This is an investigation to quantify the influence of the sub-ice platelet layer on satellite measurements of total freeboard and their conversion to thickness of Antarctic sea ice. The sub-ice platelet layer forms as a result of the sea- ward advection of supercooled ice shelf water from beneath ice shelves. This ice shelf water provides an oceanic heat sink promoting the formation of platelet crystals which ac- cumulate at the sea ice-ocean interface. The build-up of this porous layer increases sea ice freeboard, and if not accounted for, leads to overestimates of sea ice thickness from surface elevation measurements. In order to quantify this buoyant ef- fect, the solid fraction of the sub-ice platelet layer must be estimated. An extensive in situ data set measured in 2011 in McMurdo Sound in the southwestern Ross Sea is used to achieve this. We use drill-hole measurements and the hydro- static equilibrium assumption to estimate a mean value for the solid fraction of this sub-ice platelet layer of 0.16. This is highly dependent upon the uncertainty in sea ice density. We test this value with independent Global Navigation Satel- lite System (GNSS) surface elevation data to estimate sea ice thickness. We find that sea ice thickness can be overestimated by up to 19 %, with a mean deviation of 12 % as a result of the influence of the sub-ice platelet layer. It is concluded that within 100 km of an ice shelf this influence might need to be considered when undertaking sea ice thickness investigations using remote sensing surface elevation measurements.


This article explores the changing role of figurative devices in British tourism advertising from the 1970s to 2005. The textual analysis of metaphors, puns and alliteration reveals some disadvantages in the use of these devices when addressing potential tourists. Metaphors and puns are able to influence existing textual meanings to promote a positive image of the product, but carry different degrees of ambiguity. Therefore, this complex use of linguistic devices might cause difficulties in their comprehension. Modern tourists require more explanation and information about the intangible tourism product, as consumer awareness and competence is growing rapidly. Consumers are increasingly likely to complain about misleading advertising. This might be why this study found a decrease in the amount of advertisements using metaphors over the time period investigated. When creating metaphors and puns, advertisers have to be aware of the consequential issues with their comprehension. In contrast, alliteration is a `safe' device as it still attracts consumers but does not involve any ambiguity. This study showed an increase in the use of alliteration in 2005 compared to the 1970s. This article attempts to show how the analysis of advertising texts can reveal some interesting and important issues within tourism and advertising communication, which in turn can generate further discussion.


Through its attack on memory and other cognitive functions, Alzheimer's disease influences
how people feel able to present themselves to others, and the way in which others respond.
Studies asking people newly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease about their concerns, suggest
that many people fear others finding out and take steps to conceal. This has consequences of
inhibiting the continuation of valued activities and limiting the social support available to the
person with dementia. The present study explores how people with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's
disease think about and experience decision-making with regard to disclosures to others, and
how they experience others' responses.
Seven people with early-stage Alzheimer's disease were interviewed about their experiences
relating to disclosures of dementia-related information. Their accounts were analysed using
an Interpretative Phenomenological Approach. The analysis suggested 3 major themes, of
factors influencing disclosure, managing disclosure, and outcomes of disclosure decision.
Participants displayed different disclosure strategies, of concealment, disclosure and a nondisclosure
which was not motivated by concerns about others knowing. Those presenting with
disclosure and non-disclosure strategies tended to hold normalising accounts of their memory
difficulties, and to express more acceptance with their situation. Those that concealed
presented with more distress and concern at their situation, and were more likely to invoke
constructions of illness and decline. The findings are discussed in relation to the social context
where there is a stigma associated with dementia, and in relation to the anxiety that fears of
future decline may elicit. It is suggested that participants disclosures were managed in a way
to limit the impact of the cognitive difficulties, stigma and anxieties on their sense of self, and
their life and relationships.


Abstract. The secondary organic aerosol (SOA) produced by the photooxidation of isoprene with and without inorganic seed is simulated using the Unified Partitioning Aerosol Phase Reaction (UNIPAR) model. Recent work has found the SOA formation of isoprene to be sensitive to both aerosol acidity ([H+], mol L−1) and aerosol liquid water content (LWC) with the presence of either leading to significant aerosol phase organic mass generation and large growth in SOA yields (YSOA). Classical partitioning models alone are insufficient to predict isoprene SOA formation due to the high volatility of photooxidation products and sensitivity of their mass yields to variations in inorganic aerosol composition. UNIPAR utilizes the chemical structures provided by a near-explicit chemical mechanism to estimate the thermodynamic properties of the gas phase products, which are lumped based on their calculated vapor pressure (eight groups) and aerosol phase reactivity (six groups). UNIPAR then determines the SOA formation of each lumping group from both partitioning and aerosol phase reactions (oligomerization, acid-catalyzed reactions and organosulfate formation) assuming a single homogeneously mixed organic–inorganic phase as a function of inorganic composition and VOC ∕ NOx (VOC – volatile organic compound). The model is validated using isoprene photooxidation experiments performed in the dual, outdoor University of Florida Atmospheric PHotochemical Outdoor Reactor (UF APHOR) chambers. UNIPAR is able to predict the experimental SOA formation of isoprene without seed, with H2SO4 seed gradually titrated by ammonia, and with the acidic seed generated by SO2 oxidation. Oligomeric mass is predicted to account for more than 65 % of the total organic mass formed in all cases and over 85 % in the presence of strongly acidic seed. The model is run to determine the sensitivity of YSOA to [H+], LWC and VOC ∕ NOx, and it is determined that the SOA formation of isoprene is most strongly related to [H+] but is dynamically related to all three parameters. For VOC ∕ NOx  >  10, with increasing NOx both experimental and simulated YSOA increase and are found to be more sensitive to [H+] and LWC. For atmospherically relevant conditions, YSOA is found to be more than 150 % higher in partially titrated acidic seeds (NH4HSO4) than in effloresced inorganics or in isoprene only.


This paper mainly forecasts the daily closing price of stock markets. We propose a two-stage technique that combines the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) with nonparametric methods of local linear quantile (LLQ). We use the proposed technique, EMD-LLQ, to forecast two stock index time series. Detailed experiments are implemented for the proposed method, in which EMD-LPQ, EMD, and Holt-Winter methods are compared. The proposed EMD-LPQ model is determined to be superior to the EMD and Holt-Winter methods in predicting the stock closing prices.


In this paper we consider node labelings c of an undirected connected graph G=(V,E) with labels {1,2,... ,|V|}, which induce a list distance c(u,v)=|c(v)-c(u)| besides the usual graph distance d(u,v). Our main aim is to find a labeling c so c(u,v) is as close to d(u,v) as possible. For any graph we specify algorithms to find a distance-consistent labeling, which is a labeling c that minimize $\sum\limits_{u,v\in V} (c(u,v)-d(u,v)) ^2$. Such labeliings may provide structure for very large graphs. Furthermore, we define a labeling c fulfilling $d(u_1,v_1)<d(u_2,v_2) \Rightarrow c(u_1,v_1) \leq c(u_2,v_2)$ for all node pairs $u_1,v_1$ and $u_2,v_2$ as a list labeling, and a graph that has a list labeling is a list graph. We prove that list graphs exist for all n=|V| and all k=|E| :n-1\leq k\leq n(n-1)/2, and establish basic properties. List graphs are hamiltonian, and show weak versions of properties of path graphs.


Purpose: The incidence of multiple trauma is increasing nowadays and is the leading cause of death among young adults. Initial treatment is well known to be crucial in multiple trauma victims. However, many indiscriminate transfers occur due to the lack of a well-organized trauma system in Korea. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the current serious state in which major trauma patients are transferred to the Emergency Medical Center of a university hospital from another medical center. Methods: From November 2009 to October 2010, we performed a retrospective study to analyze the characteristics of patients who visited the Ajou University Medical Center located in Gyeonggi-do. We evaluated the ISS (injury severity score), and a score over 15 point was identified as major trauma. The major trauma patients were separated into two groups according to the visit route, and the characteristics of each group were analyzed. Results: Among the 88,862 patients who visited to the Emergency Medical Center, trauma patients accounted for 19,950, and 343 of them were evaluated as major trauma patients. Among the 343 patients, 170 patients had been transferred from other medical centers. The proportion of males to females was 3.3:1, and the mean ISS was 22.7. The leading cause of trauma was motor vehicle accidents. Of the total 170 patients, 77.6% were admitted to the Intensive care unit and 36.3% underwent surgery. The 170 patients that had been transferred to our medical center, 78.8% were transferred from Gyeonggi-do, 15.3% were transferred from other regions, and 5.9% were miscellaneous. Conclusion: Almost half of the major trauma victims treat at our medical center had been transferred from other medical centers. Establishing a traumatic system, supported by well-organized trauma centers and emergency medical services, that can reduce inappropriate transfers among medical facilities is essential. (J Korean Soc Traumatol 2011;24:118-124)


In vivo pancreatic secretion of the lysosomal hydrolase cathepsin B was found to be increased by infusion of the secretagogue caerulein. The basal as well as caerulein-stimulated in vivo rate of cathepsin B was further increased by infusion of either chloroquine or methylamine while neither the basal nor the secretagogue-stimulated rates of amylase secretion were altered by the lysosomotropic agents. These observations indicate that neutralization of the acidic prelysosomal compartment by administration of lysosomotropic agents results in lysosomal enzyme entry, by default, into the regulated secretory pathway. In vitro stimulation of pancreatic acini with caerulein was also found to stimulate cathepsin B secretion. That in vitro rate of cathepsin B secretion stimulated by caerulein was not increased in acini prepared from animals infused with caerulein, chloroquine, or methylamine, but the in vitro rate of cathepsin B secretion stimulated by caerulein was increased in acini prepared from animals infused with caerulein plus either chloroquine or methylamine. Under these conditions, redistribution of cathepsin B from the lysosome-enriched to the zymogen granule-enriched subcellular fraction was noted, and lysosomal enzyme-containing organelles became increasingly fragile. These observations indicate that in vivo secretagogue stimulation increases the degree of diversion of lysosomal hydrolases into the regulated secretory compartment when the prelysosomal compartment has been neutralized with lysosomotropic agents.


The article provides a Russian translation of Bertrand Russell's Nobel lecture delivered on December 11th, 1950, at the Nobel Prize Awards Ceremony in Stockholm. The text is based on a collation of two versions of the speech, one as available on NobelPrize.org, and the other as transcribed from a 1952 recording of the same speech for an American audience. The differences in the wording of the sources are indicated. Audience reactions and Russell's non-verbal signals have also been included. The translator's comments are added to clarify the translation, to disambiguate a mentioned fact, or to identify a person. For historical purposes, parts of the text that were omitted in an earlier Russian translation are also marked. The speech deals with the political impact of the desires deemed unessential to an immediate human self-preservation and limitless in terms of their fulfillment. Of these desires, acquisitiveness, rivalry, vanity, and the love of power are classified as the main ones, while boredom, fear, hate, and compassion are classified as corollary ones. Each kind of desire is defined, and then discussed through historical, anecdotal, and hypothetical examples. Desires are seen as an integral part of human life and cannot be eliminated completely, but their practical impact differs greatly depending on the venue they are allowed to take in a particular social system. Therefore, the importance of neutral and socially beneficial venues for the venting of passions is highly stressed. In conclusion, Russell suggests the cultivation of intelligence as the best antidote for social strife.


Louis XIV's manipulation of the aristocracy at the Court of Versailles in his pursuit of absolute power is well documented. The utter opulence of the period was communicated in every realm of life at Court. The grand dining rituals of the Sun King in particular epitomize the relationship between expression of power and consumption of fine food. Contemporaneous with the relocation of the French monarchy to Versailles was the development of pastry-making into the modern art form recognized today. Changes in culinary techniques combined with sociological factors including increased access to cookbooks and the introduction of restaurants contributed to the elevation of the gastronomic field to its current standing in French culture. How was pastry, the novel art of the day, utilized in pursuit of the goals of Louis XIV? The expression gluttony and excess of Versailles-era France required pastry, and the art evolved to reflect the exorbitant wealth and regal frivolity of the time period. This inquiry examines primary and secondary texts to explore relationships between the culture of Versailles-era France and the pastry of the same time. Connections between the evolution of the art of pâtisserie and the spectacular, regal-centric culture of Versailles as orchestrated by the Sun King shape the role played by the former in the creation of the latter. Biographical sources about Louis XIV and about Versailles itself provide the cultural and political aspects of the time, while period cookbooks illustrate the culinary advancements made during the same era. This thesis attempts to unite these two strains of research to prove that the development and advancement of pastry played a role in Louis XIV's distraction and manipulation of his aristocracy at Versailles. Department French and Italian Subject Louis XIV Versailles pastry pâtisserie French food culture French food URI http://hdl.handle.net/2152/65232 Collections Plan II Honors Theses Openly Available L'Art de Pâtisserie et Le Palais de Versailles: A Study of Power Through Pastry


The conflict in Syria has prompted renewed calls for so-called ?safe zones? and ?safe corridors? to prevent people from needing to seek protection abroad as refugees, and to encourage refugees to return home. Given the inherent dangers that arise from trying to leave a conflict zone and travelling onwards to seek asylum, the idea of creating safe zones within States has been put forward as a positive humanitarian alternative. Yet, there are a number of legal and practical preconditions that must be met for safety to be guaranteed. The reality of conflict today means that in all but the most extreme circumstances ? where flight is impossible ? safe zones cannot be a substitute for asylum in another country. They may be the best response to people trapped in a conflict zone, but that is all. They do not provide true ?protection? as envisaged by international refugee law. Furthermore, the law is underdeveloped and the practice is too erratic and random for safe zones to be a proper response to a humanitarian crisis. If States in the global north want to spare refugees the dangers of irregular flight, they should establish proper pathways to safety through humanitarian and migration channels, and push for peace in those areas of the world where conflict is rife.1 Safe corridors could provide that route out ? as well as operating to allow those trapped in conflict zones to carry on with their lives by safely accessing work, education, markets and health care, to the extent possible. This policy brief begins by asking some fundamental questions about safe zones and safe corridors, and sketching the complexity of the international legal frameworks that apply. It then briefly examines the history of the law and practice of safe zones and safe corridors, before analysing the preconditions to their creation, their qualities and character, how they are accessed, and how protection and other human rights can be assured. Finally, it considers the responsibility and accountability of various international actors with respect to safe zones and safe corridors. The existence of different terms to describe the concepts, and the interplay of several different sub-branches of international law, make the analysis more complicated, but the conclusion reached is that in all but the most extreme circumstances ? where flight is impossible ? safe zones can never provide a substitute for asylum. They cannot provide the same degree of protection that a safe third country can. By contrast, safe corridors can enable people to flee to a place of safety, and at the very least can help those unable to leave by facilitating access to vital services.


The effect of rapid solidification on the microstructure of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys with 8 wt.% Zn-2 wt.% Mg-2.3 wt.% Cu and 0.2 or 0.5 wt.% of Zr additions were investigated using X-ray diffraction measurements (XRD), scanning (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis. Rapidly solidified ribbons with thickness of 70-100 m were performed by melt spinning technique. The mould cast alloys as well as the melt spun ribbons revealed dendritic microstructure of (Al) solid solution and η Mg(Zn,Cu)2 phase in interdendritic areas. The refinement of the microstructure and reduction of the volume fraction of the η phase up to 1.7%, as compared to 4% in the mould cast alloys was observed in the ribbons. Copper dissolution up to about 20 wt % in the η phase causes a decrease of the lattice parameters. The Al3Zr primary precipitates were observed in the mould cast alloy containing 0.5 wt % of Zr while in the ribbons all zirconium dissolved in the aluminium solid solution.


Current biomass utilization processes do not make use of lignin beyond its heat value. Here we report on a bimetallic Zn/Pd/C catalyst that converts lignin in intact lignocellulosic biomass directly into two methoxyphenol products, leaving behind the carbohydrates as a solid residue. Genetically modified poplar enhanced in syringyl (S) monomer content yields only a single product, dihydroeugenol. Lignin-derived methoxyphenols can be deoxygenated further to propylcyclohexane. The leftover carbohydrate residue is hydrolyzed by cellulases to give glucose in 95% yield, which is comparable to lignin-free cellulose (solka floc). New conversion pathways to useful fuels and chemicals are proposed based on the efficient conversion of lignin into intact hydrocarbons.


Abstract Background and aims : Toluene effects on the nervous system and causes numbness, lack of control in voluntary muscles and seizures. Ethyl benzene can also cause irritation of the eyes and throat and at higher concentrations it can damage the nervous system. Exposure with toluene and ethyl benzene may occur in different environments such as vehicle cabindue to possible emissions of vehicle interior decoration. The aim of this study was to estimate the concentrations of toluene and ethyl benzene with the internal source in the cabin of Logan (L90) cars. Methods : In this study, 44 vehicles were sampled. Samples were collected using personal sampling pumps and sorbent activated carbon. The samples were analyzed using gas chromatography equipped with mass detector. A check list was used to collect the other required information. Results : The mean concentrations of toluene and ethyl benzene in vehicles were respectively 42.2 and 17.44 µg/m3. Conclusion : Toluene and ethyl benzene concentrations were significantly higher in the new cars. The natural ventilation significantly reduced the concentrations of toluene and ethyl benzene inside the cars. However, fuel type and smoking inside the car did not significantly contribute to the concentrations of these two compounds.


Background/Purpose Perfusion imaging has been proposed as an effective modality in selecting acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) patients who may benefit from intra-arterial (IA) intervention. We investigated the characteristics and outcomes of patients that were deemed ineligible for IA intervention based on perfusion imaging as compared to those who underwent intervention at our institution. Materials and Methods A multicentre retrospective review of all AIS patients who underwent perfusion imaging from February 2010 to August 2012 was conducted. Inclusion criteria were the following: symptom-onset to presentation ≤8 hours, anterior circulation large vessel occlusion as determined by CT/MR angiography (MCA/ICA occlusions), baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score ≥8. Patients selected or excluded for IA intervention based on CT/MR perfusion imaging profiles (CBV/DWI infarct core < 1/3 MCA territory and mismatch of ischaemic penumbra > 20% infarct core) were separated into subgroups for analysis. Patient demographics, cardiac and stroke risk factors, intravenous (IV) tPA utilisation, location of occlusion, time from symptom-onset to presentation, NIHSS and modified Rankin Scores (mRS) scores (baseline, discharge, and 90 days), duration of hospital stay, discharge disposition (home, rehabilitation/nursing home, hospice), and mortality rates were recorded. Good functional outcome was defined as mRS 0–2 at 90 days. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 20.0. Results 110 eligible AIS patients underwent perfusion imaging of which 62 were excluded from IA intervention (56.4%) based on CT/MR perfusion imaging profiles. Table 1 details patient characteristics and outcomes in the intervention versus non-intervention subgroups. Abstract O-023 Table 1 Non- Intervention Intervention p Value n=62 n=48 Mean age (yrs) 80.87 74.19 0.04* Female (%) 40 (64.5%) 29 (60.4%) 0.89 Mean time-symptom onset to presentation (min) 166.84 249.35 0.03* Transfer from outside institution 0 10 (20.1%) 0.03* Mean baseline NIHSS 19.35 18.67 0.74 Mean NIHSS at discharge 13.43 9.80 0.02* IV tPA (%) 40 (64.5%) 20 (41.7%) 0.04* Mean duration of hospital stay (d) 5.39 8.44 0.16 Risk factors Atrial fibrillation 33 (53.2%) 14 (29.2%) 0.04* DM 14 (22.6%) 17 (35.4%) 0.21 Hyperlipidemia 28 (45.2%) 18 (37.5%) 0.23 HTN 52 (83.9%) 12 (25.0%) 0.03* Smoking 2 (3.2%) 7 (14.6%) 0.05 Discharge disposition Home (%) 2 (3.2%) 9 (18.8%) 0.001* Rehabilitation/Nursing home (%) 26 (54.8%) 20 (41.6%) 0.85 Hospice/Mortality (%) 34 (42.0%) 19 (39.6%) 0.87 Good functional outcome at 90-days (%) 20 (35.7%) 32 (66.7%) 0.001* Conclusions Among a large cohort eligible for intervention, perfusion mismatch was present in younger patients with fewer vascular risk factors. These data suggest that advanced age and atherosclerotic risk factors may influence rate of progression from ischaemia to infarction through decreased cerebrovascular reserve and collateral flow in response to arterial occlusion. Despite earlier time to presentation (imaging) and greater receipt of IV tPA, those without perfusion mismatch were deemed futile for IA intervention, six-fold less likely to be discharged to home, and half as likely to have independent functional outcomes. However, nearly one-third of non-intervention patients achieved functional independence at 3 months suggesting the need to refine patient selection strategies for IA intervention. Disclosures M. Soltanolkotabi: None. F. Feiz: None. C. Beck: None. O. Rahman: None. A. Shaibani: None. M. Hurley: None. S. Prabhakaran: None. S. Ansari: None.


Calcite precipitation is a common phenomenon in calcium-rich hardwater lakes during spring and summer, but the number and spatial distribution of lakes with calcite precipitation is unknown. This paper presents a remote sensing based method to observe calcite precipitation over large areas, which are an important prerequisite for a systematic monitoring and evaluation of restoration measurements. We use globally archived satellite remote sensing data for a retrospective systematic assessment of past multi-temporal calcite precipitation events. The database of this study consists of 205 data sets that comprise freely available Landsat and Sentinel 2 data acquired between 1998 and 2015 covering the Northeast German Plain. Calcite precipitation is automatically identified using the green spectra and the metric BGR area, the triangular area between the blue, green and red reflectance value. The validation is based on field measurements of CaCO3 concentrations at three selected lakes, Feldberger Haussee, Breiter Luzin and Schmaler Luzin. The classification accuracy (0.88) is highest for calcite concentrations ≥0.7 mg/L. False negative results are caused by the choice of a conservative classification threshold. False positive results can be explained by already increased calcite concentrations. We successfully transferred the developed method to 21 other hardwater lakes in Northeast Germany. The average duration of lakes with regular calcite precipitation is 37 days. The frequency of calcite precipitation reaches from single time detections up to detections nearly every year. False negative classification results and gaps in Landsat time series reduce the accuracy of frequency and duration monitoring, but in future the image density will increase by acquisitions of Sentinel-2a (and 2b). Our study tested successfully the transfer of the classification approach to Sentinel-2 images. Our study shows that 15 of the 24 lakes have at least one phase of calcite precipitation and all events occur between May and September. At the lakes Schmaler Luzin and Feldberger Haussee, we illustrated the influence of ecological restoration measures aiming at nutrient reduction in the lake water on calcite precipitation. Our study emphasizes the high variance of calcite precipitation in hardwater lakes: each lake has to be monitored individually, which is feasible using Landsat and Sentinel-2 time series.


OBJECTIVE
To present the results of a one-year retrospective study that analyzed the clinical and epidemiological aspects of urological emergencies, which is not a negligible percentage of all hospital emergencies.

METHODS
Data on all the urological emergencies of the emergency department of our hospital were collected during a one-year period by filling out a form that included sex, age, whether referred or not, disease, etc.

RESULTS
There were 1504 urological emergencies; the urologist was required in 458 of these cases (30.45%). There were more men (837) than women (667). Patient ages ranged from 1-101 years (mean 53 years); a higher incidence was found for those aged 65 years. By age groups, there were more patients aged 61-80 years (575 patients). Most of the patients came to the hospital on their own initiative (1114) and 390 had been referred by their primary care physician. Renal colic (670 cases) was the most common diagnosis in both males and females, followed by cystitis, which was prevalent in the females (67.35%). Other conditions seen were urinary retention, hematuria, etc.

CONCLUSIONS
There was a higher prevalence of males that consulted for urological conditions at the emergency department and there was a higher incidence in patients in the 6th and 7th decades of life, which is similar to the findings reported in other studies. Renal colic was the main reason for consultation for both genders and for all age groups, except those younger than 20 who presented more scrotal and penile involvement. Infective conditions involving the lower urinary tract (cystitis) and pyelonephritis were prevalent in the females. The large number of patients that were discharged from the emergency department and who consulted on their own initiative shows their confidence in the emergency services and that they could have been attended to at other health centers and did not have to come and unnecessarily strain the hospital emergency services.


This article is concerned with equalities nonprofit organizations' activities to achieve substantive representation in policy-making through a sub-state government. It draws on three strands of the interest representation literature from equalities theory, nonprofit sector studies, and social movements theory. The analytical framework synthesizes these to provide a new approach for examining equalities nonprofit organizations' policy influencing. Drawing on equalities theorists' accounts of mainstreaming, and understandings of campaigns from social movement literature, it explores nonprofit organizations' positioning in relation to government in order to advance equality. This analysis engages with questions raised by nonprofit scholars about nonprofit organizations' independence from government and their capacity to retain a critical voice. An overarching institutionalist lens enables an examination of the formal and informal facets that shape policy influencing approaches. The research question is: How have equalities organizations engaged with the institution of a nonprofit-government partnership to promote substantive representation in policy? This research uses semi-structured elite interviews to explore key policy actors' accounts. The case study is the statutory Welsh nonprofit sector–government partnership. Findings suggest the equalities nonprofit organizations involved in this partnership deploy a sophisticated array of action repertoires as part of an interrelated web of nuanced, multi-positioned influencing activities. This agility enables the sector to maintain some capacity to be critical of the state whilst sustaining informal relations with state policy actors.


High resolution ultraviolet and X-ray spectra show that material outflow occur from the close neighbourhoods of super-massive black holes in active galactic nuclei (AGN). The absorption features seen in the high resolution soft X-ray spectra is attributed to gas which is conventionally termed as the warm absorber (WA) and often the thermal equilibrium (stability) curve is used as a theoretical tool to offer insights into the nature of the WA. The shape of the stability curve is determined by factors like the spectral energy distribution of the ionizing flux and the chemical composition of the absorbing gas. We found that the stability curves obtained under the same set of assumptions for the prevalent physical conditions in the AGN environment, but using recently derived dielectronic recombination rates, give significantly different results from what is predicted with older atomic data. The variations in phase space region of the stability curves corresponding to WAs, lead to different physical predictions. The results obtained with the current dielectronic recombination rate coefficients are more reliable because the WA models along the stability curve have computed, updated coefficient values.


Introduction: It is well-documented that lymphedema is one of the most feared long-term side effects of breast cancer (BC) treatment. However, to date, a standardized approach for the quantification and treatment of breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) has yet to be established. Aims: We propose a screening and intervention trial that will assess the efficacy of early detection and intervention for BCRL. Intervention comprises the use of compression garments for mild lymphedema and compression garments +/− nighttime bandaging for moderate lymphedema. Other factors to be evaluated include: symptom clusters, treatment adherence, fear avoidance behavior, quality of life (QOL), upper extremity function, and risk factors for BCRL. Eligibility Criteria: Women 18 years + with a confirmed BC diagnosis, no history of BC, no known metastatic or locally advanced disease, no history of primary lymphedema, sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection as part of definitive breast surgery. Study Design: A two-stage study which includes a Screening and an Intervention trial. The screening arm will evaluate arm volume change during and after BC treatment with target accrual of 8000. Patients will undergo measurements via perometry and complete the MGH Lymphedema Evaluation Following Treatment for Breast Cancer (LEFT-BC) Survey at each screening appointment to evaluate changes in functionality, upper extremity utilization (fear associated avoidance), and QOL. Screening visits will occur pre- and post - operatively, at the conclusion of chemotherapy and radiation therapy and every 3–7 months thereafter. Patients will become eligible for enrollment into the intervention trial if, during the course of screening, they develop a relative arm volume change (RVC) of ≥ 5% which persists at a verification measurement within 4–8 weeks. Eligible subjects are enrolled into one of two groups based on verification RVC: Group I – Mild Lymphedema (5–10% RVC) or Group II – Moderate Lymphedema (11–20% RVC). Subjects are then randomized within each group. Group I subjects are randomized to one of two arms: I-A – Observation, I-B – Compression, and Group II subjects are randomized to one of two arms: II-A – Compression, II-B – Compression + Night Compression Bandaging. Target accrual for the intervention trial is 336 subjects (Group I: 208, Group II: 128). Clinical Relevance: The results of this study will yield level I evidence on the effectiveness of early detection and intervention for BCRL. Findings may shape clinical practice in diagnosis and treatment, as well as provide insight regarding the risk factors, symptoms, upper extremity function, and quality of life (QOL) associated with BCRL. *Funding by awards R01CA139118 & 3P5OCA089393, AGT Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr OT3-2-02.


Airborne SAR systems allow a flexible ground mapping with high geometric resolution, independent from daytime and weather conditions. This offers the opportunity of using this technology for the analysis of built-up areas. However, the oblique SAR illumination limits the visibility of certain objects in urban areas depending on the viewing direction. Especially at building locations different SAR specific phenomena like layover, shadow, and multipath-propagation burden the interpretation of the SAR imagery even for experts. But, in case of bad viewing conditions, SAR may be the only way to map special events (e.g. flooding, fire, earthquake). In this paper, the benefit of the utilisation of different kinds of GIS data for the SAR mission planning and the analysis of acquired SAR data after such an event are discussed. Simulations based on 3D models of the scene and maps can optimise the SAR data acquisition parameters. In a similar manner fusing the gathered data with the GIS data can support an image interpreter.


To understand how ocean acidification (OA) influences sediment microbial communities, naturally CO2-rich sites are increasingly being used as OA analogues. However, the characterization of these naturally CO2-rich sites is often limited to OA-related variables, neglecting additional environmental variables that may confound OA effects. Here, we used an extensive array of sediment and bottom water parameters to evaluate pH effects on sediment microbial communities at hydrothermal CO2 seeps in Papua New Guinea. The geochemical composition of the sediment pore water showed variations in the hydrothermal signature at seep sites with comparable pH, allowing the identification of sites that may better represent future OA scenarios. At these sites, we detected a 60% shift in the microbial community composition compared with reference sites, mostly related to increases in Chloroflexi sequences. pH was among the factors significantly, yet not mainly, explaining changes in microbial community composition. pH variation may therefore often not be the primary cause of microbial changes when sampling is done along complex environmental gradients. Thus, we recommend an ecosystem approach when assessing OA effects on sediment microbial communities under natural conditions. This will enable a more reliable quantification of OA effects via a reduction of potential confounding effects.


The emission of 20 to 60 kev x-rays by an astronomical object in the constellation of Cygnus has been observed with a balloon-borne x-ray telescope flown from Hyderabad, India. The balloon data, used in conjunction with data pertaining to the flux in the wavelength range from 2 to 10 � can be fitted by a power law in photon energy varying as (hv)-1.7. The Cygnus object is the brightest object in the sky in the hard x-ray wavelength range and has the hardest spectrum of all observed objects that emit x-rays. The astronomical object should be capable of accelerating protons up to energies of the order of 1018 electron volts. Upper limits to the hard x-ray fluxes from Sco XR-1, Cyg XR-2, Oph XR-1, and Ser XR-1 are established; it is shown that the Sco XR-1 spectrum is very soft.


This paper summarises the most important aspects of shipping today, describingstakeholders, markets and types of ships, and weighing the sustainability of this form oftransportation.Furthermore, it follows an initial ship design project step by step: a new vessel is beingprojected to fulfill a transportation need. The vessel will safely and cost-effectively transport1.2 million cubic meters of raw logs from Port Metro in Vancouver to the Chinese harboursTianjin and Qingdao. During the initial design phase, the requirements and main limitingfactors of the ship's specifications are identified and the system concept is created.Also investigated in this paper is the need for a new generation of intact stability criteria forships, in light of the mechanics of a stability failure mode, parametric rolling, and cases ofparticular accidents at sea involving parametric rolling. The circumstances surroundingincidents of stability failure in cases where existing criteria are met, are explored. The existingcriteria are examined and possible motivations behind the development of new criteria areconsidered. Finally, new methods for assessing risk in the case of parametric rolling areproposed. Based on the importance of this topic for safety at sea, and the hypothesis that asecond generation of stability criteria is needed is examined critically.


The global diabatic potential energy surfaces (PESs) of the MgH2+ system, which can be used to study the dynamics of the Mg+(3p2P) + H2(X1Σ) → MgH+(X1Σ+) + H(2S) reaction, are structured for the first time. The diabatic PESs are correlated with the ground state 12A' and the first excited state 22A'. The multi-reference configuration interaction method and the VQZ basis set are used in ab initio calculations, and diabatic potential energies are calculated based on the molecular properties of the dipole moment. The neural network method is applied to fit the matrix elements of the diabatic energy surfaces. Spectroscopic constants of H2(X1Σg+) and MgH+(X1Σ+) obtained from the new PESs agree well with the experimental data. Based on the diabatic PESs of MgH2+, the time-dependent wavepacket calculations for the Mg+(3p2P) + H2(X1Σg+) → MgH+(X1Σ+) + H(2S) reaction are carried out to study the reaction dynamics. There is no threshold for this reaction because of the existence of barrierless reactive paths. The reaction has a high total integral cross section (ICS), and vibrationally resolved ICSs show an obvious population inversion of product vibrational states. The results of differential cross sections (DCSs) indicate that most product molecules tend to forward scatter.

publisher-specific, author manuscript: http://rsc.li/journals-terms-of-use


The quality of the housing stock in some parts of cities in the Netherlands fails to meet the varied housing preferences. A more appropriate housing supply is needed if these various preferences are to be met. This can be achieved by demolition, followed by new construction and product innovation in the housing stock. Homeowners have the primary responsibility for the quality of their buildings, but this responsibility must be facilitated, and adequate building regulation is needed for existing housing. Neither local authorities nor consumers currently have sufficient insight into housing quality. Furthermore, there are too many requirements, and the regulations, which are basically oriented toward new construction, are too complex. Solutions for these problems may be found in a proposal made by the Dutch Ministry of Housing to introduce a building file, an instrument that describes the condition of buildings and functions as a user and maintenance manual. Such an instrument could assist homeowners in fulfilling their responsibility for the quality of their dwellings. This article describes the context and development of the Dutch Building File and compares the Dutch approach to improving the quality of the housing stock to approaches and instruments currently in use or being developed in other European countries.


The oxford medical companion is a very useful resource to have in the arsenal of any health professional dealing with illness and disease. But perhaps one of its greatest contribution to public health has been its description of tobacco. A medicinal herb to some and a recreational drug for others, the Oxford Medical Companion describes tobacco as"...tobacco is the only legally available consumer product which kills people when it is used entirely as intended".1 Tobacco kills one person every six seconds.2 Tobacco killed more people in the 20th century than the two world wars combined and if the current trends of tobacco consumption continue, it will be responsible for more than a billion deaths by the end of the 21st century.3Recent estimates suggest that more than 250 million people in South Asia use smokeless tobacco (SLT) products4 and Pakistan is no stranger to these products with 13.3% of the population using either Naswar, Paan, Gutkha and other SLT products.3 Naswar use is a major public health challenge in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where an estimated 15% of the province's population is addicted to this mixture of tobacco, ash and lime.5 Naswar use is associated with a variety of conditions including upper aerodigestive tract cancers, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal disease.6 Oral cancer has become the most common cancer among men and the second most common cancer among women in Pakistan. An estimated 6000 Pakistanis lose their lives to oral cancer every year.7 Studies from Karachi show that Naswar is a major player in the etiology of oral cancer in Pakistan.8,9As part of a doctoral research, the author has recently concluded a multi-center case control investigation into the risk of oral cancer associated with Naswar use in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was the first adequately powered epidemiological study to assess this causal association in the context of the province. The results of our study, which have been submitted for publication elsewhere, suggest a strong causal association between Naswar use and oral cancer in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Users of Naswar were 20 times more likely to develop oral cancer compared to non-users. We also observed a dose-response relationship between Naswar and oral cancer i.e. the risk of oral cancer increased with increasing frequency, duration of each use and the total duration of the habit. One of the most striking findings of our study was that if Naswar use was stopped in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there will be a 70% decline in oral cancer incidence in the province. The results of our study are supported by the findings of a biochemical analysis of 30 brands of Naswar use in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported by Zakiuallh et al.6 They concluded that Naswar available in the Pakistani market had a high concentration of biochemical agents that are labelled as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.In the light of these findings, we reviewed the various tobacco control policy documents in Pakistan to identify areas which could be strengthened to curb SLT use in the country. The analysis of the three tobacco control ordinances i.e. "Cigarettes (Printing of Warning) Ordinance"-1979 ,"Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non- smokers Health Ordinance No. LXXIV" -2002, "The Cigarette (Printing of Warning) (Amendment) Ordinance No.LXXV"-2002, and the related statutory regulation led us to the following conclusions:Smoking tobacco is the main emphasis of tobacco control in Pakistan.Any references to SLT are at best, vague.There are no provisions to regulate the manufacture of SLT products.Health warnings on the packaging do not apply to SLT products.Only cigarettes and smoking tobacco products, are prohibited to be sold to and by minors.The biggest point of concern among these conclusions is the sale of SLT, to and by minors. Although it can be argued that the article 5 of the 2002 ordinance on prohibition of smoking which prohibits tobacco use inside and in the vicinity of Public buildings as well as educational institutions, includes minors, a counter argument can be made that "use" does not entail "sale". The only official document from the current day Pakistan which forbids the consumption of SLT by a minor can be dated back to 1959, when the Princely State of Swat (Not a part of Pakistan at the time), by the decree of the Wali-e-Swat, levied a punishment and a monetary fine on the use and sale of Naswar, to and by minors. This decree was absolved when Swat acceded to Pakistan in 1969. There are other federal legislations e.g. "Employment of children act, 1991" and the "Shops and Establishments Ordinance, 1969", which prohibit children under 14 years of age, from working in certain occupations, which could potentially include manufacture and/or sale of smokeless tobacco products, but the only tobacco product mentioned explicitly in these documents is "Bidi" (بیڑی), a form of local cigarette. Another argument can be put forward that "Minors" are defined as "a person who is below the age of 14" in Pakistani law and hence adolescents between the age of 14 and 18 are exempted from all the articles pertaining to minors. To its credit though, the 2015 provincial act of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, "The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prohibition of Employment of Children Act, 2015 (Act No. XIX of 2015)", does explicitly prohibits children to work in tobacco manufacturing.The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government is currently in the process of devising a new tobacco control legislation for the province. Based on our study findings and the review of policy documents, following recommendations are proposed to be addressed in the new legislation.        i.            First and foremost, "Smokeless Tobacco" is a recognized term by the World Health Organization and hence should be used as such, rather than vague terminologies like "other tobacco", which can be misleading and may be misinterpreted.      ii.            The use of smokeless tobacco, explicitly citing "Naswar", shall be prohibited in public places, offices and educational institutions, akin to the prohibition of tobacco smoking.    iii.            Sale of all forms of tobacco (smoking and smokeless), to and by a person who is younger than 18 years of age shall be prohibited.    iv.            Health warnings should be made mandatory on Naswar packaging.      v.            As opposed to an absolute ban on Naswar, the Government should try to introduce regulatory legislation regarding the composition of Naswar. The content of carcinogenic agents in Naswar could be reduced using the "Swedish Snus" model.    vi.            These policy provisions should be supplemented with media and school campaigns on the deleterious effects of Naswar.These changes in policy are necessary, particularly in the wake of soaring cigarette prices and the absence of evidence based advocacy regarding SLT use. The easy availability and considerably lower prices of SLT like Naswar may lead to more people taking up these products as alternatives to smoking. A differential focus on smoking and SLT could potentially prove counterproductive in the long run, a drop in smoking may be accompanied by an increase in SLT products use, as has been seen in Sweden.10 A comprehensive approach, including targeting both smoking and smokeless tobacco use, is therefore needed to avoid this scenario. At the same time legislation regarding the contents of Naswar and the regulation of its production need to be fashioned. In the authors view, the policy considerations that have been recommended, would ensure a gradual decline in the prevalence of SLT habits in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as reducing its potential toxicity. This could ultimately lead to a lower tobacco related morbidity and mortality, which should be the primary goal of any tobacco control program and policy.


This 11-month-old girl was seen because of persistent wheezing. Laboratory evaluation included determination of white blood cell count, and hemoglobin and electrolyte levels. All results were normal. Chest roentgenograms were obtained (Figs 1 and 2), as was a barium esophagogram (Fig 3). Pertinent medical history included multiple clinical episodes of wheezing and stridor, which was present since birth. Growth and development were normal. Denouement and Discussion Pulmonary Sling Anomaly of the Left Pulmonary Artery Pulmonary sling anomaly of the left pulmonary artery is a condition in which the left pulmonary artery originates from the right pulmonary artery. It is an uncommon congenital anomaly of the pulmonary arteries and may produce severe airway obstruction. The usual origin of the left pulmonary artery from the main pulmonary artery trunk is not demonstrated. The left pulmonary artery, arising from the distal right pulmonary artery, supplies the entire left lung. The embryology of this condition results from a defect of the left sixth aortic arch (from which the pulmonary arteries arise) such that the left lung is supplied y a collateral branch of the right pulmonary artery. This ollateral left branch courses to the left side behind the trachea and anterior to the esophagus at or slightly above he level of the carina. The compression from this vessel may cause airway obstruction affecting the right lung, the lower trachea, and/or the left main-stem bronchus.


As neural networks (NNs) are increasingly introduced into safety-critical domains, there is a growing need to formally verify NNs before deployment. In this work we focus on the formal verification problem of NN equivalence which aims to prove that two NNs (e.g. an original and a compressed version) show equivalent behavior. Two approaches have been proposed for this problem: Mixed integer linear programming and interval propagation. While the first approach lacks scalability, the latter is only suitable for structurally similar NNs with small weight changes.The contribution of our paper has four parts. First, we show a theoretical result by proving that the epsilon-equivalence problem is coNP-complete. Secondly, we extend Tran et al.'s single NN geometric path enumeration algorithm to a setting with multiple NNs. In a third step, we implement the extended algorithm for equivalence verification and evaluate optimizations necessary for its practical use. Finally, we perform a comparative evaluation showing use-cases where our approach outperforms the previous state of the art, both, for equivalence verification as well as for counter-example finding.


The taxonomy of Aspergillus section Fumigati with its teleomorph genus Neosartorya is revised. The species concept is based on phenotypic (morphology and extrolite profiles) and molecular (β-tubulin and calmodulin gene sequences) characters in a polyphasic approach. Four new taxa are proposed: N. australensis N. ferenczii, N. papuaensis and N. warcupii. All newly described and accepted species are illustrated. The section consists of 33 taxa: 10 strictly anamorphic Aspergillus species and 23 Neosartorya species. Four other Neosartorya species described previously were not available for this monograph, and consequently are relegated to the category of doubtful species.


Computers are an intrinsic part of the working environment at the Midland Bank's Group Business Library (GBL) and have been used by library staff for the past seven years for providing a business enquiry service to the Group in the UK and overseas. In order to support this busy enquiry service it is necessary to have a computerised subject catalogue to journals and publications. Journals are circulated to London‐based Head Office departments. Other services offered by the library are a specialised European service; outside borrowing of publications; advising other departments (especially on databases and CD‐ROMs). The search services used include Reuter Textline, Infocheck (Dun and Bradstreet), Dialog, DataStar and FT Profile. The library provides a back‐up service to the internal training courses on financial analysis, during which they train staff on external search services and on CD‐ROMs, such as Jordan's FAME.


Aims principally to identify the main issues relating to the strategic impact and application of total quality management (TQM). Uses a grounded theory inductive research methodology involving 19 case study organisations. In this approach, the deep rich data gained through the dialogue and story telling, is critical to the research study findings. Therefore, the findings are presented largely in the form of transcript quotes and coding analysis. Furthermore, the grounded theory approach enables simple constructs to be created and developed throughout the research discourse. The findings indicate that largely bureaucratic approaches to TQM and strategy exist without proper integration of employee and customer feedback. TQM mainly impacted the strategy process at the objective setting level, forming a strategic‐operational divide, reflecting a tactical emphasis for TQM deployment. Thus, there is a need for TQM to be considered from a philosophical level rather than simply as an operational tool. A considerable gap was found to exist between organisational rhetoric, in relation to strategy and TQM, in comparison to organisational practice.


Cost savings, cost avoidance, and cost reduction are important factors to measure when valuing clinical pharmacy services. Currently, there are no universally accepted definitions for these terms. The authors of this study evaluated 44 articles which claimed to measure cost savings, cost avoidance, or cost reduction associated with clinical pharmacy services, and offered recommendations for when it would be appropriate to use these terms. Based on the results of our analysis, it is evident that controversy exists in the literature when determining if services result in cost avoidance or cost reduction. Therefore, there is a need for universally accepted definitions of these terms so that future research may evaluate such factors uniformly.


BACKGROUND & AIMS
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) express the receptor tyrosine kinase c-kit. Approximately 90% of GISTs have gain-of-function mutations in the Kit gene, which leads to its constitutive activation and drives malignant behavior of GISTs. Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) express c-kit; however, it is unknown whether uncontrolled hyperplasia of ICC is responsible for GISTs. Here, we sought to determine whether gain-of-function mutations in Kit lead to hyperplasia of all classes of ICC, whether ICC hyperplasia begins before birth, and whether functional defects occur in ICC hyperplasia or the development of GISTs.

METHODS
Heterozygous mutant Kit(V558Delta)/+ mice that develop symptoms of human familial GISTs and prematurely die from pathology of the gastrointestinal tract were utilized and compared with wild-type controls. C-kit-immunohistochemistry and intracellular electrical recording of spontaneous and nerve-evoked activity were applied to examine the density and functionality of ICC in these mutants.

RESULTS
There was considerable hyperplasia in all classes of ICC throughout the GI tract of Kit(V558Delta)/+ mice, except for ICC in the deep muscular plexus of the intestine. Spontaneous electrical activity and postjunctional neural responses in hyperplastic ICC tissues appeared normal but were up-regulated in the cecum, where GISTs were commonly found.

CONCLUSIONS
Kit gain-of-function leads to hyperplasia of most classes of ICC throughout the GI tract. ICC retain normal pacemaker function and enteric neural responses well after development of hyperplasia.


This paper is an attempt to unravel the relationship between the economic variables and the returns of the mutual funds in Indian context. The paper considers the monthly data of several economic variables like the national output, interest rate, inflation, exchange rate, money supply, aggregate equity market between 1999 and 2004, and tries to reveal the relative influence of these variables on the net asset values of selected mutual fund schemes. Compared to the earlier similar attempts made in the context of developed markets, this paper applies the modern non-linear technique like Artificial Neural Network and tries to predict mutual fund net asset values on the basis of the chosen variables. The finding shows that certain variables like the interest rate, money supply, inflation rate and the equity market have considerable influence in the net asset value movement in the considered period, while the other variables have very negligible impact on the mutual fund returns.


Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were oxyfluorinated at several different temperatures. The results indicated that graphitic carbon was the major carbon functional component on the MWNT surfaces and other functional groups, such as C–O, C=O, HO–C=O, C–Fx, were also present after oxyfluorination. The changes of surface properties of oxyfluorinated MWNTs were investigated using FT-IR, EDS and XRD. From the surface analysis, it was found that surface fluorine and oxygen contents increased with increasing oxyfluorination temperature and showed a maximum value at 100 °C. Consequently, it was found that optimal treatment temperature was 100 °C for the best electro activity of Pt/MWNT-100 catalyst and the oxyfluorinated Pt/MWNTs possessed the better electrochemical properties than the pristine Pt/MWNTs.


The third edition of Dr Eugene Helveston's book on strabismus surgery provides a concise and simple review of the subject, obviously representing the author's own dictum that the strabismus surgeon should keep learning from experience and remain appropriately skeptical. The first part of the book includes a section on the history of strabismus surgery, a short anatomical review, and notes on instrumentation and anesthesia. Various types of muscle operations are summarized with the aid of line drawings. Complications of surgery are mentioned, and a brief section deals with the use of botulinum A toxin injection. Then there is a summary of the amounts of recession and resection of muscles, which Dr Helveston has found to be appropriate for his cases. The final section contains some clinical examples. "The strabismus surgeon should keep learning from experience and remain appropriately skeptical." Atlas of Strabismus Surgery is mainly for ophthalmology residents, as there


Mobile ad hoc networks are infrastructure-less networks consisting of wireless, possibly mobile nodes which are organized in peer-to-peer and autonomous fashion. The highly dynamic topology, limited bandwidth availability and energy constraints make the routing problem a challenging one. In this paper we take a novel approach to the routing problem in MANETs by using swarm inteligenceinspired algorithms. The proposed algorithm uses Ant-like agents to discover and maintain paths in a MANET with dynamic topology. We present simulation results that measure the performance of our algorithm with respect to the characteristics of a MANET, the varying parameters of the algorithm itself as well as performance comparison with other well-known routing protocols.


Throughout the Cold War, the bilateral ties between the US and Turkey, epitomized by their cooperation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), provided both states with the necessary means to secure their sovereignty, freedom, and development to the greatest degree possible. However, the end of the bipolar confrontation between the US and the Soviet Union provided for the potential split or dramatic change in bilateral ties. This thesis focuses on both the continuities and changes that shaped USTurkey relations in the first decade of the post-Cold War era. First, despite the fall of the Soviet Union—the initial cause of their connection via existential fear—the US and Turkey sought to maintain tactical ties. Furthermore, American goals and desires still often heavily affected Turkey's external and internal policies. Second, the sometimes turbulent and distrustful history between these two states often colored Turkish responses to American policies both towards Turkey and to the region, frequently in an apprehensive manner. A liberal realist theoretical framework was used in the inquiry. To investigate these hypotheses, I utilized a review of the relevant, existing literature, which were supplemented by primary research including personal interviews with former Turkish and American government officials. The results substantiated the first hypothesis, but did not provide enough evidence to either convincingly confirm or refute the second hypothesis. The results of this investigation not only adds depth to the existing understanding of the US-Turkish bilateral relationship, but also provide a theoretical framework to examine other alliances in the post-Cold War era.


Hard disk substrates play a key role in the data storage process of magnetic storage hard disk drives (HDDs). However, a potential failure mode exists with the head clearance requirements caused by surface variation which is induced by substrate nano-asperities. Consequently, developing a polish process to eliminate surface asperities and residual surface defects in the glass substrate disks process is therefore a necessity to meet the challenges of future technology. Currently, the leading candidate utilizes nano cluster diamond (NCD) abrasive which is a synthetic diamond created in a controlled explosion process. A great effort is now underway to modify these NCD clusters to reduce light scratches and asperities in the perpendicular magnetic recording media polish process. Three distinct diamond types of NCD-90, NCD-80 and NCD-70 were utilized in this study. The major difference among these three distinct cluster diamond types is the diamond percentage amounts. Because of the differing diamond percentage content, one achieves a different structure which changes the polish properties. HRTEM, XPS, Raman, BET, AFM, Optical Surface Analyzer and disk defect testers were used for the diamond particles, polished substrate and disk analysis. The detail shall be discussed in this study.


Event sequences can be modeled by temporal point processes (TPPs) to capture their asynchronous and probabilistic nature. We propose an intensity-free framework that directly models the point process distribution by utilizing normalizing flows. This approach is capable of capturing highly complex temporal distributions and does not rely on restrictive parametric forms. Comparisons with state-of-the-art baseline models on both synthetic and challenging real-life datasets show that the proposed framework is effective at modeling the stochasticity of discrete event sequences.


The right-wing populism ascendant today is a symptom of the failure of progressive politics. Central to this failure is the uncritical embrace of a neo-liberal version of globalization that benefits those at the top but leaves ordinary citizens feeling disempowered. Progressive parties are unlikely to win back public support unless they learn from the populist protest that has displaced them —not by replicating its xenophobia and strident nationalism, but by taking seriously the legitimate grievances with which these ugly sentiments are entangled. These grievances are not only economic but also moral and cultural; they are not only about wages and jobs but also about social esteem.


Background: Chest ultrasonography has shown a growing interest during the last few years based on its new applications and significance of sonographic artifacts. Objectives: To assess the ability of bedside chest ultrasonography (USG) in prognosis of Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients and to compare with Pneumonia severity index (PSI) score & chest radiograph(CXR ). Methods: A prospective observational study in 100 patients who got admitted with CAP, PSI scoring was determined and CXR &USG done at the time of presentation.PSI scoring, CXR & USG repeated on third day and at the time of final outcome. Results: USG showed features of consolidation in 92% patients. Dynamic air bronchogram was present in patients with sonographically detected pneumonia. Hepatisation of lung tissue detected in 30% and irregular & serrated margins in 43% of patients. Pleural effusion was evident in 29% of patients by USG, but only 13% by CXR. Disease remission was also demonstrated sonographically. The proportion of patients with an air bronchogram decreased to 39% of patients during discharge.Correlation between USG, CXR and PSI score were analysed using Spearman9s rho rank correlation (r). A significant correlation between USG and PSI score was found (on day1 r= 0.35, on day3 r= 0.43, & on final day r= 0.25) which were significant at 0.01 level. A significant correlation was also found between USG and CXR (on day1 r=0.81, on day3 r=0.81 & on final day r=0.74) which were significant at 0.01 level. Conclusion: This study supports the routine use of chest-ultrasound in prognostic evaluation of CAP, as it is bedside real time, reliable, rapid, non-invasive technique and it help for rapid therapeutic decision.


"Traditionally headline institutional grade real estate investment activity in Europe has focused on established financial centers. This was not surprising given the needs of investors for competitive returns, secure income streams and liquidity. However, over the last decade the fundamental characteristics of non-residential real estate investment markets in Europe have undergone significant changes. On the back of unparallel growth in investment volumes, the composition of investment activities has shifted from domestic towards cross-border, encompassing a greatly expanded range of actors and menu of product choices. Given the magnitude of structural changes which have taken place in investment markets this paper examines the extent to which these have been translated into changes in the location dynamics of real estate investing in Europe through an investigation of the extent to which secondary European locations have benefited from increased real estate investment flows in this period At the outset there are strong a priori reasons to suggest that recent real estate capital flows in Europe have been spread over a wider range of investment locations. These include the greater diversity of players, especially on the indirect side, a more focused approach to the construction of cross-border investment strategies based on the pursuit of return opportunities and diversification potential, and in general significantly better product and performance information for a wider range of locations. The fact that very few established centers have experienced significant levels of oversupply despite record investment volumes as compared to the mid-nineties suggest that capital has been spread over a wider range of locations. The task of this paper is to explore this hypothesis and within it to identify the magnitude of any flows involved and to explore the characteristics of both the recipient locations and the investment market actors involved. The paper concludes by assessing the implications for the competitiveness of the locations involved and at a more general level for the structure of European real estate investment markets.""


Vocabulary is central in foreign language learning for young learners. It is therefore relevant to investigate the vocabulary produced in English by young learners from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The present study investigates a number of adjectives in a specific context in texts written by 12-year-olds in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Sweden. The results indicate that there is a preference for the adjective funny in the descriptions of a best friend so that 12-year-olds in five different countries in the Baltic Region have the same favourite of type of adjective as a lexical teddy-bear and non-native collocation together with friend .


Biodiesel is one of the alternative fuels which is renewable, environmentally and can be used in diesel
engines without modifications. For non-intrusive diagnosis, this study investigates the characteristics of
combustion induced vibration and noise in a diesel engine fuelled with biodiesel blends under different
operating conditions. The relationship between the engine vibro-acoustics and in-cylinder pressure was
investigated based on the analysis of the measured cylinder head vibration, engine acoustics and in-cylinder
pressure (peak pressure, pressure rise, and pressure rise rate). It has found that the biodiesel blends result
in a slight increase of peak value of in-cylinder pressure when increasing the percentage of biodiesel. The
engine running with biodiesel blends has slightly higher vibration, which is more related to the maximum rate
of pressure rise which is closely related to the combustion process. In addition, the time domain RMS values
of vibration is relating to the maximum rate of pressure rise whereas the RMS of acoustics signals is more
relating to peak pressure. These show that vibro-acoustics include good information about combustion.
However, more advanced analysis is needed to suppress noise influences for accurately representation of
combustions due to different types of fuels.


The objective of this study was to assess whether living in proximity to a roofing fiber cement factory in southern Thailand was associated with physical, mental, social, and spiritual health domains measured in a self-reported health risk assessment (HRA) questionnaire. A cross-sectional study was conducted among community members divided into two groups: near population (living within 0-2km of factory) and far population (living within 2-5km of factory) (N=198). A greater proportion of those living far from the factory (65.34%) reported physical health problems than the near group (51.04%) (p =0.032). This study has demonstrated that the near population group had higher proportion of participants with positive ratings on mental assessment (30.34%) and social health impacts (28.42%) than far population group (10.59% and 16.67%, respectively) (p <0.001). The near population group (29.79%) had similar proportion of participants with positive ratings in spiritual health impacts compared with far population group (27.08%). Among females, but not males, this study demonstrated that a higher proportion of the near population had a positive summative score for the self-HRA, which included all four health domain, compared to the far population (p<0.001 for females; p = 0.154 for males). In conclusion, this self-HRA of physical, mental, social, and spiritual health domains reflected the risk perceptions of populations living in the vicinity of the roofing fiber cement factory. This type of tool can bring attention to population concerns and complaints in the factory's surrounding community. Our findings may contribute to future development of self-HRA for HIA development procedure in Thailand. Keywords—Cement dust, health impact assessment, risk assessment, walk-though survey.


Science Education International is the quarterly journal of the International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE). ICASE was established in 1973 to extend and improve education in science for all children and youth by assisting member associations throughout the world. This journal provides a means for associations, institutions, centres, foundations, companies, and individuals concerned with science education to share perspectives, concerns, ideas, and information that will foster cooperative efforts to improve science education, and which will serve as a chronicle of the advancement of science education throughout the world


Purpose
The purpose of this study was to develop an easy-to-use, theoretically well-founded and psychometrically sound assessment tool of the concept co-workership.

Design/methodology/approach
Firstly, inductively generated examples of favourable and unfavourable co-worker behaviours were collected, clustered and then expressed as frequency-based Likert-type scale items. Data were obtained from 825 Swedish white collar workers and military personnel. A factor analysis (principal axis factoring with oblique rotation) resulted in a seven-factor solution built up by 30 items and forming the instrument Co-Worker Questionnaire (Co-Worker Q).

Findings
The factors have a strong resemblance to the content of dominating models of leadership, followership, organizational citizenship behaviour and leader–member exchange. The factor scales had relatively high reliability (high Cronbach's alpha coefficients and low standard errors of measurement). Regarding discriminability, women scored more favourably on five of the factors, men on one factor and age differences were noted on two factors.

Research limitations/implications
Shortcomings include the lack of data on possibly related aspects including person factors, such as personality and socio-economic status, and contextual factors such as more detailed data on the type of work environment and organizational culture.

Practical implications
The instrument has an easy-to-use format and can be used in organization development interventions with a co-workership focus and in individualized coaching or mentoring programmes.

Originality/value
The co-workership concept has so far mainly been used in the Nordic countries. The development of the Co-Worker Q opens up for broader applications.


Abstract. Documentation of archaeological and cultural heritage sites is at the heart of the archaeological process and an important component in cultural heritage research, presentation and restorations. In 2012 the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage of Aosta Valley – IT (Soprintendenza per i Beni e le Attivita Culturali della Region e Autonoma Valle d'Aosta) carried out a complex archaeological excavation in a composite archaeological context, situated an urban background: the Aosta city centre. This archaeological excavation has been characterized by the classical urban archaeological issues: little space, short time, complex stratigraphy. Moreover the investigations have come out several structures and walls that required safety and conservation measures. Ad hoc 3D solutions carried out a complete 3D survey of the area in 10 different time/situations of the Archaeological digs, chosen in collaborations with the archaeological staff. In this way a multi temporal 3D description of the site has been provided for the archaeological analysis and for the project of the restorations activities. The 3D surveys has been carried out integrating GPS, laser scanner technology and photogrammetry. In order to meet the needs of the site, and its complex logistics and to obtain products that guarantee the high quality and detail required for archaeological analysis, we have developed different procedures and methodologies: hdr imaging for 3D model with correct, consistent and uniform colours, noise filtering and people filtering, for the removal of interference between laser instrument and object of the survey, Advanced laser scanner triangulation, in order to consider both artificial and natural tie points, for a correct registration of a huge amount of scans. Single image orientation on 3D data, in order to integrate the laser data with data coming from digital photogrammetry (faster on the field than the laser scanner survey, than used in certain situations). The results of all these methodologies and procedures will be presented and described in the article. For the documentation of the archaeological excavations and for the management of the conservation activities (condition assessment, planning, and conservation work). Ad Hoc 3D solutions has costumized 2 special plug-ins of its own software platform Ad Hoc: Ad Hoc Archaeology and Ad Hoc Conservation. The software platform integrates a 3D database management system. All information (measurements, plotting, areas of interests…) are organized according to their correct 3D position. They can be queried using attributes, geometric characteristics or their spatial position. The Ad Hoc Archaeology plug-in allows archeologists to fill out UUSS sheets in an internal database, put them in the correct location within the 3D model of the site, define the mutual relations between the UUSS, divide the different archaeological phases. A simple interface will facilitate the construction of the stratigraphic chart (matrix), in a 3D environment as well (matrix 3D). The Ad Hoc Conservation plug-in permits conservators and restorers to create relationships between the different approaches and descriptions of the same parts of the monument, i.e.: between stratigraphyc units or historical phases and architectural components and/or decay pathologies. The 3D DBMS conservation module uses a codified terminology based on "ICOMOS illustrated glossary of stone deterioration" and other glossary. Specific tools permits restorers to compute correctly surfaces and volumes. In this way decay extension and intensity can be measured with high precision and with an high level of detail, for a correct time and costs estimation of each conservation step.


This paper presents an analysis of the performance of the Spatial Filter Velocimetry (SFV) technique applied to external flows across tube bundles to evaluate the benefits of using low particle concentration in a complex geometry. The experimental vector velocity fields were obtained in a tube bundle test section made of acrylic with 20 rows of 4 tubes of 20mm O.D. mounted in a normal triangular configuration and transversal pitch per diameter ratio of 1.25. The SFV results reliability was evaluated by comparing the volumetric flow rates estimated by the experimental vector velocity fields with the volumetric flow rates measured by the flowmeter, showing good agreement. Additionally, the experimental results are used to check the validity of numerical results obtained through CFD simulation. The experiments were conducted for Reynolds numbers of 909, 1842 and 3902. The velocity profiles obtained through the SFV technique agree with the CFD simulations results, which indicate consistent results for both analyzes. Therefore, the numerical and experimental results indicate that the SFV technique provides accurate velocity data and is suitable to be applied to complex geometries, especially in regions away of the test section wall due to the good visibility provided by low particle concentration.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the retention of five different esthetic post systems of similar dimensions in extracted teeth using titanium posts as controls.

METHOD AND MATERIALS
Sixty recently extracted single-rooted, caries-free teeth were sectioned horizontally and mounted in acrylic resin. The samples were randomly allocated into six groups of 10 for post preparation. Post space preparation was carried out according to the individual manufacturer's instructions. All posts were bonded using Panavia F. A 4-mm hollow, metal sleeve was luted over the free end of each post prior to mounting in a universal testing machine, and the forces required to dislodge the posts using a cross-head speed of 5 mm/min were recorded.

RESULTS
It was found that the parallel-sided Lightposts were significantly more retentive than all of the other posts. Parapost Fibrewhite posts were more retentive than tapered Lightposts and Snowposts. There was no significant difference between the retention of stainless steel Paraposts and any of the other groups.

CONCLUSIONS
Serrated parallel-sided stainless steel posts were no more retentive than either parallel-sided or tapered tooth-colored posts in this study. When all groups were considered, post dimension appeared to influence retention, with parallel-sided posts being more retentive than tapered posts.


Abstract Post earthquake field investigations reveal that frames with inferior detailing are vulnerable to seismic actions. The presence of a large building stock in Turkey, which is vulnerable to an imminent earthquake, entails fast, relatively easy, and feasible alternative strengthening methods. In this paper, the strengthening of brick infilled walls with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) overlays, and integrating them to the load carrying system of the frame, is considered as an alternative method for building upgrading. The effectiveness of the FRP overlays on frames with different aspect ratios, is an issue to be investigated. For this purpose, three reinforced concrete (RC) frame specimens with one-third scale and infilled with hollow clay tile (HCT) were strengthened with FRP overlays. The frame specimens had a single bay and two stories, and were tested to failure. The strengthening scheme was shifted, depending on the aspect ratio of the specimens. Test results were evaluated in terms of base shear-roof drift hysteretic response, and a macro model using the well-known equivalent diagonal strut concept was proposed to predict the lateral capacity and the response of the strengthened frames. The model predicted secant stiffness and failure load in an acceptable accuracy range. Theoretical and experimental results proved that aspect ratio significantly affects the level of strengthening attained. The study presented here is part of a comprehensive research work on the strengthening of HCT infilled RC frames, with different aspect ratios by means of various carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) schemes.


Global interest in Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) has grown following forecasts of a compound annual growth rate of 18.7% and a total of 5.4 GW installed worldwide from 2013 to 2019. Although the BIPV technology has been in the public domain for the last three decades, its adoption has been hindered. Existing literature asserts that proper information and education at the proposal or early design stage is an important way of addressing adoption barriers. However, there is a lack of BIPV communication approaches for research, and market proposals that focus on clear information about its benefits. This has limited the adoption of BIPV.. Based on this, the present study aims to develop a conceptual framework for an educative-communication approach for presenting BIPV proposals to encourage its adoption. This is aimed at developing holistic research and market proposals which justify scholarly investigation and financial investment. Using a multiple case study investigation and Design Research Methodology (DRM) principles, the study developed an approach which combines core communication requirements, the pillars of sustainability and a hierarchical description of BIPV alongside its unique advantages. A two-step evaluation strategy involving an online pilot survey and a literature-based checklist, was used to validate the effectiveness of the developed approach. Our results show that understanding environmental and economic benefits was found to be significantly important to people who are likely adopters of BIPV (p < 0.05), making these benefits crucial drivers of adoption. Statistical significance was also found between those who do not know the benefits of using solar energy for electricity, and interest in knowing these benefits (p < 0.05). We thus conclude that proper communication of these benefits can safely be advanced as important facilitators of BIPV adoption. In general, this study elaborates the need and strategies for appropriate dissemination of innovative ideas to encourage and promote adoption of technological advancement for a sustainable global future.


The Yellow River is the second-longest river in China with a length of 5,464 km (3,395 mi). It originates from the eastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau flows eastward through the Loess Plateau, and empties into the Bohai Sea. The whole river basin, which covers approximately 752,443 km2 (290,520 mi2), was regarded as "the cradle of Chinese Civilization" (Zhu et al. 2004) and has played an important role in regional economic development. However, extreme floods, hyperconcentrated sediment flow, and water shortages have been ongoing environmental problems that the Chinese national government must face and resolve in the Yellow River Basin. The Yellow River is well known worldwide due to its extraordinarily high suspended sediment concentration. The Loess Plateau, located in the upper-middle reaches of the Yellow River, contributed approximately 90% of the sediment in the mainstream. Additionally, catastrophic floods that occurred frequently in the tributaries during summer months brought hyperconcentrated sediment flow to the main stem of the river. Large amounts of sediment deposition have made the Yellow River a "suspended" river in which the channel bottom reaches up to 10 m (33 ft) above ground. The continual elevation of the river bed has resulted in a great decline of sediment transport capacity.


Abstract. A parameterization for the motion of ice-shelf fronts on a Cartesian grid in finite-difference land-ice models is presented. The scheme prevents artificial thinning of the ice shelf at its edge, which occurs due to the finite resolution of the model. The intuitive numerical implementation diminishes numerical dispersion at the ice front and enables the application of physical boundary conditions to improve the calculation of stress and velocity fields throughout the ice-sheet-shelf system. Numerical properties of this subgrid modification are assessed in the Potsdam Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM-PIK) for different geometries in one and two horizontal dimensions and are verified against an analytical solution in a flow-line setup.


This book by eminent and experienced forensic psychologists is written for criminal attorneys and judges, but its content is important to forensic psychiatrists and psychologists and legal and forensic mental health trainees. It translates critical forensic psychological concepts and the legal ones that incorporate them into the worlds of law enforcement interrogation and fair and accurate adjudication. The style favors legal and judicial readers, but the principles are well worth reading by forensic clinicians. Three questions form the practical theme of the book. What does the criminal lawyer need to know about Miranda to be effective? How can he or she best use forensic psychologists and psychiatrists? And what is the best way to present Miranda-related arguments and supporting evidence, either to challenge or to preserve (depending on the lawyer's role) a Mirandized statement? The authors do an excellent job of balancing defense and prosecution objectives while retaining unbiased views of the various questions and arguments. While certainly scholarly, the book is also practical, with a very clear chapter structure and many appendices. The main text has clarifying tables and examples, and the extraordinary appendices offer useful case material, report examples, interrogation transcripts, and specialty information (such as measures for, and Miranda impact of, the defendant's reasoning, psychiatric symptoms, and intellectual impairment). Chapter topics include an overview of the legal landscape (including common myths and misconceptions), components of Miranda warnings and waivers, waiver cases, and procedural issues, the psychology of Miranda comprehension and reasoning, integrating complex Miranda findings and data, and trials. The 20 excellent appendices range from practical how-to information, to the impact of mental and developmental symptoms, to detailed case reports and explanations. The book is very well referenced.


The chemokine CXCL12, also known as stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), is a small protein that regulates leukocyte trafficking and is variably expressed in a number of normal and cancer tissues. CXCL12 as ligand and its receptor CXCR4 have been implicated in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression including angiogenesis and metastasis. A CXCL12 gene variant CXCL12-A (CXCL12-G801A, a single nucleotide polymorphism in the 3' untranslated region) is associated with increased susceptibility to breast cancer. Based on the suggested role of CXCL12 in the pathogenesis of cancer we examined the association of the gene variant CXCL12-A with CRC. The polymorphism was analysed with PCR and RFLP methods. Furthermore, the plasma CXCL12 levels from patients with CRC were also examined. There was no significant difference in genotype distribution and allelic frequencies between CRC patients (n=151) and controls (n=141). On the other hand, we found that the carrying rate of allele CXCL12-A was higher in colon cancer patients compared with rectal cancer patients (P=0.017). Analyses by ELISA showed that CRC patients (n=63) had a lower CXCL12 plasma level compared with controls (P<0.0001). Moreover, patients with tumours classified as Dukes' stage B and C revealed lower levels than patients with tumours in Dukes' stage A. Further studies with larger samples of patients are necessary to determine whether the CXCL12 polymorphism and plasma level reflect the clinical outcome of CRC and have an impact on CRC progression.


In todays wireless environment, marketing is more frequently occurring at the server-to-device levelwith that device being anything from a laptop or phone to a TV or car. In this real-time digital marketplace, human attributes such as income, marital status, and age are not the most reliable attributes for modeling consumer behaviors. A more effective approach is to monitor and model the consumers device activities and behavioral patterns. Machine-to-Machine Marketing (M3) via Anonymous Advertising Apps Anywhere Anytime (A5) examines the technologies, software, networks, mechanisms, techniques, and solution providers that are shaping the next generation of mobile advertising. Discussing the interactive environments that comprise the web, it explains how to deploy Machine-to-Machine Marketing (M3) and Anonymous Advertising Apps Anywhere Anytime (A5). The book is organized into four sections: Why Discusses the interactive environments and explains how M3 can be deployed How Describes which technologies and solution providers can be used for executing M3 Checklists Contains lists of techniques, strategies, technologies, and solution providers for M3 Case Studies Illustrates M3 and A5 implementations in companies across various industries Providing wide-ranging coverage that touches on data mining, the web, social media, marketing, and mobile communications, the books case studies show how M3 and A5 are being implemented at JP Morgan Chase, Hyundai, Dunkin Donuts, New York Life, Twitter, Best Buy, JetBlue, IKEA, Urban Outfitters, JC Penney, Sony, eHarmony, and NASCAR just to name a few. These case studies provide you with the real-world insight needed to market effectively and profitably well into the future. Each company, network, and resource mentioned in the book can be accessed through the hundreds of links included on the books companion site:www.jesusmena.com


Background and Purpose— Arterial wall enhancement on vessel wall MRI was described in intracranial inflammatory arterial disease. We hypothesized that circumferential aneurysmal wall enhancement (CAWE) could be an indirect marker of aneurysmal wall inflammation and, therefore, would be more frequent in unstable (ruptured, symptomatic, or undergoing morphological modification) than in stable (incidental and nonevolving) intracranial aneurysms. Methods— We prospectively performed vessel wall MRI in patients with stable or unstable intracranial aneurysms. Two readers independently had to determine whether a CAWE was present. Results— We included 87 patients harboring 108 aneurysms. Interreader and intrareader agreement for CAWE was excellent (&kgr;=0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.75–0.95 and &kgr;=0.90; 95% confidence interval, 0.83–0.98, respectively). A CAWE was significantly more frequently seen in unstable than in stable aneurysms (27/31, 87% versus 22/77, 28.5%, respectively; P<0.0001). Multivariate logistic regression, including CAWE, size, location, multiplicity of aneurysms, and daily aspirin intake, revealed that CAWE was the only independent factor associated with unstable status (odds ratio, 9.20; 95% confidence interval, 2.92–29.0; P=0.0002). Conclusions— CAWE was more frequently observed in unstable intracranial aneurysms and may be used as a surrogate of inflammatory activity in the aneurysmal wall.


Objective: To determine the association between perirenal fat stranding (PFS) on CT and bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). Methods: CT scans from 122 patients who had undergone urodynamic study for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) were registered after exclusion of patients with renal or retroperitoneal disease. Images were independently reviewed by two radiologists and compared with those of 244 age- and sex-matched control patients without LUTS. The PFS severity was scored on a four-point scale, and the interobserver agreement was assessed with kappa statistics. The severity score and incidence was compared between the groups, and the association with baseline characteristics was analyzed. For the LUTS group, an association between PFS severity and urodynamic and laboratory data was evaluated. Results: PFS was more frequent and more severe in the LUTS group than in the control group ( p -value , 0.001); its presence was significantly associated with male gender and older age ( p -value , 0.001). PFS was predominantly bilateral in both groups (80.1 – 93.2%). In the LUTS group, PFS severity scores were significantly correlated with the maximum flow rate, maximum detrusor pressure and estimated glomerular filtration rate ( p -value , 0.001). Interobserver agreements were excellent for PFS presence ( k 5 0.883) and severity ( k 5 0.816). Conclusion: Severe PFS was observed in older, male patients with LUTS. PFS severity was associated with the degree of BOO and impaired renal function. Advances in knowledge: Recognition of PFS on the CT scan may warrant further evaluation of BOO and appropriate management to prevent renal impairment.


Background and Aim: Monitoring physiological signals during sleep can have substantial impact on detecting temporary intrusion of wakefulness, referred to as sleep arousals. To overcome the problems associated with the cubersome visual inspection of these events by experts, sleep arousal recognition algorithms have been proposed. Method: As part of the Physionet/Computing in Cardiology Challenge 2018, this study proposes a deep ensemble neural network architecture for automatic arousal recognition from multi-modal sensor signals. Separate branches of the neural network extract features from electro-encephalography, electrooculography, electromyogram, breathing patterns and oxygen saturation level; and a final fully-connected neural network combines features computed from the signal sources to estimate the probability of arousal in each region of interest. We investigate the use of shared-parameter Siamese architectures for effective feature calibration. Namely, at each forward and backward pass through the network we concatenate to the input a user-specific template signal that is processed by an identical copy of the network. Result: The proposed architecture obtains an AUPR score of 0.40 on the test set of the official phase of Physionet/CbiC Challenge 2018. A score of 0.45 is obtained by means of 10 -fold cross-validation on the training set.


How can a non-democratic ruler provide proper incentives for state bureaucracy? In the absense of competitive elections and separation of powers, the ruler has to gather information either from a centralized agency such as a secret service or a decentralized source such as media. The danger of using a secret service is that it can collude with bureaucrats; overcoming collusion is costly. Free media aggregate information and thus constrain bureaucrats, but might also help citizens to coordinate on actions against the incumbent. We endogenize the ruler's choice in a dynamic model to argue that free media are less likely to emerge in resource-rich economies where the ruler is less interested in providing incentives to his subordinates. We show that this prediction is consistent with both cross-section and panel data.