Many animals sequester dietary defensive compounds and incorporate them into the offspring, which protects the young against predation. One possible but poorly investigated question is whether females of such species actively prey upon toxic diets. The snake Rhabdophis tigrinus sequesters defensive steroids from toads consumed as prey; it also feeds on other amphibians. Females produce chemically armed offspring in direct proportion to their own level of toad-derived toxins by provisioning the toxins to their eggs. Our field observations of movements and stomach contents of radio-tracked R. tigrinus showed that gravid snakes preyed upon toads by actively foraging in the habitat of toads, even though toads were a scarce resource and toad-searching may incur potential costs. Our Y-maze experiments demonstrated that gravid females were more likely to trail the chemical cues of toads than were males or non-gravid females. These results showed behavioural switching in females and active foraging for scarce, toxic prey during gestation. Because exploitation of toads by gravid females results in their offspring being more richly endowed with prey-derived toxins, active foraging for toxic prey is expected to be an adaptive antipredator trait, which may enhance chemical defence in offspring.


As the accuracy of the electricity load forecast is crucial in providing better cost effective risk management plans, this paper proposes a Short Term Electricity Load Forecast (STLF) model with high forecasting accuracy. Two kind of neural networks, Multilayer Perceptron network model and Radial Basis Function network model, are presented and compared using the mean absolute percentage error. The data used in the models are electricity load historical data. Even though the very good performance of the used model for the load data, weather parameters, especially the temperature, take important part for the energy predicting which is taken into account in this paper. A comparative evaluation between a traditional statistical method and artificial neural networks is presented.


Background How psychiatrists introduce themselves in the first consultation may influence the therapeuticrelationship. There is no evidence about what type of introduction patients prefer. Aims To assess experimentally patients' preferences for how psychiatrists introduce themselves. Method Twelve psychiatrists were filmed, each with three different introductions: stating name, profession and reason for consultation; the same, plus information on what will happen during the consultation; and the same, plus disclosure of a personal difficulty. Six randomly selected videos, of different psychiatrists, two of each type of introduction, were rated by each of 120 psychiatric in- and out-patients on Likert-type scales. Results Patients gave the most positive ratings to psychiatrists who introduced themselves with information about what will happen in the consultation rather than ones with briefer introductions or with additional personal disclosure (P = 0.002). Preferences were similar in different subgroups. Conclusions Psychiatrists should introduce themselves with information about what they intend to do in theconsultation, but without personal disclosure.


Based on meticulous research in previously unavailable documents in the Soviet archives, this compelling book illuminates the secret inner mechanisms of power in the Soviet Union during the years when Stalin established his notorious dictatorship. Oleg V. Khlevniuk focuses on the top organ in Soviet Russia's political hierarchy of the 1930s--the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party--and on the political and interpersonal dynamics that weakened its collective leadership and enabled Stalin's rise. Khlevniuk's unparalleled research challenges existing theories of the workings of the Politburo and uncovers many new findings regarding the nature of alliances among Politburo members, Sergei Kirov's murder, the implementation of the Great Terror, and much more. The author analyzes Stalin's mechanisms of generating and retaining power and presents a new understanding, unmatched in texture and depth, of the highest tiers of the Communist Party in a crucial era of Soviet history.


Across the globe, SMEs are emerging as an unswerving accelerator of economic growth with a sizable contribution to job creation and customer need serving. Regardless of such support, the growth of SMEs in developing countries, with specific reference to Pakistan, is constrained. Surface facts pin down various underlying reasons for the inhibited economic growth of SMEs; however, veracity sticks to few, as principal wheelers of shackling prospects of small firm growth. Interestedly, this review paper is an attempt to provide the critical review of theoretical and empirical extent of literature on the state of SMEs in Pakistan. Findings of the review advise critical role of attitude towards technology, supplier relations, product innovation, human capital, regulatory requirements and access to finance in impeding smooth business progress and sustainable growth of SMEs in Pakistan. Findings of this review have implications for policymakers in devising, reforming and enforcing lucrative regulatory and legislative framework to stimulate entrepreneurial activities across manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors. In additions, it is also imperative for SBP and SMEDA to control access to finance issues by creating a regulatory environment with fair allocation of formal private and public institution funds to SMEs across all sectors of the economy. As for existing and potential entrepreneurs, this review paper has strived to sketch out situational analysis of critical dimensions which they need to consider while devising the strategy for business expansions with proactive and preventive measures against suggestible barriers to firm growth.


ABSTRACT The O antigen is a polymer with a repeated unit. The chain length in most Escherichia coli strains has a modal value of 10 to 18 O units, but other strains have higher or lower modal values.wzz (cld/rol) mutants have a random chain length distribution, showing that the modal distribution is determined by the Wzz protein. Cloned wzz genes from E. coli strains with short (7 to 16), intermediate (10 to 18), and long (16 to 25) modal chain lengths were transferred to a model system, and their effects on O111 antigen were studied. The O111 chain length closely resembled that of the parent strains. We present data based on the construction of chimeric wzz genes and site-directed mutagenesis of the wzz gene to show that the modal value of O-antigen chain length of E. coli O1, O2, O7, and O157 strains can be changed by specific amino acid substitutions in wzz. It is concluded that the O-antigen chain length heterogeneity in E. coli strains is the result of amino acid sequence variation of the Wzz protein.


This thesis introduces two extensions to statistical approaches improving modeling and estimation in the field of network data analysis. The first contributing publication focuses on cross-sectional networks based on Markov graphs, whereas the second takes the evolution of networks with dynamical structure into account.
Analyzing network data is challenging in terms of modeling and computation due to large and dependent data sets. The dissertation starts with an overview of network data in general and gives an introduction to the well-known model framework of exponential random graphs models with its dependence assumptions, estimation routines, challenges, and solution approaches. At the end of the introduction, main ideas of dynamic network models, the profile likelihood approach for multivariate counting processes for network data, and the analogy of the Cox proportional hazards and Poisson model with semiparametric estimation are presented.

The first part of this work proposes an extension for sampling Markov graphs as a subclass of exponential random graph models in parallel to accelerate computation time in simulation-based routines. The estimation of network models, especially of large networks, is demanding and requires Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations. This publication recommends to exploit the conditional independence structure in networks to make use of parallel draws. This idea is applied to a large ego network of Facebook friendships, where an additional log transformation of network statistics accounts for degeneracy problems. This extension is implemented in the open source R package pergm, available on GitHub and a short introduction to the main functionalities is elaborated on in the thesis.

The second part of this work focuses on dynamic networks. In comparison to cross-sectional networks from the first part, the development and application of longitudinal network data concentrates on modeling changes of relations. Therefore, a profile likelihood approach to model time-stamped event data is combined with a semiparametric approach including covariates built from network history. This flexible semiparametric approach is applicable to large networks because standard software can be used for estimation due to the analogy of the Cox proportional hazards and Poisson model with artificial data structure. This extended method is applied to patent collaboration data of patents submitted jointly by inventors with German residency between 2000 and 2013. Based on penalized smoothing techniques, we include time dependent network statistics and exogenous covariates to capture internal and external effects.


Our design for a novel UWB monopole antenna structure with reconfigurable band notch characteristics based on PIN diodes is presented in this paper. The proposed antenna is comprised of a modified circular patch and a partial ground plane. The band-notch characteristics are achieved by etching a slot on the partial ground plane and inserting three PIN diodes into the slots for adjusting the operating antenna bands. The reconfigurability is achieved by adding three PIN diodes to obtain eight states with UWB, dual and triple operating bands which can be obtained by changing the PIN state from ON to OFF, and vice versa. The proposed design shows a simple biasing process to switch the frequency bands with insignificant gain variation and low radiation efficiency reduction. The reconfigurability of the frequency is accomplished by adjusting the effective slot length through modifying the PIN diodes states at the desired operating bands. The desired operating frequency bands can be obtained by switching the diodes. A systematic parametric study based on a numerical analysis is invoked to verify and refine the proposed performance. The proposed antenna is fabricated on FR-4 substrate with dimensions of 50×60×1 mm3. The proposed antenna performance was tested experimentally and compared to the simulated results from CSTMW based on FIT. Experimental results were in concordance with simulated results. We found that the proposed antenna design had simple geometry and it was easy to control the frequency bands to suit the applications of WiMAX and WiFi systems.


Background Research on coping with RA reflects the preponderance of women with the condition (70%). In other long term conditions research suggests men need their own health strategy. Objectives To explore the experiences and coping styles of men with RA. Methods Using Q-methodology (a qualitative and quantitative approach to grouping people according to subjective opinion) men with RA sorted 64 statements (generated in previous qualitative interviews) across a constrained distribution in ranked order of agreement and took part in interviews about their rationale for sorting the statements. Groups of patients with similar sort patterns ("factors") were identified using centroid factor analysis with varimax rotation. Results Thirty patients took part: mean age 64yrs (SD10.3); median (IQR) disease duration 5yrs (2-13); HAQ 0.75 (0.16-1.84); 67% DMARDs, 17% biologics. All patients ranked highly the importance of keeping themselves informed about their RA, especially regarding their medication. In the factor analysis a participant loading of ≥±0.32 reached significance at p<0.01 and 2 patient groupings explained 34% of the study variance and included 22 participants. Five of the patients' views were represented across both factors (confounded). Factor A: Acknowledge, accept and adapt: "It is far easier to cope with it if you accept it". These 14 patients acknowledge their limitations due to RA, but will not allow this to impact on their lives. They manage the impact of RA by adapting their activities to suit their RA and taking a flexible approach to life. Their ability to control other aspects of their lives (e.g. being in a job that allows autonomy) enables them to accept the loss of control that RA brings. They are therefore more willing to accept help from other people and will talk to people about their RA. Their mean (SD) age was 67yrs (10.1); median (IQR) disease duration 5yrs (2-13); HAQ 0.78 (0.25-1.50); 86% DMARDs, 7% biologics. Factor B: Trying to match up to a macho ideal: "Men don't cry, you know this don't you?" These 8 patients feel angry and frustrated because of the limitations imposed by RA on their ability to continue their "normal" (pre-RA) life. They feel guilty about the impact this has on friends and family. This leads to internalised anger expressed both physically (pushing themselves to finish tasks, leading to more pain); and emotionally (self-criticism). These patients will not accept help from others, especially not strangers; and are not interested in talking to either friends, other men with RA or their medical team about their emotional well-being. Their mean (SD) age was 62yrs (12.3); median (IQR) disease duration 5yrs (5-22); HAQ 1.59 (0.84-2.25); 38% taking DMARDS, 50% biologics. Conclusions Some men accept and adapt to RA, through negotiating loss of control. However, others fight the impact of RA, leading to further pain and internalised anger. As in other conditions, these male patients seem to be employing coping strategies not addressed by current interventions. Thus, a substantial proportion of male patients may have different support needs to women. Greater understanding of the potentially different needs of men is necessary to improve communication and inform the design of supportive interventions. Disclosure of Interest C. Flurey Grant/research support from: Arthritis Research UK, S. Hewlett: None declared, K. Rodham: None declared, A. White: None declared, R. Noddings: None declared, J. Kirwan: None declared


In India, in the last few years, the installed capacity of the Captive Power Plants (CPPs) has grown at a faster rate compared to the utilities. This study examines the factors responsible for the growth of the CPPs. For this purpose the case study of the CPPs of Gujarat is undertaken. In 2002, Gujarat had 2.44 GW installed capacity of captive power plants, which represent almost 22% of the total installed capacity. The factors which caused the CPPs in Gujarat grow at a faster rate compared to the utilities are unreliable power supply by the utilities, poor quality of power, higher industrial tariffs, multiple benefits like cogeneration of steam and electricity and lower internal transaction costs for running the CPPs. Due to these varied reasons the CPPs are not a homogeneous group of plants, but are categorized into various segments. These are back-up type CPPs, CPPs for reducing production cost, CPPs for multiple benefits, and CPPs for quality power. . Captive Power Plants: Case Study of Gujarat, India P.R. Shukla, Debashish Biswas, Tirthankar Nag, Amee Yajnik, Thomas Heller and David G. Victor


ABSTRACT Capsule: Two distinct song types were identified for male European Nightjars Caprimulgus europaeus with their relative frequency of use changing through the breeding season, indicating a possible link to paired status. Aims: To test whether two song types could be defined in audio recordings and whether use differed in relation to the paired status of males. Methods: Unattended acoustic recording devices were placed at a Nightjar study site in Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom, and recordings of churring vocalizations were made during two periods of the breeding season. These recordings were then analyzed to identify the presence/absence of the song terminal phrase and associated audible features. Results: Two distinct song types were identified in the recorded audio data that differed in their terminal phrasing and overall song duration. The number of Nightjar songs with a terminal phrase increased significantly between the two sampling periods, from lower levels during the site arrival period, to higher levels during the first clutch initiation period. Conclusion: This study showed that the use of Nightjar song types appears to vary through the breeding season, with males being more likely to produce song with a terminal phrase during the first clutch initiation period, when they are more likely to be paired or in the presence of a female. The unattended acoustic recording method may provide a minimally intrusive means of assessing the number of Nightjar breeding pairs and not just singing males.


Prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium infection in children from two neighbouring villages in Zimbabwe was 77·1% and 40·3%, respectively. The age‐intensity data indicated peak intensities of infection at a lower age in the high prevalence village. This study investigated whether the difference in infection histories was reflected in a difference in cytokine profiles between children resident in these two villages. Blood samples were taken to assay for cytokine secretion 1 year after treatment for schistosomiasis. They were cultured with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), schistosome egg antigens (SEA) or cultured without stimulant and tested for the presence of interleukin (IL)‐4, IL‐5, IL‐10, granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) and IFN‐γ. Blood samples from children from the low prevalence village were more likely to produce IL‐4 (P < 0·0001) and produced higher levels of IFN‐γ (P < 0·02) and GM‐CSF (P < 0·03) when cultured with PHA for 24 h. Residence in the high prevalence village was associated with production of IL‐10 (P < 0·006) and GM‐CSF (P < 0·04) in response to culture with SEA and IL‐5 (P < 0·02) with PHA for 48 h. The interaction between age and village was not significant for these results; however, there was a significant interaction between age and village for IL‐5 detected in blood samples cultured with PHA for 24 h (P < 0·01). These results concur with previous observations that major patterns of cytokine production can be related to immunosuppression, but also indicate an underlying pattern which reflects the importance of history of infection to the immune response.


Our present ability to work with most multimedia data has been confined to a wired environment, requiring both the data source and the receiver to be physically connected to a power supply and a wired communication link. This article describes the design principles applicable to wireless signal processing systems, using a portable video-on-demand system as an example. The discussion will focus on both the algorithm and circuit design techniques developed for implementing a low-power video compressionidecompression system at power levels that are two orders of magnitude below existing solutions. This low-power video compression system not only provides a compression efficiency similar to industry standards, but also maintains a high degree of error tolerance to guard against the transmission errors often encountered in wireless communication.


The overlapping of land allocation in Batam authority area began with the issuance of the Decree of the Minister of Forestry No. 173/Kpts-II/1986 on the Allocation of Forest Area in Riau Province (TGHK). The Minister of Forestry then followed up with the Decree of the Minister of Forestry No. 47/Kpts-II/1987 on the Allocation of Forest Area in Batam Island. In reality, this decree has ignored the TGHK provision. The result of the research showed that legal certainty on the overlapping of land allocation in forest area on the land of Batam indicated that the Decree No.47/Kpts-II/1987 and its certified copy was had to be ignored; therefore, the ownership management rights of Batam Authority was in effect. The legal protection for land owners in Batam Authority area was concerned with the old rights owned by villagers by setting the location of old villages in Batam under the Regional Regulation (Perda) No. 2/2004 on RT/RW (neighborhood/citizen associations) of Batam in 2004-2014. The legal protection for the land rights which were obtained based on the distribution in parts of HPL land by Batam Authority to the third party was by providing alternative land from the outside forest area. In the case of the resolution for the overlapping of land allocation of Batam Authority Management Rights, the Authority Board of the Development of Batam Industrial Area, supported by Batam Municipality Administration in 2001, lodged a request for structuring forest area in Batam Island through mechanism of changing the of forest area allocation to the Minister of Forestry. Keywords: Legal Certainty, Management Rights, Batam Authority


Surgery for colorectal carcinoma has supplemented the following cytokine-based procedures: (1) extracorporeal immunotherapy (EIT) with autologous rIL2-activated mononuclear cells for treatment of patients with infectious complications, and (2) extracorporeal infusion immunotherapy with native cytokines (perfusate of xenospleen) to prevent postoperative infectious complications. EIT was followed by an effective correction of T-cell immunodeficiency and rehabilitation of monocytic function; rapid decrease in symptoms of endotoxicity; improved response to conventional therapy, and, as a result, a fall in mortality rates (from 38.9 to 11.7%). Immunotherapy with native cytokines brought about a significant decrease in postoperative complication incidence (36.4-15.8%), the average length of stay in hospital falling by 6.8 days. Immunological correction with cytokines was instrumental in raising the efficacy of surgical treatment of colorectal tumors.


A guide to assist students in Landscape Design locate appropriate resources for their coursework. Stay up-to-date with media reports relating to your subject.


One man out of 5 experiences an osteoporotic fracture in his remaining lifetime at 50 years. Many comorbidities are associated with osteoporosis and fracture risk in men, with numerous associated risk factors beyond a decrease in bone mineral density (BMD), and also taking into account the risk of falling. A prevalent fragility fracture, oral glucocorticoid therapy for at least 3 months, and androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer are the three most common situations of increased risk of osteoporosis in men. Bisphosphonates, denosumab and teriparatide increase BMD and change bone turnover markers in the same magnitude as in women. The first anti-fracture data in men were obtained with zoledronic acid and denosumab.


Available literature shows that in Kenya enrolment of children in pre-school education is low. It is believed that failure to adequately meet children's health needs might be leading to the children's low enrolment in pre-school education and in other levels of education. It is for this reason that this study is designed; to establish and document children's health needs in relation to low enrolment especially in Imenti North District where 52% of pre-school children do not attend pre-school and in particular 64% in Miriga Mieru West Division of the District. The main objective of this study is to establish the relationship between children's health needs and enrolment in pre-school. The study has used a correlation design employing a survey method. The independent variable is health status. The dependent variable is children's enrolment in pre-school. The sample size of 390 parents is selected and used in the study. Children's households are systematically sampled whereas Imenti North District is sampled purposively. Miriga Mieru West Division is selected due to its high population of pre-school age children (78,201) in comparison to other divisions in the district such as; Miriga Mieru East with 64,117, Timau with 55,292 and Buuri with 45,610 as well as its low preschool enrolment rates (64%). The study has used a questionnaire for parents and anthropometric tools for data collection. The researcher administered the questionnaire to parents of pre-school children both with children not attending and children attending pre-school. The t-test (two tailed) for testing equality of means for independent samples is used to test the hypothesis (H02) A t-test (two tailed) for independent samples found no relationship between health status and enrolment in pre-school. This study concludes that basic needs are important and unless they are met we will continue to have large numbers of children not attending the pre-school education continuing to increase.


Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants rely on knowledge and skills to guide their intervention planning as they help clients who are experiencing difficulties with engaging in occupation. Sensory integration theory, with its rich history grounded in the science of human growth and development, offers occupational therapy practitioners specific intervention strategies to remediate the underlying sensory issues that affect functional performance. This article articulates the core principles of sensory integration as originally developed by Dr. A. Jean Ayres, explains the rationale for developing a trademark specifically linked to these core principles, and identifies the impact that this trademark can have on practice. leaRninG oBJectiVeS After reading this article, you should be able to: 1. Recognize why the term Ayres Sensory Integration was trademarked. 2. Identify the core concepts of Ayres Sensory Integration in relation to typical development, patterns of sensory integration dysfunction, and principles of intervention. 3. Differentiate Ayres Sensory Integration from other approaches that use similar terms and strategies but do not include the same theoretical principles of this approach. intRoduction Biologist Edward Wilson (1998) stated that "scientific theories are the product of imagination—informed imagination. They reach beyond their grasp to predict the existence of previously unsuspected phenomena" (p. 57). Sensory integration theory, originated by A. Jean Ayres, fits this description because many aspects of her work represent concepts that require a great deal of imagination about previously unsuspected phenomena. Generated by an occupational therapist and developed primarily within the profession of occupational therapy, sensory integration theory and its application provide an important set of knowledge and skills for practitioners world-wide. Sensory integration is also one of the first theories generated within occupational therapy to undergo the rigor of providing evidence that validates its constructs while providing direction for the strategies clinicians use to remediate the underlying sensory issues that affect performance. Since Ayres's early writings, beginning in the 1950s, many publications have contributed to the evolution of this theory, which is one of the most cited and applied of all theories within occupational therapy (Mulligan, 2002). As greater interest has developed in the role of brain function in behavior and learning, increased attention has been directed toward Ayres's work. The result has been increased appreciation of the eloquence and substance of her research, as well as controversy related to documentation of the efficacy of some aspects of this approach. Part of the controversy stems from the many publications and intervention programs that do not truly reflect the principles of Ayres's work but that have nonetheless been mistakenly associated with sensory integration (Parham, Cohn, et al., 2007). In an effort to clarify the concepts that do reflect Ayres's sensory integration framework and to preserve the integrity of this work within occupational therapy, the Baker/Ayres Trust trademarked the term Ayres Sensory Integration. This article presents the rationale for establishing a trademark for this term, identifies the core concepts of Ayres Sensory Integration, and discusses the implications of this trademark for occupational therapy practitioners. This article does not evaluate the validity or usefulness of other sensory-based theories, diagnostic terms, or intervenUnderstanding Ayres Sensory Integration® AOTA Continuing Education Article NOW AVAILABLE! CE Article, exam, and certificate are now available ONLINE. Register at www.aota.org/cea or call toll-free 877-404-AOTA (2682). CE-2 SEPTEMBER 2007 n OT PRACTICE, 2( 7) ARTICLE CODE CEA0907 tions within or outside of occupational therapy. The terminology used in this article is consistent with that used by Ayres. Many terms have multiple meanings, such as sensory integration as a theory and frame of reference, and as a process related to multimodal processing that supports the formation and retrieval of multisensory perceptions in the central nervous system. Sensory processing is a generic term used to describe the way in which sensation is detected, transduced, and transmitted through the nervous system. Sensory processing deficits, therefore, can be used to describe any of the ways in which the above is flawed. Sensory integrative deficits, as used within occupational therapy, have been defined through many years of factor and cluster analyses, including confirmatory analyses, and may be identified through the use of standardized assessments, skilled observations, and parent and teacher report. Sensory-based strategies may or may not include those that are considered part of Ayres Sensory Integration. The varying ways in which these terms overlap and are used in practice may be confusing. Therefore, when using these terms and evaluating a client's abilities or a practitioner's focus during intervention, it is important as therapists and consumers to understand the research underlying the identification of a certain type of sensory problem and the sensory-based methods used during intervention. Rationale FoR eStaBliShinG a tRademaRK FoR the teRm AYRES SENSORY INTEGRATION® A review of the use of the term sensory integration yields a concerning number of references to sensory integration that involve methods void of key occupational therapy principles, such as promoting an adaptive response and engagement in occupation (Glennon & Smith Roley, 2006, 2007; Smith Roley & Glennon, 2006). In recent years, a proliferation of sensory stimulation treatment centers have typically involved passive visual, auditory, and movement sensations (e.g., www.sensorylearning.com, www.sensorycenter.com, www.neurosensorycenter.com, www.sirri.com), which often are provided by individuals who are not occupational therapists and whose professional credentials are sometimes difficult to discern. Several therapists from outside the United States also have reported concerns about other professions, such as physical education and psychology, whose members claim sensory integration as a psychoeducational tool while also demonstrating some efforts to limit occupational therapy's involvement in the assessment and intervention of children with sensory integration deficits. Lastly, it has become common for sensory activities to be proposed as rewards for appropriate behavior or performance during discrete trial training for children with autism and sensory integration, which is often misunderstood or misrepresented within these communities (e.g., www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ab out_treatment_learning#SensoryIntegration). The Baker/Ayres Trust shared the professional concerns regarding confusion around sensory integration theory and established a trademark for the term Ayres Sensory Integration. coRe concePtS in ayReS SenSoRy inteGRation Bundy, Lane, and Murray (2002) noted that sensory integration theory is used to explain behavior, plan intervention, and predict how behavior will change through intervention. They identified the three main components of sensory integration theory as describing typical sensory integration development, defining sensory integrative dysfunction, and guiding intervention programs. A clear and comprehensive understanding of these three aspects of Ayres Sensory Integration will assist occupational therapy professionals in appropriate and effective application of this approach. tyPical SenSoRy inteGRation FunctioninG Ayres built sensory integration theory on her understanding of neurobiology. Before the publication of her classic book, Sensory Integration and Learning Disorders (Ayres, 1972b), she published numerous essays on her theories, setting forth the key components of the relationship between sensory integration and performance through her analysis of existing research. These principles informed her work in test development and later research that defined various types of sensory integration deficits and the related deficits in motor learning, academic abilities, attention, and behavior. In 1960, Ayres challenged the principles of "purposeful activity" that focused on exercising a component of a motor pattern, proposing that "1) learning takes place as a function of reward or reinforcement, 2) one learns what he does, and 3) learning takes place because there is a purpose for its taking place" (Ayres, 1960, p. 38). She believed that a person must perceive the goal and process of the intervention in order to benefit from it, highlighting the perceptual awareness of occupational engagement. Drawing on motor control theories, Ayres (1960) proposed that motor learning follows inherent maturational sequences and is influenced by, if not dependent on, incoming sensation. In 1961, Ayres proposed that the development of the body scheme in children created a postural model to understand visual-motor development, and she proposed that the ability to sit up and sit still required perceptual support from the vestibular and proprioceptive systems in addition to the neuromotor systems, thus highlighting postural control as an essential foundation for more skilled academic and motor performance. She further posited that the tactile, vestibular, proprioceptive, and visual systems provided key data in the development of reading and writing and may be impaired in children with learning disabilities. Ayres's early references to what is now commonly called sensory modulation began in 1964. Ayres (1964) informed readers of the Earn .1 AOTA CEU (one NBCOT PDU/one contact hour, see page CE-7 for details. CESEPTEMBER 2007 n OT PRACTICE, 2( 7) ARTICLE CODE CEA0907 importance of tactile functions, and she proposed that the ability to focus and maintain attention and to keep a steady level of activity


A drug-related problem (DRP) is defined as an event or circumstance that actually or potentially interferes with desired health outcomes. DRPs can lead to ineffective pharmacotherapy and may cause drug-related morbidity and mortality. Most DRPs are avoidable and community pharmacies are assuming an active role in preventing and solving DRPs. Patients who visited two- community pharmacy set up (branches of chain pharmacy) with prescriptions were included in the study after obtaining the consent. The objective of this study was to demonstrate that community pharmacists are willing and able to detect, solve and document DRPs in every day routine and also to categorize and analyze the different types of DRPs. The study was carried out for a period of nine months. 126 patients were selected from the two community pharmacies (61 from CP1and 65 from CP2).The patient's data were collected with the help of a structured data entry format after getting their consent. Majority of the study population were from the late adulthood group (42.86%) and from young old group (22.22%). The commonly identified drug related problems in both community pharmacy 1 and 2 were drug interactions (76.84%) and wrong frequency (12.63%), over dose (4.21%), under dose (3.16%), therapeutic duplication (3.16%). The DRPs identified were categorized according to the PCNE classification of DRPs. The classification reveals that the problems were primarily categorized as dosing problems(20%),drug dosing problems (3.16%), and majority of interactions (76.84%). The above fact reveals that a pharmaceutical care program will definitely improve the outcomes of the therapy.


Topics covered: NASA TU Services: Technology Utilization services that can assist you in learning about and applying NASA technology; New Product Ideas: A summary of selected innovations of value to manufacturers for the development of new products; Electronic Components and Circuits; Electronic Systems; Physical Sciences; Materials; Life Sciences; Mechanics; Machinery; Fabrication Technology; Mathematics and Information Sciences.


We present a class of methods for robust, personalized federated learning, called Fed+, that unifies many federated learning algorithms. The principal advantage of this class of methods is to better accommodate the real-world characteristics found in federated training, such as the lack of IID data across parties, the need for robustness to outliers or stragglers, and the requirement to perform well on party-specific datasets. We achieve this through a problem formulation that allows the central server to employ robust ways of aggregating the local models while keeping the structure of local computation intact. Without making any statistical assumption on the degree of heterogeneity of local data across parties, we provide convergence guarantees for Fed+ for convex and non-convex loss functions under different (robust) aggregation methods. The Fed+ theory is also equipped to handle heterogeneous computing environments including stragglers without additional assumptions; specifically, the convergence results cover the general setting where the number of local update steps across parties can vary. We demonstrate the benefits of Fed+ through extensive experiments across standard benchmark datasets.


Geological models are becoming increasingly large and detailed to account for heterogeneous structures on different spatial scales. To obtain computationally tractable simulation models, it is common to remove spatial detail by upscaling. Pressure and transport equations are different in nature and generally require different strategies for optimal upgridding. To optimize accuracy of a transport calculation, the coarsened grid should be constructed based on a posteriori error estimates and adapt to the flow patterns predicted by the pressure equation. Sharp and rigorous estimates are generally hard to obtain; herein we consider various adhoc methods for generating flow-adapted grids. Common for all, is that they start by solving a single-phase flow problem once and continue by agglomerating cells from an underlying fine-scale grid. We present several variations of the original method. First, we discuss how to include a priori information in the coarsening process, e.g., to adapt to special geological features or to obtain less irregular grids where flow-adaption is not crucial. Second, we show how different algorithmic choices can simplify the matrix structure of the discretized system and lead to reduced computational complexity. Finally, we demonstrate how to improve simulation accuracy by dynamically adding local resolution near strong saturation fronts.


Video quality estimation is considered a means of monitoring quality of service in broadcasting or IPTV services. In this paper, a no-reference peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) estimation method is first presented for a quadtree-based motion estimation or compensation and transform coding scheme such as HEVC test model (HM), which is expected to be popularly used due to its highly enhanced coding efficiency, in 2-D and 3-D high resolution videos. The proposed no-reference PSNR estimation method is based on a Laplacian mixture distribution, which takes into account the distribution characteristics of residual transform coefficients in different quadtree depths and coding types of coding units (CUs). In order to predict the model parameters of the Laplacian mixture distribution for all zero quantized coefficients case, an exponential regression scheme is employed over quadtree depth levels of CUs. The proposed no-reference PSNR estimation method yields fairly accurate results from 0.970 to 0.983 in correlation and from 0.530 to 0.890 in RMSE between the actual and the estimated PSNR values for HM encoded bitstreams, outperforming single PDF based models.


3D-printers enable end-users to design and fabricate unique physical artifacts but maintain an increased entry barrier and friction. End users must design tangible artifacts through intangible media away from the main problem space (ex-situ) and transfer spatial requirements to an abstract software environment. To allow users to evaluate dimensions, balance, or fit early and in-situ, we developed BrickStARt, a design tool using tangible construction blocks paired with a mixed-reality headset. Users assemble a physical block model at the envisioned location of the fabricated artifact.
Designs can be tested tangibly, refined, and digitally post-processed, remaining continuously in-situ. We implemented BrickStARt using a Magic Leap headset and present walkthroughs, highlighting novel interactions for 3D-design. In a user study (n=16), first-time 3D-modelers succeeded more often using BrickStARt than Tinkercad. Our results suggest that BrickStARt provides an accessible and explorative process while facilitating quick, tangible design iterations that allow users to detect physics-related issues (e.g., clearance) early on.


A main challenge faced in the deep learning-based Underwater Image Enhancement (UIE) is that the ground truth high-quality image is unavailable. Most of the existing methods first generate approximate reference maps and then train an enhancement network with certainty. This kind of method fails to handle the ambiguity of the reference map. In this paper, we resolve UIE into distribution estimation and consensus process. We present a novel probabilistic network to learn the enhancement distribution of degraded underwater images. Specifically, we combine conditional variational autoencoder with adaptive instance normalization to construct the enhancement distribution. After that, we adopt a consensus process to predict a deterministic result based on a set of samples from the distribution. By learning the enhancement distribution, our method can cope with the bias introduced in the reference map labeling to some extent. Additionally, the consensus process is useful to capture a robust and stable result. We examined the proposed method on two widely used real-world underwater image enhancement datasets. Experimental results demonstrate that our approach enables sampling possible enhancement predictions. Meanwhile, the consensus estimate yields competitive performance compared with state-of-the-art UIE methods. Code available at https://github.com/zhenqifu/PUIE-Net.


Non prostanoid endothelium-derived relaxing and contracting factors (EDRF and EDCF, respectively) are released by endothelial cells and act on the underlying vascular smooth muscle. It is now established that EDRF is nitric oxide (NO), whereas EDCF has been recently identified as a 21 residue peptide, called endothelin. However, circumstantial evidence suggests that there may be more than one EDRF and/or EDCF. EDRF (NO) induces relaxation of the underlying vascular smooth muscle by enhancing intracellular level of cyclic guanosine monophosphate. The mechanisms of action of endothelin are still to be defined. It seems however that influx of extracellular calcium may partly account for its action. Although important findings have been made recently, most of the hypotheseses, at our current stage of knowledge, about the respective roles of EDRF and EDCF in disease have still to be proved. However, it is preferable from now to think in terms of balance (or imbalance) between these two factors which, probably, have both a fundamental role and very likely interact with each other in maintaining and regulating vascular tone in man.


This paper seeks to do an ecocritical reading of Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon. Most slave narratives and African American novels have characters that move from the South to the North in order to escape slavery as well as make a better living. However, this novel is unique because Milkman undergoes a process of reverse migration – journeying from the North to the South. Also, the main character achieves a different kind of liberation. Although he is already a free man living in the 1950-60s America, Milkman is alienated from his historical roots because of the influence from his father Macon. The one who guides Milkman toward his ancestry is Pilate, his aunt, who lives in a totally opposite way from Milkman's father Macon. In this paper, I focus on Pilate's relationship to the environment – an ecocritical reading of the character. Pilate is important because she is the only guide for Milkman to achieve liberation. It is interesting that she, who is without a navel, lives in the Northern city, an urban environment, without any use of electricity and gas. Many studies on Pilate have already focused on her relationship to the physical environment, exemplified by her rural living style in the urban space; however, an ecocritical reading will provide various other aspects about Pilate. Pilate's Afrocentric way of living, exemplified by her natural way of living, is significant due to the fact that she reclaims the space that African Americans were exempt from. Black people in America could not claim a space for themselves other than living like the mainstream whites or like a radical extremist. Pilate's relationship to the environment is very unique she is able to have the agency to claim a space for herself as well as be rooted to her ancestry in the urban environment of the North.


This paper reports the results of three studies, each of which investigated the sense of presence within virtual environments as a function of visual display parameters. These factors included the presence or absence of head tracking, the presence or absence of stereoscopic cues, and the geometric field of view used to create the visual image projected on the visual display. In each study, subjects navigated a virtual environment and completed a questionnaire designed to ascertain the level of presence experienced by the participant within the virtual world. Specifically, two aspects of presence were evaluated: (1) the sense of being there and (2) the fidelity of the interaction between the virtual environment participant and the virtual world. Not surprisingly, the results of the first and second study indicated that the reported level of presence was significantly higher when head tracking and stereoscopic cues were provided. The results from the third study showed that the geometric field of view used to design the visual display highly influenced the reported level of presence, with more presence associated with a 50 and 90° geometric field of view when compared to a narrower 10° geometric field of view. The results also indicated a significant positive correlation between the reported level of presence and the fidelity of the interaction between the virtual environment participant and the virtual world. Finally, it was shown that the survey questions evaluating several aspects of presence produced reliable responses across questions and studies, indicating that the questionnaire is a useful tool when evaluating presence in virtual environments.


Large cardiovascular outcome trials have reported favorable effects of sodium‐glucose co‐ transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on heart failure. To study the potential mechanism of the SGLT2 inhibition  in heart failure, we used the murine doxorubicin‐induced cardiomyopathy model and identified the toll‐like receptor 9 (TLR9), NAD‐dependent deacetylase sirtuin‐3 (SIRT3), and Beclin 1,  acting  in  a  complex  together  in  response  to  empagliflozin  treatment.  The  interactions  and implications in mitochondrial function were evaluated with TLR9 deficient, SIRT3 deficient, Beclin 1  haplodeficient,  and  autophagy  reporter mice  and  confirmed  in  a  patient  with  SIRT3  point mutation and reduced enzymatic activity. The SGLT2  inhibitor, empagliflozin, protects the heart from doxorubicin  cardiomyopathy  in mice, by acting  through a novel Beclin 1‐toll‐like  receptor (TLR)  9‐sirtuin‐(SIRT)  3  axis.  TLR9  and  SIRT3 were  both  essential  for  the  protective  effects  of empagliflozin.  The  dilated  cardiomyopathy  patient  with  SIRT3  point  mutation  and  reduced enzymatic activity  is associated with  reduced TLR9 activation and  the absence of mitochondrial responses  in  the  heart  after  the  SGLT2  inhibitor  treatment.  Our  data  indicate  a  dynamic communication between autophagy and Beclin 1‐TLR9‐SIRT3 complexes  in  the mitochondria  in response to empagliflozin that may serve as a potential treatment strategy for heart failure.


THE PROGRAMS of this and other medical and surgical societies are designed to present new ideas and methods of treatment of disease or to evaluate procedures which are in vogue. The numerous meetings of these societies are well attended and should be considered to be postgraduate courses. They are well worth while. On the whole, our programs should continue to be directed in the same general pattern. However, is this scientific program sufficient? In the past few years physicians individually and collectively have been forced to justify their customs and practices to an ever-increasing degree before the attacks of bureaucrats, welfare groups, professional philanthropic groups, government agencies, organized trade associations, and the press, in spite of the magnificent advances made in the medical sciences and in the care of the sick. We have recently been forced to hire a group of public-relations experts to help us halt the precipitous trend


This paper focuses on a subfield of machine learning, the so- called grammatical inference. Roughly speaking, grammatical inference deals with the problem of inferring a grammar that generates a given set of sample sentences in some manner that is supposed to be realized by some inference algorithm. We discuss how the analysis and formalization of the main features of the process of human natural language acquisition may improve results in the area of grammatical inference.


This presentation gives participants the opportunity to review major conceptual insights into planning care for serious illness, starting from the demand for honesty about the options, working through the challenges of having so few cultural landmarks for long-term illness with ambiguous timelines, and addressing the changing challenges of caregiving. Categorizing trajectories of illness allows mass customization of service arrays and appears to be especially useful in making appropriate services readily available. But still, patient and family preferences must determine the actual course, so some practical pointers on how to frame and elicit those conversations will be in order. I close with some very challenging issues: assuring quality in the timeliness of death; defining quality of care plans across settings; and conceptualizing quality in unique situations. These issues are still unsettled, but the requirement to plan ahead in order to honour the informed choices of persons living with fatal illness is a settled mandate of good care.


Pickering emulsions are widely used as delivery systems in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries for the encapsulation and sustained release of hydrophilic compounds. The solid colloidal particles stabilized in oil–water interface can prevent the oil droplets from undesired coalescence and endow additional functionality. In order to impact further protection and pH-responsive deliver of the encapsulated component, we used two kinds of mechanisms. For internal interaction, the excess Ca2+ on the surface of zein–tannic acid (TA)/Ca2+ nanoparticles (NPs) interacted with alginate added to form a second layer. In the case of external gelation, a cross-linking agent (Ca2+) was dissolved in the aqueous gelling bath outside. When added the mixture of the emulsions to Ca2+ solution, alginate–Ca beads were formed to encapsulate the emulsions and further impact the pH-responsive deliver of VD3 in stomach and rapid release of it in small intestine.


OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE:Despite development of computer-assisted neurosurgical navigation, learning by dissecting anatomic specimens is still important. CLINICAL PRESENTATION:We describe the processes from preparation of specimens for cranial dissection to documentation of three-dimensional (3-D) stereoscopic pictures, particularly focusing on the latter, which has been initiated in the Microneuroanatomy Laboratory, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Florida. INTERVENTION:Preparation consists of irrigation of the major vessels and injection of colored silicone. The 3-D documentation, obtaining two pictures corresponding to each eye's view, is obtained by the shoot-shift-shoot method using a single camera mounted on a slide bar. The key of this method is correct shifting of the camera without alignment error to get exact 3-D effects. Observation of 3-D image can be made with free viewing, a 3-D viewer, or projection. Tips concerning all of the processes involved are described. CONCLUSION:The presented method of dissection and obtaining 3-D images is beneficial for accomplishing studies of anatomy and for providing teaching method.


Growth of cells in three-dimensional porous scaffolds has gaining importance in the field of tissue engineering. The scaffolds guide cellular growth, synthesize extra-cellular matrix and other biological molecules, and make the formation of tissues and functional organs easier. The aim of this work was to use α-TCP (α-tricalcium phosphate) cement in order to obtain such scaffolds, with the aid of paraffin spheres as pores generators. These spheres were produced by suspension in an aqueous solution of polyvinylalcohol (PVA) and sodium sulphate (Na2SO4). The porosity of the scaffolds produced with paraffin spheres was analyzed and compared to the literature, and the study of scaffolds permeability using Forchenheimer equation allowed the analysis of pores interconnectivity. In vitro tests showed the behavior of scaffolds in solutions of SBF (Simulated Body Fluid), and viability and cell proliferation were also evaluated. Use of paraffin spheres showed to be appropriate to the formation of pores suitable size to allow cellular growth.


Though not laying any claim to being considered a pioneer in this systematic treatise on the genus Macrophthalmus, a thorough account of which has been given by Ortmann in 1897, I hope a renewed investigation may be not unwelcome to carcinologists. The discrimination of the species of this genus, notwithstanding they are easily to be grouped around certain well-characterized forms, remains a troublesome task. As far as I know Ortmann (Zool. Jahrb. Abt. Syst., Bnd. 10, 1897, p. 340—342) was the first to give an analytical key of the species then known. Several authors, among whom we may name Miss Rathbun, Nobili, Stimpson and Laurie, have since described new species or cleared several yet undecided questions about imperfectly known forms, but it is especially to the accomplished carcinologist de Man that we owe the most important contributions to our knowledge in this respect and the minutest descriptions. 1) The rather rich collection of Macrophthalmus in the Leiden Museum has induced me to give a new account of it, taking as base Ortmann's revision of 1897. I much regret, that the terrible war that actually is devastating most of the civilized countries of Europe, has prevented me from getting informations about doubtful species, as it is impossible now to get access to type-specimens preserved in Museums of warfaring countries. 2) So I had to restrict myself almost entirely to the material of the Leiden Museum and it has been impossible to fill all the gaps left open by Ortmann. The number of names used for species of the genus under discussion is rather large. I give here a full list of the names that have come to my knowledge, alphabetically arranged, with reference to the first paper


Four British bumblebee species (Bombus terrestris, Bombus hortorum, Bombus ruderatus and Bombus subterraneus) became established in New Zealand following their introduction at the turn of the last century. Of these, two remain common in the United Kingdom (B. terrestris and B. hortorum), whilst two (B. ruderatus and B. subterraneus) have undergone marked declines, the latter being declared extinct in 2000. The presence of these bumblebees in New Zealand provides an unique system in which four related species have been isolated from their source population for over 100 years, providing a rare opportunity to examine the impacts of an initial bottleneck and introduction to a novel environment on their population genetics. We used microsatellite markers to compare modern populations of B. terrestris, B. hortorum and B. ruderatus in the United Kingdom and New Zealand and to compare museum specimens of British B. subterran-eus with the current New Zealand population. We used approximate Bayesian computation to estimate demographic parameters of the introduction history, notably to estimate the number of founders involved in the initial introduction. Species-specific patterns derived from genetic analysis were consistent with the predictions based on the presumed history of these populations; demographic events have left a marked genetic signature on all four species. Approximate Bayesian analyses suggest that the New Zealand population of B. subterraneus may have been founded by as few as two individuals, giving rise to low genetic diversity and marked genetic divergence from the (now extinct) UK population.


The present work investigated the effect of surface oxygenated groups on the adsorption of Cd(II) and Hg(II) by activated carbon. A study was undertaken to determine the adsorption isotherms and the influence of the pH on the adsorption of each metallic ion by a series of ozonized activated carbons. In the case of Cd(II), the adsorption capacity and the affinity of the adsorbent augmented with the increase in acid-oxygenated groups on the activated carbon surface. These results imply that electrostatic-type interactions predominate in this adsorption process. The adsorption observed at solution pH values below the pHPZC of the carbon indicates that other forces also participate in this process. Ionic exchange between -Cπ-H3O interaction protons and Cd(II) ions would account for these findings. In the case of Hg(II), the adsorption diminished with an increase in the degree of oxidation of the activated carbon. The presence of electron-withdrawing groups on oxidized carbons decreases the electronic density of their surface, producing a reduction in the adsorbentadsorbate dispersion interactions and in their reductive capacity, thus decreasing the adsorption of Hg(II) on the activated carbon. At pH values above 3, the pH had no influence on the adsorption of Hg(II) by the activated carbon, confirming that electrostatic interactions do not have a determinant influence on Hg(II) adsorption.


We study a continuous-time dynamical system that models the evolving distribution of genotypes in an infinite population where genomes may have infinitely many or even a continuum of loci, mutations accumulate along lineages without back-mutation, added mutations reduce fitness, and recombination occurs on a faster time scale than mutation and selection. Some features of the model, such as existence and uniqueness of solutions and convergence to the dynamical system of an approximating sequence of discrete time models, were presented in earlier work by Evans, Steinsaltz, and Wachter for quite general selective costs. Here we study a special case where the selective cost of a genotype with a given accumulation of ancestral mutations from a wild type ancestor is a sum of costs attributable to each individual mutation plus successive interaction contributions from each $k$-tuple of mutations for $k$ up to some finite ``degree''. Using ideas from complex chemical reaction networks and a novel Lyapunov function, we establish that the phenomenon of mutation-selection balance occurs for such selection costs under mild conditions. That is, we show that the dynamical system has a unique equilibrium and that it converges to this equilibrium from all initial conditions.


The development and field-testing of high-temperature sensors based on silicon carbide devices have shown promising results in several application areas. Silicon carbide based field-effect sensors can be operated over a large temperature range, 100-600 °C, and since silicon carbide is a chemically very inert material these sensors can be used in environments like exhaust gases and flue gases from boilers. The sensors respond to reducing gases like hydrogen, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide. The use of different temperatures, different catalytic metals and different structures of the gate metal gives selectivity to different gases and arrays of sensors can be used to identify and monitor several components in gas mixtures. MOSFET sensors based on SiC combine the advantage of simple circuitry with a thicker insulator, which increases the long term stability of the devices. In this paper we describe silicon carbide MOSFET sensors and their performance and give examples of industrial applications such as monitoring of car exhausts and flue gases. Chemometric methods have been used for the evaluation of the data.


IZA DP No. 13981 DECEMBER 2020 Managerial Performance of a FemaleOwned and Home-Based Firm Female entrepreneurship has been regarded as inferior to its male equivalent in terms of performance. Literature on gender differences in entrepreneurship focus mostly on showing the differences, but not much literature discusses where the differences come from, and how to mitigate them. This paper empirically examines the joint effect of female ownership and being home-based on owners' managerial performance. We estimate the average treatment effect of female-owned and homebased firms on return on assets (ROA) using the 2007 Survey of Business Owners (SBO) micro data. From the main estimation result, the marginal effects of female ownership and home-based business are both negative. The estimated ROA gains of female ownership and home-based business are about -37.20% and -67.17%, respectively. In contrast, we find that the joint effect of female ownership and home-based business is about 39.53% ROA gain. Our finding suggests that femaleowned firms can outperform under the appropriate supporting conditions, such as if they are able to remove travel time and costs by establishing their businesses at home. JEL Classification: L25, L26, J16


The green tuff from Hinai town, Akita is popular for architectural materials because of its beautiful pale green color and thermal and moisture retaining properties. When this stone is quarried and grinded for making products, approximately 60% of all quarried stone becomes the waste stone and it is required to be utilized effectively. Hinai-Green tuff is a porous media and it has abilities to neutralize acids and elute some minerals. These abilities may be effective for growth of microbes and our research group carries out the development of effective utilizations of Hinai-Green tuff as microbial activator. In this paper, the effects of Hinai-Green tuff on pH adjustment and microbial activities are described.Hinai-Green tuff had an ability to neutralize both acid and alkaline water and especially neutralized acids effectivelly. For example, acid water of initial pH3 was neutralized to pH7 by adding 10(w/v)% Hinai-Green tuff into the acid water. Therefore, Hinai-Green tuff can neutralize acid soil and water and adjust acid environments to adaptable environments for microbes. Moreover, Hinai-Green tuff could buffer decrease in pH. The pH of water containing Hinai-Green tuff did not decrease rapidly with adding drops of 0.1M HCl, and especially the buffer action was strongly observed at pH 7 to 8. Hinai-Green tuff is very helpful to maintain pH appropriate for microbes for long time against decrease in pH caused by acid rain and/or acid metabolites of microbes. And pH adjustment effects of Hinai-Green tuff were caused by the ion exchange between Ca2+ leached from the stone and H+.Consequently, microbes grew actively in a medium containing Hinai-Green tuff because of its pH adjustment effects. However, microbes did not grow in a medium containing natural zeolite from Futatsui town, Akita. The effects of Futatsui-Zeolite on pH adjustment for acid were low compared with Hinai-Green tuff.


Abstract Starting from consideration that urban intersections are sites with promise for safety and operational improvements, the paper describes the steps taken to develop a crash predictive model for estimating the safety performance of urban unsignalized intersections located in Palermo, Italy. The focus is on unsignalized four-legged one-way intersections widespread in Italian downtowns. The sample considered in the study consist of 92 intersections in Palermo, Italy. For the study were collected crashes occurred in the sites during the years 2006-2012, geometric design and functional characteristics and traffic flow. Results showed that data were overdispersed and NB1 distributed. In order to account for the correlation within responses Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) were used under different working correlation matrices.


The switching dynamics of a double-barrier Josephson junction is analyzed as a function of the microscopic properties of its electrodes. In particular, it is found that the nonstationary behavior of the Josephson phase difference is very sensitive to dissipation mechanisms acting inside the intrinsic shunt. The leading factor that determines the dissipation is the local electron density of states N(E) inside the electrodes. The roles of junction geometry, electrode purity, and interface quality are discussed and how they affect the details of N(E), hence the resulting phase dynamics. The microscopic analyses allow optimization of the performance of double-barrier Josephson junction-based rapid-single-flux-quantum circuits in two ways: 1) decreasing the switching time of Josephson elements and 2) reducing the excess wiring. Such an analysis is facilitated with the aid of a lumped circuit representation which generalizes the nonlinear resistive-shunted-junction model.


Charge trapping and breakdown mechanism in p- and n-channel MOSFETs with an HfAl/sub x/O/sub y/ and TaN metal electrode are investigated. Using carrier separation measurement technique, it is possible to clearly distinguish two different breakdown mechanisms: a high-K bulk initiated and an interfacial layer initiated breakdown. A model of charge trapping at different spatial locations in HfAl/sub x/O/sub y/ with a TaN gate structure is proposed to explain the polarity dependence of charge trapping characteristics and breakdown mechanisms.


Objective Late preterm birth confers increased risk of developmental delay, academic difficulties and social deficits. The late third trimester may represent a critical period of development of neural networks including the default mode network (DMN), which is essential to normal cognition. Our objective is to identify functional and structural connectivity differences in the posteromedial cortex related to late preterm birth. Methods Thirty-eight preadolescents (ages 9–13; 19 born in the late preterm period (≥32 weeks gestational age) and 19 at term) without access to advanced neonatal care were recruited from a low socioeconomic status community in Brazil. Participants underwent neurocognitive testing, 3-dimensional T1-weighted imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging and resting state functional MRI (RS-fMRI). Seed-based probabilistic diffusion tractography and RS-fMRI analyses were performed using unilateral seeds within the posterior DMN (posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus) and lateral parietal DMN (superior marginal and angular gyri). Results Late preterm children demonstrated increased functional connectivity within the posterior default mode networks and increased anti-correlation with the central-executive network when seeded from the posteromedial cortex (PMC). Key differences were demonstrated between PMC components with increased anti-correlation with the salience network seen only with posterior cingulate cortex seeding but not with precuneus seeding. Probabilistic tractography showed increased streamlines within the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus within late preterm children while decreased intrahemispheric streamlines were also observed. No significant differences in neurocognitive testing were demonstrated between groups. Conclusion Late preterm preadolescence is associated with altered functional connectivity from the PMC and lateral parietal cortex to known distributed functional cortical networks despite no significant executive neurocognitive differences. Selective increased structural connectivity was observed in the setting of decreased posterior interhemispheric connections. Future work is needed to determine if these findings represent a compensatory adaptation employing alternate neural circuitry or could reflect subtle pathology resulting in emotional processing deficits not seen with neurocognitive testing.


Abstract The article seeks to analyze discourses of two Orthodox Churches—Georgian (GOC) and Russian (ROC)—from the vantage point of their various interconnections with Europe and the ensuing representations of Europe framed in religious terms. Of particular salience are relations between ROC and GOC, on the one hand, and the Roman Catholic Church, on the other, as well as the positioning of both ROC and GOC within the global community of Orthodox Churches. The analyzed political circumstances force religious hierarchs of both institutions, even if they share the similar ambivalence toward the West, to differently reproduce the image of Europe. The broader geopolitical picture puts the GOC in the position of supporting government's foreign policy agenda which goes in opposition to the Kremlin, in spite of the fact that the former has a lot of common with the Moscow Patriarchate when it comes to criticism toward the Western liberal value systems.


Recently, because of the advent of Smart Grid and integration of distributed generations, electrical power grids are facing uncountable challenges. Increase of fault current is one of such serious challenges and there are some fault current limiters (FCLs) that can limit the fault current. Existing grid protection FCLs, however, simply limit the fault current passively and can allow the existing protection coordination schemes to fail. This phenomenon leads to catastrophic failure in the complex system and may cause unpredictable power grid operation. Unlike a FCL, a superconducting fault current controller (SFCC) employs a full-bridge thyristor rectifier, a high temperature superconducting (HTS) DC reactor, and an embedded control unit to maintain the fault current level at a proper value by adjusting the phase angle of thyristors. This paper contains experimental and numerical analysis to design and fabricate a SFCC system for protection and stability improvement in power grids. At first, fundamental characteristics of a SFCC system were introduced. System circuit diagram and operational principles were proposed. Secondly, the developed small-scale SFCC system was introduced and verified. A 40 Vrms/30 Arms class prototype SFCC employing HTS DC reactor was fabricated and short circuit tests that simulate various fault conditions were implemented to verify the control performance of the fault current. Finally, the practical feasibility of application of the SFCC system to the power system was studied. The problems caused by three-phase faults from the power grid were surveyed and transient stability analysis of the power system was conducted by simulations. From the experimental and simulation results, we can verify the feasibility of the SFCC in power system.


Optical absorbance measurements are presented for discontinuous films of gold, aluminum, and copper as a function of wavelength, polarization, and angle. Anomolous peaks in the absorbance spectra are observed for all three metals. Two peaks are detected for gold, and one peak is detected for both aluminum and copper. Comparison with electromagnetic theory is made on the basis that the microstructures can be modeled as prolate spheroids. The theoretical model is tested experimentally for various minor-to-major-axis ratios of the spheroid.


We conduct models and tests to ascertain whether there are speculative bubbles and which factors contribute to the bubbles if there exits one. In the model, we use the option value to represent the investment value of farm real estate and compare the option value, calculated from dynamic programming, with the actual farm real estate value to conclude whether there is a speculative bubble. In the test, we use robust regression analysis to ascertain the factors that contribute to the bubble. The result shows that there are two major speculative bubbles from 1976 to 1983 and 2003 to 2011 in Iowa State with the Iowa State data from 1950 to 2011. The factors contribute to the bubbles are corn price value, farm debt to asset ratio, direct government payment, net farm income and its percentage change, real farm value percentage change, urban land to total land ratio and production cost.


The current reference standard for the treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures is open reduction and internal fixation using an extended lateral approach. In the present retrospective study, we evaluated the results of a consecutive series of patients treated in the same fashion from June 2005 to September 2011 using a subcuticular single-layer closure technique. We also determined the risk factors for the development of wound complications and the rate of wound complications. Also, we assessed which patient, fracture, and surgical characteristics affected these complications. During the 75-month study period, we operated on 53 displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures in 50 patients using the extended lateral approach. The incision was closed using the subcuticular technique in 49 cases (92.45%). In the subcuticular closure group 2 (4.1%) deep infections and 2 (4.1%) superficial wound complications (1 dehiscence and 1 infection) occurred. Wound edge or flap necrosis was not encountered. The use of bone-void filler and the experience of the surgical team were significantly (p < .001 and p = .026, respectively) associated with the occurrence of wound complications. The subcuticular single-layer suture technique is a suitable closure technique in the treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures. It was associated with a low complication rate combined with the extended lateral approach. The effect of bone void fillers on the incidence of complications should receive more attention in future research. The association between wound complications and the experience level of the surgical team supports the need for centralization of this complex injury.


The fast growing cosmetic market and the need for innovative products with new or combined properties lead to the development of a large variety of new complex polymer materials. The variations which can be achieved by modifying the monomer composition or the method of synthesis are very useful to produce (co)polymers with peculiar properties. The demand in characterization is then very important to understand the molecular structure of these new products in order to relate them with the observed properties aiming at the establishment of structure-property relationships. Such knowledge allows for optimization of the parameters of the synthesis and consequently the final application properties. The aim of this work was to develop analytical methods and tools to comprehensively characterise the heterogeneities of acrylate- and methacrylate-based copolymers. The focus of the method development was on multidimensional chromatographic techniques that allow the different parameters of molecular heterogeneity (e.g. molar mass distribution, MMD, chemical composition distribution, CCD) to be described quantitatively.


An acoustic method for the measurement of the effective tem- perature and refractive index of air for precision length interferometry is described. The method can be used to improve the accuracy of interfero- metric length measurements outside the best laboratory conditions and also in industrial conditions. The method is based on the measurement of speed of 50-kHz ultrasound over the same distance measured with a laser interferometer. The measured speed of ultrasound is used to define the effective temperature or the refractive index of air along the laser beam path using the equations presented. The measured speed of sound, Cramer equation, dispersion correction, and Edlen equations are used in the fitting of new equations for the effective air temperature and refractive index of air as a function of speed of 50-kHz ultrasound. The standard uncertainties of the effective temperature and the refractive index of air equations are 15 mK and 1.7310 28 , respectively. The un- certainties of the effective temperature and refractive index of air mea- sured with the test setup for distances of about 5 m are 25 mK and 2.6 310 28 , respectively. © 2004 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.


Electron emission driven by both a strong DC applied bias and a superimposed laser field is examined through numerical simulations. Heating at the electrode surface that creates a dynamic, nonequilibrium electron distribution is included based on appropriate rate-equation analyses for energy balance. Much higher emission currents are predicted that follow the AC oscillations over the femtosecond range. The hot carrier population are predicted to persist much longer to yield a more gradual decay in the emission current beyond laser termination. The numerical results are also extended to an emitter array, given the interest in such configurations for obtaining high output coherent currents. The capability can subsequently be extended to assess the coherence and emittance of the electron source based on Monte Carlo transport techniques.Electron emission driven by both a strong DC applied bias and a superimposed laser field is examined through numerical simulations. Heating at the electrode surface that creates a dynamic, nonequilibrium electron distribution is included based on appropriate rate-equation analyses for energy balance. Much higher emission currents are predicted that follow the AC oscillations over the femtosecond range. The hot carrier population are predicted to persist much longer to yield a more gradual decay in the emission current beyond laser termination. The numerical results are also extended to an emitter array, given the interest in such configurations for obtaining high output coherent currents. The capability can subsequently be extended to assess the coherence and emittance of the electron source based on Monte Carlo transport techniques.


The objective of this study was to determine the clinicopathologic prognostic factors in adult granulosa cell tumors of the ovary. A retrospective review of the records of patients of granulosa tumors who were treated at our institute over a period of 10 years (1995–2005) was done. Clinical, pathologic, and follow-up data were collected. A total of 34 patients who were treated during this period were subjected to analysis. Cox univariate analysis and Wilcoxon's test for multivariate analysis were used as part of the SPSS software for examining the data. It was found that optimal cytoreduction (P= 0.02), presence of nuclear atypia (P< 0.001), and increased mitoses (P= 0.03) were the three factors that impacted significantly on survival. Age, stage of the tumor, parity, and size of the tumor had no significant effect on survival. Patients who received chemotherapy had a better median disease-free survival than those who did not (60 vs 48 months), but this did not reach statistical significance (P= 0.08). Optimal cytoreduction, nuclear atypia, and increased mitoses are the statistically significant prognostic factors and may be used for selecting patients for adjuvant therapy.


This work reports 4H-SiC bipolar junction transistor (BJT) results based upon our first intentionally graded base BJT wafer with both base and emitter epi-layers continuously grown in the same reactor. The 4H-SiC BJTs were designed to improve the common emitter current gain through the built-in electrical fields originating from the grading of the base doping. Continuously-grown epi-layers are also believed to be the key to increasing carrier lifetime and high current gains. The 4H-SiC BJT wafer was grown in an Aixtron/Epigress VP508, a horizontal hot-wall chemical vapor deposition reactor using standard silane/propane chemistry and nitrogen and aluminum dopants. High performance 4H-SiC BJTs based on this initial non-optimized graded base doping have been demonstrated, including a 4H-SiC BJT with a DC current gain of ~33, specific on-resistance of 2.9 mcm2, and blocking voltage VCEO of over 1000 V.


Patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma who do not respond to CAR‐T have a poor outcome. We present a case of refractory follicular lymphoma who relapsed after two CAR‐T infusions and achieved a complete remission after treatment with obinutuzumab and lenalidomide. This represents a promising treatment option in the post‐CAR‐T setting.


which were obvious Doth clinically and radiologically. Often, when he could not decide with certainty, he could put forward a timely and guiding suggestion. On the other 'hand, the practising physician might with advantage refer his infant patients more often for X ray examination of the epiphyses. This was frequently done for rickets, but, outside children's hospitals, rarely for scurvy. A miscellany of films depicting various bone conditions and congenital abnormalities completed the demonstration.


Malignant hyperthermia(MH) is an inherited skeletal muscle disorder characterized by hypermetabolism, muscle rigidity, rhabdomyolysis, fever, metabolic acidosis and death if untreated . The syndrome is believed to result from abnormal control of intracellular calcium ions in the skeletal muscle: on exposure to certain anesthetics, calcium level is increased, and then it activates contractile processes and biochemical events that support muscle contraction, We experienced a MH of 2 years-old male who had release of sternocleidomastoid muscle due to torticolis under general anesthesia. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental and succinylcholine, maintained with enflurane, nitrous oxide and oxygen(2 volume%: 2 L/min: 2 L/min). After induction of anesthesia, his heart rate, end-tidal CO2 tension and body temperature had been gradually increased and then those were reached to maximal value of heart rate(160-170 BPM end-tidal CO2 tension(60-70 mmHg) and body temperature(4I℃) 55 minutes later. He was immediately managed with symptomatic treatment such as hyperventilation with oxygen, cooling, ℃-blocker, sodium bicarbonate and diuretics, so he was survived without any sequelae.


This thesis deals partly with the design and synthesis ofligands for use in asymmetric catalysis, and partly with theapplication of microwave heating on metal-based asymmetriccatalytic reactions.Enantiomerically pure pyridyl alcohols and bipyridylalcohols were synthesized from the chiral pool for future usein asymmetric catalysis. Lithiated pyridines were reacted withseveral chiral electrophiles, yielding diastereomeric mixturesthat could be separated without the use of resolutiontechniques.New pyridino- and quinolinooxazolines were synthesized andtested in palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylation using1,3-diphenyl-2-propenyl acetate and dimethyl malonate. Theconformational preferences of the ligands in palladiumcomplexes were studied with crystallography, 2D-NMR techniquesand DFT calculations. Conclusions about how the chirality wastransferred from the ligand to the substrate could be drawnfrom the conformational analysis.The effect of heating Pd- and Mo-catalyzed asymmetricallylic substitution reactions was investigated with oil bathheating and microwave irradiation. With a few exceptions,ligands with high room temperature selectivity were shown toretain their selectivity on heating. Reaction rates, catalyststability and product selectivities of microwave-heatedreactions were compared with those of reactions performed inoil bath.Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylation was studied withseveral ligand types, allylic substrates and nucleophiles. Someof the experimental procedures had to be adapted to microwaveheating conditions.The procedure for asymmetric allylation catalyzed bybispyridylamide molybdenum complexes was developed into aone-pot microwave-mediated reaction. With microwaves, Mo(CO)6could be used as an easily-handled metal sourceand inert conditions could be omitted. Derivatives of thebispyridylamide ligandswere synthesized and tested withmolybdenum as catalysts to investigate the effects ofsubstituents on the pyridine ring.Keywords: ligand, asymmetric catalysis, pyridylalcohols, oxazolines, conformational study, Pd-allyl, fastchemistry, microwave chemistry, Mo-allyl, bispyridylamides.


Peer-to-Peer (P2P) video streaming services on the Internet have gained increasing popularity during the past few years. However, many problems still need to be addressed before it can be widely deployed in the wireless environment. The existing P2P overlay network architecture hides the underlying network topology, assuming channel quality is always in perfect condition. This works well for the Internet-based services, but hardly meets the user-perceived video quality requirement in wireless environments due to the time-varying nature of wireless channels. Inspired by the tightly-coupled relationship between P2P overlay networks and the underlying networks, we propose a novel scheduling algorithm on the basis of a quality-driven cross-layer design framework to jointly optimize the parameters of different network layers to achieve highly-improved video quality for P2P video streaming applications in multi-hop wireless mesh networks. In this paper, the quality-driven P2P scheduling algorithm is formulated into a distributed distortion-delay optimization problem, where the expected video distortion is minimized under the constraint of a given packet playback deadline to select the optimal combination of system parameters residing in different network layers. Then we provide the algorithmic solution to the formulated problem based on dynamic programming. The distributed optimization running on each partner node adopted in the scheduling algorithm greatly reduces the computational intensity. Extensive experimental results demonstrate 5-15dB quality enhancement in terms of PSNR by using the proposed scheduling algorithm.


Meniere's disease (MD) is an inner ear disease characterised by tinnitus, vertigo and sensorineural hearing loss. The exact aetiology of MD is unknown but it is generally considered as a multifactorial disease. The role of genetic factors in the development of MD has been well documented. Familial clustering of MD has been observed in several studies and the proportion of familial cases is estimated to be 5–23.5%. Single locus on chromosome 12p12.3 has been reported in Swedish MD families. In addition, several inconclusive candidate-gene analyses have been performed. At the moment, knowledge of genetic factors associated with MD is modest. Molecular genetic study of MD is complicated by genetic and clinical heterogeneity and diagnostic challenges. However, modern genetics may be useful in discovering new pathways associated with the pathophysiology of MD in the future.

Key Concepts:

The knowledge of genetic factors associated with MD is currently modest.

Genetic and clinical heterogeneity, diagnostic challenges, multifactorial origin and late onset of MD create challenges to the molecular genetic analysis of the disease.

Family-based studies may assist to reduce genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity to identify molecular mechanisms or pathways involved in the pathogenesis of MD.

Candidate-gene analysis is an ineffective way to study the genetics of MD and future genetic studies should emphasise the usage of linkage analyses and next-generation sequencing as well as studying epigenetic pathways.

A strong interdisciplinary research environment is needed to successfully study molecular genetics of MD. Combined efforts of highly skilled otologists, geneticists and statisticians are needed to overcome the difficulties in the molecular genetic analyses of MD. To achieve power for genetic studies, a greater number of subjects are needed. This shortcoming may be corrected by an international cooperation between study groups.

Keywords:

Meniere's disease;
genetics;
familial;
multifactorial;
candidate-gene analysis;
linkage analysis;
next-generation sequencing


Individuals age differently depending on a multitude of different factors such as lifestyle, medical history and genetics. Often, the global chronological age is not indicative of the true ageing process. An organ-based age estimation would yield a more accurate health state assessment. In this work, we propose a new deep learning architecture for organ-based age estimation based on magnetic resonance images (MRI). The proposed network is a 3D convolutional neural network (CNN) with increased depth and width made possible by the hybrid utilization of inception and fire modules. We apply the proposed framework for the tasks of brain and knee age estimation. Quantitative comparisons against concurrent MR-based regression networks and different 2D and 3D data feeding strategies illustrated the superior performance of the proposed work.


Background The popularization of mobile health (mHealth) apps for public health or medical care purposes has transformed human life substantially, improving lifestyle behaviors and chronic condition management. Objective This review aimed to identify behavior change techniques (BCTs) commonly used in mHealth, assess their effectiveness based on the evidence reported in interventions and reviews to highlight the most appropriate techniques to design an optimal strategy to improve adherence to data reporting, and provide recommendations for future interventions and research. Methods We performed a systematic review of studies published between 2010 and 2021 in relevant scientific databases to identify and analyze mHealth interventions using BCTs that evaluated their effectiveness in terms of user adherence. Search terms included a mix of general (eg, data, information, and adherence), computer science (eg, mHealth and BCTs), and medicine (eg, personalized medicine) terms. Results This systematic review included 24 studies and revealed that the most frequently used BCTs in the studies were feedback and monitoring (n=20), goals and planning (n=14), associations (n=14), shaping knowledge (n=12), and personalization (n=7). However, we found mixed effectiveness of the techniques in mHealth outcomes, having more effective than ineffective outcomes in the evaluation of apps implementing techniques from the feedback and monitoring, goals and planning, associations, and personalization categories, but we could not infer causality with the results and suggest that there is still a need to improve the use of these and many common BCTs for better outcomes. Conclusions Personalization, associations, and goals and planning techniques were the most used BCTs in effective trials regarding adherence to mHealth apps. However, they are not necessarily the most effective since there are studies that use these techniques and do not report significant results in the proposed objectives; there is a notable overlap of BCTs within implemented app components, suggesting a need to better understand best practices for applying (a combination of) such techniques and to obtain details on the specific BCTs used in mHealth interventions. Future research should focus on studies with longer follow-up periods to determine the effectiveness of mHealth interventions on behavior change to overcome the limited evidence in the current literature, which has mostly small-sized and single-arm experiments with a short follow-up period.


This article provides an overview of the multimedia messaging service. It also addresses the interoperability challenges this new service brings as mobile terminal capabilities evolve at a very fast pace. It explains how server-side multimedia message adaptation technologies can provide smooth format and service evolution while ensuring interoperability.


Harm reduction encompasses interventions, programmes and policies that seek to reduce the health, social and economic harms of drug use to individuals, communities and societies. We envisage harm reduction as a 'combination intervention', made up of a package of interventions tailored to local setting and need, which give primary emphasis to reducing the harms of drug use. We note the enhanced impact potential derived from delivering multiple harm reduction interventions in combination, and at sufficient scale, especially needle and syringe distribution in combination with opioid substitution treatment programmes. We note that harm reduction is a manifestation of mainstream public health approaches endorsed globally by the United Nations, and in the EU drugs strategy and action plans, and features as an integral element of drug policy in most of the European region. However, we note evidence that links drug harms to policies that emphasise strict law enforcement against drug users; an unintended consequence of international drug control conventions. The continuum of 'combination interventions' available to harm reduction thus extends from drug treatment through to policy or legal reform and the removal of structural barriers to protecting the rights of all to health. We end by introducing this monograph, which seeks to reflect upon two decades of scientific evidence concerning harm reduction approaches in Europe and beyond.


Abstract Adsorption of the polycation chitosan on montmorillonite was studied at different pH values from 4.5 to 6.5 and at temperatures of 25, 50 and 75°C. The amount of chitosan adsorbed increased with temperature, indicating that temperature is a decisive factor. At pH 5.0 and 25°C the amount adsorbed was 1.18 molc kg-1, whereas it was 1.5 times higher (1.79 molc kg-1) at 75°C. The uptake of chitosan increased significantly at higher pH. This can be attributed to the decrease in the degree of protonation. Surface charge and X-ray diffraction measurements indicate that most of the chitosan is adsorbed in the interlayer, where mono- and bilayer structures are formed. The kinetics of chitosan adsorption also depend on temperature and pH. At ≥ 50°C, the adsorption mechanism of chitosan on montmorillonite is closest to the intraparticle diffusion model, whereas at lower temperature (25°C) the adsorption process is closer to the pseudo-second order model. The pH of the solution affects the protonation degree of chitosan and the mode of adsorption on montmorillonite, but not the adsorption rate. For chitosan-montmorillonite prepared at pH 5.0 and 75°C, the effective anion exchange capacity (AEC) was found to be 80% (0.36 molc kg-1) of the calculated value. The relatively large AEC and the location of most of the anion exchange sites in the interlayer make chitosan-montmorillonite an interesting prospect as an adsorbent for water-purification procedures.


Corticosteroids have been used by ophthalmologists with increasing frequency over the past 30 years, with the concomitant development of a diverse range of drop, ointment, subconjunctival, and oral preparations. Though the clinical benefits and side effects of such corticosteroid preparations have been well documented, their basic pharmacokinetics in the human eye have yet to be fully established. Indeed most of our pharmacokinetic knowledge of these drugs has been elucidated by extrapolation of data obtained from rabbit experiments.1-26 These results can be significantly disparate from human data because of the thinner rabbit cornea, lower rabbit blink rate, effect of general anaesthetic, upright or recumbent position, vascularity of the rabbit orbital plexus, and small rabbit body mass.'8 27-29 Thus, in general, measurements of steroid concentration in rabbit eyes27 13 19-212425 tend to be significantly higher than those recorded in humans.3135


Context. The observed light curves of most eclipsing binaries
and stars with transiting planets can be described well and
interpreted by current advanced physical models that also allow
for determining many of the physical parameters of eclipsing
systems. However, for several common practical tasks, there is
no need to know the detailed physics of a variable star, but
only the shapes of their light curves or other phase curves.
Aims. We present a set of phenomenological models for the light
curves of eclipsing systems. Methods. We express the observed
light curves of eclipsing binaries and stars, which are
transited by their exoplanets orbiting in circular
trajectories, by a sum of special, analytical, few-parameter
functions that enable fitting their light curves with an
accuracy of better than 1%. The proposed set of
phenomenological models of eclipsing variable light curves were
then tested on several real systems. For XY Bootis, we also
give a detailed comparison of the results obtained using our
phenomenological modelling with those found using available
physical models. Results. We demonstrate that the proposed
phenomenological models of transiting exoplanet and eclipsing
binary light curves applied to ground-based photometric
observations yield results compatible with those obtained by
applying more complex physical models. Conclusions. The
suggested phenomenological modelling appears useful for solving
a number of common tasks in the field of eclipsing variable
research.