Sensory substitution has been reported in recent brain imaging studies with blind people and others with sensory deficits so that sensory cortical regions traditionally considered unimodal respond to stimulation from other sensory modalities. Similar effects are also found for normal sighted people with sensory deprivation (blindfolded), indicative of pre-existing neuronal pathways for multiple sensory interactions. Such pathways are considered latent in that they only become unmasked or potentiated in the event of sensory deafferentation, although whether sensory deprivation is necessary to expose these pathways is unclear due to inconclusive evidence. With a relatively strong power in experimental design, visual cortical activation was observed when normal sighted participants (not blindfolded) judged whether auditorily-presented nouns referred to artificial or natural objects. The results suggest the above mentioned pathways can be exposed without sensory deafferentation and therefore are not totally latent. This establishes a boundary condition constraining theoretical models for the neural basis of multiple sensory interactions.


A novel adaptive critic based kinematic control scheme for a redundant manipulator has been proposed in this paper. The redundancy resolution has been formulated as a discrete-time optimal control problem. A Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy based critic network is proposed to predict the global costate dynamics as fuzzy average of local costate dynamics. The integral cost function is used in the literature earlier, to achieve global optimum in contrast to instantaneous cost functions which gives local optimum. But both the approaches require the computation of pseudo-inverse which is computationally complex and suffers from numerical instability. In contrast, the proposed scheme does not require computation of pseudo-inverse of the Jacobian which makes the method computationally efficient. The proposed scheme is tested on 7 degree of freedom (7DOF) PowerCube manipulator from Amtec Robotics.


The combined arm–leg (Cruiser) ergometer is assumed to be a relevant testing and training instrument in the rehabilitation of patients with a lower limb amputation. The efficiency and submaximal strain have not been established and thus cannot be compared with alternative common modes of exercise. A total of 22 healthy able-bodied men (n=10) and women (n=12) were enrolled in four discontinuous submaximal graded exercise tests. Each test consisted of seven bouts of 3 min exercise ranging from 20 to 45 W and was performed on, respectively, the Cruiser ergometer, a bicycle ergometer, a handbike, and again the Cruiser ergometer. Cardiorespiratory parameters were measured and rate of perceived exertion was determined. Gross mechanical efficiency (GE) was determined from power output and submaximal steady-state energy cost. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (P<0.05) was used to evaluate the effects of exercise mode, exercise intensity, and sex. No differences in GE and cardiorespiratory strain were found between both Cruiser tests (GE 45 W: men 13.0%, women 15%) and the bicycle test (GE 45 W: men 13.2%, women 14.6%). GEs of handbiking (45 W: men 11.2%, women 12.2%) were lower compared with the Cruiser and bicycle test results, whereas cardiorespiratory strain in handbiking was consistently higher. Apart from a lower rate of perceived exertion at the second Cruiser test, no differences were found between the repeated Cruiser tests. It can be concluded that GE and cardiorespiratory strain in submaximal Cruiser exercise are comparable with leg cycling, the repeatability was good, and no obvious learning effects were observed. The results of this study form a base for further research in patients with a lower limb amputation.


A novel highly selective colorimetric fluorescence probe, POPH, has been successfully synthesized and it shows remarkable selective and sensitive response to Cu2+ in aqueous media (HEPES buffer, pH = 7.4). The fluorescence of probe POPH immediately decreased when 1.1 equiv. of Cu2+ was added to a solution of probe POPH, accompanied by color change from wathet blue to colorless under 365 nm UV lamp illumination. The possible bonding model of probe POPH with Cu2+ was examined through HRMS, FESEM, TEM, FTIR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. Moreover, the probe POPH could be used for monitoring Cu2+ in living cells using laser scanning confocal microscopy.


A soft surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate was fabricated based on a three-dimensional (3D) structure of biocompatible end-tethered poly(l-lysine) ("t-PLL") with a brushlike configuration conjugated with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) (Ag NP-t-PLL film). The conjugation procedures were carefully adjusted to generate the films with different interval widths (W) between Ag NPs and diameters (D) of Ag NPs. The resulting film was then characterized by zeta potential, CD spectropolarimeter, and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the studies of SERS enhancements using Ag NP-t-PLL film as a substrate were performed. The significant increases of SERS enhancements have been obtained as W/D was decreased from 0.9 to 0.2. Our results not only afford a facile fabrication of a 3D soft substrate for SERS with high sensitivity and biocompatibility but also offer great potentials for the development of new biosensors.


This study examined the antibacterial potential of water extracts of different parts of Morinda citrifolia (Family: Rubiacae) plants which is used/indicated in Sri Lankan traditional and folk medicine to wash old cutaneous wounds, cuts, abrasion, rashes, bruises or burns, and as a throat gargle. This was tested in triplicate, in vitro, using agar disc diffusion bio assay against Gram positive human pathogenic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Gram negative bacteria , Escherichia coli (ATCC 35218). Concentration of water extracts tested were 500,750 and 1000 μg/disk. Gentamicin (10 μg/disk) was used as the positive control. The results showed that none of the extracts (roots, fruits, flower, stem bark or combination of these parts) was effective against E. coli whilst fruit (diameter of inhibition zone 2.93 ±0.03mm), stem bark (5.1 ±0.03mm) and combined extract (9.46 ± 0.03mm) exhibited antibacterial activity against S. aureus. The reference drug, Gentamicine induced an inhibition zone of 13.98 ±0.04mm against S. aureus and 15.02 ±0.03 mm against E. coli. It is conducted that water extracts of different parts of M. citrifolia plant has mild to moderate antibacterial activity against S. aureus, a commonly encountered pathogen in cutaneous wounds. In addition, the results justify its use in Sri Lankan ethnomedicine as a topical cleaning agent for infected skin wounds.


The debate over the relative importance of ideology versus party for vote choice in France is enduring. Resolution of the debate would have much value, for the light shed on sources of stability and change in multiparty electoral systems generally. The main reason the debate continues is that previous studies examining that question have been plagued by difficulties pertaining to variable measurement, model specification, election type, and research design. We address these problems and provide new evidence from the 2002 French Electoral Panel. Most notably, these data allow stronger causal inference because party identification and ideological identification are both measured in the first wave of the survey, that is, before the declaration of vote actually occurs. We estimate a multi-equation model of first-round legislative vote intention—as measured in the second wave of the panel—using two-stage least squares, ordered logit, as well as binomial and multinomial logit techniques. The results indicate that ideological identification systematically outweighs party identification in shaping the French voter's choice.


The present work consists of demonstrating, through a project located in an area of 121.67 hectares, Environmental Protection Zone-9 in Natal, Brazil, the building of sustainable social housing. In addition to this, the project also involves improvements in infrastructure, through the implementation of urban equipment and community, aimed at social, economic and environmental urbanization. The architectural project shows the possibility of building social housing seeking an integration with the surrounding population, respecting sustainable ideas. The project was explained in Public Hearing for the purpose of the regulations of the Environmental Protection Zone-9 in Natal, Brazil, still pending. Furthermore, there was a meeting with the regional manager of Civil Construction of the Caixa Economica Federal (CEF) in RN, Ivonaldo Henrique de Souza, at which the regional manager showed considerable interest in the proposal. Marcelo Rosado, Municipal Secretary of Environment and Urbanism, in turn, considered that it is necessary to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability. As a partial result had also a meeting with Homer Grec, Housing Secretary, Project and Land Regularization Structuring, when made alarming data about the housing deficit in Natal and claimed that in the north there is no urban voids with sufficient capacity for social housing in the range 1, although there are CEF resources for this purpose through the Casa Azul Seal CEF.


The Australian Government's Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 was enacted on 29 November 2012 but will not commence until March 2014. It contains the first significant amendments to the Privacy Act 1988 since 2001. The whole process took nearly seven years since the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) started work on its privacy reform reference. This article focusses on those aspects of the law which have been changed, for better or worse. We have previously analysed the deficiencies of the Bill in articles http://ssrn.com/abstract=2129626 and submissions http://ssrn.com/abstract=2134838 and the Bill was enacted with none of those deficiencies removed.The most positive aspect of the Amendment Act is the additional enforcement powers given to the Privacy Commissioner, including powers to direct remedial actions; power to make determinations following 'own motion' investigations; civil penalty provisions; powers to require Privacy Impact Assessments; and a new function to conduct 'assessments', replacing audit powers.The addition of a right of appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal against determinations by the Commissioner, while very desirable, do not deal directly with the key problem of the Act: complainants cannot require the Commissoner to make determinations when they are dissatisfied with mediation and disagree with the Commissioner's view that a complaint has been successfully resolved.Although one unified set of privacy principles in the Act is desirable, unfortunately none of the thirteen new Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) is an overall improvement, and 8 of the 13 APPs are worse for privacy protection. The most controversial new principle is APP 8, which abandons a 'border protection' approach in favour of 'accountability'. The dangers of this approach are outlined. Changes to the credit report and direct marketing are also outlined.


To acknowledge the medical service capacity of the first batch of county-level key clinical specialties in Henan province, analyze the influencing factors, and make targeted suggestions. TOPSIS method was used to evaluate the medical service capacity comprehensively, and the influencing factors were analyzed by simple linear regression and multiple linear regression. In the multiple linear regression model, the basic conditions, including the total investment funds during the construction period, net usable area of beds and the ratio of bed to nurse, the quality of care—the compliance rate of major clinical diagnosis and pathological diagnosis, and the personnel training—the number of technical promotion trainees, of the first county-level clinical specialties, have a significant influence upon the medical service capacity; while, the actual number of beds, the ratio of doctors and nurses, the proportion of annual expert visits, the number of technical promotion training and sending of learners, percentage of drug expenditure and core journal articles have limited effect. On the basis of the ensured allocation of resources and capital investment, more attention should be paid to personnel training and appropriate technology promotion, and the medical care quality is supposed to be always insisted on, to promote the overall improvement of medical service capacity in county hospitals.


Abstract. Few studies have investigated nocturnal new particle formation (NPF) events, and none of them were conducted in urban environments. Nocturnal NPF can potentially be a significant source of particles in urban areas, and studying them would improve our understanding of nucleation mechanisms. To address this, our study was conducted in an urban environment to investigate the physical characteristics of NPF events, with a particular focus on nocturnal events and the differences between them and the daytime NPF events. Particle number size distribution (PNSD) was measured for 2 weeks at each of 25 sites across an urban environment. A new method was proposed to automatically categorise NPF events based on growth rate (GR) in order to remove the bias related to the manual procedure. Out of 219 observed events, 118 and 101 were categorised into class I and II respectively and 73 happened during the nighttime which included more than 30 % of the events. GR and condensation sink (CS) were calculated and a slight negative relationship between GR and CS was observed. Nocturnal events displayed higher GRs compared to daylight ones which were on average about 10 %. Back trajectory analysis was also conducted to estimate the locations of the sources of daylight and nocturnal precursors. While the precursors related to daylight events originated from different locations with no particular pattern, back-trajectory analysis showed many air masses associated with nocturnal NPF events were transported from over the ocean. Overall, nocturnal NPF events were found to be a significant source of particles in the studied environment with different physical characteristics and/or sources compared to daylight events.


&NA; The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of two species of poultry (cockerel and Japanese quail), two levels of enzyme (0 and 0.5 g/kg), and 6 processing methods (control (C), gamma irradiation 25 (GI25), and 50 kGy (GI50), autoclaving (AU), fermentation without lactobacillus (F), and fermentation with lactobacillus (FL)) on the nitrogen‐corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) of barley. In this experiment, each processing method was tested at two levels of enzyme (0 and 0.5 g/kg) in six replications with two cockerels or four quails per replication. The results showed that the AMEn values by barley processing methods were: C‐11.45 and 12.27; GI25–11.50 and 11.30; GI50–11.49 and 11.29; AU‐11.70 and 11.46; F‐12.90 and 12.30; FL‐1295 and 12.51 MJ/kg in cockerels and quails, respectively. The AMEn (11.49 MJ/kg) of enzyme 0 was significantly lower than that of enzyme 0.5 (12.35 MJ/kg). There was a significant difference in the AMEn of processed barley between cockerels and quails. In conclusion, the most effective processing method of barley for AMEn is fermentation with lactobacillus and enzyme.


With the rapid development of wind power generation, many marine wind farms have been developed on the offshore intertidal sandbank (OIS) along the coastal regions of Jiangsu Province, China during the last decade. In order to quantitatively assess the stability of offshore wind turbines and their induced topographic changes on the OIS, a digital elevation model (DEM)-based analysis supported by satellite remote sensing is adopted in the present study. Taking the Liangsha OIS at the middle of Jiangsu coast, China as the research area, we first used an enhanced waterline method (EWM) to construct the 30 m resolution DEMs for the years 2014 and 2018 with the embedment of tidal creeks to effectively express the detailed characteristics of the micro-terrain. Then, a hypothetical sandbank surface discrimination method (HSSDM) was proposed. By comparing the height difference between the hypothetical and the real terrain surface during the operation period, the wind turbine-induced topographic change rate (TCR) was estimated from the DEM of 2018. The results show that 73.47% of the 49 wind turbines in the Liangsha OIS have an erosional/depositional balanced influence on the intertidal sand body, 8.16% show a weak depositional influence, and 18.36% lead to weak erosion. The average erosional depth, 58.6 cm, reached nearly 6% to 10% of the maximum possible erosion estimated by the hydrodynamic model. Furtherly, using two DEMs for the years 2014 and 2018, the topographic change depths at the location of wind turbines were calculated. By comparing the wind turbine-induced terrain change with the naturally erosional/depositional depths of the OIS, the average contribution rate caused by the wind turbines achieved 42.17%, which meant that the impact of wind turbines on terrain changes could not be ignored. This work shows the potential of utilizing satellite-based remote sensing to monitor topographic changes in the OIS and to assess the influence of morphological variations caused by wind turbines, which will be helpful for offshore wind farm planning and intertidal environment protection.


Problem: Clear cell carcinoma (CCC) of the ovary has a number of features distinguishing it from other epithelial ovarian carcinomas (EOC) because of its characteristic histology and biology, frequent concurrence with endometriotic lesion, and highly chemoresistant nature resulting in an extremely poor prognosis. The incidence of CCC has been steadily increasing in Japan. They comprise approximately 20% of all EOC. Understanding the mechanisms of CCC development and elucidating pathogenesis and pathophysiology are intrinsic to prevention and effective therapies for CCC. Method of study: This article reviews the English language literature for biology, pathogenesis, and pathophysiological studies on endometriosis-associated EOC. Several data are discussed in the context of endometriosis and CCC biology. Results: Recent studies based on genome-wide expression analysis technology have noted specific expression of hepatocyte nuclear factor-1β (HNF-1β) in endometriosis and CCC, suggesting that early differentiation into the clear cell lineage takes place in the endometriosis. The HNF-1β-dependent pathway of CCC will be discussed, which are providing new insights into regulation of apoptosis and glycogen synthesis and resistance of CCC to anticancer agents. Conclusions: This review summarizes recent advances in the HNF-1β and its target genes; the potential challenges to the understanding of carcinogenesis, pathogenesis, and pathophysiology of CCC; and a possible novel model is proposed.


The constant-quality assumption in repeat-sales house price indexes (HPIs) introduces a significant time-varying attribute bias. The direction, magnitude, and source of the bias varies throughout the market cycle and across metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). We mitigate the bias using a data-driven textual analysis approach that identifies and includes salient text from real estate agent remarks in the repeat-sales estimation. Absent the text, MSA-level HPIs are biased downward by as much as 7 percent during the financial crisis and upward by as much as 20 percent after the crisis. The geographic concentration of the bias magnifies its effect on local HPIs. (JEL C43, E31, R11, R31)


Abstract Trade in agricultural products raises sensitivities, particularly when imports originate from a trading partner experiencing an outbreak of some type of agricultural disease. In this article, we explain why despite the negative externalities associated with diseased imports, an importing country is generally not permitted to ban such imports outright under WTO law. Rather, it is allowed to do so only under specific circumstances. We also highlight how the recent India–Agricultural Products ruling contributes to the jurisprudence of two issues concerning the SPS Agreement: the interpretation of international standards, and the relationship between the risk assessment and scientific evidence requirements.


High-conviction funds, beta-one funds, short extension funds, limited-shorting funds, long-enhanced funds, active extension funds, hedge-fund lite: there is a wide range of terms for what is most frequently called 130/30. Broadly, this strategy initially invests 100% in an index, sells short 30%, and uses the proceeds from the shorts to buy an additional 30% likely to beat the benchmark. In this paper, we examine some crucial points related to these funds: their theoretical foundation, the optimal level of shorting, the distinction between the quantitative and fundamental approaches, whether these funds are natural extensions of long-only funds, and finally the risk of neglecting their risk.


This article is about the trial of a transportable psychoeducation program for family caregivers of older adults with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias that was based on a program developed and previously tested in an academic setting. Family caregivers were recruited by agencies in three states and invited to participate in a randomized trial of this six-session program. Questionnaires were administered prior to randomization and again 5 to 6 months later to assess program effect. A total of 52 caregivers completed both questionnaires (22 were in the wait-list control group). Experimental participants' scores on measures of mastery and distress were significantly better than control participants' scores at follow-up (Time 2 Results for this transported program showed benefits to caregivers com parable to those in the previous trials. The program demonstrated that it could be offered in a variety of settings and that it had benefit for caregivers.


Cadmium(Cd) pollution is one of the most extensive and harmful environmental problems worldwide.Recently,coastal water pollution by Cd and other heavy metals have been becoming more serious because of continuous economic development,including mining,urban traffic,burning of fossil fuels,and production of phosphate fertilizers.Calcium(Ca) is an essential macroelement that plays a crucial role in regulating plant growth and development.Moreover,Ca has been shown to alleviate heavy metal toxicity in many plants.Allium cepa is well known and commonly used in many laboratories primarily due to its many advantages,such as low cost,short test time,ease of storage and handling,large number of roots,and large cells with excellent chromosome conditions.In the present study,this plant was chosen as the experimental material to investigate whether the application of exogenous Ca can enhance the tolerance of A.cepa var.agrogarum L.to Cd stress(10,100 |xmol/L and 300 μmol/L).In addition,the effects of various concentrations of exogenous Ca application(0,0.1,1,and 10 mmol/L) on the vegetative growth,photosynthesis characteristics,Cd accumulation,and nutrient minerals of A.cepa var.agrogarum L.under various concentrations of Cd stress(10 μmol/L to300 ujnol/L) were analyzed.This study showed the following results;(1) Excess Cd significantly inhibited the growth of A.cepa var.agrogarum L.,resulting in changes in morphological characteristics,such as stunted and bent root tips and darkened green leaves,whereas exogenous Ca significantly decreased the negative effects of Cd and alleviated growth inhibition in A.cepa var.agrogarwn L.(2) Cd treatment greatly increased the chlorophyll contents and significantly decreased net photosynthetic rate,stomatal conductance,and transpiration rate,whereas exogenous application of Ca markedly alleviated the increase in photosynthetic pigments and significantly increased the net photosynthetic rate,stomatal conductance,and transpiration rate.(3) Cd stress induced substantial Cd accumulation,resulting in serious nutrient imbalance,such as the significant inhibition of absorption of Mg(Magnesium) and Mn(Manganese) in roots and Ca,Mg,Mn,and Zn(Zinc) in leaves and a massive accumulation of Ca,Fe(Iron) and Zn in roots and Fe in leaves,whereas the exogenous addition of Ca significantly decreased Cd accumulation and effectively reversed the Cd-induced imbalance of nutrients in A.cepa var.agrogarum L.Therefore,supplementing exogenous Ca with an optimal concentration can effectively relieve the phytotoxicity of Cd stress to A.cepa var.agrogarum L.by decreasing excessive Cd accumulation,maintaining high levels of photosynthesis characteristics,and maintaining the balance of water content,photosynthetic pigments,and nutrient elements,among others.


The combination of microorganisms in consortia enhances high bioflocculant yields. The study aimed at producing and characterising bioflocculant from Bacillus pumilus JX860616 and Alcaligenes faecalis HCB2. Bioflocculant TPT-1 was obtained through ethanol extraction after optimum conditions were established. The characteristics of the bioflocculant TPT-1 were obtained by scanning electron microscope equipped with elemental detector, Zetasizer nano, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. Fourier transform infrared (IR) spectrophotometry and the thermal decomposition was used to conduct the thermal gravimetric analysis. The flocculation mechanism of TPT-1 on Kaolin suspension was obtained by Zetasizer Nano. Glucose and yeast extract were the best energy sources, yielding 3.0 g/L of TPT-1 in optimum conditions (30°C, 165 rpm, initial pH 6 and 72h). TPT-1 revealed to be an anionic, heat stable glycoprotein, with the total carbohydrate content of 83.1% (w/w) and the total proteins content of 9.7% (w/w). The elemental analysis demonstrated the presence of N (1.3), C (15.0), O (44.8), P (0.8), Ca (9.0), Cl (2.8), Mg (0.4), S (12.1), K (11.4) and Na (1.9) in mass proportion (% w/w), while the IR spectrum showed the presence of hydroxyl, carbonyl and amine groups. Ba2+ mediated bridge flocculation mechanism between the bioflocculant TPT-1 and Kaolin particles. The high flocculating capability (90%) and characteristics of TPT-1 suggested its potentiality in industrial applications.

 Key words: Bioflocculant TPT-1, flocculating activity, flocculation mechanism and bacterial consortium.


The information technology (IT) project environment in developing economies is complex and dynamic due to their unique social, technological, cultural, political, and financial contexts. This study proposes a theoretical framework for identifying risks in IT projects in developing economies by considering the unique characteristics of project management in developing economies, which involve broader stakeholder groups, technology and project inexperience, infrastructural immaturity, and local uniqueness. The proposed framework serves as guidance to identify specific IT project risks in two developing economies, Cambodia and Uganda. For this, a total of 17 project cases were examined via a series of expert interviews. The findings achieved through this retroductive process are used to validate the proposed framework as well as to conceptualize unique risk factors in IT projects in the two developing economies. Additional analyses are conducted to better understand the risk factors, especially in the comparison of the two developing economies.


4016 Replication-competent retrovirus (RCR) vectors can propagate specifically within actively dividing cancer cells and thereby achieve highly efficient and tumor-selective gene delivery in vivo. To further enhance their tissue-specificity through transcriptional targeting, we have developed a prostate-specific RCR vector regulated by a synthetic variant of the probasin promoter (ARR2PB). We have previously shown that RCR vectors regulated by ARR2PB exhibit stringent specificity for androgen receptor (AR)-positive prostate cancer cells compared to untargeted RCR vectors. These RCR vectors were both derived from murine leukemia virus pseudotyped with the wild type amphotropic envelope glycoprotein (MLV(4070A)), which binds to PiT-2, a ubiquitous and highly conserved phosphate transport protein present on the surface of human and murine cells. We now report the development of RCR vectors pseudotyped with the heterologous gibbon ape leukemia virus envelope (MLV(GALV)), whose receptor is PiT-1, another member of the same phosphate transporter family. We have further constructed a targeted MLV(GALV) RCR vector regulated by the ARR2PB promoter and tested its selectivity for prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Probasin-targeted and untargeted MLV(4070A) and MLV(GALV) RCR vectors expressing GFP were inoculated onto LNCaP (AR-positive prostate cancer), PC3 (AR-negative prostate cancer) and WiDr (colon cancer) cells in vitro, and the replication kinetics and transduction efficiency of each vector was monitored by flow cytometry. Both ARR2PB-targeted vectors exhibited stringent specificity for LNCaP cells, and MLV(GALV) RCR vectors replicated more rapidly than MLV(4070A) RCR vectors. After injection of equal infectious units into pre-established subcutaneous LNCaP tumors in nude mice, the in vivo tumor transduction efficiency of ARR2PB-targeted MLV(GALV) RCR vectors reached significantly higher levels more rapidly than targeted MLV(4070A) vectors. To assess the impact of transcriptional targeting on the potential for extratumoral spread and resultant genotoxicity of RCR vectors in normal tissues, untargeted and ARR2PB-targeted RCR vectors were inoculated into nude mice by direct intravenous injection and vector biodistribution was examined 3 months later by quantitative real-time PCR analysis of genomic DNA. Untargeted RCR vector integration was detected in the spleen and bone marrow, but the ARR2PB-targeted vector showed no detectable extratumoral integration. Our results thus indicate that GALV-pseudotyped RCR vectors have the potential to further enhance the efficiency of replicative transduction and therapeutic gene transfer in prostate cancer, and that transcriptional targeting may improve the safety profile of RCR vectors in immunocompromised hosts.


Kiyosi Ito's greatest contribution to probability theory may be his introduction of stochastic differential equations to explain the Kolmogorov-Feller theory of Markov processes. Starting with the geometric ideas that guided him, this book gives an account of Ito's program. The modern theory of Markov processes was initiated by A. N. Kolmogorov. However, Kolmogorov's approach was too analytic to reveal the probabilistic foundations on which it rests. In particular, it hides the central role played by the simplest Markov processes: those with independent, identically distributed increments. To remedy this defect, Ito interpreted Kolmogorov's famous forward equation as an equation that describes the integral curve of a vector field on the space of probability measures. Thus, in order to show how Ito's thinking leads to his theory of stochastic integral equations, Stroock begins with an account of integral curves on the space of probability measures and then arrives at stochastic integral equations when he moves to a pathspace setting. In the first half of the book, everything is done in the context of general independent increment processes and without explicit use of Ito's stochastic integral calculus. In the second half, the author provides a systematic development of Ito's theory of stochastic integration: first for Brownian motion and then for continuous martingales. The final chapter presents Stratonovich's variation on Ito's theme and ends with an application to the characterization of the paths on which a diffusion is supported. The book should be accessible to readers who have mastered the essentials of modern probability theory and should provide such readers with a reasonably thorough introduction to continuous-time, stochastic processes.


We present a novel technique that unobtrusively estimates forces exerted by human participants in multicontact interaction with rigid environments. Our method uses motion capture only, thus circumventing the need to set up cumbersome force transducers at all potential contacts between the human body and the environment. This problem is particularly challenging, as the knowledge of a given motion only characterizes the resultant force, which can generally be caused by an infinity of force distributions over individual contacts. We collect and release a large-scale dataset on how humans instinctively regulate interaction forces on diverse multicontact tasks and motions. The force estimation framework we propose leverages physics-based optimization and neural networks to reconstruct force distributions that are physically realistic and compatible with real interaction force patterns. We show the effectiveness of our approach on various locomotion and multicontact scenarios.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the hypothesis that rural obstetricians (OBs) and family physicians (FPs) utilized fewer resources during the care of the low-risk women who initially booked with them than did their urban counterparts of the same specialties.

DATA SOURCES/STUDY DESIGN
A stratified random sample of Washington state rural and urban OBs and FPs was selected during 1989. A participation rate of 89 percent yielded 209 participating physicians. The prenatal and intrapartum medical records of a random sample of the low-risk patients who initiated care with the sampled providers during a one-year period were abstracted in detail and analyzed with the physician as the unit of analysis. Complete data for 1,683 patients were collected. Resource use elements (e.g., urine culture) were combined by standardizing them with average charge data so that aggregate resource use could be analyzed. Intraspecialty comparisons for resource use by category and overall were performed.

FINDINGS/CONCLUSIONS
Results show that rural physicians use fewer overall resources in caring for nonreferred low-risk-booking obstetric patients than do their urban colleagues. Resource use unit expenditures showed the hypothesized pattern for both specialties for total, intrapartum, and prenatal care with the exception of FPs for prenatal care. Approximately 80 percent of the resource units used by each physician type were related to hospital care. No differences were shown in patterns of care for most clinically important aspects of care (e.g., cesarean delivery rates), and no evidence suggested that outcomes differed. The overall differences were due to specific components of care (e.g., fewer intrapartum hospital days and less epidural anesthesia).


Objectives: Breast disease remains a major public health issue worldwide. It is the most common cancer among Nigerian women. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is an important preoperative assessment tool along with clinical and mammography examination in both screen detected and symptomatic breast disease. This study provide opportunity to determining the accuracy of FNAC and factors affecting false negative rate in Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital complex, Ile-Ife, Osun state Nigeria Method: All patients seen in the breast clinic with lump were sent to the pathology department for FNAC from January 1997 to December 2004.The sociodemographic data; cytology result, final histology result and the clinical staging for breast cancer were analyzed. Results: Eight hundred and sixty-four patients had FNAC during the studied period, however only 632 cases had available final histological report. Of these, 20 (3.2%) were male while 612 (96.8%) were female, the age ranged from 15 years to 99 years, median of 36.50. We found that absolute sensitivity for malignancy to be 70.8%. The false negative rate was 14.9%, while the false positive rate was 1.8%. The suspicious rate was 9.8% while the inadequate rate was 5.4%. Conclusion : FNAC remains the least invasive, the most rapid and the most cost effective method to confirm clinical and radiological suspicion of malignancy, however, the test has high false negative rate. We recommend that consultation between pathologists and the clinicians should be facilitated and encouraged to reduce the high false negative. Also, multi-disciplinary audits of difficult case should be part of the work routine.


The industrial district is a model of production mainly related to medium and small cities characterized by industrial specializations in small and medium enterprises. However, the mapping of the phenomenon in countries as Italy and Spain suggest that industrial districts are also present in rural areas. The objective of this contribution is the identification, mapping and characterization of industrial districts located in rural areas as well as to evaluate the extent in which industrial districts in predominantly rural areas have contributed to the dynamism of these areas. The analysis analyzes the importance of industrial districts for rural development and provides some recommendations regarding policy strategies. Specifically, the study illustrates some relevant results. First, industrial districts are present in rural areas of Italy and Spain although their importance is higher in Spain. Second, industrial districts in rural areas are geographically concentrated in a few rural areas. Third, patterns of specialization of industrial districts in rural areas do not differ from their patterns in other areas. Fourth, predominantly rural areas with industrial districts grow between two and three times faster than the rest of rural areas. Fifth, a significant share of the growth of rural areas with industrial districts is explained by the more dynamic behaviour of these districts. Sixth, the results do not vary when transferring the unit of analysis from industrial districts in rural areas to industrial districts with characteristics of predominantly rural areas. The existence of industrial districts in rural areas and their positive economic impact suggest that they have an important potential for development in those concrete rural areas where they are present. The particularity of industrial districts suggests that any policy strategy including industrial districts should be based on the premises of a flexible bottom up framework where the key governance structure becomes the local level. 1 The present has its origins in the author's contributions to the OECD Rural Reviews of Italy and Spain (2009a; 2009b). The authors thank the comments of Raffaele Trapasso, José Antonio Ardavin and Enrique Garcilazo to the initial results.


Managers of public wildlife resources generally are concerned with enhancing the quality of recreation by increasing wildlife through habitat manipulation. However, current recreation valuation studies have focused upon variables that are inappropriate for use in these management decisions. The economic criterion for these decisions should be the value of a change in the stock of the wildlife population compared to its cost. An estimate of such a value was made for the Oak Creek deer herd in Utah, using a household production function approach in an optimal control framework. The value of an additional deer in the herd was estimated to be approximately $40.00.


In teaching linear algebra, the explanation of the content often generates many doubts. In this situation it is necessary to show the student the mathematical concepts as clearly and specifically as possible. In this project we will design, build and evaluate a proposal to enhance learning concepts of the topic of "Real Geometric Vectors". It will use Learning Objects to support classroom training systems and Geometric Representations constructions in Geogebra for the concretization of abstract concepts. The hypothesis of this project is "Learning Objects and Geometric Representations promote understanding of the contents of the topic Geometric Real Vectors and their applications." The research process involves the design, development, and evaluation of Learning Objects and organization and analysis of information. The elements of this paper are the context and motivation research, research goals, state-of-the-art, hypothesis, the methodology used in the project, results to date, and expected contributions.


The present work introduces a new insight problem task: joke completion. We found that performance and magnitude of insight within it correlated with an established task: rebus puzzles. However, participants performed worse on and took longer in joke completion problems than in their rebus counterparts. Further, the distribution of reported insight was bimodal only for rebuses, as should be expected of an insight problem. In joke completion problems, both self-estimated and externally-rated joke funniness correlated with reported insight. Challenging the assumption of impasse, performance and insight decreased as a function of trial time for both problem types, with the best and most insightful solutions submitted within the first 20 seconds. While this is a preliminary study, we argue that it signals a promising direction for the problem solving, humor, and creativity literatures by providing a new approach to capture insight in a manner conducive to linguistic and cognitive modeling techniques.


The patellofemoral joint (PFJ) is enigmatic and we know the pathomorphology for anterior knee pain (AKP) is multifaceted. This paper review alignment and biomechanical factors associated with AKP both in the younger generation with or without cartilage changes and discusses the importance or obscurity of cartilage in the PFJ pathoanatomic changes such as trochlear dysplasia (TD), patella alta, increased femoral anteversion, lateralized tibial tubercle, external tibial torsion and valgus deformity affects the patellofemoral articulation. In order to achieve effective and durable results, it is of importance that any significant deviation in patellofemoral alignment should be corrected by realignment surgery, before considering cartilage procedures in the PFJ Patellofemoral alignment factors in both the frontal plane, the transverse plane and as well as the sagittal plan needs to evaluated thoroughly by not only clinical examination and X-ray, but also by MRI scans or CT scans.


. Large hail events are typically infrequent, with significant time gaps between occurrences at specific locations. However, when these events do happen, they can cause rapid and substantial economic losses within a matter of minutes. Therefore, it is crucial to have the ability to accurately observe and understand hail phenomena to improve the mitigation of this impact. While in-situ observations are accurate, they are limited in number for an individual storm. Weather radars, on the other hand, provide a larger observation footprint, but current radar-derived hail size estimates exhibit low accuracy due to horizontal 5 advection of hailstones as they fall, the variability of hail size distributions (HSD), complex scattering and attenuation, and mixed hydrometeor types. In this paper, we propose a new radar-derived hail product that is developed using a large dataset of hail damage insurance claims and radar observations. We use these datasets coupled with environmental information to calculate a Hail Damage Estimate (HDE) using a deep neural network approach aiming to quantify hail impact, with a critical success index of 0.88 and a coefficient of determination against observed damage of 0.78. Furthermore, we compared HDE 10 to a popular hail size product (MESH), allowing us to identify meteorological conditions that are associated with biases on MESH. Environments with relatively low specific humidity, high CAPE and CIN, low wind speeds aloft and southerly winds at ground are associated with a negative MESH bias, potentially due to differences in HSD or mixed hydrometeors. In contrast, environments with low CAPE, high CIN, and relatively high specific humidity aloft are associated with a positive MESH bias.


An industrial weigh belt feeder is used to transport solid materials into a manufacturing process at a constant feedrate. It exhibits nonlinear behavior because of motor friction, saturation, and quantization noise in the sensors, which makes standard autotuning methods difficult to implement. The paper proposes and experimentally demonstrates two types of fuzzy logic controllers for an industrial weigh belt feeder. The first type is a PI-like fuzzy logic controller (FLC). A gain scheduled PI-like FLC and a self-tuning PI-like FLC are presented. For the gain scheduled PI-like FLC the output scaling factor of the controller is gain scheduled with the change of setpoint. For the self-tuning PI-like FLC, the output scaling factor of the controller is modified online by an updating factor whose value is determined by a rule base with the error and change of error of the controlled variable as the inputs. A fuzzy PI controller is also presented, where the proportional and integral gains are tuned online based on fuzzy inference rules. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed fuzzy logic controllers. A performance comparison of the three controllers is also given.


While traditionally the novel has been seen as tracking the development of the nation state, Schoene queries if globalisation might currently be prompting the emergence of a new sub-genre of the novel that is adept at imagining global community. The book introduces a new generation of contemporary British writers (Rachel Cusk, Kiran Desai, Hari Kunzru, Jon McGregor and David Mitchell) whose work is read against that of established novelists Arundhati Roy, James Kelman and Ian McEwan. Each chapter explores a different theoretical key concept, including 'glocality', 'glomicity', 'tour du monde', 'connectivity' and 'compearance'.


This paper describes the main features of Portuguese international trade of non-tourism services, using a new transaction-level database on services trade merged with detailed balance-sheet data. We find that a few two-way traders with diversified service and geographical portfolios account for a substantial share of exports and imports. Compared with one-way traders, two-way traders are larger, older, more productive and more profitable. We also unveil new evidence on the bi-modality of the distributions of export intensity, with density concentrating on both ends of the distribution. Moreover, considering all margins of firms' services trade and controlling for several firm characteristics, the intensive margins of exports and imports of services are positively related to both productivity and profitability. Regarding the extensive margins, the number of different types of services imported by a firm is also positively associated with its performance.


The objective of this project was to develop and characterise a novel optical highspeed online surface defect detection system. The inspection system is based on the principle of optical triangulation and provides a non-contact method of determining 3D pro file of a diffuse surface. Primary components of the developed system consist of a diode laser, CCfl5 CMOS camera, and two PC controlled servomotors. Control of the sample movement, image capturing, and generation of 3D surface profiles was programmed in LabView software. Inspection of the captured data was facilitated by creating a program to virtually present the 3D scanned surface and calculate requested surface roughness parameters. The servomotors were used to move the sample in the X and Y directions with a resolution o f 0.05 jam. The developed noncontact online surface-profiling device allows for quick high-resolution surface scanning and inspection. The developed system was successfully used to generate automated 2D surface profiles, 3D surface profiles and surface roughness measurement on different sample material surfaces. This automated inspection facility has X-Y scanning area capacity of 12 by 12 mm. In order to characterise and calibrate the developed profiling system, surface profiles measured by the system were compared to optical microscope, binocular microscope, AFM and Mitutoyo Surftest - 402 measurement of the same surfaces.


Farm productivity in the Peanut Basin of Senegal has been declining over time, requiring strategic interventions to reverse this trend. Using pooled cross-section time-series data and probit and Tobit models, this paper examines factors that influence the decision whether or not to use fertilizer (adoption) and the share of land on which fertilizer is used (intensity) in peanut and millet production. Our results show that the probability of using fertilizer increases where household heads have higher literacy, larger families and larger farms, but decreases where they have off-farm income. Fertilizer use is also positively associated with the amount of rainfall and varies by geographical location. The analysis indicates that both the adoption and the intensity of use of fertilizer by peanut and millet farmers have been declining over the study period 1998–2005. Our findings suggest that focusing on market oriented interventions that motivate farmers to invest in improved agricultural technologies is a sensible policy option.


The study of lipid peroxidation (LPO) characteristics in patients with acute mesenterial circulatory disturbances (64), acute pancreatitis (44) and acute bowel obstruction (46) allowed the conclusion on informative value of determination of malonic dialdehyde and diene conjugates in the blood for staging these diseases and the degree of severity of endotoxicosis. On the basis of the state of LPO it became possible to evaluate the extent of bowel failure. According to LPO in postoperative period the process of development of vascular rethrombosis in the bowels could be assessed. The varieties of lipid peroxidation products in peripheral venous blood can be used for differential diagnosis of such diseases, similar in their clinical symptoms, as acute pancreatitis and acute bowel obstruction.


An archaeological desk-based assessment of the site, carried out in 2005, concluded that the site has considerable potential for the survival of deposits relating to the industrial archaeology of Northwich. In particular, a salt works is shown within the boundary of the development area on eighteenth-century maps, together with a 'cistern' and a short arm off the River Weaver. In order to secure archaeological interests, the Development Control Archaeologist with the Cheshire Archaeology Planning Advisory Service recommended that the site should be subject to a programme of pre-determination field evaluation in order to establish the need, if any, for further archaeological mitigation.
The scheme of works recommended required the excavation of a series of trenches with a combined total length of 80m, which were targeted on features shown on historical mapping.
The evaluation was carried out by Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) in May 2013, and comprised the excavation of five targeted trenches and a small test pit. The results obtained from the evaluation indicate that any archaeological remains in the central part of the site are most likely to have been destroyed entirely during the development of the site in the twentieth century, and that further archaeological investigation in this area is not merited. Conversely, buried remains of the former Croft Salt Works were found to survive in-situ across the western part of the site, and merit further investigation to mitigate their ultimate damage or loss during the course of the proposed development. As these remains are likely to be fragmentary, it is recommended that an archaeological watching brief maintained during any ground reduction works required in these areas would be an appropriate course of action.
Similarly, structural features were identified across the eastern part of the site, and ground-reduction in this area should be monitored archaeologically.


Human and wild life populations are continually exposed to a wide variety of environmental estrogen-like chemicals. Most research to date on environmental endocrine disrupting estrogen-like chemicals has focussed on screening of estrogenic activity of environmental or industrial chemicals, their bioaccumulative properties and toxicokinetics, and developing the structure-activity relationship between environmental or industrial chemicals and estrogen-receptor. Whether estrogen-like chemicals also possess the ability to alter the stability of the genome is not clear. It is very important to understand the effects of estrogen-like chemicals at the genome level. This article evaluates the current status of knowledge of the potential of producing genomic instability in response to the exposure of estrogen-like chemicals, which might help in understanding the mechanisms of some of the adverse effects. We and others have shown several structural, numerical, and functional changes at the cellular levels in response to DES exposure. Some other phenolic estrogen-like chemicals, such as, bisphenol A, phenylphenol and nonylphenol, also follow some of the pattern of effects similar to DES. These compounds also alter cell cycle kinetics, induce DNA damages, and produce telomeric associations and chromosomal aberrations. Whether weak or strong, the estrogenic response of a chemical, if not overcome, will add extra estrogenic burden to the system, and particularly those endocrine disrupting environmental and industrial estrogen-like chemicals capable of producing genomic instability will induce additional burden of genomic instability. Though, estrogenically some of these compounds may be weak, however, they may have different activities in generation of genomic instability. For example, nonylphenol is weak in estrogen-like action compared to DES, however, it is equal or more potent in producing telomeric associations in MCF-7 cells compared to DES. Additive or synergistic extra-burden of estrogenicity and genomic instability could produce detrimental effects compare to estrogenic action alone. Screening of endocrine disrupting environmental estrogen-like chemicals for their ability to produce genomic instability and analysis of molecular basis of some of the adverse human health outcomes as a result of exposure of these types of chemicals should lead to a better understanding of how these environmental estrogen-like chemicals may influence the development of some adverse effects in humans and wildlife.


This article revisits the critical realist ethnographic process that was adopted in my doctoral thesis, which was concerned with the experiences of ethnic identity of white British and Pakistani British children as they started kindergarten in the northwest of England. The article focuses on the ethnography that emerged from the visits that I carried out alongside staff to children's homes before they started kindergarten and on the way in which these were portrayed and analysed in the final thesis. I conclude that the process of observation, writing field notes and then producing a fuller ethnography produced a very partial representation of the empirical world. This was problematic in that, in critical realism, what is observed in the world of the 'empirical' and considered in the world of the 'actual' forms the basis for understanding the underlying causal tendencies which point to the underlying explanatory concepts in the world of the 'real'. I argue, however, that more careful critical realist ethnography has the potential to be a powerful methodological framework which accepts the contested nature of reality but which, unlike postmodernism, provides a means of addressing possibilities and of moving beyond 'undecidability'.


The groundwater resources of coastal areas are highly vulnerable, being located either in complex hydrogeological structures or in local shallow aquifers where water stress and salt water intrusion occur under the multiple constraints governed by increasing anthropogenic pressures and climatic conditions. Yet, recent integrated water resource planning often relies on alternative water supplies. In order to limit seawater intrusion in an agricultural overexploited watershed and to ensure water availability, managed aquifer recharge with treated wastewater was settled in the Korba aquifer on the east coast of Tunisia. Water quality monitoring was implemented in order to determine the different system components and to trace the effectiveness of the artificial recharge. Groundwater samples taken from recharge control piezometers and surrounding farm wells were analyzed for their chemical contents, for their boron isotopes, a proven tracer of groundwater salinization and domestic sewage, and their carbamazepine content, an anti-epileptic known to pass through wastewater treatment and so recognized as a pertinent tracer of wastewater contamination. The aquifer system is constituted by the superficial and shallow Plio-Quaternary formations and by the deeper Miocene units which constitute its basement. Marine Pliocene sediments display interbedded sandstone-sand-marl topped with variably clayey sandstone. Quaternary deposits are mainly made of fossiliferous carbonated sandstones. The system equilibrium was permanently disturbed by the different temporal dynamics of continuous processes such as cation exchange, and by threshold processes linked to oxidation-reductive conditions. The boron isotopic compositions of groundwaters displayed a significant variability (10 - 45 ‰) and significantly shifted back-and-forth due to mixing with end-members of various origins. Under the variable contribution of meteoric recharge, the Plio-Quaternary groundwater was subject to seawater intrusion that locally induced high δ11B values superior to the seawater signature (δ11B > 39 ‰, no carbamazepine). The managed recharge water (δ11B of 10.7-13.8 ‰) was brackish and of poor quality with a carbamazepine content showing a large short term variability with an average daily level of 328 ± 61 ng/L. A few piezometers in the vicinity of the recharge site gradually acquired a B isotopic composition close to the wastewater signature with increasing carbamazepine contents (from 20 to 910 ng/L). The combination of boron isotopic signatures with boron and carbamazepine contents can be a useful tool to assess sources and mixing of treated wastewaters in groundwaters.


Equity index collar strategies are often perceived as a way for investors, at little to no cost, to exchange some upside exposure for reduced losses on the downside. That perception may be accurate if one considers only the net dollar cost of the strategy's initial option trades, but it fails to account for the significant drag the collar may impose on returns. The authors decompose the equity index collar's returns to show that it is expected to have lower returns than its underlying index, primarily because it earns less equity risk premium. Additionally, collars that are net long volatility exposure may further reduce expected returns because they pay out volatility risk premium. The authors then compare the collar to other ways of obtaining equity exposure with reduced downside risk. The analysis shows that not only has the collar strategy historically performed poorly relative to these alternatives, but it should underperform in expectation as well.


Glomerular compensatory hypertrophy and hypertension (HT) are two factors that have been implicated in the progression of renal disease after nephron loss. Because glomerular compensatory hypertrophy is different in young and mature animals, we studied the effects of 5/6 nephrectomy (RK) in juvenile (5 to 7 weeks of age) and mature (15 to 16 weeks) male Wistar-Kyoto rats to separate the effects of HT from normal growth and glomerular compensatory hypertrophy. The kidneys were perfusion fixed, glomerular pathology was documented, and glomerular diameter and capillary dimensions were determined by standard morphometry. Both groups developed comparable degrees of proteinuria and elevated serum creatinine level when compared with the sham operated controls (SHAM). Although the Wistar-Kyoto rat is "resistant" to the development of HT, 18 of 30 juvenile RK and 3 of 12 mature RK rats developed systolic HT (> or = 150 mm Hg). Acute glomerular necrosis was seen only in the HT rats (9 of 18 juvenile and 2 of 3 mature), whereas glomerular sclerosis was seen in both HT (18 of 18 juvenile and 3 of 3 mature) and normotensive rats (4 of 9 juvenile and 3 of 9 mature). Glomerular diameter was greater in the SHAM mature than SHAM juvenile rats (165 +/- 7 microns vs 142 +/- 12 microns, p < 0.05), but the proportional increase in glomerular diameter after RK was comparable in the juvenile (20%) and mature (19%) RK rats. Increased capillary volume resulting from normal glomerular growth (compare SHAM juvenile with SHAM mature) was due to increased glomerular capillary length (LCP).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Introduction Laquinimod (Teva Pharmaceuticals) is an orally active small molecule that passively enters the blood brain barrier and has been shown to upregulate BDNF secretion and modulate CNS-resident inflammatory pathways involved in pathology of HD. The LEGATO-HD study originally included three dose arms, 0.5 mg, 1.0 mg and 1.5 mg versus placebo in a 12-month multicenter double blind phase 2 study in patients with HD. Cardiovascular safety concerns were observed in multiple sclerosis studies with laquinimod doses of 1.2 mg and 1.5 mg. Although no similar concern was identified in LEGATO-HD, Teva discontinued the 1.5 mg arm in January 2016 as a precautionary safety measure and continued to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the 0.5 mg and 1.0 mg doses. Aims Evaluate the efficacy and safety of laquinimod in patients with Huntington Disease (HD). Methods Efficacy assessments include the primary endpoint, change from baseline in Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale Total Motor Score (UHDRS-TMS) at month 12, and the secondary endpoint, percent change in caudate volume at month 12. Safety measures include adverse event reporting, clinical laboratory tests, vital signs, ECGs, physical examinations, and suicidality (C-SSRS). Results LEGATO-HD is fully enrolled with 352 patients randomized and is expected to complete in June 2018. Baseline mean (SD) pooled demographics of enrolled patients include females n=172 (49.1%), males n=178 (50.9%), age 44.4(7.6) years, UHDRS-TMS 24.3(13.1), UHDRS-Total Functional Capacity (TFC) 11.1(1.7), and UHDRS-Functional Assessment (FA) 22.7(2.4). The results of the primary and secondary efficacy endpoints and safety measures will be presented at the conference. Conclusion There is a significant unmet medical need to ameliorate the progression of symptoms and the neurodegeneration in HD. LEGATO-HD provides valuable information towards understanding the efficacy and safety of laquinimod as a potential treatment for patients with HD. The LEGATO-HD Study is sponsored by Teva Pharmaceuticals Ltd in collaboration with HSG and EHDN and is registered as NCT02215616-clinicaltrials.gov and 2014–000418–75-EudraCT.


The process of detecting stolen vehicles on roads has become very difficult due to increase in the number of vehicles. The proposed technique facilitates the circumstance and aides in finding the stolen vehicles by using intelligent systems. The method is implemented using Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) tags, Unique IDentification (UID) code, microcontroller, Arduino and LCD display. The modules incorporated extract the UID code from RFID tag and compare with the UID which is already present in database. In the case of matching, the stolen vehicle will be detected and information will be displayed to the administrator at toll plaza. The deployment of this method will provide the details of stolen vehicles without direct contact of vehicles. It has many advantages such as high precision and the system can work under extensive environment and recites from long distance.


Don Quixote is the main character of the famous novel written by Miguel de Cervantes originally entitled The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha. In this paper, we propose a serious game to relive the adventures of this character. The axis of our game will be the cervantist world. Following the novel structure we will consider the chapters independently and for each chapter we will reproduce the narrated adventure in a realistic 3D scenario where Don Quixote and Sancho Panza have to face different challenges. These challenges will be presented as mini-games with variety enough to maintain the attention of the player and avoid boring him doing the same action for a long time. To introduce the game we will give a detailed description of the most known chapter of the novel that relates how Don Quixote fights windmills that he imagines to be giants.


Importance The negative effects of socioeconomic disadvantage on lifelong functioning are pronounced, with some evidence suggesting that these effects are mediated by changes in brain development. To our knowledge, no research has investigated whether parenting might buffer these negative effects. Objective To establish whether positive parenting behaviors moderate the effects of socioeconomic disadvantage on brain development and adaptive functioning in adolescents. Design, Setting, and Participants In this longitudinal study of adolescents from schools in Melbourne, Australia, data were collected at 3 assessments between 2004 and 2012. Data were analyzed between August 2016 and April 2017. Exposures Both family (parental income-to-needs, occupation, and education level) and neighborhood measures of socioeconomic disadvantage were assessed. Positive maternal parenting behaviors were observed during interactions in early adolescence. Main Outcomes and Measures Structural magnetic resonance imaging scans at 3 times (early, middle, and late adolescence) from ages 11 to 20 years. Global and academic functioning was assessed during late adolescence. We used linear mixed models to examine the effect of family and neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage as well as the moderating effect of positive parenting on adolescent brain development. We used mediation models to examine whether brain developmental trajectories predicted functional outcomes during late adolescence. Results Of the included 166 adolescents, 86 (51.8%) were male. We found that neighborhood, but not family, socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with altered brain development from early (mean [SD] age, 12.79 [0.425] years) to late (mean [SD] age, 19.08 [0.460] years) adolescence, predominantly in the temporal lobes (temporal cortex: random field theory corrected; left amygdala: B, −0.237; P < .001; right amygdala: B, −0.209; P = .008). Additionally, positive parenting moderated the effects of neighborhood disadvantage on the development of dorsal frontal and lateral orbitofrontal cortices as well as the effects of family disadvantage on the development of the amygdala (occupation: B, 0.382; P = .004; income-to-needs: B, 27.741; P = .004), with some male-specific findings. The pattern of dorsal frontal cortical development in males from disadvantaged neighborhoods exposed to low maternal positivity predicted increased rates of school noncompletion (indirect effect, −0.018; SE, 0.01; 95% CI, −0.053 to −0.001). Conclusions and Relevance Our findings highlight the importance of neighborhood disadvantage in influencing brain developmental trajectories. Further, to our knowledge, we present the first evidence that positive maternal parenting might ameliorate the negative effects of socioeconomic disadvantage on frontal lobe development (with implications for functioning) during adolescence. Results have relevance for designing interventions for children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.


When air conducted auditory feedback pitch is experimentally shifted upward or downward during steady phonation, voice pitch changes in response. The first pitch change is an automatic deflection opposite in direction to the feedback shift. It appears to help stabilize voice pitch by counteracting unintended changes. But what happens during an intended pitch change? If the purpose of the first pitch-shift response is to stabilize voice pitch around a fixed target, it should be suppressed during voluntary pitch changes. Alternatively, if the pitch-shift response is a general process of voice control it should be modified during intended pitch changes to bring production in line with the desired output. Auditory feedback pitch was shifted during steady pitch and upward glissando vocalizations by thirty trained singers. Contrary to the "steady-specific" hypothesis, pitch-shift responses occurred during dynamic pitch vocalizations. Responses were comparable in direction, peak time, and slope, but had significantly longer latency and smaller magnitude than responses elicited during steady note phonation. Results indicate that the early pitch-shift response is a general component of voice control that serves to automatically bring phonation pitch into agreement with an intended target, whether that target is constant or changing in time.


Stories about firms being created, about firms dying, about new technologies replacing old technology, and about e-Business are all we hear. If you read the popular press it would seem that these things are characteristics of the so-called New Economy , but are they? The answer is clearly, no. The dynamic economic process we are experiencing has been going on at least since the industrial revolution. But what is different is the speed at which change occurs and the increasing level of environmental uncertainty that managers and entrepreneurs face. Being able to deal with speed and uncertainty may be the most important skills that entrepreneurs and managers can have in the current business environment. But how do you make that happen? Top management leadership is only way. In addition, a tolerance for failure must be recognized. This is a short opinion piece highlighting some of theses issues.


This paper introduces an innovative ventilation system that is capable of providing localized and customized thermal conditions in buildings. The system has diffusers with individually operable flaps that facilitate asymmetric air inlet to control air flow inside a room in an effective way. Moreover, the system involves distributed temperature sensors, a user interface, and a control unit that allows creation and management of "thermal subzones" within a room in accordance with the different preferences of occupants. As a specific case, the thermal management of a typical office in an academic building is considered. Both experimental and numerical studies were conducted to show that it is possible to achieve several degrees of temperature differences at different room locations in a transient and controllable fashion. The dynamic management of the temperature distribution in a room can prevent the waste of conditioning energy. It is shown that the system provides a practical and impactful solution by adapting to different user preferences (UPs) and by minimizing the resource use. In order to deal with the complexity of design, development, and operation of the system, it is considered as a cyber-physical-social system (CPSS). The core of the CPSS approach used here is an enhanced hybrid system modeling methodology that couples human dimension with formal hybrid dynamical modeling. Based on a coherent conceptual framing, the approach can combine the three core aspects, like cyber infrastructure, physical dynamics, and social/human interactions of modern building energy systems to accommodate the environmental challenges. Besides physics-based achievements (managing temperature distribution inside a room), the new AVS can also leverage user engagement and behavior change for energy efficiency in buildings by facilitating a new practice for occupants' interaction with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.


that it is difficult to be placed in a disaster environment when you are used to working in a gynaecological operating theatre. As Dr Nancekievill says, major accidents occur when least expected, and the best plan is to have available staff who are used to dealing with smaller incidents, are readily available and know the area, and can be on site through the ambulance control centre at very short notice.


The clinical and serological outcome of genital herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) inoculation in animals previously orally infected with HSV type 1 was evaluated. A prior HSV-1 oral infection modified the genital HSV-2 infection so that only four of 18 (22%) animals were initially symptomatic although all but one animal shed HSV-2 from the cervicovaginal area for at least 5 days following inoculation. Three of four animals with symptomatic initial disease also developed recurrences, as did an additional six animals that did not manifest acute genital disease. Anti-glycoprotein gG-1 antibody was found in 17 of 18 animals with only an HSV-1 infection and anti-gG-2 antibody in all of nine animals with only an HSV-2 infection. Anti-gG-2 antibody was detected in eight of 17 animals with a prior HSV-1 infection following HSV-2 inoculation and one had an indeterminate response. Eight of these nine animals developed recurrent genital disease compared to one of eight that did not respond to gG-2 (P less than 0.006). Thus a prior oral HSV-1 infection modified both the initial presentation of HSV-2 infection and the HSV type-specific serological response.


: Excretion of sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride and inorganic phosphate was determined in 24 h urine of 157 healthy children (ages 6-14 years). The diet was not controlled. The statistical age- and sexspecific investigation of the results (mval/24 h, mval/24 h/mg creatinine) showed significant differences.


The potential to generate oligodendrocytes progenitors (OP) from neural stem cells (NSCs) exists throughout the developing CNS. Yet, in the embryonic spinal cord, the oligodendrocyte phenotype is induced by sonic hedgehog in a restricted anterior region. In addition, neuregulins are emerging as potent regulators of early and late OP development. The ability to isolate and grow NSCs as well as glial-restricted progenitors has revealed that FGF2 and thyroid hormone favor an oligodendrocyte fate. Analysis of genetically modified mice showed that PDGF controls the migration and production of oligodendrocytes in vivo. Interplay between mitogens, thyroid hormone, and neurotransmitters may maintain the undifferentiated stage or result in OP growth arrest. Notch signaling by axons inhibits oligodendrocyte differentiation until neuronal signals--linked to electrical activity-trigger initiation of myelination. To repair myelin in adult CNS, multipotential neural precursors, rather than slowly cycling OP, appear the cells of choice to rapidly generate myelin-forming cells.


Our decisions are guided by the rewards we expect. These expectations are often based on incomplete knowledge and are thus subject to uncertainty. While the neurophysiology of expected rewards is well understood, less is known about the physiology of uncertainty. We hypothesize that uncertainty, or more specifically errors in judging uncertainty, are reflected in pupil dilation, a marker that has frequently been associated with decision making, but so far has remained largely elusive to quantitative models. To test this hypothesis, we measure pupil dilation while observers perform an auditory gambling task. This task dissociates two key decision variables – uncertainty and reward – and their errors from each other and from the act of the decision itself. We first demonstrate that the pupil does not signal expected reward or uncertainty per se, but instead signals surprise, that is, errors in judging uncertainty. While this general finding is independent of the precise quantification of these decision variables, we then analyze this effect with respect to a specific mathematical model of uncertainty and surprise, namely risk and risk prediction error. Using this quantification, we find that pupil dilation and risk prediction error are indeed highly correlated. Under the assumption of a tight link between noradrenaline (NA) and pupil size under constant illumination, our data may be interpreted as empirical evidence for the hypothesis that NA plays a similar role for uncertainty as dopamine does for reward, namely the encoding of error signals.


The perception of time is distorted by many factors, but is it possible that causality would affect our perception of time? We investigate timing changes in the temporal binding effect, which refers to a subjective shortening of the interval between actions and their outcomes. Two experiments investigated whether binding may be due to variations in the rate of an internal clock. Specifically, we asked whether clock processes in binding reflect a general timing system, or a dedicated clock unique to causal sequences. We developed a novel experimental paradigm in which participants made temporal judgments of either causal and non causal intervals, or the duration of an event embedded within that interval. While we replicated the temporal binding effect, we found no evidence for commensurate changes to time perception of the embedded event, suggesting that temporal binding is effected by changes in a specific and dedicated, rather than a general clock system.


Why do elections held in the shadow of civil wars sometimes generate more violence in already war-torn societies, while in other circumstances they do not? This article develops a conceptual framework based on three clusters of factors to analyse the conflict-generating aspects of elections in war-torn societies: the key actors in the electoral processes; the institutions of elections; and the stakes of the elections. Two types of war-related elections are distinguished: elections held during an ongoing civil war, and elections held in the post-war period when peace is to be implemented. While different in many respects, the two contexts share critical characteristics through their association with the legacy of warfare. Several important implications emerge from the analysis. First, relating to militant and violent actors, incentive structures need to be altered by addressing both the opportunities and means of violence. Second, to prevent inducements for violent behaviour, institutional arrangements – including electoral commissions – have to be crafted with consideration given to local conflict dynamics and the history of violent conflict. Finally, the stakes of elections in war-shattered societies can be reduced through, for instance, constitutional pact-making and the oversight of external actors in electoral processes.


Reservoir fisheries are widely disseminated around the world. Their scarcely regulated exploitation justifies the use of models to achieve a precautory management. As an example of the utility of holistic and analytic models to analyse reservoir fisheries, it is presented the specific case of the tilapia fishery in the Infiernillo reservoir in Mexico. Schaefer and Fox models permitted an understanding of the history of fishery, while the current state of the stock was examined by applying Beverton & Holt, Cohort Analysis of Jones and Thompson & Bell models. Recommendations for the management of the fishery were based on simulation processes. Applying those models, it was found that the tilapia fishery surpassed its sustainable yield in 1988. In 1993 the fishery reached a new state of equilibrium. At present the fishery is in a deteriorated state. The fishing impact is on organisms in the reproductive stage. The current maximum sustainable yield is 8,698 tons. Simulation processes show that an increase in the mesh of the gill nets up to 10 cm and a decrease in the fishery effort down to 20,000 gill nets and 3,100 fishermen could help the fishery to recuperate. Holistic and analytical models are useful to evaluate reservoir fisheries.


One of the main goals of an Automated Highway System environment is to increase the throughput of vehicles traveling on the highway. By moving vehicles in a platoon (a group of tightly spaced vehicles), the traffic flow capacity can be greatly increased. The control law developed for vehicles to safely travel in a platoon is dependent on the lead and preceding vehicle's velocity and acceleration profiles. This information guarantees string stability (i.e. spacing errors between vehicles do not increase down the chain of vehicles). These profiles are transmitted to the vehicle via wireless communication. Unfortunately, a perfect wireless communication does not exist. In this paper, the effects of various communication delays on string stability will be analyzed. The concept of platooning in an Automated Highway System (AHS) allows a group of vehicles to share information across a wireless local area network (LAN). This sharing of information allows vehicles belonging to the same platoon to maintain a smaller inter-vehicular spacing that would otherwise be possible. Of course, once these platoon/LANs exist on the AHS, a method must exist to add vehicles to a platoon and also to remove vehicles from a platoon. This report also develops handshaking protocols that allow the LANs associated with each platoon to reconfigure themselves in response to any physical changes to the composition of the platoon. Since the LANs operate over a wireless communication system, these protocols are designed to be robust towards packet losses, as well as satisfying certain safety and liveness conditions.


In examining the initial role of the Agricultural sector in Nigeria, the sector is seen to be an indispensable sector in establishing the framework for the nation's economic growth. Hence, increased agricultural production is expected to be a core pre-requisite for rapid economic growth in a developing nation like Nigeria. Efforts by the successive governments to sustain the country's agricultural sector are evident in various yearly allocations to this sector with respect to lending and budgetary provisions. However, the issue of concern is, why has the increase in government financing of the agricultural sector not translated into the expected increase in agricultural inclusive growth. It is therefore, worthy of note that the neglect of this sector overtime has brought about an increase in rural poverty, migration, hunger and crimes, in the last few years of our economic growth. Hence, this study assesses the impact of agricultural performance on inclusive growth in Nigeria. Using Johansen Co-integration test and fully-Modified Ordinary Least Square. The study found a long run relationship among the variables of interest, while agricultural financing exact more long run effect on per capita income (economic inclusive growth indicator). This paper concludes that, government should invest more in activities that promotes agricultural gains and leads to pro-poor growth, in addition to broadly aligning agricultural spending, in order to stimulate qualitative growth in the sector by giving regular financial support to farmers. Such support however, must be monitored and periodically reviewed in order to access its effectiveness and prevent misallocation of funds. JIBC May 2017, Vol. 22, No.S8 3


Components of soft computing include machine learning, fuzzy logic, evolutionary computation, and probabilistic theory. These components have the cognitive ability to learn effectively. They deal with imprecision and good tolerance of uncertainty. Components of soft computing are needed for developing automated expert systems. These systems reduce human interventions so as to complete a task essentially. Automated expert systems are developed in order to perform difficult jobs. The systems have been trained and tested using soft computing techniques. These systems are required in all kinds of fields and are especially very useful in medical diagnosis. This chapter describes the components of soft computing and review of some analyses regarding EEG signal classification. From those analyses, this chapter concludes that a number of features extracted are very important and relevant features for classifier can give better accuracy of classification. The classifier with a suitable learning method can perform well for automated epileptic seizure detection systems. Further, the decomposition of EEG signal at level 4 is sufficient for seizure detection.


The purpose of the study was to identify a cost-effective supplementation regimen to rear replacement heifers on transitional Cymbopogon-Themeda veld. A total of 120 Drakensberger heifers aged 6 - 7 months were randomly allocated to three supplementary treatment groups from 2011 - 2014. A three-phase supplementation programme was used while the production year was divided into three periods, namely summer (wet season) (approximately mid-December to March), winter (early dry season) (April to July), and late winter (late dry season) (August to approximately mid-December). The late winter treatments consisted of three levels of supplemental crude protein (CP), a percentage of protein derived from non-protein nitrogen (NPN) and metabolizable energy (ME), namely T1: 306 g CP/kg (47.4% NPN) + ME 7.4 MJ/kg; T2: 329 g CP/kg (70.72% NPN) + ME 6.89 MJ/kg; and T3: 475 g CP/kg (95.86% NPN) + ME 2.4 MJ/kg. In summer, T1 was supplemented with 164 g CP/kg (7% NPN) + ME 9 MJ/kg + 13 g P/kg; T2 with Voermol Superfos with 150 g CP/kg (13.6% NPN), ME 0 MJ/kg, and 50 g P/kg; T3: 0 g CP/kg, ME 0 MJ/kg, and 60 g P/kg. The traits were nutrient intake, supplement cost, mean bodyweight, weight gains/losses and mean BCS. The study concluded that feeding replacement heifers to traditional bodyweight increased development costs without improving production sufficiently. Veld that is in good condition together with a mineral (60 g P/kg) supplement in the wet season and a protein and mineral supplement (96% NPN) in the dry season gives the highest economic return.
Keywords: beef heifers, post wean, supplementation


Background: Micronutrient deficiencies may occur in patients with malignancy due to a variety of possible causes, including unbalanced dietary intake and adverse effects of treatment. In addition, many patients show signs of a chronic inflammatory response, which can affect circulating concentrations of certain vitamins and trace elements. Our aim was to examine the effect of the inflammatory response, as determined by plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations, on a range of micronutrients in patients with malignancy. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 50 patients with various malignancies for the measurement of vitamins A, E, C and B1, the trace elements copper, zinc, selenium and manganese and the inflammatory marker CRP. Vitamin A was measured as retinol and vitamin E as α-tocopherol. Vitamin C measurement included both ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid. The vitamins were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography and the trace elements by atomic-absorption spectroscopy. Results: Concentrations of zinc and selenium below their respective reference ranges and copper and manganese above their respective reference ranges were commonly found in the cancer group. However, none of these elements showed any significant correlation with CRP (P >0.01). Reduced levels of vitamin A, C and B1 were commonly found in the cancer group. Vitamins A and C showed a significant negative correlation with CRP (r s=-0.66, P <0.0001 and r s=-0.53, P = 0.0005, respectively). Vitamin E showed no correlation with CRP. Conclusion: The inflammatory response is a major consideration in the interpretation of vitamin A and C concentrations in patients with malignancy.


The main aim of this study was to deal with isolation, characterization and identification IAA producing bacteria from paddy rice cultivated soil samples collected in rice–shrimp farming system in salt affected areas of the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Fifteen soil samples collected from the rice crop in the rice-shrimp farming system of 5 different provinces within the Mekong Delta, Vietnam were used to isolate the IAA producing bacteria. NBRIP media was used to isolate the potentially IAA producing bacteria. Result showed that 213 isolates were obtained from the fifteen different soil samples. Out of 45 indole acetic acid producing isolates, ten were selected as efficient producers. One out of ten, the isolate ST2-1 was identified as the most promising strain as efficient biofertilizer inoculants to promote plant growth. This strain produced 33.13 mg.L-1 as the highest concentration of IAA after 8 days of incubation. As well, this strain stimulated the growth of rice's roots and dry biomass after 7 days of experiment with Hoagland medium containing 0.3% NaCl in 100 mL glass tube. This strain produced well IAA production in pH variation range of medium between 5 and 9 and this bacterial strain can resist to salinity of environment up to 3% NaCl. However, this bacterial was highly inhibited by not only 3 commonly used antibiotics: Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol and Steptomycin at recommended rates but also 3 plant pathology fungicides: Thiophanate Methyl, Propineb and Mancozed regarding to IAA production ability. The results of the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that this IAA producer coded as ST2-1 was genetically identified as species of Bacillus megaterium ST2-9 since 99% of its sequence affiliated with Bacillus megaterium. In conclusion, the study suggests the IAA producing bacteria as efficient biofertilizer inoculants to promote plant growth.


Background: Primary lymphoma of bone is a rare disease. There is yet no systematical evaluation of primary lymphoma of bone in Korea. Here we report our experience of sixteen cases with primary lymphoma of bone focusing on the survival. Methods: Sixteen cases, collected for 13 years, were evaluated on the clinical presentation, histologic subtype, stage and treatment outcomes of the primary bone lymphoma. Results: The most common presenting complaint was bone pain. Malignant lymphoma of bone involved a wide variety of sites, the most prevalent site of which in this study was the spine. Most of the cases were in the diffuse large B-cell category. The clinical stage of lymphoma was IEA in two cases, IIEA in three cases, IVEA in five cases and IVEB in three cases. All treated cases received systemic chemotherapy and ten cases among them were treated with combined modality therapy. Median overall survival was not reached after median follow-up period of 28 months and five-year overall survival rate was 54%. Conclusion: More promising therapeutic strategies are needed for survival improvement on more accumulated cases.


The determination of the optimum engine working conditions plays an important role in increasing engine performance and reducing exhaust emissions. The main objective of this study is to optimize the performance and emission characteristics of a CI engine fueled with aviation fuel-biodiesel-diesel blends at various engine speeds and loads using Mixture-RSM. According to the experimental tests carried on a 4-cylinder engine, the mathematical models were developed. Then, the optimization processes were defined as the six scenarios containing the consideration of performance or emission parameters or both of them. Scenario 1 shows that the higher percentage of diesel and jet fuel can improve the performance parameters of the engine; however, Scenario 2 shows that only higher percentage of diesel can improve the engine emission due to negative effect of biodiesel on the NOx emissions and negative impact of aviation fuel on the CO and HC emissions that limit the amount of biodiesel and aviation fuel in the fuel mixture. The results also show that Scenario 3 does not vary compared to Scenario 2. The optimized point for both of engine performance and emission parameters presented in Scenario 6 was calculated as D48.9B32.7J18.4 at 2526 RPM and full engine load to obtain 88.4 (kW), 337 (N.m), 255 (gr/Kw.hr), 0.0268 (%), 469 (ppm), 7.7 (%) brake power, torque, BSFC, CO, NOx, and HC emission, respectively.


Objective The primary objective of this study was to determine whether women whose tumors harbor a somatic CTNNB1 mutation have longer recurrence-free survival if they receive traditional adjuvant therapy strategies compared with those who do not. Methods A retrospective, stage I endometrial cancer cohort from MD Anderson Cancer Center was assessed. Clinical and pathological characteristics and type of adjuvant therapy (cuff brachytherapy, pelvic radiation, chemotherapy) were obtained by review of medical records. CTNNB1 exon 3 sequencing was performed. Summary statistics were calculated, and recurrence-free survival was measured using the Kaplan-Meier product-limit estimator. Results The analysis included 253 patients, 245 with information regarding adjuvant therapy. Most patients had tumors of endometrioid histology (210/253, 83%) with superficial myometrial invasion (197/250, 79%) and no lymphatic/vascular space invasion (168/247, 68%). Tumor CTNNB1 mutations were present in 45 (18%) patients. Patients receiving adjuvant therapy were more likely to have higher-grade tumors, non-endometrioid histology, deep myometrial invasion, and lymphatic/vascular invasion. For patients with low-risk features not receiving adjuvant therapy, the presence of CTNNB1 mutation did not significantly impact recurrence-free survival (11.3 years wild-type vs 8.1 years mutant, p=0.65). The cohort was then limited to intermediate-risk tumors, defined as endometrioid histology of any grade with deep myometrial invasion and/or lymphatic/vascular space invasion. When recurrence-free survival was stratified by CTNNB1 mutation status and adjuvant therapy, patients with CTNNB1 mutations and no adjuvant therapy had the shortest recurrence-free survival at 1.6 years, followed by patients with CTNNB1 mutations who received adjuvant therapy (4.0 years), and wild-type CTNNB1 with and without adjuvant therapy (8.5 and 7.2 years, respectively) (comparison for all four groups, p=0.01). Conclusion In patients with intermediate-risk endometrioid endometrial cancers, the use of adjuvant therapy was associated with an improvement in recurrence-free survival for patients with tumor mutations in CTNNB1.


This paper summarizes the presentations and discussions at the Employee Benefit Research Institute's May 12, 2011, policy forum, on the topic: "Is There a Future for Retirement?" This was EBRI's 68th policy forum held in Washington, DC, and was attended by about 120 policy and professional experts. The EBRI Retirement Readiness Rating™ finds that many individuals will need to keep working past normal retirement age in order to have sufficient resources to pay the bills; said another way, they have insufficient resources, even including Social Security and Medicare, to pay their bills. Many articles and papers have been written in recent years suggesting that working an extra two or three years would solve the problem for most people, but this has not been well documented or quantified. But will it be enough if workers simply stay on the job just a few extra years? New EBRI research presented at this May 2011 policy forum addressed that question with comprehensive data from its Retirement Security Projection Model.® These findings, presented by EBRI's research director and published in the June 2011 EBRI Issue Brief, show that if Baby Boomers and Gen Xers delay their retirement past the age of 65, many of them still would not have adequate income to cover their basic retirement expenses and uninsured health care costs -- especially low-income workers. Even if workers delay their retirement age into their 70s, there is still a chance the household will be "at risk" of running short of money in retirement. A speaker from Callan Associates presented research showing the impact of automatic features in 401(k) plans on retirement income adequacy, as well as data on the impact of "leakage" of savings in 401(k) plans (such as through cash-outs at job change, hardship withdrawals, and loans). Other speakers suggested that retirement plan sponsors should provide workers with more help in investing, since many workers will not be able to save more money or retire later, and that workers could improve their financial security by better asset management -- in particular by cutting debt and using guaranteed income products such as life annuities to manage longevity risk. A variety of speakers touched on how a substantial number of Americans will not be able to work longer than traditional retirement age even if they want to because of layoffs, mergers, or poor health.The PDF for the above title, published in the September 2011 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the fulltext of another September 2011 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: "2011 Health Confidence Survey: Most Americans Unfamiliar With Key Aspect of Health Reform."


Bereavement, the loss of someone close, is frequently followed by grief and can have serious implications for physical and mental health, from the increased symptoms of depression and anxiety, sleep disturbances and indigestion, and more serious physical health consequences such as cardiovascular and immune related illness. Another key factor associated with a deterioration of the body's defence mechanisms, such as the immune system, is ageing. This review has as its focus the combined effects of bereavement and ageing on immune function. First, the relationship between bereavement and increased mortality is examined, followed by its link to various physical and mental health morbidities. Second, the effects of ageing per se on immune functions are considered. Finally, the joint impact of both ageing and bereavement are discussed, focussing on recent studies of immune function after bereavement in young and older adults.