The paper reviews figures concerning official external assistance transferred to developing countries for urban development activities during the early 1980's. Only projects with an explicit urban focus are included in analysis, fundamentally shelter, community services, urban transport, integrated urban and regional development and urban management projects. The paper documents the small size of official external assistance flows relative to actual needs. This finding documents the known fact that much of the effort to finance urban development will still have to be made by the countries themselves.


Abstract The roles of arachidonic acid (AA) and protein kinase C (PKC) during in vitro maturation-inducing hormone (MIH)-dependent meiotic resumption (maturation) and ovulation were studied in ovarian follicles of Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus). The requirement for cyclooxygenase (COX) metabolites of AA was examined using a nonspecific COX inhibitor, indomethacin (IM), as well as two COX products, prostaglandin (PG) F2α and PGE2, whereas the role of lipoxygenase (LOX) was investigated using a specific LOX inhibitor, nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA). The involvement of PKC was examined using phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a PKC activator, as well as GF109203X (GF), a specific inhibitor of PKC and 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H7), nonspecific inhibitor of protein kinases. Genomic mechanisms were examined with the transcription-inhibitor actinomycin D (ActD) and the functionality of heterologous (oocyte-granulosa) gap junctions (GJ) with a dye transfer assay. The AA (100 μM) and PGF2α (5 μM) did not induce maturation, and NDGA (10 μM) did not affect MIH-dependent maturation. However, IM (100 μM) partially inhibited MIH-dependent maturation. Conversely, AA and both PGs induced, and IM and NDGA inhibited, MIH-dependent ovulation in matured follicles. The PMA (1 μg/ml) did not induce maturation but caused ovulation in matured follicles, whereas PKC inhibitors (GF, 5 μM; H7, 50 μM) did not affect MIH-dependent maturation but inhibited MIH- and PMA-dependent ovulation. The PMA-dependent ovulation was inhibited by IM but not by NDGA. In addition, ActD (5 μM) blocked MIH-dependent, but not PMA-dependent, ovulation, and PGF2α restored MIH-dependent ovulation in ActD-blocked follicles. The AA and PGs did not induce, and GF did not inhibit, MIH-dependent heterologous GJ uncoupling. In conclusion, AA and PKC mediate MIH-dependent ovulation but not meiotic resumption or heterologous GJ uncoupling in croaker follicles, but a permissive role of COX products of AA during maturation is possible. A novel model of MIH-dependent ovulation is proposed in which 1) LOX and COX metabolites of AA are both required for ovulation, but at upstream and downstream sites of the pathway, respectively, relative to PKC, and 2) PKC is downstream of genomic activation.


In the recent decades, an increasing number of people become overweight, ranging from children to elders. Consequently, a series of diseases come along with obesity. How to control weight effectively is a big concern for most people. In order to improve the awareness of people's diets and calorie intake, this paper develops an application–Fitable, which can help users by calculating calories burned in a particular workout. The foods that Fitable recommends are all based on the lifestyle the user is aiming to achieve. Until now, the app is accessible to Android users.


We continue our investigation of 2+1 flavor QCD thermodynamics using dynamical Wilson fermions in the fixed scale approach. Two additional pion masses, approximately 440 MeV and 285 MeV, are added to our previous work at 545 MeV. The simulations were performed at 3 or 4 lattice spacings at each pion mass. The renormalized chiral condensate, strange quark number susceptibility and Polyakov loop is obtained as a function of the temperature and we observe a decrease in the light chiral pseudo-critical temperature as the pion mass is lowered while the pseudo-critical temperature associated with the strange quark number susceptibility or the Polyakov loop is only mildly sensitive to the pion mass. These findings are in agreement with previous continuum results obtained in the staggered formulation.


The technological advancements in the manufacturing sector confront organizations with the convergence of industrial production and information and communication technologies. The industry is supposed to realize manufacturing of individual products while maintaining economic conditions of mass production. To react to this changing environment, government and industry initiatives have been announced worldwide. Due to international integration and export-orientation of the German economy, Industry 4.0 by the German Federal Government can be considered representative for a global phenomenon of change and disruption. A vital capability to develop in such uncertain and turbulent environments is organizational agility that is defined as the ability of firms to sense environmental change and respond readily. Although well-established consulting agencies already regard organizational agility as a key ability for Industry 4.0, no systematic scientific evidence for this assertion exists. We therefore seek to answer how organizational agility can empower manufacturing companies to manage the change induced by Industry 4.0. We conduct an extensive systematic literature review, examining Industry 4.0-induced changes categorized by change factors from literature. For each category, we examine facets of organizational agility and show how companies can manage change. We discuss our results and provide implications for research and practice.


The financial outcome of an enterprise is perceived to have some relationships with its operational environment. This study analysed the business environment as a correlate of financial performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as to contribute to environment-enterprise policy mechanisms and regulatory framework, industry and management practices. Relevant definitional criteria and World Bank's model were adopted to sample 228 SMEs from 456 via judgmental and convenience techniques. Multifactor business-environment questionnaire (MBEQ) was used to elicit responses from SMEs in a field survey. Enterprise type, activity, product line and financial performance were examined. Results showed dominance of sole proprietorship and services SMEs, multi-product lines, and highly positively correlated financial performance and business environment. Consequently, improved SME-friendly business environment was recommended.


Vaccines have been instrumental in preventing childhood morbidity as well as mortality. It is imperative that health professionals have all the necessary information about a vaccine before its introduction into the routine immunisation schedule. This article looks at the possible introduction of a new pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and reviews a longitudinal carriage study of pneumococcus in UK families to determine pneumococcal carriage rates.


Multimodality of cloud radar Doppler spectra is used to partition cloud particle phases and separate distinct ice populations in the radar sample volume, thereby facilitating the analysis of individual ice showers in multilayered mixed-phase clouds. A 35-GHz cloud radar located at Barrow, Alaska, during the Mixed-Phase Arctic Cloud Experiment collected the Doppler spectra. Data from a pair of collocated depolarization lidars confirmed the presence of two liquid cloud layers reported in this letter. Both of these cloud layers were embedded in ice precipitation yet maintained their liquid. The spectral separation of the ice precipitation yielded two distinct ice populations: the ice initiated within the two liquid cloud layers and the ice precipitation formed in the higher cloud layers. The comparisons of ice fall velocity-versus-radar reflectivity relationships derived for distinct showers reveal that a single relationship does not properly represent the ice showers during this period.


Nepali, an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Nepal along with India and Bhutan, and some parts of Burma, possesses three coronal stops (2 plosives and 1 affricate). Retroflexion is traditionally considered as the distinctive feature between two different types of plosives. Though retroflexion in Nepali is considered- like in the case of other Indo-Aryan languages- a fundamental distinctive articulatory parameter (Bhat 1973, Ladefoged and Bhaskararao 1983, Ladefoged and Maddieson 1996), Pokharel (1989), however, claims that there is no retroflex category in Nepali, because the "so-called" (sic.) Nepali retroflex stops are not produced with the "tongue tip curling back" as it is described in the traditional grammar. In this work, I have tried to show that this claim is just one side of the story and that the "retroflex" as a phonetic and phonological category "does exist" in Nepali. Based on two different palatographic and linguographic studies (of 9 speakers – four females and five males- of Nepal) I have presented a different scenario than that of Pokharel, without completely denying his claim.


A self-powered, and self-actuating lithium ion battery (LIB) has the potential to achieve large deformation while still maintaining actuation force. The energy storage capability allows for continual actuation without an external power source once charged. Reshaping the actuator requires a nonuniform distribution of charge and/or bending stiffness. Spatially varying the state of charge and bending stiffness along the length of a segmented unimorph configuration have the effect of improving the tailorability of the deformed actuator. In this paper, an analytical model is developed to predict the actuation properties of the segmented unimorph beam to determine its usefulness as an actuator. The model predicts the free deflection, blocked deflection, and blocked force at the tip as a function of spatially varying state of charge and bending stiffness. The main contribution of the paper is the development of blocked deflection over the length of the segmented unimorph, which has not yet been considered in the literature. The model is verified using experimental data and commercial finite element analysis.


Multidimensional fibrous carbon scaffolds, derived from carbonized filter papers (CFPs), were used to support SnO2 nanocrystals (NCs, with a size of 4–5 nm) to form a free-standing SnO2NC@CFP hybrid anode for Li-ion batteries. The SnO2NC particles are well accreted on the surfaces of 1D carbon fibers and 2D ultrathin carbon sheets while maintaining 3D interconnected pores of the carbon matrices for fast ionic transport. The SnO2NC@CFP hybrid electrode exhibits long-term higher energy density than the commercial graphite anode, and excellent rate capability, mainly due to good dispersion of SnO2 in the multidimensional conductive carbon. In particular, the reversible deformation of the flexible fibrous carbon matrices, as inferred from in situ Raman spectroscopy and SEM image analysis, facilitates stress release from the active SnO2NCs during discharge–charge cycling while maintaining the structural integrity of the self-supported SnO2NC@CFP anode. These demonstrate that the rational combination of the multidimensional architecture of deformable carbon with nanoscale active materials is ideally suited for high-performance Li-ion batteries.


In a retrospective study we have evaluated the surgical outcome in 46 children with congenital esotropia who were followed up for at least two years. The results support the concept of early operation for congenital esotropia. Evaluation of the effect of simultaneous weakening of the inferior obliques proved statistically that this reduced the effect of recession-resection of the horizontal recti.


ABSTRACT
 Many bioassays of insect species are dependent on the use of laboratory-reared insects. If the purpose of the research is to assess the genetic variance present for an insect trait, e.g., insecticide-resistance monitoring, it is imperative to understand the potential mating dynamics and genetic contributions of adults to the larvae evaluated in bioassays. We report the results of a study utilizing a laboratory-reared colony of Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner). The changes in the population dynamics (e.g., numbers of males, females, fertile egg masses, mated females) were evaluated. Although the numbers of emerging females, living females, mated females and fertile egg masses changed during the experiment, the percentage of total females that were mated did not change (∼54%). The first of the females to emerge were beginning to die as later-emerging females were mating. Results suggest that experimental designs that rely on laboratory-reared O. nubilalis will need to test larvae from several nights of oviposition to better ensure that the total genetic composition of the population is sampled.


Isolated zygomatic arch fractures are common fractures in maxillofacial trauma. These fractures can trigger a functional alteration in the mouth opening and closing. Until now, there is no published classification of an isolated zygomatic arch fracture that contains the presence or not of coronoid impingement. So we propose a new classification that is easy to handle and has the largest number of scenarios that can occur in this type of fracture. The isolated zygomatic arch fracture is classified as Type I: Nondisplaced fractures, Type II: Greenstick fracture with or without coronoid impingement, Type III: Single displaced fracture with or without coronoid impingement, Type IV: Multiple displaced fracture with or without coronoid impingement, Type V: Comminuted fracture with or without coronoid impingement. We consider it to be a comprehensive classification, with general concepts of bone fractures, that can be incorporated into professional daily practice.


A 36-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with abdominal pain, nausea, weight loss and malaise. He had worked as a painter for 2 months. Laboratory testing showed anemia, liver dysfunction and elevated blood lead concentration. After administration of oral D-penicillamine, his urinary lead excretion increased significantly. His abdominal pain resolved after 5 days. His clinical course was otherwise uneventful. His anemia and liver dysfunction resolved after 2 months. His blood lead concentration remained normal for a year after discharge without recurrence of plumbism. Physicians should be aware of the clinical features of plumbism because early diagnosis is difficult. J Med Cases. 2014;5(4):187-193 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc1698w


This is an illustrated exploration of the artists, their lives and contexts, with a gallery of 290 of their greatest paintings. It offers a vivid account of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, who sought to defy the modern aesthetic and to return to classical artistic ideals. It includes fascinating biographies of key members of the brotherhood, including John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt, and Ford Madox Brown, among others. It features a beautiful gallery of all of the Pre-Raphaelites' most significant works accompanied by an in-depth analysis of their style and technique. It explores the ethos of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, how it was represented through art, and how it was received by contemporary critics. It is lavishly illustrated with 500 stunning images. This impressive new book opens by looking at key Pre-Raphaelite artists in turn, documenting the artists' lives and the development of their talents. The stories behind some of the group's most iconic paintings, such as Millais' Ophelia, are also detailed. There follows a stunning gallery of more than 290 Pre-Raphaelite works. Each painting is accompanied by an insightful analysis that explains the significance of the work. This is an essential volume for anyone wanting to learn more about the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and their ethos, and offers the opportunity to study their greatest works in one beautiful collection.


BACKGROUND
Bed rest at home or in the hospital is a commonly prescribed treatment for women experiencing complications of pregnancy. This focused ethnographic study examined bed rest from the high-risk pregnant woman's perspective and compared perceptions of women cared for in the home with those in hospital.

METHODS
A convenience sample of 24 pregnant women who had been on bed rest for at least seven days was recruited from the antepartum unit of a tertiary care hospital and from an antepartum home care program in western Canada. Data were collected in 1994 through interviews and participant diaries. Content analysis was used to identify themes.

RESULTS
Bed rest had a significant emotional and social impact on pregnant women and their families in both settings. Overall, bed rest in hospital seemed to be associated with more sources of stress than at home. In hospital, women had to cope with separation from home and family, lack of privacy, hospital discomforts, and incompatible roommates, whereas women at home struggled with role reversal and the temptation to do more activity than was recommended. Stressors not unique to but exacerbated by hospitalization included concerns about the children, a sense of missing out, a sense of confinement and being a prisoner, boredom, feelings of depression and loneliness, and negative impact on the relationship with their partner.

CONCLUSION
Study findings raise questions about the appropriateness of routine prescription of bed rest. Health care professionals should propose and develop home care programs as an alternative to antepartum hospitalization.


Objectives/Research Problem: Honey is a natural product produced by honey bees and consists of a complex mixture of sugars. As such, the effects of Trigona bee honey (X1: 1.14-118.86 ratio), Mellifera honey (X2: 1.14-118.86 ratio), and Dorsata honey (X3: 1.14-118.86 ratio) on the overall level of the total phenolic content (Y1) were investigated in this study.Materials and Method: Response surface methodology was used to evaluate the combination of Trigona bee honey, Mellifera honey and Dorsata honey that could achieve the maximum recovery of total phenolic content (TPC).Results and Discussion: The highest TPC readings were obtained from the ratio of Trigona bee honey, Mellifera honey and Dorsata honey at 95:25:25. The second order of polynomial model (y = 0.27 + 0.03 X1 - 0.021 X2 - 0.020 X3) produced satisfactory results of the experimental data as the coefficient of determination (R2) for TPC was 0.5519, while its R2 (adjusted) was 0.4751, with an overall regression value of 0.0038. The value of lack-of-fit test was noted to be high with a reading of 0.1124 for the TPC analysis, signifying the suitability of the model in accurately predicting the variations. Predicted values for of TPC were in agreement with those of the experimental values.Conclusion: Overall, the response surface methodology was successfully implemented in producing a model/equation that could give the highest combination effect on TPC value of Trigona bee honey, Mellifera honey and Dorsata where the highers contribution of phenolic content by Trigona bee honey.


This article asks two related questions: Is digital media studies a discipline, and should scholars within the field desire to move toward disciplinarity? Drawing on the writings of Michel Foucualt and Pierre Bourdieu, as well as several Anglo-American cultural studies of disciplinarity, the essay argues that digital media studies has not yet constituted a truly novel scholarly discourse. Because of that, our reasons for disciplinizing—to the extent that it is possible to choose to become a discipline—would be largely strategic. Given that the field is already successfully reproducing itself, the symbolic benefits of becoming a discipline are relatively limited, and such a move would also have significant intellectual costs.


We consider an infinite-horizon single-product pricing problem in which a fraction of customers is patient and the remaining fraction is impatient. A patient customer will wait up to some fixed number of time periods for the price of the product to fall below his or her valuation at which point the customer will make a purchase. If the price does not fall below a patient customer's valuation at any time during those periods, then that customer will leave without buying. In contrast, impatient customers will not wait, and either buy immediately or leave without buying. We prove that there is an optimal dynamic pricing policy comprised of repeating cycles of decreasing prices. We obtain bounds on the length of these cycles, and we exploit these results to produce an efficient dynamic programming approach for computing such an optimal policy. We also consider problems in which customers have variable levels of patience. For such problems, cycles of decreasing prices may no longer be optimal, but numerical ex...


Logistic Regression (LR) is the most widely used machine learning model in industry for its efficiency, robustness, and interpretability. Due to the problem of data isolation and the requirement of high model performance, many applications in industry call for building a secure and efficient LR model for multiple parties. Most existing work uses either Homomorphic Encryption (HE) or Secret Sharing (SS) to build secure LR. HE based methods can deal with high-dimensional sparse features, but they incur potential security risks. SS based methods have provable security, but they have efficiency issue under high-dimensional sparse features. In this paper, we first present CAESAR, which combines HE and SS to build secure large-scale sparse logistic regression model and achieves both efficiency and security. We then present the distributed implementation of CAESAR for scalability requirement. We have deployed CAESAR in a risk control task and conducted comprehensive experiments. Our experimental results show that CAESAR improves the state-of-the-art model by around 130 times.


Hemispheric functional changes and interhemispheric interactions were studied by the bioelectrical parameters of asymmetry in the unilateral brain damage. The magnitude of interhemispheric asymmetry was found to depend upon the site of injury, achieving its maximum at the right-sided localization of a pathological process and slightly changing at the left hemispheric tumor site. The application of functional tests was accompanied by profound increases in asymmetry as compared with the baseline. The findings may be an informative predictive tests for the course of an inflammatory process.


This article is as a brief commentary to another manuscript which recently has been published in an internal medicine journal (La revue de medecine interne 2017) about thymoma and autoimmune diseases. The present article gives explanation about the increased risk of appearance of SLE as an autoimmune disease after removing the thmus from the body. The probable responsible pathologic mechanisms will be clarified and also, few clinical characteristics which may predict SLE after thymectomy will be pointed out. However, these features should be evaluated in future research studies.


As the rising up Including terrorist crimes in our society due to issues politics, economy, poverty, religion and ethnic conflicts. Many ways and techniques have been tried to crack down Reviews those crimes, but unfortunately the Efforts to seize person or group of suspected criminal is far from our expectation. Face recognition is one of techniques Introduced by many Researchers for the last Decades with many methods and approaches they tried to Recognize a person based on his or his faces. Some of the methods such as face recognition with Query by Example (QBE) using shape, color, and texture to match a query face with the face in the database; however the result is not good enough to Recognize the faces. One of the problems of face recognition by QBE is sometime we do not have a picture or a face image to the make QBE. In order to sort it out the problem, in this research we will try to introduce of face recognition method by generating a face image by a face sketch.Many sketch based face recognition was Introduced by some Researchers and experts, but most of reviews their methods have been applied directly inputting a sketch into a database the which is very costly and Involved a complex algorithm. In addition to the research, we are applying our proposed method compressed into face images, as the compressed images will save storage and unsumming the algorithm. KEY WORD S:  Query by Example, Face recognition, criminal


The effectiveness of parallel processing depends on the type of algorithm parallelization and hardware architecture. It is important to estimate the projected effectiveness of parallelization of the problem for a particular hardware platform, took place at the earliest stage of development. For this purpose, are encouraged to develop an analytical model predictions of the future performance of hardware-software system. For each parallel algorithmic structures (parallel algorithm) of the submission of the main set is the conclusion the most important performance characteristics: acceleration factor, efficiency and scalability. The adequacy of the developed analytical model for predicting the efficacy of the treatment is confirmed in practice.


We jointly applied immunofluorescence technique, RT-PCR assay and flow cytometer to evaluate the stability of a cell model persistently infected by Classical swine fever virus (CSFV39), which was established by our laboratory and named CSFV39-PK15. The experiment results indicated that this cell model was quite stable. Even in the 128th CSFV39-PK15 passage cells, we still could detect the existence of CSFV39. Both immunofluorescence antibody test and RT-PCR assay showed positive results. We also found there was no significant difference in their cell cycle between normal control PK-15 and CSFV39-PK15. Sequence homology analysis of the same fragment revealed that CSFV39 had the highest homology compared with Shimen strain, amounting to 99.02%.


Despite the substantial improvements in agricultural productivity owing to technological progress, the poor in agriculturally marginal areas are overlooked and left behind. Nearly a billion people still live in poverty, the majority of whom happen to be in developing countries, with a larger share of those who are poor living on marginal lands. Food insecurity is a vicious reality in the everyday lives of these marginalized poor, and the threat of food insecurity and hunger is becoming even more serious and imminent, with increasing trends in population growth. Climate change is expected to add yet more weight to this equation and to pose greater risks for the livelihoods of these communities. In spite of the challenges faced, addressing marginal agriculture systems and poverty is vital to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this paper, we investigate the historical policy perspective towards marginal areas to pinpoint potential shortcomings in the policy environment. Subsequently, we present a roadmap to future research engagement and develop a policy framework, with instruments and strategies focusing on the food–poverty–environment nexus, to target poverty reduction, preserve biodiversity, and restore marginal lands. Our analysis of historical policies reveals that conventional policy approaches towards marginal agriculture have been conducive to favorable areas (specific to input-responsive crops only), neglecting marginal areas. Future policies to address the food–poverty–environment nexus within marginal environments must evolve around a framework that is all-inclusive but context-specific. Agricultural and other public investments should be prioritized geographically in accordance with the characteristics of marginality hotspots. Policy instruments should encourage long-term solutions to enhance productivity through regenerative production systems and preserve the environmental resource base.


AIM
Osseous defects of the human skeleton are a common problem in reconstructive orthopaedic and trauma surgery. In spite of a long-standing history of research on different organic and inorganic bone replacement materials, a clinically applicable alternative to autogenous bone transplants has not been found.

METHODS
The current paper describes a novel bone replacement material, which is vitalised through injection of autologous bone marrow. Industrially processed bone allografts were used for bone replacement; the cancellous bone graft was gained from femoral heads from living human donors and processed by a French tissue bank (Banque de Tissus France, TBF). Sterile packed allogenic bone grafts can be stored at room temperature, are easy to handle and can be adapted to almost every bone defect due to their stability and versatility.

RESULTS
From July 2003 to February 2006 125 patients,70 men and 55 women, underwent bone grafting with composite transplants composed of autogenous marrow cells and industrial processed bone allografts. The average age at surgery was 62 (14-84) years; the follow-up period was 11 months. The indication to use the allograft included the whole spectrum of bony defects conventionally treated with autologous cancellous bone grafts such as primary and revision surgery in THA (n = 64) and the treatment of pseudarthrosis particularly of the lower limb (n = 30).

CONCLUSION
In comparison to current bone replacement materials applied in clinical use, this approach promises to replicate the biomechanical and biological properties of autogenous cancellous bone. This is an important advantage over conventional approaches to ensure successful healing and regeneration of bone defects. Hence application of vitalised bone allograft represents an important alternative to conventional autogenous cancellous bone which avoids certain complications associated with harvesting and transplantation of autogenous bone. This applies in particular in situations in which harvesting of autogenous cancellous bone is not or no longer possible.


In this study, rapidly solidified Co-Sn-Ti and Co-Sn-Si alloys were investigated as candidate cathodic materials for lithium-ion batteries. (Co0.5Sn0.5)1-xTix (x=0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) and (Co0.5Sn0.5)0.9Si0.1 alloys were produced by Ar arc-melting. These alloys were further rapidly solidified into ribbons by the single-roll melt-spinning method. Constituent phases in the ribbons were identified by XRD, indicating that all of the alloys were composed of crystalline multi-phases with no amorphous phase. The microstructure of the ribbons was observed by SEM and TEM, and the chemical composition of constituent phases was analyzed by TEM-EDS. It is found from the SEM and TEM observations that the grain size of the constituent phases ranged from tens to hundreds nanometers due to the rapid solidification effect.


Several methods for the bioanalysis of nerve agents or their metabolites have been developed for the verification of nerve agent exposure. However, parent nerve agents and known metabolites are generally rapidly excreted from biological matrixes typically used for analysis (i.e., blood, urine, and tissues), limiting the amount of time after an exposure that verification is feasible. In this study, hair was evaluated as a long-term repository of nerve agent hydrolysis products. Pinacolyl methylphosphonic acid (PMPA; hydrolysis product of soman) and isopropyl methylphosphonic acid (IMPA; hydrolysis product of sarin) were extracted from hair samples with N,N-dimethylformamide and subsequently analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Limits of detection for PMPA and IMPA were 0.15 μg/kg and 7.5 μg/kg and linear ranges were 0.3-150 μg/kg and 7.5-750 μg/kg, respectively. To evaluate the applicability of the method to verify nerve agent exposure well after the exposure event, rats were exposed to soman, hair was collected after approximately 30 days, and stored for up to 3.5 years prior to initial analysis. PMPA was positively identified in 100% of the soman-exposed rats (N = 8) and was not detected in any of the saline treated animals (N = 6). The hair was reanalyzed 5.5 years after exposure and PMPA was detected in 6 of the 7 (one of the soman-exposed hair samples was completely consumed in the analysis at 3.5 years) rat hair samples (with no PMPA detected in the saline exposed animals). Although analysis of CWA metabolites from hair via this technique is not appropriate as a universal method to determine exposure (i.e., it takes time for the hair to grow above the surface of the skin and typical analysis times are >24 h), it complements existing methods and could become the preferred method for verification of exposure if 10 or more days have elapsed after a suspected exposure.


Amitori and Sakiyama bays are located in the northwest in Iriomote Island, Okinawa, Japan. The both bays have various natural environment and no access roads, and their bay perimeters are uninhabited. Therefore, in the bays, abundant coral reef ecosystem remains in nature. Sakiyama bay has been designated as a natural environmental protection area in 1983, and the area was also expanded to Amitori Bay in 2015. Various reef-building corals inhabit in the bays. The reef-building coral distributions are affected by various physical factors (Shimokawa et al. 2014). Soil particles from rivers is one of the physical factors and disturb photosynthesis of zooxanthella by getting sea water muddy. Also, soil particles accumulating on coral's body surface cause damages to their molluscous parts and their respiratory failures (Yamazato, 1991). This study aims to clarify the property of soil particles in the bays and its relationship to the coral distribution. For the purpose, we analyze behavior of soil particles by numerical simulation using the method called particle tracking analysis in which the tracers regarded as soil particles are released in flow fields of the bays calculated by an ocean model (Murakami et al. 2013). However, their observational confirmation is weak only by using this method. Therefore, to obtain the observational confirmation, we conducted SPSS (content of Suspended Particles in Sea Sediment) analysis for the bays and investigate the relationship between the SPSS values and the numbers of soil particles calculated by particle tracking analysis. SPSS is a method to estimate the amount of soil particles originated from land in ocean floor material by visibility of a mixture of the floor material and clear water (Omija, 2003), is used as an index of soil quantities influencing on coral distribution. Field observations for SPSS were conducted in July 2013, October 2014 and August 2015. The SPSS values were high from the inner part to the middle part of east coast in Amitori Bay. In Sakiyama Bay, they were high in the northeast of the inner part of the bay, whereas they were low around the reef edge facing the open ocean. Then, the SPSS values and the numbers of soil particles calculated by particle tracking analysis show proportional relations in all periods in Amitori Bay. In the presentation, we will show the details of those results and their relationship to coral distributions in the bays. References: Shimokawa, S., T. Murakami, A. Ukai, H. Kohno, A. Mizutani and K. Nakase, 2014, Relationship between coral distributions and physical variables in Amitori Bay, Iriomote Island, Japan, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 119, 8336-8356 (doi:10.1002/2014JC010307). Yamazato, K, 1991, Sango no seibutugaku [Biology of Coral], University of Tokyo Press, pp.136-138 Murakami, T., A. Ukai, K. Noguchi, H. Kohno, A. Mizutani, S. Shimokawa, K. Nakase, J. Yoshino, 2013, Numerical analysis of sediment transport in Amitori Bay, Iriomote Island, Japan, J. Jpn. Soc. Civ. Eng. B3, 69, I_928-I_933 Omija T., 2003, Convenient measuring method of content of suspended particles in sea sediment, Okinawa Prefectural Institute of Health and Environment, 37, I_99-I_104 ACG15-P06 Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2016


The abundance of digital content requires cost-effective technologies to extract the hidden meaning from media objects. However, current approaches fail to deal with the challenges related to cross-media analysis, metadata publishing, querying and recommendation that are necessary to overcome this challenge. In this paper, we describe the EU project MICO (Media in Context) which aims to provide the necessary technologies based on open-source software (OSS) core components.


Soybean plants (Glycine max L. Merr. var. Hawkeye), grown in nutrient solutions maintained at graded concentrations showed a large response in both shoot dry weight and total ion uptake. Growth rate was dependent upon nutrient concentration, even when quantity of nutrient was not limiting. Peak periods for absorption of specific ions at certain growth stages were not exhibited. Rates of ion uptake by soybeans were generally proportional to the growth rate during the period of major growth. It is suggested that a dilute nutrient solution could provide sufficient nutrients for adequate root growth prior to major shoot growth, at which time a more concentrated nutrient solution is needed.


Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare the effects of dose rate on volumetric-modulated arc therapy plans to determine optimal dose rates for prostate and head and neck (HN) cases. Materials and Methods: Ten prostate and ten HN cases were retrospectively studied. For each case, seven plans were generated: one variable dose rate (VDR) and six constant dose rate (CDR) (100–600 monitor units [MUs]/min) plans. Prescription doses were: 80 Gy to planning target volume (PTV) for the prostate cases, and 70, 60, and 54 Gy to PTV1, PTV2, and PTV3, respectively, for HN cases. Plans were normalized to 95% of the PTV and PTV1, respectively, with the prescription dose. Plans were assessed using Dose-Volume-Histogram metrics, homogeneity index, conformity index, MUs, and delivery time. Results: For the prostate cases, significant differences were found for rectum D35 between VDR and all CDR plans, except CDR500. Furthermore, VDR was significantly different than CDR100 and 200 for bladder D50. Delivery time for all CDR plans and MUs for CDR400–600 were significantly higher when compared to VDR. HN cases showed significant differences between VDR and CDR100, 500 and 600 for D2 to the cord and brainstem. Significant differences were found for delivery time and MUs for all CDR plans, except CDR100 for number of MUs. Conclusion: The most significant differences were observed in delivery time and number of MUs. All-in-all, the best CDR for prostate cases was found to be 300 MUs/min and 200 or 300 MUs/min for HN cases. However, VDR plans are still the choice in terms of MU efficiency and plan quality.


A silicon integrated LNA for WCDMA cellular infrastructure applications, e.g., base stations will be demonstrated. The LNA is designed for WCDMA band II, i.e., 1.92-1.98 GHz, and reaches a 0.9 dB NF at 27°C and 1.2 dB at 65°C. A 0.1 dB NF improvement is obtained when the first gain stage is implemented using a cascode topology rather than a two-stage topology. The output IP3 is +40 dBm (+38 dBm) at 27°C and +37 dBm (+36 dBm) at 65°C for the two-stage (cascode) topology. Both options have an input return loss better than 20 dB and output return loss better than 20 dB. A bypass mode and variable attenuation are provided to cope with large input signals. Implemented in a SiGe:C BiCMOS technology, the two-die MMIC is packaged on a single laminate. The total solution consumes just below 200 mA from a 5 V supply.


Isolated human, monkey, and dog coronary arteries treated with propranolol responded to norepinephrine with concentration-related contractions; the magnitude was in the order of human greater than monkey greater than dog arteries. Phenylephrine also contracted these arteries, whereas clonidine produced contractions only in the primate arteries. Contractile responses of human coronary arteries to norepinephrine were not influenced by removal of endothelium. Norepinephrine-induced contractions of human and monkey coronary arteries were attenuated by prazosin and yohimbine in a dose-dependent manner; however, the amine-induced contractions of dog coronary arteries were attenuated only by prazosin. Diltiazem, a Ca2+ antagonist, relaxed human and dog coronary arteries contracted with norepinephrine to a similar extent, but produced a greater relaxation in the human arteries when partially contracted with prostaglandin F2 alpha. These findings suggest that alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors are involved in the amine-induced contraction in human and monkey coronary arteries, whereas only alpha 1-receptors are involved in dog artery contraction. Human coronary artery contractions induced by norepinephrine do not appear to be more susceptible to Ca2+ antagonists than the dog artery contractions, which does not provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that Ca2+ antagonists interfere with contractions mediated by alpha 2-receptors to a greater extent than those mediated by alpha 1-receptors in large human coronary arteries.


Despite their global popularity and relevance to Communication for Development (C4D), TED talks have not yet been systematically examined from the vantage point of C4D. We offer the first theoretical and empirical investigation of both content and structure of talks on international development by leveraging definitions of C4D as well as literature on mediatization, rituals in international relations, and online activism. Our analysis suggests that TED talks succeed in disseminating ideas and sparking public interest. At the same time, they reflect institutionalized, corporatized modes of mass communication rooted in elitist discourses and practices. Contrary to popular perceptions, we therefore conclude that while TED talks are an effective vehicle for information dissemination, they are an unlikely catalyst for social change.


Knowledge of the morphological variations of the anterior clinoid process is pertinent during anterior clinoidectomy to prevent injury to the adjacent neurovascular structures as well as in the interpretation of skull base radiographs. Fifty-one open crania (102 anterior clinoid processes) were obtained from the Departments of Human Anatomy in three Kenyan Universities. Caroticoclinoid foramen was present in nine (17.6%) out of the 51 skulls studied. Of the 9 skulls, 2 had bilateral complete foramina while the remaining 7 had unilateral foramina, all on the left side. The mean length of the anterior clinoid process ranged between 5.0 and 18.8mm with a mean of 10.92±2.79 mm. The mean width was found to be 10.43±2.67 mm (range: 5.3-18.0mm) while the average thickness was 5.43±2.02mm (range: 1.3-11.9mm). There were no statistically significant side differences in the dimensions of the anterior clinoid process. Type IIIb anterior clinoid process was the commonest (47.1%) while type IIIa was the least common (7.8%). Compared to other populations, the anterior clinoid process in our setting shows some differences involving its type and the caroticoclinoid foramen. These features should be taken into account when interpreting skull base radiographs and planning for anterior clinoidectomies. Keywords: Clinoid Process, Kenya, Morphology


Combining Gaussian processes with the expressive power of deep neural networks is commonly done nowadays through deep kernel learning (DKL). Unfortunately, due to the kernel optimization process, this often results in losing their Bayesian benefits. In this study, we present a novel approach for learning deep kernels by utilizing infinite-width neural networks. We propose to use the Neural Network Gaussian Process (NNGP) model as a guide to the DKL model in the optimization process. Our approach harnesses the reliable uncertainty estimation of the NNGPs to adapt the DKL target confidence when it encounters novel data points. As a result, we get the best of both worlds, we leverage the Bayesian behavior of the NNGP, namely its robustness to overfitting, and accurate uncertainty estimation, while maintaining the generalization abilities, scalability, and flexibility of deep kernels. Empirically, we show on multiple benchmark datasets of varying sizes and dimensionality, that our method is robust to overfitting, has good predictive performance, and provides reliable uncertainty estimations.


PURPOSE
This laboratory study investigated the effects of PVP-iodine solutions with varying pH and calcium concentrations on enamel remineralization and fluoridation by subsequent treatment with fluoride varnish.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Caries-like lesions were created in bovine enamel specimens (n = 15 per group) and characterized using Vickers surface microhardness (VHN). Specimens were treated with 10% PVP-iodine solutions varying in calcium concentration (0/10/100 mM) and pH (3.0/4.0/5.0), followed by 5% sodium fluoride varnish. A fluoride varnish-only control group was included. Specimens were then placed into artificial saliva for 16 h. The varnish was removed, hardness measured and enamel fluoride uptake (EFU) determined using the microbiopsy technique. Data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA.

RESULTS
Groups receiving PVP-iodine pre-treatments exhibited directionally greater rehardening (range: p = 0.0001 - 0.7008) and EFU (p = 0.0001-0.2670) than the control group. The presence of calcium in the pre-treatment enhanced rehardening. the groups '10mM Ca/pH 3.0' (∆VHN = 10.5 ± 6.3), '100mM Ca/pH 3.0' (∆VHN = 9.7 ± 4.1) and '10mM Ca/pH 5.0' (∆VHN = 8.7 ± 7.0) displayed the highest numerical gain vs the control (∆VHN=3.6±2.2). Different pH values had a minor effect on rehardening and EFU. The calcium effect was more pronounced for EFU than for rehardening with all three '100 mM Ca' groups exhibiting higher EFU (7.0 - 7.2 µg F/cm2) than all other groups (6.1 - 6.9 µg F/cm2).

CONCLUSION
PVP-iodine pre-treatments can be modified to enhance the rehardening and fluoridating effect of fluoride varnishes, thereby potentially improving their ability to prevent caries in vivo. Although numerical differences between groups were small, the addition of high concentrations of calcium paired with a low pH appears most favorable under the present conditions.


Doxorubicin (Dox) is an antitumor drug that has been used as a chemotherapeutic agent in the clinic for over 30 years. Dox treatments have been hindered by significant dose limiting cardiotoxic effects resulting in irreversible cardiomyopathy. A Dox variant, Doxazolidine (Doxaz) is a Dox-formaldehyde conjugate discovered in the Koch lab. Doxaz operates via a distinct mechanism, and exhibits an improved therapeutic profile compared to Dox. Doxaz suffers from poor aqueous stability; however, stabilization of Doxaz has been achieved through the use of enzymatically activated carbamate prodrugs. This thesis presents the synthesis and preliminary evaluation of Doxaz prodrugs intended for commercialization. The prodrugs contain the active platform therapeutic (Doxaz), an enzyme cleavage site, a self-eliminating spacer to increase cleavage efficiency, and in some cases, a maleimide moiety for passive targeting through albumin biniding. The enzymes targeted are proteases such as plasmin and cathepsin B. Also presented are prodrugs aimed at tumor associated hypoxia and enzymes such as NQO1 and NQO2. The synthesis of these prodrugs places an emphasis on scalable manufacturing processes. These prodrugs are currently, or will be undergoing complete biological characterization and animal studies in varying species.


Controlled syntheses in nanoscale structures should be expected and phosphorous nanotubes with predefined chiralities are important in electronic devices with tunable bandgap. Here, incorporating molecular dynamics simulations with theoretical analyses, we show that a zigzag phosphorene nanoribbon can self-assemble and form a corresponding chiral phosphorous nanotube surrounding a template armchair phosphorous nanotube. The van der Waals potential between the nanoribbon and the nanotube is transformed to the intrinsic deformed and chemical bonding energies of the synthesized tube together with partial kinetic energy. The self-assembly process has an apparent temperature dependence and size effect and the formed chiral tube is thermodynamically stable. Also, the chirality and measurement can be tuned by the radius of template tube and the aspect ratio of raw ribbon. The study suggests a novel and feasible approach for controlled synthesis of phosphorous nanotubes and thus is of great interest for semiconductor device applications.


Introduction Oligomerization of amino acids can provide a clue to the origin of life because it is a fundamental step of protein synthesis. Under high pressure, increases of intermolecular interactions result in chemical reaction which cannot proceed under ambient condition. Oligomerization of amino acids was reported from experiments under high pressure and high temperature conditions simulating impact of comets, hydrothermal vents, diagenesis in sub-seafloor sedimentary environments (e.g., Sugahara and Mimura, 2015; Imai and Honda, 2010; Otake et al., 2011). In these experiments, both high pressure and high temperature are the important factors for amino acids oligomerization. However, it is unknown which factor is more efficient for forming oligomers. In this study, we focus on exclusive effect of high pressure on oligomerization reaction. We tested oligomerization of L-alanine under a room temperature and high-pressure condition. Fujimoto et al. (2015) reported pressure-induced oligomerization of L-alanine up to the trimer using GC-MS analysis (Fig 1). In the present study, we used LC-MSMS to detect higher oligomers. Experimental procedures All high-pressure experiments were carried out at 25 °C. Starting material was loaded in a high-pressure cell with three different conditions: wet, dry and solution (wet: L-Alanine powder with its saturated aqueous solution. dry: L-alanine powder. solution: saturated L-alanine aqueous solution.). Sample was compressed using a large-volume opposed-anvil apparatus or a "Kawai-type" multi-anvil apparatus. Experimental runs were conducted at pressures of approximately 5 GPa, 7 GPa, 9 GPa, 11 GPa, and 16 GPa using an opposed-anvil apparatus and 18 GPa and 23 GPa using a multi-anvil apparatus. After decompression to ambient pressure, run products were dissolved in pure water and analyzed using LC-MSMS. Results and discussion Alanine dimer was detected from all the run products. With increasing pressure, the yields of alanylalanine increased for each experimental condition (wet, dry, and solution). At pressures higher than 9 GPa, formation of alanine trimer was detected and the yield increased with pressure. These results are consistent with the results of Fujimoto et al. (2015). It is noteworthy that oligomerization of alanine occurred under water-coexisting conditions. In the pressure and temperature conditions applied in this study, water in the samples existed as ice VII, the oligomerization observed here was a solid-phase reaction. Higher oligomers were detected from the samples recovered from high pressure. Under the wet condition, the formed oligomers decreased with increasing the oligomer size and the largest oligomer detected was 8-mer. This study revealed that oligomerization of amino acids occurs under high pressure at room temperature with existence of water as ice VII which is known to exist in the interiors of icy planets. This study proposes an interior of an icy planet as a new abiotic condition for oligomerization of amino acids.


Single crystal Ni-base superalloys based on the  /  system are widely used in gas turbine applications. To understand the formation of  precipitates, including size distribution and growth, we performed in situ small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements at elevated temperatures and - together with TEM as well as , SEM imaging - studied changes in the precipitates in short and long time scale. In the early stages, a bimodal precipitate size distribution of precipitate is observed, which (depending on the annealing temperature) changes to a cuboidal or nearly spherical morphology with almostmore or less uniform ( unimodal) size distribution. [Note: The term "more or less" is several times repeated in the text. I cannot imagine what it in fact means. Could you change it or explain in a more clear way]


CNS lesions induce production of ECM molecules that inhibit axon regeneration. One major inhibitory family is the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs). Reduction of their glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains with chondroitinase ABC leads to increased axon regeneration that does not extend well past the lesion. Chondroitinase ABC, however, is unable to completely digest the GAG chains from the protein core, leaving an inhibitory "stub" carbohydrate behind. We used a newly designed DNA enzyme, which targets the mRNA of a critical enzyme that initiates glycosylation of the protein backbone of PGs, xylosyltransferase-1. DNA enzyme administration to TGF-β-stimulated astrocytes in culture reduced specific GAG chains. The same DNA enzyme applied to the injured spinal cord led to a strong reduction of the GAG chains in the lesion penumbra and allowed axons to regenerate around the core of the lesion. Our experiments demonstrate the critical role of PGs, and particularly those in the penumbra, in causing regeneration failure in the adult spinal cord.


Morphologic changes of erythropoietic cells in the bone marrow of 19 lead intoxicated patients are reported. In addition to clinical manifestations the toxic action of lead was verified by the laboratory findings: high lead blood values, increased coproporphyrinuria and characteristic findings in peripheral blood.

Qualitative changes of erythroblasts were constantly present in all smears examined. Abnormalities most frequently observed were: (a) basophilic stippling, (b) polyploidy, (c) nuclear alterations ("karyorrhexis"), and (d) aberrant chromosomes. The incideces of some of these changes have been given.

The mechanism by which these changes might be brought about is discussed; the role of interruption of cytokinesis and karyokinesis is emphasized.


The wetting properties of four typical Sn-based solders, i.e., Sn-37Pb, Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu, Sn-0.7Cu and Sn-9Zn, on copper (Cu) and aluminum (Al) substrates at 250 °C, 260 °C and 270 °C were evaluated and compared by wetting balance method. The experimental results show that the wetting time of all solders on Cu substrate is shorter than that on Al substrate, but the wetting force of the solders with Cu substrate is bigger than that with Al substrate except Sn-9Zn solder. In addition, the wettability of the solders on Al substrate increases with increasing soldering temperature, and the wetting force of Sn-9Zn increases most obviously among four solders and reach 3.68 mN at 270 °C. The results also show that the wettability of the solders on Cu substrate mainly depends on surface tension of solder alloy, however, it depends on both surface tension and interaction with Al on Al substrate. Due to the active element Zn riches on the surface of Sn-9Zn solder, and Zn solid solutes into Al more easily, the wettability of Sn-9Zn solder on Al substrate is better than other three solders.


Tobacco smoking is one of the most important risk factors for the development of oral mucosal lesions such as leukoplakia and hairy tongue. Controversy exists in the literature, however, about the prevalence of oral lesions in smokers. The aim of this study was to evaluate oral lesions in male smokers compared with nonsmokers in Hamadan. A total of 516 male participants were assessed, 258 of whom were smokers and 258 of whom were healthy nonsmokers. The prevalence of lesions was evaluated by clinical observation and biopsy. We found that the most prevalent lesions among smokers were gingival problems and coated tongue; smokers had significantly more lesions than did nonsmokers. Malignant and premalignant lesions were found in a higher age range. Among all participants in our study, we found a large number of oral mucosal lesions in smokers that had a strong correlation with smoking. Dental services need to implement care and health education for smokers to promote health.


OBJECTIVES
Drinking water chlorination generates trihalomethanes and other by-products with mutagenic and carcinogenic properties in animal experiments. Epidemiological studies have associated trihalomethanes to an increased risk of bladder cancer. We evaluate trihalomethane levels in four Spanish areas and calculate the bladder cancer risk attributable to this exposure.

METHODS
Trihalomethanes have been analysed in 111 drinking water samples from four Spanish areas using gas chromatography. Water utilities were contacted and information on drinking water consumption in Spain has been collected. We reviewed the epidemiological studies that assess the association between bladder cancer risk and exposure to chlorination by-products. Attributable risk was calculated on the basis of these levels, mortality data per area and risk estimates obtained from the literature.

RESULTS
Mediterranean areas present the highest levels of trihalomethanes with 81, 80, 61 and 52 µg/l in Sabadell, Alicante, Barcelona and Manresa respectively. Lower levels are found in Tenerife and Asturias with 7 and 20 µg/l respectively. The bladder cancer attributable risk in high trihalomethane exposure areas may be, on average, around 20%.

CONCLUSIONS
The trihalomethane levels found are high compared to those of other European Union countries. In the high exposure areas, drinking water chlorination may generate a considerable number of bladder cancer cases. These estimations have to be carefully interpreted and verified with more extensive studies.


Active volcanism observed on Io is thought to be driven by the temporally periodic, spatially differential projection of Jupiter's gravitational field over the moon. Previous theoretical estimates of the tidal heat have all treated Io as essentially a solid, with fluids addressed only through adjustment of rheological parameters rather than through appropriate extension of the dynamics. These previous estimates of the tidal response and associated heat generation on Io are therefore incomplete and possibly erroneous because dynamical aspects of the fluid behavior are not permitted in the modeling approach. Here we address this by modeling the partial-melt asthenosphere as a global layer of fluid governed by the Laplace Tidal Equations. Solutions for the tidal response are then compared with solutions obtained following the traditional solid-material approach. It is found that the tidal heat in the solid can match that of the average observed heat flux (nominally 2.25 W m−2), though only over a very restricted range of plausible parameters, and that the distribution of the solid tidal heat flux cannot readily explain a longitudinal shift in the observed (inferred) low-latitude heat fluxes. The tidal heat in the fluid reaches that observed over a wider range of plausible parameters, and can also readily provide the longitudinal offset. Finally, expected feedbacks and coupling between the solid/fluid tides are discussed. Most broadly, the results suggest that both solid and fluid tidal-response estimates must be considered in exoplanet studies, particularly where orbital migration under tidal dissipation is addressed.


Abstract: The relationship between herbivore diet quality, and diet composition (the range of food plants consumed) and body mass on resource partitioning of herbivores remains the subject of an ongoing scientific debate. In this study we investigated the importance of diet composition and diet quality on resource partitioning among eight species of savanna herbivore in north Cameroon, with different body mass. Dung samples of four to seven wild herbivore and one domesticated species were collected in the field during the dry and wet period. Diet composition was based on microhistological examination of herbivore droppings, epidermis fragments were identified to genus or family level. In addition, the quality of the faecal droppings was determined in terms of phosphorus, nitrogen and fibre concentrations. The results showed that there was no significant correlation between body mass and (differences in) diet composition for wet and dry season. When all species are considered, only significant relationships are found by the Spearman rank correlation analyses during the wet season between body mass and phosphorus and nitrogen, but this relationship did not exist during the dry season. When the analyses focuses on ruminants only (thus leaving out hippo), none of the relationships between body mass and diet quality was significant in either season. During the dry season the proportion of graminoids ranged between 10% (small unidentified herbivore species) to 90% (hippopotamus), during the wet season this proportion ranged from 60% (zebu) to 90% (hippopotamus). All species but zebu had more graminoids in their dung during wet season compared with dry season. However all species but hartebeest had more graminoids old stems in their dung during the dry season, compared with the wet season. The niche breadth for food categories consumed by kob (0.300), hippo (0.090), hartebeest (0.350), roan (0.510) and zebu (0.300) was much greater in the dry season than in the wet season for kob (0.120), hippo (0.020), hartebeest (0.190), roan (0.090) and zebu (0.200). When looking at grass taxa consumed, the niche breadth of kob (0.220), hartebeest (0.140), and roan (0.250) was also greater in the dry season when compared with the wet season for kob (0.050), hartebeest (0.120) and roan (0.120). The opposite was found for zebu and hippo. Comparison of the species' diet compositions with randomized data showed that dietary overlap between different herbivore species was much higher than what would be expected on the basis of chance, demonstrating surprisingly limited niche separation between species. This offers potential for competition, but it is more likely that the high niche overlap indicates absence of competition, due to low herbivore densities and abundant food resources, permitting species to share non-limiting resources. With increasing herbivore densities and subsequent increasing scarcity of resources, the relationship between diet quality and body mass in combination with increased niche separation is expected to become more visible.


s, Oral for Qualitative Methods Conference The Construction of Meaning Around Sickle Cell Disorder in Saudi Arabia: The Hidden Disease Areej Abunar, Queensland University of Technology/King Abdulaziz University Carol Windsor, Queensland University of Technology Joanne Ramsbotham, Queensland University of Technology Fatin Al Sayes, King Abdulaziz University Hospital Sickle-cell disorder is a significant health problem that may lead to disability or death and requires critical management and prevention. In Saudi Arabia, where the incidence of sickle-cell disease is relatively high, there is a lack of research on how this disease is experienced in this country. This research sought to explore the social processes that underpin the construction of meaning around sickle-cell disorder in Saudi Arabia. The research was underpinned by theoretical tenets drawn from the traditions of pragmatism, symbolic interactionism, and social constructionism. Data collection and analysis were guided by the constructivist grounded theory methods of Charmaz. Forty individual in-depth interviews were undertaken with doctors, nurses, and parents or caregivers involved in the care of people with sickle-cell disorder. Shaping a reality, the core category generated in the research, represents the social processes that underpinned the construction of meaning of the participants. The dimensions of the experience of sickle cell were contextual and multilayered. The interrelationship of interactions and the social and cultural environment gave focus to the salient issue of the social invisibility of sickle-cell disease and how this positioned patients and carers. Thus, the research generated in-depth insight into how patients, families, and health care professionals worked to make sense of and negotiate the social and cultural dimensions of this disease. Research and Evaluation Are Not the Same! What Qualitative Health Researchers Need to Know About Programme Evaluation Jeffery Adams, Massey University Stephen Neville, AUT University Research and evaluation are often conflated and qualitative (and quantitative) health researchers often work in both fields without seemingly acknowledging these disciplines are quite distinct. In this presentation, we draw on key evaluation literature and argue that the purposes of research and evaluation are not the same and that qualitative researchers need to be open to acknowledging these differences and adopt different orientations when undertaking research and when undertaking evaluation activities. As well as presenting the perspectives of two qualitative health researchers who embraced this challenge, we present an evaluation model which draws on programme theory-driven evaluation approaches with an emphasis making value judgements as to the quality and success of initiatives. This approach is very suitable for health-related programme evaluation because making value judgements about a programme is a fundamental purpose of evaluation. Within this approach, there is a role for qualitative health researchers—but they must think and act like programme evaluators! Asian Gay and Bisexual Men's View on Life in Auckland: Implications for HIV Health Promotion Jeffery Adams, Massey University Stephen Neville, AUT University In New Zealand, nearly one quarter of the gay and bisexual men newly diagnosed with HIV are of Asian ethnicity. International Journal of Qualitative Methods January-December 2016: 1–45 a The Author(s) 2016 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/1609406916628953 ijqm.sagepub.com Creative Commons CC-BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License (http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage). However, little is understood about the sociocultural issues facing Asian gay and bisexual men in Auckland, New Zealand (the largest city), how they understand and experience their lives, and their views on sexuality. The purpose of the research was to inform the development of HIV health promotion and social marketing for Asian men. A qualitative study using a descriptive research design using individual, in-depth interviews was undertaken to investigate the views of selfidentified Asian gay and bisexual men. Forty-seven men (born in New Zealand and overseas) were interviewed. The presentation outlines the methods we employed to engage with this relatively hard to reach group, including the use of peer recruiting and interviewers of different ethnicities. This research confirms the heterogeneous makeup of the gay community in Auckland. These groups of men expressed conservative views and espoused traditional values. Most of the men identified as gay, and all were comfortable with feeling sexually attracted to other men. Overall, they had limited engagement with the gay community. A number of men experienced discrimination mainly from the gay community, with little discrimination from mainstream society reported. Being resilient was evident in these data and particularly within men who identified as Chinese. A number of implications for HIV prevention and health promotion for Asian gay and bisexual men developed from these research results will be also be presented. Amplifying Voices of Young People With Participatory Mapping and Photovoice John C. Aitken, La Trobe Rural Health School Virginia Dickson-Swift, La Trobe Rural Health School Jane Farmer, La Trobe University, Bundoora When discussing issues of health and wellness, it is often difficult to gain the confidence and trust of young people to enrol in community-based participatory research. Photovoice allows young people to control over which images they use to convey their feelings about places which affect their health and wellbeing. Photovoice provides a bottom-up reflective tool for researchers to use in an attempt to elicit opinions about health and well-being from this cohort. This tool can enhance interviews that elicit information that may not normally be presented without the added visual stimulation of the photos. This project used photovoice and participatory mapping to identify places that affected their health and well-being of young people aged 16–22. Thematic analysis was used for both photos and the narrative participants provided. Places were identified as healthy and unhealthy and were mapped to develop a therapeutic landscape for participants. This project highlighted the challenges of dealing with a cohort that feels marginalised from community activities, does not always regularly attend classes, and has a desire to remain independent and free from the regular constrictions of the structured education system. The results indicate that these students have a desire participate in community discussions and wish to be part of community activities, but lack the confidence, support, and strategies to achieve these goals. These young people need places, they perceive as safe, to develop the social, education, and life skills that will help address these challenges. Qualitative Analysis and Interpretation of Eye Movements in the Management of ScreenBased Patient Deterioration Scenario Modi Al Moteri, Taif University, Monash University Simon Cooper, Monash University Mark Symmons, Monash University Virginia Plummer, Monash University The ''look-but-fail-to-see'' phenomenon, in which a person clearly looks at important information but fails to actually see it and act accordingly, has been offered as an explanation for critical lapses in various contexts, including road safety and air traffic control. We investigated the situation in which nurses fail to notice cues that would have averted a sometimes fatal deterioration in patient condition. Experienced and novice nurses treated a simulated patient for hypovolemic shock. During the scenario, their eye movements and mouse clicks were tracked using a Tobii 60 eye tracking system. Immediately post trial, a video recording elicitation interview was conducted in which nurses watched a playback of their own responses and eye fixations and they were asked to explain their behavior and thinking. Qualitative analysis was established by predefining eight Areas of Interest (AOIs) from the digital scenario. Then, from videos that recorded eye movements, the sequence of nurses' eye movements towards the predefined AOIs was graphically described in a chart as time-related line of symbols. By providing visual identification of the eye movements' pattern, the existence of a look-but-fail-to-see phenomenon among nurses in a simulated setting was evident. Several types of visual cognition that are manifested by eye movements were uncovered. To gain deeper understanding of the phenomenon, the visual presentations were also supplemented by statements extracted from the interview replies. The visual presentation contextualizes and guides the data extraction from the interview, helps to reduce and summarize the data, and subsequently facilitates the thematic analysis. Seeing Is Not Believing: The Disparity Between Mental Health Nurses' Perceptions and Actual Practice Nofaa Alasmee, Monash University, King Abdul-Aziz University Wendy Cross, Monash University Kay McCauley, Monash University Background: The specific roles of mental health nurses in acute inpatient units continue to be debated. The emphasis of acute inpatient units has generally evolved assessment and short intense management for consumers as a care continuum approach. Thus, the care direction of acute inpatient units has been toward the reduction of symptoms within a short time. Aim: The aim of this study was to gain insight into the role of 2 International Journal of Qualitative Methods


The phenol oxidases from mature fruiting bodies of Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing., a commercially cultivated mushroom, were studied. The major phenol oxidase was a laccase with a pH optimum near 4.0 and an apparent molecular weight of 100000. Catechol oxidase and tyrosinase were also present. The laccase investigated was primarily extracellular ; the highest activity was in the pigmented rind of the pileus and in the stipe. Increased laccase activity was associated with rapid growth of non-pigmented aerial mycelium and formation of pigmented primordia and fruiting bodies. Possible functions of the laccase and its regulation during the development of fruiting bodies are discussed.


SNe Ia, with their remarkably homogeneous light curves and spectra, have been used as standardizable candles to measure the accelerating expansion of the universe. Yet, their progenitors remain elusive. Common explanations invoke a degenerate star (white dwarf) that explodes upon almost reaching the Chandrasekhar limit, by either steadily accreting mass from a companion star or violently merging with another degenerate star. We show that circumstellar interaction in young Galactic supernova remnants can be used to distinguish between these single and double degenerate (DD) progenitor scenarios. Here we propose a new diagnostic, the surface brightness index, which can be computed from theory and compared with Chandra and Very Large Array (VLA) observations. We use this method to demonstrate that a DD progenitor can explain the decades-long flux rise and size increase of the youngest known galactic supernova remnant (SNR), G1.9+0.3. We disfavor a single degenerate scenario for SNR G1.9+0.3. We attribute the observed properties to the interaction between a steep ejecta profile and a constant density environment. We suggest using the upgraded VLA, ASKAP, and MeerKAT to detect circumstellar interaction in the remnants of historical SNe Ia in the Local Group of galaxies. This may settle the long-standing debate over their progenitors.


Chronics are recurrent problems that often fly under the radar of operations teams because they do not affect enough users or service invocations to set off alarm thresholds. In contrast with major outages that are rare, often have a single cause, and as a result are relatively easy to detect and diagnose quickly, chronic problems are elusive because they are often triggered by complex conditions, persist in a system for days or weeks, and coexist with other problems active at the same time. In this paper, we present Draco, a scalable engine to diagnose chronics that addresses these issues by using a "top-down" approach that starts by heuristically identifying user interactions that are likely to have failed, e.g., dropped calls, and drills down to identify groups of properties that best explain the difference between failed and successful interactions by using a scalable Bayesian learner. We have deployed Draco in production for the VoIP operations of a major ISP. In addition to providing examples of chronics that Draco has helped identify, we show via a comprehensive evaluation on production data that Draco provided 97% coverage, had fewer than 4% false positives, and outperformed state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques by up to 56% for complex chronics.


Enhanced rangeland governance is a priority for the governments of the post-Soviet Central Asian states of the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan. Major transitional challenges confront the newly independent states of Central Asia. These challenges include the withdrawal of subsidies previously provided by the centralised Soviet government; moves towards privatisation and the conversion of administrative boundaries to international boundaries. In this context transboundary approaches to rangeland management are essential. This paper highlights the challenges for effective pasture management in the Pamir, Pamir-Alai ecosystem; the inadequacies of pasture-related legal instruments and the absence of institutions for the implementation of these instruments. Transboundary management is hampered by the lack of agreements between the two countries and the differences between national level laws and institutions. Meaningful transboundary agreements and the harmonization of national level laws would be a significant step towards achieving sustainable transboundary pasture management. However, on their own these legal tools are insufficient. Long-term effective pasture management in the Pamir, Pamir-Alai ecosystem necessitates that the causes of degradation are addressed. Mountain communities would also need to be convinced of economic and other benefits before current resource-use practices could be expected to change. Institutional and capacity building and adequate funding are also fundamental to ensuring the effectiveness of any legal instruments that are developed and any strategies that are employed.


BACKGROUND/AIMS
Several clinical trials have revealed various advantages for probiotics in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to further investigate the effects of probiotic yogurt consumption on gut microbiota in patients with this disease.

METHODS
A total of 305 participants were divided into three groups; group A (IBD patients receiving probiotic yogurt; n=105), group B (IBD patients receiving placebo; n=105), and control group (healthy individuals receiving probiotic yogurt; n=95). Stool samples were collected both before and after 8 weeks of intervention; and population of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides in the stool specimens was measured by Taqman real-time PCR method.

RESULTS
By the end of the intervention, no significant variations in the mean weight and body mass index were observed between three groups (p>0.05). However, the mean numbers of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Bacteroides in group A were significantly increased compared to group B (p<0.001, p<0.001, and p< 0.01, respectively). There were also significant differences in the mean numbers of either of three bacteria between group A and the healthy control group; however, these differences between two groups were observed both at baseline and the end of the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS
Consumption of probiotic yogurt by patients with IBD may help to improve intestinal function by increasing the number of probiotic bacteria in the intestine and colon. However, many more studies are required in order to prove the concept.


Cerebral cortex samples from patients with Alzheimer's disease and from rats after experimental cholinergic denervation of the cerebral cortex exhibited reductions in the presynaptic marker choline acetyltransferase activity and in the number of M2 muscarine receptors, with no change in the number of M1 receptors. These results are in keeping with evidence that M2 receptors function in cholinergic nerve terminals to regulate the release of acetylcholine, whereas M1 receptors are located on postsynaptic cells and facilitate cellular excitation. New M1-selective agonists and M2-selective antagonists directed at post- or presynaptic sites deserve consideration as potential agents for the treatment of the disease.


Of the three bodies of the Buddha, the sambhogakaya was the last to have been formulated (circa, the third to fourth century CE) To date, scholars have not established any substantiated theory with regard to its origins. It is with this aim that I began my research on the subject. In earliest Buddhist literature, the concept of the Buddha reveals two aspects: a human identity and a superhuman character. The rationalist Sarvastivadins developed their belief in the human Buddha while the Mahasarnghikas relied more on pure faith and developed their concept of the transcendental Buddha endowed with superhuman qualities. It is on this basis that the two-body theory of the Buddha was formulated. Most probably the originator belongs to the Sarvastivada school and flourished before the composition of the Mahdprajndparamita-sastra. From the fourth chapter onwards, I have traced the origins and developments of each of the three bodies. The concept of the dharmakaya, derived from the Buddha's teachings collected in the corpus of early Buddhist literature, was further developed as a collection of pure dharmas by the Sarvastivadins. It finally evolved into the cosmic body, an impersonal principle supporting all phenomena through its identification with the tathata which pervades the whole universe in Mahayana Buddhism. It is on this basis that the Mahayanists identified the dharmakaya with other key concepts such as the Buddhadhatu and the Tathdgatagarbha. The sambhogakaya theory arose as a result of the debate on the rupakaya of the Buddha. Initially, the Sarvastivadins and the Mahasamghikas debated on the transcendental qualities of the Buddha. This later led to the problem of the short lifespan of Sakyamuni when Mahayanists increasingly emphasized the great merit of the Buddha gained through bodhisattva practice. The formulation of the sambhogakaya was arguably a solution to this complex problem, basing itself as precedent on the teachings of the early and middle Mahayana sutras. The nirmanakaya doctrine originated from the early Buddhist theory of the mind-made body produced through the supernatural power of rddhi. It had probably first been conceived by the Mahasarnghikas when they idealised the Buddha as transcendental. The Mahayanists accepted this concept in its entirety and further developed it into that of the nirmanakaya. Many scholars think that the development of the concept of the Buddha is mainly driven by faith in Gautama, but our study of the subject shows that philosophical thought also plays a very important role.


FeSeTe has recently emerged as a leading candidate material for the two-dimensional topological superconductivity (TSC). Two reasons for the excitement are the high $T_c$ of the system and the fact that the Majorana zero modes (MZMs) inside the vortex cores live on the exposed surface rather than at the interface of a heterostructure as in the proximitized topological insulators. However, the recent scanning tunneling spectroscopy data have shown that, contrary to the theoretical expectation, the MZM does not exist inside every vortex core. Hence there are ``full'' vortices with MZMs and ``empty'' vortices without MZMs. Moreover the fraction of ``empty'' vortices increase with an increase in the magnetic field. We propose the possibility of two distinct gapped states competing for the topological surface states in FeSeTe: the TSC and half quantum anomalous Hall (hQAH). The latter is promoted by magnetic field through the alignment of magnetic impurities such as Fe interstitials. When hQAH takes over the topological surface state, the surface will become transparent to scanning tunneling microscopy and the nature of the vortex in such region will appear identical to what is expected of the vortices in the bulk, i.e., empty. Unmistakable signature of the proposed mechanism for empty vortices will be the existance of chiral Majorana modes(CMM) at the domain wall between a hQAH region and a TSC region. Such CMM should be observable by observing local density of states along a line connecting an empty vortex to a nearby full vortex.


The iron of lactoperoxidase is predominantly high-spin at ambient temperature. Optical spectra of lactoperoxidase indicate that the iron changes from high-spin to low-spin in the temperature range from room temperature to 20 K. The transformation is independent of whether the enzyme is in glycerol/water or solid sugar glass. Addition of the inhibitor benzohydroxamic acid increases the amount of the low-spin form, and again the transformation is independent of whether the protein is in an aqueous solution or a nearly anhydrous sugar. In contrast to lactoperoxidase, horseradish peroxidase remains high-spin over the temperature excursion in both solvents and with addition of benzohydroxamic acid. We conclude that details of the heme pocket of lactoperoxidase allow ligation changes with temperature that are dependent upon the apoprotein but independent of solvent fluctuations. At low pH, lactoperoxidase shows a solvent-dependent transition; the high-spin form is predominant in anhydrous sugar glass, but in the presence of water, the low-spin form is also present in abundance. The active site of lactoperoxidase is not as tightly constrained at low pH as at neutrality, though the enzyme is active over a wide pH range.


Objectives. This study aims to investigate the effect of betulinic acid (BA) on myocardial ischemia reperfusion/injury in an open-chest anesthetized rat model. Methods. The model was induced by 30 minutes left anterior descending occlusion followed by 2 hours reperfusion. There are six groups in our present study: sham operation group, ischemia/reperfusion group, low-dosage BA group, medium-dosage BA group, high-dosage BA group, and fosinopril sodium group. Rats in the latter four groups were administrated with BA (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, i.g.) or fosinopril sodium (10 mg/kg, i.g.) once a day for 7 days before operation, respectively. Rats in the former two groups were given the same volume of vehicle (0.5% CMC-Na, i.g.). During the operation, cardiac function was continuously monitored. Serum LDH and CK were measured with colorimetric assays. The expression of Bcl-2 and Bax and the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes were investigated with western blot and TUNEL assay, respectively. Results. Pretreatment with BA improved cardiac function and attenuated LDH and CK activities compared with IR group. Further investigation demonstrated that the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax and TUNEL assay was in line with the above results. Conclusion. BA may reduce the release of LDH and CK, prevent cardiomyocytes apoptosis, and eventually alleviate the extent of the myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.


Effect of mixing process on the fracture behavior of HA/PLLA Composites were investigated. Fracture toughness values of HA/PLLA composites prepared under different mixing time and rotor speed were measured. The fracture surface morphology was also examined by scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the fracture toughness of HA/PLLA composite decreases due to decrease of ductile deformation of PLLA matrix and debonding of interfaces with increase of the rotor speed and mixing time. Effect of mixing process on neat PLLA was also assessed, and it was found that the fracture toughness of PLLA decreases due to such pocess. Disappearance of multiple craze formation and thermal degradation were found to be the primary mechanisms of the toughness degradation.


OBJECTIVE
To compare magnetic resonance (MR) images obtained using a portable MR system to radiographs for identifying bone erosions in the wrists and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints of patients with inflammatory arthropathy.

METHODS
MR imaging and radiographs were performed in wrists (n = 227) and 2nd and 3rd MCP (n = 188) of 132 patients with inflammatory arthritis to identify erosions. MR imaging was performed using a portable MR system. Findings per body location and per patient were calculated and compared. Additionally, intraobserver and interobserver reliabilities were calculated.

RESULTS
MR imaging identified bony erosions in 125 (95%) patients and in 315 (78%) body locations. By comparison, radiographs identified erosions in 78 (59%; p < 0.05) patients and in 156 (39%; p < 0.05) body locations. Intraobserver reliability (K = 0.564) and interobserver reliability (K = 0.429) exhibited moderate agreement, with reader agreement in 80% of the joints scored.

CONCLUSION
There was superior sensitivity to bone damage using the portable MR system compared to radiographs of the wrists and MCP joints, suggesting that this scanner is extremely promising for assessment of inflammatory arthritis.


Aims This paper will examine the slow progress of drug development to treat paediatric cancers beginning in the 1940s with Sidney Farber's promising development of aminopterin and published 1947 study. Nearly seventy years later there have been very few new drugs to treat either blood or solid tumours in children since the 1980s. The study will include the financial and political issues of this slow progress and will conclude with an overview of the most recent drug launches in the United States in leukemias and neuroblastoma. Methods The sources for this paper included published articles in Paediatric Blood and Cancer, Leukaemia, Cancer: Journal of the National Cancer Institute and press releases of the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program Paediatric Branch (National Cancer Institute–NCI). The author has also examined the archives of the NCI and primary sources in the National Institutes of Health Library and oral and written sources at the National Institutes of Health Office of History. Results In part because of the nature of childhood cancers as rare diseases national funding for new drug development has greatly lagged behind that of development of drugs to treat breast and colon cancer and other adult cancers. Public groups in cooperation with medical groups have in the last decade put increasing pressure on the United States Congress to look into and fund some of the most recent pipeline drugs for paediatric cancers. Conclusion Public pressure particularly from childhood cancer organisations has resulted in some new drug development, the first in nearly thirty years in the United States. Along with promising personalised and targeted therapies of very recent note these therapeutics come after a long struggle to begin to prioritise funding for children with cancer.


This Appendix outlines the tests and procedures used to describe or evaluate the physical, mechanical and chemical characteristics of natural stone and rock used in construction. The different characteristics required by the uses of stone and rock covered in this book have resulted in a wide range of tests being developed to describe the material and to assess its potential value. Most assess some physical or mechanical attribute and are performed on the material at the exploration, quarrying or primary production stage. The testing of finished products is restricted to materials that undergo little or no processing, for example rockfill materials. However, there is now a trend towards the performance testing of paving and cladding materials and it seems likely that this trend will continue. The literature is extensive so the Appendix does not include a full description of each test but aims to provide sufficient information to allow the basis of the test to be described. In addition, a full reference is given that will allow further details of the method and any related requirements to be found. The Appendix also contains a brief section on the collection of samples and on repeatability and reproducibility of tests. Some of the material is drawn from the Chapters but is included again here in order to give an overview of the subject. Some results of the tests described in this Appendix are given in Appendix C. Tables B1 to B4 summarize the tests found in each Chapter.


Recording of complex multicomponent oligo- and polysynaptic EPSPs revealed antidromic and synaptic responses in the same parietal cortical neurons which suggested a reciprocal link between pontine nuclei proper and the parietal association cortex in cats. Possible pathways and mechanisms of the ponto-cortical links, are discussed.


The polycystic ovarian syndrome is an extremely prevalent heterogeneous disorder affecting women in the reproductive age group. Symptoms may include menstrual irregularities, hyperandrogenism, or another endocrine dysfunction. Women with PCOS are more likely to be obese and are evident by their elevated BMIs and Waist: Hip ratios. These ratios reflect an android or central pattern of obesity which are the risk factors for cardiovascular disease one of the long-term consequences of PCOS. Obesity or sthoulya is a Santharpanajanya roga. Athisthoulyam is also mentioned under Ashtou ninditha purushas. An exact correlation of PCOS cannot be found in our classics; rather most clinical features are seen scattered among the symptoms and diseases mentioned in the context of Streeroga. Main menstrual irregularities seen in PCO women are oligomenorrhoea, amenorrhoea, and DUB which are found in the context of Artava Vyapat like Artavakshaya, Nashtartava, and Asrigdhara respectively. Anovulation resulting in amenorrhoea can be compared with Vandya yonivyapat and Pushpagni Jataharini.


The Bank of England is responsible for maintaining confidence in banknotes. In meeting its banknote issuance responsibilities, the Bank aims to fully exploit innovation. The next £5, £10 and £20 banknotes will be printed on a polymer material. The switch to polymer will deliver banknotes that are more secure and better quality, and will support confidence in banknotes in the years ahead.


Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological disorder. Worldwide, around 50 million people have epilepsy, 40 million of which in developing countries. Though epilepsy is predominantly treatable, most patients in these countries remain without treatment. It is likely that one of the main reasons is the stigma associated with epilepsy. This problem increases when mental disorders are associated with epilepsy, a fairly frequent occurrence. Patients with epilepsy and mental disorders are exposed to a "double stigma", which frequently leads to complete absence of treatment. It is probable that, particularly in developing countries, psychiatrists will be involved with the treatment of people with epilepsy. Our purpose was to review the epidemiology of mental disorders associated with epilepsy, its treatment gap and impact upon quality of life of the patients.


The number of monarch butterflies, charismatic nomads of North America, is rapidly declining. Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.), which are the sole food source for monarch caterpillars, have also experienced a decline throughout the breeding range of this butterfly. Milkweeds can be grown from seeds or vegetatively from root cuttings or rhizomes. Seed germination is often improved with stratification and plants are easily grown with standard propagation methods. However, some species require adjustments to the substrate to reflect unique soil conditions of their natural habitat. We encourage you to grow and outplant milkweeds to create habitat for monarch butterflies and help restore their populations.


T he scope of the experimental use exemption is one of the most important and hotly contested issues in patent law today, which aims to create incentivcs for cechnological progress and future innovation by rewarding inventors with (limiced) exd usive righrs. A contenrious issue is the risk of patents stifling further innovation, such as improvcments to patented inventions, and thus depriving sociecy of such benefits. This risk is managed by statutory !imitations on the exclusivc right for the benefit of third parties to use the invention without the patent holder's consent. A main argument for !imitations is that uses of the invention as a source of further research and dcvelopment (R&D) should not be subject to the will of thc patent holder, as in those cases the interest of the public in the progress of science and technology should override the interests of the patentee. This theory is supporced by the so-called experimental use exemption, which exempts from patent infringements 'acts done for experimental purposes relating to the subject matter of the inventio.


f row npiv 8av6vros Mryap&ar Kevov Ae^ is the text given here by Mr. Pearson, following Seyffert: MSS. KX«V6I/ Xt'̂ os. He has argued forcibly in the Classical Quarterly XXII. 190, that the context demands the meaning which is given by KCVOV Xe'̂ or, but he arrives at his text by a long road : Kevov wrongly written KOIVOV, corrupted in its turn to the vox nihili itkivov, which was corrected to KKHVOV. Perhaps we should read KCIVOV, even though the metre does not demand it. The corruption of Kfivov to <\eiv6v may be illustrated by the places in the MSS. of Sophocles where a letter is intruded into a word ; Oed. Tyr. 1355 &x6os for &x»s in L; Ajax 1214 dyicemu for dveirai, in L; Oed. Col. 1199 Ptaia for jiaia, in all MSS. ; so Oed. Tyr. 1360 adXios MSS., where all editors require a6eos, Antig. 1037 ra irpb (or TOV npbs) MSS. for raird 2dp8eav which editors now require. Generally the change is from a less familiar word to a more familiar, as here. This Ionic form is preserved by MSS. in Trachiniae 495, where editors print las . . . | KO.1 rain' ayrjs • Kevov yap ov dixaid <re \ x<opfiv, but where L gives Kflvov and A KCLVOV, while Ktvbv has only late authority. There, too, the metre does not demand Kfivbv.


Effective utilization of an error-correcting code (ECC) is proposed in order to make a low-hit-rate adaptive differential PCM (ADPCM) system robust against bit errors in noisy channels, such as mobile radio. In 16 kb/s ADPCM systems, the inverse-quantizers with a small number (four) of levels lead to large offsets in stepsizes due to channel errors, and high-order all-pole predictors are very sensitive to them. For the purpose of solving these problems, we present a robust ADPCM system using an ECC, in which the reliability of words decoded by the ECC decoder is utilized to control the updating of the inverse-quantizer and also to stabilize the predictor in the receiver. Moreover, on condition that a sampling rate of the system is reduced from 8 to 6.4 kHz, the proposed system is compared with a forward adaptation system [8]. A computer simulation shows a maximum of 1.8 dB improvement over an usual system using the same ECC in segmental SNR forBER\geq10^{-2}.