Within EU Project SUPERPROP, the flow around a ducted propeller located in front of a rudder has been numerically simulated and analyzed using different RANS approaches. The presence of the rudder makes the velocities at the propeller plane non-symmetric, which results in a flow of unsteady nature. Unsteady flows can sometimes be approximated using simplifications which reduce the hydrodynamic problem to a steady-state one, whilst the prediction accuracy remains reasonable. The main two simplifications are the mixing plane approach and the quasi-steady approach. This paper compares calculations made with these two approaches to timeaccurate computations. The computations are performed on a ducted propeller unit of a fishing vessel subject to investigation within EU project SUPERPROP. Comparison of thrusting forces obtained with the different approaches is presented for the various components of the propulsion unit. Details of the flow at particular zones illustrate the character of the simplifications for this particular configuration. RANS code FINFLO was used in the calculations.


Over twenty years ago, I bought a computer and CAD software, only to discover that it took hours to print a shaded view of an Iron Age roundhouse, and besides, sticking a cone on top of a cylinder did nothing to advance my understanding of the archaeology of prehistoric timber buildings. So I returned to the basic data and to working on paper in plan, section, and elevation. Prehistoric structures in Britain are largely evidenced by postholes, often in such numbers, that most archaeologists are content to pick out circles and rectangles on which to base their report, and ignore the rest of the dataset.  However, thinking about structures in terms of 'shape' has led to simplistic models and inappropriate cross-cultural comparisons. My research into understanding postholes has concentrated on reverse engineering timber structures from the known position of their posts, which ultimately leads to a consideration of how timbers were joined together.  Initially, I worked back from the medieval period, but more recently, I have worked forward from LBK buildings, which are the starting point for the range of technologies that both require, and support, complex built environments. Modelling the relationship between an archaeological ground plan and the original superstructure requires a detailed consideration of tools, carpentry, building technology, and trees. It leads to ideas like offset jointing, reversed assembly, and importance of ties, unfamiliar concepts to most archaeologists.  However, with such ideas comes a basic set of principles that both explain the spatial distribution of archaeological features, and are a guide to the use of CAD to reconstruct and understand prehistoric architecture on a timber-by-timber basis. Understanding the basics of posthole archaeology, and the technological culture it represents, unlocks the potential of CAD systems a research tool, making it possible to reconstruct buildings from LBK longhouses to Woodhenge in virtual reality.


Aftershock sequences present a unique opportunity to study the physics of earthquakes. Important questions concern the fundamental origin of three widely applicable scaling laws: (1) Gutenberg–Richter frequency–magnitude scaling, (2) Omori's law for aftershock decay rates, and (3) Bath's law for the difference between the magnitude of the largest aftershock and a mainshock. The high-resolution Parkfield seismic network provided the opportunity for detailed studies of the aftershock sequence following the 28 September 2004, M 6.0 Parkfield earthquake. In this article it is shown that aftershocks satisfy the Gutenberg–Richter scaling relation only for relatively large times after the mainshock. There is a systematic time delay for the establishment of this scaling law. The temporal evolution of the rates of occurrence of aftershocks is quantified using the generalized Omori's law. This scaling law contains two characteristic times c and τ . The analysis suggests that the parameter c plays the role of a characteristic time for the establishment of Gutenberg– Richter scaling. This time increases systematically with a decreasing lower magnitude cutoff. The systematic time delay is attributed to a cascade of energy from long wavelengths to short wavelengths. The parameter τ is a measure of the average time until the first aftershock occurs. We find that τ slightly varies with the lower magnitude cutoff of the sequence. We also note that the largest aftershock inferred from an extrapolation of Gutenberg–Richter scaling, M 5.0, is equal to the largest observed aftershock. This scaling associated with the universal applicability of Bath's law is attributed to a constant partitioning of energy between a mainshock and its associated aftershock sequence. We also give in this article the distribution of interoccurrence times between successive aftershocks. We show that this distribution is well approximated by a nonhomogeneous Poissons process driven by the modified Omori's law. The self-consistency between interoccurrence statistics and decay rates is taken as further evidence for the applicability of our studies.


Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common bacterial infections, affecting 150 million people each year worldwide. High recurrence rates and increasing antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens are making it imperative to develop alternative strategies for the treatment and prevention of this common infection. In this Review, we discuss how understanding the: (i) molecular and biophysical basis of host-pathogen interactions; (ii) consequences of the molecular cross-talk at the host pathogen interface in terms of disease progression; and (iii) pathophysiology of UTIs is leading to efforts to translate this knowledge into novel therapeutics to treat and prevent these infections. 2


A 23 factorial experimental design was used to investigate the effect of washing in combination with precooking on the oxidative stability of lipids in minced herring (Clupea harengus) at −18 °C. The following variables were studied:  washing (no, yes), cooking time (38, 54 min), and cooking temperature (55, 100 °C).The responses monitored were peroxide value (PV), absorbance at 234 nm (A234), absorbance at 268 nm (A268), and lipid soluble fluorescent products (FP). A partial least-squares regression analysis (PLS) revealed that the best lipid stability was obtained at minimum cooking time and at lower temperature. On the basis of compositional analyses and in vitro experiments, this finding was proposed to be due to heat inactivation of catalytic enzymes, without simultaneous activation, for example, of hemoproteins. Washing reduced these benefits from precooking by removal of pro-oxidative enzymes and also through a reduction in the amount of antioxidants as well as a relative increase in phospholipids and free fatty acids in the fat.


Perspectives from 22 countries on aspects of the legal environment for selection are presented in this article. Issues addressed include (a) whether there are racial/ethnic/religious subgroups viewed as "disadvantaged," (b) whether research documents mean differences between groups on individual difference measures relevant to job performance, (c) whether there are laws prohibiting discrimination against specific groups, (d) the evidence required to make and refute a claim of discrimination, (e) the consequences of violation of the laws, (f) whether particular selection methods are limited or banned, (g) whether preferential treatment of members of disadvantaged groups is permitted, and (h) whether the practice of industrial and organizational psychology has been affected by the legal environment.


Abstract Although studies regarding health issues and the obesity epidemic have increased in recent years, few of these studies target college-aged students. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences in race/ethnicity with respect to prevalence of overweight/obesity (defined by body mass index or BMI) among college students attending an urban university. In addition, the demographic characteristics and cardiovascular risks between the overweight and obese group (n=138) were compared to the underweight and normal weight group (n=349). The study included 487 college students under 40 years of age who identified their origin as white (non-Hispanic), black (non-Hispanic), or Hispanic. There were 32.65% white, 33.26% Hispanic, and 34.09% black. The mean and median ages were 21 and 19 years, respectively. The overall prevalence of overweight/obesity was 28.11%, with 23.91% (white), 34.06% (Hispanic), and 42.03% (black). Age-, gender-, and race-/ethnicity-adjusted cardiovascular risk levels (blood pressure, pulse pressure, blood glucose and lipid profiles) significantly varied between two groups. The findings suggest that screening cardiovascular risks among a college-aged population is warranted. Our study further indicates the need for weight management and risk reduction of overweight-related chronic diseases on campus.


Non-pharmacological therapies that protect against endothelial ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/R) remain limited in aged adults. Acute heat exposure protects against endothelial I/R injury in young adults, but its efficacy has never been explored in aged adults. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that acute heat exposure would prevent the attenuation of endothelial-dependent vasodilation following I/R injury in aged adults. Nine (2 men, 69 ± 8 yrs) aged adults were exposed to a thermoneutral control condition or whole-body passive heating (water-perfused suit) sufficient to increase body core temperature by 1.2 °C. Experiments were separated by at least 7 days. Heat exposure was always performed first in order to time-match the thermoneutral control condition. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation was assessed via flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery before (pre-I/R) and after I/R injury (post-I/R), which was induced by 20 min of arm ischemia followed by 20 min of reperfusion. Flow-mediated dilation was reduced following I/R injury for the thermoneutral control condition (pre-I/R, 4.5 ± 2.9 % vs. post-I/R, 0.9 ± 2.8 %, P < 0.01), but was well maintained with prior heat exposure (pre-I/R, 4.4 ± 2.8 % vs. post-I/R, 3.5 ± 2.8 %, P = 0.5). Taken together, acute heat exposure protects against endothelial I/R injury in aged adults. These results highlight the therapeutic potential of heat therapy to prevent endothelial dysfunction associated with I/R injury in aged adults who are most at risk for an ischemic event.


appear, their effects can be devastating, since a lack of immunity among the population can lead to pandemic disease. There were three pandemics in the 20th century – in 1918, 1957 and 1968 – which killed millions of people around the world. While flu shots have been available since the 1940s, when a virulent new strain appears there is a real scramble to get sufficient doses of the vaccine ready to protect the population. A significant problem derives from the fact that the vaccine required to give protection changes every year. Unlike the situation with viruses such as measles, the antigen required to give protection varies depending on the predominant circulating strains of the influenza virus in any given year, as it constantly mutates to form new strains. Vaccination remains the only realistic weapon against a flu pandemic. The antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) that were stockpiled by governments in response are not particularly effective1, whereas vaccination can be efficacious two-thirds of the time, according to a large meta-analysis published in Lancet Infectious Diseases in 20122. While it is clearly less than perfect – and the protection figures are even worse for the elderly – vaccination is still the best weapon we have against influenza.


One of the problems with storing bee products – pollen – is their microbiological pollution. With high levels of pollen contamination by microscopic fungi, toxins synthesized by the fungi of some genera can have a negative impact on human health. During the experiment, the prevalence of microscopic fungi in pollen was evaluated, and their genera and species were identified. Pollen samples were collected at different times of the year – spring and summer – in order to ascertain the abundance and diversity of different fungal genera and species. The dilution method (CFU/g) was used to determine the number of fungal strains per sample and their amount. The total number of fungal strains in the pollen collected in spring ranged from 1.3 to 5.7 × 10–3 CFU/g, in summer –1.0 to 5.8 × 10–3 CFU/g. In the pollen, 11 genera and six species of fungi were identified. The number of fungal genera and species in pollen collected in spring and summer varied insignificantly. In spring, ten genera and six species of fungi were isolated from pollen, and in summer 11 genera and six species were identified. Penicillium and Alternaria fungi dominated the bee pollen.


Estimating forest canopy height from large-footprint satellite LiDAR waveforms is challenging given the complex interaction between LiDAR waveforms, terrain, and vegetation, especially in dense tropical and equatorial forests. In this study, canopy height in French Guiana was estimated using multiple linear regression models and the Random Forest technique (RF). This analysis was either based on LiDAR waveform metrics extracted from the GLAS (Geoscience Laser Altimeter System) spaceborne LiDAR data and terrain information derived from the SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) DEM (Digital Elevation Model) or on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of GLAS waveforms. Resultsshow that the best statistical model for estimating forest height based on waveform metrics and digital elevation data is a linear regression of waveform extent, trailing edge extent,
and terrain index (RMSE of 3.7 m). For the PCA based models, better canopy height estimation results were observed using a regression model that incorporated both the first 13 principal components (PCs) and the waveform extent (RMSE = 3.8 m). Random Forest regressions revealed that the best configuration for canopy height estimation used all the following metrics: waveform extent, leading edge, trailing edge, and terrain index (RMSE = 3.4 m). Waveform extent was the variable that best explained canopy height, with an importance factor almost three times higher than those for the other three metrics (leading edge, trailing edge, and terrain index). Furthermore, the Random Forest regression incorporating the first 13 PCs and the waveform extent had a slightly-improved canopy height estimation in comparison to the linear model, with an RMSE of 3.6 m. In conclusion, multiple linear regressions and RF regressions provided canopy height estimations with similar precision using either LiDAR metrics or PCs. However, a regression model (linear regression or RF) based on the PCA of waveform samples with waveform extent information is an interesting alternative for canopy height estimation as it does not require several metrics that are difficult to derive from GLAS waveforms in dense forests, such as those in French Guiana.


writer in [1, 2]. I t should also be pointed out tha t a real challenge arises when there is more than one category of information on the tape. Suppose it is desired to be able to select random samples without replacement from each of several different categories where the information is intermixed on the tape. If the items were sorted by category prior to selection, then the above approaches could be used. If the i tems are not sorted by category prior to selection, then there are techniques which avoid the need for sorting data according to classification categories prior to sample selection; these have been developed joint ly with my colleagues, C. T. Fan and I. Rezucha. These techniques are applicable not only to the sampling plan discussed, but also to many other types of sampling plans. In addition, a single i tem is allowed to belong to more than one category. The outline of these techniques was presented at the 1961 Annual Meeting of the American Statistical Association and the Ins t i tu te of Mathematical Statistics, in December at New York City. This material has subsequently appeared and been described in [3, 4, 5]. REFERENCES : 1. MULLER, M. E. The use of computers in inspection procedures. Comm. A C M 1, 11 (1958), 7-13. 2. MULLER, M . E . The role of existing computer techniques in stat ist ics and quali ty control. Ind. Qual. Contr. 15 (1959), 2-5. 3. MULLER, M. E. Techniques and programming for sampling populations on magnetic tapes, with a summary of the results by C. T. Fan, M. E. Muller and I. Rezucha. Transactions, Middle-Atlantic Conf. Amer. Soc. Qual. Contr. (Mar. 1962), 249-287. 4. MULLER, M . E . Impact and use of computers in quali ty control. Transactions, 1962 Ann. Meeting Amer. Soc. Qual. Contr. (May 1962), 225-230. 5. FAN, C. T., MULLER, M. E., AND REZUCHA, I. Development of sampling plans by using sequential (item by item) selection techniques and digital computers. J. Amer. Star. Assoc. 57 (June 1962), 387-402. MERVIN E. MULLER Data Processing Div., I B M Corp., White Plains, N. Y.


Hot debriefing (HoD) describes a structured team-based discussion which may be initiated following a significant event. Benefits may include improved teamwork, staff well-being and identification of learning opportunities. Existing literature indicates that while staff value HoD following significant events, it is infrequently undertaken in practice. Internationally, several frameworks for HoD have been developed, although none are widely adopted for use in the ED. A quality improvement project was conducted to introduce HoD into a single UK ED in North West England, between January and March 2019. Following stakeholder consultation, the 9-item 'TAKE STOCK' tool was developed. Implementation of the tool increased the number of HoD (0—2.2 HoD episodes/week). Findings from the first plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycle are presented, which revealed the key strengths and limitations of this model. Staff perceptions of the tool were evaluated using a self-administered short questionnaire designed by the authors. Satisfaction with TAKE STOCK was assessed using 10-point numerical scales. Across respondents (n−15), average satisfaction scores exceeded 9 out of 10 concerning patient care, staff self-care, decision-making, education, teamwork and identification of equipment issues. Implementation of HoD into the ED is feasible and viewed as beneficial by staff. Implementation toolkits for TAKE STOCK have been requested by 42 additional UK hospitals and ambulance trusts, demonstrating significant interest in its use. Research is now required to formally validate HoD frameworks for use in the ED, and assess whether HoD results in sustained improvements to staff and patient outcomes.


Medicine is a branch of health science with the purpose of maintaining health and health promotion, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases, and rehabilitation of patients. In addition to possessing academic qualifications and legal training, physicians and service providers should be familiar with moral and jurisprudential considerations in their profession, as is rationally and logically expected. Respect for moral values and legal principles is important since on the one hand it gives the service provider a feeling of fulfillment, and on the other hand it causes the patient to feel satisfied with the service offered. Islamic laws must be observed in all aspects of life in our country and medical practices are not an exception. Therefore it is necessary for all practices to be approved by jurists and to comply with the principles of Islamic jurisprudence and ethics. Consequently, practitioners need a thorough understanding of Islamic laws and ethics in order to be considered qualified. In this regard it should be remembered that Islamic jurisprudence, or Sharia refers to a set of laws and rules of life defined by the Quran and its interpretation and explanation by the great Prophet of Islam (SAW) and Imams (AS). In Islamic culture, law and medicine are closely related to each other. Many physicians are staunch followers of the Islamic jurisprudence and try to observe them in their diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, and in cases where they have dilemmas and are not certain what course of action to take, religious standpoint is what guides them to make the right decision. In recent decades, physicians have tried to apply Islamic laws in the context of medical or jurisprudential problems. This article investigates the realm of medical jurisprudence and medical ethics.


This case report describes the cytological features of pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB), a rare aggressive paediatric tumour. The patient was a 13 year old male and he presented with recurrent lower respiratory tract infections and failure to grow. The smears which were prepared from the CT guided aspirates showed groups and clumps of two populations of cells. The predominant population consisted of large spindle shaped cells with round to oval nuclei, eosinophilic cytoplasm and irregular nuclear membranes. The nuclei possessed fine granular chromatin and inconspicuous nucleoli. The second population of cells was less abundant, interspersed amidst the spindle shaped cells and it consisted of small round cells with scanty eosinophilic cytoplasm. The nuclei possessed fine granular chromatin and inconspicuous nucleoli. Occasional mitoses were observed. There was no evidence of rosette or gland formation. The main differential diagnosis was PPB. The other differential diagnoses were teratoma, neuroblastoma, metastatic Wilm's tumour, rhabdomyosarcoma and malignant mesenchymoma. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of PPB. The age of presentation in the present case report was more than the reported median age of presentation. This tumour may be easily misdiagnosed due to the rarity of its occurrence. The cytological appearances may vary according to the various cell populations which are present.


This guide presents resources and tips useful for students in anthropology classes. Topics covered include Ethnology, Archaeology, Folklore, Human Evolution, and Primates. There is also basic information about places to find statistics, images, and maps.


Objectives The objective of this study was to determine if urine Histoplasma antigen (HAg) enzyme immunoassay (EIA) concentrations at the time of diagnosis and prior to the administration of antifungal agents are predictive of outcome for cats infected with Histoplasma capsulatum and to determine if compromised renal function affects urine HAg EIA measurements. Methods Medical records at four institutions were searched to identify cats diagnosed with histoplasmosis between April 2012 and December 2015. Pretreatment urine Histoplasma EIA values were recorded, along with patient signalment, serum creatinine concentration, urine specific gravity, site(s) of infection and survival data. Results Pretreatment urine HAg EIA measurements were available for 50 cats, and ranged from 0–19.1 ng/ml (median 6.3 ng/ml). Thirty-five cats were alive at day 180, 12 had died or were euthanized (median survival time 24 days; range 2–124 days) and three were lost to follow-up. The median urine HAg EIA at the time of diagnosis for cats alive at 6 months was 5 ng/ml (range 0–19.1); this was similar to findings for the non-survivors (median 7.29 ng/ml; range 0.78–19.1; P = 0.54). Surviving cats were significantly younger (mean age 6.9 years) than non-survivors (mean age 9.9 years; P = 0.03) but median body weights (3.8 kg vs 3.6 kg) and rates of pulmonary involvement (22/35 vs 9/12) were similar for the two groups. Median urine HAg EIA concentration was lower in cats with evidence of renal compromise than cats with acceptable renal function (0.54 ng/ml vs 7.2 ng/ml; P <0.013). Conclusions and relevance Urine HAg EIA concentrations at the time of diagnosis are not predictive of outcome in cats with histoplasmosis and should not be used as a prognostic indicator in this species. Renal function may influence urine HAg EIA concentrations in cats; further investigation is needed to see if concurrent kidney disease impacts test sensitivity.


In most direct sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) systems, the modulation scheme used is a simple one. In this paper, employing a combined modulation scheme in DS-CDMA is proposed. By combining two or more modulation schemes, the resultant symbol energy can be increased, and thus a better symbol error rate performance can be achieved. For the combined modulation scheme, the symbol error rate is determined by the less powerful one of the basic modulation schemes. So a proper selection of modulation combination is essential for power efficiency. In a DS-CDMA system, unlike a narrow-band system, the bandwidth efficiency is closely related to its power efficiency. Thus a combined modulation concept may result in a bandwidth efficient DS-CDMA system. In this paper, we present two DS-CDMA schemes by combining MFSK and coherent MPSK and differential BPSK. These two schemes are respectively denoted as (1) MFSK-MPSK/DS-CDMA, and (2) MFSK-DPSK/DS-CDMA. The proposed schemes have better performance than the conventional CDMA schemes.<<ETX>>


Abstract Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), an extrinsic allergic alveolitis, is a group of immunologically mediated, diffuse inflammatory lung parenchymal diseases. Pigeon breeder's disease (PBD) is one of the most common clinical forms of HP. It is caused by inhalation of various pigeon-derived materials and can present in different clinical forms. The diagnosis is difficult and the best diagnostic tool is correlation of onset of symptoms with time of exposure. Precipitating antibodies against the avian proteins form the characteristic precipitin reactions. The most effective treatment is avoidance of the antigens. Steroids, either systemic or topical (inhalational), can be used to treat HP. We report five children with different clinical forms of PBD in whom the diagnosis was confirmed by positive serum precipitating antibodies to avian proteins. Although the disease is rarely seen in children, it should be considered in any child with recurrent or unexplained respiratory symptoms. Nebulising steroids might be a useful alternative treatment for allergic alveolitis.


The Impressionists--Monet, Manet, Cezanne, Degas, Pissarro, and Renoir--are probably the most popular of all artistic schools. With imagination and insight, the author brings Impressionism into focus by showing it through the eyes of the artists and their contemporaries, using letters, critical reviews and reminiscences of the people who were part of the story. As we see in Bernard Denvir's compelling survey, the Impressionists had new ways of painting, but they also had a new world to paint: a world of stream tricycles, emergent photography, and modern ideas about perception. 195 illus., 17 in color.


Therapeutic radiation and subsequent detection of tumor cell death has been performed mainly in vitro systems, making it dif− ficult to accurately characterize the mechanisms of tumor cell death after radiosurgery. To better characterize what occurs to glioma cells after radiation therapy, we developed a rat model using the 9L gliosarcoma cell line implanted reproducibly to the caudate nucleus in rats. After 1 Gy radiation, 9L tumors in vivo induced mainly necrosis (determined by trypan blue exclusion) of 10±74% at 6±72 hours post−radiation. This is in contrast to a previous in vitro study which demonstrated that 18 Gy of radia− tion induces considerably less cell death as determined by try− pan blue exclusion (approximately 20±25% at 6±72 hours post−radiation). However, significant amounts of apoptosis were detected as early as 6 hours after radiation. Apoptosis determina− tion was by annexin V (marker of early apoptosis) and propidium iodide (marker of membrane stability) staining followed by flow cytometry detection. When caspase 3 and caspase 8 enzymatic activities (mediators of apoptosis) were measured from freshly explanted tumor cells, peak activity was found 6 hours after 1 Gy radiation (p < 0.01). Taken together, these data indicate the presence of apoptosis early after radiation therapy (1 Gy) which progressed to necrosis in a unique in vivo model of gliosarcoma that may prove useful in determining new therapeutic ap− proaches to radiation therapy and tumor cell biology.


A method of detecting probe mark defects in semiconductor bond pads is presented that uses digitized images of color Polaroid photographs from an optical microscope. INSPAD inspects the bond pads in a magnified IC circuit image taken after the electrical testing stage. These are: probe marks must not extend beyond pad boundaries such that they damage glassivation; scratches on the bond pads must not exceed 50% of the bond pad width; and the probe marks must not exceed 25% of the bond pad area. Three types of commonly used bond pad geometries have been addressed. Morphological filtering is performed on the bond pad, to isolate and identify the major probe mark regions. Inspection of each pad takes approximately 2 to 3 s on an Apollo DN-4000 workstation which makes it suitable for real-time applications. >


Student conceptions related with matter and the particulate nature of matter (PNM), are vital for advanced understanding in chemistry, and have been a research area of significant attention. Lacking in the literature are studies addressing chemical misconceptions from an ontological point of view. The purpose of the current study was to develop a diagnostic instrument by utilizing ontological categories as theoretical lens and to evaluate student understanding on the topic PNM through assessment based on the relationship between ontology and misconceptions. Aligned with content in the middle school curricula, an assessment instrument of 25 distractor-driven, multiple-choice items, 15 of which were two-tier, was constructed. Subsequent to content validity work, to utilize student feedback for the improvement of the items and the validity of the inferences, we pilot tested our instrument with 178 students. Cross-sectional survey methodology was employed for the larger assessment work across Grades 6–11. Data were collected from a randomly selected sample of 696 students attending primary and secondary schools. The overall trend emerged to be improved student knowledge with increasing grade level. The students most often tended to attribute the properties of macroscopic matter to its microscopic particles and had most difficulty in explaining dissolution at the particle level, confirming previous national and international findings. An understanding of misconceptions from an ontology perspective may further assist educators to enhance a radical conceptual change. Distractor-driven, two-tier multiple-choice items are envisioned to aid stakeholders in curriculum development and implementation by illuminating student conceptions and ways of thinking.


--Despite the current active HIV test policy, the effects of the former policy are still visible, i.e. a relatively low number of individuals that have ever been tested for HIV. --The number of HIV tests and knowledge of current HIV status has increased among visitors to the STI clinic in Amsterdam. --Nevertheless, anonymous HIV surveillance among visitors to the STI clinic shows that a considerable proportion of HIV-infected individuals (24% of men who have sex with men (MSM) and 80% of heterosexuals) are unaware of the infection. --A new opting-out strategy for HIV testing in STI clinics is recommended. --The opting-out strategy may also be applicable to other medical settings, especially those that treat target populations such as MSM, heterosexuals with STI-related symptoms, and persons originating from AIDS-endemic regions. --The opting-out system was initiated in the Amsterdam STI clinic in 2007 in order to further reduce the number of undiagnosed HIV infections.


The AIN‐76 A, a purified rodent diet, has a propensity to cause kidney calcifications in female rats which is not observed with non‐purified rodent diets, suggesting a nutritional factor that avoids these calcifications. One candidate is phytate, which inhibits crystallisation of calcium salts and is practically absent in purified diets. Therefore, the effects on calcification of kidney tissue of phytate addition to the AIN‐76 A diet using female Wistar rats were studied. The rats were assigned to three groups: AIN‐76 A, AIN‐76 A + 1% phytate and standard nonpurified chow. Urinary phytate of the AIN‐76 A fed group was undetectable. Urinary phytate of AIN‐76 A + 1% phytate and standard fed groups did not differ and was significantly higher than in the AIN‐76 A group. The concentrations of calcium and phosporus in kidneys were greater in the AIN‐76 A group than in AIN‐76 A + 1% phytate and standard groups. Only rats of the AIN‐76 A group displayed mineral deposits at the corticomedullary junction. These findings demonstrated that the absence of phytate in the AIN‐76 A diet is one of the causes of renal calcification in female rats.


For superconducting nanowire with the pairing of extended s-type symmetry, Rashba spin-orbit interaction in a magnetic field, the influence of strong intersite charge correlations on single-particle Majorana excitations is analyzed. This problem is investigated on the basis of the density matrix renormalization group numerical method. It is shown that with an increase in the repulsion intensity of electrons located at the neighboring sites, two subbands emerge in the lower Hubbard band of the open system. Based on calculations of the Majorana polarization and degeneracy of the entanglement spectrum, it was found that a topologically nontrivial phase with one edge state survives at the edge of each of the subbands where the concentration of electrons or holes is minimal. Keywords: superconducting nanowires, Majorana zero modes, strong electron correlations.


This thesis investigates the potential for return migrants to have an impact on development in the small-state case of Guyana, relative to the non-migrant population. To do this in a fairly comprehensive manner, three specific questions are posed. Firstly, what are the differences among return migrants, non-returning migrants, and non-migrants? Secondly, what are the determinants of return migration to Guyana? And thirdly, what are the potential consequences of return migration to Guyana? The first question allows for an understanding of critical differences among return migrants, non-returning migrants, and non-migrants. This provides information on where, potentially, return migrants show important differences relative to the other groups, and if those differences observed would be useful for development in Guyana. Further, I explore the sustainability of return migration through the concept of mixed embeddedness, looking into the influences of return migrants' desire for re-emigration. Hence, answering the first question is an early signal of where, potentially, return migrants demonstrate attributes that arguably are useful for development in the origin country. In answering the second question, an insight is provided into what determines return. In particular, determinants of return take on a more real-world context, factoring a key eligibility of policy – that of duration of time spent abroad. Lastly, given the multidimensional link between migration and development, the final question tries to understand what the actual nexus between return migration and development is for the case of Guyana. Especially, I explore the direct and indirect impact of return migration, whether return migrants are likely to be of more use in development over non-migrants, and the measurable indicators of this nexus for Guyana.

To facilitate the analysis, the thesis first justifies why it is useful to revisit return migration as a potentially useful impetus for development. Here is where the small state case is presented as still valid. It then delves into the relevance of return migration and development linkages for the particular case of Guyana. In the process, it reveals why Guyana is an interesting case, contextualizing the theoretical perspectives that help to rationalize the general arguments, for and against, why individuals leave and some return. The account then notes, where data are available, existing policy practices in some small states as they relate to how governments demonstrate an interest in return migration as useful for origin-state development. The above summarizes the content of chapters 1 and 2. Chapter 3 explains in detail the mixed-method approach used to collect the qualitative and quantitative data required to develop the critical arguments and research results presented in chapters 4, 5, and 6.

A two-stage stratified sampling approach with disproportionate fractions was used to collect data on 451 return migrants and 528 non-migrants. This data was pooled with 210 non-returning migrants captured in an online survey using an ethno-survey framework. Additionally, qualitative interviews with representatives of several local institutions with responsibility for return migration policy, data, and concessions delivery were conducted to support the quantitative framework. Notwithstanding the fairly large sample size, the return migration and development story told in this thesis not only dwells on averages, but also on individual reflections of return contained in the data.

For the analysis, a mix of standard and novel approaches is utilized. The transnationalism approach, which recognizes the current characterization of the fluidity of migration, combined with the capabilities approach to migration and development, enables a general view on how the nexus is manifested in development outcomes at the individual level. These are the main reference points adapted to guide the conversation on determinants and consequences respectively. Techniques employed for the analysis of determinants and consequences are survival analysis and exploratory factor analysis, including the OLS and Ordered Probit models.

The sample demonstrated that return migrants were different on personal and socioeconomic attributes. Migrants returned mainly from countries within the CARICOM region rather than from those further away such as the North America and Other International areas. Return migrants have a tendency to remit prior to returning, even acquiring personal assets before, which can be linked to their duration spent abroad and their host location. On returning, returnees in the sample differed from non-migrants, especially in the areas of educational attainment and current earnings in terms of monthly household income. International migration in terms of the level of development at the host location is an imperative. Return migrants' exposure and enhanced capacity are potentially useful for development. But, the jury is still out on whether this is harnessed to fill development gaps in the origin country Guyana. Nevertheless, returnees can be viewed as 'elites' which puts this group among those most equipped to (re)-emigrate. Hence, desires for re-emigration are vested not only in the institutional and structural stressors, but also reflect individual attributes of return migrants. Return migration thus does not necessarily complete the migration cycle.

Return, demonstrated in the sample mostly by those in the CARICOM region, has been subjected to a number of personal characteristics – migration status among other reasons. Structural factors have not been captured well to reflect the differences in the host countries to that of origin, but something is definitely happening at host locations that engenders the agency of returnees. Capabilities and achievements of migrants returning are indicative of systems and structures at the host locations. Even in the presence of heterogeneity among returnees, return migrants seem to have a positive impact on development in Guyana relative to non-migrants. Returning was also importantly a function the migrant's position/membership in the household at origin, as social attachments inclined them to return. But their contribution on return correlates with the duration spent abroad; the longer time giving migrants better opportunities to prepare, remit, and acquire local assets in some cases.

The signal given, therefore, is that, while returnees seem positively related to local development through their human capital, there is no guarantee that they will be contributing to local development if the policy is not designed to extract necessary obligations. While return might be interpreted as success in some cases, migrants juxtapose economic and noneconomic factors in navigating return and re-emigration. As it already obtains, if migrants do not return some still remit which can also contribute to the development of Guyana. This happens if diaspora policy and thoughts of returning are engendered by the non-returning migrant. Transnational ties help to reinforce such thoughts. Notwithstanding, the transnational approach alone cannot explain the many contexts of migration and return. Such would require multiple contextual approaches.

The relationships of the consequences of return migration for development in Guyana has been reflected in the extraction of 13 observable indicators. The variables give ideas into the relationship of return and development, that is to say the capabilities and achievements of returnees as compared to non-migrants. But return migrants' achievements, even when this is above that of non-migrants, does not guarantee inputs to wider local development in the presence of structural rigidities. In fact, during the period of exchange rate and foreign exchange restrictions, non-returning migrants could not remit formally, intending migrants could not get access to passports at will, inter alia. The result was a massive underground economy as a coping strategy under import substitution development. Notwithstanding, in the presence of liberal policies and transnationalism, at minimum, migration does do something positive for the migrants and/or the households from which they originate, even if the models used in this thesis exaggerate these outcomes.


The cardiovascular effects of addition of 20, 40, and then BO percent N2O or nitrogen during controlled ventilation with light (0.8 percent), moderate (1.2 percent), and deep (1.6 percent) halothane-O2 anesthesia were determined in 39 volunteers and compared to results obtained in 18 additional volunteers who received similar concentrations of halothane-O2 anesthesia alone over the same time interval.Halothane resulted in significant and similar reductions in heart rate at all concentrations studied hut produced concentration-related decreases in mean arterial blood pressure, stroke volume, and cardiac output and increases in right atrial pressure. Halothane did not significantly change peripheral resistance at any concentration. Addition of N2O did not change arterial blood pressure or heart rate at any concentration of halothane but produced increases in right atrial pressure in all groups. Peripheral resistance was reduced and stroke volume and cardiac output increased when N2O was added to 0.8 percent halothane. Subjects anesthetized with 1.2 percent halothane showed no significant change in stroke volume or cardiac output with addition of any concentration of N2O, while those anesthetized with 1.6 per cent halothane sustained reductions in stroke volume and cardiac output with 60 percent N2O. Peripheral resistance remained unaltered during addition of N2O to 1.2 percent halothane but significantly increased with 1.6 percent halothane. Addition of nitrogen to halothane produced changes that were similar to those occurring during continued halothane-O2 administration. These data demonstrate that addition of N2O during halothane-O2 anesthesia produces significant changes in cardiovascular dynamics which are variable and dependent upon the concentrations of halothane and N2O employed. Our findings suggest that N2O blocks the reduction of peripheral vascular resistance and increases in cardiac output, stroke volume, and heart rate seen with continued halothane-O2 administration when added to moderate or deep levels of halothane.


Historical Response Rates, Reinforcement Context, and Behavioral Persistence Chata A. Dickson In several studies, historically lower-rate responding has been found to be more persistent than historically higherrate responding (e.g., Lattal, 1989; Nevin, 1974). In these studies, historical response-rate differences were generated by reinforcement schedules (e.g., fixed-ratio [FR] and differential-reinforcement-of-low-rates-ofresponding [DRL]) that directly affect response rate. The current study was conducted with pigeons pecking keys to determine whether this finding would hold when response-rate differences were generated by the context of reinforcement, such as a concurrently available source of reinforcement or schedule of response-independent food. In each of 3 experiments, a history-building condition was followed by a history-testing condition. In Experiment 1, history building consisted of a multiple-concurrent (variable interval [VI] 40-s VI 20-s, VI 40-s VI 80-s) schedule, and history testing consisted of a multiple fixed interval (FI) 40-s, FI 40-s. It was expected that response rate would be lower on the VI 40-s schedule that was paired with the VI 20-s than the VI 40-s that was paired with the VI 80-s (cf. Belke, 1992), however, large differences in response rate on the two VI 40-s schedules were not obtained. The rate and temporal distribution of historically lower-rate responding initially changed more rapidly than did higherrate responding in each of the four pigeons. In attempt to increase the difference in response rate across the two components of the multiple schedule, in Experiment 2, history building consisted of a multiple concurrent (VI 40-s Tandem VI FR, VI 40-s Tandem VI DRL), and history testing consisted of a multiple (FI 40-s, FI 40-s). Schedule values were adjusted in attempt to obtain response-rate differences, but the programmed rate of reinforcement was always equal on the VI 40-s alternative across the two components. Again, large differences in response rate on the two VI 40-s schedules were not obtained. The rate of historically lower-rate responding changed more rapidly in three of the four pigeons, and the temporal distribution of historically lower-rate responding changed more gradually than did higher-rate responding. In Experiment 3, history building consisted of a multiple mixed VI 30-s variable time (VT) 30-s, VI 30-s schedule, and history testing consisted of a multiple FI 30-s, FI 30-s. The VT schedule provided the contextual schedule designed to reduce response rate in the same component. In this case, larger response-rate differences across the two components were obtained. Lower-rate responding was less persistent, both in terms of rate and temporal distribution of responding. Results are discussed in terms of factors shown to determine resistance to change, and the importance of understanding relations between schedules of reinforcement and resultant response organization.


Pervasive computing environments (PCE) derive the emergence of new pervasive application ranging from home to healthcare domain. These applications can be accessed from any place; at any time from anyone as in PCE users are mobile and may use mobile devices in accessing the resources and services. Thus controlling access to resource/services is a concern security question in PCE. Researchers have constructed many methods in order to restrict access in this environment such as Context Based Access Control (CBAC), Trust Based Access Control (TBAC) and recently many researchers have focused on enhance the Role Based Access Control (RBAC) model with other parameter/areas such as context information, business rule management, credential, neural network, trust and risk in order to come out with a new access control model that able to fit in PCE. This paper is to review the existing models that have extended RBAC model with those above mentioned areas.


'Wilderness' is conceptualized in a variety of ways, yet a fundamental dualism between 'humans' and 'nature' is often prominent in many wilderness ideas. Generally, from a biophysical perspective, wilderness refers to 'pristine' natural areas, remote from large population centres, modern technology and their impacts. Recreationists, especially campers, often idealise and seek wilderness to escape from their increasingly structured lives. However, anthropogenic biophysical impacts and management infrastructure for campers may detract from the attributes key to a camper's 'wilderness' experience. This study investigated the relationship between camper perceptions of wilderness and biophysical impacts at a pair of remote managed and unmanaged campgrounds on Wunambal Gaambera Country in the Northern Kimberley, Western Australia: Mitchell Falls campground (managed) and Walsh Point campground (unmanaged).

Rapid assessment methods quantified biophysical impacts at the two sites. An onsite, self-complete questionnaire was distributed to all campers at each campground to quantify the desirability of twenty attributes associated with campers' ideals of wilderness, as well as perceived wilderness quality of the campground they were visiting.

Biophysical impacts were present at both sites, with a higher litter count and greater vegetation damage at Walsh Point. Attributes aligning with 'nativeness' and an absence of human impact were consistently desired by campers from both sites; yet Walsh Point campers desired solitude and an absence of management more than Mitchell Falls campers. Hence, 'strong purists' were more prevalent at Walsh Point, and 'moderate purists' dominated at Mitchell Falls, indicating that different types of campers were attracted to each site.

Despite these purism types, and the extent of biophysical impact at Walsh Point, the site received a higher average wilderness rating than Mitchell Falls, indicating that campground biophysical impacts were not significantly associated with perceived wilderness quality at either site. Artificial noise, particularly the helicopter noises at Mitchell Falls, influenced campers' perceptions more than biophysical impacts did. This study demonstrates the complexity and often paradoxical nature of the relationship between camper perceptions of 'wilderness' and campground biophysical impacts.


The University of Massachusetts Amherst, working in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and state agencies, has integrated data related to landscape connectivity and human development and completed a comprehensive analysis of areas in Massachusetts where connections must be restored to support biodiversity and minimize vehicle-wildlife collisions. The Critical Linkages project has been developing spatially explicit tools, including maps and scenario-testing software, to mitigate impacts of roads on the environment and help inform the design of new roads. The project built on the existing Conservation Assessment and Prioritization System (CAPS), a computer model developed by UMass that incorporates biophysical and anthropogenic data to develop an index of ecological integrity. Within the framework of CAPS the connectedness and aquatic connectedness metrics were used to model various scenarios and quantify the differences among them. Using this approach the authors conducted a comprehensive statewide assessment of restoration potential for 1) dam removals, 2) culvert replacements and 3) construction of wildlife passage structures on roads and highways. A baseline assessment of connectedness and aquatic connectedness provided a statewide base scenario for comparison of restoration options. Scenario-testing software was developed to efficiently assess restoration potential for large numbers of possible restoration projects and then applied statewide to identify road segments, road-stream crossings and dams that currently obstruct aquatic and terrestrial wildlife movement and that offer the greatest opportunity for restoration of landscape connectivity in Massachusetts.


In response to the 2015 Royal Statistical Society's statistical analytics challenge, we propose to model the fixation locations of the human eye when observing a still image by a Markov point process in R2 . Our approach is data driven using k‐means clustering of the fixation locations to identify distinct salient regions of the image, which in turn correspond to the states of our Markov chain. Bayes factors are computed as the model selection criterion to determine the number of clusters. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the behaviour of the human eye differs from this model when colour information is removed from the given image.


ABSTRACT This paper focuses on the abuse of aging, caregiving women (55 years or older) by the spouses or parents for whom they provide care. Data presented were derived from a study of the dynamics of family caregiving focusing on Mexican American and Anglo care-giving dyads. Analysis focused on identifying correlates of abuse from a group of variables that represented the structure and context of caregiving. Data suggest the problem is not trivial and the interactional context of caregiving is the most promising aspect for explanation, intervention, and prevention.


We report here on a robust and easy-to-implement method for the labelling of detonation nanodiamonds (DND) with hydrogen isotopes (deuterium and tritium), using thermal annealing performed in a closed system. With this method, we have synthesized and fully characterized (FTIR, Raman, DLS, 3H/2H/1H and 13C MAS NMR) deuterium-treated and tritium-treated DND and demonstrated the usefulness of isotope incorporation in investigating the surface chemistry of such nanomaterials. For instance, surface treatment with deuterium coupled to FTIR spectroscopy allowed us to discriminate the origin of C-H terminations at the DND surface after the hydrogenation process. As a complementary, tritium appeared very useful for quantification purposes, while 1,2,3H NMR confirmed the nature of the C-1,2,3H bonds created. This isotopic study provides new insights into the characteristics of hydrogen-treated DND.


Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) preferentially induces apoptosis in transformed or malignant cells, thus exhibiting potential as a tumor-selective apoptosis-inducing cytokine for cancer treatment. Many studies have shown that the apoptosis-inducing activity of TRAIL can be enhanced by various cancer therapeutic agents. R115777 (tipifarnib) is the first farnesyltransferase inhibitor (FTI) that showed clinical activity in myeloid malignancies. In general, R115777, like other FTIs, exerts relatively weak effects on the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells with undefined mechanism(s). In the current study, we studied its effects on the growth of human lung cancer cells, including induction of apoptosis, and examined potential underlying mechanisms for these effects. We showed that R115777 induced apoptosis in human lung cancer cells, in addition to inducing G(1) or G(2)-M arrest. Moreover, we found that R115777 up-regulated the expression of death receptor 5 (DR5), an important death receptor for TRAIL, and exhibited an augmented effect on the induction of apoptosis when combined with recombinant TRAIL. Blockage of DR5 induction by small interfering RNA (siRNA) abrogated the ability of R115777 to enhance TRAIL-induced apoptosis, indicating that R115777 augments TRAIL-induced apoptosis through up-regulation of DR5 expression. Thus, our findings show the efficacy of R115777 in human lung cancer cells and suggest that R115777 may be used clinically in combination with TRAIL for treatment of human lung cancer.


BACKGROUND
To evaluate the performance of Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) 2008 cardiac surgery risk scores for postoperative complications in Chinese patients undergoing single valve surgery at multicenter institutions.

METHODS
From January 2009 through December 2012, 4493 consecutive patients older than 16 years who underwent single valve surgery at 4 cardiac surgical centers were collected and scored according to the STS 2008 risk scores. The final research population included the following isolated heart valve surgery types: aortic valve replacement, mitral valve replacement, and mitral valve repair. Calibration of the risk scores was assessed by the Hosmer–Lemeshow (H-L) test. Discrimination was tested by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS
The observed incidence rate for cerebrovascular accident (CVA), renal failure (RF), prolonged ventilation (Vent), reoperation (Reop), prolonged postoperative length of stay (PLOS), and short postoperative LOS (SLOS) was 0.90%, 1.32%, 4.18%, 2.43%, 3.64%, and 1.65%, respectively. The predicted incidence rate for CVA, RF, Vent, Reop, PLOS, and SLOS was 0.76%, 1.55%, 4.94%, 6.69%, 3.92%, and 2.54%, respectively. The STS 2008 risk scores give an accurate calibration for individual postoperative risk in CVA, RF, Vent, and PLOS (Hosmer–Lemeshow: P = .052, P = .474, P = .468, and P = .712, respectively). The area under the ROC curve of the STS 2008 risk scores for the above 4 postoperative complications were 0.714, 0.724, 0.727%, and 0.713, respectively.

CONCLUSION
The STS 2008 risk scores were suitable for major postoperative complications in patients undergoing single valve surgery, except for Reop and SLOS.


AIMS: To identify knowledge about medication in a sample of patients admitted in a residential psychiatric rehabilitation unit. METHODS: All consecutive patients admitted in a psychiatric rehabilitation unit during January 2000-April 2001 were interviewed about the medications prescribed; in particular they were asked about names, daily dose, therapeutic and side effects of the psychotropic drugs they took. RESULTS: 74 patients were surveyed about their knowledge of the psychopharmacological treatment they took. Most patients demonstrated a good knowledge about drugs' name (77%) and daily dose (74.3%); one-quarter (25.7%) had some understanding about the reason why the medications were prescribed and theirs intended effects while only 5.4% was able to indicate the side effects of medications prescribed. Overall, 21.6% of patients could correctly indicate drugs' name, daily dose and therapeutic effects of all medications they took. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study indicate the importance in clinical practice to devote particular attention to the patients' understanding of provided information about treatment and the crucial role of strategies, aimed at improving compliance and maximize the effects of therapeutic interventions.


The fifth generation (5G) of cellular communications aims at encompassing a wide variety of types of communications, among which are vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications. These will be characterized by the interchange of both low-latency messages for control and notification purposes, and delay-tolerant messages, devoted to infotainment services. In this paper, a mechanism for dynamic traffic steering over the Uu and PC5 interfaces of V2X communications is proposed to ensure low latency for critical messages, even in high load conditions. As a proof of concept, a simulation has been carried out using long-term evolution (LTE) macrocells and IEEE 802.11n access points to provide the Uu interface and an approximation to the PC5 interface, respectively. The proposed solution has proven to effectively steer data packets regarding their criticality label, providing a delay-optimized link for critical messages and a best-effort behavior for the non-critical (delay tolerant) messages.


In this work, we explore the maximum-margin bias of quasi-homogeneous neural networks trained with gradient flow on an exponential loss and past a point of separability. We introduce the class of quasi-homogeneous models, which is expressive enough to describe nearly all neural networks with homogeneous activations, even those with biases, residual connections, and normalization layers, while structured enough to enable geometric analysis of its gradient dynamics. Using this analysis, we generalize the existing results of maximum-margin bias for homogeneous networks to this richer class of models. We find that gradient flow implicitly favors a subset of the parameters, unlike in the case of a homogeneous model where all parameters are treated equally. We demonstrate through simple examples how this strong favoritism toward minimizing an asymmetric norm can degrade the robustness of quasi-homogeneous models. On the other hand, we conjecture that this norm-minimization discards, when possible, unnecessary higher-order parameters, reducing the model to a sparser parameterization. Lastly, by applying our theorem to sufficiently expressive neural networks with normalization layers, we reveal a universal mechanism behind the empirical phenomenon of Neural Collapse.


Perception is not always a readily available contemplation outcome. Perception is always an interpretation too. Thinking is not based on edification foundations alone. It is also wrought with different purposes, conceptualizations and anticipations. An individual can never be absolutely certain that another person watching an object or an action with them at the same time interprets it with the same ultimate discernment. What we can surmise is that, under certain conditions, common perception facilitates human interaction. In order for members of a community to communicate and be able to act conjointly towards a common goal there need to be structurally identical elements in what they observe, feel and perceive. Thinking always objectivizes perception anew and makes it possible for different inferences to be interpreted as perception discrepancies. Individual perception, on the other hand, always strives to reroute thinking into a subjective mould and construe it as an emotion, or an upfront taken attitude which shapes the edifying algorithms and the premises beneath it. Before venturing to shed a definitive clue onto such contradictory connotations, one should ponder first whether there is an absolutely objective perception at all, one that soars above all subjective relations and yet involves people of different backgrounds, timelines, and locations. That, however, should be no obstacle to contemplating levels of perception discrepancy and the impact it has on the clarity of meaning. There are cases where an individual can be more objective than the whole community they belong to, and can perceive meanings more correctly than a vast majority of their fellow countrymen.
Key words: perception, discrepancy, meaning, inference, edification


OBJECTIVE
To characterize the types of drug and dietary supplement inquiries submitted to the National Center for Drug Free Sport through the Resource Exchange Center (REC).

DESIGN
Cross-sectional study.

SETTING
United States, from July 2009 through June 2010.

PARTICIPANTS
Athletes and athletic personnel associated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

INTERVENTION
Tabulation and classification of drugs and dietary supplement inquiries.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
Characteristics and trends of drug and dietary supplement inquiries.

RESULTS
Inquiries for prescription medications for albuterol inhalers, methylphenidate, amphetamines, and prednisone were the most common using a drug lookup function. The most common inquiries for over-the-counter medications included pseudoephedrine, loratadine, cetirizine, and caffeine. Among dietary supplements, inquiries for amino acids/metabolites, vitamins and minerals, and herbal products occurred most frequently. One dietary supplement, N.O.-Xplode (Bio-Engineered Supplements and Nutrition, Inc.), accounted for the majority of individual dietary supplement inquiries. Banned substances accounted for 30% of all inquiries submitted to the REC and 18% of medications searched in a drug lookup database.

CONCLUSION
Almost 25,000 inquiries were submitted to the REC. Pharmacists can use this information to advise, counsel, and refer NCAA athletes regarding the use of banned and permitted substances. Education programs regarding stimulants, dietary supplements, and the risk of using substances such as animal byproducts are needed, and pharmacists can participate in these programs.


Introduction Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) insertion is a valuable means of providing enteral nutrition. Previous studies have identified risk factors for poor outcomes and a scoring system devised. Further studies have shown other variables might be important including CRP and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). This study aimed to externally validate the score and analyse for additional variables associated with 30 day mortality. Methods Retrospective review of new PEG insertions in our institute between July 2009 to October 2015. Patient demographics, indication for PEG insertion, bioprofile, ASA grade and survival were recorded. The Sheffield Gastrostomy score (SGS) and the NLR were then calculated for each patient. Univariate analysis was performed and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves constructed to assess the discriminative ability of the scoring system. Results 171 PEG insertions (median age 73 years, 91 males) were included. Indication for PEG was Stroke (50), Cancer (30), Neurological (24), Dementia (5), Other (58) and not stated (4). Univariate analysis showed that 30 day mortality was associated with ASA grade 3–4 (p = 0.026) and NLR (p = 0.012) and a trend towards age > 70 (p = 0.085) and low albumin levels (p = 0.058). For each increasing SGS gradation mortality rose, with 5.3% of those scoring zero dying compared to 38.5% scoring three. The area under the ROC curve was 0.617 (95% confidence interval 0.534–0.695, p = 0.04) showing reasonable discrimination. Conclusion The SGS displayed reasonable predictive ability in this external sample but identified further predictors (ASA grade and NLR). This suggests that the SGS requires remodelling with additional variables identified from a large, multicentre prospective study. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


Opsariichthys uncirostris uncirostris was introduced from Lake Biwa to several freshwater areas in Kyusyu Island, and the gut contents of this fish were observed in order to evaluate the effect of internal invasion on native aquatic organisms. The fish specimens were captured in the Futatsugawa river, north- western Kyushu Island, Japan, between February 2007 and January 2008, and their gut contents were examined under a stereomicroscope. The gut contents of this exotic species comprised various prey ani- mals, mainly fishes in most of the seasons. The empty gut ratio was approximately 80% in several seasons and 100% during February and March. This exotic species showed high selectivity for Zacco spp., Pseudorasbora parva, Tanakia spp., and Rhodeus spp., which had large populations at the study sites. In contrast, this exotic species showed no selectivity for Carassius spp. that also had a large population. Acheilognathus spp. that had a small population at this study site showed high selectivity as prey by this exotic species. A. tabira nakamurae, a native species, is listed as threatened in the Japanese Red Data Book. Native species with a small population and high prey selectivity were estimated to be the most nega- tively effected species by the internal invasion of the study site by this exotic species.


Alcoholic cirrhosis (AC) leads to enormous disease burden and occupies a substantial proportion in the etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but scarce attention has been paid to this topic. Besides, propranolol has been reported to decrease the rate of HCC in viral hepatitis. We conducted a retrospective tertiary-center cohort study to identify the HCC incidence in AC patients with or without propranolol. A total of 1,046 AC patients with hospitalization had been screened, and those with regular follow-up for three years or otherwise until the date of malignancy diagnosis without meeting exclusion criteria were enrolled; finally, 23 AC patients with propranolol and 46 AC patients without propranolol were analyzed after twofold propensity-score matching. The cumulative incidence of HCC was lower in the propranolol group (log-rank test, P = 0.046). Furthermore, we undertook the meta-analysis of annual incidence of HCC in AC patients, and 1,949 publications were screened, within which eight studies were analyzed; the pooled annual incidence was 2.41%, which was higher than the calculated annual incidence of HCC in our AC cohort with propranolol (1.45%). In conclusion, propranolol is associated with decreased risk of HCC incidence in patients with AC.


This paper investigates the effect of the radial location of the inlet nozzles on the performance of a direct-transfer pre-swirl system in a rotor-stator wheel-space. A commercial code is used to solve the Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) equations using a high-Reynolds-number k-e / k-ω turbulence model with wall functions near the boundary. The 3D steady state model has previously been validated against experimental results from a scale model of a gas turbine rotor-stator system. Computations are performed for three inlet-to-outlet radius ratios, rp /rb = 0.8, 0.9 and 1.0, a range of pre-swirl ratios, 0.5 < βb < 2.0, and varying flow parameter, 0.12 < λT < 0.36. The rotational Reynolds number for each case is 106 . The flow structure in the wheel-space and in the region around the receiver holes for each inlet radius is related to the swirl ratio. The performance of the system is quantified by two parameters: the discharge coefficient for the receiver holes (Cd,b ) and the adiabatic effectiveness for the system (Θb,ad ). As in previous work, the discharge coefficient is found to reach a maximum when the rotating core of fluid is in synchronous rotation with the receiver holes. As the radius ratio is increased this condition can be achieved with a smaller value for pre-swirl ratio βb . A simple model is presented to estimate the discharge coefficient based on the flow rate and swirl ratio in the system. The adiabatic effectiveness of the system increases linearly with pre-swirl ratio but is independent of flow rate. For a given pre-swirl ratio, the effectiveness increases as the radius ratio increases. Computed values show good agreement with analytical results. Both performance parameters show improvement with increasing inlet radius ratio, suggesting that for an optimum pre-swirl configuration an engine designer would place the pre-swirl nozzles at a high radius.Copyright © 2008 by ASME


Radiographic examinations may reveal skeletal variations that are biological or cultural in origin. This article reviews both types of variations, discusses radiographic examples, and explains how radiographs can be helpful in the field of anthropology.


The experimental results of the cryogenic temperature characteristics on 0.18-μm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) metal-oxide-silicon (MOS) field-effect-transistors (FETs) were presented in detail. The current and capacitance characteristics for different operating conditions ranging from 300 K to 10 K were discussed. SOI MOSFETs at cryogenic temperature exhibit improved performance, as expected. Nevertheless, operation at cryogenic temperature also demonstrates abnormal behaviors, such as the impurity freeze-out and series resistance effects. In this paper, the critical parameters of the devices were extracted with a specific method from 300 K to 10 K. Accordingly, some temperature-dependent-parameter models were created to improve fitting precision at cryogenic temperature.


We investigate the decoding region for algebraic soft-decision decoding (ASD) of Reed-Solomon (RS) codes in a discrete, memoryless, additive-noise channel. An expression is derived for the error correction radius within which the soft-decision decoder produces a list that contains the transmitted codeword. The error radius for ASD is shown to be larger than that of Guruswami-Sudan (GS) hard-decision decoding for a subset of low and medium-rate codes. These results are also extended to multivariable interpolation in the sense of Parvaresh and Vardy.


BACKGROUND
Uncomplicated acute cystitis is one of the most common bacterial infections in adults. The percentage of women who have at least one episode of acute cystitis is estimated to be between 40% to 50%. Quinolones are recommended for acute cystitis in regions where the level of resistance to other antimicrobials namely co-trimoxazole is high. However the efficacy, safety and tolerance of quinolones needs investigation.

OBJECTIVES
To compare the efficacy, safety and tolerance of different quinolones in women with uncomplicated acute cystitis.

SEARCH STRATEGY
We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, in The Cochrane Library Issue 3, 2003), MEDLINE (1966 - September 2003), EMBASE (1988 - September 2003), reference lists of articles and abstracts from conference proceedings without language restriction. Reference lists of urology, infectious diseases and nephrology textbooks, review articles and relevant studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials comparing two or more different quinolones in women (>/= 16 years) with uncomplicated acute cystitis were selected.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two reviewers independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. Statistical analyses were performed using the random effects model and the results expressed as relative risk (RR) for dichotomous outcomes with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

MAIN RESULTS
We identified 11 studies enrolling 7535 women. There were no significant differences in clinical or microbiological efficacy between quinolones. Photosensitivity reactions were more frequently observed for sparfloxacin when compared to ofloxacin. Any adverse event, adverse events causing withdrawal, skin adverse events, photosensitivity reactions were more common for lomefloxacin when compared to norfloxacin. Any adverse event, adverse drug reactions, CNS adverse events were more common for ofloxacin when compared to ciprofloxacin. CNS adverse events and insomnia were more often reported for rufloxacin when compared to pefloxacin. Adverse drug reactions occurred frequently for ofloxacin than levofloxacin. Insomnia was reported more frequently for enoxacin than ciprofloxacin.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
We found no significant differences in clinical or microbiological efficacy between quinolones but some differences in occurrence and spectrum of quinolone safety.


Casting has various processes like Pre casting Processes, pattern making, core making, molding and mold assembly making, Casting Processes, furnace charging, melting, holding and pouring, and Post casting Processes, shakeout, inspection and dispatch etc. In India there are many foundry have followed conventional and manual operations. Today's competitive environment has, lower manufacturing cost, more productivity in less time, high quality product, defect free operation are required to follow to every foundryman. Mold shifting, Crushing, Lower Surface finish, Shrinkage, Porosity, Cold shut and Extra material are common casting defects due to these manual operations. These defects directly affect on productivity, profitability and quality level of organization. In this paper all data presented is taken from one foundry. This paper presents all data of manual metal casting operations and defects leads to rejection for this organization. The paper also represents analysis of these defects with Pareto and Cause and Effect diagrams to know correct cause and correct remedial factors to improve quality level and productivity of organization.


A Ni-rich Ti-50.7.at%Ni alloy was processed by Equal Channel Angular Extrusion (ECAE) at 500°C. After 8 passes ECAE, microstructure was refined to sub-micron scale, approximately 0.2 μm~0.3 μm. TEM observation reveals that Ti3Ni4 phase precipitated in Ni-rich Ti-50.7.at%Ni alloy during the preheating treatment before each ECAE pass, but re-dissolved during sequent ECAE processes. After ECAE treatment, the B2R transformation occurred within a larger temperature range. Comparing with the solution-treated TiNi specimen, the martensitic transformations start (Ms) and peak temperatures (Mp) of TiNi specimens ECAEed were dramatically lowered. Super-elasticity characteristics of TiNi alloy were tested by tensile loading and unloading cycles. The results reveal that at a tensile strain of 4% or smaller, ultrafine-grained (UFG) TiNi alloy processed by 4 passes ECAE shows better super-elasticity than solution-treated sample. Microstructure evolution and its effect on phase transformations and super-elasticity characteristics have been discussed.


This paper deals with the experimental results of implementing a fault tolerant control (FTC) in a classical ball-on-plate control framework. The work builds on the fact that a robust nominal controller is found to be insufficient in accommodating a sensor fault generated by the presence of a second ball. Invariant sets are used to monitor and detect occurrence of faults in the system and a switching control strategy is implemented for accommodating the faults. With the proposed FTC implemented, experimental results confirm the fault tolerance guarantees.


We propose a cooperative relaying strategy for wire- less mesh networks where a set of relay nodes assists forwarding signals from multiple sources to multiple destinations. A semi- definite programming framework is used to ensure target SINRs at the destination are achieved with minimum possible transmit power at the relay layers. The proposed algorithm also considers various level of quantization applied to the messages passed between relays within its optimization framework. The proposed technique has been shown to outperform a non-cooperation based relaying strategy for various values of SINR targets.


PURPOSE
To determine whether Myocet (liposome-encapsulated doxorubicin; The Liposome Company, Elan Corporation, Princeton, NJ) in combination with cyclophosphamide significantly reduces doxorubicin cardiotoxicity while providing comparable antitumor efficacy in first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Two hundred ninety-seven patients with MBC and no prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease were randomized to receive either 60 mg/m(2) of Myocet (M) or conventional doxorubicin (A), in combination with 600 mg/m(2) of cyclophosphamide (C), every 3 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Cardiotoxicity was defined by reductions in left-ventricular ejection fraction, assessed by serial multigated radionuclide angiography scans, or congestive heart failure (CHF). Antitumor efficacy was assessed by objective tumor response rates (World Health Organization criteria), time to progression, and survival.

RESULTS
Six percent of MC patients versus 21% (including five cases of CHF) of AC patients developed cardiotoxicity (P =.0002). Median cumulative doxorubicin dose at onset was more than 2,220 mg/m(2) for MC versus 480 mg/m(2) for AC (P =.0001, hazard ratio, 5.04). MC patients also experienced less grade 4 neutropenia. Antitumor efficacy of MC versus AC was comparable: objective response rates, 43% versus 43%; median time to progression, 5.1% versus 5.5 months; median time to treatment failure, 4.6 versus 4.4 months; and median survival, 19 versus 16 months.

CONCLUSION
Myocet improves the therapeutic index of doxorubicin by significantly reducing cardiotoxicity and grade 4 neutropenia and provides comparable antitumor efficacy, when used in combination with cyclophosphamide as first-line therapy for MBC.


Operators called 'logical connectives' convey in a
precise way the logical relationships between truth
functional propositions and hence determine what can be
inferred from them. Mathematical reasoning therefore
relies heavily on their use. Whilst the operators are
free of ambiguity, this is not so for the linguistic
items (called 'linguistic connectives') by which they
are codified. In English, at least, there is a widely
reported mismatch between the logical concepts and the
'meanings' of the linguistic connectives with which
they are frequently identified.
This study compares the provision for expressing
logical concepts in Japanese, Arabic and English and
seeks to ascertain to what extent the problems reported
for English are generalisable to the other two
languages. It also aims to establish whether the
concepts underlying certain logical connectives are
'more readily available' or 'better established' in the
speakers of one or other of these languages and, if so,
whether this can be attributed to differing provision
in the lexicon.
Two experiments were carried out using as subjects
adults who were native speakers of either English,
Japanese or Arabic. One was designed to determine to
what extent the appropriate linguistic connectives in
each of the three languages convey the associated
logical concepts. The second compared performance on
five concept identification tasks where the concepts
tested were conjunction, inclusive and exclusive
disjunction, the conditional and biconditional.
The results indicated no significant differences
between language groups in the understanding of the
linguistic expressions of logical connectives.
However, the Japanese language group consistently
outperformed the other two groups in all five concept
identification tasks and also offered descriptions of
these concepts which were more succinct and less
variable. Possible explanations for the superior
performance of the Japanese group are suggested and
some implications for the teaching and learning of
mathematics proposed.


Many urban communities in the United States faced deteriorating
physical infrastructure and social environment in the second half of the 20th century. To restore such inner city neighborhoods, many neighborhoods have
adopted historic preservation as a means to both aesthetically and fiscally
improve the condition. This paper studies a historic district in the Tree Streets
neighborhood, Johnson City, Tennessee in regard to its road toward historical
preservation and neighborhood restoration. We find that through decades of a
local civic organization's efforts and government planning initiatives, the
community has successfully turned from a university slum into a livable
neighborhood. We also find that the benefits are not strictly nostalgic but
there is a positive economic impact of historic preservation designation on
property values. The making of the historic district in the Tree Streets
neighborhood both socially and economically has provided a great example of
smart growth for Johnson city and other American cities to revitalize urban
residential neighborhoods in central cities.


Introduction The number of subjects in a prospective cohort study often decreases over time (sometimes substantially). This "loss-to-followup" can lead to bias or distortion of results, and in studies of less serious conditions or injuries such as mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI), may be especially problematic. This manuscript reports on the factors associated with the loss-to-followup that occurred in a cohort of emergency department-treated mild traumatic brain injuries, and on the use of attrition weights to adjust for the potential associated bias. Methods The "exposed" group consisted of patients with MTBI (n=689 at initial assessment) and the "unexposed" were patients with non-head injuries (n=1318). All were drawn from five emergency departments in Southern California. The loss occurred over a 3-month period, when a second telephone survey was administered. Results While the overall loss-to-followup rate was 37.8%, participant dropout occurred differentially (34.1% among MTBI patients vs 39.7% among the non-head-injured). A logistic regression model found several associated factors: age, education, race/ethnicity, employment and mode of injury, with assault having the highest odds of loss-to-followup (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.46 to 3.39). Comparisons between unweighted versus attrition-weighted values resulted in minimal differences. Conclusion Although it is preferable to minimize loss-to-followup through retention strategies and incentives (perhaps with additional focus on those factors identified in this study), employing attrition-weights may provide useful information.


Epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a major process involved in tumor progression and metastasis. Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland and has been documented as a potential therapeutic agent for multiple tumors. However, the effects of melatonin on EMT during osteosarcoma (OA) development remain undefined. The present study explored the biological functions and effects of melatonin on EMT induced by transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‑β1) and its underlying mechanisms in MG‑63 cells. Using western‑blotting and immunofluorescence, it was found that the switch in E‑cadherin/N‑cadherin and vimentin expression was induced by TGF‑β1, which was reversed by melatonin through the suppression of Snail and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP‑9), through hypoxia‑inducible factor 1α (HIF‑1α) inhibition. These findings demonstrated that the anticancer effects of melatonin against OA MG‑63 cells is through the suppression of EMT via HIF‑1α/Snail/MMP‑9 signaling.


Objectives: Although it has been well established that the prevalence of and severity of hearing loss increase with age, the contribution of familial factors to age-related hearing loss cannot be quantified. This is largely because hearing loss in older people has both genetic and environmental contributions. As environmental factors play an increasing role with age, it is difficult to delineate the separate contribution of genetic factors to age-related hearing loss. In a population-based survey of hearing loss in a representative older Australian community, we attempted to overcome this using logistic regression analysis, accounting for known factors associated with hearing loss including age, sex, noise exposure at work, diabetes, and current smoking. Design: We tested hearing thresholds using pure tone audiometry and used a forced choice questionnaire to determine the nature of family history in a population of individuals aged 50 yrs or older in a defined region, west of Sydney, Australia (N = 2669). We compared the characteristics of participants with and without family history of hearing loss. Of those reporting a positive family history, we compared subgroups for age, gender and severity of hearing loss, and trends by the severity of hearing loss. Logistic regression was used to obtain odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) that compared the chances of having hearing loss in participants with and without family history, after adjusting for other factors known associated with hearing loss. Results: Our findings indicate that family history was most strongly associated with moderate to severe age-related hearing loss. We found a strong association between maternal family history of hearing loss and moderate to severe hearing loss in women (adjusted OR 3.0; 95% CI 1.6-5.6 in women with without a maternal history). Paternal family history of hearing loss was also significantly, though less strongly, associated with moderate-severe hearing loss in men (adjusted OR 2.0; CI 1.01-3.9 in men with than without a paternal history). Conclusions: Findings from this study are important in the identification of individuals whose auditory system may be genetically susceptible to aging and environmental insult. Genetic counseling may assist in ameliorating the effects of hearing loss.


This paper addresses the problem of controlling power generation in variable-speed wind energy conversion systems (VS-WECS). These systems have two operation regions depending on the wind turbine tip-speed ratio. They are distinguished by minimum phase behavior in one of these regions and a nonminimum phase in the other one. A sliding mode control strategy is then proposed to ensure stability in both operation regions and to impose the ideal feedback control solution despite model uncertainties. The proposed sliding mode control strategy presents attractive features such as robustness to parametric uncertainties of the turbine and the generator as well as to electric grid disturbances. The proposed sliding mode control approach has been simulated on a 1.5-MW three-blade wind turbine to evaluate its consistency and performance. The next step was the validation using the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) wind turbine simulator called the fatigue, aerodynamics, structures, and turbulence code (FAST). Both simulation and validation results show that the proposed control strategy is effective in terms of power regulation. Moreover, the sliding mode approach is arranged so as to produce no chattering in the generated torque that could lead to increased mechanical stress because of strong torque variations.


Today's school participates in the process of globalization, which resulted in, among other things, uniformity of styles, life migration, the need for intercultural dialogue. The school is now a social mini structure, in which the integration of representatives of different cultures takes place. Building the "me – foreigner" relationship at the level of education in relation to the child, allows to suppose that the knowledge devoid of stereotypes, an attitude of tolerance towards " the foreigner" will become the ground of a well functioning society that understands cultural diversity as a natural social phenomenon. The school, therefore, is responsible for developing educational strategies that will allow for the adoption of multiculturalism and making the conditions for intercultural learning. This is possible with shaping a specific school culture understood as a process which creates the system of values, expectations, language codes and customs typical of a school. School culture in cultural diversity of its subjects has a chance for a special kind of creation, as a result of the inclusion in the system of its functioning and internal regulation the elements of foreign cultures. They enrich the school with a new symbolism, ritualism and build the identity of its subjects, their cultural competence, which in result creates a new quality, style and patterns of work.


Edoardo Gellner never concealed the fact that he was a self-taught architect, although the references to the pragmatism of the Deutscher Werkbund and the theoretical teachings of the first Bauhaus are evident in his works. Drawing and photography are the tools through which Gellner educates his eye to look at the reality of things objectively and analytically. His method of analysis is based on a careful understanding of the territory and its matrices: from the comparison between military cartography and cadastral maps, Gellner draws a whole series of considerations on the historical, morphological, and social reasons that led to the development of such landscapes, and the study of centurial grids offers Gellner a counterproof to his theories. Thus, understanding the motivations of architecture but above all the origins of a landscape become the themes that Gellner deepens in an extensive series of studies for publications that were never completed that make these menabò real synthetic "or even artistic" visions of the landscape, as a tribute to the most perfect purovisibilist theory.


Electroanalytical methods have been applied to the characterization and to the study of complexing properties of several Cd,Zn metallothioneins (MT) of different mammalian origin, rabbit and rat liver and horse kidney and human foetal liver and adult kidney. Differential pulse polarography (DPP) has been selected as the most suitable technique for distinguishing the chemical form of compounds and, assuming a diffusion controlled mechanism, monitoring the evolution of different species as a function of parameters, such as the solution pH and the gradual addition of cations, cadmium and/or zinc, initially contained in the studied molecules. Due to the fact that the metallothioneins structure is complex and often not perfectly known, the peptidic fragment Lys-Cys-Thr-Cys-Cys-Ala (56-61) MT-1 (FT) of the mouse liver has been taken as a model for MT characterization. The study of FT alone and in the presence of Cd and/or Zn, using several electroanalytical methods has been very useful for the investigation of adsorption-diffusion processes and for the identification and elucidation of electrochemical systems. The interpretation of voltammetric data is very often not easy. For some cases, proper interpretation can be made using chemometric techniques. Multivariate factor analysis has been applied to the electroanalytical investigation of the complexing properties between cadmium and/or zinc and FT, using results obtained by DPP and linear sweep voltammetry. For more complex systems, like MT, the application of chemometry becomes more complex.


We present results of simple urinalysis examinations (dipstick) in a large (approximately 21,000 people) working population. In about 10% of the screened individuals at least one abnormality was found. In men the most common finding was proteinuria (4.9%). Hematuria was found in 2.6% and glycosuria in 0.6%. The most prevalent finding in women was hematuria (8.1%), followed by proteinuria (3.9%) and glycosuria (0.6%). Only about 1% of the examinees had two or more abnormalities in their urine examinations. These findings attest to the utility and practicability of incorporating urine testing into various screening and clinical examinations.


Few would disagree that high quality thinking is a necessary condition for high quality writing. Yet, writing courses in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) often focus only marginally on principled and rigorous development of dialogical thinking and idea generation in preparation for written work. This study examines the effect of a model of critical thinking instruction (CTI) in a university level EAP writing course. Recent studies on CTI in EAP (Alnofaie, 2013; Hashemi & Ghanizadeh, 2012; Liaw, 2007; Shirkhani & Fahim, 2011; Yang & Gamble, 2013) have utilized models of CTI that, while reflecting varying degrees of attention to social context, inevitably center on the more traditional concepts of logicality and rational thinking skills. In contrast, this study's distinct model of CTI is based on Paul's (1995) concept of dialogical and dialectical thinking and guides students to consider and understand social issues and controversy through the analysis and evaluation of the differing belief systems behind opposing viewpoints. After the course, student interviews were conducted and analyzed through grounded theory and narrative analysis. Interview data revealed that CTI was found to be a practice that was typically unavailable in the students' home countries and previous L2 English education, and was perceived as a challenging yet valuable addition to this EAP course curriculum. To varying degrees, students found the activity of critical thinking to align with their personal values and expressed a perceived need for critical thinking in order to succeed in future studies at the university level. The data contained frequent reports of students using critical thinking in their personal lives as a result of CTI. In addition, findings revealed a need to carefully position critical thinking as a tool with specific domains of use and limitations. These TANAKA – A DIALECTICAL APPROACH TO CRITICAL THINKING IN EAP WRITING 54 findings raise important questions about the inclusion of CTI in EAP and what forms are appropriate.


In a previous study, we found systematic differences in the biomechanical behavior of modern human molars using finite element stress analyses (FESA), which led us to propose that molars are adapted to differently-directed loads depending on their position within the mouth (Spears and Macho (1998) Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 106:467-482 ). While the FESA results thus derived have not been verified experimentally, such an interpretation seemed reasonable. To refine the model previously presented, this study assessed the effects of 1) food particle size on the biomechanical behavior of molars, and those of 2) differences in morphology, particularly enamel thickness, on stress distribution. In order to appraise the evolutionary significance of the findings, the FESA results for modern humans were subsequently compared with those obtained for molars of one individual of Pan and Pongo, respectively. Bearing in mind limitations imposed by the FESA models created and analyzed in this study, constant cleavage-type loads and cuspal tip loads at different directions were employed on all teeth: this facilitated comparisons of patterns of stress distribution across molars and species. In Pan and Homo, cleavage-type loads exerted by big food particles tended to be better dissipated anteriorly than posteriorly, although trends in Pongo were less clear-cut. Furthermore, similar to modern humans, the buccal cusps of mandibular molars appeared to be able to dissipate the loads associated with a pestle-type action, while maxillary molars were better designed to dissipate the loads which would result if they acted as mortars against which the food is crushed/ground. While increases in enamel thick- ness lowered the overall stress values in teeth only slightly, changes in outer morphology could have a more profound effect on these stress levels. Overall, Pan appeared to be most generalized, while Homo and Pongo showed a number of unique specializations, which are in accordance with what is currently understood about their respective masticatory apparatus and dietary niche. Am J Phys Anthropol 109:211-227, 1999. r 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.