Cities are complex products of human culture, characterised by a startling diversity of visible traits. Their form is constantly evolving, reflecting changing human needs and local contingencies, manifested in space by many urban patterns. Urban morphology laid the foundation for understanding many such patterns, largely relying on qualitative research methods to extract distinct spatial identities of urban areas. However, the manual, labour-intensive and subjective nature of such approaches represents an impediment to the development of a scalable, replicable and data-driven urban form characterisation. Recently, advances in geographic data science and the availability of digital mapping products open the opportunity to overcome such limitations. And yet, our current capacity to systematically capture the heterogeneity of spatial patterns remains limited in terms of spatial parameters included in the analysis and hardly scalable due to the highly labour-intensive nature of the task. In this paper, we present a method for numerical taxonomy of urban form derived from biological systematics, which allows the rigorous detection and classification of urban types. Initially, we produce a rich numerical characterisation of urban space from minimal data input, minimising limitations due to inconsistent data quality and availability. These are street network, building footprint and morphological tessellation, a spatial unit derivative of Voronoi tessellation, obtained from building footprints. Hence, we derive homogeneous urban tissue types and, by determining overall morphological similarity between them, generate a hierarchical classification of urban form. After framing and presenting the method, we test it on two cities – Prague and Amsterdam – and discuss potential applications and further developments. The proposed classification method represents a step towards the development of an extensive, scalable numerical taxonomy of urban form and opens the way to more rigorous comparative morphological studies and explorations into the relationship between urban space and phenomena as diverse as environmental performance, health and place attractiveness.


This work consists of two parts. In Part I (chapters 1-5), I shall produce a Connectionist Defence of Quine's Thesis of the Inscrutability of Reference, according to which there is no objective fact of the matter as to what the ontological commitments of the speakers of a language are. I shall start by reviewing Quine's project in his original behaviouristic setting. Chapters 1, and 2 will be devoted to addressing several criticisms that Gareth Evans, and Crispin Wright, have put forward on behalf of the friend of semantic realism. Evans (1981) and, more recendy, Wright (1997) have argued on different grounds that, under certain conditions, structural simplicity may become alethic-i.e., truth-conducive-for semantic theories. Being structurally more complex than the standard semantic theory, Quine's perverse semantic route (see chapter 1) is an easy prey for Evans' and Wright's considerations. I shall argue that both Evans' and Wright's criticisms are unmotivated, and do not jeopardize Quine's overall enterprise. I shall then propose a perverse theory of reference (chapter 3) which differs substantially from the ones advanced in the previous literature on the issue. The motivation for pursuing a different perverse semantic proposal resides in the fact that the route I shall be offering is as simple, structurally speaking, as our sanctioned theory of reference is meant to be. Thanks to this feature, my strategy is not subject to certain criticisms which may put perverse proposals a la Quine in jeopardy, thereby becoming an overall better candidate for the Quinean to fulfill her goal. In chapter 4, I shall introduce and develop a criterion recently produced by Wright (1997) in terms of 'psychological simplicity' which threatens the perverse semantic proposal I offered in chapter 3. I shall argue that a Language-of-Thought (LOT)-model of human cognition could motivate Wright's criterion. I shall then introduce the reader to some basic aspects of connectionist theory, and elaborate on a particularly promising neurocomputational approach to language processing put forward by Jeff Elman (1992; 1998). I shall argue that if instead of endorsing a LOT hypothesis, we model human cognition by a recurrent neural network a la Elman, then Wright's criterion is unmotivated. In particular, I shall argue that considerations regarding 'psychological simplicity' are neutral, favouring neither a standard theory of reference, nor a perverse one. In the remainder of Part I, I shall focus upon certain problems for the defender of the Inscrutability Thesis highlighted by the friend of connectionist theory. In chapter 5 I shall introduce a mathematical technique for measuring conceptual similarity across networks that Aarre Laakso and Gary Cottrell (1998; 2000) have recently developed. I shall show how Paul Churchland makes use of Laakso and Cottrell's results to argue that connectionism can furnish us with all we need to construct a robust theory of semantics, and a robust theory of translation-robustness that may potentially be exploited by a connectionist foe of Quine to argue against the Inscrutability Thesis. The bulk of the chapter will be devoted to showing that the notion of conceptual similarity available to the connectionist leaves room for a "connectionist Quinean" to kick in with a or\Q-io-many translational mapping across networks. In Part II (chapters 6, and 7), I shall produce a Connectionist Defence of the Thesis of Eliminative Materialism, according to which propositional attitudes don't exist (see chapter 7). I shall start by rejoining to two arguments that Stephen Stich has recently put forward against the thesis of eliminative materialism. In a nutshell, Stich (1990; 1991) argues that (i) the thesis of eliminative materialism, is neither true nor false, and that (ii) even if it were true, that would be philosophically uninteresting. To support (i) and (ii) Stich relies on two premises: (a) that the job of a theory of reference is to make explicit the tacit theory of reference which underlies our intuitions about the notion of reference itself; and (b) that our intuitive notion of reference is a highly idiosyncratic one. In chapter 6 I shall address Stich's anti-eliminativist claims (i) and (ii). I shall argue that even if we agreed with premises (a) and (b), that would lend no support whatsoever for (i) and (ii). Finally, in chapter 7, I shall introduce a connectionist-inspired conditional argument for the elimination of the posits of folk psychology put forward by William Ramsey, Stephen Stich, and Joseph Garon. I shall consider an objection to the eliminativist argument raised by Andy Clark. I shall then review a counter that Stephen Stich and Ted Warfield produce on behalf of the eliminativist. The discussion in chapter 5 on 'state space semantics and conceptual similarity' will be used to show that Clark's argument is not threatened by Stich and Warfield's considerations. Then, in the remainder of Part II, I shall offer a different line of argument to counter to Clark. A line that focuses on the notion of causal efficacy. I hope to show that the thesis of eliminativist materialism is correct. Conclusions, and directions for future research will follow.


England's Second Reformation reassesses the religious upheavals of mid-seventeenth-century England, situating them within the broader history of the Church of England and its earlier Reformations. Rather than seeing the Civil War years as a destructive aberration, Anthony Milton demonstrates how they were integral to (and indeed the climax of) the Church of England's early history. All religious groups – parliamentarian and royalist alike – envisaged changes to the pre-war church, and all were forced to adapt their religious ideas and practices in response to the tumultuous events. Similarly, all saw themselves and their preferred reforms as standing in continuity with the Church's earlier history. By viewing this as a revolutionary 'second Reformation', which necessarily involved everyone and forced them to reconsider what the established church was and how its past should be understood, Milton presents a compelling case for rethinking England's religious history.


care in a tertiary Brazilian hospital. The base-cohort population was 487 singleton pregnancies, including 9 case subjects who developed PE requiring delivery before 34 weeks (early PE) and 22 with late PE, 47 with gestational hypertension, and 409 cases subjects (84%) who were unaffected by PE or gestational hypertension. Maternal history, body mass index (BMI), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and uterine artery pulsatility index were recorded in all of the cases. Univariate and logistic regression analysis was used to derive algorithms for the prediction of hypertensive disorders. Results: The maternal characteristics selected by regression analysis to be part of the final predictive model were nulliparity, previous personal and family history of PE. MAP was higher (86 versus 78 mmHg) in patients who developed PE (P < 0.01). The uterine artery percentile of mean PI was higher in the PE than in the control group (50.3% ± 31.7% versus 37.4% ± 30.0%; P < 0.01). It was estimated that, with the algorithm for PE, 78%, 45%, and 26% of early PE, late PE, and gestational hypertension, respectively, could be detected with a 10% false-positive rate. Conclusions: The traditional approach to screening for PE, which is based on maternal demographic characteristics and medical history, identifies ∼60% of cases destined to develop early PE for a falsepositive rate of 10%. This study proposes that a combination of maternal risk factors, mean arterial blood pressure, and uterine artery Doppler, for the same false-positive rate of 10%, could identify 78% of cases of early PE.


Abstract Not Available – First paragraph follows:
LOW QUALITY ROUGHAGES which have J limited alternate uses are important sources of feed for wintering young cattle. These feeds are characteristically low in digestible energy and protein, are high in fiber, and their intake by cattle is low. Previous experiments at Davis have shown that cubed rice straw, with appropriate supplementation, may be fed as a wintering ration for cattle with resultant body-weight gains of 0.5 to 0.8 lb per head per day. However, to obtain these gains from a low quality roughage, high feed intakes are necessary. The low intake of digestible energy is the main limitation in the use of poor quality roughages. Any method of feed processing which will increase feed intake will enhance the potential value of low quality roughages.


The study of type III RNases constitutes an important area in molecular biology. It is known that the pac1+ gene encodes a particular RNase III that shares low amino acid similarity with other genes despite having a double-stranded ribonuclease activity. Bioinformatics methods based on sequence alignment may fail when there is a low amino acidic identity percentage between a query sequence and others with similar functions (remote homologues) or a similar sequence is not recorded in the database. Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) applied to protein sequences may allow an alignment-independent prediction of protein function. These sequences of QSAR-like methods often use 1D sequence numerical parameters as the input to seek sequence-function relationships. However, previous 2D representation of sequences may uncover useful higher-order information. In the work described here we calculated for the first time the spectral moments of a Markov matrix (MMM) associated with a 2D-HP-map of a protein sequence. We used MMMs values to characterize numerically 81 sequences of type III RNases and 133 proteins of a control group. We subsequently developed one MMM-QSAR and one classic hidden Markov model (HMM) based on the same data. The MMM-QSAR showed a discrimination power of RNAses from other proteins of 97.35% without using alignment, which is a result as good as for the known HMM techniques. We also report for the first time the isolation of a new Pac1 protein (DQ647826) from Schizosaccharomyces pombe strain 428-4-1. The MMM-QSAR model predicts the new RNase III with the same accuracy as other classical alignment methods. Experimental assay of this protein confirms the predicted activity. The present results suggest that MMM-QSAR models may be used for protein function annotation avoiding sequence alignment with the same accuracy of classic HMM models.


The present study aims to identify the impact of psychological training on the staff of BRAC University and how it has increased the group bonding of staff members. To see the impact, researchers conducted a series of training session with the participants over a span of one year. After the training, data were collected through interview method from the 18 participants. Besides, observation method was applied to see their group cohesiveness. By manually analyzing the data, it was found that the participants have changed themselves both personally and professionally. They have undergone remarkable changes in terms of sharing of ideas and information, empathetic attitude towards fellow mates, and pattern of communication among themselves. Analyzing the problems and managing work stress has improved than before. This training has helped them to realize the entire problem from others' frame of reference, develop collaboration within group and improve positive and holistic attitude about the workplace and their organization's goals. It can be said that apart from some limitations, this training makes the participants to develop healthy communication among the colleagues.

 Key words: Psychological training, transactional analysis, psychodrama, personal and professional development, group cohesion.


ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 7 Number 04 (2018) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com Maternal infections have been considered as one of the significant factors in the causation of bad obstetric history. Infections caused by Toxoplasma, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes simplex virus are benign. However, they may lead to serious complications, especially when they are acquired during the first trimester of pregnancy. These are associated with inadvertent outcomes like multiple abortions, intra-uterine fetal death, stillbirths and congenital malformations. Data regarding the detection of these infections is scanty as the risk requirement of expensive commercial diagnostic kitToxoplasma, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes simplex IgM antibodies. This study was undertaken to assess the utility in pregnant women with bad obstetric history. The present study was undertaken as the case-control study at Princess Esra Hospital, Hyderabad between January 2015 and December 2017. A total of 50 pregnant women of age range in their first trimester attending Ante Nata Clinic were included along with 35 age matched control pregnant women with no bad obstetric history. After obtaining the institutional ethics committee approval serum samples were obtained aseptically from the enrolled cases and were tested for the identification of specific IgM antibodies for Toxoplasma, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes using sandwich and capture ELIZA (Calbiotech lab USA). The assay was performed according to the manufacturer's instructions and the results were calculated in MS excel and test of proportion and Pearson's Chi square test. 23 women for IgM antibodies Toxoplasma, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes either alone or in combination were identified in the group I. In the control group (Group II), IgM antibodies were detected in 11 cases. When compared with the control group, Rubella and Toxoplasma infection were found to have statistically significant difference with the pvalue of 0.016 and 0.026 respectively. However, there was no statistically significant difference found between the two study groups. Detection of IgM antibodies performed reflects recent infection and there is high prevalence of infection caused by TORCH agents in women with bad obstetric history compared to healthy controls. Hence, all the anti-natal cases with bad obstetric history should be routinely screened as IgM antibodies detection is a reliable indicator of maternal infections and can be used as a screening test. K e y w o r d s TORCH, Screening, Pregnancy, Specific


Capital city tourism in relation to national identity is a significant area of research. However, the area lacks a comprehensive analysis that can encompass a broad theoretical framework. The purpose of this paper is to identify and compare how two ancient capital cities of West and East, Paris and Seoul, represent their identities. This in turn contributes to the development of a broad theoretical framework in urban tourism research. Semiotic analysis of relevant literature and tourism-relevant representations of the two cities identified the ways in which the cities are represented. Paris' representations are imbued quite literally with the meaning 'preservation', while Seoul's efforts embody 'preservation through creation'. The difference between the two cities' representation is attributed to the 'preserved versus reconstructed' nature of the two cities. The paper concludes that the 'preserved versus reconstructed' nature of cities could be considered as a significant element in future capital city tourism research.


A growing number of investors have come to view their portfolios (especially equity portfolios) as a collection of exposures to risk factors. The most prevalent and widely harvested of these risk factors is the market (equity risk premium), but there are also others, such as value and momentum (style premiums). Measuring exposures to these factors can be a challenge: Investors need to understand how factors are constructed and implemented in their portfolios, and they need to know how statistical analysis may be best applied. Without the proper model, rewards for factor exposures may be misconstrued as alpha, and investors may be misinformed about the risks their portfolios truly face. This article should serve as a practical guide for investors looking to measure portfolio factor exposures. The authors discuss some of the pitfalls associated with regression analysis and how factor design can matter a lot more than expected. Ultimately, investors with a clear understanding of the risk sources in an existing portfolio, and the risk exposures of other portfolios under consideration, may have an edge in building better-diversified portfolios.


This is the first-ever application to group therapy of the popular, replicable, time-limited, evidence-based approach initially developed to treat individual depression. Denise Wilfley adapted it in the course of researching the management of eating disorders; her collaborators include a national authority on group work plus an originator of Interpersonal Psychotherapy. Their step-by-step identification of the goals, tasks, and techniques attendant on running normalizing, cost-effective groups makes a real contribution to the clinical repertoire.


In an industrial application, 24 speed-increaser gearboxes were used to transmit 258 kW (346 hp) and increase speed from 55 to 375 rev/min. The gears were parallel shaft, single helical, carburized, and ground. The splash lubrication system used a mineral oil without antiscuff additives with ISO 100 viscosity. After about 250 h of operation, two gearboxes failed by bending fatigue. Investigation showed the primary failure mode was scuffing, and the earlier bending fatigue failures were caused by dynamic loads generated by the worn gear teeth. Testing of a prototype gearbox showed that the failure resulted from several interrelated factors: the lubricant viscosity was too low causing high temperatures; no antiscuff additives were used; a gearbox designed as a speed reducer was used as a speed increaser (the designer selected a long-addendum tooth for the pinion); the gear teeth were not provided with a coating or plating to ease running-in; and the gears were not run-in properly under reduced loads. The case suggests that such gear failures can be avoided if designers and operators recognize that the lubricant is an important component of a gearbox and appreciate that gear design requires the consideration and control of many interrelated factors.


Abstract The mfl-riboswitch is a transcriptional off-switch, which down-regulates expression of subunit β of ribonucleotide reductase in Mesoplasma florum upon 2΄-deoxyguanosine binding. We characterized binding of 2΄-deoxyguanosine to the mfl-aptamer domain (WT aptamer) and a sequence-stabilized aptamer (MT aptamer) under in vitro and 'in-cell-like' conditions by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. 'In-cell-like' environment was simulated by Bacillus subtilis cell extract, in which both aptamers remained sufficiently stable to detect the resonances of structural elements and ligand binding in 2D NMR experiments. Under 'in-cell-like'-environment, (i) the WT aptamer bound the endogenous metabolite guanosine and (ii) 2΄-deoxyguanosine efficiently displaced guanosine from the WT aptamer. In contrast, MT aptamer exhibited moderate binding to 2΄-deoxyguanosine and weak binding to guanosine. NMR experiments indicated that binding of guanosine was not limited to the aptamer domain of the riboswitch but also the full-length mfl-riboswitch bound guanosine, impacting on the regulation efficiency of the riboswitch and hinting that, in addition to 2΄-deoxyguanosine, guanosine plays a role in riboswitch function in vivo. Reporter gene assays in B. subtilis demonstrated the regulation capacity of the WT aptamer, whereas the MT aptamer with lower affinity to 2΄-deoxyguanosine was not able to regulate gene expression.


Loss of organization is a principle feature of cancers; therefore it is important to understand how normal adult multilineage tissues, such as bilayered secretory epithelia, establish and maintain their architectures. The self-organization process that drives heterogeneous mixtures of cells to form organized tissues is well studied in embryology and with mammalian cell lines that were abnormal or engineered. Here we used a micropatterning approach that confined cells to a cylindrical geometry combined with an algorithm to quantify changes of cellular distribution over time to measure the ability of different cell types to self-organize relative to each other. Using normal human mammary epithelial cells enriched into pools of the two principal lineages, luminal and myoepithelial cells, we demonstrated that bilayered organization in mammary epithelium was driven mainly by lineage-specific differential E-cadherin expression, but that P-cadherin contributed specifically to organization of the myoepithelial layer. Disruption of the actomyosin network or of adherens junction proteins resulted in either prevention of bilayer formation or loss of preformed bilayers, consistent with continual sampling of the local microenvironment by cadherins. Together these data show that self-organization is an innate and reversible property of communities of normal adult human mammary epithelial cells.


Th17 cells are central to the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease, and recently specific noncoding microRNAs have been shown to regulate their development. However, it remains unclear whether microRNAs are also involved in modulating Th17 cell effector functions. Consequently, we examined the role of miR-155 in differentiated Th17 cells during their induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Using adoptive transfer experiments, we found that highly purified, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein Ag-specific Th17 cells lacking miR-155 were defective in their capacity to cause experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Gene expression profiling of purified miR-155−/−IL-17F+ Th17 cells identified a subset of effector genes that are dependent on miR-155 for their proper expression through a mechanism involving repression of the transcription factor Ets1. Among the genes reduced in the absence of miR-155 was IL-23R, resulting in miR-155−/− Th17 cells being hyporesponsive to IL-23. Taken together, our study demonstrates a critical role for miR-155 in Th17 cells as they unleash autoimmune inflammation and finds that this occurs through a signaling network involving miR-155, Ets1, and the clinically relevant IL-23–IL-23R pathway.


In this paper, an analytical model of subthreshold swing for the double-gate accumulation-mode P-channel SOI MOSFET is described. The model is based on Poisson's equation and depletion approximation, and the relation of the subthreshold swing with both the gate oxide capacitance and the interface trap density is obtained. The model is verified by experiment and by numerical simulation. Also an approach to extracting the interface trap density with subthreshold swing is proposed.


When a new product is planned, part of the requirements/specifications is a description of the expected users, which defines the age group, experience levels, and other categories of expected user capabilities. As the product moves through the development process, this description will be part of the planned testing, referred to as usability testing.


A generalization of the complex shell model formalism is presented that includes antibound states in the basis. These states, together with bound states, Gamow states, and the continuum background, represented by properly chosen scattering waves, form a representation in which all states are treated on the same footing. Two-particle states are evaluated within this formalism, and observable two-particle resonances are defined. The formalism is illustrated in the well-known case of {sup 11}Li in its bound ground state and in {sup 70}Ca(g.s.), which is also bound. Both cases are found to have a halo structure. These halo structures are described within the generalized complex shell model. We investigated the formation of two-particle resonances in these nuclei, but no evidence of such resonances was found.


Votes have been tallied and the final country products for the SIAL 2016 World Tour have been chosen. I was fortunate to be part of the panel of 28 judges who met in Paris in April to scrutinise the latest trends and new product launches defining the international food trade. Congratulations to KWV's Earth's Essence, which made it through to the final round! We wait with bated breath for 18 October, when the world winner will be announced during SIAL 2016. Turn to page 10 now to see which trends and products made it through to the last leg of the event.


The effect of oil-rich supplements on the expression of genes involved in lipogenesis and reproduction in pasturebased dairy cows is currently unknown, or at best, scanty and limited to impacts on cow liveweight, body condition score, milk composition, fatty acid and plasma metabolite profiles only. This research investigated the gene expression patterns of Aralkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT), B-cell translocation gene-2 (BTG2) and Fatty Acid Synthase (FASN) genes in response to incremental levels of dietary crude degummed canola oil (CDCO). We tested the hypothesis that the relative mRNA abundance and gene expression profiles of AANAT, BTG2 and FASN in primiparous Holstein-Friesian cows will be up-regulated in response to post-partum dietary supplementation with CDCO in a typical pasture-based dairy production system. Thus, the primary objective of this study was to investigate the expression of AANAT, BTG2 and FASN genes in response to incremental levels of CDCO. A random allocation of primiparous Holstein-Friesian dairy cows into four treatment groups comprising wheat-based pelleted with no supplemental CDCO (control), or with CDCO added at 25 ml kg-1 DM (low), 35 ml kg-1 DM (medium) and 50 ml kg-1 DM (high) was utilized in a ten-week experimental feeding trial including two weeks of adjustment. Both level of supplementation and their interaction with duration were significant sources of variation (P 0.05). The high (0.67 fold), medium (0.87 fold) and low (0.56 fold) treatments had suppressed BTG2 expressions compared to the control (1.0 fold) group. The low expression of BTG2 might be important when the reproductive system of cows is recovering from the effect of gestation and new cell growth is required.


Utilizing action research methodology~ this study addresses the following research question: What were the effects of professional development experiences with a "balanced literacy" approach to teaching story writing over a three month period on Grade 3 students' writing development? The study reviews methods of writing instruction, in particular the writing process as described by Donald Murray; conditions for effective writing; direct versus indirect instruction; scaffolded learning as defined by Vygotsky; and the connection between reading and writing. A case study design was used to investigate the impact of this program on three individual students with different levels of writing development. Data were collected from audio taped writing conferences with individual students; videotaped class sessions showing various teaching strategies were used; samples of students' writing were collected; and a researcher's journal was used to record teaching strategies, students' responses, and the researcher's thoughts, feelings, and reflections. Four themes emerged as relevant to effective writing instruction in a primary classroom: provision ofteacher support (scaffolded learning); use of quality children's literature to help students understand story structure and the qualities of good writing; use of a graphic story organizer; and the importance of using metacognitive talk to instill in students an ability to demonstrate and understand their development as writers. The study concludes with a discussion regarding the role of professional development experiences.


The full or complete blood count is one of the most frequently requested diagnostic pathology tests which is used to diagnose and treat of many diseases. A common component of these tests is the red cell distribution width or red blood cell distribution width (RDW) which is the variation in the red blood cell (RBC) volumes (usually expressed as the coefficient of variation) and analogous to the qualitative anisocytosis. Red cells can vary in size between 60 fL (microcytosis) and 150 fL (macrocytosis).


—Urbanization causes havoc to native ecosystems, resulting in population declines or extirpation of sensitive taxa. This can be devastating to narrow-range endemics whose distributions overlap or are enveloped by urban development. Jollyville Plateau Salamanders (Eurycea tonkawae) are aquatic neotenes restricted to karst-associated waters in a small, highly urbanized area of central Texas. Eurycea tonkawae was recently listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act due to threats from urbanization, although the published literature on their population status is limited to a single, short-term study. Here, we attempt to remedy this dearth of knowledge by summarizing population survey data from sites that span the breadth of E. tonkawae's range. We analyzed count data using Bayesian inference and generalized linear models, first to determine trends in abundance at eight sites from 1996–2011. Secondly, we examined differences in salamander density at these and an additional nine sites (n = 17) among urbanized and nonurbanized catchments from 2009–2012. Study sites occurred in catchments that ranged from undeveloped to completely built-out, from no-change in development to > 20% increases in development. Accounting for climatic variation, we found that counts of E. tonkawae declined in areas that had the largest increases in residential development (a metric of urbanization) over a 15-y period. Additionally, densities of E. tonkawae were negatively correlated with residential development across their range. We discuss several possible mechanisms responsible for declines of E. tonkawae and highlight likely causes and potential areas of future research to aid in conservation efforts for this and other central Texas Eurycea salamanders.


Ion-shadowing and -blocking studies of melted layers on the (110) surface of Pb reveal an increasing melt thickness with temperature, which follows first a logarithmic growth law ‖ln(Tm-T)‖, then asymptotically a power law (Tm-T)-r, with r=0.315±0.015. The logarithmic and power-law growth result from short-range and long-range atomic interactions, respectively. The correlation length within the melted phase is determined to be ξl=0.63 nm and for the Hamaker constant we find W=(0.40±0.05)×10-21 J.


The broad objective of this research is to investigate the debt – growth dynamics in Nigeria using time series data from 1980 – 2010. Based on co-integration and error correction setting, the relationship between economic growth and a set of economic fundamentals is estimated. The long run equilibrium values of the integrated and co-integrated variables are estimated as presented in the results of the study. The results of the study are consistent with existing empirical literature on the debt – growth relationship. Specifically, there is evidence of a significant negative relationship between public debt burden and economic growth. Secondly, the ratio of debt service to export was found to have negative and significant effect on economic growth. It was recommended that embargo should be placed on new loan acquisition by state government and government parastatals unless where it is extremely important. In addition, concerted effort should be made towards timely loan repayment and servicing to melt down the negative effect or public debt on economic growth. Keywords: Public debt, debt overhang, inflation, economic growth


BACKGROUND
Diabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have higher mortality risk than non-diabetic patients. No data are available on long-term results of interventional treatment of ACS in diabetic patients aged > or =80 years.

AIM
To compare the effects of primary angioplasty (pPCI) on short- and long-term outcome in diabetic patients > or =80 years with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) compared to those without diabetes mellitus (DM) of similar age.

METHODS
In 63 consecutive patients (22% with diabetes mellitus) aged 80-93 years (mean 83+/-3) with ST elevation ACS (ACS-STE) coronary angiography was performed. Severity of coronary atherosclerosis, effects of pPCI, one-day mortality, in-hospital mortality and one-year mortality were studied.

RESULTS
Severity of coronary atherosclerosis measured by angiographic Gensini score and author's own score was similar in diabetic and non-diabetic patients (23.25+/-9.6 vs. 20.6+/-10.2; NS, and 9.1+/-6.0 vs. 8.1+/-5.4; NS, respectively). In 78.6% of diabetic subjects and in 69.4% of those without DM, pPCI was performed. Successful pPCI, defined as TIMI 3 flow and residual infarct related stenosis <20%, was obtained in 92.2% of patients with DM compared to 83.7% of non-diabetics (NS). One-day mortality was 7.1 vs. 6.1% (NS), in-hospital mortality was 7.1 vs. 17.4% (NS). Successful pPCI reduced 30-day mortality threefold (OR=0.31; p <0.05). Contrast-induced nephropathy occurred in 35.7% of diabetic patients compared to 26.5% of those without diabetes (NS) Contrast-induced nephropathy increased risk for in-hospital mortality fivefold (p <0.02). No significant correlation between DM or baseline glucose level and in-hospital mortality was found. During one-year follow-up mortality rate in diabetic patients was 38.5% compared to 7.3% of those without diabetes (p <0.01). One-year mortality predictors were: age (OR=1.27; p=0.0047), metabolic syndrome (OR=4.4; p <0.04), type 2 diabetes (OR=5.25; p <0.02), insulin treatment (OR=5.7; p <0.03), baseline glucose level (OR=1.01; p <0.007), maximum CK-mass level (OR=1.006; p <0.05), noninvasive STEMI management (OR=5.0; p <0.02), and stroke (OR=7.5; p <0.006). Stroke (OR=40.0; p <0.005) and diabetes (OR=6.2; p <0.01) were identified by multivariable analysis as independent risk factors of one-year mortality.

CONCLUSIONS
In patients with DM aged > or =80 years with ACS-STE, severity of coronary atherosclerosis and in-hospital prognosis after pPCI seems to be similar to subjects in the same age without DM. Diabetes mellitus is an independent risk factor of one-year mortality after successful pPCI.


A novel transportable 2-axis electromechanical photographic object rig (Simulated-3D Rig [S3DR] prototype Model 1) was designed and constructed in 2007-08 to allow the inexpensive, noninvasive, time-efficient and high-resolution digital recording and 3D visualisation of cultural artefacts in situ: both within institutional collections and in the field. Experience gained using Model 1 in team-based cross-disciplinary research project use together with project engagement with an Australian State government-funded eResearch body (Victorian eResearch Strategic Initiative, VeRSI) has led to the design and construction of a more versatile S3DR Model 2 incorporating increased functionality, ease-of-use, automation and also stereoscopic photography. The S3DR project thus extended provides a useful example of how collaboration within an eResearch environment can successfully lead to improved visualisation tools and techniques for humanities-based researchers.


The main objective and mission of the ATLAS+ project is to develop advanced structural assessment tools to address the remaining technology gaps for the safe and long term operation of nuclear reactor pressure coolant boundary systems.
 ATLAS+ WP3 focuses mainly on ductile tearing prediction for large defect in piping and associated components: Several approaches have been developed to accurately model the ductile tearing process and to take into account phenomena such as triaxiality effects, or the ability to predict large tearing in industrial components. These advanced models include local approach coupled models or advanced energetic approaches. Unfortunately, the application of these tools is currently rather limited to R&D expertise. However, because of the continuous progress in the performance of calculation tools and accumulated knowledge, in particular by members of the ATLAS+ consortium, these models can now be considered as relevant for application in the context of engineering assessments.
 WP3 has been planned to:
 • Illustrate the implementation of these models for industrial applications through the interpretation of large scale mock-ups (with cracks in weld joints for some of them),
 • Make recommendations for the implementation of the advanced models in engineering assessments,
 • Correct data from the conventional engineering approach by developing a methodology to produce J-Δa curve suitable case by case, based on local approach models,
 • Improve the tools, guidance and procedures for undertaking leak-before-break (LBB) assessments of piping components, particularly in relation to representing structural representative fracture toughness J-Resistance curves and the influence of weld residual stresses.
 To achieve these goals, WP3 is divided into 4 sub-WPs and this paper presents the progress of the work performed in each sub-WP after 36 months of activities.


Abstract. The interval of geomagnetic storms of 7–17 March 2012 was selected at the Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth System (CAWSES) II Workshop for group study of space weather effects during the ascending phase of solar cycle 24 (Tsurutani et al., 2014). The high-latitude ionospheric response to a series of storms is studied using arrays of GPS receivers, HF radars, ionosondes, riometers, magnetometers, and auroral imagers focusing on GPS phase scintillation. Four geomagnetic storms showed varied responses to solar wind conditions characterized by the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and solar wind dynamic pressure. As a function of magnetic latitude and magnetic local time, regions of enhanced scintillation are identified in the context of coupling processes between the solar wind and the magnetosphere–ionosphere system. Large southward IMF and high solar wind dynamic pressure resulted in the strongest scintillation in the nightside auroral oval. Scintillation occurrence was correlated with ground magnetic field perturbations and riometer absorption enhancements, and collocated with mapped auroral emission. During periods of southward IMF, scintillation was also collocated with ionospheric convection in the expanded dawn and dusk cells, with the antisunward convection in the polar cap and with a tongue of ionization fractured into patches. In contrast, large northward IMF combined with a strong solar wind dynamic pressure pulse was followed by scintillation caused by transpolar arcs in the polar cap.


Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling through Ras influences many aspects of normal cell behavior, including epithelial-tomesenchymal transition, and aberrant signaling promotes both tumorigenesis and metastasis. Although many such effects are cellautonomous, here we show a non-cell-autonomous role for RTK-Ras signaling in the delamination of a neuroblast from an epithelial organ. The C. elegans renal-like excretory organ is initially composed of three unicellular epithelial tubes, namely the canal, duct and G1 pore cells; however, the G1 cell later delaminates from the excretory system to become a neuroblast and is replaced by the G2 cell. G1 delamination and G2 intercalation involve cytoskeletal remodeling, interconversion of autocellular and intercellular junctions and migration over a luminal extracellular matrix, followed by G1 junction loss. LET-23/EGFR and SOS-1, an exchange factor for Ras, are required for G1 junction loss but not for initial cytoskeletal or junction remodeling. Surprisingly, expression of activated LET-60/ Ras in the neighboring duct cell, but not in the G1 or G2 cells, is sufficient to rescue sos-1 delamination defects, revealing that Ras acts non-cell-autonomously to permit G1 delamination. We suggest that, similarly, oncogenic mutations in cells within a tumor might help create a microenvironment that is permissive for other cells to detach and ultimately metastasize.


The modern concepts of the molecular mechanisms of the coupling of muscarinic receptors (m-ChR) with biochemical systems of effector cells are reviewed. The problem of m-ChR heterogeneity and a possible role of phosphoinositide and cyclase systems of "second messengers" generation in the mediation of the effects of agonists on m-ChR are discussed. Particular emphasis is given to the role of N-proteins in the regulation of the coupling of different m-Chr subtypes with the effector mechanisms.


The Kravarsko settlement area, in northern Croatia, has multiple landslides and damage to buildings and infrastructure caused by landslides. However, actual landslide investigation data for the wider Kravarsko area (pilot area PA1) is relatively sparse and no landslide inventory or typical landslide model exists. The aim of this research was to develop such a landslide inventory by integrating new approaches in geohazard research such as remote landslide mapping from high resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) and current and historical aerial images with existing and new geological data related to landslides. The conclusion is that detailed DEMs are more than adequate for the development of reliable landslide inventories but field checks are still necessary to account for the specific set of natural and man-made conditions found in the research area. The landslide inventory developed for Kravarsko has been field validated in a smaller validation area (VA1) and a typical simplified landslide model for PA1/VA1 was developed. Within the model, sliding is interpreted as complex with multiple generations of sliding and multiple sliding surfaces. Based on the analysis undertaken and the available field data, around 10-20% of urban structures are endangered in the Kravarsko area and anthropogenic activity was determined as an important landslide triggering factor for landslide activation or reactivation. Still the question remains of how to quantify the anthropogenic influence? The developed landslide inventory for PA1/VA1 could be used for local urban planning/development and endangerment assessment/evaluation.


While Scotch Broom may be the most apparent weed threat to the prairies of South Puget Sound, it is far from the only meance. Several non-native forbs and grasses have invaded the prairies, or threaten to do so, in numbers large enough to constitute an ecological threat. This paper looks at five common weeds well established in the prairies of South Puget Sound and at four weeds common elsewhere, but presently limited in distribution in the Puget prairies. Consideration is given to growth habits, tolerances, propagative methods, pests, and other characteristics which both makes these weeds plats of concern and which potentially limits their spread. The paper first discusses two common invasive grasses, colonial bentgrass (Agrostis tenuis), and velvet-grass (Holcus lanatus), and three common invasive forbs, St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum), hairy cat's ear (Hypochaeris radicata), and ox-eye daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum). This is followed with discussion of four threatening wees, (gorse (Ulex europaeus), leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula), spotted knapweed (Centurea maculosa), and mouse-eared hawkweed (Hieracium pilosella), and some near relatives. The paper also looks at government noxious weed programs and how their work can affect prairie conservation, and concludes with a brief look at some issues prairie managers may face.


The Cape Verde Islands are of volcanic origin with most having appeared between the early Miocene and mid‐Pleistocene. They contain six known species of Mabuya skinks. Phylogeographical relationships within and among the relatively widespread taxa M. stangeri, M. spinalis and M. delalandii were inferred, based on ≈ 1 kbp of the cytochrome b gene (mitochondrial DNA). Reciprocal monophyly of M. spinalis and M. stangeri was established, which may have arisen from an early Pliocene/late Miocene cladogenetic event. Considerable between‐island sequence divergence was detected among M. spinalis, which appears to have colonized the older islands (Sal and Boavista) first. Much lower sequence divergence was found in M. delalandii, indicating a more recent range expansion. Here, evidence points to colonization of the younger islands of Brava and Fogo soon after appearance. There are similarities between some of the described patterns and those seen in lizards from the Canary Islands.


Approximately one-third of patients with colorectal cancer are estimated to be diagnosed with synchronous liver metastasis (LM). The only method to get cured is to achieve curative resection for both primary and LM. When it comes to locally advanced rectal cancer with synchronous LM, determination of the treatment strategy for each individual is a quite complex procedure, because it demands sophisticated consideration for both local and systemic control. Timing for the application of systemic chemotherapy (CTx), determination of a chemotherapeutic agent, radiation dose and fractions, and sequencing of preoperative treatment and surgeries are all essential components for establishing optimal treatment strategies for the patients with this disease. In this article, treatment strategies proposed in the literature will be reviewed in the light of oncologic outcomes and treatment toxicity with their possible advantages and disadvantages. Owing to a lack of concrete evidences for the best strategy, this article can guide authors to a better way of determining more tailored treatment for each individual.


The lead content of an empty metal container (tin can) can be determined by an electrolytic process using a constant voltage power supply and dilute acid electrolyte. The ionic lead in the solution after electrolysis is determined by anodic stripping voltammetry.


Although they look like a paradoxical phenomenon, vocational studies have found their place in distance education. The beginnings of this type of education can be found in Japan and Israel where experiments were conducted in the early 1990s looking for teaching methods addressing groups of children playing keyboard instruments that can be monitored through digital systems. Today we have hundreds of this type of school. Even if the subject seems to be controversial the e-learning system, with its modern distance learning concepts has a well-established tradition by the series of graduates of all major music subjects at Gh. Dima Music Academy in Cluj Napoca. This system and especially the possibility to update it are the main focus of my paper and I would like to offer a professional analysis as well as a number of practical ideas to adjust the education system and the methodology that can be used in a university education system that has a functional e-learning platform.
The practice in the vocational music education system, both under its theoretical and practical forms implies the development of a platform and a specific support. If as far as the theoretical subjects are concerned we have a platform based on texts, graphics and experiments, in the field of music they will be based on examples from music, practical lessons, musical analysis regarding different music interpretation techniques, creativity studies and stage techniques, etc. Such a system implies a bulk of methods that can be recorded on video and that are obligatory in a student-centered interactive system.


Substance use disorders (SUDs) are prevalent and carry a high mortality rate. SUDs are chronic health conditions resulting from a chemical imbalance in the brain. However, recovery from SUDs is possible. There are several evidence-based nonpharmacological therapies for SUDs, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based interventions, and eye movement desensitization reprocessing. Many patients are not aware of, or do not receive, these therapies. Nurses can use simple strategies within the therapy models when working with patients with SUDs. In addition, nurses are in a prime position to educate patients about these evidence-based therapies and refer patients to therapists or advanced practice nurses with training and expertise in these nonpharmacological treatments. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(x), xx-xx.].


Microphthalmia ('small eye') and anophthalmia ('no eye') are rare congenital defects of eye development. Previous studies utilizing a variety of methodologies have estimated their combined incidence at anywhere from 4 to 30 cases per 100,000 live births. In Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia, there have been 42 cases detected since 1988, yielding an estimated incidence of 140 cases per 100,000. A number of putative genetic and environmental causes have previously been associated with microphthalmia and anophthalmia, including vitamin A deficiency. To date, it is unclear which of these factors may play a role in the alarmingly high rates observed in Chuuk. The Chuuk Division of Public Health has proposed a study to explore these potential causes, which will hopefully shed light on the prevention of these rare but debilitating conditions.


Given the limitations of head mounted display systems, there has been significant interest in the development of large-scale virtual environments such as video walls, immersive project displays, and similar devices. Although these devices do provide a wide-field visual display, very few of these devices are completely immersive as the user may view the visual world or they may be tethered to the real world via tracking systems. In this paper we present the motivation and design of IVY: The Immersive Visual environment currently under construction at York University (IVY).


The present study, which is the first of a series of investigations dealing with specific issues of low pressure turbine (LPT) boundary layer aerodynamics, is aimed at providing detailed unsteady boundary flow information to understand the underlying physics of the inception, onset, and extent of the separation zone. A detailed experimental study on the behavior of the separation zone on the suction surface of a highly loaded LPT-blade under periodic unsteady wake flow is presented. Experimental investigations were performed at Texas A&M Turbomachinery Performance and Flow Research Laboratory using a large-scale unsteady turbine cascade research facility with an integrated wake generator and test section unit. To account for a high flow deflection of LPT-cascades at design and off-design operating points, the entire wake generator and test section unit including the traversing system is designed to allow a precise angle adjustment of the cascade relative to the incoming flow. This is done by a hydraulic platform, which simultaneously lifts and rotates the wake generator and test section unit. The unit is then attached to the tunnel exit nozzle with an angular accuracy of better than 0.05 , which is measured electronically. Utilizing a Reynolds number of 110,000 based on the blade suction surface length and the exit velocity, one steady and two different unsteady inlet flow conditions with the corresponding passing frequencies, wake velocities and turbulence intensities are investigated using hot-wire anemometry. In addition to the unsteady boundary layer measurements, blade surface pressure measurements were performed at Re=50,000, 75,000, 100,000, and 125,000 at one steady and two periodic unsteady inlet flow conditions. Detailed unsteady boundary layer measurement identifies the onset and extent of the separation zone as well as its behavior under unsteady wake flow. The results presented in ensemble-averaged and contour plot forms contribute to understanding the physics of the separation phenomenon under periodic unsteady wake flow. Several physical mechanisms are discussed.


Face recognition technology related to recognizing identities is widely adopted in intelligence gathering, law enforcement, surveillance, and consumer applications. Recently, this technology has been ported to smartphones and body-worn cameras (BWC). Face recognition technology in body-worn cameras is used for surveillance, situational awareness, and keeping the officer safe. Only a handful of academic studies exist in face recognition using the body-worn camera. A recent study has assembled BWCFace facial image dataset acquired using a body-worn camera and evaluated the ResNet-50 model for face identification. However, for real-time inference in resource constraint body-worn cameras and privacy concerns involving facial images, on-device face recognition is required. To this end, this study evaluates lightweight MobileNet-V2, EfficientNet-BO, LightCNN-9 and LightCNN-29 models for face identification using body-worn camera. Experiments are performed on a publicly available BWCface dataset. The real-time inference is evaluated on three mobile devices. The comparative analysis is done with heavy-weight VGG-16 and ResNet-50 models along with six hand-crafted features to evaluate the trade-off between the performance and model size. Experimental results suggest the difference in maximum rank-l accuracy of lightweight LightCNN-29 over best-performing ResNet-50 is 1.85% and the reduction in model parameters is 23.49M. Most of the deep models obtained similar performances at rank-5 and rank-10. The inference time of LightCNNs is 2.1x faster than other models on mobile devices. The least performance difference of 14% is noted between LightCNN-29 and Local Phase Quantization (LPQ) descriptor at rank-l. In most of the experimental settings, lightweight LightCNN models offered the best trade-off between accuracy and the model size in comparison to most of the models.


Birds of prey and from Psittacidae family are host to fungal microbiota and play an important role in the epidemiology of zoonoses. Few studies in the literature have characterized mycelial and yeast fungi in the droppings of these birds and correlated the isolates with the zoonotic potential of the microorganisms. Droppings from 149 birds were evaluated and divided into two groups: captive: Rhea americana araneipes, Primolius maracana, Ara ararauna, Ara chloropterus, Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus, Amazona aestiva, Ara macao macao, Ramphastos toco, Sarcoramphus papa, Busarellus igricollis, Bubo virginianus nacurutu, Buteogallus coronatus, Buteogallus urubitinga urubitinga, Spizaetus melanoleucus, Spizaetus ornatus ornatus, Buteo albonotatus, Geranoaetus albicaudatus albicaudatus, Rupornis magnirostris magnirostris and Harpia harpyja, and quarantined birds: Amazona aestiva and Eupsitulla aurea. The fungal isolates were identified according to macroscopic (gross colony appearance), micromorphological and biochemical characteristics. Among birds displayed in enclosures, Aspergillus niger (41.1%) and Candida kefyr (63.8%) were the fungi most frequently isolated in Harpia harpyja and Ramphastos toco, respectively. For quarantined birds, the following percentages were observed in Eupsittula aurea, (76.6%) C. krusei, (84.4%) C. kefyr and (15.2%) C. famata, while in Amazona aestiva, (76.2%) C. krusei was observed. These findings indicate potentially pathogenic species in the bird droppings assessed, which constitute a risk of exposure for keepers and individuals who visit the zoo. Birds of the Cerrado and Pantanal of Mato Grosso (Central Western region of Brazil) could act in the epidemiological chain of important zoonoses.


To clarify the time course over which the human brain processes information about durations up to ∼300 ms, we reanalyzed the data that were previously reported by Mitsudo et al. (2009) using a multivariate analysis method. Event-related potentials were recorded from 19 scalp electrodes on 11 (nine original and two additional) participants while they judged whether two neighboring empty time intervals – called t1 and t2 and marked by three tone bursts – had equal durations. There was also a control condition in which the participants were presented the same temporal patterns but without a judgment task. In the present reanalysis, we sought to visualize how the temporal patterns were represented in the brain over time. A correlation matrix across channels was calculated for each temporal pattern. Geometric separations between the correlation matrices were calculated, and subjected to multidimensional scaling. We performed such analyses for a moving 100-ms time window after the t1 presentations. In the windows centered at <100 ms after the t2 presentation, the analyses revealed the local maxima of categorical separation between temporal patterns of perceptually equal durations versus perceptually unequal durations, both in the judgment condition and in the control condition. Such categorization of the temporal patterns was prominent only in narrow temporal regions. The analysis indicated that the participants determined whether the two neighboring time intervals were of equal duration mostly within 100 ms after the presentation of the temporal patterns. A very fast brain activity was related to the perception of elementary temporal patterns without explicit judgments. This is consistent with the findings of Mitsudo et al. and it is in line with the processing time hypothesis proposed by Nakajima et al. (2004). The validity of the correlation matrix analyses turned out to be an effective tool to grasp the overall responses of the brain to temporal patterns.


EEG microstate analysis offers a sparse characterisation of the spatio-temporal features of large-scale brain network activity. However, despite the concept of microstates is straight-forward and offers various quantifications of the EEG signal with a relatively clear neurophysiological interpretation, a few important aspects about the currently applied methods are not readily comprehensible. Here we aim to increase the transparency about the methods to facilitate widespread application and reproducibility of EEG microstate analysis by introducing a new EEGlab toolbox for Matlab. EEGlab and the Microstate toolbox are open source, allowing the user to keep track of all details in every analysis step. The toolbox is specifically designed to facilitate the development of new methods. While the toolbox can be controlled with a graphical user interface (GUI), making it easier for newcomers to take their first steps in exploring the possibilities of microstate analysis, the Matlab framework allows advanced users to create scripts to automatise analysis for multiple subjects to avoid tediously repeating steps for every subject. This manuscript provides an overview of the most commonly applied microstate methods as well as a tutorial consisting of a comprehensive walk-through of the analysis of a small, publicly available dataset.


The role of gender in language learning motivation of language learners has not been extensively researched. The few studies from applied linguistics that examined gender reported that indeed female students are more motivated to learn English than their male peers (Bacon & Finneman, 1992; Bartram, 2006; Dornyei & Csizer, 2002; Gardner & Lambert, 1972; Ryan, 2009). Yet, there are no studies examining gender differences in the interaction of motivational variables in the models of language learning motivation.This quantitative study explored the differences between Structural Equation Models (SEM) of language learning motivation of female and male learners of English. 398 Polish students aged 15-16 completed a motivational questionnaire, which included scales of the ideal L2 self, self-regulation, intrinsic motivation, instrumental orientation, international orientation, self-efficacy beliefs and English self-concept. They also took the Quick Oxford Placement Test. The data was analysed using factor analysis, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), and Wald tests.The SEM model of language learning motivation (see Figure 1) fitted separately for male and female learners were found to be significantly different (χ² = 592 on 191 df (p < .001)). In particular, the Wald test revealed that the weight of the link between ideal L2 self and intrinsic motivation was significantly stronger in the case of male than female students, whereas the English self-concept→intrinsic motivation link was stronger for female than male learners.


Florida's Seminole Indians are exerting an ever increasing influence on crucial issues in state politics, economy, and law. From a position of near obscurity less than a century ago, these Native Americans have staged a remarkable comeback to take an active hand in shaping Florida society, present and future. Anthropologists have long been fascinated with the Seminoles and have often remarked upon their ability to adapt to new circumstances while preserving the core features of their traditional culture. Early observers of the Seminoles also commented on the dynamic tension that existed for the individual, clan, and tribe, that drew them together, "like beads on a string," into a resilient and viable society. This study traces the emergence of these qualities in the late prehistoric and early historic period in the Southeast and demonstrates their influence on the course of Seminole culture history.


This exceptional work, with entries from Rav Abba to Rav Zutra, is an unprecedented study of every rabbi in the Talmud. The reader will find concise entries on every rabbinic personality mentioned in the Talmud, major and minor alike, and will discover such facts as their dates of birth, education, and occupation. Most entries are accompanied by a brief story about the rabbinic personality, with sources cited for easy reference.


The differentiating bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor harbours some 66 sigma factors, which support its complex life cycle. σB, a functional homologue of σS from Escherichia coli, controls both osmoprotection and differentiation in S. coelicolor A3(2). Microarray analysis revealed σB‐dependent induction of more than 280 genes by 0.2 M KCl. These genes encode several sigma factors, oxidative defence proteins, chaperones, systems to provide osmolytes, cysteine, mycothiol, and gas vesicle. σB controlled induction of itself and its two paralogues (σL and σM) in a hierarchical order of σB→σL→σM, as revealed by S1 mapping and Western blot analyses. The phenotype of each sigma mutant suggested a sequential action in morphological differentiation; σB in forming aerial mycelium, σL in forming spores and σM for efficient sporulation. σB was also responsible for the increase in cysteine and mycothiol, the major thiol buffer in actinomycetes, upon osmotic shock, revealing an overlap between protections against osmotic and oxidative stresses. Proteins in sigB mutant were more oxidized (carbonylated) than the wild type. These results support a hypothesis that σB serves as a master regulator that triggers other related sigma factors in a cascade, and thus regulates differentiation and osmotic and oxidative response in S. coelicolor.


While summer reading traditionally brings to mind the latest pulp-fiction fare, this year's Summer Reading section in The Left Atrium aims to provide something for every palate, from a Dr. Seuss-esque take on disease mongering to the history of Canadian hospital architecture, from poetical musings


This paper highlights the development of a human voice command system that is able to activate the electrical appliances at home in wireless environment. The idea is to establish a wireless connection between a client computer and a server in a real application. It is developed especially to assist disabled person to do their house chores. Via the wireless communication system, this system utilizes the remote voice recognition system server to translate the voice input received from a serviced client computer into a symbolic data file to be processed by the client's computer. The wireless technology implemented in this project is the Wi-Fi network and the computer server utilizes the GUI manager for implementing the speech recognition system. The GUI system is developed using the Microsoft Visual Basic.net software and the speech recognition software used is the Microsoft Speech (SAPI). In conclusion, from the result analyses, the performance of the system depends on the wireless coverage and distance, voice input type and the environment condition.


The Brazilian Journal of Motor Behavior (BJMB) is a quadriannual, peer-reviewed, free of charge/fee and open-access journal published by the Brazilian Society of Motor Behavior (SOCIBRACOM). The BJMB has published original contributions within the multidisciplinary study of human motor behavior, in the broad scope of motor control, development and learning, movement disorders, sports, clinical, theoretical and model studies. Since 2019 the BJMBpublishes manuscripts only in English. In the same year, BJMB started to invite researchers to be guest editors in article collections, providing an excellent opportunity to promote high-quality contents within the field.
The BJMB is the main motor behavior journal in the Latin American. It is widely recognized for its significant academic contribution and indexed in the UlrichsWeb Global Serial Directory, Diadorium, Gale Directory Library, Google Scholar, Road Directory of Open Access Scholary resources and Red Iberoamericana de Innovación y Conocimiento Científico. The number of edition and papers has sustainable and significantly increased in the last years, with over 500 authors contributing with 121 manuscripts, distributed in 40 numbers. The time of peer-reviewed process is short (first revision- 26 days) and paper publication is quick (57 days).
The BJMB was launched with its first edition published in December of 2006 and, thus, we are celebrating its 15thanniversary. For that, the BJMB launches a new type of manuscript: INFOGRAPHIC. This initiative aims to provide a quick, easy-to-use and enjoyable publication that conveys notable knowledge. Two types of infographics will be publishable: a) theory perspective: visual material to theory acknowledge to facilitate the understanding of models, theory frameworks, concepts, principles, and approaches in the field; b) article infographic: visual material about interventional effects on motor learning, development and control sustained by reviews and/or meta-analysis.
The infographic section will be added to those already existing: research, systematic review and meta-analysis, mini review, scoping review, research notes, current opinion, critique, and tutorials. It is interesting to highlight the section about tutorial, which emphasizes and provides reflection on the use of one or several methods or self-instruction in motor behavior. Finally, the current opinion section publishes pieces of diverse authors around the world that provide perspectives on a hot, relevant, and perhaps controversial topic within the scope of BJMB.
We would like to congratulate all for this important occasion and to wish that the BJMB continues publishing impactful and relevant contributions in the motor behavior field still for many years to come.


An approach that links nonlinear model reduction techniques with control vector parametrization-based schemes is presented, to efficiently solve dynamic constraint optimization problems arising in the context of spatially-distributed processes governed by highly-dissipative nonlinear partial-differential equations (PDEs), utilizing standard nonlinear programming techniques. The method of weighted residuals with empirical eigenfunctions (obtained via Karhunen-Loeve expansion) as basis functions is employed for spatial discretization together with control vector parametrization formulation for temporal discretization. The stimulus for the earlier approach is provided by the presence of low order dominant dynamics in the case of highly dissipative parabolic PDEs. Spatial discretization based on these few dominant modes (which are elegantly captured by empirical eigenfunctions) takes into account the actual spatiotemporal behavior of the PDE which cannot be captured using finite difference or finite element techniques with a small number of discretization points/elements. The proposed approach is used to compute the optimal operating profile of a metallorganic vapor-phase epitaxy process for the production of GaN thin films, with the objective to minimize the spatial nonuniformity of the deposited film across the substrate surface by adequately manipulating the spatiotemporal concentration profiles of Ga and N precursors at the reactor inlet. It is demonstrated that the reduced order optimization problem thus formulated using the proposed approach for nonlinear order reduction results in considerable savings of computational resources and is simultaneously accurate. It is demonstrated that by optimally changing the precursor concentration across the reactor inlet it is possible to reduce the thickness nonuniformity of the deposited film from a nominal 33% to 3.1%. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006


The bio-mechanical treatment of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) has been adopted in Europe either as a pre-treatment before landfilling or as a pretreatment before combustion. In this frame, the bio-drying process concerns the aerobic bioconversion applied mainly to MSW residual of selective collection. The aim of this process is the exploitation of the biochemical exothermic reactions for the evaporation of the highest amount of the humidity in the waste, with the lowest consumption of organic carbon. The obtained material can be easily refined to produce Refuse Derived Fuel. The present paper reports original assessments of process parameters characterizing the MSW bio-drying. In particular, outputs of a few pilot scale experimental runs have been elaborated in order to assess the following overall process parameters: mAIR kg of waste, mAIR kg of consumed volatile solids, mAIR kg of initial volatile solids, mAIR kg of organic fraction in the waste. Additionally, the assessed volatile solid dynamics during the bio-drying process are presented. These data are not generally available in the literature. Concerning the organic fraction contents in the waste suitable for bio-drying, usually its application is in the range of about 30-50%. The reasons are: a) lower values can give limited results in term of Lower Heating Value (LHV) increase of the bio-dried material; b) the application to waste with higher organic fraction content has the limitation of starting with very low LHV affecting the final characteristics of the bio-dried material. In this organic fraction range the air flow-rate is significant: it can vary between 6 and 10 m/kgMSW that is similar to the off-gas generable from the incineration of the same waste.


Automating semantic matching of attributes for the purpose of information integration is challenging, and the dynamics of the Web further exacerbate this problem. Believing that many facets of metadata can contribute to a resolution, we present a framework for multifaceted exploitation of metadata in which we gather information about potential matches from various facets of metadata and combine this information to generate and place confidence values on potential attribute matches. To make the framework apply in the highly dynamic Web environment, we base our process largely on machine learning. Experiments we have conducted are encouraging, showing that when the combination of facets converges as expected, the results are highly reliable.


The current status of both technology and science allows for sensitive monitoring of fluorescence and bioluminescence signals from inside a live animal with high spatial and temporal resolution. These technologies provide a highly sensitive, lowbackground,
noninvasive means of monitoring gene and protein expression, cell
trafficking, protein-protein interactions, and other cellular events at a relatively low cost. Photon-based optical imaging has gained an indispensable position in multiple biomedical research fields such as oncology, gene therapy, drug development, and others. The major limitations of planar optical imaging are depth resolution and signal quantification. This could compromise the process of
reconstructing a 3D image. Despite the success of NIR fluorescence tomography, and the commercialization of multiple instruments allowing 3D fluorescence measurements from small animals, both fluorescence and bioluminescence tomography based on genetically engineered probes is still in its infancy. 7.1 Fluorescence Molecular Tomography Based on Genetically Engineered Probes The visualization of objects embedded deep in tissues via fluorescence can be problematic, depending to a great extent on light interaction-both excitation and emission-with the matter surrounding the object. As living tissue is a very complex material, the solution for reconstruction of a 3D fluorescence image is not a simple one. Penetration of excitation light through a living organism is affected by scattering and absorption. The less turbid and absorbent the tissue between the light source and the fluorescent probe is, the higher the fluorescence signal is expected to be. Photons in the UV-VIS range of the spectrum (<650 nm) are
strongly absorbed by tissue, especially by deoxy- and oxyhemoglobin, thus making penetration depth limited by few a micrometers to a millimeter of tissue thickness. Near-infrared (NIR) light (700-900 nm) achieves the highest penetration, up to 10-12 cm, due to the minimal tissue absorbency in that spectral region. This explains in part the success of NIR fluorescence tomography. Most of the available genetically engineered fluorescent probes from the family of fluorescent proteins have excitation spectra in the range of 400-600 nm and therefore have limited depth resolution due to lower penetration of the excitation light.


In this paper, the authors present a framework for information sharing with privacy and priority control in long-term care designed to promote appropriate information sharing among the people who are involved in long-term care for provision of better care service. The authors' framework includes four agents user agent, local information system access agent, authentication/access control agent and priority control agent and two databases user database and care record index database. The LIS local information system access agent creates and updates the care record index database, which act as an index when user agents try to access to care recipient's record, based on the Open Authentication protocol. It also acts as a query interface from each user agent. The authentication/access control agent allows sensitive information to be shared in accordance with the policy defined by care recipient. The priority control agent judges the urgency of the information for either periodic or immediate notification. The authors also propose an implementation of this framework using the Resource Description Framework Site Summary, and demonstrate how our framework works with the scenario of care recipient's unexpected injury. In summary, this framework is designed to help people who require long-term care and provides an effective system for each staff that is in charge of administering long-term care services. The authors' information sharing system incorporates a multi-agent architecture to facilitate information sharing and privacy/priority control. The authors believe that this research provides an important first step for researchers who intend to build a prototype to automate the processes of information sharing for long-term health care.


Small for gestational age newborns can later suffer from eating difficulties and slow growth. Nutritional preferences can be influenced by changes in sensory perception of smell and taste. To determine whether these could be detected at birth, the authors examined the different recognition pattern of smell and taste in small for gestational age newborns compared to appropriate for gestational age controls, as expressed by gusto-facial and naso-facial reflexes. The authors performed video analysis of facial expressions of 10 small for gestational age and 12 control newborns exposed to various tastes and smells. No difference in the facial recognition patterns for taste or smell was demonstrated between small for gestational age and controls, except for perception of distilled water. Newborns show recognizable patterns of facial expression in response to taste and smell stimuli. Perception of taste and smell in small for gestational age newborns is not different from controls, as measured by the method of facial recognition.


In the past decades, software-based self-testing (SBST) which is testing of a processing core using its native instructions has attracted much attention. However, efficient SBST of a processing core which is deeply embedded in a multicore architecture is still an open issue. In this study, inspiring from built-in self-test methods, the authors place several number of hardware test components next to the processing cores in order to overcome existing SBST challenges. These test components facilitate quick testing of embedded cores by providing several mechanisms such as virtual fetch, virtual jump, fake load & store, and segmented test application. In order to enable segmented test application, they propose the concept of test snippet and a test snippet generation approach. The result is the capability of testing embedded cores in short idle times leading to efficient online testing of the cores with zero performance overhead. The authors' results show that their test snippet generation approach not only leads to the production of test snippets which are properly fitted the proposed test architecture but also its final fault coverage is comparable and even a little better than the fault coverage of the best existing methods.


The development of immunoreactivity for the calcium‐binding protein calbindin‐D28k (CaB) was investigated in the embryonic and hatched chick lumbosacral spinal cord. CaB‐immunoreactive neurons were revealed in the dorsal and ventral horns as well as in the intermediate grey matter from early stages of neuronal development. CaB immunoreactivity was first detected in large neurons in the presumptive dorsal horn at embyronic day 5, while small neurons in the lateral dorsal horn were the last to appear, at embryonic day 10. We have identified and traced the morphological maturation of six CaB‐immunoreactive cell groups, three in the dorsal horn and three in the ventral horn. In the dorsal horn these groups were (1) large neurons in the lateral dorsal horn (laminae I and IV), (2) small neurons in the lateral dorsal horn (lamina II), and (3) small neurons in the medial dorsal horn (lamina III). All three groups were present throughout the entire length of the lumbosacral spinal cord and showed persistent CaB immunoreactivity. In the ventral horn, CaB‐immunoreactive neurons were classified into the following three categories: (1) Neurons dorsal to the lateral motor column (lamina VII). These neurons were present exclusively in the upper lumbosacral segments (LS1 – 3), and they showed steady CaB immunoreactivity during their maturation. (2) Neurons at the dorsomedial aspect of the lateral motor column (at the border of laminae VII and IX). This population of neurons was characteristic of the lower segments of the lumbosacral cord (LS5 – 7) and presented transient CaB expression. (3) Neurons within the lateral motor column (lamina IX). These neurons were dispersed throughout the length of the lumbosacral spinal cord. They were three to four times more numerous in the upper than in the lower lumbosacral segments, and their numbers declined throughout LS1 – 7 as the animal matured. The characteristic features of the development of neurons immunoreactive for CaB are discussed and correlated with previous neuroanatomical and physiological studies concerning sensory and motor functions of the developing chick spinal cord.


N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM), which reacts readily with exposed sulfhydryl groups, has been shown to inhibit the activity of the microtubule (MT) motors kinesin, Ncd, and dynein. Currently, the mechanism of inhibition is not known for any of these proteins. To investigate the mechanism by which NEM inhibits Ncd, the recombinant Ncd motor-stalk protein MC1 (modified claret 1) was treated with varying concentrations of NEM (0-10 mM) and cosedimentation and ATPase assays were used to assess the effects of modification on MC1 interactions with MTs. In the cosedimentation assay, treatment with /=0.5 mM NEM induced aggregation of MC1 and resulted in sedimentation of the motor in the absence of MTs. NEM modification had no effect on the basal ATPase rate but produced a decrease in the MT-stimulated ATPase rate. Labeling of MC1 with [3H]NEM indicated that enhanced MT binding was associated with an average labeling of 1 Cys residue per MC1 polypeptide, while aggregation was associated with an average labeling of 2 Cys residues per MC1 polypeptide. Protein digestion, structural analysis, and mass spectrometry indicate that modification of Cys313 or Cys324 in the stalk domain is correlated with enhanced binding of MC1 to MTs. These results suggest that NEM enhances Ncd binding to MTs by disruption of neck and/or stalk function and demonstrate the importance of this region in motor function.


Rubber swelling in bitumen, which is a diffusion-induced volume expansion process, plays a dominant role in the design of crumb rubber modified bitumen binders and their properties development. This study aims to investigate the kinetics of bitumen diffusion into truck tire rubber, the equilibrium swelling characteristics of rubber, and the mechanical properties of rubber before and after swelling at different high temperatures. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results indicate that no rubber dissolution happens during the interaction in the temperature range from 160°C to 200°C. Aliphatic compounds from bitumen preferentially diffused into rubber during the swelling process. The diffusion coefficients of bitumen into rubber were determined by the sorption test using the gravimetric method. The diffusion coefficient increases with the increase of temperature in an Arrhenius form. The volume expansion of rubber during swelling was captured by the X-ray computed tomography scan images. Rubber swells faster at the earlier stages, then the expansion rate slows down. The swelling ratio of rubber increased from 1.97 at 160°C to 3.03 at 200°C after 36 h interaction. Mechanical tests by dynamic shear rheometer reveal that swollen rubber becomes softer compared with the dry rubber and exhibits obvious viscoelastic behaviors. With the increase of temperature, the softening and viscous effect are more significant. The obtained parameters can be implemented to swelling and micromechanical models to better predict the binder properties.


The cyprinodontiform family Goodeidae comprises two biogeographically disjunct subfamilies: the viviparous Goodeinae endemic to the Mexican Plateau, and the oviparous Empetrichthyinae, known only from relict taxa in Nevada and California. Ovarian characteristics of two oviparous species of goodeid, Crenichthys baileyi and Empetrichthys latos, studied using museum collections, are compared with those of viviparous species of goodeids. Both subfamilies have a single, cystovarian ovary. The ovary in the viviparous Goodeinae has an internal septum that divides the ovarian lumen into two compartments, and it may possess oogonia. There is no ovarian septum in the oviparous C. baileyi and E. latos. Oogenesis is similar in both subfamilies with regard to the proliferation of oogonia, initiation of meiosis, primary growth and development of an oocyte during secondary growth in which fluid yolk progressively fuses into a single globule. Notably, eggs of C. baileyi and E. latos are approximately double the size of those of the viviparous Goodeinae in which embryos develop inside the ovarian lumen and are nourished, in part, by nutrients transferred from the maternal tissues, a mode of embryo development called matrotrophy. Egg envelopes of the two subfamilies differ in that those of C. baileyi and E. latos have a relatively thick zona pellucida, attachment fibrils or filaments that develop between the follicle cells during oogenesis, and a micropyle observed only in E. latos. In contrast, viviparous goodeid eggs have a relatively thin zona pellucida, but lack adhesive fibrils, and a micropyle was not observed. These reproductive characters are compared with those of species of the eastern North American Fundulus, a representative oviparous cyprinodontiform. One newlyrecognized shared, derived character, a single, median ovoid ovary with no obvious external evidence of fusion, supports monophyly of the Goodeidae. Differences among the goodeid subfamilies and Fundulus are interpreted relative to the oviparous versus viviparous modes of reproduction. J. Morphol., 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Organised crime and criminal networks are an outcome of Africa's weak systems of state reach and governance, and in turn they further undermine effective state-building. Defining "organized crime" is challenging in the African context. African policy discussions did not use this term until recently, and it is so broad that it covers an enormous range of activity. Nevertheless, it is arguably now generally used and accepted, denoting organized illegal activities by a group of people over time that generate a profit. Such terminology is also now widely referred to internationally and in a UN Convention (which defines an "organized criminal group" but not organized crime itself) to which almost all African states have subscribed. The term "criminal networks" is often also used in African debates, denoting the more flexible and dynamic criminal arrangements that characterize the continent. Organized crime and criminal networks in Africa appear in many different forms, shaped largely by the strength of the state, and the degree that political elites and state actors are themselves involved in them. Broadly, organized crime can be said to occur along a continuum on the continent. On one side are well-established and -organized mafia-style groups such as the hard-core gangs of the Western Cape in South Africa or militia style operations engaged in 'taxing' local populations and economic activities, both licit and illicit. In the middle of the continuum, are relatively loose, and often highly effective, criminal networks made up both of Africans (West African criminal networks being the most prominent) and a range of foreign criminal actors seeking opportunities. On the other end, are sets of criminal style entrepreneurs, often operating as companies (the Guptas in South Africa, for example) but with a variety of forms of state protection. Illicit financial outflows in particular are a serious concern, but governance and regulatory reforms will be far more critical than the suppression of illicit markets themselves by law enforcement agencies, given also evidence that suggests a high degree of collusion between some African police and criminals in several illicit markets. Violence too remains a key tool for criminal control and advancement at all points along the spectrum, with the strength of the state and the collusion between state actors and criminal groups often determining the form, intensity and targets of that violence. That is one reason why the link between organized crime and conflict on the continent remains a concern, with actors (who in many cases exhibit criminal or mafia-style attributes) seeking to enhance their resource accumulation by control or taxation of criminal markets. Given this and other factors, the impact of organized crime on Africa's development is severe, and although in some key markets the illicit economy provides opportunities for livelihood and a source of resilience, these opportunities are negated by the extent of environmental damage, the growth of drug use among the poor and marginalized, human rights abuses of migrants and those being trafficked, the violence engendered, and the economic distortions introduced.


Abstract Personal income tax reductions can be considered popular policies to attract volatile voters. Nevertheless, after a series of tax cuts from the rapid growth period until the 1990s, the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) refrained from pursuing any more similar policy measures. This paper explores the relationship between the LDP and the electorate by focusing on tax policy. It highlights that the volatile social group of the "salaryman," which consists of salaried workers and their families, used to have great influence on tax policy under previous LDP governments. Personal income tax reductions until the 1980s thus were meant to be salaryman tax reductions. They took place during a period when the social group of the salaryman developed into a mainstream part of Japan's society. However, the group failed to maintain its influence after the 1990s, since when it has been diminishing both in size and in homogeneity. This paper holds that it was this decline of the salaryman population that prevented the LDP government from making any further personal income tax cuts.


In this work,the behavior of the three-dimensional(3D) jet coiling based on the viscoelastic Oldroyd-B model is investigated by a corrected particle scheme,which is named the smoothed particle hydrodynamics with corrected symmetric kernel gradient and shifting particle technique(SPH_CS_SP) method.The accuracy and stability of SPH_CS_SP method is first tested by solving Poiseuille flow and Taylor-Green flow.Then the capacity for the SPH_CS_SP method to solve the viscoelastic fluid is verified by the polymer flow through a periodic array of cylinders.Moreover,the convergence of the SPH_CS_SP method is also investigated.Finally,the proposed method is further applied to the 3D viscoelastic jet coiling problem,and the influences of macroscopic parameters on the jet coiling are discussed.The numerical results show that the SPH_CS_SP method has higher accuracy and better stability than the traditional SPH method and other corrected SPH method,and can improve the tensile instability.


Qiliqiangxin (QL) has protective effect for the cardiovascular diseases treatment. This study aim to evaluate the effect of QL on the cell viability, cell apoptosis and caspase-3 activity in oxidized LDL (oxLDL)-induced Human Coronary Artery Endothelial Cells (HCAECs). HCAECs were treated with QL (0-1μg/ml) and oxLDL (150 μg/ml). The HCAECs viability was detected by cell proliferation assay and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. The HCAECs apoptosis was evaluated by the annexin V-FITC assay. The activity of caspase-3 of HCAECs was measured by colorimetric caspase-3 assay. Cell migration assay and capillary-like tube formation assay on Matrigel were performed. Treatment of HCAECs to ox-LDL (150 μg/ml) decreased cell viability, stimulated apoptosis and enhanced caspase-3 activity. In addition, treatment with QL (0.5 μg/ml) alone did not affect cell viability and LDH release. Furthermore, the treatment with QL (0.5 μg/ml) significantly increased ox-LDL (150 μg/ml) decreased cell viability. Treatment with QL (0.5 μg/ml) reduced ox-LDL-stimulated apoptosis and caspase-3 activity in HCAECs in a dose-dependent manner. QL (0.5 μg/ml) attenuated ox-LDL (150 μg/ml) abolished cell migration and tube formation. Our study demonstrated that QL prevents ox-LDLinduced HCAECs injury by decreasing the apoptosis via caspase-3 activity.


In this paper we present a framework for teaching and learning that applies Boyer's definition of engaged scholarship to K–12 education by engaging students, teachers, and community members as partners in learning in a reciprocal relationship that strengthens schools and communities. We call this model, which emerged during a community-based project with rural high school students, engagement education. In this model, teaching and learning are place-focused, project-based, asset-driven, and democratically oriented. We present the framework that lies at the intersection of the four approaches mentioned above by first describing each approach individually. We discuss each component of the engagement education framework within the context of the school and community-based project from which it emerged. We share the findings from a qualitative analysis of the students' reflections at the completion of the project. Finally, we discuss implications for engaged scholars working with rural communities and schools.


The article presents the current state (soil and vegetable covers, surface water) and problems in the Issyk-Kul uranium radiobiogeochemical province. On the territory of the biogeochemical province, the overall level of the background radiation and the radionuclide content are found to be within normal limits, except for some man-made and natural sites.


BACKGROUND: Supplementary motor area (SMA) syndrome occurs after surgery involving the SMA and is characterized by contralateral hemiparesis with or without speech impairment (dependent on involvement of the dominant SMA), which is transient and characteristically resolves over the course of weeks to months. Recurrent SMA syndrome after repeat craniotomy has not been previously described. OBJECTIVE: To describe the presentation and clinical course of patients who developed recurrent SMA syndrome after redo resection of tumors involving the SMA. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 15 patients who underwent repeated resection of low-grade glioma from the superior and middle frontal gyrus. Of these patients, we identified 6 cases of recurrent SMA syndrome. RESULTS: Six patients had a documented SMA syndrome occurring after initial and subsequent resection of tumor in proximity to the SMA. Intraoperative localization of eloquent motor and language cortex was achieved in each patient by using a combination of somatosensory evoked potentials and electrocortical stimulation mapping. Location of tumor and extent of resection was examined with magnetic resonance imaging. CONCLUSION: This series demonstrates that recurrent SMA syndrome occurs in patients undergoing repeat resection of tumors involving the SMA. The presence of recurrent SMA syndrome provides support for reorganization of SMA function to adjacent ipsilateral cortex after resection. Patients with recurrent neoplasms of the SMA should be counseled on the possibility of recurrent SMA syndrome. ABBREVIATIONS: fMRI, functional magnetic resonance imaging SFG, superior frontal gyrus SMA, supplementary motor area


Introduction Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to contribute to HIV incidence across the globe. Research suggests that co-infection with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoea, and/or Trichomonas vaginalis may increase the risk of HIV MTCT. This study describes the acceptability and preferences for STI screening among a sample of pregnant, HIV-infected women at two clinics near Pretoria, South Africa. Methods We approached potentially eligible HIV-infected pregnant women at their first antenatal care visit to invite them to receive STI screening that was integrated into the appointment. Trained staff collected data on STI screening preferences. Following enrollment, women were requested to provide two self-collected vaginal swabs for STI testing (GeneXpert, Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). Results Of the 171 women eligible for enrollment, 168 (98.2%) agreed to participate in the STI study, including STI testing and self-collected vaginal swabs. Of the 167 complete responses, 15.6% (n=26) preferred a urine test for STI screening, 41.1% (n=69) vaginal swab, and 42.9% (n=72) had no preference. Of those who preferred the urine test, the most common reasons were "ease" of the test (n=20, 12.0%), followed by anticipation of the test being "less painful" (n=3, 1.8%), "less uncomfortable" (n=2, 1.2%), "less embarrassing" (n=1, 0.6%), and more familiar (n=1, 0.6%). However, when given directions on the vaginal swab collection procedures, all 168 (100%) women complied and received successful test results. Conclusion Integration of an STI screening protocol, including self-administered vaginal swabs, into first antenatal care visits appeared to be highly acceptable in this setting among HIV-infected pregnant women. Despite variability in preferences, all women adequately and satisfactorily self-collected vaginal samples, allowing for the timely detection and treatment of infections that may have been otherwise missed.