The paper reports on an approach to teaching a course in information technology research methodology in a doctoral program, the Doctor of Management in Information Technology (DMIT), in which research, with focus on finding innovative solutions to problems found in practice, comprises a significant part of the degree. The approach makes a contribution by preparing doctoral students, who are experienced professionals studying part-time, for dissertation research. The rationale of the DMIT and the educational objectives of the course are presented. A research process model applicable to applied research in information technology (IT) is proposed and discussed. This model accommodates scientific methods of research, including empirical, quantitative, qualitative, case study and mixed methods. The course design and pedagogical approach are described in terms of thematic areas of scholarship and practice, and intended outcomes. The paper summarizes the topics of the syllabus, including proposal formulation; research design; methods of investigation; methods of demonstrating concept; approaches to research validation; and documenting research results in the form of technical papers and the dissertation. The purpose of the paper is to share the approach followed in teaching the course, the course design, a summary of lessons learned after several offerings of the course, and ideas for further improvement.


Schizophrenia is a debilitating psychiatric disorder with high heritability. Genome wide association studies (GWASs) have identified association between schizophrenia and an intronic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in zinc finger domain containing 804A (ZNF804A). The biological functions of ZNF804A are largely unknown. Thus, the aim of this thesis was to determine the function of ZNF804A.
Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screens were used to determine the protein binding partners of ZNF804A in the brain. This identified ZNF804A interacted with transcription factors (zinc finger protein 40 (ZNF40); trans-acting transcription factor 1 (Sp1) and basic helix-loop-helix family, member e40 (Bhlhe40)) and regulators of pre-mRNA splicing, including RNA binding protein, fox-1 and -2 (Rbfox1 and RBFOX2) and neuro-oncological ventral antigen 2 (NOVA2). Therefore, we hypothesised that, via interactions with its protein binding partners, ZNF804A may have a role in regulating transcription and pre-mRNA splicing.
Exon arrays were used to determine the effects of ZNF804A knockdown on gene expression in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Enrichment analysis on the differentially expressed or spliced genes indicated a significant effect of ZNF804A knockdown on genes involved in nervous system development, particularly synaptic contact and axon guidance. Among the most significantly differentially expressed genes were the known schizophrenia susceptibility genes reelin (RELN) and neuropeptide Y (NPY). Several alternative splicing events were confirmed empirically, including increased exclusion of exon 11a of enabled homolog (ENAH). Consistent with our hypothesis, splicing of exon 11a of ENAH is known to be regulated by RBFOX2.
In complementary experiments, exon arrays were used to identify differentially expressed genes in a stable cell line expressing myc-ZNF804A. Enrichment analysis on the differentially expressed genes indicated an over-representation of genes involved in the regulation of epithelial to mesenchymal transition and receptor-mediated axon growth repulsion. Among the genes with the largest fold changes in expression was a gene implicated in synapse development: secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC). Enrichment analysis of the alternatively spliced genes indicated a significant effect of myc-ZNF804A over-expression on genes involved in cell-matrix interactions.
These data suggest that ZNF804A regulates the expression of genes implicated in processes underlying schizophrenia pathology, and provide the first evidence that ZNF804A may be involved in the regulation of alternative splicing.


Increasing evidence supports the therapeutic potential of rare cannabis-derived phytocannabinoids (pCBs) in skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, pruritus, and acne. However, the molecular mechanisms of the biological action of these pCBs remain poorly investigated. In this study, an experimental model of inflamed human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) was set up by using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in order to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of the rare pCBs cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), Δ9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) and cannabigerolic acid (CBGA). To this aim, pro-inflammatory interleukins (IL)-1β, IL-8, IL-12, IL-31, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-β) and anti-inflammatory IL-10 levels were measured through ELISA quantification. In addition, IL-12 and IL-31 levels were measured after treatment of HaCaT cells with THCV and CBGA in the presence of selected modulators of endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling. In the latter cells, the activation of 17 distinct proteins along the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway was also investigated via Human Phosphorylation Array. Our results demonstrate that rare pCBs significantly blocked inflammation by reducing the release of all pro-inflammatory ILs tested, except for TNF-β. Moreover, the reduction of IL-31 expression by THCV and CBGA was significantly reverted by blocking the eCB-binding TRPV1 receptor and by inhibiting the eCB-hydrolase MAGL. Remarkably, THCV and CBGA modulated the expression of the phosphorylated forms (and hence of the activity) of the MAPK-related proteins GSK3β, MEK1, MKK6 and CREB also by engaging eCB hydrolases MAGL and FAAH. Taken together, the ability of rare pCBs to exert an anti-inflammatory effect in human keratinocytes through modifications of eCB and MAPK signaling opens new perspectives for the treatment of inflammation-related skin pathologies.


Packaging software assets for reuse can improve the potential for others to adopt the software. Packaging the software with appropriate documentation and other resources can facilitate decision-making by those considering adoption and can enable them to implement the software more efficiently. Software that can be easily integrated is more likely to be shared with others and reused by the recipients. The NASA Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) Software Reuse Working Group has been chartered to oversee the process that will maximize the reuse of potential software components. As part of this work, a portal Web site was created to support reuse practices within the Earth science community. This portal also serves as an example of reuse practices, both as a recipient and as a contributor to reuse. This paper describes the assets that were reused to develop the software reuse portal. For each asset reused, we identify the type, format, and licensing restrictions. This case study exemplifies reuse at various scopes such as the application, component, and function level. Aside from consuming reusable assets, the software produced was also made available for reuse. We address proper packaging methodologies to foster easy integration and reuse. We obtain various reuse metrics based on an analysis of the final system and the impact in our community. We identify caveats in current metrics such as consideration for emerging technologies and intangible benefits.


Porous samples under the form of disc tablets, 23 mm in diameter and approximately 2 mm thick, were made by freely spreading and then sintering stainless steel powder (316 L). The powder fraction used and the sintering time are the parameters that were varied in order to study their influence on the main structural characteristics. Different powder size ranges were used. The multilayer structure was obtained by freely spreading different particles size ranges -40µm and 100 -125µm in alternative layers. The narrow range (-40µm) of particles was used to obtain a thin layer (0,5mm) intended for small pores size and to maintain the permeability of samples in acceptable limits. The sintered structure was investigated by electron microscopy and mercury porosimetry.


Generic wraparound aerodynamic shape optimization technology is presented and applied to a modern commercial aircraft wing in transonic cruise. The wing geometry is parameterized by a novel domain-element method, which uses efficient global interpolation functions to deform both the surface geometry and corresponding computational fluid dynamics volume mesh. The technique also provides a method that allows geometries to be parameterized at various levels, ranging from global three-dimensional planform alterations to detailed local surface changes. Combining all levels of parameterization allows for free-form design control with very few design variables. The method provides an efficient combined shape parameterization and high-quality mesh deformation technique that is totally independent of mesh type (structured or unstructured). Optimization independence from the flow solver is achieved by obtaining sensitivity information for an advanced gradient-based optimizer by finite differences. The entire optimization suite has also been parallelized to allow optimization with highly flexible parameterization in practical times. Results are presented for highly constrained optimizations of the modern aircraft wing in transonic cruise, using three levels of parameterization (number of design variables) to assess the effect of parameterization level on the optimization. The highest-level optimization results in a totally-shock-free geometry with an associated substantial reduction in drag.


After primary recrystallization of highly rolled (>98% reduction) high purity Ni (99.999%) tapes the cube texture fraction can range from 45 - 65%. Annealing at temperatures >1000oC leads to cube texture volume fractions of >95% as a result of grain growth. A Monte Carlo Potts model was used to simulate this annealing process. The starting microstructures for the simulations were generated from experimental data taken using electron backscatter pattern analysis. The simulation results suggest that in addition to the grain boundary misorientation and energy functions used, the misorientation texture and grain sizes are also determining factors in the grain growth process. As the grain size after recrystallization is comparable to the tape thickness, the surface energy of the grains may also be an important factor. Simulations were therefore also carried using a surface energy term. If the cube grains have a lower surface energy then a stronger cube texture is predicted.


From the Publisher:
By definition, information security exists to protect your organization's valuable information resources. But too often information security efforts are viewed as thwarting business objectives. An effective information security program preserves your information assets and helps you meet business objectives. Information Security Policies, Procedures, and Standards: Guidelines for Effective Information Security Management provides the tools you need to select, develop, and apply a security program that will be seen not as a nuisance but as a means to meeting your organization's goals.Divided into three major sections, the book covers: writing policies, writing procedures, and writing standards. Each section begins with a definition of terminology and concepts and a presentation of document structures. You can apply each section separately as needed, or you can use the entire text as a whole to form a comprehensive set of documents. The book contains checklists, sample policies, procedures, standards, guidelines, and a synopsis of British Standard 7799 and ISO 17799.Peltier provides you with the tools you need to develop policies, procedures, and standards. He demonstrates the importance of a clear, concise, and well-written security program. His examination of recommended industry best practices illustrates how they can be customized to fit any organization's needs. Information Security Policies, Procedures, and Standards: Guidelines for Effective Information Security Management helps you create and implement information security procedures that will improve every aspect of your enterprise's activities.


Angiopoietin (Ang) 1 is a ligand for endothelium-specific receptor tyrosine kinase Tie-2. In adult vasculature, Ang1/Tie2 signaling is thought to regulate both maintenance of vascular quiescence and promotion of angiogenesis. However, it has been unknown how Tie2 signal regulates these distinct biological functions. Recently, we and Alitalo's group have clarified that Ang1 assembles distinct Tie2 signaling complexes in either presence or absence of endothelial cell-cell adhesions. Ang1 induces trans-association of Tie2 at cell-cell contacts, whereas Tie2 is anchored to the extracellular matrix (ECM) by Ang1 at the cell-substratum interface. Trans-associated Tie2 and ECM-anchored Tie2 activate distinct signaling pathways. In this review, we discuss how Ang1/Tie2 signal regulates both maintenance of vascular quiescence and promotion of angiogenesis, especially focusing on the roles of trans-associated Tie2 and ECM-anchored Tie2.


We show that built-in sensors in commodity PCs, such as microphones, inadvertently capture electromagnetic side-channel leakage from ongoing computation. Moreover, this information is often conveyed by supposedly-benign channels such as audio recordings and common Voice-over-IP applications, even after lossy compression. Thus, we show, it is possible to conduct physical side-channel attacks on computation by remote and purely passive analysis of commonly-shared channels. These attacks require neither physical proximity (which could be mitigated by distance and shielding), nor the ability to run code on the target or configure its hardware. Consequently, we argue, physical side channels on PCs can no longer be excluded from remote-attack threat models. We analyze the computation-dependent leakage captured by internal microphones, and empirically demonstrate its effi-cacy for attacks. In one scenario, an attacker steals the secret ECDSA signing keys of the counterparty in a voice call. In another, the attacker detects what web page their counterparty is loading. In the third scenario, a player in the Counter-Strike online multiplayer game can detect a hidden opponent waiting in ambush, by analyzing how the 3D rendering done by the opponent's computer induces faint but detectable signals into the opponent's audio feed.


This paper describes a technique used to evaluate an NGO support and development project in Nepal. The project has been operating since 2000 or before in five Districts of Nepal and has the primary objective of assisting NGOs to work more closely with the poorest and most disadvantaged people in their catchment areas. The impact evaluation methodology used is both participatory and qualitative, but does arrive at quantified ranking estimates of project value-added in terms of stages of empowerment. The results suggest the project has been successful in developing the internal capacities of the NGOs and improving relationships with poor and disadvantaged people, but that the impact on their livelihoods is more limited even after three or more years of intensive inputs.


We read with great interest the recent very elegant study by Contoli et al. [1] published in the European Respiratory Journal, and the accompanying editorial by Wilkinson [2], wherein authors investigated the long-term effects of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) on microbial load in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is an important area, and it is encouraging and reassuring that leading respiratory journals are recognising this. Understanding the mechanisms behind microbial infections is very important. In the discussion, the authors mentioned that the mechanisms by which these communities of different microorganisms interact with the epithelium and influence the immune system in COPD are essentially unknown. We would like to take this further, and suggest a broader discussion of new insights into the potential mechanisms contributing to increased adherence of microbes to airway epithelium and immune cell populations. ICS have the potential to increase infection by upregulating epithelial microbial adhesion molecules http://ow.ly/Um7730haVgb


Forecasting volcanic eruptions is critical to the mitigation of hazards for the millions of people living dangerously close to active volcanoes. Volcanic gases collected over five years from Galeras Volcano, Colombia, and analyzed for chemical and isotopic composition show the effects of long-term degassing of the magma body and a gradual decline in sulfur content of the gases. In contrast, short-term (weeks), sharp variations are the precursors to explosive eruptions. Selective absorption of magmatic SO{sub 2} and HCl due to interaction with low-temperature geothermal waters allows the gas emissions to become dominated by CO{sub 2}. Absorption appears to precede an eruption because magmatic volatiles are slowed or retained by a sealing carapace, reducing the total flux of volatiles and allowing the hydrothermal volatiles to dominate gas emissions. Temporal changes in gas compositions were correlated with eruptive activity and provide new evidence bearing on the mechanism of this type of `pneumatic` explosive eruptions. 18 refs., 5 figs.


Herein, a series of esteryl-bridged energetic compounds were prepared using a simple and efficient esterification approach. All the compounds were fully characterized by IR spectroscopy, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TG), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Structures of 1 and 4 were further confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Energetic performance was evaluated by EXPLO5 based on the measured densities and calculated heats of formation (Gaussian 09). These fluorodinitroethyl esters have good thermal stabilities (190.7–208.3 °C) and high densities (1.81–1.90 g cm−3). Detonation pressures and velocities of 1–5 fall in the range of 27.4–36.6 GPa and 7870–8459 m s−1, respectively. Sensitivity data based on impact and friction tests show that these compounds are insensitive (IS = 27.6–40 J; FS > 360 N). Moreover, two of the representative compounds 1 and 4 exhibit the desired melting points (1: 85.0 °C; 4: 94.7 °C) as the ideal melt cast explosives, relatively high detonation properties (D = 8459, 8196 m s−1; P = 36.6, 29.8 GPa), as well as relatively low sensitivities (IS = 30.5, 27.6 J; FS > 360 N).


Using existing services as development and research materials can greatly reduce development burdens. However, using mashups and existing services has consequences that go beyond the technical realm. We present our experience with developing and promoting a mobile mash-up implemented in the mobile web browser: Spotisquare. Spotisquare is a mash-up of the location-based service Foursquare and music streaming service Spotify. We discuss advantages and tradeoffs of using existing services and the mobile mash-up process, including interaction model choices, as well as validity and representational issues.


Background: Green beans of Coffee arabica L. Family: Rubiacea are rich source of polyphenols that prevents the oxidative damage to the skin. In this study, Liposomes were formulated as drug carrier to enhance the skin permeability of polyphenols for topical administration. Materials and Methods: Extracts of green coffee beans were prepared by varying the ratios of methanol and water. Phytochemical analysis and in vitro antioxidant evaluation was conducted on all the extracts to choose the best extract for further studies. The cytotoxicity potential (MTT assay) and anti-elastase activity of chosen extract was evaluated on L929 cell lines using flow cytometer. The liposomes of the extract was prepared by thin film hydration method and optimized by varying the phosphatidylcholine to cholesterol ratio and gradually increasing the amount of extract. Liposomal formulation was converted into gel using carbopol ® 974P as gelling agent. The prepared liposomal suspension and liposomal gel was evaluated for various formulation parameters. Results: The results of phytochemical analysis, in vitro antioxidant assays and in vitro evaluation on L929 cell lines concluded that 25% methanolic extract was nontoxic with highest phenolic content and exhibited good antielastase activity. The encapsulation efficiency of chlorogenic acid in the optimized liposomal formulation was 75%. The liposomal gel showed sustained release of the drug upto 12 hr compared to 6-7 hr of conventional formulation. Conclusion: The formulated green coffee bean extract loaded liposomal based gel may serve as potential carrier for antiaging effects.


This article describes the opportunities and challenges encountered in the servicelearning adaptation of an early childhood primary prevention program through the University of Southern Maine's Lewiston Auburn College. In the face of economic and social challenges confronted by many communities, service-learning models are proposed as essential programs for community-based colleges to develop. Recommendations based upon experiences in this collaboration are provided for colleges looking to expand their school-based service-learning programs.


We present a new image reconstruction method for Electrical Capacitance Tomography (ECT) by exploiting the sparsity of reconstructed images. ECT image reconstruction is generally ill-posed because the number of measurements is small whereas the image dimensions are large. Inspired by recent developments in Compressive Sensing (CS), given the sparsity of the signal (image), our idea is to apply an efficient and stable algorithm through L1 regularization to recover the sparse signal with sufficient measurements that have cardinality comparable to the sparsity of the signal. In this paper, we apply an efficient GPSR (Gradient Projection for Sparse Reconstruction) algorithm to reconstruct the sparse signal under DCT basis (GPSR-DCT). Our results on real data show that the proposed GPSR-DCT algorithm can better preserve object boundary and shape, as compared to a representative state-of-the-art ECT image reconstruction algorithm, Projected Landweber Iteration with Linear Back Projection initialization (LBP-PLI).


Small family business succession is gaining increased prominence in Western societies.  In Arab societies, literature on family business succession is virtually nonexistent.  As Arab societies are embracing Western values, the issues of family business succession that are considered in the West will become major issues in Arab societies.  This empirical study explores the transferability of theoretical constructs developed in the West to the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council.  The findings suggest that a family enterprise that has decided to keep management control within the family cannot possibly hope to achieve this without family members who are trusted by the incumbent.


AIMS
There are clinical observations that operation during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (with high oestradiol levels) may positively influence prognosis in breast cancer. However, few studies have information on plasma levels of hormones pre-operatively.

METHODS
We studied 774 women treated for breast cancer where plasma levels of oestradiol had been measured 1-2 days pre-operatively. Date and cause of death were ascertained from the files of the Swedish Cancer Register and 5434 person-years were observed. The endpoint was death with breast cancer as the underlying cause (n=41 and n=158 in the pre- and post-menopausal group, respectively).

RESULTS
In life-table analyses, only pre-menopausal patients with oestradiol 500 pmol/l and above had a tendency (not statistically significant) for better survival. Multivariate Cox models with oestradiol modelled in continuous form yielded relative hazards (RH) close to unity in all women and in strata according to menopausal status.

CONCLUSIONS
When oestradiol was analysed in categorized form, only women with the highest levels had a tendency for improved prognosis (RH around 0.7; not statistically significant). Moreover, this pattern was not apparent for pre-menopausal women. Our findings contradict the notion that the pre-operative oestradiol level is independently associated with breast cancer prognosis.


The isue of law act no 32 of the year 2004 has caused lack of synergy between regional council and the executive bodies. the lack of synergy is caused by the more power ti the executive compared to that oh the legislative. This article in addressing to see the role of APBD to growth of economics Desentralisasi fiscal has influence which are positive to growth of economics region, raising inflation rate region, cause of the happening of development difference between sub-provinces and town and would be more enjoyed by group of elite region, repair invesment climate in regency/town and province a real influential to growth of area economics for the purpose the role of APBD to growth of very important area economics.


The linear and nonlinear optical gain of strained-layer InGaAs-AlGaAs quantum well (QW) lasers are studied theoretically, with band mixing effects taken into account. Effects of the biaxial compressive strain of the InGaAs-AlGaAs QW on the band structure are investigated by solving for the Pikus-Bir Hamiltonian. The biaxial compressive strain separates the HH and the LH subbands by pulling down the HH subbands and pushing the LH subbands away from the valence band edge. Since the C-HH transition is dominated by the TE polarization, it is expected that the TE mode gain would be substantially larger than the TM mode gain. The gain and the gain-suppression coefficient are calculated from the complex optical susceptibility obtained by the density matrix formalism. Optical output power is calculated by solving the rate equations for the stationary states with nonlinear gain suppression. The calculated L-I characteristics shows reasonable agreement with the experimental data. >


We used DNA microarrays of the Escherichia coli genome to trace the progression of chromosomal replication forks in synchronized cells. We found that both DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV (topo IV) promote replication fork progression. When both enzymes were inhibited, the replication fork stopped rapidly. The elongation rate with topo IV alone was 1/3 of normal. Genetic data confirmed and extended these results. Inactivation of gyrase alone caused a slow stop of replication. Topo IV activity was sufficient to prevent accumulation of (+) supercoils in plasmid DNA in vivo, suggesting that topo IV can promote replication by removing (+) supercoils in front of the chromosomal fork.


Constructed wetlands with a land-intensive, low energy and less operational requirement have been used as a sustainable green technology for treating wastewaters. But are constructed wetlands sustainable? The objectives of the present study are to evaluate one year monitored horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland's treatment efficiency from May 2017 to May 2018 and to estimate the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in terms of N2O and CH4. As field data show the average removal efficiencies are low but are all within the effluent standard for water quality. One year average of high suspended solids (91.1 %), high total nitrogen (%85.6), low total phosphorous (22.4% TP), low organic matter (43.1% BOD5 & 35.9% COD) removals are obtained. One year average methane and nitrous oxide emissions at the outlet of constructed wetland are calculated as 17.52 and 0.29 kg/d, respectively.


In spite of the fundamental role of the landscape water balance for the Earth's water and energy cycles, monitoring the water balance and its components beyond the point scale is notoriously difficult due to the multitude of flow and storage processes and their spatial heterogeneity. Here, we present the first field deployment of an iGrav superconducting gravimeter (SG) in a minimized enclosure for long-term integrative monitoring of water storage changes. Results of the field SG on a grassland site under wet-temperate climate conditions were compared to data provided by a nearby SG located in the controlled environment of an observatory building. The field system proves to provide gravity time series that are similarly precise as those of the observatory SG. At the same time, the field SG is more sensitive to hydrological variations than the observatory SG. We demonstrate that the gravity variations observed by the field setup are almost independent of the depth below the terrain surface where water storage changes occur (contrary to SGs in buildings), and thus the field SG system directly observes the total water storage change, i.e., the water balance, in its surroundings in an integrative way. We provide a framework to single out the water balance components actual evapotranspiration and lateral subsurface discharge from the gravity time series on annual to daily timescales. With about 99 and 85% of the gravity signal due to local water storage changes originating within a radius of 4000 and 200m around the instrument, respectively, this setup paves the road towards gravimetry as a continuous hydrological field-monitoring technique at the landscape scale.


Whereas no studies have previously been carried out on the delta C-13 chemostratigraphy of the Sandbian-Katian (Upper Ordovician) succession anywhere in Norway, such investigations in Sweden and the East Baltic region have made the delta C-13 chemostratigraphy of that interval well known. 1 an attempt to document for the first time the presence of the globally distributed and stratigraphically important Guttenberg Carbon Isotope Excursion (GICE), 45 samples were collected at 2 m intervals through the Furnesfjorden and Galas members of the Mjosa Formation from two sections at Furuberget in the Nes-Hamar District 70 km north of the City of Oslo. Relatively high delta C-13 values, which are interpreted to represent the GICE, were obtained throughout the Galls Member. The presence of this delta C-13 excursion in the middle part of the Mjosa Formation, combined with biostratigraphic and other evidence, are used for detailed correlations of the Mjosa Formation with other successions in Baltoscandia, North America, and on the Yangtze Platform in southern China.


Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is gaining prominence in African Universities. Universities in Africa use distance learning mode where materials are sent to learners, supplemented with a fewer contact sessions through study centers. With the advent of new technologies for teaching and learning, African Universities are also moving towards online teaching and learning. This paper presents the benefits and challenges associated with the use of technology in ODL mode in Botswana Higher Education context. Web based surveys were used to collect the data for this study. The study was carried out among the online lecturers and learners in two institutions of Higher Learning in Botswana. 9 experienced lecturers and 25 learners who had used technology for their ODL teaching and learning participated in this study. Findings indicate that, major benefits of using technology for online teaching and learning include interaction and student engagement; access to latest information; content sharing and communication. The major challenges faced are access of technology, affordability and technophobia. Emerging technologies recommended include Virtual learning platforms (Blackboard, Moodle, Edmodo, Schoology), Social networking platforms (Facebook, WhatsApp) and Content sharing software (Camtasia). The survey results will provide insightful guidelines to ODL lecturers, ODL learners and the institutions who are offering online learning modes of learning, especially in Africa.


The task of identifying genes that predispose to common disorders presents unique challenges because, unlike rare genetic disorders, a number of genes may contribute to a common condition, each gene with a mild/moderate effect. This necessitates the study of large cohorts of subjects and families with and without the disorder of interest. These studies must establish the inherited nature of the condition, using a precise and reproducible method of defining the disorder. Intermediate phenotypes, thought to represent the earliest stages of the condition, may also prove useful in identifying genetic determinants in those at risk, as well as to subclassify affected individuals. In the past, linkage and association studies relied heavily on the use of single nucleotide polymorphisms and microsatellites as genetic markers; currently, interest is growing in the use of haplotypes, which are collections of marker alleles inherited together on a chromosome. By providing coverage across large regions of the genome, haplotypes may increase the ability to identify genetic determinants.

Keywords:

common disorder;
heritability;
association;
linkage;
genome scan;
haplotype


In the field of Photovoltaic technologies the organic solar cells are particularly attractive because of their ease of processing, mechanical flexibility and potential low cost production techniques. So far, the reported efficiencies are not high enough to allow to be competitive in the market, however with the introduction of new photoactive materials, device architectures and light management structures, the power conversion efficiencies, at laboratory scale, has rapidly reached the 12%, showing a great potential and a bright future for organic solar cells. Nevertheless, in view of commercial products, two main problems are still unresolved: the relatively low performance of the modules and their lifetime. In sight of this, the present Ph.D thesis has a double goal: 1) a better understanding of the relationship between devices performance and photoactive materials structures 2) a deep investigation on device degradation processes, with particular attention on the effects induced by temperature and incident light. As a result, promising approaches to further optimize the polymer's optoelectrial properties, and thus the corresponding device performance, are proposed. About the lifetime, first the thermal degradation mechanisms involved on the active layer was investigated and it has been demonstrated the role of the other layers and interfaces in the solar cell thermal stability. In this contest an innovative fast capacitance based thermal test has been developed in order to obtain information regarding the limit operating temperature above which the device becomes thermally unstable. In the end, a preliminary study on the photostability issue was carried out demostrating that the photodegradation of organic solar cells not depends just on the photostability of the donor polymer, but is connected also with the composition of the active layer solution and on the interaction with the adjacent layers. Solutions to limit or prevent the devices degradation processes are proposed.


Introduction An unexpected finding of abnormal liver function tests (ALFTs) is common in primary care. Currently there is a lack of data for determining the severity of liver disease, in particular nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), in the primary care setting. Aim To determine the causes of unexpected ALFTs in a large primary care cohort. To determine the prevalence and severity of NAFLD in this cohort. Method We analysed patients presenting with ALFTs, in the absence of known liver disease, to 8 primary care practices in Birmingham between 2006 and 2008. NAFLD was diagnosed in subjects with fatty liver on ultrasound (USS), negative liver aetiology screen, and alcohol consumption of =21 & =14 units/week in males and females, respectively. As a sub-study we calculated the NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS) (Angulo, Hepatology 2007) to estimate the presence of advanced liver fibrosis (F3/F4 Kleiner classification) in subjects who met the diagnostic criteria for NAFLD. Results Data from 1118 adult patients were analysed: 56% male; 83.9% white race; Age 60 years (48–70); 23.5% type 2 diabetes; 52.2% hypertension; body mass index 28.7 kg/m2 (25.5–33.1) (values expressed as median (IQR) or %). Regarding alcohol consumption, 42.5% were non-drinkers, 32.2% drank within UK guidelines (male=21, female=14 units/week) and 26.3% drank in excess. Liver aetiologies identified included alcohol-induced liver disease (25.7%), haemochromatosis/carrier (1.1%), viral hepatitis B/C (0.91%), primary biliary cirrhosis (0.8%), alpha-1-antitryspin deficiency (0.18%) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (0.18%). Aetiology remained unexplained (normal USS, negative liver aetiology screen and alcohol consumption within UK guidelines) in 479 subjects, although at least 18% of this group had 2+ factors of the metabolic syndrome. NAFLD was diagnosed in 26.4% (295/1118) of cases. A high NFS (>0.676) was found in 7.6% of these cases indicating the presence of advanced liver fibrosis. The presence of advanced fibrosis could not be confidently excluded in 35.2% of NAFLD patients who had an "indeterminate" NFS (−1.455 to 0.676), indicating the need for further investigation. Although NFS was validated in a secondary care cohort and may over-read severity in primary care, it is currently the best validated non-invasive method of assessing liver fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. Conclusion NAFLD accounts for over a quarter of patients with ALFTs in primary care (26.9%). Of the patients with NAFLD a significant proportion either have advanced fibrosis (7.6%) or require further investigation (35.2%). This highlights the growing burden of NAFLD, and the need for validated methods of assessing NAFLD disease severity in primary care.


The concept of manipulability measure of robotic mechanisms is discussed. This is a measure of manipulating ability of robotic mechanisms in positioning and orienting the end-effectors. Some properties of this measure are established and the best postures of various types of manipulators from the viewpoint of this measure are given. A four-joint wrist mechanism is also analyzed with respect to its manipulability, and a control algorithm for this redundant mechanism is developed.


The distinguished American neurologist, Plum (1972), once called schizophrenia 'the graveyard of neuropathologists'. Certainly the topic of neuropathological change in schizophrenia has been nearly as silent as a tomb for almost three decades. Interest in the neuropathology of schizophrenia was still high in 1952 when leading neuropathologists of the world, meeting at the First International Congress of Neuropathology in Rome, devoted many hours to formal presentations and discussions of pathological material from schizophrenic patients who died in mental hospitals on both sides of the Atlantic. Although more than 250 published papers had already appeared concerning the pathology of schizophrenia or dementia praecox prior to this Congress, neither the previous work nor the new material presented led to a consensus of opinion as to the neuropathological characteristics of this common disorder. On the contrary, perusal of the Congress Proceedings suggests that a dichotomy of views emerged, with most of the central European investigators, maintaining, as they had in earlier reports, that rather specific changes occurred in basal ganglia (Hopf, 1952; Vanderhorst, 1952; Fungfeld, 1952), basal forebrain (Buttlar-Brentano, 1952), or cerebral cortex (Josephy, 1930; Buscaino, 1924; Fungfeld, 1952; Hyden, 1952). Their colleagues from England and America, on the other hand, generally reported non-specific alterations which they attributed to convulsive treatments, surgical, agonal or post-mortem changes (Meyer, 1952; Rowland & Mettler, 1949).


The aim of this study was to radiographically investigate the presence of root canal ramifications found after endodontic treatment, and to determine any relationship between their presence and the type of the auxiliary chemical substance used. The study evaluated 1,470 endodontic treatments performed by final year undergraduate students at the Dental School of Piracicaba, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), SP, Brazil, during the period from 1998 to 2000. The X-rays taken during treatment were evaluated in order to establish the presence of ramifications of the root canal system. The initial X-ray did not show the presence of any canal ramifications. After filling, X-rays showed only 3 ramification types: 3.06% of lateral canals, 2.99% of apical deltas, and 0.1% of interradicular canals. The maxillary premolars showed the highest number of lateral canals (n = 13), followed by mandibular premolars (n = 10) and maxillary incisors (n = 10). Apical deltas were mostly found in mandibular molars (n = 14), followed by maxillary incisors (n = 9). Only mandibular molars had interradicular canals. The detection of ramifications increased with the use of EDTA. However, no statistically significant relationship was found between the type of auxiliary chemical substance used and the number of root canal ramifications detected after root canal filling. It was concluded that the frequency of root canal ramifications found radiographically was low in treatments performed by undergraduate students.


Purpose
In this article, we study how a Chinese real estate broker - Lianjia successfully transformed itself into Beike - China's leading digital platform for housing transactions and services. We explain the motivation behind this platform transformation, how it turned out, and what are the lessons learned for other companies contemplating a platform transformation. Beike's lessons are significant as they not only can help the companies achieve growth via platform transformation but also create social value by contributing to higher service quality in traditional service industries.

Design/methodology/approach
We draw upon comprehensive archival research into Beike, and our many years of ongoing research on platform strategy and business growth strategy.

Findings
This article provides important lessons for companies in traditional service industries on how to expand growth via digital platforms. We summarize four key lessons learned: 1) data is central to success in platform transformation; 2) industry knowledge and experience play an important role; 3) the right platform governance is critical in value creation; 4) harness the double powers of platform and digital transformation.

Research limitations/implications
More research on digital platforms and platform transformation in traditional service industries is needed to delve into the underlying factors and delineate the boundary conditions for specific details in this strategy and implementation.

Practical implications
This article is useful to business executives, academics, management consultants, and entrepreneurs interested in learning more about how to use digital platforms to achieve business growth and create economic and social value. In particular, Beike's case offers inspiration and valuable lessons to companies in traditional service industries and helps them consider the factors that are important in the process of platform transformation.

Social Implications
This article on Beike provides an innovative solution to business leaders in traditional service industries grappling with a lack of professional standards and trust to use digital platforms to elevate service quality and create social value.

Originality/value
This article is unique and add value because Beike is a pioneer of using the digital platform to achieve growth and transform traditional service industries. Our study shows that platform transformation not only can help a company in a traditional industry achieve impressive growth but at the same time can create enormous social value by elevating the service quality of the whole industry.


One of the backbones in electronic manufacturing industry is the printed circuit board (PCB).However, with the recent rapid growth in electronics devices, the production number of the PCBs is also rapidly escalating.For electronic equipment and appliances which are based on PCB, new generations of PCB's are being produced to suit the requirements of new products.This development can lead to waste and inefficiency when perfectly serviceable electronic components and appliances have to be scrapped because the spare PCBs are no longer available from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or are already obsolete.This research proposes a new method for reverse engineering of an obsolete PCB.An equivalent PCB can be produce using this new methods utilizing using image processing technique.This methods involves several steps, such as Data Acquisition, PCB Scanning, Image Processing, Vectorization and CAD Editing, PCB Fabrication, and Circuitry testing and Analysis.The MATLAB Image Processing Toolbox was used in the image processing stage and AutoCAD software is used for vectorization stage.Each of these stages will be discussed in detail and newly fabricated PCB will be evaluated in terms of functionality at the end of the research.


We have used spectrally broadened counterpropagating radiation from tunable diode lasers to cool an atomic beam of cesium. This produces a continuous beam of cold atoms. The injection current to the single-mode diode laser is modulated at 10 MHz, resulting in spectrally broadened light for atomic cooling and optical pumping. The atomic beam is probed with a weak single-mode laser. This is a simple and relatively inexpensive method for producing a continuous supply of cold atoms.


At the close of the twentieth century, a number of scholars in education began to focus their work on how pedagogy might address a legacy of historical violence and injustices that continue to haunt and define our present. Extending from Shoshana Felman's groundbreaking work (1992) on the vexed relationship between historical trauma, testimony, witnessing and pedagogy, a general concern was forged around how learning from traumatic events involves a break down in meaning, a crisis, and an encounter with what Deborah Britzman (1998) terms, "the failure of knowledge" (p. 265). Whereas, conventionally, learning is understood as the cumulative and progressive acquisition of knowledge leading to "mastery," at issue for these thinkers is how the encounter with traumatic histories necessarily implies grappling with that which cannot be mastered as knowledge, with what defies and dispossess us of epistemological certainty (see: Kincheloe and Pinar, 2001). Britzman (1998b) crystalized the issue when she coined the term "difficult knowledge," particularly accentuating the internal conflicts and psychical defences against knowing that learners erect as they become un-done by the difficult stories of others.


To fulfill the industrial demand of forged steels with high mechanical and microstructural requirements coupled with reduced cost, the possibility to decrease the content of Mo and other alloying elements has been evaluated. The effect of boron addition (up to 30 ppm) on the steel hardenability has been investigated on two steels with different chemical composition at laboratory scale. In particular, the steel chemical composition has been designed in order to make effective the B addition in terms of hardenability. Two 80 kg ingots cast by a vacuum induction melting plant have been hot rolled by a pilot mill. The effect of B addition on hardenability has been evaluated and compared to that of steel for same application but without B. Results show an improvement of hardenability if 30 ppm B are added even if a Mo reduction is performed.


Copper(I) chloride nanowires have been synthesized by heating the salt in the presence of copper zeolite X (FAU structure type). Their structure and composition were studied by powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Wire growth was found to be dependent on a number of factors, the most important being the temperature of the reaction. The mechanism of wire growth, involving the occlusion of CuCl within the zeolite pores, is discussed.


Damage tolerant structures subjected to fatigue loading require inspection at regular intervals for detection and reporting of possible damages such as fatigue cracks. SHM systems integrated into those structures consisting of a sensor network combined with data analysis algorithms can further enhance the effectiveness of monitoring either by automating the inspection process or by adaptively changing the inspection intervals. To implement such a SHM system, a network of ultrasonic guided wave actuators and sensors including the electronics will have to be deployed to or integrated into the structure. Design of such a system should consider the probable location of damages that have to be monitored and the ways to enhance the sensitivity of detecting those damages. When a damage approaches its tolerable size limit, it should be detected with a higher accuracy compared to when the damage is first detected at an earlier stage and smaller size. Several probabilistic factors can alter the nature of damage and hence can affect the damage detection sensitivity as a consequence of factors like the specific sensor network algorithms applied, the type of damage and the zone of inspection. This is one of the major challenges to achieve reliable monitoring of some evolving wide spread fatigue damage using an integrated SHM system. In this paper, a specific example of fatigue crack initiation from the rivet holes in a stiffened structural component has been simulated considering a probabilistic sequence of fatigue loading. A scheme of determining the probability of damage growth up to a specific size is studied considering the progressive changes in the load path and randomness in the loading sequence. Our present effort is to develop a scheme of modeling and analysis that uses information regarding variability in the loading and relates those to the probability of a critical damage. Detailed understanding of these relationships is considered useful in arriving at design specifications for an integrated SHM system for improving the system's reliability


Since it is difficult to deal with big data using traditional models and algorithms, predicting and estimating the characteristics of big data is very important. Remote sensing big data consist of many large-scale images that are extremely complex in terms of their structural, spectral, and textual features. Based on multiresolution analysis theory, most of the natural images are sparse and have obvious clustering and persistence characters when they are transformed into another domain by a group of basic special functions. In this paper, we use a wavelet transform to represent remote sensing big data that are large scale in the space domain, correlated in the spectral domain, and continuous in the time domain. We decompose the big data set into approximate multiscale detail coefficients based on a wavelet transform. In order to determine whether the density function of wavelet coefficients in a big data set are peaky at zero and have a heavy tailed shape, a two-component Gaussian mixture model (GMM) is employed. For the first time, we use the expectation-maximization likelihood method to estimate the model parameters for the remote sensing big data set in the wavelet domain. The variance of the GMM with changing of bands, time, and scale are comprehensively analyzed. The statistical characteristics of different textures are also compared. We find that the cluster characteristics of the wavelet coefficients are still obvious in the remote sensing big data set for different bands and different scales. However, it is not always precise when we model the long-term sequence data set using the GMM. We also found that the scale features of different textures for the big data set are obviously reflected in the probability density function and GMM parameters of the wavelet coefficients.


Silver-doped silica gel was prepared by the reaction of colloidal silica and AgNO3. In the synthetic process, aluminum ions promote the chemical durability of silver-doped silica gel with dramatically decreasing the elusion of silica ions at the aqueous solution. Especially, aluminum ions induce slow release silver ion of silver-doped silica gel over a long period of time. Also, antimicrobial effects evaluated using a shake flask method resulted in a disinfection ratio of Staphylococcus aureus(ATCC 6538) and Escherichia coli(ATCC 25922) of over 99.9%, indicating high anti-microbial properties.


Abundant information in the literature suggests that the constant and effective implementation of formulated human resource management (HRM) policies and strategies affects how employees' appreciate the alignment of their personal goals and fit with the organization, and the extent to which the organization regard or respects the agreed terms of employment whether expressly stated or implied. (Mayer et al., 1995; Ross and La Croix, 1996; Dietz and Den Hartog, 2006; Searle et al., 2011b; Whitener, 2001). This objective of this paper is to appraise the training/ development strategies, recruitment strategies, performance appraisal and rewards strategies of Access Bank Plc. The game plan is to access the impact of these strategies on productivity (among other objectives), and to see if there are alternative approach to any of these. The role of internal and external factors (globalization, political-economic and organizational structure dimension) on the above mentioned strategies will also be appraised. Conclusions and recommendations on alternative approaches, solutions or strategies to follow (if any) will be thoroughly discussed and a clearer image of the "cause-and-effect" relationship of these strategies (approaches) and increased productivity will be drawn.


We must never relax our efforts to arouse in the people of the world, and especially in their governments, an awareness of the unprecedented disaster which they are absolutely certain to bring on themselves unless there is a fundamental change in their attitudes toward one another as well as in their concept of the future. The unleashed power of the atom has changed everything except our way of thinking. Albert Einstein (1, p. 3).


Proteomics is presently dominated by the "bottom-up" strategy, in which proteins are enzymatically digested into peptides for mass spectrometric identification. Although this approach is highly effective at identifying large numbers of proteins present in complex samples, the digestion into peptides renders it impossible to identify the proteoforms from which they were derived. We present here a powerful new strategy for the identification of proteoforms and the elucidation of proteoform families (groups of related proteoforms) from the experimental determination of the accurate proteoform mass and number of lysine residues contained. Accurate proteoform masses are determined by standard LC–MS analysis of undigested protein mixtures in an Orbitrap mass spectrometer, and the lysine count is determined using the NeuCode isotopic tagging method. We demonstrate the approach in analysis of the yeast proteome, revealing 8637 unique proteoforms and 1178 proteoform families. The elucidation of proteoforms and proteoform families afforded here provides an unprecedented new perspective upon proteome complexity and dynamics.


This paper aims to analyse how the term 'vulnerability' has been used in the Chronic Poverty Research Centre's (CPRC) initial set of working papers. The intention of this analysis is to show that 'vulnerability' can be utilised in a variety of ways, with different meanings, and different implications. This attempt at unravelling vulnerability within the CPRC literature shows that there could be merit in disaggregating 'vulnerability', and that this could be relevant to the study of chronic poverty.


ORANI is an applied general equilibrium (AGE) model of the Australian economy which is widely used by academics and by economists in the government and private sectors. We describe a generic version of the model, ORANI-G, designed both for expository purposes and as a convenient starting-point for those wishing to construct their own AGE model. ORANI-G forms the basis of an annual modelling course, and has been adapted to build models of South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Fiji, South Korea, Denmark, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and both Chinas. Our description of the model's equations and database is closely integrated with an explanation of how the model is solved. Indeed, the model equations are presented in the syntax, resembling ordinary algebraic notation, used by the GEMPACK modelling system to specify the model. The document includes: an outline of the structure of the model and of the appropriate interpretations of the results of comparative-static and forecasting simulations; a description of the solution procedure; a brief description of the data, emphasising the general features of the data structure required for such a model; a complete description of the theoretical specification of the model framed around the TABLO Input file which implements the model in GEMPACK.


Polymorphous Si is a nanostructured form of hydrogenated amorphous Si that contains a small fraction of Si nanocrystals or clusters. Its thermally induced transformations such as relaxation, dehydrogenation, and crystallization have been studied by calorimetry and evolved gas analysis as a complementary technique. The observed behavior has been compared to that of conventional hydrogenated amorphous Si and amorphous Si nanoparticles. In the temperature range of our experiments (650-700 °C), crystallization takes place at almost the same temperature in polymorphous and in amorphous Si. In contrast, dehydrogenation processes reflect the presence of different hydrogen states. The calorimetry and evolved gas analysis thermograms clearly show that polymorphous Si shares hydrogen states of both amorphous Si and Si nanoparticles. Finally, the total energy of the main Si-H group present in polymorphous Si has been quantified.


The first case of glyphosate resistant weeds was documented in 1998, two years after the commercialization of genetically engineered, herbicide tolerant (HT) corn and soybeans. Currently, over 14 resistant weed species affect U.S. crop production areas. This study uses a novel two-stage, structural model to derive cost functions for pre-emergent and postemergent herbicide use. The parameters of the structural model are estimated using censored nonlinear full information maximum likelihood. Control functions from firststage regressions account for endogeneity of farmers' profit-maximizing decisions. The results of the analysis are used to determine the extent to which resistance has eroded the benefits associated with glyphosate applications in HT production systems. Our preliminary results suggest that glyphosate resistance may have decreased weed control by as much as 11 percentage points from 2005 to 2010.


We present two cases of gastric lymphoma with radiologic bull's eye lesions in the stomach. One of the patients also had an intestinal leiomyosarcoma that was resected surgically. We underline the rarity of the occurrence of this type of image as a gastrointestinal manifestation of lymphoma, as well as its scant specificity.


The way in which the dolipore apparatus contains hyphal damage, and the process of septal sealing have been studied in Corwlus versicolor using combined light and electron microscopy. The technique used allows the structure of septa in adjacent damaged and undamaged hyphae to be compared. The results show that septal sealing, following damage, is a two stage process. The first is the instantaneous plugging of the pore channel with electron-dense material. The second, beginning several minutes later, involves the detachment of the septal apparatus present in the ruptured compartment and a re-modelling of the septal swelling on the other side of the wall to give a permanent seal. The parenthesomes play no part in the plugging response.


Neil Chapman and Verina Gfader (2012) Strategies of Delegation: THE SURFACE | THE PROJECT. scenesadventures, London. ISBN 0-9544901-3-4

This artist book in a limited edition of 10 is a publication by Neil Chapman and Verina Gfader exploring themes of organising data (glossaries), living systems, material agency, Stanislaw Lem's (Solaris) vision, oracles and journeys on a ship, it brings into play questions of archive and what can be called the residual of a project.
The book project takes account of seven curatorial projects initiated by Gfader with contributions by Johanna Billing; Olivia Plender and Unnar Orn; Janice Kerbel and Ruth Maclennan; Conor Donlon/Donlon Books; Mark Lewis, Dennis Oppenheim, Lucy Reynolds, Margaret Tait, Peter Todd; Merce Rodrigo Garcia, SANAA Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa, workshop participants; and Neil Chapman. Chapman's work THE SURFACE | THE PROJECT is text based and forms part one of this co-authored book. Part two is Gfader's semi-fictional text 'Strategies of Delegation', which introduces the curatorial strategy and Chapman's writing.

The book was produced with E:ventGallery as part of the Victorian Gardening programme 2009.

A poster version is available.


Abstract

Objective – The availability study is a systems research method that has recently been used to test whether library users can access electronic resources. This study evaluates the availability study's effectiveness as a troubleshooting tool by comparing the results of two availability studies conducted at the same library before and after fixing access problems identified by the initial study.

Methods – The researcher developed a six-category conceptual model of the causes of electronic resource errors, modified Nisonger's e-resource availability method to more closely approximate student information-seeking behaviour, and conducted an availability study at the University of Redlands Armacost Library to estimate how many resources suffered from errors. After conducting troubleshooting over a period of several months, he replicated the study and found increased overall availability and fewer incidences of most error categories. He used Z tests for the difference of two proportions to determine whether the changes were statistically significant.

Results – The 62.5% availability rate in the first study increased after troubleshooting to 86.5% in the second study. Z tests showed that troubleshooting had produced statistically significant improvements in overall availability, in the number of items that could be downloaded from the library's online collection or requested through interlibrary loan (ILL), and in three of six error categories (proxy, target database and ILL).

Conclusion – Availability studies can contribute to successful troubleshooting initiatives by making librarians aware of technical problems that might otherwise go unreported. Problems uncovered by an availability study can be resolved through collaboration between librarians and systems vendors, though the present study did not demonstrate equally significant improvements across all types of errors. This study offers guidance to librarians seeking to focus troubleshooting efforts where they will have the greatest impact in improving access to full-text. It also advances the availability research method and is the first attempt to quantify its effectiveness as a troubleshooting tool.


Very little information exists about households' longer-term movements between tenures. Some cross-section datasets include information on length of stay in any residence but we have no systematic study of movement over time. This study uses the British Household Panel Study to examine movements by households over a ten-year period – 1994/5 and 2004/5. Changes in tenure are related to key life events – leaving home, marriage, having children, widowhood and retirement. The great majority of owner-occupiers remained in that tenure. This was somewhat less for those experiencing divorce or unemployment. Most public housing tenants remained in that tenure over the ten-year period especially the elderly and the unemployed or those outside the labour market. About a quarter moved into owner-occupation and half of those through the right to buy their dwelling. The analysis looks at the associations between moving into work and residential mobility, in particular the slower rate at which social tenants move back into employment.


Background Ischemic heart disease, particularly inferior wall myocardial infarction (IWMI), is a significant issue in cardiac health. It can further add up to the morbidity and mortality when it is associated with right ventricular infarction (RVI). Elevated ST-segment elevations in the right chest lead number, three (V3R), and four (V4R), can be used to diagnose right ventricular infarction (RVI). The odds of RVI can be identified according to age groups, gender, and risk factors, including diabetes, hypertension, and smoking. This can help in the prevention of right ventricular infarct and its complications by controlling the risk factors which affect the outcome the most. Methods A sample of 1000 patients (n=1000) with acute IWMI was evaluated for the incidence of accompanying right ventricular infarct. These patients were then assessed for various known risk factors of myocardial infarction. Results Comparing the incidence of RVI against various risk factors, we found that there is an increased incidence of RVI in patients with risk factors that include hypertension and smoking. Conclusions The study suggests that IWMI can be accompanied by RVI in almost one-third of the cases, (36% in our study). The odds of RVI are highest in patients of hypertension, and the timely control of certain risk factors will result in reduced incidence and hence the complication associated with right ventricular infarction.


The problem with increasing test application time for testing core-based system-on-chip (SOC) designs is addressed with test architecture design and test scheduling. The scan-chains at each core are configured into a set of wrapper-chains, which by a core wrapper are connected to the test access mechanism (TAM), and the tests are scheduled in such a way that the test time is minimized. In this paper, we make use of reconfigurable core wrappers that, in contrast to standard wrappers, can dynamically change (reconfigure) the number of wrapper-chains during test application. We show that by using reconfigurable wrappers the test scheduling problem is equivalent to independent job scheduling on identical machines, and we make use of an existing preemptive scheduling algorithm that produces an optimal solution in linear time (O(n); n is the number of tests). We also show that the problem can be solved without preemption, and we extend the algorithm to handle: 1) test conflicts due to interconnection tests and 2) cases when the test time of a core limits an optimal usage of the TAM. The overhead in logic is given by the number of configurations, and we show that the upper-bound is three configurations per core. We compare the proposed approach with the existing technique and show, in comparison, that our technique is 2% less from lower bound.


Xenobiotic metabolising enzymes, namely the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase system and glutathione S-transferase, as well as antioxidant enzymes were determined in the liver of 3 deepsea fish species (tepidion lepidion, Bathypterois mediterraneusand Coryphaenoides guenthen). These organisms were collected from 3 stations along the NW Mediterranean, at depths ranging from 1500 to 1800 m. The enzymatlc activities detected in deep-sea fish indicated the ability of these organisms to cope with pollutants and oxidative stress. Differences among the studied species may be related to habitat and diet, viz. the highest monooxygenase and antioxidant enzyme activities were observed in L. lepidion, a typical middle slope species, whereas the lowest activities were recorded for B. mediterraneus, an organism adapted to live at greater depths. Tissue concentration of persistent organochlorinated compounds, like polychlorinated biphenyls, DDTs and hexachlorobenzene, were in the lower range of those reported for coastal fish, and significant differences among sampling stations were not observed. Overall, the obtained results contribute to the knowledge of the NW Mediterranean deepsea basin and reflect the chronic contamination of the area in terms of organochlorinated compounds, rather than the influence of coastal discharges.


With the development of retinal prostheses, the first clinical trials for these devices are being planned or are already underway. Yet the candidate selection criteria and the preparation of early recipients have received very little attention. As clinical trials grow in scope, the need for such issues will become increasingly important. Especially in preliminary stages of clinical trials, it is absolutely vital to develop the preoperative evaluations of candidates in identifying the suitable candidate for retinal prosthesis implants. This paper addresses the preoperative evaluations of candidates that may provide insight into selecting potential candidates for retinal prosthetic devices. Screening an ideal candidate is complex and, at the minimum, should include medical evaluations, visual function tests, assessments of psychological status, motivation, expectations, as well as rehabilitation capabilities. This will ensure that appropriate candidates are selected, candidate expectations are managed, and success with the retinal prosthetic devices is maximized.


This study demonstrates a new kind of photocatalytic system via utilization of the superior specific properties inherent in Pickering emulsion. We designed the new photocatalytic system using a novel p–n heterojunction Ag3PO4/BiPO4 (AB) as a photocatalytic active component, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene (GR) as a hydrophobic conducting nanostructure to form the stabilized Pickering emulsion. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared stabilized Pickering emulsion-based system (Pe-bp system) was studied by monitoring the change in Acid Blue 92 dye (AB92) concentration under both visible and UV light irradiation. The results revealed that the Pe-bp system exhibits a noticeable improvement in both efficiency and rate of AB92 photodegradation in comparison with the traditional solution-dispersed photocatalytic system. The observed results are discussed in terms of (1) the self-assembled nanohybrid at the water/oil (w/o) interface provides a large surface area, (2) the use of MWCNTs and GR promotes the generation of amphiphilic nanostructures self-assembled at the w/o interface, reducing the charge recombination by shuttling and capturing photogenerated electrons and (3) the great separation of the products from the reactants during the photocatalytic reactions facilitates these processes. A possible mechanism explaining the origin of enhanced performance of formed nanohybrids in the Pe-bp system is also proposed. In addition to the high efficiency, the rapid and simple procedures used for demulsifying and re-emulsifying crucially make the Pe-bp system technically simple and practically applicable for environmental remediation.


The velocity of ultrasound longitudinal waves (speed of sound) is
emerging as a valuable biomarker for a wide range of diseases,
including musculoskeletal disorders. Muscles are fiber-rich tissues
that exhibit anisotropic behavior, meaning that velocities vary with
the wave-propagation direction. Quantifying anisotropy is therefore
essential to improve velocity estimates while providing a new metric
that relates to both muscle composition and architecture. This work
presents a method to estimate longitudinal-wave anisotropy in
transversely isotropic tissues. We assume elliptical anisotropy and
consider an experimental setup that includes a flat reflector located
in front of the linear probe. Moreover, we consider transducers
operating multistatically. This setup allows us to measure
first-arrival reflection traveltimes. Unknown muscle parameters are
the orientation angle of the anisotropy symmetry axis and the
velocities along and across this axis. We derive analytical
expressions for the relationship between traveltimes and anisotropy
parameters, accounting for reflector inclinations. To analyze the
structure of this nonlinear forward problem, we formulate the
inversion statistically using the Bayesian framework. Solutions are
probability density functions useful for quantifying uncertainties in
parameter estimates. Using numerical examples, we demonstrate that
all parameters can be well constrained when traveltimes from
different reflector inclinations are combined. Results from a wide
range of acquisition and medium properties show that uncertainties in
velocity estimates are substantially lower than expected velocity
differences in muscle. Thus, our formulation could provide accurate
muscle anisotropy estimates in future clinical applications.


Recent findings show that after studying a text, teaching the learned content on video to a fictitious peer student improves learning more than restudying the content. This benefit may be in part due to increased arousal associated with the teaching activity. The present experiment investigated whether teaching on video is also effective for acquiring problem-solving skills from worked examples, and explored the role of cognitive load, worry, and arousal. Participants (N = 61 university students) first studied two worked examples on electrical circuits troubleshooting and completed a practice problem. Then they either taught the content of a worked example of the practice problem on video (teaching condition) or studied that worked example (control condition) for the same amount of time. Self-reported cognitive load was measured after each task and self-reported worry after the final task. Effects on arousal were explored via the Empatica wristband measuring electrodermal activity (EDA; i.e., galvanic skin response). Teaching the content of the worked example on video was not associated with more worry, but did result in higher perceived cognitive load, more arousal, and better performance on isomorphic and transfer problems on the posttest. Although this finding has to be interpreted with caution, teaching also seemed to moderate the effect of prior knowledge on transfer that was present in the study condition. This suggests that teaching is particularly effective for students who initially have low prior knowledge.


Clinical trials and animal studies have indicated that long-term use or multiple administrations of anesthesia may lead to fine motor impairment in the developing brain. Most studies on anesthesia-induced neurotoxicity have focused on the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC); however, the role of other vital encephalic regions, such as the amygdala, is still unclear. Herein, we focused on sevoflurane, the most commonly used volatile anesthetic in infants, and performed a transcriptional analysis of the PFC and amygdala of macaques after multiple exposures to the anesthetic by RNA sequencing. The overall, overlapping, and encephalic region-specific transcriptional patterns were separately analyzed to reveal their functions and differentially expressed gene sets that were influenced by sevoflurane. Specifically, functional, protein–protein interaction, neighbor gene network, and gene set enrichment analyses were performed. Further, we built the basic molecular feature of the amygdala by comparing it to the PFC. In comparison with the amygdala's changing pattern following sevoflurane exposure, functional annotations of the PFC were more enriched in glial cell-related biological functions than in neuron and synapsis development. Taken together, transcriptional studies and bioinformatics analyses allow for an improved understanding of the primate PFC and amygdala.


Between 1968 and 1971, Andrew George Williamson carried out one of the most extensive and ambitious archaeological surveys undertaken in the Near East. Williamson's survey of over 1,200 archaeological sites distributed widely through southern Iran represents the most detailed archaeological study of the region. Williamson's untimely death in Oman in 1975 prevented the work from being completed or published, and as a result, the information from his pioneering study have remained generally obscure. A sizable portion of the finds that Williamson collected during the survey (17,000 sherds) were exported to the UK and deposited at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, along with much of the documentation associated with the project. A full synthesis of this material has not until now been attempted. Recognising the important scientific value of Williamson's survey, a detailed study of the Collection was initiated with the aim of: 1) providing a complete catalogue of the Collection; 2) creating a list and map of all sites that Williamson visited and 3) analysing the resulting dataset. The discussion presented below, which describes the results of the research on the Collection, has been broken into two sections. The first section describes Williamson's work and the contents of the Collection (Chapter 1), and explains the methodology and approach that has been taken during this study (Chapter 2). The second section uses the data generated from the study to analyse regional settlement trends (Chapter 3) and the changing distribution of a selection of key ceramic wares (Chapter 4). Together these themes contribute towards a model for the long-term economic development along the northern shores of the Persian Gulf, ๒ an area that has previously suffered from a major lack of primary archaeological research. Drawing on this study and the more detailed now be possible, for the first time, to set out a scheme that covers the Persian Gulf region as a whole.


Agricultural Information Systems (AIS) can provide several advantages for farmers in taking informed decisions regarding land, labour, livestock, and crop planning. However, there are not many empirical studies in examining the adoption of these AIS by farmers, especially in developing countries in Africa. This study adopts an unconventional socio-cultural approach in examining if the farmers think the use of AIS improves economic production, at the individual level of analysis. The purpose of this qualitative ethnographic study is to explore the socio-cultural success factors that improve employee acceptance of agriculture information system at some rural Nigerian farms. The results of this study could be disseminated to all rural Nigerian farm owners so they will know the critical success factors that improve employee acceptance of agriculture information system thereby increasing wheat production to reduce their national agricultural crisis. Another positive social change implication of the results of this on-going research would be to inspire researchers to replicate and extend this study in regions experiencing agricultural crises.


PURPOSE
To assess patterns of failure and how selected prognostic and treatment factors affect the risks of locoregional failure (LRF) after mastectomy in breast cancer patients with histologically involved axillary nodes treated with chemotherapy with or without tamoxifen without irradiation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
The study population consisted of 2,016 patients entered onto four randomized trials conducted by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. The median follow-up time for patients without recurrence was 12.1 years (range, 0.07 to 19.1 years).

RESULTS
A total of 1,099 patients (55%) experienced disease recurrence. The first sites of failure were as follows: isolated LRF, 254 (13%); LRF with simultaneous distant failure (DF), 166 (8%); and distant only, 679 (34%). The risk of LRF with or without simultaneous DF at 10 years was 12.9% in patients with one to three positive nodes and 28.7% for patients with four or more positive nodes. Multivariate analysis showed that increasing tumor size, increasing numbers of involved nodes, negative estrogen receptor protein status, and decreasing number of nodes examined were significant for increasing the rate of LRF with or without simultaneous DF.

CONCLUSION
LRF after mastectomy is a substantial clinical problem, despite the use of chemotherapy with or without tamoxifen. Prospective randomized trials will be necessary to estimate accurately the potential disease-free and overall survival benefits of postmastectomy radiotherapy for patients in particular prognostic subgroups treated with presently used and future systemic therapy regimens.


Li3VO4 (LVO) anode materials with controllable morphologies ranging from spherical-assemblies, single-crystal nanorods, and flower shapes to bulk-shapes were fabricated via a solvothermal approach using different alcohols (i.e., ethanol, methanol, propanol, and butanol). XRD, SEM, BET, Raman and FTIR and galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements were carried out to correlate their structure/morphology with their electrochemical characteristics. The experimental results reveal that both structure and morphology play important roles in the Li+ ion storage of LVO, which degrades in the sequential order from nanorods, to spheres, to flowers and finally to bulk. The LVO nanorods are hierarchical and have a small particle size, high specific surface area, and high crystallinity; thus, they exhibit the largest Li+ ion diffusion coefficient and best electrochemical performance among the four electrodes. Moreover, coating carbon on the single-crystal LVO nanorods further enhances their Li+ ion storage ability. Consequently, the carbon-coated LVO nanorods deliver a high reversible capacity of 440 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 with good cycling stability and demonstrate great practical application. In addition, the results promote a better fundamental understanding of the Li+ ion storage behavior in LVO and provide insight into the optimal design of LVO and other vanadium-based electrode materials.


Classic studies suggest that metaphor production and comprehension are relatively late developing pragmatic skills, although it is not quite clear why this should be so. This chapter will first provide a sketch of the theoretical and adult processing accounts of metaphor before presenting an overview of the established findings on children's metaphorical abilities that indicate that these are slow to emerge. The third section examines impeding factors to be taken into account when considering these data, while in the fourth it is argued, based on recent empirical evidence, that when these factors are eliminated, children display both early comprehension and production of metaphors. In the conclusion, I will point to some future directions of research emerging from this outline of the metaphor development landscape.


Calpain is a Ca2+-regulated cytosolic protease. Mammals have 14 calpain genes, half of which are predominantly expressed in specific organ(s); the rest are expressed ubiquitously. A defect in calpains causes lethality/pathogenicity, indicating their physiological indispensability. nCL-2/calpain-8a was identified as a stomach-specific calpain, whose physiological functions are unclear. To elucidate these, we characterized nCL-2 in detail. Unexpectedly, nCL-2 was localized strictly to the surface mucus cells in the gastric epithelium and the mucus-secreting goblet cells in the duodenum. Yeast two-hybrid screening identified several nCL-2-intracting molecules. Of these, the β-subunit of coatomer complex (β-COP) occurs in the stomach pit cells and is proteolyzed by nCL-2 in vitro. Furthermore, β-COP and nCL-2 co-expressed in COS7 cells co-localized in the Golgi, and Ca2+-ionophore stimulation caused the proteolysis of β-COP near the linker region, resulting in the dissociation of β-COP from the Golgi. These results strongly suggest novel functions for nCL-2 that involve the membrane trafficking of mucus cells via interactions with coat protein.


First aim was describing Smith machine squat and leg press exercise as nominal load, knee extensors activity, and rating of perceived exertion. Second aim was developing predictive equations to provide same muscular activation and same perceived exertion nominal loads during the two exercises. To do that, vastus lateralis and vastus medialis activation, as their summed surface electromyography signal integrals, and overall perceived exertions were measured at different nominal loads during Smith machine squat and leg press exercise in adult male athletes experienced in weight training. Correlation and multistep stepwise analyses were performed. Then, two different results-driven predictive equations to provide same electromyography signals and same perceived exertion nominal loads were developed. The same electromyography signal equation results were less accurate (i.e., less predictive) due to high inter-individual differences, whereas the same perceived exertion equation results were more accurate, because perceived exertion is more related to the Smith machine squat and leg press exercise overall level of exertion than to the two single muscles that were investigated. In conclusion, these two equations represented an initial attempt to provide athletes and coaches with a new tool to mutually convert equivalent nominal loads during Smith machine squat and leg press exercise over a training period.


Major challenges in the simulation of pedestrians are the realistic behaviour of agents, realistic appearance and variety, and how to conveniently define larger crowds of pedestrians. In this paper, pedestrian behaviour in buildings is analysed and structured in order to develop a behavioural model for buildings with high pedestrian flows. Observing pedestrians at a larger train station is used as a basis for the creation of a three-level behavioural model. The model follows a multi-agent-based approach and consists of a strategic, tactical, and operational level. A strategy indicates why a person visits a building and is broken down into activities on the tactical level. In this model, the strategy remains constant for an agent during its lifetime, while activities and associated areas are chosen and prioritized dynamically. This results in a coarse route through the facility. The operational level consists of path planning and obstacle avoidance. The suggested behavioural model has been implemented with the Unity framework and was tested using a 3D model of an existing train station. The purpose of the simulation is to provide building planners with feedback about space utilisation by its users.


Purpose The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between Spanish language-based acculturation, psychosocial coping with diabetes, and perceptions of social support obtainment for the daily management of diabetes. Methods Adults (N = 209) were surveyed by telephone about Hispanic ethnicity, depressed mood (PHQ-8), anxiety and worry over diabetes, social burden due to diabetes, diabetes control, and physical function (Diabetes-39), and Spanish language-based acculturation (n = 101, Hispanic only). Results Significant associations revealed a relationship between less language-based acculturation with other contextual factors (gender, family demands, disease severity), and depressed mood and social burden of disease. Acculturation alone explained little about psychosocial coping. Individuals with poor psychosocial coping were more likely to have routine daily help with diabetes self- management, with acculturation explaining little about who obtains help. Conclusions Hispanic values such as placing a priority on providing help to friends and family likely have more to do with psychosocial coping with diabetes than does language preference or proficiency. Individuals with poor psychosocial functioning may benefit from external social support when family support is not present to help with the routine management of diabetes.


The NW-SE to NNW-SSE convergence between the African and Eurasian plates in the western Mediterranean has developed the recent relief of the Betic-Rif Cordilleras. The central part of the Internal Zones of the Betic Cordilleras is deformed by large open folds and faults, mainly with normal character. The Zafarraya fault, located to the N of the Sierra Tejeda antiform, was active during the 1884 Andalusia earthquake of 6.7 estimated magnitude. In the framework of an interdisciplinary research project a non-permanent GPS-network has been designed at Zafarraya Fault and Sierra Tejeda antiform to monitor deformations related to these active tectonic structures.


Current study intended to identify teachers' level of knowledge and ICT use into pedagogy at secondary level. It was a mixed method study. Quantitative data were collected from 100 teachers of secondary schools Rawalpindi. Descriptive statistics was applied and results were found out through percentage, mean, frequency and standard deviation. Interviews were also conducted with the secondary school teachers. Quantitative data revealed that teachers use only those ICT tools in which they have adequate level of knowledge. Qualitative data also backed these results and highlighted that teachers' lack knowledge in ICT tools therefore they don't utilize them. They demand administrative support and need-based training in the development of ICT skills and knowledge. It is recommended that ICT integration in the field of education needs greater consideration than it is receiving. Teachers' fewer knowledge in area of ICT depicted the need of enhancing their level of knowledge regarding advanced ICT tools.


The present study set out to explore the option of developing food portion size for nutritional labelling purposes using two European Union (EU) dietary surveys. The surveys were selected as they differed in (a) methodologies (food diary versus food frequency questionnaire), (b) populations (Irish National Adult Nutrition Survey (NANS) versus a seven-country survey based on the pan EU study Food4Me), (c) food quantification (multiple options versus solely photographic album) and (d) duration (4 consecutive days versus recent month). Using data from these studies, portion size was determined for 15 test foods, where portion size was defined as the median intake of a target food when consumed. The median values of the portion sizes derived from both the NANS and Food4Me surveys were correlated (r = 0.823; p < 0.00) and the mean of the two survey data sets were compared to US values from the Recognized as Customarily Consumed (RACC) database. There was very strong agreement across all food categories between the averaged EU and the US portion size (r = 0.947; p < 0.00). It is concluded that notwithstanding the variety of approaches used for dietary survey data in the EU, the present data supports using a standardized approach to food portion size quantification for food labelling in the EU.


Contents:PrefacePART I: POLICY APPROACHES1. Approaches to Urban Policymaking: A FrameworkB.J.L. BerryPART II: SPATIAL ECONOMIC ISSUES2. The Debate on Sprawl and Compact Cities: Thoughts based on the Congress of New Urbanism CharterP. Gordon and H.W. Richardson3. Defining 'Urban': The Disappearing Urban-Rural DivideA.G. Champion4. The Evolving Urban Economic Landscape: Trends in the Past and Present, from Local to GlobalH.S. Geyer5. Socialist Economies in Transition: Urban Policy in China and VietnamY.-M. Yeung and J. ShenPART III: MOBILITY AND SOCIAL ISSUES6. Human Mobility in a Globalizing World: Urban Development Trends and Policy ImplicationsW.A.V. Clark7. Migration and Social Mobility in Urban Systems: National and International TrendsA.J. Fielding8. Social Exclusion and Urban Policy in European Cities: Combining 'Northern' and 'Southern' European PerspectivesF. Moulaert, E. Morlicchio and L. Cavola9. Crime and Urban Living: Conditions, Theory, and Policy OptionsH.S. Geyer and B.A. Portnov10. The Threat of Urban Terrorism: Observations and Policies OptionsH.W. Richardson and P. Gordon11. 'Place' Qualities of Urban Space: Interpretations of Theory and IdeologyH.S. GeyerPART IV: ISSUES OF URBAN GOVERNANCE12. Smart Growth as 'New' Metropolitan Governance: Observations on US ExperienceG. Braun and J. W. Scott13. Integrating the Planning Environment: Theory and Practice of Putting 'Urban' in a Regional ContextG. Haughton and D. Counsell14. Cities Mediating Technological Transitions: The Adaptability of Infrastructure and Infrastructures of Adaptability?M. Hodson and S. Marvin15. Urban Environmental Policy in Europe: An OutlineB. Evans16. Policy Responses at the Local Sphere of Government: Complexities and DiversityJ.G. Nel17. Urban Environmental Policy in Africa: The Real StoryF. Retief and N. RossouwPART V: FUTURE PERSPECTIVES18. What Lies Ahead?A.G. GilbertIndex


At the height of the Progressive Era, a small circle of scholars and educators launched a zealous but failed effort to reform American spelling. Bankrolled by Andrew Carnegie, the Simplified Spelling movement epitomized the era's much-chronicled passion for "efficiency": By replacing words like through and although with thru and altho, the simplifiers said, citizens would save both time and money. Yet the rapid demise of the campaign also highlights the limits of America's efficiency craze, even during its supposed heyday. Although some critics invoked the efficiency idiom against Simplified Spelling, questioning its utility and practicality, others denounced efficiency itself. Even if simplification made spelling more efficient, they said, Americans should retain their older forms in the name of higher values: beauty, habit, and tradition. Their rejection of Simplified Spelling stood as a standing rebuke to the gospel of efficiency, which never quite gained the full-throated worship that its high priests imagined.


Several Nb based alloys (Nb-20Mo-15Si-25Cr, Nb-20Mo-15Si-25Cr-5B, Nb-20Si-20Cr-5Al, and Nb-20Cr-20Si-5Hf) have been prepared to evaluate the oxidation resistance from 700 to 1400°C in air. The phase identification was determined by calculating the isothermal sections in this temperature range using PANDATTM software. The experiments involve static heating for 24 hours (short term oxidation, STO) or 7 cycles of 24 hour heating (long term oxidation, LTO). Weight gain per unit area as a function of either temperature (STO) or time (LTO) has been used to determine their oxidation resistance. However, SEM, EDS on SEM, x-ray mapping, and XRD have been used to evaluate the oxide scale characterization and the influence of various microconstituent effects have been determined. It appears that B addition may be beneficial while Al is advantageous in comparison to Hf addition. The problem of pesting, typically, in a range of temperature from 900 to 1100°C needs to be controlled through minor additions since the alloys exhibit fairly good resistance at lower and higher temperatures up to 1400°C.


: Starting from some reflections on the goals of medical education, central questions are analyzed in relation to the transfer of scientific knowledge and the generation of more advanced cognitive approaches in professionals who follow distance courses. The core of this article refers to the information management processes, according to a cognitive perspective, in terms of the development of the medical thought. With that intention, particular educational instruments are indicated in order to achieve the internalization of the "modes of knowledge" acquired through significant learning. The basic criterion of the educational program is that physicians can best operate personally in the teaching processes relatively to their particular scientific domain, because they know, better than anyone else, what the proper methods of knowledge are: epistemology is the basis of any special teaching, the article makes specific reference to the production of texts of information technology. However, the general approach is applicable to any other means that may be used in telemedicine.


It has become clear that sodium glucose cotransporter (SGLT)-2 inhibitors not only do not increase the incidence of cardiovascular events but they also reduce the duration of hospitalization for heart failure in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. The administration of SGLT2 inhibitor in T2DM patients with hypertension and a fluid retention tendency lowers the blood pressure and mitigates fluid retention. It also reduces the heart rate in T2DM patients with a fast heart rate. As an explanation for the multifaceted effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on hemodynamics, we hypothesize that these agents act on the inter-organ communication pathway, which modulates the sympathetic nerve activity to the cardiovascular system.


The expensive nature of currently used materials in the soft robotic industry demands the consideration of alternative materials for fabrication. This work investigates the performance of RTV-2 grade silicone rubber for fabrication of a soft actuator. Initially, a cylindrical actuator is fabricated using this material and its performance is experimentally assessed for different pressures. Further, parametric variations of the effect of wall thickness and inflation pressure are studied by numerical methods. Results show that, both wall thickness and inflation pressure are influential parameters which affect the elongation behaviour of the actuator. Thin (1.5 mm) sectioned actuators produced 76.97% more elongation compared to thick sectioned, but the stress induced is 89.61 % higher. Whereas, the thick sectioned actuator (6 mm) showed a higher load transmitting capability. With change in wall thickness from 1.5 mm to 6 mm, the elongation is reduced by 76.97 %, 38.35 %, 21.05 % and 11.43 % at pressure 100 kPa, 75 kPa, 50 kPa and 25 kPa respectively. The induced stress is also found reduced by 89.61 %, 86.66 %, 84.46 % and 68.68 % at these pressures. The average load carrying capacity of the actuator is found to be directly proportional to its wall thickness and inflation pressure.