Abstract Record linkage is the act of bringing together records that are believed to belong to the same unit (e.g., person or business) from two or more files. Record linkage is not an error-free process and can lead to linking a pair of records that do not belong to the same unit. This occurs because linking fields on the files, which ideally would uniquely identify each unit, are often imperfect. There has been an explosion of record linkage applications, particularly involving government agencies and in the field of health, yet there has been little work on making correct inference using such linked files. Naively treating a linked file as if it were linked without errors can lead to biased inferences. This article develops a method of making inferences for cross tabulated variables when record linkage is not an error-free process. In particular, it develops a parametric bootstrap approach to estimation which can accommodate the sophisticated probabilistic record linkage techniques that are widely used in practice (e.g., 1-1 linkage). The article demonstrates the effectiveness of this method in a simulation and in a real application.


By determining the water absorption, loss rate, textural property and color index of extruded corn noodles at different fermentation time, the effect of fermentation on the quality of extruded corn noodles was studied. The results indicated that fermentation increased the water absorption from 45.89% to 48.93% and decreased the loss rate from 8.01% to 4.31%. With extending the fermentation time, the hardness, chewiness and cohesiveness of noodles were improved. When the fermentation time was 12 hours, these three indicators reached the maximum, which were 7216.42, 6221.96 and 0.75, respectively. Fermentation had no significant effect on the brightness value, while the redness value was reduced from 9.85 to 4.48 and the yellowness value was enlarged from 38.82 to 49.04, which improved the color of extruded corn noodles


The spatial structure of urban areas is a critical factor in their efficiency, spatial equity and consequently, sustainability. Monocentric urban structures are often characterised by longer commutes and inner-city congestion, which threaten urban sustainability. The Western Australian government has embarked on an employment decentralisation agenda aimed at bringing jobs closer to the people and improving urban sustainability in the Perth Metropolitan Region. This study employs density and accessibility measures to evaluate this decentralisation (or rather 'poly-centralisation') policy. Firstly, it investigates the spatial patterns of labour and job densities and their ability to support suburban activity centres (ACs). Secondly, it investigates potential improvements in the level of job accessibility in and around ACs, which could be delivered by the policy's employment targets. The results reveal that while the car enables larger catchment areas for ACs, the average densities within these catchments are lower than in those enabled by public transport. Accessibility in AC areas is generally poor, and the current policy targets for jobs at ACs will not change the functional spatial structure, improve accessibility equity or the overall travel patterns within the metropolitan area. Despite having better transport connectivity, there are many other zones within the study area with higher accessibility than the designated AC zones. Results of this work can guide long-term planning by identifying potential/alternative areas to be targeted for densification, as well as those ACs that might require more transport infrastructure investment to compensate for their locational disadvantage.


Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a relatively rare cardiac disease that manifests in the final stage of pregnancy and in the first months after delivery in women with no preexisting heart disease. Many etiological processes have been suggested: viral myocarditis, abnormal immune response to pregnancy, excessive prolactin excretion, prolonged tocolysis and a familiar predisposition to PPCM. Its diagnosis is often delayed because its symptoms, which include fatigue, dyspnea and palpitations are nonspecific. For this reason the diagnosis of PPCM is still made by exclusion of other etiologies. The long-term prognosis, once the acute phase is over, is a function of myocardial damage, this varies from complete functional recovery to chronic HF. The outcome of PPCM is highly variable with an alevated risk of fetomaternal morbidity and mortality. We report a serious case of a 40 years old female with biamniotic bicorionic twin pregnancy (PMA) who delivered by caesarean section and developed acute PPCM on post-operative. Symptoms occurred two hours after an intramuscular injection of two vials of methylergonovine the same day of cesarean delivery. These manifested in sudden tachypnoe, tachycardia and the appearance itchy maculopapular rash on her chest. On further evaluation, ECHO revealed cardiomegaly with reduced ejection fraction (< 15%). The case was successfully managed by a multidisciplinary team, using drugs like levosimendan and cabergoline, which rapresent emerging strategy in this clinical context.


We present a synthesis of recent photometric and kinematic data for several of the most dark matter dominated galaxies, the dwarf spheroidal Galactic satellites, and compare them to star clusters. There is a bimodal distribution in half-light radii, with stable star clusters always being smaller than ~30 pc, while stable galaxies are always larger than ~120 pc. We extend the previously known observational relationships and interpret them in terms of a more fundamental pair of intrinsic properties of dark matter itself: dark matter forms cored mass distributions, with a core scale length of greater than about 100 pc, and always has a maximum central mass density within a narrow range. The dark matter in dSph galaxies appears to be clustered such that there is a mean volume mass density within the stellar distribution which has the very low value of less than about 0.1 M☉ pc-3 (about 5 GeV/c2 cm-3). All dSph's have velocity dispersions at the edge of their light distributions equivalent to circular velocities of ~15 km s-1. The maximum central dark matter density derived is model dependent but is likely to have a characteristic value (averaged over a volume of radius 10 pc) of ~0.1 M☉ pc-3 for the favored cored dark mass distributions (where it is similar to the mean value), or ~60 M ☉ pc-3 (about 2 TeV/c2 cm-3) if the dark matter density distribution is cusped. Galaxies are embedded in dark matter halos with these properties; smaller systems containing dark matter are not observed. These values provide new information about the nature of the dominant form of dark matter.


Ernst Lubitsch, the German film director who left Berlin for Hollywood in 1923, is best remembered for the famous "Lubitsch touch" in such masterpieces as Trouble in Paradise and Ninotchka, featuring Greta Garbo. Kristin Thompson's study focuses on Lubitsch's silent films from the years between 1918 and 1927, tracing the impact this director had on consolidating classical Hollywood filmmaking. She gives a new assessment of the stylistic two-way traffic between the American and the German film industries, after World War I each other's strongest rival in Europe. By 1919, Lubitsch had emerged as the finest proponent of the German studio style: sophisticated, urbane and thoroughly professionalized. He was quick to absorb 'American' innovations and stylistic traits, becoming the unique master of both systems and contributing to the golden ages of the American as well as the German cinema. Utilizing Lubitsch's silent films as a key to two great national cinemas, Thompson's meticulously illustrated and extensively researched book goes beyond an authorial study and breaks new ground in cinema history. Click on the PDF-button to download the table of contents


Micro- and macro-architecture search have emerged as two popular NAS paradigms recently. Existing methods leverage different search strategies for searching micro- and macro- architectures. When using architecture parameters to search for micro-structure such as normal cell and reduction cell, the architecture parameters can not fully reflect the corresponding operation importance. When searching for the macro-structure chained by pre-defined blocks, many sub-networks need to be sampled for evaluation, which is very time-consuming. To ad-dress the two issues, we propose a new search paradigm, that is, leverage the attention mechanism to guide the micro- and macro-architecture search, namely AGNAS. Specifically, we introduce an attention module and plug it behind each candidate operation or each candidate block. We utilize the attention weights to represent the importance of the relevant operations for the micro search or the importance of the relevant blocks for the macro search. Experimental results show that AGNAS can achieve 2.46% test error on CIFAR-10 in the DARTS search space, and 23.4% test error when directly searching on ImageNet in the ProxylessNAS search space. AGNAS also achieves optimal performance on NAS-Bench-201, outperforming state-of-the-art approaches. The source code can be available at https://github.com/Sunzh1996/AGNAS.


The strategic planning of marketing and the application of marketing strategies for achieving sustainable competitive advantages are of the factors that help the survival of producers of agricultural organic products. Although, there are evidences of the growth of organic farming in Iran but, there are no useful information and proposals for making marketing strategies in organic production holdings for producers and traders. For this, we assessed the influence of three effective elements include marketing approach, pricing and the sale of organic products in Iran. The study was based on the factor analysis, explorative interview and structured questionnaire. The study population was composed of 20 experienced experts and 118 organic agricultural producers from the various regions include Tehran, Khorasan-e Razavi, Guilan, Khoozestan, Kerman, Kordestan, Qazvin and Isfahan for the periode of Jan 2014 to June 2015. It was found out that the main barriers to the development of organic products and their markets include inappropriate packaging, high transportation costs, the lack of unit manager and inconsistent strategy, market-making and customer-orientation, weak public advertisement, the lack of trust to organic brands at national level, and weak state support.


The aim of this paper is to develop an intelligent parking system to reduce hiring people's costs and maximize the use of car park owners ' resources.The popular method of finding a parking space is currently manual where drivers typically find a place through luck and experience in the street.This method takes time and energy, which if the driver drives in a city with traffic density, can lead to the worst case of failure and to any parking space.Therefore, through cloud-based IOT and slot allocation through open source computer vision librarybased recognition tool, a smart car parking system is implemented with slot booking operation.The user can book any of the available slot in the webpage. This system takes away the unpredictability of finding a parking slot. This paper focuses on reducing time wasted on finding parking space nearby and ongoing through the filled parking slots. The end user is provided with a webpage to check the available parking slots. Inside a smart city a smart car parking system is a much needed to save time, fuel and even the environment from pollution. KeywordsRaspberry Pi, IR Sensor, Camera, Cloud, Buzzer.


We compare discriminative and generative learning as typified by logistic regression and naive Bayes. We show, contrary to a widely-held belief that discriminative classifiers are almost always to be preferred, that there can often be two distinct regimes of performance as the training set size is increased, one in which each algorithm does better. This stems from the observation—which is borne out in repeated experiments—that while discriminative learning has lower asymptotic error, a generative classifier may also approach its (higher) asymptotic error much faster.


: The influence of examination-induced psychoemotional stress on hemodynamic parameters and salivary nitric oxide (NO) levels was studied in students. Before examinations, the examinees with a sympathotonic response (75.0%) were observed to have diminished salivary NO excretion that was retained within 24-hours after an exam. There was a significant negative correlation between the amount of NO and the values of blood pressure. The examinees with a parasympathetic response (25%) were found to have elevated salivary NO levels with lowered blood pressures in the pre- and postexaminational periods.


Abstract We used compilations of geological and geophysical data to compare the structure, subsidence history and evolution of the Parnaíba, Michigan and Congo cratonic basins. These basins consist of 3–6 km of Paleozoic to Recent sediments and are located on thick (>150 km) lithosphere, far from plate boundaries. Sediment-corrected Bouguer gravity anomalies show that the basins are associated with a central high of up to 40–60 mGal. The high could reflect crustal thinning, but seismic refraction data suggest that the Moho is either at a similar depth or deeper beneath the basins than beneath their flanks. The seismic reflection profiles show no evidence of extensional structures in the underlying basement. We propose that the central high reflects an extensive igneous intrusion, which, on solidification, loaded the crust and lithosphere, causing a surface flexure into which sediments accumulated. Viscoelastic plate modelling of the backstripped well data shows that a subsurface load can explain the tectonic subsidence of the basins as well as some details of their internal stratigraphy, including offlap. Offlap, a ubiquitous feature of cratonic basins, can therefore be explained by tectonics in the form of flexure and does not require other controlling factors such as long-term sea-level changes.


Both allergic and non-allergic asthma phenotypes are thought to vary by specific housing and other indoor environmental conditions. This study evaluated risk factors for allergic asthma phenotypes in First Nation children, an understudied Canadian population with recognized increased respiratory morbidity. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with a clinical component to assess the respiratory health of 351 school-age children living on two rural reserve communities. Asthma was defined as parental report of physician diagnosed asthma or a report of wheeze in the past 12 months. Atopy was determined by a ≥ 3-mm wheal response to any of six respiratory allergens upon skin prick testing (SPT). Important domestic and personal characteristics evaluated included damp housing conditions, household heating, respiratory infections and passive smoking exposure. Asthma and atopy prevalence were 17.4% and 17.1%, respectively. Of those with asthma, 21.1% were atopic. We performed multivariate multinomial logistic regression modelling with three outcomes: non-atopic asthma, atopic asthma and no asthma for 280 children who underwent SPT. After adjusting for potential confounders, children with atopic asthma were more likely to be obese and to live in homes with either damage due to dampness (p < 0.05) or signs of mildew/mold (p = 0.06). Both natural gas home heating and a history of respiratory related infections were associated with non-atopic asthma (p < 0.01). Domestic risk factors for asthma appear to vary by atopic status in First Nations children. Determining asthma phenotypes could be useful in environmental management of asthma in this population.


In the modelling of flexible structures undergoing large overall motion and small elastic vibrations, it is necessary to include elastic displacement effects up to second order in the kinematical equations if the resulting differential equations are to be consistent. Elastic displacements are typically modelled using mode shapes and generalized coordinates, and second and higher order elastic effects (sometimes referred to as foreshortening) are often neglected in the development of kinematical relations. This study examines the implications of such effects in the modelling of an elastic disk with arbitrary base motions and small elastic vibrations. A general modelling procedure is described that is appropriate for the development of simulation models for such structures. An approximate technique is used to account for second order elastic terms in the kinematical relations. The modelling procedure is specialized to the case of an elastic disk undergoing a constant axial spin and infinitesimal displacements for all other degrees of freedom. Comparisons are made between the natural frequencies of a disk model with and without these elastic foreshortening effects and some conclusions are drawn as to the relative importance of such terms in rotor disk modelling.


Social support is a most powerful expression of human beings. It can make humans overcome barriers that seem impossible. Research shows that athletes, who are supported through being cheered on during events, perform better. However, up until recently, little could be done to cheer athletes during races unless supporters were physically present at the event. We investigate ways in which remote online spectators can support athletes in real-time. Is the support from remote spectators effective? How can we design systems for real-time support and what factors influence their effectiveness? To research this, we iteratively design online crowd interfaces, mobile applications, and devices that allow athletes to communicate with distributed spectators during sport activities. Athletes are able to broadcast their live performance to spectators through locative and biometric data sharing. Concurrently, remote spectators support the athletes by clicking a cheer button that instantly makes the athletes aware that a crowd is following their performance. We then conduct a series of investigations during multiple sport events, using different support modalities and diverse crowds. Results indicate that remote crowd support does motivate the athletes by making the athletes aware that they are being supported. More interestingly, if we categorise supporters into close relatives, acquaintances and unknown spectators, the most effective support seems to be that of acquaintances. This work also provides design guidelines for researchers and designers of remote crowd support systems.


Calcium phosphate cement (CPC) sets in situ to form solid hydroxyapatite, can conform to complex cavity shapes without machining, has excellent osteoinductivity, and is able to be resorbed and replaced by new bone. Therefore, CPC is promising for craniofacial and orthopaedic repairs. However, its low strength and lack of macroporosity limit its use. This study investigated CPC reinforcement with absorbable fibers, the effects of fiber volume fraction on mechanical properties and macroporosity, and the biocompatibility of CPC-fiber composite. The liquid phase of CPC in this study was the weak acidic solution of chitosan. Chitosan has favourable biocompatibility, which has high viscosity in solution. The incorporation of chitosan could improve the handling properties of CPC. The liquid phase contained citric acid could strongly improve the hydration rate of CPC, which shortened the setting time and increased the compressive strength of CPC. In addition, the weak acidic environment around the biomaterials could accelerate the degradation of CPC, which was important to bone tissue engineering. The rationale was that large-diameter absorbable fibers would initially strengthen the CPC graft, then dissolve to form long cylindrical macropores for colonization by osteoblasts. Compressive strength was measured vs. fiber volume fraction from 0% (CPC Control without fibers) to 70%. Animal experiment showed that the material had osteoinductivity and biodegradability when the material was implanted into the muscle pouches in the thigh of rabbits. Compressive strength (mean ± SD; n=3) of CPC with 70% fibers was 0.8± 0.1 MPa. Long cylindrical macropores 100~300 μm in diameter were created in CPC after fiber dissolution, and the CPC-fiber scaffold reached a total porosity of 75.1±1.2% with 70% fibers. The new CPC-fiber formulation had good potentiality of ectopic bone induction. The method of using large-diameter absorbable fibers in bone graft for mechanical properties and formation of long cylindrical macropores for bone ingrowth may be applicable to other tissue engineering materials.


This paper reviews published data concerning the protective function of skin and discusses factors that may affect its bactericidal capability, including space flight factors that are known to reduce its protective effect. Various concepts of the mechanisms of the bactericidal function are discussed. It is shown that in an enclosed environment the species composition of the resident autoflora and pH value of the skin of an essentially healthy man may change. The qualitative composition of the water-oil film as a source of nutrition and a skin microflora environment is discussed. Its effect on the autoflora composition and localization in various skin areas and, consequently, on the bactericidal capability of different skin areas is described. The skin bactericidal function results from an interaction of various factors that should be taken into consideration when developing flight-oriented hygienic requirements because space flight induces changes in the skin status.


Investigation of the rheology of concentrated colloid suspensions and direct observation of their flow allowed us to find several effects inherent to these media as typical soft matter. So, at low stress amplitudes, these colloids behave as mild gels with frequency independent elastic modulus and low mechanical losses. Meanwhile, suspensions demonstrate dualism of properties: at a given shear rate, they behave as viscoplastic media with clearly expressed yielding, while at a given low stress the pronounced Newtonian plateau is detected. The increase in shear rates and stresses leads to the sharp drop of the apparent viscosity, which usually is treated as the yielding effect. Transition through the yield stress is of a dynamic nature because the threshold stress depends on time and suspensions are thixotropic yielding materials. In the transient shear rate range, an unstable regime of deformation appears. It manifests itself either as deformation thickening up to jamming, or as the excitation of self-oscillations. The measuring of rheological properties in varying volume-to-surface ratio of a sample proves that flow of a suspension with high velocity at constant shear stress actually proceeds in a narrow layer inside the instrument gap. This conclusion has been confirmed by direct visual observations demonstrating that a flux is separated into three layers. A wide almost motionless layer is seen near a stationary surface. Near a moving surface, a narrow band with linear velocity profile is detected. Between them, a rather wide transient layer is observed and shear rate in this layer exceeds the average (global) shear rate by several times. Approximately, only a half of the total volume of a suspension is involved in flow. So, we observed a three-band flux of a suspension not described before. Shearing leads to an anisotropic structure of a solid phase.


Abstract Question: Is it possible to mathematically classify relevés into vegetation types on the basis of their average indicator values, including the uncertainty of the classification? Location: The Netherlands. Method: A large relevé database was used to develop a method for predicting vegetation types based on indicator values. First, each relevé was classified into a phytosociological association on the basis of its species composition. Additionally, mean indicator values for moisture, nutrients and acidity were computed for each relevé. Thus, the position of each classified relevé was obtained in a three-dimensional space of indicator values. Fitting the data to so called Gaussian Mixture Models yielded densities of associations as a function of indicator values. Finally, these density functions were used to predict the Bayesian occurrence probabilities of associations for known indicator values. Validation of predictions was performed by using a randomly chosen half of the database for the calibration of densities and the other half for the validation of predicted associations. Results and Conclusions: With indicator values, most relevés were classified correctly into vegetation types at the association level. This was shown using confusion matrices that relate (1) the number of relevés classified into associations based on species composition to (2) those based on indicator values. Misclassified relevés belonged to ecologically similar associations. The method seems very suitable for predictive vegetation models.


Within the project "Impact of Irrigation Development on Rural Poverty and the Environment" emphasis was given to the rural development of communities performing irrigation. Main goal was to analyze the potential of irrigation development, which should be performed in an environmentally sound way to ensure good living conditions for future generations. Environmentally sound means to maintain soil fertility, water quality, to be concerned about health impacts and maintaining biodiversity. The starting point for this review is an irrigation database, a classification of irrigation schemes in Ethiopia and the resulting selection of case studies of irrigation schemes. The study aims to support the clarification of environmental factors and processes related to irrigation development. The socioeconomic implications of environmental impacts of irrigation investments such as links to poverty, health and policies and institutions will also be treated. The methods used include field measurements and observations, laboratory analyses, structured questionnaire surveys and PRA. The investigated field studies performed under the project's specific task "Assessment of generic environmental and health issues as related to irrigated agricultural development" are presented. The collected material is compiled and made accessible through a database. The case studies results are critically reviewed and conclusions for future field investigation are drawn.


BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Quercetin, a widely distributed natural flavonoid with a variety of biological functions, can reverse multidrug resistance (MDR) in leukemia according to recent researches. This study was to investigate the mechanism of quercetin restoring subcellular distribution of daunorubicin (DNR) in multidrug resistant leukemia cell lines, K562/ADM and HL-60/ADM, and reversing their MDR. METHODS: MTT cell viability assay was used to verify the sensitization of DNR by quercetin in K562/ADM and HL-60/ADM cells, and determine the reverse concentration extent, confocal laser scanning microscope was used to observe the subcellular distribution of DNR in K562/ADM and HL-60/ADM cells, and relevant sensitive cell lines, K562/S and HL-60/S, before and after quercetin exposion. RESULTS: Compared with K562/S and HL-60/S cells, 20-40 µmol/L of quercetin in vitro remarkably enhanced the sensitivity of K562/ADM and HL-60/ADM cells to DNR, restore the subcellular distribution of DNR, so as to reverse MDR. CONCLUSION: quercetin could be a candidate of effective multidrug resistance-reversing agent in leukemia chemotherapy.


A deep and analytical understanding of the enzyme kinetics has attracted a great attention of scientists from biology, medicine, chemistry, and pharmacy. Mathematical models of enzyme kinetics offer several advances for this deep and analytical understanding due to their in compensable potential in predicting kinetic processes and anticipating appropriate interventions when required. This chapter concerns mathematical modeling analysis and simulation of enzyme kinetics. Experimental data and available knowledge on enzyme mechanics are used in constituting a mathematical model. The models are either in the form of linear or nonlinear ordinary differential equations or partial differential equations. These equations are composed of kinetic parameters such as kinetic rate constants, initial rates, and concentrations of enzymes. The nonlinear nature of enzymatic reactions and a large number of parameters have caused major issues with regard to efficient simulation of those reactions. In this work, an enzymatic system that includes Michaelis-Menten and Ping Pong kinetics is modeled in the form of differential equations. These equations are solved numerically in which the system parameters are estimated. The numerical results are compared with the results from an existing work in literature.


PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore international buyer–supplier relationships in an emerging developing country context. The study examines a number of factors derived from internationalization process (IP) theory and their impacts in a novel research setting. The relational variables of trust and commitment, and their drivers, are integrated into a model examining importers' perspectives of their supplier relationships.Design/methodology/approachThis study applied a sequential methodological approach. Initially, a conceptual framework was developed from qualitative research and then quantitatively validated using structural equation modeling (SEM). The data for this study were collected conducting in-depth interviews and survey questionnaires. For empirical validation, the SEM technique was applied to assess the proposed model.FindingsImporting firm managers perceived that the commitment of their suppliers bolstered their trust in the relationship, this contrasts with the conventional contention of a reverse relationship. The findings confirm cultural similarity facilitates communication, leading to increased knowledge and experience of importers, thereby contributing to an enhanced commitment to build trust in the relationship.Practical implicationsThe conceptual framework developed in this study provides a direction to manage and enhance understanding of IP and relationship outcome. The findings have strategic implications for practicing managers in developing and supporting their importer–foreign supplier relationships.Originality/valueThis study is unique in assessing as well as validating key constructs of IP theory in an international exchange (importer–supplier) relationship. The study offers completely a new insight in relation to applying IP theory's relational perspectives.


Most stroke neurologists would likely choose to treat this patient with intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator (IV tPA) assuming the treatment could be initiated within 4.5 hours from stroke onset. In fact, the American Heart Association and European Stroke Organization guidelines both recommend treatment of selected patients in the 3- to 4.5-hour time window. IV tPA is approved in this time window in 15 countries in Europe and several other countries around the world. In the United States, however, the Food and Drug Administration declined an application by Genentech to extend the time window for treatment beyond 3 hours. The evidence supporting the benefit of treatment in the 3- to 4.5-hour time window includes the results of European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study (ECASS) III,1 a randomized controlled trial enrolling 821 patients. Three prior randomized controlled trials (ECASS, ECASS II, Alteplase Thrombolysis for Acute Noninterventional Therapy in Ischemic Stroke [ATLANTIS]) and 1 subsequent trial (Third International Stroke Trial [IST-3]) attempting to extend the time window for IV tPA beyond 3 hours failed to show significant benefit. In addition, an updated meta-analysis of 7012 patients in 12 IV tPA trials found that the major benefit occurred in patients treated within 3 hours with no significant effect of IV tPA in almost 5000 patients treated 3 to 6 hours after stroke onset (odds ratio, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, …


The paper deals with investigation of the conformational properties of some charged homopolypeptides in dilute aqueous solutions by computer simulation. A method of molecular dynamics for the full-atomic models of polyaspartic acid and polylysine with explicit account of water and counter-ions is used for this purpose. For systems containing these polypeptides we calculated time trajectories and the size, shape, distribution functions and time correlation functions of inertia radius and the distances between the ends of peptide chains. We have also calculated the solvatation characteristics of considered polyelectrolytes. We have found out that polyaspartic acid in dilute aqueous solution has more compact structure and more spherical shape than polylysine. We have shown that these differences are due to different interaction between the polypeptides and water molecules (in particular, the quality and quantity of hydrogen bonds formed by these peptides with water), and the difference in an amount of ion pairs formed by the charged groups of the peptides and counter-ions. The obtained results should be taken into account for elaboration of new products based on the investigated peptides and their usage in various industrial and biomedical applications.


Studies were undertaken investigating improvements to the biological interaction of polymeric implant materials through their coating with an osteoinductive calcium phosphate (CaP)-type film using biomimetic deposition technology. Past research indicates that CaP coatings on implant materials increase bone growth and remodeling rates as well as enhance the stability of the bone-implant interface. This is due to the highly biocompatible nature of CaP and its chemical similarities to natural bone mineral, which enables it to form chemical bonds with bone. Additionally, adding additives to polymers, which have the proper functionality to serve as nucleation sites for CaP coating growth, can potentially improve biocompatibility and long-term stability of implant devices. Our research efforts presented in this paper concentrated on adding zinc stearate to polyethylene. Important potential benefits of using polyethylene-stearate blends having CaP coatings include: increased surface porosity that can improve mechanical stability of the implant via enhanced osseointegration, improved rates and quality of bone-implant fusion, and enhanced soft tissue wound healing through stimulation of angiogenesis. Our results show that chemical immersion of polyethylene-zinc stearate blends in supersaturated calciumphosphate solutions elicits growth of porous CaP coatings, although at a very slow rate, ~0.1


Results of cross-sectional and prospective studies have suggested that small, dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles predispose to coronary heart disease. We investigated the relationships between plasma concentrations of LDL subfractions and intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery (CCA), quantified by B-mode ultrasound, in 94 healthy, 50-year-old men, all of whom were homozygous for the apolipoprotein E3 allele. A novel 3% to 7.5% polyacrylamide gradient gel was developed to provide separation of LDL subfractions with high resolution, as was a procedure to quantify plasma concentrations of these LDL subspecies. The LDL particle size distribution pattern obtained by the gradient gel electrophoresis procedure was in good agreement with the one obtained by a well-established, single-spin density gradient ultracentrifugation technique. LDL-II (particle size, 23.5 to 25.0 nm) was the most abundant subfraction, and its plasma concentration correlated closely with the total LDL cholesterol concentration (r=0. 61, P<0.001) but not with CCA IMT (r=-0.13, NS). In contrast, the plasma concentration of the predominant small, dense LDL particle subfraction (LDL-III; particle size, 22.5 to 23.5 nm) correlated strongly with CCA IMT (r=0.42, P<0.001). In multivariate analysis, the plasma concentration of the LDL-III subfraction contributed significantly to the variation in CCA IMT (R(2)=0.19). When plasma triglycerides and LDL cholesterol were forced into the multivariate model, 10% of the variation in CCA IMT was still accounted for by the LDL-III subfraction. In summary, use of a novel and sensitive gradient gel electrophoresis method for evaluation of LDL heterogeneity provided the basis for demonstrating an independent relation between the plasma concentration of small LDL and IMT of the CCA in healthy, middle-aged men.


Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is widely-used to analyze thermodynamic material properties. However, materials that form aggressive or corrosive reaction products cannot be easily analyzed with conventional DSC devices, since they contaminate or damage these highly complex and cost-intensive apparatuses. Moreover, classical DSC devices are designed as stationary table top units and therefore are not suitable for mobile usage. To allow for mobile DSC applications and for the detection of aggressive materials, the objective of our work is to develop a low-cost miniaturized ceramic differential scanning calorimeter device that consists of only one single chip that includes all functional elements, i.e. crucible, sample and reference temperature sensors, heater, and reference. In this article, the development process of this miniaturized DSC chip is presented: Utilizing finite element method (FEM), the DSC chip was stepwise developed and optimized, leading to a well-functioning device of a size of only 11 mm x 39 mm x 1.2 mm (Fig. 1 a). In the sensor head, crucible, sample and reference temperature sensors, heater, and reference are vertically integrated (Fig. 1 b). Due to its small size, the power consumption is below 2.5 W, enabling the user to run the sensor system via USB connection directly from a laptop (Fig. 1 c). The DSC chip is fully manufactured in Low Temperature Co-firing Ceramics (LTCC) Technology. The use of ceramics as substrate material ensures high temperature stability allowing for DSC analysis up to 650 °C with high heating rates up to 300 K/min. A calorimetric sensitivity of 0.24 W/K was found. Furthermore, resolution tests with Dotriacontane as test substance revealed a temperature resolution which is comparable to conventional devices.


This paper presents a study of the effectiveness of using actively controlled panels to block the transmission of sound. Ideally, the acoustical pressure behind the panel is driven to zero by actuators mounted on the panel surface. Microphones are used as the sensors to detect the acoustical pressure, with the adaptive FXLMS algorithm being used for feedforward control. It is found experimentally that major limitations of this approach are non-uniform cancellation of noise across the panel at high frequencies, harmonic nonlinear behavior at very low frequencies and actuator saturation at high sound levels. These limitations restrict the controllable frequency range and noise level, and in some cases can lead to instability. Approaches are suggested to overcome these limitations. Non-uniformity can be lowered by using multiple or distributed actuators, harmonic nonlinearities can be reduced by using back-to-back panels and instability from saturation can be avoided by using a proposed half-power FXLMS algorithm.


Computer-based applications in second language teaching have now been used for a protracted period of time, evolving from a deductive approach relying on grammatical progression to inductive methods and, more recently, exploratory interaction better suited to the constructivist mode. However, despite the initial adoption of a traditional learning environment, the first, albeit influential, generation of software design was poorly recognized, or worse, even met with scepticism by academics inasmuch as it did not seem to represent or, indeed, symbolize good teaching practices (Laurillard, 1991). As a result, original CALL programmes, such as gap-filling or substituting exercises, were often only considered appropriate as supplementary teaching material and, as such, referred to or introduced within courses as convenient adjuncts providing students with greater practical experience. Equally, students as users were never consulted on the use of CALL or, indeed, implicated beyond the designed interaction. Indeed, it was generally assumed that, since computer-based learning was a new concept, it would be, by itself, attractive and generate increased enthusiasm within the language-learning context. This situation was made even worse by a developmental process, dominated by self-taught, in-house authoring, which was too often amateurish, task-based in approach and empirical. Unfortunately, despite recent development in multimedia and hypermedia, this CALL legacy has been affecting CALL in design, practice and projected use. DOI: 10.1080/0968776000080105


: The aim of the investigation was to study the parameters of the thyroid and antithyroid status in the healthy population of different age, living under the conditions of mild iodine deficiency and trace element imbalance in the South Urals (Orenburg). The serum levels of total and free triiodothyronine, total and free thyroxin, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and antithyroid antibodies were determined and the compensation index and the sensitivity index of thyroid cells to TSH were calculated in 458 apparently healthy individuals aged 7-40 years. TSH levels varied from 0.27 to 3.97 IU/l, amounting to 1.41 +/- 0.03 IU/l. The patients with TSH levels of 0.27 to 0.5 IU/l were found to have a lower compensation index and a higher sensitivity index for thyrocytes to TSH, suggesting the hyperproduction of thyroid hormones in response to low TSH stimulation. The decreased sensitivity index in patients with a TSH level of 2.0 to 4.0 IU/l is a borderline condition. These patients may further develop thyroid hyperplasia if iodine deficiency is not corrected and other strumogenic factors are not used. Higher free T3 levels and decreased compensation index were detected in 83% of the apparently healthy individuals with increased antithyroid antibodies to thyroid peroxidase, which is indicative of the thyroid hyperproduction of T3 and the risk factor of autoimmune diseases.


The permanency of corneal reshaping in light of an undesirable outcome has been a major concern for practitioners and patients alike. Therefore, a non-surgical modality that can provide stable and reversible, vision correction has been the ultimate goal of the eye care industry. Corneal reshaping with contact lenses has steadily increased, culminating in the birth of modern Corneal Refractive Therapy or CRT. The Paragon CRT lens is the result of years of ongoing research into the science of overnight corneal reshaping with RGP lenses. This has been made possible by recent merging technologies. In our study, we investigated the success rate of the initial suggested CRT diagnostic lens projected by the Paragon CRT Calculator. Due to the classified nature of the study, the sponsor Paragon Vision Sciences has requested the work remain proprietary until the spring of 2003.


Six sounding aspects on the 1920s French Modernism
In her lectio praecursoria, Doctor of Music Eveliina Sumelius-Lindblom gives her artistic doctoral project "Four aspects on French Modernism: from l'esprit nouveau towards the world of colors and the performer's methodological thinking" a general picture in which the historical, aesthetic and performer-based aspects encounter themselves. In addition to introducing the key concepts of the 1920s French Modernism and highlighting its general aesthetic atmosphere Sumelius-Lindblom focuses on those research results which are most obviously attached to her long-term artistic experience on playing the piano repertoire of this period. The six solo piano performances of the composers of Les Six -group (Georges Auric, Arthur Honegger and Darius Milhaud), Arnold Schoenberg, Olivier Messiaen and Igor Stravinsky not only give a versatile and multi-valued sounding picture of the 1920s Modernism. The piano performances also work as a fundamental part of Sumelius-Lindblom's intersubjective research practice in which showing and verifying the research findings by playing represent the other main focus of her research.


Background and purpose The Essex-Lopresti lesion is thought to be rare, with a varying degree of disruption to forearm stability probable. We describe the range of radial shortening that occurs following a fracture of the proximal radius, as well as the short-term outcome in these patients. Patients and methods Over an 18-month period, we prospectively assessed all patients with a radiographically confirmed proximal radial fracture. Patients noted to have ipsilateral wrist pain at initial presentation underwent bilateral radiography to determine whether there was disruption of the distal radio-ulnar joint suggestive of an Essex-Lopresti lesion. Outcome was assessed after a mean of 6 (1.5–12) months using clinical and radiographic results, including the Mayo elbow score (MES) and the short musculoskeletal function assessment (SMFA) questionnaire. One patient with a Mason type-I fracture was lost to follow-up after initial presentation. Results 60 patients had ipsilateral wrist pain at the initial assessment of 237 proximal radial fractures. Radial shortening of ≥ 2mm (range: 2–4mm) was seen in 22 patients (mean age 48 (19–79) years, 16 females). The most frequent mechanism of injury was a fall from standing height (10/22). 21 fractures were classified as being Mason type-I or type-II, all of which were managed nonoperatively. One Mason type-III fracture underwent acute radial head replacement. Functional outcome was assessed in 21 patients. We found an excellent or good MES in 18 of the 20 patients with a Mason type-I or type-II injury. Interpretation The incidence of the Essex-Lopresti lesion type is possibly under-reported as there is a spectrum of injuries, and subtle disruptions often go unidentified. A full assessment of all patients with a proximal radial fracture is required in order to identify these injuries, and the index of suspicion is raised as the complexity of the fracture increases.


The variability and complexity of the global manufacturing scenario emphasize the relevance of two management problems that most Multinational Corporations (MNCs) face, namely the configuration as well as the coordination of the network of global facilities. In this paper we review the literature on these problems, and identify the need for a systematic approach to the coordination problem. The paper also focuses on the issues of coordination in the area of logistics (i.e. supply, manufacturing and distribution phases) of global manufacturing networks. Based on some recent studies on global coordination, we define a framework that systematically addresses the global manufacturing planning (GMP) problem by identifying and classifying the variables involved therein.


We study the presence of chaos in a car-following traffic model based on a system of delay-differential equations. We find that for low and high values of cars density the system has a stable steady-state solution. Our results show that above a certain time delay and for intermediate density values the system passes to chaos following the Ruelle-Takens-Newhouse scenario (fixed point–limit cycles–two-tori–three-tori–chaos). Exponential decay of the power spectrum and non-integer correlation dimension suggest the existence of chaos. We find that the chaotic attractors are multifractal.


This paper aims to illustrate how the consensual sexual practice of BDSM (bondage, discipline, dominance and submission and sadism and masochism) can be interpreted as a method of embodied exploration. It will detail the various ways that engaging in BDSM, either as the dominant/top or submissive/bottom partner, is able to enhance feelings of corporeality and explore bodily relationships with the world and with other people. For many practitioners, BDSM places the body into central focus, and this work will elucidate the ways that this can be conceptualised as 'embodied exploration'. Taken from a project examining the erotic experience of BDSM, this research adopted an existential phenomenological approach. Existential philosopher Merleau-Ponty argued that the body is not simply another object in the world, but that people are inextricably linked to the world through their bodies as body-subjects. Nine participants were recruited for the study, and variation in self-identified sexual role, gender, sexual orientation and age was deliberately sought for the sample. Template analysis, a method of hierarchically organising and structuring thematic findings, was used to analyse the interview data of the research participants. The salient themes relating to BDSM as embodied exploration are discussed in this paper with particular reference to unfamiliar physical and emotional sensations, imposed corporeal limitations and experience a sense of embodied liberation.


Congenital insensitivity to pain (CIP) and hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies (HSAN) are clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorders exclusively or predominantly affecting the sensory and autonomic neurons. Due to the rarity of the diseases and findings based mainly on single case reports or small case series, knowledge about these disorders is limited. Here, we describe the molecular workup of a large international cohort of CIP/HSAN patients including patients from normally underrepresented countries. We identify 80 previously unreported pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in a total of 73 families in the >20 known CIP/HSAN-associated genes. The data expand the spectrum of disease-relevant alterations in CIP/HSAN, including novel variants in previously rarely recognised entities such as ATL3-, FLVCR1- and NGF-associated neuropathies and previously under-recognised mutation types such as larger deletions. In silico predictions, heterologous expression studies, segregation analyses and metabolic tests helped to overcome limitations of current variant classification schemes that often fail to categorize a variant as disease-related or benign. The study sheds light on the genetic causes and disease-relevant changes within individual genes in CIP/HSAN. This is becoming increasingly important with emerging clinical trials investigating subtype or gene-specific treatment strategies.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the labour contract system (LCS) established by the Freedmen's Bureau after the American Civil War to normalise relations between freed-slaves and their former masters and to uphold their rights as free citizens. In particular, it explains the lack of accountability of employers under the LCS and how this contributed to the system's failure.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper adopts an archive-based approach to develop and illustrate the labour contracting relationship between freed-persons and property owners and the role accounting played in sustaining this relationship in the immediate post-bellum period.

Findings
The paper finds that the LCS was coercive compared to contemporary business practice in the USA; did not conform to the high ideals of contracting as portrayed by the abolition movement; and was adopted by default rather than design. In the event, the reluctance of the federal government to infringe individual autonomy by imposing an over-arching system of regulation to hold employers to account for upholding their contractual obligations prevailed over the desire to defend the freed-people's property rights.

Research limitations/implications
This research examines the relationship between labour contracting and property rights as well as the role of accounting in sustaining racial prejudice against freed-persons after the American Civil War. As in many archive-based studies, illustrations are selective and not randomised.

Originality/value
The paper examines the various accountings and accountabilities within the LCS in the context of the underlying ideological tensions and priorities in post-conflict US society.


There is a growing interest in international collaboration, and therefore a need for internationalized software that can be localized to various languages. Traditionally, systems to develop internationalized software use a specific database to store translations, and either manual or automatic translations of data. This paper describes GIW, a generic system that can be used to create internationalized websites. GIW is able to use any kind of database management system and is also able to handle both manual and automatic translations. These changes can be made without any modification to the architecture of the GIW system.


KineFit is an interactive Virtual Reality (VR) fitness training application that utilized
the Kinect sensor as its main input device. Kinect offers a controller-free gaming
experience where user interacts with the game environment by using their whole
body, hence, making the experience more natural and immersive. The game is
incorporated with a gesture-based interface that removes any use of mouse and
keyboard as a means to navigate the game environment. Moreover, this project is
undertaken to motivate exercise as well as to inculcate healthy living culture among
Malaysians since obesity has becoming a critical issue in the country lately. In
addition, the Jack of exercise is one of the primary reasons that lead to obesity, which
in turn is caused by the lack of time, motivation and dull exercise routine.
Furthermore, most video games are desktop-based environment that limits the users'
movement, thus, promoting sedentary lifestyle. Hence, KineFit is undertaken to
change the current attitude and moves towards active lifestyle. Currently, KineFit
consists of two exercise modules but flexible for expansion and uses only the Kinect
sensor as the input device. This project implemented the incremental model which
offers flexibility in time, requirements, manpower and risks. A total of 14 users
participated in 2 different prototype testing to test the usability of the system and the
users' perception of the game on their motivation, engagement and enjoyment to
perform the exercise. The result of the first prototype testing is encouraging as users
felt motivated to complete the exercise while having fun at the same time. The users
suggested that the modules should be refmed for better user engagement. The second
prototype testing improved in terms of engagement as the exercise modules are
changed based on data gathered on the first prototype testing. Suggested future works
for expansion are by adding a jogging module and implementing an Artificial
Intelligence (AI) on character that is able to interact with the user to give the game
more depth, motivation, engagement and importantly, enjoyment of performing
exercise at the comfort of users' living room.


Mach-Zehnder ridge waveguide modulators on c/sup +/-LiNbO/sub 3/ by proton-exchange wet etch and nickel indiffusion are fabricated for the first time. Modulators operating at 0.633 /spl mu/m and 1.31 /spl mu/m are both produced, and the half-wave voltages are measured to be 4 V and 22.5 V, respectively, for an electrode length of 6 mm. The extinction ratios are 14 dB and 13.2 db, respectively, and can be improved by forming the ridge structure only at the electrode interaction region instead. These results make the wet-etched LiNbO/sub 3/ optical devices promising to take over the dry-etched ones in the near future.<<ETX>>


&NA; The authors performed immediate breast reconstruction on four patients using a sensate latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap accompanied by neurorrhaphy during the past 6 years. In the neurorrhaphy, the lateral cutaneous branch of the dorsal primary divisions of the seventh thoracic nerve, which controls the sensation of the myocutaneous flap, was anastomosed to the lateral cutaneous branch of the fourth intercostal nerve, which controls the sensation of the breast. The subjects consisted of four patients whose postoperative follow‐up period was 14 to 29 months, with an average of 19.3 months. The control subjects consisted of 10 cases with a latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap whose sensory nerve had not been reconstructed (postoperative follow‐up period, 15 to 49 months; average, 26.9 months). The sensory examination included tests of touch, pain, and temperature. The innervated musculocutaneous flap sensation showed gradual recovery at about 6 months after surgery and reached the value of the normal side after about 1 year. In the control subjects, the recovery was gradual after more than 1 year and reached the value of the normal side in only some of the control subjects. On the basis of these findings, the authors consider the present technique to be useful for the recovery of sensation in immediate breast reconstruction. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 109: 1897, 2002.)


TITLE: What is Essential for Virtual Reality ystems to Meet Human Performance Goals? [les Caracteristiques essentielles des systemes VR pour atteindre les objectifs militaires en matiere de performances humaines] To order the complete compilation report, use: ADA390882 The component part is provided here to allow users access to individually authored sections f proceedings, annals, symposia, ect. However, the component should be considered within he context of the overall compilation report and not as a stand-alone technical report.


The risks of mercury exposure arising from the use of dental amalgam fillings are reviewed and discussed. On the basis of both knowledge acquired in various scientific disciplines and ten years of experience in the field it is concluded that mercury from amalgam may well contribute significantly to a number of modern health problems and to decreased quality of life in a large population group in many countries. Erroneous opinion as to "negligible" mercury exposure and lack of cooperation between the dental, medical and other professions are two important factors in the issue. There is both biological and metallurgical evidence that typical Hg-exposure levels produced by amalgam fillings are 5-10-fold higher than what are regarded as safe limits for exposure to mercury from other sources. There is no doubt that dental mercury should be taken into consideration as a possible etiological factor when considering neurological, immunological and endocrinological diseases of unknown etiology. Protective measures during amalgam removal and prospects for alternative dental materials are discussed.


An investigation regarding metacognition in the learning of mathematics in the senior phase South African learners' insufficient achievement in mathematics is a source of great concern. This is especially the case since mathematics is regarded as a vital life skill in the postmodern, technologically sophisticated era. The concept "metacognition" is referred to both directly and indirectly in the Critical Outcomes in Curriculum 2005 – after all, most of the outcomes referred to imply that learners should be directed to reflect on their own thoughts. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the possible value of metacognition for the learning of mathematics. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were implemented. The findings indicate, inter alia, that the metacognitive strategies with regard to prediction, evaluation, monitoring and reflection of learners in the research group are insufficient. INLEIDING


Online personalized news product needs a suitable cover for the article. The news cover demands to be with high image quality, and draw readers' attention at same time, which is extraordinary challenging due to the subjectivity of the task. In this paper, we assess the news cover from image clarity and object salience perspective. We propose an end-to-end multi-task learning network for image clarity assessment and semantic segmentation simultaneously, the results of which can be guided for news cover assessment. The proposed network is based on a modified DeepLabv3+ model. The network backbone is used for multiple scale spatial features exaction, followed by two branches for image clarity assessment and semantic segmentation, respectively. The experiment results show that the proposed model is able to capture important content in images and performs better than single-task learning baselines on our proposed game content based CIA dataset.


Evoked responses or event related potentials in human EEG have been mostly studied with off-line analog recording and averaging. It is shown here that, at least in some situations, it is possible to detect and classify individual evoked responses or "single epochs" with surprising reliability. To do so, however, requited thinking a new not only the data processing but the whole experimental strategy. The classification is done in real-time by treating the experiments as a signal detection problem in which the computer, in the position of impartial observer, assigns classes to incoming epochs accogding to a predetermined decision rule. Since data collection and processing are interleaved, each classification outcome can be a factor in experiment control as well as in subject feedback. The discrimination performance, expressed in terms of mutual information, is shown to be both a practical index for procedure optimization and a concise and specific descriptor for the experiment results.


Time series of mean monthly temperature and total monthly precipitation are two of the climatic variables most easily obtained from weather station records. There are many studies analyzing historical series of these variables, particularly in the Spanish territory. In this study, the series of these two variables in 47 stations of the provincial capitals of mainland Spain were analyzed. The series cover time periods from the 1940s to 2013; the studies reviewed in mainland Spain go up to 2008. ARIMA models were used to represent their variation. In the preliminary phase of description and identification of the model, a study to detect possible trends in the series was carried out in an isolated manner. Significant trends were found in 15 of the temperature series, and there were trends in precipitation in only five of them. The results obtained for the trends are discussed with reference to those of other, more detailed studies in the different regions, confirming whether the same trend was maintained over time. With the ARIMA models obtained, 12-month predictions were made by measuring errors with the observed data. More than 50% of the series of both were modeled. Predictions with these models could be useful in different aspects of seasonal job planning, such as wildfires, pests and diseases, and agricultural crops.


The impact and quality of select pharmacists' interventions were assessed by four physicians with pharmacology experience. Each physician was sent 30 interventions and asked to indicate if the intervention by the pharmacist was of a positive nature and would prevent morbidity and/or mortality. They were also questioned regarding effect of the intervention on hospital stay. Each physician received 15 interventions which were, and 15 interventions which were not assessed by three other physicians. Of the 15 interventions assessed by all four physicians there was favourable agreement among the physicians with respect to the impact of the intervention with 86.7 percent (52 of 60) of the judgements indicating that the pharmacists' intervention had a positive effect on therapy. There was less agreement with regard to whether hospital stay would, and the extent to which it would, have been prolonged. Using consensus it was estimated that eight of 15 interventions would have prolonged stays approximately 3.7 days each. The use of physicians was helpful in assessing the impact of pharmacists' interventions.


The aim of this study was to evaluate crude protein (CP) levels for European quails from one to 14, 14 to 28 and 28 to 42 days old. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized experimental design, with five treatments and five replications. No significant effects of CP levels on weight gain and feed conversion from 1 to 14 days were observed, however quails fed 26% CP diets had lower feed intake. The CP levels from 14 to 28 days had significant effect on feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion. Maximum weight gain and minimum feed conversion were estimated for quails fed 24% CP. The CP levels had a significant effect on the traits studied in the final phase, highest weight gain and lowest feed conversion were estimated for quails fed 23% CP. No significant effects of CP levels on hot and cold carcass weights, breast weight, and thigh and drumstick weight were observed. The crude protein requirements for European quails from 1 to 14, 14 to 28 days and 28 to 42 days old are 26, 24 and 23%, respectively, if the requirements of the first limiting amino acids are met.  Keywords:  Amino acids, carcass yield,  Coturnix coturnix , performance.


Abstract This article looks closely at the inclusion of Albanian Socialist Realism in one of renowned Swiss curator Harald Szeemann's last exhibitions, Blood & Honey: The Future's in the Balkans (Essl Museum, Vienna, 2003). In this exhibition, Szeemann installed a group of around 40 busts created during the socialist era in Albania, which he had seen installed at the National Gallery of Arts in Tirana. This installation of sculptures was part of an exhibition entitled Homo Socialisticus, curated by Gëzim Qëndro, and Szeemann deployed it as a generalized foil for "subversive" postsocialist contemporary art included in Blood & Honey. The Homo Socialisticus sculptures occupied a prominent place in the exhibition both spatially and rhetorically, and this article examines how we might read Blood & Honey—and the socialist past in general—through Szeemann's problematic incorporation of this collection of works in one of the key Balkans-oriented exhibitions staged in the early 2000s. The article argues that understanding how Szeemann misread—and discursively oversimplified—Albanian Socialist Realism can help us see not only the continued provincialization of Albania in the contemporary global art world, but more importantly the fundamental misunderstanding of Socialist Realism as a historical phenomenon and a precursor to contemporary geopolitical cultural configurations


Postmortem skin samples of 50 women aged from 15 to 90 years were analysed. Protein and DNA levels were stable rather age-independent. Glycosaminoglycane (GAG) level decreased during ageing accordingly linear regression equation: Age = 100.1562 - 0.3578xGAG.


Interest in ionic liquids (ILs) has grown with its evolution now spanning three generations: (1) ILs with tunable physical properties; (2) ILs with tunable chemical properties; and (3) ILs with tunable biological properties. A growing number of biological applications using ILs are underway as a replacement solvent for synthesis, for use as a biological constituent and for preserving and enhancing the functionality of biomolecular species. Therapeutic biomolecules play a significant role in the medical field and in the research field, with many being trialed and developed for various applications; primarily as the name suggests for therapeutic uses. The storage and stability of therapeutic biomolecules has long been an issue. It is now among common knowledge to store therapeutic biomolecules at low temperatures ranging from 4°C to -196°C, depending on the concentrations in use. Ideally the freeze thaw cycles are also limited to maintain stability and activity. It is also commonly kept on ice whilst in use in a laboratory space. Although the use of refrigeration and ice in laboratories and hospitals may not be an issue, in third world countries this is still a significant problem. The transportation and storage of such therapeutic molecules can be problematic, hence the storage, stability and activity to be maintained at room temperature is vital in sterile and non-sterile conditions. The focus of this thesis is to preserve the structure and activity of biomolecules using choline dihydrogen phosphate (CDHP) buffered ionic liquid (BIL). Choline is an essential nutrient in the human body, and hence a biocompatible IL is formed using choline as the cation. Choline is currently FDA approved for pharmaceutical excipients making it a favorable selection for a constituent of the ionic liquid. In light of current literature reports the stability of the biomolecules are important and is assessed via thermal stability, structural integrity and biological stability and activity. The storage of therapeutic biomolecules in CDHP-BIL was compared to phosphate buffered saline (PBS) a common storage buffer for biomolecular species. Studies were conducted for prolonged periods in conjunction with enzymatic degradation and characterized using a number of techniques including assays, gel electrophoresis, circular dichroism, UV-Vis spectrometry, flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Three therapeutic biomolecules have been examined for this project: 1) Small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA), 2) Plasmid deoxyribonucliec Acid (pDNA) and 3) Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) Each chapter of this thesis is dedicated to each therapeutic biomolecule mentioned above. Chapter 2 reports the stabilization and retaining of biological activity of siRNA. Chapter 3, demonstrates that the stability of nucleic acids is not limited to siRNA, proving that CDHP-BIL can impede enzymatic degradation and the expression of pDNA can be enhanced. As a continuation of bimolecular therapeutic we moved on to proteins in Chapter 4, reporting inhibition of proteinase K when mAbs are stored in BILs. Finally this thesis envisages the future directions and challenges for the long term storage and stabilization of therapeutic biomolecules at room temperature. The simple manner of being able to store therapeutic molecules in a buffer that can enhance the properties of the biomolecules whilst prolonging its shelf life, is extraordinary. The applications of this study are far and wide once integrated in the medical field as it has the potential to be a new green bio-buffer.


The effect of field foliar Fe and Zn biofortification on concentration and potential bioavailability of Fe and Zn and health-promoting compounds was studied in wholemeal flour of two common wheat varieties (old vs modern). Moreover, the effect of milling and bread making was studied. Biofortification increased the concentration of Zn (+78%) and its bioavailability (+48%) in the flour of the old variety, whereas it was ineffective in increasing Fe concentration in both varieties. However, the old variety showed higher concentration (+41%) and bioavailability (+26%) of Fe than the modern one. As regard milling, wholemeal flour had higher Fe, Zn concentration and health-promoting compounds compared to white flour. Bread making slightly change Fe and Zn concentration but greatly increased their bioavailability (77 and 70%, respectively). All these results are of great support for developing a production chain of enriched functional bread having a protective role against chronic cardio-vascular diseases.


ABSTRACT Despite lots of research on the pathogenesis of acne, the development of new therapeutic agents is still stagnant. Conventional agents which target multiple pathological processes have some serious side effects and this makes seeking new treatment options important for treating acne. As new therapeutic options, researchers are focusing on natural products, synthetic drugs and devices. From natural products, epigallocatechin-3 gallate, lupeol, cannabidiol and Lactobacillus fermented Chamaecyperis obtusa were reported to be possible candidates for novel drugs, targeting multiple pathogenic factors. Synthetic anti-P.acnes agent, nitric oxide nanoparticles and α-mangostin nanoparticles are shown to be effective in acne treatment. Device or procedural methods such as fractional microneedling radiofrequency, cryolysis, photothermolysis and daylight photodynamic therapy have potential as new treatment options for acne. Further large clinical trials comparing these new treatments with existing agents will be necessary in the future.


Globalization, rapid technological changes and labor market developments cause that companies require different skilled employees on a continuous basis. This leads to a shortage in skilled workers in Upper Austria. In order to overcome this issue Upper Austrian regions try to attract skilled workers from abroad or people who left the region and moved to another place in Austria. In order to foster this movement Austria introduced the Red-White-Red Card in 2011, which eases the access to the labor market for skilled workers from the non-EEA (European Economic Area). An empirical study conducted in 2016 and 2017 should support the companies in evaluating their level of attractiveness from the point of view of immigrants and remigrants and should give them advice on how to increase this level. The study is made up of an online questionnaire consisting of nine dimensions, which are called welcome_here, _administration, _job, _housing, _family, _education, _leisure time, _health and _infrastructure. In every dimension challenges for the companies, needs of the employees and possible actions and solutions taken are being evaluated. The questionnaire consists of a mix of closed, multiple choice and open questions. In 2016 and 2017 in total 41 companies and 39 municipalities filled in the questionnaire. This report deals with the results of the interviews conducted with the companies. In general, companies evaluated their level of competence higher than the need for action in each of the nine dimensions, except in welcome_infrastructure. The biggest challenges for immigrating skilled workers are mainly language barriers, integration and settlement of the family/partner. From the company side it becomes visible that employers do not perceive themselves responsible for some dimensions dealing with leisure time or the family.


The powders of Al-Mn phases were obtained from the as-cast, as-rolled and as-extruded AZ magnesium alloys (AZ31, AZ61) by using the extraction technology, which was found to be one of the effective methods for analyzing Al-Mn phases in the AZ magnesium alloys. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersion X-ray detector (EDX) were used to investigate the structure and morphology of these compound powders. The results showed that manganese existed in both the way of Al8Mn5 phases and dissociated manganese particles in the AZ magnesium alloys, and rolling or extrusion process did not change the type of the Al8Mn5 phases. SEM observation showed that Al8Mn5 phases were formed mainly in dendrite and leaf shape with the size of 15-100μm in the as-cast AZ magnesium alloys, and were broken into fine spherical fragments with the size of about 4-5μm after rolling or extrusion.


ABSTRACT Effective water governance is essential for sustainable global futures. However, conflicting water values increases tension in water governance, highlighting the need for governance systems able to cope with competing objectives. In this paper, we explore the potential for 'localism' to improve water governance through increased social learning and institutional integration. We argue that localism can provide a bridge between policy-makers and policy-implementers, as long as there is sufficient capacity to effectively engage. Following the work of Orsini [2013. "Multi-Forum Non-State Actors: Navigating the Regime Complexes for Forestry and Genetic Resources." Global Environmental Politics 13 (3): 34–55], we consider that this capacity is influenced by the availability of 'power resources'; namely material, ideational and organizational power. Using a conceptual framework combining power resources and localism strategies, two examples of localism in the implementation of the Murray–Darling Basin Plan are explored. We find that localism can provide the necessary resources for effective water governance, although consideration of the challenges of localism highlights the need for a mix of localism strategies due to variable resource availability.


The experimental materials included in this study consisted of 31 hybrids. Trial was evaluated at ICRISAT Patancheru in randomized complete block design with three replications in 2012 rainy season. The plot size was two rows of 4 m length spaced at 75 cm apart, with plant-to-plant spacing of 15 cm within the rows at all the locations. All the recommended agronomic practices were followed for good crop stand Days to 50% flower, grain yield and effective tillers per plant were recorded on plot basis. Five random plants were used to determine plant height and panicle length, and random samples of 200 grains were used to estimate 1000-grain weight. Grain samples were collected from open-pollinated panicles harvested at physiological maturity, sundried for more than 15 days and carefully threshed to ensure no dust contamination. These were analyzed for grain Fe and Zn content using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) at the Charles Renard Analytical Laboratory, ICRISAT, Patancheru, following the closed-tube method as described by Wheal et al. (2011). Experiment location on Google Map


Abstract:This study analyzes the Soviet politics of silence during Stalin's collectivization campaign in the context of peasant resistance, state violence, and the famine in 1928–1929, and illuminates the primary function of strategic silence—an information blockade which creates a space for violence and human suffering. Only in silence does the landscape of violence emerge and its spiral dynamics consume everyone, assailants and victims, proceeding swiftly to the eventual destruction of this landscape. In Ukraine, strategic silence and the relatively hermetic information blockade highlights the intentional nature of state violence: it produced a ghetto of exclusion that helped crush peasant resistance to collectivization and prevented Ukraine's potential secession from the Union. More profoundly, the politics of silence is analyzed as "cultural" violence and one of the most important building blocks in the foundation of genocide that routinely provokes and escalates direct violence, a phenomenon which culminates in massacres, repressions, and famines, as happened in the Ukrainian case.


In Hansen's disease, the third part of advanced incidences or non treated cases exhibit some patterns of physical incapacity; besides that prejudice and beliet generated by deformities which the patients may present if they do not get a correct treatment. Which basis on this problematical question of the disease a group of professionals composed of medical doctors, nurses, physical therapist, occupational therapist and social worker made a-study of the incapacities of the Hansen's disease patients through a detail ed physical exam. This study intended to identify sensory and motor injuries of the face, upper and lower limbs. This study also develops a research about the necessity to systematize the assistance given in a public health center.


A proper understanding of the pulmonary toxicology of man-made mineral fibres (MMMF) requires information on their durability in the human lung but to date there is little information on this subject. Recently however, we have had the opportunity to document some interesting aspects of the short-term durability of ceramic fibres in human lung by analysing fibres recovered in broncho-alveolar lavage fluid obtained frorn seven men currently employed in the MMMF production industry. Fibres recovered from the lungs by lavage were characterized by analytical transmission electron microscopy. Both normal and highiy-transfonned ceramic fibres were detected. The transformed fibres exhibited a spectrum ofmorphological features and elemental compositions. Some retained a typical ceramic chemistry but were heavily coated with ironcontaining material. Others had a hollow tube morphology, made up offine iron-containing granules without any of the normal major ceramic elements. Such fibres were sometimes found lying under a bed ofsiliceous Seachate. It is hypothesized (hat the transformation process first involves a coating of the ceramic fibres with iron-containing granules, followed by a progressive dissolution of the structural elements. We conclude that some ceraraic fibres are not durable in the human lung.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the factors that affect the dwell time of a central venous catheter.

BACKGROUND
The own immunodeficiency in cancer patient and the collateral effects of their treatment increase the probability of infection and reduce the time of use of a catheter.

SUBJECTS
Incipient cohort of 306 patients with cancer, with an average age of 59 +/- 14.5 years.

INTERVENTIONS
Time zero like the day of the placement of the catheter was defined. Daily clinical signs of infection by catheter looked for, with taking of simultaneous blood cultures every 7 days. The primary outcome was infection of the catheter and the alternative aim of treatment, obstruction or death of the patient. One compared the dwell time with the infected catheter versus non-infected and its relation with potential risk factors.

RESULTS
306 catheters were placed for a total of 4,043 to days/catheter, became infected 25 (8.2%). The global average survival was of 50 days. One was that to greater dwell time, greater it was the infection incidence. In the fit analysis of survival, the presence of remote infection (OR = 4.71, IC 95% = 1.7-10.1, p = 0.002) was the factor that showed a significant association.

CONCLUSIONS
The time of life utility of a catheter is ample, limited by the presence of remote infection like factor of potential risk of infection by catheter.


In September 2019, the University of California Hastings Law School hosted a symposium on Japan's newly instituted public and victim participation systems in the criminal process. This paper addresses themes raised by five scholars' presentations at the symposium, covering the effectiveness and impact of three different newly adopted systems of lay and victim participation in Japan:

(1) the new 2009 law of the Prosecution Review Commission (PRC), a Japanese-style "civil grand jury" originally introduced in 1948, which gave the PRC the power to force the prosecution of formerly unindicted cases, thereby challenging and reversing the prosecutor's original non-prosecution decision;

(2) a mixed tribunal called "Saiban'in Seido" introduced in 2009, a quasi-jury panel of three professional and six lay judges in the adjudication of violent and serious criminal offenses; and

(3) the victim participation program implemented in 2008, in which crime victims and their proxies were allowed to express their opinions and grievances during the criminal justice process.

This paper also explores alternative trial venues through which the adjudication of whitecollar crime may possibly take place, including a new mixed tribunal, as well as the all-citizen, 12-member jury trial. While Japan's Jury Law was suspended in 1943, its legal provision still exists as part of today's criminal law, and public efforts have been underway to "unsuspend" and bring back the Jury Law in Japan. Also discussed in this paper is the "revolutionary" use of the all-citizen PRC in the prosecution of state crime, one of the most egregious of white-collar crimes committed by the government. Specifically explored is the PRC's role in challenging an "unequitable" bilateral treaty between the U.S. and Japanese governments and in extending Japanese jurisdiction over the adjudication of foreign military felons who victimize local residents.


I contend that Jung provides insights in keeping with Shakespeare's own intent as in many respects they were "of like mind." It is the attempt of this thesis to demonstrate how this might be so, comparing Jung's own writings with those of Shakespeare. The Introduction provides an overview: what the thesis sets out to do.

The first chapter represents a highly technical treatment for determining an exact location for the Globe Playhouse. It is as if one were an archaeologist requiring as much evidence as possible for determining where the foundations might lie within a given site. But this determination of the Globe's center and the shape of the Globe's groundplan represent a mandala form ("mandala" is the Sanskrit word for "circle"). Jung's work after his departure from Freud (1913-1928) became progressively more concentrated on the significance of mandalas (his first mandala drawing was in 1916). The mandala form represented integration and evidence for it was found not only in the dreams of his patients but in the artifacts of all civilizations - in the groundplans for cities and buildings, and in the art and religious practices of diverse peoples reaching back to Rhodesian cliff-drawings. I relate Hamlet and its use of soliloquy to the central motif of the mandala the protection of the center.

Using his Tavistock Lectures as a point of departure, Chapters 2-3 take up Jung's figure of the Psyche, divided up into ectopsychic, endopsychic, personal unconscious, and collective unconscious "spheres." "Chapter 2: The Four Functions" deals with Hamlet, Othello, The Winter's Tale, and Measure for Measure. "Chapter 3: The Shadow" refers to King Lear, The Tempest, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. After a consideration of King Lear, I relate Joseph Campbell's "journey of the hero" to Jung's figure of the
Psyche with reference to the three plays mentioned above.

Chapter 4 treats Jung's descriptions of "anima" and "animus" in relation to Macbeth. Some attention is then given to the characters of Ophelia, Gertrude, Desdemona, Cordelia, and Hermione, and their depreciation. "Chapter 5: Jungian Criticism" takes up the way in which literature may be viewed from the angle of Jung-oriented criticism with particular reference to Hamlet, Macbeth, Henry IV, Part I, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing, and King Lear. The Conclusion is followed by Appendices A-G which summarize
and amplify Jungian thinking treated in this thesis and conclude with a statement about Shakespeare by Peter Brook. The Bibliography Section provides a list of works consulted in relating the Globe Playhouse to its site and works consulted in regarding the Globe and Shakespeare's work in the light of C. G. Jung.


Welcome to the 1st International Workshop on Software Engineering for Cognitive Services (SE4COG 2018). We are excited and happy to have you here. The motivation for the workshop comes from the recognition that we are entering a new era of computing and we are moving in a somewhat uncharted territory. We are transitioning from a deterministic model where services are invoked with known, fixed, understood parameters and the service performs exactly what is requested, barring systems error, to a scenario where services try to interpret the user request in the best possible way and access the resources they consider appropriate for fulfilling the request, amongst a large and rapidly evolving set of available base APIs to be invoked. In this workshop, we will discuss the issues and challenges that such services bring from a software engineering perspective. Through a set of talks, panels, and open discussions we will try to understand and identify which are the fundamental differences of cognitive services and how we need to approach both the challenges they present but also the opportunities. Are current approaches to service design valid and applicable for cognitive services? What about requirements, testing, and even entirely new problems from a service engineering perspective, such as training? Even basic notions of correctness change and become somewhat blurred in cognitive service design, and it seems that disciplines such as HCI, information retrieval, knowledge management, and various sides of artificial intelligence become deeply intertwined in the service engineering process. How about service deployment in distributed elastic cloud infrastructures that are ubiquitous? How do we address service quality assurance at run-time such as response time, security, regulatory compliance of data mobility in the face of non-deterministic fluctuations in workloads and available computing resources? Are current software engineering practices adequate to harness the multi-core servers, GPUs, Optical software defined WANs to provide the scale, resiliency and efficiency demanded by global communication, collaboration and commerce services? These are only some of the issues and questions we will consider during the workshop. We hope in your active participation as we will need all your brainpower to identify the promising research directions and lay out a map that is hopefully useful for researchers exploring this new ground.


The non-uniformity effect of the inter-foil distance has been studied using a gaseous electron multiplication (GEM) detector with sensitive area of 50mm × 50mm. A gradient of the inter-foil distance is introduced by using spacers with different heights at the two ends of the foil gap. While the cluster size and the intrinsic spatial resolution show insignificant dependence on the inter-foil distance, the gain exhibits an approximately linear dependence on the inter-foil distance. From the slope, a quantitative relationship between the change of the inter-foil distance and the change of the gain is derived, which can be used as a method to evaluate the non-uniformity of the foil gap in the application of large-area GEM detectors.


A systematic review and meta-analysis determined the effect of restaurant menu labeling on calories and nutrients chosen in laboratory and away-from-home settings in U.S. adults. Cochrane-based criteria adherent, peer-reviewed study designs conducted and published in the English language from 1950 to 2014 were collected in 2015, analyzed in 2016, and used to evaluate the effect of nutrition labeling on calories and nutrients ordered or consumed. Before and after menu labeling outcomes were used to determine weighted mean differences in calories, saturated fat, total fat, carbohydrate, and sodium ordered/consumed which were pooled across studies using random effects modeling. Stratified analysis for laboratory and away-from-home settings were also completed. Menu labeling resulted in no significant change in reported calories ordered/consumed in studies with full criteria adherence, nor the 14 studies analyzed with ≤1 unmet criteria, nor for change in total ordered carbohydrate, fat, and saturated fat (three studies) or ordered or consumed sodium (four studies). A significant reduction of 115.2 calories ordered/consumed in laboratory settings was determined when analyses were stratified by study setting. Menu labeling away-from-home did not result in change in quantity or quality, specifically for carbohydrates, total fat, saturated fat, or sodium, of calories consumed among U.S. adults.


The inheritance of two new induced muations for spindly branch was investigated in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Each mutant was found to be controlled by a recessive gene. Allelism tests were performed between a previously reported spindly branch mutant (sb) and the two new spindly branch mutants; the new mutants were found to be nonallelic to sb and to each other. The gene symbols sb-2 and sb-3 are proposed for the new mutants. repulsion phase F 2 linkage tests were made for all nine combinations of reclining foliage (rf) and sb among the two mimic mutant series rf, rf-2, rf-3 and sb, sb-2, sb-3. No linkages were detected


This article examines COSCO's investment in the Port of Piraeus in Greece, which provides a good example of economic cooperation between China and Greece against the backdrop of the Belt and Road Initiative. It argues that investment in the Port of Piraeus has had a positive impact on the development of Greece by stimulating infrastructure investment, enhancing the competitiveness of the port, boosting the local economy, and helping to attract more foreign investment. However, the article also identifies potential challenges for Sino-Greek economic cooperation in the long run. Structural obstacles and concerns from European countries could affect China's investment in Greece as well as Sino-Greek economic cooperation in the future.


Cenchrus ciliaris L. also called as "Dhaman grass", which is a general starvation food employed during drought and deficiency of food in Rajasthan. Among the collected germplasm accessions, one among the Cenchrus setigerus accessions exhibited prostrate activities which would be of enormous use in the greening of degraded lands where with few plants whole area can be covered and used for grazing. Actual aim of this study was intended to find out the pharmacological activities of the extract of various parts (e.g. roots, stems, leaves, seeds) of Cenchrus Ciliaris and Cenchrus Setigerus and the following evaluations were carried out like-analgesic activity, anti inflammatory and diuretic activity on animal model. The actual goal of this research work was to carry out the pharmacological screening of ethyl acetate (EA) and glacial acetic acid (GAA) extracts of various parts (e.g. roots, stems, leaves, seeds) of Cenchrus Ciliaris and Cenchrus Setigerus. All the extracts of both the plants were found to be safe up to 2000 mg/kg body weight. Finally, 200 mg /kg b.w. and 400 mg /kg b.w. were selected for this study and acute toxicity study revealed the nontoxic nature for each selected plant extracts. From all the test compounds, GAA extracts of both the plants with a dose size of 400 mg/kg body weight were found to be potent in analgesic activity which is comparable to standard, but EA extracts having lower activity, compared to others. Drugs that reduce the total number of writhing upto in 30 minutes can be considered as an effective analgesic. Moreover, group IX (Treated with mixtures of GAA extracts of Cenchrus Ciliaris dissolved in DMSO) is exhibited fairly better activity compared to other extracts. In the same way GAA extracts with higher doses showed significant antiinflammatory activity. The group of II, IX & X was treated by Diclofenac sodium (10 mg/kg b.w.) and GAA extracts of Cenchrus Ciliaris and Cenchrus Setigerus (400 mg/kg body weight) showed maximum inhibition of edema after 5hrs, which was 83.72, 81.37 & 67.45% respectively. The furosemide (10 mg/ kg) and GAA extracts of both the selected plants at higher doses (400 mg/kg) showed potent natriuretic and saliuretic activity as compared to normal control.


Previous studies found that cilostazol has a favorable effect on glucose and lipid homeostasis, endothelial function, atherosclerosis, and vasculo-angiogenesis. However, it is poorly understood whether these effects can translate into better clinical outcomes. This study investigated the outcome effect of cilostazol in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) or at a high risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 266 patients who received cilostazol, 200 mg/day (n = 134) or placebo (n = 132). Pre-specified clinical endpoints including composite major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (CV death, non-fatal myocardial infarct, non-fatal stroke, hospitalization for heart failure, or unplanned coronary revascularization), the composite major coronary event (MCE) and major adverse CV and cerebrovascular event (MACCE), were prospectively assessed. The mean duration of follow-up was 2.9 years. Relative to placebo, cilostazol treatment had a borderline effect on risk reduction of MACE (hazard ratio [HR], 0.67; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34–1.33), whereas the beneficial effect in favor of cilostazol was significant in patients with diabetes mellitus or a history of percutaneous coronary intervention (p for interaction, 0.02 and 0.06, respectively). Use of cilostazol, significantly reduced the risk of MCE (HR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.17–0.86) and MACCE (HR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.23–0.96). A significantly lower risk of angina pectoris (HR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.17–0.86) was also observed in the cilostazol group. After multi-variable adjustment, cilostazol treatment independently predicted a lower risk of MCE. In conclusion, these results suggest cilostazol may have beneficial effects in patients with CAD or at a high risk of CV disease.