Frost is one the most significant hazards affecting various aspects of human lives including infrastructure, agriculture, economy and biodiversity. Water bodies are one of the key factors controlling temperature fluctuations and frost. This study introduces a contemporary method for identifying and spatially analyzing frost risk and also explores its spatial correlation with water bodies. The proposed technique is based on coupling freely distributed geospatial data with a time series of land surface temperature (LST) data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor. A region located in NW Greece, which annually suffers from very low temperatures and frost conditions and hosts important infrastructure and other human activities, was selected as a case study. In total, 5944 images were processed covering a 14-year long period. A frost frequency map of the study area was compiled along with two geospatial indices associated to distance from rivers/lakes (Hydro Distance Index—HDI) and from the seashore (Sea Distance Index—SDI). Their combined statistical and spatial correlation analysis indicated a protective buffer zone from frost at distances up to 20 km from sea and up to 5 km from lakes and rivers respectively, suggesting that the protective buffer zone depends on the water volume. Statistically, frost frequency was found to be positively correlated with both SDI (rs = 0.527) and HDI (rs = 0.145). Also, the effect of topography was examined in our analysis. Results showed that altitude and slope were moderately correlated to frost frequency; yet, the significance of the correlation was reported to be lower to SDI. Furthermore, the spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed a correspondence in the clustering of frost frequency maps with the HDI and SDI. Our findings demonstrate that water bodies are a major controlling factor for frost occurrence, by lowering frost frequency in water surrounding areas. Furthermore, it highlights the promising potential of our proposed methodology in quantifying frost effects, which can form a potentially useful tool assisting effective planning of protection measures and frost hazard mitigation in general.


The past half-century saw dramatic changes in families that altered the daily experiences of many young children. As more mothers of young children entered the labor force, increasing numbers of young children spent substantial hours in various child-care settings. These changes gave rise to a large body of research on the impact of the quality of early child care on children's development. However, a full understanding of the role of the quality of early child care requires consideration of the interplay among child care, family, workplace, and society. This article places what we know about the quality of early child care and children's development in this larger ecological context, and suggests directions for future research and practice.


Cytomegalovirus retinitis is the most common intraocular infection and the leading cause of blindness in patients with AIDS. Diagnosis is made on clinical grounds; a variety of other infectious and neoplastic retinitides should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Treatment with intravenous ganciclovir or foscarnet has been proven effective, but late complications of relapse, viral resistance, retinal detachment, and drug toxicity remain problematic. Approved and investigational drugs for the treatment of CMV retinitis are limited by their virostatic, rather than virocidal, properties. Because the efficacies of ganciclovir and foscarnet are similar, the choice of therapy should be based on systemic considerations such as drug toxicity and patient survival. The cost, toxicity, and limited efficacy of currently available therapy of CMV retinitis make the need for an effective prophylactic drug even more important.


Neirynck J., Langouche D., De Ridder K., Wiedeman T., Roskams P.: Critical loads and exceedances for eutrophication and acidification for Flemish forests. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 22, Supplement 1/2003, p. Critical loads were estimated for over more than 1400 receptors supporting forest vegetation in northern Belgium using simple mass balance method. Necessary data were derived from old historical soil database, recent data from forest surveys, meteo data, level I and II plots and regional studies concerning elemental sequestration in woody biomass. Deposition estimates were performed with the OPS–model, which had been validated with deposition measurements of N and S in 6 level II plots over the period 1994–1998. In addition, an edge enhancement factor was calculated to account for enhanced deposition in plots, situated in forest edges. Magnitude of the critical loads depended on the criteria used for acceptable leaching of acidity and nitrogen. For eutrophying nitrogen, critical loads were related to protection of shallow groundwater for nitrate leaching or to conservation of floral composition. For acidifying nitrogen and sulphur, critical loads were related to criteria preventing root damage from Al toxicity (mol Ca/ Al = 1) and further acidification of the soil profile (ANC = 0). The study revealed that demands to conserve species composition and prevent further soil acidification are the sternest, followed by requirements to prevent nitrate leaching to contaminating groundwater and impairing root systems. Deciduous forest ecosystems were less vulnerable to nitrate leaching than coniferous sites. Emission reduction strategies must especially be aimed towards reducing ammonia emissions being the main cause of acidification and eutrophication in Flemish forests.


twofold increase of the risk of testicular cancer at the 0 05 level of significance).' It is doubtful that one large cohort studv could, in fact, produce definitive results to confirm or negate the putative association. The sample size needed to achieve the desired study power in a case-control study is determined by the prevalence of vasectomy rather than by the incidence of testicular cancer. In a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, about 10% of couples of reproductive age rely on vasectomy for contraception.' With this prevalence, a case-control study will need 221 pairs to detect a twofold increased risk for (x=0 10 (two sided) and li=0 20. Only 78 pairs are needed to detect a threefold difference in relative risks for same study power." The prevalence of vasectomy should be higher in big cities where more hospitals are located, and thus fewer testicular cancer patients will be needed. If, in practice, the needed number of cases cannot be reached in a reasonable period of time then multicentre study, retrospective case finding, and increasing the number of controls relative to cases offer solutions. Little suspicion of such an association is entertained by the general population and the exposure variable (vasectomy) is an event not easily forgotten by the study subjects. Both these aspects will help avoid the bias due to selective recall and memory decay, and they will add validity to this much less costly and more easily manageable approach, which produces results more quickly. I believe that the case-control approach is the method of choice.


This paper details an approach to the integration of INS (inertial navigation system) and TAP (terrain-aided positioning). The solution is characterized by a joint design of INS and TAP, meaning that the highly nonlinear TAP is not designed separately but jointly with the INS using one and the same filter. The applied filter extends the theory of the MPF (marginalized particle filter) given by. The key idea with MPF is to estimate the nonlinear part using the particle filter (PF), and the part which is linear, conditional upon the nonlinear part, is estimated using the Kalman filter. The extension lies in the possibility to deal with a third multimodal part, where the discrete mode variable is also estimated jointly with the linear and nonlinear parts. Conditionally upon the mode and the nonlinear part, the resulting subsystem is linear and estimated using the Kalman filter. Given the nonlinear motion equations which the INS uses to compute navigation data, the INS equations must be linearized for the MPF to work. A set of linearized equations is derived and the linearization errors are shown to be insignificant with respect to the final result. Simulations are performed and the result indicates near-optimal accuracy when compared with the Cramer-Rao lower bound.


Abstract South Africa has one of the most active civil societies in the world, with more than 85,000 registered civil society organizations (CSOs). However, the growth of CSOs in post-apartheid South Africa does not necessarily imply that the sector is strong. While it is true that the demise of the apartheid regime increased democratic representation within South Africa, CSOs have experienced a series of institutional challenges which have weakened their organizational stability. This has included increased oversight by the state, inefficient and inconsistent funding from government, fickle demands by private donors, and competition from other sectors. Through an in-depth case study of a historically prominent CSO in South Africa, this paper critically analyzes the institutional challenges faced by CSOs in South Africa. Data findings suggest that lack of long-term funding support, ineffective state funding mechanisms, and competition from state programs and new CSOs have resulted in perpetual uncertainty for some CSOs. In all, these institutional problems may have the potential to shrink, destabilize, and limit the viability of South African CSOs. Moreover, this suggests that South African democratization may have simultaneously produced new opportunities for some CSOs, yet reinforced unequal power relations for other CSOs and thus produced a highly polarized CSO landscape.


The mechanism of conventional superconductivity is well-known to be able to be explained on the basis of BCS theory which is based on the ambiguous correlation between a normal state and superconducting state of metals. The theory however cannot extend to the unconventional superconductivity such as high temperature superconductivity (HTS). We propose in this work the small polaron hypothesis for the conventional superconductivity instead of BCS theory, which may be possible to extend to the mechanism of HTS. The small polaron hypothesis could explain the strong correlation between the superconductivity and hydrogen overpotential of soft Hg, Pb metals, precious Pt and Au metals. The result of this work will bridge between a superconducting material and nanotechnology.


Spontaneous ignition of mono-disperse spray with uniform droplet distribution was simulated through the numerical calculation of a fuel droplet in a closed cell. The model of the study handles a fuel droplet positioned at the center of a closed spherical cell. It is one-dimensional with the spherical symmetry. The gasified fuel vaporized from the droplet stays inside the cell. Thus the ignition of a droplet is comparable to that of a mono-disperse spray with uniform droplet distribution. Initially the droplet is cold, and it ignites spontaneously in a hot ambient gas. The model is fully transient and derives from mass-, species- and energy-conservation. Pressure is assumed to be spatially uniform and time-dependent. Mass fraction of each species in the gas phase and temperature in the gas and liquid phase are given as functions of time and radial coordinate. All the properties are temperature- and pressure-dependent. The calculation is continued even after the droplet disappears. Thus the ignition of fine droplets whose droplet lifetime is shorter than ignition delay can be also calculated. The employed fuels are n-heptane and n-decane. Detailed reaction models were employed for the both fuels. The effects of the initial conditions of the ambient (temperature and pressure), overall equivalence ratio and the initial droplet diameter are examined. There was transition from heterogeneous ignition to homogeneous ignition with the decrease of the initial droplet diameter. Two-stage ignition behavior was observed even for fine n-heptane droplets at an elevated pressure. Increase in overall equivalence ratio showed negative influence on cool flame appearance; however, after cool flame appearance it showed positive influence on hot flame appearance. Only hot flame ignition was observed for n-decane droplets at atmospheric pressure. The dependence of the ignition delay on the initial droplet diameter was qualitatively similar to that of n-heptane droplets at an elevated pressure.


Using data from the iterative EDIFICE surveys carried out in France on cancer screening behaviours in the general population, survivors were asked whether they had or not urged their relatives or friends to undergo cancer screening tests. Among our representative sample of 1564 individuals, aged 40–74 years old, 110 were cancer survivors (7%). Among the survivors, 76 (69%) declared having made positive advices for cancer screening. Interestingly 6% (7 survivors out of 110) declared that following their intervention, a cancer was found in friends or relatives after a screening test. Since there are currently 2 000 000 survivors living in France, one could consider that more than 84 000 cancers have been discovered after survivors had urged friends and/or relatives to undergo a cancer screening. For colorectal cancer, attendance rate for screening is only about 40% of the targeted population. For a screening test like FOBT, the tumour detection rate is close to 1.25% of tested individuals. If 50% of current survivors could convince one reluctant person to undergo a screening test, every other year, then 12 500 colorectal tumours could be detected at an early stage. Stories and personal communication are by far more effective than mass media campaign in risk management communication. For survivors who wish to be involved in cancer control, it could be hypothesized that their efficiency and impact could even be increased using inexpensive process and tools such as, communication aids such as flyers (facts and data) and/or training. The increasing number of survivors and their strong commitment could be used to convey preventive counselling and advices on cancer screening, particularly for colorectal cancer which is still underperformed. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):B33.


Atlantoaxial subluxation is a rare condition and requires a high index of suspicion to diagnose and treat in order to avoid long-term sequelae. Here, we present a case of late presentation of a nontraumatic rotatory subluxation of the atlantoaxial joint or atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation. A 17-year-old girl presented 3 months after the onset of nonspecific upper limb sensory symptoms which eventually settled spontaneously. Initial conservative management by the general practitioner had no effect. Computed tomography scanning revealed a Type 1 dislocation with rotatory fixation and with <3 mm anterior displacement of the atlas. The management of Type 1 subluxations is usually conservative with bed rest, oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, reduction (if required) and immobilization with a soft collar. This patient, however, required more invasive management due to the late presentation and slightly greater fixed deformity. As the subluxation could not be reduced with active manipulation, Gardner-Wells tongs with traction were applied. She then progressed to a pinned HALO, cyber neck support and subsequently an aspen collar which was eventually weaned off over a few weeks. The outcome and radiologic alignment at follow-up was satisfactory.


Time-Triggered Network-on-Chip (TTNoC) is a networking concept aiming at providing both predictable and high-throughput communication for modern multiprocessor systems. The message scheduling is one of the major design challenges in TTNoC-based systems. The designers not only need to allocate time slots but also have to assign communication routes for all messages. This paper tackles the TTNoC scheduling problem and presents an approach based on Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) solving. We first formulate the complete problem as an SMT instance, which can always compute a feasible solution if exists. Thereafter, we propose an incremental approach that integrates SMT solving into classical heuristic algorithms. The experimental results show that the heuristic scales significantly better with only minor loss of performance.


Objectives
This study was designed to determine the antiviral activity of different extracts from Calliandra haematocephala leaves against rotavirus (RV) infection in-vitro. Then, based on the in-vitro results, selection of the most effective extract to be evaluated for its in-vivo anti-RV activities.
Materials and Methods
Methanol, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and aqueous extracts from the leaves of Calliandra haematocephala were screened for their cytotoxic effect on MA-104 cell lines by a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazoliumbromide (MTT) colorimetric assay. The in-vitro antirotavirus activities were determined by MTT and TCID50/0.1 ml assays in three different ways (virucidal, pre-treatment, and post-treatment) in order to understand the mode of antiviral action. In-vivo, different concentrations (100, 200, 300, and 400 mg/kg body weight) of the selected extract were used to determine the cytotoxicity of the extract in mice then by using two safe doses the anti-RV activities was performed by assessing the mortality, severity and duration of diarrhea, virus titers, and lesions scores of the small intestine in BALB/c mice infected with RV.
Results: Our in-vitro results demonstrated that all extracts of C. haematocephala at non cytotoxic concentrations exhibited anti-RV activities at different magnitude of potency with therapeutic index ranged from 1.3 to 32 and reduction in virus titer ranged from 0.25 log10 TCID50 to 5.75 log10 TCID50 where the methanol extract was the strongest against RV infection than the other extracts. In-vivo, oral administration of the methanol extract at 50 mg and 100 mg/kg/day significantly reduced mortality, virus titers, duration and severity of diarrhea, as well as the lesion of the small intestine was alleviated in RVinfected mice treated with methanol extract, compared with those infected mice without the treatment.
Conclusions: Collectively, our findings suggest that the methanol, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol, and aqueous extracts of C. haematocephala leaves have antiviral activity against RV infection in-vitro. Furthermore, the methanol extract cured the rotavirus enteritis in the treated mice by coordinating.


Abstract This article describes the development of a take-home, computerized pitch perception training program designed for application with adult cochlear implant (CI) and hearing aid (HA) users. Two different versions of the program were developed, one using a fixed-level protocol (where the difficulty of the task did not change according to the trainees' accuracy) and the second using an adaptive protocol whereby the difficulty level changed according to the trainee's responses. The training program was tested with 16 adult CI recipients and 20 HA users. The at-home training consisted of 40 30-minute sessions over 10 weeks. Both groups completed posttraining evaluation questionnaires that provided information to enable future refinement of the program into a form suitable for long term clinical use. This article describes the pitch training program that was developed—the considerations that were accounted for in its development; the stimuli, tasks, and procedure; its application in a pilot test conducted as part of this article; the data logging results that were collected when this training program was tried among a group of CI recipients and HA users; the feedback obtained from these participants; and finally the clinical applications and importance of such a program.


Of more than seventy works by Varro (116 27 BCE) we have only his treatise On Agriculture and part of his On the Latin Language, a work typical of its author s interest not only in antiquarian matters but also in the collection of scientific facts, and containing much of very great value to the study of the Latin language.


Problem conversations with young children during group work Problem conversations with intervening teachers may enhance children's discourse during group work. The few studies focusing on these conversations, however, are normative and experimental in nature, neglecting the joint and sequential nature of these conversations. Therefore, this paper's aim is to give insight into how teachers and a group of children constitute and continue problem conversations. Detailed analysis informed by Conversation Analysis shows that problems are constructed in three patterns which are distinguished by the teacher's reaction to the problem initiation resulting in three different continuations. It is found that the teacher's actions are decisive for how children may contribute to the developing interaction. In particular, the teacher's reaction to both problem initiations and solution proposals determines whether problem conversations interactions are jointly continued. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.


Mammalian cells encode an arsenal of antiviral defences, which can be deployed following sensing of an invading pathogen. These cell autonomous defences are stimulated by interferon (IFN) signalling which activates the expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) that encode numerous antiviral proteins and can alter the thermal landscape of the host. These ISGs can constrain virus replication, transmission and pathogenesis. However, the function of many ISGs in limiting Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV-1) infection is incompletely understood. In this study, the role of ISGs and fever responses in restricting VSV and HIV-1 replication were investigated.
The IFN system and fever are two interconnected components of the intricate host response to viral infections. In experiments where the incubation temperature was raised to fever-like temperatures, reduced single cycle infection of VSV but not HIV-1 was observed, indicating the possible involvement of host factors that specifically target VSV in these conditions. To further understand how ISGs limit infection, an arrayed ISG expression screen was performed against VSV. This gain-of-function screen revealed TRIM69 as a potent IFN-inducible inhibitor of VSV. Further work identified this inhibition to be highly specific for the VSV Indiana serotype, as VSV New Jersey, DENV-2 and HIV-1 were not inhibited. Using an in vitro evolution approach, a single amino acid substitution in the VSV phosphoprotein, D70Y, conferred complete resistance to the potent inhibitory effect of TRIM69.
In addition to screening for VSV restriction factors, HIV-1 antiviral ISGs were investigated. Analysing several candidate ISGs against a lab-adapted HIV-1 identified EHD4 as a host factor that could block the late stages of HIV-1 replication. However, EHD4 was minimally induced by type I IFN in T-lymphocyte cell lines and primary PBMCs, and deletion of endogenous EHD4 in T-lymphocyte cells did not enhance HIV-1 propagation. An in vitro evolution experiment with lab strain HIV-1 revealed that a single amino acid V35I substitution was sufficient to confer near complete resistance to EHD4. Intriguingly, this V35I mutation was also observed in a virus derived from a chronically infected patient which was propagated in the presence of type I IFN. Further analysis indicated that this V35I substitution was not solely responsible for type I IFN resistance in transmitted HIV-1. Finally, an ISG expression screen against paired transmitted founder (TF) and chronic control (CC) HIV-1 viruses identified several ISGs that could specifically target CC virus but not TF virus. Collectively, this work highlights the complexity of the host defences to not only different viruses but also different strains of virus and at different times after infection which may impact viral transmission and pathogenesis.


The compound 3-{(3R,4R)-4-methyl-3-[methyl-(7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-yl)-amino]-piperidin-1-yl}-3-oxo-propionitrile or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; compositions containing the compound; and uses of the compound in the manufacture of medicaments.


This article will review the presentation and imaging appearance of tumors affecting the area around the pituitary gland. For convenience, the lesions will be discussed in order of the regions they usually affect. For example, lesions affecting the suprasellar region include craniopharyngiomas, optic or hypothalamic gliomas, germ cell tumors, epidermoids, dermoids, hamartomas, lipomas, and choristomas. Tumors that commonly affect the parasellar cavernous sinus include schwannomas and meningiomas. Tumors like chordomas may arise in the sphenoid bone or clivus and affect the sella. Metastasis, meningiomas and aneurysms may involve any area around the sella. For a detailed discussion of normal anatomy and imaging protocols, see the first article of this monograph.


This study presents the extensive dataset that has been created by the Swedish Property Index, SFI/IPD. The paper focuses on the general usefulness and availability of the SFI/IPD dataset for research purposes within property performance, management, operation and appraisal. Important dataset variables are discussed, possible research topics are outlined and some illustrative empirical analyses are presented. Furthermore, a brief review of property indices and related literature is presented.


On July 8, 2013, 30,000 prisoners in California joined a hunger strike organized by gang members kept in Pelican Bay's Security Housing Unit and argued that solitary confinement constituted cruel and unusual punishment. As a result of his confinement, one inmate involved in the hunger strike stated that he felt as if all his ties to humanity had been severed. Every country, in some form or another, imprisons and isolates individuals for two common reasons: to punish or to protect society from the person's anticipated future conduct. This article examines the relationship between crime and punishment and evaluates the four identified goals of punishment (retribution, incapacitation, deterence, and rehabilitation) in relation to their support or hinderance of restoring stability and order within the community at large. Each goal is examined and certain forms of punishment are evaluated as they fall in line with a particular goal. Who is being detained and who should be detained are important issues to explore in determining whether governments might ease up on detention policies and where governments should focus their law enforcement efforts. Comparative penology compares and contrasts the practical differences among countries on issues such as imprisonment and the harshness of penal sanctions. While it is the responsibility of governments to attempt to maintain social order, governments must examine whether their current detention policies coincide with the need for social order. The United States has, by far, the highest prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population with Russia being the second highest. Conservative corporatist countries such as France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands follow, then the social democracies Sweden and Finland follow suit, and Japan is the least likely to imprison their citizens. The diversity of penal sanctions abound – some countries rely heavily on fines or public shaming to punish, others use corporal or capital punishment. By comparing theories and justifications for punishment in various countries such as Argentina, Austrialia, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Russia, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States, we can identify common punishment goals associated with detention and what crimes that defendants are currently incarcerated for in some countries that other countries handle via probation or civil fines. With the United States leading the charge with approximately one in every 100 adults currently incarcerated, the United States can learn from other countries' alternatives to imprisonment – which types of people are rehabilitated, what programs are offered to help with rehabilitation, what exists outside of imprisonment, and what assists in reducing crime and deterring others from committing crime. The question becomes what can be learned from those countries with smaller imprisonment rates and whether these alternatives work.This paper examines both established purposes of detention (security concerns and punishment) and explore several countries' policies to determine when detention is justified and when other alternatives to detention should be considered. This article argues that the restriction of freedom should be taken less often than it does and that particular punishments tending to isolate the individual are much less effective and, in fact, detrimental, than other punishments that have a greater possibility of restoring public order and harmony.


The aim of the study is to better understand consumer attitudes about meat origin, cattle breeding and feeding systems. We analysed the determinants that lead consumers to use labelled information contained on fresh beef and processed beef products. Information was gathered by telephone using a questionnaire survey conducted in the northern Italy. The survey sampled nearly 1000 consumers. Four binary logit models were used to investigate consumers' use of specific labelled information using a set of variables to identify the primary determinants. Results showed that the use of different types of labelled meat-information is affected by the variables related to socio-demographics, product quality, safety perception, and consumer food knowledge.


Though alkali metal NacNac (β-diketiminate) complexes have been utilised in synthesis as NacNac transfer agents, studies of them in their own right with small molecules are exceptionally rare. Here, the lithium compound of the common 2,6-diisopropylphenyl-β-methyldiketiminate [NacNac(Dipp, Me)] ligand is investigated with carbon dioxide and isocyanates. In all four cases reaction occurs at the backbone γ-C atom of the NacNac ligand, which redistributes electronically into a diimine. Insertion of CO2 gives an 8-atom carboxylate (Li2O4C2) ring at the γ-C site in a dimer. Insertion of t-BuNCO gives a secondary amide at the γ-C site in a monomer with TMEDA chelating lithium. Double insertion of t-BuNCO and (adventitious) oxygen gives a dimer with a (LiO)2 central core involving the former source. Insertion of less bulky (i-PrNCO) gives a dimer with dimerisation through the C=O bonds of the emergent secondary amide function.


Abstract The purpose of this article is to suggest a conceptual framework for understanding professional communities of teachers, specifically those communities that extend beyond workplace, and in some cases national, boundaries. The nature of the paper is a theory-building paper informed by a review of literature in this field. The literature that informed this paper is of two types: firstly, case study reports written by practitioners engaged in professional communities; secondly, academic papers that explore the nature of such communities. The use of the first of these genres means that the framework presented emerges from the experiences of teachers and other practitioners, rather than being imposed upon them. This article presents a conceptualisation of five aspects of professional communities. These are as follows: the ways in which teachers' self-efficacy may be shaped by their perceptions of membership of a professional community; the boundaries of such communities; the challenges posed by recognising community membership, and also by individuality; and in the final section, the potential for knowledge-sharing within such communities. Its contribution to the wider academic debate is its potential to inform empirical research on communities that is currently taking place, by means of a wide range of projects, in universities across Europe and beyond.


Abstract In this article we explore the relationship between learner corpus and second language acquisition research. We begin by considering the origins of learner corpus research, noting its roots in smaller scale studies of learner language. This development of learner corpus studies is considered in the broader context of the development of corpus linguistics. We then consider the aspirations that learner corpus researchers have had to engage with second language acquisition research and explore why, to date, the interaction between the two fields has been minimal. By exploring some of the corpus building practices of learner corpus research, and the theoretical goals of second language acquisition studies, we identify reasons for this lack of interaction and make proposals for how this situation could be fruitfully addressed.


ABSTRACT Sulfadoxine (SDX) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) each inhibit the Plasmodium falciparum dihydropteroate synthetase (PfDHPS), and certain point mutations in this enzyme yield the drug-resistant parasite. Using a simple Escherichia coli model system, we describe here the effect of the recently reported novel K540N mutation in PfDHPS on the level of SDX/SMX resistance. The survival rate of the transformed E. coli (DHPS-deficient strain) under different SDX or SMX concentrations revealed that the K540N mutation confers a lower level of drug resistance than its contemporary K540E mutation. Further, SMX was more effective than SDX in the E. coli system.


The uncompromising ethos of pure mathematics in the early post-war period was that any theorem should be provided with a proof which the reader could and should check. Two things have made this no longer realistic: (i) the appearance of increasingly long and complicated proofs and (ii) the involvement of computers. This paper discusses what compromises the mathematical community needs to make as a result.


A long and rich research tradition exists on the phenomenon of business incubators since this kind of venture support institution first emerged. One can observe an increasing heterogeneity of incubation beyond the traditional mainstream focus on regional development and university-based incubators. In the last decade, in particular the phenomenon of accelerators as a particular form of incubators received increasing research interest. A few literature reviews started summarizing the field, but left some important issues unanswered. This systematic review study contributes to this effort deriving current themes and a research agenda. We find that open innovation and social capital theory increasingly complement the resource-based view as frameworks to understand business incubation. Moreover, the phenomenon of private corporate incubators and accelerators gains traction, both in entrepreneurship theory and practice.


The aim of this paper is twofold. Firstly, an attempt is made to analyze the concept of open innovation and its determinants with particular regard to food industry. Secondly, an investigation of open innovation drivers is conducted, using a small-scale sample of Polish food firms. The sample consists of 15 food producers localized in the Lublin province. The Probit model has been used in the analyses. The results reveal that the level of technology and export orientation are the drivers of co-operation in innovation activities. In turn, expenditures on R&D and employees' training reduce the propensity of enterprises to adopt the open innovation approach.


How lithium works in manic-depressive illness is unknown. Recently, however, a powerful hypothesis has been gaining momentum. Distinguished by its testability and clinical implications, the inositol depletion hypothesis of lithium action is relevant to treatment of lithium side effects, to the development of new compounds with the clinical profile of lithium, and to new experimental treatment of depression.


IMPORTANCE
Demonstrating the utility of adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) to assess outer retinal structure in Best vitelliform macular dystrophy (BVMD).

OBJECTIVE
To characterize outer retinal structure in BVMD using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and AOSLO.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
Prospective, observational case series. Four symptomatic members of a family with BVMD with known BEST1 mutation were recruited at the Advanced Ocular Imaging Program research lab at the Medical College of Wisconsin Eye Institute, Milwaukee.

INTERVENTION
Thickness of 2 outer retinal layers corresponding to photoreceptor inner and outer segments was measured using SD-OCT. Photoreceptor mosaic AOSLO images within and around visible lesions were obtained, and cone density was assessed in 2 subjects.

MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURE
Photoreceptor structure.

RESULTS
Each subject was at a different stage of BVMD, with photoreceptor disruption evident by AOSLO at all stages. When comparing SD-OCT and AOSLO images from the same location, AOSLO images allowed for direct assessment of photoreceptor structure. A variable degree of retained photoreceptors was seen within all lesions. The photoreceptor mosaic immediately adjacent to visible lesions appeared contiguous and was of normal density. Fine hyperreflective structures were visualized by AOSLO, and their anatomical orientation and size were consistent with Henle fibers.

CONCLUSIONS
AND RELEVANCE: The AOSLO findings indicate that substantial photoreceptor structure persists within active lesions, accounting for good visual acuity in these patients. Despite previous reports of diffuse photoreceptor outer segment abnormalities in BVMD, our data reveal normal photoreceptor structure in areas adjacent to clinical lesions. This study demonstrates the utility of AOSLO for understanding the spectrum of cellular changes that occur in inherited degenerations such as BVMD. Photoreceptors are often significantly affected at various stages of inherited degenerations, and these changes may not be readily apparent with current clinical imaging instrumentation.


The absence of a unified definition of readmissions has motivated the development of a modelling approach, to systematically tackle the issue surrounding the appropriate choice of a time window which defines readmission. The population of discharged patients can be broadly divided in two groups - a group at high risk of readmission and a group at low risk. This approach extends previous work by the authors, without restricting the number of stages, that patients may experience in the community. Using the national data (UK), we demonstrate its usefulness in the case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which is known to be one of the leading causes of readmission. We further investigate variability in the definition of readmission among 10 strategic health authorities (SHAs) in England and observe that there are differences in the estimated time window across SHAs. The novelty of this modelling approach is the ability of capturing time to readmission that exhibit a non-zero mode and to estimate an appropriate time window based on evidence objectively derived from operational data.


Elastic storage has been reported to help flying insects save inertial power when flapping their wings. This motivates recent research and development of elastic storage for flapping-wing micro air vehicles (fwMAVs) and their ground (tethered) flight tests. The previous designs of spring-loaded transmissions are relatively heavy or bulky; they have not yet been adopted by freely hovering prototypes of fwMAVs, especially those with four flapping wings. It is not clear if partial elastic storage can still help save power for flapping flight while not overloading the motorized transmission. Here, we developed ultralight and compact film hinges as elastic storage for four flapping wings. This spring-assisted transmission was motor driven such that the wing beat frequency was higher than the natural frequency of elastically hinged wings. Our experiments show that spring recoil helps accelerate wing closing thus generating more thrust. When powered by a 3.18 g brushless motor, this 13.4 g fwMAV prototype with spring-assisted transmission can take off by beating four flexible wings (of 240 mm span) with up to 21–22 g thrust generation at 22–23 Hz. Due to lower disk loading and high-speed reduction, indirect drive of the four elastically hinged wings can produce a thrust per unit of electrical power of up to 4.6 g/W. This electrical-power-specific thrust is comparable to that generated by direct drive of a propeller, which was recommended by the motor (AP-03 7000kv) manufacturer.


The Spend and outcome tool (SPOT) gives local authorities in England an overview of spend and outcomes across key areas of business and for public health and its sub-programmes.


ABSTRACT All mentoring and feedback-seeking processes depend on the leader–subordinate relationship that emphasizes the role of trust. This understanding is extended in the present study, which investigates the moderating role of trust in the association between abusive supervision and leader endorsement. Using relational leadership and social exchange theory, this paper contends that cognitive and affective trusts form the boundary condition that potentially determines the relationship between abusive supervision and leader endorsement. This study utilized a time-lagged data collection and managed to collect data from 165 employees in a government-owned company in Indonesia. The analysis found that (1) abusive supervision was negatively associated with leader endorsement; (2) cognitive trust increased the negative association of abusive supervision and leader endorsement, and (3) affective trust reduced the negative association of abusive supervision and leader endorsement. The findings thus advance the current scholarly understanding of the leader-follower relationship by demonstrating that trust is the determinant of the extent to which employees endorse their leaders, even in situations when the leaders are abusive. Practical implications, such as supervisory training strategies to build affective trust and approaches to encourage ethical climates, are discussed as leadership development strategies to strengthen positive leader-follower relationships.


Payment convenience has benefited from the revolution in mobile technologies. M-payment users, however, seem inconsistent in their payment activity, resisting change from traditional payment methods. Ensuring consumer continuance of m-payment technology usage is critical to ensuring the ubiquity of m-payment solutions. Although research has examined the influence of individual difference on the acceptance of m-payment, most studies fail to consider whether ongoing acceptance is maintained by the user, or whether a change in perception occurs as a result of use. Moreover, current studies consider user demographic profiles to segment mobile users, yet this dismisses the impact of individual difference, e.g. personality or cognitive style. This paper proposes a model that can be used to investigate the impact of individual difference on user perception of m- payment systems. The Expectation Confirmation Model (ECM) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model factors (i.e. effort expectancy, performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating condition, habit, hedonic motivation, price value, trust and perceived risk) allow capture of data relating to two use perceptions; pre- and postusage perception. The proposed model allows capture and comparison of pre-usage expectation and post-usage beliefs, allowing consideration of perception variance as a result of technology use. This model will be applied to gain a deeper insight into how to address users' satisfaction, acceptance, and continuance usage of Near Field Communication m-payment technologies.


This study provides an interdisciplinary analysis of firm theory and international tax law, applied within a framework of hypothetical illustrations of prototypical multinational enterprises. The study finds that the construct and interpretation of different norms of international tax law correlate over time with different and partial views of the functioning of multinational enterprises and of their value drivers. Accordingly, international tax law is incoherent or ineffective in key aspects of its design, interpretation and enforcement, such as in the recognition of permanent establishments under articles 5(1), 5(5) and 5(7) of the OECD Model, the attribution of profits to permanent establishments under article 7, and the interpretation of the arm's length principle under article 9. The "value creation" approach promoted through the G20/OECD BEPS Project, as well as the "Authorised OECD Approach" for the attribution of profits to permanent establishments under article 7, seem to approximate the interpretation of treaty law to modern firm theories, albeit inconsistently and still requiring improvement. Other fundamental rules for the allocation of taxing rights, however, remain unaltered and dated, and/or incoherently interpreted. This study supports the consistent use of modern firm theories and the convergence of international tax norms to a common and coherent approach.


Immunosuppressive drugs have become the gold standard for the treatment of major organ involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus. The use of immunosuppressive therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus carries significant risks for infection. This article reviews infectious complications in systemic lupus erythematosus, focusing on effects of immunosuppressive therapy. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus appear to carry an intrinsically increased risk for infection. Recent studies support this notion further by showing increased risk for serious infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who had mannose-binding lectin deficiency associated with homozygous mannose-binding lectin variant alleles. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who were homozygous for mannose-binding lectin variant alleles had a fourfold increase in the incidence of infections, requiring hospitalization. In terms of extrinsic risk factors for infection, use of steroids and cyclophosphamide are the strongest risk factors. The effect of these drugs on infection is also dose dependent. The incidence of infectious complications in patients treated with mycophenolate mofetil, a newly used immunosuppressive drug in systemic lupus erythematosus, appears less frequent compared with cyclophosphamide. Herpes zoster is still the most common viral infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus treated with cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate mofetil. Overall data indicate that patients with systemic lupus erythematosus may have intrinsically increased risks for infection that are augmented by immunosuppressive therapies. Cyclophosphamide, in particular in combination with high-dose glucocorticoids, has the strongest effect in suppressing the immune responses against microorganisms. Careful monitoring of infectious complications is warranted in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus receiving immunosuppressive therapies, in particular those on high-dose glucocorticoids and cytotoxic drugs.


Programs addressing land conservation are not succeeding where they are most needed. Understanding, preventing and mitigating land degradation (LD) at the local scale seem to require more than technical knowledge and perception by external agents such as agricultural advisors and government officials. The main purpose of this paper is to identify the factors determining farmers' decisions to adopt land conservation practices in the local context. We argue that peasant decision-making procedures are strongly based on their perceptions of the forces that drive degradation. First, we summarize and rank prominent driving forces in LD particularly at the local level. Next, we discuss how local perception and traditional knowledge, including local indicators, have been addressed in published studies. Finally, we inspect the attitudes and strategies to cope with degradation from the perspective of local communities as reported in the scientific literature. We conclude that local communities should not be expected to simply adopt suggested practices; they may rather be supported to develop their own projects on the basis of their indicators and perception of LD, and their own survival priorities.


In this paper we are going to discuss about the security issues of cloud computing which includes storage security, data security and network security. The major security challenge with clouds is that the owner of the data may not have control of where the data is placed. This is because if one wants to exploit the benefits of using cloud computing, one must also utilize the resource all ocation and scheduling provided by clouds. Therefore there is need to safeguard the data in the midst of un-trusted processes. The emerging cloud computing model attempts to address the explosive growth of web-connected devices, and handle massive amounts of data.


New product preannouncements are strategic signals that firms direct at their customers, competitors, channel members, and investors. They have been touted as effective means of deterring competitor entry, informing potential customers, and even tipping the balance of technological standard battles in favor of the preannouncing firms. However, preannouncements also carry the risks of unwanted competitive reaction and the negative consequences of undelivered promises. From a shareholder value standpoint, do the benefits outweigh the risks of preannouncing? To address this question, the authors build on agency and signaling theories to develop hypotheses about the effects of preannouncements on shareholder value, and they empirically test these hypotheses on a sample of software and hardware new product preannouncements. The findings indicate that the financial returns from preannouncements are significantly positive in the long run. The authors show that preannouncements generate positive short-term abnormal returns only for firms that offer specific information about the preannounced product. They also show that firms earn positive long-term abnormal returns after a preannouncement if they continue to update the market on the progress of the new product. Both the short-term and the long-term returns are further magnified if the reliability of the preannouncement (i.e., the credibility of the preannouncing firm) is high. The findings offer executives of preannouncing firms clear guidelines on how to manage communications in the market to extract financial value from new product preannouncements.


Non-Gaussian noises always exist in the nonlinear system, which usually lead to inconsistency and divergence of the regression and identification applications. The conventional evolving fuzzy systems (EFSs) in common sense have succeeded to conquer the uncertainties and external disturbance employing the specific variable structure characteristic. However, non-Gaussian noises would trigger the frequent changes of structure under the transient criteria, which severely degrades performance. Statistical criterion provides an informed choice of the strategies of the structure evolution, utilizing the approximation uncertainty as the observation of model sufficiency. The approximation uncertainty can be always decomposed into model uncertainty term and noise term, and is suitable for the non-Gaussian noise condition, especially relaxing the traditional Gaussian assumption. In this article, a novel incremental statistical evolving fuzzy inference system (SEFIS) is proposed, which has the capacity of updating the system parameters, and evolving the structure components to integrate new knowledge in the new process characteristic, system behavior, and operating conditions with non-Gaussian noises. The system generates a new rule based on the statistical model sufficiency which gives so insight into whether models are reliable and their approximations can be trusted. The nearest rule presents the inactive rule under the current data stream and further would be deleted without losing any information and accuracy of the subsequent trained models when the model sufficiency is satisfied. In our article, an adaptive maximum correntropy extend Kalman filter is derived to update the parameters of the evolving rules to cope with the non-Gaussian noises problems to further improve the robustness of parameter updating process. The parameter updating process shares an estimate of the uncertainty with the criteria of the structure evolving process to make the computation less of a burden dramatically. The simulation studies show that the proposed SEFIS has faster learning speed and is more accurate than the existing evolving fuzzy systems (EFSs) in the case of noise free and noisy conditions.


Purpose. To evaluate the potential benefit and complications of indocyanine green-mediated photothrombosis (IMP) in the management of patients with persistent central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). Methods. Interventional noncomparative case series. Eleven patients with CSC presenting with persistent subretinal fluid in optical coherence tomography (OCT) four months after presentation and decrease in visual acuity (VA) were submitted to a single IMP session with 2 mg/kg body weight ICG and application of 5.6 W/cm 2 light at 810 nm. A continuous follow-up was provided with best-corrected ETDRS VA assessment, and angiographic and OCT documentation 72 hours before and at 2 days, 1 and 2 weeks, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment. Results. Pretreatment VA levels ranged from 20/32 - 1 to 20/100 (mean, 20/63 + 2 [logMAR equivalent, 0.460 ±0.155]); post treatment levels ranged from 20/25 - 2 to 20/20 (mean, 20/20 - 2 [logMAR equivalent, 0.038 ± 0.048]). Ten out of eleven patients presented with VA levels of =20/25 2 weeks after treatment; the mean logMAR VA change of 0.345 at that time was statistically significant (p < 0.05, Friedman test). OCT disclosed resolution of persistent subretinal fluid in all eyes. No recurrence was observed after 12 months of follow-up. Complications included transient retinal whitening in two patients, and associated occlusion of retinal capillaries in one. Conclusions. Photothrombosis using low-intensity 810 nm light to direct laser energy continuously at the active leakage sites after intravenous ICG infusion induced rapid VA recovery in patients with persistent CSC; accordingly, restoration of the macular architecture was evidenced on OCT, and no recurrence was noted 12 months after IMP.


Grain assemblages in the organic-rich Cline shale in the Midland Basin are dominated by components of extrabasinal derivation (11.4 to 98.5 vol. %; average volume: 82.6%). Major extrabasinal components include K-rich clay minerals, detrital quartz, albite, K-feldspar, micas, and lithic fragments. Intrabasinal components include mainly biosiliceous allochems (sponge spicules and radiolarians), agglutinated foraminifera, Ca-phosphate peloids, clay-rich peloids, organomineralic aggregates, intraclasts, and other biocalcareous allochems. Authigenic minerals are most evident as grain replacements, euhedral ankerite, Ca-phosphate cement, and precipitates in large pores. A strongly localized spatial distribution of diagenetic products at micron to centimeter scales is observed in most siliciclastic samples, except in biosiliceous allochem-rich ones in which abundant intergranular pore-filling clay-size microquartz cement is observed. Compaction is evident in the Cline shale because of low porosity and generally low cement volumes. Neither textural variation nor bulk mineral composition alone is sufficient to confidently decipher the rock bulk property (e.g., total organic carbon) and reservoir quality variation (e.g., porosity and permeability). However, a good negative relationship between the ratio of extrabasinal to intrabasinal grains and favorable reservoir properties is observed in the Cline shale. Specifically, higher porosity, permeability, and total organic carbon are observed in samples representing the extreme end members of intrabasinal-derived biosilica-rich layers. Nickel, a recognized proxy for paleoproductivity, exhibits a positive relationship with intrabasinal grain content and reservoir properties. X-ray fluorescence–based analysis of nickel can be a rapid and cost-effective way to delineate favorable unconventional reservoir quality in the Cline shale.


One promising avenue towards increasing player entertainment for individual game players is to tailor player experience in real-time via automatic game content generation. Modeling the relationship between game content and player preferences or affective states is an important step towards this type of game personalization. In this paper we analyse the relationship between level design parameters of platform games and player experience. We introduce a method to extract the most useful information about game content from short game sessions by investigating the size of game session that yields the highest accuracy in predicting players' preferences, and by defining the smallest game session size for which the model can still predict reported emotion with acceptable accuracy. Neuroevolutionary preference learning is used to approximate the function from game content to reported emotional preferences. The experiments are based on a modified version of the classic Super Mario Bros game. We investigate two types of features extracted from game levels; statistical level design parameters and extracted frequent sequences of level elements. Results indicate that decreasing the size of the feature window lowers prediction accuracy, and that the models built on selected features derived from the whole set of extracted features (combining the two types of features) outperforms other models constructed on partial information about game content.


Does public participation through citizen review boards result in more responsible policing or does public oversight in this form amount to political "interference" resisted by the police? How do the various models of reactive external review impact police use of lethal force in a democratic society? In this article, I argue that citizen participation has the potential to serve the public and the police well when adequately designed and that reactive approaches to external review of the police may not have the intended effect on the incidence of lethal force over time. Specifically, the random effects negative binomial regression reveals that the process audit model of citizen review increases the incidence of lethal force. This study highlights the need for future investigations that focus on the few proactive approaches to citizen review in which the patterns and trends in policies, supervision, and training may offer more lucrative opportunities for participation that generates innovative problem-solving. Future study is also needed to determine the requisite circumstances for fostering mutually beneficial monitoring. The setting for this study on the long-run monitoring role of citizen review is a sample of 30 of the largest U.S. cities from 1994 to 2004.


In recent years there has been an increasing research interest aimed at the development of innovative integrated optic gyroscopes. Some authors have investigated coupled-resonator waveguiding structures formed by microrings mainly for their capability of manipulating light velocity, proposing also their application in phasesensitive optic gyroscopes. In this work we analyze the main performance parameters of an integrated optic gyroscope consisting of a three coupled ring resonator structure having different radii and coupling coefficients. The main result is the enhancement of the scale factor of the multi-ring-based gyroscope, without increasing the overall footprint, with respect to a conventional single ring resonator gyro. The final sensitivity of the gyroscope is also evaluated and compared with the conventional integrated optic gyroscope configuration.


Heteroduplex deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules were formed in vitro by denaturing and renaturing a mixture of DNAs from a variety of λ strains. The infectivity of these heteroduplexes was studied by using host-controlled modification and restriction to prevent infection by contaminating parental homoduplexes. Either strand was able to protect against degradation by restriction nucleases in vivo. A large proportion of progeny phage, which had been produced after infection with heteroduplexes containing noncomplementary base pairs at multiple loci, retained the genotype of one of the parental homoduplexes. The results indicate that conversion of heteroduplexes to homoduplexes in vivo by a DNA repair mechanism does not occur frequently. Molecules heterozygous for the c17 or vir operator mutations were not infectious; it is suggested that these mutations involve multiple base pairs.


When Poland accessed the EU it was covered by regulations significantly changing the conditions of food economy. Mutual opening of markets multiplied the possibilities of market outlets and contributed to the better competitiveness of economic entities. The launched public funds helped, for instance, to modernise farms and food industry businesses, improvement of their competitiveness, construction of infrastructure or multifunctional development of rural areas. This paper discusses the selected effects of the CAP implementation in Poland at the background of production and economic situation in the agri-food sector and the most important challenges.


T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) accounts for 10-15% of pediatric and 20-25% of adult cases of ALL. The cure rates for patients with T-ALL is approaching 80% in children while falling to 60% in adult cases. These numbers further decline in patients with primary resistance or who relapse from their initial diseases. Given the poor outcomes for patients with T-ALL, there has been growing interest in identifying risk factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of this disease. Recently, obesity (characterized by a body mass index > 30) has been shown to reduce the survival of patients with ALL. However, a closer examination of the epidemiological data revealed that obese patients with T-ALL exhibit significant improvements in survival outcomes. These data prompt several questions including; 1) what are the specific factors in the obese microenvironment that impact the function of T-ALL, 2) how do T-leukemia cells respond to these factors, and 3) are the responses influenced by mutations commonly found in T-ALL. To address these questions, we have studied how stromal cell and adipocyte-secreted factors impact the function of human T-ALL cells. Furthermore, we sought to determine if Notch1, which is mutated in > 60% of T-ALL cases, contribute to how T-leukemia cells respond to soluble factors in the microenvironment. When human T-ALL cells were grown in vitro with RPMI, stromal cell-conditioned media (SCM), or adipocyte-conditioned media (ACM), only ACM exposure resulted in extensive cell death of T-ALL (30-80% after 3 days of culture) which occurred independently of the mutational status of Notch1 and p53. The ACM secreted factor(s) that induced cell death in T-leukemia cells was revealed to be proteinaceous in nature, given that protease treatment of ACM completely abolished ACM-mediated apoptosis in T-ALL. Cell cycle analysis of human T-ALL exposed to ACM revealed an accumulation in the sub G1 population in human T-ALL, confirming the induction of apoptosis induced by the adipocyte secretome. Although the mutation status of Notch did not impact cell death, Notch1 protein levels significantly decreased in T-leukemia cells after 3 days of culture in ACM which coincided with increased γ-H2AX activation (indicative of DNA damage). This observation was confirmed using immunofluorescent microscopy, which revealed co-localization of γ-H2AX and 53BP1 (a p53 binding protein) in ACM-exposed human T-leukemia cells. Furthermore, extensive nuclear membrane blebbing was observed in human T-ALL exposed to ACM, but not SCM or unconditioned-media. Our studies reveal that adipocyte-secreted proteins are cytotoxic to human T-leukemia cells, which is independent of the mutational status of Notch1 and p53. Given this global effect, our results suggest that the obese microenvironments presents a unique opportunity to develop novel therapeutics for treating standard and high-risk patients with T-ALL. Citation Format: Miyoung Lee, Curtis J. Henry. Adipocyte-secreted proteins induce DNA damage and apoptosis in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 505.


The introductory design module for first year students in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde uses mechanical dissection as a focus for learning activities that seek to integrate engineering science with the prior knowledge of the students. First year groups select and remove components from a scrap motor car, and produce a technical description of the system including consideration of function, mechanics, materials and manufacturing processes. Personal and professions skills and interpersonal skills are developed through enquiry based learning. This encourages the students to identify problems and engage in analysis requiring estimation and uncertainty; sourcing information in a critical manner to integrate in their description of the chosen component. Group and communication skills are developed through peer discussion and the presentation of their research in the form of a poster and formal seminar. Student feedback indicates a high level of enjoyment of, and engagement in many of the learning activities. However, focus group interviews and questionnaire responses indicate that the key area of metallurgy has proved to be difficult for many students, probably due to a lack of relevant background knowledge. Further development of the learning activities in metallurgy is planned, including pre-reading and peer instruction to prepare the students for the staff-led materials examination sessions. Continuing evaluation of the learning experiences of the students will be undertaken to assess the effectiveness of these developments.


This article documents the use and disclosure of derivatives in the Australian extractives industry. We find that derivatives are used by 23 per cent of our sample, with mitigation of commodity risk and foreign exchange risk being the most common purposes for which derivatives are used. The most common types of derivatives used in the sector for hedging purposes are forward rate agreements and options. Results indicate that derivative use is positively associated with financial risk and firm size. We also examine the relation between firm characteristics and the extent of financial instrument disclosure, using a disclosure index based on the additional requirements in IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures. Empirical results reveal that large firms with higher leverage, which use derivatives, and are audited by a Big 4 auditor provide more extensive disclosure of financial instruments.


Abstract: Protozoan parasites are responsible for important diseases that threaten the lives of nearly one-quarter of the human population world-wide. Among them, leishmaniasis has become the second cause of death, mainly due to the emergence of parasite resistance to conventional drugs. P-glycoprotein (Pgp)-like transporters overexpression is a very efficient mechanism to reduce the intracellular accumulation of many drugs in cancer cells and parasitic protozoans including Plasmodium and Leishmania, thus conferring a multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype. Therefore, there is a great clinical interest in developing inhibitors of these transporters to overcome such a resistance. Pgps are active pumps belonging to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily of proteins, and consist of two homologous halves, each containing a transmembrane domain (TMD) involved in drug efflux, and a cytosolic nucleotide-binding domain (NBD) responsible for ATP binding and hydrolysis. Most conventional cancer MDR modulators interact with the drug-binding sites on the TMDs of Pgps, but they are also usually transported and the required concentrations for a permanent inhibition produce subsequent side-effects that hamper their clinical use. Besides, they only poorly modulate the resistance in protozoan parasites. We review here a rational strategy developed to overcome the MDR phenotype in Leishmania, consisting in: i) the selection of an MDR Leishmania tropica line that overexpresses a Pgp-like transporter; ii) the use of their cytosolic NBDs as new pharmacological targets; iii) the search of new natural compounds that revert the MDR phenotype in Leishmania by binding to the TMDs; iv) the combination of subdoses of the above selected modulators directed to both targets in the transporter, NBDs and TMDs, to accumulate their reversal effects while diminishing their toxicity. In this way, we have reverted the MDR phenotype in Leishmania, including the resistance to the most promising new antileishmania agents, the alkyl-lysophospholipids. This approach might be extrapolated to be used in other eukaryotic cells.


Background—In the Apixaban for Reduction in Stroke and Other Thromboembolic Events in Atrial Fibrillation (ARISTOTLE) trial, apixaban compared with warfarin reduced stroke and systemic embolism, major bleeding, and mortality. We evaluated treatment effects in relation to 2 predictions of time in therapeutic range (TTR). Methods and Results—The trial randomized 18 201 patients with atrial fibrillation to apixaban 5 mg twice daily or warfarin for at least 12 months. For each patient, a center average TTR was estimated with the use of a linear mixed model on the basis of the real TTRs in its warfarin-treated patients, with a fixed effect for country and random effect for center. For each patient, an individual TTR was also predicted with the use of a linear mixed effects model including patient characteristics as well. Median center average TTR was 66% (interquartile limits, 61% and 71%). Rates of stroke or systemic embolism, major bleeding, and mortality were consistently lower with apixaban than with warfarin across center average TTR and individual TTR quartiles. In the lowest and highest center average TTR quartiles, hazard ratios for stroke or systemic embolism were 0.73 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53–1.00) and 0.88 (95% CI, 0.57–1.35) (P interaction =0.078), for mortality were 0.91 (95% CI, 0.74–1.13) and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.71–1.16) (P interaction =0.34), and for major bleeding were 0.50 (95% CI, 0.36–0.70) and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.58–0.97) (P interaction =0.095), respectively. Similar results were seen for quartiles of individual TTR.


The famous Lunz flora from Lower Austria is one of the richest and most diverse Late Triassic floras of the Northern Hemisphere. The historical outcrops (mainly coal mines) are no longer accessible, but showy fossils can still be collected from natural exposures around the town of Lunz-am-See and from several of the old spoil tips. This paper presents an annotated check list with characterisations of all currently recognised gymnosperm foliage taxa in the Lunz flora. The descriptions are exemplified by illustrations of typical specimens and diagnostic features of the leaf morphology and epidermal anatomy. Moreover, a simple identification key for the taxa based on macromorphological features is provided that facilitates identification of newly collected specimens.


The computational limits of accurate electron propagator methods for the calculation of electron binding energies of large molecules are usually determined by the rank of the virtual orbital space. Electron density difference matrices that correspond to these transition energies in the second-order quasiparticle approximation may be used to obtain a virtual orbital space of reduced rank that introduces only minor deviations with respect to the results produced with the full, original set of virtual orbitals. Numerical tests show the superior accuracy and efficiency of this approach compared to the usual practice of omission of virtual orbitals with the highest energies.


Due to land use and climate changes, more severe and frequent floods occur worldwide. Flood simulation as the first step in flood risk management can be robustly conducted with an integration of GIS, RS and flood modeling tools. The primary goal of this thesis is to examine the practical use of public domain satellite data and GIS-based hydrologic model. To achieve all objectives of this research, firstly the value and importance of data in water resources engineering specifically for rainfall runoff modeling is discussed. A review of the literatures is provided on modeling concept, watershed models and its classification; spatial data model and its application in hydrology are presented. In addition, common approaches that GIS integrates with hydrologic models are reviewed and basic concept of surface-runoff modeling and its equations that relates to this subject are presented. Secondly, database development using raw data collected from different sources is described. GIS tools and techniques were used in the light of relevant literature to achieve the appropriate database. Watershed delineation and parameterizations were carried out using cartographic DEM derived from digital topography at a scale of 1:25000 with 30 m cell size and SRTM elevation data at 90 m cell size that originally were acquired in 30 m resolution. The SRTM elevation dataset is evaluated and compared with cartographic DEM. Advanced and novel GIS techniques were used for DEM manipulation and watershed delineation. The research questions were answered with the assistance of statistical measures such as Correlation coefficient (r), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Percent Bias (PBias) or Percent of Error (PE). The results are described in detail with the assistance of several tables and illustrations. Based on NSE index, SRTM-DEM can be used for watershed delineation and parameterization with 87% similarity with Topo-DEM in a complex and
underdeveloped terrains. Overall agreement is significantly achieved (95%) when only non-urbanized areas with rugged topography are considered. However NSE (33%) exhibits a high level of discrepancy between Topo and SRTM DEM-derivatives in urbanized areas with mild slope. Spatio-temporal variations of rainfall events over Klang watershed are discussed to achieve the one of other objectives of this study. Primary investigation is made for eight floods resultant from rainfall events in 2002. Then four rainfall events were selected for further analysis. Kriging interpolation is used to define the areal distribution of rainfall over the study area. The same rainfall events acquired by TRMM (V6) were analyzed and compared with the gauge data. It is concluded that TRMM estimates do not give adequate information about the storms as it can be drawn from the rain gauges. A pure and novel GIS analysis and flood simulation model supported by two public domain satellite data was conducted. Event-based comparison is made for TRMM precipitation estimates with the rainfall catch at rain gauges. Then evaluation is followed by rainfall-runoff modeling using HEC-HMS. Several conclusions at the technological and application levels have been achieved with this research. At the technological level, GIS has proven to be a useful tool with the ability to extract multiple parameters from a DEM and create a hydrological database from it. At the application level, it was proved that SRTM elevation dataset has the ability to obviate the lack of terrain data for hydrologic modeling where appropriate data for terrain modeling and simulation of hydrological processes is unavailable. However TRMM precipitation estimates failed to explain the behavior of rainfall events and its resultant peak discharge and time of peak. However TRMM data could reasonably simulate the volume of outflow for investigated flood event.


Profiling technologies, such as proteomics, allow the simultaneous measurement and comparison of thousands of plant components without prior knowledge of their identity. The combination of these non-targeted methods facilitates a more comprehensive approach than targeted methods and thus provides additional opportunities to identify genotypic changes resulting from genetic modification, including new allergens or toxins. The purpose of this study was to investigate unintended changes in GM Bt maize grown in South Africa. In the present study, we used bi-dimensional gel electrophoresis based on fluorescence staining, coupled with mass spectrometry in order to compare the proteome of the field-grown transgenic hybrid (MON810) and its near-isogenic counterpart. Proteomic data showed that energy metabolism and redox homeostasis were unequally modulated in GM Bt and non-GM maize variety samples. In addition, a potential allergenic protein – pathogenesis related protein -1 has been identified in our sample set. These finding highlight the suitability of unbiased profiling approaches to complement current GMO risk assessment practices worldwide.


To genuinely improve U.S. healthcare, we must base it on seven moral values familiar to Americans: Preserving individual dignity. Patients have a right to information about their medical condition and a right to participate in decisions about treatment. Society should make a basic package of healthcare available to all who need it. Caring for patients' welfare. As providers are obliged to have compassion for patients' suffering, they should also put patients' interests above their own and avoid conflicts of interest. Protecting the least well-off. Many who are poor, less educated, or members of racial or ethnic minorities bear disproportionate burdens of morbidity and mortality. They should receive care that compensates for those disadvantages. Seeking the common good. Our society has a strong disposition toward excessive individualism. We need greater emphasis on public health and preventive measures, as well as more opportunities for the public to help shape the healthcare system. Containing the healthcare costs. Waste is offensive both economically and morally. We can contain costs only by grappling explicitly with the need for healthcare rationing, which should be applied according to ethical criteria. Retaining a sense of responsibility. Society can help renew a sense of responsibility b anchoring it in the concept of subsidiarity, according to which the best government is the least government necessary to perform its appropriate tasks. Establishing high standards of quality. Providers should pursue excellence as measured by improved medical outcomes, uniform use of appropriate procedures, and increased consumer satisfaction. Quality-of-life judgments can be useful in making healthcare decisions, especially for persons who are dying.


Since momentum arbitrage activity, buying winners and selling losers, effectively enlarges the return spread between these two groups, I find that the momentum spread (the difference of the formation-period recent 6-month returns between winners and losers) negatively predicts future momentum profit in the long-term, but not in the following month. I further decompose the momentum spread into the spreads of old or young momentum stocks based on whether a stock has been identified as a momentum stock for more than three months. I show that the negative predictability is mainly driven by the old momentum spread. For the top 20% of the sample period associated with the highest values of old momentum spread, the momentum reversals happen sooner (only six months after formation) and stronger (more than 120 basis points per month from month 7 to month 24 after formation), relative to negligible momentum reversals observed following the bottom 20% period with low old momentum spread. As these old momentum stocks are more likely to be exploited by arbitrageurs, these findings suggest that momentum is amplified by arbitrage activity and excessive arbitrage destabilizes asset prices and generates strong reversals.


Classroom teaching places great demands on teachers as in each moment there are a number of stimuli competing for the teacher's attention. Classrooms situations are characterised by their multidimensionality (many things happening), simultaneity (at the same time), immediacy (that need to be reacted to immediately) and unpredictability (Doyle, 1977). Teachers' perception, interpreting, and understanding of the situations guides their decisions and is thus of utmost importance in the teaching and learning process. In order to help (especially beginning) teachers deal with this complexity, we need to understand the processes of their perception better. A lot of teacher research has thus focused on phenomena such as teachers' professional vision (Sherin & van Es, 2009), noticing (Sherin, Jacobs, & Philipp, 2011) or ability to notice (Star & Strickland, 2008). Traditionally, the study of these phenomena is based on verbal comments on or ratings of classroom videos. In recent years, eye tracking methodology has been used to provide another dimension of our understanding of teachers' perception of classroom situations (e.g. van den Bogert et al., 2014; Wolff et al., 2016). Our study contributes to this strand of research and aims to investigate how student teachers of English as a foreign language monitor classroom situations in which the class work all together (e.g. giving instructions to the whole class) or in which the pupils work in pairs when watching a video recording of such a classroom situation, namely how they distribute their visual attention with special focus on the most and the least active pupils and how they describe (label) these pupils. We showed 20 student teachers of English as a foreign language four classroom videos (approx. 1 to 1.5 minute long; two show pupils working in pairs; two show the class working as a whole) and asked them to observe and comment on the pupils' activity. More specifically, before watching the videos we asked them if all the pupils were working on the given task or following the situation appropriately. We collected two types of data – teachers' visual attention was monitored using SMI RED250MOBILE (250Hz); their verbal comments were recorded and transcribed. In the eye tracking data, we investigated the number and duration of fixations on the individual pupils. In the verbal data, we analysed whether the respondents identify pupils that are struggling or not working accordingly and how they comment on (or label) these pupils. The analysis is currently underway. The results will help us understand monitoring of complex classroom situations.


There have been analyzed 102 samples of Romanian wheat, coming from the crops of the years 2007-2011, in order to assess the influence of the Fusarium sp. attack on the main quality parameters. In this respect, there have been analyzed the following physical and chemical parameters: Hec tolitre mass (kg/hl), Moisture (%), Protein content (%), Wet gluten content (%), Falling Number (sec), Gluten deformation (mm), Gluten Index, as well as the Content of kernels attacked by Fusarium (%). The Fusarium attack ranged from 0.1% to 4.5% and was characterized by very high variability. The evaluation of Fusarium attack was made through the Spearman statistical test, which showed its significant influence on the amylase activity of wheat (expressed by the parameter Falling Number, r = -0.22 *) and on the proteolytic activity (expressed by the Gluten deformation, r = -0.28 *).


Glorieuses archipelago is one of the Eparses Islands, French islands scattered in the Mozambique Channel (Western Indian Ocean). These isolated coral islands, without permanent human population, are important to evaluate the evolution of biodiversity without direct anthropogenic influence. Among several aims, the program BioReCIE (Biodiversity, Resources and Conservation of Eparses Islands) was to complete the inventories of several groups including the holothurians (Echinodermata). In November 2012, a multidisciplinary team explored the reef slopes of the island by scuba diving down to 20 meters (10 sites), and the reef flats at low tide (12 sites) collecting specimens and taking photos for identification. The total holothurian richness was 20 species; 10 species were collected on the slopes and 15 on the reef flats. Given the limited number of sites studied, the occurrence of the different species in each class is presented as frequent, infrequent or rare. The commercial species Holothuria nobilis, Bohadschia atra and B. subrubra were frequent but illegal fisheries on holothurians are already occurring. Temporal c omparisons at local and regional scales using the same methodology show that the diversity in Glorieuses is high and suggests that the biodiversity is increasing as we go from South to North in the Mozambique channel, as observed also for other taxa associated with coral reefs (fish and hard corals).


AIM
To investigate the acute results (parameters at implant and clinical parameters) of permanent pacemaker implantation at our institution.

METHODS
Twenty five patients undergoing pacemaker implantation were included in this study. Subjects underwent medical history and functional class was assessed using New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification. All technical parameters (pacing threshold, sensing, and pacing impedance) and clinical parameters (complication and procedure time) were measured during and post implant.

RESULTS
Majority (80%) of patients were in NYHA functional class II. The commonest indication for pacemaker implant was the complete heart block (56%). The most frequent pacemaker type was single chamber (80%) with the commonest pacing mode of VVIR (72%). Average optimal parameters achieved were pacing threshold of 0.5 volt, sensing of 12.6 mV, and impedance of 829 Ohm. Average procedure time was 1.6 hour. Major complication (pocket infection) was noted in only one patient.

CONCLUSION
It is confirmed from this study that permanent pacemaker implantation could be carried out safely and effectively with low complication rate in a general hospital. Optimal pacing parameters could be achieved in the acute phase. Most patients still could not afford appropriate pacing devices due to limited financial support. Government insurance coverage for the poor should be encouraged to cover more people.


While attending ACRL 2017 in Baltimore, I came upon a poster titled "Cultivating Curiosity: Intersecting Century-Old Services for 21st Century Impact," which suggested that a simple rebranding of traditional reference services could markedly increase student engagement. I was intrigued by these findings but somewhat skeptical. How could such a low-cost, low-tech strategy generate such high-impact results? Thankfully, presenters Jennifer Hunter and Christina Riehman-Murphy of the Penn State University Libraries-Abington College were on hand to answer all my questions. Hunter and Riehman-Murphy outlined their program and outcomes, and they convinced me: branding matters. I left the convention center inspired, ready to bring their marketing blueprint back to Queensborough Community College (QCC) of the City University of New York (CUNY).


The upper branch of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation predominantly enters the Atlantic Ocean through the southeast, where the subtropical gyre is exposed to the influence of the Agulhas leakage (AL). To understand how the transfer of Indian Ocean waters via the AL affected the upper water column of this region, we have generated new proxy records of planktic foraminifera from a core on the central Walvis Ridge, on the eastern flank of the South Atlantic Gyre (SAG). We analyzed the isotopic composition of subsurface dweller Globigerinoides ruber sensu lato, and thermocline Globorotalia truncatulinoides sinistral, spanning the last five Pleistocene glacial-interglacial (G-IG) cycles. The former displays a response to obliquity, suggesting connection with high latitude forcing, and a warming tendency during each glacial termination, in response to the interhemispheric seesaw. The δ18O difference between the two species, interpreted as a proxy for upper ocean stratification, reveals a remarkably regular sawtooth pattern, bound to G-IG cyclicity. It rises from interglacials until glacial terminations, with fast subsequent decrease, appearing to promptly respond to deglacial peaks of AL. Stratification, however, bears a different structure during the last cycle, being minimal at Last Glacial Maximum, and peaking at Termination I. We suggest this to be the result of the intensified glacial wind field over the SAG and/or of the invasion of the South Atlantic thermocline by Glacial North Atlantic Intermediate Waters. The δ13C time series of the two species have similar G-IG pattern, whereas their difference is higher during interglacials. We propose that this may be the result of the alternation of intermediate water masses in different circulation modes, and of a regionally more efficient biological pump at times of high pCO2.


The Gee clan of Houston is the largest and most prominent network of Chinese Americans in Houston. Linked together by a commonly shared last name, Gee (朱), and not always by blood, it is remarkable in that its members actively work to keep the ties strong, especially the younger generation, whose cultural reference is thoroughly American. This article examines how the Gees parlayed the traditional Chinese affinity for associations based on the same surname or place of origin into a hybrid model adapted for maximum efficacy in the new world. Led by a small group of generous and resourceful elders who put down roots in the Bayou city, the Gees rose from humble beginnings, endured the Jim Crow restrictions on non-whites, and attained great social, financial, and political heights. A brief discussion on the migration and assimilation patterns of overseas Chinese offers a conceptual framework with which to understand the settlement process of this remarkable group of individuals. The following stories are derived from interviews in HAAA, and form the basis of a planned in-depth study of the Gee clan.


The form and contents of lectures in social medicine as part of medical studies have caused controversy for some time. In the winter term of 1992/93 a new concept of main lectures in social medicine oriented to medical practice was introduced at the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. In particular, these lectures deal with primary medical topics relevant to social medicine, interspersed with case examples, visits to patients and excursions. As a means for students to express critism of the lectures offered, at the end of the summer term of 1994 an evaluation of university tuition was first carried out using an anonymous, standardised questionnaire. Fifty-five of the 179 students registered for the lecture, studying in terms 7 to 12, took part in the survey. Among the regular lecture-goers there was a high acceptance of the concept and presentation of the lecture contents in 75% of those asked. This was not found to be dependent on sex or on how far the students had progressed in their studies. Despite interest in social medicine in 80% of cases, for the vast majority of those asked the subject does not yet play any role as a future field of research or occupation. While 60% of the participants in the questionnaire accorded sociomedical topics an important rank in the study of human medicine, 35% regarded an independent chair for social medicine, against the background of over-full timetables, as unnecessary. On the other hand, the practical relevance and usefulness of what is taught was regarded by 72% as high. Despite a general lack of enthusiasm for lectures the practically-oriented approach has obviously succeeded in making clear to the students the importance of sociomedical topics in routine medical practice.


Background: Uranium contamination of drinking-water sources on American Indian (AI) reservations in the United States is a largely ignored and underfunded public health crisis. With an estimated 40% of the headwaters in the western U.S. watershed, home to many AI reservation communities, being contaminated with untreated mine waste, the potential health effects have largely been unexplored. With AI populations already facing continued and progressive economic and social marginalization, higher prevalence of chronic disease, and systemic discrimination, associations between various toxicant exposures, including uranium, and various chronic conditions, need further examination. Objectives: Uranium's health effects, in addition to considerations for uranium drinking-water testing, reporting, and mitigation in reference to AI communities through the lens of water quality, is reviewed. Discussion: A series of environmental health policy recommendations are described with the intent to proactively improve responsiveness to the water quality crisis in AI reservation communities in the United States specific to uranium. There is a serious and immediate need for better coordination of uranium-related drinking-water testing and reporting on reservations in the United States that will better support and guide best practices for uranium mitigation efforts. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7537


The premise of this paper is that the application of new visualization methods to the study of medieval perspective will reveal features, qualities, characteristics, patterns and typologies that would otherwise not be visible, and that these newly envisioned elements will provide the basis for a new set of questions as to the nature of the medieval spatial construct. Case studies will include an analysis showing the amount of area shown as Heaven and as Earth in Giotto's Arena Chapel compared to the same in the frescos in the Upper Basilica in Assisi. The quantities will be measured using AutoCad and the data will be visualised with scatter plots using Viewshare. Another case study also using AutoCad and Viewshare will show the consistency of lines of sight measured as angles in the same frescos.


Exemplar-free class-incremental learning (CIL) poses several challenges since it prohibits the rehearsal of data from previous tasks and thus suffers from catastrophic forgetting. Recent approaches to incrementally learning the classifier by freezing the feature extractor after the first task have gained much attention. In this paper, we explore prototypical networks for CIL, which generate new class prototypes using the frozen feature extractor and classify the features based on the Euclidean distance to the prototypes. In an analysis of the feature distributions of classes, we show that classification based on Euclidean metrics is successful for jointly trained features. However, when learning from non-stationary data, we observe that the Euclidean metric is suboptimal and that feature distributions are heterogeneous. To address this challenge, we revisit the anisotropic Mahalanobis distance for CIL. In addition, we empirically show that modeling the feature covariance relations is better than previous attempts at sampling features from normal distributions and training a linear classifier. Unlike existing methods, our approach generalizes to both many- and few-shot CIL settings, as well as to domain-incremental settings. Interestingly, without updating the backbone network, our method obtains state-of-the-art results on several standard continual learning benchmarks. Code is available at https://github.com/dipamgoswami/FeCAM.


Background: At a tertiary referral and Level I trauma center, current institutional guidelines suggest initial aminoglycoside doses of gentamicin or tobramycin 4 mg/kg and amikacin 16 mg/kg for patients admitted to surgical intensive care units (SICUs) with suspected gram-negative infection. The objective of this study was to evaluate initial aminoglycoside dosing and peak serum drug concentrations in critically ill surgery patients to characterize the aminoglycoside volume of distribution (Vd) and determine an optimal standardized dosing strategy. Methods: This retrospective, observational, single-center study included adult SICU patients who received an aminoglycoside for additional gram-negative coverage. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate the patient population, aminoglycoside dosing, and Vd. Multivariable linear regression was applied to determine variables associated with greater aminoglycoside Vd. The mortality rate was compared in patients who achieved adequate initial peak concentrations versus those who did not. Results: One hundred seventeen patients received an aminoglycoside in the SICUs, of whom 58 had an appropriately timed peak concentration measurement. The mean Acute Physiology, Age, and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score was 27.8 ± 8.9. The Vd in patients receiving gentamicin, tobramycin, and amikacin was 0.49 ± 0.10, 0.41 ± 0.09, and 0.53 ± 0.13 L/kg, respectively. Together, the mean aminoglycoside Vd was 0.50 ± 0.12 L/kg. Gentamicin or tobramycin 5 mg/kg achieved goal peak concentrations in 24 patients (63.2%), and amikacin 20 mg/kg achieved the desired concentrations in nine patients (50.0%). Net fluid status, Body Mass Index, and vasopressor use were not predictive of Vd. There was no difference in the in-hospital mortality rate in patients who achieved adequate peak concentrations versus those who did not (26.8% versus 26.7%; p = 0.99). Conclusion: High aminoglycoside doses are needed in critically ill surgery patients to achieve adequate initial peak concentrations because of the high Vd. Goal peak concentrations were optimized at doses of gentamicin or tobramycin 5 mg/kg, and amikacin 20 mg/kg.