Apoptosis in T cells that have penetrated into the central nervous system (CNS) may be important for the physiological control of T cells with potentially dangerous reactivities to CNS antigens; such control may be dysfunctional in animals suffering from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). In this study we examined the expression of Fas and FasL genes both in myelin basic protein (MBP)-reactive T cells and in glial cells and the susceptibility of these cells to death induced by Fas/FasL interaction. Both Fas and FasL gene expression is detectable in glial cells and MBP-reactive T cells. Cell death is not unidirectional: when T cells interact with glial cells death can be induced in the former or in the latter population. The ability to induce death of Fas-expressing cells varies greatly among different lines of MBP-reactive T cells, as does resistance to death induction by cells expressing FasL. Moreover, the ability of T cells both to deliver and to resist death signals is a function of their activation status: T cells freshly activated transmit a stronger apoptotic signal to Fas-positive target cells and are also more resistant to FasL-induced suicide. Soluble form of FasL provides a convenient titratable means of delivering death signals via Fas. However, comparison of the susceptibility of different targets to soluble FasL and to FasL expressed on the surface of a transfected glial line revealed differences, suggesting that signals arising from Fas/FasL interaction may be modulated by additional cell-surface molecules.


Musculoskeletal diseases (MSD) and related disorders account for the largest fraction of temporary and permanent disabilities, and are often considered to be an inevitable consequence of aging. In developed countries, these diseases are responsible for more than half of all chronic conditions suffered by people over the age of 50. In particular, osteoarthritis (OA) is among the leading causes of chronic MSD and the most common joint disorder in the EU. To maintain a normal active lifestyle for patients suffering from OA, the associated costs and the need for effective treatments are very high. For example, more than 45 million people in the US currently have osteoarthritis and it is also the most common joint disorder in EU societies. To date, there is no optimal diagnostic procedure and no permanent cure. OA is usually detected at the level where treatment options are very limited. Thus, the management of OA largely relies on controlling the pain and symptoms through medical therapy that involves medication and rehabilitation exercises. However, if such treatments are inadequate, surgical procedures are necessary e.g. osteotomy or joint replacement to relieve pain and increase joint functions in patients with OA. One promising option involves the implantation of functional cartilage grafts. These are engineered using autologous cells harvested from a small cartilage biopsy and cultured into porous biodegradable scaffolds. Nevertheless, tissue engineered cartilage (TEC) is not used in routine clinical practice because of the variability of the tissue properties (e.g. using cells from different donors) and lack of reliable quality controls. The above mentioned issues generally stem from a limited mechanistic understanding of cartilage function. This has been driving impetus of this work to seek deeper fundamental insight into the functional properties of cartilage and the development of OA. By integrating state-of-the-art technologies, the overarching objective of this MD-PhD is to obtain a biomechanical assessment of the extracellular matrix in native and TEC spanning from the molecular length scale to the tissue level.


Background Paeonia ostii is a potentially important oilseed crop because its seed yield is high, and the seeds are rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying ALA biosynthesis during seed kernel, seed testa, and fruit pericarp development in this plant are unclear. We used transcriptome data to address this knowledge gap. Results Gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry indicated that ALA content was highest in the kernel, moderate in the testa, and lowest in the pericarp. Therefore, we used RNA-sequencing to compare ALA synthesis among these three tissues. We identified 227,837 unigenes, with an average length of 755 bp. Of these, 1371 unigenes were associated with lipid metabolism. The fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis and metabolism pathways were significantly enriched during the early stages of oil accumulation in the kernel. ALA biosynthesis was significantly enriched in parallel with increasing ALA content in the testa, but these metabolic pathways were not significantly enriched during pericarp development. By comparing unigene transcription profiles with patterns of ALA accumulation, specific unigenes encoding crucial enzymes and transcription factors (TFs) involved in de novo FA biosynthesis and oil accumulation were identified. Specifically, the bell-shaped expression patterns of genes encoding SAD, FAD2, FAD3, PDCT, PDAT, OLE, CLE, and SLE in the kernel were similar to the patterns of ALA accumulation in this tissue. Genes encoding BCCP, BC, KAS I– III, and FATA were also upregulated during the early stages of oil accumulation in the kernel. In the testa, the upregulation of the genes encoding SAD, FAD2, and FAD3 was followed by a sharp increase in the concentrations of ALA. In contrast, these genes were minimally expressed (and ALA content was low) throughout pericarp development. Conclusions We used three tissues with high, moderate, and low ALA concentrations as an exemplar system in which to investigate tissue-specific ALA accumulation mechanisms in P. ostii . The genes and TFs identified herein might be useful targets for future studies of ALA accumulation in the tree peony. This study also provides a framework for future studies of FA biosynthesis in other oilseed plants.


Due to mobile and IoT devices' ubiquity and their ever-growing processing potential, Dew computing environments have been emerging topics for researchers. These environments allow resource-constrained devices to contribute computing power to others in a local network. One major challenge in these environments is task scheduling: that is, how to distribute jobs across devices available in the network. In this paper, we propose to distribute jobs in Dew environments using artificial intelligence (AI). Specifically, we show that an AI agent, known as Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO), can learn to distribute jobs in a simulated Dew environment better than existing methods—even when tested over job sequences that are five times longer than the sequences used during the training. We found that using our technique, we can gain up to 77% in performance compared with using human-designed heuristics.


In normal language processing, we are continuously analyzing the form and structure of incoming speech signals in order to understand their meaning. At the same time, we unavoidably encounter situations in which words are contained within other words (e.g. ham in hammer). Since morphologically-related words often have a certain amount of phonological overlap, it is essential to understand the relevance of this overlap while investigating morphological processing. The current study provides a psycholinguistic investigation of the processing consequences of Bengali words overlapping in form both with and without being morphologically related. Overall, form-related items elicited significantly less priming than morphologically-related items. Form-related items differing in length by a single segment did not prime one another, while morphologically-related items did. However, form-related items matched in length but differing in a single segment did prime, indicating that relationships between formrelated words are not always straightforward.


The performance of a gasoline-fueled internal combustion engines can be increased with the use of a turbocharger. However, the amount of performance increment for a particular engine should be studied so that the advantages and drawbacks of turbocharging will be clarified. This study is mainly concerned on the suitable turbocharger unit selection, engine conversions required and guidelines for testing a Proton 4G92 SOHC 1.6-litre naturally aspirated gasoline engine. The engine is tested under its stock naturally aspirated condition and after been converted to turbocharged condition. The effect of inter cooled turbocharged condition is also been tested. Boost pressure is the main parameter in comparing the performance in different conditions as it influences the engine torque, power, efficiency and exhaust emissions. The use of a turbocharger on this test engine has clearly increased its performance compared to its stock naturally aspirated form. The incorporation of an intercooler to the turbocharger system increases the performance even further. With the worldwide effort towards environmental-friendly engines and fossil fuel shortage, the turbocharger can help to create engines with enhanced performance,minimum exhaust emissions and maximum fuel economy.


This work reports the results of a survey carried out on a hall in a historic building in Palermo (Italy) with the aim of assessing the air quality by means of objective measurement of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and its subjective evaluation through a questionnaire. The measured values of CO2 concentration were compared with those evaluated using the Meckler equation under steady-state conditions, having verified necessary parameters such as the constancy of the indoor and outdoor CO2 levels and the uniformity of the CO 2 generation rate for all the occupants. The positive correspondence between measured and calculated results allowed us to utilise, under differing circumstances, the values of the natural ventilation rates achieved in steady-state conditions. By using measured and calculated data, an experimental assessment of the relationships between the CO2 concentration levels and the number of occupants and their level of satisfaction was performed. The indoor air quality level in the hall, evaluated by means of the experimental data, was compared with the subjective responses expressed through a specific multiple choice questionnaire handed out to the occupants. A comparison between the calculated ventilation rates and those required by the main American and European standards shows that natural ventilation in the hall is often insufficient according to these standards which have regard for the minimum requirements for air acceptability. In addition, some general observations on the thermal condition of the hall have been drawn from a comparison between microclimate parameters and the subjective opinions provided by the occupants.


Lignin is the most abundant aromatic biopolymer, functioning as an integral component of woody materials. In its unmodified form it shows limited water solubility and is relatively unreactive, so biotechnological lignin valorisation for high‐performance applications is greatly underexploited. Lignin can be obtained from the pulp and paper industry as a by‐product. To expand its application, a new synthesis route to new dispersing agents for use as concrete additives was developed. The route is based on lignin functionalisation by enzymatic transformation. Screening of lignin‐modifying systems resulted in functionalised lignin polymers with improved solubility in aqueous systems. Through grafting of sulfanilic acid or p‐aminobenzoic acid by fungal laccases, lignin became soluble in water at pH≤4 or pH≤7, respectively. Products were analysed and evaluated in miniaturised application tests in cement paste and mortar. Their dispersing properties match the performance criteria of commercially available lignosulfonates. The study provides examples of new perspectives for the use of lignin.


The present study discussed extrudability improvement for 7000 series Al wrought alloys by thixoextrusion, with emphasis on controlling thixoextrusion parameters, such as initial ram speed, die bearing length and extrusion temperature of billet in semisolid state. The results of thixoextrusion experiments about microstructures and extrusion pressures were compared with conventional hot extrusion results. The maximum extrusion pressure for thixoextrusion was greatly decreased than that of conventional hot extrusion. This will contribute to extrudability in terms of extrusion pressure, which in turn means that shorter process time is required and smaller extrusion machine can be applied for the same operation. It is also possible to make complex shape components of 7000 series Al wrought alloys, which is not possible by conventional hot extrusion processes. The elongated grains to extrusion direction were generally observed during conventional hot extrusion, while the thixoextruded microstructures were isotropic.


Dual-fuel engines are recognized as a short-medium term solution to reduce fuel consumption and pollutant emissions of CI engines, while maintaining high energy efficiency. Methane (CH 4 ) was chosen as it offers the best compromise between its heating value and H/C ratio. The high auto-ignition temperature of CH 4 requires auto-igniting a small quantity of liquid diesel before it initiates the combustion of the mixture. Therefore, new engine operations need to be specifically developed. This investigation explores the impact of time sequences of injection of the liquid fuel on the ignition of homogenous methane/air mixture. Experiments were performed on a Rapid Compression Expansion Machine (RCEM), to reproduce the operating and dynamic conditions encountered in a diesel engine cycle, allowing visualizations of fuel injection and combustion processes through a transparent piston. For the purpose of this work, the RCEM was modified to operate under dual-fuel conditions, while controlling the amount of diesel and methane-gas fueled. Experiments were performed for a wide range of equivalence ratios of the premixed charge. The study of the liquid fuel penetration and its consequence on igniting the homogenous charge was achieved using high-speed optical diagnostics. High-speed Schlieren technique (~22 kHz) was applied to characterize the diesel spray penetration, as well as the in-cylinder liquid fuel distribution. High-speed shadowgraphy and OH*-chemiluminescence techniques were used to determine ignitions delays. Moreover, the latest diagnostic was used to analyze the flame structure propagation and the heat release evolution.


Naval shipboard power systems form a critical component of the U.S. defense infrastructure. When there is a fault in a shipboard power system either due to battle damage or material casualty, it is important to quickly isolate the fault and restore supply to as many loads as possible. This paper presents an automated self-healing strategy for reconfiguration for service restoration in naval shipboard power systems. The proposed method is illustrated on a system developed based on a typical surface combatant ship.


A short cut review was carried out to establish whether there was any evidence to decide between oral or intravenous antidote in paracetamol (acetaminophen) poisoning. Altogether 330 papers were found using the reported search, of which two presented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The author, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes, results and study weaknesses of these best papers are tabulated. A clinical bottom line is stated.


Pollutants from roads are spread by mechanisms such as splash, spray and ploughing. In this study, the spreading was studied at two locations where information on the local weather was available and the amount of salt applied on the road could be obtained. When comparing the deposition of Na, Ca, K and Mg, the road-related gradient is obvious; the increase of sodium in the containers closest to the road is sometimes more than 1000-fold, and the increase of the other cations 10 - 100 fold. Also during a period of no de-icing the deposition of cations is higher towards the road. The deposition of Na is related to the amount of road salt applied, and also to wind and type and amount of precipitation. The increase of other cations could be an effect of weathering and/or ion-exchange on the fresh surfaces of the road.


"The State" represents the epitome of Franz Oppenheimer's thinking. It integrates political and historical philosophy on the one hand, with economic philosophy on the other. Oppenheimer believed the future progress of nations would be in the direction of liberal socialism. He foresaw a society free from all monopolistic tendencies through unfettered competition. According to Oppenheimer, competition is restrained by a powerful class monopoly, created not through economic differentiation, but through political power. This class monopoly stands between the masses and the land. The laboring class is subject to the will of the upper classes because it does not control the means of production necessary to work in its own interest. Oppenheimer asserts that the right to hold more land than one can properly work through his own efforts and the efforts of his family cannot exist without political control, and is the single most important explanation for the formation of monopolies in human society. He proves his theory in an original analysis. Paul Gottfried writes in the new introduction that "The State" sums up and illustrates Oppenheimer's general theory of the origin, development, and expected transformation of the state, central political institution of the modern world. Much of Oppenheimer's work embodies the same independent spirit reflected in his way of life. "The State" provides a wealth of information for economists, political theorists, and sociologists. "Franz Oppenheimer" was professor of economics and sociology at the University of Frankfurt in Germany until he retired in 1929. In 1933 he was forced to flee the Nazi regime and eventually came to the United States, where he died in 1943. "Paul Gottfried" is professor of political science at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. He is the author of "The Search for Historical Meaning; Carl Schmitt: Politics and Theory; Conservative Millenarians: The Romantic Experience in Bavaria; and After Liberalism" (forthcoming from Princeton University Press). He is general editor of "Religion and Public Life.


A finite element model of a double cantilever beam specimen is developed. The adherends are modeled using plane strain elastic continuum elements. Furthermore, the adhesive is modeled using a mesomechanical modeling technique which allows for simulation of initiation and propagation of micro-cracks. This enables the modeling of the entire process of degradation and fracture of the adhesive layer. The purpose of the present study is to compare the stress-deformation behavior in an idealized peel loading to the behavior in a double cantilever beam (DCB) specimen where the adhesive layer is deformed wilt a slight gradient along the layer. Previously performed experiments and simulations of the RVE are used as a comparison to the simulated results.


Abstract For centuries, people have asked questions to hand-held pendulums and interpreted their movements as responses from the divine. These movements occur due to the ideomotor effect, wherein priming or thinking of a motion causes muscle movements that end up swinging the pendulum. By associating particular swinging movements with "yes" and "no" responses, we investigated whether pendulums can aid decision-making and which personality traits correlate with this performance. Participants (N=80) completed a visual detection task in which they searched for a target letter among rapidly presented characters. In the verbal condition, participants stated whether they saw the target in each trial. In the pendulum condition, participants instead mentally "asked" a hand-held pendulum whether the target was present; particular motions signified "yes" and "no". We measured the accuracy of their responses as well as their sensitivity and bias using signal detection theory. We also assessed four personality measures: locus of control (feelings of control over one's life), transliminality (sensitivity to subtle stimuli), need for cognition (preference for analytical thinking), and faith in intuition (preference for intuitive thinking). Overall, locus of control predicted verbal performance and transliminality predicted pendulum performance. Accuracy was low in both conditions (verbal: 57%, pendulum: 53%), but bias was higher in the verbal condition (d=1.10). We confirmed this bias difference in a second study (d=0.47, N=40). Our results suggest that people have different decision strategies when using a pendulum compared to conscious guessing. These findings may help explain why some people can answer questions more accurately with pendulums and Ouija boards. More broadly, identifying the differences between ideomotor and verbal responses could lead to practical ways to improve decision-making.


Liver cancer, primarily hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), exhibits highly heterogeneous histological and molecular aberrations across tumors and within individual tumor nodules. Such inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity may lead to diversity in the natural history of disease progression and various clinical disparities across the patients. Recently developed multi-modality, single-cell, and spatial omics profiling technologies have enabled interrogation of the inter-/intra-tumor heterogeneity in the cancer cells as well as the tumor immune microenvironment. These features may influence the natural history and efficacy of emerging therapies targeting novel molecular and immune pathways, some of which had been deemed undruggable. Thus, comprehensive characterization of the heterogeneities at various levels may facilitate discovery of biomarkers that enable personalized and rational treatment decisions and optimize treatment efficacy while minimizing the risk of adverse effects. Such companion biomarkers will also refine HCC treatment algorithms across disease stages for cost-effective patient management by optimizing the allocation of limited medical resources. Despite this promise, the complexity of the inter-/intra-tumor heterogeneity and ever-expanding inventory of therapeutic agents and regimens have made clinical evaluation and translation of biomarkers increasingly challenging. To address this issue, novel clinical trial designs have been proposed and incorporated into recent studies. In this review, we discuss the latest findings in the molecular and immune landscape of HCC for their potential and utility as biomarkers, framework of evaluation and clinical application of predictive/prognostic biomarkers, and ongoing biomarker-guided therapeutic clinical trials. These new developments may revolutionize patient care and substantially impact the still dismal HCC mortality.


The etiology of erectile dysfunction (ED) is multi-factorial. This paper examines the association between ED, testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS) and metabolic syndrome (MS) in Malaysian men in an urban setting. One thousand and forty-six men aged ≥40 years from Subang Jaya, Malaysia were randomly selected from an electoral-roll list. The men completed questionnaires that included: socio-demographic data, self-reported medical problems and the International Index of erectile function (IIEF-5). Physical examination and the following biochemical tests were performed: lipid profile, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and total testosterone. The response rate was 62.8% and the mean age of men was 55.8 ± 8.4 (41–93) years. Ethnic distribution was Chinese, 48.9%; Malay, 34.5%; Indian, 14.8%. The prevalence of moderate–severe ED was 20.0%, while 16.1% of men had TDS (<10.4 nmol/L) and 31.3% of men had MS. Indian and Malay men were significantly more likely to have ED (p = 0.001), TDS (p < 0.001) and MS (p < 0.001) than the Chinese. Multivariate regression analysis showed that elevated blood pressure, elevated FBG, low high-density lipoprotein and heart disease were predictors of ED while all MS components were independently associated with TDS. Malay and Indian men have a higher disease burden compared to Chinese men and were more likely to suffer with ED, TDS and MS. MS components were closely related to TDS and ED.


Genetic variations were studied for 13 accessions of Lolium multiflorum using cytogenetical traits. Karyotype was prepared for 5 metaphases cells of each accession and the traits of total length (TL), long arm (LA), short arm (SA), arm ratio (AR) and centromer index (CI) were determined by micromeasure software. Six accessions were diploid and seven accessions were tetraploid, the basic chromosome number was x=7, and also three and six satellites were observed for diploid and tetraploid accessions, respectively. The accessions had an asymmetry karyotype, and variations were significant (at 1% level of probability) between accessions for karyotypic characters based on analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results of mean comparison showed that the diploid accessions had higher mean chromosome length than tetraploid accessions. The results of cluster analysis by Ward's method based on the values of intrachromosomal asymmetry index (A1) and interchromosomal asymmetry index (A2) showed that the studied accessions were fallen in three groups. The tetraploid accessions had higher intrachromosomal asymmetry than the diploid accessions. Principal components analysis based on karyotypic traits for accessions showed the first two components captured 84.37% of the total variance. Principal component analysis for grouping accessions based on Scatter plot identified four distinctive groups.


A hydrogenotrophic denitrification system, which consisted of a sequencing batch membrane bioreactor, was evaluated for removal of nitrate from a synthetic groundwater feed. A hollow fiber microporous membrane diffuser was used for bubble-less diffusion of hydrogen into the bioreactor, and a membrane filter was used for separating the biomass from treated water. The nitrate loading of 0.328 kg N m -3 d - was completely denitrified to below detectable levels; however, inorganic fouling of both membrane filter and diffuser occurred. The increase in pH during denitrification caused inorganic precipitation and clogging of the membranes. The foulant material was quantified as beta three calcium phosphate βCa 3 (PO 4 ) 2 .


ABSTRACT Objectives: The Jansari assessment of Executive Functions for Children (JEF-C©) is a new non-immersive computerised assessment of executive functions. The objectives of the study were to test the feasibility and validity of JEF-C© in children and adolescents with acquired brain injury (ABI). Methods: Twenty-nine patients with ABI aged 10–18 years and 30 age-and gender-matched controls were tested. Participants performed JEF-C©, Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) and the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome for Children (BADS-C), while parents completed the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) questionnaire. Results: The JEF-C© task proved feasible in patients with ABI. The internal consistency was medium (Cronbach's alpha = 0.62 and significant intercorrelations between individual JEF-C© constructs). Patients performed significantly worse than controls on most of the JEF-C© subscales and total score, with 41.4% of participants with ABI classified as having severe executive dysfunction. No significant correlations were found between JEF-C© total score, the BRIEF indices, and the BADS-C. Significant correlations were found between JEF-C© and demographic characteristics of the sample and intellectual ability, but not with severity/medical variables. Conclusion: JEF-C© is a playful complex task that appears to be a sensitive and ecologically valid assessment tool, especially for relatively high-functioning individuals.


Antimonene is an emerging semiconducting two-dimensional (2D) material with various attractive properties, but its applications in optoelectronics have rarely been explored. Herein, we report a highly efficient preparation of few-layered antimonene by a polymer ionic liquid (PIL) assisted liquid-phase exfoliation method, which gives above 20% yield of micrometer sized nanosheets. Stability studies suggested that the presence of water in the solvent significantly accelerated the decomposition of the produced antimonene, while the antimonene dispersed in dry DMF exhibited a very high stability under ambient conditions. For the first time, flexible photodetectors based on a hybrid structure of few layer antimonene nanosheets modified by PIL and CdS quantum dots (QDs) were fabricated, which showed a good responsivity of 10 μA W−1 and on/off ratio of 26.8 under the bias of 1 V. This work demonstrates that PIL assisted liquid-phase exfoliation is a very promising method to achieve highly efficient preparation, preservation, and surface modification of few-layer antimonene, and hence enable the application of antimonene-based 2D materials in optoelectronics.


Every line of the Internal Revenue Code is continually vulnerable to revision or repeal. With each new session of Congress, rates may rise or fall, transactions may become taxable or tax-free, and incentive programs may be extended or repealed. The resulting uncertainty harms taxpayers, who find it difficult to plan their future business affairs. It frustrates government by making its incentive programs less effective. For example, firms may decline to invest in research facilities because they cannot rely on a tax credit that might soon expire. And it provides fodder for political rent-seeking, as legislators can demand money or votes in exchange for supporting a soon-to-expire tax break. This was recently seen in the furor over bonus depreciation, a purportedly temporary provision that has been the subject of furious lobbying and frequent renewal. This paper proposes commitment devices as an antidote to tax uncertainty. I analyze the economic and democratic costs of tax uncertainty, and why even a perfectly altruistic and rational legislature might benefit from credible policy commitment. I also describe the most practicable tax commitment devices within the bounds of current law, and I consider how those devices can improve current provisions for bonus depreciation and the R&D credit.


Maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles were synthesised using the coprecipitation method, with different concentrations (5 M, 10 M, 11 M, 12 M and 13.4 M) of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as the precipitation agent. The resulting powder was characterised using x-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). All characterisations were performed at room temperature. The XRD results showed that the γ-Fe2O3 powder was in a single phase for samples synthesised using 11 M, 12 M and 13.4 M NaOH and the crystallite size ranged between 5.74 nm–6.42 nm. TEM observations and analysis showed that the particles were in a cubo-spheroidal shape and the mean physical size of the nanoparticles was between 8.52 nm and 8.59 nm. Hysteresis loop indicated that γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles have superparamagnetic properties with an acceptable range of saturation magnetisation of 31.08 emu/g–48.88 emu/g and negligible coercivity value. MTT assay demonstrated that the γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles exhibited biocompatibility with V79-4 cells at different dosages (1000 μg/mL–50 μg/mL) for 48 h. The results suggested that maghemite can be a valuable low-cost biomagnetic material in biomedical applications.


The Targeting Protein for Xklp2 (TPX2) is a central regulator of spindle assembly in vertebrate cells. The absence or excess of TPX2 inhibits spindle formation. We have defined a TPX2 signature motif that is present once in vertebrate sequences but twice in plants. Plant TPX2 is predominantly nuclear during interphase and is actively exported before nuclear envelope breakdown to initiate prospindle assembly. It localizes to the spindle microtubules but not to the interdigitating polar microtubules during anaphase or to the phragmoplast as it is rapidly degraded during telophase. We characterized the Arabidopsis thaliana TPX2-targeting domains and show that the protein is able to rescue microtubule assembly in TPX2-depleted Xenopus laevis egg extracts. Injection of antibodies to TPX2 into living plant cells inhibits the onset of mitosis. These results demonstrate that plant TPX2 already functions before nuclear envelope breakdown. Thus, plants have adapted nuclear–cytoplasmic shuttling of TPX2 to maintain proper spindle assembly without centrosomes.


This is the first scholarly study of the political and economic relationship between Louis XIV and the parlements of France, the Parlement of Paris and all the provincial tribunals. The author explains how the king managed to overcome the century-old opposition of the parlements to new legislation, and to impose upon them the strict political discipline for which this reign, and only this reign, is known. Hurt shows that the king built upon that discipline to extract large sums of money from the judges in the parlements, notably in the form of forced loans and office sales, thus damaging their economic interests. When the king died in 1715, the regent, Philippe d'Orleans, after a brief attempt to befriend the parlements through compromise, resorted to the authoritarian methods of Louis XIV and perpetuated the Sun King's political and economic legacy. This study calls into question the current revisionist understanding of the reign of Louis XIV and insists that, after all, absolute government had a harsh reality at its core. Based upon extensive archival research, Louis XIV and the parlements will be of interest to all students of the history of early modern France and the monarchies of Europe.


Adaptive surveillance systems are essential for national programmes to achieve their malaria elimination goals. Core principles of surveillance systems including accurate diagnosis and reporting of malaria cases, integration of health data across administrative levels and the need to link data to a response are well defined by international guidelines. Nevertheless, while the requirements of surveillance systems along the transmission continuum are clearly documented, the operationalization remains challenging for national programmes. Firstly, because the multi-level increase of surveillance efforts demanding real-time and case-based data as well as the capacity of the health force to trigger locally customized responses, is resource intensive and requires substantial investment. Secondly, because there is a gap in international alignment on best tools and practices on how to operationally implement these requirements. Recently, several initiatives have started to address this gap in international coordination, aiming to establish the operational guidance for elimination programmes to successfully implement adaptive surveillance systems.


CCIS ≥ 4 (35.3%) did not correlate significantly with sonographic signs of sphincter damage including: 'half moon sign' (35%), absent mucosal star (66%), thick external anal sphincter (52%) and external sphincter discontinuity at the 12 o'clock position (75%), interrupted internal anal sphincter (81%), and longitudinal and transverse tears (71.4% each). Conclusions: Transperineal ultrasound can be used in the evaluation of 3rd and 4th degree perineal tears. More research is required in order to establish its correlation to patient symptoms and outcome. Furthermore, the effect of its incorporation into clinical practice on patient management remains to be established.


Lepra bubalorum or leprosy in water buffaloes, is an exotic disease in buffaloes. It is a very interesting phenomenon in Veterinary Medicine because until to date it has been found only in Indonesia. Kok and Rusli (1926) has published their first report in 1926 describing the disease in Java. Since then the diagnosis of leprosy has been established by histological examinations in about 146 water buffaloes (Lobel, 1934). It has also been found in Holstein-Freisen cow (Ressang and Titus, I960), one case in Ongole breed and another in an unidentified cow breed. For leprosy infection in bovine, Kraneveld and Roza (1954) proposed to use the name Lepra bovina Lobel (1934) was the first scientist who brought the attention of this unusual disease to the international scientific world. His extensive works gave vs a clear description of the clinical signs and symptoms, histopathological changes and the microbiological arrangement of the acid fast baccili of the infectious agent in the affected tissues. The changes found in the cutaneous tissue of these animals resembled to those found in the skin of lepromatous lessions in humans. The rod-shape bacteria which is acid fast, are always present in the nodules of the diseases animals. In central Sulawesi (Celebes), leprosy in humans was found as the second most prevalant chronic diseases after pulmonary tuberculosis. It is interesting to know that apparently human leprosy was also found in great numbers in the same area where leprosy in water buffaloes was found frequently. This phenomenon is an interesting subject for investigation to see whether the genus of the bacteria found in humans and that in water buffaloes have the anthropozoonotic properties. *    Makalah ini disajikan pada Simposium "Kemajuan Dalam Penyakit Tropis dan Parasit" di Fakultas Kedokteran, Universitas Tarumanagara, Jakarta, 12 Desember 1992 **   Bagian Patologi Anatomi, Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Tarumanagara, Jakarta, Indonesia. Up to now there are no studies about the microbiological structure of this bacterium in water buffaloes, their biological and immunological characteristics.


. Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by the fungi Aspergillus ochraceus και Pénicillium verrucosum. OTA shows a nephrotoxic, teratogenic, immunotoxic and carcinogenic action against animals and humans. In humans, OTA is implicated in the aetiology of Balkan endemic nephropathy. OTA can be mainly found in foods of animal origin as a result of indirect transmission from animals exposed to naturally contaminated feed. Results from research works in various countries showed that the pork meat was the most important source of human contamination with OTA, as compared to other products of animal origin. Sausages containing blood or pork kidney presented the highest amounts of OTA among other food products of animal origin. The presence of OTA in cow's milk was rather low, since the bacteria in the rumen of ruminants are capable of splitting OTA to ochratoxin a, which is generally accepted as no toxic metabolite. The European Union has not yet set limits of ochratoxin in foods of animal origin, in contrast to these of limits in foods of plant origin.


The authors conducted logopedic and orthodontic inspection 2284 (from them 1115 boys and 1169 girls) children living in Tashkent, in the age of from 6 till 14 years. For revealing prevalence and interrelation of infringement pronunciation at children with anomaly and deformation dentition systems the technique of complex treatment (orthodontic and logopedic) children of a replaceable bite also is developed. For definition of the orthodontic and logopedic status of surveyed children carried out clinical researches and functional tests, and also, necessarily, anthopometrical measurements. By means of special functional tests spent the functional speech tests directed on definitions of normal or pathological character pronunciation. Carried out researches have allowed to reveal high enough prevalence dentition anomalies and deformations at 1496 children from 2284 (65,49 %), and at 824 (36,08 %) defects pronunciation. Duly revealing, drawing up and carrying out of a comprehensive plan of treatment and preventive actions are the mortgage of successful elimination dentition anomalies and deformations dental of some at children. Only joint activity of experts of medical and pedagogical structures has allowed to eliminate in due time and effectively anatomic infringements in a structure of the bodies participating in an articulation, and to correct maxillofacial development of an organism of children as a whole.


MRL/MpJ-Faslpr (MRL-Faslpr) mice develop a spontaneous T cell and macrophage-dependent autoimmune disease that shares features with human lupus. Interactions via the programmed death 1/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway down-regulate immune responses and provide a negative regulatory checkpoint in mediating tolerance and autoimmune disease. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway suppresses lupus nephritis and the systemic illness in MRL-Faslpr mice. For this purpose, we compared kidney and systemic illness (lymph nodes, spleen, skin, lung, glands) in PD-L1 null (−/−) and PD-L1 intact (wild type, WT) MRL-Faslpr mice. Unexpectedly, PD-L1−/−;MRL-Faslpr mice died as a result of autoimmune myocarditis and pneumonitis before developing renal disease or the systemic illness. Dense infiltrates, consisting of macrophage and T cells (CD8+ > CD4+), were prominent throughout the heart (atria and ventricles) and localized specifically around vessels in the lung. In addition, once disease was evident, we detected heart specific autoantibodies in PD-L1−/−;MRL-Faslpr mice. This unique phenotype is dependent on MRL-specific background genes as PD-L1−/−;MRL+/+ mice lacking the Faslpr mutation developed autoimmune myocarditis and pneumonitis. Notably, the transfer of PD-L1−/−;MRL+/+ bone marrow cells induced myocarditis and pneumonitis in WT;MRL+/+ mice, despite a dramatic up-regulation of PD-L1 expression on endothelial cells in the heart and lung of WT;MRL+/+ mice. Taken together, we suggest that PD-L1 expression is central to autoimmune heart and lung disease in lupus-susceptible (MRL) mice.


Built on the foundations of Halliday, Resnick, and Walker's Fundamentals of Physics Sixth Edition, this text is designed to work with interactive learning strategies that are increasingly being used in physics instruction (for example, microcomputer-based labs, interactive lectures, etc. ). In doing so, it incorporates new approaches based upon Physics Education Research (PER), aligns with courses that use computer-based laboratory tools, and promotes Activity Based Physics in lectures, labs, and recitations.


Crit Care Med 2016 • Volume 44 • Number 12 (Suppl.) He made a full recovery, and received follow-up in our Allergy clinic and counseling on red meat avoidance. Results: IgE sensitization to the oligosaccharide alphagal following exposure to the lone star tick is described largely in the southeastern United States. After red meat ingestion, a delayed anaphylactic reaction may occur. The diagnosis should be suspected when caring for the patient with anaphylaxis of unclear etiology, and is confirmed using an IgE specific immunoassay. Treatment in the acute setting is supportive, and long term care includes avoidance of mammalian meats and prevention of further tick exposure.


A ground penetrating radar survey has been aplied to an archeological site before its excavation. GPR survey has been very useful to localize and characterize the remains of the Augustinian monastery of Fraga (Huesca). The presence of metallic remains at the surface and topographic anomalies hasn´t allowed us to use mathematical interpolations to produce 3D anomaly maps. The characterization has been made manually with the definition of several degrees of reliability. These degrees allow us to make excavation guides very comprenhensive where we can express all the information furnished by the GPR profiles.


Background and objective: Postoperative fever is the most commonly reported adverse event and prophylactic antibiotics were used in all cases.  The objective of this study was to assess  the incidence  of  postoperative febrile morbidity and the cost of laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) in Srinagarind Hospital. Methods: Medical records of women with benign gynaecologic conditions who underwent laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy between 1 June 2007 and 31 May 2012 at Srinagarind Hospital were reviewed. The data extraction were recorded to the case record forms in order to assess their baseline characteristics, the number of post-operative febrile morbidity, and possible related risk factors, and their expenditure during hospitalization. Results: A total of 199 LAVH procedures were performed from 1 June 2007 to 31 May 2012.The study revealed that mean age 46 ± 6 years, BMI 24.02 ± 3.18 kg., the mean number of child birth was 2 ± 2, the mean duration of the operations were 134 ± 52 minutes, estimated blood loss 259 ml., the postoperative hospital stay 5 ± 2 days. Major intraoperative complications occurred in  3 cases : bladder injury in 1 case (0.5%) bowel injury  1 case (0.5%).Major long-term complications occurred  in one case were ureterovaginal fistula. (0.5%).The antibiotic usage: one  type in 156 cases (78.39%) , two types in 38 cases (19.9%), and three  type in 5 cases (4.52%). Single dose-preoperation  in 26 cases (13.6%) 1 day-postoperation in 51 patients (25.63%) 3 days-postoperation in 103 cases (51.76%) 5 days-postoperation in 12 cases (6.03%) and postoperation  7 days in 7 cases (3.52%). Postoperative febrile morbidity  after  LAVH were 31 cases (15.58%) and causes of postoperative fever : Unknown origin 29 case (14.57%) surgical site infection  1 case (0.5%) UTI 1 case (0.5%). Conclusion: Although prophylactic antibiotics were used in all cases, this study revealed that high incidence of febrile morbidity after laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy in Srinagarind Hospital. Keywords: postoperative febrile morbidity ; laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy


ABSTRACTThe project outlined in this thesis examines the ways in which headteachers position themselves as professionals following the shift from communism to neo-liberal markets and the decentralisation of the public education system in post-communist Romania. Following this shift, Romanian headteachers faced new accountability frameworks and witnessed a reconceptualisation of their professional responsibilities. The methodology adopted is policy scholarship because, by looking at decentralisation through a historical-cultural lens, i.e. Romania?s recent history of communism and transition to a more democratic state, it best addresses the three key-research questions. The methods used are official policy documents and interviews with different stakeholders located at three different levels in the Romanian education system. These were: secondary heads and county school inspectors. Four key national policy-makers were also interviewed. In the thesis, the Romanian situation is presented (as captured) in the period 2009-2011. The decentralisation of Romanian education is dichotomous. It is a hybrid between neo-liberalism and communist throwbacks that I call politicised decentralisation. On the one hand, decentralisation and quasi-markets are being introduced into public education at the recommendation of international donors (the World Bank, the European Union). On the other hand, the endurance of communist practices makes it difficult for professionals to adapt to new professional responsibilities and accountability frameworks. A new conceptual framework emerged from the international literature, national policy documents and empirical study and was used to explore the findings. This examines the components, levels and dimensions of decentralisation in education in Romania. The key-findings show the complexities of decentralisation in headteachers? professional activity. Importantly, the politicisation of the education system is the biggest challenge faced by the interviewees. For example, in 2012 alone there have been three different cabinets and seven ministers of education in the last five years. This has resulted in instability in post at all three levels, not least because with each change in minister both county school inspectors and headteachers are usually replaced. The findings show that new accountability frameworks emerged and impacted upon headteachers? relationships with different stakeholders such as inspectors, local authorities, as well as parents and students as consumers of education. This thesis is important in showing how policy implementation and enactment differs depending on the socio-economic, political and cultural context. The conceptual framework developed in the thesis and the findings have relatability for educationalists, policy-makers, practitioners and researchers, both nationally and internationally, especially since the existing empirical base predominantly refers to liberal democracies.


: Peripheral separations of the posterior medial meniscus, diagnosed at arthrography, may not be recognized at arthroscopy, arthrotomy or even upon examination of the resected specimen. Arthrographic recognition of an oblique buckethandle meniscal tear may be difficult when the visualized outer fragment maintains a triangular appearance. Articular cartilage defects, out of profile to the x-ray beam, may be suspected at fluoroscopy and confirmed by additional views. There is an icreased incidence of chondromalacia in symptomatic postmeniscectomy knees. Degenerative meniscal changes without arthrographically recognized discrete tears are common, particularly in older individuals. Localized lack of definition of meniscal surfaces may be the only arthrographic finding. Resected specimens invariably show surface irregularities to be more extensive than suggested radiologivally, and frequently there are unsuspected associated horizontal cleavage tears. The clinical implications of degenerated menisci are controversial. A variety of normal synovial folds can simulate the anterior cruciate ligament.


The histochemical reaction for adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) has previously been used to differentiate myoepithelial from epithelial cells in the breast and to investigate the possible contribution of myoepithelial cells to mammary carcinoma. Discrepancies in published reports prompted this study of ATPase in non-neoplastic breast and infiltrating ductal carcinoma. ATPase was localized mainly on myoepithelial cells of normal breast and was identified with significant frequency on epithelial cells in hyperplastic ducts. Infiltrating ductal carcinomas usually displayed a variable reactivity. In one instance, malignant cells demonstrating mucin production were found to be ATPasepositive. An infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the papillary type with apocrine features was also strongly ATPase-reactive. It is concluded that ATPase is not an exclusive marker of myoepithelial cells and, therefore, data resulting from the use of this enzyme to study the role of the myoepithelium in mammary carcinoma must be interpreted with caution. Cancer 38:875-887, 1976


INTRODUCTION After aneurysm treatment, patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are typically kept in the intensive care unit (ICU) to be monitored for signs of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). Identifying patients at very low risk of developing this complication who could be safely transferred out of the ICU early could have a very positive financial impact. METHOD We analyzed 307 consecutive patients admitted to the intensive care unit from October 2001 to June 2011. Demographic, clinical and neuroimaging data were recorded. The relationship between these variables and absent DCI was analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS DCI did not develop in 169 patients (57.9%). Among factors at admission, age ≥ 68 years (p=0.0003; OR 3.16, 95% CI 1.67-6.39), WFNS I-III at presentation (p= 0.0003;OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.57-4.79), WFNS I-III at worst (p= 0.0003; OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.48-3.87), WFNS I-III post resuscitation (p= 0.0006; OR 2.85 95% 1.56-5.32), modified Fisher grade 1-2 (p= 0.0021; OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.37-4.47), absence of intracranial hematoma (p= 0.0042; OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.29-4.01), absence of intraventricular hematoma (p=0.045; OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.01-2.58), absence of cerebrospinal fluid diversion (p= 0.0002; OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.56-4.20) and aneurysm in the posterior circulation (p=0.0253; OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.07-2.87) were associated with absence of DCI. On multivariate analysis, a model including age ≥ 68 years (p= 0.0003; OR 3.23, 95% CI 1.68-6.62), WFNS at presentation I-III (p= 0.0092; OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.21-3.99) and modified Fisher grade 1-2 (p=0.02; OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.11-3.89) was independently uniformly predictive of the absence of DCI (specificity and positive predictive value of 100%; p CONCLUSION We propose a new model that can reliably identify a group of patients with aneurysmal SAH who have very low risk of developing DCI. These patients could be candidates for early transfer to the general ward after treatment of the ruptured aneurysm.


We report the calculation of the solid-liquid interface tension of the graphene-water interaction by using molecular simulations. Local profiles of the interfacial tension are given through the mechanical and thermodynamic definitions. The dependence of the interfacial tension on the graphene area is investigated by applying both reaction field and Ewald summation techniques. The structure of the interfacial region close to the graphene sheet is analyzed through the profiles of the density and hydrogen bond number and the orientation of the water molecules. We complete this study by plotting the profiles of the components of the pressure tensor calculated by the Ewald summation and reaction field methods. We also investigate the case of a reaction field version consisting in applying a damped shifted force in the case of the calculation of the pressure components.


This study aims to explore whether listeners integrate spectral cues in pitch-range perceptions. A forced-choice pitch classification experiment with four spectral conditions was conducted to investigate whether spectral cue manipulation can affect pitch-height perceptions. The participants in this experiment include tonal vs. non-tonal language speakers and musicians vs. non-musicians. The results show that the pitch classification function significantly shifted under different spectral conditions. Listeners generally hear higher pitches when the spectrum includes more high-frequency energy (i.e., tenser phonation). This study strongly supports the hypothesis that voice quality cues and F0 interact in pitch perceptions. Moreover, language experience and musical training can affect the magnitude of shifts.


Strategies Used by Cloud Security Managers to Implement Secure Access Methods by Eric Harmon MS, Kaplan University, 2014 BS, Strayer University, 2012 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Information Technology Walden University December 2017 Abstract Cloud computing can be used as a way to access services and resources for many organizations; however, hackers have created security concerns for users that incorporate cloud computing in their everyday functions. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used by cloud security managers to implement secureCloud computing can be used as a way to access services and resources for many organizations; however, hackers have created security concerns for users that incorporate cloud computing in their everyday functions. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used by cloud security managers to implement secure access methods to protect data on the cloud infrastructure. The population for this study was cloud security managers employed by 2 medium size businesses in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area and that have strategies to implement secure access methods to protect data on the cloud infrastructure. The technology acceptance model was used as the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews of 7 security managers and review of 21 archived documents that reflected security strategies from past security issues that occurred. Data analysis was performed using methodological triangulation and resulted in the identification of three major themes: implementing security policies, implementing strong authentication methods, and implementing strong access control methods. The findings from this research may contribute to positive social by decreasing customers' concerns regarding personal information that is stored on the cloud being compromised. Strategies Used by Cloud Security Managers to Implement Secure Access Methods by Eric Harmon MS, Kaplan University, 2014 BS, Strayer University, 2012 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Information Technology


Objective: Suicide represented 1.8% of the total global burden of disease in 1998 and it will increase to 2.4% in 2020. We performed a cross sectional study to assess the prevalence of suicide ideation, attempt and its associated factors. Method: We designed a cross sectional study in Mahan and Bardsir cities, Kerman province, Iran. Based on the multistage cluster sampling, 860 subjects aged 15 and older were selected as the non-attempter group and 58 hospital cases admitted due to suicide attempts were selected as the attempter group. General Health Questionnaire, Suicide Ideation Scale and demographic form were filled for each participant. Results: This study showed that the prevalence of suicide ideation was 10% in total: 48.3% in the suicide attempters and 7.33% in the non-attempters. Being female, young, single, more educated and less religious, living in urban areas, opium use and having somatic complaints and other psychiatric problems were associated with suicide attempts. Conclusion: Suicide ideation and attempt aren't uncommon in Iran and should be recognized as important problems existing in these two cities of Kerman province. Key words: Attempted Suicide, Iran, Prevalence, Suicide Iran J Psychiatry 2009; 4:92-96 Suicide is now among the three leading causes of death among those aged 15-44 years (both sexes) worldwide. Suicide represented 1.8% of the total global burden of disease in 1998 and it will increase to 2.4% in countries with market and former socialist economies in 2020 (1). Iran's suicide rates like other Asian countries are moderate. Bertolote et al showed that the prevalence of life time suicide ideation was 14%)2( ;and the review of the Nock et al showed that the prevalence of the life time suicide attempts are between 1.2 and 1.4% in Iran)3). These rates, suicide ideation and suicide attempts, were 12.7% and 3.3% respectively in a study conducted by Malakouti et al. (4). Mental disorders particularly depression and substance abuse are associated with more than 90% of all the suicide cases (1). In Iran, 10.8% of the subjects aged 18 years and older suffer from at least one psychiatric disorder, and major depressive disorder is the top common disorder among this population(5.( Kerman is a south eastern province in Iran and one of the main opium trade routes of Afghanistan. In addition to neighboring Afghanistan, some cultural beliefs in Kerman lead to the high prevalence of opium addiction (6). Bardsir and Mahan are two small cities in this province with estimated population of 89365 and 17166 respectively with similar geographical and sociocultural situation . As no precise data are present on suicide in Kerman, this study was aimed to assess the prevalence of suicide ideation, attempt and its related factors in order to find out the epidemiology and the most common determinants of this public health problem in two ordinary cities in the central part of Iran. Materials and Methods Sample This cross sectional study was conducted in Bardsir and Mahan during Jul to Aug 2005. Based on the assumptions in calculating the sample size (α = 5%, β = 10%, the prevalence of the psychiatric disorders (= 21% [(7])) ),and the considering minimum OR between psychiatric disorders disordersand , suicide ideation and also the design effect of 840 subjects were calculated. The selected sample size was divided into 4 categories based on the rural and urban population in each of the Mahan and Bardsir cities (Mahan and Bard sir). Based on the multi-stage clustered sampling method, The the sample of 859 subjects out of a total number of 106531 individuals with the aged age range of 15 and older based on the multi-stage clustered sampling method were selected. Based on the urban and rural population of Mahan and Bardsir Bardsirin The , 43 clusters were randomly selected from the list of households of health centers. …


We have previously demonstrated that binding of ephrin‐A1 to Eph receptors on human CD4+ T cells stimulates migration. Here, we show that a distinct population of CD8+ T lymphocytes, expressing the chemokine receptor CCR7, also binds ephrin‐A1 and is stimulated to migrate after binding. The Eph receptor signaling pathway taking part in the migration event was here investigated. Induced tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins was seen after ephrin‐A1 binding. In particular, induced phosphorylation and kinase activity of the Src kinase family member Lck was observed. An Lck inhibitor inhibited ephrin‐A1‐induced migration, indicating the involvement of Lck in the migration event. In addition, we observed an induced association of the focal adhesion‐like kinase proline‐rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2) and the guanidine exchange factor Vav1 with Lck. PI3K inhibitors also inhibited migration, and studies in transfectants indicate an association of PI3K with EphA1. Further, ephrin‐A1‐induced migration could be related to the activation of Rho GTPases. This was also observed by using an inhibitor of the Rho‐associated kinase ROCK, a downstream effector of Rho. Our results suggest that stimulation of Eph receptors on CD8+CCR7+ T cells leads to migration involving activation of Lck, Pyk2, PI3K, Vav1 and Rho GTPase.


Objective An enriched environment embedded in an acute stroke unit can increase activity levels of patients who had stroke, with changes sustained 6 months post-implementation. The objective of this study was to understand perceptions and experiences of nursing and allied health professionals involved in implementing an enriched environment in an acute stroke unit. Design A descriptive qualitative approach. Setting An acute stroke unit in a regional Australian hospital. Participants We purposively recruited three allied health and seven nursing professionals involved in the delivery of the enriched environment. Face-to-face, semistructured interviews were conducted 8 weeks post-completion of the enriched environment study. One independent researcher completed all interviews. Voice-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed by three researchers using a thematic approach to identify main themes. Results Three themes were identified. First, staff perceived that 'the road to recovery had started' for patients. An enriched environment was described to shift the focus to recovery in the acute setting, which was experienced through increased patient activity, greater psychological well-being and empowering patients and families. Second, 'it takes a team' to successfully create an enriched environment. Integral to building the team were positive interdisciplinary team dynamics and education. The impact of the enriched environment on workload was diversely experienced by staff. Third, 'keeping it going' was perceived to be challenging. Staff reflected that changing work routines was difficult. Contextual factors such as a supportive physical environment and variety in individual enrichment opportunities were indicated to enhance implementation. Key to sustaining change was consistency in staff and use of change management strategies. Conclusion Investigating staff perceptions and experiences of an enrichment model in an acute stroke unit highlighted the need for effective teamwork. To facilitate staff in their new work practice, careful selection of change management strategies are critical to support clinical translation of an enriched environment. Trial registration number ANZCTN12614000679684; Results.


Species inhabit a variety of environmental niches, and the adaptation to a particular niche is often controlled by genetic factors, including gene-by-environment interactions. The genes that vary in order to regulate the ability to colonize a niche are often difficult to identify, especially in the context of complex ecological systems and in experimentally uncontrolled natural environments. Quantitative genetic approaches provide an opportunity to investigate correlations between genetic factors and environmental parameters that might define a niche. Previously, we have shown how a collection of 208 whole-genome sequenced wild Caenorhabditis elegans can facilitate association mapping approaches. To correlate climate parameters with the variation found in this collection of wild strains, we used geographic data to exhaustively curate daily weather measurements in short-term (3 month), middle-term (one year), and long-term (three year) durations surrounding the date of strain isolation. These climate parameters were used as quantitative traits in association mapping approaches, where we identified 11 quantitative trait loci (QTL) for three climatic variables: elevation, relative humidity, and average temperature. We then narrowed the genomic interval of interest to identify gene candidates with variants potentially underlying phenotypic differences. Additionally, we performed two-strain competition assays at high and low temperatures to validate a QTL that could underlie adaptation to temperature and found suggestive evidence supporting that hypothesis.


OBJECTIVE
To review the genesis and current status of best practices" thinking, its application in health promotion practice, and in generalizing research to alternate populations, places and times.

METHODS
A presbyopic eye is cast over the recent evolution of the concept of "best practices" from medicine to public health.

RESULTS
Some discontinuities are found in the migration of this concept from medicine, where it applies with some consistency to the relatively homogeneous physiology of the human species, to health behaviorwhere social, cultural, economic, and other heterogeneities make the generalizability of any research more suspect.

CONCLUSIONS
Health promotion and other applications of health behavioral research need to replace "best practices" with "best processes."


In Spokeo v. Robbins, the Supreme Court held that, to establish Article III standing to bring suit in federal court, a plaintiff cannot simply allege the violation of a legal right. Instead, the plaintiff must allege an injury in fact. Although it addressed standing to bring suit for statutory violations, Spokeo raises serious questions about limits on the ability to bring breach of contract actions in federal court. After all, contracts simply create legal rights. Under Spokeo's logic, the breach of contractual rights should not support standing; instead, standing exists only if the breach results in factual harm. But restricting standing in this way would significantly curtail freedom of contract and would render many traditionally enforceable contracts unenforceable in federal court. At the same time, creating an exception to the injury in fact rule for contract law would create anomalies that would threaten to destabilize standing law. The difficulties with each of those approaches casts serious doubt on Spokeo's holding that the violation of a legal right does not support standing.


Abstract Collectively known as eucheumatoids, Eucheuma denticulatum, Kappaphycus alvarezii, K. malesianus, and K. striatus are the main farmed seaweed species in the Philippines. The success of seaweed farming for over five decades in the country is due, in part, to the high diversity of cultivars maintained by the Filipino farmers. Notwithstanding the fact that many eucheumatoid cultivars are presently (and consistently) recognized by the Filipino farmers, there has been no attempt to summarize the current state of the local traditional knowledge about the diversity of this seaweed group, especially with reference to the taxonomy, cultivar designation and distribution. Factors based on present day local knowledge on the eucheumatoid cultivars and what is known on genetic identification in the Philippines were also discussed. A total of 66 cultivars recognized across 58 provinces in the Philippines were documented. Most of these cultivars were morphologically identified as either K. alvarezii or K. striatus, however, the majority were yet to be genetically identified. In part, due to higher demand of kappa-carrageenan extract as compared from the iota type, K. alvarezii and K. striatus were widely cultivated in the Philippines than that of E. denticulatum. Only in the southern Philippines that K. malesianus is currently cultivated. The diverse cultivars identified in this study suggest that the Filipino farmers possess important traditional knowledge that can be useful for future crop selection and breeding.


Effective service recovery is vital to maintaining customer and employee satisfaction and loyalty, which contribute significantly to a company's revenues and profitability. Yet most customers are dissatisfied with the way companies resolve their complaints, and most companies do not take advantage of the learning opportunities afforded by service failures. The authors provide a research-based approach for helping managers develop a comprehensive service recovery system.

To encourage dissatisfied customers to complain, leading firms set performance standards, often through the use of guarantees; communicate the importance of recovery to employees; train customers in how to complain; and use technological support offered through customer call centers and the Internet. In resolving problems, companies need to focus on providing fair outcomes, procedures, and interactions. Successful companies develop hiring criteria and training programs that take into account employees' service-recovery role, develop guidelines for service recovery, are easily accessible to customers, and use the information in customer databases to solve problems.

Firms promote organizational learning by documenting and classifying complaints; useful methods include creating internal complaint forms, accessing complaints made to front-line employees, and categorizing customers who complain. Finally, companies need to generate additional information on service quality, disseminate it to those responsible for implementing improvements, and identify those process improvements that will have the greatest impact on profitability.

Customer conflicts are inevitable. A powerful service-recovery strategy can turn these conflicts into opportunities to improve performance and raise profitability.


The present study was designed to evaluate the use of spirulina (Spirulina platensis) as a protein source for hybrid red tilapia. Spirulina was incorporated into four isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets at 0, 5, 10 and 20% of the fishmeal-based diet. The test diets were fed to the fish at 2% body weight twice a day for 120 days. The final weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio and survival rate of fish were not affected by spirulina supplementation (p>0.05). There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in carcass proximate composition of the fish fed on spirulina diets as compared to those on control diet. This study demonstrates that up to 20% of spirulina can be substituted for fishmeal in a fishmeal-based diet for hybrid red tilapia without any adverse effect on fish growth.


In this study, we report the development of a screening method for highly accurate and sensitive analysis of 44 cephalosporins in 4 representative meats (pork, beef, chicken, and mutton). The approach is based on liquid chromatography quadrupole-orbitrap hybrid high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-Q-Orbitrap, HRMS). Highly accurate identification markers of cephalosporins were obtained to have a tool for the detection of non-target or even unknown cephalosporins. Optimal chromatographic separation was studied, and Ascentis C8 column was chosen after comparing several different column materials and mobile phases. A simple sample treatment method consisting of extraction with a mixture of acetonitrile and water followed by solid-phase extraction (SPE) with a PRiME HLB cartridge was developed. The methodology was validated in accordance with the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC by evaluating the following required parameters: linearity, accuracy, repeatability, decision limit (CCα), and detection capability (CCβ). For the matrices studied herein, the recovery rates ranged from 69.2% to 129.0% with the inter- and intra-day variability under 15%. The CCα and CCβ were determined according to maximum residue limit (MRL) or minimum required performance limit (MRPL) when established. The method has been successfully applied to meat samples purchased from the local market, and ceftazidime, which has not yet been considered in the current legislation all over the world, has been found in one of these samples.


Following on an earlier description of sporadic reflexes of Proto-Oceanic *q in Malakula, another set of sporadic reflexes of the same protophoneme is discussed. In Southern Vanuatu languages, *q sporadically merges with the reflexes of *p that occur adjacent to *u. Because the Proto-Southern Vanuatu reflex of *p in that environment may have been phonetically a labialized velar stop, this adds support to the view that *q was uvular; it may have also had a labialized reflex in the same environment, which would help to explain this partial merger. Some comparison is also made between different loss and retention patterns as they relate to the two Proto-Oceanic uvular phonemes, *q and *R.


This thesis studied natural convection in water from a horizontal mirror finished disk, heated in the center and surrounded by a cylindrical enclosure. The test section was designed to insure a one dimensional heat flux. Measurements were taken with power inputs varying from 25 to 5 watts . Fluid depth had a definite effect on the heat transfer. An apparent maximum value existed at a ratio of enclosure radius to fluid depth of one. Comparison of the data with existing correlations however, was poor which led to the questioning of the validity of the assumed one dimensional heat flux. Use of a finite element computer program demonstrated that two dimensional effects. were important. Subsequent modification of the heat transfer coefficient to account for this variation gave a correlation more in agreement with those existing in the literature.


Built-in Test (BIT) technique is a important equipment in complex electronic system. In this paper, the CAN bus based on intelligent built-in test technique in complex electronic system was presented to make use of the advantages of CAN bus to solve the problems of communication and reliability of the distributed intelligent BIT system. This paper elaborates the structure of intelligent BIT system and the fault-detection technique, and the nodes in intelligent BIT system are equipped with the CAN bus interface. It also describes the software and hardware design of intelligent BIT node. The high-speed communication and reliability of CAN bus facilitate the communication and timely disposal of the testing signal and the intelligent BIT design. Experiments and practical applications approved that this technical method was feasible and effective.


In this article we argue that "smart" work spaces are created through access to wireless networks and mobile cloud computing collaboration software. Yet the power relations embedded in these overlapping physical and cyberspaces function to control the spatial and temporal fragmentation of related work activities. Through a review of the literature, we first describe how scholars have considered the relationship between space, technology, and the workplace and how conceptions of work activity fragmentation developed over time in relation to computing technology. We provide data from the American Time Use Survey to show the extent of work activity fragmentation among workers in the United States, finding that spatial fragmentation is more prominent among knowledge workers in large metropolitan areas. Drawing on original interview and observation data in the New York metropolitan area, we then describe both the cyberspaces of work enabled by mobile cloud collaboration software and the physical spaces of work opened up by the availability of wireless networks in diverse locations. Finally, we consider how the exercise of power and control in these overlapping physical and cyberspaces can either enable or prevent the fragmentation of work activities at multiple points. Key Words: activity fragmentation, cyberspace, information and communication technology, power relations, smart space.


This paper deals with high-strength concrete structure with carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) strips bonded to the shear face. The first part deals with an experimental study. The fiber reinforced plastics strengthened concrete member test presents a failure mode with debonding of the external CFRP strips from the concrete member. The second part deals with a nonlinear FE analysis with LS-DYNA . Considering of the adhesive layer, explicit finite element is used for simulating the shear failure of CFRP-strengthened concrete, obtain the whole process of structure deformation development and describe the conformation and development of crack and the failure mode. The FE results are compared with the experimental results.


Damavand is a fascinating dormant stratovolcano, 60 km to the ENE of Tehran located in the Alborz Mountains. Damavand volcanic products consist of lava flows and pyroclastic fall, flow and surge deposits from different eruption cycles. The volcanic rocks ranges from trachyandesite to trachyadacite and minor basalt. The mineral assemblage consists of potash feldspar (Or43/7), Plagioclase (An25 to An59), amphibole, clinopyroxene (augite and salite), orthopyroxene (hypersthene and ferro-hypersthene), biotite (phologophite) and Fe-Ti oxides. Some of the lavas and pyroclastic deposits show calc-alkaline affinities. Lavas from different cycled are classified as shoshonitic types and most pyroclastic deposits are classified as High-K. In comparison to n-type MORB, three recent pyroclastic deposits in Damavand show an enrichment in LREE, LILE, Th, and P and are slightly depleted in MREE and HREE. Incompatible LILE (Rb, Ba and Sr) together with Th and U have not shown broad enrichment as a function of increasing SiO2 content. Variations in the Major and trace element compositions of Damavand rocks and pyroclastic deposits are difficult to explain by fractional crystallization mechanism. Scatter of several trace elements in plots against SiO2 and incompatible trace elements, also suggests that the petrogenesis is more complex than a simple fractionation process from a single composition parent. High K, Ba and Rb content in volcanic products could be due to enrichment of these elements in the source. Field observation such as limitation of magmatism in region suggest that decompression melting  could be generate the Damavand Lavas and pyroclastic deposits.


Many studies have shown an increased prevalence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM) in individuals with an unfavorable body fat distribution, but there are still relatively few prospective studies on this topic. We present data on the 8-y incidence of NIDDM in Mexican-American men and women according to their degree of central adiposity, measured by the ratio of subscapular to triceps skinfold thicknesses. Subjects were initially enrolled in the San Antonio Heart Study, a population-based study of diabetes in Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites. Sixteen of 254 initially nondiabetic men and 27 of 366 initially nondiabetic women developed diabetes. Central adiposity was more strongly associated with diabetes incidence in women than in men. After adjustment for overall adiposity (measured by body mass index), women in the highest and in the middle tertile of centrality had a significantly higher risk of diabetes than did women in the lowest tertile [odds ratio (OR) = 10.70, P = 0.008, highest vs lowest tertile, and OR = 8.55, P = 0.032, middle vs lowest tertile; for men OR = 3.70 and OR = 1.38, respectively].


Camels are first known to have been in Turkey some 2600 years ago when they were used as animals of war. There has been continued presence ever since and the country is unusual as it is home to both one-humped and bactrian types. During the nineteenth and as late as the early twentieth century there was an important exchange of breeding animals between Turkey and Syria. Numbers declined rapidly after the 1930s and at the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century the country's camel population was little more than 1000 animals. These are now mainly used for sport and as a tourist attraction with meat being a minor product. Camels are not included in Turkey's programme of conservation of its domestic livestock resources but as an ancient and important part of biodiversity and because of the location of both types at the extremes of their normal ranges they are worthy of further attention.


The purpose of this paper is to examine the context and circumstances surrounding technical and vocational education training (TVET) in Somalia in general, and Puntland State in particular, in order to have a positive impact on reducing chronic youth unemployment, which currently stands at 67% across the country. The existing condition, difficulties, and prospects of the TVET education industry in Puntland were surveyed in the first section using secondary sources. Second, a quantitative survey was undertaken using the questionnaire approach to explain Puntland's TVET difficulties and potential to diverse stakeholders. The study's findings suggest that insufficient competent teachers, gender imbalance ratios among teachers in some districts, lack of necessary instructional materials, an imbalance in the distribution of TVET facilities, and a lack of public awareness of its value plague TVET facilities across Puntland. The participating governmental ministries have a lot of administrative overlap because they all want to get their hands on the sector's international donor fund. Another important finding of the poll is that university graduates are frequently unemployed due to a lack of automation for available occupations. Puntland's TVET education also lacks clarity on the roles of the private and governmental sectors, as well as a uniform and unified curriculum. To fulfill enterprise and industry standards, fair access to TVET, increasing its quality and relevance, the government's involvement in controlling the sector's delivery, and financing mechanisms are all vital. standardized curriculum, gender disparity.


The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been responsible for conducting periodic surveys to estimate food consumption patterns of households and/or individuals in the United States for over 50 years. Data from these surveys have had a significant impact on the formulation of food-assistance programs, on consumer education and on food regulatory activities. In recent years, there has been interest in estimating the proportion of the population that has insufficient intake or excessive intake of certain dietary components. Different approaches have been suggested for the estimation of this proportion. In all approaches, it is necessary to analyze data on dietary intakes for a sample of individuals. Also, all approaches recognize that an individual who has a low intake of a given dietary component on one day is not necessarily deficient (or at risk of being deficient) so far as that dietary component is concerned. It is low intake over a sufficiently long period of time that produces a dietary deficiency. A dietary deficiency exists when the "usual" (i.e., normal or long-run average) intake of the dietary component is less than the appropriate dietary standard.


Introduction: This study aimed to assess the outcome of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) as the primary treatment for transplant renal artery stenosis (TxRAS). Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of PTA of TxRAS from April 1999 to December 2008 was performed. Twenty-seven patients (17 males (M):10 females (F)) with the mean age of 49.5 years underwent PTA of TxRAS in the review period. Indications for PTA were suboptimal control of hypertension (n = 12), impaired renal function (n = 6) and both suboptimal control of hypertension and impaired renal function (n = 9). All patients had doppler ultrasound scans prior to their PTA. In addition, 5 of these patients had computed tomography angiography (CTA) and another 7 had magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) evaluation. Mean follow-up period was 57.0 months (range, 7 to 108 months). Results: The stenotic lesions were located proximal to the anastomosis (n = 2), at the anastomosis (n = 15), and distal to the anastomosis (n = 14). Technical success rate was 96.3%. One case was complicated by extensive dissection during PTA, resulting in subsequent graft failure. The overall clinical success rate was 76.9%. Seven out of 26 patients had restenoses (26.9% of cases). These were detected at a mean of 14.3 months post angioplasty (range, 5 to 38 months). All 7 patients underwent a second PTA successfully. Three of these patients required more than 1 repeat PTA. Conclusion: PTA is safe and effective in the management of symptomatic TxRAS and should be the primary treatment of choice. Close surveillance for restenosis is required and when diagnosed, re-angioplasty can be performed.

Key words: Post transplant hypertension, Kidney transplantation, Transplanted kidney failure


Multi-channel gate all around (GAA) semiconductor devices march closer to becoming a reality in production as their maturity in development continues. From this development, an understanding of what physical parameters affecting the device has emerged. The importance of material property characterization relative to that of other physical parameters has continued to increase for GAA architecture when compared to its relative importance in earlier architectures. Among these materials properties are the concentration of Ge in SiGe channels and the strain in these channels and related films. But because these properties can be altered by many different process steps, each one adding its own variation to these parameters, their characterization and control at multiple steps in the process flow is crucial. This paper investigates the characterization of strain and Ge concentration, and the relationships between these properties, in the PFET SiGe channel material at the earliest stages of processing for GAA devices. Grown on a bulk Si substrate, multiple pairs of thin SiGe/Si layers that eventually form the basis of the PFET channel are measured and characterized in this study. Multiple measurement techniques are used to measure the material properties. In-line X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Low Energy X-Ray Fluorescence (LE-XRF) are used to characterize Ge content, while in-line High Resolution X-Ray Diffraction (HRXRD) is used to characterize strain. Because both patterned and un-patterned structures were investigated, scatterometry (also called optical critical dimension, or OCD) is used to provide valuable geometrical metrology.


This study examines three possible methods for improving the digestibility and bioavailability of zinc to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mikiss). The first method was to examine the availability of the zinc utilisation from commonly used protein sources; the second was to assess the efficacy of the upstream use of an enzyme treatment of the raw materials; the third was to assess the use of organically complexed mineral supplements as opposed to the inorganic salts widely used at present. The first section indicated that the zinc from the soyabean meal was the most available (49.4%). The zinc digestibilities of the animal based protein used in this current study were 15.1% for LT94 fish meal, 26.6% for the Provimi 66 white fishmeal and 15.8% for poultry meat meal. The zinc in the maize/corn gluten meal was 31.9% digestible and from the NuPro 26.1%. Gram for gram maize gluten meal supplied the least amount of zinc to the fish (3.66 mg per kg). Based on these results the diets for the subsequent supplementation trials were formulated. The liver, eye and caudal fin were identified biomarkers of a severe zinc deficiency. The second part of the study revealed a soybean product, treated by exogenous enzymes, had a higher phosphorus digestibility, (49.0%, vs. 36.6%) and zinc digestibility (30.7% vs. 7.9%) The treatment did not improve the protein digestibility (85%). The third part of the study showed the organic source proved more digestible than the inorganic, 37.4% and 26.9% respectively. The fish fed the organic source maintained a higher level of zinc in both the eye and caudal fin. The liver zinc levels were unaffected by both dietary level and zinc source. Analysis of the liver for a zinc dependant protein showed that under stress conditions only the organic supplemented fish were able to synthesis this protein. The analysis of the mRNA levels coding for this protein indicate the fish on both zinc forms up regulated the production of the mRNA to the same extent when stressed. Finally this study also examined the viability of using a stable isotope to identify different 'preferences' for one form of supplementation over the other in different tissues. This method illustrated a tissue dependant difference to how the fish attempted physiologically to compensate for zinc deficiency. The rate of turnover was fastest in the liver, then the caudal fin and then the eye, and also showed that when the diet was more deficient there was an increased ability for the tissues to take up the organic form.


The aim of this case study is to answer whether Eurocentrism is represented in Swedish high school textbooks today, and if so how does it manifest itself? This qualitative study will use three social study textbooks published 2010, 2011 and 2013 respectively to decide whether Swedish social study textbooks include Eurocentric representations. Previous Swedish scholars have mainly focused on Eurocentric representations in history books, whereas the latest examined history books investigated where published in the 1990's and the study was published in 2000 (Palmgren 2000). Much has happened in the political sphere since 2000, one of the major events being the terror attack on the World Trade Centre in 2001 which has significantly altered the world's view on non-Westerners – primarily Middle Easterners. This change in the political and media's sphere has been inevitable not least in Sweden and is a motivation for updating this field. Social study textbooks in particular focus greatly on different political views, societies and polities which is also why Eurocentrism can manifest itself in social study textbooks. This thesis will thus use postcolonial perspective, as it argues against Eurocentric framework of understanding, to describe and discuss the discourse of Eurocentric representation. Four dimensions of this discourse will form an analytical framework that will guide the analysis towards answering whether and how Eurocentrism is represented in Swedish textbooks. The analysis will show that Swedish textbooks do in various ways represent Eurocentrism, although to different extents


Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates came into existence soon after the introduction of methicillin. Historically, MRSA isolates have been associated with nosocomial infections and rapidly developed resistance to multiple drug classes. However, in recent years, different strains with unique phenotypes have emerged in the community, and the reservoir of community-associated MRSA is rapidly expanding. Community-associated pathogens are likely to cause life-threatening systemic infections, especially in children and elderly individuals, and may also cause serious skin and soft-tissue infections in healthy individuals. Compared with nosocomial strains, community-associated MRSA isolates are associated with increased virulence and currently are more likely to be susceptible to a variety of antibiotics. The epidemiological and microbiological differences between community-associated and nosocomial MRSA infections necessitate different strategies to prevent and treat the 2 types of infections. Vancomycin nonsusceptibility in S. aureus is on the increase, further complicating therapy.


The review highlights the poverty alleviation programmes of the government in the post-economic reform era to evaluate the contribution of these programmes towards reducing poverty in the country. The poverty alleviation programmes are classified into (i) self-employment programmes; (ii) wage employment programmes; (iii) food security programmes; (iv) social security programmes; and (v) urban poverty alleviation programmes. The parameter used for evaluation included utilization of allocated funds, change in poverty level, employment generation and number or proportion of beneficiaries. The paper attempts to go beyond the economic benefit of the programmes and analyzes the social impact of these programmes on the communities where the poor live, and concludes that too much of government involvement is actually an impediment. On the other hand, involvement of the community, especially the poor has led to better achievement of the goals of the programmes. Such endeavours not only reduced poverty but also empowered the poor to find their own solutions to their economic problems. There is a need for decentralization of the programmes by strengthening the panchayat raj institutions as poverty is not merely economic deprivation but also social marginalization that affects the poor most.


This study was to investigate the hydration characteristics and cementious properties of pyrolytic steel slag(PSS). Initially, PSS pastes were made to determine the hydration characteristics of PSS and the results indicated that the hydration activity of PSS with 6.4% gypsum content was stronger than that of paste with pure PSS. Afterwards, compressive strength of mortars were tested and the results showed that cement mortars with 0% to 30% replacement of PSS satisfied the requirements of activity index class of 80% at 28 days. As an activator, gypsum was supiror to calcium hydroxide in performance.


This study examines the economic and psychological costs of care for family carers of people with dementia in Ireland. The analysis is based on an opportunistic survey of 98 carers of people with dementia. The article presents new findings on Irish carers' own perceptions of optimal care provision and the value of the care provided in monetary terms. Family carers in the survey provide an average of just under 12 hours of specified care each day to people with dementia. Many carers refer to the constant nature of care, with very high figures recorded for surveillance and supervision of the person with dementia. Irish caregivers spend considerably longer than they would wish caring for their relatives with dementia, allowing their mental health to suffer in the process. Carers would also like to be paid for the work that they do. Current arrangements for monetary compensation are, however, selective and therefore inadequate to meet the needs of most carers.


This study was designed to understand which factors influence consumer hesitation or delay in online product purchases. The study examined four groups of variables (i.e., consumer characteristics, contextual factors perceived uncertainty factors, and medium/channel innovation factors) that predict three types of online shopping hesitation (i.e., overall hesitation, shopping cart abandonment, and hesitation at the final payment stage). We found that different sets of delay factors are related to different aspects of online shopping hesitation. The study concludes with suggestion for various delay-reduction devices to help consumers close their online decision hesitation.