serum-dependent changes are also observed in the T47D human breast cancer cell line where growth in CDFCS-media results in 4-fold higher progestin binding levels than observed in CDCS-media. Our findings suggest the presence of non-dialyzable stimulatory factor(s) in CDFCS that influence the progestin receptor level and highlight the fact that serum components can alter dramatically the cellular progestin binding activity.


Browser APIs are essential to the modern web experience. Due to their large number and complexity, they vastly expand the attack surface of browsers. To detect vulnerabilities in these APIs, fuzzers generate test cases with a large amount of random API invocations. However, the massive search space formed by arbitrary API combinations hinders their effectiveness: since randomly-picked API invocations unlikely interfere with each other (i.e., compute on partially shared data), few interesting API interactions are explored. Consequently, reducing the search space by revealing inter-API relations is a major challenge in browser fuzzing. We propose Minerva, an efficient browser fuzzer for browser API bug detection. The key idea is to leverage API interference relations to reduce redundancy and improve coverage. Minerva consists of two modules: dynamic mod-ref analysis and guided code generation. Before fuzzing starts, the dynamic mod-ref analysis module builds an API interference graph. It first automatically identifies individual browser APIs from the browser's code base. Next, it instruments the browser to dynamically collect mod-ref relations between APIs. During fuzzing, the guided code generation module synthesizes highly-relevant API invocations guided by the mod-ref relations. We evaluate Minerva on three mainstream browsers, i.e. Safari, FireFox, and Chromium. Compared to state-of-the-art fuzzers, Minerva improves edge coverage by 19.63% to 229.62% and finds 2x to 3x more unique bugs. Besides, Minerva has discovered 35 previously-unknown bugs out of which 20 have been fixed with 5 CVEs assigned and acknowledged by browser vendors.


Abstract The fossil record of platychelyid turtles expands from the Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) of Cuba to the Early Cretaceous (Valanginian) of Colombia. Platychelyids were adapted to freshwater to coastal environments. Current phylogenies confidently suggest that platychelyids are situated along the stem lineage of crown Pleurodira. A taxonomic review of the group concludes that of six named "platychelyid" taxa, four are valid and two are nomina nuda. Dortokids are a poorly understood group of freshwater aquatic turtles that are restricted to the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) to Eocene (Lutetian) of Europe. The phylogenetic position of the group is still under debate, but there is some evidence that these turtles are positioned along the stem lineage of crown Pleurodira as well. A taxonomic review of the group concludes that of four named dortokid taxa, two are valid, one is a nomen invalidum and one a nomen nudum.


The use of "turbo codes" has been proposed for several applications, including the development of wireless systems, where highly reliable transmission is required at very low signal-to-noise ratios (SNR). The problem of extracting the best coding gains from these kind of codes has been deeply investigated in the last years. Also the hardware implementation of turbo codes is a very challenging topic, mainly due to the iterative nature of the decoding process, which demands an operating frequency much higher than the data rate; in the case of wireless applications, the design constraints became even more strict due to the low-cost and low-power requirements. This paper first presents a new architecture for the decoder core with improved area and power dissipation properties; then partitioning techniques are proposed to reduce the power consumption of the decoder memories. It is proven that most of the power is dissipated by the large RAM units required by the decoder, so the described technique is very efficient: an average power saving of 70% with an area overhead of 23% has been obtained on a set of analyzed architectures.


Based on a printed handout originally created by Allen Riedy (previous curator of the Southeast Asia Collections), this guide offers basic sources of information on Southeast Asia and the countries of SEA.


In the field of new decontaminants, there is an increasing consensus that improved disinfection of environmental surfaces is needed in patient care facilities as an important component in the overall strategy for prevention of HAI. The interaction of cold atmospheric plasma, i.e. an ionized gas, with liquids results in complex physical and chemical processes, which offer a source of short-lived and long-lived reactive chemical species that are critical for microbial inactivation. These solutions may fulfil the urgent need for new decontaminant solutions for special purposes such as disinfection of surfaces, or use as an antiseptic for body surfaces. In this study, we explored the bactericidal effects of plasma activated liquids (PALs) on E.coli and S. aureus strains and investigated factors which influence PALs stability over time. Liquids of interest were non-complex solutions such as water and saline. An atmospheric cold plasma system using air was employed for the generation of PALs. The solutions were compared with respect to their content of long-lived reactive chemical species and bactericidal effects. Our results documented that PALs may carry different concentrations of chemical species and maintain diverse antimicrobial properties. The bactericidal activity of these solutions demonstrated high thermal stability and could be preserved over a 6 month period through specific sub-ambient storage conditions. Investigation of the inactivation processes in relation to the PALs' chemical composition will enhance our knowledge on how prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells respond to these, and demonstrate how PALs could be a promising treatment method for future applications, with chemical and antimicrobial stability.


The NTPR maintains an ongoing database to study the outcomes of pregnancies in female transplant recipients as well as those pregnancies fathered by male transplant recipients. Recipients are entered into the database by completing. a single page questionnaire. There is steady follow-up of recipients and their offspring. While the majority of pregnancy outcomes have occurred in kidney recipients, data continue to accrue in the other types of organ recipients. KIDNEY: A small percentage of pregnancies in female kidney recipients are complicated by rejection with poorer outcomes with respect to both maternal graft function and their newborn. Other analyses this year focused on outcomes of recipients with systemic lupus erythematosus and those with multiple gestations. It was observed that recipients with systemic lupus erythematosus were able to maintain a pregnancy with outcomes that appear to be similar to other diagnoses. In an analysis of multiple gestations in female kidney recipients maintained on calcineurin inhibitors, no multiple gestations higher than triplets have been reported to the NTPR. Successful outcomes have been noted among these recipients. This does require continued surveillance, as there has been an increase in the number of multiple gestations in the general population with the use of adjunctive technologies. OTHER ORGANS: In analyzing outcomes in female liver recipients, no specific graft or newborn outcome differences have been noted when a comparison has been made between different caicineurin inhibitor regimens. Pregnancies in female pancreas-kidney recipients appear to be tolerated with respect to pancreas graft function with no diagnoses of gestational diabetes reported to the NTPR. Data continue to accrue among thoracic recipients. Poorer maternal survival postpartum in lung recipients may be related to higher risks inherent in this population and requires further experience and investigation. OTHER ISSUES: With the recent proliferation of newer immunosuppressive agents, a question that is raised is whether a regimen can be specifically designed with recipients of childbearing age in mind. Extensive data published on azathioprine and cyclosporine treated recipients suggests that while there is a pattern of prematurity among the newborn there has not been an increase in the incidence or pattern of specific malformations noted among the newborn. Less assurance can be given with newer agents such as sirolimus and MMF. Calcineurin inhibitor minimization or steroid withdrawal would require that other agents with less reproductive information be implemented. The unknown risk of teratogenicity must be balanced against the potential risk of rejection or graft dysfunction when deciding which agent to use during pregnancy. Through each of the organ recipient groups, there are sporadic cases of rejection, graft dysfunction, and graft deterioration. Birth defect patterns have not appeared to be specific to any specific regimen as yet. Two newborns with malformations have been noted among a limited series with MMF exposure, but other factors may also be at play. The use of MMF during pregnancy continues to be an unresolved issue in the transplant community. As yet, no one regimen has been identified as superior to another for use during pregnancy. Continued surveillance with the newer agents is necessary. Investigators have taken differing views regarding the safety of breastfeeding in the transplant recipient population, especially with regard to drug exposure to the infant. This issue remains unresolved and some transplant recipient mothers have chosen to breastfeed. Other factors for consideration are the potential long-term effects on offspring of transplant recipients. While there may not be specific structural defects noted at birth, more subtle effects on either immunologic or reproductive function may not manifest until later in life. Scott and his group in Utah have raised this issue with a case report and have initiated a study to focus on the next generation. The safety of pregnancy for parent and child remain the goals of the NTPR. Continued entries to the registry, especially in light of newer combinations of immunosuppressive agents, should assist in developing guidelines needed for management in this era of expanding immunosuppressive agents. All centers are encouraged to participate.


Exoplanetary systems closest to the Sun, with the brightest host stars, provide the most favorable opportunities for characterization studies of the host star and their planet(s). The Transit Ephemeris Refinement and Monitoring Survey uses both new radial velocity (RV) measurements and photometry in order to greatly improve planetary orbit uncertainties and the fundamental properties of the star, in this case HD 130322. The only companion, HD 130322b, orbits in a relatively circular orbit, e = 0.029 every ∼10.7 days. We have compiled RV measurements from multiple sources, including 12 unpublished from the Keck I telescope, over the course of ∼14 yr and have reduced the uncertainty in the transit midpoint to ∼2 hr. The transit probability for the b-companion is 4.7%, where M p sin i = 1.15 M J ?> and a = 0.0925 AU. In this paper, we compile photometric data from the T11 0.8 m Automated Photoelectric Telescope at Fairborn Observatory taken over ∼14 yr, including the constrained transit window, which results in a dispositive null result for both full transit exclusion of HD 130322b to a depth of 0.017 mag and grazing transit exclusion to a depth of ∼0.001 mag. Our analysis of the starspot activity via the photometric data reveals a highly accurate stellar rotation period: 26.53 ± 0.70 days. In addition, the brightness of the host with respect to the comparison stars is anti-correlated with the Ca ii H and K indices, typical for a young solar-type star.


A water-soluble phosphate prodrug of N-acetylcolchinol with potential antiangiogenesis and antineoplastic activities. ZD-6126 is converted in vivo into N-acetylcolchinol. Nacetylcolchinol binds to and destabilizes the tubulin cytoskeleton of endothelial cells in tumor blood vessels, which may result in tumor endothelial cell apoptosis, the selective occlusion of tumor blood vessels, cessation of tumor blood flow, and tumor necrosis. Qeios · Definition, February 7, 2020


We show that the relative phase of the grating components has a large effect on the temporal behavior of four-wave mixing. When the two main components of the grating are in phase, the temporal behavior, especially during grating erasure, is totally different from that when the two components are out of phase. We give experimental results of orthogonally polarized four-wave mixing for two different BaTiO3 crystals that are in good agreement with our theoretical calculations. In our calculations we use a simplified numerical method to solve the coupled-wave equations, and the temporal analysis is based on a model with multiple charge recombination.


A novel absorption refrigeration system is proposed in this context using R134a+R23 mixed refrigerants and DMF solvent. The new system uses two-staged absorber in series to reduce the evaporation pressure and can obtain a lower refrigeration temperature by the low-grade thermal energy. From thermodynamic analysis, the key factors are discussed on the performances of the new system. Under the same working conditions, comparisons on the performances are also conducted between the new one and an auto-cascade absorption refrigeration system with single-absorber. Experiments are conducted to investigate the key effecting factors on the performances of the new system and a single-absorber auto-cascade absorption refrigeration system. The experimental results show that the new system can achieve a lower refrigeration temperature under the same working condition. The lowest refrigeration temperature of the new system reaches to -62.3°C with a COP of 0.023 under a generation temperature of 184.4°C, condensing temperature of 18.8°C, and absorption temperatures of 26.4°C at the low-pressure absorber, and 28.5°C at the high-pressure absorber.


Integrated surface electrical resistivity survey, borehole drilling and insitu testing by CPT were used to determine engineering geological properties of soils underlying Warri metropolis for the planning and design of civil engineering structures. Results revealed that three major sub-soil types underlie the area characterized by dry, swampy and marshy ground conditions. These soils occur in the dry plains and swampy areas, from top to bottom, as silty sand, clayey sand and sand. However in the marshy NPA area, only two soil layers occur: the top 6m thick organic clay layer overlying the sand layer. The geotechnical properties suggest that all the layers can support structural loads from civil structures, provided foundation design is preceded by adequate subsoil investigation to provide construction specific data.


The objective of this project is to analyze net heat transfer rate in shell and tube heat exchanger using nano particle suspended in different base fluids such as Water and Ethylene glycol. The thermophysical properties of naofluid mixture like density, thermal conductivity, specific heat, viscosity and density were predicted by analytical method. Then, the shell and tube heat exchanger using aluminium metal is created using CATIA and flow and thermal analysis is created using ANASYS.


AbstractMechanical performance and tissue content of high-energy phosphates were studied in working rat hearts, isolated from normal rats, or from daily subcutaneously injected with isoproterenol for one day or seven days (5 mg/kg b.w.) and atrially perfused. Isoproterenol pretreatment led to a significant decrease in myocardial content of ATP, ADP. After 75-min perfusion, the content of ATP, ADP, AMP and CP was significantly lower in pretreated hearts than in untreated. On the other hand, isoproterenol-treated hearts exhibited higher aortic pressure, oxygen consumption, left ventricular systolic pressure and d (L.V.P.) max/dt and heart work. It is suggested from these findings that isoproterenol pretreatment of rats improve cardiac work and decrease efficiency in ISO.24 h group and improve cardiac work and efficiency in ISO.7 days group.


We propose a non‐parametric multiple imputation scheme, NPMLE imputation, for the analysis of interval censored survival data. Features of the method are that it converts interval‐censored data problems to complete data or right censored data problems to which many standard approaches can be used, and that measures of uncertainty are easily obtained. In addition to the event time of primary interest, there are frequently other auxiliary variables that are associated with the event time. For the goal of estimating the marginal survival distribution, these auxiliary variables may provide some additional information about the event time for the interval censored observations. We extend the imputation methods to incorporate information from auxiliary variables with potentially complex structures. To conduct the imputation, we use a working failure‐time proportional hazards model to define an imputing risk set for each censored observation. The imputation schemes consist of using the data in the imputing risk sets to create an exact event time for each interval censored observation. In simulation studies we show that the use of multiple imputation methods can improve the efficiency of estimators and reduce the effect of missing visits when compared to simpler approaches. We apply the approach to cytomegalovirus shedding data from an AIDS clinical trial, in which CD4 count is the auxiliary variable. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Background— Changes in lifestyle and advances in medical technology during the past half century are likely to have affected the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease and the prevalence of its risk factors in Japan. Methods and Results— We established 5 cohorts consisting of residents aged ≥40 years in a Japanese community, in 1961 (n=1618), 1974 (n=2038), 1983 (n=2459), 1993 (n=1983), and 2002 (n=3108), and followed up each cohort for 7 years. The age-adjusted incidence of stroke decreased greatly, by 51% in men and by 43% in women, from the 1960s to the 1970s, but this decreasing trend slowed from the 1970s to the 2000s. Among the stroke subtypes, ischemic stroke in both sexes and intracerebral hemorrhage in men showed a similar pattern. Stroke mortality decreased as a result of the decline in incidence and a significant improvement in survival rate. Although the incidence of acute myocardial infarction did not change in either sex, disease mortality declined slightly in women. From the 1960s to the 2000s, blood pressure control among hypertensive individuals improved significantly and the smoking rate decreased, but the prevalence of glucose intolerance, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity increased steeply. Conclusions— Our findings suggest that in Japanese, the decreasing trends in the incidence of ischemic stroke have recently slowed down, and there has been no clear change in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction, probably because the benefits of hypertension control and smoking cessation have been negated by increasing metabolic risk factors.


This work presents the efficient, matrix-free finite-element library hyper.deal for solving partial differential equations in two up to six dimensions with high-order discontinuous Galerkin methods. It builds upon the low-dimensional finite-element library deal.II to create complex low-dimensional meshes and to operate on them individually. These meshes are combined via a tensor product on the fly, and the library provides new special-purpose highly optimized matrix-free functions exploiting domain decomposition as well as shared memory via MPI-3.0 features. Both node-level performance analyses and strong/weak-scaling studies on up to 147,456 CPU cores confirm the efficiency of the implementation. Results obtained with the library hyper.deal are reported for high-dimensional advection problems and for the solution of the Vlasov–Poisson equation in up to six-dimensional phase space.


Lawyers enjoy an exclusive monopoly over their craft, one unlike any profession or industry. They bar all others from offering legal representation. In most jurisdictions, lawyer-judges draft, enact, and enforce their own professional conduct rules as well as preside over any legal challenge to the rules' validity. Lawyer regulation purports to protect the public and preserve professionalism, but it also reduces competition, constrains information, and maintains artificially high prices. Consequently, much of the American public goes without help when a lawyer is needed.
Federal antitrust law typically steps in to remedy this sort of pervasive market control, promoting competition and free markets for the public good. The legal profession, however, largely avoids antitrust scrutiny because the courts fall into a special exception known as the 'state action doctrine,' permitting anticompetitive actions by governmental bodies to engage in what otherwise would be illegal, anticompetitive activity. But a key presumption justifying this exception—that the regulators are not themselves members of the regulated profession or industry—is not true for most lawyer regulation. Accordingly, this Article proposes applying federal antitrust law to scrutinize the legal monopoly, and suggests that doing so may increase access to affordable legal services while preserving professionalism and client protection.


The California oyster industry is an interesting example of man's adapting an otherwise unproductive part of the landscape to his benefit. His efforts to raise exotic oyster species on barren, tidal mud-flats along a coast where there is no native oyster stock of commercial value have met with both success and failure, and the industry has been marked by wide fluctuations in activity over its 110-year history. California was the leading Pacific coast oyster producer during the latter 19th century, followed closely by Washington. Production in Oregon was comparatively insignificant. After the decline early in this century of the San Francisco Bay oyster industry based on young oysters imported from the east coast, the California industry had a marginal existence until a major revival of the industry in the mid-1950's. At that time, large-scale plantings of young oysters imported from Japan, raised California oyster production to a level similar to that achieved in the late 19th century. By volume of production, California in 1958 was second ranking oyster producer on the Pacific coast, and seventh ranked among all United States oyster producing states. The latter rank was due to declining production on the east coast as well as to increased production in California. Two general accounts of California's oyster industry development have been published. One was by Charles Townsend (1893), who visited the oyster growing area of San Francisco Bay a number of times during the late 1880's in the course of his work aboard the United States Bureau of Fisheries' steamer Albatross. The other account was by Paul Bonnot (1935), California Division of Fish and Game, whose principal contribution was a description of developments in the industry in the 1930's connected with introducing Pacific oysters from Japan and the attempt to establish a native oyster industry. There appears to be no published account of the California oyster industry covering its entire history and utilizing all the scattered materials relating to the subject, particularly to its current condition. I have attempted to supply such an account in this paper.


This work describes a method for surface regeneration of microfluidic microarray printheads through plasma techniques. Modification procedures were chosen in a way to obtain high reproducibility with a minimum of time consumption. The idea behind this is a complete regeneration of a microarray printhead before or after usage to achieve best printing results over a typical print job. A sequence of low-pressure oxygen-plasma and plasma polymerization with hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) was used to regenerate printheads. Proof of the concept is given through quality control performed with a spotter implemented CCD camera, contact angle measurements and a typical hybridization experiment. Stable printing results were obtained over 3000 activations showing that the presented method is suitable for treatment of microarray printheads.


The so-called Harrod–Balassa–Samuelson model implies that relative prices of non-traded goods may be nonstationary and, hence, that PPP should preferably be tested on real exchange rates based on prices of traded goods only. A simple test for PPP among traded goods is proposed that can be applied to real exchange rates based on prices of all (that is, both traded and non-traded) goods. The study shows through simulations that the test is reliable for a sample size commonly considered in practice. Upon applying the test to bilateral real exchange rates based on the general CPI among a group of industrialized countries during the post Bretton Woods period, we find little evidence in favour of PPP among traded goods. This does not change when we use real exchange rates based on various components of the CPI.


The thesis is an examination and discussion of the responses of British
governments to developments in labour and socialist organisations between
1916 and 1926. The first chapter is concerned with the growing recognition
of the increased power of labour under the conditions of modern war.
Yet governments, it is argued, failed to develop a coherent labour policy
and often acted in a confused and contradictory manner. The second chapter
begins with an analysis of the post war crisis when many politicians
began to regard revolution as a real possibility. They developed two
agencies, the Special Branch and the Supply and Transport Organisation in
order to deal with the situation. It is argued that in its original form
the latter was not only costly but politically dangerous and ineffective.
Later developments were not only cheaper but based on a more sophisticated
understanding of the political strengths of a modern state. The third
chapter is concerned with the responses of British socialists to the state.
It includes some discussion of theoretical influences, an examination of
the attempts of the Communist Party to implement Lenin's teachings on
state and revolution, and a discussion of the first Labour Government in
respect of the implications for socialist strategies with regard to the
state. The final chapter is concerned to argue that while superior organisation
and resources played their part in the Government's victory in
the General Strike, it was Baldwin's political manoeuvres which were the
most important element of the campaign. In conclusion there is some discussion
of attempts which have been made to characterise the development
of the British state in this period. The reality, it is argued, was far
more prosaic than many accounts would suggest. Politicians achieved the
stability they sought but they did so not by dramatic innovation but by
constant political endeavor based on marginal readjustment and this reapplication
of traditional themes and structures.


We show that the introduction of triangulations with variable connectivity and fluctuating egde-lengths (Random Regge Triangulations) allows for a relatively simple and direct analyisis of the modular properties of 2 dimensional simplicial quantum gravity. In particular, we discuss in detail an explicit bijection between the space of possible random Regge triangulations (of given genus g and with N0 vertices) and a suitable decorated version of the (compactified) moduli space of genus g Riemann surfaces with N0 punctures Mg,N0 . Such an analysis allows us to associate a WeilPetersson metric with the set of random Regge triangulations and prove that the corresponding volume provides the dynamical triangulation partition function for pure gravity. PACS: 04.60.Nc, 04.60.K


Our mother Earth has a finite carrying capacity. For our sustenance she is supplying clean water for drinking, fresh air to breathe and arrangement for food and shelter for sustenance. As time passes, population has been growing rapidly, thus prompting the growth global production, consumption and increasing of load to mother earth. If the load exceeds the carrying capacity it will trigger back to the human civilization and ultimately the system will be collapsed. According to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the direction of spontaneous change in load pattern in an isolated system of mother earth is towards maximum disorder which is rather called as environmental disorderliness. The task for new paradigm of development has been a model for the solution through clean energy technology in the connecting urban continuum. All these discussion has been presented in several Chapters in a coherent manner of this post-doctoral research work.


BACKGROUND
People in rural Bangladesh have a poor understanding of the link between use of contaminated surface water and disease. An inexpensive point-of-use water treatment agent was developed to purify surface water.

METHODS
Surface water was collected from various sources in Bangladesh from February 2007 to January 2008. Microbiological and physicochemical parameters of raw and treated surface water were analysed. Water was treated with a mixture of alum potash, bleaching powder and lime, or with each agent individually.

RESULTS
Raw water was contaminated with bacteria, the counts for total coliforms, faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci being 26,431, 14,548 and 240 colony-forming units (cfu) 100 ml(-1), respectively. These counts fell to 0 cfu 100 ml(-1) after treatment with the mixture. The count of artificially introduced Vibrio cholerae was also reduced to 0 cfu 100 ml(-1) after treatment. Treatment of raw water altered the pH from 6.90 to 6.87, turbidity from 21.61 to 3.55 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), residual chlorine from 0 to 0.09 mg litre(-1), conductivity from 124.03 to 229.96 µS cm(-1), and total dissolved solids from 59.40 to 199.25 mg litre(-1). All these results of treatment were within the range recommended by the WHO as acceptable for drinking water.

CONCLUSION
The mixture of alum potash, bleaching powder and lime described can be safely used to disinfect contaminated surface water to make it suitable for drinking and other household purposes in Bangladesh.


This work documents and evaluates the tropospheric gas-phase chemical mechanism MOGUNTIA in the threedimensional chemistry transport model TM5-MP. Compared to the modified CB05 (mCB05) chemical mechanism previously 20 used in the model, the MOGUNTIA includes a detailed representation of the light hydrocarbons (C1-C4) and isoprene, along with a simplified chemistry representation of terpenes and aromatics. Another feature implemented in TM5-MP for this work is the use of the Rosenbrock solver in the chemistry code, which can replace the classical Euler Backward Integration method of the model. Global budgets of ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), hydroxyl radicals (OH), nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are analyzed and their mixing ratios are compared with a series of surface, aircraft and 25 satellite observations for the year 2006. Both mechanisms appear to be able to satisfactorily represent observed mixing ratios of important trace gases, with the MOGUNTIA chemistry configuration yielding lower biases than mCB05 compared to measurements in most of the cases. However, the two chemical mechanisms fail to reproduce the observed mixing ratios of light VOCs, indicating insufficient primary emission source strengths, too fast oxidation, and/or a low bias in the secondary contribution to C2-C3 organics via VOC atmospheric oxidation. Relative computational memory and time requirements of the 30 different model configurations are also compared and discussed. Overall, the MOGUNTIA scheme simulates a large suite of oxygenated VOCs that are observed in the atmosphere at significant levels. This significantly expands the possible applications of TM5-MP. † Deceased 25 March 2020


The mechanism(s) that generate measurement error matter to inference. Survey measurement error is typically thought to represent simple misreporting correctable through improved measurement. But errors might also or alternatively reflect respondent misperceptions that materially affect the respondent decisions under study. We show analytically that these alternate data generating processes imply different appropriate regression specifications and have distinct effects on the bias in parameter estimates. We introduce a simple empirical technique to generate unbiased estimates under more general conditions and to apportion measurement error between misreporting and misperceptions in measurement error when one has both self-reported and objectively-measured observations of the same explanatory variable. We then apply these techniques to the longstanding question of agricultural intensification: do farmers increase input application rates per unit area as the size of the plots they cultivate decreases? Using nationally representative data from four sub-Saharan African countries, we find strong evidence that measurement error in plot size reflects a mixture of farmer misreporting and misperceptions. The results matter to inference around the intensification hypothesis and call into question whether more objective, precise measures are always preferable when estimating behavioral parameters.


The precise mechanisms underlying the evolution of the genetic code have eluded researchers for decades. The structure and order of the code suggests a biological, chemical, or physical impetus directing the codon assignments, however these forces remain mysterious. In addition, other forces continue to shape the code, generating natural and unnatural variants of the canonical genetic code. My work is split between these two distinct avenues or research : 1) Statistical evidence from ribosome structures suggests that a certain subset of amino acids were assigned to their codons via a stereochemical interaction with their respective anticodons. In addition, a novel in vivo system relying on the ambiguous decoding of isoleucine in E. coli suggests that mRNA sequence context outside of the A-site can influence tRNA selection in the ribosome. The underlying mechanism for this influence may be rooted in stereochemical interactions, as anticodons dominate these contextual moieties. 2) Variant codes can give valuable and rare insights into the continued evolution of the genetic code. Mimicking these types of variation in the lab will grant a valuable tool for this field, however full reassignment has yet to be achieved. Two E. coli strains were generated (JX1.0 and JX3.0) that harbor no genomic copy of release factor one. The UAG codon is now nonsense in these strains, and no longer encodes for a stop signal. In addition, the expression of an unnatural suppression system leads to efficient suppression of the UAG with an unnatural amino acid, and represents the first engineered organism harboring such a reassignment. Suppression of multiple UAG codons in a single protein is efficient and overcomes a major technological hurdle in the field. These advances will leave a lasting imprint on these fields, and will help to further understand the evolution of the genetic code. In addition, the novel techniques, strains, and findings described herein may help to answer many remaining questions regarding both the early and late events in the evolution of the genetic code


Fracture indentation was applied to estimate the fracture toughness of AISI 1018 borided steels. The Fe2B hard layers were formed using the powder-pack boriding process for two temperatures with 4 and 8 h of exposure times. The fracture toughness of the iron boride layer of the AISI 1018 borided steels was estimated using a Vickers microindentation induced-fracture testing at distances of 15 and 30 m from the surface, applying four loads (0.49, 0.98, 1.96 and 2.9 N). The microcracks generated at the corners of the Vickers microindentation were considered as experimental parameters, which are introduced in a Palmqvist crack model to determine their corresponding fracture toughness KC. As a result, the experimental parameters, such as exposure time and boriding temperature are compared with the resulting fracture toughness of the borided phase.


In this article, a robust attitude controller design for an uncommon quadrotor aerial vehicle is discussed. This aerial vehicle is designed to have two big rotors on the longitudinal axis to increase the lift capacity and flight endurance, and two small tilt rotors on the lateral axis to stabilize the attitude. Similar to other multirotors, linearization of the full nonlinear model and using an appropriate rotor mixing matrix give the approximate diagonal attitude model of this quadrotor around hover. However, this ideal model lacks sensor delays, uncertain parameters, flexible modes of a structure, and inexact decoupling dynamics. Therefore, using this model in the control design limits the achievable attitude control performance. Unlike most studies, a system identification method is applied to estimate a more accurate model and increase the resulting attitude control performance. The aim of this paper is to obtain a suitable nominal model with accompanying uncertainty by using robust control criterion in the system identification. In this way, an uncertain model that gives high performance in the subsequent robust control design is obtained. The experimental results show that this combined identification and robust control procedure improves attitude control performance compared to existing classical controller design methods.


The Coccinellidae Recording Scheme, the UK's scheme for mapping coccinellid distributions, was launched in 1968 and was led by Michael Majerus from the 1980s. In the early years participants tended to be experienced naturalists, so to draw others in, Mike set up a very successful offshoot, the Cambridge Ladybird Survey (CLS), a public outreach survey that ran from 1984 to 1994. The CLS generated a huge amount of data and made a significant contribution to Mike's New Naturalist 'Ladybirds' book (1994). When Harmonia axyridis arrived in the UK in late 2004, Mike realised the potential for involving the public in a unique opportunity to study the spread of an invasive animal from the start of the invasion process. Thus the Harlequin Ladybird Survey was launched in early 2005 as one of the first online wildlife surveys in the UK. Over 26,000 online records have been received, enabling a study of unprecedented detail. Mike was very adept at using the media to convey his message. His expertise extended to the Lepidoptera (including evolutionary studies of the peppered moth Biston betularia) and presidency of the Amateur Entomologists' Society, enabling further outreach opportunities.


Electron micrographs of CCL237 and FET cells (two slowly growing, differentiated human colon carcinoma lines) revealed enlarged mitochondria with few cristae. Polarographic measurement of respiratory activity in mitochondria isolated from these cell lines was compared to that of CV-1 cells (a normal monkey kidney epithelial line) and MIP101 cells (another human colon carcinoma line), both of which have mitochondria with a "normal" appearance. The respiratory control ratios of CCL237 and FET mitochondria were found to be considerably lower than those of CV-1 and MIP101 mitochondria (approximately 3 as compared to greater than 10, respectively), indicating that in CCL237 and FET mitochondria the processes of substrate oxidation and phosphorylation of ADP are only loosely coupled. In intact cells, differences in radiolabeled tetraphenylphosphonium uptake showed that the mitochondrial membrane potential in CCL237 and FET cells was less than that in CV-1 and MIP101 cells, and that nigericin failed to hyperpolarize the mitochondria of CCL237 and FET cells. In addition, FET mitochondria exhibited significantly lower ADP-stimulated and uncoupled respiratory rates than mitochondria isolated from the other cell types, indicating that in the former, the capacity for oxidative phosphorylation is somehow impaired. Selective toxicity of FET cells was obtained by treatment with 2-deoxyglucose, an inhibitor of glycolysis, suggesting the possibility of exploiting the phenotype of impaired oxidative metabolism for chemotherapy.


Medical ethics has not always been friendly territory for the social sciences; at least a few sociologists who have wandered across disciplinary borders for a tour report back on unfriendly natives.[1] I should acknowledge, from the first, that I am not among the unhappy visitors. This is not, however, so much because my own brief trips into medical ethics have been met with particularly friendly receptions as because I have been something of an accidental tourist without any great expectations that I would find the comforts of home in foreign territory. Medical ethics--or, more precisely, what might be called philosophical approaches to medical ethics--and social science approaches to medical ethics are characterized by very different purposes. In the first instance, medical ethics is an applied discipline. The social sciences, including, not least, sociology, are primarily academic disciplines. In making this claim, I am aware of its irony. Certainly, philosophical medical ethics, as it has been practiced in the United States, is given to frequent flights of fancy--grand abstractions and frank speculations--that seem far removed from any immediate application. Equally certainly, empirical sociology, particularly in its ethnographic mode, is marked by a preoccupation with the grubby details of life in hospitals and doctors' offices that often seems far removed from any higher analytic issues.[2] Nonetheless, philosophical medical ethics is fairly explicitly a branch of applied philosophy, and even its grandest abstractions are put to the service of formulating procedures and policies useful to "problems of therapeutic practice, health care delivery, and medical and biological research."[3] And it is very much in this spirit that medical ethicists have generated a great number of proposals, many later adopted, for the regulation of experimentation with human subjects, of procedures for allocating scarce organs, for allowing the termination of treatments, for ensuring informed consent, and much more. In contrast, sociologists tend to use even grubby details as a route to more analytic observations. Thus many of the sociologists who have dabbled in areas relevant to medical ethics have often disavowed any interest in the application of their researches to procedures and policies, stressing instead their implications for such abstruse matters as the sociology of the professions, "theories" of organizations, or the social organization of cognition. Ironically, then, it is the medical ethicists, trained in philosophy and theology and given to abstraction, who are often worldly, and it is the sociologists of medical ethics who are often curiously otherworldly. There is, of course, another, probably more conventional distinction between philosophical and social science approaches to medical ethics--that one is normative and the other empirical. But I am not entirely comfortable with this distinction. To be sure, philosophical approaches to medical ethics are typically more explicitly normative than are social science approaches. Similarly, social science approaches are typically far more explicitly empirical. Nonetheless, philosophical medical ethicists not only often incorporate empirical material into their analyses but have recently shown a growing inclination to do so. And while sociologists often seem almost embarrassed about acknowledging the normative aspects of their work, nonetheless, for those sociologists who study medical ethics, the normative implications of their work are often unavoidable, even if it is others who make them explicit. The difference between philosophical and social science approaches to medical ethics is somewhat subtler then than a stark contrast between the normative and the empirical would suggest. To be sure, the philosophers are generally less systematic on matters empirical than the social scientists. For the philosophers it is typically enough to know that a phenomenon exists, regardless of the distributions that often obsessively occupy the social scientists. …


Microwave and Ultrasound assisted organic synthesis has emerged as a new "lead" in organic synthesis. The technique offers simple, clean, fast, efficient, and economic for the synthesis of a large number of organic molecules. In the recent year microwave assisted organic reaction has emerged as new tool in organic synthesis. Important advantage of this technology include highly accelerated rate of the reaction, Reduction in reaction time with an improvement in the yield and quality of the product. A series of various ethyl (quinolin-8-yloxy)acetate derivatives were synthesized by the reaction of chloroethylacetate with substituted 8-hydroxy quinoline under conventional, Ultrasound irradiation and microwave irradiation conditions, purified by recrystallisation and the structure of all the compounds have been confirmed by IR, NMR and Mass spectral data.


Explaining the origin of the orbits of 2000 CR105 (a = 230 AU, q = 44 AU) and 2003 VB12 (a = 531 AU, q = 74 AU, unofficially known as Sedna) is a major test for our understanding of the primordial evolution of the outer solar system. Gladman et al. have shown that 2000 CR105 could not have been a normal member of the scattered disk that had its perihelion distance increased by chaotic diffusion. The same conclusion also clearly applies to 2003 VB12. In this paper, we explore five seemingly promising mechanisms to explain the origin of the orbits of these peculiar objects: (1) the passage of Neptune through a high-eccentricity phase, (2) the past existence of massive planetary embryos in the Kuiper belt or the scattered disk, (3) the presence of a massive trans-Neptunian disk at early epochs that perturbed highly inclined scattered-disk objects, (4) encounters with other stars that perturbed the orbits of some of the solar system's trans-Neptunian planetesimals, and (5) the capture of extrasolar planetesimals from low-mass stars or brown dwarfs encountering the Sun. Of all these mechanisms, the ones giving the most satisfactory results are those related to the passage of stars (4 and 5). An important advantage of both stellar-passage scenarios is that all the resulting objects with large perihelion distances also have large semimajor axes. This is in good agreement with the fact that 2000 CR105 and 2003 VB12 have semimajor axes larger than 200 AU and no other bodies with similar perihelion distances but smaller semimajor axes have yet been discovered. We favor mechanism 4, since it produces an orbital element distribution that is more consistent with the observations, unless 2000 CR105 and 2003 VB12 represent a population more massive than a few tenths of an Earth mass, in which case this mechanism is not viable.


This study aims to access and explore tendencies in the conceptualization of age discrimination and the perceived attitudes towards older people in regions of Finland and Sweden. The analysis draws on GERDA survey data (GErontological Regional DAtabase), a repeated cross-sectional study in which data was collected in 2005 and 2010. The results indicate that the conceptions of age discrimination are changing in a positive direction, which is contrary to results shown in the Eurobarometer. On the basis of balance coefficients we show that conceived attitudes towards older people are changing as well, except for individuals in some sub-groups. We discuss the role of political rhetoric in relation to ageing awareness, the (non)individualization of society and the negotiation of age relations as tentative interpretations that strongly challenge the observed empirical tendencies.


Background Although combination therapy with 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor (5ARI) and alpha-blocker is one of the standard interventions in symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), 5ARI monotherapy is seldom the focus of attention. Adverse events associated with 5ARI include depression and suicidal attempts in addition to persistent erectile dysfunction. The aim of this study is to update our knowledge of clinical efficacy and incidence of adverse events associated with 5ARI treatment in symptomatic BPH. Methods and findings A meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) from 1966 until March, 2017 was performed using database from PubMed, Cochrane Collaboration and Embase. A total of 23395 patients were included in this study and the inclusion criteria were: RCTs with 5ARI and placebo in symptomatic BPH patients. Parameters included prostate specific antigen (PSA), prostate volume (PV), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPPS), post-void residual urine (PVR), voiding symptoms of IPSS (voiding IPSS), maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), and adverse events (AEs). A meta-analysis with meta-regression was performed for each effect size and adverse events, sensitivity analysis, cumulative analysis along with the analysis of ratio of means (ROM) in the placebo group. A total of 42 studies were included in this study for review, and a total of 37 studies were included in the meta-analysis, including a total of 23395 patients (treatment group: 11392, placebo group: 12003). The effect size of all variables except PVR showed a significant improvement following 5ARI treatment compared with placebo. However, the effect size of differences showed declining trend in PV, IPSS and Qmax according to recent years of publication. In ROM analysis, PV showed no significant increase in the placebo group, with a ROM of 1.00 (95% CI, 0.88, 1.14). The 5ARI treatment resulted in a significantly higher incidence of decreased libido (OR = 1.7; 95% CI, 1.36, 2.13), ejaculatory disorder (OR = 2.94; 95% CI, 2.15, 4.03), gynecomastia (OR = 2.32; 95% CI, 1.41, 3.83), and impotence (OR = 1.74; 95% CI, 1.32, 2.29). Our study has the following limitations: included studies were heterogeneous and direct comparison of efficacy between alpha blocker and 5ARI was not performed. Adverse events including depression or suicidal attempt could not be analyzed in this meta-analysis setting. Conclusions Although there was a significant clinical benefit of 5ARI monotherapy compared with placebo, the effective size was small. Moreover, the risk of adverse events including sexually related complications were high. Additional head-to-head studies are needed to re-evaluate the clinical efficacy of 5ARI compared with alpha-adrenergic receptor blockers.


Researchers suggest there is an increasing apathy in the study of natural history in academic settings and in the scientific community. However, most studies of environmental knowledge do not address knowledge of local flora and fauna; they are concerned with the knowledge of environmental issues or broad ecological knowledge. Ecoliteracy established local natural history as fundamental to environmental knowledge and seeks to determine the knowledge of local environments and factors associated with that knowledge. This study investigated ecoliteracy in Mississippi, determining knowledge of local flora and fauna of undergraduate and graduate students at the largest universities. Ecoliteracy levels in Mississippi were low. Students had a rudimentary knowledge of local flora and fauna, despite coursework in natural history. Students majoring in wildlife and fisheries and biology had more advanced knowledge of local flora and fauna than non-biology majors. Students were most knowledgeable of reptiles and amphibians, and least of fish and endangered species. The number of environmental courses taken and environmental sensitivity were positively correlated with ecoliteracy, and were strong predictors of ecoliteracy. Ecoliteracy was influenced by coursework and experience with degree programs including fieldwork. Natural history knowledge was deficient at Mississippi universities. Researchers suggest reintroducing coursework focused on ecoliteracy.


Background: The prevention of recurrent suicidal behaviors in adolescents is crucial given their size and repetitive nature, and the increased risk of death by suicide. Objectives: To identify the current and available scientific evidence on the psychotherapeutic interventions targeted at adolescents with suicidal behaviors and to assess the effectiveness of these interventions at the level of suicidal ideation, depression, and repetition of suicidal behavior. Methodology: Integrative literature review, through research in online bibliographic databases, with the selected search descriptors, during the publication period from January 2007 to December 2016, in English, with available references and full-text articles. Results: Of a total of 1,847 papers found we included 10 studies on adolescents with suicidal behavior, targets of psychotherapeutic intervention, with positive results in cognitive-behavioral intervention with psychoeducation for adolescents and their families, community intervention, dialectical-behavioral therapy, and mentalization-based therapy at the level of the defined outcomes. Conclusion: We identified psychotherapeutic interventions with effectiveness, but the heterogeneity of the studies requires thoughtful analysis and comparison of evaluated samples, methodologies, and interventions.


PURPOSE
This study was designed to examine the relationship between perceived entrapment to depression and subjective well-being of women as family caregivers caring for elderly dementia patients.

METHODS
One hundred and sixty-nine women family caregivers were recruited from two high schools located in Seoul, Korea for this descriptive study. The instruments used were The Entrapment Scale, The Center for Epidemiology Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and Subjective well-being scale.

RESULTS
The score of perceived entrapment significantly correlated with depression and subjective well-being. The significant predictor of depression in women caregivers was perceived entrapment, 50.3% of the variance in depression. Also, perceived entrapment was predictor of subjective well-being in women caregivers, explaining 41.4% of the variance in depression.

CONCLUSION
This study showed that perceived entrapment is an important predictor for depression and subjective well-being. Therefore, in order to reduce depression in women caregivers, it is necessary to design an intervention program that helps with coping and reduces perceived entrapment.


In systems possessing a spatial or dynamical symmetry breaking, thermal Brownian motion combined with unbiased, non‐equilibrium noise gives rise to a channelling of chance that can be used to exercise control over systems at the micro‐ and even on the nano‐scale. This theme is known as the "Brownian motor" concept. The constructive role of (the generally overdamped) Brownian motion is exemplified for a noise‐induced transport of particles within various set‐ups. We first present the working principles and characteristics with a proof‐of‐principle device, a diffusive temperature Brownian motor. Next, we consider very recent applications based on the phenomenon of signal mixing. The latter is particularly simple to implement experimentally in order to optimize and selectively control a rich variety of directed transport behaviors. The subtleties and also the potential for Brownian motors operating in the quantum regime are outlined and some state‐of‐the‐art applications, together with future roadways, are presented.


The atomic Pair Distribution Function (PDF) analysis and high-energy x-ray diffraction are introduced as a tool for determining the three-dimensional structure of nanocrystalline materials. The great potential of this experimental approach is demonstrated with results from successful studies on (Polyaniline)xV2O5nH2O nanocomposites and dendrimer stabilized gold nanoparticles. We find that (Polyaniline)xV2O5nH2O has a lamellar-type structure wherein polymeric chains are sandwiched between double layers of V-O6 octahedra. Gold nanoparticles possess a distorted face centered cubictype structure with the degree of distortion increasing with the decrease in particle's size.


The patient is a 69 years old female presented with chest pain and rapidly progressive dysphagia. Then she suffered of hematemesis and aphagia. In evaluation of patient, a intramural hematoma obstructing esophageal lumen was demonstrated which was accompanied with mucosal ulceration and bleeding. It appears that this complication occurred in the context of concomitant use of alendronate with aspirin in this patient.


BACKGROUND
Longan honey (LH) has the potential as a natural extracellular cryoprotectant to maintain the integrity of intact preantral follicles against the cryoinjury during ovarian vitrification.

OBJECTIVE
This research determined the cryoprotective effects of logan honey on preantral follicles integrity of rat ovary post-vitrification.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
After vitrification, the follicle index was determined by observing the ovarian histological sections made using the paraffin method with hematoxylin-eosin staining and analyzed using Optilab 3.0 and Image Raster software.

RESULTS
The results showed that the combination of ethylene glycol (EG) with LH and a dose variation of 7.5 %-15 % (KP1-KP4) increased the density of follicles, the number of intact follicles in G2 and G3, with a decrease in the atretic follicles in G1 better compared to the use of EG only (KKP1-KKP2). The differences in the histological structur e of preantral follicles affected the doses of LH needed by each type of follicle to maintain the integrity of the follicular structure from cryoinjury effects. The comparison of the G2 total follicle index values were KKP1 (90.7 ± 18.3), KKP2 (115.6 ± 9.9) < KP1 (193.6 ± 10.7), KP2 (189.3 ± 10.5), KP3 (182.2 ± 27.1) and KP4 (169.4±8.8). Among the variations in the dose of LH 7.5 % - 15%, the highest increase in the G3 index value was found in primary (51.7 ± 9.8), tertiary (43.1 ± 8.8), secondary (33.9 ± 4.7), and primordial (28.7 ± 2.5) follicles of KP3 (7.5 % of LH).

CONCLUSION
The primary and tertiary follicular stages maintain the best integrity and can be used after the vitrification of rat ovaries. doi.org/10.54680/fr23110110712.


edition retains much that cannot be included among conditions requiring immediate action. Thus a good deal of material on blood dyscrasias, collagen diseases, liver diseases, tropical diseases and many of the acute infections increases the book's bulk and decreases its usefulness to the resident medical officer or to the general practitioner, both of whom need a smaIl volume on this subject for the pocket or bag.


Background: Albeit oral hygiene is a widespread health behavior prevalence of diseases due to insufficient oral hygiene is high. Deficits in oral hygiene skills might be responsible. Skills have been rarely included in health behavior modelling. This interventional study focusses on skills and how they are associated with psychological variables. Methods: 70 participants were randomized to a standardized training of one of two tooth brushing techniques (Fones, Bass) or of basics of tooth brushing alone (control group). Skills (plaque after thorough hygiene) and gingivitis were assessed 6, 12 and 28 weeks after the training. Self-efficacy, decisional balance and adherence were assessed and brushing behavior was video recorded after 28 weeks. Findings: Fones group differed significantly from the control group after 6 (p=0.030) and 12 weeks (p=0.006) with respect to skills. The control group showed less gingivitis. Groups did not differ with respect to self-reported adherence. Multiple associations were observed with psychological parameters and observed brushing behavior. Discussion: Data indicate complex relationships between behavior complexity, behavioral skills and maintenance.