The COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in over 6 million deaths worldwide. The high variability in COVID-19 symptoms remains one of the most interesting mysteries of the pandemic. Genetic and environmental factors are likely to be key determinants of COVID-19 symptomatology. Here, we explored ACE2 as a genetic determinant for SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 symptomatology. Each human genome encodes two alleles of ACE2, which encodes the cell entry receptor for SARS-CoV-2. Here, we determined whether naturally occurring human ACE2 (hACE2) polymorphisms in the human population affect SARS-CoV-2 infection and the severity of COVID-19 symptoms. ACE2 variants S19P, I21V, E23K, K26R, K31R, N33I, H34R, E35K, and T92I showed increased virus infection compared to wild-type ACE2; thus, these variants could increase the risk for COVID-19. In contrast, variants D38V, Y83H, I468V, and N638S showed reduced infection, indicating a potential protective effect. hACE2 variants K26R and T92I increased infection by three-fold without changing the levels of ACE2 on the surface of the cells, suggesting that these variants may increase the risk of severe COVID-19. On the contrary, hACE2 variants D38V and Y83H decreased SARS-CoV-2 infection by four- and ten-fold, respectively, without changing surface expression, suggesting that these variants may protect against severe COVID-19. Remarkably, all protective hACE2 Polymorphisms were found almost exclusively in Asian populations, which may provide a partial explanation for the low COVID-19 mortality rates in Asian countries. Thus, hACE2 polymorphisms may modulate susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 in the host and partially account for the differences in severity of COVID-19 among different ethnic groups.


Many patients facing spinal surgery experience fear and anxiety about surgery, anesthesia, risk of postoperative pain or complications, or even death. Spinal surgery patients often experience mobility disorders due to lasting postoperative pain and require aids such as spinal braces, which can induce depression. Alleviating patients' anxiety and depression during the perioperative period by utilizing consistent and standardized information is required for high-quality care.We developed and assessed a standardized care protocol for degenerative spinal surgery patients.The protocol was developed through focus group interviews with spinal surgery patients and the recommendations of an expert panel. Then, a quasi-experimental design was employed to comparatively study patients undergoing spinal surgery. Ninety-eight Patients were assigned to either a treatment group (n= 49) or a control group (n= 49). The treatment group received an intervention based on the newly developed standardized care protocol, while the control group received traditional care. After treatment, participants' anxiety, depression, uncertainty, and care satisfaction were compared between groups.Patients who had received the care protocol-based intervention showed lower anxiety, depression, and uncertainty, and higher satisfaction than did those who received traditional care.The developed care protocol may be useful for reducing anxiety and depression and for improving the healthcare provided to spinal surgery patients, as it involves the proactive dissemination of accurate information throughout the hospitalization process. The protocol also positively affected patients' uncertainty and satisfaction with their medical care.


Program based test adequacy criteria (TAC), such as statement, branch coverage and mutation give objectives for software testing. Many techniques and tools have been developed to improve each phase of the TAC-based software testing process. Nonetheless, The engineering effort required to integrate these tools and techniques into the software testing process limits their use and creates an overhead to the users. Especially for system testing with languages like C, where test cases are not always well structured in a framework.In response to these challenges, this paper presents Muteria, a TAC-based software testing framework. Muteria enables the integration of multiple software testing tools.Muteria abstracts each phase of the TAC-based software testing process to provide tool drivers interfaces for the implementation of tool drivers. Tool drivers enable Muteria to call the corresponding tools during the testing process. An initial set of drivers for KLEE, Shadow and SEMu test-generation tools, Gcov, and coverage.py code coverage tools, and Mart mutant generation tool for C and Python programming language were implemented with an average of 345 lines of Python code. Moreover, the user configuration file required to measure code coverage and mutation score on a sample C programs, using the Muteria framework, consists of less than 15 configuration variables.Users of the Muteria framework select, in a configuration file, the tools and TACs to measure. The Muteria framework uses the user configuration to run the testing process and report the outcome. Users interact with Muteria through its Application Programming Interface and Command Line Interface. Muteria can benefit to researchers as a laboratory to execute experiments, and to software practitioners.


The Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation, a nonlinear partial differential equation which describes the motion of water waves, has been of interest since John Scott Russell (1844) [1]. In present work we study this kind of equation and through our study we found that the KdV equation passes Painleve's test, but we could not locate the solution directly, so we used Schwartizian derivative technique. Therefore, we were able to find two new exact solutions to the KdV equation. Also, we used the numerical method of Modified Zabusky-Kruskal to describe the behavior of these solutions.


This paper discusses an approach called Draco to the construction of software systems from reusable software parts. In particular we are concerned with the reuse of analysis and design information in addition to programming language code. The goal of the work on Draco has been to increase the productivity of software specialists in the construction of similar systems. The particular approach we have taken is to organize reusable software components by problem area or domain. Statements of programs in these specialized domains are then optimized by source-to-source program transformations and refined into other domains. The problems of maintaining the representational consistency of the developing program and producing efficient practical programs are discussed. Some examples from a prototype system are also given.


Quantitative 99mTc pertechnetate sacro-iliac scanning (QTPS) was performed in 30 patients suspected of having sacro-iliac arthritis (SI). Abnormal scanning results but lack of definite radiographic changes were noted in all of them. Twenty-four of these patients were followed-up for an average of 3.4 years; roentgenological abnormalities were found in 23 patients, or 95%, namely definite SI in 13, slight abnormalities in 1 previously normal patient, inactive changes in 3, suspected SI was unchanged in the radiographs in 5 and regression of previously observed grad-I changes was found in 1. In only 1 patient was the radiological picture unchanged normal. No definite roentgenological SI developed in any of the 12 controls (patients with normal (QTPS) we followed in the same way. A close correlation was noted between the QTPS and the patients' complaints of low back pain/stiffness and the clinical findings, including the presence of HLA-B27. The present study confirms that, despite the absence of radiographic changes, QTPS allows identification of a group of clinical and laboratory features which together are sufficiently characteristic of SI to establish that diagnosis. QTPS also enables us to discover clinically silent SI.


This paper describes the vortex initialization (VI) currently used in NCEP operational hurricane models (HWRF and HMON, and possibly HAFS in the future). The VI corrects the background fields for hurricane models: it consists of vortex relocation, and size and intensity corrections. The VI creates an improved background field for the data assimilation and thereby produces an improved analysis for the operational hurricane forecast. The background field after VI can be used as an initial field (as in the HMON model, without data assimilation) or a background field for data assimilation (as in HWRF model).


Advances in physiological measurement systems allowed equipment that used to be exclusive to medical or research centers to be acquired and used by virtually anyone. The Electroencephalogram is a good example of how these new technologies are getting closer to the non-scientific community, with portable and affordable devices like the Enobio and the Emotiv EPOC brain-computer interfaces. Together with advances in fields like behavioral and cognitive neurosciences, and psychology, we now can easily access complex data that gives us unparalleled insight of our brain and body states. On the other hand, the field of Auditory Display i s a relatively young one but has nonetheless been successfully applied to a great group of very diverse research fields (data exploration, musical composition, interaction design, and for studying medical conditions to cite a few). Being perfectly suitable for displaying complex physiological data, it has been gaining much attention in last decades, especially when applied to monitoring and biofeedback systems. One important issue that arises from this situation is the fact that in such an interdisciplinary field, sonification experts have to design mappings for many different situations and users. In this master thesis we aim at investigating how the use of multi-parameterization combined with the user customization of such mappings can play a role in the field of auditory neurofeedback. In order to explore this problem we developed a system capable of generating a broad range of sonifications from EEG signals and used it to explore these concepts in the well-established Theta-Alpha Neurofeedback Training paradigm. We analyze the subjective and physiological response from the subjects in an experimental scenario involving customizable natural soundscapes and musical elements as an auditory display of brain activity in specific frequency bands. Results show that multi-parameterization seem to have a positive influence in the neurofeedback scenario and can be a promising direction to pursue while user-customization is desired but still require some improvements to become feasible.


The purpose of this article is to report on an investigation of the perceptions and performance of mathematics teachers in a teacher professional learning (TPL) programme based on realistic mathematics education (RME) principles, which included a topic on transformations, undertaken by the researcher. Forty-seven Senior Phase (Grade 7–9) teachers took part in the mixed-methods study in which they answered a questionnaire with both closed and open-ended items. Fifty teachers took an achievement test at the end of the programme. The TPL programme used the RME approach in the design and delivery of mathematical tasks intended to enhance teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching. The sessions were conducted in a manner that modelled one way in which RME principles can be adopted as a teacher professional development strategy. The significance of the study is that continuing TPL is acknowledged to contribute to improvement in teaching and learning to address the concern about unsatisfactory learner achievement in mathematics. The responses suggested that the majority of teachers experienced the sessions positively in relation to all but one of the six RME principles. The teachers reported that they took an active part both as individuals and in small groups and expressed their willingness to adopt the type of activities and materials for their classrooms, which is an essential first step in Guskey's first level of evaluation of a teacher TPL programme. The teachers' average performance in an achievement test at the end of the topic was 72% which was indicative of modest learning gains at Guskey's second level of TPL effectiveness.


BACKGROUND
On average, patients with hemolyzed potassium samples spend about 1 h longer in the emergency department (ED), regardless of acuity level or disposition. We aimed to quantify the direct expenses associated with poor-quality preanalytic blood samples collected in the ED.

METHODS
We created a simple table with a range of direct expenses (i.e., costs) and rates of hemolyzed sample draws, allowing for identification of potential high-level cost-of-care impact analysis. We included a range of costs informed by review of literature on the topic. Those costs range from $600 to $3000 per bed-hour. This amount was inflation adjusted from 1996 to 2020 (1.68 × [direct cost per visit] × [100 000 visits per year/365 days/24 h]). We provided a range of hemolysis incidence based on previously reported data.

RESULTS
We showed that for an ED with 100 000 annual visits, a 40% draw rate for routine chemistries (including potassium), and a 10% hemolysis incidence, the direct cost impact of hemolysis waste is approximately $4 million/year as a result of the 1 h of added length of stay on average for a patient with a hemolyzed blood sample. This amount represents an annualized estimated cost of caring for a patient in the ED with an avoidable extended length of stay.

CONCLUSIONS
The financial burden of poor-quality blood samples can be estimated using cost per bed-hour and rate of sample failure. Similar methodology may identify additional QC issues with previously invisible financial implications.


Web services are autonomic software applications that provide specific services on the Web and are accessible through standards-based protocols and interfaces in order to ensure interoperability. Web services have gained immense popularity due to the potential of dynamically composing multiple Web services over the Internet into complex multi-organizational Business-to-Business and Business-to-Consumer processes. The management of such composite processes, however, poses a non-trivial problem in terms of cost and complexity due to technology growth, increasing consumer demands for service quality, and the varying Internet workload.
Based on a study of the state-of-the-art and a critical assessment of the limitations of the existing solutions, we present the Comprehensive Service Management Middleware (CSMM) framework to facilitate execution of the four major tasks of client-side process management namely, service selection, negotiation of Service Level Agreement (SLA), composition and execution of the process, and monitoring and validation of SLAs. We also propose the Negotiation Broker (NB) framework for automated intelligent agent-based negotiation of Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and the Performance Monitor (PM) framework for distributed client-side monitoring and verification of SLAs. The NB expedites bilateral bargaining of SLAs in a trusted broker framework with enhanced decision algorithms to enable consumer feedback during negotiation. The PM presents a flexible and extensible trusted monitoring solution, which enables faster error detection and recovery and automatic creation of a reputation knowledge base.
We explain a scenario of autonomic process management using the CSMM. We describe experiments using agent simulations on a prototype of the NB to validate our proposed policy model for business level specification of negotiation preferences, the mathematical policy mapping model, and the decision algorithms for different consumer preferences. The optimality of the negotiation results are illustrated by combined utility value of the negotiation outcomes for both parties. The experiments conducted on the proof of concept prototype of the PM show its viability, efficiency, and accuracy in distributed SLA monitoring and verification because it does not include network performance. The CSMM enables partial or complete automation of all the client-side management tasks to leverage use of Web services in business processes.


Arbutus andrachne and Platanus orientalis grow naturally in Turkey. They do not occur in stands but can be seen as solitary trees. A. andrachne is seen in coastal parts of Anatolia, whereas P. orientalis can be found from west to the east of Turkey, mostly in river banks. Lipophilic extractives, hydrophilic extractives, and suberin monomers from Arbutus andrachne and Platanus orientalis bark was analyzed by chromatography. The total amount of lipophilic extractives was higher in P. orientalis (8.55 mg/g). However, the total amount of hydrophilic extractives had a bigger proportion, 100.86 mg/g, in A. andrachne bark. Dioic and hydroxy acids were the dominant group in the suberin monomers of both species of bark. Acid 1,18-dioic-18:0 and acid 18-hydroxy-18:1 were determined as the main compounds of suberin monomers in both samples. In addition, total amount of suberin monomers was determined to be 11.36 mg/g in A. andrachne and 15.95 mg/g in P. orientalis bark.


The present study aims to provide a practical model for the development and assessment of the attitude of private sector industrial manufacturing companies of Semnan province toward social responsibility of organizations. After reviewing the literature, a mixed model, which is a combination of the pattern of the Carroll pyramid, the pattern of social reporting, corporate governance issues, organizational excellence model, and ISO 26000, is proposed, where Carroll's pattern plays a central role. In this study, four economic, legal, ethical, and humanitarian dimensions are used to meet economic responsibilities, respond to legal responsibilities, implement ethical necessities, and undertake leadership in social institutes, respectively. Accordingly, a questionnaire was prepared and distributed among the population that turned out to be 93 companies from among companies with more than 6 months activity in 2015 in Semnan province that were selected based on Morgan method. Data are analyzed using SPSS and LISREL software. Based on the results, utility of the model is reported to be high in four parts.


It is widely accepted that conceptual errors in the early stages of a software process are often the most pernicious. This is because they reflect a misunderstanding of the domain of application, hence we can have a conceptual error in a description which "looks good" from an abstract mathematical point of view. A section of the Knowledge Based Systems community is now beginning to forge agreements on the use of terminology for particular domains. Amongst the more formal of these is the Process Interchange Format. The existence of these formal agreements allows limited forms of checking for conceptual errors as a supplement to the normal testing process. This paper describes a method for performing such checks.


A study of the clinical picture of residual disturbances in 90 patients with various forms of neuroses showed that residual neurotic states are a regular stage of the timecourse of protracted neuroses with a favourable course. At this stage the differences between individual forms of neuroses become less conspicuous. Mild, fragmented clinical manifestations are presented in the form of two types: a monosymptomatic and a more complicated polysymptomatic one. The latter type of residual states is more dynamic which is reflected in both a tendency to their reduction and transformation into a monosymptomatic state and a possibility of a neurotic relapse.


The number of vulnerabilities and attacks on Web systems show an increasing trend and tend to dominate on the Internet. Furthermore, due to their popularity and users ability to create content, Web 2.0 applications have become particularly attractive targets. These trends clearly illustrate the need for better understanding of malicious cyber activities based on both qualitative and quantitative analysis. This paper is focused on multiclass classification of malicious Web activities using three supervised machine learning methods: J48, PART, and Support Vector Machines (SVM). The empirical analysis is based on data collected in duration of nine months by a high interaction honey pot consisting of a three-tier Web system, which included Web 2.0 applications (i.e., a blog and wiki). Our results show that supervised learning methods can be used to efficiently distinguish among multiple vulnerability scan and attack classes, with high recall and precision values for all but several very small classes. For our dataset, decision tree based methods J48 and PART perform slightly better than SVM in terms of overall accuracy and weighted recall. Additionally, J48 and PART require less than half of the features (i.e., session attributes) used by SVM, as well as they execute much faster. Therefore, they seem to be clear methods of choice.


ABSTRACT The genus Sinonereis Wu & Sun, 1979 and the species Sinonereis heteropoda Wu & Sun, 1979 were described from Chinese waters, based on only epitokous specimens with modified dorsal cirri in chaetigers 5-7 and bare pharynx. In the same publication, another species based on only atokes was described, Nicon sinica Wu & Sun, 1979. We show that N. sinica is a junior synonym of S. heteropoda based on their affinities in chaetal and parapodial features. We redefine Sinonereis and formally synonymize N. sinica and S. heteropoda. Sinonereis closely resembles Nicon Kinberg, 1865 and Kainonereis Chamberlin, 1919, but Sinonereis differs from them by having napiform dorsal cirri in chaetigers 5-7, and by lacking notopodial dorsal ligules in chaetiger 3 in both atokes and epitokes.


This article explores the potential for a consumer protection perspective to complement public health approaches in designing and justifying laws that aim to promote healthier eating, such as food labelling regulations or restrictions on marketing and advertising. Consumer protection and public health are distinct perspectives, but they share the goal of protecting health and both accept the need for regulation to protect important interests. Consumer protection objectives could be used to defend public health measures that are challenged as infringing rights or restricting trade. Insights from consumer law and scholarship could also contribute to discussions about when regulatory intervention to promote healthier eating is justified and the form that intervention should take. Since those working in public health and consumer protection have been engaged in similar debates, they have much to learn from each other and may be able to support each other in pursuit of common goals.


The principles of doping of austenitic unstabilized Cr-Ni and Cr-Mn-Ni steels resistant against pitting, slit, and intergranular corrosion (IGC) in weakly and strongly oxidative media are considered. The features of the effect of individual and joint doping with nitro - gen, molybdenum, and silicon steels on their resistance to local corrosion have been stud -ied. The ambiguous effect of joint doping with nitrogen and molybdenum of Cr-Mn-Ni steels on their resistance against pitting corrosion is revealed. It has been established that the presence of silicon, in addition to nitrogen and molybdenum, is a prerequisite for eliminating the propensity to the IGC after a long release of chromium-nickel steels. The introduction of silicon into Cr-Ni steel with 0.03% C, with a balanced content of Cr, N, Mo, and Si, equates it with a particularly low-carbon steel containing 0.003% C. Based on the above doping principles, a number of austenitic steels are designed for production equipment that is resistant to local corrosion in chloride-containing media and nitric acid.


The current research article has the purpose of analyzing environmental education in television media in the province of Manabi. For which, it was decided to take the Oromar TV channel as a case study. This with the objective of measuring the social impact caused by the mass media in regard to the awareness and care of the environment in this province. In addition to examining the production of training content focused on environmental education within the programming of this channel. The methodology that was applied for the investigation is of qualitative type, so that the technique of documentary analysis was used for the revision of the programming of the Oromar TV channel, this was carried out in a sample period of two months. The results obtained show that there are shortcomings in the programming of the Oromar TV channel, due to the scarce productions of educational content. Therefore, it is concluded that, in the absence of an increase in training television programs, and total absence of specialized productions in the area of environmental education in the Oromar TV channel, that could cause a lack of knowledge in the television audience in regard to in matters of prevention and care of the environment in the province of Manabi.


Ground penetrating radar (GPR) can be used to locate interfaces and underground utilities, and evaluate ballast fouling conditions, moisture content and subgrade conditions depending on frequencies of antenna and data processing techniques. In Australia, trial testing on railway sections has been conducted by the railway industry. However, in these trials, testing is only conducted on actual tracks where the relationship between track conditions and the GPR response has not yet been established. In this paper, a full scale model rail track designed and constructed at the University of Wollongong is used to investigate factors that infl uence the GPR data quality, such as the GPR antenna frequency, the degree and moisture content of ballast fouling and sampling frequency. GPR testing was conducted using ground coupled antennas with different frequencies. Comparisons are made to identify the suitable frequency applicable for the assessment of track condition which will be used subsequently to improve the accuracy of site investigations.


The aim of this study was to investigate the osteogenic effect of three different cell-seeded 3D-bioplotted scaffolds in a ovine calvarial critical-size defect model. The choice of scaffold-materials was based on their applicability for 3D-bioplotting and respective possibility to produce tailor-made scaffolds for the use in cranio-facial surgery for the replacement of complex shaped boneparts. Scaffold raw-materials are known to be osteoinductive when being cell-seeded [poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)] or having components with osteoinductive properties as tricalciumphosphate (TCP) or collagen (Col) or chitosan. The scaffold-materials PLGA, TCP/Col, and HYDR (TCP/Col/chitosan) were cell-seeded with osteoblast-like cells whether gained from bone (OLB) or from periost (OLP). In a prospective and randomized design nine sheep underwent osteotomy to create four critical-sized calvarial defects. Three animals each were assigned to the HYDR-, the TCP/Col-, or the PLGA-group. In each animal, one defect was treated with a cell-free, an OLB- or OLP-seeded group-specific scaffold, respectively. The fourth defect remained untreated as control (UD). Fourteen weeks later, animals were euthanized for histo-morphometrical analysis of the defect healing. OLB- and OLP-seeded HYDR and OLB-seeded TCP/Col scaffolds significantly increased the amount of newly formed bone (NFB) at the defect bottom and OLP-seeded HYDR also within the scaffold area, whereas PLGA-scaffolds showed lower rates. The relative density of NFB was markedly higher in the HYDR/OLB group compared to the corresponding PLGA group. TCP/Col had good stiffness to prepare complex structures by bioplotting but HYDR and PLGA were very soft. HYDR showed appropriate biodegradation, TCP/Col and PLGA seemed to be nearly undegraded after 14 weeks. 3D-bioplotted, cell-seeded HYDR and TCP/Col scaffolds increased the amount of NFB within ovine critical-size calvarial defects, but stiffness, respectively, biodegradation of materials is not appropriate for the application in cranio-facial surgery and have to be improved further by modifications of the manufacturing process or their material composition.


Fiber optic systems are important telecommunication
infrastructure for world-wide broadband networks. Wide
bandwidth signal transmission with low delay is a key
requirement in present day applications. Optical fibers provide
enormous and unsurpassed transmission bandwidth with
negligible latency, and are now the transmission medium of
choice for long distance and high data rate transmission in
telecommunication networks. This paper gives an overview of
fiber optic communication systems including their key
technologies, and also discusses their technological trend towards
the next generation.


Experiments were carried out in rats and isolated turtle bladders to study the defect in H+ transport induced by LiCl. After 3-4 days of intraperitoneal LiCl, rats developed urinary findings of "distal" renal tubular acidosis. Proximal tubular fluid pH measured in situ by glass microelectrodes was higher in lithium-treated rats than in acidotic controls. Proximal fluid total CO2 [tCO2] was also higher, and the fraction of tCO2 leaving the proximal tubule was 14 vs. 7% (P less than 0.001). Impaired acidification was also apparent beyond distal convoluted tubules, as judged by normal distal tCO2 reabsorption but increased HCO3(-) in the urine. During NaHCO3 loading, the proximal defect was ameliorated but not the distal. Turtle bladder studies showed that mucosal lithium inhibits H+ secretion secondary to reducing transepithelial electrical potential, presumably by hyperpolarization of the luminal membrane. A similar mechanism may be responsible for lithium's effect on the distal nephron. Inhibition of proximal tubular HCO3(-) reabsorption is probably not attributable to electrical potential changes but might be due to interference of luminal membrane Na+ entry by Li+ and reduced (Na+ + Li+)-H+ exchange.


The increase of organic interposer warpage in large-die fine-pitch flip-chip package applications makes more challenging for C4 bumps on chip to be connected to solder on the interposer pads during reflow process for chip attach. Therefore the pattern layout and material selection of the interposer should be optimized to minimize the warpage during the reflow. In order to do that, it is essential to establish a precise mechanical modeling methodology to predict warpage behavior in earlier stage of design. In the typical modeling, initial warpage at final lamination process of interposer manufacturing is assumed to be zero. However the actual has some deformation caused by such as resin cure shrinkage and handling at manufacturing operations. It can't be ignored on the prediction and results in the accuracy limitation. In this paper, we focus on the warpage behavior of organic laminates consisting of glass reinforced core, build-up and solder resist materials which have been widely used for application processor of mobile applications and high-end microprocessors. Firstly, we try to characterize the cure shrinkage of build-up and solder resist materials. Then we try to make a new modeling technique for the warpage prediction simulating the actual laminate manufacturing process steps considering such material shrinkage. The results of the warpage by the new models are indicating that the technique can realize the shape of the initial warpage just after laminate manufacturing line.


Rural plays role as a supporting area for urban. Rural 's main activity is agriculture and natural resources explotation. In recent  years, agricultural sector in rural area has been kicked out by other sector. The implication is there is a shift in employment. This condition will influence income distribution in rural areas and then affect education sector. The research's method is descriptive quantitative using secondary data provided by Indonesian Statistic Bureau (BPS). The change in rural's economy pattern is proxied by population aged 15 years or over who work by main industry. Education's quality is proxied by enrollment rate. The result of this research are: (1). There is positive relationship between the decreasing number of employment rate in agricultural sector and better income distribution in rural areas. (2). Better income distribution drives to higher enrollment rate. The recommendation is education sould be developed better in order to prevent employee to work in sector other than agriculture. Keyword : rural, agriculture, education, enrollment rate


The article has been retracted by the Editorial office of the journal Current Pharmaceutical Design, due to some inconsistencies in the article [1]. The article appeared to be copied verbatim from published papers. Upon checking these facts, we have established that considerable portions of this review are made up of text copied verbatim from other published material. The Publisher has retracted this article in accordance with good ethical practices. REFERENCE [1] Vasanthi HR, Parameswari RP and Das DK. Tocotrienols and its Role in Cardiovascular Health- a Lead for Drug Design. Curr Pharm Des 2011; 17(21): 2170-5. Bentham Science apologizes to the readers of the journal for any inconvenience this may have caused. The Bentham Editorial Policy on Article Retraction can be found at https://benthamscience.com/editorial-policies-main.php. Bentham Science Disclaimer: It is a condition of publication that manuscripts submitted to this journal have not been published and will not be simultaneously submitted or published elsewhere. Furthermore, any data, illustration, structure or table that has been published elsewhere must be reported, and copyright permission for reproduction must be obtained. Plagiarism is strictly forbidden, and by submitting the article for publication the authors agree that the publishers have the legal right to take appropriate action against the authors, if plagiarism or fabricated information is discovered. By submitting a manuscript, the authors agree that the copyright of their article is transferred to the publishers if and when the article is accepted for publication.


The genetic and environmental homogeneity in agricultural ecosystems is thought to impose strong and uniform selection pressures. However, the impact of this selection on plant pathogen genomes remains largely unknown. We aimed to identify the proportion of the genome and the specific gene functions under positive selection in populations of the fungal wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. First, we performed genome scans in four field populations that were sampled from different continents and on distinct wheat cultivars to test which genomic regions are under recent selection. Based on extended haplotype homozygosity and composite likelihood ratio tests, we identified 384 and 81 selective sweeps affecting 4% and 0.5% of the 35 Mb core genome, respectively. We found differences both in the number and the position of selective sweeps across the genome between populations. Using a XtX‐based outlier detection approach, we identified 51 extremely divergent genomic regions between the allopatric populations, suggesting that divergent selection led to locally adapted pathogen populations. We performed an outlier detection analysis between two sympatric populations infecting two different wheat cultivars to identify evidence for host‐driven selection. Selective sweep regions harboured genes that are likely to play a role in successfully establishing host infections. We also identified secondary metabolite gene clusters and an enrichment in genes encoding transporter and protein localization functions. The latter gene functions mediate responses to environmental stress, including interactions with the host. The distinct gene functions under selection indicate that both local host genotypes and abiotic factors contributed to local adaptation.


We describe capabilities and plans to characterize above 100 GHz radio channel and propagation effects as part of a 6G research project Hexa-X. The starting point is the existing knowledge of radio propagation gathered by prior measurement and theoretical studies. Then we define measurement equipment, planned or performed campaigns, and discuss some challenges related to measurements at upper mm-wave frequencies. For several reasons the channel measurements are more time consuming on higher frequencies and it is not easy to collect enough data for statistical analysis. Hence we briefly introduce a stored channel model that will be developed based on the gathered channel measurement data. This initial channel model can be used as it is for physical layer studies through simulations and also as a basis for future channel models.


Due to the large number of chemicals for which toxicological and ecotoxicological information is lacking, priority setting for data acquisition is a major concern in chemicals regulation. In the current European system, two administrative priority-setting criteria are used, namely novelty (i.e., time of market introduction) and production volume. In the proposed Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) system, the novelty criterion is no longer used, and production volume will be the main priority-setting criterion for testing requirements, supplemented in some cases with hazard indications obtained from QSAR modelling. This system for priority setting has severe weaknesses. In this paper we propose that a multicriteria system should be developed that includes at least three additional criteria: chemical properties, results from initial testing in a tiered system, and voluntary testing for which efficient incentives can be created. Toxicological and decision-theoretical research is needed to design testing systems with validated priority-setting mechanisms.


Abstract Maser emission plays an important role as a tool in star formation studies. It is widely used for deriving kinematics, as well as the physical conditions of different structures, hidden in the dense environment very close to the young stars, for example associated with the onset of jets and outflows. We will summarize here the recent observational and theoretical progress on this topic since the last maser symposium: the IAU Symposium 242 in Alice Springs.


Image classification has advanced significantly in recent years with the availability of large-scale image sets. However, fine-grained classification remains a major challenge due to the annotation cost of large numbers of fine-grained categories. This project shows that compelling classification performance can be achieved on such categories even without labeled training data. Given image and class embeddings, we learn a compatibility function such that matching embeddings are assigned a higher score than mismatching ones; zero-shot classification of an image proceeds by finding the label yielding the highest joint compatibility score. We use state-of-the-art image features and focus on different supervised attributes and unsupervised output embeddings either derived from hierarchies or learned from unlabeled text corpora. We establish a substantially improved state-of-the-art on the Animals with Attributes and Caltech-UCSD Birds datasets. Most encouragingly, we demonstrate that purely unsupervised output embeddings (learned from Wikipedia and improved with finegrained text) achieve compelling results, even outperforming the previous supervised state-of-the-art. By combining different output embeddings, we further improve results.


In November 1996, regulations developed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) went into effect to allow certain emergency and resuscitation human subjects research to proceed without prospective informed consent. These new regulations brought harmonization to the requirements of the 2 federal agencies charged with research oversight and ended a moratorium that had essentially shut down resuscitation research for almost 4 years. However, the FDA's emergency exception from informed consent and the HHS's waiver of informed consent have been used infrequently. Many perceived obstacles to implementation of the regulations have been described, including the additional regulatory burden for investigators and institutional review boards, the extra expense and time required to adequately fulfill the regulatory requirements, and the reluctance of institutional review boards to allow these studies to move forward because of concerns about potential legal ramifications. Regardless of the arguments advanced, these regulations are essentially the only current regulatory options that have been provided for research without consent. This article presents a brief history of the development of the FDA's Final Rule, a summary of its requirements and its use so far, and suggestions for its implementation. Some strategies to allow the resuscitation research community to suggest fine tuning of the regulations are suggested in hopes that research requiring an exception from informed consent is allowed to proceed in a manner acceptable to regulators, is stringent in patient protection, and yet is sensitive to the practical aspects of performing resuscitation research.


Significance Ischemic retinopathies include a diverse group of diseases in which immature retinal vasculature or damage to mature retinal vessels leads to retinal ischemia. The anticipated rise in the worldwide prevalence of diabetes will result in a concurrent increase in the number of patients with vision impairment from diabetic eye disease, the most common cause of ischemic retinopathy. We set out to identify novel hypoxia-inducible genes that promote vascular permeability and may therefore play a role in the pathogenesis of diabetic eye disease. We demonstrate that angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) is up-regulated by the transcriptional enhancer, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 in hypoxic retinal Müller cells, and can promote vascular permeability. Our findings suggest that ANGPTL4 may be a potential therapeutic target for ischemic retinopathies. Vision loss from ischemic retinopathies commonly results from the accumulation of fluid in the inner retina [macular edema (ME)]. Although the precise events that lead to the development of ME remain under debate, growing evidence supports a role for an ischemia-induced hyperpermeability state regulated, in part, by VEGF. Monthly treatment with anti-VEGF therapies is effective for the treatment of ME but results in a major improvement in vision in a minority of patients, underscoring the need to identify additional therapeutic targets. Using the oxygen-induced retinopathy mouse model for ischemic retinopathy, we provide evidence showing that hypoxic Müller cells promote vascular permeability by stabilizing hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and secreting angiogenic cytokines. Blocking HIF-1α translation with digoxin inhibits the promotion of endothelial cell permeability in vitro and retinal edema in vivo. Interestingly, Müller cells require HIF—but not VEGF—to promote vascular permeability, suggesting that other HIF-dependent factors may contribute to the development of ME. Using gene expression analysis, we identify angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) as a cytokine up-regulated by HIF-1 in hypoxic Müller cells in vitro and the ischemic inner retina in vivo. ANGPTL4 is critical and sufficient to promote vessel permeability by hypoxic Müller cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of retinal tissue from patients with diabetic eye disease shows that HIF-1α and ANGPTL4 localize to ischemic Müller cells. Our results suggest that ANGPTL4 may play an important role in promoting vessel permeability in ischemic retinopathies and could be an important target for the treatment of ME.


Purpose: To analyze the patient specific IMRT QA results at our institution over the past 3 years and evaluate the procedures and methods of our IMRT QA program. Methods: 1466 patient specific IMRT QAs were performed at our institution from March 2009 to December 2011. The passing criteria for each IMRT QA are that 90% of all evaluated points must have a gamma =1.0. The gamma is calculated using the TPS calculated planar dose as reference and the reference value is 90% of the maximum dose in the plane. A dose threshold of 10% is used in order to remove very low dose points from the calculation. The planar dose and the measurements are computed and obtained using the actual beam angles. The measurements were performed on Varian linacs equipped with Millennium 80, Millennium 120 and High‐Definition 120 MLC.Results: The IMRT QA results were analyzed with respect to the linac, treatment site, number of beams, IMRT vs. TOMO vs. VMAT, and number of control points. The overall average gamma index value was 96.85% (±1.5%). Head and Neck had the lowest gamma index (95.97%) while brain had the highest (97.85%). Conclusions: After evaluation of 700 patients, it can be determined that there are significant variations in the average measured gamma value based on treatment site, number of beams, machine type, and number of control points. This work provides a foundation for future analysis of possible underlying issues in the gamma value deviations for each comparison.


Peptides act as promising anticancer agents due to their ease of synthesis and modifications, enhanced tumor penetration, and less systemic toxicity. However, only limited success has been achieved so far, as experimental design and synthesis of anticancer peptides (ACPs) are prohibitively costly and time-consuming. Furthermore, sequential increase in the protein sequence data via high-throughput sequencing makes it difficult to identify ACPs only through experimentation, that often involves months or years of speculation and failure. All these limitations could be conquered by applying machine learning (ML) approaches, which is a field of artificial intelligence that automates analytical model building for rapid and accurate outcome predictions. Recently, ML approaches hold great promise in the rapid discovery of ACPs, which could be witnessed by the growing number of ML-based anticancer prediction tools. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive view on the existing ML approaches for ACP predictions. Initially, we will briefly discuss the currently available ACP databases. This is followed by the main text, where state-of-the-art ML approaches working principles and their performances based on the ML algorithms are reviewed. Lastly, we discuss on the limitations and future directions of the ML methods in the prediction of ACPs.


The rapid release of accurate sky localization for gravitational-wave (GW) candidates is crucial for multi-messenger observations. During the third observing run of Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo, automated GW alerts were publicly released within minutes of detection. Subsequent inspection and analysis resulted in the eventual retraction of a fraction of the candidates. Updates could be delayed by up to several days, sometimes issued during or after exhaustive multi-messenger follow-up campaigns. We introduce GWSkyNet, a real-time framework to distinguish between astrophysical events and instrumental artifacts using only publicly available information from the LIGO-Virgo open public alerts. This framework consists of a non-sequential convolutional neural network involving sky maps and metadata. GWSkyNet achieves a prediction accuracy of 93.5% on a testing data set.


This paper investigates the effects of local market structure on residential broadband service quality. Using data from multiple sources, we build a rich panel data set covering all broadband services available, by ISP, technology and maximum advertised download speed for each of approximately six million populated U.S. census blocks between December 2014 and December 2017. In contrast with the previous literature, we utilize highly disaggregated data, control for evolving government subsidies to underserved census blocks, employ individual provider quality measures rather than market-level indexes, and relax strong statistical and economic assumptions maintained in prior work. We estimate causal effects by constructing a novel set of plausibly exogenous instruments exploiting spatial technological variation among incumbent and entrant broadband ISPs. These allow us to identify the effects of entry of new ISPs on service quality for residential customers in spatially disaggregated local markets. Preliminary results suggest that these effects can be substantial, and that intramodal competition (across broadband service technologies) is a primary competitive margin driving improvements in maximum U.S. residential broadband speeds. We find that entry or exit by wireline competitors in census blocks containing only incumbent wireline competitors has essentially no impact on maximum download speeds offered by wireline ISPs. By contrast, entry or exit by wireless competitors in census blocks containing other wireless incumbents is associated with large changes in maximum download speeds offered by wireline ISPs.


Wireless Sensor Networks have been used in many mobile applications such as wildlife tracking and participatory urban sensing. Because of the combination of high mobility and low-duty-cycle operations, it is a challenging issue to reduce discovery delay among mobile nodes, so that mobile nodes can establish connection quickly once they are within each other's vicinity. Existing discovery designs are essentially pair-wise based, in which discovery is passively achieved when two nodes are pre-scheduled to wake-up at the same time. In contrast, for the first time, this work reduces discovery delay significantly by proactively referring wake-up schedules among a group of nodes. Because proactive references incur additional overhead, we introduce a novel selective reference mechanism based on spatiotemporal properties of neighborhood and the mobility of the nodes. Our quantitative analysis indicates that the discovery delay of our group-based mechanism is significantly smaller than that of the pair-wise one. Our testbed experiments using 40 sensor nodes confirm our theoretical analysis, showing one order of magnitude reduction in discovery delay compared with traditional pair-wise methods with only 0.5%~8.8% increase in energy consumption.


Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) is emerging as an attractive paradigm in smart grid, and provides power and information services by periodically collecting power status of battery vehicles (BVs). During a BV's interaction with power grid, it may be in one of the following states: charging, fully-charged (FC), and discharging. In this paper, we identify that there are unique security challenges in a BV's different battery states. Accordingly, we propose a battery status-aware authentication scheme (BASA) to address the issue for V2G networks. In BASA, 1) an aggregated-identifier is proposed during the charging-to-FC state transition to ensure that BVs can be authenticated without disclosing their real identities; 2) selective disclosure based challenge-response authentication is presented during the FC-to-discharging phase to realize anonymous data transmission; 3) an aggregated-status is reported during the discharging-to-charging transition in order to hide a BV's power level from an aggregator. In addition, we perform comprehensive security analysis, which shows that BASA achieves both privacy preservation and security protection during battery state transitions. The analysis also indicates that battery status awareness is crucial for BVs' secure operations for V2G networks in smart grid.


Enhancing the student experience is seen as crucial in reducing attrition (Department of Health, 2006) and improving attainment in nurse education and, in order to improve provision, a greater understanding of how students actually go about their studies is required.

We here present the findings of an exploratory study that prospectively investigated the number of hours diploma level students spent in activities connected with a single third year module in a pre-registration nursing programme.

Two important themes emerged from the data. First, the overwhelming majority of study group students spent less time in activities related to the module than module design assumes. On average, students studied for approximately two thirds of stipulated hours and, for the study group, required programme hours are not being met. This finding supports those reported elsewhere (e.g. Sastry and Bekhradnia, 2007). Interestingly, study group students had better attendance records and achieved better pass rates than non-study group students. Although our data do not permit extrapolation, it is possible that the non-study group spent even less time in activities related to the module. Second, more than half of students in the study group undertook paid work. Indeed, some students spent more time in paid work than they did on academic work. No substantive reduction in grade attainment was found in the paid working group as opposed to the non-working group. However, for some, paid work was at a level associated with reduced academic performance by, for example, Salamonson and Andrew (2005).

The study raises interesting and important questions about course design and the student experience. In particular, the findings point towards practical and logical difficulties in meeting regulatory requirements within a framework of a three year, 4600 hour programme. We suggest these 'difficulties' are likely to become more overt as English nursing becomes 'degree only'.


Acylation of 4-(furyl-2)-4-R-aminobut-1-enes and 4-R-4-furfurylaminobut-1-enes with maleic anhydride, acryloyl chloride or allylhalides provided 3-aza-10-oxatricyclo[5.2.1.01,5]decenes. The tricycles are formed via an initial amide formation followed by a stereoselective exo-IMDAF (Intramolecular Diels-Alder of Furan). In case of competing cycloaddition (for compounds possessing two furan or two dienophilic moieties) the most substituted fivemembered cycle is preferably annulated. Refluxing of 4-R-4-furfurylaminobut-1-enes in acetic anhydride led to exo-3-aza-11-oxatricyclo[6.2.1.01,6]undecenes with the pseudoequatorial substituent R-4. Treatment of 3-aza-10-oxatricyclo[5.2.1.01,5]decenes with PPA at 90−110°C promoted cyclic ether opening, aromatization and intramolecular cyclization reactions sequence to give the corresponding tetracyclic compounds — tetrahydroisoindolo[2,1-a]quinolines and tetrahydroisoindolo[2,1-b][2]benzazepines in good yields. Unusual products of ipso-substitution in aromatic ring were obtained on cyclization of N-p-R-substituted 2-allyl-4-oxo-3-aza-10-oxatricyclo[5.2.1.01,5]dec-8-enes.


The role of information quality and continuous quality improvement was analyzed in regards to the organizational efficacy of small and medium-sized suppliers. It was anticipated that both variables would have positive relationships with organizational efficacy. Results supported these hypotheses and demonstrate the importance of firms controlling the flow of quality information and emphasizing continuous quality improvement in order to strengthen organizational efficacy. Given the significant impact of efficacy on individual and group performance and the relationships confirmed as part of the current study, future research is called for such that we might better understand the qualities that characterize the successful supply chain relationships for SMEs.


This study aims to know about how social media is the preferred source of information about parenting on millennial moms or young mothers in Indonesia. This research was conducted using a quantitative approach through survey. The survey was conducted by using a questionnaire distributed online to the respondents via Facebook. The measuring is clarified by six dimensions: rejection, punishment, support, responsiveness, autonomy, and warmth. The sampling technique is done by accidental sampling techniques with strict criteria. The sample size were 443 social media users that meet the research criteria. Research criteria are a mother that born in 1980-2000s and actively using social media. Data analysis technique is done by crosstab descriptive analysis using SPSS 22 application. Based on the result, it is revealed that 55,4 % of millennial moms prefer the internet especially social media as a source for information on parenting. The most order of choice of social media is WhatsApp (94,8%), Instagram (82,8%), Facebook (79,2%). Most of them often applied the rejection, punishment, support, responsiveness, autonomy and warmth component of parenting in their childcare at home. Millennial moms prefer social media to other sources of information, such as family and neighborhood. This condition indicates that traditional value and family no longer play as the strongest influence in millennial moms parenting. This can be an opportunity for government and parenting activists to expand the parenting campaign through social media.


Current concepts of dementia often act to exclude the internal world of the dementia sufferer from consideration as a valid object of study. This paper presents a three stage model of the subjective world of dementia sufferers, drawing on ideas from both clinical and social psychology. The first stage involves the feelings engendered by the process of dementia and includes at least four discrete states: anxiety; depression; grief; and despair/terror. The second stage of the model concerns the behaviour provoked in response to the process of decline. Finally, we consider the social nature of emotional behaviour, with emotional actions falling along a continuum. The ability of an individual with dementia to engage in emotional behaviour depends upon the extent of their cognitive impairment and the social context in which they are located. This model has implications for the delivery of services, including psychotherapy, to people with dementia.


The debate over the creation of an EU patent right spans several fruitless decades. Recently, however, the row over proposals (the so-called European Patent Litigation Agreement: EPLA) for an enhancement of the institutional system for Munich patents (European patents) through a specialized court for litigation has re-envigorated those discussions and led to a focus on the design of the institutional and enforcement set-up for the future EU patent. In December 2009, eventually, an initial and limited agreement over the creation of an EU patent and a flanking court was reached among Member States in the Council. That initial agreement signals just the start of the lengthy legislative process under the co-decision procedure, the outcome of which is all but certain. Furthermore, it does not extend to some important details of the system, prominently the language regime, fees and the rules of procedure for the patent court. Still, the agreement is celebrated as a "political breakthrough" by the Commission and among the patent community. Is this kind of euphoria justified? After a brief look at the current situation with regard to patents in the EU, and how we arrived here, the article analyses the possible advantages of an EU patent. Then, on the basis of the reasons behind the prolonged stalemate in this area, the article explores the project's chances of success following the recent agreement, highlights necessary changes and tries to display what the patent system's eventual shape at the end of the legislative process might, or should, be


This paper should present, how service charges for commercial and residential properties can be compared and analysed with aid of the online-database immobench.de. This paper follows the paper presented by Prof. Dr. Hansjˆrg Bach and Siegfried Rehberg contains the presentation of the database immobench.de on the basis of the Geislinger Convention. Taking the example of TREUREAL GmbH, a real estate service company whose activities range throughout Germany and have developed this platform, various examples will be presented on how service charges have been analysed and costs optimised for commercial properties. With the aid of the database immobench.de service charge costs can be compared on the basis of regional specifics, technical equipment and building type aspects. * Creation of rankings and quick-analysis to find distressed properties; * Variance of service costs from a freely defined comparative portfolio; * Representation of the bandwidth of service charge costs; * Representation of the development of service charge costs within a defined period


Abstract. The Mn / Ca of calcium carbonate tests of living (rose-Bengal-stained) benthic foraminifera (Elphidium batialis, Uvigerina spp., Bolivina spissa, Nonionellina labradorica and Chilostomellina fimbriata) were determined in relation to pore water manganese (Mn) concentrations for the first time along a bottom water oxygen gradient across the continental slope along the NE Japan margin (western Pacific). The local bottom water oxygen (BWO) gradient differs from previous field study sites focusing on foraminiferal Mn / Ca and redox chemistry, therefore allowing further resolution of previously observed trends. The Mn / Ca ratios were analysed using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS), allowing single-chamber determination of Mn / Ca. The incorporation of Mn into the carbonate tests reflects environmental conditions and is not influenced by ontogeny. The inter-species variability in Mn / Ca reflected foraminiferal in-sediment habitat preferences and associated pore water chemistry but also showed large interspecific differences in Mn partitioning. At each station, Mn / Ca ratios were always lower in the shallow infaunal E. batialis, occupying relatively oxygenated sediments, compared to intermediate infaunal species, Uvigerina spp. and B. spissa, which were typically found at greater depth, under more reducing conditions. The highest Mn / Ca was always recorded by the deep infaunal species N. labradorica and C. fimbriata. Our results suggest that although partitioning differs, Mn / Ca ratios in the intermediate infaunal taxa are promising tools for palaeoceanographic reconstructions as their microhabitat exposes them to higher variability in pore water Mn, thereby making them relatively sensitive recorders of redox conditions and/or bottom water oxygenation.


Abstract This article describes a systematic process for finding and resolving problems with classroom-based behavioral interventions in schools. Described is a step-by-step process for identifying and resolving issues that reduce intervention effectiveness. The article is organized around the Behavioral Intervention Troubleshooter, which is a checklist focusing on four major domains: (a) problem definition and monitoring, (b) fundamentals of classroom instruction and behavior management, (c) intervention integrity, and (d) intervention design. For each of these four sections, probable outcomes derived from use of the checklist are described. For each outcome, suggestions are provided for elimination or resolution of the problem to increase intervention effectiveness. Finally, each section begins with a brief literature review describing the evidence base for the recommended practices.


Paraffinic oils were submitted to microbial action. The microorganisms consisted of bacteria of the genera Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus lincheniforms. The alterations in interfacial tension were determined using a tensometer and applying the hanging drop technique at room temperature (299 K ±275 K). The alteration in the constitution of the paraffins was evaluated by means of gas chromatography. The microbial activity was observed to reduce interfacial tension by 54 to 78%, as well as consuming the paraffins C19 to C29 and producing paraffins C36 to C44. The LIFirr technique made it possible to determine the microbial action quickly. Keywords—Paraffins, biosurfactants, LIFirr.


The aim of the present study is to explore the motivational factors of Hong Kong vocational students in learning English. A qualitative case study approach was employed with a combination of surveys with self-completion questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and diary notes.
The research, which was carried out in two phases from September to June 2005-6 in one academic year, had the objective of examining whether there was any change of motivation for learning English. Ten students from a vocational institute were selected for the interviews, each were interviewed twice. They were also invited to write diaries, and to record their daily English activities. The data collected were used to triangulate with the interview findings when analyzing the results.
The study was initiated by students' differences in learning attitudes and the variations in their standard of English. Research on motivation for, and attitudes towards learning
English reveal that instrumental and intrinsic motivations often apply to secondary school and tertiary-level learners, but prior to this study the research did not extend to vocational students in Hong Kong.
The findings show that vocational students not only have strong instrumental motivation for learning English but also have intrinsic motivation. It was apparent that in the process of their learning English, participants regarded English as a functional language which was tied up with their career. This finding is the same as that of previous research on attitudes towards learning English of Hong Kong students. In addition, vocational students' motivation for learning English was found to be influenced and encouraged by many factors, particularly significant others, such as parents. The present study will enable English teachers to have a greater understanding of vocational students' motives for learning English. This could help to improve teaching strategies, teaching materials and language policies; and, thus, enhance more effective learning of English in the vocational setting of Hong Kong.


By means of SEM, the micro-morphology of silver particles separated from borosilicate glass by the heat-treatment with an electric field is investigated. The distribution of the silver particles appears clusters. This result is explained by an energy viewpoint. Based on hermodynamics theory of phase separation, the calculation of the free energy change during the heat-treatment in an electric field is performed by means of the Ansoft Maxwell software. The results of this calculation analysis are found to be very close to the experimental data.


Abstract: Brachiopod carbonate from Early Permian brachiopod shells from low palaeolatitude north Iran and higher palaeolatitude Pakistan Karakorum were screened for diagenesis and analysed for oxygen isotope ratios to derive seawater palaeotemperatures. Screening techniques employed included SEM ultrastructural analysis, cathodoluminescence (CL), image analysis of CL images, trace-element (Sr, Mn, Fe) determinations, and carbon and oxygen stable-isotope determinations. The Karakorum shells were found to be diagenetically altered, but those from north Iran were judged to be pristine. Using data from pristine material, two distinct time slices were analysed: the early and middle Asselian. Two contrasting δ18O values for seawater (0‰ and +1.0‰ V-SMOW) were used to account for different extensions of the Gondwanan ice caps. The δ18O data from north Iran indicate a range of seawater temperatures from +24.3 to +30.3 °C (for δ18Oseawater = 0‰ V-SMOW) or from +30.3 to +35.4 °C (for δ18Oseawater = +1.0‰ V-SMOW) for the early Asselian. Results for δ18O from the middle Asselian indicate seawater temperatures of +24.4 to +28.0 °C (for δ18Oseawater = 0‰) or +29.2 to +32.8 °C (for δ18Oseawater = +1.0‰). The maximum calculated temperatures in the middle Asselian are about 2 °C lower than those for the early Asselian. The average temperature for both time slices is similar to modern tropical sea-surface temperatures, indicating that low-latitude Early Permian ocean waters in Iran did not undergo significant cooling during the final Glacial III episode of Gondwanan glaciation. This confirms other evidence based on biotic provinces, which suggests that during the Permo-Carboniferous glaciation, the low-latitude warm belt became narrower and confined to the western Tethys and Cathaysian provinces, and was not subject to a reduction in temperature, but rather a reduction in size.


International Relations studies of Central Asia tend to revolve around institutions, economics, security or socialization processes. However, due to the uncertain roles of competing regional institutions like the Eurasian Economic Union championed by Russia and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Belt and Road Initiative championed by China, cooperation among Central Asian states is heavily dependent on the nature of engagement of the two major powers in the region, Russia and China. This thesis evaluates Central Asian regionalism by analyzing the impact placed by Russia and China on physical infrastructure. The findings suggest that the roles of the two countries have become increasingly interchangeable with Russia's situational engagement having a limited or even negative effect on regional cohesion and China's involvement visibly reshaping the region toward greater regional interconnectedness, but in different form. Multiple case studies of various projects in the networked sectors of infrastructure, i.e. transportation, energy and telecommunications, are used to build the argument and demonstrate the ways in which Russia's and China's engagement influence regional connectivity.
The two major powers have had difficulty reaching a consensus about the format of multilateral lenders essential for the development of regional infrastructure, and therefore China-led financial institutions have become the major source of financing of infrastructural projects in Central Asia. The two powers' engagement in the transportation sector partially decreased interdependence among Central Asian states, but Chinese projects aim to reconnect the region, particularly by linking Central Asia with South Asia. The shift toward interchangeability of the roles of Russia and China is most evident in the energy sector, which is characterized by Russia's opportunism and China's steps toward multilateral cooperation. In the telecommunication sector, the two major powers made limited impact on regional connectivity; however China's use of material capabilities to affect information flows is gradually positioning the rising power as an important opinion shaper in the region. The study concludes that China's capacity to build physical infrastructure and facilitate multiple multilateral initiatives with Central Asian states is slowly redirecting the region away from its historical dependency on Russia. Material capabilities, however, are not sufficient for regionalization, and it remains to be seen whether China is able to utilize its economic might to connect the region through shared ideas rather than just roads, pipelines, power lines and telecom cables.

Key words: Central Asia, Russia and China, Infrastructure, Regionalism


BACKGROUND
Poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (P4HB) is a naturally occurring polymer derived from transgenic E. coli bacteria with the longest degradation rate when compared to other available products. This polymer has been manufactured as a biosynthetic mesh to be used as reinforcement when repairing a variety of abdominal wall defects.

OBJECTIVE
We aim to describe our center initial experience with this mesh and discuss the possible indications that may benefit from the use of P4HB mesh.

METHODS
This is a descriptive retrospective study of patients who underwent abdominal wall repair with a P4HB mesh from October 2018 to December 2020 in a single, large volume, academic center.

RESULTS
A total of 51 patients (mean age 54.4 years, range 12-89) underwent abdominal wall reconstruction with a P4HB mesh between October 2018 and December 2020. The mean BMI was 30.5 (range 17.2-50.6). Twenty-three (45%) patients had a prior hernia repair at the site. We grouped patients into six different indications for the use of P4HB mesh in our cohort: clean-contaminated, contaminated or infected field (57%), patient refusal for permanent meshes (14%), those with high risk for post-operative infection (12%), visceral protection of second mesh (10%), recurrence with related chronic pain from mesh (6%), and children (2%). Median follow-up was 105 days (range 8-648). Two patients had hernia recurrence (4%) and 8 (16%) patients developed seroma.

CONCLUSION
P4HB mesh is a safe and a viable alternative for complex hernias and high-risk patients with a low complication rate in the short-term.


A new control method to synchronize between two different systems is proposed and the mathematical proof of this method is provided. Moreover, numerical simulation validates the efficiency of the proposed method.


In this article, I examine the ways the popular press, and two sport documentaries construct narratives of Ricky Williams' marijuana use, early retirement, and return to the National Football League. I argue that all of the texts in question, work to produce a dominant reading of Williams, as someone who is difficult to define, and it is because of inability to put Williams's identity into a box, that his marijuana use, "strange" personality, and early retirement is used to shoe-horn him into tropes of the bad black athlete. Nonetheless, this paper draws on Mark Anthony Neal's concept of illegible and legible black masculinity to argue that a re-scripting of these narratives can be used to imagine alternative forms of black masculinity the emphasizes empathy, sensitivity, emotional maturity, and a rejection of domination and material wealth. This analysis is situated within the changing landscape of marijuana legislation and the racial inequity in arrest rates for marijuana.


To the Editor: Dr Lynskey and colleagues concluded that early cannabis use is associated with an increased risk for later use and dependence on other drugs. Although the authors used both monozygotic and dizygotic same-sex twins to ensure similar environmental influences, we are concerned that the sample may not be representative of the population, as there was an unusually high prevalence of alcohol dependence in both cannabis users and their co-twin controls compared with that of the general population. Early cannabis users in the study of Lynskey et al had a 42.8% prevalence of alcohol dependence, whereas their co-twin controls had a prevalence of 29.6%. By contrast, the prevalence of alcohol abuse among Australian adults has been reported to be about 6.5%, with a 4.1% prevalence of alcohol dependence. About 8.3% of Australians aged 14 years and older report daily alcohol use. Similarly, the prevalence of alcohol dependence in the United States has been estimated to be about 6% of men and 2% of women.


Jupiter has a strong magnetic field, and a huge magnetosphere is formed through the solar wind‐Jupiter interaction. The generated magnetosphere–ionosphere system is reproduced based on the 9‐component Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and the current conservation in the ionosphere. Assuming Io plasma emission rate 1.4 t/sec, this paper reproduces self‐consistently global magnetic configuration, generations of the field‐aligned current (FAC) and aurora, formation of the Io plasma disk at 8–20 RJ, plasma corotation, instability in the plasma disk, transition from the Io plasma disk to the plasma sheet at 20–150 RJ, and the plasmoid ejection. The rotating Io plasma in the disk forms instabilities that promotes radial diffusion. H+ is supplied from the ionosphere along high‐latitude magnetic field lines and mixed with heavy ions around 15–20 RJ. Beyond 20 RJ, mixed plasma diffuses further outward by the centrifugal force that can exceed magnetic tension. In the ionosphere, the main oval occurs at 13.7°–15.5° colatitude. The Io disk is inner side of magnetic field lines traced from the low‐latitude edge of the main oval. Along magnetic field lines, the main oval is mapped from the outer edge of the Io disk to the entire plasma sheet accompanying rotation delay. Due to the corotation limit, convection is accompanied by plasmoid ejection. Back reaction of plasmoid ejection affects even transport process in the Io disk. The downward FAC occurs in the polar cap showing variability. The region of externally driven Dungey convection seems quite narrow.


Cancer patients constitute one of the most complex, diverse and growing patient populations in Canada. Like other high-needs patient groups, cancer patients desire a more integrated approach to care delivery that spans organizational and professional boundaries. This article provides an overview of Cancer Care Ontario's experience in fostering a more integrated cancer system, and describes the organization's emerging focus on patient-centred models of integrated care through the whole cancer pathway, from prevention to end-of-life care and survivorship.


OBJECTIVE
To identify bicyclist and environmental factors associated with fatal bicycle-related trauma in Ontario.

DESIGN
Retrospective study.

SETTING
Ontario.

PARTICIPANTS
Information was extracted from the provincial coroner's reports on 212 people who had died of bicycle-related injuries in Ontario between 1986 and 1991.

OUTCOME MEASURES
Age, sex and helmet use of the bicyclist, time and place of the event, type of bicyclist or motorist error(s) and use of alcohol by bicyclist or motorist.

RESULTS
Only 32% of the deaths involved bicyclists under 15 years of age. The male-female ratio was 3.5. Over 75% of the cases involved head injury; however, only 8 (4%) of the bicyclists had been wearing a helmet. In 91% of the cases death occurred as the result of a bicycle-motor vehicle collision. Most (65%) of the deaths for which the time was known occurred between 4 pm and 8 am. Bicyclist error was the main cause of crash for 26 (79%) of the children less than 10 years old; it was also the main cause of crash among the bicyclists aged 10 to 19 years (43 [55%]) and those aged 45 years or more (15 [44%]). However, motorist error was the most common cause of collision in the group of cyclists 20 to 44 years of age (42 [63%]). Alcohol was detected in the blood of 7% of the bicyclists killed; alcohol had been consumed by 30% of the motorists who claimed not to have seen the cyclist.

CONCLUSIONS
Bicycle-related deaths result from factors that are generally avoidable. Identifiable risk factors other than lack of helmet use suggest that additional research is required to determine the benefits of preventive interventions aimed at reducing the number of such deaths. Age-specific strategies appear warranted.


Foaming is a common phenomenon in the petroleum industry. Foams can be desirable for drilling applications, whereby the cutting bits are lubricated, and cuttings are carried up to the surface. However, foam can be undesirable for production operation, which hinders the gas-liquid separation process.
 Experimental investigation has been conducted on foam break-up in a standalone Churn Flow Coalescer (CFC), a standalone Gas Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone (GLCC©) and a combined CFC/GLCC© system. A 1-inch Foam Characterization Rig (FCR) is utilized. The FCR is equipped with a 3-inch diameter CFC, which is connected in series to a 2-inch diameter GLCC©. A total of 30 experimental runs are conducted for both Gas Mode (GM) and Liquid Mode (LM) operations. A surfactant (SI-403) with concentration of 0.025%, superficial liquid velocities of 0.1 and 0.15 m/s and superficial gas velocities of 0.5, 1, and 1.5 m/s are used in the experiments.
 The experimental results show that for the GM operation, the foam break-up in combined CFC/GLCC© system is more efficient than that in the standalone GLCC©, for the same flow conditions. Lowering the superficial gas velocity or increasing the superficial liquid velocity produce less stable foam, larger gas bubbles and lower half-life time. The outlet clear liquid flow rate (with no foam) under the LM operation increases with increasing superficial liquid velocity or decreasing superficial gas velocity. The recommended operational conditions for the CFC are at low superficial gas velocities, lower than the transition boundary to churn flow in the CFC.


INTRODUCTION
Though relaxation training is recommended for insomnia, national patterns of use remain unknown. Similarly, rates of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by adults with insomnia are not well established. We sought to elucidate the patterns and reasons for use of relaxation techniques and CAM use by adults with insomnia symptoms.

METHODS
We used the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (n = 23,358) to estimate prevalence of use among adults by self-reported insomnia symptom status. Among adults reporting insomnia symptoms (n = 4,415), we examined reasons for use and disclosure to medical professionals. We employed logistic regression to determine the adjusted associations between relaxation techniques use, CAM use, and insomnia symptoms.

RESULTS
Among adults with insomnia symptoms, 23% used relaxation techniques and 45% used CAM annually. After adjustment, adults with insomnia symptoms had higher likelihood of using relaxation techniques (aOR 1.48, 95% CI 1.32, 1.66) and CAM (aOR 1.29, 95% CI 1.15, 1.44) compared with adults without insomnia. Deep breathing exercise was the most commonly used relaxation technique. Fewer than 2% of adults with insomnia used CAM specifically for insomnia. Only 26% of adults with insomnia symptoms disclosed their relaxation techniques use to medical professionals. Being male, lower educational and physical activity levels, income < $20,000, living in South, and hypertension were associated with lower likelihood of relaxation techniques use among adults with insomnia symptoms.

CONCLUSION
While adults with insomnia symptoms commonly use relaxation techniques and CAM, few are using for their insomnia. Facilitating discussions about relaxation techniques may foster targeted use for insomnia.


This thesis describes experiment-based research aiming to evaluate the change of strength of granite saturated by different fluids. The granite specimens are vacuum saturated with water, hydrochloric acid (HCl), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and kerosene. Then, the flexural tensile strength of granite specimens was measured in three-point bending tests. Results indicate the strength of granite saturated by fluids is decreased compared with dry granite. However, there is no significant difference between these types of fluids. Compared to the dry granite specimens, water, HCl, NaOH, and kerosene reduce the strength of granite by 25%, 32%, 26%, and 24%, respectively. HCl in a range of low loading rate (less than 20 MPa/min) shows a greater strength reduction, but even this effect is relatively small and only marginally statistically significant. Also, the polar fluid (aqueous) does not have a different performance compared to the nonpolar fluid (kerosene), although there is a small difference wherein the kerosene-saturated specimens are very slightly stronger (although of marginal statistical significance) compared with those saturated by aqueous solutions. The experiments suggest that chemical fluid-rock interaction plays a minimal role compared to the mechanical influence of the fluid, for example through lubrication of grain boundaries and/or local pore pressure generation. Initial discussion is provided for this revised hypothesis through demonstration that specimens saturated by more viscous hydraulic oil are consistently weaker than those saturated by less viscous kerosene.


Abstract. Two gas-phase formaldehyde (HCHO) measurement techniques, a modified commercial wet-chemical instrument based on Hantzsch fluorimetry and a custom-built instrument based on fiber laser-induced fluorescence (FILIF), were deployed at the atmospheric simulation chamber SAPHIR (Simulation of Atmospheric PHotochemistry In a large Reaction Chamber) to compare the instruments' performances under a range of conditions. Thermolysis of para-HCHO and ozonolysis of 1-butene were used as HCHO sources, allowing for calculations of theoretical HCHO mixing ratios. Calculated HCHO mixing ratios are compared to measurements, and the two measurements are also compared. Experiments were repeated under dry and humid conditions (RH 60%) to investigate the possibility of a water artifact in the FILIF measurements. The ozonolysis of 1-butene also allowed for the investigation of an ozone artifact seen in some Hantzsch measurements in previous intercomparisons. Results show that under all conditions the two techniques are well correlated (R2 ≥ 0.997), and linear regression statistics show measurements agree with within stated uncertainty (15% FILIF + 5% Hantzsch). No water or ozone artifacts are identified. While a slight curvature is observed in some Hantzsch vs. FILIF regressions, the potential for variable instrument sensitivity cannot be attributed to a single instrument at this time. Measurements at low concentrations highlight the need for a secondary method for testing the purity of air used in instrument zeroing and the need for further FILIF White cell outgassing experiments.


Age-related cardiac actions of quinidine have been shown in prolongation of action potential duration, but not in the tonic and use-dependent block of the maximal velocity of action potential upstroke. To elucidate the underlying ionic mechanisms, currents through the Na, Ca and K channels were examined by using a whole-cell voltage clamp technique on isolated neonatal (< 5 day) and adult (> 3 months) rabbit cardiac myocytes under various concentrations (0.5, 1.5 and 4.5 microM) of quinidine. In neonatal and adult myocytes, quinidine caused a comparable degree of dose-dependent effects on Na currents including decrease in peak Na currents, left-shift of steady-state availability curve and slowing of the recovery from inactivation. However, the inwardly rectifier K current and the transient outward current were suppressed to a greater extent in the neonatal myocytes than in the adult (P = 0.0002 and 0.02, respectively). On the contrary, the magnitude of decrease in peak Ca currents after quinidine treatment was much smaller in the neonatal myocytes than in the adult (P = 0.01). These findings indicate that age-related ionic channel-block by quinidine is complex; and shows major differences in the Ca and K currents of cardiac myocytes. Accordingly, a differential therapeutic potential of quinidine may exist in hearts of different ages.


Two years ago, the vice president for student life at my university asked me to serve as a faculty adviser of a student group. I enjoy mentoring and have worked with a number of student groups over the years, but this offer was different. The group—called Brother 2 Brother (B2B)—is largely composed of African American and Latino students. It has a good reputation for fostering a supportive environment for male students who find themselves in the minority in virtually every other situation they encounter across campus. But I was reluctant to get involved because I didn't see myself as the right person for the job. What would a 52-year-old white male professor raised in largely white northern Appalachia have to offer?

> "The students have taught me to see the world through a different lens."

It wasn't the first time the administrator, who founded B2B, asked me to get involved. Previously, I had always declined, thinking that the job would be better left to someone whose background was more similar to that of the group members. Plus, I wasn't sure I could fit it in my schedule. This time, though, with the administrator heading off to a different university and the current faculty adviser in poor health, I felt I couldn't say no.

I knew from the beginning that I needed to earn the right to be listened to—that my age, rank, and background would discourage openness. I spent roughly 1 year paying dues—simply being present, listening, and trying to be helpful—before the students began to see me as worthy of trust.

The first few meetings were especially awkward. I was clearly the outsider—that out-of-place white dude sitting in the corner. The students shot me looks indicating they were wondering why I was there. During the first year, I only managed to develop a few connections. It was a little disheartening, but I stuck with it because I had made a commitment and no one stepped up to take my place.

I'm glad I continued to work with the group, because in year two the students started to open up to me with questions and problems. There was little overlap between my rural upbringing and my students' largely urban backgrounds, but we bonded by discussing shared elements of our college experience: crummy jobs, financial aid issues, classroom experiences, music, sports, and the horrors of cafeteria food.

I did my best to help when they came to me with problems, even when I couldn't solve them myself. For example, one undergraduate student explained that he was having difficulty getting assistance from his academic adviser. I knew the faculty member, and I also knew he wasn't considered to be the best mentor. So I connected the student with another adviser, someone who always has time for students and is willing to problem-solve. I've also given group members tips about how to study and where to go on campus to troubleshoot administrative and academic issues. I didn't do anything most faculty couldn't do; the difference was that I was in the room to listen and provide advice.

My interactions with the B2B students have, honestly, been a highlight of my career—not only because I feel like I'm doing something worthwhile, but also because of what I've learned. The students have taught me to see the world through a different lens. They have given me a better understanding of the experiences of people of color—which, I believe, has strengthened my cultural competence and my ability to interact with others on a more meaningful level. And in the process, I've made new friends.

I encourage my fellow faculty members to get involved in programs such as B2B, even if you're not a member of an underrepresented group. It requires patience and time; it can be challenging, but it's also rewarding and fun. What's more, you'll help ease the service burden carried by our minority colleagues, work that is often invisible to white faculty and staff.


: A comparative study of phospholipid composition of thymus, spleen, bone marrow, liver and peritoneal exudate with sarcoma 45-bearing and normal rats was carried out. It was found that substantial changes in total phospholipid and cholesterol contents are observed only in peritoneal exudate of tumour-bearing animals. Some alterations were revealed in the content of individual fractions of investigated organs. The most pronounced changes in the contents of individual phospholipid fractions were found in peritoneal exudates of rats with sarcoma 45.


The detailed knowledge about dorsoventral (DV) axis formation in Drosophila melanogaster provides an excellent platform for comparative studies of embryonic DV patterning within insects. In Drosophila, the ventral activation of Toll-receptor initiates the nuclear uptake of the transcription factor NF-kB/Dorsal resulting in a stable nuclear Dorsal gradient, which regulates zygotic target genes like the mesodermal gene twist and the neuroectodermal gene short gastrulation (sog) in a concentration dependent manner. In the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, NF-kB/Dorsal also forms a nuclear concentration gradient. This gradient, however, is highly dynamic due, to positive and negative feedback loops. Both Tc-Toll and the inhibitor Tc-cactus are activated zygotically by Toll signaling.
In the past, the investigation of DV patterning genes in T. castaneum was based on a candidate gene approach. Through this comparative approach, only genes which were known to have a DV function in D. melanogaster were investigated in T. castaneum, which leads to biased conserved gene function analysis. Hence, novel DV patterning genes in T. castaneum that are not present in D. melanogaster, could not be identified through a candidate gene approach. Therefore, I have participated in a large scale RNAi screen (the iBeetle screen Phase-II). The unbiased iBeetle RNAi screen provided an excellent platform to overcome the limitations of the candidate gene approach and revealed novel DV patterning genes in T. castaneum.
In the course of a large scale RNAi screen in T. castaneum, we have identified three novel DV patterning genes (two serine proteases and one serpin inhibitor) and the Toll ligand Spaetzle. The newly identified genes act upstream of Toll signaling and regulate the activity of NF-kB/Dorsal gradient formation and the activation of zygotic target genes. Knockdown of both iB-09824 (anionic trypsin-2-like serine protease) and iB-06774 (spaetzle) produced Toll-like dorsalized phenotype, whereas knockdown of iB-06699 (leukocyte elastase inhibitor-like) revealed ventralized phenotype. In addition, another positive feedback element, a new serine protease (iB-07888) was identified in the iBeetle screen. iB-07888 is likely to act upstream of Toll within the protease cascade activating the Toll ligand Spaetzle. The expression of this gene is activated ventrally during early blastoderm stage in a broad domain along the entire egg length. After iB-07888 knockdown, Tc-twist, Tc-sim and Tc-cactus lack early expression and are activated only during early gastrulation. This corresponds to a delayed formation of the nuclear Dorsal gradient. In contrast to Tc-twist Tc-sim and Tc-cactus, the expression of Tc-sog is completely lost in most knockdown embryos. This suggests that the new protease affects the timing of Dorsal gradient formation. Taken together, our results indicate that the Dorsal target genes in T. castaneum are activated in a temporal sequence to define their spatial expression domains at different time points. We propose that in contrast to D. melanogaster, where several Dorsal target genes are activated simultaneously in a concentration dependent manner, the Tribolium NF-kB Dorsal gradient acts by a temporal shift to regulate its zygotic target genes in a time-dependent manner.


Analytical model of human body is used to calculate the electric field and current density induced in human body when it is exposed to high frequency electromagnetic fields (50-200 MHz). Especially, of interest are frequencies used by radio amateurs (50-200 MHz). Formulas used in this study are derived by using a cylindrical model of human body. Tabulations and graphical representations illuminate the results. The intent of this work is to draw more attention on possible health effects that RF fields from radio amateur antennas might have on human body


Transnational human rights activism occupies today a significant place in the practice and scholarship of current global affairs. This article reviews the past successes and limits of this activism and suggests Human Rights Education (HRE) as a strategic tool currently underutilized by activists and rarely taken seriously by academics. We argue that the current practice of transnational human rights activism frequently lacks solid and reciprocal ties to local activists and emphasizes "shaming" and exposure of human rights abuses over their prevention. The professionalization and campaign-driven character of rights activism often increases the distance between transnational activists and local causes and beneficiaries and disconnects the general public from human rights struggles. While claims of impartial activism based on legalistic strategies have the benefit of lifting human rights groups above the fray of politics, the promotion of human rights norms remains a deeply political and contentious struggle. We argue that a greater emphasis on HRE strengthens transnational ties and local support for international human rights standards and leads to societal mobilization beyond the narrow nongovernmental sector.


An investigation for the Paragonimus larvae infection was conducted in 12 villages of 8 districts belonging to the Yenbai province in 2005. Paragonimus metacercariae were found in 3 villages: Khanhhoa, Anlac (Lucyen district) and Ngoia (Vanyen district). Only one mountainous crab species Potamiscus tannanti Rathbun served as the second intermediate host of Paragonimus in study sites. The infective prevalence of Paragonimus metacercaria in crabs were quite high: the infection rate and density in the Khanhhoa village were 53.3% and 1-82 metacercaria/crab (average 28.8) respectively, in the Anlac village: 50% and 1-51 metacercaria/crab (average 19.2) and in the Ngoia village: 36.9% and 1-31 metacercaria/crab (average 14.2). The crabs P. tannanti in the Khanhhoa and Ngoia villages were infected with only metacercaria of P. heterotremus while this crab species in the Anlac village were concurrently infected with those of P. heterotremus and Paragonimus sp.. The infection of metacercaria of earlier species was higher than that of latter species. Only one snail species Pseudotricula sp. served as the first intermediate host of Paragonimus in the Yenbai province. The cercaria of Paragonimus was found at 0.5% of this snail in the Khanhhoa village, but not yet found in Anlac and the Ngoia villages.


This paper will examine the arbitration case filed by the Philippines against China over the West Philippine Sea on 22 January 2013. The first part, and by way of introduction, will provide a concise summary of the competing territorial and maritime jurisdictional claims over the South China Sea highlighting recent developments. The second part will discuss the system of dispute settlement under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as well as relevant international jurisprudence and State practice. The third part will examine the arbitration case in greater detail discussing its factual antecedents and the specific reliefs sought by the Philippines. In the final part, the paper will conclude with an evaluation and analysis of the arbitration case in the context of its potential implications to the management of conflict and resolution of the sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea.