Background: The characteristics of graphemic buffer disorder have been described by Miceli, Silveri, and Caramazza (1985) and Caramazza and Miceli (1990) and include a length effect in spelling words and nonwords, in both written and oral format. Error patterns typically consist of omissions, substitutions, additions, and movement errors. Recently, lexical effects on spelling accuracy in many buffer cases have been shown (Sage & Ellis, 2004) and, in patient BH in particular, these included an influence of orthographic neighbourhood size (the number of words that can be generated by changing one letter in the target word; Coltheart, Davelaar, Jonassen, & Besner, 1977). Aims: This paper aims to show that orthographic neighbours used in a therapy programme can bring about improvements in the spelling of targets that have not directly received therapy. Methods & procedures: This was a single case treatment study of BH, who showed classic features of graphemic buffer disorder in her spelling. Two priming studies contrasting no prime, control primes, and orthographic neighbour primes (both word and nonword) established that positive effects on spelling accuracy and error pattern could be achieved. The use of orthographic neighbours was then extended into a therapy programme. Three word sets contrasted direct therapy to the words themselves (Set1), no therapy at all (Set 2), and therapy to neighbours of the words in a set (Set 3). An errorless learning paradigm was used throughout the therapy programme. Outcome & results: Improvement was made both to the treated words in Set 1 and to the words in Set 3, even though these words had received no direct therapy. There was no change in accuracy in Set 2, the control set that had received no therapy. The paper also explores changes in error patterns due to therapy, showing that error patterns changed following therapy. Conclusions: The priming studies showed that changes in accuracy could be achieved when orthographic neighbours were used. Following on from this, a therapy programme based on neighbours was effective in assisting the graphemic buffer. Specifically, the interaction between lexicon and buffer was used therapeutically to improve not only the spelling of words that had received direct treatment but also to a word set that did not directly receive treatment. These changes were brought about using an errorless learning paradigm.


Detailed temporal characterization of in vivo response to anti-tumor immunotherapies are limited by the frequency and volume of tissue that can be practically collected. We have successfully generated a novel double-transgenic murine model, which incorporates a nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kB) reporter transgene (NGL) into the polyoma virus middle T oncogene (PyVT) model, a widely accepted transgenic mouse with spontaneous tumor formation and disease progression comparable to that of human breast cancer. The reporter transgene uses luciferase to quantitatively indicate NF-kB activation, which is central to immunomodulatory inflammation. In vivo imaging systems (IVIS) were used for luminescent imaging of luciferase activity as a spatial reporter of NF-kB activation that was carried out repeatedly on individual double transgenic (Py-NGL) mice. Magnetic resonance thermometry (MRT) was used to guide therapeutic, high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for quantitatively repeatable, sub-ablative thermal dosing as an inflammatory stimulus. Py-NGL mice were treated with the MRT-HIFU system at a sub-ablative level of 42 °C for up to 25 minutes. Mice were imaged with IVIS before treatment and every twelve hours after treatment until the collection of tissues. The untreated tumors, treated tumors, and spleens were collected, digested, and quantitatively analyzed with flow cytometry for immunophenotyping and cytokine expression. Py-NGL mice have a peak in NF-kB activation, spatially correlated with the administration of MRT-guided HIFU, between 48-96 hours post treatment. Preliminary measures of inflammation by NF-kB activity demonstrate up to a 20-fold increase from baseline in the HIFU treated tissue. Following treatment, NF-kB activity increased from baseline as early as 24 hours and reached a peak between 48 and 96 hours, consistent with recruitment and activation of inflammatory cell phenotypes as a consequence of MRT-HIFU treatment. Elevated NF-kB activity remained localized in the HIFU-treated tissue throughout the measurement period, and smoothly declined towards, but remained above, baseline levels following the activation peak. Immunophenotyping data reveals changes in immune cell infiltrates following treatment, including the number and phenotypes of T cells and macrophages. This novel murine model enabled real-time, quantitative live-animal imaging of spatially specific, time-dependent NF-kB activation. Measurement of NF-kB response to controlled-dose HIFU provides the first opportunity to correlate induced inflammation with immune cell and cytokine characterization of the tumors. The objective is to quantitatively elucidate the spatiotemporal immunologic response to inflammatory stimulus in tumors. In this way, therapeutic methods based on elevating inflammation in tumors can be assessed for reversal of the immunosuppressive microenvironment and the generation of functional anti-tumor immunotherapy. Citation Format: Mary D. Dockery, Megan E. Poorman, Vandiver L. Chaplin, Ryan A. Spears, Charles F. Caskey, William A. Grissom, Todd D. Giorgio. Real-time in vivo characterization of spatiotemporal immunotherapeutic response to high intensity focused ultrasound with a novel NF-kB reporter model of human breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Inaugural International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; September 16-19, 2015; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(1 Suppl):Abstract nr A086.


Atmospheric carbonaceous components, particularly char and soot in ultrafine particles (UFPs; Dp < 0.1 �� m) and fine particles (FPs; Dp < 2.5 �� m), were measured four times during one year in Saitama City, Japan, to observe the concentrations of elemental carbon (EC) and the relationship between the EC concentrations in UFPs and FPs, and to examine the possible emission sources of char and soot that constitute UFPs and FPs in a roadside environment. It was found that EC accounts for 33–37% of total carbon (TC) in FPs, whereas EC accounts for 12–20% of TC in UFPs. Both char-EC and soot-EC account for similar proportions of the total EC concentration in UFPs, while soot-EC accounts for only a small amount of the total EC in FPs. Positive and negative correlations between OC and soot-EC were observed for UFPs and FPs, respectively. The observed positive correlation in the case of UFPs possibly reflects the compactness (high density) of UFPs coated with condensed material, such as unburned fuel or lubricating oil emitted by motor vehicles, whereas the negative correlation in the case of FPs possibly indicates that whether or not the spaces between primary soot particles in FPs can be filled depends on the engine load of diesel vehicles operated near the sampling site. The positive and negative correlations were stronger for UFPs (r 2 = 0.69, n = 29, p < 0.001) and FPs (r 2 = –0.62, n = 29, p < 0.001) when the data collected at wind speeds greater than 2.5 m/s were excluded. The different morphological characteristics of the particles observed by transmission electron microscopy also support the observed correlations between OC and sootEC. The possible emission of char or char-like particles from motor vehicles was shown and discussed in this study.


With the recent recognition of the new tort of "intrusion upon seclusion", Canadian privacy law has experienced a fundamental and modernizing shift. In Jones v Tsige, the Ontario Court of Appeal held that a person is liable for an invasion of privacy, if "he or she intrudes, physically or otherwise, upon the seclusion of another or his private affairs or concerns [...] if the invasion would be highly offensive to a reasonable person." This new tort has the potential to dramatically impact society, media, and our core conceptions of individual privacy. In this paper, I engage the perspective of the Canadian media to analyze this legal shift against the competing Charter values of freedom of expression, free press, and individual privacy. I argue that in order to achieve a proper balance in this context, Canadian courts should be guided by the recent defamation law analysis from the Supreme Court of Canada in Grant v Torstar Corp. To this end, I propose a two-stage framework for principled application of the tort and suggest that in the media context, Canadian courts should recognize a principled defence of "Responsible Newsgathering on Matters of Public Interest." This analysis only begins the debate. The introduction of this tort should encourage immediate discussion of how to best foster its growth with Charter values.


The access to Earth Observation data leaded researcher to a different point of view in the forest sector. Immediately tropical forest deforestation drawn the majority of interests (Perbet et al., 2019; Tang et al., 2019; Shimizu et al., 2017; Asner et al., 2009), heading to the development of many different tools for tropical forest monitoring. This study was focused on the application of satellite remote sensing data (derived from Sentinel-2) to two cardinal aspect for Italian forest.
Since wood production plays a key role in developing a rural economy and stimulating the use of sustainable raw material, an increment of Douglas-fir plantation is desirable because of his great growth potential. Therefore, it was necessary to investigate good indices in order to assess the Douglas-fir land suitability and fertility indices. Empirical models were developed and validated using different sets of variables derived from remote sensing data and field survey. Models validation reached good results for Site Index ranging from 0.63 to 0.97 R2 and Current Annual Increment ranging from 0.50 to 0.98 R2.
Furthermore, remote sensing data were applied to calibrate and validate different approaches for forest change detection. Knowing where and when forest harvests are done is crucial for correctly applying sustainable forest management and for controlling illegal logging. In this study was demonstrated that there are already tools developed in tropical forest that they could be applied to Italian forest. The best method was the basic one, which uses only summer images avoiding the seasonal noise problem in the time series but losing near-real time ability. If the temporal accuracy is essential the best method for removing time series seasonality resulted the harmonic model fitting, but further analyses are needed expanding the validation area in order to corroborate these results.


This study aimed to assess the contribution of employees' commitment on organization performance: a case of Arusha city council. The study was conducted in Arusha. The
study was guided by the following specific questions (i) What are the influence of job security on employees' commitment? (ii) What are the effects of employees' motivation on organization performance? (iii) What could between relationship between employee satisfaction and organization performance? (iv) What might be the relationship between absenteeism and organization performance? In order to answer these questions several
methods of data collection were used like questionnaires, focus group discussion and interview. The study revealed that there are influences of job security on employees'
commitment. The most identified influences were career stability by 31%, this was due to the fact that when the employees are assured of their position they will be able to
work effectively and meet the organization requirements. Other influences identified were improvement of performance, family commitment and financial security. More so, about 96.5% (n=100) of respondents declared that job satisfaction is a critical factor to the overall productivity of the organization. Respondents pointed out that there is a positive correlation between employee's job satisfaction and overall productivity of the organization. Therefore the study recommends that in order to attain efficiency and effective organisation performance employers should focus on reducing job dissatisfaction (working conditions, salary, supervision, relationship with colleagues), while on the other hand should use motivating factors such as achievement, recognition, responsibility and the work itself.


Children are largely invisible in EU law. There is no `children's policy' to speak of and little apparent interest in developing mechanisms to consider the interests of children in policy and decision-making. This position is set to change with the adoption of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights which contains a number of provisions relating to children. The mere inclusion of a specific provision on children in the Charter is highly symbolic and represents a significant new phase in the EU's relations with children. Furthermore, the new rights will require a re-examination of existing practices and will provide a new framework within which future decisions must be taken. The Charter's provisions will, therefore, provide support for those demanding a more integrated and thoughtful approach to children in the Union. Thus, despite the limited and often restrictive nature of the Charter's provisions on children, they represent a success story of the Charter


In this paper I argue that, although Alvin Plantinga's Felix Culpa theodicy appears on only two pages (i.e. 58-59) of his recent book Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion and Naturalism (2011), it is of pivotal importance for the book as a whole. Plantinga argues that there is superficial conflict but deep concord between science and monotheism, and that there is superficial concord but deep conflict between science and naturalism. I contend that the weakness of the Felix Culpa theodicy lends support to the view that there is more than superficial conflict between science and monotheism, and offer an alternative response to the challenge of evil which suggests that there might be, after all, concord between science and (religious) naturalism.


Conclusion We have developed a simple, reliable method for the simultaneous determination of the ciliary wave disorder (CWD) and ciliary beat frequency (CBF) of actively beating cilia. Objective The CBF and the directions of beating cilia are two important components of mucociliary transport. Although lots of studies have been performed on the measurement of the CBF, there have been few studies on the direction of cilia, with the exception of those using electron microscopy (EM). EM takes too long to determine the directions of cilia, and it cannot determine the direction of actively beating cilia. The aim of this study was to develop an image analysis (IA) system to conveniently determine the wave directions of multiple actively beating cilia as well as the CBF. Material and methods Sphenoid sinus mucosae obtained from 10 patients undergoing pituitary tumor removal via a trans-septal trans-sphenoidal approach were divided into two 4×4 mm2-sized pieces. One piece was studied using IA, the other with EM. Using IA, ciliary wave directions were determined from 5 20×20 μm2 regions of interest and the mean of 5 consecutive values was regarded as the CWD of each sample. The CBF was also measured. CWD was also measured using EM. Results The average number of cilia analyzed by EM was 102.50 (range 48–136). The mean CWDs determined using IA and EM were 28.25±4.84° and 23.59±8.16°, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the CWDs determined using these two methods (Spearman's correlation coefficient =0.648; p=0.043). The mean CBF of sphenoid mucosa was 10.50±2.20 Hz.


The role of vasculogenesis as opposed to angiogenesis in tumor formation has been little explored genetically. Endothelial cells that lack the MEK kinase MEKK3 cannot form vessels. In this study, we employed mice with hematopoietic deletions of the Mekk3 gene to evaluate the importance of vasculogenesis in the formation of Ewing's sarcoma tumors. Bone marrow cells (BM) from LacZ(+) Mekk3-deficient conditional knockout mice (Mekk3(Deltaflox/-) mice) were transplanted into irradiated nude mice before injection of Ewing's sarcoma cells. Because the grafted Mekk3(Deltaflox/-) BM cells cannot contribute to vessel development in the same way as the host Mekk3(+/+) endothelial cells, angiogenesis is normal in the model whereas vasculogenesis is impaired. Four weeks after BM transplant, Ewing's sarcoma TC71 or A4573 cells were injected, and tumor growth and vessel density were compared. Strikingly, chimeric mice transplanted with Mekk3(Deltaflox/-) BM exhibited a reduction in tumor growth and vessel density compared with mice transplanted with Mekk3(Deltaflox/+) BM cells. Mekk3(Deltaflox/-) cells that were LacZ positive were visualized within the tumor; however, few of the LacZ(+) cells colocalized with either CD31(+) endothelial cells or desmin(+) pericytes. Quantification of double-positive LacZ(+) and CD31(+) endothelial cells or LacZ(+) and desmin(+) pericytes confirmed that chimeric mice transplanted with Mekk3(Deltaflox/-) BM were impaired for tumor vessel formation. In contrast, siRNA-mediated knockdown of Mekk3 in TC71 Ewing's sarcoma cells had no effect on tumor growth or vessel density. Our findings indicate that vasculogenesis is critical in the expansion of the tumor vascular network.


For the molecular simulation of electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs), a number of methods have been proposed and implemented to determine the one-dimensional electric potential profile between the two electrodes at a fixed potential difference. In this work, we compare several of these methods for a model LiClO4-acetonitrile/graphite EDLC simulated using both the traditional fixed-charged method (FCM), in which a fixed charge is assigned a priori to the electrode atoms, or the recently developed constant potential method (CPM) (2007 J. Chem. Phys. 126 084704), where the electrode charges are allowed to fluctuate to keep the potential fixed. Based on an analysis of the full three-dimensional electric potential field, we suggest a method for determining the averaged one-dimensional electric potential profile that can be applied to both the FCM and CPM simulations. Compared to traditional methods based on numerically solving the one-dimensional Poisson's equation, this method yields better accuracy and no supplemental assumptions.


: A personal series of 900 consecutive Hyrntschak prostatectomy operations is reported. Haemostasis with this method is excellent and post-operative haemorrhage has been much less of a problem than in the past. In this series there were 24 hospital deaths (2.6%) 19 of these being in bad-risk patients, the other five being due to pulmonary embolism in good-risk cases. The average post-operative hospital stay in the survivors was 10.6 days. In the last 300 cases there were six deaths (2%)--five bad-risk cases, one pulmonary embolus--and an average hospital stay of 9.2 days.


An approach has been developed for determining the modal wavefronts that allow normal modes to be propagated adiabatically in smoothly range‐dependent ocean waveguides. The method is motivated by the fact that propagation in an isospeed penetrable wedge is accurately modeled by ''adiabatic wedge modes,'' which are identical to the usual ''vertical modes'' except that the wavefront curvature induced by the sloping bottom is taken into account. For the wedge, the wavefronts are assumed to be circular arcs centered on the wedge apex. In order to generalize the notion of wedge modes to other types of range dependence, wavefronts are constructed numerically such that the derivative of each mode in the direction normal to its wavefront, ∂φ/∂s, is zero. The result is that the first‐order modal coupling coefficients, which involve ∂φ/∂s integrated over depth, are zero, and the adiabatic algorithm can be used. The quantities ∂φ/∂z and ∂φ/∂r versus depth are used to obtain the directions normal to the wavefront. For the isospeed penetrable wedge, wavefronts computed in this manner do indeed correspond closely to the expected circular arcs. [Work supported by the ARL Internal Research and Development Program.]


A reproducible transient global cerebral ischemia (tGCI) mouse model has not been fully established. Although striatal neurons and white matter are recognized to be vulnerable to ischemia, their injury after tGCI in mice has not been elucidated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate injuries to striatal neurons and white matter after tGCI in C57BL/6 mice, and to develop a reproducible tGCI model. Male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to tGCI by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO). Mice whose cortical cerebral blood flow after BCCAO decreased to less than 13% of the pre-ischemic value were used. Histological analysis showed that at 3 days after 22 min of BCCAO, striatal neurons were injured more consistently than those in other brain regions. Quantitative analysis of cytochrome c release into the cytosol and DNA fragmentation in the striatum showed consistent injury to the striatum. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis revealed that DARPP-32-positive medium spiny neurons, the majority of striatal neurons, were the most vulnerable among the striatal neuronal subpopulations. The striatum (especially medium spiny neurons) was susceptible to oxidative stress after tGCI, which is probably one of the mechanisms of vulnerability. SMI-32 immunostaining showed that white matter in the striatum was also consistently injured 3 days after 22 min of BCCAO. We thus suggest that this is a tGCI model using C57BL/6 mice that consistently produces neuronal and white matter injury in the striatum by a simple technique. This model can be highly applicable for elucidating molecular mechanisms in the brain after global ischemia.


This paper presents the results of a survey concerning x-ray diagnostic examinations in Poland as the main source of radiation risk to the general population. The methods of data acquisition and processing are described. In Poland, 21,400,000 patients (572 examinations per 1,000 inhabitants) are annually subjected to diagnostic x-ray examinations. The age and gender structure of examined patients is discussed extensively. Special attention is paid to the share of children and youth in the total number of examined patients. The obtained results are compared with the numerical data for other European countries.


Abstract. In this paper a new algorithm for the determination of the vertical distribution of the droplet effective radius in shallow warm clouds is proposed. The method is based on the fact that the spectral top-of-atmosphere reflectance in the near IR spectral range depends on the vertical profile of the effective radius of droplets. The retrieval is based on the optimal estimation method and direct radiative transfer calculations of respective weighting functions. The applications of the method both to synthetic and satellite data are presented. An important feature of the method is the fact that the cloud optical thickness and cloud effective radius are found using the standard homogeneous cloud retrieval and then the retrievals are improved assuming the type of the droplet effective radius profile.


In this paper, we study the probabilistic stability analysis of a subclass of stochastic hybrid systems, called the Planar Probabilistic Piecewise Constant Derivative Systems (Planar PPCD), where the continuous dynamics is deterministic, constant rate and planar, the discrete switching between the modes is probabilistic and happens at boundary of the invariant regions, and the continuous states are not reset during switching. These aptly model piecewise linear behaviors of planar robots. Our main result is an exact algorithm for deciding absolute and almost sure stability of Planar PPCD under some mild assumptions on mutual reachability between the states and the presence of nonzero probability self-loops. Our main idea is to reduce the stability problems on planar PPCD into corresponding problems on Discrete Time Markov Chains with edge weights. Our experimental results on planar robots with faulty angle actuator demonstrate the practical feasibility of this approach.


Brain cells often cluster and grow together creating three-dimensional columns. While this pillar-like pattern of neurons is established, the exact mechanism behind its formation is still elusive. Makoto Sato's team at Kanazawa University has been closely studying this phenomenon. Their recent findings explain how molecules in the brain work in conjunction to create the architectural marvels that are the columns.


The electronic structure of BaFe2As2 doped with Co, Ni and Cu has been studied by a variety of experimental and theoretical methods, but a clear picture of the dopant 3d states has not yet emerged. Herein we provide experimental evidence of the distribution of Co, Ni and Cu 3d states in the valence band. We conclude that the Co and Ni 3d states provide additional free carriers to the Fermi level, while the Cu 3d states are found at the bottom of the valence band in a localized 3d10 shell. These findings help shed light on why superconductivity can occur in BaFe2As2 doped with Co and Ni but not Cu.


Confidence in identifying and ease of testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations has led to general clinicians ordering BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations testing more frequently than other cancer genetic tests. When present, these mutations increase breast and ovarian cancer risk dramatically as well as several other cancers. In years past, identification of mutations was saved for an older high-risk patient population; data supporting current management recommendations studied a population mirroring that group. Now, an increasingly younger patient population is having the mutation identified and facing increasingly complicated decisions regarding lifetime risk. Presented here is a case of a 27-year-old breast-feeding mother of two with a strong breast cancer family history, who was found to have an enlarged lymph node and newly identified with a BRCA1 gene mutation. Current recommendation for screening and breastfeeding are presented as well as psychological implication on this increasingly young BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation positive population. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4021/jmc1148w


In the new physics and in the new field of cosmometry, 1 it is the fundamental pattern that results in the motion (Bohm's holomovement) from which all is created.  Everything starts with the point of infinite potential.  The tetrahedron at the point gives birth to the cuboctahedron (Vector Equilibrium); its motion and structure result in the creation of the torus structure.  The torus structure is self-referencing on a moment by moment basis since all must pass through the center.  But isn't self-referencing the basis for consciousness?  It is said that all of creation has awareness, but at different levels.  We know plants are aware of threats and of death to other living creatures by the work of Cleve Backster.  We know we influence random number generators from the PEAR studies at Princeton.  We know baby chicks will influence the movement of robots programed to do a random walk from the work of Rene Peoc'h.  Quantum physics has embraced geometry with the work in the equations which explain the Feynman diagrams where particles come in and out of existence; those equations form a structure called the Amplituhedron - which is a quarter of a star tetrahedron. We also know that the tetrahedron can form the star tetrahedron and that each point of the star tetrahedron can form its own star tetrahedron, which can go on infinitely.  That is, there is infinity in the finite.  As in the fractal and holographic universe, each point or tetrahedron is connected to every other point.  If each point has awareness due to formation of the torus, then Hermes teaching of "As above, as below" has meaning in the torus structure. If the torus is the fundamental unit of self-reference, is that the fundamental unit from which consciousness arises?  The torus or double torus appears to be fundamental to all of creation - from galaxies to planets to atoms to photons.


The wardrobe malfunction – an unanticipated exposure of bodily parts in the public – has become a prevailing issue in concerts, shows and other celebrity events that is reliably reported by the media. The internet as the fastest source for celebrity gossip allows measuring the impact of such wardrobe malfunctions on the public in-terest in a celebrity. This measurement in turn allows conclusions about intention, motivation, and internet be-haviour of a wide variety of internet users. The present study exemplifies the use of an innovative non-reactive measure of active interest – the Search Volume Index – to assess the impact of a variety of internet-related phe-nomena, including wardrobe malfunctions. Results indicate that interest in a celebrity increases immediately af-ter such an event and stays at a high level for about three weeks (the wardrobe plateau). This special form of ce-lebrity gossip thus meets a constant interest of a substantial proportion of internet users.


Abstract: Cenomanian chalk–marl couplets from England represent the 20 ka Milankovitch precession cycle. Fossil communities from both chalk and marl are identified to test if the orbital fluctuations and the associated changes in substrate lithology and climate exerted any control on the benthic macrofauna. The material comprises washing residues of 24 bulk samples collected from chalk and marl half-cycles. A total of 5055 invertebrate specimens were retrieved and referred to 68 species, forming the basis for the recognition of six guilds. In general, the fauna is more diverse in marl than in chalk, but it is remarkable and somewhat surprising that the guild assemblages of marl and chalk show no difference. Thus the substrate character of the two lithologies did not exert any influence on the modes of life of the benthic fauna in spite of a difference in clay content of about 20%. The fauna was clearly well adapted to both facies and thus to the fine grain size of the substrate rather than to lithology. The systematic difference in diversity between chalk and marl samples was possibly caused by long-term climatic and oceanographic changes and thus could represent a biological response to Milankovitch cyclicity.


How do we ethnographically chart the ways in which a recent war-ridden past
 features in everyday identifications of young adults, who have little or no
 direct experience of that past? One way is to treat this question as a matter
 of how everyday knowledge is constituted and transferred between individuals,
 as well as how historical legacies, cultural and political models enter their
 life-worlds, what they think and know, and who they are. These inquiries
 stood at the core of the study I conducted among two high-school classes
 between 2007 and 2009 in Novi Sad. This article will shed light on my main
 conclusions and problematize the notion of collective confrontation with the
 past. My contention is that arguments for collective confrontation with the
 past, together with official policies informed by this discourse, need to
 take into account social psychological mechanisms of identity construction in
 order to avoid the assumption that knowledge and moral insight can be mapped
 onto people's minds.


The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio is an effective marker of inflammation and can have prognostic value in surgical patients. Aim: To evaluate the effect of an increased neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on perioperative complications ana overall ana disease-free survival in patients undergoing elective resection for stage II colon cancer. Material and Methods: Data was obtained from clinical charts, preoperative blood results and hospital records of all patients undergoing an elective curative resection for colon cancer, between 2000 and 2007. Preoperative NLR was calculated. Follow-up was obtained from a prospectively maintained colorectal cancer database, clinical records and questionnaires. Uni and multivariable analysis were performed to identify associations, and survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Results: One hundred twenty two patients with a mean age of 69years (52% males), were evaluated. Median follow-up was 73 months, and overall survival for 1 and 5 years was 95% and 68%, respectively. On a multivariable analysis after adjusting for age, sex, tumor depth invasion, use of adjuvant therapies and American Society of Anesthesiology preoperative risk score, an NLR > 5 was associated with an increased perioperative complication rate (odds ratio: 3,06, p = 0,033). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a worse overall and disease-free survival for patients with NLR greater than five. Conclusions: A preoperative NLR of five or more is associated with greater perioperative morbidity and worse oncological outcomes in patients undergoing resection for elective stage II colon cancer


A double-blind crossover study to determine the effects on intraocular pressure (IOP) and blood pressure of topically instilled 0.125% and 0.25% solutions of clonidine hydrochloride by comparison with a 2% pilocarpine hydrochloride solution and placebo was carried out in a total of 21 patients with open-angle glaucoma, each of whom received a single drop of each preparation in the same glaucomatous eye on separate days. Both clonidine solutions were effective in lowering the IOP; the 0.25% solution was more effective than the 0.125% solution, and the former was slightly less potent than pilocarpine. Pupil diameter was essentially unchanged in all but one of the patients after clonidine. Pilocarpine reduced pupil diameter in all patients. One eye treated with placebo also showed a reduction in pupil size. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed a statistically significant reduction after clonidine, but the magnitude of the change was small. We do not regard the minor blood pressure changes as being a threat to the optic nerve but further studies in this aspect of topical clonidine therapy are required.


Background. Pelvic exenteration and multivisceral resection in colorectal have been described as a curative and palliative intervention. Urinary tract reconstruction in a pelvic exenteration is achieved in most cases with an ileal conduit of Bricker, although different urinary reservoirs have been described. Methods. A retrospective and observational study of six patients who underwent a pelvic exenteration and urinary tract reconstruction with a double barreled wet colostomy (DBWC) was done, describing the preoperative diagnosis, the indication for the pelvic exenteration, the complications associated with the procedure, and the followup in a period of 5 years. A literature review of the case series reported of the technique was performed. Results. Six patients had a urinary tract reconstruction with the DBWC technique, 5 male patients and one female patient. Age range was from 20 to 77 years, with a medium age 53.6 years. The most frequent complication presented was a pelvic abscess in 3 patients (42.85%); all complications could be resolved with a conservative treatment. Conclusion. In the group of our patients with pelvic exenteration and urinary tract reconstruction with a DBWC, it is a safe procedure and well tolerated by the patients, and most of the complications can be resolved with conservative treatment.


Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) frequently metastasizes to cervical lymph nodes, which is the most known prognostic factor. Screening methods to identify sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) are therefore of great interest for the management of potential neck metastasis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical benefit of double SLN mapping with indocyanine green (ICG) and 99m- technetium-tin colloid ( 99m Tc-tin colloid) for sentinel node navigation surgery (SNNS). Between 2007 and 2010, 16 patients diagnosed with OSCC were investigated by SLN biopsy using the double mapping method. 99m Tc-tin colloid was injected into the peri-tumoural region on the preoperative day, and ICG was administered intraoperatively in the same position to assist in detecting nodes during surgery. Based on the gamma-ray signal and near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence of ICG, SLNs were identified and thereafter assessed pathologically and genetically for cancer involvement. Radio-guided detection was successful for all patients. ICG mapping identified a relatively larger number of nodes, suggesting that several non-SLNs were potentially involved. The double mapping method assisted surgeons to explore SLNs. Since the ICG fluorescence was shielded by the subcutaneous fatty tissue and the muscle layer including platysma and sternocleidomastoid, it was necessary to retract the tissue away from nodes.


Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are complex drug platforms composed of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) conjugated to potent cytotoxic drugs (payloads) via chemical linkers, enabling selective payload delivery to neoplastic cells, resulting in improved efficacy and reduced toxicity. Brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris®, SGN-35) and adotrastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla®, T-DM1) are the two FDA-approved and commercially available ADCs, and both drugs exhibit ADC-related thrombocytopenia and neutropenia. A pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model for ADCs was developed to identify the analyte from each ADC that is most associated with the observed hematopoietic toxicities and to determine the role of the apparent in vivo payload release rate on the severity of thrombocytopenia and neutropenia. Murine xenograft experiments and data from literature were combined, and the PK of both ADCs and their analytes were described with two-compartment models, with linear elimination and first-order payload release rate constants (krel). ADC-associated hematotoxicities were captured with a previously published PD model for myelosuppression driven by various analytes. ADC half-lives were about 5 days, and krel values were 0.46 (T-DM1) and 0.12 h−1 (SGN-35). The lifespans of platelets following T-DM1 and neutrophils following SGN-35 were 3.73 and 4.72 days. Comparison of alternate model structures suggested that mechanisms of myelosuppression are payload-driven for SGN-35 and ADC pinocytosis-dependent for T-DM1. Model simulations suggested that a 4-fold increase (T-DM1) and 70% decrease (SGN-35) in krel would improve hematotoxicity to grade 1. The proposed model successfully captured the PK and associated myelosuppression of both ADCs and might serve as a general PK/PD platform for assessing hematological toxicities to ADCs.


Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in brain injury after ischemic stroke. In the present study, we aimed to assess the global expression of MMP-Family proteins in the human brain after stroke by using a combination of Searchlight Protein Array and Laser Microdissection to determine their cellular origin. This study demonstrated that MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-10, MMP-13, and TIMP-1 were upregulated in the infarcted tissue compared to healthy control areas. Using laser microdissection we obtained specific neuronal and vascular populations from both infarcted and control areas. From these fractions, we showed that MMP-9 and TIMP-2 were highly produced in brain microvessels while MMP-10 was notably increased in neurons of the ischemic brain but not in healthy areas. These findings demonstrate a selective cell-dependent MMP secretion, opening the possibility of selectively targeting specific MMPs for neuroprotection or vasculoprotection following stroke.


A Zn and Pd co-modified TiO2 photocatalyst exhibits remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity upon reduction of CO2 into CH4. Owing to the synergistic effect of unique O–Zn–Cl and O–Pd–O species, TiO2–PdX–ZnY presents enhanced visible absorption and efficient charge carrier separation. It can be deduced from theoretical calculations and experimental results that the energy levels of O–Zn–Cl and O–Pd–O satisfy the redox potential of CO2 reduction, improving the photocatalytic performance. These results suggest that introducing multi-surface species to produce synergetic effects is a feasible route for efficient photocatalysis.


The Spurring Private Aerospace Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship Act of 2015 (SPACE Act) aims to promote wealth creation by guaranteeing protection of U.S. citizens' property rights to celestial resources. But there are serious concerns that government protection of space property claims are incompatible with international law. This article proposes a purely private legal system for space commerce as an alternative to government-defined and enforced property rights. Economic theory shows how property rights and rules for adjudicating disputes can be self-enforcing. Economic history shows that such a system has worked well for centuries in international trade. A private legal commercial order for space is thus both feasible and desirable.


E-Learning is no longer just about the materials burned on CD-ROMs and sent across the country. With the potential offered by the Internet, there are new on-line courses emerging every day. However successful they are, they still do not utilize the potential of online communities or semantic descriptions of learning objects. As a result, learning material is usually static and not adjustable for the specific needs of the learner. What is more, there is no simple way to reuse existing e-learning material. In this article we present how the concept of social semantic information sources can be adapted to the e-learning systems. We define a 2-layer learning objects enrichment architecture that allows interoperability between various e-learning systems. We present how dynamic courses can be delivered by utilizing user profile information.


The 3D models of the human cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and type 2 (CB2) were built by homology modeling. The models were developed by using multiple sequence alignment. The prediction of the drug-receptor interactions and their corresponding binding free energy is a difficult problem in the structure-based drug design. Molecular docking approaches were used to propose the binding mode and underlying interactions as well as to provide an evaluation of ligand affinity. The cannabinoid system was studied by means of molecular docking techniques by using the 3D models of the CB1 and CB2 receptors and some known cannabinoid ligands. Once the final models were obtained, molecular docking simulations were performed by using GOLD 5.2 program to predict putative binding site and potential ligand-receptor interactions such as hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen-bonding, etc.. The obtained results could be used in further experiments in quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) and a design of new potential and selective cannabinoid ligands. Acknowledgements: This work is partially supported by the project of the Bulgarian National Science Fund, entitled: Bioinformatics research: protein folding, docking and prediction of biological activity, NSF I02/16, 12.12.14.


Background/Context The United States is currently undergoing a period of unprecedented immigration, with the majority of new arrivals coming from Asia and Latin America, not Europe. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (APIs) represent the fastest growing racial group in the United States, and schools are again being asked to socialize newcomer students, many of whom are APIs. Yet, even as the United States becomes more racially diverse, the national mindset regarding immigrants and immigration ranges from ambivalent to increasingly (and currently) hostile, and is often contradictory. "American" typically is imagined as "White," and perceptions of APIs and people of color as "other" remain cemented in our collective psyche. It is this sociohistorical-political context that frames the education and socialization of Asian American citizens, immigrants, and their children. Objective/Focus As APIs are absorbed into the fabric of society, how will they define themselves? How will they be defined? This article begins by deconstructing the social category Asian and Pacific Islander in order to reveal the immense diversity contained under this label. The discussion illuminates both the horizontal diversity of APIs—differences between ethnic groups, and vertical diversity—differences within ethnic groups, to underscore the insufficiency of the API label. Against the diverse backdrop that APIs truly (re)present, (Asian) American education framed by three curricular contexts in the United States—the major reforms of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act, culturally relevant pedagogy, and the "model minority" mythology—is theorized using postcolonial theory as an analytic lens. The article concludes with thoughts on how APIs can resist domination and what might be sites of resistance in schools or society. Research Design This is an analytic essay that examines both historical and contemporary educational and policy contexts. Conclusions/Recommendations Curriculum, defined not simply as subject matter content and instructional procedures, but as a tool of acculturation and a depository of (U.S.) national and cultural values, has the power to emancipate or colonize. Each of the three curricular contexts in the United States—the major reforms of the No Child Left Behind Act, culturally relevant pedagogy, and the "model minority" mythology—exemplify the role Curriculum plays in defining, silencing, and/or marginalizing APIs. Imagined sites of resistance against Curriculum as colonizer include this very page, where one voice deliberately pushes back against the obfuscation of fixed realities layered onto people of Asian descent in the United States, the reexamination and revision(ing) of teacher preparation curricula, and the larger policy arena.


BACKGROUND
Growing acceptance rates of elderly patients for dialysis requires a careful planning of renal services expansion. As little is known about the actual resource use in patients 70 years and over, we evaluated the entire range of costs related to treatment, hospitalization, medication and other health and social service use, and assessed the impact of socio-demographic and clinical factors on costs.

METHODS
Service use and costs were assessed in a 12-month prospective cohort study of 171 dialysis patients, 70 years of age and over, from four hospital-based renal units in London, UK.

RESULTS
Total costs ranged between 14,940 pounds and 58,250 pounds per annum. The average annual cost was 22,740 pounds [95% confidence interval (CI), 21,470-24,020 pounds]. The majority of costs were allocated to dialysis treatment and transport (70%), hospitalizations (12%) and medication (12%). Other health and social services accounted for only 6% of total costs. Dialysis and hospitalization costs were pound 68.4 per day on average. Univariate subgroup analyses showed no significant difference between patients on peritoneal dialysis (64.5 pounds) and haemodialysis (71.5 pounds, P = 0.13). Age 80 years and over and presence of peripheral vascular disease (PVD) were associated with higher daily costs of 73.3 pounds compared with 63.2 pounds in the 70-74 age group (P = 0.033) and 76.9 pounds vs 63.8 pounds in patients without PVD (P = 0.022), respectively. Proximity to death was associated with a nearly pound 40 increase in daily costs (96.8 vs 59.7 pounds; P < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analyses confirmed these findings and showed that age 80 years and over and presence of peripheral and cerebrovascular disease were significant predictors of costs. There was a large but marginally significant difference in costs in patients with cancer. We found no evidence that diabetes was associated with higher dialysis and hospitalization costs.

CONCLUSIONS
The costs of providing dialysis for patients 70 years and over are largely shaped by the treatment costs rather than by use of community health and social services. Though age above 80 and co-morbidity are associated with increased resource use, average treatment costs are not higher than estimates for dialysis patients in general. This suggests that there is no case for providing treatment to younger patients and denying it to elderly patients on grounds of cost.


SUMMARY Olive cultivar classification has been a primary concern for olive growers since the earliest times of olive cultivation. As one of the earliest fruit crops to be domesticated, the number of olive genotypes cultivated in the Mediterranean region and elsewhere is high, and the assessment of an easy and undisputed system of classification has become increasingly urgent. This is also because of the high number of synonyms and homonyms in existence. The present review examines the history of attempts, in all olive-producing countries and by many researchers, to achieve an ultimate and exhaustive descriptor list that is valid for all past, present and future genotypes, to support technicians, growers and scholars. After a thorough review of the numerous elaiographical lists proposed, the modern research tools that have been applied to olive (i.e., ultrastructural, biochemical, DNA and molecular markers) are examined critically. A balance sheet has been prepared, taking into account initiatives by major international and national institutions.


Many multi-agent systems in nature are comprised of agents that interact with, and respond to, the dynamics of their environment. In this paper, we approach the study of such agent environment interactions through the study of passively compliant vehicles coupled to their environment via simple nonholonomic constraints. We first consider a single passively compliant Chaplygin beanie atop a platform having translational compliance, introduce the reduced equations for the system using the notion of nonholonomic momentum, and provide proof for its stability under arbitrary deformations of the elastic element modeling its compliance. We then direct our focus to results concerning the frequency response and control of passive Chaplygin beanies under actuation of the platform, discuss rich dynamical features arising from periodic actuation, and develop rules by which control can be exerted to collect and disperse multiple passive vehicles. We then discuss how the latter of these results clarifies the extent to which stable behavior can be excited in the system through exogenous control.


: Seventeen cases of chemodectomas seen in the University College Hospital, Ibadan, are presented. Eight of them (48%) are carotid body tumors, while six (36%) are glomus jugulare. The rest are subglottic, abdominal and multicentric. The sex distribution for the two major types is equal for males and females; but they all seem to appear in younger age groups. Operative mortality has been exclusive to carotid body tumors (50% for this group), while bleeding is the leading postoperative complication in all the cases. The embryology, pathophysiology and clinical presentation of chemodectomas are discussed and it is suggested that, in the management of this condition, the advantages of operation should be weighed against morbidity and mortality risks.


This paper focuses upon the community engagement of young people growing up in socio-economically disadvantaged areas and the creation of apt civic learning spaces. It is in direct response to public policy within the UK, as in many other democratic countries, giving continued attention to how young people's active citizenship can be best supported.  As a consequence of processes of globalisation, social change and technological advancement it is being increasingly recognised that young citizens face unprecedented challenges in the 21 st century. At the same time young people growing up within areas of socio-economic disadvantage are commonly identified as being most at risk of social exclusion and discouragement with regard to their civic participation. This paper draws from the EngagED research project, a two-year study based in England that used a mixed methods approach to explore the civic action and learning of young people living in both inner city and rural areas of socio-economic disadvantage. It presents an eco-systemic model of the host of factors and agencies that influence young people's civic identity and patterns of community engagement. It outlines two new civic learning spaces that were created in response to these complex ecologies and from these experiments in 'pre-figurative practice' proposes a set of key principles for the effective civic pedagogue. This radical notion of the civic educator moves away from educational strategies that seek to 'transform' young people into good future citizens, towards finding personalised ways of supporting young people 'as' citizens.


The study aimed to assess the influence of three cooking methods (boiling, steaming, and microwave-cooking) on (i) composition in individual phenolic compounds, (ii) total phenolic content (TPC), and (iii) total antioxidant activity (TAA) of eight Mediterranean wild edible species (Asparagus acutifolius, Asphodeline lutea, Beta vulgaris, Helminthotheca echioides, Sonchus oleraceus, Taraxacum officinale, Urospermum picroides, Urtica dioica). In raw greens, several caffeic acid derivatives (chicoric, caftaric, chlorogenic, neochlorogenic, 1,5-and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acids) and flavonoids (glycosides of apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol) were identified. Cooking treatments did not affect qualitative phenolic composition, while quantitative changes were recorded in some phenolic compounds and in TPC. Generally, boiling decreased TPC and TAA, while chicoric, caftaric, chlorogenic acids and quercetin-3-rutinoside increased in some species after steaming and microwave-cooking, showing positive correlation with TAA. Results confirmed steaming and microwave-cooking as mild procedures able to increase antioxidant capacity of some species, producing beneficial effects on their nutraceutical properties.


The study investigated the cases of disbarment in the Philippines from 2000 to 2009. It looked into the grounds on which their disbarment was based, in the lawyers' capacity when the offense was committed and the other reasons considered by the Court in deciding towards disbarment. Through the aid of the SCRA Quick Index, Lawphil search engine, and the Supreme Court e-library, the study found that the grounds for disbarment or suspension of an attorney are: (1) deceit; (2) malpractice or other gross misconduct in office; (3) grossly immoral conduct; (4) conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude; (5) violation of the lawyer's oath; (6) willful disobedience of any lawful order of a superior court; and (7) willfully appearing as an attorney for a party without authority. It also revealed that the occurence of disbarment are highest at nine for a year and around three on the average within the same period. It also showed that almost a third of the cases of disbarment were based on lawyers' acts of deceit, and nearly half were committed in their capacity as private individuals.


Environmental impact assessment, or EIA as it is known, is a procedures for evaluating the impact, proposed activities may have on the environment. In recent years, significant strides have been made to build a legal foundation for EIAs in Sub-Saharan Africa. Whereas EIAs typically used to be carried out only to meet requirements of foreign donors, they are now mandated in twenty two Sub-Saharan countries, as an important element of domestic environmental law, and policy. This publication traces the development of EIA, both in terms of national policies, and international law, and, analyzes EIA-related laws and regulations in those countries. The substantive components of EIA requirements, as well as the similarities, and differences of the various national statutes, are noted and commented upon. Special attention is paid to the role, and degree of public participation, for the further development of law, and policy with respect to environmental impact assessments in Sub-Saharan Africa.


"Mastering Academic Reading "is meant to challenge advanced academically oriented students of English. The units and the readings within them are long. The comprehension and expansion exercises after them are demanding. The hoped-for outcome is that students trained using this textbook will be able to better hold their own in university classes where the reading volume across disciplines and vocabulary demands are high. Almost every reading is taken, in minimally adapted form, from a book or academic / professional journal. Two introductory passages have been composed expressly for this book in order to provide narrowly focused background material. Beyond these pieces, readers are in the hands of real-world authors and their difficult, lexically diffuse, and allusion-filled creations. Journal articles and book excerpts predominate, but "Mastering Academic Reading" also offers a book review and a government pamphlet as well. Since one aspect of reading practice builds on others, the units are laid out in tiers, not in sections. Each unit has been organized into three tiers. In general, there is one reading per tier, although the first tier in Unit 3 contains two passages (both necessary to provide conceptual background for the other two tiers). Each reading is 3,500-5,000 words. The book focuses on the three primary goals of academic reading: reading to learn; reading to integrate, write, and critique texts; and reading for basic comprehension. "


A collection of library and open educational resources - primary works and secondary studies and criticism on some established Modernist artists.


Gestures are an important modality for human-machine communication, and robust gesture recognition can be an important component of intelligent homes and assistive environments in general. An important aspect of gestures is handshape. Handshapes can hold important information about the meaning of a gesture, for example in sign languages, or about the intent of an action, for example in manipulative gestures or in virtual reality interfaces. At the same time, recognizing handshape can be a very challenging task, because the same handshape can look very different in different images, depending on the 3D orientation of the hand and the viewpoint of the camera. In this paper we examine a database approach for handshape classification, whereby a large database of tens of thousands of images is used to represent the wide variability of handshape appearance. Efficient and accurate indexing methods are important in such a database approach, to ensure that the system can match every incoming image to the large number of database images at interactive times. In this paper we examine the use of embedding-based and hash table-based indexing methods for handshape recognition, and we experimentally compare these two approaches on the task of recognizing 20 handshapes commonly used in American Sign Language (ASL).


Function is defined as the ensemble of tasks that enable the product to complete the designed purpose. Functional tools, such as functional modeling, offer decision guidance in the early phase of product design where explicit design decisions are yet to be made. Function-based design data is often sparse and grounded in individual interpretation. As such, function-based design tools can benefit from automatic function classification to increase data fidelity and provide function representation models that enable function-based intelligent design agents. Function- based design data is commonly stored in manually generated design repositories. These design repositories are a collection of expert knowledge and interpretations of function in product design bounded by function-flow and component taxonomies. In this work, we represent a structured taxonomy-based design repository as assembly-flow graphs, then leverage a graph neural network (GNN) model to perform automatic function classification. We support automated function classification by learn- ing from repository data to establish the ground truth of component function assignment. Experimental results show that our GNN model achieves a micro-average F1-score of 0.832 for tier 1 (broad), 0.756 for tier 2, and 0.783 for tier 3 (specific) functions. Given the imbalance of data features, the results are encouraging. Our efforts in this paper can be a starting point for more sophisticated applications in knowledge-based CAD systems, and Design-for-X consideration in function-based design.


The Poxviruses are a family of double stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses that cause disease in many species, both vertebrate and invertebrate. Their genomes range in size from 135 to 365 kbp and show conservation in both organization and content. In particular, the central genomic regions of the chordopoxvirus subfamily (those capable of infecting vertebrates) contain 88 genes which are present in all the virus species characterised to date and which mostly occur in the same order and orientation. In contrast, however, the terminal regions of the genomes frequently contain genes that are species or genera-specific and that are not essential for the growth of the virus in vitro but instead often encode factors with important roles in vivo including modulation of the host immune response to infection and determination of the host range of the virus. The Parapoxviruses (PPV), of which Orf virus is the prototypic species, represent a genus within the chordopoxvirus subfamily of Poxviridae and are characterised by their ability to infect ruminants and humans. The genus currently contains four recognised species of virus, bovine papular stomatitis virus (BPSV) and pseudocowpox virus (PCPV) both of which infect cattle, orf virus (OV) that infects sheep and goats, and parapoxvirus of red deer in New Zealand (PVNZ). The ORFV genome has been fully sequenced, as has that of BPSV, and is ~138 kb in length encoding ~132 genes. The vast majority of these genes allow the virus to replicate in the cytoplasm of the infected host cell and therefore encode proteins involved in replication, transcription and metabolism of nucleic acids. These genes are well conserved between all known genera of poxviruses. There is however another class of genes, located at either end of the linear dsDNA genome, that encode proteins which are non-essential for replication and generally dictate host range and virulence of the virus. The non-essential genes are often the most variable within and between species of virus and therefore are potentially useful for diagnostic purposes. Given their role in subverting the host-immune response to infection they are also targets for novel therapeutics. The function of only a relatively small number of these proteins has been elucidated and there are several genes whose function still remains obscure principally because there is little similarity between them and proteins of known function in current sequence databases. It is thought that by selectively removing some of the virulence genes, or at least neutralising the proteins in some way, current vaccines could be improved. The evolution of poxviruses has been proposed to be an adaptive process involving frequent events of gene gain and loss, such that the virus co-evolves with its specific host. Gene capture or horizontal gene transfer from the host to the virus is considered an important source of new viral genes including those likely to be involved in host range and those enabling the virus to interfere with the host immune response to infection. Given the low rate of nucleotide substitution, recombination can be seen as an essential evolutionary driving force although it is likely underestimated. Recombination in poxviruses is intimately linked to DNA replication with both viral and cellular proteins participate in this recombination-dependent replication. It has been shown, in other poxvirus genera, that recombination between isolates and perhaps even between species does occur, thereby providing another mechanism for the acquisition of new genes and for the rapid evolution of viruses. Such events may result in viruses that have a selective advantage over others, for example in re-infections (a characteristic of the PPV), or in viruses that are able to jump the species barrier and infect new hosts. Sequence data related to viral strains isolated from goats suggest that possible recombination events may have occurred between OV and PCPV (Ueda et al. 2003). The recombination events are frequent during poxvirus replication and comparative genomic analysis of several poxvirus species has revealed that recombinations occur frequently on the right terminal region.
Intraspecific recombination can occur between strains of the same PPV species, but also interspecific recombination can happen depending on enough sequence similarity to enable recombination between distinct PPV species. The most important pre-requisite for a successful recombination is the coinfection of the individual host by different virus strains or species. Consequently, the following factors affecting the distribution of different viruses to shared target cells need to be considered: dose of inoculated virus, time interval between inoculation of the first and the second virus, distance between the marker mutations, genetic homology. At present there are no available data on the replication dynamics of PPV in permissive and non permissive hosts and reguarding co-infetions there are no information on the interference mechanisms occurring during the simultaneous replication of viruses of different species. This work has been carried out to set up permissive substrates allowing the replication of different PPV species, in particular keratinocytes monolayers and organotypic skin cultures. Furthermore a method to isolate and expand ovine skin stem cells was has been set up to indeep further aspects of viral cellular tropism during natural infection. The study produced important data to elucidate the replication dynamics of OV and PCPV virus in vitro as well as the mechanisms of interference that can arise during co-infection with different viral species. Moreover, the analysis carried on the genomic right terminal region of PCPV 1303/05 contributed to a better knowledge of the viral genes involved in host interaction and pathogenesis as well as to locate recombination breakpoints and genetic homologies between PPV species. Taken together these data filled several crucial gaps for the study of interspecific recombinations of PPVs which are thought to be important for a better understanding of the viral evolution and to improve the biosafety of antiviral therapy and PPV-based vectors.


This project set out to investigate if the technique of mind mapping could be used to improve the study and planning skills of second year Digital Media students from the School of Art and Design (SAD) and first year students on the History of Computing module from the School of Computing and Information Technology (SCIT). Both sets of students were shown how mind mapping could be used to plan the different types of work that they needed to undertake for their modules. MindManager software was installed in selected computer labs and the students were given tuition on how to use the software.


Although total plasma homocysteine (tHcy) has been extensively studied as a risk factor of CVD, longitudinal evidence on its association with mortality is scarce, especially among the elderly. The study cohort consisted of 215 subjects (eighty-eight male and 127 female), aged 60 years or older, recruited in fourteen elderly care institutions from Asturias (Spain). All participants were free of major chronic pathology and took no vitamin and/or mineral supplements. Baseline determinations included tHcy in plasma and folate, vitamin B12 and Se in serum. Survival analyses were performed by quintiles of these factors after 6 years (mean follow-up time 4·3 years) by means of Cox regression models. During follow-up time sixty participants died. tHcy above 16·7 μmol/l was associated with an increased risk of mortality in the sample (relative risk 2·30 (95 % CI 1·02, 5·17)). Among the nutritional determinants of tHcy evaluated, folate and Se were not predictive of death risk of the cohort, while vitamin B12 showed inconsistent results. Nevertheless, mortality was significantly lower at higher serum Se levels (upper quintile), but this effect was restricted to women. Higher tHcy in both sexes and lower serum Se in women were found to be independently associated with an increased risk of death in elderly subjects.


Nuclear fusion in newly formed Chlamydomonas reinhardtii zygotes can be inhibited by drugs that affect microtubule stability, which include colchicine, amiprophosmethyl, oryzalin, and taxol. This inhibition can be monitored genetically by the production of haploid meiotic products from conjugations between haploid and diploid parents. Such zygotes would normally produce aneuploid progeny. Inhibition of nuclear fusion by colchicine requires treatment of gametic cells both before conjugation and after formation of the zygotes. These results suggest that nuclear fusion requires dynamic microtubules. Treated zygotes formed from a haploid-diploid mating can produce six spores, but only four spores germinate to form viable haploid colonies. No contribution from the nuclear genome of the haploid parent is recovered, whereas all loci from the diploid parent are recovered. The four viable products from the diploid parent of inhibited zygotes show normal segregation of loci located on linkage groups segregating according to Mendelian laws. Levels of meiotic recombination were tested for pairs of loci on linkage groups XVIII and XIX and found to be unchanged by inhibition of nuclear fusion. Thus, similar to Saccharomyces cerevisiae, C. reinhardtii mating-type functions necessary for nuclear fusion are not nuclear limited and can act through the cytoplasm. Inhibition of nuclear fusion can be used to analyze diploid Chlamydomonas that cannot enter meiosis. This technique permits direct analysis of dominant mutations, dominant suppressors and enhancers, and new alleles of identified loci that have been isolated in diploid strains.


Until a few years ago, the anterior pituitary was the master gland of the endocrine hierarchy, promoting growth through the production of growth hormone and controlling the secretion patterns of the thyroid, adrenal cortex, and gonad through the production of various tropic hormones. Now, in a social decline somewhat like that of the modern pediatric department chairman, the anterior pituitary is recognized as the transducer of commands sent to it from the brain and even its range of response to these commands is modulated extensively by feedback influences from the periphery. There are no neural connections between the brain and the anterior pituitary gland. Instead, the commands to produce various pituitary hormones are carried in the form of peptide factors or hormones that are synthesized within hypothalamic neurons, stored in their terminal dendrites in the median eminence, and released as required into a portal system of capillaries that traverses the


This paper investigated the forming defects causation and related resolving measures by combining numerical method with experimental technique. A practical case of one auto-body panel stamped parts with forming defects was studied in detail. A new approach determining the causation of forming defects and finding out resolving ways was proposed. Firstly, uses numerical method to analyze the characteristics of the whole forming process by dividing the forming process into virtual steps, so as to obtain the forming feature such as stress & strain distribution during the stamping process. Secondly, uses experimental grid method to measure the real plastic strain distribution of the defective area thus to analyze the forming rule of this area. By synthesizing both methods and carrying out extensive analysis, it is possible to make sure the cause of the defects and put out solving scheme further. The study shows that numerical combined with experimental method is an effective way in analyzing and resolving forming defects for auto-body parts.


Human Sexuality and its Problems. Edited by JOHN BANCROFT. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. 1982. Pp 447. £12.00. This is an excellent book; John Bancroft puts across in a clear, concise and unbiased manner the various ramifications of human sexuality. There are chapters on sexual development and the anatomy, physiology, hormonal and biochemical basis of sexuality and a consideration of patterns of human sexual behaviour both normal and those of sexual minorities. He presents a considered appraisal of sexual minor ities in a way which should be acceptable both to those brought up on the medical model and those who look particularly at the social and environmental aspects of the development of such problems. The chapters on therapy and counselling cover sensate focus and behavioural therapy, the use of medication and hormones to aid treatment, and the relative value of sexual aids and surgical treatment. The iatrogenic aspects of psychosexual problems are covered—in particular the sexual side effects of therapeutic drugs and of surgical treatment. It is most important that these aspects of aetiology are not lost when patients are being assessed for sexual counselling. The final chapter on sexual offences gives a fair appraisal of the current status and anachronisms in the law with regard to the sexual offender. This book should be available to all libraries and departments where students of sexuality are housed. It will have a wide range of interest not simply to the psychosexual counsellor but to those working in related fields of medicine, psychology and social work.


Cockroaches decapitated in a fully hydrated state at first lose water under desiccation much more rapidly than their intact counterparts. The rate of loss decreases with time of desiccation; this decrease is more marked in decapitated than in intact cockroaches. The initial rate of water loss is lower and less variable in predesiccated cockroaches and continues to fall gradually during further desiccation. Decapitation of predesiccated cockroaches has little effect on the rate of water loss. Similarly, the rate of water loss is low with low variability in water-stressed cockroaches taken from dry culture conditions, and decapitation has no significant effect. The lowering of the rate of water loss is not a simple response to lowering of the body water content, but is a two-stage, time-related physiological response of acclimatization to water-stress or desiccation. The initial phase of rapid response requires the presence of the head, whereas the subsequent gradual phase does not. With the techniques used in this investigation, handling-related effects of the decapitation procedure are not significant. Note: Present address: Department of Biology, College of Education, University of Baghdad, Iraq.


Suprasellar hemangioblastomas are rare lesions occurring sporadically or more commonly with von Hippel Lindau disease (VHLD).1,2 A 27-yr-old female presented with amenorrhea, mildly raised prolactin levels and otherwise normal pituitary function, homonymous hemianopia, and mild cognitive decline. Imaging revealed a large suprasellar lesion arising from the infundibulum, causing compression of optic chiasm with edema in the visual pathways. Lesion appeared hypervascular with prominent feeding vessels from the internal carotid arteries bilaterally. To access these vessels derived from the superior hypophyseal arteries and allow early devascularization, endoscopic endonasal approach was performed.3 Stalk preservation was deemed unlikely. After opening of the suprasellar dura, indocyanine dye allowed early identification of the feeding vessels. They were sequentially sacrificed, allowing early devascularization while preserving the normal blood supply to the optic chiasm from the superior hypophyseal arteries. Pituitary gland and stalk were removed with the latter being completely involved by tumor to provide access to the retroclival region and posterior circulation. After opening of the dura underlying the dorsum sella, inferior pole of the tumor was exposed with blood supply identified from the posterior communicating arteries but not the basilar or posterior cerebral arteries. Devascularized lesion was safely removed from the optic apparatus, hypothalamus, and the third ventricle. Histology was consistent with hemangoblastoma (VHLD negative). Patient's cognitive and visual function normalized with a postoperative magnetic resonance imagingdemonstrating complete resection, no ischemic events on diffusion-weighted imaging, and resolution of the edema in the hypothalamus and visual pathways.1 She was started on desmopressin and replacement therapy for pituitary function. The patient consented to the procedure.  Patient provided consent for publication.


Contraceptive use allows couples to determine and ascertain the desired number of children as well as the spacing of their child births. It has a direct impact on health, wealth and well-being of people. Objectives: To assess the knowledge and attitude towards contraceptives. To find the association between knowledge, attitude and selected demographic variable. To find the relationship between knowledge and attitude towards contraceptives. Methodology: A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out among 323 married women between the age group of 18 – 45 years residing in slums of Udupi district. The Five slums were selected by simple random sampling from Udupi district. Data was collected through interview method by using structured knowledge questionnaire and attitude scale towards contraceptives. Results: The study result shows that majority 192(59.5%) of women had average knowledge, 122 (37.7%) had poor knowledge, only 9(2.7%) of women had good knowledge. Majority 321 (99.4%) of women had positive attitude towards contraceptive use. The number of living children (χ2 =9.205 p=0.008) has significant association with attitude towards contraceptive use. There was weak positive correlation between knowledge and attitude which was statistically significant (ρ=0.256, p=0.001).Conclusion: There is a need to create awareness among women of reproductive age group regarding contraceptive use


Reduction of machining times and optimization of cutting parameters and conditions hold great importance in machining processes. Milling is among the most important machining processes used for machining of fiber-reinforced composite materials. The present research was carried out to investigate the effect of cutting parameters on tool wear during the milling of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) materials which are widely used in aviation and aerospace industries. A multidirectional CFRP composite material with 6 mm width and 24 layers was used as the workpiece. The tests were performed under dry conditions on a CNC vertical processing center with 100, 200 and 300 m/min cutting speeds; 0.05 – 0.15 and 0.25 mm/tooth feedrates and at 1 mm constant cutting width. To understand the wear process, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses of the worn surfaces were performed.


Tomotherapy is a dose delivery technique using helical or axial intensity modulated beams. One of the strengths of the tomotherapy concept is that it can incorporate a number of processes into a single piece of equipment. These processes include treatment optimization planning, dose reconstruction and kilovoltage/megavoltage image reconstruction. A common computational technique that could be used for all of these processes would be very appealing. The maximum likelihood estimator, originally developed for emission tomography, can serve as a useful tool in imaging and radiotherapy. We believe that this approach can play an important role in the processes of optimization planning, dose reconstruction and kilovoltage and/or megavoltage image reconstruction. These processes involve computations that require comparable physical methods. They are also based on equivalent assumptions, and they have similar mathematical solutions. As a result, the maximum likelihood approach is able to provide a common framework for all three of these computational problems. We will demonstrate how maximum likelihood methods can be applied to optimization planning, dose reconstruction and megavoltage image reconstruction in tomotherapy. Results for planning optimization, dose reconstruction and megavoltage image reconstruction will be presented. Strengths and weaknesses of the methodology are analysed. Future directions for this work are also suggested.


The generation of paramagnetic interfacial defects (Si ) in standard thermal by thermal processing has been studied in the temperature range . Besides consolidating the well known dissociation (activation) process (prominent from approximately onward) of pre-existing entities, electron spin resonance (ESR) newly reveals the existence of an irreversible creation mechanism initiating from approximately onward. The created density increases monotonically with T, with no trend for levelling off up to , where . The crucial creation step has been isolated as post-oxidation thermal cycling in O-free ambient. The process constitutes thermally-induced interface degradation, the data providing first atomic defect information, i.e. creation. It demonstrates successful application of ESR in probing interface degradation.


Both IrV and RhV crystallize in the IrV structure, with a transition to the higher symmetry L10 structure at high temperature, or with the addition of excess Ir or Rh. Here we present evidence that this transition is driven by the lowering of the electronic density of states at the Fermi level of the IrV structure. The transition has long been thought to be second order, with a simple doubling of the L10 unit cell due to an unstable phonon at the R point (0 1/2 1/2). We use first-principles calculations to show that all phonons at the R point are, in fact, stable, but do find a region of reciprocal space where the L10 structure has unstable (imaginary frequency) phonons. We use the frozen phonon method to examine two of these modes, relaxing the structures associated with the unstable phonon modes to obtain new structures which are lower in energy than L10 but still above IrV. We examine the phonon spectra of these structures as ensity functional theory rdered intermetallic alloys well, looking for instabilities, and find further instabilities, and more relaxed structures, all of which have energies above the IrV phase. In addition, we find that all of the relaxed structures, stable and unstable, have a density comparable to the L10 phase (and less than the IrV phase), so that any transition from one of these structures to the ground state will have a volume change as well as an energy discontinuity. We conclude that the transition from L10 to IrV is probably weakly first order. We also examine the behavior of similar compounds, and show that the IrV structures of both IrTi and RhTi are lower in entall energy than the experim


Since 1999, European education ministers have discussed and further implemented the 'Bologna process', a wide-ranging framework for the reform of higher education. Lifelong learning was added as a goal of the process in 2001. This article evaluates the extent to which the development of lifelong learning has progressed and examines whether the Bologna process has facilitated lifelong learning opportunities in a sample of countries. The evaluation of legislative instruments and policy positions of different stakeholders in Germany, France, Italy and the UK shows that countries link quite different strategies to lifelong learning in higher education. Specific national approaches exist which facilitate or restrict its development. Thus far, the impact of the Bologna process on this issue has been modest. The process has mainly had an impact on the discussion regarding lifelong learning, not necessarily whether and how such policies and programs are implemented.


Recent events in Syria and Iraq have shown in horrifying starkness the increased participation of British jihadists in terrorist fighting in the Middle East. In response, many have called for increased measures against home-grown radicals, to prevent them from travelling abroad to fight for the Islamist cause and, crucially, to stop them from carrying out attacks upon their return. Raffaello Pantucci analyses the difficulties of identifying potential terrorists among the many individuals who move within radical Islamist circles, and the even more challenging task of pinpointing those susceptible to self-radicalisation who could, without direct guidance, carry out dangerous acts of lone-actor terrorism.


1Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; 2Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; 3Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; 4Norwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway Purpose: Many children have periods when they sleep too little, with widely recognized detrimental effects. Less is known about persistent short sleep during childhood. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of persistent short sleep in school-aged children and identify a set of child, parent, and peer predictors thereof. Participants and Methods: Objectively measured sleep duration (hip-held accelerometer) was biennially assessed in a community sample followed from 6 to 14 years (n=801). A latent profile analysis was applied to assess whether a subgroup of children slept consistently short across time and predictors of persistent short sleep were determined through regression analysis. Results: A subgroup of children (n=160; 20.2%) was identified as having persistent short sleep across time. Temperamental negative affectivity (β=0.08; 95% CI=0.01, 0.15; p=0.03) and low observer-assessed parental emotional availability (β=−.09; 95% CI=−.18, −.01; p=0.04) predicted membership to that group. Teacher ratings of victimization from bullying were not associated with persistent short sleep (β=0.01; 95% CI: −.10, 11; p=0.88). Conclusion: High child temperamental negative affectivity and low parental emotional availability may be involved in the development of persistent short sleep through childhood.


The Mathematics of Language (MoL) special interest group traces its origins to a meeting held in October 1984 at Ann Arbor, Michigan. While MoL is among the oldest SIGs of the ACL, it is the first time that the proceedings are produced by our parent organization. The first volume was published by Benjamins, later ones became special issues of the Annals of Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence and Linguistics and Philosophy, and for the last three occasions (really six years, since MoL only meets every second year) we relied on the Springer LNCS series. Perhaps the main reason for this aloofness was that the past three decades have brought the ascendancy of statistical methods in computational linguistics, with the formal, grammar-based methods that were the mainstay of mathematical linguistics viewed with increasing suspicion.To make matters worse, the harsh anti-formal rhetoric of leading linguists relegated important attempts at formalizing Government-Binding and later Minimalist theory to the fringes of syntax. Were it not for phonology and morphology, where the incredibly efficient finite state methods pioneered by Kimmo Koskenniemi managed to bridge the gap between computational practice and linguistic theory, and were it not for the realization that the mathematical approach has no alternative in machine learning, MoL could have easily disappeared from the frontier of research.The current volume marks a time when we can begin to see the computational and the theoretical linguistics camps together again. The selection of papers, while still strong on phonology (Heinz and Lai, Heinz and Rogers) and morphology (Kornai et al.), extends well to syntax (Hunter and Dyer, Fowlie) and semantics (Clark et al., Fernando). Direct computational concerns such as machine translation (Martzoukos et al.), decoding (Corlett and Penn), and complexity (Berglund et al.) are now clearly seen as belonging to the core focus of the field.The 10 papers presented in this volume were selected by the Program Committee from 16 submissions. We would like to thank the authors, the members of the Program Committee, and our invited speaker for their contributions to the planning and execution of the workshop, and the ACL conference organizers, especially Aoife Cahill and Qun Liu (workshops), and Roberto Navigli and Jing-Shin Chang (publications) for their significant contributions to the overall management of the workshop and their direction in preparing the publication of the proceedings.


Author(s): Brown, Matthew David | Advisor(s): Novotny, Thomas E. | Abstract: ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATIONApplied Health Diplomacy: Advancing the Science, Practice, and Tradecraft of Global Health Diplomacy to Facilitate More Effective Global Health ActionbyMatthew D. BrownDoctor of Philosophy in Public Health (Global Health)University of California, San Diego, 2016San Diego State University, 2016Professor Thomas E. Novotny, ChairGlobal Health Diplomacy (GHD) is a burgeoning field that bridges independent priorities in both global health and foreign affairs. Given the increasing need to mobilize the global community to respond to Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEIC) such as Ebola or Zika, as well as forge new and expand existing collaborations to tackle public health challenges of mutual concern, effective and timely coordination and cooperation among actors is critical. Health Attaches are key diplomats who represent nation-states in these negotiations. Despite this diplomatic mandates, they are very few in numbers and little is published about this profession, preparation, and perspectives in field of GHD. Additionally, no institution has published a GHD core competency model to help standardize recruitment, training, and preparation of personnel changed with the practice of GHD, which can lead to confusion when trying to align actors and institutions to achieve effective global health action. Objectives: (1) Update definitions and practice models in GHD related to the development and practice of Health Attaches; (2) Create a GHD core competency model to address gaps in training for global public health, foreign affairs, and other professionals; and (3) Present a profile of practicing Health Attaches accredited to the United States and foreign governments.Methods: By synthesizing literature and definitions used in the field with an emphasis on practice, develop a framework for GHD and a tradecraft model for Health Attaches in the 21st Century (Chapter 2). Developed a core competency model for GHD by: (a) identifying core competency models from global public health and foreign affairs training institutions; (b) employing a priori word counts drawn from the foreign affairs literature, measure degrees of association and divergence between global public health and foreign affairs competency models; and (c) based on these comparisons, formulate an initial core competency model for GHD (Chapter 3). Utilize key informant interviews to qualitatively explore perspectives, preparation, best practices, and challenges in the field of GHD among Health Attaches accredited to the United States and foreign governments (Chapter 4). Results: In Chapter 2, we introduce a Pyramid of Global Health Diplomacy, presenting three levels of GHD practice: core, multi-stakeholder, and informal, each with associated actors, definitions, and tools; and a Tradecraft Model of Global Health Diplomacy and Health Attaches, to map relations among stakeholders, counterparts, and institutions. In Chapter 3, we propose a Global Health Diplomacy Core Competency Model illustrating foreign affairs institutions need additional knowledge, skills, and abilities in: (a) heath communication, (b) public health analysis, and (c) public health ethics; and global public health institutions need additional knowledge, skills, and abilities in: (a) leadership, (b) foreign languages, and (c) foreign policy goals, objectives, and strategies. In Chapter 4, Health Attaches identified skills in diplomacy and negotiation, applied science, and cross cultural competency critical for success, and providing expanded communication protocols on health plans and counterparts, while on-the-job training and mentored experiences for practitioners is important for future actors in the field. Conclusion: This dissertation provides needed advancements in the field of GHD, helping to advance the science, practice, and tradecraft of GHD. While models presented in this body of work need to be tested, evaluated, and refined with additional research, they serve as a collective practice framework for the field, to inform any profession or institutions who practices GHD. Additionally, findings may help professionalize the field of GHD, the practice of Health Attaches, and create a more effective bridge between the fields of foreign affairs and public health, by increasing cross-field competence, and fostering more effective global health action when maintaining, expanding, and initiating new global health collaborations.


Sir, We wish to bring to the attention of the readership a smartphone application (app) that has been written by a maxillofacial trainee. The mobile elogbook app, which is currently only available on the iPhone platform (the Android version is in production), allows users to enter data directly into their smartphone and upload it at leisure to the elogbook site. You do not require a Wi-Fi or 3G connection to enter data in to the app. Ideal for environments with poor network signals. A Wi-Fi/3G connection is only required at the time of upload.


Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa have experienced lower COVID-19 caseloads and fewer deaths than countries in other regions worldwide. Under-reporting of cases and a younger population could partly account for these differences, but pre-existing immunity to coronaviruses is another potential factor. Blood samples from Sierra Leonean Lassa fever and Ebola survivors and their contacts collected before the first reported COVID-19 cases were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the presence of antibodies binding to proteins of coronaviruses that infect humans. Results were compared to COVID-19 subjects and healthy blood donors from the United States. Prior to the pandemic, Sierra Leoneans had more frequent exposures than Americans to coronaviruses with epitopes that cross-react with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), SARS-CoV, and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The percentage of Sierra Leoneans with antibodies reacting to seasonal coronaviruses was also higher than for American blood donors. Serological responses to coronaviruses by Sierra Leoneans did not differ by age or sex. Approximately a quarter of Sierra Leonian pre-pandemic blood samples had neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus, while about a third neutralized MERS-CoV pseudovirus. Prior exposures to coronaviruses that induce cross-protective immunity may contribute to reduced COVID-19 cases and deaths in Sierra Leone.


Successfully plan, develop, test, and deploy enterprise applications with Oracle ADF Overview Utilize best practices for real-life enterprise application development Plan and estimate your very own ADF project Successfully organize your code and your team for maximum efficiency In Detail Modern enterprise applications must be user-friendly, visually attractive, and fast much like Oracle Fusion applications. Oracle are using the Application Development Framework (ADF) for their own development, and now you can too. However, you need a proven method to use this powerful and flexible tool in order to achieve consistent success in your enterprise applications. Oracle ADF Enterprise Application Development Made Simple, Second Edition doesnt just cover the theory behind Oracle ADF, it clearly explains how to get the most out of the technology. Just like you need to do more than just wield a hammer to build a house, you need to do more than just master ADF technology to build a successful enterprise application. This book gives you the blueprint you need to ensure success. This book takes you through an entire enterprise application development project using ADF, from proof of concept through all phases of development until the final application is delivered and deployed. The book shows you the support tools you need for source control and issue tracking as well as how to use them productively to develop an enterprise application. It explains enterprise ADF application security as well as important specialty topics like skinning, customization, and internationalization. This book will provide you with all the knowledge you need to make a real-life Oracle ADF development project a success. What you will learn from this book Develop an ADF application based on database tables using both common and exotic ADF user interface components Develop necessary templates and framework classes to allow productive and flexible development Customize your applications to meet the needs and expectations of different users Estimate the effort required to build an ADF enterprise application Test your ADF enterprise application at the component, integration, and system level Understand how to secure your enterprise applications and assign roles for specific functionality Approach This book is written in an easy-to-understand style, following an enterprise development process through all the phases of development and deployment. Concepts are illustrated with real-world examples and the methods used are explained step-by-step. Who this book is written for This book is for Oracle developers looking to start using Oracles latest development tool and J2EE developers looking for a more productive way to build modern web applications. This book will guide you through the creation of a successful enterprise application with Oracle ADF 12c, and therefore it assumes you have basic knowledge of Java, JDeveloper, and databases.