Evidence from wide-angle seismic data in the Irish sector of the Rockall Trough suggests that the basin is underlain by thinned continental crust which has undergone differential stretching. The upper crust has been thinned by a stretching factor of 8–10 while the middle and lower crust (and probably also the lithospheric mantle) was stretched by a factor of 2–3. The latter figure is suggested as being representative of the overall lithospheric stretching. Crustal modelling fails to demonstrate any significant effect of the Iceland plume on the development of the basin. The Rockall Trough contains up to 6 km of sedimentary strata. Well and seismic data from adjacent basins indicate that the succession in the basin is likely to be of Late Palaeozoic to Recent age. The pre-Cretaccous faeies are suggested to be broadly similar to other basins of the Atlantic borderlands. Cretaceous and Tertiary strata show progressive clastic starvation as thermal subsidence outstripped sedimentation in the basin, Sandy facies are likely to be concentrated towards the faulted basin margins and the re-entrant regions where the basin margin changes orientation. Basin modelling, based on normal incidence and wide-angle seismic profiles from a number of areas in the Irish sector of the basin, demonstrates that the observed seismic geometries and subsidence patterns cannot be explained by a single rift episode in the Cretaceous, The best fit of possible models suggests that the basin developed in response to discrete rift episodes in the Triassic, Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous.


Efficient biopharmaceutical process development relies on the Quality-by-Design (QbD) paradigm. QbD is a scientific, risk-based proactive approach to drug development that aims to have a full understanding of how the process and product are related. This knowledge is gained by process analytical technology (PAT). In this case study the Applied Process Company (APC) integrated external PAT and an APC-developed controller with an Eppendorf DASGIP ® Parallel Bioreactor System. Online PAT measurement and control of the identified critical process parameters led to greater understanding and the streamlined optimization of a mammalian cell bioprocess. The study exemplifies the value of flexible bioreactor systems which allow ease of integration of third-party technology.


: One hundred hematomas were examined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 0.15 T, all explored in SEpT1 and most in SEpT2. The number of cases examined in the acute phase during the first 48 hours was low: 8 cases. At this SEpT1 period the hematoma appears of elevated signal with good muscle contrast but without contrast in hepatic and cerebral parenchyma. In a weighted T2 sequence, the intense signals of cerebral edema and plasma or serum enables detection of the encephalic lesion. Findings from 68 hematomas observed in the subacute or chronic phase suggest that their appearance is pathognomonic with visualization in SEpT1 of a crown of an intense signal at least equal to that of fat. The only difficulty at this period is the discovery of a hematoma within the fat: orbital, retroperitoneal... The collection of a subdural hematoma usually appears homogeneous, the intensity of the signal varying with red cell concentration and time. In the soft tissues, the intensity of signal is a function of concentration of hemoglobin and its derivatives and of volume of serous effusion. Images of 24 hematomas during the sequelae phase confirmed the appearance of a "biochemical shell" without signal in SEpT2 and allowed detection of the hematic contents of an occupying process even after long periods, sometimes after one year.


Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) and Doris Lessing's The Memoirs of a Survivor (1974) are both novels that blend autobiography with science fiction. In a review of Vonnegut's Mother Night, Lessing writes that he "makes nonsense of the little categories". The same applies to Lessing. These two novels live in the porous borders between genre—between fiction and non-fiction.  Vonnegut writes that he can't remember much of his experiences in the firebombing of Dresden in the Second World War. The war novel he writes about them has a protagonist who is "unstuck in time". I frame my discussion of Slaughterhouse around problems of temporal and narrative ordering. Through use of fractured time, repetitions, and the chronotope, Vonnegut finds a way to express his missing and traumatic memories of the war.  Lessing's memories are of her early childhood in Persia and Southern Rhodesia. These memories are warped, claustrophobic, and difficult to articulate. Like Slaughterhouse, Memoirs fractures time and space. I organise my discussion of Lessing's novel around the latter, focusing on a literalised porous border: her dissolving living room wall. Borders and portals between spaces in Memoirs blend the dystopian, science-fiction world of the city with the world of Lessing's memories; dreams with reality; and the static with the dynamic.  I pose several answers to the question of why science fiction and autobiography. A shared occupation of the two authors was a concern for the madness and dissolution of society, and science fiction engages in a tradition of expressing these concerns. Additionally, Vonnegut and Lessing use the tools of a genre in which it is acceptable for time and space to be warped or fractured. These tools not only allow for the expression of memories that are fragmented, difficult, and half forgotten, but produce worlds that mirror the form of these personal memories.


The aim of this paper is to analyze factors (with an influence on value of transactions on stock exchange) which induce companies listed on Bucharest Stock Exchange to pay dividends for period 2008 – 2015. First we will estimate five regression models, taking into account some financial and macroeconomics variables. Second we will rebuild these five regression models including a dummy variable which indicates the change of dividend tax rate. Our analyses emphasized the fact that net income, liquidity index, BET return and total assets have a significant effect on dividend payment policy which keeps their significance also after introducing the dummy variable, except the BET rate which decreased its significance. Also only the change of dividend tax rate and net income have a positively significant impact over dividend payment policy of Romanian 'companies. The findings from this study are useful to be taken in account by the board of managers of companies when they decide the dividend policy for the company. In the same time our study extends the existing literature on this topic, by analyzing the impact of the most recent change in dividend tax rate from 2015, and also by extending the factors which affect the dividend policy of the companies listed on stock exchange.


We consider the problem of distributed stochastic optimization, where each of several machines has access to samples from the same source distribution, and the goal is to jointly optimize the expected objective w.r.t. the source distribution, minimizing: (1) overall runtime; (2) communication costs; (3) number of samples used. We study this problem systematically, highlighting fundamental limitations, and differences versus distributed consensus problems where each machine has a different, independent, objective. We show how the best known guarantees are obtained by an accelerated mini-batched SGD approach, and contrast the runtime and sample costs of the approach with those of other distributed optimization algorithms.


Consanguineous marriages are the deeply rooted social trend in Pakistan, which lead to the high prevalence of inherited diseases. Thalassemia is an inherited disorder characterized by the abnormal synthesis of hemoglobin leading to anemia. β-thalassemia is the most common inherited disorder in Pakistan particularly in Sindh. The patients of β-thalassemia need repeated transfusion, which might cause complications causing the high rate of mortality in blood transfusion dependent β-thalassemia patients. Several studies have previously reported the high prevalence of β-thalassemia in Pakistan, however, the prevalence of β-thalassemia in the siblings borne from β-thalassemia carrier parents and association of ABO blood group with β-thalassemia have not been extensively studied. The purpose of this study was to find out the prevalence of β-thalassemia in the siblings of β-thalassemia carriers parents. This study was also set to find out the association of β-thalassemia with ABO blood groups. This was a cross sectional study carried out from August 2016 to July 2017 in the Thalassemia centers of district Dadu and district Hyderabad. In this study, 168 children from 50 families were selected for the study. The results indicate that almost half of the births 44.64% from β-thalassemia carriers are the β-thalassemia patients. B blood group was found to be higher in both in male and female β-thalassemia patients. Male had higher prevalence of β-thalassemia than female children. The pattern of ABO blood group distribution was B > O > A > AB, and for the RH factor it was RH + ve > Rh –ve. Conclusively, this study indicates the higher prevalence of β-thalassemia in siblings borne from β-thalassemia carrier's parents. β-thalassemia was higher in male children and B blood group was higher than other blood groups.


Time-resolved two-photon photoemission in combination with the coherent excitation of several quantum states was used to study the ultrafast electron dynamics of image-potential states on metal surfaces. For a (100) surface of copper, the spectroscopy of quantum beats made previously unresolved high-order states (quantum numbern ≥ 4) experimentally accessible. By exciting electrons close to the vacuum level, electron wave packets could be created and detected that described the quasi-classical periodic motion of weakly bound electrons. They traveled more than 200 A away from the surface and oscillated back and forth with a period of 800 femtoseconds.


Palladium(II) acetate and palladium(II) chloride react with amino acids in acetone/water to yield cis or trans square planar bis-chelated palladium amino acid complexes. The naturally occurring amino acids and some N-alkylated and substituted derivatives and homologs were evaluated as ligands. Thirty-eight amino acids in total were investigated as ligands. The formation of aquo complexes in water was observed and studied by C NMR spectroscopy and modeled by DFT calculations. Each class of amino acid ligand is catalytically active with respect to the oxidative coupling of olefins and phenylboronic acids. Some enantioselectivity is observed and the formation of products not reported in other Pd(II) oxidative couplings is seen. Both activated and non-activated alkenes were oxidatively coupled to phenylboronic acids incorporating both electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups. The crystal structures of nineteen catalyst complexes were obtained. The extended lattice structures arise from N-HŸŸO or OŸŸ(HOH)ŸŸO hydrogen bonding. NMR, HRMS, FTIR, single crystal XRD, and powder XRD data are evaluated.


When faced with intense domestic turmoil, governments may strategically engage in foreign interactions to divert the public's attention away from pressing domestic issues. I test this hypothesis for a globally representative sample of 190 countries, at the monthly level, over the years 1997-2014. Using textual data on media–reported events retrieved from the GDELT database, I find robust evidence that governments resort to diversionary tactics in times of domestic turmoil and that such diversion takes the form of verbally aggressive foreign interactions, typically targeted at 'weak' countries and countries closely linked along religious, linguistic and geographic dimensions. Strategically important trade partners are unlikely to be victimized. These findings suggest that diversionary foreign policy is, in fact, systematically practised by governments as a strategic tool, and that such diversion is exercised in a manner that may not lead to large scale costs or risks of retaliation.


We present a real-options model of takeovers and investment in declining industries. Managers are assumed to maximize the present value of the cash flows that they can capture from the firm. The managers must pay out a minimum amount of cash to prevent investors from exercising their property rights and taking over the firm. As product demand declines, a first-best abandonment level is reached, where overall value is maximized by shutting down the firm and releasing its capital to investors. Absent takeovers, managers of unlevered firms always wait too long to shut down; they abandon the firm's business too late. We model the managers' payout policy absent takeovers and derive an optimal debt ratio, which enforces first-best abandonment decisions under plausible restrictions on equity issues. We analyze the effects of takeovers of unleveraged or under-leveraged firms. Takeovers by raiders enforce first-best abandonment. Hostile takeovers by other firms occur either at the first-best abandonment point or too early. We also consider management buyouts and mergers of equals and show that in both cases closure happens inefficiently late. JEL Nos.: G34,C72,G13.


Background - The impact of sex on phenotypic expression in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) has not been well characterized in genotyped cohorts. Methods - Retrospective cohort study from an international registry of patients receiving care at experienced HCM centers. Sex-based differences in baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes were assessed. Results - Of 5,873 patients (3,788 genotyped), 2,226 (37.9%) were women. At baseline, women were older (49.0±19.9 vs. 42.9±18.4 years, p<0.001) and more likely to have pathogenic/likely-pathogenic sarcomeric variants (SARC+; 51% vs 43%, p<0.001) despite equivalent utilization of genetic testing. Age at diagnosis varied by sex and genotype despite similar distribution of causal genes. Women were 3.6 to 7.1 years older at diagnosis (p<0.02) except for patients with MYH7 variants where age at diagnosis was comparable for women and men (n=492; 34.8±19.2 vs 33.3±16.8 years, p=0.39). Over 7.7 median years of follow up, NYHA III-IV heart failure (HF) was more common in women (HR 1.87, CI 1.48-2.36, p<0.001), after controlling for their higher burden of symptoms and outflow tract obstruction at baseline, reduced ejection fraction, SARC+, age and hypertension. All-cause mortality was increased in women (HR 1.50, CI 1.13-1.99, p<0.01), but neither ICD utilization nor ventricular arrhythmia varied by sex. Conclusions - In HCM, women are older at diagnosis, partly modified by genetic substrate. Regardless of genotype, women were at higher risk of mortality and developing severe HF symptoms. This points to a sex-effect on long-term myocardial performance in HCM, which should be investigated further.


In this poster, we present the design and the implementation of a surfboard travel interface inspired by the "Silver Surfer" cartoons and movies. The board interface works in either tilt mode or balance mode, creating an interesting comparison of isometric and elastic devices for rate control and position control travel in virtual environments. We also demonstrate the setup of a complete virtual reality system aimed to evaluate the usability of this travel interface in a future study.


Previous studies on Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus cygnets hatched in Latvia have shown that c. 99% leave the country each year to moult elsewhere in their 2nd to 6th calendar years. To reveal the exact moulting sites, in 2016 ten cygnets were fitted with 91g solar-powered neck-collar-mounted GPS-GSM loggers. Moulting sites were recorded for four individuals in their 2nd calendar year, and for two of these birds in their 3rd calendar year; four birds in total. All of these moulted at sites in Russia; one was in the Republic of Karelia and three were in the Arkhangelsk Region. The mean average straight-line distance between the hatching and moulting sites was 1,451 km (range = 1,038–2,524 km). Although the data were less comprehensive, another tracked swan probably moulted in the western part of the White Sea in the Republic of Karelia. The conservation of these moulting sites is essential for the Latvian Whooper Swans to thrive.


A more explicit, comprehensive and sustained dialogue between the African philosophical and western feminist traditions would yield insights at once rich and useful to both traditions, and beyond. Here, I place the work of Belgian philosopher Luce Irigaray in discussion with Ghanaian Kwame Nkrumah's conception of 'consciencism'. What they most saliently share is an understanding of how the dichotomies central to traditional western philosophy (mind-body and idealism-materialism) have been key in the structural exclusion and oppression of the 'others' of this dominant tradition. Both are convinced that western metaphysics serve ideological purposes and help to perpetuate relations of domination. Both struggle with the question of how to effectively resist this specific violence of the western philosophical tradition without repeating its logic. Most importantly for the current analysis, in their search for sources for resistance and emancipation, Nkrumah and Irigaray do not remain with diagnoses; instead both assume or construct a fluid ontology  outside or a beyond this dominant symbolic order.


Providing support services for the settlement of refugees and asylum seekers is an increasing concern that is debated at an international level. This research focuses on the interaction during early resettlement, which offers the opportunity to reach a full, mutual understanding between migrants and host societies. Drawing on a comparison between issues concerning refugees and asylum seekers in Australia and Italy, this study included 15 Non-Governmental and Community-Based organisations, exploring the role of intercultural communication through an in-depth analysis of intercultural practices and their efficiency in supporting the process of resettlement of refugees and asylum seekers.


Ocular allergy results from the exposure of the con- junctiva to an allergen and includes a spectrum of clinical disorders that involve different levels of immune activity at the conjunctival and/or corneal interface. Each of these clinical entities is caused by an IgE-mediated sensitisation to the antigen and the activation of mast cells and eosinophils. In the more chronic entities, there is also an interaction of the allergen with T-cells and a T-helper 2 pattern of cytokine release. The spectrum of ocular allergy is variable and notably seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) and perennial allergic conjunctivitis (PAC) are the most basic and least severe of the allergic inflammatory disorders. In SAC and PAC, a type I hypersensitivity reaction appears to be responsible for the signs and symptoms. In SAC, there are minimal pathological changes and only the early signs of cellular activa- tion at the molecular level occur. In PAC, the inflam- matory markers become more pronounced with the increased duration of allergenic stimulation. In the more chronic forms of allergic conjunctivitis, namely vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) in child- hood and atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC) in adult- hood, there is a mixed type I and type IV hypersensitivity reaction. There is a persistent state of mast cell, eosinophil and lymphocyte activation and this may result in the serious corneal complica- tions that can occur with these diseases. Giant papil- lary conjunctivitis (GPC) that manifests in contact lens wearers also tends to be chronic with a mixed hypersensitivity reaction but has no significant corneal involvement. As our understanding of the underlying immunolog- ical mechanisms in allergic eye disease continues to grow, future avenues for pharmacological targeting of different categories of allergic eye disease will be become available. Appropriate treatment may be based on the specific immunopathology, and direct- ed at the activated cell types primarily responsible for the disease process.


Group II introns are self-splicing, mobile genetic elements that have fundamentally influenced the organization of terrestrial genomes. These large ribozymes remain important for gene expression in almost all forms of bacteria and eukaryotes and they are believed to share a common ancestry with the eukaryotic spliceosome that is required for processing all nuclear pre-mRNAs. The three-dimensional structure of a group IIC intron was recently determined by X-ray crystallography, making it possible to visualize the active site and the elaborate network of tertiary interactions that stabilize the molecule. Here we describe the molecular features of the active site in detail and evaluate their correspondence with prior biochemical, genetic, and phylogenetic analyses on group II introns. In addition, we evaluate the structural significance of RNA motifs within the intron core, such as the major-groove triple helix and the domain 5 bulge. Having combined what is known about the group II intron core, we then compare it with known structural features of U6 snRNA in the eukaryotic spliceosome. This analysis leads to a set of predictions for the molecular structure of the spliceosomal active site.


Title Asymptotic analysis of the 1-step recursive Chow test (and variants) in time series models Author Andrew Whitby, Balliol College Degree Doctor of Philosophy Submitted Hilary Term 2013 This thesis concerns the asymptotic behaviour of the sequence of 1-step recursive Chow statistics and various tests derived therefrom. The 1-step statistics are produced as diagnostic output in standard econometrics software, and are expected to reflect model misspecification. Such misspecification testing is important in validating the assumptions of a model and so ensuring that subsequent inference is correct. Original contributions to the theory of misspecification testing include (i) a result on the pointwise convergence of the 1-step statistics; (ii) a result on the extreme-value convergence of the maximum of the statistics; and (iii) a result on the weak convergence of an empirical process formed by the statistics. In Chapter 2, we describe the almost sure pointwise convergence of the 1step statistic for a broad class of time series models and processes, including unit root and explosive processes. We develop an asymptotic equivalence result, and use this to establish the asymptotic distribution of the maximum of a sequence of 1-step statistics with normal errors. This allows joint consideration of the sequence of 1-step tests via its maximum: the sup-Chow test. In Chapter 3, we use simulation to investigate the power properties of this test and compare it with benchmark tests of structural stability. We find that the sup-Chow test may have advantages when the nature of instability is unknown. In Chapter 4, we consider how the test may be adapted to situations in which the errors cannot be assumed normal. We evaluate several promising approaches, but also note a trade-off between robustness and power. In Chapter 5 we analyse an empirical process formed from the 1-step statistics, and prove a weak convergence result. Under the assumption of normal errors, the limiting distribution reduces to that of a Brownian bridge. The asymptotic approximation appears to works well even in small samples. Word Count 58,900 words (58.9% of the maximum word limit). Calculated by multiplying the number of words on a representative page (390, p. 24) by the total number of pages, excluding references (151).


Financial reporting is an essential document that reflects the financial strength and capability of organizations. As a public place of worship, mosques or masājid in Malaysia are fully governed by State Religious
Departments. Any activity requires written consent from the State Religious Authority including Tabung Masjid. Tabung Masjid management of mosques is regulated by state religious administrative law. Conventional approaches require compliance in fund collection and management for
Tabung Masjid would remain ideas only if not operating with contemporary methods. The study argues that the compliance approach is necessary at the operation level but not at the corporate level. A case study method on a few selected mosques found that the finance committee has no choice but to abide by the regulation. In the meantime, there is a need to use of an innovative way through specific fund raising to address social issues. The study recommends the Tabung Masjid collection and
management to be used as creative way of increasing the value of the fund within the Sharī'ah compliant spirit.


It is known that ultraviolet (UV) radiation is harmful to human health and affects the long-term stability of many organic materials. It has recently been discovered that blue radiation also poses a danger. In this study, epoxy–ZnO/CdS (EP–ZC) nanocomposites capable of shielding both UV and blue radiation were developed. First, ZnO/CdS nanoparticles were synthesized through the growth of CdS on prefabricated ZnO quantum dots (ZnO QDs). In contrast to ZnO QDs, which only absorb a portion of UV light, the ZnO/CdS nanoparticles exhibited strong absorption over the wavelength region extending from UV light to blue light. Further, their absorption-band range could be controlled by adjusting the Zn/Cd molar ratio. In situ polymerization was employed to prepare the EP–ZC nanocomposites, which were highly transparent at wavelength greater than 500 nm. It was found that the EP–ZC nanocomposites exhibited strong UV-shielding capability and could almost completely block UV light between 200–400 nm as well as more than 80% of the blue light between 400–450 nm when they contained 0.3 wt% ZnO/CdS nanoparticles. Finally, their optical transparency to visible light in the region beyond blue light was the same as that of pure epoxy due to the uniform dispersion of nanoparticles.


Corporate criminal justice rests on the fiction that corporations possess "minds" capable of instantiating culpable mens rea. The retributive and deterrent justifications for punishing criminal corporations are strongest when those minds are well-ordered. That is when misdeeds are most likely to reflect malice, and sanctions are most likely to have their intended preventive benefits. But what if a corporate defendant's mind is disordered? Organizational psychology and economics have tools to identify normally-functioning organizations that are fully accountable for the harms they cause. These disciplines can also diagnose dysfunctional organizations where the threads of accountability may have frayed and where sanctions would achieve little by way of deterrence. Punishing such corporations undermines the goals of criminal law, leaves victim interests unaddressed, and is unfair to corporate stakeholders.

This Article argues that some corporate criminal defendants are entitled to raise the insanity defense. Recognizing the corporate insanity defense would better serve victims' and stakeholders' interests in condemning and preventing corporate misconduct. Statutory text makes the insanity defense available to all qualifying "defendants." When a corporate criminal defendant's "mind" is sufficiently disordered, basic criminal law purposes also support the defense. Corporate crime in such cases may trace to dysfunctional systems or subversive third-parties rather than to corporate malice. For example, individual corporate employees may thwart well-meaning corporate policies to pursue personal advantage at the expense of the corporation itself. In such cases, corporations may seem more like victims of their own misconduct rather than perpetrators of it.

Justice and prevention favor treatment of "insane" corporations rather than punishment. Treatment would be an opportunity for government experts to reform dysfunctional corporations in a way that predominant modes of corporate punishment cannot. Effective reform takes victims seriously by minimizing the chance that others will be harmed. It also spares corporate stakeholders unnecessary punishment for corporate misconduct that could be sanctioned in more constructive ways. This is what the corporate insanity defense offers.


The need for clean and safe consumable water is of paramount importance to any society since water is a crucial substance for the sustenance of life. Kibera slum is one of the leading slums in the world with a high population, leading to poor levels of sanitation and inadequate clean water supply. Consequently, the residents have to seek for alternative water supply. Motoine River flows through the slum, and thus acts as an alternative source of water. This study determined the concentration levels of heavy metals (Pb, Fe, Cu, Cr and Cd) and nutrients (nitrates, nitrites and phosphates) in Motoine River, Kibera in September 2014 and compared the variations downstream. The metals were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) while the nutrients were determined using UV/Visible spectroscopy. Concentration levels of Cu, Cd and Cr were found to be lower than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) values for maximum contaminant level (MCL) while those of Fe, Pb and the nutrients were higher than EPA's MCL values. Cd had the lowest concentration and was below the detection limit of the instrument used. Nitrates were found to be of the highest concentration at 16.4959 ± 2.4432 parts per million (ppm). The high concentration of nutrients in the water could be due to domestic waste and effluent disposal into the river and agricultural runoffs while that of metal ions could be due to waste from informal jua kali industries and erosion of natural deposits. The efforts by the government to rehabilitate and clean rivers within Nairobi should be extended to include Motoine River.


This article examines feminist agency in the light of Merleau-Ponty's phenomenological account of the body subject. Stressing the importance of embodiment to feminist agency (without reifying an essential female body), I argue that bodies inhabit specific social, historical and discursive contexts which shape our corporeal experience and our opportunities for political contestation. Beginning with the assertion that we cannot think of agency without the body, I examine a historical instance of feminist agency in which women's bodies were central to the articulation of political dissent, namely the British suffragette movement. In particular, I focus on the suffragette career of Mary Leigh and argue that it represents a feminist agency derived from corporeal performance. Through daring acts of protest which drew attention to the comportment and capacities of their bodies, suffragettes like Leigh contested the constitution of the political domain and the nature of citizenship.


The idea of "voting with your feet" has been an important part of debates over federalism for several decades. But foot voting is still underrated as a tool for enhancing political freedom: the ability of the people to choose the political regime under which they wish to live.Part I of this article explains some key ways in which foot voting in a federal system is often superior to ballot box voting as a method of political choice. A crucial difference between the two is that foot voting enables the individual to make a decision that has a high likelihood of actually affecting the outcome. By contrast, the odds of casting a meaningful ballot box vote are vanishingly small. This reality both enhances the individual's degree of political freedom and incentivizes him or her to make better-informed and more rational decisions. It is an important consideration in favor of greater political decentralization.In Part II, I consider some possible limitations of foot voting in a federal system as a tool for enhancing political freedom. These include moving costs, the possibility of "races to the bottom," and the problem of oppression of minority groups by subnational governments. Each of these sometimes poses a genuine constraint on effective foot voting. But none are as severe a limitation as critics claim.Part III argues that the case for foot voting under federalism should be expanded "all the way down" to local governments and private communities, and "all the way up" to freer international migration. It builds on a growing recent literature that advocates granting greater autonomy to local governments relative to regions. Just as foot voting can be expanded all the way down to the local level, there is also a strong case for extending it "all the way up" to the international level. The potential gains from freer international foot voting in some respects dwarf those that can be achieved domestically. For people living under authoritarian regimes, foot voting through international migration is often their only means of exercising any political choice at all.The utility of foot voting as a tool for exercising political freedom is not the only factor that should be considered in designing federal systems. But it deserves much greater consideration than it has so far received.


AIM
Three common polymorphisms in CD209 gene (-336A/G, -871A/G and -139G/A) have been reportedly associated with pulmonary tuberculosis risk. However, the findings from different studies were inconsistent. Therefore, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis to determine the association between CD209 gene polymorphisms and pulmonary tuberculosis susceptibility.

METHODS
The PubMed, SCI and Elsevier were searched up to April 18, 2015 for studies on the association of CD209 gene polymorphisms and pulmonary tuberculosis. Pooled odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated in a fixed-effects or random-effects model.

RESULTS
Twelve case-control studies with 3114 cases and 3088 controls were included. For -871A/G mutation, significant decreased pulmonary tuberculosis risk was observed in allele model (G vs. A: P = 0.009; OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.54-0.92), heterozygous model (AG vs. AA: P = 0.009; OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.40 to 0.88) and dominant model (AG+GG vs. AA: p =0.01; OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.42 to 0.89). For -336A/G polymorphism, no associations were found in all genetic models. In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, statistical association was observed for Asians in GG vs. AA (P = 0.04; OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.05-5.09). No significant association was identified between -139G/A variation and pulmonary tuberculosis risk.

CONCLUSIONS
This meta-analysis provides evidences that CD209 gene -871A/G is associated with decreased susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis in overall population; -336A/G polymorphism is associated with increased susceptibility of pulmonary tuberculosis in Asians. However, the -139G/A polymorphism is not associated with susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis.


The concept of reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) has been proposed to change the propagation of electromagnetic waves, e.g., reflection, diffraction, and refraction. To accomplish this goal, the phase values of the discrete RIS units need to be optimized. In this paper, we consider RIS-aided millimeter-wave (mmWave) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems for both accurate positioning and high data-rate transmission. We propose an adaptive phase shifter design based on hierarchical codebooks and feedback from the mobile station (MS). The benefit of the scheme lies in that the RIS does not require deployment of any active sensors and baseband processing units. During the update process of phase shifters, the combining vector at the MS is sequentially refined. Simulation results show the performance improvement of the proposed algorithm over the random phase design scheme, in terms of both positioning accuracy and data rate. Moreover, the performance converges to that of the exhaustive search scheme even in the low signal-to-noise ratio regime.


Background Helicobacter pylori is an important pathogen of human gastric mucosa. Antibiotic resistance, especially resistance to clarithromycin is a major factor for treatment failure of H. pylori infections. The main mechanism of clarithromycin resistance in these bacteria is related to point mutations in three different locations of 23S rRNA gene. Objectives The aims of this study were to evaluate the resistance rate to clarithromycin among local H. pylori isolates by the E-test method and to determine the profile of point mutation in 23S rRNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Patients and Methods Eighty biopsy samples were collected from dyspeptic patients by endoscopy during 2011 - 2012. All samples were homogenized immediately and cultured on supplemented brucella blood agar and incubated under microaerophilic conditions. Further biochemical tests and ureC gene PCR was done for H. pylori confirmation. The H. pylori OC1096 strain was used as the control strain, simultaneously. Frequency of clarithromycin resistance was determined by the E-test method based on the clinical and laboratory standard institute (CLSI) standards. Point mutation profile was determined by real-time PCR and further analysis of melting curve, amplicon sequencing was done continuously. Results From 80 biopsy samples, 20 positive H. pylori isolates were detected and confirmed by biochemical tests and PCR method. Overall, 21.7% of the H. pylori isolates, showed clarithromycin resistance phenotype by use of the E-test. Also, the minimal inhibitory concentration of clarithromycin was determined as ≥ 0.5 mg/L by the E-test method. Only point mutation in the location of A2143G with melting temperature of 54.7°C was observed in all resistant isolates. Conclusions This study showed that the frequency of H. pylori clarithromycin resistance in Iran is relatively high. Since clarithromycin is not commonly used in Iran for H. pylori eradication, the high rate of resistance could be related to cross-reactivity between other macrolides. Therefore, macrolide antibiotics must be prescribed with precaution in any case of treatment other than H. pylori infections. All resistant isolates showed A2143G mutation in 23S rRNA as the dominant pattern of point mutation at least in Tehran H. pylori isolates.


Abstract Underground kitchens, public fridges and local meals at strangers' homes offer an interesting and economically attractive alternatives to traditional channels of food distribution. The new practices of food sharing facilitated by technological development and using new social media combine an interest in modern engaged consumerism with a promise of more sustainable food chains and waste reduction. The main objective of this article is to map and analyse the risks and regulatory challenges posed by the variety of emerging sharing economy practices in the food sector. Drawing on the identification of the key features of sharing economy and the specificity of food in that context, this article discusses various forms, scales and motivations behind the existing food sharing initiatives. The article describes three main categories of food sharing models, namely harvest sharing, meal sharing and leftover sharing, and illustrates them with concrete examples of networks or platforms. Against this background, the article scrutinizes the major risks and challenges of food sharing, ranging from individual and public health and safety to market fragmentation. Reviewing the available regulatory options to address these risks, and juxtaposing them with the risks stemming out of regulatory intervention as such, the contribution calls for balanced approach to food sharing governance in the European Union.


Ionic liquids (ILs) have gained significant attention within the academic and industrial circle owing to their attractive and unique characters. However, the usual green image of the ionic liquids mainly associated with their low vapour pressure has become increas- ingly doubtful. Several recent studies have highlighted the underestimated ILs toxicity which has not been adequately addressed. Therefore, improving the understanding of the ionic liquids toxicity towards aquatic organisms will undoubtedly lead to formula-tion of right solutions to address the toxicity problem hence contributing towards the development of green and sustainable ILs‐based technology. The chapter provides a collective review of studies conducted on the effect of ILs structure on toxicity, specifically focussing on the various types of cations and anions, and the length of the alkyl chain attached. Based on the qualitative outcome from the review, a discussion on the develop- ment of statistical modelling on the impact of ILs structural features towards the overall toxicity is presented. The application of quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) for developing the predictive model for toxicity is highlighted.


The tropical rainforest in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province of China, is introduced in detail in this paper. Situated at the northern margin of tropical mainland SE Asia and controlled by monsoon climate, the region has been climatically at the lower limits for tropical rainforests, however true tropical rainforests exist and develop luxuriantly in the region. The reasons for this are discussed. In general phytocoenological characteristics such as vertical stratification, life form spectrum, species riches etc., the tropical rainforest in Xishuangbanna is very similar to the typical tropical rainforest in equatorial region, but it is characterized by a clear change of physiognomy between different season. As occurred at the latitudinal and altitudinal limits of tropical rainforest, the flora of the rainforest is endowed with the nature of northern margin of tropical zone of SE Asia and is transitional toward the flora of subtropical forest of China. In recent years the region has been opened up to use in a large scale and the primary forests, especially rainforests, have been severely destroyed. The conservation and research to the tropical rainforest are very urgent and have to be done at once.


Abstract The International Health Regulation—State Party Annual Reporting (IHR-SPAR) and the Global Health Security Index (GHSI)) have been developed to aid in strengthening national capacities for pandemic preparedness. We examine the relationship between country-level rankings on these two indices, along with two additional indices (the Universal Health Coverage Service Coverage Index and World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicator (n = 195)) and compared them to the country-level reported COVID-19 cases and deaths (Johns Hopkins University (JHU) COVID-19 Dashboard) through 17 June 2020. Ordinary least squares regression models were used to compare weekly reported COVID-19 case and death rates per million in the first 12 weeks of the pandemic between countries classified as low, middle, and high ranking on each index, while controlling for country socio-demographic information. Countries with higher GHSI and IHR-SPAR index scores experienced fewer reported COVID-19 cases and deaths, but only for the first 8 weeks after the country's first case. For the GHSI, this association was further limited to countries with populations below 69.4 million. For both the GHSI and IHR-SPAR, countries with a higher sub-index score in human resources for pandemic preparedness reported fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths in the first 8 weeks after the country's first reported case. The UHC-SCI and WGI country-level rankings were not associated with COVID-19 outcomes. The associations between GHSI and IHR-SPAR scores and COVID-19 outcomes observed in this study demonstrate that these two indices, although imperfect, may have value, especially in countries with a population under 69.4 million people for the GHSI. Preparedness indices may have value; however, they should continue to be evaluated as policymakers seek to better prepare for future global public health crises.


Five proposals for admitting better applicants into medical school are discussed in this article: (1) An A level in a humanity or social science would be required, to supplement—not replace—the stringent science requirement. This would ensure that successful candidates would be better "primed" for the medical curriculum. (2) Extra points in the applicant's initial screening would be awarded for an A level in English literature. (3) There would be a minimum age of 23 for applicants, although a prior degree would not be required. This is to ensure that the applicants are mature enough to know themselves and the world better, to make a more informed and motivated choice of career, and to get more out of the humanities components of the curriculum. (4) A year's full-time experience in a healthcare or charity environment would be desirable. (5) Applicants would be given two lists of interview discussion topics to prepare: works of literature and topics in healthcare politics.


Machining properties is one of the parameters to determine the quality of the wood. Tests on machining properties of wood are important to know the easiness level of workmanship as raw materials of furniture industry, construction wood and other wood products. This research was aimed at determining the difference of machining properties between timo wood ( Timonius sericeus (Desf) K. Schum.) and kabesak wood ( Acacia leucophloea (Roxb.) Willd.) from the village of Reknamo, Kupang district, East Nusa Tenggara. Testing procedures were based on ASTM D1666 including: planning, shaping, sanding, drilling and turning. The observation of qualities of the machining were done visually by calculating the percentage of defects that arise on the surface of the samples after the machining process, then the qualities were classified into five quality classes. The results showed that the machining properties of timo wood and kabesak wood were very good and belonging to the quality of class I. The significant difference between the machining properties of both the timbers is in the sanding properties, where the average free defect of sanding timo wood is 85% while kabesak wood is 84.5%. Both timo and kabesak wood are suitable as raw material, for the variety of furniture and molding products.


Objectives: Procedures and new medical devices are typically introduced into healthcare systems with limited evidence, when they might be ineffective or unsafe. Systematic data collection ("registers") can provide valuable "real world" evidence, but difficulties in funding registers are a major obstacle. A good economic case for the value of registers would therefore be useful. Methods: (i) Literature search on specific purposes of registers. (ii) Surveys (a) of senior clinicians involved with registers, seeking examples of beneficial outcomes, and (b) of administrators, regarding costs of running registers. (iii) A scoping exercise for possible methods to value (financially) the outputs of registers. Results: Four main categories of beneficial outcomes from registers were identified. These were—safety and quality assurance; training and quality improvement; complementing trial evidence and reducing uncertainty; and supporting trial research. Explicit examples of all these are presented, together with information about the costs of registers. Combining these with the scoping exercise we present suggestions for a methodology of assessing the value of registers across each of the categories. Conclusions: This study is unique in addressing methods for determining the financial value of registers, based on the amount they cost versus the financial benefits which may result from the evidence generated. Developing the suggested methods could support the case for funding new registers, by showing that their use can benefit healthcare systems through more efficient use of resources, so justifying their costs.


Mitigating summertime overheating is increasingly viewed as a key issue in urban planning – a warming climate and increasing urbanisation will exacerbate the problem. The effectiveness of green and cool roofs at reducing summertime overheating was assessed for a naturally ventilated, poorly insulated office roof in London. This was contrasted to the application of retrofitting traditional insulation. The new Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineers overheating criteria was used to assess the level of overheating as predicted by a whole building thermal simulation model. The impacts of the roofing strategies were split into the direct and indirect effects. The indirect effects of the roofs were modelled using microclimatic modelling software. The results indicate the direct effects of green and cool roofs at reducing overheating are much greater than the indirect cooling effect. A non-insulated cool roof was found to be the most effective strategy. By insulating the roof, the level of overheating was slightly reduced. Non-insulated green and cool roofs were more effective than insulated roofs at reducing levels of overheating. When using a 2050 weather file, the building frequently overheated without the use of green or cool roof.


Abstract INTRODUCTION: Studies on the association between the plasma concentration of lipoprotein (a) and coronary heart disease (CHD) have reported conflicting findings. METHOD AND MATERIALS: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the association between serum levels of lipoprotein (a) and ischemic heart disease as well as other cardiovascular risk factors in a population-based study. Lipoprotein (a) serum was measured in 142 patients with chronic stable angina undergoing clinically indicated coronary angiography. Lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, anthropometric and clinical parameters were analyzed. RESULTS: Lipoprotein (a) levels were significantly associated with coronary artery stenosis in men, but not in women. Also, an direct association between mean levels of lipoprotein (a) and coronary artery stenosis in men younger than 55 years old and an inverse association in men older than 55 years old were observed. CONCLUSION: Multivariate analysis revealed that lipoprotein (a) was considered an independent predictor for severity of CAD in men, especially in younger ages. Keywords: Lipoprotein (a), cardiovascular risk factors, Ischemic heart disease, coronary angiography.


Background The widening gap between innovations in the medical field and the dissemination of such information to doctors may affect the quality of care. Offline computer-based digital education (OCDE) may be a potential solution to overcoming the geographical, financial, and temporal obstacles faced by doctors. Objective The objectives of this systematic review were to evaluate the effectiveness of OCDE compared with face-to-face learning, no intervention, or other types of digital learning for improving medical doctors' knowledge, cognitive skills, and patient-related outcomes. Secondary objectives were to assess the cost-effectiveness (CE) of OCDE and any adverse effects. Methods We searched major bibliographic databases from 1990 to August 2017 to identify relevant articles and followed the Cochrane methodology for systematic reviews of intervention. Results Overall, 27 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 1 cluster RCT (cRCT), and 1 quasi-RCT were included in this review. The total number of participants was 1690 in addition to the cRCT, which included 24 practices. Due to the heterogeneity of the participants, interventions, and outcomes, meta-analysis was not feasible, and the results were presented as narrative summary. Compared with face-to-face learning, the effect of OCDE on knowledge gain is uncertain (ratio of the means [RM] range 0.95-1.17; 8 studies, 495 participants; very low grade of evidence). From the same comparison, the effect of OCDE on cognitive skill gain is uncertain (RM range 0.1-0.9; 8 studies, 375 participants; very low grade of evidence). OCDE may have little or no effect on patients' outcome compared with face-to-face education (2 studies, 62 participants; low grade of evidence). Compared with no intervention, OCDE may improve knowledge gain (RM range 1.36-0.98; 4 studies, 401 participants; low grade of evidence). From the same comparison, the effect of OCDE on cognitive skill gain is uncertain (RM range 1.1-1.15; 4 trials, 495 participants; very low grade of evidence). One cRCT, involving 24 practices, investigated patients' outcome in this comparison and showed no difference between the 2 groups with low-grade evidence. Compared with text-based learning, the effect of OCDE on cognitive skills gain is uncertain (RM range 0.91-1.46; 3 trials with 4 interventions; 68 participants; very low-grade evidence). No study in this comparison investigated knowledge gain or patients' outcomes. One study assessed the CE and showed that OCDE was cost-effective when compared with face-to-face learning if the cost is less than or equal to Can $200. No trial evaluated the adverse effect of OCDE. Conclusions The effect of OCDE compared with other methods of education on medical doctors' knowledge and cognitive skill gain is uncertain. OCDE may improve doctors' knowledge compared with no intervention but its effect on doctors' cognitive skills is uncertain. OCDE may have little or no effect in improving patients' outcome.


This paper investigates the dynamics of sequential decision-making in agricultural futures and options markets using a quantile regression framework. Analysis of trading records of 12 traders suggests that there is great heterogeneity in individual trading behavior. Traders respond differently to prior profits depending on how much risk their portfolios are carrying. In general, no significant response is found at average and below-average levels of risk, but response can become large and significant at above-average levels of risk. These results are consistent with studies which argued that behavior may be uneven under different circumstances, and calls into question the adoption of conditional mean framework to investigate trading behavior. Focusing the analysis on the effect of prior profits on the conditional mean of the risk distribution can yield misleading results about dynamic behavior.


This article argues that the language of 'diversity' does multidirectional work – highlighting issues of social justice, as well as obscuring the varied experiences of those gathered underneath its umbrella (Ahmed, 2012). It builds on existing debates about widening participation in higher education, arguing that nuanced accounts of 'diversity' and doctoral aspiration are required. We present a duoethnographic text about two doctoral students' pathways to study. While both students may be positioned as 'diverse' within their institution's equity policy – as a sexuality minority student, and a working-class woman of Māori and European heritage – they reveal dissimilar expectations of what university study was, or could be. These histories of imagining the university shaped their trajectories into and through doctoral study. Drawing on Appadurai's (2004) work, we argue that aspiration can be a transformative force for 'diverse' doctoral students, even if the map that informs aspiration is unevenly distributed. We then investigate why the idea of the 'academic good life' might have such aspirational pull for politically-engaged practitioners of minority discourse (Chuh, 2013). The article makes two primary contributions. First, we call for more multifaceted understandings of doctoral 'diversity', and for further reflection about the ways that social difference continues to shape academic aspiration. And second, we demonstrate the potential for duothenography to provide insights into the experiences of ourselves and an-Other through a shared examination of university imaginings.


There has been tremendous increase in the demand and consumption of potato crisps as snack in Kenya. This has however, not been paralleled by development of appropriate raw materials. Many potato varieties and clones have been developed through breeding, but these have not been adequately evaluated for crisps processing. This study was therefore designed to evaluate the newly developed potato cultivars for processing into quality crisps. Twenty four potato cultivars including eighteen varieties and six clones were evaluated for some physico-chemical properties and crisps processing potential. Most cultivars with the exception of six of them including Roslin Tana, Desiree, Roslin Eburu, Nyayo, Tigoni Long and Kihoro had acceptable physical characteristics for processing. The specific gravity of the cultivars varied from 1.074 to 1.098 and dry matter contents from 19.50 % to 24.20 %. Reducing sugar levels significantly (P ≤ 0.05) varied among the cultivars and ranged between 0.07 % and 0.4 %. In addition to Dutch Robyjn which is currently used for processing potato crisps in Kenya, the varieties Tigoni and Kenya Baraka, and the clones 393371.58, 392657.8, 391691.96 and 393385.39 were also similarly suitable for processing into potato crisps. They had desired physical characteristics with low levels of reducing sugars, and were highly rated by sensory panelists. Promoting these cultivars will increase the number of processing varieties for the rapidly expanding processing industry, and thus safeguard availability and quality.


This paper analyzes the factors influencing sustainability reporting practices among listed companies in Oman during the period 2015–2021. The data was collected from the Muscat Stock Market, covering 133 firm-year observations, and analyzed using multivariate regression analysis. The results show that adoption of sustainability reporting is very low among listed companies, amounting to only 16.5%. Furthermore, 11.6% of the listed companies follow GRI guidelines, and 10.5% of the reports produced take the form of standalone reports. Regarding the factors motivating listed companies in Oman to produce sustainability reporting, the study confirms that company size has a positive impact, while financial leverage and women's presence on boards of directors have a negative impact. The study suggests strengthening institutions and governance, introducing a mandatory reporting system, increasing women's presence on these companies' boards of directors, leveraging new-age technology, promoting capacities among different stakeholders, enhancing awareness of sustainability issues, and incorporating sustainability reporting into corporate strategy so that sustainability reporting is part of the mandates of the listed company to legitimize its existence.


Taxonomic keys and original descriptions were used to identify 26 Xiphinema americanum-group populations from Florida comprising X. georgianum (eight populations), X. citricolum (six), X. floridae (six), X. laevistriatum (five) and X. tarjanense (one). Principal component analysis of a subset of 19 morphometric characters accorded with the species designations; discriminant analysis of six characters assigned 93% (111 of 119) of the specimens to the correct putative species. A phylogeny of these populations estimated from analyses of rDNA sequences (ITS and D2D3) was also congruent with species designations from taxonomic keys and PCA. The D2D3 sequences revealed very little intraspecific variation whereas each population sampled produced a unique ITS sequence. Intraspecific variation in the suites of character code values from polytomous keys resulted mainly from minor discrepancies between population character means and reported character ranges for the species. We show that, for these taxa, species delimitation based on the requirement that sister taxa evolve autapomorphies distinguishes intraspecific variation from phylogeny and, as applied to molecular characters, delimits the same taxa as those predicted by morphological keys and PCA.


The study has revealed that the concentration of HBsAg preparations is simple and easily performed with the use of polyacrylamide, but not dextran gels. Rheophoresis has been shown to be a more sensitive method of indication than countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis. Rheophoresis has been proposed for introduction into medical practice at rural health institutions.


With increasing candor and openness May Sarton's conversations have given an intimate view of her honest, courageous inner life. Best known to her many readers as a novelist and keeper of journals, Sarton sees herself pre-eminently as a poet. In the interviews collected here she speaks forthrightly about herself, her independence, and her writing. Although born in Belgium, Sarton is quintessentially American in her choice of solitude on which her personal well-being and writing depend. She is a modernist who has defined herself as an artist, with the occasionally painful recognition that all else must finally be subordinated to her writing. Her journal After the Stroke makes clear that when she cannot write she stands on the edge of the abyss of nonbeing. These interviews offer Sarton's readers the model of a woman who has supported herself as a writer of achievement, who has made her way without the comforts of academic tenure, grants, or bestseller listings.


Background: Classification into molecular subtypes may increasingly be important for the selection of therapy for patients with early-stage breast cancer. Previous analyses had shown that breast cancer subtypes have distinct clinical outcome [Sorlie et al. PNAS 2001; Esserman et al. BCRT 2011]. In our study, we analyzed the response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and long-term outcomes using the 70-gene profile (MammaPrint) together with an 80-gene molecular subtyping profile (BluePrint). Methods: This analysis was performed on data from 421 patients: 141 patients from the I-SPY I trial; 230 patients from the biomarker discovery program at MD Anderson (131 and 99 respectively; Hess et al. JCO 2006; Iwamoto et al. BCRT 2011]; and 50 patients from the City of Hope [Somlo et al. ASCO 2010]. All patients were treated in the neo-adjuvant setting with chemotherapy. MammaPrint and BluePrint outcomes were determined from either 44K Agilent arrays run at Agendia or available through the I-SPY I data portal, or from Affymetrix U133A arrays. The combination of MammaPrint and BluePrint resulted in four distinct molecular groups: Luminal A (MammaPrint Low Risk/Luminal-type), Luminal B (MammaPrint High Risk/ Luminal-type), Basal-type and HER2-type. Results: The overall pCR of this patient cohort was 22% but differed substantially among the defined BluePrint molecular subgroups. pCR was observed in 3% of the Luminal A and 12% of Luminal B, in 38% of the HER2-type and in 42% of the Basal-type samples. 42% of patients with clinical HER2-positive phenotype are classified as Luminal-type by BluePrint: eight patients as Luminal A and 34 patients as Luminal B. 5-year distant metastases-free survival (DMFS) of patients with HER2-type by BluePrint who achieve pCR is 87%, compared with 78% for clinical HER2+ patients with pCR. These data are in line with a recent retrospective analysis of a large cohort of patients, which showed that pCR rate is not a suitable surrogate for clinical HER2+/Hormone Receptor-positive patients and is not associated with outcome [von Minckwitz et al. JCO 2012]. BluePrint classifies more patients as Basal-type (n = 120) with higher pCR rate (42%), compared with clinical subtyping (triple negative, n=93) with a pCR rate of 31%. Despite including eight clinical HER2+ and 11 triple-negative patients, those with BluePrint Luminal A subtype (n = 88) have excellent 5-year DMFS of 94% and appear to have no benefit from chemotherapy (low pCR rate). Conclusions: Molecular subtyping using BluePrint with MammaPrint can help to improve outcomes of patients in the neo-adjuvant setting over clinical subtyping. We observed differences in pCR and DMFS following neo-adjuvant treatment in groups stratified by MammaPrint and BluePrint; for example, patients with Luminal A breast cancer (assessed with MammaPrint and BluePrint) have a good baseline prognosis with excellent survival and may not benefit from chemotherapy. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-06-11.


The Stoer Group and Diabaig Formation of the Torridonian succession in northwest Scotland are late Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic (ca. 1200–1000 Ma). Features preserved on the top surfaces of fine- to medium-grained sandstone beds in a number of stratigraphically and geographically separated localities are attributable to microbially induced sedimentary structures; these include wrinkle structures, remnants of apparent microbial crusts, and indications of original cohesiveness and pliancy in sand-sized sediment. The surfaces on which the microbial structures formed were exposed subaerially (abundant, deep desiccation cracks and locally pedogenic structures) in alluvial, interfluve, and lacustrine margin settings, and many of the structures developed in areas well away from the perennially wetted regions adjacent to shorelines and fluvial channels. Thus, these features indicate that Earth9s biosphere had adapted to and colonized land surfaces many hundreds of millions of years before the dawn of the Phanerozoic.


ABSTRACT With respect to research on violent conflict, violent masculinities and masculinities linked to military or military-style organizations have received considerable attention. Such forms of violent masculinity are often seen as hegemonic. Based on our research in Aceh, Indonesia, we suggest that the conflation of hegemonic forms of masculinity with militarization and violence overlooks the many ways in which civilian men use political mechanisms of hegemonic masculinity to create consent while remaining explicitly non-violent and thus contribute to non-violent ways of managing conflict. Drawing on vignettes of Acehnese men's experiences, we identify three strategies of conflict prevention and management to achieve relative hegemony in non-violent ways: strategic appeasement, creating safe spaces and transforming militarized masculinities. The ways in which these men participate in peace-building contribute to reducing violence, yet do not necessarily challenge hegemonic masculinities. Our case study of conflict-related masculinities in Aceh paints a nuanced picture of what comes to be seen as hegemonic in a given society at a given point in time and what can be contested. We demonstrate the importance of understanding conflict management through an approach that includes non-violent forms of masculinities and focuses on hegemonic masculinity as a political mechanism of consent creation.


Digital imaging is the representation of drawings, photographs and pictures in a format that can be displayed and manipulated using a conventional computer. Digital imaging has enjoyed increasing popularity over recent years, with the explosion of digital photography, the Internet and graphics-intensive applications and games. Digitised images, like other digital media, require a relatively large amount of storage space. These storage requirements can become problematic as demands for higher resolution images increases and the resolution capabilities of digital cameras improve. It is not uncommon for a personal computer user to have a collection of thousands of digital images, mainly photographs, whilst the Internet's Web pages present a practically infinite source. These two factors 一 image size and abundance 一 inevitably lead to a storage problem. As with other large files, data compression can help reduce these storage requirements. Data compression aims to reduce the overall storage requirements for a file by minimising redundancy. The most popular image compression method, JPEG, can reduce the storage requirements for a photographic image by a factor of ten whilst maintaining the appearance of the original image 一 or can deliver much greater levels of compression with a slight loss of quality as a trade-off. Whilst JPEG's efficiency has made it the definitive image compression algorithm, there is always a demand for even greater levels of compression and as a result new image compression techniques are constantly being explored. One such technique utilises the unique properties of Fractals. Fractals are relatively small mathematical formulae that can be used to generate abstract and often colourful images with infinite levels of detail. This property is of interest in the area of image compression because a detailed, high-resolution image can be represented by a few thousand bytes of formulae and coefficients rather than the more typical multi-megabyte filesizes. The real challenge associated with Fractal image compression is to determine the correct set of formulae and coefficients to represent the image a user is trying to compress; it is trivial to produce an image from a given formula but it is much, much harder to produce a formula from a given image. เท theory, Fractal compression can outperform JPEG for a given image and quality level, if the appropiate formulae can be determined. Fractal image compression can also be applied to digital video sequences, which are typically represented by a long series of digital images 一 or 'frames'.


Synchronisation is often required to coordinate the actions of the various sub-systems involved in process applications. This is usually achieved through direct mechanical coupling, involving gears, drive belts and cams. Apart from the additional cost incurred, these components are subject to wear, constrain the layout of the plant, and may have limited accuracy. It is shown in this paper that a mechanical linkage between two sub-systems may be replaced by instead implementing a control scheme comprising an iterative learning controller together with a supervisory control loop. To illustrate the approach, two types of iterative learning controller are first implemented on a gantry robot test facility to confirm the high levels of tracking accuracy that may be achieved. The supervisory control loop is then added to synchronise the 'pick and place' action of the robot with a conveyor system moving at constant velocity. Experimental results confirm both the accurate tracking performance provided by the iterative learning controller, and the high level of synchronisation achieved by the overall scheme.


This paper observes on the sources of information used or not used by Greek internationalized manufacturing companies, in order to trace foreign market opportunities and insights into functions of foreign marketplaces, and the subsequent relevant strategies followed by these companies, as well as the special features that characterize and discern them. Factor analysis recognises two groups of information sources regarding foreign markets, named "institutional sources" and "inter-organizational and market co-operations' sources". Cluster analysis classifies companies into two groups, the "aggressive information acquisition strategy adopting" and the "passive information acquisition strategy adopting". Discriminant analysis and logistic regression revealed in most cases weak discriminating effects, with some interesting exceptions, that mainly have to do with internationalization intensity and the existence and implementation of outward looking strategies and commitment to the internationalization vision.


The worship of the oak tree or of the oak god appears to have been shared by all the branches of the Aryan stock in Europe. Both Greeks and Italians associated the tree with their highest god, Zeus or Jupiter, the divinity of the sky, the rain, and the thunder. Perhaps the oldest and certainly one of the most famous sanctuaries in Greece was that of Dodona, where Zeus was revered in the oracular oak. The thunderstorms which are said to rage at Dodona more frequently than anywhere else in Europe, would render the spot a fitting home for the god whose voice was heard alike in the rustling of the oak leaves and in the crash of thunder. Perhaps the bronze gongs which kept up a humming in the wind round the sanctuary were meant to mimic the thunder that might so often be heard rolling and rumbling in the coombs of the stern and barren mountains which shut in the gloomy valley. In Boeotia, as we have seen, the sacred marriage of Zeus and Hera, the oak god and the oak goddess, appears to have been celebrated with much pomp by a religious federation of states. And on Mount Lycaeus in Arcadia the character of Zeus as god both of the oak and of the rain comes out clearly in the rain charm practised by the priest of Zeus, who dipped an oak branch in a sacred spring. In his latter capacity Zeus was the god to whom the Greeks regularly prayed for rain.


BACKGROUND
Cancer patients face a frightening array of potentially threatening medical interventions. While the need to prepare patients for such procedures is widely acknowledged, there have been few attempts to clearly specify in detail what adequate preparation entails.

METHODS
This study sought to develop a set of guidelines on how to prepare cancer patients for potentially threatening medical procedures. These guidelines were extensively reviewed and modified by a consensus panel of experts. The guidelines were then rated by 101 cancer patients.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
These ratings led to further modification of the guidelines, the final version of which was developed into a training module for junior medical officers in New South Wales.


The purpose of this mini review is to emphasize the importance of skeletal survey, its position in the diagnostic algorithm of skeletal dysplasia (SD), and the importance of its systematic analysis. Skeletal survey, the series of plain radiographic bone imaging, is still the first line imaging method in children with suspected SD, despite fast developing gene and biochemical methods. SDs are a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders affecting skeletal development, with a wide clinical spectrum. The diagnosis of a SD is usually based on a combination of clinical, radiological, morphological, and lately biochemical and molecular studies, which enable more extensive insight into the genes controlling normal skeletal development and lead to more adequate genetic counselling. Standardised imaging protocols of skeletal survey help radiologists to plan and optimize an appropriate imaging series, reduce radiation dose from unnecessary exposure, and facilitate earlier diagnosis. Since 1970 the International Nomenclature of Constitutional Diseases of Bones has been developed and updated at regular intervals (last reclassification in 2015). Reclassifications are based on new insights into gene and/or protein, molecular defects. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary due to the considerable heterogeneity. An accurate diagnosis is essential for proper management of the affected individual and for genetic counselling. Various endocrine and metabolic diseases affecting bones should be considered in differential diagnosis. Conclusion – A systemic approach to skeletal survey imaging analysis in children with suspected SD is crucial to avoid missing important details regarding the morphological or structural features of the bones, which may lead to a false diagnosis of SD.


BACKGROUND
Flow-diverter stents (FDSs) have recently gained acceptance for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms, especially for carotid-ophthalmic aneurysms (COAs). However, complications have been reported after coverage of side branches, especially the ophthalmic artery (OA).

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate, through a meta-analysis, the occlusion rate, and the ophthalmic complications after treatment of COA by FDS.

METHODS
We reviewed on MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase via Ovid, and Cochrane central database via CENTRAL. We included all case series with at least 15 patients and clinical trials about flow diversion of aneurysms close to the OA's origin. Among these studies, we only included articles with aneurysm occlusion rate and rate of new ophthalmic symptoms.

RESULTS
We included 16 studies with 913 COA treated by FDSs and covering the OA with a mean follow-up of 16.4 mo. The random-effect modeling analysis concerning the overall rate of new ophthalmic complications, after FDS deployment covering the OA, was 3.0% (CI95% 1.0-6.0). There was medium-high heterogeneity in the study reports P < .01, I2 = 70.2% [50.4%; 82.1%]. We were not able to statistically explain this heterogeneity with the performed analysis, which could be related to the design of the included studies. We found an overall aneurysm occlusion rate of 85.0% (95% CI 80.0-89.0).

CONCLUSION
Our meta-analysis found a high aneurysm occlusion rate (85%) and low rate of iatrogenic visual complications, with only 3.0% of new visual symptoms, after treatment of COA by FDS.


Writing well-performing parallel programs is challenging in the multi-core processor era. In addition to achieving good per-thread performance, which in itself is a balancing act between instruction-level parallelism, pipeline effects and good memory performance, multi-threaded programs complicate matters even further. These programs require synchronization, and are affected by the interactions between threads through sharing of both processor resources and the cache hierarchy.
At the Intel Exascience Lab, we are developing an architectural simulator called Sniper for simulating future exascale-era multi-core processors. Its goal is twofold: Sniper should assist hardware designers to make design decisions, while simultaneously providing software designers with a tool to gain insight into the behavior of their algorithms and allow for optimization. By taking architectural features into account, our simulator can provide more insight into parallel programs than what can be obtained from existing performance analysis tools. This unique combination of hardware simulator and software performance analysis tool makes Sniper a useful tool for a simultaneous exploration of the hardware and software design space for future high-performance multi-core systems.


: This study describes a new visual acuity test for preschool and exceptional children. It is independent of verbal responses, uses a forced-choice testing procedure, incorporates the psychometric design advantages of the Landolt ring, and can be administered at 3m (10 ft) in 5 to 7 minutes. The results support its construct validity in accurately measuring visual acuity levels and its clinical applicability for preschool and exceptional children.


This paper presents an experimental investigation of the heat transfer characteristics of the heat pipe with CuO-water nanofluid. For this purpose, CuO nanoparticles of 30 nm size were dispersed in distilled water to form stable suspension containing 0.1% ~ 2.0% mass concentrations of nanoparticles, and then the heat pipe was produced after CuO-water nanofluid was added in it as the working fluid. Experimental results show that the use of CuO-water nanofluid hold a lower start-up temperature and shorter start-up time for the evaporation section of the heat pipe compared to distilled water. Their heat transfer performance of the evaporation section and condenser section has been improved than that of distilled water. The heat transfer coefficient of nanofluid is higher than that of the base liquid and found to increase by 29.4% and 125.0% for the mass concentration of 0.5% compared with the heat pipe using distilled water while the input power ranging from 15W to 45W. By examining the thermal resistance, it was found that the thermal resistance has been significantly decreased compared with the heat pipe with distilled water. The thermal resistance of heat pipe using CuO-water nanofluid at a mass concentration of 0.5% is 0.36K/W when the input power is 45W, while the thermal resistance of heat pipe using distilled water is 0.80K/W. Further analysis indicates that the heat pipe using CuO-water nanofluid at 1.0% mass concentrations has the best heat transfer performance.


Background: The infant mortality rate (IMR) represents a pertinent indicator of a country's wellbeing, given its relation with different determinants, such as public health policies, socioeconomic conditions, maternal health, quality and access to medical services. The objective of this review was to assess the trend of infant mortality rate in the 2007-2017 period of the Central African Region member states.

Methods: Data on infant mortality rates was extracted from 2007 to 2017 (A 10 year review) using the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (IGME) database. We focused on the UN IGME data base as it empirically outlines IMR data based on a comprehensive database; compiled from censuses, vital statistics systems and surveys. In addition to the UN IGME database, we used the Boolean strategy to search through PubMed and other databases for relevant articles to support the findings.

Results: Our results indicate that in the 2007-2017 period, the IMRs for Central Africa member states showed downward trends. Several reasons may explain the overall downward trend recorded in the whole Central Africa and its countries. We observed the highest rates of infant mortality in the Central African Republic and lowest in Sao Tome and Principe.

Conclusion: The review highlights two important findings: first, to date, little emphasis has been placed on developing robust mortality estimates for pediatric populations in Central Africa. Secondly, IMR were higher for the Central African region countries in almost all years compared to the SGD Goal 3.2, although the trend dropped equally from 2007 to 2017. Central African member States need to set their own targets and develop specific strategies to reduce infant mortality and monitor their progress towards the reduction. Accelerating progress is essential in all Central African countries, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of under-five mortality by the year 2030. Furthermore, achieving this SDG target would enhance the reduction of the number of under-5 deaths by 10 million between now and 2030.


Rhesus (Rh) blood group D antigen is the largest group of all 33 known blood group systems (Kappler-gratias et al. 2014). Rh blood group system divided into two groups which is RhD positive and RhD negative determined by the presence or absence of RhD protein respectively.Most blood groups are encoded by single genes with alleles that differ by only one or a few amino acids. On the contrary, the Rh gene encoded by two proteins thatare differing of 36 out of 417 amino acids (Van Kim, Colin, and Cartron 2006). Large number of different between this two proteins trigger to the strong antigenicity of the RhD protein though explains why exposure to RhD can result in a potent immune response in a D-negative individual. Both gene located in a tail-to-tail orientation toward the end of the short arm of chromosome 1 (p34- 36) with physical distance between 30 000 base pairs that contained SMP1 gene and Rhesus box (Wagner, Franz F, Flegel 2002). The RhD antigen can differ in both the quantity of antigen expressed and the qualitative nature of the antigen. Serological technique over the years has now been explained by more recent studies using molecular technique. The D negative phenotype caused mainly by a series of changes in the RhD protein, which alter the phenotype of the D antigen. Therefore, based on their phenotype and molecular structure, these RHD alleles are classified as true negative, partial D, weak D and DEL. DEL is the most weakly expressed of D antigen. Usually, 30 or less copies of the D antigen per RBCs will be express by DEL phenotype compare with 1500 to 7000 sites for weak D and 30,000 antigen sites for normal D (Li et al. 2009; Sandler et al. 2014; Wagner et al. 2005). The routine serological typing does not distinguish RhD negative from the DEL phenotype resulting most of DEL donors are typed as RhD-negative. Nowadays, molecular technique has widely used to reveal the weak expression of DEL phenotype. Frequencies of the RH gene complex not only showed differences in the ethnicity but also in the genetic background of the Rh antigen. Majority Caucasian that phenotype as RhD negative is associated with the deletion of RHD between the upstream and downstream Rhesus boxes but in Africans about 25% of RhD negative Africans have an inactive RHD gene of pseudogene (RHDqj) (C.-P., Shao. J-H Maas, M. Kohler 2002; Flegel 2011; Gu et al. 2014). In contrast in the Asian population, RHDqj is rare, and a certain percentage of RhD-negative individuals have DEL phenotype orRHD-CEDS hybrid gene(Chen et al. 2004; Gu et al. 2014). The prevalence of DEL is approximately30% in Asian RhDnegativedonors and 0.1% in Caucasian RhD(Nuchnoi et al. 2015)…


The depletion of students' prosocial behavior is one of the problems associated with how students' religiosity level and how students conform to behavior of peers. The aims of this study were to reveal the relationship between religiosity, peer conformity with students' attitude toward prosocial behavior. The method used was quantitative, descriptive correlational type. The population was 332 students and 62 students were taken as the sample by using proportional stratified random sampling technique. The instruments are religiosity scale (17 valid items, α=0,806), peer conformity scale (15 valid items, α=0, 732) and students' attitude toward prosocial behavior scale (53 valid items, α=0,944). The data were analyzed by multiple regression. The result showed a correlation coefficient R = 0,638 and p = 0,000 (p < 0,05). That result indicated there is a positif and significant relationship between religiosity and peer conformity with students' attitude toward prosocial behavior. The implication of this study could be used as need assessment to guidance and counseling services.


. There are many sites in the Internet that allow users to share their opinions and write reviews about all kinds of goods and services. These views may be useful not only for other users, but also for companies which want to track their own reputation and to receive timely feedback on their products and services. The most detailed statement of the problem in this area is an aspect-based sentiment analysis, which determines the user attitude not only to the object as a whole, but also to its individual aspects. In this paper we consider the solution of subtask of aspect terms extraction in aspect-based sentiment analysis. A review of research in this area is given. The subtask of aspect terms extraction is considered as a problem of sequence labeling; to solve it we apply the model of conditional random fields (CRF). To create the sequence feature description, we use distributed representations of words derived from neural network models for the Russian language and parts of speech of the analyzed words. The stages of the aspect terms extraction software system are shown. The experiments with the developed software system were carried out on the corpus of labeled reviews of restaurants, created in the International Workshop on Semantic Evaluation (SemEval-2016). We describe the dependence of the quality of aspect terms extraction subtask on various neural network models and the variations of feature descriptions. The best results (F1-measure = 69%) are shown by a version of the system, which takes into account the context and the parts of speech. This paper contains a detailed analysis of errors made by the system, as well as suggestions on possible options for their correction. Finally, future research directions are presented.


Henry DP, Bowsher RR, Verburg KM. Radioenzymatic assay for histamine: development and validation. Scand J Gastroenterol 1991, 26(suppl 180), 26–31Radioenzymatic assays are sensitive analytic tools that use an enzyme to quantify a substrate for that enzyme. Purified histamine N-methyltransferase has been used as the basis for an assay for histamine. The sensitivity of the procedure is <10fmol. The specificity of the assay is increased when the transferase reaction is carried out at 0–3°C. Data documenting the precision of the assay, the stability of histamine in human plasma, and the gastric secretory rate of histamine are presented along with a chronologic description of the development of the technique.


Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematological malignancy with dismal prognosis. Identification of better biomarkers remained a priority to improve established stratification and guide therapeutic decisions. Therefore, we extracted the RNA sequence data and clinical characteristics of AML from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression database (GTEx) to identify the key factors for prognosis. We found UNC93B1 was highly expressed in AML patients and significantly linked to poor clinical features (p < 0.05). We further validated the high expression of UNC93B1 in another independent AML cohort from GEO datasets (p < 0.001) and performed quantitative PCR of patient samples to confirm the overexpression of UNC93B1 in AML (p < 0.005). Moreover, we discovered high level of UNC93B1 was an independent prognostic factor for poorer outcome both in univariate analysis and multivariate regression (p < 0.001). Then we built a nomogram model based on UNC93B1 expression, age, FAB subtype and cytogenetic risk, the concordance index of which for predicting overall survival was 0.729 (p < 0.001). Time-dependent ROC analysis for predicting survival outcome at different time points by UNC93B1 showed the cumulative 2-year survival rate was 43.7%, and 5-year survival rate was 21.9%. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two groups divided by UNC93B1 expression level were enriched in innate immune signaling and metabolic process pathway. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network indicated four hub genes (S100A9, CCR1, MRC1 and CD1C) interacted with UNC93B1, three of which were also significantly linked to inferior outcome. Furthermore, we discovered high UNC93B1 tended to be infiltrated by innate immune cells, including Macrophages, Dendritic cells, Neutrophils, Eosinophils, and NK CD56dim cells. We also found UNC93B1 had a significantly positive correlation with CD14, CD68 and almost all Toll-like receptors. Finally, we revealed negatively correlated expression of UNC93B1 and BCL2 in AML and conjectured that high-UNC93B1 monocytic AML is more resistant to venetoclax. And we found high MCL-1 expression compensated for BCL-2 loss, thus, we proposed MCL-1 inhibitor might overcome the resistance of venetoclax in AML. Altogether, our findings demonstrated the utility of UNC93B1 as a powerful poor prognostic predictor and alternative therapeutic target.


In this work, the development of cellulose wound dressing materials with rutin (RU) and polyrutin (PR) for the healing of chronic leg ulcers is presented as a new approach of local treatment of this wound type. The flavonoid rutin is a known antioxidant substance of plant origin with wound healing promoting properties. Despite the proven beneficial properties of rutin, its potential application in wound healing is limited due to its low water solubility. This limitation can be overcome by polymerization of rutin into polyrutin. In this work an enzymatic polymerization of rutin in water without addition of organic solvents was performed to obtain a water-soluble polymer polyrutin. The chemical structure of rutin and polyrutin were investigated using UV-Vis spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, size-exclusion chromatography and potentiometric titrations. Biological activity related to a desired positive influence on chronic leg ulcers was investigated through the determination of the antioxidant activity, iron-chelation ability, cell viability, determination of cell proliferation and through use of the so called "scratch assay" to measure in vitro wound healing performance. Results indicate that rutin and polyrutin have a positive influence on the healing of chronic wounds. Rutin and polyrutin water dispersions at different pH and ionic strength were further characterised by means of dynamic light scattering in order to determine the size of particles and their pH dependent ζ-potential. The knowledge gained from these measurements aided the systematic interaction studies of rutin and polyrutin dispersions with cellulose-based surfaces via model and real wound healing systems. The model cellulose surfaces were thin films prepared by dissolution of trimethylsilyl cellulose in tetrahydrofuran, spin-coating of this solution on sensors of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D) and subsequent regeneration of trimethylsilyl cellulose to cellulose with acid vapors. The influence of pH, salt concentration, and rutin/polyrutin concentration on the interaction with cellulose thin films was evaluated by means of a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation. This knowledge was transferred to the application of the coatings on real wound healing systems i.e. cellulose non-wovens. The surface morphology was further characterised on model and real wound healing systems. The antioxidant activity and release kinetics were investigated for a real wound healing system, similar to the clinically used, cellulose based wound dressing materials. The main results showed that a higher solubility of polyrutin at low ionic strength contributes to the formation of continuous layers of polyrutin on cellulose surface, while the low solubility of rutin and reduced solubility of polyrutin at higher ionic strengths contribute to deposition of particles of rutin and polyrutin on the cellulose surface. The presence of particles on the surface of non-woven cellulose fibres led to a faster initial release of rutin and polyrutin. On the contrary, a continuous layer of the well soluble polyrutin contributes to a prolonged release. Namely, adsorption of the water soluble polyrutin at pH 2 without the addition of salt results in higher masses of attached polyrutin that release slower and over longer time periods. Since wound dressing materials for chronic leg ulcers often require a lower frequency of dressing change, the latter could provide an efficient therapeutic approach to their treatment.


To treat cryogenically the nasal and pharyngeal mucosa an instrument has been devised in which the supply of cold carrier is regulated by changing pressure in the reservoir and by using interchageable needles of different diameter. The direction of the cold carried stream is changed depending upon the needle chamfer angle and the arrangement of holes in its wall. The procedure used in applying cryogenic action is simple and may be used in treating outpatients.


PURPOSE
To evaluate the effect of bulb thickness on the weight of obturator prostheses and masticatory performance in edentulous hemimaxillectomy patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A randomized, single-blind, three-period crossover trial was conducted with 17 edentulous patients. All patients were provided with three definitive 3D-printed obturator prostheses each. Obturators were divided into three groups: (1) group 1 (G1; 1-mm bulb); (2) group 2 (G2; 2-mm bulb); and (3) group 3 (G3; 3-mm bulb). After fabrication, the weight of each obturator was measured using a digital analytical balance. The patients used each obturator for a period of 2 weeks without a passive period (ie, they did not stop using the obturator). After using each obturator, masticatory function was evaluated with an adapted Sato questionnaire and the sieve test. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation analysis (α = .05).

RESULTS
According to the results of the Sato questionnaire and sieve test, G1 demonstrated the highest masticatory function scores (70.88 ± 9.39; 1.06 ± 0.06), while G3 exhibited the lowest scores (48.23 ± 7.69; 0.92 ± 0.05) (P < .001). The weight of the obturators was significantly different between groups (G1 = 31.58 ± 1.09 g; G2 = 33.99 ± 1.21 g; G3 = 36.57 ± 1.13 g) (P < .001). The correlation between masticatory function and the weight of the obturator was significant (P < .05).

CONCLUSION
This study revealed that using 1-mm obturator bulb thickness was an effective fabrication method for improving masticatory function and reducing the weight of obturator prostheses in edentulous hemimaxillectomy patients.


The particle size in microemulsions and other highly dispersed systems was determined by means of photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). As PCS cannot be applied to highly concentrated dispersed phases, the measurement accuracy was tested for its dependence on the particle concentration using latex suspensions. The data obtained by clipping and scaling were compared. The particle size determination was expected to provide information about the influence of the structure of the surfactant system on microemulsions, using a homologous alcohol series as cosurfactant and potassium oleate as surfactant. In this system the region of solubilization is characteristically divided from the region of microemulsification by a zone of instability. Furthermore, there are distinct differences in mean particle sizes between microemulsions (9-30 nm) and micellar solutions (4-6 nm).