The number of patients diagnosed with long term conditions in the UK is increasing with an expected number of 18 million patients by 2018, responsible for 69% of all spending on health and social care in England. These challenges cannot be solved solely by conventional approaches and other alternatives, such as cost-effective technological solutions, must be considered to increase patient's independence and quality of life, and produce cost savings for the authorities.

This practice-based research explored the potential role of technologies in the care of patients with long term conditions, and aimed to evaluate the acceptance and effectiveness of a telehealth service provided to patients' with chronic obstructive pulomary disease and heart failure; to map and compare chronic obstructive pulmonary disease care pathways between different EU countries to better understand how technologies fit within the standard forms of care; to explore how m-health interventions can be developed and designed to support the care of cancer patients and survivors; and to provide data on UK cancer patients' ownership of and interest in m-health technologies.

Mixed-mthod research approach was used in this study with a mixture of face-to-face and email semi-structured interviews, postal and online questionnaires, and data extraction from available databases. This approach was selected to harness the strengths of, both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

Seven nurses, working on telehealth for an average of 15 months were interviewed. Lack of resources and organisational support, patient selection criteria, and technological support were identified as barriers for effective implementation of telehealth. Telehealth reduced the number of both A&E and hospital admissions by 36% (P=0.03) and 28% (P=0.02), respectively. 27 patients responded to the postal questionnaire and were very satisfied with the service. They agreed that telehealth had improved their health, was a convenient form of healthcare delivery for them, and that it made them more involved in the decisions about their care or treatment.

Five COPD-specialised HCPs were interviewed, and the COPD care pathway was compared between 5 EU countries including Germany, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands and England. Lack of communication among different healthcare providers managing COPD and co-morbities is a common feature of the studies care pathways. In all countries, the lifestyle management services provided were similar with no specific tools used to enhance patients' adherance, and no specified role/training existing for informal carers (partners, family & friends). Telehealth can play a role int he integrated care of long tem conditions by providing means communication allowing better communications between different healthcare providers managing LTCs and co-morbidities.

Next, the role of m-health in cancer care was explored. A need for m-health platforms to support cancer patients and survivors was identified, and two m-health platforms were developed and designed using patient's centred approach and Waterfall system development model. MyAppPal and CanAdvice+ were designed to support colorectal cnacer srvivors set up on follow-up care plans and cancer patients receiving oral chemotheraphy at home, respectively. 12 colorectal cancer patients were interviewed and 69 patients responded to the postal questionnaire. Patients expereince with the support provided during follow up plan varied based on appointment type and location. They had problems remembering or accessing information as they moved away from their treatment, and reported needs for more specific and personalised information, more information on how to handle financial difficulties and social care, and more control over their hospital appointments. The usability scores of the developed apps were very positive, and they were seen as simple and attractive to use, and had very positive learnability and usability scores.

Finally, 529 cancer patients completed surveys to assess their ownership of smart-technologies and interest in m-health apps. 90.5% of the patients had access to smartphone, tablet or both, and only patients' age significantly affected this ownership. Almost half of the patients showed an interest in the use of m-health apps, and two out of five were willing to download apps in were made available from the hospital. Five factors were found to significantly predict patients' willingness to use and download health applications, including age, health literacy, previous use of apps in general and health apps in particular, and previous use of smartphones/tablets to access related health information in the past six months. Ownership of smart-technologies and interest in m-health apps was independent from all other socio-economic factors.

Technologies seem to be acceptable to patients with long term conditions, and can play an important role in improving their clinical outcomes if well designed, introduced, implemented and managed. Patients' perceptions of the usefulness and ease of use of these technologies seem to be a crucial factor in their acceptance of such interventions.


The objective of this thesis is to develop and analyse two stochastic control problems
arising in the context of investment capacity expansion. In both problems the underlying market fluctuations are modelled by a geometric Brownian motion. The decision
maker's aim is to determine admissible capacity expansion strategies that maximise
appropriate expected present-value performance criteria.
In the first model, capacity expansion has price/demand impact and involves proportional costs. The resulting optimisation problem takes the form of a singular
stochastic control problem. In the second model, capacity expansion has no impact on
price/demand but is associated with fixed as well as proportional costs, thus resulting
in an impulse control problem.
Both problems are completely solved and the optimal strategies are fully characterised. In particular, the value functions are constructed explicitly as suitable classical
solutions to the associated Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations


Virtual communities enable one to pretend to be a different person or to possess a different identity at little or no cost. Despite the ubiquity of such communities, there is only limited theoretical and empirical research on how taking on a different identity is associated with one's contributive behavior in those communities. Drawing on the social psychology literature, we adopt the concept of self-discrepancy rooted in self-identity and derive an index for self-discrepancy by using the differences between actual and virtual identities. Next, we link the self-discrepancy with perceived privacy rights and with quality and quantity of contribution. Analysis of 299 respondents showed that self-discrepancy significantly influenced perceived privacy rights and indirectly reduced quality and quantity of contribution in virtual communities. Furthermore, sub-group analysis revealed that the effects of self-discrepancy varied depending on whether the virtual community was utilitarian or hedonic. The present study aims to show how an individual member's self-concept is associated with his or her psychological state in a virtual community, thereby offering practical insights for managers of virtual communities by suggesting how multi-identity should be managed therein.


Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is considered an intermediary in the constrictor response of the pulmonary vasculature to hypoxia and, by extension, is assigned a prime role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension. We report here the antihypertensive action in the conscious newborn lamb of two novel endothelin A receptor antagonists, sodium 2-benzo-[1,3]dioxol-5-yl-4- (4-methoxy-phenyl)-4-oxo-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzyl)-but-2- enoate (PD 156707) and 4-(7-ethyl-benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-1, 1-dioxo-2-(2-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-1,2-dihydro-1l6-benzo-[e][1,2]thiazine-3-carboxylic acid potassium (PD 180988), differing in chemical properties and half-life within the body. PD 156707 and PD 180988, given in the right atrium as a bolus followed by infusion, had little or no effect on pulmonary and systemic hemodynamics under normoxia. Conversely, they both reversed the pulmonary hypertension due to alveolar hypoxia while producing minor changes, or no change at all, in systemic vascular resistance. Furthermore, their pulmonary vascular effect outlasted administration. Pulmonary hypertension being elicited by infusion of the thromboxane A(2) analog, 9,11-epithio-11,12-methano-thromboxane A(2) (ONO-11113) was instead not amenable to ET(A)R inhibition. Blood levels of ET-1, which rose with hypoxia but not ONO-11113 treatment, were not changed by either antagonist. Consistent with findings in vivo, when using isolated pulmonary resistance arteries from term fetal lamb, PD 156707 curtailed the hypoxia- but not the ONO-11113-induced constriction. We conclude that PD 156707 and PD 180988 are selective inhibitors of pulmonary vasoconstriction resulting from hypoxia. Our findings support the use of these or allied compounds in the management of pulmonary hypertension in the neonate.


The behaviour of fire within a deep (high depth to height ratio) enclosure with various openings in one end has been studied experimentally and by simulation (using FDS4).
Sixteen fuel-trays were placed within an 8.0 m long x 2.0 m wide x 0.6 m high steel enclosure. The experiments confirmed previous smaller scale experiments, showed that
the fires in deep enclosures are strongly influenced by the ventilation and are not at all uniform through the depth of the enclosure. The severity of exposure of structural
members is much more severe near the ceiling near the front of the enclosure compared with the back of the enclosure. Depending on the criterion used the severity at the front
may be from twice to five times as severe as at the back of the enclosure. The movement of the flame-front in the FDS4 simulation is similar to that found experimentally, but the
predicted timing of flame-front movement and predicted HRR varies considerably from the experimental values.


The present study investigated the structural characterisation of the fermentation products (sophorolipids) produced by Candida. bombicola. The analysis included the use of 1D- and 2D-NMR, FT-IR, HPLC-MS, monomer and linkage analysis employing HPAEC-PAD and GC-MS to fully characterise the main fermentation products: sophorolipids lactone and acid forms. The characterisation also looked at materials present in waste streams. Interestingly, free sophorose was identified in a number of the waste streams. The composition of the lactone waste stream was investigated utilizing HPAEC-PAD and NMR techniques. The results indicated the presence of glucose, sophorose and trace amount of isomaltose; these were separated using a liquid-liquid extraction technique followed by the isolation of each sugar using carbon: celite 535 column chromatography. Attempts were made to determine the origin of sophorose in the waste streams. In aqueous alkali, sophorose was observed to undergo an epimerisation reaction and was converted to 2-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-D-mannose. Another experiment was performed to investigate if enzyme(s) were present in the spent fermentation liquors, which were capable of hydrolysing sophorolipids to produce sophorose. The result suggested that sophorolipids were being converted into sophorose, glucose, isomaltose, and a glucolipid.
A number of novel sophorolipids were synthesised starting from sophorose and using both enzyme and chemical glycosylation reactions. The lipase Novozyme 435 was used to catalyse the synthesis of the sophorolipid derivatives: 1′,6″-sophorolactone, 1′,6″-sophorolactone-6′-acetate and methyl ester-6′,6″-sophorose dibutyrate. Sophorose was used in the preparation of 2′′,3′,3′′,4′,4″,6′,6″-hepta-O-acetyl-α-D-sophoryl bromide, which was coupled to a range of different fatty alcohols. Finally, the interfacial properties, enzyme inhibition effect and biological activity of a number of novel sophorolipids were explored.


Advances in artificial neural networks have led to several applications such as in computer-vision, image restoration, speech recognition, and pattern classification. However, for widespread practical use these and many other potential applications require large, high-speed networks implemented in efficient custom hardware. This paper investigates an important issue in the implementation of such networks, namely the avoidance of multipliers. Secondly, it evaluates their application in digital video, specifically in high-performance motion prediction and frame reconstruction. The authors discuss the multilayer perceptron and Hopfield neural networks in particular.


Generic Haskell is an extension of Haskell that supports datatype generic programming. The central idea of Generic Haskell is to interpret a type by a function, the so-called instance of a generic function at that type. Since types in Haskell include parametric types such as 'list of', Generic Haskell represents types by terms of the simply-typed lambda calculus. This paper puts the idea of interpreting types as functions on a firm theoretical footing, exploiting the fact that the simply-typed lambda calculus can be interpreted in a cartesian closed category. We identify a suitable target category, a subcategory of Cat, and argue that slice, coslice and comma categories are a good fit for interpreting generic functions at base types.


In the present study, a very prominent cost effective sol-gel method was used to amalgate the ethyl cellulose-tin(II) hydrogen phosphate (EC-SnHPO4), an organic–inorganic composite material with certain acidic condition practiced in a conductivity system. The physical characterization of the material was described by the UV-Vis and FTIR study. The different monovalent electrolytes such as KCl (aq) and NaCl (aq) at diverse temperature range was employed to measure the conductivity of ECSnHPO4 and also for the concentration to explore between affinity of conductivity and electrochemical properties of the material. From the study, the conductivity was established to be less for K + than Na + . For such process in addition, the different parameters such as ionization potential, oscillator strength, transition dipole moment, resonance energy, and transition energy were investigated. Finally, the anticancer effect against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line and the antibacterial activity against two different bacterial strains show the potential pharmacological activity of the EC-SnHPO4 towards medical applications. Copyright © 2015 VBRI Press.


ABSTRACT Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I-associated polymorphisms in HIV-1 that persist upon transmission to HLA-mismatched hosts may spread in the population as the epidemic progresses. Transmission of HIV-1 sequences containing such adaptations may undermine cellular immune responses to the incoming virus in future hosts. Building upon previous work, we investigated the extent of HLA-associated polymorphism accumulation in HIV-1 polymerase (Pol) through comparative analysis of linked HIV-1/HLA class I genotypes sampled during historic (1979 to 1989; n = 338) and modern (2001 to 2011; n = 278) eras from across North America (Vancouver, BC, Canada; Boston, MA; New York, NY; and San Francisco, CA). Phylogenies inferred from historic and modern HIV-1 Pol sequences were star-like in shape, with an inferred most recent common ancestor (epidemic founder virus) sequence nearly identical to the modern North American subtype B consensus sequence. Nevertheless, modern HIV-1 Pol sequences exhibited roughly 2-fold-higher patristic (tip-to-tip) genetic distances than historic sequences, with HLA pressures likely driving ongoing diversification. Moreover, the frequencies of published HLA-associated polymorphisms in individuals lacking the selecting HLA class I allele was on average ∼2.5-fold higher in the modern than in the historic era, supporting their spread in circulation, though some remained stable in frequency during this time. Notably, polymorphisms restricted by protective HLA alleles appear to be spreading to a greater relative extent than others, though these increases are generally of modest absolute magnitude. However, despite evidence of polymorphism spread, North American hosts generally remain at relatively low risk of acquiring an HIV-1 polymerase sequence substantially preadapted to their HLA profiles, even in the present era. IMPORTANCE HLA class I-restricted cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) escape mutations in HIV-1 that persist upon transmission may accumulate in circulation over time, potentially undermining host antiviral immunity to the transmitted viral strain. We studied >600 experimentally collected HIV-1 polymerase sequences linked to host HLA information dating back to 1979, along with phylogenetically reconstructed HIV-1 sequences dating back to the virus' introduction into North America. Overall, our results support the gradual spread of many—though not all—HIV-1 polymerase immune escape mutations in circulation over time. This is consistent with recent observations from other global regions, though the extent of polymorphism accumulation in North America appears to be lower than in populations with high seroprevalence, older epidemics, and/or limited HLA diversity. Importantly, the risk of acquiring an HIV-1 polymerase sequence at transmission that is substantially preadapted to one's HLA profile remains relatively low in North America, even in the present era.


Interior-point methods for linear programming problems require the repeated solution of a linear system of equations. Solving these linear systems is non-trivial due to the severe ill-conditioning of the matrices towards convergence. This issue can be alleviated by incorporating suitable regularization terms in the linear programming problem. Regularization also allows us to efficiently handle rank deficient constraint matrices. We provide a convergence analysis of a regularized inexact interior-point method. The term `inexact' refers to the fact that we do not need to compute the true solution of the linear system of equations, only an approximation thereof. The formulation of the algorithm is sufficiently general such that specialized linear algebra routines developed in other work on inexact interior-point methods can also be incorporated in our regularized framework. In this work, we exploit the inexactness by using a mixed-precision solver for the linear system of equations. More specifically, we perform a Cholesky factorization in IEEE single precision and use it as a preconditioner for the Conjugate Gradient method. Numerical experiments illustrate the benefits of this approach applied to linear programming problems with a dense constraint matrix.


This work reports on the design, fabrication and te sting of a new class of hybrid (filter design using combined e lectrical and mechanical coupling techniques) ultra-compact (800◊120 �m) 4 th order band-pass filters based on piezoelectric Alum inum Nitride (AlN) contour-mode microelectromechanical (MEM) resonators . The demonstrated 110 MHz filter shows a low insertion loss of 5.2 dB in air, a high out-of-band rejection of 65 d B, a fractional bandwidth as high as 1.14% (hard to obtain when onl y conventional electrical coupling is used in the AlN contour-mode technology), and unprecedented 30 dB and 50 dB shape factors of 1.93 and 2.36, respectively. All these are achieved in an extremel y small footprint and by using just half the space that any other 4 th order filter would have taken. In terms of nonlinearities, the 110 MHz filter shows a 1 dB compression point higher than +63 dBmV and input third order intercept point ( IIP 3) values well beyond +153 dBmV. This new hybrid design represents a net improvement over the state of the art and constitutes a very promising solution f or intermediate frequency (IF) filtering in many wireless communication systems.


This paper develops a framework to appreciate the observed heterogeneity of firm size distributions and the entry and exit of products and firms associated with it. It is based on a model where new products are introduced by innovating firms in a quasi-temporal setting of monopolistic competition. The rate at which a firm innovates, according to a firm-specific Poisson process, is assumed to be influenced by the firm's past experience and cumulated knowledge assets. The model assigns a fundamental role to entrepreneurship of existing and potential firms. The empirical analysis is based on detailed firm-level export data, which describes firm size in terms of products and markets, and firm dynamics in terms of changes in the supply pattern (varieties and markets) of existing firms in combination with entry/exit of firms. The empirical results are consistent with the model. First, the modeled innovation process imply a persistent distribution of heterogeneous firms. Second, the invariant size distribution of firms is associated with significant micro-dynamics, where firms continuously add and subtract varieties from their product mix, and new firms may enter while some exit. Third, an econometric analysis where firms' introduction of new varieties is explained by firm attributes provides support for the assumption of a firm-specific and state-dependent stochastic innovation process.


Abstract Aims. Mild renal impairment (estimated GFR 60–89 ml/min/1.73 m2) is a strong independent risk factor for mortality in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and is submitted to mechanical revascularization. Patients with renal impairment have decreased excretion of uric acid (UA) and they are thus particularly prone to have elevated serum UA concentrations. This study was aimed at assessing the association between increased UA and mortality in STEMI patients with mild renal impairment. Methods. We prospectively assessed, in 578 STEMI patients with mild renal impairment, whether elevated UA levels are associated with increased mortality both in the short term and in the long term. Results. Patients in the highest UA tertile showed a higher incidence of Killip class III–IV (p = 0.003) and lower values of ejection fraction (EF) (p < 0.001). Lower values for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at admission, nadir, and discharge were detected in the highest UA tertile, together with the highest values of peak troponin I (Tn I) (p = 0.002), and NT-proBrain Natriuretic Peptide [NT-proBNP] (p < 0.001). No difference was found in mortality rates (both during their stay in the intensive cardiac care unit [ICCU], and at the 1-year post-discharge follow-up) among the UA tertiles. Conclusions. The UA levels seem to serve as markers of the severity of coronary artery disease, since they identify a subset of patients characterized by an advanced age, more hemodynamic derangement, and reduced renal function. However, neither short nor long-term mortality was affected.


the system located in the substantia nigra of the midbrain, basal ganglia and cortex of the forebrain, and plays a leading role in error detection and correction. The main components of EMPS are the dopaminergic system and anterior cingulate cortex. Although, recent studies show that alcohol disrupts the EMPS, the ways in which alcohol affects this system are poorly understood. Based on current literature data, here we suggest a hypothesis of alcohol-related glucose-dependent system of error monitoring and processing, which holds that the disruption of the EMPS is related to the competency of glucose homeostasis regulation, which in turn may determine the dopamine level as a major component of EMPS. Alcohol may indirectly disrupt the EMPS by affecting dopamine level through disorders in blood glucose homeostasis regulation.


OBJECTIVE
to describe the process of construction and validation of clinical contents for health learning objects, aimed at patients in the treatment of head and neck cancer.

METHOD
descriptive, methodological study. The development of the script and the storyboard were based on scientific evidence and submitted to the appreciation of specialists for validation of content. The agreement index was checked quantitatively and the suggestions were qualitatively evaluated.

RESULTS
The items described in the roadmap were approved by 99% of expert experts. The suggestions for adjustments were inserted in their entirety in the final version. The free-marginal kappa statistical test, for multiple evaluators, presented value equal to 0.68%, granting a substantial agreement.

CONCLUSION
The steps taken in the construction and validation of the content for the production of educational material for patients with head and neck cancer were adequate, relevant and suitable for use in other subjects.


An extensive sample (2%) of private vehicles in Italy are equipped with a GPS device that periodically measures their position and dynamical state for insurance purposes. Having access to this type of data allows to develop theoretical and practical applications of great interest: the real-time reconstruction of traffic state in a certain region, the development of accurate models of vehicle dynamics, the study of the cognitive dynamics of drivers.
In order for these applications to be possible, we first need to develop the ability to reconstruct the paths taken by vehicles on the road network from the raw GPS data. In fact, these data are affected by positioning errors and they are often very distanced from each other (~2 Km). For these reasons, the task of path identification is not straightforward.
This thesis describes the approach we followed to reliably identify vehicle paths from this kind of low-sampling data.
The problem of matching data with roads is solved with a bayesian approach of maximum likelihood. While the identification of the path taken between two consecutive GPS measures is performed with a specifically developed optimal routing algorithm, based on A* algorithm. The procedure was applied on an off-line urban data sample and proved to be robust and accurate. Future developments will extend the procedure to real-time execution and nation-wide coverage.


Gas turbines are critical components in the combined cycle power systems being developed to generate electricity from solid fuels, such as coal and biomass. The use of such fuels to produce fuel gases introduces the potential for significant corrosive and erosive damage to gas turbine blades and vanes. Single crystal superalloys have been developed for use with clean fuels but are now being deployed in industrial gas turbines. The performance of these materials, with coatings, has to be determined before they can be used with confidence in dirtier fuel environments. This paper reports results from a series of laboratory tests carried out using the 'deposit replenishment' technique to investigate the sensitivity of candidate materials to exposure conditions anticipated to cause type I hot corrosion in such gas turbines. The materials investigated have included the single crystal nickel-based superalloys CMSX-4 and SC2-B, both bare and with Pt-Al coatings. The exposure conditions within the laboratory tests have covered ranges of SOx (50 and 500 volume parts per million, vpm) and HCl (0 and 500 vpm) in air, as well as 4/1 (Na/K)2SO4 deposits, with deposition fluxes of 1.5, 5 and 15 5g/cm2/h, for periods of up to 500 hours at 900°C. Data on the performance of materials has been obtained using dimensional metrology: pre-exposure contact measurements and post-exposure measurements of features on polished cross-sections. These measurement methods allow distributions of damage data to be determined for use in the development of materials performance modelling. In addition, the types of damage observed have been characterised using standard optical and SEM/EDX techniques. The damage rates of the single crystal materials without coatings are too high for them to be used with confidence in gas turbines fired with gases derived from 'dirty fuels'. Under the more severe combinations of gas composition, deposition flux and metal temperature, the corrosion rates of these materials with Pt-Al coatings are also excessive. The data produced from these tests has allowed the sensitivity of hot corrosion damage to changes in the exposure environment to be determined for the single crystal alloys and coating systems examined.


We propose weakening the assumption made when studying the price of anarchy: Rather than assume that self-interested players will play according to a Nash equilibrium (which may even be computationally hard to find), we assume only that selfish players play so as to minimize their own regret. Regret minimization can be done via simple, efficient algorithms even in many settings where the number of action choices for each player is exponential in the natural parameters of the problem. We prove that despite our weakened assumptions, in several broad classes of games, this "price of total anarchy" matches the Nash price of anarchy, even though play may never converge to Nash equilibrium. In contrast to the price of anarchy and the recently introduced price of sinking, which require all players to behave in a prescribed manner, we show that the price of total anarchy is in many cases resilient to the presence of Byzantine players, about whom we make no assumptions. Finally, because the price of total anarchy is an upper bound on the price of anarchy even in mixed strategies, for some games our results yield as corollaries previously unknown bounds on the price of anarchy in mixed strategies.


The food product innovation is advancing under pressure of: 1.st the growing request of innovations in foods products and processing challenging new consumers' needs; 2.nd, the advance in nutrigenomics and its contribution to increase knowledge about the relation between nutrition and food, iii) biotechnologies contribution to create customized food products to satisfy a variety of customers' needs (Hobbs, 2002).           An emerging food product category is the nutraceutic food, contributing to satisfy 'nutrients' and 'medical needs; beside it is easier with genomic techniques the original food composition to challenge the customers' needs it must be considered the consumers' adverse reaction for any technique used to change the food product composition. Purpose of this research is to suggest a modification of the sunflower oil composition obtained with genomic technique to change the product from bulk commodity to enhanced specialty food with health claims. The traditional bulk commodity market is based on uniform quality standard, higher volume of production priced at the minimum marginal cost. The specialty market segment demands products with distinctive attributes of higher quality and safety standards, more varieties and sustainability, supported by marketing mix strategies to set up higher prices and better margins according with customers' preferences. A growing importance in consumers' preferences are the combination of nutritional, health and environmental attributes that must be properly communicated with ad hoc messages describing the product's claim. To test the consumers' awareness about healthy claim and willingness to accept these enhanced food products, an explorative SEM analysis is conducted with a questionnaire. The results suggest that the consumer is in favor of the health and environmental care, nevertheless it is opportune to examine in deeper the causes (health claim, technology and environmental impact, communication, culture and others) to convince the consumers to adopt these functional product. The first part of the research is dedicated to analyze the innovations and demonstrate the scientific evidence of the health claims of the modified sunflower oil, describing the role of PUFA (Poly-unsaturated fatty acids).  It is discussed the metabolic pathway of the eico-esanoid EPA and DHA generated from modified sunflower oil, responsible of benefic effects on the human metabolism. The second part is dedicated to the inference about the consumers' acceptance of this functional sunflower oil using SEM model. It is our conviction that this procedure will open new perspectives of food innovation in creation of nutrition and healthy food  to satisfy the growing population in the world.


This chapter examines Obama's record on the promotion and protection of human rights in response to the rights most aggravated by the previous administration. It will begin with Obama's promises during his campaign, as president-elect and at the beginning of his presidency in 2009 to both the American public and the global community. These promises will be evaluated in light of the historical and contemporary human rights commitments of the US. The current state of human rights with respect to specific problematic issues carried over from the Bush years will then be considered, including the role that the EU has played in relation to Obama's pledges to recommit the US to human rights. Finally, the common human rights goals of the EU and US will be introduced. As noted by James Bratt early in 2010, with the election of Obama there was a positive feeling that the US would "return to being its old, familiar self—a country that played by the rules and acted friendly toward its neighbors, consulting them about mutual interests rather than rampaging around like a rogue elephant." Two years into Obama's presidency some question whether much progress has been made in the way of tangible policy changes on human rights.


This study examined syntactic features in the interlanguage of learners of English as a second language (ESL) via tasks of conversation and free essay-writing. Data were collected from sixty international students of different first language backgrounds at the Monash University English Language Centre and examined with regard to language style, typological universal and language transfer. Results showed that interlanguage did vary in tandem with style in various syntactic aspects, that the typological universal (the Accessibility Hierarchy) was supported by the data, but that language transfer did not seem to play an important part in the use of topic-comment structure. The findings of the study suggest that examination from a multi-dimensional perspective provides a richer picture of English interlanguage features under investigation.


ABSTRACT Objectives: With increasing discussion of physician assistant (PA) doctoral education, investigation of curriculum essentials and competencies has become relevant. Methods: We conducted a national mixed-methods study comprising a survey and semistructured interviews to capture stakeholders' views on essential curricular elements for PA doctoral education. Results: If the PA profession decides to transition to a terminal doctoral degree, 75% of respondents indicated this would require new content, with half indicating it would require significant change to the curriculum, enhance PA educational rigor, and change the competencies of the new graduate. The majority of respondents favored a bridge program model and the Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) as the degree title. Conclusions: Overall, respondents agreed that transition to an entry-level PA doctoral degree would affect various aspects of the curriculum. As the prospect of an entry-level PA doctoral degree gains further attention, additional debate on curriculum essentials and competencies is warranted.


Growing non-performing assets is a recurrent problem in the Indian banking sector. Over the past two decades, there have been two such episodes when the banking sector was severely impaired by balance sheet problems. In this paper we do a comparative analysis of the two banking crisis episodes-the one in the late 1990s and one that started in the aftermath of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and is yet to be resolved. We describe the macroeconomic and banking environment preceding the episodes, the degree and nature of the crises and also discuss the policy responses that have been undertaken. We conclude by drawing policy lessons from this discussion and suggest some measures that can be adopted to better deal with a future balance sheet related crisis in the banking sector such that the impact on the real economy is minimal.


Contemporary art is a challenge for the Catholic Church. In general,religion uses art to teach and astonish the faithful, but contemporary art, more than ever, cannot be a tool for anything other than the subjective, individual appreciation of beauty. This does not exclude the Church from influencing the artist for its own purpose, but the value of the work of art is inevitably reflected in the market and market values are secular, separating art from the artist's (and the Church's) intentions. Thus, the Church participates in art shows (such as the Venice Biennale), collects, buys, and sells with the purpose of selecting what, in effect, reflects its faith, thus indirectly influencing the artists and the market, while spreading its message.


Background: Various grafts and ligament augmentation devices (LADs) have been used in the search for optimal reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Purpose: To compare 25-year follow-up results after ACL reconstruction using a bone–patellar tendon–bone (BPTB) graft with or without the Kennedy LAD. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. Methods: One hundred patients undergoing ACL reconstruction between 1991 and 1993 were randomized into 2 groups: reconstruction using a BPTB graft alone (BPTB group, 51 patients) or a BPTB graft with the Kennedy LAD (LAD group, 49 patients). The 25-year follow-up evaluation included a clinical knee examination, patient-reported outcome measures, and an assessment of radiological osteoarthritis (OA) according to the Ahlbäck classification. Additional outcomes were reruptures and knee arthroplasty. Results: Ninety-three patients (93%) were available for the follow-up evaluation: 48 patients in the BPTB group and 45 in the LAD group. Through telephone calls, 26 patients were excluded from further investigation because of reruptures and arthroplasty in the knee of interest; 67 patients were further investigated. A total of 43 of 44 (98%) and 42 of 44 (95%) patients had negative or 1+ Lachman and pivot-shift test results, respectively. The mean Lysholm score was 85 for the BPTB group and 83 for the LAD group. All mean Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) subscale values were ≥73. There were no statistically significant differences between groups in any of these outcomes or regarding the Tegner score, radiological classification of OA, or number of ACL reruptures. Signs of radiological OA were detected in all patients, and severe radiological OA (Ahlbäck grade III, IV, or V) was detected in 32% of patients in the BPTB group and 21% of patients in the LAD group (P = .37). There were 12 patients in the BPTB group and 7 in the LAD group who had documented reruptures (P = .40). One patient in the BPTB group and 6 in the LAD group underwent knee arthroplasty (P = .054). Conclusion: In the present study, there were no statistically significant differences between groups in any of the outcomes. After 25 years, 19% of patients had reruptures, 27% had severe radiological OA, and 7% underwent knee arthroplasty.


Origin of A-type alkali feldspar granites is currently the subject of a world-wide debate. Contrasting hypotheses have been proposed, which range from an entirely crustal origin to an almost complete mantle derivation. A-type alkali feldspar granites belong to either unimodal granite (rhyolite)-dominated association, or bimodal gabbro (basalt)-granite (rhyolite) suite. It is argued that (i) the ultimate mantle origin of basic to intermediate rocks is beyond doubt, (ii) highly evolved felsic rocks may be produced by other processes besides crustal involvement through anatexis and (iii) large volumes of felsic rocks are a normal and direct consequence of extensive crystal fractionation processes. After a review of current hypotheses, it is concluded that A-type alkali feldspar granites are likely to be produced from mantle- derived liquids. Consideration of physical parameters (essentially density) of mantle, crust and liquids suggests that crust plays obviously a major role, not as a direct source for liquids, but operates as a density filter for migrating liquids and as a provider of the water required to generate silica oversaturated residual liquid and to fasten kinetics of differentiation processes. Anorthosite, rapakivi magmatism and A-type ring complexes are closely related in a coherent model of magma ascent and differentiation from the upper mantle up to the crustal surface.


Chromosomes of 24 curculionoid species from the Greater Puerto Rico Region, including the U.S. Virgin Islands are listed. Seven are endemic and eight are notable agricultural pests. The male meioformula of the broadnosed weevils (Brachyderinae, Otiorhynchinae) as well as of the brentid Cylas formicarius elengantulus is the expected 10 + Xy p , except for the phyllobiine Lachnopus kofresi from Mona Island (16 + Xy p ). Representatives of the other curculionid subfamilies had higher autosomal numbers and primitive sex bivalent, Xy p . An exception was Anthonomus eugenii , which has a sex trivalent (X 1 X 2 Y) in the male. For morphological and cytological reasons, Lachnopus coffeae montanus Marshall, L. seini Wolcott, and L. yaucona Wolcott were synonymized with L. coffeae Marshall (NEW SYNONYMIES). One species of Ischionoplus (Brachyderinae) is new to science and it is endemic for Mona Island.


Congenital AV malformations of scalp are rare congenital vascular malformations and often misdiagnosed as hemangiomas. Only 3 cases of neonatal scalp AVM have been reported till date. We report a rare case of self regressing scalp AV malformation in a neonate. An hour old full term female baby, presented with a soft, pulsatile large lesion (5cm x 4cm) with elevated borders and crusting over left parieto-occipital area, with bruit on auscultation. The infant had a soft cardiac murmur. USG cranium was likely suggestive of AV malformation or cephalhematoma. MR brain venography showed extra-calvarial network of multiple dilated tortuous veins draining into the left transverse sinus, sigmoid sinus and IJV. CT brain with CT carotid angiography revealed multiple arterial feeders from the left ECA and its branches, middle meningeal artery and left vertebral artery with multiple venous channels seen draining into the left transverse sinus, sigmoid sinus, IJV and EJV, the possibilities were arteriovenous malformation and less likely infantile hemangioma. Echocardiography showed small midmuscular VSD. Endovascular embolization was planned but didn't do immediately as the baby didn't show any signs of cardiac failure. The baby is on regular follow up and is growing well, with the lesion being regressing on its own. The baby doesn't have any signs of cardiac failure till now, hence only supportive care is being given. Early detection and comprehensive management of AVM result in a positive outcome. Embolization is only recommended if benefit outweighs the risk.


Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)–targeted radiotherapy of prostate cancer (PCa) has emerged recently as a promising approach to the treatment of disseminated disease. A small number of ligands have been evaluated in patients, and although early tumor response is encouraging, relapse rate is high and these compounds localize to the parotid, salivary, and lacrimal glands as well as to the kidney, leading to dose-limiting toxicities and adverse events affecting quality of life. We envision that dual-target binding ligands displaying high affinity for PSMA and appropriate affinity for human serum albumin (HSA) may demonstrate a higher therapeutic index and be suitable for treatment of PCa by targeted α-therapy. Methods: Six novel urea-based ligands with varying affinities for PSMA and HSA were synthesized, labeled with 131I, and evaluated by in vitro binding and uptake assays in LNCaP cells. Four compounds were advanced for further evaluation in a preclinical model of PCa. The compounds were compared with MIP-1095, a PSMA ligand currently in clinical evaluation. Results: The compounds demonstrated affinity for PSMA on the order of 4–40 nM and affinity for HSA in the range of 1–53 μM. Compounds with relatively high affinity for HSA (≤2 μM) showed high and sustained blood-pool activity and reduced uptake in the kidneys. 131I-RPS-027, with a 50% inhibitory concentration (PSMA) of 15 nM and a dissociation constant (HSA) of 11.2 μM, cleared from the blood over the course of 48 h and showed good tumor uptake (10 percentage injected dose per gram) and retention and a greater than 5-fold decrease in kidney uptake relative to MIP-1095. The tumor-to-kidney ratio of 131I-RPS-027 was greater than 3:1 at 24 h after injection, increasing to 7:1 by 72 h. Conclusion: RPS-027 shows dual targeting to PSMA and albumin, resulting in a high tumor uptake, highly favorable tissue distribution, and promising therapeutic profile in a preclinical model of prostate cancer. In comparison to existing ligands proposed for targeted therapy of prostate cancer, RPS-027 has tumor-to-tissue ratios that predict a significant reduction in side effects during therapy. Using iodine/radioiodine as a surrogate for the radiohalogen 211At, we therefore propose dual-target binding ligands such as RPS-027 as next-generation radiopharmaceuticals for targeted α-therapy using 211At.


Abstract Rats dosed with the vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor Sugen 5416 (Su), subjected to hypoxia, and then restored to normoxia have become a widely used model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, the mechanism by which Su exacerbates pulmonary hypertension is unclear. We investigated Su activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (hPASMCs) and blood outgrowth endothelial cells (BOECs) from female patients with PAH. We also examined the effect of AhR on aromatase and estrogen levels in the lung. Protein and mRNA analyses demonstrated that CYP1A1 was very highly induced in the lungs of Su/hypoxic (Su/Hx) rats. The AhR antagonist CH223191 (8 mg/kg/day) reversed the development of PAH in this model in vivo and normalized lung CYP1A1 expression. Increased lung aromatase and estrogen levels in Su/Hx rats were also normalized by CH223191, as was AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT [HIF‐1&bgr;]), which is shared by HIF‐1&agr; and AhR. Su reduced HIF‐1&agr; expression in hPASMCs. Su induced proliferation in BOECs and increased apoptosis in human pulmonary microvascular ECs and also induced translocation of AhR to the nucleus in hPASMCs. Under normoxic conditions, hPASMCs did not proliferate to Su. However, when grown in hypoxia (1%), Su induced hPASMC proliferation. In combination with hypoxia, Su is proliferative in hPASMCs and BOECs from patients with PAH, and Su/Hx‐induced PAH in rats may be facilitated by AhR‐induced CYP1A1, ARNT, and aromatase. Inhibition of AhR may be a novel approach to the treatment of pulmonary hypertension.


Background Hospital Information System (HIS) implementation is complex and costly compared to other information systems. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of designing and evaluating technical HIS requirements.Methods This study was conducted in 2016 in two parts: designing technical requirements and evaluating the HIS. The first part of the study was performed through the Delphi technique. In the second part of the study, evaluation of systems was done using a checklist based on the approved requirements.Results In the first part of the study, the final list of technical HIS requirements was designed with 73 items in four domains including 'communication service', 'system architecture', 'security service', and 'system response time'. In the second part, the results of the evaluation indicated that the approved requirements had been observed in 63.8%, 65.5%, 72.4%, and 76.3% of the HIS software programs in the dimensions of 'communication service', 'system architecture', 'security service', and 'system response time', respectively.Conclusions The technical HIS evaluation tool was designed to be used in the evaluation and selection of the system. The evaluation results also indicated that the studied HISs were weaker in 'communication service' and 'system architecture' domains compared to the other two domains under study.


In all seismic areas, local and state officials and prudent property owner, establish procedures to assess the safety of buildings and other important structures following a main seismic event. Such decisions, in most cases, are based on visual inspections of possible damage to the structure. If the structure appears damaged, it is necessary to further examine and assess as to whether the damage condition of the structure presents an unsafe environment for the occupants of that structure. If available, instrumental measurements of shaking of a building or a nearby ground site are very useful to decision makers. In this sense the paper present a method to assess the building safety of Reinforced Concrete structures using seismic records made by seismic station. Both dynamic analysis and processing/recording of seismic events are made using modern techniques and equipment existent in Reinforced Concrete Laboratory. Mention that seismic equipment for strong motion records belongs National Seismic Network for Construction of National Institute for Research and Development in Construction, Urban Planning and Sustainable Spatial Development."URBAN-INCERC", and equipment was installed here on the base of cooperation protocol signed by the two institutions. The paper results are conclusive and are discussed both on the charts and analytical results obtained. The activities of this research were conducted under the supervision of PhD. Claudiu-Sorin DRAGOMIR, Lecturer in the Department of Environment and Land Reclamation at the Faculty of Land Reclamation and Environment Engineering Faculty in Bucharest in Bucharest.


Title of dissertation: MULTILINGUAL USE OF TWITTER: LANGUAGE CHOICE AND LANGUAGE BRIDGES IN A SOCIAL NETWORK Irene Eleta, Doctor of Philosophy, 2014 Dissertation directed by: Professor Jennifer Golbeck College of Information Studies Social media is international: users from different cultures and language backgrounds are generating and sharing content. But language barriers emerge in the communication landscape online. In the quest for language diversity and universal access, the vision of a cosmopolitan Internet has stumbled over the language frontier. Expatriates, minorities, diasporic communities, and language learners play an important role in forming transnational networks, creating social ties across borders. Many users of social media are multicultural and multilingual; they are mediating between language communities. In the microblogging site Twitter, information spreads across languages and countries. How are multilingual users of Twitter connecting language groups? What are the factors influencing their language choices? This research advances a step towards understanding the network structures and communication strategies that enable intercultural dialog, cross-language sharing of information, and awareness of global problems. This dissertation research aims at: (1) exploring the ways in which multilingual users of Twitter are connecting different language groups in their social network; (2) modeling how the network influences their language choices; (3) and exploring what the textual features of their posts can elicit about language choices and mediation between groups. This dissertation goes beyond survey information about multilingualism and provides a deeper understanding about the structural relations between language communities in Twitter. This research work is one of the few that apply social network analysis to the study of sociolinguistic questions on the Internet. Focusing on the social networks of multilingual users, this dissertation contributes an original classification of network types based on the patterns of connections between language groups. Also, it applies the novel idea of modeling the influence of network factors in the language choices of the user. Finally, this dissertation tests the hypothesis that the type of exchange influences language choice, and explores with a theme analysis how other textual features might elicit cross-cultural awareness. These results can inform the design of social media platforms. MULTILINGUAL USE OF TWITTER: LANGUAGE CHOICE AND LANGUAGE BRIDGES IN A SOCIAL NETWORK


PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Through its direct adverse effects on the kidney and via associated intermediate disease states like type 2 diabetes and hypertension, obese has arguably become the master risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). The purpose of this review is to critically evaluate bariatric surgery, which is the most effective weight reduction strategy available, as a renoprotective strategy.

RECENT FINDINGS
Recent randomized studies confirm that bariatric surgery is effective at improving or even remitting major CKD risk factors such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. In addition, observational studies performed primarily in patients without preexisting CKD report improvements in estimated glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria after bariatric surgery. Yet this literature is limited by study design, participant selection, statistical power, and measurement issues that must be overcome to better define kidney-related benefits, especially with regard to harder kidney-related and other clinical endpoints.

SUMMARY
Encouraging data exist on the renoprotective effects of bariatric surgery. However, important knowledge gaps still remain. Future research should focus on studying, ideally in randomized fashion, the renoprotective effects of bariatric surgery in patients with preexisting CKD to better define the benefit-risk ratio for each patient.


The nucleotide sequence of a 4.5-kilobase copper resistance determinant from Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato revealed four open reading frames (ORFs) in the same orientation. Deletion and site-specific mutational analyses indicated that the first two ORFs were essential for copper resistance; the last two ORFs were required for full resistance, but low-level resistance could be conferred in their absence. Five highly conserved, direct 24-base repeats were found near the beginning of the second ORF, and a similar, but less conserved, repeated region was found in the middle of the first ORF.


The studies of ferroelectricity (FE) are of technological significance because of the multitude of applicable properties that ferroelectric materials exhibit. The mastery, and control of these properties necessitate the knowledge of the fundamental physics governing these insulating materials. In this dissertation I present the results of first-principles investigations of the behavior of the fundamental ferroelectric properties under strain, and in the presence of vacancies. In the first part I introduce the important FE properties, their common behavior, and their numerous valuable applications. Following this background on FEs, a review of theoretical methods is presented with topics such as: Density Functional Theory (DFT), Pseudopotential method, Berry Phase Calculation and Density Functional Perturbation Theory (DFPT). Further, new theoretical approaches are introduced in this dissertation to enable the study of polarization for charged system. In this work I report behaviors of polarization in rhombohedral (R3m) BaTiO3 (BTO) that do not conform with intuition, or the current state of known behavior of epitaxially strained BTO. These studies reveal a polarization that increases with tensile strain, instead of compressive strain, and a polarization that is anticorrelated with an elongation of the out-of-plane axis. Additionally, the studies indicate strain-driven phase transitions to R3c and Cm upon application of moderate epitaxial compressive (η = −1.75%) and small tensile strain (η = +0.375%), respectively. A simple physical explanation, which can be extended to FE materials of the same symmetry, is also provided for this unusual FE behavior. I also report the studies on the evolution of phonon modes of vibration under strain in tetragonal (P4mm) BTO, revealing that careful analyses are necessary in the assignment of vibration modes in strained system due to different mode ordering between unstrained and strained systems. The splitting between Longitudinal Optical and Transverse Optical vibration mode is rigorously defined in this work, and shown to depend on mode mixing. The evolution of important quantities such as dielectric constant is also presented in this work. Finally, the results of investigations on the influence of vacancies on ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties will be presented in this dissertation. First, the studies of vacancy formation energy are highlighted, which shows the type and charge character of the vacancy that are most likely to occur under any given growth conditions. Afterward, I present the effect of vacancies on polarization and polarization switching in tetragonal BTO, demonstrating the relevance of polarization change in charged polar system, and proposing a method of calculating the polarization and an new polarization-switching pathway in FE BTO in the presence of charged vacancies. Then, I reveal the possibility of vacancy-induced ferromagnetism in BTO, and the microscopic origin of this ferromagnetism. To Erwin Michaël and Raeliarijaona Adolphe Lucien for everything you have given me, the path you have opened and urged me to tread, the joy, love and support.


Purpose of review The current article reviews the advances and challenges in the fight with cancer and the hope for cure, with a focus on clinical trials, at the one time with the best outcomes; first-line therapy. Recent findings To date there have been four great stories that bridge inception to development of new drugs in ovarian cancer: Serendipitous insight into the role of platinum, discovery of taxanes, understanding the microenvironment and angiogenesis, and following the science in the development of Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. There is a fundamental difference between overall survival (OS), simply living longer; and eradicating disease, cure. The scientific underpinning of both our understanding and the recent developments encourages an optimistic view of the remaining hurdles. Summary There has been an unprecedented explosion in the number of new drugs approved for the treatment of ovarian cancer with three new classes of agent, and five new drugs receiving food and drug administration approval in the last 3 years (Fig. 2). Getting the right drug truly transforms patients' experience with the seminal event being the development of imatinib in CML. In 1980, an average patient would have lived only 3 years, and now they only live 3 years less than a full lifespan [Bower et al. (2016). J Clin Oncol 34:2851].


We present an algorithm by which nodes arranged in a tree, with each node initially knowing only its parent and children, can construct a fault-tolerant communication structure (an expander graph) among themselves in a distributed and scalable way. The tree overlayed with this logical expander is a useful structure for distributed applications that require the intrinsic "treeness" from the topology but cannot afford any obstruction in communication due to failures. At the core of our construction is a novel distributed mechanism that samples nodes uniformly at random from the tree. In the event of node joins, node departures or node failures, the expander maintains its own fault tolerance and permits the reformation of the tree. We present simulation results to quantify the convergence of our algorithm to a fault tolerant network having both good vertex connectivity and expansion properties.


People rely on data-driven AI technologies nearly every time they go online, whether they are shopping, scrolling through news feeds, or looking for entertainment. Yet despite their ubiquity, personalization algorithms and the associated large-scale collection of personal data have largely escaped public scrutiny. Policy makers who wish to introduce regulations that respect people's attitudes towards privacy and algorithmic personalization on the Internet would greatly benefit from knowing how people perceive personalization and personal data collection. To contribute to an empirical foundation for this knowledge, we surveyed public attitudes towards key aspects of algorithmic personalization and people's data privacy concerns and behavior using representative online samples in Germany ( N  = 1065), Great Britain ( N  = 1092), and the United States ( N  = 1059). Our findings show that people object to the collection and use of sensitive personal information and to the personalization of political campaigning and, in Germany and Great Britain, to the personalization of news sources. Encouragingly, attitudes are independent of political preferences: People across the political spectrum share the same concerns about their data privacy and show similar levels of acceptance regarding personalized digital services and the use of private data for personalization. We also found an acceptability gap: People are more accepting of personalized services than of the collection of personal data and information required for these services. A large majority of respondents rated, on average, personalized services as more acceptable than the collection of personal information or data. The acceptability gap can be observed at both the aggregate and the individual level. Across countries, between 64% and 75% of respondents showed an acceptability gap. Our findings suggest a need for transparent algorithmic personalization that minimizes use of personal data, respects people's preferences on personalization, is easy to adjust, and does not extend to political advertising.


PURPOSE
To utilize a deformable phantom to objectively evaluate the accuracy of 11 different deformable image registration (DIR) algorithms.

METHODS
The phantom represents an axial plane of the pelvic anatomy. Urethane plastic serves as the bony anatomy and urethane rubber with three levels of Hounsfield units (HU) is used to represent fat and organs, including the prostate. A plastic insert is placed into the phantom to simulate bladder filling. Nonradiopaque markers reside on the phantom surface. Optical camera images of these markers are used to measure the positions and determine the deformation from the bladder insert. Eleven different DIR algorithms are applied to the full and empty-bladder computed tomography images of the phantom (fixed and moving volumes, respectively) to calculate the deformation. The algorithms include those from MIM Software (MIM) and Velocity Medical Solutions (VEL) and nine different implementations from the deformable image registration and adaptive radiotherapy toolbox for Matlab. These algorithms warp one image to make it similar to another, but must utilize a method for regularization to avoid physically unrealistic deformation scenarios. The mean absolute difference (MAD) between the HUs at the marker locations on one image and the calculated location on the other serves as a metric to evaluate the balance between image similarity and regularization. To demonstrate the effect of regularization on registration accuracy, an additional beta version of MIM was created with a variable smoothness factor that controls the emphasis of the algorithm on regularization. The distance to agreement between the measured and calculated marker deformations is used to compare the overall spatial accuracy of the DIR algorithms. This overall spatial accuracy is also utilized to evaluate the phantom geometry and the ability of the phantom soft-tissue heterogeneity to represent patient data. To evaluate the ability of the DIR algorithms to accurately transfer anatomical contours, the rectum is delineated on both the fixed and moving images. A Dice similarity coefficient is then calculated between the contour on the fixed image and that transferred, via the calculated deformation, from the moving to the fixed image.

RESULTS
The phantom possesses sufficient soft-tissue heterogeneity to act as a proxy for patient data. Large discrepancies appear between the algorithms and the measured ground-truth deformation. VEL yields the smallest mean spatial error and a Dice coefficient of 0.90. MIM produces the lowest MAD value and the highest Dice coefficient of 0.96, but creates the largest spatial errors. Increasing the MIM smoothness factor above the default value improves the overall spatial accuracy, but the factor associated with the lowest mean error decreases the Dice coefficient to 0.85.

CONCLUSIONS
Different applications of DIR require disparate balances between image similarity and regularization. A DIR algorithm that is optimized only for its ability to transfer anatomical contours will yield large deformation errors in homogeneous regions, which is problematic for dose mapping. For this reason, these algorithms must be tested for their overall spatial accuracy. The developed phantom is an objective tool for this purpose.


To detect weak signals is difficult in signal processing and is very important in many areas such as non-destructive evaluation (NDE), radar etc. Sparse signal decomposition from overcomplete dictionaries are the most recent technique in the signal processing community. In this paper, this technique is utilized to cope with ultrasonic weak flaw detection problem. But its calculation is huge (NP problem). A new improved matching pursuit algorithm is proposed. The mathematical model of searching algorithms based on artificial fish swarm is established; the artificial fish swarm with the advantages of distributed parallel searching ability, strong robustness, good global astringency, and insensitive preferences are employed to search the best matching atoms. It can reduce complexity of sparse decomposition and space of memory. Experimental results shows that the amplitude, frequency and initial phase parameters of ultrasonic signal blurred by strong noise can be estimated according to the proposed algorithm, and the expected weak signal can be then reconstructed. When this method is used in the ultrasonic flaw detection, compared with the wavelet entropy and wavelet transform, the results show that the signal quality and performance parameters are improved obviously.


Can the Constitution be legitimately, albeit implicitly, amended by the Supreme Court? The possibility of implicit constitutional amendment - most forcefully advocated by Professor Bruce Ackerman as "transformative" Supreme Court decisions - has been articulated to justify, legitimate, and entrench various radical reinterpretations of the Constitution, most notably the New Deal Court's vast expansion of the power to regulate commerce. The article concludes that such implicit constitutional amendments are theoretically illegitimate and provide strong disincentives for "We the People" to become politically active in order to "correct" flaws in the original Constitution or interpretations thereof that are deemed no longer normatively desirable. They bypass the process of amendment provided for in Article V and encourage popular political lethargy and judicial paternalism.


The paper describes reviews referring to determination of working parameters of the development processes of composites in copper matrix, by vapour-phase deposition method. The molybdenum was used as complementary phase. Structural characterization of coatings developed by optical microscopy and electronic scanning and effects of surface structure on their characteristics were presented. The specificity of the technology for obtaining Cu-Mo composites is a condition to formation a special laminated structure. The mechanical characteristics of the condensate depending on the amount of molibden. An important role in forming the structure and characteristics is played by the defects which were formed in the condensate during the transfer in the liquid phase as drops. Electrochemical tests have shown that the corrosion resistance of the composites obtained by PVD method is higher than pure copper.


ABSTRACT This paper presents a case study of second-language acquisition of Hebrew via immersion in daycare between 1;10 and 3;0. A period of silence was followed by rapid onset of L2 production simultaneously with many references to language itself. Eight types of language awareness were identified, and of these, several types may be prerequisites for starting L2 production. The nature of L2 speech during the first stages of production suggests that to crack the sematic code of L2, the child relies on identifiable contingencies between utterances and subsequent behaviours by speakers and listeners. As a result there are many more imperatives and interrogatives in L2 than are evident in L1 speech, and these appear to be learned by rote in an unanalysed manner. The transition to complex constructions occurs via the juxtaposition of known but syntactically unanalysed chunks, and results in patterns of syntactic errors similar to those of adult second-language learners. Reliance on L1 as a fall-back strategy was also evident. Several implications of these data for cognitive development in general are discussed.


OBJECTIVE Diabetes self-management is the cornerstone of overall diabetes management. Yet many questions concerning self-management remain unanswered. The current study was designed to examine several questions about diabetes self-management: 1) What do individuals report being told to do? 2) What are their self-reported levels and patterns of self-care? 3) Are there differences on self-reported self-management recommendations and levels across various subgroups? RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Mailed surveys were returned by 2,056 individuals (73.4% response rate). Of the total, 13.8% had IDDM and the remainder had NIDDM, with 65% of the NIDDM group using insulin. RESULTS The levels and patterns of self-management were consistent with those found in previous studies, i.e., individuals most regularly followed their prescribed medication regimen and least regularly followed recommendations for lifestyle changes of diet and exercise. There were significant differences on reported self-management recommendations across different subgroups. Comparisons on level of self-management across diabetes type revealed significant differences for diet and glucose testing. Differences were also found on self-management levels for a number of individual characteristics, including age, working status, and type of insurance, along with knowledge of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial findings. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide important information on perceived self-management recommendations and the specific self-management levels and patterns in individuals with diabetes. The current findings may help health professionals better understand the levels and correlates of diabetes self-management and direct future research.


How genes with newly characterized functions originate remains a fundamental question. PMCHL1 and PMCHL2, two chimeric genes derived from the melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) gene, offer an opportunity to examine such an issue in the human lineage. Detailed structural, expression, and phylogenetic analysis showed that the PMCHL1 gene was created near 25 million years ago (Ma) by a complex mechanism of exon shuffling through retrotransposition of an antisense MCH messenger RNA coupled to de novo creation of splice sites. PMCHL2 arose 5 to 10 Ma by an event of duplication involving a large chromosomal region encompassing the PMCHL1 locus. The RNA expression patterns of those chimeric genes suggest that they have been submitted to strong regulatory constraints during primate evolution.


Static and dynamic light scattering was applied in a comprehensive study of the different modes of relaxatory motion in polystyrene-dioxane mixtures, comprising the whole range of different compositions from dilute solution to plasticized melts. For the analysis of data measured in the presence of the nearly elastic anomalous excess scattering usually encountered in concentrated solutions and the melt, a generalized Siegert relation was used. Analysis of depolarized dynamic scattering data obtained for the PS-rich mixtures indicates a simple Vogel-Fulcher temperature dependence for the relaxation rates of the anisotropy fluctuations with T(g) as the only relevant parameter. The dynamics observed in polarized scattering continuously changes its character, being dominated at low temperatures and high concentrations by density fluctuations and in the limit of high temperatures and low concentrations by concentration fluctuations. Density and anisotropy fluctuations show identical relaxation rates.


This paper introduces the class of "strongly endotactic networks", a subclass of the endotactic networks introduced by G. Craciun, F. Nazarov, and C. Pantea. The main result states that the global attractor conjecture holds for complex-balanced systems that are strongly endotactic: every trajectory with positive initial condition converges to the unique positive equilibrium allowed by conservation laws. This extends a recent result by D. F. Anderson for systems where the reaction diagram has only one linkage class (connected component). The results here are proved using differential inclusions, a setting that includes power-law systems. The key ideas include a perspective on reaction kinetics in terms of combinatorial geometry of reaction diagrams, a projection argument that enables analysis of a given system in terms of systems with lower dimension, and an extension of Birch's theorem, a well-known result about intersections of affine subspaces with manifolds parameterized by monomials.


Recent evidence in biology and medicine has expanded the knowledge of cytokines function in many disease states and conditions as well as the severe adverse effects implicated in the escalated production associated with specific disease conditions. This special issue was intended to provide an updated view on the role of cytokines in the disease pathogenesis of degenerative and neoplastic disorders. Special emphasis has been dedicated to the contribution of cytokines to systemic conditions including but not limited to neurodegeneration, cancer, and graft/prosthesis rejection. To address these issues we invited authors who could shed light on the contribution of cytokines on such diseases, identify mechanisms employed by tumor cells to subvert the host cytokine response, provide new cellular and animal models to test and understand the activity of cytokines in degenerative and neoplastic diseases, highlight cytokines involved in neurodegeneration, and illustrate how cytokines affect graft and prosthesis rejection.

One of the papers of this special issue addresses the dynamics of acute local inflammatory response to the intramuscular cell transfer in autologous cell models. Early immune reaction (infiltration with neutrophils and macrophages) at the site of injection was accompanied by considerable rise of Il-1α, Il-6, Tgf-β, and Tnf-α gene expressions. Autotransplantation of muscle-derived cells into skeletal muscle resulted in marked decrease of viable transplanted cells which may contribute to the low efficacy of cellular grafts. Another paper presents the observations collected from children with allergic rhinitis (AR). The authors showed that the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-37b, a member of the interleukin 1 cytokine family whose expression is related to the efficacy of intranasal synthetic steroid (mometasone furoate) therapy, downregulated the expression of Th2 cytokines in PBMCs through MAPK and PI3-K signaling pathways in AR. The paper entitled "Tumour necrosis factor superfamily members in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease" reviews the contribution of the tumor necrosis superfamily (TNFSF) to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Special attention was drawn on TL1A, FasL, LIGHT, TRAIL, and TWEAK as possible targets in IBD treatment through their role on apoptosis and T-cell differentiation. One of the papers of this special issue is a review featuring TNF-α as a proinflammatory cytokine exerting both homeostatic and pathophysiological roles in the central nervous system. It summarizes the current knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which TNF-α links the neuroinflammatory and excitotoxic processes that occur in several neurodegenerative diseases, but with a special emphasis on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It stresses the de novo production of TNF-α by microglia as an important component of the so-called neuroinflammatory response which may represent a valuable target for intervention. The paper entitled "Protective effects of lipoxin A4 in testis injury following testicular torsion and detorsion in rats" describes the study on the protective effects of lipoxin A4 (LXA4), a lipid mediator with potent anti-inflammatory properties, in rat testis injury following testicular torsion/detorsion. Lipoxin A4 protective effect takes place via modulation of proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, and NF-κB activity. The paper by J. M. Zarzynska addresses the current view on the dual role played by TGF-β1 in breast cancer insurgence and progression. In early stages of breast cancer, TGF-β1 inhibits epithelial cell cycle progression and promotes apoptosis, showing tumor suppressive effects. However, in late stages of the disease, TGF-β1 cooperates to promote tumor progression by orchestrating the tumor microenvironment cytokines production, influencing tumor cell motility, invasion genes expression, cancer invasiveness, and metastasis. TGF-β1 is also involved in cancer microenvironment modification and promotion of epithelial to mesenchymal transition. According to current knowledge, several drugs counteracting TGF-β1 have been developed and are either in preclinical or in early stages of clinical investigation. One of the papers evaluates the importance of intestinal homeostasis for the healthy status of the large bowel. The authors present numerous data that substantiate dietary essential n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and short-chain fatty acid butyrate as anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents. PUFAs modulate the production and activities of TNF family cytokines (TNF-α, TRAIL, and FasL) that have potent inflammatory activities. The possible application for the prevention and therapy of colon inflammation and cancer is also outlined. The final paper of this special issue outlines the effects of the antibiotic florfenicol on the expected changes in sTNF-α, damage markers of the liver and kidney, and the lipid metabolism parameters in endotoxemic brown trout. The paper concludes that florfenicol does not affect the LPS-mediated increases of sTNF-α and does not prevent liver or kidney damage indicating that the antibiotic does not have any evident positive effects on acute endotoxemia in fish.

Overall, the current issue highlights the multidisciplinary contribution of cytokines, through their broad spectrum signaling capability and regulation of cellular communication, as crucial mediators in diverse pathologic entities with broad etiology.

Arkadiusz Orzechowski

Agueda A. Rostagno

Sabina Pucci

Gilles Chiocchia


: Positive inotropic responses to selective alpha-adrenoceptor agonists of isolated paced left atria and chronotropic responses of isolated spontaneously beating right atria of rats were examined. After establishing a cumulative concentration-response curve to isoprenaline, and washout, a concentration-response curve for phenylephrine, methoxamine, cirazoline, amidephrine or UK 14,304 was constructed in the presence of beta-adrenoceptor blockade by propranolol. The 4 alpha 1-selective agonists produced positive inotropic responses, the order of maximum effectiveness being methoxamine greater than phenylephrine greater than cirazoline greater than amidephrine. In terms of EC50 values, methoxamine was the least potent, the other 3 agonists having approximately equivalent potencies. The alpha 2-selective agonist UK 14,304 had no inotropic activity. Weak positive chronotropic activity occurred with phenylephrine, methoxamine and amidephrine; cirazoline exerted only negative chronotropy and UK 14,304 was without effect. Phenylephrine was examined in the absence or presence of prazosin (3 nM) or propranolol (1 microM). Propranolol failed to affect the concentration-response curve for left atrial tension, but prazosin displaced the curve to the right. This indicates that the inotropic responses obtained in the absence of antagonists were mediated solely via alpha-adrenoceptors. After displacement by prazosin there was a further shift by propranolol, suggesting the presence of a beta-adrenoceptor-mediated component at higher concentrations of phenylephrine. The right atrial rate responses to phenylephrine were unaffected by prazosin, but abolished by propranolol; beta-adrenoceptors only are therefore involved in this response. The pA2 values for antagonism of methoxamine-induced increases in left atrial tension by the alpha 1- and alpha 2-selective antagonists prazosin (9.05 +/- 0.06) and idazoxan (6.37 +/- 0.05), respectively, were consistent with the responses being mediated via alpha-adrenoceptors of the alpha 1-subtype. The pA2 value for prazosin was similar to that obtained for antagonism of methoxamine-induced contractions of rat aortic spirals (8.83 +/- 0.13).


The BEAU is an electric-assist bicycle system that
is completely self-contained within the rear wheel. The purpose of
approaching a electric-assist bicycle in this manner is two-fold:
simplifying the device and opening the method of implementation to
more creative uses. The project requires a large amount of
knowledge from many fields. Based on the limits of research, the
project will show the aspects of the BEAU's design and how they
meet the overall design goals of the project. The BEAU is made up
of several parts, none of which include a bicycle. The design of
the BEAU takes the bicycle and rider into account only for
aesthetic and control reasons. Inside the BEAU reside a custom
motor, closed loop controller with power electronic drive elements
for the motor, battery pack with custom battery management
circuitry, and torque and rotary position encoders. The
simplification of both the device required to electrify a bicycle
and the user input required to control such a device is intended to
make the BEAU a very attractive electric bicycle conversion
alternative that can be used not only for consumer uses, but also
in situations of mass utilization, such as a bike sharing program.
This research was completed entirely within the Smart Cities group
by the author. The original concept of the BEAU was arrived at
during a meeting with the late William J. Mitchell as the
"GreenWheel" and the project was begun as a team effort with
Michael T. Lin, also of Smart Cities. The BEAU manifestation is
entirely of the authors design with the purpose of investigating
some of the more theoretical aspects of the GreenWheel
concept.


We model Boston fluid milk market after taking into account strategic interactions of the processors and retailers and estimate it using monthly propriety retail scanner data and other data from public sources from 1996 to 2000. Market demand is modeled using flexible nested logit demand system and processor level cost is modeled using flexible generalized Leontief cost function. Our modeled is flexible enough to capture the nature of competition between brands within store and across stores. We find that the brands compete much more vigorously within store and than across stores. This structure of competition fits squarely with Slade's (1995) assumption on retail competition. We also explore strategic implications of the North East Dairy Compact on retailers and processors using emerging methodologies of antitrust simulation. The predictions from the antitrust simulation analysis are consistent with the concept of "focal point pricing" at the Compact implementation, suggesting an increase of market power in the fluid milk marketing channel. Our estimated brand level total channel price cost margins also show that the margins increased after the Compact implementation.


Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been gaining acceptance in image-guided microsurgery as a noninvasive imaging technique. However, when using B-mode OCT imaging, it is difficult to continuously keep the surgical tool in the imaging field, and the image of the tissue beneath the tool is corrupted by shadow effects. The alternative using C-mode OCT imaging is either too slow in imaging speed when operating in a high-resolution mode, or provides a poor image resolution in a high-speed mode, with the sweep rate less than one million hertz. Moreover, the 3-dimensional rendering of C-mode OCT image makes it difficult to visualize the tissue structure and track the surgical tool beneath the tissue surface. To solve these problems, we propose a BC-mode OCT image visualization method. This method uses a sparse C-scanning scheme, which provides a set of high-resolution B-mode OCT images at sparsely spaced cross sections. The final BC-mode OCT image is obtained by averaging the image set, with inter frame variance processing to enhance the signal of the surgical tool and tissue layers. The performance of BC-mode OCT images, such as image resolution, signal to noise ratio (SNR), imaging speed, and surgical tool tracking accuracy, is analyzed theoretically and verified experimentally. The feasibility of the proposed method is evaluated by guiding the insertion of a 30-gauge needle into the cornea of an ex-vivo human eye freehand. The results show that this provides better visualization of both the surgical tool and the tissue structure than the conventional B- or C- mode OCT image.


: DNA index and cell cycle distribution were studied by flow cytometry in 32 cases of ovarian borderline cystadenoma, 16 ovarian cystadenocarcinoma and 12 ovarian benign cystadenoma, and their relations to pathological patterns of the diseases were inquired. The results showed that the DNA index and S+G2M phase in cell cycle of the diseases were related to their pathological patterns. The DNA index and S+G2M cell were increased by turn from benign to borderline and to malignant tumor. DNA index and cell cycle distribution might be valuable in reflecting the biological behavior of deteriorating ovarian cystadenoma. The authors consider that determination of DNA content and cell cycle could be biological indexes of supplementary diagnosis for the deterioration of borderline tumor.


The aim of this study was to evaluate the residual effect of phosphorus (P) fertilizer applied to an Urochloa decumbens cv. Basilisk pasture on the P bioavailability to the following soybean crop. Low-productivity pasture, planted on an Oxisol in an experimental field at Embrapa Cerrados, was divided into three strips, each of 1.5 ha and fertilized by broadcasting annual applications of 0, 20 and 40 kg ha-1 of P2O5 for four years. After the pasture was desiccate with herbicide, soybeans were sown and fertilized with 0, 50 and 100 kg ha-1 of P2O5 applied within each strip, making a total of nine (3x3) P treatments. Residual available P content (Mehlich-1 and resin) from the pasture fertilization was lower than from soybean fertilization. However, the bioavailable residual P from the pasture, determined by P accumulated in plants, production of dry matter and grain yield, had similar availability to inorganic P applied to the soybean. Early P fertilization applied to pasture is technically feasible and can be used to maintain the pasture: it is recommended to replace corrective fertilization for following soybean crops.


moral heuristics are pervasive, and they produce moral errors. we can identify those errors as such even if we do not endorse any contentious moral view. to accept this point, it is also unnecessary to make controversial claims about moral truth. but the notion of moral heuristics can be understood in diverse ways, and a great deal of work remains to be done in understanding the nature of moral intuitions, especially those that operate automatically and nonreflectively, and in exploring the possibility of altering such intuitions through modest changes in context and narrative.


BACKGROUND
Increased incidence and mortality of prostate cancer (PCa) suggest that U.S. African-American men have more invasive cancer than Caucasian men. Invasive PCa requires several proteases, including the cysteine protease cathepsin B (CB), for degradation of basement membrane and extracellular matrix proteins prior to cancer cell migration across biological compartments. Our objective was to determine whether CB immunostaining patterns, in relation to clinical data, could distinguish invasive PCa in African-American and Caucasian patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Fifty Gleason score 6/7 PCa cases were selected for similar clinical data with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) samples as controls. Immunostainings were imaged directly from microscope slides to a computer using a digital camera. Data were quantified using Metamorph software, analyzed using the two-sample t-test and confirmed by multiple regression.

RESULTS
Ratios of CB to its endogenous inhibitor stefin A (SA) immunostainings were greater in PCa than BPH, but were not significantly different in PCa of either race. The African-American patients did not show increased CB immunostaining, indicating that the contribution of this protease to invasiveness was similar in both races.

CONCLUSION
When veterans received equal medical care at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, African-American patients did not show increased PCa invasiveness. Our conclusion is supported by analysis of post-surgery serum total PSA levels and cancer cell invasion to margins/capsules, seminal vesicles and/or lymph nodes. Invasiveness of PCa does not appear to be race-dependent. The previous conclusion of race-based differences in PCa requires re-evaluation with respect to the role of proteases (such as CB, matrix metalloproteinase) in invasion and metastasis of cancer cells.


One major purpose of the Introduction of a research text is to announce the direction of the study (DoS). Yet, formulating a DoS can be quite a demanding task for the novice writer. This explains why it is a common topic covered in research manuals and guidebooks of English for research and publication purposes (ERPP), with both offering advice on the use of three generic linguistic resources: the purpose statement, the research question and/or the hypothesis - collectively referred to by Lim (2018) as directional determinants (or the determinants hereafter). The coverage of the trio, however, varies greatly between the two types of literature. research manuals often emphasize the epistemological orientation of an inquiry as a key shaper of the use of the determinants, paying little attention to their textual realizations. In contrast, ERPP guidebooks tend to provide instructions concerning often overly-general linguistic conventions while downplaying how they may be constrained by epistemological considerations. Both lacunae have resulted from a lack of systematic inquiries of the determinants from which empirical insights can be drawn. Addressing these gaps, this paper presents a study that compares the use of the determinants in the Introductions of three types of research articles published in Information Systems: behavioural science research, interpretivist research and design science research. results indicate marked differences in the use of the determinants across the three types of writing in terms of their choices, propositional content and linguistic realizations. Drawing on these observations, the paper also discusses how to instruct novice writers in formulating epistemologically-specific directional determinants.


Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and its receptors are expressed in the hypothalamus and limbic regions. Brain thyrotropin-releasing hormone actions are exerted directly through its receptors and indirectly by modulating the effects of neurotransmitters such as glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid, acetylcholine, and dopamine. The thyrotropin-releasing hormone has been implicated in eating and mood regulation. We integrate studies that analyze the role of limbic thyrotropin-releasing hormone on displaying depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors and anorexia or hyperphagia. Since the decade of 1970s, different efforts have been made to identify some of the thyrotropin-releasing hormone effects and its analogs in feeding regulation or to ameliorate symptoms in patients diagnosed with mood disorders, and to correlate anxious or depressive parameters with thyrotropin-releasing hormone levels in the cerebrospinal fluid or its expression in postmortem brain areas of affected patients. Pharmacological studies where the thyrotropin-releasing hormone is administered to animals by different routes and to distinct brain areas have elucidated its actions in behavioral changes of mood and feeding parameters. In addition, a variety of animal models of depression, anxiety, or anorexia and hyperphagia has suggested the association between the hypothalamic and limbic TRHergic system and the regulation of mood and feeding alterations. Different approaches employ the administration of anti-depressant, anxiolytic or anorectic agents to animals and describe changes in thyrotropin-releasing hormone content or expression in hypothalamic or limbic regions. The different effects on mood that result from modulating thyrotropin-releasing hormone expression may be beneficial to treat patients diagnosed with eating disorders.


BACKGROUND
older adults face several modifiable barriers for engaging in physical activity (PA) programmes such as incontinence, loneliness and fear of falling. Enhancing PA programmes with behavioural components to support self-management of such barriers may increase the effectiveness to preserve functional capacity and independent living.

OBJECTIVE
this study aimed at assessing the effects of a complex active lifestyle intervention (CALSTI) on objective and self-report measures of functional capacity and disability in community-dwelling older adults.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS
about 215 older adults (79.9 ± 0.4 years) at increased risk of functional decline were randomly allocated to (i) CALSTI consisting of 12-weeks progressive explosive resistance training (24 sessions) enhanced by a 24-week multi-factorial self-management programme (8 sessions), or (ii) an extended version of the self-management intervention (SEMAI; 12 sessions) to reflect a reinforcement of usual care. The interventions were embedded in a nationally regulated preventive care pathway. Blinded assessors collected primary (the Short Physical Performance Battery; SPPB) and secondary outcome data (self-reported difficulty in activities of daily living, the short version of the Late-Life Function and Disability Index, and the EQ-health VAS scale) at baseline and after 12 and 24 weeks.

RESULTS
after 24 weeks, CALSTI led to a clinically superior increase in SPPB compared with SEMAI (+0.77 points, P < 0.01), and the CALSTI group also demonstrated improvements in selected self-reported outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS
a novel complex exercise and multi-factorial self-management intervention embedded in preventive care practice had large and clinically meaningful effects on a key measure of functional capacity and predictor of disability.


This study provides econometrics evidence linking economic planning process to human capital development in Nigeria. The specific objectives focused on the effects of planned investments on education, healthcare delivery and community and social services on human capital development in Nigeria over the period 1990-2016. Data collected from Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin were analyzed using Fully Modified Least Squares and Granger Causality test in addition to augmented Dickey Fuller unit root and Johansen-Juselius test. The results of the unit root tests show that only life expectancy is stationary at levels while the other variables in the model become stationary at first difference. The cointegration tests results revealed that the variables in each of the models have long run relationship. The regression result in shows that planned expenditure on education has weak significant positive impact on life expectancy. This finding aligns with the theoretical expectation as economic planning that increases budgetary allocation to the education sector is expected to increase the level human capital of the population and in turn increase their opportunities of living a long and healthy life. The results further show that public investment in the education sector generates positive outcomes on gender parity index for gross enrollment ratio in primary and secondary education in Nigeria. The Granger causality test shows that unidirectional causality runs from public expenditure on social and community services to life expectancy and from public expenditure on education to gender parity index for gross enrollment ratio in primary and secondary education. Therefore, it is recommended that policy makers should ensure that economic planning in Nigeria continues to prioritize medium and long term investments on education in addition to community and social services in order to enhance pace of human development.