The early detection of cervical cancer by widespread application of the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear has produced a decrease in U.S. mortality rates from this disease. Colposcopy is a useful adjunct in evaluating patients with an abnormal Pap smear. The author's five years of experience using the colposcope for primary screening detected 146 patients with cervical lesions, 30 with moderate dysplasia or worse and 116 with minimal or mild dysplasia. Estimated incidence by type of appointment showed the highest incidence of significant pathology (approximately one lesion per 115 patients) in patients who were seen without appointments. In 19 patients their disease would have been missed by routine Pap smear but was detected by the colposcope. Gynecologists who are trained in the use of this instrument should use it in conjunction with the Pap smear to help detect pathology in new patients.


In pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs), during an unmitigated severe accident, the absence of adequate cooling arising from multiple failures of the cooling system leads to the collapse of pressure tubes and calandria tubes, which may ultimately relocate to the lower portion of the calandria vessel (CV) forming a debris bed. Due to the continuous generation of decay heat in the debris, it will melt and form a molten pool at the bottom of the CV. The CV is surrounded by calandria vault water, which acts as a heat sink at this scenario. In-vessel corium retention (IVR) through the external reactor vessel cooling (ERVC) is conceived as an effective method for maintaining the integrity of a calandria vessel during a severe accident in a nuclear power plant. Under the IVR conditions, it is necessary to ensure that the imparted heat flux due to melt is less than the critical heat flux (CHF) at the bottom of the calandria vessel wall. To evaluate the thermal margin for IVR, experiments are performed in a prototypic curved section of calandria vessel (25o sector) of calandria vessel to determine the CHF, heat transfer coefficient, and its variation along with the curvature of calandria vessel. The effect of moderator drainpipe on CHF and the heat transfer coefficient has also been evaluated. It has been observed that the imparted heat flux is much less than the CHF at the bottom of the calandria vessel.


As microprocessor speeds continue to outpace memory subsystems in speed, minimizing average data access time grows in importance. Multilateral caches afford an opportunity to reduce the average data access time by active management of block allocation and replacement decisions. We evaluate and compare the performance of traditional caches and multilateral caches with three active block allocation schemes: MAT, NTS, and PCS. We also compare the performance of NTS and PCS to multilateral caches with a near-optimal, but nonimplementable policy, pseudo-opt, that employs future knowledge to achieve both active allocation and active replacement. NTS and PGS are evaluated relative to pseudo-opt with respect to miss ratio, accuracy of predicting reference locality, actual usage accuracy, and tour lengths of blocks in the cache. Results show that the multilateral schemes do outperform traditional cache management schemes, but fall short of pseudo-opt; increasing their prediction accuracy and incorporating active replacement decisions would allow them to more closely approach pseudo-opt performance.


Objectives: Studies in cognitive aging demonstrated inconsistent association between hearing and cognition in older adults. Furthermore, it is still unclear if hearing loss at high frequencies, which is the earliest to be affected, is associated with cognitive functioning. This study aimed to determine the association between global cognitive status and pure tone average (PTA) at 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz (PTA low) and PTA at 4 and 8 kHz (PTA high). Methods: This study involved 307 adults aged 60 years and older. Participants had their hearing and cognition measured using pure tone audiometry and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), respectively. Results: Pure tone average (low) accounted for significant but minimal amount of variance in measure of MMSE. Multiple regression analyses were also performed on normal and impaired hearing cohorts and cohorts with younger (60-69 years) and older (≥70 years) groups. The results revealed a significant relationship between PTA (low) and MMSE only in the younger age group. In contrast, no significant relationship was found between PTA (high) and cognition in any of the cohorts. Conclusion: Pure tone average (low) is significantly but minimally related to measure of general cognitive status. Similar relationship is not observed between high-frequency hearing and cognition. Further research using a more comprehensive cognitive test battery is needed to confirm the lack of association between high-frequency hearing and cognition.


Objectives: Human serum albumin is synthesized in the liver and is the main plasma protein responsible for plasma oncotic pressure. Studies on the use of Human albumin solution (HAS) in patients with cirrhosis, for prevention of cirrhosis complications or for treatment are ongoing. The beneficial role of albumin beyond volume expansion is an evolving field, and further research is needed to understand the role of albumin in modulating biological functions and disease processes, particularly in liver disease and sepsis, but also in other diseases with albumin dysfunction.

Materials and methods: We investigated the effectiveness of HAS through the patients with cirrhosis who received 3 consecutive days (2x1 per day) 190-210 g / L protein were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: Albumin infusion was found to be beneficial for serum albumin levels in the patient with high Child-Pugh scores.

Conclusions: The complications of cirrhosis can be reduced, particularly in patients awaiting transplantation, by support with HAS treatment.


We investigated the compliance of 43 commercially available solar filters (eclipse glasses) with the ISO 12312-2:2015 standard by measuring their spectral transmittances (280–2000 nm) and calculating their luminous, solar ultraviolet A, ultraviolet B, and infrared (IR) transmittances. We also evaluated the filters for usability by observing the full midday Sun and rating the view on a seven-point balanced scale, from "far too dark, details seen only with great difficulty" to "far too light, uncomfortable to view the Sun." The mean ratings of two observers, one experienced and one inexperienced in solar observing, differed by 0.28 (95% confidence interval of the mean = 0.26). The inexperienced observer tended to be less accepting of high transmittances. All 43 solar filters complied with the UV and IR requirements. Eighteen filters passed the luminous transmittance requirements, and 24 were borderline too light or too dark. Seven of the 15 solar filters with a luminous transmittance darker than the requirement were rated as acceptable. One filter that passed and another that was borderline too light were rated as too light or far too light. The ISO 12312-2 limits derive from welding filter standards and do not represent an appropriate evidence base for direct solar viewing. This work provides the evidence base for a maximum 0.0012% and a minimum 0.00004% luminous transmittance for solar filters. The results of this study also support the use of welding filters between shades 12 and 16. Lighter welding filters are more acceptable than solar filters of the same luminous transmittance.


Abstract Background Bintrafusp alfa is a first-in-class bifunctional fusion protein composed of the extracellular domain of transforming growth factor beta receptor II (a TGF-β "trap") fused to a human immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody blocking programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1). We report the efficacy and safety in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that progressed following anti-PD-(L)1 therapy. Materials and Methods In this expansion cohort of NCT02517398—a global, open-label, phase I trial—adults with advanced NSCLC that progressed following chemotherapy and was primary refractory or had acquired resistance to anti-PD-(L)1 treatment received intravenous bintrafusp alfa 1200 mg every 2 weeks until confirmed progression, unacceptable toxicity, or trial withdrawal. The primary endpoint was best overall response (by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 adjudicated by independent review committee); secondary endpoints included safety. Results Eighty-three eligible patients (62 [74.7%] treated with ≥3 prior therapies) received bintrafusp alfa. Four patients (3 primary refractory, 1 acquired resistant) had confirmed partial responses (objective response rate, 4.8%; 95% CI, 1.3%-11.9%), and 9 had stable disease. Tumor cell PD-L1 expression was not associated with response. Nineteen patients (22.9%) experienced grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events, most commonly asthenia (3 [3.6%]) and fatigue, eczema, and pruritus (2 each [2.4%]). One patient had grade 4 amylase increased. One patient died during treatment for pneumonia before initiation of bintrafusp alfa. Conclusion Although the primary endpoint was not met, bintrafusp alfa showed some clinical activity and a manageable safety profile in patients with heavily pretreated NSCLC, including prior anti-PD-(L)1 therapy. Tumor responses occurred irrespective of whether disease was primary refractory or had acquired resistance to prior anti-PD-(L)1 therapy.


SARS-CoV-2 enters cells via its spike glycoprotein which must be cleaved sequentially at the S1/S2, then the S2' cleavage sites (CS) to mediate membrane fusion. SARS-CoV-2 has a unique polybasic insertion at the S1/S2 CS, which we demonstrate can be cleaved by furin. Using lentiviral pseudotypes and a cell-culture adapted SARS-CoV-2 virus with a S1/S2 deletion, we show that the polybasic insertion is selected for in lung cells and primary human airway epithelial cultures but selected against in Vero E6, a cell line used for passaging SARS-CoV-2. We find this selective advantage depends on expression of the cell surface protease, TMPRSS2, that allows virus entry independent of endosomes thus avoiding antiviral IFITM proteins. SARS-CoV-2 virus lacking the S1/S2 furin CS was shed to lower titres from infected ferrets and was not transmitted to cohoused sentinel animals. Thus, the polybasic CS is a key determinant for efficient SARS-CoV-2 transmission.


This paper presents a visual saliency algorithm for fast object detection and recognition in mobile robots using low power graphics processing units (GPUs), based on human vision foveation. The step of image foveation enables the use of small images, which leads to a much reduced number of computations in deep convolutional neural networks and consequent increase in frame-rate. We demonstrate how using a simple foveated downsampling method, we can maintain a detection-recognition performance level similar to the level at larger image resolutions, even when transforming from 416×416 to 128×128 pixels, for a small high acuity region of the image, which can lead to a 4× speed up in frame rates, maintaining a relatively stable mean Average Precision. The visual saliency algorithm is evaluated on the Stanford drone dataset and our own experimental drone dataset.


OBJECTIVE
: To determine whether individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) differ from cognitively normal (NC) elders on a risk assessment task and whether participants and their study partners evaluate risk and benefit similarly.

DESIGN
: Cross-sectional.

SETTING
: University medical setting.

PARTICIPANTS
: Seventy-nine participants (NC, n = 40; MCI, n = 39), age 60-90 years (73 ± 7 years; 53% women), and 64 study partners (NC, n = 36; MCI, n = 28), age 38-84 years (68 ± 10 years; 67% women).

MEASUREMENTS
: Participants and study partners completed a risk assessment task that involved ranking from least to most risk four hypothetical vignettes for memory loss research (brain autopsy, blood draw, oral medication, neurosurgery). Participants also completed decisional capacity for research and neuropsychological protocols.

RESULTS
: MCI participants' risk rankings differed from NC risk rankings (p <0.001) with MCI participants ranking brain autopsy higher and an oral medication trial lower. Demographic, decisional capacity, and neuropsychological variables could not explain MCI participant performances. Participants and their study partners had comparable risk assessment performance (p = 1.0). MCI study partners performed similar to their MCI participant counterparts but were different from NC study partners (p = 0.002; i.e., ranking autopsy higher and oral medication lower).

CONCLUSION
: Findings suggest that individuals with MCI assess risk differently than NC peers by overestimating the risk (or underestimating the benefit) of brain autopsy and underestimating the risk (or overestimating the benefit) of oral medication. Study partners display a similar pattern. These observations may be secondary to MCI participants' (and their study partners') personal connection to the potential benefits of an experimental medication for memory loss.


An eco-historical analysis facilitated the identification of the socio-political, demographical and environmental changes that have affected the distribution and abundance of vertebrates living in Israeli and Palestinian territories, their pathogens and the extent of human - animal contacts, all contributing to the risk of rabies, leading to three deaths in the late 90's. There are indications that the implementation of uncoordinated control strategies with a lack of an ecological perspective on one side of the border, such as the destruction of the main reservoirs, led to the emergence of a more potent reservoir coming from the other side, and the creation of an additional on yet to be identified. We analyze the lessons of historical mistakes, aiming at future regional control of the disease.


From the fourth to the twelfth century, the city of Jerusalem had its own liturgical rite and chant repertory, which used the Greek language. Until recently, however, very little was known about this tradition because hardly any medieval manuscripts of it survived. But the Greek texts were translated into Georgian when the church of Georgia adopted the rite of Jerusalem as its own, and critical editions of these translations, made from tenth-century manuscripts, have recently been published. The translations show that the chant repertory of Jerusalem exercised much influence on the other medieval chant repertories in Greek, Syriac, Armenian, and Latin. When texts from Jerusalem survive in these other traditions, they tend to be set to melodies that are consistent with the modal assignments and neumes of the Georgian sources. This suggests that the features these melodies share do go back in some way to the lost melodies that were once sung in Jerusalem itself.


Penetration of bean roots by Pratylenchus vulnus was inhibited by continuous exposure of the nematode to carbofuran and phenamiphos and by drenches of higher concentrations of these chemicals. The inhibition was explicable by inhibition of motility, dispersion, and attraction. If incubated in aerated distilled water, nematodes treated with carbofuran and phenamiphos recovered and reproduced as well as untreated nematodes. Foliar treatments were ineffective. Apparently, no basipetal transport of carbofuran and phenamiphos occurs in beans. Both nematicides arrested nematode development by interfering with egg production and transitions between life stages.


The study determines whether there are causal influences amongst the decision to apply for leasehold land right, investment, and livestock farm productivity in the Kavango West Region of Namibia. Various econometrics models have been used to model these relationships in the literature. However, there is a growing concern that methods which do not explicitly account for the endogeneity of regressors and which are used to investigate the relationship between property rights and the economic activities on agricultural farms often produce bias estimates that are inefficient and inconsistent. This study applied an instrumental variable (IV) regression to a survey data of 510 farmers to correct for endogeneity. A test of endogeneity of tenure security, investment, and farm productivity in the various models show that tenure security is exogenous to farm investment decision and farm productivity. On the other hand, farm investment decision was found to be exogenous to farm productivity, which implies that farmers make investment decisions given a secure tenure right that enhances their productivity on the farm. Overall, there was no evidence to support reverse causality in any of the tests. These findings highlight the importance of secure property rights as being a stimulus for increased agricultural investment and productivity.

 Key words: Property right, tenure security, endogenous, exogenous, investment.


Climate change, i.e., changing rainfall refers to drought and excess rainfall, is known to affect the growth and yield of tea production in many regions. However, research on the impact of climate change on tea plantations in Indonesia is still limited. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of changing rainfall on the productivity of tea plantation at Cianjur, West Java. The data was collected from interviews, field data, and company records from April to July 2022. The results showed that changing rainfall of both limited rainfalls during El Nino and excess rainfall during La Nina affected tea production. Annual tea productivity declined during both climatic events. Shortage of water during El Nino primarily reduced crop growth, while excess rainfall during La Nina reduced the capacity of tea pickers and increased labor for crop maintenance. Failure to adapt to the direct and indirect impacts of climate change could contribute to declining tea production in Indonesia. Thus, comprehensive action is needed including capacity building in human resources, water management, and microclimate adaptation such as shading plants and tolerant clones to sustain tea production under climate change events.


Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most frequent behavior disorder of childhood with a prevalence of 3-5%. ADHD persists in at least 30% in adulthood, so the estimated prevalence of ADHD in adults is 1%. Etiologically, genetic factors are the most important. In neuro-imaging, morphological abnormalities and dysfunction of the frontal cortex and basal ganglia have been established. There is little research in diagnostic assessment and treatment of adults. In this article, a proposal is made based on literature and own experience. Hetero-anamnestic information about childhood-onset of symptoms is being advised. Treatment can consist of psycho-education, medication (methylphenidate and desipramine are effective in controlled trials in adults), psychotherapy and support groups.


The Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) is a 4-meter solar observatory under construction at Haleakala, Hawaii. The simultaneous use of multiple instruments is one of the unique capabilities that makes the ATST a premier ground based solar observatory. Control of the instrument suite is accomplished by the Instrument Control System (ICS), a layer of software between the Observatory Control System (OCS) and the instruments. The ICS presents a single narrow interface to the OCS and provides a standard interface for the instruments to be controlled. It is built upon the ATST Common Services Framework (CSF), an infrastructure for the implementation of a distributed control system. The ICS responds to OCS commands and events, coordinating and distributing them to the various instruments while monitoring their progress and reporting the status back to the OCS. The ICS requires no specific knowledge about the instruments. All information about the instruments used in an experiment is passed by the OCS to the ICS, which extracts and forwards the parameters to the appropriate instrument controllers. The instruments participating in an experiment define the active instrument set. A subset of those instruments must complete their observing activities in order for the experiment to be considered complete and are referred to as the must-complete instrument set. In addition, instruments may participate in eavesdrop mode, outside of the control of the ICS. All instrument controllers use the same standard narrow interface, which allows new instruments to be added without having to modify the interface or any existing instrument controllers.


: Phacoemulsification is an increasingly popular method of performing cataract surgery. The procedure remains controversial. Opponents of phacoemulsification maintain the procedure has an unacceptably high complication rate during transition to the technique. This prospective study found that the many advantages of phacoemulsification were safely introduced into a moderate sized community practice. The surgical complication rate was very low and visual acuity statistics excellent.


Background This study was to determine the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive values (NPV) and agreement between two methods of the stained gastric imprint cytology smears and stained gastric specimen biopsy mucosal methods for detection of H. pylori. Methods Air-dried imprint smears of gastric biopsies from 330 patients were stained by the Grunwald-Giemsa method in the endoscopy suite and examined for H. pylori, providing results within minutes. The grade of H pylori infection was documented. The same biopsy was processed and stained with H&E and Grunwald-Giemsa stains, and reviewed by two different pathologists blind to the imprint cytology results. Results Ninety-four of the 238 patients were male with a mean age of 46 (±16.4) years. Based on histology, the H. pylori prevalence was very high at 77.87% and according to cytology H.Pylori prevalence was high at 75.45% in this region our country. The sensitivity and specificity of imprint cytology in the detection of H. pylori were 96.88% and 90.12%, respectively. The PPV and NPV were 96.88% and 90.12%, respectively. The agreement between two diagnostic methods was 95.26% which confirms reliability of imprint cytology method for ion of H.pylori detection. Conclusion Gastric imprint smears stained with Grunwald-Giemsa method is a rapid and cost effective method in addition to histology for detecting H. pylori in patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and biopsy. It does not require any additional biopsy.


By optimizing the rate-distortion-realism trade-off, generative compression approaches produce detailed, realistic images, even at low bit rates, instead of the blurry reconstructions produced by rate-distortion optimized models. However, previous methods do not explicitly control how much detail is synthesized, which results in a common criticism of these methods: users might be worried that a misleading reconstruction far from the input image is generated. In this work, we alleviate these concerns by training a decoder that can bridge the two regimes and navigate the distortion-realism tradeoff. From a single compressed representation, the receiver can decide to either reconstruct a low mean squared error reconstruction that is close to the input, a realistic reconstruction with high perceptual quality, or anything in between. With our method, we set a new state-of-the-art in distortion-realism, pushing the frontier of achievable distortion-realism pairs, i.e., our method achieves better distortions at high realism and better realism at low distortion than ever before.


Multivariate data visualization is an interesting research eld with many applications in various elds of sciences. Radial visualization is one of the most common information visualization concept for visualizing multivariate data. However, radial visualization may display different information about structures of multivariate data. For example, all points which are multiplicatives of given point may map to the same point in the visual space. An optimal layout of radial visualization is usually found by dening a suitable the order of data dimensions on the unit circle. In this paper, we propose a novel method that improves the radial visualization layout for cluster preservation of multivariate data. The traditional radial visualizations have viewpoint at the origin coordinate. The idea of our proposed method is nding the most suitable viewpoint among the corners of a hypercube to look into the cluster structures of data sets. Our method provides an improvement in visualizing class structures of multivariate data sets on the radial visualization. We present our method with three kinds of quality measurements and prove the effectiveness of our method for several data sets.


This study included semi‐structured interviews with eight practitioners who have key roles in UK coastal management. Data from the interviews were analysed using 'grounded theory', which established that sources of uncertainty in decision making are diverse but can be categorised as being modelling issues, values issues, communication and 'externalities'. At present, intuitive and implicit methods of taking uncertainty into account in decision making are much more prevalent than explicit methods. By identifying sources and implications of uncertainty, coastal managers will be in a stronger position to promote resilient systems that can cope with changing natural and social conditions.


Ultra-high performance cementitious composite (UHPCC) with 200MPa compressive strength was prepared by substitution of ultra-fine industrial waste powder for 60% cement by weight. Compressive impact behaviour of UHPCC with different fiber volume fraction was researched by split Hopkinson pressure bar in four kinds of impact modes. Standard strength of UHPCC under impact was defined. The effects of strain rate, impact times, impact modes and fiber volume fraction on the properties of UHPCC under impact were researched. Results showed that impact resistance of UHPCC was improved with the increase of fiber volume fraction. With the increase of strain rate the dynamic strength of UHPCC was improved. With the increase of impact times the damage of material increased while the standard strength decreased. With the change of impact modes the damage of material on the first impact and the rate of the reduction of peak stress on the second and third impact increased. After a long time freezing-thaw cycle, corrosion and carbonation, results indicated that UHPCC had excellent durability.


We consider a slice of a radio access network where human and machine users access services with either high throughput or low latency requirements. The slice offers both eMBB and URLLC service categories to serve HTC (Human-Type Communication) and MTC (Machine-Type Communication) traffic. We propose to use eMBB for both HTC and MTC, transferring machine traffic to URLLC only when eMBB is not able to meet the low latency requirements of MTC. We show that by so doing the slice is capable of providing very good performance to about one hundred MTC users under high HTC traffic conditions. Instead, running time-critical MTC over only eMBB is not doable at all, whereas using URLLC suffices for at most a few tens of devices. Therefore, our approach improves the number of users served by the slice by one order of magnitude, without requiring extra resources or compromising performance. To study system performance we develop a novel analytical model of uplink packet transmissions, which covers both legacy eMBB-or URLLC-based MTC, as well as our compound approach. Our model allows to tune slice parameters so as to achieve the desired balance between HTC and MTC service guarantees. We validate the model against detailed simulations using as an example an autonomous driving scenario.


A synthesis is presented of recent numerical predictions for the F-16XL aircraft flowfields and aerodynamics. The computational analyses were all performed with hybrid Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes/large-eddy simulation formulations, with an emphasis on unsteady flows and associated aerodynamics, and results from five computational methods are included. The work focused on one particular low-speed high angle-of-attack flight-test condition, and comparisons against flight-test data are included. This work represents the third coordinated effort using the F-16XL aircraft, and a unique flight-test dataset, to advance the knowledge of slender airframe aerodynamics as well as the capability for predicting these aerodynamics with advanced computational fluid dynamics formulations. The prior efforts were identified as the Cranked-Arrow Wing Aerodynamics Project International.


Surface hardening of GCr15 bearing steel ring was carried out using CW CO2 laser. The laser power used was in the range of 300 to 500 Watts. A rectangular beam shape was used to cover the area to be hardened. A three fold increase in the hardness of the transformed zone was achieved. The depth of hardness attained was around 1mm. The depth and width of the laser treated zone were studied as function of laser power and working speed for specific spot size. The microstructure of the transformed zone is also discussed. Subzero cooling technique was applied to convert the retained austenite to martensite.


. Category: conceptual article. The problem considered in the article is the failure of most Russian universities to develop intellectual property (IP) management strategies capable of meeting the challenges of the market. The importance that is currently attached to this issue concerns the national strategy for the scienti fi c and technological development of the Russian Federation – in particular, as enshrined in the national project "Nauka" (Science). The goal of the work determined by the current situation is thus to formulate the structure of the strategic goals of universities in the fi eld of intellectual property, as well as to identify and systematise typical strategies for their accomplishment. To achieve this goal, the following tasks were carried out within the framework of the study: 1) an analysis of Russian and foreign publications in order to systematise methodological approaches to the formation of the university's patent strategy; 2) a systematisation of key performance indicators used in assessing the activities of universities in their reporting documents and ratings; 3) a collation of approaches to the formation of patent strategies of Russian universities, based on a comparative analysis of university-wide missions and goals, as well as general aims and strategies for managing intellectual property. The solutions to these problems formed the basis for a systematisation of approaches to the formation of patent strategies in Russian and foreign practice. It is proposed that patent strategy be considered as a vector of the development of university IP across such coordinates as the competitive behaviour model, as well as the volume, geographical distribution and structure of the patent portfolio with respect to target audiences (key consumers) and strategic partnerships. The conducted studies and generalisations, which will be used to support the innovation activity of UrFU, may also be useful to other universities of the Russian Federation for improving systems of innovation and intellectual property management.


Today, it is conventional wisdom to speak of knowledge resources as being central to a nation's competitiveness and its economic destiny. Such wisdom gains urgency when one is discussing biotechnology and the African farmer. Two statistics highlight the dilemma of the African farmer. First, the average yield of food staples has been flat since independence in 1960. Second, there are 48 countries in Africa and only one (South Africa) of these is producing genetically modified (GM) crops commercially. Why? The answer is that most government and university research systems in Africa are producing only a trickle of new technology and improved farm practices. Consequently, African nations are severely challenged to invest in generating new knowledge for increasing agricultural productivity. This paper is part of a larger World Bank study of agricultural education and training (AET) in Sub-Saharan Africa. It focuses on the institution-building experience of countries outside Africa. Eight countries were selected for an analysis of the evolution of financially sustainable faculties of agriculture and national agricultural research systems. Four are industrial countries and four are classified as lower/ middle income countries. One of the major conclusions is that the political systems in many African countries have neglected agriculture. Africans have committed only about one-third to one-half of the public investment in agriculture as did their Asian counterparts during Asia's Green Revolution during the sixties and seventies. . Another major finding is that building an interactive system of three core institutions-research, education and extension-has been, and will remain, a multi-generational challenge. In the case studies of the United States, Japan and Brazil, the average duration for developing a financially sustainable system of these three core institutions ranged from 40 to 60 years. Many African governments and donors are currently myopic about investing in higher agricultural education. But with dwindling opportunities for overseas study, African universities will ultimately be responsible for training and replenishing the stock of human capital in their respective nations' research and extension services. Many recent studies of human capital, including training, education and health, have shown that human capital can contribute to worker productivity and agricultural growth. Yet in spite of the donor cutback of support for human capital improvement programs in Africa, the linkages between overseas and African universities have continued to evolve. Expanding information technology capacities are opening the electronic door for novel institutional partnerships to improve AET in Africa. Based on a global literature review and the experience of a number of donors and African countries, it is proposed that the World Bank prepare an Africa AET Plan with a 30-year time frame for strengthening AET in Africa. Phase I covering the first 15 years of the Plan can be prepared by drawing on the global and African experience, a few additional studies commissioned by the Bank, and discussions with stakeholders in Africa and with other donors. Nevertheless, it should be pointed out that building a science-based AET system to manage the transition from overseas training to M.Sc. and Ph.D. training within Africa is a time consuming, complex and costly process. The tentative budget for Phase I of the Plan is USD 1 billion to train 1,000 African PhDs in all fields of agriculture while strengthening the teaching and research capacity of African universities and faculties of agriculture. In the process, some difficult choices will have to be made regarding the most cost-effective strategies to boost the capacity of African universities and national research systems to increase agricultural productivity.


In microelectromechanical systems resonators, dissipation of energy through anchor points into the substrate adds to resonator energy loss, contributing to low values of Q. A design for improving Q based on the reflection of anchor-generated surface acoustic waves is presented here. In this design, the resonator is surrounded by a trench, or a mesa, that partially reflects the wave energy back to the resonator. Depending on the distance from the resonator to the mesa, the reflected wave interferes either constructively or destructively with the resonator, increasing or decreasing Q. The proposed design is experimentally tested using a dome-shaped flexural mode resonator for a range of distances of the mesa from the resonator. Improvements in Q of up to 400% are observed. The resonator/mesa system is modeled using a commercially available finite-element code. Experiments and simulations compare well, suggesting that a finite-element-method analysis can be used in the preliminary design of mesas for the optimization of Q. The concept of using mesas to improve Q is simulated for both flexural and in-plane modes of vibration.


Abstract Seaplanes were an important feature of aviation during its first four decades, both for long range transport and high airspeeds. Research, and the testing of new designs, was carried out at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment at Felixstowe until 1958. However, the record of this scientific work at MAEE has never been fully reported until this paper. The main scientific topics described are, stability during take-off and landing, hydrodynamic resistance, landing impact, spray formation and its control. Armament research and testing receive special attention. A large fleet of prototype seaplanes was type tested; results from these type tests are summarised to show the wide range of designs needing to be assessed. In a final section the authors consider how seaplanes may return to the main stream in the 21st century. The two authors were respectively Head of the Scientific and Technical offices at MAEE in the 1940s.


Education is the culture which each generation purposely gives to those who are to be its successor in order to qualify them for transmission of the values and knowledge of the society. There were many agents in the transmission of education in Nigeria during the period in question. Each of the agents had its own methods of disseminating knowledge. Of particular interest in this paper are the following agents and the methods they used: Traditional educators applied various methods to convey knowledge. One of those was the informal method of instruction which included learning through play.  Children were left to their own initiative to make toys with which they played. They made such toys from local materials of their own choices and interests. They molded them from mud and clay and made use of articles which were of little use to adults (Ocitti, 1973). Children also engaged in make-believe activities which were imitative, imaginative and symbolic. They enjoyed imitating their parents or other grown-ups, and especially those activities in which they themselves would pursue in later years.  These activities included; building huts of grass, digging and hunting by boys. Girls, on the other hand, participated in activities of the family and life in the home. They therefore imitated their mothers in such activities as cooking, grinding, fetching water and firewood (Erny, 1981). The Christian Missionaries came with the introduction and development of Western (formal) education using the various methods like recitation, assimilation, content transmission and learning by rote The Arab traders came to the country introducing the Islamic education through their trading enterprise and using the methods of recitation, repetition, rote learning and a host of others. The British Colonial government, as an agent of education in Nigeria formalized and modernized all various methods and came out with her own method of internalization of education. Except for the traditional Community, each of the other three agents i.e. the Christian Missions, the Arab traders and the British Colonial Government established schools to advance and develop their educational systems. This paper did a comparative analysis of  agents of education and methods used by each of them in the 18 th and 19 th century in Nigeria. The Historical method was adopted for this study and this involved the use of the British colonial papers, official Nigerian government papers and  documents of various Missions and the Berber merchants.One of the important findings of this analysis is that although, the traditional type of education was informal, the method used for disseminating knowledge suited the purpose of education in the country by then and the method achieved the result of preparing individuals for employment in their own environments and making them useful and active citizens (Fafunwa, 1974),. Another finding indicated that to a large extent, the missionaries  discarded Nigerian's ways of life.  They rejected much of the tradition ways of life because their desire was to convert as many as possible to Christianity religion. Thus, the education provided was biased towards religion.


Raman spectroscopy has become an essential technique to characterize and investigate graphene and many other two-dimensional materials. However, there is still a lack of consensus on the Raman signature and phonon dispersion of atomically thin boron nitride (BN), which has many unique properties distinct from graphene. Such a knowledge gap greatly affects the understanding of the basic physical and chemical properties of atomically thin BN as well as the use of Raman spectroscopy to study these nanomaterials. Here, we use both experiment and simulation to reveal the intrinsic Raman signature of monolayer and few-layer BN. We find experimentally that atomically thin BN without interaction with a substrate has a G band frequency similar to that of bulk hexagonal BN (hBN), but strain induced by the substrate can cause a pronounced Raman shift. This is in excellent agreement with our first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations at two levels of theory, including van der Waals dispersion forces (opt-vdW) and a fraction of the exact exchange from Hartree-Fock (HF) theory through the hybrid HSE06 functional. Both calculations demonstrate that the intrinsic E2g mode of BN does not depend sensibly on the number of layers. Our simulations also suggest the importance of the exact exchange mixing parameter in calculating the vibrational modes in BN, as it determines the fraction of HF exchange included in the DFT calculations.


Mineral polymer is a new category of inorganic non-mental materials, which was manufactured from fly ash in this paper. Changes of fly ash in the polymerization can be described as: (1) Q4(0Al) is the main form of Si element in fly ash, with 67.5%content.During the solidification of mineral polymer, the content of Q4(0Al) decrease from 38.7%(3d) to 28.2%(7d) and 26%(14d), then increased to 37.8% in 28 d product; (2) the intensity of Q2(0Al) and Q3(1Al) decrease at first stage, then increase finally during the solidification of mineral polymer; (3) content of Q4(2Al)increase from 14.6%(3d), 39.2%(7d), 40.6% (14d) and decreased to 23.1% in product curing for 28 d product;(4)octahedral aluminum were the main form of Al element in fly ash, which decreased during the polymerization, simultaneously, tetrahedral aluminum increased. The experimental results provided a good basis for understanding the reactive mechanism of polymerization.


alternative to increasing productivity and production efficiency. Crossbreeding has been used widely for increasing productivity, and in this experiment Alabio and Mojosari ducks were crossed reciprocally in order to evaluate their egg production and egg quality, when compared to their parental breeds. Four genotypes AA, AM, MA and MM were compared and each consisted of 50 layer ducks. Each animal was kept in individual cage, and individual egg production and egg quality were recorded. They were given layer feed containing 20% crude protein and 3000 kcal/kg metabolisable energy. Results showed that the crossbred ducks (AM and MA) laid eggs earlier than their parental breeds (AA and MM), and MA laid earlier than AM. The weight of first eggs of the crossbreeds did not differ significantly, AM was the same as MM and MA the same as AA. For the body weight at first lay, MA and AM weighed in between their parental breeds, AA was the heaviest and then followed by MA, AM and MM. For the 3-month egg production, MA ducks laid significantly more egg than the other 3 genotypes, and this is related to the age of first lay being the earliest. In terms of egg quality such as egg weight, yolk color, weight and thickness of shell, weight of the white and HU value, the crossbred ducks showed quality in between AA and MM. The AM ducks tended to be closer to MM and MA closer to AA, and this shows a strong influence of maternal effects. The average level of heterosis for weight of first egg is 2.41% and for 3-month egg production is 2.1%, but for MA cross the heterosis level is 11.69% for egg production. The overall results showed that crossbreeds between Alabio and Mojosari have the potential in improving production traits in the effort to increase productivity and production efficiency. Key words : Duck, crossbred, production egg


Maritime English is defined as the English language used by seafarers both at sea and in port and by individuals working in the shipping and shipbuilding industry. The teachers are required to make the students skillful and ready to work in maritime sectors once they graduate. The existing and relevant maritime English learning materials following STCW 2010 curriculum in Indonesia are still rare and limited. This study aims to conduct a need analysis of android and web-based Maritime English apps based on the students' perspectives. This study uses questionnaires shared and completed randomly by 318 students from different majors and at Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Pelayaran (Maritime Higher Education Institute) Jakarta. The data is gathered and analyzed accordingly to create the essential concept of the MarEng apps design. The questionnaire result indicates that most of the participants need an ME learning platform in order for them to have better access to and to practice the required knowledge and skills. Explicit bilingual instructions and features like video, audio, and text are also preferred to be incorporated. It is suggested to start from the elementary level and cover the four skills, especially listening, speaking, and pronunciation. It is so suggested that the platform can be constructed in easy and fun UI/UX covering the required content.


Objectives : To construct a single indicator on impairment level for lower extremity Complex Regional Pain syndrome type I (CRPS I). Design : The Impairment level SumScore (ISS) for upper extremity CRPS I was adapted to be used for lower extremity evaluation. Medline literature search and research findings were used to adapt the upper extremity version of the ISS, with emphasis on reliability, responsiveness and validity of measurement instruments. Where needed, additional patient data was gathered to evaluate these aspects for different measurement instruments. Setting : An outpatient clinic of a university hospital in the Netherlands. Participants : Two groups consisting of 17 and 26 healthy volunteers, and two groups of respectively 40 and 18 lower extremity CRPS I patients according to Veldman's criteria. Main outcome measures : VAS and McGill pain scores, water displacement volumeter values, and physicians' and patients' assessment of CRPS I severity. Results : A combination of measurements, incorporating pain (VAS and McGill), temperature (infrared thermometer), volume (water displacement volumeter) and active range of motion (universal goniometer), was converted in a single score ranging from 5 to 50. The reliability, as well as the responsiveness was adequate. Conclusions : The lower extremity ISS permits evaluation of the most prominent symptoms in CRPS I, and can be used to monitor changes in CRPS I.


The wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-Aegilops geniculata introgression TSDL·SDS-5M g S(0.95), with stripe rust resistance gene Yr40 and leaf rust resistance gene Lr57, is an effective source of resistance against most isolates of the rust pathogen in Kansas and India. Rust resistance genes Lr57 and Yr40 were transferred to the hard red winter wheat (HRWW) cultivars Jagger and Overley by standard backcrossing and marker-assisted selection (MAS). PCR-based cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) markers were developed and used to select backcross F 1 plants with rust resistance. Diagnostic polymorphism detected by CAPS marker XLr57/Yr40-MAS-CAPS16 was consistent between the resistant source and a set of wheat cultivars selected by the U.S. Wheat Coordinated Agricultural Project. Homozygous BC 3 F 2 plants with rust resistance genes were selected using the Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLP)-based diagnostic DNA marker polymorphism detected by the wheat grain softness protein (GSP). Deletion of Puroindoline a (Pina-M g 1) and Puroindoline b (Pinb-M g 1) gene sequences in the chromosome segment of 5M g S substituting for 5DS of wheat suggests that the backcross derivatives with Lr57/Yr40 can be used to develop hard textured wheats. The HRWW germplasm with Lr57 and Yr40 will provide breeders in the Southern Great Plains with adapted lines having an additional source of resistance that can be used to achieve durability of rust resistance.


We simulate temporal context dependent episodic memory with resulting reversed order activity in model hippocampal regions CA3 and CA1, similar to recorded activity recently published by D.J.Foster and M.A.Wilson. Our model supposes that encoding of reversed place associations in CA3 is the cause of that activity. That proposed mechanism is the focus of this paper, and we simulate resulting activity in model layer III of entorhinal cortex, and in hippocampal regions CA3 and CA1. Learning associates spike episodes maintained in a persistent firing buffer in layer II of entorhinal cortex (ECU) with unique temporal context specific representations formed in dentate gyrus (DG), as well as with episodic memory encoded in the CA3 recurrent network. Similarly, spiking representations in DG are associated with episodic memory in CA3. Spike sequences retrieved in CA3 are reversed representations of the original episodic input. As observed by Foster and Wilson, and in more recent electrophysiology, resulting simulated activity in CA1 exhibits some forward and some reversed spiking.


Divorce is the culmination of a bad marital adjustment, and is the last option as a way of solving the problems. Divorce is stressful, pressure, and cause problems both physically and mentally.
This situation is experienced by all family members, ie father, mother and child. The effects of divorce will affect the lives of divorced families, both fathers, mothers and children in the future.
A better life after the divorce was the hope of every family is divorced. Hope it will be a motivation in itself subject to spring (resilient) from catastrophy and its resistance to the problems caused by divorce. This research is a qualitative descriptive study aimed to find out the picture of the post divorce family resilience. The research method uses interviews and observation techniques to obtain research data. Inspection validity data using triangulation techniques. The study subjects were
three divorced families where one family consisting of father, mother and one child.
Results showed that divorced families have individual problems, so how resiliensinya also different. Resilience capabilities of each family member who is affected by I am divorced, I have and I can that is within each subject, namely belief in God Almighty and the support of people
around, so that each family member Divorced able to rise up and stand up to the problems that exist in his life.


This paper represents an initial effort to model the volatile behavior of Iran's socio-political-economic system. More specifically, Homa Katouzian's theory of Iranian political economy—a well-established descriptive theory of Iran's unstable economic development—is translated into a system dynamics model, tested for internal consistency, and used for policy analysis. Simulation results confirm Katouzian's claim that periodic episodes of significant arbitrary power are key to understanding the historically less-than-optimal behavior of the Iranian socioeconomic system. They also confirm the significance of oil revenue, economic sanctions, and civil resistance on Iranian economic development. Of note is that experimentation with the model reveals that educational policies that generate increased respect for the law by Iranian citizens can significantly improve the behavior of the Iranian socioeconomic system. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research.


Background: The purpose of this investigation was to test the feasibility of a home-based moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA) program for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) currently taking antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods: 68 participants recruited for a 9-month home-based PA intervention aimed to reduce risk factors of cardiovascular disease for PLWHA taking ART. All participants received an educational weight loss workbook and a pedometer for self-monitoring of physical activity. The intervention group received elastic Therabands® for strength training in addition to telephone based behavioural coaching. Clinical assessments were conducted at baseline and each follow-up which also included psychometric questionnaires and PA levels via the SenseWear® armband accelerometer. Results: Of the 57 completing the study, 29 of those were in the intervention group and 28 were in the standard care group. Results show that the home-based PA intervention was not successful in increasing the total amount of MPA for PLWHA. However there was a trend (p=0.08) of decreasing sedentary time. In a secondary analysis those who increased PA by >10% observed decreases in waist circumference and improved functioning at 18 weeks. None of the changes observed were significant after controlling for all potential confounders. Conclusions: A home-based exercise approach with telephone-based coaching may not be a feasible method for increasing MPA among PLWHA. Slight decreases in sedentary time indicate some positive changes in activity habits. A possible strategy to improve studies similar to this is to incorporate a group based social interaction each week similar to that of a support group.


Background: The aim of this study was to compare changes in pain, oxygenation, and ventilation following endotracheal suctioning with open and closed suctioning systems in post coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients. Materials and Methods: 130 post CABG mechanically ventilated patients were randomly allocated to undergo either open (n = 75) or closed (n = 55) endotracheal suctioning for 15 s. The patients received 100% oxygen for 1 min before and after suctioning. Pain score using critical-care pain objective tool (CPOT) was compared during suctioning between the two groups. Arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2), PaO2 to fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) (PF) ratio, and arterial carbon dioxide pressure (PaCO2) were compared at baseline and 5 min after suctioning. Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) was compared at baseline, during suctioning, and at 1 min interval after suctioning for 5 min between the two groups. Results: The patients were the same with regard to CPOT scores, i.e. 3.21 (1.89) and 2.94 (1.56) in the open and closed suctioning systems, respectively. SpO2 did not change significantly between the two groups. Changes in PaO2 and PF ratio was more significant in the open than in the closed system (P = 0.007). Patients in the open group had a higher PaCO2 than those in the closed group, i.e. 40.54 (6.56) versus 38.02 (6.10), and the P value was 0.027. Conclusions: Our study revealed that patients' pain and SpO2 changes are similar following endotracheal suctioning in both suctioning systems. However, oxygenation and ventilation are better preserved with closed suctioning system.


To assist mining companies in their attempts to rehabilitate land and waters used for, and impacted by, their activities, there is a need to study the occurrence, distribution, and speciation of metals and metalloids associated with mining. Furthermore, there is a need to provide credible estimations of the likely bioavailability of the specific forms of the metals/metalloids found to be present, to form the basis of a risk assessment of the potential of the metal/metalloid to cause toxicological damage. The work described in this thesis deals with arsenic speciation on solid and aqueous samples collected in areas associated with mining sites, and upon the ability of these samples to adsorb further arsenic, and to be adsorbed by naturally occurring iron minerals. It also extends the concept of risk assessment by undertaking work aimed at assessing bioavailability of species of arsenic shown to occur within the samples. Arsenic speciation in the solid phase has traditionally been difficult, and as a result different selective extraction techniques have been used to attempt to define various arsenic species. In this work such extractions have been done, and the results obtained compared with speciation using X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) Spectroscopy applying the related XAFS techniques of X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) Spectroscopy and the Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) Spectroscopy. The two analysis techniques are related, but they provide slightly different information about an element's (in this case arsenic's) local coordination and chemical state. The oxidation states and the ratio of arsenic species present in powdered samples and their respective sequentially extracted fractions were determined. It is shown that X-ray spectroscopy is a far superior tool for defining arsenic speciation than is sequential extraction; whereas the former approach unequivocally defines actual chemical forms of arsenic, the latter method yields very misleading results regarding the actual arsenic species extracted in each step. There is effectively no correlation between results obtained by the two approaches. The only major drawbacks to X-ray spectroscopy approach are its cost and availability. XANES analysis of mine wastes indicates that As(V), comprising the arsenates of iron (28 %), calcium (25 %), and aluminium (23 %), is the dominant oxidation state in various mine waste samples including those dispersed as creek/river sediments. But mixed oxidation states of As(V), As(III) (consisting of sodium arsenite and arsenic sulfide), and As(-I) (consisting of arsenopyrite) were also observed to be present in some of the mine waste samples and their respective selective extraction fractions. The adsorption model of arsenic on dispersed creek/river sediments was also studied and ferrihydrite and goethite were identified as key iron oxyhydroxides for the adsorption of arsenic in creek sediments receiving tailings waters. XANES analysis revealed the presence of both As(V) and As(III) in the resulting sediment samples, with arsenic in the As(V) form dominant. The importance of bioavailability (BA) of a particular element is basic to any risk assessment, where BA refers to the ratio of the element absorbed compared to the amount ingested in the material in question. Traditionally, in the absence of specific BA data, this is assumed to be 100%. Experiments utilising the rat as an in-vivo model were undertaken in order to quantify the absolute bioavailability (ABA) of arsenic in mine waste samples (tailings and sediments); they showed that the ABA of contaminants varies between sites and the matrix of the sample. The total As(V) and As(III) ABA values for mine tailing and sediments samples fell in the range 6 to 32 %, with As(III) being invariably much more bioaccessible than As(V). It is clearly demonstrated that assuming 100% bioavailability of arsenic from soils and mine waste materials overestimates the risk associated with human exposure. Recent work has developed the concept of BA by use of an in-vitro physiologicallybased extraction test (PBET) to yield measurements of bioaccessibility (BAc). The PBET aims to simulate human uptake of the target element, and expresses BAc as uptake in terms of a percentage of available element. Assessment of BAc of some mine waste materials (tailing and sediments) dosed to animals to obtain ABA values was undertaken, and comparison made between BAc and ABA results. The BAc for the mine tailings samples ranged from 2.2 ± 0.1 to 11.5 ± 0.1 %, while river sediment samples were roughly 10 % of these values. When comparisons were made between the results obtained for bioavailability of arsenic in samples examined by the in vivo absolute bioavailability (ABA) method and the in vitro bioaccessibility (BAc) method, no correlation could be found in results obtained for any one of the tailing or sediment samples. Furthermore, the in vivo results indicate much higher values of ABA for As(III) than As(V), while the in vitro approach found that nearly all bioavailable arsenic is present as As(V); As(III) BA was negligible.


— As one of the most successful applications of image analysis, face recognition has received significant attention, especially during past few years. Automatic human face recognition has received substantial attention from researchers in biometrics, pattern recognition and computer vision communities. The localization of human faces in digital images is a fundamental step in the process of face recognition. Although the existing automated machine recognition systems have certain level of maturity, their accomplishments are limited due to real time challenges. For example, face recognition for the images which are acquired in high contrast with different levels of illumination is a critical problem. It is known that image variation due to lighting changes is larger than that, due to different personal identity, because lighting direction alters the relative gray scale distribution of a face image. In handling these types of practical scenarios, the system must be robust enough to deal with dynamic changes in lighting, hence it is equally important to preprocess the images prior to actual processing and experimentations. This paper proposes a novel method of iterative illumination normalization based on histogram of an image and scaling function. It helps in construction of an optimal global lighting space from these images which improve accuracy of face recognition system. The proposed method helps in recognition of sparsely sampled images with different lighting too. Also, most valuable information of an image, i.e. gray scale value, is not discarded and person's discriminative information in face image is strengthened. Hence recognition can be carried out using preserved illumination invariant features.


Background and purpose: Partnership between traditional birth attandence (TBA) and midwives is one of the strategies to increase the coverage of childbirth assistance by the health personnel. This partnership seems to be ineffective as still there were TBA performed childbirth assistance. The study aims to find out about the overview and obstacles in the implementation of the partnership between TBA and midwives in the East Manggarai Regency.Methods: The qualitative research with in-depth interviews using open interview guide was conducted on 15 participants who were selected purposively, consisted of two village midwives, five TBAs who partnered with midwives, three TBAs who are not partnered with a midwife, and two participants of community leaders, the religious leaders, the two puerperal women and one policy maker. Data were analyzed by using thematic analysis approach.Results: The results showed that the facilities and supporting infrastructure of partnership were inadequate, funds provided were not enough to finance the implementation of the partnership, there were no regular meetings between the midwives and the traditional healers, coordination was done merely incidental. The division of roles in the treatment of childbirth was clear, but many obstacles were found, namely transportation barriers, economic problems and there were traditional healers who did not want to partner.Conclusion: The overview of partnership between the traditional healers and midwives in childbirth assistance has not gone well and there were still many obstacles found both internally and externally. To optimize this program, sufficient funds should be allocated, transportation should be improved and counseling should be provided to the community to raise awareness of the importance of childbirth assistance by the health personnel.


Introduction: Medical and health professionals and in general anyone with sensitive information should be very careful not to disclose it without consideration. The person who holds information will be responsible to maintain or disclose confidential information for the public interest. This is while, one of the important factors in the relationship between the patient and the medical team is to maintain patient trust in physicians and the treatment team, and thus the patient can provide his doctor and the health system with his most private information for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 199 patients hospitalized in internal and surgery wards of Jahrom hospitals in 2018. Random cluster sampling was used in all wards of hospitals. The instruments of the study included a questionnaire of demographic information and a patient name disclosure inventory. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (mean, percentage, and standard deviation) through SPSS Software version 21.

Findings: The participants of the study were 41.2% male and 58.8% female. The mean score for patients' view about maintaining confidentiality was 3.43 with a standard deviation of 1.13. The minimum and maximum score of patients' view on maintaining confidentiality was 1.29 and 5 respectively. The sensitivity of 2.5% of patients on confidentiality was very high, the sensitivity of 33% of them was high, the sensitivity of 14.5% of them was moderate, the sensitivity of 23% of them was low and the sensitivity of 27% of them was very low. The view of women and men about maintaining confidentiality is not significant (p>0.05).

Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the sensitivity of 50% of patients on maintaining confidentiality was low or very low, and the sensitivity of 35.5% of them was high and very high. It seems that different cultural factors can be considered as effective factors, which require more accurate examination, in this area.


In this paper we show that the failure of the CAPM beta to predict individual stocks' expected returns documented by Fama and French (1992) is largely driven by a small group of stocks with large betas and high idiosyncratic volatilities. These stocks' betas tend to reverse. Therefore, even when the CAPM holds period-by-period, the cross-sectional evidence on market beta is weak at best due to the confounding effect of beta reversal and instability. We further show that such a beta reversal is partly predictable by idiosyncratic volatility. As a result, the current beta estimates of individual stocks can significantly explain the cross-sectional differences in future returns whit a simple control for such a reversal effect. In fact, the market risk premium estimated from cross-sectional regression is close to that of the historical average. All results are robust with respect to different measures of beta and idiosyncratic volatility as well as different subsamples. In addition, we explore several possible causes for the beta reversal phenomenon.


OBJECTIVE Raised serum C reactive protein (CRP) and hyaluronate (HA) concentrations predict the progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in the long term but the consistency of these relations with time is unknown. The purpose of this work was therefore to determine if raised CRP and HA at entry and three years before entry (−3 years) predict radiological progression of knee OA in a group of patients between entry and five years. METHODS Knee radiographs from 90 patients with knee OA at entry and five years follow up were assessed for progression of disease over five years. The concentrations of serum CRP and HA were measured at entry (n=90) and also in 40 serum samples available from −3 years. Odds ratios (OR) for predicting progression were calculated by logistic regression. RESULTS Serum CRP at entry was not predictive of progression between entry and five years (OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.81, 1.55) but serum CRP at −3 years was predictive of progression (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.01, 3.28). Serum HA concentration at entry predicted progression between entry and five years (OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.16, 4.66). CONCLUSION These results are consistent with previous reports relating to HA, and suggest that raised serum CRP reflects events that precede a period of later radiographic progression in knee OA. However, because of the large overlap between groups, the serum CRP or HA concentration are not good predictors of individual patient progression and have a poor sensitivity and specificity.


Recent advances in bio-logging open promising perspectives in the study animal movements at numerous scales. It is now possible to record time-series of animal locations and ancillary data (e.g. activity level derived from on-board accelerometers) over extended areas and long durations with a high spatial and temporal resolution. Such time-series are often piecewise stationary, as the animal may alternate between different stationary phases (i.e. characterised by a specific mean and variance of some key parameter for limited periods). Identifying when these phases start and end is a critical first step to understand the dynamics of the underlying movement processes. We introduce a new segmentation-clustering method we called segclust2d. It can segment bi-(or more generally multi-) variate time-series and possibly cluster the various segments obtained, corresponding to phases assumed to be stationary. It is easy to use, as it only requires specifying the minimum length of a segment (to prevent over-segmentation) based on biological considerations. Although this method can be applied to time-series of any nature, we focus here on two-dimensional piecewise time-series whose phases correspond at small scale to the expressions of different behavioural modes such as transit, feeding and resting, as characterised by two joint metrics such as speed and turning angles or, at larger scale, to temporary home ranges, characterised by stationary distributions of bivariate coordinates. Using computer simulations, we show that segcust2d can rival and even outperform previous, more complex methods, which were specifically developed to highlight changes in movement modes or home range shifts (based on Hidden Markov or Ornstein-Uhlenbeck modelling, respectively), which, contrary to our method, require truly informative initial guesses to be efficient. Furthermore we demonstrate it on actual examples involving a zebra's small scale movements and an elephant's large scale movements, to illustrate the identification of various movement modes and of home range shifts, respectively.


A Turing mode in an extended periodically forced oscillatory system can change the classical resonance boundaries of a single forced oscillator. Using the normal form equation for forced oscillations, we identify a Hopf-Turing bifurcation point around which we perform a weak nonlinear analysis. We show that resonant standing waves can exist outside the 2:1 resonance region of uniform oscillations, and non-resonant mixed-mode oscillations may prevail inside the resonance region.


In Saint Genet, Actor and Martyr, Sartre tells the story of the writer Jean Genet. He does it from the presuppositions he developed in his major philosophical book, Being and Nothingness, where he presented man as a free being acting in specific situations but always able to surmount the given by decisions of his own. Nevertheless, Sartre describes the story of the orphan Genet as it begins in childhood with the accusation of theft made by his adopted parents and by the adults of the village where he had been sent. This accusation turns out to be traumatic. Genet will actually become a thief later, and a writer of theft and crime. It thus determines his entire life. By telling this story, Sartre himself puts his basic ideas to the test, and has to admit that events which occurred in childhood influence and determine our life. Sartre the philosopher of freedom is thus challenged by Sartre the writer of existence.


Abstract:The essay deals with the attempt to achieve fidelity in the translation of Antonio Benítez-Rojo's fiction: to find an English prose rhythm adequate to a rendition of his novel El mar de las lentejas as Sea of Lentils. It includes some biography and criticism, anchored by an intimate twenty-five-year friendship between Maraniss and Benítez-Rojo.


In this paper we show that, despite considerable dynamics in aggregate support for the Labour Party over the 1991-2008 waves of the British Household Panel Survey, the decision to move to and from supporting Labour was contemplated by only one third of the English sub-sample. An overwhelming majority of those whose support did not change over this period were averse to Labour. Extending recent work that employs discrete dynamic panel models to study party support, we model the dynamics of partisanship differentiating between stable and flexible Labour partisans. The propensity to be either a long-term Labour partisan or to change is a function of sociodemographics, and we find that New Labour appeared bereft of a core, stable constituency over the period where they won three consecutive mandates.


Background: It has been found that some patients with Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may have anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP), although the clinical significance of such finding is not well established. SLE patients may have joint complaints that are very similar to those observed in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In early stages of disease, this form of arthritis can be difficult to differentiate from RA, so it is not rare that some SLE patients are initially misdiagnosed to have this disease. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of anti-CCP in SLE patients in Loghman Hakim hospital, Tehran, Iran.Method and Materials: One hundred fourteen SLE patients were studied for anti-CCP. Demographic features and prevalence serum positive Anti-CCP were measured in studied patient.Results: In this study we evaluate 11 men and 103 women. The mean age of patients was 40.26±14.54 y/o. Anti-CCP was positive in 20 of 114 SLE patients. In Anti-CCP positive group also there was 3 men and 17 women with mean age of 45.7±13.Conclusion: We found that 17.5 % of Iranian patients with SLE have positive anti-CCP. Only a careful and prolonged follow-up will reveal the real clinical value of these markers in each patient individually. Key Words: Anti-CCP, Rheumatoid arthritis, Systemic lupus erythematosus


This paper addresses the design of position tracking control of mechanical systems with classical nonholonomic constraints incorporating actuator dynamics. A robust adaptive controller is designed at the actuator level and the controller guarantees that the configuration state of the system tracks the desired trajectory. A detailed numerical example is presented to illustrate the developed method.


We report a novel technical approach for subcritical fluid extraction (SFE) for organic matter characterization in complex matrices such as soil. The custom platform combines on-line SFE with micro-solid phase extraction, nano liquid chromatography (LC), electrospray ionization and Fourier transform mass spectrometry (SFE-LC-FTMS). We demonstrated the utility of SFE-LC-FTMS, including results from both Orbitrap and FTICR MS, for analysis of complex mixtures of organic compounds in a solid matrix by characterizing soil organic matter in peat, a high-carbon soil. For example, in a single experiment, >6000 molecular formulas can be assigned based upon FTICR MS data from 1-50 μL of soil samples (roughly 1-50 mg of soil, dependent on soil density), nearly twice that typically obtained from direct infusion liquid solvent extraction (LSE) from an order of magnitude larger volume of the same soil. The detected species consisted predominately of lipid-like, lignin-like and protein-like compounds, based on their O/C and H/C ratios, with predominantly CHO and CHONP molecular compositions. These results clearly demonstrate that SFE has the potential to effectively extract a variety of molecular species and could become an important member of a suite of extraction methods for studying SOM and other natural organic matter. This is especially true when comprehensive coverage, minimal sample volumes, and high sensitivity are required, or when the presence of organic solvent residue in residual soil is problematic. The SFE based extraction protocol could potentially enable spatially resolved characterization of organic matter in soil with a resolution of ∼1 mm3 to facilitate studies probing the spatial heterogeneity of soil.


Large volume zinc tungstate crystal scintillators (up to 50 mm in diameter and 100 mm length) with improved energy resolution were developed as a result of advances in crystal growth. The energy resolution of one-centimeter cube ZnWO4 crystals showed energy resolution in the range 8-10% for 662 keV gamma line of 137Cs. A value of 13.7% has been obtained with a large sample Oslash44 times 55 mm. The radioactive contamination of a ZnWO4 26 times 24 times 24 mm detector was tested in the Solotvina Underground Laboratory. The obtained results demonstrate ability to use ZnWO4 in order to search for 2beta-decay of zinc and tungsten.


Effective Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) operation relies on subcool management to reduce the risk of steam breakthrough. Monitoring of several parameters is performed to assure uniform development of steam chamber and heating of reservoir. This paper discusses the application of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), a monitoring platform to achieve reliable reservoir and wellbore surveillance in SAGD projects.
 In this study, a comprehensive review of DAS deployment in oil and gas industry was performed including vertical seismic profiling, hydraulic fracturing, well/pipe integrity and flow profiling applications. Then, SAGD flow monitoring was investigated in detail. To utilize DAS in SAGD projects, knowing completion designs are necessary. Therefore, various SAGD completion designs and corresponding flow regimes were discussed as well. Finally, four flow loop designs were proposed to accurately simulate the complex wellbore hydraulics of the SAGD producer using DAS recordings.
 This work started with an overview of DAS systems in downhole monitoring including real time high resolution vertical seismic profiling, hydraulic fracturing characterization and optimization, well and pipe integrity, leak detection and assessing completion effectiveness. Then, flow profiling including flow rate, flow fractions and flow regimes determinations using DAS were discussed with focus on SAGD monitoring. Completion designs directly impact on SAGD monitoring and DAS recordings, more specifically on flow regimes inside the tubing and annulus. Therefore, various completion designs with their tubing and screen sizes were presented and corresponding flow regimes were determined in both tubing and annulus. It was observed that flow regimes vary with type of completion design, liquid flow rate, steam breakthrough locations and tubing/screen sizes. Eventually, four flow loop designs were proposed based on the discussions for future DAS application.
 This paper discusses existing completion designs and possible flow regimes in SAGD projects. Consequently, novel designed flow loops are introduced for DAS deployment to better understand the complex wellbore hydraulic of the well and measure the key parameters in optimizing the production operation. This study is a design stage for future quantitative measuring of flow profiling using DAS systems.


To assess the role of counterregulatory hormones per se in the response to continuous insulin infusion, overnight-fasted dogs were given 5 mil · kg−1 · min−1 insulin intraportally either alone (INS, n = 5), with glucose to maintain euglycemia (INS + GLU, n = 5), or with glucose and hormone replacement [i.e., glucagon, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol infusions (INS + GLU + HR, n = 6)]. The increases in counterregulatory hormones that occurred during insulin-induced hypoglycemia were simulated in the latter group. In this way, it was possible to separate the effects of hypoglycemia per se from those due to the associated counterregulatory hormone response. Glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis were measured with a combination of tracer ([3-3H]glucose and [U-14C]alanine) and hepatic arteriovenous (AV) difference techniques during a 40-min control and a 180-min experimental period. Insulin levels increased similarly in all groups (to ≃250 μU/ml), whereas plasma glucose levels decreased in INS (115 ± 3 to 41 ± 3 mg/dl; P < .05) and rose slightly in both INS + GLU (108 ± 2 to 115 ± 4 mg/dl; P < .05) and INS + GLU + HR (111 ± 3 to 120 ± 3 mg/dl; P < .05) due to glucose infusion. Glucagon, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol were replaced in INS + GLU + HR so that the increments in their levels were 102 ± 6, 106 ± 14, 117 ± 9, and 124 ± 37%, respectively, of their increments in INS. At no time was there a significant difference between the hormone levels in INS and INS + GLU + HR. The rise in the counterregulatory hormones per se accounted for only half (53 ± 9% by the AV difference method and 54 ± 10% by tracer method) of the glucose production associated with hypoglycemia resulting from insulin infusion. The rate and efficiency of alanine conversioto glucose in the hormone-replacement studies were only 29 ± 10 and 50 ± 27% of what occurred during hypoglycemia induced by insulin infusion. In conclusion, the counterregulatory hormones alone (i.e., without accompanying hypoglycemia) can account for only 50% of the glucose production that is present during insulin-induced hypoglycemia. The remaining 50%, therefore, must result from effects of hypoglycemia other than its ability to trigger hormone release.


—Up until the end of July 2022, there have been over 38k wildfires in the US alone, decimating over 5.6 million acres. Wildfires significantly contribute to carbon emission, which is the root cause of global warming. Research has shown that artificial intelligence already plays a very important role in wildfire management, from detection to remediation. In this investigation a novel machine learning approach has been defined for spot wildfire detection in real time with high accuracy. The research compared and examined two different Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) approaches. The first approach; a novel machine learning method, a model server framework is used to serve convolutional neural network models trained for daytime and nighttime to validate and feed wildfire images sorted by different times of day. In the second approach that has been covered by existing research, one big CNN model is described as training all wildfire images regardless of daytime or nighttime. With the first approach, a higher detection precision of 98% has been achieved, which is almost 8% higher than the result from the second approach. The novel machine learning approach can be integrated with social media channels and available forest response systems via API's for alerting to create an automated wildfire detection system in real time. This research result can be extended by fine tuning the CNN network model to build wildfire detection systems for different regions and locations. With the rapid development of network coverage such as Starlink and drone surveillance, real time image capturing can be combined with this research to fight the increasing risk of wildfires with real time wildfires detection and alerting in automation.


SETTING
In resource-poor countries, few tuberculosis (TB) program staff at the national, provincial, and even district levels have the basic analytical and epidemiological skills necessary for collecting and analyzing quality data pertaining to national TB control program (NTP) improvements. This includes setting program priorities, operations planning, and implementing and evaluating program activities.

OBJECTIVES
To present a model course for building capacity in basic epidemiology and operations research (OR).

DESIGN
A combination of didactic lectures and applied field exercises were used to achieve the main objectives of the 6-day OR course. These were to increase the understanding of quantitative and qualitative research concepts, study design, and analytic methods, and to increase awareness of how these methods apply to the epidemiology and control of TB; and to demonstrate the potential uses of OR in answering practical questions on NTP effectiveness. As a final outcome, course participants develop OR proposals that are funded and later implemented.

RESULTS
Since 1997, this OR course has been conducted nine times in five countries; 149 key NTP and laboratory staff have been trained in OR methods, and 44 OR protocols have been completed or are underway.

CONCLUSION
This low-cost model course can be adapted to a wide range of public health issues.


Introduction: A self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) has been explored to improve the solubility and dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble drug clopidogrel. Materials and Methods: Different formulations were prepared using an oil, surfactant, and cosurfactant in varying ratios. A pseudo-ternary phase diagram was constructed to identify the self-nanoemulsification region. Further, the resultant formulations were investigated for clarity, phase separation, drug content, % transmittance, globule size, freeze-thaw method, in vitro dissolution studies, particle size analysis, and zeta potential. Results: On the basis of particle size, zeta potential and dissolution profile and other studies, F6 was found to be the best formulation of clopidogrel SNEDDS. The particle size of the emulsion is a crucial factor in self-emulsification performance because it determines the rate and extent of drug release as well as absorption. The particle size of the optimized SNEDDS formulation was found to be 5.2 nm and zeta potential was found to be ‒29 mV which comply with the requirement of the zeta potential for stability. The % release from optimized SNEDDS formulation F6 was highest (98.93%) and faster than other SNEDDS formulations and pure drug substance (32%) indicating influence of droplet size on the rate of drug dissolution. The faster dissolution from SNEDDS may be attributed to the fact that in this formulation, the drug is a solubilized form and on exposure to dissolution medium results in small droplet that can dissolve rapidly. Fourier transform infrared data revealed no physicochemical interaction between drug and excipients. Conclusion: Thus, clopidogrel with SNEDDS formulation may be used for the improvement of solubility and dissolution rate for the effective management of heart disease.


The author analizes conditions in Serbian agriculture, especialy the aspect of choice of actual model of development of agricultural sector. In this study dominates issues on the type of organization in agriculture and measure that guarantee materialization of selectied aims of development. Special place in orientation for the selection of strategy of development in agriculture have the measures in agricultural policy, problems in Serbian agriculture and strategic options necessary for determination in global agricultural strategy. At the end, the choice of development strategy that prefers export of agricultural products is optimal solution for our country, but it`s necessary that state change relation to this sector of doing business.


In these past months of emergency and closure, as highlighted by a recent survey by Network of European Museum Organization (NEMO), the digital contents published by museums on the web have multiplied. Museums demonstrate great resilience with proposals aimed at maintaining contacts, reaching publics and finding new ways of enhancing culture, or consolidating relationships on the web. Museums will have to outlive some restrictions and limitations. The web will represent a fundamental relationship channel. But quality and strategy must be analyzed in order to act with a clear strategy and not only driven by the impulse of urgency. What criteria can museums utilize to implement a quick efficient analysis of their choices and their strategies in the web environment? How is it possible to define, measure and evaluate their effectiveness on the web? Can we improve participation? The research group Digital Cultural Heritage ICOM Italia outlined a web Strategy Scheme (WSS) with a set of 17 parameters to enable a more indepth observation, to provide museums and cultural institutions with a practical tool for the analysis and monitoring of their strategic online orientation; to design a tool that precedes and supports the implementation of a web strategy. In a newly published book we explain in detail the provided web Strategy Scheme (WSS) and deepen the specifics of the web environment and the theoretical reference context.


This paper proposes a set of mechanisms for enhancing the security of the generalized MDC-2 mode of operation. The MDC-2 [4] mode is used for constructing a double length hash function, using block cipher building blocks, and is believed to provide some collision resistance [4], [10]. Recently, several attacks on MDC-2 have been published - collision, first and second pre-image attacks, with complexity below the ideal [2], [7], [8]. In this paper we analyze the root-cause of these attacks, as applied to the generalized MDC-2 mode, and propose techniques for mitigating them. By mitigating we mean that with our amendments the attacks are either not applicable, or their complexity is pushed to ideal.


A conventional aqueous electrolyte is a crucial component of zinc-ion batteries providing an ion conduc-tive medium. However, the monofunction of a liquid electrolyte cannot bear any external load. With regard to applications in electric vehicles and stationary energy storage devices, complicated battery packing materials are required to improve the mechanical properties, resulting in reduced energy or power densities from the perspective of the entire device. In this work, an electrolyte suspension combining both fl uid-like and solid-like performances was developed for rechargeable zinc-ion batteries. Cornstarch water suspension is utilized in the electrolyte design forming a shear-thickening electrolyte with impact resistance ability. The formed electrolyte becomes rigid at a high shear rate. In other words, under a sudden impact, a battery with this shear-thickening electrolyte could o ff er additional load bearing avoiding short-circuiting and improving safety. Although an additional functionality, namely impact resistance, was added to the electrolyte, the as-prepared electrolyte still performs with comparable electrochemical performances for which it exhibits a superior ionic conductivity of 3.9 × 10 − 3 S cm − 1 and Zn 2+ transference number. This electrolyte even suppresses side-e ff ects on the zinc anode, exhibiting a lower voltage gap in the symmetric cell compared to the aqueous electrolyte. The integrated full cell also delivered a speci fi c capacity of 255 mA h g − 1 with commercial MnO 2 as the cathode at a current density of 0.1 A g − 1 .


Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES), which is characterized by eosinophilia in the peripheral blood, often causes various organ disorders, including those of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The eosinophils play a key role in inflammation in eosinophilic GI disorders (EGIDs), including HES with GI involvement. Here, we report a case of HES with GI involvement that showed major basic proteins (MBPs) deposition in the absence of marked eosinophilic infiltration in the mucosa of the GI tract. An 11-year-old boy presented with nausea and epigastric pain for one week. He had a history of idiopathic HES with eosinophilic cystitis, diagnosed at the age of 2 years. He had been taking a low dose of corticosteroids for 9 years. The peripheral blood eosinophil count was 2,254/μL. Endoscopy revealed a swelling of the duodenal bulb mucosa. Histological findings of the duodenal mucosa revealed chronic inflammation, but no evidence of significant eosinophil infiltration and we could not diagnose him with HES with GI involvement or EGID. Immunofluorescent staining for MBP and galectin-10 was performed to detect intact and cytolytic eosinophils (eosinophil extracellular trap cell death: EETosis). Marked MBP deposition was evident in a small number of intact eosinophils in tissues from the duodenum, gastric antrum, and terminal ileum. The current case illustrates the utility of immunostaining for the detection of persistent eosinophilic inflammation, especially when cytolytic eosinophils are dominant.


We consider the electrical current through a magnetic point contact in the limit of a strong inelastic scattering of electrons. In this limit local Joule heating of the contact region plays a decisive role in determining the transport properties of the point contact. We show that if an applied constant bias voltage exceeds a critical value, the stationary state of the system is unstable, and that periodic, nonharmonic oscillations in time of both the electrical current through the contact and the local temperature in the contact region develop spontaneously. Our estimations show that the necessary experimental conditions for observing such oscillations with characteristic frequencies in the range 10(8)-10(9) Hz can easily be met. We also show a possibility to manipulate upon the magnetization direction of a magnetic grain coupled through a point contact to a bulk ferromagnet by exciting the above-mentioned thermal-electric oscillations.


Drug candidates sometimes cause a prolongation of the electrocardiogram QT-interval (QT) and torsades de pointes in humans, despite the fact that they do not cause them in non-rodent animals. Recent studies suggest that the cardiomyocytes derived from human induced-pluripotent stem cells (hiPS-CMs) are of sufficient quality to assess the cardiotoxicity of drugs in the preclinical setting. Thus, the usefulness of hiPS-CMs in correctly predicting the cardiotoxicity of drug candidates in the clinical setting, was examined using conventional drugs in the calcium transient analysis system FDSS/μCELL and the multielectrode array system MED64. The selection of the test drugs was based on previously reported studies. E-4031 and cisapride prolong the QT in humans, dogs and monkeys. Both drugs prolonged the calcium fluorescence peak width (PWD) in the FDSS/μCELL system and the field potential duration (FPD) in the MED64 system, both of which are thought to be surrogates of the QT. Diphenhydramine, famotidine and E-8010 prolong the QT in humans but not in dogs or monkeys. These drugs prolonged the PWD and FPD. On the other hand, verapamil and nifedipine prolong the QT in dogs or monkeys but not in humans. Both drugs shortened the PWD and FPD. These results suggest that the hiPS-CMs assay could correctly predict the QT effects in humans. The hiPS-CMs would be useful for predicting the effects of drug candidates on the QT of humans in preclinical in vitro studies.


Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting the physical, psychological, social, and functional status of individuals. Exercise programs may be an effective strategy to delay or reverse functional decline for people with PD and a large body of empirical evidence has emerged in recent years. The objective is to systematically review randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting on the effectiveness of exercise interventions on outcomes (physical, psychological or social functioning, or quality of life) for people with PD. RCTs meeting the inclusion criteria were identified by systematic searching of electronic databases. Key data were extracted by two independent researchers. A mixed methods approach was undertaken using narrative, vote counting, and random effects meta‐analysis methods. Fourteen RCTs were included and the methodological quality of most studies was moderate. Evidence supported exercise as being beneficial with regards to physical functioning, health‐related quality of life, strength, balance and gait speed for people with PD. There was insufficient evidence support or refute the value of exercise in reducing falls or depression. This review found evidence of the potential benefits of exercise for people with PD, although further good quality research is needed. Questions remain around the optimal content of exercise interventions (dosing, component exercises) at different stages of the disease. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society


Although research studies have indicated that transformational leadership style is related to creativity, relatively limited researches have attempted to determine the moderating effect of training on the relationship between transformational leadership and creativity. Data were collected from 110 postgraduate students at the Faculty of Education. In this study, Moderated Multiple Regression analysis was used to test hypothesis and theoretical model. Findings of this study indicated that training factor (untrained students vs. trained students) significantly affected the relationship between transformational leadership and creativity. It is suggested that supervisors should engage in transformational leadership behaviors in order to enhance the creative performance of their students. Also, creativity training program should be provided for students to learn creativity knowledge, attitudes, workplace idea generation and idea implementation.