"Helfer" is about a young woman who is struggling with anxiety and recurring nightmares, which she wants to end. She seeks out a helper, who offers an alternative solution, but in the process she must confront her greatest fears. The film details their relationship in a surreal world through symbolic events. The story is based on personal events, portrayed between reality and a dream-like world. The film is a digital rotoscope animation, which visually uses minimalistic elements, so that way all the focus goes on the meta-communication between the two characters. The film's white-dark royal blue colour scheme pairing is reminiscent of Chinese porcelain, which reflects upon fragility, as the topic itself is fragile. The background in which the story takes place has no walls or limits, therefore it creates the illusion of being in an infinite, empty space, where the helper is the only one, who the questions can be asked from.


An experimental setup is developed for the measurement of the Seebeck coefficient of thin wires and thin films in the temperature range of 300-650 K. The setup makes use of the integral method for measuring the Seebeck voltage across the sample. Two pointed copper rods with in-built thermocouples serve as hot and cold probes as well as leads for measuring the Seebeck voltage. The setup employs localized heating and enables easy sample loading using a spring loaded mounting system and is fully automated. Test measurements are made on a constantan wire and indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film for illustration. The Seebeck voltage obtained for constantan wire is in agreement with the NIST data for copper constantan couple with an error of 1%. The calculated carrier concentration of ITO film from the Seebeck coefficient measurement is comparable with that obtained by electrical transport measurements. The error in the Seebeck coefficient is estimated to be within 3%.


: Vitamins and minerals are organic food substances found only in plants and animals and are essential to the normal functioning of the body. Although only required in small amounts, as previously discussed in the past decade there has been an increased use of vitamin, mineral, herbal and nutritional supplements in the general population. While deficiencies in such nutrients can be harmful to health, conflicting claims have been made about the health benefits of such supplementation. In the second of an occasional series on vitamins, minerals, and supplements, JUNE THOMPSON gives an overview of the role that water-soluble vitamins play in the health of the individual, including their functions, and the potential impact of any deficiency of these.


The aim of this study was to understand the effect of crosslinking temperature on the spectroscopic, thermal, and mechanical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/zeolite composites. The PVA nanocomposite films were prepared using the solvent casting method with tartaric acid as the crosslinker. The changes in the structures of pure PVA film and powder clinoptilolite (CL) and nanocomposite films were analyzed by means of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. The effect of both crosslinking temperature and CL on the composite films prepared by the addition of constant CL to the polymer matrix at different crosslinking temperatures (series II) and pure PVA films prepared with different crosslinking temperatures (series III films) shows that the tensile strengths increase with increasing crosslinking temperature, while the elongation at break of films decreases due to the crosslinking temperature and CL. The differential scanning calorimetry results show that the crosslinking temperature leads to an increase in the glass transition ($T_{g})$ of nanocomposites. According to the results of this study, both zeolite and crosslinking temperature affect the thermal and mechanical properties of the material. These results may be used for membrane technology.


The demand for more energy efficient passenger cars is steadily increasing due to
increasing fuel prices, future emission regulations and awareness of the effects that
the emissions of carbon dioxide has on the climate. As a large portion of the fuel
energy in internal combustion engines is lost as heat, ways of utilizing more of this
waste heat has gained interest in recent years. The most promising method to recover
waste heat for automotive applications is with assistance of the Rankine cycle.
The exhaust temperature and flow of exhaust gases are highly variable and hence
the modeling of a Rankine based waste heat recovery system is of transient nature.
To accurately predict the heat energy that is possible to utilize careful modeling of
the heat exchanging devices is of utmost importance. Especially the prediction of
evaporation in the boiler is important since steam engines requires saturated steam
conditions to work efficiently. Direct transmission of mechanical energy to the powertrain
demands that the expander speed and motor engine speed is matched, which
creates a dynamic system where the pump pressure has to be controlled.
This thesis has investigated the possibilities to mathematically model a waste heat
recovery system for passenger cars with the help of the model based software SIMULINK
and the fluid library CoolProp. The results shows that it is beneficial to recover
waste heat through a Rankine system. The waste heat efficiency achieved were
found to be 2.85% for city driving, 5.00% for country roads and 5.02% for free ways.
These results were achieved for a gear ratio of 1.5:1, which was found to be the best
ratio.


Malignant lymphomas are rarely accompanied by a serum M component. Such neoplasms are usually of lymphocytic cell type and, with extremely rare exceptions, of diffuse pattern. A patient with an unusual malignant lymphoma of mixed cell type characterized by follicular structures and vascular proliferation was found to have a serum monoclonal gammopathy (IgM kappa) of over 4 g/dl. Remission accompanied by a pronounced reduction in the M protein was achieved with Chlorambucil. Subsequent relapse was characterized by the emergence of a large cell lymphoma with IgM kappa surface immunoglobulin. No concomitant rise in the serum M component accompanied relapse.


Twenty three pigeonpea genotypes were evaluated in a randomized block design during Kharif 2012-13. The aim of this research was to estimate genetic variability utilizing various quantitative traits for overall improvement in pigeonpea crop. Results showed that sufficient amount of variability was present in entire gene pool for all the characters. Based on mean performance for yield along with some of the component traits the most promising genotypes identified were NDA 5-14, NDA 8-6, NDA 96-6, ICP 2155 and NDACMS 1-6B. Secondary branches per plant showed highest phenotypic as well as genotypic coefficient of variation followed by seed yield per plant and biological yield. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of mean were observed by 100-seed weight, pods per plant, seed yield per plant, biological yield per plant; and secondary branches per plant indicate that these traits are highly heritable and governed by additive gene action. While, plant height, primary branches per plant, pods per plant, seeds per pod and harvest index showed high heritability with moderate genetic advance as per cent of mean suggesting greater role of non-additive gene action in their inheritance. It may be concluded that the characters 100-seed weight, pods per plant, seed yield per plant, biological yield per plant and secondary branches per plant, were identified as the most important direct selection criterion intended at developing high yielding pigeonpea cultivars.

 Key words: Pigeonpea, genetic variability, yield and yield attributes.


The idea that life may be preserved in patients with cardiovascular failure by means of extracorporeal circulation has formed the basis of much research in recent years. 1-5 That such techniques might be applicable to newborn and premature infants with cardiac or respiratory distress cannot be determined until suitable methods are developed for long-term perfusion in this type of patient. Although some of the information obtained from experiments in older animals is applicable, the sensitivity and control of the various systems reported to date are quite inadequate for small subjects. Moreover, it must be appreciated that much of the available physiological data may not be pertinent in the less mature animals, and such aspects of perfusion still require study. It is the purpose of this paper to report the preliminary results with a newly developed extracorporeal pump oxygenating system mechanically suitable for puppies of a weight equivalent to that of


The rapid pace of business process change, partially fueled by information technology, is placing increasingly difficult demands on the organization. In many industries, organizations are required to evaluate and assess new information technologies and their organization-specific strategic potential, in order to remain competitive. The scanning, adoption and diffusion of this information technology must be carefully guided by strong strategic and technological leadership in order to infuse the organization and its members with strategic and technological visions, and to coordinate their diverse and decentralized expertise. This view of technological diffusion requires us to look beyond individuals and individual adoption, toward other levels of analysis and social theoretical viewpoints to promote the appropriate and heedful diffusion of often organization-wide information technologies. Particularly important is an examination of the diffusion champions and how a feasible and shared vision of the business and information technology can be created and communicated across organizational communities in order to unify, motivate and mobilize technology change process. The feasibility of this shared vision depends on its strategic fit and whether the shared vision is properly aligned with organizational objectives in order to filter and shape technological choice and diffusion. Shared vision is viewed as an organizational barometer for assessing the appropriateness of future technologies amidst a sea of overwhelming possibilities. We present a theoretical model to address an extended program of research focusing on important phases during diffusion, shared vision, change management and social alignment. We also make a call for further research into these theoretical linkages and into the development of feasible shared visions.


We address the question of how reducing the number of degrees of freedom modifies the interfacial thermodynamic properties of heterogeneous solid-liquid systems. We consider the example of n-hexane interacting with multi-layer graphene which we model both with fully atomistic and coarse-grained (CG) models. The CG models are obtained by means of the conditional reversible work (CRW) method. The interfacial thermodynamics of these models is characterized by the solid-liquid work of adhesion WSL calculated by means of the dry-surface methodology through molecular dynamics simulations. We find that the CRW potentials lead to values of WSL that are larger than the atomistic ones. Clear understanding of the relationship between the structure of n-hexane in the vicinity of the surface and WSL is elucidated through a detailed study of the energy and entropy components of WSL. We highlight the crucial role played by the solid-liquid energy fluctuations. Our approach suggests that CG potentials should be designed in such a way that they preserve the range of solid-liquid interaction energies, but also their fluctuations in order to preserve the reference atomistic value of WSL. Our study thus opens perspectives into deriving CG interaction potentials that preserve the thermodynamics of solid-liquid contacts and will find application in studies that intend to address materials driven by interfaces.


We present, for the first time, a model of recent institutional developments in litigation funding across several European jurisdictions. Recognizing the financing constraints that British cost rules may impose on litigants, these new contractual arrangements combine contingency fees with third party cover for cost in the event of losing the case: we call these ?Third Party Contingency? (TPC) contracts. Signing a TPC contract can make filing a suit credible and may increase settlement amounts. This does not, however, increase the likelihood of going to trial, since TPC contracts are only of mutual benefit to the plaintiff and the third party when the case settles out of court. We also find that the mere availability of TPCs may generate the above strategic effect.


Chlorination is the most common disinfection method used in the drinking water production. Reactivity of chlorine with organic molecules could generate disinfection by-product (DBPs), which are harmful to the human health. Natural organic matter (NOM) is a complex mixture of chemicals existing in source water. Because of its complexity, it is conjectured that formation of many different DBPs can arise from the reaction of organic matter and a chemical disinfectant. This study used model compounds as NOM surrogates in order to reveal the specific organic fraction and DBPs formation potential removed by different coagulants. Model compounds, as an artificial sample, were made from a mixture of Suwannee River Humic Acid (SRHA), Suwannee River Fulvic Acid (SRFA), Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), Alginic Acid (AA). Alum and FeCl3 were used as coagulants. The samples were analyzed for organic parameters, such as total organic carbon (TOC), ultraviolet at 254 nm wavelength (UV254), specific UV absorbance (SUVA), and organic fractionated by high performance size exclusion chromatograph with organic carbon detector (HPSEC-OCD). The concentration of trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) was measured to present the DBPs formation. The results show alum and FeCl3 removed biopolymer (Peak A), humic substances-like (Peak B, Peak C) at the same percentage, while low molecular weight acid and neutral (Peak D) showed a higher removal with alum than FeCl3. HAAs removal led to a greater reduction than THMs removal, and FeCl3 showed a higher removal than the alum coagulant. It indicated that alum and FeCl3 coagulant have different ability in removing specific organic fractions, which are precursors of THMs and HAAs formation.


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How do monetary policy rules, monetary policy uncertainty, and macroeconomic shocks affect the risk properties of US Treasury bonds? The exposure of US Treasury bonds to the stock market has moved considerably over time. While it was slightly positive on average over the period 1960-2011, it was unusually high in the 1980s, and negative in the 2000s, a period during which Treasury bonds enabled investors to hedge macroeconomic risks. This paper develops a New Keynesian macroeconomic model with habit formation preferences that prices both bonds and stocks. The model attributes the increase in bond risks in the 1980s to a shift towards strongly anti-inflationary monetary policy, while the decrease in bond risks after 2000 is attributed to a renewed focus on output fluctuations, and a shift from transitory to persistent monetary policy shocks. Endogenous responses of bond risk premia amplify these effects of monetary policy on bond risks.


Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) is a newly established graduate university in Moscow, Russia, with the knowledge triangle mission to educate students, advance knowledge, and foster innovation in order to address critical scientific, technological, and innovation challenges and gaps facing Russia and the world. Educational programs will therefore be designed to foster the graduate qualities that are needed for research, innovation and entrepreneurship. In order to develop a broad consensus around the educational mission of Skoltech, we engaged stakeholders to better understand their needs and the appropriate mission of Skoltech education in the triple helix ecosystem. Preliminary high-level learning outcomes were formulated, drawing on a workshop with stakeholders and on reference frameworks, among them the CDIO Syllabus. The preliminary learning outcomes were discussed in depth with stakeholders from industry, universities, research institutes and governmental organizations in Russia, EU and USA. This paper analyses the input from 38 stakeholders and presents the resulting Skoltech Learning Outcomes Framework.


A chitinase was purified from the culture supernatant of Bacillus licheniformis with Auricularia auricular colloidal substance as the sole carbon source. The optimized conditions of this species strain for the production of chitinases were found to be when the culture was shaken at 37°C for 3 days in medium (pH 7) containing 0.05% KH2PO4,0.5%NaNO3, 0.05% MgSO4·7H2O and 1.5% Auricularia auricular colloidal substance powder(w/v). The molecular weights of the chitinases determined by SDS-PAGE were approximately 52kDa. The chitinases was inhibited highly by Mg2+ and PMSF, whereas Co2+ and Mn2+ could increase highly the activity of the chitinase.


This paper describes the development of a loudness-based compressor for live audio streams. The need for this device arose while developing the public sound art project The Overheard, which involves mixing together several live audio streams through a web based mixing interface. In order to preserve a natural sounding dynamic image from the varying sound sources that can be played back under varying conditions, an adaptation of the EBU R128 loudness measurement recommendation, originally developed for levelling non-realtime broadcast material, has been applied. The paper describes the Pure Data implementation and the necessary compromises enforced by the live streaming condition. Lastly observations regarding design challenges, related application areas and future goals are presented.


Background  Pain relief can be achieved by diversity of methods with analgesics being the basic form of treatment. Analgesic safety and clinical effectiveness are the core factors in determining the analgesic of choice. One adverse effect of concern with opioids is the postoperative ileus (POI). Objective  In this study, we looked at the severity of postoperative pain, the type of analgesics used to control the pain, and the incidence of POI at Baghdad Teaching Hospital. We hypothesized that we would find an association between the type of analgesia used and POI. Methods  This observational study was conducted among 100 patients who were residents at the general surgery wards of Baghdad Teaching Hospital. A structured questionnaire was employed focusing on types of analgesics, degree of pain control, and the presence of ileus. Results  Sixty-nine percent of patients received a combination of opioids and nonopioids. Moderate-to-severe pain was the most commonly reported category on pain scales. More than half of the patients (57%) were found to have POI during their hospital stay and there was a statistically significant association between the type of analgesia and POI development ( p =0.001). Conclusions  A mix of analgesics (opioids and nonopioids) was the most common regimen at our center. The majority of the surgical inpatients reported having moderate-to-severe pain on both pain scales used in this study. Ileus incidence following abdominal surgeries (61%) was significantly higher than the reported incidence worldwide (10–30%). Postoperative ileus has multifactorial causes, one of which is the use of opioids for pain control. Considering the high incidence of ileus in our center and the association we found between the use of opioids and ileus, further studies should look at the doses of opioids used and whether alternative analgesic methods might result in less ileus.


Milking time is one of the factors that affect milk quality. The objective of this study was to differentiate morning milk from afternoon based on milk fatty acid profile and create a prediction model using Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS). This study used explorative research and post-observation analysis. Milk sampling was collected from three different dairy farm locations in West Java Provinces (Pangalengan district of Bandung Regency, Cibungbulang District of Bogor Regency, and Tanah Sareal District of Bogor Municipality). Milk quality observed in this study included milk fat, protein, lactose, solid non-fat (SNF), and fatty acid compositions. Milk fat, protein, lactose, and SNF were analyzed using Lactoscan. Fatty acid compositions were identified using gas chromatography (GC). Sample spectrums were collected using NIRSflex 500. The difference between morning and afternoon milking was tested using a t-test carried out by SPSS ver. 25. Qualitative calibration of milk quality was conducted using NIRSCal v5.6 by applying the cluster (CLU) method. The results from lactoscan and GC showed that milk fat, caprylic acid, and myristoleic acid, and total SFA were significantly different (Sig. (2-tailed) < 0.05) in morning and afternoon milk. However, NIRS failed to generate a sophisticated model for the milk quality differentiation, which shows a low Q-value (0.0011231). The quantitative analysis accurately produced milk fat and total SFA predictions but failed to accurately predict caprylic acid and myristoleic acid. This study concluded that morning milk could be differentiated from afternoon milk based on milk fat, caprylic acid, myristoleic acid, and total SFA content. The NIRS technology can differentiate between morning and afternoon milk based on quantitative calibration of total fat and SFA.


This study aims to investigate to what extent the variables of social support, internalizing behaviours and academic achievement predict adolescent risk behaviours. The sample population consists of 491 high school students in grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 who were randomly selected out of 6 different high schools in Ankara. Our data collection instruments include the Risk Behaviours Scale (Genctanirim & Ergene, 2014), the Youth Self Report for 11-18 Year-Old Adolescents (Erol & Şimsek, 1998), the Perceived Social Support Scale (Yildirim, 2004), and a personal information form. We employed a structural equation model (SEM) to determine the strength of independent variables to predict the risk behaviours in question. Results indicated the significance of the model developed to predict adolescent risk behaviours. Accordingly, adolescent risk behaviours were significantly predicted by social support, rather than academic achievement and internalizing behaviours.


The global ocean observing system for climate, which comprises the global in situ component of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System, has now achieved about 61% of its initial design goal. Although this observing system, implemented cooperatively by over 70 countries worldwide, serves multiple applications, it is designed primarily to address climate requirements defined by the international Global Climate Observing System. The U.S. contribution to the system, described here, is implemented as an interdependent set of observational subsystems that constitute about half of the over 8,000 observing platforms deployed by the world community. Although much work remains to complete the initial global observing system, scientific advances of the past decade have identified the need to deploy a second-generation system that integrates biogeo-chemical and ecological observations with the primarily physical and carbon-related oceanographic observations that form the backbone of the initial observing system.


Manipulations to the microbiota may serve as a potential treatment for obesity. Oligofructose (OFS), a nondigestible carbohydrate, beneficially alters the distal gut microbiome and results in decreased food intake and bodyweight, although the exact mechanisms remain unknown. Despite the importance of small intestinal (SI) gut-brain nutrient feedback mechanisms in regulating food intake and energy homeostasis, no studies have directly examined whether OFS can improve SI gut-brain signaling, potentially via changes in the SI microbiota. Given recent evidence highlighting the importance of SI microbiota on regulating metabolic homeostasis, we tested the hypothesis that OFS specifically improves SI lipid-sensing mechanisms controlling food intake, via manipulation of SI microbiota. Before any significant changes in body weight are observed, acute (3d) treatment with OFS in high fat (HF)-fed rats results in a significant suppression of 2hr food intake following an intralipid or liquid meal SI infusion (6kcal) compared to HF alone, likely due to a restored gut to brain signal. OFS treatment also increased jejunal CD36 gene and protein expression, which is known to mediate lipid-induced release of GLP-1. As such, OFS-treated rats exhibited significantly increased portal GLP-1 levels and c-fos, a marker neuronal activation, in the NTS of the hindbrain following intralipid SI infusion, compared to HF-fed rats. Importantly, transplant of SI microbiota from 3d OFS HF-fed donors into HF-fed rats recapitulated these results, demonstrating the importance of OFS-induced SI microbiota changes in restoring nutrient-induced gut brain signaling. These results highlight the importance of the small intestinal microbiota in energy regulation and identify a potential role of the small intestine and small intestinal nutrient sensing in the beneficial effects of OFS. Disclosure S.N. Weninger: None. E. Beauchemin: None. A.I.L. Lane: None. R. Meyer: None. F. Duca: None. Funding Arizona Biomedical Research Commission (NIA17-7401)


A method was developed to predict numerically the dent depth of composite laminates subjected to quasi-static indentation. A progressive damage analysis was conducted for composite laminates under quasi-static transverse compressive loading by using a strain based Hashin and Yeh failure criteria as well as the FEM, and a series of degraded elastic constants of the damaged zone were drawn from the numerical results. The effective elastic constants of the damaged zone of the laminates were reevaluated according to Sun's explicit expression. Finally, the dent depth vs. indentation force curve was predicted based on Swanson's contact theory. The numerical simulations on the static indentation tests of T700/BA9912, T700S/5228 and T700/QY9511 laminates were done via this method. The numerical results agree well with the test data in the terms of the contact force and the corresponding dent depth.


There are different approaches to the narrative self. I limit myself to one approach that argues narratives have an important role to play in our lives without it being true that a narrative constitutes and creates the self. My own position is broadly sympathetic with that view, but my interest lies with the question of whether there is truth in the claim that to create one's self-narrative is to create oneself. I argue that a self-narrative may be multiply realised by the inner self—impressions and emotions—and the outer self—roles in work and life. I take an optimistic attitude to the idea that narrative provides a metaphor that may stimulate insight into the nature of self if we accept a plurality of narrative selves. This paper mines a vein of research on narratives for insights into selves without being bewitched into accepting implausible conclusions.


Adjuvant arthritis was induced in female Lewis rats by the injection of Mycobacterium butyricum in mineral oil in a hindpaw. Bone changes due to polyarthritis were evaluated in the tibia metaphyseal region of the noninjected hind leg. A decrease in bone mass and mineral content was observed in the affected bone. accompanied by a marked increase in bone resorption. Non-arthritic and arthritic rats were treated with the synthetic vitamin D analogue, 1 alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol (0.01 to 1.0 micrograms/kg/day orally) for 28 days. Treatment resulted in a small increase in bone weight and mineral content in the non-arthritic rats. Arthritic rats exhibited a larger increase in bone weight, hydroxyproline and calcium content. These beneficial effects were correlated with the ability of 1 alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol to increase extracellular calcium and phosphorus levels, as measured by the increased urinary excretion of calcium and inorganic phosphate and by the increase in serum calcium. Bone resorption and new bone formation were not affected by the treatment.


Background Extra-articular manifestations (EAMs), such as uveitis, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and psoriasis (PsO), frequently complicate the disease course of patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), although prevalence data on this regard are still controversial. The occurrence of EAMs might also contribute to the decision of introducing a biologic therapy and even influence the choice between the available TNF inhibitors (TNFis). Objectives The aim of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the prevalence of EAMs in a multicentre cohort of axSpA patients treated with TNFi, investigating how these influenced the choice of treatment. Methods Clinical data from axSpA patients treated with a TNFi between May 2003 and May 2016 where obtained from a multicentre registry. Prevalence of EAMs (uveitis, IBD and PsO) was calculated at the time of TNFi prescription, evaluating their distribution according to drug subgroup. Results The study included 503 patients with axSpA (172 [34.2%] women, mean age [±SD] 40.5 [±13.2] years, mean disease duration 9.7 [±14.7] years), receiving a total of 675 lines of treatment (I-line n=503, II-line n=118, ≥ III-line n=54) with a TNFi (272 infliximab [IFX], 173 adalimumab [ADA], 89 golimumab [GOL], 141 etanercept [ETN]). At the time of TNFi introduction, 28.6% patients claimed at least one EAM (IBD 11.3%, uveitis 10.9%, and PsO 8.8%). The baseline presence of at least one EAM was associated with a more frequent prescription of an anti-TNF monoclonal antibody rather than etanercept (34.1% versus 21.9%, respectively; p=0.005). In detail, EAMs were found in 41.6, 36.9, 29.8, and 21.9% patients treated with GOL, ADA, IFX, or ETN, respectively. The prevalence of IBD was significantly higher (p=0.004) in patients treated with ADA (12.7%), IFX (14.3%), or GOL (11.2%) compared with ETN (4.9%). Uveitis was numerically more frequent in GOL (20.2%) and ADA (13.3%) rather than IFX (9.5%) and ETN (9.9%) groups. Finally, PsO prevalence was similar in patients treated with ADA (10.9%) and GOL (10.1%), and numerically lower in the ETN (7.1%) and IFX (5.9%) groups. Conclusions In our cohort of axSpA patients treated with TNFis, EAMs were highly represented. The presence of extra-articular involvement has been carefully taken into account when a TNFi was required to better control the disease. In particular, IBD and uveitis drove more frequently the choice toward an anti-TNF monoclonal antibody instead of the receptor. Disclosure of Interest None declared


Monoclonal antibodies directed against the envelope glycoprotein and the NV3 non-structural viral protein of yellow fever (YF) were tested by the indirect fluorescent antibody technique against a variety of YF virus strains and heterologous flaviviruses. Monoclonal antibodies directed against the envelope glycoprotein exhibited YF strain-specificity, YF type-specificity, broad group cross-reactivity, or limited subgroup reactivity (YF + Banzi or YF + Koutango + Zika + Usutu + Uganda S). Monoclonal antibodies directed against NV3 reacted either with YF + Koutango or with YF + Banzi. These findings generally correlated with the results of biological tests reported previously. Monoclonal antibodies that were type-specific to YF will be useful for the rapid specific identification of YF virus isolates and are available from the Centers for Disease Control on request.


: Halopyridines are key building blocks for synthesizing pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and ligands for metal com-plexes, but strategies to selectively halogenate pyridine C–H precursors are lacking. We designed a set of heterocyclic phosphines that are installed at the 4-position of pyridines as phosphonium salts and then displaced with halide nucleophiles. A broad range of unactivated pyridines can be halogenated, and the method is viable for late-stage halogenation of complex pharmaceuticals. Computational studies indicate that C–Halogen bond formation occurs via an S N Ar pathway, and phosphine elimination is the rate-determin-ing step. Steric interactions during C–P bond cleavage account for differences in reactivity between 2- and 3-substituted pyridines.


The cardiomyocyte mitochondrial ultrastructure of two insect species (the American cockroach Periplaneta americana, and a dragonfly Aeschna sp.) has been studied. Mitochondria in cardiomyocytes of these insects are connected by intermitochondrial contacts, similar in morphology to vertebrate intermitochondrial contacts. The number of intermitochondrial contacts differs in cardiomyocytes of the studied insects, numbering 12 and 18 per 100 mitochondria in cardiomyocytes of the cockroach and dragonfly, respectively, which is due presumably to differences in activity of these insects. Cardiomyocytes of both species have several features in common. It was shown that cross-striated myofibrils oriented in different directions occupy 50-58% of the cytoplasmic volume, while mitochondria cover only 16-18%. The pattern of mitochondrial localization differs in cardiomyocytes of the two studied insects. In the cockroach, cardiomyocyte mitochondria are seen both in the center of the cell and on its periphery, in protrusions; whereas in the dragonfly, mitochondria of cardiomyocytes are confined to the protrusions of the abluminal cell side. Mitochondrial profiles are small, their packing is not dense. Mitochondria in cardiomyocytes of these insects have few plastic cristae and dense matrix.


We report a case of thrombo-embolic disease in which we were able to detect the presence of serum antiphospholipid auto-antibodies. The existence of antiphospholipid auto-antibodies has already been described in cases of recurrent thrombo-embolism. The thrombogenic role is only partially explained, but would for the greater part be linked to an action on the fibrolytic activity of the vascular parietal wall. Amongst these antibodies one can find amongst others VDRL, antiprothrombinase and anticardiolipin. The association of other stigmata of auto immunity is not rare, especially disseminated lupus erythematosus (LED). When phospholipids are found in an isolated fashion in cases of recurrent thrombo-embolism they produce the syndrome of antiphospholipids. The long term prognosis of this syndrome has not yet been established but the risk of a secondary systemic disease developing justifies a clinical follow up and regular blood checks.


We demonstrate how insider trading analysis may benefit from textual analysis. We analyze reported insider trading behavior and explain the association between corporate as well as 3rd-party news announcements on directors' dealings activity. Previous approaches are extended by adding the sentiment of news to the research setting. We find strong evidence that insiders follow the stock market adage "Buy on bad news, sell on good news": They tend to buy (sell) securities in those years where their respective companies issue negative (positive) news. Likewise, insiders tend to buy (sell) stocks in years when 3rd-party news coverage is pessimistic (optimistic). The impact of corporate news on insider trading is higher than for 3rd-party news, as corporate news are subject to direct influence by the insiders. We also find that insiders buy when next year's news improves compared to the current year. Looking more concretely into the language, we also demonstrate that insiders buy when expressing insecurity and uncertainty. Overall, the findings reveal additional insights for insider trading analysis and demonstrate how finance may benefit from textual analysis.


In many parts of Malawi, including Balaka district in Southern Malawi, are prone to erratic rains with poor soil productivity and famer practices. A research and outreach project was initiated in October 2015 to establish learning centres (LCs) of groundnut: maize rotations as an entry point to diversify nutrition and income base of smallholder farmers, while building up on soil fertility for increased resilience to production under climatic variation. Some 132 plots of groundnut were established in 2015/2016 in four sections of Ulongwe Extension Planning Area (EPA) in Balaka district. Of these, 44 fields were sampled for yield, biomass, plant stand and soils data. In the second season of 2016/2017, a maize fertilizer response trial (five rates of NP2O5K2O; 0, 23:21:0+4S, 46:21:0+4S, 69:21:0+4S, and 92:21:0+4S) was super-imposed in plots where farmers incorporated groundnut residues, in comparison with continuous maize from adjacent own field. In the first season, rainfall was below average and erratic, with 10-day dry spells recorded in two of four recording stations. The soils were generally poor, with test values below threshold for many variables including organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus. Groundnut average yields and standard deviation were 754 (±186) kg/ha, respectively. Plant stands were poor, with up to 24% of the 46 LCs attaining ≤50% of targeted plant stand of 8.88 plants m-2.  Poor plant stand is suggested as a major contributor to low yields. Results from the 2016/2017 fertilizer response trials showed linear response of maize to fertilizer application. Yields ranged from an average of 1.47 t/ha without fertilizer application to 4.0 t/ha at 92:21:0+4S. It is concluded that the poor soil fertility, low field plant densities, and dry spells are the main causes of low yields. Gross margins were positive for groundnut yield of 1,000 kg/ha and fertilizer rates on maize of 46:23:0+4S and above.

 Key words: Groundnut-maize rotation, nitrogen response, drought spells.


The avian centrifugal visual system, which projects from the brain to the retina, has been intensively studied in several Neognathous birds that have a distinct isthmo‐optic nucleus (ION). However, birds of the order Palaeognathae seem to lack a proper ION in histologically stained brain sections. We had previously reported in the palaeognathous Chilean Tinamou (Nothoprocta perdicaria) that intraocular injections of Cholera Toxin B subunit retrogradely label a considerable number of neurons, which form a diffuse isthmo‐optic complex (IOC). In order to better understand how this IOC‐based centrifugal visual system is organized, we have studied its major components by means of in vivo and in vitro tracing experiments. Our results show that the IOC, though structurally less organized than an ION, possesses a dense core region consisting of multipolar neurons. It receives afferents from neurons in L10a of the optic tectum, which are distributed with a wider interneuronal spacing than in Neognathae. The tecto‐IOC terminals are delicate and divergent, unlike the prominent convergent tecto‐ION terminals in Neognathae. The centrifugal IOC terminals in the retina are exclusively divergent, resembling the terminals from "ectopic" centrifugal neurons in Neognathae. We conclude that the Tinamou's IOC participates in a comparable general IOC‐retina‐TeO‐IOC circuitry as the neognathous ION. However, the connections between the components are structurally different and their divergent character suggests a lower spatial resolution. Our findings call for further comparative studies in a broad range of species for advancing our understanding of the evolution, plasticity and functional roles of the avian centrifugal visual system.


Introduction: Normal children are healthy, happy and well adjusted. This adjustment is developed by providing basic emotional needs along with physical and physiological needs for their mental wellbeing. The emotional needs are considered as emotional food for healthy behavior. The children are dependent on their parents, so parents are responsible for fulfilment of the emotional needs. Every child should have tender loving care and sense of security about protection from parents and family members. They should have opportunity for development of independence, trust, confidence and self-respect. There should be adequate social and emotional interaction with discipline. The child should get scope for self-expression and recreation. Parent should be aware of about achievements of their children and express acceptance of positive attitude with in the social norms. The preschool years extending from approximately 3 to 5 years of age Common behavioral problems of childhood are temper tantrum, breath holding spell, thumb sucking, nail biting, enuresis, pica, tics, and stuttering or stammering, delayed speech and attention deficit disorder.Objectives:1To assess the knowledge regarding behavior problem of preschool children among parents in urban area. 2. To assess the knowledge regarding behavior problem of preschool children among parents in rural area. 3. To compare the knowledge regarding behavior problems of preschool children among the parents in urban and rural area. 4. To find out the association between knowledge score with demographic variable among parents in urban and rural area. Methods and materials: The research approach used was descriptive survey approach. The research design selected for the study was a Descriptive Comparative design. Setting of the study: The setting was selected rural and urban area. The sample includes The parent of preschool children in selected urban and rural area; sampling technique was used Simple Random sampling. Result and discussion: The findings of the present study showed that, the urban sample score was higher than the rural knowledge score. The comparison of rural and urban knowledge score showed that there was a significant difference in knowledge scores at 5% level of significance (p< 0.05).


For any substance that is used and discharged offshore the contractor has to choose the best alternative in relation to the effects of the substance upon discharge. Any environmental impact that the choice might have in other localities related to either processes before the product is used (e.g. raw material extraction and refining), or in the following treatment of byproducts (offshore or on shore) are neglected. Basing the selection of products solely on the potential marine toxicological impact of the substances will systematically prioritize small local improvements to greater improvement potentials in production or internal and external recycling.Life cycle impact assessment (LCA) is a tool developed for environmental evaluation of entire product systems; that is all processes for from raw material production to the end-of-life treatment of the product. Material input and output streams to the processes are converted to environmental impacts in the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) stage of LCA. Characterization factors are used to quantify the impact within impact groups.Eco-indicator 99 and the CLM problem oriented approach (CML-POA) are two LCIA methods that include characterization factors for eco-toxic impacts. Both methods use adapted versions of the EUSES/SimpleBox model to simulate the fate of substances, but the methods do not apply the same definition of eco-toxic damage to quantify the relative impact of different substances. Eco-indicator 99 uses the Potentially affected fraction of species (PAF), while CML-POA uses the Risk Characterization Ratio. EUSES/SimpleBox is a multi media steady-state fate model, and concentrations in different environmental media are calculated from annual continuous emissions.Offshore discharges are distributed in time and space. The resulting concentrations are high compared to the concentration in the total marine volume, and the affected volume is limited. Given the discontinuous properties of exposure from offshore discharges the EUSES/SimpleBox model is not suited to model such emissions.A method to calculate characterization factors for discontinuous offshore discharges is proposed in this study. The method is based on the PAF as defined in the Eco-indicator 99 method. Changes from the Eco-indicator 99 method are:• Replacement of the static hazard unit increase with a time integrated function to better describe the time dependant exposure from offshore discharges.• Replacement of the static total marine volume with the time integrated volume.The resulting dynamic marine exposure PAF (dme-PAF) is compatible with the ecotoxicity characterization factors in Eco-indicator 99. It is proposed to omit the acute period in the time integrals and only assess the chronic exposure period beginning from day four.The Dose-related risk and effect assessment model (DREAM) is used to simulate the time variation of offshore discharges. DREAM is used today by Statoil in environmental risk assessments of such discharges. The model is not a multi-media fate model although it includes most of the processes that are part of the EUSES/SimpleBox model. DREAM produces time dependant profiles of discharges. These are used to calculate the time integrals in the dme-PAF method.Simulations were performed to calculate ecotoxicity characterization factors for glutaraldehyde with the dme-PAF method. The simulations performed show that one of the settings in DREAM will have great influence on the resulting characterization factors, namely the lower concentration limit (LCL). DREAM calculates concentration in cells, and this data is stored and can be extracted in text format. Cells with concentrations below LCL will not be stored and the volume of these cells will be neglected. In order to be able to calculate dme-PAF properly LCL should be set at zero. This will maximize the number of recorded cells. Given the limitations of MS Office Excel other software must be sought to accommodate calculation of dme-PAF.Dme-PAF will be affected by changes of the mass, concentration or period of the discharge. Ecotoxicity factors therefore should be calculated for different scenarios regarding the location, concentration, mass and period of the discharge.


ABSTRACT Children with spastic diplegia as a result of cerebral palsy (CP) or HIV encephalopathy have different pathogenesis but present with similar motor deficits. Anti-retroviral therapy has allowed HIV-infected children to survive for longer but with this comes an increase in co-morbid complications that are not life-threatening but have an adverse effect on activity and participation. The aim of this study was to determine if there are similarities or differences with regards to function, tone and strength between children with spastic diplegia as a result of CP and those with spastic diplegia as a result of HIV encephalopathy. Participants with spastic diplegia (GMFCS I to IV) between the ages of 4 and 16 years were selected at four institutions in Johannesburg. Thirty-three HIV-infected children with spastic diplegia and 31 HIV-uninfected participants with CP spastic diplegia were assessed using the Gross Motor Function Measure 66 (GMFM-66), Functional Mobility Scale (FMS), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) for tone, and a hand-held dynamometer for strength. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups with respect to function, strength and tone. When the groups were separated into ambulant (GMFCS I and II) and non-ambulant groups (GMFCS III and IV), there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups for GMFM (ambulant group p = 0.52, non-ambulant group p = 0.74), tone and strength. A minimally clinically important difference (MCID = 3.87) was found for the GMFM-66 in the ambulant group in favour of the HIV-infected participants. There was a trend for the HIV-infected ambulant participants to be weaker and have milder tone from proximal to distal. The non-ambulant HIV-infected participants tended to be stronger and have mild rather than severe tone from proximal to distal when compared to the CP group. Children with spastic diplegia as a result of HIV encephalopathy presented similarly to the HIV-uninfected children with spastic diplegic CP but tended to be more functional, have less severe tone and were weaker.


We review research on work–nonwork balance to examine the presence of the jingle fallacy—attributing different meanings to a single construct label—and the jangle fallacy—using different labels for a single construct. In 290 papers, we found 233 conceptual definitions that clustered into 5 distinct, interpretable types, suggesting evidence of the jingle fallacy. We calculated Euclidean distances to quantify the extent of the jingle fallacy and found high divergence in definitions across time and publication outlet. One exception was more agreement recently in better journals to conceptualize balance as unidimensional, psychological, and distinct from conflict and enrichment. Yet, over time many authors have committed the jangle fallacy by labeling measures of conflict and/or enrichment as balance, and disagreement persists even in better journals about the meanings attributed to balance (e.g., effectiveness, satisfaction). To examine the empirical implications of the jingle and jangle fallacies, we conducted meta-analyses of distinct operational definitions of balance with job, life, and family satisfaction. Effect sizes for conflict and enrichment measures were typically smaller than effects for balance measures, providing evidence of a unique balance construct that is not interchangeable with conflict and enrichment. To begin to remedy concerns raised by our review, we propose a definition of work–nonwork balance drawing from theory, empirical evidence from our review, and normative information about how balance should be defined. We conclude with a theory-based agenda for future research.


This project presents statistical analyses of data from a population based opioid use disorder research program. The primary interest is in estimating the association of a range of demographic, clinical and provider-related characteristics on retention in treatment for opioid use disorders. This focus was motivated by the province's efforts to respond to the opioid overdose crisis, and the methodological challenges inherent in analyzing the recurrent nature of opioid use disorder and the treatment episodes. We start with executing a network analysis to clarify the influence of provider-related characteristics, including individual-, case-mix and prescriber network-related characteristics on treatment retention. We observe that the network characteristics have a statistically significant impact on OAT retention. Then we use a Cox proportional hazards model with a gamma frailty, while also considering how the ending of the previous episode will impact the future ones to start our investigation into the importance of the episode endings. Moreover, we consider three different analyses under multiple scenarios to reach our final goal of analyzing the multi-type events. The OAT episode counts of the study subjects throughout the follow-ups are analyzed using Poisson regression models. Logistic regression analyses of the records of the OAT episode types are conducted with mixed effects. Lastly, we analyze the OAT episode duration times marginally via an estimating function approach. The robust variance estimator is identified for the estimator of the model parameters. In addition, we conduct a simulation study to verify the findings of the data analysis. The outcomes of the analyses indicate that the OAT episode counts and duration times are significantly associated with a few covariates, such as gender and birth era, and the relationships are varying according to the OAT episode types.


Any discussion of judicial ethics and accountability -- whether it is at the state, national, or international level-inevitably requires engagement with two key ideals: impartiality and independence. Ideals are important because they can provide a trajectory for human action. But ideals can also be a problem because their generality and abstraction can cause one to prevaricate -- or even pontificate -- when it comes to the immediate and the pragmatic Indeed, there are times when ideals such as impartiality and independence can become false gods insofar as they promise salvation but ultimately, deliver little. Consequently, when one is asked to consider concrete questions of judicial ethics and accountability, such as those identified by the coordinators of this Symposium, too great a focus on a philosophical inquiry into the essence of impartiality and independence may not take one very far. Rather, as I have argued elsewhere, a more productive (if iconoclastic) approach to answering such questions may be to seek to assist judges to minimize their own partiality.This short Article approaches the foregoing questions with a discussion of the state and status of judicial ethics in Canada. While popular mythology tends to portray Canadians as relatively laid-back, pragmatic people, this essay contends that Canadians have, in actuality, made some quiet and careful progress on the subject of judicial ethics and accountability that can provide valuable insight for further improvement in those areas. Moreover, this Article suggests that the methodology underlying Canada's progress does, in fact, embrace the pragmatic task of minimizing partiality in as much as it aspires to achieve maximum impartiality. To support these claims, this Article will proceed in four stages. First, it will lay a foundation for the rest of the discussion by explaining how the very idea of judicial ethics as an object of analysis and contestation is of relatively recent vintage in Canada. Second, it will identify several institutional initiatives that have enhanced the profile of judicial ethics in Canada. Third, it will suggest ways in which the judicial ethics project in Canada (but also perhaps in the United States) can be re-imagined, expanded, and even reconstructed by paying greater attention to the concept of an ethical identity. Fourth and finally, this Article will conclude by linking some more general observations back to the questions posed by the Symposium coordinators.


Prognosis of major components such as blades, rotors, valves of steam turbine is crucial to reducing operating and maintenance costs. Prognostic strategies can assist to detect, classify and predict developing faults, guarantee reliable, efficient and continuous operation of electric plants, and may even result in saving lives. In this paper, a recurrent neural network based strategy was developed for blade material degradation assessment and fatigue damage propagation prediction. Two Elman Neural Networks were developed for fatigue severity assessment and trend prediction correspondingly. The performance of the proposed prognostic methodology was evaluated by using blade material fatigue data collected from a material testing system. The prognostic method is found to be a reliable and robust material fatigue predictor.


This article deals with the role of the therapeutic relationship in psychotherapy of patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) (APA, 2013). Firstly, the paper refers to the therapeutic relationship in BPD in general as well as more specifically in the light of Cognitive Psychotherapy, through the major principles and new developments in clinical practice and survey. Cognitive treatment regards the therapeutic relationship as a necessary but insufficient component for the therapeutic change. However, in recent years, it has attached special importance to it, as indicated by clinical studies. Then it goes on to an overview of the major theoretical and clinical approaches for BPD, mainly through the work of Linehan, Kernberg, Gunderson and Young, which is followed by an elaborate analysis of the difficulties and instability of relationships in BPD as major characteristics, as well as of the peculiarities that the therapeutic relationship between the therapist and a BPD patient displays. Psychotherapy with BPD patients, the difficulties and suggestions for a positive therapeutic outcome are the major points of the third part of the paper, which is completed with the potential of the cognitive therapist and the contribution of cognitive therapy through a focus in the present, structured treatment, identification of thoughts, emotions and behaviors, cooperative work, concrete boundaries and honest and substantial communication.


Proponents of restrictive housing argue that its use is an effective deterrent of antisocial behavior, while its critics maintain that the setting causes serious psychological damage and increases noncompliance with institutional rules and expectations. Unfortunately, few studies exist that examine the influence of restrictive housing on behavioral outcomes. This investigation adds to this gap in knowledge by assessing the impact of time spent in restrictive housing confinement on subsequent measures of institutional adjustment among men in prison. Logistic regression analyses reveal no statistically significant relationships between the number of days spent in restrictive housing and subsequent measures of institutional misconduct, and uncover a small, but significant, negative relationship with subsequent placement in restrictive housing. The research and policy implications of these results are discussed.


The purpose of this article is to increase awareness of several requirements specifications issues: (1) the role they play in the full system development life cycle, (2) the diversity of forms they assume, and (3) the problems we continue to face. The article concentrates on ways of expressing requirements rather than ways of generating them. A discussion of various classification criteria for existing requirements specification techniques follows a brief review of requirements specification contents and concerns.


Seasonal variations in the biting densities of Simulium damnosum complex were studied in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria, with the objectives of discovering the season with the highest biting densities and relating the seasonal biting densities with the farming seasons of the people. The study was carried out in different seasons of the year between April, 1999 and March, 2000. Two human baits were used to catch biting flies between 6.00a.m. and 7.00p.m. on each fly-catching day. The average numbers of flies caught per man per hour and per man per day were recorded. The results showed variations between the different seasons studied. The highest average biting densities of 30 flies/man/day were recorded during the dry season with harmattan but biting activities of the flies were concentrated in the evenings. The second highest average biting densities of about 25 flies/man/day were recorded during the early rainy season and biting activities were spread throughout the day with morning and evening peaks. Low average biting densities of about 4 flies/man/day and about 11 flies/man/day were recorded during the dry season without harmattan and late rainy season respectively. The probability of finding biting flies at any given hour was highest (0.91) during the early rainy season. This very high probability of man-fly contact coupled with the most intense farming activities (clearing and cultivation) within this season makes it very dangerous to farmers. It is recommended that the farmers take such precautions as covering themselves better and using repellents to prevent man-fly contact during farm work.. Keywords : Seasonal variations, biting densities, Simulium damnosum, onchocerciasis Agro-Science Vol. 4 (1) 2005: pp. 10-13


The combination of higher quality requirements and sensitivity of high performance circuits to delay defects has led to an increasing emphasis on delay testing of VLSI circuits. In this context, it has been proven that Single Input Change (SIC) test sequences are more effective than classical Multiple Input Change (MIC) test sequences when a high robust delay fault coverage is targeted. In this paper, we show that random SIC (RSIC) test sequences achieve a higher fault coverage than random MIC (RMIC) test sequences when both robust and non-robust tests are under consideration. Experimental results given in this paper are based on a software generation of RSIC test sequences that can be easily generated in this case. For a built-in self-test (BIST) purpose, hardware generated RSIC sequences have to be used. This kind of generation will be shortly discussed at the end of the paper.


In the southern part of Vietnam, where the lower Mekong Delta is located, coastal erosion problems occur. In the Bac Lieu province, one of the twelve provinces in the Mekong Delta, the width of the mangrove belt between the sea dyke and the sea is reduced by 100 m in the last four years. By rehabilitation of the mangrove forest, the hinterland can be protected against flooding. Mangrove rehabilitation is the action of improving the health of the forest to a previous condition. The primary goal of this project is to design a coastal protection system, including mangrove rehabilitation, to provide the Bac Lieu province with a sufficient safety level against flooding till at least the year 2050. For this project a Systems Engineering (SE) approach is used. Currently, the coastal area of the Bac Lieu Province consists of a sea dyke and an integrated-shrimp system, which means that there are mangrove plants inside and in front of the shrimp ponds. The current characteristics of the mangrove ecosystem is described by a four spheres approach, the hydrosphere, lithosphere, biosphere and the atmosphere. Several laws have been adopted on the management of mangrove forest. The obligation to assure a 500 m width of mangrove belt in front of the sea dyke and the rule of 60% mangrove coverage in the shrimp ponds are the most important requirements for this project. In the ideal situation, the coast is protected by a healthy mangrove ecosystem which has a variety of flora and fauna (Stieglitz, Ridd, & Muller, 2000). Older trees have more salinity resistance and can handle wave disturbances better. Therefore, a zonation is highly recommended for the ideal situation to create good living conditions for every species. Mangrove ecosystems need sediment to sustain the elevation of the trees in the tidal range and to counteract erosion. In Bac Lieu a mangrove belt width of at least 500 m is required for flood protection. At the moment, the ideal situation and current situation deviate. A wider mangrove forest creates better conditions for a zonation with a better distribution of different mangrove species. Sea level rise causes a backward movement of species within the mangrove forest. This backward movement is hindered by the integrated shrimp ponds and the existing sea dyke. If the mangrove forest cannot expand backwards, it is likely that mangrove trees will drown and erode at the seaside, whereby the width of the mangrove forest will decrease further. When erosion occurs, the erosion pattern will likely create a concave-up mud flat profile which leads to stronger wave attack enhancing even more erosion. The government has great power to prevent this, since they influence the land use by means of policies. After the stakeholder analysis, two dilemmas were identified. First, at locations where the width of the mangrove belt is less than 500 metre it might be more convenient to restrict the land use and make space to plant mangrove at the landside instead of taking expensive measures to improve the conditions for mangrove plants to grow at the seaside. Second, the 60% mangrove coverage rule for the shrimp farms does not guaranty 500 m of mangrove belt everywhere. The system requirement specification, which is an overview of all the requirements for this coastal protection system, is partly based on the customer requirements, and partly on a function analysis based on the Function Analysis System Technique (FAST) method. However, the specification process is an iterative process, which is developed further during the research of different alternatives and the final design. After the FAST method, different alternatives like groynes, soft measures and breakwaters are investigated. There are two scenarios' possible to guarantee a 500 metre mangrove belt for the flood protection system. The first scenario (scenario 1) is focussed on optimised land use behind the mangrove belt. By rearranging the shrimp ponds, a significantly smaller area of mangrove forest has to be rehabilitated in the seaward side. In the second scenario (scenario 2), the shrimp ponds will not be adjusted and mangrove rehabilitation fully takes place in front of the ponds, which results in a large area that needs to be elevated and protected for mangrove planting. A multi criteria analysis (MCA) is executed to evaluate which alternative is considered to be most suitable for this project location. The top results from the MCA are permeable fences, Geohooks, floating breakwaters, permeable groynes and longshore sandbars (cheniers). The final design for scenario 1 is chosen to be permeable bamboo T-fences. Calculations on the strength of the structure are made together with a mangrove-zonation, a cost estimation, a risk analysis and an implementation plan. For the second scenario, the choice is made to combine the permeable fences with a chenier, which provides a higher safety level and a faster accretion for the larger area that has to be elevated in the second scenario. Again, the structure is tested for the wave loads and risks are analysed, an implementation plan and cost estimation are made. These analyses are done for comparison with scenario 1. Thereafter, the uncertainties, limitations of calculations and assumptions are discussed and recommendations on further research are given. The biggest limitation during this project was the limited available data, most values are based on data from other locations. Lastly, the conclusion about the best way to protect the hinterland of Bac Lieu against flooding is given.


Traffic congestion is a significant problem in many major cities. Getting stuck in traffic, the mileage per unit time that a taxicab travels will decline significantly. Congestion premium (or so-called low-speed fare) has become an increasingly important income source for taxi drivers. However, the impact of congestion premium on the taxicab market is not widely understood yet. In particular, modeling and analyzing of the taxi fare structure with congestion premium are extremely limited. In this paper, we developed a taxi price equilibrium model, in which the adjustment mechanism of congestion premium on optimizing the taxi driver's income, balancing the supply and demand, and eventually improving the level of service in the whole taxicab market was investigated. In the final part, we provided a case study to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed model. The results indicated that the current taxi fare scheme in Beijing is suboptimal, since the gain from the raise of congestion premium cannot compensate for the loss from the demand reduction. Conversely, the optimal fare scheme suggested by our model can effectively reduce the excessive demand and reach the supply-demand equilibrium, while keeping the stability of the driver's income to the maximum extent.


This paper presents a novel way of stabilizing the constraint drift dynamics in the numerical simulation of multibody systems. This formulation is applicable for a large class of uncertain mechanical systems described by nonlinear differential algebraic equations that are subject to holonomic constraints. In the absence of uncertainty in the system inertia parameters, it is possible to develop stabilization relationships that suppress the accumulation of error in the constraint equations during the time integration process. In order to account for ignorance in the parameters, we propose a model reference adaptive control scheme that ensures the asymptotic realization of the desired (reference) constraint violation dynamics. Special attention is given to the case of redundantly actuated systems, as is typical for robotics. For this class of problems, we direct special attention to optimization criteria that achieve any desired manoeuvre using minimum control effort and coordination between the redundant set of actuators. An example application demonstrates the effectiveness and practicality of the proposed adaptive control formulation.


Improving the ventilation of sewers could control the production of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and methane (CH4), which are associated with anaerobic conditions. In this manuscript, a ventilation method using inhaled air from the drainage of the vertical stack of a building was proposed, and a model based on the dimensional method was established to calculate the airflow rate of the inhaled air. By observing the air pressure and air velocity of the ventilation cowl and the opening hole of the sewers, it was found that the inhaled air flowed down with water and that approximately 94% of the inhaled air would flow into the headspace of the sewer to enhance ventilation. According to the model and the observed service condition of toilets in the building, the daily average quantity of the air that was used to enhance the ventilation of the sewer was approximately 149.978 m3/d. The concentration of H2S and CH4 in the sewers were zero, indicating that the inhaled air in the vertical stack of the building could effectively and persistently enhance the ventilation of sewers.


BACKGROUND
The microbiology of periodontitis in type 1 diabetes has been reported, but less is known about type 2 diabetes. Moreover, these data have not linked microbial colonization, host response, and clinical presentation in type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The objectives of this study were to relate periodontal status, periodontal microorganisms, and host-response characteristics in Hispanic Americans with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS
Plaque and serum samples were obtained from 63 Hispanic American subjects with and without type 2 diabetes. The microbiology of subgingival plaque samples was evaluated using DNA checkerboard hybridization, and serum antibody to a battery of oral microorganisms was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS
In general, similar pathogens were present in periodontitis sites from subjects with and without type 2 diabetes, although the periodontitis sites in diabetes showed a higher frequency of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (previously Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans), and Campylobacter spp. Serum antibody to Campylobacter rectus was elevated in type 2 diabetes, whereas antibody to P. gingivalis and C. rectus were elevated in subjects with periodontitis, irrespective of diabetes status. Stratification of the population based upon antibody to P. gingivalis or C. rectus suggested a linkage between elevated antibody to P. gingivalis, increased frequency of diabetes, and significantly worse periodontitis.

CONCLUSION
The increased severity of periodontal disease with type 2 diabetes may reflect an alteration of the pathogenic potential of periodontal bacteria and/or a modification of the characteristics of the host's inflammatory response that may contribute to a breakdown in the homeostasis of the periodontium.


The unscented Kalman filter (UKF) and ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) are developed to extended target tracking problem for high resolution sensors. The nonlinear Kalman filters are based on an ellipsoidal model, which is proposed to exploit sensor measurement of target extent. The ellipsoidal model can provide extra information to enhance tracking accuracy, data association performance, and target identification. In contrast to the most commonly used extended Kalman filter (EKF), the UKF and EnKF provide more accurate and reliable estimation performance, due to the presence of high nonlinearity of the model. Correspondingly, the EnKF has lower computational complexity than the UKF. An interacting multiple model (IMM) technique is combined with the filters to adapt the target maneuver and motion mode switching problem which is vital for nonlinear filtering. The developed IMM-UKF and IMM-EnKF algorithms on extended target tracking problem are validated and evaluated by computer simulations.


Use this guide to find Open Educational Resources on Weather including both climate and weather, weather phenomena and atmospheric processes


Core-shell-isolated nanoparticles are commonly used in the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique to detect binding events and in analyte identification at the molecule level. In this paper, an opticalscattering theoretical model was used in which the core-shell-isolated nanoparticles are considerably smaller than incident light wavelengths, and the finite difference time domain method of numerical electromagnetics was adopted to compute the scattered opticalpower density per unit volume of the nanoparticles. In addition, the power densities were analyzed using various shell materials and the influences of differing parameters (i.e., the size of metal nanoparticles, shell thickness, nanoparticle size, and the distance between nanoparticles) on power-density functions were explored. The results indicated that when the nanoparticle shells were coated with silicon dioxide (SiO2) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) to a thickness of 1 nm and the nanoparticle core was gold (Au), a particle size of 35 nm was the optimal design. The optimal distance between Au nanoparticles possessing SiO2 shells was 5 nm and that between Au nanoparticles possessing Al2O3 or titanium dioxide (TiO2) shells was 10 nm. Based on the format results of nanoparticle arrangement, the distance between the shell-isolated Au nanoparticles was 10 nm and generated a stronger scattered power density with an asymmetric arrangement than that generated using symmetrically arranged nanoparticles. The advantage of the proposed method in this paper over the conventional method is its ability to relate the scattered power density to the required number of nanoparticles used in the SERS technique.


The level of prostaglandins and 3':5'-AMP was studied in tissues of albino rats against a background of administering thiamine or its derivatives, oxythiamine and thiochrome. Oxythiamine (12.5 mg per 1 kg of mass; each 3 h for a day) increases the level of a sum of prostaglandins E and A as well as of prostaglandin F2 alpha in the liver and kidneys; thiochrome at the same dose produces the same effect for prostaglandins F and A in the liver and kidneys and for prostaglandin F2 alpha in the liver; and thiamine increases a sum of prostaglandins F and A in the kidneys. 72 h after a single injection of oxythiamine (40 mg per 100 g of mass) the level of prostaglandin E and A sum in the liver and kidneys increases as well, which is not connected with the effect of the substances under study on thiamine-dependent reactions. All the three compounds rise the 3':5'-AMP level in the liver. Variations in the prostaglandin content have no effect on the liver fatty acid composition.


The purpose of this article is to present the fundamental origins and propositions of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church (hereinafter DSI) and its possible points of contact and dialogue with the social market economy (hereinafter ESM), of German origin, and with the New-Developmentalism (hereinafter ND), originating from the Sao Paulo Consensus. It is obvious that we are not saying that ESM and ND are direct developments of the DSI; Or that DSI is fully compatible with the first two. Our goal in this article is to show the points in which ESM and ND have in common with the DSI; In order to broaden the scope of political support to new developmentalism in Brazilian society, arguing that a Developmentalism in a broad sense - which includes both the ESM and the ND-are not incompatible with the DSI and thus with the Christian vision on the World, the Man and the Economic Systems. From the viewpoint of the Social Doctrine of the Church, the vicinity between ESM and ND are sufficient to affirm that it is perfectly reasonable to see the ND approach of the economy as a possible well that offers credible and fairly accurate responses to the problems and concerns posed by the Popes of the Catholic Church. Since the DSI is an inspiring basis for many relevant political movements, such as the Christian Democracy, it is extremely relevant to analyze the political possibilities of the new developmentalism in the most varied fields of the political spectrum.
JEL Classification: P11; P51; Z12.


In thermal tissue ablation, it is very important to control the increase in the temperature for having an efficient ablation therapy. We conducted this study to determine the efficacy of measuring pixel shift of ultrasound B-mode images as a function of change in tissue temperature. By fixing some micro thermocouples in liver tissues, temperature at different points was monitored invasively in vitro during laser-induced thermotherapy. According to our results optimum power and exposure time were determined for ultrasound temperature monitoring. Simultaneously, noninvasive temperature monitoring was performed with ultrasound B-mode images. These images were saved on computer from 25 degrees C to 95 degrees C with 10 degrees C steps. The speed of sound changes with each 10 degrees C temperature change that produce virtual shifts in the scatter positions. Using an image processing method, the pixel shift due to 10 degrees C temperature change was extracted by motion detection. The cubic regression function between the mean pixel shifts on ultrasound B-mode images caused by the change in speed of sound which in turn was a function of the mean change in temperature was evaluated. When temperature increased, pixel shift occurs in ultrasound images. The maximum pixel shift was observed between 60 to 70 degrees C. After 70 degrees C, the local pixel shift due to change in the speed of sound in liver tissue had an irregular decreasing. Pearson correlation coefficient between invasive and non-invasive measurements for 10 degrees C temperature changes was 0.93 and the non-linear function was suitable for monitoring of temperature. Monitoring of changes in temperature based on pixel shifts observed in ultrasound B-mode images in interstitial laser thermotherapy of liver seems a good modality.


A precipitation-pyrolysis process was developed for the synthesis of MgO nano-particles with diameter of 20~100 nm by using organic reagent, glycol, n-butanol and N,N-Dimethylacetamide, as shape and size controller. XRD and TEM were used to study on composition, morphology and size of the as prepared MgO nanoparticles. The results indicate that organic crystal controller is one of the key factors affecting the sizes and shapes of the nano MgO particles. When using glycol as a crystal controller, the dispersion of nano MgO particles is better and olive-shaped particles with sizes of 20~40 nm are prepared. When nano MgO particles are synthesized by MgCl2 and Mg(NO3)2, their particle sizes are smaller and their particles with olive shape. During chemical reaction process, Mg(OH)2 particles are already formed to be nano scale. Calcination process at the temperature of 650°C can change the crystal shape slightly. FTIR results show that nano MgO particles have abnormal infrared absorption behaviors compared with that of micron scale.


Hepatitis C (HCV) is one of the most important cause of liver disease throughout the world, having the potentiality to develop cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma with the passage of time. Recent advances in the management of HCV infection have brought this healthcare burden under limelight. With ongoing research in this field, the future seems to be more promising in the management of HCV infection that has been bothering humanity for decades. Bangladesh J Medicine Jul 2016; 27(2) : 74-77


Abstract The article focuses on the ways in which V. D. Vladimirov's translation of Charlotte Brontë's novel, Jane Eyre, modifies her artistic method and genre. In 1893 the St Petersburg Publishing House, M. M. Lederle, published a full translation of the novel by V. D. Vladimirov which was well received by critics. It was 590 pages long and divided by the translator into two parts, though the original text consisted of three volumes each numbered afresh. Vladimirov apparently consulted Irinarkh Vvedensky's translation and was influenced by it, but despite this fact he made his translation closer to the original text. He fitted his translation to the genre of mature psychological realism and balanced it between the traditions of Victorian autobiographical and Russian educational novels. The features of subjectivity and originally romantic emotional excess were smoothed over by the translator, but the general centripetal structure of the novel was retained. The psychological image of Jane Eyre was transformed as well, becoming strongly motivated in comparison to the previous images of Irinarkh Vvedensky, Sofya Koshlakova and Dmitry Mansfeld and closer to the original version.


One of the most important problems of natural dyeing is lack of raw material. In the recent years, researchers are aimed to solve the deficiency of raw material. The pulp of plants which are obtained from the steam distillation, are used as a dyestuff. We assume that the dyestuff in pulp of oregano and sage after steam distillation remain stable. Wool yarns and silk fabrics have been dyed in previous works done as a master and a Proficiency in Art thesis. The results were showed that our assumption is correct. Based on these results further researches were done. The textile materials were dyed with %100 of pulp of oregano and sage.  Mordant dyeing method was applied and three different mordant materials were applied with pre-mordant process. Alum [Kal(SO4)2.12H2O], ferrous (II) sulphate [FeSO4.7H2O] and potassium dichromate [K2Cr2O7] were used as a mordant and potassium bitartrate [KC4H5O6] as an auxiliary agent in alum mordanting. Rubbing (dry and wet) and washing fastness values were determined. Also the depths of shade were evaluated in terms of K/S and CIELAB colour difference values of the dyed fabric samples.

                        According to the results obtained from the dyeing, the capability of pulp of plants is adequate and will supply the lack of the dyestuff. While the colors obtained from silk and wool fabrics are more vivid and dark, the colors of cotton fabrics are quite pale. This study will allow other pulp of plants to be evaluated in this way.


Efficient and compact neural network models are essential for enabling the deployment on mobile and embedded devices. In this work, we point out that typical design metrics for gauging the efficiency of neural network architectures -- total number of operations and parameters -- are not sufficient. These metrics may not accurately correlate with the actual deployment metrics such as energy and memory footprint. We show that throughput and energy varies by up to 5X across different neural network operation types on an off-the-shelf Arm Cortex-M7 microcontroller. Furthermore, we show that the memory required for activation data also need to be considered, apart from the model parameters, for network architecture exploration studies.


ABSTRACT Legislation enacted in 2014 in England and 2016 in Scotland attempts to boost the rights of children and young people with special and additional support needs in the context of education, particularly with regard to opportunities for their participation in decision-making and local planning, with governments in both nations claiming that the new measures place the UK at the forefront internationally on this issue. There are, however, key differences in the respective nations' legislation and policy, as well as similarities, which the article explores. Using case studies, it then examines the central issues arising in each jurisdiction in the practical realisation of the relevant rights. The article concludes with a comparative discussion of the recognition of children's autonomy in the context of education in the two nations, highlighting gaps between rhetoric and reality.


INTRODUCTION
Trauma is the number 1 cause of death among children. Shorter distance to definitive trauma care has been correlated with better clinical outcomes. There are only a small number of pediatric trauma centers (PTC) designated by the American College of Surgeons, and the resources available to treat injured children at non-PTCs are limited. To guide resource allocation and advocacy efforts for pediatric trauma care in Wisconsin, we determined the precise distance to trauma centers for all children living in the state.

METHODS
The 2010 US Census data was used to determine ZIP-centroid geolocation. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services trauma classification database was used to identify trauma facilities in Wisconsin. SAS routines invoking the Google Maps application programming interface were used to calculate the driving distance to each of the trauma facilities. We quantified the percentage of children living within 30- and 60-minute driving distances of level I-IV trauma centers.

RESULTS
Just 31.3% of Wisconsin children live within a 30-minute drive of a level I PTC; 32.7% live within 30 minutes of a level II center; 81.3% within 30 minutes of a level III center; and 74.6% within 30 minutes of a level IV center.

CONCLUSION
Two-thirds of children in Wisconsin live beyond a 30-minute driving distance of a level I PTC, but most children live within 30 minutes of level III and IV trauma centers. As the closest hospitals for most children, smaller trauma centers should be adequately resourced to provide pediatric trauma care.


ABSTRACT What would European Union (EU) scholars study if the EU were to fall? This contribution does not predict the demise of the Union, but rather engages EU scholars in a thought-experiment. It considers what would happen to EU studies and the scholarly community if the EU were to disintegrate. Moreover, the possible contours of post-EU studies are outlined. That discussion is based around the four ideas of destruction, diagnosis, diversion and renewal. If the EU were to fall, the argument goes, the questions that drive EU scholars would endure and evolve rather than evaporate. The challenges that triggered the collapse of the EU would be likely to haunt former member states and other organizational structures for regional and international co-operation.


Dapeng Zhang Yanhui Yang Yuanchao Li Guodong Zhang Zhenguo Cheng 1 1Neurosurgery Department, Xinxiang Central Hospital, Xinxiang, Henan Province 453000, People's Republic of China; 2Color Ultrasonic Room, People's Hospital of Huixian, Xinxiang, Henan Province 453600, People's Republic of China Objective: The present study aimed to assess the effect of curcumin (Cur) on carotid artery restenosis following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and its associated mechanism in vivo and in vitro. Methods: Ang II was used to induce excessive proliferation of rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells (CCC-SMC-1) in order to establish a hemadostenosis cell model. Similarly, the animal model of carotid artery restenosis was established by carotid artery gas drying injury combined with high-fat feed prior to CEA. CCC-SMC-1 cells and animals were treated by Cur and its effects on neointimal hyperplasia, inflammation and oxidative stress were detected and observed. The proteins that were associated with the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway were detected in cells and rabbit carotid artery tissues. Results: Cur inhibited the proliferation of smooth muscle cells and neointimal formation and reduced the inflammation and oxidative stress indices. Concomitantly, Cur reduced the phosphorylation of the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway proteins. Conclusion: Cur could inhibit carotid restenosis following CEA by inhibiting the activation of the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway.


Range‐wide variation in 54 populations of Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii) and related taxa in Northeast Asia was assessed with four mitochondrial PCR‐RFLP and five chloroplast SSR markers. Eleven mitotypes and 115 chlorotypes were detected. The highest diversity was observed in the southern Russian Far East where hybrids of L. gmelinii, L. olgensis and L. kamtschatica are distributed. In contrast, only two mitotypes occurred in L. cajanderi and L. gmelinii. The Japanese larch (L. kaempferi) was found to be closely related to populations of L. kamtschatica inhabiting the Kuril Islands and South Sakhalin, populations from the northern part of Sakhalin being more closely related to continental species. In general, both mitochondrial (GST = 0.786; NST = 0.823) and chloroplast (GST = 0.144; RST = 0.432) markers showed a strong phylogeographical structure and evidence of isolation‐by‐distance. Yet both markers did not allow a clear delineation of species borders. In particular, and contrary to expectations, cpDNA was not significantly better than mtDNA at delineating species borders. This lack of concordance between morphological species and molecular markers could reflect extensive ancestral haplotype sharing and past and ongoing introgression. Finally the distribution of mtDNA and cpDNA variation suggests the presence of several refugia during Pleistocene glacial intervals. In particular, mtDNA and cpDNA reveal weak but visible differentiation between L. gmelinii and L. cajanderi, suggesting independent glacial histories of these species.


Background: Dietary supplementation with Virgin olive oil is considered cardioprotective. Decreasing LDL and apolipoprotein (apo) AII-lipoproteins is also appropriate for CHD protection and treatment. Aim: To study the effects of an 8%En dietary exchange of linoleic acid for oleic acid on serum and lipoprotein levels and serum and LDL-TBARS in postmenopausal women consuming a diet rich in fat (46%En; saturated/monounsaturated/polyunsaturated profile: 1.1/1.9/1). Experimental Design: 14 postmenopausal women (63 ± 11 years) were assigned to exchange during 28-day dietary period the culinary oil used for years consisting in a blend of olive oil plus sunflower oil (SO) for extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). SO and EVOO represented 62% of the total lipid intake. Determinations: Dietary intakes, serum Lp(a), and cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, protein, apolipoproteins AI, AII, B were determined in serum and lipoproteins. Results: The dietary intervention decreased serum total cholesterol (TC), phospholipids, apo AII (all, p < 0.001) and apo B (p < 0.01). Except for triglycerides, all components of the LDL fraction decreased (at least, p < 0.05). HDL-cholesterol was not affected but HDL-phospholipids and HDL-lipids decreased (at least, p < 0.01). VLDL-apo B and VLDL-proteins decreased (all, p < 0.001). Serum Lp(a), TBARS and LDL-TBARS were not affected by the dietary exchange. The estimate of 10-year cardiovascular risk decreased (p < 0.05). Apo AII (p = 0.061) and LDL-cholesterol (p < 0.05) underwent greater modifications in normocholesterolemics, while LDL-phospholipids (p = 0.094), experienced greater alterations in hypercholesterolemics. No significant interaction was observed between dietary exchange and age (> or <65 yrs). Conclusions: These findings suggest that the dietary exchange of an olive oil and sunflower oil blend for extra virgin olive decreases LDL and apo AII levels, and the estimate of 10-year cardiovascular risk.


One of the main goals of the future wireless networks is improving the users' quality of experience (QoE). In this paper, we consider the problem of the QoE-based resource allocation in the downlink of a massive multiple-input multiple-output heterogeneous network. The network consists of a macrocell with a number of small cells embedded in it. The small cells' base stations (BSs) are equipped with a few antennas, while the macro BS is equipped with a massive number of antennas. We consider the two services Video and Web Browsing and design the beamforming vectors at the BSs. The objective is to maximize the aggregated mean opinion score (MOS) of the users under constraints on the BSs' powers and the required quality of service of the users. We also consider extra constraints on the QoE of users to more strongly enforce the QoE in the beamforming design. To reduce the complexity of the optimization problem, we suggest suboptimal and computationally efficient solutions. Our results illustrate that increasing the number of antennas at the BSs and also increasing the number of small cells' antennas in the network leads to a higher user satisfaction.


With the significant influence and increasing requirements of visual mobile communications in our everyday lives, low bit-rate video coding to handle the stringent bandwidth limitations of mobile networks has become a major research topic. With both processing power and battery resources being inherently constrained, and signals having to be transmitted over error-prone mobile channels, this has mandated the design requirement for coders to be both low complexity and robust error resilient. To support multilevel users, any encoded bit-stream should also be both scalable and embedded. This chapter presents a review of appropriate image and video coding techniques for mobile communication applications and aims to provide an appreciation of the rich and far-reaching advancements taking place in this exciting field, while concomitantly outlining both the physical significance of popular quality image and video coding metrics and some of the research challenges that remain to be resolved.


Generalised social anxiety disorder (GSAD) is an anxiety disorder characterised by intense fear in social situations causing considerable distress and impaired ability to function in at least some parts of daily life. Individuals with GSAD exhibit heightened brain activation in response to social emotional cues conveying threat (e.g., fearful/angry faces) in brain areas critical for emotion processing including the amygdala. Very little is known about brain response to negative, but not 'threatening', cues which may involve a wider brain network including the cortex. Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide synthesised in the hypothalamus and exerts its physiological effects by binding to oxytocin receptors (OXT-R) found to limbic and cortical areas. In humans, OXT decreases anxiety and stress, facilitates social encounters, and attenuates brain reactivity (i.e., including the amygdala) to threatening cues in healthy controls. This thesis examined the effects of OXT on fear-related amygdala and non-threat related cortical reactivity to social cues in patients with GSAD and matched healthy control (CON) participants in two experimental studies. Eighteen GSAD and 18 CON individuals participated in the study. The study utilised a double-blind placebo-controlled within-subjects design, with two acute treatment conditions including intranasal OXT and placebo administrations. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine brain activation in response to processing social facial cues using an emotional face matching task (study 1) and emotional face recognition task (study 2) following OXT or placebo administration. In study 1, both the CON and GSAD groups activated bilateral amygdala to all emotional faces during placebo, with the GSAD group exhibiting hyperactivity specifically to fearful faces in bilateral amygdala compared with the CON group. OXT had no effect on amygdala activity to emotional faces in the CON group, but attenuated the heightened amygdala reactivity to fearful faces in the GSAD group, such that the hyperactivity observed during the placebo session was no longer evident following OXT (i.e., normalisation). In study 2, the GSAD group relative to the CON group, exhibited heightened activity to sad faces in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), i.e., brodmann area (BA) 10, extending into anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), i.e., BA32, during placebo. Oxytocin suppressed the heightened activation in the MPFC/ACC regions in the GSAD group to levels similar to that of the CON group. The findings of this thesis suggest that OXT has specific effect on fear-related amygdala activity, and non-threat (i.e., sad) related cortical activity, particularly when these areas are hyperactive as observed in individuals with GSAD. The modulation by OXT was specific to negative threat and non-threat related social cues as no effects were observed on brain response to processing happy social cues. These findings provide a brain-based mechanism of the impact of OXT in modulating the exaggerated processing of negative social signals in individuals with pathological anxiety, thereby justifying future long-term treatment studies to investigate the effects of OXT on clinical symptoms of social anxiety.


317 children with pyelonephritis and cystitis were examined. The persistence properties of urological flora were determined. In most patients with infections of the urinary system, irrespective of the localization of the inflammatory process, enterobacteria (and more often Escherichia) prevailed. The clinico-bacteriological relationship between the antilysozyme activity of isolated bacteria and the form and course of the disease was established. In patients with chronic pyelonephritis urological strains with antilysozyme activity prevailed (88.6%); among children with the relapsing and latent course of pyelonephritis urological strains with such activity were isolated 4 times as frequently as from patients with the cyclic course of the disease. The prognostic value of the latent course of pyelonephritis was the prolonged isolation of urological flora with high antilysozyme activity.