This article presents and assesses the thesis that a shift in the character of governing elites and leaders has been occurring in several important liberal democracies during recent years. Ascendant elites are more leonine and top leaders are more pugnacious. We attribute the shift to strong centripetal pressures that now impinge on elites and leaders, and we ask about the shift's consequences for the operation of liberal democracies.


CONTEXT
Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, caused by germline mutations in the VHL gene, is a hereditary tumor syndrome manifested by hemangioblastomas, clear cell renal cell carcinomas, and pheochromocytomas. In addition, a multitude of other rare tumors, including parasympathetic paragangliomas, can occur and even be the sole manifestation of VHL disease. The VHL gene is a bona fide tumor suppressor gene with biallelic inactivation contributing to tumor formation. However, in parasympathetic paragangliomas occurring in VHL disease, biallelic inactivation of the VHL gene has not been demonstrated to date.

DESIGN
The head and neck paragangliomas of two VHL patients were analyzed for mutations by direct sequencing of the VHL gene. In addition loss of heterozygosity analysis was performed for three microsatellite loci near the VHL gene. To rule out other underlying genetic causes of the parasympathetic paragangliomas, mutation analysis of the SDHB, SDHC, and SDHD genes was also performed.

RESULTS
Apart from germline VHL mutations, no additional mutations were found in the paraganglioma-related tumor suppressor genes SDHB, SDHC, and SDHD. Analysis of paraganglioma tissue revealed loss of the VHL wild-type allele in both tumors, indicating that in these tumors biallelic VHL gene inactivation occurred.

CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that parasympathetic paragangliomas in VHL disease, although rare, are part of the syndrome and related to VHL gene inactivation. Clinicians should be aware of the potential occurrence of parasympathetic paragangliomas in VHL disease.


This study investigated which decision (maintain vs. dismiss endorsement relationship) may represent the most positive impact on consumers with different levels of fan identification when the celebrity endorser is involved in scandal. MANCOVA was utilized to examine the influence of team identification on consumers' responses toward sponsors' decisions. Results indicated that when the sponsor maintained the endorsement relationship, highly identified fans had significantly more positive attitudes and word of mouth intentions than lowly identified fans. Conversely, when the sponsor dismissed the endorsement relationship, lowly identified fans had significantly more positive word of mouth intentions towards the sponsor.


Introduction: Ofloxacin and ornidazole in a combined tablet dosage form is available in the market. This combination has gained increasing acceptance in diarrhea caused due to bacterial and protozoal infections. Ofloxacin and ornidazole are also combined in the capsule dosage form to modify its release pattern in different studies. Spectrophotometric and HPTLC methods have been reported for their simultaneous estimation in the tablet dosage form in specific solvents. This paper presents a simple, accurate, and reproducible spectrophotometric method for simultaneous estimation of ofloxacin and ornidazole in the tablet dosage form in different dissolution media. The reported method is helpful in determination of ofloxacin and ornidazole during a dissolution study. Materials and Methods: A simple, sensitive, accurate, and economical spectrophotometric method based on the simultaneous equation was developed for the estimation of ornidazole and ofloxacin simultaneously in the tablet or capsule dosage form in different dissolution media at different pH values. Results: Ofloxacin showed absorption maxima at 294 nm in 0.1 N HCl and at 287 nm in phosphate buffer pH 6.8 and phosphate buffer pH 7.4 while ornidazole showed absorption maxima at 277 nm in 0.1 N HCl and at 319 nm in two buffers, respectively. The linearity was obtained in the concentration range of 1–8 μg/ ml for ofloxacin and 4–26 μg/ml for ornidazole. Discussion: The concentrations of the drugs were determined by the simultaneous equation method. The results of analysis have been validated statistically and by recovery studies.


A primary splenic ectopic pregnancy is an extremely rare entity; one that is fraught with life-threatening risks due to potential for acute hemorrhage. The diagnosis is challenging to make, and once detected, there is a distinct sense of urgency to perform operative intervention (splenectomy) prior to any impending rupture. This report describes the case of a 34-year-old female, gravida 5, para 3013, at estimated 4 weeks gestation with a 2.1 × 1.3 cm ectopic pregnancy abutting the splenic hilum. Through multidisciplinary management with Obstetrics/Gynecology (OB/GYN), Interventional Radiology (IR), and General Surgery teams, the patient received preoperative non-elective splenic artery embolization to mitigate risk of rupture, followed by open splenectomy while remaining hemodynamically stable throughout the course of her treatment. As evidenced by this case, a multidisciplinary approach to this unusual clinical presentation leads to successful patient outcomes and prevents the devastating complication of acute hemorrhage.


South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust serves a population of approximately 1 million people living across the large geographical area of Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. Approximately 6.4% describe themselves as South Asian compared with 4.28% of the workforce of the Trust. There is evidence that diversity in the workforce benefits organisations, employees, service users and the wider community. Positive action is a process permitted by law to overcome longstanding disadvantages experienced by minorities because of earlier discrimination in education and other aspects of their life. Positive action is seen by many, including governments, as one strategy that can used to address discrimination in employment
and service provision.


A calculation of the pion-production operator up to next-to-next-to-leading order for s-wave pions is performed within chiral effective field theory. In the previous study [Phys. Rev. C 85, 054001 (2012)] we discussed the contribution of the pion-nucleon loops at the same order. Here we extend that study to include explicit Delta degrees of freedom and the 1/m_N^2 corrections to the pion-production amplitude. Using the power counting scheme where the Delta-nucleon mass difference is of the order of the characteristic momentum scale in the production process, we calculate all tree-level and loop diagrams involving Delta up to next-to-next-to-leading order. The long-range part of the Delta loop contributions is found to be of similar size to that from the pion-nucleon loops which supports the counting scheme. The net effect of pion-nucleon and Delta loops is expected to play a crucial role in understanding of the neutral pion production data.


ABSTRACT Hsu, T.-W.; Doong, D.-J.; Hsieh, K.-J., and Liang, S.-J., 2015. Numerical study of monsoon effect on Green Island wake. The wind effect on Kuroshio-induced island wake downstream of Green Island, Taiwan, is studied using a depth-averaged shallow-water model. The seasonal monsoon effect on spatial–temporal scales, such as the aspect ratio, dimensionless width, and Strouhal number, as well as the relative propagation speed of Green Island vortices, is studied. It is found that a NE monsoon has a more pronounced effect on wake characteristics than a SW monsoon does in terms of net speed and vorticity, aspect ratio, and dimensionless width. Vortices are pushed back and packed close to the north of the island with a smaller area of recirculation when Kuroshio flows against the NE monsoon; vortices are pushed farther downstream with a larger area of recirculation when Kuroshio flows in favor of the SW monsoon. However, the wind effect on temporal variation of island wake seems less significant. The period of vortex shedding is between 14.2 and 15.3 hours. The corresponding Strouhal number is between 0.116 and 0.125, and the relative propagation speed of vortices is nondimensional, between 0.51 and 0.56. These values are in good agreement with the results of previous reports.


E2F directs the cell cycle-dependent expression of genes that induce or regulate the cell division process. In mammalian cells, this transcriptional activity arises from the combined properties of multiple E2F-DP heterodimers. In this study, we show that the transcriptional potential of individual E2F species is dependent upon their nuclear localization. This is a constitutive property of E2F-1, -2, and -3, whereas the nuclear localization of E2F-4 is dependent upon its association with other nuclear factors. We previously showed that E2F-4 accounts for the majority of endogenous E2F species. We now show that the subcellular localization of E2F-4 is regulated in a cell cycle-dependent manner that results in the differential compartmentalization of the various E2F complexes. Consequently, in cycling cells, the majority of the p107-E2F, p130-E2F, and free E2F complexes remain in the cytoplasm. In contrast, almost all of the nuclear E2F activity is generated by pRB-E2F. This complex is present at high levels during G1 but disappears once the cells have passed the restriction point. Surprisingly, dissociation of this complex causes little increase in the levels of nuclear free E2F activity. This observation suggests that the repressive properties of the pRB-E2F complex play a critical role in establishing the temporal regulation of E2F-responsive genes. How the differential subcellular localization of pRB, p107, and p130 contributes to their different biological properties is also discussed.


In this study, hydroxyapatite (HA) material, obtained from calcinated bovine bone (BHA), was mixed with 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, and 2.00 wt% Li2CO3. The pressed pellets were sintered at various sintering temperatures between 900°C and 1300°C. Measurements of compression strength, microhardness, and density, along with SEM observation and X-ray diffraction analysis were performed. The experimental results showed that the samples with 0.25 and 0.50% Li2CO3 reached a maximum of densification and the highest values of compression strength and microhardness were achieved after sintering at 1300°C. The wetting effect of a Li2O-associated glassy phase was observed even from 900°C.


The Cock and the Jasp,l Henryson's fable about a cock who finds a precious jewel on a dunghill' only to discard it in favour of food, is one of the best known fables in his collection, yet it is also one in which his figurative methods have been consistently misunderstood. Most critics who have discussed the fable have felt that the cock is quite right in rejecting a precious jewel for which he has no use and have been surprised to discover in the moralitas that he is explicitly condemned for his folly. To account for the apparent reversal of their expectations they have usually adopted one of two positions: either they have concluded that the moralitas is a pious afterthought which has a purely arbitrary connexion with the preceding narrative or else they have argued that the shock of the unexpected interpretation is intentional and an essential part of the meaning of the fable. Both of these positions, however, are untenable since they are based on two quite erroneous assumptions, the first of which is that in the fable we are somehow dealing with a real barnyard fowl on a real dunghill and the second, that Henryson's poetic technique in the narrative causes us to sympathize with the cock's point of view.


This study analyzes the nonlinear static and dynamic response in spur gear pairs with tooth root crack damage. A finite element/contact mechanics (FE/CM) model is used that accurately captures the elastic deformations on the gear teeth due to kinematic motion, tooth and rim deformations, vibration, and localized increases in compliance due to a tooth root crack. The damage is modeled by releasing the connectivity of the finite element mesh at select nodes near a tooth crack. The sensitivity of the calculated static transmission errors and tooth mesh stiffnesses is determined for varying crack initial locations, final locations, and the path from the initial to final location. Gear tooth mesh stiffness is calculated for a wide range of tooth root crack lengths, including large cracks that extend through nearly all of the tooth. Mesh stiffnesses are meaningfully reduced due to tooth root crack damage. The dynamic response is calculated for cracks of varying length. Larger cracks result in increased peak dynamic transmission errors. For small tooth root cracks the spectrum of dynamic transmission error contains components near the natural frequency of the gear pair. The spectrum of dynamic transmission error has broadband frequency response for large tooth root cracks that extend further than one-half of the tooth's thickness.


Introduction: Vitamin k antagonists are the most commonly prescribed anticoagulation among non-valvular atrial fibrillation patients. It is indicated for stroke prevention in this group of patients. The aim of this study is to assess patient compliance among NVAF warfarin users.

Method: The study designed as prospective study, conducted in the medical department in Indonesian and Shifa hospital- Palestine. We included patients undergoing oral anticoagulation with VKA diagnosed with NVAF with diabetes, cardiovascular disease aged between 20-85 years old, otherwise were excluded. The laboratory data include
the INR, creatinine clearance, random blood sugar, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, liver chemistry extracted from patient file.

Analysis: Continuous data are presented as the mean ± standard deviation, and the categoric variables were presented as percentage. To find the relationship between quantitative variables we used binary univariate analysis statistically significant results were considered at a two-tailed p-value <0.05. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software.

Finding: The total number was 100 patients, 50% males and the remain females. The results show that 43% of the patients know the risk of the drug while 39% know about the benefit. Only 58% of patients are within the therapeutic INR and 66% do not follow regular INR monitoring. There was 28% of patients are not in contact with any health care providers for drug monitoring. The results also show that 21% of patients do not follow their daily dose and 36% complain of hemorrhage. The results clarify that there exists a positive relationship between a creatinine, diastolic Bp, systolic Bp and INR Since p-value <0.05.

Interpretation: The finding of this study shows that most of our patients' unaware warfarin, so we recommend construction of warfarin clinic for this group of patients for regular follow up with education program with qualified health care provider.


Ethnoracial Comparisons in Psychotherapy Outcomes Among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander College Students Jared Isaac Cline Department of Counseling Psychology and Special Education Doctor of Philosophy Variables such as stigma, weak ethnic identity, and cultural mistrust have been linked to the underutilization of therapy amongst ethnic minority populations. As such, ethnic minority populations may reach a higher threshold of distress—including areas such as anxiety and depression—before seeking professional help. While there is substantial research documenting ethnic differences among various ethnic minority populations (e.g., African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics) very little research has been conducted exploring differences among individuals from Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) backgrounds. For the current study, we explored differences in distress upon intake as well as the change in anxiety and depression scores over the course of 12 therapy sessions for NHPI college students compared to college students from other ethnic groups. We also explored the effect that spirituality and religiosity had on depression and anxiety among NHPI college students. We collected data from the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH), a practice research network that has aggregated data from hundreds of university counseling centers across the United States, from the years 2012-2015. Our total sample was N = 256,242; of that sample, n = 452 identified as NHPI. We selected independent variables from the Standardized Data Set (i.e., ethnicity, age, gender, estimated socioeconomic status, importance of spirituality and religiosity) and dependent variables from the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 and -34 (i.e., depression, social anxiety, generalized anxiety). We analyzed data using latent growth modeling and computed a conceptual effect size by comparing the change in standard deviation between treatment effects. Results yielded significant differences (p < .05) between both intercept and slope estimates for NHPIs compared to African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, and Whites. Notably, NHPI depression scores improved at the highest rate over time compared to other ethnic groups, while anxiety scores among NHPIs improved at the lowest rate. The effect of spirituality and religiosity on anxiety and depression was statistically insignificant. The results of this study indicated that NHPI college students experience psychotherapy outcomes differently than other ethnic groups, including Asian Americans, with moderate-tolarge magnitudes of effect. Considering substantial meta-analytical research supporting the benefits of culturally adapted treatment, results of this study suggest the need to disaggregate the combined demographic Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), as research conducted on this broader group provides questionable validity when applied to clinical settings for NHPIs.


Regarding to the influence of chloride and fluoride ions on the corrosion resistance, the electrochemical behavior of Ti alloys has been deeply studied. In this work, the main goal was to investigate the electrochemical behavior of cp-Ti and Ti-Mo alloys containing 6, 10 and 15 wt% of Mo concentrations. All the samples were immersed in different solutions, such as 0.15 mol L-1 Na2SO4, 0.15 mol L-1 Ringer, 0.15 mol L-1 Ringer plus 0.036 mol L-1 NaF and 0.036 mol L-1 NaF. Simulating the commercial fluorinated gels, the NaF solutions naturally-aerated were prepared with 1450 ppm of fluoride ions. The electrochemical techniques applied in this work were the open-circuit potential, cyclic voltammetry, besides the technique for chemical identification, which was X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The formation and growth of TiO2 and MoO2 were identified, without pitting corrosion. The electrochemical stability and the corrosion resistance of the Ti-Mo alloys decreased in the solutions containing chloride and fluoride ions, with an appreciative decrease especially in the fluorinated medium. The Ti-Mo alloy with higher Mo content concentration was the material with higher corrosion resistance. Therefore, it is a promising candidate as a biomaterial, once the osseointegration needs a satisfactory corrosion resistance for being achieved.


Metabolic health is now one of the critical challenges for improving human diets. Even when all of the essential nutrients are consumed at adequate levels, people around the world are being recognised with imbalances in macronutrient intakes that lead to severe problems in metabolic regulation. The health problems that are due to imbalances in metabolism include atherosclerosis, obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis. The scientific challenges posed by the need to understand the interactions among diet and metabolic regulation are much greater than previously thought. Over generations, human diets that traditionally maintained populations in good metabolic health were arrived at through trial and error. Scientific knowledge was neither driven nor gained by this process -knowledge was only anecdotal. Now, scientific research must address the problem of guiding individuals to choosing optimal overall diets that not only provide all of the essential nutrients but also deliver all of the macronutrients in an optimal system, such that metabolism itself is balanced. Just as mammalian milk was instrumental in guiding nutrition research to the essential nutrients and in delivering them in adequate quantities, milk is proving to be a knowledge reservoir for understanding diet and metabolic health as well. Comparative compositional, genomic and metabolomic tools are accelerating our capabilities in understanding just how milks of various mammals guide infants to optimal growth, development and metabolism. Dairy product-enriched diets are also apparently capable of delivering to humans of all ages many of the recognised benefits that milk provides to infants for optimal growth and metabolism.


Aims The direct effects of atmospheric and climatic change factors— atmospheric [CO2], air temperature and changes in precipitation— can shape plant community composition and alter ecosystem function. It is essential to understand how these factors interact to make better predictions about how ecosystems may respond to change. We investigated the direct and interactive effects of [CO2], warming and altered soil moisture in open-top chambers (OTCs) enclosing a constructed old-field community to test how these factors shape plant communities. Materials and methods The experimental facility in Oak Ridge, TN, USA, made use of 4-m diameter OTCs and rain shelters to manipulate [CO2] (ambient, ambient + 300 ppm), air temperature (ambient, ambient + 3.5C) and soil moisture (wet, dry). The plant communities within the chambers comprised seven common old-field species, including grasses, forbs and legumes. We tracked foliar cover for each species and calculated community richness, evenness and diversity from 2003 to 2005. Important findings This work resulted in three main findings: (1) warming had speciesspecific effects on foliar cover that varied through time and were altered by soil moisture treatments; (2) [CO2] had little effect on individual species or the community; (3) diversity, evenness and richness were influenced most by soil moisture, primarily reflecting the response of one dominant species. We conclude that individualistic species responses to atmospheric and climatic change can alter community composition and that plant populations and communities should be considered as part of analyses of terrestrial ecosystem response to climate change. However, prediction of plant community responses may be difficult given interactions between factors and changes in response through time.


Since its introduction over a decade ago the tuple space paradigm has attracted interest from the distributed systems community. Despite being developed for shared memory parallel architectures, the simplicity and elegance of the model has led researchers to attempt to realise it in loosely coupled distributed environments. This paper argues that these attempts have largely failed due to their selection of inappropriate target domains, lack of multicast support and failure to operate in heterogeneous environments. We present the design and implementation of a new tuple space platform engineered using IP multicast. The platform is designed to support complex distributed applications such as groupware and mobile applications, operates over a range of end-systems and networks and offers performance comparable to existing RPC based platforms even in tests designed to benefit the RPC paradigm.


Applications that manipulate digital audio and video are rapidly being added to workstations. Such computations can often consume the resources of an entire machine. By incorporating a "realtime" process scheduler, UNIX System V Release 4 (SVR4), the most common basis of workstation operating systems, claims to provide system support for multimedia applications. Our quantitative measurements of real application performance demonstrate that this process scheduler is largely ineffective and can even produce system lockup. While SVR4 UNIX provides many controls for changing scheduler performance, they are virtually impossible to use successfully. Furthermore, the existence of a realtime static priority process scheduler in no way allows a user to deal with these problems. This paper provides a quantitative analysis of real system behavior, demonstrates why it is not possible to obtain the kind of behavior desired with the mechanisms currently provided by the system, and presents modifications to improve the situation.


The hand is often considered as one of the most natural and intuitive interaction modalities for human-to-human interaction. In human-computer interaction (HCI), proper 3D hand tracking is the first step in developing a more intuitive HCI system which can be used in applications such as gesture recognition, virtual object manipulation and gaming. However, accurate 3D hand tracking, remains a challenging problem due to the hand's deformation, appearance similarity, high inter-finger occlusion and complex articulated motion. Further, 3D hand tracking is also interesting from a theoretical point of view as it deals with three major areas of computer vision- segmentation (of hand), detection (of hand parts), and tracking (of hand). This thesis proposes a region-based skin color detection technique, a model-based and an appearance-based 3D hand tracking techniques to bring the human-computer interaction applications one step closer. All techniques are briefly described below. Skin color provides a powerful cue for complex computer vision applications. Although skin color detection has been an active research area for decades, the mainstream technology is based on individual pixels. This thesis presents a new region-based technique for skin color detection which outperforms the current state-of-the-art pixel-based skin color detection technique on the popular Compaq dataset (Jones & Rehg 2002). The proposed technique achieves 91.17% true positive rate with 13.12% false negative rate on the Compaq dataset tested over approximately 14,000 web images. Hand tracking is not a trivial task as it requires tracking of 27 degreesof- freedom of hand. Hand deformation, self occlusion, appearance similarity and irregular motion are major problems that make 3D hand tracking a very challenging task. This thesis proposes a model-based 3D hand tracking technique, which is improved by using proposed depth-foreground-background ii feature, palm deformation module and context cue. However, the major problem of model-based techniques is, they are computationally expensive. This can be overcome by discriminative techniques as described below. Discriminative techniques (for example random forest) are good for hand part detection, however they fail due to sensor noise and high interfinger occlusion. Additionally, these techniques have difficulties in modelling kinematic or temporal constraints. Although model-based descriptive (for example Markov Random Field) or generative (for example Hidden Markov Model) techniques utilize kinematic and temporal constraints well, they are computationally expensive and hardly recover from tracking failure. This thesis presents a unified framework for 3D hand tracking, using the best of both methodologies, which out performs the current state-of-the-art 3D hand tracking techniques. The proposed 3D hand tracking techniques in this thesis can be used to extract accurate hand movement features and enable complex human machine interaction such as gaming and virtual object manipulation.


A new three-dimensional (3D) turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) subgrid mixing scheme is developed using the Advanced Research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model (WRF-ARW) to address the gray-zone problem in the parameterization of subgrid turbulent mixing. The new scheme combines the horizontal and vertical subgrid turbulent mixing into a single energetically consistent framework, in contrast to the conventionally separate treatment of the vertical and horizontal mixing. The new scheme is self-adaptive to the grid-size change between the large-eddy simulation (LES) and mesoscale limits. A series of dry convective boundary layer (CBL) idealized simulations are carried out to compare the performance of the new scheme and the conventional treatment of subgrid mixing to the WRF-ARW LES dataset. The importance of including the nonlocal component in the vertical buoyancy specification in the newly developed general TKE-based scheme is illustrated in the comparison. The improvements of the new scheme with the conventional treatment of subgrid mixing across the gray-zone model resolutions are demonstrated through the partitioning of the total vertical flux profiles. Results from real-case simulations show the feasibility of using the new scheme in the WRF Model in lieu of the conventional treatment of subgrid mixing.


Ultrasound is sound whose frequency is above the human hearing range. It is nowadays widely used for the evaluation of a patient's internal organs. Ultrasound waves are transmitted into the human body by an instrument called the transducer. Inside the body the sound waves are reflected and scattered differently by the different tissues and organs. The reflected sound waves are used by the computer to form an image of the internal structures and tissues. Use of ultrasound is safe with negligible bio-effects.Bangladesh Med J. 2017 Jan; 46 (1): 44-47


Residual feed intake (RFI) is a measure of feed efficiency defined as the difference between the observed feed intake and that predicted from the average requirements for growth and maintenance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the response in a selection experiment consisting of a line selected for low RFI and a random control line and to estimate the genetic parameters for RFI and related production and carcass traits. Beginning with random allocation of purebred Yorkshire littermates, in each generation, electronically measured ADFI, ADG, and ultrasound backfat (BF) were evaluated during a approximately 40- to approximately 115-kg of BW test period on approximately 90 boars from first parity and approximately 90 gilts from second parity sows of the low RFI line. After evaluation of first parity boars, approximately 12 boars and approximately 70 gilts from the low RFI line were selected to produce approximately 50 litters for the next generation. Approximately 30 control line litters were produced by random selection and mating. Selection was on EBV for RFI from an animal model analysis of ADFI, with on-test group and sex (fixed), pen within group and litter (random), and covariates for interactions of on- and off-test BW, on-test age, ADG, and BF with generations. The RFI explained 34% of phenotypic variation in ADFI. After 4 generations of selection, estimates of heritability for RFI, ADFI, ADG, feed efficiency (FE, which is the reciprocal of the feed conversion ratio and equals ADG/ ADFI), and ultrasound-predicted BF, LM area (LMA), and intramuscular fat (IMF) were 0.29, 0.51, 0.42, 0.17, 0.68, 0.57, and 0.28, respectively; predicted responses based on average EBV in the low RFI line were -114, -202, and -39 g/d for RFI (= 0.9 phenotypic SD), ADFI (0.9 SD), and ADG (0.4 SD), respectively, and 1.56% for FE (0.5 SD), -0.37 mm for BF (0.1 SD), 0.35 cm(2) for LMA (0.1 SD), and -0.10% for IMF (0.3 SD). Direct phenotypic comparison of the low RFI and control lines based on 92 low RFI and 76 control gilts from the second parity of generation 4 showed that selection had significantly decreased RFI by 96 g/d (P = 0.002) and ADFI by 165 g/d (P < 0.0001). The low RFI line also had 33 g/d lower ADG (P = 0.022), 1.36% greater FE (P = 0.09), and 1.99 mm less BF (P = 0.013). There was not a significant difference in LMA and other carcass traits, including subjective marbling score, despite a large observed difference in ultrasound-predicted IMF (-1.05% with P < 0.0001). In conclusion, RFI is a heritable trait, and selection for low RFI has significantly decreased the feed required for a given rate of growth and backfat.


Over the past few years, the Federal Reserve's use of unconventional monetary policy tools has received a vast amount of public attention, from discussing how these asset purchases have put downward pressure on longer-term interest rates and thus supported economic activity to evaluating the implications for Federal Reserve remittances to the Treasury and the effect on monetary and fiscal policy. As the economic recovery has gained some momentum of late, the focus has turned to issues associated with the normalization of monetary policy. In this paper, we begin by providing a primer for the Federal Reserve's balance sheet and income statement. With that foundation in place, we then consider a variety of scenarios consistent with statements by Federal Reserve officials about how the FOMC will normalize policy, including whether to sell mortgage-backed securities, whether to change the composition of Federal Reserve liabilities, and the timing of lifting the federal funds rate off from the zero lower bound. In each of these scenarios, we discuss the implications of these normalization policies on the size and composition of Federal Reserve asset and liability holdings and on remittances of earnings to the Treasury, which capture the interest rate risk of these normalization policies. We show that under a baseline normalization strategy described by policymakers, the balance sheet should slowly return to a more normal composition and size, while remittances should remain sizable. With some alternative normalization plans, especially if faced with high interest costs, remittances could drop to zero for some time.


The brain response to words with correct and incorrect word accent–suffix combinations in South Swedish was investigated using electroencephalography (EEG). Accent 1 yielded an increased brain response ('preactivation negativity') that has previously been interpreted as reflecting preactivation of suffixes. Preactivation is greater for accent 1 due to its association with a limited set of suffixes, whereas accent 2 is default for compound words. The tonal realization of the word accent opposition in South Swedish is practically the mirror image of that in Central Swedish, where a similar preactivation negativity has been found. Therefore, the brain response is unlikely to result from a difference in acoustic features between the word accents. Invalidly cued suffixes yielded brain response pattern showing increased processing load of the unexpected suffix (negative electric potential) followed by its reprocessing (positivity 'P600').


: The use of biomedical textiles is expanding as a result of innovations in medical procedures and textile technology, and the miniaturisation of electronic devices. Some of their extending capabilities are described here.


Microencapsulation has been proved to be an efficient technic to entrap and protect active substance in variety fields of application. This process implies two consecutive stages, that is, the emulsion stage, which can be described as a limiting step since it determines the diameter and size distribution of the microcapsules and need to remain stable long enough to allow the membrane to form in the second one. Pickering emulsions are used to improve the stability of the emulsions and to limit the exudation of the active ingredient during mem  brane formation. The first part of this chapter deals with the description of the Pickering emulsion stabilized with solid particles. The second part focuses on the use of this kind of emulsion in a microencapsulation process, and the last part concerns a study of the influ  ence of the nanosilica particles on microparticle formation obtained from a


Communities are increasingly selective in choosing banking services to place their own funds in order to avoid the risk of loss due to poor performance of a bank. Quality services can increase the satisfaction and loyalty of the company so it is expected to encourage the company's success to win the competition. This study aims to analyze the effect of service quality variables consisting of dimensions of reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and physical evidence of customer satisfaction and loyalty. Data analysis used multiple linier regression analysis method with 100 bank customer XYZ sample as respondent. The sampling technique using simple random sampling. Validity and reliability tests are used in testing of research instruments as well as testing classical assumptions in the form of normality test, heterokedastisity test, and linearity test. The results showed that the quality of service has a positive and significant impact on loyalty through customer satisfaction and satisfaction have a positive and significant impact on customer loyalty.


ABSTRACT Vitamin B1 (thiamin) is a vital nutrient for most cells in nature, including marine plankton. Early and recent experiments show that B1 degradation products instead of B1 can support the growth of marine bacterioplankton and phytoplankton. However, the use and occurrence of some degradation products remains uninvestigated, namely N-formyl-4-amino-5-aminomethyl-2-methylpyrimidine (FAMP), which has been a focus of plant oxidative stress research. We investigated the relevance of FAMP in the ocean. Experiments and global ocean meta-omic data indicate that eukaryotic phytoplankton, including picoeukaryotes and harmful algal bloom species, use FAMP while bacterioplankton appear more likely to use deformylated FAMP, 4-amino-5-aminomethyl-2-methylpyrimidine. Measurements of FAMP in seawater and biomass revealed that it occurs at picomolar concentrations in the surface ocean, heterotrophic bacterial cultures produce FAMP in the dark—indicating non-photodegradation of B1 by cells, and B1-requiring (auxotrophic) picoeukaryotic phytoplankton produce intracellular FAMP. Our results require an expansion of thinking about vitamin degradation in the sea, but also the marine B1 cycle where it is now crucial to consider a new B1-related compound pool (FAMP), as well as generation (dark degradation—likely via oxidation), turnover (plankton uptake), and exchange of the compound within the networks of plankton. IMPORTANCE Results of this collaborative study newly show that a vitamin B1 degradation product, N-formyl-4-amino-5-aminomethyl-2-methylpyrimidine (FAMP), can be used by diverse marine microbes (bacteria and phytoplankton) to meet their vitamin B1 demands instead of B1 and that FAMP occurs in the surface ocean. FAMP has not yet been accounted for in the ocean and its use likely enables cells to avoid B1 growth deficiency. Additionally, we show FAMP is formed in and out of cells without solar irradiance—a commonly considered route of vitamin degradation in the sea and nature. Altogether, the results expand thinking about oceanic vitamin degradation, but also the marine B1 cycle where it is now crucial to consider a new B1-related compound pool (FAMP), as well as its generation (dark degradation—likely via oxidation), turnover (plankton uptake), and exchange within networks of plankton. Results of this collaborative study newly show that a vitamin B1 degradation product, N-formyl-4-amino-5-aminomethyl-2-methylpyrimidine (FAMP), can be used by diverse marine microbes (bacteria and phytoplankton) to meet their vitamin B1 demands instead of B1 and that FAMP occurs in the surface ocean. FAMP has not yet been accounted for in the ocean and its use likely enables cells to avoid B1 growth deficiency. Additionally, we show FAMP is formed in and out of cells without solar irradiance—a commonly considered route of vitamin degradation in the sea and nature. Altogether, the results expand thinking about oceanic vitamin degradation, but also the marine B1 cycle where it is now crucial to consider a new B1-related compound pool (FAMP), as well as its generation (dark degradation—likely via oxidation), turnover (plankton uptake), and exchange within networks of plankton.


A process-based model simulating the change in total soluble solids (TSS (%)) in fruit flesh was developed to describe the effect of climatic conditions on the sugar content of 'Queen Victoria' pineapple at harvest on Reunion Island. Sugar content varies throughout fruit development according to three processes (the supply of carbohydrates to the fruit, fruit metabolism, and dilution) which are affected by environmental factors, mainly temperature, rainfall and fertilization. The ecophysiological model of soluble sugar accumulation was linked to SIMPIÑA, a crop model that accurately predicts the daily increases in flesh dry and fresh weight. When the process-based model and crop model were linked, the dry and fresh matter of the pineapple flesh, as affected by climatic conditions, could be used as inputs to predict the TSS (%) at harvest. The relative rate of transformation of carbon as sugars in the fruit flesh for the synthesis of compounds other than sugars was estimated during fruit growth. TSS (%) were compared for harvested fruit grown under eight agro-climatic conditions. In the flesh of fruit harvested close to maturity, i.e., at 1400 degree-days after flowering, TSS (%) were significantly related (r2 = 0.55, P < 0.001) to total soluble sugar content. The variability of TSS (%) between the eight agro-climatic groups ranged from 16.9 for pineapples grown in dry locations irrigated, under N-deficit conditions to 19.4 for pineapples grown in dry locations, without irrigation and without N deficiency. The variability of TSS (%) was substantial within each of the eight agro-climatic groups: standard deviations ranged from 0.9 to 1.5 for pineapples grown in dry locations, irrigated, without N deficiency and in dry locations, without irrigation and without N deficiency, respectively. For data from 14 experiments conducted under different climatic conditions, N fertilization, and irrigation conditions, the model predicted the TSS (%) at harvest with an RRMSE of 0.04. By linking this sugar model to the SIMPIÑA crop model, the impact of environmental conditions and cultural practices on the growth and development of pineapple are taken into account to predict the gustatory quality of pineapple grown on Reunion Island. The model could have a practical application to manage fruit quality, plan harvest, and marketing. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.


With the aim of increasing practitioner competence, this dissertation provides marriage and family therapists and mental health service providers with insight into the experiences of legally married same-sex couples. Specifically, the inquiry's objective was to elicit narratives of strength and agency from these couples who navigated the oppressive circumstances of an anti-gay amendment campaign situated within the debate over the extension of marriage rights to same-sex couples. Fourteen couples were interviewed in order to respond to the dissertation's overriding question: How do the lesbian and gay couples and families who are among those who were legally married in California before the passage of Proposition 8 narrate their experiences of their marriages? Through portraiture (Lawrence-Lightfoot & Davis, 1997), a method of inquiry situated within a postmodern, social constructionist framework, a narrative was produced which evolved through five emergent themes: 1) Our Commitments Have Rich Histories  – the symbolic and legal ways in which these couples commemorated and brought definition to their commitments, in the absence of a nationally-sanctioned and collectively-recognized state of legal marriage; 2) Not a Simple Matter: The Complexities of Language Choice  – their contextual language choices, which reflected the absence of representative and collectively-recognized language options for their relationships after their legal marriages; 3) The Battle Metaphor  – the couples' experiences of California's political debate over the extension of marriage rights to same-sex couples; 4) Support Shaped Lived Experiences  – the impact of support from friends, family, and community; and lastly, 5) Legal Marriage Shaped Individual, Relational, and Social Identities  – individual, relational and social shifts that occurred for the couples through the experience of being legally married. A follow-up focus group further validated the theme Support Shaped Lived Experiences , and examined more deeply the tensions that occurred when important persons were silent about and/or did not recognize the legitimacy of the couples' legal marriages, and/or the discriminatory context in which their legal marriages were situated. In addition to its contribution of the experiences of legally married same-sex couples to the family therapy literature, the dissertation concludes with important implications for affirmative therapeutic practice, research, education, training, advocacy, and social policy.


SUBJECT
Along with the promotion of "home medical care", an increasing number of clinics provide home medical care as part of their services or are dedicated to home medical care partly as a result of the reform of the healthcare system. This is considered to be the manifestation of the desire of patients to live their own lives and the intention of the healthcare professionals to satisfy patient needs. We examine what insurance pharmacies should and must do to provide higher-quality services to satisfy such patient needs, this time focusing on the community coordination for the purpose of providing the services which can give sense of security to patients.

METHOD
Cases of HPN during the period from July 2002 to June 2003 were subdivided into those in which we were involved before and after the discharge from the hospital and those in which we were involved only after the discharge from the hospital to home medical care and comparatively studied from various perspectives. Existing coordination systems are introduced and discussed to achieve the desirable coordination systems.

PRESENT AND FUTURE
In the home guidance service, some patients consult with us on the issues on which they hesitate to consult with doctors or nurses. This suggests that we can contribute to the mental care for patients and their care givers. In order to make the best use of our position, the coordination with hospitals is essential for insurance pharmacies. The degree of contribution to the improvement of QOL or the mitigation of anxiety over inexperienced issues is considered to differ depending on the preparatory period between the cases in which we were involved before and after the discharge from the hospital and those in which we were involved only after the discharge from the hospital to home medical care. The analysis of the differences in the actual cases is considered to be significant to seek for the ideal coordination.


Stuff Matters by Mark Miodownik is a fantastically entertaining introduction to the strange inner life of materials by one of the The Times 100 most influential scientists in the UK and scientist in residence on Dara O Briain's Science Club. "Insightful, fascinating. The futuristic materials will elicit gasps. Makes even the most everyday substance seem exciting". (Sunday Times). "Expert, deftly written, immensely enjoyable". (Observer). "Enthralling ...a mission to re-acquaint us with the wonders of the fabric that sustains our lives". (Guardian). "A certain sort of madness may be necessary to pull of what he has attempted here, which is a wholesale animation of the inanimate: Miodownik achieves precisely what he sets out to". (The Times). "Wonderful. Miodownik writes well enough to make even concrete sparkle". (Financial Times). Why is glass see-through? What makes elastic stretchy? How come concrete pours? Why does a paperclip bend? Why does any material look and behave the way it does? From the towering skyscrapers of our cities to the most ordinary objects in our homes, Stuff Matters tells enthralling stories that explain the science and history of materials we take entirely for granted, while introducing some of humankind's most ingenious and improbable inventions. From the tea-cup to the jet engine, the silicon chip to the paper clip, the plastic in our appliances to the elastic in our underpants, world-leading materials scientist Mark Miodownik reveals the miracles of engineering and ingenuity that permeate every aspect of our lives. Along the way, he introduces materials that can heal themselves, implants that become living bone, the explosive that made the movie business, materials that might one day save the world - and others that already have. "Utterly captivating. Every piece of 'stuff' we take for granted in our daily lives has a rich story to tell. A real delight". (Jim Al-Khalili, author of Paradox). "The Master of Materials strikes again. Professor Miodownik has a gift for exciting us with his unique combination of the science and the sensuality of the stuff that the world around is made from". (Thomas Heatherwick, designer of the Olympic Flame). "Written with such informed and infectious zeal...Stuff Matters doesn't just reveal the hidden and amazing structures behind much of what our world is made of, it tells the hidden and fascinating stories too". (Quentin Cooper, BBC Radio 4). "Stuff Matters has reminded me that historians can spend too much time looking at what people have said and written, and not enough on the materials with which we have built modern society. I now understand why epochs in human history are defined by the stuff we have used". (Dan Snow). "An ode to material science. Miodownik delves into the molecules and history of metal, paper, concrete and chocolate, finding poetry and beauty in the details. It's also about the ingenuity of humankind, the unique ability of humans to understand the materials around us, and to manipulate them". (Alice Roberts). Mark Miodownik recently appeared in The Times' inaugural list of the 100 most influential scientists in the UK. He is Professor of Materials and Society at UCL and presenter of several BBC television documentaries, including How it Works and The Genius of Invention, as well as appearing as scientist-in-residence on Dara O Briain's Science Club. In 2010, he gave the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. He is Director of the UCL Institute of Making which is home to a materials library containing some of the most wondrous matter on earth, and has collaborated to make interactive events with many museums, such as Tate Modern, the Hayward Gallery and Wellcome Collection.


Neurological deficits can occur following viper bite. It is usually due to intracerebral or subarachnoid bleed as a result of depletion of clotting factors. A healthy 21-year old male developed motor aphasia and right hemiplegia within two hours of being bit by a viper. Brain CT scan revealed a left frontal lobe infarction. The possible mechanisms for cerebral infarction in this patient are hypotension, endothelial injury, hypercoagulability and vascular.


Medicaid is the need based government program that pays for much of the health care for the poor in the United States. Medicaid often ends up paying the costs of nursing home care for middle class seniors who have descended into poverty as a result of the high costs of such care. For married couples Medicaid requires "spend down" of both spouses' assets before one spouse can qualify for Medicaid support. This article posits that, unless the law is changed, divorce may well become standard Medicaid planning practice in many circumstances. This will be especially true for middle and upper middle class married couples because they have the most to gain from divorce in this context. It argues that Medicaid's approach toward married couples is based on a narrow and outmoded image of marriage. It assumes a marriage where the spouses have enjoyed a long life together, have common intended beneficiaries, have no other person to whom they have an equal or greater commitment, and it assumes a high level of commitment to the institution of marriage itself. This view of marriage tends to not fit the modern landscape where the marriage one inhabits in old age may be of newer vintage and may not include children of the marriage. Added to this is the trend toward "de-institutionalization" of marriage. The article contends that as marriage becomes less sacred in our society the utility of divorce as a Medicaid planning strategy will outweigh its moral repugnance. This is especially true because in this context divorce does not require ending or even substantially changing the day to day relationship of the parties. It simply becomes a rational asset protection plan. The alternative recommended to this developing trend is the disaggregation of marital property for most Medicaid purposes. Thus, instead of requiring the healthy spouse to spend down her or his assets before the unhealthy spouse can qualify for Medicaid assistance as present law does, the article recommends that only the assets properly allocable under state law to the unhealthy spouse should be required to be spent down. Similarly, estate recovery should only apply to the assets properly allocable to the deceased person who received the Medicaid assistance during life. This last point is particularly important in light of the apparent trend toward more aggressive estate recovery in some states.


Paper journals--and books--will continue to exist, despite the digital revolution. Electronic media are superior for storage and retrieval of information, but far less so for intellectual digestion. The Dutch Journal of Medicine is proud of its recently completed electronic archive, in the form of digital images (1857-1985) and full text (from 1986 onwards). At the same time the Journal's supporting Society cherishes a valuable book collection, with some 700 titles before the year 1800 alone. Recently, a curator and a professional librarian were appointed. Part of the Society's assets have been transferred to a special fund for the support of projects on the borderline between medicine and other disciplines, such as history, philosophy, sociology and art.


Learning structure in temporally-extended sequences is a difficult computational problem because only a fraction of the relevant information is available at any instant. Although variants of back propagation can in principle be used to find structure in sequences, in practice they are not sufficiently powerful to discover arbitrary contingencies, especially those spanning long temporal intervals or involving high order statistics. For example, in designing a connectionist network for music composition, we have encountered the problem that the net is able to learn musical structure that occurs locally in time--e.g., relations among notes within a musical phrase--but not structure that occurs over longer time periods--e.g., relations among phrases. To address this problem, we require a means of constructing a reduced description of the sequence that makes global aspects more explicit or more readily detectable. I propose to achieve this using hidden units that operate with different time constants. Simulation experiments indicate that slower time-scale hidden units are able to pick up global structure, structure that simply can not be learned by standard back propagation.


There is a group of artistic creative efforts which are accompanied by suicide-like states. It is hypothesized that these states are part of the artist's attempt to shut himself off from an external world seen as rejecting. At the same time, the artist calls upon inner resources to develop a new creation. This hypothesis may help explicate a certain group of clinical suicidal crises. In this group, the suicidal state signals a movement of the subject away from an untenable mode of life into a new and hopefully rewarding one.


Soil nitrogen (N) dynamics are a major concern of soil nutrient status and its supply for crop uptake and growth. They are a central focus of agroecosystems. Agronomic practices play a central role in regulating soil N dynamics; the methodologies for investigating soil N mineralization are diverse, but debatable. This chapter discusses the pros and cons of different methods for measuring soil N mineralization, including laboratory, in-situ, and modeling procedures. This chapter illustrates the influence of agronomic practices on root architecture that potentially affects crop nutrient uptake. The relationship between agronomic practices and soil N dynamics were fully discussed, which can substantially inform soil fertility and crop nutrition management.


Nowadays tramadol misused and abused is wide spread mainly among young and middle-aged people, especially males as it used in management of premature ejaculation and for orgasm extension. However, these patients are susceptible to many problems after long term administration of tramadol including histological changes on testis. This study is designed to study the effect of tramadol on the histological change of testis and its withdrawal effect with the possibility of vitamin C to reverse these changes. Fifty adult male albino rats were used in this study. Animals were divided into five equal groups: Group A (control group), rats were injected with distilled water. Group B (treated with tramadol only)(TGI), rats were injected with tramadol (50mg/kg b.wt.). Group C (treated with tramadol + vitamin C) (TGII), rats were injected with vitamin C (100mg/Kg/b.wt.) half hour prior to tramadol injection in the same dose as in TGI. These animals were injected intraperitoneally (I.P.) for 4 wks. Group D (treated group B withdrawal) (TGI WD), rats treated as group B then left for two wks. as withdrawal group. Group E (treated group C withdrawal) (TGII WD), rats treated as group C then left for two wks. as withdrawal group. At the end of the experiment, the rats were killed and testis was removed and preserved in a fixative and processed to get paraffin wax block and prepared for microscopic examination. The results showed histological changes in the tramadol treated rats were irregularity and atrophy of S.T. with widening of the interstitisum along with arrest of spermatogenesis at level of spermatid in most of seminiferous tubules (S.T.) while in others it arrested at level of spermatocyte with exfoliated germinal epithelium in the lumens of most tubules. Vacuoles are present in cytoplasm of spermatocytes with detachment of degenerated germinal epithelial cells from basement membrane, the interstitisum has been shown vacuolated homogenous acidophilic material. After adding of vitamin C in Group C (TGII), the histological findings have been shown improvement in the histological structure of testis. In both withdrawal groups (Group D &E), there were signs of improvement in the S.T. mainly in group E that appeared somewhat like normal. This study was concluded that tramadol caused structural changes in testicular tissues with poor reversibility following withdrawal but adding vitamin C has role in alleviated the histological changes and accelerated the reversibility.


Practically all countries of Asia have pledged at the national as well as international level to reduce the number of hungry and food insecure. A concrete step in this direction was taken in the World Food Summit in Rome, in 1996, when the nations resolved to reach the goal of food security. It was further reiterated at the Millennium Summit held in New York in 2000 where the United Nations adopted the Millennium Declaration, which contains goals and targets in important areas of human development. One of these goals is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. This particular study aimed to examine the results of the efforts to achieve food security in Asian Countries in the context of Millennium Goals. Having adopted the basic premise that factors determining food security can be best understood at the country level, the study was based on country case studies: two least developed countries (Cambodia and Nepal), two medium-income countries undergoing fast structural changes (Indonesia and Thailand), and one large and fast developing country (India).


A preponderance of astrophysical and cosmological evidence indicates that the universe contains not only visible matter but also dark matter. In order to suppress the couplings between the dark and visible sectors, a standard assumption is that these two sectors communicate only through a mediator. In this paper we make a simple but important observation: if the dark sector contains multiple components with similar quantum numbers, then this mediator also generically gives rise to dark-sector decays, with heavier dark components decaying to lighter components. This in turn can even give rise to relatively long dark decay chains, with each step of the decay chain also producing visible matter. The visible byproducts of such mediator-induced decay chains can therefore serve as a unique signature of such scenarios. In order to examine this possibility more concretely, we examine a scenario in which a multi-component dark sector is connected through a mediator to Standard-Model quarks. We then demonstrate that such a scenario gives rise to multi-jet collider signatures, and we examine the properties of such jets at both the parton and detector levels. Within relatively large regions of parameter space, we find that such multi-jet signatures are not excluded by existing monojet and multi-jet searches. Such decay cascades therefore represent a potential discovery route for multi-component dark sectors at current and future colliders.


Recent quantitative studies of drainage basins and stream channels have yielded significant results that promise greatly to enlarge our knowledge of fluvial processes and erosional landforms. However, the tentative conclusions derived from these preliminary investigations have raised in turn a host of fascinating new problems, which are now receiving attention by increasing numbers of research workers. Several current projects involve collection and analysis of new data, with reexamination and rigorous testing of certain basic concepts of geomorphology the immediate objective.In recent years, several different approaches to the study of drainage basins and stream channels have been used, and a considerable variety has been investigated. From the results of these recent investigations, there can be little doubt that lithology and geologic structure affect the properties of drainage basins and stream channels in ways which are complex but nonetheless detectable by quantitative methods. However, the geologic and hydraulic data collected thus far are not sufficient in either number of areal scope to enable one to state very precisely what cause-and-effect relationships exist, or the extent to which they may differ in various geologic and geographic environments. Efforts at present are concentrated on accumulation of data and on sorting out the several independent and dependent variables. This is a slow process because of the relatively small number of persons involved, the complex interrelationships of the variables, and the large number of different kinds of areas to be studied.This report adds new data from a high mountain area characterized by geologic and geographic conditions markedly different from those in areas previously studied. Besides the effects of different bedrock lithologies, extreme relief, and vertical changes in climate, the additional factor of glaciation might be expected to affect channel properties and the characteristics of bed material in high mountain streams. Furthermore, it has long been supposed that mountain streams are not graded; that is, they are not in equilibrium, but instead are actively downcutting. This implies that they differ in some possibly measurable way from equilibrium or graded streams. Hence, a principal objective in this study of mountain streams was to test the range of validity of certain conclusions reached in earlier investigations. Briefly, the procedure involved collection and analysis of stream data obtained in the high mountains, and comparisons of the results with information of similar character obtained in other, mostly nonmountainous, areas.Any attempt to segregate geologic controls of characteristics and lithologic composition of bed material requires detailed knowledge of the bedrock geology of the drainage basin. Because the author had recently spent several field seasons mapping the geology of a large area in the southern portion of the Sangre de Cristo Range, New Mexico, the choice of a site for stream studies was resolved by the purely practical consideration of expediency. However, one additional advantage of this area over the other possible choices is the fact that the arroyos described by Leopold and Miller (1956) are located in the Rio Grande Depression, at the foot of the range, and afford a basis for local comparison. The order of discussion will be as follows. A brief resume of local geography and geology, emphasizing aspects of the physical setting, which affect stream properties, will define the general framework of these studies. Next, field procedures will be described, and data obtained from measurements of channel dimensions, bed material, and other properties will be presented. The subsequent sections will describe the results of efforts of geology on stream characteristics. Finally, the problem of grade or equilibrium in mountain streams will be considered.


For many years in succession countings of the breeding number of white storks (Ciconia ciconia) ir the Netherlands have been performed by F. HAVERSCHMIDT. lis observations procure data up till the year 1946. As the decreasc or the white stork as a breeding species appeared to be rather alarmiug during recent years, a complete census of this species was carried out in the year 1950 by the State Forestry Service in the Netherlands, the results of which are given here. A second census will be performed in 1955. As late as in the 19th century the white stork was a common breeding species in the Netherlands (TEMMINCK, SCHLEGEL), but a sudden decrease in numbers has been recorded in 1857; a previous noticeable decrease was recorded in 1769. The first census of nests of the white stork was made in 1929. During that year 209 nests could be recordecf. In 1934 there were 273 recorded nests. In 1939 this number was 312. A slight increase in number was noticeable. In later years no complete census was performed anymore, but is seems that the year 1940 was a good year for the white stork. From 1941 to 1945 a serious decrease in the number of occupied nests occurred, the total number falling down below that of 1929, being about 150 r 160. All data published about special areas, controled after 1946, are used in this report. The census of 1950 was performed with the aid of many volunteers, Ornithologists, policemen, local authorities and many others cooperated all over- the country, making the data remarkably complete. Some new nests were recorded, but more than 230 nests, recorded as occupied by HAVERSCHMIDT appeared to be uninhabited. If the census of 1950 embodies any inaccuracies this may be by some nests being overlooked. The error is estimated, however, to be smaller than 5%. The results have been arranged in tables according to the provinces. Every nest is numbered. The numbers given by HAVERSCHMIDT are compared with the numbers of our census 1950, and with the numbers of previous years, as far as those are known. Nests marked 4- means that the nest was occupied by one bird only. The tables clearly show that the total number of occupied nests has seriously decreased since the last complete census. In fact the number fell down to 85 occupied nests. Compared with 1939, a decrease of the number of young of 76% and of the number of breeding pairs of 73% was calculated. The future of the white stork as a breeding bird in the Netherlands seems to be rather precarious. Statistical calculations on the population size of the white stork in the Netherlands, based on the data published in this paper, will appear in a future issue of this series.


Despite the dedicated efforts of many individuals and organizations, the great apes—our closest living relatives—are on the very edge of extinction. This sweeping atlas provides a comprehensive overview of what is currently known about all six species of great apes—chimpanzee, bonobo, Sumatran orangutan, Bornean orangutan, eastern gorilla, and western lowland gorilla. Created in association with The Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP), this book gives a thorough background on ape behavior and ecology for each species, including detailed habitat requirements, the apes' ecological role, and the possible consequences of their decline. World Atlas of Great Apes also offers a full description of the threats, current conservation efforts, and additional protection needed for each species across its entire range. Many full-color maps and illustrations make the abundance of information accessible to a broad readership, from specialists and policymakers to general readers concerned about the survival of these charismatic primates.


In order to justify and naturalise domination and exploitation of 'others,' some
ideologies that theorise 'they are less human' have been invented and employed
throughout history. Among these ideologies is the 'West?and?Islam' dualism, which has
been comprehensively and critically studied by Edward Said in Orientalism. Since
Orientalism was published in 1978, however, the world seems to have become much
more interdependent and political interrelations between the West and Islam have
changed dramatically. Consequently this dualism, though more or less in place, has
been influenced by escalating waves of globalisation and redistributed and reshaped in
a different form. To critically appraise this dualism in this new era, three prominent
contemporary Western Islamologists, Bernard Lewis, John Esposito and Gilles Kepel,
have been selected and different aspects of their perspectives, their methodologies,
their views on Islam and modernity, their political propositions and Islamic belief and
law in their vision, are closely compared and critically examined. These three scholars
are used to describe parts of the fabric of what I call neo?Orientalism; they are
exemplars suggesting the existence of a larger whole. This dissertation aims to present
the genealogy of some lingering traces of the West?and?Islam dualism in order to know
how they were originated and how they can be replaced by an egalitarian perspective.
This is particularly important in this new interdependent world, where we are very
close to each other and any crisis anywhere can affect human beings everywhere. This
thesis also aims to criticise the often unquestioned assumptions of Western works on
Islam and to show through a comparative examination that there can be very different
routes with healthier outcomes to look at other cultures. In addition to methods used
by Said and to avoid his shortcomings, this research is informed by a Popperian
methodology, relying on his theory of the growth of knowledge, his situational analysis
and his views on framework and ideology. In conclusion, this thesis suggests that if the
West?and?Islam dualism is considered as a spectrum of views on Islam, Lewis is the
most dualist, perfectly following all principles of dualism, Esposito is the least, and
Kepel is (so to say) in between. Moreover, some promising changes in neo?Orientalism
as well as some additional dualistic tendencies that can define neo?Orientalism are
found in this new era. To portray a better future for our interdependent world some
new approaches to identity, global ethics and global civil society are suggested.
Eradicating the roots of Orientalism and Occidentalism alike and accepting, protecting
and even promoting diversity are first steps towards countering devastating threats
that endanger humankind as a whole.


Series of large scaled model test has been carried out to examine the reinforcement mechanism of deep buried piles. Testing tools including rigid load cells, the earth pressure cells and data collecting systems are employed to measure the anti-thrust received by deep buried piles and the slope thrust of the slope on piles top. On the basis of the variation process of measured data, the time and the location of slide surface in the slope is determined, and the maximal anti-sliding force upward to the piles top could be gained by the data of earth pressure cells. Then the failure form process is analyzed with the anti-sliding length of the piles changed. The relationship between the sliding force received by the piles and that supplied by the slope on piles top is analyzed to supply scientific demonstration for the design method of slope reinforced by the deeply buried piles.


The effect of various confinement conditions on physical fitness in dogs was evaluated. Eighteen 9.5- to 10-month-old female purpose-bred Beagles were maintained individually for 3 months at a time in 1 of 6 confinement conditions: Condition A--an outdoor housing area with a conventional dog house and free access to a 6.1 x 9.1-m pen; condition B--outdoor kennel with a conventional dog house and free access to a 1.8 x 6.1-m run; condition C--indoor environmentally controlled 1.2 x 3.66-m run; condition D-0.9 x 1.2 x 0.84-m conventional laboratory cage in an indoor environmentally controlled room; condition E--0.9 x 1.2 x 0.84-m conventional laboratory cage in an indoor environmentally controlled room with treadmill exercise (7 km/h at a 10% grade) for 30 min/d, 5 d/wk; condition F--0.71 x 0.86 x 0.69-m conventional laboratory cage in an indoor environmentally controlled room. During the final week of each 3-month interval, muscle succinate dehydrogenase enzyme activities and submaximal exercise heart rates (during treadmill exercise) were determined to estimate physical fitness. Also, 5 days after being moved into a different housing condition, blood samples were collected for plasma cortisol determination. The type of confinement condition for dogs had little effect on muscle succinate dehydrogenase activity, but had a modest effect on submaximal exercise heart rates of dogs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


: This study focused on quantitative damage severity assessment in composite materials using Acousto-Ultrasonics (AU), an in-service and active non-destructive inspection technique in which Lamb waves are communicated through a damaged zone. This was done by activating a signal onto the composite material surface and acquiring the received waves after their interactions with the damage. It relied on early research that presented a series of stress wave factors (SWFs) derived from the frequency-domain of the AU data, as quantitative identifiers of the received signal. Although, the SWFs have previously been proven to determine the understanding of the spatial arrangements of the impact damage, the degree or severity of the damage inside the impact damage area has not been assessed. Therefore, the current research was a step in the right way toward that aim. AU waves were generated via a laminate with increasing concentrations of ply faults, across longitudinal length. The stress wave factors were first examined for an undamaged composite, and the SWFs were then connected with the fault concentration. The significance of the found linkages and the possible futures of quantitative assessment of the degree of damage by such relationships were examined. The stress wave factors showed clear and consistent patterns, as the fault concentration increased. With a rise in fault density, an element measuring the energy content of the waves significantly changed with R- sq(adj) = 91.33% and almost linearly, and provided a robust measurable trend, while other parameter exhibited lesser shifts with R- sq(adj) = 51.86%. The result obtained from the presented work provided a base to cost-effective and in- service measure to early detection of catastrophic failures in composite structures, including the wind turbine blades for renewable and sustainable energy generation.


Software-Defined Networking (SDN), which is used in Industrial Internet of Things, uses a controller as its "network brain" located at the control plane. This uniquely distinguishes it from the traditional networking paradigms because it provides a global view of the entire network. In SDN, the controller can become a single point of failure, which may cause the whole network service to be compromised. Also, data packet transmission between controllers and switches could be impaired by natural disasters, causing hardware malfunctioning or Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Thus, SDN controllers are vulnerable to both hardware and software failures. To overcome this single point of failure in SDN, this paper proposes an attack-aware logical link assignment (AALLA) mathematical model with the ultimate aim of restoring the SDN network by using logical link assignment from switches to the cluster (backup) controllers. We formulate the AALLA model in integer linear programming (ILP), which restores the disrupted SDN network availability by assigning the logical links to the cluster (backup) controllers. More precisely, given a set of switches that are managed by the controller(s), this model simultaneously determines the optimal cost for controllers, links, and switches.


In Byzantine robust distributed or federated learning, a central server wants to train a machine learning model over data distributed across multiple workers. However, a fraction of these workers may deviate from the prescribed algorithm and send arbitrary messages. While this problem has received significant attention recently, most current defenses assume that the workers have identical data. For realistic cases when the data across workers are heterogeneous (non-iid), we design new attacks which circumvent current defenses, leading to significant loss of performance. We then propose a simple bucketing scheme that adapts existing robust algorithms to heterogeneous datasets at a negligible computational cost. We also theoretically and experimentally validate our approach, showing that combining bucketing with existing robust algorithms is effective against challenging attacks. Our work is the first to establish guaranteed convergence for the non-iid Byzantine robust problem under realistic assumptions.


Investigations were carried out on the effect of quercetin on the level of the major sphingolipid metabolites in ras-transformed 3T3 fibroblasts. Quercetin is a polyphenol of a significant biomedical importance, which has been reported to show beneficial effects such as antioxidant, anti-neoplastic, anti-ageing, etc. Sphingolipids are functionally active lipid molecules, which regulate important cellular processes, like proliferation, apoptosis and transmembrane signalling, among others. Despite the numerous investigations devoted to the influence of quercetin on the lipid metabolism of various types of cancer cells, the mechanism of this influence on the major sphingolipid pathways still remains unclear. Our studies showed that sphingomyelin was decreased in ras-transformed 3T3 fibroblasts, whereas ceramide, which is a pro-apoptotic factor, was increased as a result of elevated neutral sphingomyelinase activity. However, the level of sphingosine-1-phosphate, which is related to cell proliferation, was not altered as a result of quercetin treatment, which is an unexpected finding when compared to our previous studies with cancer cells. In addition, the observed changes in the balancing enzyme in the sphingolipid pathway, sphingosine kinase 1, which produces sphingosine-1-phosphate, were not statistically significant in quercetin-treated oncogene-transformed fibroblasts.
The presented data are useful for better understanding of the effect of flavonoids on the regulation of sphingolipid metabolism and could help in the development of complex antitumour therapeutic approaches, involving natural antitumour agents like polyphenols.


Being spontaneous, micro-expressions are useful in the inference of a person's true emotions even if an attempt is made to conceal them. Due to their short duration and low intensity, the recognition of micro-expressions is a difficult task in affective computing. The early work based on handcrafted spatio-temporal features which showed some promise, has recently been superseded by different deep learning approaches which now compete for the state of the art performance. Nevertheless, the problem of capturing both local and global spatio-temporal patterns remains challenging. To this end, herein we propose a novel spatio-temporal transformer architecture – to the best of our knowledge, the first purely transformer based approach (i.e., void of any convolutional network use) for micro-expression recognition. The architecture comprises a spatial encoder which learns spatial patterns, a temporal aggregator for temporal dimension analysis, and a classification head. A comprehensive evaluation on three widely used spontaneous micro-expression data sets, namely SMIC-HS, CASME II and SAMM, shows that the proposed approach consistently outperforms the state of the art, and is the first framework in the published literature on micro-expression recognition to achieve the unweighted F1-score greater than 0.9 on any of the aforementioned data sets. The source code is available at https://github.com/Vision-Intelligence-and-Robots-Group/SLSTT.


Description Dermatological disease has historically been dependent on photography as a primary modality for education. Previously, photographs used for medical education were representative of the regional patient populations at that time; however, they have not proportionally reflected the rapidly changing demographics in the United States. Education on the diagnosis of cutaneous disease has, therefore, primarily relied on photographs of lighter skin tones. There is a need for a better representation of darker skin tones in dermatologic medical education. This article introduces a clinical series that highlights dermatological diseases in various skin pigmentations, which are commonly seen in the primary care office. The goal is to improve the diagnostic accuracy of primary care clinicians and to compare how certain cutaneous diseases may vary in appearance depending on the individuals' Fitzpatrick skin type.


New evidence from basin modeling documents a nearly synchronous episode of rapid subsidence between Middle Devonian and earliest Mississippian time in almost all preexisting margins and interior basins of North America. The subsidence events appear to have been accompanied by a large sea-level rise relative to the stable cratonic platform. Herein we suggest that the timing and magnitude of basin subsidence and sea-level change are compatible with predictions by recent mantle-convection models for the assembly of supercontinents. If so, the sea-level and subsidence events were consequences of the onset of accretion of Pangea above a major zone of mantle downwelling.


ABSTRACT Species of the genus Lithophyllum are important carbonate producers and bioconstructors. In recent years, molecular studies focusing on this genus have unravelled several striking cases of cryptic and pseudocryptic diversity. Lithophyllum racemus is a common non-geniculate coralline alga-forming rhodoliths in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Molecular phylogenies (psbA and coxI) reconstructed for some Mediterranean specimens morpho-anatomically assigned to L. racemus revealed two well-supported sister clades. Based on pairwise sequence divergences, we recognised these two clades as separate species, L. racemus and L. pseudoracemus sp. nov. The low number of specimens has not permitted any useful morpho-anatomical comparison between the species, and for now, only DNA sequencing permits separation. The discovery of L. pseudoracemus unravelled a new case of cryptic diversity in Mediterranean coralline algae, highlighting the substantially underestimated diversity of these seaweeds.


Scientific documentation research leads to the computation of large amounts of information from published works of the scientific community. It is necessary to explain these processes and create application frameworks. This paper provides the following: a) An Information System designed to extract scientific information from published papers, b) Accurate explanations of the main processing stages including data mining, natural language processing, and machine learning, and c) Categorized and explained results coming from the Artificial Intelligence case study. The results in this paper include the following: a) Topics and research area rankings and b) Quantity versus quality comparisons of topics and research areas.


U.S. households' housing price expectations deviate systematically from rational expectations: (i) expectations are updated on average too sluggishly; (ii) following housing price changes, expectations initially underreact but subsequently overreact; (iii) households are overly optimistic (pessimistic) about capital gains when the price-to-rent ratio is high (low). We show that weak forms of capital gain extrapolation allow to simultaneously replicate the behavior of housing prices and these deviations from rational expectations as an equilibrium outcome. Embedding capital gain extrapolation into a sticky price model featuring a lower-bound constraint on nominal interest rates, we show that lower natural rates of interest increase the volatility of housing prices and thereby the volatility of the natural rate of interest. This exacerbates the relevance of the lower bound constraint and causes the optimal inflation target to increase strongly as the natural rate falls. JEL Codes: E31, E44, E52, E58


Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening has helped decrease the incidence of CRC in the last two decades. Still African Americans share a higher burden of CRC disease in the United States in comparison to Caucasians. Objective: To study racial differences of colorectal cancer in low income patients. Methods: Retrospective chart review of all admitted patients with a diagnosis of CRC was done by the lead author over a period of eight months. Results: This study, drawn from a poor, diverse population of Louisiana residents suggests socioeconomic factors may explain observed differences in CRC rates between African Americans and Caucasians. Conclusion: Large scale surveillance studies that address social determinants of CRC are needed to further explore this association. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/hren.v10i1.5998 HREN 2012; 10(1): 5-7


Enteric infections and risk of IBD Enteric infections with Salmonella and Campylobacter have been suggested to play an aetiological role in IBD. However, the risk of detection bias in relation to this observation has not been studied. In this issue of Gut, Jess et al attempt to answer this important question. They followed the entire Danish population during the period from 1 January 1992 to 31 December 2008 with notice of dates for occurrence of first infection with Salmonella or Campylobacter, first negative stool test or a diagnosis of IBD, and until occurrence of the outcome of interest, emigration, death or the end of the study (31 December 2008). The study covered >94 million person-years of observation and revealed that the risk of both CD and UC is markedly increased not only following an enteric infection with Salmonella or Campylobacter but even more so, following a negative stool test. The findings strongly suggest that the risk previously ascribed to acute bacterial gastroenteritis reflects detection bias related to increase stool testing rather than causality. See page 318.


We explore the role of investor relations (IR) in debt markets. Using earnings announcements as a laboratory, we examine whether, when, and to what extent IR departments help credit investors assimilate information. We find that the presence of IR decreases (increases) the negative (positive) impact on CDS spreads stemming from bad (good) earnings news, suggesting that IR efforts improve information precision and reduce transparency risk. Cross-sectional analyses suggest that IR matters more when uncertainty is high and creditors are concerned about the credit-risk implications of firm performance. We also find that IR firms receive higher credit ratings and fewer covenants when issuing bonds, and CDS markets react less negatively when IR firms' bond ratings are downgraded below investment grade. Because firms choose their IR activities, we show that our inferences are robust to multiple methods of addressing endogeneity. Overall, we find that IR departments are influential in debt markets.


IMPORTANCE
Fluoroquinolones are the most commonly prescribed antibiotic class in the outpatient setting. Recent reports have implicated an association between oral fluoroquinolones and an increased risk of uveitis.

OBJECTIVE
To determine the hazard of uveitis with oral fluoroquinolone use.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
A retrospective cohort study was conducted using medical claims data from a large national US insurer (N = 4,387,651). Cohorts from ambulatory care centers across the United States were created including every new user of an oral fluoroquinolone or β-lactam antibiotic prescription with at least 24 months of data prior to the date of the prescription from January 1, 2000, to January 30, 2013. Exclusion criteria consisted of any previous diagnosis of uveitis or a uveitis-associated systemic illness. Participants were censored for a new diagnosis of a uveitis-associated systemic illness, the end of an observation period, use of the other class of antibiotic, or removal from the insurance plan. Data analysis was performed from January 2 through March 15, 2015.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The hazard of a uveitis diagnosis after a fluoroquinolone prescription compared with a β-lactam prescription using multivariate regression with Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS
Of the 4,387,651 patients in the database, 843,854 individuals receiving a fluoroquinolone and 3,543,797 patients receiving a β-lactam were included in the analysis. After controlling for age, race, and sex using multivariate analysis, no hazard for developing uveitis at the 30-, 60-, or 90-day observation windows was seen (hazard ratio [HR] range, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.82-1.13; to 1.05; 95% CI, 0.95-1.16; P > .38 for all comparisons). The 365-day observation period showed a small increase in the HR for the fluoroquinolone cohort (1.11; 95% CI, 1.05-1.17; P < .001). Moxifloxacin produced an increased hazard for uveitis at every time point (HR range, 1.47-1.75; 95% CI, 1.27-2.37; P < .001 for all comparisons). Secondary analysis demonstrated a similar hazard at 365 days for a later diagnosis of a uveitis-associated systemic illness after fluoroquinolone use (HR range, 1.46-1.96; 95% CI, 1.42-2.07; P < .001 for all comparisons).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
These data do not support an association between oral fluoroquinolone use and uveitis. Instead, this study shows an association between oral fluoroquinolone use and the risk for uveitis-associated systemic illnesses, which is a possible source of bias that could explain the findings of previous studies.


We propose a learner profiling system that uses the multidimensional characteristic analysis of learners. For this purpose, a real-time monitoring system for learners was developed and then used to extract information of the characteristics of learners that appear in learning environments. The extracted information on the characteristics of learners is automatically constructed into personalized learner profiles through the learner profiling system. The contents of learner profiles consist of the cognitive ability of learners, the learning condition, and teacher assessment. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed study method, profiles of actual learners were constructed, with 210 elementary school students as subjects. As a result, the group that learned using the learner profiling showed a significant level of satisfaction in comparison to the group that did not use learner profiling. From this, it was demonstrated that the learner profiling system proposed in this paper could enhance learning effectiveness.


An attempt was taken to study the growth performance of lemongrass oil (Cymbopogon citraturs) as a growth promoter on the broiler production. A total of 180day-old broiler chicks were procured from private hatchery (Shivam Hatchery Birgung, Parsa, Nepal) and were allocated following Completely Randomized Design (CRD) into four treatment groups (each treatment with 3 replications and each replication with 15 birds); T1= control, T2= containing lemongrass oil 200 ml/100 kg feed, T3= containing lemongrass oil 400 ml/100 kg feed and, T4= containing lemongrass oil 600 ml/100 kg feed. The study was carried out for 36 days at Avian Research Unit, Regional Agriculture Research Station, Parwanipur, Bara, Nepal. Concentrate mixture and lemongrass oil were procured from Shakti Feed Industry, Birgung; Herbs Processing Plant of Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, Jadibuti, Kathmandu, respectively. Experimental birds were provided ad libitum amount of starter feed from 0 to 21 days and finisher feed from 22 to 36 days. Feed intake was recorded daily and body weight gain was measured in 7 days interval. The study revealed that the cumulative feed intake per bird was found higher in T3 (3443.17g) followed by T4 (3377.33g) and T2 (3354.04g), respectively, and were statistically non-significant among the diet groups. The FCR was highest in T3 (1:1.44 kg) and lowest in T4 (1:1.51 kg), and differed insignificantly among the diet groups. Similarly, the total weight gain of the experimental bird was found to be higher in T3 (2385.13g) followed by T1 (2279.46g) and T2 (2271.86g), respectively.  The average daily gain of experimental birds noted higher in T3 (66.25g) followed by T1 and T2 (63.31g) and (63.1g), respectively. The experiment suggested that inclusion of lemongrass oil could be considered as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoter in broiler diet to enhance the production performance.
Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2018. 47 (2): 85-91


Objective The pathophysiology and treatment of facial nerve paralysis associated with acute otitis media are still under debate. The objective of this study was to review treatment strategies and extent of recovery in adult patients with the aim of defining a standard treatment protocol for this rare pathologic condition. Study design Retrospective chart review. Setting University hospital, tertiary referral center. Patients Between 1993 and 2000, 11 patients were admitted for facial nerve paralysis secondary to acute otitis media. There were six women and five men without a history of chronic middle ear disease, who ranged in age from 21 to 71 years. Facial palsy was graded with the House-Brackmann scale: four patients had Grade III palsy, six had Grade IV palsy, and one patient had Grade V palsy. Bacteriologic examination of middle ear fluid was performed in four patients Streptococcus pneumoniae was observed in one patient, and the remaining three cultures were negative. Interventions All patients were treated with parenteral ampicillin-sulbactam or a third-generation cephalosporin in conjunction with oral or intravenous corticosteroids, except in a single patient with diabetes mellitus who received antibiotics alone. Myringotomy alone or with ventilation tube application was performed in eight patients. A simple mastoidectomy without facial nerve decompression was used in a patient with sudden impairment to Grade VI paralysis and worsening otitis after an initial improvement. Results Normal facial function returned in all patients, independently of the grade of the paralysis, the treatment strategy, or the outcome of the middle ear disease. The time of recovery varied from 2 weeks to 3 months, except for one patient who underwent mastoidectomy and in whom normal function returned in 10 months. Conclusions The treatment of facial nerve paralysis secondary to otitis media should be as conservative as possible, using antibiotics and corticosteroids. Myringotomy and a ventilation tube should be added when spontaneous perforation of the tympanic membrane is not present. Mastoidectomy should be performed only when it is necessary to treat otitis media. Facial nerve decompression should not be necessary.


The tenuous supersonic solar wind that streams from the top of the corona passes through a natural boundary—the Alfvén surface—that marks the causal disconnection of individual packets of plasma and magnetic flux from the Sun itself. The Alfvén surface is the locus where the radial motion of the accelerating solar wind passes the radial Alfvén speed, and therefore any displacement of material cannot carry information back down into the corona. It is thus the natural outer boundary of the solar corona and the inner boundary of interplanetary space. Using a new and unique motion analysis to separate inbound and outbound motions in synoptic visible-light image sequences from the COR2 coronagraph on board the STEREO-A spacecraft, we have identified inbound wave motion in the outer corona beyond 6 solar radii for the first time and used it to determine that the Alfvén surface is at least 12 solar radii from the Sun over the polar coronal holes and 15 solar radii in the streamer belt, well beyond the distance planned for NASA's upcoming Solar Probe Plus mission. To our knowledge, this is the first measurement of inbound waves in the outer solar corona and the first direct measurement of lower bounds for the Alfvén surface.