This paper presents the enhancement of power quality for a microgrid system at distribution level using Shunt active power filter. The main objective of this paper is to identify a suitable pulse generation technique for obtaining a better compensation capability of shunt active power filter. The compensation capability of the device is mainly depends on the regulation of DC link capacitor voltage. Conventionally fixed hysteresis current control technique has been used. To raise the performance of shunt active power filter, an adaptive hysteresis current control technique has been proposed here. The performance of proposed technique has been verified for different operating condition in the platform of MA TLAB/SIMULINK model. KeywordsMicrogrid, Power quality (PQ), Shunt active power Filter, Adaptive hysteresis current control technique, Total harmonic distortion (THD).


Hydrocarbon migration is one of the key processes that takes place in the development of a successful petroleum system. Understanding when fluids migrated, how they migrated and which routes they took either into primary reservoirs or via transient seals into shallow reservoirs is paramount for successful extraction. Fluids in the sub-surface can be imaged in seismic reflection data as anomalously high reflection amplitudes owing to their contrasting acoustic properties (density and p-wave velocity) with sedimentary rocks. This thesis uses 3-Dimensional seismic reflection data from the More Basin, offshore mid-Norway and the Lower Congo Basin, West African margin to investigate the migration of fluids from primary reservoir intervals through overlying successions of fine-grained sediments. These shallow intervals are typically considered as regional seal layers and understanding how seals were breached and fluids migrate through them is vital to risking exploration targets.
The More Basin case study investigates a gas-associated amplitude anomaly at the crest of a domal structure cored with alternating fine-grained biosiliceous and calcareous ooze sediments. The anomaly has a rather unique convex-upward basal contact which is explained by the superposition of lateral velocity variations through the gas-filled dome. The centre of the dome has more gas than the flanks resulting in a lower velocity which pushes the basal contact to deeper positions with respect to the flanks. The domal trap was charged from gas migrating from depth via capillary entry pressure and possibly via sub-vertical pathways created by compaction-derived polygonal faults which pervasively deform the host stratigraphy.
The Lower Congo case study investigates a range of high-amplitude seismic amplitude anomalies in a thick sequence of hemipelagites (the waste zone) above a deep-seated turbidite reservoir. Anomalies take many forms and include; Linear anomalies, Sub-circular anomalies, Patchy anomalies at which finger-shaped anomalies emanate from their lateral edges, and Discrete filamental anomalies. The Sub-circular and Patchy anomalies were interpreted as being related to the presence of hydrocarbons. Detailed analysis of a sub-set of the hydrocarbon-bearing amplitude anomalies suggest leakage occurred through two means; 1) vertical leakage through feeders and 2) via deep-seated extensional faults formed during gravity-driven gliding of
vi
an underlying salt detachment. Vertical leakage is expressed in the form of Vertical Anomaly Clusters which comprise vertically stacked assemblages of high-amplitude anomalies.
A common aspect of the two case studies are that high-amplitude anomalies within fine-grained sedimentary successions are linked to vertical or sub-vertical migration pathways provided either by faults or pipe-like structures formed during overpressure. These results have implications for our understanding of how seals are breached when reservoirs are overpressured.


Double ring infiltrometers are usually used by engineers, agronomists, and other professionals to estimate the infiltration rate of different soil types. Measurement of surface infiltration rate is necessary for many purposes (describing the soil permeability). In this study, the effect of land use in heavy clayey soil on soil infiltration rate was investigated using double ring infiltrometers. Field experiments were carried out at three representative fields of different land use located in the El-Salam Canal command, Egypt. In all sites (cultivated, natural, and fish farm), the infiltration rate at the beginning was low and decreased to reach the steady (constant) value of 18, 60, and 12 mm h, respectively. Based on the results, it appears that the initial infiltration rate depended mainly on the water content in heavy clayey soil. In addition, it was affected by the amount of cracks caused by the plant root, earth movement, and desiccation of clay.


A few years ago, a new theory for producing coherent Smith-Purcell radiation from an initially continuous electron beam was proposed. It was 2-D, and it has been supported by particle-in-cell code simulations, although no experiments have, until now, provided confirmation. In fact, all experiments used a round beam, for which the 2-D theory may not be valid. We report here on a two-pronged attack on this problem. A 3-D simulation in the microwave domain indicates that coherent radiation, at a frequency near that of the 2-D simulation, should be produced. We are also preparing a demonstration experiment using an intense finite-width sheet beam to confirm the theory and simulations.


A 39-year-old male underwent distal gastrectomy for a high grade gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 107 mo after the operation, revealed a cystic mass (14 cm in diameter) and a solid mass (9 cm in diameter) in the right and left lobes of the liver, respectively. A biopsy specimen of the solid mass showed a liver metastasis of GIST. The patient received imatinib mesylate (IM) treatment, 400 mg/day orally. Following the IM treatment for a period of 35 mo, the patient underwent partial hepatectomy (S4 + S5). The effect of IM on the metastatic lesions was interpreted as pathologic complete response (CR). Pathologically verified cases showing therapeutic efficacy of IM have been rarely reported.


This series of volumes is a unique summary of the present state of understanding of solid surfaces. The physical basis of chemisorption and heterogeneous catalysis is presented as a well-developed science with contributions from an international panel of chemists, physicists and metallurgists. The books are destined to become a fundamental and indispensable reference source for all those studying the nature of solid surfaces and catalysis.


Abstract This roundtable article investigates the "critical archive" as a material concept in the fields of artistic production, art historiography, curatorial practice, and criticism. We invited twelve critics, artists, art historians, and curators to respond to a series of questions related to the idea of the archive as a critical agent in the field of art. The roundtable examines different historical and institutional permutations of conceptions of a (self-) critical archive and its possible impact on our understanding of the relationship between art and historical evidence.


In this era of explosive high throughput (HT) genomics data generation, there is a growing need for accessible software solutions that can help unlock biological/clinical characteristics from such data. With the biomedical researcher (with limited or no bioinformatics skills) in mind, we developed a comprehensive web-based system called R2 (http://r2.amc.nl). R2 aids in the analysis and visualization of private/shielded as well as public high throughput data and their associated annotated features. The R2 platform consists of a database storing both publicly accessible as well as shielded datasets with unified gene annotation, supplemented with a large suite of tools that can be used on these data, and their associated annotation. As such the user experiences the same look & feel throughout the mining process. In the public section, R2 hosts over 60,000 HT samples. Next to gene expression (microarray and RNA-seq), the platform is also being employed in the integration, analysis and visualization of other data types, such as aCGH, SNP, ChIP, methylation, miRNA, and NGS whole genome sequencing information. R2 contains an expanding set of interactive analyses which are heavily inter-connected, allowing users to quickly hop from one view (representation of the data) to another. Analyses include, correlation, differential expression, gene sets, gene ontology, transcription factor binding sites, PCA, kmeans, Kaplan Meier scans, signature creation etc. Visualizations include, various gene oriented plots, heatmaps, circos, embedded genome browser, Venn, etc. Many parts of the R2 platform are publicly accessible through the http://r2.amc.nl portal. The R2 gene expression analysis tools have thus far been used in more than 180 peer-reviewed scientific publications including journals as Nature, Nature Genetics and Cell. R2 also supports restricted / shielded use and is used in many (inter)national collaborative efforts involving unpublished datasets. The webservers have been serving over 900.000 pages over the past 12 months (Nov 2014). Citation Format: Jan Koster, Jan J. Molenaar, Rogier Versteeg. R2: Accessible web-based genomics analysis and visualization platform for biomedical researchers. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Translation of the Cancer Genome; Feb 7-9, 2015; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(22 Suppl 1):Abstract nr A2-45.


The stress fracture is a common injury sustained in the majority of the cases as a solitary injury in the tibia, fibula and metatarsals. Clinical examination of such injuries is often non-specific and early plain radiographs may be inconclusive. The prevention has proved to be difficult. We report a case of an eighteen-year-old female military trainee who presented with synchronous multiple stress fractures sustained in the lower limbs within one month from the start of her military training. A review of the literature with regards to epidemiology, signs, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of such injuries is carried out and high risk individuals are outlined. doi:10.4021/jmc46w


Aims. To date, infrared interferometry at best achieved contrast ratios of a few times 10−4 on bright targets. GRAVITY, with its dual-field mode, is now capable of high contrast observations, enabling the direct observation of exoplanets. We demonstrate the technique on HR 8799, a young planetary system composed of four known giant exoplanets.
Methods. We used the GRAVITY fringe tracker to lock the fringes on the central star, and integrated off-axis on the HR 8799 e planet situated at 390 mas from the star. Data reduction included post-processing to remove the flux leaking from the central star and to extract the coherent flux of the planet. The inferred K band spectrum of the planet has a spectral resolution of 500. We also derive the astrometric position of the planet relative to the star with a precision on the order of 100 μas.
Results. The GRAVITY astrometric measurement disfavors perfectly coplanar stable orbital solutions. A small adjustment of a few degrees to the orbital inclination of HR 8799 e can resolve the tension, implying that the orbits are close to, but not strictly coplanar. The spectrum, with a signal-to-noise ratio of ≈5 per spectral channel, is compatible with a late-type L brown dwarf. Using Exo-REM synthetic spectra, we derive a temperature of 1150 ± 50 K and a surface gravity of 104.3 ± 0.3 cm s2. This corresponds to a radius of 1.17−0.11+0.13 RJup and a mass of 10−4+7 MJup, which is an independent confirmation of mass estimates from evolutionary models. Our results demonstrate the power of interferometry for the direct detection and spectroscopic study of exoplanets at close angular separations from their stars.


BACKGROUND: Treatment for cancer is trending toward oral therapies, which patients can self-manage from home. Proper adherence to oral therapy is vital to safe and optimal care in this setting. Mobile health interventions (i.e., text message reminders, mobile applications, and automated calls) are an evolving strategy aimed at improving medication adherence for patients on long-term oral therapies. OBJECTIVES: This review aims to provide an over-view of research outcomes for the use of mobile health interventions among patients with cancer. METHODS: A comprehensive review of CINAHL ® , MEDLINE ® , and PubMed ® was completed. Eleven articles were eligible for inclusion in this review. FINDINGS: Mobile health interventions are an acceptable approach among patients with cancer and may improve adherence outcomes for those at highest risk for suboptimal adherence.


Our paper is of descriptive nature and analyses the "connection points" of lead fi rms and suppliers in the automotive value chains. It relies on two types of methodologies: fi rst, through the analysis of inverse input-output matrixes, it presents the local and international links of the Hungarian automotive industry and estimates, where (in which activities) local suppliers play an important role and from which countries the various inputs come. Second, through relying on company interviews, it presents a more nuanced picture about backward linkages in the Hungarian automotive industry. We conduct interviews with German and Japanese lead fi rms and foreignand domestically-owned suppliers and thus our analysis is able to contrast the supplier policies of Western European and Japanese lead fi rms and the features of foreignand domestically-owned suppliers.


From the vast and on-going network neutrality discussion, this contribution picks five neglected issues, which could affect the terms of the debate. After a brief introduction to the state of play in the EU (1.), it deals with market definition as it relates to the relationship between the ISP on the customer side and the content provider (2.), with the ability of competition law to deal with blocking and discrimination (3.), with the applicability of sector-specific regulation, more specifically the SMP regime found in EU electronic communications law (4.), with the introduction of differentiated Quality of Service (QoS) offerings (5.) and finally, with the internal market dimension of network neutrality (6.).


In this article the authors discuss the issues related to assessment of activity and severity of sarcoidosis, course and radiographic manifestations of this disease. Problems in defining of different forms of sarcoidosis resulted in suggestion of new version of classification.


A dual-mode (DM) vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) is investigated for carrying high-speed data transmission with either the non-return-zero on-off keying (NRZ-OOK) or the quadrature amplitude modulation-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (QAM-OFDM) format. In both the back-to-back (BtB) and the 100-m transmission cases with using either the OM4 multimode fiber (OM4-MMF) or the graded-index single-mode fiber (GI-SMF), the mismatch between the core diameter of the lensed MMF pick-up head and the mode field of the DM-VCSEL output controls the coupled transverse mode number and decrease the modal dispersion effect. Using pre-emphasized NRZ-OOK data can compensate the SNR degradation to improve the BER to 5.6 × 10−12 under BtB and 6.9 × 10−10 after 100-m GI-SMF for the DM-VCSEL delivered NRZ-OOK data at 53 Gbit/s. For 16-QAM OFDM transmission, the pre-leveling algorithm shows better data compensation than the pre-emphasis algorithm in both BtB and the 100-m GI-SMF cases. With the pre-leveling compensation of the 16-QAM OFDM data encoded to the DM-VCSEL with a 0.4-dB/GHz slope, the DM-VCSEL allows 136 Gbit/s for BtB, 112 Gbit/s for 100-m OM4-MMF, and 92 Gbit/s for 100-m GI-SMF transmissions. The pre-emphasis NRZ-OOK and the pre-leveling 16-QAM OFDM data carried by the DM-VCSEL can be used in ultrahigh-speed intra-data-center links in the future.


This paper considers the the affective and narrative dimensions of considering project lifespans. How do collaborators feel about endings and how does that impact project outcomes and project planning? How might we consider digital projects as temporal and narrative forms deserving of analysis? How do professional relationships, team dynamics, and precarious labour conditions impact the longevity of projects? I argue in this paper that in addition to thoughtful sustainability planning on the technical side, there is value in thinking from a literary perspective about digital humanities projects, about the stories and relationships we are making along with the websites, digital archives, databases, tools, marked-up texts, maps, and innumerable other digital artifacts that arise from large-scale collaborations in this field. The provocation I offer is that applying some of the discursive analytical structures of literary genres to the construction of a digital project and foregrounding its human components of affect and relation can also show a team its ideal duration and ending. Thinking about these matters requires a multi-dimensional approach: we need to think beyond institutional repositories and mirror sites and consider the lived experience of project making and about the structure of the stories we tell about digital work. The paper uses examples from two collaborative projects of different types and durations that I have undertaken.


Background and Purpose: Physical therapists frequently use the 66-item Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66) with the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) to examine gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Until now, reference percentiles for this measure were not available. The aim of this study was to improve the clinical utility of this gross motor measure by developing cross-sectional reference percentiles for the GMFM-66 within levels of the GMFCS. Subjects and Methods: A total of 1,940 motor measurements from 650 children with CP were used to develop percentiles. These observations were taken from a subsample, stratified by age and GMFCS, of those in a longitudinal cohort study reported in 2002. A standard LMS (skewness-median-coefficient of variation) method was used to develop cross-sectional reference percentiles. Results: Reference curves were created for the GMFM-66 by age and GMFCS level, plotted at the 3rd, 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, 95th, and 97th percentiles. The variability of change in children's percentiles over a 1-year interval also was investigated. Discussion and Conclusion. The reference percentiles extend the clinical utility of the GMFM-66 and GMFCS by providing for appropriate normative interpretation of GMFM-66 scores within GMFCS levels. When interpreting change in percentiles over time, therapists must carefully consider the large variability in change that is typical among children with CP. The use of percentiles should be supplemented by interpretation of the raw scores to understand change in function as well as relative standing.


Two-dimensional conjugated zigzag naphthodithiophene was used for construction of novel polymer photovoltaic materials. Two novel copolymers based on zigzag naphthodithiophene and alkylthieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione inserted with different alkyl substituted thiophene as bridges have been designed and synthesized (PzNDTT-TPD1 and PzNDTT-TPD2, respectively). The best power conversion efficiency of a PzNDTT-TPD1-based device reaches 7.50% at an active layer thickness of 203 nm and the device performances of PzNDTT-TPD1-based polymer solar cells are all above 6.4% with active layer thickness variations from 141 to 244 nm, suggesting that it is very suitable for the fabrication of high performance, large area solution-processed polymer solar cells.


Green roofs are an ancient building technique and were already constructed in the days of
Mesopotamia. In the last few decades they have made a re-appearance in the building sector. Green
roofs have an ecological character and are especially useful in urban areas where they can oppose
the effects of the current urbanization problems.
Most of the current worldwide green roof performance research is based on a more or less specific
design for concrete slabs in moderate climates. This research distincts itself in two ways; the research
is performed in a tropical climate, and their performance was studied on metal sheet roofs, the most
commonly used roofing material in the area of San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
The climate has a substantial influence on the circumstances the research is in. Also, the climates
influence on the building techniques used in Honduras is substantial. Insulation is far less important
than in a moderate climate. Instead of preventing heat entering by insulation, natural ventilation
techniques are often used to let excess heat flow out of a building. Another difference due to the
climate is the plant selection. The tropical climate asks for another type of vegetation, than the most
used type; sedums. The search for the ideal plant is not yet completed, criteria include; growth
control, heat-, drought, - and rain resistance.
The use of corrugated iron sheets influences the characteristics of the roof. Compared to concrete
slabs, corrugated iron sheets have a lower, almost negligible R-value. This results in fast
transportation of incoming as well as outgoing heat. A corrugated iron sheet is a better radiant
barrier, which means it reflects a higher rate of incoming (solar) radiation than concrete.
The advantages of green roofs are undoubtedly numerous from the ecological part of view and are
especially suitable for areas with a high building density. In these areas more and more natural
surfaces are covered by building materials such as concrete, metal and asphalt. This transduction of
used materials influences the environment. Problems with impervious surfaces include higher
ambient air temperatures. Green roofs are one potential remedy for this problem.
Green roofs act positively on the inner climate of a building and prevent heat radiation to the
surrounding area as well. The green roofs cool a building by providing shadow over the roof, a main
factor in passive cooling. The plants use a substantial part of the solar radiation for their biological
functions, in so doing working as a radiant barrier. Furthermore they increase the insulation value
and heat capacity of a roof. All these factors reduce the heat gain of a building and can save energy
consumption for air conditioning, which affects the ambient air temperatures.
Establishing plant material on rooftops provides a multifunctional solution for the urban problems of
the 21st century. Environmentally speaking there are no known disadvantages. Next to energy
conservation and lowering ambient air temperatures benefits include storm water management,
mitigation of the urban heat island effect, increased longevity of roofing membranes, and mitigation
of noise and air pollution, as well as a more aesthetically pleasing environment in which to work and
live.


PURPOSE
To evaluate the utility of a recently reported simple measure of brain atrophy on MR imaging, the interuncal distance (IUD).

METHODS
Measurements of the IUD were made over a 12-month interval in 10 patients with probable early Alzheimer disease and in a comparison group of age-matched healthy control subjects. The measurements were made in both the transaxial and coronal planes.

RESULTS
Significant group differences for the coronal measurement of IUD were found in both the absolute value of the measurement and the IUD corrected for head size. There was overlap in IUD between the disease and the control groups. These differences were not found for the transaxial IUD. Significant positive correlations of the IUD with Mini-Mental State Examination score and Clinical Dementia Rating Scale stage were observed. Over the age range tested, age was not significantly correlated with IUD in the sample.

CONCLUSIONS
The interuncal distance (IUD) is not a useful screening measurement for Alzheimer disease.


Background/Objectives: None of the researchers has investigated the risk on workers exposed to noise pollution inJordan. This study tries to fill in this gap through investigating the effect of traffic noise on the performance of hospital workers in Amman, the capital of Jordan, as a specific affected group. Method: Noise levels were measured at locations adjacent to three main hospitals with readings taken during two 1-hour periods 12 hours apart. A cross-sectional attitudinal survey was carried out in these hospitals using a predesigned questionnaire. A pilot study was carried out in order to examine if there was any feedbacks before the full-scale survey is launched. A sample of 150 participants from medical care personnel in the three hospitals including doctors, nursing staff and administrators, were subjected to self – answered questionnaire and 145 questionnaires were valid returns indicating a high response rate. Findings: The results reveal that the studied hospitals suffer much higher noise levels than the permissible limits and these levels were found to have a negative impact on workers' and patients outcomes. More than 43% of the medical care staff reported that they always get annoyed by traffic noise and this causes them a difficulty in concentration and distract their attention while working. 50% agree that traffic noise has a negative impact on their performance. 26% of the survey participants reported that they suffer from headache due to the high noise levels and as such some potential countermeasures to mitigate the problem are recommended. Conclusion/Improvements: The average measured sound levels were found to be much higher than the environmental daytime and nighttime noise limits required by the regulations in Jordan. Noise pollution was also found to either directly or indirectly affects, in a simultaneous manner, the subjective perception of noise, emotion, physiology and experience of noise of the medical care staff.


Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome experience repeated periods of apnea and arousal during sleep. A condition which in short term leads to excessive daytime sleepiness and in the long term may have clinical consequences such as stroke and cardiovascular abnormalities. Although complex equipment can be used to screen for sleep apnea, the screening tests are often expensive, inconvenient for the patient, and time-consuming to be manually analysed. This research investigates methods for automating sleep apnea screening using low-cost off-body cameras. Polysomnography video recordings of twenty one patients, 11 with OSA, and 10 `normals' who were referred for suspected OSA, were analysed with the objective to differentiate the two groups. The proposed technique is based on motion estimation in videos using two successive video frames. The complexities of motion signals from the video data were analysed by calculating sample entropy over multiple time scales. The sample entropy values providing the best separation between the OSA and non-OSA groups were chosen using the Bhattacharyya distance and were then used as the input to a support vector machine classifier. The classification results both on the training and validation data indicate that patients with OSA can be differentiated from patients without OSA with 90% accuracy.


BACKGROUND
Survivors of sexual violence have high rates of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although treatment for symptoms related to sexual violence has been shown to be effective in high-income countries, evidence is lacking in low-income, conflict-affected countries.

METHODS
In this trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we randomly assigned 16 villages to provide cognitive processing therapy (1 individual session and 11 group sessions) or individual support to female sexual-violence survivors with high levels of PTSD symptoms and combined depression and anxiety symptoms. One village was excluded owing to concern about the competency of the psychosocial assistant, resulting in 7 villages that provided therapy (157 women) and 8 villages that provided individual support (248 women). Assessments of combined depression and anxiety symptoms (average score on the Hopkins Symptom Checklist [range, 0 to 3, with higher scores indicating worse symptoms]), PTSD symptoms (average score on the PTSD Checklist [range, 0 to 3, with higher scores indicating worse symptoms]), and functional impairment (average score across 20 tasks [range, 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating greater impairment]) were performed at baseline, at the end of treatment, and 6 months after treatment ended.

RESULTS
A total of 65% of participants in the therapy group and 52% of participants in the individual-support group completed all three assessments. Mean scores for combined depression and anxiety improved in the individual-support group (2.2 at baseline, 1.7 at the end of treatment, and 1.5 at 6 months after treatment), but improvements were significantly greater in the therapy group (2.0 at baseline, 0.8 at the end of treatment, and 0.7 at 6 months after treatment) (P<0.001 for all comparisons). Similar patterns were observed for PTSD and functional impairment. At 6 months after treatment, 9% of participants in the therapy group and 42% of participants in the individual-support group met criteria for probable depression or anxiety (P<0.001), with similar results for PTSD.

CONCLUSIONS
In this study of sexual-violence survivors in a low-income, conflict-affected country, group psychotherapy reduced PTSD symptoms and combined depression and anxiety symptoms and improved functioning. (Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development Victims of Torture Fund and the World Bank; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01385163.).


Groundwater is the vital source of sustenance and survival of every living organism. The present study aimed at a statistical regression analysis of twenty two data points of Groundwater at eleven locations of Vaiyampatti village, Tiruchirappalli district, Tamilnadu. A correlation study has been carried out amongst all possible pairs of 14 physico-chemical parameters to assess groundwater quality. The correlation analysis provides an excellent tool for the prediction of parameter values within reasonable degree of accuracy. The existence of strong correlation between Total Hardness and Magnesium is ascertained.


Late binding and subtyping create run‐time overhead for object‐oriented languages. Dynamic typing and multiple inheritance create even more overhead. Static typing and single inheritance lead to two major invariants, of reference and position, that make the implementation as efficient as possible. Coloring is a technique that preserves these invariants for dynamic typing or multiple inheritance at minimal spatial cost. Coloring has been independently proposed for method invocation under the name of selector coloring, for subtype tests under the name of pack encoding, and for attribute access and object layout. This paper reviews a number of uses of coloring for optimizing object‐oriented programming, generalizes them, and specifies several variations, such as bidirectional and n‐directional coloring. Coloring is NP‐hard, hence compilers that use it depend on heuristics. The paper describes two families of heuristics and presents some experimental results which indicate that coloring is both efficient and tractable and that bidirectional coloring gives the best results. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, especially multidrug resistant, have great of importance among nosocomial infection isolates. Production of beta lactamase is an important mechanism in gram-negative bacteria for resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. PER-1 enzyme is derived from an extended spectrum beta-lactamase that is non-TEM, non-SHV-derived in class A and especially causes ceftazidime resistance. In this study, our aim was to investigate the relationship between CLASS-1 integrons and PER-1 enzyme in ceftazidime-resistance Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The PER-1 type beta lactamase enzyme that causes ceftazidime-resistance, determines the frequency, and detects the relationship between the enzyme and CLASS-1 integrons by PCR in 100 (one hundred) ceftazidime-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) isolated at Ondokuz May?s University Hospital (Turkey) between 2007 and 2008. In this study, blaPER-1 was detected in 40% (40/100) of the isolates. Four principal clones, which were detected in P. aeruginosa strains were responsible for high prevalence using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-PCR (RAPD-PCR) methods. CLASS-1 integron was detected in 62.5% (25/40) of the PER-1 enzyme bearing strains and association between blaPER-1 and CLASS-1 integrons were shown in 2 (two) Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain. Also resistance rates of PRL antibiotic in blaPER-1 negative group was found to be significantly higher against blaPER-1 positive group, resistance rates of other antibiotics were no different between these two groups. We concluded that PER-1 enzyme is common in our hospital and their clonal diversity indicates horizontal dissemination, the association between bla PER-1 and CLASS-1 integrons can accelerate dissemination of this gene.


The driving force behind the interest in using natural herbs in poultry production is to eliminate the use of low-dose antibiotics. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the effect of Flammulina velutipes mushroom waste (FVW) on performance parameters, relative organ weight, apparent nutrient retention, excreta composition, immune response and serum immunity in pullets. A total of 360 x 10-week-old ISA Brown pullets were randomly assigned to five equal treatment groups, with nine replications of eight birds for each treatment. The dietary treatments included a standard basal diet as control; antibiotic (0.05% flavomycin); 2% FVW; 4% FVW; and 6% FVW. The total experimental duration was 42 days, from 10 weeks to 16 weeks old. Final live weight was higher in FVW groups than in the control and antibiotic groups. No differences were found for average daily feed intake, average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio during the entire study period. Proventriculus weight and bursa weight were higher in FVW groups. No differences were observed for other inner relative organ weights (liver weight, gizzard weight spleen and abdominal fat weight) compared with the control and antibiotic groups. Dietary inclusion of FVW increased dry matter, crude protein and ether extract retention compared with control and antibiotic groups. Excreta dry matter content was higher and pH lower, in the FVW groups than in the control and antibiotic groups. Antibody titres against Newcastle disease, Infectious bronchitis and Avian influenza virus vaccines were higher in FVW groups. Serum immunoglobulin parameters (IgA, IgG, IgM) were higher in FVW than in the control and antibiotic groups. Flammulina velutipes mushroom waste can be used at inclusion levels up to 6% in pullet rations for better immune response and nutrient retention without hampering normal growth performance. Keywords : Antibody titres, apparent nutrient retention, excreta dry matter, serum immunity


Understanding fluid flow and solute transport within the vadose (unsaturated) zone is an essential prerequisite for protection of groundwater from contaminant sources occurring overland. Preferential flow paths in the vadose zone pose a significant problem because they are potential avenues for rapid transport of chemicals from contamination sources to the water table. The objectives of this study were i) to test the adequacy of a model, namely MACRO 5.0, in simulating bimodal water flow and generic contaminant transport in the vadose zone, and ii) to run a sensitivity analysis with MACRO 5.0 in order to determine which input parameters are the most relevant in describing the effects of preferential water flow, solute transport and exchange between macropores and matrix. Two case studies were investigated, the first at a landfill site overlying sandy unconfined aquifer (Coastal Park, Cape Town), and the second at an industrial site overlying cracking clayey soil and fractured rocks (Secunda, Mpumalanga Province). For the Coastal Park site, simulations of soil water content and leaching of a mobile tracer were compared to monitored soil water contents and chloride concentrations in groundwater. For the Secunda site, simulations of soil water content and concentrations of boron and fluoride originating from effluent irrigation were compared to soil profile measurements. In both cases, the MACRO 5.0 model predictions agreed well with measurements, appropriate input calibration data were used. The sensitivity analysis indicated that soil water properties related to preferential flow (hydraulic conductivity at the boundary between macropores and matrix, soil water content and tension, and diffusion pathlength) have influence on simulation results. Similarly, the solute balance is mostly influenced by degradation rate coefficients (both in solid and liquid phases), sorption distribution coefficients and solute concentrations.


Asthma is a chronic disease and should be treated with both controller and reliever drugs. Asthma controller therapy is not used sufficiently widely, probably due to low compliance with inhaled drugs, lack of response in some patients to low-medium doses of inhaled steroids and possible adverse events. This review analyses a new class of antiasthmatic drugs, leukotriene receptor antagonists (antileukotrienes). At present, two antileukotrienes are available in Italy: zafirlukast and montelukast. Antileukotrienes improve symptoms and also inhibit the effects of some of the inflammatory mediators involved in the pathogenesis of asthma; therefore, antileukotrienes may be used in monotherapy. In addition, the oral administration route is an advantage for compliance. Antileukotrienes significantly improve pulmonary function, asthma symptoms and inhaled and oral steroid and short-acting beta 2-agonist use. Moreover, antileukotrienes produce a 50% mean reduction in the incidence of asthma exacerbations compared with placebo. From the economic point of view, asthma controller therapy using antileukotrienes is associated with a > 50% (compared with placebo) reduction in healthcare costs (hospitalization due to asthma exacerbation, healthcare contact and absenteeism from work or school), which globally account for 93% of asthma-related costs. Antileukotrienes are indicated in the treatment of persistent mild-to-severe asthma, seasonal allergic asthma, exercise-induced asthma and aspirin-induced asthma. Antileukotrienes are well tolerated independently of the duration of treatment and the incidence of the observed adverse events is substantially similar to that observed using placebo. Owing to good tolerability and compliance and the economic advantages, these agents may be considered a valid therapeutic option for the control and management of asthma as a chronic disease.


The immune system plays a critical role in directing tissue repair and regeneration outcomes. Tissue engineering technologies that are designed to promote new tissue growth will therefore be impacted by immune factors that are present in patients both locally at the site of intervention and systemically. The immune state of patients can be influenced by many factors including infection, nutrition, and other disease comorbidities. As a result, the immune state is highly variable and may be a source of variability in tissue engineered products in the clinic that is not found in preclinical models. In this review, we will summarize key immune cells and evidence of their activity in tissue repair and potential in tissue engineering systems. We also discuss how clinical translation of tissue engineering strategies, in particular stem cells, helped elucidate the importance of the immune system. With increased understanding of the immune system role in repair and tissue engineering systems it will likely become a therapeutic target and component of future therapies.


An iterative backward selection method for determination of relevant input variables in data-driven fuzzy modeling is presented. The method utilizes parameters of the Takagi-Sugeno model as a factor to determine the significance of input variables. As a result, it is less computationally intensive than most of the existing methods for input variable selection.


Each year, hundreds of aquatic migratory birds migrate from northern hemisphere to the Mazandaran Province, northern Iran. Little information is available on prevalence and density of schistosomes in water birds in Iran and around the world. The objectives of this study were to determine definitive and intermediate hosts of avian schistosomes as well as to assess human cercarial dermatitis (HCD) in a wildlife refuge in Mazandaran Province. Of 1106 examined people, 589 (53.2%) had maculopapular rashes mainly on feet but also on hand. The majority of cases were adults and local residents. Of 260 ducks, 41 (15.8%) were found to be infected with Trichobilharzia spp. eggs or adult worms. Prevalence was highest in Anas clypeata and Anas platyrhynchos, 79% and 18.9%, respectively. A total of 1.2% snails, examined by both shedding and crushing methods, were infected with furcocercariae belonging to avian schistosomes. The most frequently infected snail was Lymnaea gedrosiana (5.9%). Our results showed that cercarial dermatitis and avian schistosomiasis is a common and yet neglected disease in this area. Anas clypeata played the most important role in exposing snails to miracidia in ponds and paddy fields. Moreover, because of the high prevalence in ducks and high prevalence of HCD in the region, it is considered as a new endemic focus in Iran.


In this study, joint reposition sense of the knee in a non-weight-bearing (NWB) state and that in a weight-bearing (WB) state were compared, and it was determined whether a significant relationship existed between knee displacement (KD) and joint reposition sense. The dominant knees of 8 male and 12 female subjects (age 19-26 years, M ± SD = 21.5 ± 2.06) who had no previous history of knee dysfunction were tested for accuracy of angular reproduction in the WB and NWB states. There was a significant difference in the accuracy of angular repositioning between the two conditions, with the WB test having less deviation from the predetermined angle. There was a weak relationship between KD and the ability to reproduce specific angles of the knee. These results suggest that the WB or closed chain state of the knee was more accurate in the determination of joint position sense than the NWB or open chain condition.


Currently, ultrasonic process has been widely used for research purposes, mostly in synthetic solutions spiked with one or several contaminants. Practical application of the ultrasonic process for wastewater treatment is often limited by its low mineralization efficiency on the target compound, formation of intermediate product(s), setup cost(s), and noise in operation. However, the combination of ultrasound and Fenton reagent, i.e., sono-Fenton oxidation, has great potential for rapid destruction of refractory organics in a short span of time through the mechanisms of thermal destruction and removal of free hydroxyl radicals. This review addresses the theory and the effects of operational parameters involved in sono-Fenton oxidation on various target pollutants. Finally, challenges in the application of sono-Fenton oxidation for wastewater treatment are critically assessed for future research.


Abstract This article situates the preceding contributions to this special section, all focused on aspects of urban or municipal human rights, within the larger context of the challenges raised by local human rights implementation. It discusses the ways in which the research themes presented are both interrelated and divergent. This closing article also identifies themes for additional future research, including particularly the challenge of accountability for human rights realization on the local level.


The aim of this paper was to determine the correlation between qualitative-technological traits and grain yield as well as the variability of these properties in two-row barley varieties. The experiment was conducted during the period of 2012-2014 on the research fields of the Faculty of Agriculture, in two different locations in the Republic of Macedonia, Ovche Pole and Strumica. The total numbers of 21 genotypes are used as research material, of which 5 are Macedonian, 2 are Croatian, 2 are Serbian and 12 genotypes originate from Bulgaria. The following qualitative-technological traits are analyzed: protein content, grains uniformity of I and II class, water sensitivity, soaking degree, 1 000 grains weight and hectoliter weight. No matter the average grain yield values are higher for tested genotypes grown in Strumica, still the genotypes tested in Ovche Pole presented better qualitative-technological traits. Using the principle component analysis we have determined that as far as qualitative traits and grain yield are concerned, two main components with cumulative percent of variation of 67,60% were identified for genotypes analyzed in Ovche Pole. The variation among the tested genotypes grown in Strumica is higher and were identified three main components with cumulative percent of variation of 70,36%. In both of the locations significant positive correlation was established between the grain yield and 1 000 grains weight. On the other side, negative correlation was obtained between grain yield and grains uniformity of II class. Significant positive and negative correlations between the qualitative-technological traits and the grain yield, for the genotypes of both of the locations were obtained, between: grains uniformity of I and II class, grains uniformity of I class and 1 000 grains weight, grains uniformity of II class and 1 000 grains weight.

Key words: correlation, PCA, barley, yield, genotype


The crystal structure of Ni1.99Mn1.14Ga0.87 single-crystal that exhibits large magnetic field induced strain in the martensitic phase is studied by neutron diffraction within temperature range 300K-4K. The 5-layered modulated structure is observed within the whole temperature interval and no another martensitic transformations occur. The anisotropic change of the martensite lattice parameters during cooling from 300K down to 4K is found. The combined change in the a- and c-lattice parameters affects change of the (c/a) ratio in martensite with cooling down by 2.32%. Redistribution of twin martensitic variants in the external magnetic field is studied in-situ at temperatures 98K-296K.


A switched autonomous system is proposed to formulate the fed-batch culture process by taking the switching instants between the feed and batch processes as control variables. To maximize the concentration of 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) at the terminal time, an optimal control model subject to our proposed switched autonomous system and continuous state inequality constraints is then presented. A computational approach is developed to find the optimal switching instants in two aspects. On the one hand, the constraint transcription and smoothing techniques are applied to dealing with the continuous state inequality constraints; on the other hand, the first and the second derivatives of the cost functional, where the transformed state constraints are treated as a penalty function, are derived by the calculus of variations. Numerical results show that, by employing the optimal switching instants, the concentration of 1,3-PD at the terminal time can be increased considerably.


The synthesis of a series of 20 new 2,4,6-tristyrylpyrimidines and three new 2,4-distyrylpyrimidines by means of combination of Knoevenagel condensation and Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction is reported. This methodology enables us to obtain chromophores with identical or different substituent on each arm. The photophysical properties of the compounds are described. Optical properties and time-dependent density functional theory calculations indicate that photophysical properties of target compounds are mainly affected by the nature of the electron-donating group in C4/C6 positions, except when the C2 substituent is a significantly stronger electron-donating group. However, the C2 substituent has a strong influence on emission quantum yield: addition of a strong electron-donating group tends to decrease the fluorescence quantum yield, whereas a moderate electron-withdrawing group results in a significant increase of fluorescence quantum yield.


This paper documents that an increase in the enforcement of value-added tax (VAT) caused by the adoption of a new technology significantly increased VAT payments by large manufacturing firms in China. The reform contributed to 27.1% of VAT revenues and 12.9% of total government revenues in the five subsequent years. The main mechanism is likely to be a reduction in VAT deductions. The dynamic effects of the reform suggest that the rise in tax revenues is non-monotonic over time, with large short-run gains and smaller, though still positive, long-run gains. The reform also reduced firm revenues and inputs, and increased productivity.


Curcumin, a prominent constituent of the rhizome of Curcuma longa L., possesses versatile biological properties, which is evidenced from the extensive research during the last half century. Curcumin has been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities and thus has potential against various malignant diseases, such as allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and other chronic illnesses. In the last decade it has been much explored and various synthetic analogues have been prepared and evaluated for various pharmacological activities that render it as a lead molecule against several biological targets. To accelerate this lead molecule from kitchen to clinic, around 65 clinical trials are underway worldwide to assess its therapeutic potential. Thus, there is continued interest in the synthesis of new curcumin analogues with a similar safety profile, but increased activity and improved oral bioavailability. The present review article describes recent developments in curcumin chemistry with emphasis on the semi-synthesis, synthesis pharmacological properties and SAR of various curcumin analogues reported from 1994 to mid 2013.


Activities to scale up production and consumption of African leafy vegetables have increased greatly in the recent past. What are the emerging issues in relationship to commercialization of these vegetables, given their previous unexploited state? The market share of ALVs vis -à-vis other vegetable species, particularly kales, cabbages and spinach, has been on the upward trend, in the urban markets and increased consumption in rural areas too. How has this influenced the various players in the ALVs sector for example farmers, traders and consumers? Issues of quality control, reliability and pricing remain critical to the future success of ALVs farming. The fact that ALVs are fast becoming the vegetable of choice, especially in the hitherto, non -consuming segments of t he society including the upper and middle class households, and generally among the elite in Kenya is a situation that requires serious assessment and action plan. The paradigm shift in the consumption patterns of ALVs has implications on the continued availability of the vegetables to the lower -end of the market consumers -the poor. Therefore, the reality that their income and nutritional resources could be exploited to their disadvantage is very much a possibility. What should be the policy and research considerations in the unfolding scenario? Women have been closely associated with cultivation and selling of ALVs; however ,studies have shown that whenever a crop begins to appreciate in the market and starts fetching higher income, men tend to push their w ay into the trade. Similarly, higher income prospects in any trade create competition and sooner or later non -competitive segments of the market fall by the way side in due course, and in our case these would be small -scale farmers and traders. These issue s are fundamental and need focusing as ALVs enter a new phase of production and consumption regimes. More efforts are needed to cushion the vulnerable groups ,who have previously dominated the ALVs market ,against the emerging big and medium commercial players. Otherwise, exploitation and loss of livelihoods among the vulnerable groups will be inevitable.


Objective The efficacy of mandibular advancement devices (MADs) in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) ranges between 42% and 65%. However, it is still unclear which predictive factors can be used to select suitable patients for MAD treatment. This study aimed to systematically review the literature on the predictive value of cephalometric analysis for MAD treatment outcomes in adult OSA patients. Methods The MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were searched through December 2014. Reference lists from the retrieved publications were also examined. English language studies published in international peer-reviewed journals concerning the predictive value of cephalometric analysis for MAD treatment outcome were considered for inclusion. Two review authors independently assessed eligibility, extracted data, and ascertained the quality of the studies. Results Fifteen eligible studies were identified. Most of the skeletal, dental, and soft tissue cephalometric measurements examined were widely recognized as not prognostic for MAD treatment outcome; however, controversial and limited data were found on the predictive role of certain cephalometric measurements including cranial base angle, mandibular plane angle, hyoid to mandibular plane distance, posterior nasal spine to soft-palate tip distance, anterior nasal spine to epiglottis base distance, and tongue/oral cross sectional area ratio thus justifying additional studies on these parameters. Conclusions Currently available evidence is inadequate for identification of cephalometric parameters capable of reliably discriminating between poor and good responders to MAD treatment. To guide further research, methodological weaknesses of the currently available studies were highlighted and possible reasons for their discordant results were analyzed.


This study investigated the relationship between performance on the Eyespan 2064, Wayne Saccadic Fixator and Accuvision 1000. Additionally, this study investigated whether a correlation exists between measures of reaction and response times as measured by the Reaction Plus, and eye hand coordination as measured with these three devices. In Phase I, forty four subjects were assigned a random order of testing for the Eyespan, Wayne and Accuvision. Phase II consisted of testing all forty four subjects on the Reaction Plus. Statistical analysis did not show a significant relationship for performance on the Accuvision versus the Eyespan or Wayne. However, a significant correlation did exist between reaction time and performance on all three instruments. Response time showed a correlation with the Eyespan and Accuvision, but not with the Wayne. These results indicate that although there is some relationship between eye-hand reaction and/or response speeds with all three of these instruments, performance cannot reliably be compared between these eyehand devices.


Experiments were performed to test the hypothesis that membrane charge is an important determinant of paracellular pathway ion permselectivity in the proximal tubule. Net negative charge in or around the paracellular pathway should favor cation permeability; net positive charge should favor anion permeability. Therefore compounds such as amiloride and 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (SITS), capable of changing net membrane charge, should predictably change the diffusive permselectivity of the paracellular pathway to anions and cations. In the first group of experiments amiloride, a compound capable of increasing net positive membrane charge, inhibited cation and enhanced anion diffusive permeability. In a second group of experiments, SITS, a compound capable of increasing net negative membrane charge, inhibited anion and enhanced cation diffusive permeability. The effects of amiloride and SITS were symmetrical; the lumen-to-bath and the bath-to-lumen diffusion potentials were not significantly different in magnitude. In addition these effects were completely and rapidly reversible. Our results suggest that amiloride increases net positive charge, and SITS increases net negative charge within the paracellular pathway. The most likely site for the actions of SITS and amiloride is the tight junction because the effects of the inhibitors were symmetrical. Both compounds act at low concentrations and reversibly such that removal of the inhibitor rapidly reverses its effects. We propose, on the basis of the ease with which these alterations in charge and thus paracellular pathway permselectivity occurred, that the permselectivity of this pathway may not be fixed and constant for any given proximal tubular segment. In fact, permselectivity may vary and thus serve as an important physiological control mechanism for proximal tubular solute and water reabsorption.


The authors of this article have major contributions to the establishment and development of DDLUB which is the acronym for Distance Learning Department, founded in 1999 through the University of Bucharest Senate's Decision. During the last 18 years, DDLUB has focused on DL (Distance Learning) study programs according to Romania legislation. DL in RO is equivalent with blended learning concept known all over the world. This article is aiming to present DDLUB's initiatives and achievements, reported early in 2017. Chapter 1 will present the socio-economic context. There are remarkable events that have been taken into consideration by DDLUB team. The main conclusion of these events can be summarized as follows: we are living, teaching/learning and working within the Information Society. Teaching and learning according to the 21st Century requirements (including digital technologies) are our main responsibilities! Chapter 2 is dedicated to the educational context. There are worldwide trends focusing on "rethinking education". The authors took into consideration the recent evolutions within the domain of online education: Coursera, edX, Khan Academy, LinkedIn Learning, MIT Open Courseware, and CISCO Networking Academy. Meanwhile, we notice that a significant number of voices underline specific weaknesses of the RO system of education (e.g. "Court of Auditors Report 2016", "Study-42% of Romanian is functionally illiterate").The following two chapters will present: achievements related to DL study programs provided by DDLUB for the target group of teachers (in-service and pre-service), in Chapter 3; initiatives and achievements related to the use of digital technologies in education, in Chapter 4 5 are dedicated to DDLUB 2017(+) vision on education.


Introduction
Adherence to prescribed medication is crucial to effective treatment in many chronic conditions, and particularly for individuals diagnosed with psychosis. Health Psychology has traditionally provided robust models that have been employed to explore adherence in numerous chronic conditions. However, research using these models to explore adherence to anti-psychotic medication is scarce. This study looked to implement the science and evidence base of Health Psychology while exploring determinants of adherence to anti-psychotic medication.

Method
In this longitudinal questionnaire study, data was collected at two-time points, six months apart. One hundred and ten individuals participated in the baseline stage. Adherence to antipsychotic medication was measured using the Medication Adherence Rating Scale. Social support, illness perceptions, illicit drug use and side effects were assessed using the Duke Functional Social Support Questionnaire, The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, The Drug Abuse Screening Test and The Glasgow Anti-Psychotic Side Effect Scale Questionnaires respectively. Analysis of Variance and Correlation analyses were conducted to explore associations between these factors and adherence, while the potential predictive capacity of these factors was examined through Multiple Regressions.

Results
Social Support, Treatment Control and Personal Control were significantly associated with adherence, while Treatment Control (β=.407 [.405-.095], p=.000) and Social Support (β=.282 [.682-.214], p=.002) were demonstrated to be a significant determinant of adherence to anti-psychotic
medication.

Conclusion
Adherence to anti-psychotic medication presents with a unique set of challenges and is a complex phenomenon influenced by a number of parameters. Levels of social support and treatment control are significant determinants of adherence to anti-psychotic medication. Efforts to enhance social support and personal control can be employed in future interventions designed to increase adherence. Treatment Control is an important factor and the Self Regulation Model has the aptitude to be employed in future research. There is potential for prospective research to apply Health Psychology theories, frameworks and principles to not only scrutinise adherence within mental health settings but also develop behaviour change interventions that target identified risk factors for non-adherence.


We study the two-dimensional weakly repulsive Bose gas at zero temperature in the presence of correlated disorder. Using large-scale simulations, we show that the low-energy Bogoliubov cumulative density of states remains quadratic up to a critical disorder strength, beyond which a power law with disorder-dependent exponent beta < 2 sets in. We associate this threshold behavior with the transition from superfluid to Bose glass, and compare the resulting mean-field phase diagram with scaling laws and the Thomas-Fermi percolation threshold of the mean-field density profile.


Background: More and more elderly patients are being diagnosed with arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in this global aging society, while the treatment strategy remains controversial among these aging population. This study aimed to clarify the long-term outcomes of elderly AVMs after different management modalities. Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed 71 elderly AVMs (>60 years) in two tertiary neurosurgery centers between 2011 and 2019. Patients were divided into four groups: conservation, microsurgery, embolization, and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The perioperative complications, short-term and long-term neurological outcomes, obliteration rates, annualized rupture risk, and mortality rates were compared among different management modalities in the ruptured and unruptured subgroups. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was employed to compare the death-free survival rates among different management modalities. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for predictors of long-term unfavorable outcomes (mRS > 2). Results: A total of 71 elderly AVMs were followed up for an average of 4.2 ± 2.3 years. Fifty-four (76.1%) presented with hemorrhage, and the preoperative annualized rupture risk was 9.4%. Among these patients, 21 cases (29.6%) received conservative treatment, 30 (42.3%) underwent microsurgical resection, 13 (18.3%) received embolization, and 7 (9.9%) underwent SRS. In the prognostic comparison, the short-term and long-term neurological outcomes were similar between conservation and intervention both in the ruptured and unruptured subgroups (ruptured: p = 0.096, p = 0.904, respectively; unruptured: p = 0.568, p = 0.306, respectively). In the ruptured subgroup, the intervention cannot reduce long-term mortality (p = 0.654) despite the significant reduction of subsequent hemorrhage than conservation (p = 0.014), and the main cause of death in the intervention group was treatment-related complications (five of seven, 71.4%). In the logistic regression analysis, higher admission mRS score (OR 3.070, 95% CI 1.559–6.043, p = 0.001) was the independent predictor of long-term unfavorable outcomes (mRS>2) in the intervention group, while complete obliteration (OR 0.146, 95% CI 0.026–0.828, p = 0.030) was the protective factor. Conclusions: The long-term outcomes of elderly AVMs after different management modalities were similar. Intervention for unruptured elderly AVMs was not recommended. For those ruptured, we should carefully weigh the risk of subsequent hemorrhage and treatment-related complications. Besides, complete obliteration should be pursued once the intervention was initiated. Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT04136860


The chest wall is modeled as a linear system for which the displacements of points on the chest wall are proportional to the forces that act on the chest wall, namely, airway opening pressure and active tension in the respiratory muscles. A standard theorem of mechanics, the Maxwell reciprocity theorem, is invoked to show that the effect of active muscle tension on lung volume, or airway pressure if the airway is closed, is proportional to the change of muscle length in the relaxation maneuver. This relation was tested experimentally. The shortening of the cranial-caudal distance between a rib pair and the sternum was measured during a relaxation maneuver. These data were used to predict the respiratory effect of forces applied to the ribs and sternum. To test this prediction, a cranial force was applied to the rib pair and a caudal force was applied to the sternum, simulating the forces applied by active tension in the parasternal intercostal muscles. The change in airway pressure, with lung volume held constant, was measured. The measured change in airway pressure agreed well with the prediction. In some dogs, nonlinear deviations from the linear prediction occurred at higher loads. The model and the theorem offer the promise that existing data on the configuration of the chest wall during the relaxation maneuver can be used to compute the mechanical advantage of the respiratory muscles.


Abstract Competition between wet-seeded rice and barnyardgrass under two distinct environments was analyzed using a two-parameter response–surface model at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. The findings showed that this model could predict crop yield loss due to weed competition over a wide range of crop and weed densities. The low-tillering, new plant–type cultivar was a weaker competitor and had a higher yield loss than high-tillering cultivar 'IR72' and a hybrid. Increasing the crop density could reduce yield loss due to weed competition. This effect was greater for the new plant type than for IR72 and the hybrid when barnyardgrass density was low. In contrast, this effect was less for the new plant type than for IR72 and the hybrid when the weed density was high. Competitiveness of the three rice cultivars was also affected by season. Crop yield loss was higher in the wet season than in the dry season. Nomenclature: Barnyardgrass, Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. ECHCG; rice, Oryza sativa L.


– In recent years, Mediterranean Partner countries (MPCs) have been ambitious about reforming their banking and financial systems. Former state‐owned banks have been privatised, and restrictions for international capital flows have been lowered to accelerate investment activities and spur regional economic growth. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate these latest developments against the backdrop of the state‐of‐the‐art literature and derive implications for a reformed institutional setting for sound financial market governance in the Mediterranean region., – Building on recent empirical literature on the relationship between financial development, financial governance, and economic growth, this paper empirically assesses the validity of the so‐called finance‐growth nexus for Mediterranean Partner countries., – The findings indicate that the current institutional set‐up renders an efficient allocation of savings impossible, and thus represents a strong binding constraint on economic growth. In this regard, it is found that adverse financial governance practices have substantially contributed to this outcome., – This paper argues for upgrading domestic regulatory frameworks before continuing a sequential integration and liberalisation process., – It is thought that this attempt is unique in explicitly formulating a comprehensive role for the Euro‐Mediterranean Partnership (EMP) in assisting MPCs on financial governance issues. In this respect, it identifies prevailing incentive schemes for regional actors and opportunities for the EU to actively support the implementation of a reform agenda for financial institutions in the EMP framework.


In the wireless mesh networks, the key role is played by the routers thus most of security threats are occurred to breach routing functionalities. Therefore, number of different kinds of attacks are deployed in networks easily i.e. Black-hole, Wormhole, Gray-hole and many others. Most of the attacks are deployed in order to degrade the performance of overall networks or bypass the network traffic. Therefore the presented work is aimed to explore the issues and challenges to design a secure network communication for wireless mesh network. One of them is wormhole attack i.e. severe kind of security threats in WMN. The proposed work is locates the wormhole link in network and tries to recover the network performance during the attack conditions. Thus, the scheme detects the malevolent nodes and prevents formation of wormholes. The Proposed mechanism based on two phase solution. In first phase the threshold value is computed using the different routing scenarios, the threshold value usage the network transmission delay in network and in second phase the threshold value is used to identify the malevolent link in the network. The implementation of the proposed concept is provided using the Ad-hoc on Demand Distance Vector routing protocol modification in network simulator 2 i.e. NS-2.


Vine performance was tested over five years (2005–2009) on Vitis vinifera L. cv. Barbera either manually spur-pruned (HP) or mechanically hedged with light (SMP-LF) or severe (SMP-SF) hand follow-up. Although mechanical treatments retained 2- to 2.5-fold higher count nodes per vine than did HP, yield per vine (~5 kg) was almost identical between treatments due to the strong offsetting effect of reduced budbreak. Weak compensation and no compensation were seen for cluster weight and bud fruitfulness, respectively. Except for a slight reduction in anthocyanin concentration, overall grape composition was similar among treatments throughout the trial. As minor differences in vine vigor and capacity were found and the leaf-to-fruit ratio (vine basis) was unaffected by treatments, the slightly lower anthocyanin berry content in the SMP vines may have derived from increased shoot density and, hence, more shade cast in the fruiting area. Winter pruning was performed in less than 25 hr/ha in the hedged vines, thereby cutting labor demand from 54 to 70% compared with HP. Thus, if all other vineyard operations are also mechanized, a single high-wire Barbera vineyard with a mostly erect canopy can be maintained in less than 70 worker hr/ha. Such a performance, coupled with overall unchanged yield and grape composition, represents a solid and reliable approach in a wine market that demands greater efficiency and competitiveness.


In most animals, mitochondrial DNA is strictly maternally inherited and non-recombining. One exception to these assumptions is called doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI): a phenomenon involving the independent transmission of female and male mitochondrial genomes. DUI is known only from the molluscan class Bivalvia. The phylogenetic distribution of male mitochondrial DNA in bivalves is consistent with several evolutionary scenarios, including multiple independent gains, losses, and varying degrees of recombination with female mitochondrial DNA. In this study, we use phylogenetic methods to test male mitochondrial DNA origination hypotheses and infer the prevalence of mitochondrial recombination in bivalves with DUI. Phylogenetic modeling using site concordance factors supported a single origin of male mitochondrial DNA in bivalves coupled with recombination acting over long evolutionary timescales. Ongoing mitochondrial recombination is present in Mytilida and Venerida, which results in a pattern of concerted evolution of female and male mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondrial recombination could be favored to offset the deleterious effects of asexual inheritance and maintain mitonuclear compatibility across tissues. Cardiida and Unionida have gone without recent recombination, possibly due to an extension of the COX2 gene in male mitochondrial DNA. The loss of recombination may be neutral but could be connected to the role of M mtDNA in sex determination or sexual development. Our results support recombination events in DUI species may occur throughout their genomes. Future investigations may reveal more complex patterns of inheritance of recombinants, which could explain the retention of signal for a single origination of male mitochondrial DNA in protein coding genes.


I present new measurements using the near-infrared Surface Brightness Fluctuations (SBF) distance measurement method for the F110W (J110) and F160W (H160) bandpasses of Hubble Space Telescope's (HST) Wide Field Camera 3 Infrared Channel (WFC3/IR), and use the measurements of absolute fluctuation magnitude to compare to stellar population models. The galaxies studied are 16 early-type galaxies from the Virgo and Fornax clusters observed with WFC3/IR. The calibrations utilize data from these 16 galaxies and are provided as functions of both the optical (g475−z850) and near-infrared (J110−H160) colors. HST is a remarkably powerful tool for measuring extragalactic distances. Comparing data from this sample of 16 galaxies to stellar population models reveals interesting population differences that cause the calibration scatter to increase for bluer dwarf galaxies. Comparing our data to single-burst population models reveals the anticipated result that redder early-type galaxies are composed of old, metal-rich populations, while the bluer dwarf elliptical counterparts conatain a wider range of ages and lower metallicity. The gradients in IR color are revealed by radial SBF measurements to be largely an age effect. The bluer dwarfs have an opposite trend to those of redder giant ellipticals with bluer dwarfs having their youngest populations in the center, getting older moving out from the center and the opposite trend for their redder counterparts. Because the population varies much more in bluer galaxies, distance measurements in the near-IR should be limited to red early-type galaxies. Acknowledgements: Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with Program #11712. Additional data from program #11570 was obtained from the Data Archive. I acknowledge the support of the Utah Valley University Scholarly Activities Committee and the support by the Utah NASA Space Grant Consortium award NNX10AJ77H.


BACKGROUND: Performing key actions efficiently during crises can determine clinical outcomes, yet even expert clinicians omit key actions. Simulation-based studies of crises show that correct performance of key actions dramatically increases when emergency manuals (EMs) are used. Despite widespread dissemination of EMs, there is a need to understand in clinical contexts, when, how, and how often EMs are used and not used, along with perceived impacts. METHODS: We conducted interviews with the anesthesia professionals involved in perioperative crises, identified with criterion-based sampling, occurring between October 2014 and May 2016 at 2 large academic medical centers with a history of EM training and implementation. Our convergent, mixed-methods study of the interview data extracted quantitative counts and qualitative themes of EM use and nonuse during clinical crises. RESULTS: Interviews with 53 anesthesia professionals yielded 80 descriptions of applicable clinical crises, with varying durations and event types. Of 69 unique patients whose cases involved crises, the EM was used during 37 (54%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 41–66). Impacts on clinician team members included decreased stress for individual anesthesia professionals (95%), enabled teamwork (73%), and calmed atmosphere (46%). Impacts on delivery of patient care included specific action improvements, including catching errors of omission, for example, turning off anesthetic during cardiac arrest, only after EM use (59%); process improvements, for example, double-checking all actions were completed (41%); and impediments (0%). In 8% of crises, EM use was associated with potential distractions, although none were perceived to harm delivery of patient care. For 32 EM nonuses (46%; 95% CI, 34–59), participants self-identified errors of omission or delays in key actions (56%), all key actions performed (13%), and crisis too brief for EM to be used (31%). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that EMs in operating rooms are being used during many applicable crises and that clinicians perceive EM use to add value. The reported negative effects were minimal and potentially offset by positive effects.


This story describes how my immigrant parents from Mexico City transmitted their Mexican cultural knowledge to their U.S. born children to inspire us to understand the wealth of our culture. Their experiences and stories helped us to navigate as bilingual and bicultural Chicanos. We were a family that was very proud of our Mexican heritage; we knew our language, history, politics and possessed strong cultural ties. My parents used their cultural knowledge to lay the foundations for our educational pathways. Now I have passed it on to my daughter.


Objects with the B[e] phenomenon exhibit permitted and forbidden emission lines due to the presence of circumstellar ionized gas and large infrared excesses due to processing of the stellar radiation by circumstellar dust. There are five groups of stars that show this phenomenon (pre-main-sequence Herbig Ae/Be stars, symbiotic systems, proto-planetary nebulae, some supergiant, and FS CMa type objects). The latter group is the most recently discovered and the least explored. The leading hypothesis about the group nature implies that they are mostly intermediate-mass binary sys- tems, whose circumstellar medium was created during a strong mass-transfer phase due to a Roche lobe overflow of the more massive star in the system. We have been conducting a large program of spectroscopic and photometric observations of many objects and candidates to this group. The current report is devoted to the preliminary results of our ongoing study of two objects with similar underlying early B-type stars, FS CMa (the group prototype) and MO Cam. The objects show different emission-line profiles and infrared excesses which are most likely due to different tilt angles of their non-spherical envelopes with respect to the line of sight. Variability of spectral lines is discussed here.


New nanocomposite films were prepared from a mixed suspension of hemp cellulose nanocrystals (HCNs) and thermoplastic starch, or plasticized starch (PS), by the casting and evaporating method. The morphology, thermal behavior, mechanical properties, and water sensitivity of the films were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, tensile testing, contact angle measurements, and water absorption. The results indicate that the cellulose nanocrystals dispersed in the PS matrix homogeneously and resulted in an increase in the glass-transition temperature ascribed to the fact that the flexibility of the starch molecular chains in the starch-rich phase was reduced because of the strong intermolecular interactions between the starch and stiff HCNs. The films exhibited significant increases in the tensile strength and Young's modulus, from 3.9 to 11.5 MPa and from 31.9 to 823.9 MPa, respectively, with increasing HCN content from 0 to 30 wt %. In addition to the improvement in mechanical properties, the incorporation of HCNs into the PS matrix also led to a decrease in the water sensitivity of the final composite materials. Therefore, the HCNs played an important role in improving the mechanical properties and water resistance of the starch-based material. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008


Across the Pacific Northwest, at least 17 intensively monitored watershed projects have been implemented to test the effectiveness of a broad range of stream restoration actions for increasing the freshwater production of salmon and steelhead and to better understand fish–habitat relationships. We assess the scope and status of these projects and report on challenges implementing them. We suggest that all intensively monitored watersheds should contain key elements based on sound experimental design concepts and be implemented within an adaptive management framework to maximize learning. The most significant challenges reported by groups were (1) improving coordination between funders, restoration groups, and researchers so that restoration and monitoring actions occur based on the project design and (2) maintaining consistent funding to conduct annual monitoring and evaluation of data. However, we conclude that despite these challenges, the intensively monitored watershed approach is the most reliable me...


Background: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and certainly the major cause of disability in the world. Diet and nutrient has an effective role in prevention and control of the risk of stroke. The aim of this study was to review the studies on the relationship between dietary intake and stroke incidence. Methods: In this study, the terms of "Fat", "cholesterol", "antioxidant", "vitamins", "salt", "potassium", "calcium", "carbohydrate", "vegetables", "fruits", "meat", "tea", "whole grains", "sugar-sweetened beverages", "Mediterranean diet", "dietary approaches to stop hypertension diet (DASH diet)", "Western diet", and "stroke" were searched in Pubmed search engine. The observational studies, cohort studies, clinical trial studies, systemic review, and meta-analysis reviews are also included in this study. Results: The study revealed that adherence to theimprovements in nutrition and diet canreducethe incidence ofstroke. Higher antioxidant, vitamins, potassium, calcium, vegetables, fruits, whole grain intake, and adherence to the Mediterranean dietor DASH diet can lower stroke incidence. Conclusions: Adherence to Mediterranean diet or DASH diet and increasing the consumption of antioxidant, vitamins, potassium, calcium food sources, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains intake can lower the risk of stroke. Healthy diet is effective in reducing risk of stroke, however, more studies need to be carried out in this area.


Repetitive impact during highway and railway transportation has potential and severe harm for the product with fragile or damageable component. The radiogram belongs to a typical electronic product with panel and box structure, and occurs with the falling down of loudspeaker contacted on the top box, the failure of electronic components, and the fracture of outside box during transportation and storage. So the main feature of this article is the analysis on the natural vibration property, and the evaluation on the drop shock property including amplification factor and relevant curves under nine kinds of repetitive impact with different impact duration and drop height. The results show that the amplification factor markedly rise while the impact duration 2.02ms (nearly causing the resonance of radiogram), the repetitive drop shock may bring more serious damage than single impact load, so the case should be paid attention for the design of package cushioning.


Dynamics of wave packets in quantum systems subjected to a friction force and impulse feedback is investigated in context of Schrodinger-Langevin-Kostin (SchLK) equation. The quantum systems with a quadratic potential bounded by impenetrable walls of a well are presented as examples. Numerical simulations are carried out for initial Gaussian packet at varied values of a friction coefficient and amplitudes of the impulse feedback. Informative and structural properties of the wave packets are analyzed by using Fourier transform of dynamical variables and their means, of autocorrelation Nauenberg's function. Coherent oscillations of the wave packets and transition to chaotic dynamics are found. Influence of friction on oscillatory dynamics is discussed.


A new series of uranium organophosphinates has been hydrothermally synthesized by using hydroxymethyl phenylphosphinic acid (HMPPA, HL) in the presence of imidazole derivatives, namely, UO2(L)2 (HMPP-U1), (UO2)2(L)4(dib) (HMPP-U2), (UO2)2(L)2(ox)(dib) (HMPP-U3), (Hbpi)2[(UO2)4(L)6(ox)2] (HMPP-U4) and (UO2)2(L)2(ox)(bpbi)2 (HMPP-U5) (ox = oxalate, dib = 1,4-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl)benzene, bpi = 1-(biphenyl-4-yl)-1H-imidazole, bpbi = 1-([1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole). HMPP-U1 was directly synthesized through hydrothermal reaction between HMPPA and UO22+, featuring a single chain structure constructed from sole UO6 tetragonal bipyramids bridged by HMPP ligands. With further introduction of imidazole derivatives, a layered structure of HMPP-U2 is formed, in which dib molecules are coordinated to uranyl centers as bidentate coligands. By adding glycol into the synthesis, a common dimeric building unit is isolated, which comprises two U-centered pentagonal bipyramids linked by an in situ generated oxalate group. In HMPP-U3, a one-dimensional structure comprising such dimeric uranyl entities and HMPP ligands is pillared by dib, forming a layered assembly. HMPP-U4 incorporates the dimeric uranyl units connected by HMPP ligands, leading to a two-dimensional arrangement with bpi as the template. HMPP-U5 features a one-dimensional structure composed of the uranyl dimers and HMPP ligands. The bpbi molecules serving as coligands are coordinated to the chain. The syntheses and structures as well as the correlations and discrepancies of these uranyl organophosphinates are discussed in this paper.


Abstract Positive shifts in global seawater δ13CDIC are related to changes in the ratio of organic relative to inorganic carbon burial in oceanic basins, whereas factors such as climatic cooling and the accumulation of polar ice are known to cause positive shifts in δ18O. Here, an alternative model is proposed for the formation of local positive isotope shifts in shallow‐marine settings. The model involves geochemically altered platform‐top water masses and the effects of early meteoric diagenesis on carbonate isotopic composition. Both mechanisms are active on modern (sub)tropical carbonate platforms and result in low carbonate δ13C and δ18O relative to typical oceanic values. During high‐amplitude transgressive events, the impact of isotopically light meteoric fluids on the carbonate geochemistry is much reduced, and 13C‐depleted platform‐top water mixes with open oceanic water masses having higher isotope values. Both factors are recorded as a transient increase in carbonate 13C and 18O relative to low background values. These processes must be taken into consideration when interpreting the geochemical record of ancient epeiric seas.


Japan is in the eleventh year of stagnation with a prolonged financial malaise. Just a little over a decade ago, Japan's Phenomenal growth was admired and even feared as a juggernaut. Japanese scholars and policymakers came to often describe Japan's industrial advance in terms of the so-called "flying-geese" model of catch-up growth, a sanguine expression that has also been played up in the media. Japan once did play the role of Asia's lead goose before the burst of the 1987-1990 asset bubble. The model is useful in capturing the essence of Japan's successful industrial upgrading and Asia's trade-led growth but fails to explain why such a success would ever lead to the present economic predicament. This is because it ignores the institutional, especially financial, underpinnings of Japan's catch-up strategy. What were the key enabling institutional features of Japan's once effective FG catch-up strategy? How did they function? Why did they come to cause the 1987-1990 bubble and the current financial imbroglio? How will Japan be "reformed"? All these developments and issues need to be examined as path-dependent evolutionary events within a reformulated "flying-geese" model, and "institutional" model of FG catch-up.


The nurse-patient interaction is the cornerstone of psychiatric care, yet the concept "mental health nursing" is difficult to describe. This article aims to address this problem through the experiences of nursing students. Online journals from 14 nursing students were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, resulting in three categories: Trusting the Trusting Relationship, Voicing the Unspoken Needs, and Balancing the Dynamics of Doing and Being. This study demonstrates that providing nursing care based on trusting relationships is not a demanding task, but it takes place in a complex environment that has a tendency to make easy things complicated.


ABSTRACT This article describes the challenges facing a federal government–funded initiative to promote online deliberation to improve the public comment process by federal and state government agencies in the United States. The three year project met several difficulties. Some have been technical, but our primary obstacle has been in securing partnerships with government agencies. Due to institutional, legal, and organizational challenges, many government agencies are resistant to opening up the public comment process to a deliberative structure, although some change occurred following the Obama administration's Open Government Initiative. This article describes the objectives of the original research project and details the challenges faced with the hope of guiding future deliberation research projects that aim to work with federal agencies in the U.S.


This research explores what it means to be a farmer in today's world. Agriculture has fed the majority of people throughout history and, by continually becoming more labor-efficient, has provided the ability for an ever-increasing diversification and specialization of labor in nonagricultural industries. Even as societies have become increasingly complex, the role of agriculture as necessary for sustenance has not changed. Farmers in developed countries today have a unique experience as occupying a dual role as both fundamental and vestigial in relation to the rest of their society. This study explores the experiences and identity of wheat farmers in southeastern Washington through autoethnographic immersion as well as interviews done over a two-month period in the summer of 2012. Specifically, life histories and current views on agriculture and society are used to develop an idea of how self-concept is constructed based on various contradictory roles that farmers fill in both microand macrosocietal levels. This study joins a host of multidisciplinary rural-studies research that has informed our perspective on agriculture and refines our idea of the farming experience, but it points to a need for more research on the differences, similarities and interactions between rural and urban culture in developed nations. Document Type Capstone Project Degree Name Bachelor of Arts Department Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work and Public Health Subject Categories Anthropology Comments Note: Revised version with minor grammatical corrections uploaded 5.28.2014. This capstone project is available at CommonKnowledge: https://commons.pacificu.edu/cassoc/20


Sugarcane breeding is very difficult and it takes 12 to 14 years to develop a new cultivar for commercial production. This is because sugarcane varieties are highly polyploid, inter-specific hybrids with 100 to 130 chromosomes that may vary across geographical areas. Other obstacles/constraints include the small size of flowers that may not synchronize but may self-pollinate, difficulty in distinguishing hybrids from self progenies, extreme (G × E) interactive effect, and potential variety mis-identification during vegetative propagation and varietal exchange. To help cane breeders circumvent these constraints, a simple sequence repeats (SSR)-based molecular identity database has been developed at the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Sugarcane Research Unit in Houma, LA. Since 2005, approximately 2000 molecular identities have been constructed for clones of sugarcane and related Saccharum species that cover geographical areas including Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, China, Colombia, India, Mexico, Pakistan, South Africa, Thailand, USA (Louisiana, Florida, Texas, and Hawaii), and Venezuela. The molecular identity database is updated annually and has been utilized to: (1) provide molecular descriptors to newly registered cultivars; (2) identify in a timely fashion any mislabeled or unidentifiable clones from cross parents and field evaluation plots; (3) develop de novo clones of energy cane with S. spontaneum cytoplasm; (4) provide clone-specific fingerprint information for assessing cross quality and paternity of polycross; (5) determine genetic relatedness of parental clones; (6) select F1 hybrids from (elite × wild) or (wild × elite) crosses; and (7) investigate the inheritance of SSR markers in sugarcane. The integration of the molecular identity database into the sugarcane breeding program may improve the overall efficacy of cultivar development and commercialization.


From the Publisher:
In a world where companies are rushing to add an "e-" to everything they do--e-commerce, e-tailing--the real key to success still lies off-line. In this fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the electronic revolution, an inspirational leader and operator and a talented and thoughtful coach and consultant, both engaged in the meteoric rise of The Charles Schwab Corporation, articulate and demonstrate the elements of long-range success. Their take on culture, personal leadership and the transformation of business practices will help leaders, employees, investors, and customers all come out on top in this high-stakes, opportunity rich economy.For excerpts, endorsements, detailed author biographies, and more, visit the special Clicks and Mortar website.
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Background Paracetamol (acetaminophen) poisoning is the most common toxicological presentation in the UK. Doctors managing patients with paracetamol poisoning need to assess the risk of their patient developing hepatotoxicity before determining appropriate treatment. Patients deemed to be at 'high risk' of hepatotoxicity have lower treatment thresholds than those deemed to be at 'normal risk'. Errors in this process can lead to harmful or potentially fatal under or over treatment. Aim To determine how well treating doctors assess risk factor status and whether a standardised proforma is useful in the risk stratification process. Methods Retrospective 12-month case note review of all patients presenting with paracetamol poisoning to our large inner-city emergency department. Data were collected on the documentation of risk factors, the presence of a local hospital proforma and treatment outcomes. Results 249 presentations were analysed and only 59 (23.7%) had full documentation of all the risk factors required to make a complete risk assessment. 56 of the 59 (94.9%) had the local hospital proforma included in the notes; the remaining 3 (5.1%) had full documentation of risk factors despite the absence of a proforma. A local hospital proforma was more likely to be included in the emergency department notes in those with 'adequate documentation' (78 out of 120 (65%)) than for those with 'inadequate documentation' (16 out of 129 (12.4%)); X2, p<0.001. Conclusions Despite a low overall uptake of the proforma, use of a standardised proforma significantly increased the likelihood of documentation of the risk factors which increase risk for hepatotoxicity following paracetamol poisoning.


The public interest in efficient and fair trials may be seen as underlying the rules of disclosure in civil litigation, whereby a litigant is obliged to make pre-trial disclosure of the documents on which he relies and the documents that adversely affect his own case or adversely affect, or support, another party's case, even though such documents may not be admissible evidence at the trial. There is also a public interest in enabling material to be withheld where its production would harm the nation or the public service. Where these two kinds of public interest clash and the latter prevails over the former, relevant and otherwise admissible evidence is excluded at trial. Such material is said to be withheld by reason of 'public interest immunity'. This chapter discusses the development of the modern law on public interest immunity; the scope of exclusion on grounds of public policy; and related procedural issues in civil and criminal cases.