In 1952, Ralph Ellison (1914-1994) published his novel Invisible Man, which transformed the dynamics of American literature. The novel won the National Book Award, extended the themes of his early short stories, and dramatized in fictional form the cultural theories expressed in his later essay collections Shadow & Act and Going to the Territory. In Shadowing Ralph Ellison, John Wright traces Ellison's intellectual and aesthetic development and the evolution of his cultural philosophy throughout his long career. The book explores Ellison's published fiction, his criticism and correspondence, and his passionate exchanges with-and impact on-other literary intellectuals during the Cold War 1950s and during the culture wars of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Wright examines Ellison's body of work through the lens of Ellison's cosmopolitan philosophy of art and culture, which the writer began to construct during the late 1930s. Ellison, Wright argues, eschewed orthodoxy in both political and cultural discourse, maintaining that to achieve the highest cultural awareness and the greatest personal integrity, the individual must cultivate forms of thinking and acting that are fluid, improvisational, and vitalistic-like the blues and jazz. Accordingly, Ellison elaborated throughout his body of work the innumerable ways that rigid cultural labels, categories, and concepts-from racial stereotypes and fashionable academic theories to conventional political doctrines-fail to capture the full potential of human consciousness. Instead, Ellison advocated forms of consciousness and culture akin to what the blues and jazz reveal, and he portrayed those musical traditions as the best embodiment of the evolving American spirit. John Wright is associate professor of African American and African studies and English at the University of Minnesota and is faculty scholar for the Archie Givens, Sr., Collection of African American Literature and Life. He coedited, with Michael S. Harper, A Ralph Ellison Festival (a special volume of the Carleton Miscellany).


U-Pb dating of metamorphic and igneous rocks from the Hunza Valley and Baltoro regions of the Karakoram Mountains in northern Pakistan addresses the thermal and magmatic evolution of the thickened Asian plate crust before, during, and after the collision of the Kohistan arc and the Indian plate. Crustal thickening and high- temperature, sillimanite-grade metamorphism in the southern Karakoram Mountains followed the collision and accretion of the Kohistan arc during the Late Cretaceous. U-Pb ages of metamorphic monazites from sillimanite gneisses in the Hunza Valley are 63.3 ± 0.4 Ma, ca. 50–52 Ma, and 44.0 ± 2.0 Ma, and monazites from a kyanite-grade schist from the Baltoro region are 28.0 ± 0.5 Ma. Metamorphic monazites from a highly graphitic garnet + staurolite schist from the Hunza Valley yield a crystallization age of 16.0 ± 1.0 Ma. Sillimanite gneisses from the Dassu dome have magmatic zircons of 1855 ± 11 Ma, reflecting a Proterozoic continental crustal source, and metamorphic monazites of 5.4 ± 0.2 Ma. Magmatism was also sporadic; early granodiorite, monzogranite, and leucogranite dikes yield zircon, monazite, and uraninite ages of 50–52 Ma and 35.0 ± 1.0 Ma. Widespread lower crustal melting during the latest Oligocene–early Miocene culminated with emplacement of the Baltoro Plutonic Unit in the Karakoram batholith that cuts deformation fabrics in the high-grade gneisses to the south. The youngest magmatic phase dated is the 9.3 ± 0.2 Ma Sumayar leucogranite pluton. On the basis of detailed structural field studies combined with U-Pb geochronology, sillimanite-grade metamorphism was either a protracted event lasting as long as 20 m.y. (64–44 Ma) or peaked at different times within the lower crust following collision of first, the Kohistan arc, and later, the Indian plate. We also present evidence for southward propagation of peak metamorphism and postmetamorphic thrusting and folding of isograds within the past 5 m.y. Detailed geochronology shows that deformation, metamorphism, and magmatism in the middle and lower crust of the south Asian margin has been occurring within the Karakoram metamorphic complex for more than 60 m.y. Similar processes may also have affected the unplumbed depths of the south Tibetan crust.


This article discusses the use of radio after major earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2010 and 2011. It draws on archival sources to retrospectively research post-quake audiences in the terms people used during and soon after the earthquakes through personal narratives and Twitter. Retrospective narratives of earthquake experiences affirm the value of radio for communicating the scale of disaster and comforting listeners during dislocation from safe home spaces. In the narratives radio is often compared with television, which signifies electricity supply and associated comfort but also visually confirms the city's destruction. Twitter provides insights into radio use from within the disaster period, but its more global reach facilitates reflection on online and international radio from outside the disaster-affected area. This research demonstrates the value of archival audience research, and finds that the combination of online radio and Twitter enables a new form of participatory disaster spectatorship from afar.


INTRODUCTION
The Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome and pancreas divisum are uncommon diseases in children. The Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome diagnosis is only clinical, and mental retardation and dysmorphic features mainly characterize it. The PD relates to idiopathic pancreatitis in 7.5% of patients suffering from this disorder. It has not been found any cases reported where these diseases are associated and the management of patients with pancreatitis associated with PD is still a challenge.

CLINICAL CASE
A patient diagnosed with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome has recurrent abdominal pain of six months and elevated pancreatic enzymes, he underwent a magnetic resonance imaging where pancreas divisum is suspected. Endoscopic drainage was foiled so he underwent intraoperative retrograde pancreatography where aberrant pancreas is confirmed and a distal pancreactectomy and yeyunopancreatic anastomosis is the chosen option.

COMMENTS
The pancreatectomy with pancreato-jejunal anastomosis is an excellent therapeutic option surgical is proposed for a patient with difficulty endoscopic approach and chronic pancreatitis.


Abstract Background: Cancer immunotherapy, and checkpoint inhibition in particular, is poised to radically transform our approach to treating cancer. Recent clinical successes with checkpoint inhibitors and immuno-oncology agents have demonstrated the importance of the immune system in controlling and treating cancers. Early indications that tumor cells can generate an antitumor immune response were evidenced by the varying degrees of immune cell infiltration found in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Despite the presence of this immune infiltrate, it has long been suspected that immune function is defective or inhibited by the TME. The rapid series of new drug approvals in diverse tumors ranging from melanoma, kidney, lung, bladder and Hodgkin lymphoma show that the anti-tumor immune responses can be activated for clinical benefit, however, our understanding of the mechanics of immune response to immuno-oncology agents has lagged behind the clinical successes. Furthermore, responses to immuno-oncology agents are not universal and mechanisms of resistance are poorly described. In large part, this is due to limitations of currently available technology which does not allow for detection of complex immunophenotypes in tissue sections. High parameter methods such as gene expression profiling or flow cytometry have been applied to study the TME, however data on cellular heterogeneity and rare cells is lost with gene expression studies and the spatial relationship between tumor and immune cells is lost with flow cytometry. The Fluidigm Hyperion imaging mass cytometry (IMC) system combines a CyTOF mass cytometer with a laser ablation system allowing for 40+ parameter simultaneous immunophenotyping on a single slide of FFPE tissue, with sub-cellular resolution. Here we describe our efforts to develop and optimize highly multiplexed assays for the characterization of immune cells in the TME in various tumors on the IMC platform. Methods: Literature was reviewed to identify markers relevant to TME. Metal conjugated antibodies were obtained from Fluidigm, and supplemented with custom conjugations where required. Antibodies were validated on FFPE tissue sections of lymphoma, colon cancer, and normal lymph node as controls. Antigen retrieval, blocking, and antibody staining concentrations were optimized to identify universal staining conditions. Membrane and nuclear/DNA staining was performed to aid in cell segmentation. Slides were imaged using the Fluidigm Hyperion IMC system with a 1µM laser ablation spot size and frequency of 100-200 Hz. Area of analyzed tissue varied from 400 um2 up to 1000 um2 with multiple areas imaged per specimen. Image analysis was performed with MCD viewer (Fluidigm) or CellProfiler/miCAT (https://doi.org/10.1101/109207). Results: We successfully performed IMC imaging of normal lymph nodes (LN), colon cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, NK lymphoma by using a 26 parameter panel. We were able to clearly identify tissue architecture in the normal lymph node, germinal center (GC), mantle zone(MZ), cortex/paracortex(PC) (Fig. 1A), and with enough resolution to observe three way interaction between CD4+ T cell, CD8+ T cell and CD68+ antigen presenting cell (Fig. 1B). In tumors we were able to characterize specific populations such as CD8+Tcells, Th1/Th2 subsets, FoxP3+Treg, tissue associated macrophages, CD56+NK cells and tumor vasculature. Important immuno-oncology targets such as LAG3, PDL1/PDL2 and PD1 were measured. Tertiary lymphoid structures in colon cancer were found to have abundant FoxP3+Treg (Fig. 1C). In Hodgkin lymphoma we were able to observe tumor [Reed Sternberg (RS) cells], effector and regulatory cell interactions at a single cell level. CD8+ cells (green) adjacent to RS cell are flanked by immunosuppressive TREG (FoxP3-teal) and Th2 (CCR-yellow) cells (Fig. 1D). Conclusion: IMC allows for successful multiplex imagining of the TME in FFPE tissues. The method does not require special processing and can be applied to archival specimens and tumor microarrays. Methods developed here should be applicable for the study of the TME in other tumor types and could be used to identify additional biomarkers of response to immuno-oncology agents. Download : Download high-res image (375KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Merchant: Fluidigm, Inc: Research Funding; Pfizer, Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding.


Here are poems to take you on a journey from the 'suddenly' of love at first sight to the 'truly, madly, deeply' of infatuation and on to the 'eternally' of love that lasts beyond the end of life, along the way taking in flirtation, passion, fury, betrayal and broken hearts. Bringing together the greatest love poetry from around the world and through the ages, ranging from W. H. Auden to William Shakespeare, John Donne to Emily Dickinson, Robert Browning to Roger McGough, this new anthology will delight, comfort and inspire anyone who has ever tasted love - in any of its forms.


Under the provisions of the Health Information Technology for Economic & Clinical Health act providers need to demonstrate their 'meaningful use' of electronic health record systems' health information exchange (HIE) capability. HIE usage is not a simple construct, but the choice of its measurement must attend to the users, context, and objectives of the system being examined. This review examined how usage is reported in the existing literature and also what conceptualizations of usage might best reflect the nature and objectives of HIE. While existing literature on HIE usage included a diverse set of measures, most were theoretically weak, did not attend to the interplay of measure, level of analysis and architectural strategy, and did not reflect how HIE usage affected the actual process of care. Attention to these issues will provide greater insight into the effects of previously inaccessible information on medical decision-making and the process of care.


BACKGROUND
Pesticide exposures are suspected risk factors for Parkinson disease (PD), but epidemiological observations have been inconsistent.

OBJECTIVE
To investigate associations between pesticide exposures and idiopathic PD.

DESIGN
Population-based case-control study.

SETTING
Group Health Cooperative, a health care system in western Washington State, and the University of Washington.

PARTICIPANTS
Two hundred fifty incident PD case patients and 388 healthy control subjects (age- and sex-matched). We assessed self-reported pesticide exposures using a structured interview. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined using logistic regression models, controlling for age, sex, and smoking.

RESULTS
Odds ratios for occupational exposures were not significant but suggested a gradient that paralleled occupational exposures (pesticide worker: OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 0.67-6.38; crop farmer: OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 0.84-3.27; animal and crop farmer: OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.60-2.00; and dairy farmer: OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.46-1.70). Odds ratios for organophosphates paralleled the World Health Organization hazard classifications, with parathion much higher than diazinon or malathion. We also found elevated ORs from herbicides (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 0.51-3.88) and paraquat (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 0.22-12.76). We found no evidence of risk from home-based pesticide exposures. We found significantly increased ORs from lifelong well water consumption (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.02-3.21).

CONCLUSIONS
The findings for occupational pesticide exposures are consistent with a growing body of information linking pesticide exposures with PD. However, the lack of significant associations, absence of associations with home-based exposures, and weak associations with rural exposures suggest that pesticides did not play a substantial etiologic role in this population.


With the realities of the energy and environmental crises drawing ever closer, the need to fast-track the development of promising future renew-able energy technologies such as fuel cells is of paramount importance. However, with significant technical barriers to overcome before transition to a fully renewable energy based low carbon economy, the world must, in the short term, continue to rely on existing electricity generation meth-ods such as crude oil refining. It is therefore critical that there remains a focus on advancing and maximising both future and existing technologies' power conversion efficiencies. Electricity generation technologies represent complex systems; advanced non-intrusive in-situ investigations can significantly aid with technological advancements through fundamental understanding of the processes oc-curring at the interfacial level. Intimate knowledge of the morphological and structural phenomena occurring at the interface can be gathered us-ing techniques such as bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators and provide new insight into factors such as operating conditions to guide future technological developments of complex systems. This thesis outlines the establishment of surface developed, BAW resona-tors for non-intrusive, in-situ application within bespoke, calibrated ex-perimental set ups to elucidate the interfacial phenomena in the viscoelas-tic phase, and specifically within both the fuel cell industry and the re-finement of heavy crude oil as indicated below. Low-temperature fuel cells (specifically proton exchange membranes (PEMs)) represent a promising constituent in the low carbon economy for portable and automotive power. Yet, issues pertaining to durability and cost hinder the technology's commercialisation. Recent reaction kinetics development in the less well established alkaline anion-exchange mem-brane (AAEM) fuel cell however, has shown avenues for significant cost reductions. However, the AAEM is not without challenges; linked pri-marily to hydration states, many reports have shown the technology's susceptibility to chemical degradation when operated at temperatures ≥ 65 OC; carbon dioxide poisoning when operating in air; and general sys-tem integration issues due to a lack of understanding of the AAEM's swelling and water loading mechanisms. A commercially available thin-film AAEM is investigated here using a novel composite (ionomer-cast) quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and crystal admittance spectroscopy (CAS) for interfacial characterisation. The study focuses on operation in the presence of hydration and how this affects the ionomer's water uptake, loading and swelling mechanisms as well as the susceptibility of the cationic groups to resist cleavage in the presence of hydroxide ions, leading to E2-(Hofmann) elimination. Opera-tion in conditions that can induce carbonate formation and interaction within the membrane are also investigated. The world's ever-increasing energy demand has however not just pro-gressed the development of future renewables such as fuel cells, but also required the innovative use of traditional and non-traditional resources such as 'heavy' crude oil. However, with significantly more variable com-positions of saturates, aromatics, resins and asphaltenes (SARAs) be-tween wells compared to traditional crude oil supplies, refining and transportation of heavy crude oil using existing infrastructure has become subject to spurious effects of fouling. Fouling from heavy crude oil in pipelines and refinery equipment is un-predictable, causes major flow assurance issues and occurs primarily as a result of asphaltene destabilisation. Current monitoring and mitigation techniques require time-intensive, large-volume analysis that is not able to react quickly enough to changing oil grades. As such, this study outlines the development of a novel high temperature, high pressure, rapid, low-volume on-site feedback system for fouling de-tection and characterisation using an iron-electrodeposited gallium ortho-phosphate microbalance (iGCM). The iGCM coupled with X-ray comput-er tomography is used here to offer new insight into the phenomena oc-curring at the iron–oil interface and thus providing the necessary flow assurance information required to implement fouling rejection or conver-sion techniques.


This paper illustrates the importance of social innovation to design and the designer. Technology and Internet platforms play an important role in innovation not as the final goal but a medium that connects people to these services or systems. The paper discuss the role of the sustainable designer generating and providing value to collaborative organizations proposing specific capabilities the designer can bring to social and sustainable innovation. We propose, not to give the whole responsibility to designers nor to propose that only designers are capable of generating social innovation, but to understand which differentiating qualities can be used and have a positive impact on service. The paper calls for designers to have vision and to use design thinking to examine the causes of the biggest societal issues and create systems that could tackle the causes rather than the consequences.


In recent years, remarkable advancements have been achieved in quantitative analysis methods for supply chain design (SCD). Typically, cost or service level optimisation has been included in the objective functions. At the same time, supply chain managers face the ripple effect that arises from vulnerability, instability and disruptions in supply chains. This research aimed to quantify the ripple effect in the supply chain from the structural perspective. The research agenda of this study includes issues of integrating operability objectives as new key performance indicators, e.g. resilience, stability, robustness into SCD decisions. The research is based on a simultaneous consideration of both static structural properties of SCD and execution dynamics subject to uncertainty and disruptions. Due to high dimensionality of real SCD problems, such integration can hardly be implemented in only one model. In this study, an original two-model multi-criteria approach is proposed in order to assess the potential ability of an SCD to remain stable and resilient. This modelling approach is based on a combined application of a static and a dynamic model. A multi-criteria approach relies on the analytic hierarchy process method. The results of this research can be used as an additional quantitative analysis tool in order to select an SCD. An additional application of the developed method is that it can be used at the control stage in order to adapt supply chain execution subject to the achievement of desired economic performance.


The objective of this paper is to serve as the seed around which further thought on the role of the university education grows. By seeking an understanding of the 21 st Century Educated Mount Kenya University graduate, the paper elucidates the role of the universities and their appropriate pedagogical approaches. In this regard, the essence of this paper is an endeavour into university's best practices and the place of its products (graduates) into the society.


ABSTRACT We study the problem of landuse characterization at the urban-object level using deep learning algorithms. Traditionally, this task is performed by surveys or manual photo interpretation, which are expensive and difficult to update regularly. We seek to characterize usages at the single object level and to differentiate classes such as educational institutes, hospitals and religious places by visual cues contained in side-view pictures from Google Street View (GSV). These pictures provide geo-referenced information not only about the material composition of the objects but also about their actual usage, which otherwise is difficult to capture using other classical sources of data such as aerial imagery. Since the GSV database is regularly updated, this allows to consequently update the landuse maps, at lower costs than those of authoritative surveys. Because every urban-object is imaged from a number of viewpoints with street-level pictures, we propose a deep-learning based architecture that accepts arbitrary number of GSV pictures to predict the fine-grained landuse classes at the object level. These classes are taken from OpenStreetMap. A quantitative evaluation of the area of Île-de-France, France shows that our model outperforms other deep learning-based methods, making it a suitable alternative to manual landuse characterization.


The paper aims to complement the findings of studies on regional and industrial concentration in Indonesia`s manufacturing industry by exploring whether regional specialization and industrial concentration patterns changed during the 1998-2007 period. In particular, the focus is on the three biggest regions in Java using Indonesia`s Standard Industrial Classification of Industries (SIC) at the three-digit level (SIC 151-293) on the basis of employment data by branch and by region. The major findings of the study show that during 1998-2007, Java`s region became more specialized and industry became more concentrated.


The cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) is generally considered to be responsive to elevation of cAMP through the activity of protein kinase A (PKA). Although it is well known that cAMP-raising agents can strongly influence B cell stimulation, the regulation of CREB has been little studied. Recently, cross-linking of surface Ig (sIg) was shown to result in trans-activation of a cAMP response element (CRE)-dependent promoter to which bound B cell CREB. In this study, we explored the mechanism underlying this unexpected linkage between sIg and CREB. We found that sIg cross-linking results in phosphorylation of CREB at Ser133. Although this phosphorylation step is mediated by PKA in pheochromocytoma cells, it depends on protein kinase C (PKC) in B lymphocytes. This conclusion is based on abrogation of sIg-induced CREB Ser133 phosphorylation by long-term phorbol-ester treatment to deplete PKC, and mimicking of sIg-induced CREB phosphorylation and CRE-dependent gene expression by short-term PKC agonism. Furthermore, CD40 ligand (CD40L) and LPS, two PKC-independent forms of B cell stimulation, failed to induce phosphorylation of CREB Ser133. These results suggest that CREB responds to specific surface-receptor signals in B cells and that this response is mediated by PKC. Interestingly, forskolin failed to induce phosphorylation of CREB Ser133 in B cells, although it did so in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells. Taken together with PKC mediation of CREB Ser133 phosphorylation in B cells, these results suggest that the dominant mode of CREB regulation is cell-type specific.


The mechanical properties of a model of Y-doped intergranular glassy film in silicon nitride ceramics are studied by large-scale ab initio modeling. By linking directly to its electronic structure, it is shown that this microstructure has a complex nonlinear deformation under stress and Y doping significantly enhances the mechanical properties. The calculation of the electrostatic potential across the film supports the space charge model in ceramic microstructures.


The rapid modeling and detection of earthquakes and transient deformation is a problem of extreme societal importance for earthquake early warning and rapid hazard response. To date, GPS data is not used in earthquake early warning or rapid source modeling even in Japan or California where the most extensive geophysical networks exist. This dissertation focuses on creating algorithms for automated modeling of earthquakes and transient slip events using GPS data in the western United States and Japan. First, I focus on the creation and use of high-rate GPS and combined seismogeodetic data for applications in earthquake early warning and rapid slip inversions. Leveraging data from earthquakes in Japan and southern California, I demonstrate that an accurate magnitude estimate can be made within seconds using P wave displacement scaling, and that a heterogeneous static slip model can be generated within 2-3 minutes. The preliminary source characterization is sufficiently robust to independently confirm the extent of fault slip used for rapid assessment of strong ground motions and improved tsunami warning in subduction zone environments. Secondly, I investigate the automated detection of transient slow slip events in Cascadia using daily positional estimates from GPS. Proper geodetic characterization of transient deformation is necessary for studies of regional interseismic, coseismic and postseismic tectonics, and miscalculations can affect our understanding of the regional stress field. I utilize the relative strength index (RSI) from financial forecasting to create a complete record of slow slip from continuous GPS stations in the Cascadia subduction zone between 1996 and 2012. I create a complete history of slow slip across the Cascadia subduction zone, fully characterizing the timing, progression, and magnitude of events. Finally, using a combination of continuous and campaign GPS measurements, I characterize the amount of extension, shear and subsidence in the Salton Trough, one of the most complex zone of active faulting and seismicity in California. I show the implications that faulting in the Salton Trough has for the evolution of the Brawley Seismic Zone, and more importantly, the southern San Andreas fault


Ho-YAG laser (Medoptotech) operates in impulse regimen with transmission of radiation along the fiber 400-600 microns in diameter (mean power 12 W, impulse rate 1-15 Hz, energy of 1 impulse 0.7-1.5 J, its duration 300 microseconds. These parameters provide the effect of intensive biotissue evaporation, dissection of contact tissue, disintegration of concrements, hemostasis. Ho-YAG laser was employed for treatment of 8 patients with urethral polyp, 4 with stricture of the bladder neck and urethra, 5 with prostatic adenoma, 12 with bladder tumor, 10 with ureterolith, 5 with uroliths, 4 with penile lesions, 2 with ureteral stricture, 4 with ureterocele. Ho-YAG laser was used primarily for endoscopic interventions. Its use for open surgery is also promising. Further practical experience with Ho-YAG laser will provide additional information on its indications in urological diseases.


In this research, we propose to utilize the newly introduced Multi-population differential evolution-assisted Harris Hawks Optimization Algorithm (CMDHHO) in the optimization process for satellite image denoising in the wavelet domain. This optimization algorithm is the improved version of the previous HHO algorithm which consists of chaos, multi-population, and differential evolution strategies. In this study, we applied several optimization algorithms in the optimization procedure and we compared the de-noising results with CMDHHO based noise suppression as well as with the Thresholding Neural Network (TNN) approaches. It is observed that applying the CMDHHO algorithm provides us with better qualitative and quantitative results comparing with other optimized and TNN based noise removal techniques. In addition to the quality and quantity improvement, this method is computationally efficient and improves the processing time. Based on the experimental analysis, optimized based noise suppression performs better than TNN based image de-noising. Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) and Mean Structural Similarity Index (MSSIM) are used to evaluate and measure the performance of different de-noising methods. Experimental results indicate the superiority of the proposed CMDHHO based satellite image de-noising over other available approaches in the literature.


: Caulobacter crescentus, which belongs to the class of Alphaproteobacteria, has a highly organized cytoplasm that includes complex macromolecular structures at the cell poles. These polar complexes are assembled through the activity of a scaffolding protein, known as the Polar Organizing Protein Z (PopZ). PopZ interacts with other proteins via an N-terminal domain that is mostly intrinsically disordered, and contains, an abundance of proline, glutamte, and aspartate (P,E, and D) residues. Surprisingly, scrambling the order of amino acids in the PED region does not affect PopZ function, suggesting that binding affinity and specificity are not dependent on interactions with individual amino acids within this low-complexity region. The biochemical qualities of P,E and D promote intrinsic disorder, but they are not the only types of amino acids that are found in unstructured protein domains. By making targeted changes in the PopZ sequence, we are asking if binding affinity and specificity are dependent on qualities associated specifically with P,E, and D (for example, negative charge), or if any form of intrinsic disorder is sufficient to support a functional PopZ binding domain. One change we are making is to substitute all of the prolines for serine. While this will certainly affect the hydrophobicity of the protein, our in silico analyses predict that the change will preserve intrinsic disorder. Another change will be to substitute the asparate and glutamate residue for lysine, thus reversing the electrostatic charge with an amino acid that promotes intrinsic disorder.


Exposure to cold undoubtedly gives rise to oedema and hardening of the skin in neonates, but is generalized sclerema always due to cold ? It would be of interest to know how many of Bower's cases had generalized sclerema without oedema, and whether any of these occurred in the later months of the year. Scleroedema would have been a better term for the oedematous babies. Naturally a rigid baby will have a low temperature, but this may be the effect rather than the cause. The distinction may not be entirely academic, because a case I reported in 19563 seemed to respond dramatically to cortisone and others have recorded the same experience. Bower and his co-authors make no mention of cortisone as a therapeutic measure and their case mortality for." sclerema " was 35%. Perhaps the administration of cortisone would have reduced it.-I am, etc., Stock, Essex. IAN G. WICKEs. REFERENCES Henoch, E., Lectures on Children's Diseases, translated by John Thomson. 1889, vol. 1. New Sydenham Society, London. Underwood, M., A Treatise on the Diseases of Cthildren, with General Directions tor the Management of Infants from the Birth, 1819, 7th ed. J. Callow, London. Wickes, I. G., Arch. Dis. Childh., 1956, 31, 419.


The Differential Transform method is an effective method used in recent years in the solving of differential equations. This study benefits from the use of the Differential Transform method in the preliminary free vibration analysis of tall buildings composed from tubular structures. In this study, in accordance with the literature, the tube-in-tube tall building was modeled as an orthotropic beam. The solution was completed in the governing equation written according to this model by applying the Differential Transform method to convert the differential equation into an algebraic equation. In the study, the Mathematic program was used in the execution of the Differential Transform Method. At the end of the study, two examples gathered from the literature were solved and assessed in order to investigate the validity of the suggested method.


Transgender people have garnered attention in recent years. They have different health problems; the fact, however, that they belong to a minority means that this is characterized by complex mechanisms of stigmatization. This paper aims to analyze the current literature on the barriers to health services encountered by transgender people. This scoping review is based on the following research questions: (1) What are the main barriers to health care encountered by transgender people? (2) Is it possible to organize these barriers according to a macro-, meso- and microanalysis approach? (3) What are the main characteristics of the barriers to health care encountered by transgender people? (4) Are there significant relations between the different types of barriers? The review was undertaken following the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. In total, 32 studies were included from which three types of barriers with different subcategories were identified: health system barriers, social barriers, and individual barriers. In conclusion, due to the complexity of gender issues and barriers to health care, a multidisciplinary approach is necessary. In this regard, some integrated strategies to reduce barriers to health care for transgender people are proposed.


The ability to undergo rapid changes in response to subtle environmental cues make stimuli- responsive materials attractive candidates for minimally invasive, targeted and personalized drug delivery applications. This special report aims to highlight and provide a brief description of several of the significant natural and synthetic temperature-responsive materials that have clinical relevance for drug delivery applications. This report examines the advantages and disadvantages of natural versus synthetic materials and outlines various scaffold architectures that can be utilized with temperature-sensitive drug delivery materials. The authors provide a commentary on the current state of the field and provide their insight into future expectations for temperature-sensitive drug delivery, emphasizing the importance of the emergence of dual and multiresponsive systems capable of responding precisely to an expanding set of stimuli, thereby allowing the development of disease-specific drug delivery vehicles.


Background: Anxiety and depression is currently a leading health problem worldwide. The etiology of anxiety and depression involves multiple factors and the literature indicated that patients with osteoarthritis of the knee are likely to experience anxiety and depression. Objective: To study the prevalence of anxiety and depression and associated factors in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Methods: A total of 343 participants receiving treatment at the out-patient department (OPD) of Bang Bua Thong Hospital were recruited in line with the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The following four evaluation forms were used: 1) the demographic data questionnaire; 2) the Thai version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Thai HADS); 3) the Knee and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) Evaluation Form; and 4) the Thai version of the Exercise Addiction Inventory (Thai EAI). Results: This study found that 8.5% had anxiety alone, 13.1% had depression alone and 26.8% had anxiety and depression. Factors related to anxiety or depression included age, education, severe symptoms, chronic hypertension, diabetes, active knee exercise, walking, aerobic, bicyclinge, and stretching, physical therapy treatment for knee osteoarthritis, Thai traditional massage, KOOS, score of EAI. Conclusion: The study found that correlated factors included score of KOOS and score of the Thai version of the Exercise Addiction Inventory (Thai EAI) had correlations with anxiety or depression. The results of this study will be useful for patients with osteoarthritis to reduce the risk of anxiety and depression resulting in receiving treatment, care and choosing the right exercise methods.


The paper considers a new concept of industrial zones sustainable development and its application to the renovation project, in order to increase the attractiveness of the territory and adapt modern energy efficient techniques. The ambitious goal of this work is to initiate unified standard concept development for the sustainability assessment of industrial areas renovation projects. The interest of rural and industrial areas redevelopment in the UK grows intensively. Therefore, it is highly important to arrange a list of sustainability indicators and the best set of energy-efficient solutions for renovation projects. All of the presented solutions in the article can be effectively used in the renovation of industrial zones for a variety of environmental and social issues, with direct control of the economic feasibility of their application. The key indicator of sustainable the specific energy consumption was calculated by MCH-Designer program, which sought-value 2.78 kWh / m2.


In homelessness research and policymaking, it seems to be axiomatic that single adults experience 3 temporally based types of homelessness: chronic, episodic, and transitional. We discuss problems with the theorization of this typology and with the research design, data analysis, and time-aggregated conceptualization and measurement of temporality in the empirical work supporting the typology. To address the latter, we suggest a time-patterned approach to temporality and report a 10-group typology that differs significantly from the more familiar 3-group typology. We argue that which approach is used-and how typologies are developed more generally-should be based on theory and the uses to which typologies are put rather than on claims to being more true.


Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is still one of the deadliest cancers in oncology because of its increasing incidence and poor survival rate. More than 90% of PDAC patients are KRAS mutated (KRASmu), with KRASG12D and KRASG12V being the most common mutations. Despite this critical role, its characteristics have made direct targeting of the RAS protein extremely difficult. KRAS regulates development, cell growth, epigenetically dysregulated differentiation, and survival in PDAC through activation of key downstream pathways, such as MAPK-ERK and PI3K-AKT-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, in a KRAS-dependent manner. KRASmu induces the occurrence of acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) and leads to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). In this context, the oncogenic mutation of KRAS induces an epigenetic program that leads to the initiation of PDAC. Several studies have identified multiple direct and indirect inhibitors of KRAS signaling. Therefore, KRAS dependency is so essential in KRASmu PDAC that cancer cells have secured several compensatory escape mechanisms to counteract the efficacy of KRAS inhibitors, such as activation of MEK/ERK signaling or YAP1 upregulation. This review will provide insights into KRAS dependency in PDAC and analyze recent data on inhibitors of KRAS signaling, focusing on how cancer cells establish compensatory escape mechanisms.


Application of series capacitor in long transmission line is a cost effective method to increase power transfer. But presence of series capacitor has sometimes been limited because of the concern for subsynchronous resonance phenomenon in transmission line. SSR is basically an electrical power system condition where the electrical network exchanges energy with the turbine generator at one or more of the natural frequencies of the combined system below the synchronous frequency of the system. Presence of SSR torque causes oscillation which causes shaft fatigue and possible damage or failure of shaft. Long transmission line needs series or shunt compensation for power flow control as well as for mitigating the SSR phenomenon. An idea of this paper is to damp SSR by adding static synchronous series compensator (SSSC, Series device) or Static compensator (STATCOM, Shunt device). This paper shows that damping characteristics obtained by SSSC is better than STATCOM for damping SSR phenomenon. The results are obtained by modelling a lineralized system in MATLAB and study is performed on the system adapted from the IEEE first bench mark model for Eigen value analysis.


A new and efficient method for the preparation of several imidazolium salts containing an ester group in the C4 position of the aromatic ring through a retro-Claisen reaction pathway between a quinone derivative and several alcohols is described. This new organic transformation proceeds in the absence of a catalyst, but it is greatly catalyzed by different Lewis acids, especially with AgOAc at a very low catalyst loading and in very short reaction times. The process takes place by the nucleophilic attack of the carbonyl groups by the alcohol functionality, thus promoting a double C-C bond cleavage and C-H and C-O bond formation. This reaction represents the first example of this type between a quinone derivative and alcohols.


Background: Stroke is a major public health problem and a major cause of death and disability with a large percentage of death from stroke occurring in the developed countries. Several studies have tried to predict clinical outcome using various clinical and radiologic factors to account for the mortality risk in patients with stroke and most of these data are from the West and Asian countries. Objective: To determine the computed tomography findings that predicts clinical outcome in patients with acute haemorrhagic stroke. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study comprising of 153 adults diagnosed of haemorrhagic stroke having a brain computed tomography findings of haemorrhage. Non enhanced CT Images of the brain were obtained using the Toshiba Activion 16-slice CT scanners, Japan 2012. Computed tomography findings were used to predict outcomes among patients with haemorrhagic stroke. Results: The mean volume of hematoma for patients who survived was 23.12 ml ± 6.7 and 45.15 ml ± 14.05 for patients that died within the 30 day period. This was statistically significance p=0.02. Hematoma volume, ventricular extension of blood, midline shift presence of subarachnoid haemorrhage and location of haemorrhage correlated with clinical outcome over the period. However, independent predictors of clinical outcome are hematoma volume >30 ml (odd ratio=27.5), ventricular extension of blood (odd ratio=8.4), presence of subarachnoid haemorrhage (odd ratio=20.7). Conclusion: Heamatoma volume, intraventricular extension of blood and presence of subarachnoid haemorrhage are predictors of mortality in patients with haemorrhagic stroke.


Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common chronic rheumatic disorders and is associated with significant morbidity and disability. Few studies examined the spectrum of rheumatic diseases in subSaharan Africa. Obesity is not only a risk factor for incidence of OA but also for the progression of the disease. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the patterns of knee, hip and hand osteoarthritis as well as obesity prevalence in the patients with established disease. Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study. Methods: Patients with knee, hip and hand osteoarthritis were examined to describe the patterns of osteoarthritis in 201 patients who fulfilled the ACR diagnostic criteria. Their body mass indices were also studied to determine the prevalence of obesity in this cohort of patients. Results: A total of 201 patients with knee, hip or hand osteoarthritis were studied. Of these participants, 77% had knee OA, 15% hip OA, 3% hand OA and 5% had combined knee and hip OA. Obese participants were 41% and 32% were overweight. There were 89 (44.3%) participants with bilateral knee or hip disease while 112(55.7%) had unilateral disease. Obesity was more common in participants with knee than in hip OA (45.3% vs 10.3% respectively) P < 0.001. The bilateral disease was higher in obese (55.2%) and overweight (44.6%) participants compared to participants with normal body mass indices (26.5%) P value < 0.007. Conclusion: Knee OA was very common and the majority of the patients were overweight and obese. Bilateral OA was more prevalent in obese and overweight participants compared to normal weight participants. Obesity is an easily modifiable risk factor for knee OA so it can be made a valid target for preventing as well as halting the progression of OA.


Petrified plant remains that composed a Permian peat deposit occur at a coal horizon in a local area of Mount Augusta near the Beardmore Glacier in Antarctica. This discovery is the first in the entire Gondwana area that yields plant materials as exquisitely preserved as the materials of the well-known coal-ball localities of the Northern Hemisphere. A sampling of anatomical details is illustrated.


This article analyses the recent decision of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in Spread Trustee Co Ltd v Hutcheson and considers the effect of the Board's reasoning on comparative trust law and contemporary trust practice (both on and offshore). The article situates the Privy Council's judgment in the ongoing debate over the permissible scope of trustee exemption clauses, as well the emerging stream of jurisprudence on the irreducible core approach in trust law. The article considers the standard of care that must be exercised by trustees in a number of jurisdictions, including England, Guernsey, Jersey, Scotland and South Africa. Although the irreducible core of a Guernsey trust includes the obligation of a trustee to observe the utmost good faith and act en bon pere de famille, the Board failed to explain how the indemnified conduct of a grossly negligent trustee can be reconciled with that unique obligation. Guernsey and Jersey have now legislated precisely on the standard expected of offshore trustees to ensure that trustees are not permitted to act in a grossly negligent manner with impunity in their administration of Guernsey and Jersey trusts.


Flux through the tricarboxylic acid cycle was calculated from oxygen consumption in hearts perfused near the physiological work load. Activities of citrate synthase, 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase were measured in the same hearts. Only the activities of 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase correlated with calculated fluxes through the cycle.


London's eighteenth-century expansion required the reorganization of rights for large tracts of land. This property previously lay within equitable estates and agricultural villages. Removing property from these restrictive property-rights regimes proved problematic. Parliament catalyzed the process by passing acts reorganizing rights to land and resources. Two theories characterize Parliament's behavior during this period. The first views Parliament as an organization that limited access to acts in order to earn rents for legislators or to advance the interests of aristocrats. The second views Parliament as an accessible institution that addressed issues brought before it by broad segments of society. We test these theories using time-series statistical methods and annual data on the number of acts passed by Parliament and the property market in Middlesex, the county surrounding London. The results are consistent with the conjecture of an accessible legislature.


Large wood (LW) is a natural element of river environments and an integral component of many river restoration schemes to promote biodiversity. It is an important habitat in itself, but it also induces a wide range of hydraulic, hydrological, geomorphological and chemical conditions that influence the ecological community. However, the effects of hydro‐geomorphological processes induced by LW on local benthic and hyporheic invertebrates have not been well characterized. A functional approach was applied to invertebrate data collected in a field survey at sites with LW and without LW (control) to investigate the response of hyporheic and benthic invertebrates' trait profiles in response to local LW‐induced processes. We hypothesized LW sites to be associated with different trait modalities than control sites in relation to wood‐induced processes and conditions (i.e., hyporheic exchange flow, oxygen availability, temporal stability, organic matter, denitrification, hydraulic conductivity). Multivariate analyses and partial least squares (PLS) path modelling were used to detect the differences in trait profiles between LW and control sites and to study the variation of traits as a function of hydrological, sedimentological, physical and chemical variables. Biological (i.e., aquatic stages, reproduction), physiological (i.e., dispersal, feeding habits) and behavioural (i.e., substrate preferences) trait utilization by the hyporheic meiofauna differed between LW and control sites. At LW sites, the hyporheic meiofaunal assemblage was significantly associated with aquatic active dispersal, aquatic eggs and hard substrate preferences. This trait category selection was linked to changes in physical–sedimentological processes at LW sites when compared to control sites. Macrofaunal benthic and hyporheic functional traits did not differ significantly between wood and control sites, suggesting similar functioning of these assemblages at the surface–subsurface interface. This study found that LW affects invertebrate traits by altering fluvial processes to produce, locally, a mosaic of habitats. Hyporheic meiofauna trait responses to LW processes have suggested (a) the crucial role of LW in supporting river benthic zone functioning and thus (b) a possible benefit to river restoration by enhancing functional interactions among different ecological niches. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.


The article presents a rare case of uterine rupture at the 19th week of gestation, in the presence of a scar after a caesarean section practiced two years earlier. The fetus was pulled out alive, but given the gestational age, died within a few minutes. The uterus was preserved, but the woman was advised to proceed with tubal ligation and, in any case, to absolutely avoid a new pregnancy. The literature on uterine rupture is examined focusing on the problem of uterine rupture resulting after a caesarean section, analyzing the possibility of monitoring the risk of rupture through ultrasound evaluation. Finally, the article conducts a moral analysis of the case in the light of catholic moral, questioning in particular the acceptability of a hysterectomy under certain conditions. The illegitimacy of direct sterilization is reaffirmed, that is to say, an intervention whose purpose is the impediment of procreation, but it is emphasized that direct sterilization cannot occur when it comes to the moral certainty that that uterus, because of its conditions , cannot carry on a pregnancy until the viability of the fetus. In fact, an intervention that affects a uterus that is objectively incapable of carrying out its natural function cannot be qualified as anti-procreative.


Abstract Two distinct types of models are used for handling nonresponse in survey sampling theory. In a response (or quasi-randomization) model, the propensity of survey response is modeled as a random process, an additional phase of sample selection. In a parametric (or superpopulation) model, the survey data are themselves modeled. These two models can be used simultaneously in the estimation of a population mean so that one provides some protection against the potential for failure in the other. Two different estimators are discussed in this article. The first is a regression estimator that is both unbiased under the parametric model and nearly quasi-design unbiased under the response model. The second is a direct expansion estimator with imputed missing values. The imputed values are such that the estimator is both nearly quasi-design unbiased and unbiased under the combination of the parametric model and the original sampling design. The article includes a discussion of variance estimation with the g...


This work quantifies the uncertainties of a pyranometer. Sensitivity to errors is analysed regarding the effects generated by adopting different time resolutions. Estimation of irradiance measurand and error is extended throughout an annual data set. This study represents an attempt to provide a more exhaustive overview of both systematic (i.e. physical) and random uncertainties in the evaluation of pyranometer measurements. Starting from expanded uncertainty in a monitored pyranometer, the study concludes with an evaluation of its impact on the estimation uncertainty in the performance of a photovoltaics (PV) solar farm.


Senile plaques composed of amyloid-beta (Aβ) in the brain are one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer disease (AD). Removal of Aβ from the brain is the most important therapeutic strategy for AD. The solubility of Aβ is critical for its endocytosis, transcytosis and removal from the brain. Our recent study has found that the extracellular domain of p75NTR, the neurotrophin receptor, plays an important role in the solubility of Aβ and might be one of the endogenous mechanisms in the regulation of Aβ plaque formation. The physiologically shedded extracellular domain of p75NTR is able to inhibit Aβ aggregation and diasggregate preformed Aβ fibrils, while the full p75NTR expressed on neurites, endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells in blood-brain barrier (BBB) might initiate Aβ endocytosis and degradation, and/or remove Aβ from the brain via BBB. Understanding the roles of p75NTR in the solubility and clearance of Aβ may allow targetting p75NTR as a unique opportunity to develop therapeutic drugs for the prevention and treatment of AD.


Students' perceptions regarding the learning environment can be used in improving the quality of the learning environment. This study aims to evaluate the differences between expected and actual learning environment perceptions of students after going through a clinical rotation. This pilot study is an observational descriptive study that was conducted in the Medical Faculty of Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia on students that have completed pre-clinical education and have entered clinical rotation in January – March 2020. This study used the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire. The data was collected from 59 students and was analyzed using SPSS 23.0. The total actual DREEM score was better than the total expected DREEM score. In the Students' Academic Self-Perceptions (SASP) domain, there was a decrease in the actual DREEM score. Meanwhile, there was an increase in the Students' Percepstions of Teachers (SPT) domain which was statistically significant. The actual DREEM score in the Students' Perceptions of Learning (SPL) domain also showed better results in males than females (P < 0.05). Quality improvement and continuous innovation are very important in medical education.


S U M M A R Y We have presented a joint inversion of all gravity-gradient tensor components to estimate the shape of an isolated 3-D geological body located in subsurface. The method assumes the knowledge about the depth to the top and density contrast of the source. The geological body is approximated by an interpretation model formed by an ensemble of vertically juxtaposed 3-D right prisms, each one with known thickness and density contrast. All prisms forming the interpretation model have a polygonal horizontal cross-section that approximates a depth slice of the body. Each polygon defining a horizontal cross-section has the same fixed number of vertices, which are equally spaced from 0◦ to 360◦ and have their horizontal locations described in polar coordinates referred to an arbitrary origin inside the polygon. Although the number of vertices forming each polygon is known, the horizontal coordinates of these vertices are unknown. To retrieve a set of juxtaposed depth slices of the body, and consequently, its shape, our method estimates the radii of all vertices and the horizontal Cartesian coordinates of all arbitrary origins defining the geometry of all polygons describing the horizontal crosssections of the prisms forming the interpretation model. To obtain a stable estimate that fits the observed data, we impose constraints on the shape of the estimated body. These constraints are imposed through the well-known zerothand first-order Tikhonov regularizations allowing, for example, the estimate of vertical or dipping bodies. If the data do not have enough in-depth resolution, the proposed inverse method can obtain a set of stable estimates fitting the observed data with different maximum depths. To analyse the data resolution and deal with this possible ambiguity, we plot the 2-norm of the residuals (s) against the estimated volume (vp) produced by a set of estimated sources having different maximum depths. If this s × vp curve (s as a function of vp) shows a well-defined minimum of s, the data have enough resolution to recover the shape of the body entirely. Conversely, if the observed data do not have enough resolution, some estimates with different maximum depths produce practically the same minimum value of s on the s × vp curve. In this case, the best estimate among a suite of estimates producing equally data fits is the one fitting the gravity-gradient data and producing the minima of both the source's bottom depth and volume. The histograms of the residuals can be used to quantify and remove systematic errors in the data. After removing these errors, we confirmed the ability of our method to recover the source geometry entirely (or its upper part only), if the data have sufficient (or insufficient) in-depth resolution. By inverting the gravity-gradient data from a survey over the Vinton salt dome (Louisiana, USA) with a density contrast of 0.55 g cm−3, we estimated a massive cap rock whose maximum depth attains 460 ± 10 m and its shallowest portion is elongated in the northeast–southwest direction.


Dramatic advances in genomics during the last decades have led to a revolution in the field of vegetable crops breeding. Some vegetables, like tomato, have served as model crops in the application of genomic tools to plant breeding but other important crops, like eggplant ( Solanum melongena ), lagged behind. The advent of next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and the continuous decrease of the sequencing costs have allowed to develop genomic tools with a greatly benefit for no-model plants such as eggplant. In this review we present the currently available genomic resources in eggplant and discuss their interest for breeding. The first draft of eggplant genome sequence and the new upcoming improved assembly, as well as, the transcriptomes and RNA-based studies represent important genomic tools. The transcriptomes of cultivated eggplant and several wild relatives of eggplant are also available and have provided relevant information for the development of markers and understanding biological processes in eggplant. In addition, a historical overview of the eggplant genetic mapping studies, performed with different types of markers and experimental populations, provides a picture of the increase over time of the precision and resolution in the identification of candidate genes and QTLs for a wide range of stresses, and morpho-agronomic and domestication traits. Finally, we discuss how the development of new genetic and genomic tools in eggplant can pave the way for increasing the efficiency of eggplant breeding for developing improved varieties able to cope with the old and new challenges in horticultural production.


In 1998 the current reform of the General Education System (GES) started in Oman. Redefining the existing or finding a suitable new school leadership model has become important to enable Omani primary headteachers to redefine and transform the existing practice of school leadership and to implement and integrate the new educational and leadership tasks which were introduced by the current reform.

Studies indicate that educational reforms generally require a powerful mechanism to get things done. Thus, Omani educators (policy makers and headteachers) face a challenge in redefining the present model or choosing a suitable new one. One of the two is, however, urgently required to reform the practice of school leadership in Omani primary schools. Therefore, this research focuses on both redefining and transforming the existing practice and implementing the new tasks (in possibly a new form) of school leadership. This research focuses mainly on three major themes, as follows:

(1) The historical background which underlies primary school leadership in Oman.
(2) The current practice of primary school leadership.
(3) Redefining the existing school leadership model or choosing a new one to develop more effective primary school leadership and ensure the success of the current development of the GES in Oman.

Therefore, this research project concentrates on an examination and evaluation of the current practice of primary school management and leadership in the country's primary schools. Furthermore, this research evaluates the practice of leadership in schools by collecting the necessary data (in a subjective approach) and by using a specially constructed scale (in an objective approach) based on transactional and transformational theories of school leadership. This provides a way of assessing to what extent the current practice of primary school leadership is effective or not in terms of these theories. Overall, this research seeks to ensure the successful and effective implementation of the current reform of the GES.


A prospective study conducted on 13 patients suffering from complete facial nerve injury (for 4 months up to 2 years) aimed to show that using the split hypoglossal nerve allows for reconstruction of the facial nerve with preservation of tongue function. The hypoglossal nerve was split longitudinally. For each half, a split of the hypoglossal nerve's response was measured intraoperatively by recording the compound muscle action potential of the tongue muscle. The half that showed the least response was selected for anastomosis. The facial nerve was transected at the stylomastoid foramen, and its distal part underwent a direct anastomosis with the selected half of the hypoglossal nerve. The six grades of the House-Brackman grading system were used to analyze the results. The average post-operative follow-up period was 3 years. Before surgery, 12 patients in this study were graded VI, with total paralysis, and 1 was graded V. After surgery, 2 of the 13 patients showed mild dysfunction (grade II), 7 patients showed moderate dysfunction (grade III), 3 patients showed moderately severe dysfunction (grade IV), and 1 patient showed a severe dysfunction (grade V). Microsurgical facial nerve reconstruction using a split hypoglossal nerve results in functional facial nerve improvement with preservation of tongue function.


This paper investigates how a firm's customer base shapes its investor clientele. We show that more concentrated customer base is associated with higher holdings of short-term, but not long-term, institutional investors. The results remain unchanged after addressing endogeneity concerns and considering short sellers as short-term investors. This evidence is consistent with the public information transfer channel, where short-term investors are able to process public, but slowly diffusing, supply chain information ahead of other market participants. Further evidence suggests that the link between customer concentration and short-term institutional ownership is stronger in the environment of high information asymmetry, as well as after the passage of Reg FD reform. Overall, our results suggest that the implications of a concentrated customer base extend beyond their impact on the product market space and key firm characteristics, and affect shareholder composition. <br>


OBJECTIVES
Research has indicated that both peers and siblings influence adolescents' alcohol use (e.g., Windle, 2000, Appl. Dev. Sci., 4, 98). The present two studies examined whether social comparison orientation (SCO) moderates the effects of perceived friend and sibling alcohol use on adolescents' alcohol use cognitions and behaviours.

DESIGN AND METHODS
Two studies examined the role of SCO as a moderator of social influence (perceived friend alcohol use in Study 1 and both perceived friend use and sibling-reported alcohol use in Study 2) on prototype perceptions and willingness to drink alcohol (Studies 1 and 2) as well as actual alcohol consumption (Study 2) among early adolescents.

RESULTS
In Study 1, cross-sectional results indicated that SCO moderated the effect of perceived friend alcohol use on favourable images of drinkers and willingness to drink. Study 2 found that SCO moderated the effects of perceived friend use and sibling use on favourable images of alcohol users, willingness to use alcohol, and change in alcohol use over 3 years such that adolescents who reported engaging in social comparison more often reported greater willingness, more favourable images, and increases in alcohol use when perceived friend use or sibling use was high.

CONCLUSIONS
These studies highlight the importance of SCO as a moderator of susceptibility to the social influences of friends and siblings and may hold important implications for adolescent alcohol use prevention programmes and models of health risk behaviour.


Objective: To test the hypothesis that the umbilical ring constriction has a hemodynamic effect on the umbilical venous transmural pressure and thus on the development of Wharton's jelly (WJ) in the second half of pregnancy. Methods: In a cross-sectional study of 283 low-risk pregnancies (20–40 weeks), the cross-sectional area of the umbilical cord, arteries and umbilical vein (UV) was measured in the fetal end of the cord using ultrasound. The average of ≥ 5 repeat measurements was entered into the statistics. The WJ area was calculated by subtracting the total vessel area from the umbilical cord area. The maximum time averaged blood velocity was recorded at the same site and at the umbilical ring in the abdominal wall. The increase of the blood velocity (calculated in percents) was used to express the degree of umbilical ring constriction. Regression models and standard deviation score was used for the statistical analysis. Results: Increasing degree of umbilical ring constriction was associated with decreasing WJ area in female fetuses (Slope: −0.287, P = 0.013, 95%CI −0.511; −0.063), but not in male (Slope: 0.153, P = 0.181, 95%CI −0.073; 0.379). Similarly, the umbilical cord area was affected in female fetuses (Slope: −0.281, P = 0.003, 95%CI −0.464; −0.098) but not in male (Slope: 0.059, P = 0.626, 95%CI −0.181; 0.299). An association between increasing degree of umbilical ring constriction was associated with decreasing UV cross sectional area (CSA) in males (Slope: −0.271, P = 0.015, 95%CI −0, 489; −0.053), but not in females (Slope: −0.027, P = 0.734, 95%CI −0.182; 0.128). Conclusion: Physiological umbilical ring constriction at the abdominal wall affects the umbilical cord CSA and the WJ formation in female but not male fetuses. In male fetuses the UV CSA decreases with increasing degree of umbilical ring constriction, but UV CSA seems unaffected. This implies that such a constriction exerts hemodynamic, gender specific effects on the cord.


In ever‐changing landscapes, there is increasing evidence that current plant assemblages are shaped by the temporal dynamics of landscape connectivity. So far, attempts to take the temporal dynamics of connectivity into account have only focused on the degree of connectivity at one or several moments in time, but neglected the cumulative effects of temporal changes in connectivity. We investigated the effects of the temporal dynamics of landscape connectivity (i.e. the degree of connectivity, the magnitude and the variability of its temporal changes) over the last seven decades on current woodland plant herbaceous assemblages. The assemblages were described using a taxonomic approach combined with a functional approach based on four traits linked to the colonisation capacity of plant species. The taxonomic diversity of current woodland assemblages did not respond to the degree of connectivity nor to the magnitude and the variability of temporal changes, but the mean and/or the diversity of trait values linked to their colonisation capacity did. Responses, mainly driven by generalist species, were modulated by the type of connectivity trend experienced by woodlands. In woodlands experiencing an upward connectivity trend, high magnitude of temporal changes in connectivity increased the abundance of species that invest mostly in sexual reproduction at the expense of vegetative reproduction whereas the degree of connectivity and the variability of its temporal changes had no effect. In woodlands experiencing a downward connectivity trend, the diversity of seed mass values was independent on the magnitude but decreased with the variability of temporal changes, and increased with the degree of connectivity. Synthesis. Overall, we show that, besides the degree of connectivity, the cumulative effects of decades of changes in connectivity shape woodland plant community assembly by selecting for particular trait values in plant species. This study opens new perspectives for integrating the temporal dynamics of landscape connectivity in the theoretical framework of plant assembly rules. It should also be considered in the development of management strategies to restore and maintain landscape connectivity.


Constructive assemblies are tangible user interfaces (TUIs) that involve the interconnection of modular parts. As such, they offer a unique means to support us in our various and diverse activities. However, little information is available for understanding the intricacies of taking a modular, constructive assembly approach to TUI design. Based on an analysis of extensive data collected from interviews with eight world-class TUI experts, we propose a descriptive, conceptual framework to facilitate systematic investigation and critical consideration of constructive assemblies. The paper presents a lifecycle model for constructive assemblies and discusses their main design qualities and associated parameters. We demonstrate how this can be used to structure critical discussions by applying the principles to existing works and the design of our own constructive assembly.


Orthogonal cutting experiments of hardened AISI1045 steel(45HRC) are performed to investigate the influence of cutting conditions on adiabatic shear which occurs in the process of chip formation of many materials. It is found that the cutting speed, cutting depth and rake angle all have influence on adiabatic shear and there is a critical cutting speed at which the adiabatic shear appears. By metallurgical observation, the critical cutting speed under different cutting depths and rake angles are given. A model based on linear pertubation analysis is used to predict the adiabatic shear critical cutting conditions of hardened AISI 1045 steel. The comparison of prediction results and that of expriments shows that this prediction model is valid.


Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1A disease (CMT1A) and hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) are common inherited disorders of the peripheral nervous system associated with duplication and deletion, respectively, of the 17p11.2 segment including the gene of peripheral myelin protein 22. We studied 48 subjects belonging to 29 families with clinical and electrophysiological signs of definite CMT1, 20 patients with suspected CMT phenotype, and 17 patients and healthy members of their families with HNPP. Blood sampling and DNA isolation, PCR, restriction analysis, southern blotting were performed using standard procedures. Of 48 patients with diagnosis of definite CMT1 in 25 (52%) we found a 1.5 Mb tandem duplication in chromosome 17p11.2. These duplications were not found in any of 20 sporadic cases with the clinical phenotype of CMT but without reliable electrophysiological data. Only 13 (44.8%) of 29 unrelated CMT1 patients from the first group had 17p11.2 duplications. Three of 4 sporadic cases (75%) with definite CMT1 had 17p11.2 duplications. Of 17 patients from 6 families with HNPP deletion of 17p11.2 segment was found in 15 (88.2%), as well as in 5 (83.3%) of six unrelated cases. Detection of CMT1A/HNPP recombination hotspot is a simple and reliable DNA diagnostic method, which is useful only for the patients with clinically already verified CMT1, and HNPP for further genetic counselling of patients and members of their families.


We study the problem of flocking and velocity alignment in a group of kinematic nonholonomic agents in 2 and 3 dimensions. By analyzing the velocity vectors of agents on a circle (for planar motion) or sphere (for 3-D motion), we develop a geodesic control law that minimizes a misalignment potential and results in velocity alignment and flocking. The proposed control laws are distributed and will provably result in flocking when the underlying proximity graph which represents the neighborhood relation among agents is connected. We further show that flocking is possible even when the topology of the proximity graph changes over time, so long as a weaker notion of joint connectivity is preserved.


European-like life expectancy levels in Moscow are attributable to the prevalence of older population and the manifold increase in the working-age population mortality, especially among young people. The goal of the study is to identify the age-specific risk factors for Moscow youth mortality. This analysis is based on the official Russian Statistics Service' data on mortality in the age groups of 15–24 and 25–34 years between 2000 and 2019. As demonstrated, during the study period, the Moscow youth mortality rates decreased twofold between both age groups. Starting from 2017, the mortality rate of Moscow youth began to increase, mainly among the 15–24-year-olds. The age vector of the youth mortality structure indicates a change in risk factors associated with age: while adolescents die from external causes, i.e. specific risks directly leading to death, later on youth mortality is more often associated with long-term behavioral factors indirectly resulting in death (such as sexual conduct as a risk factor for HIV/AIDS mortality, alcohol as the main cause for deaths from digestive system diseases and mental disorders, drugs as a risk factor for deaths from cardiovascular diseases and mental disorders). It is important to take note of the wide age range of the population classified as «young»: while it might be justified in legal and social context, in the demographic context it blurs the differences in mortality among people of different ages. Moreover, the abnormally high level and contribution of mortality from inaccurately described conditions, which the Moscow youth suffered from in the 2000s, calls into question the official rates of mortality due to underlying causes, primarily injuries, poisonings, and circulatory diseases. At the same time, given the increase in the young people's overall mortality in the recent years, the extremely high mortality rates from inaccurately described conditions make it difficult to identify health priorities for the Moscow youth and, therefore, do not allow determining the reserves for their effective decline.


Since 2001, Indonesia has entering its new era of democratization called decentralization in all sectors, including health. From now and then, the District Health Office has been forced to be able to implement its health policy and function such as 1) stewardship, 2) health resources management, 3) health financing, and 4) health services provision. Basic function of health system is needed to achieve the health purpose that shown the performance of the health offices and its structure. The performance is related to the quality of management. European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) is a tool to quantify and assess the quality of management in an institution, so that it will be understood what is the weakness and the strength of the institution. EFQM was developed in Europe that has been proved that it can formulate an excellent management and performance by then. This study implements the EFQM model towards performance improvement model development in district/municipality health office. The objective of the study is implement EFQM model in improving health system performance in district/municipality. Type of study is a health system research with a cross sectional design in three selected district health office based on Human Development Index criteria, that is high, medium and low. Analysis has been done implementing the EFQM method called RADAR. The study location were Tabanan district (Bali), Bandar Lampung Municipality (Lampung), and Belu District (East Nusa Tenggara). The qualitative analysis was quantified using the RADAR for the nine pillars in the method. The nine criteria were grouping into enables and results criteria, such as 1) enables criteria of leadership, policy and strategy, employment, partnership and resources as well as process; 2) results criteria were: clients satisfaction, staff satisfaction, social results of the community as well as the main key. Each criteria has some sub-criteria. Each sub-criteria then be valued using the RADAR, and quantified ranged from 0-10 as no prove and anecdote only; 15-35 as there are some prove; 40-60 as proved; 65-85 as strongly proved, and 90-100 as completely proved. The final evaluation of each pillars done by counting the average values of the sub-criteria multiplied by each weight of the pillars that already formatted. The formatted weight was 1.0 for the leadership; 0.8 for the policy and strategy, 0. 9 for the employment; 0. 9 for the resources and partnership; 1.4 for process; 2. 0 for clients satisfaction; 0. 9 for staffs satisfaction; 0.6 for community social satisfaction and the 1.5 for the key indicator, with a total weight of 10. Results showed that the final results of the health office performance were Tabanan has the highest of 250, Bandar Lampung Municipality 239, and Belu 217. This scoring seems directly reflects the management achievement level of District Health office that correlate to the HOI Index. The EFQM method can be used as a model to improve staff performance in the district health office by maintaining the weaknesses found in the field as constraints. Key words: EFQM, district health offices, scores, performances


BACKGROUND--Although many recent studies have shown the increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease in relatives of patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, clinical patterns of disease within families remain relatively poorly documented. AIMS--In this study, clinical characteristics (disease type, extent, age on onset, need for surgery, and presence of extraintestinal manifestations) have been compared in affected subjects in multiply-affected families, with inflammatory bowel disease. METHODS--54 families in whom one parent and at least one child were affected (a total of 77 parent-child pairs) and 155 families in whom at least two siblings were affected (a total of 190 affected sibling pairs) were involved. RESULTS--In affected parent-child pairs, parent and child were concordant for disease type in 58 of 77 pairs (75.3%), for extent in 63.6%, extraintestinal manifestations in 70.1%, and smoking history in 85%. The median age of onset in parents was significantly higher than offspring (p < 0.0001). In 40 pairs, 60.6%, the parent was at least 10 years older than child. Siblings were concordant for disease type in 81.6% of the affected sibling pairs, extent in 76.0%, extraintestinal manifestations in 83.8%, and smoking history in 81.3%. In contrast with the parent-child pairs, 68.1% (111 sibling pairs) siblings were diagnosed within 10 years of each other. The median age of onset was 24.0 years. CONCLUSIONS--This study has shown consistent clinical patterns in many families with inflammatory bowel disease. The differences in age of onset between parents and children are not readily explained by a simple cohort effect or ascertainment bias, and may reflect effects of genetic factors, producing anticipation between generations.


: Saccharide binding has been observed with demetallized concanavalin A in the presence of Ca(2+) only, using the fluorescent sugar 4-methylumbelliferyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside. At pH 7.2 both the nicked and intact forms of concanavalin A bound 4-methylumbelliferyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside with similar affinities. Competitive binding with methyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside was demonstrated. The association constants at 5 degrees C were 9.6 +/- 0.6 X 10(4) M(-1) for 4-methylumbelliferyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside and 1.1 +/- 0.3 X 10(4) M(-1) for methyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside. 4-Methylumbelliferyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside binding was also observed if demetallized concanavalin A was remetallized with less than stoichiometric amounts of Ca(2+). The association constants with low Ca(2+) concentrations were similar to those determined with saturating Ca(2+). With less than stoichiometric levels of Ca(2+), the number of sugar molecules bound per protein subunit was a reflection of the fraction of activated lectin subunits. These results show that saccharide binding activity of concanavalin A does not require a transition metal ion at pH 7.2; only Ca(2+) is required. At pH values near 5, where most previous studies have been carried out, both a transition metal ion and Ca(2+) are necessary.


In recent years, there has been an increased interest in 44Ti/44Sc generators as an onsite source of 44Sc for medical applications without needing a proximal cyclotron. The relatively short half-life (3.97 hours) and high positron branching ratio (94.3%) of 44Sc make it a viable candidate for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. This review discusses current 44Ti/44Sc generator designs, focusing on their chemistry, drawbacks, post-elution processing, and relevant preclinical studies of the 44Sc for potential PET radiopharmaceuticals.


We report flexible piezoelectric polyurethane foams with d33 piezocoefficients up to 244 ± 30 pC N−1. Polymer foams have large volume changes under applied force, and dipole-doped polymers can have large polarizations even when poled at fields two orders of magnitude lower than space-charge electrets. Combining these features results in piezocoefficients an order of magnitude higher than conventional polymer piezomaterials, and independent selection of matrix and dopant should permit easy processing and tailorable properties. We further motivate the use of mesostructured materials by noting that the theoretical piezocoefficient limit is much higher for such materials than for conventional ceramics or polymers.


The School of Innovation, Design and Engineering (IDT) at Malardalen University (MDH), Sweden, has built its research environment in cooperation with industry by funding from external sources. As the number of research project has increased, the challenge to run and manage the projects is increasing. To allow researchers to focus on research rather than project management, IDT has invested in training for professional project management and designated the department for research coordination (RECO) to be the project management office (PMO), providing professional project management to research projects. RECO are now carriers of experience between different projects. RECO project managers, however, are not experts in the research conducted at the school, which is a challenge. Nevertheless, the combination of excellent research and professional project management is a success factor when it comes to handling the large portfolio of complex projects within the school. This session will present a survey among Swedish PMO, and set it in relief to how MDH improve productivity and quality in research management by adding project management competencies to the research environment at the university.


Among food crops in terms of consumption, potato ranks fourth, most important and valuable crop worldwide in terms of production and area harvested after maize, wheat and rice. In the coming years, potato production must keep pace with global population expansion nutritiously and sustainably which can partially be achieved by reducing the yield losses caused by the destructive pest and disease activities to the crop. The challenge of 70–80% total microbial crop yield loss posed by pathogens must be addressed for sustainable potato production in order to properly alleviate the global starvation problem. Potato as a food security crop can help to achieve the four food security requirements: food availability, quality, accessibility and stability. Health benefits of potato have shown the presence of phytochemicals as well as resistant starch which serve as anticancer and antidiabetic. The role of potato in the global food security should not be over emphasized, hence in this chapter we want to give an overview on the global hunger and food security at present, and the role played by potato as a food security crop. In addition, potato yield losses caused by pests and diseases especially phytopathogens, their etiology and the role of crop protection in sustainable potato production to alleviate global starvation problem will be discussed.


Recent methodological developments in causal mediation analysis have addressed several issues regarding multiple mediators. However, these developed methods differ in their definitions of causal parameters, assumptions for identification, and interpretations of causal effects, making it unclear which method ought to be selected when investigating a given causal effect. Thus, in this study, we construct an integrated framework, which unifies all existing methodologies, as a standard for mediation analysis with multiple mediators. To clarify the relationship between existing methods, we propose four strategies for effect decomposition: two‐way, partially forward, partially backward, and complete decompositions. This study reveals how the direct and indirect effects of each strategy are explicitly and correctly interpreted as path‐specific effects under different causal mediation structures. In the integrated framework, we further verify the utility of the interventional analogues of direct and indirect effects, especially when natural direct and indirect effects cannot be identified or when crossworld exchangeability is invalid. Consequently, this study yields a robustness‐specificity trade‐off in the choice of strategies. Inverse probability weighting is considered for estimation. The four strategies are further applied to a simulation study for performance evaluation and for analyzing the Risk Evaluation of Viral Load Elevation and Associated Liver Disease/Cancer dataset from Taiwan to investigate the causal effect of hepatitis C virus infection on mortality.


This paper presents a multiple description scalable video coding scheme based on overcomplete motion compensated temporal filtering, named MD-OMCTF, for robust video transmission over wireless and packet loss networks. The intrinsic nature of the structure of OMCTF and embedded coding with modified SPIHT algorithm enable us to provide fully scalable properties for the proposed scheme. We show that multiple description coding is very effective in combating with channel failures in both Internet and wireless video. The integration of MD with OMCTF allows us to achieve both loss resilience and complete scalability. In order to further improve error-resilience to channel bit error for this scheme and reduce error propagation in error-prone network, we apply error resilient entropy coding (EREC) to the multiple bitstreams to gain additional error resilience. With EREC, multiple bitstreams are reorganized into fixed-length slots so that synchronization of the beginning of each bitstream can be automatically obtained at the receiver. The integration of scalable coding and EREC with MDC enables the coded video bitstream to be adaptive to the varying channel condition and to be resilient to both transmission losses and bit errors. We also develop corresponding error concealment scheme to recover the lost or erroneous information during video transmission. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme is able to achieve robust video transmission over both wireless and packet loss networks.


We have used dielectric relaxation spectroscopy to measure frequency and temperature dependence of complexdielectric functions e*(ω), e*(T) of ion conductive glasses of the system CuI-CuBr-Cu2O-P2O5. The observation, analysis andinterpretation of the temperature and frequency dependences of real and imaginary part of the dielectric permittivities canreflect the basic features of the relaxation and transport processes of the mobile ions. The experimental results are analyzed,discussed and compared with both acoustic and conductivity spectra measurements.


The aim of this paper is to set out some of the proposals of text semantics for information retrieval - more specifically for content-based text classification. To start with, we will assess the contribution of linguistics to information retrieval by means of natural language processing techniques. This will give us an opportunity to look at the achievements that have been secured and to examine standard linguistic approaches to information retrieval. In particular, we will focus on the slow emergence of text considerations as the web expands. We intend to show that the ever-greater attention raised by text linguistics comes at a critical juncture in the evolution of information retrieval on the web. We will show how text categorisation is a departure from traditional approaches. The second and third parts will go into greater detail and examine the way text linguistics can apply to information retrieval. We will first lay out the methods used within the framework of a project aiming to filter racist web texts; we will then introduce some of the research currently conducted in the field of textual data analysis, which, in the near future, is liable to improve the methodology of information retrieval.


The aim of this paper is to provide useful information about climate conditions of transcontinental shipments from Hungary and compare them to the climate profiles of conditioning standards. The climatic environments inside ISO intermodal containers carrying automotive products to three different destinations in India, China and South Africa were measured. All three recorded surveys contain temperature and relative humidity data while the containers were stored outdoors and indoors and travelled on truck, rail and ship. The measured data was analyzed and mean statistical values of daily temperature and RH shifts were determined for each route. The recorded data shows that 50 % of maximum temperature and RH shifts occurred in the EU continent. Temperature and relative humidity distribution as a function of cumulative percentages [%] of the duration of total shipping was also determined and compared to the climate profiles of conditioning standards. It shows that peak temperature and RH ranges occur mostly in the defined duration of conditioning testing time.


Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in old paradigms, old ways of doing things with thinking that is not current with the times.  Sometimes it is easy to miss the critical and important things that are right in front of us because of those old voices or traditional voices.  Too often, it is simply just hard to change doing what we normally have been doing or what we are familiar with.   Additionally, sometimes we do not take the time to carefully look at the necessary facts and realities to get the complete picture and truth about how things work. Not being current or not being well informed can cause us to miss the opportunities available to us; therefore, causing problems and issues we do not desire. We simply do not seize the day.  We may not take the time to focus adequately, to have the healthy and balanced perspective that is in the best interest of our needs for safety, security, growth, tax savings and income.


The typological variation between the Nordic languages offers a natural laboratory for the cross-linguistic study of first language acquisition. Based on an on-going inter-Nordic project, the present article discusses research designs for the exploration of this lab together with pilot analyses of acquisition data across Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish. On the basis of evidence from longitudinal case studies, from narrative tasks, and from morphological and phonetic experiments, the project aims at producing an integrated picture of the development of grammatical morphology and its interaction with (a) the semantic domains of spatial and temporal relations and (b) the prosodic domains of tonal word accents and duration. In the present article, the focus is on spatial relations and prosody. Comparisons of developmental data between languages that show considerable typological differences (Finnish vs Icelandic vs the Mainland Scandinavian languages) allow us to establish broad cross-linguistic commonalities in acquisition structure. It is shown that, across all five languages, very similar relational concepts are encoded by the first grammatical morphemes emerging in the field of spatial relations. The impact of linguistic details on acquisition structure can be explored with greater precision through comparisons between languages that show minimal typological differences (the internal differences between the Mainland Scandinavian languages: Danish vs Norwegian vs Swedish). Here, the early development of the Verb + particle construction in two Danish and two Swedish children is analysed. Language specific effects on acquisition structure of syntactical and prosodic traits are demonstrated. Further, language specific effects on the development of verb argument structure in spatial descriptions are discussed


Lung cancer remains a significant public health problem in 2006, despite efforts aimed at educating individuals about the dangers of tobacco and the successes of smoking cessation programs. No screening methods aimed at high risk individuals are currently supported by the National Cancer Institute or other medical organizations. Since the risk for lung cancer persists even after smoking cessation, studies of methods to detect lung cancer in its early stages, when it is amenable to cure, are clearly needed. This study examined a novel method of sputum collection and processing to determine whether the adequacy of the samples collected was improved over conventional preparation methods. We also examined lung function as a possible predictor of cytologic abnormality in the sputum of individuals at high risk for lung cancer, and studied the potential of a molecular biomarker for the early detection of lung cancer. This study employed a cross-sectional design and utilized quantitative methods for exploring the relationships between the variables, particularly those of lung function, cytologic diagnosis and gene mutation status, with personal risk factors for developing lung cancer. This study demonstrated an association between lung function and cytologic diagnosis of moderate or worse atypia in the sputum collected from these participants and examined at the University of Colorado. We also demonstrated a higher rate of sputum specimen adequacy than has been previously reported from conventional clinical experience. We examined the feasibility of conducting somatic gene mutation analysis on the samples collected by this novel method. We achieved some success in studying K-ras mutations, but were unsuccessful in our analysis of DNA methylation. From these experiences we have gathered information upon which to base further studies.The importance of these findings from a public health perspective is that there is an opportunity for early detection of lung cancer via analysis of cellular and molecular changes in sputum. We have demonstrated that the Thin Prep® methodology, applied to sputum, produces material suitable for cytologic examination and, under certain circumstances, material suitable for molecular analysis. Patients at high risk for lung cancer will benefit from continued research into novel screening methods.