Spruce budworm (SBW) is the most destructive forest pest in eastern forests of North America. Mapping annual current-year SBW defoliation is challenging because of the large landscape scale of infestations, high temporal/spatial variability, and the short period of time when detection is possible. We used Landsat-5 and Landsat-MSS data to develop a method to detect and map SBW defoliation, which can be used as ancillary or alternative information for aerial sketch maps (ASMs). Results indicated that Landsat-5 data were capable of detecting and classifying SBW defoliation into three levels comparable to ASMs. For SBW defoliation classification, a combination of three vegetation indices, including normalized difference moisture index (NDMI), enhanced vegetation index (EVI), and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), were found to provide the highest accuracy (non-defoliated: 77%, light defoliation: 60%, moderate defoliation: 52%, and severe defoliation: 77%) compared to using only NDMI (non-defoliated: 76%, light defoliation: 40%, moderate defoliation: 43%, and severe defoliation: 67%). Detection of historical SBW defoliation was possible using Landsat-MSS NDVI data, and the produced maps were used to complement coarse-resolution aerial sketch maps of the past outbreak. The method developed for Landsat-5 data can be used for current SBW outbreak mapping in North America using Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 imagery. Overall, the work highlights the potential of moderate resolution optical remote sensing data to detect and classify fine-scale patterns in tree defoliation.


Introduction Basilar fenestration aneurysms are rare, challenging intracranial vascular lesions with atypical anatomy. The posterior circulation represents a difficult therapeutic dilemma due to the close proximity of crucial life sustaining brainstem structures. Flow diverter technology became available a few years ago, however, its use has been limited in the posterior circulation. Methods We present the case of a 49-year-old female with a history of smoking, who was diagnosed with a symptomatic, large vertebrobasilar junction (VBJ) aneurysm. Initially thought to be a proximal basilar dilatation, the aneurysm was later found to arise from an obscured and distended basilar fenestration. The small caliber fenestration limbs were the only access to the distal basilar artery, but stretched laterally and concealed by the aneurysm fundus. Results We successfully treated this complex lesion by flow diverter deployment through one of the obscured fenestration limbs, followed by coiling of the aneurysm fundus, and sacrificing the contralateral vertebral artery. A six-month follow-up angiogram showed remodeling of the basilar artery, and complete occlusion of the aneurysm. The patient had an excellent clinical outcome. Conclusion To our knowledge, direct flow diverter deployment in a small fenestration limb for the treatment of a VBJ aneurysm with reconstruction of the basilar artery has not been reported. Careful diagnostic workup, multidisciplinary discussions, and the innovative use of versatile endovascular technology were crucial to achieve an optimal result in our case. Further studies are necessary to establish the safety and long-term efficacy of this treatment method. Disclosures G. Toth: None. M. Bain: None. F. Hui: None.


In an experimental setting in which investors can entrust their money to traders, we investigate how compensation schemes affect liquidity provision and asset prices. Investors face a trade-off between risk and return. At the benefit of a potentially higher return, they can entrust their money to a trader. However this investment is risky, as the trader might not be trustworthy. Alternatively, they can opt for a safe but low return. We study how subjects solve this trade-off when traders are either liable for losses or not, and when their bonuses are either capped or not. Limited liability introduces a conflict of interest because it makes traders value the asset more than investors. To limit losses, investors should thus restrict liquidity provision to force traders to trade at a lower price. By contrast, bonus caps make traders value the asset less than investors. This should encourage liquidity provision and decrease prices. In contrast to these predictions, we find that under limited liability investors contribute to asset price bubbles by increasing liquidity provision and that caps fail to tame bubbles. Overall, giving investors skin in the game fosters financial stability.


In 2020 the coronavirus outbreak changed the lives of people worldwide. After an initial time period in which it was unclear how to battle the virus, social distancing has been recognised globally as an effective method to mitigate the disease spread. This called for technological tools such as Mobile Contact Tracing Applications (MCTA), which are used to digitally trace contacts among people, and in case a positive case is found, people with the application installed which had been in contact will be notified. De-centralised MCTA may suffer from a novel kind of privacy attack, based on the memory of the human beings, which upon notification of the application can identify who is the positive individual responsible for the notification. Our results show that it is indeed possible to identify positive people among the group of contacts of a human being, and this is even easier when the sociability of the positive individual is low. In practice, our simulation results show that identification can be made with an accuracy of more than 90% depending on the scenario. We also provide three mitigation strategies which can be implemented in de-centralised MCTA and analyse which of the three are more effective in limiting this novel kind of attack.


Using a comprehensive sample of trades by Schedule 13D filers, who possess valuable private information when they accumulate stocks of targeted companies, this paper studies whether several liquidity measures reveal the presence of informed trading. The evidence suggests that when Schedule 13D filers trade aggressively, both high-frequency and low-frequency measures of stock liquidity indicate a higher stock liquidity. Importantly, measures that have been used as direct proxies for adverse selection, such the Kyle (1985) lambda, the Easley et al. (1996) pin measure, and the Amihud (2002) illiquidity measure, suggest that the adverse selection is lower when informed trading takes place. The evidence is consistent with informed traders being more aggressive when measured stock liquidity is high.


Many of the recently announced integrated manycore architectures targeting specific applications embed several, if not many, very long instruction word (VLIW) processors. To start developing software while the hardware is still being designed, virtual prototypes of the full system are commonly used. Fast processor simulation is thus a requirement. To that aim, this paper introduces a strategy to perform dynamic binary translation (DBT) of VLIW codes on scalar architectures. We propose a high level simulation algorithm which takes into account VLIW oddities, such as explicit instruction parallelism, instructions with non unit register update latency, and delayed slots in branches. We present the implementation details of this algorithm within a DBT environment, as it raises many corner cases that are irrelevant in scalar DBT. Our experiments confirm that our solution is functionally correct, and show speedups of 1 and 2 orders of magnitude compared to raw instruction interpretation, even though no optimizations were performed on the code during and after translation.


OBJECTIVES
To compare the incidence of postoperative infection in cardiac surgery patients who had delayed sternal closure (DSC) with those who had primary sternal closure (PSC) and evaluate the effectiveness of antibiotic prophylaxis in DSC patients.

DESIGN
Retrospective, observational cohort study with propensity score matching.

SETTING
Single academic medical center.

PARTICIPANTS
Cardiothoracic surgery patients, excluding transplantation patients, from a single academic medical center who had DSC or PSC between November 2015 and November 2018.

INTERVENTIONS
None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS
Of 2,685 patients who had cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, 99 had DSC. Fifty-nine DSC patients met study inclusion criteria, and the final propensity score matched cohort included 57 patients with DSC and 57 patients with PSC. Propensity score matching reduced bias but was unable to balance all covariates. The most common indication for DSC was coagulopathy in 32 of the 57 patients. All patients in the PSC group received routine antibiotic prophylaxis for 48 hours after surgery. Patients in the DSC group received prolonged broadened prophylaxis until 48 hours after sternal closure. Despite prolonged broadened antibiotic prophylaxis, the DSC group had a higher rate of postoperative infection (31.6% v 3.5%; p < 0.005), mainly pneumonia (19.3% v 1.8%; p < 0.005), in the first 30 days after surgery. There was no difference in the incidence of sepsis (5.3% v 0%; p = 0.24), superficial skin and soft tissue infection (1.8% v 1.8%; p = 1), or mediastinitis/deep tissue infection (5.3% v 0%; p = 0.24) in patients with DSC. Seventy-seven percent of causative organisms for infection were Gram-negative bacteria in the matched cohort.

CONCLUSION
The incidence of postoperative infection, particularly pneumonia, is high in cardiothoracic surgery patients with DSC, even with prolonged broadened antibiotic prophylaxis, but the rate of mediastinitis/deep tissue infection did not appear to be greater with DSC. Additional research is needed into optimal antibiotic prophylaxis in this high-risk group of patients.


Background and Objectives: The novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic causes great public health and socioeconomic harms. Worldwide many countries implemented quarantine policies to minimize the spread of this highly contagious disease. The present study aim was to investigate the impact of quarantine on the medical students' mental wellbeing and learning behaviors. Methods: In this descriptive study, we used a questionnaire with a Five-Point Likert Scale to collect the information. The questionnaire was distributed among 625 medical students through their emails with a response rate of 530 (84.8%), majority 294 (55.47%) being female. The survey questionnaire consisted of total 20 items; 12 items were related to psychological wellbeing and stress-allied queries and 08 items were about learning behaviors. Results: The findings encompass two important characteristics related to quarantine, psychological wellbeing, and learning behaviors. A combined cohort of 234 medical students, either female or male, (which was 44.1% of the total responders) showed a sense of being emotionally detached from family, friends and fellow students, 125/ 530 (23.5%) medical students felt disheartened. Both female and male medical students showed a marked decrease in their overall work performance. Moreover, 56.2% of the total students (61.5% of the females and 49.5% of the males) felt a decrease in the time they spent studying. Conclusions: Both female and male medical students have identified that quarantine has caused them to feel emotionally detached from family, fellows, and friends and decrease their overall work performance and study period. The findings also show that one fourth of the medical students who participated in this study felt disheartened during the quarantine period. The long-term quarantine due to COVID-19 pandemics may causes further worsening in the psychological and learning behaviors of these medical students.


Abstract. We analyse energy-time dispersed ion signatures that have been observed by CLUSTER in the dayside magnetosheath. These events are characterized by sudden increases in the ion flux at energies larger than 10 keV. The high energy ions (30 keV) are first detected, with the transition to the low energy ions (5 keV) lasting about 100 s. These injections are often associated with transient plasma structures of a few minutes in duration, characterized by a hotter, less dense plasma and a diverted flow velocity, thus presenting similarities with "hot flow anomalies". They also involve modifications of the magnetic field direction, suggesting that the shock interacts with a solar wind discontinuity at the time of the event. The injections can originate from the magnetosphere or the shock region. Studying in detail a particular event, we discuss this last hypothesis. We show that the observed energy/time dispersion can be explained by combining a time-of-flight effect with a drift of the source of energetic particles along the shock. We propose that the acceleration results from a Fermi process linked to the interaction of the discontinuity with a quasi-perpendicular shock. This model explains the observed pitch-angle selection of the accelerated particles. The Fermi process acting on the beam of ions reflected from the shock appears to be sufficiently efficient to accelerate over short time scales (less than 30 s) particles at energies above 30 keV. Key words. Magnetospheric physics (solar-wind-magnetosphere interaction; magnetosheath) – Space plasma physics (shock waves)


A method is presented to partition the 3N-dimensional space of a many-electron wavefunction into hyper-regions related by permutation symmetry. These hyper-regions represent unit cells, or "tiles" of the wavefunction from which the wavefunction may be regenerated in its entirety upon application of the set of permutations of like-spin electrons. The method, wherein a Voronoi diagram is constructed from the (even permutations of the) average position of a swarm of Monte Carlo walkers sampling |Ψ|(2), determines a self-consistent partitioning of the wavefunction. When one of the identical 3N-dimensional Voronoi sites is projected onto the coordinates of each electron, chemical motifs naturally appear, such as core electrons, lone-pairs, single-bonds and banana-bonds. The structures determined for N2, O2, F2, and other molecules correspond to the double-quartet theory of Linnett. When the procedure is applied to C2, we arrive at an interpretation of its bonding in terms of a near triple bond with singlet-coupled outer electrons.


Purpose - This paper aims to investigate the link between corporate social performance (CSP) and cost of debt financing. Despite academic debate has focused on the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and CSP (expressed through accounting and market measures of profitability), few empirical researches have analysed the relations between CSR, cost of debt and its relation with the risk profile of a firm. The literature on the cost of debt determinants generally documents a negative association between measures of the risk of the firm and its cost of debt. The literature on CSR defines risk reduction as one of the potential benefits related to CSR activities. Thus, the expectation is that high CSP scores are inversely related to cost of debt. Design/methodology/approach - Using a unique data set of 332 firms over a time period of five years antecedent to the global financial crisis, a linear regression model is applied. Findings - The results show a positive relation between CSP and cost of debt, demonstrating that CSR is not a value driver with an impact on the firm's risk profile. Practical implications - The research has also practical implications as it makes managers aware of the potentiality of CSP to reduce the firm's cost of debt. Originality/value - These findings enlarge the empirical research on the value of CSP, expanding it towards a quite new area of investigation: the cost of external financing.


The premise of Seth Grahame-Smith's bestselling 2010 mash-up novel Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, is clearly ridiculous. Latching on to the popular fascination with all things vampire and the perennial marketability of Lincolnalia, the book serves up a twisted romp through the Great Emancipator's well-trod biography, whose sole aim seems to be sheer ironic novelty – and the profits such sensationalism can sometimes bring. Experienced as a shallow and derivative spoof, it's quite easy to dismiss Grahame-Smith's book with little more than a roll of the eyes. This essay argues however that there is a more complicated set of interactions at play. Mashing up realist history and gothic fiction, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter not only parodies popular Lincoln iconography, but the practice of 'doing' history as well. In this way, it can be connected with recent theoretical debates within the discipline about the construction of historical knowledge, about alternative varieties of historical explanation, and about the complex relationships between reader, writer, history, and the past.


Four new cyclic 1,5-diaza-3,7-diphosphacyclooctane ligands have been prepared and used to synthesize [Ni(P(Ph)(2)N(R)(2))(2)](2+) complexes in which R is a mono- or dipeptide. These complexes represent a first step in the development of an outer-coordination sphere for this class of complexes that can mimic the outer-coordination sphere of the active sites of hydrogenase enzymes. Importantly, these complexes retain the electrocatalytic activity of the parent [Ni(P(Ph)(2)N(Ph)(2))(2)](2+) complex in an acetonitrile solution with turnover frequencies for hydrogen production ranging from 14 to 25 s(-1) in the presence of p-cyanoanilinium trifluoromethanesulfonate and from 135 to 1000 s(-1) in the presence of protonated dimethylformamide, with moderately low overpotentials, ∼0.3 V. The addition of small amounts of water results in rate increases of 2-7 times. Unlike the parent complex, these complexes demonstrate dynamic structural transformations in solution. These results establish a building block from which larger peptide scaffolding can be added to allow the [Ni(P(R)(2)N(R')(2))(2)](2+) molecular catalytic core to begin to mimic the multifunctional outer-coordination sphere of enzymes.


Masculinist contours have legitimized male domination in Indonesia's upper public service ranks. However, some women have managed to crack the glass ceiling. A systematic search was undertaken of seven academic databases and the Google Scholar search engine to identify facilitative features of women's career advancement through Indonesia's echelon ranks. Fourteen articles, representing nine studies, were identified. While policy initiatives exist to increase women's representation and career advancement, studies consistently identified little application to practice. Patterns across the studies located women's career advancement as an individual concern and showed that women wanting careers were expected to manage the double burden of productive and reproductive life, obtain permissions from husbands and extended family, and adopt masculine leadership traits to garner colleagues' support. Barriers frequently outweigh opportunities for career advancement; these including entrenched homo-sociability asserting that men make better leaders. Consequently, the blocking of women's opportunities invoked personal disappointments, resulting in women's public denial of their leadership ambitions.


This research report argues that non-state actors can negotiate diplomacy by facilitating Thai-Sino bilateral interactions while seeking multi-dimensional win-win benefits. With the rise of People's Republic of China's (PRC) transnational entrepreneurship, this research report departs from the conventional "flight" or "fight" approach. On the contrary, it adopts an interventional approach to encourage interactions between PRC Chinese transnational entrepreneurs and Thai entrepreneurs and other interested parties through business-themed workshops. On the one hand, the latter learn about Chinese business cultures in enhancing their entrepreneurial endeavors while gaining new opportunities on the PRC Chinese market. On the other hand, the PRC transnational entrepreneurs extend their business networks while inadvertently transforming themselves into unofficial dual-accredited diplomats. From an intra-Asian perspective, this research report helps to rectify the scarcity of literature, in which existing migrant studies are largely set in North American and European contexts.


Abstract Alfred Lansburgh was a leading publicist on money in Germany during the Weimar Republic. He developed a Token Theory of Money, a nominalistic monetary theory with an endogenous quantity of money but warns of the danger of misuse. Only therefore, he combines his understanding of money as a right—as a legal claim on goods and services—with a metallistic conception of gold money. Lansburgh was misunderstood during his time, and he remains so until today. He was often described as an "orthodox gold money theorist," but he was a passionate "token money theorist," with many similarities e.g. to Joseph Schumpeter.


Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as a front-line treatment for cancer in multiple indications. Unfortunately, a majority of patients do not realize durable response as a result of primary resistance to the immunotherapy. We have previously described a novel 27-gene immuno-oncology assay and algorithm which demonstrated significant predictive value in both NSCLC and TNBC. This algorithm utilizes gene expression to assess the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) by combining aspects of the immune response, surrounding stromal cell signaling, and tumor physiology. We hypothesized that features of this algorithm may not only identify responders to immunotherapy (immunomodulatory, IO subtype) but may better enrich for patients who would benefit from other targeted therapeutics that alter the tumor microenvironment such as VEGF or FAK inhibitors (mesenchymal, M subtype). Methods Pathway analysis was used on TNBC specimens representing both the IO and M subtypes as determined by the 27-gene immuno-oncology algorithm. Expression reads were scaled within each sample and the difference of the mean of expression of each gene within IO and M subtypes was determined to quantify relative expression within each pathway. Finally, the mesenchymal score obtained from the 27-gene immuno-oncology algorithm was used to stratify RNAseq expression data from xenograft models that were either sensitive or resistant to a FAK inhibitor (FAKi). Results Pathway analysis identified stratification between the 27-gene immuno-oncology algorithm subtypes finding with the mesenchymal subtype is associated with higher WNT, TGF-B, and RAS pathways whereas the IO subtype was more highly associated with the JAK/STAT pathway. Additionally, the mesenchymal score from the 27-gene immuno-oncology algorithm was higher in the FAK inhibitor sensitive (0.36) xenograft models than the FAKi resistant (0.076) models (p = 0.025). Conclusions The 27-gene immuno-oncology algorithm assesses the TIME to account for the immune response, surrounding stromal cell signaling, and tumor physiology to provide both an immuno-oncology subtype and mesenchymal subtype. We have previously demonstrated improved ability of the IO subtype to predict response to ICIs over current gold standard biomarkers. These data suggest that the M subtype is a distinct feature of the IO subtype which may enrich for patients more likely to respond to targeted therapeutics that act upon the canonical tumor promoting signaling pathways.


The Iraqi experience suffers from the ambiguity of the transition towards planning fiscal public policies from traditional budgets to the federal budget during the coming years, because of the incompleteness and full maturity of the federal administrative system, and on the other hand, the non-oil sectors of the Iraqi economy still suffer from many problems. Despite that, the Iraqi economic situation is still suffering from the combination of performance, the cautious rush towards development and the problem of unilateral rent, which could be a real obstacle to the emergence of this kind of financial budget. The transition to the implementation of the general policy of the Iraqi federal state towards the federal budget pattern will be an entry point towards the emergence of a solid local economy. This economy is capable of managing the Iraqi self in a manner able to use all the tools of production and competition between the local governments of the regions and governorates that are not organized in a region in order to achieve discrimination and economic prosperity for the federal state. Since federal Iraq will move towards using the federal budget instead of the current federal budget, the current research provides a detailed study of many practices of fiscal federalism in a group of federal states despite their differences in terms of managing financial imbalances, sources of revenues and expenditures, and the degree of financial independence for local governments.


OBJECTIVE: To analyze the utility of perineal ultrasound in the evaluation of female urinary incontinence. METHODS: The present study was conducted on 50 women with urinary incontinence. The distance between the bladder neck and symphysis pubis with and without stress was measured by perineal ultrasound. A displacement of the bladder greater than 10 mm was considered cystocele, and if the bladder neck and urethra formed a funnel greater than 13 mm, it was considered urinary incontinence. RESULTS: The distance between the bladder neck and the symphysis pubis in all 50 patients ranged from 10 mm to 18 mm (mean 12.8 mm) without stress and from 15 mm to 42 mm (mean 32.6 mm) with stress (Valsalva maneuver and/or cough). Perineal ultrasound was useful in all cases since one could evaluate the descent of the angle of the bladder neck in the case of cystocele and a lesser or greater funneling of the urethra, which is an essential sign in urinary incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: Perineal ultrasound can determine which patient has a cystocele, urinary incontinence or both. It is useful in the evaluation and follow-up of patients undergoing surgery for urinary incontinence.


Mobile devices are acquiring a greater presence, being used in many contexts. In this study we aimed to study their use for learning tasks, which are usually carried out under the paradigm of a desktop computer. To this end, we have performed an empirical study in which learning materials are visualized using different supports (conventional computers or mobile phones). The aim of this study was to determine the perception of students on accessing learning materials through different devices, contrasting these opinions with their performance in learning tasks and the metrics provided by an eye tracker device. The results obtained show that the use of mobile devices may not be suitable to support certain types of tasks, such as accessing learning materials.


Based on studies PRAKARSA It is known that persons with disabilities have lower opportunities to enter the formal labor market, especially for women with disabilities. There are also many women with disabilities who ultimately have to depend on their families to support their daily lives. In addition, it turns out that many women with disabilities experience sexual violence. How is the reality of the condition of persons with disabilities in Indonesia captured by PRAKARSA? Is it true that government support in supporting the needs of persons with disabilities is still weak? Find the answers as well as recommendations that PRAKARSA wrote in the 32nd edition of the Policy Brief "Malang Does Not Come in One Way: Multi-Marginalization of Women with Disabilities in the Labor Market in Indonesia" below.


During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, a common strategy for public health organizations around the world has been to launch interventions via advertising campaigns on social media. Despite this ubiquity, little has been known about their average effectiveness. We conduct a large-scale program evaluation of campaigns from 174 public health organizations on Facebook and Instagram that collectively reached 2.1 billion individuals and cost around \$40 million. We report the results of 819 randomized experiments that measured the impact of these campaigns across standardized, survey-based outcomes. We find on average these campaigns are effective at influencing self-reported beliefs, shifting opinions close to 1% at baseline with a cost per influenced person of about \$3.41. There is further evidence that campaigns are especially effective at influencing users' knowledge of how to get vaccines. Our results represent, to the best of our knowledge, the largest set of online public health interventions analyzed to date.


Objective Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) include heterogeneous mixtures of low-grade cells forming pseudoglandular structures and compact nests of high-grade cells organised in non-glandular patterns. We previously reported that low-grade PDAC cells display high expression of interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1), a pivotal transcription factor of the interferon (IFN) system, suggesting grade-specific, cell-intrinsic activation of IFN responses. Here, we set out to determine the molecular bases and the functional impact of the activation of IFN-regulated responses in human PDACs. Design We first confirmed the correlation between glandular differentiation and molecular subtypes of PDAC on the one hand, and the expression of IRF1 and IFN-stimulated genes on the other. We next used unbiased omics approaches to systematically analyse basal and IFN-regulated responses in low-grade and high-grade PDAC cells, as well as the impact of IRF1 on gene expression programmes and metabolic profiles of PDAC cells. Results High-level expression of IRF1 in low-grade PDAC cells was controlled by endodermal lineage-determining transcription factors. IRF1-regulated gene expression equipped low-grade PDAC cells with distinctive properties related to antigen presentation and processing as well as responsiveness to IFN stimulation. Notably, IRF1 also controlled the characteristic metabolic profile of low-grade PDAC cells, suppressing both mitochondrial respiration and fatty acid synthesis, which may in part explain its growth-inhibiting activity. Conclusion IRF1 links endodermal differentiation to the expression of genes controlling antigen presentation and processing as well as to the specification of the metabolic profile characteristic of classical PDAC cells.


Ionic self-assembly of charged molecular building blocks relies on the interplay between long-range electrostatic forces and short-range, often cooperative, supramolecular interactions, yet has been seldom studied in two dimensions at the solid-liquid interface. Here, we demonstrate anion-driven switching of two-dimensional (2D) crystal structure at the Au(111)/octanoic acid interface. Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), three organic salts with identical polyaromatic cation (PQPC6+ ) but different anions (perchlorate, anthraquinonedisulfonate, benzenesulfonate) are shown to form distinct, highly ordered self-assembled structures. Reversible switching of the supramolecular arrangement is demonstrated by in situ exchange of the anion on the pre-formed adlayer, by changing the concentration ratio between the incoming and outgoing anion. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that perchlorate is highly mobile in the adlayer, and corroborate why this anion is only resolved transiently in STM. Surprisingly, the templating effect of the anion persists even where it does not become part of the adlayer 2D fabric, which we ascribe to differences in stabilization of cation conformations by the anion. Our results provide important insight into the structuring of mixed anion-cation adlayers. This is essential in the design of tectons for ionic self-assembled superstructures and biomimetic adaptive materials and valuable also to understand adsorbate-adsorbate interactions in heterogeneous catalysis.


Background We present the results of a feasibility, randomized waitlist control group (CG) parallel design study with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Participants were randomized into an intervention group (IG) or a waitlist CG. The intervention was a 6-week digital self-management program, Help to Overcome Problems Effectively (HOPE), for people with cancer. Objective This study aims to test the feasibility of a digitally delivered self-management program for people with cancer. This will inform the design of a definitive randomized controlled trial. In addition, a preliminary assessment of the impact of the HOPE program via secondary outcomes will be used to assess signals of efficacy in a trial context. Methods Participants were drawn from an opportunity sample, referred by Macmillan Cancer Support, and were invited via email to participate in the study (N=61). Primary outcomes were rates of recruitment, retention, follow-up, completion and adherence, sample size and effect size estimation, and assessment of progression criteria for a definitive trial. Secondary outcomes were self-report measures of participants' positive mental well-being, depression, anxiety, and patient activation (ie, confidence in managing their cancer). The intervention and data collection took place on the web. Results The recruitment rate was 77% (47/61). A total of 41 participants completed the baseline questionnaires and were randomized to either the IG (n=21) or the waitlist CG (n=20). The retention rate (attending all program sessions) was greater than 50% (all: 21/41, 51%, IG: 10/21, 48%; and CG: 11/20, 55%). The follow-up rate (completing all questionnaires) was greater than 80% (all: 33/41, 80%; IG: 16/21, 76%; and CG: 17/20, 85%). The completion rate (attending ≥3 sessions and completing all questionnaires) was greater than 60% (all: 25/41, 61%; IG: 13/21, 62%; and CG: 12/20, 60%). Engagement data showed that participants viewed between half (5.1/10, 51%) and three-quarters (12.2/16, 76%) of the pages in each session. Conclusions All progression criteria for a definitive trial were met, as supported by the primary outcome data. The IG showed improved postprogram scores on measures of positive mental well-being, depression, anxiety, and patient activation. A full-scale trial of the digital HOPE program for people with cancer will allow us to fully evaluate the efficacy of the intervention relative to a CG. Trial Registration ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN79623250; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN79623250 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.2196/24264


Neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation is an alternate immunologic weapon used mainly by neutrophils. Chromatin backbones fused with proteins derived from granules are shot like projectiles onto foreign invaders. It is thought that this mechanism is highly anti-microbial, aids in preventing bacterial dissemination, is used to break down structures several sizes larger than neutrophils themselves, and may have several more uses yet unknown. NETs have been implied to be involved in a wide array of systemic host immune defenses, including sepsis, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Existing methods used to visually quantify NETotic versus non-NETotic shapes are extremely time-consuming and subject to user bias. These limitations are obstacles to developing NETs as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. We propose an automated pipeline for quantitatively detecting neutrophil and NET shapes captured using a flow cytometry-imaging system. Our method uses contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization to improve signal intensity in dimly illuminated NETs. From the contrast improved image, fixed value thresholding is applied to convert the image to binary. Feature extraction is performed on the resulting binary image, by calculating region properties of the resulting foreground structures. Classification of the resulting features is performed using Support Vector Machine. Our method classifies NETs from neutrophils without traps at 0.97/0.96 sensitivity/specificity on n = 387 images, and is 1500X faster than manual classification, per sample. Our method can be extended to rapidly analyze whole-slide immunofluorescence tissue images for NET classification, and has potential to streamline the quantification of NETs for patients with diseases associated with cancer and autoimmunity.


Patterns of accidental poisoning in children are changing dramatically. A five year population study (1977-81) was undertaken in urban children from Brisbane (population 1 000 000). A total of 2098 children were poisoned during this period with only one fatality, which represents a dramatic reduction in mortality. Over the past 15 years (1968-82) 13 children have died from accidental poisoning from this population, and two were murdered with drugs. A study of secular trends has indicated that peak incidence occurred in 1979, and the rate has been falling progressively since. The current age corrected rate of poisoning is 393 per 100 000 children per year (0-5 year olds). The rank order of poisons, drugs, and chemicals causing hospital admission and death is: petroleum distillates 13%; antihistamines 9%; benzodiazepines 9%; bleach and detergents 7%; and aspirin 6%. The ratio of fatalities to ingestions requiring hospital admission was calculated to give an index of a practical danger of noxious agents to which children are currently exposed and the rank order is: cardiotoxic drugs, one fatality to 25 ingestions; tricyclic antidepressants, one to 44; sympathomimetic drugs, one to 54; caustic soda, one to 68; aspirin, one fatality to 350 ingestions. Accidental poisoning of children leading to death has been reduced because patterns of drug prescriptions have changed, packaging of dangerous drugs has been made safer, and substances such as kerosene have been coloured blue.


The aim of this paper is to analyse employment profile trends in the Latin American and Caribbean countries according to the task content of workers' jobs. This analysis seeks to approximate the impact of technological change on the labour market. The paper uses the definitions of an indicator that captures the relative importance of four types of tasks, namely cognitive versus manual and routine versus non-routine tasks, based on information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) and household surveys. The analysis finds that there has been growing demand for workers over the last two decades in occupations which are intensive in cognitive abilities, with higher remuneration than for occupations which are intensive in manual tasks. Cognitive skills are therefore a key variable for improving participation in current and future labour markets. Technological change and labour market trends in Latin America and the Caribbean: a task content approach


. Woody encroachment can convert grasslands and savannas to shrublands and woodlands, so understanding the processes which regulate woody encroachment is necessary to conserve or restore these ecosystems. We hypothesized that recreating the fi re – grazing interaction would limit woody encroachment because focal grazing increases fuel accumulation on unburned areas and increases browsing on emergent woody plants in burned areas. This study was conducted in the Grand River Grasslands of Iowa and Missouri (USA) on 11 sites (15.4 – 35.0 ha). Each site was assigned to one treatment: patch-burn-graze ( n = 4), with spatially discrete prescribed fi res and free access by cattle (the fi re – grazing interaction); graze-and-burn ( n = 4), with free access by cattle and one burn of the entire site every 3 yr; or burn-only ( n = 3), with one site-wide burn every 3 – 5 yr and no grazing. The burn-only treatment increased woody encroachment fourfold compared to the graze-and-burn and patch-burn-graze treatments (130.2, standard error [SE] = 16.0; 20.9, SE = 12.0; and 46.3, SE = 10.8; plants/200 m 2 ). The patch-burn-graze treatment had 2 – 3 cm more accumulated fuel and woody plants which were 12% shorter, on average, than the other treatments (comparing eight common species). The movement of large herbivores also appeared to decrease the frequency of woody species which spread vegetatively. Our work illustrates how the fi re – grazing interaction may control woody encroachment and shows that cattle substitute, at least partially, for endemic large herbivores.


The automated fingerprint identification algorithm has high time and space complexity in the embedded system. How to reduce the complexity is one of the hot research topics. The process of fingerprint identification and choice of algorithm platform are analyzed in the paper. Design of embedded fingerprint identification hardware system based on DSP, including the selection of microprocessor and fingerprint sensor and the communication between them, is introduced in detail. In additional, main software composition and flow are explained. At last, serial peripheral interface communication is simulated.


Current approaches to manage the COVID-19 pandemic have a narrow focus on public health and on the short-term economic and financial repercussions. This prevents us to look at how pandemic risk interplays with sustainable and inclusive development goals in the next decade. To fill this gap, we analyse how risk can compound in the nexus of non-linear interactions among pandemic, climate change and finance. We show that neglecting compound risk can lead to a massive underestimation of losses, which can be amplified by financial complexity, as well as to policies that impose unnecessary trade-offs among the economic recovery, health and climate objectives. To address these challenges, we propose an interdisciplinary research agenda to inform effective policies and improve the resilience of our socio-economic systems.


An erbium doped fiber amplifier in the conventional communication window utilizing single and double pump pass configurations were demonstrated and compared using OptiSystem 12 software. Both of gain level and gain profile were improved in double-pass configuration utilizing broadband optical mirror. The maximum gain in both single and doublepass configurations are about 36.83dB and 50.1dB respectively, which represents a 37.13% improvement in gain level with double-pass configuration. In addition, a 25mW pump power in double-pass configuration can provide the same gain level in a single-pass configuration at a pump power of 100mW and an input signal power of -20dBm at 1530nm. This represents a pump power conservation of about 25%. The results show that the double-pass amplifier produces a higher noise figure than the single-pass configuration, but still in suitable level less than 6dB.


This study was conducted to determine tourism communication factors including direct and indirect influence of tourism communication factors and developing and validating the consistency of the measurement model and structural equation model for tourism communication factors, community management in tourism, responsible tourism, and sustainable tourism of communities at the Koh Lanta, Krabi Province and communities at Koh Yao Noi, Phang Nga Province.
           The samples composed of a community tourism network / network leader, the community leaders, tourism business operators including hotel operators, accommodation, food and beverage, souvenirs, tour and transportation companies, local administrative organizations, provincial government officials, state enterprises, educational institutions, private sectors and people in the area. There are 260 samples of Koh Lanta and 259 samples of Koh Yao Noi. A total of 519 samples are provided for comprehensive information and has a ratio corresponding to the population in the area. This research uses mixed method research methodology between qualitative method, document data collection, in-depth interviews by using a semi-structured interview as a tool for data collection and quantitative method by using survey research and closed-end questionnaires as a tool for data collection. The qualitative research results are applied for developing tools and structural equation model (SEM) in order to examine the consistency of the research model and data in the area. For quantitative research, data analysis with Inferential statistics by estimating model parameters with the maximum likelihood estimates method and using  13 index values to examine the consistency of the SEM with empirical data.
           The research findings indicate that all latent variables of the measurement model for tourism communication factor, community management in tourism, responsible tourism affecting sustainable tourism of both communities is consistent with empirical data because the observed variables are statistically significant at the level of .01 for all variables. The structural model is also consistent with the empirical data because more than 3 index values have passed the specified criteria. Direct and indirect influence analysis and the total influence of various variables in the SEM shows that the SEM developed by the researcher is consistent with the empirical data. This study results show that communication factors, community management in tourism, and responsible tourism affecting sustainable tourism.


What characterises the dominant global culture is a kind of autism, the loss of a well-articulated sense of self, a reluctance to spell out its core values and aims. A good education system, on the contrary, helps the learner articulate his/her sense of self in more adequate ways and so become a more self-aware and self-directing learner. In the context of African traditional culture, this will mean engaging with the pre-philosophical expressions of self-understanding, which will have to be considered in the context of modernity. The differentiation of consciousness that is at the heart of our ability to do this, however, is only articulated within a philosophical framework that has not lost the foundational notion of the presence to self of the questioning subject. In what follows I develop this contention for general philosophy, for ethics, for the philosophy of religion, and for how philosophy is presented in an African cultural context. This article is an attempt to show the underlying unity of these topics and thus make my point more effective.


: Conjugates of pancreatic RNase and ligand-free human serum albumin (LFHSA) have been obtained. The number of hydrophobic binding sites both for initial HSA and LFHSA has been determined by the polarised luminescence method. Interaction between RNase and HSA involves additional electrovalent linkage. Unlike initial enzyme, conjugates exhibit activity toward double-strand RNA. After intravenous injection, transferase activity of unmodified enzyme remains in the blood during 20 min., whereas 30-40% of this activity is detected at the fourth day after administration of RNase conjugates. A single dose administration of LFHSA-RNAse conjugates exhibited high antiviral activity in mice, infected with influenza A and influenza B viruses.


The inclusion of renewable energy as wind turbines on microgrids has been increasing in popularity. However, commercial micro wind turbines lack advance electronic control systems to monitor the turbine and automatically brake for safety purposes. This paper presents the design of a modular electronic braking and monitoring system architecture with off-the-shelf electronic components and open-source software. The proposed system records the turbine operational parameters and triggers a braking system when an emergency stop button is closed or when a desired electrical parameter exceeds an established threshold. Electronic braking is a low-cost alternative that needs less maintenance, space, and mechanical complexity. We used a 400W micro wind turbine located at 17 feet high to test the proposed system architecture. Results demonstrate that this system architecture could be implemented for wind turbines in any existing polygeneration microgrid as an add-on.


Apparel has an important role in keeping the body comfortable by maintaining the needed equilibrium state
between the human body and the environment by getting rid of sweat which is exerted due to the physical activity.
This happens through a multitude of mechanisms, one being the capillary action which is also known as wicking.
Wicking is defined as "A spontaneous transport of liquid driven into a porous system by capillary forces". This paper
is concerned by studying effect of basic fabric weaves and weft densities of synthetic fabrics (PET) on vertical and
horizontal wicking rates and their relation to fabric packing factor. For this aim, 9 samples 100% PET woven samples
varying in weave type (plain 1/1-basket 2/2-twill 1/3) and three pick densities were produced, taking into account that
the other production parameters were constant.
The experiment showed that wicking rate was influenced by fabric porosity. Vertical wicking rate increases with
the increase of the porosity, while horizontal wicking rate decreases with the increase of porosity.


WORDSWORTH AND COLERIDGE: 'LYRICAL BALLADS'. By John Blades. Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. Pp. xii + 291. ISBN 978 1 4039 04804. £45.00 (hb) / £14.99 (pb). This student textbook is part of Palgrave Macmillan's expanding 'Analysing Texts' series, under the general editorship of Nicholas Marsh, which includes a number of volumes on Romantic-period authors. The General Editor's Preface explains that the series is based on the claim that 'we can all enjoy, understand and analyse literature for ourselves, provided we know how to do it', a claim that appears tautologous and self-evident. These books, Marsh tells the apprentice reader, 'will not do all the work for you, but will provide you with the tools, and show you how to use them'. They do so by providing 'samples of close, detailed analysis, with an explanation of the analytical techniques utilised'. The series, then, focusing on the writing of individual authors (except in the present case), seeks to provide exemplary textual analysis alongside relevant contextual information in order to enable students and other inexperienced readers to read for themselves. Blades' book on Lyrical Ballads consists of two parts. 'Part 1: Analysing Lyrical Ballads' presents readings of sixteen poems from Lyrical Ballads organised into five chapters according to five different themes ('Childhood and the Growth of the Mind', 'Imagination', 'Old Age', 'Social Issues' and 'Nature and the Supernatural'). 'Part 2: The Context and the Critics' consists of five chapters on 'The Politics of Wordsworth and Coleridge', 'Reading and Writing in Eighteenth-Century England', 'The Poet as Critic and Theorist', 'Dorothy Wordsworth and the Lake Poets' and 'Critical Responses to Lyrical Ballads'. One way of approaching Blades' book is to examine its success in meeting the series' stated aims. In these terms, I suggest, the present book falls short in too many ways. A major problem throughout is that Blades fails to anticipate the needs and potential difficulties of his intended readership. Apparently assuming that his readers are already familiar with Lyrical Ballads and have a modern edition to hand, he does not bother to give basic introductory information about the original publication and often analyses long poems on the basis of short extracts while nonetheless referring to passages that he has not quoted. His failure to put himself in the place of the intended reader manifests itself in other ways as well. The first poetic analysis begins, for example, with the information that 'Lucy Gray' is based on 'a story suggested by Dorothy', but there is no indication of who 'Dorothy' might be. More seriously, while some of Blades' readings of individual poems can be insightful, he signally fails to explain the analytical techniques and terminology he uses and the assumptions he makes in developing those readings. Too many of his interpretive claims are simply presented as obvious truths (bolstered by 'of course', 'clearly', etc.), potentially leaving the apprentice reader baffled as to how he arrives at his insights. One arbitrary assertion among many is the claim that Lucy's 'recognition of the moon in line 20 suggests that she sees in it something of a natural, celestial father' - a claim that appears to have no basis whatsoever in line 20, in which Lucy simply says 'And yonder is the Moon'. The intended reader is also likely to be excluded by the way that far too much background knowledge is taken for granted and/or deferred until the end of the book. Similarly, Blades often laces his discussion with literary allusions that the intended readership is not likely to notice or understand. In other words, the book appears to me to fail in multiple ways to meet the brief of the series. There are further errors that make the book not only of limited use to the intended readership, but also potentially damaging. The analytic technique and presentation display many of the faults that university teachers of English strive to eliminate from their students' essays. …


A double-stage feedback control structure for a double-stage mechanical system, with a single optical metrology is developed to reach nanometer accuracy at high bandwidth over large displacements. A piezoelectric stack actuator is used for fine positioning, while a permanent magnet (PM) stepper motor handles the coarse positioning. Two different control approaches are compared for driving the PM stepper motor, while a classical PID controller is designed to drive the piezoelectric actuator. Since only a single measurement device is used, the references for both control loops (fine and coarse) must be appropriately obtained. An adequate control structure including a partial observer is designed so as to take into account the influence of the fine actuator on the position estimation of the coarse actuator. The complete control mechanism and strategy ensure the tracking of the real reference with sufficient accuracy and bandwidth


When I arrived in Aurukun, west Cape York, it was the heat that struck me first, knocking city pace from my body, replacing it with a languor familiar to my childhood, although hea more northern. Fieldwork brings with it its own delights and anxieties. It is where I feel competent and incompetent, where I am most indebted and thankful for the generosity kindness of strangers. I love the way "no-where" places quickly become somewhere and some to me. Then there are the bodily visitations: a much younger self haunts my body. At time adult self abandons me, leaving me nothing but an awkward adolescent: clumsy, sweaty, too m body, too white, too urban, too disconnected or unable to interpret the social rules. My body in that this is not my home, but home for Wik and Wik Way people. Flailing about unmoored from socio-cultural system that I take for granted, and take comfort from – and I draw sustena Anxiety circles, closes in on me, who grows distant and unsure, fragmented. Misusing Deborah Rose, I'm tempted to say I'm separated from my nourishing terrain. Indeed it can feel like nation (not the country) slipped out from under my feet.


In recent years, efforts to understand electron transport at the molecular scale have intensified, driven by the desire to understand the quantum nature of electrical conductance at such length scales and by the need to design molecular-scale devices for switching, sensing and energy harvesting. The aim of this thesis is to investigate theoretically electrical properties of molecules placed between nanogap electrodes. Such structures can be realised using mechanically-controlled break junctions, which nowadays is a widely adopted experimental technique. The method used in this thesis is based on density functional theory (DFT), which is implemented in the SIESTA code, and involves combining DFT with quantum transport calculations using Greens functions. Chapter 2 presents a brief introduction to the theoretical concepts of DFT which has been developed to describe the electronic properties taking into account the full atomistic details of the systems. Chapter 3 presents solutions to the Green's function used for infinite and semi-infinite chains and introduces the transmission coefficient equations which forms the theoretical basis of the GOLLUM quantum transport code. The theoretical work carried out in this thesis focusses on the electrical properties of gold|molecule|gold junctions, in which a single molecule (or perhaps a small number of molecules) is placed between gold electrodes since experimentally, this is the most common choice of electrodes. The first topic I investigated is the conductance of break-junctions containing imidazole and benzimidazole series of molecules. In chapter 4, I present a combined experimental and theoretical study of the electrical conductance of series. The conductance of these molecules is measured using a mechanically controlled break junction and compared with density functional theory calculations. The theoretical results are in broad agreement with experimental reveal the decrease in electrical conductance of the imidazole and benzimidazole series with increasing the length. This study establishes that hydrogen-bonding plays an important role in determining the conductance of these molecular-scale junctions. The calculations, therefore, focus on the effect of H-bonding formed from N and H atoms on both the electrical conductance. The second topic of this thesis is presented in chapter 5. In that chapter, I have computed the transmission coefficient for series of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons including naphthalene, anthracene and tetracene. The conductance has been obtained with either with thiol or pyridyl anchor groups linked to the aromatic cores, either at para-para positions or meta-meta positions. The conductance of these molecules is predicted using density functional theory calculations. The results demonstrate consistently higher conductance in the meta series, after adding a first 5-membered ring, compared to the para series. The conductances of these new polycyclic aromatic cores are not much affected by adding a second 5-membered ring for meta connectivity. It is observed that the width of the gap between the HOMO and LUMO resonances can be controlled by the stacking geometry of these structures and their conductances are determined by the difference in Fermi energies relative to the frontier orbitals of the molecules due to the two different anchor groups.


AIM
To investigate the effects of melatonin (MT) on the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in rat models of colitis.

METHODS
Healthy adult Sprague-Dawlay (SD) rats of both sexes, weighing 280+/-30 g, were employed in the present study. The rat models of colitis were induced by either acetic acid or 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) enemas. The experimental animals were randomly divided into melatonin treatment and model control group that were intracolicly treated daily with melatonin at doses of 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 mg/kg(-1) and equal amount of saline respectively from 24 h following induction of colitis in rats inflicted with acetic acid enema and the seventh day in rats with TNBS to the end of study. A normal control group of rats treated with neither acetic acid nor TNBS but saline enema was also included in the study. On the 28(th) day of the experiment, the rat colon mucosal damage index (CDMI) was calculated, and the colonic prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), nitric oxide (NO), as well as the iNOS and COX-2 expression were also determined biochemically or immunohistochemically.

RESULTS
CDMI increased to 2.87+/-0.64 and 3.12+/-1.12 respectively in rats treated with acetic acid and TNBS enema, which was in accordance with the significantly elevated colonic NO and PGE(2) contents, as well as the up-regulated colonic iNOS and COX-2 expression in both of the two rat models of colitis. With treatment by melatonin at the doses of 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg(-1), CDMI in both models of rat colitis was significantly decreased (P<0.05-0.01), which accorded synchronously and unanimously with the reduced colonic NO and PGE(2) content, as well as the down-regulated expression of colonic iNOS and COX-2.

CONCLUSION
Melatonin has a protective effect on colonic injury induced by both acetic acid and TNBS enemas, which is probably via a mechanism of local inhibition of iNOS and COX-2 expression in colonic mucosa.


One job for theories of mental representation is to distinguish between different kinds of mental representation: beliefs, desires, intentions, perceptual states, etc. What makes a mental state a belief that p rather than a desire that p or a visual representation that p? Functionalism is a leading approach for doing so: for individuating mental states.
 Functionalism is designed to allow that psychological states can be multiply realized. Mark Sprevak has argued that, for a functionalist account of psychological states to apply to creatures that are organised in a very different way to humans (call them Martians), the way a psychological state is functionally individuated has to be relatively coarse-grained (Sprevak 2009). Psychological research might show that human beliefs are directly available to consciousness, that they are formed as the result of deliberate judgement, and so on, but theorists would be precluded from including these roles in their account of belief, if Sprevak is right.
 The argument for coarse-grained individuation fails if we distinguish functionalism about what it takes to be a psychological state in general from functionalism about a particular state type such as belief. Functionalism individuates a psychological state like believing that p partly by reference to its relations to other psychological states: desiring that p, perceiving that p, intending that p, etc. Functionalist motivations do indeed suggest that Martians with a functional organisation and physical substrate quite unlike humans could have psychological states, but not that they should have states with the interrelated collection of functional roles to count as beliefs, desires, intentions, etc. Thus, theorists are not precluded from including functional relations to consciousness or deliberate judgement in their account of (human) belief, consistent with allowing that Martians would have their own collection of functionally interrelated psychological states.
 Sprevak's coarse-grained functionalism implies an implausibly liberal form of extended cognition. The point about functional interrelations allows us to avoid that conclusion without jettisoning functionalism (as Sprevak suggests we should): records in a human notebook may not enter into the right interrelations with other human psychological states to count as beliefs; nor do they enter into any interrelations with Martian psychological states. Functionalism can therefore allow that Martians have psychological states while holding that few if any of the beliefs we humans have are, as a matter of fact, extended.


Eleven patients with 17 involved knees were surgically treated for congenital dislocation of the patella between 1978 and 1993. Ten patients with 13 involved knees followed up for a minimum of 2 years postoperatively composed the study group. Six patients had both involved knees operatively treated. In four patients, congenital dislocation of the patella was associated with a recognizable syndrome. All patients had fixed, painful lateral dislocation of the patella that could not be reduced. The average age at presentation was 7 years and 9 months (range, 2 months to 15 years). All patients underwent an extensive procedure including lateral release and advancement of the vastus medialis obliquus. Skeletally immature children underwent medial transfer of the entire patellar tendon. Skeletally mature patients underwent medial transfer of the tibial tubercle. Ten patients with 13 involved knees were followed up for > or = 2 years. Mean follow-up was 5.1 years (range, 1-17.5). At last follow-up, all patients reported a marked increase in activity tolerance and relief of pain. Average extension lag improved from 15 degrees before to 2 degrees after surgery. One superficial wound infection occurred; no patient developed a deep infection. One peroneal neurapraxia occurred but resolved with observation. Redislocation of the patella occurred in the immediate postoperative period in one patient. Operative treatment of congenital dislocation of the patella can predictably improve knee function when all aspects of the complex pathologic anatomy are addressed.


We investigate the security and usability of Human-Interactive Security Protocols (HISPs); specifically, how digests of 4 or more digits can be compared between two or more sys- tems as conveniently as possible while ensuring that issues such as user complacency do not compromise security. We address the research question: given different association scenarios and modes of authentication in HISPs, how can we improve on existing, or design new, empirical channels that suit human and contextual needs to achieve acceptable effective security? We review the literature of HISPs, proposed empirical channels,and usability studies of HISPs; we follow by presenting the methodology of the research reported in this thesis. We then make a number of contributions discussing the effectiveness of empirical channels and address the design, analysis, and evaluation of these channels. In Chapter 4 we present a user study of pairwise device associations and discuss the factors affecting effective security of empirical channels in single-user scenarios. In Chapter 5 we present a user study of group device associations and discuss the factors affecting effective security of empirical channels in multi-user scenarios. In Chapter 7 we present a framework designed for researchers and system designers to reason about empirical channels in HISPs. The framework is grounded in experimental data, related research, and validated by experts. In Chapter 8 we present a methodology for analysing and evaluating the security and usability of HISPs. We validate the methodology by applying it in laboratory experiments of HISPs. Finally, in Chapter 6 we present a set of principles for designing secure and usable empirical channels. We demonstrate the effectiveness of these principles by proposing new empirical channels.


Human leukocytes retract pseudopods due to active actin polymerization and return into a spherical state in response to physiological fluid shear stresses (of the order of 1 dyn/cm/sup 2/). Fluid shear stress also serves to detach the leukocytes by a attenuation of the molecular membrane adhesion mechanism. All leukocytes derived from individuals without cardiovascular complications respond to fluid shear stress. In contrast, during inflammatory conditions pseudopod projection and firm adhesion on endothelium can be observed in a subgroup of leukocytes positioned on microvessels with normal blood flow and fluid shear stresses. Thus there exists a mechanisms that serves to regulate the shear stress response. The authors examine here several mechanisms that influence shear stress response of leukocytes and demonstrate that both inflammatory mediators as well as depletion of cGMP serves to attenuate the shear stress response in-vivo and in-vitro. These results indicate that there exist several mechanisms to attenuate mechanotransduction pathways in circulating leukocytes and thereby eliminate the anti-inflammatory action of normal physiological fluid shear stress.


Ti6Al4V alloy commonly used in human body for load bearing prosthesis was coated by micro arc oxidation (MAO) with magnesium rich TiO2 oxide. Since the presence of magnesium in bone tissues is known to promote bone formation and proliferation in physiological environment, its integration with TiO2 on implant surface could bring about a bioactivity for a fast bone formation and proliferation. The formation of a composite layer consisting of Mg integrated TiO2 by MAO process was carried out in an electrolyte with different magnesium content. The characterization studies of these coatings were performed by using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with EDS analysis and XP2 surface profilometry.


Tomato powdery mildew (Pseudoidium neolycopersici (syn. Oidium neolycopersici)) is one of the most devastating diseases of cultivated tomatoes worldwide. Although the first epidemics were recorded nearly 30 years ago, many aspects of the host-pathogen interaction are still not well understood. Detailed morphological and molecular studies of the anamorphs confirmed that P. neolycopersici is phylogenetically close to Erysiphe aquilegiae var. ranunculi. Host range is rather broad; apart from the family Solanaceae, hosts were found in very distant plant families. Screening of wild Solanum sect. Lycopersicon spp. (previous Lycopersicon spp.) germplasm revealed valuable sources of resistance (Solanum habrochaites, Solanum pennellii, Solanum cheesmaniae, Solanum chilense, Solanum peruvianum). The main resistance mechanism was found to be a hypersensitive response (HR), in some cases followed by limited development of the pathogen. However, there is a broad variation in resistance response at the histological and cytological levels. Biochemical studies focusing on production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and corresponding enzymes during infection of P. neolycopersici showed that all these play a crucial role in activation of defense responses in genotypes of wild Solanum sect. Lycopersicon.


ABSTRACT Cytomegalovirus (CMV) coinfection is associated with infant HIV-1 disease progression and mortality. In a cohort of Kenyan HIV-infected infants, the frequencies of activated (CD38+ HLA-DR+) and apoptosis-vulnerable (CD95+ Bcl-2−) CD4+ and CD8+ T cells increased substantially during acute CMV infection. The frequency of activated CD4+ T cells was strongly associated with both concurrent CMV coinfection (P = 0.001) and HIV-1 viral load (P = 0.05). The frequency of apoptosis-vulnerable cells was also associated with CMV coinfection in the CD4 (P = 0.02) and CD8 (P < 0.001) T cell subsets. Similar observations were made in HIV-exposed uninfected infants. CMV-induced increases in T cell activation and apoptosis may contribute to the rapid disease progression in coinfected infants.


A new type of low-molecular-weight polypyrimidine in a π-conjugated main chain was prepared by a Grignard reaction between 2-amino-4,6-dichloropyrimidine and 1,4-dibromo-2,5-didodecyloxybenzene in the presence of [1,2-Bis(diphenylphosphino) ethane]dichloronickel(II). The structure of the copolymer was fully elucidated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 1H-NMR, and elemental analysis. The copolymer had good solubility in common organic solvents. The copolymer displayed a bathochromic shift when protonated with an organic or inorganic acid in chloroform or tetrahydrofuran. The copolymer depicted facile p-doping and good electron-transporting electrochemical properties in a 1M H2SO4 aqueous solution. The copolymer showed a narrow polydispersity of 1.04. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the copolymer had a certain thermal stability with no decomposition at a temperature of 250°C under N2. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 41174.


We study theoretically Doppler laser cooling of a cluster of two-level atoms confined in a linear ion trap. Using several consecutive steps of averaging we derive, from the full quantum-mechanical master equation, an equation for the total mechanical energy of a one-dimensional crystal, defined on a coarse-grained energy scale whose grid size is smaller than the linewidth of the electronic transition. This equation describes the cooling dynamics for an arbitrary number of ions in the quantum regime. We discuss the validity of the ergodic assumption (i.e., that the phase-space distribution is only a function of energy). From our equation we derive the semiclassical limit (i.e., when the mechanical motion can be treated classically) and the Lamb-Dicke limit (i.e., when the size of the mechanical wave function is much smaller than the laser wavelength). We find a Fokker-Planck equation for the total mechanical energy of the system, whose solution is in agreement with previous analytical calculations that were based on different assumptions and valid only in their specific regimes. Finally, in the classical limit we derive an analytic expression for the average coupling, by light scattering, between motional states at different energies.


The combination of the radio tracking of the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging spacecraft and Earth‐based radar measurements of the planet's spin state gives three fundamental quantities for the determination of the interior structure of Mercury: mean density ρ, moment of inertia C, and moment of inertia of the outer solid shell Cm. This work focuses on the additional information that can be gained by a determination of the change in gravitational potential due to planetary tides, as parameterized by the tidal potential Love number k2. We investigate the tidal response for sets of interior models that are compatible with the available constraints (ρ, C, and Cm). We show that the tidal response correlates with the size of the liquid core and the mean density of material below the outer solid shell and that it is affected by the rheology of the outer solid shell of the planet, which depends on its temperature and mineralogy. For a mantle grain size of 1 cm, we calculate that the tidal k2 of Mercury is in the range 0.45 to 0.52. Some of the current models for the interior structure of Mercury are compatible with the existence of a solid FeS layer at the top of the core. Such a layer, if present, would increase the tidal response of the planet.


Ultrasonic-vibration-assisted grinding (UVAG), a hybrid machining process combining material removal mechanisms of diamond grinding and ultrasonic machining, has been used to machine various hard-to-machine materials. Large amount of research work on UVAG has been carried out since it is invented. However there are few review papers to cover the current literature on UVAG. The emphasis of this literature review is the experimental investigations of the drilling process with ultrasonic vibration using a core drill with metal-bonded diamond abrasives. Experimental results are summarised and compared. The inconsistent results and their reasons are discussed. Furthermore, directions of future research on UVAG are also presented. [Received 2 April 2015; Revised 30 November 2015; Accepted 2 December 2015]


In the past years, many researchers have tried to realize the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) phenomena from the metamaterial arrays for the attractable applications such as slow light devices, novel optical communication systems, and nonlinear optical devices. Most of metamaterial enabled EIT analogues reported so far are based on the destructive interference between the bright and dark meta‐atoms. Whether they are located on the same plane or off the plane, EIT‐like properties can be achieved only by breaking the symmetry between the bright and dark meta‐atoms. In this study, a novel self‐complimentary terahertz meta‐atom is developed by combining cut‐wire resonators and its pseudo‐complimentary pattern within a single meta‐atom. From the measurement results, it is verified that the proposed meta‐atom can exhibit EIT‐like phenomenon within a single unit cell by controlling the focus of the electric field induced by the incident terahertz waves within the self‐complimentary meta‐atom cell as predicted by the numerical simulation as well as by the theoretical forced oscillation model.


Poetry by Clubwomen I!O~IESPU~. .vx A)iTHOLOGY OF POETRY. By the General Federalion of Women's Clubs. New York, Cincinnati, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, San Francisco: American Book Company. Encouraged by prizes and the efforts of an energetic "Poetry Committee," thousand5 of American clubwomen 1tI1nlred into creative versification. The book entitled "Homespun" is a cotkction of the poems regarded as be-t worth preserving in pr-inted form. Gathered over a fi\'c-} car period, these samples .includc many that have both charm and excellence. As a cross section of the poetry-making ability of American women, the anthology cornpiled by Anita Brownc for the General Federation of Women's Clubs is worthy of note by observers of national traits and aptitudes and cultures. Naturally. not all of the verse pub. tished in "Homr-spuu" is as highly polished as the pro Icssional versifier ..,ould have had it. But many of the stanza~ are beautiful and some a"~ deeply moving". J11 all cases, the aim of rendering these experimenters appreciativc of the poetry of others has almost surely becn accomplished. By creating in 'any field. one learns to vibrate with other creators in that field -and perhaps in neighboring fields as well. • • Cultivation of Reason EDECATION AS CULTIVATION OF THE lIIGHER ~IEXTAL PROCESSES. -By Charles H. Judd, with the co-operation of Ernst R. Breslich. J. ~1. McCallister, and Ralph IV. Tyler. Vew York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas. Atlanta, San Francisco: TheMacmillan Company. Very tittle has so far been done toward discovering how the reasoningprocess may be developed in children oradults. Much of education continues 10 be predicated upon the assumption that the packing of information into human heads will somehow equip them .for meeting life situations as these arise. Encouraged by his friend, Henry s,,'z:lllo, and by a ,small grant of Carnegie funds for the purpose of study along this tine, Dr. Judd has produced ~ OOO-page book with a long title aIld a large amount of stimulus to edutators • to employ their own "higher I!l(t}tal processes" in working out this crowning task uf the schoc Is-namely, getting pupils to think. That the surface has merely been scratched in this area of instruction is frankly admitted by Dr. Judd. Nor does he believe that any simple formula is to be found. He recognizes" the value of the modern emphasis upon, correlation cf studies, but dCf.:IVs it possible to carry this too far. He points to the continucd need of systematic 'learning of number skills and language skills, as having a vast usefulness in preparing the mind for those generalizations and syntheses that occur in reasoning. The ability to compare, to perceive relationships among ideas, to select, to regroup, and to reach warranted conclusions-cthis is what education would like to develop. How to do it still remains a good deal of a mystery. Dr. Judd's book should blaze the trail for further pioneering in this upland forest of man's mental powers. • • The Mental Health Angle EDUCATING FOR .\DJUSTMENT. By Harry N. Ridlon, Ph. D., College of the City of New York. New York, London: D...\ pplcton-Century Company, Inc.


Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is a non-invasive
pain therapy that uses the sensory effects of an electrical current applied to the skin. Some clinical
studies demonstrated that this treatment helps to reduce acute and chronic pains, while others gave
sometimes contradictory or uncertain conclusions about the performances of this strategy according
to pathology classification. The purpose of this study is the development and evaluation of a
new modulated version of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation called PWM-TENS. The
principle is based on an automatic variation of the stimulation parameters (frequency, amplitude,
duration, shape, cyclic ratio) according to the pain evolution.

The study was a controlled clinical trial involving 15 participants, divided into 2 groups.
The first experimental group performed modulated PWM-TENS electro-stimulation sessions applied
to the painful areas 3 to 4 times a day, for one month. The second control group did parallel
treatments by Placebo. The evaluation of the pain intensity is done with the Visual Analog Scale
(EVA), the DN4 and SF36 questionnaires.

 The tests and measurements with our embedded PWM-TENS technique demonstrated
that we succeeded to increase the analgesic effect after stopping the stimulation and reduced the
pain sensation by about 60%. An improvement in pain intensity scores and questionnaires (EVA,
DN4), as well as the quality of life score (SF36), was observed. Also, a reduction of the treatment
period from 3 to 1 month was also obtained.

The first results clinically observed in the PWM-TENS technique are encouraging.
The findings of this study confirm that this noninvasive strategy is suitable and useful for acute
pains coming from the nociceptive, neuropathic and musculoskeletal origin. However, its efficiency
is moderated and less adapted for low back pain. The experiments make it possible to estimate
whether this modulated TENS method could improve existing anti-pain therapies, taking into
account objective and subjective evaluation criteria. But this study must be followed by large
population samples to answer all the problems of acute and chronic pains.


The movement from discrete transistors to integrated silicon circuits led to the rapid evolution of microscale electronics, but there has been no equivalent transition for the vacuum tube transistor. Difficulty integrating devices at microscales has hindered the use of vacuum electronic circuits, despite the unique advantages they offer in selected applications. The development of the field emission microfabricated cathode offers the potential to take advantage of the benefits of the vacuum technology in an integrated platform. This paper utilizes an MEMS carbon nanotube field emission vacuum microelectronic device as an active circuit element. Using a combination of particle trajectory simulation and experimental characterization, we investigated device performance in an integrated platform. Specifically, we present solutions for the operation of multiple devices in close proximity and for enhancing transmission (i.e., reducing grid loss) in vacuum field emission devices. The isolation structures reduced the crosstalk between neighboring devices from 14% on average, to nearly zero. Innovative geometries and a new operational mode reduced the grid loss by nearly three times, improving transmission of the current from the cathode to the anode from 25% from the previous designs to 70% on average. These performance enhancements are the important enablers for larger scale integration and for the realization of complex vacuum microelectronic circuits.


In this paper, we present a new gate-level approach to power and current simulation. We propose a symbolic model of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) gates to capture the dependence of power consumption and current flows on input patterns and fan-in/fan-out conditions. Library elements are characterized and their models are used during event-driven logic simulation to provide power information and construct time-domain current waveforms. We provide both global and local pattern-dependent estimates of power consumption and current peaks (with accuracy of 6 and 10% from SPICE, respectively), while keeping performance comparable with traditional gate-level simulation with unit delay. We use VERILOG-XL as simulation engine to grant compatibility with design tools based on Verilog HDL. A Web-based user interface allows our simulator (PPP) to be accessed through the Internet using a standard web browser.


New sensing technologies allow modern vehicles to perceive the environment around them even when human visual perception is limited due to poor lighting or fog. Steer-by-wire technology enables active steering capability in which the driver's command to the roadwheels is augmented for maintaining safety. Predictive controllers can leverage both of these technologies to create shared control safety systems that work with the driver to ensure a safe and collision-free vehicle trajectory. The earlier the system intervenes, the smoother the intervention but the more it interferes with the driver's control authority. Ideally, predictive controllers should still intervene late but also indicate upcoming environmental threats to the driver as early as possible. Haptic feedback provides a good means of communicating information to the driver early. Together with a controller still providing a late intervention fallback, this regime provides an ideal framework for predictive shared control systems. This paper presents a novel technique for creating haptic steering feedback, based on future differences between the predictive controller and the driver. This feedback mirrors the tension between the sometimes competing controller objectives of following the driver and maintaining a feasible path. The paper uses simulation and experiment to investigate the inherent trade-offs of predictive haptic feedback and qualitatively discuss its impact.


In this paper we explore the use of dynamic epistemic default logic to offer a natural way of communication policies for the management of inter-agent exchanges in the multi-agent systems. We firstly focus on the acquisition of the extension in the dynamic epistemic theory based multi-agent system when its background set absorbing new information constantly, then we add the constrained default sets to restrict the agent's inference behavior and manage to obtain the extension of constrained epistemic default logic theory via default reasoning. We also discuss the characteristic of the dynamic updating when agent meets incompatible knowledge in the logical framework of multi-agent systems and finally we proved the related theorem for knowledge updating.


The stomatogastric ganglion (STG) of the crab, Cancer borealis, contains the neural networks responsible for rhythmic pattern generation of the foregut. Neuron counts indicate that the STG of C. borealis has 25–26 neurons, 4–5 fewer than that found in lobsters. We describe the ultrastructural features of the ganglion by focusing on those that may be involved in storage, release, or range of action of peptide modulators, including a lacunar system and multiple types of intercellular junctions. In the neuropil, we identify five synaptic profile classes that contain the invertebrate presynaptic apparatus (dense bars, small clear vesicles), two of which also contain dense core (modulator‐containing) vesicles. These latter two are comprised of multiple immunocytochemical classes that are not easily distinguished by structural criteria. In addition, we find neurohemal‐like profiles that contain primarily dense core vesicles. Our finding that multiple profile types in the STG possess modulator‐containing vesicles coincides with immunocytochemical results better than do previous ultrastructural studies that report only one such profile type. We show that a single modulatory input, stomatogastric nerve axon 1, makes only classical synapses and not neurohemal‐like profiles, although some modulators are found in both these profile types. These data provide the groundwork for understanding the architecture of modulatory input‐target interactions and suggest ways that the specificity of modulatory effects within a complex neuropil may be attained. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Abstract. Investigations on atmospheric aerosols and their sources were carried out in October/November 2013 and May/June 2014 consecutively in a suburban area of Rome (Tor Vergata) and in central Rome (near St Peter's Basilica). During both years a Saharan dust advection event temporarily increased PM10 concentrations at ground level by about 12–17 µg m−3. Generally, in October/November the ambient aerosol was more strongly influenced by primary emissions, whereas higher relative contributions of secondary particles (sulfate, aged organic aerosol) were found in May/June. Absolute concentrations of anthropogenic emission tracers (e.g. NOx, CO2, particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, traffic-related organic aerosol) were generally higher at the urban location. Positive matrix factorization was applied to the PM1 organic aerosol (OA) fraction of aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) data to identify different sources of primary OA (POA): traffic, cooking, biomass burning and (local) cigarette smoking. While biomass burning OA was only found at the suburban site, where it accounted for the major fraction of POA (18–24 % of total OA), traffic and cooking were more dominant sources at the urban site. A particle type associated with cigarette smoke emissions, which is associated with a potential characteristic marker peak (m∕z 84, C5H10N+, a nicotine fragment) in the mass spectrum, was only found in central Rome, where it was emitted in close vicinity to the measurement location. Regarding secondary OA, in October/November, only a very aged, regionally advected oxygenated OA was found, which contributed 42–53 % to the total OA. In May/June total oxygenated OA accounted for 56–76 % of the OA. Here a fraction (18–26 % of total OA) of a fresher, less oxygenated OA of more local origin was also observed. New particle formation events were identified from measured particle number concentrations and size distributions in May/June 2014 at both sites. While they were observed every day at the urban location, at the suburban location they were only found under favourable meteorological conditions, but were independent of advection of the Rome emission plume. Particles from sources in the metropolitan area of Rome and particles advected from outside Rome contributed 42–70 and 30–58 % to the total measured PM1, respectively. Apart from the general aerosol characteristics, in this study the properties (e.g. emission strength) and dynamics (e.g. temporal behaviour) of each identified aerosol type is investigated in detail to provide a better understanding of the observed seasonal and spatial differences.


OBJECTIVES
To increase awareness of data resources from the Pacific Island of Guam, and their utility for research investigations of factors that encourage or discourage smoking among Pacific Islanders, and in turn, to produce empirical findings on tobacco use among Pacific Islanders to help fill data gaps on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) tobacco use for small AAPI populations.

METHODS
Guam's 1995 and 1999 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data sets were selected, as well as its 1999 Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Youth Risk Behavior System (YRBS) study, and a panel study of parental influences on risk behavior of middle school age youth conducted in 2000. Resultant sample sizes were 896 persons in 1995, and 506 in 1999. Guam's YRBS data sets are samples of middle school (grades 6-8) and high school youth (grades 9-12) in classrooms randomly sampled by grade level from both public and private schools. In 1999, a resultant sample of 589 high school students was obtained. In 2000, using the same sampling process as the YRBS studies but limited to public middle schools only, a specialized panel study obtained a sample of 270 middle school youth to study the influences of parents and peers on smoking and other risk behaviors.

FINDINGS
Current smoking prevalence among adult Pacific Islanders (38 percent) on Guam is similar to other Pacific islands but comparatively high to US studies. In both 1995 and 1999, Pacific Islanders were more likely to be current smokers than other ethnic communities on island, and among those ever-smoking, they were less likely to have quit (i.e., report being former smokers). The same patterns of ethnic differences between Pacific Islanders, Asians, and non-API persons were consistently found among high school, and also middle school youth. These ethnic differences may implicate factors of tobacco accessibility, cultural definitions of "childhood," and adult role modeling, as contributing forces to smoking behavior on Guam.

CONCLUSION
Pacific island communities allow for studies of ethnic-cultural influences that are not masked by factors such as acculturation, socioeconomic status, the intensity of media advertising, or urban life and its attendant conditions of minority status that affect AAPI studies in the US mainland. For tobacco control advocates and AAPI scholars across the nation, data from Guam may prove useful for investigations of differences in lifestyles, cultural beliefs or practices, and environmental exposures that encourage or discourage smoking among AAPIS, and thus help to unravel the compounding interplay between factors.


The working mixture almost exclusively used to operate absorption heat transformers (AHT) is {H 2 O + LiBr} ({H 2 O + NH 3 } can also be used). Unfortunately, both working pairs present some drawbacks: corrosivity, toxicity, crystallization or high working pressure. Ionic liquids (ILs) possess very interesting properties (thermal stability, possible miscibility with water, negligible vapor pressure) that make them good candidates to be used as absorbents in AHT. This paper aims at providing an overview of available thermodynamic data concerning {H 2 O + IL} mixtures that could be used to operate an AHT.


Consistency maintenance is a fundamental issue in real-time cooperative editing systems. Generally, GOT algorithm is more capable to maintain consistency of documents due to its independence of C2, while other operational transformation algorithms may rely on C2 which is difficult to verify. But GOT algorithm doesn 't refer to cursor position maintenance which is very important in an editing system. In this paper, a cursor position maintenance algorithm is proposed to improve GOT algorithm. With the improved algorithm, the cursor position of shared documents will be recalculated after each operation has been executed, thus the consistency of shared document will be maintained and the cursor will be maintained at its correct position at each site.


Studies carried out since 1959 and recently summarized by us have demonstrated higher land plant-type microfossils (trilete spores, spore tetrads, tracheid-like tubes, cuticle-like tissues) from rocks of latest Ordovician to latest Silurian age. Vascular plant body fossils are unknown until mid-Late Silurian (Ludlovian) time. Pre-Late Ordovician land plant-type fossils, either body fossils or microfossils, are not recognized with any assurance. The latest Ordovician may mark the first appearance of such materials and may coincide with the initial evolution of continental vegetation of higher photosynthetic land plants, although these may have been preceded by plant life lower on the evolutionary scale, such as algae, fungi, lichens, and plants of similar morphologic levels of organization. Because previously studied plant fossils occur in shallow water or nearshore marine depositional sites, unequivocal proof for their nonmarine origin is lacking, although their apparent functional morphology repudiates the possibility of wholly submerged plants. A recent report by Pratt, Phillips, and Dennison now removes lingering doubts about the minimum date when higher land plants occupied the continental environment; they reported definite nonmarine (freshwater or terrestrial), nonvascular higher land plant material of early Llandoverian (earliest Silurian) age near the north end of Massanutten Mountain, Virginia. Their discovery provides hitherto lacking unequivocal proof for nonmarine, pre-latest Silurian (Pridolian-early Downtonian) higher land plants. Coeval fossils that we have been studying are morphologically identical to theirs. It is now clear that there was a significant lag, at least the entire Silurian Period, before undoubted nonmarine animals evolved and were preserved in the fossil record.


AIM
This study evaluates the relationship between occlusal interferences and premature contacts and bruxism by determining the relationship between unassisted and assisted nonworking interferences.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this study, 60 subjects (14 males and 46 females) that consisted of 30 bruxers (7 males, 23 females) and 30 nonbruxers (7 males, 23 females) were selected after completion of a questionnaire based on the exclusion criteria. Occlusal interferences in the centric relation and eccentric movements in the two groups were evaluated and recorded. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 16) using the Chi-square and paired t-tests.

RESULTS
The results showed a statistically significant relationship between bruxism and nonworking interferences (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant relationship in the centric relation and other eccentric movements (p > 0.05). The number of assisted nonworking occlusal contacts was more than unassisted nonworking occlusal contacts.

CONCLUSION
According to the results of this study, there is a relationship between certain types of occlusal interferences (nonworking interferences) and bruxism. Hence, it would be useful to examine occlusal contacts in bruxing patients to eliminate probable causative or contributing occlusal factors. Both assisted and unassisted nonworking occlusal contacts should be evaluated.

CLINICAL IMPLICATION
Bruxism is an oral habit that consists of involuntary rhythmic or spasmodic nonfunctional gnashing, grinding or teeth clenching, other than chewing movements by the mandible. Bruxism may lead to occlusal trauma, tooth wear, fracture of the teeth and fillings, and hypertrophy of the masticatory muscles. Treatment of bruxism needs a correct diagnosis. Therefore, it is useful to determine the relationship between occlusal interferences and bruxism in order to prevent its development by adjusting for these interferences.


The salt tolerance of 3 wild soybean (Glycine soja) populations was compared with their relative germination and seedling emergence. The results showed that the salt tolerance of Jiangsu wild soybean (JWS) was the strongest. Under NaCl stress, the dry matter accumulation in wild soybean seedlings decreased, root/shoot ratio increased, and these effects were greater in N23232 (salt-sensitive) than in JWS (salt-tolerant). Determinations on the ion contents in different organs indicated that the Na+ content was higher in stem than in other organs, and the accumulation of Na+ and Cl- in roots was significantly more in JWS than in N23232. The contents of these ions in JWS leaves were much less than those in N23232 leaves. There was no significant difference between selective absorptions of K+ and Na+ (ASK, Na) by the two populations, but the selective transportation of K+ and Na+ (TSK, Na) in stem and leaf was much higher in JWS than in N23232, resulted in the higher K+/Na+ ratio in JWS shoots. It is suggested that the main reason for the salt tolerance in salt-tolerant wild soybean was the accumulation of Na+ and Cl- in roots and stems and the higher selective transportation of K+ from root to shoot.