Background: Methylxanthines like theophylline are re-emerging as effective adjuncts in the treatment of obstructive airway disease and several newer mechanisms have been proposed. In view of its effectiveness, pharmacoeconomic viability, and easy availability, it could rationalize the drug treatment in bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders (COPD) – but its narrow therapeutic index and resultant safety concerns need to be aggressively addressed, particularly in developing countries. Cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity are amongst the most noted adverse effects associated with its clinical use. The present study evaluated the possible mechanisms involved in aminophylline (water-soluble ethylene diamine salt of theophylline) on potential cardiotoxicity parameters in rats. Methods: Aminophylline was administered in various doses for seven days to rats of either sex weighing 200-250g. The electrocardiogram and blood pressure were recorded on seventh day. After this the blood was withdrawn to estimate various stress and cardiac markers. Results: Aminophylline (50-150 mg/kg for seven days) dose dependently induced tachycardia and elevated mean BP. There were also T-wave inversions and suppressed T-wave areas at higher doses when compared with control group. IBMX (PDE inhibitor) did not influence these parameters per se. Further, pre-treatment with 2-chloroadenosine (adenosine agonist) could not completely attenuate aminophylline effects. The methylxanthine also elevated MDA levels and reduced GSH levels in heart tissue homogenates of aminophylline treated rats. Aminophylline also elevated serum CPK-MBV levels whereas, BNP levels were not much affected. Pre-treatment with the anti-oxidant, alphatocopherol (20 and 40 mg/kg) before administration to aminophylline, attenuated the aminophylline induced changes in heart rate, mean BP, and T-wave areas. These cardiac changes after alpha-tocopherol were supported by biochemical findings, wherein antioxidant pre-treatment prevented an increase in MDA and reduced GSH as well as CPK-MB levels. Conclusion: The results indicate the possible involvement of free radicals in theophylline induced cardiotoxicity, and suggest that anti-oxidants could help in reducing the safety concerns associated with this drug.


Abstract Introduction Photochemical tissue bonding (PTB) uses visible light to create sutureless, watertight bonds between two apposed tissue surfaces stained with photoactive dye. In phase 1 of this two-phase study, nerve gaps repaired with bonded isografts were superior to sutured isografts. When autograft demand exceeds supply, acellular nerve allograft (ANA) is an alternative although outcomes are typically inferior. This study assesses the efficacy of PTB when used with ANA. Methods Overall 20 male Lewis rats had 15-mm left sciatic nerve gaps repaired using ANA. ANAs were secured using epineurial suture (group 1) or PTB (group 2). Outcomes were assessed using sciatic function index (SFI), gastrocnemius muscle mass retention, and nerve histomorphometry. Historical controls from phase 1 were used to compare the performance of ANA with isograft. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance and Bonferroni all-pairs comparison. Results All ANAs had signs of successful regeneration. Mean values for SFI, muscle mass retention, nerve fiber diameter, axon diameter, and myelin thickness were not significantly different between ANA + suture and ANA + PTB. On comparative analysis, ANA + suture performed significantly worse than isograft + suture from phase 1. However, ANA + PTB was statistically comparable to isograft + suture, the current standard of care. Conclusion Previously reported advantages of PTB versus suture appear to be reduced when applied to ANA. The lack of Schwann cells and neurotrophic factors may be responsible. PTB may improve ANA performance to an extent, where they are equivalent to autograft. This may have important clinical implications when injuries preclude the use of autograft.


Author(s): Ullo, Michael; Dym, Robert; Ripper, Jill | Abstract: ABSTRACT: History of present illness: A 25-year-old male with a history of asthma presented to the emergency department (ED) with the sensation of food impaction in the mid-thoracic region and inability to swallow that began twenty minutes prior to arrival after eating chicken. Careful history revealed that the patient had several ED visits for similar episodes during his early childhood. Physical examination was benign with stable vitals. He had a clear oropharynx and normal breath sounds bilaterally. On cardiac auscultation, there was a regular rate and rhythm without appreciable murmur. Significant findings: After an unremarkable chest radiograph was obtained, a computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest was obtained due to possible co-ingestion of bones to rule out perforation. The CT scan demonstrated focal distention of the mid-esophagus due to an impacted food bolus (white arrow). An aberrant right subclavian artery (yellow arrow) was located just distal to the impaction site with partial compression of the esophagus (red arrow). Discussion: Arteria lusoria is an aberrant right subclavian artery. It is the most common embryologic abnormality of the aortic arch, occurring in 0.5% to 1.8% of the population.1 In this condition, the right subclavian artery arises directly off of the aorta, distal to the left subclavian artery, as opposed to the normal branching off the right brachiocephalic artery. While the majority of cases are asymptomatic, occasionally the artery will compress adjacent structures including the trachea and esophagus.2 This phenomenon was first described in 1794 by a London physician who remarked on a fatal case of "obstructed deglutition."3 When the aberrant right subclavian artery causes compression and trachea-esophageal symptoms such as dysphagia, it is termed dysphagia lusoria. The patient was diagnosed with dysphagia lusoria and given an intravenous bolus of glucagon with resolution of symptoms in one hour. He was able to tolerate liquids and solids without difficulty upon discharge. Management of dysphagia varies based on presentation and ability to tolerate oral intake. CT imaging may be useful in cases of recurrent food bolus impactions or high clinical suspicion for aerodigestive injury. Patients unable to swallow may require emergent subspecialist evaluation with additional imaging and endoscopic evaluation. Structural abnormalities such as dysphagia lusoria may ultimately require surgical intervention for definitive resolution of symptoms. Topics: Arteria lusoria, dysphagia, aberrant right subclavian artery.


Achievement of the water and sanitation related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), to halve the proportion of people without access to improved water supply and sanitation services by 2015, is a major challenge for governments of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS). Rapid urbanisation is increasing the need for services in the small towns to which many rural migrants are moving, yet there are limited financial resources to improve coverage. Under the Mekong Region Water and Sanitation Initiative (MEK-WATSAN), UN-Habitat has partnered with GMS governments with the aim of achieving the water and sanitation related MDG. With a pro-poor emphasis MEK-WATSAN has developed a community-based water supply and sanitation model which has leveraged partnerships with existing institutions to effectively improve water supply and sanitation services to the urban poor in the Mekong Region.


Our aim was to determine the effect of growth hormone on non-insulin-mediated glucose disposal in lactating dairy cows. Following 5 d of subcutaneous injections of either saline or growth hormone, insulin, somatostatin or insulin plus somatostatin were infused for 2 h each, in a series of experiments. Coincident with this, unlabelled glucose was infused at a variable rate to maintain a constant plasma glucose concentration. Glucose, doubly labelled with deuterium, was also infused for the calculations of glucose turnover. Plasma insulin levels were reduced to nearly zero by the infusion of somatostatin; under such conditions whole body glucose disposal should be non-insulin-mediated. Dairy cows treated with growth hormone, which had significantly increased milk yields on the day before the experimental infusions, did not have different levels of whole body non-insulin-mediated glucose disposal when expressed in absolute terms. Growth hormone did not affect non-mammary non-insulin-mediated glucose uptake estimated by calculation. Growth hormone significantly inhibited insulin-mediated glucose uptake when plasma insulin levels were elevated. Glucose uptake during insulin plus somatostatin infusion was not significantly different from that of the insulin only infusion.


This paper discusses the thermo-mechanical fatigue life analysis of an analog Avantek Planarpak™ surface mount device where the entire base of the component is soldered directly to the printed wiring board. The critical thermal stresses and strains are analyzed with the help of two and three-dimensional finite element models. The effect of solder voids and incomplete bonding is also investigated. The paper also shows how fatigue life estimations can be made using q generalized form of the Manson-Coffin equation even though the maximum solder attach stresses are found to be elastic.


The first established treatment for anovulatory women having polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) who failed to respond to medical treatment was laparoscopic ovarian wedge resection. Since then, the risk of adhesion formation has prompted the development of less invasive surgical procedures such as ovarian wedge resection by minilaparotomy. This study compared the risk of adhesion formation in 37 anovulatory infertile women with PCOS who had failed to respond to clomiphene citrate and who had ovarian wedge resection by minilaparotomy (group I), and 39 others who underwent laparoscopic ovarian electrodrilling (group II). All participants had a second-look laparoscopy 1 week after the initial procedure. Adhesion formation was assessed using the American Fertility Society classification. The 2 treatment groups were similar demographically and with respect to serum gonadotropin levels. Three women in group II (7.7%) had periovarian adhesions. In contrast, 81% of group I women had periovarian adhesions, and 54% and 46%, respectively, had intra-abdominal and uterine adhesions. Adhesions at all 3 sites were significantly more frequent in group I women, and AFS adhesion scores differed significantly between the 2 surgical groups. Postoperatively, all the women ovulated spontaneously or with clomiphene therapy. Nearly 60% of women in group I and 87% of group II women conceived a child within a year after surgery. The difference in pregnancy rates was statistically significant. The interval from surgery to pregnancy was significantly shorter in group II women (4.4 vs. 6.5 months). There were no complications in either group, but group II women lost significantly more blood during surgery. The investigators conclude that laparoscopic ovarian electrodrilling should be considered at an early stage for infertile women with PCOS who have not responded to clomiphene citrate.


Knee flexion is a movement that initiates rising from a sitting position, which is a common therapeutic exercise for patients unable to ambulate. We investigated how voluntary isometric biceps femoris contraction affects motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude following transcranial magnetic stimulation, background electromyographic (EMG) amplitude, and H-reflex amplitude in ipsilateral leg muscles. Subjects were seated on the edge of a bed with their hips and knees flexed at 90 degrees, and the soles of their feet on the floor. MEP and background EMG were recorded from the tibialis anterior (TA) and soleus (SOL), and H reflexes from SOL of 30 volunteers. Background EMG and MEP also were recorded while voluntarily contracting tested muscles. Biceps femoris contraction increased MEP and background EMG for TA and SOL (p < 0.01). Maximal background EMG and MEP increased with increasing voluntary contraction of tested muscles (p < 0.005). Regression slope differed little between TA and SOL. Biceps femoris contraction facilitated MEP comparably for TA and SOL, while SOL background EMG exceeded that of TA (p < 0.02). The relationship between MEP facilitation and background EMG changed to favor more efficient facilitation in TA (p < 0.05), but not SOL (p > 0.1). MEP recorded from TA and SOL with subthreshold stimuli using needle electrodes were more frequent with biceps femoris contraction (p < 0.04). H-reflex amplitude of SOL decreased during biceps femoris contraction (p < 0.001). We concluded that biceps femoris contraction affects leg muscle MEP, background EMG, and H reflexes differently.


The response of the wood of Pinus sylvestris L. to impact bending using the Charpy method was studied in 2940 defect-free, oriented test pieces from the central board of 10 trees felled during scheduled cutting, with the values obtained being related to the position of the test piece in the tree, both from the pith to the outside and in terms of its height in the tree. For this purpose the absorbed energy was obtained by using an instrumented drop-weight impact tester. The tests were carried out in stable hygrothermic conditions of65±5 percent and 20±2 °C, and the wood was conditioned under the same conditions before testing. The characterisation was carried out on test pieces with a cross section of 20 mm by 20 mm and a length of 150 mm. The results obtained show that impact bending decreases the closer the test piece is to the pith and the higher it is in the tree, with the decrease being greater horizontally than vertically. In addition, it was shown that there is a significant relation between the number of rings and the impact response of the wood.


This article examines the impact of globalization on the urban imaginary in relation to two recent photography exhibitions – one held in Amsterdam and the other in New York City – which were designed as transatlantic mirror events to celebrate the 400-year anniversary of the Dutch 'discovery' of Manhattan. Registering a long history of transnational exchange between the two cities, the exhibitions invited a group of New York artists to photograph Amsterdam and a group of Dutch artists to photograph New York. Both exhibitions claimed that seeing the city from these outsider perspectives enabled new and surprising photographs capable of challenging established images of both cities. Interrogating this claim, the article analyses individual artworks and artists, the marketing and staging strategies of the exhibitions, and the urban branding campaigns with which the events were associated.


: Acute colitis occurring in patients suffering from psychiatric illnesses is believed to be linked to the intake of psychotropes. From 1983 to 1989, the authors observed, in three Hepato-gastroenterology units, 10 cases of acute colitis in patients suffering from serious psychiatric disorders, most of them inpatients of mental hospitals. The detailed study of 7 of these cases emphasized a certain number of common features: there was no previous history of digestive disease, the psychiatric illness was serious and longstanding, acute colitis was severe, and there was no recurrence during clinical and endoscopic follow-up averaging 4.3 years. Of these 7 patients, 2 were not taking psychotropes at the time of colitis or after, 2 had discontinued their treatment for a few days, and 2 had not stopped taking psychotropes. One patient died. The short-term and long-term evolution in these cases was not influenced by the intake or not of psychotropes. The pathogeny of this colitis is yet to be determined: infection is the most likely origin.


Educational researchers have long been concerned with role stress among teachers. In education, research on the consequences of such role stress for teachers has largely concerned outcomes valued by individuals such as job satisfaction and reduced stress. Less research has focused on examining the effects of role stress on outcomes valued by the organization, such as employee commitment and employee retention. In examining the role stress‐outcome relationship, research suggests the importance of taking into consideration the work orientations of individuals as possible moderators of the role stress‐outcome relationship. Using a sample of elementary and secondary teachers, this study empirically examined, first whether three role stresses – role ambiguity, role conflict, and role overload – are related to two individually and two organizationally valued states and second, whether teachers' higher‐order need strength moderates these role stress‐outcome relationships. The study found that role stresses relate to individually‐ and organizationally‐valued outcomes among both elementary and secondary teachers.


The hypothesis laid down in this paper offers an alternative to the current interpretation of the processes: hideout (hideout-return), crud deposition and change of the coolants activity level in the nuclear power reactors under different operating conditions. This alternative is based on the supposition that the heat flux has not a direct effect on the processes mentioned above, but acts through the heat transfer mechanism in the boundary, caused by itself. The boundary influenced by heat flow is in non-equilibrium state and in such system states (at adequate heat flux) non-equilibrium structures called dissipative structures arise which are closely connected with heat transfer mechanism. The transport and the location of the colloidal corrosion products dispersed in steam generators-or reactor water during the units operation are strongly influenced by the existence of dissipative structures. The transport and location of the main part of ion species depend also on the existence of these structures because the colloidal particles act like collectors of the ions dissolved in the water (The ions are inserted in the colloidal particles double layer). The hideout and hideout-return phenomena are interpreted as closely connected with the existence of the above mentioned dissipative structures. It was attempted to consider the changes in nuclide concentrations in the LWR coolant upon start-up and shutdown as hideout respectively hideout-return processes. The recent shutdown chemistry aspects are discussed also.


Research in the didactics of mathematics has shown the importance that representations have in teaching and learning processes as well as the complexity of factors related to them. Particularly, one of the central open questions that the use of representations poses is the nature and diversity of objects that carry out the role of representation and of the objects represented. The objective of this article is to show how the notion of semiotic function and mathematics ontology, elaborated by the onto-semiotic approach to mathematics knowledge, enables us to face such a problem, by generalizing the notion of representation and by integrating different theoretical notions used to describe mathematics cognition.


The transverse-magnetic photonic-bandgap-guidance properties are investigated for a planar two-dimensional (2-D) Kagomé waveguide configuration using a full-vectorial plane-wave-expansion method. Single-moded well-localized low-index guided modes are found. The localization of the optical modes is investigated with respect to the width of the 2-D Kagomé waveguide, and the number of modes existing for specific frequencies and waveguide widths is mapped out.


The macroarray nylon membrane technology was used to study the differential gene expression of 3.575 ESTs clones from sugarcane libraries. Total RNA was extracted from two varieties, one known as tolerant (SP80-0185) and another known as susceptible (SP70-3370) to the ratoon stunting disease (RSD), after being inoculated with Lefsonia xyli subsp. xyli bacterial extracts, and used as probe. Out of the 3.575 ESTs, 49 showed differential expression levels. Most of the selected ESTs were found in the resistant variety, 41 being induced and 3 being repressed in response to bacterial inoculation. On the other hand, the susceptible variety showed only 5 differentially expressed genes, 2 being induced and 3 being repressed. These results indicate that the tolerance to bacterial infection could be associated to extracellular signal perception because ESTs associated to signal transduction pathways were induced in the variety SP80-185, e.g. plasma membrane H+ ATPase EST. Also, ESTs related to transcription factor expression, such as G-box, OsNAC6, "DNA binding", MYB family, Zinc Finger were induced in the tolerant variety after infection. An EST with high similarity to G-Box binding factor, a cis-DNA sequence present in some plant promoter genes required to signal transduction for environmental signals, was also induced. Even though the susceptible variety had no significant difference in gene expression, a lipase-like EST was repressed when plants were infected. Lipase, a membrane enzyme, is also involved in jasmonate biosynthesis, which plays a major role in plant defense mechanisms. Putative roles for induced and repressed genes in both tolerant and susceptible varieties are discussed here.


This paper analyzes the intermodulation distortion of a solid-state feedback amplifier. Each transistor of the amplifier has been represented by a frequency-dependent model incorporating four nonlinearities. The Volterra series is used as the analysis tool. The primary motivation for this study is that intermodulation distortion is a critical problem in high-frequency long-haul solidstate systems. A computer program that calculates the amplifier intermodulation distortion has been developed. This program can be used to select the optimum bias point of each stage, optimum interstage and feedback networks, and optimum load and source impedances. Good correlation between calculated and measured results was obtained. The closed-form expressions derived show that the feedback is fully effective in reducing the open-loop second-order distortion and that the feedback may not significantly reduce the open-loop third-order distortion, if the "second-order interaction" phenomenon is dominant. The second-order interaction is explained in detail in this paper.


Accrual accounting is targeted to be fully implemented in Malaysia by the year 2015, with the aim to improve financial management procedures in the public sector. Therefore, this study is to examine the government servants' perception on the perceived benefits for applying accrual accounting in Malaysia. This study also investigates the significant difference between demographic factors (year of services with the government, course attended that relates to accrual accounting, education level and professional qualification) and their perceptions in relations to AGD. The 300 questionnaires regarding the government servants' perception on four benefits of adopting accrual accounting is distributed to the various divisions in the headquarters of Accountant General's Department (AGD) in Putrajaya. To test the objectives, the frequency analysis andANOVA were used. The general finding shows that the respondents have positive attitude on accrual accounting. This paper also shows evidence that demographic factors influence the government servants' perceptions, based on the significant results between enhance specific transparency with the years of service with the government and courses attended that are related to accrual accounting. On the other hand, the significant difference for professional qualification at 0.05 level with enhance unspecific transparency, enhance actions and decisions as well as avoided bad actions and decisions. These results are important for the government so that it can play a more proactive role to ensure accrual accounting in Malaysia is successfully implemented. Keywords: Accrual Accounting, Benefits, AGD, Malaysia.


The influence of sight and common internal pulse on the musicians experience of stage acoustics are not much investigated. Many acoustic parameters based on impulse response measurements are available to describe the room but few of them correlate well with the musicians' own experiences. This thesis focuses on timing for symphony orchestras. Timing is an important part of stage acoustics for symphony orchestras. The goal for the musicians is that the instruments shall sound tightly synchronised for the audience. Large distances between musicians in symphony
orchestras may create sound delays up to 60 ms between different instrument groups and to the audience. If the musicians use hearing, without seeing each other and
referring to their internal feeling of pulse, this would result in bad synchronisation and retarding tempo. The senses sight and hearing are investigated to see the relative importance for timing when removing one or both of them. When removing both, the musicians need to trust their own internal pulse. Subjective tests are made with the University of Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra is recorded when playing a piece especially written for this occasion and a piece by Mozart. Onset of every tone is detected and compared to each other, to see the level of synchronicity. The studies show larger deviations between musicians when playing with just sight than with just hearing but both senses are needed to get the best timing. When removing both sight and hearing other cues are used to be able to play in synchrony and vibrations from the bass section were more noticed by musicians in other sections. Different seating arrangements are tested and the the setup where the orchestra sits closest together improve timing in all settings. This investigation indicate that many senses influence the ability to synchronise. Therefore, acoustic measurements alone can not explain the features of the stage,at least not when it comes to playing synchronised.


For the excellent characters such as lightweight, high ratio-strength, high rigidity and reuse, magnesium alloy is used widely in vehicle lightweight redesign. Selecting AM60B as material, the process of magnesium alloy material substitution redesign for wheels of electric bicycle is advanced. The structure of aluminum alloy wheel is chosen as prototype structure for magnesium alloy wheel according to the similarity between the properties of aluminum alloy and magnesium alloy. The structure redesign optimized parametric model is put forward by the stimulation analysis of static load test and dynamic bending fatigue test. The inspection of samples shows that the structure redesign is feasible, and the target of wheels lightweight redesign is achieved.


We have compared a small portable mouth pressure meter (MPM) to our laboratory standard (LS) pressure recording equipment in order to evaluate this new device. The mouth pressure meter measures and displays as a digital read-out peak pressure for inspiratory and expiratory efforts. It samples the signal at 16 Hz, and an integral microprocessor is programmed to determine and display the maximum pressure averaged over one second both during inspiratory and expiratory manoeuvres (PImax and PEmax, respectively). A fine bore catheter connecting the mouthpiece of the mouth pressure meter to a Validyne pressure transducer enabled simultaneous measurement of pressure, which was analysed by LabVIEW, running on a Macintosh Quadra 700 computer. We studied 13 normal subjects and 11 patients with respiratory disease. Each subject performed inspiratory and five expiratory efforts. The values displayed from the mouth pressure meter were manually recorded. The mouth pressure meter reliably and accurately measured peak pressure and maximal pressure both for inspiratory and expiratory efforts in normals and patients. The mean +/- SD difference when compared with the Validyne method was 0.19 +/- 0.12 and -0.04 +/- 0.12 kPa, for PImax and PEmax, respectively. This portable device should be useful to measure mouth pressures, not only in the routine lung function laboratory but also at the bedside and in the clinic.


The three volumes under review represent a relatively recent stage in the transmission of medieval and early Renaissance repertory. The Eton Choirbook was copied between c.1500 and 1504; the journey of its contents had begun a few decades earlier, when pieces were gradually devised and performed before their selection for one of the most glorious of illuminated manuscripts to have survived the deliberate acts of cultural destruction that characterized the sixteenth century. The Eton Choirbook can be linked palaeographically, and functionally, with Eton College, and its music reflects activities and liturgical priorities there from the 1440s. A monument of choral music at its inception, Williamson's facsimile edition reproduces the sense of pride that was evidently a driving factor in the original commission and copying of the volume. Although a few pieces listed in its index have not survived, the facsimile demonstrates the coherence of the codex and the value placed upon its purpose: honouring the Blessed Virgin Mary.


Anterior hip dislocation is much less frequent when compared with posterior dislocation of the hip joint, with open dislocation being still rarer. We report a case of an open anterior hip dislocation in a 23-year-old male who presented to us in the emergency department, and also present a review of the literature.


Defects in the surfactant biosynthesis are associated with respiratory distress syndrome, commonly occurring in premature infants due to lung immaturity. However, interstitial lung diseases have also been observed in full-term infants with mutations in the SFTPC, SFTPB, NKX2-1, or ABCA3 genes, involved in the surfactant metabolism. Herein, we report a newborn baby with neonatal respiratory distress and diffuse lung disease caused by ABCA3 mutation. The baby died at 5 weeks of age after developing pulmonary hypertension. Genomic DNA was analyzed for four genes involved in surfactant metabolism out of which the c. 4545C>G (p.Tyr1515*) homozygous mutation in exon 29 of ABCA3 was identified which is one of the most frequent mutation causing lethal neonatal respiratory failure in a term neonate. This case study emphasizes the importance of raising awareness about this diagnosis in the clinical settings for fruitful outcomes in health-care delivery.


OBJECTIVE: To investigate those characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that are associated with the development of rheumatoid vasculitis (RV). METHODS: Demographic and clinical data of 69 patients who had been diagnosed as having RV were compared with those of 138 contemporaneous control patients with RA who were not suspected to have vasculitis. Vasculitis was confirmed histologically in 96% of the subjects with RV. RESULTS: Variables associated with the development of RV were: 1) male gender, presence of increased serum concentrations of rheumatoid factor, joint erosions, subcutaneous nodules, number of disease modifying antirheumatic drugs previously prescribed, treatment (ever) with D-penicillamine or azathioprine; 2) presence of nail fold lesions and any other extrarticular feature one year before the time of diagnosis of RV; 3) treatment with corticosteroids at the time of diagnosis of RV. CONCLUSIONS: The development of RV is associated with male gender, extra-articular features, and a severe course of RA as indicated by the presence of joint destruction and need for intensive treatment with antirheumatic drugs. The strongest association was found with the presence of increased concentrations of rheumatoid factor.


The aim of this study is to discuss which strategies may be used in translation from English to Swedish of a scientific text on oceanography. Focus is on how to deal with translation of the gerund-participle form, metaphors and similes. The source text is Mapping the Deep; the Extraordinary Story of Ocean Science, written by Robert Kunzig (2000), from which a selection of interesting and challenging examples are chosen to be discussed and analyzed. A theoretical background is given about the gerund-participle form according to Huddleston & Pullum (2002) and Ingo (2007), and about metaphors and similes according to Ingo (2007) and Newmark (1988). The discussion and analysis is framed around Vinay's and Darbelnet's translation model presented in their Comparative Stylistics of French and English (1995), a model with a linguistic approach, based on two general translation methods – direct translation and oblique translation. The examples analyzed in this study are translated with both a direct translation strategy and oblique translation strategy using varying procedures. As a result, the analysis and discussion show that there is no particular given strategy or procedure that applies to the translation of gerund-participles, metaphors and similes from English to Swedish, but instead each and every example and situation needs to be carefully assessed in aspect to the context, as well as source and target language structure and culture.


Some organisations in Spain that seek to foster innovation in reading are keen to establish book clubs or dialogical literary gatherings. However, there are notable differences between these two practices that are not always clear. This paper presents the results of an observational study based on participant observation and interviews with key informants that tackles their similarities and differences in school and social settings. The results show that their differences lie in origin, purpose, methodology, and coordination, among others. The conclusions show different paradigms behind these practices, and organisations should opt for one or the other.


A key characteristic of the spread of infectious diseases is their ability to use efficient transmission paths within contact graphs. This enables the pathogen to maximise infection rates and spread within a target population. In this work, we devise techniques to localise infections and decrease infection rates based on a principled analysis of disease transmission paths within human-contact networks (proximity graphs). Experimental results of disease spreading shows that that at low visibility rates contact tracing slows disease spreading. However to stop disease spreading, contact tracing requires both significant visibility (at least 60%) into the proximity graph and the ability to place half of the population under isolation. We find that pro-actively isolating super-links -- key proximity encounters -- has significant benefits: targeted isolation of a fourth of the population based on 35% visibility into the proximity graph prevents an epidemic outbreak. It turns out that isolating super-spreaders is more effective than contact tracing and testing but less effective than targeting super-links. We highlight the important role of topology in epidemic outbreaks. We argue that proactive innoculation of a population by disabling super-links and super-spreaders may have an important complimentary role alongside contact tracing and testing as part of a sophisticated public-health response to epidemic outbreaks.


Focal dystonia in pianists is a task‐specific movement disorder that causes loss of pianistic skills and provokes irregularities in playing. So far, no method has been available for objective quantification of the disorder. Eight professional pianists with focal dystonia and eight healthy professional pianists matched by age, gender, and handedness were examined, using a newly developed MIDI‐based Scale Analysis as well as the Arm Dystonia Disability Scale (ADDS). Key velocities and timing parameters were analyzed. In 5 pianists with dystonia, follow‐up examinations were carried out after treatment with botulinum toxin‐A. In affected hands, significantly higher mean standard deviations of timing parameters were seen compared with healthy reference hands. After treatment with botulinum toxin‐A, significant improvements in performance parameters were monitored by Scale Analysis. Mean standard deviations of inter‐onset intervals correlated with ADDS scores. We conclude that Scale Analysis is an effective and precise tool for quantification of focal dystonia in pianists and provides fine resolution. It is independent of rating methods and allows reliable follow‐up examinations during treatment. © 2003 Movement Disorder Society


The proton-ligand stability constants of five important substituted 5-(2-hydroxy phenyl) pyrazoles and metal-ligand stability constants of their complexes with Co (II) and Ni (II) metal ions have been determined in 70% v/v dioxane-water media at different ionic strength (0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.1 mol dm-3 of electrolyte, KNO3) and at constant temperature of 303.15K by potentiometric method. The pK and logK values decreased with increase in ionic strength of medium, which indicated the opposite charges on reacting species. The values of stability constants for Ni (II) were greater than for Co (II) metal ion. The thermodynamic stability constants at zero ionic strength have also been determined. The effect of presence of an extra electrolyte on dissociation and complex equilibria of pyrazoles has been studied.


The University of Manchester, Doctor of Medicine, 2013Gemma FaulknerThe relationship between connective tissue abnormality and pelvic floor dysfunctionPerineal descent (PD) is a sign of connective tissue weakness of the pelvic floor, it can be measured mechanically or radiologically. Joint hypermobility can be a sign of a generalised connective tissue abnormality, there is an increased incidence of pelvic organ prolapse and faecal incontinence amongst patients with heritable connective tissues diseases. To explore the relevance of PD and the relationship between connective tissue abnormality and pelvic floor dysfunction five studies were performed.A new mechanical device for the measurement of PD, the laser commode, and the established mechanical device, the perineometer were compared to the current gold standard method of measurement, defaecating proctography in 68 subjects. The laser commode provided a mean overall PD measurement closer to that of proctography than the perineometer but the repeatability and reproducibility of the measurements were not accurate enough for the laser commode to be used either in the subsequent parts of this research project or in a clinical setting.Perineal descent was measured using proctography and joint hypermobility was measured using the Beighton score in 70 females with pelvic floor dysfunction. No correlation was found between PD and joint mobility.A review of 323 proctograms of females with pelvic floor dysfunction found an association between PD and rectal prolapse but no association between either PD and rectocele formation or PD and rectal intussusception. The Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory questionnaires of 133 females were correlated with their proctography findings. There was no association between PD and any of the clinical symptoms. Biopsies from the rectus sheath and pelvic floor fascia of 19 females with rectal prolapse were compared to those of 8 normal controls. There was no difference in collagen or elastin content between the groups but participant numbers were small. The pelvic floor fascia of the rectal prolapse group showed a higher percentage of well organised elastin than that of the control group but this did not reach statistical significance. Perineal descent does not appear to be a consistent indicator of severe pelvic floor connective tissue abnormality or injury. This study has furthered our understanding of perineal descent and the relationships between this finding and other pelvic floor disorders caused by connective tissue weakness. Future work will focus on further histological analysis of tissue from patients with rectal prolapse in combination with the use of more sensitive methods to establish the presence of an underlying connective tissue abnormality.


Purpose Modulation of the gut microbiota may lead to changes in pathological conditions. C-C chemokine motif ligand (CCL) 4 was upregulated in diabetes mellitus (DM) and was shown to play a significant role in pancreatic inflammation and glucose metabolism. The detailed in vivo mechanisms have not been well explored. This study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that direct CCL4 inhibition could modify gut microbiota and systemic metabolism in diet-induced DM mice. Methods C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) were used as a diet-induced DM model. CCL4 inhibition was conducted by anti-CCL4 neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. The gut microbiota was analyzed by high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was used to verify the effect of CCL4 deficiency on gut microbiota and the linkage between CCL4-modulated gut microbiota and HFD-induced DM. Results CCL4 inhibition stabilized glucose homeostasis, modulated lipid parameter, and decreased inflammatory markers in HFD-induced DM mice. Moreover, CCL4 inhibition reversed HFD-induced gut dysbiosis, evidenced by the decreased abundance of family Muribaculaceae and increased abundance of family Atopobiaceae when CCL4 antibodies were administrated. CCL4 inhibition led to a decrease in circulating trimethylamine N-oxide levels, a proinflammatory metabolite from gut microbiota. Taken together, CCL4 inhibition could modify gut microbiota profiles, suppress proinflammatory metabolites, reduce systemic inflammation, improve insulin resistance, and retard the progression of hyperglycemia in HFD-induced DM. Furthermore, FMT from CCL4 knockout mice rescued the glucose homeostasis in HFD-induced DM mice. Conclusion Our findings may not only provide a novel rationale to in vivo CCL4-based therapeutic approach in diet-induced DM but also indicate the significance of gut microbiota profile including the family Muribaculaceae and the family Atopobiaceae as a potential modifiable target for systemic metabolism.


In environments where resources are difficult to obtain and enhanced cognitive capabilities might be adaptive, brain structures associated with cognitive traits may also be enhanced. In our previous studies, we documented a clear and significant relationship among environmental conditions, memory and hippocampal structure using ten populations of black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) over a large geographic range. In addition, focusing on just the two populations from the geographical extremes of our large-scale comparison, Alaska and Kansas, we found enhanced problem-solving capabilities and reduced neophobia in a captive-raised population of black-capped chickadees originating from the energetically demanding environment (Alaska) relative to conspecifics from the milder environment (Kansas). Here, we focused on three brain regions, the arcopallium (AP), the nucleus taeniae of the amygdala and the lateral striatum (LSt), that have been implicated to some extent in aspects of these behaviors in order to investigate whether potential differences in these brain areas may be associated with our previously detected differences in cognition. We compared the variation in neuron number and volumes of these regions between these populations, in both wild-caught birds and captive-raised individuals. Consistent with our behavioral observations, wild-caught birds from Kansas had a larger AP volume than their wild-caught conspecifics from Alaska, which possessed a higher density of neurons in the LSt. However, there were no other significant differences between populations in the wild-caught and captive-raised groups. Interestingly, individuals from the wild had larger LSt and AP volumes with more neurons than those raised in captivity. Overall, we provide some evidence that population-related differences in problem solving and neophobia may be associated with differences in volume and neuron numbers of our target brain regions. However, the relationship is not completely clear, and our study raises numerous questions about the relationship between the brain and behavior, especially in captive animals.


This paper presents the novel design of a Multi-Degree-Of-Freedom joint (M-DOF) for an Ankle-Foot Orthosis (AFO) that aims to improve upon the commercially available Double Action Joint (DAJ). The M-DOF is designed to maintain the functionality of the DAJ, while increasing dorsiflexion stiffness and introducing inversion/eversion. This increase in range of motion is designed to produce greater engagement from lower limb muscles during gait. The M-DOF was experimentally validated with one able-bodied and one stroke subject. Across walking speeds, the M-DOF AFO minimally affected the able-bodied subject's joint kinematics. The stroke subject's ankle dorsiflexion/plantarflexion and knee flexion were not heavily altered when wearing the M-DOF AFO, compared to the DAJ AFO. The new DOF allowed by the M-DOF AFO increased the inversion/eversion of the ankle by ~3°, without introducing any new compensations compared to their gait with the DAJ AFO.


We consider the online auction problem proposed by Bar-Yossef, Hildrum, and Wu [4] in which an auctioneer is selling identical items to bidders arriving one at a time. We give an auction that achieves a constant factor of the optimal profit less an O(h) additive loss term, where h is the value of the highest bid. Furthermore, this auction does not require foreknowledge of the range of bidders' valuations. On both counts, this answers open questions from [4, 5]. We further improve on the results from [5] for the online posted-price problem by reducing their additive loss term from O(h log h log log h) to O(h log log h). Finally, we define the notion of an (offline) attribute auction for modeling the problem of auctioning items to consumers who are not a-priori indistinguishable. We apply our online auction solution to achieve good bounds for the attribute auction problem with 1-dimensional attributes.


Background: Few studies have focused on bullying in clinical samples and the association between bullying and psychiatric disorders. In particular, there is a lack of studies on bullying behaviour and school well-being in clinical samples. The aim of this study was to examine if bullying behaviour was associated with psychiatric disorders and school well-being.Methods: The cross-sectional study was part of The Health Survey in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, St.Olav's University Hospital, in Trondheim, Norway. The sample consisted of 717 adolescent patients aged 13-18 years who completed an electronic questionnaire. Clinical diagnoses were collected from clinical records.Results: A total of 18% of the patients reported to be bullied often or very often, and 48% reported to be bullied from time to time. Logistic regression analyses showed association between being a victim and having a mood disorder, and between being involved in bullying behaviour and reporting lower scores on school well-being. No differences were found in bullying behaviour on gender, age and SES.Conclusion: The risk of being a victim was very high among adolescents in this clinical sample, especially among patients with mood disorders. Any involvement in bullying behaviour was associated with reduced school well-being.


Summary: There is increasing awareness that chronic wound healing is very dependent on the patient's nutritional status, but there are no clearly established and accepted assessment protocols or interventions in clinical practice. Much of the data used as guidelines for chronic wound patients are extrapolated from acutely wounded trauma patients, but the 2 groups are very different patient populations. While most trauma patients are young, healthy, and well-nourished before injury, the chronic wound patient is usually old, with comorbidities and frequently malnourished. We suggest the assumption that all geriatric wound patients are malnourished until proved otherwise. Evaluation should include complete history and physical and a formal nutritional evaluation should be obtained. Laboratory studies can be used in conjunction with this clinical information to confirm the assessment. While extensive studies are available in relation to prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers and perioperative nutrition, less is known of the effect of nutritional deficits and supplementation of the diabetic foot ulcer and venous stasis ulcer patient. This does not necessarily mean that nutritional support of these patients is not helpful. In the pursuit of wound healing, we provide systemic support of cardiac and pulmonary function and cessation of smoking, improve vascular inflow, improve venous outflow, decrease edema, and treat with hyperbaric oxygen. If we address all of these other conditions, why would we not wish to support the most basic of organismal needs in the form of nutrition?


Recently, the application of magnesium alloy to automobile and electric parts have been increased because of its high specific strength, excellent machinability, high electrical and thermal conductivity. The efforts of automobile industry to reduce fuel consumption by using lightweight structural materials have accelerated the deep drawing technology of magnesium alloy sheet. In the present study, the basic study to fabricate an automotive compressor case have been carried out. Critical damage values for a ductile fracture criterion were determined from uniaxial tensile tests and FE simulations, and then they were expressed as the function of strain rate and temperature. The proposed methodology was applied to design the deep drawing process for fabrication of Mg alloy automotive compressor case without any defect. Based on the plastic deformation histories obtained from FE analysis of the non-isothermal deep drawing process and the critical damage value curves, the initiation time and location of fracture were predicted. The results were verified with experiments.


The aims of this study are 1) to analyse developmental trajectories of body fatness from adolescence into adulthood, thereby determining the number and characteristics of distinct body fatness trajectories, and 2) to relate these distinct subgroups to indicators of cardiovascular disease risk, revealing subgroups specifically at risk. This paper will illustrate in more detail the application of Latent Class Growth (Mixture) Modelling (LCGMM) on longitudinal, observational data. Data were obtained from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study, an ongoing observational study of apparently healthy participants (n=336). Participants were followed up from 13-42 years of age. Body Mass Index was used as a marker for body fatness and cardiovascular diseases (CVD)-risk factors included Mean Arterial Pressure and HDL-Cholesterol. LCGMM was used for the identification of developmental trajectories of body fatness, and linear regression analyses were used for the associations between the trajectories and CVD-risk. Analyses revealed three distinct trajectories; a "normative" trajectory (88.4%), a progressively overweight trajectory (4.5%) and a progressively overweight but stabilising trajectory (7.1%). Significant differences in CVD-risk between these trajectories appeared. These results show that body fatness development throughout life is heterogeneous, showing differences in CVD-risk. This paper also demonstrates that LCGMM is a promising technique to distinguish between subjects with different developmental trajectories.


The reserves of oceanic hydrates of methane and natural bitumen in times exceed the stocks of traditional oil and gas. The purpose is the analysis of the adaptation possibility of borehole mining technology for the development of bituminous sands deposits and marine gas hydrates was the purpose of the study. The variants of the HBM technology adaptation for the development of bituminous sands and gas hydrates deposits are proposed. The method of extracting gas hydrates based on HBM technology involves them removal without the energy consumption for phase transition. The main advantages of the development of bituminous sands deposits on the basis of HBM technology are: the possibility them extraction in the range of depths 75 – 200 m, the potential high rate of bitumen extraction, the separation of bitumen from the rock in production, the minimum impact on the environment, the possibility of conducting extraction of natural bitumen in areas covered with water.


Abstract. Warm-season precipitation on the Canadian Prairies plays a crucial role in
agricultural production. This research investigates how the early summer 2015
drought across the Canadian Prairies is related to the tropical Pacific
forcing. The significant deficit of precipitation in May and June 2015
coincided with a warm phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and a
negative phase of Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO)-4 index, which favour a
positive geopotential height (GPH) anomaly in western Canada. Our further
investigation during the instrumental record (1979–2016) shows that
warm-season precipitation in the Canadian Prairies and the corresponding
atmospheric circulation anomalies over western Canada teleconnected with the
lower boundary conditions in the tropical western Pacific. Our results
indicate that MJO can play a crucial role in determining the summer
precipitation anomaly in the western Canadian Prairies when the equatorial
central Pacific is warmer than normal (NINO4 > 0) and MJO is more
active. This teleconnection is due to the propagation of a stationary Rossby
wave that is generated in the MJO-4 index region. When the tropical
convection around MJO-4 index region (western tropical Pacific, centred over
140∘ E) is more active than normal (NINO4 > 0), Rossby
wave trains originate from the western Pacific with wavenumbers determined by
the background mean wind and meridional absolute vorticity gradient. Under
warm NINO4 conditions waves are generated with smaller wavenumbers compared
to cold NINO4 conditions. These waves under warm NINO4 can propagate into the
mid-latitudes over North America, causing a persistent anomalous ridge in the
upper level over western Canada, which favours dry conditions over the
region.


Breast cancer is commonest type of cancers among women. Early diagnosis plays a significant role in reducing the fatality rate. The main objective of this study is to propose an efficient approach to classify breast cancer tumor into either benign or malignant based on digitized image of a fine needle aspirate (FNA) of a breast mass represented by the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Dataset. Two wrapper-based feature selection methods, namely, sequential forward selection(SFS) and sequential backward selection (SBS) are used to identify the most discriminant features which can contribute to improve the classification performance. The feed forward neural network (FFNN) is used as a classification algorithm. The learning algorithm hyper-parameters are optimized using the grid search process. After selecting the optimal classification model, the data is divided into training set and testing set and the performance was evaluated. The feature space is reduced from nine feature to seven and six features using SFS and SBS respectively. The highest classification accuracy recorded was 99.03% with FFNN using the seven SFS selected features. While accuracy recorded with the six SBS selected features was 98.54%. The obtained results indicate that the proposed approach is effective in terms of feature space reduction leading to better accuracy and efficient classification model.


Laser diode structures which incorporate diffractive features (such as linear gratings or focusing output couplers) have several advantages in terms of device performance and increased flexibility. In this paper the properties of distributed feedback (DFB) and distributed bragg reflector (DBR) laser diodes are compared with those of cleaved cavity fabry-perot type laser diodes. Analysis of the propagation of light in the waveguide formed by the GaAlAs/GaAs/GaAlAs heterostructure will reveal how the interaction of light with periodic variations in dielectric interface can provide the optical feedback neccessary for lasing to occur. The resulting laser light wavelength is significantly less sensitive to the temperature and operating current of the device than that of a cleaved cavity laser diode. A discussion of III-V heterojunctions will allow the investigation of optical waveguiding by layers of differing refractive index and carrier confinement due to different energy gaps in the different layers. The advantages of a multiple quantum well active layer in terms of lowering threshold current and decreasing the sensitivity of output power to temperature will be investigated. Growth techniques for making GaAlAs/GaAs heterostructures using liquid phase epitaxy, chemical vapor deposition and molecular beam epitaxy will be discussed. The procedure for forming diffracting features using either electron beam or holographic exposure of photoresist etch masks is explained. Experimental concerns and configurations for forming holographic etch masks are discussed. Various etching technologies will be reviewed with respect to their ability to transfer submicron features into the substrate. Finally, two surface emitting DFB laser diode structures will be suggested and their fabrication process will be


In 2016, 9.68 million tons of solid waste were generated in Abu Dhabi alone where 67.8% was sent to dumpsites and landfills. In the same year, the construction and demolishing (C&D) industry produced 47% of the non-hazardous waste. This research aims to investigate the C&D waste management in UAE's construction industry, specifically in Abu Dhabi based on (a) official resources identifying authorized entities, regulations, implementation guidelines, and causes behind waste generation in UAE' C&D industry; and (b) unstructured interviews with construction professionals in Abu Dhabi revealing the waste management consideration process, enhancement methods, professionals' responsibilities and views toward the topic. While Abu Dhabi's sustainability framework (Estidama) requires a submittal of C&D Waste Management Plan (CDWMP) prior to any construction activity asking for a minimum of 30% waste diversion from landfills, relevant literature highlighted awareness as an effective factor in C&D management. Interviews for this study have shown that a lack of awareness is still affecting the C&D waste management and control negatively. Interviewees have also contributed in understanding the waste management consideration process, enhancement methods, professionals' responsibilities and views toward the topic highlighting that implementation practices seem to seek Estidama certification but not a sustainable environment.


Background: The co-morbidity of psychoactive substance use and other mental disorders is a major challenge to the management of both conditions in several parts of the world. There is relative dearth of information on co-morbidity and its predictors in Nigeria. This study determined the prevalence and socio-demographic risk factors associated with psychoactive substance use in the psychiatric out-patients of a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Study Design: A cross-sectional study. Materials and Methods: From routine clinic visits over a 4-month period, each consecutive 4th adult patients (>18 years) who had previously attended the clinic at least for 1 year, completed a socio-demographic and semi-structured drug use questionnaires and interview with the Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) to generate substance use diagnosis. Data was analysed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS), version 16. Level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The lifetime prevalence for the use of substance was 29.3%, while that for multiple substances was 17.7%. The most commonly used substances were alcohol, cannabis and tobacco and they were also the ones mostly used in combination with one or the other. A total of 10.1% of the patients had a psychoactive substance use disorder. Being male, married with at least primary education and unemployed were significant risk factors for substance use. Conclusion: Psychoactive substance is common among the psychiatric outpatients of the hospital with males, those with formal education, the married and unemployed being at high risk of substance use.


The effects of indomethacin, a prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor, upon local cerebral glucose utilization and local cerebral blood flow have been examined in 36 conscious, lightly restrained rats. Cerebral glucose utilization and cerebral blood flow were determined by means of the quantitative autoradiographic techniques that utilize, respectively, 2-deoxy-D-[1-14C]glucose and iodo[14C]antipyrine as tracer molecules. The administration of indomethacin (0.3-30 mg/kg iv) did not alter significantly the rate of glucose utilization in any of the 38 discrete regions of the central nervous system that were examined. In contrast, cerebral blood flow in every region was significantly reduced by between 30 and 50% from vehicle-injected control levels after the administration of 10 mg/kg iv indomethacin and by 5-31% after 1 mg/kg iv indomethacin. These results provide further evidence that prostaglandins may play a major role in cerebrovascular regulation, but they provide no positive evidence for a role in neuronal activity, as reflected in local cerebral glucose utilization.


Cell migration on micropatterned substrates is a complex process regulated by cell-substrate interactions. This paper presents a passive method for guiding the migration of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts using consecutive trapezoidal micropatterns, made of a biocompatible photopolymer (OrmoComp®), to provide tapered micro-features on the cells. The cell migration paths measured from our platforms quantitatively address the dependence of the migratory behavior of the cells on the tapered micro-features. Most of the cells on the micropatterns have moved in a converging direction rather than in a diverging one; migration speed on the micropatterns has been noticeably faster than that on flat substrates.


Introduction Imagining a future conference from the program Conferencing: Outside Inside or Inside-Outside? Fantastic realities of experiential space-time Conferencing of a higher order: a Quest or an Inquest? Deconstructing conference communication processes to elicit meta-discourse Conference communication specifics meriting attention Questioning as cognitive portal to the future In quest of the most deadly question Enabling morphogenesis and transformation through catastrophic questioning Markings: ¡¿ Question ∞ Answer ?! Conferencing as putting identity to the question Conclusion References


The involvement of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) in the biology of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has not previously been investigated. Here we report that FGF-2 prevented etoposide-induced apoptosis in H-510 SCLC cells. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling did not mediate this effect because FGF-2 failed to activate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase or protein kinase B. In contrast, the mitogen-activated extracellularly regulated kinase kinase (MEK) was crucial for this response because its inhibition abolished the prosurvival properties of FGF-2. Moreover, in H-69 SCLC cells, the failure of FGF-2 to prevent etoposide-induced apoptosis correlated with uncoupling from MEK activation. However, the introduction of an activated MEK rendered these cells resistant to etoposide killing. Cell rescue relied on de novo protein synthesis, and the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-XL and Bcl-2 were up-regulated in a MEK-dependent fashion within 4 h of FGF-2 treatment. Contrary to previous reports, we found that this up-regulation occurred at the translational rather than the transcriptional level. Indeed, actinomycin D failed to prevent up-regulation of Bcl-XL and Bcl-2, and FGF-2 did not increase the mRNA levels or the stability of these proteins. The induction of the pro-apoptotic protein Bad by etoposide was also blocked by FGF-2 in a MEK-dependent fashion. Thus, MEK/extracellularly regulated kinase signaling is critical in the coordinate modulation of both pro- and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members by FGF-2.


Alterations of basal ganglia physiology in parkinsonism may consist of two elements, an increase in the firing rate of neurones and a change in the pattern of synchronisation of discharges between neurones. Recent findings suggest the presence of two principal modes of synchronised activity within the human subthalamo‐pallidal‐thalamo‐cortical circuit, at <30 Hz and >60 Hz. These oscillations are dynamically and systematically modulated by task, thereby suggesting a functional role in movement. More importantly, the two frequency modes are inversely affected by movement, consistent with opposing actions, and differentially expressed according to the prevailing level of dopaminergic activity. It is argued that the balance between these modes determines the effects of basal ganglia‐thalamocortical projections on the motor areas of the cortex. The lower frequency oscillations facilitate slow idling rhythms in the motor areas of the cortex, whereas synchronisation at high frequency restores dynamic task‐related cortical ensemble activity in the gamma band.© 2002 Movement Disorder Society


A new pathway for the preparation of polysiloxane oligomers bearing benzoxazine side groups were reported via the hydrolysis and co-polycondensation of benzoxazinyl siloxane (SBZ) with dimethyldiethoxysilane (DEDMS). The structures of SBZ and oligomers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The average molecular weights of the obtained oligomers were estimated from size exclusion chromatography and 1H-NMR to be in the range of 2000–4000. The oligomers gave transparent films by casting in THF solution. The films were further thermally treated to produce crosslinked films via the ring opening polymerization of benzoxazine side group. The effects of siloxane content on polymerization behavior, glass transition temperature, and mechanical properties of the polybenzoxazine thermosets were investigated. Tensile test of the films revealed that the elongation at break increased with increasing siloxane content. The elongation at break of poly(I-50) was up to 12.1%. Dynamic mechanical analysis of the thermosets showed that the Tgs were in the range of 119–165°C. Thermogravimetic analysis also revealed a better thermal stability as evidenced by the 5% weight loss temperatures in the range of 363–390°C. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40960.


OBJECTIVE
To assess whether a pragmatic policy of perioperative beta-blockade, with metoprolol, reduced the 30-day cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and reduced the length of hospital stay in average patients undergoing infrarenal vascular surgery.

METHODS
This was a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial that occurred in vascular surgical units in four UK hospitals. Participants were 103 patients without previous myocardial infarction who had infrarenal vascular surgery between July 2001 and March 2004. Interventions were oral metoprolol (50 mg twice daily, supplemented by intravenous doses when necessary) or placebo from admission until 7 days after surgery. Holter monitors were kept in place for 72 hours after surgery.

RESULTS
Eighty men and 23 women (median age, 73 years) were randomized, 55 to metoprolol and 48 to placebo, and 97 (94%) underwent surgery during the trial. The most common operations were aortic aneurysm repair (38%) and distal bypass (29%). Intraoperative inotropic support was required in 64% and 92% of patients in the placebo and metoprolol groups, respectively. Within 30 days, cardiovascular events occurred in 32 patients, including myocardial infarction (8%), unstable angina (9%), ventricular tachycardia (19%), and stroke (1%). Four (4%) deaths were reported. Cardiovascular events occurred in 15 (34%) and 17 (32%) patients in the placebo and metoprolol groups, respectively (unadjusted relative risk, 0.94; 95% confidence interval, 0.53-1.66; adjusted [for age, sex, statin use, and aortic cross-clamping] relative risk, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.48-1.55). Time from operation to discharge was reduced from a median of 12 days (95% confidence interval, 9-19 days) in the placebo group to 10 days (95% confidence interval, 8-12 days) in the metoprolol group (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.71; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-2.66; P < .02).

CONCLUSIONS
Myocardial ischemia was evident in a high proportion (one third) of the patients after surgery. A pragmatic regimen of perioperative beta-blockade with metoprolol did not seem to reduce 30-day cardiovascular events, but it did decrease the time from surgery to discharge.


Forty-eight intact male pigs were used to investigate the influence of source of protein supplement, corn moisture content, and supplemental vitamin E-selenium survived the cidence of mulberry heart disease, hepatosis dietetica and associated lesions. Pigs fed soybean meal-high moisture corn diets survived fewer days than pigs fed the other diets. None of the pigs fed torula yeast-dry corn or soybean meal-high moisture corn without supplemental vitamin E-selenium survived the 13 week trial. Supplemental vitamin E-selenium increased survival of pigs. A higher incidence of hepatosis dietetica, myocardial degeneration, skeletal muscle degeneration, and exudative diathesis was observed in pigs fed torula yeast-dry corn or soybean meal-high moisture corn than pigs fed soybean meal-dry corn. Supplemental vitamin E-selenium resulted in a reduction in the incidence of the above lesions by approximately 50% with the exception of hepatosis dietetica. Tissue selenium concentration did not appear to be related to the incidence of the various lesions.


Abstract Analysis of two examples of obliquely convergent external orogenic zones, the western part of the Western Carpathians and the northern Variscan margin in southwest Britain, indicates the operation of two dominant stress rotation mechanisms in the transpressionally deformed thrust wedge: (1) the rotation of an inferred stress field; (2) the rotation of a deforming body within a constant stress field. In the thinnest, external parts of the thrust wedge, σ1 stress trajectory rotations of up to 90° occur with deformation having a relatively small component of pure shear. Towards the hinterland, σ1 stress trajectories in thicker parts of the wedge are progressively less rotated but develop a larger component of pure shear. Resultant σ1 trajectories are curvilinear, lying parallel to the orogenic convergence vector in the hinterland but diverging progressively from this direction towards the foreland, where they lie at high angles to the external margin in frontal parts of the thrust wedge. It is argued that balanced cross-sections should be constructed parallel to the curved trace of the σ1 stress trajectories.


Massive multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems use few hundred antennas to simultaneously serve large number of wireless broadband terminals. It has been incorporated into standards like long term evolution (LTE) and IEEE802.11 (Wi-Fi). Basically, the more the antennas, the better shall be the performance. Massive MIMO systems envision accurate beamforming and decoding with simpler and possibly linear algorithms. However, efficient signal processing techniques have to be used at both ends to overcome the signaling overhead complexity. There are few fundamental issues about massive MIMO networks that need to be better understood before their successful deployment. In this paper, we present a detailed review of massive MIMO homogeneous, and heterogeneous systems, highlighting key system components, pros, cons, and research directions. In addition, we emphasize the advantage of employing millimeter wave (mmWave) frequency in the beamforming, and precoding operations in single, and multi-tier massive MIMO systems.

Keywords: 5G wireless networks; massive MIMO; linear precoding; encoding; channel estimation; pilot contamination; beamforming; HetNets


A three-month, double-blind, parallel and unsupervised clinical study was conducted to compare the effects on supragingival calculus formation of the following four dentifrices: 1) A placebo dentifrice containing 0.243% sodium fluoride in a silica base. 2) A commercially available anticalculus dentifrice containing 5.0% soluble pyrophosphate in a 0.243% sodium fluoride silica base. 3) A commercially available anticalculus dentifrice containing 1.3% soluble pyrophosphate and 1.5% of a Gantrez copolymer in a 0.243% sodium fluoride silica base. 4) A commercially available anticalculus dentifrice containing 3.3% soluble pyrophosphate and 1.0% of a Gantrez copolymer in a 0.243% sodium fluoride silica base. The three-month results indicated that the three commercially available anticalculus dentifrices provided statistically significant reductions (at the 99% level of confidence) in supragingival calculus formation of 43.87%, 46.60%, and 51.32% respectively, as compared to the placebo dentifrice. There was no statistically significant difference among the three commercially available anticalculus dentifrices.


Abstract
 The widespread recognition of the scientific importance of leaf architecture, the description and interpretation of leaf shape and venation, is a cornerstone contribution of Leo Hickey's career. One leaf architectural trait that Hickey developed is leaf rank, which describes the level of organization of leaf venation in a single, discrete, ordinal variable. He used this scoring system to provide a rapid summary of overall venation complexity and organization in modern and fossil leaves. Leaves with the most reduced and disorganized venation are scored as low rank, whereas leaves with complex and well-organized venation are given high values. Leaf rank data facilitated comparisons of early angiosperms in fossil floras and were invoked in hypotheses regarding angiosperm evolution and ecology. This study presents a large data set of leaf ranks that Leo Hickey scored while he was a researcher at the Smithsonian Institution from 1969 to 1982. The data set represents at least 2,435 observations of US National Herbarium specimens. These formative observations of leaf venation have never been published. Here, we examine Hickey's data in light of current angiosperm phylogeny as a way to reinvestigate several of his hypotheses regarding leaf rank and angiosperm evolution: (1) leaf ranks tend to be consistent within a family; (2) leaf rank was low in early angiosperms, and high-rank venation occurred later; and (3) leaf rank is correlated with environmental conditions, often with reduced leaf rank values appearing in xeric taxa compared with close relatives under mesic conditions. These hypotheses have not been tested in the light of DNA-based, angiosperm-wide phylogeny, which was not available at the time when leaf rank was developed. We show that even with a DNA-based phylogeny, family-level comparisons show significant differences in average leaf rank; inferred leaf rank states along the early backbone of the angiosperm phylogeny are low, with high-rank taxa occurring across derived lineages; and there is a definite trend toward reduced leaf rank in xeric taxa, all consistent with Hickey's hypotheses. This taxonomically rich set of observations can serve as a foundation for further investigations of the evolution of leaf vein organization.


While direct national press subsidies were abolished in the late 1980s, they continue to be granted in seven of Spain's 17 regional autonomous communities. Two features of these subsidy schemes are their highly discretionary nature and their particular concern for the language component, the latter of which, in some cases, is linked to processes of nation building. Catalonia was the first regional autonomous community to introduce press subsidies. It has also spent the highest amounts on such subsidies. But, in the current context of financial crisis, it has applied more radical cutbacks to them than any other region in Spain. This article focuses on the description and analysis of subsidies that have been granted in Catalonia since the 1980s. It pays particular attention to the changes brought about by a politically progressive shift in the Government of Catalonia in 2003 and the implications of the financial crisis that became apparent in 2011, by that time in the context of a conservative government. All of these issues are considered after describing and explaining the national and regional subsidy circumstances.


The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether Holocaust survivors will show the same eating pathologies that were found in other participants who had also undergone starvation. Fifty-five Holocaust survivors and 43 matched control participants answered a questionnaire designed to explore eating problems and pathologies described in the literature as lasting for decades after a period of severe food restriction. Confirmation of the survivors' reports was obtained from their children. No significant differences in current eating habits were found between the Holocaust survivors and their matched controls. Prolonged starvation in Holocaust survivors did not lead to disordered eating habits in the sample. These results conflict with the notion that severe starvation consistently leads to food preoccupation and disordered eating.


Although the technological community was once fairly united in its needs from the patent system, the recent debate over patent reform has made it clear that this is no longer the case. Rather, it has become increasingly difficult to believe that a one-size-fits-all approach to patent law can survive. In this brief contribution to a symposium tackling Diversity in Innovation Policy, we consider the ways in which intellectual property obligations, most notably the TRIPS Agreement, circumscribe the ability of national lawmakers to tailor patent protection to reflect the concerns of different industries. In particular, we propose that TRIPS art. 27, which is cast in terms of nondiscrimination, should be interpreted to permit "differential treatment." First, we argue that in other areas, treating different cases differently is not always invidious discrimination. Second, we note that many of the proposals for tailoring are not aimed at the nominal legal rights created by patent law, but rather at the economic effects of these patents, a distinction of significance in the WTO's Canada-Pharmaceutical Patents case. Finally, we suggest that member states claiming de facto discrimination should be required to demonstrate some element over and above those required to establish de iure discrimination, and that member states defending an exclusion should be permitted to rebut a showing of disparate treatment by demonstrating a legitimate purpose. While decision makers will need to evaluate the relation between the stated purpose and the means chosen, this analysis would permit members to adopt most of the tailoring initiatives discussed during the Symposium. We give weight to the normative claims of the TRIPS Agreement to facilitate and enhance free trade. But we think that industry-specific patent laws are fully consistent with the language and purpose of the TRIPS Agreement as well as the comparative advantage philosophy that undergirds the modern trade regime.


The brain is a complex system, which produces emergent properties such as those associated with activity-dependent plasticity in processes of learning and memory. Therefore, understanding the integrated structures and functions of the brain is well beyond the scope of either superficial or extremely reductionistic approaches. Although a combination of zoom-in and zoom-out strategies is desirable when the brain is studied, constructing the appropriate interfaces to connect all levels of analysis is one of the most difficult challenges of contemporary neuroscience. Is it possible to build appropriate models of brain function and dysfunctions with computational tools? Among the best-known brain dysfunctions, epilepsies are neurological syndromes that reach a variety of networks, from widespread anatomical brain circuits to local molecular environments. One logical question would be: are those complex brain networks always producing maladaptive emergent properties compatible with epileptogenic substrates? The present review will deal with this question and will try to answer it by illustrating several points from the literature and from our laboratory data, with examples at the behavioral, electrophysiological, cellular and molecular levels. We conclude that, because the brain is a complex system compatible with the production of emergent properties, including plasticity, its functions should be approached using an integrated view. Concepts such as brain networks, graphics theory, neuroinformatics, and e-neuroscience are discussed as new transdisciplinary approaches dealing with the continuous growth of information about brain physiology and its dysfunctions. The epilepsies are discussed as neurobiological models of complex systems displaying maladaptive plasticity.


A trimodal convective cloud distribution is commonly observed within the tropics due to the tropical-mean thermodynamic environment. The goal of this research has been to examine the integrated impacts of thermodynamic and aerosol properties on both the convective environment and the properties of the cloud modes themselves. This has been achieved by using LES experiments in which various thermodynamic and aerosol environments were independently and simultaneously perturbed. The key conclusions from this study are: (1) large amounts of aerosol loading and low-level static stability suppress the bulk environment and the intensity and coverage of convective clouds; (2) cloud and environmental responses to aerosol loading tend to be stronger than those from static stability; (3) the effects of aerosol and stability perturbations modulate each other substantially; (4) the deepest convection and highest dynamical intensity occur at moderate aerosol loading, rather than at low or high loading; and (5) most of the strongest feedbacks due to aerosol and stability perturbations are seen in the boundary layer, though some are stronger above the freezing level. These results underscore the importance of considering the thermodynamic environment's impact on aerosol-induced convective invigoration while highlighting the dominance of aerosol impacts on the trimodal distribution and revealing synergies between thermodynamics and aerosols.


Cloud computing for IoT (Internet of Things) has exhibited the greatest growth in the IT market in the recent past and this trend is expected to continue. Many companies are adopting a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) for private cloud computing to reduce costs and enhance the efficiency of their servers. As a VDI is widely used, threats of cyber terror and invasion are also increasing. To minimize the damage, response procedure for cyber intrusion on a VDI should be systematized. Therefore, we propose an investigation methodology for VDI solutions in this paper. Here we focus on a virtual desktop infrastructure and introduce various desktop virtualization solutions that are widely used, such as VMware, Citrix, and Microsoft. In addition, we verify the integrity of the data acquired in order that the result of our proposed methodology is acceptable as evidence in a court of law. During the experiment, we observed an error: one of the commonly used digital forensic tools failed to mount a dynamically allocated virtual disk properly.


The phenomenon of mass incarceration has dramatically altered the economic and infrastructural landscape of the United States. These changes have numerous implications regarding the use of fossil fuels, which are the single largest contributor to climate change. The present study argues that mass incarceration creates three social patterns that result in significant increases in industrial emissions. (1) Mass incarceration incentivizes further industrial development through the construction of new prisons and the continued maintenance of existing prisons to house prisoners. (2) The needs of the millions of individuals currently incarcerated in the United States incentivize industrial expansion through the production of goods and materials used inside prisons. (3) Incarcerated individuals are being used to reduce the cost of labor, which expands economic growth. We construct several fixed-effects panel regression models with robust standard errors predicting industrial emissions for U.S. states from 1997 to 2016 to assess how increases in the number of individuals in U.S. state, federal, and private prisons is correlated with industrial emissions over time. We find that increases in incarceration within states are associated with increases in industrial emissions, and that increases in incarceration lead to a more tightly coupled association between gross domestic product per capita and industrial emissions.


Growing trees many times contain more water than wood. When wood is to be utilized in the form of furniture it must therefore be dried in a kiln-dryer. In such a dryer the climate is very humid and warm which is ideal for many microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. During their metabolism they change the chemical environment which sometimes lead to undisireable effects such as discolorations. In this paper we have examined specimen from oak, Quercus robur, collected from some parquet floor factories in Sweden. During drying some of these wood battens were affected with yellow streaks and spots which made the wood impossible to use for flooring. By examining small samples of the battens in light, as well as in scanning electron microscopes, we found that fungi grew inside the wooden tissue. By cultivation on agar plates we found several species where one has been identified as Penicillium roqueforti and another one as Paecilomyces variotii. We have also found that these fungi are extremely sensitive to high pH-values, so by spraying the wood with solutions of high pH already in the sawmill will probably make this problem much smaller.


Aimed at the defects of security monitoring system in intelligent building with complicated design, higher production cost, uneasy to installation, and not suitable for ordinary family, this paper combined with the development needs of intelligent building, and designed a remote network security monitoring system based on Internet, used AT91SAM9260 as the main controller and used embedded technology, Internet technology, video compression/decompression technology and so on. So that users can detect the illegal intrusion and fire hazards at home in real-time, through computers or mobile phones. Then the validity and efficiency of the system was validated via test-experiment. The results show that this system has several merits such as good safety, good generality, simple operation, easy maintenance, low cost and so on. It can meet the needs of security monitoring for an ordinary home.


CONTEXT
Nutrition care is an effective lifestyle intervention for the treatment and prevention of many noncommunicable diseases. Primary care is a high-value setting in which to provide nutrition care.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of this review was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of nutrition care interventions provided in primary care settings.

DATA SOURCES
Medline, Embase, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EconLit, and the National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED) were searched from inception to May 2021.

DATA EXTRACTION
Data extraction was guided by the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) reporting guidelines. Randomized trials of nutrition interventions in primary care settings were included in the analysis if incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were reported. The main outcome variable incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and reported interpretations were used to categorize interventions by the cost-effectiveness plane quadrant.

RESULTS
Of 6837 articles identified, 10 were included (representing 9 studies). Eight of the 9 included studies found nutrition care in primary care settings to be more costly and more effective than usual care . High study heterogeneity limited further conclusions.

CONCLUSION
Nutrition care in primary care settings is effective, though it requires investment; it should, therefore, be considered in primary care planning. Further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term cost-effectiveness of providing nutrition care in primary care settings.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020201146.


Like many mammalian heterotherms, the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, breathes intermittently during torpor. By exploiting this bat's preference to roost in crevices, we could separately measure O2 uptake during ventilatory bouts and apneic periods using a flow-through metabolic chamber with a small dead space volume and short time constant. Oxygen uptake was measured during apneas ranging from 10 to 150 min duration at body temperatures of 20, 10 and 5 degrees C. The fraction of total O2 uptake acquired during apnea was 0.26 +/- 0.03 (9), 0.54 +/- 0.10 (5) and 0.35 +/- 0.04 (3) for body temperatures of 20, 10 and 5 degrees C, respectively. Cardiogenic pulsations during apnea visible on plethysmographic pressure traces and theoretical calculations of airway and cutaneous diffusion potentials support the notion that apneic O2 uptake occurs down an open airway by both diffusion and bulk convection.


Objective The objective of this study was to describe fluoroscopy screen time (FST) for children undergoing contrast enema (CE) for suspected intussusception. Methods This is a single-center, retrospective cohort study of children younger than 7 years examined for intussusception by CE. We reviewed medical records for demographics, radiographic results, and FST. We used nonparametric descriptive statistical tests and calculated odds ratios (OR). Results The median FST for 457 included CEs was 116 seconds. The median FST for positive CEs (n = 194) was 138 seconds (95% confidence interval [CI], 126–152); for negative CEs (n = 250), 86 seconds (95% CI, 78–102); and for uncertain studies (n = 13), 138 seconds (95% CI, 89–208) (P < 0.01). There was no difference in median FST if symptoms were present 24 hours or less versus longer than 24 hours. There was no difference between contrast types. Median FST for successful reductions was 122 seconds (95% CI, 114–138). In cases of failed reductions, median FST for those undergoing surgery was 277 seconds (95% CI, 195–370) and 175 seconds (95% CI, 128–271) (P < 0.01) for those undergoing delayed repeat CE. The OR for receiving a repeat CE was 1.3 (95% CI, 1.1–1.4; P < 0.01) for every minute of FST. The OR for undergoing surgical reduction was 1.3 (95% CI, 1.2–1.5; P < 0.01) for every minute of FST and 3.7 (95% CI, 2.0–6.9; P < 0.01) for FST longer than 3 minutes. Conclusions Fluoroscopy screen time for the evaluation and diagnosis of intussusception is shorter than that previously described. When an initial screening ultrasound is not available or nondiagnostic and the suspicion is high, further evaluation with a CE may be warranted because the radiation exposure is likely lower than that previously reported.


The floating population is a major source of social inequality in China and a direct target in its new-type urbanization plan. Although this population spread very unevenly both within and between provinces, and the responsibility for their citizenization lies mostly with local authorities, their geographical distribution and representation in the total population below province level remain understudied. This paper fills the gap. The county-level census data in 2010 were analyzed with the help of the cartogram technique. Results showed that the floating population was concentrated predominately in three key coastal regions and moderately in inland provincial capitals, with great variation both within and across key regions and provinces. Their share in the total population was also very high in the concentrations, closely followed by many counties along the coast and inland borders. Hence these 'hot spots' are very crucial for addressing social inequality and materializing the new-type urbanization plan in China.


On the newly programmable Web, mashups are flourishing. Designers create mashups by combining components of existing Web sites and applications. Although rapid mashup proliferation offers many opportunities, a lack of standarization and compatibility offers considerable challenges. IBM Sharable Code is an online service platform for developing and sharing situational Web 2.0 applications and mashups. The platform is based on an innovative domain-specific language that streamlines and standardizes the development and deployment of applications consuming and exposing Web APIs. Parts of the DSL and the resulting applications and mashups can be shared and reused by members of the IBM Sharable Code community. In this article, the authors offer an overview of the platform's architecture and the DSL language at its core.


Is NICE ageist? In the UK, new health technologies are assessed by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE determines the cost incurred for each additional quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) that the new technology provides over and above the currently standard treatment. Though there is considerable flexibility in the process, technologies which offer a costper-QALYof £20 000-£30 000 or less would normally be recommended for use. The thought is that, given a fixed total health budget, use of technologies with a higher cost-per-QALY will generally decrease aggregate health by displacing more cost-effective interventions. One criticism levelled at NICE maintains that its methodology is ageist. Since younger people typically have a longer life expectancy than older people, a life-saving treatment will tend to produce more QALYs in a younger person. So too will a quality-of-life-improving intervention, since it will improve quality of life over a longer period. The NICE approach might be said to systematically favour younger people. In this issue, Stevens and collaborators (see page 258) respond to this charge. They concede that the cost-per-QALY approach could disfavour the elderly, but argue that it will do so only in rare casesd cases that have never occurred. These would most likely be cases of extremely expensive interventions that cure imminently fatal conditions and restore normal life-expectancy. Moreover, even if such a case did occur, NICE might nevertheless recommend the intervention for use. Stevens and collaborators note that NICE's expert advisory committees have considerable leeway to consider factors besides cost-per-QALY. They also point to various other features of the NICE process that tend to protect against ageist decisions. In a commentary (see page 263), John Harris and Sadie Regmi respond to this defence of NICE by arguing that the NICE approach is ageist in theory even if not in practice. They claim that it expresses the view that old people 'are not worth the expenditure of resources' and uses 'arbitrary ' considerations, such as one's baseline life expectancy and quality of life, to inform decisions. Harris and Regmi are surely right to note that a resource allocation process could be ageist 'in theory '. But the points made by Stevens and collaborators might yet have significance, for ageism in practice may matter too. Harris and Regmi draw an analogy between ageism and racism, and suggest that NICE is rather like a racist person who, despite having racist beliefs, never acts in a racist way. But surely this racist is a less bad sort of racist than one who is thoroughly racist both in thought and action. Even if NICE's methodology is ageist, the fact that this ageism rarely if ever finds its way into NICE decisions may mitigate the problem. Moreover, as Harris and Regmi acknowledge, one might dispute whether NICE's methodology really is ageist even in theory. Baseline quality of life and life expectancy are arguably relevant to determining the amount of benefit that an individual will derive from a treatment, and it could certainly be questioned whether the amount of benefit produced by an intervention is an 'arbitrary ' consideration.


What is higher education praxis in a world beset by crises? Sjølie et al. (2020) explore this in relation to academics' learning during the, using the theory of practice architectures, to highlight key responses and adaptations to the Coronavirus pandemic. I offer a re-reading of their cases of changing practice, challenging a sense of being accepting of, resigned to, and unfolding 'under' given circumstances. Instead, I highlight agentic, transformative praxis, where people act individually and collectively towards alternative futures. Drawing on Stetsenko's transformative activist stance, I point to ways the theory of practice architectures might be put to work 'dangerously', as part of a struggle for a better world. Envisioning a reinvigoration of a politically charged theory of practice architectures, I argue the it offers particular value through the concept of learning as coming to practise differently, sharpened through a notion of contribution rather than participation.


This paper investigates two explanations for why industries might become more productive over time. The first explanation, termed the real productivity case,' is one in which firms become more productive and this leads to more productive industries. The second explanation, termed the rationalization case,' is one in which firm productivity is constant, but productive firms expand while less productive firms either shrink or exit. Each case has very different implications for factor markets, long term growth prospects, and public policy regarding productivity. Further, one can only distinguish between these two cases with plant- or firm-level data. We investigate the empirical relevance of the two cases using the Chilean manufacturing census. We find that the rationalization case explains much of the measured increase in industry productivity. When industry productivity fails, the rationalization case appears much less important. We also contribute to the applied econometric literature on productivity estimation as we show that the value-added production function is especially well-suited to a simple extension of recent methods developed by Oiley and Pakes.