: Adverse effects of benzodiazepines are well known since the first one was used in 1958 (chlordiazepoxide). The literature collects study-cases or rarely controlled studies concerning side effects or paradoxical reactions to benzodiazepines. They mostly described drowsiness and behavioral disinhibition, including increased well-being feeling but also hostility, rage access with feeling of invulnerability, serious crimes and sometimes homicides. Delusional, manic, confusional or depressive states are also pointed out. Rate for aggressive behaviour is 0.3 to 0.7% but distinction should be done between accidental or "idiosyncratic" reaction and voluntary sought disinhibition, clearly more frequent. No benzodiazepine has any specificity for these adverse effects but pharmacology, doses, associated drugs (or alcohol) and psychopathology interact to produce hazardous psychic states. Pharmacology: GABA induces a decrease in serotonin compound and vigilance. Pharmacokinetic: first dose effect or over-dose effect, short half-life, lipophily, affinity, digestive absorption, active metabolites interact. Psychopathology: age, alcohol association, psychological status (high initial level of hostility, impulsivity, frustration, personality disorder and depressive status). External conditions: chronic illness, affective and professional frustrations, physical or psychic exhaustion contribute also. Some benzodiazepines (flunitrazepam, diazepam, clorazepate, triazolam, alprazolam, lorazepam, for example) are more often concerned for pharmacokinetics characteristics but also prescription habits. Forensic aspects should be considered in case of homicide. Especially, reality of benzodiazepines consumption and awareness of the potential paradoxical reaction should be precisely evaluated. Special focus on voluntary induced disinhibition has to be done for forensic considerations. Relationship but also crime facilitations are sometimes consciously sought. Some benzodiazepines have already been identified for this use: flunitrazepam, clorazepate but also triazolam and temazepam in UK, alprazolam in USA. Flunitrazepam is prohibited in USA and considered as narcotics in France. A Swedish study showed that violent acts were more frequent and serious in juvenile offenders taking flunitrazepam/alcohol than other young offenders staying in the same correctional institution. They recommended classification of flunitrazepam as narcotic. A study from Belgium with drug addicts concluded in the same way and asked for an increased information of professionals and a more efficient control of the delivery. Before concluding to idiosyncratic effect, and then possibly to penal irresponsibility, the forensic approach should consider: firstly the reality of the benzodiazepines absorption and implication in committing violence (urine test, chronology, amnesia); secondly, the association of unusual behaviour and converging circumstances (pharmacological, pharmacokinetic, psychopathology, external conditions); thirdly the consumer's knowledge of the disinhibition effect. In our prison practice, we have to be particularly cautious as population frequently associates personality disorder, drug addiction and high level of frustration related to penitential context. Special information should be given to inmates when benzodiazepines are prescribed, but more extensively, a preventive strategy should be adopted in general population.


The decontamination factor of liquid waste containing 60 Co is generally weak. This is due to the presence of complexant molecules. For instance, complexation of EDTA with 60 Co decreases efficiency of radioactive waste treatment. The aim of this study was to degrade EDTA in H2 O and CO2 and to concentrate free 60 Co in order to increase decontamination factor. A first test of radioactive waste treatment by photocatalysis was allowed to increase decontamination factor (60 Co) from 16 to 196 with a device requiring to be improved. The present work concerns the first step of the degradation process development with a more powerful device. These first experiments were leaded to follow the only EDTA oxidation. EDTA degradation was carried out by the following Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP): UV/H2 O2 (photochemistry); UV/TiO2 (photocatalysis); UV/TiO2 /H2 O2 . A specific reactor was achieved for this study. The wavelength used was 254 nm (UVC). The photocatalytic degradation of EDTA was carried out with Degussa P-25 titanium dioxide (TiO2 ), which is a semiconductor photocatalyst. The degradation degree of EDTA and the intermediate products were monitored by TOC and ionic chromatography methods. The effects of various parameters such as pH and the quantity of H2 O2 were studied. This allows us to conclude that basic pH slows down EDTA degradation. The study showed that UV/H2 O2 process was the most effective treatment process under acid conditions. The rate of EDTA degradation was very high and reached 95% in 120 minutes. The presence of glyoxilic, oxalic, glycolic and formic acids was detected as degradation products. Among the intermediates produced by photochemistry, NO3 − ions presence informed of the amine degradations. These results highlighted faster EDTA degradation by photochemistry than photocatalysis.Copyright © 2011 by ASME


Cow's excrements originated from slaughterhouse is an organic waste that can damage the environment therefore need to be process to make something such as fertilizer using activators that help the decomposition process run faster. Activator used in this experiment is Effective Microorganism 4. Decomposition of cow's excrements becoming organic fertilizer by mixing cow's excrements with Effective Microorganism 4 activator. Ratio of cow's excrements weight (Metric Ton) by volume (Liter) of Effective Microorganism 4 activator is 1:0; 1:1; 1:2; 1:3; 1:4. Thereafter, add the anorganic fertilizer (Urea, KCl, SP-36) and limestone to the mixture each about 2,5 kilograms after that cover the mixture with plastic wrap and make some holes with bamboo. The experiment result for this study using Effective Microorganism 4 activator by adding 4 liter in the decomposition process for 18-21 days to produce organic fertilizer consist about 15,01% organic carbon, 0,87% total nitrogen, 17,25 C/N ratio. These result meet the quality standards set by the Minister of Agriculture No.70/Permentan/SR.140/10/2011.


13 We present a new method for modeling fluid-perturbation induced seismicity in a fluid-saturated 14 poroelastic medium embedded with a dual network of fractures. The inter-seismic triggering is 15 deterministically modeled using a quasi-static, nonlinear and fluid-solid fully coupled fracture16 poro-mechanical approach that resolves only the large-scale fractures. The co-seismic dynamic 17 rupture is not explicitly modeled. Instead, the seismicity-induced shear stress drop is 18 approximated as a static quantity and stochastically modeled on a range computed from the 19 evolving poroelastic stress in conjunction with the initial stress and the static and dynamic 20 frictional strengths. These two steps are sequentially connected and then iterated via a prediction21 correction type of fracture stress updating scheme, naturally producing repeating seismic events 22 on certain fractures. As an example, we perform three progressive numerical experiments. By 23 comparing the corresponding synthetic event catalogs, we investigate the effects of fractures and 24 poroelastic coupling on the evolution and source characteristics of the seismicity. Main findings 25 include (1) the seismicity clusters near large-scale fractures favorably oriented and subjected to 26 sufficient perturbations, (2) poroelastic coupling enhances the clustering and substantially 27 inhibits the seismicity in the nearfield and (3) source characteristics and the b-value seem not 28 affected by fractures or poroelastic coupling. Our method can serve as a general physics-based 29 tool for more realistically predicting induced seismicity in complex geological media. 30 1 This article is a non-peer reviewed preprint published at EarthArXiv. Jin, Modeling Induced Seismicity 2


Abstract This paper deals with the trajectory tracking problem of a nonholonomic wheeled robot mounted with n-degree-of-freedom (n-DOF) onboard manipulator under modelling uncertainties and external load changes. Based on backstepping technique, the original problem has converted into kinematics and dynamic issues. First, the auxiliary kinematic velocity control schemes for the mobile robot and the onboard arm are developed. Second, a tracking controller, merged with the benefits of the robustness of sliding mode approach and the function approximation of neural network (NN), is presented to guarantee the velocity tracking ability in dynamic level with uncertainties. The approximated error of NN and the dynamic uncertainties are integrated into matched uncertainties. Once the system's states are forced on the sliding surface, the robustness of the controller is obtained. All the adaptive learning algorithms of the proposed control law are derived from the Lyapunov stability theory so that the closed-loop system tracking ability can be ensured. Simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control.


The reaction of titanium chlorosilyl-substituted cyclopentadienyl (Cp) complexes, Ti(η5-C5H3R′SiMe2Cl)Cl3 (R′ = H, 1b; SiMe3, 1c), with 1 equiv. of various silsesquioxane trisilanols, R7Si7O9(OH)3 (R = iBu, 2a; Ph, 2b), affords either corner-capped Cp derivatives, Ti(η5-C5H3R′SiMe2Cl)(R7Si7O12-κ3O3) (R′ = H, R = iBu, 5a, Ph, 5b; R′ = SiMe3, R = iBu, 7a, Ph, 7b), or cyclopentadienyl–silsesquioxane complexes, Ti(η5-C5H4SiMe2OR7Si7O11-κ2O2)Cl (R′ = H, R = iBu, 6a, Ph, 6b; R′ = SiMe3, R = iBu, 8a, Ph, 8b), depending on the reaction conditions. In any case, upon heating, kinetic products 5 and 7 are transformed into the corresponding thermodynamic products 6 and 8, respectively. The electron-donating ability of the Cp ring is a relevant controlling parameter: a strong π-donor character facilitates the isomerization process. In addition, the nature of the silicon substituents in the silsesquioxane framework, the type of solvent, and the reaction temperature are also factors that significantly affect this process. Cyclopentadienyl–silsesquioxane complexes 6b and 8b are efficient and selective catalysts for epoxidation with aqueous hydrogen peroxide under mild conditions. Such a catalytic efficiency is attributed to the hydrophobic environment generated about the titanium atom by the Cp ring incorporated into the cyclopentadienyl–silsesquioxane ligand.


An extensive description of mechanical response of breeder reactor core components to transient loading is required for design and safety analysis. This description is needed for strain rates from 10 - 5 to 10 1 /s, test temperatures from 232°C to over 1000°C. and neutron (n) fluences from 0 to 1.3 X 10 2 3 n/cm 2 (E > 0.1 MeV). 2 An equation-of-state approach, proposed by Hart, is applied to existing tensile and burst data to develop an improved method of predicting mechanical behavior over this range of temperature and strain rates. Parameters for the Hart deformation model, derived by Huang and Li from stress relaxation data at T ≤ 500°C, must be modified for the description of flow at higher temperatures. It was necessary to fit unirradiated tensile data, by Steichen and Paxton, to develop a more suitable flow law. Thermal recovery is explicitly treated in this correlation. Using the resulting deformation equation, the Hart structure parameter is obtained as a function of irradiation temperature and fluence. With the derived structure parameter and flow law, tensile flow properties could be satisfactorily predicted for available data. The conclusion from this fit is that the form of the flow law is essentially unchanged by irradiation. The data show that the irradiation-induced reduction of ductility can be described simply in terms of the structure parameter in the transgranular failure range. Thus, it is concluded that ductility loss in this range is due simply to exhaustion of work-hardening. The deformation model is applied to more complex loading paths with continuous temperature variation. The effect of varied heating rate can be calculated with fair agreement with existing data for both unirradiated and irradiated 316 stainless steel. Use of this method appears to be very promising in breeder reactor design analysis.


Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite bars are corrosion-proof and provide relatively high strength levels when compared with ordinary steel reinforcement. This study aims to provide comprehensive testing techniques that cover a wide range of FRP bar properties. Techniques and tests to determine mechanical properties of FRP bars such as tensile, flexural, compressive, shear, and bond strength were the scope of this study. Linear thermal shrinkage, creep, and fatigue tests were also considered in this research. Newly-developed instruments were used to conduct the developed tests. Most of the developed and modified tests present consistent results that make them good candidates to evaluate characteristics of FRP rods.


The objective of the paper was determination of the optimum variant of technology of production of early cabbage on supply of the fresh vegetables market from among developed four variants of technology suggested for use in small-area horticultural farms. The scope of the study covered horticultural farms, where the area of cabbage cultiva- tion was in a four-year period from 1.5 to 2.3 hectare. A technology, based on manual work and machinery used earlier for agricultural production in small-area horticultural farms was assumed as a typical carrot production technology. Minimal inputs of human labour and machine labour were accepted as a criteria of optimisation. The 4th variant was an optimal variant from among the analysed. Total inputs of human labour and machine work in this variant were 788.9 h·ha -1 and were respectively lower by: 555.1, 568.9 and 659.1 h·ha -1 than the estimated for the 3rd, 2nd and 1st variant. Manual work inputs in this variant were lower in comparison to the inputs incurred in the 3rd variant by 533.4 man-hour·ha -1 , in the 2nd variant by 544.8 man-hour·ha -1 and in the 1st variant by 696.1 man-hour·ha -1 , and machines respectively lower by 21.7 mh·ha -1 for the 3rd and 24.1 mh·ha -1 for the 2nd variant and higher by 37 mh·ha -1 in comparison to the 1st variant.


At present, the contradiction between enterprise development and environmental protection is becoming increasingly prominent. The problem of green supplier selection in IoT (Internet of things) has attracted more and more attention from scholars. Thus, this paper, aiming at the problem of enterprise green supplier selection, uses the utility conversion method to pre-process the data, and proposes a comprehensive method for determining the weight of experts. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is further tested by the empirical analysis.


Background: Due to difficulties estimating the risk of preterm labor, many women diagnosed with threatened preterm delivery and given antenatal corticosteroids to improve neonatal outcomes do not deliver until term. Our objective was to compare the short-term outcomes of infants born at term to women who received betamethasone (BMZ) for threatened preterm labor to infants who were not exposed to BMZ in utero.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of infants born at or after 37 weeks' gestational age (GA) to mothers diagnosed with threatened preterm labor during pregnancy. Controlling for covariates, the primary neonatal outcomes of interest, including transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN), neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, and birthweight, were evaluated for their association with BMZ exposure.

Results: Of 5330 women, 1459 (27.5%) women received BMZ at a mean GA of 32.2±3.3 weeks. The mean age of women was 27±5.9 years-old and the mean GA at delivery was 38.9±1.1 weeks. Women receiving BMZ had higher rates of maternal comorbidities (P<0.001 for diabetes, asthma, and hypertensive disorder) and were more likely to self-identify as white (P=0.022). BMZ-exposed neonates had lower birth weights and increased rates of oxygen usage, TTN, hyperbilirubinemia, hypoglycemia, and NICU admission rates (all P-values <0.05).
Controlling for maternal characteristics and GA at delivery, BMZ exposure was not significantly associated with diagnosis of TTN [OR 1.09 (95% CI 0.80-1.50)], though it was associated with more NICU admissions [1.49 (1.19-1.86)] and lower birthweight by 91.5 (-122.3 to -60.6) grams.

Conclusions: Compared to women evaluated for preterm labor that did not receive BMZ, women receiving BMZ had infants with higher rates of NICU admission and lower birthweights, though the rate of TTN diagnosis was similar between the two groups. While the benefits of BMZ to infants born preterm are clear, there may be negative impacts for infants delivered at term.


Intercalation of the tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) complex cation into a layered silicate (magadiite; the ideal formula is Na2Si14O29·nH2O) was investigated. Since the complex cation did not intercalate by a direct ion exchange reaction with the interlayer sodium ions in an aqueous medium, a crown ether, 15-crown-5, was added in the reactant to promote the ion-exchange reaction. Two possible reaction mechanisms were proposed for the present ion-exchange reaction:  One is a two-step reaction, where 15-crown-5 was first intercalated into the interlayer space of Na−magadiite and exchanged with tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) complex cation subsequently. The other is a one-step reaction, where 15-crown-5 forms complex ions with sodium ions deintercalated from the interlayer space and the tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) complex cation is intercalated into the interlayer space to compensate the charge balance. The present success opens up new opportunities to introduce organic cations into the interl...


Traffic models with a rate varying according to a Gaussian distribution are commonly used to evaluate statistical multiplexing in telecommunication systems. The Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process (OUP) is a Markovian and Gaussian process closely related to a first order autoregressive process (AR(1)). The superposition of voice or other homogeneous traffic sources asymptotically approaches an OUP in continuous time or an AR(1) in discrete time models, respectively. Performance results for a multiplexer with OUP input (OUP/D/1) are obtained based on functions of a single system parameter, We use fluid flow analysis and an approach for discrete time semi-Markovian systems to analyze the OUP/D/1 queueing system. A comparison of waiting time quantiles for input from a limited number of voice sources with the OUP/D/1 results indicates rather small deviations already for a moderate number of sources.


The assertions, refutations, and counter-refutations concerning two core pieces of Richard Taruskin's studies on Russian music—Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5—provide a starting point for discussion about the possibilities, limits, and obligations of musicological interpretation.  Moreover, an important aspect of the discussion is the phenomenon of "alternative facts," both in publication and in pedagogy, and possibly in music itself.
            Taruskin argues against the logical fallacies of overly specific or overly simplistic interpretations, but hesitates to fully interpret certain music himself, thereby participating in the web of alternative facts.  Taruskin refutes popular myths about biographical meanings in Tchaikovsky's symphony, but in so doing, also seems to reject a tragic reading of any kind.  He explains away various musical structures and extroversive references, but fails to explore why those elements are in fact present.
            As for Shostakovich's symphony, Taruskin notes its saturation with musical topics, but ignores their allusive specificity, downplaying their significance altogether for what he calls their transferability.  Yet Taruskin himself identifies an allusion to a specific Orthodox hymn, and therefrom draws specific conclusions.  His evidence for calling the passage a "literal imitation" is actually flawed, but a truly literal quotation of this very hymn may be present throughout the entire symphony, and may act as a sort of species of alternative fact itself.  In any case, something that specific, and its placement in the symphonic structure, deserve notice and demand specificity of interpretation.


Today, no one questions that criminals, minors, or those seeking to shirk their civic duties may be restricted or even barred from leaving their respective countries. However, during the 1950s, several democratic countries, including Israel, restricted foreign travel by their citizens on other grounds. This article examines the right of departure policies of Israel in comparison with three models—Soviet, British, and American—which served Israeli policy makers as criteria in this regard. The policy promulgated by a country sheds light on its character, its society, and its perception of citizenship. The article not only describes the right to travel abroad as exercised in Israel, but also opens a window onto the conceptual world of those who set such policy.


A systematic study of the effects of implanted oxygen on the formation of Ni, Pt and Pd silicides has been carried out using 4He+ backscattering spectrometry (BS), 16O(d,α)14N nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for the analysis. A detailed presentation of the NRA technique is given as this technique was central to this study and is not as generally known as are BS and XPS (Chapter II). The depth resolution of this technique is found to be ~ 150 to 200 A in Ni. The oxygen sensitivity is essentially limited by measurement time (~ 10 hrs) to ~ 1019 to 1020 0/cm2. The effect of oxygen on the formation of Ni2Si is shown to vary with the initial location of the oxygen (Chapter III). Ni is the dominant diffusing species in Ni2Si formation. Oxygen initially located in the Ni film is found to build up during annealing at the Ni-Ni2Si interface until a diffusion barrier to the Ni is formed. The XPS data shows this barrier to be SiO2. Oxygen picked up during annealing from the ambient also plays a role in the buildup of this barrier. Once Ni2Si growth is halted, the second phase NiSi begins to nucleate and grow. The result is the simultaneous presence of Ni, Ni2Si and NiSi in the implanted samples. The threshold dose ϕth necessary for barrier formation is ~ 1.2 x 1016 0/cm2. This is equivalent to ~ 26 A of stoichiometric fused quartz if present as a layer. For the oxygen initially present in the Si, the oxygen is incorporated into the Ni2Si layer without an interfacial accumulation taking place. The relative reduction in oxygen density parallels that of the Si density as Si forms Ni2Si. We model these observations in terms of the asymmetries that are present in this system with regard to the moving species in Ni2Si formation and with regard to the chemical reactivity of oxygen with Ni and Si. The effects of implanted oxygen on NiSi formation are studied for the case of the oxygen initially present in the Ni2Si film on a Si substrate. Upon annealing, NiSi grows with square root of time in both implanted and unimplanted samples. This disagrees with the linear rate previously reported. The growth is slightly slower for implanted samples. The slowing is uncorrelated with the amount of oxygen, suggesting that a structural change due to ion implantation is the cause. During NiSi formation, oxygen is incorporated into the NiSi film without interfacial accumulation, but the oxygen distribution is seen to move towards the surface. This motion is explained in terms of a simple model based on the chemical affinity of oxygen to Si and Ni and the fact that Ni is the moving species in NiSi growth. The shift in the oxygen peak position during NiSi formation enables the implanted oxygen to act as a diffusion marker. This confirms that Ni is the diffusing species in NiSi formation. The use of implanted oxygen as a diffusion marker in thin film studies is briefly explored. We have also studied the effect of impurity oxygen initially present in a Pt film on Pt2Si formation (Chapter IV). We found that the redistribution of the oxygen during annealing, subsequent barrier formation and threshold oxygen dose were all identical to that of the corresponding Ni case. This result is shown to be consistent with the asymmetries present in the chemistry of oxygen relative to Pt and Si and in the initial location of the oxygen relative to the moving species (Pt). The case of oxygen initially located in the Si was not investigated as this case most likely is also identical to the corresponding Ni case. For the impurity oxygen initially present in a Pd film on a Si substrate (Chapter V), we found that the oxygen is incorporated into the Pd2Si without a diffusion barrier being formed. The implanted oxygen has no effect on the growth of Pt2Si. We find oxygen to be mobile in the Pd at an annealing temperature of only 250°C. Upon annealing the oxygen diffuses to the Pd-Pt2Si interface, to react and form SiO2 there. Simultaneously Si diffuses through the Pd2Si layer and forms additional silicide at the Pd-Pd2Si interface thereby incorporating the SiO2 into the Pd2Si. Thus barrier formation does not occur. We also show that our results identify Si as the dominant diffusing species during Pd2Si formation rather than both Pd and Si as previously reported. Generalizing from the result of our study of the effects of impurity oxygen on the formation of the silicides of Ni, Pt and Pd we present a conceptual framework for impurity effects in metal silicide formation (Chapter VI). This model relies on the asymmetries present with regard to the initial location of the impurity relative to the moving species and with regard to the chemical affinities of the impurity relative to the reacting species. The results for impurity N in the Ni-Si system are briefly compared with predictions of the model and shown to agree. Further work suggested by this model is summarized next (Chapter VII). The cases covered are impurity N in the Ni-Si, Pt-Si and Pd-Si systems along with impurity C in the Ni-Si and Pt-Si systems. Also covered are the preliminary results of contact restivity measurements after barrier formation has occurred for the cases of impurity N and O in the Ni-Si system. The results of this additional work are shown to be consistent with the model.


We present the case of Vieussens' arterial ring aneurysm in a patient who underwent coronary computed tomography. Vieussens' arterial ring is a remnant of the embryonic conotruncal circle. Only four cases of aneurysm are described in literature. This is the first reported case in which a dilated Vieussens' arterial ring is observed without coronary stenosis.


To investigate the effect of impurites, such as O, N and C, on migration behavior of vacancies in several types of V-4Cr-4Ti vanadium alloy with different amount of impurites from 207wppm to 866wppm were irradiated with 28 MeV electrons using an electron linear accelerator at 100 K. After irradiation, positron lifetime measurements were carried out. Single vacancies were produced in all samples. The vacancy clusters were formed at 348 K and 433 K in samples with lowest and highest impurites, respectively. The temperature forming vacancy clusters incresased with increaisng amount of impurites. The vacancy migaration is depended on the amount of impurities rather than the kind of impurity.


Oxidized carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which can form a stable homogeneous suspension in water close to a solution phase, were synthesized and used for matrix-assisted desorption/ionization mass spectrometric (MALDI-MS) analysis of biomolecules. Infrared (IR) spectra, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and particle size analysis were used for the characterization of the oxidized CNTs. The results indicate that the physical structure of the CNTs was not damaged, but carboxylate groups were introduced onto the surface of the CNTs. In addition, impurities including amorphous carbon, which is one of the main reasons for ion source contamination, were destroyed by the oxidization. The carboxyl groups on the oxidized surface of the CNTs can not only provide an additional proton source, but can also increase the surface polarity and solubility of the CNTs, making it easier to manipulate which is important for MALDI analysis of some biomolecules, especially larger peptides and proteins. The oxidized CNTs were successfully applied to the analysis of neutral oligosaccharides, peptides, and insulin, and thus promise to be an efficient matrix for MALDI-MS analysis of biomolecules.


We present results on the sequence dependence of translocation kinetics for a partially charged heteropolymer moving through a very thin pore using theoretical tools and Langevin dynamics simulational techniques. The chain is composed of two types of monomers of differing frictional interaction with the pore and charge. We present exact analytical expressions for passage probability, mean first passage time, and mean successful passage times for both reflecting/absorbing and absorbing/absorbing boundary conditions, showing rich and unexpected dependence of translocation behavior on charge fraction, distribution along the chain, and electric field configuration. We find excellent qualitative and good quantitative agreement between theoretical and simulation results. Surprisingly, there emerges a threshold charge fraction of a diblock copolymer beyond which the success rate of translocation is independent of charge fraction. Also, the mean successful translocation time of a diblock copolymer displays non-monotonic behavior with increasing length of the charged block; there is an optimum length of the charged block where the mean translocation rate is the slowest; and there can be a substantial range of higher charge fractions which make the translocation slower than even a minimally charged chain. Additionally, we find for a fixed total charge on the chain, finer distribution along the backbone significantly decreases mean translocation time.


The stressful nature of Residency training has been largely discussed in the literature. The aim of this paper is to present some data about the stress of training and its effects on residents and on the quality of patient's care. The magnitude of stress results from the interaction of three categories of stresses: professional, situational and personal. The main behavioral disturbances and professional dysfunctions are described and the importance of these data for planning, organization and evaluation of Residency programs is emphasized.


Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the position of the third molars and their relationship with pterygomaxillary fissure vertical dimension patterns and on panoramic and cephalometric images. Materials and Methods: In the present retrospective study, the third molar position classifications, third molar positions of patients with cephalometric and panoramic radiographs, and their relationship with vertical skeletal growth and pterygomaxillary fissure were thoroughly investigated in the light of the preoperative clinical and radiologic records from 200 patients with an indication of third molar extraction, who were admitted to İstanbul Aydın University Faculty of Dentistry Oral, Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology Clinic and Department of Orthodontics due to various reasons. Results: The obtained data were evaluated using SPSS (22.0) package program. Regarding the data analysis, Mann–Whitney U-test statistics was used for the analysis of two-variable data. The vertical facial length's relation with the maxillary third molars, which had been examined on cephalometric and panoramic images, was identified as 50.3% for skeletal Class I, 42.1% for skeletal Class II, 7.6% for skeletal Class III, 70.2% for unilateral, and 29.8% for bilateral. The upper impacted wisdom tooth being unilateral or bilateral does not affect the vertical facial length (P = 0.386). The upper wisdom tooth being impacted unilaterally or bilaterally did not exhibit any statistical difference with the parameters of upper-lower and total anterior facial height and posterior facial height. According to the Chi-square analysis, the correlation between gender and pterygomaxillary fissure variable was found to be statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). According to Mann–Whitney U-test results, no variable was found to be statistically significant based on the molar status (P > 0.05). Conclusion: In the light of this study, prior to treatment planning, if the relationship between the third molars and anatomical formations is determined on cephalometric and panoramic radiographs and it is determined whether the impact of upper wisdom teeth remains effective, consider the therapeutic mechanics used in orthodontic treatments and the complications that may arise during surgical operations. It is emphasized that the necessary measures should be considered beforehand in order to prevent these problems.


Two-way regular path queries (2RPQs) have received increased attention recently due to their ability to relate pairs of objects by flexibly navigating graph-structured data. They are present in property paths in SPARQL 1.1, the new standard RDF query language, and in the XML query language XPath. In line with XPath, we consider the extension of 2RPQs with nesting, which allows one to require that objects along a path satisfy complex conditions, in turn expressed through (nested) 2RPQs. We study the computational complexity of answering nested 2RPQs and conjunctions thereof (CN2RPQs) in the presence of domain knowledge expressed in description logics (DLs). We establish tight complexity bounds in data and combined complexity for a variety of DLs, ranging from lightweight DLs (DL-Lite, EL) up to highly expressive ones. Interestingly, we are able to show that adding nesting to (C)2RPQs does not affect worst-case data complexity of query answering for any of the considered DLs. However, in the case of lightweight DLs, adding nesting to 2RPQs leads to a surprising jump in combined complexity, from P-complete to Exp-complete.


Proper employee orientation can reap worthwhile initial results for the organization. The following article outlines how to go about setting up an effective orientation program for new physicians in your clinic.


This white paper presents the findings from an analysis of the fiscal implications for vehicle owners of changing from the current statewide fuel tax to a "road user charge" (RUC) based on vehicle-miles traveled (VMT). Since 1923, California's motor vehicle fuel tax has provided revenue used to plan, construct, and maintain the state's publicly funded transportation systems. Over time, improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency and the effects of inflation have reduced both the revenue from the fuel tax and its purchasing power. Thus, there is growing interest among policy makers for replacing the state's per-gallon fuel tax with an RUC based on VMT. This study analyzes the 2010-2011California Household Travel Survey (CHTS) to identify the potential effects this policy change would be likely to have on households across the state. The analysis found that while daily household fuel consumption and VMT both appear to increase with household income, urban and rural households show roughly the same amount of fuel consumption and VMT. No statistically significant difference in cost was found between the two programs in any income group. This suggests that an RUC designed to collect the same amount of revenues statewide as the current fuel tax would not place a significant financial burden on California households.


A syndrome of severe upper extremity pain, swelling and weakness following intraarterial injection of illicit secobarbital was evaluated in 4 patients. Although the involved muscle mass was small, serum muscle enzymes were markedly elevated. Electromyography (emg) revealed fibrillation and positive sharp wave potentials at 7 days. Motor unit action potentials were of low amplitude and of brief duration but markedly reduced in numbers, a mixture of myopathic and neuropathic changes. Motor nerve conduction velocities and latencies were normal, but M-wave amplitudes were small. Serial studies in 1 patient revealed persistent fibrillation and positive sharp waves in all involved muscles with absent voluntary contraction in the ulnar muscles and no response to stimulation of the ulnar nerve at 60 days postinjection. The emg and conduction studies for the median nerve distribution were normal except for the abnormal rest activity. A muscle biopsy (on day 66) in this patient revealed findings compatible with neuropathy, myopathy and vasculitis. The results indicate that electrodiagnostic studies may be of value for prognosis in these cases by evaluating the extent of neuromyopathic involvement.


Cell migration and invasion play a crucial role during normal and pathological development. The expression of several members of the Ets family of transcription factors has been shown to correlate with the occurrence of these processes. In the present study, we investigated the effect of the expression of Ets1-DB, the DNA-binding domain of c-Ets1, on the functional properties of NMuMG and MMT epithelial cell lines, from normal and cancerous mouse mammary tissues, respectively. We found that stable expression of this Ets1-DB mutant inhibited, in both cell types, the gene expression and activity of urokinase type-plasminogen activator (uPA), a potential target of c-Ets1. uPA is a key serine proteinase in the proteolytic cascade leading to the degradation of the extracellular matrix. In two-dimensional cultures, expression of the Ets1-DB mutant resulted in a decrease in cell migration and invasion in both cell lines. In three-dimensional collagen gels, NMuMG cells underwent tubular morphogenesis, while MMT cells developed as scattered structures. The Ets1-DB mutant impaired the capacity of NMuMG cells to form tubules and reduced the ability of MMT cells to invade these gels. Similar inhibition of cell migration, invasion and morphogenesis were observed in non-infected NMuMG and MMT cell lines treated with aprotinin, a serine proteinase inhibitor, suggesting that the inhibition of the plasmin cascade mediates in part the biological effects induced by the Ets1-DB mutant. These results demonstrate that Ets family members are involved in the control of uPA activity, cell motility and invasion during normal tubular morphogenesis and cancerous scattering in mammary epithelial cells.


We previously showed that maternal deprivation predisposes male rats to anxiety, accompanied with an increase in their opiate consumption. In the present report, we searched for brain epigenetic mechanisms that possibly underlie this increase. For that, we examined the expression of the methyl‐CpG‐binding protein MeCP2 and of the histone deacetylases HDAC2 and HDAC3, as well as the acetylation status of histone H3 and H4 in mesolimbic structures of adult maternally deprived rats, using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. A long‐lasting increase in MeCP2 expression was found throughout the striatum of deprived rats. Enhanced HDAC2 expression and increased nuclear HDAC activity in the nucleus accumbens of deprived rats were associated with lower acetylation levels of histone H3 and H4. Treatment for 3 weeks with the HDAC inhibitor sodium valproate abolished HDAC activation together with the decrease in the acetylation levels of histone H4, and was accompanied with normalized oral morphine consumption. The data indicate that epigenetic mechanisms induced by early adverse environment memorize life experience to trigger greater opiate vulnerability during adult life. They suggest that sodium valproate may lessen vulnerability to opiate intake, particularly in subgroups of individuals subjected to adverse postnatal environments.


The article aims at analyzing the dimension of history in the neo-scholastic conception of the European integration. The research focuses on R. Schuman's vision of the European integration. He was among the politicians who created the first European communities. His political thought was deeply influenced by the philosophy of the famous French philosopher J. Maritain and the pope Pius XII who both cherished the historical ideal of the European integration, based on the Christian philosophy of history. The main incentive for undertaking this kind of research was the wish to find an alternative intellectual and theoretical position that would not be based on the historicist principles of modernity and enlightenment. Eventually, such position could enhance the poor reflectivity of today`s European integration theory. The analysis of the neo-scholastic European unification idea revealed that all three authors grounded their understanding of history in onto-existential epistemology of Thomism. Its main claim is twofold. First, every historical moment is perceived as a reference to the underlying reality that is not dependent upon historical flow and endows it with spiritual meaning. Second, at the very moment of perceiving the temporal circumstances and grasping their underlying transcendental reality, the moral requirements for the concrete historical moment are discovered. J. Maritain, Pius XII, and R. Schuman withdrew their ideas of European unification and Christian heritage of Europe from this Thomistic conception of history and the onto-existential epistemology. It is sustained that the results of the undertaken analysis can open qualitatively new theoretical perspectives in the European integration theory and thus help to create a more meaningful Europe. First of all, such a non-historicist position of looking at the process of European integration can provide one condition that is necessary for every true scientific enquiry: it can help to create a theoretical distance among the knowing subject and the known reality. Second, the Christian conception of a human person, which was held by J. Maritain, Pius XII, and R. Schuman, is able at least to stimulate the raising of the most fundamental questions about the true nature and goals of European unification. Third, the analysis has demonstrated that the issue of the Christian heritage of Europe is important and cannot be ignored, because it is a historical fact and not only a lofty idea.


Meshes are important representations of physical 3D entities in the virtual world. Applications like rendering, simulations and 3D printing require meshes to be manifold so that they can interact with the world like the real objects they represent. Prior methods generate meshes with great geometric accuracy but poor manifoldness. In this work, we propose Neural Mesh Flow (NMF) to generate two-manifold meshes for genus-0 shapes. Specifically, NMF is a shape auto-encoder consisting of several Neural Ordinary Differential Equation (NODE)[1]blocks that learn accurate mesh geometry by progressively deforming a spherical mesh. Training NMF is simpler compared to state-of-the-art methods since it does not require any explicit mesh-based regularization. Our experiments demonstrate that NMF facilitates several applications such as single-view mesh reconstruction, global shape parameterization, texture mapping, shape deformation and correspondence. Importantly, we demonstrate that manifold meshes generated using NMF are better-suited for physically-based rendering and simulation. Code and data will be released.


Despite the availability of endorsed quality measures and widespread usage of hospice, hospice quality data are rarely available to consumers. Moreover, little is known about how consumers prioritize extant measures. This study drew on focus group and survey data collected in 5 metropolitan areas. The study found that consumers reported the hospice quality indicators we tested were easy to understand. Participants placed top priority on measures related to pain and symptom management. Relative to consumers with hospice experience, consumers without previous experience tended to place less value on spiritual support for patients and caregivers, emotional support for caregivers, and after-hours availability. The National Quality Forum-approved measures resonate well with consumers. Consumers also appear to be ready for access to data on the quality of hospice providers.


: A 17-year-old male received general anesthesia for repair of a torn right knee anterior cruciate ligament. The medical history revealed manic-depressive psychosis, treated with lithium carbonate and sertraline hydrochloride, and asthma for which the patient occasionally used an albuterol inhaler. Induction with propofol, isoflurane, nitrous oxide, and oxygen was uneventful. Anesthesia was maintained by isoflurane, nitrous oxide, and oxygen. During the first 90 minutes after induction, a persistent mild elevation in end-tidal carbon dioxide was noted, and several possible causes for this elevation were subsequently ruled out. A diagnosis of malignant hyperthermia was made when the patient exhibited tachycardia and a temperature increase, although some discussion remained regarding the possibility of neuroleptic malignant syndrome. The patient was treated successfully using a malignant hyperthermia protocol. Malignant hyperthermia may prove fatal if effective treatment is delayed. Favorable outcome and patient prognosis rely on astute vigilance, accurate diagnosis, and swift, appropriate treatment.


The Mahmudia Quarry is located in the North Dobrogean Orogen (Romania), representing the western tip of the Palaeotethys‐issued Cimmeride Orogenic System. One sample from the Tubiphytes‐microbial reef exposed in the quarry yielded an abundant well‐preserved ostracod assemblage of Bithynian, early Middle Anisian, Middle Triassic age. We report the occurrence of 56 ostracod species distributed among 23 genera. Ten species are newly described: Acratia caeracella sp. nov., Bairdia mandruella sp. nov., B. liviae sp. nov., Hungarella mahmudiaensis sp. nov., Kempfina tineriella sp. nov., Liuzhinia antalyaformis sp. nov., L. bithynica sp. nov., L. edvardgriegi sp. nov., Microcheilinella? contrariella sp. nov., Paracypris oanaella sp. nov. One species is renamed, Bairdia monostorii nom. nov. and the diagnosis of the genus Palaeocypridina is emended to include the central muscle scars pattern. The Tubiphytes ecosystem is complex with a multi‐layer food chain, as shown by the presence of diversified carnivorous nekto‐benthic ostracods, being both prey and predators of other organisms. The palaeoenvironmental requirements of the main ostracod taxa indicate a deposition in an open marine environment, on the outer platform‐upper slope zone, in accordance with information provided by other proxies. We discuss the relationship between ostracods and microbial mats during the Triassic and conclude that the composition of assemblages is related both to the characteristics of this chemosynthetically‐driven habitat and to bathymetry. However, some taxa, such as the genus Liuzhinia, are typical of Triassic microbial ecosystems. We perform the first analysis of ostracod provincialism during the Anisian and identify a distinct peri‐Palaeo‐Tethyan province.


Vegetation fires produce biomass combustion residues, with colour varying from dark black char to white mineral ash. The colour-lightness of char and ash combustion residues is a qualitative parameter describing the post-fire condition of burned areas, and has been correlated with the completeness of combustion, fire intensity, and fire duration. Researchers have suggested that visual comparison of combustion residue samples with a standard grey scale would enable reliable combustion residue colour-lightness estimation. This paper describes an experiment aimed at assessing if colour-lightness can be estimated using a standard grey scale. Fifteen combustion residue samples with colour-lightness ranging from black char to white mineral ash were collected in the Northern Territory, Australia, and visually evaluated by three individuals using a grey scale. The grey-scale scores (0–19) were compared with the mean visible (390 to 830 nm) wavelength combustion residue reflectance (0–1) measured with a portable spectroradiometer. A significant linear relationship between the grey-scale scores and the mean visible combustion residue reflectance was found (R2 = 0.816 with a linear fit, R2 = 0.936 with a logarithmic-transformed fit). This finding suggests that combustion residue colour-lightness can be assessed in the field using inexpensive grey scales, and that this technique is a suitable avenue for future research on the field assessment of fire characteristics and effects.


Traditional sequential data analysis largely depends on the magnitude of the data with the geometric features of individual data points sometimes being regarded as noise to such analysis. To explore whether these geometric features alone carry some useful information for a better understanding of hidden facts contained in the sequential data, a new method called local position classification (LPC) is proposed in this paper. LPC works on extracting local geometric features of individual data points. The correlated geometric features in different variants in the same sequential data are then classified into some LPC clusters for further interpretation. This semi-quantitative method is easy to use and also a simple tool to estimate possible correlation between two categories in the same series. To exclude the unrelated categories from LPC clusters, a selective correlation analysis (SCA) is combined with LPC so as to make both complement with each other. Analysis of email entries over a year in an Australian university demonstrated that LPC and its combination with SCA could become a new effective tool for discovering useful patterns contained in sequential data.


This paper describes a new type of eddy-current separator. It separates electrotechnical wastes containing metallic particles with dimensions less than 5 mm. The separator, a so-called single-disk eddy-current separator (SDECS), consists of an inclined horizontal rotary disk covered with permanent magnets, alternately N-S and S-N oriented, directly fixed on the axis of an electric engine. The advantage is that it contains fewer permanent magnets and has a less complicated construction than the usual eddy-current separators. The functioning of the SDECS is based on the jump effect of the strongly conducting particles inside the separation device. Experimentally, the separation of two wastes, namely, Cu-Pb and Cu-Al mixtures, was realized. The paper describes the dependence of grade and recovery on the drum revolution for three fixed inclinations of the disk for each component of the wastes.


: Rapid sand filtration is a traditional and common technology for drinking water purification from groundwater. Despite its wide scale and long-term use, the diversity and characterization of microbial communities in these engineered systems have remained unexplored and their roles in removal performances yet to be discovered. In order to explore the microbial ecology of these systems, we conducted 16S rRNA gene (rDNA) based 454 pyrosequencing as a deep sequencing approach to 94 sample cores retrieved from 5 different waterworks including proper biological replication. This comprehensive sampling of replicate rapid sand filters across many waterworks together with high-throughput sequencing provides a first glimpse into the microbial communities in rapid sand filters and their potential roles in the treatment process. Manuscript Abstract Rapid sand filtration is a traditional and common technology for drinking water purification from groundwater. Despite its wide scale and long-term use, the diversity and characterization of microbial communities in these engineered systems have remained unexplored and their roles in removal performances yet to be discovered. In order to explore the microbial ecology of these systems, we conducted 16S rRNA gene (rDNA) based 454 pyrosequencing as a deep sequencing approach to 94 sample cores retrieved from 5 different waterworks including proper biological replication. This comprehensive sampling of replicate rapid sand filters across many waterworks together with high-throughput sequencing provides a first glimpse into the microbial communities in rapid sand filters and their potential roles in the treatment process.


OBJECTIVE
To describe a feasibility pilot study for older adults that addresses digital divide, unmet healthcare needs, and the 4Ms of Age Friendly Health Systems via emergency department (ED) follow up home visits supported by telehealth.

DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SETTING
Data sources were a pre-implementation site survey and pilot phase individual-level patient data from six US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) EDs.

STUDY DESIGN
A pre-implementation survey assessed existing geriatric ED processes. In the pilot called SCOUTS (Supporting Community Outpatient, Urgent care & Telehealth Services), sites identified high risk patients during an ED visit. After ED discharge, Intermediate Care Technicians (ICTs), (former military medics), performed follow up telephone or home visits. During the follow up visit, ICTs identified "what matters," performed geriatric screens aligned with Age Friendly Health Systems, observed home safety risks, assisted with video telehealth check ins with ED providers, and provided care coordination. SCOUTS visit data were recorded in the patient's electronic medical record using a standardized template.

DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS
Sites surveyed via electronic form. Administrative pilot data extracted from VA Corporate Data Warehouse, May-October 2021.

PRINCIPLE FINDINGS
Site surveys showed none of the EDs had a formalized way of identifying the 4M "what matters." During the pilot, ICT performed 56 telephone and 247 home visits. All home visits included a telehealth visit with an ED provider (n=244) or geriatrician (n=3). ICTs identified 44 modifiable home fall risks and 99 unmet care needs, recommended 80 pieces of medical equipment, placed 36 specialty care consults, and connected 180 patients to a Patient Aligned Care Team member for follow up.

CONCLUSIONS
A post ED follow up program in which former military medics perform geriatric screens and care coordination is feasible. Combining telehealth and home visits allows providers to address what matters and unmet care needs.


This study investigated the library use habits of Public Senior Secondary School Students in Ogun State, Nigeria. The descriptive survey design was used for the study. The population consisted of 54,907 third year senior secondary students (SS 3) in the 2014/2015 session in 295 public senior secondary schools in Ogun State, Nigeria. Stratified sampling technique was used to select 977 respondents. The instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire titled Library Use Habits Questionnaire (LUHQ). The instrument was tested for reliability using Cronbach alpha. The reliability coefficient of Library use habit scale was= 0.9. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics. Findings indicate that majority of the respondents reported that nobody encouraged them to use the library. While, respondents were also tried to benefit from all facilities of the library; borrow books from the library. In the face of using library facilities, majority of the respondents established that they visit the library not only when they have assignment. Based on the findings, the study concludes that organizing a series of lecture under user instruction or user education or library orientation program is required in public senior secondary schools. The study recommends that teacher should also mandate students to use the school library effectively; it can help attain high academic achievement. It was also recommended that p rofessional librarians should be employed in public senior secondary schools to plan and execute result oriented information education.


Narrowband images of the Crab Nebula taken with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) WFPC2 show the morphology and ionization structure of the filaments in great detail. At HST resolution, low- and high-ionization emission from filaments in the Crab differ in two complementary respects. First, low-ionization emission is found to be concentrated in very sharp structures, while high-ionization emission is predominantly found in a much more diffuse component. For example, approximately 80% of emission from [O I] λ6300 arises in features with scales of less than 0.″5, while only 10% of [O III] λ5007 emission arises in such compact structures. Second, individual filaments are found to lie along a sequence of ionization structures, ranging from features in which all lines are concentrated in the same compact volume through features with low-ionization cores surrounded by high-ionization envelopes. Hester and coworkers proposed in 1996 that this sequence can be understood as the result of the nonlinear development of magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instabilities along the interface between the Crab synchrotron nebula and swept-up ejecta. We present photoionization models of cylindrically symmetrical filaments consisting of a quadratic core surrounded by an extended envelope. A good deal of the observed variation in filament structure in the Crab can be matched by varying the assumed density profiles in these models. This implies that variations in the development of R-T instabilities in the Crab account for much of the spectral variation within the remnant. We also present a photoionization model of a uniform, low-density medium, which reasonably matches the extended diffuse component that dominates the high-ionization emission. This envelope model produces strong [O III] but virtually no [O I]. While the He I/Hβ ratio remains fairly constant throughout a range of filament models, this ratio is a factor of 5 lower in the envelope model. We find that the apertures used in ground-based spectroscopy of the Crab generally include emission from several discrete filaments as well as a component of diffuse emission. This places a fundamental limit on what can be inferred reliably from comparison of spectra with one-dimensional photoionization models. Many filament cores coincide with dust extinction features seen in a continuum image of the Crab. We consider one such feature in detail and find that the extinction of about 1.2 mag suggests that the dust-to-gas mass ratio may be an order of magnitude higher than is typical in the interstellar medium.


John Bell's 1964 paper, "On the Einstein Podolsky Rosen Paradox," written to explore Einstein's contention that quantum theory is incomplete, has been cited extensively by theologians to support the contention that the quantum world evidences supraluminal connections. It is the centrepiece of Kirk Wegter-McNelly's The Entangled God: Divine Relationality and Quantum Physics. Bell's paper has been the focus of continuous research in theoretical and experimental physics since its publication in 1964 but while theologians overwhelmingly interpret Bell's paper to support the nonlocality of the quantum world, the meanings drawn by quantum physicists and philosophers of science from the results of the experiments done to test the mathematical expression that lies at the paper's heart are varied and contradictory. I explore the content, context and usages of Bell's paper, showing how complex the making of scientific meaning is. I outline the multifarious interpretations of Bell's paper by physicists, philosophers of science and theologians demonstrating that the various conclusions drawn from the experimental violations of his inequality, by those who believe them significant, whilst being cogent, rational and based upon scientific considerations, are not scientifically mandated but follow from the starting philosophical assumptions of physicists and philosophers of science and/or from the preconceptions they hold about the nature of science. I contend that interpretations of Bell's paper will be thus inevitably multiple and that this epistemological plurality is both inescapable and irreducible. I show that while the final answer to what the experimental violations mean remains elusive this does not hinder their technological fruitfulness. I suggest philosophical and theological resources by which the fact of this potent epistemological multiplicity, seen theologically as a sign of our situatedness and
creaturehood, can be explored rather than resisted. I note that Philip Clayton's "tracing of lines" and Bernard d'Espagnat's "fabricated ontology" offer conceptual possibilities in this regard.


IntroductionCanadian Institute of Health Information and Public Health Agency of Canada combined analytical work for a dementia report. The report linked surveillance and administrative data to support policy makers, health system planners and public in understanding the prevalence of seniors with dementia and their interactions with the health care system.
Objectives and ApproachDementia prevalence data from PHAC's Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System was used as a denominator, and data from CIHI's administrative databases was used as a numerator to calculate the statistics on interactions of seniors with dementia with the healthcare system.
Examples of the measures reported by database include:

Using DAD: Proportion of seniors with dementia who were hospitalized;
Using NACRS: Proportion of seniors with dementia who visited emergency departments;
Using CCRS: Proportion of seniors with dementia living in and outside of nursing homes;
Using HCRS: Proportion of seniors with dementia living in the community and receiving home care services.

ResultsResults for the measures above, as well as rates of patients receiving different services, statistics on where they live, their characteristics, quality of care by sectors, and impacts on caregivers will be presented.
One out of 5 seniors with dementia is admitted to hospital every year, and one out of four visited emergency departments at least once. Two out of five seniors with dementia reside in long term care. While in nursing homes, seniors with dementia experience more inappropriate antipsychotic and restraint use compared to seniors without dementia. They are especially susceptible to injury and falls. Once hospitalized, they tend to stay longer waiting for placement and experience greater hospital harm. Caregivers of seniors with dementia experience more distress compared to caregivers of other seniors.
Conclusion/ImplicationsThis work illustrates benefits of combining data from different organizations and sectors to help inform policy and fill data gaps. This innovative approach using PHAC's surveillance and CIHI's administrative data avoids confusion from varying estimates and duplication of work between organizations, generates new evidence, and reaches a broader audience.


Intravenous administration of opioids, e.g. morphine and codeine, causes bronchoconstriction in animals and susceptible patients such as asthmatics. Therefore, the effects of two opioid antitussives (codeine and dextromethorphan), two non-opioid antitussives (vadocaine hydrochloride (2',4'-dimethyl-6'-methoxy-3-(2-methylpiperidyl) propionanilide hydrochloride, OR K-242-HCl; INN: vadocaine) and clobutinol), and lidocaine on basal lung mechanics and methacholine (MeCh, 6 micrograms/kg i.v.)-induced airway obstruction were investigated in anaesthetized guinea-pigs. Intravenous administration of codeine (10-20 mg/kg) produced a dual response in the airways; initial bronchoconstriction was followed by attenuation of the MeCh-response. Dextromethorphan (10 and 15 mg/kg) caused bronchoconstriction only. Both the opioids affected dynamic lung compliance (CDyn) more than lung resistance (RL). At doses between 1 and 20 mg/kg i.v., vadocaine, clobutinol, and lidocaine had no obvious effect on the airways. Dextromethorphan and vadocaine, both at doses of 10 and 15 mg/kg, and clobutinol (15 and 20 mg/kg) caused irreversible bradycardia and hypotension, whereas codeine (5-20 mg/kg) increased blood pressure, and to a lesser extent heart rate. These results suggest that intravenous administration of an opioid antitussive influences the small peripheral airways more than the large airways, whether the opioid has euphoric analgesic properties or not. In contrast to this, non-opioid antitussives such as vadocaine and clobutinol are without effect. At large doses, all antitussives influence the cardiovascular system considerably.


Access to the internet and the proliferation of mobile phones has resulted in a rising trend of mobile apps developed for disease self-management. This use of mobile health technology (mHealth) is viewed as an effective way to induce health behavior change. The authors conducted an evidence review of articles published in PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and ACM Digital Library between January 2015 and January 2020 that developed and evaluated mHealth apps informed by behavior change theory. A total of 31 studies reviewed developed apps to encourage physical activity, dietary changes, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and others. The prevalent way of applying behavior theory to apps was through behavior change techniques (BCT) applied in 45% of the selected studies. Over 54% of the selected studies reported positive outcomes in inducing health behavior change. The results indicate that the use of behavior change theory to inform application design will result in statistically significant effects in improving health outcomes of a condition.


A method to obtain more accurate noise temperature of a radiometer at room temperature using commercial noise sources is presented. A low noise amplifier used in a radiometer system has an equivalent noise temperature which adds the contributions of its equivalent noise temperature at each frequency over its operating frequency range. The Y-factor has been improved and generalised to take into account the dependence with frequency of the noise source and the transfer function of a receiver. This dependence is especially relevant for broadband radiometer systems. A commercial simulator is used to validate the method and a Ka-band total power radiometer is characterized following the proposed method.


We analyze multiple subsidy programs for residential energy efficiency upgrades from 2010 to 2015 using electricity billing records of more than 11 million households in Southern California. We find that adopting these upgrades reduces overall electricity usage by 4%. However, there are significant differences in savings between upgrades. Pool pump and refrigeration upgrades generate the largest savings (13% and 6%, respectively). Lighting and HVAC retrofits generate the smallest savings (less than 1%). Some upgrades lead to concerns of rebound effects, such as dishwasher and clothes washer upgrades, and building envelope upgrades. Program impact varies by time of the year and building type. Furthermore, we find that energy savings are inconsistent with the engineering estimates. These results indicate that policy makers should consider the allocation of program funding not simply based on engineering projections but also based on measured electricity consumption such as those described in this study.


Encoding of information by populations of neurons is critical for neural processes, but underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. High-dimensional neural representations and changes in inter-neuronal correlations are two candidates for enhancing population-level information. To examine the contribution of both mechanisms, we applied a combination of decoding and encoding methods to simultaneously recorded neural data. We found that increases in the information content of prefrontal neurons prior to saccadic selection of visual targets were greater for the population of neurons than for individual neurons. This differential increase occurred primarily for regions of space weakly encoded by single-cell responses (encoding expansion), relied on high-dimensional neural representations, and was accompanied by selective reductions in noise correlation. Our results show that population-level information is enhanced both by location-specific increases in dimensionality and decreases in noise correlation, enabling prefrontal ensembles to recruit non-informative individual neurons to encode a larger part of space.


This paper highlights the need for using specialised on-line collaborative environments by designers and product engineers who increasingly use Web 2.0 technology to search for information. Although there are professional channels and networks, there is no specific platform which helps during a new product's conceptualisation phase. Open communication must thus be promoted and encouraged amongst design professionals and companies to form working groups thereby allowing them to work collaboratively in the most open and creative phase of product design, i.e. conceptualisation. The OpenDesigNet (ODN) experimental platform has been developed so that designers and small- or medium-sized companies (SMC) can access on-line collaborative tools to support the creation and promotion of new on-line products and assess their immediate social impact. This article presents some of the results obtained during the validation phase involving a platform satisfaction survey of design engineering students and has led to a first-hand assessment of the new platform's potential impact on their professional future.


The aim of this report is to present results related to the application of the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method for the study of various devices at terahertz frequencies. The FDTD method has emerged as one of the most widely used numerical analysis methods used for electromagnetic simulations. The FDTD method can be used to solve numerous types of problems ranging from modelling the behaviour of microwave circuits, waveguides, and photonics to simulating terahertz devices and plasmas.

In this study the FDTD approach is derived from first principles (finite differences) and explicit equations are shown based on Maxwell's equations. Furthermore, absorbing boundary conditions (ABCs) are discussed for the FDTD method. The algorithm is tested against a range of problems to ensure its validity and accuracy. The FDTD method is then applied for the numerical analysis of a range of devices at terahertz frequencies. The numerical results obtained from the application of the FDTD method to examine a microstrip circuit with filter loading and a Multi-mode Interference (MMI) coupler at terahertz frequencies are discussed in detail. Moreover, the results of the application of the FDTD method for the calculation of the dispersion characteristics of plasmonic waveguides are
also presented.

Finally, a summary of the work carried out is presented and an outline is given for future research which can be carried out by using the FDTD method for the study of terahertz frequency devices.


The costs of additive manufactured parts often seem too high in comparison to those of traditionally manufactured parts, as the information about major cost drivers, especially for additive manufactured metal parts, is weak. Therefore, a lifecycle analysis of additive manufactured parts is needed to understand and rate the cost drivers that act as the largest contributors to unit costs, and to provide a focus for future cost reduction activities for the Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology. A better understanding of the cost structure will help to compare the AM costs with the opportunity costs of the classical manufacturing technologies and will make it easier to justify the use of AM manufactured parts. This paper will present work in progress and methodology based on a sample investigated with business process analysis / simulation and activity based costing. In addition, cost drivers associated with metal AM process will be rated.


The Radial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) is an ambitious all-sky spectroscopic survey to measure radial velocities and stellar atmosphere parameters (temperature, metallicity, surface gravity) of up to one million stars using the 6dF multi-object spectrograph on the 1.2-m UK Schmidt Telescope of the Anglo-Australian Observatory (AAO). We are analysing a subset of the first two years of RAVE data to quantify the distribution of the orbital angular momentum of RAVE stars to provide observational constraints for disk galaxy formation simulations. We use RAVE radial velocities of stars in the cardinal directions of Galactic longitude: l = 90 degrees (with Galactic rotation) and l = 270 degrees (against Galactic rotation). Radial velocities in these directions probe orbital angular momentum without requiring stellar distances. We plot Jz, the z (thin disk rotational symmetry axis) -component of the specific angular momentum of these stars, versus the specific binding energy of each star, E. The distribution of the "orbital circularity" parameter (Jz normalised by the specific angular momentum of that star if it was a circular orbit co-rotating with the thin disk) is plotted. Using reduced proper motion criteria, we statistically decompose the kinematics of our sample into local thin disk, local thick disk and local halo. We compare the relative distributions of the orbital circularity parameter for each of our kinematic components with those predicted by a simulated disk galaxy (Abadi et al. 2003, ApJ, 597,21).


Design challenges refer to a difficulty of corresponding human and contextual complexity (i.e. needs, roles, and resources) in design practices. Such an issue calls for combining deep investigations with relevant design experiences. We propose a workshop for disentangling and discussing design practices by adopting the Theatre of the Oppressed techniques. These techniques allow enacting personal performances as well as the construction of a shared narrative about the participants' roles, needs, and resources. By this workshop, we aim to improve the participants' competence in understanding people's needs and developing a design solution accordingly. Finally, possible outcomes are: a special issue of an international peer reviewed journal, and/or a live performance that the conference attendees can enjoy as an experiential design occasion.


beta-Adrenoceptor blocking drugs were originally devised as a treatment for angina pectoris. Their activity as antihypertensive agents was discovered as a result of observations made during angina trials. In the early days of study of these agents, there was a great deal of debate about the relative importance of selectivity for beta 1- and beta 2-receptors, membrane stabilising actions, and the presence or absence of partial agonist activity. It has become clear that these ancillary properties have little effect upon efficacy in angina and hypertension but they have some effect upon the adverse reactions profile. Several secondary prevention trials have established that mortality can be reduced by 25-30% in the first 2-3 years after acute myocardial infarction with drugs such as timolol and propranolol. There have been some negative trials, particularly with oxprenolol, but the pooled evidence suggests a highly significant benefit. The available primary prevention data are mainly derived from trials in hypertensive patients, who have a substantially increased risk of myocardial infarction. Overall, the hypertension trials show only a small reduction in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction, averaging about 6%. This reduction is less than would be expected from the contribution of hypertension as a risk factor for myocardial infarction. Development of new beta-adrenoceptor blocking drugs continues. Development of ancillary properties of agents derived from the labetalol structure has also attracted interest. Various combinations of beta 1-blockade, beta 2-agonist activity, and alpha-receptor blockade seem possible. After 20 years of experience, beta-blockade still presents opportunities for new developments.


PURPOSE
Meperidine (Demerol) is a synthetic opiate that has been utilized for decades. Nonetheless, its safety and efficacy profile relative to other opiates have led many to advocate against its use. We attempted to estimate current usage of meperidine by hospitals in West Virginia.

METHODS
Pharmacists at each hospital in West Virginia were surveyed by telephone. They were asked to estimate meperidine use as a proportion of all opiates used in their hospital. They were also queried about usage patterns and for the presence of any documented restrictions on the use of meperidine.

RESULTS
64% of hospitals in West Virginia report low usage of meperidine (<10% of all opiates). Of those hospitals with meperidine available on formulary, 47% reported the presence of documented policies or practices designed to limit meperidine usage. When used, meperidine is most commonly administered in connection with surgical procedures.

CONCLUSIONS
Many West Virginia hospitals are limiting meperidine usage, in apparent accordance with guideline recommendations. However, traditional patterns of usage for certain indications remain.


The article deals with the created model of a smart factory using the principles of Industry 4.0. It is the creation of an autonomous manufacturing system, which combines into one unit the means of production, such as machines, handling units, warehouses, etc., as well as human resources and information flows. The manufacturing system is not centrally controlled, but each unit has its own control system and communicates with others on the Internet of Things principle. The entire manufacturing system behaves fully autonomously, organizes itself, and adapts to the specified requirements in real-time. Its goal is to produce the products as efficiently as possible at a given time based on customer requirements. The benefit of such system should then be a significant increase in productivity, quick and easy reconfiguration of the entire system, which is crucial mainly in the case of small series production.


This research demonstrates the accurate forecasting performance of extended classifier system (XCS) based on contrary sentiment indicators in predicting S&P 500 futures. These indicators include volatility index, put-call ratio, and trading index. To prove that XCS based on sentiment indicators can fit the financial forecasting domain, the performance of XCS is compared with that of three trading strategies, including buy-and-hold, trend-following, and mean-reversion strategies over the same sample period. The simulation results showed that XCS based on contrary sentiment indicators possesses both forecasting accuracy and profits earning capability in the real world.


of a dissertation at the University of Miami. Dissertation supervised by Professors Ad Reniers and Brian Haus No. of pages in text. (146) To comply with federal law Beach Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines, beach monitoring programs have been adopted and implemented to protect beachgoers from health risks caused by harmful microorganisms. Present monitoring programs around the United States heavily rely on sparse water sampling (usually daily to weekly) with timeconsuming microbial laboratory analysis, thereby potentially causing unnecessary beach closures or human health risks for beaches that remain open. The objective of this dissertation is to use both field observations and numerical models to investigate the linkages between microbiological, hydrological, and morphological processes at nonpoint source beaches. The scales cover intra-day to inter-annual variations, and from a single case study beach to hundreds of beaches in the State of Florida. This objective is accomplished through three studies. In the first study, a coupled microbe-hydrodynamic-morphological model is developed. The unique feature of this model is its capability of simulating the release of microbes attached to beach sands as a result of combined wave and tidal forcing. The microbe transport-decay equation, coupled to the nearshore process model XBeach, includes source functions that account for microbial release from mobilized sand, groundwater flow, entrainment through pore water diffusion, rainfall-runoff loading, and a fate function that accounts for solar inactivation effects. The model has skills in simulating observed temporal patterns of enterococci levels at a municipal beach in Miami, FL through an intensive 10-day field experiment, including the reproduction of diel cycles due to solar inactivation and patterns associated with semidiurnal tides. The spatial patterns are shown as rapid decreases of enterococci levels from the shoreline to offshore. The second study develops a new numerical mass balance model for enterococci levels on nonpoint source beaches. This is a model similar to more general horizontal grid numerical models, but simplified as it is limited to calculation of transient crossshore microbial distributions for a beach with fairly alongshore uniform source and environmental conditions. The inputs to the model are readily-available environmental factors (i.e., wind, tide, wave, solar radiation, and precipitation), which are used in the mass balance considerations of source loading, transport, and biological decay. The significant advantage of this model is its easy implementation and a detailed description of the cross-shore distribution of enterococci which should be useful for beach management purposes. The performance of the balance model is evaluated by comparing predicted exceedances of a beach advisory threshold value to field data, and to a traditional regression equation model. Both the balance model and regression equation predicted approximately 70% the advisories correctly at the knee depth and > 90% at the waist depth. The balance model has the advantage over the regression equation in its ability to simulate spatiotemporal variations of microbial levels and is recommended for making more informed beach management decisions. In the third study, decade-long weekly monitored indictor bacteria levels (enterococci and fecal coliform) at 262 Florida recreational beaches, provided by the Florida Healthy Beaches Program, are analyzed to examine spatiotemporal patterns of microbial levels and microbial responses to hydrological and hydrometeorologic fluctuations (i.e., wave height, water temperature, solar radiation, and precipitation). Results showed that low-wave-energy beaches exceed the EPA thresholds significantly more than high-wave-energy ones (p < 0.01), and Gulf of Mexico beaches also exceed the thresholds significantly more than Atlantic ones (p < 0.01). Percent exceedances negatively correlate with both long-term mean wave height and beach slope, suggesting that beach wave energy level is an important factor in determining water quality. In general, the higher wave energy, the better beach water quality is. In addition, we found that seasonal bacterial variations in Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico beaches are generally out of phase. There are opposite correlations in seasonal mean log-transformed bacterial levels and environmental variables (i.e., wave height, water temperature, solar radiation, and precipitation) between Atlantic versus Gulf of Mexico beaches. Microbial variations on each of Florida coasts are likely controlled by different mechanisms, which would require different beach management strategies to minimize microbial water quality exceedances. In summary, this dissertation explores innovative modeling techniques and highlights physical and biological interactions in controlling nearshore microbial water quality. The new model tools and knowledge can be applied in beach management practice, water quality assessment, and decision support across the United States.


The authors examine theoretically the effect of electrostatics on the self-assembly of charged cylindrical micelles which behave as living polymers. The growth of micelles as a function of increasing surfactant and/or electrolyte concentration exhibits three distinct regimes. The most striking feature of the growth law is the existence of a dilute regime, (i), in which the average micelle size varies slowly with concentration. At high concentrations, regimes (ii) and (iii) are characterized by more rapid growth than for neutral micelles. This may be responsible, in part, for the anomalous scaling of rheological properties, as observed in recent experiments.


Water element in Iranian architecture in terms of symbolic meanings and concepts has been manifested in different forms.Water in the body of Iranian mosques due to both the mystical and practical loads had also carried more symbolic messages. The presence of water in Iranian mosques architecture In addition to having image-creations associated with the prayers, ablution, purification and refreshing ritual had also carried reflection of semantic load, transparency, and being-like-mirror.Water in terms of presence in running and still water forms and in terms of symbolism system in the methods of allusion, symbol, sign, indication, secret, mystery, point, appearance, riddle, analogy has found objective appearancein the body of Iranian mosques. The present research has been conducted with descriptive-analytical method.The presence of water is in a variety of ordering elements of kinetic and stillness, and signs of relaxation, peace, reconciliation, stable sign of life, sky reflection, and survival continuation in ideas derived from symbolic concepts. The most important elements related to the presence of water in Iranian mosques architecture are place of ablution, trough, pool, patio, and fountain.This appearance and manifestation of water's form and character in Iranian architecture have had a special position and even sacred. A corner of these appearances can be observed in symbols used in Iranian mosques objectively. Symbol, its types and the manner of advent and display of the symbolic elements of water in Iran's mosque architecture have been investigated in this study. Achievements of this research will lead to the initial symbol-identifier conception of the presence and manifestation and appearance of water in the area of the architectural body of Iranian mosques.


A compact linearly polarized dual-band patch antenna with low cross-polarization and independent band control is presented. Miniaturization was achieved through a combination of shorting, subsequently folding, and by replacing the standard slot loading with a slot that is featured by a meander line. By replacing the standard straight slot with an interdigitated slot loading, the resonance condition was shifted to the lower operating band, facilitating significant antenna miniaturization and resulting in an element size equal to or smaller than 0.1λ0 in all three dimensions. The antenna design procedure is outlined and a prototype for WiFi applications was fabricated and measured for impedance matching, radiation pattern, and broadside gain. A simulated parametric analysis was performed on the interdigitated slot geometry to determine how the antenna performance is controlled. Then, based on the parametric analysis, it was further demonstrated that the two operational bands of the antenna element could be independently controlled by changing only the geometrical dimensions of the interdigitated slot, leaving the base of the antenna entirely unaltered. As a result, the lower operating band could be fixed while the upper operating band could be shifted by up to 10%. Lastly, the effect of utilizing a small ground plane, in an effort to achieve a small antenna footprint, is discussed.


This paper provides estimates for the structural fiscal balance for the economy of Cyprus. The calculation of the structural fiscal balance is useful since it provides a clearer picture of the underlying fiscal situation in an economy by abstracting from the impact of the business cycle. As a result, it can be used to guide fiscal policy analysis. The entry of Cyprus into the European Union has increased the importance of knowing the structural fiscal balance figures as this can provide valuable information used in EU surveillance procedures such as the Stability and Growth Pact. The estimated values of the elasticities of the various categories of tax revenues with respect to the level of output, on which the calculation of the structural fiscal balance is based, are in agreement with what one would expect from economic theory and from the tax structure of Cyprus. The results indicate that the structural budget balance expressed as a percentage of the nominal GDP tends to follow a path similar to the corresponding year's actual overall balance expressed as a percentage of the nominal GDP. As expected the structural fiscal balance figures fluctuate in a slightly narrower band than the current balance figures, with the 'budget sensitivity' for the economy of Cyprus being equal to 0.3.


[Purpose] This study examined the effects of gum chewing while walking on physical and physiological functions. [Subjects and Methods] This study enrolled 46 male and female participants aged 21–69 years. In the experimental trial, participants walked at natural paces for 15 minutes while chewing two gum pellets after a 1-hour rest period. In the control trial, participants walked at natural paces for 15 minutes after ingesting powder containing the same ingredient, except the gum base, as the chewing gum. Heart rates, walking distances, walking speeds, steps, and energy expenditure were measured. [Results] Heart rates during walking and heart rate changes (i.e., from at rest to during walking) significantly increased during the gum trial compared with the control trial. Walking distance, walking speed, walking heart rate, and heart rate changes in male participants and walking heart rate and heart rate changes in female participants were significantly higher during the gum trial than the control trial. In middle-aged and elderly male participants aged ≥40 years, walking distance, walking speed, steps, and energy expenditure significantly increased during the gum trial than the control trial. [Conclusion] Gum chewing while walking measurably affects physical and physiological functions.


Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is a powerful method for unraveling structures and dynamics of biomolecules. Out of the EPR tool box, Pulsed Electron-Electron Double Resonance spectroscopy (PELDOR or DEER) enables one to resolve such structures by providing distances between spin centers on the nanometer scale. Most commonly, both spin centers are spin labels or one is a spin label and the other is a paramagnetic metal ion, cluster, amino acid or cofactor radical. Often, the translation of the measured distances into structures is complicated by the long and flexible linker connecting the spin center of the spin label with the biomolecule. Nowadays, this challenge is overcome by computational methods but the currently available approaches have a rather large mean error of roughly 2-3 Å. Here, the new GFN-FF general force-field is combined with the fully automated Conformer Rotamer Ensemble Search Tool (CREST) [P. Pracht et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2020, 22, 7169-7192] to generate conformer ensembles of the R1 side chain (methanthiosulfonate spin label (MTSL) covalently bound to a cysteine) in several cysteine mutants of azurin and T4 lysozyme. In order to determine the Cu2+-R1 and R1-R1 distance distributions, GFN-FF based MD simulations were carried out starting from the most probable R1 conformers found by CREST. The deviation between theory and experiment in mean inter-spin distances was 0.98 Å on average for the mutants of azurin (1.84 Å for T4 lysozyme) and the right modality was obtained. The error of the most probable distances for each mode was only 0.76 Å in the case of azurin. This CREST/MD procedure does thus enable precise distance-to-structure translations and provides a means to disentangle label from protein conformers.


ABSTRACT: This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the influence of the neighborhood-level presence of visible minorities on xenophobic party support. Drawing on previous research on support for xenophobic political parties in Europe, we explore variations in electoral preferences for the Sweden Democrats. We examine relationships between the presence of visible minorities at the neighborhood level, controlling for the level of unemployment and education both in terms of potentially additive and interactive effects. We find that increased exposure of visible minorities unambiguously leads to an increase in xenophobic voting if the district level of unemployment is high. Where unemployment is low the effect of increased exposure may instead lead to reduced xenophobic party support, due to complex interaction effects involving aggregate education level. The results are discussed in the light of possible public policy measures to combat unemployment in multicultural democracies.


In the article on the basis of the psycholinguistic experimental data obtained in 2009-2010 from Russian and Swedish students, we consider internal features of several complex values ("Harmony", "Freedom", "Democracy", "Tolerance" and "Patriotism") and analyze their external systemic organization, taking into account both specificity of the two cultures and gender specifics. We argue that value concepts are hierarchically organized, forming different generalization levels from the simple to the more complex ones with intricate overlapping among different complex values within the system. This research is a stage in a complex experimental work aimed at comparing Russian and Swedish values (the project on Swedish Institute grant).


Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. More than 275,100 women die from cervical cancer each year. Cervical squamous cell carcinoma (cervical SCC), one of the most frequent types of cervical cancers, is associated with high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV), although HPV infection alone may not be enough to induce malignant transformation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs, regulate protein-coding gene expression by repressing translation or cleaving RNA transcripts in a sequence-specific manner. A growing body of evidence suggests that miRNAs contribute to cervical SCC progression, development and metastasis. miRNA expression signatures in SCC (hypopharyngeal SCC and esophageal SCC) revealed that miR-218 expression was significantly reduced in cancer tissues compared with adjacent non-cancerous epithelium, suggesting that miR-218 is a candidate tumor suppressor. The aim of this study was to investigate the functional significance of miR-218 in cervical SCC and to identify novel miR-218-mediated cancer pathways in cervical SCC. Restoration of miR-218 significantly inhibited cancer cell migration and invasion in both HPV-positive and HPV-negative cervical SCC cell lines. These data indicated that miR-218 acts as a tumor suppressor in cervical SCC. Our in silico analysis showed that miR-218 appeared to be an important modulator of tumor cell processes through suppression of many targets, particularly those involved in focal adhesion signaling pathways. Gene expression data indicated that LAMB3, a laminin protein known to influence cell differentiation, migration, adhesion, proliferation and survival, was upregulated in cervical SCC clinical specimens, and silencing studies demonstrated that LAMB3 functioned as an oncogene in cervical SCC. The identification of novel tumor-suppressive miR-218-mediated molecular pathways has provided new insights into cervical SCC oncogenesis and metastasis.


Despite the considerable interest in the concept of human development, there has been little research on the political determinants of its dimensions. This paper investigates the role played by the type of political systems on the non-income components of human development. In particular it tests the hypothesis that it is not only democratic countries that enhance spending on health and education, but this might be true of autocratic regimes. The hypothesis is tested for the former Soviet Republics. It is found that expenditure on the social provision of health and education increases with both the degree of democracy and autocracy.


The authors describe a gray-level image segmentation method for use in segmentation-based image compression. The method consists of two steps: a variation of centroid-linkage region growing to perform the initial segmentation of the image, followed by nonlinear filtering to eliminate visually insignificant image segments. Both steps take advantage of human visual system properties to improve allocation of image segments. Subjective experiments have been conducted to determine the interactions and optimum balance between the steps. It is shown that the proposed two-step approach produces substantially better-quality segmented images than region growing used alone.<<ETX>>


This paper discusses how an Active Power Filter (APF) can be utilized for system-wide harmonic mitigation in a microgrid with multiple sources of harmonic distortion located at different buses. A two-bus microgrid system with independent nonlinear loads at both buses is first investigated analytically, and it is demonstrated that it is possible to derive a harmonic current injection from the APF that will minimize the harmonic distortion at both buses. However, analytical optimization of the APF current will be sensitive to parameter variations, will deteriorate when the APF reaches current saturation and cannot be easily extended to larger systems with many loads at different buses. A more practically applicable method for calculating the APF current references, by using the framework of Model Predictive Control (MPC) is instead proposed for the investigated system. Under realistic operating conditions, this approach can obtain further improvement in the system-level harmonic mitigation. The characteristics and performances that are obtained with the analytical solution and the MPC-based control are assessed by time domain simulations in the Matlab/Simulink environment. The results clearly indicate how an MPC-based system-oriented compensation can maximize the utilization of a single APF in a multi-bus Microgrid.