West Virginia has struggled with an overdose epidemic for many years and continues to have the highest overdose death rate in the nation. However, through successful collaboration between the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy and the West Virginia Department of Health via its Violence and Injury Prevention Program, West Virginia has improved data quality, enhanced program development and implementation, and developed strategies to address the overdose epidemic. This multiagency collaboration plays an important role in addressing the overdose epidemic and promotes lasting interagency relationships. One strategy is overcoming barriers to maximizing and utilizing the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, or PDMP. This strategy allows for a better understanding of a patient's prescription history and ensures safer prescribing practices. In addition, this strategic partnership facilitates the use of PDMP data for epidemiologic studies and public health surveillance, which results in sustainable analyses and dissemination of actionable data that are now driving public health action in West Virginia.


This paper: (1) Gives a general argument why research on nonlinear science in general and chaos in particular is important in economics and finance. (2) Puts forth two definitions of stochastic nonlinearity (IID-Linearity and MDS-Linearity) for nonlinear time series analysis and argues for their usefulness as organizing concepts not only for discussion of nonlinearity testinf but also for building a new class of structural asset pricing models. (3) Shows how to use ideas from interacting particle systems theory to build structural asset pricing models that turn IID-Linear or MDS-Linear earnings processes into non MDS-Linear equilibrium returns processes.


The typical law school classroom for a doctrinal course utilizes a learning structure that limits opportunities for students to learn directly from the professor. Time constraints inherent in the need for coverage and the desire to keep the class engaged encourages movement through the material. Cognitivist learning theory views learning as involving the movement of information from sensory memory (perception) into short-term, working memory for analysis and organization, and then into long-term memory for storage. This process of information movement suggests that the typical law school classroom creates impediments to student learning. Distracted students who fail to capture the concept presented in class might never begin the process flow. The amount of information that a student must process in the limited time of the classroom — that is, the cognitive load — can be so great that information gets lost, especially when cognitive load is heightened by the lack of organizing principles or schemata. Podcasts — short audio or video recordings on a specific topic — created by the professor can overcome these impediments by allowing students to listen repeatedly, thereby assuring initial sensory capture and allowing students to control the pace of concept presentation so that cognitive load is managed.This article discusses what podcasting is and describes the program of podcasting I have used for five years in my Property I and II classes. It examines the educational problems suggested by learning theory and how podcasting can overcome those problems in a way that benefits both student and professor. It also presents and analyzes data from student surveys I have conducted during those five years which show that students use and highly value podcasts as an important addition to their educational experience.


Background
Lichen planus is an idiopathic and chronic inflammatory disease that affects the skin and the mucous membranes, and has been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. Hyperhomocysteinemia has been regarded as a risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Increased plasma fibrinogen levels are also associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction.

Objective
The main aim of this study is the evaluation of common carotid artery mean intima media wall thickness, serum fibrinogen and homocysteine levels in patients with lichen planus.

Methods
Forty-three patients with lichen planus and 43 age, gender and body mass index (BMI) matched healthy controls (from general population without the disease) were included in this study.

Results
Compared to the healthy controls, patients had statistically significant greater mean intima media wall thickness of the common carotid artery. Moreover, a positive correlation was observed between lichen planus and increased serum homocysteine and c-reactive protein levels.

Limitations
The main limitation of this study is the small sample size due to the time limitation and financial constraints.

Conclusion
Early diagnosis of atherosclerosis in patients with lichen planus might afford better prophylaxis, including weight control and/or lipid profile monitoring. Measurement of the mean intima media wall thickness of the common carotid artery by duplex high-resolution B-mode ultrasound scanning could be beneficial as a valuable method for early diagnosis of atherosclerosis in lichen planus.


Compound ceramic coatings were prepared on Ti-6Al-4V allosy by pulsed bi-polar Micro-plasma Oxidation (MPO) in NaAlO2(S1) and Na2SiO3(S2) solution respectively. The coated samples were calcined in argon under 1000 oC. The phase composition,morphology and element content of the ceramic coatings were investigated by XRD, SEM and XRF. After oxidation in argon, The Al2TiO5 of S1 coating surface was decomposed into Al2O3. SiO2 was crystalized in S2 coating with the final proportion of SiO2 to TiO2 on the coating surface is 81:18. The morphology of the ceramic coatings after the calcination was also different. S1 coatings calcined in argon were fine, grains and pores were smaller and were combined tightly with the substrate, on the contrary, S2 coatings calcined in argon cracked on the coating surface and were separated with the substrate. The content of elements in the coatings both changed a little, which may be due to the reaction of the substrate in the oxidation. According to the phase composition and the morphology of the coatings, S1 coatings are better than S2 coatings.


Photographs and accounts of the Fair illustrate the fashions of the early twentieth century.
Many people came to the Fair in their 'Sunday best.'  Women were seen dressed-up in their long skirts, stockings and shoes that became muddy on rainy days. Often women carried umbrellas or wore large hats to protect them from St. Louis' hot summer sun. Men were seen in long black coats, trousers and hats.
In the seven months of the Fair the weather would be hot, cold, and rainy. Yet none of that stopped people from getting dressed up to enjoy the show.


Recently, the world has witnessed the most severe pandemic (COVID-19) in this century. Studies on epidemic prediction and simulation have received increasing attention. However, the current methods suffer from three issues. First, most of the current studies focus on epidemic prediction, which can not provide adequate support for intervention policy making. Second, most of the current interventions are based on population groups rather than fine-grained individuals, which can not make the measures towards the infected people and may cause waste of medical resources. Third, current simulations are not efficient and flexible enough for large-scale complex systems.In this paper, we propose a new epidemic simulation framework called HMES to address above three challenges. The proposed framework covers a full pipeline of epidemic simulation and enables comprehensive fine-grained control in large scale. In addition, we conduct experiments on real COVID-19 data. HMES demonstrates more accurate modeling of disease transmission up to 300 million people and up to 3 times acceleration compared to the state-of-the-art methods.


The papers in this special section explore the use of large scale memristive systems and neurochips for computational intelligence. The interest in the application of memristor device as a memory element, neuromorphic device, as a sensor and as a switch for programmable logic circuits has been growing in the last decade. The small size, ease of programmability, low leakage currents, ability to maintain resistance states and CMOS compatibility make the memristor a useful device. The possibility of using memristors to mimic neural circuits and architectures as well as to implement learning for in-memory computing tasks makes it further a versatile device. However, in this early stages of development and exploration, modeling and simulation of the realistic memristors in application to simulating large-scale arrays remains a challenging issue among others. The development of memristive device models that reflect the realistic characteristic of memristor devices is an ongoing challenge. While most memristor models close to reflect the electrical characteristics of the memristors, the time dynamics properties under non-ideal conditions, accurately modeling variability of fabricated memristors, and faster convergence for large circuit simulations are open problems. The electromagnetic issues, thermal issues, and signal integrity challenges are yet to be adequately modeled for these devices.


Fatty foods are very palatable. Most mammals, including humans, prefer high-fat food to low-fat food. Neuropeptides and neurotransmitters, which are related to the hedonic or aversive response in the brain, are released after a basic tastant (i.e., sweet, sour, salty, bitter or umami) is accepted by the taste receptors in the taste bud cells. In addition, recent evidence suggests that dietary fat, especially free fatty acids, may be perceived chemically in taste bud cells as well as the basic tastant. Recently, it was suggested that long-chain fatty acids accepted into CD36/FAT, a long-chain fatty acid transporter, in circumvallate papillae of the tongue play an extremely important role in the palatability of dietary fat. In this review, we describe the studies on the reception of fatty acids in the oral cavity, and on the signal transmission from the oral cavity to the brain. We hypothesize that long-chain fatty acids are recognized on the tongue, and then neuropeptides and neurotransmitters such as beta-endorphin and dopamine are released in the brain. We suggest that this knowledge is one of the mechanisms of the palatability of dietary fat.


Eco-friendly cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), a core constituent of cellulose, have garnered increasing attention as a promising sustainable building block source for advanced materials in various application fields. In the present study, we successfully fabricate a cellulose nanofiber paper from a CNF suspension and explore its potential application to a separator membrane for lithium-ion batteries. In contrast to macro/microscopic cellulose fibers that have been commonly used for typical papers, the CNFs are characterized by the nanometer-scale diameter/length up to several micrometers and highly crystalline domains, contributing to excellent mechanical/thermal properties and nanoporous structure evolution. A salient feature of the cellulose nanofiber paper-derived separator membrane (referred to as "CNP separator") is an electrolyte-philic, nanoscale labyrinth structure established between closely piled CNFs. The unusual porous structure is fine-tuned by varying the composition ratio of the solvent mixture (= isopropyl alcohol (IPA)–water) in the CNF suspension, wherein IPA is introduced as a CNF-disassembling agent while water promotes dense packing of CNFs. Based on a solid understanding of separator characteristics, electrochemical performances of cells assembled with the CNP separators are investigated. Notably, the CNP separator manufactured with IPA–water = 95/5 (vol/vol%) exhibits highly interconnected nanoporous network channels and satisfactory mechanical properties, which play a significant role in improving separator properties and cell performance. This study underlines that the porous structure-tuned cellulose nanofiber papers provide a promising new route for the fabrication of advanced separator membranes, which will also serve as a key component to boost the development of next-generation paper batteries.


An Inventive Use of the WWW as a Teaching and Learning Tool in Mathematics: Structured Web Materials for Courses Across the Mathematics Canon. M. Padraig M. M. McLoughlin, Ph.D. Department of Mathematics, Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA 30314 The author of this paper submits that students have a natural inquisitiveness; hence, students must be active in learning. Thus, the student must learn to conjecture and prove or disprove said conjecture. Ergo, the purpose of the paper is to submit the thesis that learning with the use of the World Wide Web (WWW) can enhance the students" experience in mathematics and proposes some innovative uses of the web that the author has constructed for his students. The paper is organised in the following manner. In the first part of the paper the author submits the model of his web site and how it fits into his pedagogical programme, "the fusion method," of traditional, reform, and Moore methods for teaching. In the second part of the paper the author focuses on the dissemination of material, exercises for the students, assessment of progress and mastery by the students, and programme for the students to submit work for inclusion on the site. In the third part of the paper the author details the e-book and how development of said material has been of assistance to the department and to the mathematics programme so course appropriate materials is available for use by the students in any class (even those not taught by the author). Creation of such materials enables students to bridge the gap that exists between high school and college level work. The final part of the paper discusses the successes and lack thereof of maintaining the site, including both instructor and student created work, cost and time expense, and reaction of colleagues to the materials being available. Nonetheless, the author"s use of the web is not what one might typically think of when one mentions a mathematics web site. It does not include the usual "bells and whistles" one might associate with web sites. It is used primarily as a tool to disseminate materials to students in an efficient manner, encourage students to create mathematical arguments and solutions to problems and then learn the skills necessary to write technical solutions or arguments. The difference in participating and witnessing cannot be understated. The author of this paper submits that students have a natural inquisitiveness; hence, students must be active in learning. Thus, the student must learn to conjecture and prove or disprove said conjecture. Ergo, this paper submits that the use of the WWW is within this context a programme of mathematical pedagogy such that the students" experience of doing a mathematical argument is the reason for the exercise along with a finished product. So, the instructor constantly monitors the progress of individual students and adjust the notes, offers "hints" on the site, and constructs handouts or modules based on the progress of the students in the class (therefore, it is an ongoing use of the web rather than a pre-existing construct). Structured Web Materials for Courses, 983-A1-361, page 2


Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is a multifunctional enzyme with roles in diverse cellular processes including angiogenesis, tissue remodeling, and the maintenance of vascular tone. Monomeric and dimeric forms of eNOS exist in various tissues. The dimeric form of eNOS is considered the active form and the monomeric form is considered inactive. The activity of eNOS is also regulated by many other mechanisms, including amino acid phosphorylation and interactions with other proteins. However, the precise mechanisms regulating eNOS dimerization, phosphorylation, and activity remain incompletely characterized. We utilized purified eNOS and bovine aorta endothelial cells (BAECs) to investigate the mechanisms regulating eNOS degradation. Both eNOS monomer and dimer existed in purified bovine eNOS. Incubation of purified bovine eNOS with protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) resulted in dephosphorylation at Serine 1179 (Ser1179) in both dimer and monomer and decrease in eNOS activity. However, the eNOS dimer∶monomer ratio was unchanged. Similarly, protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) induced dephosphorylation of eNOS at Threonine 497 (Thr497), without altering the eNOS dimer∶monomer ratio. Different from purified eNOS, in cultured BAECs eNOS existed predominantly as dimers. However, eNOS monomers accumulated following treatment with the proteasome inhibitor lactacystin. Additionally, treatment of BAECs with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) resulted in phosphorylation of Ser1179 in eNOS dimers without altering the phosphorylation status of Thr497 in either form. Inhibition of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) or Hsp90 silencing destabilized eNOS dimers and was accompanied by dephosphorylation both of Ser1179 and Thr497. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that eNOS monomers, but not eNOS dimers, are degraded by ubiquitination. Additionally, the dimeric eNOS structure is the predominant condition for eNOS amino acid modification and activity regulation. Finally, destabilization of eNOS dimers not only results in eNOS degradation, but also causes changes in eNOS amino acid modifications that further affect eNOS activity.


The Internet is emerging as the new universal telecommunication medium. IP over WDM has been envisioned as one of the most attractive architectures for the new Internet. Consequently survivability is a crucial concern in designing IP over WDM networks. This paper presents a survey of the survivability mechanisms for IP over WDM networks and thus is intended to provide a summary of what has been done in this area and help further research. A number of optical layer protection techniques have been discussed. They are examined from the point of view of cost, complexity, and application. Survivability techniques are being made available at multiple layers of the network. This paper also studies the recovery features of each network layer and explains the impact of interaction between layers on survivability. The advantages and issues of multi-layer survivability have been identified. The main idea is that the optical layer can provide fast protection while the higher layers can provide intelligent restoration. With this idea in mind, a new scheme of carrying IP over WDM using MPLS or Multi Protocol Lambda-Switching has been discussed. Finally, an architecture is suggested by means of which the optical layer can perform an automatic protection switch, with priority considerations with the help of signaling from the higher layers.


AIM
This article reviews the literature on how important water is to the world's elderly population.

BACKGROUND
Water is a finite resource, so we must preserve the water that we have. Physiological aspects and what water requirements our bodies maintain sum up this essential nutrient for life. Dehydration is a concern in the elderly.

CONCLUSIONS
Five strategies related to water intake can promote health: (1) assess for symptoms which may indicate dehydration, (2) encourage ingestion of fluids and foods to maintain an optimal fluid level, (3) be alert to physical and clinical conditions affecting hydration in the elderly, (4) consider environmental factors which may affect body fluids, electrolytes and acid-base balance, and (5) encourage methods to increase fluid consumption.


The 18th International Congress on Neutron Capture Therapy was held successfully at the Chang Yung-Fa International Convention Center in Taipei, Taiwan from October 28th to November 2nd, 2018. The theme of the 18th Congress is "Precision Therapy, Beautiful Tomorrow—We Here, We Care". This congress gathered international clinicians and researchers from industry and academia to feature their findings and generate new thoughts and discoveries related to neutron capture therapy. The key areas included the latest development in accelerator-based neutron sources, the next generation of boron-10 delivery agents, as well as the latest results in chemical, biological and clinical research.


Dissipation can serve as a powerful resource for controlling the behavior of open quantum systems. Recently there has been a surge of interest in the influence of dissipative coupling on large quantum systems and, more specifically, how these processes can influence band topology and phenomena like many-body localization. Here, we explore the engineering of local, tunable dissipation in so-called synthetic lattices, arrays of quantum states that are parametrically coupled in a fashion analogous to quantum tunneling. Considering the specific case of momentum-state lattices, we investigate two distinct mechanisms for engineering controlled loss: one relying on an explicit form of dissipation by spontaneous emission, and another relying on reversible coupling to a large reservoir of unoccupied states. We experimentally implement the latter and demonstrate the ability to tune the local loss coefficient over a large range. The introduction of controlled loss to the synthetic lattice toolbox promises to pave the way for studying the interplay of dissipation with topology, disorder, and interactions.


Ishita Pande's innovative study provides a dual biography of India's path-breaking Child Marriage Restraint Act (1929) and of 'age' itself as a key category of identity for upholding the rule of law, and for governing intimate life in late colonial India. Through a reading of legislative assembly debates, legal cases, government reports, propaganda literature, Hindi novels and sexological tracts, Pande tells a wide-ranging story about the importance of debates over child protection to India's coming of age. By tracing the history of age in colonial India she illuminates the role of law in sculpting modern subjects, demonstrating how seemingly natural age-based exclusions and understandings of legal minority became the alibi for other political exclusions and the minoritization of entire communities in colonial India. In doing so, Pande highlights how childhood as a political category was fundamental not just to ideas of sexual norms and domestic life, but also to the conceptualisation of citizenship and India as a nation in this formative period.


Aerococcus viridans has been described as an airborne organism prevalent in occupied rooms. It has also been described as an organism having many characteristics that might cause it to be confused with streptococci or staphylococci, and this may account for the fact that the presence of A. viridans has not been reported in the hospital environment or in clinical specimens. Swab specimens were taken from 47 objects in 11 different areas in a local hospital, cultured overnight in Trypticase Soy Broth, and streaked on blood-agar and on a selective serum agar containing potassium tellurite and crystal violet. Of 85 alpha-hemolytic cultures isolated, 11 proved to be typical A. viridans based on diagnostic tests that also were applied to a collection of gram-positive cocci, including authentic strains of A. viridans. These organisms are gram-positive cocci with a strong tendency toward tetrad formation in broth cultures. They are predominantly aerobic, have a very weak catalase activity, and lack porphyrin respiratory enzymes. Three similar cultures also were obtained from routine clinical specimens.


This doctoral research explores the benefits of the Kingma System as applied to the alto and bass flute. It demonstrates each instrument's potential for the use of extended techniques and the way in which these techniques are applied to the repertoire. The research takes places within
the context of my own personal practice as a recitalist and chamber musician, and is represented through recordings of a selection of the
repertoire and a website for each instrument, as well as a written commentary.
The discussion of repertoire focuses on case studies selected from
over 75 works composed for me using these Kingma System instruments.
These case studies are presented through recordings, as well as in a detailed discussion of the use of specific aspects of the instruments' capabilities, including multiphonics, microtonality, alternate fingerings, tone
colour, articulation and other extended techniques. The approaches of
different composers regarding the notation of these techniques within
the repertoire are also explored, and the practical information arising
from these case studies is presented as a reference guide for composers
and performers in website form. These websites can be found at
www.altoflute.co.uk and www.bassflute.co.uk, and include multimedia
demonstrations, fingering charts and notational examples. Much of this
information is being made available for the first time, and includes the
most extensive published selection of multiphonics and trill fingerings
for the alto and bass flute. This is also the first survey of extended techniques that is specifically dedicated to instruments enabled by
the Kingma System.


This collection of essays focuses on Weber's political ideology as well as his political sociology. This interdisciplinary work draws upon the expertise of a number of writers and challenges major schools of thought on Weber. In the first section on ideology, scholars question whether Weber's political predictions were based on a realistic appraisal of social development or if his objectivity was compromised by events in Weimar Germany. They then address Weber's attitudes toward socialism in light of contemporary sociology and his early writings. Part two examines Weber's theory: the concept of rationalization; ideas about charisma; and the decline of charisma in light of the growing role of the media. A study of Weber's analysis of the 1917 events in Russia concludes the volume.


This work is related to an experimental thermal stratification study aiming to quantify thermal fatigue damages in the pipe material. Thermal fatigue damages appear as a consequence of non-linear longitudinal and circumferential loads and thermal stripping present in pipes whit thermal stratified flows. In this work an experimental section, simulating the injection nozzle of a NPP steam generator, was subjected to the effects of thermal fatigue due to thermal stratification. The experimental section was made of stainless steel pipe type AISI 304L and its geometric characteristics allowed the same range of Froude numbers of a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) NPP. Temperatures were measured externally and internally in three positions and deformations just externally in seven positions. Up-and-down fatigue tests were done to assess the amount of damage induced in the material experimental section. Preliminary numerical simulations were done using a coupled analysis in the ANSYS code with temperatures and pressure inputs taken from thermo hydraulic experimental results. The objectives in this work are quantify the thermal fatigue intensity imposed to the pipe material by thermal stratification experiments, verify the agreement between numerical and experimental thermal stratification results and obtain the material fatigue limit testing specimens made of pipe experimental section and from the virgin pipe. In this work is possible to conclude that stratified flows could be developed in the experimental section, thermal stratification induces considerable thermal stresses and strains in the experimental section pipe material, thermal stratification reduces the material fatigue limit, numerical and experimental results agreed appropriately in some pipe region and disagreed in others.Copyright © 2009 by ASME


Introduction: The purpose of this paper is an analysis of raw materials stock and variety of Ukrainian wines, investigation of general chemical composition, and prospects for the use of wines of Ukrainian production for creation of new parapharmaceutical substances. Materials and Methods: Logical and analytical methods were used for the data analysis of the specialized literature and normative legal documentation related to the classification of types, variety, and chemical composition of wines that are available on the Ukrainian market. Research Results: The basic stock of raw materials, groups, and types of wines of the Ukrainian producers, chemical composition of red wine was analyzed, a comparative analysis of chemical composition of red and white wine was done. The data of the researches accomplished by us testify to topicality of the development for creation of new parapharmaceuticals on the basis of table red wine. Conclusions: On the basis of the fulfilled analysis, it was established that there is a sufficient stock of raw wine materials in Ukraine, the largest area (66.4%) is occupied by vineyards in the south of Ukraine, in particular, in Odessa, Kherson, and Mykolaiv regions. On the basis of the fulfilled analysis, for further research work, genuine wines with minimum content of sugar and alcohol (table and dry ones) made from the same grapes cultivar (ordinary), containing the highest amount of active substances that exhibited an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative effect in the agents under development and promoted the renewal and moisturizing of the skin, were selected.


Eco-friendly electronic products can help save the environment by using less electricity. However, saving energy is not only about reducing the electricity consumption of a product; it should also encompass the electricity consumed in the production of the product. After a product is assembled, it has to go through a burn-in process for weeding out infant mortalities and thus improving the product reliability. The use of energy recycling in the burn-in process is popular nowadays in the power supply industry. However, the development of energy-recyclable burn-in system for electronic ballast manufacturing is less impressive. Existing burn-in process for electronic ballasts is conducted by connecting lamps or resistors at their output. All electrical energy is converted into heat and light. Not only does this method waste electricity, it also raises room temperatures in the factory, requiring additional ventilation systems to release the excessive heat. This paper presents an energy-recyclable burn-in technology for electronic ballast. It can emulate the lamp characteristics from start up to the steady state, process high-frequency ballast output power, and recycle the power back into the grid. An experimental 400-W prototype for high-pressure sodium electronic ballast has been built and evaluated.


We present new spectroscopic and photometric time series observations of the delta Scuti star FG~Vir. We detect the oscillations via changes in the equivalent widths of hydrogen and metal absorption lines. From the ratios between spectroscopic and photometric amplitudes, we assign l values to the eight strongest oscillation modes. In particular, we identify two radial modes (l =0) and find that the main pulsation mode (147 microHz) has l = 1. One of the radial modes (at 140 microHz) is the fundamental, implying that two modes with lower frequencies are g-modes. For the radial modes, we compare frequencies with those calculated from a scaled delta Scuti star model and derive a density 0.1645 +/- 0.0005 rho_sol. We then obtain a distance of 84 +/- 3 pc, in excellent agreement with the Hipparcos value. Finally, we suggest that a 3.5-day variability in all observables (equivalent widths and intensity) is caused by stellar rotation.


In order to study the damage mechanism under different stress states of aluminum alloy components, two kinds of representative triaxial stress states were adopted, namely notch tensile and pure shear. The results of study showed: During the notch tensile test, stress triaxiality in the least transverse-section was relatively higher. With increasing applied stress, the volume fraction of the microvoid in notch root was increasing constantly. When microvoid volume fraction reached the critical value, the specimen fractured. During the pure shear test, stress triaxiality almost came up to zero, and there was almost no micro-void but localized shear bands within the specimen. The shear bands resulted from non-uniform deformation constantly under the shear stress. With stress concentrating, the cracks were produced in the shear bands and later coalesced. When the equivalent plastic strain reached the critical value, the specimen fractured. The modified Gurson damage model and the Johnson-Cook model were used to simulate the notch tensile and shear test respectively. Simulated engineering stress-strain curves fit the measured engineering stress-strain curves very well. In addition, the empirical damage evolution equation for the notch specimen was obtained from the experiment data and FEM simulations.


Neutron scattering represents a versatile technique for chemists, as it explores the structure and dynamics of materials at the atomic scale. This review gives an outline of the neutron scattering formalism and describes diffraction and inelastic and quasielastic scattering techniques. Applications to chemistry are illustrated by examples from recent work on crystalline and liquid organic materials, including heterogeneous systems, bulk polymers and polymer solutions. There is particular emphasis on systems where hydrogen bonding plays a significant role. With more powerful sources and improved instrumentation in prospect, there is considerable potential for future extension of these methods to increasingly complex materials.


ABSTRACT The paper addresses a fundamental challenge facing anti-doping regulation in sport: securing scientific integrity. The importance of evidence in anti-doping is similar to that found across many fields where science and expertise meet policy, ethics and regulation. We argue that a growing body of evidence indicates that anti-doping regulation under the World Anti-Doping Agency is sometimes arbitrary and too often not grounded in a solid foundation of evidence. We document shortfalls in standards of scientific integrity in four contexts: (1) the prevalence of doping, (2) performance benefits and health risks, (3) errors and inconsistencies in accusation, and (4) the evaluation of anti-doping policies. We give several suggestions to enhance scientific integrity in anti-doping regulation and argue that greater transparency will help to reduce inconsistencies and errors.


Disruption tolerant networks (DTNs) are characterized by low node density, unpredictable node mobility, and lack of global network information. Most of current research efforts in DTNs focus on data forwarding, but only limited work has been done on providing efficient data access to mobile users. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to support cooperative caching in DTNs, which enables the sharing and coordination of cached data among multiple nodes and reduces data access delay. Our basic idea is to intentionally cache data at a set of network central locations (NCLs), which can be easily accessed by other nodes in the network. We propose an efficient scheme that ensures appropriate NCL selection based on a probabilistic selection metric and coordinates multiple caching nodes to optimize the tradeoff between data accessibility and caching overhead. Extensive trace-driven simulations show that our approach significantly improves data access performance compared to existing schemes.


We conducted a study to clarify the trends in surgical treatments for prostate cancer in Japan between 2014 and 2020 by analyzing the National Database (NDB) Open Data in Japan. Intriguingly, the number of patients over 70 years old who underwent robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) nearly doubled from 2015 to 2019, while that in those 69 years old and younger remained almost constant during the same period. The increase in the number of patients over 70 years of age may reflect the fact that RARP can be safely applied to elderly patients. With the new development and spread of surgery-assisting robots, we can foresee a further increase in the number of RARPs performed for elderly patients in the future.


Fundamental challenges are discussed concerning the down-scaling of flash memory cells for mass storage applications. A general scaling issue for all various memory cell concepts is the structuring limit of conventional lithography. Therefore sub-lithographical structuring methods like e.g., double-patterning for future flash chips, have been evaluated. Another common scaling challenge of charge trapping (CT) and floating gate (FG) cells, the two future concurrent flash memory cell concepts, is the introduction of new materials such as high k dielectrics. Their implementation into CT and FG cells and the scaling related electrical issues of both cell concepts is also been discussed.


ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to discuss the needs of learners who stutter (LWS) in the skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing in English as a foreign language (EFL) learning based on their levels of anxiety, and their experiences as individuals who stutter in the process of learning this language. To this end, the anxiety of these students (n = 16) in the foreign language was measured using the Foreign language classroom anxiety scale (FLCAS), and the Specific language skills anxiety scale (SLSAS), whilst their experiences were elicited through semi-structured interviews. Their foreign language anxiety (FLA) levels were then compared to those obtained from a control group of non-stuttering learners (n = 16), and interview content was scrutinised mainly using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). LWS scored significantly higher in FLA and speaking anxiety than the control group; however, no significant differences were found between both groups in other language skills. Findings from the qualitative study also indicated that reading aloud was highly problematic for these learners. Suggestions to attenuate anxiety in LWS are offered to educators.


In this paper we consider the problem of verifying time–sensitive security protocols, where temporal aspects explicitly appear in the description. In previous work, we proposed Timed HLPSL, an extension of the specification language HLPSL (originally developed in the Avispa Project), where quantitative temporal aspects of security protocols can be specified. In this work, a model checking tool, TPMC, for the analysis of security protocols is presented, which employs THLPSL as a specification language and UPPAAL as the model checking engine. To illustrate the tool, we provide a specification of the Wide Mouthed Frog protocol in THLPSL, and report some experimental results on a number of timed and untimed security protocols.


DNA self-assembly is a powerful route to the production of very small, complex structures. When used in combination with nanoparticles it is likely to become a key technology in the production of nanoelectronics in the future. Previously, demonstrated nanoparticle assemblies have mainly been periodic and highly symmetric arrays, unsuited as building blocks for any complex circuits. With the invention of DNA-scaffolded origami reported earlier this year (Rothemund P W K 2006 Nature 440 (7082) 297–302), a new route to complex nanostructures using DNA has been opened. Here, we give a short review of the field and present the current status of our experiments were DNA origami is used in conjunction with nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles are functionalized with thiolated single stranded DNA. Strands that are complementary to the gold particle strands can be positioned on the self-assembled DNA-structure in arbitrary patterns. This property should allow an accurate positioning of the particles by letting them hybridize on the lattice. We report on our recent experiments on this system and discuss open problems and future applications.


An analytical method is presented for converting thermochronometric ages to surface erosion or, equivalently, exhumation rate. The method incorporates the two most important thermal processes during cooling by erosion: the dependence of closure temperature on cooling rate and the advection of heat by rock motion toward the Earth's surface. Two thermal models are considered: (1) a steady state model, valid for low erosion rates; and (2) an eroding half‐space model, which has no steady state, but captures the transient increase of geothermal gradient with erosion. In each case, it is assumed that data consist of one or more thermochronometric ages, present‐day surface geothermal gradient, and topographic information including the elevation at which the age was obtained. Analytical solutions are provided to derive the erosion rate from these data either as an explicit expression for the steady case or as a root‐finding problem for the transient case. A graphical method for plotting age against erosion rate and geothermal gradient is presented as a method for solving the root finding problem and for tracking analytical errors in observations of age and surface geothermal gradient. The graphical method is also appropriate for comparing data from different elevations or from different thermochronometric systems. Examples are provided using synthetic data or published data from the literature.


An expert system that diagnoses the causes of failure of environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) based upon fractography has been developed. The system uses the OPS83 programming language, expressing rules in the manner of production rules, and is composed of three independent subsystems, which respectively deal with EACs of high-strength or high-tensile-strength steel, aluminum alloy, and stainless steel in dry and humidified air, water, and aqueous solutions containing Cl, Br, or I ions. The concerned EAC issues cover stress corrosion cracking (SCC), hydrogen embrittlement, cyclic SCC, dynamic SCC, and corrosion fatigue as well as fatigue and overload fracture. The knowledge base covers the rules relating to not only environments, materials, and loading conditions, but also macroscopic and microscopic fracture surface morphology. In order to deal with vague expressions of fracture surface morphology, fuzzy set theory is used in the system, and the description of rules about vague fracture surface appearance is thereby possible. Applying the developed expert system to case histories, accurate diagnoses were made. We discuss the related diagnosis results and usefulness of the developed system.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the treatment results between Endobutton plate and clavicular hook plate for the treatment of acromioclavicular joint dislocations.

METHODS
From January 2009 to September 2010, 30 patients with acromioclavicular joint dislocations were treated with two different fixations: Endobutton plate (15 patients, including 12 males and 3 females, with a mean age of 38.5 +/- 8.2 years) and clavicular hook plate (15 patients, including 14 males and 1 female, with the mean age of 33.8 +/- 5.9 years). The mean operative time and blood loss were compared between the two groups. Joint function was assessed by the Karlsson standard.

RESULTS
The mean operative time of the Endobutton group and the hook plate group were (61 +/- 8.6) min and (40 +/- 5.6) min. The average blood loss were (93 +/- 8.4) ml and (100 +/- 12.6) ml. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in the average blood loss and the mean operative time. According to the Karlsson standard, 13 patients got an excellent result, 2 good in the Endobutton group; and 7 patients got an excellent result and 7 good in hook plate group. The therapeutic effect in Endobutton group was better than that of hook plate group.

CONCLUSION
In the treatment of acromioclavicular dislocation, fixation with Endobutton plate is believed to be better than hook plate fixation. It is an effective method for the repair of acromioclavicular joint dislocations in a short term. But its long term effects still need further follow up.


This paper presents an empirical evaluation of the strength of the Fisher effect which predicts a positive relationship between the nominal interest rate and inflation in the postwar period in the five major industrial countries, utilizing recently developed time series techniques. The results suggest that the Fisher effect is stronger in France, the United Kingdom, and the United States than in Germany and Japan. It is argued that the differences in the linkage between the interest rate and the inflation rate as between the two groups of countries are reflected in the time series properties of the inflation rates, which are, in turn, partly attributable to the different extent to which monetary authorities accommodated inflationary shocks. The empirical results have a number of implications for the long-term trend in the SDR interest rate and for the financing of the Fund`s operations.


This thesis is a design-led investigation into how the proposed 'Escarpment Mine Project' could commemorate the history of the Denniston Plateau while at the same time, moving into the 21st century. The isolated ghost town, Denniston, is used as a means for building upon historic innovation, creating new opportunities for architecture. The resurrected township is based upon three design themes: resisting Dystopia, a call for eccentric creation, and repurposing the past. Each theme emerged as a response to macro and micro site analysis. The project investigates the fate of our cities in the future, and questions the role of architectural design in this setting. Inspired by Ecotopias, the new township is completely self-sufficient, and sustainable economic opportunities are created in anticipation of the inevitable decline of the 'Escarpment Mine'. The project pushes the boundaries, constraints and perceptions of architectural fantasy. The resurrected township goes beyond accepted building norms, establishing itself as a township rich in identity and imaginative spirit.  The proposal repurposes the past to create an evolutionary architecture specific to Denniston. The new township adds another layer of history to the currently stalled site condition. The development enables future generations to experience the history of site through its architectural evolution. The Denniston township is a positive contribution to the West Coast. The new township mediates with the past towards future ideals, manifesting itself in imaginative, unconventional architecture


Forage selection by buffalo and the contribution of grass species to buffalo diet were
investigated by comparing two herds occupying granite and basalt landscapes in the Kruger
National Park. Observations spanned the late dry season, from July to October 2002. Grass
remained greener in bottomlands than in midslopes or uplands within each landscape,
but greenness was not significantly different between the basalt and granite landscapes.
The favoured grass species remaining highly acceptable to buffalo throughout
the late dry season included Panicum maximum, Panicum coloratum, Cenchrus ciliarisl/Ig and Heteropogon contortus . However, the dietary contribution by these species declined with
the progress of the dry season owing to a reduction in the available forage that they retained.
The acceptance frequency as well as the dietary contribution of Urochloa mosambicensis, Digitaria erianthal/Ig and Eragrostis superbal/Ig increased over time, while lIgBothriochloal/Ig spp.
became moderately acceptable at the end of the dry season in October. Themeda triandra , a
species highly rated as forage for cattle, appeared intermediate in its acceptability to buffalo
and made a relatively small dietary contribution in both landscapes. In accordance with
foraging theory, buffalo expanded the range of grass species accepted, changed the
proportions of grass species in their diet and shifted their grazing locations within the
landscape.


Aim: the analysis of epidemiological monitoring of Parkinson's disease. Material and Methods. We conducted the full-design population study in the six closed administrative-territorial unit (Seversk, Zarechniy, Ozersk, Lesnoy, Sarov and Zheleznogorsk) with an adult's population about 450000 in the period from 2009 to 2012. For collecting information was developed the register of PD. Results. 588 patients with PD were revealed and enrolled, including 302 patients, who were revealed in the first. Primary morbidity was 11.0 per 100000 population in 2009, and in 2010 and 2011 it was 25.7 and 22.7 per 100000 population respectively. By the beginning of 2012 was so-called "dredging" of patients from population (revealing of all patients, who were not revealed earlier) and was 8.5 per 100000. Total morbidity for 4 years of observation increased: so in 2009 it was 33.1 per 100000, in 2010-92.5 per 100000, in 2011-114,2 per 100000, and in 2013-118,7 per 100000, the same like international data. The Evolution of sex and age structure according to the Register's data showed: 1) peak of morbidity at age 70-74 years, with the decay over 85 years; 2) morbidity was higher in men aged 70-74 years and older. Conclusion. Implementation of the Register of PD's patients annually allowed to monitoring of the morbidity and statistically significant show the basic epidemiological evidence and undertake federal and sampling comparative studies, it is necessary for evaluation of the changes of Parkinson's disease status, which can't be done on the basis of the state statistical dates.


The work that reported in this paper would provide general description of current virtual reality industrial application problems in terms of environment construction and manufacturing knowledge representation. A novel methodology to solve those problems will be addressed, which differs from other conventional methods in terms of revealing the natural relationships between environment contents or contexts and the application domain knowledge. Finally, a container program developed in this research will be introduced which accommodate all software modules in an integrated structure and used as a run-time platform to testing complete loop of environment based manufacturing simulations.


The case on contact shots from firearms with a flash suppressor is rare. When a rifle fitted with a flash suppressor is fired, the emerging soot-laden gas in the barrel escapes from the slits of the flash suppressor. If the shot is contact or near contact, the flash suppressor will produce a characteristic "flower-like" pattern of seared, blackened zones around the entrance. This paper presents the injury pattern of the flash suppressor in a 29-year-old man who committed suicide with a G3 automatic infantry rifle. Hippokratia. 2012; 16 (2): 189-190


Summary The in vitro transformation responses of lymphocytes to stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and smallpox vaccine (vaccinia) were studied in cells from 20 patients with ocular and malignant diseases receiving chemotherapy. The transformation of lymphocytes to lymphoblast-like cells was reduced from 71% in the pretreatment PHA-stimulated cultures to 1.5% during therapy. The response to vaccinia was reduced from 12% before therapy to 0% during therapy. The mitotic indices fell from 1.5% (PHA) and 1.2% (vaccinia) to 0% for each during therapy. Intensive combination therapy with parenteral 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate, with or without prednisolone completely abolished transformation after 3 days of treatment. Substantial recovery occurred within 3 days after the end of therapy. Nontoxic therapy with methotrexate or 6-mercaptopurine which did not induce leukopenia took 2–5 weeks to cause maximum suppression. The abnormality seemed due to intrinsic damage to the lymphocytes and not to persistent antimetabolite in the plasma. In vitro lymphocyte transformation is an easy and reproducible way of evaluating the immune competence of an individual9s circulating lymphocytes.


Agriculture remains as one of the major sources of employment to the rural community in Sri Lanka. However, problems such as inadequate land and capital, low productivity and personal attitudes have pushed the rural agricultural worker to migrate out of the sector. As the decision to migrate is made at the household level, characteristics of the household shape up the decision to migrate and send remittances to the origin communities. Therefore, this study is an attempt to find the determinants of migration and the remittances of the rural sector of Sri Lanka with special emphasis on household level characteristics. In identifying the determinants, the study has estimated several multinomial logit models separately based on the status of migration and receipt of remittances using a nationally representative data set of Household Income and Expenditure Survey (2009/2010). The results reveal that human capital characteristics are not major positive determinants of rural sector migration and receiving remittances implying that households with better education remain in the rural sector. Rural households with more members tend to have more migrants while it is a negative determinant of the receipt of remittances. Results also suggest that rural households receive more remittances from internal migrants when they have school age children. Based on these results, this study concludes that people diversify into different income earning strategies such as migration when they have more household members while education has contributed positively to keep the rural households in the sector. Therefore, the retaining human capital can be used in the rural development process if proper policies are implemented. Keywords Determinants, Migration, Remittances, Rural Secto


Analysis of communication systems usually assumes a symmetric noninput-dependent channel; thus, Shannon capacity can be achieved using a balanced signaling. The optical-code-division-multiple-access channel is dominated by a multiple access interference, which is both asymmetric and input dependent. Consequently, using an unbalanced signaling which depends on the system characteristics can be used to optimize the mutual information of the channel. It is shown that for a given value of mutual information, the number of concurrent users can be significantly increased when the signaling distribution is biased and optimized by matching the source to the channel to achieve channel capacity


Evangelistic Discipleship: Equipping Disciples to Live for Jesus in a Vineyard Church Plant Charles Claus Doctor of Ministry 2015 School of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary This doctoral project describes a process of discipleship and equipping in spiritual formation in order to establish the DNA of a Vineyard Church plant in Terrace, British Columbia. Terrace is a community of 15,500 people located five hundred miles north of Vancouver. The evangelistic church plant will emphasize helping people live as authentic followers and disciples of Jesus. The main identity of this church planting initiative will be built around evangelistic discipleship and equipping in spiritual formation helping to create a community of people who authentically live out what it means to live in Christian community. The project will lay out a theoretical and practical foundation for growth and maturation in Christ through participation in spiritual practice and the life of this new community. Part One will present the history of the Terrace area by looking at the First Nations history, pioneer life, and early church history. Attention will be given to how the cycles of boom and bust have impacted the community and its churches. This section will also look at how religious groups are currently engaging young adults and the greater community. Part Two will provide the theological foundations for this project. A Vineyard theological perspective will be presented, along with influences from authors who advocate spiritual practice and formation. This section will establish a biblical, theological, and historical premise for the priority of spiritual formation in the lives of those wanting to live as authentic followers of Jesus. Part Three will develop a plan that spells out how people can participate in a pilot project on spiritual formation. Various spiritual disciplines will be explained, and the opportunity to practice these disciplines within a supportive small group context will be made available. The groups will be mindful of the various timelines, resources, personnel, and assessment tools required. Content Reader: Richard Peace, PhD Words: 299 To my wife Ann and our sons, David, Matthew, and Brian Claus— thank you for being an integral part of our church planting endeavors


Numerical three-dimensional nonlinear flow analysis is a very efficient instrument for the optimization of the subsurface drainage systems of concrete gravity dams. Post-mortem optimization analyses of the intake and powerhouse structures of Isamu Ikeda dam indicated that the drains' lengths, spacings and diameters used in design were very close to optimum. The analyses have also indicated that the uplift force effectively acting at the structures' base is of the order of 25% of that obtained using the USBR design criterion. The introduction of an additional drainage gallery together with two lines of inclined drains, in all galleries, would have caused an additional reduction in the uplift force to a value near 10% of that indicated by the USBR criterion suggesting that if the present methodology had been available at the design stage of Isamu Ikeda dam it would have been possible to reduce the concrete structures' weight by nearly 40%.


RESEARCHERS ARE hoping that the triple threat of light, oxygen, and light-sensitive drugs will usher in a new age in cancer treatment. The new weapon, called photodynamic therapy, uses laser light to activate a cytotoxic drug selectively in tumor cells. The drugs involved, hematoporphyrin and its more potent derivative, dihematoporphyrin ether (DHE, Photofrin) (Quadra Logic Technologies, Vancouver, Canada), have been known to be light activated since early in this century. But it was not until the 1970s that the first systemic use of photodynamic therapy was pioneered by Thomas Dougherty, PhD, and his group at Roswell Park Memorial Institute, the New York State facility in Buffalo. The drug enters both normal and malignant cells. However, it is retained to a greater degree by neoplastic cells. Thus, 48 to 72 hours after administration, there is a gradient between the normal cells and the tumor. Photodynamic therapy seeks to exploit this. The


Small molecule acceptors with wide absorption spectra and small bandgap are very important for the sunlight harvesting of organic solar cells (OSCs). Recently, we have developed A–D–A′–D–A type small molecule acceptors with wide absorption spectra. However, the molecule (IID-IC) suffers from medium bandgap with poor light absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) region. Here, we develop a new A–D–A′–D–A type small molecule acceptor, IID-IC-O, with both wide absorption spectrum and small bandgap. IID-IC-O is designed by replacing the alkyl substituents of IID-IC with alkoxyl substituents. The replacement leads to upshifted HOMO energy level and improved backbone planarity of IID-IC-O. As a result, IID-IC-O exhibits a wide absorption spectrum spanning from 300 nm to 890 nm with a bandgap as small as 1.39 eV. The OSC device of IID-IC-O exhibits a power conversion efficiency of 4.20% with wide photoresponse from 300 nm to 900 nm. These results demonstrate the superior light harvesting capability of rationally designed organic molecules, which may be useful for many solar energy-related applications.


This IbM program in collaboration with two partners, namely: (1) Traders and Chicken butcher 'Narti Ayam, and (2) Catfish Livestock "Berlian Catfish". Partner (1) is located in Karangrejo, Ngringo village, Jaten, Karanganyar, with a distance of about 3 km from Faculty of Agriculture UNS. Business field developed by partners (1) is the business of slaughtering chicken pieces. Partners (2) located in the hamlet of Gunung Sari, Ngringo village, district. Cork, Kab. Karanganyar, Central Java with a distance of about ± 3.5 km. Business fields developed by partners (2) are catfish farms. The location is very close to both partners, only about 0.5 km. Consumer demand for chicken and catfish in Karanganyar and surrounding per day is very high, has not been able to be met by both the business partners. 1 business partners in the activities of this IbM facing major problems, namely the handling of waste chicken feathers with an average production capacity of ± 300 head / day. Very high production speeds also produce very high feather waste, which is about 100 kg of waste per day (3 tons per month). This has the potential to pollute the environment in the form of a pungent odor and pollutant source for the water body. While the two business partners in the activities of this IbM facing major problems that must provide catfish feed cost of purchasing very high, reaching an average of Rp. 1.23 million to Rp. 1,640,000 / week.IbM activity is trying to overcome the problems faced by business partners (1), by exploiting the potential of waste chicken feathers for the manufacture of catfish feed through manufacture pellets mixed with other materials that have a high nutritional value and seek to overcome the problems faced by business partners (2) , by utilizing waste chicken feathers are made of pellets can reduce the production cost of raising catfish. The application of the proposed technology will produce an integrated business activities slaughter broilers - catfish farms without waste, making it environmentally friendly, and produce coherence between slaughter chicken and catfish breeding mutually beneficial.The results that have been achieved in service activities are: (1) assistance pellet making machine 1 unit with a capacity of 40 kg / h; (2) support a high-pressure cooker (pressure cooker) 1 unit with a capacity of 70 kg; (3) assistance Removers Tools quill 1 unit; (4) Utilization of quail droppings, feathers and waste; (5) The practice of making pellets using quail dung mixed salted fish waste, and waste feathers. Help set of machine tools for the manufacture of catfish feed from raw materials to finished pellets help solve waste chicken feathers Chicken slaughtering Traders 'Narti Chicken' and can overcome the high cost of production in the Ranch Lele 'Diamond Catfish'.


In reneging literature, the reneging distribution is often assumed to be deterministic or random. In case of random reneging, it is assumed that the distribution is state independent so that customers have the same reneging rate irrespective of their position in the system. However, one can commonly observe many queuing systems where customers are aware of their system state. In such systems, the reneging rate of customers standing at a distance from the service facility is higher than those placed near the service facility. The reneging rate is not constant but is a function of system state. This paper is an attempt to model such a reneging phenomenon along with balking in a multi-server queuing scenario. Closed form expressions of a number of performance measures are presented. A numerical example is discussed to demonstrate the results in the paper.


We construct a fully specified extensive form game that captures competitive markets with adverse selection. In particular, it allows firms to offer any finite set of contracts, so that cross-subsidization is not ruled out. Moreover, firms can withdraw from the market after initial contract offers have been observed. We show that a subgame perfect equilibrium always exists and that, in fact, when withdrawal is costless, the set of subgame perfect equilibrium outcomes may correspond to the entire set of feasible contracts. We then focus on robust equilibria that exist both when withdrawal costs are zero and when they are arbitrarily small but strictly positive. We show that the Miyazaki-Wilson contracts are the unique robust equilibrium outcome of our game. This outcome is always constrained efficient and involves cross-subsidization from low to high risk agents that is increasing in the share of low risks in the population under weak conditions on risk preferences.


SUMMARY: From strains of Pasteurella pseudotuberculosis representing each of the five serological groups and some 'Rough' forms, lipopolysaccharides were isolated after disintegration of acetone-dried saline extracted organisms with phenol. The materials appear to carry the specificities on which the serological classification of the species is based; they are relatively poor antigens when isolated but antigenicity can be enhanced by combining with lipoprotein. Analyses show some unusual features, an aldoheptose sugar being present in all of the materials and some of the 'Smooth' cell products contain dideoxy sugars; rhamnose is absent. The 'Rough' cell products are somewhat similar in composition to the 'Rough' somatic polysaccharide of Pasteurella pestis, to which they are also related serologically.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between occupational stress and the risk of developing acute coronary syndromes, in a population-based sample of patients and controls.

METHODOLOGY
During 2000-01, a case-control study was conducted (CARDIO2000). A random and stratified sample of 848 middle aged patients with a first of an acute coronary syndrome and 1078 cardiovascular disease free participants, matched with the patients by gender, age and region, was selected from all regions of Greece. In addition to the common cardiovascular risk factors, the effect of occupational stress on coronary risk was evaluated, after taking into account income, marital status, educational and occupational level of the participants. The levels of occupational stress were measured by administering to the individuals a self-reported questionnaire.

RESULTS
After controlling for age, gender and region, by design, and the presence of smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes mellitus, physical activity status, educational and financial status and nutritional habits, multivariate analysis showed that the levels of occupational stress are positively associated with the risk of developing acute coronary syndromes in the investigated sample (Odds Ratio = 2.2, p < 0.01). Moreover, the presence of occupational stress seems to affect more significantly males than females, smokers than non-smokers, hypertensives than normotensives and high alcohol consumers compared to low alcohol consumers.

CONCLUSIONS
Although the design of the present study does not provide evidence of causality, a strong positive association between occupational stress and acute coronary syndromes seems to exist. Thus, public health policies should take into account lifestyle conditions related to work in the design of preventive strategies at the primary level.


This paper will explain the result of cetacean reconaissance survey including investigation of abundance and diversity of cetacean related to the designing of a co management Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Berau, East Kalimantan. Berau islands consist of 31 very small islands that have high marine biodiversity including mangrove, coral reefs, sea grass. It has been found by this survey that Berau waters is a corridor for cetacean migration route, beside as home for green turtles and manta ray aggregation sites in Indonesia. This reconaisance survey in the frame oj Rapid Ecological Assessment using visual and acoustic method, indicated that cetacean existence is closely related to the coral reef ecosystem and small islands. Berau islands is an integral part of 'Coral Triangle' within marine mega biodiversity area, and it is inhabited by at least 10 species ofcetacean. Conservation of marine cetacean in the frame work of MPA will ensure sustainable marine resource use, including tourism and fisheries, for the benefit of local communities. The strategies pursuant to this goal will be arrived upon through the linkage of partnerships that have been created, and the objective will be achieved by establishing a large, co-managed Marine Protected Area that will include extractive use zones, non-extractive use zones and fully protected (no-take) zones. Partnership amongst gauernment and NGOs has already been innitiated in Berau. Currently the MPA boundary covers an area of 1.2 million Hectars of Berau waters, including corridor of cetacean migration, that has been formalized through District Decree No.31/2005. Keywords: Marine Protected Area, Rapid Ecological Assessment, Marine Cetacean.


The Prior Appropriation Doctrine has long been the foundation of laws governing water allocation and use in the American West, but it has been under pressure from forces both external and internal to the western states. Twenty years ago, Prior Appropriation was pronounced dead in a provocative essay by Charles Wilkinson. Other scholars argued that it was still alive, but it now appears to have lost its force as the controlling doctrine of western water law. This article analyzes three recent cases upholding state laws that undermine a fundamental Prior Appropriation principle, then considers the water policy implications of the western states' departure from Prior Appropriation.


Endo-beta-mannosidase, which hydrolyses the Manbeta1-4GlcNAc linkage of N-glycans in an endo-manner, was discovered in plants. During the course of the purification of the enzyme from lily flowers, we found a higher molecular mass form of the enzyme (designated as EBM II). EBM II was purified by column chromatography to homogeneity and its molecular composition revealed EBM II to be comprised of endo-beta-mannosidase and an associated protein. The cDNA of this associated protein encodes a protein with slight homology to the fucosidase domain of bifidus AfcA. EBM II has alpha1,2-L-fucosidase activity and acts on a fucosylated xyloglucan nonasaccharide. The amino acid sequence of this associated protein has no similarity to known plant alpha-L-fucosidases. These results show that EBM II is a novel alpha1,2-L-fucosidase and a protein complex containing endo-beta-mannosidase.


Higher concentrations of long carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that are aligned and functionalized can improve the mechanical properties of CNT composites. For this purpose, pristine/random CNT sheets were mechanically stretched at different strains of 40 %, 60 % and up to 80 %. The higher degree of CNT alignment was confirmed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and the degree of alignment was quantified by X-ray scattering and polarized Raman spectroscopy. The highest degree of alignment of 0.93 was achieved by using this method. Aligned CNT sheets were functionalized and CNT/bismaleimide (BMI) composites were fabricated. The mechanical properties of the composites were improved with a higher degree of alignment achieving a modulus of 252 GPa and tensile strength of over 1.4 GPa for an 80% stretched CNT/BMI composite. To understand the internal CNT packing and the CNT/resin interface, thin composite cross sections that are perpendicular to the alignment direction were prepared using focused ion beam (FIB) with a lift-out process. Using a high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), relatively large diameter CNTs (> 5 nm) cross sections and double-walled CNT bundles were observed. An increased number of densely packed and collapsed CNT structures were also observed with higher stretch ratio, which confirmed the CNT alignment and dense packing along the stretch direction. The CNT/resin interface was also analyzed by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Carbon K-edge peak was used to identify the functionalization of CNT, and a ratio of 1s-* to 1s-* transition was mapped by a scanning TEM. A decreased */* transition ratio was observed at the edge of CNT packing and could be related to the reduced sp2 bonding after functionalization. This leads efficient load transfer between CNT and resin, thus higher mechanical properties.


We report herein the synthesis and structural and chemical characterization of six new compounds consisting of 6-aminonicotinate (6ani) ligands and first-row transition metal ions, namely, [Mn2(μ-6ani)2(H2O)8](6ani)2 (1), [Co(6ani)(bipy)2(H2O)3](6ani)·5H2O (2), [M(μ-6ani)(6ani)(H2O)3]·2H2O [MII = Co (3), Ni (4)], and [M(μ-6ani)2]·H2O [MII = Co (5), Cu (6)] (where bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine). Compounds 1 and 2 consist of isolated dimeric and monomeric entities held together by supramolecular interactions governed by 6ani free anions. The rigid and low symmetry of 6ani ligands, in addition to their coordination as terminal and bridging ligands to octahedral metal geometries, gives rise to chiral 1D chains of compounds 3 and 4. 2D sql layers are formed (5 and 6) when 6ani ligands act as ligands bridging the metal ions, which precludes the presence of water molecules in the framework. Despite the wide structural diversity observed, all architectures share the occurrence of magnetically isolated 3d metal ions, given the poor exchange achieved through 6ani bridges, as confirmed by dc susceptibility measurements and DFT calculations. Dynamic ac susceptibility measurements reveal best-in-class field-induced slow magnetic relaxation behaviour in Co-based compounds with easy-plane magnetic anisotropy. The effective energy barriers (Ueff) of 39.6 K and 18.7 K for 3 and 5, respectively, estimated using the Arrhenius law are remarkably high among CoII-SIM coordination polymers reported so far.


The utilization of renewable energy sources is a vital aspect for development of sustainability. Currently, an unexploited energy source is ocean waves. Various types of wave energy converters (WECs) are able to transform the motion of the waves into electricity. During the last 30 years, a wide range of prototypes was presented with different rates of success. The aim of this survey is to give an overview of how WECs are categorized [operation principle and power takeoff (PTO) system] and show what are the most important criteria that have to be kept in mind when designing a WEC. A few important WECs are described and evaluated.


The CMS experiment at the LHC at CERN will start taking data in 2008. To configure, control and monitor the experiment during data-taking the Run Control system was developed. This paper describes the architecture and the technology used to implement the Run Control system, as well as the deployment and commissioning strategy of this important component of the online software for the CMS experiment.


Exploring spatial and temporal changes in protected areas (PAs) is essential for protecting natural capital and creating a harmonious relationship between humans and nature. This study has assessed land use/land cover (LULC) changes in the Jajrud, a Protected Area with a semi-arid climate zone in Iran (covers an area of 18,814 km2), to assess the sustainability of the use of natural resources using Landsat imagery from 1989 to 2018. Likewise, Ecological Footprint accounts (including the sum of biological, freshwater, energy, and pollution) and changes in the per-capita Ecological Carrying Capacity were investigated to uncover Ecological Deficits. The Ecological Pressure Index was used to explore driving factors of natural capital utilization in each of the various identified zones. Between 1989 and 2018, high-density pastures decreased the most in Jajrud, while built-up land increased the most. Likewise, the Ecological Footprint increased while the Ecological Carrying Capacity decreased, increasing Ecological Deficit quantities. Driving factors for the use of natural capital differs among the various zones due to differing management goals, type of uses, and human activity development. As supply and demand for natural resources were clearly out of an imbalance between the supply and demand of natural resources and exceeded the maximum tolerable limits in Jajrud, a change in production and consumption patterns is necessary. This case study has practical importance for establishing mathematical models to reveal the patterns of LULC, ecological footprint, ecological deficit, and ecological pressure indices in a typical PA in a semi-arid region of Iran. Our approach is advisable for semi-arid PAs in Iran and regions with similar attributes in other countries.


Motivated by limits of critical inhomogeneous random graphs, we construct a family of sequences of measured metric spaces that we call continuous multiplicative graphs, that are expected to be the universal limit of graphs related to the multiplicative coalescent (the Erd\H{o}s--R\'enyi random graph, more generally the so-called rank-one inhomogeneous random graphs of various types, and the configuration model). At the discrete level, the construction relies on a new point of view on (discrete) inhomogeneous random graphs that involves an embedding into a Galton--Watson forest. The new representation allows us to demonstrate that a processus that was already present in the pionnering work of Aldous [Ann. Probab., vol.~25, pp.~812--854, 1997] and Aldous and Limic [Electron. J. Probab., vol.~3, pp.~1--59, 1998] about the multiplicative coalescent actually also (essentially) encodes the limiting metric: The discrete embedding of random graphs into a Galton--Watson forest is paralleled by an embedding of the encoding process into a L\'evy process which is crucial in proving the very existence of the local time functionals on which the metric is based; it also yields a transparent approach to compactness and fractal dimensions of the continuous objects. In a companion paper, we show that the continuous L\'evy graphs are indeed the scaling limit of inhomogeneous random graphs.


CAMs (N-CAM) are expressed in bram in both neurons and astrocytes ; there are a large number of isoforms and they play important roles during development and m lesion-mduced plasticity. Lesions m bram tissue may lead to increases m N-CAMs; an initial study demonstrated increased N-CAM levels in the CSF of schizophrenics. To access the genetic component of this finding, CSF was obtained from six monozygotic twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia (1). N-CAM levels were higher and the Ll antigen levels were lower m the affected twin than in the nonaffected twm in all six


The movement which, in the years between the late 1980s and the early 1990s of the past century, led to the establishment of the first patients' associations in Italy was initially based on the patients' need for adequate medical information. In those days, upon leaving the neurologist's office with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD), you were stuck with the feeling of having received a really bad piece of news while – at the same time – not having the tools necessary to fully understand such diagnosis and its impact on your life. The adjustment to the new situation, which still nowadays can take many years, then was made even harder by the difficulty of gathering the information needed to understand what this illness really was and what its causes, its progression and outcomes were.

However, today a doubt is creeping among the associations: that they are going from one extreme to the other. As a matter of fact, it is a common occurrence to discover that too much information has been made available to the patients. Among the most common signs of information overload is the patients' fear and overreaction to the prospected future course of the condition: therefore, they quite often end up assuming the "omnipotent" illusion that the more they know about the disease, the easier it will be to be in control of it.

Considering that nowadays the information to the patients is taken for granted, it may be worth finding out if there are other kinds of knowledge the associations could take care of that might prove to be useful in order to improve the patient's quality of life. From this perspective the associations could be of real service if they broadened their mission to include a humanistic knowledge attentive not only to the physical needs of the suffering human beings but also to the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual ones. Such knowledge could be of great help to the people with Parkinson's, supporting them in critical situations such as the agonizing decision making process leading to the resolution to undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS) or drop the idea. The simple possibility of brain surgery evokes ghastly pictures of devastating lobotomies which leave the patient in the grip of anxiety and distress. And desperately alone. For however close and loving his/her family may be, however caring his friends and competent his doctors, the head that 1 day will have to be screwed into the stereotactic helmet is the patient's one. As his/her is the brain that all life long will depend for "normal" functioning on a constant electric charge. Moreover, the association offers the candidate an invaluable opportunity for the operation: getting in touch with other patients who have already undergone DBS or plan to do so. Thanks to the association, the patient gets acquainted with a wide range of human situations and individual reactions, while finding some relief from anxiety and attaining a more serene outlook.

This function of the associations could be implemented if, to help their members, they could offer them, besides well trained wholehearted volunteers, the help of a philosophical counselor. This is a new professional figure – drawing his knowledge from the more than 2500-year-old western philosophy – which has existed for some time now in more than a few Italian hospitals. The difference between a philosophical counselor and a psychologist lies herein: while psychotherapy addresses the patients unease from the point of view of his personal story and situation, philosophical counseling helps the patients to adjust to circumstances which, even though striking individually, are universal (i.e., depending on the human condition as such).

In my capacity as President of Parkinson Italia – a Federation of 23 patients' associations – I think that the availability of a qualified philosophical counselor, both as a group leader and for individual sessions would make a remarkable shift in the associations' role: from simple information provider to a place of warm reception and inner growth.

In the context of a wider understanding of the meaning of suffering it is worth noticing that according to ancient wisdom, disease is not only a setback but an opportunity as well, fostering meaningful insights into our inner world and taking stock of our life. A long disease gives us time to inquire ourselves in depth about many issues that otherwise would have remained buried deeply in our unconscious. Then the disease becomes a descent in the innermost depths of the soul. And it is just when suffering grows unbearable and we feel that we can not hold on for one more single second that the quantum leap takes place and suddenly the consciousness opens to a new perception of the world. But unfortunately our culture is one of appearance and consumerism, while experiencing the sacred is considered an embarrassing occurrence. But human beings do need spiritual nourishment especially if they are about to pass through "the narrow doors" of experience. And among the many "tight spots" trough which the disease forces us, brain surgery is possibly one of the narrowest and of the most crowded with unanswered questions.

One would expect from a patient restored to a better life at least some contentment. On the contrary there are more than a few people with Parkinson's who, after a completely successful DBS which greatly improved their motor symptoms, instead of being happy develop a depression or other psychiatric conditions.

It is clear that the above problem is deeply hidden and neurologists, neurosurgeons, and psychiatrists look for a solution in a specific malfunctioning area of the brain. Even in a perspective that does not reduce the psyche to a simple epiphenomenon of brain activity, one must admit that the fact is unsettling and raises many questions. How is it possible that infirmity could be regretted by a person to whom DBS gave back the priceless good of autonomy? What unimaginable and possibly perverse secondary gains could hide in such a distressing disease? What secret reward could be worth the agony of advanced Parkinson's.

However it must be remembered that recently it has been supposed that some of the psychiatric problems following surgery could be related to the sudden reduction of the dopaminergic drugs that usually takes place in the follow up.

It remains that there is no certainty at all and that such questions are not easily answered.

It is a dangerous ground where both humanistic and scientific knowledge are tightly interwoven together with ethics; however the resulting pattern is still blurred and indistinct.

As for me, treated by DBS with extraordinary results, the feeling is that we are just at the very beginning but, at the same time, that we are bound to reach most encouraging goals. As I used to say at the time of my operation: "It may-not be a cure, but it certainly feels much like one."


Most of the classical inventory control model assumes that all items received conform to quality characteristics. However, in practice, items may be damaged due to production conditions, transportation and environmental conditions. Modelling such real world problems involve various indeterminate phenomena which can be estimated through human beliefs. The uncertainty theory proposed by Liu (2015) is extensively regarded as an appropriate tool to deal with such uncertainty. This paper investigates the optimum production run time and optimum cost in an imperfect production process, where the rate of imperfect items are different in different states of the process. The process may be shifting from 'in-control' state to the 'out-of-control' state is an uncertain variable with certain uncertainty distribution. Some propositions are derived for the optimal production run time and optimized the expected total cost function per unit time. Finally, numerical examples have been illustrated to study the practical feasibility of the model.


Hospitalist physicians struggle with heavy clinical and teaching workloads and keeping up-to-date on current practices. There are limited data on the impact of a longitudinal CME case conference series on physicians' workplace learning. Locally situated formal CME might be able to fulfil this void for hospitalist physicians. Wenger's Community of Practice model (CoP) provides a conceptual framework for understanding the processes of workplace learning. This study explores the contributions of a patient care continuing education conference series to the development of a community of practice in an Internal Medicine hospitalist practice group. Study participants were recruited from a hospitalist group in a community hospital who had taken part in at least one case conference session. Individual semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with each participant. Wenger's Community of Practice model was used as the sensitizing concept. Participants were later invited to participate in a second shorter interview for member checking and verification. Data were analyzed qualitatively in an iterative and inductive process, and themes were identified using the constant comparative method associated with grounded theory. Four themes were formulated based on the analysis: Learning during and from the case conference series; Impact of the case conference series on patient care practices; Learning and Practicing as a Hospitalist; Belonging to this hospitalist group Three elements are required to develop to cultivate a CoP: the domain, the community and the practice. Our analysis resulted in formulating three intersecting domains: hospital medicine, discussing challenging cases, and improving patient care practices. With respect to community, study participants commented that learning occurred collaboratively, with and from peers. They also described feeling mutual trust and respect between members and team building that occurred as a result of the series. Lastly, although individual competence or practice skills were developed, the development of a shared group practice was not identified. Using the CoP framework as a lens, we were able to show that aspects of the CoP developed after a limited number of conference sessions focused on discussion of challenging clinical cases.


The structure of titanate nanotubes (Ti-NTs) was studied by a combination of powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), electron diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Ti-NTs are prepared by hydrothermal treatment of TiO2 powder. The structure is identified by powder X-ray diffraction as the one based on the structure of H2Ti2O5·H2O phase. The same structure is obtained by projected potential from HRTEM through-focus image series. The structure is verified by simulated PXRD pattern with the aid of the Debye formula. The validity of the model is tested by computing Fourier transformation of a single nanotube which is proportional to measured electron diffraction intensities. A good agreement of this calculation with measured precession electron diffraction data is achieved.


Abstract The remarkable ability of migratory birds to navigate accurately using the geomagnetic field for journeys of thousands of kilometres is currently thought to arise from radical pair reactions inside a protein called cryptochrome. In this article, we explain the quantum mechanical basis of the radical pair mechanism and why it is currently the dominant theory of compass magnetoreception. We also provide a brief account of two important computational simulation techniques that are used to study the mechanism in cryptochrome: spin dynamics and molecular dynamics. At the end, we provide an overview of current research on quantum mechanical processes in avian cryptochromes and the computational models for describing them.


Currently, software engineers adopt techniques for making software adaptable in ad hoc manner. What is new in this thesis, is that we offer a framework (a tool-shell) where it is possible to define a set of heuristic rules and to enter a set of patterns descriptions.

This framework can be programmed to help the designers in searching suitable patterns for their needs. For this, the designers must enter their current design into the framework and answer a set of questions. With the help of the current design and the answers that the designer provides, the tool suggests a set of patterns to be integrated with the current design.

We call this framework the 'Design Pattern Recognition Framework' (DPRF). We also use the term initial model for the current actual model of the client. The client is not satisfied with this model, because he or she needs some adaptability requirements which are not supported by the initial model.

The framework assists the designer by identifying a suitable design pattern for implementing adaptability. In this thesis, we demonstrate the working of the framework by applying it to an example application that has some adaptability need.


Zooplankton biomass, ETS activity and direct measurements of respiration were compared in a study of the Catalan Sea during the summer stratification period, in and around the deep chlorophyll maximum. The pattern of vertical distribution of zooplankton biomass differed from that found on previous cruises, but some trends in the horizontal were similar (minimum inte rated values coinciding with ascending deep waters). Over the Catalan shelf the ETS activity averaged 0.09 meq h-1 l-1. The potential respiration, stoichiometrically calculated from the ETS activity, is 0.5 m1O2 h-1 l-l. Seaward of the frontal system on the shelf the rates decreased 50% and then increased to 0.5 m1O2 h-1 l-l on the eastern side of the divergence that occurs in the middle of the Catalan Sea. The zooplankton ETS activity did not increase in the chlorophyll maximum. A comparison of the ETS activity in the net and bottle samples suggests a difference in the capture efficiencies by both sampling methods. Physiological measurements of respiration were made on board and compared with ETS activity. A wide range of respiration/ETS ratio (1.60-3.38) was found; the correlation coefficient of respiration on ETS activity was 0.64.


Ahmed Agayev, better known as Ahmet Agaoglu (1869-1939), has been a prominent preacher of Turkism and one of the founding fathers of the so-called Azerbaijani identity, having played also a significant role in the formation of Pan-Turkism. Agaoglu's involvement in Pan-Turkist circles in the Ottoman Empire and then in the nationalist movement in Kemalist Turkey partly overshadowed some details of his earlier life. This paper examines one of the lesser-known episodes in his biography—his participation in the activities of the Iranian revolutionaries in Istanbul and his collaboration with their Persian organ, Sorush ( Sorūs ) in 1909-1910 in Istanbul. Ironically, positioning himself in his Persian writings in Sorush as an avid follower of Iranian nationalism, Agaoglu began soon to propound in the Ottoman press the idea of "the Turks of Iran", actively promoting Turkism and Pan-Turkist views on the ethnic background of the South Caucasian Muslims and the population of the northwestern areas of Iran. Ahmet Agaoglu's writings in Istanbul in 1909 and 1910 shed some light on the genesis of a modern ethnic identity, which was later labelled as "Azerbaijani".


Unusually effective and long-lasting relief of pelvic pain of gynecological origin has been obtained consistently by short exposures of affected areas to irradiation by a magnetic induction device producing short, sharp, magnetic-field pulses of a minimal 1amplitude to initiate the electrochemical phenomenon of Electroporation within a 25 cm. focal area. Treatments are short, fast-acting, economical and in many instances have obviated surgery. This report includes typical cases such as dysmenorrhoea, endometriosis, ruptured ovarian cyst, acute lower urinary tract infection, post-operative hematoma, and persistent dyspareunia in which pulsed magnetic field treatment has not, in most cases, been supplemented by analgesic medication. Of 17 female patients presenting with acute (n=13) and/or chronic (n=9) pelvic pain, 16 (89.8%) experienced marked, even dramatic relief and 2 (10.2%) less than complete pain relief after an average of three 15-minute treatments.


American children are worse off than those in the previous generation in several important dimensions of mental, physical, and emotional well-being. During the 1960s cultural changes adversely affected children while their material condition improved substantially. By contrast, material conditions deteriorated in the 1980s, especially among children at the lower end of the income distribution. Public policies to improve the material condition of children require a transfer of resources from households that do not have children to those that do. Government programs such as tax credits and child allowances are more efficient and equitable than employer-mandated programs.


This paper investigates the effect of superstar chief executive officers CEOs on their competitors. Exploiting shocks to CEO status due to prestigious media awards, we document a significant positive stock market performance of competitors of superstar CEOs subsequent to the award. The effect is more pronounced for competitors who have not received an award themselves, who are geographically close to an award winner, and who are not entrenched. We observe an increase in risk taking, operating performance, and innovation activity of superstars' competitors as potential channels for this positive performance. Our results suggest a positive overall welfare impact of corporate superstar systems due to the incentivizing effect on superstars' competitors.

This paper was accepted by Wei Jiang, finance.


Drawing on expertise gained from a lifetime of playing, coaching, and studying the sport, Vic Braden offers a no-frills strategy that starts with a simple premise: Good strokes last a lifetime. "Whether you're three or ninety-three, whether you play the game recreationally or at the tournament level, " writes Braden, "the basic question-and-goal always remains: Under pressure do you have the consistent strokes you need to hit the shots you want?"


(1) A woman aged 38 had a right nephro-ureterectomy for tuberculous infection of the kidney in 1941. ' In 1949 she had a partial gastrectomy carried out for attacks of melaena due to duodenal ulcer. At the time of operation there was no evidence of a smali bowel neoplasm. Her subsequent convalescence was uneventful until 1951, when she complained of attacks of central abdominal pain. In 1952 she was admitted as an emergency, having had a severe melaena stool, the first noted since the time of operation on the stomach in 1949. At the time of her admission her Hb was 8.2 g./100 ml. A barium meal and folowthrough showed a high partial gastrectomy with some tenderness over the stoma, but no obvious ulcer. She had a further severe melaena and after massive blood transfusion the abdomen was explored. There was some thickening around the stoma but no obvious ulcer, and a vagotomy was carried out. Further exploration of the abdomen, however, revealed a mass in the terminal ileum with adjacent enlarged glands in the mesentery. The affected ileum and mesentery were resected and bowel continuity restored. Subsequent convalescence was uneventful, and the pathological report stated that the tumour was an ulcerated argentaffinoma with secondary deposits in the regional nodes of the mesentery. The particular point of emphasis is that the operation became a matter of urgency owing to the severity of the melaena while she was being investigated as an in-patient. (2) A man aged 67: this patient complained of attacks of faintness and discomfort after food, associated with flatulence, for two to three years prior to admission. He was admitted with severe melaena as an emergency. There was no abdominal tenderness. There were no physical findings on examination of the abdomen, although his obesity rendered palpation difficult. His blood pressure was 160/65. It was considered that he had had a peptic ulcer with a recent exacerbation of inflammation, leading to melaena. He bled again soon after admission and operation was advised. At operation a pedunculated growth in the lumen of the gut about 3 in. (7.6 cm.) distal to the duodenojejunal flexure was palpated. Resection of the gut with end-to-end anastomosis was carried out. Convalescence was tardy owing to diarrhoea and some wound dehiscence. Pathological report on the tumour was that it was a simple fibroma.