Background : Children are the most vulnerable to get TB infection and infected by adult patients. One of the components of Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) is direct observation by treatment supporter who has important role in the success of TB's treatment. The aim of this study was to identify the characteristics and knowledge among treatment supporter of children patients with TB at Lung Clinic Bandung. Methods : A descriptive study was conducted in October-November 2012 to 96 treatment supporters of child patients who were diagnosed with TB, either new or old cases. They were selected by consecutive sampling at Lung Clinic Bandung. Validated questionnaire with 14 questions was administered. The percentage of the correct answers was categorized as good, moderate, and poor. The Characteristic variables included age, sex, education, occupation, relation with the patients, living at the same house, presence of other TB patients, and counseling given by providers. Data was analyzed using frequency distribution. Result : Most of the respondents were 21-30 years old (42.7%), female (84.4%), elementary school graduate (33.3%), unemployed (69.8 %), mother of the child, living in the same house, had other TB patients, and had received counseling by providers at Lung Clinic. The knowledge about TB among the respondents was moderate (56.3%). The respondents who had good knowledge had underwent the counseling session. Conclusions : The knowledge of the respondents was moderate. Further study on the relationship between the level of knowledge of treatment supporter and the adherence of TB treatment should be conducted.  [AMJ.2015;2(1):167–71]


This study was carried out to develop jerky product utilizing spent hen meat. Manipulation of water activity (aw) of semi-dried meat with the addition of humectants (glycerol and sorbitol at the concentration of 0, 10, and 15%) and roasting process were applied to enhance quality of jerky product. After spent hen meat was ground, formulated, reformed and then dried in convection oven at 85℃ for 2 h followed by 60℃ for 1 h, all jerky samples showed values of aw ≤0.85 with total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold and Staphylococcus aureus counts were reduced to undetectable levels. Moreover, the results showed that the 15% glycerol added jerky showed superior quality, indicated by the lowest aw, low protein aggregation as evaluated by sorption isotherm and the lowest shear value as compared to sorbitol added and control samples (p<0.05). Regardless effect of humectant, roasting could improve the quality of the jerky via enhanced sensory attributes by increasing color, appearance, flavor and overall acceptability scores (p<0.05). Therefore, spent hen meat could be used as a potential raw material for jerky in which soft product texture obtained by the addition of glycerol and intense flavor resulted from roasting process after drying, leading to sensory acceptance.


Nowadays log files handling imposes to ISPs (intended in their widest scope) strict normative duties apart from common technological issues. This work analyses how retention time policies and timestamping are deeply interlinked from the point of view of service providers, possibly leading to costs rise. A new schema is proposed trying to mitigate the need for third-party suppliers, enforcing cryptographic primitives well established in other fields of Information Technology but perhaps not yet widespread in logs management. The foundations of timestamping are recapped, and properties of cryptographic primitives introduced as a natural way to bypass legacy schema inefficiency and as an extra level of protection: these choices are justified by savings estimation (with regard to different ISP magnitudes) and by some basic security considerations.


A series of highly efficient quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) is prepared by harnessing the binary cation effect and positive effects of the selected performance enhancers of gel-polymer electrolytes. The new electrolyte is composed of polyacrylonitrile polymer, tetra-hexylammonium iodide (Hex4NI) and KI binary salts as well as 4-tertbutylpyridine and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide performance enhancers. The charge transport in the series of electrolytes is thermally activated and, accordingly, the temperature dependence of conductivity follows the VTF behavior. The enhancement of conductivity is observed with an increasing mass fraction of KI and decreasing mass fraction of Hex4NI, while the total mass fraction of salts in the electrolyte is kept unchanged. The highest conductivity of 3.74 mS cm-1 at ambient temperature is shown by the sample containing KI only (without Hex4NI) at all the temperatures. The effects of dielectric polarization of the electrolytes are studied by analyzing the frequency dependence of the real and the imaginary parts of the AC conductivity in detail. Appropriate and reproducible cell construction are assured by efficiencies of above 5% exhibited by all the quasi-solid-state DSCs assembled using double-layered TiO2 photo-electrodes and the new electrolyte series. Besides, highlighting the mixed cation effect, the cells with mixed salts exhibited efficiencies greater than 6%. An impressively high efficiency of 7.36% was shown by the DSC prepared with electrolyte containing 75 wt% KI and 25 wt% Hex4NI. This study reveals that the salt combination of KI and Hex4NI, which has not been reported before, is a suitable binary iodide salt mixture to prepare highly efficient DSCs. The replacement of tetra-hexylammonium ions by K+ ions improves the charge transport in the electrolyte; however, the best solar cell performance is shown by the mixed salt system with 75 wt% KI and 25 wt% Hex4NI, which is not the highest conductivity composition. Therefore, the exhibited high efficiency of 7.36% is evidently due to the binary cation effect.


Impedance plethysmography (IPG) came into existence in 1940 as a result of Jan Nyboer's pioneering work in the noninvasive assessment of central and peripheral blood flow. The technique got an impetus after introduction first-time derivative of the impedance for accurate determination of stroke volume (SV) and various cardiac intervals. Later, this signal was employed by Parulkar et al for estimation of blood flow index (BFI) and differential pulse arrival time (DPAT) in various segments of the extremity, which were adequate to detect the aortic and peripheral arterial blocks and estimate collateral circulation and distal arterial runoff. The technique was widely used for measurement of respiration and body water. All these applications have resulted into use of bioimpedance for body composition analysis and continuous monitoring of cardiac output as US Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) approved technologies, which are being used worldwide. Physiological variability has added more value to this technique as single data acquisition gives variability in heart rate and SV (or peripheral blood flow). Morphology index thus derived is very useful in screening patients suspected with coronary artery disease (CAD). All these milestones are briefly described in this paper.


Coordinated charging is an effective charging plan for PEVs to improve the overall system energy utilization and prevent the overload of an electric power grid. On the other hand, PEVs, which have energy storage and controllable loads, can be discharged to help the grid to smooth the fluctuations, for example, introduced by distributed generators (DGs). Either to prevent overloading or to regulate the power grid, most existing charging/discharging plans focus on temporal charging/discharging coordination for parked vehicles. However, for moving vehicles, spatial coordination can also bring benefits to the grid. For spatial coordination, the range anxiety problem should be carefully handled, since PEVs cannot reach some charging stations due to the limited battery levels. In this article, by exploiting both spatial and temporal coordinations, we introduce an online PEV charging/discharging strategy considering range anxieties. To collect real-time information for the proposed online strategy, a heterogeneous wireless infrastructure is proposed by integrating cellular networks with vehicular ad-hoc networks (VANETs). Challenging issues are discussed in terms of modeling PEV mobility, network selection for real-time information delivery, balancing the trade-off between the grid power utilization and drivers' preferences, and modeling business revenues for charging/discharging. Case studies demonstrate that joint spatial and temporal charging coordination can effectively improve power utilization and avoid overloading the power grid.


The goal of salmonid habitat monitoring programs is to measure habitat attributes linked to salmonid productivity based on protocols that have sufficient precision to detect environmental variation at relevant spatial and temporal scales. Benthic macroinvertebrate community composition often is evaluated as part of habitat monitoring and assessment protocols, despite a lack of direct relationships between benthic composition and salmonid production. Macroinvertebrate drift provides a direct measure of the food resources available to stream salmonids, but drift is rarely evaluated as part of habitat monitoring protocols. This reluctance may stem from the complex spatial and temporal variability inherent in macroinvertebrate drift abundances and an assumed inability to obtain precise estimates of drift abundance at relevant spatial and temporal scales. We evaluated an extensive set of paired drift and benthic macroinvertebrate samples to characterize variation in the biomass and density (i.e., counts) of macroinvertebrate samples across a hierarchy of spatial and temporal scales. Results suggest that estimates of total drift biomass may offer the most precise approach for detecting differences in salmonid food availability among stream reaches and, thus, may be more appropriate than benthic sampling for incorporation into salmonid habitat monitoring programs.


Background: During the past 40 y, there has been a trend toward more eating away from home, increased food availability, the opportunity to order extra-large portion sizes, and general weight gain. Objective: Because shorter people need fewer calories than taller people to maintain their weight, our goal was to determine whether the body mass index (BMI)–height relation has changed over time. Design: Data are from 3581 nonpregnant women and 3091 men examined in the 1959–1962 National Health Examination Survey and 4651 nonpregnant women and 4691 men examined in the 2001– 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We tested whether the relation between BMI and height has changed for men and women, after adjustment for other demographic changes. Results: In the past, on average, shorter American men and women had significantly higher BMIs than taller people. However, taller people have been increasing their BMI during the past 40 y at a faster rate than shorter people. Conclusions: This study documents that the obesity epidemic has changed the height-BMI relation. The data cannot identify causal pathways, and there are numerous explanations. A plausible hypothesis is that changes in the food environment may have eliminated constraints on weight gain for taller people that existed in a more calorie-constrained environment. Am J Clin Nutr 2008;87:


Objective: To attempt to replicate previous findings that showed an influence of transcranial magnetic stimulation of the cortical motor areas on the selection of motor programmes on the contralateral side. Methods: Healthy volunteers were asked to choose to make a right or left index finger extension movement freely after hearing the click produced by transcranial magnetic stimulation. The stimulation was applied to the motor areas (test), including the motor cortex, vertex, and prefrontal cortex, and in the air (control). Results: There was no preference for choosing the hand contralateral to the stimulation site, in either test or control trials. Conclusions: Previous results could not be reproduced. Simple magnetic stimulation of the motor areas is insufficient to affect voluntary selection of movement.


The purpose of this study was to determine the metabolic stress of a self-paced half-mile walk test incorporated in the AAHPERD functional fitness assessment for older adults. Forty-three subjects, aged 57 to 75, completed a half-mile walk on an indoor track (IT) and during a treadmill simulation (TS) of the track walk. Treadmill data indicated that subjects exercised at a mean VO2 of 14.7 ml · kg−1 · min−1 and mean heart rate (b · min−1) of 129. A significant difference (p ≤ .05) was found between IT and TS on rating of perceived exertion. Results indicate that older subjects selected a pace that stressed their cardiorespiratory system without producing severe fatigue or medical complications. Therefore, the half-mile walk test appears to be a safe test that may be incorporated in functional fitness testing. However, its ability to determine functional capacity needs further study.


Previous study conducted by Abdul-Rahman et al. (2007) has highlighted the enhanced expression of a 35 kDa glycoprotein, termed lectin-detected protein 1 (LDP1), in sera of patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma (EACa). In this study, LDP1 was isolated from sera of patients with EACa using immobilised champedak-galactose-binding (CGB) lectin affinity chromatography. Subjecting LDP1 to mass spectrometry analysis, LDP1 was identified as the 35 kDa cleavage fragment of inter-α-trypsin-inhibitor heavy chain 4 (ITIH4f).
Subsequent to its identification, expression of ITIH4f in sera of patients with breast carcinoma (BrCa; n=10), epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOCa; n=10), germ cell ovarian carcinoma (GOCa; n=10), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPCa; n=13) and osteosarcoma (OsSa; n=10) was investigated using 2-DE and HRP-CGB lectin approach. When compared to control sera, expression of ITIH4f was enhanced in sera of patients with BrCa, EOCa and GOCa, but not in patients with NPCa and OsSa. The data of this study, when taken together with reports of previous researchers, appeared to link the over-expression of ITIH4f with cancers associated with estrogen dysregulation. As such, the expression of ITIH4f is also likely to be enhanced in other diseases associated with increased levels of estrogen. Hence, its expression in women with normal pregnancy (NP; n=20), hydatidiform mole (HM; n=20) and menopausal women under the hormone replacement therapy (HRT; n=10) were studied. When compared to controls (n=20), it was demonstrated that the expression of ITIH4f was over-expressed in women with NP and HM, but was not altered in women with HRT. Hence, the expression of ITIH4f was not exclusive to cancers but was also enhanced in normal and benign conditions that are associated with estrogen dysregulation.
An attempt to establish the serum protein profiles of women with NP and HM was subsequently performed via 2-DE. Protein detection was either performed by silver staining or CGB lectin. Image analyses performed on profiles of pregnant women demonstrated that the expression of ITIH4f, α1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) and leucine-rich-glycoprotein (LRG) was significantly enhanced in the women with NP. However, ITIH4f was the sole serum glycoprotein which appeared to be altered in sera of women with HM.
Comparative analysis performed on the silver-stained protein profiles demonstrated enhanced expression of ACT, LRG, clusterin (CLU) and zinc-α2- glycoprotein (ZAG) in sera of women with NP. In contrast, women with HM were characterized by the up-regulated expression of CLU and LRG. However, the LRG of women with HM appeared to be differentially glycosylated from that of women with NP and CLU in women with HM seemed to be more cationic, relative to than that of NP women. All proteins which showed differential expression were identified by mass spectrometry analysis. The aberrant expression of the identified proteins was subsequently validated using immunoblotting technique.
Finally, an attempt to simultaneously detect the differential expression of the respective proteins was performed using multiplex immunoassay. A multiplex immunoassay was developed to evaluate the expression of eight proteins but the development was only successful for three proteins- anti-thrombin III (ATR), CLU and ceruloplasmin (CLP). Nonetheless, the assay was capable of confirming the up-regulated expression of CLU and the unaltered expression of ATR and CLP.


Information seeking is the task of finding documents that satisfy the information needs of a person or organisation. Digital Libraries are one means of providing documents to meet the information needs of their users - i.e. as a resource to support information seeking. Therefore, research into the activity of information seeking is key to the development and understanding of digital libraries.

Information structuring is the activity of organising documents found in the process of information seeking. Information structuring can be seen as either part of information seeking, or as a separate, complementary activity. It is a task performed by the seeker
themselves and targeted by them to support their understanding and the management of later seeking activity. Though information structuring is an important task, it receives sparse support in current digital library Systems.

Spatial hypertexts are computer software Systems that have been specifically been developed to support information structuring. However, they seldom are connected to
Systems that support information seeking. Thus to day, the two inter-related activities of information seeking and information structuring have been supported by disjoint
computer Systems.

However, a variety of research strongly indicates that in physical environments, information seeking and information structuring are closely inter-related activities. Given
this connection, this thesis explores whether a similar relationship can be found in electronic information seeking environments. However, given the absence of a software
system that supports both activities well, there is an immediate practical problem.

In this thesis, I introduce an integrated information seeking and structuring System, called Garnet, that provides a spatial hypertext interface that also supports information seeking in a digital library. The opportunity of supporting information seeking by the artefacts of
information structuring is explored in the Garnet system, drawing on the benefits previously found in supporting one information seeking activity with the artefacts of
another.

Garnet and its use are studied in a qualitative user study that results in the comparison of user behaviour in a combined electronic environment with previous studies in physical environments. The response of participants to using Garnet is reported, particularly regarding their perceptions of the combined system and the quality of the interaction. Finally, the potential value of the artefacts of information structuring to support information seeking is also evaluated.


The cyclic nucleotide content, adrenocortical adenylatecyclase, guanylatecyclase, cAMP and cGMP phosphodiesterase activity, as well as the blood corticosteroid content of guinea pigs were determined at the different periods after bilateral adrenalectomy. The raised basal adenylatecyclase effect was also seen during compensatory hypertrophy of the sole adrenal. The response of adenylatecyclase to ACTH and Na is also enhanced at this moment. It is suggested that a physiological increase in the blood ACTH concentration, resultant of unilateral adrenalectomy, intensifies the adenylatecyclase catalytic activity and does not induce enzyme desensitization. The guanylatecyclase activity grows. It was established that changes in both cyclase activities are dependent on the postoperative time and are equal by character. The alteration of adenylatecyclase state always leads to the rise of guanylatecyclase activity. Changes in the cAMP and cGMP phosphodiesterase activity were not observed.


A survey of red panda habitat was conducted in Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA) in order to gather information regarding presence and distribution of red panda as well as its habitat condition. Secondary sources revealed the presence of red panda in 16 VDCs of Taplejung district including the four VDCs of KCA. On-sitr visit to Lelep and Wolangchung Gola VDCs revealed red panda habitat from Hellok and Lungthung up to Phalay in Lelep VDC and from Sukepani up to Jaddak and Jaritar in Wolangchung Gola VDC. Two habitats were confirmed for red panda presence through sign survey at Gyabla and Jongim, where systematic sampling on altitudinal basis was done to study the vegetation. A total of 80 plant species (25 trees, 6 shrubs, 49 herbs) and 50 species (14 trees, 8 shrubs, 28 herbs) were recorded in Gyabla and Jongim areas respectively. Abies spectabilies was the most dominant tree in both areas (IVI = 62.46 & 95.79 respectively). Both habitats were characterized by the presence of dense undergrowth of ringal bamboo (D = 204,916 & D = 42,530 stems/ha respectively). Potentialla sp ., Anaphalis sp . and Plantago sp . along with the graminoides (monocot grasses) were common in both areas. Livestock grazing created disturbance to red panda, mainly during their mating season. Habitat destruction and fragmentation, people's dependency on forest for firewood and construction materials, chasing and killing of panda by the locals are the main threats to red panda in this region. Keywords: Red Panda, Habitat, Kanchenjunga Conservation Area


If I am no longer a woman, why do I still feel I'm one? If no longer worth holding, why do I crave it? If no longer sensual, why do I still enjoy the soft texture of satin and silk against my skin? If no longer sensitive, why do moving song lyrics strike a responsive chord in me? My every molecule seems to scream out that I do, indeed, exist, and that existence must be valued by someone! Western medicine's fascination with the human brain and its workings is still marked by blurred boundaries between the mappings of neuro-anatomy and culturally inflected interpretations of neuro-psychology. This essay attempts to trace some of the intersections and overlaps between biomedical discourse and cultural politics as they come together in constructing the figure of the dementia body. This journal article is available in Law Text Culture: http://ro.uow.edu.au/ltc/vol2/iss1/7


SUMMARY: Staphylococcus aureus strain du4916 was examined for linkage of markers. No 'curing' action due to treatment with acridine dyes was demonstrated. The genes for penicillinase production and metal-ion resistance (borne by a plasmid of 20 × 106 daltons), tetracycline resistance (a plasmid of 2·9 × 106), streptomycin resistance (a chromosomal gene) and methicillin resistance (of uncertain locus) were separately transduced to recipients. No linkage of methicillin resistance with enterotoxin B, haemolysins, pigment, or a gene that suppresses inducible resistance to erythromycin was demonstrated. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that all methicillin-resistant strains of S. aureus have a common and relatively recent origin.


The main goal in the power system is to transmit the power in a more economical way with high power quality and power factor, having a smaller possibility of system collapse or failure. Operation of power system network is going complex day by day and insecure with higher power flows without adequate control. Renewable energy when connected to the power grid can invite a lot of new problems and challenges. The output power of the wind generator is greatly affected by the variable nature of the wind speed which can cause power quality issues while integrating it to the grid network. The power quality issues include voltage fluctuation and reduced power factor. One solution is to introduce Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) like, Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC), Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) and Static Synchronous convertors. The main objective of power electronic convertors is to integrate renewable energy or any distributed generation to the standard of grid power factor. However, the troubles like injecting additional harmonics to the system due to the high switching frequency can cause immense power quality issues [1]. Custom power devices (CPD), which includes Shunt controllers like Static Synchronous Compensator or Static Var Compensator (STATCOM or SVC), Series Controllers like Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC or TCSC), Combination of Series and Shunt Controller like Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC) are used to interface devices between distributed generation and Series Compensator (SSSC) to improve the power factor and regulate the terminal voltage by installing it at the critical locations. MATLAB/PSAT is used to simulate the FACTS devices control scheme connected with the Wind turbine. And the effectiveness of the FACTS devices is tested by connecting the controllers at critical location of the power grid using IEEE 14 bus System. Keywords: Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC), Static Compensator (STATCOM), Static Synchronous Series


One of the first of its kind, this book examines the digitalization of Chinese businesses both theoretically and practically. Taking a fresh and unique approach, the authors seek to adopt individual theories for each empirical case explored and investigate the dramatic digital transformation that Chinese firms have undergone in recent years. With a particular focus on social networks, the authors observe and analyze the way that digitized applications can interlink with financial systems, developing new capabilities that help to yield competitive advantage. Covering both small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and globally orientated multinational enterprises (MNEs), this book is a valuable resource for those researching Asian business, or international business more generally, as well as innovation and technology management.


Permutational Quantum Computing (Jordan, 2009) is a natural quantum computational model that was conjectured to capture non-classical aspects of quantum computation. Contrary to the previous conjecture, we find a classical algorithm that efficiently approximates output distributions of the model up to polynomially small additive precision. We extend this algorithm to show that a large class of important quantum circuits - the Quantum Schur Sampling circuits - can be also efficiently simulated classically. The algorithm can be used to efficiently estimate non-trivial elements of irreducible representation matrices of the symmetric group on $n$ elements and might be also used to approximate transition amplitudes of the Ponzano-Regge model.


Author(s): Klumphu, Piyatida | Advisor(s): Lipshutz, Bruce H | Abstract: Green Chemistry has become a priority for conducting chemistry in both academia and industry. When advanced processes are developed in the area, chemists not only are concerned with the efficiency of the processes but also the impact on the environment. One of the major criteria of green chemistry, which is the focus of this thesis, is the replacement of organic solvents with an environmentally friendly reaction medium: water. Micellar catalysis facilitates organic reactions in water by self-assembling of surfactants, creating on organic environment for substrates and catalyst in which to perform reactions. The development of a surfactant, which serves as a solvent, is crucial for achieving syntheses under micellar catalysis conditions. A third-generation designer surfactant, "Nok" (SPGS-550-M), commercially available from Aldrich, can be prepared in two-steps, both involving esterification using a naturally abundant plant feedstock β-sitosterol together with succinic anhydride and PEG-550-M. To evaluate this surfactant, various side-by-side transition metal-catalyzed reactions have been tested relative to TPGS-750-M (the second-generation surfactant). It has been shown that with lower cost, Nok usually affords yields that are as good as, or better than those typically obtained with TPGS-750-M. Additionally, lowering the amount of precious metal-containing catalysts and costly ligands is preferable according to the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry and from the standpoint of economics as well. Ligand-free dehalogenation of aryl halides in water is an example of applying green chemistry principles by avoiding use of ligands and organic solvents in an important organic reaction. These mild and efficient conditions achieved via in-situ generation of dihydrogen from PdCl2/TMDS in water, subsequent dehalogenation of various functionalized aryl halides. The technology can be further expanded to include an application to multi-step synthesis, as well as showing an ability to recycle catalysts and the reaction medium. Finally, utilizing the highly effective ligand HandaPhos for ppm gold-catalyzed reactions has been successfully performed in nanomicelles. Several cycloisomerizations of allenes have been performed giving various types of heterocyclic products in good yields. The scope of reaction also allows for intermolecular reactions such as hydration of alkynes. Although catalyst loadings are very low, this work demonstrates an ability to recycle catalysts as well as the reaction medium with consistent reactivity.


In order to comply with governmentally announced greenhouse gas emission reductions goals and to consolidate an independent and stable electric power and energy supply, Norway must increase its installed renewable energy based power generation capacity. Profitability estimations, today's available technical solutions and regulations concerning preservation of natural resources leave construction of new small hydro power plants behind as the most plausible alternative together with construction of wind farms. Global trends such as technologic development and progress and the public opinion indicate that future wind farms in Norway will be located offshore. The assumption is supported by the recent handing out of a concession to an offshore wind farm project for the first time in Norwegian history. The projects name is Havsul 1 and the licence involves construction of 350 MW offshore wind power. Havsul 1 will be located in Mid-Norway, which is the region in Norway where the Norwegian Transmission System Operator (TSO) Statnett is most concerned about their ability to execute their task of assuring safety of power supply in the future. The concern owes to lack of generation capacity and transmission constraints. Experience show that commissioning of large offshore wind farms will impose power balance associated challenges on the TSO. By applying a slightly modified model developed by Sintef of the Nordel synchronous system in the power simulation tool DIgSILENT PowerFactory, grid connection of 350 MW and 1000 MW offshore wind farms to a bus bar representing Mid-Norway were investigated, targeting reduction of frequency excursions. To execute the reduction task, a so-called centralised Load Frequency Control (LFC) scheme was implemented and four hydro power plants were designated to provide regulating power pursuant to a priority key that used their response times as input. To simulate power fluctuations in the time span of hours, real time wind data acquired from the Danish offshore wind farm Horns Rev 1 was used as input in the offshore wind farm model. These data were kindly provided by the Swedish power company Vattenfall. The power fluctuations simulations showed that LFC is a well-fitted tool for bridling frequency excursions in the Nordel synchronous system caused by fluctuating power generation in an offshore wind farm. During the power fluctuations, which were of a particularly challenging kind, the system frequency complied with Statnett's normal operation requirements of 50 ±0.1 Hz. The results weren't too surprising since LFC has been used successfully in Europe for many years. They did however show that the amounts of the so-called frequency controlled normal operation reserves in Nordel may need to be expanded in case of a massive expansion in wind power in Norway. Fault Ride Through (FRT) investigations were also conducted by introducing 3-phase short circuit faults at selected bus bars. The simulations showed that the FRT requirements in Norway were not violated even in the worst case simulations. Some choices regarding the setup of the model may have exalted the simulation results.


Abstract Type 1 polysaccharide storage myopathy caused by genetic mutation in the glycogen synthase 1 gene is present in many breeds including the Noriker and Haflinger horses. In humans, EMG has already been used to document changes in the muscle activity patterns of patients affected by human glycogen storage disorders. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to describe gluteus muscle activity with surface electromyography (sEMG) in Haflinger and Noriker horses with known GYS1 mutation status during walk and trot. Thirty‐two horses (11 Haflinger and 21 Noriker horses) with homozygous non‐affected (GG), heterozygous affected (GA) and homozygous affected (AA) status of GYS1 mutation without overt clinical signs of any myopathy were selected for the current study. Using surface electromyography gluteus medius muscle activity at walk and at trot was measured, and muscle activity was described in relation to the maximum observed value at the same sensor and the same gait. In order to further describe the signals in detail comprising both frequencies and amplitudes, the crossings through the baseline and the 25, 50 and 75 percentile lines were determined. The result of the relative muscle activity did not show a consistent difference between affected and non‐affected horses. Genetically affected (GA and AA) horses showed significantly less density of muscle activity for both gaits and horse breeds except for the crossings per second at the baseline and 75 percentile at walk in the Haflinger horses and 75 percentile at trot in the Noriker horses. The medians of all calculated density values were significantly lower in the GA Haflingers compared to the GG Haflingers (p = 0.012) and also in the AA Norikers compared to the GG Norikers (p = 0.011). Results indicate that the GYS1 mutation reduces the number of functional muscle fibres detected by sEMG measurements even in the absence of overt clinical signs.


In the paper the authors maintain that the prevalence of technical analysis in professional investment argues that such techniques should perhaps be taken more seriously by academics. The new technique of genetic programming is used to investigate a long time series of price data for a quoted property investment company, to discern whether there are any patterns in the data which could be used for technical trading purposes. A successful buy rule is found which generates returns in excess of what would be expected from the best-fitting null time-series model. Nevertheless, this turns out to be a more sophisticated variant of the buy and hold rule, which the authors term timing specific buy and hold. Although the rule does outperform simple buy and hold, it really does not provide sufficient grounds for the rejection of the efficient market hypothesis, though it does suggest that further investigation of the specific conditions of applicability of the EMH may be appropriate.


Southwestern U.S. pinyon tree‐ring carbon‐isotope indices showed promise two decades ago as an indicator of moisture and drought. However, because those isotopic indices were developed on 5‐year ring groups rather than annual rings, the full extent of their effectiveness as environmental proxies was not established. Recent re‐sampling of the sites and subsequent availability of annual isotopic indices for 1985 through 1999 has allowed us to more definitively characterize environmental relationships across 14 sites in six southwestern states. Principal component (PC) analysis reveals a significant positive relationship (p ≤ 0.02) between isotope indices and summer‐season Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), a satellite‐derived "greenness index". Correlation and PC analysis also show a negative relationship of isotope indices with cumulative monthly precipitation (p ≤ 0.05) and confirm a strong positive relationship with Palmer Drought Index (especially spring and summer, p ≤ 0.0002). Although the drought and NDVI relationships are not as simply interconnected as hypothesized, the NDVI link reveals the potential of the existing multi‐century record of isotope indices for long‐term assessment of southwestern ecology and carbon cycling.


Background: Laparoscopic surgery is associated with shorter hospital stay, less post-operative pain and excellent cosmesis. Post-operative pain is lesser in laparoscopic procedures but in some cases, it is not absolutely painless. The aim of different methods to reduce the post-operative pain is to avoid the use of opioids by using anti-inflammatory drugs and infiltration of local anesthesia either intra-peritoneal or in the wound. Theoretically peripheral blockage of pain stimuli with local anesthetic agent is more effective than treating pain. For this purpose, Bupivacaine has been recently used to be injected at port sites. Objective: To evaluate the pain and requirement of injectable anti-inflammatory drug (inj. Ketorolac 30mg) after port site infiltration of inj. bupivacaine in laparoscopic cases. Study Design: Prospective randomized study of elective laparoscopic procedures. Settings: Surgical Unit-IV, DHQ Teaching Hospital Faisalabad, Medical University Faisalabad Pakistan. Duration: November 2015 to May 2017. Methodology: Two hundred and sixty patients included in the study were divided into two groups with equal number in each group. Results: In the study group(A), 103(79.3%) patients were females of 27(20.7%) patients were males. All female patients in the study group underwent LC and among males, 26(96.3%) patients underwent TAPP and 1(3.7%) patient underwent LC. In the control group(B) 97(74.6%) patients were females, 33(25.4%) patients were male. All female patients (100%) underwent LC and among the males, 30 patients (90.9%) underwent TAPP, 3(9.1%) patients underwent LC. In the study group, the mean VAS in the study group at 2 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours after surgery was 1.6, 1.7, 1.6 with standard deviation 1.6, 1.7, 1.8 respectively while in the control group VAS was 2.9, 3.1, 2.6 with standard deviation 2.1, 1.8, 1.9 respectively. In the study group the mean of anti-inflammatory drug injections (Ketorolac) needed was 1.0000 with standard deviation 0.7 and in control group, the same was 1.3 with standard deviation 70.8. The previous was less than 0.05. Conclusion: Infiltration of local anesthetic agent i.e., Bupivacaine results in almost total painless procedure in laparoscopic surgery, the timing and anatomical site of injection should be investigated further.


The incidence of obesity with, as consequence, a rise in associated diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia − the metabolic syndrome − is reaching epidemic proportions in industrialized countries. Here, we provide a hypothesis that the biological clock which normally prepares us each morning for the coming activity period is altered due to a modern life style of low activity during the day and late‐night food intake. Furthermore, we review the anatomical evidence supporting the proposal that an unbalanced autonomic nervous system output may lead to the simultaneous occurrence of diabetes type 2, dyslipidemia, hypertension and visceral obesity.


We report the results of an [O iii] λ5007 spectroscopic survey for planetary nebulae (PNe) located within the star clusters of M31. By examining R ∼ 5000 spectra taken with the WIYN+Hydra spectrograph, we identify 3 PN candidates in a sample of 274 likely globular clusters, 2 candidates in objects which may be globular clusters, and 5 candidates in a set of 85 younger systems. The possible PNe are all faint, between ∼2.5 and ∼6.8 mag down the PN luminosity function, and, partly as a consequence of our selection criteria, have high excitation, with [O iii] λ5007 to Hβ ratios ranging from 2 to ≳ 12. We discuss the individual candidates, their likelihood of cluster membership, and the possibility that they were formed via binary interactions within the clusters. Our data are consistent with the suggestion that PN formation within globular clusters correlates with binary encounter frequency, though, due to the small numbers and large uncertainties in the candidate list, this study does not provide sufficient evidence to confirm the hypothesis.


The dynamics of earthquake ruptures in subduction zone are expected to be partially governed by the dehydra- tion of minerals during shear heating. In this study, we conducted and compared results coming from stick-slip experiments on Westerly granite, serpentinized peridotite, and serpentinite. Experiments were conducted under triaxial loading at confining pressures of 50 and 100 MPa. The angle between the fault plane and the maximum stress was imposed to be equal to 30 degrees. Usual a dual gain system, a high frequency acoustic monitoring array recorded particles acceleration during macroscopic stick-slip events and premonitory background microseismicity. In addition, we used an amplified strain gage located at 3 mm to fault plane to record the dynamic stress change during laboratory earthquakes. In all rocks, we show that increasing the stress acting on the fault leads to an increase of the seismic slip, which in turns leads to a decrease in the dynamic friction coefficient. However, for a same initial stress, displacements are larger in serpentinized peridotite and in serpentinite than in Westerly granite. While the partial melting of the fault surface is observed in each rock tested, the dynamic friction drop is larger in peridotite and serpentinite. This larger friction drop is explained by the dehydration of antigorite, which leaves a partially amorphised material and leads to the production of a low viscosity melt. Finally, using theroretical assumptions, we show that the radiation efficiency of laboratory earthquakes is larger in peridotite and serpentinite than in granite. This calculation is supported by larger elastic wave radiation, and by microstructural analysis.


"I'm an evolutionary biologist and a Christian," states Stanford professor Joan Roughgarden at the outset of her groundbreaking new book, "Evolution and Christian Faith: Reflections of an Evolutionary Biologist". From that perspective, she offers an elegant, deeply satisfying reconciliation of the theory of evolution and the wisdom of the Bible. Perhaps only someone with Roughgarden's unique academic standing could examine so well controversial issues such as the teaching of intelligent design in public schools, or the potential flaws in Darwin's theory of evolution. Certainly Roughgarden is uniquely suited to reference both the minutiae of scientific processes and the implication of biblical verses. Whether the topic is mutation rates and lizards or the hidden meanings behind St. Paul's letters, "Evolution and Christian Faith" distils complex arguments into everyday understanding. Roughgarden has scoured the Bible and scanned the natural world, finding examples time and again, not of conflict, but of harmony. The result is an accessible and intelligent context for seeing a Christian vision of the world that embraces science. In the ongoing debates over creationism and evolution, "Evolution and Christian Faith" will be seen as a work of major significance, written for contemporary readers who wonder how - or if - they can embrace scientific advances while maintaining their traditional values.


Players of real-time strategy (RTS) games are often annoyed by the inability of the game AI to select and move teams of units in a natural way. Units travel and battle separately, resulting in huge losses and the AI looking unintelligent, as can the choice of units sent to counteract the opponents. Players are affected as well as computer commanded factions because they cannot micromanage all team related issues. We suggest improving AI behavior by combining well-known computational intelligence techniques applied in an original way. Team composition for battling spatially distributed opponent groups is supported by a learning self-organizing map (SOM) that relies on an evolutionary algorithm (EA) to adapt it to the game. Different abilities of unit types are thus employed in a near-optimal way, reminiscent of human ad hoc decisions. Team movement is greatly enhanced by flocking and influence map-based path finding, leading to a more natural behavior by preserving individual motion types. The team decision to either attack or avoid a group of enemy units is easily parametrizable, incorporating team characteristics from fearful to daredevil. We demonstrate that these two approaches work well separately, but also that they go together naturally, thereby leading to an improved and flexible group behavior.


Social media is used as a tool by many people to express their opinions. Sentiment analysis for social media is very important, as it allows information to be obtained about public opinion on government performance. The goal of this research is to learn about the opinions of Surabaya citizens, using deep learning methods. The data are extracted from the official Twitter accounts of the Surabaya government and a private radio station in Surabaya. The data are grouped into two categories: positive and negative sentiments. This research is conducted in three steps: data pre-processing, sentiment classification, and visualization. Data pre-processing is required before modelling approaches are applied. It is used to transform the unstructured text data into structured data. The data pre-processing consists of case folding, tokenizing, and the removal of stop words. Deep learning methods are then applied to the data. A Backpropagation Neural Network (BNN) and a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) are used to perform the sentiment classification. The BNN and CNN are compared using various metrics, such as precision, sensitivity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). A word cloud is then used to visualize the data and find the most frequent words in each class. The results show that the sentiment classification with CNN is better than that with the BNN because the values for the precision, sensitivity and AUC are higher.


: Intracellular levels of cyclic AMP (cAMP), adenylate cyclase, and cAMP-phosphodiesterase activities at lag-period, exponential and stationary growth phases of hepatoma 22a were determined. It was shown that the transition of tumour cells from the lag-period to the exponential phase of growth was accompanied by the two-fold decrease of intracellular cAMP level on account of drastic activation of cAMP phosphodiesterase. Subsequently the cAMP level lowered more slowly until the cells entered the stationary phase of growth. In view of the fact that the adenylate cyclase activity failed to change at different growth phases of hepatoma 22a, it seems very proballe that the rise of cAMP phosphodiesterase activity could be a signal for the exit of tumour cells from the lag-period and their entrance into the mitotic cycle.


The tribe Rhopalophorini is reviewed for North and Central America. Keys to genera and species are provided, and known species are redescribed. The genus Rhopalophora Audinet-Serville is revised to include 16 species, with the following additions: R. serripennis n. sp. and R. yucatana n. sp. are described from Mexico; R. rugicollis hovorei n. ssp. is described from Baja California; and R meeskei Casey, 1891 is restored to species status. New synonymies are: R. incrustata Chevrolat, 1859 = R. tenuis (Chevrolat, 1855); R. laevicollis LeConte, 1873 = R. cupricollis Guerin-Meneville, 1844. Distribution maps are included for the more common species. The subgenus Ischionodonta Chevrolat is raised to genenc status, and includes 3 species: I. serripes (Bates, 1872) n. comb.; I. versicolor (Chevrolat, 1859) n. comb.; and I.mexicana n. sp. from Mexico. Cosmisoma Audinet-Serville is revised to include 6 species, with 2 newly described: C. militaris n. sp. from Panama and Costa Rica, and C. rhaptos n. sp from Panama and Colombia. New synonymies are: C. nudicornis Bates, 1892 = C. martyr Thomson, 1860, and C. alboscutellata linsley, 1935 = C. reticulata Bates, 1885. Cycnoderus Audinet-Serville is newly recorded from Mexico and central America with 6 species: C. virginiae n. sp., C. copein. sp., C. lividus n. sp., C. brevicolle n. sp. from Mexico, and C. guatemalicus n. sp. from Guatemala. Cycnoderus barbatus Gounelle is recorded from Costa Rica and Panama. A new genus, Muxbalia, is proposed and tentatively placed in the Rhopalophorini, and M. monzoni n. sp. is described from Guatemala. Ozodes Audinet-Serville, and Lissozodes Bates are removed from the Rhopalophorini and placed provisionally in the Necydalopsini. Rhopalophora cupricollis, R. longipes, R. serripennis, Cycnoderus virginiae, Cosmisoma rhaptos, and Muxbalia monzoni are illustrated.


PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to estimate both direct and indirect channels through which imported inputs spur exporting in the African manufacturing sector.Design/methodology/approachThe authors estimated models for all exporters, direct exporters and indirect exporters using a probit model. The authors circumvented the endogeneity of imported inputs and productivity in the export status models by using their lagged values. The authors employed the World Bank Enterprise Survey data for a set of 26 African countries.FindingsFrom the direct channel, the authors find that importers of inputs in the previous period increase the probability of exporting in the current period pointing to the possibility of sunk cost complementarities. Indirectly, high lagged firm productivity spurs exporting in the current period. Being a direct importer of inputs in the previous period increases the probability of exporting directly but has no effect on indirect exporters. Both channels are complimentary because their interaction term is positive and significant.Practical implicationsThe importation of inputs seems a precondition for exporting and that any policy obscuring imports may indirectly inhibit exportation. Government policy should make importation inputs easier in order to stimulate exporting activities.Originality/valueThe paper's contribution to empirical literature is that much of the empirical studies have overly concentrated on developed countries and hence leaving a huge knowledge gap for African countries. The only papers focusing on Africa are by Parra and Martínez-Zarzoso (2015), who focused on the Egyptian manufacturing sector, and Edwardset al. (2017), who used firm-level data from South Africa. The authors extend this literature by undertaking firm-level analysis in a cross-country setting among manufacturing firms in Africa.


Prairie voles are socially monogamous rodents that form social bonds similar to those seen in primates. Social behavior investigation in these species, that include studying their breathing regulation, can provide us with an invaluable psychological model to understand social and emotional functions in both animals and humans. There have been several studies associated with the respiratory pattern of these species in the state of fear-induced defense. However, non-invasive measurement methods employed so far suffer from the lack of a natural experiment environment for the rodents. In this paper, we present a remote depth-based system, which applies a modified autocorrelation algorithm to automatically extract respiration patterns in small rodents. We evaluated our estimation accuracy through a series of experiments and comparing the extracted results with breathing rates obtained from visual inspection of synchronously collected RGB videos. In a preliminary test on a human participant, breathing rate was estimated with 100% accuracy, while the estimation accuracy was 94.8% for a restrained vole. Finally, we monitored the respiratory alternations of three voles in transition from a baseline, to a fearful state, and back to a normal state; the estimated breathing rates confirmed the existing hypothesis regarding animal defense strategies.


Based on the statistics data from 1990 to 2008 in Anhui province, this article selects four indexes which include energy consumption, SO2 discharge, water consumption and COD discharge per ten thousand yuan GDP, and establishes environment learning curves of energy consumption and air pollution, water consumption and pollution in Anhui province. According to these models, the potentials of resources saving and pollution reducing in different periods are calculated and analyzed, represented by the decrease of each index when the per capita GDP increase 1000 yuan. The result shows that: (1) With the growth of GDP per capital, each index falls by power exponential model which follows "environmental learning curve", illustrating that the burden of resource and environment was steady declining. (2) The potentials of saving energy resources and reducing pollution in Anhui province gradually descents from 1990 to 2008, illustrating that the reduction in marginal cost by the development of technology is becoming smaller and smaller, and the enhancement of resource using efficiency and pollution reducing efficiency is not unlimited.


Humeral shaft fractures constitute only 3% of fractures in children younger than age 16 years. They are most common in children younger than 3 and older than 12 years old. They can be classified according to the fracture pattern, location, and tissues damaged. Fractures resulting from minor trauma may be caused by an occult unicameral bone cyst. Each age group requires different diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Fractures at birth are seen mostly with macrosomic and breech presentation.80 In children younger than 3 years, humeral fractures often are linked to child abuse. In those older than 10 years, fractures are related to direct or indirect trauma. Sports activities have been reported also to cause injuries in skeletally immature patients. Most humeral fractures are controlled nonoperatively; however, potential operative indications include open fractures, multiple trauma, bilateral injuries, compartment syndromes, pathological fracture, significant nerve injuries, and inadequate closed reduction.


Having defeated a Germanic invasion of northern Italy, the Emperor Aurelian surrounded Rome with a powerful circuit of walls. This great fortification is one of the best preserved of all city walls in the Roman Empire and remains a dramatic feature of Rome today, representing the most emblematic and the most enduring monument of Aurelian's age. Nothing else so eloquently demonstrates that, by Aurelian's day, the empire was on the defensive. Although embellished, strengthened and restored many times down the ages, Aurelian's original structure remained the basis of the city's defences through to the mid-19th century, when the Republican forces under Giuseppe Garibaldi managed for some time to withstand the French, and is still discernible today along much of the walls' circuit.This title describes Aurelian's Wall in detail with cut-away cross sections, and investigates its historical purpose and military effectiveness within the general context of late Roman fortifications. A final section follows the history of the Wall's continued use beyond the Romano-Byzantine period, and provides an invaluable tourist aid.


Introduction
The principal effect of Helicobacter pylori infection is lifelong chronic gastritis, affecting up to 20% of younger adults but 50% to 80% of adults born in resource-rich countries before 1950.


Saltwater intrusion in southern Florida poses a potential threat to the public drinking-water supply that is typically monitored using water samples and electromagnetic induction logs collected from a network of wells. Transient electromagnetic (TEM) soundings are a complementary addition to the monitoring program because of their ease of use, low cost, and ability to fill in data gaps between wells. TEM soundings have been used to map saltwater intrusion in the Biscayne aquifer over a large part of south Florida including eastern Miami-Dade County and the Everglades. These two areas are very different with one being urban and the other undeveloped. Each poses different conditions that affect data collection and data quality. In the developed areas, finding sites large enough to make soundings is difficult. The presence of underground pipes further restricts useable locations. Electromagnetic noise, which reduces data quality, is also an issue. In the Everglades, access to field sites is difficult and working in water-covered terrain is challenging. Nonetheless, TEM soundings are an effective tool for mapping saltwater intrusion. Direct estimates of water quality can be obtained from the inverted TEM data using a formation factor determined for the Biscayne aquifer. This formation factor is remarkably constant over Miami-Dade County owing to the uniformity of the aquifer and the absence of clay. Thirty-six TEM soundings were collected in the Model Land area of southeast Miami-Dade County to aid in calibration of a helicopter electromagnetic (HEM) survey. The soundings and HEM survey revealed an area of saltwater intrusion aligned with canals and drainage ditches along U.S. Highway 1 and the Card Sound Road. These canals and ditches likely reduced freshwater levels through unregulated drainage and provided pathways for seawater to flow at least 12.4 km inland.


During visit beech forests of Mazandaran province in May and June of 2010-2011, some infected twigs of Fagus sylvatica with signs of fungal infection were collected. Laboratory analysis revealed acervular fruiting bodies on infected twigs. Acervulus up to 500 μm in diameter and forming a black spot on main and secondary twigs. Conidia erumpent, form black masses over the acervulus. Conidia are spherical, brown to olive, with acropetal branched cells enclosed in a gelatinous sheath. Complex conidia are 12.522.5 ×25-45 μm, composed of sphaerical cells which are 1.253.75× 2.57.5 μm. Conidiophores hyaline, up to 150 μm, septate, straight and cylindrical. The above morphological features fit well with the earlier descriptions of Cheirospora botryospora (Mont.) Berk. & Broome (Sutton 1980, The Coelomycetes). The species has been previously reported on Cornus alba, Hedera helix, Fagus gandifolia and Quercus rubra (Sutton 1980). This is the first report of the fungus from Iran. specimens examinated On twigs of Fagus sylvatica., May 4, 2011, Mazandaran province (Kelardasht), Jamshid Boujari, (IRAN 15685 F).


This paper addresses the challenging issue of real-time camera localization relative to any object that have texture or not, sharp edges or occluding contours. 3D contour points, dynamically extracted from a CAD model by Analysis-by-Synthesis on the graphics hardware, are combined with a keyframe-based SLAM algorithm to estimate camera poses. Our tracking solution is accurate, robust to sudden motions and to occlusions, as demonstrated on synthetic and real data. This solution is also easy to deploy since it only uses an RGB camera and a CAD model of the object of interest, requires no manual intervention on this model and runs on a consumer tablet at a frequency of 40Hz on a HD video-stream. Videos are available as supplemental material.


Prostate cancer significantly affects the overall morbidity and mortality of malignant tumours in highly developed countries. Important risk factors include family predisposition and regional, racial and dietary determinants. The scientific literature contains a great deal of data on the role of calcium and dairy products in general in the process of neoplastic transformation of the prostate. This is most likely linked to the fact that changes in the concentration of calcium ions control such varied life processes as secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters, the level of cyclic nucleotides, and cell growth, division and differentiation. Research is conducted to demonstrate that disorders of cell cycle control due to differences in calcium ion concentrations may be crucial for the development and prevention of cancer. Disturbances of calcium homeostasis in the body can be caused by various mechanisms, such as excessive calcium intake in the diet, vitamin D deficiency, structural and functional changes in vitamin D receptor (VDR), Calcium-Sensing Receptor (CaSR), and parathyroid hormone receptor (PTH-1-R), changes in calcium ion channels, phosphate metabolism disorders (phosphatonin and the Klotho protein), changes in the level of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), and others. The article presents data on the mechanisms maintaining calcium homeostasis at the molecular level and genetic aspects playing a role in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer. The data cited on the occurrence of abnormal mechanisms of calcium metabolism in prostate cancer suggest the need for individualized intake of this element in the diet, especially in the case of patients with a family history of PCa.


In this letter, a novel supervised classification approach is presented for the classification of hyperspectral images using kernel Fukunaga-Koontz transform (KFKT). The Fukunaga-Koontz transform (FKT) is originally a powerful target detection method used in remote sensing tasks, and it is an especially good classification tool for two-class problems. The traditional FKT method has been kernelized for increasing the nonlinear discrimination ability and capturing higher order of statistics of data. The proposed approach in this letter aims to solve the multiclass problem by regarding one class as target that is tried to be separated from the remaining classes (as clutter) like one-against-all methodology. The KFKT provides superior performance in the classification of hyperspectral data even using small number of samples because of nonlinear separability of data in higher dimensional space. The experiments confirm that KFKT has better and promising results than FKT and support vector machine in classification of hyperspectral images.


In order to study the changes in the pattern of autonomic innervation of the human cardiac conduction system in relation to age, the innervation of the conduction system of 24 human hearts (the age of the individuals ranged from newborn to 80 years), freshly obtained at autopsy, was evaluated by a combination of immunofluorescence and histochemical techniques. The pattern of distribution and density of nerves exhibiting immunoreactivity against protein gene product 9.5 (PGP), a general neural marker, dopamine β‐hydroxylase (DBH) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), indicators for presumptive sympathetic neural tissue, and those demonstrating positive acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, were studied. All these nerves showed a similar pattern of distribution and developmental changes. The density of innervation, assessed semiquantitatively, was highest in the sinus node, and exhibited a decreasing gradient through the atrioventricular node, penetrating and branching bundle, to the bundle branches. Other than a paucity of those showing AChE activity, nerves were present in substantial quantities in infancy. They then increased in density to a maximum in childhood, at which time the adult pattern was achieved and then gradually decreased in density in the elders to a level similar to or slightly less than that in infancy. In contrast, only scattered AChE‐positive nerves were found in the sinus and atrioventricular nodes, but were absent from the bundle branches of the infant heart, whereas these conduction tissues themselves possessing a substantial amount of pseudocholinesterase. During maturation into adulthood, however, the conduction tissues gradually lost their content of pseudocholinesterase but acquired a rich supply of AChE‐positive nerves, comparable in density to those of DBH and TH nerves. The decline in density of AChE‐positive nerves in the conduction tissues in the elders was also similar to those of DBH and TH nerves. Our findings of initial sympathetic dominance in the neural supply to the human cardiac conduction system in infancy, and its gradual transition into a sympathetic and parasympathetic codominance in adulthood, correlate well with the physiologic alterations known to occur in cardiac rate during postnatal development. The finding of reduction in density of innervation of the conduction tissue with ageing is also in agreement with clinical and electrophysiological findings such as age‐associated reduction in cardiac response to parasympathetic stimulation. Finally, our findings also support the hypothesis that, in addition to the para‐arterial route, the parafascicular route of extension along the conduction tissue constitutes another pathway for the innervation of the conduction system of the human heart during development. Anat Rec 264:169–182, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


To investigate patient, cancer and treatment characteristics in females with breast cancer from more remote areas of Australia, to better understand reasons for their poorer outcomes, bi-variable and multivariable analyses were undertaken using the National Breast Cancer Audit database of the Society of Breast Surgeons of Australia and New Zealand. Results indicated that patients from more remote areas were more likely to be of lower socio- economic status and be treated in earlier diagnostic epochs and at inner regional and remote rather than major city centres. They were also more likely to be treated by low case load surgeons, although this finding was only of marginal statistical significance in multivariable analysis (p=0.074). Patients from more remote areas were less likely than those from major cities to be treated by breast conserving surgery, as opposed to mastectomy, and less likely to have adjuvant radiotherapy when having breast conserving surgery. They had a higher rate of adjuvant chemotherapy. Further monitoring will be important to determine whether breast conserving surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy utilization increase in rural patients following the introduction of regional cancer centres recently funded to improve service access in these areas.


The aim of the study was to evaluate the markers of oxidative stress and metabolic disorders in preterm infants and to examine their association with short-term outcomes in the early neonatal period to identify the predictors of unfavourable outcome. The study included 46 preterm infants, gestational age ≤32 weeks, in the early neonatal period, i.e. group 1 of 12 infants with lethal outcome and group 2 of 34 preterm infants with favourable outcome. Markers of metabolic disorders, oxidative stress and antioxidant system were analysed in cord blood and urine on the fi rst/second day of life. Evaluation of oxidative (8-isoprostane) and antioxidant system (catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity) and metabolic (lactate, pyruvate, lactate to pyruvate ratio (LPR), NAD+/NADH) stress parameters confi rmed energy imbalance and presence of tissue hypoxia in preterm newborns with adverse outcomes. The following risk factors of unfavourable prognosis in preterm infants in the early neonatal period were identifi ed: asphyxia (p=0.038), early-onset sepsis (p=0.003), intraventricular haemorrhage (p=0.029), hyperlactatemia (p=0.013), increased pyruvate level (p=0.002), increased LPR (p=0.008), decreased catalase (p=0.003) and SOD (p=0.001) activity. Logistic regression indicated that mortality rate was positively related to asphyxia, early-onset sepsis and lactate level, and negatively related to SOD activity. In conclusion, intensive oxidative and metabolic stress in preterm infants is associated with adverse outcomes in the early neonatal period. A combination of asphyxia and early-onset sepsis together with high lactate level and decreased SOD activity is a predictor of unfavourable outcome in the early neonatal period.


Urbanization has rapidly been consuming the green cover of the precious earth planet, thus resulting into severe global problem in urbanized areas. The green concept for roofs and the city represents a truly rare occurrence in modern economics: a tool for the remedies for urban climate change, building cooling, energy savings, noise and toxic gas reductions, storm water management, biodiversity conservation and the creation of newmarkets for existing goods and services. Green roofs have become a very important component of sustainable urban development in modern age. Their striking economical and ecological advances, along with growing environmental awareness, are the driving forces for this great success. At present, green roofs and rooftop gardens can be found in most big cities around the world, benefiting the urban environment and its inhabitants. Green roofs have yet to catch on in a big way in India, but hopefully this will change soon. Many building design professionals around the world have hugely underestimated the value of green roofs. Especially inwarmer countries like India, a well-irrigated green roof can provide greater energy savings compared to a cool roof or even an insulated roof. "Green Roofs for Healthy Cities", have wide benefits. Studies have shown that green building space commands a premium of at least 6% in some countries. Green roofs are comprised of a number of different layers, all of which have different and related functions that have to work together to function properly.


Answering patients' evolving, more complex needs has been recognized as a main incentive for the development of interprofessional care. Thus, it is not surprising that patient-centered practice (PCP) has been adopted as a major outcome for interprofessional education. Nevertheless, little research has focused on how PCP is perceived across the professions. This study aimed to address this issue by adopting a phenomenological approach and interviewing three groups of professionals: social workers (n = 10), nurses (n = 10) and physicians (n = 8). All the participants worked in the same department (the General Internal Medicine department of a university affiliated hospital). Although the participants agreed on a core meaning of PCP as identifying, understanding and answering patients' needs, they used many dimensions to define PCP. Overall, the participants expressed value for PCP as a philosophy of care, but there was the sense of a hierarchy of patient-centeredness across the professions, in which both social work and nursing regarded themselves as more patient-centered than others. On their side, physicians seemed inclined to accept their lower position in this hierarchy. Gieryn's concept of boundary work is employed to help illuminate the nature of PCP within an interprofessional context.


It's estimated that 80% of new applications today are Web based. These applications typically handle unpredictable workloads of unstructured Big Data that must be delivered anywhere, anytime, on any screen. This paper discusses how Web-based APIs, scale-out cloud architecture, and selfservice access to storage are 3 ways to accelerate Web application development.


The Ramsey rule for the consumption rate of discount assumes a transfer of money of a (representative) agent at one point in time to the same agent at another point in time. Climate policy (implicitly) transfers money not just over time but also between agents. I propose three alternative modifications of the Ramsey rule to account for this. Taking the Ramsey rule as given, I derive an intuitively clear but ad hoc modification. Using the assumptions underlying the Ramsey rule, I derive a consistent but more elaborate modification. If the discount rate is differentiated by victim, the consistent modified Ramsey rule is simpler and identical to regional equity weights. I apply the modified Ramsey rules to estimates of the marginal damage costs of carbon dioxide emissions. The results confirm that optimal climate policy has differentiated carbon taxes. Results also show that the standard Ramsey rule drastically underestimates the social cost of carbon.


Changes in the O2 and CO2 content of respired gases can alter regional pulmonary blood flow distribution in the mammalian lung. It is known that alterations in respiratory gases can cause a non-homogenous redistribution of pulmonary blood flow between the paleopulmo (PALEO) and neopulmo (NEO) of the avian lung; however the effect of alterations in respired gas content on the distribution of pulmonary blood flow in birds, such as the chicken, which possess a highly developed NEO is not known. This study utilized a colorimetric microsphere method to determine the effects of hypoxia and hypercapnia on the relative distribution of pulmonary blood flow in anesthetized chickens (Gallus domesticus) during control (normoxic) and experimental (hypoxic or hypercapnic) conditions where the relative regional distribution of blood flow in the lung is expressed as the ratio NEO/ PALEO. Administration of a hypoxic gas mixture (16.0% O2) produced a 13.4% increase in NEO/ PALEO, and, administration of a hypercapnic gas mixture (5.0% CO2) resulted in a 27.8% increase in NEO/PALEO. NEO/PALEO was not changed in normoxic sham controls. Our results are consistent with a mechanism in which the regional redistribution of pulmonary blood flow is mediated by local intrapulmonary factors.


We report our observations on day-to-day variation in serum ferritin, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, and percent saturation of binding proteins with iron in 13 ostensibly healthy subjects during five weeks. The average intrasubject coefficients of variation were 14.5, 28.5, 4.8, and 28.0%, respectively. Precision studies on control samples showed greater within-assay and between-assay analytical variation for serum ferritin than for serum iron or total iron-binding capacity. Evidently, serum ferritin varies less in a given individual from day to day than do serum iron and percent iron saturation. Thus, a single measurement of serum ferritin may be a more reliable index of iron stores than an isolated determination of either serum iron or percent iron saturation.


AbstrAct Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from young and aged mice differ in their activity, and these differences in the activity are mostly intrinsic to HSCs. We therefore refer to aged HSCs and young HSCs when we speak of stem cells from aged and young animals. What are the molecular and cellular mechanisms that separate young HSCs from aged HSCs?Cell‑cell interactions of HSCs with stroma cells in the stem cell niche are considered to be central for stem cell self‑renewal as well as differentiation. We recently published data indicating that aged primitive hematopoietic cells are less adhesive to stroma cells when compared to young cells and that this altered interaction might be due to elevated activity of the small RhoGTPase Cdc42 in aged cells. In this manuscript we thus propose a novel model for stem cell aging: aged primitive hematopoietic cells are impaired in their abil-ity to interact efficiently with stroma cells, which might result in the reduced self‑renewal capacity as well as altered differentiation ability associated with aged stem cells.


Background: Symptomatic gall stone disease requires early emergency treatment to prevent complications. This early treatment is often delayed due to difficulty in the diagnosis and management of concomitant choledocholithiasis. Intervention with preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is associated with complications and known to be unnecessary in most cases. We follow a strategy of providing early cholecystectomy with selective utility of antegrade stent in cases of choledocholithiasis. Our main aim is to present our technique and results. Method: We conducted a 3-year ( January 2014 to January 2017) review of a prospectively maintained database of our practice of performing routine intraoperative cholangiogram (IOC) during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and when choledocholithiasis is encountered on IOC; a transcystic antegrade biliary stent is inserted to decompress the common bile ducts (CBD) and facilitate postoperative ERCP at later date. Results: Of the 411 cholecystectomies performed, 77.3% were females with mean age of 48 years. Seventy-four patients were found to have CBD stones (CBDS) on IOC. Antegrade stents were successfully deployed in 69 cases. Even though Antegrade stents were done more frequently in emergency admissions (P = .001); this did not increase the length of hospital stay (LOHS) (P = .752) or the rate of complications (P = .171). However, doing a preoperative ERCP significantly increased LOHS (P = .001), and 67% of these needed two or more ERCP for complete clearance of CBD and had more complications. Nine (15.2%) out of 59 patients with pancreatitis had CBDS on IOC and were successfully managed with antegrade stent. Conclusion: This strategy can be followed by general surgeons, enabling them to perform LC in the presence of choledocholithiasis during acute admissions including pancreatitis. It does not require any specialist skills in CBD exploration and also eliminates unnecessary preoperative ERCP and avoids its potential complications.


Publicity for (and laterly increased economic stringency which makes more likely), failures of care in the NHS engender concern for care quality while its assurance remains the subject of a fragmented and unhelpful literature. A selective attempt is made to examine some underlying principles by posing and answering three questions. What is the quality of care? What basic principles must be followed in defining `standards'? How then may quality be assured? Any definition of care must be multi-faceted and in common use pervaded with the patients' pre-occupation with a search for cures. Nevertheless, it is argued that there are gains in restricting the technical use of the term `care' to those systematic processes of health services and their culture which impinge on the personal experience of patients and which fashion their response. In contemporary society care ought to be designed to restore and enhance the independence, dignity and choice of the patient. Although there is a contrary tendency to abandon problems of care to the professionals, standards for care should be judged ultimately not from the specialised professional but from the viewpoint of lay people whose behaviour in the outside world fashions those norms by which independence, dignity and choice are judged. A number of difficulties in identifying and securing improvements in care are discussed. In particular, it is argued that such is the interdependence of the style of management of an institution and the style of care it provides that enforcement of high quality care is likley to be a contradiction in terms. Only trained and sensitive staff can act intuitively and pre-emptively to prevent even incipient deterioration in care. They cannot carefully foster at all times the independence and dignity of their patients unless they are treated in a similar way as professional employees. As an initial step in improving the quality of care a simple start is urged upon implementing an inventory of checks. These are designed to establish the identification and operation of health care policies and practices which give appropriate recognition to the characteristics of care that patients and public expect, coming as they do from a lay rather than professional world. The article concludes with an appropriate inventory of questions to be put to professionals by those laymen who are increasingly imported into health care management through community representation (in CHCs) and staff participation (in joint consultation) and whose interest and concern should be harnessed appropriately.


Introduction: Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes and it is the most malignant tumor of skin and mucous membranes. We do not have any data about incidence and characteristics of skin melanoma in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Aim: We aimed to analyze hospital records on skin melanoma cases from the region of Tuzla during the 5-year period in order to obtain preliminary data about melanoma incidence and clinical characteristics. Patients and methods: This retrospective study included all patients surgically treated at the University Clinical Center Tuzla, from January 2001 to December 2005, who were initially diagnosed with skin melanoma. Results: Most of pathologically verified skin melanoma, disregarding primary tumor (T), were presented in both genders at stage T4 (41.67 %) and T2 (28.33 %). Histological analysis showed that the majority of observed skin melanoma were diagnosed in Clark level III (36.36 %) and Clark level IV (33.33 %) stage. The average tumor thickness of the examined sample, according to Breslow's classification, was found to be over than 4.0 mm. Conclusion: Our findings are similar to those reported in other countries in the region. Further studies are necessary in order to asses the burden of the disease in the national level. A national melanoma register is of great importance for further surveilance.


Depressive disorders are a curable, global health problem. However, most patients remain untreated, and more and more patients use internet-based interventions, but it is unclear whether it is beneficial for ongoing face-to-face psychotherapy. Thus, we compared the outcome of internet cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) with (ICBT+) or without (ICBT) additional face-to-face outpatient psychotherapy in adult patients with moderate to severe depressive disorder. For this longitudinal interventional clinical trial (NCT02112266), 168 of 252 online recruited adults with depressive symptoms received ICBT+ (n = 96) or ICBT (n = 72). Demographics (sex, age, age at first depressive episode, years of education, duration of depressive symptoms) were assessed and compared between groups. All patients underwent ICBT for 12 weeks. Quality of life (QoL) and severity of depressive symptoms were assessed within each group at three time points [baseline (T0), postinterventional after ICBT at 12 weeks (T1), and for follow-up at 6 months (T2)] using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) global score to assess QoL as primary and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) to assess self-rated depressive symptoms as secondary outcome variables, respectively. Differences were assessed between groups using t test and over time using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Data of intention-to-treat analysis are given as mean ± SD. Group differences were assumed at p < 0.05. Partial η2 is given as effect size. Demographic data, QoL, and depressive symptoms did not differ between groups (ICBT+/ICBT) at baseline (T0). Patients of both groups suffered from moderate to severe depressive disorders and gained improved QoL scores (WHOQOL-BREF-global: p < 0.001, η2 = 0.16), as well as experienced decreased depressive symptoms (BDI-II: p < 0.001, η2 = 0.2) after 12 weeks of ICBT compared to baseline. Patients without additional face-to-face outpatient psychotherapy lost QoL—albeit not significant—and had increased depressive symptoms (BDI: p = 0.02, η2 = 0.04) at 6 months' follow-up. Thus, ICBT is suitable for psychiatric treatment, although additional face-to-face outpatient psychotherapy helps stabilizing long-term outcome.


Background: Carraig Mor Psychiatric Intensive care unit has developed a Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) approach for mental health service users with complex needs. The aim of FACT is to reduce readmissions and increase voluntary engagement with mental health services through increased levels of outpatient care. FACT combines two approaches within one multidisciplinary team:  Individual case management: A more intensive flexible approach for patients at times of need. FACT is a versatile and comprehensive model with continuity of care as its cornerstone; as service user's needs fluctuate they remain under the care of the same team who adapt their approach to meet changing needs (Drukker, Visser, Sytema, & van Os, 2013) Rationale: One of the essential components of the FACT approach is the ability to confidently make decisions around risk. This is often under difficult circumstances and sometimes will involve using incomplete, conflicting and unconfirmed information. Historically, this has led to mental health practitioners becoming risk averse resulting in extended involuntary admissions due to perceived risk. This is especially true in case management where physical or sexual violence has to be considered. These factors can cause decision making to become paralysed. Such fears can become a significant barrier to recovery, denying service users opportunities to reach their full potential. Structured Professional Judgment: The Carraig Mor FACT team utilise a structured professional judgment (SPJ) approach to aid decision making. SPJ provides a transparent structure that gives explicit instructions and recommendations for the process of identifying risk factors and protective factors unique to the individual service users. It further allows the combining and understanding of this information to aid decision making by means of risk formulation and scenario planning. Decision Making: Formulation is the process of making sense of the complex interactions between different sources of information, including from clinical interview, scales and collateral reports, while identifying potential causation. Examples of this approach include the HCR-20 & RSVP.  Risk formulation describes how and why people make decisions to engage in violence, and seeks to understand the various factors that influence their decision making. In practice, risk formulation examines protective factors and destabilising factors unique to the individual service user to inform decision making and individual care planning.  Scenario planning is a process of developing several possible futures and individual care or safety plans to meet the potential needs of these hypothetical situations.  Conclusion: Labelling and stigma are not confined to diagnosis of mental illness; service users with complex presentations which include histories of violence or sexual offending are often perceived to be dangerous outside the context of the violent event. Risk formulation allows mental health practitioners to make decisions based around service user needs without becoming fixated upon previous offending. Furthermore, it allows for the identification and implementation of protective factors which support the service user to continue through the care pathway unimpeded by stigma and to reach their full potential of personal recovery. References: 1- Drukker, M., Visser, E., Sytema, S., & van Os, J.  Flexible assertive community treatment, severity of symptoms and psychiatric health service use, a real life observational study. Clinical Practice & Epidemiology in Mental Health, 2013;9(1).


Composting could be an environmentally acceptable alternative to take care of the sewage sludge that is generated at Swedish sewage treatment works. The sludge contains metais, pathogens and more or less known chemicals from the society. There are no weIl developed methods to take care of the residual sewage sludge. Earlier landfilling was an alternative to take care of the problem, but after the year 2004 it will not be allowed to deposit organic compounds. This study comprises three practical parts to evaluate the composting of sewage sludge performed by Gastrike Avfallshantering at the site Forsbacka Avfallsanlaggning. Experimental composts were made to evaluate the method used by the company (Experiment 1), the compost residue was analyzed for heavy metals and degree of maturity (Experiment 2), the third experiment (Experiment 3) was a greenhouse experiment were the compost residue of Gastrike Avfallshantering made up the organic fraction of two different plant substrates. The degradation of the organic material was slow in the experimental composts, primarily because of the bad proportions of the starting feedstocks, which led to poor carbon content and weak structure of the compost mixtures (Experiment 1). The disadvantageous mixtures resulted in low microbiai activity (ineffective composting). The low temperatures in the experimental composts made one wonder if there were any actual composting processes going on. The low temperatures partly depended on the small sizes of the experimental composts (ca 6 tons) which were cooled off from the ambient air. Tough one of the experimental composts consisted of the same feedstock proportion as the mixture of Gastrike Avfallshantering, the results indicate that more carbon rich substrate and more bulk material, to improve the structure of the composts, should be added. To increase the oxygen content in the large piles at Forsbacka Avfallsanlaggning the size of the compost piles should be reduced. Proposed alterations would be needed to achieve a good composting process, which involves e.g. sanitation, odor reduction and a faster turnover by the substrates. A good alternative feedstock is the fibrous material residue (from a carton mill) used in the experimental composts. The fibrous material probably contains lots of easily accessible carbon, and may weIl be used during the winter season to achieve effective composting. The compost residue of Gastrike Avfallshantering achieved the metal and maturity demand of certification "SPCR 120", although this certification does not include compost residue based on sewage sludge, but SPCR 120 was used because it was the regulation obtainable to compost residue (Experiment 2). The compost residue was similar to other compost residues irrespective of it being based on sewage sludge or other organic materials. The compost residue was rich in phosphorus and nitrogen. Nutrient content varied a lot between different places. The greenhouse experiment showed that mixed with mineral soil the compost residue was a very good growth substrate (Experiment 3). The plant growth was good and the metal content was acceptable, though copper and zinc content were relative1y high. During the greenhouse experiment, with two other plant soils, one of those soils had higher zinc content. The experiment indicated fairly well that the metal uptake in the crop depended on the metal content in the soil. The plants used in the experiment were red elover and rye grass. The zinc and copper contents in both species were evidently within normal values.


Highway work zones interrupt regular traffic flows and create safety problems. Improving safety without sacrificing the main function of highways is a challenging task that traffic engineers and researchers have to confront. In this study, the concept of using crash severity index (CSI) for work zone safety evaluation was proposed and a set of CSI models were developed through the modeling of work zone crash severity outcomes. A CSI is a numerical value between zero and one that is estimated from given work zone variables. It is interpreted as the likelihood of having fatality/fatalities when a severe crash occurs in a given work zone. The CSI models were developed using a three-step approach. First, a wide range of crash variables were examined in a comprehensive manner and the significant risk factors that had impact on crash severity were selected. Second, the CSI models were developed using logistic regression technique by incorporating the selected risk factors. Finally, the developed models were validated using the recent crash data and their ability in assessing work zone risk levels were analyzed. Results of this study showed that CSI models can provide straightforward measurements of work zone risk levels. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


As the Victorian era drew to a close, American culture experienced a vast transformation. In many ways, the culture changed even more rapidly and profoundly for women. The "new woman," the "new freedom," and the "sexual revolution" all referred to women moving out of the Victorian home and into the public realm that men had long claimed as their own. Modern middle-class women made a distinction between emotional styles that they considered Victorian and those they considered modern. They expected fulfillment in marriage, companionship, and career, and actively sought up-to-date versions of love and happiness, relieved that they lived in an age free from taboo and prudery. Drawing on the diaries, letters, and memoirs of women from a wide range of backgrounds and geographic regions, this volume offers insights into middle-class women's experiences of American culture in this age of transition. It documents the ways in which that culture--including new technologies, advertising, and movies--shaped women's emotional lives and how these women appropriated the new messages and ideals. In addition, the authors describe the difficulties that women encountered when emotional experiences failed to match cultural expectations.


While digital health or mHealth applications (apps) have become accessible resources for the support of personal health, the privacy and security of users' data have been the subject of concern and controversy. As large numbers of mHealth apps are created and are increasingly widely used by people with various health conditions, it is crucial to have clear and valid methods for evaluating the data practices within them. Recent regulatory initiatives such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) have had the effect of raising awareness and establishing a minimal set of expectations. However, they do not in themselves address the issue of the development of systems which meet privacy and security requirements. There is a growing body of research on evaluation techniques and frameworks to support the assessment of the privacy and security of health apps, and guidelines to support their design. However, it can be challenging to navigate this space and choose appropriate techniques for a given context. Addressing this issue, this paper examines the recent literature on security and privacy of m-Health applications, using a scoping review methodology. It analyses data security and privacy evaluation techniques and frameworks that have been proposed for mHealth applications, as well as relevant research-based design recommendations. This work consolidates recent research on the topic to support researchers, app designers, end users, and healthcare professionals in designing, evaluating, recommending and adopting mHealth applications.


The repudiation question inaugurated a half-century
long legal fight over whether a state government could simply erase
its own debt, with no recourse to the unhappy bondholders. During
Reconstruction, the Supreme Court sided with bondholders who
challenged repudiation on Contract Clause grounds. After the
collapse of Reconstruction, courts stood by as Democrats shredded
state contractual obligations, allowing states to unilaterally
invalidate contacts, shocking contemporary legal writers,
especially in light of the U.S. Constitution's Contract Clause. For
repudiation's critics, the Court's new posture demeaned "the moral
sense of the nation… fraught with the gravest consequences of
injustice and wrong, [and] departs from well settled and
fundamental principles." Commentators insisted it was "the duty of
every lawyer and of every citizen to subject such decision to the
closest examination and strictest criticism." They went as far as
to connect repudiation to "the very essence of destructive theories
maintained by the socialists and communists of France and Germany,
theories which unfortunately have too many supporters and advocates
in our own land." A continuing puzzle in postbellum history is why
a supposedly conservative, pro-industrialization Court steeped in
rhetoric of fidelity to contract and sympathetic to development
allowed states to vitiate their contracts, despite clear precedents
that had blocked such actions on Contract Clause and other
constitutional grounds in the past.


Glaucoma is a major cause of vision loss worldwide with nearly 8 million people bilaterally blind from the disease. This number is estimated to increase over the next years. The key to preventing blindness from glaucoma is effective diagnosis and treatment. The classical glaucoma treatment focuses on IOP reduction. Increased IOP is indeed an undisputable risk factor for the development and progression of Glaucomatous Optic Neuropathy (GON). But there is mounting evidence in literature that other risk factors are involved as well. These additional factors may by themselves lead to GON or they may render the eye more sensitive to IOP. Among the most often described factors are: Flammer-syndrome, low blood pressure, increased retinal venous pressure, oxidative stress. Better knowledge of the pathogenesis has opened up additional therapeutical approaches often called non-IOP lowering treatment. Whilst most of these new avenues of treatment are still in the experimental phase, others are already used by some physicians. Non-IOP lowering treatment includes improvements of ocular blood flow, particularly blood flow regulation. This can be achieved by improving the regulation of ocular blood flow (improving auto regulation) by drugs such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, magnesium or calcium channel blockers. These drugs also in part decrease increased retinal venous pressure in the eyes of patients. Increased retinal venous pressure decreases perfusion pressure in the patients' eyes and thus increases the risk of glaucomatous progression. The patients' blood pressure also needs to be monitored carefully as low blood pressure, particularly nocturnal over dips or blood pressure fluctuations, increase the risk of further damage. Blood pressure can be increased by an increase in salt intake or in rare cases by treatment with fludrocortisone. Reduction of oxidative stress, especially at the level of mitochondria, also seems to be protective. This can be achieved by gingko or foods rich in polyphenolic flavonoids.This review describes the individual mechanisms which may be targeted by non-IOP lowering treatment.