An important issue when producing sterile drugs or medicinal products by aseptic processing with blow-fill-seal technology is to achieve an airborne particle cleanliness of ISO Class 5 for particles ≥0.5 micron for US and EU, and ISO Class 4.8 for particles ≥5.0 micron for EU compliance in the critical area, which includes the filling zone. Most blow-fill-seal machines are equipped with a filling shroud in the filling area, above the ampoules. The shrouds are often pressurised using either HEPA-filtered air or sterile filtered air. The pressure inside the shroud results in a downwards directed airflow, which creates a cleaner environment around the open ampoules during the filling process than the immediate surroundings in the bowels of the machine. The clean environment within the shroud also provides protection for the fillingmandrel and nozzles. This paper describes the use of computational fluid dynamics to simulate air velocity magnitudes andmass flow rates as ameans of better understanding particle dispersion routes in the filling area of a blow-fill-seal process and the impact different parameter settings can have on airborne particle concentrations in the filling area. The results show that the movements of the mandrel, together with its nozzles, is the main cause of particles present in the filling shroud during the manufacturing process. The computational fluid dynamics results suggest that particle concentrations can be reduced by changing the mandrel velocity and the mandrel shape. It should be noted that results presented in this paper are limited to one type of BFSmachine.


Protein is an important component of human nutrition. Algal protein is a novel protein supplement, which has amino acid composition like that of soy protein which is a commonly used plant protein source. In this paper, purified protein from a green alga, Picochlorum sp., is incorporated in popular snacks such as, tortilla chips, energy bar and khakhara, as a protein supplement. The algal protein used in the snacks is 80-85% pure containing ~ 32% of essential amino acids. The algal protein is added at 5% concentration and improves the total protein in the tortilla chips, energy bar and khakhara, by 44%, 40% and 34%, respectively. The carbohydrate content is reduced in the algae protein integrated tortilla chips, khakhara and energy bar by 4.6%, 6.4% and 6.9%, respectively. The sensory evaluation of the test and control samples against the essential attributes for the three snack items showed a good acceptability of the algal protein-incorporated tortilla chips, khakhara and energy bar. Hence, this will be helpful in catering to protein deficiency problems and adds to the options for consumers interested in vegan protein sources.


Estimating the causal effects of an intervention in the presence of confounding is a frequently occurring problem in applications such as medicine. The task is challenging since there may be multiple confounding factors, some of which may be missing, and inferences must be made from high-dimensional, noisy measurements. In this paper, we propose a decision-theoretic approach to estimate the causal effects of interventions where a subset of the covariates is unavailable for some patients during testing. Our approach uses the information bottleneck principle to perform a discrete, low-dimensional sufficient reduction of the covariate data to estimate a distribution over confounders. In doing so, we can estimate the causal effect of an intervention where only partial covariate information is available. Our results on a causal inference benchmark and a real application for treating sepsis show that our method achieves state-of-the-art performance, without sacrificing interpretability.


Interbacterial competition is prevalent in host-associated microbiota, where it can shape community structure and function, impacting host health in both positive and negative ways. However, the factors that permit bacteria to discriminate among their various neighbors for targeted elimination of competitors remain elusive. We identified a specificity factor in Vibrio species that is used to target specific competitors for elimination. Here, we describe this specificity factor, which is associated with the broadly-distributed type VI secretion system (T6SS), by studying symbiotic Vibrio fischeri, which use the T6SS to compete for colonization sites in their squid host. We demonstrate that a large lipoprotein (TasL) allows V. fischeri cells to restrict T6SS-dependent killing to certain genotypes by selectively integrating competitor cells into aggregates while excluding other cell types. TasL is also required for T6SS-dependent competition within juvenile squid, indicating the adhesion factor is active in the host. Because TasL homologs are found in other host-associated bacterial species, this newly-described specificity factor has the potential to impact microbiome structure within diverse hosts.


Background and objectives: Gastrointestinal fistulas are anomalous communications between the digestive system and other structures. This article presents the epidemiological profile of patients who developed postoperative abdominal fistulas and their outcomes. Methods: Cross-sectional study that evaluated surgical procedures done in a 25 week period that presented risks for fistulous formations. Were analyzed age, type of the surgery (elective or urgent), pre-existing risk factors, need for post-surgical intensive care unit, type of fistula, reoperations to the fistula treatment, and outcome (discharge or death). Results: There were 1785 abdominal surgical procedures, with a fistula incidence of 1.8%. Most of the patients who developed fistulas were over 60 years old (71.4%), and surgeries that resulted in fistulous complications were mainly urgent (75.0%), with the need for intensive care in 46.9%. The most frequent types of fistula were enteral (52.3%) and biliary (23.8%), and surgical treatment took place in 53.1% of cases. Late hospital discharge was predominant in these patients (40.6%), and the death rate was 3.1%. Discussion: These complications are common after abdominal surgery and require clinical attention. There is a correlation between the formation of the fistulas and urgent surgery procedures, directly impacting the length of hospital stay. Conclusion: The risk factors of fistula development are advanced age and the presence of malignant disease. They are more prevalent in urgent surgeries and patients were more likely to need reoperation and have a delay on discharge.


Abstract. Steep and unvegetated slopes in mountainous areas play an important role in erosion research as they deliver large quantities of sediments to the lowlands. However, their complex hydrological process combinations are challenging for any modelling and forecasting intention. Due to its high morphodynamic activity the Lainbach valley in southern Bavaria, Germany, has repeatedly been subject to studies on erosional processes. We present a further developed approach of physically based erosion modelling on strongly inclined and heavily dissected slopes. Model parameters were spatially and temporally distributed and a statistical model was tested to compare both findings to a previous study in the same catchment on a different slope. High resolution surface models from laser scans served as validation for the modelling results and for monitoring soil loss. Especially an adjustment of hydraulic roughness values improved the results, whereas rill hydraulics demand further investigation for future model development. The study at hand focusses on the summer period and reveals adequate modelling results (98.4% agreement in volume loss) with regard to the slope's non-stationary behaviour but leaves room for improvement for the winter period.


After the reconquest of the city of Guadalajara, a parochial network was built in which each Church or parish, in addition to fulfilling its religious function, it was a fiscal municipal cell and a military recruitment. Were founded ten parishes, that served to configure the urban fabric of a population founded to play, mostly, a defensive function. During the Middle Ages Guadalajara also had four convents, a number that was increased with six new foundations in the sixteenth century, and four more in the 17th century. The religious function was decisive in the configuration of the urban landscape of the city because there is a direct relationship between the configuration of any city and the functions that are developed in it, therefore, its evolution is, to a large degree, a consequence of the changes that have taken place in it. The drastic reduction of religious activity of the nineteenth century, with the different confiscations carried out and the suppression of a large number of parishes, determined that important interior reforms could be made in the city, at the same time as the large spaces, reserved until then for religious institutions, it served as land reserve for the urban developments, that were made from that moment. After the approval of the FGUP, many of its historic buildings were demolished. If the architectural losses have been important, it has also been important, the urban actions of internal reforms carried out simultaneously. Within this context is the missing temple of San Esteban, one of the parishes suppressed in 1831, whose church was later used as a convent temple of a congregation of Jeronimas nuns until it disappeared completely. San Esteban was a temple of three naves with two semicircular apses, tower and atrium. It was a Mudejar construction.


Secang drink is an Indonesian traditional drink, es pecially from Yogyakarta and Central Jawa, that is made from secang wood (Caesalpinia sappan L) which gives red color like wine. Except secang wood in secang drink, there are also other spices, such as ginger, clove, lemongras, cinnamon bark, cardamon, and nutmeg. The active component of spices mostly from phenolic compound, including brazilin dan brazilein (secang wood), zingiberen, gingerol, dan shogaol (ginger), eugenol (clove), geraniol, citronellal, citronellol, lemonene (lemongrass), si neol dan sinamaldehida (cinnamon bark), cineol dan pinen (kapulaga), myristicin dan safrol (nutmeg). This research objectives were to investigate the ef fect of various types of phenols in the spices of the or ganoleptic properties and phenol total content of s ecang drink. The treatments were the formulation of secan g drink, secang wood (F1), secang wood and red ginger (F2), secang wood, red ginger, lemongrass (F3), secang wood, red ginger, lemongrass, clove (F4) , secang wood, red ginger, lemongress, clove, cinnamon bark (F5), secang wood, red ginger, lemongrass, clove, cinnamon bark, cardamon (F6), secang wood, red ginger, lemongrass, clove, cinnamon bark, cardamon, nutmeg (F7). The formulation of secang drink were 1 liter water, 5 stalk secang wood (1 cm) , 100 gram red ginger, 2 clove, 2 lemongrass, 2 stalk cinnamon bark (1 cm), 2 cardamon, 1/3 nutmeg, 100 gram sugar, 1 tablespoon. Based on the average val ue of the panelist's favorite degree on color, arom a, flavor, and overall appearance of the most high sec ang drinks in a row is the formulation 1 (3,4), formulation 2 (3.0), formulation 2 (2.8 ), and the formulation of 2, 4, 5, and 6 (2.8). There were differences between the treatment of color and aroma, but nots between the treatment of taste and over all appearance. The formulation 1 of secang drinks contained the lowest total phenol (117.989 mg/L) and the formulation 7 of secang drinks contained the h ighest total phenol (186.055 mg/L). There was not any difference between the treatment of total pheno l content of secang drinks.


Maths with the laughs added in! \* How can maths save your life? \* Can you make a piece of one-sided paper? \* How can you be famous for ever? Find out in More Murderous Maths - all the tricks, tips and short-cuts they don't teach at school.


Solar intensity data log is an instrument for calibrating the insolation of sun radiations. Being aware of the available intensity of an area, it is easier to design and implement a solar power plant in specifically identified area. Such a design criteria need to identify the number of solar cells [1] and their placement as per the radiation level and how much battery to store the generated power. The conventional existing technology to measure solar intensity is Pyranometer which is a broad spectrum device. This device manages the calculations for the whole spectrum which includes radiations which may not provide any work function. Therefore the efficiency of this device is very low. Considering the above mentioned factors, a low cost device for measurement of solar intensity is designed and is presented in this paper. This will contribute in providing intensity manipulation for the relevant spectrum of solar radiation.


Background: Automated organ segmentation in computed tomography (CT) is a vital component in many artificial intelligence-based tools in medical imaging. This study presents a new organ segmentation tool called Organ Finder 2.0. In contrast to most existing methods, Organ Finder was trained and evaluated on a rich multi-origin dataset with both contrast and non-contrast studies from different vendors and patient populations. Approach: A total of 1,171 CT studies from seven different publicly available CT databases were retrospectively included. Twenty CT studies were used as test set and the remaining 1,151 were used to train a convolutional neural network. Twenty-two different organs were studied. Professional annotators segmented a total of 5,826 organs and segmentation quality was assured manually for each of these organs. Results: Organ Finder showed high agreement with manual segmentations in the test set. The average Dice index over all organs was 0.93 and the same high performance was found for four different subgroups of the test set based on the presence or absence of intravenous and oral contrast. Conclusions: An AI-based tool can be used to accurately segment organs in both contrast and non-contrast CT studies. The results indicate that a large training set and high-quality manual segmentations should be used to handle common variations in the appearance of clinical CT studies.


Recent technological advancements have helped giving rise to a variety of websites offering user-generated content through collaborative efforts. This study used focus groups to identify what features might influence credibility assessment of such websites. The findings revealed that editing features, discussion board and edit history were the collaborative features affecting credibility judgment of collaborative websites. In addition, the presence of references was seen as an important factor which helps to enhance website's credibility. This study also examined how level of involvement may affect credibility judgment. The focus groups showed that the more involved participants with the message topic identified the importance of message characteristic when assessing credibility of websites. There were some perceived advantages of collaborative features identified, such as unbiased and more up-to-date information. In contrast, there were also some concerns about possible vandalism and the inaccuracy of information. The findings suggest that people may be embracing the idea of collaborative websites; however there is need to conduct more research to find out what could be done to reduce their concerns of vandalism and inaccuracy of information.


SUMMARY Fake media has been spreading due to remarkable ad- vances in media processing and machine leaning technologies, causing serious problems in society. We are conducting a research project called Media Clone aimed at developing methods for protecting people from fake but skillfully fabricated replicas of real media called media clones. Such media can be created from fake information about a specific person. Our goal is to develop a trusted communication system that can defend against attacks of media clones. This paper describes some research results of the Media Clone project, in particular, various methods for protecting personal information against generating fake information. We focus on 1) fake information generation in the physical world, 2) anonymization and abstraction in the cyber world, and 3) modeling of media clone attacks.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is a headache syndrome characterized by increased CSF pressure. Compression of the hypophysis and distension of the optic nerve sheath are reliable imaging signs. The purpose of the study was to validate, in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension, MR imaging–based volumetric measurements of the optic nerve sheath and hypophysis as an objective observation method for more accurate diagnosis and posttreatment follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension as well as age-, sex-, and body mass index–matched controls underwent volumetric measurements of the optic nerve, optic nerve sheath, and hypophysis on high-resolution T2-weighted MR images by using a 7-cm surface coil, followed by correlation with CSF opening pressures and clinical symptom scores of visual disturbances and headache. RESULTS: Mean values of optic nerve sheath (341.86 ± 163.69 mm3 versus 127.56 ± 53.17 mm3, P < .001) and hypophysis volumes (554.59 ± 142.82 mm3 versus 686.60 ± 137.84 mm3, P < .05) differed significantly between healthy and diseased subjects. No significant differences between mean optic nerve volumes were observed. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed optic nerve sheath volumes of >201.30 mm3 (sensitivity, 86.96%; specificity, 91.30%) and hypophysis volumes of <611.21 mm3 (sensitivity, 78.26%; specificity, 69.57%) to be indicative of idiopathic intracranial hypertension diagnosis. In patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension, no correlations were found between optic nerve sheath and hypophysis volumes and CSF opening pressures or clinical scores of visual disturbances and headache. CONCLUSIONS: Semiautomated volumetric measurement of optic nerve sheath and hypophysis has the potential to more accurately diagnose and follow patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension.


This study examined the impact of learner proficiency on the occurrence and resolution of language-related episodes (LREs) in rehearsal of interactive speaking tasks and on the subsequent use of language items from LREs during performance of the same tasks in front of the class. Forty-eight learners from six intact English as a foreign language (EFL) classes at a Vietnamese high school were divided into three proficiency groups, each consisting of eight dyads. Group 1 was higher proficiency (HH) dyads; Group 2 consisted of mixed proficiency dyads (HL) and Group 3 was lower proficiency (LL) dyads. All the pairs rehearsed and then consecutively performed a problem-solving task and a debate task in two separate classroom lessons. The total data included 48 rehearsals and 48 corresponding performances collected during normal classroom hours. The results show that, overall, LL dyads encountered more language problems (more LREs) in rehearsal than HH dyads and they were less likely to resolve them successfully. However, they were able to use a majority of the correct resolutions in the performance as well as their higher proficiency counterparts. The lower proficiency learners were also found to employ memorizing and local rehearsing strategies to retain ideas and language items as they rehearsed for the upcoming performance. These findings have pedagogical implications for teaching and learning through tasks in EFL contexts and beyond.


Objective: To evaluate the effect of plasma exchange combined with high-dose continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration method (CVVHDF) in the treatment of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure with stage III-IV hepatic encephalopathy and the feasibility of pre-operative preparation for liver transplantation. Methods: Clinical data of 14 cases of medical intensive care unit of our hospital with acute-on- chronic liver failure accompanied with stage III-IV hepatic encephalopathy that underwent plasma exchange combined with high-dose CVVHDF from March 2015 to September 2017 were retrospectively summarized. The indexes of liver and kidney function, blood coagulation function, arterial blood PH, lactic acid and blood ammonia were monitored before and after treatment. Heart rate, blood pressure, APACHE II score, and consciousness recovery time were observed. Student's t- test was used to compare the mean values between the two groups. Results: Serum total bilirubin (t = 9.43, P < 0.01), serum creatinine (t = 3.40, P < 0.01), serum ammonia (t = 10.64, P < 0.01), prothrombin activity (t = 9.19, P < 0.01), serum lactate (t = 9.25, P < 0.01), heart rate (t = 4.47, P < 0.01), and mean arterial pressure (t = 4.41, P < 0.05) were significantly improved in 14 patients before and after treatment. In addition, respiratory rate (t = 6.01, P < 0.01) and APACHE II score (t = 7.19, P < 0.01) were significantly improved (P < 0.05). Eight patients with stage III hepatic encephalopathy were treated with intermittent plasma exchange combined with CVVHDF for 3 to 14 days, and six patients with stage IV were transformed to stage III to II. Liver transplantation was successfully performed on 14 patients with shortest time duration of 3days, and longest time duration of 1 month. Conclusion: Plasma exchange combined with CVVHDF can significantly improve liver and kidney functions, reduce blood ammonia level and improve mental health in patients with hepatic failure accompanied with stage III-IV hepatic coma. In addition, it also effectively increases the average arterial pressure, maintain stability of vital signs, maintain fluids, electrolytes and acid-base balance, create a stable internal environment for liver transplantation before operation, and extend time for liver transplantation.


With our colleagues in the Mosaic group, we have done several studies of the state of the Internet in India and in China beginning in 1998. These studies were conducted using a six-dimension framework we have developed for characterizing the state of the Internet in a nation. In 1999, we published a comparison of the state of the Internet in China and India. At that time we found that China had a clear lead in each of our six dimensions. This paper updates the comparison. We compare China and India on our six dimensions and find that China continues to have a substantial lead. We also see that India has made significant strides since our 1999 comparison. After examining the six dimensions, we turn to determinants of the values of those dimensions. What has led to China's lead and the progress that both nations have made recently? We conclude that the following factors were important in shaping China's lead over India. (1) Although Indian universities undertook Internet experiments before those of China, China decided to make the Internet a priority and began building it in earnest before India. (2) Chinese economic reforms, which began in the late 1980s, provided both capital for and openness to the Internet. (3) The pre-Internet Chinese decision to invest in telecommunication infrastructure and information technology industries provided complementary infrastructure and human resources for the Internet. (4) The Chinese ability to execute by decree rather than consensus building followed by legislative and regulatory reform accelerated the diffusion of the Internet. (5) The Chinese were able to create competition among government-owned organizations without taking time for legislative change and the raising of private capital. (6) The Chinese were able to establish competitors to the incumbent telephone company relatively rapidly. Although these factors jump-started the Chinese Internet, and will continue to work in its favor, market forces and openness of access and content may serve India well in the long run. Furthermore, there are also great similarities between the two nations, and we hope they will learn from each other and lead other developing nations.


An average of one million people receives U.S. naturalization annually. Understanding the nature of U.S. citizenship - or more particularly, the gatekeepers of U.S. citizenship - is thus crucial. One of these gatekeepers has recently been reconstructed following several years of redesign. In 2008, the U.S. Government introduced a new citizenship test that professes to focus on the substantive understanding of fundamental concepts of U.S. history and civics rather than memorization of random trivia, as was tested by the old citizenship test.This Article is the first to analyze the normative aspects associated with the new U.S. citizenship test and seeks to challenge the test's purpose, subject matter, format, ideology, and justification. It opines that the test has failed to achieve the main goal of the redesign process: to create a more meaningful test. While the test creates "summa cum laude immigrants" in U.S. history and civics, their understanding is still fleeting. It requires new Americans to memorize esoteric issues, such as the location of the Statue of Liberty, while ignoring the understanding of important ideas, such as liberty and equal protection.The manner new Americans are "created" is a political decision. The choices made today are likely to influence society tomorrow. The citizenship test is a great platform to examine these choices. This Article calls for a complete reassessment of the concept of citizenship tests.


The aldolization of unprotected 1,3-dihydroxyacetone (DHA) was studied under mild conditions (20 °C) in a mixture of water/EtOH using hydrocinnamaldehyde as a model substrate. It was shown that trimethylamine is the most effective base for this transformation, giving the corresponding aldol with up to 98% selectivity and 82% yield. The method was extended to a range of (biobased) aldehydes to give α-hydroxyketones with 29–70% isolated yields. These α-hydroxyketones were reduced under hydrogen using 5%-Ru/Al2O3 in EtOH at 100 °C to give tetraols with 79–97% isolated yields. The physicochemical properties of these tetraols were studied (CMC, Krafft point, PIT-slope method), and these studies revealed that this new class of C–C bond-linked nonionic surfactants exhibits high effectiveness, reducing the surface tension of water.


The main purpose of the exploratory research discussed in this paper was to generate insights into the complexity of the career-making processes involved in the transition from being a student to starting up a business. Using story-telling interviews, data were collected from fifteen graduates based in the Yorkshire region of the UK. Qualitative thematic analysis produced a chronological summary for each respondent, charting the sequence of events that led to start-up and providing appropriate context and rationale so that key themes could be identified. The research began as a study of the career-making process of moving from student status to self-employment; it ended by offering valuable insight into the complex transition process undertaken by a group of diverse graduates. This subtle shift of positioning is important, and reflects the outcomes of the in-depth research undertaken with the respondents. The findings suggest that only very rarely could the transition process be regarded as strategic. It was not a linear process with clear stages, but rather a continuous process which often stretched back to the respondent's pre-university life. The process is discussed in relation to three major themes: personal characteristics, employment experiences and lifestyle, and support. Appreciation and awareness of the lack of common transition and contextual processes, aspirations, factors and required capabilities must be reflected in policy and practice that seek to promote and enhance graduate entrepreneurship. The authors' findings question the suitability of neat policy formulas and skills-based interventions to encourage more students to take a start-up pathway. Further research is needed to strengthen the fledgling understanding of this process.


Globalizing knowledge economies foster conditions that intensify the role and value of organizational reputation risk. In an enterprise-focused era, reputation is a key strategic construct that can act as a boundary object linking communities within and between organizations. Yet approaches to its management tend to be reactive and remain under the hold of industrial society principles. Definitions of reputation risk in the existing literature and the business community have a tendency to be static and asset oriented. We suggest that this contrasts sharply with insights on the social construction of knowledge that inform recent risk studies. Drawing on this critique, we argue that the ambivalence engendered by on-going processes of definition (responsibilities, boundaries, fact construction) characterizing the knowledge society demands a reconceptualization of reputation risk. We propose a reconceptualization of reputation risk that not only incorporates a more sophisticated view of reputation, but also acknowledges the role that risk and trust relations can play in its constitution. In addition to contributing to the theoretical development of reputation risk in the organization studies literature, we develop the notion of reputable action as a guiding principle for realizing active trust development in the practical management of reputation risk.


The "quantified self," a cultural phenomenon which emerged just before the 2010s, embodies one critical underlying tenet: self-tracking for the purpose of self-improvement through the identification of behavioral and environmental variables critical to one's physical and psychological makeup. Of course, another project aimed at systematically improving persons through changes to the greater population is eugenics. Importantly, both cultural phenomena are built on the predictive power of correlation and regression—statistical technologies that classify and normalize. Still, a closer look at the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century eugenic projects and the early-twenty-first century proliferation of quantified self devices reveals an inherent incommensurability between the fundamental tenets underlying each movement. Eugenics, with its emphasis on hereditary physical and psychological traits, precludes the possibility that outside influences may lead to changes in an individual's bodily or mental makeup. The quantified self, on the other hand, is predicated on the belief that, by tracking the variables associated with one's activities or environment, one might be able to make adjustments to achieve physical or psychological health. By understanding how the technologies of the two movements work in the context of the predominant form of Foucauldian governmentality and biopower of their respective times, however, the incommensurability between these two movements might in fact be resolved.


The biological effects of ras oncogene activation in B cells were studied by using amphotropic retroviral vectors to introduce H- or N-ras oncogenes into human B lymphoblasts immortalized by Epstein-Barr virus. Expression of both H- and N-ras oncogenes led to malignant transformation of these cells, as shown by clonogenicity in semisolid media and tumorigenicity in immunodeficient mice. In addition, terminal differentiation into plasma cells was detectable as specific changes in morphology, immunoglobulin secretion, and cell surface antigen expression. This combined effect, promoting growth and differentiation in human lymphoblasts, represents a novel biological action of ras oncogenes and has implications for the pathogenesis of terminally differentiated B-lymphoid malignancies such as multiple myeloma.


Mucins are heavily glycosylated proteins that are produced in excessive amounts in breast cancers and other adenocarcinomas. These proteins are potent immunogens; indeed, most monoclonal antibodies raised against extracts of breast cancer cells or tumors are directed toward a single family of mucins. The anti-mucin antibodies currently available are valuable diagnostic aids for detecting advanced stages of breast cancer. To improve the sensitivity of these antibodies so that they might be suitable for use in screening and early diagnosis, tumor imaging, and therapy of breast cancer, recent studies have focused on identifying the precise epitopes they recognize.


Introduction It is suggested that hoarseness along with typical signs on laryngoscopy can be caused by oesophago-pharyngeal reflux, often referred to as LPR. New methods are proposed to assess pharyngeal exposure to gastric contents. They are suggested to measure (1) liquid or mixed gas-liquid acid and non-acid reflux (HMII-pH), (2) aerosolized acid reflux (Dx-pH measuring system, Restech), and (3) presence of pepsin in saliva. We aimed to quantify pharyngeal exposure to gastric contents in patients with hoarseness and healthy controls using the above techniques. Methods 21 patients with hoarseness and a positive laryngoscopy (mean age: 51 range: 23–75) and 10 asymptomatic controls (mean age: 26, range: 21–34) underwent simultaneous HMII-pH monitoring, oropharyngeal pH monitoring and saliva pepsin sampling. The HMII-pH catheter was located with impedance sensors in the oesophageal body, 3–5 cm distal and 0–2 cm proximal to the UOS. The Dx-pH catheter was located posterior to the uvula and pepsin in saliva was measured using an in vitro device utilising two pepsin monoclonal antibodies (PepTest) at five different times during the 24-h period. Patients were studied "off" PPI. Results Healthy controls had (1) no liquid or mixed gas/liquid reflux in the pharynx, (2) two controls had +ve Dx-pH and (3) two controls had more than one saliva sample +ve for pepsin with the other tests negative. Patients were classified into four groups: (a) all tests +ve (n=2); (b) two tests +ve (MII-pH + pepsin (n=5) or MII-pH + Dx-pH (n=3); (c) all tests negative (n=5) and (d) patients with +ve Dx-pH or pepsin without evidence of HMII detected reflux. These patients were considered negative (n=6). Dx-pH drops were poorly associated with HMII-pH reflux. 11% of Dx-pH drops to pH<4, 15% of pH drops to pH<5 and 10% of pH drops to pH<5.5 coincided with HMII detected liquid or gas reflux in the oesophageal body. The detection of pepsin in saliva occurred in 7/10 patients with acid or non-acid HMII detected reflux. Positive pepsin saliva samples were preceded by more reflux events in the previous 60 min 3 (1–4) than negative samples 0 (0–2) p<0.0001. Conclusion We identified a subgroup of patients with hoarseness with objective detection of oesophago-pharyngeal reflux (10/21). (b) the majority of oropharyngeal pH drops detected by Dx-pH do not correlate with retrograde flow (liquid or gas) in the oesophageal body. (c) Detection of pepsin in saliva suggests the likelihood of reflux episodes in the previous 60 min. Competing interests None declared.


Most oblate medusae use flow generated during swimming to capture prey. Quantification of their interactions with surrounding fluid is necessary to understand their feeding mechanics and to develop models to predict their predatory impact. In the present study, we quantified how the
hydromedusa Aequorea victoria interacts with both its surrounding fluid and prey. The fluid interactions were examined in the laboratory and in natural field settings using digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) measurements. The laboratory DPIV data were used to compute finite-time Lyapunov exponent (FTLE) fields, and Lagrangian coherent structures (LCS) were extracted from the FTLE fields. The laboratory LCS analysis demonstrated that swimming A. victoria only encounter discrete packets of fluid originating upstream of the medusan bell. Based on the size of these packets, we estimated that the A. victoria examined have the potential to clear 11.4 l h^(–1). Used in conjunction with measured prey capture efficiencies, we estimated potential clearance rates on different prey types. These hydrodynamically based clearance rate estimates are consistent with previously measured empirical clearance rate estimates. Velocity vector and shear fields also suggested that the feeding current created by A. victoria may be more suitable for encountering copepods than previously thought. Although still preliminary, in situ DPIV data indicate that natural background flows may alter the encounter process from what is observed in still-water laboratory conditions.


A voltage mode power converter with the function of digitally duty cycle tuning is presented. Enough loop gain is required to guarantee a good load regulation. In the proposed design, the load regulation can be improved through digitally duty cycle tuning, based on phase lead compensated voltage mode power converters. The whole circuit is implemented in a 0.13µm 1P8M CMOS process. The simulation results show that the output voltage's deviation can be controlled within ±10mV when the load current steps from 200mA to 1.65A, and a 14µV/mA load regulation can be obtained.


Over the past 2 decades, the use of botulinum toxin in clinical practice has grown exponentially across all fields of medicine. Initially approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1989 for the treatment of strabismus and blepharospasm, the neurotoxin's utility in the realm of ophthalmology and oculofacial plastic surgery has expanded to include both functional and cosmetic indications. Cosmetic use for the improvement of facial rhytids was first described in the literature in 1992. In 2002, after years of off-label esthetic use, the FDA announced approval of botulinum toxin for the treatment of glabellar furrows. Since that time, off-label oculofacial cosmetic indications have continued to emerge. The drug is an extremely popular and highly reliable option in minimally invasive facial rejuvenation. Indeed, injection of botulinum toxin is now the most frequently performed nonsurgical cosmetic procedure. Given its widespread use in the facial region, all ophthalmologists should be well versed in the mechanism, preparations, indications, and potential complications of botulinum toxin. Several preparations of botulinum toxin have emerged over the past decade. The different preparations possess distinct chemical structures and pharmacologic characteristics. However, there is considerable overlap among these formulations with regard to therapeutic indication and practical use. In this manuscript, we will present a brief overview of the use of botulinum toxin in oculofacial plastic surgery and discuss the similarities and differences between its many preparations, not only with regard to their structural and pharmacologic properties, but also from a practical clinical standpoint.


Poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(methyl methacrylate) blend based solid polymer electrolytes consisting of lithium triflate as a dopant ionic salt with varying concentration of propylene carbonate as plasticizer have been prepared by classical solution cast and ultrasonic-microwave irradiated solution cast methods. The X–ray diffraction study confirms that these electrolyte films have predominantly amorphous morphology. Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy in the frequency range 20 Hz - 1 MHz reveals that the complex dielectric spectra of the electrolytes have dispersion at high frequencies corresponding to polymer chain segmental relaxation process in the solid ion-dipolar complexes, whereas the electrode polarization relaxation process dominates at low frequencies. Significant changes in the polymer chain dynamics and dielectric parameters of the electrolytes are observed with change of plasticizer concentration and the sample preparation methods. Relatively enhanced polymer chain segmental dynamics, ordered ion-dipolar cooperativity and favourable ion conductive paths increase three times the ionic conductivity of 15 wt% PC polymeric electrolyte film prepared by ultrasonic-microwave irradiated method as compared to that of the classical solution cast method. The ionic conductivity and dielectric relaxation time have the Arrhenius temperature dependence characteristics of their same values of activation energies. Results infer that the ions transportation in the solid complexes of these electrolytes is predominantly governed by polymer segmental dynamics.


Described herein are the synthesis and photophysical characterization of a library of aryl-substituted oxazole- and thiazole-based dipeptidomimetic analogues, and their incorporation into position 66 of green fluorescent protein (GFP) in lieu of the natural fluorophore. These fluorescent analogues resemble the fluorophore formed naturally by GFP. As anticipated, the photophysical properties of the analogues varied as a function of the substituents at the para position of the phenyl ring. The fluorescence emission wavelength maxima of compounds in the library varied from ∼365 nm (near-UV region) to ∼490 nm (visible region). The compounds also exhibited a large range of quantum yields (0.01-0.92). The analogues were used to activate a suppressor tRNACUA and were incorporated into position 66 of GFP using an in vitro protein biosynthesizing system that employed engineered ribosomes selected for their ability to incorporate dipeptides. Four analogues with interesting photophysical properties and reasonable suppression yields were chosen, and the fluorescent proteins (FPs) containing these fluorophores were prepared on a larger scale for more detailed study. When the FPs were compared with the respective aminoacyl-tRNAs and the actual dipeptide analogues, the FPs exhibited significantly enhanced fluorescence intensities at the same concentrations. Part of this was shown to be due to the presence of the fluorophores as an intrinsic element of the protein backbone. There were also characteristic shifts in the emission maxima, indicating the environmental sensitivity of these probes. Acridon-2-ylalanine and oxazole 1a were incorporated into positions 39 and 66 of GFP, respectively, and were shown to form an efficient Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) pair, demonstrating that the analogues can be used as FRET probes.


This article was originally published in Encyclopedia of Fish Physiology: From Genome to Environment, published by Elsevier, and the attached copy is provided by Elsevier for the author's benefit and for the benefit of the author's institution, for non-commercial research and educational use including without limitation use in instruction at your institution, sending it to specific colleagues who you know, and providing a copy to your institution's administrator.


At the start of the 21st century, in a society that gives the impression of switching century every five years because of its never-ending evolution, the general practitioner is confronted every day to more complex situations, including problems encountered at the legal level. These last few years, the legal interrogations relevant to medicine and its progress became considerably more extensive in Belgium, as in many other countries. The medical law and its regulation are the subject of many front titles in the press and of animated political debates. The main issues concern the organ transplantation, the meddling with human genetics, the questions related to the reproduction, euthanasia or the protection of the patient's rights. All these legal problems, without exception, are the subject of a great deal of attention in society and create to many controversies. The growing number of regulations in many fields of medicine, as well as their growing complexity, reinforces the importance of the medical law as a distinct discipline of legal sciences. More and more, the doctors of any qualification are required to guarantee, by adequate certificates, the health, the aptitude, the situation of disease of their patients. The patients can then have certain advantages granted by society. Out of concern for their patients, the experts are sometimes tempted not to be perfectly objective. This attitude can lead to penal or disciplinary sanctions and may undermine the confidence of people who exercise authority to give the requested advantages. The initial mistrust, which led to the system of the certificate, extends to those who were supposed to fully collaborate. How to leave this infernal round that sterilizes, denatures the medical act? While waiting for men of goodwill to consider the system and reform it, it remains with the writers of certificates to avoid the traps lying in their path. The purpose of this work is to propose models of certificate that experts can fill in accordance of the circumstances. It is only a guide and consequently, it sometimes requires an interpretation. This is why each model is described together with its justification and its traps.


Eurycoma longifolia is one of the famous herbal plants with great medicinal benefits. The plant which also known as Tongkat Ali is well-known for treating erectile dysfunction and as energy booster. Tongkat Ali plantlets were produced using in vitro propagation technique to cater the demand for planting material. The development of successful acclimatization technique is prerequisite for in vitro propagation method. Acclimatization is a step to prepare the plantlets to survive and grow in different environment compare to laboratory. In this study, an attempt was made to identify the best potting media to acclimatize Tongkat Ali using glass chamber. Rooted plantlets about 2-4 cm height were used and subsequently transferred to different potting media for acclimatization i.e jiffy 7, sand, baked soil, mixture of cocoa peat and sand, sand and top soil and lastly cocoa peat and baked soil. Plantlets grown in jiffy 7 showed 100% survival followed by the mixture of cocoa peat and baked soil with 94.45% of survival. The acclimatized plantlets were transplanted into polybag and maintained in the shadehouse condition.


Radioimmunoimaging of bone marrow was performed for non-invasive detection of skeletal involvement in 15 patients with carcinoma of the breast and 17 patients with malignant lymphomas. Bone marrow scans were performed by means of a monoclonal 99mTc-labelled antibody, directed against NCA-95 and CEA. The presence and extent of skeletal involvement were controlled by skeletal scintigraphy, plain radiographs and CT; bone marrow biopsies were obtained in 19 patients as well. 20 subjects without suspected malignant disease served as controls. Haematopoietic bone marrow was imaged homogeneously and with high contrast in all controls. 15/15 patients with carcinoma of the breast and 10/17 patients with malignant lymphomas had multifocal bone marrow defects due to skeletal metastases. Bone marrow scans revealed significantly more lesions than skeletal scintigraphy both in carcinoma of the breast (p = 0.027) and malignant lymphomas (p = 0.015). Thus, radioimmunoscintigraphy of bone marrow may provide a new, sensitive approach for non-invasive detection of metastatic spread to the skeletal system.


Traditionally, it has been understood that art is not a form of knowledge of the same kind as empirical, scientific or technological knowledge. For this reason, one cannot speak of the progress of art in any sense except in the progress of certain techniques. Nonetheless, artists who defend the idea of "artistic research" are dismantling these traditional ideas since they understand that at least some types of art projects do produce knowledge in a strong sense. So, at least of some art research projects it is possible to affirm that they represent a cognitive progress of the same sort as we find in the sciences. I propose three examples: Duty-free Art, by the German artist Hito Steyerl; a research on the chekas of Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39 by the Spanish artist Pedro G. Romero; and finally, in his participatory work El Camp de la Bota by the Catalan artist Francesc Abad. These projects result in contributions to knowledge in a very literal sense. They are works of art that generate propositional knowledge susceptible to being debated and refuted, like that of the social sciences or the humanities, and experiencing similar cognitive progresses. But this type of progress of art is, in any case, a minority. Progress in artistic research practices in general, excepting those stronger, resembles, from the cognitive point of view, the cognitive progress of philosophy. My thesis is that the concept of cognitive progress that we use in philosophy as an endless reflection and proliferation of perspectives and new concepts can be applied, therefore, to the practices of artistic research in general. Such progress cannot be visualized by a linear metaphor, but by a succession of concentric circles expanding in every direction.


European consumers were more likely, until recently, to eat Indian, Israeli or Brazilian mangoes rather than Malian ones. However, since 2001, sea-freighted Malian mangoes produced in the south of the country by small-scale farmers have been successfully exported and retailed in Northern Europe. This achievement was quite significant given the prior failure of similar projects and the overall difficulty in finding investors for the export of perishables from landlocked countries with poor transport connections, like Mali. The export of Malian products is controlled by Ivorian exporters with few returns to the producers on the other side of the border. Despite the high quality of its fresh fruit and vegetables, the high cost of airfreight was impeding the expansion of production and export. By establishing a multi-modal shipment system and improving every step of the supply chain, the mango export pilot project proved the feasibility and profitability of such innovation.


Using available food composition data, individual Exchange Lists within the revised Exchange Lists for Meal Planning were evaluated for calories; protein; fat; calcium; phosphorus; iron; sodium; potassium; vitamin A; thiamin; riboflavin; niacin; ascorbic acid; saturated, oleic, and linoleic fatty acids; cholesterol; and crude fiber. Mean values, standard deviations, and ranges are reported for the above nutrients. Mean values agreed well with those suggested in the booklet for grams of carbohydrates, protein, and fat and for calories for all lists except milk. However, a wide range in values exists for food within each Exchange List.


The goal of cyber security standards is to improve the security of information technology (IT) systems, networks, and critical infrastructures. A cyber security standard defines both functional and assurance requirements within a product, system, process, or technology environment. Well-developed cyber security standards enable consistency among product developers and serve as a reliable metric for purchasing security products. Cyber security standards cover a broad range of granularity, from the mathematical definition of a cryptographic algorithm to the specification of security features in a web browser, and are typically implementation independent. A standard must address user needs, but must also be practical since cost and technological limitations must be considered in building products to meet the standard. Additionally, a standard's requirements must be verifiable; otherwise, users cannot assess security even when products are tested against the standard.

Keywords:

cyber security;
information technology;
standards;
standardization


__Abstract__

Over the last decades, total health expenditures have increased significantly (Meltzer,
2001; Folland et al., 2004). Governments in low- and middle-income countries
(LMICs) as well as in high-income countries face the difficult challenge of ensuring
that necessary interventions are accessible for those who need them, while keeping
care affordable. Since good quality health care and new medical interventions can
be expensive, the process of balancing the goals of ensuring access to good quality
health care for all citizens and ensuring affordability of health care is a difficult one
(Weale, 1998). The need for both efficient financing and budget allocation in health
care hence is ever increasing. Economic resources being limited, the issue of how
health care can be organized in an affordable manner is at the heart of many policy
discussions. It is ultimately also scarcity that forces politicians and policymakers alike
to decide on how to organize health care, what interventions to implement and
how to finance them. This is a daunting task since setting priorities or rationing care
which encompasses "explicit and regular attempts to define how much of which
services should be provided and moving resources between services" (Hunter, 1997),
clearly are unpopular topics among constituents.


Author(s): Ardekani, Soroush M. | Advisor(s): Ghosh, Kaustabh | Abstract: The goal of this research was to develop a site-targeting nanotherapeutic drug delivery platform for suppression of chronic vascular inflammation and regression associated with debilitating conditions such as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Importantly, loss of endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO), an endogenous anti-inflammatory and pro-vasculogenic factor that prevents leukocyte-endothelial cell (EC) adhesion and capillary regression, is strongly implicated in chronic inflammation associated with these conditions. Thus, restoring NO levels represents a viable approach for anti-inflammatory therapies. Nitroglycerin (NTG) markedly enhances nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. However, its ability to mimic the anti-inflammatory and pro-vasculogenic properties of NO remains unknown. Here, the overarching goal was to examine whether (1) NTG can suppress vascular inflammation and regression, (2) a nanotechnological drug delivery approach can be leveraged to simultaneously amplify its anti-inflammatory effects and ameliorate adverse effects associated with conventional high-dose NTG administration, and finally (3) NTG nanoformulation can be modified to selectively deliver NTG to inflamed ICAM-1-expressing vessels. My findings reveal that NTG significantly inhibits monocyte adhesion to inflamed ECs and prevents EC capillary regression in vitro through an increase in endothelial NO and decrease in endothelial ICAM-1 clustering. More importantly, nanoliposomal NTG (NTG-NL) produced an approximately 70-fold increase in NTG drug efficacy when compared with free NTG while preventing excessive mitochondrial superoxide production and loss of arterial vasorelaxation associated with high NTG doses. Finally, to facilitate targeting of NTG-NL to inflamed ICAM-1-expressing vessels, whole ICAM-1 IgG and non-immunogenic anti-ICAM-1 scFv fragment were tethered to the surface of NTG-NL. As a proof-of-concept study whole ICAM-1 IgG-modified NLs demonstrated preferential targeting to inflamed vessel, in vivo. Importantly, however, the translational potential of these NLs lies with the non-immunogenic scFv fragment. The following in vitro studies reveal that NTG-NL modified with anti-ICAM-1 scFv exhibits 6-fold greater binding to inflamed (ICAM-1-expressing) ECs than to normal ECs and achieves superior anti-inflammatory effects. Thus, these findings provide the rationale to examine this novel site-targeting NTG nanotherapeutic as a potentially superior therapy for various vascular inflammation-mediated conditions. Addressing these critical issues related to potential NTG-based therapy forms the central theme of the following dissertation.


Boglarka Kapas, Tamas Kenderesi (Olmypic swimmers) and Adam Nagy (national football player) joined the Milk heart campaign in 2017 which is financed by the Milk Interprofessional Organization and Product Board, Community Marketing Fund. This campaign drawed attention to the consumption of domestic dairy products.


There are several key technical risks to the UK's5G and wider mobile network infrastructure. Principally, these cover espionage, sabotage, and blackmail . The Committee should ensure they do not overlook the "sabotage"angle – being able to disable the UK's mobile networks would have devastating impact on the economy,public safety, and wider society . This discussion needs to be about more than purely 5G networks however –the committee needs to focus on existing 4G networks as well – 4G and 5Gnetworks are deeply intertwined, and for each site, mobile operators need to deploy 5G from the same vendor as they use on that site for4G. This plays into the economic arguments made by operators against a ban on Huawei – there is significant deliberate "vendor lock-in" ,meaning mobile operators did not face a genuine competitive choice between providers – those who had adopted Huawei 4G systems would need to remove and replace those existing 4G systems. Further significant use of Huawei risks further entrenching their equipment,making it even more costly to remove in future . The interdependency between networks also means that the option of switching back to a 4G does not exist should problems arise with the 5G network. Should any capability remain, it is likely to be only a very limited 2G service with practically no data service provision. The Government's own advice from HCSEC around very limited assurance of Huawei equipment appears to significantly contradict the assurances Government appears to have ,and the Committee should explore this area further as a matter of priority (details enclosed). The UK's decision could well affect the UK's geopolitical position.The UK's soft power on an international stage may be diminished by the decision ,particularly since much of its soft power is derived from a dedication to democracy, human rights, and civil liberties. The UK's international standing,particularly with the US, could be impacted by as few as 3 or 4 individual senators ,regardless of the quality of relations with the White House.The wider impact of the political sentiment of decisions should therefore be considered. From an international prestige and status perspective, even some minor sabotage (i.e. short-term deliberate outage of a UK mobile network)could make the UK look significantly weakened on an international stage, and harm the country's reputation as a reliable place to do business. Given the Chinese state's past behaviour on offensive cyber action, and Huawei's apparently close links to the Chinese state, there is an elevated potential cyber threat presented. From an international relations and diplomacy perspective, a dependency on another state for critical infrastructure is a weakness which can be exploited by others.


The purpose of this study was to discover the connection between the lived experiences with Christianity of teenage African-American females ages 16 to 18 and their self-esteem by exploring their lived experiences with this form of faith. The participants in the study were African-American females who all attended church at a large, predominantly African-American congregation in Prince George's County Maryland, identified by the initials MEBC. All of the participants had a belief in God and used prayer to exercise that belief. The average age of the participants was 17.25. Their level of education ranged from completion of 11th grade to completion of the first year of college with an average of 11.65 years of education. All of the participants live in Prince George's County, Maryland, in the cities of Clinton, Waldorf, and Capital Heights. Three of the participants were raised in two-parent families and the other five were raised in single-parent homes. This qualitative inquiry used a phenomenological design. A total of five main themes emerged from the data: (a) prayer to God, (b) believe in God, (c) high self-esteem based on Christian values, (d) Christian walk impacts self-esteem, and (e) seeking help from God.


Abstract. Temperate snakes occupy overwintering sites for most of their annual life cycle. Microhabitat characteristics of the hibernaculum are largely undescribed, yet are paramount in ensuring snake overwintering survival. We hypothesized that snakes survive hibernation within a vertical subterranean space that we termed a "life zone" (LZ), that is aerobic and flood and frost free throughout winter. We studied an isolated, endangered population of Massasaugas (Sistrurus catenatus) inhabiting an anthropogenically altered peatland and monitored the subterranean habitat during a period of environmental stochasticity. Initial radio telemetry confirmed that snakes moved between altered and natural habitats during the active season and showed hibernation-site fidelity to either habitat. We used a grid of groundwater wells and frost tubes installed in each hibernation area to measure LZ characteristics over 11 consecutive winters. The LZ within the impacted area was periodically reduced to zero during a flood–freeze cycle, but the LZ in the natural area was maintained. Model selection analysis revealed that soil depth and flood status best predicted LZ size. Thermal buffering and groundwater dissolved oxygen increased with LZ size, and annual Massasauga encounters were significantly correlated with LZ size. This analysis suggests a population decline occurred when LZ size was reduced by flooding. Our data give support to the importance and maintenance of an LZ for successful snake hibernation. Our methods apply to subterranean hibernation habitats that are at risk of environmental stochasticity, causing flooding, freezing, or hypoxia.


Accumulating evidence indicates that phobic and posttraumatic anxiety disorders likely result from a failure to extinguish fear memories. Extinction normally depends on a new learning that competes with the original fear memory and is driven by medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) projections to the amygdala. Although mPFC stimulation was reported to inhibit the central medial (CEm) amygdala neurons that mediate fear responses via their brainstem and hypothalamic projections, it is unclear how this inhibition is generated. Because the mPFC has very sparse projections to CEm output neurons, the mPFC-evoked inhibition of the CEm is likely indirect. Thus, this study tested whether it resulted from a feedforward inhibition of basolateral amygdala (BLA) neurons that normally relay sensory inputs to the CEm. However, our results indicate that mPFC inputs excite rather than inhibit BLA neurons, implying that the inhibition of CEm cells is mediated by an active gating mechanism downstream of the BLA.


A study of 4 groups of serum samples from Cuba, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama was made to determine the serotypes of dengue virus causing epidemics or outbreaks by using IgM antibody-capture ELISA(MAC-ELISA). Dengue-IgM diagnostic kit was independently used in each of the serotypes and an index value was calculated (optical density of the sample/cut-off value) in each case, with which two statistical analyses were made: Fisher's variances and Litter significant difference (LSD) calculation. Such calculations allowed determining that in Cuba and Panama, serotype 2 circulated whereas in Costa Rica, serotype 1 prevailed. These were the isolated serotypes in various epidemics. Regarding Nicaragua, very heterogeneous responses were obtained, the responsible serotype could not be determined since more than two serotypes co-circulated in this country.


The IEEE 1061, IEEE standard for a software-quality metrics methodology, which is the first IEEE-issued standard that deals with quality metrics, is discussed. The philosophy behind the standard, the scope of the standard, and the standard's intended audience are described. Several aspects of the standard, including the methodology of metrics and validity criteria, are reviewed.<<ETX>>


Academic exchange programs provide students and teachers with the opportunity to study or work temporarily at educational institutions abroad. For exchange programs to be successful in promoting intercultural education, they must be designed with their participants in mind. The present study constitutes an investigation of attitudes and expectations of students and teachers with respect to a German—Algerian university exchange program. Germany and Algeria belong to separate cultural spheres—the Western/European and the Arabic/Islamic—and almost no academic exchange has taken place between them to date. The survey's four participant groups were German (n = 270) and Algerian students (n = 214), and German (n = 24) and Algerian teachers (n = 43). The study revealed large differences in the hopes and fears that German and Algerian university students and teachers attach to reciprocal academic exchange. The study's ramifications for the future planning of a German—Algerian university exchange program are discussed.


This essay treats the friendship between Prince Hamlet and the poor scholar Horatio, both students at the University of Wittenberg, as emblematic of the uneasy interpenetration of nobility and the clerical culture of the universities in sixteenth-century England. It explores the transformation which rendered the English Universities socially heterogeneous places where intimate friendship could be forged across status boundaries, despite warnings that such contact could denature nobility. The essay then considers the way in which Hamlet exposes the prince's investment in university learning as a source of his ontological uncertainty, at the same time that it exploits the association between learning and nobility in order to cultivate an audience that prides itself on intellectual distinction.


Object manipulation is a critical skill required for Embodied AI agents interacting with the world around them. Training agents to manipulate objects, poses many challenges. These include occlusion of the target object by the agent's arm, noisy object detection and localization, and the target frequently going out of view as the agent moves around in the scene. We propose Manipulation via Visual Object Location Estimation (m-VOLE), an approach that explores the environment in search for target objects, computes their 3D coordinates once they are located, and then continues to estimate their 3D locations even when the objects are not visible, thus robustly aiding the task of manipulating these objects throughout the episode. Our evaluations show a massive 3x improvement in success rate over a model that has access to the same sensory suite but is trained without the object location estimator, and our analysis shows that our agent is robust to noise in depth perception and agent localization. Importantly, our proposed approach relaxes several assumptions about idealized localization and perception that are commonly employed by recent works in embodied AI -- an important step towards training agents for object manipulation in the real world.


In bacteria, genetic transformation is a physiological process of taking up exogenous DNA from the extracellular environment. In S. pneumoniae, this process is a transient state and subject to tight regulation. To initiate competence, two sets of gene expressions need to be induced by a signal peptide, CSP. The early gene expression produces ComX and ComW. ComX and ComW work in concert to turn on late gene expression, which eventually make cell competent.
Among late genes, there are many uncharacterized ones whose functions remain unknown. To find out if those unknown late genes are required for competence development, classic genetic analysis is necessary. In order to have a gene disruption tool without leaving the selective marker in the genome, I sought to construct a lox/cre/lox cassette for creating efficient marker-less gene deletion. In this new cassette, two mutant lox sites, lox66 and lox71, flank a erythromycin-resistance marker, ermAM, that can be used as a temporary marker for selection of desired recombinants, and a cre gene, which is under the control of a native regulated pneumococcal promoter. The cassette may subsequently be removed by the recombination of the two lox sites induced by the controllable induction of the cre gene, with retention of 34 bp from the cassette as an inert residual double-mutant lox72 site. We named this cassette "Cheshire". Compared to other gene deletion strategies used in streptococcus, the Cheshire cassette has shown to be more efficient and reliable.
As soon as competence is turned on, it is shut off immediately. Proteolysis of ComX and ComW has been proposed to be one factor that shuts off competence in time. However, it seems that there is another factor from the late gene products that might also play a role in competence termination. I decided to screen on the ComX-induced late genes, especially the transformation-essential late genes. Among the 20 genes tested, ΔdprA displayed a prolonged late gene expression pattern, whereas mutants lacking cbpD, cibABC, cglEFG, coiA, ssbB, celAB, cclA, cglABCD, cflAB, or radA, exhibited a wild-type temporal expression pattern. Combined with previous lab work showing that DprA limits the amounts of ComX and another early gene product ComW, I concluded that DprA controls their amounts by inhibiting early gene expression rather than by promoting the degradation of ComX and ComW. To ask what target DprA might work on in turning off early gene expression, yeast two-hybrid assay was employed to investigate protein interactions between DprA and ComD, DprA and ComE. My results suggest that DprA could interact with ComE, but not with ComD, ComX, and ComW. Therefore, I further hypothesize that DprA shuts off early gene expression and competence by a direct interaction with ComE, which makes ComE unable to be phosphorylated.
On the other hand, ComW has been found to be required for competence development along with ComX. However, how ComW participates in this process is not known. To ask if ComX and ComW interact directly, I took advantage of yeast two-hybrid system by fusing ComX with the activation domain and ComW with the DNA-binding domain of the GAL4 transcription factor. My results revealed a direct interaction between ComX and ComW. Taken together with previous results, my data indicate that the role of ComW in turning on competence might be via a direct interaction with ComX. Considering that ComW is a small protein S. pneumoniae, I hypothesize that ComW might work as an adaptor for the activation of ComX.


Digitalisation has had a game-changing effect on society—but how will future changes unfold? In this paper, we introduce the Technology Cards — a novel dialogue-based design game that enables users to explore the impact of multiple technologies on their future business. We review 14 card-based design games that focus on emerging technologies or futures thinking and identify an unmet need for design games that will help business managers navigate in a digital future. We describe the iterative development of the Technology Cards, including their testing in 17 Tech Session workshops with 257 participants from 40 private and public sector organisations. The findings reveal that the Technology Cards are "instruments of inquiry" that aid users in a) framing current challenges, b) imagining how multiple technologies affect the future, c) identifying synergies between technologies, and d) facilitating constructive dialogue. We discuss the importance of involving non-technology-savvy stakeholders in envisioning digital futures and creating design tools to help stakeholders grasp the implications of technology. The paper contributes to practice through a detailed description of the design game development process and lessons learned in this process through its use in industrial practice, as well as agenda-setting impacts on the business strategies of the participating organisations. The paper contributes to research by demonstrating how a design game helps stakeholders anticipate the impacts of new technologies on the future of their business.


In A Poetics of Social Work, Ken Moffatt considers the epistemological influences in the field of Canadian social work and social welfare from 1920 to 1939. Here, modernist constructs of knowledge are explored through the analysis of the thought of leading social welfare practitioners, namely Dorothy Livesay, Carl Dawson, Charlotte Whitton, and E.J. Urwick. These four figures represent a wide cross-section of Anglo-Canadian social thought at two of Canada's most influential universities (McGill and Toronto), and Moffatt's study of their thinking reveals the presence of a diversity of approaches to social work and social change during this period. By challenging the notion that human values and humanitarian concerns were abandoned in favour of science, empirical findings, and technical interpretation of authoritative knowledge, the author attempts to expand the concept of the social work knowledge base and explores how social work emerged as a profession in Canada. Moffatt's study presents a broad context for analysis, and provides fascinating reading and source material for those interested in history, philosophy, literature, and biography, as well as social work and the social sciences.


Computer security is at a crossroads. It's failing regularly and with increasingly serious results. CEOs are starting to notice. When they finally get fed up, they'll demand improvements-either that or they'll abandon the Internet, which seems unlikely. Computer security is not a problem that technology can solve. Security solutions have a technological component, but security is fundamentally a business problem. Companies approach security as they do any other business uncertainty-in terms of risk management. Organizations optimize their activities as a cost-risk ratio. Understanding these motivations is key to understanding the state of computer security today. We need to change the economics of security, giving the businesses in the best position to fix the problem the motivation to do so.


OBJECT
For oculomotor nerve palsy (ONP) induced by unruptured posterior communicating artery (PCoA) aneurysms, the authors performed surgical clipping via a superciliary keyhole approach as an optimal treatment modality with high efficiency and low invasiveness. In this study, they then evaluated the technical feasibility, safety, clinical outcomes, including recovery from ONP as well as cosmetic results, and durability of the procedure.

METHODS
Thirteen patients presenting with complete (7 patients) or incomplete (6 patients) ONP underwent surgery via a superciliary approach. The operative video record was used to evaluate the technical feasibility, neurological examinations and CT were performed to analyze the safety of the treatment, and neuroophthalmological examinations and 3D CT angiography were undertaken to determine the effectiveness and durability of the treatment.

RESULTS
In all cases, the aneurysms were successfully clipped using a 3.5-cm eyebrow incision and supraorbital minicraniotomy. The mean operative time was 108 ± 24 minutes. Twelve (92.3%) of the 13 patients showed complete resolution of the ONP. All 6 patients (100%) with incomplete ONP recovered completely within 1-2 months after surgery, whereas 6 (85.7%) of the 7 patients with complete ONP recovered completely within 1-6 months after surgery. Cosmetic results for the operative wounds were excellent without frontalis palsy. The durability of the treatment was ascertained based on 3D CT angiograms obtained 1 year after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS
Surgical clipping via a superciliary keyhole approach can be an optimal treatment modality for PCoA aneurysms inducing ONP because it is effective, safe, and durable.


When elementary prices move strictly proportionately, aggregation over a group of diverse products is valid, and group demand responses can be decomposed into quality and quantity responses. This study shows that when relative elementary prices and group prices are stochastically independent, a similar decomposition is valid. Empirical results suggest consumers respond to changes in prices and income mostly by altering the quality of meat products. These findings imply that using commercial disappearance as a proxy for food demand can be misleading for policy analysis. Key words: commodity aggregation, Composite Commodity Theorem, composite demand, Generalized Composite Commodity Theorem, quantity-quality decomposition


Objectives To overcome challenges in the implementation of electronic dental record systems in a low-resource setting, it is crucial to know the level of users' satisfaction with the existing system of paper-based dental records and their perceptions of electronic dental records. Methods A cross-sectional paper-based questionnaire survey was conducted among Myanmar dental professionals who worked in one of two teaching hospitals or in private dental clinics. Descriptive data were analyzed and regression analysis was carried out to identify factors influencing perceptions of electronic dental records. Results Most dental professionals (>60%) were satisfied with just three out of six aspects of paper-based dental records (familiarity, flexibility, and portability). In addition, generalized positive perceptions were found among decision makers towards electronic dental records, and 86% of dentists indicated that they were willing to use them. Financial concerns were identified as the most important barrier to the implementation of electronic dental records among dentists who were not willing to use the proposed system. Conclusions The first step towards implementing electronic dental records in Myanmar should be improvement of the content and structure of paper-based dental records, especially in private dental clinics. Utilization of appropriate open-source electronic dental record software in private dental clinics is recommended to address perceived issues around financial barriers. For the long term, we recommend providing further education and training in health informatics to healthcare professionals to facilitate the efficient use of electronic dental record software in Myanmar in the future.


This exploratory study evaluated biophysical, cultural and socio-economic factors affecting crop production and land utilisation in the Nkonkobe Municipality, South Africa. The study sought to establish what farmers in the area perceive as serious threats to crop production, drivers for land abandonment, and how best current agricultural production could be intensified. The farmers' perspectives were assessed through interviews using semi-structured and open-ended questionnaires. The results of the study revealed declining crop productivity and increase in land abandonment in the Municipality. The biophysical drivers of land abandonment were low and erratic rainfall and land degradation while the socio-economic drivers were labour shortages due to old age and youth movement to cities, lack of farming equipment and security concerns. The most abandoned crops were maize, sorghum and wheat. This trend was attributed to the labour intensiveness of cereal production and a shift in dietary preference to purchased rice. These findings should be factored in any programmes that seek to increase land utilisation and crop productivity in the Municipality.


Commercial stereoscopic displays have reemerged in the consumer market within the last few years. Today, film studios routinely produce live-action and animated 3D content for theatrical release. While primarily enabled by the widespread adoption of digital projection, allowing accurate view synchronization, the underlying 3D display technologies have changed little in the last few decades. Theatrical systems rely on stereoscopic display: projecting a unique left/right image pair that is separated by various filters placed within a pair of glasses worn by each viewer. In contrast, several LCD manufactures are introducing automultiscopic displays: allowing view-dependent imagery to be perceived without the aide of special glasses. Given these developments, 3D display is poised for another resurgence. This course is a hands-on introduction to 3D display and provides attendees with the mathematics, software, and practical details necessary to build their own low-cost stereoscopic displays. An example-driven approach is used throughout, with each new concept illustrated using a practical 3D display implemented with off-the-shelf parts. First, glasses-bound stereoscopic displays are explained. Detailed plans are provided for attendees to construct their own LCD shutter glasses. Next, unencumbered automultiscopic displays are explained, including step-by-step directions to construct lenticular and parallax barrier designs using modified LCDs. All the necessary software, including algorithms for rendering and calibration, is provided for each example, allowing attendees to quickly construct 3D displays for their own educational, amusement, and research purposes. The course concludes by describing various methods for capturing, rendering, and viewing various multi-view imagery sources. Stereoscopic OpenGL support is reviewed, as well as methods for ray-tracing multiview imagery with POV-Ray. Techniques for capturing "live-action" light fields are also outlined. Finally, recent developments are summarized, inspiring attendees to evolve the capabilities of their self-built 3D displays.


Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Family Resilience Reinforcement Program (FRRP) for family caregivers of the elderly with dementia on the family resilience, caregiver burden, family adaptation, perceived health status and depression. Methods: FRRP was implemented for 60 minutes each time, once a week, for 8 weeks. According to 3 factors of Walsh's Family resilience theory, FRRP was organized and specified as redefining 'belief system' in 1 to 2 sessions, figuring out one's own 'organizational pattern' in 3 to 5 sessions, enhancing 'communication process' in 6 to 8 sessions. A total of 46 family caregivers were assigned into either the experimental group with FRRP or the control group. Data were collected from February 18 to April 12, 2013 at the dementia support centers, and the data of 36 participants were finally analyzed. Results: The experimental group reported statistically significant differences in family resilience (p=.002), caregiver burden (p=.012), family adaptation (p<.001), and perceived health status (p=.002) compared to those in the control group. No significant difference was found between the two groups in depression. Conclusion: In the light of these results, FRRP is considered to decrease caregiver burden and to influence family resilience, family adaptation and perceived health status positively. The developed FRRP is considered to be an efficient nursing intervention for strengthening family resilience of the given population. It warrants future research expanding the range of target population to those caregivers of the patients with other chronic conditions.


Single and cascaded microstrip step discontinuity problems are studied. Modal formulations and numerical solution procedures are investigated in an effort to determine computationally efficient techniques for the solution of such problems. The enforcement of a model orthogonality criterion, the boundary enlargement/reduction concept, and convergence as a function of the number of modes and their accuracy are considered. Theoretical and experimental results are presented for the scattering parameters of several sample geometries. >


Template electrodeposition has been used to grow uniform arrays of molybdenum oxide nanostructures in polycarbonate membrane. Several parameters have been investigated, like electrodeposition, time and solution pH. These parameters do not influence the nature of the deposit that always consists of mixed valence molybdenum oxides, whereas the nanostructure morphology changes with pH. In particular, at low pH (2.7), nanotubes are formed, whilst arrays of nanowires are obtained above pH 5.5. This change of morphology is likely due to H2 bubbles evolution during the electrochemical deposition, particularly occurring at low pH. It was found that fast removal of H2 bubbles through vigorous stirring of the solution favors the growth of nanostructures with a uniform length. Molybdenum oxide nanostructures were characterized by XRD, EDS, Raman, XPS and photoelectrochemical measurements. Results indicate that nanostructures are amorphous and consist mainly of MoO2 underneath α-MoO3. The presence of these two oxides was confirmed by photoelectrochemical experiments. From photocurrent spectra, two linear regions appear in the (Iph·hν) 0.5 vs. hν plot, whose extrapolation to Iph=0 gives optical gaps values of 2.5 and 3.2 eV, which are typical of MoO2 and α-MoO3, respectively. In addition, photoelectrochemical investigation revealed n-type conductivity of this mixed oxide deposit.


Often called the father of landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmsted was responsible for the design of Central Park and Prospect Park in New York City; Mount Royal Park in Montreal; the Belle Isle Park in Detroit; the Grand Necklace of Parks in Milwaukee; the Cherokee Park and entire parks system in Louisville, KY; and the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, to name a few of his most famous projects. His landscape works are enjoyed in 25 states and 3 Canadian provinces. Most of these parks were created during and immediately after the Civil War. This title presents the opportunity to witness the evolution of Olmsted's design and social philosophies during a time of upheaval in American history. Sixteen selections, dating from the 1850s to the 1890s, reveal Frederick Law Olmsted's youthful interests as well as his mature thinking on cities, small residential sites, the history and theory of urban parks, and landscape architecture in general. His writings directly addressed important issues of his day, but they remain as cogent as ever in today's environmental crisis.


Deposits ascribed to slope-dependent mass-transport mechanisms are not uncommon in the geological record. In terms of relative abundance, deposits of this type formed in subaerial environments are subordinate to those originating in subaqueous (and especially submarine) conditions. This difference results partly from the lower preservation potential of subaerial deposits but there is evidence that mechanisms of this type are both common and more effective in subaqueous environments. Described fossil examples of subaerial mass-movement include mud and gravel flows associated with alluvial fans and the deposits of volcanic/pyroclastic origin known as lahars. Sediments of deformed or chaotic aspect, attributed to mass-movement under glacial or periglacial conditions, are widespread in the Pleistocene and early Holocene but are rarely recorded from older glacial episodes. The lithified products of subaqueous mass-transport encompass a wide range of sedimentary environments, from fluvial through lacustrine and deltaic to the deep ocean floor. Such sediments also span the entire spectrum of behavioural categories, from elastic through plastic to viscous or fluid conditions. A new classification of subaqueous mass-transport deposits which is essentially descriptive but carries important genetic implications will be discussed, with examples.


In the 21st century, we have witnessed three coronavirus outbreaks: SARS in 2003, MERS in 2012, and the ongoing pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The search for efficient vaccines and development and repurposing of therapeutic drugs are the major approaches in the COVID-19 pandemic research area. There are concerns about the evolution of mutant strains (e.g., VUI – 202012/01, a mutant coronavirus in the United Kingdom), which can potentially reduce the impact of the current vaccine and therapeutic drug development trials. One promising approach to counter the mutant strains is the "development of effective broad-spectrum antiviral drugs" against coronaviruses. This study scientifically investigates potent food bioactive broad-spectrum antiviral compounds by targeting main protease (Mpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro) proteases of coronaviruses (CoVs) using in silico and in vitro approaches. The results reveal that phycocyanobilin (PCB) shows potential inhibitor activity against both proteases. PCB had the best binding affinity to Mpro and PLpro with IC50 values of 71 and 62 μm, respectively. Also, in silico studies with Mpro and PLpro enzymes of other human and animal CoVs indicate broad-spectrum inhibitor activity of the PCB. As with PCB, other phycobilins, such as phycourobilin (PUB), phycoerythrobilin (PEB), and phycoviolobilin (PVB) show similar binding affinity to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and PLpro.


In this paper, an efficient user-cooperation scheme associated with cyclic coding for WSNs (Wireless Sensor Networks) using LEACH (Low-Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy) is proposed. The proposed user-cooperation requires no CSI(channel state information) at both transmitter and receiver, and simple encoding and decoding of cyclic codes not only reduce significantly the processing complexity of sensor nodes but also improve the transmission performance. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme can save 7dB over single transmission at BER of 10-2 in network energy.


The unprecedented progress in aging research has revealed that rapamycin, a clinically approved drug, is actually an anti-aging agent, which potentially could be employed to delay age-related diseases, thus extending healthy life span. The possibility of preventing diseases by staying young is remarkable in itself. At the same time this advance could save Medicare as we know it. Here I discuss how anti-aging interventions could solve otherwise intractable political problems without tax increases or curtailment of health care benefits.


CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2008 Abstracts

Abstract #3118

Background : Dasatinib (SprycelR; BMS-354825) is a potent orally-available inhibitor of Src-family kinases and other kinases with anti-proliferative, anti-osteoclastic and anti-metastatic activity demonstrated pre-clinically. Expression profiling suggested that basal-like cancers may be preferentially sensitive to dasatinib. Methods : A Phase II single-agent trial of dasatinib, using a continuous schedule, was performed in patients with advanced triple-negative (as proxy for basal-like) breast cancers. Subjects were required to have measurable locally-advanced or metastatic triple-negative (ER/PR-negative, Her2-normal) disease and prior anthracycline and/or taxane therapy. A 2-stage Gehan design was adopted, with RECIST-defined response as primary endpoint; subjects discontinued for toxicity were considered non-responders. The original dasatinib dose of 100 mg BID (n=21) was reduced to 70 mg BID (n=23) to improve tolerability. Biomarkers were analyzed in tumor and plasma samples obtained for PK analysis. Results : From 12/06 through 12/07, 44 subjects were treated at 14 institutions: median age 55 yrs, median time from diagnosis 30 mo, prior therapy for advanced disease in 29 (66%). Of 43 response-evaluable subjects, 7 discontinued for toxicity prior to on-study assessment. Of 36 subjects with radiographic assessment, there were 2 confirmed PR [1 continues >1 year + 1 discontinued for intolerance at week 16] plus 2 SD lasting >16 weeks. Four additional subjects had transient clinical benefit reflected by improvement in bone pain (anecdotal) or short-term tumor shrinkage (reductions of 11 - 29%). Tolerability was improved at a dose of 70 mg compared with 100 mg BID. In preliminary analysis, fewer subjects experienced any serious adverse event (13% at 70 mg BID vs 48% at 100 mg BID), fewer reported Grade 3 toxicity, including gastrointestinal (10% vs 26%), pleural effusion (4% vs 9%), generalized edema (0% vs 9%) or pericardial effusion (0% vs 9%), and fewer had dasatinib dose reduction (24% vs 61%). Fatigue, myalgia/arthralgia and headache were comparable at the two doses. No Grade 4 drug-related events occurred. Grade 3-4 abnormal laboratory values were uncommon. Biomarker and PK data will be presented. Conclusions : Modest but encouraging single-agent activity was observed with dasatinib in patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancers, with clinical benefit rate of 9.3% (4/43). Future studies are warranted to address optimal dose and schedule of dasatinib in combination with chemotherapy for this challenging tumor type.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 3118.


Within the past ten years a renaissance of hope with drug therapy, as well as dissatisfaction with older models of treatment, has brought increasing attention to the area of mental health. Local, state, and federal resources are being mobilized to facilitate new approaches. Essentially mental health has been reintroduced to public health. With the trials, failures, and successes of these new programs we can expect to see more books such as this one documenting an approach to dealing with public mental health problems. Dr. Knight and Mr. Davis have compiled a manual for use in developing and implementing a community psychiatry program. It was written for persons training in the field, as well as those responsible for directing the programs. The authors present some of the problems and ask questions concerning possible strategies that could produce viable solutions. The book begins with a number of items that


Analysis of Process explores cross-disciplinary approaches to creative practice seen through theatre & film design, writing, curation, and fine art practices.
Waddington Cultural Collective (WCC) members from different disciplines and areas of practice have worked together to explore their approaches to overlapping areas, or edges, of interest and enquiry. They have discussed the processes they use to develop creative ideas and produce work. A painter has worked with a writer; a theatrical model maker has worked with a sculptor and curator; and an installation artist has worked with a set designer. Each of these three groupings has documented a previous one-day exploratory meeting and these documents form the basis, the starting point, of their presentations on January 13th and the start of an Analysis of Creative Process
Some key questions:
Where is common ground found and where is difference?
How is the process of developing ideas and making artefacts different in our disciplines and
how does it pull us together?
What, and how do we share?
When we find overlaps between us how does this redefine our own work?
How can we work together jointly in the development of creative outcomes and why would
we want to do that?
Why are there seemingly artificial boundaries constructed around different creative disciplines?
The participating audience is central to the afternoon's open discussion that will be led by invited critical friends Emma Cocker (Reader in Fine Art) and Michael Eaton (award winning dramatist). We hope the audience will delve, dig and unpick the morning's presentations. The purpose of this session is not primarily to find answers but to explore all reaches and tributaries of the creative process and practice to see beyond disciplines often spuriously located in
watertight compartments.


Abstract New graduate nurses are often targets of bullying and horizontal violence. The support offered by new graduate nurse transition programs may moderate the effects of bullying and limit its negative impact on new graduate nurse transition. This study examined the relationships between access to support, workplace bullying and new graduate nurse transition within the context of New Graduate Transition programs. As part of a mixed methods study, an online survey was administered to new graduates (n=245) approximately a year from starting employment. Bullied new graduate nurses were less able to access support when needed and had poorer transition experiences than their non-bullied peers. Participation in a formal transition program improved access to support and transition for bullied new graduate nurses. People supports within transition programs positively influenced the new graduate nurse transition experience. Formal transition programs provide support that attenuates the impact of bullying on new graduate nurses and improves transition.


We analyse voluntary coalition formation using a unique panel data for 1056 municipalities in the French region of Brittany between 1995 and 2002. We use a control function approach to develop a binary discrete choice model with spatial interactions. We find that a municipality's decision to cooperate over the provision of local public goods depends on the decisions made by its neighbours. In particular, the probability of cooperating with neighbouring municipalities is higher if the latter already provide joint local public goods. This suggests that functional cooperation is likely to emerge due to a mimicking motivation and is poorly motivated by political alignment. The results are in line with the recent applied spatial economics literature but are derived for a discrete choice model setting.