Background and objective : Liposomal Amphotericin B (LAMB) is a drug in group E (2) in the  national essential drugs 2551. Hospital must provide control measuring and appropriate prescribing approval system. In addition, drug use review or evaluation is also required to assure the reasonable drug utilization in terms of indication and other privacy statements. Review of LAMB use in various fields, including prescribing volume, justified indication, duration, drug use indicators and effectiveness of drugs is a practice tool according to the measures which will support the rational use of drugs and a great value. Method: This retrospective descriptive study collected data from medical record of inpatients who received LAMB at Srinagarind hospital from October 1, 2004 to September 30, 2011. Results: LAMB were used in 26 patients but only 16 patients were recruited into the study and 12 patients were males (75.00%). The average age of patients was 45.72 ± 15.44 years old. The total amounts of drug used were 237 vials and cost 2,100,057 Baht. LAMB were used as empiric therapy in 8 patients for protecting the mycosis after undergoing liver transplantation and 1 patient who underwent abdominoplasty surgery. The indications of document therapy were used in 3 cases of aspergillosis, 2 cases of cryptococcosis, 1 case of mucormycosis sinus, and 1 case of candidiasis. The drug dose in empiric therapy was 0.57-0.96 mg/kg/day meanwhile in document therapy was about 2.42-4.00 mg/kg/day. For the drug indicators, all patients had been undertaken culture and sensitivity testing for microorganism. Moreover, the patients had been checked for complete blood count and serum creatinine both before and during the treatment. For the outcome of treatments, fever was subsided within three days in 5 patients (31.25%), white blood cells were return to normal in 3 patients (18.75%) and microorganisms were disappeared in 2 cases (12.50%). Regarding to discharge status, improve, not improve and dead were indicated in 9 (56.25%), 2 (12.50%) and 5 (31.25%) patients, respectively. Conclusion: The use of LAMB as documented therapy was mostly appropriate in the terms of indications, process indicators of drug utilization and dosage regimen meanwhile the empirical therapy was inappropriate in term of dosage regimen.


Abstract Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) causes one of the most destructive diseases of cucurbits worldwide. Although the virus has been present in China for more than 25 years, there is little information about biological and molecular traits of ZYMV isolates from China. This study aimed to characterize 26 ZYMV isolates from Xinjiang, China based on pathotypes, molecular variability and host range. Phylogenetic analysis of the complete sequences of the coat protein gene revealed three distinct groups (A, B and C), with four subgroups in A (I–IV). All isolates from Xinjiang were placed in group C and subgroups A–I and A–II. To test for differences in host range among different phylogenetic groups from Xinjiang, 13 isolates were mechanically inoculated onto 14 plant species in five families and their pathotypes were also identified based on the reaction of a resistant melon accession PI414723. Overall, the results showed that there were no correlations of host responses to inoculation with ZYMV isolates from different phylogenetic groups. However, on Cucurbita pepo, differences in host responses to inoculation with the ZYMV isolates from different phylogenetic groups were observed. Although the host range of the 13 isolates tested was similar, their biological properties on different hosts were slightly different from the ZYMV isolates characterized in other countries. The results of the pathotype test showed that the 13 ZYMV isolates were classified as pathotype 0. The information obtained is important in breeding for resistant varieties.


Biometric images were pre-processed and filtered in two ways, by wavelet- Gabor and wavelet  Ateb-gabor filtration. Ateb-based Gabor filter is effective for filtration because it contains generalizations of trigonometric functions. The wavelet transform of Ateb-Gabor function was developed. The function dependence on seven parameters was shown, each of them significantly changes the filtering results of biometric images. The Ateb-Gabor wavelet research was performed. Graphic dependencies of the wavelet Gabor filter and the wavelet Ateb-Gabor filter were constructed. The appliance of wavelet transform makes it possible to reduce the complexity of calculating an Ateb-Gabor filter by simplifying function calculations and reducing filtering time. The complexities of algorithms for calculating the wavelet Gabor filter and the wavelet Ateb-Gabor filter have been evaluated. Ateb-Gabor filtration allows you to adjust the intensity of the entire image, and to change certain ranges, thereby changing certain areas of the image. Biometric images should have this property, on which the minucius should be contrasting and clear. Ateb functions have the property of changing two rational parameters, which will allow to make more flexible control of filtration. The properties of the Ateb function, as well as the possibility of changing the amplitude of the function, the oscillation frequency by the numerical values of the Ateb-Gabor filter, were investigated. By using the parameters of the Ateb function, you can get a much larger range of shapes and sizes, which expands the number of possible filtration options. You can also perform filtration once, taking into account the direction of the minucius and reliably determine the sharpness of the edges, rather than perform filtration many times. The reliability of results were tested using NIST Special Database 302 and good filtration results were shown. This is confirmed by the comparison experiment between the wavelet-Gabor filter and the wavelet Ateb-Gabor function based on the PSNR signal-to-noise ratio measurement.


Use of motile cells as sensors and actuators in microfabricated devices requires precise design of interfaces between living and non-living components, a process that has relied on slow revision of device architectures as prototypes are sequentially evaluated and re-designed. In this report, we describe a microdesign and fabrication approach capable of iteratively refining three-dimensional bacterial interfaces in periods as short as 10 minutes, and demonstrate its use to drive fluid transport by harnessing flagellar motion. In this approach, multiphoton excitation is used to promote protein photocrosslinking in a direct-write procedure mediated by static and dynamic masking, with the resultant microstructures serving to capture motile bacteria from the surrounding fluidic environment. Reproducible steering and patterning of flagellated E. coli cells drive microfluidic currents capable of guiding micro-objects on predictable trajectories with velocities reaching 150 microm s(-1) and achieving bulk flow through microchannels. We show that bacteria can be dynamically immobilized at specified positions, an approach that frees such devices from limitations imposed by the functional lifetime of cells. These results provide a foundation for the development of sophisticated microfluidic devices powered by cells.


238 optometrists representing the graduating classes of 1991, 1996, and 1998 from Pacific University College of Optometry were surveyed to determine potential barriers to establishing their ideal practice. 96 optometrists (40%) responded to the survey, representing 14 different modes of practice. Overall, the number one barrier for Pacific graduates was debt load with 92% of optometrists agreeing. Other significant barriers were start up costs, (87% agreeing), low initial salary (86%), lack of savings (88%), and lack of business education (87%). Some interesting barrier trends also evolved from this survey. Notably, lack of business education has become less of a barrier when comparing responses from 1991, 1996, and 1998. Competition in the optometric/ophthalmologic market had become a greater barrier for 1998 graduates compared to graduates of 1996, and 1991. Qualifying for insurance plans and finding a suitable practice location have also become emerging barriers for 1998 graduates as compared to graduates from 1991 and 1996. The survey also inquired about annual income, future prospects for the field of optometry, what keeps optometrists enthusiastic about the profession and the possibility of doing it all over again.


The paper reviews the main criteria for classifying the eastern Polish border region as a peripheral area. Apart from geographical location there are also economic, social and cultural criteria. The article refers to the economic, social and cultural conditions of local development. The main direction of development of the Polish region of eastern is agriculture. The area is also characterised by low population density. This hinders the development of the area. It can also be an advantage, especially in a situation of tourism development. The paper discusses selected factors determining the local development of Eastern Poland. The emphasis is put on their diversity and the fact that the interpretation of their real impact remains inconclusive as it is in the case of the border itself. The boundary state can be both a barrier and a factor stimulating the development of the areas. The analysis justifi es the conclusion that each of these factors contributes to the development of border areas. Strength of their impact depends on the strategy of development. The article uses an analysis of source materials, as well as the author's own observations arising from years of the research conducted in this area.


Dynamics of falling into and out of poverty are examined using a discrete time hazard approach, using a panel dataset of Kenyan rural households. Poverty incidence shows some level of decline over the panel period. However, the factors that determine whether a households slips into poverty or escapes poverty do not appear to be radically different. Access to more of financial resources and by association better quality farm inputs may be valuable policy options that will prevent rural farm households from falling into poverty while helping others escape poverty.


Haematological data were obtained through analysis of blood samples taken from sixteen donkeys randomly selected from a donkey population in Kiambu District, Kenya. Nine out of sixteen of the donkeys examined were anaemic, with low RBC counts (ranging between 3.2 - 4.18 x 106/ml) and low Hb concentrations (ranging between 6.6 - 9.7 gm%). Seven out of nine of these donkeys in addition, had relatively low PCV values (18% - 28.7%). The epg counts in the anaemic donkeys ranged between 0 and 3100. The total protein levels in all the sixteen donkeys were slightly elevated. The differential leucocyte counts were within the normal range in twelve out of sixteen donkeys. Two donkeys had leucocytosis, with WBC counts ranging between 18.6 and 24.8, and epg counts ranging between 100 and 200.


This essay draws on archival documents to explore the British Empire's plans for establishing a university in the eastern Mediterranean in the 1930s. The British possessions in the region were at stake in the aftermath of the First World War. Since the early 1930s the Foreign Office had been eagerly planning the establishment of a university in the region in order to make the local elites familiar with Western culture. Egypt, Palestine, and Cyprus were considered the most likely locations for the institution. It is argued that cultural propaganda was perceived by the Foreign Office as an essential component of the empire's strategy and legitimacy in its sphere of influence. Although the project was eventually not realized due to the outbreak of the Second World War, its significance lies in the demonstration of the British grand strategy in the eastern Mediterranean during the interwar period.


Human anterior cingulate and frontoinsular cortices participate in healthy social-emotional processing. These regions feature 2 related layer 5 neuronal morphotypes, the von Economo neurons and fork cells. In this paper, we review the historical accounts of these neurons and provide a German-to-English translation of von Economo's seminal paper describing the neurons which have come to bear his name. We close with a brief discussion regarding the functional and clinical relevance of these neurons and their home regions.


SUMMARY: Haemin dependent mutants were isolated from Bacillus subtilis after (a) ultraviolet irradiation and selection by streptomycin, (b) exposure of the organisms to copper ions and (c) treatment with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitro-soguanidine. The isolates were grown in a synthetic medium containing hae-min when substances able to neutralize inhibitory factors and to stabilize the medium were included. Two of the mutants were capable of growth in media supplemented only with δ-aminolaevulinic acid, the first intermediate of porphyrin synthesis. Transformation of the mutants to haemin independence was accomplished using deoxyribonucleic acid.


This paper analyzes the rank and eigenspectrum of the clutter covariance matrix observed by space-time radar systems with arbitrarily configured arrays and varying look geometry. Motivated by recent applications that suggest use of nonuniform antenna arrays, a generalized theory of clutter rank is derived and demonstrated. First, a one-dimensional effective random process is defined by projecting the measurements obtained by an arbitrary space-time radar system into an equivalent one-dimensional sampling structure. Then, this projection and the Karhunen-Loeve representation of random processes are used to predict clutter rank based on effective aperture-bandwidth product. Simulated results are used to confirm the theory over a wide range of scenarios, and along the way, the well-known Brennan's rule for clutter rank is shown to be a special case of the proposed aperture-bandwidth product


Each item in a given collection is characterized by a set of possible performances. A (ranking) method is a function that assigns an ordering of the items to every performance profile. Ranking by Rating consists in evaluating each item's performance by using an exogenous rating function, and ranking items according to their performance ratings. Any such method is separable: the ordering of two items does not depend on the performances of the remaining items. We prove that every separable method must be of the ranking-by-rating type if (i) the set of possible performances is the same for all items and the method is anonymous, or (ii) the set of performances of each item is ordered and the method is monotonic. When performances are m-dimensional vectors, a separable, continuous, anonymous, monotonic, and invariant method must rank items according to a weighted geometric mean of their performances along the m dimensions.


The cellular mechanisms that regulate the topographic arrangement of myelin internodes along axons remain largely uncharacterized. Recent clonal analysis of oligodendrocyte morphologies in the mouse optic nerve revealed that adjacent oligodendrocytes frequently formed adjacent internodes on one or more axons in common, whereas oligodendrocytes in the optic nerve were never observed to myelinate the same axon more than once. By modelling the process of axonal selection at the single cell level, we demonstrate that internode length and primary process length constrain the capacity of oligodendrocytes to myelinate the same axon more than once. On the other hand, probabilistic analysis reveals that the observed juxtaposition of myelin internodes among common sets of axons by adjacent oligodendrocytes is highly unlikely to occur by chance. Our analysis may reveal a hitherto unknown level of communication between adjacent oligodendrocytes in the selection of axons for myelination. Together, our analyses provide novel insights into the mechanisms that define the spatial organization of myelin internodes within white matter at the single cell level.


With the increasing stock of aging structures, buildingdemolition is becoming a challenging research field fromthe perspective of management. As the converse ofconstruction, management of demolition puts forward somenew management themes or adds some new contentseven though the same issues are faced in constructionmanagement. This research aims to develop a quantitativeapproach to estimate the costs of a demolition project. Acost analysis method is presented to systematically breakdown the cost components involved in the demolition ofa structure. Due to the lack of robust research in theoryand systematic summary in practice to date, the economicperformances of demolition will be studied through a casestudy, and the majority of parameters are derived fromactual experiences in practice. The proposed demolition costestimation method is applied to the actual form of buildingelimination (ScenariO 1), and further comparison is carriedout with two other elimination methods, which are the newlydeveloped deconstruction (Scenario 2) and mechanicaldemolition (Scenario 3). Deconstruction is found to be themost profitable in this particular instance, and is closelyfollowed by the actual form.


This study built upon the Project GLOBE (House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorfman, & Gupta, 2004) analysis by using a Web-based version of the GLOBE Questionnaire in order to examine the extent to which the cultural values and practices of middle managers in a multinational organization vary depending on (a) their cultural background and the region in which they work, (b) whether they were a member of a recently acquired company, and (c) the number of years employed by the multinational organization. Multinational organizations face the unique challenge of operating in societies that have different sets of cultural norms, expectations, beliefs, and values. Just as societies have distinct cultures, so do organizations. Individuals working in organizations are influenced by the organizational culture as well as by the societal culture and competition between these 2 sets of distinct cultures can dramatically impact the success or failure of an acquisition, a strategic alliance, or any other initiative involving multiple cultures. Focusing on data from over 200 middle managers from the United States parent organization, and the regional organizations in Ireland, France, and Japan, a secondary analysis shows that an individual's values and beliefs tend to be more closely aligned with the corporate culture of the parent organization than with the societal culture of the regional organization. Additionally, an examination of the culture of an acquired company shows that there are no statistically significant differences in cultural practices, and only 2 statistically significant differences in cultural values, several years after the acquisition. Finally, the results from this study show that statistically significant differences for cultural practices and values between individual respondents and the overall organization tend to be most prevalent among middle managers with 5 to 10 years of service with the organization.


Objectives To evaluate the feasibility of leaving the surgical vulvar open for secondary healing in situations where primary closure of the vulvar wound is not possible. Methods This is a case control pilot study analyzing 16 women with the diagnosis of squamous-cell carcinoma of the vulva that underwent first to inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy, them to 6 weeks sections of chemotherapy and 25 daily sessions of radiotherapy. After all, excision of the vulvar lesion with free margins was performed, between January 2011 to July of 2017. 12 patients underwent to the primary closure of the wound (control), and in 4 patients, the surgical defect was left open for secondary healing, by the use of hydrofiber (case). Inclusion criteria were a) FIGO-2009 stage II up to IIIC; b) squamous cell carcinoma; c) no evidence of pelvic or extrapelvic disease nor pelvic nodal involvement. Exclusion criteria was pelvic extra pelvic desease, pelvic nodal involment. Results The mean age of the patients at the time of intervention was 62,1. The distribution of the stages was as follows: II, n=6 (37%); IIIA, n=1 (6%), IIIB, n=1 (6%) and IIIC, n=8 (51%). The mean operative time was 45 minutes. Hospital stay was 2 days. Full vulvar healing in the control group occurred after an average of 30 days, and in the case group, 50 days. Conclusions Secondary healing strategy may be an option for the treatment of vulvar cancer in situations of non-extensive surgical wound when primary closure of the wound is not possible.


Identification of individuals has been solved with many different solutions around the world, either using biometric data or external means of verification such as id cards or RFID tags. The advantage of using biometric measurements is that they are directly tied to the individual and are usually unalterable. Acquiring dependable measurements is however challenging when the individuals are uncooperative. A dependable system should be able to deal with this and produce reliable identifications. The system proposed in this thesis can autonomously classify uncooperative specimens from depth data. The data is acquired from a depth camera mounted in an uncontrolled environment, where it was allowed to continuously record for two weeks. This requires stable data extraction and normalization algorithms to produce good representations of the specimens. Robust descriptors can therefore be extracted from each sample of a specimen and together with different classification algorithms, the system can be trained or validated. Even with as many as 138 different classes the system achieves high recognition rates. Inspired by the research field of face recognition, the best classification algorithm, the method of fisherfaces, was able to accurately recognize 99.6% of the validation samples. Followed by two variations of the method of eigenfaces, achieving recognition rates of 98.8% and 97.9%. These results affirm that the capabilities of the system are adequate for a commercial implementation.


Background/Aims: To monitor possible changes in the cumulated drusen or geographic atrophy area size (CDGAS) of nonexudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in patients before and after cataract surgery, using a new tool for computer-aided image quantification. Methods: Randomized, prospective, clinical trial. 54 patients with cataract and nonexudative AMD were randomly assigned into an early surgery group (ES = 28) and a control group (CO = 26) with a 6-month delay of surgery. CDGAS was determined with the MD3RI tool for contour drawing in a central region of digitized fundus photographs, measuring 3,000 µm in diameter. To evaluate CDGAS progression, differences in pixels and square millimeters were calculated by equivalent tests. Results: Forty-nine patients completed the visits over the 12-month period (ES = 27 and CO = 22). Mean pixel values increased from 201.5 (11.33 × 10–3 mm2) to 202.7 (11.39 × 10–3 mm2) in the ES group and from 191.6 (10.77 × 10–3 mm2) to 194.6 (10.94 × 10–3 mm2) in the CO group. Finally, equivalence of CDGAS differences between ES and CO could be demonstrated. No exudative AMD was recorded during the study period. Conclusion: In our cohorts, no significant changes were found in CDGAS 12 months after cataract surgery. The MD3RI software could serve as an efficient, precise and objective tool for AMD quantification and monitoring in future trials.


The influence of selenium excess and deficiency on the activity of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes and the metabolism of mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) in rats was studied. Wistar male rats were fed for 6 weeks semi-synthetic diets containing 0.2, 1.0 or 5.0 ppm selenium. For induction of selenium deficiency the weanling rats were fed for 6 weeks diet containing < or = 0.02 ppm selenium. The activity of selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase was reduced in the liver of selenium-deficient rats by 93% at 42 days. DON, its de-epoxy metabolite DOM-1, DON and DOM-1 glucuronides were analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC in urine and feces after the single oral dose of DON (8 mg/kg). Selenium-supplemented (5 ppm) diet increased by 2-3 times formation and elimination of DON and DOM-1 glucuronides in urine. Selenium-deficient diet decreased formation of DOM-1, but increased significantly total excretion of DON and DON glucuronides. The activity of GT1 and GT2 forms of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase, an enzyme principally responsible for glucuronidation, was two times higher in the liver of rats fed both selenium-supplemented and selenium-deficient diets.


Against the plethora of studies of the factors influencing job satisfaction, this paper makes three contributions. First, in contrast to most studies of job satisfaction which are country-specific, the scope of this paper extends to 33 different countries. Comparing different countries on the basis of their mean job satisfaction scores ignores inequality in the distribution of scores between the countries' individual respondents: the paper's second contribution is to construct "equity-sensitive" job satisfaction scores for each country and, using these indicators, to compare their achievements with respect to job satisfaction. The third purpose of the paper is to answer the question posed in the title. The reason that West European countries have higher levels of job satisfaction compared to East European countries could, in part, be because they are better endowed with the "attributes" that promote job satisfaction; it could also, in part, be due to the "responses" of workers in West European countries, to a given set of attributes, being more conducive to job satisfaction than the corresponding responses of workers in East European countries. In this paper we estimate the relative importance of attributes and coefficients in determining differences in levels of job satisfaction between the two sets of countries. We do this by using the estimates from an ordered logit model to decompose the probability of being at a particular level of satisfaction into its "attributes" and "coefficients" parts. The empirical foundation for the study is provided by data for over 20,000 employed respondents, pertaining to the year 2000, obtained from the 1999-2002 Values Survey Integrated Data File.


A total of 76% of a targeted population of adult learners who were experienced nurses completed a questionnaire that evaluated satisfaction levels on several dimensions of engagement for two graduate level clinical nursing courses delivered in a blended learning environment. Elluminate© (synchronous) and forum interactions (asynchronous) were the online components, and standard onsite laboratories were the three approaches to course delivery. There were significant increases in level of comfort with the Elluminate© and forum interactions but not onsite approaches during the course. However the onsite component was ranked as facilitating more personal satisfaction and development. Residential distance from the university was associated with greater initial comfort for the Elluminate© component while higher levels of education were associated with more positive responses for the forum modes. The mean rankings of the preferences were primarily positive for all three components of instruction and suggest that such blended programs may satisfy a greater diversity of student needs.


PURPOSE
Asparaginase is a critical agent used to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Pegaspargase (SS-PEG), a pegylated form of Escherichia coli L-asparaginase with a succinimidyl succinate (SS) linker, is the first-line asparaginase product used in Children's Oncology Group (COG) ALL trials. Calaspargase pegol (SC-PEG) replaces the SS linker in SS-PEG with a succinimidyl carbamate linker, creating a more stable molecule. COG AALL07P4 was designed to determine the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic comparability of SC-PEG to SS-PEG in patients with newly diagnosed high-risk (HR) B-cell ALL.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
A total of 165 evaluable patients were randomly assigned at a 2:1 ratio to receive SC-PEG at 2,100 (SC-PEG2100; n = 69) or 2,500 IU/m(2) (SC-PEG2500; n = 42) versus SS-PEG 2,500 IU/m(2) (SS-PEG2500; n = 54) as part of an otherwise identical chemotherapy regimen. The groups were similar demographically, except more female patients received SC-PEG2500.

RESULTS
The mean half-life of plasma asparaginase activity for both SC-PEG doses was approximately 2.5× longer than that of SS-PEG2500. The total systemic exposure, as defined by induction area under the curve from time 0 to 25 days, was greater with SC-PEG2500 than with SS-PEG2500 or SC-PEG2100. The proportion of patients with plasma asparaginase activity ≥ 100 mIU/mL and ≥ 400 mIU/mL was higher in patients who received SC-PEG as compared with SS-PEG2500. After one dose of pegylated asparaginase on induction day 4, plasma asparagine was undetectable for 11 days for SS-PEG2500 and 18 days for both SC-PEG groups.

CONCLUSION
SC-PEG2500 achieves a significantly longer period of asparaginase activity above defined thresholds and asparagine depletion compared with SS-PEG2500 and has a comparable toxicity profile in children with HR B-cell ALL.


In this paper, a novel energy-aware routing protocol is proposed and it is based on the reliability. Since in the wireless environment, the link quality is difficult to guarantee, the reliable routing protocol is a quite important issue to be studied. By using the local selection, path reservation and path delay broadcast, the new protocol reduce the re-transmission which is caused by the path failure. Furthermore, the performance of the new routing protocol is demonstrated by using the simulation results. From the simulation results, compared with other routing protocols, this protocol has the better performance on the aspects of saving energy and buffer.


Background Induction of labour (IOL) refers to techniques for stimulating uterine contractions to accomplish delivery prior to the onset of spontaneous labour1,2. IOL is associated with hyper-stimulation, foetal distress, uterine rupture, haemorrhage and amniotic fluid embolism.3–5 It is widely debated that IOL has no effect on increasing rates of operative delivery.6,7 However much of this data is based on using contentious control groups. In a climate of promoting normal birth to avoid maternal and foetal risks the importance of women being fully informed is paramount. Objectives To assess whether the obstetric risk of women affects the outcomes of IOL. Methods Review of outcomes in 2012 at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospitals (MTW) of labouring women. They were categorised into 10 groups depending on their obstetric risk (parity, rupture of membranes, presentation and gestation). Subsequently each group was analysed to find their obstetric outcomes and mode of delivery. Results In 2012 there were 1746 Primips and 2007 Multips. The effect of IOL significantly increased the rates of operative delivery in both groups. Abstract PLD.48 Table   Spontaneous (%) Instrumental (%) Caesarean (%) Primip Spontaneous 58 30 12 Primip Induced 33 31 36 Multip Spontaneous 93 5 2 Multip Induced 83 10 7 Conclusions It is important to compare women against their cohort controls. IOL increased risks and operative delivery in many groups at MTW Hospitals. The results were used to increase awareness at our unit by providing patient information leaflets aiding women to make an informed decision.


This paper considers the public pedagogy of location in relation to walking. I walk and write with and from my compass orientated to the Freirean notion of a 'pedagogy of hope'. Using an autoethnographic account of a local walk, walking is (re)presented and interpreted as a wandering ethic of (re)location. Temporal and spatial dimensions of my walking are revealed in the social, cultural and ecological context of the bushfires and the pandemic. Drawing from scholars who theorize embodiment and the multiple natures of body~time~space, the inter and intra-actions with/in ecologies are presenced in a sensory narrative. To consider walking as a wandering ethic of (re)location, it is argued that various temporal, spatial, material, historical and cultural dimensions are contingent within the context of change as evident in the aftermath of bushfires and the pandemic. What I examine is the inter-play in relation to what is present and otherwise absent whilst walking that is interpreted as a 'pedagogy of hope' amidst the struggles and uncertainties of these times.


Objective: To assess the evidence for the use of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) in the diagnosis of patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods: We systematically analyzed the literature from 1966 to January 2008 to address the diagnostic and prognostic value of DWI and PWI. Results and Recommendations: DWI is established as useful and should be considered more useful than noncontrast CT for the diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke within 12 hours of symptom onset. DWI should be performed for the most accurate diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke (Level A); however, the sensitivity of DWI for the diagnosis of ischemic stroke in a general sample of patients with possible acute stroke is not perfect. The diagnostic accuracy of DWI in evaluating cerebral hemorrhage is outside the scope of this guideline. On the basis of Class II and III evidence, baseline DWI volumes probably predict baseline stroke severity in anterior territory stroke (Level B) but possibly do not in vertebrobasilar artery territory stroke (Level C). Baseline DWI lesion volumes probably predict (final) infarct volumes (Level B) and possibly predict early and late clinical outcome measures (Level C). Baseline PWI volumes predict to a lesser degree the baseline stroke severity compared with DWI (Level C). There is insufficient evidence to support or refute the value of PWI in diagnosing acute ischemic stroke (Level U).


This paper presents a novel compact manual instrument for minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The instrument possesses several good features, such as large workspace, high flexibility, low friction and comfortable operability. The structure of the instrument is a basic configuration of some manual instruments. Besides basic operations, it can be applied to accomplish some more difficult processes, e.g. suturing and knotting. Based on screw theory and product-of-exponentials (POE) formula, the degree of freedom (DoF) and kinematics of the instrument are analyzed in the paper. The calculation results are verified by the simulation.


: Analysis of experimental results involving both animals and plants showed that cell mitochondria considerably changed regarding organelles shape, matrix density, number and size of cristae. However, oxidative-reductive enzymes did not lose their activity (2). Moreover, there are some data concerning an increase in respiration intensity of plants grown on a horizontal clinostat (3) and in seedlings being on board of Biosatellite-11 (4). Similar rearrangements in mitochondria are also observed during clinorotation (5). Taking into account that energy supply of cells during their adaptation to various factors considerably depends on the functional activity of these organelles along with ultrastructure the activity of some enzymes of energetic and oxidative metabolism as well as the level of cell respiration in altered gravity was studied.


There is an often unacknowledged difference between urban and rural practice in psychology which lacks clarity, in part, because of the lack of a common definition of rurality. Rural psychology in Canada presents complex and nuanced aspects of professional practice. The professional and social milieus of rural communities position the practising psychologist within a context that may differ vastly from urban settings. The rural context highlights the need to define this specific practice setting. This paper proposes a tentative definition of rural Canadian professional practice in psychology. This is meant to elucidate the distinct practice, training, and ethical considerations that may be the realities of the psychologists who are in professional practice in rural Canada. Rural professional practice is unique and Canadian training programs are urban-based. Training of future psychologists needs to acknowledge the unique features of rural practice to meet our obligations to students specifically and to rural Canadians generally. This is enhanced with a shared definition of rural professional practice in psychology. Keywords: professional practice, rurality, professional ethics, Canadian psychology Communities and peoples differ across contexts and small communities are a vibrant part of the fabric of Canadian society. Small communities can be defined by culture, professional experience, geographical separation, and of course, rurality. In most small communities, providers of psychological services will experience overlapping relationships and difficulties in separating formal and informal community participation (Schank & Skovholt, 2006). Psychology in Canada tends to reflect urban-centricpolicies typical in North America which may not be responsive to the rural context (Jameson & Blank, 2007; Misener et al., 2008). This has implications for the availability of rural-specific formal training, research, and literature. Psychologists need to acknowledge the unique features of rural practice to meet our obligations in training psychologists and for psychology to contribute to rural Canadians generally. This is enhanced with a shared definition of rural professional practice in psychology. There is a need to define rural practice in its complexity. The literature does not coalesce around a standard definition of rural practice in psychology. Definitions that do exist focus on population and distance. In empirical studies operational definitions ranged from communities of 2500 to under 20000 people or by distance such as 50 kilometres from an urban centre (Bazana, 1999; du Plessis, Beshiri, Bollman, & Clemenson, 2001; Ministry of Rural Affairs, 2000). The defining characteristics of rurality became an issue in a study of medical students in the United Kingdom. In that study, "What is rural?" became an unintended theme of the research (Deaville et al., 2009). Indeed, the authors concluded that degree of rurality, or what is rural, "will mean different things to different people, depending on their background" (Deaville et al., 2009, p. 1165). A better articulated definition of rural professional practice in psychology is needed but will be difficult to achieve. My collaborations with rural psychologists from across the country have highlighted the variability in rural cultures and communities. How can we compare such diverse rural communities and come up with a suitable definition of rural practice? Can there really be engaged discussion on professional ethics in such a poorly defined context? Although the issues identified for small communities are not exclusive to rural communities, this paper will focus on the needs, practice considerations, and sensitivities specific to rural Canadian communities as these impact professional practice. This is particularly prudent as about 20% of the Canadian population is rural (Barbopoulos & Clark, 2003; Harowski, Turner, LeVine, Schank, & Leichter, 2006). …


In this paper we present an extension of a mathematical model for the morphological evolution of metal electrodeposits – recently developed by some of the authors – accounting for mass-transport of electroactive species from the bulk of the bath to the cathode surface. The implementation of mass-transport effects is specially necessary for the quantitative rationalisation of electrodeposition processes from ionic liquids, since these electrolytes exhibit a viscosity that is notably higher than that of cognate aqueous solutions and consequently mass-transport control is active at all practically relevant plating rates. In this work we show that, if mass-transport is coupled to cathodic adsorption of ionic liquid species and surface diffusion of adatoms, it can lead to electrodeposit smoothing. This seemingly paradoxical theoretical result has been validated by a series of Mn electrodeposition experiments from aqueous baths and eutectic ionic liquids. The latter solutions have been shown to be able to form remarkably smoother coatings than the former ones. Mn electroplates have been proposed for Cd replacement and their corrosion protection performance seems comparable, but so far the required surface finish quality has not been achieved with aqueous electrolytes. Ionic liquids thus seem to provide a viable approach to aeronautic-grade Mn electroplating.


A series of luminescent phenoxo-bridged dinuclear TbIII complexes with tripodal ligands, 2,2'-[[(2-pyridinylmethyl)imino]di(methylene)]-bis(4-R-phenol), where R = CH3 (LCH3) (I), Cl (LCl) (II), CH3O (LCH3O) (III), COOCH3 (LCOOCH3) (IV), were prepared to probe the effect of para-substitution on the phenol ring of the ligand on the TbIII luminescence. For these TbIII complexes a complete suppression of the ligand-centered fluorescence is observed, which demonstrates an efficient ligand-to-metal energy transfer. Complex IV was found to be the one that shows the greater intensity of the emission at room temperature. The obtained quantum yields follow the trend IV > II ≫ I > III. The quantum yield for II and IV is approximately five times greater than those obtained for I and III, indicating that the LCl and LCOOCH3 are better sensitizers of the TbIII ions. These results were rationalized in terms of the variation of the energy gap between the triplet level (T1) of the ligand and the emissive 5D4 level of TbIII, due to the electron-acceptor or electron-donor properties of the substituents. The τav values are in the millisecond range for all the studied complexes and resulted independent of temperature. The Commission International d'Eclairage coordinates (CIE) for all complexes are in the green color region, being insensitive to the variation of temperature. Moreover, the color purity (CP) is ca. 90% for all complexes, being ca. 100% for IV. Thus, the introduction of electron-acceptor substituents on the ligand permitted us to improve the luminescent properties of the TbIII complexes.


Foreign monetary donors have warned the government of Uganda that they may withdraw funding after the signing of an anti-homosexuality law in February.

The legislation included life sentences for anyone found guilty of having gay sex, as well as clauses criminalising the "promotion of homosexuality." However, the bill seemed to be a watered down version of earlier drafts and no longer included a clause making it illegal to fail to report a person being homosexual.

The law, which strengthened existing legislation outlawing homosexuality, had originally proposed the death penalty in some cases, but this has now been removed after an international outcry.

US secretary of state John Kerry said that the day the bill was signed was a "tragic" one for Uganda, adding that "this legislation is not just morally wrong, it complicates a valued relationship." He said that …


This study examined women's experiences of drug and alcohol treatment in New Zealand, with a focus on Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT). The qualitative literature on the treatment experiences of substance-using women is scarce, especially in a New Zealand context, with the majority of literature being quantitative, male-focused, and lacking the female voice. Available literature suggests that substance-using women have unique needs and experiences which must be addressed and acknowledged in treatment for a long-lasting positive change. This thesis aims to explore the experiences of women who have or are attending substance use treatment in New Zealand and their recommendations for improving substance use treatment for women. Areas examined include the experience of stigma, connections and relationships in treatment, and the importance of knowledge. These factors culminate in an exploration of participants' suggestions for improvement. The current study is qualitative, feminist-informed and employed the use of semi-structured interviews with 11 women who have been or are currently in treatment as well as two service providers. The data from these interviews was analysed using Thematic Analysis, finding that women in this study overall had positive experiences. However, there were several areas for improvement suggested by participants including a need for greater access to treatment options, particularly gender-sensitive, holistic approaches. A need for greater knowledge amongst service providers, especially General Practitioners (GPs), on how to treat problematic substance use and the available treatment options was also expressed. Women on MMT had similar, yet varied, experiences compared to those attending other treatments.


ABSTRACT The human T-cell recognition of the low-molecular-mass culture filtrate antigen TB10.4 was evaluated in detail. The molecule was strongly recognized by T cells isolated from tuberculosis (TB) patients and from BCG-vaccinated donors. The epitopes on TB10.4 were mapped with overlapping peptides and found to be distributed throughout the molecule. The broadest response was found in TB patients, whereas the response in BCG-vaccinated donors was focused mainly toward a dominant epitope located in the N terminus (amino acids 1 to 18). The gene encoding TB10.4 was found to belong to a subfamily within the esat-6 family that consists of the three highly homologous proteins TB10.4, TB10.3, and TB12.9 (Rv0288, Rv3019c, and Rv3017c, respectively). Southern blot analysis combined with database searches revealed that the three members of the TB10.4 family were present only in strains of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, including BCG, and M. kansasii, whereas other atypical mycobacteria had either one (M. avium, M. intracellulare, and M. marinum) or none (M. scrofulaceum, M. fortuitum, and M. szulgai) of the genes. The fine specificity of the T-cell response to the three closely related esat-6 family members was markedly different, with only a few epitopes shared between the molecules. Minimal differences in the amino acid sequence translated into large differences in recognition by T cells and secretion of gamma interferon. In general, the peptides from TB10.4 stimulated the largest responses, but epitopes unique to both TB10.3 and TB12.9 were found. The relevance of the findings for TB vaccine development and as a potential mechanism for immune evasion is discussed.


Upon election, the coalition government in England (2010 – 2015) were swift to introduce reforms intent on improving standards of education in England. Central to the reforms were measures designed to improve the quality of both teaching and teachers, factors widely recognised as lying at the heart of educational improvement. A national network of Teaching Schools was announced, outstanding schools that would lead and develop career long teacher development. The work of all Teaching Schools would be underpinned by six core strands of professional development including a requirement to engage in research and development activity. This thesis reports on the extent and nature of research activity occurring at six Teaching Schools in the North West of England. The research findings offer insight into the potential for school-based teacher-research activity to support meaningful professional development within the teaching profession. Furthermore, findings indicate the conditions required to facilitate teachers in their research endeavours such that research activity may become established as a meaningful and sustainable expectation of practice. Analysis of the data makes clear the real potential for school-based teacher-research activity to underpin career-long professional development and learning. However, the results indicate that existing levels of teacher research literacy are low and teachers require support, guidance and access to research resources and expertise. School leadership emerged as a highly significant factor in creating a research-rich environment in which research is valued and celebrated. However, the strongly 'top-down' model of organisation evident in each research-active school has implications for the long-term future of a research agenda. An absence of 'bottom-up' momentum is likely to leave the research agenda vulnerable to staff change or shifting priorities either of which may cause the agenda to collapse, a factor that was not acknowledged by participants. This research adds to existing knowledge on the benefits of teacher-research activity and provides robust evidence for politicians, policy makers and practitioners that a blend of 'bottom-up'/'top-down' organisation is required to build a self-sustaining model. A blended approach existing within a research-rich school culture and supported by research expertise offers the potential to establish a sustainable model of teacher research activity. This research indicates that research active teachers are enabled to effectively interrogate their practice and find answers to their professional questions and problems. Research offers teachers the means to become empowered, agentic professionals who through ongoing inquiry, learning and professional development are positioned to become more effective in their practice.


This study determines the extent to which business coaches perceive they possess the qualities of authentic leadership and considers how this affects coaching performance. Data were collected from an online survey administered to 96 business coaches who work with entrepreneurs and business owners to improve personal and business effectiveness. Multiple regression research methodology was used to test the strength of authentic leadership in predicting coaching. Descriptive statistics were used to control for demographic factors and dependent variables. Findings suggest that effective coaching involves the application of authentic leadership qualities that enhance the work performance, life experience, selfdirected learning, and personal growth of clients. This research contributes to the existing literature on authentic leadership, provides new research on the relationship between authentic leadership and business coaching, and demonstrates how a business coach's authentic leadership impacts the client's personal and business goals.


Hydroxyapatite, which is a major component of the bone system in the human body, is an attractive material for bio-applications because it is nontoxic as well as biocompatible. In addition, many proteins are readily adsorbed on the surface of hydroxyapatite. The protein adsorption properties of hydroxyapatite have been employed for many bio-applications such as protein purification and nanomedical application. Nevertheless, the applications are not appropriate for proteins possessing hydrophobic surfaces because the surface of hydroxyapatite is charged. For applications with hydrophobic proteins, a covalent conjugation would be an alternative approach instead of physical adsorption. However, only a few examples of the covalent conjugation of proteins onto the surface of hydroxyapatite have been reported due to the lack of a convenient method for covalent conjugation. Herein, we report a facile process for the covalent conjugation of proteins on hydroxyapatite. We have successfully activated the surface of hydroxyapatite by a simple treatment with a peptide coupling reagent (for instance, N,N′-dicyclohexyl carbodiimide, N,N′-diisopropylcarbodiimide, or 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide). Then, we directly conjugated enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) as a model protein, and the conjugation was confirmed by a fluorescent microscope. We also employed the method for a hydrophobic surface protein, lipase. In this case, we found that a linker compound is required for the conjugation of lipase because of the distinct polarities of the surfaces of hydroxyapatite and lipase. The conjugated lipase on hydroxyapatite exhibited higher activity in organic solvents than the free form of lipase by a factor of up to 30 and can be recycled without a significant loss of the activity.


of an Inaugural Essay. This drug is attracting considerable attention as a substitute for ergot of rye. It is claimed that it is equal, and in many cases superior, to ergot of rye, producing clonic instead of tonic contractions of the uterus, and thus more nearly simulates natural labor. Besides, its cost is about 50 per cent. less than that of ergot of rye. A dozen or more years ago it received a brief notice as an oxytocic by the German profession, but for some unaccountable reason it has since fallen into disuse by the regular profession. The homoeopaths have dispensed the drug in their triturations and dilutions since the year 1866, when it was first noticed by Professor S. M. Hale of their school. Microscopically it is quite a curiosity. The whole mass is found to be AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY Volume 53, #10, October, 1881 Page 13 The Southwest School of Botanical Medicine http://www.swsbm.com made up of spores, nodular when moist and of a very minute size, held together by a few threads of mycelium or binding fibres. The following experiments were made with cornsmut: The moisture present was determined to be 10 per cent. by gently beating 100 grams for several hours. Ether took up 2.5 per cent. of darkbrown fixed oil, having an acid reaction and an odor similar to that of the drug and being readily soluble in petroleum benzin, carbon bisulphide and chloroform, but insoluble in alcohol and pyroxylin spirit. The powder, exhausted by ether, was percolated with carbon bisulphide, on the evaporation of which a few flat crystals were obtained; Water now yielded a liquid from. which, by alcohol, 1.5 per cent. of darkbrown gummy matter was precipitated, the liquid having an acid reaction; on setting it aside for several weeks, 3 per cent. of yellowish crystals were separated which were soluble in nitric acid, but insoluble,. or nearly so, in ether, chloroform, water and alcohol, either hot or cold, and which, on being heated upon platinum foil, left a white ash. By boiling the drug with water, a small amount of waxy matter could be separated and tlie distillate had a very disagreeable odor. On incinerating the drug, 4 per cent. of gray ash was obtained, which was not further examined. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY Volume 53, #10, October, 1881 Page 14 The Southwest School of Botanical Medicine http://www.swsbm.com


This paper introduces a preliminary work for the design of a mini-dish cluster system for power general ion. Each mini-dish (typically has a 20 to 30cm in diameter) is designed with a simple parabolic profile, concentrating sun light (after the glass glazing cover to avoid dust deposition on the reflector and facilitate cleaning) onto a centrally located small plane(or concave) mirror which is placed on the bottom side of the transparent glass cover. The mirror with a mini-dish concentrator is designed to focus beam radiation onto a focal point before it enters a bundle of optical fibers connected to a remote receiver for power generation different options are considered In designing a mini-dish concentrator to maximize its effectiveness for the collection and use of solar energy.


We show that commercially sourced n-channel silicon field-effect transistors (nFETs) operating above their threshold voltage with closed loop feedback to maintain a constant channel current allow a pH readout resolution of (7.2 ± 0.3) × 10-3 at a bandwidth of 10 Hz, or ≈3-fold better than the open loop operation commonly employed by integrated ion-sensitive field-effect transistors (ISFETs). We leveraged the improved nFET performance to measure the change in solution pH arising from the activity of a pathological form of the kinase Cdk5, an enzyme implicated in Alzheimer's disease, and showed quantitative agreement with previous measurements. The improved pH resolution was realized while the devices were operated in a remote sensing configuration with the pH sensing element off-chip and connected electrically to the FET gate terminal. We compared these results with those measured by using a custom-built dual-gate 2D field-effect transistor (dg2DFET) fabricated with 2D semi-conducting MoS2 channels and a signal amplification of 8. Under identical solution conditions the nFET performance approached the dg2DFETs pH resolution of (3.9 ± 0.7) × 10-3. Finally, using the nFETs, we demonstrated the effectiveness of a custom polypeptide, p5, as a therapeutic agent in restoring the function of Cdk5. We expect that the straight-forward modifications to commercially sourced nFETs demonstrated here will lower the barrier to widespread adoption of these remote-gate devices and enable sensitive bioanalytical measurements for high throughput screening in drug discovery and precision medicine applications.


Applications for real-time multimedia content production, because of their delay-sensitive nature, require fast and precise control by the user. This is commonly achieved by specialized physical controllers that are application-specific with steep learning curves. In our work, we propose using the inputs from Microsoft Kinect as a controller interface. Originally introduced as a peripheral of XBox, Kinect is a multimodal device equipped with RGB Camera, Depth Sensor and Microphone Array. We use those inputs in order to provide a non-tactile controller abstraction to the user, targeting multimedia content creation. Current Kinect-based solutions, try to recognize natural gestures of the user, and classify them as controller actions. The novelty of our implementation is that instead of extracting gesture features, we directly map the inputs from the Kinect to a suitable set of values for the multimedia application. By removing the gesture recognition concept, we are able to create a generic and lightweight framework, with a clear interface to the user. We examine the usability of the framework through the development and evaluation, of a Kinect-controlled real-time multimedia application.


The predict-then-optimize framework is fundamental in practical stochastic decision-making problems: first predict unknown parameters of an optimization model, then solve the problem using the predicted values. A natural loss function in this setting is defined by measuring the decision error induced by the predicted parameters, which was named the Smart Predict-then-Optimize (SPO) loss by Elmachtoub and Grigas [arXiv:1710.08005]. Since the SPO loss is typically nonconvex and possibly discontinuous, Elmachtoub and Grigas [arXiv:1710.08005] introduced a convex surrogate, called the SPO+ loss, that importantly accounts for the underlying structure of the optimization model. In this paper, we greatly expand upon the consistency results for the SPO+ loss provided by Elmachtoub and Grigas [arXiv:1710.08005]. We develop risk bounds and uniform calibration results for the SPO+ loss relative to the SPO loss, which provide a quantitative way to transfer the excess surrogate risk to excess true risk. By combining our risk bounds with generalization bounds, we show that the empirical minimizer of the SPO+ loss achieves low excess true risk with high probability. We first demonstrate these results in the case when the feasible region of the underlying optimization problem is a polyhedron, and then we show that the results can be strengthened substantially when the feasible region is a level set of a strongly convex function. We perform experiments to empirically demonstrate the strength of the SPO+ surrogate, as compared to standard $\ell_1$ and squared $\ell_2$ prediction error losses, on portfolio allocation and cost-sensitive multi-class classification problems.


ABSTRACT For persons living with HIV/AIDS, the relationship between stress and clinical outcomes has received little attention in current research, yet represents an important area for future research and intervention. Chronic illness has been theorized to place additional demands on a person that may exceed their ability to cope with daily life, leading to long-term stress, which then increases the risk for negative health outcomes in persons already at risk. This paper reviews the existing global literature to answer two main questions: (1) how is stress conceptualized in research with persons living with HIV/AIDS? and (2) what are the current findings linking stress to clinical outcomes? Twenty-three articles are included in the final review. Findings reveal that researchers conceptualize stress in multiple ways for persons living with HIV/AIDS, including depressive symptomology, post-traumatic stress, life events, emotions linked to stress, and biological markers (such as cortisol levels and autonomic nervous system activity). Further, findings related to the link between stress and clinical outcomes are mixed; however, stress was shown to be related to lower CD4 cell counts, higher viral load, and disease progression. Several studies also showed a link between stress and poorer treatment adherence. Implications and directions for future research are discussed, including further thought into how we conceptualize stress for persons living with HIV, future research that is necessary to elucidate current mixed findings on the link between stress and clinical outcomes, and preliminary suggestions for intervention to prevent and alleviate stress in this population.


The incidence of HIV/AIDS has been on the rise since the discovery of HIV as the cause of AIDS in 1984 (DOH).Without effective action, HIV is going to be larger and more difficult to handle. Indeed, school, community and home are essential elements of the world's response to the disease. The study was undertaken to measure the students' levels of knowledge and awareness and parents' openness towards HIV/AIDS issues. It also tried to establish relationship between sex, type of school, parent's openness and level of students' knowledge and awareness. The descriptive-correlation method was utilized; data was gathered using a researcher-made questionnaire with validity evaluated and reliability tested. Majority was 16-17 years old, more than half were female; more than half registered an average level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS; many were aware that it can be transmitted; that there is danger in unprotected sex. They were slightly aware that a mother's milk could transmit the virus Parents never discussed sex with respondents, but warned that drugs and alcohol could lead to unplanned and unprotected sex.Sex, type of school and parents' openness did not relate with knowledge on HIV/AIDS issues, while on awareness, only the type of school did. Therefore, the role of the school cannot be underscored. Keywords: HIV/AIDS, knowledge and awareness, descriptive research, Davao City, Philippines.


By using household heat metering system,people can control indoor temperature according to their economic conditions and the requirement of thermal comfort. In this paper, DeST-h is used to simulate the energy consumptions of architecture heating in different temperature, which compare to the situation that not use temperature control simulation, to analysis the heating energy saving potential in domestic architecture in Shenyang. So as to develop people's consciousness of energy saving, and to provide the quantized datat for decision-makers to make relevant policies.


We measured serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in 25 elderly women in 23 men-patients with chronic brain ischemia (CBI), and in 26 gender and age matched healthy controls. The serum levels of BDNF were significantly lower in patients with CBI as compared to healthy controls. The serum levels of BDNF were also lower in men with CBI (7815,14 x 10 ng/ml) in comparison to women-patients (8466,05 x 10 ng/ml). The average serum levels of BDNF in patients with CBI proved to be significantly correlated with kinesthetic praxis disorders (p < 0.05), degree of cognitive impairment (p < 0.01), depression level (p < 0.01), especially in men. The obtained data may be important for individualization of therapeutic intervention.


OBJECTIVE To measure the effects of cyclosporin A (CyA) with no insulin therapy on glucose tolerance and β-cell function in the preclinical phase of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS β-cell responses to the intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT), hyperglycemic clamp, intravenous arginine, and intravenous glucagon were evaluated before and after a 6-month course of CyA in seven patients (mean age 19.6 years) with asymptomatic IDDM. RESULTS Initial insulin secretory responses were severely decreased when the patients were compared with eight healthy control subjects: IVGTT (1 + 3 min): 106 ± 16 vs. 884 ± 190 pmol/l (P < 0.001); hyperglycemic clamp: 102 ± 16 vs. 310 ± 42 pmol/l (P < 0.001); intravenous arginine: 346 ± 72 vs. 1104 ± 168 pmol/l (P < 0.01); and intravenous glucagon: 170 ± 37 vs. 247 ± 35 pmol/l (NS). The β-cell responses remained markedly abnormal after 6 months of CyA, although the response to intravenous glucose and oral glucose tolerance tests improved in three subjects. All the patients became insulin-dependent after 5–36 months. CONCLUSIONS CyA alone is not a suitable treatment for asymptomatic IDDM. Earlier identification of subjects with substantial β-cell secretory capacity and newer nontoxic intervention strategies are required for the prevention of IDDM.


Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a genetic disease of the motile cilia, and is part of a rapidly expanding collection of disorders collectively known as ciliopathies. Our understanding of the complex genetics and functional phenotypes of these conditions has rapidly advanced over the past decade. A growing number of cilia-related genes and mutations have been identified, which segregate into genes that encode axonemal motor proteins, structural and regulatory proteins within the cilium, as well as an emerging class of cytoplasmic proteins involved in ciliary assembly. These findings have yielded unexpected insights into the processes involved in the assembly, structure and function of a cilium, which will allow us to better understand the clinical heterogeneity of disease. Moreover, these discoveries have the potential to revolutionise testing for PCD, and lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment of affected individuals.

Key Concepts:

Cilia are complex organelles that are on the surface of many cell types and involved in diverse cellular functions.

Cilia are broadly classified as motile (motor) or primary (sensory), and the latter are important signalling organelles that sense the extracellular environment.

Motile cilia are critical for the intrinsic defence of the respiratory tract, including the middle ear, paranasal sinuses, and conducting airways.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia is an inherited disease that is characterised by impaired ciliary function and leads to diverse clinical manifestations, including chronic sinopulmonary disease, persistent middle ear effusions, laterality defects and infertility.

Mutations in different primary ciliary dyskinesia-associated genes that encode proteins involved in ciliary assembly, structure and function can produce similar clinical phenotypes but different ultrastructural defects.

Keywords:

primary ciliary dyskinesia;
ciliopathy;
cilia;
genomics;
dynein arm proteins


This paper identifies a collection of high level questions which need to be posed by designers of toolkits for developing intelligent agents (e.g. What kinds of scenarios are to be developed? What sorts of agent architectures are required? What are the scenarios to be used for? Are speed and ease of development more or less important than speed and robustness of the final system?). It then considers some of the toolkit design options relevant to these issues, including some concerned with multi-agent systems and some concerned with individual intelligent agents of high internal complexity, including human-lilce agents. A conflict is identified between requirements for exploring new types of agent designs and requirements for formal specification, verifiability and efficiency. The paper ends with some challenges for computer science theorists posed by complex systems of interacting agents.


Purpose: The article presents basic methodological approaches to the creation of a new model of forming and functioning of the accounting and analytical system to meet the information needs of internal and external stakeholders of organizations. Design/Approach/Methodology: Substantiation of the principles of building a system for accounting and analytical information management that meets current conditions for the business functioning using modern hardware and software. Findings: The developed model of cascade functioning of organization's information support system optimizes the structure and content of accounting and analytical modules, contributes to the effective implementation of management functions, timely control and rapid response to the impact of negative factors. Practical implications: The principles of information flow management system constructing formulated in the article contribute to optimization of expenses for organization of accounting and analytical functions, improvement of quality of financial and non-financial reporting, realistic assessment and forecasting of business efficiency. Originality/Value: The proposed new model for constructing an accounting and analytical information base allows to improve the procedures of collection, processing, storage and disclosure of financial and non-financial information, to create a balanced structure of the database on the basis of cascade digitization of primary and derived data.


Research of multi-layer heterostructure systems utilizing electrically active organic compounds is highly topical issue essential for effective development of new generation of electronic devices. This paper presents the results of particular work in this field focused on rather experimental construction of metal-insulator-semiconductor heterojunctions based on Ta + Ta2O5 electrode system incorporating easily applicable solution processed organic semiconductor, allowing to adjust the interfacial energetic conditions in desired manner. As a result, a well defined rectifying MIS structure with the onset voltage of 1,5 V and the rectifying ratio of 6×104 has been obtained.


Background: Each year, the budget committee is difficult to choose which of the high-cost machine should be bought.  There are very few data about installed high-cost machine, especially cost-effectiveness. Objective : To study the cost-effectiveness in usage of high-cost machine. Methods: Data of 223 high-cost machines (more than 500,000 Baht), which were bought between 2001 and 2005, was collected.  Data included buying price, using time, charge, cost and maintenance.  Cost-effectiveness of all machines was analyzed. Design : Retrospective descriptive study. Setting : Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University. Samples : Machines which were bought between 2001 and 2005 with buying price of more than 500,000 Baht. Measurement : Value and percentage. Results: Excluded depreciation, cost of the machine included installed area (44.57%), material (35.59%), public utilities (16.58%) and maintenance (3.16%).  Most of the medical machines (65.05%) were used more than 50% of standard using time, however more than one-fourth of them were used less than 20% of standard using time.  On contrary, most of the studying machines (58.63%) were used less than 20% of standard using time. Conclusion: Most of the high-cost machines were used more than 50% of standard using time.  If depreciation was included, cost of all medical machines was more than charge. Keywords : cost-effectiveness, high-cost machine


A prerequisite for successful in vitro culture is the establishment of an aseptic technique, thus the experiment was to investigate suitable sterilization regimes for the leaf explants of Gnetum africanum , an endangered green leafy vegetable. Three sterilization regimes were tested to establish the best regime using three to four days old leaves. The surface sterilized explants were later aseptically introduced onto the surfaces of sterile Murashige and Skoog agar media, incubated at 25°C for three weeks in the growth chamber. 100% sterility was observed from the regime which was significantly different (P<0.05) from the other two regimes thus the best regime adopted for further experiments was; washing in two drops of Tween 20/100 mls of sterile water, soaking in 70% ethanol for 2 min and later in 1% sodium hypochlorite for 20 min. Fungal contaminants responsible for in vitro contaminations was also investigated and possible isolates were identified as Asperigilus niger (28.71%); A. flavus (26.73%); Rhyziopus spp. (24.75%) and Mucor Spp (19.81%) respectively. Keywords : Gnetum africanum, A. niger, in vitro culture, green leafy vegetable African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(28), pp. 4473-4476


In this paper, we study the noise-reduction problem in the Karhunen-Loève expansion domain. We develop two classes of optimal filters. The first class estimates a frame of speech by filtering the corresponding frame of the noisy speech. We will show that several well-known existing methods belong or are closely related to this category. The second class, which has not been studied before, obtains noise reduction by filtering not only the current frame, but also a number of previous consecutive frames of the noisy speech. We will discuss how to design the optimal noise-reduction filters in each class and demonstrate the properties of the deduced optimal filters.


A novel frequency domain technique for image blocking artifact detection is presented. The algorithm detects the regions of the image which present visible blocking artifacts. This detection is performed in the frequency domain and uses the estimated relative quantization error calculated when the DCT coefficients are modeled by a Laplacian probability function. Experimental results illustrating the performance of the proposed method are presented and evaluated.


Gibbs sampling on factor graphs is a widely used inference technique, which often produces good empirical results. Theoretical guarantees for its performance are weak: even for tree structured graphs, the mixing time of Gibbs may be exponential in the number of variables. To help understand the behavior of Gibbs sampling, we introduce a new (hyper)graph property, called hierarchy width. We show that under suitable conditions on the weights, bounded hierarchy width ensures polynomial mixing time. Our study of hierarchy width is in part motivated by a class of factor graph templates, hierarchical templates, which have bounded hierarchy width-regardless of the data used to instantiate them. We demonstrate a rich application from natural language processing in which Gibbs sampling provably mixes rapidly and achieves accuracy that exceeds human volunteers.


The secretory lectin ZG16p mediated the binding of aggregated zymogens to the granule membrane in pancreatic acinar cells. Using a recently established in vitro condensation-sorting assay, we now show that pretreatment of zymogen granule membranes (ZGM) with either sodium bicarbonate at pH 10 or with phosphatidyl inositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) reduced the binding efficiency of zymogens to the same extent, as distinct components were liberated from ZGM. Analysis of the composition of the bicarbonate extract revealed the presence of the secretory lectin ZG16p, the serpin ZG46p and the GPI-linked glycoprotein GP-2, together with several unknown proteins, and small amounts of lipase and carboxylester lipase. The unknown proteins detected in 2-D gels represented a group of acidic and basic protein spots, which were positive in a glycan staining reaction and were soluble in methanol. One protein spot of the acidic group and several of the basic group reacted with a monoclonal antibody directed against chondroitin sulfate, indicating that the proteins represented proteoglycans. A staining pattern similar to the glycan reaction was observed in immunoblots using a polyclonal antibody directed against the whole bicarbonate extract. Immunogold electron microscopy revealed that this antibody reacted with components in the periphery of zymogen granules and strongly stained ZGM in the pellet fraction of a standard in vitro condensation-sorting assay. The amino acid composition of isolated components of both the acidic and basic group showed similarities to aggrecan, a cartilage-specific proteoglycan, and to glycine-rich glycoproteins, respectively. We therefore conclude that a submembranous matrix on the ZGM composed of proteoglycans and glycoproteins is involved in granule formation in pancreatic acinar cells.


In an era in which genetic panels are widely available, a growing number of lesional focal epilepsy cases, classically considered acquired, have been proven to have a genetic aetiology. Surgical anecdotal cases of focal genetic epilepsy have been reported but the prognostic value of a genetic aetiology is still uncertain, due to the lack of long follow-up data. From preliminary studies it seems that SCN1A epilepsy is associated with a bad surgical outcome, while DEPDC5 related epilepsy could be improved by a surgical approach. We reported the cases of two patients with focal epilepsy due to SCN1A and DEPDC5 mutations who underwent pre-surgical evaluation. Patient 1, despite suffering from SCN1A-related epilepsy, had a good surgical outcome, while patient 2 with DEPDC5-related focal epilepsy was unsuitable for surgery. In our opinion genetic aetiology may not be an absolute contraindication for surgery; phenotypic expression and a personalized pre-surgical workup could help to select which patients could benefit from surgery.


Abstract This article presents the findings of a critical discourse analysis study of the constructions of people with disabilities within the Canadian immigration system and how this shapes the immigration experiences of people with disabilities, especially those from countries in the Global South. Findings suggest that dominant discourses of opportunities not only construct Canada as a 'land of dreams' for immigrants and newcomers but are also used to hide, justify, normalize and facilitate the operation of ableist, racist and colonial discourses that immigrants and newcomers with disabilities experience during their immigration. Recommendations for settlement workers involved in facilitating the settlement and integration process for immigrants and newcomers with disabilities are also presented. The article concludes by emphasizing the actual and potential contributions of postcolonial and critical disability lenses for a social justice-oriented practice at the intersection of disability and immigration.


ABSTRACT Colistin is a last-resort antibiotic commonly used against multidrug-resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To investigate the potential for in situ evolution of resistance against colistin and to map the molecular targets of colistin resistance, we exposed two P. aeruginosa isolates to colistin using a continuous-culture device known as a morbidostat. As a result, colistin resistance reproducibly increased 10-fold within 10 days and 100-fold within 20 days, along with highly stereotypic yet strain-specific mutation patterns. The majority of mutations hit the pmrAB two-component signaling system and genes involved in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) synthesis, including lpxC, pmrE, and migA. We tracked the frequencies of all arising mutations by whole-genome deep sequencing every 3 to 4 days to obtain a detailed picture of the dynamics of resistance evolution, including competition and displacement among multiple resistant subpopulations. In 7 out of 18 cultures, we observed mutations in mutS along with a mutator phenotype that seemed to facilitate resistance evolution.


OBJECTIVE
To explore veterinarians' use of virtual veterinarian-client-patient consultations before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and examine veterinarians' attitudes toward virtual consultations.

SAMPLE
135 companion animal veterinarians in Canada, the US, and Europe.

METHODS
An anonymous online survey was distributed to gather participating veterinarians' use of information and communication technologies and their perception of virtual consultations' effect on patient care, client communication, and their own well-being. Willingness to recommend virtual consultations was evaluated using the Net Promoter Score. Multivariable logistic regression explored factors associated with willingness to recommend virtual consultations.

RESULTS
Percentage of participating veterinarians using the telephone and videoconferencing increased significantly (P < .001) from before (83.6% and 3.0%, respectively) to during the COVID-19 pandemic (97.0% and 22.4%, respectively). Participants were significantly less confident (P < .001) about their ability to reach a diagnosis using a virtual consultation as compared to a hands-on patient examination. Participants perceived client communication to be more challenging during virtual as compared to face-to-face consultations, particularly for building rapport and expressing empathy. Participants were extremely unwilling to recommend virtual consultations (Net Promoter Score = -41.4) with 21.6% (24/111) promoters and 63.1% (70/111) detractors. Confidence doing a virtual patient examination and comfort using videoconferencing technology were both positively associated (P < .05) with willingness to recommend virtual consultations.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Veterinary practices and organizations interested in encouraging virtual veterinarian-client-patient consultations likely need to prioritize veterinarians' acceptance as an initial focus. The veterinary profession would benefit from further research and education to inform virtual veterinary care.


The suitability of an automated patch clamp for the characterization and pharmacological screening of calcium release—activated calcium (CRAC) channels endogenously expressed in RBL-2H3 cells was explored with the QPatch system. CRAC currents (I CRAC) are small, and thus precise recordings require high signal-to-noise ratios obtained by high seal resistances. Automated whole-cell establishment resulted in membrane resistances of 1728 ± 226 MΩ (n = 44). CRAC channels were activated by a number of methods that raise intracellular calcium concentration, including EGTA, ionomycin, Ins(1,4,5)P3, and thapsigargin. ICRAC whole-cell currents ranged from 30 to 120 pA with rise times of 40 to 150 s. An initial delay in current activation was observed in particular when ICRAC was activated by passive store depletion using EGTA. Apparent rundown of ICRAC was commonly observed, and the current could be reactivated by subsequent addition of thapsigargin. ICRAC was blocked by SKF-96365 and 2-APB with IC50 values of 4.7 ± 1.1 µM (n = 9) and 7.5 ± 0.7 (n = 9) µM, respectively. The potencies of these blockers were similar to values reported for ICRAC in similar conventional patch-clamp experiments. The study demonstrates that CRAC channels can be rapidly and efficiently targeted with automated patch-clamp techniques for characterization of physiological and pharmacological properties. (Journal of Biomolecular Screening 2008:638-647)


The right to immovable property is a fundamental right under the European Community and the "Economic Constitution" of the EU. But which are the problems that the Albanian state will face and how it should address them when the buying and selling of immovable property from foreigners will be liberalized. In this paper we will specifically focus on the EU citizen right to buy land in Albania. Based on the Stabilization and Association Agreement, signed between Albania. and the EU, for Albania arises the obligation to provide an equal treatment to EU nationals and Albania ones, concerning the right to purchase land. Through analysis of primary and secondary legislation of EU, the decisions of European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights in this field, as well as Albanian legislation, there will be exposed noteworthy problems that Albania citizens and those of EU may encounter during these transactions. By analogy we will see the problems that are currently displayed in the EU member states in this field. We shall conclude that the approval by Albania of the law, which recognizes to the foreign nationals the right to acquire unconditionally immovable property, is not enough. A series of legal reforms are necessary in other areas in order to make possible the exercise of this right in the most complete and effective way possible. Key words: free movement of capital; ownership; immovable property; Albania integration process; ECHR and  ECJ decisions; Stabilization and Association Agreement.


In fetal brain MRI, most of the high-resolution reconstruction algorithms rely on brain segmentation as a preprocessing step. Manual brain segmentation is however highly time-consuming and therefore not a realistic solution. In this work, we assess on a large dataset the performance of Multiple Atlas Fusion (MAF) strategies to automatically address this problem. Firstly, we show that MAF significantly increase the accuracy of brain segmentation as regards single-atlas strategy. Secondly, we show that MAF compares favorably with the most recent approach (Dice above 0.90). Finally, we show that MAF could in turn provide an enhancement in terms of reconstruction quality.


We have investigated the effect of human papillomavirus (HPV) transformation on cellular cytoarchitecture. Cells from laryngeal papillomas and normal epithelium were cultured in vitro. Cytoskeletal components of both types of cells were visualized by immunofluorescence, to determine whether there were any differences in the structure or distribution of the cytoskeleton. There was no significant change in microtubules. Two major components of the cytoskeleton, the intermediate filaments and the microfilaments, were altered in the papilloma cells. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of isolated keratins showed differences between normal and papilloma tissue, which might explain the altered intermediate filament distribution. The changes in cytoskeletal structure may be one way in which HPVs alter cellular growth controls.


Construction accounts for a considerable number of environmental impacts, especially in countries with rapid urbanization. A predictive environmental assessment method enables a comparison of alternatives in construction operations to mitigate these environmental impacts. Process-based life cycle assessment (pLCA), which is the most widely applied environmental assessment method, requires lots of detailed process information to evaluate. However, a construction project usually operates in uncertain and dynamic project environments, and capturing such process information represents a critical challenge for pLCA. Discrete event simulation (DES) provides an opportunity to include uncertainty and capture the dynamic environments of construction operations. This study proposes a predictive assessment method that integrates DES and pLCA (DES-pLCA) to evaluate the environmental impact of on-site construction operations and supply chains. The DES feeds pLCA with process information that considers the uncertain and dynamic environments of construction, while pLCA guides the comprehensive procedure of environmental assessment. A DES-pLCA prototype was developed and implemented in a case study of an 18-storey building in Northeast China. The results showed that the biggest impact variations on the global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), eutrophication (EP), photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP), abiotic depletion potential (ADP), and human toxicity potential (HTP) were 5.1%, 4.1%, 4.1%, 4.7%, 0.3%, and 5.9%, respectively, due to uncertain and dynamic factors. Based on the proposed method, an average impact reduction can be achieved for these six indictors of 2.5%, 21.7%, 8.2%, 4.8%, 32.5%, and 0.9%, respectively. The method also revealed that the material wastage rate of formwork installation was the most crucial managing factor that influences global warming performance. The method can support contractors in the development and management of environmentally friendly construction operations that consider the effects of uncertainty and dynamics.


We have determined how stratigraphy and lithofacies control pore structures in the Mississippian limestone and chert reservoir of north-central Oklahoma. There are 17 lithofacies and 29 high-frequency cycles documented in the Mississippian interval of this study. The high-frequency cycles have thicknesses ranging from 0.3 to 30.5 m (1–100 ft) and are mainly asymmetric regressive phases. The pore characteristics, measured through digital-image analysis (DIA) of thin-sections photomicrographs ([Formula: see text]100), exhibit unique correlations with core porosity, permeability, and lithofacies within a sequence-stratigraphic framework. There are five fundamental correlations observed. First, porosity from DIA and laboratory core measurements has a strong positive relationship ([Formula: see text]). However, some values from DIA porosity yield relatively higher values, specifically in spiculitic mudstone wackestones and argillaceous spiculitic mudstone wackestones. The difference is hypothesized due to the presence of isolated nanopores that are not accessible by helium during measurement of core porosity. Second, the relationship between pore circularity and permeability is indeterminate. The indeterminate relationship is related to a complex internal pore network, intensive diagenetic alteration, an unconnected microfracture network, and isolated pores. Third, positive moderate to strong correlations ([Formula: see text]) between porosity and permeability are observed only in four lithofacies. Fourth, coarse-grained lithofacies within the uppermost depositional sequence of the Mississippian interval have a heterogeneous pore-size distribution, whereas fine-grained lithofacies tend to exhibit a homogeneous pore-size distribution. Fifth, higher reservoir quality is associated with the upper intervals of high-frequency shallowing-upward cycles. This confirms that the sequence-stratigraphic variability of lithofacies is important to predict reservoir quality and its distribution. An alternative graphical method of pore-size distribution is also developed. To be a useful "technique," examples of the plot are demonstrated using samples in this study. The plot successfully provides simple identification of pore-size classes, quantitative percentage of pore-size class, dominant pore class, and approximate minimum and maximum pore size.


Ice Complex deposits, also known as yedoma, are widely distributed in the North Siberian coastal lowlands. These Late Pleistocene terrestrial accumulations of up to several tens of meters in thickness are characterised by fine to medium grained clastic sediments, a very high ground ice content up to 90 vol-%, and mean total organic carbon (TOC) contents of 2-4%. Ground ice content includes large ice wedges and segregated ground ice in the form of small ice lenses and ice bands. Degradation of the Ice Complex in the form of thermokarst and thermo-erosion during the course of the Holocene produced massive landscape changes degenerating the existing accumulation plains to a complex system of thermokarst basins, lakes, and thermo-erosive valleys. Thermokarst triggered several feedback mechanisms that involve hydrology, vegetation and energy and matter fluxes. Thermokarst was a major agent in the partial transformation of the stored TOC into greenhouse gases. To evaluate the past and possible future impacts of thermokarst and related environmental feedbacks, the assessment of the current distribution and characteristics of Ice Complex deposits and thermokarst features is an important task. Field data, remote sensing, and terrain modelling within a geographical information system (GIS) are used to characterize Ice Complex deposits and thermokarst for a variety of sites in the Laptev Sea region, North Siberia. Field data consists of Ice Complex distribution, thickness, ice content, and TOC. Remote sensing was applied for the mapping of Ice Complex extent and distribution of thermokarst surface features in this area. Terrain modelling was used to quantify the volume of Ice Complex deposits based on digital elevation models, stratigraphical information, and satellite image mapping. Subsequently, terrain modelling was also applied to characterize thermokarst in this area. An assessment of the original, eroded, and remaining volume for the Ice Complex in the study area is provided.


Having a reliable site classification scheme is vital for the development of robust strong-motion attenuation models. We discuss a promising empirical site- classification scheme based on strong-motion data from Japan. We assigned site classes, according to the site classification defined in engineering design codes in Japan, for those K-net sites where boreholes reached either to rock or to stiff soils with shear-wave velocity of 600 m/sec or larger, using four site classes defined by dominant site period. The average response spectral ratios of the horizontal and vertical components (h/v) of earthquake records for all site classes were found not to be strongly affected by Japan Meteorological Agency (jma) magnitude, hypocentral distance, and focal depth for all site classes. We used h/v ratios for records from the classified K-net sites to establish a site classification index using the mean spectral ratios over a wide range of spectral period. Using the index, we were able to classify both K-net stations with soil layers thicker than 20 m and other strong-motion stations in Japan. The peak period of the h/v spectral ratio can also be used to identify soft soil sites. The site amplification factors calculated from the site class terms based on the new site classification are consistent with the period bands defined for these site classes.


The performance of wireless sensor network (WSN) can be effect by interference. The many devices in network capable of causing interference and this can cause dropping packets or block the transmission channel. In this paper we study how manage the interference in WSN. This managing can be done by flow control and power level control. We used heterogeneous collaborative network nodes like PIC microcontroller, ARM microcontroller and Personal Computer (PC) to build our network. Also we assign priority level for each node to allow the node with high priority to manage the flow and power level of other node within same network and same used channel. The time synchronization required due to different nodes used. The protocol used for time synchronization is Timing-sync Protocol for Sensor Networks (TPSN).


High-resolution angle-resolved photoemission results are presented which allow us to determine the complete Fermi surfaces for the surface-localized electronic levels on the clean and hydrogen-covered Mo(011) surfaces. Similar to previously presented data for W(011), we observe a total of three distinct closed hole orbits and one closed electron orbit. The hole orbits are elliptical and are centered on different projections of the same bulk Fermi-surface ellipsoid. They are located at the center and along each of the edges of the surface Brillouin zone. The surface electron pocket is closed but has a very complex shape which is somewhat different from the one observed on W(011). It orbits the projection of a bulk electron pocket which is traditionally called a jack, and is centered in the surface Brillouin zone. As was observed for W(011), these orbits are affected to different extents by hydrogen adsorption. The hole pockets are rapidly quenched by hydrogen, while the electron pocket grows in area until it merges with its image in the second Brillouin zone. At saturation there exist two hole pockets which are the remnants of the clean-surface electron pocket. These results are discussed in terms of the dynamical response of the surface. Electronic dampingmore » mechanisms for low-energy surface excitations are discussed. Some of the possible vibrational Kohn anomalies are enumerated.« less


The effect of food-for-work (FFW) programs on crop choices for farm households in rural Ethiopia is analyzed. FFW compensation reduces the household's consumption risk in the face of adverse production shocks. I explore how this reduction in consumption risk conditions households to opt for high-yielding and high-return crops. Using panel data, we find that access to FFW two periods ago positively affects maize crop choices in the current period. This result is robust to other shocks and crops in the household's portfolio. We conclude that access to FFW programs has long-term effects on crop choice behavior hence FFW can be designed to improve adoption of high yielding crops and varieties.


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