Educators and sponsors endorse competitions as a strong, positive influence on career choice. However, empirical studies of cybersecurity competitions are lacking, and evidence from computer science and mathematics competitions has been mixed. Here we report initial results from an ongoing study of the National Cyber League to provide a glimpse of the role of competitions in fostering cybersecurity career engagement. Preliminary results suggest that cyber competitions attract experienced individuals who will remain in the profession for the long-term, but future research is needed to understand how cyber competitions may engage women and those new to the field.


Background:Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is a common infectious respiratory disease in pediatrics, and macrolide antibiotics are the optimal treatment option. In recent years, there is a significant increase in the resistance of this pathogen to macrolide antibiotics, which makes the clinical treatment of this disease increasingly complex. Shenfu injection (SFI), a herbal extract injection, has advantages of improving immune function, reducing inflammatory reaction, improving curative effect and shortening the course of disease in the treatment of pediatric MP. However, there is a lack of rigorous clinical studies to evaluate the effects of SFI on inflammatory factors and immune function in children with MP. Methods: This study is a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial protocol. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of SFI on inflammatory factors and immune function in children with MP. Patients meeting the inclusion criteria were randomized in a ratio of 1:1 to either the treatment group (azithromycin + 100mL 5% glucose injection + 50mL SFI) or the control group (azithromycin + 150mL 5% glucose injection). Patients in both groups received the standard treatment for 7days. The levels of inflammatory factor indexes (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, tumor necrosis factor-a) and immune function indexes (immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin M) in both groups were measured at the beginning of treatment, on the 3rd day of treatment and at the end of treatment. Besides, the time of improvement in clinical symptoms (duration of cough, time of disappearance of lung rales, time of fever reduction, and time of disappearance of lung X-ray infiltrative shadow) and adverse effects in both groups were recorded. Finally, the data were statistically analyzed by SPSS 20.0 software. Discussion: In this study, an evaluation was conducted on the effects of SFI on inflammatory factors and immune function in pediatric MP. The results of this experiment will provide a clinical basis for the adjuvant treatment of pediatric MP with SFI. Trial registration: OSF Registration number: Abbreviations: MP = Mycoplasma pneumoniae, SFI = Shenfu injection.


IT (information technology) service providers often assume that efficient and effective service delivery can be achieved by migrating to a standard set of tools. This assumption is true only if the service provider has monolithic control over the scope and architecture of the customer environment. The trend, however, is toward selective outsourcing, customer control over the architecture of IT solutions, and retention of legacy tools. Target environments are extremely heterogeneous, and the ability of the service provider to control them is diminishing. Consequently, there is a need for a new approach to IT service workflow automation and a new generation of service-delivery management systems that support heterogeneity and collaboration. This paper introduces a new approach to automating complex and variable workflows, applies this approach to IT service delivery management (SDM), presents an SDM architecture based on this approach, and discusses an SDM implementation driven by this architecture. Our implementation architecture leverages service-oriented architecture (SOA) principles by defining loosely coupled service components and a service fulfillment pattern that dynamically integrates them. We discuss the modeling of performance metrics for service delivery and describe how the monitoring and management of key performance indicators (KPIs) are supported as an integral part of our SDM platform.


Biliary atresia is a progressive fibroinflammatory cholangiopathy of infancy that is associated with activation of innate and adaptive immune responses targeting bile ducts. A recently completed multicenter phase I/IIA trial of intravenous immunoglobulin in biliary atresia did not improve serum total bilirubin levels at 90 days after hepatoportoenterostomy or survival with the native liver at 1 year. A mechanistic aim of this trial was to determine if the peripheral blood immunophenotype was associated with clinical outcomes. Flow cytometry of peripheral blood cell markers (natural killer [NK], macrophage subsets, T‐ and B‐cell subsets, regulatory T cells), neutrophils, and activation markers (clusters of differentiation [CD]38, CD69, CD86, human leukocyte antigen‐DR isotype [HLA‐DR]) was performed on 29 patients with biliary atresia at baseline and at 60, 90, 180, and 360 days after hepatoportoenterostomy. Plasma cytokines and neutrophil products were also measured. Spearman correlations of change of an immune marker from baseline to day 90 with change in serum bilirubin revealed that an increase in total bilirubin correlated with 1) increased percentage of HLA‐DR+CD38+ NK cells and expression of NK cell activation markers CD69 and HLA‐DR, 2) decreased percentage of regulatory T cells, and 3) increased interleukin (IL)‐8 and associated neutrophil products (elastase and neutrophil extracellular traps). Cox modeling revealed that the change from baseline to day 60 of the percentage of HLA‐DR+CD38+ NK cells and plasma IL‐8 levels was associated with an increased risk of transplant or death by day 360. Conclusion: Poor outcomes in biliary atresia correlated with higher peripheral blood NK cells and IL‐8 and lower regulatory T cells. Future studies should include immunotherapies targeting these pathways in order to protect the biliary tree from ongoing damage.


All engineering design problems can be characterized by the underlying assumptions around which the problem is formulated. The effect of these assumptions - including everything from general assumptions defining an operating environment to detailed assumptions regarding material properties - is variability in system performance, and resulting deviations from expected performance. Assumptions are made to eliminate uncertainties that would prevent the quantification of design performance. Probabilistic methods have been developed in recent decades to convert such deterministic problem formulations into probabilistic formulations to model and assess the effects of these known uncertainties and thus relax restrictive assumptions. Until very recently, however, the computational expense of probabilistic analysis of a single design has made its application impractical for all but very simplistic design problems. Consequently, probabilistic optimization has been considered prohibitively expensive, particularly for complex multidisciplinary systems. Today a number of enabling technologies are available to support probabilistic design analysis and optimization for complex engineering design problems, including: flexible software frameworks that allow integration and automation of a complex multidisciplinary process; probabilistic analysis and optimization tools that allow uncertainty to be modeled and performance variation to be measured and reduced; large scale parallel processing capabilities leading to greatly increased efficiency; and advanced surrogate modeling capabilities to replace complex nonlinear analyses with computationally efficient approximation models. Along with steady increases in computing power, the combination of these enabling technologies can facilitate effective probabilistic analysis and optimization for complex design problems. In this paper we focus primarily on two of these enabling technologies. We present a comprehensive probabilistic design optimization formulation, a six sigma based approach that incorporates variability within all elements of the formulation - input design variable bound formulation, output constraint formulation, and robust objective formulation. We discuss the applicability of kriging, one surrogate modeling approach that supports the approximation of complex nonlinear analyses, for facilitating probabilistic multidisciplinary design optimization. These enabling technologies, as implemented within the commercial software framework provided by iSIGHT, including capability to facilitate parallel processing, are demonstrated for a multidisciplinary conceptual ship design problem.


Monascus species are used for production of red bio-pigments, which are used as food coloring agents. However, presence of the mycotoxin citrinin, which is a secondary metabolite produced in conjunction with the red pigments, prevents the use of these pigments in large scale. In the present study, Monascus ruber Van Tieghem was isolated from the Egyptian soil and identified. Effect of media composition on nine of the pigments produced by this fungus in addition to citrinin was studied. The fungus was grown in four different media containing different carbon sources (glucose, ethanol, yeast malt extract and potato dextrose broth). On the other hand, effect of glucose concentration was also studied. The produced pigments and citrinin were extracted by butnol and analyzed by LC/MS/MS as well as HPLC with fluorescence detection of citrinin. The data revealed that the highest amount of red pigments production (4.3g/l) was obtained at glucose concentration 10g/l. This was combined with complete absence of citrinin. Rubropunctamine (26.1%) and ankuflavine (48.7%) were the most abundant pigments in the glucose and ethanol media, respectively; while Moanascin (61.6%) and N-glutarylrubropunctamine (39.4%) were the most abundant in the PDB and YMB media, respectively. This result enables the large scale production of the red pigments by M. ruber without production of the mycotoxin citrinin.


This study highlights some deficiencies of the stock markets' risk legislation framework, and particularly the CESR (2010) guidelines. We show that the current legislative framework fails to offer incentives to financial management companies to invest in advanced models for more representative Value at Risk (VaR) estimations, and for this reason, in many cases conventional VaR models are applied. We use data from the DAX, CAC 40, FTSE, FTSEMIB and IBEX indices, and then we apply them to the widely accepted Delta Normal VaR model. The empirical findings show that the conventional VaR models not only fail to provide information for the upcoming financial crises, but also contribute to such phenomena as procyclicality and overreaction in the stock market. We suggest additional tests and we empirically show how these tests could reduce the procyclicality issue and promote a more sustainable investment environment. Even though this study is mainly focused on CESR (2010) guidelines, it could be useful for any similar legislative framework, such as the Basel Accords.


African trypanosomes are important pathogens of both humans and livestock. We investigated the association of cytokine responses with disease susceptibility in Trypanosoma congolense-infected cattle. Changes in interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-12 p40, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TFN-alpha), CD40L, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) gene expression were compared in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of infected trypanotolerant N'Dama (Bos taurus) and trypanosusceptible Boran (Bos indicus) cattle. Results revealed that IL-2 transcription was decreased in both breeds of cattle at 21 days after infection. IL-12 p40 mRNA expression was increased in N'Dama cattle at 21 days after infection and at a later time in Boran cattle. The highest IL-4 mRNA expression was observed at 32 days after infection in N'Dama cattle. IL-6 mRNA expression increased in Boran cattle at 11 days after infection and was elevated at 21 and 32 days after infection in both breeds. Transcripts for IL-5 were barely detectable throughout the experimental period in both Boran and N'Dama cattle. Expression of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and TGF-beta mRNA did not change notably during the course of infection. In summary, differences in the expression of IL-4 and IL-6 mRNA were identified between the two breeds of cattle during infection with T. congolense, suggesting a possible protective role for IL-4 and a disease-promoting role for IL-6 in bovine trypanosomosis.


Abstract Purpose: One established risk factors for testicular cancer is cryptorchidism. However, it remains unclear whether cryptorchidism is a risk factor in itself or whether the two conditions share common causes in early life (estrogen hypothesis), such as birth weight and birth order. The objective of this study is to utilize data from the Copenhagen School Health Records Register (CSHRR) to evaluate cryptorchidism, birth weight and birth order as risk factors for testicular cancer. Methods: The study population consisted of 408 cases of testicular cancer identified by a government issued identification number linkage of the entire CSHRR with the Danish Cancer Registry and a random subsample of 4819 males from the CSHRR. The study design was case-cohort and the period of follow-up between 2 April 1968 and 31 December 2003. Results: Cryptorchidism was significantly associated with testicular cancer in crude analyses [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.60, 95% CI 2.79–4.65]. Birth weight was inversely associated with testicular cancer and no clear association with birth order was observed. The positive association between cryptorchidism and testicular cancer was only slightly attenuated controlling for birth weight and birth order and stratified on birth cohort (HR = 3.46, 95% CI 2.67–4.48). Conclusion: This study confirmed the robustness of the association between cryptorchidism and testicular cancer even after adjustment for birth weight and birth order. Furthermore, the study showed an inverse association between birth weight and testicular cancer.


BIOCHEMISTRYScientists at the University of Chicago have found an electrochemical way to control interactions between cells and a chip. It's an improvement over existing methods of influencing cell behavior, none of which allows control over cell-surface activities with chip-bound molecules. Researchers say the achievement could be a key step toward a wide variety of applications--everything from new drug assays to prosthetic aids that replace damaged neurons.


The aim of this work is to use transient absorption spectroscopy to study the parameters affecting the kinetics and efficiency of electron transfer in a photocatalytic system for water reduction based on a cobalt proton reduction catalyst (CoP) adsorbed on a nanocrystalline TiO2 film. In the first approach, water is used as the proton and electron source and H2 is generated after band gap excitation of TiO2 functionalised with CoP. The second system involves the use of a sacrificial electron donor to regenerate the TiO2/CoP system in water at neutral pH. The third system consists of CoP/TiO2 films co-sensitised with a ruthenium-based dye (RuP). In particular, we focus on the study of different parameters that affect the kinetics of electron transfer from the semiconductor to the molecular catalyst by monitoring the lifetime of charge carriers in TiO2. We observe that low catalyst loadings onto the surface of TiO2, high excitation light intensities and small driving forces strongly slow down the kinetics and/or reduce the efficiency of the electron transfer at the interface. We conclude that the first reduction of the catalyst from CoIII to CoII can proceed efficiently even in the absence of an added hole scavenger at sufficiently high catalyst coverages and low excitation densities. In contrast, the second reduction from CoII to CoI, which is required for hydrogen evolution, appears to be at least 105 slower, suggesting it requires efficient hole scavenging and almost complete reduction of all the adsorbed CoP to CoII. Dye sensitisation enables visible light photoactivity, although this is partly offset by slower, and less efficient, hole scavenging.


In "Molecular Mechanisms of Drug Addiction" (E.J. Nestler; J Neurosci 12:2439–2450, July 1992), several sentences in the caption to figure 5 should read: "In addition, NF levels are decreased in the VTA in the drug-addicted and drug-preferring animal. This decrease in NFs may be associated with alterations in neuronal structure, decreases in axonal caliber, and/or decreases in axonal transport rate in these cells, as observed recently for chronic morphine (Beitner-Johnson and Nestler, 1992). Such a decrease in axonal transport may account for the lack of correspondingly increased levels of TH in dopaminergic terminals in the NAc." The author regrets this error


The three-dimensional structures of the wild-type red (zRFP574) and green (zGFP506) fluorescent proteins (FP) from the button polyp Zoanthus have been determined at 1.51 and 2.2 A resolution, respectively. In addition, the crystal structures of a zGFP506 variant (zGFP506_N66D) with replacement of the first chromophore-forming residue (Asn66 to Asp) have been determined in the transitional 'green' and mature 'red' states at 2.4 and 2.2 A, respectively. The monomers of these proteins adopt the typical fold of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) family, consisting of an 11-stranded beta-barrel with a chromophore embedded in the middle of an internal alpha-helix directed along the beta-barrel axis. Post-translational modification of the chromophore-forming sequence Asn66-Tyr67-Gly68 within zGFP506 results in a typical GFP-like coplanar two-ring structure consisting of a five-membered imidazolinone heterocycle with the phenolic ring of Tyr67 in a cis orientation to the C(alpha)-N(67) bond. A novel post-translational modification of the chromophore-forming sequence Asp66-Tyr67-Gly68 in zRFP574 expands the protein maturation beyond the green-emitting form and results in decarboxylation of the Asp66 side chain. It is suggested that electrostatic conflict between the closely spaced negatively charged side chains of the chromophore Asp66 and the proximal catalytic Glu221 is most likely to be the trigger for the chain of reactions resulting in the observed decarboxylation. The chromophore structures of wild-type zGFP506 and of its mutant zGFP506_N66D in the 'green' and 'red' states support this suggestion. The beta-barrel frames of zRFP574 and zGFP506 reveal the presence of a water-filled pore leading to the chromophore Tyr67, similar to that observed previously in TurboGFP. An analysis of the residue composition at two inter-monomer interfaces in the tetrameric biological unit of zRFP574 and zGFP506, as well as of zYFP538 from the same species, has revealed a group of highly conserved residues that are apparently responsible for oligomerization. These residues present initial useful targets for rational mutagenesis aimed at designing monomeric forms of the fluorescent proteins, which are more suitable for practical applications.


Childhood burn injuries are a leading cause of death and disability worldwide and a major public health concern. Children younger than five years of age are more at risk. Majority of burn incidents occur as accidents within the home. Poor parental burn hazard perception and knowledge of burns first aid have been reported. This PhD project aimed to determine whether a targeted preventative parenting intervention 'Toddler-safe' improved parental burns safety and first aid knowledge and behaviour in the home, and reduced the risk of future childhood burns.
A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of parenting interventions at preventing unintentional injuries in pre-school children. The review found that parenting interventions that provided home visitation, education, and free/discounted safety devices, delivered on a one-to-one basis, during the perinatal or early postnatal period, were associated with significantly fewer childhood injuries, and improvements in parental safety knowledge and practices. However, there was a lack of prevention intervention research specifically for burn injuries in children under the age of five. Findings from the systematic review informed the design and methodology of the Toddler-Safe study.
Toddler-Safe was conducted as a randomised controlled trial. One hundred and fifty six parents allocated to the intervention arm of the trial received an intervention consisting of a burns safety and first aid video, and an injury safety leaflet. An equal number of controls received only the injury safety leaflet. The study was evaluated using pre- and post-test questionnaires. Outcome measures included first aid knowledge and burns prevention, knowledge, attitude, and practices; and parent-reported or medically attended injuries.
Just over half of the study participants were available for follow-up at six months. Non-responders were found to be younger and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Toddler-Safe was not effective at improving parental burns prevention and first aid knowledge, attitudes, and practices at
ii
follow-up. Burn injuries were reported in four children living with participating families. Participant attrition and omission of key knowledge and attitude topics from the intervention were major limitations of the study.


Muscle strains are common in high speed sports and account for 10-40% of injuries in sports such as soccer, Australian Rules football and American football. The first step in prevention of muscle strains is to identify the incidence of injury for specific muscle strains. The next step is to identify risk factors for that particular muscle strain. Then an intervention or interventions can be developed to address a specific risk factor or combination of risk factors. Lastly, the incidence of injury can be reassessed following implementation of the intervention. In practice this process is rarely completed in sports medicine. Many studies do not accurately measure injury incidence and therefore cannot properly identify risk factors. Other studies document injury incidence and risk factors for all injuries but do not address the incidence and risk factors particular to muscle strains. There are few studies that have implemented prevention strategies resulting in a reduction in muscle strains. Based on the available literature it appears that a history of previous muscle strain, muscle weakness and age are risk factors for muscle strains. For many sports the period of preseason training provides a window of opportunity for sports medicine clinicians to implement injury prevention strategies. Based on limited research, it appears that muscle strengthening programmes, with an emphasis on eccentric loading, targeted at specific muscle groups susceptible to injury in a particular sport, and applied to players suspected to have increased risk of injury, can effectively reduce the incidence of muscle strains.


Summary: Purpose: We have developed and characterized a novel model of epileptogenesis based on the convulsive actions of flurothyl in mice. The hallmark feature of this model is a reliable change in the type of seizure expressed in response to flurothyl from generalized clonic to generalized tonic seizures. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effects of chronic administration of valproate (VPA), phenytoin (PHT), and MK‐801 on the change in seizure phenotype observed in our model system.


The rate of diffusion through the non-aqueous layer of the protoplasm depends largely on the partition coefficients mentioned above. Since these cannot be determined we have employed an artificial system in which chloroform is used in place of the non-aqueous layer of the protoplasm. The partition coefficients may be roughly determined by shaking up the aqueous solutions with chloroform and analyzing with the spectrophotometer (which is necessary with methylene blue because we are dealing with mixtures). This will show what dyes may be expected to pass through the protoplasm into the vacuole in case it behaves like the artificial system. From these results we may conclude that the artificial system and the living cell act almost alike toward methylene blue and azure B, which supports the notion of non-aqueous layers in the protoplasm. There is a close resemblance between Valonia and the artificial system in their behavior toward these dyes at pH 9.5. In the case of Nitella, on the other hand, with methylene blue solution at pH 9.2 the sap in the artificial system takes up relatively more azure B (absorption maximum at 650 mµ) than the vacuole of the living cell (655 mµ). But both take up azure B much more rapidly than methylene blue. A comparison cannot be made between the behavior of the artificial system and that of the living cell at pH 5.5 since in the latter case there arises a question of injury to cells before enough dye is collected in the sap for analysis.


The impact dynamics of micro-scale mechanisms deviates from the classical theories applied to traditional macro-systems, This is because of multiplicity of forces acting in nano-scale contacts, which have negligible effect at the larger scale. A fundamental understanding of these forces and their interplay is required to advise design of such mechanisms based on fundamental physics. The paper highlights the significance of some of these forces and circumstances where their influence becomes significant.Copyright © 2008 by ASME


Sugarcane variety M. 336 was grown in solution culture for 3 months under 3 Mn levels (0, 10, and 100 p.p.m.) and 3 Si levels (0, 50, and 500 p.p.m.) to study the influence of various levels of Mn and Si on growth, nutrient composition, and enzyme and sugar activity. The uptake of Mn by the immature sugarcane plant was definitely suppressed by increasing Si levels in the nutrient medium. As the Mn content of the plant dropped Si content increased. However, the converse did not hold, for when the cane plant was faced with an excessive supply of Mn, it attempted to compensate by increasing its Si uptake. High-Si X high-Mn treatment severely stunted growth, but yielded the maximum sucrose values recorded. Leaf-protein content was highest with all plants at the high Si level, but meristem protein reflected a reverse response. The greatly retarded growth caused by high Si and high Mn was accompanied by marked suppression of both starch phosphorylase and the phosphatases. Polyphenol oxidase showed a greater sensitivity to variable Mn and Si than any other enzyme assayed. Possible roles of Mn and Si in the mechanisms of auxin and protein synthesis are discussed.


We considered the problem in which a DC motor was controlled to track a given trajectory when the corresponding driven load was associated with uncertain time-varying mass moment of inertia. With the existence of such inertia variation, the corresponding system matrix and input matrix of the control system were simultaneously uncertain and time-varying. Accordingly, stability of the control system could not be guaranteed by simply locating all the poles of the linearized model in the LHP at all time. Based on Lyapunov stability theorem, we came up with a robust PID controller design technique that yielded satisfactory results for this problem. Our robust PID controller was easy to implement, and guaranteed uniform input-to-state stability for the system. It appeared in our investigation on a large Maxxon DC motor that our controller allowed as high as 100% variation of equivalent inertia loading with respect to rotor inertia. We provided a tool to facilitate controller tuning so that the resulting control signal stayed within practical bounds, while achieving a satisfactory level of performance. By selecting an appropriate transmission ratio, our tracking control system could be employed in demanding applications such as independent joint control of robots, and spindle control of modern machining machines.


esults: There was marked reduction in spasticity, frequency of pasms and tone in all patients. Average improvement in range of ovement of hip and knee flexion was 13 and 14 degrees respecively. Reduction in tone and spasms facilitated wheelchair seating nd bed positioning. There was considerable improvement in pain scored in 10 cases) 100% relief in 7 and 50% in the remaining atients. There was also significant improvement reported by urses and carers in terms of positioning, hoisting, personal hyiene, catheter changes, washing and dressing.


Colorectal carcinoma is one of the leading causes of death from cancer amongst adults. Considering its molecular background, cytokines are the key component of the inflammatory microenvironment of these tumors. Investigations that enable better understanding of colorectal cancer concerning the molecular level, may provide important tools for genetic screening of disease high-risk groups, as well as molecular diagnostics for the non-invasive detection of cancer in its early stages.THE AIM OF THE STUDY was to evaluate the association between colorectal cancer and the -1112 C/T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the interleukin-13 gene. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The study group comprised 150 cancer patients and 170 healthy subject genotypes from the Polish population. Analysis was performed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). RESULTS. We showed that the CT genotype is connected with a higher risk of colon cancer occurrence (OR 2.51; 95% CI 1.57-4.02; p < 0.0001). We also correlated the polymorphic variants of the IL-13 gene with the clinical characteristics of colorectal cancer patients. We observed no association between the investigated polymorphism and colorectal cancer progression, evaluated by tumor stage, as well as lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSIONS. The presented study suggested the possibility of a connection between the IL-13 gene polymorphism (-1112 C/T) and colorectal cancer risk in the Polish population.


Stressful life events have been identified to play significant roles in precipitating psychological disorders. They have consequently become an interesting area of research for clinical psychologists. Thus, appropriate and accurate measurement of stressful life events in particular contexts is very important. This study adapted the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale for studying stressful life events among Nigerians. Fifty one (51) participants aged 25-68 years (23 women and 28 men) completed a modified version of the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale and Edna Fox Life Events Questionnaire, which was used to establish the concurrent validity of the former. Results showed that the modified version of the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale has a concurrent validity estimate of r = .77, df = 49, p < .001 with the Edna Fox Life Events Questionnaire. The Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale also had a test-retest reliability estimate of r = .79, df = 49, p < .001. It was concluded that the Scale is a simple and high performance screening instrument that can be used for studying stressful life events among the Ezza of South-east Nigeria.


After many years of training, elite saber fencers exhibit extremely rapid blade velocity. However, no prior kinematic research has explained how fencers achieve this. In this work, we measure the influence of arm kinematics on blade velocity in both elite and novice saber fencers. We hypothesized that elite fencers would exhibit smaller elbow joint angle and wrist angle changes, both indicative of blade thrust optimization. Furthermore, we predicted that these kinematic variables would correlate positively with peak blade tip velocity. Three novice and three elite saber fencers of two and six years of experience, respectively, performed a standard vertical saber cut, which we captured on high frame rate video. We discovered a significant difference between the novice and elite elbow joint angle at initiation, the angle at termination, and the angle change. The elbow joint angle change exhibited a strong negative correlation with the peak blade tip velocity (r = -0.83). We determined that angular differences in the wrist were non-significant. Our results suggest that coaches should place greater importance on optimizing elbow joint angles earlier in training. Based on the elite fencer performance, our evidence suggests that the optimal elbow joint angle at initiation for saber fencers may be 110°.


This paper introduces two approaches for 3D visual systems toward ultra-realistic communication. The first system uses integral photography to capture ray information at slightly separated locations. The second system uses camera array that includes 300 cameras to capture ray information at more sparse locations than integral photography. Both systems use electronic holography as an ideal 3D display. Since spatial light modulators are currently inadequate specifications for electronic holography, the setup to remove disturbing light is necessary, which we implemented in both systems.


Some forest and agricultural wastes of Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey were subjected to mushroom ( Pleurotus florida) cultivation in this study. 1:1, 1:3 and 3:1 (w:w) mixtures were prepared mainly by tree leaves wood wastes of timber work shops, cupola of nut trees (NC) and leaves (NL), corn stalks (CS), waste tea leaves (WTL) of tea factories, wheat straw (WS) and waste paper(WP). P.floridaof which the strain was numbered darmycel by Fungi Perfect co. (USA) was used in inoculations of pre-pared series of substrates after being sterillized in an autoclave by direct vapor. Results indicated that wood waste yield highest mushroom production as wood waste, waste tea leaves (WW+WTL) based on dry substrate weight, in a mixture of 3:1 (w:w) with waste tea leaves which reportedly exceeds 10.000 ton and its value as lignocel-lulosic source, it's importance can be estimated in utilization as substrate of mushroom cultivation for forest villagers. Other region-al agricultural and forest wastes were also gave remarkable yield values. In P.florida cultivation corn stalk and cupola and nut increased the yield values when used with wood wastes as mixtures presence of wood waste in the prepared mixtures with wheat straw and corn stalks improved the quality of properties of fruit body as cupola of nut resulted in smaller caps in diameter. Further studies are being continued in strain development of different Pleurotus species and increasing mushroom yield by many activators and additives for the region.


We followed up the values of the titres of malaria antibodies by the indirect immunofluorescence (IFI) technique in 52 patients: 27 Cubans and 25 foreigners with malaria. All the subjects had previously been in endemic zones. The diagnosis of the disease was based upon the thick drop test. The prevailing species was Plasmodium falciparum. The IFI technique was used at the beginning of the treatment, weekly and after 3 months. Four patients had recurrences in the 3 first weeks of the follow-up, with increased levels of the antibody titres before parasitaemia appeared. Those titres decreased with the specific treatment. We propose that the patients with increasing antibody titres in spite of the negative results of the thick drop test be considered as having a risk of developing malaria.


We report progress in assessing the feasibility of a new satellite-based laser-sounding instrument to measure CO2 concentrations in the lower troposphere from space.


Vietnam is widely praised for its successful fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The country has had an extremely low mortality rate of 35 deaths to date (out of a population of approximately 100 million) and currently has no community transmission. We offer the first study that examines the effects of the COVID-19-induced lockdown on various employment outcomes for Vietnam. We employ difference-in-differences econometric models to estimate the causal effects of the lockdown, using rich individual-level data from the quarterly Labor Force Surveys. We find that the lockdown increases the unemployment rate, the temporary layoff rate, and decreases the quality of employment. It also reduces workers' numbers of working hours and their monthly incomes and wages. Our estimation results remain robust to different model specifications and estimation samples. Further heterogeneity analysis suggests that the effects vary across education levels and occupation sectors but are similar across regions or provinces with different lockdown durations.


Confounding is a major issue in observational epidemiological studies. This paper describes two postestimation commands for assessing confounding effects. One command (confall) displays and plots all possible effect estimates against one of p-value, Akaike information criterion, or Bayesian information criterion. This computing-intensive procedure allows researchers to inspect the variability of the effect estimates from various possible models. Another command (chest) uses a stepwise approach to identify variables that have substantially changed the effect estimate. Both commands can be used after most common estimation commands in epidemiological studies, such as logistic regression, conditional logistic regression, Poisson regression, linear regression, and Cox proportional hazards models.


This paper reviews the current academic thinking on knowledge transfer channels between universities and private industry, from a human resource perspective. It also offers a general framework for "re-organising" the literature, so as to identify gaps in the understanding of organisational behavior and human resource management for university-industry knowledge transfer. The review highlights that knowledge transfer channels with highest "relational intensity" are also most valued by industry, and that most knowledge transfer channels are not currently institutionalized or formalized. It concludes that knowledge transfer between universities and industry is characterized by important management challenges, which require an understanding of the extent and nature of individuals' involvement. However, the existing literature emphasises the outcomes rather than processes of knowledge transfer. Future research looking at knowledge transfer processes at the individual and organizational level of analysis would provide valuable information for better policy-making. 1 University of Texas at San Antonio 2 The Ohio State University


This paper proposes a novel deformable method of feature-based image registration about two or more different modality images gotten from the same subject, which can automatically determine corresponding points and corresponding segmentation. In this way, we can avoid errors caused by manually or semi-automatically setting corresponding points and improve the exactness and efficiency at the same time. In addition, we can avoid being trapped in local minimization since transformation bases on corresponding segmentation.


department in the Western General Hospital operated a 12 channel SMAC II system; neither uric acid concentration nor creatine kinase activity was included in its configuration. Thus SMAC configurations differ. Doctors should specify the measurements that they wish to have performed or that they recommend should be performed. It is not satisfactory to write SMAC on request forms or to describe the results of investigations by saying, for example, that "the patient's SMAC was normal." Such uses of the abbreviation should be actively discouraged, especially by those concerned in medical education as they make no allowance for the various SMAC configurations, nor for the fact that periodically one or more channels of the machine system may be "down." The "SMAC mentality" encourages an uncritical approach to requesting investigations, a practice so eloquently deplored by the late Dr Richard Asher.'


For ordinal log-linear models, the estimation of the parameter reflecting the linear-by-linear measure of association has long been a topic for the analysis of dependence for contingency tables. Typically, iterative procedures (including Newton's method) are used to determine the maximum likelihood estimate of the parameter. Recently Beh and Farver (2009, ANZJS, 51, 335–352) show by way of example three reliable and accurate noniterative techniques that can be used to estimate the parameter and extended this study by examining their reliability computationally. This paper further investigates the reliability of the non-iterative procedures when compared with Newton's method for estimating this association parameter and considers the impact of the sample size on the estimate.


J.A. Stankovic (see ibid., vol. 21, no. 10, p. 10-19, 1988) analyzed some common misconceptions about real-time computing. His analysis addressed the very notion of real-time computing and touched upon the applicability of concepts that have proven useful in nonreal-time modeling of reactive systems, such as interleaving models, nondeterminism, and fairness. From his viewpoint, such concepts are no longer appropriate when real time is a concern, and a new set of abstractions must be devised. The author addresses these issues from the viewpoint of theories and formal modeling. By analyzing some common sources of misunderstanding, he shows that some common statements about real-time modeling are unjustified, or express only half-truths. A potential source for misunderstanding Is the restricted practical interpretation of theoretical notions. With limited experience in using theories of computation, we can easily mistake a theoretical construct for the reality of a program. As pointed out by Stankovic, the special role of time in real-time systems easily leads to incompatibilities between nonreal-time and real-time models. There are approaches where the transition from nontimed to timed models is smooth, however, and where the above theoretical notions are also meaningful in the presence of metric time. Since specification and design of real-time systems may involve both nontimed and timed levels of abstraction, the compatibility of these levels seems important. >


Incubation of 15-hydroperoxide of 5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid (15-HPEPE) with 5-lipoxygenase enzyme, partially purified from potato tubers, resulted in the generation of 6 isomers of lipoxin A5. These compounds were identified by GC/MS analysis of their methyl ester and trimethylsilyl ether derivatives with C-values: 23.3, 24.5, 24.6, 24.9, 25 and 25.2 respectively. The major products of the enzymatic reaction on 15-HPEPE are 5,15-DiHEPE and 13,14,15-trihydroxy eicosatetraenoic acid as identified by RP-HPLC and GC/MS analysis. There are also two new trihydroxyl compounds of eicosapentaenoic acid identified as 11,12,15-trihydroxy and 11,14,15-trihydroxy eicosatetraenoic acid respectively. The transformation of these two trihydroxyl compounds may be due to non-enzymatic rearrangement of 15-HPEPE.


Recent reports of prion disease developing in four dairy farmers and two teenagers in Britain have raised renewed concerns about the potential health risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy to humans. Documented transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy to non-human primates indicates that such concerns are not without foundation.1 Although prions are not conventional pathogens, many of the basic principles governing microbial pathogenesis seem to apply to the infectious forms of prion diseases. In this context human risk of infection after exposure to bovine spongiform encephalopathy can be considered in terms of the size of the infecting inoculum, the potential routes of entry into the host, and factors of host susceptibility.

Infectivity in human prion diseases is concentrated primarily in neural (brain, spinal cord, eye) and lymphoreticular (liver, spleen, lymph nodes) tissues.2 Human brain material has been estimated to contain 103-105 infectious units per gram of tissue,2 and bioassay in mice has shown brain material from cattle with bovine spongiform encephalopathy to contain 105-106 infectious units per gram.3 In both human prion diseases and bovine spongiform encephalopathy, infectivity is not found in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, or body fluids (blood, saliva, urine, faeces, semen, milk).2 3 4 5 Fortunately, with …


A cementless total hip replacement was implanted in a 52-year-old male patient with coxarthrosis. Rapid cranial migration of the cup and ectopic ossification were subsequently observed. Five years after the original operation, revisional arthroplasty had to be performed to replace the cup. At surgery a large amount of granulomatous tissue and the tip of a deep drainage tube were found. Interposed between the polyethylene inlay and the femoral head of the prosthesis, the drain had not been visible on any of the radiographic controls. The X-ray control performed immediately after the first procedure revealed that the drain had been slung around the neck of the prosthesis stem, a procedure preferred by some surgeons. When the drain was removed, the tip must have been caught between the polyethylene inlay and the femoral head of the prosthesis. It is not clear whether the loosening of the cup was ultimately caused by the increased wear due to the presence of the drain tip. However, in light of this finding we no longer sling the drain around the prosthesis shaft, but lay it along the neck of the femoral component in the same direction as it is routed out transcutaneously.


ABSTRACT The aim of this work is the integration of an improved graphite–epoxy composite electrode modified with the acetylcholinesterase enzyme as a detector into a green tape ceramic microfluidic device for the online amperometric determination of pesticides. First, the operational conditions of the microfluidic system were optimized for the enzymatic substrate determination of acetylthiocholine. Good results were achieved for acetylthiocholine determination, obtaining a low detection limit and optimal sensitivity. The analytical performance of the microanalyzer was evaluated with organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides across a wide concentration range. Pesticides were determined indirectly measuring the enzymatic inhibition effect that they caused. The analysis was based on stopped-flow methodology with a three-step strategy: enzymatic substrate measurement, enzymatic inhibition by pesticide contact with the biosensor, and enzymatic substrate measurement after the inhibition process. The pesticide concentrations were determined by the percentage of inhibition produced. The microanalyzer was used for the analysis of spiked irrigation water samples using this indirect method. The low-temperature co-fired ceramic/epoxy–graphite–acetylcholinesterase microfluidic system showed low limits of detection and adequate sensitivity. The recoveries of the spiked water samples were approximately 100% with relative standard deviation values lower than 5% for three replicate measurements. All results obtained are indicative of a convenient, rapid, sensitive, and economic method for the determination of pesticides in environmental samples.


In the first chapter of the book, the author, Dr. Lundbad introduces and defines proteome and proteomics. For the benefit of the reader, we quote here the first part of the introduction with which we agree. "Proteomics is an increasingly complex area of study that is expected to yield results important for the development of therapeutics, diagnostics and for the emerging discipline of theranostics, which emphasizes patient-specific therapeutics. What, however, exactly is proteomics? The term proteome dates back to 1995 when Humphrey-Smith and colleagues defined the proteome as "the total protein content of a genome." Genome is defined as "a complete single set of the genetic material of a cell or of an organism; the complete set of genes in a gamete." It would follow that proteomics is the study of the proteome. A variety of other definitions have been proposed for proteomics. Morrison and coworkers define the proteome as "the entire complement of proteins expressed by a cell at a point in time." In such cases, proteomics would be the study of the proteome; however, this definition would exclude extracellular collections of proteins such as those found in blood plasma, urine, and lymphatic fluid. These latter studies use some of the tools of proteomics, such as twodimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, but are clearly different from studies where isotope-coded affinity tag (ICAT) technology is used to study differential protein expression and are used to identify biomarkers for diagnostics and therapeutics. Whatever the precise definition, proteomics involves the study of complex mixtures of proteins and their interactions. This somewhat broader definition might be useful in that it extends the application of proteomics to diagnostics. The technologies that underlie proteomics quite likely will improve sufficiently in analytical capability to be valuable in personalized medicine." According to the author, "The overall intent of the current book is to address issues that are not discussed in detail by others and to avoid, where Journal of Immunoassay & Immunochemistry, 27: 289–290, 2006 Copyright # Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN 1532-1819 print/1532-4230 online DOI: 10.1080/15321810600735007


Late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans is the most limiting disease for several species of the Solanaceae family in Colombia. A potential host for P. infestans is Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana), a species belonging to the Solanaceae family. Its center of origin is the highlands of Peru and it is grown at approximately 1,500 to 3,000 m above sea level. Cape gooseberry has become an important export fruit in Colombia. Consequently, in the last few years, the area cultivated with Physalis peruviana has increased dramatically. P. infestans was isolated from this crop in the province of Cundinamarca, Colombia. Symptoms caused by this oomycete appeared initially on the leaf margins as small, irregular, necrotic spots that expanded and merged, increasing the necrotic area. These spots had a soft texture resulting from the degradation of plant tissue by the pathogen. On old lesions, white mycelia and sporangia were observed. Affected plants were rarely killed, but under favorable conditions, severe symptoms were observed in leaves and yield was reduced. Ten isolates were obtained from infected tissue by placing a lesion directly on a potato slice in a moist chamber (2). Mycelia grown on the potato slice were then transferred to rye agar. Identification of the pathogen was performed based on morphological characteristics, specifically, sporangiophores of P. infestans are compoundly branched and develop sympodially, with swellings at the points where sporangia were attached (1). Further confirmation was obtained by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions (GenBank Accession Nos. EF173467-EF173476). Koch's postulates were completed in the laboratory by spray inoculating detached leaves of Cape gooseberry with a zoospore suspension obtained from each of the 10 isolates. Inoculum was prepared by flooding 10-day-old cultures with sterile distilled water to obtain a 104/ml sporangial suspension followed by zoospore induction at 4°C. Leaves were sprayed with this suspension, placed in moist chambers, and incubated at 20°C in the dark. Control leaves were sprayed with sterile distilled water. Two separate leaves were inoculated with each isolate. The pathogen was reisolated from leaf lesions in all cases. The period between infection and the appearance of symptoms ranged from 5 to 7 days. To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. infestans causing damage on Cape gooseberry in Colombia. Chemical control measures are to some extent successfully applied in most regions where solanaceous crops are grown in Colombia. Nevertheless, suitable disease management for Physalis peruviana has not been achieved and further studies on the epidemiology of the disease on this new host are needed. References: (1) D. C. Erwin and O. K. Ribeiro. Phytophthora Diseases Worldwide. The American Phytopathological Society. St. Paul, MN, 1996. (2) G. A. Forbes et al. Phytopathology 87:375, 1997.


This research project involves synthesizing cyanostilbenes and testing their anticancer properties in breast cancer cells. Breast cancer is a global issue, one that great improvement has been found in the last few decades, but also one that remains a large killer. The components of the cyanostilbene hybrids have all been shown to have anticancer properties on their own, and we would like to see if we can increase these properties by combining multiple into a single hybrid. Then these cyanostilbene compounds are tested on Her2+ human breast cancer cells. The goals is to assess whether or not the cyanostilbenes have any effect on breast cancer cells. This project encountered many difficulties and as a result did not have significant results, but did produce many solutions for the problems encountered which will aid future research.


Since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia has regarded both Central Asia and the South Caucasus as being within its sphere of influence. It has also been constantly afraid of "losing them to the West." The critical moment came in the fall of 1991, when U.S. and NATO military bases were established in Central Asia, American military assistance to Azerbaijan and Georgia was enhanced, and there was talk about the creation of military bases in these two countries as well. This news, albeit on the surface accepted by Moscow, created veritable panic.


Corporate governance codes are an increasingly prominent feature of the regulatory landscape in many countries, yet remarkably little is known about the determinants of corporate governance reform. Potential determinants include: (1) the diffusion of an international benchmark model of good governance; (2) a country's legal system; (3) the desire to attract foreign investors; and (4) the influence of interest groups. I construct a proxy for the investor-friendliness of 52 corporate governance codes of different jurisdictions and collect data on the code issuers. I find strong evidence that the drafters of codes emulate international benchmark models and that jurisdictions belonging to different legal traditions use different regulatory strategies, some evidence that portfolio equity inflows are associated with the investor-friendliness of codes, and no evidence that interest groups succeed in affecting rules. The article suggests a method for the modeling of legal evolution, convergence, and the political economy of corporate governance codes.


Abstract. Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia with a population of about 10.2 million people, inhabiting an area of about 660 square-km. It is located within a deltaic plain and passes by 13 natural and artificial rivers. In the last three decades, urban development of Jakarta has grown very rapidly in the sectors of industry, trade, transportation, real estate and many others, which has caused several negative environmental impacts. In turns Jakarta is then prone toward a few natural hazards mainly land subsidence and flooding. In general, based on geodetic measurement methods (e.g. Leveling, GPS surveys, and InSAR), conducted since 1982 up to 2014, it is obtained that land subsidence in Jakarta exhibits spatial and temporal variations, with the typical rates of about 3 to 10 cm year−1. In general, the impacts of land subsidence in Jakarta can be seen in the forms of cracking of permanent constructions and roads, changes in river canal and drain flow systems, wider expansion of coastal and/or inland flooding areas, and malfunction of drainage system. Several areas along the coast of Jakarta already have experienced tidal flooding during high tide periods. These coastal flooding usually occurs in the areas with relatively large subsidence rates. Subsidence in the areas along the rivers which are flowing throughout Jakarta will also worsen the impacts of riverine flooding. The changes in river canal and drain flow systems and malfunction of drainage system due to land subsidence will also aggravate the flooding. Land subsidence will have direct and indirect affects with the flooding in Jakarta, both in coastal or inland areas.


Abstract This report form part of the European Community Multi-Center Trial "Fetal ECG Analysis during Labor". Aim of this prospective trial was to identify changes in the fetal ECG waveform with cases of verified fetal hypoxia. In this paper we also report on the use of a newly developed automatic system for identification of ST waveform changes (ST Log). All ECG were recorded with the STAN recorder (Neoventa Medical AB, Gothenburg, Sweden). The ECG information was not displayed during labor in order not to influence the clinical management. This report includes data from 320 cases and include six cases of fetal intrapartum hypoxia. Twenty seven cases showed changes in ST waveform. All five cases with the most marked ST change (a rise in T/QRS of ﹥0.10 units and lasting more then 10 minutes) had signs of ongoing intrapartum hypoxia. Six out of six cases with evidence of intrapartum asphyxia, showed ST changes. On the basis of our multi-center trial it appears that the combined analysis of CTG and ST waveform changes provides an accurate way to identify adverse events during labor. The work is continuing with a new STAN recorder developed by Neoventa Medical in Göteborg and currently being tested in a Swedish randomized, controlled multi-center trial.


HENDERSON, L. J. The Fitness of the Environment. Pp. 317. Price, $1.50. New York: Macmillan Company, 1913. In recent years we have heard a great deal about the adaptation of living organisms to the physical environment. That this is really a reciprocal relationship so that it is quite as proper to speak of the fitness of the environment is rarely suggested. Yet this is the thesis of the author as indicated by the subtitle: &dquo;An Inquiry into the Biological Significance of the Properties of Matter.&dquo; The result is a most intensely interesting and suggestive volume. Fitness, the Environment, Water, Carbonic Acid, the Ocean, Chemistry of the Three Elements, the Argument, Life and the Cosmos are the chapter headings. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen are set forth as the three chief factors on which life depends-indeed with little question as the only elements making life possible. Their multitudinous forms and power of change are of vast significance. The general student will find some most stimulating ideas in the discussion of


In the last two and one-half years a suburban community hospital, through its parent corporation, invested $8 million in four new companies in an effort to diversify its revenue base. The important lessons learned during the process--including the need for a dedicated diversification team, commitment of funds equal to 150 percent of those required, and allocation of sufficient funds for marketing--can help healthcare organizations contemplating a similar revenue diversification effort.


We have investigated the dynamics of amorphization induced in phase-change optical recording media by focused laser pulses of subnanosecond duration. We initiated localized amorphism by using a focused laser beam to melt the phase-change material and completed the change by rapid cooling by means of thermal diffusion. These studies were conducted by use of real-time reflectivity measurements with a pump-and-probe technique in which both pump and probe pulses had a duration of 510 ps. Our transient-reflectivity measurements indicate that the process that leads to amorphism has three distinct stages, namely, rapid melting, solidification, and slow relaxation. © 2004 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 210.0210, 210.4810.


Abstract Dinitrogen complex cis-[W (N2) 2 (PMe2Ph) 4] reacts with an excess of acidic dihydrogen complexes such as trans-[RuCl (h2-H2) (dppe) 2]BF4 (dppe = 1,2-bis (diphenylphosphino) ethane) at 55 °C under 1 atm of H2 to form ammonia in moderate yield. The reaction is presumed to proceed through nucleophilic attack of the remote nitrogen of the coordinated dinitrogen on the dihydrogen ligand. The coordinated dinitrogen is also protonated by treatment with hydrosulfido-bridged dinuclear complexes such as [Cp*Ir (m-SH) 3IrCp*]Cl (Cp* = h5-C5Me5) to afford ammonia. On the other hand, the synthetic cycle for the formation of pyrrole and N-aminopyrrole from dinitrogen and 2,5-dimethoxytetrahydrofuran has been established starting from dinitrogen complexes of the type trans-[M (N2) 2 (dppe) 2 ] (M = Mo, W).


Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is an
attractive method for evaluating sarcopenia, age-related
loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, using
appendicular lean tissue (aLT) mass for criteria of diagnosis, although minimal
radiation is exposed. Skeletal muscle (SM) mass can be
estimated by using ultrasound-measured muscle thickness (MTH). However, the
association between these two methods is unclear. To examine the relationship
between DXA-derived aLT mass and total body SM mass estimated by ultrasound,
thirty-six healthy adults (18 men and 18 women) aged 19 - 65 years
participated in this study. Ultrasound-measured muscle thickness was used to
estimate the total SM mass. DXA was used to estimate whole body and regional
body composition, and aLT mass was considered equivalent to the sum of lean
tissue in both the right and left arms and legs. Total
SM mass (26.3 ± 4.4 kg for
men and 15.7 ± 2.6 kg for
women) estimated by ultrasound was similar to DXA-estimated aLT mass (24.5 ± 3.8 kg for men and 15.7 ± 2.7 kg for women). There was a strong
correlation between DXA-measured aLT mass and total SM mass estimated by
ultrasound in men (r = 0.927, n = 18) and women (r = 0.931, n = 18) as well as
overall sample (r = 0.975, n = 36). The ratio of total SM mass to aLT mass was
1.07 for men and 1.00 for women. These results suggest that DXA-derived aLT
mass can be accurately predicted from ultrasound estimated total SM mass,
although the predicted value may underestimate in men (approximately 7% at the
group level).


Abstract Background: The relationship between conscientiousness, mental health and mental illness has been an issue for the last two decades. Aims: By using a dual model of mental health, the present study examined a non-linear relationship between conscientiousness and healthy or non-healthy symptoms in two different cultures. Method: Participants in this study were 296 Iranian and 310 Swedish university students (18–24 years of age). We used two different conscientiousness scales; the 12-item conscientiousness subscale of the NEO/FFI as an imported (etic) scale, and a 10-item Iranian conscientiousness scale as an indigenous (emic) and culture-dependent scale. Results: In both conscientiousness scales, multivariate analysis of variance showed that conscientiousness differentiated among four mental health groups (languishing, troubled, symptomatic and flourishing), although languishing and troubled individuals were less conscientious than flourishing and symptomatic individuals. Furthermore, the non-healthy symptomatic individuals were more conscientiousness than flourishing individuals. The results showed no significant differences between the two cultures in terms of the four mental health categories. Conclusions: It was concluded that the relationship between conscientiousness and mental health/mental illness is more a non-linear relationship than a linear one.


Context. A small number of young stellar objects show signs of a halo-like structure of optically thin dust, in addition to a circumstellar disk. This halo or torus is located within a few AU of the star, but its origin has not yet been understood. Aims. A dynamically excited cloud of planetesimals colliding to eventually form dust could produce such a structure. The cause of the dynamical excitation could be one or more planets, perhaps on eccentric orbits, or a migrating planet. This work investigates an inwardly migrating planet that is dynamically scattering planetesimals as a possible cause for the observed structures. If this mechanism is responsible, the observed halo-like structure could be used to infer the existence of planets in these systems. Methods. We present analytical estimates on the maximum inclination reached owing to dynamical interactions between planetesimals and a migrating planet. In addition, a symplectic integrator is used to simulate the effect of a migrating planet on a population of planetesimals. Collision time scales are estimated for the resulting population of planetesimals and the size distribution of the dust created in catastrophic collisions is determined. Results. It is found that an inwardly migrating planet is only able to scatter the material it encounters to highly-inclined orbits if the material is on an eccentric orbit. Such eccentric orbits can be the result of resonance trapping and eccentricity pumping. Simulations show that for a certain range of migration rates and planet masses, resonance capture combined with planetary migration indeed causes the planetesimals to reach eccentric orbits and subsequently get scattered to highly-inclined orbits. The size distribution of the resulting dust is calculated determined to find the total mass and optical depth, which are found to compare reasonably well with the observed structures. Conclusions. Dynamical scattering of planetesimals caused by a planet migrating in, followed by the grinding down of these planetesimals to dust grains, appears to be a promising explanation for the inferred circumstellar dust clouds. Further study is needed to see if the haloes can be used to infer the presence of planets.


collected from approximately 1100 purebred Duroc pigs between 2011 and 2017. The meat quality traits evaluated were: moisture content (MC), fat content (FC), water holding capacity (WHC), cooking loss (CL), and shear force (SF). Meat samples were evaluated for the following fatty acids: palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids. We evaluated the meat for the following sensory traits: color, flavor, tenderness, juiciness, and acceptability of the meat. Variance and covariance components were estimated using restricted maximum likelihood procedures on different animal models. The results showed that the estimates of heritability for MC, FC, WHC, CL, and SF were 0.17, 0.58, 0.34, 0.31, and 0.42, respectively. The heritability estimates for fatty acid composition were moderate to high (0.34 to 0.63). The estimates of genetic correlation were -0.60 and 0.46 between MC and FC, and MC and SF, respectively. Generally, phenotypic correlation between meat quality traits was low. Linoleic acid had moderate to high negative phenotypic and genotypic correlation with both palmitic and oleic acid. Comparison of meat quality traits and sensory traits revealed a positive correlation (0.208) between acceptability and WHC, while the correlation between acceptability and SF was negative (-0.207). The estimated genetic parameters among meat quality traits, sensory traits, and fatty acid composition in this study are expected to be used to improve pork to suit consumer preferences.


Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate mean platelet volume (MPV), thrombopoietin (TPO), and platelet levels in patients with ischemic stroke and compare this with healthy controls. Methods: We prospectively studied 50 patients with ischemic stroke and compared them with 37 control participants who have evaluated in internal medicine polyclinic and had no history of cerebrovascular events. All patients were within 24 hours after stroke; MPV and TPO were measured on admission. Results: Both TPO and MPV values were significantly higher in patients with stroke (P = .00; P = .001). Conclusion: Increased TPO levels may increase both platelet count and platelet size, resulting in more hemostatic tendency, which may contribute to the progression of ischemic stroke.


Gonadal infections by a novel microsporidium were discovered in 34% (13/38) of arrow gobies, Clevelandia ios, sampled over a 3‐yr period from Morro Bay Marina in Morro Bay, California. Gonadal tumors had been reported in arrow gobies from this geographic area. The infected gonads, found primarily in females, typically appeared grossly as large, white‐gray firm and lobulated masses. Histological examination revealed large, multilobate xenomas within the ovaries and no evidence of neoplasia. Typical of the genus Ichthyosporidium, the large xenomas were filled with developmental stages and pleomorphic spores. Wet mount preparations showed two general spore types: microspores with mean length of 6.2 (7.0–4.9, SD = 0.6, N = 20) μm and mean width of 4.3 (5.3–2.9, SD = 0.8) μm; and less numerous macrospores with mean length of 8.5 (10.1–7.1, SD = 1.0, N = 10) μm and mean width of 5.5 (6.2–4.8, SD = 0.5) μm. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated stages consistent with the genus and 35–50 turns of the polar filament. Small subunit rDNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the parasite from arrow gobies was most closely related to, but distinct from Ichthyosporidium sp. based on sequences available in GenBank. We conclude that this microsporidium represents a new species of Ichthyosporidium, the first species of this genus described from a member of the family Gobiidae and from the Pacific Ocean.


A series of polyurethane film were prepared from poly(ethylene glycol) with different molecular weight (PEG 1500, 3000, and 8000) and castor oil by one-shot bulk polymerization method. Hexamethylene diisocyanate and 1,4-buthane diol were used as diisocyanate and chain extender, respectively. In order to characterize the samples, their density, swelling ratio, water contact angle, surface free energy, gel content, thermal, and viscoelastic properties were determined. The effect of the soft segment length (SSL) and hard segment content (HSC) of all polyurethane films on their shape memory behavior such as shape fixity (Rf) and shape recovery (Rr) rates were investigated by bending test. Direct contact and MTT tests were used for assessment of cell adhesion and proliferation. The relatively high Rf and Rr values were obtained for the samples programmed at high temperature difference. Rf increased with decreasing HSC. On the other hand, Rr tended to decrease with increasing SSL. After evaluating experimental data by a nonlinear equation, it was found that HSC is more effective parameter on shape memory property than SSL. The gel content, swelling ratio, and water contact angle of the samples were dependent on both SSL and HSC in their structures. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40590.


ABSTRACT We present here findings of a strong positive correlation between reduced daptomycin susceptibility and vancomycin resistance in vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA). This correlation is related to cell wall thickening, suggesting that, similar to the case with vancomycin resistance in VISA, the physical barrier of a thickened cell wall may contribute to daptomycin resistance in S. aureus.


Spawning aids such as common carp pituitary (CCP), luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue, and human chorionic gonadotropin are routinely used in fisheries programs to induce gamete maturation in fish to enhance fish propagation programs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the use of CCP under the Compassionate Investigational New Animal Drug (INAD) Exemption #8391 for the purpose of gathering efficacy data to support a new animal drug approval for CCP. During calendar year 2008 (CY08), 16 INAD trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of CCP to induce gamete maturation in a variety of fish species. Trials involved 3,738 treated fish and were conducted at eight different fish hatcheries, including six state hatcheries and two private hatcheries. Efficacy was determined by whether or not treated fish (1) produced or yielded eggs or milt, or (2) produced or yielded more eggs or milt than untreated fish. Overall results of trials conducted during this period 2 indicated that approximately 88% of the trials appeared efficacious, ineffective in 6% of the trials, and were characterized as inconclusive in 6% of the trials.


The 111 urgent care telephone hotline has failed to relieve the pressure on accident and emergency departments in England since its introduction in April and needs to be remodelled to give greater priority to early clinical assessment, MPs have concluded.

In its report on urgent and emergency care services, published this week,1 the House of Commons health select committee said that the reliance on non-clinically trained staff to triage 111 calls had led to some patients attending emergency departments unnecessarily.

The inquiry has been prompted by growing fears about the strain being placed on emergency departments and comes after the College of Emergency Medicine warned that problems with the new urgent care hotline had contributed to the "severe pressure" on emergency departments.2 3

MPs concluded that NHS 111 was introduced "without a sufficiently …


Active sub-network search aims to identify a group of interconnected genes in a protein-protein interaction network that contains most of the disease-associated genes. In recent years, to address active sub-network search problem, various algorithms and programs are developed. In this study, performances of disease specific sub-network identification programs are compared. The same input dataset is run in jActiveModules, ActiveSubnetworkGA, CytoHubba, ClusterViz, MCODE, CytoMOBAS, PathFindR, PINBPA and PEWCC programs. Then, functional enrichment analysis is applied on obtained sub-networks. Finally, they are compared according to the results of GO Enrichment Analysis. In addition to these, work performances, features and requirements of programs are compared.


The ability of the RapID NF Plus system (Innovative Diagnostic Systems, Inc., Atlanta, Ga.) to identify 345 nonfermentative gram-negative rods was evaluated. Kits were inoculated with no. 1 McFarland suspensions, and reactions were interpreted after a 4-h incubation at 35 degrees C. Overall, the method correctly identified 311 strains (90.1%) without additional tests and 21 strains (6.1%) with additional tests, and 13 strains (3.8%) were misidentified. Five of 13 misidentified strains were Alcaligenes faecalis-Alcaligenes odorans misidentified as Alcaligenes xylosoxidans; however, all strains were xylose negative but nitrate positive and could have been A. faecalis group I-Alcaligenes piechaudii. The system does not differentiate between Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas putida, and all Acinetobacter species are identified as Acetinobacter calcoaceticus. Additionally, no subspecies differentiation is made between A. xylosoxidans subsp. xylosoxidans and A. xylosoxidans subsp. denitrificans. All strains of the former Flavobacterium group IIb are identified as Flavobacterium indologenes-Flavobacterium gleum, and no species identification of the genus Methylobacterium is attempted. The system is easy to set up and interpret and provides an accurate commercial nonautomated method for same-day identification of gram-negative nonfermenters.


Internal jugular vein (IJV) narrowing has been implicated in central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Body mass index (BMI) is a cardiovascular risk factor that has been also linked to CNS diseases, however it is unknown whether a relationship exists between IJV narrowing and BMI. The objectives were to assess the relationship between IJV cross-sectional areas (CSA) and BMI in healthy individuals (HI) and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. A total of 388 subjects (194 age- and sexmatched HI and MS patients) received magnetic resonance venography and structural brain magnetic resonance imaging at 3T. Region of interest analysis was performed using a semiautomated contouring-thresholding technique to determine the minimum CSA of the IJVs at C2/C3, C5/C6, and C7/T1 cervical levels. Partial correlation analyses were used to determine the associations. Increased BMI was related to increased IJV CSA at lower cervical levels (r=0.240, P<0.0001 at C5/C6 and r=0.293, P<0.0001 at C7/T1) in both MS patients and HI. Both MS and HI, showed associations between increased BMI and IJV CSA measures, particularly at lower cervical locations, in individual group analyses. No differences in association between BMI and IJV CSA were observed between HI and MS patients. Relationship between IJV CSA and BMI were not significant at upper cervical locations in the studied groups. Increased BMI is associated with IJV CSA widening, rather than narrowing, at lower cervical levels in both MS patients and HI. This finding warrants further investigation, but indicates that BMI can obscure interpretation of IJV CSA narrowing.


What can we do to protect ourselves from a terrorist attack, and how can communities respond most effectively if the unthinkable should happen? The next large-scale terrorist attack on the United States could be carried out using any number of agents and delivery methods, including anthrax, smallpox, the water system, the agriculture industry; threats to bridges, tunnels, trains, airlines, and other transportation systems; suicide bombings in crowded cities, convention centers, and shopping malls; the possibilities are many, but not endless. Local preparation is critical. Until now, scant attention has been paid to the role of communities in preparing for and responding to terrorism. This invaluable set covers chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive scenarios. Throughout, the focus is on community preparedness and response. Volume I, The Terrorist Threat and Community Response, focuses on local, state, regional and federal coordination of efforts and interaction. Volume II, The Role of Community Organizations and Business, includes chapters on the public health system, counterterrorism training, cyberterrorism, negotiating with terrorists, nonprofit organizations, and schools. Volume III, Communication and the Media, addresses the role of the media in alerting the public to a terrorist attack, and the need to prevent terrorists from using public information against the very citizens the media is trying to serve in times of crisis.


There appears to be a paradox in crime figures according to two reports issued recently by the Home Office in April 2015. The recent crime figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show a rise in crime in the UK triggered by a rise in violent crime while the figures released by the the Crime Survey of England and Wales (CSEW) (which is based on interviews with members of the public about their experiences of crime) estimated a 7 per cent fall in overall crime to 6.9 million incidents last year. The CSEW, which questions 35,000 people in England and Wales, estimates that crime is now at its lowest level since the study began in 1981.So why have we seen this apparent discrepancy in figures? In reality the ONS figures reflect new reporting practices by the Police and it stated it could no longer approve figures recorded by the police because they were unreliable, prompting major revisions of how each force handles its figures. The renewed focus on the quality of crime recording is thought to have led to improved compliance with national recording standards, leading to proportionally more crimes reported to the police being recorded by them. Improved compliance with recording standards is thought to have particularly affected the way the police recorded crime categories of violence against the person (up 21%) and public order offences (up 14%). These rises were largely off-set by falls in the number of recorded theft offences (down 5%). In contrast to the CSEW, there was a 2% increase in police recorded crime compared with the previous year, with 3.8 million offences recorded in the year ending December 2014 (see Figure 1)


The aim of research was to examine causes and effects of conflicts toward migration of Burmese women into Thailand as well as access to justice of Burmese women. This qualitative research was collected data from experts which were police officers, attorneys, judges and 120 people related to research area which were 60 NGO workers and 60 Burmese migrant women. Data collection was carried out in 3 provinces in Thailand which was Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Tak. Methodology for data collect was in-depth interview that relevant to the purpose of study. The data then was conducted by content analysis and presented through descriptive research. The study determined that causes of migration of Burmese women into Thailand were conflicts on ethnic minorities, military dictatorship, human rights violation, poverty, yearning for human right and better living for family, and other violence such as labour abuse, exploitation, violation and sexual harassment. Burmese migrant women possibly face various effects in Thailand such as labour abuse, exploitation, violation sexual harassment, prostitution and inaccessible justice. The significant effect for Burmese migrant women was inaccessible on justice system in Thailand and their right or equity to justice was non-existent. Due to illegal migration and no legal identity and verification, Burmese migrant women fled from administrative officers and they can face illegal employment, extortion, prostitution or human trafficking coercion. Consequently, Burmese migrant women were insecure to meet prosecution with their illegal status as well as barrier in communication and identity verification issue. The research provide recommendation that due to vulnerability, lack of human right and opportunity to Burmese migrant women in Thailand, cooperation between Thai and Burmese government must contribute in order to solicited to resolve the issues and support "adaptation toward right to justice in Thailand".


DO UMENT RESUME CG 006 698 Feldstein, Jerome H. Effects of Uncertainty Reductilne Reward Value, and Variety on ChiLdren's Choice BeAavior. State Univ. of New York, Genesco. Apr 71 3p.; Paper presented at Eastern Psychological Association annual me tinge New York, N.Y., April 15-17, 1971 MF-$0.65 HC-$3.29 *Children; *Learning; Learning Motivation; Motivation; *Reinforcemen *Rewards; *Teaching Sixty-four 4th grade s were subjects in this experiment which examined children's choice behavior under conditions of uncertainty. In the experimental condition, 2 rewards were offered, one of which was concealed by a question mark. In addition the question mark concealed one of 2 possible rewards, presented according to varied probability schedules. To the subjects, it was uncertain what was under the question mark. The control condition contained no such uncertainty, since the question_marks were colored and associated with a specific, known reward. Findings indicate that children chose the question mark more frequently in the experimental condition than in the control condition. Other findings are also reported which suggest that the desire to reduce uncertainty is not the only variable operating, but that the value of the reward influences choice as well. The data points to the incentive properties of uncertainty reduction, or information, for children. Implications for learning are touched upon in the discussion. (TL) EFFECTS OF UNCERTAINTY REDUCTION, REWARD VALUE, AND VARIETY, ON CHILDREN'S CHOICE BEHAVIOR


Local governments have multiple options to secure financing for infrastructure projects, including using tax-increment financing (TIF) bonds. Although the TIF concept brings numerous benefits, it is also associated with several key challenges, including characterizing the uncertainty in tax increment revenue as the most prominent challenge. This article presents a framework that aims to help all market stakeholders better understand the credit risk associated with TIF bonds. The framework focuses on reconstituting the asset credit risk profile and detecting early warning signals of changing conditions. The key benefit of the proposed framework is its capacity to use publically available time series data. The case study illustrating the framework is based on the "Uptown Development Authority" bond, structured to support redevelopment projects in Houston, Texas.


The Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to the billions of physical devices round the world that are connected to the web, all assembling and sharing data, that makes new applications and services. These services lead to rising our class of lifetime. On the other side, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is applicable to various areas of science. It's goal is to know techniques that need associate degree of intelligent action and solve advanced issues. Integration of IoT with AI can produce a strong technology that may solve several of IoT issues that relate to the massive quantity of knowledge developed by different IoT devices. Huge amount of IoT data can be analysed efficiently with the huge analysis capabilities of AI to extract meaningful information. In addition, AI will facilitate IoT devices to communicate with humans and other objects showing intelligence and create independent conclusions. This paper offers a summary of the combination of the IoT with AI by emphasising the integration opportunities and challenges of AI in various IoT applications. In conclusion the integration of AI with IoT will produce a strong technology that can help companies to avoid unintentional downtime, increase operating efficiency, and enable new IoT applications and services.


Kenya has in the past implemented tax amnesties in its tax regimes in the years 1993, 1998 and 2004 to improve compliance among the taxpayers. The objective o f this study was to examine the effect o f the year 2004 tax amnesty on VAT compliance in Kenya. The key research question was: "Did tax amnesty o f the year 2004 affect the VAT compliance?" The study utilised secondary data obtained from the KRA data base for the financial years 1995/6 to 2006/7 providing sufficient dataset for the use o f an event study methodology for analysis. The analysis result showed that VAT collections and taxpayer base have continuously grown in the past decade despite some observed seasonality in the data. The study indicated that tax amnesty has the following effects: First, the tax amnesty impacted positively on both short and long run compliance. This was evident by an upward trend after the amnesty event and further confirmed by high positive abnormal VAT collections. Secondly, the amnesty duration allowed the taxpayers to pay their overdue tax. This helped the government to manage its debt portfolio as shown by high collections during amnesty period associated with past transactions. The empirical findings in this study support the proponents of tax amnesty. Studies have shown mixed results on the impact of amnesties on both short and long run compliance but all agree on its effect on debt management (Laborda and Rodrigo, 2003). This study confirms this scenario by showing collection o f overdue tax as noted by Aim and Beck (1993). The study further supported Laborda and Rodrigo (2003) that amnesty improves short and long term compliance.


Buzz pollination is a specialized pollination syndrome that requires vibrational energy to extract concealed pollen grains from poricidal anthers. Although a large body of work has examined the ecology of buzz pollination, whether acoustic properties of buzz pollinators affect pollen extraction is less understood, especially in weeds and invasive species. We examined the pollination biology of Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium), a worldwide invasive weed, in its native range in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) in south Texas. Over two years, we documented the floral visitors on S. elaeagnifolium, their acoustic parameters (buzzing amplitude, frequency, and duration of buzzing) and estimated the effects of the latter two factors on pollen extraction. We found five major bee genera: Exomalopsis, Halictus, Megachile, Bombus, and Xylocopa, as the most common floral visitors on S. elaeagnifolium in the LRGV. Bee genera varied in their duration of total buzzing time, duration of each visit, and mass. While we did not find any significant differences in buzzing frequency among different genera, an artificial pollen collection experiment using an electric toothbrush showed that the amount of pollen extracted is significantly affected by the duration of buzzing. We conclude that regardless of buzzing frequency, buzzing duration is the most critical factor in pollen removal in this species.


Summary and Conclusions
In view of the experimental evidence presented in these pages the following points are made:
1.
A total of 204, or 41.8 per cent, of the 487 tests run on samples of Army uniform cloth were positive for the passage of small numbers of cercariae of S. japonicum through the cloth.
2.
The actual number of viable cercariae of S. japonicum that succeeded in effecting a penetration of the samples of Army uniform cloth tested in the in vitro experiments was low. Only 652, or 2.63 per cent, of the 24,350 cercariae used in these experiments penetrated the cloth compared with 62.5 per cent of the controls.
3.
The results of the in vitro experiments show that the different types of cloth permitted the passage of cercariae in increasing numbers in the following order: Water resistant sateen—new; water resistant sateen—washed four times; herringbone twill—old fatigue cloth; cotton khaki twill—old trousers; cotton khaki twill—new trousers; herringbone twill—new fatigue cloth; woolen O.D. trousers—new; cotton khaki twill—new shirt; woolen O.D. trousers—old; woolen O.D. shirt—new; cotton khaki twill—old shirt; woolen O.D. shirts—old.
4.
Evidence is presented to show that when pressure is applied to pieces of test cloth greater numbers of the tests become positive and greater numbers of cercariae are successful in penetrating the cloth.
5.
The recovery of adults of S. japonicum from mice exposed to cercariae that had successfully penetrated samples of test cloth suggests that these parasites are still capable of infecting man.
6.
Adult schistosomes were recovered from mice that had been exposed to cercariae-infested water protected only by bags of test cloth. The number of adults recovered was essentially the same as those recovered after exposure to cercariae that had penetrated the cloth in the in vitro experiments.
7.
It is evident from the foregoing experiments that all types of Army uniform cloth afford some degree of protection to the wearer. Herringbone twill (fatigue cloth) and khaki cotton twill would appear to give slightly better protection than new woolen O.D. material. However, any uniform trouser material would protect the legs provided it was tucked into the top of combat boots and enough slack was present to form a cuff over the boot top.


Concrete is an excellent structural material and considered as essential for the modern civilization and human society. Now, use of waste tyres in concrete has become technically feasible and the concrete is being considered as light weight concrete. The composites were formed with 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% of fibers replaced by coarse aggregate weight. The fibers were of different lengths (L) such as 25mm, 50mm and 75mm had holes of diameters (D) 4mm, 5mm and 6mm. The holes functioned as anchors in the cement matrix so that the tyre fibres shall not be separated while placing in the mould. The 3rd, 7th and 28th day's compression strength and crack patterns were observed on cubes. Split tensile strength on 14th and 28th day were tested on cylindrical specimens. Test results have shown that the increase in rubber content decreases the compressive strength, but, increases the strain energy while conducting the split tensile tests. The composite with fiber specimen L50-D5 and L50-D6 with 10% replacement of coarse aggregate had shown better results than other specimens. However, further studies are needed to reveal the hidden properties of tyre fiber modified concrete.


A radio-frequency micro-electro-mechanical system (RF MEMS) wafer-level packaging (WLP) method using pre-patterned benzo-cyclo-butene (BCB) polymers with a high-resistivity silicon cap is proposed to achieve high bonding quality and excellent RF performance. In this process, the BCB polymer was pre-defined to form the sealing ring and bonding layer by the spin-coating and patterning of photosensitive BCB before the cavity formation. During anisotropic wet etching of the silicon wafer to generate the housing cavity, the BCB sealing ring was protected by a sputtered Cr/Au (chromium/gold) layer. The average measured thickness of the BCB layer was 5.9 μm. In contrast to the conventional methods of spin-coating BCB after fabricating cavities, the pre-patterned BCB method presented BCB bonding layers with better quality on severe topography surfaces in terms of increased uniformity of thickness and better surface flatness. The observation of the bonded layer showed that no void or gap formed on the protruding coplanar waveguide (CPW) lines. A shear strength test was experimentally implemented as a function of the BCB widths in the range of 100–400 μm. The average shear strength of the packaged device was higher than 21.58 MPa. A RF MEMS switch was successfully packaged using this process with a negligible impact on the microwave characteristics and a significant improvement in the lifetime from below 10 million to over 1 billion. The measured insertion loss of the packaged RF MEMS switch was 0.779 dB and the insertion loss deterioration caused by the package structure was less than 0.2 dB at 30 GHz.


The effects of conservation of in-plane momentum and doping levels on the low-temperature characteristics of GaSb/AlSb/InAs/GaSb/AlSb/InAs broken-gap interband tunneling structures are investigated. A three-band k · p model incorporating the coupling effects among electrons, heavy holes and light holes is used to calculate the tunneling current-voltage characteristics. It is found that the kink and the small peaks in the low-temperature characteristics are results of the conservation of in-plane momentum. With a 30 Å-thick InAs well, the low-temperature characteristics change from the ones with a shoulder at low doping levels to the ones with a kink at high doping levels. In addition, the peak current density decreases at high doping levels. With a 120 Å-thick InAs well, the peak current density increases with increasing doping levels. Besides, the small peaks at low and medium voltages and the main current peak become more significant at high doping levels. The detailed carrier transport can be interpreted with the tunneling factors and the conservation of the in-plane momentum.


Abstract Background There has been several discussion and debates regarding the possible setremental influence of elevated serum progesterone (SP) on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration. Our study aims to assess progestron to oocyte rates for assessing CPR and live birth rate (LBR) in IVF cycles and review previous articles. Methods In this prospective cohort study, women under ovulation induction through IVF-ICSI using the GnRH-antagonist protocol were studied. Five specific indicators were considered to assess pregnancy outcome. The statistical analysis was done using SPSS software. Results In the present research, 78 patients underwent IVF. The cut-off points for each of the three parameters were 1.2 (with a sensitivity of 65.4% and a specificity of 54%), 6.5 (with a sensitivity of 73.1% and a specificity of 56%), and 0.16 (with a sensitivity of 65.4% and a specificity of 60%, respectively). Only the number of oocytes (area below the curve of 0.64) was able to predict clinical pregnancy. The cut-off point for this parameter was 6.5 (with a sensitivity of 74.1% and a specificity of 66%). On the other hand, none of the parameters were able to predict live birth. Conclusions The findings of this study should assist in the clinical management of patients with high SP on the day of HCG administration. We recommend, that the ratio of SP to oocyte is a useful parameter for refining the criteria of patients who have had embryo freezing of all embryos (by selective freezing) and subsequent transfer of frozen embryos.


A reliable representation of physiology in models of larval fish is essential to understand how environmental factors affect growth rates. In particular, individual-based models of larval fish typically contain detailed bioenergetic modules that couple energy intake, temperature and body conditions to growth. These modules rely on experimental studies for their formulation and parameterization, although for many species this information is still scattered and a constraint to model development. Here, we develop a bioenergetic model including gut flow, assimilation efficiency and metabolic costs of Engraulis mordax larval anchovy based on available experimental work and field observations, and use it to investigate individual growth under different daily feeding rations and frequencies, and temperature. At satiated feeding and similar temperature-conditions, the model predicts growth rates comparable to field estimates of E. encrasicolus (but higher than observed for E. japonicus), suggesting E. encrasicolus grow near their physiological, temperature-limited rates in the field.


Date Presented 4/19/2018
 The Motivation Assessment for Team Readiness, Integration, and Collaboration provides information on intrapersonal readiness to collaborate in a team. The study aimed to develop an innovative approach to assessing and interpreting individual motivation in collaborative biomedical teams.
 Primary Author and Speaker: John Liu Jr.
 Contributing Authors: Gaetano Lotrecchiano, Trudy Mallinson, Lisa Schwartz, Holly Falk-Krzesinski