In this paper we outline a holistic approach for understanding and simulating human decision making in knowledge-intensive tasks. To this purpose, we integrate semantic and cognitive models in a hybrid computational architecture. The contribution of the paper is twofold: first we describe a packetcentric ontology to represent network traffic. We show how the ontology is used to describe real-world network traffic and also serve as a basis for higher level ontologies of cyber operation, threat and risk. Second, we demonstrate how the combination of the packet-centric ontology with an adaptive cognitive agent with learning capabilities, can be used to understand the human defender reasoning processes when monitoring network traffic. Through simulation experiments we evaluated the proposed hybrid computational architecture and demonstrate its ability to successfully detect malicious port scanning within legitimate network traffic. We discuss the implications of these findings for improving our understanding of the cognitive processes and knowledge requirements of the cyber defender, as well as the possible use of the hybrid architecture as a cognitively inspired decision support tool.


We wish to understand the macroscopic plastic behaviour of metals by upscaling the micro-mechanics of dislocations. We consider a highly simplified dislocation network, which allows our discrete model to be a one dimensional particle system, in which the interactions between the particles (dislocation walls) are singular and non-local. As a first step towards treating realistic geometries, we focus on finite-size effects rather than considering an infinite domain as typically discussed in the literature. We derive effective equations for the dislocation density by means of Γ-convergence on the space of probability measures. Our analysis yields a classification of macroscopic models, in which the size of the domain plays a key role.


The phenomenon of increasing number of baptism but decreasing church members has plagued almost all churches including the Adventist churches in Jakarta Local Conference. Most of the baptized people came from the front door and went out to the back door. To solve this problem, the researcher suggested small group ministry.To utilize small group ministry, people need to understand the variables thatcontribute to its success. Therefore, this study determined the relationship betweenservant leadership and spiritual gifts on small groups in selected places. Descriptivesurvey design utilizing purposive sampling was employed to discover the relationsamong three variables (small groups, spiritual gifts, and servant leadership). Eachvariable is composed of four aspects: (a) spiritual gifts = teaching, evangelism,giving, and hospitality; (b) servant leadership = service to others, holistic approach,promoting a sense of community, and sharing of power in decision making; (c) smallgroup growth = discipleship, nurturing, retaining, and reclaiming. Two hundred fiftyquestionnaires were distributed among small group leaders in Jakarta LocalConference but only 143 were retrieved and analyzed. Result showed that there is asignificant relationship between spiritual gifts and servant leadership on small groupgrowth. The most dominant aspect of spiritual gifts is teaching; while the highestaspect for servant leadership is the willingness to share their power. Based on theresult, the author proposed a program to help the small group ministry. This studyverifies that small group ministry could reverse the trend of decreasing churchmembership; identifies aspects which lead to the success and growth of small groupministry; and the proposed program helps the local pastors in developing an ideal andhealthy small group ministry.


Isolated cat papillary muscles were exposed to gas mixtures containing carbon dioxide and oxygen. In muscles exposed during the second of three periods to 25 percent oxygen, the volume of oxygen consumed (Qo2) was depressed by 50 percent, but returned to the control level during a third period at 98 percent oxygen. The work capacity was not significantly altered if the partial pressure of oxygen was low.


Abstract Objective This study examines the public perception of the 2009 H1N1 influenza risk and its association with flu-related knowledge, social contexts, and preventive behaviors during the second wave of the influenza outbreak in Arizona. Methods Statistical analyses were conducted on survey data, which were collected from a random-digit telephone survey of the general public in Arizona in October 2009. Results The public perceived different levels of risk regarding the likelihood and their concern about contracting the 2009 H1N1 flu. These measures of risk perception were primarily correlated with people of Hispanic ethnicity, having children in the household, and recent seasonal flu experience in the previous year. The perceived likelihood was not strongly associated with preventive behaviors, whereas the perceived concern was significantly associated with precautionary and preparatory behaviors. The association between perceived concern and precautionary behavior persisted after controlling for demographic characteristics. Conclusions Pandemic preparedness and response efforts need to incorporate these findings to help develop effective risk communication strategies that properly induce preventive behaviors among the public. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:145-154)


A large dataset comprising output from an automatic milking (AM) system between 1999 and 2006 was examined and a total of 172 cow lactation curves and 68 heifer lactation curves were identified for further analysis. Relationships between milking frequency at different stages of lactation and lactation persistency and total lactation yield were determined. Cows had higher peak and total milk yields than heifers, but heifers had higher persistency (defined as the rate of decline in milk yield between days 100 and 300 post calving). Milking frequency did not differ significantly between cows and heifers in early lactation, but thereafter decreased significantly more in cows than in heifers. The effect of milking frequency on yield characteristics was analysed by comparing the highest and lowest quartiles for milking frequency. High milking frequency in early lactation was consistently associated with increased peak yield. High milking frequency averaged across the whole lactation was associated with increased peak yield in both cows and heifers, and with improved lactation persistency in cows only. This resulted in total lactation yield that was 21% greater in the high quartile cows compared with the low.


This paper reviews recent literature results on the mechanics of structures formed by layers of pentamode lattices alternating with stiffening plates, which can be effectively employed for the development of seismic isolation devices and vibration attenuation tools, with nearly complete band gaps for shear waves. It is shown that such structures, named pentamode bearings, can respond either in the stretching-dominated regime, or in the bendingdominated regime, depending on the nature of the joints connecting the different members. Their response is characterized by high vertical stiffness and theoretically zero shear stiffness in the stretching dominated regime, or considerably low values of such a quantity in the bending dominated regime. Available results on the experimental response of 3d printed models to combined compression and shear loading highlight that the examined structures are able to exhibit energy dissipation capacity and effective damping that are suitable for seismic isolation devices. Their fabrication does not necessarily require heavy industry, and expensive materials, being possible with ordinary 3-D printers.


Objective: To determine different treatment options in patients of Patent Ductus Arteriosus with pulmonary hypertension beyond neonatal period.
Study Design: Descriptive cross sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in Pediatric Cardiology department of Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, from Jan 2017 to Jan 2019.
Methodology: Patients having PDA with pulmonary hypertension were included in the study. Treatment options were divided into percutaneous catheter device closure, surgical ligation of patent ductus arteriosus and palliative treatment. Any adverse event during the procedure was documented. Stratification was done in regard to gender and age group. Post stratification chi square test was applied and p-value less than or equal to 0.05 was considered as significant.
Results: Total number of patients included in the study were 37. Mean age (years) of patients (Mean ± SD) was 19.21 ± 8.76. Mean ± SD pulmonary artery pressure was 56.43 ± 11.55 mmHg. Percutaneous catheter device closure was successful in 24 (64.9%) patients, in 7 (18.9%) patients primary surgical PDA ligation was done, 3 (8.1%) patients were advised palliative treatment and in 3 (8.1%) patients adverse events occurred during percutaneous device closure and were thus referred for surgical ligation. Patent ductus Arteriosus Occlutech device was used in 18 (48.6%) patients, Occlutech VSD device was used in 7 (18.5%) patients and in 1 (2.7%) patient AGA duct occluder was used.
Conclusion: In patients with patent ductus arteriosus and pulmonary artery hypertension, percutaneous catheter device closure is a safe and effective procedure.


In this paper, a fractional-order Hastings-Powell food chain model is discussed. It is assumed that the top-predator population is supported by alternative food. Existence and local stability of equilibrium points of fractional-order system are investigated. Numerical simulations are conducted to illustrate analysis results. The analysis results show that alternative food can give a positive impact for top-predator population. Keywords: Alternative food, Fractional-order, Grunwald-Letnikov approximation, Hasting-Powell model, Stability.


BACKGROUND
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common form of malignancy in pancreatic carcinoma. Here we report our discovery on the correlations between transcriptional alternative splicing (AS) of NUMB, APP, VEGFA and PDAC in patients.

METHODS
The expression of NUMB, APP, VEGFA from patient samples was determined by qRT-PCR. AS of these genes was examined through laser induced fluorescence capillary electrophoresis. Correlation between the AS of the genes and results from clinical laboratory examinations were analyzed. Expression of NOTHC1 and NOTCH4 as downstream target genes was examined by qRT-PCR and Western blot.

RESULTS
Quantitative results indicated that expression of NUMB was significantly lower in tumor tissues (TT) than in para-tumor tissues (TP) (P<0.05), while APP (P<0.01) and VEGFA (P<0.05) were significantly higher. AS transcript percentage of NUMB PRR(S) was lower in TT than TP (P<0.05). AS transcript percentage of VEGFA (105+185) was significantly lower in TT than TP (P<0.05) compared to higher expression of VEGFA (206+338) (P<0.05). Regression analysis indicated that AS transcript of NUMB PRR(L) correlated with tumor size (P<0.01), while AS transcripts of APP and VEGFA correlated with results of laboratory examinations. To reveal the correlation between AS and its downstream targets, NOTCH1 and NOTCH4 were selected as NUMB gene targets and detected to be significantly higher in TT than TP (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION
Alternative splicing of APP, VEGFA and NUMB may play an important role in pathogenesis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Among the 3 genes, PRR(L) form of NUMB gene is highly expressed in TT and positively correlated with tumor size, while PRR(S) is lacking in TT and negatively correlated with NOTCH expression suggesting that PRR(S) might be protective in tumorogenesis and shows NOTCH pathway down regulation ability.


Utilization voltages used on longwall equipment operating in coal mines in the United States have increased steadily over the past 15 years from 1000 up to 4160 V. This voltage increase has directly influenced the 200% gain in overall longwall productivity from 1987 to the present. The transition from medium voltage (661-1000 V) to high voltage (greater than 1000 V) has permitted significant increases in mining face widths and equipment sizes. Longwall systems with total connected loads of over 5000 hp are now common, and all longwalls in the United States now use high-voltage equipment, with the majority utilizing 4160 V. Shielded cables, which have significantly more capacitance than unshielded cables, are required for high-voltage applications in the mining industry. This capacitance can have detrimental influences on system overvoltages and relay selectivity during ground-fault conditions if the values for the neutral grounding resistor and the ground-fault-relay pickup settings are improperly chosen. These issues are addressed in this paper.


The World Trade Organization (WTO) Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) was established in 1995, and provides a set of rules to govern resolution of trade disputes amongst WTO member countries, and since inception, the WTO has dealt with almost 500 trade dispute cases, to-date. The book was a result of a research which focus was on the fact that South Pacific Island Nation (SPIN) countries were notably absent from the WTO's Dispute Settlement Mechanism (DSM) process and attempted to illuminate why participation was weak or underutilized.

Although many commentators argued the DSM functions well, the focus of academic discussion concentrates on how it had been used, rather than why it had not been used, by majority of the states, mostly the least and developing member countries.

There was continuing debate as to whether it accommodated the interests of the developing or least-developed members. Central to the debate was the issue of Fairness in WTO Dispute Settlement decisions. WTO dispute settlement was guided by the principle that 'every member was equal before the law,' and was designed to offer due process, provide accessibility to dispute settlement, and options for settling trade disputes to all members. Conversely, it was argued the process favors richer countries as they were able to argue more effectively and settle their cases. The poorer countries were disadvantaged by constraints on their ability to pursue any trade infringements at the WTO level.

This book focused on discovering the roots of why DSM utilization was weak or nonexistent in five WTO SPIN members: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Samoa. Though similar to those of many other developing and least-developed countries found in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and elsewhere, the SPIN's relatively neophyte development and integration in international trade may exacerbate issues of access and constraints faced in the use of WTO's DSM. Although the importance of an adequate trade-policy infrastructure was not to be underestimated, SPIN's under-utilization of the process appeared to be rooted in the nature of the DSM itself, although the added impediments of high entry barriers, skewed retaliation system and SPIN's development orientation impact decisions to take contested trade issues to the WTO Appellate Body for settlement.

Employing an interview-questionnaire research methodology, questions evolved from five (5) arenas: cultural, political, legal, economic and null, i.e., when positive responses were not forthcoming, e.g., no conflicts have met the legal threshold required, or no conflict had come to government notice, the core question was why have SPIN WTO members not approached the WTO dispute settlement process and engaged DSM opportunities.

The book concludes with an analyses of the position of SPIN countries in the WTO and potential solutions for mitigating SPIN marginality in relation to the DSM.


AimThe aim this study is to update the diagnostic implementation of a costly scan strategy in chest pain (CP) patients. MethodsLow-risk CP patients with a negative first-line work-up including clinical evaluation, serial ECGs, and serial troponins underwent stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). Those with perfusion defects underwent angiography, whereas the remaining patients were discharged and followed up. The endpoint was coronary stenosis greater than or equal to 50% at angiography or cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and revascularization at follow-up. ResultsOut of 1089 patients enrolled, 966 underwent exercise-MPI and 123 pharmacological-MPI (91 adenosine-MPI and 32 dipyridamole-MPI). Areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of exercise-MPI and pharmacological-MPI were comparable. The sensitivity and negative predictive value were significantly higher in patients subjected to exercise-MPI or pharmacological-MPI versus exercise-ECG or pharmacological-ECG (P<0.001). The presence of basal nonischemic ECG or basal nonischemic echocardiography alterations was an independent predictor of coronary events; in these patients, the positive predictive value of the nuclear scan was significantly higher compared with the remaining patients (72 vs. 43%, P<0.0001). The predictive values in patients subjected to adenosine-MPI or dipyridamole-MPI were eventually comparable. ConclusionIn low-risk CP patients, a costly stress nuclear scan strategy added incremental prognostic value over stress-ECG and was appropriate especially in patients presenting basal nonischemic ECG or basal nonischemic echocardiography alterations.


BACKGROUND
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a primary adenocarcinoma of the liver arising from the intrahepatic bile duct. Hepatectomy with extensive lymph node dissection is the standard treatment for ICC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Sixty patients with ICC who underwent hepatectomy in our institution between 1986 and 2005 were investigated to determine prognostic factors and to evaluate the impact of surgical treatment for ICC using univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS
The overall survival rate of the R0 resection group (n=43) was significantly higher than that of the R1/2 group (n=17). However, in patients with lymph node metastasis (n=24), R0 resection had no survival impact. According to multivariate analysis, the independent factors of poor prognosis were: the presence of lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion, poor differentiation and R1/2 resection.

CONCLUSION
R0 resection can provide prolonged survival for patients with ICC. Patients with lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion, or poorly differentiated ICC have poor prognosis after operation and additional treatment, such as adjuvant chemotherapy, is recommended.


Bringing together science and literature for purposes of casting these knowledge areas into relief is a well-established analytical practice. Rather less studied is the turn toward material practice as it has unfolded across science studies and the arts. However, this trend has the potential to open up new methods for thinking about science and literature and new forms of public engagement. This paper explores one possibility for combining creative writing in the form of sports cheers. It posits a materialized future scenario designed to encourage the public to consider potential futures and explore their individual ideas about a particular technological development (in this case artificial intelligence) in a fun and imaginative way.


The clinical study was carried out to determine the correlation factors of acute pericoronitis in mandibular impacted third molars.The results showed that the teeth at greatest risk in relation to acute pericoronitis are vertical unerupted lower third molar (79%),at or below the occlusal plane (66% and 30%),partially covered by soft tissue (>1/2 is 64% and <1/2 is 36% respectively),and existed opposite teeth (66%).The three indexes of vertical impaction had significant difference compared with other impactions(P<0.025).Meanwhile it was also obvious difference(P<0.025) compared with the same indexes within vertical impaction that verified it was easier to suffer acute pericoronitis in such conditions as at or below occlusal plane more than half encapsulated by soft tissue and existed opposite teeth than other conditions.Therefore it may act as an indication of tooth extraction whenever it develops acute inflammation in vertical impaction with three indexes as mentioned above.


Can genetic adaptation in reef-building corals keep pace with the current rate of sea surface warming? Here we combine population genomic, biophysical modeling, and evolutionary simulations to predict future adaptation of the common coral Acropora millepora on the Great Barrier Reef. Loss of coral cover in recent decades did not yet have detectable effect on genetic diversity in our species. Genomic analysis of migration patterns closely matched the biophysical model of larval dispersal in favoring the spread of existing heat-tolerant alleles from lower to higher latitudes. Given these conditions we find that standing genetic variation could be sufficient to fuel rapid adaptation of A. millepora to warming for the next 100-200 years, although random thermal anomalies would drive increasingly severe mortality episodes. However, this adaptation will inevitably cease unless the warming is slowed down, since no realistic mutation rate could replenish adaptive genetic variation fast enough.


Work in the catshark Scyliorhinus canicula has shown that the evolutionary origin of postnatal neurogenesis in vertebrates is earlier than previously thought. Thus, the catshark can serve as a model of interest to understand postnatal neurogenic processes and their evolution in vertebrates. One of the best characterized neurogenic niches of the catshark CNS is found in the peripheral region of the retina. Unfortunately, the lack of genetic tools in sharks limits the possibilities to deepen in the study of genes involved in the neurogenic process. Here, we report a method for gene knockdown in the juvenile catshark retina based on the use of Vivo-Morpholinos. To establish the method, we designed Vivo-Morpholinos against the proliferation marker PCNA. We first evaluated the possible toxicity of 3 different intraocular administration regimes. After this optimization step, we show that a single intraocular injection of the PCNA Vivo-Morpholino decreases the expression of PCNA in the peripheral retina, which leads to reduced mitotic activity in this region. This method will help in deciphering the role of other genes potentially involved in postnatal neurogenesis in this model. Summary statement In this study, we report the development of a method for the use of Vivo-Morpholinos in the postnatal shark retina, which will allow to decipher the role of different genes in retinal neurogenesis in sharks.


Losses of later life can prove overwhelming to older adults. Some elderly persons seem to cope with these losses with a spirit of acceptance and serenity. The purpose of this study was to identify qualities in selected nursing home residents that allow them to transcend difficulties and continue living with some degree of contentment and satisfaction. Qualitative data were obtained in taped interviews from 95 functionally impaired residents (mean age 82.16 years). Content analysis resulted in several themes supporting the spiritual perspective of Reed's theory of self-transcendence: generativity, introjectivity, temporal integration, body-transcendence, and relationship with self, others, and a higher being.


Introduction: Time to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) development is not assessable in patients, but a longer time to relapse after apparent remission is observed in patients with favorable risk as compared to adverse risk AML, suggesting differences in in vivo leukemia kinetics. Repopulation of immunodeficient mice remains the primary method to functionally assess human AML cells but published data report engraftment of ~40 to 66% of AML cases, mostly confined to FLT3-mutated intermediate or poor risk subtypes. Here we hypothesized that subsets of AML (e.g. of favorable risk) take longer time to induce detectable leukemia in xenotransplant assays, and that therefore extending post-transplant follow-up (beyond 10 to 16 weeks as used in previous studies) can enhance engraftment efficiency. Methods: 2 adverse, 11 intermediate I/II, 4 favorable risk AML and 2 APL were transplanted into NOD/SCID/IL2Rγ null (NSG) mice and followed up to 1 year. Briefly, peripheral blood (PB) mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were purified by MACS or FACS and 0.4-1x10 6 blasts transplanted via tail vein (18/19 AML) or intrafemorally (2/19 AML) in non- (4/19) or sublethally irradiated (15/19) mice. Animals were monitored for disease signs and by routine monthly bone marrow (BM) punctures. Experiments were terminated at sickness or >1% human engraftment and mice analyzed by whole body histopathology, multi-parameter flow cytometry of PB, BM and organs and next generation sequencing (NGS) of xenogeneic leukemic cells. Colony-forming (CFU) capacity and CD34+(CD38-) cell percentages were correlated with molecular risk stratification and engraftment. Results: Extending follow-up beyond standard analysis end-points improved engraftment and permitted leukemogenesis in 18/19 (~95%) of AML cases, including favorable risk subtypes transplanted without prior irradiation. Indeed, only 7/19 (~37%, termed standard engrafters) of cases engrafted at time-points defined in previous studies, while 11/19 (~58%, termed long latency engrafters) engrafted later than 16 weeks. Importantly, routine BM punctures showed no evidence of leukemic cells at standard analysis time-points in long-latency engrafters, clearly indicating that engraftment with these samples would have been missed using standard protocols. Consistent with our hypothesis, all favorable risk AML were long latency engrafters. Time to engraftment (22±9 weeks) and mouse survival (23±9 weeks) were influenced by the AML molecular risk group, but not by in vitro CFU or CD34+(CD38-) cell percentage. Engraftment was confirmed by whole body histopathology and multi-parameter flow cytometry showing conserved immune phenotypes as compared with corresponding pre-transplant samples. Importantly, both standard (n=2) and long latency engrafters (n=5), showed high conservation of genetic signatures in xenogeneic leukemic cells, with no signs of clonal selection upon engraftment. In one mouse-derived sample, a de novo occurring ASLX1 mutation was detected at low allelic burden (4%), while in another a low allelic burden NRAS mutation was lost, suggesting that genetic evolution can occur, but however is not a frequent event. Finally, we applied this model to investigate previously understudied favorable risk AML with inv(16). In spite extended follow-up, engraftment was only observed from CD34+ putative leukemic stem cells (LSCs) - which also in microarrays showed enhanced expression of stem cell genes - but not from CD34- inv(16) AML blasts. These data reinforce the notion of a strict hierarchy in AML and suggest CD34 expression as an LSC marker in this AML subtype. Conclusions: In sum, we present a model that enables in vivo studies of AML subtypes previously considered non-engraftable (such as favorable risk AML), using widely accessible and well-characterized NSG mice. We show that in vivo xenotransplantation of human AML cells in NSG mice faithfully recapitulates human disease since xenogeneic leukemic cells (1) retain the phenotypic, genetic and functional leukemia-initiating properties of the corresponding pre-transplant AML samples, (2) follow disease kinetics and mortality induction in mice according to molecular risk groups established in humans and (3), importantly, can persist in animals over several months at undetectable levels without losing disease-initiating properties, thus mimicking the clinical course of AML in humans. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


All cause groin pain is a common and debilitating morbidity for sports people, particularly involving kicking and twisting. At current many varying treatment pathways exist however efficacy of these is poorly described and data scant. To Review 70 athletes who having presented with clinically proven groin pain, underwent MRI scans and Fluoroscopically Guided Pubic Symphysis injections and track their outcomes. Between August 2012 and December 2014, 70 athletes, who had failed conservative management, underwent Fluoroscopically Guided Pubic Symphysis Injections and Pre Procedural Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans in a Specialist Tertiary Orthopaedic Referral Centre. These injections consisted of 80 mg of MethylPrednisolone and 2cc of 0.25% Bupivucaine. Patients were followed up at a mean of 13.2 months after injection and outcomes were recorded using Subjective Pain Scores, Level of Function and Return to Sport. Of the 70 patients, 3 were excluded due to underlying hip pathology, 10 were excluded due to not having pre-procedure MRIs and 2 were excluded due to incomplete follow up data. Patients undergoing Injection had 4 main outcomes on MRI – Osteitis Pubis, Adductor Tear, Mixed picture or Normal. For all cause Groin pain we demonstrated a mean improvement of 4.7 points on Subjective pain scores and of 2 functional levels. Players undergoing injection also returned to sport on average between 2–4 weeks post procedure. This evidence demonstrated the efficacy of pubic symphysis injections in the Treatment pathway of Athletes experiencing groin dysfunction.


While teachers are strategically positioned to mediate school-based HIV/AIDS education interventions which provide information on HIV/AIDS to young people, how individual teachers experience the implementation of Zimbabwe's primary school AIDS curriculum in specific work conditions has seldom been questioned. This qualitative case study explores some of the practical experiences that 20 grade 6 primary school teachers encountered as they implemented the mandatory Zimbabwe's primary school AIDS curriculum. A purposive sample of 6 schools and 20 teachers was used from which 3 teachers were observed teaching 5 lessons each. Findings from data collected during lesson observations and semi-structured interviews revealed an admixture of positive and negative cognitive and emotional implementation encounters that prompted teachers to cope with the curriculum in complex ways. The study established some dilemmas that the teachers confronted in their enactment of this curriculum in the context of a myriad of curriculum implementation factors that played out on their work. For example choosing between discussing openly, sexually sensitive issues with students and omitting the issues in a bid to respect the cultural conventions of the community influenced teachers' work.


In order to determine a policy within the hospital restricting smoking we previously surveyed the attitude of the hospital staff towards smoking inside the hospital buildings. In the present survey we examined the attitude of the hospital visitors on the same issue. One hundred and fifty-seven hospital visitors participated in the survey and answered a questionnaire; 93 visitors were smokers, 64 were non-smokers. Eighty-eighth percent of the visitors smoked during their visit, 4 cigarettes on the average, during an average length of stay of 2.8 hours, until completing the questionnaire. Eighty-three percent of the smokers were aware of the law that prohibits smoking in public buildings, and 71% were aware of the signs and advertisements that prohibit smoking in the hospital. Two thirds of the smokers declared that they would have refrained from smoking in the hospital if others around them also refrained from smoking and justified the law that prohibits smoking in public buildings, including hospitals. Sixty-nine percent of the smokers declared that they were willing to cooperate with hospital management in restricting smoking to the hospital grounds outside the hospital buildings, and would accept directives regarding smoking restriction from any hospital personnel. In fact, only 11% of the smokers were requested to stop smoking during their visit. These findings reinforce the results of our pervious survey conducted among the hospital staff and indicates the existence of a paradoxical vicious cycle of behavior among smokers and non-smokers, visitors and staff, in the hospital. On the one hand the smokers do not have the self-obedience necessary to stop smoking while visiting in the hospital, although they are aware of their misdeed. On the other hand the non-smokers lack the confidence that they will obtain the cooperation of the smokers, although the smokers are willing to cooperate. Both groups except someone else to either actively restrict them from smoking or to encourage them to restrict the smokers. Our findings suggest that this "someone else" is the hospital management (and the staff endorsed to implement this directive).


Introduction Vitamin D (vit D) deficiency is a common consequence of short bowel syndrome and can detrimentally affect bone and muscle health. Oral vit D supplements can be absorbed variably and parenteral supplementation does not always result in improved serum levels.1 We wished to see if buccal vit D supplementation represents a useful alternative? Methods Patients with short bowel syndrome who had not responded to high dose oral vit D supplementation and were prescribed buccal vit D spray ("Dlux3000" BetterYou(TM)) were identified through the regional nutrition service (n = 13). This cohort was 46.2% female and 53.8% male with a mean age of 52.7 years. Accurate measurements of all participants small bowel functionality were not available, however, 7 were recorded as having less than 100 cm of small bowel remaining. Not all participants were reliant on parenteral nutrition (n = 7), those who were(n = 6) received between 10 and 15 L parenteral nutrition per week. Participants were prescribed between 3000 and 9000 iu/day. 25(OH) vit D was used to measure vit D status. Baseline levels were obtained prior to when buccal vit D was prescribed. This was compared with the level obtained at their next clinic appointment, at least one month later. For analysis a paired t test was undertaken in two groups; A, including (n = 13), and B excluding (n = 8), patients using other vitamin D supplements concurrently. Of those in group B 75% had previously been prescribed oral vit D supplements without achieving vit D sufficiency. Results Group A: Mean baseline 25(OH)D was 22.3 ng/ml, 95%CI (18.1,26.5) (. Buccal vit D supplementation increased this to an average of 61.4 ng/ml, 95%CI (44.7, 78.1). This increase proved to be statistically significant (p =< 0.05) and suggests that buccal vit D either alone or as an adjunct to oral supplements produces a significant rise in vit D level from that of deficiency to sufficiency. Group B: Mean baseline 25(OH)D was 21.9 ng/ml, 95%CI (18.3, 25.4). Using buccal vit D spray alone mean 25(OH)D was increased to 53 ng/ml, 95%CI (43.2, 62.8) (p =< 0.05). This suggests that buccal vit D monotherapy may be sufficient to achieve adequate vit D levels in those patients who have not responded to oral supplements. Conclusion This study provides preliminary evidence from a small number of patients that buccal vit D spray may be an effective adjunct to oral vit D supplementation or be an effective monotherapy in short bowel patients who do not respond adequately to oral supplements. Further investigation into buccal vit D spray is warranted. Reference 1 Thacher TD, Clarke BL. Vitamin D insufficiency. Mayo Clin Proc 2011;86(1):50–60. http://doi.org/ 10.4065/mcp.2010.0567 Disclosure of Interest G. Thomson: None Declared, C. Mountford: None Declared, N. Thompson Conflict with: BSG secretary


Introduction The increased availability of influenza surveillance data in recent years justifies an actual and more complete overview of influenza epidemiology in Latin America. We compared the influenza surveillance systems and assessed the epidemiology of influenza A and B, including the spatio-temporal patterns of influenza epidemics, in ten countries and sub-national regions in Latin America. Methods We aggregated the data by year and country and characteristics of eighty-two years were analysed. We calculated the median proportion of laboratory-confirmed influenza cases caused by each virus strain, and compared the timing and amplitude of the primary and secondary peaks between countries. Results 37,087 influenza cases were reported during 2004–2012. Influenza A and B accounted for a median of 79% and, respectively, 21% of cases in a year. The percentage of influenza A cases that were subtyped was 82.5%; for influenza B, 15.6% of cases were characterized. Influenza A and B were dominant in seventy-five (91%) and seven (9%) years, respectively. In half (51%) of the influenza A years, influenza A(H3N2) was dominant, followed by influenza A(H1N1)pdm2009 (41%) and pre-pandemic A(H1N1) (8%). The primary peak of influenza activity was in June-September in temperate climate countries, with little or no secondary peak. Tropical climate countries had smaller primary peaks taking place in different months and frequently detectable secondary peaks. Conclusions We found that good influenza surveillance data exists in Latin America, although improvements can still be made (e.g. a better characterization of influenza B specimens); that influenza B plays a considerable role in the seasonal influenza burden; and that there is substantial heterogeneity of spatio-temporal patterns of influenza epidemics. To improve the effectiveness of influenza control measures in Latin America, tropical climate countries may need to develop innovative prevention strategies specifically tailored to the spatio-temporal patterns of influenza in this region.


One of the mechanisms through which some strategy I plants respond to Fe-deficiency is an enhanced acidification of the rhizosphere due to proton extrusion. It was previously demonstrated that under Fe-deficiency, a strong increase in the H(+)-ATPase activity of plasma membrane (PM) vesicles isolated from cucumber roots occurred. This result was confirmed in the present work and supported by measurement of ATP-dependent proton pumping in inside-out plasma membrane vesicles. There was also an attempt to clarify the regulatory mechanism(s) which lead to the activation of the H(+)-ATPase under Fe-deficiency conditions. Plasma membrane proteins from Fe-deficient roots submitted to immunoblotting using polyclonal antibodies showed an increased level in the 100 kDa polypeptide. When the plasma membrane proteins were treated with trypsin a 90 kDa band appeared. This effect was accompanied by an increase in the enzyme activity, both in the Fe-deficient and in the Fe-sufficient extracts. These results suggest that the increase in the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase activity seen under Fe-deficiency is due, at least in part, to an increased steady-state level of the 100 kDa polypeptide.


Overcoming drug resistance is one of the most challenging problems in cancer chemotherapy. Drug cocktails can overcome the drug resistance. However, multiple drug combinations lead to multifold increment of off-target toxicity, as well as the delivery of the required therapeutic amount of combined drugs remains problematic. To address these problems, we have developed a sub 200 nm vitamin D3 nanoparticle, which can contain a rational combination of dual drugs (PI103 and cisplatin or doxorubicin or proflavine). The size, shape and morphology of these dual drug containing vitamin D3 nanoparticles were characterized by DLS, FESEM, AFM and TEM. The nanoparticles released the dual drugs in high quantity at pH = 5.5 compared to pH = 7.4 in a slow and sustained manner over 72 h with stability over 15 days at 37 °C, as well as 4 °C. These dual drug loaded nanoparticles induced increased cell death in human hepatocellular carcinoma, Hep3B cells at 24 h compared to monotherapy; moreover, they were effective against cisplatin-resistant cells (Hep3B-R) as well. VitD3–PI103–CDDP-NP and vitD3–PI103–Dox-NP showed cytotoxicity by inducing apoptosis through DNA damage. Furthermore, vitD3–PI103–CDDP-NP showed considerably improved efficacy in 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) resistant Hep3B–5FU-R cells; its activity was even better compared to 5-FU. Finally, vitD3–PI103–proflavine-NP internalized into Hep3B-R cells considerably faster (within 3 minutes) compared to Hep3B cells, as visualized by fluorescent microscopy. Therefore, these dual drug loaded nanoparticles can successfully overcome the trauma of drug resistance and have the potential to be applied into the clinics for improved cancer therapeutics.


HYPOTHESIS
A selective surgical approach using either a 1- or a 2-stage resection is relatively safe and effective in the management of acute complicated colonic diverticulosis.

DESIGN
A consecutive cohort study.

SETTING
A university hospital.

PATIENTS
Eighty-nine consecutive patients who underwent emergency operations for diverticular disease between July 1, 1984, and June 30, 1999. There were 53 male and 36 female patients (mean age, 47 years). The ethnic background was predominantly Mexican American (58 patients [65.2%]).

INTERVENTIONS
Resections of the affected colon (n = 83) plus construction of a Hartmann pouch or mucous fistula (n = 72) or primary anastomosis (n = 11).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Morbidity, mortality, and length of hospital stay.

RESULTS
Sixty-eight operations were performed for perforation at an annual rate that has increased greater than 75% in the past 15 years. Another 14 patients underwent operations for obstruction, and 7 underwent operations to control unremitting hemorrhage. Surgical therapy included resection of the affected segment of the bowel in 83 (93%) of the 89 patients, and a Hartmann pouch or mucous fistula was added in 72 (81%). A primary anastomosis was performed in 4 (80%) of 5 right-sided lesions but in only 7 (8%) of 84 left-sided lesions. Morbidity occurred in 38 (43%) of the 89 patients, and the mortality was 4%, with 4 deaths occurring secondary to sepsis in high-risk patients with perforations (n = 3) or obstructions (n = 1). The average length of hospital stay was 19.7 days (range, 5-80 days).

CONCLUSIONS
Emergency operations for diverticular disease are uncommon but may be associated with substantial morbidity and occasional mortality. Complicated diverticulosis may present at a relatively young age, and perforated forms appear to be increasing rapidly in prevalence. Most diverticular lesions can be satisfactorily managed using a selective approach based on resection with either a primary anastomosis or a temporary colostomy.


Machine perception is a difficult problem both from a practical or implementation point of view as well as from a theoretical or algorithm point of view. Machine perception systems based on biological perception systems show great promise in many areas but they often have processing requirements and/or data flow requirements that are difficult to implement, especially in small or low-power systems. We propose a system design approach that makes it possible to implement complex functionality using cooperative analog-digital signal processing to lower-power requirements dramatically over digital-only systems, as well as provide an architecture facilitating the development of biologically motivated perception systems. We show the architecture and application development approach. We also present several reference systems for speech recognition, noise suppression, and audio classification.


Since the recent introduction of the Roche Oxi/Ferm Tube to the UK two identification schemes have been developed by the manufacturer for use with the kit. We evaluated the success of these two schemes in identifying 222 predominantly culture collection strains belonging to 45 taxa of non-fermenters and nine taxa of oxidase-positive fermenters. The strains were chosen to represent all the taxa included in the two identification schemes developed by the manufacturer and we have therefore been able to assess the overall success of identification by the two schemes. Since, however, our choice of strains does not reflect their incidence in clinical material, our identification rates are not necessarily those that might be obtained in a routine clinical laboratory. The most advanced identification scheme so far developed for the Oxi/Ferm Tube (CCIS System 1977-1432) allowed 62% of the 222 strains to be correctly identified although a disturbing feature was that more of the strains that were not correctly identified were incorrectly identified (24%) rather than not identified (14%); these figures represent an improvement over the earlier identification scheme (CCIS System 1976-621-74346) for which the corresponding figures were 56%, 32%, and 12%. CCIS System 1977-1432 seems likely to give a better performance in a routine clinical laboratory than in this study since for those taxa which, we would judge from the material sent to us for identification, are most commonly seen in a routine laboratory (Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, A. lwoffii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, P. fluorescens, P. maltophilia, P. pseudoalcaligenes, and P. putida) 89% were correctly identified, none remained unidentified, and 11% were incorrectly identified. Thirty strains, each of a different taxon, were tested in triplicate to assess the reproducibility of reactions in the Oxi/Ferm Tube.


Background
Ultrasound is an established method of viewing the median nerve in the carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). There is some evidence to suggest that immediate changes may occur in the median nerve before and after hand activity. The evidence for the validity and reliability of ultrasound for testing acute changes in the median nerve has not been systematically reviewed to date.

Aims
To evaluate the evidence for visible change in ultrasound appearance of the median nerve after hand activity.

Methods
A literature search was designed, and three reviewers independently selected published research for inclusion. Two reviewers independently appraised papers using the Evidence Based Library and Information Practice (EBLIP) appraisal checklist, while the third reviewer resolved discrepancies between appraisals.

Results
Ten studies were appraised and the results showed an increase in median nerve cross-sectional area following activity, with a return to normal size within 1 h following activity. Both healthy individuals and those diagnosed with CTS participated, all were small convenience samples. Ultrasonographic measurements of the median nerve were reliable in the four studies reporting this, and the studies demonstrated high quality.

Conclusions
Good-quality evidence as identified by the EBLIP appraisal checklist suggests that following hand activity, the median nerve changes in size in the carpal tunnel. The results may not be generalizable to all people and activities due to the use of small convenience sampling and narrow range of activities studied, in all of the studies appraised.


Abstract This article explores the conduct of local governance in the decentralization era in Indonesia using new institutionalist framework. It departs from the argument that Indonesia's democratization and decentralization created new political actors in local sphere, as suggested by the rising numbers of new autonomous regions after decentralization policy started in 1999. This article argues that, first, informal institutions can be a substitute to formal arrangement in local governance. Second, local governance and local political conduct are elite biased that utilize formal democratic institutions appropriately for the elite's interests. To explore this phenomenenon, a case study method that focuses on Gorontalo Province as one of the products of decentralization policy in Indonesia is used Data were collected through in-depth interviews, FGD, historical sources, and Internet-based news outlets. This article concludes that the model of local governance in Gorontalo is an arena for contending social forces. It can be seen from the shared interests between indigenous elites and the interests of formal leaders, who are elected through the mechanism of direct local elections (pilkada). The mutual interests within formal dan informal procedures were utilized in conducting local governance. The cultural leaders' elite groups used ideological power resources derived from traditional values, teachings and wisdom which were not only to influence the course of local governance, but also to constraint the formal leaders' behavior.


AIM
We screened nine 1,2-dihydro-quinolines using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cytotoxicity assay in HepG2 and SMMC cells and identified ethyl-2-cyano-2-(2- (methoxycarbonyl)allyl)quinoline-1(2H)-carboxylate (compound 5) as a potential anticancer agent. In order to further develop its anticancer therapeutic potential, we incorporated this agent into cationic liposomes for delivery to tumor cells. The characteristics of liposomes, their cytotoxicity and cellular uptake by tumor cells were investigated. We demonstrated that cationic 1,2-dioleoyl-3- trimethyl-ammonium-propane containing liposomes (cLips) loaded with compound 5 has superior antitumor activity compared to neutral liposomes. These data suggest cLip-compound 5 to be a promising agent that warrants further evaluation.


Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) have shown to be effective for recommender systems with implicit feedback (e.g., browsing history, purchasing patterns, etc.). However, a little attention is given to ensembles of VAEs, that can learn user and item representations jointly. We introduce Joint Variational Autoencoder (JoVA), an ensemble of two VAEs, which jointly learns both user and item representations to predict user preferences. This design allows JoVA to capture user-user and item-item correlations simultaneously. We also introduce JoVA-Hinge, a JoVA's extension with a hinge-based pairwise loss function, to further specialize it in recommendation with implicit feedback. Our extensive experiments on four real-world datasets demonstrate that JoVA-Hinge outperforms a broad set of state-of-the-art methods under a variety of commonly-used metrics. Our empirical results also illustrate the effectiveness of JoVA-Hinge for handling users with limited training data.


A new American president will now confront the extraordinary complexity of his country's foreign policy. Presidents, even without foreign affairs backgrounds, have already formed ideas about basic directions that the nation's international policies should take, and it is these fundamental inclinations to which this essay addresses itself, an essay divided into four parts: (1) types of foreign policy, (2) some recent examples of presidential choices about direction, (3) future possibilities for a new administration that entered office in January 2009, and (4) limitations on the foreign policy choices of the new president—the old bugaboo of priorities.


We present a new electromagnetic mode that forms at the interface between two planar surfaces laid side by side in free space, effectively guiding energy along an infinitesimal, one-dimensional line. It is shown that this mode occurs when the boundaries have complementary surface impedances, and it is possible to control the mode confinement by altering their values correspondingly. The mode exhibits singular field enhancement, broad bandwidth, direction-dependent polarization, and robustness to certain defects. As a proof of concept, experimental results in the microwave regime are provided using patterned conducting sheets. Our proposed effective-medium-based approach is general, however, thus allowing for potential implementation up to optical frequencies. Our system is promising for applications including integrated photonics, sensing, switching, chiral quantum coupling, and reconfigurable waveguides.


A simple, rapid, accurate and precise method is developed for the quantitative simultaneous determination of Irbesartan and Hydrochlorothiazide in combined pharmaceutical dosage form. Separation is achieved with an Ace5C18,( 250 X 4.6)mm,5m analytical column using buffer-acetonitrile (65:35, v/v) of pH 5.5, adjusted with acetic acid as the mobile phase. The buffer used in mobile phase contains 50Mm ammonium acetate in double distilled water. The instrumental setting is flow rate of 1 mL/ min, column temperature at 30C, and detector wavelength of 260 nm. The internal standard method is used for the quantitation of the ingredients of this combination. Methylparaben is used as an internal standard. The method is validated and shown to Hydrochlorothiazide are 0.9998 and 0.9999, respectively. The relative standard deviations for six replicate measurements in two sets of each drug in tablets are always less than 2%. be linear for Irbesartan and Hydrochlorothiazide. The correlation coefficient for Irbesartan and Hydrochlorothiazide are 0.9998 and 0.9999 respectively. The relative standard deviation for six replicate measurements in two sets of each drugs in tablets are always less than 2%.


Leaf transport - especially differences among species from diverse taxonomic groups - is generally less well understood than are the other phenomena that influence the fate of leaves in streams, such as conditioning by bacteria and fungi and fragmentation and consumption by invertebrates. To address this topic, we compared the transport behaviour of entire leaves from five indigenous species of tree in a naturally forested, upland stream in south-eastern Australia: two cool temperate rainforest taxa (Nothofagus cunninghamii (HOOK) OERST. and Atherosperma moschatum LABIL.), two sclerophyllous taxa (Acacia melanoxylon R. BR. and Eucalyptus regnans F. MUELL.) and one taxon from the ecotone between the two forest types (Lomatia fraseri R. BR.). Laboratory experiments indicated that, irrespective of flow regime, rainforest leaves sank markedly more slowly than did sclerophyllous leaves. Eucalyptus regnans leaves, for example, in moving water typically sank within 2 days of immersion, whereas Nothofagus cunninghamii leaves in moving water had a mean time before sinking of 8 to 67 days. These differences in flotation behaviour were reflected in field experiments that used marked leaves to quantify transport down a first-order stream in the study area. The field experiments showed the stream to be highly retentive, with leaves from no taxon travelling more than 100m in six hours. Leaves from rainforest taxa, however, were transported longer distances in a given time than were sclerophyllous leaves, and in some of the latter cases (e.g., Acacia melanoxylon) retention commenced in distances as short as 5 m. There was some evidence that small leaves were transported greater distances than were large leaves; leaf texture and flexibility (a reflection of leaf morphology) also influenced transport distance, but the characteristics of the leaf margins seemingly did not. The ecological significance of these findings is that differential transport will influence the relative contribution made by various species to the pool of coarse particular leaf matter occurring in a given reach of a stream. It will also influence the amount of material available to downstream ecosystems and the formation of allochthonous fossil leaf assemblages.


An event-based method of analyzing the measurements from multiple satellite sensors is presented by using observations of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) precipitation radar (PR), Microwave Imager (TMI), Visible and Infrared Scanner (VIRS), and Lightning Imaging System (LIS). First, the observations from PR, VIRS, TMI, and LIS are temporally and spatially collocated. Then the cloud and precipitation features are defined by grouping contiguous pixels using various criteria, including surface rain, cold infrared, or microwave brightness temperature. The characteristics of measurements from different sensors inside these features are summarized. Then, climatological descriptions of many properties of the identified features are generated. This analysis method condenses the original information of pixellevel measurements into the properties of events, which can greatly increase the efficiency of searching and sorting the observed historical events. Using the TRMM cloud and precipitation feature database, the regional variations of rainfall contribution by features with different size, intensity, and PR reflectivity vertical structure are shown. Above the freezing level, land storms tend to have larger 20-dBZ area and reach higher altitude than is the case for oceanic storms, especially those land storms over central Africa. Horizontal size and the maximum reflectivity of oceanic storms decrease with altitude. For land storms, these intensity measures increase with altitude between 2 km and the freezing level and decrease more slowly with altitude above the freezing level than for ocean storms.


The term immersion or immersive is popularly used when describing and evaluating technologies in the area of extended reality (i.e., virtual/augmented/mixed reality). Much research been conducted on immersion over the last few decades. However, there is still a lack of consistency in how the term is defined in the literature. Presence and involvement are other prominent concepts studied in the field of extended reality. However, there is currently no consensus on their relationship with immersion among researchers. This paper first discusses different dimensions of immersion as well as those of presence and involvement, aiming to resolve potential confusion around the terms and synthesise a relationship among them. From this, a new conceptual model of immersive experience for future studies in extended reality is proposed. The model defines physical presence, social/self presence and involvement as the main high-level attributes that collectively lead to an immersive experience. Each pair of the three attributes shares a common lower-level attribute of sensory, narrative or task/motor engagement, which is an initial step towards the higher-level experience. Plausibility, interactivity and interestingness are defined as the main properties of immersive system and content, each of which is biased by a subjective factor: internal reference, skills/knowledge and personal preference, respectively.


The surface of an implant determines its ultimate ability to integrate into the surrounding tissue. The composite effect of surface energy, composition, roughness, and topography plays a major role during the initial phases of the biological response to the implant, such as protein adsorption and cellular adherence, as well as during the later and more chronic phases of the response. For bone, the successful incorporation (and hence rigid fixation) of an alloplastic material within the surrounding bony bed is called osteointegration. The exact surface characteristics necessary for optimal osteointegration, however, remain to be elucidated. This review will focus on how surface characteristics, such as composition and roughness, affect cellular response to an implant material. Data from two different culture systems suggest that these characteristics play a significant role in the recruitment and maturation of cells along relevant differentiation pathways. In the case of osteointegration, if the implant surface is inappropriate or less than optimal, cells will be unable to produce the appropriate complement of autocrine and paracrine factors required for adequate stimulation of osteogenesis at the implant site. In contrast, if the surface is appropriate, cells at the implant surface will stimulate interactions between cells at the surface and those in distal tissues. This, in turn, will initiate a timely sequence of events which include cell proliferation, differentiation, matrix synthesis, and local factor production, thereby resulting in the successful incorporation of the implant into the surrounding bony tissue.


A number of works have focused on the mean delay performance of IEEE 802.11. The main contribution of this paper is that it provides a method to obtain the full distribution of the delay, and not only mean values or higher order moments. Hence, any desirable delay percentiles can be found. The distribution is found by inverting the z-transform of the delay numerically. The trapezoidal rule is used with a configurable error bound (- in this paper set to 10-14). The z-transform was derived in our previous works from an analytical model that works in the whole range from a lightly loaded, non-saturated channel to a heavily congested, saturated medium. The model describes the priority schemes of the enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism of the IEEE 802.11e standard. By setting the number of traffic classes (access categories) to one, and by using an appropriate parameter setting, the results presented are also applicable to the legacy 802.11 distributed coordination function (DCF)


Interactive media have grabbed the attention of communication researchers in the latter half of the 1990s, but the focus to date has been primarily on media audiences and their use of these new forms. This paper suggests four approaches that may help provide theory-based underpinnings in a different area: the study of journalists and the ways in which their roles and jobs are changing. The approaches are gate-keeping theory; diffusion of innovation theory; sociological perspectives, particularly those involving the sociology of news work; and a somewhat eclectic perspective that explores the idea of journalism as a potential force of cohesion in an increasingly fragmented society.


Smartphones and related mobile end-user devices represent key components of mobile computing based solutions and enable end users to conveniently access services and information virtually everywhere and any time. Due to their continuously growing importance and popularity, mobile devices have recently become a common target for malware. Unfortunately, capabilities of malware-detection applications on smartphones are limited, as integrated security features of smartphone platforms such as sandboxing or fine-grained permission models restrict capabilities of third-party applications. These restrictions prevent malwaredetection applications from accessing required information for the identification of malware. This renders the implementation of reliable malware-detection solutions on smartphones difficult. To overcome this problem, we propose an alternative malwaredetection method for smartphones that relies on the smartphone's measured power consumption. We show that information contained in the measured power consumption of smartphones can in principle be used to identify certain kinds of malware by means of simple threshold-based approaches. We also propose two different machine-learning techniques that allow for a classification of applications according to their power consumption in situations, where disturbing influences prevent an application of simple threshold-based approaches. The capabilities of all proposed techniques have been assessed by means of an evaluation with real-world applications running on physical smartphones. The results of this evaluation process demonstrate the applicability of power consumption based classification and malware-detection approaches in general and of the two proposed machine-learning techniques in particular. Keywords–Android; power consumption; application classification; malware detection; machine learning.


To maximise the harvesting of wave energy, solutions have been proposed that utilize wave energy converters (WECs) installed in arrays. This investigation presents a case study in which several WECs are located around a central hub, with each WEC connected to the hub by a power cable. To be incorporated in a WEC array system, the free-span of the cable is limited. Moreover, the cable is subject to the motion and load of the WEC, waves and currents. In this paper, the characteristics of the power cables are assessed with a numerical model applied through a parametric analysis, which varies important design parameters, such as the cable length, mass, and bending stiffness. The results of the numerical simulations are compared and discussed in terms of the forces that act on the power cables, including dynamic motion, curvature, cross sectional forces, and accumulated fatigue damage.


The fourth China TF conductor sample (TFCN4) for Phase II, the left leg of the fifth China TF conductor sample (TFCN5) for Phase III, as well as the right leg of the TFCN5 conductor for Phase IV, were made of the WST strands, cabled by Baosheng, jacketed at ASIPP, and prepared by CRPP following the IO-approved procedure and tested in the SULTAN facility. The Tcs test results show that both legs of the TFCN4 and TFCN5 have high Tcs performance. Using the electrical method, the Tcs was 6.56 K for the left leg of TFCN4 and 6.58 K for the right leg of TFCN4 at 68 kA/10.78 T in the first test and 6.36 K for both legs after 1000 electromagnetic load cycles. In the case of TFCN5, Tcs was 6.56 K for the left leg and 6.30 K for the right leg at 68 kA/10.78 T in the first test and 6.33 K for the left leg and 6.02 K for the right leg after 1000 electromagnetic load cycles. According to the SULTAN test result, Tcs values of TFCN4 and TFCN5 conductor samples meet the ITER acceptance criteria.


In psychiatric nursing practices, nurses are demanded to treat mental disorder that can be experienced by everyone due to many factors that can affect the mental behavior of the human mind in particular. This study seeks to carry out a critical study of the role of nurses in the treatment of psychiatric patients. Psychiatric nursing is a nursing effort to handle mentally, physically, psychologically and spiritually and directly patients can live a normal life and be able to adapt in the family, friends and community. This study was conducted with a qualitative method with a descriptive analysis approach. The results of the study revealed that the role of nurses as care givers especially psychiatric patients is very critical, because in reality, psychiatric patients are some chronic patients in mental hospitals.


In order to study the structure of society, sociologists usually distinguish several homogeneous social groups, or classes. The most common division consists of three groups: upper, middle and lower classes. Such a partition is traditionally based on a subjective (exogenous) criteria adopted by a particular re-searcher. In this paper, the distribution of households in Russian federal districts is modeled as a mixture of three lognormal distributions. The mixing proportions (probabilities) of the mixture components and the corresponding distribution parameters are modeled as functions of the individual characteristics of households. The result is an endogenous decomposition of household sample into three clusters (lower, middle, upper). This classification allows to analyze the difference between regions and the patterns of intergroup dynamics in the period 2014–2018. The approach used in this work demonstrated great flexi-bility in analyzing the distribution of income, the dynamics of this distribution over time, as well as a migration between relatively homogeneous clusters. The use of mixture density function with endogenously determined probabilities allows for precise detection of the effects of the income heterogeneity determinants within each cluster.


: Solitary fi brous tumors (SFTs) can occur in several locations outside the pleura, but rarely in the sinonasal tract, and particularly not in the nasopharynx. Herein, we describe an unusual case of giant cell-rich SFT (GCRSFT) occurring in the nasopharynx. A 64-year-old man experienced dizziness and headache for more than 10 years with no obvious cause. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed a 3.9 cm × 2 cm tumor on the posterior lateral wall of the left nasopharynx, and angiography revealed a hypervascular tumor fed by branches of the left carotid artery. Hence, preoperative embolization was performed, and then the tumor was endoscopically resected. The symptoms were relieved after the resection, and postoperative head CT and video laryngoscopy showed that the tumor was completely resected. We next characterized the speci fi c pathological characteristics of the resected tumor. Histologically, the tumor was characterized by varying cellular proliferation of cytologically bland spindle cells within a collagenous stroma, with prominent interspersed branching vessels. Mitotic activity was low (2/50HPF), and there was no evidence of pleomorphism or tumor necrosis. Moreover, multinucleated giant cells with deep nuclear staining and distributed in pseudovascular spaces were found within the tumor. We ruled out the possi-bility that our case was giant cell fi broblastoma (GCF) by immunohistochemical analysis, showing that the tumor cells were positive for CD34, CD99, STAT6, and BCL-2, and that the Ki-67 labeling index was 3%, indicating that our case was SFT and not GCF. The patient ' s condition is generally good after a 14-month follow-up. This report serves to broaden the morphologic spectrum of GCRSFT and will help clinicians and pathologists better under-stand this entity to prevent misdiagnosis.


Nanotechnology has great potential in improving waste water treatment. Physical and chemical methods of
obtaining nanoparticles have already been explored a great deal. They have however some drawbacks such as
hazardous reaction conditions and expensive reagents. Green nanotechnology is a new way of producing
nanoparticles which has a less drastic reaction and is eco-friendly. Green synthesis of nanoparticles can be
achieved by using for example microorganisms or plant extracts. In this study, biosynthesis of metal
nanoparticles was done using grape stalk (waste from winery) and spent coffee (after production of soluble
coffee) waste. These agrofood wastes contain a high concentration of reducing agents such as polyphenols and
sugars that could be adequate to reduce the metals in solutions to zero-valent and obtain the nanoparticles.
The grape stalk and spent coffee extracts were obtained using Milli-Q water as a solvent. Temperature, contact
time, ratio solvent/waste and particle size were conditions that were examined to obtain the highest
concentration of reducing agents possible. The concentration of reducing agents in the extracts was analysed.
The extract was then added to a synthetic copper solution to obtain the nanoparticles. The effects of
temperature, pH, contact time and ratio metal/extract were examined. The nanoparticles were characterized
by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with EDX and UV-Vis absorption


SUMMARY. Early recognition and prevention of infectious diseases in poultry flocks are essential to reduce spread from bird to bird, to prevent zoonoses, and to keep losses low. Backyard flock owners often have little knowledge about poultry health, and specialized veterinarians are difficult to find. Alternative sources for support, education, and training for noncommercial poultry are the websites of cooperative extension services offering online webinars, presentations, and programs about poultry health and diseases. The aim of this investigation was to survey 23 websites of the extension services of the top 13 states in poultry production for information on backyard poultry health. The eXtension website by the United States Cooperative Extension System was added as a nation-wide source of information. Structure, content, and presentation form were compared and analyzed. The results displayed large differences between the investigated webpages and identified opportunities for improving the sites, especially in completeness, accessibility, and presentation of the information. From 23 extension websites, 13 provided none to very limited online information and 5 websites covered almost all of the investigated content. The primary media used were articles with pictures, and only three universities added videos and webinars. Based on these results and according to the increased need for online sources about poultry health, the extension websites should provide complete and correct information or at least links to approved sources. Videos, podcasts, and webinars can increase outreach and learning achievement. This survey may help to improve the presentation and content of poultry health-related extension websites.


Abstract Ratemaking is one of the most important tasks of non-life actuaries. Usually, the ratemaking process is done in two steps. In the first step, a priori ratemaking, an a priori premium is computed based on the characteristics of the insureds. In the second step, called the a posteriori ratemaking, the past claims experience of each insured is considered to the a priori premium and set the final net premium. In practice, for automobile insurance, this correction is usually done with bonus-malus systems, or variations on them, which offer many advantages. In recent years, insurers have accumulated longitudinal information on their policyholders, and actuaries can now use many years of informations for a single insured. For this kind of data, called panel or longitudinal data, we propose an alternative to the two-step ratemaking approach and argue this old approach should no longer be used. As opposed to a posteriori models of cross-section data, the models proposed in this paper generate premiums based on empirical results rather than inductive probability. We propose a new way to deal with bonus-malus systems when panel data are available. Using car insurance data, a numerical illustration using at-fault and non-at-fault claims of a Canadian insurance company is included to support this discussion. Even if we apply the model for car insurance, as long as another line of business uses past claim experience to set the premiums, we maintain that a similar approach to the model proposed should be used.


On the way towards the European Higher Education Area 2010 the EQF proposal by the European Commission offers on the one hand opportunities for increased geographical mobility within higher education and on the other hand enhanced permeability between the HE and VET subsystems, but faces also interface incompatibilities of certifying HE and VET. The further development of the ECTS and ECVET Credit Systems from the transfer to the accumulation function as well as from the input to the outcome orientation shall increasingly promote the mobility of students, apprentices and graduates via the transfer, accumulation and recognition of learning outcomes described in acquired knowledge, skills and competence. This has consequences for the classical university model. (DIPF/Orig.)


Calsenilin (also called DREAM and KChIP3), a member of the neuronal calcium sensor family, was isolated in a yeast two-hybrid screen using an apoptotic domain of presenilin 2 as bait. Calsenilin is a cytoplasmic protein, but interacts with the COOH-termini of both presenilin 1 and presenilin 2 at the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus. In this study, we have investigated calsenilin's effect on apoptosis. In stable neuroglioma cell lines, we observed that calsenilin enhances apoptosis in response to serum withdrawal or thapsigargin. Consistent with these observations, caspase and apparently calpain activities were increased during apoptosis in calsenilin-overexpressing cells. Moreover, using calcium imaging we were able to show that cells treated with thapsigargin released more calcium from intracellular stores when calsenilin was overexpressed. Taken together, these data suggest that calsenilin causes cells to be more susceptible to apoptotic triggers, possibly by altering calcium dynamics.


Study Design: Systematic review. Objectives: Past research has demonstrated increased speed and severity of progression for spinal epidural abscesses (SEAs) of the thoracic level, specifically, when compared with SEAs of other spinal cord levels. Untreated, this infection can result in permanent neurological sequelae with eventual progression to death if inadequately managed. Despite the seriousness of this disease, no articles have focused on the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of SEAs of the thoracic level. For this reason, specific focus on SEAs of the thoracic level occurred when researchers designed and implemented the following systematic review. Methods: A query of Ovid-Medline and EMBASE, Cochrane Central, and additional review sources was conducted. Search criteria focused on articles specific to thoracic epidural abscesses. Results: Twenty-five articles met inclusion criteria. The most commonly reported symptoms present on admission included back pain, paraparesis/paraplegia, fever, and loss of bowel/bladder control. Significant risk factors included diabetes, intravenous drug use, and advanced age (P = .001). Patients were most often treated surgically with either laminectomy, hemilaminectomy, or radical decompression with debridement. Patients who presented with neurological deficits and had delayed surgical intervention following a failed antibiotic course tended to do worse compared with their immediate surgical management counterparts (P < .005). Conclusions: For the first time researchers have focused specifically on SEAs of the thoracic level, as opposed to previously published general analysis of SEAs as a whole. Based on the results, investigators recommend early magnetic resonance imaging of the spine, laboratory workup (sedimentation rate/C-reactive protein, complete blood count), abscess culture followed by empiric antibiotics, and immediate surgical decompression when neurological deficits are present.


textabstractIntroduction:
There has been a growing awareness since the early seventies that small enterprises are important for economic growth. They are seen as the engines of employment, alleviating poverty and improving equality. The eighties saw an intensification of this interest and a consequent expansion of policy into the sector of micro-enterprises, following the discovery of widespread entrepreneurial activity in both developed and developing countries. In the case of the latter, entrepreneurial activity was particularly salient among the poor. The idea that intuitively followed was that enhancing these small businesses could effectively
and rapidly fight poverty.
The evidence supporting the view of micro and small enterprises as the engine of growth is in fact not conclusive. Research findings in both developed and developing countries show that job creation and growth are highly concentrated. The great majority of SMEs are not very growth prone. The European Commission found that 50% of total net job creation in the SME sector is created by a mere 4% of these firms (Manu, 1998). Research in Sub-Saharan Africa indicates a similar pattern: the enterprises that significantly
contribute to employment growth are in fact just 1% of the SME universe (Mead, 1994). By implication, it would appear that small-enterprises fall into two categories. There is a very large group of them that, for various reasons, will not develop their business beyond a certain (small) scale, and there is a very small group of entrepreneurs who are capable of expanding their business.


Abstract This paper investigates the information transmission between the most important cryptocurrencies - Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ripple, Ethereum and Bitcoin Cash. We use a VAR modelling approach, upon which the Geweke's feedback measures and generalized impulse response functions are computed. This methodology allows us to fully characterize the direction, intensity and persistence of information flows between cryptocurrencies. At this data granularity, most of information transmission is contemporaneous. However, it seems that there are some lagged feedback effects, mainly from other cryptocurrencies to Bitcoin. The generalized impulse-response functions confirm that there is a strong contemporaneous correlation and that there is not much evidence of lagged effects. The exception appears to be related to the overreaction of Bitcoin returns to contemporaneous shocks.


Education is often interpreted as a conscious effort made by educators towards students in an effort to provide knowledge, education and teaching to achieve happiness and the ultimate goal of life. The purpose of the true happiness of life is that which includes the fulfillment of physical and spiritual aspects. Islam as a doctrinal force has the essence of both. Education in Islam is education that is based on the teachings of Islam, Islam as a religious teaching taught and brought by Muhammad SAW, contains a set of teachings about human life, teachings that are formulated based on sources in the Qur'an and hadith and based on the explanation of the ratio of reason. So that the realization and reinforcement obtained in Islamic education must include physical and spiritual aspects


Integrated modular avionics (IMA) is being suggested as the means by which new capabilities can be deployed on aircraft at an affordable cost. RTCA SC-200 is presently considering the guidance document for IMA. All of the functionality that IMA offers can be achieved through a conventional federated architecture; however, the cost, size, and weight penalties of the federated solution make it economically infeasible. IMA is seen as the way forward. It is assuming greater importance as the aircraft industry transitions to commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technology with its attendant obsolescence and reliability concerns. IMA may be one of the most cost-effective ways by which rapid obsolescence can be managed. Ironically, this move to COTS is also the greatest threat to IMA systems. IMA achieves reductions in size, cost, and weight by providing a set of flexible hardware and software resources that can be statically or dynamically mapped to a set of required avionics functional capabilities. This introduces a number of new complexities such as mixed criticalities and reconfiguration. We do not address these issues herein. Rather we discuss the mechanisms by which electronics degrades and how a classical safety assessment of a reconfigurable IMA system can be nullified by this degradation. We argue that, with the advent of COTS, it is no longer justifiable to consider that electronics has an effectively constant failure rate. Physical considerations suggest that electronics failure occurs when environmental and operating stress causes the accumulation of damage to the underlying structures to exceed the threshold strength of the constituent materials and interfaces. Finally, we suggest how finite-life electronics effects may be mitigated.


Uakitite was observed in small troilite–daubréelite (±schreibersite) inclusions (up to 100 µm) and in large troilite–daubréelite nodules (up to 1 cm) in Fe-Ni-metal (kamacite) of the Uakit iron meteorite (IIAB), Republic of Buryatia, Russia. Such associations in the Uakit meteorite seemed to form due to high-temperature (>1000 °C) separation of Fe-Cr-rich sulfide liquid from Fe-metal melt. Most inclusions represent alternation of layers of troilite and daubréelite, which may be a result of solid decay of an initial Fe-Cr-sulfide. These inclusions are partially resorbed and mainly located in fissures of the meteorite, which is now filled with magnetite, and rarely other secondary minerals. Phase relations indicate that uakitite is one of the early minerals in these associations. It forms isometric (cubic) crystals (in daubréelite) or rounded grains (in schreibersite). The size of uakitite grains is usually less than 5 μm. It is associated with sulfides (daubréelite, troilite, grokhovskyite), schreibersite and magnetite. Carlsbergite CrN, a more abundant nitride in the Uakit meteorite, was not found in any assemblages with uakitite. Physical and optical properties of uakitite are quite similar to synthetic VN: yellow and transparent phase with metallic luster; Mohs hardness: 9–10; light gray color with a pinky tint in reflected light; density (calc.) = 6.128 g/cm3. Uakitite is structurally related to the osbornite group minerals: carlsbergite CrN and osbornite TiN. Structural data were obtained for three uakitite crystals using the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique. Fitting of the EBSD patterns for a synthetic VN model (cubic, Fm-3m, a = 4.1328(3) Å; V = 70.588(9) Å3; Z = 4) resulted in the parameter MAD = 0.14–0.37° (best-good fit). Analytical data for uakitite (n = 54, in wt. %) are: V, 71.33; Cr, 5.58; Fe, 1.56; N, 21.41; Ti, below detection limit (<0.005). The empirical formula (V0.91Cr0.07Fe0.02)1.00N1.00 indicates that chromium incorporates in the structure according to the scheme V3+ → Cr3+ (up to 7 mol. % of the carlsbergite end-member).


For simultaneous extraction and determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m,p -xylenes, and o-xylene (BTEX) gas chromatography -flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and magnetic dispersive micro-solid phase extraction were used for real water samples. To have an efficient sorbent, magnetic graphene oxide (Fe3O4@GO) was synthesized and utilized in the process of microextraction. The analytes were adsorbed by vortexing, supernatant was decanted using a magnet, and the sorbent was eluted using a proper solvent. Screening and optimizing significant variables in the process of microextraction were carried out following a two-stage approach, including Plackett-Burman screening design, and central composite design, accompanied by response surface analysis. The ranges of linear dynamic were 10 - 3000 ng mL– 1 and limits of detection were 3-10 ng mL– 1. The relative standard deviations of the intra-day and inter-day were blow 8.0 and 10.0% (n=5), respectively. The introduced technique was implemented in real water samples successfully, and the relative percentages of recovery determined for the spiked water samples at 200.0 ng mL– 1 ranged from 80.3 to 103.0%.


Traffic sign visibility at night is largely determined by sign luminance. Sign luminance, in turn, is determined by viewing geometry, retroreflective characteristics of the sign material, and headlamp illumination. Computer modeling of sign luminance has advanced to allow sign luminance to be predicted based on data sets of retroreflective material performance and headlamp luminous intensity matrices. This research project sought to assess the amount and variability of illumination provided to sign positions by a sample of Texas vehicles. The Texas Transportation Institute measured vehicle dimensions and headlamp illuminance at prespecified points representing typical sign locations. Data collection included 25 passenger cars and 21 light trucks and vans. Vehicles were measured without aiming, but after cleaning the headlamps. Each lamp was measured independently and total illuminance at sign locations was calculated. The project found that the vehicle dimensions specified in computer models encompassed the vehicles measured. The illumination values obtained were also in the range of those provided by the composite lamps in the existing computer models. Theoretical sign luminance values for different types of retroreflective sheeting were calculated using the median illumination values from the vehicles measured. The project confirms the validity of using computer models to predict sign luminance. It also confirmed current TxDOT retroreflective sheeting policy. It is recommended that TxDOT consistently aim the headlamps of vehicles used to perform nighttime sign inspections to assure consistency of sign appearance.


In a context of intensive and global economic competition, European countries are growingly concerned with the consequences of increasing numbers of young people temporarily or permanently prevented from entering the job market and the difficulties faced by college and university graduates to find adequate employment. This study is concerned with analyzing the speed of transition of students to permanent employment as a proxy of professional stability, and by identifying possible discriminatory effects in selected countries. The research questions are addressed with a Cox survival model and a continuous-time Markov chain model where each individual can transit non-sequentially between the following Markov states: (1) education; (2) inactivity; (3)unemployment; (4) fixed-term/temporary employment; and (5) permanent employment (the 5th state being a non-absorbing steady state). The model is tested using the longitudinal ECHP data in thirteen EU member countries, over the period 1994-2001, controlling for individual and household characteristics and labour market characteristics (e.g., youth employment rate and share of temporary contracts). Overall, we find that the Mediterranean countries are the ones where the transition is the most hazardous both in terms of length and number of steps, but that in other countries, the speed of convergence is not necessarily correlated to the number of spells at intermediate states. Moreover, we find that the gender discrimination that affected most of the countries at the beginning of the 1990s, faded away by the end of the decade, replaced by a positive discrimination in favour of the graduates from vocationally oriented programmes.


Abstract. The long-term cooling trend from middle to late Eocene was punctuated by several large-scale climate perturbations that culminated in a shift to "icehouse" climates at the Eocene–Oligocene transition. We present radiolarian micro-fossil assemblage and foraminiferal oxygen and carbon stable isotope data from Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) sites 277, 280, 281, and 283 and Ocean Drilling Project (ODP) Site 1172 to identify significant oceanographic changes in the southwest Pacific through this climate transition (~ 40–30 Ma). We find that the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum at ~ 40 Ma, which is truncated but identified by a negative shift in foraminiferal δ18O values at Site 277, is associated with a small increase in radiolarian taxa with low-latitude affinities (5 % of total fauna). In the early late Eocene at ~ 37 Ma, a positive oxygen isotope shift at Site 277 is correlated with the Priabonian Oxygen Isotope Maximum (PrOM). Radiolarian abundance, diversity, and preservation increase within this cooling event at Site 277 at the same time as diatom abundance. A negative δ18O excursion above the PrOM is correlated with a late Eocene warming event (~ 36.4 Ma). Radiolarian abundance and diversity decline within this event and taxa with low-latitude affinities reappear. Apart from this short-lived warming event, the PrOM and latest Eocene radiolarian assemblages are characterised by abundant high-latitude taxa. High-latitude taxa are also abundant during the late Eocene and early Oligocene (~ 38–30 Ma) at DSDP sites 280, 281, 283 and 1172 and are associated with very high diatom abundance. We therefore infer a northward expansion of high-latitude radiolarian taxa onto the Campbell Plateau in the latest Eocene. In the early Oligocene there is an overall decrease in radiolarian abundance and diversity at Site 277, and diatoms are scarce. These data indicate that, once the Antarctic Circumpolar Current was established in the early Oligocene (~ 30 Ma), a frontal system similar to present day developed, with nutrient-depleted Subantarctic waters bathing the area around DSDP Site 277, resulting in a more restricted siliceous plankton assemblage.


This description of 905 scats from 4 locations in east Antarctica almost doubles the observations of Weddell seal diet reported to date. Regional, temporal and fine-scale spatial variation in diet was evaluated using both randomisation and parametric statistics. Even within the Vestfold Hills (68° 33' S, 78°15' E) there were several different ecotypes. In the southern fjords the diet was benthic fish and prawns, whereas in the northern area the diet was dominated numerically by Pleura- gramma antarcticum —a species of pelagic schooling fish. Along the Mawson coast (68° 00' S, 63° 00' E) the diet was spatially homogeneous but varied over time. Squid Psychroteuthis glacialis was an important prey type for a short time in spring, and octopus was also abundant in the Mawson diet. As higher order predators, cephalopods represent another layer of complexity in the food web at Mawson. Both Vestfold Hills and Mawson seemed to be good foraging areas compared with Com- monwealth Bay (67° 00' S, 142° 30' E) and Larsemann Hills (69° 24' S, 76° 13' E), where seals appeared to have eaten less during the summer haul-out period. This investigation described inshore diets using scats from coastal haul-out sites; it also showed that small crustaceae (mysids) were an impor- tant prey type, thus revealing the capacity for Weddell seals to join the krill-feeding communities north of the continental shelf. The variety in diet composition demonstrated both flexibility in the Weddell seals' foraging response and the range of different prey species available to Weddell seals over the Antarctic continental shelf and slope. In all but the most southerly area reported to date (McMurdo Sound), the seals take multiple prey species, which may minimise the coupling between Weddell seal population dynamics and the dynamics of their prey.


ABSTRACT The purpose of this research was to gather information about the financial reporting practices for charitable organizations in Hong Kong. Sixty-five annual reports were examined in this study. Reports were for fiscal years ending in 1997, 1996 and 1995. Data was collected to compare to a 1997 study. The 1997 study established that Hong Kong charity accounting practices varied during the sample years, 1992-1994. After 1994, many complaints were still being heard about charity practices (Nadel, 1995). More overseas agencies were set up in Hong Kong after 1994 so competition also increased during this period. Has the increased competition and awareness improved the charity accounting practices since 1994? This study examined if the accounting practices have changed since 1994. Accounting practices still vary greatly for charities. New regulations including permit requirements were not effective until 1999 (Johnstone, 1998). Charities should encourage the adoption of some uniform guidelines. When different financial statement presentations (i.e., cash and accrual) are used, comparisons can be very difficult. It also seems the perceived professionalism of charities is diminished when there is a great diversity in reporting practices. There have been improvements. The firms that present a statement of cash flows have increased significantly. Depreciation is now recognized by 49% of companies as compared to 26% in 1997 study. Now many groups (38% compared to just 4%) include a statement of functional expenses as part of their financial statements. The use of alternate procedures or approaches will probably continue unless an authorized representative group mandates one method. Conflicts continue to exist between the accounting practices for charities in Hong Kong. Charities may need to increase the comparability of their respective financial statements. These issues will continue to be important to those interested in charities and their respective accounting practices. Additional research is needed to clarify some of these issues. PURPOSE The purpose of this research was to gather information about the financial reporting practices for charitable organizations in Hong Kong. A previous study was conducted in 1997 (Miller,1997). The objective of the 1997 project was primarily descriptive. This 2001 study will update the charity situation but the purpose is still primarily descriptive. It may be useful for accountants in other countries to become aware of the accounting practices for Hong Kong charities. Many complaints are still being heard about charities. For example, the Hong Kong Council of Social Services said it received 374 calls from March 1994 to December from people worried about fund-raisers (Nadel,1995). Investigations showed 40 percent of the collectors were bogus. The true figure may be much higher. The council's hotline coordinator said she believed the problem was underestimated because many people paid without bothering to ask even the name of the fund-raising agency (Nadel, 1995). Further improvements in the financial reporting for charities may help these types of organizations provide potential donors with a clearer view of the objectives of the respective charity. My preliminary review of actual annual reports has shown the accounting practices for charities still vary greatly. For example, many charities do not use the accrual method of accounting but some others do. This variability may make comparisons of charities' financial statements difficult and may also diminish the financial credibility of charities. Some additional background may be helpful. BACKGROUND In the past, the Hong Kong government had proposed requiring charities carrying out fund-raising drives for more than $50,000 to submit audit reports (Nadel, 1995). No action was taken for many years. As of 1998, new rules were at the proposal stage pending the official passing by the Hong Kong Legislative Council. …