American art pottery is one of the most dynamic collecting fields, with prices soaring up to $200,000 for one piece. Paul A. Royka examines New England art pottery made from 1872 to 1928. Sold through auctions and galleries and found in attics and homes throughout the United States, the pieces illustrated here have a combined value of over one million dollars. The most comprehensive work of its kind, Fireworks examines the origins of the Arts and Crafts Movement and the influences manufacturing companies had on it. It provides help in identifying marks, evaluating, and pricing the works of Chelsea Keramic Art Works, Dedham, Low, Grueby, Hampshire, Crook, Merrimac, Walley, Marblehead, Saturday Evening Girls, and Dorchester Pottery. A beautiful book with more than 450 color photographs, it is a must for the pottery collector and a wonderful gift for any art lover.


The emerging cleantech market in China will bring new business opportunities for Swedish cleantech SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises). In such an internationalization process, business network building is an important approach that Swedish entrepreneurs should consider about. Guanxi is a culture pattern in China and plays important role in business of Chinese context. The purpose of the thesis is to find how business network and guanxi affect on Swedish SMEs' internationalization, especially their business with China in the cleantech industry. Based on market information from pre-study, four propositions connected with business network and guanxi are generated for Swedish SMEs in their business with China. Later, four cases are selected to match raised propositions for deeper analysis. By the theory of guanxi and business network internationalization, each proposition and case gives a specific view to analyze and understand this topic from an explorative way. Several conclusions are drawn by the analysis. First, guanxi plays an important role in network building for China market, and the native Chinese can provide great help in such a guanxi building process. Second, the business network can bring valuable information and business opportunities for Swedish SMEs in their business with China. Third, it is beneficial for Swedish cleantech SMEs to cooperate with Chinese state owned companies in their business network. Fourth, Chinese local SMEs cannot gain competitive advantage by guanxi building because the foreign competitors can copy or imitate with proper strategy to learn the skill to connect with Chinese people in the market.


In this project, we will discuss about the development and implementation of Kinect in learning body parts for pre-schoolers. The objective of this project is to introduce a new form of learning to children, to explore the use of Kinect based technology on science subject in schools, to develop a Kinect system for biology subject and make it more interactive, and finally to evaluate the reaction and acceptance of this technology in learning. The reason this project was decided is that to improve the current method of learning in schools. Traditional learning styles are usually boring and linear. This had caused some students to lose interest in the subject. So teachers are in constant need to do something to attract student's attentions and gain their interest. This is where my project comes in.We will develop software that uses Kinect technology to make learning more fun. Since we only have about 3 months time to develop this project, the methodology chosen for the system development is Throw-away-Prototyping. The reason this method is chosen is that it is fast and it helps to give clearer view of what the final product will looks like.In the course of the development of this project, there is a few problems that encountered. One of them is that it is not possible to use 3D model in the project within the time frame. So the solution is that pictures or images will be used instead of 3D models. The final prototype will have 3 main functions; the head where the students can learn about parts of their head or faces, the second part is the body where the student can learn which part of the body is called what. The final part is the extra where the pre-schoolers can have some fun.


THE BLOODY chronicles of recorded history have, time after time, demonstrated the truth of this bitter adage, but never more clearly than in the treatment of the Jewish minority under their control by the German Nazis of the hitlerian reich. Therefore, in a symposium on the psychological aspects of stress, the concentration camp experience can serve as a paradigm of how the human organism reacts to stressful conditions which approach the outermost limits of human adaptability. All of the concentration camps set up by the Geheime Staats Polizei (SS) in Germany and occupied Europe were not alike and the differences between extermination camps and labor camps were certainly significant. However, the conditions faced by the inmates of all concentration camps can only be described, in the words A.P.J. Taylor, as "loathsome beyond belief." In addition to the out-and-out extermination measures, the physical stresses endured by the prisoners included


It is now well established that stellar winds of hot stars are fragmentary and that the X-ray emission from stellar winds has a strong contribution from shocks in winds. Chandra high spectral resolution observations of line profiles of O and B stars have shown numerous properties that had not been expected. Here we suggest explanations by considering the X-rays as arising from bow shocks that occur where the stellar wind impacts on spherical clumps in the winds. We use an accurate and stable numerical hydrodynamic code to obtain steady state physical conditions for the temperature and density structure in a bow shock. We use these solutions plus analytic approximations to interpret some major X-ray features: the simple power-law distribution of the observed emission measure derived from many hot star X-ray spectra and the wide range of ionization stages that appear to be present in X-ray sources throughout the winds. Also associated with the adiabatic cooling of the gas around a clump is a significant transverse velocity for the hot plasma flow around the clumps, and this can help to understand anomalies associated with observed line widths, and the differences in widths seen in stars with high and low mass-loss rates. The differences between bow shocks and the planar shocks that are often used for hot stars are discussed. We introduce an "on the shock" approximation that is useful for interpreting the X-rays and the consequences of clumps in hot star winds and elsewhere in astronomy.


This paper describes techniques to implement frequency-agile RF front-end ICs and modules for application to intelligent cognitive radios (CRs). The CR system architecture with an efficient spectrum-sensing technique has been proposed. The feasibility of its CMOS IC implementation is discussed for the functional building blocks of the spectrum-sensing units and the frequency-agile RF front-end.


The compressive properties characterized as a function of the true stress-strain response of -Si3N4 whisker reinforced 4032 aluminum alloy composite were examined at strain rates ranging from 10-3 to 100s-1 in the temperature interval 500~620oC. The effect of compressive deformation parameters such as strain rate and temperature on the mechanical behavior was systematically investigated. The strain rate sensitivity exponent and activation energy were calculated. The activation energy is 126 KJmol-1 at 500oC to 540oC, close to that for lattice self-diffusion in aluminum (142KJmol-1), and is 210 KJmol-1 at 540oC to 580oC ( =0.37s-1). The compressive deformation behavior of the composite can be described quantified by the Zener-Hollomon parameters (Z) for the solid state and the Non Newton-fluid for the semi-solid state of the composite. It is demonstrated that a linear equation of the logarithmic Z fits the flow stress of the composite at elevated temperatures. The compressive deformation mechanisms of the -Si3N4w/4032Al composite were discussed preliminarily.


We report x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy experiments on a concentrated nanocolloidal gel subject to in situ oscillatory shear strain. The strain causes periodic echoes in the speckle pattern that lead to peaks in the intensity autocorrelation function. Above a threshold strain that is near the first yield point of the gel, the peak amplitude decays exponentially with the number of shear cycles, signaling irreversible particle rearrangements. The wave-vector dependence of the decay rate reveals a power-law distribution in the size of regions undergoing shear-induced rearrangement. The gel also displays strain softening well below the threshold, indicating a range of strains at which the rheology is nonlinear but the microscopic deformations are reversible.


Background: Air fresheners have become increasingly popular over recent years with marketing aimed at removing odours, refreshing the air and creating a pleasant ambient mood. Their popularity has resulted in a multi-million pound market with new products continually being released. Air fresheners come in many forms including sprays, plug-ins, gels and candles. Due to their wide use and availability, ingestion of these products is common with hundreds of cases being reported to the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) annually. Whilst many air-fresheners contain potentially harmful products, they are usually difficult to ingest in large amounts and serious effects are therefore uncommon. Recently however, the NPIS has seen the emergence of a new type of air freshener which has led to concern. Reed diffusers, although available for many years, have seen a massive surge in popularity in 2009. They are usually composed of a bottle filled with approximately 100 - 500 mL of scented liquid delivered to the room by "wicking" reeds made of bamboo or similar. Some also contain decorative items such as beads. The liquid is easily accessible due to the open neck of the bottle and therefore has potential to be ingested in large quantities. The ingredients of reed diffusers vary dramatically. A small sample of different products revealed a contents list which can include 90% essential oils; 85% glycol ethers; 80% ethanol or 78% hydrocarbons.

Case series: From January to November 2009 the NPIS (Cardiff) has received 27 calls involving reed diffusers. These all involved young children aged between 8 months and 4 years with an average age of 21 months. One enquiry involved eye contact, four involved ingestion of beads or pearls from within the unit and 22 involved ingestion of the liquid itself, most of these cases involving unknown amounts.

Conclusion:  These products are of serious concern due to the ease with which young children may ingest significant quantities of potentially life threatening compounds. It is essential that health professionals are aware that the reed diffuser type of air freshener is not as innocuous as those with which we are more familiar and that all cases should be treated as potentially serious.


We present a novel technique for calibrating a zooming camera based on the invariance properties of the normalized image of the absolute conic (NIAC). First, we show that the camera parameters (independent of the position, orientation and zooming) are determined uniquely by the NIAC. Then, we exploit the invariance properties to develop a stratified calibration method that decouples the calibration parameters. The method is organized in three steps: i) computation of the NIAC, ii) computation of the focal length for each image, iii) computation of the orientation and the position of the camera. The method only requires two images of noncoplanar squares at different orientations and the solution is obtained based on linear minimization that provides fast and stable convergence properties. A finer solution can be obtained by taking the solution of the linear minimisation as a starting point of a nonlinear minimization. Preliminary results for synthetic and real data show that the method is capable of obtaining accurate results.


Leesha Foley The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) is a second chance education programme aimed at unemployed adults to up skill them for re-entry to the 21 st century work force or progression to higher education. IWBs have the potential to expose the adult learner to stimulating educational environments if they are used by educators who are skilled in their operation and who believe that these devices can foster critical thinking skills. The purpose of this study is to ascertain if IWBs have a role to play within a VTOS Centre. The study investigates the perceived benefits and constraints of using IWBs in VTOS centres from the point of view of the adult learner and the adult educator. The barriers associated with use and the role of professional development is also investigated. Descriptive research using survey data and a case study was used to collect data. Quantitative data was obtained from teacher and learner questionnaires, and qualitative data was collected from semi-structured interviews, observations and focus groups. The results of this research reveal that IWBs are not being used to their full potential in VTOS centres. The initial training offered by the vendors is inadequate and consequently educators are using IWBs as a presentation and visual tool and hence there is no change in their teaching style. Peer mentoring according to the relevant literature is one of the few methods of professional development which is successful in changing teachers' pedagogy with the IWB; this form of training is underutilised in VTOS centres. The lack of a cohesive policy from the Department of Education and Science along with inadequate funding and time constraints are also contributing factors to the underutilisation of IWBs. This study also found that many educators understand interactivity in technical terms rather than pedagogical interactivity which fosters higher order critical skills. Teachers must be encouraged to design higher levels of interactivity into their resources with collaboration from the adult learner and within class time. The study also found that there is a lack of IWB resources suitable for the adult learner and to the Irish curriculum.


The age of a mutant gene was studied under various cases of population size fluctuation. A Monte Carlo method was used to simulate a branching process under the assumption that the probability distribution of descendant gene numbers follows a Poisson distribution. It is shown that a population with a constant population size tend to have larger age of a mutant gene than populations in which the size is fluctuating. It was also shown that for a Negrito population of Luzon Island, the observed distribu tion of gene transmission estimated through pedigree data agrees well with a Poisson distribution.


The Tucker decomposition generalizes the notion of Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) to tensors, the higher dimensional analogues of matrices. We study the problem of constructing the Tucker decomposition of sparse tensors on distributed memory systems via the HOOI procedure, a popular iterative method. The scheme used for distributing the input tensor among the processors (MPI ranks) critically influences the HOOI execution time. Prior work has proposed different distribution schemes: an offline scheme based on sophisticated hypergraph partitioning method and simple, lightweight alternatives that can be used real-time. While the hypergraph based scheme typically results in faster HOOI execution time, being complex, the time taken for determining the distribution is an order of magnitude higher than the execution time of a single HOOI iteration. Our main contribution is a lightweight distribution scheme, which achieves the best of both worlds. We show that the scheme is near-optimal on certain fundamental metrics associated with the HOOI procedure and as a result, near-optimal on the computational load (FLOPs). Though the scheme may incur higher communication volume, the computation time is the dominant factor and as the result, the scheme achieves better performance on the overall HOOI execution time. Our experimental evaluation on large real-life tensors (having up to 4 billion elements) shows that the scheme outperforms the prior schemes on the HOOI execution time by a factor of up to 3x. On the other hand, its distribution time is comparable to the prior lightweight schemes and is typically lesser than the execution time of a single HOOI iteration.


Objective: the study is concerned with the analysis of influence of severity and presence of certain phenotypic signs of nonspecific dysplasia of connective tissue (NDCT) on manifestation and rate of progression of funnel chest deformity (FCD) in children. Materials and methods. 98 patients with FCD aged from 4 to 18 years have been examined. The degree of FCD has been estimated by the index of Gizhytskaya (IG). The structure of phenotypic signs of NDCT has been determined according to M. J. Glesby (1989), the severity of the NDCT has been evaluated by L. N. Phomina tables (2000). Results. It is established, that the degree of FCD in children is significantly associated with severity of NDCT. Conclusion. Prognostically unfavourable factor for rapid progression of FCD in children has been determined by the prevalence of skeletal and articular manifestations among phenotypic signs of NDCT against the background of minimal changes of the skin.


Thin films ZrO2: MgO nanostructure have been synthesized by a radio frequency magnetron plasma sputtering technique at different ratios of MgO (0,6, 8 and 10)% percentage to be used as the gas sensor for nitrogen dioxide NO2. The samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) and sensing properties were also investigated. The average particle size of all prepared samples was found lower than 33.22nm and the structure was a monoclinic phase. The distribution of grain size was found lower than36.3 nm and uninformed particles on the surface. Finally, the data of sensing properties have been discussed, where they indicated that sensitivity reached 42.566% at 300 o C, spectral response time less than 52.2 s and recovery time 135.9 s.


We demonstrate the first use of single layer graphene for compressing self-Q-switching pulses in semiconductor disk lasers. The gain region of the semiconductor disk laser used InGaAs quantum wells with a central wavelength of 1030 nm. Due to self saturable absorption of the quantum wells, the disk laser emitted at the self-Q-switching state with a pulse width of 13 μs. By introducing the single layer graphene as a saturable absorber into the V-shaped laser cavity, the pulse width of the self-pulse was compressed to 2 μs with a lower pump power of 300 mW. As the pump power was increased, multiple pulses with the pulse width of 1.8 μs appeared. The compression factor was about 7.2.


Dysarthria, a motor speech disorder, affecting intelligibility, naturalness and efficiency of speech, is a common sequel to stroke. In speech and language therapy intervention there is a long tradition of including exercises for the oral speech muscles, although there is no robust evidence that such exercises are beneficial to speech, in stroke or in other neurological disorders. Method: Postal questionnaires were distributed to all speech and language therapists working with adult dysarthria in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to gather data on use of oral speech mechanism exercises, with reference to dysarthria populations, exercise regimes and influences on practice. Results: The return was 56% (n=191). 76% of respondents (n=145) used speech mechanism exercises in stroke dysarthria. This was twice as many as the respondent number for Parkinson's disease. Exercises were used with all dysarthria severities, especially moderate and severe, at acute and chronic stages, and all diagnostic categories, especially flaccid. Exercises were sourced largely from therapy resource manuals and materials produced by respondents' departments. Exercise regimes were very variable. Respondents' opinions that they had evidence from their own practice that speech mechanism exercises were effective, discussion with colleagues, expectations of patients, and university teaching were main influences on the decision to use exercises. Conclusion: Speech mechanism exercises are widely used in dysarthria resulting from stroke. The study provides a justification and foundation for clinical research comparing outcomes for people with stroke whose dysarthria management includes and does not include speech mechanism exercises.


Results of surgical treatment of 782 patients with perforated gastric and duodenal ulcers are analyzed. Gastric ulcers of I type were diagnosed at 86 (10.9%) patients, prepyloric and pyloric ulcers - at 441 (56.4%), duodenal ulcers - at 255 (32.6%) patients. Perforation was combined with bleeding and stenosis at 24 (3.1%). Palliative operations have been performed at 172 (22.0%) patients, stem vagotomy with ulcer excision and pyloroplasty - at 58 (7.4%), various types of stomach resection - at 54 (6.9%), proximal gastric vagotomy with excision of gastric, pyloric or duodenal ulcer - at 77 (9.8%), proximal gastric vagotomy with excision or suturing of ulcer and pyloro- or duodenoplasty - at 421 (53.8%) patients. The rate of postoperative complications after proximal gastric vagotomy was 3.6%, after stomach resection - 18.2% (p<0.01). Early postoperative complications after vagotomy with ulcer excision and pyloroplasty were diagnosed at 8.3%, after stomach resection - at 18.2% patients (p<0.01). The quality of patients life was higher after organ-saving operations. Proximal gastric vagotomy with excision of ulcer and pyloro- or duodenoplasty should be regarded as operation of choice at perforated duodenal ulcers.


Round ligament tumours represent a rare entity that can present similarly to an incarcerated hernia. Basic understanding and appropriate preoperative management is imperative in order to differentiate between the two diagnoses. Leiomyoma is the most common type of round ligament tumour. It is associated with oestrogen exposure and is more common in the presence of uterine leiomyomas. Here we discuss a 68-year-old woman who presented with a palpable left inguinal mass that progressively grew in size, associated with pelvic pressure and discomfort. On surgical resection, the mass was found to be derived from the round ligament at the entrance of the external inguinal ring. Pathology confirmed a round ligament leiomyoma, measuring 25×9×8.5 cm. This case is the largest round ligament leiomyoma recorded to date and the first to exhibit carneous degeneration. A review of the current literature is also provided.


Purpose. This study investigates the relationship between patterns of health behaviors and the use of cancer-screening tests while controlling for sociodemographic and health system factors. Design. Cross-sectional analysis of the 2000 National Health Interview (NHIS). Setting. Nationally representative sample. Subjects. Adults 50 years and older. Measures. Use of cancer-screening tests, health behaviors, sociodemographic factors, and health system factors from self-reported responses from the NHIS. Sixteen health behavior patterns were identified based on lifestyle recommendations for physical activity, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and fruit and vegetable consumption. Results. Health behavior patterns, age, educational attainment, usual source of care, and health insurance were significantly associated with the use of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening (p < .05). Approximate B2 for the four models ranged from .067 for colorectal cancer screening in women to .122 for cervical cancer screening. Having a usual source of care was the strongest correlate of screening; the magnitude of associations for health behavior patterns and demographic variables and screening was similar and much smaller than those for usual source of care. Conclusion. These findings demonstrate relationships between patterns of multiple health behaviors and use of recommended cancer-screening tests, even when accounting for factors known to influence test use. This suggests potential for addressing cancer screening in the context of multiple behavior change interventions once barriers to health care access are removed.


In order to remove ammonia-nitrogen from drinking water and reduce its threat to human health, Copper-chelex chitosan that is to be the new ammonia-nitrogen remover was prepared by chelating chitosan with copper acetate. In this paper, we measure the effect of this remover with pH= 7.5, 8.5, 9.5 and the concentration of ammonia-nitrogen, such as 1.5mg/L,2.5mg/L,5mg/L,10mg/L and 100mg/L. From the result of this experiment, we draw a conclusion that the removal efficiency of ammonia-nitrogen is about 80% when the pH is greater than 7.5 and the water inflow concentration of ammonia-nitrogen is 100mg/L. as the initial concentration ammonia-nitrogen is increasing, the removal rate is improved regularly.


In this thesis we formalize, reconcile and generalize some existing mathematical models for deep- and shallow-water entry at small and zero deadrise angles for normal and oblique impact velocities. Our method throughout is to exploit the existence of one or more small parameters via the method of matched asymptotic expansions. In the first chapter we describe some motivating solid-fluid impact events, summarize the literature on which this thesis builds and discuss our main modelling assumptions. In Chapter 2, the small-deadrise-angle deep-water entry model is systematically derived, a new expression for the first-order force on the body is found and the slender body limit of an exact three-dimensional solution is used to discuss the validity of strip theory. In Chapter 3, the small-deadrise-angle shallow-water entry model is systematically derived. The deep water Wagner and shallow water Korobkin theories are reconciled. New models and analytic results for the three-dimensional case are presented. In Chapter 4, models for the impact of a flat-bottomed body on deep- and shallow-water are reviewed and conjectures are made concerning their reconciliation. In Chapter 5, the theories of Chapters 2, 3 and 4 are used as building blocks to formulate and analyse some conjectured models for oblique shallow water impacts at small and zero deadrise angles. In the final chapter the main results are summarized and directions for further work indicated.


The research presented in this paper focuses on wheel loaders, which are representative for earthmoving machines. The author presents the acquired results for measuring dynamical performances by using a new method based on monitoring of the main parameters of earthmoving equipment drive system, with priority on theirs dynamic behavior (e.g. pressure, flow data and engine power). In this way, it was identified the dynamic transitory phenomenon which appears during a standard working cycle of earthmoving machines.


The clinicopathologic features of calcific myonecrosis are presented from results of an examination of 3 cases of this rare syndrome and review of the literature. Calcific myonecrosis is a painful, expansile, calcified mass that develops in muscle several decades after lower extremity trauma that typically has been associated with vascular injury. Plain radiographs show a well-defined and heavily calcified mass replacing the leg musculature. The calcifications are present in a thin, linear pattern and are organized around the periphery of the lesion. Smooth erosion of the adjacent bone may be present, whereas magnetic resonance imaging shows a heterogeneous signal with enhancement limited to the periphery of the mass. Pathologic features consist of a centrally cystic mass arising in muscle filled with friable, tan to dark red, soft debris. The cyst walls are firm and fibrous and contain many needle-like, elongated, calcified shards of necrotic tissue composed of hypocellular fibrous tissue with focal aggregates of hemosiderin-laden macrophages. The cyst contents are composed of necrotic skeletal muscle and acellular amorphous debris containing many cholesterol crystals, fibrin, and recent hemorrhage, including focal aggregates of organizing thrombus. The pathologic findings suggest that calcific myonecrosis might expand with time by virtue of recurrent intralesional hemorrhage into a chronic calcified mass that eventually becomes symptomatic. Surgical intervention is associated with a high rate of complication, particularly in cases in which intralesional procedures have been done.


A correlation between solar activity and normalized occurrence rate of sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) has been found. As a proxy for solar activity, the 10.7 cm solar radio flux has been used. In order to find the correlation, we derived a normalized occurrence rate of major sudden stratospheric warmings (MSSWs) based on both the ERA-40/ERA-Interim dataset and NCEP data. Based on this distribution, we calculated the correlation coefficient, which amounts to 0.63, with a significance of 90.68 %, for ERA-40/ERA-Interim, and 0.55 for the NCEP–NCAR-I reanalysis, with a significance of 83.80 %. Additionally, we calculate correlation coefficients for Lyman-alpha flux and sunspot numbers with the analogous method for the same period.


We propose a new test of the stochastic dominance efficiency of a given portfolio over a class of portfolios. We establish its null and alternative asymptotic properties, and define a method for consistently estimating critical values. We present some numerical evidence that our tests work well in moderate sized samples.


External detection of the annihilation radiation produced by water labeled with oxygen-15 was used to measure cerebrovascular permeability and cerebral blood flow in six rhesus monkeys. Use of oxygen-15 also permitted assessment of cerebral metabolic rate in two of the monkeys. Amitriptyline produced a dose-dependent, reversible increase in permeability at plasma drug concentrations which are therapeutic for depressed patients. At the same concentrations the drug also produced a 20 to 30 percent reduction in cerebral metabolic rate. At higher doses normal autoregulation of cerebral blood flow was suspended, but responsivity to arterial carbon dioxide was normal.


Background and Purpose:
 Non-adherence to secondary preventative medications after stroke is common. Numerous strategies exist to promote adherence and we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of these strategies after stroke.

 Methods:
 We systematically reviewed MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Databases, and the Web of Knowledge for studies of interventions to enhance adherence to secondary preventative medication after stroke. We followed PRISMA guidance. We performed meta-analysis where data allowed.

 Results:
 We carried out the search in March - April 2014 and identified a total of 12,237 titles. Title review identified 143 papers for abstract review, 57 were retrieved for full-text review and 17 met our eligibility criteria. The total number of participants enrolled was 3942 patients with stroke/TIA (2090 participants were finally analysed in the intervention group and 824 participants as controls). We separated findings of included studies depending on secondary preventative medication classes reported. In the meta-analyses, we included three studies reported the effect of intervention to the
 overall
 secondary preventative medications regimen, six studies effect of intervention reported adherence to
 blood-pressure lowering drugs
 , and three studies reported effect of intervention on adherence to
 lipid-lowering drugs
 . There was no sufficient number of studies reported adherence to antithrombotic drugs after stroke. Forest-plots were constructed for each analysis (figure).

 Conclusion:
 Interventions in identified studies lead to improvement in adherence to secondary preventative medication after stroke. However, existing data is limited thus need to be interpreted with caution.

 Figure:
 Forest plots of meta-analyses of intervention studies (Favours A = Control, Favours B = Intervention)


After citing Derrida and Foucault on the ways what used to be called human has been redefined by the poststructuralist camp, and following their iconic statements with those of William Spanos, Paul Bove, and Thomas Docherty, to name a few, Dwight Eddins aligns his own name with those of Alan Wilde and John Fekete in the attempt to rediscover the humane in the human. Here the subject to be rescued by this revisionary Counterforce is Thomas Pynchon, and The Gnostic Pynchon mounts a campaign in which "the Pynchon whose world-view is suffused by acute nostalgia for vanished foundations and values" is united with "the Pynchon whose field of vision seems occupied with discontinuities and absurdities that threaten our sense of a comprehensible, mappable, even affirmable existence" (xi). At the same time, and with his own scholarly credentials as worthy weapons, Eddins also joins the Pynchon whose immersion in popular culture makes him at home at any beer blast to the Pynchon whose affinity for high modernist allusion would make him welcome at a Bloomsbury tea party. The result of both missions undertaken by this very accomplished, very well-researched, and–quite simply–very smart book is to situate this most contemporary of authors within a long-range literary tradition and to propose a "unified field theory" (xi) to account for an "encyclopedic" writer (to recall Edward Mendelson's early description) in a manner that is inclusive rather than exclusive.


Background. Since the mapping of the human genome in 2003, the development of biomarker targeted therapy and clinical adoption of "personalized medicine" has accelerated. Models for insurance subsidy of biomarker/test/drug packages ("codependent technologies" or technologies that work better together) are not well developed. Our aim was to create a framework to assess the safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of these technologies for a national coverage or reimbursement decision. Methods. We extracted information from assessments of recent Australian reimbursement applications that concerned genetic tests and treatments to identify items and evidence gaps considered important to the decision-making process. Relevant international regulatory and reimbursement guidance documents were also reviewed. Items addressing causality theory were included to help explain the relationship between biomarker and treatment. The framework was reviewed by policy makers and technical experts, prior to a public consultation process. Results. The framework consists of 5 components—context, clinical benefit, evidence translation, cost-effectiveness, and financial impact—and a checklist of 79 items. To determine whether the biomarker test, the drug, both, or neither should be subsidized, we considered it crucial to identify whether the biomarker is a treatment effect modifier or a prognostic factor. To aid in this determination, the framework explicitly allows the linkage of different types of evidence to examine whether targeting the biomarker varies the likely clinical benefit of the drug, and if so, to what extent. Conclusions. The first national framework to assess personalized medicine for coverage or reimbursement decisions has been developed and introduced and may be a suitable model for other health systems.


In this paper, we consider field service in which service providers are responsible for maintaining equipment performance. To do so, preventive maintenance work is usually required in addition to repairs. Field service managers are often faced with the conflicting objectives of maintaining a high level of equipment availability and keeping a low service cost. A condition-based maintenance (CBM) system can be used to achieve both goals by using equipment condition as a guide for taking maintenance actions. We developed a simulation model for field service with an integrated CBM system. A test case based on the field service operation of an elevator service provider has been built in a visual simulation environment to estimate the value of a CBM system.


This paper proposes a method to aid blind persons in skill development to walk in unfamiliar environments. The method aims to use the human ability in construct of spatial cognitive maps. Thus, we developed a system that uses the Virtual Reality and Kinect®. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional virtual environments modeling are allowed. It is possible to reproduce real environments such as schools, universities and other places of interest. The interaction with the virtual environment works with pose recognition. Recognized poses are interpreted as an action such as left and right turn or walk. Experiments were carried out to verify the pose recognition algorithms and to identify the optimal parameters. The results were satisfactory and demonstrated that the proposed method can be quite promising. Thus, it can be indicated as an aid to skill development of locomotion in real environments.


Although the nation has been consumed by the issue of health system reform for the last 2 years, the focus has been relatively limited, concentrating on policies at the federal level and on the problems of accessibility and financing of insurance for personal medical services. But reform of the US health system is a considerably broader issue. Despite congressional inaction this year, profound changes are taking place through state legislative reform, the regulatory process (such as Medicaid waivers), and marketplace forces. And some policymakers in the federal government and the states are approaching health system reform not only from the vantage point of access and cost containment, but with the added goals of protecting and improving the population's health. See also pp 1276 and 1292. Two articles in this issue ofThe Journal, by Baker et al 1 and by Fielding and Halfon, 2 make a strong case for taking


BACKGROUND: This retrospective observational study was designed to review the use of a silver-coated polymeric substrate on various types of chronic wounds at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. METHODS: The study was set in a community and referral multidisciplinary vascular wound clinic. The authors identified the first 112 patients treated with a silver dressing in the center. Of these, 15 were lost to follow-up or had incomplete data. Ninety-seven patients were included in the study. Thirty-seven of these 97 patients had multiple wounds; however, 1 wound per person was randomly chosen for analysis. The median age of these patients was 69 years. A wound was considered healed when the wound was completely epithelialized. Of the 97 wounds evaluated, the primary etiologies were as follows: 20 (20.6%) were neurotrophic, 24 (24.7%) were ischemic (arterial, arteriolar, or vasculitic), 20 (20.6%) were venous, 7 (7.2%) were traumatic, and 16 (16.5%) were multifactorial. The silver dressing was the primary wound care product on all wounds. Silverlon (Argentum LLC, Chicago, Illinois) was the silver dressing used for this study. The frequency of dressing changes and use of secondary dressings, to keep the wound moist, were based on the amount of drainage, debris, and slough on the wound. Data pertaining to patient demographics, risk factors, wound etiology, noninvasive arterial vascular studies, frequency of dressing changes, wound discomfort, wound size, and wound duration were collected by retrospective chart review. RESULTS: Thirty-five of the 97 wounds (36.1%) healed. The 62 nonhealed wounds (63.9%) decreased in size by a median of 55.2%. Among the 68 patients who had reported discomfort before the study, 77.9% reported no change in discomfort, 17.7% reported increased pain, and 4.4% reported decreased pain. CONCLUSION: A silver-coated polymeric substrate (Silverlon) can be used as an effective primary wound care dressing in patients with active wounds.


Abstract This study aimed to describe the foundations for quality of care (QoC) in the Mexican public health sector and identify barriers to quality evaluation and improvement from the perspective of the QoC leaders of the main public health sector institutions: Ministry of Health (MoH), the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) and the Institute of Social Security of State Workers (ISSSTE). We administered a semi-structured online questionnaire that gathered information on foundations (governance, health workforce, platforms, tools and population), evaluation and improvement activities for QoC; 320 leaders from MoH, IMSS and ISSSTE participated. We used thematic content and descriptive analyses to analyse the data. We found that QoC foundations, evaluation and improvement activities pose essential challenges for the Mexican health sector. Governance for QoC is weakly aligned across MoH, IMSS and ISSSTE. Each institution follows its own agenda of evaluation and improvement programmes and has distinct QoC indicators and information systems. The institutions share similar barriers to strengthening QoC: poor organizational structure at a facility level, scarcity of financial resources, lack of training in QoC for executive/managerial staff and health professionals and limited public participation. In conclusion, a stronger legal framework and policy dialogue is needed to foster governance by the MoH, to define and align health sector-wide QoC policies, and to set common goals and articulate QoC improvement actions among institutions. Robust QoC organizational structure with designated staff and clarity on their responsibilities should be established at all levels of healthcare. Investment is necessary to fund formal and in-service QoC training programmes for health professionals and to reinforce quality evaluation and improvement activities and quality information systems. QoC evaluation results should be available to healthcare providers and the population. Active public participation in the design and implementation of improvement initiatives should be strengthened.


The potential of information technology (IT) to support or augment a competitive business strategy has been recognised for as long as IT has been used in business. There are many examples of information systems (IS) which are claimed to have created and sustained competitive advantage, allowed beneficial collaboration, or to have simply ensured the continued survival of the organisations which used them. This paper looks at eight of the 'classic' examples of IT applications which are claimed to have been particularly effective in linking the competitive use of technology with business strategy. It then analyses the effectiveness of the use of the technology from the standpoint of one of the commonly–accepted business strategy frameworks. The framework is further used to question the linkage between the business strategies behind the applications and the IT mechanisms which were apparently developed to make these competitive strategies effective.


Background and Purpose— The evidence supporting the deleterious cardiovascular health effects of living near a major roadway is growing, although this association is not universal. In primary analyses, we hypothesized that residential proximity to a major roadway would be associated with incident ischemic stroke and that cardiovascular risk factors would modify that association. Methods— NOMAS (The Northern Manhattan Study) is an ongoing, population-based cohort study designed to measure cardiovascular risk factors, stroke incidence, and other outcomes in a multiethnic urban population. Recruitment occurred from 1993 to 2001 and participants are followed-up annually by telephone. Residential addresses at baseline were geocoded and Euclidean distance to nearest major roadway was estimated and categorized as in prior studies. We used Cox proportional hazard models to calculate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association of this distance to incidence of stroke and other outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic and cardiovascular risk factors, year at baseline, and neighborhood socioeconomic status. We assessed whether these associations varied by age, sex, smoking status, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. Results— During a median follow-up period of 15 years (n=3287), 11% of participants were diagnosed with ischemic stroke. Participants living <100 m from a roadway had a 42% (95% confidence interval, 1.01–2.02) higher rate of ischemic stroke versus those living >400 m away. This association was more pronounced among noncurrent smokers (hazard ratio, 1.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.05–2.26) and not evident among smokers (hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.23–2.06). There was no clear pattern of association between proximity to major roadways and other cardiovascular events including myocardial infarction, all-cause death, or vascular death. Conclusions— In this urban multiethnic cohort, we found evidence supporting that within-city variation in residential proximity to major roadway is associated with higher risk of ischemic stroke. An individual's smoking history modified this association, with the association remaining only among participants not currently smokers.


Although video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has become widely used as a less invasive therapeutic procedure for lung cancer, precise anatomical knowledge of each case remains crucial and greatly contributes to the safety of thoracoscopic surgery. Thus, the development of three-dimensional (3D) imaging technology is anticipated to provide surgeons with essential visualized information of anatomical structures. In this review, we evaluate the pragmatic features of 3D imaging technology for thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery, focusing on complicated surgeries and preoperative evaluation of pulmonary functions or tumor features. We also discuss 3D imaging software and the applications of the 3D image analysis system. Finally, we present our perspectives on the 3D imaging technology for thoracoscopic surgery.


As a consequence of increased life expectancies and the overall improved health status of elderly people in industrialized countries, grandparents and grandchildren are now sharing a longer period of their lives together, from which they can both actively benefit. In addition, grandparents help their children by looking after their grandchildren and are consequently an important service provider in the domain of childcare, especially for mothers active in the labour market. The analyses, which are based on the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland), show significant country differences in the occurrence and intensity of grandchild care in Europe: whereas grandparents in southern Europe engage less often but more intensively in childcare, grandchild care is provided more often but much less intensively in northern Europe. Multilevel logistic regression models show that country-specific differences are associated with welfare state arrangements and, specifically, with public investments in childcare infrastructures. Public investments 'crowd in' grandparental willingness to engage in childcare but 'crowd out' the intensity of this intergenerational time transfer. Family and state thus complement one another, with grandparents taking over sporadic, less time-intensive care while public institutions provide regular, time-consuming childcare services.


After WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control coming into force for 11 years, the tobacco control has made progress in the world and China. Development and implementation of tobacco control policy are fundamental for tobacco control. This paper introduces the effects of different tobacco control policies in different countries, summarizes the progress and challenges in prohibiting smoking in public place in China. In China, the goal of health for all can be only met by achieving smoke-free.


We study the degeneration problem for maximal Cohen-Macaulay modules and give several examples of such degenerations. It is proved that such degenerations over an even-dimensional simple hypersurface singularity of type $(A_n)$ are given by extensions. We also prove that all extended degenerations of maximal Cohen-Macaulay modules over a Cohen-Macaulay complete local algebra of finite representation type are obtained by iteration of extended degenerations of Auslander-Reiten sequences.


As microprocessor design progresses from tens of millions of transistors on a chip using 0.18-/spl mu/m process technology to approximately a billion transistors on a chip using 0.10-/spl mu/m and finer process technologies, the microprocessor designer faces unprecedented Electronic Design Automation (EDA) challenges over the future generations of microprocessors. This paper describes the changes in the design environment that will be necessary to develop increasingly complex microprocessors. In particular, the paper describes the current status and the future challenges along three important areas in a design flow: design correctness, performance verification and power management.


The dynamics of the ground-state reaction of CH4 + O(3 P) → CH3(ν = 0) + OH(ν' = 0) have attracted a great deal of attention both theoretically and experimentally. This rapid communication represents extensive quasi-classical trajectory calculations of the vibrational distributions on a unique full-dimensional ab initio potential energy surface for the title reaction, at the collision energy of relevance to previous crossed molecular beam experiments. The surface is constructed using the all electrons coupled-cluster singles and doubles approach plus quasi-perturbative triple excitations with optimized basis sets. A modified Shepard interpolation method is also employed for the construction. Good agreement between our calculations and the available experimental results has been achieved, opening the door for accurate dynamics on this surface.


The present article aims to shed light on exploring the issue of bullying in preschool children, with a special focus on early forms of anti-social and aggressive behaviour and suggestions about the role of the school, based on the presentation of prevention and intervention programmes in preschool education settings. The most typical forms of bullying in preschool education settings are physical aggressiveness, social exclusion and rumor spreading. Most studies indicate that physical aggressiveness is prevalent in boys, while relational and verbal aggressiveness is prevalent in girls. The role of preschool educators is crucial, as they need to learn to identify and manage early forms of aggressiveness. Therefore, their training is imperative, as they need to carefully evaluate each incident, while creating a positive learning environment and applying strategies for bullying prevention and intervention.


In this paper, a mis-recognized utterance detection and modification scheme is proposed to recover speech recognition errors in speech translation. In a speech recognition stage, mis-recognition is frequently observed. The most of mis-recognitions result from mis-match of acoustic models and out-of-vocabulary (OOV) words. To cope with both acoustic model mis-match and OOVs, we adopt a hierarchical language model to identify them. A hierarchical language model can generate both hypotheses with and without OOVs (or acoustic mis-matched words). Likelihood difference of these hypotheses is used as utterance confidence measure. To confirm the possibility of this scheme, as a first experiment, we have conducted speech recognition experiments and mis-recognized utterance detection. Experiment results showed 99% detection rate for utterances with OOVs. This rate is considerably higher than 94% of a conventional detection method using a-posteriori probability. The rate of 80%, which is comparable to a conventional method were obtained for the utterances without OOVs. These results support the possibility of the proposed error detection and modification scheme.


Hesti Budiwati, Widyagama University Graduate Program in Malang, May 2009, the title of research: Financial Ratio Analysis Prediction CAMEL Against Bankruptcy On Private National Commercial Bank in Indonesia Period 2004-2007. Mentors I: Dr. H.M. Sodik, SE, MSi. Supervising II: Noviansyah Rizal, SE, MM. The challenge of the banking sector in the future will be more severe, most of which are perceived as a failure of risk management in managing risk can lead to bankruptcy. CAMEL financial ratio analysis can be used as an early warning system of bankruptcy. The purpose of this study are: 1) to obtain empirical evidence regarding differences in financial ratios simultaneously CAMEL significant between bankrupt and insolvent banks, 2) to obtain empirical evidence regarding differences in financial ratios partially CAMEL significant between bankrupt and insolvent banks, 3 ) to obtain empirical evidence regarding the dominant CAMEL financial ratio in differentiating the bank bankrupt and not bankrupt and 4) to determine the ability of the prediction of several variables distinguishing the CAMEL financial ratios in predicting bankruptcy. Based on the purpose of this study include explanatory research to test the ability of CAMEL financial ratio of CAR, KP, APYD, APYDAP, NPA, PPAP, ROA, ROE, NIM, BOPO, the FBI and the LDR, in predicting bankruptcy in the National Private Banks in Indonesia period 2004 to 2007. The financial statements are used for bank bankruptcy is a two-year financial statements before the bankruptcy, while for banks that do not fit with the bankrupt bank's financial reporting period of bankruptcy. Analysis tools used to test the hypothesis is discriminant analysis using the direct method. The results showed: 1) CAMEL financial ratio to simultaneously have a significant difference between bankrupt and insolvent banks, 2) CAMEL financial ratio that have significant differences between the bank's partial bankruptcy and no bankruptcy is PPAP, ROE, NIM, BOPO and LD, 3 ) CAMEL financial ratio in the aspect of profitability (earnings) ratio of the NIM is the dominant bank in distinguishing bankrupt and not bankrupt, 4) The prediction of several variables distinguishing the CAMEL financial ratio can be used to accurately predict bankruptcy and stable. Other results obtained from this research is by using a model of the cut-off point, the discriminant function generated by CAMEL financial ratio to predict bank is able to distinguish who is in financial trouble.


No Time To Be Brief A Scientific Biography of Wolfgang Pauli. By Charles P. Enz. Oxford University Press, New York, 2002. 561 pp. $60, £35. ISBN 0-19-856479-1. This biography combines an account of Pauli's life with analyses of his research and the development of his thinking. Enz, Pauli's last assistant, offers a close-up view that captures Pauli's sarcastic wit and his interest in dreams and their interpretation.


Wildfires can dramatically increase erosion rates over time scales on the order of several years, yet few data firmly constrain the relative importance of post‐wildfire erosion in the long‐term denudation of landscapes. We tested the hypothesis that wildfire‐affected erosion is responsible for a large majority of long‐term denudation in the uplands of the Valles Caldera, New Mexico, by quantifying erosion rates in wildfire‐affected and non‐wildfire‐affected watersheds over short (~100–101 years) time scales using suspended sediment loads, multitemporal terrestrial laser scanning, and airborne laser scanning and over long (~103–106 years) time scales using 10Be inventories and incision into a dated paleosurface. We found that following the Las Conchas fire in 2011, mean watershed‐averaged erosion rates were more than 1000 µm yr−1, i.e., ~103–105 times higher than nearby unburned watersheds of similar area, relief, and lithology. Long‐term denudation rates are on the order of 10–100 µm yr−1. Combining data for wildfire‐affected and non‐wildfire‐affected erosion rates into a long‐term denudation rate budget, we found that wildfire‐affected erosion is responsible for at least 90% of denudation over geologic time scales in our study area despite the fact that such conditions occur only at a small fraction of the time. Monte Carlo analyses demonstrate that this conclusion is robust with respect to uncertainties in the rates and time scales used in the calculations.


We present a patient with metastatic prostate cancer with known bone involvement and unknown osteomyelofibrosis. It has the general appearance of a superscan, with homogeneously increased tracer uptake and no visualization of the kidneys. However, while a superscan should have greater uptake in the axial skeleton compared to the appendicular skeleton, this scan is reverse, raising the suspicion of an overlying metabolic bone disorder. Subsequent laboratory-, bioptical findings confirmed a myeloproliferative syndrome with osteomyelofibrosis. As such, this scan demonstrates that in a patient with both affiliations, metabolic bone disease can override even severe osseous metastases on a bone scan.


Past investigations in the damage threshold of laser components have been of high interest within optics characterization. In view of the ever increasing complexity of optical components investigations in the LIDT require a more sophisticated adaptation of the measurement set-ups. The optimization of high power solid state laser systems led to the disc laser concept, which provides an increased output power. The achievable output power is mainly limited by the damage threshold of the coated and bonded crystal. Consequently, the understanding of damage mechanisms is a fundamental requirement for the disc laser optimization. It is assumed that the damage in disc laser crystals and deposited coatings can be traced back to the defects on the crystal surface or in the optical coatings. The expected size of the defects initiating laser damage ranges in the micrometer scale. In the present study, LIDT experiments are focused on the verification of this assumption and are intended to assist in the optimization of the manufacturing process. For a detection of the defects, an online defect inspection system was extended by a highly resolving imaging technique. The LIDT measurements have been performed on the basis of the Son1 protocol according to ISO 11254-2 at an effective pulse duration of about 11ns and a repetition rate of a few Hz at the wavelength 1.064nm.


A fundamental challenge in designing brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) is decoding behavior from time-varying neural oscillations. in typical applications, decoders are constructed for individual subjects and with limited data leading to restrictions on the types of models that can be utilized. currently, the best performing decoders are typically linear models capable of utilizing rigid timing constraints with limited training data. Here we demonstrate the use of Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks to take advantage of the temporal information present in sequential neural data collected from subjects implanted with electrocorticographic (ECoG) electrode arrays performing a finger flexion task. our constructed models are capable of achieving accuracies that are comparable to existing techniques while also being robust to variation in sample data size. Moreover, we utilize the LSTM networks and an affine transformation layer to construct a novel architecture for transfer learning. We demonstrate that in scenarios where only the affine transform is learned for a new subject, it is possible to achieve results comparable to existing state-of-the-art techniques. The notable advantage is the increased stability of the model during training on novel subjects. Relaxing the constraint of only training the affine transformation, we establish our model as capable of exceeding performance of current models across all training data sizes. Overall, this work demonstrates that LSTMS are a versatile model that can accurately capture temporal patterns in neural data and can provide a foundation for transfer learning in neural decoding.


During his spectacular career, Stravinsky underplayed his Russian past in favour of a European cosmopolitanism. Richard Taruskin has refused to take the composer at his word. In this landmark study, he defines Stravinsky's relationship to the musical and artistic traditions of his native land and gives us a dramatically new picture of one of the major figures in the history of music. Taruskin draws directly on newly accessible archives and on a wealth of Russian documents. In Volume One, he sets the historical scene: the St Petersburg musical press, the arts journals, and the writings of anthropologists, folklorists, philosophers, and poets. Volume Two addresses the masterpieces of Stravinsky's early maturity - Petrushka, The Rite of Spring, Les Noces. Taruskin investigates the composer's collaborations with Diaghilev to illuminate the relationship between folklore and modernity. He elucidates the Silver Age ideal of 'neonationalism' - the prefessional appropriation of motifs and style characteristics from folk art - and how Stravinsky realized this ideal in his music. Taruskin demonstrates how Stravinsky achieved his modernist technique by combining what was most characteristically Russian in his musical training with stylistic elements abstracted from Russian folklore. The stylistic synthesis thus achieved formed Stravinsky as a composer for life, whatever the aesthetic allegiances he later professed. Written with Taruskin's characteristic in-depth research and stylistic verve, this book will be mandatory reading for all those seriously interested in the life and work of Stravinsky.


PURPOSE: To suggest a standardization, in the English language, the formatting of the citation of the research centers. METHODS: From three more recent publications of the first 20 journals available in Brazilian Portal of Scientific Information - Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES), with bigger factor of impact during the year of 2004, according of information in ISI Web of Knowledge Journal Citation Reports database in biennium 2004-2005, had extracted the formats of citations of the research centers. An analogy to the institutional hierarchie step of the Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP) was carried out, and the formats most frequent, in the English language, had been adopted as standard to be suggested to cite the research centers for sending articles. RESULTS: In relation to the citation "Departamento", was standardized "Department of ..." (being "..." the name in English of the Department), to the citation "Programa de Pos-Graduacao" "... Program", "Disciplina" "Division of ...", "Orgaos, Grupos e Associacoes" "... Group ", "Setor" "Section of...", "Centro" "Center for ...", "Unidade" "... Unit ", "Instituto" "Institute of ...", "Laboratorio" "Laboratory of ..." and "Grupo" "Group of ...".


Mission-critical system designers may have to use a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) approach to reduce costs and shorten development time, even though COTS software components may not specifically be designed for robust operation. Automated testing can assess component robustness without sacrificing the advantages of a COTS approach. This paper describes the Ballista methodology for scalable, portable, automated robustness testing of component interfaces. An object-oriented approach based on parameter data types rather than component functionality essentially eliminates the need for function-specific test scaffolding. A full-scale implementation that automatically tests the robustness of 233 operating system software components has been ported to ten POSIX systems. Between 42% and 63% of components tested had robustness problems, with a normalized failure rate ranging from 10% to 23% of tests conducted. Robustness testing could be used by developers to measure and improve robustness, or by consumers to compare the robustness of competing COTS component libraries.


The question of how best to design a new agency is of immense public importance. Congress creates new agencies and reforms agency structures with some regularity, while commentators frequently call for the creation of new or redesigned agencies. Scholars have, as a result, increasingly turned to studying the diversity of agency structures and questions of agency design.

In this Essay, we tackle one of the decisions that must be made in designing any new agency—the choice between a single-director agency and a multimember commission—and we make a general case against multimember commissions. For the most part, scholarly discussion of these structures is interwoven with questions of agency independence. But these two questions—singularity and independence—can be pulled apart and assessed separately. Yet surprisingly little of the existing literature focuses systematically on this decision.

The central benefits of single-director agencies are that they better ensure agency efficacy at accomplishing statutory mandates, and that they offer clearer lines of responsibility and thus accountability for agency failures. Proponents of multimember commissions concede the inefficiency of its design but hold that inefficiency is desirable because it serves as a defense against liberty-infringing actions. We term this the "safe-guards of liberty fallacy" and show that it rests on faulty foundations.

The most often discussed benefits of multimember commissions are that they enhance deliberation and accountability. Dissents also serve as a "fire alarm" signal to Congress and the courts of potential agency malfeasance and thus enable greater accountability. We do not disagree that these are potential benefits of a multimember commission, but we believe that these benefits are wildly overvalued and their costs are widely undervalued. In addition to suffering from baseline problems, these arguments fail to take seriously the reality of asymmetric political polarization. Finally, we turn to the relationship between multimember commissions and regulated entities. We argue that the adjudicatory origins of multimember commissions cannot carry the weight of that design choice in an era of rulemaking, and we also suggest that multimember commissions might suffer from more acute industry capture than single-director agencies. In short, the general case against multimember commissions is extremely strong. Scholars and policymakers would be well-advised to recommend single-director agencies as a de-fault presumption.


This report discusses the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA — 20 U.S.C. §1400 et
seq.), which is both a grants statute and a civil rights statute. It provides federal funding for
the education of children with disabilities and requires, as a condition for the receipt
of such funds, the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE). The
statute also contains detailed due process provisions to ensure the provision of FAPE.
Originally enacted in 1975, the act responded to increased awareness of the need to
educate children with disabilities, and to judicial decisions requiring that states
provide an education for children with disabilities if they provided an education for
children without disabilities.


: Three polypeptides, M10, M14 and M9, toxic to mammals were isolated from the venom of the Central Asian scorpion Buthus eupeus. All the toxins were shown to be homogeneous according to disc-electrophoresis and N-terminal group analyses. The toxin M9 was digested with trypsin, Staphylococcus aureus proteinase and cleaved with BNPS-skatole. The toxin M14 was subjected to tryptic and chymotryptic hydrolyses. The complete amino acid sequences of the toxins M9 and M14 were established and it was shown that each of them consists of 66 amino acid residues with four intramolecular disulfide bonds.


Latent variable time-series models are among the most heavily used tools from machine learning and applied statistics. These models have the advantage of learning latent structure both from noisy observations and from the temporal ordering in the data, where it is assumed that meaningful correlation structure exists across time. A few highly-structured models, such as the linear dynamical system with linear-Gaussian observations, have closed-form inference procedures (e.g. the Kalman Filter), but this case is an exception to the general rule that exact posterior inference in more complex generative models is intractable. Consequently, much work in time-series modeling focuses on approximate inference procedures for one particular class of models. Here, we extend recent developments in stochastic variational inference to develop a `black-box' approximate inference technique for latent variable models with latent dynamical structure. We propose a structured Gaussian variational approximate posterior that carries the same intuition as the standard Kalman filter-smoother but, importantly, permits us to use the same inference approach to approximate the posterior of much more general, nonlinear latent variable generative models. We show that our approach recovers accurate estimates in the case of basic models with closed-form posteriors, and more interestingly performs well in comparison to variational approaches that were designed in a bespoke fashion for specific non-conjugate models.


The problem of computing the best rank-$(p,q,r)$ approximation of a third order tensor is considered. First the problem is reformulated as a maximization problem on a product of three Grassmann manifolds. Then expressions for the gradient and the Hessian are derived in a local coordinate system at a stationary point, and conditions for a local maximum are given. A first order perturbation analysis is performed using the Grassmann manifold framework. The analysis is illustrated in a few examples, and it is shown that the perturbation theory for the singular value decomposition is a special case of the tensor theory.


The estimates presented are based on data retrieved from the FIA database (09/20/2019) and may not reflect the most recent data available from the FIA program. Note – this publication does not include estimates of uncertainty. The most current data and sampling error for the estimates above can be found by visiting https://www.fia.fs.fed.us/. *Average annual estimates are based on data collected across 5-10 years and may not be indicative of the nominal year presented in the title by itself. State and Local 2.01% Federal 7.94%


Drawing on an evaluative framework inspired by the capability approach, the article assesses the nature and implications of company responses to the British legislation transposing Directive 2002/14/EC on information and consultation rights of employees. Evidence from five case studies in the business services and the financial sectors suggests that the introduction of the Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 2004 drove the spread of voluntary arrangements. However, the legislation has not promoted so far an effective framework for the development of deliberative procedures between management and labour with the aim of advancing a 'capability for voice'. This is attributed to its institutional design and the limited degree to which extra-legal 'conversion factors' are available in the British industrial relations system.


Oxygen diffusion coefficients were determined in a commercial ZnO-based varistor by means of the gas-solid exchange method using the isotope 18O as the oxygen tracer. The diffusion annealings were performed at 892, 942, 992 and 1092oC, in an Ar + 18O2 atmosphere under an oxygen partial pressure of 0.2 atm. After the diffusion annealings, the 18O diffusion profiles were established by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The results show an increase of the oxygen diffusion in the varistor, both in bulk and in grain boundaries, when compared to the oxygen diffusion in undoped ZnO. The increase of the oxygen bulk diffusion in the varistor agrees with an interstitial mechanism for the oxygen diffusion. The results also show that the grain boundary is a fast path for the oxygen diffusion in the varistor. However, the oxygen diffusion in the grain boundaries of the varistor seems to depend on several chemical and microstructural parameters and does not allow a simple explanation.


Seasonal precipitation forecasts are important sources of information for early drought and famine warnings in West Africa. This study presents an assessment of the monthly precipitation forecast of the Climate Forecast System version 2 (CFSv2) for three agroecological zones (Sudan‐Sahel, Sudan, and Guinean zone) of the Volta Basin. The CFSv2 performance is evaluated for the Sahel drought 1983 and for all August months of the reforecast period (1982–2009) with lead times up to 8 months using a quantile‐quantile transformation for bias correction. In addition, an operational experiment is performed for the rainy season 2013 to analyze the performance of a dynamical downscaling approach for this region. Twenty‐two CFSv2 ensemble members initialized in February 2013 are transferred to a resolution of 10 km × 10 km using the Weather and Research Forecasting (WRF) model. Since the uncorrected CFSv2 precipitation forecasts are characterized by a high uncertainty (up to 175% of the observed variability), the quantile‐quantile transformation can clearly reduce this overestimation with the potential to provide skillful and valuable early warnings of precipitation deficits and excess up to 6 months in ahead, particularly for the Sudan‐Sahel zone. The operational experiment illustrates that CFSv2‐WRF can reduce the CFSv2 uncertainty (up to 69%) for monthly precipitation and the onset of the rainy season but has still strong deficits regarding the northward progression of the rain belt. Further studies are necessary for a more robust assessment of the techniques applied in this study to confirm these promising outcomes.


"What constitutes corporate publishing?" is the question that motivated the research for this study. It is not easily defined, but can be contextualised as part of the communications and marketing strategy of an organisation. In essence it entails the conceptualisation, planning and realisation of professional publications in an organisation. By conducting interviews with publishing personnel in selected South African banks, best practices pertaining to corporate publishing structures and processes were derived. It was found that traditional book publishing activities, such as commissioning; planning and creating content; reviewing, copy-editing and proofreading; design and layout; production, marketing; printing; and distribution can be used as basis for a corporate publishing venture. The convergence of media, however, is challenging publishers to rethink traditional methods of publishing. Electronic publishing is opening new vistas for organisations as it is an efficient tool for them to build and strengthen their corporate identity and to reach wider markets. To acommodate electronic dissemination, the adoption of an integrated, parallel publishing workflow is proposed in the study. Utilising a single source document for creating multiple formats enhances the publishing process and ensures the longevity of information. In order to draw all the publishing activities in an organisation together in a consistent and cohesive way, a centralised publishing strategy seems to be the most effective solution. The golden thread running through this study is the important role of corporate publishers as service providers in information-rich organisations.


In this paper, a new method is presented for the study of the stability of a second-order thyristor device control system; the current loop of a separately excited dc motor is considered in particular. Nonlinear discrete mathematical models are proposed for continuous and discontinuous operations. For local analysis, exact analytical formulas are given by linearization of the equations around the considered operating point. Graphical methods are proposed for the global behavior of the system which allow us to study the nonlinear effects, for example, the subharmonics appearing when the system becomes unstable. For accurate results, these graphical methods are transposed to simple digital computer programs.


Generalized essential telangiectasia (GET) is a notoriously difficult to treat disorder with no current satisfactory treatments. This case and discussion report the use of 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) as a successful treatment for GET. Moreover, we show that GET may represent a state of increased angiogenesis, a paradigm shift from the current understanding that these telangiectasias represent dilatations of only pre-existing vessels. This new view of GET may drive others to look at novel agents for treatment. J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(3):280-282..


Background: One of biggest challenge for health human resource is the brain-drain issue. Regardless of the push and pull factors, migration of health care workers from developing countries to developed ones, have done more harm than good on the health care deliveries in the various countries. The aim of this paper is to review and explore the factors, impacts and strategies to improve the brain-drain phenomenon among healthcare workers. Materials and Methods: A general review was conducted with the focus on the healthcare workers issues related to the brain-drain from various countries, guided by one research question; What are the brain-drain factors among the healthcare workers, its impacts and the strategies to improve the phenomenon? Relevant studies were identified. The literature searching was done based on the formulated research question from the electronic databases, PubMed, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar. Result: 14 articles were reviewed from high-, middle- and low-income countries. Focusing on the healthcare sectors, most low- to middle-income countries demonstrated the internal brain-drain issues as income-generating potential was commonly observed within the private service. However, external brain-drain was more common in high-income countries. The factors that causes brain-drain include financial rewards, continuing rewards, career development, continuing education, hospital infrastructure, resource availability, hospital management, political issues, family issues, training, education and development. Conclusion: The internal and external brain-drain phenomenon among healthcare workers were contributed by the pulling and pushing factors either from the donor countries or the receiving countries. The most common factors including income-generated potential, inadequate wages despite of poor working condition, no clear professional development and intellectual stimulation, and aggravated by the political and economic instability. A comprehensive approach needed by the policy maker and political actors to tackle these factors to improve the equity at all levels of healthcare service deliveries. Keywords:  brain-drain phenomenon, brain-drain factors, brain-drain impacts, brain-drain strategies, brain-drain in healthcare.


Have Pension, Will Travel. Cindy Blanding. Parks & Recreation, September 1993, pp. 72-75. National Recreation and Park Association, 2775 South Quincy Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22206. $25 annual nonmember subscription. The graying of America is now in progress. Even before the leading edge of the baby boomers (those bom between 1946 and 1962) turns 50, already almost a quarter of all trips taken in the United States are by those over 55. It is clear that this demographic trend is going to significantly impact the tourism and travel industry as well as those who program recreation for seniors.


This study investigated Assertiveness Training and Psycho-education as preventive measures of drug abuse among secondary school students in Makurdi Local Government Area. The study adopted a pre-test, post-test and control group experimental design with a 3x2 factorial matrix. The sampling techniques adopted were the simple random method where each student was given an opportunity to be selected, and randomization of experimental groups and the control group to the schools through balloting was also done. Drug abuse prevention questionnaire (DAPQ), a standardized instrument developed by Skinner (1982), with a reliability coefficient of .97 were used for data collection. A total of 40 secondary school students made up of 28 males and 12 females with ages ranging from 15-23 years took part in the study. They also had a mean age of 18.38 Three hypotheses were raised and tested. The results obtained revealed that firstly, assertiveness training and psycho-education have significant treatment effects in the prevention of drug abuse among secondary school students (F(2)= 6.88; P< 0.05 ).  Secondly, sex had no significant effect on prevention of drug abuse F(1)= 0.32; P> 0.05 and thirdly, there was also no statistically significant interaction effects on drug abuse among secondary school students F(2)= 0.82; P> 0.05. Therefore, it is recommended that high premium is placed on developing and mainstreaming prevention programs on drug abuse into the school curriculum in secondary schools for students to become more assertive and acquire more knowledge on drugs and its effects on mental health.


We investigated the antiobesity effects of yeast hydrolysate below 10 kDa on obese young women for the 4 weeks to assess its possibility as a dietary supplement.

Subjects were randomly assigned to the placebo group (n = 10) and yeast hydrolysate below 10 kDa 1 g/day (YH) group (n = 10). The results showed body weight was lost significantly (P < 0.05) in the YH group (1.68 kg) compared with placebo group (0.71 kg). And the percent ideal body weight (PIBW) and body mass index (BMI) of the YH group (PIBW: 3.04%; BMI: 0.65 kg/m2) were decreased significantly (P < 0.05) compared with placebo group (PIBW: 1.26%; BMI: 0.27 kg/m2). The reductions of fat mass, percent body fat, body circumference and skinfold thickness also were slightly higher in the YH group than placebo group, however, the significant effects in these variables were not observed.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The limited long-term efficacy of conventional weight management (dietary intervention, physical activity and behavioral therapy) has lead to the development of alternative weight reduction strategies. Alternative therapies such as the use of natural supplements are beginning to form a large and growing market. In order to provide new discoveries and solutions related to natural supplements, we have turned to yeast, a microorganism that mankind has long made use of. The development of dietary supplement using yeast is very valuable for fields related to antiobesity. This report may give useful information about the use of yeast hydrolysate below 10 kDa as a weight-loss supplement.


This article focuses on the results from trials developed to monitor the short-term effects of conventionally tilled systems versus CA on soil quality and crop productivity under conditions of the major cropping systems in central, north-central and north-eastern regions of Namibia. Conventional tillage (CT), Minimum tillage (MT), Minimum tillage, mulch (MT-M), Minimum tillage, rotation (MT-R) and Minimum tillage, mulch and rotation (MT-MR) were the primary treatments tested. Significant differences (p≤0.000) among the treatments were observed in the 0-60 cm soil profiles where MT-M plots had the highest soil moisture content (39.8 mm, Standard Error of Mean 0.2815) over the study period. A significant difference (p=0.0206) in grain yield was observed in the second season with CT plots yielding the highest grain yield (3852.3 kg ha -1 , standard error of mean 240.35). Results suggest that CA has the potential to increase water conservation and contribute to reduction of the risk of crop failure. Climate change driven degradation under conventional tillage necessitate alternative sustainable tillage methods. Conservation tillage methods and conservation agricultural practices that minimize soil disturbance while maintaining soil cover need to be adopted more locally as viable alternatives to conventional tillage.


TPS502 Background: Intravesical instillation of BCG is the standard of care for patients with HR NMIBC. However, many patients have persistent/recurrent HR NMIBC after BCG induction and are at a particularly increased risk for progression, representing a significant unmet need. Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in the tumor microenvironment may attenuate responses to BCG. KEYNOTE-676 is a randomized, comparator-controlled, phase 3 trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the PD-1 inhibitor pembro plus BCG in patients with persistent/recurrent HR NMIBC after BCG therapy. Methods: Adult (≥18 years) patients with histologically confirmed persistent/recurrent HR NMIBC of the bladder after adequate BCG induction therapy are eligible. Patients are required to have undergone cystoscopy/transurethral resection of bladder tumor within 12 weeks prior to randomization, to have no concurrent extravesical disease, and to have ECOG performance status score 0-2, adequate organ function, and tissue for biomarker analysis. Patients will be randomly assigned 1:1 to continue on BCG therapy alone or receive BCG plus pembro 200 mg every 3 weeks. Treatment will be stratified by carcinoma in situ (CIS) histology (presence/absence), PD-L1 combined positive score (≥10/˂10), and timing of NMIBC persistence/recurrence (0 to ≤6, ˃6 to ≤12, or ˃12 to ≤24 mo). Primary end point is complete response rate in participants with CIS. Secondary end points will include event-free survival, patient-reported outcomes, and safety. Responses will be assessed by cystoscopy and blinded independent central review of urine cytology and biopsy (as applicable) every 12 weeks for years 1-2 and every 24 weeks for years 3-5 and by computed tomography urography every 18 months through year 5. Treatment will continue with pembro for up to 2 years and BCG for 3 years or until pathology-confirmed HR NMIBC persistence, recurrence, or disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or patient/physician decision to withdraw. Recruitment will begin November 2018 and will continue until ~550 patients are enrolled. (NCT03711032). Clinical trial information: NCT03711032.


Carrier-sense medium access control (MAC) protocols such as the IEEE 802.11 distributed coordination function (DCF) avoid collisions by holding up pending packet transmission requests when a carrier signal is observed above a certain threshold. However, this often results in unnecessarily conservative communication, thus making it difficult to maximize the utilization of the spatial spectral resource. This paper shows that a higher aggregate throughput can be achieved by allowing more concurrent communications and adjusting the communication distance on the fly, which needs provisions for the following two areas. On the one hand, carrier sense-based MAC protocols do not allow aggressive communication attempts when they are within the carrier senseable area. On the other hand, the communication distance is generally neither short nor adjustable because multihop routing protocols strive for providing minimum hop paths. This paper proposes a new MAC algorithm, called multiple access with salvation army (MASA), which adopts less sensitive carrier sensing to promote more concurrent communications and adjusts the communication distance adaptively via "packet salvaging" at the MAC layer. Extensive simulation based on the ns-2 has shown MASA to outperform the DCF, particularly in terms of packet delay. We also discuss the implementation of MASA based on the DCF specification


The circumstellar disks found around main-squence stars are mainly gas poor and faint, which are called debris disks. Protoplanetary disks in which planets are believed to form may evolve to be debris disks after or during planet formation. Gas in protoplanetary disks plays important roles for planet formation such as gas giant formation, planetary migration, onset of giant impact stage, etc. Recently, CO gases in debris disks are observed, which give information about gas depletion from protoplanetary to debris disks. However, planet formation is sensitive to surface densities of gases that are determined by the amount of hydrogen. We calculate the chemical reaction in debris disks and try to give a constraint on the amount of hydrogen molecule in debris disks.


Study Design. Clinical trial of patients with rotational vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) resulting from cervical spondylosis. Objective. To investigate the effectiveness of enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) and traction therapy for these patients. Summary of Background Data. EECP would reduce arterial stiffness and vascular resistance, and increase regional blood flow of vertebral arteries, thus may ameliorate symptoms in these patients. Methods. One hundred sixty-three patients who were clinically suspected rotational VBI caused by cervical spondylosis were enrolled in this study. They were randomly allocated into 3 groups: EECP + traction, EECP, and traction group. All patients and 50 healthy volunteers received transcranial color Doppler examination of the vertebral artery and basilar artery in both a neutral cervical spine position and a rotational position. Results. Within 3 days after treatment, 47 (84%) patients in EECP + traction group, 32 (61%) patients in EECP group, and 8 (15%) patients in traction group achieved successful outcomes, while at 3 months' follow-up, 45 (80%) patients in EECP + traction group, 34 (64%) in EECP group, and 3 (6%) in traction group achieved successful outcomes. With head rotation, the percentage of reduction of blood flow velocities of the vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) in patients was much greater than that of the healthy volunteers (P < 0.01). After treatment, rotational blood flow velocity reduction percentage of VBA in each treatment group was much lower than that of each group before treatment. EECP + traction group experienced the greatest decrease of rotational blood flow velocity reduction percentage of VBA, while EECP group experienced second greatest. Conclusion. EECP and traction therapy can relieve the symptoms of rotational VBI, improve the rotational reduction of vertebrobasilar blood flow, and reduce the increased arterial impedance.


Advanced predictions of blade flutter have been continually pursued. It is noted however that validation cases of unsteady CFD methods against experimental cases with detailed 3D unsteady pressures are still rather lacking. The main objectives of the present work are two-folds. First, validate and understand the characteristics of blade tip clearance, as well as a bubble-type flow separation for an unsteady CFD solver against a 3D oscillating cascade experiment. And second, examine the applicability of the influence coefficient method (ICM) as widely used in an oscillating linear cascade setup. In the first part, the capability of a widely used commercial solver (CFX) for unsteady flows induced by a 3D oscillating compressor cascade is examined. The present computations have shown consistently a destabilizing effect of increasing blade tip clearance, in agreement with the experiment. More remarkably, the computational analyses reveal a distinctive interplay between the inlet endwall boundary layer and the tip clearance in relation to the aerodynamic damping. Different inlet endwall boundary layer thicknesses are shown to lead to qualitatively different aeroelastic stability characteristics in relation to tip clearance. The aero-damping variation with the tip clearance under the influence of the inlet endwall boundary layer seems to correlate closely to a balancing act between the passage vortex and the tip leakage vortex. The tip clearance aeroelastic behavior seems also in line with a simple quasi-steady analysis. On the other hand, the mid-chord laminar bubble separation on suction surface, though with a clear signature in the local aero-damping, has negligible effects on the overall stability. The second part aims to examine computationally the applicability of the influence coefficient method in a linear cascade setup. The comparison between the cascade-based ICM data and a baseline "tuned cascade" shows that the differences in the sensitivity to the far-field treatment can be significant, depending on inter-blade phase angles. On the other hand, non-linearity effects closely relevant to the basic linear assumption of the ICM are shown to only have a small influence. The present results suggest that extra caution should be exercised when comparing a CFD-based tuned cascade model with a finite cascade-based ICM model, at conditions close to acoustic resonance. The resultant discrepancies may well arise from the inherently different far-field sensitivities between the two models, rather than those typical numerical and physical modeling aspects of interest (e.g., meshing, spatial and temporal discretization errors as well as turbulence modeling).


The SU(4) Heisenberg model can serve as a low energy model of the Mott insulating state in materials where the spins and orbitals are highly symmetric, or in systems of alkaline-earth atoms on optical lattice. Recently, it has been argued that on the honeycomb lattice the model exhibits a unique spin-orbital liquid phase with an algebraic decay of correlations [P. Corboz et al., Phys. Rev. X 2, 041013 (2012)]. Here we study the instability of the algebraic spin-orbital liquid toward spontaneous formation of SU(4) singlet plaquettes (tetramerization). Using a variational Monte Carlo approach to evaluate the projected wave-function of fermions with $\pi$-flux state, we find that the algebraic liquid is robust, and that a finite value of the next nearest exchange is needed to induce tetramerization. We also studied the phase diagram of a model which interpolates between the nearest neighbor Heisenberg model and a Hamiltonian for which the singlet-plaquette product state is an exact ground state.


Aims: To evaluate short- (ST) and long-term (LT) intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with stable (SG) and progressive glaucoma (PG). Materials and Methods: Fifty-two patients with treated glaucoma received a baseline 24-hour IOP curve and, every 6 months for 2 years, office-hour curve plus visual field test. Based on field changes, they were divided into 24 SG and 28 PG. ST and LT IOP mean, peak and fluctuation (standard deviation of measurements) were calculated. Parameters determining progression were evaluated by logistic regression. Results: At ST, SG and PG, respectively, had mean IOP of 16.8 ± 2.2 and 15.3 ± 1.8 mm Hg; peak of 19.7 ± 3.3, 17.4 ± 2.3 mm Hg; fluctuation of 2.3 ± 1.2, and 1.6 ± 0.6 mm Hg. LT parameters did not change in SG, whereas a significant increase of mean (+1.0 ± 1.5 mm Hg, p = 0.05), peak (2.0 ± 2.4 mm Hg, p = 0.0002), and fluctuation (0.5 ± 1.1 mm Hg, p = 0.008) occurred in PG. Mean, peak, and fluctuation were correlated, except mean and fluctuation in the long term. Association with progression was shown for change in mean IOP between ST and LT, and ST peak. Conclusions: SG and PG may show different IOP parameters when intensively measured at baseline and follow-up. Mean IOP change between ST and LT periods and ST peak were the parameters associated with progression.