An electromagnetic pneumatic pump driver has been developed with the goals of enhanced mechanical reliability and simplicity of operation. The new driver eliminates failure prone components such as solenoid valves or pressure regulators common to conventional pneumatic drive systems, has only a single moving part, and provides for closed-loop operation in which stroke volume and dP/dT are controlled on each beat in real time. Power is provided by a high force (178 N) electromagnetic linear actuator. This assembly uses a high energy density neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnet, low loss vanadium alloy pole pieces, and an energized moving coil. The nominal stroke length of the actuator is 1.7 cm. During operation, the moving coil always remains within a fixed annular air gap, resulting in a measured force output versus applied power linearity of better than 92% over its stroke range. The coil is directly attached to the free end of a 10 cm diameter, 21 convolution, welded titanium metal bellows that forms the gas containing element of the system. The comparatively low pressure gradients across the bellows in this application result in a predicted life for the bellows in excess of 10(9) cycles. Bellows position and internal pressure are monitored continuously to control the pneumatic output. The linear actuator total excursion and velocity are adjusted on each beat using a closed-loop servo system. This results in a pump driver with no operator required adjustment of drive pressure. Instead, there are user selected settings of stroke volume, operating mode, and fill sensitivity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Functional outcome of preterm infants is highly related to the quality and quantity of nutrients provided during the first few weeks of life. New guidelines, as published by the ESPGHAN in 2010, have provided means to prevent undernutrition in the NICU. Especially proteins and amino acids seem to play a pivotal role, and the optimal regimen has not yet been determined. New data on the intrauterine nutrient supply suggest a high amino acid intake during the fetal period. How these results might translate into improvement of especially neurocognitive outcome needs to be investigated. Copyright © 2013 Nestec Ltd., Vevey/S. Karger AG, Basel


Results are presented from an experimental investigation into the generation and growth of a turbulent mixed layer above and below an oscillating horizontal grid in a rotating stratified fluid. The (square) grid was located at middepth at one end of a long rectangular container, and was confined on three of its four sides by the vertical walls of the container. Flow visualization data are presented to show (1) the rapid initial vertical growth of the mixed layer above and below the grid, (2) the collapse of the mixed layer and the generation of an intrusive flow into the initially undisturbed interior of the fluid, (3) the deflection of the intrusive flow toward the right side wall, and (4) the formation of a boundary current, which circulates around the container before returning mixed fluid to the source region at the grid. Examples of stable and unstable boundary currents are illustrated. Quantitative data are presented to show that the thickness of the mixed layer increases with either decreasing buoyancy frequency, and/or increasing grid frequency, throughout all phases of its development. The influence of background rotation upon the vertical growth of the mixed layer is shown to be negligible during the rapid initial vertical expansion of the layer, though this is not the case in the longer-term behavior. For this latter phase, the layer thickness increases with increasing rotation rate of the system, under otherwise identical conditions. Measurements of the initial equilibrium thickness hc of the layer show that it scales with the parameter (K/N)½, where K is the grid action, and N is the buoyancy frequency of the stratified fluid. Values of the dimensionless parameter [hc/(K/N)½] show no significant dependence upon the ratio N/2Ω of the buoyancy and inertial frequencies, for a range of values of the latter between 0.4 and 29.7. This behavior is shown to be compatible with the result (Hopfinger, 1987) that shear-free turbulence is dominated by background rotation only if the Rossby number based on the rms velocity and integrated length scale is less than 0.2.


: The anthelmintic activity of albendazole (5 mg/kg) and cambendazole (20 mg/kg) was compared in twenty-two naturally infected horses and ponies, which were divided into two equal groups. Comparison was based on the faecal strongyle egg counts. On the fourteenth and twenty-eighth days after the first treatment in May, the reductions in faecal egg counts were 99.1 and 93.9 per cent respectively in the albendazole group and 88.0 and 75.7 per cent respectively in the cambendazole group. Within fourty-two days after treatment had been initiated, the mean EPG (eggs per gram) had been restored to the initial level in both groups. The same animals were treated again in August; this time, however, the anthelmintics were changed. In the albendazole group, the faecal egg counts were reduced by more than 95 per cent and, in the cambendazole group, by not more than 84.1 per cent. As the horses were not weighed, the disappointing results obtained with camendazole may have been due to low a dosage, although resistance cannot be ruled out. When the trial was concluded in October, within fifty-six days after treatment in August, the faecal egg counts continued to be remarkably low in both groups: 8.3 per cent of the average EPG prior to treatment in the albendazole group and 21.2 per cent in the cambendazole group. As the trials did not provide any evidence to suggest a larvicidal action of the two anthelmintics, the difference with the results of treatment in May is attributable to an inhibitory effect on the development of the infective Strongyle larvae, specifically Cyathostominae, ingested during the summer.


In this paper, we investigate the design of macrocell generators of division and square root floating-point operators. The number representation used in our operators is the IEEE-754-1985 standard for binary floating-point numbers. The design and implementation of the generators rely on a powerful multi-view macroblock generator tool called GenOptim. This computer-aided design (CAD) tool is able to output a set of different descriptions for several VLSI technologies as well as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The division and square root operators described in this paper use the signed-binary-digit representation. We start first by describing the operators for the significand, then we investigate the IEEE floating-point operators. Throughout this paper, and wherever appropriate, we present the implementation results using the GenOptim environment.


The real experts on poverty are poor people, yet the incidence and trends in poverty are usually measured by the use of official economic indicators assumed by researchers to be relevant. Poor householders themselves distinguish between subsistence and cash income. In a 'self-assessed poverty' exercise, poor villagers in rural China specified and weighted key poverty indicators. Eight key indicators describing three basic types of poverty were isolated and used to construct a participatory poverty index (PPI), the components of which provide insights into core causes of poverty. Moreover, the PPI allows direct comparison of the incidence of poverty between villages – differences in social, cultural, and environmental characteristics of each village notwithstanding. As a result, the PPI offers an objective method of conducting poverty monitoring independently of physical and social features. This article provides a brief description of the PPI and the data needed to construct a village-specific PPI.


Recent research at Japanese manufacturers in the UK has tended to simply focus on their employee relations practices, arguing that where they operate effectively they result in a loyal and highly productive workforce. It often goes on to point out that there is a link between these practices and the companies' production systems, suggesting that employee relations practices are an integral part of the production system at a Japanese company. However, the research fails to adequately show the implications of this link. Its attempts to examine the issue have remained descriptive, devaluing its results and conclusions. This research remedies this deficiency. The research's central argument and findings are that production systems vary considerably between Japanese manufacturers in the UK and that contrary to popular belief some of these companies' production systems display serious shortcomings. It argues that employment relations practices at these companies though an integral part of their production systems are only one of several sets of characteristics necessary to the successful operation of the company. It is also important to consider a company's organizational structure and managerial effectiveness. Strengths and weaknesses in these other production system characteristics affect employee responses to a company's employment relations practices, impeding or assisting the intended improvement of individuals in the performance of their work. Either a vicious or virtuous circle can therefore emerge since employee responses to a company's employment relations practices will further contribute to its production performance. Testing this argument involves the design and use of an innovative model that identifies the key characteristics necessary for the production system at a Japanese manufacturing transplant in the UK to perform efficiently. Identification of these characteristics allows the model to be used as a benchmark against which to compare the production systems of Japanese manufacturers. The research applies the model to the production systems of nine Japanese companies in the UK's consumer electronics sector and identifies a number of differences in their production system characteristics. Two of these nine companies are then selected as case studies and their production systems are examined in detail. In addition, workforce reactions to the employee relations practices at these two companies are also measured using questionnaire and interview data. The results confirm the research's argument that the closer a company's manufacturing system comes to displaying the model's full set of production system characteristics, the more likely it is that its employee relations practices will elicit workforce attitudes and behaviour desired by the company.


Benign tracheobronchial tumors account for only 1.9% of pulmonary tumors and a very small number of tracheobronchial fibroepithelial polyps have been reported in the literature so far. The authors report the case of a 45-year-old man, active smoker, admitted with fever, purulent sputum and pleuritic chest pain for four days. He also referred progressive dyspnea on exertion, orthopnea and cough with mucoid sputum for the last 3 months. Physical examination revealed an oxygen saturation of 92% on room air and decreased breathing sounds on the lower half of the right hemithorax on chest auscultation. Chest X-ray showed a heterogeneous opacity in the right lower lobe with an ipsilateral mediastinum deviation. The patient was started on antibiotics as community acquired pneumonia was initially assumed. Because there was neither clinical nor radiological improvement after 5 days of treatment, a chest computed tomography scan was performed showing obliteration of right main bronchus and consolidation of right inferior and middle lobes. Flexible bronchoscopy revealed a 2 cm pedunculated, glossy and lobulated lesion with implantation base on the right upper lobe carina, totally obstructing the right main bronchus and protruding to the trachea (Fig. 1). As rigid bronchoscopy was readily available it was then performed and the lesion was fully removed at once with a biopsy forceps. Nd-YAG LASER was applied to the base of the lesion. The patient was discharged after 2 days, asymptomatic and with a normal chest X-ray. Histological examination revealed a respiratory epithelium with focal Malpighi metaplasia, with an axis containing many congested and dilated vessels, surrounded


Some adult cleft palate patients show severe maxillary transverse contraction and posterior crossbite. This case report demonstrates successful surgical-orthodontic treatment of such a patient. Surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SA-RME) was completed prior to comprehensive orthodontic treatment. The osteotomy was performed on both the buccal and lingual aspects of the posterior maxillary alveolus. A Hyrax-type maxillary-expansion appliance was used, and the screw (0.2 mm, one quarter turn) was turned two or three times per day. Comprehensive orthodontic treatment was initiated after extraction of the mandibular first premolars and four third molars. The maxillary lateral incisors were also extracted after active orthodontic treatment. The amount of expansion achieved using SA-RME was greater at the posterior than at the anterior maxilla. Midpalatal suture opening occurred. After orthodontic treatment, occlusal stability was satisfactory. This case demonstrates the effectiveness of SA-RME in adult cleft palate patients with severe posterior crossbite.


This study aimed to analyze the level of health of PERUM DAMRI SEMARANG period 2008-2010. Because PERUM DAMRI SEMARANG is a part of BUMN (Badan Usaha Milik Negara), which is profitable state's institution. It's necessary to know about the healthy of this institution. The type of this research was a quantitative descriptive analysis. In analyzing the level of health by using three aspects (financial, operational and administration). Each aspect had a different population and sample. On the financial, and the administration aspect did not examine population and samples. While the operational aspects, the whole population and the sample were DAMRI SEMARANG PERUM management (using the census method). The data analysis techniques used were financial ratios, the elements of activity considered the most dominant in order to support the success of operations in accordance with the vision and mission, and the data regarding the calculation of annual reports, draft RKAP, and periodic reports. The results of the research seen from three aspects, namely in 2008 reached a score of 78 or 82.98% of the total score should be 94. So this year the company was in the category of healthy with predicate AA. In the year 2009 reached a score of 68.5 or 72.87% of the total score should be 94. So this year the company entered the healthy category with predicate A. By 2010, it achieved a score of 64.5 or 68.62% of the total score should be 94. So this year the company entered the healthy category with predicate A. Keywords : health analysis, financial, operational, and administration aspect.


1. Treatment of comminuted fractures of the distal end of the radius by transfixation with Kirschner wires and cast fixation is an effective method of maintaining reduction. An exacting method of assessment showed that the anatomical results were satisfactory in 75 per cent of the patients and unsatisfactory in 25 per cent. None of the latter group, however, showed a major deformity and none underwent subsequent surgery.

2. The functional results were good. All patients, but one, resumed their former occupations and recreational activities; five had some minor restrictions. There was an average loss of grip strength of 27 per cent in two-thirds of the patients. In keeping with common experience, the loss of grip strength was greater in compensation cases than in non-compensation cases.

3. As noted by previous observers, a poor anatomical result led to greater disability; four of the five fractures rated poor in the over-all evaluation also had a poor anatomical result. Healing with a negative volar angle, however, had no appreciable effect on the range of palmar flexion.

4. With application of a scale which considered all measurable factors, 79 per cent of the patients showed a satisfactory result and 21 per cent a poor result. From the patient's purely subjective view point, however, 96 per cent had a satisfactory result.


A model of detecting an abnormal IP traffic in a subset of network is described. The model is based on the hypothesis that random sampling subnet are the same probability distribution as the entire network if some conditions are met with, nodes's degree in IP traffic can be processed as a power-law distribution in scale-free network . The model analyzes the power exponent and relations between the anomalous behavior and parameter r. Finally, a test was conducted by the data, some type attacks could be identified exactly. the model provides a new framework for intrusion-detection system.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The degree to which MR imaging is useful in the diagnosis of MS is predicated on standardized and reliable evaluation of MR imaging parameters. We aimed to devise items for an MR imaging scoring tool that would have high inter-rater agreement and would be straightforward to apply. MATERIALS AND METHODS: On the basis of a literature search and consensus of an expert panel, we identified 48 parameters that describe acute CNS demyelination, predict MS diagnosis, or characterize demyelinating disorder mimics. MR images of children with clinically confirmed MS, monophasic ADEM, and angiography-negative biopsy-positive small-vessel primary angiitis of the CNS were scored by 2 neuroradiologists independently, using the preliminary 48-parameter tool. Parameters with Cohen κ ≥ 0.6 and deemed important in predicting diagnosis were retained. Parameters not visualized on routine clinical imaging or not important in differentiating MS, ADEM, and SV-cPACNS were discarded. RESULTS: Of 65 eligible patients, 55 children were enrolled (16 with monophasic ADEM, 27 with MS, 12 with SV-cPACNS); 10 were excluded (6 had hard-copy films, 4 did not meet MR imaging quality requirements). Of the 48 parameters, 16 were retained in the final scoring tool. The remaining 28 parameters were discarded: 4 had κ < 0.6 and were not deemed useful in predicting diagnosis; 9 were not visible on routinely acquired clinical images; and 15 had inter-rater agreement ≥0.6 but were not useful in differentiating monophasic ADEM, MS, and SV-cPACNS. CONCLUSIONS: We propose a 16-parameter MR imaging scoring tool that is straightforward to apply in the clinical setting and demonstrates high inter-rater agreement.


Multi-object tracking has been recently approached with the min-cost network flow optimization techniques. Such methods simultaneously resolve multiple object tracks in a video and enable modeling of dependencies among tracks. Min-cost network flow methods also fit well within the "tracking-by-detection" paradigm where object trajectories are obtained by connecting per-frame outputs of an object detector. Object detectors, however, often fail due to occlusions and clutter in the video. To cope with such situations, we propose to add pairwise costs to the min-cost network flow framework. While integer solutions to such a problem become NP-hard, we design a convex relaxation solution with an efficient rounding heuristic which empirically gives certificates of small suboptimality. We evaluate two particular types of pairwise costs and demonstrate improvements over recent tracking methods in real-world video sequences.


An understanding of the mass build-up in galaxies over time necessitates tracing the evolution of cold gas (molecular and atomic) in galaxies. To that end, we have conducted a pilot study called CO Observations with the LMT of the Blind Ultra-Deep H I Environment Survey (COOL BUDHIES). We have observed 23 galaxies in and around the two clusters Abell 2192 (z = 0.188) and Abell 963 (z = 0.206), where 12 are cluster members and 11 are slightly in the foreground or background, using about 28 total hours on the Redshift Search Receiver on the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT) to measure the 12CO J = 1 → 0 emission line and obtain molecular gas masses. These new observations provide a unique opportunity to probe both the molecular and atomic components of galaxies as a function of environment beyond the local Universe. For our sample of 23 galaxies, nine have reliable detections (S/N ≥ 3.6) of the 12CO line, and another six have marginal detections (2.0 CO line, and another six have marginal detections (2.0 CO line, and another six have marginal detections (2.0 9 and 1010 M⊙. Comparing our results to other studies of molecular gas, we find that our sample is significantly more abundant in molecular gas overall, when compared to the stellar and the atomic gas component, and our median molecular gas fraction lies about 1σ above the upper limits of proposed redshift evolution in earlier studies. We discuss possible reasons for this discrepancy, with the most likely conclusion being target selection and Eddington bias.


We consider an energy harvesting source equipped with a finite battery, which needs to send timely status updates to a remote destination. The timeliness of status updates is measured by a non-decreasing penalty function of the age of information (AoI). The problem is to find a policy for generating updates that achieves the lowest possible time-average expected age penalty among all online policies. We prove that one optimal solution of this problem is a monotone threshold policy, which satisfies (i) each new update is sent out only when the age is higher than a threshold and (ii) the threshold is a non-increasing function of the instantaneous battery level. Let τB denote the optimal threshold corresponding to the full battery level B, and p(·) denote the age-penalty function, then we can show that p(τB) is equal to the optimum objective value, i.e., the minimum achievable time-average expected age penalty. These structural properties are used to develop an algorithm to compute the optimal thresholds. Our numerical analysis indicates that the improvement in average age with added battery capacity is largest at small battery sizes; specifically, more than half the total possible reduction in age is attained when battery storage increases from one transmission's worth of energy to two. This encourages further study of status update policies for sensors with small battery storage.


Shallow water hydrothermal vents can be compared to polluted places due to high concentrations of heavy metals, and are thus good models for bioaccumulation studies. The present study intended to estimate the time of exposure required for the accumulation of certain elements to stabilize in specimens of Cystoseira abies-marina, to be used as a reference in future work. Cystoseira abies-marina intertidal specimens were transplanted from Mosteiros (a non-hydrothermal and pristine site) to Ferraria (with hydrothermal activity) and left there. Transplanted samples were collected after 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks and the concentrations of Cd, Mg, Mn and Zn were measured through flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Although further studies with increased periods of exposure are needed because the concentration of these elements never stabilized in the collected samples, there is strong evidence that increased time of exposure led to increased concentrations of Cd, Mg, Mn, but not Zn. These results are consistent with the assumption that C. abies-marina is bioaccumulating some of the heavy metals and can thus be a good indicator for polluted waters.


In this paper, we investigate adaptive control for broadcast scheduling and base station caching in the hybrid wireless broadcast (HWB) environment. The proposed adaptive method can adapt well to different access conditions and bandwidth capabilities and adequately exploit the three data delivery modes: push-based broadcast, pull- based broadcast, and pull-based point-to-point communication. Simulation studies demonstrated that our proposed method achieves significant performance improvement in average waiting time and success rate.


Trypanosoma cruzi , the etiological agent of Chagas disease, is an intracellular parasite that targets specific proteins of the host cell resulting in the generation of a unique parasitophorous vacuole (PV). As an intracellular parasite, T. cruzi interacts with cells from the mammalian host. Here we review aspects related with the binding of the main infective developmental stage (trypomastigote) to the host cell and its recognition by surface-exposed ligands/receptors. This process involves numerous signaling pathways and culminates in the entry of the parasite and modifications in both cells. The invasion of trypomastigotes occurs through multiple endocytic process, assembly of the PV, interaction of this vacuole with the endolysosomal system, lysis of the PV membrane, and multiplication of amastigotes within the cell in direct contact with host cell organelles.


Replicate populations of bacteria were propagated for 1000 generations in the laboratory. The growth substrate was periodically renewed, so that during most generations (cell doublings) it was not limiting. The final clones demonstrated about a 40% fitness increase when competed against their common ancestor. This increase was uniform both among and within populations despite extensive differentiation in correlated traits: cell size, resistance to starvation and dry mass of culture. It is suggested that genetic diversity developed because selection promoted any changes directing cell activity toward a higher maximum growth rate. Evolution of this trait halted at a similar level when some basic constraints on bacterial metabolism were met. The selective values of emerging mutations must have depended on the genetic background. They would be beneficial early in evolution but ineffective near the limit of adaptation. This hypothesis was tested for one mutation that affected both fitness and colony morphology. In some clones it was the first adaptive mutation and provided a third of the total fitness increase, but it was not assimilated by the clones that reached the adaptive ceiling in some other way. Near the limit of adaptation, epistasis levels off the fitnesses of genetically variable clones.


Sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria aged 1+ and 2+ years were towed for 4 h in a net, transferred to air for either 15 or 30 min, and then held in tanks for up to 35 days for observation of physical injury, immediate mortality, behaviour impairment, delayed mortality and total mortality. Behaviour was impaired for at least 3 h and returned to normal levels by 24 h after stress induction. Behaviour impairment was correlated with delayed mortality in 2+ year fish but not in 1+ year fish which showed greater variation in stress responses. The results of this study and a review of past discard and escapee studies showed that substitute measures for delayed mortality in the field should include physical injury and behaviour impairment. These two measures integrate the effects of capture-related stressors which can produce and magnify physical and physiological injury, resulting in changes in fish condition and delayed mortality.


Intent is a fundamental element in military Command and Control (C2) systems. The ability for a commander to communicate Intent is vital to lead subordinates so that the overall mission is completed in the best possible way. However, the expressiveness of Intent is limited in current C2 systems. The current data exchange models are not capable of representing Intent in a machine interpretable format.An essential problem to overcome before Intent can be inserted into C2 systems, is to define it to a sufficient level of detail, since different definitions of Intent exist. If this problem can be overcome, the next problem is to represent Intent in such a way that it fits with existing C2 formalisms. The final problem is to what degree the proposed representation of Intent can be inserted into existing and future C2 systems.This thesis presents how to model and formalise Intent to such a degree that it can be communicated and automatically processed in military C2 systems. The contributions are: a literature review over Intent in C2; a model that captures and relates Intent to key information elements and processes in C2; a formalisation of Intent into a computational tractable representation covering the information elements defined in the developed model; an implementation of the model and formalism into an architectural design for Intent in C2 systems; and a series of demonstrations of the implementation in current C2 systems and simulators that show that the suggested model, formalism and implementation is suitable to represent Intent to such degree that Intent can be represented, exchanged, visualised and executed within current and forthcoming C2 systems.


Author(s): Freeze, Benjamin | Advisor(s): Edwards, Robert | Abstract: The role of the basal ganglia in motor control has been the subject of intense interest over the past several decades. It is well known that many movement disorders including Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease are associated with basal ganglia pathology. However, the normal functions of the basal ganglia, and their disruption in pathological states, are still poorly understood. Two parallel anatomical pathways in the basal ganglia have been proposed to oppositely regulate the propensity for movement. According to this so-called "classical model" of basal ganglia function, activation of the direct pathway facilitates movement, while activation of the indirect pathway suppresses movement. We have now utilized in vivo optogenetic activation of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) that form the origin of the direct and indirect pathways to address the question of how activation of these circuits affects motor behavior. We have found that we can selectively target ChR2 to either direct or indirect pathway MSNs via Cre-dependent expression in either D1-Cre or D2-Cre BAC transgenic mice. In vivo recordings performed under anesthesia demonstrate activation of ChR2-expressing MSNs in the striatum, and both direct pathway-mediated inhibition, and indirect pathway-mediated excitation of SNr neurons. Direct pathway activation in behaving mice elicits robust locomotor activation, while indirect pathway activation strongly suppresses movement. We have also utilized pathway-specific activation of the striatum to investigate the modulation of SNr activity by direct and indirect pathways in awake behaving mice. We found that both direct and indirect pathway stimulation produce some of the effects predicted by the classical model, namely that direct pathway activation robustly inhibits some SNr cells, while indirect pathway excites some SNr cells, concurrent with changes in locomotion. However, we also observe that pathway stimulation produces responses in some SNr cells opposite to classical model predictions, possibly as a consequence of strong lateral inhibition in this nucleus. Furthermore, we find that focal inhibition of SNr drives locomotor initiation, while global excitation elicits motor suppression. These results are consistent with predictions that the direct pathway provides focused inhibition for action selection, while indirect pathway globally suppresses action.


ABSTRACT Objectives: Health-care professionals (HCPs) are at very high risk for accidental exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV) from infected patients; as such, this study aimed to investigate the knowledge, awareness, attitude, and practice of HCPs toward hepatitis B vaccination. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with a pre-tested, validated questionnaire in seven major cities in Saudi Arabia from January to April 2015. The questionnaire consisted of four sections: demographics, knowledge, awareness of hepatitis B infection, and attitude of HCPs toward HBV. We analyzed the data collected from study participants using SAS® V9.2. Results: Approximately 16.5% of participants reported that they had not received the hepatitis B vaccine; however, the majority of participants believed that hepatitis B is common (73.2%) and that vaccination is an effective strategy to reduce disease incidence (75%). Availability of the vaccine was a major barrier to vaccination (48.7%), together with safety concerns surrounding the vaccine (37%). Approximately 31.2% of non-vaccinated participants believed the hepatitis B vaccine is not safe, while only 8% possessed this belief in the vaccinated group. Additionally, 36.4% of non-vaccinated participants were unsure of the effectiveness of the vaccine, compared to 24.3% in the vaccinated group. Inability to afford the vaccine was reported by 18.2% of the non-vaccinated group compared to only 4% of vaccinated participants. Conclusion: There is notable hepatitis B vaccination coverage among HCPs, but observed levels are below global standards. We believe the hurdles preventing non-vaccinated HCPs from being immunized must be addressed.


In this thesis relationships and the occurrence of reticulate evolutionary events in the club moss genus Diphasiastrum are investigated. Diphasiastrum is initially established as a monophyletic group within Lycopodiaceae using non recombinant chloroplast sequence data. Support is obtained for eight distinct parental lineages in Diphasiastrum, and relationships among the putative parent taxa in the hypothesized hybrid complexes; D. alpinum, D. complanatum, D. digitatum, D. multispicatum, D. sitchense, D. tristachyum and D. veitchii are presented. Feulgen DNA image densitometry data and sequence data obtained from three nuclear regions, RPB2, LEAFY and LAMB4, were used to infer the origins of three different taxa confirmed to be allopolyploid; D. zanclophyllum from South Africa, D. wightianum from Malaysia and an undescribed taxon from China. The two Asian polyploids have originated from two different hybrid combinations, D. multispicatum x D. veitchii and D. tristachyum x D. veitchii. Diphasiastrum zanclophyllum originates from a cross between D. digitatum and an unidentified diploid taxon. The occurrence of three homoploid hybrid combinations commonly recognized in Europe, D. alpinum x D. complanatum, D. alpinum x D. tristachyum and D. complanatum x D. tristachyum, are verified using the same three nuclear regions. Two of the three hybrid combinations are also shown to have originated from reciprocal crosses. Admixture analyses performed on an extended, dataset similarly identified predominately F1 hybrids and backcrosses. The observations and common recognition of hybrid species in the included populations are hence most likely due to frequent observations of neohybrids in hybrid zones. Reticulate patterns are, however, prominent in the presented dataset. Hence future studies addressing evolutionary and ecological questions in Diphasiastrum should emphasize the impact of gene flow between parent lineages rather than speciation as the result of hybridization.


In this study, a LiNbO3-based SAW resonator was directly integrated with a CMOS sustaining amplifier using new wafer-bonding-based integration technology. The developed integration technology has overcome the large thermal expansion mismatch between LiNbO3 (14 to 15 ppm/K along the a-axis) and Si (2.6 ppm/K) by temporary wafer supporting and low-temperature Au–Au bonding. Two kinds of bonding, UV polymer bonding for temporary wafer supporting and Au–Au bonding following plasma surface activation, are key process technologies. A 500-MHz one-chip SAW oscillator was prototyped and evaluated. A low phase noise of –122 dBc/ Hz at 10 kHz offset and –160 dBc/Hz at 500 kHz offset was achieved.


Polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC) is a devise to convert chemical energy to electricity by harvesting the electrons released in oxidation of hydrogen. The performance of PEMFC is affected by many factors, and one of them is gas flow in the porous gas diffusion layer (GDL) and catalyst layer (CL). The main objective of this PhD project is to investigate the impact of micron-scale pore structures of GDL on fluid flow using a combination of numerical modelling and imaging technology with a view to improve fuel cell design. X-ray computed micro-tomography was developed to visualize 3D structures of GDL at scales of one microns, and focused ion beam (FIB) scanning electron microscope was developed to visualize the 3D structure of the CL at a scale of a few nano-metres. The 3D structures were then combined with the lattice Boltzmann equation (LBE) model to investigate the gas flow through the GDL. The simulated microscopic velocity not only reveals the detailed gas flow paths in the GDL, but also provides a way to estimate the macroscopic transport parameters, including anisotropic permeability, diffusivity and tortuosity, some of which are difficult to measure experimentally. The attraction of the LBE methods is their flexibility in dealing with different microscopic forces and complicated boundaries. Different LBE methods have been developed in the literature, including single-relaxation time LBE model and multiple-relaxation time LBE model, with the former being claimed to be superior to the later. In this project, I thoroughly investigated the performance of the single-relaxation time LBE and the multiple-relaxation time LBE for simulating single-phase flow in GDL and other porous media. The results showed that, using only two thirds of the computational time of multiple-relaxation LBE model, the single-relaxation time LEB model could give reasonable results when the relaxation time was unity. For unity relaxation time, the fluid viscosity can be recovered by adjusting the size of the time step. This is significant for 3D simulations which are computation-demanded. Practical applications need to stack the fuel cells and to avoid gas leakage, in which the GDLs will be non-uniformly compressed. The impact of the compression on gas flow and hence fuel cell performance was also investigated. The by-product of fuel cells is water generated at the cathode; how to drain the water is a critical issue in fuel cell design. Based on the 3D x-ray images, I simulated the movement of liquid water through GDL from the catalyst layer to the channel with a view to investigate the impact of making GDL hydrophobic on water flow pattern. Another contribution of this thesis is gas flow in the catalyst layer in which the averaged pore sizes is less than one micron and the Knudsen number cannot be neglected. The pore geometry of the pore in catalyst layer was simplified into a bundle of tubes with various diameters that can be calculated from the pore-size distribution. A model for gas flow in each tube is then simulated; the results show that the permeability of the catalyst layer is not constant but varies with Knudsen number, meaning that the permeability of catalyst layer for oxygen, water vapour, nitrogen and hydrogen is different. Assuming a constant permeability for all the gases, as used in the available fuel cell models in literature, could give rise to significant errors. The work presented in this thesis improved our understanding of gas flow processes in fuel cells, and would offer a tool to help fuel cell design.


Background Fitness recovery of HIV-1 "in vitro" was studied using viral clones that had their fitness decreased as a result of plaque-to-plaque passages. Principal Findings After ten large population passages, the viral populations showed an average increase of fitness, although with wide variations among clones. While 5 clones showed significant fitness increases, 3 clones showed increases that were only marginally significant (p<0.1), and 4 clones did not show any change. Fitness recovery was not accompanied by an increase in p24 production, but was associated with an increase in viral titer. Few mutations (an average of 2 mutations per genome) were detected in the consensus nucleotide sequence of the entire genome in all viral populations. Five of the populations did not fix any mutation, and three of them displayed marginally significant fitness increases, illustrating that fitness recovery can occur without detectable alterations of the consensus genomic sequence. The investigation of other possible viral factors associated with the initial steps of fitness recovery, showed that viral quasispecies heterogeneity increased between the initial clones and the passaged populations. A direct statistical correlation between viral heterogeneity and viral fitness was obtained. Conclusions Thus, the initial fitness recovery of debilitated HIV-1 clones was mediated by an increase in quasispecies heterogeneity. This observation, together with the invariance of the consensus sequence despite fitness increases demonstrates the relevance of quasispecies heterogeneity in the evolution of HIV-1 in cell culture.


Literature data on photoaddition, photorecovery and photoaugmentation are discussed. The practical conclusion is that for estimates of the main risks of ultraviolet radiation to human skin, sunburn and skin cancer, any deviations from photoaddition are small. Risk estimates may be made on the basis of addition, and the errors possibly made by doing so are small compared to other uncertainties in such calculations. Deviations from photoaddition reported are interesting from the viewpoint of studying mechanisms. Apparent controversies cannot be resolved on the basis of presently available data. Confusion can certainly be reduced, and there are indications that more subtle techniques of investigation are needed to resolve the remaining problems.


The human transcription factor pregnane X receptor (hPXR) is a key regulator of enzyme expression, especially cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4). Due to the prominence of CYP3A4 in the elimination of many drugs, the development of high throughput in vitro models to predict the effect of drugs on CYP3A4 expression have increased. To better interpret and predict potential drug-drug interactions due to CYP3A4 enzyme induction, we evaluated 170 xenobiotics in a hPXR transactivation assay and compared these results to known clinical drug-drug interactions. Of the 170 xenobiotics tested, 54% of them demonstrated some level of hPXR transactivation. By taking into consideration cell culture conditions (solubility, cytotoxicity, appropriate drug concentration in media), as well as in vivo pharmacokinetics (therapeutic plasma C(max), distribution, route of administration, dosing regimen, liver exposure, potential to inhibit CYP3A4), the risk potential of CYP3A4 enzyme induction for most compounds reduced dramatically. By employing this overall interpretation strategy, the final percentage of compounds predicted to significantly induce CYP3A4 reduced to 5%, all of which are known to cause drug-drug interactions. Also, this is the first report that identifies several potent compounds that have the ability to transactivate hPXR that previously have not been identified, such as terbinafine, diclofenac, sildenafil, glimepiride, montelukast, and ticlopidine.


Abstract: Pigmented squamous cell carcinoma in situ (pSCCis) is difficult to diagnose based on clinical and dermoscopic examination. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) allows noninvasive differentiation between malignant and benign pigmented skin lesions. We determined the frequency of key RCM features of pSCCis and correlated the RCM criteria with the corresponding dermoscopic and histopathologic criteria. The study included 28 lesions with biopsy-proven diagnosis of pSCCis derived from 28 patients. Clinical, dermoscopic, and RCM images of these lesions were retrospectively analyzed by 3 independent observers. Assessment for the presence of RCM criteria revealed scale or parakeratosis (20/28; 71%); irregular honeycomb pattern in the spinous-granular layer (28/28; 100%); spindle-shaped cells with dendritic branches infiltrating the epidermis (12/28; 43%); edged papillae (24/28; 86%), and dilated looped blood vessels within the papillae (18/28; 64%). Fifty-three percent of the cases displayed at least 4 RCM criteria and 96% of cases displayed at least 3 RCM criteria. We propose that the diagnosis of pSCCis could be established based on 1 major criterion—irregular honeycomb pattern—and 2 of the following minor criteria—scale or parakeratosis, spindle-shaped cells with dendritic branches infiltrating the epidermis, edged papillae, and dilated looped blood vessels within the papillae.


Rapid growth of agriculture, industries and urbanization within the Awash basin, Ethiopia, as well as population growth is placing increasing demands on the basin's water resources. In a basin known for high climate variability involving droughts and floods, climate change will likely intensify the existing challenges. To quantify the potential impact of climate change on water availability of the Awash basin in different seasons we have used three climate models from Coupled Models Inter-comparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) and for three future periods (2006–2030, 2031–2055, and 2056–2080). The models were selected based on their performance in capturing historical precipitation characteristics. The baseline period used for comparison is 1981–2005. The future water availability was estimated as the difference between precipitation and potential evapotranspiration projections using the representative concentration pathway (RCP8.5) emission scenarios after the climate change signals from the climate models are transferred to the observed data. The projections for the future three periods show an increase in water deficiency in all seasons and for parts of the basin, due to a projected increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation. This decrease in water availability will increase water stress in the basin, further threatening water security for different sectors, which are currently increasing their investments in the basin such as irrigation. This calls for an enhanced water management strategy that is inclusive of all sectors that considers the equity for different users.


This exposition discusses an artistic research project involving a field trip to a medical school. It introduces part of my postdoctoral project as a case study, discussing photography and video self-portraits as a means for exploring anatomy and clinical skills education. Instead of analysing the resulting artworks, the exposition has a focus on process and methodology: it elaborates on the artistic process and the various roles an artist-researcher can claim at the site of the medical school and in the study outcomes. The exposition also discusses the ways in which this process may engage medical school participants, and how the participants' reflections intertwine with the artistic outcomes.


Indicators of gender inequality, poverty and human development in Kenya are examined. Significant and rising incidence of absolute poverty occurs in Kenya and women are more likely to be in poverty than men. Female/male ratios in Kenyan decision-making institutions are highly skewed against women and they experience unfavourable enrolment ratios in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. The share of income earned by women is much lower than men's share. General Kenyan indicators highlight declining GDP per capita, increased poverty rates especially for women, reduced life expectancy, a narrowing of the difference in female/male life expectancy rates, increased child mortality rates and an increase in the female child mortality rates. This deterioration results in an increased socio-economic burden on women, not adequately captured in the HPI, HDI, GDI and GEM. This paper advocates the use of household level gender disaggregated data because much gender inequality occurs in and emanates from the household level where culture plays a very important role in allocation of resources and decision-making. Because most human development indicators are aggregates or averages, they can be misleading. They need to be supplemented by distributional and disaggregated data as demonstrated in the Kenyan case. The importance is emphasised of studying coping mechanisms of household/families for dealing with economic hardship and other misfortunes, such AIDS.


We consider a project supply chain where a manufacturer carries out a sequence of tasks, and each task requires certain key materials from a supplier. Since a fixed-price contract cannot attain channel coordination, we focus on time-based incentive contracts. Our proposed contract requires optimization of the material delivery schedule as well as the fraction and the timing of a delayed payment to each supplier. Under the contract, the manufacturer's profit is affected by the variance but not by the mean of a supplier's lead time. Each supplier benefits from a reduction in the mean or variance of his own lead time, whereas the supplier's profit is independent of the duration of the on-site tasks and the lead times of other suppliers. The contract is also robust in various scenarios: in particular, coordination can be achieved even if the manufacturer's estimate of the average delivery lead time is inaccurate. This paper was accepted by Serguei Netessine, operations management.


Heat effects on base metals caused by welding are often described to students in courses in manufacturing, design, or materials. An example where students may measure these effects was developed, is presented here, and is intended for programs and students who prefer to learn from concrete examples, as is typical of many engineering technology students. Description of situations where heat effects may be deleterious are provided to place this work in the context of welding operations. Presented in this paper is a simple demonstration of heat effects from welding, using commonly available materials and equipment, which allows students to measure changes in material properties. Significant changes in material properties have been achieved by butt welding two socket-head cap screws end to end, then measuring Rockwell hardness values incrementally from the weld out to the ends of the part. Sample preparation, welding, and measurements for this demonstration could easily be assigned to students in its entirety. An approximate finite element analysis of the heat applied during welding of the demonstration part, and the material changes that should be expected as a result of the welding operation are included. This demonstration combines several elements of the desired accreditation criteria program outcomes, drawing upon and extending student knowledge of manufacturing processes, materials, and thermal sciences. Possible extensions to this demonstration are also presented.


The present study investigates a new approach for capturing the effects of atmospheric stability on wind turbine wake evolution and wake meandering by using the dynamic wake meandering model. The most notable impact of atmospheric stability on the wind is the changes in length and velocity scales of the atmospheric turbulence. The length and velocity scales in the turbulence are largely responsible for the way in which wind turbine wakes meander as they convect downstream. The hypothesis of the present work is that appropriate turbulence scales can be extracted from the oncoming atmospheric turbulence spectra and applied to the dynamic wake meandering model to capture the correct wake meandering behaviour. The ambient turbulence in all stability classes is generated using the Mann turbulence model, where the effects of non-neutral atmospheric stability are approximated by the selection of input parameters.

In order to isolate the effect of atmospheric stability, simulations of neutral and unstable atmospheric boundary layers using large-eddy simulation are performed at the same streamwise turbulence intensity level. The turbulence intensity is kept constant by calibrating the surface roughness in the computational domain. The changes in the turbulent length scales due to the various atmospheric stability states impact the wake meandering characteristics and thus the power generation by the individual turbines.

The proposed method is compared with results from both large-eddy simulation coupled with an actuator line model and field measurements, where generally good agreement is found with respect to the velocity, turbulence intensity and power predictions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to shed light on how family firms execute open innovation strategies by managing internal and external knowledge flows (KF) to provide a deeper understanding of family firms' ability to innovate through traditions and create value across generations.

Design/methodology/approach
Empirical evidence was collected using an online survey of a sample of 208 Apulian entrepreneurs, who were members of the association of young entrepreneurs of Confindustria in the Apulia region (southern Italy).

Findings
The study derives a model that explains the most relevant factors behind the innovation processes developed by young entrepreneurs in family firms: network membership benefits; KF; track record of innovation; and the entrepreneurial attitude of employees.

Research limitations/implications
By integrating insights from different research streams, namely, innovation management, open innovation and family firms, the study provides a novel contribution to the open innovation process in family firms.

Practical implications
The study offers interpretative lenses for entrepreneurs and managers to understand the most suitable knowledge transfer process for encouraging open innovation in family firms, taking into consideration young entrepreneurs' traditions and interpersonal skills, the KF in local ecosystems and network benefits as the main variables supporting the innovation process.

Originality/value
This study creates a link between open innovation and family firm research by providing an empirically grounded model illustrating how the innovation process is realized in family firms.


An isoindole based Cu(II) complex, [Cu(PICPH)Cl2], was synthesized in situ by reacting copper(II) chloride with a pyridine derived ligand, PICPH. The complex was characterized by spectroscopic techniques while its structure was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The complex has a trigonal bipyramid geometry containing both five- and seven-member chelate rings. It shows catecholase-like activity. Interaction of the complex with a bio-relevant antipyrine derivative (ANNAP) was studied using fluorescence spectroscopy. DFT studies unfold the energetics associated with PICPH, [Cu(PICPH)Cl2] and the adduct between [Cu(PICPH)Cl2] and ANNAP. Antimicrobial activities of the compounds were also studied.


Selenocysteine (Sec) is the 21st amino acid in the genetic code. Its tRNA is variably methylated on the 2′-O-hydroxyl site of the ribosyl moiety at position 34 (Um34). Herein, we identified a role of Um34 in regulating the expression of some, but not all, selenoproteins. A strain of knock-out transgenic mice was generated, wherein the Sec tRNA gene was replaced with either wild type or mutant Sec tRNA transgenes. The mutant transgene yielded a tRNA that lacked two base modifications, N6-isopentenyladenosine at position 37 (i6A37) and Um34. Several selenoproteins, including glutathione peroxidases 1 and 3, SelR, and SelT, were not detected in mice rescued with the mutant transgene, whereas other selenoproteins, including thioredoxin reductases 1 and 3 and glutathione peroxidase 4, were expressed in normal or reduced levels. Northern blot analysis suggested that other selenoproteins (e.g. SelW) were also poorly expressed. This novel regulation of protein expression occurred at the level of translation and manifested a tissue-specific pattern. The available data suggest that the Um34 modification has greater influence than the i6A37 modification in regulating the expression of various mammalian selenoproteins and Um34 is required for synthesis of several members of this protein class. Many proteins that were poorly rescued appear to be involved in responses to stress, and their expression is also highly dependent on selenium in the diet. Furthermore, their mRNA levels are regulated by selenium and are subject to nonsense-mediated decay. Overall, this study described a novel mechanism of regulation of protein expression by tRNA modification that is in turn regulated by levels of the trace element, selenium.


Open educational resources (OER) have become a significant part of the general discourse around higher education and a number of institutions and governments have implemented initiatives to develop and use OER on the basis that they will help transform educational practice within and between higher educational institutions (HEIs). Nevertheless there has also been considerable comment and concern by many involved in higher education that OER are not sustainable financially and unlikely to be truly transformative of policy and practices in higher education. This paper reviews the existing published evidence and argues that all institutions need to properly consider whether and how OER fit in to their strategic plans and that this can usefully be done through the help of visual methods. Visual methods such as paper or computer based mapping techniques enable users to capture as much information as possible through a mediated conversation around the holistic representation of their collective views. This need for undertaking strategic reviews is mainly illustrated through the work of the EADTU led Multilingual Open Resources for Independent Learning (MORIL) project where workshop participants from HEIs used Kurt Lewin's Force Field Framework to examine both intra institutional and inter institutional factors that were driving or restraining them in the implementation of OER. A major outcome of this work is that OER are another valued factor in the evolution of higher education policy and practice and that progress will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary.


BUMC PROCEEDINGS 2000;13:297–299 CASE 1 A 58-year-old woman presented with numerous red-brown papules scattered over her body (Figure 1). A few of the lesions urticated on gentle stroking. She had had rheumatoid arthritis since age 46 and a pruritic rash since age 52. She was not taking any new medications and had no history of treatment with hydroxychloroquine or gold. After therapy with topical creams and systemic antihistamines failed to control her itching, photochemotherapy (psoralen plus ultraviolet A) was initiated.


Public welfare according to United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is measured by Human Development Index (HDI) constituting a composite indicator of three indicators in development sector: education, health, and economy. The goals of HDI by UN were accomplished into Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) . Two of the eight goals MGDs associated with Family Planning-Health Program, namely : (1) Reduce child mortality under five years of age, and (2) Improve maternal health. Based on the International Conference on Population and Development, ( ICPD ) in Cairo, Egypt (1994), agreed to change the paradigm in the management of population and development, the approach population control and fertility decline to be an approach that focused on reproductive health and effort to fulfill reproductive rights. There are five points in the era of decentralization  of Revitalization Posyandu namely: (1) Posyandu is an effort to meet basic health needs and improving nutritional status of communities, (2) Posyandu able to act as a forum for community-based primary health care, (3) The implementation of integrated health community need to be gathered all the strength to participate actively in accordance with its capabilities, (4) Posyandu should be continued as an effort of human resources development investments are carried out uniformly, (5) Regions governments to promote and coordinate their implementation by involving the role of the community. In the era of decentralization, the implementation of the Family Planning-Health Integrity Program ( Posyandu ) is highly dependent on the willingness, commitment, and political decisions Regions Government. For the activities of Family Planning-Health Integrity Program ( Posyandu ) should be supported by advocacy activities to stakeholders and decision-makers regions, so as to obtain political support and adequate program resources. Formation and implementation Posyandu should be done through approach Village Community Health Development (PKMD), namely a systematic series of activities, planned and directed to explore, enhance, and direct community participation in order to exploit the existing potential, in order to solve the health problems they face. Keywords :   Family Planning-Health Integrity Program (Posyandu), ecentralization, Village Community Health Development (PKMD)


Shaker-related voltage activated K+ channels or Kv1 channels occur in neurons as homo and hetero-tetramers of α subunits (Kv1.1-1.7), associated with auxiliary β subunits, and control their excitability. The aim of this project was to create recombinantly homo- and hetero-meric Kv1 channel constructs resembling those in neurons, using a novel concatenation strategy, and to evaluate their expression and function in HEK-293 cells. This involved either altering the number and arrangement of each subunit or mutating their genes to change the sensitivities to tetraethylammonium (TEA) or other blockers. α subunit genes encoding Kv1.1, 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 were amplified and concatenated with unique restriction enzymes for cassette cloning and sub-cloned in different combinations, generating homo- and hetero-tetramers of known composition to facilitate their expression as single proteins. Restriction enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing of extracted plasmid from E. coli transformed with the concatenated genes established that the tetramers have the correct integrity and composition. Biotinylation and Western blotting confirmed the expression of intact tetrameric channels on the surface of transfected HEK-293 cells. Repositioning of α Kv1.6 subunit in a hetero-tetramer revealed that N-type rapid inactivation, a characteristic feature of Kv1.4-containing channels, can be over-ridden by an adjacent Kv1.6 via the latter's N-type inactivation prevention (NIP) domain. Mutation of critical residues in the NIP restored the fast inactivation in Kv1.4-containing channels. In another objective to understand and raise the TEA sensitivity of Kv1.1/1.2-containing hetero-tetrameric channels, increasing the ratio of Kv1.1 to 1.2 in a Kv1.2-1.2-1.1-1.2 or mutagenesis of the critical residue in the first Kv1.2, placed adjacent or in close proximity to a Kv1.1 subunit in Kv1.2-1.2-1.2-1.1, made the channels more sensitive to TEA. Additionally, increasing the number of Kv1.1 subunits in a tetrameric channel decreases the voltage threshold and accelerates the activation kinetics. Overall, these findings assessed the possible consequences of α subunits being precisely arranged in Kv1 channels, by examining recombinantly created variants with known composition, an important criterion in designing drugs selective for Kv1 oligomeric subtypes. Screening of small inhibitor compounds for Kv1.1 allowed us to identify 2,2'-((5,5'-(di-p-topyldipyrromethane)bis(2,2'-carbonyl)bis(azanediyl))diethaneamine.2HCl as a potential therapeutic drug for use in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). It potently (IC50 = ~15 μM) and selectively blocks Kv1.1 channels recombinantly expressed in mammalian cells. This novel inhibitor also induces a positive shift in the voltage-dependency of K+ current activation and slows the activation kinetics. Importantly, this new non-photo-toxic compound inhibited Kv1 heteromeric channels containing 2 or more Kv1.1 subunits, regardless of their positioning in concatenated tetramers, though Kv1.3-mediated K+ current was reduced to a lesser extent.


Lock-in techniques enable the detection of very small signals in a background that can be dominated by noise. This strength makes these techniques valuable especially for failure analysis of active devices where the deviation may be difficult to detect. This paper describes novel use case applications in which the lock-in amplifier plays a key role. The case studies covered are multi-frequency mapping fault isolation with nonperiodic patterns and frequency resonance measurement of a micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) gyroscope. The paper presents how lock-in amplifiers enable digital failure analysis using compressed scan patterns. It reports on using a lock-in to characterize a MEMS gyroscope and on how to directly observe the gyroscope motion using phase laser voltage imaging/electro-optical frequency mapping. It can be concluded that the lock-in techniques form an essential part of the failure analysis toolkit and will only be more so with this study.


Although modernist economic theories and policies are now widely considered to be invalid in achieving poverty reduction and lessening inequalities, the understanding of change and the epistemological assumptions that underpin the modernist framework continue to inform policy and limit the understanding of information and communication approaches in development today. This paper examines the role of intermediaries the actors who are involved in processes of generating, interpreting, organising or communicating information, within the modernist framework. It challenges the modernist assumptions that knowledge is objective and communication is a linear process of transferring knowledge, finding instead that knowledge is socially constructed and linked to people's values, beliefs, cultural practice and experience. Whose reality and what knowledge is regarded as legitimate are determined by epistemological, methodological and power hierarchies which combine and sideline alternative perspectives. This analysis makes it possible to distinguish new functions for intermediaries beyond disseminating information. These include providing a platform for alternative perspectives, facilitating discussion, advocacy and assisting in processes of learning. Intermediaries are recognised as political actors in the communication process who are able to empower different individuals and groups by providing them with a space to voice their opinions or research and the opportunity to participate in decision-making processes.


Buchanan, former U.S. treasurer and sister of former presidential nominee Pat Buchanan, takes Hillary Clinton to task in this unapologetically partisan biography. Buchanan outlines how Clinton's personality and character changed after she was elected to the Senate, casting mock sympathy as she goes: "It must be a terrible thing to be as deeply insecure as Hillary. It has made her so incredibly susceptible to the ideas of others." Subsequent chapters criticize the senator's positions on hot-button issues, including healthcare, same-sex partnerships and the war in Iraq. Though Buchanan backs up many of her points with outside scholarship and Clinton's own interviews and records (both as senator and student), claims that Clinton "accepts no responsibility" and disregards "even the most basic standards of behavior" make this a sermon for the choir.


Eighteen new complexes of p-hydroxphenyltellurium trihalides, p-HOC6H4TeX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) with -, - and - picolines, RTeX3 . Pic and RTeX3.. 2 Pic, have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, conductance, cryoscopy, infrared and proton magnetic resonance studies. Conductance measurements in nitrobenzene, acetone and acetonitrile predict their non-electrolyte to 1 : 1 electrolyte type behaviour in solution, which is well supported by cryoscopic studies in nitrobenzene. Spectral studies indicate the linkage of picoline molecules to the tellurium atom of hydroxyphenyltellurium group through the nitrogen atom. Square-pyramidal and octahedral structures have been suggested for RTeX3. Pic and RTeX3 . 2Pic, respectively.


This compendium of existing econometric software packages is intended to be a full census of all existing packages of this type that are publicly available and used by economists today. It is intended to provide the developer's view of each package: in all but a few instances, the person providing each entry is the primary author or current principal developer of the package. These program descriptions generally provide both a development history and a statement of current capabilities. Most entries also include references to more detailed descriptions, including manuals and other publications, as well as providing a website URL.


By using first principles in combination with atomistic spin dynamics calculational methods, we determine the temperature-dependent free energies of the L2(1)-and L1(0)-Ni-2(Mn1-xFex) Ga (0 <= x <= 1), including phonon vibrational and magnetic energies. The x-dependent martensitic phase transformation (MPT) temperature (T-M) and the Curie temperature (T-C) are well represented. It is found that, the abnormal nonmonotonic behavior of T-M similar to x mainly originates from the phonon vibrational free energy. The magnetic energy, which does not change the trend of T-M against x but decreases the driving force of the MPT, is indispensable as well to get reasonable T-M values. This insight provides a good understanding of the physical mechanisms driving the MPT of Ni-2(Mn1-xFex)Ga, and promotes the improvement of their magnetic shape memory properties.


During transcription, the DNA sequence encoding a gene is "read" and copied into an RNA molecule. Many RNA molecules convey instructions for synthesizing proteins. Traditionally, proteins are thought of as molecular workhorses, which perform cellular functions. However, recent work has discovered that transcription of non-protein coding DNA is widespread in eukaryotes and plays important regulatory roles for many genes including genes mis-regulated in cancers. For example, in S. cerevisiae, the act of transcribing SRG1, a non-coding RNA (ncRNA), across the SER3 promoter positions nucleosomes over the SER3 upstream activating sequences. This creates a physical barrier preventing transcription of SER3. The pervasiveness of non-coding transcription suggests that regulatory roles for non-coding transcription may exist throughout the genome. To explore this possibility, we selected six candidate yeast genes expressing ncRNAs over their promoters and analyzed the effects of disrupting intergenic transcription on neighboring protein-coding transcript expression. Through this unbiased approach, we identified a previously unknown mechanism of transcription regulation at the ECM3 gene. Intergenic transcription seems to activate ECM3 expression. Further analyses identified roles for the Paf1 complex in ECM3 activation through methylation of histone H3 at lysine 4. Additionally, the NuA3 and SAGA chromatin modifying complexes are also required to activate ECM3 expression. These data support a model where co-transcriptional methylation of histone H3 at lysine 4 is required to recruit the NuA3 complex and other downstream modifiers to activate transcription of ECM3. Other cases of regulation by intergenic transcription had previously identified this modification in negative regulation of neighboring gene expression. Thus, ECM3 is an interesting model gene for elucidation of a novel regulatory mechanism mediated by non-coding transcription. The results presented here add to the growing number of cases where noncoding transcription has important roles in regulating gene expression. This work also indicates that the molecular mechanisms by which transcription of noncoding DNA exerts regulatory effects depend on the local chromatin environment.


Many methods for supervised image segmentation exist. One such algorithm, Random Walks, is very fast and accurate when compared to other methods. A drawback to Random Walks is that it has difficulty producing accurate and clean segmentations in the presence of noise. Therefore, we propose an extension to Random Walks that improves its performance without significantly modifying the original algorithm. Our extension, known as "Scale-Space Random Walks", or SSRW, addresses these problems. The SSRW is able to produce more accurate segmentations in the presence of noise while still retaining all of the properties of the original algorithm.


The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the perceived benefits and challenges of Canada Basketball's athlete development model (ADM)/long-term athlete development (LTAD) by administrators, learning facilitators, and coaches at Canada Basketball to better understand the barriers to and enablers of this process. The methodological approach used for the study was an exploratory case study. Methods were established that were consistent with the iterative nature of case study. In total, 5 participants who identified as administrator/learning facilitator/coach, 6 participants who identified as /learning facilitator/coach, and 1 participant who identified as a coach participated in the study. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant that provided new insight into participants' perceptions of and experiences with ADM/LTAD relative to their positions. Analysis revealed themes related to perceived (a) benefits while using ADM/LTAD; and (b) and challenges with using ADM/LTAD. These findings provide a preliminary assessment of one sport specific athlete development model and may inform research of other sport-specific athlete development programs. Several implications of the study findings are discussed and suggestions are posed for future research.


SARS-CoV-2 is a newly emerged coronavirus responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic that has resulted in more than one million infections and 73,000 deaths1,2. Vaccine and therapeutic discovery efforts are paramount to curb the pandemic spread of this zoonotic virus. The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein promotes entry into host cells and is the main target of neutralizing antibodies. Here we describe multiple monoclonal antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 S identified from memory B cells of a SARS survivor infected in 2003. One antibody, named S309, potently neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV pseudoviruses as well as authentic SARS-CoV-2 by engaging the S receptor-binding domain. Using cryo-electron microscopy and binding assays, we show that S309 recognizes a glycan-containing epitope that is conserved within the sarbecovirus subgenus, without competing with receptor attachment. Antibody cocktails including S309 along with other antibodies identified here further enhanced SARS-CoV-2 neutralization and may limit the emergence of neutralization-escape mutants. These results pave the way for using S309 and S309-containing antibody cocktails for prophylaxis in individuals at high risk of exposure or as a post-exposure therapy to limit or treat severe disease.


Literature on how cities get connected through networks of firms has been increasing in recent years. In particular, advanced producer service (APS) firms are being widely used to build intra-firm linkages to establish urban networks. In contrast to studies applying intra-firm networks, this study proposes an alternative strategy to build urban networks based on inter-firm service provision relationships during the process of initial public offering (IPO) in which APS firms – including securities, law firms and accounting firms – provide professional services for firms aiming to be publicly listed. Based on service provision connections between APS firms and their clients, this study provides fresh insights on urban networks in China. The results show that Beijing, Shenzhen and Shanghai strategically hold dominant positions within Chinese urban networks and they are the lead command and financial centres within the country. Particularly, Beijing has overwhelmingly more influence over other cities. The urban networks are embedded in China's unique institutional context where market and state power together have shaped these networks. Since the urban network is built up based on real economic linkages, the findings might have further implications for policy-making and could contribute to ongoing debates regarding financial centres in China. It implies that connections between firms based on real economic activities can be an effective way to construct urban networks in future research.


Initial poor graft function is associated with increased morbidity and graft loss after liver transplantation. Donor age is a risk factor for the development of initial poor function. The severity of ischemic damage on intraoperative postreperfusion (0Post) allograft biopsy specimens is predictive of subsequent initial poor function. This study was performed to assess whether donor age is a risk factor for the development of ischemic damage on 0Post biopsy specimens. The records of 94 liver transplantations were reviewed. 0Post biopsy specimens were obtained after complete allograft revascularization. The severity of ischemic damage was graded as follows: 0, none; 1, minimal; 2, mild; 3, moderate; and 4, severe. Grafts were defined as older when donor age was 50 years or older. Other independent variables examined included donor cause of death, length of hospital stay, acidosis, serum alanine aminotransferase level, graft cold ischemia time, and degree of steatosis. Older grafts were associated with higher grades of ischemic damage than younger grafts (2.3 +/- 1.0 v 1.3 +/- 1.1; P =.003). Univariate and multivariate analysis identified donor age of 50 years or older as the only significant predictive variable of the severity of ischemic damage. In 16 transplantations involving older grafts, there was no statistically significant association between the severity of ischemic damage and incidence of initial poor function and graft loss. The use of older liver grafts is associated with more extensive ischemic damage immediately after graft reperfusion. Whether this early lesion identifies among older graft recipients those at risk for a worst outcome remains to be determined.


HPV causes multiple cancers in men and women, accounting for ~5% of all cancers worldwide. In 2006 a 4-valent HPV vaccine was licensed for use for cervical cancer prevention in the US and other countries. After completion of a male HPV vaccine efficacy trial, the 4-valent HPV vaccine was also licensed for the prevention of genital warts in 2009 and anal cancer in 2010. Since licensure, several countries have developed policies promoting national dissemination of the vaccine. Australia has led the way with a robust public health program that rapidly reached ~80% of the age eligible female population. With up to six full years of vaccine dissemination to adolescent females countries are now able to report population effectiveness, or the impact of the vaccine to prevent HPV-related diseases. There are three main outcome variables of interest: short-term (HPV infection and genital wart rates), intermediate-term (reduction in incident cervical lesions), and long-term (incidence and mortality from HPV-related cancers). Effectiveness data for short-term outcomes have recently been reported for Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Canada, and the US. Significant declines in genital wart incidence in females have been reported from all countries to date that have evaluated effectiveness. In Australia, where there was early vaccine adoption nationally and high vaccine penetrance, concomitant declines in genital warts among unvaccinated males have also been documented. Intermediate-term endpoints, such as cervical pre-cancerous lesions have also significantly declined in Australia, Denmark, and the US. These results provide early evidence that routine vaccination significantly reduces HPV infection and early disease endpoints attributed to the 4 major disease causing types of HPV among young adult females at the population level. However, to achieve the full promise of eliminating HPV vaccine type-related disease, broad dissemination of the vaccine is required. Several strategies are under consideration to improve population coverage, including dissemination of vaccine to low resource countries through the GAVI program, alternative dose schedules, and two vs. three dose schedules. Ultimately, strong public health and physician recommendations, as well as population acceptability, are needed to eliminate HPV-related disease through a vaccine approach. Citation Format: Anna R. Giuliano. Global impact of HPV vaccination. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr FO01-01.


Jaundice in the newborn period can be physiologic and is often due to benign causes. Jaundice due to conjugated hyperbilirubinemia extending beyond the second week of life may be an early sign of several cholestatic or metabolic liver diseases, and it requires logical and timely analysis so that specific treatments can be initiated. A1AT deficiency is the most common genetic cause of pediatric liver disease and transplantation, and it must be considered when evaluating cholestatic infants. Here, we present an unusual case of A1AT deficiency with severe infantile cholestasis and rapid decompensation in the first 4 months of life, where in-depth but timely diagnosis was crucial for the appropriate intervention to take place.


This study aims to assess the potential risks of setting up a hydrogen infrastructure in the Netherlands. An integrated risk assessment framework, capable of analyzing projects, identifying risks and comparing projects, is used to identify and analyze the main risks in the upcoming Dutch hydrogen infrastructure project. A time multiplier is added to the framework to develop parameters. The impact of the different risk categories provided by the integrated framework is calculated using the discounted cash flow (DCF) model. Despite resource risks having the highest impact, scope risks are shown to be the most prominent in the hydrogen infrastructure project. To present the DCF model results, a risk assessment matrix is constructed. Compared to the conventional Risk Assessment Matrix (RAM) used to present project risks, this matrix presents additional information in terms of the internal rate of return and risk specifics.


Electrochemical abrasive belt grinding (ECABG) technology, which has the advantage over conventional stone super-finishing, has been applied in bearing raceway super-finishing. However, the finishing effect of ECABG is dominated by many factors, which relationship is so complicated that appears non-linear behavior. Therefore, it is difficult to predict the finishing results and select the processing parameters in ECABG. In this paper, Back-Propagation (BP) neural network is proposed to solve this problem. The non-linear relationship of machining parameters was established based on the experimental data by applying one-hidden layer BP neural networks. The comparison between the calculated results of the BP neural network and experimental results under the corresponding conditions was carried out, and the results indicates that it is feasible to apply BP neural network in determining the processing parameters and forecasting the surface quality effects in ECABG.


C++ is one of the most widely used programming languages in practice, including for embedded critical software. Thus, it becomes interesting to apply formal methods to programs written in C++. To this end, it is necessary to rely on a formal semantics of C++. Moreover, such a formal semantics can be validated as a basis to the specification and proof of a verified realistic compiler for C++ to gain confidence in the implementation techniques of mainstream C++ compilers. In this thesis, we focus on the C++ object model. We formally specify C++ multiple inheritance with C-style embedded structures, leading us to study the concrete representation of objects with empty base optimizations. We propose a set of sufficient layout conditions, and we show that they are sound with respect to field accesses and polymorphic operations. We then specify a realistic layout algorithm based on the Common Vendor ABI for Itanium, and an extension performing empty member optimizations, and we prove that they satisfy our conditions. We obtain a verified realistic compiler from a subset of C++ to a 3-address language with low-level memory accesses. Extending our semantics with object construction and destruction, we study their intrications with multiple inheritance. This leads us to formalize resource management, namely resource acquisition is initialization through the subobject construction and destruction order. We also study the impact on polymorphic operations such as virtual function dispatch during construction and destruction, by generalizing the notion of dynamic type. We obtain a verified compiler for our extended semantics, in particular by verifying the implementation of dynamic type changes. All our specifications and proofs are carried out with Coq.


In this article, the author considers the experimental animations of Jeff Scher in relation to the current obsessive quest for a total 'reality effect' in much contemporary commercial computer animation. While Scher does not use a computer to create his works, he does extensively use a rotoscope, a device with a long and complex connection with the construction of illusionistic effects in animation. The author discusses Scher's unusual appropriation of rotoscoping techniques, his links with certain historical tendencies in avant-garde cinema, his interest in the relationship between the individual frame and the creation of movement in animation, and his reflexive engagement with fundamental principles of cognitive and visual perception.


Copyright © The Korean Space Science Society http://janss.kr plSSN: 2093-5587 elSSN: 2093-1409 Received May 11, 2016 Revised May 31, 2016 Accepted June 2, 2016 †Corresponding Author E-mail: email@example.com, ORCID: 0000-0002-2119-1956 Tel: +82-42-865-3238, Fax: +82-42-865-3358 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Technical Paper J. Astron. Space Sci. 33(2), 127-135 (2016) http://dx.doi.org/10.5140/JASS.2016.33.2.127


Integrating the advantages of ultrahigh sensitivity, good breathability, low-cost and large-area fabrication processes, and facile integration with other functional devices is full of challenges for wearable pressure sensors. Here, a novel all-fabric piezoresistive pressure sensor is designed with a bottom interdigitated textile electrode screen-printed using silver paste and a top bridge of AgNW-coated cotton fabric. The entire fabrication process is facile, economical and suitable for large-scale integrated production. Benefiting from the highly porous microstructure, large surface roughness and ultra-low resistance of the conductive fabric, our piezoresistive pressure sensors show excellent detection performance, including an extra-high sensitivity of 2.46 × 104 kPa−1 to 5.65 × 105 kPa−1 over a wide pressure regime (0–30 kPa), a giant on/off ratio of ≈106, a fast response time (6 ms), and a low detection limit (0.76 Pa). Thanks to these merits, the devices not only have the ability to detect various tiny signals of the human body, but also can be widely applied in a human–computer interactive system as a real wearable sensor platform, which was demonstrated by playing the piano and computer games.


Background: Australian adolescents are routinely offered HPV and dTpa (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) vaccines simultaneously in the secondary school vaccination program. We identified schools where HPV initiation was lower than dTpa coverage and associated school-level factors across three states. Methods: HPV vaccination initiation rates and dTpa vaccination coverage in 2016 were calculated using vaccine databases and school enrolment data. A multivariate analysis assessed sociodemographic and school-level factors associated with HPV initiation being >5% absolute lower than dTpa coverage. Results: Of 1280 schools included, the median school-level HPV initiation rate was 85% (interquartile range (IQR):75–90%) and the median dTpa coverage was 86% (IQR:75–92%). Nearly a quarter (24%) of all schools had HPV vaccination initiation >5% lower than dTpa coverage and 11 % had >10% difference. School-level factors independently associated with >5% difference were remote schools (aOR:3.5, 95% CI = 1.7–7.2) and schools in major cities (aOR:1.8, 95% CI = 1.0–3.0), small schools (aOR:3.3, 95% CI = 2.3–5.7), higher socioeconomic advantage (aOR:1.7, 95% CI = 1.1–2.6), and lower proportions of Language-background-other-than-English (aOR:1.9, 95% CI = 1.2–3.0). Conclusion: The results identified a quarter of schools had lower HPV than dTpa initiation coverage, which may indicate HPV vaccine hesitancy, and the difference was more likely in socioeconomically advantaged schools. As hesitancy is context specific, it is important to understand the potential drivers of hesitancy and future research needs to understand the reasons driving differential uptake.


The definitions of the country's tourism image and the national tourism brand are defined. The main determinants, which distinguish between tourism brand, tourist image and tourist reputation, are presented. A model for creating the concept for a national brand has been constructed. The image of Ukraine is determined on the basis of the authoritative world reports and ratings analysis.English-language analytical Ukrainian Internet portals are explored. The most popular among them are Kyivpost, Unian, News, Euromaidan Press, 112 International, En.Censor, and Interfax-Ukraine. The US citizens (20-30% of all visits) mostly visit each of these sites. The total number of visits during six months for each of these sites has not exceeded 1 million people.Analysis of the most popular world Internet publications for the purpose of news coverage about Ukraine is conducted. The BBC, the New York Times, The Guardian recall Ukraine mostly in the context of Russia's aggression and the war in the East.The main stakeholders of the formation and promotion of the national tourism brand are defined: state institutions; citizens, residents of the country; media; creative intellectuals, athletes, other world-famous Ukrainians; diaspora; business; public environment;political forces.Recommendations for forming the brand of Ukraine in the world are presented as a means of improving the outbound tourism and the economy of the country as a whole.Keywords: national branding, national tourist brand, tourist image, tourism industry,tourist reputationJEL: Z30


BACKGROUND
The effect of vitamin A supplementation on viral gastrointestinal infections among young children living in developing countries remains unclear.

METHODS
The effect of vitamin A supplementation on norovirus (NoV) infection among 127 Mexican children 5-15 months of age was studied in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial during June-August 1998. Stool samples collected every 2 weeks and after diarrheal episodes were screened for NoV and characterized at the genogroup level (GI and GII).

RESULTS
Of the stool samples collected, 29.9% were positive for NoV, and NoV GI and NoV GII were found in 55.4% and 46.4% of the positive samples, respectively. Vitamin A supplementation reduced the prevalence of NoV GII infections (rate ratio [RR], 0.60 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.20-0.82]), increased the length of both NoV GI and GII shedding, and decreased the prevalence of NoV-associated diarrhea (RR, 0.51 [95% CI, 0.26-0.97]).

CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that NoV is an important cause of pediatric diarrhea in this study population and that vitamin A supplementation has divergent effects on specific outcomes of NoV infection.


Purpose: We evaluated the incidence and duration of voiding dysfunction following bilateral detrusorrhaphy to correct vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), and we also evaluated the factors that influence the development of voiding dysfunction and recovery from voiding function. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective review on 36 children, 27 boys and 9 girls, who showed normal voiding function on preoperative video-urodynamic study and for whom data on post-void residual urine volume (PVR) were available postoperatively. The mean age and duration of follow-up were 3.12.6 years and 17.510.4 months, respectively. Postoperative voiding dysfunction included urinary retention and incomplete bladder emptying. Results: The overall success rate was 97.2%. The urethral catheter was kept in for a mean period of 4.03.6 days. After urethral catheter removal, postoperative voiding dysfunction developed in 24 children and urinary retention developed in 5 children. The differences in age, grade of VUR or sex did not have significant influence on the development of voiding dysfunction. 35 children achieved normal PVR during the postoperative follow-up. The mean time to recovery of voiding function was 34.137.9 days. The differences in age, sex or grade of VUR did not have any significant influence on the recovery rate of voiding function. The time to recovery of the voiding function was significantly longer in the patients aged less than 2 years or those patients with bilateral high-grade VUR. However, sex did not significantly influence the time to recovery of voiding function. Conclusions: The development of postoperative voiding dysfunction is frequent, but temporary. However, it is necessary to consider a longer period of catheterization for the group of patients aged less than 2 years or those patients with bilateral high grade VUR.


Here, we report a rare case of an 81-year-old man with bloody stools who was finally diagnosed with cytomegalovirus (CMV) proctitis. He was treated with steroids owing to the presence of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, which was considered, on radiological examination, to be cryptogenic organizing pneumonia. After steroid administration, the pulmonary shadows improved. However, CMV proctitis was subsequently diagnosed by immunohistochemical staining of biopsied rectal tissues using an anti-CMV antibody, although 3 biopsies of the rectum were necessary for the final and correct diagnosis. This report describes a rare case of CMV proctitis in a patient with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, treated by steroid administration. As demonstrated in the current study, clinicians should bear in mind CMV infection, especially in immunocompromised patients.


Abstract Remarkable public health achievements to reduce infant and child mortality as well as improve the health and well-being of children worldwide have successfully resulted in increased survival and a growing population of young people aged 10–24 years. Population trends indicate that the current generation of 1.8 billion young people is the largest in history. However, there is a scarcity of dedicated resources available to effectively meet the health needs of adolescents and young adults worldwide. Growing recognition of the pivotal roles young people play in the cultures, societies, and countries in which they live has spurred an expanding global movement to address the needs of this special population. Building an effective global workforce of highly-skilled adolescent health professionals who understand the unique biological, psychological, behavioral, social, and environmental factors that affect the health of adolescents is a critical step in addressing the health needs of the growing cohort of young people. In this review, we aim to: 1) define a global assessment of the health needs for adolescents around the world; 2) describe examples of current training programs and requirements in adolescent medicine; 3) identify existing gaps and barriers to develop an effective adolescent health workforce; and 4) develop a call for targeted actions to build capacity of the adolescent health workforce, broaden culturally relevant research and evidence-based intervention strategies, and reinforce existing interdisciplinary global networks of youth advocates and adolescent health professionals to maximize the opportunities for training, research, and care delivery.


Representing uncertainty when creating visualizations is becoming more indispensable to understand and analyze scientific data. Uncertainty may come from different sources, such as, ensembles of experiments or unavoidable information loss when performing data reduction. One natural model to represent uncertainty is to assume that each position in space instead of a single value may take on a distribution of values. In this paper we present a new volume rendering method using per voxel Gaussian mixture models (GMMs) as the input data representation. GMMs are an elegant and compact way to drastically reduce the amount of data stored while still enabling realtime data access and rendering on the GPU. Our renderer offers efficient sampling of the data distribution, generating renderings of the data that flicker at each frame to indicate high variance. We can accumulate samples as well to generate still frames of the data, which preserve additional details in the data as compared to either traditional scalar indicators (such as a mean or a single nearest neighbor down sample) or to fitting the data with only a single Gaussian per voxel. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method using ensembles of climate simulations and MRI scans as well as the down sampling of large scalar fields as examples.