Polygenic scores have become the workhorse for empirical analyses in social-science genetics. Because a polygenic score is constructed using the results of finite-sample Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWASs), it is a noisy approximation of the true latent genetic predisposition to a certain trait. The conventional way of boosting the predictive power of polygenic scores is to increase the GWAS sample size by meta-analyzing GWAS results of multiple cohorts. In this paper we challenge this convention. Through simulations, we show that Instrumental Variable (IV) regression using two polygenic scores from independent GWAS samples outperforms the typical Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model employing a single meta-analysis based polygenic score in terms of bias, root mean squared error, and statistical power. We verify the empirical validity of these simulations by predicting educational attainment (EA) and height in a sample of siblings from the UK Biobank. We show that IV regression between-families approaches the SNP-based heritabilities, while compared to meta-analysis applying IV regression within-families provides a tighter lower bound on the direct genetic effect. IV estimation improves the predictive power of polygenic scores by 12% (height) to 22% (EA). Our findings suggest that measurement error is a key explanation for hidden heritability (i.e., the difference between SNP-based and GWAS-based heritability), and that it can be overcome using IV regression. We derive the practical rule of thumb that IV outperforms OLS when the correlation between the two polygenic scores used in IV regression is larger than √ 10/(N +10), with N the sample size of the prediction sample. Keywords— Polygenic scores, Instrumental Variables, Meta-analysis, UK Biobank


Effective sensitization of triplet states is essential to many applications, including triplet–triplet annihilation based photon upconversion schemes. This work demonstrates successful triplet sensitization of a CdSe quantum dot (QD)–bound oligothiophene carboxylic acid (T6). Transient absorption spectroscopy provides direct evidence of Dexter-type triplet energy transfer from the QD to the acceptor without populating the singlet excited state or charge transfer intermediates. Analysis of T6 concentration dependent triplet formation kinetics shows that the intrinsic triplet energy transfer rate in 1 : 1 QD–T6 complexes is 0.077 ns 1 and the apparent transfer rate and efficiency can be improved by increasing the acceptor binding strength. This work demonstrates a new class of triplet acceptor molecules for QDbased upconversion systems that are more stable and tunable than the extensively studied polyacenes.


Temperature‐ and injection‐dependent lifetime spectroscopy (TIDLS) is extensively used for the characterization of defects in silicon material for photovoltaic applications. By coupling TIDLS measurements with Shockley–Read–Hall recombination models, the most important defects' parameters can be assessed including the defect energy level Et and the capture cross section ratio k. However, while proving extremely helpful in a variety of studies aiming at the characterization of contaminated silicon, a generalized approach for the analysis of industrially‐relevant material has not yet emerged. In this contribution, we examine in detail the recently introduced defect parameters contour mapping (DPCM) methodology for TIDLS data analysis as a tool for direct visualization of possible lifetime limiting defects. Herein, we showcase the DPCM method's potential by applying it to two representative case studies selected from literature and we demonstrate that, even when data are scarce, invaluable information is obtained in an easy and intuitive way without any a priori assumption needed. We then apply the DPCM method to simulated TIDLS data to evaluate the general characteristics of its response and the optimal conditions for its application. This analysis proves that the temperature dependence of lifetime is the most critical information required toward a really univocal identification of metal impurities.


The concept of fractional flow reserve (FFR)–guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has gained worldwide acceptance in the cardiology community.1 Hemodynamic assessment with FFR in the cardiac catheterization laboratory is now routinely being performed in intermediate-range coronary arterial stenoses to inform the decision to proceed with PCI.2 The paradigm of the FFR concept holds that clinical benefit of PCI is confined to coronary artery stenoses that restrict blood flow as documented by an abnormal FFR value (<0.75 or 0.80 typically).1 Correct measurement of FFR requires advancing a small wire distal to the stenosis that compares the intracoronary pressure with a proximal reference site under hyperemic conditions, for example, after application of adenosine.3,4 The procedure is invasive and adds cost, procedural time, radiation, contrast, and risk of vascular injury to standard angiography.5,6 To overcome the limitation of an invasive procedure, enormous efforts are being undertaken to assess FFR noninvasively.7 Several clinical studies reported modest to good accuracy of obtaining FFR estimates by computed tomography imaging, whereas other efforts have aimed at combining coronary anatomic information with myocardial perfusion information to simulate the same, seemingly desirable, outcome.8,9 Given the widespread use and large impact on the practice of cardiology, it appears prudent to critically review the evidence for the concept of FFR-guided revascularization.

Response by Fearon p 1878

The FFR concept as outlined in the Fractional Flow Reserve Versus Angiography for Multivessel Evaluation (FAME) study is based on the premise that performing PCI on coronary arterial stenoses causing myocardial ischemia leads to reduced adverse cardiac events, while it is not beneficial to revascularize lesions that do not cause ischemia.10 This premise, however, does not adequately consider the complicated relationship among coronary artherosclerotic disease, coronary arterial blood flow, myocardial ischemia, …


LiDAR panoptic segmentation facilitates an autonomous vehicle to comprehensively understand the surrounding objects and scenes and is required to run in real time. The recent proposal-free methods accelerate the algorithm, but their effectiveness and efficiency are still limited owing to the difficulty of modeling non-existent instance centers and the costly center-based clustering modules. To achieve accurate and real-time LiDAR panoptic segmentation, a novel center focusing network (CFNet) is introduced. Specifically, the center focusing feature encoding (CFFE) is proposed to explicitly understand the relationships between the original LiDAR points and virtual instance centers by shifting the LiDAR points and filling in the center points. Moreover, to leverage the redundantly detected centers, a fast center deduplication module (CDM) is proposed to select only one center for each instance. Experiments on the SemanticKITTI and nuScenes panoptic segmentation benchmarks demonstrate that our CFNet outperforms all existing methods by a large margin and is 1.6 times faster than the most efficient method.


Purpose of review Management of difficult airway is far from optimal despite of continuous progress in science and technology. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current research in the field and bring readers up to date. Recent findings New technologies for intubation make providers more confident to handle difficult airways, but there is lack of evidence indicating the reduction in incidence of 'cannot intubate cannot ventilate (CICV)'. Optimization of mask ventilation should reduce the incidence of difficult mask ventilation but it is greatly underappreciated. Even optimization of preoxygenation is not directly associated with any decreased incidence of difficult airway, but it prolongs time of safe apnea oxygenation; therefore, is likely to improve the outcome of the patients if CICV occurs. Summary Improvement of managing difficult airway relies on optimized mask ventilation, utilization of the appropriate tools for intubation, maximization of the safe apnea oxygenation time, prompt surgical airway in response to severe hypoxia in case effective noninvasive interventions are not achievable. It seems that a simplified and concise algorithm of difficult airway management needs to be established in order to enable providers to easily remember and execute.


Fundamental aspects of transport in Al ion implanted p-type 4H-SiC are briefly reviewed, in the light of recent literature. Particular attention is paid on (i) the Hall factor and (ii) the role of disorder in the onset of a variable range hopping mechanism (VRH) at high temperatures as doping level increases, up to a 2D-VRH induced by extended defects in the heaviest doped samples. The study allowed to understand the critical balance between implanted impurity density and annealing temperature that leads to the searched doping level, ensuring an efficient electrical activation of implanted impurities, on a side, and, on the other side, avoiding stacking faults that cause anisotropic hopping transport.


Lisa Hill has recently provided a new assessment of Adam Smith which attempts to reveal the 'hidden' theology which underpins his providential or 'optimistic' system of thought. Her interpretation breaks with the mainstream view of Smith as a follower of the secular, or atheistic, David Hume. While Hill concedes that there are resemblances to modern theories of evolution and spontaneous order in Smith's writings, the latter's own views differ. Darwinian evolution and Hayekian spontaneous order theories are thoroughly secular. Smith's ideas, however, are located in, what Hill calls 'a transitional phase in the history of ideas' in which belief in teleology was still mainstream. Hence, while society may change very slowly over time, in something like an evolutionary manner, according to Hill, Smith insists that it is evolution 'by design.' Similarly, spontaneous order is a sign of the divine ordering of the world. In Hill's reading, the 'invisible hand' doctrine not only emerges as a central component in all of Smith's works but it has a theological meaning: it is Smith's shorthand for the divinely-constructed spontaneous order. Hill's article makes an innovative contribution both to the 'new theological and teleological view' of Smith and to Smith scholarship generally. Whilst broadly sympathetic to the 'new view,' and Hill's version of it, I believe that some issues need further consideration. Her Panglossian interpretation of Smith seems to me to be overly 'optimistic.' This difference in interpretation manifests itself particularly in our differing presentations of Smith's view of history and the characterization of apparent 'defects' in nature. Where Hill finds Smith to be a thoroughly 'optimistic' theorist, I have presented him as a theorist who uneasily (and at times inconsistently) combines 'optimism' with 'pessimism.'


Summary The role of hand-genital transmission in the aetiology of genital warts is unclear. However this route is suggested by a number of observations including the relatively high proportion of genital warts in children which contain HPV types 1–4 (15% for children and 2% for adults). We compared two transmission models; one which assumes that hand-genital transmission occurs and one that it does not, and determined the conditions in which each model can reflect the available prevalence data. Hand-genital transmission provides a simple explanation of the observed differences in the proportions of genital warts containing HPV types 1–4 and 6/11 in children and adults. If hand-genital transmission does not occur, the observed difference could only be explained by an eightfold greater probability of transmission to children of types 1–4 than types 6/11, or by an eightfold greater duration of infection with types 1–4. Our findings provide support for the view that genital warts may be transmitted by hand-genital contact.


Developing responsive to needs, efficient and sustainable long-term care systems for elderly becomes due to rising demographic pressures an urgent issue all over Europe. Czech Republic is among the countries that have redesigned long-term care system according the principles of accessibility, quality and fiscal tenacity in the past couple of years. The reform process was well rooted in the practice of local governments and social sector empowering institutions that existed before 2006, when the reform was introduced, but were insufficiently anchored in legal regulations. The newly established long term care system covers a wide spectrum of services, from cash benefits to dependent in need via different types of social services and institutional care. Still, similarly to other countries of the Central and Eastern Europe region long care is disintegrated between the social system and health care which also is responsible for some types of institutional establishments. The system is also not free from critique for the lack of formal definition of long term care, lack of integration of services, their shortage and poor quality. Thus despite state efforts, the care over elderly remains family responsibility and state support is not always sufficient.


Anaerobic digestion is a common method of treating sewage sludge; however the anaerobic digestate liquor (ADL) contains high nutrient levels that have to be treated. The aim of this study was to determine whether microalgae could be used to strip nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) from ADL produced at Bran Sands sewage treatment works (STW); whether the ADL contained toxins and/or missing nutrients; and identify the spatial and temporal parameters of a potential bioremediation system. ADL was collected from Bran Sands STW and Scenedesmus obliquus was grown on various dilutions of ADL at laboratory scale. It was found that microalgae grown on the ADL was dually inhibited by high ammonia (NH3) concentrations and limited trace element availability. Trace element limitation decreased the microalgae biomass productivity to 1/3 of cultures with trace element supplementation. It was also found that NH3 concentrations > 17-23 mg/l NH3-N completely inhibited growth. A long time lag observed in 10 % ADL solutions was found to be due to the pH decreasing in ADL flasks over time (from 9.30 to 8.60), leading to a decrease in NH3 concentration until the toxicity threshold was crossed (approximately 20 mg/l NH3-N at pH 8.80), after which exponential growth occurred. Using 17.62 mg/l NH3-N as an inhibition threshold, it was calculated that the highest concentration of total ammonia nitrogen TAN that could be remediated at pH 7.0 was 400 mg/l TAN (a 3.75 × dilution of neat ADL). Based on observed growth and nutrient uptake rates, it was further calculated that a microalgae remediation system could strip 400 mg/l TAN from the ADL within 5.66 days. If growth conditions were optimized and the growth rate could be increased to > 1.0 d-1 (reported by Ho et al. (2010)) the remediation time could be reduced to 3.31 days (although this does not consider other growth-limiting factors such as light inhibition). Due to fluctuating N:P ratios it was not possible to calculate predicted P uptake.


With the evolution of self-driving cars, autonomous racing series like Roborace and the Indy Autonomous Challenge are rapidly attracting growing attention. Researchers participating in these competitions hope to subsequently transfer their developed functionality to passenger vehicles, in order to improve self-driving technology for reasons of safety, and due to environmental and social benefits. The race track has the advantage of being a safe environment where challenging situations for the algorithms are permanently created. To achieve minimum lap times on the race track, it is important to gather and process information about external influences including, e.g., the position of other cars and the friction potential between the road and the tires. Furthermore, the predicted behavior of the ego-car's propulsion system is crucial for leveraging the available energy as efficiently as possible. In this paper, we therefore present an optimization-based velocity planner, mathematically formulated as a multi-parametric Sequential Quadratic Problem (mpSQP). This planner can handle a spatially and temporally varying friction coefficient, and transfer a race Energy Strategy (ES) to the road. It further handles the velocity-profile-generation task for performance and emergency trajectories in real time on the vehicle's Electronic Control Unit (ECU).


Two major oceanographic changes have recently propagated through several trophic levels in coastal areas of Southeast Greenland (SEG). Firstly, the amount of drift‐ice exported from the Fram Strait and transported with the East Greenland Current (EGC) has decreased significantly over the past two decades, and a main tipping element (summer sea ice) has virtually disappeared since 2003 leading to a regime shift in oceanographic and ecological conditions in the region. The following 20‐year period with low or no coastal sea ice is unique in the 200‐year history of ice observations in the region, and the regime shift is also obvious in the volume of ice export through the Fram Strait after 2013. In the same period, the temperature of the EGC south of 73.5 N has increased significantly (>2°C) since 1980. Secondly, the warm Irminger Current, which advects warm, saline Atlantic Water into the region, has become warmer since 1990. The lack of pack ice in summer together with a warming ocean generated cascading effects on the ecosystem in SEG that are manifested in a changed fish fauna with an influx of boreal species in the south and the subarctic capelin further north. At higher trophic levels there has been an increase in the abundance of several boreal cetaceans (humpback, fin, killer, and pilot whales and dolphins) that are either new to this area or occur in historically large numbers. It is estimated that the new cetacean species in SEG are responsible for an annual predation level of 700,000 tons of fish. In addition, predation on krill species is estimated at >1,500,000 tons mainly consumed by fin whales. Simultaneously, there has been a reduction in the abundance and catches of narwhals and walruses in SEG and it is suggested that these species have been impacted by the habitat changes.


Bark beetles are amongst the most aggressive pest agents of coniferous forests. Due to this, many boreal countries have designated laws aiming to lower the risk of bark beetle epidemics. Finland's forest legislation has pre-emptive measures targeted against bark beetles, and for Scots pine ( L.), the law concerns pine shoot beetles ( spp.). This study used data collected around 25 piles of Scots pine roundwood that were harvested in the winter but left in the forest until the following November. Thus, the pine shoot beetles were able to use the piles for breeding. We assessed the number of emerged insects from the piles and the cascading damage they caused in the surrounding forests. All roundwood piles, regardless of their volume, were used by the beetles for breeding. Highest densities of beetle exit holes were found from the parts of the log with thick and intact bark. If the bark of the log was damaged by the harvester head, the number of beetles decreased significantly. Depending on the volume of the roundwood pile, the cascading damage (fallen shoots) was noticeable up to ca. 40–60 m from the roundwood pile. Storing of piles smaller than 50 m did not cause excess damage. The number of fallen shoots per tree was generally below the known thresholds for when growth losses can occur. However, the study was conducted in mature forests, and it can be assumed that the recorded damage levels would severely affect the growth of young pines, raising the question of where to store the roundwood. As with other bark beetles, the role of beetles as damage agents may change in the future, but based on this as well as past studies, the species can be viewed as a notable damage agents only around long-term wood storage sites in the current northern conditions.Pinus sylvestrisTomicus3Tomicus


Gene expression changes have been recognized as important drivers of adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Little is known about the relative roles of plastic and evolutionary responses in complex gene expression networks during the early stages of divergence. Large gene expression data sets coupled with in silico methods for identifying coexpressed modules now enable systems genetics approaches also in nonmodel species for better understanding of gene expression responses during early divergence. Here, we combined gene coexpression analyses with population genetics to separate plastic and population (evolutionary) effects in expression networks using small salmonid populations as a model system. We show that plastic and population effects were highly variable among the six identified modules and that the plastic effects explained larger proportion of the total eigengene expression than population effects. A more detailed analysis of the population effects using a QST FST comparison across 16,622 annotated transcripts revealed that gene expression followed neutral expectations within modules and at the global level. Furthermore, two modules showed enrichment for genes coding for early developmental traits that have been previously identified as important phenotypic traits in thermal responses in the same model system indicating that coexpression analysis can capture expression patterns underlying ecologically important traits. We suggest that module-specific responses may facilitate the flexible tuning of expression levels to local thermal conditions. Overall, our study indicates that plasticity and neutral evolution are the main drivers of gene expression variance in the early stages of thermal adaptation in this system.


Gel matrix of the natural polymer starch has been employed as template for the preparation of ZnO nanocrystals via solution-solid technique. The template offers selective binding sites for Zn(II) under aqueous conditions. Controlled solvent-exchange, further isolation of solid product by microfiltration and drying, and subsequent removal of the template backbone enable the synthesis of spatially separated ZnO nanocrystals. The crystalline character and near narrow particle size distribution pattern have been confirmed through powder XRD measurements and TEM with SAED observation. The morphology, surface and optical properties of ZnO sample were characterized by SEM observation, BET-surface area, UV–Vis and PL spectra. The UV photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanocrystals was studied by analyzing the degradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution. The nanosized ZnO sample showed greater photocatalytic activity than commercial TiO 2 (P25) photocatalysts. The size and shape factor seems to be of great importance in the observed photocatalytic performance.


Radar EW system combat effectiveness evaluation is a essential link to Radar system Demonstration, mainly give service to selection, optimization and key factors analysis of Weapon equipment scheme. In this paper, we introduce the Bayesian network model into the area of Radar EW system combat effectiveness evaluation and put forward the concept of combat effectiveness evaluation model based on Bayesian network. The ability to express complex relationship, the ability to express the uncertainty of probability, and the reasoning functions. By learning from Expertise and Simulation data, excavating the hidden knowledge included in both of them, we can build the combat efficiency Analysis model, and then carry out efficient analysis.


The assessment of undersea gas leakages from anthropogenic and natural sources is becoming increasingly important. This includes the detection of gas leaks and the quantification of gas flux. This has applications within oceanography (e.g. natural methane seeps) and the oil and gas industry (e.g. leaks from undersea gas pipelines, carbon capture and storage facilities). Gas escaping underwater can result in the formation of gas bubbles, and this leads to specific acoustic pressure fluctuations (sound) which can be analysed using passive acoustic systems. Such a technique offers the advantage of lower electrical power requirements for long term monitoring. It is common practice for researchers to identify single bubble injection events from time histories or time frequency representations of hydrophone data, and infer bubble sizes from the centre frequency of the emission. Such a technique is well suited for gas releases that represent low flow rates, and involving solitary bubble release. However, for larger events, with the overlapping of bubble acoustic emissions, the inability to discriminate each individual bubble injection event makes this approach inappropriate. In this study, an inverse method to quantify such release is used. The model is first outlined and following this its accuracy at different flow rate regimes is tested against experimental data collected from tests which took place in a large water tank. The direct measurements are compared to estimates inferred from acoustics.


Many application fields use computer-controlled systems, with different levels of criticality requirements. A common characteristic of such embedded systems is their increasing complexity in intrinsic terms-distribution management, redundancy, functionality layering, and so on-and of their in-the-field operation-environmental interfaces, timing constraints, controlled application criticality, and so on. Designers rarely completely master this increasing complexity. Usual design practices often suffer from-partial approaches, overlooked details, inadequate modeling, insufficient prototyping, and limited design tools or available techniques. With these shortcomings, designs often end up addressing incorrect, incomplete, or misunderstood user requirements often the main cause of a design or systems final failure. Embedded complex systems require an integrated and best-balanced set of components. To use these components, requires some sort of verifiable compositionality, a concept that implies the preservation of properties and the ability to verify them.


ABSTRACT Introduction Provider-based status has been a Medicare payment designation established by the Social Security Act. It has allowed facilities to bill for physician services based on facility type. Medicare reimbursement has been based on whether services were rendered at a freestanding healthcare facility or a provider-based facility. Provider-Based Billing [PBB] comprises of two separate charges from the outpatient department, including a facility charge and a professional charge. Methodology The methodology for this research analysis was a literature review complemented with a semi structure interview of a PBB expert. The review illustrated examples of provider-based clinics who have billed all Medicare patients as hospital outpatients that resulted in a charge for the Provider and the facility. Results Results indicated that the reimbursement has been higher for hospitals that have implemented PBB. Discussion/ Conclusion PBB has reported being the magnitude of increased Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. It has required patients to pay higher copayments for office visits to cover the facility fee, but overall, the providers have received a higher payment. Innovation in the revenue cycle in hospitals and testing of new and more efficient procedures are essential and needed to change, adapt and survive in a new financial evolving financial environment.


Objective: To examine the effect of short term expression writing on stress response in laboratory condition.Methods: 64 4th grade clinical medical students were randomly divided into intervention group and control group. Stress responses were induced by videoes doctor-patient conflicts. After that, state anxiety, negative emotion(such as anger, anxiety, depression and fear), salivary cortisol and posttraumatic growth were assessed. 15 minutes expressive writings included feeling and ideas, express emotion and search for resources and support about stress event was used as the intervention method in writing group for 3 times. The subjects of control group took uninvolved writing. Results: The conflict video induced obvious stress response of subjects, the levels of state anxiety, anger, anxiety, depression and fear scores after video show were significantly higher than that at the baseline in both groups(P 0.05). Compared with control group, expressive writing group had lower levels of anxiety and anger(P 0.05). Trait anxiety had positive correlation with state anxiety, anxiety, depression and fear(P<0.001) just after stress-induction, and had positive correlation with state anxiety and depression after intervention(P<0.001). Gender(female) had positive association with state anxiety, depression and fear after stress(P<0.001; P<0.005). Conclusion: Short term expressive writing significantly can decrease stress reactions effciently.


This study's purpose was to uncover the challenges and best practices in the field of social entrepreneurship. We examined definitions of social entrepreneurship; the most widely used cases, articles and textbooks; and the most popular pedagogical approaches in 107 social entrepreneurship courses. Our findings suggest that faculty have done an excellent job of utilizing powerful pedagogical methods like service learning. In addition, the majority of courses covered opportunity recognition, innovation, acquiring limited resources, measuring social impact and building sustainable business models as core elements of social entrepreneurial activity. The greatest challenge involved teaching students about scaling social innovations.


The findings of a recent nutritional survey in rural Bangladesh suggest that within rural households, food is inequitably divided among household members in relation to their nutritional requirements. Women and girls are disadvantaged in comparison to men and boys. This leads to a higher incidence of severe malnutrition among women and girls and excess female infant mortality. These findings suggest that in order to eradicate malnutrition, it may not be enough to increase the supply of food available to households among the rural poor, unless at the same time steps are taken to ensure a more equitable distribution of food within the household by enhancing the perceived economic value of females in rural society.


Previous studies have indicated a relationship between evoked potential augmenting/reducing and extraversion or sensation seeking. However, the proposed mechanism of protective inhibition can account for this fact only if the relationship generalizes across different modalities and response definitions. The present study was designed to test this, using six intensities of visual and six intensities of auditory stimuli along with the EPI and SSS questionnaires. For the visual stimuli, the slope of the P 9 c N 1 2 0 amplitude at the vertex correlated significantly with both the extraversion and the disinhibition scales in the way that augmenting/reducing theory predicts. However, over the primary visual area, no component showed the same personality relationship as the vertex wave, and one early component showed the opposite. This result suggests that personality differences in VEPs may reflect different ways of allocating processing resources between primary and association areas, rather than a generalized tendency to inhibit strong stimuli. In the auditory modality, personality differences were not apparent in the amplitude slopes, possibly due to the confluence from primary and association areas in AEPs in the vertex lead. There was a general tendency for latencies to correlate positively with extraversion and disinhibition, in congruence with Eysenck's theory on the biological basis of extraversion.


Thermospheric neutral densities derived from Swarm accelerometer and GPS data Over the past years, a lot of effort has been put into characterising and correcting the various disturbance signals that were found in the accelerometer data provided by the Swarm satellites. This effort was first and foremost aimed at the Swarm C along-track axis data, which seems to be the least affected and most promising data for scientific use. The goal to make the Swarm C accelerometer along-track axis data ready for further processing into level 2 thermosphere density data has now been accomplished, with the help of information on the satellite motion from the GPS tracking as well as on the attitude from the star trackers.This presentation looks into the features of scientific interest that are found in the currently available density data set, as well as makes an assessment of the density data accuracy. We assess how the current quality level of the data in combination with the correction approach, affects the possibility of determining densities from the accelerometer measurements of the Swarm A and B satellites. We also investigate the possibility of determining crosswind speeds from Swarm data.In the meantime, we have investigated the possibility of deriving thermosphere neutral density data from the Swarm GPS observations only, with a much lower temporal resolution. We analyse the differences in the data between the three Swarm satellites as well as between the accelerometer-derived and GPS-only-derived densities for Swarm C. General


AIM
To conduct a meta-analysis to determine the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) and open liver resection (OLR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS
PubMed (Medline), EMBASE and Science Citation Index Expanded and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials in the Cochrane Library were searched systematically to identify relevant comparative studies reporting outcomes for both LLR and OLR for HCC between January 1992 and February 2012. Two authors independently assessed the trials for inclusion and extracted the data. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager Version 5.0 software (The Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, United Kingdom). Pooled odds ratios (OR) or weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95%CI were calculated using either fixed effects (Mantel-Haenszel method) or random effects models (DerSimonian and Laird method). Evaluated endpoints were operative outcomes (operation time, intraoperative blood loss, blood transfusion requirement), postoperative outcomes (liver failure, cirrhotic decompensation/ascites, bile leakage, postoperative bleeding, pulmonary complications, intraabdominal abscess, mortality, hospital stay and oncologic outcomes (positive resection margins and tumor recurrence).

RESULTS
Fifteen eligible non-randomized studies were identified, out of which, 9 high-quality studies involving 550 patients were included, with 234 patients in the LLR group and 316 patients in the OLR group. LLR was associated with significantly lower intraoperative blood loss, based on six studies with 333 patients [WMD: -129.48 mL; 95%CI: -224.76-(-34.21) mL; P = 0.008]. Seven studies involving 416 patients were included to assess blood transfusion requirement between the two groups. The LLR group had lower blood transfusion requirement (OR: 0.49; 95%CI: 0.26-0.91; P = 0.02). While analyzing hospital stay, six studies with 333 patients were included. Patients in the LLR group were found to have shorter hospital stay [WMD: -3.19 d; 95%CI: -4.09-(-2.28) d; P < 0.00001] than their OLR counterpart. Seven studies including 416 patients were pooled together to estimate the odds of developing postoperative ascites in the patient groups. The LLR group appeared to have a lower incidence of postoperative ascites (OR: 0.32; 95%CI: 0.16-0.61; P = 0.0006) as compared with OLR patients. Similarly, fewer patients had liver failure in the LLR group than in the OLR group (OR: 0.15; 95%CI: 0.02-0.95; P = 0.04). However, no significant differences were found between the two approaches with regards to operation time [WMD: 4.69 min; 95%CI: -22.62-32 min; P = 0.74], bile leakage (OR: 0.55; 95%CI: 0.10-3.12; P = 0.50), postoperative bleeding (OR: 0.54; 95%CI: 0.20-1.45; P = 0.22), pulmonary complications (OR: 0.43; 95%CI: 0.18-1.04; P = 0.06), intra-abdominal abscesses (OR: 0.21; 95%CI: 0.01-4.53; P = 0.32), mortality (OR: 0.46; 95%CI: 0.14-1.51; P = 0.20), presence of positive resection margins (OR: 0.59; 95%CI: 0.21-1.62; P = 0.31) and tumor recurrence (OR: 0.95; 95%CI: 0.62-1.46; P = 0.81).

CONCLUSION
LLR appears to be a safe and feasible option for resection of HCC in selected patients based on current evidence. However, further appropriately designed randomized controlled trials should be undertaken to ascertain these findings.


Reservoir sedimentation reduces economic value and longevity of flood control dams. Periodic sediment removal allows extension of reservoir life. An optimal control model is developed to evaluate alternative sediment management strategies for flood control dams. An illustrative empirical analysis shows that sustainable management is economically desirable for a wide range of parameter values.


Following the Systemic Functional Linguistics based theory and methodology of Positive Discourse Analysis, this paper discusses some of the political, cultural and educational propositions motivating the Council of Europe's document Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. A close reading of the text clearly shows that while attempting to promote a plurilingual approach to the learning of languages in Europe, the document also calls for a change in teaching practices aiming at a transformation in the dynamics of language relations in Europe. Some of the issues focused upon in the paper derive directly from the document's stated objectives, namely questions of levelling, standardization, democracy and hegemony, on the one hand, and questions of plurality, independence, empowerment and difference, on the other.


The patent system has long been criticized for limiting access to pharmaceuticals. Patents grant inventors a limited period of exclusivity with an attempt to allow recoupment of investments in the invention process. In the pharmaceutical industry, this exclusivity and the resulting lack of competition leads to exorbitant prices. High prices limit access to potentially life-saving medicines, and hinder achievement of the "highest attainable standard of health," which several international instruments recognize as a human right.

The pharmaceutical industry claims patents are essential to encourage innovation in risky, lengthy and costly research and development ("R&D") processes. But it has yet to put forward indisputable evidence to the actual effects of patents on innovation.

Increasing use of artificial intelligence ("AI") in research intensifies the existing debates on pharmaceutical patents. Inventions created or enabled by AI raise questions about patentability, and patent policy in general. Faster and more efficient R&D weakens justifications for pharmaceutical patents.

While continued incentivization is essential, lawmakers must consider alternative systems, which prioritize access alongside incentivization in order to advance health care as a human right. One way to increase access while maintaining the necessary incentives for innovation is to reform standards of patentability, leaving some essential medicines enabled by AI outside the sphere of patent protection, and fund R&D through prize funds and tax incentives in the absence of patents. Alternatively, a shorter exclusivity term, followed by a licensing period allowing competitors to make and sell the related medicines against a licensing fee, will enable competing products to enter the market earlier and drive prices down, and provide innovating companies a method to recoup investments.


Background: Preeclampsia is a fatal medical disorder of pregnancy. It has been associated with adverse course and outcome of the pregnancy resulting in increased maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. As the pathogenesis of preeclampsia is not completely understood, prevention remains a complex issue. In recent times, there has been an increasing prevalence in the incidence of preeclampsia globally. The aim of this study is to determine the states of the copper in pregnant women with preeclampsia.
Methods: This case-control study was carried out in the Department of Biochemistry, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh, from July 2013 to June 2014. The subjects were selected on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria by purposive method. This study included 73 patients with preeclampsia as case (Gr.I) classified into two subgroups according to the gestational age: Gr.I(a); preeclampsia in the second trimester (n = 35), and Gr.I(b); preeclampsia in the third trimester (n = 38). Copper levels were analyzed and results were compared with 73 apparently healthy pregnant control (Gr.II), and the corresponding gestational age subgroups [Gr.II(a); normal pregnancy of second trimester (n = 35) and Gr.II(b), normal pregnancy of third trimester (n = 38)].
Results: The mean serum copper level was significantly (p<0.001) lower in case group than that of control group. Similar extent of reduction was observed in serum copper level at different gestational age groups of preeclamptic women when compared with corresponding control groups.
Conclusion: Estimation of serum copper level should be incorporated in pre eclamptic patients for prevention of complications.
Birdem Med J 2019; 9(1): 18-22


OBJECTIVES
This study sought to identify whether pregnancy complications differ between women with and without a psychiatric disorder diagnosis prior to pregnancy.

METHODS
Women who gave birth between 2007 and 2009 in Pennsylvania and were enrolled in Medicaid from one year prior to their pregnancy until their delivery were included (N=9,930); those with psychiatric disorders were compared with a matched control group (N=4,965 for each). Logistic regression analysis estimated the odds of having a pregnancy complication among those with a psychiatric diagnosis prior to pregnancy, adjusting for demographic characteristics and chronic general medical conditions.

RESULTS
Compared with the control group, women with a psychiatric disorder prior to pregnancy had greater odds of having at least one pregnancy complication (odds ratio=1.48, 95% confidence interval=1.37-1.61). Compared with the control group, their odds of antepartum hemorrhage were 1.50 times higher, their odds of preterm labor were 1.45 times higher, and their odds of preterm birth were 1.61 times higher.

CONCLUSIONS
Women with psychiatric disorders prior to pregnancy were more likely to experience pregnancy complications, including pregnancy hemorrhage, preterm labor, and preterm birth, after the analysis controlled for age, race-ethnicity, and chronic illness status before and during pregnancy. The finding of an association between psychiatric disorders and a higher complication risk suggests the importance of population-based preconception interventions for women with psychiatric disorders and prenatal monitoring to reduce the risk of pregnancy complications in this group.


The design and development of swarms of micro-aerial vehicles (MAVs) has recently gained significant traction. Collaborative aerial swarms have potential applications in areas as diverse as surveillance and monitoring, inventory management, search and rescue, or in the entertainment industry. Swarm intelligence has, by definition, a distributed nature. Yet performing experiments in truly distributed systems is not always possible, as much of the underlying ecosystem employed requires some sort of central control. Indeed, in experimental proofs of concept, most research relies on more traditional connectivity solutions and centralized approaches. External localization solutions, such as motion capture (MOCAP) systems, visual markers, or ultra-wideband (UWB) anchors are often used. Alternatively, intra-swarm solutions are often limited in terms of, e.g., range or field-of-view. Research and development has been supported by platforms such as the e-puck, the kilobot, or the crazyflie quadrotors. We believe there is a need for inexpensive platforms such as the Crazyflie with more advanced onboard processing capabilities and sensors, while offering scalability and robust communication and localization solutions. In the following, we present a platform for research and development in aerial swarms currently under development, where we leverage Wi-Fi mesh connectivity and the distributed ROS2 middleware together with UWB ranging and communication for situated communication. We present a platform for building towards large-scale swarms of autonomous MAVs leveraging the ROS2 middleware, Wi-Fi mesh connectivity, and UWB ranging and communication. The platform is based on the Ryze Tello Drone, a Raspberry Pi Zero W as a companion computer together with a camera module, and a Decawave DWM1001 UWB module for ranging and basic communication.


Dedicated 4D seismic data have been used to investigate horizontal and vertical compartmentalization in the high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) Shearwater Field in the U.K. Central North Sea. Geomechanical modeling and conversion of model results to synthetic seismic time shifts allow quantitative comparison of models with real 4D seismic time shifts. Drilling in and around heavily depleted reservoirs is very challenging, and matching the geomechanical model to all data sets (including 4D) provides the best possible constraints on the likely stress fields an infill well will encounter in the overburden and the reservoir.


This work aims to analyze the competitiveness of pejibaye palm heart production in Espirito Santo and Sao Paulo states by applying the Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM). Results show that the private and social profitabilities of pejibaye palm heart production and trading were positive in both states and are higher than those obtained by traditional crops, such as soybean, and by forest products, such as natural rubber. Sao Paulo production was more profitable, being thus more competitive than Espirito Santo. However, these profitabilities could have been higher if producers were not exposed to negative effects of distorted public policies.


Campylobacter jejuni is the most common cause of bacterial foodborne illness causing >100 million human cases each year worldwide. In contrast to other important enteropathogens such as Salmonella and Shigella spp., C. jejuni appears to lack a set of classical virulence traits, like adhesins, type III secretion system and toxins. Nevertheless the bacterium is equipped with a large repertoire of adaptation skills that influence bacterial surface properties, metabolism and behavior. These adaptation skills may contribute to bacterial virulence by enabling the bacteria to rapidly alter their phenotype and metabolism in response to changes in the environment. The major goal of the work described in this thesis was to gain insight in essential steps in the adaptation of C. jejuni and to assess the effects of variation in bacterial phenotype on survival and immunity. The results described in this thesis contribute to the understanding of the infection process by providing novel molecular and cellular insights in the C. jejuni repertoire of environmental adaptation. We characterized a functional C. jejuni Tat secretion machinery, which is necessary for the transport of different proteins essential for adaptation to nutrient and oxygen limited conditions and to colonize chickens. Additional studies revealed that a C. jejuni tatC mutant is defective in different virulence related strategies. This might indicate that environmental adaptation via the Tat system plays a fundamental role in Campylobacter virulence. Next we described the existence of two novel complementary lipid A modifying enzymes. We obtained evidence that these enzymes determine the ratio between N- and O-linked fatty acyl chains in the lipid A part. This ratio influences the resistance to antimicrobial peptides as well as the ability to activate the pro-inflammatory TLR4/MD-2 innate immune pathway. The lipid A modification may thus enhance the immune evasive properties of the organism. Analysis of the function of two-component systems as regulators of bacterial metabolic adaptation revealed a role for the RacS-RacR two-component regulatory system. First we discovered that the conformation of the RacS sensor protein, and thereby the activity of the RacS-RacR system, is dependent on a functional C. jejuni Dsb system. In addition evidence was obtained that this two-component system regulates metabolic processes during conditions of oxygen limitation. These results showed that the RacS-RacR system fine-tunes the metabolic pathways of C. jejuni so that it can survive and quickly respond to changes in nutrient and oxygen availability. These changes likely occur in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and chicken and might be central for C. jejuni virulence. Our results add novel knowledge on bacterial adaptation and survival mechanisms which may provide an important basis for novel strategies as to how to reduce the presence of C. jejuni and thus contribute to food safety and human health


READING FLUENCY AND COMPREHENSION OF MIDDLE-SCHOOL STUDENTS EXHIBITING READING DIFFICULTIES by MICHAEL RALPH BASKETTE (Under the Direction of Cecil Fore) ABSTRACT The implementation of a response to intervention model for diagnosing students with a learning disorder mandates evidence-based strategies are utilized in the general education setting to assure quality instruction. It is anticipated that this new method of diagnosing students will eradicate the disproportionate number of minority students served through special education. The current study use a multiple-probe design to determine the effectiveness of a repeated reading intervention in increasing the reading fluency and improve the reading comprehension of students from culturally and economically diverse backgrounds. Results indicate the intervention was effective in increasing the reading fluency and improving the reading comprehension of the participants in the study. Limitations to the study and implications for future research are discussed.


The paper presents an efficient algorithm to compute base-10 logarithm of a decimal number. The algorithm uses a 64-bit floating-point arithmetic, and is based on a digit-by-digit iterative computation that does not require look-up tables, curve fitting, decimal-binary conversion, or division operations. It is the first FPGA prototype of its kind that uses a 64-bit (decimal 16-digit) precision. Two numerical examples have been presented for the purpose of illustration. The algorithm produces very accurate result with a maximum absolute error of 3.53x10 . The architecture is pipelined and implemented on to the Xilinx Virtex2p FPGA. It costs 6,752 logic cells, outputs at a minimum rate of 51 mega-samples/sec, and consumes 125.7 mW of power. The scheme is very suitable for timing and accuracy critical applications and compliant with the IEEE754-2008 standard (decimal64 format).


AbstractOver the period October 2006-July 2008, the author conducted a detailed survey of five historic buildings in Malaya constructed by 19th-century Chinese immigrants. These buildings feature roof decorations made in and imported from Shiwan , China, during that period. The decorations include scenes and figurines representing events and characters taken from Cantonese operas, Chinese legends and classical novels. In studying these decorations the author has come across several recurring themes illustrating concepts such as justice, sworn brotherhood, loyalty and courage in the face of adversity, which shed light on the cultural identities and thinking of the Cantonese migrants. In this paper these themes are interpreted against the background of the social and political circumstances in China and Southeast Asia during the period under discussion, showing how an understanding of the concerns of these Chinese migrants of the past can help one to understand contemporary migrant communities worldwide.


If we were to take a poll asking people whether they wou]d vote for or against morality, one would expect a rather overwhelming endorsement. There is little disagreement that people should behave morally, should respect moral rules and should be concerned about justice and responsibility (Berkowitz & Oser, 1985, p. 1 ). This study examines teachers' knowledge and attitudes towards conduct and discipline regulations as outlined in the Malawi government teaching service regulations, analyzes the relationships between their know ledge, attitudes and self reported practice. It ftn1her explores the contribution of pre service teacher training to teachers' knowledge and understanding of the regulations. Data was collected from in-service and pre-service teachers using Knowledge, Attitude and Practice survey methods. The study found that teachers have limited knowledge about the regulations, although serving teachers rated themselves highly in following the regulations. It was found that in addition to a weak system for promoting and enforcing regulations in schools, teacher preparation little to develop professional appreciation of regulations related to conduct and discipline.


This article purpose to think about interculturality in connection with what peace means, since many of the great conflicts in the history of humankind have been provoked by the failure to settle conflicts, by the absence of genuine dialogue and the inability to listen, thus producing violence among persons and among cultures. Therefore, to overcome these situations it is necessary a deep understanding of what peace means, as well as of its relation to justice and ethics. This will make it possible to seek the development of a positive interculturality, within a framework of peace. The existence of interculturality does not necessarily generate violence, even when there are conflicts. Transforming and overcoming these conflicts is the prerequisite for establishing peaceful intercultural relations. The argument in this article is that such transcendence is possible by resorting to the ethical imagination: a creative resource that makes what is absent and desired present and that generates possibilities thought to be inexistent in existing situations. The ethical imagination introduces a constructive view of social change in scenarios in which conflicts are deeply rooted, thereby, facilitating transformation.


A novel surgical approach, using portal venotomy during total hepatic vascular occlusion, was used to locate and attenuate congenital intrahepatic portosystemic shunts in nine dogs. Shunt location was consistent with a persistent ductus venosus in only two dogs. In the remaining seven dogs the shunts were window-like orifices arising from either the left (two dogs) or right portal vein branch (five dogs) and communicating with the ipsilateral hepatic vein or caudal vena cava. The transportal approach using total hepatic vascular occlusion consistently provided good access to the portosystemic shunts, including those with window-like communications. A 7 to 16 minute period of total vascular occlusion was well-tolerated hemodynamically, with few intraoperative complications. Intrahepatic shunts were successfully attenuated in eight dogs, while one dog with portal atresia was euthanatized. The postoperative course was complicated by high protein pulmonary edema (one dog), an encapsulated biliary pseudocyst (one dog) and uncontrollable hemorrhage caused by an uncharacterized coagulopathy (one dog). Three dogs required a second operation to further attenuate their shunts. The clinical condition of all seven surviving dogs was improved after surgery.


The objective of this paper is to empirically examine the relationship between the firms' degree of internationalization and their financial performance. The literature about performance determinants is abundant however the relation between performance and internationalization in the context of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from a small and open economy is much less studied. This paper is focused on the Portuguese textile and wearing firms due to their importance for the economy. It is used an unbalanced panel data of 638 firms for the period from 2010 to 2016 and applied a random effects model. The results indicate that internationalization promotes firm performance, in particular when exports are directed to closer markets and conducted by small firms. Also, the presence of a non-linear relationship between internationalization and performance calls for managers' attention to its dysfunctional consequences for firm performance, especially at intermediate levels of internationalization.


In this paper, we used the particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo techniques 1 Dimension 3 Velocities and 3 Dimensions 3 Velocities to simulate low-pressure radio-frequency (RF) discharge in argon. The plasma conditions are 50-100 mtorr of pressure and 200 V of peak RF voltage at 13.56 MHz. The method used in collision treatment is based on an optimized estimation of the collision free path which is independent of the electron energy. It depends only on the maximum of total cross sections. To reduce the number of null collisions, two maximums of total cross sections are chosen. The results obtained were compared with data from experiments that were already carried out.


Nanoporous structures are widely used for many applications and hence there have been several efforts directed towards their synthesis. While several template-based and template-less approaches are available for monometallic systems, there is no general method for the synthesis of nanoporous multicomponent systems/alloys. We present a general template-less strategy for the synthesis of nanoporous alloy aggregates by controlled aggregation of nanoparticles in the solution phase with excellent control over morphology and composition as illustrated using AuPt, AuPd, PdPt and PtRu systems as examples. The Pt-based nanoporous clusters exhibit excellent activity for methanol oxidation with good long-term stability and CO tolerance. We show that the method can be extended to produce ternary catalysts and hence we expect our method to be widely used for the synthesis of multifunctional nanoporous structures for catalysis, sensor and drug-delivery applications.


Community integration for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia is essential to successful community tenure. Most of the research and clinical emphasis on the process of integration has been focused on the successes in normative goals (e.g. employment, support networks). Little research has focused on how individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia integrate in the realm of public life involving the casual routine interactions with other community members, termed distal support in this study. This was a cross-sectional study specifically designed to develop a measure of distal support and to identify clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with fostering distal supports. Findings suggest that personality factors, particularly extraversion and openness, play a role in the process of fostering community distal supports while a higher functional status and lower symptom severity were found to have moderate associations. It was also found that a greater number of distal supports were associated with higher quality of life satisfaction ratings and sense of belonging scores. Contrary to the stated hypothesis, a greater number of distal supports were associated with a higher number of mental health contacts. This may be due, in part, to the confounding effects of the personality factors of extraversion and openness; both associated with a higher number of distal supports and with a greater willingness to seek support and to accept treatment during times of need. A greater understanding of what factors lead to successful community integration in this population has significant public health implications both in terms of improved quality of life and treatment interventions.


103 days long, the concentration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was determined in 206 samples of raw wastewater and of the activated sludge after the biological step in the wastewater pretreatment plant of Braunschweig. 2594 strains of P. aeruginosa were isolated, 95.8% of them showed production of pyocyanin. The concentration of P. aeruginosa varied between 2.6 X 10(1) and 4.8 X 10(4) cells/ml. Neglecting some exceptions, there were about ten times more P. aeruginosa in the sludge than in the clearly filtered wastewater and about one hundred times more than in the clearly filtered effluent. In general, P. aeruginosa seem not to be reduced by the biological oxidation during the wastewater treatment. On the contrary, we observed a multiplication in 69% of all cases. The multiplication of P. aeruginosa during the biological oxidation is discussed. Finally, the hygienic role of sludge is discussed because P. aeruginosa are concentrated herein.


Rapid, dramatic technologic change is occurring in almost all areas of current pathology practice, while a changing environment for pathology provokes the question, "What is the future of pathology as technology emerges?" A review of the types of technologic change and the forms of environmental forces suggests great opportunities for pathology if critical actions by individual pathologists and organized pathology are taken.


SUMMARY The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of using DNA isolated from milk somatic cells for the diagnosis and molecular typing of bovine leukaemia virus (BLV). A total of 40 bulk milk samples were analysed and thirty three of them resulted seropositive to BLV after being evaluated using an indirect ELISA test. A PCR test confirmed the presence of the virus in all 33 seropositive samples whereas in the remaining seronegative samples it was not possible to detect a specific band for the virus. A RFLP analysis identified 2 out of the 3 known subgroups of BLV genetic variants. Individual analysis carried out in the PCR positive herd confirmed the presence of more than one genetic variant within this herd, suggesting that there is a possibility of re-infection occurring with another virus strain. This report is the first to describe the application of a PCRRFLP test for the detection and molecular typing of BLV directly from milk samples. The simplicity of collecting bulk milk samples makes the described technique a convenient way for a quick diagnosis of the virus, which can also be used to study the molecular epidemiology and distribution of BLV infection in a specific area or even at national scale.


Wireless sensor network is becoming a progressively Important and challenging research area. Advancement in WSN enable a wide range of environmental monitoring and object tracking system. Wireless sensor networks consists of small low cost sensor nodes, having a limited transmission range and their processing, storage capabilities and energy resources are limited. We consider energy constrained wireless sensor network deployed over a region. The main task of such a network is to gather information from node and transmit it to base station for further processing. Generally, it needs a fixed amount of energy to receive one bit of information and an additional amount of energy to transmit the same. This additional amount depends on the transmission range. So, if all nodes transmit directly to the BS, then they will quickly deplete their energy. To perform routing in wireless sensor network with this limitation of low power, energy and storage capabilities is a major problem. Many solutions has been proposed where energy awareness is essential consideration for routing. The LEACH, PEGASIS, GROUP, Ant colony optimization etc has provided elegant solutions and has shown very effective results. In this paper, we have proposed a Particle Swarm Optimization based Routing protocol (PSOR ) where we have taken energy efficiency as major criteria for performing routing and deriving optimized path for data forwarding and processing to base node. The PSOR generates a whole new path of routing by taking energy as fitness value to judge different path and choose best optimized path whose energy consumption is less as compared to other routing paths. We concluded with the result obtained by performing experiment on our proposed algorithm PSOR and comparing its result with Genetic Algorithm which shows better result as compared to Genetic Algorithm and the experiments performed are done using NS2 simulator.


Abstract Fuzzy set theory is a recently developed field of mathematics, that introduces sets of objects whose boundaries are not sharply defined. Whereas in ordinary Boolean algebra an element is either contained or not contained in a given set, in fuzzy set theory the transition between membership and non-membership is gradual. The theory aims at modelizing situations described in vague or imprecise terms, or situations that are too complex or ill-defined to be analysed by conventional methods. This paper aims at presenting the basic concepts of the theory in an insurance framework. First the basic definitions of fuzzy logic are presented, and applied to provide a flexible definition of a "preferred policyholder" in life insurance. Next, fuzzy decision-making procedures are illustrated by a reinsurance application, and the theory of fuzzy numbers is extended to define fuzzy insurance premiums.


Reassortment of influenza A viruses can give rise to viral ribonucleoproteins (vRNPs) with elevated polymerase activity and the previous three pandemic influenza viruses contained reassorted vRNPs of different origins. These suggest that reassorted vRNP may be one of the factors leading to a pandemic virus. In this study, we reconstituted chimeric vRNPs with three different viral strains isolated from avian, human and swine hosts. We applied a statistical strategy to identify the effect that the origin of a single vRNP protein subunit or the interactions between these subunits on polymerase activity.


I. Occurrence and Conditions of Growth of Living Halimeda The importance of Halimeda as a reef-forming agent has, until of late years, been greatly overlooked. Many of the earlier records of the occurrence of calcareous seaweeds on coral-reefs were alluded to in a comprehensive manner, as Nullipores and Lithothamnion; and, although Halimeda was not mentioned, the above terms, convenient but often vague, undoubtedly included growths of that genus. Prof. A. Agassiz has already recorded the fact that 'immense masses of Nullipores (Udotea and Halimeda) . . . grow on the shallowest flats' of the Florida reefs. With regard to the habitat of Halimeda in the Laccadives, the following interesting note on H. opuntia, Lamx. forma typica, by Mr. J. Stanley Gardiner, has been published in a paper by Miss E. S. Barton (Mrs. Gepp):— 'Rare everywhere on the Minikoi reef; but small masses may be found by searching under stones or in protected situations of the inner part of the reef, near the beach or boulder-zone. In lagoon, not found in currents, but very luxuriant in moderately-still water where it can find any stones to fix itself upon.' From the dredging operations of Messrs. David, Halligan, & Finckh around the atoll of Funafuti we learn that Halimeda is found in the outer slope of the atoll, from a foot or so below sea-level down to about 45 fathoms. In the dredgings across the lagoon at Funafuti the variety macropus occurred in all the samples, excepting No. 1 (half a mile


Property rights are fundamental to economic analysis. There is, however, no consensus in the economic literature about what property rights are. Economists define them variously and inconsistently, sometimes in ways that deviate from the conventional understandings of legal scholars and judges. This article explores ways in which definitions of property rights in the economic literature diverge from conventional legal understandings, and how those divergences can create interdisciplinary confusion and bias economic analyses. Indeed, some economists' idiosyncratic definitions of property rights, if used to guide policy, could lead to suboptimal economic outcomes. (JEL K11, Q15)


ABSTRACT The Cockayne syndrome B protein (CSB) is required for coupling DNA excision repair to transcription in a process known as transcription-coupled repair (TCR). Cockayne syndrome patients show UV sensitivity and severe neurodevelopmental abnormalities. CSB is a DNA-dependent ATPase of the SWI2/SNF2 family. SWI2/SNF2-like proteins are implicated in chromatin remodeling during transcription. Since chromatin structure also affects DNA repair efficiency, chromatin remodeling activities within repair are expected. Here we used purified recombinant CSB protein to investigate whether it can remodel chromatin in vitro. We show that binding of CSB to DNA results in an alteration of the DNA double-helix conformation. In addition, we find that CSB is able to remodel chromatin structure at the expense of ATP hydrolysis. Specifically, CSB can alter DNase I accessibility to reconstituted mononucleosome cores and disarrange an array of nucleosomes regularly spaced on plasmid DNA. In addition, we show that CSB interacts not only with double-stranded DNA but also directly with core histones. Finally, intact histone tails play an important role in CSB remodeling. CSB is the first repair protein found to play a direct role in modulating nucleosome structure. The relevance of this finding to the interplay between transcription and repair is discussed.


In the case of Studio Monitori and Others v. Georgia the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in its judgment of 30 January 2020 has confirmed that the right to freedom of expression and information as guaranteed by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) can only be invoked in order to obtain access to public documents when a set of conditions are fulfilled. It is one of the cases following the judgment of the Grand Chamber in Magyar Helsinki Bizottsag v. Hungary to test the scope and limits of the right of access to information and the applicability of Article 10 ECHR. The most important consequence of the judgment in Studio Monitori and Others is that NGOs, journalists or other public watchdogs requesting access to public documents have to motivate and clarify in their request that access to the documents they are applying for is instrumental, and even necessary, for their journalistic reporting and that the requested documents contain information of public interest.


In the presence of open physes, tibial eminence frac tures are usually isolated injuries. However, adults sus taining a fracture of the tibial eminence are more likely to have other associated injuries, most commonly a tear of the medial collateral ligament. A case of an adolescent with a tibial eminence fracture and a com plete tear of the medial collateral ligament is reported. Review of the literature revealed two similar cases in adolescents. If medial instability is demonstrated on valgus stress of the knee in an adolescent with tibial eminence fracture, we believe stress roentgenograms of the knee should be obtained to distinguish between physeal injury and collateral ligament tear.


Nowadays, Three dimensional printing (3DP) technique that is one of solid freeform fabrication (SFF) technology has been notable issue, and has been applied by various fields. The SFF system can fabricate three dimensional objects of solid freeform with high speed and low cost using ink jet printing technology. In this research, a SFF system to analyze 3DP process technology is developed. We applied sliding mode control with sliding perturbation observer (SMCSPO) algorithm and minimized position error to the developed SFF system. We analyzed and optimized process variables such as jetted volume, layer thickness, powder bed and so on experimentally. Also, the dimensional error of a developed SFF system is evaluated. Finally, the feasibility of application to bio manufacturing is presented through successful fabrication of teeth and cranium model.


The study of the associated production of vector bosons and jets constitutes an excellent environment to check numerous QCD predictions. Total and differential cross sections of vector bosons produced in association with jets have been studied in pp collisions using CMS data. Differential distributions as a function of a broad range of kinematical observables are measured and compared with theoretical predictions. In this talk, studies of associated production of vector bosons with inclusive jets and with jets originating from heavy-flavour quarks will be summarized.


Global warming poses serious threats to sea turtle populations since sex determination and hatching success are dependent on nest temperature. Nest sex ratios may be skewed towards a predominantly female output, and eggs may be consistently exposed to temperatures that exceed thermal mortality thresholds. Consequently, understanding the rates at which sand temperatures are likely to change represents an immediate priority. Here, we use regression analyses to correlate air temperature (AT) and high-resolution sea surface temperature (SST) to sand temperature at 5 rookeries
in northern Australia. We show that previous studies using only AT could potentially be improved by including SST as a covariate. At our study sites, combined SST and AT models
explained between 79 and 94% of the variance in sand temperature in recent years. Our results suggest that hatchling production will skew towards all females at 3 of our sites by 2070 (Moulter Cay, Milman Island and Bramble Cay) and by as early as 2030 at Ashmore Island and Bare Sand Island. The projections presented here can inform the timely and targeted implementation of local-scale management strategies to reduce the impacts of global warming on sea turtle populations. Identifying and testing new strategies deserves immediate attention, as does further research into the adaptive capacity of sea turtles.


Convection in magma chambers is thought to play a key role in the activity of persistently active volcanoes, but has only been inferred indirectly from geochemical observations or simulated numerically. Continuous microgravity measurements, which track changes in subsurface mass distribution over time, provide a potential method for characterizing convection in magma reservoirs. We recorded gravity oscillations with a period of ∼150 s at two continuous gravity stations at the summit of K ī lauea Volcano, Hawai'i. The oscillations are not related to inertial accelerations caused by seismic activity, but instead indicate variations in subsurface mass. Source modeling suggests that the oscillations are caused by density inversions in a magma reservoir located ∼1 km beneath the east margin of Halema'uma'u Crater in K ī lauea Caldera—a location of known magma storage.


Tensor decompositions are higher-order analogues of matrix decompositions and have proven to be powerful tools for data analysis. In particular, we are interested in the canonical tensor decomposition, otherwise known as the CANDECOMP/PARAFAC decomposition (CPD), which expresses a tensor as the sum of component rank-one tensors and is used in a multitude of applications such as chemometrics, signal processing, neuroscience, and web analysis. The task of computing the CPD, however, can be difficult. The typical approach is based on alternating least squares (ALS) optimization, which can be remarkably fast but is not very accurate. Previously, nonlinear least squares (NLS) methods have also been recommended; existing NLS methods are accurate but slow. In this paper, we propose the use of gradient-based optimization methods. We discuss the mathematical calculation of the derivatives and further show that they can be computed efficiently, at the same cost as one iteration of ALS. Computational experiments demonstrate that the gradient-based optimization methods are much more accurate than ALS and orders of magnitude faster than NLS.


The introduction by the U.S. Treasury of inflation-indexed notes was one of the most widely publicized innovations in the U.S. capital markets in recent years. Since their introduction in January 1997, $57 billion in 5-, 10-, and 30-year Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) has been issued, and the Treasury has recently announced that TIPS will also be offered as small- denomination savings bonds. Because both the coupon and the principal of TIPS vary with the consumer price index, the Treasury believes these notes will appeal to risk-adverse investors seeking protection from inflation. Proponents of TIPS have argued that their issuance should also reduce the cost of borrowing to the Treasury and permit a clear measure of investors' forecasts of inflation. Despite their promise, it is doubtful whether inflation-indexed bonds have been a great success either in the United States or in other industrialized countries that have issued them. The authors analyze the characteristics of TIPS that might explain their limited acceptance. Their model indicates that TIPS should appeal primarily to risk-investors in high tax brackets who are pessimistic concerning inflation. Despite their unique design, however, TIPS are not unique in offering investors inflation-protected returns.


This book is the seventh in a series reporting seminars or symposia on current topics offered by the Division of Continuing Education in Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of California (Los Angeles) School of Medicine. The editors are both well known in the field of renal physiology and renal disease and have assembled an excellent group of contributors to further the scope of this volume. In the first 6 chapters basic physiology is presented. The dynamics of body water and electrolyte and the regulation of body water are discussed by the editors. The other chapters on regulation of major body electrolytes, regulation of pH of body fluid, disorders of calcium and phosphorus metabolism, and normal metabolic requirements are presented by Drs. Franklin Epstein, Daniel Simmons, Samuel Bassett, and Kathleen Roberts. In the second half or clinical part of the book, the editors, Drs. Maxwell and Kleeman, discuss acute


With the development of new generations of optoelectronic devices that combine high performance and novel functionalities (e.g., flexibility/bendability, adaptability, semi or full transparency), several classes of transparent electrodes have been developed in recent years. These range from optimized transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), which are historically the most commonly used transparent electrodes, to new electrodes made from nano‐ and 2D materials (e.g., metal nanowire networks and graphene), and to hybrid electrodes that integrate TCOs or dielectrics with nanowires, metal grids, or ultrathin metal films. Here, the most relevant transparent electrodes developed to date are introduced, their fundamental properties are described, and their materials are classified according to specific application requirements in high efficiency solar cells and flexible organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs). This information serves as a guideline for selecting and developing appropriate transparent electrodes according to intended application requirements and functionality.


In Poland, as well in the East European countries, puppet theatres of the second half of the 20th century, and it seems that also in that of the first quarter of the 21st century, the most important person is a director. Was it always so that puppet theatre equals the director? So, the objectives of this study is to determine this problem. It was only in the beginning of 20th century, in the period of the great reform of theatre, that the director was given unlimited competencies. In puppet theatre this process lasted much longer, because the classical style of theatre organization, derived from unaccompanied and private enterprises of particular creators, also endured for longer. Today, it is a director who rules supreme in a puppet theatre. In practice, Polish directors are still convinced today that theatre is intended to tell stories. is process limited puppetry as an independently existing art based primarily on the abilities of the craftsmen; on the miracle of animating a lifeless object, a puppet, whose magical life has so much to offer the spectators. On the contrary, axis of this process stand the artists who see the meaning of their theatrical expression in bring lifeless matter to life. This – when puppet theatre is, after all, a show; it is visual art in motion, not storytelling.


Significance Active flagella provide the propulsion mechanism for a large variety of swimming eukaryotic microorganisms, from protists to sperm cells. Planar and helical beating patterns of these structures are recurrent and widely studied. The fast spinning motion of the locomotory flagellum of the alga Euglena gracilis constitutes a remarkable exception to these patterns. We report a quantitative description of the 3D flagellar beating in swimming E. gracilis. Given their complexity, these shapes cannot be directly imaged with current microscopy techniques. We show how to overcome these limitations by developing a method to reconstruct in full the 3D kinematics of the cell from conventional 2D microscopy images, based on the exact characterization of the helical motion of the cell body. The flagellar swimming of euglenids, which are propelled by a single anterior flagellum, is characterized by a generalized helical motion. The 3D nature of this swimming motion, which lacks some of the symmetries enjoyed by more common model systems, and the complex flagellar beating shapes that power it make its quantitative description challenging. In this work, we provide a quantitative, 3D, highly resolved reconstruction of the swimming trajectories and flagellar shapes of specimens of Euglena gracilis. We achieved this task by using high-speed 2D image recordings taken with a conventional inverted microscope combined with a precise characterization of the helical motion of the cell body to lift the 2D data to 3D trajectories. The propulsion mechanism is discussed. Our results constitute a basis for future biophysical research on a relatively unexplored type of eukaryotic flagellar movement.


In this work, Ken Safir develops a comprehensive theory on the role of anaphora in syntax. First, he contends that the complementary distribution of forms that support the anaphoric readings is not accidental, contrary to most current thinking, but rather should be derived from a principle, one that he proposes in the form of an algorithm. Secondly, he maintains that dependent identity relations are always possible where they are not prohibited by a constraint. Lastly, he proposes that there are no parameters of anaphora - that all anaphora-specific principles are universal, and that the patterns of anaphora across languages arise entirely from a restricted set of lexical properties. This comprehensive consideration of anaphora redirects current thinking on the subject.


In this paper we analyze the contribution of different sources of noise to the total output noise of a magnetometer based on fundamental mode orthogonal fluxgate. We show that the main contribution to the noise is not given by noise generated in the electronics nor due to the noise of the excitation current in the wire. In fact, a large part of the noise has magnetic origin and it is generated within the core. Therefore, any attempt to reduce the noise of the magnetometer should be focused on the core at a first stage. We give a model, which describes the behavior of both 1/f noise and noise floor as a function of several variables affecting the working mode of the sensor. This model can be used to optimize the parameters of the magnetometer in order to achieve the lowest possible noise. This model can be also useful as a reference to move toward a further reduction of the noise by developing a sensor with better parameters.


Early intervention with biologic therapy, especially with anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor-a, is very effective and now more commonly used to prevent disease progression and complications in Crohn's disease (CD). However, a rational approach to decide which patient should be treated First-line Infliximab (FL-IFX) is lacking. In this study, using serum from a randomized control trial, we assessed how changes in immune profiles prior to therapy and after the first standardized induction treatment with either FL-IFX or conventional treatment (CONV) related to maintaining disease remission at week 52.

 Serum samples from therapy naive moderate to severe CD patients from the TISKIDS study1 were used at time of diagnosis and at 10–14 weeks after induction therapy with FL-IFX (n=48) and CONV (n=43). FL-IFX consisted of 5 IFX infusions (5 mg/kg) combined with azathioprine (AZA) maintenance. CONV consisted of induction therapy with Exclusive Enteral Nutrition or oral prednisolone combined with AZA maintenance. Concentrations of 92 inflammatory proteins were determined with Olink Proteomics®. Significant differences in mean protein NPX after FDR adjustment with log2fold > 0.5 were considered meaningful.

 After 10–14 weeks of induction therapy, FL-IFX suppressed a larger number inflammatory proteins and induced stronger suppression compared to CONV. Of the 30 significantly modulated FL-IFX target proteins 18 were differentially regulated by FL-IFX only. Hierarchical clustering of patients based on their baseline profiles of the 30 IFX-modulated proteins revealed 2 patient clusters, a CD-hi cluster with significantly higher baseline clinical disease activity, CRP and blood neutrophil concentrations compared to the CD-lo cluster. The CD-hi cluster had an increased abundance of 23/30 proteins amongst which Oncostatin-M, TNFSF14, HGF and TGF-alpha compared to the CD-lo cluster (Figure 1A). Of the CD-lo patients treated with FL-IFX, 58% reached clinical disease remission without treatment escalation at week 52, while this was only 24% for CD-hi patients treated with FL-IFX. Only 20% of the CD-lo patients treated with CONV reached remission while this was only 6% for the CONV treated patients in the CD-hi group (Figure 1B). Strikingly, similar clustering using the immune profiles after 10–14 weeks induction therapy did not predict remission at week 52.

 FL-IFX achieves stronger reduction and modulates more inflammatory serum immune protein concentrations than CONV. Stratification of patients according to profiles of IFX-modulated proteins prior to therapy identifies patients with a lower chance of reaching clinical remission without treatment escalation at week 52.

 1. Jongsma MME et al. Gut. 2020 Dec; DOI:10.1136/ PMID:33384335


Abstract Problem Animal Control Registers, where farmers report livestock losses due to predators as a prerequisite for financial compensation, allow quantifying the human–predator conflict. We analyzed such registers from the Kweneng District of Botswana to assess the impact of native predators on livestock over 3 years. Leopards (Panthera pardus), lions (Panthera leo), wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), brown hyenas (Hyaena brunnea), and cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) altogether claimed 2,272 head of livestock. During 2002, the year with the highest impact, the number of animals reported depredated (954) represented 0.34% of the livestock in the district. Leopards and lions caused 64% of the losses. Leopard livestock predation mainly affected calves and was consistent over the district and over time. In contrast, lion predation concentrated on adult cattle, was characterized by local hot spots close to reserve borders, decreased with increasing distance to a reserve, and increased during 2002, an unusually dry year. Interviews with 60 farmers and herders within 30 km of Khutse and Central Kalahari Game Reserves revealed an annual loss of 2.2% of their livestock to predators. Here, small farms (max. 100 domestic animals) suffered relatively higher losses than large, commercial farms, not only due to predation (small farms: 11.7%; large farms: 1.0%) but also from other causes (small: 12.6%; large: 2.8%), even though herders on large farms guarded 5 times more livestock per person than those on small farms. To reduce livestock predation in most of the district where lions are absent, we recommend maternity corrals for pregnant females and calves to better protect vulnerable calves during day and night. In areas close to a reserve where lions roam, herders' incentives to keep all livestock protected in a corral at night have to be enhanced because, according to the registers, only 3 predation cases were reported to have happened inside a corral.


Objective: Percutaneous Laser Disc Decompression (PLDD) is a minimally invasive, non-open surgical technique, which uses laser energy to vaporize the nucleus pulposus in a percutaneous way. This technique has been used for over 30 years, but the safety and efficacy of PLDD is still often a concern of both physicians and patients. Some authors even go so far as to doubt that it has benefits at all. Our goal with this retrospective study was to add our clinical experience to this debate. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 141 patients, who had undergone percutaneous laser disc decompression between 2013 and 2017 at the National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences in Hungary. All patients were operated by the same surgeon, according to the same protocol. The demographic and clinical data of the patients were analyzed. Of the demographic data, we used age and sex for the analyses. Clinical data included the levels of the lesion, the number of days from the onset of the symptoms to the intervention, the number of days spent in hospital directly related to the intervention, the frequency and nature of (intraand postoperative) complications and their management and the frequency of cases when re-operation or any further intervention became necessary because of the failure of PLDD to completely resolve the symptoms. To judge immediate outcome, we used the original Macnab criteria. Shortand long-term VAS scores were also analyzed. The effect of the previously mentioned factors on VAS scores was also analyzed. Results: The data of altogether 141 patients were analyzed. Of them, 58 were male (41%) and 83 were female (59%). The mean age was 49.43 years. In 81.89% of the cases, L4-5 and L5-S1 segments were affected. In 15 cases, multiple segments were affected. Classification according to the Macnab criteria was possible in 130 cases. The immediate outcome was excellent in 73 cases (56.2%), good in 15 cases (11.5%), fair in 5 cases (3.9%) and poor in 37 cases (28.5%). The recurrence rate was 15%. All complications, observed in 2.1% of the cases, were reversible. Significant improvement of the VAS scores was observed at the 6-week postoperative follow-up, which did not improve further by the 6-month follow-up. The 30% to 63% of those showing significant improvement maintained the excellent outcome for at least 2 years. Neither the demographic variables, nor time from the onset to symptoms and PLDD, nor time from the diagnosis to PLDD, nor the applied amount of energy had a significant effect on the VAS scores. Conclusion: Our findings, therefore, corroborate the results of other studies and support the idea that PLDD is a safe, efficient and virtually complication-free method for the treatment for lumbar disc herniation, regardless of age and sex, if the patient met the selection criteria. We propose that this method is a logical next minimally invasive surgical step if at least one month's conservative treatment fails.


Ontology has been investigated in the context of knowledge sharing among heterogeneous and disparate database and knowledge base systems. Our recent study and experiments suggest that ontology also have a great potential for legacy software understanding and re-engineering. In this paper we consider an ontology to be composed of four elements: classes, relations, functions and instances. We show these four elements forming an ontology for a legacy system can be extracted from the code of the concerned system using the existing software re-engineering tools. We then present our vision how the obtained ontology can be applied to understanding and eventually better re-engineering the legacy systems.


Progress in transforming current food consumption and production practice in a sustainable direction is slow. Communicative, sustainable consumer policy instruments such as eco-labeling schemes have limited impact outside the green segment and within the mainstream market. This article asks how sustainably produced food can be described in order to promote such food. Based on six cases, it aims to conceptualize the common denominators of sustainable food production by drawing on recent literature on sustainable marketing and on food and sustainable development. Contradictions and implications in terms of labeling schemes, global sourcing and consumer food practice are discussed.


This paper looks at the challenges facing Africa and investigates the role played by capacity development, giving particular attention to higher education systems. Key in the consideration of policies reviewed in the paper is the role of tertiary education and its contribution to generating the skilled people needed to transform African economies as well as contribute to innovations through education and research in science and technology. The policies that need to be reviewed in the African context and the investments needed at the national and university levels are also highlighted. The paper concludes with what can be done to revitalize the education sector with special focus on the role of capacity development institutions such as the African Capacity Building Foundation.


Recently, a new and fatal strain of coronavirus named as SARS-CoV-2 (Disease: COVID-19) appeared in Wuhan, China in December of 2019. Due to its fast growing human to human transmission and confirmed cases in nearly every country, it has been declared as pandemic by World Health Organisation (WHO) on 11 March 2020. Till now, there is no therapy such as vaccines and specific therapeutic agents available globally. Inspite of this, some protease inhibitors and antiviral agents namely lopinavir, ritonavir, remdisivir and chloroquine are under investigation and also implemented in several countries as therapeutic agents for the treatment of COVID-19. Seeing the health crisis across the world, it was our aim to find out a suitable drug candidate which could target SARS-CoV-2. For this purpose, molecular docking of 7 proteinsof SARS-CoV-2 was done with 18active constituents that have previously been reported to be antiviral or anti-SARS-CoV agents. The docking results of these 18 compounds were compared with 2 FDA approved drugs that have are currently being used in COVID 19, namely Remdesivir and Chloroquine. Our result revealed that among all, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major constituent of green tea, is the lead compound that could fit well into the binding sites of docked proteins of SARS-CoV-2. EGCG showed very strong molecular interactions with binding energies -9.30, -8.66, -8.38, -7.57, -7.26, -6.99 and -4.90 kcal/mole for6y2e, 6vw1, 6vww, 6lxt,6vsb, 6lu7 and 6lvnproteins of SARS-CoV-2, respectively.Therefore, EGCG as per our results, should be explored as a drug candidate for the treatment of COVID-19.


: Research in varied populations, in appropriate animal models, and through other laboratory techniques, in great part fostered through the National Large Bowel Cancer Program of the National Cancer Institute, has provided a reasonable basis for assessing environmental elements as to risk for large bowel cancer. It was noted that the term large bowel cancer needs to be specifically related to subsections of the large bowel that appear to have different risk factors. For the major type of neoplastic disease in the large bowel, that in the descending and sigmoid colon, there is a good association with nutrition and specific nutritional elements. The risk of this type of colon cancer is proportional to the customary dietary fat intake--high in the western world and low in the Orient. It is inversely proportional to stool bulk, itself related to cereal fiber intake. These two major elements are sufficiently secure as to underlying scientific data and understanding of mechanisms to permit utilizing them for personal modification of risk. Thus, a dietary regimen low in total fat, 20% of calories, and higher in cereal fiber, of the order of 30 g per day, are indicated and would serve to reduce risk not only in the general population, but most likely also in patients who have been successfully treated through conventional modalities. There are also suggestions that regular intake of yellow and green vegetables, of foods with calcium salts, selenium, and other micronutrients, lower risk even more. Further research is needed to provide the data base necessary for deliberate interventions with these agents.


Cortical evoked potentials require a steep and ternporally reproduceable onset of sensory stimulation. As both items are diff icult with gustatory stimuli, we tried to record the slow expectancy potential or ,,contingent negative variation" (CNV), which has turned out to be useful in objecti-ve olfactometry and Speech audiometry. Sour, sweet, bitter or salty fluids were embedded in a water stream, which was sucked through a device well fitting to the tongue with holes at adequate locations. The negative vertex potential developped reproduceably between the recognition of taste and the acoustic signal, which could be expected only after one of the two alternatively offered gustatory stimuli. Clinical use of the method is dernonstrated in e case of asymmetric 105s of smell due to interruption of the chorda tympani during cholesteatoma operation. The CNV appeared only when stimulating the side of the tongue opposite to the ear operated On. In addition to the total or unilateral loss of taste. the ability to differentiate between two gustatory qualities can be diagnosed with an objective method, provided the patient cooperates by calm end attentive behaviour.