BACKGROUND
The relationship of inflammatory cytokines with anxiety and depression has been reported, but their role in diabetic patients has not been fully elucidated.

OBJECTIVE
We examined whether an association between prevalence of anxiety and depression in Omani type-2 diabetic patients (n=30) and the levels of inflammatory markers such as IL-1ß, TNF-α, IFN-γ and C-reactive protein (CRP) exists.

METHODS
Symptoms of anxiety and depression were screened using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) through self-rated questionnaires. IL-1ß, TNF-α, IFN-γ, CRP, anti-TPO and anti-GAD65 antibodies were measured in patients' sera using commercially available ELISA assays.

RESULTS
In Omani type-2 diabetic patients, high prevalence of anxiety and depression along with high levels of inflammatory markers were detected. However, no correlation was observed between inflammatory markers and anxiety or depression.

CONCLUSION
These results indicate that Omani type-2 diabetic patients are at great risk for developing anxiety and depression. Therefore, these complications need more care and attention. There was no association between scores of anxiety and depression with the levels of inflammatory cytokines. This may need to be elucidated in a larger cohort of patients.


Small insects, as many, present on our planet, with a unique charm that, with their brilliance, on summer nights, away from the discos, exalted the spirit and stimulated emotions of all kinds: dreams, imaginations, palpitations, trepidations, feelings reclining, present in the human being. Today, almost just a reminder that leads to wonder why they have disappeared. The disappearance of fireflies becomes symbolic element, burdened with significance, to emphasize how the tumultuous rise of environmental pollution is responsible for many fatalities. A careful analysis of the morpho-structural aspects of the biology of these special beetles, without neglecting their functions not only in the environment, but also in the spirit, is indispensable to resurrect something that belongs to us and that we have a duty to make it r rise again. As a health indicator in the broad sense. Beetles, an infinite range of insects, which have as their main characteristic the presence of very strong front elongated, completely sclerotized and transformed into elites, with the task of covering, at rest, the posterior ones. In Italy, besides Italic Lucciola, there are other species, Lampyris noctiluca and Lampyris lusitanica. The presence of these insects in the evening hours, hot summer days in the woods and in the countryside, before the seventies, represented, in addition to the aesthetic appeal, a healthy state of the environment, an expression of organic cultivations and respectable techniques. Food security watchers disappeared with time for environmental degradation due to the indiscriminate use of pesticides, excessive artificial lighting and the loss of their natural habitat, without neglecting climate change. This is a flashy and flashy phenomenon, which creates alarming alarms about our health. We have been orphaned with feelings and dignity, in keeping with the unbridled decadence that from art to poetry has become an inexpressible expression of knowledge. Key words : Biodiversita – Lucciole e salute ambientale


This paper presents evidence strongly suggesting that the current strength of the dollar reflects myopic behavior by international investors; that is, that part of the dollar's strength can be viewed as a speculative bubble. At some point this bubble will burst, leading to a sharp fall in the dollar's value.The essential argument is that given the modest real interest differentials between the U.S. and its trading partners, the dollar'sstrength amounts to an implicit forecast on the part of the market that with high probability the dollar will remain very strong for an extended period. The paper shows that such sustained dollar strength would lead the U.S. to Latin American levels of debt relative to GNP, which is presumably not feasible. Allowing for the possibility that something will be done to bring the dollar down before this happens actually reinforces the argument that the current value of the dollar is unreasonable.


The interaction of atomic hydrogen with clean and deuterium precovered Ru(1010) was studied by means of temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) spectroscopy. Compared to molecular hydrogen experiments, after exposure of the clean surface to gas-phase atomic hydrogen at 90 K, two additional peaks grow in the desorption spectra at 115 and 150 K. The surface saturation coverage, determined by equilibrium between abstraction and adsorption reactions, is 2.5 monolayers. Preadsorbed deuterium abstraction experiments with gas-phase atomic hydrogen show that a pure Eley-Rideal mechanism is not involved in the process, while a hot atom (HA) kinetics describes well the reaction. By least-squares fitting of the experimental data, a simplified HA kinetic model yields an abstraction cross section value of 0.5 +/- 0.2 angstroms2. The atomic hydrogen interaction with an oxygen precovered surface was also studied by means of both TPD and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy: oxygen hydrogenation and water production take place already at very low temperature (90 K).


The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the impact of the market orientation and market based resources of actively involved exporters and their distributors on export venture performance. Previous literature in marketing channels has examined the effect of the market orientation of suppliers and their distributors on supplier-distributor relationships, mainly in a domestic context, as well as the impact of the quality of their relationship on business performance in domestic and international contexts. Little or no research focuses on the interplay between the relevant marketing resources, such as market orientation, proactive market orientation, selling, pricing reputation, and market innovation, of an export venture and their distributor, and consequently on export venture performance. This dissertation is mainly a quantitative study using a mail survey among Greek exporting firms in various industries. The final sample comprised 190 exporting ventures. The survey was enhanced through open interviews with export venture managers and their respective distributors and was pre-tested with a small-scale dyadic survey. Survey data were analysed using structural equation modelling. The main research objective was to assess the impact of marketing support resources, namely market orientation and proactive market orientation, and market-based resources of an export venture and its distributor on export performance. In addition, the relationship of marketing support resources of the export venture and those of the distributor was examined. Some of the relationships examined are a migration of traditional domestic theory (Hooley et al. 2005), to an exporting context, testing whether there are differences in the relationships in a different context. This study contributes to the resource-based view, marketing, and export business literature, as findings indicate that high levels of export venture proactive market orientation lead to distributors with high levels of market orientation. In line with findings of domestic context research, the proactive market orientation of the venture renders its market orientation statistically not significant.


Background: In recent decades, the prevalence of atopic diseases has risen steadily in developed countries. The reasons for this increase are not clear. It has been hypothesized that a reduction in infections and immunization programs may contribute to the increase in the prevalence of atopic diseases. We investigated the relationship between tuberculin response and atopic disease.


Mineral deposition in biological systems is often templated by organic matrices including proteins directing the nucleation and growth of bioceramics by interacting with early stage species of the mineralization process or coordinating specific facets of the forming crystal. Structurally, charged surface patches are a characteristic motif of biomineralization-associated proteins, which are able to accumulate and bind ions from the surrounding media and, therefore, initiate, promote or inhibit mineralization. Controlled protein engineering enables the manipulation and control of bioinspired in vitro precipitation systems, and thus not only opens prospects for the design of environmentally benign synthetic strategies towards hierarchically structured functional materials, but also enhances the understanding of fundamental interaction mechanisms in biomineralization processes. Here, two recombinant variants of the spider silk protein ADF4 were engineered with oppositely charged peptide tags. Both were processed into micrometer-sized particles and investigated for their influence on manganese carbonate mineralization. Micro- and nano-structured manganese carbonate represents an attractive material for diverse applications including catalysis and wastewater treatment. While both types of spider silk particles were incorporated into the mineral structure, the positively tagged proteins appeared to interact more strongly with the formed manganese carbonate crystals than their negatively charged counterparts. Combination of the spider silk particles and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), a water-soluble structure-directing agent associated with the stabilization of amorphous precursor phases in carbonates, resulted in the formation of film-like non-equilibrium structures of MnCO3 entrapping the spider silk particles. With the aim to gain mechanistic insights and to elucidate the interaction between the different components involved in the mineralization process, we studied the interplay between PAA, positively or negatively tagged spider silk particles, and Mn(II) ions by time-resolved dynamic light scattering. The here used set-up affords the possibility to identify control strategies for the template-mediated mineralization of manganese carbonate.


Australia, a country which suffers from recurrent droughts, is currently experiencing a shift in climate. It is often classified as the driest inhabited continent due to the extremely low annual average rainfall (465 mm) and associated low annual average runoff (57 mm). This has required a regular revision of Australia's water policy to align with the needs of its society. Several changes in water policy have been formulated in recent times with the objective of striking a balance between the consumptive and environmental components of flows in Australian catchments. Some of the developments that affect irrigated agriculture include: (i) the Council of Australian Government's water reforms; (ii) the Murray-Darling Basin Commission cap (the volume of water that could be diverted under 1993-94 levels of development); (iii) environmental flow rules; and (iv) the National Water Initiative. At a strategic level global climate change threatens the viability of irrigated agriculture and other industries. Under the present water reforms, longer-term water security is not guaranteed because these reforms do not explicitly take into account threats to water quantity and quality due to enhanced climate variability and change. At an operational level, current water allocation systems do not take into account state-of-the-art climate forecasting methods. Therefore, it is often not until after the irrigation season is well underway that irrigators have a reasonable knowledge of how much water will be available. Thus, there is considerable risk associated with planting and crop establishment decisions, resulting in a need for climate forecasting tools aimed at risk management. There is also a need for Australian water legislation and policy to be revisited to incorporate climate change and adaptive management options.


Thin basement membrane disease (TBMD) is typically associated with hematuria but proteinuria is an uncommon presentation. When proteinuria is present, it is mostly in a non-nephrotic range, moreover, when proteinuria is in nephrotic range, generally it is associated with presence of glomerulopathies, Focal Segmental Nephrosclerosis, IgA Nephropathy or minimal change and is rarely present in an isolated TBMD. We present a case of 53-year-old male with history of hypertension for 15 yrs, coronary artery disease, rheumatoid arthritis and stage III chronic kidney disease who was referred to us for evaluation of long-standing chronic microscopic hematuria and new onset nephrotic range proteinuria. Given the fact that the proteinuria was new and in nephrotic range a biopsy was performed and was consistent with TBMD without other glomerlopathies or any other abnormalities seen. Our patient had CKD stage III serum (creatinine1.2 - 1.6 mg/dL), which was a stable finding for past 12 years. Microscopic hematuria was persistent for 24 years with new onset (6 month) of proteinuria. This case of TBMD is unique in terms of new onset nephrotic range proteinuria after long standing hematuria for 24 years. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4021/wjnu97w


Three experiments investigated the frames of reference used in memory to represent the spatial structure of the environment. Participants learned the locations of objects in a room according to an intrinsic axis of the configuration; the axis was different from or the same as their viewing perspective. Judgments of relative direction using memory were most accurate for imagined headings parallel to the intrinsic axis, even when it differed from the viewing perspective, and there was no cost to learning the layout according to a nonegocentric axis. When the shape of the layout was bilaterally symmetric relative to the intrinsic axis of learning, novel headings orthogonal to that axis were retrieved more accurately than were other novel headings. These results indicate that spatial memories are defined with respect to intrinsic frames of reference, which are selected on the basis of egocentric experience and environmental cues.


To date, approximately 200 different mutations in the MECP2 gene have been identified. We analyzed the entire coding sequence of the MECP2 gene and the X-chromosome inactivation pattern in 42 sporadic cases of Rett syndrome. Of the 42 patients, 30 had pathogenic mutations, including 14 different mutations: 9 missense mutations, 4 nonsense mutations, and 1 frameshift mutation. One was a novel mutation (S134P). There was a tendency for patients who had a nonsense mutation in the transcriptional repression domain region to show earlier onset of regression and more severe language retardation than patients with a mutation in the methyl-CpG binding domain region. However, the parameters of clinical severity were variable among patients with the same type of mutation, depending on the pattern of X-chromosome inactivation. This study suggests that the X-chromosome inactivation pattern can modify the phenotype of Rett syndrome, which is primarily determined by the type and site of MECP2 gene mutation.


Oyster mushroom were cultivated in controlled environment using different agricultural and forest waste. Experiment were conducted using six treatments viz. S1 (Red gram straw) S2 (Wheat Straw) S3 (Fallen leaf of Gum arabic tree + Custard apple+ Teak), S4 (Rice bran) S5, (Soybean straw) and S6, (Fallen leaf of Palash + Teak). The average yield of Mushroom produced on each bed was noted. It is observed that the dry weight of mushroom cultivated on substrate S6 (Fallen leaf of Palash + Teak) was found more followed by mushroom cultivated on treatment S1 (Red gram straw) (76gm) than the rest of the treatments. Biochemical study revealed that moisture percent was found highest in mushroom cultivated on paddy straw (35.83%) whereas lowest moisture percent was noted in mushroom grown on (S6) fallen leaf of Palash and Teak (31.68%). The crude fiber percent was found highest (18.63%) in mushroom grown on treatment S2 (Wheat straw) and was noted low (8.76%) in treatment S1 (Red gram straw) mushrooms. The ash percent was highest in mushroom grown on treatment S6 (10.66%) and lowest in mushroom obtained on treatment S5 (5.38%). The highest protein content was measured in mushroom produced on treatment S4 (12.24 mg/ml) and was found lowest for treatment S2 (10.28 mg/ml) The protein content was varied in mushroom grown on different treatment and was found in the range of (12.20 – 10.35 mg/ml). This study revealed that the oyster mushrooms grown on different straw were differ in nutritional composition although belongs to same genus.


Strong interpersonal bonds between group members have been found to either increase intergroup antipathy or improve intergroup attitudes, depending on the intergroup situation. However, the question of whether close ties with fellow group members can contribute positively and negatively to intergroup attitudes at the same time remains unexplored. We explore this question in the context of a national group taking the example of Finns' acculturation attitudes toward immigrants. One adolescent sample (N = 401) and one adult student sample (N = 285) completed surveys assessing these factors. Across both studies, strong interpersonal bonds with fellow nationals showed a negative effect on acculturation attitudes toward immigrants via an increase in blind patriotism. At the same time, interpersonal bonds also had a direct and positive effect on attitudes toward contact with Finns and (among younger respondents only) attitudes toward cultural maintenance. Our results indicate that the strength of interpersonal bonds with fellow nationals has simultaneous and opposing associations with acculturation attitudes via a combination of direct and indirect pathways. Based on these results we argue that groups can be simultaneously both caring and moral communities.


The adaptation of the annual cycle of development of boreal and temperate trees to climatic conditions has been seen as a result of stabilizing selection caused by two opposite driving forces of natural selection, i.e. the tolerance of unfavorable conditions during the frost exposed season (survival adaptation) and the effective use of growth resources during the growing season (capacity adaptation). In this study, two theories of the effects of climate on the adaptation of the timing of bud burst of trees were evaluated. This was done with computer simulations by applying a temperature sum model for predicting the timing of bud burst of different Norway spruce genotypes on the basis of air temperature data from various climatic conditions. High geographical variation in the temperature response of bud burst, typical for Norway spruce, was included in the theoretical analyses. The average timing of bud burst and the corresponding risk of occurrence of damaging frost during the susceptible period after bud burst were calculated for each genotype in each climate. Two contrasting theories of the stabilizing selection were evaluated, i.e. the overall adaptedness of each genotype was evaluated either 1) by assuming a fi xed threshold for the risk of frost damage, or 2) by assuming a tradeoff between the risk of frost damage and the length of the growing season. The tradeoff assumption produced predictions of between provenance variation in bud burst which correspond more closely with empirical observations available in literature, compared to the fi xed threshold assumption.


A mobile robot that autonomously functions in a complex and previously unknown indoor environment has been developed. The omnidirectional mobile robot uses stereo vision, odometry, and contact bumpers to instantiate a symbolic world model. Finding stereo correspondences across a single epipolar line is adequate for instantiating the model. Uncertainty in sensor data is represented by a multivariate normal distribution, and uncertainty models for motion and stereo are presented. Uncertainty is reduced by extended Kalman filtering. To execute a high-level command such as 'Enter the second door on the left', a model is instantiated from sensing and motions are planned and executed. Experimental results from the fast, running system are presented. >


The major part of the production costs of pharmaceuticals can be imputed to the downstream processing, where membrane technologies have to deal with some challenges as separations involving solutes with similar sizes or solvent recovery and recycling. This work contributes to the progress in the design of continuous organic solvent nanofiltration systems for this purpose and includes the configuration of dual membrane cascades, sensitivity analysis of the operation variables, and economic optimization as innovations. Analyzed configurations include multistage cascades up to three stages, and dual membrane cascades up to five stages. The total costs (TC) were chosen as the formulated objective function to minimize in the economic optimization strategy. The treatment of the residual stream leaving the system resulted the main cost of the process (more than 85% for dual cascades), but the solvent recovery units can significantly reduce the TC (64–77% depending on the required solvent quality). © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 931–948, 2014


An experiment was conducted to evaluate the exposure of airport staff and passengers in an airport area. All emitting antennas were identified and a first measurement was performed in the immediate vicinity of the antennas. In another experiment, individual dosimeters were first evaluated, then used to characterize the exposure of personals and passengers in the airport hall.


Cyclodextrins (CD) are cyclic oligosaccharides composed of six to more than sixty glucose units. Large-ring cyclodextrins (LR-CD) are novel CD comprised of more than eight glucose units with cavity structures and sizes different from that of commercially available CD6 – CD8. LR-CD may offer unique molecular recognition properties and can be produced biocatalytically from starch using cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase, E.C. 188.8.131.52) in a short reaction time. LR-CD were isolated from glucose, CD6 – CD8 and other compounds by complexation of CD6 – CD8 as well as precipitation techniques. The yield of LR-CD (degree of polymerization from 9 to 21) was optimized using central composite design. Addition of polar organic solvents to the synthesis resulted in higher yields of LR-CD. LR-CD composed of 9 to 21 glucose units were successfully separated using reversed-phase of ODS-AQ chromatography and normal-phase of polyamine II chromatography. Maintaining optimized reaction conditions aided in a high yield of CD9; it could be separated with reasonable yield using a single step of polyamine II chromatography. A co-grinding method helped to obtain higher solubilization levels of glibenclamide, vitamin A acetate and vitamin D3 in CD13, CD10 and CD11, respectively when compared to other CD. Vitamin K1 was solubilized in distilled water with CD6 – CD13 using a co-precipitation method. When compared with other CD, CD9 was seen to be the best solubilizer. The analysis of complexes using ESI MS showed spironolactone and glibenclamide complexed with CD9 and CD13, respectively.


Background Berberine, a herbal extract, has been reported to protect against inflammatory disorders. The adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway can be activated by berberine and inhibited by the synthetic, reversible AMP-competitive inhibitor, Compound C. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of berberine on concanavalin A (Con A)-induced autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) in mice via the AMPK pathway. Material/Methods BALB/c mice were treated with berberine, with or without Compound C, followed by treatment with Con A. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured. Liver tissue histology was performed to evaluate hepatic injury and AIH. Cytokine levels in serum and hepatic tissue were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Levels of phosphorylated acetyl coenzyme-A carboxylase (ACC), representing AMPK activation, were detected by Western blotting. Results Serum ALT and AST levels were significantly reduced by berberine (100 and 200 mg/kg/day) in mice with Con A-induced hepatitis. Berberine also reduced Con A-induced hepatocyte swelling, cell death, and infiltration of leukocytes. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interferon (IF)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-2, and IL-1beta were reduced by berberine pre-treatment; levels of serum IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, was elevated. These protective effects of berberine on Con-A-induced AIH were reversed by treatment with Compound C. Conclusions In a murine model of Con A-induced AIH, berberine treatment reduced hepatic injury via activation of the AMPK pathway. Further studies are recommended to determine the potential therapeutic role for berberine in AIH.


It is often presumed there are benefits from growing numbers of buyers and sellers around a platform, or "network effects." While the benefits of more buyers are self-evident, the effects of ever-increasing numbers of sellers of complementary goods ("complementors") perhaps deserve closer scrutiny. This paper uses point-of-sale data on a textbook example, large numbers of software developers around mobile computing platforms, to show that entry beyond several hundred software firms in fact led to reduced rates of new software development. Platform strategies emphasizing careful regulation of complementor entry would have led to more and possibly better software.


The microstructure and elevated temperature mechanical behavior of as-cast, HIPed and directionally solidified NiAl-Fe(Nb) Alloys have been investigated. The results show that the microstructure of as-cast NiAl-Fe(Nb) alloy consists of dendritic regions (b) and interdendritic regions (g/g¢) with non-continuous NbNiAl(Laves) phase segregating at the interfaces of b and g/g¢ phases. The HIP processing does not alter the microstructure of as-cast alloy. The longitudinal dendritic microstructure of the DS NiAl-Fe(Nb) alloy is regular. Room temperature elongations of as-cast and HIPed NiAl-Fe(Nb) alloys are all zero, however, 0.4% for the DS alloy. The strength and elongation of the HIPed alloy are higher than that of as-cast alloy. The yield strength and ultimate strength of the DS alloy are equivalent to that of as-cast alloy, but elongation of the DS alloy is higher than that of as-cast alloy, the elongation exceed 100% at 1273K, which indicates that the DS alloy can be deformed superplastically.


Air pollution from vehicular emissions and other combustion sources is related to cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between air pollution and preterm birth, a primary cause of infant mortality and morbidity. This analysis examined the effect of fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) and carbon monoxide (CO) on preterm birth in a matched case-control study. PM(2.5) and CO monitoring data from the California Air Resources Board were linked to California birth certificate data for singletons born in 1999-2000. Each birth was mapped to the closest PM monitor within 5 miles of the home address. County-level CO measures were utilised to increase sample size and maintain a representative population. After exclusion of implausible birthweight-gestation combinations, preterm birth was defined as birth occurring between 24 and 36 weeks' gestation. Each of the 10 673 preterm cases was matched to three controls of term (39-44 weeks) gestation with a similar date of last menstrual period. Based on the case's gestational age, CO and PM(2.5) exposures were calculated for total pregnancy, first month of pregnancy, and last 2 weeks of pregnancy. Exposures were divided into quartiles; the lowest quartile was the reference. Because of the matched design, conditional logistic regression was used to adjust for maternal race/ethnicity, age, parity, marital status and education. High total pregnancy PM(2.5) exposure was associated with a small effect on preterm birth, after adjustment for maternal factors (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.15, [95% CI 1.07, 1.24]). The odds ratio did not change after adjustment for CO. Results were similar for PM(2.5) exposure during the first month of pregnancy (AOR = 1.21, 95% CI [1.12, 1.30]) and the last 2 weeks of pregnancy (AOR = 1.17, 95% CI [1.09, 1.27]). Conversely, CO exposure at any time during pregnancy was not associated with preterm birth (AORs from 0.95 to 1.00). Maternal exposure to PM(2.5), but not CO, is associated with preterm birth. This analysis did not show differences by timing of exposure, although more detailed examination may be needed.


Bacterial enumeration and histologic examination of organs and tissues of 8-day-old chicks 7 days after peroral inoculation with Campylobacter jejuni revealed that the organism colonized primarily the lower gastrointestinal tract. The principal sites of localization were the ceca, large intestine, and cloaca, where densely packed cells of C. jejuni were observed in mucus within crypts. Examination of C. jejuni-colonized crypts by transmission electron microscopy revealed that the campylobacters freely pervaded the lumina of crypts without attachment to crypt microvilli. Understanding the mechanism of colonization may lead to approaches that will reduce the incidence of C. jejuni carriage by poultry.


A prevailing view in moral psychology holds that empathy and sympathy play key roles in morality and in prosocial and altruistic actions. Recently, Jesse Prinz (2011a, 2011b) has challenged this view and has argued that empathy does not play a foundational or causal role in morality. He suggests that in fact the presence of empathetic emotions is harmful to morality. Prinz rejects all theories that connect empathy and morality as a constitutional, epistemological, developmental, motivational, or normative necessity. I consider two of Prinz's theses: the thesis that empathy is not necessary for moral development, and the thesis that empathy should be avoided as a guide for morality. Based on recent research in moral psychology, I argue that empathy plays a crucial role in development of moral agency. I also argue that empathy is desirable as a moral emotion.


This research work investigated the influence of biofield treatment on Enterobacter cloacae (ATCC 13047) against antimicrobial susceptibility. Two sets of ATCC samples were taken in this experiment and denoted as A and B. ATCC A sample was revived and divided into two parts Gr. I (control) and Gr. II (revived); likewise, ATCC B was labeled as Gr. III (lyophilized). Group II and III were given with biofield treatment. The control and treatment groups of E. cloacae cells were tested with respect to antimicrobial susceptibility, biochemical reactions pattern and biotype number. The result showed significant decrease in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of aztreonam and ceftazidime (≤ 8 μg/mL), as compared to control group (≥ 16 μg/mL). It was observed that 9% reaction was altered in the treated groups with respect to control out of the 33 biochemical reactions. Moreover, biotype number of this organism was substantially changed in group II (7731 7376) and group III (7710 3176) on day 10 as compared to control (7710 3376). The result suggested that biofield treatment had an impact on E. cloacae with respect to antimicrobial susceptibility, alteration of biochemical reactions pattern and biotype.


Performance measurement represents one example of a range of processes operating within the discursive formation of New Public Management, all of which are destabilising (or at least have the potential to destabilise) modernist professional social work. In this article I argue that the changes represented by such processes operate in insidious yet powerful ways, with significant consequences for those professions drawn into the calculus of performativity (Lyotard, 1984). My primary thesis is that the use of performance measurement in the reconfiguration of service delivery systems provides a revealing example of mezzo and micro processes of institutional change. By this I mean that in drawing its rationality from the macro level of neo-liberal ideology and politics and implemented at the organisational (mezzo) level, performance measurement has the capacity to transform the way social workers undertake their work. In the process, the professional identity projected by social work may also be radically transformed. I suggest that this last claim is as yet just that – a claim - which awaits empirical investigation.


Forward contracting historically has been the principal risk management tool of crop farmers in the United States. We use pre‐harvest forward contract bids from 1977 to 2013 in Illinois to estimate the cost of forward contracting corn and soybeans. Prior to 2007, it cost 1.55% of the October spot price or 3.74 cents/bushel on average to forward contract corn at the end of February. In 2007–2013, a period of high price volatility, the average cost increased to 3.31% or 16.40 cents/bushel. In the soybean market, before 2007 the average cost was 0.77% or 6.26 cents/bushel and thereafter increased to 1.46% or 15.62 cents/bushel. Default risk does not appear to be a determinant of forward contracting cost. However, evidence suggests that the higher cash flow risk associated with volatile market prices is likely to be the main driving cause of increasing forward contracting costs observed after 2007. [EconLit citations: Q11, Q13].


Beetroot (Beta vulgaris), commonly known as table beet, is used as a staple in the diet ofmany people through the consumption of the entire plant, leaf, and the root. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of nitrogen (N) application and leaf harvest percentage on the yield and quality of roots and leaves of beetroot. The treatment design was a randomized complete block design with five levels of N (0, 60, 90, 120, and 150 kg ha) combined with three leaf harvest percentages (0, 30, and 50) and replicated three times. The first leaf harvest was initiated 35 days after transplanting (DAT) by removing the outer matured leaves and the second harvest occurred 80 DAT by removing all the leaves. The results showed increases in leaf and root yield with an increase in N application. Nitrogen application at 90 and 120 kg ha increased fresh leaf weight, leaf number, and fresh and dry root weight, including root diameter and length with the exception of leaf area which was significantly higher at 120 kg ha N. Magnesium and iron leaf content, and N root content were significantly improved by the application of 120 kg ha N. Leaf harvest percentage did not have a significant effect on leaf yield or leaf and root mineral content. However, dry root weight was significantly reduced by the 50% leaf harvest. Leaf harvest at 30% or 50% increased total protein content of the roots of beetroot, whereas an increase in N application decreased concentration of total proteins. Results demonstrate that leaf and root yield, as well as magnesium, zinc, and iron leaf content, increased with the application of 120 kg ha N, whereas 30% leaf harvest did not negatively affect root yield.


Watermelon waste materials remained one of the important food grade agro-wastes generated by most hospitality industries in Southeast Asia and particularly in Malaysia. Jam was prepared from watermelon rind with different flavours (vanilla, pineapple, strawberry, lemon and no flavour). Five different samples were prepared at various compositions T1 (50-50), T2 (80-20), T3 (60-40), T4 (40-60) and T5 (20-80) of rind and sugar. T1 (50-50) gave the best jam set. Ten man panel (trained) evaluated the jam for its sensory characteristics and physicochemical analysis. Sensory evaluation conducted among five flavours was significantly different at (p>0.05). Chemical analysis showed that ascorbic acid reduced greatly among all treatments during three month storage. Soluble sugar and pH also decreased gradually for T1 (from 4.96 to 4.40), T2 (from 4.92 to 4.21), T3 (from 4.74 to 4.11), T4 (from 4.62 to 4.51) and T5 (from 4.52 to 4.25) upon storage. Strawberry flavoured jam was most acceptable by the panel.


The geometries and kinematic evolution of 3-D inversion thrust structures have been modeled using 3-D sandbox analogs of hanging-wall deformation above footwall blocks with both concave-up and convex-up listric geometries. Extension over 3-D concave-up listric detachments produced characteristic rollover anticlines and crestal-collapse graben systems that parallel the along-strike, sinusoidal or cuspate plan geometries of the detachment breakaways. Three-dimensional inversion by horizontal contraction produced asymmetric, thrust-fault-bounded, hanging-wall inversion anticlines with curved axial traces that also follow the plan-view shape of the extensional breakaways. The main detachments were reactivated during the inversion, and new, steep thrust segments propagated upward from the detachment breakaways. Shallow to moderately dipping hanging-wall back thrusts also propagated outward from the crestal-collapse graben systems. The periclinal inversion anticlines exhibited two plunge culminations above the most concave sections of the main detachment surface. Extension above a 3-D convex-up, listric detachment surface produced a hanging-wall syncline together with a narrow, complex crestal-collapse graben system. In plan view, the axes of the hanging-wall syncline and the crestal-collapse graben formed parallel to the sinusoidal detachment breakaway. Inversion of this system produced a broad, thrust-fault-bounded anticline that shows along-strike plunge culminations. The main detachment surface was reactivated, and a moderately dipping thrust propagated upward through the syninversion strata. Segmented, hanging-wall back thrusts formed subparallel to the main detachment breakaway. Vertical and horizontal sections through the completed models were used to construct 3-D synoptic models for these inversion systems. The results of the analog experiments compare well with published examples of 3-D inversion structures from petroleum basins in the North Sea, Indonesia, and Argentina.


The board of directors is responsible for an appropriate business risk management environment. The paper studies in a comparative way how legislators and courts fill this duty. We question whether the legislative and regulatory framework will improve the equilibrium between entrepreneurship and risk control. We advocate for a distinct approach for strategic and operational risk management, defining risk appetite and tolerance and sufficient monitoring. We also call for full and detailed reporting and compliance risk management.


trols. We feel that asthma should be actively considered in all children presenting with respiratory symptoms or the disease will be underdiagnosed. The importance of this is highlighted by the results of Speight et all and of Anderson et al,'2 who have shown that asthmatic children who are correctly labelled are more likely to receive appropriate therapy and consequently to suffer less morbidity such as loss of schooling, maternal anxiety, restriction of activity, and failure to thrive.


This article discusses the application of the work product doctrine in the tax context. It provides an overview of the burdens that an applicant seeking immunity for its tax materials must meet as well as the procedures used by courts to verify an applicant's claim for a privilege traditionally reserved for documents prepared with an objectively reasonable anticipation of litigation in mind. Moreover, it roots the discussion in the primary question currently before the en banc First Circuit in the closely watched case, United States v. Textron: Are a company's tax accrual workpapers protected from discovery under the work product doctrine?The article concludes that tax accrual workpapers never qualify as protected work product. Corporate taxpayers create these documents to comply with federal securities law, not because of future litigation. Workpapers may discuss the prospect of future litigation or contain analyses that later become the subject of litigation. But the appearance of those discussions and analyses in documents created exclusively for regulatory purposes does not transform the documents into materials created in anticipation of litigation. And it certainly does not transform them into materials created in objectively reasonable anticipation of litigation as required by the work product doctrine. Indeed, in the event an applicant or a court attempts to justify turning regulatory documents into litigation documents, it must face the attenuated temporal connection between preparation of workpapers and future litigation. In combination with the many dispute resolution procedures available to taxpayers and the government, anticipating litigation when preparing workpapers is distinctly unreasonable both as a matter of logic and mathematical probability.


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 Financial products for consumers usually are characterized by complexity and incomprehensibility. Consumers typically find themselves defeated when attempting to control their financial destiny by understanding these products. This Article explores the economic and social factors that lead to this reality, analyzes its highly negative private and social ramifications and proposes an appropriate policy response. I argue that the current market structure creates a reality in which financial institutions are motivated to produce complex financial products for consumers in order to maximize their profits. This market structure, combined with inadequate policy, induces inefficiency by allocating the comprehension costs of financial products to the consumer. My thesis is that a fundamental change in risk allocation policy will steer the market toward consumer comprehension of financial products and, therefore, will reduce private and social costs, increase consumer trust in financial institutions and promote social cohesion. I propose a new default liability rule under which financial institutions would be required to introduce internal procedures and mechanisms to ensure product comprehension among all of their consumers. To encourage maximum compliance with my proposal, I suggest implementing a reputation-based incentives method that would require every financial institution branch to publicly post a service quality ranking assigned by the regulator. I also support a trust-oriented licensing policy that would encourage the inclusion of new trustworthy financial institutions in the market and offer the implementation of a new regime for supervising financial product contract terms.


Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) launched in 1997 the model CreditRisk which aims at calculating the loss distribution of a credit portfolio on the basis of a methodology from actuarial mathematics. Knowing the loss distribution, it is possible to determine quantilebased values-at-risk (VaRs) for the portfolio. An open question is how to attribute fair VaR contributions to the credits or loans forming the portfolio. One approach is to define the contributions as certain conditional expectations. We develop an algorithm for the calculations involved in this approach. This algorithm can be adapted for computing the contributions to the portfolio Expected Shortfall (ES).


This paper presents supercapacitor (SCAP) and battery modeling with an original energy management strategy in a hybrid storage technology. The studied dc power supply is composed of SCAPs and batteries. SCAPs are dimensioned for peak power requirement, and batteries provide the power in steady state. A bidirectional dc/dc converter is used between SCAPs and the dc bus. Batteries are directly connected to the dc bus. The originality of this study is focused on SCAP behavior modeling and energy management strategy. The proposed strategy is based on a polynomial (RST) controller. For reasons of cost and existing components (not optimized) such as batteries and semiconductors, the experimental test benches are designed in reduced scale. The characterized packs of SCAPs include two modules of ten cells in series for each one and present a maximum voltage of 27 V. The proposed strategy is implemented on a PIC18F4431 microcontroller for two dc/dc converter topology controls. Experimental and simulation results obtained from the polynomial control strategy are presented, analyzed, and compared with that of classical proportional-integral control.


BACKGROUND
Significant geographic disparities exist in access to liver transplantation and consequently the current liver allocation system is being challenged. We sought to describe our unique experience with using organs with long cold ischemia times from the largest donation service area.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
From 2009-2014 we performed 350 liver transplants. 167 (48%) had a cold ischemia time <8 hours, 134 (38%) between 8 and 12 hours, and 49 (14%) greater than 12 hours.

RESULTS
Early allograft dysfunction was observed more commonly with increasing cold ischemia times. 53% of the recipients in the >12 h group had early allograft dysfunction compared to 28% in the 8-12 h group, and 18% in the <8 h group (P<0.001). We found no correlation between early allograft dysfunction and allograft or patient survival. One-year liver allograft survival was 92%, 94%, 87%, three-year graft survival was 82%, 89%, and 87%, and five-year graft survival was 82%, 89%, and 79% in the <8 h, 8-12 h, and >12 h cold ischemia time groups, respectively. One-year patient survival was 95%, 94%, and 92% and five-year patient survival was 90%, 89%, and 83% in the <8 h, 8-12 h, and >12 h cold ischemia time groups, respectively. Both unadjusted and multivariate Cox regression analyses indicated no statistically significant associations between cold ischemia time and graft or patient survival.

CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, the prolonged cold ischemia time led to early allograft dysfunction but did not have a deleterious association with graft or patient survival.


The nucleotide sequences of the maize plastid genes for the alpha subunit of CF1 (atpA) and the proteolipid subunit of CF0 (atpH) are presented. The evolution of these genes among higher plants is characterized by a transition mutation bias of about 2:1 and by rates of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitution which are much lower than similar rates for genes from other sources. This is consistent with the notion that the plastid genome is evolving conservatively in primary sequence. Yet, the mode and tempo of sequence evolution of these and other plastid-encoded coupling factor genes are not the same. In particular, higher rates of nonsynonymous substitution in atpE (the gene for the epsilon subunit of CF1) and higher rates of synonymous substitution in atpH in the dicot vs. monocot lineages of higher plants indicate that these sequences are likely subject to different evolutionary constraints in these two lineages. The 5'- and 3'-transcribed flanking regions of atpA and atpH from maize, wheat and tobacco are conserved in size, but contain few putative regulatory elements which are conserved either in their spatial arrangement or sequence complexity. However, these regions likely contain variable numbers of "species-specific" regulatory elements. The present studies thus suggest that the plastid genome is not a passive participant in an evolutionary process governed by a more rapidly changing, readily adaptive, nuclear compartment, but that novel strategies for the coordinate expression of genes in the plastid genome may arise through rapid evolution of the flanking sequences of these genes.


Problem: Since the World Trade Organization (WTO) was established the purpose of Interna-tional trade has changed. The WTO has the aim to demonstrate that developing countries can ac-complish growth by participating in international trade. The organization has created a framework that provides different types of assistance programs in favor of developing countries. However, the remaining issue is whether the developing countries have an efficient framework to capture growth.Purpose: The aim of this thesis is to provide knowledge that developing countries have a poten-tial outcome of economic growth by opening up their borders. The old statements that developing countries make a loss in free trade are intended to be proven wrong in this thesis.Method: The method in which this research paper will be conducted is to define the different perspectives of International trade applied by Adam Smith, Hayek and the Ohlin model followed by Douglass North"s argument of effective institutions in third world countries. The aim is to inte-grate these theories together to show that there is a possibility of growth in a country by following trade policies. This will be proven by providing two case studies about Botswana and Uganda to show the relationships of entering the WTO and economic growth.Conclusion: Studying countries like Uganda and Botswana provides evidence that there is a posi-tive correlation between joining the WTO and starting to trade as a result of economic growth. However, there are many different aspects that have to be considered such as new regulations, ef-fective institutions, valid governments, trade policy in favor of liberalization and effort on streng-thening human capital.


Background
Meningioma is the most common primary intracranial tumor and recurrence is one of the important challenges in patient management. Prognostic factors for tumor recurrences in these patients especially before surgical resection are not fully characterized. Several studies have indicated an association between changes in hematologic laboratory parameters with patient outcomes in solid malignancies. We aimed to assess the association between hematologic parameters and tumor recurrence in patients with meningioma.

Methods
Preoperative complete blood count (CBC) data were analyzed in patients with newly diagnosed meningioma (n = 222). Clinical data, including history of corticosteroid therapy, tumor characteristics, and follow-up, were obtained. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models and log-rank tests.

Results
Using preoperative CBC data from patients prior to any steroid therapy, 51 (23%) patients had neutrophilia. In univariate analysis, neutrophilia was significantly associated with meningioma recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] 2.73; P < 0.01). Neither leukocytosis nor lymphocytosis was associated with RFS. In multivariate analysis, after adjusting for tumor grade, tumor size, and extent of resection, neutrophilia remained an independent prognostic factor for RFS (HR 2.23, P = 0.01). Forty-six (21%) patients had low hemoglobin levels indicative of anemia, and the presence of anemia showed a trend toward high risk for recurrence (HR 1.83; P = 0.06).

Conclusions
The presence of neutrophilia was associated with higher rate of tumor recurrence in patients with meningioma. Validation of these results and the biologic role of neutrophilic inflammatory/immune reaction in meningioma requires further investigation.


Lichens are traditionally divided into types such as "crustose", "foliose" and "fruticose", with different shapes and heights. Substrate, temperature and water are thought to affect lichen height, but there are few studies regarding tropical paramo lichens. Along 2015 I measured those variables in the terricolous lichens of the Cerro Buena Vista, paramo (Costa Rica, 9°33' N & 83°45' W). The measurements were taken inside the lichens and in the substrate under them, in 61 randomly located quadrats (50 x 50 cm). Lichens grew taller on (1) warmer ground, (2) wetter ground, (3) the moister Caribbean slope, and (4) the season with heavier rainfall, as expected. Apparently, atmospheric factors are more important than substrate in the determination of temperature, relative humidity and growth of lichens. Physiologically available water seems to be the main determinant of lichen vertical growth in the Buena Vista paramo.


The hospitality industry being allied with public health through the provision of food and drinks is guided by a number of food safety regulations among which is the Food Safety Act (1990) with the aim of safeguarding consumer health. Studies show however that despite the existence of these regulations and the powers conferred on relevant regulatory bodies to enforce compliance, food hygiene infractions exist amongst hotel operators with all its attendant negative implications. The study aimed at establishing levels of hotels" compliance with food hygiene regulations as well as examining the level of commitment of regulatory agencies in maintaining standards of food hygiene and sanitation in urban and sub-urban classified hotels in Bauchi metropolis through enforcement and supervision. The objectives were based on establishing the level of awareness of the sanitation laws and regulations in Bauchi state by the hotel operators, to determine the level of compliance of hotels to sanitary laws, and find out if regulatory agencies carry out their statutory role of enforcing compliance to sanitation standards effectively. The study was limited to the urban and sub-urban classified hotels in Bauchi metropolis. The diagnostic survey design was adopted and a census population was used for a reliable result. Structured questionnaires were used to elicit information from the sixty-six respondents drawn from the hotels and regulatory agencies strata of the population. Observation checklist was also used to assess premises" sanitary conditions of the hotels. The quantitative data collected was edited, coded and organized into appropriate themes. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Data was described using measures of central dispersion and tendency, frequency distribution tables and percentages. The one-way ANOVA was used to test for differences among the means of, and to analyze the total compliance scores of the eight hotels used for the study as regards all the 24 conditions of hygiene and sanitation that the regulatory agencies had scored them, based on a Likert scale with 5 points (5-Very Good, 4-Good, 3-Average, 2-Poor, and 1Very Poor). A score between 24 and 56 implied Low Compliance, a score between 57 and 89 implied average compliance and a score between 90 and 120 implied high compliance. Chisquare was used to establish relationship between dependent and independent variables. All the significant tests for the hypotheses were at 95% confidence level (p< 0.05). The study findings were that all the hotel operators in Bauchi are not aware of the National Environmental Health Practice Regulations on food hygiene and sanitation guiding their food business operations, that the level of compliance with hygiene and sanitation regulations were below the average scores of between 57 and 89, and that there was no relationship between enforcement and compliance with sanitation standards in Bauchi. An exploratory analysis of other factors that were responsible for hotels" good practices including compliance with regulations revealed that there is a direct relationship between professional qualification of hotels" units" heads and the hotels good practices. The study recommended an inclusion of and an emphasis on the regulations that guide hotel operations in Bauchi in hospitality courses curricula and a mandatory course on food hygiene and sanitation for prospective hotel entrepreneurs as a prerequisite for obtaining license for all food businesses in Bauchi.


New fits of the unintegrated gluon density obtained from CCFM evo lution to HERA F2(x, Q 2 ) data are presented. Also predictions of the unintegrated gluon density of the real photon are presented.


ABSTRACT During January 1977 three consecutive cold fronts crossed south Florida and the northern Bahamas which depressed shallow-water temperatures below the lethal limit for most reef corals. Digital thermal infrared data acquired by the NOAA-5 meteorological satellite, in situ water temperatures, and meteorological data were used to study the thermal evolution of Florida Bay and Bahama Bank waters. The third and most important frontal system depressed Florida Bay water below 16° C, a thermal stress threshold for most reef corals, for 8 days. The minimum water temperature recorded in situ was 12.6° C. Satellite data suggest that some Florida Bay coastal waters were at least 1° C cooler than water at this site. Cold-water plumes (detected on satellite imagery) suggest that offshelf or offbank movement of cold, dense water follows bathymetry-controlled routes. Absence of viable shelf reefs opposite tidal passes supports this contention. Coral mortality at Dry Tortugas was up to 91 percent during the 1977 event. Coral and fish kills were also reported from other parts of the Florida Reef Tract and northern Bahamas. Study results show that cold-water stress conditions can exist over vast shallow-water areas and have residence times of several days. These observations suggest that aperiodic chilling processes have a limiting influence on reef community development throughout the Florida Reef Tract and northern Bahamas.


Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the five-leading cancers in Thailand. Delayed diagnosis is crucial for undermining the prognosis of the patients. This study aims to evaluate the factors associated with the time interval for diagnosis (TID). Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study of 191 CRC patients with histological confirmation who were undergoing treatment in the tertiary hospital in Khon Kaen Province was conducted. The data were obtained by interview and retrieving from medical records. The time interval in each diagnostic process is reported in geometric mean. The geometric mean ratio (GMR) used to interpret the results from multiple linear regressions that analyze the relationship between factors and log-transformed TID. Results: Most patients were males (61.78%) with mean age of 61.28±10.2 years old. The geometric mean of TID was 263.48 days. Two factors were significantly associated with longer TID: first visit at a tertiary hospital (GMR=7.77 relative to secondary hospital; 95%CI=1.95 to 30.57) and distance to tertiary healthcare. Two factors were significantly associated with shorter TID: officer/ state enterprise (GMR=0.53 relative to agriculture; 95%CI=0.28 to 0.98) and cost of traveling to secondary healthcare. Conclusions: The results showed the occupation, first health care visit, distance and cost were factors associated with TID. Improving the facilities at the secondary healthcare units for diagnosing CRC would be likely to help to reduce the wasted time in the healthcare system.


The aim of this study is to identify the determinants of US Dollar/Turkish Lira currency exchange rate for strategic decision making in the global economy. Within this scope, quarterly data for the period between 1988:1 and 2016:2 was used in this study. In addition to this aspect, 10 explanatory variables were considered in order to determine the leading indicators of US Dollar/Turkish Lira currency exchange rate. Moreover, Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) method was used so as to achieve this objective. According to the results of this analysis, it was defined that two different variables affect this exchange rate in Turkey. First of all, it was identified that there is a negative relationship between current account balance and the value of US Dollar/Turkish Lira currency exchange rate. This result shows that in case of current account deficit problem, Turkish Lira experiences depreciation. Furthermore, it was also concluded that when there is an economic growth in Turkey, Turkish Lira increases in comparison with US Dollar. While taking into the consideration of these results, it could be generalized that emerging economies such as Turkey have to decrease current account deficit and investors should focus on higher economic growth in order to prevent the depreciation of the money in the strategic investment decision. Determining Influencing Factors of Currency Exchange Rate for Decision Making in Global Economy Using MARS Method


Nepal, the poorest country in South Asia with a high incidence of income poverty and markedly low levels of human development, has experienced violent civil conflict over the past 7 years. The "People's war" launched by Maoist guerrillas against the state has led to widespread loss of lives and livelihoods and has had serious negative effects on the country's development prospects. This paper examines the economic causes of the civil conflict in Nepal. We show that relative deprivation and related economic grievances are key causal factors of the conflict. However, our analysis also goes beyond demonstrating the links between economic deprivation and conflict and attempts to locate the conflict within the political economy of the country. We, therefore, show deprivation and conflict to have been the outcome of an uneven process of development that led to the social and economic exclusion of large segments of the population. Given that the conflict in Nepal began during a period of economic liberalization, we also examine the links between economic reform and conflict and argue that reform is likely to have had some negative distributional effects that may have intensified the conditions for violent insurrection against the state.


The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) has detected over 1400 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) since it began science operations in 2008 July. We use a subset of over 300 GRBs localized by instruments such as Swift, the Fermi Large Area Telescope, INTEGRAL, and MAXI, or through triangulations from the InterPlanetary Network, to analyze the accuracy of GBM GRB localizations. We find that the reported statistical uncertainties on GBM localizations, which can be as small as 1°, underestimate the distance of the GBM positions to the true GRB locations and we attribute this to systematic uncertainties. The distribution of systematic uncertainties is well represented (68% confidence level) by a 3.°7 Gaussian with a non-Gaussian tail that contains about 10% of GBM-detected GRBs and extends to approximately 14°. A more complex model suggests that there is a dependence of the systematic uncertainty on the position of the GRB in spacecraft coordinates, with GRBs in the quadrants on the Y axis better localized than those on the X axis.


We present results that indicate the existence of two distinct neutral heating processes associated with a discrete auroral arc over Svalbard. Within the order of seconds, the thermospheric temperature profile displays a significant response to the arc on spatial scales smaller than 10 km. It is suggested that both heating signatures are associated with the electrodynamic system responsible for the formation of the arc. Pedersen currents produce a temperature increase of approximately 100 K, observed at altitudes between 80 and 160 kilometres, directly adjacent to the arc structure and on its poleward edge only. In contrast, field‐aligned currents produce a variable temperature increase, of approximately 50 K, which is observed within the arc itself and constrained to a narrow altitude range between 90 and 110 km. By utilizing a range of observations and new analysis methods we are able to measure the atmospheric neutral temperature profile, over auroral altitudes, at unprecedented temporal and spatial scales. The High Throughput Imaging Echelle Spectrograph records high‐resolution emission spectra of the aurora, which are then fitted with synthetic N2 spectra, generated with modeled N2 volume emission rate profiles and a library of trial temperature profiles. The N2 volume emission rate profiles are retrieved from the Southampton ionospheric model using precipitating particle energies and fluxes obtained from Auroral Structure and Kinetics and the EISCAT Svalbard Radar. The application of this technique allows us to produce a time series of neutral temperature profiles and measure the localized heating of the neutral atmosphere resulting from the electrodynamics of the arc.


Calcyphosine is a calcium-binding protein containing four EF-hand domains, initially identified as thyroid protein p24. It was first cloned and its counterparts in rabbit, human, and mouse, crayfish and lobster of invertebrate were also cloned. Here we describe the cloning and characterization of a novel human calcyphosine gene. The 3829-bp cDNA encodes a EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding protein homologous to the dog calcyphosine. It also contains two EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding motif. It is abundantly expressed in many tissues including by RT-PCR analysis and believed to play important role in calcium signaling. It was mapped to human genome 12q15.


The occurrence of steroidal leukocytosis at early stages of an observation may, to a certain extent, serve an objective criterion for predicting the pronounced immediate results of treatment in first detected patients with sarcoidosis (that of intrathoracic lymph nodes and the lung in particular) and thus makes it possible to judge the adequacy of therapy in the inpatient setting. When steroidal leukocytosis is absent, it is necessary to differentiately decide whether it is expedient to correct a hormonal therapy regimen in order to achieve the optimal results of its efficiency.


BACKGROUND
Endometriosis, which is characterized by the growth of endometrial tissue at ectopic locations as well as vascular development and inflammation, is still an unmet clinical need since an optimal drug that allows for both pain and infertility management does not exist. Since both the eutopic and the ectopic endometrium express the vitamin D receptor (VDR), and VDR agonists are endowed with anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory properties, we evaluated the effect of elocalcitol, a VDR agonist with low calcaemic liability, in a mouse model of experimentally induced endometriosis.

METHODS AND RESULTS
Endometriosis was induced by injection of syngeneic endometrial tissue fragments into adult Balb/c female mice. After having confirmed by immunohistochemistry that endometriotic lesions developing in mice expressed VDR, the mice were administered with elocalcitol (100 μg/kg) or vehicle orally, once a day, for various durations of time. In this model, elocalcitol was able to reduce total lesion weight up to 70% upon treatment for 1 week before and 2 weeks after disease induction. Interestingly, a therapeutic effect was also observed on already established lesions. Elocalcitol was shown to reduce the capacity of mouse endometrial cells to adhere to collagen. In addition in treated mice, a decreased state of peritoneal inflammation was demonstrated by the inhibition of macrophage recruitment and inflammatory cytokine secretion.

CONCLUSIONS
The VDR agonist elocalcitol inhibits lesion development in a validated mouse model of endometriosis, and exerts a protective effect on both the implantation and organization of transferred endometrial tissue. These preliminary data in mice provide a sound rationale for further testing in primate models and eventually in humans.


A field study was carried out to evaluate the effect of different plant spacing on growth, biomass accumulation and initial establishment of Moringa oleifera multi-purpose tree. This was a one factor experiment comprising of five different plant spacing carried out in randomised design (RCBD) in three blocks at the University of Zimbabwe, Crop Science Department. The main objective of this study was to determine the most ideal plant spacing for increased biomass accumulation. The net plot was 3 × 3 m. Leaf harvests were done periodically at three week intervals by harvesting three side branches and fresh and dry matter biomass was taken in grams per plant/plot. The results indicated that high plant populations/unit area with closer spacing, produced higher biomass yields, robust rooting and longer stems, but with smaller stem diameters. Whilst on the other hand, low plant populations resulted in higher individual plant growth as evidenced by the thicker stem diameters produced. Therefore for increased biomass and leaf production, it is recommended that closer plant spacing be used if the plant is intended for vegetable and forage utilization. However, if the plants are to be utilized for fuel, leaf processing, pod and seed production, wider plant spacing are recommended for increased individual plant growth.


Background Oesophageal intraluminal impedance is currently used for assessment of reflux in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). Oesophageal mucosa integrity may have a key role in heartburn perception in non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). Severe erosive oesophagitis is associated with low impedance baseline. We hypothesised that impedance baseline measurements could be used to evaluate changes in oesophageal mucosa integrity in man. Methods We measured oesophageal impedance baseline before, during and after acid perfusion in rabbits and healthy subjects. Transepithelial resistance (TER) was determined and dilated intercellular spaces (DIS) were assessed in isolated rabbit oesophageal mucosa. Impedance baseline was measured retrospectively at different levels of the oesophagus in impedance-pH recordings from asymptomatic volunteers and patients with GORD. Results In healthy subjects and rabbits, impedance baseline dropped dramatically during perfusion of control solution (pH 7.2) but after perfusion, impedance recovered. In rabbits, after perfusion with saline pH 1.5 and 1.0 impedance values remained a 39.1±7.0% and 63.9±6.5% (p<0.05) lower respectively. There was a positive correlation between in vivo basal impedance and in vitro TER values (r=0.72, p=0.0021). Tissue showed no erosions but both acidic solutions induced DIS. In healthy subjects, after perfusion with saline pH 2.0 and 1.0 the impedance baseline remained lower a 21.9±6.5% and 52.7±5.0%, (p<0.0001) respectively. Patients with GORD have a lower impedance baseline than healthy volunteers at the distal oesophagus. Conclusions Impedance baseline measurements might be used to evaluate the status of the oesophageal mucosa and to study the role of the impaired mucosal integrity in acid-induced heartburn in healthy volunteers and in patients with GORD.


Tsunami is a rapid-onset natural hazard that can be considered as one of the extremely destructive hazards. Depending on the location of the origin of Tsunami, there can be limited time available to evacuate people to safe places and to make appropriate response decisions in timely manner. Therefore, it is imperative to increase the inherent capacity of a city to respond this type of a natural hazard. Planning and designing spatial elements are one of the directives to increase the inherent capacity of a city to resist, absorb, accommodate and recover from the effects of a Tsunami. Accordingly, this research paper emphasizes the importance of public open spaces as one of the key spatial elements of a city which can be used as a strategy to enhance the coastal urban cities' resilience to Tsunamis, as an agent of recovery, as a mode to provide essential life support, as a primary place to rescue, shelters and potential for adaptive response. Moreover, this ongoing research study analyses the current literature on use of public open spaces for Tsunami resilience and also the current problems and issues associated with it. Finally, the analysis suggests set of recommendations to enhance the use of public open spaces to increase the coastal urban cities' resilience to Tsunamis.


Cobalt is a potential
candidate in replacing copper for interconnects and has been applied in the
trenches and vias in semiconductor industry. A non-oxidizing reactant is
required in plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) of thin films of metals
to avoid O-contamination. PE-ALD of Co has been demonstrated experimentally,
but the growth mechanism and key reactions are not clear. In this paper, the reaction
mechanism of metal cyclopentadienyl (Cp, C5H5) precursors
(CoCp2) and NHx-terminated Co surface is studied by
density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The Cp ligands are eliminated by
CpH formation via a hydrogen transfer step and desorb from metal surface. The surface
facet plays an important role in the reaction energies and activation barriers.
The results show that on the NHx-terminated surfaces corresponding
to ALD operating condition (temperature range 550K to 650K), the two Cp ligands
are eliminated completely on Co(100) surface during the metal precursor pulse,
resulting in Co atom deposited on the Co(100) surface. But the second Cp ligand
reaction of hydrogen transfer is thermodynamically unfavourable on the Co(001)
surface, resulting in CoCp fragment termination on Co(001) surface. The final
terminations after metal precursor pulse are 3.03 CoCp/nm2 on NHx-terminated
Co(001) surface and 3.33 Co/nm2 on NHx-terminated Co(100)
surface. These final structures after metal precursor pulse are essential to
model the reaction during the following N-plasma step..


Abstract Perhaps we can think that mail art derives from Dada and link it to Fluxus, Filliou's proposal of an eternal network, and the highly innovative poetry and experimental art, born at the same time in different countries. GGMarx practiced collective creation, in poor areas of the southern cone of South America. In a broader and ideologically more sensitive context, a folk art appeared, thanks to the popular struggles in Cuba, México, Brazil, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina. The liberation movements, developed during the seventies, have marked the direction of Latin American mail-art intercourse. But they acquired their real strength in Argentina in 1976, when the Military Terrorist State was implanted and started the time of art = life.


Abstract The CGIAR Research Program (CRP) on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) includes vegetatively propagated staple crops linked by common breeding, seed, and postharvest issues, and by the frequency with which women are involved in their production and use. RTB crops are the backbone of food security across the humid tropics in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and in more localized areas of Asia and Latin America. Around 300 million poor people in developing countries currently depend on RTB value chains for food security, nutrition and income. Climate change poses challenges which could undo progress in poverty reduction and markedly increase food insecurity. This article examines planning and research for climate resilience across RTB crops, with a particular focus on the contrasting potato and sweet potato cases in SSA. A six-step framework for climatesmart breeding is proposed: (1) downscaling climate change models and crop modeling; (2) identifying and understanding key climate change responsive traits; (3) breeding and varietal selection; (4) phenotyping and genomic research to accelerate gains; (5) developing management options for climate-smart varieties; and (6) deployment (seed systems). In summary, climate-smart breeding means we need to do what we already do but faster, better, and smarter.


In Europe, polygamy is often portrayed as emblematic of unchanging patriarchal traditions among Muslims. In contrast, based on research with Pakistanis in Britain and Turks in Denmark, we explore ways in which polygamy is transformed in the context of migration and transnationalism. Migration-related polygamy features in accounts of the pioneer generations of Pakistani and Turkish migrants to Europe, but there is also evidence of great variety in contemporary practices of multiple marriage, and new permutations of polygamy arising due to the specific conditions of transnational migration. Coexisting legal systems within and between nations; the opportunities of spousal settlement; multiple marital aspirations; and both transnational connections and geographical distance combine to create opportunities and motivations for a range of polygamous situations, including some in which 'technical' polygamy masks monogamy in practice.


Iceland can consider its participation in the European Economic Area (EEA) as an associate membership of the European Union (EU). Under the EEA agreement, Iceland participates in the EU free movement of capital, persons, services and industrial goods, along with cooperation in social policy and related fields. However, Iceland does not participate in the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), or in the EU Customs Union. This dissertation studies the effects of full EU membership on Iceland's Political Economy. It gives an overview of the EU, EEA and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), offering thorough analyses of the EMU, Agricultural Policy and Fisheries Policy. The dissertation also reviews the pros and cons of EU membership. A decision to join the EU is in the end a question of political choice and this dissertation is intended to make such a choice as informed as possible.


In magnetically anisotropic materials a driving force for grain boundary migration can be induced by an external magnetic ¯eld. It is experimentally shown that annealing of locally deformed Zn single crystals in a suitably directed high magnetic ¯eld results in a growth of new individual grains. Velocities of some solitary moving grain boundaries were measured and their absolute mobilities were estimated at a single temperature. Results are discussed in terms of preferential grain orientation and boundary character.


This paper concerns general MIMO nonlinear processes, whose dynamic behavior is described by a standard state-space model of arbitrary order, including measurable disturbances. The concept of relative order of an output with respect to an input, extended to include disturbance as well as manipulated inputs, is generalized in a MIMO context and it is used to obtain a characterization of the dynamic interactions among the input and the output variables. A synthesis formula is calculated for a feedforward/state feedback control law that completely eliminates the effect of the measurable disturbances on the process outputs and induces a linear behavior in the closed-loop system between the outputs and a set of reference inputs. The input/output stability and the degree of coupling in the closed-loop system are determined by appropriate choice of adjustable parameters. A MIMO linear controller with integral action completes the feedforward/feedback control structure. The developed control methodology is applied to a continuous polymerization reactor and its performance is evaluated through simulations.


We consider the optical properties of semiconductor – insulator and insulator – insulator nanocomposites, including porous materials such as silicon, gallium phosphide, aluminum oxide, and structures based on them. The main focus is on the effect of form birefringence, which is caused by the anisotropy of pores in the materials under study. The applicability of the effective medium model for describing the optical properties of nanocomposites is discussed. The effects of light localization due to the scattering of light in such inhomogeneous media are analyzed.


Article history: Received December 2, 2013 Accepted February 20, 2014 Available online May 21 2014 Nowadays teleworking has become a useful technique for business development and improving employees' quality of life. Many people are now able to stay at home and do their daily job activities without bothering to wear formal closes. This paper presents an empirical investigation to study the effect of teleworking on quality of life using Walton (1976) method [Walton, R. E. (1973). Quality of working life-what is it. Sloan Management Review, 15(1), 1121.]. The variables of quality of working-life according to Walton Model are: "Adequate and fair compensation", "Safe and Healthy Working conditions", "Opportunity for Continued Growth and Security", "The Social Relevance of Work Life", "Total Life Space", "Social Integration in the Work", "Constitutionalism in the work Organization", "Human Progress Capabilities". Using different statistical tests, the study indicate that teleworking had significant positive relationship with Quality of Working-Life components. The study also reports that different personal characteristics such as age, gender had no meaningful impact on teleworking. © 2014 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved.


Abstract The increased obstetric risks of maternal obesity have been well described. These include increased risks of gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, stillbirth, and cesarean delivery. The fetal/neonatal consequences of prenatal maternal obesity have received less attention. In addition to an increased risk of stillbirth, the fetal/neonatal consequences include increased adiposity and a metabolic status that increases the lifetime risk of obesity and diabetes. This review focuses on the clinical obstetric consequences of maternal obesity and highlights recent mechanistic insights on fetal programming as well as evidence suggesting that prenatal care provides a unique opportunity to ameliorate these risks and decrease the cycle of childhood obesity.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether expectations about normal infant and child development are different among mothers from 4 ethnocultural groups.

PARTICIPANTS
Two hundred fifty-five mothers (90 Puerto Rican, 59 African American, 69 European American, 37 West Indian-Caribbean) whose children received health care at hospital-based pediatric clinics and private pediatricians' and family practitioners' offices.

DESIGN
Verbally administered questionnaire that included 25 questions in which mothers were asked to give their opinions about the age at which a normal child should begin to accomplish standard developmental milestones.

ANALYSIS
Responses (mean ages at which mothers expected children to attain the milestones) from each group were compared after controlling for age of mother, number of children, level of education, and socioeconomic status.

RESULTS
Significant differences among ethnic groups' responses were seen for 9 of 25 developmental milestones. Differences were mainly seen among personal and social milestones, and Puerto Rican mothers tended to expect children to attain these milestones at a later age than did other mothers. No differences in responses were seen between Spanish- and English-speaking Puerto Rican mothers. European-American mothers expected children to take first steps and become toilet trained at a later age.

CONCLUSIONS
Developmental expectations differ among mothers from different ethnocultural groups. Many of these differences can be explained by underlying cultural beliefs and values and specific child-rearing practices. Clinicians should ask about maternal expectations during child health visits to interpret mothers' concerns and opinions about their children's development.


Background A meta-analysis of 27 studies demonstrated that cervical surgery for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) was associated with almost two-fold increased risk of preterm birth (PTB)1. A more recent epidemiological study has suggested no influence of cervical surgery on risk of PTB2. However, rates of intervention were not analysed. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of cervical surgery on intervention and pregnancy outcome in high-risk asymptomatic women. Methods Analysis of 535 women attending preterm surveillance clinic at St. Thomas' hospital (1997 to 2011) with a history of one or two previous PTB/mid trimester loss. The rates of spontaneous preterm delivery (<37 weeks') and interventions were compared in women with and without destructive cervical surgery (DCS). Results Previous cervical surgery did not significantly increase the risk of a further PTB (13/47 [28%] with history of DCS vs. 122/488 [25%] with no history of DCS, p = 0.68). Women that had previous DCS were significantly more likely to require an ultrasound indicated cerclage compared to those that had no history of DCS (9/47 [19%] vs. 48/488 [10%] respectively; p < 0.05). Conclusion In this high-risk cohort, DCS increases the risk of intervention, but not the risk of subsequent PTB. Reports suggesting treatment is not a risk factor need to include effects on intervention2. This suggests that cervical surgery may be detrimental to the mechanical function of the cervix and further research to define the role of cerclage in women with prior PTB and DCS is warranted. References Kyrgiou M, Koliopoulos G, Martin-Hirsch P, Arbyn M, Prendiville W, Paraskevaidis E. Obstetric outcomes after conservative treatment for intraepithelial or early invasive cervical lesions: systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet 2006; 367(9509):489–98 Castanon, A., Brocklehurst, P., Evans, H. et al, Risk of preterm birth after treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia among women attending colposcopy in England: retrospective-prospective cohort study. BMJ 2012;345: 5174.


In antiquity, many theories were advanced on reproduction and the functions of the gonads. The male genitalia were called "testes" probably from the Latin word "testis" that originally meant "witnesses", because they provide evidence of virility. Through the first dissection of the seminipherous tubules by Renier de Graaf (1668), the discovery of spermatozoa by Antonj van Leeuwenhoek (1677) and in vitro fertilization by Spallanzani (1780) and later by George Newport and George Vines Ellis (1854), it was only in the early part of the XIX century when it was realized that testes produce spermatozoa and that they are essential for egg fertilization and subsequent embryo development. In the period between the end of the XIX and the beginning of the XX century, scientists such as Albert von Kölliker, Franz von Leydig, Enrico Sertoli and Gustaf Retzius (1842-1919) did microscopic observations of testis that marked the history of male germ cells and established the bases for the development of contemporary in vitro culture and molecular studies that are revealing the deeper secrets of male germ cells. Among these, those by Leroy Stevens on embryonal carcinoma cells in the early 1950s led to the present concepts that germ cells and cancer cells share several characteristics and that a close relationship exists between germ cells and stem cells, these being two pillars of modern developmental biology.


Two journeys have had an important bearing on social thought regarding the Amazon: Carlos Chagas', from 1912 to 1913, and Mário de Andrade's, in 1927. The article examines how their travel experiences influenced these two men's views and interpretations of the relation between malaria and the project to bring civilization to the tropics. In Chagas' texts, wonderment is the category that organizes his perception of the Amazon region, evinced in the idea that the pathology of the tropics challenges established knowledge of the disease. Empathy, on the other hand, is the explanatory key to understanding Mário de Andrade's critical outlook, which entails the valorization of forms of sociability, beliefs, and popular manifestations in the region, including those related to malaria.


Laboratory-scale agglomeration experiments followed by image analysis were used to evaluate the effectiveness of different cationic surfactants on the 1-octadecanol agglomeration of a negatively charged laser toner. Various types of surfactants with different geometric structures were investigated. It was found that this toner became agglomerated under neutral pulping conditions, but it did not agglomerate under alkaline conditions at all. A small amount of the cationic surfactant compensated for the agglomeration disruption caused by the negative surface charge of the toner and made this toner agglomerate very well. These cationic surfactants consist of a chemical structure of C12 to C18 saturated alkyl hydrophobic chains. The positive charge of these surfactants played the major role in alleviating agglomeration disruption. Additionally, an extra phenol group on these surfactants contributed only minor advantages for toner agglomeration in the presence of 1-octadecanol. The best co-agglomeration performance occurred within a very narrow range of similar total positive charge densities based on the total toner weight. It was also found that this positive charge effect could not be applied to the chemical compounds of high molecular weight polymeric materials.


IN December, 1892, the subject of this paper was first brought to me for treatment, and the case presented so many peculiar and unusual features that I deemed it of sufficient interest to report. The patient, Kate R., aged nine years, is the fourth child and only daughter of a family of seven children, four of whom are still living and are strong and robust. Of the three dead, one died of diphtheria; one from fracture of the skull, a result of accident; and the third at one and a half years of age from cerebrospinal meningitis. The family history is as follows: The maternal great-grandmother died of dropsy, cause unknown; the maternal great-grandfather died of apoplexy; the maternal grandfather died from chloral poisoning. The maternal grandmother is still living, is about sixty years of age, and, except for chronic rheumatism from which she is a great sufferer, is in good health. The mother is strong and hearty, and is able to do the housework and sewing for the entire family. The paternal grandfather died at an advanced age from some acute disease; was sick only a few days. The paternal grandmother is still living and is nearly ninety years of age. She is a large woman and perfectly well. The father is a large, healthy man, weighing over two hundred pounds, and has never been sick. J Cutan Genito-Urin Dis. July 1895;13:269-270.


The Hellenic-Dinaric belt of the Eastern Mediterranean sea is characterized by huge and well preserved obducted slices of ophiolites. A well developed and very thick metamorphic sole generally occurs at the base of the obducted ophiolite sequences. The best preserved metamorphic sole of the Hellenic-Dinaric belt crops out in association with the Albanian ophiolites. In the Mirdita area (northern Albania) the metamorphic sole consists of an up to 600 m thick assemblage of metasediments and amphibolites. Four different types of amphibolites, referred as T1 to T4, have been identified on the basis of grain-size and mineralogical assemblages. The protoliths of all the amphibolites are basic rocks with OIB affinity, representative of within-plate magmatism typical of oceanic seamounts; no MORB derived rocks have been identified. The associated metasedimentary rocks are presumably derived from oceanic covers. All the lithologies from the Mirdita metamorphic sole are strongly deformed under lower to upper amphibolite facies conditions. A discontinuous inverted gradient is observed close to harzburgites in the metamorphic sole, that shows high-grade amphibolite facies metamorphism. There are no prograde greenschist facies metamorphic rocks, although all the lithologies from the Mirdita metamorphic sole are affected by greenschist facies retrogression. The different types of amphibolites display different P and T values at metamorphic climax conditions. The temperatures range from 624±9° to 796±50°C in the different units where the pressure is always lower than 0.7 GPa. The boundaries between the amphibolite slices with different peak metamorphism as well as the bodies of the gneisses and micaschists are sheared bands. The structural pattern common to all lithologies identified in the Mirdita metamorphic sole developed through two deformation phases under amphibolite facies conditions, followed by a third phase under greenschist facies. The petrologic and structural characteristics of the metamorphic sole are discussed in order to highlight the kinematics of the obduction process.


Grid computing may offer the potential for compute intensive simulations of systems and processes such as those associated with Computational Fluid Dynamics and protein design. Such potential is arguably difficult to realize due to some challenging issues associated with distributed computing systems; including latency, asynchronous communication, and the ubiquity of faults. Various research efforts have been focused on developing grid architectures and mechanisms to minimize the effect of latency and improve the fault-tolerance of resource management systems. In this respect, this paper describes a grid simulation platform geared towards the minimization of the effect of latency through an integration of the domain decomposition approach to process simulation with a chosen neighborhood-based grid architecture. The operation of the proposed platform is illustrated through an experimental simulation of a two dimensional diffusion process.


Introduction The Lesotho Ministry of Health and Social Welfare's (MOHSW) 5-year strategic plan, as well as their national laboratory policy and yearly operational plans, directly addresses issues of accreditation, indicating their commitment to fulfilling their mandate. As such, the MOHSW adopted the World Health Organization Regional Headquarters for Africa's Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Toward Accreditation (WHO–AFRO–SLIPTA) process and subsequently rolled out the Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation (SLMTA) programme across the whole country, becoming the first African country to do so. Methods SLMTA in Lesotho was implemented in two cohorts. Twelve and nineteen laboratory supervisors and quality officers were enrolled in Cohort 1 and Cohort 2, respectively. These 31 participants represented 18 of the 19 laboratories nationwide. For the purposes of this programme, the Queen Elizabeth II (QE II) Central Laboratory had its seven sections of haematology, blood bank, cytology, blood transfusion, microbiology, tuberculosis laboratory and chemistry assessed as separate sections. Performance was tracked using the WHO–AFRO-SLIPTA checklist, with assessments carried out at baseline and at the end of SLMTA. Two methods were used to implement SLMTA: the traditional 'three workshops' approach and twinning SLMTA with mentorship. The latter, with intensive follow-up visits, was concluded in 9 months and the former in 11 months. A standard data collection tool was used for site visits. Results Of the 31 participants across both cohorts, 25 (81%) graduated (9 from Cohort 1 and 16 from Cohort 2). At baseline, all but one laboratory attained a rating of zero stars, with the exception attaining one star. At the final assessment, 7 of the 25 laboratories examined at baseline were still at a rating of zero stars, whilst 8 attained one star, 5 attained two stars and 4 attained three stars. None scored above three stars. The highest percentage improvement for any laboratory was 51%, whereas the least improved dropped by 6% when compared to its baseline assessment. The most improved areas were corrective actions (34%) and documents and records (32%). Process improvement demonstrated the least improvement (10%). Conclusion The SLMTA programme had an immediate, measurable and positive impact on laboratories in Lesotho. This success was possible because of the leadership and ownership of the programme by the MOHSW, as well as the coordination of partner support.


Introduction. Human cadaveric cutaneous allografts are used in burns surgery usually as a temporary dressing preparing wound bed for further surgical procedures. In many cases concurrent application of mentioned grafts and hyperbaric oxygen therapy results in definitive burn wound closure and eliminates the necessity of autologous skin transplantations. Aim. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of allogeneic skin dressing on the burn wounds healing rate and wound bed preparation to the subsequent surgical procedures. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted in two groups consisted of twenty patients each. Patients were treated in Burn Treatment Center in Siemianowice Slaskie due to thermal or electrical burns. On the 3rd day of hospitalization, after wound debridement, in both control and experimental group allogeneic skin transplantation in the operating room was performed. Patients from the experimental group also underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Autologous skin graft was carried out on the 14th day on average among patients in whom epithelialization under allogeneic skin dressing did not succeed. Results. In control group the total epithelialization an complete wound closure under allogeneic skin occurred in 7 patients, while in the remaining 13 patients autologous skin transplantation in operating room was performed due to burn wound deepening. Hospitalization time of each patient was equal to an average of 30.4 day. Among the 14 patients from experimental group complete wound healing under allogeneic graft succeeded and they did not need further surgery, but among the remaining 6 patients split-thickness skin graft was performed in order to definitive closure of the wound. The average hospital stay was 22.5 day. Conclusions. The results of this study confirm that simultaneous application of allogeneic skin dressing and hyperbaric oxygen reduces the length of hospitalization and number of subsequent surgical procedures and frequently results in complete burn wound closure.