Staphylococcus aureus is an extra-ordinarily versatile pathogen causing a wide spectrum of infections. The aims of this study are to analyze 10 clinical isolates of S. aureus from the UK by Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) and determining their PVL-type variants. In addition to that, to study the effect of several antibiotics at sub inhibitory concentrations on a number of virulence factors at mRNA using quantitative PCR and protein levels using proteomic methods. Western blotting was used to study differential expression of Spa at protein levels.
Data showed that the 10 clinical isolates belong to seven clonal complexes (CCs), which are CC1, CC5, CC8, CC22, CC30, CC88, and CC121. Genetic variation within lukSF-PV gene showed that three of these isolates were belong to the same PVL type variant of CA-MRSA USA300 strain, R variant. From which, two isolates were found to belong to the same CC of USA300, CC8. The remaining 7 isolates were found to belong to H variant. Data presented here showed that the sub-MIC levels of both cell wall inhibitors reduced lukSF-PV and spa steady-state mRNA levels when cells were grown in the presence of these antibiotics for one hour. However, after 5 hrs post antibiotic addition of these two antibiotics, vancomycin remained depressed lukSF-PV and spa steady-state mRNA levels as well as at protein levels, but oxacillin increased spa and lukSF-PV mRNA levels, as well as Spa at protein levels. Protein synthesis inhibitors clindamycin and linezolid were both caused an increase of lukSF-PV mRNA levels, but they both decreased spa mRNA levels, when cultures grown in the presence of these antibiotics for one hour. However, when cultures grown with these antibiotics for 5 hrs, clindamycin remained to increase lukSF-PV and decrease spa mRNA levels and protein levels, but linezolid decreased both virulence factors at mRNA and protein levels.
The data showed in this study confirmed that growing S. aureus in the presence of oxacillin induce toxin expression and might enhance the virulence of this bacterium, therefore using these antibiotics to treat S. aureus infections may contribute to worse outcomes. These data also confirmed that linezolid and vancomycin, are both important selections of antimicrobial agents to treat serious infections caused by the bacterium.


Background: The mechanisms for the variability in antiplatelet effects of aspirin are unclear. Immature (reticulated) platelets may modulate the antiplatelet effects of aspirin through uninhibited cyclooxygenase (COX)‐1 and COX‐2. Objectives: To evaluate the role of reticulated platelets in the antiplatelet effects of aspirin. Methods: Sixty healthy volunteers had platelet studies performed before and 24 h after a single 325‐mg dose of aspirin. Platelet studies included light transmission aggregometry; P‐selectin and integrin αIIbβ3 expression, and serum thromboxane B2 (TxB2) levels. Reticulated platelets and platelet COX‐2 expression were measured using flow cytometry. Results: Subjects were divided into tertiles based on the percentage of reticulated platelets in whole blood. Baseline platelet aggregation to 1 μg mL−1 collagen, and postaspirin aggregations to 5 μm and 20 μm ADP and collagen, were greater in the upper than in the lower tertile of reticulated platelets. Stimulated P‐selectin and integrin αIIbβ3 expression were also higher in the upper tertile both before and after aspirin. Platelet COX‐2 expression was detected in 12 ± 7% (n = 10) of platelets in the upper tertile, and in 7 ± 3% (n = 12) of platelets in the lower two tertiles (P = 0.03). Postaspirin serum TxB2 levels were higher in the upper (5.5 ± 4 ng mL−1) than in the lower tertile (3.2 ± 2.5 ng mL−1, P = 0.03), and decreased even further with ex vivo additional COX‐1 and COX‐2 inhibition. The incidence of aspirin resistance (≥ 70% platelet aggregation to 5 μm ADP) was significantly higher in the upper tertile (45%) than in the lower tertile (5%, P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Reticulated platelets are associated with diminished antiplatelet effects of aspirin and increased aspirin resistance, possibly because of increased reactivity, and uninhibited COX‐1 and COX‐2 activity.


Atypical fibroxanthoma is a rare cutaneous tumor found mainly in elderly people on sun-exposed areas of the body. Histologically, atypical fibroxanthoma is considered a malignant fibrous histiocytoma with bizarre neoplastic cells, marked pleomorphism, hyperchromatic nuclei and abundant mitoses. It must be differentiated from other skin tumors, usually by immunohistochemistry, since its diagnosis is made by exclusion.


We introduce a framework for multi-camera 3D object detection. In contrast to existing works, which estimate 3D bounding boxes directly from monocular images or use depth prediction networks to generate input for 3D object detection from 2D information, our method manipulates predictions directly in 3D space. Our architecture extracts 2D features from multiple camera images and then uses a sparse set of 3D object queries to index into these 2D features, linking 3D positions to multi-view images using camera transformation matrices. Finally, our model makes a bounding box prediction per object query, using a set-to-set loss to measure the discrepancy between the ground-truth and the prediction. This top-down approach outperforms its bottom-up counterpart in which object bounding box prediction follows per-pixel depth estimation, since it does not suffer from the compounding error introduced by a depth prediction model. Moreover, our method does not require post-processing such as non-maximum suppression, dramatically improving inference speed. We achieve state-of-the-art performance on the nuScenes autonomous driving benchmark.


Recently, the shrinking of the personal computer market has given a clear signal that it is time to divert our focus from the strategy of miniaturization of transistors to a different strategy with emerging technologies. As a new form of electronics, stretchable electronics has significantly advanced in the past few years by micro/nanofabrication of thin films of traditional stiff and hard materials such as silicon, metals, and ceramics, and especially subsequent transfer process on an elastic substrate. However, such a thin structure often suffers from high resistance that leads to low performance when long structures are required. This is particularly true for antennas in radio-frequency (RF) electronics. By introducing microfluidics into RF electronics, we found out that it was an excellent way to make high-performance stretchable RF electronics. Apart from antennas, the microfluidic approach was also adopted and further developed to various devices with integrated wireless communication. This fusion of microfluidics with RF electronics brings not only a lot of opportunities for researchers as a radically new research field, but also potentially commercial benefits for industry. As a new emerging field, a huge effort, ranging from fundamental science to technology development, is required to realize it. This paper illustrates the fundamentals in processing and relevant applications, and highlights recent advances in microfluidic RF electronics. The authors would like to inspire the electronics community to further exploit the advantages of this approach and accelerate innovations in this field.


We investigate a new class of codes for the optimal covering of vertices in an undirected graph G such that any vertex in G can be uniquely identified by examining the vertices that cover it. We define a ball of radius t centered on a vertex /spl upsi/ to be the set of vertices in G that are at distance at most t from /spl upsi/. The vertex /spl upsi/ is then said to cover itself and every other vertex in the ball with center /spl upsi/. Our formal problem statement is as follows: given an undirected graph G and an integer t/spl ges/1, find a (minimal) set C of vertices such that every vertex in G belongs to a unique set of balls of radius t centered at the vertices in C. The set of vertices thus obtained constitutes a code for vertex identification. We first develop topology-independent bounds on the size of C. We then develop methods for constructing C for several specific topologies such as binary cubes, nonbinary cubes, and trees. We also describe the identification of sets of vertices using covering codes that uniquely identify single vertices. We develop methods for constructing optimal topologies that yield identifying codes with a minimum number of codewords. Finally, we describe an application of the theory developed in this paper to fault diagnosis of multiprocessor systems.


The increasing number of technical equipment in the operating room (OR) is resulting in significantly higher noise levels. The more complex and sophisticated the surgical procedure is, the more essential it is for all team members of the OR to work together in a harmonious fashion to process and manage their demanding team tasks. With increasing noise in OR, the risk of more frequent errors also increases. The reduction of noise production in the OR is possible but limited. The aim of this study was to develop a device that reduces ambient noise for the operating team without hindering their ability to communicate. We developed a new communication technology set-up for the OR to meet all needed requirements. All members of the operating team are issued headsets with microphones. The headsets filter out background noises (active and passive noise cancelling) and the microphones enable interactive communication among and between OR subgroups through targeted information selection (signal selection). Any remaining background noise is overshadowed by music, which is quiesced by direct speech into the microphone (ducking). Information flow is programmed on a digital workstation, providing each team member a selection of acoustic signals from the OR on their bidirectional headset. A complex matrix of connections in this audio technology allows a predefined communication structure. These procedures were assembled in the Silent Operating Theatre Optimisation System (SOTOS). The technical specifications and user interface are described. A pilot study in 2015 using the SOTOS in cardiac surgery showed very positive feedback from the participating operating team members. Further studies focusing on communicational psychology perspective and physiological reaction are recommended.


—Potassium transport was assessed within synaptic terminals isolated from cerebral cortices of rats which experienced one or two maximal electroshock (ES) convulsions daily. No significant change in endogenous K content was present after 2 consecutive days of ES‐seizures. However, K decreased 22 % and 41 % after 4 and 6 days of convulsions respectively. After 6 days, synaptosomes from ES rats were able to accumulate K to the same extent as controls and were inhibited by ouabain to an equivalent extent (50%). When these synaptosomes from ES rats were preloaded with high concentrations of K, K leaked out at an increased rate. When diphenylhydantoin (DPH) was administered intraperitoneally from the second to the sixth day of ES‐convulsions, the decrease in endogenous K induced by chronic convulsions was corrected. In ion‐free media or with 50 mM Na, DPH had no effects on the enhanced efflux of K observed in vitro after ES‐seizures. However, with high Na (50–100 mm) and low K (0.2–1 mm) DPH stimulated K uptake but did not affect the ouabain inhibition. Under conditions optimal for K uptake (50 mm Na and 10 mm K), DPH did not affect K accumulation but it prevented in vitro ouabain inhibition. Our results indicate that repeated ES‐convulsions decreased K content within isolated nerve terminals by enhancing its passive leakage. In vivo DPH prevented the effects of ES‐seizures by stimulating the Na‐K pump and not by directly blocking the K leak.


This study explored the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the presence of any diabetes-related complications in type 2 diabetes and whether this was mediated by hypertension. Secondly, the relationship between OSA severity and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was investigated. A total of 131 patients participated. OSA was diagnosed using a home monitor, and severity was measured by apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and oxygen desaturation index (ODI). OSA was found in 75.6% of the participants, 40.5% with moderate-to-severe degree. Any diabetes-related complications (retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, or coronary artery disease) were present in 55.5%, and 70.2% of the participants had hypertension. Mediation analysis indicated that, compared to those with mild or no OSA, those with moderate-to-severe OSA were 3.05 times more likely to have any diabetes-related complications and that this relationship was mediated by the presence of hypertension. After adjusting for confounders, ODI (B = −0.036, p = 0.041), but not AHI, was significantly associated with lower eGFR. In conclusion, moderate-to-severe OSA was related to the presence of any diabetes-related complications in type 2 diabetes, and the relationship was mediated by hypertension. The severity of intermittent hypoxia was associated with lower eGFR. Whether OSA treatment will delay or reduce diabetes-related complications should be investigated.


Disassembly and phagocytic removal of dying cells is critical to maintain immune homeostasis. The factors that regulate fragmentation and uptake of dying lymphocytes are not well understood. Degradation of fodrin, a cytoskeletal linker molecule that attaches CD45 to the actin cytoskeleton, has been described in apoptotic cells, although no specific initiator of fodrin degradation has been identified. CD45 is a glycoprotein receptor for galectin-1, an endogenous lectin that can trigger lymphocyte apoptosis, although CD45 is not required for phosphatidylserine externalization or DNA degradation during galectin-1 death. In this study, we show that fodrin degradation occurs during galectin-1 T cell death and that CD45 is essential for fodrin degradation to occur. In the absence of CD45, or if fodrin degradation is prevented, galectin-1-induced cell death is not accompanied by membrane blebbing, although phosphatidylserine externalization and DNA degradation proceed, indicating that fodrin degradation occurs via a distinct pathway compared with the pathway that leads to these other hallmarks of cell death. Moreover, there is slower phagocytic uptake by macrophages of T cells in which fodrin degradation is prevented, relative to T cells in which CD45-mediated fodrin degradation occurs. These studies identify a novel role for CD45 in regulating cellular disassembly and promoting phagocytic clearance during galectin-1-induced T cell death.


A computerized health records system has facilitated an analysis of the correlated illness of a segment of population afflicted with a chronic disease. Taking the existence of clinical diabetes as a starting point, the total illness experience of 635 diabetics, as shown by clinic utilization data, has been compared with an age-sex-geographically matched control population. The comparisons show that, overall, diabetics cause a caseload rate more than double that of nondiabetics. In 17 out of 22 broad health problem areas, the diagnosis caseload rates for diabetics varied from 1.3 to 3.7 times greater than the rate for matched, non-diabetic controls. Workload (physician visit and hospital days) comparisons showed even greater disparity. Some of the comparisons confirm statistically the clinical impressions of diabetologists over the past years. Some of the findings are not reflections of orthodox clinical opinion. The results contribute to further elucidation of the natural history of this disease. They also indicate the need for the development of comprehensive clinical management programs for groups of interrelated conditions found in persons with chronic disease such as diabetes.


Abstract Introduction: Concern for possible disease transmission during mouth-to-mouth resuscitation has decreased the incidence of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Barrier masks have become available that may be effective in CPR as well as protective against cross-contamination. Hypothesis: A silicone rubber barrier mask incorporating a one-way-valved airway (Kiss of Life [KOL]) designed to prevent contamination of the rescuer, permits satisfactory mouth-to-mouth ventilation of victims of cardiopulmonary arrest. Methods: Ten adult patients who did not survive non-traumatic cardiac arrest were ventilated with exhaled room air using a KOL barrier mask while external cardiac massage continued. Arterial blood gases were obtained every two minutes for a maximum of 10 minutes. The operator was blinded to the results of these blood tests. Results: Eight men and two women with ages from 55 to 99 years were studied. Four patients were edentulous and two of these had marked mandibular atrophy. The two patients with mandibular atrophy were poorly ventilated with the barrier mask. One other patient was not ventilated successfully. This patient had undergone multiple attempts at endotracheal intubation and had transtracheal needle ventilation performed prior to use of the barrier mask. One patient had elevated PaCO2 despite being well-ventilated clinically. Six patients were ventilated well clinically and had satisfactory PaCO2 and PaO2 values. Conclusion: The barrier mask studied appears to be an effective aid to ventilation in CPR Patients without facial support, as in edentulous patients with mandibular atrophy, are not ventilated well with this device.


Aim

Whether the gradients of global diversity conform to equilibrium or non-equilibrium dynamics remains an unresolved question in ecology and evolution. Here, we evaluate four prominent hypotheses which invoke either equilibrium (more individuals, niche diversity) or non-equilibrium dynamics (diversification rate, evolutionary time) to explain species richness and functional diversity of mammals worldwide.

Location

Global.

Methods

We combine structural equation modelling with simulations to examine whether species richness and functional diversity are in equilibrium with environmental conditions (climate, productivity) or whether they vary with non-equilibrium factors (diversification rates, evolutionary time). We use the newest and most inclusive phylogenetic, distributional and trait data for mammals.

Results

We find that species richness and functional diversity are decoupled across multiple regions of the world. While species richness correlates closely with environmental conditions, functional diversity depends mostly on non-equilibrium factors (evolutionary time to overcome niche conservatism). Moreover, functional diversity plateaus with species richness, such that species-rich regions (especially the Neotropics) host many species that are apparently functionally redundant.

Main conclusions

We conclude that species richness depends on environmental factors while functional diversity depends on the evolutionary history of the region. Our work further challenges the classic notion that highly productive regions host more species because they offer a great diversity of ecological niches. Instead, they suggest that productive regions offer more resources, which allow more individuals, populations and species to coexist within a region, even when the species are apparently functionally redundant (the more individuals hypothesis). Together these findings demonstrate how ecological (the total amount of resources) and evolutionary factors (time to overcome niche conservatism) might have interacted to generate the striking diversity of mammals and their life histories.


The emergence of new participatory mechanisms, such as participatory budgeting, in towns and cities in recent years has given rise to a conflict between the old protagonists of local participation and the new citizens invited to participate. These mechanisms offer a logic of collective action different from what has been the usual fare in cities — one based on proposal rather than demand. As a result, urban social movements need to transform their own dynamics in order to make room for a new political subject (the citizenry and the non-organized participant) and to act upon a stage where deliberative dynamics now apply. This article aims to analyse this conflict in three different cities that set up participatory budgeting at different times: Porto Alegre, Cordova and Paris. The associations in the three cities took up a position against the new participatory mechanisms and demanded a bigger role in the political arena. Through a piece of ethnographic research, we shall see that the responses of the agents involved (politicians, associations and citizens) in the three cities share some arguments, although the conflict was resolved differently in each of them. The article concludes with reflections on the consequences this conflict could have for contemporary political theory, especially with respect to the role of associations in the processes of democratization and the setting forth of a new way of doing politics by means of deliberative procedures.


The EUROfusion JET-ILW pedestal database is described, with emphasis on three main issues. First, the technical aspects are introduced, including a description of the data selection, the datasets, the diagnostics used, the experimental and theoretical methods implemented and the main definitions. Second, the JET-ILW pedestal structure and stability are described. In particular, the work describes the links between the engineering parameters (power, gas and divertor configuration) and the disagreement with the peeling-ballooning (PB) model implemented with ideal magnetohydrodynamics equations. Specifically, the work clarifies why the JET-ILW pedestal tends to be far from the PB boundary at high gas and high power, showing that a universal threshold in power and gas cannot be found but that the relative shift (the distance between the position of the pedestal density and of the pedestal temperature) plays a key role. These links are then used to achieve an empirical explanation of the behavior of the JET-ILW pedestal pressure with gas, power and divertor configuration. Third, the pedestal database is used to revise the scaling law of the pedestal stored energy. The work shows a reasonable agreement with the earlier Cordey scaling in terms of plasma current and triangularity dependence, but highlights some differences in terms of power and isotope mass dependence.


This thesis analyses the factors that have shaped conflicts over corruption in post-Suharto Indonesia and the processes by which corruption has been contained or entrenched. Contrary to mainstream theories it is argued here that institutional reforms in themselves are not sufficient factors in transforming behaviour or incentives for corruption. Most important, democratic reforms and decentralization programs introduced in the aftermath of the political reformasi do not in themselves results either in the containment of corruption or its continued entrenchment. Nor, it is proposed, institutional reforms in public administration and governance the decisive factors.

Rather, it is argued here that the success or failure of reformist movements is contingent upon a range of factors that influence the relative power of contending alliances involved in the conflicts over corruption. Among these factors, it is argued that the following are critical. One is the degree to which interests and coalitions that dominate government are able to secure a degree of monopoly over access to resources and revenues. This can provide decisive economic and political leverage in their attempts to protect predatory forms of authority against reformers. A second factor is related to the way such interests distribute public resources and budgetary expenditure and how effectively these consolidate social and political support. The third factor is related to the ability of reformers to build political alliances and coalitions. These may not always include opponents of corruption or the institutions of clientalism but may include some of those currently excluded from the existing benefits of corruption.

Using four case studies, the thesis examines how these factors influence the resolution of specific conflicts between reformers and incumbents. The four cases are selected to represent different ways in which elites are able to exert control over resources and how they distribute them as well as different patterns of reformist alliances. In other words, the thesis presents an argument that corruption reform is decided, not in the design and construction of institutions but in the context of constant struggles over power and how it is organised and resources are distributed.


Education and learning are currently undergoing transformative changes due to the emergence of tablet devices, cloud computing, and abundant online content. These trends present opportunities to transform traditional paper-based textbooks into tablet-based electronic textbooks, and to further enrich the educational experience by augmenting them with relevant supplementary materials. A natural question is whether this educational intervention, namely, enriching textbooks with relevant web articles, images and videos, is effective. It turns out that designing an experiment at scale for this purpose is nontrivial. We report on progress in designing and carrying out such an experiment.


Sacred groves are patches of forests of special spiritual significance to humans, offering also a diverse range of ecological and environmental services. We have attempted here to understand the local hydrological dynamics of a sacred forest, in terms of the benefits the village community derive, in central Western Ghats region of India. A comparative assessment has been made between two small watersheds in terms of their landscape structure (woody species composition) with soil water properties and availability of water in the respective downstream villages. The result shows that, sacred site with more primeval vegetation has close association with soil moisture in comparison to non-sacred site during dry spell of the year. The higher soil moisture ensures year long availability of water in the downstream village of the sacred site which facilitates farming of commercial crops with higher economic returns to the farmers, unlike the farmers in the other village where they face water crisis during the lean season. The study emphasizes the need for conservation endeavour on sacred groves highlighting its potential for water conservation at local and regional levels.


Deaf children whose hearing losses prevent them from accessing spoken language and whose hearing parents have not exposed them to sign language develop gesture systems, called homesigns, which have many of the properties of natural language—the so-called resilient properties of language. We explored the resilience of structure built around the predicate—in particular, how manner and path are mapped onto the verb—in homesign systems developed by deaf children in Turkey and the United States. We also asked whether the Turkish homesigners exhibit sentence-level structures previously identified as resilient in American and Chinese homesigners. We found that the Turkish and American deaf children used not only the same production probability and ordering patterns to indicate who does what to whom, but also used the same segmentation and conflation patterns to package manner and path. The gestures that the hearing parents produced did not, for the most part, display the patterns found in the children's gestures. Although cospeech gesture may provide the building blocks for homesign, it does not provide the blueprint for these resilient properties of language.


The random matrix ensembles (RME) of quantum statistical Hamiltonian operators, e.g. Gaussian random matrix ensembles (GRME) and Ginibre random matrix ensembles (Ginibre RME), are applied to following quantum statistical systems: nuclear systems, molecular systems, and two-dimensional electron systems (Wigner-Dyson electrostatic analogy). Measures of quantum chaos and quantum integrability with respect to eigenergies of quantum systems are defined and calculated. Quantum statistical information functional is defined as negentropy (opposite of entropy or minus entropy). The distribution function for the random matrix ensembles is derived from the maximum entropy principle.


In this paper, we revisit the "IT Productivity Paradox," which refers to the inconclusive relationship between IT investment and performance improvement found in empirical studies. We argue that the cause of the "IT Productivity Paradox" is more than empirical measurement difficulties. Based on a rather comprehensive review of the literature, we identified and contrasted three underlying theoretical perspectives of the empirical studies. We then propose a new theoretical framework toward an in-depth theoretical understanding of the paradox. Developed upon the contingency approach, the proposed framework considers the stages of technology life cycle. The framework not only can provide useful guidance for practicing managers but also potentially can resolve the "IT Productivity Paradox," hence making a significant contribution to the literature.


Rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS) or paradoxical sleep is associated with intense neuronal activity, fluctuations in autonomic control, body paralysis and brain-wide hyperemia. The mechanisms and functions of these energy-demanding patterns remain elusive and a global picture of brain activation during REMS is currently missing. In the present work, we performed functional ultrasound (fUS) imaging at the whole-brain scale during hundreds of REMS episodes to provide the spatiotemporal dynamics of vascular activity in 259 brain regions spanning more than 2/3 of the total brain volume. We first demonstrate a dissociation between basal/midbrain and cortical structures, the first ones sustaining tonic activation during REMS while the others are activated in phasic bouts. Second, we isolated the vascular compartment in our recordings and identified arteries in the anterior part of the brain as strongly involved in the blood supply during REMS episodes. Finally, we report a peculiar activation pattern in the amygdala, which is strikingly disconnected from the rest of the brain during most but not all REMS episodes. This last finding shows that amygdala undergoes specific processing during REMS and may be linked to the regulation of emotions and the creation of dream content during this very state.


In this study, the digital image correlation (DIC) method was used to determine local strains in paper strips during a tensile test. The grammage of neverdried LWC paper from the pilot paper machine was 38 g/m and the dryness ranged from 50 to 75%. The maximal straining speed in the single-phase tensile test was 100 mm/s and the corresponding image acquisition rate was 9000 frames/s. The local maximal strain εMAX in every paper strip that was analyzed was larger than the strain at the break value εBreak of the strip, as determined from the tension-strain curve. The largest εMAX to εBreak ratio was about 1.7. It was possible to estimate the starting region of the fracture based on the measured local strains. In the single-phase tensile test, the fracture started lengthways along the strip from the zone with the largest local difference between the strains on the left and right edges of the paper strip. At that zone the fracture usually started from the edge of the strip where the local strain was larger. In the three-phase tensile test, the fracture started lengthways along the strip from the zone with the largest local strain. In this case, the fracture usually also started from the edge of the strip with more local strain of the two. The relaxation phase seemed to have a significant effect on the breaking behavior of the wet paper strip.


To the Editor. —I have always believed that constructive critique is necessary as well as helpful. Dr Witte and colleagues chose from the very beginning to question the integrity of the work as well as the process. Regrettably, their recent article is further evidence of this. 1 We used the modified Miles and Miles 2 method for assaying the induced VHP. None of the so-called blue tails were "intensely blue" as depicted by Witte et al in their article. Some of them did have a little color that could have easily come from the entry wound. But, as Witte and colleagues know, it did not have any consistent pattern. The tail color did not correlate with whether the animals were positive or negative. We provided new pictures for the evaluation by the Science reviewers. The artifacts that Witte et al have created are just that, artifacts. Our data, present in


The business model of selling software bundled with hardware is called the appliance model. As hardware becomes less and less expensive and open source software is being offered for free, the traditional business model of selling packaged software is being threatened. This disruption in the software industry is forcing software vendors to consider other business models such as advertising-based, transaction-based, software-asa-service or appliance-based models in order to create additional value for customers. Most of these models have existed in variants for decades but are now gaining in popularity due to factors such as changing cost structures or the Internet as a delivery channel. This thesis analyzes the economic drivers and barriers for the appliance model for both the consumer and enterprise software industry segments. Important drivers of the appliance model for both of these sectors are hardware commoditization, open source software and vertical integration in order to capture margins. In the enterprise software segment the complexity of traditional software integration and operation including unpredictability of total cost of ownership, rising IT personnel cost and maintenance fees are driving the adoption of the appliance model. In the consumer software segment, ease of use, limited battery life, disintermediated distribution and prestige are important economic factors. The appliance model also has a number of economic disadvantages that hinder its adoption. Among these are the additional competencies that a company needs to build, supply chain and distribution costs, as well as inflexibility and inconvenience for the customer. Decision criteria for companies considering adopting the appliance model are also discussed. Industry examples in the consumer and enterprise software segment are examined and specific companies are used as case studies. Among these are the digital music player, digital video recorder, router and enterprise search markets. The possible implementation paths for software companies transitioning to the appliance model are proposed and the virtual appliance model as a next adoption step is discussed. Thesis Advisor: Michael A. Cusumano Title: Sloan Management Review Distinguished Professor of Management


Background Pregnant women and their fetuses are or-phan populations with respect to knowledge on safety and efficacy of drugs. It is estimated that over 90% of pregnant women uses over-the-counter or prescription medication.1 Albeit, data on transplacental transfer or fetal effects are still lacking for most of the medicines and food supplements. The ex vivo human placenta perfusion model is an effective and non-invasive method to study transplacental passage of drugs and environmental com-pounds in humans.2 It is the only method that retains the full structure of a full term human placenta, making it possible to study transplacental passage without harm-ing the foetus or the mother.3 Due to many challenges and its high complexity it remains difficult to incorporate it routinely into laboratories. Methods A step-by-step protocol for the implementa-tion and validation of a closed-closed ex vivo perfusion model was developed. Different quality controls were implemented to ensure the integrity, viability and func-tionality of the method: (i). Antipyrine is a small drug molecule that does not bind to proteins and that passes the placental barrier by passive diffusion; It was used here to determine 'overlap' (solute exchange) between foetal and maternal circulation; (ii) the pressure and the flow rate in the foetal circulation as a marker for leakage; (iii) pH and glucose consumption were implemented as a marker for tissueviability. Results In total 89 placentas were collected of which 34 placentas were successfully perfused with antipyrine and fulfilled all quality control measurements. A foe-tal/maternal antipyrine concentration ratio of 0.75 was reached within 89±21 min, while 210 min were required to achieve equilibrium. The foetal pressure remained un-der 70 mmHg during the entire experiment. The end foe-tal flow was 98% of the foetal starting flow. The average glucose consumption was 0.30±0.15 µmol/min/g. Every 30 min the maternal pH declined to 7.29±0.06 and was adjusted to 7.4. The foetal pH stayed stable at 7.30±0.05. Conclusion Based on the multiple quality control mea-surements, the described method of a closed human ex-vivo placenta perfusion model was validated. The success rate (38%) was more than twice the success rate reported in literature (15%).


BACKGROUND
This observational study was designed to evaluate and compare the usefulness of BNP and NT-proBNP concentrations to detect the existence and severity of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in critically ill patients.

METHODS
A prospective, observational study in a university hospital. The sample included 86 consecutive adult patients. Based on echocardiography data, LVDD were classified into normal, impaired relaxation, pseudonormal or restrictive patterns. Patients were classified according to whether filling pressures were elevated or non-elevated in the echocardiography. Sampling for natriuretic peptides was performed immediately before echocardiography.

RESULTS
Fifty patients showed LVDD. The most frequently observed pattern was impaired relaxation (N.=35), followed by the restrictive (N.=9) and the pseudonormal (N.=6) patterns. BNP concentrations in restrictive and pseudonormal patterns were higher than in normal and impaired relaxation patterns, while NT-proBNP only showed differences between normal and pseudonormal or restrictive patterns. Cut-off values using ROC curve analyses to detect LVDD were 125 ng/L for BNP and 390 ng/L NT-proBNP. BNP and NT-proBNP concentrations were higher in the 15 patients with restrictive and pseudonormal patterns, suggesting elevated filling pressures. Cut-off values using ROC curve analyses to detect echocardiography signs of elevated filling pressures were 254 ng/L for BNP and 968 for NT-proBNP. Both natriopeptides performed in a similar way to detect LVDD and elevated filling pressures.

CONCLUSION
Both BNP and NT-proBNP are useful screening tools to detect the presence of advanced degrees of LVDD, and especially to rule out elevated filling pressures.


The tendency to report hate crime victimization There are indicators suggesting that the tendency to report hate crime victimization to the police is lower in comparison to crimes without such a motive. There are also reasons to believe that victims of hate crime base their cost-benefit analysis of whether to report on a unique set of factors that differ from other crime types. The present study compares report rates for hate crimes and crimes without a bias-motive among Swedish university students. Reasons from refraining from reporting are also examined though a thematic analysis. The results show that victims of hate crime report their victimization to a significantly lower extent than other victims. Those who refrain from reporting trivialize and normalize their experiences, find alternative solutions to handle their victimization, and/or have a low trust in the police


The technique and results of both bilateral round ligament, utero-ovarian and uterine artery ligations for excessive hemorrhage in the third stage have been described. The author have performed this procedure, first in 9 monkeys and in 24 women. Unnecessary emergency hysterectomies may be avoided by the use of this method of which the technique is simple, may be rapidly performed and will be more effective than hypogastric or uterine artery ligation. The ovarian and uterine functions were studied and were most often completely restored.


This study investigates the effect of internal control systems on cooperative profitability. Internal control is described by Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) Framework, which is limited to Control Environment, Risk Assessment, Control Activities, Information and Communication, and Monitoring. This study was conducted using a qualitative approach, where a case study method was applied. Data were collected through interview sessions and
documentary evidences. From the findings of study, it was concluded that the internal control systems applied in Koperasi Pekan Rabu Alor Setar Berhad can be considered effective and satisfactory. This was based on the implementation of all components of internal control systems, as described by the COSO Framework within the cooperative. However, financial losses occurred in the cooperative, caused by inefficient cost control and not due to weak internal controls. Profitability can be
improved with a new development plan as well as implementation of effective internal control systems within the cooperative. Good or strong internal control systems would have an effect on the cooperative's profitability as well as help the stability and growth of the cooperative movement in Malaysia


Background: Thiazolides have emerged as a new class of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs, and the first thiazolide, nitazoxanide, is in late-stage clinical trials for treating chronic hepatitis C. Objective: To review the chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and efficacy of thiazolides as antiviral agents with emphasis on clinical development of nitazoxanide in treating chronic hepatitis C. Methods: Literature search, information from Romark Laboratories and my personal experience with the discovery and development of thiazolides serve as the sources for this review. Conclusions: Thiazolides are metabolically stable, highly bound to plasma proteins and are associated with a favorable toxicology profile. Phase II clinical trials have demonstrated efficacy and safety of nitazoxanide added to peginterferon with or without ribavirin in treating patients with chronic hepatitis C. More limited clinical data indicated potential in treating chronic hepatitis B, and three randomized controlled trials have demonstrated efficacy in reducing the duration of viral gastroenteritis. New generation thiazolides with the nitro group of nitazoxanide replaced by a non-reducible group are not active against anaerobes but retain broad-spectrum activity against viruses. Further studies are needed. Research indicates that these drugs may play an important and complementary role in combination with other classes of antiviral drugs.


SETTING
Integrated tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) services in a resource-constrained setting.

OBJECTIVE
Pilot provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling (PITC) for TB patients and suspects.

DESIGN
Through partnerships, resources were mobilised to establish and support services. After community sensitisation and staff training, PITC was introduced to TB patients and then to TB suspects from December 2003 to December 2005.

RESULTS
Of 5457 TB suspects who received PITC, 89% underwent HIV testing. Although not statistically significant, TB suspects with TB disease had an HIV prevalence of 61% compared to 63% for those without. Of the 614 suspects who declined HIV testing, 402 (65%) had TB disease. Of 2283 patients referred for cotrimoxazole prophylaxis, 1951 (86%) were enrolled, and of 1727 patients assessed for antiretroviral treatment (ART), 1618 (94%) were eligible and 1441 (83%) started treatment.

CONCLUSIONS
PITC represents a paradigm shift and is feasible and acceptable to TB patients and TB suspects. Clear directives are nevertheless required to change practice. When offered to TB suspects, PITC identifies large numbers of persons requiring HIV care. Community sensitisation, staff training, multitasking and access to HIV care contributed to a high acceptance of HIV testing. Kenya is using this experience to inform national response and advocate wide PITC implementation in settings faced with the TB-HIV epidemic.


Three Turkish special education teachers conducted a functional analysis to identify variables that might initiate or maintain the problem behaviors of three children with developmental disabilities. The analysis procedures were conducted in natural classroom settings. In Phase 1, following initial training in functional analysis procedures, the teachers generated hypotheses regarding the function of children's problem behaviors. Hypotheses emerged from parent interview and direct observation data. In Phase 2, the hypotheses were tested using functional analysis procedures developed by Iwata and his colleagues. For two of the three children, functional analysis results were consistent with hypotheses developed during Phase 1. Results for all children suggested that special education teachers were able to implement the descriptive and experimental phases of functional analysis procedures. Turkish teachers effectively identified specific contingencies that were likely to initiate or maintain problem behavior for each of the three children.


BACKGROUND
Antiretroviral treatments (ART) form the basis of adequate clinical control in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients, and adherence plays a primary role in the grade and duration of the antiviral response. The objectives of this study are: (1) to determine the impact of the implementation of a pharmaceutical care program on improvement of ART adherence and on the immunovirological response of the patients; and (2) to detect possible correlations between different adherence evaluation measurements.

METHODS
A 60-month long retrospective study was conducted. Adherence measures used were: therapeutic drug monitoring, a simplified medication adherence questionnaire, and antiretroviral dispensation records (DR). The number of interviews and interventions related to adherence made for each patient in yearly periods was related to the changes in the adherence variable (measured with DR) in these same yearly periods. The dates when the laboratory tests were drawn were grouped according to proximity with the study assessment periods (February-May, 2005-2010).

RESULTS
A total of 528 patients were included in the study. A significant relationship was observed between the simplified medication adherence questionnaire and DR over the 60-month study period (P < 0.01). Improvement was observed in the mean adherence level (P < 0.001), and there was a considerable decrease in the percentage of patients with CD4+ lymphocytes less than 200 cells/mm(3) (P < 0.001). A relationship was found between the number of patients with optimum adherence levels and the time that plasma viral load remained undetected. The number of interviews and interventions performed in each patient in the first 12 months from the onset of the pharmaceutical care program (month 6), was related to a significant increase in adherence during this same time period.

CONCLUSION
The results suggest that the establishment and permanence of a pharmaceutical care program may increase ART adherence, increase permanence time of the patient with undetectable plasma viral loads, and improve patients' lymphocyte count.


Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) which allow partial reconfiguration at run time can be shared among multiple independent tasks. When the sequence of tasks to be performed is unpredictable, the FPGA controller needs to make allocation decisions online. Since online allocation suffers from fragmentation, tasks can end up waiting despite there being sufficient, albeit noncontiguous, resources available to service them. The time to complete tasks is consequently longer and the utilisation of the FPGA is lower than it could be. It is proposed that a subset of the tasks executing on the FPGA be rearranged when to do so allows the next pending task to be processed sooner. Methods are described and evaluated for overcoming the NP-hard problems of identifying feasible rearrangements and scheduling the rearrangements when moving tasks are reloaded from off-chip.


Due to the high integration of renewable energy, the power systems may become more susceptible to unbalanced grid voltages, grid frequency disturbances, harmonic resonances and others. Therefore, several works have pointed out that the ancillary services provided by the energy storage systems can minimize these issues. The combination of energy storage and static synchronous compensators (ES-STATCOM) has been proposed to reduce the cost. Modular multilevel converters (MMC) are featured as a good solution for ES-STATCOM realization, due to their high efficiency, modularity and inherent fault-tolerant structure. However, the study of the integration of the MMC based ES-STATCOM in a complex power system composed of power electronic converters, transmission system, renewable plants, transformers, etc, leads to a high computational burden. Therefore, this work presents a detailed design and implementation of three efficient simulation models of the MMC ES-STATCOM. The performance of these models compared during a grid frequency support case study by a 100 MVA/33 kV ES-STATCOM. In addition, the performance of these models is evaluated during a battery charging process and a grid symmetrical fault. The models are compared through the following aspects: processing time, normalized integral of absolute error, state-of-charge estimation and active and reactive power dynamic response.


The pseudoscorpion (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) fauna of mainland Ecuador, excluding the Galápagos Islands, is poorly known, with only 41 described species in 9 families. The family Syarinidae has a pantropical distribution and presently comprises ca 120 species in 17 valid genera that are found in leaf litter and subterranean habitats, mostly in tropical and subtropical climates. Four syarinid species have been recorded from Ecuador, including the Galápagos, in two widespread genera, Ideobisium and Ideoblothrus, but field collections suggest that these pseudoscorpions are common and abundant in all forest systems across the country. Here, we review field collections of syarinids from mainland Ecuador and describe five new species in these genera: Ideobisium kichwa sp. nov. (Napo Province, Colonso Chalupas Natural Reserve), I. sonqo sp. nov. (Napo Province, Colonso Chalupas Natural Reserve), I. susanae sp. nov. (Napo Province, Jatun Sacha Natural Reserve), Ideoblothrus nadineae sp. nov. (Napo Province, Colonso Chalupas Natural Reserve) and I. safinai sp. nov. (Pichincha Province, Otongachi Natural Reserve) based on morphology. These species seem to have narrow distributions and we therefore restrict the ranges of two species previously recorded from Ecuador (Ideobisium crassimanum Balzan, 1892 and Ideoblothrus costaricensis (Beier, 1931)) to their countries of origin, which is Costa Rica and Venezuela, respectively.


Background: Hand and wrist infections may cause varying degrees of morbidity requiring antibiotic therapy of variable duration and often operative intervention. Peripherally inserted central line catheters (PICCs) are placed when an extended course of intravenous antibiotics is anticipated. The present study aims to analyze utilization and impact of PICC placement on the management of hand, wrist, and forearm infections. Methods: The PearlDiver Patients Records Database was queried to identify patients who underwent treatment for infection of the hand, wrist, and forearm between 2010 and 2018. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to evaluate the association of patient-related risk factors with PICC utilization, complications, readmissions, and length of stay (LOS). Results: A total of 24,665 patients with an upper extremity infection were included in the study. Ultimately, 416 patients required a PICC placement (1.69%). Patients with older age, male gender, certain medical comorbidities, and infection involving deeper structures were more likely to require a PICC. Ninety-day all-cause medical complication rates were significantly higher for the PICC group (19.7% versus 6.7%) compared to those without. Any hospital readmission rates were significantly higher for PICC group at 90 days (28.4% versus 6.3%) and 1 year (35.8% versus 10.9%). Readmission rates remained slightly higher at 1 year for both groups. The PICC group demonstrated significantly longer LOS by 2 days (7.72 days versus 5.14 days). Conclusion: While not required for the majority of hand, wrist, and forearm infections, PICC placement is associated with increased medical complications, more frequent hospital readmissions, and longer LOS.


Purpose: Previous studies have reported the association of an insertion/deletion (Ins/Del) polymorphism (rs3783553) in the 3 ′ untranslated region of interleukin-1A ( IL-1A ) with the risk of cancer, such as oral squamous cell carcinoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and cervical carcinoma. However, the results are still inconsistent. The present meta-analysis aimed to clarify the association of IL-1A rs3783553 polymorphism with cancer risk. Methods: All eligible studies were selected from PubMed, Web of Science, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure up to September 2, 2015. Summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate cancer risk. Results: A total of ten case–control studies with 4,514 cases and 6,689 controls were included this meta-analysis. We found that IL-1A rs3783553 polymorphism was significantly associated with cancer risk (Ins/Ins + Ins/Del vs Del/Del: OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.67–0.92; Ins/Ins vs Del/Del: OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.47–0.79; Ins/Ins vs Ins/Del + Del/Del: OR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.55–0.83; Ins vs Del: OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.72–0.92). In the stratified analyses, significant effects were found among Asian populations (Ins/Ins + Ins/Del vs Del/Del: OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.69–0.95) and cervical carcinoma (Ins/Ins vs Del/Del: OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.34–0.76; Ins/Ins vs Ins/Del + Del/ Del: OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.35–0.78). Conclusion: Our meta-analysis suggests that the IL-1A rs3783553 polymorphism contributes to susceptibility to cancer. However, well-designed studies with larger sample sizes are required to verify the results.


One potential major role of social economy organizations in sustainability transitions is the creation and mobilization of social capital. Yet, the social economy gathers very distinct organizational models which may be associated with different types and levels of social capital. Accordingly, the objective of this article is to explore whether, and if so how, the type and level of social capital differ between mutual benefit organizations – which essentially seek to meet their members' needs – and public benefit organizations – which seek to enhance the well-being of a broader community or the society as a whole. The study draws on an econometric analysis of different forms of social capital in two renewable energy cooperatives which are located in Flanders but have clearly divergent orientations toward mutual versus public benefit. The results show that, as compared with an orientation toward public benefit, an orientation toward mutual benefit is associated with lower social identification with the cooperative and weaker ties between members. Our study explores the underlying explanatory mechanisms behind these relationships. Its findings contribute to understanding the potential roles played by cooperatives in sustainability transitions.


Increasingly stringent emission norms place tougher challenges on the efficiencies of a turbocharger. Higher efficiency requirement on turbocharger translates into tighter tolerances on the various geometrical dimensions. While this is applicable for all the components, in this study, the focus is on the compressor wheel. Compressor wheels are either cast or milled and variations are possible in either of the processes. Even small changes in the dimensions of compressor wheel (like diameter, angle distribution, thickness distribution, axial length and blade width etc.), cause the performance losses in Turbo charger. Loss in Performance of turbocharger affects Low-end torque, power rating, fuel economy as well as increasing compressor exit temperature. It is therefore important to understand and quantify the impact of the variation in blade geometry on pressure ratio, choke flow and efficiency. In this paper, a few case studies of manufacturing variations in blade thickness, blade height and axial length are shown based on gas stand tests as well as 3D CFD simulations. A process for extracting real geometry from white light scan data obtained from the manufactured wheel is shown which helps to compare the differences with the design intent geometry. Flow simulations with the real geometry show the impact on performance. Subsequently a systematic analysis of the variations is carried out to quantify the performance impact.


From a survey of studies pertaining to the effect of age on energy metabolism in the lens, it appears that during aging there is a decrease in the metabolic activity of the lens cytoplasm probably accompanied by an increase in the degree of utilization of aerobic reactions. Evaluation of metabolic activity from measurements of aerobic glycolysis and respiration requires defining a suitable basis of reference for which the water content of the lens seems appropriate. The reduction with age in activity defined on this basis may be controlled in part by the decrease in the surface/volume ratio during groioth of the lens. No correlation of over-all energy production and growth rate was found, but there is a suggestion that respiratory activity specifically might be coupled with growth. Indirect evidence of a decrease in glycolytic activity with age is provided by observed decreases in lactic acid concentration, turnover of phosphate in glycolytic intermediates, and possibly cation transport. Any change in ATP conitent is not conclusive evidence of a change in metabolic activity; the constancy of ATP turnover with age, however, suggests unchanging metabolic activity in at least the outer layers of the lens. The total picture of phosphate turnover in the lens at different ages points to relative changes in the types of reactions utilized for energy production. Evidence of an increase in the use of aerobic pathways relative to anaerobic in older bovine lenses is provided both by direct studies with 1J >C-glucose and indirectly by the increase in the ratio of pyruvate to lactate. The situation in the rat lens is not clear, but in general a decrease in aerobic metabolism appears to be indicated. T, he changes which occur with age in the metabolism of the lens are of considerable interest in view of the high degree of susceptibility of young lenses to certain cataractogenic agents. Development of senile cataracts also may be related to metabolic changes in the lens during aging.


Automated control of consumer electricity loads, or active demand (AD) management, is a key component of many smart grid futures. Within the sociology of expectations, expectations define the future role and responsibilities of actors with respect to a new technology and in so doing set a trajectory for design and development. This paper explores the expectations of the behaviour of end users, envisaged by the designers and engineers of an AD project. Three main themes emerge. The first theme is that designers situate the new technology in an electricity consumption ideal, where households harmonise daily routines to service electricity retail markets. In the second theme, AD is aligned to new technological landscapes and enhanced through digital innovations. These visions are crucial for achieving the third theme, namely economically rational consumers. For widespread adoption of AD, however, the technology needs to be designed for real, as opposed to ideal users.


SUMMARY This experiment was conducted to assess the palatability of the lesser known fodder trees such as calliandra, and albizia which may have potential to be included in farming systems in the tropics the experiment. It was conducted in The University of Queensland, Gatton College in 1996 using six sheep and six goats in a Latin Square design involving pair-wise comparisons of four types of fodder trees, calliandra, albizia, gliricidia and leucaena. Variables measured were intake rates of each of fodder tree examined and differences between means were examined by the general linear model procedure of the Statistical Analysis System. The results showed that the overall intake rate of tree leaves examined was affected by animal species (P<0.0017) and tree types (P< 0.001). Rates of intake of gliricidia were consistently low and those of leucaena were consistently high, by both species of animals. Goats ate more quickly overall than sheep, but both species ate gliricidia much less rapidly than the others. Rates of intake of both calliandra and albizia were altered by the type of leaf fed as the pair. Intakes of calliandra were faster when paired with gliricidia than with albizia, and were reduced further when paired with leucaena. Rates of albizia intake were similarly influenced by the fodder which was paired with it. Fodder trees can be ranked with increasing order of palatability such as gliricidia, calliandra, albizia and leucaena.


The National Park Service (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring program seeks to define vital signs for the purpose of monitoring and managing park conditions throughout the United States. Aquatic macroinvertebrate biotic integrity ranks high as one potential vital sign of interest to park staff and partnering agencies. The objective of this effort was to identify discriminating measures of inverte brate community structure which might be used to monitor aquatic biotic integrity. Invertebrate sweepnet samples were collected from 58 large river, stream, spring and bison watering hole habitats during the summers of 2004 and 2005. Invertebrate counts were used to calculate 68 metrics of abundance, diversity, guild structure and pollution tolerance. A metric selection process was implemented to maximize between-site discriminatory power, reduce informational redundancy and maximize detection of anthropogenic disturbance. Two sets of 10 metrics each were selected using this process for future monitoring of wadeable and non-wadeable stream sites within the NGPN. Optimal sets consisted of metrics describing community structure, diversity, guild structure and pollution tolerance and all metrics displayed good discriminatory power between sampled sites. A total of 47 significant correlations were observed among wadeable stream metrics and measures of water quality, channel habitat and riparian condition. Only 19 significant correlations were observed for non-wadeable stream metrics. Wadeable stream metrics correlated poorly with stream size but 6 of 10 nonwadeable stream metrics were significantly correlated with drainage area. Several of the metrics selected from this process are currently in use by U.S. EPA, USGS and the states of Nebraska and Wyoming. Thus, the value of NPS monitoring data to partner agencies is high. Selected metrics will be incorporated into habitat specific indices of biotic integrity to facilitate vital signs monitoring by the National Park Service.


Online social networks (OSNs) have gained soaring popularity and are among the most popular sites on the Web. With OSNs, users around the world establish and strengthen connections by sharing thoughts, activities, photos, locations, and other personal information. However, the immense popularity of OSNs also raises significant security and privacy concerns. Storing millions of users' private information and their social connections, OSNs are susceptible to becoming the target of various attacks. In addition, user privacy will be compromised if the private data collected by OSNs are abused, inadvertently leaked, or under the control of adversaries. As a result, the tension between the value of joining OSNs and the security and privacy risks is rising.
To make OSNs more secure and privacy-preserving, our work follow a bottom-up approach. OSNs are composed of three components, the infrastructure layer, the function layer, and the user data stored on OSNs. For each component of OSNs, in this dissertation, we analyze and address a representative security/privacy issue. Starting from the infrastructure layer of OSNs, we first consider how to improve the reliability of OSN infrastructures, and we propose Fast Mencius, a crash-fault tolerant state machine replication protocol that has low latency and high throughput in wide-area networks. For the function layer of OSNs, we investigate how to prevent the functioning of OSNs from being disturbed by adversaries, and we propose SybilDefender, a centralized sybil defense scheme that can effectively detect sybil nodes by analyzing social network topologies. Finally, we study how to protect user privacy on OSNs, and we propose two schemes. MobiShare is a privacy-preserving location-sharing scheme designed for location-based OSNs (LBSNs), which supports sharing locations between both friends and strangers. LBSNSim is a trace-driven LBSN model that can generate synthetic LBSN datasets used in place of real datasets. Combining our work contributes to improving security and privacy in OSNs.


Author(s): Simon, Brenton Ross | Advisor(s): Shkel, Andrei M | Abstract: Inertial sensors have a wide spectrum of applications, ranging from consumer electronics to precision navigation. As these devices continue to maximize performance, while minimizing Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) requirements, these opportunities will only continue to expand. Vibratory Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) inertial sensors are uniquely positioned in this landscape due to their low SWaP metrics and high potential for enhanced performance. In this dissertation, the fundamental challenges behind the further advancement of these devices are explored, with a number of potential solutions proposed.For vibratory gyroscopes, one of these fundamental challenges is the tradeoff between rate and acceleration sensitivity; both of which are enhanced by low frequencies of operation. Anti-phase resonances are typically employed to decouple this influence; however, when conventional flexures are used, the anti-phase vibratory mode is forced to a higher frequency, reducing rate sensitivity. For this reason, a novel coupling structure has been designed, analyzed, modeled, fabricated, and tested. This structure is experimentally shown to selectively stiffen in-phase vibration, creating a high degree of modal separation in excess of 120%, a value that is believed to be the highest in published literature, along with reducing acceleration sensitivity by over 20 fold. Theoretical analysis shows that the observed frequency separation can continue to be expanded with this technique, which is only limited by fabrication constraints. This type of structure was also applied to a new frequency modulated accelerometer, and shown to enhance the mechanical scale factor by over 20 times.Resonator quality factor is another critical element that can be maximized to enhance the performance of some inertial sensors. By identifying the primary energy loss mechanisms within the frequency range of interest, each mechanism was modeled and minimized through design and fabrication. The result of this work was a resonator with quality factor of 2.34 million and decay constant of 1300 s, both of which are also believed to be the highest in published literature for microfabricated structures. In addition to these highlights, investigations also include an in-run scale factor calibration method, through the use of an integrated torsional rate stage, as well as packaging considerations for enhanced temperature robustness.


We report four late Palaeozoic zircon sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) U–Pb ages for granitic plutons from the Inner Mongolia Palaeo-uplift on the northern margin of the North China block. These cast a new light on the poorly understood tectonic history of the northern margin of the North China block and the Central Asian Orogenic Belt during the late Palaeozoic. The plutons have for a long time been considered to belong to the early Precambrian basement of the North China block. Our new SHRIMP U–Pb zircon dating of four plutons at Longhua, Daguangding, Boluonuo and Hushiha has yielded intrusive ages of 311 ± 2 Ma, 324 ± 6 Ma, 302 ± 4 Ma and 310 ± 5 Ma, respectively. Geochemical data suggest that these granitoids have a calc-alkaline, subduction-related I-type signature, indicating the existence of an Andean-style continental arc along the northern margin of the North China block during the late Palaeozoic. Our results also indicate that the Palaeo-Asian Ocean still existed during latest Carboniferous–earliest Permian time, and that the final collision between the southern Mongolia composite terranes and the North China block occurred later than c. 290 Ma. We suggest that the northern margin of the North China block was an active continental margin and the Inner Mongolia Palaeo-uplift is a deeply exhumed mid-crustal 'root' of a late Palaeozoic Andean-style continental arc.


BACKGROUND
Previous studies have not distinguished patients with acute cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusions from those with intracranial occlusions and often consider them together in the same cohort.

OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the outcomes of patients with stroke from acute cervical ICA occlusion treated with intravenous thrombolysis or primary endovascular procedures and to identify early predictors of functional recovery among these patients.

DESIGN
Retrospective study.

SETTING
Academic hospital.

PATIENTS
We studied patients with ischemic stroke who received intravenous thrombolysis or endovascular treatment for acute cervical ICA occlusion at St Mary's Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. We evaluated the associations of vascular risk factors, severity of stroke, arterial recanalization, presence of tandem occlusions, and collateral distal flow with functional recovery at 90 days after stroke.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Favorable functional recovery (Modified Rankin Scale score, 0-2).

RESULTS
We identified 21 patients (median age, 67 years; median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score at presentation, 13), of whom 13 patients received intravenous thrombolysis and 8 patients underwent primary endovascular treatment. Three patients who received intravenous thrombolysis underwent rescue endovascular treatment. Favorable functional recovery (Modified Rankin Scale score, 0-2) was observed in 7 patients who received intravenous thrombolysis and in 1 patient who underwent primary endovascular treatment. Good collateral distal flow and intracranial tandem occlusions were observed in 6 patients and 12 patients, respectively. Good collateral distal flow, observed more frequently in cigarette smokers, was associated with favorable functional recovery (odds ratio, 20; 95% CI, 2-242; P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS
Intravenous thrombolysis should be administered as first-line treatment in patients with early acute cervical ICA occlusion. Treatment benefits are accentuated in patients with better collateral circulation.


In recent years, noise and vibration concerns have grown as environmental regulations and requirements impose greater responsibilities on infrastructure owners. Under ballast mats, rubber elastomers inserted below the ballast or concrete slab, have been widely deployed and studied in Europe, but the amount of research to date in North America is limited. Current testing practices for obtaining component level properties of under ballast mats are based on European practices and loading environments. Moreover, these procedures use experimental setups, which are often not representative of field loading conditions. With this in mind, the research presented in this paper investigates static bedding modulus properties of three under ballast mats by varying support and loading conditions to simulate revenue-service field scenarios involving both ballasted and concrete slab track. Performance prediction indicators such as insertion loss (related to vibration reduction) were also evaluated using prediction models that required the use of the experimentally obtained bedding modulus results as inputs. Results showed a difference of up to 33% in bedding modulus results among the support conditions tested. Additionally, the insertion loss was changed by up to 1.8 dB. Traffic pattern simulations also demonstrated a sharp rate of stiffening due to static preload conditioning as well as a gradual rate of asymptotic stiffening with accumulated loading cycles. This finding further identifies the need to quantify a revenue service "working range" stiffness for the component.


Thermal comfort properties such as air permeability, water vapor permeability and thermal resistance of a hydrophobic thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and a hydrophilic poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) electrospun nanofiber mats were evaluated in this study. Polycarboxylic acid; 1,2,3,4 butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA)was selected as cross-linking agent for PVA nanofibers. The aim of this study is to examine thermal comfort properties of both a hydrophobic and a hydrophilic nanofiber mat. The results revealed that air permeability of nanofibrous membranes was considerably low which provides a barrier effect. On the other hand, despite low air permeability, these materials showed superior water vapor permeability characteristic, which will sustain breathability of the skin.


ABSTRACT Introduction: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic, cholestatic liver disease that can progress to end-stage cirrhotic liver disease and/or hepatobiliary malignancy. The etiopathogenesis of PSC remains unknown, and considerable heterogeneity is seen both phenotypically as well as genetically; this, together with its relative rarity and the lack of consensus regarding appropriate (surrogate) clinical endpoints, has hampered the development and implementation of effective pharmacologic therapies. Several different disease mechanisms have been proposed which have led to various potential therapeutic approaches. However, to date, no medical therapies short of liver transplantation have been proven to be effective for PSC, and as such, liver transplantation – an option for only a fraction of patients – remains the only potentially curative therapy. Areas covered: This review will highlight the various different proposed mechanisms of the etiopathogenesis of PSC and explore the therapeutic targets corresponding to them which are anticipated to be or are already under clinical investigation. Expert commentary: The development of new therapies for PSC remains challenging due to numerous factors, not the least of which are the rare and pathobiologically enigmatic nature of the disease. However, with recent advances in the understanding of potential mechanistic underpinnings and lateral insights from other liver diseases, new potential targets and novel therapeutic agents are being evaluated; we believe these have the potential to lead to the establishment of safe and effective medical therapies and thus better outcomes in PSC.


Purpose Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the development of various tumors including prostate cancer. The purpose of this study was to explore the function of a natural antisense RNA, IDH1-AS1, exerting potential carcinogenic effects in prostate cancer through a novel molecular mechanism. Materials and Methods GEPIA and CCLE databases were searched to identify alterations in the expression of IDH1-AS1, which were then verified by RT-qPCR in 20 pairs of matched tumor and normal tissue samples. Subsequently, CCK-8, EdU, and transwell assays were conducted to investigate the carcinogenic effect of IDH1-AS1. RT-qPCR, Western blot, and isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) enzyme activity assays were used to explore the functional relationship between IDH1-AS1 and its sense gene IDH1. Results IDH1-AS1 expression was found to be significantly increased in prostate cancer tissues and cell lines. IDH1-AS1 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of prostate cancer cells. Interestingly, RT-qPCR and Western blot analyses revealed that IDH1-AS1 did not significantly affect the expression of IDH1 mRNA or protein but was involved in the regulation of IDH1 enzyme activity in prostate cancer cells. Conclusion Our experiments revealed that the carcinogenic effects of IDH1-AS1 in prostate cancer may depend on a new molecular mechanism, which directly alters IDH1 enzyme activity. Our findings indicate that IDH1-AS1 is a novel candidate target for prostate cancer treatment.


-Biogas is a combustible mixture of gases produced by microorganisms when livestock manure and other biological wastes are allowed to ferment in the absence of air in closed containers or reactor. This process design proposes an integrated biogas production system that aims to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from polluted seawater using U. lactuca and consequently utilize this as a feedstock for biogas production. Anaerobic digestion is done in the process which accomplished in three stages: (1) hydrolysis of insoluble polymers, (2) fermentation of monomeric breakdown products and (3) fermentation of acetate and hydrogen from volatile fatty acids and (4) generation of methane. The basis of the design is 1,000 metric tons of purified biogas per year which is intended for kitchen stove application. It can promote utilization of endemic U. lactuca for seawater treatment and at the same time provide livelihood to communities and save the aquatic environment from pollution. In addition, utilizing purified biogas as an additional source of fuel can save the dwindling natural gas and oil reserves in the world. This purified biogas can be an alternative to the conventional LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) used for kitchen stoves since their energy value and price are comparable. Keywordsanaerobic digestion, biogas, microalgae, U. Lactuca,


We consider the problem of inferring approximate common intervals of multiple genomes. Genomes are modelled as sequences of homologous genes families identifiers, and approximate common intervals represent conserved regions possibly showing rearrangements, as well as repetitions, or insertions/deletions. This problem is already known, but existing approaches are not incremental and somehow limited to special cases. We adopt a simple, classical graph-based approach, where the vertices of the graph represent the exact common intervals of the sequences (\ie, regions containing the same gene set), and where edges link vertices that differ by less than $\delta$ elements (with $\delta$ being parameter). With this model, approximate gene clusters are maximal cliques of the graph: computing them can exploit known and well designed algorithms. For a proof of concept, we applied the method to several datasets of bacterial genomes and compared the two maximal cliques algorithms, a static and a dynamic one. While being quite flexible, this approach opens the way to a combinatorial characterization of genomic rearrangements in terms of graph substructures.


An adaptive time-frequency interference exciser based on block transform packets for a DSSS communication system is presented. In this technique, a succession of time-frequency distributions for each frame of data is calculated. From this distribution, the location and shape of the most energetic time-frequency tile is found along with its associated basis function. The projection of the signal onto this basis function is then subtracted from the original signal to form a residual. This process is repeated on the residual signal until the resulting time-frequency spectrum is flat. This scheme substantially reduces the interference power with minimum possible distortion of the desired spread spectrum signal. Our simulations demonstrate that the proposed adaptive time-frequency excision method dramatically outperforms the existing transform domain based excisers for narrowband and time-localized jamming signals.


Temperature Control in pharmaceutical and chemical laboratories as well as pilot plants and industrial processes requires of highly dynamic temperature control systems. When controlling reactors, endothermic and exothermic reactions must be compensated for with extreme speed and reliability. When specifying the most suitable temperature control system a variety of conditions and influences must be taken into consideration. This article provides criteria and advice for choosing the most effective and most efficient solution for your applications.


Abstract The nepheline syenites of the Pilansberg alkaline complex (South Africa) have undergone extensive subsolidus equilibration and alteration with a deuteric Cl- and Na-rich fluid phase. Complex assemblages of secondary minerals result from the replacement of primary aluminosilicates, rinkite, eudialyte and fluorapatite. The composition of apatite group minerals formed during these alteration processes reflects the Sr- and rare earth element (REE) content, Na/Cl ratio and pH of the deuteric fluids. Apatite-group minerals are observed to have formed in the following sequence: orthomagmatic fluorapatite; strontian britholite-(Ce); strontian fluorapatite; Sr-apatite; REE-rich Sr-apatite; Sr-Na-REE-rich minerals approaching the stoichiometry of belovite-(Ce) and deloneite-(Ce); britholite-(Ce). Increasing alkalinity of the deuteric fluids is reflected by increasing amounts of Sr replacing Ca in apatite and culminates in the formation of Sr apatite containing 62.1 wt.% SrO (~4.17 a.p.f.u. Sr). Pilansberg apatite-group minerals form a near-complete solid solution between fluorapatite and a fluorine analogue of Sr apatite with limited solution towards belovite-(Ce), Si-rich belovite-(Ce) and strontian britholite-(Ce).


The moderating effects of biological gender on the relationships between mentoring and career attainment were explored among legal professionals. Research results indicated that male and female lawyers were equally likely to have senior male mentors. However, senior male mentors were associated with higher career attainment only for female lawyers. Compared to male lawyers with senior male mentors, female lawyers with senior male mentors had higher compensation, higher career progress satisfaction, and were more likely to be partners or senior executives. The authors highlight the importance of simultaneously considering mentor gender and position, when studying the role of mentoring and gender in career attainment, contributing to the literature on the career development of women in the legal profession and in male-dominated professions, in general.


A substantial corpus of research has been published on Thomas Mofolo since the 1930s. Earlier portraits of Mofolo as a person leave much room for further amplification and improvement. The present research seeks to greatly enhance our understanding of Thomas Mofolo (1876—1948) by using a wealth of archival material, much of which is located at Morija Museum and Archives, and interviews with a variety of elderly informants, including Mofolo's last surviving daughter and other family members. As a result, Mofolo can now be seen more clearly as a person within the context of his large extended family, their antecedents in the wider region, his upbringing and educational formation, three successive marriages, professional life and business operations in a number of different contexts, involvement in political life, and the changing nature of his relationship with the church. The current article focuses on Mofolo's antecedents up until he began his literary career in 1905–6 at Morija, a subject that has received inadequate attention until now. By adding considerable texture to his early life and family history, as well as the historical and religious contexts and currents in which he was raised at Hermon, Qomoqomong and Morija, Thomas Mofolo emerges more clearly as an historical figure. For example, as a boy, we learn that Thomas imbibed a great deal from his father Abner Ramofolo Mofolo, a very hard-working and practically-oriented man, who was himself a gifted storyteller. Given the possibility of pursuing higher studies through the Protestant PEMS Mission, Thomas grabbed this opportunity and came to Morija at a particularly fruitful time during the 1890s, a time of ferment and great expectations. Mofolo, as part of an emerging cadre of "progressive ones" (bahlalefi or matsoelopele), developed his linguistic skills and eloquence to the point where, with the support of colleagues, he could dare to attempt something new, a creative synthesis of various forms of storytelling, indigenous and exogenous, in written Sesotho. His literary output has proved to be of enduring significance, and in the process he became, perhaps inadvertently, the father of the African novel.


Haemodiafiltration (HDF) combines diffusive and convective solute removal in a single treatment session. HDF provides a greater removal of higher molecular weight uraemic retention solutes than conventional high-flux haemodialysis (HD). Recently completed randomized clinical trials suggest better patient survival with online HDF. The treatment is mainly used in Europe and Japan. This review gives a brief overview of the presently available evidence of the effects of HDF on clinical end points, it speculates on possible mechanisms of a beneficial effect of HDF as compared with standard HD and ends with some perspectives for the future.


Background: Subcutaneous injection of dilute formalin in the hind paw of the rat produces a biphasic nociceptive response. Initial C-fiber activity is accompanied by flinching of the paru for about 5 min (phase I), followed by cessation of activity and resumption of flinching beginning 15 min after injection and lasting about 40 min or more (phase 2). The second phase depends on changes in dorsal horn cell function that occur shortly after the initial G-fiber discharge. It was previously shown that isoflurane, administered during phase 1, reduced phase 2 activity, but a combination of isoflurane and nitrous oxide given throughout phase 1 did not suppress spinal sensitization. The same model was used to determine the effects of several inhalation and intravenous anesthetic agents on phase 2 of the formalin test. Methods: The formalin test was carried out on male Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals anesthetized briefly with halothane to facilitate formalin injection, were compared to animals that received 1 MAG anesthesia from 5 min before to 6 min after formalin injection using halothane, enflurane, isoflurane, desflurane, or 70% N 2 O, or a combination of nitrous oxide plus 1 MAG halothane. Animals that were given intravenous saline immediately before injection of formalin were compared to animals given either 20 mg/kg intravenous thiopental just before formalin injection or 10 mg/kg intravenous propofol just before and 3 mg/kg immediately after formalin injection. Flinches/minute were counted at 1 and 5 min after formalin injection and thereafter at 5-min intervals for 1 h. The total of 1- and 5-min flinches were considered phase 1 activity and the total of 10-60-min flinches were considered phase 2. Total phase 2 activity was compared between groups using one-way analysis of variance. Results: Animals that received halothane, enflurane, isoflurane, desflurane, or nitrous oxide during phase I demonstrated a significant decrease in phase 2 activity when compared to controls, while those that received a combination of nitrous oxide and halothane exhibited no difference. Animals that received intravenous thiopental anesthesia during phase 1 demonstrated no difference in phase 2 activity when compared to controls, whereas those that received propofol during phase 1 demonstrated a significant decrease of phase 2 activity. Conclusions: Volatile anesthetics or nitrous oxide significantly suppress spinal sensitization, whereas the combination of nitrous oxide plus halothane causes no suppression. Thiopental does not affect spinal sensitization, whereas propofol causes significant suppression. These results may have important implications regarding the development of postoperative pain


The Wadden Sea is a dynamic natural environment located at the transition between the mainland marshes and the barrier islands fringing the open North Sea. The geomorphological processes and habitat characteristics of the area determine important functions in human-environmental relations and ecosystem services at local to global scales. However, the area-wide study of basic surface parameters is complicated by the tidal environment as such: Many areas are difficult to access and most classic air- or ship-borne surveying methods have crucial limitations, due to the temporal water coverage and the variable tidal geomorphology. This determines that the collection of field data is cumbersome and time consuming. Detailed appraisals of spatial patterns, processes and change are consequently limited in coverage or validity.
We present first insights into the potential of an interdisciplinary approach combining a range of different methods to construct a spatially-consistent dataset of tidal geomorphological change and benthic habitat distribution. The study is based on a time-series of aerial images, hydroacoustic surveying and topo-bathymetric LiDAR data, which are supplemented by ancillary geodata to facilitate a comprehensive analysis of modern surface properties (elevation, sediment distribution, bedforms, biology) in the Sylt-Romo Bight.


Psychopaths constitute only an estimated 1% of the population, yet they are responsible for a disproportionately large number of violent and nonviolent crimes. The literature addressing this syndrome among male offenders is quite extensive. In contrast, psychopathy and its underlying factor structure remains understudied among female offenders. Research has suggested marked gender differences in the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and underlying dimensions of psychopathy. This study examined the dimensions of psychopathy in a female offender sample. The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised and the Self Report Psychopathy-II (SRP-II) were administered to 119 female inmates at Tarrant County Jail in Fort Worth, TX. Confirmatory factor analyses of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) did not support the use of the traditional two factor male model or a recently proposed two- factor female model. This thesis also addressed females' self-appraisal of PCL-R Factor 1 characteristics as well as the usefulness of the self-administered Self-Report Psychopathy-II as a screen for psychopathy.


Reclamation in Kamal Muara North Jakarta changes the surrounding fishery activities. It is estimated that there are changes in the ecological and economic conditions of fishermen. This study aims to analyze the ecological and economic changes that occur in Sero fishermen in Kamal Muara after the reclamation of artificial islands. This research uses a descriptive quantitative approach with a questionnaire, observation, interview, and documentation methods. The results showed that after reclamation, the fishing ground of Sero fishermen moved along the Dadap coast, Tangerang with a distance of less than one nautical mile from the coastline. In addition to fishing ground changes, the results of the paired sample t-test on the catches volume and profit of Sero fishermen showed significant changes after the reclamation of the artificial island. However, operational costs did not show any significant changes between before and after reclamation. This study concludes that there are changes in the ecological and economic conditions of Sero fishermen in Kamal Muara after the reclamation.


In this paper, the diversity and distribution of phytoplankton cysts in the recent sediments of the western Chabahar Coasts were investigated. The sampling from cysts was done from 27 stations three times in summer and fall 2014. This sampling was done using Grab Ekman (225×225 cm). Physiochemical analysis of water was done by standard methods. According to the results of this research, 72 species belonged to 22 genera of Dinoflagellates were found. Scrippsiella and Protoperodinium with the most abundance were the prevailing species. Although, Scrippsiella, which was observed in most stations in both sampling seasons, is not a poisonous species, it has the capacity to produce harmful blooms. In general, the results of this study showed that the cysts frequency in different seasons has a significant difference and sediment type as a significant factor influences their abundance, so that smaller seed sediments are more abundant.


Industrial and domestic sewage effluents have been found to cause reproductive disorders in wild fish, often as a result of the interference of compounds in the effluents with the endocrine system. This thesis describes laboratory-based exposure experiments and a field survey that were conducted with juveniles of the three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus. This small teleost is a common fish in Swedish coastal waters and was chosen as an alternative to non-native test species commonly used in endocrine disruption studies, which allows the comparison of field data with results from laboratory experiments.The aim of this thesis was to elucidate 1) if genetic sex determination and differentiation can be disturbed by natural and synthetic steroid hormones and 2) whether this provides an endpoint for the detection of endocrine disruption, 3) to evaluate the applicability of specific estrogen- and androgen-inducible marker proteins in juvenile three-spined sticklebacks, 4) to investigate whether estrogenic and/or androgenic endocrine disrupting activity can be detected in effluents from Swedish pulp mills and domestic sewage treatment plants and 5) whether such activity can be detected in coastal waters receiving these effluents.Laboratory exposure experiments found juvenile three-spined sticklebacks to be sensitive to water-borne estrogenic and androgenic steroid substances. Intersex – the co-occurrence of ovarian and testicular tissue in gonads – was induced by 17β-estradiol (E2), 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) and 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The first two weeks after hatching was the phase of highest sensitivity. MT was ambivalent by simultaneously eliciting masculinizing and feminizing effects. When applying a DNA-based method for genetic sex identification, it was found that application of MT only during the first two weeks after hatching caused total and apparently irreversible development of testis in genetic females. E2 caused gonad type reversal from male to female. E2 and EE2 induced vitellogenin - the estrogen-responsive yolk precursor protein, while DHT and MT induced spiggin – the androgen-responsive glue protein of the stickleback.None of the effluents from two pulp mills and two domestic sewage treatment plants had any estrogenic or androgenic activity. Juvenile three-spined sticklebacks were collected during four subsequent summers at the Swedish Baltic Sea coast in recipients of effluents from pulp mills and a domestic sewage treatment plant as well as remote reference sites. No sings of endocrine disruption were observed at any site, when studying gonad development or marker proteins, except for a deviation of sex ratios at a reference site.The three-spined stickleback – with focus on the juvenile stage – was found to be a sensitive species suitable for the study of estrogenic and androgenic endocrine disruption.


2015 has been a year of key changes and developments in Approaches bringing the journal into a new cycle of its life. In the summer of this year, the special issue on 'Music Therapy in Europe: Paths of Professional Development' was published. This issue of Approaches, as outlined in the respective editorial (Ridder & Tsiris 2015), brought many 'firsts': in addition to being published not only in online but also in print format, this issue was the first collaborative publication of Approaches together with a partner organisation – the European Music Therapy Confederation (EMTC). This has set the ground for future collaborations with other professional and disciplinary bodies.


Objective: To assess frail older peoples' tolerance to every-day postural and prandial challenges.
Design: Prospective cohort study.
Subjects: Older persons, bed and chair confined, hospitalized in long-term geriatric or hospice care, unfit to undergo customary postural and prandial testing.
Methods: Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were measured with an automatic device in three situations: supine at 7 am; sitting before lunch at 12 pm., and continuing sitting 30 minutes after lunch. The patients' alertness and symptoms were assessed at 7 am., 12.00 and 12.40. BP changes were calculated: supine to sitting, and sitting before lunch to sitting after lunch. BP changes were related to incident symptoms.
Results: The meal was discontinued in two patients when a vasovagal reaction and dumping syndrome occurred. Sixty three tests in 48 patients were completed. The average supine systolic BP (SBP) was 121.2 ± 16.8 mmHg and the diastolic BP (DBP) 67.7 ± 10.5 mmHg. The average difference between supine SBP and sitting before lunch SBP was 3.2 ±19.2 mmHg, the DBP difference was 4.7 ± 10.8 mmHg (p=0.0003). The average difference between SBP sitting before lunch and SBP sitting after lunch was 0.4 ±12 mmHg, the DBP difference was 0.7 ± 7.5 mmHg. Orthostatic hypotension (OH) and/or postprandial hypotension (PPH) was present in 31/63 (47.6%) of tests: all patients remained free of symptoms during testing and the mean BP in all measurements was >60 mmHg.
Conclusions: A large proportion of severely frail older patients tolerated every-day postural and prandial challenges, even when asymptomatic OH and/or PPH occurred.