The diverse Neotropical butterfly genus Adelpha Hubner (Nymphalidae) has long been recognized by tropical lepidopterists as a challenging group to classify owing to wing pattern similarity among sympatric species. The study of immature stages and host plants has historically played an important role in helping clarify Adelpha systematics and continues to offer insight into their adaptive radiation. Here we describe the immature stages of three species for the first time, Adelpha attica attica (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1867), Adelpha epione agilla (Fruhstorfer, 1907) and Adelpha jordani (Fruhstorfer, 1913), based on fieldwork in lowland forest of eastern Ecuador. We observed caterpillars of A. attica attica and A. epione agilla feeding on Chomelia tenuiflora Benth. (Rubiaceae), whereas those of Adelpha jordani fed on Calatola costaricensis Standl. (Icacinaceae). The immature morphology of these three species generally supports their position in recent phylogenetic analyses, and helps define species groups. In addition, continued study of the immature stage biology and food plant interactions promises to help provide a better understanding of the evolution of Adelpha host relationships.


The pandemic of COVID19 laid various adverse effects and made a mark on domestic workers' lives. The ground report shows evidence of a drastic downfall in their income due to raised unemployment, increase in health expenditure, shortage of health care facilities, etc. The second wave of COVID19 has created havoc in their life as their work leaves no savings for them. This article based on a field study argues the health complexities that have arisen in domestic workers' lives during pandemics. It has subjected struggles of domestic workers for health and medication facilities during and after pandemics. It also suggests the corrective measures that government can take to bring out these workers from these drudgeries and the impact of circular economic concepts to sustain their lives comfortably.
(*The paper was presented at the AICTE International Conference on Circular Economy, Management and Industry, Bharati Vidyapeeth's Institute of Management Studies and Research, Navi Mumbai and Apeejay School of Management, Dwarka, Delhi, India. October 2021)


Relations of fibrinogen to preclinical target organ damage, such as left ventricular hypertrophy, systolic dysfunction, and increased arterial stiffness while accounting for traditional risk factors, are unknown in a population-based sample free of clinically overt coronary heart disease. Therefore, we studied clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of 2709 American Indians participating in the Strong Heart Study without symptomatic atherosclerosis. The study sample was divided into tertiles of fibrinogen (cut-points, 3.24 and 3.83 g/L). Mean age, body mass index, proportion of women, and prevalences of hypertension and diabetes increased from the first to third tertile of fibrinogen. After adjustment for covariates, systolic and pulse pressures did not significantly differ among tertiles of fibrinogen, whereas diastolic pressure was slightly lower in the third than in lower tertiles of fibrinogen. HDL cholesterol was lower and plasma creatinine and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio was higher in the third tertile of fibrinogen. Left ventricular mass index, pulse pressure/stroke index, an estimate of arterial stiffness, and cardiac index were higher and left ventricular systolic function and total peripheral resistance were lower in the third than in two lower tertiles of fibrinogen independent of major covariates. In multiple regression analyses, left ventricular mass and pulse pressure/stroke index were positively associated with, and stress-corrected midwall shortening negatively associated with fibrinogen, independent of major covariates. Participants with fibrinogen 3.83 g/L were more likely to have at least 1 preclinical cardiovascular abnormality such as left ventricular hypertrophy, elevated arterial stiffness, or systolic myocardial dysfunction independent of covariates including renal dysfunction (adjusted odds ratio, 1.38; P 0.001). Thus, in a population sample of adults without clinically overt coronary heart disease, elevated fibrinogen is an independent correlate of prognostically relevant cardiovascular target organ damage. (Hypertension. 2001;38:10681074.)


Many objects in our life are not manufactured as whole rigid pieces. Instead, smaller components are made to be later assembled into larger structures. Chairs are assembled from wooden pieces, cabins are made of logs, and buildings are constructed from bricks. These components are commonly designed by many iterations of human thinking. In this report, we will look at a few problems related to interlocking components design and assembly. Given an atomic object, how can we design a package that holds the object firmly without a gap in-between? How many pieces should the package be partitioned into? How can we assemble/extract each piece? We will attack this problem by first looking at the lower bound on the number of pieces, then at the upper bound. Afterwards, we will propose a practical algorithm for designing these packages. We also explore a special kind of interlocking structure which has only one or a small number of movable pieces. For example, a burr puzzle. We will design a few blocks with joints whose combination can be assembled into almost any voxelized 3D model. Our blocks require very simple motions to be assembled, enabling robotic assembly. As proof of concept, we also develop a robot system to assemble the blocks. In some extreme conditions where construction components are small, controlling each component individually is impossible. We will discuss an option using global controls. These global controls can be from gravity or magnetic fields. We show that in some special cases where the small units form a rectangular matrix, rearrangement can be done in a small space following a technique similar to bubble sort algorithm.


It has been suggested that the adolescent brain is particularly vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of alcohol because significant maturation of brain structure and corresponding cognitive control function takes place over the course of adolescence. However, research on this subject has remained inconclusive thus far due to numerous methodological pitfalls. Therefore, there is a need for a large longitudinal study on the precursors and outcomes of alcohol use related to cognitive and behavioural control. The main aim of the present thesis was to longitudinally investigate the effect of alcohol use in adolescence on cognitive functioning. To address this research question adequately, we first studied normal maturation of cognitive control. Next, answering the main research question, we assessed whether deviances from this normal maturation where found among heavy drinkers and adolescents with alcohol use disorder (AUD; adolescents who meet the criteria for alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. ). Furthermore, we assessed cognitive and behavioural control as precursors of alcohol use in order to identify adolescents at risk for transitioning to heavy drinking and AUD. Cognitive control was found to mature significantly over the course of adolescence. However, no differences in this maturation were found between drinking and non-drinking adolescents, suggesting that heavy drinkers and alcohol abusers may not be at risk for a deviant maturation of such functions. Only the small and specific group of female alcohol dependents showed a distinct maturation of shift attention, but it is unclear whether this distinct maturational pattern reflects permanent irreversible damage. Nevertheless, heavy drinking and, more pronounced, AUD is prospectively related to increases in problematic behaviour reflecting diminished behavioural control. This implicates that even when the cognitive 'hardware' for being able to control and direct behaviour is intact, that is, cognitive control functions, actual behavioural control can be suboptimal, leading to adverse outcomes, such as heavy drinking and AUD. The present thesis is the first large longitudinal study on the effects of alcohol use in adolescence on cognitive functioning. It contributes to more insight into the complex reciprocal relationship between adolescent alcohol use with cognitive and behavioural control while simultaneously underlining the fact that much more research is necessary. No evidence for vast cognitive deficits as a result of alcohol use was found, and findings from this thesis indicate that the effects of alcohol on the developing brain might more subtle than has been assumed thus far. More research is needed to understand what influence alcohol has on the developing brain and how this would affect functioning in daily life.


The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of air-borne gaseous impurities, introduced during trituration, on the strength of amalgams.

Four experiments were conducted. Each experiment consisted of a control group (1) in which the amalgam was triturated in air and an experimental group (2) in which the amalgam was triturated in argon, an inert gas. Standard specimens yielded mean diametral tensile strengths of 5950 psi (1) and 6603 psi (2). Hand compacted specimens yielded mean diametral tensile strengths of 5829 psi (1) and 6412 psi (2). Standard specimens yielded mean compressive strengths of 46,636 psi (1) and 47,269 psi (2). Specimens compacted hydraulically yielded mean uniaxial tensile strengths of 10,928 psi (1) and 11,660 psi (2).

Statistically, the differences between the means for each experiment are significant. Hence, trituration in an inert gas has been shown to be an effective method for increasing the strength of amalgam.


Effect of low temperature on up-flow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor performance treating raw sewage was investigated in terms of the variations in methanogenic diversity using the 16S rRNA based Fluorescence In-Situ Hybridization (FISH) technique. The diversity of microorganisms present in the anaerobic granular sludge and the structure of the granules operated at 13°C have been investigated using FISH combined with CSLM (Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy). According to FISH results, archaeal cells representing methanogens were found intensively dominant in the bottom sampling port of the UASB reactor and acetoclastic Methanosaeta was the abundant methanogen. Other methanogens such as Methanosarcina and Methanobacterium like species were also observed. The abundance of originally mesophilic Methanosaeta-related Archaea under low temperature at all sampling days revealed the microbial adaptation to psychrophilic conditions. This might be attributed to the enzymatic alterations in Methanosaeta cells originating from seed sludge, which were exposed to sub-mesophilic temperatures at start-up and then to psychrophilic conditions during gradual decreases of temperature. According to CSLM observation, even though the sludge retained in the reactor kept its granular form as a whole, the majority of the granules had a tendency to be partly broken and they lost their rigidity when raw sewage was fed following synthetic sewage. Besides, Methanosaeta related species prevailing in seed sludge have noticeably lost their long filamentous forms and deteriorated during raw sewage feeding. Members of the order Methanobacteriales constituted the major hydrogenothrophic methanogens present in the psychrophilic UASB reactor, whereas the other hydrogenothrophic methanogens—members of the order Methanococcales and Methanogenium relatives—were absent.


The Philippine School Doha registrar's data shows that the number of interracial students has been exponentially increasing for the last three years concerning its relocation to a more massive campus. This paper aims to learn and understand the different perceptions and experiences encountered by interracial students.Method: This study used a qualitative approach that utilized phenomenology as the research design to understand the lived experiences of students who belong to an interracial family, relative to the central question: "How do students with an interracial family adapt to their culture?" Furthermore, this study focused on the specific question: "What are the common social adjustments experienced by the students who belong to an interracial family?" Findings: Findings have shown the different social adjustments of students who belong to interracial families in terms of their ethnicity, language proficiency, enculturation, and lifestyle. Conclusion: Interracial students experienced difficulties as they have to adapt to a multicultural environment and manage academic & family challenges simultaneously. Recommendation:The researchers recommend a further investment of time and observation in this research in order to cover every aspect relating to interracial students for more significant variance and to avoid biases as this could not often be accepted by readers of all races, and conflicts could happen.


Virginia Woolf tested the boundaries of fiction in these short stories, developing a new language of sensation, feeling and thought, and recreating in words the 'swarm and confusion of life'. Defying categorization, the stories range from the more traditional narrative style of "Solid Objects" through the fragile impressionism of "Kew Gardens" to the abstract exploration of consciousness in "The Mark on the Wall".


This paper addresses the problem of solving a constrained optimal control for a general single-input single output linear time varying system by means of an unconstrained method. The exposed methodology uses a penalty function approach, commonly considered in finite dimensional optimization problem, and extended here it to the considered infinite dimensional (functional optimization) case. The main novelty is that both the bounds on the control variable and on a freely chosen output variable are considered and studied theoretically. It is shown that a relatively simple and constructive choice of penalty functions allows to completely alleviate the usual difficulties of handling such constraints in optimal control. An illustrative example is provided to show the potential of the method.


1. Three experiments were performed, using laboratory mice (Mus musculus) as a model species, to evaluate the potential of using measurements of carbon isotope ratios in expired CO 2 for tracing diets. 2. Breath 13 C signatures of mice fed a constant diet (-21.4‰ ± 0.35) reflected their diet, but were depleted by on average -5.7‰. Body mass, sex and age were independent and significant factors correlated with the variability of 13 C enrichment in respired CO 2 . 3. Breath 13 C signatures from starved mice (7 h) were lower than unstarved mice by 2.0‰. Subsequently when starved mice were fed a small meal of a new diet, breath 13 C signatures approached those of the new diets within 15 min, returning to preingestion levels after 105 min. 4. After a permanent diet switch 13 C values of breath were not asymptotic within 6 days, possibly because of use of fat reserves during the daytime carrying an isotopic memory of the previous diet. Hence, individual breath 13 C signatures may vary according to nutritive state and previous dietary history. 5. Interindividual variability was measured at 3.3‰. The implications are that large samples of individuals will be required to distinguish between diets of different populations where the isotopic difference between their diets was small - for example, that expected between herbivorous and carnivorous diets. However, breath would be suitable for distinguishing between dietary intakes of individuals for food types that are isotopically more distinct - such as between C 3 and C 4 plants.


The α5β1integrin is a cell surface receptor for fibronectin implicated in several cellular activities including cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. The primary site at which the α5β1 integrin interacts with fibronectin is the RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) amino acid sequence. In general, the sites on the integrin α subunits involved in ligand binding are not well characterized. Based on previous cross-linking studies, sequence alignment, predicted conformation, and intron-exon boundaries, we identified a 144-residue region (positions 223–367) on the α5 subunit as a putative binding region and divided it into four subdomains named domains I, II, III, and IV. Chimeric receptors were prepared in which sequences on the α5subunit were exchanged with the corresponding sequences on the α6 subunit, which is specific for laminin and does not bind via an RGD sequence. The mutated human α5 integrin gene was transfected into CHO B2 cells, which are deficient in α5 expression. Only chimeras of domain III or IV express on the cell surface. Both of these chimeras decreased the adhesion, spreading, focal adhesion assembly, and migration on fibronectin. The adhesion of the chimeric receptors to fibronectin remained sensitive to the RGD peptide, and antibodies that inhibit interaction with the fibronectin synergy site and RGD loop remain inhibitory for the chimeras, indicating that our chimeras do not inhibit binding to either the RGD or synergy sites. Finally, the affinity of soluble fibronectin to cells via the α5β1 receptor decreased only about 3-fold. This decrease is substantially less than the observed effects on migration and spreading, which were not altered by changes in substrate concentration. Thus, the alteration in binding sites does not easily account for the changes in cell spreading and focal adhesion assembly. The tyrosine phosphorylation and focal adhesion assembly that are seen when cells expressing the wild type α5 receptor adhere to fibronectin were inhibited in cells expressing the chimeric receptors. Therefore, our results suggest that the chimeras of these domains likely interrupt α5-mediated conformational signaling.


Introduction: There is a lack of proper landmark studies from South India on fungal rhinosinusitis. The varying clinical and histological presentations of fungal rhinosinusitis and lack of clinicopathological studies, prompted us to undertake this study. Materials and Methods: This study conducted over a period of 7 years at Goshen Institute of pathology (Madras medical college) one of the renowned premier institutes of Pathology in India. A total of 738 cases of sinusitis have been reported over the 7 years study period. The patients were of the age group from 12 to 92 years. All clinical data was retrieved from the patients' record file to study the emerging trend of fungal rhinosinusitis in this population of India. Result: A total of 738 cases were diagnosed as rhinosinusitis, of which 84 were of fungal etiology. It was observed in our study that the prevalence of fungal sinusitis is ~11.4%. Fungal rhinosinusitis was found to be little more common in male (55.3%). The age of patients ranged from 13yrs to 91yrs. The peak incidence was seen in 3rd to 5th decade of life. Conclusion: The study conducted in a tertiary care institute in Tamil Nadu has shown that that there is an increase in the incidence of fungal sinusitis. It is inferred from our study that the most common causative agent is mucormycosis followed by aspergillus. The prompt diagnosis of fungal rhinosinusitis is important due to the angio-invasive nature of the fungi requiring aggressive anti-fungal therapy.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the quality of HR disclosure of companies listed in Qatari Exchange Market and identify factors that influence the level of this HR disclosure quality.

Design/methodology/approach
Content analysis of annual reports and sustainability reports of 12 companies from industrial and real estate sectors over the period 2013–2015 had been analyzed using the three-point scale (0–2, numerical disclosure 2, 1 for narrative form and 0 for not disclosed). This research employed also multiple regressions, in order to examine the impact of profitability and employee expenses on HR disclosure quality.

Findings
The results point out that HR disclosure quality level is very low among the sample companies. The ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis results indicate that the level of HR disclosure quality is associated with company's employees expenses as a proportion of its total operating expenses, whereas profitability does not have a significant influence on its level of HR disclosure quality.

Research limitations/implications
The current study has two important limitations. First, the sample of the study consists of only 12 leading Qatari industrial and real estate sectors firms listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange Market. Second, the study used an unweighted index which implies equal importance of the selected information items.

Originality/value
The study has bridged the literature gaps by offering empirical evidence and new insights on the HR disclosure quality in Qatar and the factors that affect, which have not been examined before.


A 5-year-old Sudanese boy not known to be immunodeficient and with no history of travelling developed septic shock from a disseminating coccidial infection. The diagnosis was delayed, as the eosinophilic hepatic abscess was initially thought to be secondary to schistosomiasis, which is endemic in Egypt and Sudan. A further survey about the existence of coccidial infection around the climatic area of the river Nile is warranted.


Importance
Although perceived as relatively harmless and nonaddictive, adolescent cannabis use significantly increases the likelihood of developing cannabis use disorder in adulthood, especially for high-potency cannabis. Risky decision-making is associated with chronic cannabis use, but given confounds of human studies, it remains unclear whether adolescent cannabis exposure and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) potency specifically predicts risky decision-making or influences cognitive response to the drug later in life.

Objective
To leverage a human data set of cannabis users and a rat model to evaluate the long-term outcomes of adolescent THC exposure on adult decision-making and impulse control.

Design, Setting, and Participants
This translational rat study tested the link between adolescent THC exposure and adulthood decision-making. A reanalysis of a previously published dataset of human chronic cannabis users was conducted to evaluate decision-making phenotypes. Computational modeling assessed the human and animal results in a single framework. Data were collected from 2017 to 2020 and analyzed from 2020 to 2022.

Main Outcomes and Measures
Decision-making was measured by the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and Rat Gambling Task (rGT). Impulse control was assessed in the rat model. Computational modeling was used to determine reward and punishment learning rates and learning strategy used by cannabis users and THC-exposed rats. Cell-specific molecular measures were conducted in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala.

Results
Of 37 participants, 24 (65%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 33.0 (8.3) years. Chronic cannabis users (n = 22; mean [SE] IGT score, -5.182 [1.262]) showed disadvantageous decision-making compared with controls (n = 15; mean [SE] IGT score, 7.133 [2.687]; Cohen d = 1.436). Risky choice was associated with increased reward learning (mean [SE] IGT score: cannabis user, 0.170 [0.018]; control, 0.046 [0.008]; Cohen d = 1.895) and a strategy favoring exploration vs long-term gains (mean [SE] IGT score: cannabis user, 0.088 [0.012]; control, 0.020 [0.002]; Cohen d = 2.218). Rats exposed to high-dose THC but not low-dose THC during adolescence also showed increased risky decision-making (mean [SE] rGT score: vehicle, 46.17 [7.02]; low-dose THC, 69.45 [6.01]; high-dose THC, 21.97 [11.98]; Cohen d = 0.433) and elevated reward learning rates (mean [SE] rGT score: vehicle, 0.17 [0.01]; low-dose THC, 0.10 [0.01]; high-dose THC, 0.24 [0.06]; Cohen d = 1.541) during task acquisition. These animals were also uniquely susceptible to increased cognitive impairments after reexposure to THC in adulthood, which was correlated with even greater reward learning (r = -0.525; P < .001) and a shift in strategy (r = 0.502; P < .001), similar to results seen in human cannabis users. Molecular studies revealed that adolescent THC dose differentially affected cannabinoid-1 receptor messenger RNA expression in the prelimbic cortex and basolateral amygdala in a layer- and cell-specific manner. Further, astrocyte glial fibrillary acidic protein messenger RNA expression associated with cognitive deficits apparent with adult THC reexposure.

Conclusions and Relevance
In this translational study, high-dose adolescent THC exposure was associated with cognitive vulnerability in adulthood, especially with THC re-exposure. These data also suggest a link between astrocytes and cognition that altogether provides important insights regarding the neurobiological genesis of risky cannabis use that may help promote prevention and treatment efforts.


: Antibiotic levels in bronchopulmonary tissue following oral administration of ampicillin, erythromycin and amoxycillin dosed 50 mg/dg were compared with those obtained by the same treatments n0 mg/dg p.o of trans-4-[(2-amino-3,5-dibromo-benzyl)amino]cyclohexanol (ambroxol, Mucosolvan) in several groups of rats. The addition of ambroxol was correlated with an increase of 234% in the pulmonary average concentration of ampicillin, 27% in that of erythromycin 27% in that of amoxycillin; the statistical evaluation of these differences resulted in less than 0.05 in each case. It may be concluded that ambroxol, through a mechanism still unclear, can increase the antibiotic levels in the lungs of the rat.


Reward-free reinforcement learning (RL) considers the setting where the agent does not have access to a reward function during exploration, but must propose a near-optimal policy for an arbitrary reward function revealed only after exploring. In the the tabular setting, it is well known that this is a more difficult problem than reward-aware (PAC) RL -- where the agent has access to the reward function during exploration -- with optimal sample complexities in the two settings differing by a factor of $|\mathcal{S}|$, the size of the state space. We show that this separation does not exist in the setting of linear MDPs. We first develop a computationally efficient algorithm for reward-free RL in a $d$-dimensional linear MDP with sample complexity scaling as $\widetilde{\mathcal{O}}(d^2 H^5/\epsilon^2)$. We then show a lower bound with matching dimension-dependence of $\Omega(d^2 H^2/\epsilon^2)$, which holds for the reward-aware RL setting. To our knowledge, our approach is the first computationally efficient algorithm to achieve optimal $d$ dependence in linear MDPs, even in the single-reward PAC setting. Our algorithm relies on a novel procedure which efficiently traverses a linear MDP, collecting samples in any given ``feature direction'', and enjoys a sample complexity scaling optimally in the (linear MDP equivalent of the) maximal state visitation probability. We show that this exploration procedure can also be applied to solve the problem of obtaining ``well-conditioned'' covariates in linear MDPs.


The limitations of mammography are well known and are partly related to the fact that with conventional imaging, the three-dimensional volume of the breast is imaged and presented in a two-dimensional format. Because normal breast tissue is similar in x-ray attenuation to some breast cancers, clinically relevant malignancies may be obscured by normal overlapping tissue. In addition, complex areas of normal tissue may be perceived as suspicious. The limitations of two-dimensional breast imaging lead to low sensitivity in detecting some cancers and high false-positive recall rates. Although mammographic screening has been shown to reduce breast cancer deaths by approximately 30%, controversy exists over when and how often screening mammography should occur. Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is rapidly being implemented in breast imaging clinics around the world as early clinical data demonstrate that it may address some of the limitations of conventional mammography. With DBT, multiple low-dose x-ray images are acquired in an arc and reconstructed to create a three-dimensional image, thus minimizing the impact of overlapping breast tissue and improving lesion conspicuity. Early studies of screening DBT have shown decreased false-positive callback rates and increased rates of cancer detection (particularly for invasive cancers), resulting in increased sensitivity and specificity. In our clinical practice, we have completed more than 2 years of using two-view digital mammography combined with two-view DBT for all screening and select diagnostic imaging examinations (over 25,000 patients). Our experience, combined with previously published data, demonstrates that the combined use of DBT and digital mammography is associated with improved outcomes for screening and diagnostic imaging. Online supplemental material is available for this article.


AIM
This paper is a report of a study to describe and compare thinking strategies and cognitive processing in the emergency department triage process by Registered Nurses with high and low triage accuracy.

BACKGROUND
Sound clinical reasoning and accurate decision-making are integral parts of modern nursing practice and are of vital importance during triage in emergency departments. Although studies have shown that individual and contextual factors influence the decisions of Registered Nurses in the triage process, others have failed to explain the relationship between triage accuracy and clinical experience. Furthermore, no study has shown the relationship between Registered Nurses' thinking strategies and their triage accuracy.

METHOD
Using the 'think aloud' method, data were collected in 2004-2005 from 16 RNs working in Swedish emergency departments who had previously participated in a study examining triage accuracy. Content analysis of the data was performed.

FINDINGS
The Registered Nurses used a variety of thinking strategies, ranging from searching for information, generating hypotheses to stating propositions. They structured the triage process in several ways, beginning by gathering data, generating hypotheses or allocating acuity ratings. Comparison of participants' use of thinking strategies and the structure of the triage process based on their previous triage accuracy revealed only slight differences.

CONCLUSION
The wide range of thinking strategies used by Registered Nurses when performing triage indicates that triage decision-making is complex. Further research is needed to ascertain which skills are most important in triage decision-making.


For several decades, feminists have challenged approaches to generating knowledge within traditional social science research. Since the 1980s, feminist work on methodology and epistemology represents a significant contribution to the de-privileging of rationality and objectivity as the cornerstone to the study of social phenomena. Consequently, the idea of the detached, unbiased researcher has come under scrutiny, and it is now widely accepted that researchers bring their experiences and positionalities to bear on the research process. The process of conducting in-depth qualitative interviews typically facilitates an exploration of participants' understandings of reality and the situated meanings produced during this interaction. In this paper, I reflect on the process of applying feminist methodological approaches, particularly reflexivity, to data collected through in-depth interviews. The current work is based on interviews with Vincentian women and men on intimate partner violence (IPV) against women. Feminist researchers have long been concerned with generating reflexive knowledge; making visible the power dynamics and reducing the power differentials between researchers and research participants; the insider/outsider relationship; and the significance of gendered relations of power as a feature of social life. In other words, it is essential to consider our own biographies and biases even as we seek to make claims about the lives of those we study. These concerns guide my discussion of the in-depth interview method as a tool for conducting feminist research on violence against women in the Caribbean.


In this paper, we investigate the convergence of the V-type hyperplane constrained method for singular value decomposition. The V-type method involves employing the Newton type iteration to solve the nonlinear systems with the searching range of right singular vectors constrained on a hyperplane. First, we discuss the nonsingularity of the Jacobian matrix appearing in the Newton type iteration. Next, we clarify the convergence of the Newton type iteration. Finally, we prove that singular value decomposition is computable by the V-type method.


Building influenes of highways and by-pass roads as well as fast roads modernization strongly the natural environment. Keeping of slopes situated along these structures in good condition requires a biological reinforcement and a cover with grass and papilionaceous plants. That is why American research workers, who have been interested in this problem for 40 years, have invented mulching, hydromulching and hydroseeding technology. This method is currently used almost all over the world. In Poland the hydroseeding has been involved 20 years ago. However taking into account the program of highway and by-pass roads development, we should implement this method on a large scale. Technical meaning of the word slope assigns significantly inclined area which joins two horizontal or almost horizontal surfaces lying on different heights. In this meaning, slope replaces and acts as a resistance wall. The slopes protect embankments and excavations, reinforce drainage ditches and regular river-beds. The slope is a construction element of earthen structures. Slope concern not only inclined areas of soil but also adherent horizontal strips of suitable width at road crown and toe. The problem of biological reinforcement (grassing) of uncovered, inclined surfaces of anthropogenic earthen structures was discussed. The studies were undertaken to protect the natural environment against harmful effects of water/soil erosion occuring on such surfaces. A main component of sowing hydromixtures was a sewage sludge from municipal treatment plant. The sludge form a medium/binding agent for antierosive protective coats, since a moment of their hydromechanical spreading on the surface of tested anthropogenic soils, until developing of the third full-blown grass leaf. The investigations concerning rain-washes were conducted under laboratory (repeatable) conditions, where formation and shaping of water erosion processes were simulated. Sloped areas (14-45°) of anthropogenic structures from natural soils (medium sand) and anthropogenic soils (fly-ash) were tested.


Objective The aim of this study was to provide nationally representative hospital-based emergency department (ED) estimate visits in children (aged ⩽ 18 y) attributed to poisoning in the United States in 2008. Methods Nationwide Emergency Department Sample for the year 2008 was used. All ED visits among children (aged ⩽ 18 y) with an external cause of injury for "poisoning" were selected for analysis. Demographic characteristics of the ED visits and outcomes examined included ED charges (EDCs), hospitalization charges (HCs), length of stay in hospital, and disposition after ED visit. Results During the year 2008, a total of 191,197 ED visits were attributed to poisoning with close to 56% of all ED visits occurring among those aged younger than 4 years. Boys comprised approximately 54% of all ED visits. After an ED visit, 87% were routinely discharged, and 7.3% were admitted into the same hospital. Forty-eight children died in the ED. The frequently reported poisonings included accidental poisoning by other drugs (44,219 ED visits); accidental poisoning by other gases and vapors (27,035 ED visits); and accidental poisoning by analgesics, antipyretics, and antirheumatics (22,334 ED visits). The mean EDC per visit was $1077. The total EDC across the entire United States was $171.8 million. Mean length of stay was 1.9 days. Among those who were hospitalized, the mean HC was $11,792. The total HC across the entire United States was $162.3 million. Conclusions The current study provides nationally representative estimates of ED visits attributed to poisoning among children in the United States. High-risk groups and economics associated with treating these injuries are estimated.


Binge drinking refers to a pattern of alcohol consumption that leads to rapid intoxication followed by withdrawal and abstinence periods. This study aimed to investigate the potential differential contributions of impulsivity and emotion regulation difficulties to core characteristics of binge drinking (consumption speed, frequency of binge drinking episodes, and the ratio of binge drinking episodes) among a sample of non-abstainers college students. One thousand and five hundred fifty-five participants (17–25 years old) completed the UPPS-P Impulsive behavior scale, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and measures related to alcohol consumption patterns and affects by means of an online survey. Multiple regression analyses showed that UPPS-P sensation seeking, lack of premeditation, positive, and negative urgency dimensions were significantly associated with binge drinking core characteristics. More specifically, lack of premeditation, and sensation seeking dimensions were associated with speed of drinking, frequency of binge drinking epiosodes, and the ratio of binge drinking episodes. Positive urgency was associated with speed of drinking, and the ratio of binge drinking episodes while negative urgency was negatively associated with speed of drinking. DERS impulse dimension was associated with speed of drinking, DERS awareness dimension was negatively associated with the frequency of binge drinking episodes, and DERS goals dimension was significantly associated with the ratio of binge drinking episodes. Furthermore, patterns of drinking were independently associated with sex, depression and anxiety scores. These findings may help to plan and develop interventions aimed at addressing binge drinking in young adults by targeting impulsivity and emotion dysregulation.


As there are many parameters in neuron models it is important to choose an appropriate parameter set such that calculations with an expected specific outcome become successful. The bifurcation diagram of a neuron with L-type calcium current is obtained with respect to the applied current. In order to gain insight into the dynamics of the system the variation of the bifurcation diagrams are investigated by changing the conductivity of the channel through which passive ions flow. The dependency of the frequencies of the periodic solutions on the applied current is obtained by considering various channel conductivities. State portrait is drawn and the variation of the current values at Hopf bifurcation points with respect to channel conductivity is found.


Guidance and Diversity, for the majority of the European countries and North America, are related to the attention to children and young people with special necessities, that are attend in an educative institution and for those who are elaborated educative programs directed to obtain one better adaptation to the prevailing social system. In most of the cases is considered that the problematic of the special necessities is imputable to genetic or personal factors that only respond to internal factors to the individuals that display them avoiding the external factors that in some cases can be more decisive determinants at the time of the conductual manifestation. In this work is pleaded because the professionals of the Guidance, as much private or public scenes of the European countries, make more specific considerations at the time of taking care of children, young people and adults, as immigrants, coming of Latin America. In an ample sense one sets out to make Guidance in the Diversity more than Guidance for the Diversity under the conception of a Guidance for All which implies the elimination of the expression "special necessities", whose connotation in our countries is not most appropriate, and than it includes the idea of an Ethnic Guidance. Perhaps the best way of boarding of these conceptions is promoting a process of Guidance from the School and not only in the School.


Thank you very much for reading applied time series analysis for the social sciences. Maybe you have knowledge that, people have look numerous times for their favorite books like this applied time series analysis for the social sciences, but end up in harmful downloads. Rather than enjoying a good book with a cup of tea in the afternoon, instead they are facing with some infectious virus inside their computer.


The murine monoclonal antibody BU31 binds to the nuclear membrane of many cell types. The expression of the BU31 antigen has previously been shown to have an inverse correlation with the proliferative index in lung tumours, defined by Ki67 staining. The distribution of BU31‐positive cells is now shown to parallel the distribution of non‐dividing cells in a range of normal human and rat tissues, although neuroendocrine cells and germ cells in the testis show no reactivity. Cells grown in culture and induced to undergo growth arrest show a higher level of labelling with BU31 than their proliferating counterparts. Confocal laser scanning microscopy reveals that the BU31 antigen is distributed predominantly along the nuclear lamina, with occasional internal foci. This distribution is very similar to that of the nuclear membrane proteins lamin A and lamin C, suggesting that the BU31 antigen and lamins A and C could be one and the same. Immunoblotting using recombinant lamin proteins confirmed this proposal. Moreover, a monoclonal antibody to the non‐proliferation‐associated antigen, statin, also recognizes lamins A and C. These data indicate that the demonstration of lamins A and C can be used to provide information on the proliferative activity of normal and neoplastic tissues. These data also suggest a role for nuclear lamins A and C during cellular quiescence, possibly through the reorganization and maintenance of nuclear structure, or more directly through interactions with the retinoblastoma gene product or related proteins.


Voice cloning is a difficult task which requires robust and informative features incorporated in a high quality TTS system in order to effectively copy an unseen speaker's voice. In our work, we utilize features learned in a self-supervised framework via the Bootstrap Your Own Latent (BYOL) method, which is shown to produce high quality speech representations when specific audio augmentations are applied to the vanilla algorithm. We further extend the augmentations in the training procedure to aid the resulting features to capture the speaker identity and to make them robust to noise and acoustic conditions. The learned features are used as pre-trained utterance-level embeddings and as inputs to a Non-Attentive Tacotron based architecture, aiming to achieve multispeaker speech synthesis without utilizing additional speaker features. This method enables us to train our model in an unlabeled multispeaker dataset as well as use unseen speaker embeddings to copy a speaker's voice. Subjective and objective evaluations are used to validate the proposed model, as well as the robustness to the acoustic conditions of the target utterance.


Hermann Oppenheim (1858-1919) was a leading figure of the modern German neurology. In spite of the antisemitic official policy, besides his complex personality, he had achieved widespread recognition of his professional qualification that attracted neurologists from all around the world to his private clinic. However, he did not held prominent positions at University milieu, in spite of being the main assistant to Karl Westphal (1833–1890) at the Charite-Hospital, in Berlin. Oppenheim was the author of an encyclopedic book of neurology titled "Lehrbuch der Nervenkrankheiten fur Arzte und Studierende" ("Textbook of Nervous Diseases for Doctors and Students"), first ed., 1894. He also published significant works on several disorders, including "traumatic neurosis" (1889) that was criticized by Jean-Martin Charcot (1825–1893), among others. He was clinically responsible for the first successful removal of brain tumors, including pineal tumor. He coined the term "dystonia musculorum deformans", and he led to several other achievements such as amyotonia congenita ("Oppenheim's disease"), besides Oppenheim's reflex.


The sea‐to‐air flux of methane from the blowout at the Deepwater Horizon was measured with substantial spatial and temporal resolution over the course of seven days in June 2010. Air and water concentrations were analyzed continuously from a flowing air line and a continuously flowing seawater equilibrator using cavity ring‐down spectrometers (CRDS) and a gas chromatograph with a flame ionization detector (GC‐FID). The results indicate a low flux of methane to the atmosphere (0.024 μmol m−2 d−1) with atmospheric and seawater equilibrium mixing ratios averaging 1.86 ppm and 2.85 ppm, respectively within the survey area. The oil leak, which was estimated to contain 30.2% methane by weight, was not a significant source of methane to the atmosphere during this study. Most of the methane emitted from the wellhead was dissolved in the deep ocean.


A problem of particular interest in pressure vessel technology is the calculation of accurate stress-intensity factors for semielliptical surface cracks in cylinders. Computing costs for direct solution techniques can be prohibitive when applied to three-dimensional (3-D) geometries with time-varying boundary conditions such as those associated with pressurized thermal shock. An alternative superposition technique requires the calculation of a set of influence coefficients for a given 3-D crack model that can be superimposed to obtain mode-I stress-intensity factors. This paper presents stress-intensity-factor influence coefficients (SIFICs) for axially and circumferentially oriented finite-length semielliptical inner-surface flaws with aspect ratios [total crack length (2c) to crack depth (a)] of 2, 6, and 10 for clad cylinders having an internal radius (R{sub i}) to wall thickness (t) ratio of 10. SEFICs are computed for flaw depths in the range of 0.01 {le} a/t {le} 0.5 and two cladding thicknesses. The incorporation of this SEFIC data base in fracture mechanics codes will facilitate the generation of fracture mechanics solutions for a wide range of flaw geometries as may be required in structural integrity assessments of pressurized-water and boiling-water reactors.


Managed care organizations rely on incentives that encourage physicians to limit medical expenditures, but little is known about how physicians respond to these incentives. We address this issue by analyzing the physician incentive contracts in use at a health maintenance organization. By combining knowledge of the incentive contracts with internal company records, we examine how medical expenditures vary with the intensity of the incentive to cut costs. Our investigation leads us to a novel explanation for high‐powered group incentives: such incentives can improve efficiency in the allocation of resources when the allocation process is based on the professional judgment of multiple agents. Our empirical work indicates that medical expenditures at the HMO are 5 percent lower than they would have been in the absence of incentives.


The applicability of Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) for internal leakage detection in valve-controlled hydraulic actuators is investigated in this paper. First, the actuator response to structured (periodic step) inputs directly applied to the control valve is analyzed. This procedure is a representative of an offline diagnosis scheme. Next, the capability of the approach toward online applications, whereby the actuator tracks unstructured (pseudorandom) position reference inputs in a closed-loop control scheme against a load, is examined. The pressure signal at one side of the actuator is decomposed into oscillatory functions called intrinsic mode functions (IMFs), and Hilbert transform is applied to each IMF to obtain the instantaneous amplitude. It is shown that the root mean square of the instantaneous amplitude associated with the first IMF establishes feature patterns that can be effectively used to detect internal leakage and its severity. Experimental tests show the effectiveness of the approach in detecting internal leakage values as low as 0.124 L/min (representing a reduction of approximately 2.6% of the available flow rate to move the actuator) during offline diagnosis and as low as 0.23 L/min (representing a reduction of approximately 5% of the available flow rate to move the actuator) when the actuator tracks reference position inputs online. This is done without having prior knowledge about the model of the actuator or leakage.


ABSTRACT Objectives This study includes two separate parts: the objective for part A was to evaluate the practical manual therapy skills of undergraduate physiotherapy students who had learned manual therapy techniques either online or in classroom depending on the phases of the pandemic. The objective for part B was to evaluate in a randomized prospective design the effectiveness of video-based versus traditional teaching of a manual therapy technique. Design Cross-sectional cohort study (part A) and randomized controlled trial (part B) Setting University of Luebeck, undergraduate physiotherapy students in years 1–3 Method In part A, physiotherapy students who had learned manual therapy either online (during the pandemic) or in classroom (prior to and after the lock down periods of the pandemic) were videotaped while performing two manual techniques on the knee joint and on the lumbar spine. Recordings were analyzed independently by two blinded raters according to a 10-item list of criteria. Inter-rater reliability was assessed using Cohen's kappa for each item. Performance across cohorts was analyzed using analysis of variance. In part B, students were randomized to learn a new technique on the cervical spine either from a lecturer or from the same lecturer on a video recording (independent variable). Practical performance of the technique was analyzed by two raters blinded to group allocation according to a 10-item list of criteria (dependent variable). Results were analyzed statistically by using ANCOVA with year of study as a covariate. Results Sixty-three and 56 students participated in part A and part B of the study, respectively. The inter-rater reliability for video analyses for both parts of the study was moderate (k = 0.402 to 0.441). In part A, there was no statistically significant difference across years of study for the practical performance of the technique on the back F(2,59) = 2.271; p = 0.112 or the knee joint F(2,59) = 3.028; p = 0.056. In part B, performance was significantly better when learned from a lecturer and practiced on a peer than when learned from a video and practiced on a rescue dummy (p < 0.001). Conclusion Practical skill performance can be acquired from videos but immediate skill reproduction is significantly better when the technique is presented by a lecturer in classroom and practiced on peer students.


Meat grease, flour and water, stirred till smooth— it's what my forebears ate, if they were lucky. It's what my mother ate, those hard dark years she worked at a sawmill way out in the mountains, learning to live on cigarettes and coffee and cold biscuits raised from the dead by gravy. Now and then she'd cook a little for us, something to moisten and darken and quicken the bowls of bland white rice or mashed potatoes I'd shape into a cratered volcano whose steaming lava overflow improved everything it touched on my dinner plate. Good gravy's not an afterthought, a dressing, a murky cloud masking a dish's dull prospect: whether poured from a Thanksgiving china boat or a black iron skillet in Bloody Madison, it's the meal's essence, where flesh meets spirit, where fat becomes faith, where juice conveys grace as red-eye, giblet, sausage, faithful sawmill— whenever I think of those savory names and the times I've poured or ladled or spooned then mixed and dipped and sopped up their elixir, not wanting to waste a single filling drop, my mouth starts making its own thin gravy again.


Background: Numerous studies in the medical and surgical literature have discussed the income gap between male and female physicians, but none has adequately accounted for the disparity. Methods: This study was performed to determine whether gender-related billing and coding differences may be related to the income gap. A 10 percent minimum difference was set a priori as statistically significant. A cohort of 1036 candidates' 9-month case lists for the American Board of Plastic Surgery over a 5-year span (2014 to 2018) was evaluated for relationships between surgeon gender and work relative value units, coding information, major and minor cases performed, and work setting. Data were deidentified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery before evaluation. The authors hypothesized that work relative value units, average codes per case, major cases, and minor cases would be at least 10 percent higher for male than for female physicians. Results: Significant differences were found between male and female surgeons in work relative value units billed, work relative value units billed per case, and the numbers of major cases performed. The average total work relative value units for male surgeons was 19.34 percent higher than for female surgeons [3253.2 (95 percent CI, 3090.5 to 3425.8) versus 2624.1 (95 percent CI, 2435.2 to 2829.6)]. Male surgeons performed 14.28 percent more major cases than female surgeons [77.6 percent (95 percent CI, 72.7 to 82.7 percent) versus 90.5 percent (95 percent CI, 86.3 to 94.9 percent); p = 0.0002]. Conclusions: The authors' findings support the hypothesis that billing and coding practices can, in part, account for income differences between male and female plastic surgeons. Potential explanations include practices focusing on larger and more complex operative cases and differences in coding practices.


: The autolysis of Escherichia and Salmonella, depending on the conditions of the medium where the cultivation and lysis of the bacteria took place, was studied. The study revealed that the autolysis of these bacteria was most intensive if lysis was induced at the moment when the culture achieved the maximum specific growth rate, as well as in case when the extreme conditions were maintained in the medium during the autolytic process. Approaches to controlling the process of the induced autolysis of Escherichia and Salmonella were proposed and substantiated.


A relatively new approach for organizations to reach their potential consumers is by using in-fluencer marketing. The concept of a brand using celebrities as influencers to endorse their product is an established practice, however, influencer marketing has introduced a new ten-dency for using micro-celebrities as a new type of influencer. Additionally, an important part of the influencer's social media message is the brand and also the fact that the message is spon-sored. The practical relevance of the field of influencer marketing is growing more and more, however, the previous research is inconclusive about which type of influencer in combination with what kind of brand and sponsorship disclosure will be most effective to use in social media. This is why the purpose of this study consists in determining the effects of influencer type, brand familiarity, and sponsorship disclosure on the purchase intention and brand trust of an individual. Furthermore, part of the research is to determine if attractiveness, trustworthiness, and expertise mediate the effect of the independent variables influencer type and sponsorship disclosure on the dependent variables purchase intention and brand trust.
This research uses a 2 (traditional vs. micro-celebrity) x 2 (familiar vs. unfamiliar brand) x 2 (sponsorship disclosure vs. no sponsorship disclosure) factorial design in the form of an online experiment conducted only amongst Bulgarians using Instagram as the social media platform for the research.
The most important results of the study are that micro-celebrities are more effective influencers compared to traditional celebrities as well as that the combination of a micro-celebrity with a familiar brand on the one hand and no sponsorship disclosure, on the other hand, proved to be more influential compared to these combinations with a traditional celebrity. Another important finding is that the mediating variables trustworthiness and expertise improve the effect of the micro-celebrity on purchase intention and brand trust. These results make an important contri-bution to advancing previous research on micro-celebrities and building the foundation for fu-ture research on micro-celebrities in combination with different types of products, as for in-stance – low and high involvement products. Future research can also measure existing attitudes towards the brand that the micro-celebrity is endorsing before and after the social media mes-sage in order to determine what role the brand attitude plays. In addition, using micro-celebrities in the practice can lead to more effective measures for increasing purchase intention of the audience and selecting an influencer based on their personal characteristics will lead to a suc-cessful influencer marketing strategy.


To the majority of the population, recurrent episodes of hypoxia are more likely encountered in life than sustained hypoxia. Until recently, much of the information on the long-term effects of intermittent hypoxia has come from studies on human subjects experiencing chronic recurrent apneas. Recent development of animal models of intermittent hypoxia and techniques for exposing cell cultures to alternating cycles of hypoxia have led to new information on the effects of episodic hypoxia on oxygen-sensing mechanisms in the carotid body chemoreceptors and regulation of gene expression. The purpose of this review is to highlight some recent studies on the effects of intermittent hypoxia on oxygen sensing at the carotid bodies and regulation of gene expression. In a rodent model, chronic intermittent hypoxia selectively enhances hypoxic sensitivity of the carotid body chemoreceptors. More interestingly, chronic intermittent hypoxia also induces a novel form of plasticity in the carotid body, leading to long-term facilitation in the sensory discharge. Studies on cell cultures reveal that intermittent hypoxia is more potent in activating activator protein-1 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 transcription factors than sustained hypoxia. Moreover, some evidence suggests that intermittent hypoxia utilizes intracellular signaling pathways distinct from sustained hypoxia. Reactive oxygen species generated during the reoxygenation phase of intermittent hypoxia might play a key role in the effects of intermittent hypoxia on carotid body function and gene expression. Global gene profile analysis in cell cultures suggests that certain genes are selectively affected by intermittent hypoxia, some upregulated and some downregulated. It is suggested that, in intact animals, coordinated gene regulation of gene expression might be critical for eliciting phenotypic changes in the cardiorespiratory systems in response to intermittent hypoxia. It is hoped that future studies will unravel new mechanisms that are unique to intermittent hypoxia that may lead to a better understanding of the changes in the cardiorespiratory systems and new therapies for diseases associated with chronic recurrent episodes of hypoxia.


SUMMARY: Osmotic lysis of Mycoplasma organisms was found to depend on the temperature of incubation. The organisms were practically resistant to osmotic shock at 0°, but lysed rapidly at 37°. Their sensitivity to lysis also depended on the pH value of the suspending medium, being lowest at pH values near neutrality. Divalent and polyvalent cations, in concentrations as low as 10−5
m, protected mycoplasmas from osmotic lysis. The parasitic Mycoplasma strains showed various degrees of osmotic fragility, Mycoplasma gallisepticum being the least fragile. All the parasitic strains tested were, however, more resistant to osmotic lysis than the saprophytic Mycoplasma laidlawii. The possibility that osmotic lysis of mycoplasmas involves autolytic processes was tested and is discussed.


Growing evidence suggests that Stat3 contributes to chemoresistance. However, the impact of chemotherapy on Stat3 activity is unclear. We found that paclitaxel activated Stat3 in the human lung cancer cell lines PC14PE6AS2 (AS2) and H157, whereas it reduced Stat3 activation in A549 and H460 cells. Pretreatment of AS2 and H157 cells with rotenone, an inhibitor of mitochondrially produced reactive oxygen species (ROS), or carbonyl cyanide p-(trifluoromethoxy)-phenylhydrazone (FCCP), a mitochondrial uncoupler, suppressed the paclitaxel-induced activation of Stat3. Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP-2), located in the inner membrane of the mitochondria, can reduce ROS production in conditions of oxidative stress. UCP-2 protein expression in the four cancer cell lines was higher than that in normal lung epithelial cells (NL-20), but its expression was lower in AS2 and H157 cells relative to A549 and H460 cells. Silencing high UCP-2 expression with small interfering RNA (siRNA) in A549 and H460 cells restored paclitaxel-induced Stat3 activation. In addition, paclitaxel-induced Stat3 activation led to the upregulation of survivin and Mcl-1, which in turn facilitated cell survival. Moreover, the CL1-5 subline had lower UCP-2 expression relative to the parental CL1-0 cells. Treatment with paclitaxel activated Stat3 in CL1-5 but not in CL1-0 cells, whereas in CL1-5 cells, the overexpression of UCP-2 with complementary DNA (cDNA) blocked Stat3 activation. In lung cancer patients, low UCP-2 expression in cancer cells was a predictor of a poor response to chemotherapy. Therefore, UCP-2 modulates the ROS/Stat3 signaling pathway and response to chemotherapy treatment in lung cancer cells. Targeting UCP-2, ROS and Stat3 pathways may improve anticancer therapies.


ABSTRACT This research was to understand some of the important factors influencing the development of symbolic play in young children aged from 18 to 30 months. Most researchers and practitioners recognise play as developmentally beneficial in early childhood. Fisher (1992) in a meta-analysis of over 40 studies of children and play identified 'child-orientated' play which includes symbolic or pretend play as influential in enhancing young children's cognitive and social development. The current project, undertaken in long-day child-care centres investigated the influences of older peers on the development of symbolic play in young children. It was hypothesised that toddlers w h o engaged in free play with older peers would exhibit symbolic-play activity more frequently and at enhanced levels than when engaged in free play with their sameage peers. Data collection comprised observations of children at play in: same-age outdoor free play, mixed-age outdoor free play, and dyad free play. The older peers' ages ranged from three and a half to approximately five years of age. Three, ten-minute observations of the participant in each condition were video-taped. In the dyad condition, the participant was paired with a familiar and 'self-chosen' older peer who was requested to help the younger child play with three different sets of equipment, each of which was likely to elicit symbolic play. Video-taped segments were rated every 30 seconds for the frequency and level of symbolic play in each of the four dimensions ('decontextualisation', 'thematic content', 'organisation of themes', and self-other relationships') identified by Westby (1991). The data gathered assisted the assessment of the level of the toddlers' symbolic play. The parents of the toddler participants completed questionnaires providing information regarding: children's activities and interests; parental expectations of their child's developmental outcomes, and the socio-economic status of the family. Questionnaires completed by L D C C C staff members indicated the value they placed upon play and other components of the program; and the level of training and qualifications achieved in Early-Childhood Education by the respondent. Results showed that toddlers engaged in free play in the dyad condition (Condition Three) displayed symbolic play more frequently and at higher, more complex levels than when engaged in same-age play or mixed-age play. A sibling effect was also found: toddlers who were 'first-borns' engaged in symbolic play more frequently and at higher, more complex levels in mixed-age play (Condition T w o ) than in either of the other two conditions. It is suggested that older peers when engaged with younger toddler-aged children assume the role of the 'more-skilled other' (Vygotsky, 1987) providing 'guided participation' (Rogoff, 1990) for the toddler operating in their zone of proximal development. Additionally, dyad play is likely to support the mechanisms of 'joint attention' (Tomasello, 1995) or 'joint involvement' (Schaffer, 1996) considered as instrumental in human social cognition.This research was to understand some of the important factors influencing the development of symbolic play in young children aged from 18 to 30 months. Most researchers and practitioners recognise play as developmentally beneficial in early childhood. Fisher (1992) in a meta-analysis of over 40 studies of children and play identified 'child-orientated' play which includes symbolic or pretend play as influential in enhancing young children's cognitive and social development. The current project, undertaken in long-day child-care centres investigated the influences of older peers on the development of symbolic play in young children. It was hypothesised that toddlers w h o engaged in free play with older peers would exhibit symbolic-play activity more frequently and at enhanced levels than when engaged in free play with their sameage peers. Data collection comprised observations of children at play in: same-age outdoor free play, mixed-age outdoor free play, and dyad free play. The older peers' ages ranged from three and a half to approximately five years of age. Three, ten-minute observations of the participant in each condition were video-taped. In the dyad condition, the participant was paired with a familiar and 'self-chosen' older peer who was requested to help the younger child play with three different sets of equipment, each of which was likely to elicit symbolic play. Video-taped segments were rated every 30 seconds for the frequency and level of symbolic play in each of the four dimensions ('decontextualisation', 'thematic content', 'organisation of themes', and self-other relationships') identified by Westby (1991). The data gathered assisted the assessment of the level of the toddlers' symbolic play. The parents of the toddler participants completed questionnaires providing information regarding: children's activities and interests; parental expectations of their child's developmental outcomes, and the socio-economic status of the family. Questionnaires completed by L D C C C staff members indicated the value they placed upon play and other components of the program; and the level of training and qualifications achieved in Early-Childhood Education by the respondent. Results showed that toddlers engaged in free play in the dyad condition (Condition Three) displayed symbolic play more frequently and at higher, more complex levels than when engaged in same-age play or mixed-age play. A sibling effect was also found: toddlers who were 'first-borns' engaged in symbolic play more frequently and at higher, more complex levels in mixed-age play (Condition T w o ) than in either of the other two conditions. It is suggested that older peers when engaged with younger toddler-aged children assume the role of the 'more-skilled other' (Vygotsky, 1987) providing 'guided participation' (Rogoff, 1990) for the toddler operating in their zone of proximal development. Additionally, dyad play is likely to support the mechanisms of 'joint attention' (Tomasello, 1995) or 'joint involvement' (Schaffer, 1996) considered as instrumental in human social cognition.


The migration of human populations from rural to urban settlements known as urbanization in its most basic sense suggests an improvement in various facets of life. Urbanization ideally should also imply an enhancement of housing quality and other components of human settlements such as power supply, portable water, good roads, proper refuse and sewage disposal facilities, maintenance of ecological balance and a reduction in environmental pollution. Globally, the urbanization process has occurred in a disorganized and nearly uncontrollable manner. The spontaneity in growth of urban settlements has affected negatively several components of the urban fabric such that these components (previously mentioned) are either severely inadequate or non-existent in majority of instances where urbanization has taken place. Arguably, the success of any urbanization process can be measured by the quality of the environments produced and the housing stock found within such environments. This paper seeks to identify and evaluate the components of urban settlements that can be used as indices for establishing quality of our housing, environments and urban clusters particularly for the Nigerian context. The research methodology is a reconnaissance survey, field observation and comparison of four main areas within Ido Local Government Area of Ibadan, Oyo State, namely Apete, Elebu, Elenusonso and Ologuneru. Key words : Urbanization, Environmental quality indicators.


The different types of glazing systems currently in use today are described. This paper is directed toward wet glazing only and specifically the use of preformed butyl elastomeric tape. The development of a suitable tape formulation necessitates understanding the demands placed on the tape while in service. Adhesion to substrates, squeeze-out under load, pump out resistance, compression-deflection properties at various temperatures, and durability under long-term aging are typical parameters of a quality tape. Tests that define these characteristics and typical data are presented. Selection of tape is dependent upon whether the system requires a compressible, noncompressible, or shimmed tape. Installation techniques including the use of liquid sealants as well as proper joint preparation are discussed. Status of ASTM Subcommittee C24.50 on Preformed Tape Sealants efforts in test methods and specifications are discussed.


In characterizing hydrocarbon reservoirs, estimating reserves, and developing models for how to best extract the hydrocarbons, it is useful to know the lithology and associated porosity of the rocks in the target interval. It is particularly important to have accurate estimates of volumes and flow characteristics early in the development of deepwater reservoirs, as sizing the facilities to the resource is a significant component of an economically successful project. Accurate characterization of the reservoir can be a challenge in this situation as well control is typically very limited.


Serenity is a computer generated ink-wash animated short in which the traditional aesthetics meets the new media. I combined theoretical research and physical experiment to convey a peaceful pleasant feeling with subtle movement.  The focus of this thesis is to assess the possibility and capability of digital instruments in simulating the traditional Chinese ink painting and further transplant to three-dimensional (3D) platform. This thesis presents a new approach to practice Chinese painting and to compose an animation by using 3D techniques and non-photorealistic rendering (NPR). The aim for the composition portion of this project is to produce a refreshing animated visual style and to introduce the traditional methods of Chinese painting not only to the west, but also to the new Chinese generation who usually devote their time and energy to the subjects that might guarantee a better university or job.  My research draws on the previous ink-wash animations and the visual reference on Chinese painting, and takes advantage of my personal experience in both traditional training and digital media design to exploit a potential path for ink-wash animation in the competitive commercial market. Expanding traditional ink painting into the digital field provides an opportunity for the archaic art form to be communicated and shared widely and efficiently worldwide.


Background: The relationship between injury risk (IR) in age groups and periods around peak height velocity (PHV) remains unclear. PHV is defined as the moment of the largest increase in body height. Purpose: To investigate injury risk and injury burden as functions of growth velocity (periods around PHV) and chronological age groupings (under 12 years [U12] to U19) in talented youth male soccer players. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A total of 170 players from the youth academy of a Dutch soccer club (highest professional league: Eredivisie) were observed for 1 to 3 seasons. Injuries, exposure, PHV age, and chronological age were registered. The injury incidence density (IID) and injury burden per 1000 hours of soccer participation, with 95% CIs, were calculated for 5 PHV periods and 7 age groups. These were compared with the overall cohort results using incidence ratios (IRs) and burden ratios (BRs) with 95% CIs. Results: The mean age at PHV was 14.4 ± 0.65 years (range, 12.8-16.5 years). The mean IID for the total cohort was 8.34 injuries per 1000 hours (95% CI, 7.71-9.02). Compared with the overall mean, a significantly higher IID was found for PHV period 4+5 (IR, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.00-1.71]; P = .049) and for the U15 group (IR, 1.49 [95% CI, 1.24-1.79]; P < .001). The overall injury burden was 58.37 injury days per 1000 hours (95% CI, 56.66-60.13). In PHV period 4+5, the injury burden was significantly higher (BR, 1.53 [95% CI, 1.39-1.68]; P < .001) when compared with the overall mean. Also, compared with the overall mean, the injury burden was higher in the U16 (BR, 1.48 [95% CI, 1.39-1.58]; P < .001), U15 (BR, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.19-1.38]; P < .001), and U17 groups (BR, 1.21 [95% CI, 1.13-1.31]; P < .001). Conclusion: Talented young soccer players were more prone to injuries during the 6 months after PHV (31% above overall mean) as well as in the U15 group (49% above overall mean). Based on the higher injury burden in the U16 (48%), U15 (28%), and U17 (21%) groups, we suggest that research on injury risk factors and preventive measures should primarily target these age groups. Additional interventions based on PHV may be of limited value from a screening perspective. Further research is needed on the interaction between age groups and PHV periods.


Hyperprolactinemia, usually caused by a pituitary lactotroph tumor, leads to galactorrhea and infertility. Increased prolactin (PRL) levels may be due to enhanced PRL expression or proliferation of PRL-secreting cells. We hypothesize that PRL expression and PRL-secreting cell proliferation are linked. Using microarray-based gene expression profiling, we identified CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein δ (CEBPD) transcription factor as a critical gene that regulates both PRL expression and lactotroph cell proliferation. CEBPD expression levels are decreased approximately 7-fold in experimental rat prolactinoma cells. Forced expression of this transcription factor in PRL-secreting cells (GH3 and MMQ) inhibited PRL expression and cellular proliferation, and CEBPD knockdown by small interfering RNA leads to increased PRL expression in both cell lines. To determine mechanisms underlying this observation, we determined binding of CEBPD to the PRL promoter and also showed marked suppression (96%) of PRL promoter activity. CEBPD and Pit1 interact and attenuate each other's binding to the PRL promoter. CEBPD also suppresses expression of proliferation-related genes, including c-Myc, survivin, as well as cyclins B1, B2, and D1. These results show that PRL expression and cell proliferation are controlled in part by CEBPD.


The dynamics of the cellular immunity indices have been studied in 81 patients with endometrial cancer, during the period of combined surgery and post-operative gamma-therapy and also during short-wave therapy. The results obtained testify to the immunostimulating and immunomodulating effect of electromagnetic irradiation of short-wave frequency, thus providing rehabilitation of the immune system in endometrial cancer patients and serving as the basis for short-wave therapy, including it in the complex of therapies given to this group of patients.


The entrepreneurial ecosystem is a relatively new perspective within the field of entrepreneurship but is now one of the most discussed topics in that field. It emphasizes the role of broader framework conditions that promote or constrain entrepreneurial activity in any region. The supportive institutional framework (reduced number of government regulations, ease in compliance of taxation system and control over corruption) and physical conditions (ease in access to finance, developed infrastructure, stability in political environment, the availability of an educated workforce and reduced competition with informal sector) create an entrepreneurial ecosystem where entry, survival and growth of firms will be at the highest rate. These elements of the institutional framework and physical conditions are interactive in nature, therefore, policymakers around the world are trying to achieve a balance between these components of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. There is a paucity of research on the entrepreneurial ecosystems of developing countries, therefore, the findings of this thesis will not only be an addition to the literature but will also be useful for policymakers in these countries. In this study, pooled cross-sectional data for Pakistan and 41 low-middle income countries (LMICs) covering the period 2006-13 have been used to identify different entrepreneurial ecosystems and explain their impact on the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The performance of SMEs has been measured through the annual change in sales growth, employment growth and labour productivity growth. The findings based on the analysis of the entrepreneurial ecosystems for the group of LMICs show that all of the identified components can have a negative effect on the performance of the SMEs. However, ranking of components on the basis of magnitude and statistical significance of effect shows that corruption has the most negative effect on firm performance, which warranted further examination. Therefore, we compare the firm performance of the most corrupt and least corrupt LMICs through the use of propensity score matching (PSM) methods. The results of matching methods show that firm performance in the most corrupt countries is at least 10% lower than firms in the least corrupt countries. Thus, LMICs need to take steps to improve their control over corruption in order to achieve better performance of their SMEs. However, only the individual components of the entrepreneurial ecosystems could be assessed for LMICs because of the heterogeneity of the institutional frameworks and physical conditions of these countries. Therefore, the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Pakistan has also been analysed to determine its existence and composition, and its effects on the performance of SMEs. The entrepreneurial ecosystem of Pakistan is examined using firm level survey data provided by the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) for the years 2007 and 2013. A cluster analysis and canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) is undertaken to identify the composition of the entrepreneurial ecosystem existing in Pakistan. This bottom-up approach, recommended in the literature, has been used to measure the interactive effects of components of the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Pakistan. None of the studies in the literature has measured and empirically tested the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Pakistan using this approach. The findings indicate that the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Pakistan is a combination of elements of the institutional framework and physical conditions. Except for government regulations and political stability, all other components contribute negatively to the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Pakistan. Thus, the aggregate effect of the entrepreneurial ecosystem is negative on the performance of SMEs. Moreover, an index was calculated using the interactive weighted effect of the components of the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Pakistan. The regression estimates based on the index values affirmed the negative effect of the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Pakistan as a system. Our findings for Pakistan can be used as a guideline for policymakers in other developing countries with similar institutional frameworks and physical conditions. However, it can be inferred that there is no shortcut to create a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem. The gradual improvements, with government acting as facilitator, are required to make the entrepreneurial ecosystems in LMICs conducive for entry, survival and growth of businesses. The specific recommendations for both policymakers and entrepreneurs are given at the end of the thesis.


Monitoring and measuring various metrics of high-data rate networks produces a vast amount of information over a long period of time making the storage of the monitored data a serious issue. Furthermore, for the collected monitoring data to be useful to network analysts, these measurements need to be processed in order to detect interesting characteristics.In this paper wavelet analysis is used as a multi-resolution analysis tool for compression of data rate measurements. Two known thresholds are suggested for lossy compression and event detection purposes. Results show high compression ratios while preserving the quality (quantitative and visual aspects) and the energy of the signal and detection of sudden changes are achievable.


Lymphatic metastasis is a crucial mechanism by which the cancer cells break away from the primary (original) tumor and travel to the closest regional lymph node(s) and ultimately to other organs or parts of the body, which is closely associated with tumor recurrence and reduced survival. Thus, tracking tumor lymphatic metastasis and realizing imaging-guided lymphoma resection surgery is of great significance. In this study, an activatable nanoprobe is developed for precisely tracking lymphatic metastasis of tumors and imaging-guided resection of the primary tumor and metastatic lymphoma. The molecular probe contains tricyanofuran as the electron-accepting unit (electron acceptor), xanthene as the electron-donating unit (electron donor), and alanine as the responsive unit (recognition moiety) for aminopeptidase N, and the probe molecules form the nanoprobe with bovine serum albumin as the matrix. The nanoprobe can respond specifically to aminopeptidase N overproduced in the tumor, thereby transmuting the alanine into an amino group, and correspondingly the nanoprobe is activated. Strong optoacoustic and NIR-II fluorescence signals emitted by the activated nanoprobe can be utilized for visualizing the lymphatic metastasis of tumors. Moreover, the nanoprobe with the aid of three-dimensional multispectral optoacoustic tomography (3D MSOT) imaging can accurately locate the tumor site of lymphatic metastasis, and ultimately, both the primary tumor and the metastatic lymphoma can be excised with resection surgery under the guidance of NIR-II fluorescence imaging.


Owing to toxicity of pharmacy wastewater to microbe, commonly used biodegradation is often limited in application; accordingly exploiting new ways of the wastewater treatment with high efficiency is a hot topic. As a new efficient advanced oxidation, pulsed corona discharge combining with ozone is attracting more and more attention. In this study, a special reactor was designed, in addition, the removal of TOC(Total Organic Carbon) and COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand)of simulant pharmacy wastewater containing hydroquinone (500mg/L) by pulsed corona discharge combining with ozone were investigated . It was showed that the TOC and COD removal (53.8% and 72.3%) by the combined technology was much higher than by using the two techniques in series when all the samples were treated 40mins.The two methods in combination have a synergistic effect. TOC and COD removal could be improved obviously when NaCl feed concentration increased from 0 to1000 mg/L, yet further increase in NaCl feed led to a markedly decrease removal efficiency of TOC and COD.


Cutting fluid is a type of coolant and lubricant designed specifically for metalworking and machining processes. There are various kinds of cutting fluids, which include oils, oil-water emulsions, pastes, gels, aerosols (mists), and air or other gases.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravitreal injection of triamcinolone and moxifloxacin regime administered immediately following cataract surgery.

METHODS
The retrospective study was conducted from January to June 2021 at a tertiary care referral centre in Karachi and comprised record of all patients who underwent dropless cataract surgery from April 2018 to June 2019. Data included slit lamp examination, dilated fundal exam, uncorrected visual acuity, best corrected visual acuity, and intraocular pressure. Cataract assessment and anterior chamber reaction were graded according to the World Health Organisation cataract grouping system. Efficacy of the regime was defined as the ability to prevent postoperative endophthalmitis. Stratification analysis was done to note if gender has any role in terms of effectiveness. Data was analysed using Microsoft Excel version 16.0 and IBM SPSS version 27.

RESULTS
Of 240 eyes of 161 patients analysed, 114(47.5%) were of men who had a mean age of 57.89±14.32 years, and 126(52.5%) were of females with a mean age of 58.02±10.85 years. Overall, 2(1.75%) male subjects and 1(0.8%) female subject developed breakthrough inflammation within one week of the procedure. They were treated with anti-inflammatory drops and in 1(33%) of the cases antibiotic drop for 1 week. At day 90, no patient had residual inflammation or new onset inflammation. Also, 15(6.25%) patients developed raised intraocular pressure from day 7 to day 30. Most cases 10(66.7%) resolved within 1 week of using intraocular pressure-lowering drops. No patient developed endophthalmitis postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS
Dropless cataract regime was found to be an effective and safe alternative that was easy to administer.


The implementation of non-discriminatory sex legislation provides theoretical and empirical grounds to examine responses by the state to gender equality. Tracing the trajectory of one such law in the U.S.—Title IX—over a period of 40 years, this study analyzes the extent to which the state: (1) acted as a unitary body, and (2) functioned to dismantle its own oppressive gender features. By examining the federal government's three core branches (executive, legislative, and judicial), the study finds differential responses by branch, with the greatest variability expressed by the executive branch, revealing the state to be less than a coherent institution. The study also shows only modest efforts to enforce the law, raising doubts about the commitment of the state to transform the social relations of gender. The state's framing of gender equality exclusively in terms of non-discriminatory practices falls short of fostering changes in gender mentalities and identities in U.S. educational institutions—an outcome reflected in the persistent gender clustering of fields of study at the university level.


Mammary tuberculosis is a rare clinical entity, often mimicking breast cancer or abscesses. A 26-year-old female presented with a painful left breast mass and an associated sinus tract with purulent discharge. Physical examination revealed a tender, erythematous, firm left breast mass with an associated sinus tract opening with discharge within the upper outer quadrant of her left breast with a clinically palpable left axillary lymphadenopathy. Ultrasound revealed nonspecific findings and mammography could not utilize due her young age. A surgical procedure was planned and the left breast mass was completely removed by an open surgical biopsy including left axillary lymphnodes and the hystopathological evaluation of the specimen revealed findings consistent with mammary tuberculosis whereas no other nidus for tuberculosis were found within the organs including lungs. Primary mammary tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any case of a painful breast mass that appears refractory to conventional therapy.


Abstract It has been suggested that fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in secondary sexual traits may be a useful indicator of either individual quality or environmental stress. We tested this concept using a series of analyses of FA in male antler size in a wild red deer (Cervus elaphus) population, using four measures of size repeated across successive years on the same individuals. We found no consistent evidence of correlations between traits in levels of FA, nor of any associations between known environmental or developmental conditions. None of the four measures of FA showed a significant heritability (average h2=0.041), nor was there any evidence of inbreeding depression. For three of the four traits, fluctuating asymmetry did not predict either annual or lifetime breeding success. However there were significant associations between breeding success and FA in antler length. Given the series of null results in our other tests, it seems likely that this was a direct mechanistic effect rather than because measures of FA were indicative of individual quality or condition.


To develop an effective biological agent to control Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, three endophytic Bacillus spp. strains with high antagonistic activity were isolated from maize seed and characterized. In vitro assays revealed that the Bacillus endophytes could produce volatile organic compounds (VOC) that reduced sclerotial production and inhibited mycelial growth of S. sclerotiorum. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed that the selected strains produced 16 detectable VOC. Eight of the produced VOC exhibited negative effects on S. sclerotiorum, while a further four induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species in mycelial cells. A mixture of VOC produced by Bacillus velezensis VM11 caused morphological changes in the ultrastructure and organelle membranes of S. sclerotiorum mycelial cells. The bromophenol blue assay revealed a yellow color of untreated fungal mycelium, which grew faster and deeper from 24 to 72 h postinoculation, as an indication of reduced pH. The potassium permanganate (KMnO4) titration assay showed that the rate of oxalic acid accumulation was higher in minimal salt liquid medium cultures inoculated with untreated fungal plugs compared with the Bacillus VOC-treated ones. Interestingly, biological control assays using host-plant leaves challenged with treated fungal mycelial plugs produced reduced lesions compared with the control. These findings provide new viable possibilities of controlling diseases caused by S. sclerotiorum using VOC produced by Bacillus endophytes.


In the centre of emulation of the market enough oppress company have to development marketing strategy especially his brand. This matter because moment consumer buy the product more consider the brand. Company cope to enter his brand in consumer memory, however don't always yield brand awareness wanted by the company. Intensity excelsior experience of consumer will progressively the impression good which given by brand, hence awareness consumer will high. Company will enjoy the marketing expense is small relative at level brand awareness and brand loyalty.
This research concerning brand equity soap brand Lux, his analysis use brand awareness, brand association, brand loyalty and perceived quality. This research use the descriptive statistical analysis and simple tabulation analysis. The method used with interview and propagate quisioner accidentally sampling to all Faculty in Muhammadiyah University of Malang.
From the research result is to be obtained the result at variable brand awareness, soap Lux is top of mind by responder that is equal to 50%, brand recall 48,18%, brand recognition counted 1,82%, all responders remember the soap brand Lux because the unaware of brand equal to 0%. From result analyse concerning brand association by using statistical analysis deskripif responder associaty brand Lux with beauty counted 54,55%, affluence counted 48,18 %, star counted 46,36 %, soap of 40 %. Analysis concerning brand loyalty obtained the result at indicator switcer buyer equal to 39,09%, habitual buyer equal to 50,91%, liking the brand equal to 54,54%, commited buyer equal to 67,27%. Last analysis is perceived quality of result that product performance indicator fragrant soap, make the clean body, and make the soft husk. At indicator as according to specification express that soap Lux don't make the scaly husk, is not running dry, not hot. This Reliability indicator is equal to other soap brand. Resilience soap indicator Lux this diffraction go along way though is often weared to be compared to the other soap brand. Indicator soap end result Lux not yet according to among the advertisement presented with given by the reality of consumer.


Purpose: Pediatric patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma and thoracic or paraspinal sarcomas who received radiotherapy may develop clinically significant radiation pneumonitis (RP) requiring the use of steroids. There are no dosimetric planning guidelines for pediatric lung to assess the likelihood of complication. We reviewed dose‐volume histograms (DVHs) and clinical complication data of 63 children treated on 2 prospective studies and evaluated the applicability of adult planning guidelines and risk models.Method and Materials: Forty children with Hodgkin's lymphoma and 23 with sarcoma receiving radiation to the thorax were studied. Patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma received 25.5 Gy involved‐field radiotherapy. Eight of which received 8 Gy to the entirety of one or both lungs through partial transmission blocks. Patients with sarcomas received 41.4–70.2 Gy conformal radiotherapy to the primary tumor. Clinical data on RP were collected from protocol databases and chart review with IRB approval. DVH parameters V13, V20, mean lungdose and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) from adult lungmodels were calculated. Results: Four patients developed RP following radiotherapy. Two required the use of steroids (NCI CTC grade II). Of the 3 patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma who developed RP, 2 had received 8 Gy delivered to their entire right lung. Children with grade II RP have higher total lung DVHs, a V20 ⩾35% and mean lungdose above 16 Gy, consistent with the planning constraints set for adult lungcancer and Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, adult lung NTCP and risk models predicted low probability (0.2–0.3) for children who actually developed RP. Conclusion: The V20 and mean lungdose guidelines developed for adult lungcancer identify children at higher risk for RP. Better understanding of other clinical factors such as chemotherapeutic agents and individual sensitivity may be required to improve the predicability of NTCP models for children.


Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and tankyrase-1/2 (TANK) are two enzymes known to play multiple roles in cell biology, including regulation of proliferation, differentiation and metabolism. Both of them act on the canonical Wnt/β-Catenin pathway, but are also involved in many other independent intracellular mechanisms. More importantly, GSK-3β and TANK have been shown to play crucial roles in different diseases, including cancer and neurological disorders. The GSK-3β-inhibitor 'CHIR' and the TANK-inhibitor 'XAV' are two pyrimidine molecules, holding high potential as possible therapeutic drugs. However, their effect on neural tissue is poorly understood. In this study, we tested the effects of CHIR and XAV on human neural precursor cells (hNPCs) derived from human embryonic stem cells. We found that CHIR-mediated inhibition of GSK-3β promotes neural differentiation. In contrast, XAV-mediated inhibition of TANK leads to de-differentiation. These results highlight the relative importance of these two enzymes in determining the neurodevelopmental status of hNPCs. Furthermore, they shed light on the roles of Wnt signaling during early human neurogenesis.


In this work, we present a novel method forin situ investigation of surface charging and ion transport inside nanopores of titania-silica waveguide by means of the optical-waveguide-lightmode spectroscopy. Porous oxide waveguides show a strong optical response when exposed to electrolyte solutions, and this response is consistent with oxide surface charging due to changes in ionic strength and pH of the solution in contact with the waveguide. The optical response to pH or electrolyte concentration change is stabilized within several minutes when the solution ionic strength is sufficiently high (0.1M),while it takes two orders of magnitude longer-to-reach stable optical response at very low ionic strengths (<0.1mM). The relaxation times at the high ionic strength are still by several orders of magnitude slower than expected from bulk diffusion coefficients of electrolytes in water. Our results indicate that diffusion of electrolytes is severely hindered (and more so with decreasing ionic strength) in charged pores inside waveguides.