Research on the exploitation of prosodic information in the comprehension of spoken language is reviewed. The research falls into three main areas: the use of prosody in the recognition of spoken words, in which most attention has been paid to the question of whether the prosodic structure of a word plays a role in initial activation of stored lexical representations; the use of prosody in the computation of syntactic structure, in which the resolution of global and local ambiguities has formed the central focus; and the role of prosody in the processing of discourse structure, in which there has been a preponderance of work on the contribution of accentuation and deaccentuation to integration of concepts with an existing discourse model. The review reveals that in each area progress has been made towards new conceptions of prosody's role in processing, and in particular this has involved abandonment of previously held deterministic views of the relationship between prosodic structure and other aspects of linguistic structure.


Information from elemental and mass composition of size-fractionated airborne particle matter (PM) provides insightful
knowledge about their impact on human health, meteorology and climate. To attain insight into the nature of sizefractionated
PM from a typical African city, samples were collected from an urban background site in Nairobi, Kenya,
during the months of August and September in 2007. PM samples ranging in size from 0.06 to 16 µm aerodynamic
diameter were collected on pre-weighed polycarbonate filters with 0.4 µm pore size using a nine-stage cascade impactor.
Particles less than 0.06 µm were collected on a backup filter. A total of 170 samples were collected and analysed for trace
elements using the Proton Induced X-Ray Emission (PIXE) technique. The analysis showed that Si, Fe and S dominated in
all size ranges and displayed unimodal mass-size distribution whereas K, Cu, Zn and Pb, depicted bimodal mass-size
distribution highlighting the multiplicity of their sources. To estimate human exposure to PM, deposition fractions of both
the coarse and fine PM in the human respiratory system were calculated. The deposited concentration was found to be
highest in the head airways region compared to the tracheobronchial and pulmonary regions.


We present a series of remarkable structural transformations for a family of layered metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in a three-step solid-state reaction cycle. The cycle represents new dynamic behavior of 2D coordination polymers and involves the sequence of reactions: {[Mn2(ina)4(H2O)2]·2EtOH}n (JUK-1) → {(NH4)2[Mn(ina)2(NCS)2]}n·xH2O (JUK-2) → {[Mn2(ina)2(Hina)2(NCS)2]}n (JUK-3) → JUK-1 (Hina = isonicotinic acid), each accompanied by rearrangement of intralayer coordination bonds and each induced by a different external stimulus. In situ investigation of the first step of the cycle by combined synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy reveals direct mechanochemical unzipping of JUK-1 bilayers to respective JUK-2 layers with reaction rates dependent on the milling conditions. In contrast, the reverse zipping of JUK-2 layers involves two steps and proceeds through a new MOF (JUK-3) whose structure was elucidated by powder X-ray diffraction. Magnetic measurements confirm conversions of manganese nodes in the reaction cycle. The findings indicate the possibility of developing coordination-based assemblies with large structural responses for use in smart stimuli-responsive systems and sensor technologies.


Skin malignancy represents at least 25% of the plastic surgeon's workload. The commonest tumour, the basal cell carcinoma, usually arises in the skin of elderly patients who are frequently managed by surgery under local anaesthetic, often as outpatients. The recurrent basal cell carcinoma poses a difficult problem regardless of the primary therapy. Skin repair with direct closure or skin grafts is usually simple, but skin flaps will be needed when bone, cartilage or major neurovascular structures are exposed, or where tissue vascularity has been reduced by irradiation fibrosis. Squamous cell carcinomas of lip, ear and hand may recur as lymph node metastases despite clinical and histological clearance. Malignant melanoma continues to present as advanced disease (thick tumours) in this country, and this largely dictates prognosis, since tumour thickness is recognised as the single most important dominant prognostic variable. Incisional biopsy compromises histological microstaging and should be avoided. Indirect evidence from narrow margin excision of invasive head and neck cutaneous melanomas suggests no detriment, and narrow margin excision of melanomas is increasingly being practised.


'Bitter' and 'sweet' cassava are normally distinguished based on the hydrocyanic acid (HCN) content of their roots. Moreover, Brazilian farmers tend to select 'sweet' cassava based on the taste and cooking aspects. The aim of this study was to characterize chemical traits of 'bitter' and 'sweet' cassava roots of the Amazon region and to find genetic relations among accessions based on these traits. Considerable phenotypic variation was detected among the evaluated traits moisture, ashes, total soluble solids, total titratable acidity, pH, total carotenoids, free and total cyanide, crude protein, glucose, fructose, sucrose and starch. Aside from free and total cyanide, the trait means of sugars and moisture differed in 'bitter' and 'sweet' cassava and also differentiated these in different clusters in the dendrogram using the unweighted pair-group method based on arithmetic averages (UPGMA) and in the results of principal component analysis.


The effect of adsorbate molecules on the quadrupolar interaction of framework aluminum atoms with the electric field gradient in dehydrated zeolite H,Na-Y has been studied by (27)Al MAS NMR and (27)Al MQMAS NMR spectroscopy at magnetic fields of 9.4 and 17.6 T. Upon adsorption of molecules interacting with bridging OH groups by hydrogen bonds (acetonitrile and acetone), the quadrupole coupling constant of framework aluminum atoms was found to decrease from 16.0 MHz (unloaded zeolite) to 9.4 MHz. Adsorption of molecules, which cause a proton transfer from the zeolite framework to the adsorbates (ammonia and pyridine), reduces the quadrupole coupling constant to 3.8 MHz for coverages of 0.5-2 molecules per bridging OH group. The experiments indicate that the quadrupole coupling constant of framework aluminum atoms in dehydrated zeolite H,Na-Y reflects the chemical state of adsorbate complexes formed at bridging OH groups. In agreement with earlier investigations it was found that a proton affinity of the adsorbate molecules of PA = 812-854 kJ/mol is necessary to induce a proton transfer from the zeolite framework to the adsorbed compounds. This proton transfer is accompanied by a strong improvement of the tetrahedral symmetry of zeolitic framework AlO(4) tetrahedra and a decrease of the electric field gradient.


The aim of this paper is to describe the consumer behaviour and everyday lifestyle patterns of Hungarian university and college students. The results are gained from an international survey, carried out by the Department of Environmental Economics and Technology at the Corvinus University of Budapest, supported by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism. As background literature, characteristics of the consumer society and the development of sustainable consumption as a concept are interpreted in the paper. The empirical analysis aims to describe the most important clusters of students, based on the factors of their consumer behaviour, environmental activism and pro-environmental everyday habits. Our results identify two extreme clusters which most significantly differ from each other: the environmental activists and the indifferent group. However, a third cluster has the most modest consumer behaviour, namely the group which considers product features, energy consumption and the behaviour of producers. They spend the least on consumer goods. The three other clusters show quite mixed lifestyle patterns.


Most electro-reflectance experiments have been carried
out in the visible and UV parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Axe and Hammer (1967), however, are the only research workers who observed
a qualitative modulation peak in the IR and in the vicinity of the
reflectance plasma edge of Ge- and tin-doped GaAs. Large absorption
corrections were required due to the absorption by the saturated methanol–NaCl electrolyte solution used. Their results were not reproducible, but
indicate that a rather large effect should be expected. The scope of the work reported here was to extend ER studies associated
with free electron effects into the near IR and obtain valuable quantitative
results in order to develop and evaluate a microscopic theory.


Synchronization of data stream processing has a significant impact on performance of systems where processing of long sequences of data items needs to be done simultaneously. In earlier works on stream processing, synchronization has been discussed to a limited extent or has been completely overlooked. This work describes a formal model of synchronization in a data stream processing network. We use a notation of data stream processing networks to identify circumstances that necessitate synchronization and express processing of data items in a data stream processing network in terms of database transactions. A technique similar to timestamp ordering of database transactions is used to solve the problems. A solution is presented as a set of rules that govern processing of individual data items. A proof of correctness for the strategy used is also provided.


Due to advances in information and communication technology, web maps are an increasingly important means of communication. While paper maps provide solutions that are accessible to the visually impaired, the use of web maps is still difficult for these users. This is true even though technology opens up new possibilities for developing accessible web maps. But, what must be considered when creating web maps suitable for the visually impaired? This paper presents recommendations, including example solutions based on the results obtained in two projects: AccessibleMap and senTour. In both projects mixed methods were used: literature and internet review, questionnaires, and analysis of similar systems. All work was done in close cooperation with organizations that represent the interests of the target group. The findings underline that web maps accessible to visually impaired users must support different interaction modes and assistive technology. A carefully designed user interface, an easy-to-read map picture, and the provision of a verbal description of the map content are important. Further, additional aspects should be considered to enable these users to fully benefit from web maps. This refers to the need to widen the concept of accessibility, encompassing among others usability, the importance of building up these users' digital and spatial competencies, and to leverage the advantages that result from the application of the participatory design approach.


Network-based virtual worlds allow multiple virtual worlds connected on a network to share information with one another. The development effort required to produce a network-based virtual world is quite large. The BrickNet toolkit simplifies this development by providing the standard facilities required by a wide range of network-based virtual worlds. It provides support for graphical, behavioral and network modeling of virtual worlds in an object-oriented fashion. BrickNet enables graphic objects to be maintained, managed, and used efficiently, and permits objects to be shared by multiple virtual worlds. In this paper, the architecture and implementation of BrickNet are described.


Thick GaN bars with [1120] orientation have been sliced from GaN boules grown on freestanding films by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) in the [0001] direction. High-resolution x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy have been used to study the structural quality and defect distribution in the material in comparison to heteroepitaxially grown thick HVPE-GaN films grown in the [1120] direction on (1102)-plane sapphire. It is demonstrated that while the heteroepitaxial material possesses a high density of stacking faults and partial dislocations, leading to anisotropic structural characteristics, the (1120)-plane bulk GaN, sliced from boules, exhibits low dislocation density and narrow rocking curves with isotropic in-plane character.


A complete and automatized strategy has been developed to derive the Vector and Scalar Potential Green Functions (GFs) of planar multilayered structures that include conductive sheets. The propagator matrix technique is enhanced to include conductive sheets and the connection to the Mixed Potential GFs through the normal components of the Field GFs is developed. Finally, an example including a graphene sheet validates the proposed procedure through a comparison with results in the literature.


While the chip multiprocessor (CMP) has quickly become the predominant processor architecture, its continuing success largely depends on the parallelizability of complex programs. In the early 1990s great successes were obtained to extract parallelism from the inner loops of scientific computations. In this paper we show that significant amounts of coarse-grain parallelism exists in the outer program loops, even in general-purpose programs. This coarse-grain parallelism can be exploited efficiently on CMPs without additional hardware support.


50 years ago the film Hiroshima Mon Amour caused a scandal on its release for its audacity in apparently comparing the enormity of the atrocity of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima with the personal tragic love story of a French woman. This scandal was augmented by the opening sequence of the film which appeared to make a direct comparison between the ecstasy of love and the extreme agony and devastation of this act of war, by inscribing the effects of each upon two embracing bodies. Since then different readings of the film have negotiated that apparent personalisation and intensification upon the body, as a means to critique the desensitisation that has marked our means to respond to mass death post-'Hiroshima'. Such interpretation takes on new applicability in the wake of recent 'disavowals' of the death of some and those barriers, as Judith Butler has it, "against which we struggle when we try to find out about the losses that we are asked not to mourn" (Butler (2004) Precarious Life, Verso p.46)). Such barriers drawn up by the "frames of war", can encounter resistance by way of alternative mediations of injustice written starkly upon the body and its abjection Butler (2009) Frames of War, Verso p.130 and passim). The chapter engages with readings of the film Hiroshima Mon Amour and readings of more recent representations of the horrors of war (including those 'informal' mediations now available via mobile technologies), by way of the critical positions towards notions of war, justice, community and the body, that the work of Butler and principally Jacques Derrida and Jean-Luc Nancy provides. This is in order to unravel what a 'just' resistance to and mourning for the injustices of past and present and a true sense of a "justice-to-come" might be. It is perhaps somewhere between an overarching impersonal notion of the abject and an over-wrought personalisation on the body, a denial of identity and an excessive inscription of identity, that an 'other' justice emerges.


BACKGROUND
a new serrated histologic finding has recently been discovered in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), known as serrated epithelial change (SEC). Recent studies suggest that SEC is strongly associated with dysplasia.

CASE REPORT
the case was a 62-year-old male in a dysplasia-colorectal cancer screening program with periodic chromoendoscopies, with CES findings in the previous chromoendoscopy studies.

DISCUSSION
a prophylactic colectomy seems a reasonable option for patients with several serrated lesions identified via chromoendoscopy screening. Particularly, if they are extensive and poorly defined, due to the possibility of developing high-grade dysplasia or colorectal cancer (CRC) during surveillance.


A method of protein secondary structure pattern discovery is presented. The TEIRESIAS algorithm has been improved to discover protein secondary structure patterns. Four protein secondary structure pattern dictionaries have been built for four organisms. The distribution of patterns and common patterns' structure in different dictionaries is different. Different organism's proteins represent different biological language. Based on the organism-specific dictionary, a hidden Markov model is built to predict proteins secondary structure. Dictionary-based prediction has been tested on four organisms and compared with the profile network from HeiDelberg (PHD) method. The experimental results show that our predict method is better than the PHD method for modified segment overlap (SOV) assessment.


Two new virus isolates, M432 and M832, obtained from the Southeast Asian mouse have been characterized morphologically with respect to their composition and intracellular assembly. The mature virions resemble in certain respects the type B murine retroviruses. The new isolates, however, have an intracellular precursor, a type A particle, closely associated with the mitotic apparatus. The intraceIluIar transport of the type A particles to the cell surface, where they are released by budding, is closely associated with the microtubule system of the cell.


The optical properties of plasmonic nanoparticles and substrates have been exploited to produce vapour deposited substrates that are as effective as SERS substrates produced using sophisticated nanolithography. In this work, we show that introducing ultrathin dielectric spacers of ∼5 nm between the silicon substrate and the silver nanoparticles provides adequate screening and allows for energy transfer between the plasmons and polarization charges of the high-permittivity silicon, a desirable feature for SERS enhancement. We show this effect using different dielectric spacers of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and others. Note that the energy transfer process is active for distances <10 nm and falls as 1/d6 (where d is the thickness of the spacer), and larger spacers asymptotically approach the radiative regime of thin-film interference with an intermediate non-radiative regime (d ∼ 10–40 nm). Enhancement of Raman scattering signals by factors close to 105 has been observed from these substrates that can be easily produced on large areas. The experimental studies were complemented by COMSOL numerical results showing the shifting and enhancement of plasmon resonances of the silver particles due to the spacers predicting similar enhancements. We also present a radiation model of the silicon substrate and silver particles with an interleaving boundary-layer of such induced permittivity that predicts these experimental observations equally well.


Diving animals are available for detection from above the water when environmental conditions are favorable and the animals are near the surface. The number of animals that are unavailable for detection needs to be estimated to obtain unbiased population estimates. The current availability correction factors used in aerial surveys for the dugong (Dugong dugon) allow for variation in environmental conditions but use the average time dugongs spend near the surface (i.e., constant availability corrections). To improve availability estimates, we examined location and dive data from nine dugongs fitted with satellite telemetry units and time-depth recorders (TDRs) in eastern Australia. The effects of water depth, tidal conditions, and habitat types on dugong surfacing time were examined using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs). We found that availability for detection differed with water depth, and depth-specific availability estimates were often lower than the constant estimates. The habitat effect was less influential, and there was no tidal effect. The number of dugongs estimated using depth-specific availabilities were higher than those obtained using constant availabilities across water depth. Hence, information on water depth can refine availability estimates and subsequent abundance estimates from dugong aerial surveys. The methodology may be applicable to other aquatic wildlife.


Four isolates of Erwinia amylovora were isolated during (May, 2016) from different pear orchards of Erbil Governorate in Kurdistan/Iraq. Typical symptoms of fire blight such as shepherd crock and bacterial exudates were observed in pear trees, The bacteria morphologically similar to E. amylovora were isolated and characterized morphologically using selective media Crosse and Goodman, Biochemically using the API 20E and same biochemical tests (oxidase, catalase and indole) were also used for identification, and the result of API 20E kit (Biomérieux, France), demonstrated that the bacterium belongs to E. amylovora. Also all isolates were oxidase and indole negative, catalase positive and produced craters on the surface of colonies which permitted positive identification of the pathogen. A pathogenicity tests were positive on young pear shoots and immature fruits. PCR amplification was applied to identify a specific region of chromosomal pEA71, Results showed positive reaction to this specific primer. The first study conducted on pear fire blight caused by E. amylovora in Erbil Province.


The aim of research work was to determine the most important physical, chemical and microbiological properties of five different soil types - erubase, rendzina, solonchak, meadow solonetz, and calcareous chernozems - located in Hungary and make a comparison among the properties. The first four soil types have extreme physical and chemical properties, all was natural grassland, the fifth one was a cultivated chernozem soil from a fertilization experiment, and the control and two different dosages of fertilizer treatments were used for investigation. In order to measure the effect of relief on soil properties, two soil samples were taken from every soil type, one from a higher, one from the deeper exposure, except the calcareous chernozem. Results were evaluated and among the soil parameters significant differences were measured at 5%-level in the majority of the cases. Large differences were experienced among the properties, especially in the texture, pH, humus and nutrient content. The texture was measured from sandy loam to heavy clay; pH-values were from acidic to alkaline. Microelement content generally was higher in the natural soil, than in the cultivated ones, especially the zinc and manganese content. Regarding the microbiological properties of soils, the quantity of soil microorganisms (total number of bacteria and microscopic fungi) was higher in soils with native vegetation, than in the cultivated soils. Parallel with it, the measured enzymes activities - phosphatase, saccharase, urease and catalase - also were generally higher in the natural soils, than in the cultivated ones, one exception is the salt effected solonchak soil. In contrast with it, the numbers of two important physiological groups of bacteria - cellulose decomposing and nitrifying bacteria - were higher in the cultivated soils. When we compared the different results within one soil type, higher number of microorganisms and more intensive microbial activity was measured in the soil from higher exposure, than in soil from deeper exposure. It means that the microrelief has great importance in the occurrence and activity of living organisms of soil. The soil properties restrict hardly the possibilities of plant production, grassland or forests could be found in those places, where some soil physical and chemical properties are extreme, but at the same time these soils have high microbiological activity.


Background: Cervical cerclage is a recognised treatment to prevent late miscarriage and pre-term birth (PTB). Emergency cervical cerclage (ECC) for cervical dilatation with exposed unruptured membranes is less common and the potential benefits of cerclage are less certain. A randomised control trial is needed to accurately assess the effectiveness of ECC in preventing pregnancy loss compared to an expectant approach.Methods: C-STICH2 is a multicentre randomised controlled trial in which women presenting with cervical dilatation and unruptured exposed membranes at 16+0 to 27+6 weeks gestation are randomised to ECC or expectant management. Trial design includes: 18 month internal pilot with embedded qualitative process evaluation; minimal data set; and a within-trial health economic analysis. Inclusion criteria are: ≥16 years, singleton pregnancy, exposed membranes at the external os, gestation 16+0-27+6 weeks, informed consent. Exclusion criteria are: contraindication to cerclage, cerclage in situ or previous cerclage in this pregnancy.Randomisation occurs via an online service in a 1:1 ratio, using a minimisation algorithm to reduce chance imbalances in key prognostic variables (site, gestation and dilatation). Primary outcome is pregnancy loss; a composite including miscarriage, termination of pregnancy and perinatal mortality defined as stillbirth and neonatal death in the first week of life. Secondary outcomes include all core outcomes for PTB. Two year development outcomes will be assessed using general health and Parent Report of Children's Abilities-Revised (PARCA-R) questionnaires. Intended sample size is 260 participants (130 each arm) based on 60% rate of pregnancy loss in the expectant management arm and 40% in the ECC arm, with 90% power and alpha 0.05. Analysis will be by intention-to-treat.Discussion: To date there has been one small trial of ECC in 23 participants which included twin and singleton pregnancies. This small trial along with the largest observational study (n=161) found ECC to prolong pregnancy duration and reduce deliveries before 34 weeks gestation. It is important to generate high quality evidence on the effectiveness of ECC in preventing pregnancy loss, and improve understanding of the prevalence of the condition and frequency of complications associated with ECC. An adequately powered RCT will provide the highest quality evidence regarding optimum care for these women and their babies. Trial registration: ISRCTN12981869 Registered on 13th June 2018


Although statistical and machine learning methods require the input data to be in a tabular format, in real-world applications data are often stored across several tables in a relational database. How to build a single mining table from a relational database is a critical pre-processing step of any classification method, because including the right attributes may dramatically boost the accuracy of the classifier. We propose a methodology and implement a software program, Dataconda, to automatically mine a relational database. The user selects a class attribute contained in a table of the database and the procedure builds and selects predictors by exploring the whole database and aggregating information, without any user intervention. For example, our procedure may find that the best predictor for "product return" is the proportion of products returned by the same customer in the past, even if the user has not built any such attribute. Our procedure produces more expressive attributes than existing methods. Our experiments on the ISMS Durable Goods Datasets, a publicly available data set of product returns in retailing, suggest that our method allows new knowledge to emerge.


Local ablation therapies are procedures that, guided by medical imaging technology, localize the targeted tumor and then kill tumor tissues through the local application of physical and/or chemical methods. The imaging technology includes ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and the ablation can be performed through percataneous, laparoscopic, or open surgery. Local ablation has two advantages: First, it can act directly on tumor and thus is highly effective and efficient; second, the efficacy of this treatment is only confined on tumor and its neighboring tissues, with limited effect on human body, and therefore can be repeatedly applied. After the rapid development during the past two decades, local ablation therapy has became the third most promising local treatment (immediately after surgical resection and intervention) for primary liver cancer. Notably, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is as effective as surgical resection but is simpler and safer in treating small hepatocellular carcinoma (SHCC). Therefore, RFA has been recognized as one of the radical treatment for SHCC and been widely applied in China.


Introduction: Radiotherapy-induced hypothyroidism has remained underestimated and under reported ailment, because of noninclusion of routine assessment of thyroid function test in baseline workup and during follow-up protocol, which results in failure to detect and treat a reversible cause of morbidity in significant proportion of surviving patients. Greater magnitude and duration of thyroid-stimulating hormone elevation increase the probability of progression to clinical hypothyroidism and therefore increase the potential benefit of treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism. Hence, recognizing subclinical hypothyroidism at an early stage can prevent clinical hypothyroidism and its associated morbidities. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the present prospective study was to evaluate the functional and anatomical changes in thyroid glands in patients with head-and-neck cancer treated with conventional radiotherapy (external beam radiotherapy) and concurrent chemoradiotherapy and to assess the necessity of inclusion of routine thyroid function test in the workup and follow-up protocol of these patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 98 patients were randomly allocated in two arms. In arm I, 50 patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy and in arm II, 48 patients underwent radical conventional radiotherapy alone. Baseline thyroid function test and ultrasonography of neck along with thoroughly clinical evaluation were done for every patient and these investigations were repeated in the middle of radiotherapy treatment (after 17 #), at the end of radiotherapy treatment, 3 months after completion of radiotherapy, and after that, at every 3rd-month follow-up to determine late changes in thyroid function test and echotexture. Results: In arm I, total 60% patients developed acute hyperthyroidism while in arm II, 68.75% patients developed acute hyperthyroidism. A total of 18.36% patients were found to have subclinical hypothyroidism. At the 9th month of follow-up, 55 out of 98 patients (56.12%) developed hypothyroidism. Among 55 patients, 37 were having clinical hypothyroidism while 18 patients were having subclinical hypothyroidism (P ≤ 0.0001). Maximum number of patients, i.e. 26/98 (47.27%) developing hypothyroidism were between 51 and 60 years of age group. Addition of surgery and chemotherapy had shown no difference in thyroid dysfunction. Patients with clinical hypothyroidism required medical management while patients with subclinical hypothyroidism were kept on close monitoring. Conclusion: Recognizing hypothyroidism (clinical or subclinical) early and treating it timely can prevent associated complications which are often ignored. Hence, thyroid function tests should be done routinely that is before starting of radiotherapy, on completion of radiotherapy, and during follow-up as well.


Laser surgery enables for very accurate, fast and clean modeling of tissue. The specific and controlled cutting and ablation of tissue, however, remains a central challenge in the field of clinical laser applications. The lack of information on what kind of tissue is being ablated at the bottom of the cut may lead to iatrogenic damage of structures that were meant to be preserved. One such example is the shaping or removal of diseased cartilaginous and bone tissue in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Diseases of the TMJ can induce deformation and perforation of the cartilaginous discus articularis, as well as alterations to the cartilaginous surface of the condyle or even the bone itself. This may result in restrictions of movement and pain. The aim of a surgical intervention ranges from specific ablation and shaping of diseased cartilage, bone or synovial tissues to extensive removal of TMJ structures. One approach to differentiate between these tissues is to use Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). The ultimate goal is a LIBS guided feedback control system for surgical laser systems that enables real-time tissue identification for tissue specific ablation. In the presented study, the authors focused on the LIBS based differentiation between cartilage tissue and cortical bone tissue using an ex-vivo pig model.


Scottish migrants fostered a range of cultural activities in the new worlds in which they settled, thereby identifying themselves as a distinct ethnic group. Celebrations of Scotland's national bard, Robert Burns, were the one recurring theme within all sites of settlement. The iconic figure of Burns is, in fact, central to the formulation, expression and commemoration of a Scottish cultural identity around the world. The present article explores the function of Burns celebrations in colonial Otago, the Scottish heartland of New Zealand. The celebrations were a key part of the Scots' associational culture in Otago, serving as an important social occasion within the Scottish community bounds and in wider Otago society. Moreover, the celebrations were effective sites of memory, employing familiar memory narratives and practices; these framed events and provided the initial common denominator that bound Scots and non-Scots together.


Distribution of patent license fee is the core content of intellectual property rights management in technology standard alliance, so a method for scientific and reasonable allocation of patent license fee is necessary which determines the long-term cooperation and sustainable development of alliance. In this paper, authors put forward the principles and dynamic process of patent license fee distribution in technology standard alliance by analyzing the patent license patterns and the royalty distribution characteristics of alliance. After that, the ditribution scheme consists of both fixed part and variable part is proposed. Finally, the distribution coefficient determination method based on partner opinion integration is designed. The ditribution process and scheme designed by authors fully considers the alliance's dynamic patent composition under technology standard as well as the final actual contribution of each partner. Simultaneously, the distribution coefficient determination method provided in this paper can effectively integrate all participant's opinions and has a dual function of encouragement and restriction for alliance partners, which may improve the efficiency of decision-making in alliance benefit allocation. This research may provide decision basis for technology standard alliance to allocate its patent license fee reasonably.


Mid-ocean ridges were categorised primarily by their spreading rate. Each class is characterised by typical morphology, tectonics and volcanism. With decreasing spreading rate, not only the amount of produced melt decreases, but also the spatial and temporal continuity of magmatism. For very small effective rates of less than 12 mm/yr total spreading, melt supply is highly focused. Thus, the formation of basaltic crust occurs only at discrete volcanic centres; in between dominate amagmatic segments, where mantle material is emplaced directly at the sea floor. The approx.1800 km long Gakkel Ridge in the central Arctic Ocean shows not only very low full spreading rates of 6-14.5 mm/yr, but also a remarkable absence of major transform faults and oblique spreading segments. The Gakkel Ridge is therefore an ideal example to study the typical characteristics of these so-called ultra-slow spreading ridges.

In this contribution, we present the results of geophysical and petrological studies on the western Gakkel Ridge. Wide-angle seismic measurements in the central valley and a three-dimensional gravity modelling of the central valley, the rift flanks and parts of the adjacent basins provide information about the structure of the oceanic crust and the upper mantle. Regional and local magnetic data as well as the determination of susceptibility and natural remanent magnetisation of selected basalt samples provide insights into the dominant magmatic processes. In the so-called "Western Volcanic Zone (WVZ)" of the ridge, the formation of sea floor began about 35 Ma ago, the robust volcanism found there is more typical for faster spreading ridges. Crustal thickness of up to 6 km and a continuous positive magnetic anomaly over the central valley support models of stable melt supply. In the older part of the ridge east of 3.5° W, where spreading persists for 55 Ma, an alternation of magmatic and amagmatic segments typical for ultra-slow spreading ridges was
found. The crust is mostly 1-4 km thin and the magnetic anomalies are generally weak, a positive anomaly over the central valley was found only at the volcanic centres. The border between the two different spreading regimes is very pronounced in the geophysical data sets, the analysis of rock samples indicates a similarly sharp boundary in the upper mantle.


The dynamics of complex social networks has become one of the research areas of growing importance. The knowledge about temporal changes of the network topology and characteristics is crucial in networked communication systems in which accurate predictions are important. The local network topology can be described by the means of network motifs which are small subgraphs -- usually containing from 3 to 7 nodes. They were shown to be useful for creating profiles that reveal several properties of the network. In this paper, the time-varying characteristics of social networks, such as the number of nodes and edges as well as clustering coefficients and different centrality measures are investigated. At the same time, the analysis of three-node motifs (triads) was used to track the temporal changes in the structure of a large social network derived from e-mail communication between university employees. We have shown that temporal changes in local connection patterns of the social network are indeed correlated with the changes in the clustering coefficient as well as various centrality measures values and are detectable by means of motifs analysis. Together with robust sampling network motifs can provide an appealing way to monitor and assess temporal changes in large social networks.


Over recent decades there has been growing interest in the role of non-motorized modes in the overall transport system (especially walking and cycling for private purposes) and many government initiatives have been taken to encourage these active modes. However there has been relatively little research attention given to the paid form of non-motorized travel which can be called non-motorized public transport (NMPT). This involves cycle-powered vehicles which can carry several passengers (plus the driver) and a small amount of goods; and which provide flexible hail-and-ride services. Effectively they are non-motorized taxis. Common forms include cycle-rickshaw (Bangladesh, India), becak (Indonesia), cyclos (Vietnam, Cambodia), bicitaxi (Columbia, Cuba), velo-taxi (Germany, Netherland), and pedicabs (UK, Japan, USA). --------- The popularity of NMPT is widespread in developing countries, where it caters for a wide range of mobility needs. For instance in Dhaka, Bangladesh, rickshaws are the preferred mode for non-walk trips and have a higher mode share than cars or buses. Factors that underlie the continued existence and popularity of NMPT in many developing countries include positive contribution to social equity, micro-macro economic significance, employment creation, and suitability for narrow and crowded streets. Although top speeds are lower than motorized modes, NMPT is competitive and cost-effective for short distance door-to-door trips that make up the bulk of travel in many developing cities. In addition, NMPT is often the preferred mode for vulnerable groups such as females, children and elderly people. NMPT is more prominent in developing countries but its popularity and significance is also gradually increasing in several developed countries of Asia, Europe and parts of North America, where there is a trend for the NMPT usage pattern to broaden from tourism to public transport. This shift is due to a number of factors including the eco-sustainable nature of NMPT; its operating flexibility (such as in areas where motorized vehicle access is restricted or discouraged through pricing); and the dynamics that it adds to the urban fabric. Whereas NMPT may have been seen as a "dying" mode, in many cities it is maintaining or increasing its significance and with potential for further growth. --------- This paper will examine and analyze global trends in NMPT incorporating both developing and developed country contexts and issues such as usage patterns; NMPT policy and management practices; technological development; and operational integration of NMPT into the overall transport system. It will look at how NMPT policies, practices and usage have changed over time and the differing trends in developing and developed countries. In particular, it will use Dhaka, Bangladesh as a case study in recognition of its standing as the major NMPT city in the world. The aim is to highlight NMPT issues and trends and their significance for shaping future policy towards NMPT in developing and developed countries. The paper will be of interest to transport planners, traffic engineers, urban and regional planners, environmentalists, economists and policy makers.


Activation of cancer promoting genes or silencing of tumour suppressors is often due to aberrant expression of transcription factors or transcriptional regulators; interestingly, the expression of many of these transcriptional regulators is usually restricted to male germ cells (Rousseaux et al, 2013; Simpson et al, 2005).

The similarities between germ cell development and cancer have long been noted and resulted in the identification of a number of cancer/testis antigens such as the MAGE family members (Simpson et al, 2005). Although the biological function of many of the cancer/testis antigens is poorly understood, some are known to act as transcriptional regulators. These discoveries spawned the idea that aberrant expression of germ line genes in somatic cells triggers the activation of a gametogenic programme that drives tumourigenesis. A number of these testis/cancer genes comprise epigenetic regulators that play a key role in male genome reprogramming. BRDT, one such regulator, plays a critical function in spermatogenesis and acetylation-dependent chromatin remodelling (Gaucher et al, 2012). Indeed, germ cell and trophoblast differentiation shares many of the phenotypic hallmarks observed in cancer cells including immortalisation, tissue invasion, stimulation of cell migration, induction of angiogenesis and downregulation of the major histocompatibility complex resulting in immune evasion.

In this issue, Emadali et al (2013) report on the identification of the transcriptional regulator CYCLON (cytokine-induced protein with coiled-coil domain) as a downstream effector of oncogenic MYC signalling in lymphoma. CYCLON is highly expressed in testis but expression of this protein is also induced in a hematopoietic cell line by interleukin 3 (IL-3) (Hoshino & Fujii, 2007). The study revealed that in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the most common form of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, over-expression of CYCLON mRNA correlated significantly with poor survival. Importantly, CYCLON over-expression was specifically associated with poor survival of lymphoma patients treated with the current standard-of-care chemotherapy CHOP (Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin Hydrochloride, Vincristine Sulphate (Oncovin) and Prednisone) in combination with the monoclonal therapeutic antibody Rituximab (Nastoupil et al, 2012) but not in patients treated with chemotherapy alone. This intriguing finding suggests that CYCLON expression confers resistance to Rituximab immunotherapy.

…CYCLON over-expression was specifically associated with poor survival of lymphoma patients treated with the current standard-of-care chemotherapy CHOP (Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin Hydrochloride, Vincristine Sulphate (Oncovin) and Prednisone) in combination with the monoclonal therapeutic antibody Rituximab…

The monoclonal antibody Rituximab (trade names Rituxan and MabThera) targets CD20, a surface protein mainly expressed in the B-cell lineage, leading to selective B-cell killing. The Rituximab + CHOP chemotherapy regime is a more efficient treatment strategy compared to chemotherapy alone in high-risk B-cell lymphoma (Michallet et al, 2012). Indeed, Rituximab in combination with CHOP achieves high response rates in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and has led to significant improvements in overall survival rates. A number of patients, however, develop refractory disease through a mechanism that is poorly understood (Cheson & Leonard, 2008). Studies that identify the mechanisms underlying Rituximab resistance and that lead to additional treatment options are therefore urgently needed.

CYCLON knock down in lymphoblastiod cell lines results in the modulation of transcription levels of a specific set of target genes. Interestingly, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) correlated with gene signatures of cancer testis antigens of the MAGE family and also matched expression profiles that are characteristic for aggressive subtypes of multiple myeloma. CYCLON knockdown also increased the sensitivity of lymphoma cells to Rituximab in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, the genetic knockdown effects were mimicked by the BET (bromo and extra terminal) bromodomain inhibitor JQ1 (Filippakopoulos et al, 2010) providing a rational for a new combination therapy in Rituximab resistant lymphoma (Fig 1).

Figure 1

Gene expression events triggering a gametogenic program that leads to Rituximab resistance in lymphoma.

The BET family member BRD4 plays an important role for survival of a number of diverse tumours due to its function promoting transcription of growth promoting and antiapoptotic genes. Dysfunction of BET proteins leads to development of aggressive tumours. For instance, genetic rearrangement resulting in "in frame" fusion of the N-terminal bromodomains of BRD4 and BRD3 with the protein NUT (nuclear protein in testis) give rise to the development of NUT midline carcinoma (NMC), an incurable uniformly fatal subtype of squamous carcinoma and in rare cases also cancers of other origins (French, 2012) providing another example of the strong tumour promoting effect caused by aberrant expression of testis specific proteins. One of the key functions of BRD4 in cancer is to regulate c-Myc expression (Delmore et al, 2011). Indeed, recently developed potent and specific BET inhibitors showed impressive anti-tumour efficacy in animal models and first clinical trials have been initiated recently (http://www.cancer.gov/drugdictionary?cdrid=733799). Since, however, oncogenic MYC is only one factor sensitising cancer cells to BET inhibition and considering its high expression levels in most tumours it is not likely that this oncogene will have predictive value for patient stratification. The study by Emadali et al (2013) makes therefore an important contribution by identifying the nuclear, male germ cell specific factor, CYCLON as a downstream effector of oncogenic MYC signalling in lymphoma. One of the open questions is now how MYC cooperates with CYCLON to give rise to changes in gene expression that lead to Rituximab resistance and disease progression. Further mechanistic studies are therefore needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of this regulatory gene expression network and to establish new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of Rituximab resistant lymphoma.

…makes therefore an important contribution by identifying the nuclear, male germ cell specific factor, CYCLON as a downstream effector of oncogenic MYC signalling in lymphoma.

The author declares that he has no conflict of interest.


We introduce a new class of distributions called generalized complex elliptically symmetric distributions. Several distributions commonly used in the literature, for example, the multivariate complex normal and Cauchy and the generalized complex normal distribution, arc prominent members ol' this class. The treatment covers both proper and improper random vectors and goes beyond second-order concepts in defining the distribution model. Sotne propecks of these distributions are studied and illustrative examples of their applications in multichannel signal processing are presented such as tests for circularity.


The molecular dynamics (MD) simulation employing the embedded atom method (EAM) has been performed to examine the phase stability of Pt nanoclusters, Ptn (n=38, 147, 309 and 561 atoms) with size and temperature. From heating and freezing curves of the nanoclusters, the clusters (Pt147, Pt309 and Pt561) larger than 1 nm in size showed an icosahedral morphology near 460 ~ 660 K during freezing, where the formation energy of the icosahedral phase is 0.051 eV/atom for Pt147, 0.056eV/atom for Pt309 and 0.067 eV/atom for Pt561. We also investigated coalescence between two Pt nanoclusters and observed that the minimum size of the coalescent one is around 1 nm at 673 K.


Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmia in clinical practice, associated with increased mortality, risk of stroke and heart failure, as well as the reduction of the quality of life. Atrial fibrillation may be encountered in young otherwise healthy individuals, due to the isolated electrophysiological disorder limited mostly to the pulmonary veins and posterior left atrial wall, or associated with the presence of advanced underlying heart disease and numerous cardiac and non-cardiac comorbidities with significant structural remodeling of the atrial myocardium. Due to limited efficacy and serious side effects of antiarrhythmic drugs, catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation, based on the pulmonary vein isolation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and adjunctive substrate modification for persistent atrial fibrillation, has emerged as an attractive and promissing alternative therapeutic option for selected patients with atrial fibrillation. In this review article, we discuss the electrophysiological left atrial abnormalities underlying lone atrial fibrillation and the role of pulmonary veins in pathophysiology of arrhythmia, and we summarize results of the studies on the long term outcome of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation, as well as the studies on comparison of antiarrhythmic drugs with catheter ablation for treatment of atrial fibrillation. In addition, we present available data that provide better understanding of mechanisms, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of specific procedure-related complications and discuss current periprocedural anticoagulation strategies and their impact on the thromboembolic risk reduction.


Laminaria digitata is the dominant species of the dense, continuous kelp stands in the English Channel and on the Atlantic coasts of France, where it is harvested for its high quality algi- nates. However, in spite of its ecological and economic importance, our knowledge of the level and organisation of genetic diversity in this species is scant. Here, using comprehensive hierarchical sampling and 7 microsatellite loci, we explored the roles of dispersal strategies, current regimes and habitat discontinuities in shaping genetic structure of L. digitata populations. Our results show that continuous, non-fragmented forests of L. digitata were genetically differentiated at distances greater than 10 km, despite the absence of clear population boundaries. Furthermore, a pattern of isolation- by-distance indicated that gene flow occurred preferentially among adjacent populations following a stepping-stone model. In addition, we analysed the direction of migration using assignment tests and found that currents appeared to play a minor role in orienting gene flow, except in the Gulf of Saint Malo gyre. In contrast, habitat discontinuities were found to accentuate genetic differentiation and resulted in reduced genetic variation of isolated stands. In the context of a potential over-exploitation of kelp stands in Brittany, this study suggests that the existence of neighbouring populations can be vital to maintaining high levels of gene flow and thus, genetic diversity in this species.


Influence diffusion modelling, analysis and applications in the preference-aware context draw tremendous attention to both researchers and practitioners. Most contemporary studies typically model the influence-diffusion pheromone from a centralized perspective. In this paper, we model the bi-directional influence propagation in directed weighted networks in a distributed manner with the consideration of user preference by facilitating Agent-Based Modelling. In the proposed model, each individual's personalized features and the social context are modelled based on the underlying social theories, i.e. social influence and the homophily effect. In addition, the model is capable of not only producing a certain range of dynamical behaviours based on different parameter constellation but also analyzing the evolutionary trends of a social network and capturing the dynamics in the environment. Another attractive feature is the training capability of agents, which enables them to adapt the personalized features. Comparing with traditional approaches, the proposed model is more suitable for handling the complex nature of influence diffusion, and demonstrates the advantages in simulating the real-world influence diffusion. Furthermore, we propose a novel seeding algorithm for influence maximization, named Enhanced Evolution-Based Backward selection. The algorithm utilizes the advantages offered by the proposed agent-based model. The experimental results reveal that the algorithm is superior to those state-of-the-art algorithms for influence maximization.


The aim of this article is to identify the main determinants of Italians'
leaving-home decisions. We use data from the Survey of Household
Income and Wealth (SHIW) by the Bank of Italy. The empirical
study is performed by cross-section probit and panel-probit estimation.
Contrary to the predominant literature's claim, our findings unveil the
positive and statistically significant effects of both children's and parents'
income on the departure probability. We interpret this positive
parents' income effect as a signal for inter-household transfers. Finally,
we distinguish by gender and find that while the young men's
leaving home is strongly dependent on such transfers, the same does
not hold for young women.
Keywords: leaving home, intergenerational


The clerical exegesis within Chaucer's Canterbury Tales has frequently been connected to medieval ethical commentary traditions. This paper challenges that idea with new manuscript evidence from paraphrases of Ovid's Metamorphoses , which would have taught Chaucer how to read and write. The article argues for a re-evaluation of Chaucer's relationship to the clerical milieu that inspired his characterization of the Monk, the Wife of Bath and her husband Jankyn, the Summoner, and the Summoner's friar. The ways in which these characters adapt and comment on hermeneutics elucidate both the means by which lay readers accessed clerical discourse and the patterns of reading and textual analysis that inspired the composition of parts of the Canterbury Tales .


The principals and procedure of long bone surgery are presented and the need for robotic assistance is established. Existing problems include radiation exposure from fluoroscopy, mental strain from reconstructing 3-dimensional images and physical fatigue from overcoming fracture deforming forces. These problems are addressed by a proposed fracture reduction robot which aids in treatment planning and reduction of the fracture. A flexible parallel robot (FleP) with an active force/position controller is designed to perform the operation. A computer-aided planning treatment tool (CAPTT) provides image analysis, path planning and simulation. An advanced human machine interface (AHMI) attempts to provide a companion feeling between robot and surgeon by using human forms of communication. The result is a reduction in radiation exposure, removal of the need to reconstruct images mentally and there is no longer any physical strain


Sund Birsta AB is a Swedish company that develops, markets and delivers a wide range of equipment, from single machines to complete handling systems for the steel industry. As a world leading machine manufacturer with machines all over the world it's important for Sund Birsta to assist their customers with a first-class service that includes a good life expectancy assessment of wear parts. The overall purpose of the project is to develop a tool that is able to make a good estimation of the life span of Sund Birsta's wear parts. The main goal is to create a concept for a method, rather than a finished, ready to use prototype. The initial stage in this project is to select a machine or machine element according to predetermined criteria and make the method as general as possible to be able to apply it to other machine elements. The project resulted in a concept consisting of data collection, analysis, storage and evaluation of data. The concrete and variable goals were met and a steady foundation for a future quality tool was developed. There is still a lot of work to do before a complete tool is ready for use but the concept is in such a state that it can be used to start collecting and analyzing data. Some data collecting methods need more work before it can be executed, for example the Programmable Logic-Controller-data (PLC-data), while maintenance and service data is ready for collection. When more data is collected it will be possible to start using it for life expectancy assessment by, for example, linear regression or other data analyzing methods.


Rapid germination and low variability in the time to germination of populations of kola [Cola nitida (Vent) Schott and Endlicher] nuts are essential for the uniform growth and establishment of the crop in the field. Experiments were conducted to assess the effect of nut pre-treatment on germination and subsequent plant growth of kola. Six kola genotypes and four pre-germination treatments (removing a third of the cotyledons from the distal end of the nut, nut with one cotyledon removed from the embryo, whole nut with inner surface of cotyledons partially scratched and separated with a piece of kola wedge, and a whole nut control) were arranged in a randomized complete block design (two-factor factorial) and replicated three times. Averaged over the genotypes, the removal of one cotyledon from the embryo reduced the time to germination of the first nut and the time to 50% germination by 43.0 and 52.0%, respectively, compared to the control treatment. However, seedling leaf area at 12 months after sowing, tree crown surface area, and mean pod weight at four years after transplanting were reduced by 24.0, 30.0, and 23.0%, respectively, for plants developed from the nuts with one cotyledon removed compared to whole nuts across the genotypes. Partial detachment of the cotyledons before sowing reduced the time to 50% germination by 30% with subsequent plant growth and yield being similar to those developed from intact whole outs. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the kola genotypes into two clusters. Variability in the speed and spread of germination and differences in plant growth vigour were minimal within genotypes in a cluster. Thus, grouping kola genotypes and partially detaching the cotyledons using a sharp edge before sowing could facilitate rapid germination, production of vigorous seedlings, and uniform establishment in the field.


Due to the social distancing requirements in response to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, K-12 students moved to online education. Because of the limited online teaching resources accessible to Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH) students, the authors have developed a YouTube channel that focuses on providing instructional videos that present different educational activities in a way that can be easily accessed by DHH students, their parents, and their teachers. Signed and captioned instructional videos for parents and teachers to use with DHH students were assigned as projects for two of the author's courses. By creating meaningful online content as a part of coursework, teacher candidates gained the experience of creating a practical product to be used for K-12 students and teachers. The learning opportunities created by teacher candidates includes online technology resources for teachers, content-area activities for K-12 students, and fun activities to help build parent-child communication skills. The authors hope to continue to create educational online content that is accessible to DHH students beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.


As the demands placed on the literacy coach have evolved, so too have the roles of these educational providers who are often responsible for working with school teams to turn around student performance on standardized literacy tests. One literacy coach based in a Queensland primary school recounts her experiences via open-ended interview over a two year period. We offer a theorisation of the new ways of working as a literacy coach in a context of teaching and learning marked by diversity.


Future healthcare will be driven by individuals expecting personalized treatment based on their own biological, social and environmental profiles. We have launched an ambitious project with an integrated partnership model across government, commercial, health care providers and researchers in New Zealand. The aim of the Precision Driven Health Research Partnership is to create the capability to optimize the health of each individual and their whanau (family) by combining and learning from all available data. Currently there are insights in electronic health records that are unused, as well as valuable information in untapped data sources, such as data from smart devices and environmental data. When these sources are combined with future sources such as genome sequencing, the data involved in health delivery will grow exponentially. The partners are currently Orion Health, Waitemata District Health Board and the Universities. Orion Health is a company that builds software to improve clinical workflow, decision-making and patient care for the more than 102 million patients in their systems. The Waitemata District Health Board delivers health care to a community of more than 580,000 people. The Universities have expertise ranging from data analytics to medicine. New Zealand is an ideal place to carry out this research, since we have a small but diverse population, and consistent health offerings across the country. We established a National Health Index more than 20 years ago, allowing clinical information to be transferred between agencies and linked for monitoring, research and reporting. More recently, systems to allow fast, secure sharing of medical information between individuals and agencies have been introduced. The research partnership addresses four key themes to enable precision health to become a reality: - Broaden the scope of precise, patient-centred healthcare by making (new data sources available). - Utilise a variety of big data sources for (predictive modelling) in a healthcare setting. - Utilise disparate data sources, analyses, and technologies to enable more (precise and timely healthcare). - Leverage technology to (empower patients) to self-manage their health. Challenges : The siloed and emerging nature of data make for a significant challenge. Health data comes in different types (text, structured, audio, image) of different forms (large, streaming) and of variable availability and reliability. A small but growing segment of the population is collecting genome information and in future this may add microbiome, metabolome, epigenetic, proteome and transciptome data. For a full record of a person, data from sensor devices and environmental factors must also be linked with their other data. Other challenges we face include evolving personal views on data privacy, a change in perspective from clinical-driven to consumer-driven services, analytical techniques that have not been designed to combine all of these features, and the challenge of how the information can best be presented. Conclusion : The Precision Driven Health Partnership provides the opportunity to develop new science, and innovate in a small and fairly homogeneous environment. While the results will be transferable, the culture and make up of the population may provide unique insights not commonly found elsewhere.


In order to eliminate zeroth order effect and to make the phase shifting algorithm insensitive to phase shifting error, an 11-frame phase shifting algorithm is proposed in this paper. The analytical expression of phase-restoration error function is derived. The principle of phase shifting error compensation and the capability of suppressing zeroth order effect are explained, in comparison of existing algorithm. The analytical results show that this algorithm's phase-restoration error is proportional to sine of double shearing phase and to biquadratic of phase shifting error. Finally, we generate the interference patterns of 11-frame algorithm and existing algorithm, restore the shearing phases and calculate the phase-restoration errors by simulations. The simulation results verify the theoretical analyses.


Anorgasmia is the inability to reach orgasm during sexual intercourse, and, although it is believed that around 90% of anorgasmia problems are related to psychological issues, the use of serotoninergic drugs, including antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics, is a common cause of situational anorgasmia. Pregabalin is a new antiepileptic drug, structurally related to gabapentin, and commonly used as adjunctive therapy for partial epilepsy and treatment of neuropathic pain in adults. Herein, we describe three men with epilepsy, who experienced severe anorgasmia after pregabalin add-on treatment.


In an attempt to explain the wide individual variation seen in urinary isoflavonoid phytoestrogen excretion, we conducted a series of 3 human feeding studies: a large cross-sectional study of equol production in humans with a soy challenge, a comparison of phytoestrogen metabolism when subjects consumed fermented and unfermented soy products, and a dose-response study of urinary isoflavonoid excretion at the low end of soy consumption. All studies were conducted in young, healthy humans. Urinary isoflavonoids were measured by isotope-dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Similar to results from other studies, 35% of screened subjects (30 men and 30 women) excreted equol (>2000 nmol/d). In women, equol excretion was associated with higher intake of dietary fiber and carbohydrate. Fermentation of soy decreased the isoflavone content of the product fed but increased the urinary isoflavonoid recovery, suggesting that fermentation increases availability of isoflavones in soy. When soy-protein powder was fed at 0, 5, 10, and 20 g/d (0-36 mg isoflavones), there was a linear dose response of urinary isoflavonoid excretion to soy consumption that did not differ between subjects with high and low equol excretion. These results suggest that equol excretion may be related to the fermentable carbohydrate content of the diet; additional study is needed. Processing of soy affects isoflavone metabolism and must be considered in recommending exposure to isoflavones from soyfoods. Although optimal isoflavone exposure for disease protection has not been determined, urinary isoflavonoid excretion appears linear at low-to-moderate soy consumption.


Background Abatacept (ABA), a T lymphocyte blocker, is one of the treatment options in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who are resistant to initial therapy with non-biologic disease modifying drugs (DMARDs). Objectives Aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness, safety and drug survival rates of ABA in RA patients registered in HUR-BIO (Hacettepe University Rheumatology Biologic Registry) database. Methods HUR-BIO is a prospective,single center database of biological treatments including 1229 RA patients by August 2016. In total, 247 of patients had received ABA and in 175 (71%) of them ABA was the first biological agent. In this analysis, 158 patients were evaluated due to lack of first follow-up visit in 17 patients. Demographics, clinical and serological data were evaluated. DAS-28 and HAQ-DI scores before ABA and last follow-up visit were also assesed. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate drug survival rates. Results Among 175 (82% female) patients, mean age was 53.6±11.3 and mean disease duration was 10.3±7.3. Seropositivity for RF and/or ACPA was present in 74.8% of patients. Table 1 represents DAS-28 scores of patients before ABA and last follow-up visit. Mean duration from ABA initation to first and last follow-up visit was 4.5±3.1 and 15.1±10.2 months, respectively. Female gender was found as a risk factor in terms of remaining of DAS-28 above 3.2 at first control [OR 5,63 (%95 CI 1,72–18,41)]. In first follow-up visit, improvement in DAS-28 score of ≥1,2 from baseline was more frequent in ACPA positive patients (48/62 (77.4%) vs 17/33 (51.5%), p=0.01). HAQ score of >1.0 was observed in 57.8%, 36.3%and 26.1% of patients at baseline, first follow-up visit and last follow-up visit, respectively. ABA had been cessated in 60 (38.0%) patients during follow-up. The reason for ABA withdrawal was primary unresponsiveness in 22 (36.6%) patients and infection in 2 (3.3%) patients. Drug survival for ABA was shown in Figure 1. Log- rank between RF positive and negative patients was found as 0.067.Table 1. DAS-28 scores at first and last follow-up visits First control visit Last control visit (n=136) (n=136) Follow up duration, mean (SD) 4.5 (3.1) 12,3 (10.9) DAS-28 >5.1,n (%) 11 (8.2) 16 (11.8) DAS-28=3.2–5.1,n (%) 56 (41.8) 46 (33.8) DAS-28=2.6–3.2,n (%) 23 (17.2) 23 (16.9) DAS-28 <2.6,n (%) 44 (32.8) 51 (37.5) Remission or low disease activity among patients with at least one follow-up visit, n (%) 67 (50.0) 74 (54.4) Remission or low disease activity among all patients, n (%) (The worst scenario) 67/158 (42.4) 74/158 (46.8) Conclusions In our database, 70% of RA patients received ABA were biologic naive. Remission or low-disease activity was achieved approximately 50% of patients in first follow-up visit with an average of 4.5 months after begining of the treatment. Functional improvement was observed in two thirds of patients. Death or life threatening side effects were not seen during follow-up. ABA is an acceptable treatment option in DMARD resistant biologic naive RA patients. Disclosure of Interest None declared


The purpose of this study was to identify and prioritize topics for a professional development program in neonatal palliative care. A total of 276 nurses and midwives who work in an Australian neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and 26 international healthcare professionals working in NICU and palliative care served as participants. A Delphi technique was used, consisting of a series of rounds of data collection via interview and questionnaire, to identify and consolidate opinions of nurses and other healthcare professionals who work in neonatal intensive care units. The main outcome measures were: (1) Topics to be included in a professional development program for nurses working in neonatal intensive care units and (2) the preferred format of the program. Twenty-three high-priority topics were identified, which included preparing families when death is imminent, how to provide emotional support to grieving parents, advocating for a dying baby, and assessing and managing pain in a dying baby. Care of a dying infant requires the same skill set as caring for older terminally ill children internationally. A combination of face-to-face lectures and interactive workshops using case studies and audiovisual examples is the preferred format.


Autocorrelation is a special case of cross-correlation wherein a signal is correlated with a time-lagged version of itself – the resulting signal comprises only the periodic information from the original signal whilst reducing noise. This property of autocorrelation can be particularly useful in analysing bearing faults since vibration data from a bearing, with local faults/defects, consists of cyclostationary acceleration signals usually contaminated with noise from sensors and other environmental factors. This study introduces a method which provides early failure warning in rolling element bearings by applying an autocorrelation operation to vibration data. The Sequential Probability Ratio Test (SPRT) is used to detect anomalies indicative of incipient failure. The results from the autocorrelation analysis are compared with results from a simple moving-RMS analysis of the acceleration data. The developed method is shown to provide an earlier warning of failure than the RMS-based method. This method can detect early stages of degradation in bearings – which in turn allows earlier scheduling of maintenance and the avoidance of system failures.


In the context of climate change adaptation and mitigation, biotechnology can respond positively towards reducing vulnerability of natural and human systems to climate change effects. This paper reviews different approaches in which both conventional and modern biotechnology can be employed to address climate change adaptation and mitigation for improved crops adaptability, productivity and food security and contributing to the reduction of the greenhouse gases. The current challenges and future perspectives of biotechnology for climate change adaptation and mitigation are highlighted. The negative effects of climate change on agricultural productivity and food security as a result of extreme temperature, drought, salinity and infectious disease vectors include low yield, hunger and malnutrition. Conventional agricultural biotechnology methods such as energy-efficient farming, use of biofertilizers, tissue culture and breeding for adaptive varieties are among feasible options that could positively address the potential negative effects of climate change and thereby contributing to carbon sequestration initiatives. On the other hand, the adoption of modern biotechnology through the use of genetically modified stress-tolerant, energy-efficient and high-yielding transgenic crops also stand to substantially counter the negative effects of climate change. Safe application of biotechnology will greatly complement other on-going measures being taken to improve agricultural productivity and food security. Both conventional and modern agricultural biotechnologies will significantly contribute to the current and future worldwide climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.


Editor and Co-Editor of this journal was informed from anonymous reader that article which was published in Medical Archives in 2001 \'Psychotherapeutic Testimony by Refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina: a Pilot Study\' (in Bosnian language) has been already published in \'American Journal of Psychiatry\' under the title \'Testimony Psychotherapy in Bosnian Refugees: a Pilot Study\', in 1998. (1, 2).


In a society whose issues related to sustainability have become increasingly important, the IT area has been responsible for some of the environmental problems that society faces. In this context, Green IT appears as a way of combining available resources to sustainable and economic policies in organizations, generating benefits for the environment and business. The adoption of Green IT practices may create value for companies and society. This study aimed to develop and validate a tool which is able to assess the organizational maturity of Green IT, identifying the main practices adopted and the different components that influence the way organizations have addressed environmental sustainability in the IT field. The framework proposed in this study has suggested four constructs to assess the organizational maturity of Green IT: socio environmental awareness of the organization; sustainable actions applied to IT field; IT activities monitoring; and search and update of approaches regarding the use of IT. Results are expected to motivate not only students but also practitioners who study and implement different Green IT initiatives, so that organizations can become more efficient and effective and commit to the planet conservation, as well.


Beekeeping is a livelihood improvement potential that is yet to be fully utilized in most rural areas of Tanzania. Majority of rural communities practice beekeeping mainly for domestic consumption and rarely for commercial purposes. This potential (beekeeping) has failed to improve beekeepers' income due to inadequate knowledge and skills among the beekeepers in processing bee products. As a result, honey produced in rural areas does not meet minimum standards required at national and international market. However the challenges in bee products presentation and market issues, beekeeping has remain among the common interventions practiced in rural areas because it is easier to manage compared to other activities like farming or livestock keeping which require some big initial and management cost. Hence, through capacity building, beekeepers can develop the necessary attitude, knowledge and skills for improving bee products as an economic enterprise. After community needs assessment which involved Solya ward beekeepers and non-beekeepers in the area, the study on designing and implementing a project for improving capacity of beekeeping group in processing and packaging of bee products was prioritized. The target group has 40 members and it is located at Solya ward, Manyoni district in Singida region. The overall objective for establishing the project is to establish a reliable source of income generation to beekeepers through improving the quality of bee products. In achieving this objective, capacity building on bee products harvesting, extraction, processing and packaging, marketing and group management have been emphasized. These training sessions and materials equipped have enabled the beekeepers from Solya ward to have a viable project for increasing their income.


Background: As a medical term, trauma is defined as a (non)penetrating injury caused by external factors either deliberately or not. Some types are traffic-related trauma, poisoning, fall, drowning and so on. A big threat to social health and development is the rising rate of car accidents. The present paper was performed with the objective of investigation the epidemiologic status of accident-related trauma among patients taken to Shahid Mohammadi hospital in Bandar Abbas in 2011. Method: The present descriptive research gathered its data through a census from 2008 patients suffering from trauma caused by car accidents in Shahid Mohammadi hospital of Bandar Abbas. The study was conducted in 2011. A checklist was used to collect the required data. Then the data were analyzed using SPSS-16. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Findings: From among the 2008 patients, 85% (1714 individuals) were male and 15% (294) were female. Their age ranged from 1 to 87 years. The neurology section of the hospital had the highest number of visitors (421 patients, 25%). The orthopedic section had the highest number of hospitalized patients (48%). Conclusion: The findings of this research attest to the presence of risks threatening a number of subjects who were in the low age group. We concluded in the present research that the highest amount of injury was caused to the lower body limbs.


Liquid polymeric systems that can undergo phase change (sol to gel) upon administration into the teat canal of cow's mammary gland can serve as a physical barrier to invading pathogens and can also serve as a reservoir for controlled release of therapeutic agents. The aim of the study was to investigate the phase behavior, rheological and mechanical properties of selected in situ gelling systems. Six in situ gelling polymer formulations were identified using phase behavior studies. Rheological studies revealed pseudoplastic flow with thixotropy. All six formulations showed significantly different viscosity, pseudoplasticity and thixotropy values except for CMC1 and HPMC2 which where statistically similar. The gel strength was dependent on the solvent system used and amount of water in the system. These in situ gelling systems have the potential to serve as a platform for development of intramammary formulations intended for administration into the teat canal of the cow's mammary gland. They can serve as a physical barrier or a matrix for controlled drug release.


Laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy (LLH) is one of the major hepatectomy procedures and its surgical techniques are not well standardized. According to our surgical strategies for anatomic liver resections, which are composed of the extrahepatic Glissonean pedicle approach (GPA) and hepatic vein (HV) root-at first one-way parenchymal dissection, we have standardized the surgical techniques for LLH. Both approaches are based on the anatomical background of Laennec's capsule. The right and left sides of the root of the Glissonean pedicle including the umbilical portion of the portal vein (G-UP) are dissected with Laennec's capsule preserved on the liver parenchyma. The G-UP is isolated extrahepatically and divided using a stapler. The common trunk of the left hepatic vein (LHV) and middle hepatic vein (MHV) is exposed from the left cranio-dorsal side and LHV is divided at its root. Parenchymal dissection starts from exposing the root of MHV, which is tracked from the root side to the peripheral side in one direction. Left hemihepatectomy is completed at the left side of the gall bladder bed. In conclusion, LLH can be standardized by initial isolation and division of G-UP according to the Laennec's capsule-based extrahepatic GPA followed by HV root-at first cranio-caudal, one-way parenchymal resection.


This paper presents a preliminary experimental study of the factors affecting the micro-EDM process aiming at obtaining a deeper understanding of the micro-EDM die sinking process. In particular, the machining response at micro-scale of materials metallurgically and mechanically modified has been investigated. Tests were conducted that involved producing micro-EDM holes in course grained (CG) Al1070 with an average grain size of 300 m and Ultra Fine Grained (UFG) Al1070 with an average grain size of 0.6 m, produced by Equal-Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP). These experimental trials were carried out under different levels of applied energy, voltage, maximum current and pulse duration in order to identify the effects of these process conditions on the obtainable surface roughness, wear ratio, craters and spark gap. The results of this investigation have revealed that, by refining the material microstructure, a better surface finish can be achieved. This observation can be mainly attributed to the homogeneity of the refined material microstructure that normally leads to more isotropic behavior of the microstructure. Furthermore, the applied energy is found to be the most important factor affecting the roughness average and wear ratio in the micro-EDM process. However, the applied voltage is found to be the second effective factor on wear ratio, while the interaction of energy and current have a significant influence on the surface roughness.


A part of the midwife's profession is to promote and support breastfeeding. The objective of this study was to describe the perception of the level of support and advice regarding breast-feeding given to women who have received postnatal care at maternity wards, and to present the opinions of the aforementioned women on how this support could be improved.Method: Women who have given birth at Uppsala University Hospital were routinely asked to fill in internet-based questionnaires regarding their views on the care that they have received. In this study, our data consists of the feedback from four questions in these questionnaires regarding breast-feeding. The answers to the closed questions were presented with descriptive statistics and the comments on two open questions have been analysed with content analysis.Results: Out of 622 women who were cared for at the hospital's maternity ward after giving birth, 83% stated that they were very satisfied or satisfied with the information and support they received about breast-feeding, and 78% expressed the same views regarding the delivery ward. An analysis of 131 comments revealed the following four categories: a lack of common ground and continuity, a need for more support and experiences of sub-standard treatment. A lack of consideration and competence were identified as themes.Conclusion: Both more support and a calmer atmosphere were required, in addition to the support with breast-feeding. Some women felt they had been treated badly by medical staff. Often, the support and advice given were felt to be contradictory. The findings indicated that the midwife should focus on the individual woman's needs and experiences along with giving breast-feeding support.


This paper deals with a new multi-lane markings detection and tracking system. The proposed system uses multiple cameras positioned differently in order to reduce different kind of perturbations, such as light sensitivity. The algorithm combines robust Kalman filtering and association based on belief theory to achieve multi-object tracking. Thus, the system provides the ability to track lane markings without any assumption on their number. It also proposes a new lane change management. To study this new system, the algorithm has been implemented on an embedded computer equipped with multiple cameras. We present experimental results obtained on a track. These results allow us to show important advantages of this new system and its robustness by comparing it to a classical system.


Video oculography (VOG) is one of the most commonly used techniques for gaze tracking because it enables nonintrusive eye detection and tracking. Improving the eye tracking's accuracy and tolerance to user head movements is a common task in the field of gaze tracking; thus, a thorough study of how binocular information can improve a gaze tracking system's accuracy and tolerance to user head movements has been carried out. The analysis is focused on interpolation-based methods and systems with one and two infrared lights. New mapping features are proposed based on the commonly used pupil-glint vector using different distances as the normalization factor. For this study, an experimental procedure with six users based on a real VOG gaze tracking system was performed, and the results were contrasted with an eye simulator. Important conclusions have been obtained in terms of configuration, equation, and mapping features, such as the outperformance of the interglint distance as the normalization factor. Furthermore, the binocular gaze tracking system was found to have a similar or improved level of accuracy compared to that of the monocular gaze tracking system.


Assessing the risks of infrastructure investments has become a topic of growing importance. This is due to a sad record of implemented projects with cost overruns and demand shortfalls leading, in retrospect, to the finding that there is a need for better risk assessment of transport infrastructure investments. In the last decade progress has been made by dealing with this situation known as planners' optimism bias. Especially attention can be drawn to the use of reference class forecasting that has led to adjustment factors that, when used on the estimates of costs and demand, lead to cost-benefit analysis results that are modified by taking historical risk experience into account. This article seeks to add to this progress in risk assessment methodology in two ways: first it suggests to apply reference class forecasting (RCF) in a flexible way where the effort is focused on formulating the best possible reference pool of projects and second to apply overconfidence theory (OT) to interpret expert judgments (EJ) about costs and demand as relating to a specific project up for examination. By combining flexible use of RCF with EJ based on OT interpretation it is argued that the current adjustment factor methodology of RCF can be further developed. The latter is among other things made possible by the comprehensive project databases that have been developed in recent years. For this article the project database developed in the UNITE research project 2009-2013 has been employed. The presented simulation-based risk examination named SIMRISK is concluded to provide a new 'in-depth' possibility for dealing with uncertainties inherent to transport decision making based on socioeconomic analysis. In addition a further research perspective is outlined.


In the first stage of our research, C. officinalis and C. arvensis plants having medicinal and economical important were grown from embryo in the MS0 nutrient medium. In the second stage, callus culture was started with leaf explants of C. officinalis and C. arvensis plants and optimized with measuring of biomass in the MS0, MS1, MS3, MS4, MS6 nutrient mediums which were supplemented with combination of different concentrations of auxin and cytokinin. The statistical analysis relating to this measurements of callus biomass was conducted. The most favorable nutrient medium was established to be MS1 (1mg/l NAA+1mg/l BAP) for both C. officinalis and C. arvensis species during four different subculture from the 0. day. The most effective MS nutrient medium was determined to be MS1, MS4, MS3, MS6 and MS0, respectively.


In this paper, a novel integrated solar and wind energy-based system for electricity and hydrogen generation is examined. This system consists of the photovoltaic, solar pond, wind turbine, organic Rankine cycle (ORC), PEM electrolyser, PEM fuel cell, hydrogen and oxygen storage sub-systems. Thermodynamic analysis, environmental impact assessment and also parametric studies are analysed to research the impacts of various working parameters on the exergy destruction rates and exergy efficiencies of the integrated system parts and whole system. The energy and exergy efficiencies for the renewable-based integrated system are found to be 46.9% and 36.5% at reference temperature and pressure condition, respectively. In addition, the results of this paper indicate that the primary sources of irreversibilities in the integrated system are the solar pond system and ORC system. Finally, environmental impact assessments show that the emissions of CO2 in kg per kWh for power generation are lower for the wind turbine and PV systems.


The relative permeability of sodium channels to organic cations was determined in the Myxicola giant axon. Ionic currents under potential control were measured in seawater and in sodium-free solutions containing the organic cation. The measured reversal potential and the Goldman equation were used to obtain the relative permeabilities. The permeability sequence was found to be: sodium greater than hydroxylamine greater than hydrazine greater than ammonium greater than guanidine greater than formamidine greater than aminoguanidine greater than methylamine. Measurements were also made on sodium and several of the organic cations at different concentrations. The relative permeabilities of the ions were found to be independent of concentration. Qualitatively, the permeability sequence for the Myxicola giant axon was similar to that of the frog node of Ranvier.


ABSTRACT Insights into the personal geographies of young people can be gained in many ways, but there is not always a focus on the effectiveness of the methodologies used, through a comparison of the different approaches, nor is there often an examination of how the participants in the study perceive the effectiveness of the research methods. Two methodologies are explored in this study: self-completion mobility diaries and the wearing of global positioning system-enabled tracking devices. The study focuses on the perceptions of the teenage school student respondents in the study (n = 15) with relation to the user friendliness, the perceived accuracy, and the ease with which travel patterns can be recreated from the data. The participants were able to evaluate the two methodologies and to make judgements on the criteria provided. We argue that participants can contribute significantly to post-research methodological reflection.


Several months ago we organised a day at the GP Postgraduate Centre in Edinburgh, 'Encouraging reflective practice' with an introductory presentation by Iona Heath. Other speakers included Tony Toft, ex-president of the RCP in Edinburgh, discussing balancing the art and science of medicine, Tim Scott who had recently published a paper in the BMJ on 'Silent narratives in pharmaceutical advertising',1 Stewart Mercer, who has researched and published on the role of empathy in primary care and John Gillies, author of the RCGP occasional paper on philosophical analysis of the consultation.2 Along with the speakers were workshops on photography and creative writing as tools for reflective practice.

A tempting way to spend a day? Apparently only four GPs in Lothian and Borders thought so and signed up, so it was cancelled. Clearly, some GPs who might have been interested had clinical commitments and were not able to get locums. Some thought, rightly, that the cost, which was determined by postgraduate centre policy, was too high. The experience of the centre, however, appears to be that topics not directly related to implementation of the contract are perceived not to be cost-efficient. Some potential participants with educational time in hand may have been busy adhering to their PDPs or preparing for their appraisals. All valid explanations, but what does the fate of such a meeting say about our attitude to education for education's sake? A comment from a colleague was salutary, 'If it's not in your PDP, you're not going to go'. Is it really the case that GPs have no flexibility within their year's outline plan to be educationally opportunistic?

Of course, GP education should not return to the self-indulgent jolly that, in yesteryears, it often was. But neither should it be so prescribed and routine that no tasty treats remain. Occasionally pleasure rather than contract points can reasonably be a valid criterion. Our local Borders-wide primary care CPD programme, TiME (Time for Medical Education) provides a framework for protected practice-based learning with half of the 6-weekly meetings being held at a central venue with the opportunity to meet colleagues from across the Borders, and half practice-based with team-building firmly on the agenda. We are fortunate to have this structure in place to help satisfy educational, and contribute towards contract, requirements. Some of the most useful sessions are those which cast tangential light on what it is to be a GP and this scheme and others like it are not intended to preclude nourishment from other sources.

Healthy (educational) nutrition relies on enjoying reasonable quantities of good basic food but a little of what you fancy also does you good. Last month I attended an excellent day on expedition medicine (not in my PDP) at the Royal College of Physicians. There was a very full and stimulating programme (at two-thirds the cost of the GP postgraduate centre), I felt energised, glad to be a doctor and reminded that there is a big wide world out there. I had my distant knowledge of physiology and microbiology tickled by presentations about altitude sickness and the discussion about essential drugs for expeditions rekindled a rather latent interest in pharmacology. Definitely a gourmet delight.

When my 13-year-old daughter recently had a viral infection with a thumping headache, she said that she felt as though she had a heart in her head. While feeding our heads, we need to be careful that we do not starve our hearts.


more recent radiological innovation, and has provided invaluable means for studying the physiology and pathophysiology of some important diseases especially, but not exclusively, in children. This monograph, based on material collected in the Chaim Sheba Medical Centre, Tel-Hashomer, Israel, provides technical details and indications for micturating cystoureth.rography. It also ircludes a valuable short section on the radiological anatomy and physiology of the normal bladder and urethra. More than 80% of its content is devoted to illustrative case histories and the relevant radiographs in chi-ldren and adults. To help the reader, many radiographs are accompanied by useful schematic line drawings. The details in the section on technique makes it abundantly clear that successful miicturating cystourethrography, particularlv in children, requires patience, tact, time, and sympathetic understanding of the patient by the radiologist if the examination is expected to be rewarding. This may not always be possible in a busy general x-ray department unless it is recognized that 25% of surgery is urology, and for this reason special facilities for urological radiography should be provided. However, I believe the old adage that quality of work is dependent more on personnel than buildings and that the high standard in this radiographic atlas is an accurate reflection of the abilities of the author and her professional colleagues. It is impossible to read this book without concluding that micturating cystourethrography is an invaluable part of urological radiography.


In this paper, we propose a novel second-order regularizer based on the maximum response of the second-order directional derivative, assuming that the image under consideration belongs to the class of piecewise-linear signals. Compared to total-variation regularization that preserves edges but transforms piecewise-smooth regions into piecewise-constant regions, the proposed model is able to restore piecewise-linear regions and finer details. Deconvolution experiments demonstrate the performance of our approach in terms of the quality of reconstruction.