In response to the drought experienced in Southern Italy a rain seeding project has been setup and developed during the years 1989-1994. The initiative was taken with the purpose of applying existing methods of rain enhancement technology to regions of south Italy including Puglia. The aim of this study is to provide statistical support for the evaluation of the experimental part of the project. In particular our aim is to reconstruct rainfall fields by combining two data sources: rainfall intensity as measured by ground raingauges and radar reflectivity. A difficulty in modeling the rainfall data here comes from rounding of many recorded rainguages. The rounding of the rainfall measurements make the data essentially discrete and models based on continuous distributions are not suitable for modeling these discrete data. In this study we extend two recently developed spatio-temporal models for continuous data to accommodate rounded rainfall measurements taking discrete values with positive probabilities. We use MCMC methods to implement the models and obtain forecasts in space and time together with their standard errors. We compare the two models using predictive Bayesian methods. The benefits of our modeling extensions are seen in accurate predictions of dry periods with no positive prediction standard errors.


A hybrid block truncation coding (BTC) is presented. In the hybrid BTC, a universal codebook using Hamming codes and a differential pulse code modulation (DPCM) are employed, respectively, to the bit plane and the side information of BTC to reduce coding rate. Simulation results reveal that the performance of the proposed algorithm is only slightly worse than that of the hybrid BTC using vector quantization (VQ) techniques, but with much lower computational or hardware complexity.


PURPOSE
to report three cases of spontaneous gestation in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), that occurred in the months subsequent to transvaginal oocyte retrieval for in vitro maturation (IVM).

METHODS
three infertile patients with PCOS, submitted to oocytes' IVM without previous ovarian stimulation, were included in the study. During the procedure of oocytes' collection, each ovary was drilled from four to eight times.

RESULTS
none of the patients got pregnant with the IVM technique. Evaluating the cases' follow-up, in seven months after the procedure, the three patients got pregnant without the help of techniques of assisted reproduction, which resulted in three births.

CONCLUSIONS
the multiple drillings in the ovary of these patients with PCOS, during the process to collect oocytes, may have contributed to their pregnancy in the months following the procedure.


Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an expanding autoimmune disease afflicting millions that remains difficult to treat due to the accumulation of multiple immunological changes. BT-11 is an investigational new drug for IBD that is orally active, gut restricted, and targets the lanthionine synthetase C-like 2 immunometabolic pathway. CD25+ FOXP3+ CD4+ T cells are increased locally within the colon of BT-11–treated mice in Citrobacter rodentium and IL-10−/− mouse models of colitis. The maintained efficacy of BT-11 in the absence of IL-10 combined with the loss of efficacy when direct cell–cell interactions are prevented suggest that the regulatory T cell (Treg)–related elements of suppression are cell contact–mediated. When PD-1 is inhibited, both in vitro and in vivo, the efficacy of BT-11 is reduced, validating this assertion. The depletion of CD25+ cells in vivo abrogated the retention of therapeutic efficacy postdiscontinuation of treatment, indicating that Tregs are implicated in the maintenance of tolerance mediated by BT-11. Furthermore, the involvement of CD25 suggested a role of BT-11 in IL-2 signaling. Cotreatment with BT-11 and IL-2 greatly enhances the differentiation of CD25+ FOXP3+ cells from naive CD4+ T cells relative to either alone. BT-11 enhances phosphorylation of STAT5, providing a direct linkage to the regulation of FOXP3 transcription. Notably, when STAT5 is inhibited, the effects of BT-11 on the differentiation of Tregs are blocked. BT-11 effectively enhances the IL-2/STAT5 signaling axis to induce the differentiation and stability of CD25+ FOXP3+ cells in the gastrointestinal mucosa to support immunoregulation and immunological tolerance in IBD.


Hydrographic survey data was collected using Reson 8101, Elac 1180 and Elac 1050D multibeam echo sounders onboard the NOAA ship RAINIER and NOAA ship RAINIER survey launches during the months of October, 2001-2004. Data were cleaned of anomalies and exported to xy-z data format and gridded at 5m resolution in Fledermaus. Data were then converted to ESRI grid format.


Down syndrome is a chromosome abnormality with specific clinical symptoms and mental retardation caused by trisomy of chromosome 21. There is evidence that oxygen free radicals play an important role in the pathophysiology of many neuropsychiatric disorders. Although, it has not been investigated yet, several recent studies proposed that nitric oxide related to oxidative stress and arginase may have a pathophysiological role in mental retardation. The purpose of this study was to determine plasma nitric oxide levels and erythrocyte arginase activities in patients with Down syndrome and in healthy children. Plasma nitric oxide levels and erythrocyte arginase activity were measured in 20 patients with Down syndrome (median age: 15.6 ± 7.5) and 20 age-matched healthy subjects (median age: 16.2 ± 7.4). Significant differences were found between erythrocyte arginase activity of the patients with Down syndrome (35.2 ± 2.7 U/g hemoglobin (Hb)) and those of healthy children (43.5 ± 2.9 U/g Hb), (P 0.05). It was concluded that the level of erythrocyte arginase activity could be considered as a useful marker for assessing the level of mental retardation in children with Down syndrome.


Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and there is an increasing need for novel anti-tumor therapeutics with greater selectivity and potency. A new strategy in the treatment of cancer has focused on targeting an essential cell metabolite, iron (Fe). Iron is vital for cell growth and metabolism, forming a crucial component of the active site of ribonucleotide reductase (RR), the rate-limiting enzyme in DNA synthesis. Cancer cells in particular require large amounts of Fe to proliferate, making them more susceptible to the Fe deficiency caused by Fe chelators. Beginning with primordial siderophores, Fe chelators have since evolved to a new generation of potent and efficient anti-cancer agents. Recently, investigations have led to the generation of novel di-2-pyridylketone thiosemicarbazone (DpT) and 2-benzoylpyridine thiosemicarbazone (BpT) ligands that demonstrate marked and selective anti-tumor activity both in vitro and in vivo against a wide spectrum of tumors. The mechanism of action of these novel ligands includes alterations in the expression of key regulatory molecules as well as the generation of redox active Fe complexes. Interestingly, non-synthetic Fe chelators including silybin and curcumin, both of which are derived from plants, also have vast potential in the treatment of cancer. This review explores the development of novel Fe chelators for the treatment of cancer and their mechanisms of action.


Assessment test on low temperature cold starting performance of Parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) with ultra-capacitor was carried out in the testing environmental warehouse which can provide constant temperature from -20°C to 0°C. The study focused on: hardware performance of multi-energy management system (MEMS), output torque of Integrated Starter and Generator (ISG) when it was in electric or power generation state, the voltage and current characteristic of its bus bar and the voltage dropping characteristics of ultra-capacitor during charging and discharging process. The experimental results showed that impact starting mode can improve the starting performance of PHEV at low temperature.


African trypanosomes contain a membrane-bound enzyme capable of removing dimyristylglycerol from the membrane-attached form of the variable surface glycoprotein (mfVSG; Ferguson, M. A. J., K. Halder, and G. A. M. Cross, 1985, J. Biol Chem., 260:4963-4968). Although mfVSG phospholipase-C has been implicated in the removal of the VSG from the trypanosome surface (Cardoso de Almeida, M. L., and M. J. Turner, 1983, Nature (Lond.)., 302:349-352; Ferguson, M. A. J., K. Halder, and G. A. M. Cross, 1985, J. Biol Chem., 260:4963-4968), its precise function and subcellular location have not been determined. We have developed a procedure for the separation of the cell fractions and organelles of Trypanosoma brucei brucei (and other trypanosome species) by differential sucrose and isopycnic PercollR centrifugation. These fractions were tested for mfVSG phospholipase activity using Trypanosoma brucei mfVSG labeled with 3H-myristic acid as substrate. The highest enzyme-specific activity was associated with the flagella and evidence is presented to suggest that it is localized in the flagellar pocket. Some activity was also associated with the Golgi complex. These results suggest that the mfVSG phospholipase is localized primarily in the membrane of the flagella pocket and possibly other membrane organelles derived from and associated with this structure, and may be part of the VSG-membrane recycling system in African trypanosomes. The activity of mfVSG phospholipase amongst various trypanosome species was determined. We show that, in contrast to the bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei, cultured procyclic Trypanosoma brucei and bloodstream Trypanosoma vivax had little or no mfVSG phospholipase activity. The activity found in bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma congolense was intermediate between Trypanosoma vivax and Trypanosoma brucei.


Malaysia is considered as one of the countries with the highest novel corona virus (COVID-19) infected cases in Southeast Asia. Recent studies have identified that the air quality of a region also governs the transmission of the virus through pollutants. Hence, a study was conducted to assess the influence of air quality on the COVID-19 pandemic spread in central Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah. An attempt was also made to infer the effect of monsoonal precipitation on air quality. Central Peninsular Malaysia consists of major cities like Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya. These cities are highly populated, with the expansion of industrial activities, rapid urbanisation and greater usage of vehicles has resulted in air quality deterioration. Such conditions have led to related public health issues, compared to Sabah in east Malaysia. In this study, COVID-19 infected cases, air quality index (AQI) and precipitation data were collected from 25 January to August 2020 to infer the relationship of air quality to the pandemic spread before, during and after the implementation of lockdown periods in the country, referred as movement control order (MCO). The lockdown periods fall under various monsoon climate patterns in the country. Interpretation of data reveals that the variation in air quality correlates with the infected cases. Improved air quality was observed during the last phase of MCO with a lesser number of infected cases. The HYSPLIT model was adopted to study the backward air mass trajectories for different time frames to identify the variation in the sources of pollutants reaching the study area. The study determined that the air pollutants have reached the study area from various directions, reflecting a mixed contribution from the ocean and land area. The relationship between high precipitation (during inter-monsoon and SW monsoon) and improved air quality reveals the washout effect of air pollutants. The outcome of this study inferred that the variation of air quality and precipitation rates facilitate the pandemic spread in this region in addition to the other meteorological factors, apart from individual immune capacity and social distancing.


THE ASSESSMENT OF SOUNDSCAPE QUALITY IN URBAN PARKS A CASE STUDY IN PENN PARK Jiujia Guo Amy Hillier, PhD The sonic environment is an invisible but crucial part of the urban environment. Increasing density of population and diversification of social functions driven by urbanization lead to a more complex sound environment in our daily life. As an important multifunctional service area, the urban park is usually regarded as a buffer for urban noise pollution. The assessment of the sonic environment in urban parks can help park-users and park-designers get a better understanding of the health of the park environment. This study approached the urban noise pollution in urban parks with a soundscape quality assessment, from both acoustical and psychological perspectives. An urban park on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania named Penn Park was selected as a case study for soundscape quality assessment. Sound Pressure Level (SPL) was measured at ten sampled positions in Penn Park and processed in ArcMap to make the sound maps, which clearly shown the uneven distribution of the average sound energy in the park: inner part of the park with trees surrounded was the "quietest" and the part along the edge with areas of grass was the "loudest." In three months (May, June, July) when sound pressure level was recorded by the sound pressure meter, park-users' subjective responses to the sonic environment of Penn Park were investigated by randomly recruiting park visitors to complete a questionnaire about the soundscape quality. In total, 90 questionnaires were collected and analyzed on SPSS. Results demonstrated that there was a significant positive correlation between overall landscape quality, overall soundscape quality, and overall impression. Compared to mechanical sounds and human-made sounds, visitors preferred more natural sounds (birds, insects, wind) to be increased in Penn Park. Overall, the sonic environment of Penn Park was perceived as pleasant, quiet, smooth, varied, calming, directional, natural, and steady. The results of this study may have implications for the enhancement of soundscape design in other urban parks that are similar to Penn Park.


Many cities are undergoing rapid urbanisation and intensification with the unintended consequence of creating dense urban fabric with deep 'urban canyons'. Urban densification can trap longwave radiation impacting on local atmospheric conditions, contributing to the phenomena known as the Urban Heat Island (UHI). As global temperatures are predicted to increase, there is a critical need to better understand urban form and heat retention in cities and integrate analysis tools into the design decision making process to design cooler cities. This paper describes the application and validation of a novel three-dimensional urban canyon modelling approach calculating Sky View Factor (SVF), one important indicator used in the prediction of UHI. Our modified daylighting system based approach within a design modelling environment allows iterative design decision making informed by SVF on an urban design scale. This approach is tested on urban fabric samples from cities in both Australia and China. The new approach extends the applicability in the design process of existing methods by providing 'real-time' SVF feedback for complex three-dimensional urban scenarios. The modelling approach enables city designers to mix intuitive compositional design modelling with dynamic canyon feedback. The approach allows a greater understanding of existing and proposed urban forms and identifying potential canyon problem areas, improved decision making and design advocacy, and can potentially have an impact on cities' temperature.


Pulmonary hypertension (PHTN) has been classified according to the world health organization as (1) pulmonary arterial hypertension (including idiopathic, familial, and associated with collagen vascular disease or HIV), (2) PHTN with left heart disease, (3) PHTN associated with lung diseases and/or hypoxemia, (4) PHTN caused by chronic thrombotic and/or embolic disease, and (5) miscellaneous.1 PHTN commonly causes symptoms of breathlessness, fatigue, and eventually right heart failure. In addition to the functional limitations, elevated pulmonary artery pressures are associated with reduced long-term survival that is related to the severity of PHTN, the patient's functional class, and the underlying etiology of the PHTN.2 The prognosis is worse in patients with HIV or collagen vascular disease, intermediate in those with idiopathic pulmonary hypertension, and best in those with congenital heart disease.2 Some medical therapies have been shown to improve functional class and survival in patients with PHTN.3 Because of the morbidity and mortality associated with this condition, reliable methods for diagnosing PHTN are needed. Equally as important, given the substantial expense of current medical treatments, it is imperative that we have reproducible methods for serially assessing pulmonary artery pressure noninvasively.

Article see p 157

Echocardiography with Doppler interrogation of the tricuspid and pulmonic valves has been recommended by the European Society of Cardiology as one of the first steps in evaluation of the patient with suspected PHTN.4 The velocity of the tricuspid regurgitation (TR) jet measured with continuous-wave Doppler echocardiography correlates …


Hypofunction of NMDA receptors has been considered a possible cause for the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. More recently, indirect ways to regulate NMDA that would be less disruptive have been proposed and metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGluR5) represents one such candidate. To characterize the cell populations involved, we demonstrated here that knock-out (KO) of mGluR5 in cholinergic, but not glutamatergic or parvalbumin (PV)-positive GABAergic, neurons reduced prepulse inhibition of the startle response (PPI) and enhanced sensitivity to MK801-induced locomotor activity. Inhibition of cholinergic neurons in the medial septum by DREADD (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs) resulted in reduced PPI further demonstrating the importance of these neurons in sensorimotor gating. Volume imaging and quantification were used to compare PV and cholinergic cell distribution, density, and total cell counts in the different cell-type-specific KO lines. Electrophysiological studies showed reduced NMDA receptor-mediated currents in cholinergic neurons of the medial septum in mGluR5 KO mice. These results obtained from male and female mice indicate that cholinergic neurons in the medial septum represent a key cell type involved in sensorimotor gating and are relevant to pathologies associated with disrupted sensorimotor gating such as schizophrenia. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The mechanistic complexity underlying psychiatric disorders remains a major challenge that is hindering the drug discovery process. Here, we generated genetically modified mouse lines to better characterize the involvement of the receptor mGluR5 in the fine-tuning of NMDA receptors, specifically in the context of sensorimotor gating. We evaluated the importance of knocking-out mGluR5 in three different cell types in two brain regions and performed different sets of experiments including behavioral testing and electrophysiological recordings. We demonstrated that cholinergic neurons in the medial septum represent a key cell-type involved in sensorimotor gating. We are proposing that pathologies associated with disrupted sensorimotor gating, such as with schizophrenia, could benefit from further evaluating strategies to modulate specifically cholinergic neurons in the medial septum.


Distributed Ledger Technology, has been gaining enormous attention in areas beyond cryptocurrency. Industries such as energy, transportation, and healthcare are already integrating DLTs into their operations. On the other hand, recent advances and the increasing popularity of the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are also enabling new and exciting ways of interaction and sensing for mobile device users. Mobile gaming is another prominent industry that can be benefited from these technological developments and has the potential to create business opportunities. In this paper, we explore the uses of Distributed Ledger Technology in Mobile Gaming and for this purpose, we have taken a location-based IoT mobile gaming use case and propose new gaming features for the players by the addition of the DLT. We propose a platform for creating and playing scavenger hunt games using low-power BLE beacons. It allows smartphones to interact with the predetermined real-world locations and players can observe the surrounding environment looking for "clues" in the game. At the end of a hunt, the player receives rewards that are stored on a distributed ledger as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) and can bring in-game advantages for the next hunts. The proposed system is implemented using off-the-shelf devices and IoT beacons. We implemented our hybrid architecture by using AWS Lambda, Hyperledger Fabric managed blockchain and DynamoDB. We performed multiple experiments measuring the time taken for the end-to-end process, IoT beacon response times and the throughput of the Fabric network. Using the performance results, we estimated the maximum number of active players that can be supported by the game. Finally, we discuss business opportunities and limitations of the proposed proof of concept.


Objective: Atherosclerosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). There is a closer relationship between atherosclerosis and inflammatory cytokines. Commonly used scoring systems for risk stratification in clinical practice are GENSINI and SYNergy between PCI with TAXUS and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) scores for determining disease severity and method of revascularization. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between interleukin (IL)-6 levels and both GENSINI and SYNTAX scores in patients with CAD. Methods: In total, 118 patients who underwent coronary angiography were enrolled in the study. GENSINI and SYNTAX were calculated for determining disease severity. IL-6 level was measured using immunometric assay method. Results: There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to mean age, blood pressure, heart rate, and use of alcohol. Gender and smoking status were significantly different between the groups. GENSINI and SYNTAX scores of patients were significantly higher in the CAD group than in the controls. IL-6 level was significantly higher in the CAD group than in the controls. In the correlation analysis, IL-6 level significantly correlated with GENSINI and SYNTAX scores and was an independent predictor of abnormal coronary angiography. Optimal cut-off level of IL-6 was 7.81 pg/mL to assess the ability of IL-6 to differentiate the presence of CAD (area under curve, 0.78; sensitivity, 78.3%; and specificity, 70.7%). Conclusion: Patients with CAD have higher IL-6 levels compared with the controls. IL-6 level correlated with both GENSINI and SYNTAX scores. Moreover, IL-6 was an independent predictor of abnormal coronary angiography. An IL-6 value of ≥7.81 pg/mL predicted the presence of CAD with a sensitivity of 78.3% and a specificity of 70.7%.


Competency-based training is a training philosophy that has become well established in many countries around the world, predominately in the vocational education and training sector. In some of these countries, the concept has been extended to include aviation flight training. This is the case in Australia, which introduced the requirement for competency-based training in aviation in 1999 through the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. This article gives a brief outline of the current status of flight training in Australian aviation and also highlights some of the difficulties facing flight training organizations in introducing a competency-based training system into a tightly regulated aviation industry, in particular the conflict between the philosophy behind competency-based training and the reality of meeting regulatory minimums and airline syllabus requirements.


ion Levels — SaaS — PaaS — IaaS — Hardware Resources —— With virtualization technology —— Without virtualization technology Roles — Consumer — Provider — Intermediary SLAs — Internal — External


Objective: The Modified Ashworth Scale, the Modified Tardieu Scale, and measuring the passive range of motion is commonly preferred examination tools for spasticity in cerebral palsy (CP). Ultrasonography has become increasingly used to provide relevant insight into spastic muscle morphology and structure recently. It was aimed to reveal associations between the clinical and ultrasonographic parameters of gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and lateralis muscles in this population. Methods: Thirty-four children with spastic CP aged between 4 and 12 years who did not have botulinum neurotoxin A intervention within 6 months or had no previous history of any orthopedic or neurological surgery were included. The spasticity of GM and lateralis was evaluated firstly by the Modified Ashworth Scale, Modified Tardieu Scale, and ankle passive range of motion. Then, the cross-sectional area (CSA), muscle thickness (MT), qualitative and quantitative echo intensity (EI) values of both muscles were measured from their ultrasonographic images. Results: The CSA of GM, and qualitative EI of both muscles were found to be mild-to-moderately correlated to all clinical examination tools (p<0.01), whereas the CSA of gastrocnemius lateralis was mildly related to Modified Ashworth Scale (p=0.009). The MT and quantitative EI of both muscles were not associated with any of the clinical tools (p>0.05). Conclusion: Ultrasonographic measurements of GM and lateralis partially reflect ankle spasticity in children with CP. Ultrasonography can be used as an alternative tool in this patient population where the clinical evaluation can not perform ideally.


Mothers with severe postpartum psychiatric diagnoses are more likely to have children's social care involvement with their infants, but little is known about the needs or experiences of this group of women. With input from a lived experience advisory group, we carried out secondary analysis of data collected from 278 mother-infant dyads where the mother accessed acute psychiatric care in England or Wales postnatally. We explored the characteristics, needs, and service use experiences of mother-infant dyads with (n = 99) and without (n = 179) children's social care involvement. We found that mothers with social care involvement were often experiencing wider adversity and inequity across multiple areas of their lives. These mothers were also less satisfied with their mental health care and had more unmet needs after discharge from acute services. We built multivariable logistic regression models to examine factors associated with children's social care involvement during the acute admission and one year later. We found that having social care involvement during an acute postpartum admission was associated with being deprived, reporting a maternal history of childhood trauma, experiencing domestic abuse, having a diagnosis of personality disorder or schizophrenia, and having a history of previous psychiatric admissions. At one-year follow-up, factors associated with children's social care involvement included deprivation, experiencing childhood trauma, having been single at the time of the postpartum admission, and having been readmitted to acute psychiatric services following the postpartum admission. Our findings suggest that mothers with children's social services involvement in the context of an acute postpartum psychiatric diagnosis may have high levels of support needs, but services may struggle to meet their needs fully. We argue that an increased focus on supporting mothers with histories of trauma, adversity, and deprivation, along with greater collaboration between mental health, children's social care, and third sector services may help improve experiences and outcomes.


Objective. Patients with short-bowel syndrome (SBS) have impaired health-related quality of life (QoL). However, comparisons of QoL data with the data on other chronic gastrointestinal diseases are not available. The aim of this study was to assess QoL in SBS patients compared with that in the general population and with patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The potential relation between fatigue and gastrointestinal symptoms and impaired QoL in these patients was also investigated. Material and methods. Four validated questionnaires were used to measure aspects of QoL (SF-36), psychological distress (hospital anxiety and depression scale, HAD), fatigue (fatigue impact scale, FIS), and gastrointestinal symptoms (gastrointestinal symptom rating scale, GSRS) in 26/28 patients (93%) attending a SBS clinic (median age 62 years, 15 F/11 M) at a tertiary referral center. Persons from the general population (n=286) as well as patients with IBD (n=41) of similar age and gender distribution as the SBS group acted as controls. Results. SBS patients had significantly lower SF-36 physical and mental component summaries than those in the general population as well as significantly lower SF-36 physical (p<0.05) but not mental (p>0.05) component summaries compared with those of IBD patients. Fatigue and gastrointestinal symptoms were more severe in SBS patients than in IBD patients (p>0.05). The SF-36 physical component summary was independently related to the physical FIS dimension (beta=−0.4, p=0.004), the GSRS eating dysfunction dimension (beta=−0.31, p=0.025), and opiate use (beta=−0.28, p=0.031), regardless of diagnosis (SBS or IBD). Conclusions. Patients with SBS show poor QoL compared with that in the general population and also impairment of mainly physical health compared with that in patients with IBD. Fatigue and gastrointestinal symptoms are more severe in patients with SBS, which has an impact on QoL.


The study of managerial elites is one of the most important, yet neglected areas of social science research. This paper synthesizes and critically reviews three intellectual traditions in the study of managerial elites. These are: interlocking directorates and the study of institutional and societal power, the study of boards and directors, and the composition and correlates of top management teams. The paper concludes by arguing for the development of a complementary research tradition which combines a contextual and processual analysis of managerial elites.


This course will introduce students to Halifax's archives, libraries, galleries and historic sites to encourage original research. Students will undertake an in-depth research project utilizing these primary materials.


ROBERT AGUNGA is Associate Professor of Human and Community Resource Development at The Ohio State University. Development aid seeks to improve the quality of life, particularly of rural people, in the developing world. But, with every dose of aid, the helper seems to benefit more than the helped. The result is a widening gap between rich and poor countries. For this reason, critics contend that aid is an instrument that fosters dependency, not a tool for liberating poor countries. A critical review of the literature over the last 40 years, coupled with my own first-hand field experience, leads me to conclude that the frequent failures of development programs come from errors of omission, not commission. Today, those charged with project planning and implementation often lack the professional expertise to address social and communication issues such as empowerment, capacity building, and cultural understanding, all of which constitute the main causes of project failures. A communication approach for sustainable development is crucial for the good intentions of aid-givers to bring about the desired social impact. Critics of international aid contend that aid is a calculated attempt by industrialized countries to keep the developing world in a perpetual state of dependency. The dependency argument suggests that the greater the development of the industrialized nations, the greater the underdevelopment of the poor ones. This is an unfortunate conclusion. In his 1995 book, Nurturing Development: Aid and Cooperation in Today's Changing World, Ismail Serageldin, Vice President of the World Bank, states that "aid represents such a small percentage of GNP that to talk of `dependency' is ludicrous." He argues that, except in sub-Saharan Africa--where total overseas development assistance reached about ten percent of GNP in 1992--the aid received by Latin America, East Asia, and South Asia represents only 0.4 percent, 0.7 percent, and 1.7 percent of GNP, respectively. Even if all the assistance promised to Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States materialized, it would represent only two percent of their GNP. Since aid tends to constitute a minimal portion of developing countries' budgets, it is important not to dwell on the dependency argument, but to suggest how aid could significantly benefit these countries. The main problem is that there are not enough qualified experts to implement projects effectively. The developing world desperately needs a strategy for building local capacity that reduces dependence on foreign technical assistance. As one born and raised on a subsistence farm in Ghana, I have seen project appraisal reports filled with suggestions for indigenous participation. Yet neither the foreign technical assistance experts nor their local counterparts know how the masses of small-scale farmers, scattered across the rural countryside, are to be mobilized, organized, and trained for participatory decision-making. A suitable climate for sustainable development has existed for the last 20 years. The policies of international development assistance organizations and Third World governments have consistently focused on the eradication of poverty and the raising of funds to accomplish that. With the end of the Cold War, most developing countries no longer feel a need to choose between a capitalist or socialist path to development, but can frame their own development agendas. Internal political instability, natural disasters, and an unreliable climate do affect the success rate of development efforts, but these are not overriding explanations for frequent development failures. The underlying reason is that development experts lack the communication skills to create development teams capable of getting the job done. Between good intentions and final outcomes lies a gauntlet of unexamined assumptions, inadequate information, cultural misunderstandings, inappropriate strategies, and poor communication techniques which must be overcome before the intended beneficiaries can achieve development goals. …


Current global market is driven by many factors, such as the information age, the time and amount of information distributed by many data channels it is practically impossible analyze all kinds of incoming information flows and transform them to data with classical methods. New requirements could be met by using other methods. Once trained on patterns artificial neural networks can be used for forecasting and they are able to work with extremely big data sets in reasonable time. The patterns used for learning process are samples of past data. This paper uses Radial Basis Functions neural network in comparison with Multi Layer Perceptron network with Back-propagation learning algorithm on prediction task. The task works with simplified numerical time series and includes forty observations with prediction for next five observations. The main topic of the article is the identification of the main differences between used neural networks architectures together with numerical forecasting. Detected differences then verify on practical comparative example.


Strain F Newcastle disease virus is a virus of low virulence originally reported by Asplin (1952) in England. Since that date, the use of this virus as an immunizing agent in the form of a live vaccine, has been studied. As a result, Strain F Newcastle disease vaccine has been used in national and experimental control programs in several countries in Europe, Africa and Asia. The published literature is reviewed under the following headings: properties, viability, clinical effects of vaccination, duration of immunity and a simultaneous Newcastle disease fowl pox vaccination. This review includes 24 reports published outside North America.


Total quality management (TQM) principles are now being applied in service industries in the UK, following their perceived success in manufacturing industries, with the particular aim of improving service quality. In financial services the impetus behind the adoption of quality programmes is increased competition and higher customer expectations. Studies of the introduction of quality programmes into service organizations in the UK are as yet few, but both these and the large number of studies of TQM in manufacturing point to the need for high levels of motivation and involvement by staff, and the significance of job satisfaction and of employment policies. Reports on an investigation into the introduction of TQM into two major banks in the UK, with a special focus on the reactions of employees. Highlights their success and limitations in two case studies, and draws out the lessons to be learned by senior management and human resources departments.


In 1988 Basil Moore published his bookHorizontalists and Verticalists: The Macroeconomics of Credit Money, which this year celebrates its 25th birthday. We discuss this book from today's perspective, and in particular whether Moore's main assertions have been validated or rejected by the development of central bank practice and academic monetary economics. We find that the book has impressively stood the test of time and, despite part of textbook economics still insisting on the money multiplier as an explanation for the money supply, it is not much of an exaggeration to say that we have all become 'Horizontalists' in the last 25 years.


Graphene (Gr) is synthesized by the direct reduction of tetrachloroethylene with sodium in paraffin oil rather than by the intermediate steps of oxidized graphite (GO) and oxidized graphene (GrO). Gr is used as support for the subsequent deposition of Pt nanoparticles and the catalytic behavior during oxygen reduction (OR) on the as-prepared Pt/Gr is studied. The structure, morphology, composition, and surface properties of the as-prepared Pt/Gr catalysts were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electrochemical measurements. We found that the Pt nanoparticles with a mean particle size of 3.1 nm were well-dispersed on the Gr. The onset potential of the oxygen reduction on the Pt/Gr electrode shifted to the positive direction by 24 mV compared with the electrode made from commercial Pt/C catalysts (Johnson-Matthey Co. JM-Pt/C). The exchange current density of the OR on the Pt/Gr electrode was found to be 1×10 - 3 mA·cm - 2 , which is 2.5 times as that of the electrode made from the JM-Pt/C catalysts.


Smart contracts and their promise of automatic performance capture legal and entrepreneurial imaginations. But the excitement around the technology led to some confusing legal responses. Several legal scholars use chronology to help reduce the confusion and place smart contracts within what is already familiar about computational contracting. According to this line of thinking, blockchain-based smart contracts simply represent the next technological advancement in a long history of computable contracting technologies. However, other scholarly work suggests that such a chronological explanation under-simplifies the nature of the linkages between smart contracts and other forms of code-connected contracts. This Article offers a unified theory of code-connected contracts as a tool for guiding risk allocation and design trade-off discussions when considering whether to use one or more forms of code-connected contracts. Specifically, this Article argues that the many variations of code-connected contracts should be viewed along an axis of state transition complexity. Doing so brings to the forefront the fact that the issues facing smart contracts used to merely automate performance of contractual obligations differ in terms of both magnitude and novelty from algorithmic decision-making tools used by parties to fill gaps in contractual terms and other computational contracting tools. In other words, the state transition complexity theory of code-connected contracts set out in this Article offers an analytical tool for anticipating legal and business risk when using computational contracts. Ultimately, the state transition complexity theory of code-connected contracts demonstrates that getting to the core legal issues presented by code-connected contracting requires an analysis of the details of each specific implementation. As with most legal questions, proper analysis depends on facts and circumstances. Nevertheless, many of the core legal issues will arise because emerging technology, like all technology, is social technology. Thus, the implications of the state transition complexity theory of code-connected contracts are that many of the legal issues are not terribly new, and we should not forget to look to existing jurisprudence and scholarly work in contract law and corollary disciplines.


This article examines lay knowledge about causes of infertility. We use discursive psychology to analyse semi-structured interviews with purposively sampled Malawians with a fertility problem. We observe that respondents deny knowledge of causes, sometimes emphatically, but this co-occurs with descriptions of potential causes. We show that these respondents thereby address problematic interpersonal issues: namely that one is not entitled to medical knowledge and that negative inferences that may be drawn about someone who knows particular causes of infertility. These findings shed new light on previous observations, and have implications for the study of lay knowledge.


One of the key benefits of cities is that they allow the exchange of knowledge and information between economic actors. This may have two effects: it may create the conditions for entirely new innovations to emerge; and, it may allow firms to learn innovations from those nearby. Yet few studies have considered the impact of an urban location on whether innovations are original or learnt. This paper tests these hypotheses using survey evidence for over 1600 UK SMEs. It is shown that, while urban firms tend to be both product and process innovators, urban firms are disproportionately likely to introduce process innovations which are only new to the firm, rather than entirely original. Instead, the urban advantage in product innovation appears to come from a combination of the effects. The results highlight a need for a nuanced view of the link between cities and innovation.


We describe the implementation underlying an environment for distributed computing that uses the concept of well-known paradigms. The main advantage of paradigm oriented distributed computing is that the user only needs to specify application-specific sequential code, while the underlying infrastructure takes care of the parallelization and distribution. The main features of the proposed approach, called PODC, which differentiate it from other approaches, are the following: (1) it is intended for loosely-coupled network environments, not specialized multiprocessors; (2) it is based on an infrastructure of mobile agents; (3) it supports programming in C, rather than a functional or special-purpose language, and (4) it provides a Web based interactive graphics interface through which programs are constructed, invoked, and monitored. The three paradigms presently supported in PODC are the bag-of-tasks, the branch-and-bound and genetic programming. We describe their implementation and performance within the mobile agent based PODC environment.


: In malignant tumours of the parotid gland the tumour size, the function of the facial nerve before treatment and the presence of metastatic regional lymph nodes are important prognostic factors. An internationally accepted TNM-Classification is mandatory for deciding on treatment and for reviewing the results.


Introduction and objectives. Anemia is a common finding in outpatients with heart failure (HF) and is associated with increased mortality. The aims of this study were to identify determinants of the hemoglobin level in a large group of hospitalized patients with systolic HF and to investigate the medium-term prognostic value of the hemoglobin level. Methods. The study included 460 consecutive patients (age 68.3 [12.3] years, 74% male) who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of HF and left ventricular systolic dysfunction (i.e., a left ventricular ejection fraction <45%). At hospital discharge, biochemical and hematological parameters were measured and clinical and echocardiographic variables were recorded. Patients were followed up for 16.8[9.7] months. Results. Anemia, as defined by World Health Organization criteria, was present in 189 (41.1%) patients. The following independent determinants of the hemoglobin level were identified: age (relative risk [RR]=1.035, 95% CI, 1.011‐1.060; P=.004), female sex (RR=1.843, 95% CI, 1.083‐3.135; P=.024), diabetes mellitus (RR=1.413, 95% CI, 1.087‐1.838; P=.010), plasma urea level (RR=1.013, 95% CI, 1.005‐1.022; P=.001), and loop diuretic use (RR=2.801, 95% CI, 1.463‐5.364; P=.002). A decrease in hemoglobin level was associated with increased risks of death (RR per g/dL=1.232, 95% CI, 1.103‐1.375; P<.001) and death or HF readmission (RR per g/dL=1.152, 95% CI, 1.058‐1.255; P<.001), but not with readmission for nonfatal HF (RR per g/dL=1.081, 95% CI, 0.962‐1.215; P=.265). Blood transfusion during hospitalization did not alter the increased risk of death (RR=2.19, 95% CI 1.40‐3.41; P=.001). Conclusions. In hospitalized patients with systolic HF, the hemoglobin level at hospital discharge was an independent predictor of death in the medium term, but not of readmission for non-fatal HF. The main determinants of


BACKGROUND
Studies have found that Aboriginal people living with HIV/AIDS (APHAs) are more likely than non-APHAs to receive suboptimal HIV care, yet achieve similar clinical outcomes with proper care.

OBJECTIVE
To compare the proportions of individuals diagnosed late with HIV between APHAs and non-APHAs within the Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study (OCS).

METHODS
The analysis included OCS participants who completed the baseline visit by November 2009. Two definitions of the outcome of late HIV diagnosis were used: the proportion of participants with an AIDS-defining illness (ADI) before or within three months of HIV diagnosis; and the proportion of participants with a CD4(+) count <200 cells/mL at diagnosis. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between Aboriginal ethnicity and late HIV diagnosis.

RESULTS
APHAs were more likely to be female and have lower income, education and employment. No statistically significant differences were noted in the proportions receiving a late HIV diagnosis defined by ADI (Aboriginal 5.2% versus non-Aboriginal 6.3%; P=0.40). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between Aboriginal ethnicity and late HIV diagnosis defined by CD4(+) count after adjusting for age and HIV risk factor (OR 1.55; P=0.04).

DISCUSSION
APHAs were more likely to have a CD4(+) count <200 cells/mL at diagnosis but had similar clinical outcomes from late diagnosis when defined by ADI. However, differences may be underestimated due to recruitment limitations and selection bias.

CONCLUSION
Additional work is needed to address the socioeconomic and health care needs of APHAs.


This dissertation investigates whether Unga Teatern, a theatre group for children and youth at Malmo City Theatre, had an aesthetic profile of its own. It focuses on three sections: the theme of fairy tales and myths under the artistic direction of Ronnie Hallgren (19977-83), his staging of English plays (1982 -84) and the avantgarde production for children and youth under the direction of Karin Parrot (1990-92). The dissertation also examines the production and reception context in regard to cultural politics, the development of the school system ond its curriculum, theatrical rooms, treatment in the press, reception by the audience and the status of the group. Analyses of plays, working process and reception are made for nine productions. As the fundamental basis for the performance analysis, Ptrice Pavis' mise en scene definition is used.In chapter one various contextual developments from 1970-92 are introduced and through six synchronous cross-sections it is shown how the interplay affected the contitions of Unga Teatern. In chapter two, fairy tale and myth productions are examined, Jevgenij Schwartz's Little Red Riding Hood, Gosta Kjellin's The Story of the Sea and his Story of Svullfot, particularlyas they relate to theories presented by Bruno Bettelheim in The Uses of Enchantment. In chapter three the cultural transformation of three English plays; Shelagh Delaney's Taste of Honey, Nigel William's Class Enemy and Claire Luckham's Trafford Tanzi, are examined. Although all of them have a circular composition, it was hallgran's ambition to break this and show that young people have a realistic oppertunity to make something of their lives. In chapter four the working process, the dramturgic structures and the staging of three productions are examined: Inanna, based on a Sumeric myth, Travellers with Their Suitcases, conceived through the work of the cast and Only Sanne, based on a novel by Mecka Lind about street children. Deleuze's and Guattari's rhizome-model is used for describing the dramaturgy as well as the working process. The investigation finds for all three sections that the group was aiming for an aesthestic profile of its own. The most characteristic for Hallgren's aesthetics is his exploration of the possibilities of the theatrical room. Hallgren moves towards a deeper approach in his fairy tale productions and tries to find a meeting-place for children and adults in his productions. In his productions for young people he adapts English plays for adults to Swedish youth context set in the early 80's. Tanzi can be seen as anotherstep towards exploring the theatrical room. This production also introduced a more physical performance style. The most unitary aesthetic profile is seen during Parrot's direction. An investigative approach, integration of the theatrical sign systems, the absence of text and a physical acting style are characteristic for all the productions. There was an effort to meet the child in the performance and in the creation of the narrative situation under Hallgren's and Parrot's direction. There werw also obvious efforts to make young people's vulnerability visible while still providing hope.


The present study aims at examining the level of efficiency of Pomegranate growers in Solapur district of Maharashtra which happens to be the leading district in terms of production and area under cultivation of this crop. The variation in the level of efficiency is estimated by using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique. There is a wide variation in the level of efficiency among the sample farmers for both of orchard age group-II (3rd year to 5th year) and group-III (6th year to 12th year) with mean technical efficiency scores estimated as 69.89 per cent and 85.03 per cent respectively. Thus, there is an opportunity of augmenting production with the available resources in both groups. Pomegranate growers in both groups have been clustered by using K-means cluster analysis in four categories on the basis of their technical efficiency scores as efficient, semi efficient, moderately efficient and poor. An attempt has been made to estimate the excessive amount of inputs used by the Pomegranate growers over the targeted level in the study area. The cost on their excessive inputs can be minimized without affecting output level of particular farms


RATIONALE
Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) with polyatomic primary ions provides a successful tool for molecular depth profiling of polymer systems, relevant in many technological applications. Widespread C60 sources, however, cause in some polymers extensive damage with loss of molecular information along depth. We study a method, based on the use of a radical scavenger, for inhibiting ion-beam-induced reactions causing sample damage.

METHODS
Layered polystyrene sulfonate and polyacrylic acid based polyelectrolyte films, behaving differently towards C60 beam-induced damage, were selected and prepared as model systems. They were depth profiled by means of time-of-flight (TOF)-SIMS in dual beam mode, using fullerene ions for sputtering. Nitric oxide was introduced into the analysis chamber as a radical scavenger. The effect of sample cooling combined with NO-dosing on the quality of depth profiles was explored.

RESULTS
NO-dosing during C60-SIMS depth profiling of >1 micrometer-thick multilayered polyelectrolytes allows detection, along depth, of characteristic fragments from systems otherwise damaged by C60 bombardment, and increases sputtering yield by more than one order of magnitude. By contrast, NO has little influence on those layers that are well profiled with C60 alone. Such leveling effect, more pronounced at low temperature, leads to a dramatic improvement of profile quality, with a clear definition of interfaces.

CONCLUSIONS
NO-dosing provides a tool for extending the applicability, in SIMS depth profiling, of the widely spread fullerene ion sources. In view of the acceptable erosion rates on inorganics, obtainable with C60, the method could be of relevance also in connection with the 3D-imaging of hybrid polymer/inorganic systems.


"Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics" (Hill, C., Corbett, C., Rose, A., 2010) reports on an extensive study of women's underrepresentation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics professions. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the project was conducted by American Association of University Women. The resource includes findings from eight research studies which examined social and environmental factors which contribute to women's underrepresentation in STEM fields as well as helpful tables, charts and bibliography resources. The 110 page resource will be particularly helpful for scholars working in program design to advance STEM opportunities for women.


We analyze coupled optical defect cavities realized in finite one-dimensional Photonic Crystals. Viewing these as open systems where waves are permitted to leave the structures, one obtains eigenvalue problems for complex frequencies (eigenvalues) and Quasi-Normal-Modes (eigenfunctions). Single defect structures (photonic crystal atoms) can be viewed as elementary building blocks for multiple-defect structures (photonic crystal molecules) with more complex functionality. The QNM description links the resonant behavior of individual PC atoms to the properties of the PC molecules via eigenfrequency splitting. A variational principle for QNMs permits to predict the eigenfield and the complex eigenvalues in PC molecules starting with a field template incorporating the relevant QNMs of the PC atoms. Further, both the field representation and the resonant spectral transmission close to these resonances are obtained from a variational formulation of the transmittance problem using a template with the most relevant QNMs. The method applies to both symmetric and nonsymmetric single and multiple cavity structures with weak or strong coupling between the defects.


Gaining insight on the effect of policies upon the agricultural domain is essential for policy makers, famers and the agribusiness sector. A variety of models have therefore been developed that enable a prediction of agricultural development under different policies. Most models do however not make predictions on a fine grained level and are weak in accounting for specific factor market and resource constraints farmers (agents) face at farm level. The paper presents an agent-based model where each farm is modeled by means of an agent and studies the effect of milk quota abolishment. Two simulations policy simulations are made: 1) abolition of the milk quota; and 2) land-tied sustainable dairy scenario. Outcomes are analyzed and compared with the predictions of sector models.


People often talk about the significance of Barack Obama's status as our first black President. During the 2008 Presidential campaign, however, a newspaper columnist declared, "If Bill Clinton was once considered America's first black president, Obama may one day be viewed as our first woman president." That statement epitomized a large media discourse on Obama's femininity. In this essay, I thus ask how Obama will influence people's understandings of the implications of both race and gender. To do so, I explicate and apply insights from the fields of identity performance theory, critical race theory, and masculinities studies. With respect to race, the essay confirms my prior theory of "bipolar black masculinity." That is, the media tends to represent black men as either the completely threatening and race-affirming Bad Black Man or the completely comforting and assimilationist Good Black Man. For Obama, this meant he had to avoid the stereotype of the angry black man. Meanwhile, though, the association of the Presidency with the hegemonic form of masculinity presented difficulties for Obama. He was regularly called upon to be more aggressive in responding to attacks and more masculine in general. As a result, Obama could not be too masculine because that would have triggered the Bad Black Man stereotype but he could not be too feminine because that would have looked unpresidential. Obama solved that dilemma by adopting a "unisex" style. He was a candidate who was designed to be suitable to either gender. I believe Obama's unisex performance on the world's biggest stage suggests that we are all more free to perform our race and our gender as we see fit than we had previously believed.


QbD in biotech and life-sciences necessitates good process metrics in drug discovery, development and manufacturing. Accurate knowledge of pH measurements remains fundamentally important. There is much to be desired with use of conventional glass potentiometric probes for monitoring pH. Challenges being measurement accuracy, system drift, and need for frequent calibration. Additionally glass being fragile compounds the situation further in manufacturing. Glass probes for pH measurement are really unattractive for single use system applications (SUS). Optical based solutions while easy to integrate lack range, need calibration and are a problem in storage (application timing). We demonstrate a robust Platform Solution tested for a variety of applications that includes environs demanding repeated use and SUS. The innovative solution deploys electrochemical based redox chemistry engineered to deliver a scalable (semiconductor technologies) non-glass, calibration-free, drift-free, robust sensing platform. The System Solution is flexible and simply packaged as a 2D 'sticker' easily molded into a bag or a 3D probe for insertion in typical 12mm ports in-place for glass probes. Technical performance data will be presented indicating wide performance range (pH 3.0 – 12.0), accuracy (+/0.1), covering 5 C – 50 C, calibration-free (factory set, and stable), drift-free (over process duration greater than 35 days), ability to withstand Clean-In-Place (CIP), Steam-In-Place, and gamma irradiation expected of SUS as well as up-stream and down-stream applications. The author will share experience driving six sigma methodologies in successful development of a pH sensing platform.


Currently, the definitive treatment for end-stage organ failure is orthotropic transplantation, or the transplantation of a whole organ from one patient to another. Due to a critical shortage of viable donor organs, however, the number of unwarranted deaths due to chronic lung disease has increased: an estimated 120,000 deaths per year in the United States alone. Additionally, only about one in five donor lungs are usable for transplantation. In recent years, focus has shifted to regenerative medicine and, specifically, tissue engineering approaches in which cellular sources and scaffolding materials are combined to create functional tissue constructs. Tissue engineering provides a safer alternative to transplantation by minimizing or eliminating most of the aforementioned risks. Thus, the overall objective of this project is to increase the available number of viable lungs by regionally re-conditioning the damaged part(s) of lungs deemed marginally unacceptable for transplant. Re-conditioning includes de-cellularizing damaged or dysfunctional regions of the air space in the lungs Furthermore, some tissue engineering approaches may be incorporated into the patient's own vascular supply for improved blood flow and circulation throughout the implant. The optimal temperature for decellularization and recellularization is 37oC. However, the ideal temperature for vasculature preservation is 4oC. Thus, one significant problem that must be investigated is the effect of varying temperature on the processes required for vasculature maintenance and re-cellularization. In addition, new methods must be established that permit micro-scale analysis of live lung tissue, in particular the vasculature, for this and future studies. Thus, the two goals of the present study were to investigate the attachment of a pulmonary epithelial cell type as a function of temperature as well as to establish a method for generating a thin (<500 μm) live lung slice for future functional studies of the vasculature. Metabolic assays and fluorescent staining were conducted on small airway epithelial cells (SAECs) or cells that are found in lung airways that were grown at different temperatures and different coated plastics. The different coats included gelatin, fibronectin, digested ECM, and a tissue culture plastic control. Results indicated that gelatin was the most effective in cell attachment and that 20oC was the optimal temperature for confluency and cell density for our project's goals. In addition, 12% gelatin perfusion of lung airways was found to be the most effective for the lung slice. Future work includes trying cellular co-cultures and iPS cells for cell attachment and immunological study models on the functional live lung live slice.


Objective. To study of lipid-hormonal interrelations in women with nonspecific aorloarteriitis (NAA) depending on age and activity's degree of immuno-infiamatory process. Materials. 85 women at the age of 16-55 were investigated, level of lipids and sexual hormones was studied in blood plasma. Results. In patients with NAA antiatherogenic system of lipids above atherogenic was predominanate. Negative correlation was found between levels of estradiol and progesterone and level of atherogenic lipoproteins. It was determined, that considerable reduction of level of total cholesterol and LDLP occurs as far as increasing of activity of immuno-inflammatory process. Conclusion. The levels of lipids are controled by condition of sexual hormones' balance. Low level of total cholesterol and LDLP is able to be considered as an additional marker of disease's activity ill women with NAA.


In the fight against prostate cancer (PCa), TRPM8 is one of the most promising clinical targets. Indeed, several studies have highlighted that TRPM8 involvement is key in PCa progression because of its impact on cell proliferation, viability, and migration. However, data from the literature are somewhat contradictory regarding the precise role of TRPM8 in prostatic carcinogenesis and are mostly based on in vitro studies. The purpose of this study was to clarify the role played by TRPM8 in PCa progression. We used a prostate orthotopic xenograft mouse model to show that TRPM8 overexpression dramatically limited tumor growth and metastasis dissemination in vivo. Mechanistically, our in vitro data revealed that TRPM8 inhibited tumor growth by affecting the cell proliferation and clonogenic properties of PCa cells. Moreover, TRPM8 impacted metastatic dissemination mainly by impairing cytoskeleton dynamics and focal adhesion formation through the inhibition of the Cdc42, Rac1, ERK, and FAK pathways. Lastly, we proved the in vivo efficiency of a new tool based on lipid nanocapsules containing WS12 in limiting the TRPM8–positive cells' dissemination at metastatic sites. Our work strongly supports the protective role of TRPM8 on PCa progression, providing new insights into the potential application of TRPM8 as a therapeutic target in PCa treatment.


Purpose
The study seeks to investigate the quality of metadata associated with the open government data (OGD) portals of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) constituents – Bahrain (BH), Kuwait (KW), Oman (OM), Qatar (QA), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative framework, supported by extant literature, is adopted to assess the metadata quality of the six OGD portals of the GCC constituents.

Findings
Among the six GCC countries, QA has the most advanced OGD metadata quality followed by KSA, UAE, OM, BH and KW. Furthermore, the OGD metadata quality (MQ) of UAE and OM stand at the same pedestal whereas BH and KW OGD portals are lagging behind.

Originality/value
While the OGD quality has been investigated in extant literature, the MQ of the OGD portals for the GCC countries has not been investigated so far – the present study seeks to plug this gap.


Abstract A new and greatly simplified methodology for the assessment of the dietary adaptations of living and fossil taxa has been developed which allows for microwear scar topography to be accurately analyzed at low magnification (35×) using a standard stereomicroscope. In addition to the traditional scratch and pit numbers, we introduce four qualitative variables: scratch texture, cross scratches, large pits, and gouges, which provide finer subdivisions within the basic dietary categories. A large extant comparative ungulate microwear database (809 individuals; 50 species) is presented and interpreted to elucidate the diets of extant ungulates. We distinguish three major trophic phases in extant ungulates: traditional browsers and grazers, two phases represented by only a few species, and a browsing-grazing transitional phase where most species fall, including all mixed feeders. There are two types of mixed feeders: seasonal or regional mixed feeders and meal-by-meal mixed feeders. Some species have results that separate them from traditional members of their trophic group; i.e., browsers, grazers, and mixed feeders. Duikers are unique in spanning almost the entire dietary spectrum. Okapia, Tapirus, Tragulus, and Moschus species have wear similar to duikers. Proboscideans fall in the browsing-grazing transitional phase, as do the two suids studied. The latter differ from each other by their degree of rooting. Archaic fossil equids spanning the supposed browsing-grazing transition were compared to extant ungulates. Two major clusters are discerned: (1) Hyracotherium has microwear most similar to that of the duiker Cephalopus silvicultor and was a fruit/seed eating browser. (2) Mesohippus spp., M. bairdii, Mesohippus hypostylus, Meso-Miohippus (a transitional form larger than M. bairdii), Parahippus spp., and Merychippus insignis differ from Hyracotherium and are most similar to the extant Cervus canadensis. Group (2) is characterized by fine scratches which are the result of C3 grazing, an initial phase of grazing in equids which most likely did not occur in open habitats. Finer differentiation of group (2) diets shows a dietary change in the expected direction (toward the incorporation of more grass in the diet) and follows the expected evolutionary transition from the Eocene to the Oligocene and early Miocene. Consequently, these equid taxa are reconstructed here as mixed feeders grazing on forest C3 grasses. The finer dietary differentiation shows a progressive decrease in the number of scratches and pits. Mesohippus has the most pits and scratches, followed by Parahippus, and then Merychippus (which has the least). The taxon incorporating the most grass into its dietary regime in this array is Merychippus. In Mesohippus-Parahippus versus Merychippus, differences in tooth morphology are major but microwear differences are slight.


ABSTRACT Shells of the cephalopod Nautilus macromphalus were collected in 2011 from three bays on the island of Lifou in the South Pacific six months after a tropical cyclone passed over the island. All three bays were on the east side of the island; Bays 1 and 2 were 200 m apart whereas Bay 3 was 25 km to the north. Nautilus shells in Bays 1 and 2 were studied in 2008 after six years without tropical cyclones. Greatest damage occurred in shells from Bay 1 and the least from Bay 3. Shell encrustation was lowest in Bay 1. In comparison to the 2008 assemblage, Bay 1 had significantly higher levels of damage and lower levels of encrustation whereas Bay 2 had a higher abundance of severe damage. The Bay 3 assemblage, however, was statistically similar to the 2008 assemblage. An exposed beach cut at Bay 3 revealed a recently buried Nautilus deposit. Nautilus specimens from this deposit displayed damage and encrustation levels similar to shells from Bay 1. Previously buried shells are likely being exposed, damaged, and redeposited in the bays. Spatial variability indicates that, on a short time scale, this is a localized phenomenon. Use of cephalopod fossils as tools in paleoenvironmental reconstruction requires an understanding of the processes that affect their shells. Using the Lifou deposits as analogs, fossil cephalopod shells deposited in shallow water near beaches and where intense storms are periodically present will have extensive breakage. Cephalopod shells would, therefore, be unlikely to survive similar beach conditions unless they were completely buried and not periodically reexhumed by storm events.


The investigation of processes inherent in an estuary system allows us to infer more precisely its complex dynamics, assisting in the development of action strategies for environmental management plans and projects in coastal areas. This paper describes a hydrodynamic study of the Santos Estuarine System (Sao Paulo State, Brazil), focused on its water renewal analysis. A computational model was implemented using SisBaHiA ® (Base System for Environmental Hydrodynamics) in order to reproduce the hydrodynamic patterns of the system. Simulations based on Eulerian Transport Model were performed to compute renewal rates for summer and winter representative periods. Results presented on maps and time series indicated that after 30 days the entire system has a total renewal greater than 95%.


Uran, a wetlandwasmonitored for itswater quality fromJanuary 2009 to December 2010. Thesewetlands are highly populated which leeds to environmental deterioration. Rapid growth of population, industrialization and urbanization resulted into pollution of environment. The collected data from the surface waters shown in respect of certain selected water quality parameters showed that the wetland is higher polluted. The physico-chemical parameters of the wetland were studied. The results revealed in some physico-chemical parameters and that to wetland is polluted due to continuous sewage discharge, and important human activities that pose major threats to open ocean biodiversity and ocean dumpling and UV-B radiation.


Recently we developed a model for prediction of pH-dependent aqueous solubility of drugs and drug like molecules. In the present work, the model was applied on a series of novel Histone Deacetylases (HDAC) inhibitors discovered at TopoTarget. The applicability of our model was evaluated on the series of HDAC inhibitors by use of Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) and 2D-projection of the HDAC inhibitors on the chemical space of the training data set of the artificial neural network (ANN) module. The model was refined for the particular chemical space of interest, which led to two modifications in the training data set of the ANN. The performance of the original and the two modified versions of the model were evaluated against the commercial software from Simulations-plus and pH-dependent solubility measurements for representative compounds of the series. The results of the evaluation indicate that one can develop models that are more accurate in predicting differences in the solubility of structurally very similar compounds than models that have been trained on structurally unbiased, diverse data sets. Such 'tailor-made' models have the potential to become trustworthy enough to replace time-consuming and expensive medium- and high-throughput solubility experiments by providing results of similar or even better quality. 1Presented at CMTPI 2007: Computational Methods in Toxicology and Pharmacology Integrating Internet Resources (Moscow, Russia, September 1–5, 2007).


In patients that are in rehabilitation the physical ability is measured with stationary cycle ergometers. A new ergometer, that can be mounted easily to a bicycle, allows the mobile measurement independent of the location. The principle is based on the simultaneous measurement of chain force and chain velocity. One component of the chain force is measured, that is generated by the change of the chain's direction by pulleys. The velocity of the chain is measured by the rotational speed of one of the pulleys. The new ergometer is easy to attach and remove. The measured values are digitized, numerically processed and recorded. Through a GSM-Modem these data are transmitted to a remote central host computer and allow the control/evaluation of the patient's performance.


Wax deposition continues to be a relevant problem for petroleum production and transportation pipelines. This viscous and waxy flow is theoretically modelled with a simple conservation equation system, by expressing the wax layer thickness as function of time and duct length. The flow parameters are written, depending on these independent variables but also on the Reynolds and the Peclet numbers, where effect of latent heat on the wax layer thickness deposit is investigated. A numerical simulation of the flow, for two practical cases, is performed in order to predict the pipeline obstruction.


This workshop attended to the ways in which methods for the chemical synthesis of organic materials has mattered, and continues to matter, for biological science and technology. It adopted a fundamentally historical approach with a focus on the synthesis of DNA, and was informed by accounts from scientific practitioners, social scientists, museologists, philosophers, and historians. The workshop's investigation was inspired by a focal point: the efforts of a small international community of scientists and engineers who from around the 1960s picked up the challenge of synthesizing nucleotide sequences without having to rely on finding desired sequences in existing organisms. This was the making of sequences through chemistry, technology and engineering. While the historiography of biotechnology is vast, the capacity for DNA synthesis itself has largely gone unnoticed, the vast majority of work focusing on techniques for recombination, its meanings, broader social significance, and reception amongst diverse publics. By staying focussed on the particularities of biological molecules as synthesised the workshop aimed to break new ground, drawing in material culture, engineering studies, and their historical, philosophical and sociological intersections. While DNA synthesis was the focal point, these activities needed to be understood in a longer and broader context, right up to the present. Speakers accordingly focussed on a range of periods, and highlighted different features when it came to synthesis and the organism, each with an emphasis on different kinds of scientific, commercial, or organic actor. Indeed it is no doubt thanks to the diversity of the kinds of actor involved that scholars in the history of science have yet to grapple with the cases addressed here, the majority staying within either chemistry, biology, or engineering. This workshop recognises that synthesis sits in an uncomfortable research space for historians and philosophers of science. It was dedicated to addressing this discomfort and producing materials for the systematic international investigation of nonbiological, or perhaps 'mechano-chemical' DNA synthesis, the philosophical questions it provokes, the historiographical revisionism it invites, and the social relations it changes. Part 1 of the report incorporates short summaries of the papers given (each of which was 20 minutes in length) and reports of the question period. Part 2 includes the biographies of our participants. In an annex we include copies of the workshop documentation.


A technique for improving the axial resolution of confocal microscopy is proposed and demonstrated. Based on the interference between two diffraction-limited spots separated along the optical axis, a field domain confined by the heterodyne interference is generated. The effective region of illumination made by the interference makes the point-spread function (PSF) of the confocal microscope sharper. The three-dimensional imaging equations for both coherent and incoherent systems are derived. Numerical simulation and experiment show that the full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) of the PSF can be improved by a factor of 1.78 and 1.41, respectively.


Recently, e-Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic have affected all academic institutes all around the world. Academic institutes are facing challenges in keeping the education process in place. In order to keep the education system running at its capacity, academic institutions have had to quickly find solutions to adapt to the situation and overcome delays in many approaches and systems. The increased impact of the World Wide Web are leading to new and innovative ways of learning and education. educators and technology lead assumed that new e-learning system technologies and services enable activities that allow users to be active learners, actively participating in the on-line learning process. The objective of this paper is to examine the acceptance of e-education from the perspective of students and to raise their points of view. The methodology used is a self-reported survey and the PLA approach to confirm the findings. The main finding was that more training for teachers and students are essential to better implement technology in the education. Furthermore, the acceptance of e-Learning technology by students in higher education based on their training and orientations for the concept, while some students confirmed that their face-to-face education is more interaction.


Business success is strongly associated with developing the skills of their employees. Companies are actually spending more and more money on employee training to improve their skills in changing laws, procedures, organizational change, or simply to improve or perform; this learning, this training brings us to a specific goal is to develop skills.The central question is:" how to build a good training system that will help develop skills?"In this article, we will explain the training system established by Algerian companies as well their motivations and their enthusiasms to obtain their fixed objectives; indeed, the field study speaks about the type of training established in an echoes of (35) Algerian companies in the department of accounting and finance since accounting standardization IAS / IFRS, that is to say the application of the financial accounting system from 2011 to the present day.


In this paper, we describe the method and implementation of a real-time tumor tracking system for a pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy system. PBS is an advanced cancer treatment system that can benefit from precise localization of the tumors through motion. We utilize techniques such as cross-correlation matching, correlation filters and small object saliency, creating an array of methods that can detect and track fiducial markers implanted in the cancer tumors. The final aim is to control the proton beam using real-time image guidance. Our technique works robustly on various types of markers such as ceramic/metallic fiducials, visicoil markers and surgical clips. Left and right views of an X-ray fluoroscopy system were utilized to also triangulate the marker positions in full 3D as they are tracked through normal breathing movement and organ motion. We have tested our detection system on data from several patients with different tumor locations both offline and in real-time and wish to implement it within a full treatment system soon. To the best of the authors knowledge, this is the first real time tracking system for PBS therapy that is applicable for various types of fiducials and tumor locations.


The purpose of this dissertation was to explore factors influencing truancy in community secondary schools in Mtwara District. This study was guided by three objectives namely; to explore the level of truancy in community secondary schools in Mtwara District, to identify factors influencing truancy in community secondary schools in Mtwara District and distinguishing the impact of truancy in community secondary schools in Mtwara District. Data was collected by using questionnaires, interview guide and documents. The analysis involved quantifying frequencies of responses which were later presented in Tables. The study had a sample of 99 participants. The study revealed factors which influence truancy in secondary schools include:- Lack of administrative strategies by heads of school on student truancy, corporal punishments offered to students, low expectation of students from what happens in schools, poor peer groupings, distance from home to school, unreliable transport to school, weather aspect especially in rain season, variation in socio economic status of parents (SES), family divorce, lack of clear policy on managing student truancy in secondary schools, parents keeping themselves distant from their children academic performance and teachers to be not close enough to their students,
Thus, the study recommend the government through Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT) to introduce compulsory attendance law similar to that in primary education, to involve parents in their children education and Teachers are recommended to develop a habit of being attentive to problems raised by students for better assistance.


OBJECTIVE: To compare results obtained by Lea symbols and Snellen visual acuity charts taking ETDRS as a gold standard. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in the month of October and November 2015. It was an institution based study, conducted on 69 patients (including patient of age 5-10 years) visiting Orthoptic Clinic (Mayo Hospital Lahore). Each child had right eye and left eye visual acuity tested with Lea symbol chart, Snellen chart, and ETDRS chart. Visual acuity was scored as the smallest optotype size at which the child correctly identified 3 of a maximum of 5 optotypes. RESULTS : Correlation between Lea symbols visual acuity and Snellen visual acuity was 0.68 (p < 0.001). Mean Lea symbols visual acuity was eight letters (0.16 logMAR) better than mean Snellen visual acuity (p < 0.001), and three letters (0.5 logMAR) better than the mean ETDRS visual acuity (p < 0.001). While ETDRS visual acuity was five letters (0.11 logMAR) better than mean Snellen visual acuity chart. CONCLUSION: Visual acuity scores were significantly better on Lea symbols charts compared to Snellen charts, and ETDRS chart. The difference was great between ETDRS and Snellen charts, while the difference was small between ETDRS and Lea symbol.


We investigate the Fermi polaron problem in a spin-1/2 Fermi gas in an optical lattice for the limit of both strong repulsive contact interactions and one dimension. In this limit, a polaronic-like behaviour is not expected, and the physics is that of a magnon or impurity. While the charge degrees of freedom of the system are frozen, the resulting tight-binding Hamiltonian for the impurity's spin exhibits an intriguing structure that strongly depends on the filling factor of the lattice potential. This filling dependency also transfers to the nature of the interactions for the case of two magnons and the important spin balanced case. At low filling, and up until near unit filling, the single impurity Hamiltonian faithfully reproduces a single-band, quasi-homogeneous tight-binding problem. As the filling is increased and the second band of the single particle spectrum of the periodic potential is progressively filled, the impurity Hamiltonian, at low energies, describes a single particle trapped in a multi-well potential. Interestingly, once the first two bands are fully filled, the impurity Hamiltonian is a near-perfect realisation of the Su–Schrieffer–Heeger model. Our studies, which go well beyond the single-band approximation, that is, the Hubbard model, pave the way for the realisation of interacting one-dimensional models of condensed matter physics.


Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasingly common and there is increasing recognition that early identification and management is critical in delaying progression of CKD as well as related complications. However, CKD is silent, awareness is low, and usually undetected until advanced stages. Herein, we will review screening and detection strategies for CKD as well as the importance of intervention in early stages to reduce progression and the burden of CKD.


This study extends prior research on voice, loyalty, and postvoice outcomes by examining a variety of methods by which an employee may choose to voice a dispute. The authors argue that more loyal employees may prefer and use less formal methods to voice discontent and that the use of less formal voice methods relates to less job search activity and lower intent to quit. This study also investigated the interrelation between loyalty, voice method, and satisfaction with the attempt to resolve the dispute. Findings from a sample of university staff employees (N = 452) provide support for the hypotheses.


A Cervical Mass in an HIV-Positive Patient Seyed Alireza Mousavi, Ali Asadollahi-Amin Department of Infectious Disease, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ABSTRACT We describe an HIV-infected man with a left side cervical swelling which finally diagnosed with tuberculosis.In contrast to HIV-negative persons, nearly all tuberculous lymphadenitis (scrofula), the most kind of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, in patients with AIDS is multifocal. Constitutional symptoms such as fever, weight loss, and evidence of the lung involvement (parenchyma, nodes, or pleura) or elsewhere are seen in this setting. Positive findings on aspiration material are more frequently seen than HIV-negative population. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2018; 8(1):41-42 Keywords: Tuberculosis, HIV, cervical mass, clinical image


'This important book provides a comprehensive and much-needed analysis of French defence export policy, the first of its kind in more than 30 years. Lucie Beraud-Sudreau skilfully reconstructs the ...


This paper describes a novel approach to providing high levels of quality of service (QoS) for real-time UDP-based flows transmitted within switched IEEE 802.3 LANs. There are some obvious similarities between controlling congestion and providing high levels of QoS. Hence, some methods invented in order to control congestion may also be applied to support QoS in QoS-aware LANs. Since real-time and elastic traffic have different expectations in relation to the level of service received, the presented scheme grants them different priority levels and also different treatment on a hop-by-hop basis. The modified 802.3x hop-by-hop flow control is advocated as a better congestion control solution than packet dropping. Due to lack of data packet losses, TCP traffic sources need to be provided with the necessary feedback. In the presented scheme this is done by means of an early congestion notification (ECN) mechanism. Simulation results are also presented.


Trout by-products were used as a source of antibacterial peptides, which were obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis using trout pepsin. The protein hydrolysates exhibited different antibacterial activities against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria that cause food spoilage and fish diseases. The degree of hydrolysis was found to exert a considerable influence on antibacterial activity, with a significant increase in the observed inhibitory effect at the beginning of hydrolysis. In contrast, a growth-promoting effect on the bacteria was observed for the raw substrate and for hydrolysates with low degrees of hydrolysis. To isolate antibacterial peptides from trout protein hydrolysate (DH 30 %), a combination of ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration was used. The isolated peptides exhibited approximately nine-fold higher activity than the hydrolysate against the examined bacteria. Cationic peptides with molecular weights below 1 kDa showed the broadest spectrum of activity.
One drawback of the use of enzymatic digestion is the high cost of enzymes; thus, the use of the fish's own pepsin, which is currently not subject to industrial use, offers a cost-reducing alternative to the use of the microbial or mammalian enzyme. A prerequisite for utilization of this enzyme is determination of its enzymatic properties. Therefore, trout pepsin was isolated via the conventional enzyme isolation method , and a detailed enzyme characterization was performed. The isolation method consisted of a series of chromatographic separations preceded by ammonium sulphate precipitation. Apart from a detailed enzyme characterization, the development of an enzyme purification method with good scaling-up properties, low cost and high enzyme yield is important for increasing the potential of fish pepsin as an enzyme source for industrial use. Via aqueous two-phase (ATPs) extraction and polyelectrolyte precipitation with pectin, a cost-reducing method with high enzyme yields (25-30 %) was developed.


The growth mechanism of ECCS was investigated by means of metallurgical microscope, SEM and XPS. The results show that the different modes of annealing and rolling have a remarkably effects on the surface morphology and grain size of TFS products. Compact surface Cr-coating of BA material with low porosity the grains are larger and coarser in comparison with that of CA material, while the evident microcracks are found in the surface Cr-coating of DR material. The chemical compositions of ECCS oxide film on steel mainly consist of CrOOH or Cr(OH)3 as the main composition, plus Cr2O3 in definite proportion and a small amount of H2O. Cr(OH)3 is mainly formed from cathodic films generated in the electroplating process. CrOOH as the intermediate resultant was formed in process of Cr(OH)3 loss water to generate Cr2O3.


Over the years, higher education has been the subject of intense debate and discussion, as the traditional teaching approach, based on theoretical knowledge, concepts and information is no longer sufficient. In chemical engineering courses, this practice is no different, but with the dynamics of the current world and the increasingly competitive job market, it is essential to train professionals with creative, multidisciplinary skills, able to develop reflective thinking. Thus, the crucial challenge in terms of teaching quality in engineering is based on identifying ways to encompass the social and technological changes in the current world in the manner of teaching. An excellent alternative is to increase students' contact with the practice since it allows the execution of theoretical concepts. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to present the importance and positivity of pedagogical experience that occurred with the theory-practice integration implemented in the "Management and Treatment of Effluents" class from Chemical Engineering program at the UNILA, Brazil. A practical activity was developed where students, under the professor's supervision, developed a project of a water treatment plant, after conducting expository classes and technical visits in industries that have wastewater treatment. Once the project was concluded, a survey was sent to the students to gather opinions regarding the activities carried out. From authors and students, this sort of activity represents an interesting tool in the teaching/learning process, since it stimulated the development of some multidisciplinary skills besides the students' motivation in the program. Keywords—chemical engineering, higher education, pedagogical experience, teaching/learning, theorypractice integration.


The export and composition of particles has been measured by means of annually moored sediment traps at the AWI long-term observatory HAUSGARTEN in Fram Strait (79°/4°E) in 200-300m depth since the year 2000. The area of investigation west of Spitsbergen at a water depth of 2500m is temporally covered by sea ice during the course of the year. It is further influenced by the inflow of warm Atlantic waters at the surface as well as recirculating of the warm waters modified by out-flowing cold arctic waters. With our study we aim at tracing effects of environmental changes in pelagic system structure and impacts on the fate of organic matter produced in the upper water column in a region that is anticipated to react very sensible to climate change. We present data on the export of total particulate matter (TPM), particulate organic carbon and nitrogen (POC/PON), biogenic particulate silica (bPSi), carbonate (CaCO3) and protist composition achieved during the period 2000 - 2009. We observed a bimodal seasonal sedimentation pattern for almost all flux components. Annual fluxes showed greatest variation for TPM and CaCO3 (3-5 fold), and a drastic decrease in bPSi, a proxy for diatoms. The export of organic carbon and total biogenic matter on the other hand hardly showed any variation (1-2 fold) since the begin of the measurements in the year 2000.
The results obtained during the 9 year period of the study are compared to the findings of sediment trap studies conducted in the Fram Strait during the end of the eighties and we will discuss our findings in regard to the changing environmental conditions in the area.


A procedure involving the parallel perfusion of deep veins in a cat shank preparation with endogenous blood and a constant volume of dextran solution has been devised. The dextran is supplied to these deep veins via superficial and communicator veins (venae communicantes). With this method it is possible to record dynamic changes in the resistance of the deep veins (postcapillary resistance) in response to intraarterial administration of vasoactive agents into the vascular bed of the shank. Data are presented which indicate that the number of deep veins involved in the changes in venous resistance is equivalent to 67% of the total capacity of the vascular bed of the shank. It is shown that the increase in venous perfusion pressure caused by infusion of noradrenaline into the vascular bed of the shank is essentially equivalent to the increase in mean capillary pressure as determined isovolumetrically. With this new method it is demonstrated for the first time that angiotensin II causes constriction of the deep veins of the shank and that isoproterenol causes dose-dependent dilatatory reactions in the veins within the muscle preparation.


Abstract Emergency departments (EDs) provide health care services to people in need of urgent care. Their role is remarkable when extraordinary events that affect the public, such as earthquakes, occur. In this paper, we present a hybrid framework to evaluate earthquake preparedness of EDs in cities. Our hybrid framework uses artificial neural networks (ANNs) to estimate number of casualties and discrete event simulation (DES) to analyse the effect of surge in patient demand in EDs, after an earthquake happens. At the core of our framework, Earthquake Time Emergency Department Network Simulation Model (ET-EDNETSIM) resides which can simulate patient movements in a network of multiple and coordinated EDs. With the design of simulation experiments, different resource levels and sharing rules between EDs can be evaluated. We demonstrated our framework in a network of five EDs located in a region of which is estimated to have the highest injury rate after an earthquake in Istanbul, Turkey. Results of our study contributed to the planning for expected earthquake in Istanbul. Simulating a network of EDs extends the individual ED studies in the literature and furthermore, our hybrid framework can help increase earthquake preparedness in cities around the world. On the methodological side, the use of ANN, which is a member of machine learning (ML) algorithms family, in our hybrid framework also shows the close links between ML and DES.