AN article in this issue reports that cervical dilation is more rapid in women receiving combined spinal–epidural analgesia (CSE) compared with epidural analgesia for the treatment of labor pain. A similar observation was reported recently in another article in ANESTHESIOLOGY that found more rapid cervical dilation with lumbar sympathetic block than with epidural analgesia. Neither study revealed a difference in the mode of delivery or obstetric outcome for the techniques studied, which could lead to the logical question, So what? I would like to address this question generally with a quick review of the history of obstetric anesthesiology research and more specifically regarding the progress of labor. Obstetric anesthesiology research appeared as a real endeavor more than 30 yr ago, at a time when the pain of labor was largely ignored or treated with methods that were ineffective (small systemic doses of opioids) or entailed significant side effects to the mother (twilight sleep) or the fetus (paracervical block). Research in this area led rapidly to the provision of safe and effective analgesia in laboring women, with continuous epidural analgesia supplemented, more recently, by spinal injections. As with much of clinical medicine, a large area of research in obstetric anesthesiology focuses on the details of therapy (e.g., the method of drug delivery, concentrations of local anesthetics, the use of adjuvants, and the prevention or treatment of side effects). These studies have clearly improved safety (by providing ways to avoid the catastrophic consequences of accidental intravenous and intrathecal injections of large doses of local anesthetics, and by helping us to understand the importance of patient positioning in maintaining uteroplacental perfusion) and patient comfort (by reducing dense motor block and even allowing ambulation). No doubt that these studies have been useful in guiding therapy, but they clearly do not address fundamental questions of general importance and interest in perinatal medicine and anesthesiology. Indeed, we could argue that there has been a progressive decline in the quality of questions addressed by obstetric anesthesiologists in the past 30 yr, from a fundamental understanding of the regulation of uteroplacental perfusion and its alterations by regional anesthesia in the 1970s to the very narrow question of whether epidural analgesia causes cesarean sections or maternal fever in the 1990s (fig. 1). We most certainly need both types of research: the what and the why. Unfortunately, the latter has, with the exception of efforts by a few persons, been rapidly dwindling. To return to the current question, these studies suggest that, among nulliparous women who request more than systemic opioids for labor analgesia, cervical dilation occurs more rapidly with CSE (local anesthetic plus opioid) or lumbar sympathetic block (local anesthetic) than with epidural analgesia (local anesthetic plus opioid). Does this mean that CSE and lumbar sympathetic block speed labor, or that epidural slows it? Why? We can address this issue at a gross level (e.g., the difference in motor block, sympathetic efferent block, and circulating drug concentrations) and, simultaneously, at a somewhat finer level (e.g., on an endocrine, paracrine, or neural basis). Asking why may lead to a better understanding of the regulation of the labor process, with important implications for major public health issues, such as the cause, prevention, and treatment of premature labor. Asking why may also change our role from that of primarily an important assistant ("merely" providing analgesia for labor) to that of a true consultant (diagnosing dysfunctional labor—whether too fast or too slow—and prescribing appropriate therapy). The clear relation between pain and obstetric outcome and the findings of the current study and that with lumbar sympathetic block suggest that pain and its treatment are central to obstetric management, and that this consulting role in labor management is not improbable. But why must be answered before how can be asked. Anesthesiology is the practice of medicine. It involves diagnosis, prescription, and assessment, with research directed toward each of these activities. We need to This Editorial View accompanies the following article: Tsen LC, Thue B, Datta S, Segal S: Is combined spinal–epidural analgesia associated with more rapid cervical dilation in nulliparous patients when compared with conventional epidural analgesia? ANESTHESIOLOGY 1999; 91:920–5. r


Introduction Studies show that patients with cancer who use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) have a poorer survival prognosis than those who do not. It remains unclear whether this is due to a priori poorer prognosis that makes patients turn to CAM, or whether there is a factor associated with CAM use itself that influences the prognosis negatively. Healthcare providers should assist patients in safeguarding their treatment decision. However, the current non-communication between CAM and conventional providers leaves it up to the patients themselves to choose how to best integrate the two worlds of therapy. In this study, an interactive shared decision-making (SDM) tool will be developed to enable patients and health professionals to make safe health choices. Methods and analysis We will delineate, compare and evaluate perception and clinical experience of communication of risk situations among oncology experts, general practitioners and CAM practitioners. To accomplish this, we will develop a pilot and implement a large-scale survey among the aforementioned health professionals in Norway. Guided by the survey results, we will develop a β-version of a shared decision-making tool for healthcare providers to use in guiding patients to make safe CAM decisions. Ethics and dissemination Participants must give their informed and written consent before inclusion. They will be informed about the opportunity to drop out from the study followed by deletion of all data registered. The study needs no approval from The Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics because all participants are healthcare professionals. Results from this study will be disseminated in peer-reviewed medical journals.


Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) resolution following Roux-en Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery is reduced in patients with longer duration of T2DM and preliminary data suggest this may be mechanistically linked to lower pre-RYGB insulin sensitivity. Insulin sensitivity is reduced in T2DM. Skeletal muscle accounts for 60-80% of insulin mediated glucose disposal. PURPOSE: It was hypothesized that insulin sensitivity would be lowest in T2DM patients with long-duration (LD; [greater than or equal to] 8 y) compared to short-duration (SD; < 8 y). METHODS: Insulin sensitivity (Si) and the acute response to glucose (AIRg) were measured following an insulin modified intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) using Minimal Model analysis in T2DM patients (N = 14). RESULTS: There was a significant (p = 0.010) difference in Si between short and long T2DM duration (LD: 0.47 ± 0.7; SD: 1.94 ± 0.96 min/mU/ml) and a significant correlation between Si and duration of T2DM (r = -0.70; p = 0.010). There was a significant difference in AIRg between groups. There was a significant correlation between HbA1c (an index of glycemic control) and Si (r = -0.76; p = 0.002) but not between HbA1c and AIRg (r = -0.36; p = 0.204). CONCLUSIONS: Insulin sensitivity is lower in T2DM patients with longer duration of T2DM. Clinically poor glycemic control in long duration T2DM may be partially explained by reduced skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity.


The empirical condition of character problem of young generation, especially among students, has become the main concern of Indonesia. Schools become a strategic place to seed good character and eliminate existing moral anomalies. Of the various programs and models of character education, student halaqah can be used as an alternative model. With various values of urgency and superiority, halaqah is considered effective for the formation of student character. This will be accomplished by sustained systematic management of halaqah covering program planning, team building, socialization, program implementation, guidance to evaluation and follow-up.


Purpose: The paper analyzes the relationship between tweets published on social media related to the stock market and stock market movements. The research conducted aims to find patterns that may account for behavioral modelling patterns between social media and the stock market. Design/Methodology/Approach: To conduct the research, 452,776 tweets containing a hashtag with the name of at least one company included in the WIG20 of the Polish stock market were analyzed. The data obtained also included information about the reach of the tweet and the popularity of the author. The analyzed text also contained a timestamp allowing the tweets to be linked to the behavior of the stock market. Additionally, the analysis implemented developed Polish financial sentiment analysis vocabularies allowing for better pattern retrieval. Findings: The obtained results indicate that among the analyzed data, three patterns related to the sentiment of statements accompanying a given company in social media can be distinguished. A consistent sentiment present in many statements with a wide range is decisive. When different sentiments are present, the presence of a pattern is not identifiable. The implementation of Polish financial dictionaries allowed to distinguish also individual words characterizing positive and negative sentiment. Practical Implications: The results obtained can form the basis for further, more in-depth analyses between sentiment published in social media and stock market movements. Originality value: Studies analyzing the relationship between the analysis of tweets and stock markets are conducted but analyses related to the Polish stock market are not a popular field of analysis. Due to the unique nature of each stock exchange, it is indicated to be innovative and to be able to emerge some patterns, useful in the context of investing. *An earlier version of this article has been presented in the Digital ICABE, www.icabe.gr


The purpose of our study is to examine differences in contextual factors and process dimensions across three integration approaches used in large, related M&As – absorption, symbiotic and transformation. Absorption and symbiosis are commonly documented in M&A process literature and transformation, while emphasised less in existing M&A studies, appears to be widely utilised in large, related M&As. Using a unique co-plotting technique, we find that the existence of several contextual factors which influence the potential for resource combinations and use of multiple process dimensions which facilitate actual resource combinations during the implementation stage differ significantly depending upon the integration approach used by the combined firm. Moreover, our study adds to growing literature on the M&A process by providing systematic evidence of the important linkages between integration approaches, pre-existing contextual factors and process activities.


Carcass quality of Cika (20) and Simmental (19) young bulls either semi-intensively fattened indoors or i¬nished indoors after a previous (second) grazing period was studied. There was no difference between breeds for carcass weight, dressing percentage, EUROP conformation, carcass length as well as the proportion of fore-stomachs and head. Only, fatness score and pelvic/kidney fat percentage were higher in Cika bulls compared to Simmental, while chest depth was higher in Simmental bulls. Bulls which have been finished indoors after a previous grazing period had significantly lighter carcasses, lower dressing percentage, lower EUROP conformation and fatness score but higher empty reticulo-rumen percentage compared to bulls fattened indoors. Breed x fattening technology interaction was significant for carcass weight, conformation, fatness, chest depth and empty reticulo-rumen, while slaughter weight affected only carcass weight, conformation and carcass length. The difference in the lean meat percentage between Cika and Simmental bulls was not significant. Cika bulls expressed higher fat and lower bone percentage compared to Simmental bulls. However, fattening technology did not affect the tissue percentages in the carcasses. Cika young bulls had more red and more yellow beef compared to Simmental. Bulls fattened indoors had slightly darker beef than bulls finished indoors after a second grazing period. However, carcass traits of Cika bulls were similar to those of Simmental bulls and a second grazing period could be efficiently set up in the growing-fattening scheme.


We prove a new combinatorial characterization of the determinant. The characterization yields a simple combinatorial algorithm for computing the determinant. Hitherto, all (known) algorithms for the determinant have been based on linear algebra. Our combinatorial algorithm requires no division, and works over arbitrary commutative rings. It also lends itself to efficient parallel implementations. It has been known for some time now that the complexity class GapL characterizes the complexity of computing the determinant of matrices over the integers. We present a direct proof of this characterization.


Two methods used for retrospective evaluation of occupational exposures, a case by case assessment by expert and the application of a job exposure matrix (JEM), are compared using occupational histories collected for a case-control study on sinonasal cancer. The objective was to identify the main sources of discrepancies and to contribute to an optimal use of a JEM for population-based case-control studies. Comparisons were based on job periods, and were performed separately for two substances: formaldehyde and wood-dust. Job periods were classified according to the category of exposure assigned by the matrix, and to the probability and level of exposure assessed by the study expert. The sources of discrepancies were examined for job periods probably or definitely exposed according to the JEM and unexposed for the expert, or unexposed in the JEM and probably or definitely exposed to medium or high level for the expert. Such discrepancies were observed for 8% of the job periods for formaldehyde and 3% of the job periods for wood-dust. The agreement between the two approaches was better for wood-dust than for formaldehyde. The relative importance of different sources of discrepancies was not the same for formaldehyde and wood-dust. For formaldehyde a substantial part of the discrepancies was due to disagreements between the study expert and the matrix experts, which were mostly differences in threshold limits between 'not exposed' and 'definitely exposed at a low level'. Differences between experts' opinions did not explain the discordances observed for wood-dust. The presence of additional information in the questionnaire was an important source of discrepancy for the two substances.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


The 21st century has borne witness to catastrophic natural and human-induced tragedies. These disasters necessitate humanitarian responses; however, the individual and collective bases of support are not well understood. Drawing on Duncan's motivational model of collective action, we focus on how individual differences position a person to adopt group memberships and develop a "group consciousness" that provides the basis for humanitarian action. Longitudinal mediation analyses involving supporters of international humanitarian action (N = 384) sampled annually for 3 years provided support for the hypothesized model, with some twists. The results revealed that within time point, a set of individual differences (together, the "pro-social orientation") promoted a humanitarian group consciousness that, in turn, facilitated collective action. However, longitudinally, there was evidence that a more general pro-social orientation undermined subsequent identification with, and engagement in, the humanitarian cause. Results are discussed in terms of understanding the interplay between individual and group in collective actions.


The superposition principle forms the very backbone of quantum theory. The resulting linear structure of quantum theory is structurally so rigid that tampering with it may have serious, seemingly unphysical, consequences. This principle has been succesful at even the highest available accelerator energies. Is this aspect of quantum theory forever then? The present work is an attempt to understand the attitude of the founding fathers, particularly of Bohr and Dirac, towards this principle. The Heisenberg matrix mechanics on the one hand, and the Schrodinger wave mechanics on the other, are critically examined to shed light as to how this principle entered the very foundations of quantum theory.


This article discusses the complex issue of identity and citizenship in the Arab Gulf, while alluding to the wider context of societies and their challenges. It argues that despite the significant changes Gulf societies have undergone, identity still plays a determining role at both the individual and communal levels.


OBJECTIVE
Obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) may be underrecognized in patients suffering from major depressive disorder. These patients may not receive optimal psychopharmacologic or psychological treatment if their OCS are not attended to. We performed a secondary analysis of the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) trial database, the largest effectiveness study of "real-world" depression ever conducted, to determine the frequency of OCS and their effects on depression outcome.

METHOD
3,984 adult subjects without a previous selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor trial for their current major depressive episode, per DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, had data for rating scales of interest at entry into Level 1 of the STAR*D trial, a 12-week open trial of citalopram at a dose of 20-60 mg/d to assess rates of depression remission. Our primary interest was the OCD subscale of the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire.

RESULTS
At study entry, 53% of the STAR*D sample (which excluded patients with primary obsessive-compulsive disorder) endorsed ≥ 1 OCS, and 14% endorsed ≥ 4 OCS. Subjects endorsing ≥ 4 OCS had significantly lower corrected odds of depression remission on both the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) (OR = 0.61) and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (odds ratio [OR] = 0.51). Number of OCS endorsed was positively correlated with HDRS-17 score (r = 0.26, P < .0001). Consistent with findings from the Dunedin, New Zealand Community Study, the most common obsessions were doubts of having inadvertently caused harm and violent obsessions.

CONCLUSIONS
OCS are common in depressed outpatients and are often not attended to. They impact clinical recovery from depression and should be screened for since sufferers are often reluctant to disclose these symptoms.

TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00021528.


Laser micro drilling is a very attractive option for a growing number of industrial applications due to its intrinsic characteristics, such as high flexibility and process control and also capabilities for non-contact processing of a wide range of materials. However, there are some constrains that limit the applications of this technology, i.e. taper angles on side walls, edge quality, geometrical accuracy and achievable aspect ratios of produced structures. To address these process limitations and control the morphology and quality of the holes that are important factors in broadening the application areas of this technology, three different approaches have been proposed and developed in this research:

(i) A novel method for two-side laser processing is proposed. The capabilities of this method are investigated with a special focus on its key enabling technologies for achieving high accuracy and repeatability in two-side laser drilling. The pilot implementation of the proposed processing configuration and technologies is discussed together with an in-situ, on-machine inspection procedure to verify the achievable positional and geometrical accuracy. It is demonstrated that acceptable alignment accuracy is achievable using this pilot two-side laser processing platform. In addition, the morphology of holes with circular and square cross-sections produced with one-side laser drilling and the proposed method was compared in regard to achievable aspect ratios and holes' dimensional and geometrical accuracy and thus to make conclusions about its capabilities.
(ii) Effects of a wide fluence spectrum associated with the use of femto-second lasers on achievable aspect ratios were investigated by employing lenses with different focal distances. It was demonstrated that the achievable aspect ratio can be increased substantially just by varying the lenses' focal distances. In addition, the quality of produced holes in terms of taper angle and cylindricity was investigated and the results showed that the quality would be improved by increasing the fluence and/or decreasing the focal distance. At the same time, the limitations in drilling holes with low focal distance lenses were discussed, i.e. sensitivity to defocusing, risks of recast formations inside the holes and bending effects, that should be considered in designing processes for high aspect ratio percussion drilling.
(iii) A beam shaping solution for laser micro drilling has been designed and implemented to achieve a top-hat spatial profile. The morphology of the high aspect ratio holes in terms of cylindricity, circularity, tapering angle, heat affected zone (HAZ) and penetration depth was investigated. The capabilities and limitations of the proposed beam shaping solution for producing micro-scale high aspect ratio holes are discussed, i.e. its sensitivity to defocusing, and the resulting hole morphology compared with that achievable with a Gaussian beam spatial distribution. It's been shown that the penetration depth and aspect ratios achievable with a Gaussian beam are higher, but the use of a top-hat beam improves the holes geometrical accuracy, especially the deviations of the holes from cylindricity are less and also the holes are with a lower tapering angle. The top-hat spatial distribution minimises not only HAZ but also fluence at the beam spot area can be tailored accurately in respect to the ablation threshold.

To assess the holes' morphology, depth and quality in all these approaches, a non-destructive method i.e. a high-resolution X-ray tomography (XCT) with a minimised measurement uncertainty was employed.


Despite state actors' uses of informal practices in urban governance, their prominence in changing policy is little acknowledged by scholars. Their effects are even less examined. Such informal practices inextricably link with and impact on formal ones, and have consequences for the state and citizens, especially at the local level. This article presents three cases of contested urban governance from Johannesburg's post-apartheid city administration. The cases reveal pivotal informal practices in response to challenges encountered in local urban governance, informed by multiple complex and (sometimes absent) formal practices, contexts, timings and players. Responding to different pressures, local-level state actors deliberately applied different sorts of informal practices. These pressures included the need to cope with immediate problems, conflictual relationships, political agendas, lobbying groups, competing priorities and resource limitations. The effects of informal practices on the local government's organisational capability and citizens' social inclusion are evident and varied. Findings imply that the state's informal practices and their effects shape governance in ways that undermine or uphold democratic ideals, thus warranting more mindful scrutiny than given so far.


Introduction: Isolated frontosphenoidal synostosis (FS) is a rare cause of fronto-orbital plagiocephaly that can be challenging to distinguish from isolated unicoronal synostosis (UC). The purpose of this paper is to analyze differences in fronto-orbital dysmorphology between the 2 conditions, to describe approaches for surgical correction, and to report surgical outcomes between FS and UC patients in a casecontrol fashion. Methods: Patients treated for craniosynostosis over a 12-year period at our institution were retrospectively evaluated under institutional review board approval. Frontosphenoidal synostosis patients who underwent bilateral fronto-orbital correction of anterior plagiocephaly with minimum 2-year follow-up, adequate pre-, and minimum 2-year postoperative computed tomography scans were included in the case-control portion of the study. These patients were randomly age-matched to UC patients meeting the same inclusion criteria. Preoperative and postoperative orbital shape and volumetric analysis was performed using Mimics software. Results: Twelve FS patients were treated during the study period. Seven of these patients met casecontrol inclusion criteria with average follow-up of 47.5 months. The characteristic FS orbit was a relatively wide, short, and shallow trapezoid, while the characteristic UC orbit was a relatively narrow, tall, and deep parallelogram. Frontosphenoidal synostosis orbits were significantly wider, shorter, shallower, and smaller than UC orbits. Surgical correction tailored to the differential dysmorphologies resulted in statistical equalization of these differences between affected and contralateral control orbits at follow-up, with the exception of UC orbital width, which remained significantly narrower than unaffected contralateral control. One patient in each group required cranioplasty for skull defects at follow-up, while no patient underwent surgical readvancement. Conclusions: Frontosphenoidal synostosis and UC orbital shape differ significantly, and can be normalized using fronto-orbital advancement tailored to the distinct orbital dysmorphologies of these 2 groups.


The processual nature of affinal relationships is well established in Africanist anthropology. This article calls for greater attention to spatial considerations and proposes the concept of movement as an integral dimension of understanding affinal relationships. This observation springs from reflections on how the experiences of displacement and return in northern Uganda have reshaped constructions of 'home' in relation to love and intimate relationships. Reflecting on ethnographic research over ten years in northern Uganda where a two-decade-long war (1986–2006) occurred, the article examines movements in relationships between public and private spaces against the backdrop of wider societal movements from the spatial moral geography of camp to home. It reflects on how the spatial dynamics of camps entailed profound disruptions to 'normal' gendered orderings of life and how 'home' is being reconfigured in the aftermath of war.


Some of the most successful machine learning algorithms, such as Support Vector Machines, are based on learning linear and kernel predictors with respect to a convex loss function, such as the hinge loss. For classification purposes, a more natural loss function is the 0-1 loss. However, using it leads to a non-convex problem for which there is no known efficient algorithm. In this paper, we describe and analyze a new algorithm for learning linear or kernel predictors with respect to the 0-1 loss function. The algorithm is parameterized by L, which quantifies the effective width around the decision boundary in which the predictor may be uncertain. We show that without any distributional assumptions, and for any fixed L, the algorithm runs in polynomial time, and learns a classifier which is worse than the optimal such classifier by at most e. We also prove a hardness result, showing that under a certain cryptographic assumption, no algorithm can learn such classifiers in time polynomial in L.


We have used the technique of in vitro selection to generate variants of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) that are resistant to 2',3'-dideoxyinosine (ddI) and cross-resistant to 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC). The complete reverse transcriptase (RT)-coding regions, plus portions of flanking sequences, of viruses possessing a ddI-resistant phenotype were cloned and sequenced by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods. We observed that several of these viruses possessed mutations at amino acid sites 184 (Met-->Val; ATG-->GTG) and 294 (Pro-->Ser; CCA-->TCA). These mutations were introduced in the pol gene of infectious, cloned HXB2-D DNA by site-directed mutagenesis. Viral replication assays confirmed the importance of site 184 with regard to resistance to ddI. The recombinant viruses thus generated displayed more than fivefold-greater resistance to ddI than parental HXB2-D did. Moreover, more than fivefold-greater resistance to ddC was also documented; however, the recombinant viruses continued to be inhibited by zidovudine (AZT). No resistance to ddI, ddC, or AZT was introduced by inclusion of mutation site 294 in the pol gene of HXB2-D. PCR analysis performed on viral samples obtained from patients receiving long-term ddI therapy confirmed the presence of mutation site 184 in five of seven cases tested. In three of these five positive cases, the wild-type codon was also detected, indicating that mixtures of viral quasispecies were apparently present. Viruses possessing a ddI resistance phenotype were isolated from both subjects whose viruses contained only the mutated rather than wild-type codon at position 184 as well as from a third individual, whose viruses appeared to be mostly of the mutated variety.


One desirable application of Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD)
is to detect a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched
Path (LSP) data plane failure. LSP Ping is an existing mechanism for
detecting MPLS data plane failures and for verifying the MPLS LSP data
plane against the control plane. BFD can be used for the former, but
not for the latter. However, the control plane processing required for
BFD Control packets is relatively smaller than the processing required
for LSP Ping messages. A combination of LSP Ping and BFD can be used
to provide faster data plane failure detection and/or make it possible
to provide such detection on a greater number of LSPs. This document
describes the applicability of BFD in relation to LSP Ping for this
application. It also describes procedures for using BFD in this
environment. [STANDARDS-TRACK]


How do we make sense of considerable cultural differences and change in disability classification? How are disability's categorical boundaries being redrawn in special education to realign with shifting paradigms of normality? Based in particular on the case of provided services to students "with special educational needs," this analysis examines classification systems of student disability and their categorical boundaries in the United States and Germany. Sketching the origins and evolution of special education categories from 1920 to 2005, the comparison shows how categorical boundaries have been redrawn, giving rise to new groups of students.


ABSTRACT Although an array of federal, state, and local programs exist that target food insecurity and the specific nutritional needs of seniors, food insecurity among older adults in the United States remains a persistent problem, particularly in minority and rural populations. Food insecurity is highly predictive of inadequate fresh fruit and vegetable (FFV) consumption in particular. The Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) is a community-based program to help seniors purchase FFVs at farmer's markets in their neighborhoods. The SFMNP continues to grow; however, little is known about the effectiveness of the program. The purposes of this article are to (1) highlight the importance of community and neighborhood based food insecurity programs, specifically emphasizing the importance of FFV access for seniors, (2) review the current state of the evidence on the SFMNP, and (3) provide recommendations for researchers and policy-makers wishing to continue to advance the knowledge base in neighborhood-based food security among older adults.


Identifying the facility-level correlates of inmate misconduct is necessary for improving safety for both inmates and staff. Assessing these factors is also critical to ensure the effectiveness of administrative controls and facility programming. Using a repeat measures analysis, this study examines a panel of 487 state correctional facilities to assess the dynamic effects that factors of administrative control and treatment availability have on inmate–inmate and inmate–staff assaults. Findings show that several types of facility programs were negatively associated with inmate–inmate assaults but not inmate–staff assaults. Also, several dimensions of administrative control were associated with inmate–staff assaults. Implications for research and correctional practice are discussed.


-The optimum design of reinforced concrete members is found according to required security measures which are defined with respect to internal forces in the critical section resulting from loading conditions. For that reason, the length of spans and number of supports are effective on the optimum cost of the RC continuous beams. In this study, the optimum cross section dimensions and detailed optimum reinforcement design were investigated for different number of supports and spans. The optimum design was performed according to the design constraints given in ACI-318 (Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete). All live load distribution patterns were considered and the analyses of RC beam were done by using Clapeyron's three moment equations. A random search technique (RST) was employed in order to minimize the material cost of the continuous beams with different number of spans. Key-Words: RC continuous beam, random search technique, optimization, Clapeyron's three moment equations, ACI-318, live load distribution patterns.


This work presents a study of the climate change issues and how green energies can help to reduce the negative consequences of global warming and greenhouse effects on earth. The sun is considered one of the most important and plentiful sources of renewable energies reason why it is close to being the largest source of electricity in the world by 2050. Furthermore, most of the energy forms available on earth arise directly from the solar energy, including wind, hydro, biomass and fossil fuels, with some exceptions like nuclear and geothermal energies. Accordingly, solar photovoltaic (SPV) is a technology capable of converting the inexhaustible solar energy into electricity by employing the electronic properties of semiconductor materials, representing one of the most promising ways for generating electricity, as an attainable and smart option to replace conventional fossil fuels. Solar cell technology is undergoing a transition to a new generation of efficient, low-cost products based on certain semiconductor and photoactive materials. Furthermore, it has definite environmental advantages over competing electricity generation technologies, and the PV industry follows a pro-active life-cycle approach to prevent future environmental damage and to sustain these advantages.


As the world economy is globalized the companies are expanding their businesses in international markets for business profitability. The teams are recruited by these companies in the international market for the business tasks to be performed. These teams belong to different cultural background and have different values. The author will discuss about the problems faced by these cross-cultural teams. The author had also focused on the strategies to cope up with these problems of cross- cultural teams. The author will act as researcher and will use exploratory research design, i.e. the study will be based on secondary data taken from magazines, journals, internet and reports. These tools will help author to conclude the objectives of the study. The author found that there are problems among the cross-cultural teams regarding their cultural background. The different ways are also suggested to cope up with the problems faced by cross-cultural teams. The author had also focused on how to create effective management of multicultural teams.


ABSTRACT This study examined how internet use is related to subjective well-being, using longitudinal data from 19 nations with representative online samples stratified for age, gender, and region (N = 7122, 51.43% women, M age= 45.26). Life satisfaction and anxiety served as indices of subjective well-being at time 1 (t1) and then six months later (t2). Frequency of internet use (hours online per day) at t1 correlated with lower life satisfaction, r = – .06, and more anxiety, r = .13 at t2. However, after imposing multivariate controls, frequency of internet use (t1) was no longer associated with lower subjective well-being (t2). Frequency of social contact by internet and use of internet for following rumors (t1) predicted higher anxiety (t2). Higher levels of direct (face-to-face plus phone) social contact (t1) predicted greater life satisfaction (t2). In multivariate analyses, all effect sizes were small. Society-level individualism-collectivism or indulgence-restraint did not show a direct effect on outcomes nor moderate individual-level associations. Results are discussed in the framework of the internet as a displacement of social contact versus a replacement of deficits in direct contact; and as a source of positive and negative information.


Quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams are typically produced at the iThemba LABS fast neutron beam facility by the 7Li(p, xn) or 9Be(p, xn) reactions. With the proton beams available from the separated sector cyclotron, the neutron energy range from about 30 MeV to 200 MeV can be covered almost continuously. The facility first became operational in the late 1980s. The fast neutron beam facility at iThemba LABS has been designated by the National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA) as an entity responsible for providing traceability for the medium and high-energy neutron measurements in South Africa. As a result, the facility is undergoing a major upgrade and development in order for it to meet the requirements for a medium and high-energy neutron metrology facility. As part of the ongoing upgrade, Monte Carlo (MC) simulations aimed at benchmarking the experimental data are ongoing.


Steam generators of four VVER–440 units at nuclear power plants V-1 and V-2 in Jaslovske Bohunice (Slovakia) were gradually changed by new original Bohunice design in period 1994-1998. Corrosion processes before and after these design and material changes in Bohunice secondary circuit were studied using Mossbauer spectroscopy during last 25 years. Innovations in the feed water pipeline design as well as material composition improvements were evaluated positively. Mossbauer spectroscopy studies of phase composition of corrosion products were performed on real specimens scrapped from water pipelines or in form of filter deposits. The corrosion of new feed water pipelines system (from austenitic steel) in combination to innovated operation regimes goes dominantly to magnetite. The hematite presence is mostly on the internal surface of steam generator body and its concentration increases towards the top of the body. In the results interpretation it is necessary to consider also erosion as well as scope and type of maintenance activities. The long-term study of phase composition of corrosion products at VVER reactors is one of precondition for the safe operation over the projected NPP lifetime.


Glucose transport across the placenta takes place by means of a facilitated process. The transporter shows considerable specificity with respect to different hexoses. Transport across the microvillous plasma membrane of the trophoblast surface facing the intervillous space has been characterized. The details of transport across the fetal directed plasma membrane and the regulation of D-glucose membrane protein transporters remain unknown.


The concept of a smart city is aimed at enhancing the quality of life for urban residents, and logistic services are a crucial component of this effort. Despite this, the logistics industry has encountered issues due to the exponential growth of logistics volumes, as well as the complexity of processes and lack of transparency. Consequently, it is necessary to develop an efficient management system that offers traceability and condition monitoring capabilities to ensure the safe and high-quality delivery of goods. Moreover, it is crucial to guarantee the accuracy and dependability of distribution data. In this context, this paper proposes a blockchain-enabled IoT logistics system for the efficient tracking and management of high-price shipments. A smart contract based on blockchain technology has been designed for automatic approval and payment, with the aim of distributing shipping information exclusively among legitimate logistics parties. To ensure authentication, a zero-knowledge proof is used to conceal the blockchain address. Moreover, an intelligent parcel (iParcel) containing piezoresistive sensors is developed to pack delivered goods during the shipping process for violation detection such as severe falls or theft. The iParcels are automatically tracked and traced, and if a violation occurs, the contract is cancelled, and payment is refunded. The transaction fee per party is reasonable, particularly for high-price products that guarantee successful shipment.


Blind quantum computation is an appealing use of quantum information technology because it can conceal both the client's data and the algorithm itself from the server. However, problems need to be solved in the practical use of blind quantum computation and fault-tolerance is a major challenge. Broadbent et al. proposed running error correction over blind quantum computation, and Morimae and Fujii proposed using fault-tolerant entangled qubits as the resource for blind quantum computation. Both approaches impose severe demands on the teleportation channel, the former requiring unrealistic data rates and the latter near-perfect fidelity. To extend the application range of blind quantum computation, we suggest that Alice send input qubits encoded with error correction code instead of single input qubits. Two fault-tolerant protocols are presented and we showed the trade-off of the computational overhead using the ten-bit quantum carry-lookahead adder as an example. Though these two fault-tolerant protocols require the client to have more quantum computing ability than using approaches from prior work, they provide better fault-tolerance when the client and the server are connected by realistic quantum repeater networks.


When there are externalities across households, governments can improve economic outcomes by equitably subsidizing education. But this chain of causality works only if (1) allocated resources reach the final recipients, and (2) equity in public subsidies translates directly into equity in total educational expenditures, including private spending at the household level. Using a unique data set from Zambia, the author shows that whether these conditions are met depends on the specific schemes used to allocate resources as well as the exact form of the subsidies. First, subsidies allocated through clear guidelines and legislated rules reached the final recipients, but those allocated at the discretion of province and educational offices did not. Second, even those components of subsidies that were progressive (in that the share of total subsidies for the poor was greater than the share for the non-poor) had no effect on inequality in total educational expenditures due to the crowding-out of household spending.


Androgen ablation therapy is an effective treatment for advanced prostate cancer, but the tumor often progresses toward a more aggressive phenotype. We determined the changes in genes associated with the malignant progression and found increased thymosin beta4, involved in tumor metastasis, in androgen-sensitive LNCaP cells grown in the medium with androgen-deficient, charcoal-stripped fetal calf serum. The mRNA expression of thymosin beta4 was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. The transcriptional activity of thymosin beta4 was measured by luciferase assay using reporter plasmid containing 5'-flanking region of thymosin beta4. Thymosin beta4 mRNA expression was increased in LNCaP cells in the androgen-deficient condition and decreased by dihydrotestosterone treatment. Androgen receptor antagonist bicalutamide inhibited thymosin beta4 expression in a dose-dependent manner. In androgen receptor-negative PC-3 cells, no significant effects on thymosin beta4 gene expression were observed. The regulation of thymosin beta4 mRNA expression by androgen is due to the transcriptional activation. Deletion analysis revealed that the region between -83 bp and -46 bp of the thymosin beta4 gene is responsible for the regulation of the transcriptional activity by androgen. Thymosin beta4 expression is negatively controlled at the transcriptional level by androgen.


Cigarette smoking impairs endothelial function. Hydroxymethylglutaryl (HMG) CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) may favorably affect endothelial function via nonlipid mechanisms. We tested the hypothesis that statins would improve endothelial function independent of changes in lipids in cigarette smokers. Twenty normocholesterolemic cigarette smokers and 20 matched healthy control subjects were randomized to atorvastatin 40 mg daily or placebo for 4 weeks, washed out for 4 weeks, and then crossed-over to the other treatment. Baseline low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were similar in smokers and healthy subjects, 103±22 versus 95±27 mg/dL, respectively (P=NS) and were reduced similarly in smokers and control subjects by atorvastatin, to 55±30 and 58±20 mg/dL, respectively (P=NS). Vascular ultrasonography was used to determine brachial artery, flow-mediated, endothelium-dependent, and nitroglycerin-mediated, endothelium-independent vasodilation. To elucidate potential molecular mechanisms that may account for changes in endothelial function, skin biopsy specimens were assayed for eNOS mRNA, eNOS activity, and nitrotyrosine. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation was less in smokers than nonsmoking control subjects during placebo treatment, 8.0±0.6% versus 12.1±1.1%, (P=0.003). Atorvastatin increased endothelium-dependent vasodilation in smokers to 10.5±1.3% (P=0.017 versus placebo) but did not change endothelium-dependent vasodilation in control subjects (to 11.0±0.8%, P=NS). Endothelium-independent vasodilation did not differ between groups during placebo treatment and was not significantly affected by atorvastatin. Multivariate analysis did not demonstrate any association between baseline lipid levels or the change in lipid levels and endothelium-dependent vasodilation. Cutaneous nitrotyrosine levels and skin microvessel eNOS mRNA, but not ENOS activity, were increased in smokers compared with controls but unaffected by atorvastatin treatment. Atorvastatin restores endothelium-dependent vasodilation in normocholesterolemic cigarette smokers independent of changes in lipids. These results are consistent with a lipid-independent vascular benefit of statins but could not be explained by changes in eNOS message and tissue oxidative stress. These findings implicate a potential role for statin therapy to restore endothelial function and thereby investigate vascular disease in cigarette smokers.


N-heterocyclic compounds are important chemicals, and their reductive synthesis using H2 under mild conditions is attractive but challenging. Herein, we report chemoselective hydrogenation of 2-nitroacylbenzenes to 2,1-benzisoxazoles under ambient conditions for the first time, wihch is achieved over cellulose-derived carbon (c-C) supported Pt nanocatalyst (Pt/c-C), and a series of 2,1-benzisoxazoles can be obtained in excellent yields. Pt/c-C also shows high performance for ambient reductive amination of levulinic acid with H2, accessing various pyrrolidones in excellent yields. The systematic studies indicated that the c-C support played multiple roles in catalysis with enhancing electron density of the Pt nanoparticles and activating reactant molecules. Especially, the O-containing groups on the c-C surface provided the c-C support with both acid and base features, thus endowing Pt/c-C with high performances. This work provides an accessible and highly efficient catalyst for reductive synthesis of N-heterocycles using H2 under ambient conditions, which may have promising applications.


When liver cytosol prepared from rats administered [14C]3'-methyl-N,N-dimethyl-4-aminoazobenzene was subjected to Sephadex gel chromatography, four peaks (I-IV) of radioactivity containing proteins and one peak (V) of radioactivity devoid of protein were obtained. Forty to fifty-five per cent of the radioactivity in the protein peaks was butanol-extractable. When the protein peaks were subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, over 90% of the radioactivity was separated from the proteins, indicating lack of covalent binding. Several differences in the metabolite patterns were seen when the butanol-extractable metabolites from the five chromatographic peaks were analyzed by TLC. When pooled fractions of the peaks were incubated with isolated rat liver nuclei, only radioactivity associated with peak II was translocated into the nucleus. Translocation was time- and temperature-dependent and was maximal at 40 min at 37 degrees C. Only 10 to 12% of the radioactivity associated with peak II could be translocated even in the presence of an excess of nuclei, indicating that specific protein metabolite adduct(s) present in this fraction is/are translocated. Five per cent of translocated radioactivity was irreversibly bound to DNA, 3% to RNA, 67% to non-histone proteins, and 7.5% to histones; the remaining was not associated with any of these macromolecules.


Mobile agents (MAs) are software entities capable of autonomous migration from host to host within a computer network. The economic-market (EM) model (in which hosts set prices for resources and negotiate access with MAs using a form of currency), is a promising approach to distributed control in MA systems. The paper discusses the use of an EM model in a medical data retrieval MA application. MAs analyse biopsy-proven mammographic cases stored in digital medical libraries throughout the Internet and return only the cases that are most relevant to a case of interest. A simple prototype has been developed, in which hosts price CPU time according to local CPU load, and MAs seek to minimise their expenditures by migrating to a lightly loaded host to perform a CPU-intensive task. The results to date are presented and a number of aspects of EM system design discussed in the context of the proposed application.


Abstract: A number of factors can contribute to a delay in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in pregnant women, including the presence of nonspecific symptoms, such as fatigue and cough; extrapulmonary manifestations; and asymptomatic disease. The diagnostic evaluation is the same as for nonpregnant patients and includes tuberculin skin testing and, when indicated, chest radiography (with appropriate shielding) and acid-fast bacillus stain and culture. Antituberculous therapy during pregnancy is generally safe and effective, although streptomycin should not be used because of the risk of vestibular or auditory damage to the fetus. For patients with active tuberculosis, treatment should be initiated as soon as the diagnosis is established. The treatment of latent infection is somewhat more controversial. The timing of the initiation of therapy is based on the risk of progression to active disease. (J Respir Dis. 2006;27(8):338-347)


This is the sixth update alert for a living, rapid review on the use ofmasks for prevention of respiratory virus infections, including SARS-CoV-2, in health care and community settings (1). The first 3 updates were monthly, and the interval was switched to bimonthly for subsequent updates. The prior update search (through April 2) (2) found no eligible studies. Update searches were done from 3 April 2021 to 2 June 2021, using the same search strategies as the original review. The update searches identified 492 citations. Two studies (3, 4) on the use of masks and the prevention of SARSCoV-2 done in a health care setting were added for this update; no new studies done in a community setting were identified through literature searches (Supplement Tables 1 to 3). On the basis of 3 observational studies (5–7) comparing N95 respirators with surgical masks for prevention of SARS-CoV-2 in health care settings, the strength of evidence was previously assessed as insufficient because of inconsistent effects across studies (Supplement Table 4). One new cross-sectional study done in the United States found no statistically significant differences in risk for SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity between N95 respirator and surgical mask use (4). The study had methodological limitations, including potential recall bias and a 50% participation rate. In addition, adjusted risk estimates were not reported. Therefore, the strength of evidence for N95 use versus surgical mask use remains insufficient (Supplement Table 4). Regarding consistency of mask use, the evidence was previously assessed as insufficient on the basis of 1 study that found that consistent N95 (adjusted odds ratio, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.72 to 0.95]) or surgical mask (adjusted odds ratio, 0.86 [CI, 0.75 to 0.98]) use was associated with reduced risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection relative to inconsistent use (8). New evidence from a cross-sectional study done in France also found that consistent face mask use compared with inconsistent use was associated with a reduced risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection (adjusted odds ratio, 0.07 [CI, 0.003 to 0.56]) (3). Because of inconsistent estimates and few studies, the strength of evidence for consistent mask use and risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection remains insufficient. Other strength of evidence ratings related to mask use in health care settings and risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection also remain insufficient (Supplement Table 4). No new studies evaluated the effects of mask use in a community setting or risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection, Middle East respiratory syndrome–CoV infection, or influenza or influenza-like illness in health care workers. In community settings, the strength of evidence remains low for an association between any mask use versus no mask use or surgical mask use versus no mask use and decreased risk for SARS-CoV-1 infection. As with prior updates, there were no studies on the effectiveness and safety of mask reuse or extended use. Given few new eligible studies and little change in conclusions after 1 year of monthly or bimonthly updates, we will update and reevaluate the need for continued updates again in 6months.


An autonomous system (AS) is the collection of networks having the same set of routing policies. Each AS has administrative control to its own inter-domain routing policy. Computer networks consisting of a bunch of AS's with different routing will not be able to interconnecttion one another. This is causes communication in the network to be inhibited. For that we need a protocol that can connect each different AS. Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is an inter-domain routing protocol i.e. between different AS  that is used to exchange routing information between them. In a typical inter-network (and in the Internet) each autonomous system designates one or more routers that run BGP software. BGP routers in each AS are linked to those in one or more other AS. The ability to exchange table routing information between Autonomous System (AS) is one of the advantages BGP. BGP implements routing policies based a set of attributes accompanying each route used to pick the "shortest" path across multiple ASs, along with one or more routing policies. BGP uses an algorithm which cannot be classified as a pure "Distance Vector", or pure "Link State". It is a path vector routing protocol as it defines a route as a collection of a number of AS that is passes through from source AS to destination AS. This paper discusses the implementation of the BGP routing protocol in the network that have different AS in order to interconnect. Its application using Packet Tracer 7.0 software for prototyping and simulating network. So that later can be applied to the actual network. Based on experiments that have been carried out, the BGP routing protocol can connect two routers that have different autonomous system.


The objective of the study is to assess a HL7 clinical laboratory risk alert System in hospitalized patients versus the conventional methodology.
Method: We studied laboratory tests administered to 300 medical patients in the Belgrano Hospital intensive care unit. We considered two groups of 150 patient tests. In the rst the group (control group), clinical laboratory risk was diagnosed in a traditional way. In the second group (alarm group), clinical laboratory risk was diagnosed with an alert system. The alert was triggered when a patient showed low or high levels of any of the following variables: blood glucose, hematocrit, WBCs, arterial blood gases, blood urea, blood creatinine, blood sodium and blood potassium.
Results: Clinical laboratory risk was detected in 20.3% of the control group patients of tests while, in the alert group, clinical laboratory risk was detected in 34.3% of the patients tests; the dierence between the two groups was signi cant (p<0.001), with a sensitivity rate of 99% and a speci city rate of 98%.
Conclusion: Clinical Laboratory risk is more easily de- tected when using an alert system.


The aim of this study was to identify and measure areas of physiology relevant to the initiation of secondary metabolism and spore formation. It was discovered that the growth kinetics of Saccharopolyspora erythraea in a liquid culture environment were dependent on the type of nutrient limitation the organism was exposed to. Sacc. erythraea was able to produce erythromycin and formed structures which had properties similar to those of spores (designated 'sonic resistant units' in this thesis) in a nitrogen limited medium but, would produce erythromycin but no 'sonic resistant units' in a carbon limited medium. This resulted in two liquid culture systems, one which supported the formation of 'sonic resistant units' and one which did not, and thus enabled the comparison of the conditions which resulted in sporulation or secondary metabolism. The measurement of the rate of DNA, RNA and protein synthesis showed distinct profiles of synthesis in both media. Measurements of these rates in Streptomyces hygroscopicus showed similar profiles in the same media suggesting that the behaviour of the macromolecular synthesis rates in different nutrient limiting conditions might be applicable to streptomycetes in general. A change in macromolecular synthesis rate was implicated in inducing secondary metabolism. Antibiotics were used to modulate these rates in an attempt to induce secondary metabolism. Results from these experiments suggested the possible role of the intracellular concentration of charged and uncharged tRNA in induction of antibiotic synthesis. This relationship implies an analogy between the stringent response and the physiology of the induction of secondary metabolism. The formation of spores ('sonic resistant units') did not appear to be induced by changes in macromolecular synthesis rate or changes in tRNA levels or ratio. However, it was evident that the rates of macromolecular synthesis increased during the production of spores and this implied that it is the action of some intracellular agent that is inducing macromolecular synthesis to fuel the spore forming process.


Sometimes art is about the journey. While I worked on this two-part artwork, I constantly had thoughts of why I followed a certain route, and that became a compositional dimension in itself. This work deals with taking compositions that are very much separate, and linking or joining them to make new ones. Combining segments works much like trying to combine stories; without guidance, they would lead to confusion and incoherence. Each piece had a different birth and progressed through its own stress and growth-flow. Each image started as a balanced, self-contained entity (to analyze each of those could be taken to the analogical extreme). As an artist, you seek to find the dynamic interaction that visual illusion demands. There is a precise moment when parts come together, and they become inextricably unified to reveal a definite new framework. This point makes " combinational " work an effective cognitive exploration tool as well as one of introspection, each with its own approach. The process of connecting images in our minds has its variations in blending, or just attaching, but to truly unify is to fuse new ideas. However metaphorical to our thoughts, the process and the ideas it reveals reflect the power of the visual system to abstract and arrange metapatterns: universal inherent structures of thought, within our minds with just a simple stare, an amazing computational feat all viewers execute when they observe the world. One major theme is complexity. This work's complexity arises from the increasing number of possibilities in the process, as in the expansion of every facet of technology and information. For robotic (computer) vision to be possible, we will have to understand much better how we process what we perceive and induce visually; that is the job of the sense of aesthetics for now. In time, visual engines will be very powerful and will allow us to look into the intricacies of mathematics and physics while rediscovering our own world of art. The elegant symmetry of complexity — deep, cold, and austere — will take us far. Many kinds of languages await us in the pursuit of such patterns and structures at increasingly larger scales. Visual thinking will propel us in new ways.


A retrospective study of 622 patients (551 men and 71 women, age range 14-63 years) with 650 mandibular fractures crossing the third molar was conducted. In 183 patients (193 fracture lines) the wisdom tooth was retained or partially erupted and in 439 patients (457 fractures) the wisdom tooth in the fracture line was normally situated in the dentition. The analysis showed no statistically significant difference in the complication frequency associated with the extraction of retained or erupted wisdom teeth (12.50% and 8.37%, respectively). In treatment of fractures with retention of the wisdom tooth in the fracture line the complications with the totally erupted and normally situated third molars were more frequent than those with the unerupted third molars (20.70% vs 7.69%). The analysis of the complications according to the applied method of treatment shows that the complications in open (operative) reposition and fixation of the fragments were more frequent with unerupted (20.00%), as well as with erupted wisdom teeth (24.13%). With closed (non-operative) fracture treatment the complications were respectively 7.30% with the unerupted and 11.33% with the erupted wisdom teeth. On the basis of the obtained results conclusions are made for the practice.


Oxidation of catechol estrogens (CE) leads to the reactive electrophilic CE quinones. Reaction of CE-3,4-quinones with DNA has been implicated in tumor initiation. One pathway to prevent this reaction is conjugation of CE quinones with glutathione (GSH). Four CE, 4-hydroxy estrone (4-OHE1), 4-hydroxyestradiol (4-OHE2), 2-OHE1, and 2-OHE2, were conjugated with GSH after oxidation catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP), lactoperoxidase (LP), or rat liver microsomal cytochrome P450. This reaction is a free-radical chain autoxidation that produces very high yields of products. Six mono-GSH conjugates, 4-OHE1(E2)-2-SG, 2-OHE1(E2)-1-SG, and 2-OHE1(E2)-4-SG, and four di-GSH conjugates, 4-OHE1(E2)-1,2-bisSG and 2-OHE1(E2)-1,4-bisSG, were identified and quantified. These di-GSH conjugates were also obtained quantitatively from oxidation of mono-GSH conjugates by the same enzymes. HRP and LP gave very similar product profiles. Phenobarbital- and 3-methylcholanthrene-induced microsomes with either NADPH or cumene hydroperoxide as cofactor oxidized 4-OHE2 to form similar amounts of GSH conjugates. Enzymatic oxidation of 2-OHE1(E2) in the presence of GSH produced more 2-OHE1(E2)-4-SG than the 1-isomer. This contrasts with the direct reaction of E1(E2)-2,3-Q and GSH, in which the 1-isomer is formed more abundantly than the 4-isomer (Cao, K., Devanesan, P. D., Ramanathan, R., Gross, M. L., Rogan, E. G., and Cavalieri, E. L. (1998) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 11, 909-916). Competitive enzymatic oxidation of equimolar 4-OHE2 and 2-OHE2 in the presence of an equimolar amount of GSH yielded more 2-OHE2 conjugates than 4-OHE2 conjugates, despite E2-3,4-Q being more reactive with GSH than E2-2,3-Q. These results suggest that 2-OHE2 is a better substrate than 4-OHE2 in the catalytic oxidation to quinones, despite the greater reactivity of E2-3,4-Q, compared to E2-2,3-Q, with GSH.


This paper develops and applies sophisticated data mining techniques to detect in an early stage potential risks regarding the stability of institutions by making use of the market information of their issued contingent capital instruments. Data mining is an important new topic within the financial world. The detection of observations which are different from the majority, called outliers, can be of interest for market analysts, risk managers, regulators and traders. These exceptions might be caused by extraordinary circumstances that may potentially require extra hedging or can be seen as trading opportunities. They could also give regulators an early warning and signal for potential trouble ahead. In this paper we first explain and apply the new risk measure, called the Value-at-Risk Equivalent Volatility (VEV). The concept was introduced by the European authorities in the new PRIIPs1 regulation and needs to be implemented for all structured products by January 1st 2018. This risk-measure is an extension of the classical volatility measure by taking into account skewness and kurtosis. This measure however works in a one-dimensional setting. In this paper we apply outlier detection and the VEV concept to CoCo bonds. CoCos are hybrid high yield securities that convert into equity or write down if the issuing financial institution is in a distressed situation. Further we want to detect outliers in the CoCo market taking into account multiple variables such as the CoCo market returns and the underlying equity return. Based on a multiple-dimension distance we can detect CoCos that are outlying compared to previous time periods but also taking into account extreme moves of the market situation. To some extent, CoCos can be seen as derivative instruments with some capital ratio (CET1) as underlying driver. In this perspective, a CoCo market price is just the price of a derivative and hence contains forward looking information or at least the market's anticipated view on the financial health of the institution and the level of the relevant trigger. This paper develops data mining techniques that incorporate such forward looking view by comparing historical data with current CoCo market prices.


Questions: How does disturbance and successional age influence richness, size and composition of the soil seed bank? What is the potential contribution of the soil seed bank to the plant community composition on sites differing in their successional age or disturbance intensity?

Location: Experimental Botanical Garden of Gottingen University, central Germany.

Methods: Above-ground vegetation and soil seed bank were studied on formerly arable fields in a 36-year-old permanent plot study with five disturbance intensities, ranging from yearly ploughing via mowing to long-term uninterrupted succession. We compared species compositions, seed densities and functional features of the seed bank and above-ground vegetation by using several methods in parallel.

Results: The seed bank was mainly composed of early successional species typical of strongly disturbed habitats. The difference between seed bank composition and above-ground vegetation decreased with increasing disturbance intensity. The species of greatest quantitative importance in the seed bank was the non-native forb Solidago canadensis.

Conclusions: The ability of a plant community to regenerate from the soil seed bank dramatically decreases with increasing time since abandonment (successional age) and with decreasing disturbance intensity. The present study underlines that plant species typical of grasslands and woodlands are limited by dispersal capacity, owing to low capacity for accumulation of seeds in the soil and the fact that most species do not build up persistent seed banks. Rare and target species were almost absent from the seed bank and will, after local elimination, depend on reintroduction for continuation of their presence.


A comprehensive world classification of the Poaceae is presented in which 720 currently accepted genera are distributed among five subfamilies (Pooideae, Bambusoideae, Arundinoideae, Chloridoideae, Panicoideae) and six supertribes (Triticanae and Poanae, in Pooideae; Bambusanae and Oryzanae, in Bambusoideae; Panicanae and Andropogonanae, in Panicoideae). Synonyms in recent use are listed under appropriate groups. The classification reflects a variety of numerical analyses of generic descriptions, accounting for original observations and compiled data on nearly 300 characters concerning mainly morphology, anatomy, physiology and cytology. The detailed group descriptions are fully comparative, and include statistical information on character state distributions.


Purpose. To evaluate and compare corneal backscatter from anterior stroma between small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK (femto-LASIK). Methods. A cohort of 60 eyes of 30 patients was randomized to receive SMILE in one eye and femto-LASIK in the fellow eye. In vivo confocal microscopy was performed at 1 week and 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. The main outcome measurements were maximum backscattered intensity and the depth from which it was measured, the backscattered light intensity 30 μm below Bowman's membrane at the flap interface and 150 μm below the superficial epithelium, and the number of refractive particles at the flap interface. Results. The mean backscattered light intensity (LI) at all measured depths and the maximum backscattered LI were higher in the SMILE group than the femto-LASIK group at all postoperative visits. LI differences at 1 week and 1- and 3-month visits were statistically significant (P < 0,05). LI differences at 6 months were not statistically significant. There was no difference in the number of refractive particles at the flap interface between the groups at any visit. Conclusions. SMILE results in increased backscattered LI in the anterior stroma when compared with femto-LASIK were evaluated.


A fundamental issue in regenerative medicine is whether there exist endogenous regulatory mechanisms that limit the speed and efficiency of the repair process. We report the existence of a maturation checkpoint during muscle regeneration that pauses myofibers at a neonatal stage. This checkpoint is regulated by the mitochondrial protein mitofusin 2 (Mfn2), the expression of which is activated in response to muscle injury. Mfn2 is required for growth and maturation of regenerating myofibers; in the absence of Mfn2, new myofibers arrested at a neonatal stage, characterized by centrally nucleated myofibers and loss of H3K27me3 repressive marks at the neonatal myosin heavy chain gene. A similar arrest at the neonatal stage was observed in infantile cases of human centronuclear myopathy. Mechanistically, Mfn2 upregulation suppressed expression of hypoxia-induced factor 1α (HIF1α), which is induced in the setting of muscle damage. Sustained HIF1α signaling blocked maturation of new myofibers at the neonatal-to-adult fate transition, revealing the existence of a checkpoint that delays muscle regeneration. Correspondingly, inhibition of HIF1α allowed myofibers to bypass the checkpoint, thereby accelerating the repair process. We conclude that skeletal muscle contains a regenerative checkpoint that regulates the speed of myofiber maturation in response to Mfn2 and HIF1α activity.


This document specifies identifiers and challenges required to enable
the Automated Certificate Management Environment (ACME) to issue
certificates for IP addresses.


Amyloidosis of the protein AA type is readily induced in mink using repeated injections of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We have characterized splenic proteoglycans/glycosaminoglycans (PGs/GAGs) in mink during amyloidogenesis. Moderate to rich amounts of amyloid exhibiting green birefringence was demonstrated by polarization microscopy of the splenic section stained with Congo red in seven out of eight minks after 10 weeks of LPS-treatment, and a significant increase in the total amount of PGs and GAGs in AA amyloid spleens was observed (two to eight times that in unstimulated animals). Intact PGs as well as free GAGs were extracted, and heparan sulfate (HS) was the most abundant GAG in the amyloid as well as in the control spleens. The GAGs showing the most pronounced increase in the amyloid spleens was of the chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate (CS/DS) type and these were extracted in the form of free GAG chains. We conclude that there is a selective enrichment of PGs/GAGs in extracted splenic amyloid in the mink, which confirms to previous observations in human amyloid as well as in other animal species, supporting their pathogenic significance in the formation of AA amyloid.


The aims of this study were to 1) describe the children's physical activity (PA) patterns during the after-school period and 2) to compare the type and intensity of activity during the after-school period of children with or without participation in organized PA programmes. The participants were 456 children from four primary schools in Hong Kong. Self-administered questionnaires were used to measure the PA pattern and intensity level of the children during the after-school period. Independent t-test and factorial ANOVA was used for data analysis. Results indicated that children engaged substantial time in light intensity PA during the after-school period. Children who participated in organized PA programmes spent fewer time blocks on light intensity PA and more time blocks in vigorous PA. The boys spent more time blocks on high intensity PA than the girls. A structured PA programme during the after-school period is a potential intervention strategy to increase children's PA participation without using up the time intended for children's homework.


This presentation focuses on an ongoing instructional innovation research and development project centered around the development of a blended, online and face-to-face introductory engineering graphics course. The work presented here is an in-depth analysis of how students make use of the online resources to supplement the instructional support they receive in class. The researchers were particularly interested in answering questions concerning not only what resources were accessed, but in what order, and whether there is any statistical correlation to learning outcomes. In this study, the focus was on resources related to the textbook materials and quizzes and tests associated with this material. The data being analyzed was collected from 180 students taught by two different instructors over one semester. Background on the project, analysis of Moodle log file data, along with recommendations for further refinement of instructional strategies will be presented.


Understanding of global health and changing morbidity and mortality is limited by inadequate measurement of population health. With fewer than one-third of deaths worldwide being assigned a cause, this long-standing dearth of information, almost exclusively in the world's poorest countries, hinders understanding of population health and limits opportunities for planning, monitoring, and evaluating interventions. In the absence of routine death registration, verbal autopsy (VA) methods are used to derive probable causes of death. Much effort has been put into refining the approach for specific purposes; however, there has been a lack of harmony regarding such efforts. Subsequently, a variety of methods and principles have been developed, often focusing on a single aspect of VA, and the resulting literature provides an inconsistent picture. By reviewing methodological and conceptual issues in VA, it is evident that VA cannot be reduced to a single one-size-fits-all tool. VA must be contextualized; given the lack of "gold standards," methodological developments should not be considered in terms of absolute validity but rather in terms of consistency, comparability, and adequacy for the intended purpose. There is an urgent need for clarified thinking about the overall objectives of population-level cause-of-death measurement and harmonized efforts in empirical methodological research.


Workpiece location is critical to efficiently plan actions downstream in manufacturing processes. In labor-intensive heavy industries, like construction and shipbuilding, multiple stakeholders interact, stack and move workpieces in the absence of any system to log such actions. While track-by-detection approaches rely on sensing technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Global Positioning System (GPS), cluttered environments and stacks of workpieces pose several limitations to their adaptation. These challenges limit the usage of such technology to presenting the last known position of a workpiece with no further guidance on a search strategy. In this work we show that a multi-hypothesis tracking approach that models human reasoning can provide a search strategy based on available observations of a workpiece. We show that inventory tracking problems under uncertainty can be approached like probabilistic inference approaches in localization to detect, estimate and update the belief of the workpiece locations. We present a practical Internet-of-Things (IoT) framework for information collection over which we build our reasoning. We also present the ability of our system to accommodate additional constraints to prune search locations. Finally, in our experiments we show that our approach can provide a significant reduction against the conventional search for missing workpieces, of up to 80% in workpieces to visit and 60% in distance traveled. In our experiments we highlight the critical nature of identifying stacking events and inferring locations using reasoning to aid searches even when direct observation of a workpiece is not available.


Background: Depression and inflammation are concomitantly elevated in patients with lung cancer and may have collective survival implications. However, the longitudinal relationship between depression and inflammation in patients with metastatic lung cancer is not fully appreciated. We hypothesized that longitudinal changes in inflammation and depression would be concordant; that longitudinally elevated inflammation would lead to greater depression over time; and that depression with inflammation would be more persistent than depression without inflammation. Methods: Patients with metastatic lung cancer (n = 68) were assessed for clinically significant depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale ≥ 8) and inflammation (C-Reactive Protein ≥ 1 mg/L) along with demographic variables. Survival estimations were made using Cox Proportional Hazard Model and Kaplan-Meier plot analyses. Results: At baseline (T1), 15% had depression and 35% had increased inflammation followed by 18% with depression and 38% with increased inflammation 4.7 months later (T2). The odds ratio of depression in the presence of clinically significant inflammation was 4.8 at T1 and 5.3 at T2. Between time points, inflammation difference correlated with depression difference (r = −.26, p = .03). Significant depression at both time points was associated with a 4 fold risk of inferior survival while significant inflammation at any time point was associated with >3 fold risk of inferior survival. Conclusions: Depression and inflammation track together over time and have variable implications on survival. Persistent depression is particularly detrimental but incidental inflammation is more sensitive to predicting poor survival. These findings have implications for treating depression early in the lung cancer trajectory.


The effects of C and N on the work-hardening behaviors were compared in metastable austenitic steels in which varied amounts of C and N were separately added (Fe-18%Cr-8%Ni-(C,N) alloys). Although both C and N suppressed deformation-induced martensitic transformation during tensile deformation due to their austenite-stabilizing effect, they enhanced the work hardening of the steels. Comparison of C-added and N-added steels revealed that C addition more increased the work-hardening rate than N addition. In order to clarify the reason of the more significant effect of C, the individual hardness of deformed austenite and deformation-induced martensite (DIM) were measured in cold-rolled C-added and N-added steels by using a nano-indentation tester. The nanohardness of deformed austenite increased with increasing the thickness reduction and amount of added C and N. However, there is little difference between C-added and N-added steels in the hardening behavior of austenite, meaning that the difference in work-hardening rate of metastable austenitic steel between C-added and N-added steels is not derived from the hardness of deformed austenite but that of DIM. The nanohardness of DIM was significantly higher in the C-added steel than N-added steel, and thus, the main factor affecting the higher work hardening of 0.1C steel should be considered to be the higher hardness of C-containing DIM. In addition, in C-added steels, an excellent strength-ductility balance was achieved compared with N-added steel because the hard DIM is gradually formed until the later stage of deformation, meaning that pronounced TRIP effect was obtained in C-added steels than N-added steels.


Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for localized soft-tissue sarcoma (STS). It consists primarily of resection of the tumor along with a cuff of surrounding healthy tissue. In limb and trunk wall sarcomas, this basically implies resection of the surrounding soft tissues, which are mainly muscles, subcutaneous fat, and skin.[1] In the retroperitoneum, this necessarily should imply resection of adjacent viscera, even when they are not overtly involved.[2] This is the only way to avoid/minimize the presence of tumor cells at the cut surface (ie, positive microscopic surgical margins). Positive microscopic surgical margins are associated with a higher risk of local failure, distant metastases, and death.[3-6] Moreover, for STS located at critical sites, such as retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS), positive surgical margins may have a direct impact on survival, favoring the development of inoperable local recurrences.[7] Indeed, unlike with STS arising in the extremities and trunk wall, local control in RPS poses a significant challenge and remains the leading cause of death, particularly in patients with low- to intermediate-grade tumors—roughly 75% of all cases.[8-13] Extending the resection to adjacent uninvolved viscera for primary RPS is the only way to minimize the presence of microscopic surgical margins and hence maximize the chance of cure. In essence, this strategy should often include ipsilateral nephrectomy and colectomy; locoregional peritonectomy and myomectomy (partial/total) of the muscle of the lateral/posterior abdominal wall (usually the psoas) (see Figure); splenectomy and left pancreatectomy, for tumors located on the left upper side; occasionally pancreaticoduodenectomy or hepatectomy, for tumors located on the right side; and vascular and bone resection only if vessels/bone are overtly infiltrated.[2]


The erosion of the three interlocking dimensions of nature, society and self is the consequence of what Felix Guattari referred to as integrated world capitalism (IWC). In South Africa the erosion of nature, society and self is also the consequence of centuries of colonialism and decades of apartheid. In this paper I wish to explore how the African philosophy of ubuntu (humanness), which appears to be anthropocentric, might be invoked to contribute to the healing of the three ecologies—how healing of the social might transversally effect healing of nature and the self. My theoretical exploration has relevance to education in South Africa, given that a mandate of national curriculum policy is that indigenous knowledge systems form part of the discursive terrains of all school learning areas/subjects.


Among refugee survivors of war, torture and human rights abuses, the waiting lists for rehabilitation increase daily. How can war-refugees best be assisted? The experience of earlier refugee groups has remained a largely untapped resource in this work. This study sets out to discover what successful survivors of the Khmer Rouge have found instrumental for their survival and mental health. The aim is to make a contribution to the understanding of resilience, here understood as the ability to recover from misfortune or change, and to the psychosocial rehabilitation of survivors of war crimes and other traumatic events. The research project follows a comparative case-study design based on data from three samples of resilient Cambodians, in all 30 persons selected on the basis of a seven criteria scale. A multi-strategy approach generates theory from participants' biographical narratives and explanations of their survival, using NVivo software for microanalysis, an exegesis or explication of frequently-used Khmer words, and an abductive approach involving participant validation of collective narratives reinterpreted from the data. Finally, a group of international experts in transcultural mental health care are interviewed to triangulate the findings and prepare presentations for other health workers. The findings suggest that the resilience of the Cambodians interviewed builds on selfreliance, a strong work ethic and social integration, all founded in a pervasive worldview. For these successful survivors, religion and culture have provided a secure 'knowledge', both of how to act and of how to understand the traumatic events of the Khmer Rouge regime. These cognitive and normative devices used by individuals in their subjective ordering of experience suggest the possibility that parallel resources may be available for other post-trauma survivors as well. Psychosocial guidelines for accessing patients' cultural backgrounds are available, but health workers often fail to access the cultural explanatory models used by survivors in building personal and group resilience. Proposals from the project are incorporated in a cultural resilience interview scheme for the use of health and social workers wishing to do resilience work with war survivors.


An analysis of hydraulic cyclograms of perfusion blood-pumps (A. A. Pisarevski et al., 1970) and characteristics of polymeric main lines in artificial blood-circulation units (A. A. Pisarevski et al., 1971) suggested that a reverse-acting valve placed at the outlet of the pressure pump will decrease regurgitation into its elastic chamber at the moment when the cycle is completed: it will increase the occlusion pump discharge during contraction, or even more, will lessen the variable pressure component behind the pump. This was confirmed by the roller-pump test with or without a valve at the pump outlet. The article presents the test method, types and functional assessment of the valves tested and the design of a newly developed petal-slotted V-shaped valve. Its comparison with other valve designs showed the best hydraulic features.


Objectives Acid-suppressive therapy (AST) is widely used for gastrointestinal prophylaxis in hospitalized patients, particularly to prevent stress-related mucosal bleeding in critically ill individuals. Previous reports suggest gross overutilization and continuation of unnecessary therapy, which have been linked to several adverse effects. Methods Retrospective chart review at a large tertiary care hospital, evaluating the use of AST for ulcer prophylaxis in accordance with American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' guidelines and the less commonly studied nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug–related ulcer prophylaxis guidelines. Results A total of 119 (39.3%) patients who received AST met either American Society of Health-System Pharmacists guidelines or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug–related prophylaxis guidelines. Subjects whose AST was appropriate were older, had a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (P < 0.001), and were more often men (P = 0.005). The rate of discontinuation at discharge was 70.7%; subjects whose prescriptions were not discontinued were older, had a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index, and longer hospital and intensive care unit lengths of stay (P < 0.001). Family medicine physicians, hospitalists, and surgeons prescribed AST similarly; internal medicine physicians demonstrated higher adherence with guidelines than all others (P = 0.02). Adherence varied by etiology; cardiology patients were treated with the highest level of appropriateness (53.6%), whereas those admitted for gastrointestinal diagnoses demonstrated the lowest (17.6%, P = 0.03). Conclusions Inappropriate prescribing of AST for ulcer prophylaxis remains problematic. There may be differences in prescribing habits of physicians of different specialties. Age and comorbidity scores were associated with inappropriate prescribing and continuation of medication at discharge. Interventions to raise prescribers' awareness of ulcer risk factors in hospitalized patients, both in the intensive care unit and those who are noncritically ill, are needed.


The advancement of modern CMOS technology scaling causes an exponential rise of system's power dissipation and temperatures in submicron technology node, which growth production and operating costs. Thermal energy and generated heat are becoming a prominent major issue in the context of portable applications (telephony, PDAs, digital cameras ...) and must be considered at each design level. The performance of portable processors is critically affected by dissipated power and operational temperature. The designers are forced to design a proper cooling system, especially heatsinks which consistently allows a low power and low temperature regulation of high-speed processors . In this article, several different heatsinks are modeled, tested, and designed to optimize the microprocessor's cooling system while ensuring proper thermal operation and lowest power dissipation. The proposed adopted heatsink and their selected design configurable parameters are analyzed theoretically for different validations conditions and operation modes in various real-time thermal conditions. Thermal Analysis Package is used for simulation the proposed heatsinks model. Results shows the specification improvements of the design model for ensuring power required to cool in time of 0.851 W, time to cool by 15s, and heat to remove is 12.77J which confirms theoretical fundamentals and sufficient improvement of temperature minimization and better performance of the cooling system was achieved.


Graves' disease is the most frequent cause of hyperthyroidism. Clinical thyrotoxicosis is directly caused by autoantibodies that activate the TSH receptor. The etiology is multifactorial, with genetic and nongenetic factors involved. Current treatment options are antithyroid drugs (ATD), radioiodine (131I) and surgery. Radioactive iodine is increasingly being used as definitive therapy, because it long has proven to be a safe, nonexpensive and effective treatment. Recent publications have discussed the use of 131I associated with ATD as well as the identification of predictors of treatment failure, which are discussed in this review. Antithyroid drugs are still the first choice therapy in patients with mild disease, small goiters, children, adolescents, and in pregnancy. Surgery is now rarely performed. It is indicated only in cases where ATD have not been effective and radioiodine is contraindicated or not acceptable by the patients.


Abstract—Liver segmentation from abdominal Computer
Tomography (CT) images plays an important role in liver
disease diagnosis as well as liver surgical planning. In this
paper, a hybrid approach is proposed for fully automatic liver
position search and liver segmentation in CT images. First
liver intensity range is detected based on prior knowledge of
liver volume. Then region of interest (ROI) is extracted using
atlas-based affine and non-rigid registration. At the last step,
to achieve more accurate segmentation, major liver tumors are
detected using gray level and distance prior knowledge, and
then a modified diffeomorphic demons registration with shape
constrain is applied. Thirty CT image datasets are tested, and
the effectiveness is evaluated using volume mean overlay
coefficient (Dice) and a comprehensive metric. Results show
that our method can be a potential tool in clinical application.
Keywords-liver segmentation; diffeomorphic demons
registration; liver tumor detection.


Introduction: Increased risk of cardiovascular events could be mediated by alterations in systolic and diastolic cardiac function and left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH) in individuals with the metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of the MetS on these disorders. Materials and Methods: This case control study was conducted on a subsample of the Isfahan cohort study (ICS) participants. Based on the files of ICS participants, 520 people with and without MetS were selected by randomized stratified sampling. After baseline assessments (taking medical history and physical, ECG and lab exams) echocardiography was performed for participants. Results: Four handred and sixty-eight people (participation rate: 90%) took part in this study. Univariate analysis revealed that diastolic dysfunction (in both genders), and LVH in women were significantly different in both the with and without MS participants. Systolic dysfunction (in both genders) and LVH (in men) were the same. Multivariate analysis revealed that age over 65 years [OR (95% CI): 14.5(6.2-33.9)], body mass index 25 [OR (95% CI): 2.6(1.4-4.6)], hypertriglycidemia [OR(95% CI): 2.4(1.2-4.8), and being female [OR (95% CI): 14.3(5.0-50.0)] and] predicted diastolic dysfunction and LVH, respectively. None of the MS variables studied played a predictive role in systolic dysfunction. Conclusion: This study did not confirm the role of MetS in structural or functional cardiac dysfunction, whereas other factors including age, being overweight or female and hypertriglicidemia could play a predictive role in these dysfunctions.


This paper attempts to examine for the first time the effects of household wealth on consumption in Malta, based on household level data from the 2017 Household Finance and Consumption Survey (HFCS). The estimation of the log-log consumption function is performed using OLS regression, after taking into account the survey design. The results provide evidence in support of the existence of a wealth effect on consumption, stemming from housing and financial wealth. In particular, the housing wealth effect on consumption is positive and higher than the financial wealth effect for the whole sample size, especially for homeowners. In addition, comparisons in the differences in wealth effects across age groups confirm the existence of a life-cycle pattern in consumption.


Two-dimensional (2D) material based photovoltaic devices have attracted attention due to their atomically thin profile, strong light–matter interaction and mechanical flexibility. van der Waals heterojunctions, assembled with different 2D materials and a homojunction, are achieved with a doping technique and have been demonstrated to have considerable photovoltaic properties. Here, a more facile approach is proposed to realise an in-plane MoSe2 homojunction with a gate tunable and highly efficient photovoltaic effect. By applying a negative back gate, the device can exhibit a current rectification ratio as high as 105 and a significant Voc of 0.24 V under illumination. The high power conversion efficiency of 1.9% and high photo-responsivity of 550 A W−1 with a fast temporal response of 10 ms indicate that our MoSe2 homojunction based device is a promising candidate in photovoltaic and photodetection applications.