This article proposes a research paradigm located within the respectful relationship between participants and researcher(s) towards construction of positive holding, interactions and invitational environments which privilege social justice. I outline power as expressed at the heart of any form of human society through communication. For analysing power relations, issues of social justice and democratic citizenship become central. This article also demonstrates that social justice in research depends on interactions between the participants and researcher(s). I further argue for the need to engage with the methodological expectations of critical emancipatory research (CER), using the power of language and communication. I interrogate and trouble the power of text in the form of spoken or written words or any other means of communication. In addition, the article conceptualises communication as a medium of expression between the researcher(s) and participants; the researcher should not be regarded as aloof from the conditions of the participants. Therefore, the argument developed for social justice and democratic citizenship is that researcher(s) should be sensitive to the plight of all participants, recognising their voices or experiences. The article concludes by acknowledging the fact that human language is a product of human communication and that communication is important for knowledge production.


Abstract Ensuring respect for, and protection of, the wounded and sick and delivery of health care to them were at the origin of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, as well as the development of international humanitarian law (IHL). In today's armed conflicts and other emergencies, the problem is not the lack of existing international rules but the implementation of relevant IHL and international human rights law (IHRL) which form a complementary framework governing this issue. Against the backdrop of the different manifestations of violence observed by the ICRC in the field and expert consultations held in the framework of the Health Care in Danger Project, this article identifies commonalities between the two legal regimes, including with respect to obligations to provide and facilitate impartial health care; prohibitions of attacks against wounded and sick and health-care providers; prohibitions to arbitrarily obstruct access to health care; prohibitions to harass health-care personnel, in violation of medical ethics; or positive obligations to ensure essential medical supplies and health-care infrastructure and protect health-care providers against violent interferences by others. The article concludes by indicating certain areas where implementation of existing IHL and IHRL is needed, including in domestic normative frameworks, military doctrine and practice, as well as training of health-care personnel on these international legal frameworks and medical ethics.


Objective: The efficacy and safety of budesonide/formoterol maintenance and reliever therapy (MRT) has been demonstrated in phase III clinical studies, but limited data are available in a real-life setting. We examined the pattern of maintenance and as-needed inhaler use in routine clinical practice among patients with asthma receiving budesonide/formoterol MRT (NCT00505388). Methods: This 12-month European observational study enrolled patients prescribed budesonide/formoterol MRT and grouped them based on regimen: 80/4.5 µg one inhalation twice daily (b.i.d.); 160/4.5 µg one inhalation b.i.d.; 160/4.5 µg two inhalations b.i.d. (all plus as needed). Patient data were collected daily using an interactive voice- or web-response system. The primary outcome measure was total number of budesonide/formoterol inhalations/day. Results: Overall, 4,581 patients were included (64% female; mean age 48.4 years; regimen: 80/4.5 µg, n = 119; 160/4.5 µg, n = 3,106; 2 × 160/4.5 µg, n = 1,355). Mean (median) total numbers of budesonide/formoterol inhalations/day were 2.48 (2.11), 2.53 (2.14), and 4.27 (4.05) for 80/4.5 µg b.i.d., 160/4.5 µg b.i.d., and 2 × 160/4.5 µg b.i.d., respectively; corresponding mean (median) number of as-needed inhalations/day were 0.68 (0.17), 0.73 (0.26), and 1.08 (0.45), respectively. As-needed budesonide/formoterol use was generally low with a mean of 61 – 66% of reliever-free days; over 4 reliever inhalations/day occurred on a mean of 0.4 – 2.5% of days for all budesonide/formoterol MRT regimens. Conclusions: In routine clinical practice, all budesonide/formoterol MRT regimens were associated with a high proportion of reliever-free days and low incidence of high reliever-use days, indicating acceptable levels of asthma control with this symptom-adjusted controller regimen.


THE term interference in its aerodynamic sense is generally associated with an effect that spoils the performance of an aeroplane mainly by increasing its drag at a given lift. While there are good grounds for this outlook, it is of some importance to remember that it by no means represents the whole truth. Interference effects are not confined solely to changes of drag or lift: they often play a material part in many other properties of a complete aeroplane such as its stability, its spinning properties and in the phenomenon known as buffeting. Further, it is not correct to assume that interference always works against the designer; it may quite well assist him in certain cases, and the better he understands its causes the more chance he has of designing combinations having favourable interference.


Concept lattice is a new mathematical tool for data analysis and knowledge processing. Attribute reduction is very important in the theory of concept lattice because it can make the discovery of implicit knowledge in data easier and the representation is simple. Knowledge discovery has received more and more attention from the business community for the last few years. One of the most important and challenging problems in it is the definition of discovery process model, which are well understood, efficiency, and quality of outcome. Infrastructure investment decisions consider future infrastructure demand projections from freight models, the quality of which depends on fidelity of input recursive data. Recursive distributions at both the levels: federal and county are insufficient for incorporating the effect of freight-related traffic on metropolitan-level transportation infrastructure. This paper describes a detail discussion about clusters based concept lattice with a recursive approach. First, we present a close degree of concept to measure the close-degree of two concepts with the attributes recursion. A higher order mining method embedded in the process achieved after monitoring several aspects and identifying changes statically and tracing trends dynamically this method works on several data mining analysis.


recent years, with the increasing use of laptops, iPods', PDA, etc. the demand for ad-hoc networks has been increased. Mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) is a network used to provide communication among various devices without any need for pre-existing infrastructure. MANET is formed by mobile nodes connected by wireless links without access points and backbone networks. It can be used for various applications as disaster management, conferences, military operations, rescue operations, and many more. Routing Protocols, other than conventional protocols are required for routing purposes in MANET. In this paper, performance of ad-hoc routing protocols as AODV, DSR and DYMO are analyzed under the effect of two shadowing model, as Constant and Lognormal. KeywordsAd-hoc networks, AODV, Constant Shadowing model, Lognormal Shadowing model, DSR, DYMO.


Global surveillance of HIV-1 subtypes for genetic characterization is hampered by the biohazard of processing and the difficulties of shipping whole blood or cells from many developing country regions. We developed a technique for the direct automated sequencing of viral DNA from dried blood spot (DBS) specimens collected on absorbent paper, which can be mailed unrefrigerated in sturdy paper envelopes with low biohazard risk. DBS were collected nonrandomly from HIV-1-infected, mostly asymptomatic, patients in five Asian countries in 1991, and shipped via airmail or hand carried without refrigeration to Bangkok, and then transshipped to North America for processing. After more than 2 years of storage, including 6 months at ambient temperatures, proviral DNA in the DBS was amplified by nested PCR, and a 389-nucleotide segment of the C2-V3 env gene region was sequenced, from which 287 base pairs were aligned and subtyped by phylogenetic analysis with neighbor-joining and other methods. From southern India, there were 25 infections with subtype C and 2 with subtype A. From Myanmar (Burma), we identified the first subtype E infection, as well as six subtype BB, a distinct cluster within subtype B that was first discovered in Thailand and that has now appeared in China, Malaysia, and Japan. From southwest China, one BB was identified, while a "classical" B typical of North American and European strains was found in Indonesia. From Thailand, five DBS of ambiguous serotype were identified as three B, one BB, and one E. A blinded control serotype E specimen was correctly identified, but a serotype BB control was not tested. Most HIV-1 in southern India appears to be env subtype C, with rare A, as others have reported in western and northern India. The subtypes BB and E in Myanmar, and the BB in China, suggest epidemiological linkage with these subtypes in neighboring Thailand. DBS are a practical, economical technique for conducting large-scale molecular epidemiological surveillance to track the global distribution and spread of HIV-1 variants.


This invention relates to compounds which are generally muscarinic M2/M3 receptor antagonists and which are represented by Formula I:wherein X, Y, and Z are O, S, or NR , and the other substituents are as defined in the specification; and prodrugs, individual isomers, racemic or non-racemic mixtures of isomers, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts or solvates thereof. The invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and methods for their use as therapeutic agents.


This study assessed the association between demographic attributes (gender, age, year in school, experience with students with disabilities, perceived competence in teaching students with disabilities, and academic preparation regarding individuals with disabilities) of undergraduate physical education majors and their attitudes toward teaching students labeled educable mentally retarded (EMR), learning disabled (LD), and behaviorally disordered (BD). Future physical educators (n = 226) were asked to complete the Physical Educators' Attitudes Toward Teaching the Handicapped questionnaire, and 174 (77%) agreed. Data were collected on the first day of classes of a 16-week semester. Results from forward stepwise multiple-regression procedures showed that perceived competence and academic preparation regarding individuals with disabilities were the best predictors of favorable attitudes in general, and for EMR and LD. Results also showed that for BD, age and year in school were the best predictors of favorabl...


Network performance maps can be used as a tool to predict network conditions at a given location, based on previous measurements at that location. By using measurement data from other users in similar locations, these predictions can be significantly improved. This thesis looks into the accuracy of predictions when using different approaches to distribute this data between users, we compare the accuracy of predictions achieved by using a central server containing all known measurements to the accuracy achieved when using a crowd-based approach with opportunistic exchanges between users. Using data-driven simulations, this thesis also compares and evaluates the impact of using different exchange policies. Based on these simulations we conclude which of the exchange policies provides the most accurate predictions.


Importance Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) relating to concussion management are published by various healthcare specialties, including but not limited to orthopaedic surgery, family medicine, neurology and athletic trainers. A systematic analysis can help identify high quality CPGs for clinical use by sports medicine physicians. Objective The purpose of this study is to systematically identify and appraise relevant CPGs related to sports-related concussion in adult patients. Evidence review Predetermined selection criteria were used by two reviewers who independently identified published CPGs before 1 November 2018. CPGs were excluded if they focused only on paediatric patients or their scope was greater than concussion in the setting of sports. The remaining guidelines were analysed by five independent reviewers with different levels of training using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II tool. Guidelines were deficient if they earned scores less than 50%. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assess interobserver agreement between the evaluators. Scores were compared by publishing institution and healthcare discipline using Kruskal-Wallis tests. Findings Seven CPGs met the inclusion criteria. Guidelines came from neurologists, athletic therapists/trainers and interdisciplinary sports medicine bodies. Interobserver agreement was strong and mean scores between surgical trainees (124.5) and board-certified surgeons (125.9) were not statistically different. Guideline quality was variable but not deficient (>50%), except regarding 'editorial independence'. No statistical difference was found between guidelines from different publishing institutions. Additionally, no statistical difference was found between guidelines published by different healthcare professionals. Conclusions and relevance Overall, CPG quality was variable but not deficient, except for the domain of editorial independence. Bias due to poor editorial independence is a concern, particularly in CPGs published by non-physicians. Given the similarity in content and methodological quality, consideration should be given to condense evidence into a single CPG to be used by all healthcare professionals in the management of sports concussion. Level of evidence 1, Systematic Review.


The attorney-client privilege is the oldest of the common-law privileges.' It protects information that clients communicate to their lawyers, 2 but it exists only so long as the clients are willing to preserve the confidentiality of the underlying communications. 3 If a client voluntarily 4 breaches the confidentiality and reveals the contents of the privileged communications to a third party, the privilege is waived.5 When the client is a corporation, however, and the privileged documents 7 are disclosed to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in response to an agency request or subpoena," some courts have found the usual rule of waiver to be too harsh, and have carved out an exception to the general principle


Interconnect diagnosis is an important problem in very large scale integration (VLSI), multichip module (MCM) and printed circuit board (PCB) production. The problem is to detect and locate all the shorts, opens and stuck-at faults among a set of nets using the minimum number of parallel tests. In this paper, we present worst-case optimal algorithms and lower bounds to several open problems in interconnect diagnosis. >


A significant regional disparity rate is among the characteristics of the Slovak Republic. In order to reduce the regional disparities and promote the development in the lagging regions, the Act on the Lagging districts (Act No. 336/2015 Coll.) was adopted in 2015 (hereinafter as Act). According the respective Act, the lagging districts are identified based on the rate of their registered unemployment. By the Act adopted methodology, which is based on the use of the solely indicator, resulted to the situation when one quarter of the total number of the districts in Slovakia is qualified as least-developed. Given the high portion of the districts labeled as lagging on the total number of the Slovak districts, it can be questioned whether the adequate threshold is used, or whether the selection based on the results of one indicator is sufficiently elastic. Author of the article poses the question whether the account of other indicators would influence the selection of the lagging districts, and if so, to which extend. Based on the experimental modelling and results of seven alternative models which took into account also other variables, it can be concluded, that the selection of the lagging districts through the solely indicator of registered unemployment, can be considered as distorted and not adequately reflecting the complexity of the socio-economic situation of the district in question. The list of the lagging districts has been changed most significantly in cases when the values attributed to variables related to educations outcomes were considered in a stronger manner. It can be argued, that the quality and the accessibility of the education has a crucial impact on the promotion of the district. Poor education results are then reflected in the higher unemployment rate, mostly the long-term and structural type. Given the strategic perspective, the aims of the public policies, including the Act on the Lagging districts, should focus primarily on the issues of education. Analysis of the support distributed according the Act on the lagging regions, showing the marginal focus on issues of education, is therefore, surprising.


Abstract Sedimentation of fines associated with human activity is an important source of ecological impoverishment in rivers. However, there is a paucity of information on whether fine sediment associated with natural processes results in similar impairment. We assessed the effect of fine sediment on the taxonomic composition and abundance of insect larvae in a river which receives high inputs as a result of naturally erodible badland areas. An adjacent subcatchment, which does not experience high sediment inputs but is otherwise similar, was used as a reference. There were marked differences in insect density and taxon richness between the two subcatchments. The abundance of a number of insect taxa decreased as the proportion of bed material comprising fines increased. A similar decrease was observed in the EPT metric. Fine sediment exerted a dominant and homogenizing influence on community structure in the patches of streambed where it occurred in high concentrations. Between 24 and 36% of the overall variability in community structure could be explained by sedimentary conditions. In locations where when fine sediment content was limited, other habitat variables influenced insect community structure, with patch assemblages generally more diverse and heterogeneous.


Background and Purpose— Early studies showed that carotid endarterectomy (CEA) carried a high risk if performed within days after a large ischemic stroke. Therefore, many surgeons delay CEA for 4 to 6 weeks after any stroke. To determine the effect of delay to CEA on operative risk and benefit, we pooled data from the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial and the European Carotid Surgery Trial. Methods— Risk of ipsilateral ischemic stroke in the medical group, operative risk of stroke and death, and overall benefit from surgery were determined in relation to the time from the last symptomatic event to randomization. Operative risk of stroke and death was also determined in relation to the time to surgery. Analyses were stratified by sex and type of presenting event. Results— The 30-day perioperative risk of stroke and death was unrelated to the time since the last symptomatic event and was not increased in patients operated <2 weeks after nondisabling stroke. In contrast, the risk of ipsilateral ischemic stroke in the medical group fell rapidly with time since event (P<0.001), as did the absolute benefit from surgery (P=0.001). This decline in benefit with time was unrelated to the type of presenting event but was more pronounced in women than men (difference P<0.001). Benefit in women was confined to those randomized <2 weeks after their last event, irrespective of severity of stenosis. Conclusions— CEA can be performed safely within 2 weeks of nondisabling ischemic stroke. Benefit from endarterectomy declines rapidly with increasing delay, particularly in women.


Valuing banks, insurance companies and investment banks has always been difficult, but the market crisis of 2008 elevated the concern to the top of the list of valuation issues. The problems with valuing financial service firm stem from two key characteristics. The first is that the cash flows to a financial service firm cannot be easily estimated, since items like capital expenditures, working capital and debt are not clearly defined. The second is that most financial service firms operate under a regulatory framework that governs how they are capitalized, where they invest, how much they can pay in dividends and how fast they can grow. Changes in the regulatory environment can create large shifts in value. In this paper, we confront both factors. We argue that financial service firms are best valued using equity valuation models, rather than enterprise valuation models, and with actual or potential dividends, rather than free cash flow to equity. The two key numbers that drive value are the cost of equity, which will be a function of the risk that emanates from the firm's investments, and the return on equity, which is determined both by the company's business choices as well as regulatory restrictions. We also look at how relative valuation can be adapted, when used to value financial service firms.


The aim of this study was to assess by means of biometric measurements and FT-IR and FT-Raman spectroscopic techniques the influence of storage conditions on the morphology and biochemical composition of Dahlia tubers. Investigated samples belong to 'Kennemerland' and 'Red Pygmy' cultivars of the Dahlia hybrida species, which were preserved over winter at 5-8 °C, 30-40% air humidity in different substrates: sand, sand and sawdust, peat and sawdust. The biometric parameters revealed that the peat and sawdust substrate is the most appropriate one for tubers storage, whereas the sand substrate is the least suitable one. The inulin signature was evidenced in all tuber samples as well as the changes of biochemical composition induced by different storage conditions. The analysis of the FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra demonstrated that the inulin accumulation inside the tubers is favourably influenced by the sand storage, and depends on the cultivar type. Moreover, it was established that the peat and sawdust substrate favours the polyacetylene formation inside the tubers probably because it facilitates the occurrence and development of pathogens inside the tuber. It was also found that the polyacetylene concentration increased, which is associated with the plant response to the pathogen invasion, depends on the cultivar type.


This research examines the role of professors and print media within small communities, the townand- gown relationship between universities and the broader communities they inhabit, and the nature of the public discourse on important social issues on community, provincial, national, and international levels. Since 1996, professors at a small Canadian liberal arts and sciences university have contributed to and supported an op-ed column in a local newspaper serving a small rural and conservative city. Using survey research and personal interviews, this research attempts to understand the motivations of these professors to write columns and explores their understandings of what it means to be a public intellectual. This case study contributes to the literature on the sociology of intellectuals, and especially the study of academics and their roles as public intellectuals within modern universities and the broader communities they inhabit and in which they are engaged.


The Amazon region is considered to be a high endemic area for Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infections, Rondonia state having the highest prevalence. The aim of this study was to identify molecular genotypes and mutations in the S gene region of HBV viral genomes from 20 patients using a DNA microarray. Results: Serological tests showed that 88% of patients were HBeAg negative, 82% had anti-HBe antibodies and 33% were co-infected with Hepatitis Delta Virus. Sixteen percent of the patients were considered cirrhotic, and 11% have been transfused. The microarray technique identified the genotypes A (4 patients), D (7 patients) and F (7 patients) in 18 samples. Mutations were detected in all 3 genotypes and, overall, A159G, which has been associated with a reduced antigenicity of the virus, was detected most frequently. In genotype A, G119E was the most frequently detected mutation followed by mutations A159G, F134Y, W172C, Y161F and T143S. A159G was detected in all genotype D and F samples followed by mutations T143S, Y161F, N131T, T114S and G119E in genotype D and mutations T143S, Y161F, N131T, T114S and G119E in genotype F. Conclusion: The analysis of mutations repartition among genotypes suggests that some of them are preferentially or exclusively associated with genotype A, D or F. This type of tool is adapted for clinical and therapy monitoring of patient as well as for molecular epidemiology research on HBV.


The Paper of the Year Award was established in 2008 by Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) as a means of reinforcing high-quality articles published in the journal, identifying emerging research themes, and tracking the impact of groundbreaking research (Tilson 2008). In this issue, we are pleased to announce that the EHP Paper of the Year for 2009 is "Decrease in Anogenital Distance among Male Infants with Prenatal Phthalate Exposure" by Shanna H. Swan, Katharina M. Main, Fan Liu, Sara L. Stewart, Robin L. Kruse, Antonia M. Calafat, Catherine S. Mao, J. Bruce Redmon, Christine L. Ternand, Shannon Sullivan, J. Lynn Teague, and the Study for Future Families Research Team (Swan et al. 2005). We chose this paper because of its high impact in both the research and legislative realms since its publication in 2005.

This paper (Swan et al. 2005) was the first to demonstrate an association between pregnant women's exposure to phthalates and adverse effects on genital development in their male children. Rodent studies had previously identified a syndrome of adverse effects of phthalates on the male reproductive system (Foster 2006; Sharpe 2005), and find-ings from Swan et al. (2005) supported the hypothesis that prenatal phthalate exposure at environmental levels can also adversely affect male reproductive development in humans. These findings are important because humans are commonly exposed to phthalates found in a wide variety of consumer products, including soft vinyl items, medical tubing and IV bags, and a variety of personal care products such as perfume, lotion, shampoo, cosmetics, nail polish, and hairspray.

Toxicologists routinely measure the external genitalia to assess reproductive toxicity in animal studies. One of these measures, anogenital distance (AGD)—a particularly sensitive indicator of masculinization—is shortened in male rodents following prenatal exposure to several phthalates (Foster 2006; Sharpe 2005). Swan et al. (2005) translated the standard animal exam to humans in order to investigate potential effects of phthalates on reproductive development in male infants. Specifically, they estimated associations between the presence and quantity of nine phthalate metabolites in mothers' prenatal urine samples and AGD and other measurements in their sons. Higher levels of four phthalate metabolites [monoethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), and monoisobutyl phthalate (MiBP)] were associated with a shorter AGD. Swan subsequently replicated and extended these findings (2008).

Swan et al. (2005) has had an impact on phthalate legislation such as the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, which dramatically reduced the amount of six phthalates (including DEHP and DBP) that are permissible in children's toys. The findings of Swan et al. (2005) have also been discussed and documented in numerous congressional hearings, including the June 2008 House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection hearing (Committee on Energy and Commerce 2008). This research was also cited heavily in support of regulations passed in California, Vermont, and Washington and introduced in Maine, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Minnesota, Illinois, Oregon, and Hawaii.

The AGD measure developed by Swan et al. (2005) is now being incorporated into multiple ongoing studies. The National Children's Study (NCS), for example, proposes to include AGD using a similar protocol in the infant exam being piloted in the NCS Vanguard Centers (National Children's Study 2009). In addition, Swan and colleagues expect funding in mid-2009 for a new multi center pregnancy cohort study that will examine prenatal phthalate exposure in relation to AGD and other reproductive parameters in a larger population using more precise methods. This research will provide standards for measuring genital landmarks obtained in a diverse population-based sample of male infants, which may be suitable for use in pediatric practice. Associations between phthalate metabolites and these androgen-sensitive measures could further impact public health policy, given the ubiquitous nature of these exposures and the clinical importance of appropriate androgen stimulation during fetal development.


The identification of new sleep drugs poses particular challenges in drug discovery owing to disease-specific requirements such as rapid onset of action, sleep maintenance throughout major parts of the night, and absence of residual next-day effects. Robust tools to estimate drug levels in human brain are therefore key for a successful discovery program. Animal models constitute an appropriate choice for drugs without species differences in receptor pharmacology or pharmacokinetics. Translation to man becomes more challenging when interspecies differences are prominent. This report describes the discovery of the dual orexin receptor 1 and 2 (OX1 and OX2) antagonist ACT-541468 out of a class of structurally related compounds, by use of physiology-based pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PBPK-PD) modeling applied early in drug discovery. Although all drug candidates exhibited similar target receptor potencies and efficacy in a rat sleep model, they exhibited large interspecies differences in key factors determining their pharmacokinetic profile. Human PK models were built on the basis of in vitro metabolism and physicochemical data and were then used to predict the time course of OX2 receptor occupancy in brain. An active ACT-541468 dose of 25 mg was estimated on the basis of OX2 receptor occupancy thresholds of about 65% derived from clinical data for two other orexin antagonists, almorexant and suvorexant. Modeling predictions for ACT-541468 in man were largely confirmed in a single-ascending dose trial in healthy subjects. PBPK-PD modeling applied early in drug discovery, therefore, has great potential to assist in the identification of drug molecules when specific pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic requirements need to be met.


This paper contains design microstrip patch antenna with feed line connector. The antenna is mainly intended to be used for reception of a signal transmitted from an unmanned aircraft, and can be used in many applications in communication systems such as satellite technology and military applications. A microstrip feed line patch antenna is designed for 2.5GHz center frequency have successfully been built. Measurement show that the half power beam width (HPBW) is 60 o with VSWR lower than 1.5, and return losses equal to -33.6dB at center frequency. Next, the results of microstrip feed line patch antenna is designed by using CAD (Microwave office 2000 version 3.22). Finally, the results obtained from the simulations are demonstrated.


The most critical issue in generating and recognizing paraphrases is developing a wide-coverage paraphrase knowledge base. To attain the coverage of paraphrases that should not necessarily be represented at surface level, researchers have attempted to represent them with general transformation patterns. However, this approach does not prevent spurious paraphrases because there is no practical method to assess whether or not each instance of those patterns properly represents a pair of paraphrases. This paper argues on the measurement of the appropriateness of such automatically generated paraphrases, particularly targeting at morpho-syntactic paraphrases of predicate phrases. We first specify the criteria that a pair of expressions must satisfy to be regarded as paraphrases. On the basis of the criteria, we then examine several measures for quantifying the appropriateness of a given pair of expressions as paraphrases of each other. In addition to existing measures, a probabilistic model consisting of two distinct components is examined. The first component of the probabilistic model is a structured N-gram language model that quantifies the grammaticality of automatically generated expressions. The second component approximates the semantic equivalence and substitutability of the given pair of expressions on the basis of the distributional hypothesis. Through an empirical experiment, we found (i) the effectiveness of contextual similarity in combination with the constituent similarity of morpho-syntactic paraphrases and (ii) the versatility of the Web for representing the characteristics of predicate phrases.


Community resilience, i.e., the ability of a community to utilize available resources to respond to, withstand, and recover from adverse situations, highly depends on the condition of community capitals. This paper examines the state of community capitals, considering the case of the rural community in East Hararghe. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and observations. The findings show that the stocks of the various capitals of the community are too low to contribute to moderate resilience. The negative interplay of the capitals of the community has led to a spiralling-down effect on each capital and exposed the community to severe vulnerability in the face of frequent shocks and disturbances. To reverse this condition and improve the resilience of the community, the results indicate the importance of first dealing with the long-established experiences of the community which are locking up community capitals and hence blocking community resilience; before attempting any other intervention. "Training for Transformation" is, therefore, suggested to be given to the community to enable it to reflect critically on its current situation and the cognitive and cultural impediments to change. This is expected to assist the community to integrate outside interventions productively and to increase its capabilities in using its own resources in its local environment.
Keywords: Community Capitals; Farmers; Resilience; Rural; Smallholders; Vulnerability


Livelihood generation is one of the major potentials of sericulture and silk industry. Sericulture with its high employment potentiality and more income generation in the households itself has been identified as one of the major sources of rural development by empowering women through the financial self-dependent. Men and women have been contributing in all the stages starting from on-farm activities such as Mulberry plantation, indoor rearing of silk worm, feeding the silk worm, processing the cocoons etc. to off-farm activities. This takes one to inspect the proportion of labour in the total labour absorption in the process of sericulture operation to maintain the balance between input and output. Present study has investigated the rate of work participation between men and women in different age groups and earning from sericulture as a livelihood in the Alomtola village of Kaliachak-II Block of Malda District. A structured schedule was designed based on existing literature and used as an instrument for data collection. Collected data had been analysed using standard statistical methods and final conclusion was drawn based on it. Over all work participation rate in sericulture by male workers is 76.15% while the female workers is 84.51%. Exceptionally the difference between male and female participation in the age group bellow 14 years is higher (26.22%) than the any other age groups. But the difference in participation rate between male and female is below 20 in all the age group of 14-19, 19-30 and above 30 years. In case of income generation from sericulture production, most of the households earn 5,000- 15,000 in a particular season leading to an annual income of 20,000 to 60,000.


In p-p collisions, the charged particles produced consist of two leading particles and those frozen out from the hot and dense matter created in the collisions. The two leading particles are in the projectile and target fragmentation regions, respectively, which, in this paper, are conventionally supposed to have Gaussian rapidity distributions. The hot and dense matter is assumed to expand according to unified hydrodynamics, a hydrodynamic model which unifies the features of the Landau and Hwa-Bjorken models, and freeze out into charged particles from a space-like hypersurface with a fixed proper time of τFO. The rapidity distribution of these charged particles can be derived analytically. The combined contribution from both leading particles and unified hydrodynamics is then compared against experimental data from a now available center-of-mass energy region from 23.6 to 7000 GeV. The model predictions are consistent with experimental measurements.


Natural disasters cause significant damage to roads, making route selection a complicated logistical problem. To overcome this complexity, we present a method of using a trapezoidal fuzzy number to select the optimal transport path. Using the given trapezoidal fuzzy edge coefficients, we calculate a fuzzy integrated matrix, and incorporate the fuzzy multi-weights into fuzzy integrated weights. The optimal path is determined by taking two sets of vertices and transforming undiscovered vertices into discoverable ones. Our experimental results show that the model is highly accurate, and requires only a few measurement data to confirm the optimal path. The model provides an effective, feasible, and convenient method to obtain weights for different road sections, and can be applied to road planning in intelligent transportation systems.


Essays in Health Care and Public Economics Zhanna Victorovna Zhanabekova This dissertation has been motivated by my two broad areas of interest – the nonprofit sector and health care, – and in particular by the growing number of community health centers in the United States in the last decade. The dissertation consists of three chapters: In the first chapter, I estimate the causal impact of community health centers on the utilization of emergency rooms in California, in 2006-2010. In the second chapter, I study the San Francisco healthcare reform of 2007-2008. And in the third chapter, I analyze California's Nonprofit Integrity Act of 2004 and its impact on governance and revenue growth of nonprofit organizations. The First Chapter is titled "The Effect of Community Health Centers on Utilization of Emergency Care: Evidence from California." The United States has a long list of programs that aim to reduce disparities in access to health care, including public health insurance, subsidies, and health insurance mandates on employers, insurers, and private citizens. This paper focuses on an alternative but complementary way of bringing medical care to medically underserved populations: community health centers (CHCs). CHCs provide primary health care services to two main groups the uninsured and Medicaid enrollees who face barriers to accessing primary health services and often turn to their local emergency departments (EDs) for non-urgent medical care. To examine the effect of CHCs on ED visits that do not result in an immediate hospital admission, I first use an event study that relies on an ED patient's proximity to a CHC and exploits the variation in the number of clinics in each zip code over time. To deal with endogenous clinic entry, I use a second differences-in-differences strategy that uses proximity to a highway to model the patient's level of access to a CHC. I find that recent expansions in the CHC sector have been effective in reducing the number of non-hospitalization ED visits by uninsured non-elderly adults and have had no impact on the number of ED visits by patients with private or public insurance. The results are robust to different measures of access, sample composition, and choices of specification. The Second Chapter is titled "Impact of the San Francisco Health Care Reform of 20072008 on the Utilization of Emergency Departments." In July 2007, the city and county of San Francisco launched the Healthy San Francisco Program (HSF) that aimed to substantially increase access to a broad range of medical services for uninsured residents of San Francisco. In March 2011, about 54,500 uninsured San Franciscans between the ages of 18 and 64 (or roughly two thirds of the city's non-elderly adults without any medical coverage) were enrolled in HSF to take advantage of affordable and well-coordinated primary and preventive health care. In the first half of 2008, the city also enacted the Health Care Security Ordinance (HCSO), by which San Francisco-based employers must spend a certain minimum amount on employee health care either through the provision of employer-sponsored health insurance, or by contributing to the Healthy San Francisco or Health Savings Accounts. In this paper, I analyze the impact of Healthy San Francisco and the Health Care Security Ordinance on the utilization of emergency rooms by non-elderly adults in San Francisco. My main specification is based on a differencesin-differences strategy, in which I take zip codes in the nearby Bay Area as a comparison group. I also perform a within-San Francisco analysis. Both strategies produce a consistent set of results for uninsured patients. Overall, I find that HSF and HCSO reduced the number of non-admission ED visits by uninsured by an average of 30.1% between 2007 and 2009-2010. However, because this reduction coincides with a higher use of emergency rooms by patients with private insurance and by those covered by county funds, the lower number of ED visits by uninsured may be partially due to their "switch" to a different payor category, rather than their actual substitution away from EDs as a source of regular care. I discuss the validity of these results in the context of various control groups and data limitations. The Third Chapter is titled "Impact of the Nonprofit Integrity Act (2004) on Governance and Growth of Charities in California." The Nonprofit Integrity Act (NIA) took effect in California on January 1, 2005. Its goals are to improve governance and financial transparency in the charitable sector, to increase its oversight, and to prevent fraudulent solicitations. NIA imposes certain restrictions on charity managers and boards, and explicitly requires organizations whose annual revenue is at or above $2 million (net of government grants) to have an independent audit of financial statements. In this paper, I evaluate NIA's impact on large charitable organizations in California. Specifically, I use a simple differences-in-differences framework to examine the effect of NIA on various financial and governance outcome measures. I find that in the two years following the enactment of NIA, California charities with an average 2002-2004 (pre-treatment) income "just below" the $2 million threshold grew by about 7.7-7.9% less than similar charities in other U.S. states, and by 15-18% less than California charities with the pre-treatment revenue "just above" $2 million. These differences in growth rates are not detectable by year 2007. The Nonprofit Integrity Act appears to have had little impact on other major financial measures of charities. With respect to the available set of governance measures, it seems that the majority of California's charitable organizations affected by NIA had already used select NIA-prescribed governance and management practices before the law came into effect. It is also possible that the adoption of some new governance measures (e.g., audit committees) and their incorporation into by-laws did not happen immediately following NIA's enactment because of natural organizational rigidities.


The effect of phase noises from a laser and an oscillator on radio-over-fiber (RoF) systems is analyzed and discussed with a power spectral density (PSD) function. A Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) and a phase shifter are employed to externally generate an optical single sideband (OSSB) signal since the OSSB signal is tolerable for power degradation due to a chromatic fiber-dispersion effect. It is shown that a carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) penalty is deeply related to the bandwidth of a receiver filter and the phase noise from a radio frequency (RF) signal oscillator rather than that from a laser in a small differential-delay environment and a direct detection scheme. The CNR penalty due to the increment of the laser linewidth from 10 to 624 MHz is almost 1.1 dB, while the increase of the RF-oscillator linewidth from 1 to 100 Hz results in about a 20-dB penalty at a 30-GHz 10-km transmission in a standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) with a fiber chromatic dispersion of 17 ps/km/spl middot/nm.


Savoring contributes to human flourishing by enabling individuals to optimize, enhance, and prolong pleasurable moments. One unique dimension of savoring, communication savoring, refers to the practice of mindfully attending to and elevating pleasurable or meaningful moments that are experienced in language and social interaction. The grounded model of communication savoring identified the types and phenomenological experiences of communication savoring. The purpose of this study is to continue grounded theoretical development of the communication savoring model by adding new cases to build and refine the model and by applying the model to a novel setting. Using a priori and emergent coding, we analyzed 268 communication savoring narratives from 107 emerging adults and 161 mature/older adults. Our findings demonstrate high fidelity across groups and suggest a refinement to one communication savoring type (i.e., extraordinary communication). Our novel application of the model also revealed generational similarities within the contexts for communication savoring (e.g., people and events) and generational differences regarding the valence (i.e., savoring the bittersweet) and target of communication savoring (i.e., giving vs. receiving). Our paper advances qualitative theory-building in positive social science and offers new insight into age differences in communication savoring.


The combined trends of learner-centred teaching and ubiquitous technology use in the classroom have given instructors a unique opportunity to support students in developing lifelong learning skills. Heutagogy (or self-determined learning) provides a promising framework for capitalizing on these developing trends, drawing on established learnercentred education theories that strongly emphasize learner autonomy. The key principles of heutagogy – learner agency, self-efficacy and capability, reflection and metacognition, and non-linear learning – provide a foundation for designing and developing learning ecologies, the potential of which can be further maximized through the use of digital media. This article describes the theory of heutagogy and the learner-centred pedagogies on which the theory is founded, as well as providing an explanation of the pedagogy-andragogy-heutagogy (PAH) continuum and its use in developing student skills. It also explores the role of social media in supporting the development of those skills.


Police investigations involving digital evidence tend to focus on forensic examination of storage units on personal electronic devices (laptops, smartphones, etc). However, a number of factors are making digital forensic tools increasingly ineffective: (i) storage capacities of electronic devices have increased, and so has the amount of personal information held on them, (ii) cyber crimes are increasingly committed on social media, and evidence of crimes are held on social media platforms, not necessarily on personal devices, (iii) there is a greater need for protecting digital privacy, especially when examining digital evidence from witnesses and victims of cyber crimes. These factors pose a number of practical challenges for both law enforcement agencies and citizens when disclosing and handling the digital evidence. This paper defines and illustrates the key challenges, and proposes the concept of verifiable limited disclosure, which defines a communication protocol to ensure privacy, continuity and integrity of digital evidence. More specifically, the protocol allows (i) citizens to decide what evidence to disclose to law enforcement agencies and (ii) any of the two parties to be able to prove any tampering of the disclosed evidence. The paper discusses methods for implementing the communication protocol using standard security and privacy tools and presents a pathway to evaluating their effectiveness.


A MEMs fabricated optically-interrogated skin-friction sensor has been developed which will allow for accurate measurement of the skin friction distribution present on aerodynamic surfaces such as wind turbine blades. The basic concept of the sensor is briefly discussed. The experimental set-up used to validate its performance is described, and experimental data is presented.


. Background: Androgen deprivation therapy remains the first-line therapy option for prostate cancer, mostly resulting in the transition of the disease to a castration-resistant state. The lack of androgen signaling during therapy affects various cellular processes, which sometimes paradoxically contributes to cancer progression. As androgen receptor (AR) signaling is known to contribute to oxidative stress regulation, loss of AR may also affect DNA damage level and the response mechanism in oxidant and inflammatory conditions of the prostate tumor microenvironment. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the role of AR and AR-regulated tumor suppressor NKX3.1 upon oxidative stress-induced DNA damage response (DDR) in the inflammatory tumor microenvironment of the prostate. Materials and methods: Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was induced by either inflammatory conditioned media obtained from lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages or oxidants and measured by dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate. In addition to this, DNA damage was subsequently quantified by counting gH2AX foci using an immunofluorescence-based Aklides platform. Altered expression of proteins function in DDR detected by western blotting. Results: Cellular levels of ROS and ROS-induced DNA double-strand break damage were analyzed in the absence and presence of AR signaling upon treatment of prostate cancer cells by either oxidants or inflammatory microenvironment exposure. The results showed that AR suppresses intracellular ROS and contributes to DNA damage recognition under oxidant conditions. Besides, increased DNA damage due to loss of NKX3.1 under inflammatory conditions was alleviated by its overexpression. Moreover, the activation of the DDR mediators caused by AR and NKX3.1 activation in androgen-responsive and castration-resistant prostate cancer cells indicated that the androgen receptor function is essential both in controlling oxidative stress and in activating the ROS-induced DDR. Conclusion: Taken together, it is concluded that the regulatory function of androgen receptor signaling has a vital function in the balance between antioxidant response and DDR activation.


A bstract The Procedure Execution Manager @EM) combines a complete scripting environment for coding accelerator operation procedures with a manager application for executing and monitoring the procedures. PEM is based on Tcl/Tk. a supporting widget library, and the dp-tcl extension for distributed processing. The scripting environment provides support for distributed, parallel execution of procedures along with join and abort operations. Nesting of procedures is supported, permiting the same code to run as a top-level procedure under operator control or as a subroutine under control of another procedure. The manager application allows an operator to execute one or more procedures in automatic, semi-automatic, or manual modes. It also provides a standard way for operators to interact with procedures. A number of successful applications of PEM to accelerator operations have been made to date. These include start-up, shutdown, and other control of the positron accumulator ring (PAR), low-energy transport (LET) lines, and the booster rf systems. The PAR/L.ET procedures make nested use of PEM's ability to run parallel procedures. There are also a number of procedures to guide and assist tune-up operations, to make accelerator physics measurements, and to diagnose equipment. Because of the success of the existing procedures, expanded use of PEM is planned.


The temporal behaviour of electron swarm transport in an RF field has been investigated for the electron non-conservative case in CH4, H2 and their mixture by using the first three terms in Legendre polynomials with a fourier expansion in time for the electron velocity distribution from the time-dependent Boltzmann equation. Calculations have been made for reduced RMS electric fields ER/N in the range 15 to 70 Td and reduced angular frequencies omega /N in the range 105/N0 to 1010/N0 cm2 s-1, where N0 is the number density at 1 Torr and 273 K. The temporal modulation of the isotropic part of the velocity distribution is essentially determined by the ratio between omega -1 and an energy relaxation time tau e. It is shown that in molecular gases with rotational and vibrational collisions at very low energy, the asymptotic form of the energy distribution at very high frequency field differs from a Maxwellian as in atomic gases. The phenomenon of negative differential conductivity in CH4 has been studied as a parameter of omega /N. The gas mixture effect in an RF field is also discussed.


SUMMARY Growth and water use of kabuli-type chickpea was measured during the 1982/83 and 1983/84 growing seasons in northern Syria under rainfed conditions. Winter-sown (November) and springsown (March) crops of cv. ILC 482 were grown in 1982/83 while in 1983/84 spring-sown crops of contrasting genotypes (ILC 482, ILC 1929 and ILC 3279) were compared. In 1982/83, shoot dry matter and seed yields of the winter-sown crop were almost twice those of the spring-sown crop although the water use of both crops was almost the same. Root growth of both crops was most rapid before flowering but continued until maturity (early June) in the winter-sown and until mid to late pod filling (also early June) in the spring-sown crop. Root dry weight (c. 45 g/m2) and length (c. 45 cm/cm2) were similar in both crops during pod filling. In 1983/84, shoot weight, root weight and root length were similar in all genotypes but the later maturity of ILC 3279 resulted in lower seed yield and hence harvest index, and greater water use. The root length density decreased approximately logarithmically with depth in the soil profile although comparison between seasons and with other published results showed that the relations could not be used predictively. Water use efficiency was poorer in the second, drier season and was almost doubled by winter sowing.


Weak lensing peak counts are a powerful statistical tool for constraining cosmological parameters. So far, this method has been applied only to surveys with relatively small areas, up to several hundred square degrees. As future surveys will provide weak lensing datasets with size of thousands of square degrees, the demand on the theoretical prediction of the peak statistics will become heightened. In particular, large simulations of increased cosmological volume are required. In this work, we investigate the possibility of using simulations generated with the fast Comoving-Lagrangian acceleration (COLA) method, coupled to the convergence map generator Ufalcon, for predicting the peak counts. We examine the systematics introduced by the COLA method by comparing it with a full TreePM code. We find that for a 2000 deg2 survey, the systematic error is much smaller than the statistical error. This suggests that the COLA method is able to generate promising theoretical predictions for weak lensing peaks. We also examine the constraining power of various configurations of data vectors, exploring the influence of splitting the sample into tomographic bins and combining different smoothing scales. We find the combination of smoothing scales to have the most constraining power, improving the constraints on the S8 amplitude parameter by at least 40% compared to a single smoothing scale, with tomography brining only limited increase in measurement precision.


During 1996–1999, hunters killed an estimated 24–30% of the pre-hunt bull moose (Alces alces) in Game Management Unit 20A. As a result, the 1999 post-hunt bull:cow ratios declined to 24:100, well below the management objective of 30:100. During 2000 and 2001 we shortened the hunting season from 25 to 20 days to reduce the harvest of bull moose, but kill rates of bulls remained high (23–27%) and ratios remained unacceptably low (22–26 bulls:100 cows). Subsequently, to recover bull:cow ratios to 30:100, hunters were restricted unit-wide to taking bulls with 1) spike-fork antlers, 2) antlers ≥50 inches wide, or 3) ≥3 brow tines on ≥1 antler. These restrictions were in place from 2002-2007, but results occurred rapidly. After only 2 years of antler restrictions, hunters killed an average of 36% fewer bulls compared with the previous 2-year average harvest rate (x= 715 during 2000–2001 and 455 during 2002–2003). Comparing these same 2-year  periods, average kill rates of bulls declined from 25% to 12% of the pre-hunt bull population, average number of hunters declined 24% (1,568 to 1,187), and the average hunter success rate declined from 34% to 29%. Bull:cow ratios increased from 26:100 to 32:100 after 2 years of antler restrictions. With an additional 2 years (2004–2005) of antler restrictions and high harvest of cow moose, bull:cow ratios reached 38:100. Modeling indicated that the bull:cow ratio would have stabilized at 33:100 without the high harvest of cows. The recovery of bull:cow ratios to our objective of 30:100 with 2 years of antler restrictions allowed 1) bull seasons to be lengthened from 20 to 25 days beginning in 2004 and, 2) a limited number of drawing permits for any bull during 2006–2007. Elsewhere, similar selective harvest strategies should also allow recovery of bull:cow ratios, unless the total kill rate of bulls is higher than estimated here.


Examines the attendance objectives of Japanese visitors for both a domestic (Japanese) and offshore (US) trade show, and explores the relationship between a successful trade show visit and future attendance intentions. Results suggest that attendees maintain very similar goals for international show attendance regardless of the show's geographical location, but conceptualize successful trade show participation differently. Also demonstrates that successfully achieving different types of attendee objectives significantly increases attendees' interest levels in future attendance at each of the two shows examined. Success in seeing products and trends at the domestic show was found to affect future show interest significantly. Whereas at the offshore US show, successful supplier interaction only affects interest when combined with seeing products and trends and gathering buying process information. These findings have strong implications for researchers investigating the relatively under‐studied issues of international buyer behavior at trade shows and practitioners involved in the organization of and exhibition at international events.


Over the last 60 years, our understanding of how cosmic rays produce cosmogenic nuclides has grown from basic physical considerations. We introduce the different types of cosmic ray particles and how their flux varies with altitude, latitude, and time. Accurately describing these variations remains a challenge for some regions when calculating production rates. We describe current and emerging computational methods for calculating production rates that address this challenge. Continuing developments in our understanding of modern and prehistoric cosmic ray fluxes and energy spectra in Earth9s atmosphere and at its surface are bound to contribute in the future to more robust applications.


A great variety of todays networked applications require a reliable multicast service. A number of the proposed reliable multicast protocols use a positive acknowledgment scheme, which returns ACKs to the sender to confirm correct delivery. To avoid the well-known implosion problem in the case of large receiver groups, often a tree-based approach is used, i.e., receivers are organized in a tree and ACK messages are passed along the edges of this so-called ACK tree. For building up this tree variations of the Expanding Ring Search (ERS) scheme have been proposed. However, our simulations show that ERS scales poorly. In this paper, we propose an alternative scheme for building up ACK trees. This scheme is based on a so-called token repository service, where a token represents the right to connect to a certain node in the corresponding ACK tree. Nodes that want to join a group just request a token for this group from the (distributed) token repository service. Our simulations show that our scheme causes a much lower message overhead than ERS. Moreover, the quality of the resulting ACK trees in terms of delay and reliability is in many cases higher if generated with our scheme.


Understanding trace metal leachability is important for successful land application of papermill residues. Trace metal leachability from papermill ashes (Ash I and Ash 2) and papermill sludge (Sludge), and the effects of a soil on their leachability were determined by leaching the three papermill residues packed on top of a soil in a column. The leachates were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and concentrations of six metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Se, and Zn). Ash I behaved significantly differently from Ash 2 during the leaching experiment, primarily due to its high pH and Na contents. Application of papermill residues significantly increased the pH, EC, and DOC concentrations in leachates, with Ash 1 having significantly greater impacts than Ash 2 and sludge. Soil columns under alkaline leaching of Ash 1 appeared bleached due to the dissolution of solid-phase organic matter. Significant amounts of Zn were leached from all papermill residues, whereas significant amounts of Cr, Se, and Cu were leached only in the Ash 1 treatments. The presence of a soil (especially a Bh horizon) generally enhanced metal leachability in the Ash 1 treatments due to the extremely high pH of Ash 1, whereas it decreased metal leachability in the Ash 2 and sludge treatments. Thus, organic matter enhances metal sorption when present as a solid phase, but it increases metal leachability when present in dissolved form under alkaline conditions.


The jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata Donn. ex Smith) forest in Western Australia is a tall dry sclerophyll forest with a uniform overstorey dominated by jarrah. The forest extends over most of the south-western corner of Australia, with a Mediterranean climate, covering approximately 64 000 km2 (Shearer and Tippett, 1989). Jarrah ranges in height from 15-50 m and 3 m in diameter across most of its range. Jarrah has the ability to dominate a wide range of sites, especially lateritic catenas. The jarrah forest has a high level of endemism in plants. There are approximately 1200 species found over its range, including many species in the Myrtaceae, Fabaceae and Proteaceae (Shearer and Tippett, 1989). Jarrah has, and will, continue to be an important timber species because of its durability and suitability for furniture, shipbuilding, wharves, telegraph poles and structural timber in house building. Jarrah is an important 'keystone' species of the jarrah forest and any threats to its health and viability will have important economic, environmental and ecological consequences. The most signifi cant threat to jarrah is the introduced soilborne plant pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands.


This section presents concise educational articles for practising dentists. The series aims to educate practitioners regarding statistics and methods of conducting and interpreting research.


To study the function of bradykinin-sensitive cardiac neurons, bradykinin (50 micrograms) was injected into the ganglial plexus between aorta and pulmonary artery (A-PGP) in 33 anesthetized open-chest dogs. Either positive or negative inotropic and chronotropic responses were elicited. Control injections of 0.1 ml saline into A-PGP and injections of bradykinin (50 or 100 micrograms) into the right marginal ganglial plexus did not elicit any cardiac response. After acute decentralization, bradykinin (50 micrograms) was again injected into the same locus of A-PGP. Some positive responses were still induced, while negative ones were completely abolished. These data suggested that bradykinin can directly activate the efferent neurons associated with sympathomimetic activation, and indirectly activate them by stimulation of afferent neurons.


Maternal immunisation has the potential to substantially reduce morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases after birth. The success of tetanus, influenza, and pertussis immunisation during pregnancy has led to consideration of additional maternal immunisation strategies to prevent group B streptococcus and respiratory syncytial virus infections, among others. However, many gaps in knowledge regarding the immunobiology of maternal immunisation prevent the optimal design and application of this successful public health intervention. Therefore, we did an innovative landscape analysis to identify research priorities. Key topics were delineated through review of the published literature, consultation with vaccine developers and regulatory agencies, and a collaborative workshop that gathered experts across several maternal immunisation initiatives—group B streptococcus, respiratory syncytial virus, pertussis, and influenza. Finally, a global online survey prioritised the identified knowledge gaps on the basis of expert opinion about their importance and relevance. Here we present the results of this worldwide landscape analysis and discuss the identified research gaps.


A total of 103 specimens of the duodenum mucosa incised during the resection of the stomach in different variants of the course of peptic ulcer were studied. It was shown that Russell's bodies (RB) in the mucosa's layer proper were formed by cellular elements analogous to immunoglobulinocytes of the lymph nodes and spleen of the laboratory animals which had been subjected to an experimental stimulation of immunogenesis. Peculiar patterns of contacts of RB with the mast cells and possible significance of these contacts are discussed. On the basis of the data obtained the conclusion was drawn that elimination of the RB substrate in the duodenum mucosa was realized in two directions: a) centripetal by penetration of the substrate into the lymphatic and blood vessels; and b) centrifugal, by its evacuation into the lumen of the alimentary canal.


One of the main means of reducing aerodynamic noise is the use of silencers, which can be made of various porous materials, depending on the specific operating conditions. The aim of the work is to study the dependence of the noise reduction on the characteristics of porous permeable materials (PPM) obtained by vibration molding from metal powders. Such PPMs have a wide range of porosity, high permeability, mechanical strength, provide the ability to work in a wide temperature range, high corrosion resistance, and therefore find more and more widespread application in practice. When designing silencers, their pore size, permeability, mechanical strength, cost, and the chemical composition of the material are taken into account. Basic research methods – determination of noise level, powder particle size, permeability coefficient, pore size. Vibration molding of PPM samples for experimental studies was carried out on a ВЭДС 10-1А vibration bench with vibration parameters that ensured the maximum bulk density of the powder in the mold (acceleration 10 m/s2, frequency 500 Hz). Main results – the dependence of the noise reduction value on the PPM characteristics obtained by the method of vibration molding of metal powders of various grades of various particle size distribution was studied. It has been shown that the most effective damping is provided by PPM from spherical bronze powder of the БрОФ10-1 grade with particle sizes of 350–400 microns, which provides at the same time a combination of a high level of noise reduction and high permeability to air or gas. It was found that the thickness of the muff significantly affects the efficiency of noise suppression, while the minimum thickness of the muff, which provides a sufficiently high degree of noise reduction, is about 3.5 mm, therefore it is not practical to increase the thickness of the muffler material above this value.


The results of ultrasound biomicroscopy of draining zone created by filtering procedures in children with glaucoma after intraoperative mitomycin C (MMC) are represented. 149 eyes of 129 children with glaucoma after surgery with and without MMC were studied. In 68 cases we created limbal-based conjunctival flap and in 81--fornix-based. Comparative analysis did not reveal influence of MMC on scleral and internal surgical zones. Significant difference after surgery with MMC consisted in forming of cystic bleb in 20.8% when limbal-based conjunctival flap was created. It was showed that fornix-based conjunctival flap not only prevents forming of "mitomycin" cystic bleb but maintains positive effects of citostatic medications as well.


Hyperscanning is a method to detect if brain wave synchronicity exists between two or more individuals, which is usually due to behavioral or social interactions. It is usually limited to neuroscience studies and very rarely used as an interaction or visual feedback mechanic. In this work, we propose HyperDrum, which is about leveraging this cognitive synchronization to create a collaborative music production experience with immersive visualization in virtual reality. We let the participants wear electroencephalography (EEG) head-mounted displays to create music together using a physical drum. As the melody becomes in synced, we perform hyperscanning to evaluate the degree of synchronicity. The produced music and visualization reflects the synchronicity level while at the same time trains the participants to create music together, enriching the experience and performance. HyperDrum's main goal is twofold; to blend cognitive neuroscience with creativity in VR, and to encourage connectivity between humans using both art and science.


Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is a dominantly inherited familial cancer syndrome caused by mutations in the VHL tumour suppressor gene. VHL disease is characterised by marked phenotypic variability and the most common tumours are haemangioblastomas of the retina and central nervous system and clear cell renal cell carcinoma. However, endocrine tumours, most commonly phaeochromocytoma and non-secretory pancreatic islet cell cancers, demonstrate marked interfamilial variations in frequency and are significant causes of morbidity and, sometimes, mortality. Genotype-phenotype correlations have revealed that certain missense mutations are associated with a high risk of phaeochromocytoma but total loss of function mutations are associated with a low risk. Furthermore, rare mutations may predispose to a phaeochromocytoma-only phenotype. Germline VHL mutations may be detected in 5-11% of all phaeochromocytoma cases and mutation analysis of VHL and other phaeochromocytoma susceptibility genes (SDHB, SDHD and RET) should be performed in all cases of familial, multiple or early onset phaeochromocytomas, and considered in other cases. The VHL gene product has a key role in regulating the stability of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF-1 and HIF-2) such that inactivation of VHL leads to up-regulation of HIF-1 and HIF-2 protein expression and activation of hypoxic gene response pathways. Germline SDHB and SDHD mutations also lead to increased expression of HIF target genes, but it appears that phaeochromocytoma susceptibility in VHL disease cannot be attributed to HIF activation alone. Recently, it has been suggested that an HIF-independent failure of developmental apoptosis is a common feature of all inherited phaeochromocytoma susceptibility syndromes.


Building on previous work documenting musical genre forms in the United States, this exploratory study reports the discovery of a new type, which the authors term the politically purposed genre. They find two major types: those sponsored by governments, which benefit from national distribution and legal protection, and an anti—status quo type supported by an opposition party or constituency that shares its critique of the existing sociopolitical and economic order. Four nation-cases have been examined: the People's Republic of China, Chile, Serbia, and Nigeria. The authors examine each case in turn and close with a discussion of the limitations and possibilities of this discovery.


Abstract There are suggestions that large evening meals are associated with greater BMI. This study reviewed systematically the association between evening energy intake and weight in adults and aimed to determine whether reducing evening intake achieves weight loss. Databases searched were MEDLINE, PubMed, Cinahl, Web of Science, Cochrane Library of Clinical Trials, EMBASE and SCOPUS. Eligible observational studies investigated the relationship between BMI and evening energy intake. Eligible intervention trials compared weight change between groups where the proportion of evening intake was manipulated. Evening intake was defined as energy consumed during a certain time – for example 18.00–21.00 hours – or self-defined meal slots – that is 'dinner'. The search yielded 121 full texts that were reviewed for eligibility by two independent reviewers. In all, ten observational studies and eight clinical trials were included in the systematic review with four and five included in the meta-analyses, respectively. Four observational studies showed a positive association between large evening intake and BMI, five showed no association and one showed an inverse relationship. The meta-analysis of observational studies showed a non-significant trend between BMI and evening intake (P=0·06). The meta-analysis of intervention trials showed no difference in weight change between small and large dinner groups (−0·89 kg; 95 % CI −2·52, 0·75, P=0·29). This analysis was limited by significant heterogeneity, and many trials had an unknown or high risk of bias. Recommendations to reduce evening intake for weight loss cannot be substantiated by clinical evidence, and more well-controlled intervention trials are needed.


Abstract The Wakino Subgroup is a lower stratigraphic unit of the Lower Cretaceous Kanmon Group. Previous studies on provenance of Wakino sediments have mainly concentrated on either petrography of major framework grains or bulk rock geochemistry of shales. This study addresses the provenance of the Wakino sandstones by integrating the petrographic, bulk rock geochemistry, and mineral chemistry approaches. The proportions of framework grains of the Wakino sandstones suggest derivation from either a single geologically heterogeneous source terrane or multiple source areas. Major source lithologies are granitic rocks and high‐grade metamorphic rocks but notable amounts of detritus were also derived from felsic, intermediate and mafic volcanic rocks, older sedimentary rocks, and ophiolitic rocks. The heavy mineral assemblage include, in order of decreasing abundance: opaque minerals (ilmenite and magnetite with minor rutile), zircon, garnet, chromian spinel, aluminum silicate mineral (probably andalusite), rutile, epidote, tourmaline and pyroxene. Zircon morphology suggests its derivation from granitic rocks. Chemistry of chromian spinel indicates that the chromian spinel grains were derived from the ultramafic cumulate member of an ophiolite suite. Garnet and ilmenite chemistry suggests their derivation from metamorphic rocks of the epidote‐amphibolite to upper amphibolite facies though other source rocks cannot be discounted entirely. Major and trace element data for the Wakino sediments suggest their derivation from igneous and/or metamorphic rocks of felsic composition. The major element compositions suggest that the type of tectonic environment was of an active continental margin. The trace element data indicate that the sediments were derived from crustal rocks with a minor contribution from mantle‐derived rocks. The trace element data further suggest that recycled sedimentary rocks are not major contributors of detritus. It appears that the granitic and metamorphic rocks of the Precambrian Ryongnam Massif in South Korea were the major contributors of detritus to the Wakino basin. A minor but significant amount of detritus was derived from the basement rocks of the Akiyoshi and Sangun Terrane. The chromian spinel appears to have been derived from a missing terrane though the ultramafic rocks in the Ogcheon Belt cannot be discounted.


This paper presents a method to control the characteristics of synthetic speech flexibly by integrating articulatory features into a Hidden Markov Model (HMM)-based parametric speech synthesis system. In contrast to model adaptation and interpolation approaches for speaking style control, this method is driven by phonetic knowledge, and target speech samples are not required. The joint distribution of parallel acoustic and articulatory features considering cross-stream feature dependency is estimated. At synthesis time, acoustic and articulatory features are generated simultaneously based on the maximum-likelihood criterion. The synthetic speech can be controlled flexibly by modifying the generated articulatory features according to arbitrary phonetic rules in the parameter generation process. Our experiments show that the proposed method is effective in both changing the overall character of synthesized speech and in controlling the quality of a specific vowel.


Indian iron ore industry is one of the world's largest and growing at a rapid pace. Approximately 15% of the plant input is discarded as slime into slime ponds. Slime dams are now considered as threat, due to lack of high grade ores and acute shortage of land. More over this slime also poses threat to the environment. In addition to the economic benefit from the utilization of the waste as a resource; it also minimizes the land requirement, surface degradation, groundwater pollution, and destruction of forests. Iron ore beneficiation plants in India gives in three products, coarse ore lumps, which are directly charged to blast furnace, the classifier fines with or without beneficiation are fed to sinter plants and the slime which contain high alumina and low Fe currently discarded as waste. Slimes are to be further beneficiated to produce concentrates low in alumina and silica. These slime which after pelletization can be used as burden for the blast furnace. In order to utilize iron ore slime an efficient gangue removal flotation process is indispensable. This research work presents the flotation route for the removal of gangue in the slime to a level which is acceptable for the blast furnace route production of iron. Research has been carried out effectively and efficiently to utilize iron ore slime from the slime ponds of Joda and Noamundi region, India. This research work presents the results on the application of flotation to obtain the hematite and goethite concentrate with low gangue content from iron ore slimes. Fine particle size, complex mineralogy and presence of locked particles make it impossible for direct production of hematite concentrate by froth flotation unless mineral surface specific collectors are used. With flotation of silicates by using cationic collector and starch as a depressant for iron ore, starch adsorption occurred on quartz particles covered by iron oxides and on minerals which contain, Fe (II), Fe (III), and Al ions in their structure. An entire flotation of mineral complex is possible if the collectors used are mineral surface specific. Flotation performance was optimized by carrying out design of experiments.


A group of ts mutants of phi KZ phage specific for Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated and studied. A phi KZ phage particle has a unique feature: a specific structure as an internal body concerned with DNA packaging which is present in the phage capsid. Ts mutants were distributed into complementation groups. The time of the development block when grown at elevated temperatures was determined for mutants from several groups, the exact stage of the block having been defined for some late ts mutants. As was found for ts759, the stage of connection of heads containing DNA and the inner body with tails was blocked. The results obtained with ts759 allowed to prove the circular location of fibrous material (DNA?) around the inner body. The conditions for phage crosses were revealed. The genetic map of phi KZ is circular. It may be concluded, considering the linear phi KZ DNA structure in capsids, that circular permutations of phage DNA take place during phage maturation or DNA packaging.


We propose an energy-based framework for approximating surfaces from a cloud of point measurements corrupted by noise and outliers. Our energy assigns a tangent plane to each (noisy) data point by minimizing the squared distances to the points and the irregularity of the surface implicitly defined by the tangent planes. In order to avoid the well-known "shrinking" bias associated with first-order surface regularization, we choose a robust smoothing term that approximates curvature of the underlying surface. In contrast to a number of recent publications estimating curvature using discrete (e.g. binary) labellings with triple-cliques we use higher-dimensional labels that allows modeling curvature with only pair-wise interactions. Hence, many standard optimization algorithms (e.g. message passing, graph cut, etc) can minimize the proposed curvature-based regularization functional. The accuracy of our approach for representing curvature is demonstrated by theoretical and empirical results on synthetic and real data sets from multiview reconstruction and stereo.


A 2-day-old newborn was treated with tolazoline for persistent pulmonary hypertension due to meconium aspiration syndrome. Hypoxemia improved during continuous tolazoline infusion, but gastrointestinal bleeding occurred. After treatment with cimetidine, there was a rapid deterioration with decreased oxygen saturation and arterial PO2 values. Tolazoline induces a dilatation of the pulmonary vascular system by stimulating H2 receptors. Cimetidine, an H2 blocker, may partially abolish the effect of tolazoline. However, given the clinically significant result to the interaction between tolazoline and cimetidine we report, the use of cimetidine in tolazoline induced upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage should deserve more attention.


The paper concentrates on the historical and contemporary context of the teaching profession. The authors focus on the history and present times of primary school teacher training in the former Czechoslovakia, and in Slovakia, particularly at the Faculty of Education, University of Presov in Presov. They detail important factors which influence the profession – especially socio-political situations, opinions of professionals (experts), the structure of study programmes and strategic planning. They point out that there have been significant changes in teacher training in recent years.


Abstract Uncertainty is an inseparable part of all types of measurements, that is, in metrology a measurement without uncertainty is not possible. Calculation of uncertainty increases the awareness of the certainty of measurement results. Reporting measurement uncertainty is mandatory in almost all industrial sectors but not in laboratory medicine. Test results without analytical uncertainty increases the diagnostic uncertainty, causing errors that could seriously affect patients health. To improve diagnostic certainty, we should calculate and upon request report measurement uncertainty to laboratory users (ISO 15189). In this mini-review, we summarized the theoretical perspective of uncertainty concept, its relation to Six Sigma and finally compared it with Total Error Method.


Purpose To assess image quality, interpretability, diagnostic accuracy, and radiation exposure of a computed tomography (CT) scanner with 16-cm coverage and 230-µm spatial resolution at coronary artery evaluation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) by using invasive coronary angiography (ICA) as the reference method and to compare the results with those obtained in patients with sinus rhythm (SR). Materials and Methods Written informed consent and institutional ethics committee approval were obtained. Between March 2015 and February 2016, 166 consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled (83 with AF, 83 with SR). They underwent ICA and coronary CT angiography performed with a whole-heart CT scanner. Image quality, coronary segment interpretability, effective dose (ED), and diagnostic accuracy were assessed at CT angiography and were compared with those attained with ICA. Diagnostic performance of the groups was compared with the pairwise McNemar test. Results Mean heart rate during scanning was 83 beats per minute ± 21 (standard deviation) in the AF group and 63 beats per minute ± 14 in the SR group (P < .01). Coronary interpretability was 98.5% in the AF group and 98.4% in the SR group (P = .96). In a segment-based analysis, sensitivity and specificity in the detection of coronary stenosis of more than 50% compared with detection of ICA were 96.4% and 98.7%, respectively, in the chronic AF group (P = .98) and 95.6% and 98.1%, respectively, in the SR group (P = .32). In a patient-based analysis, sensitivity and specificity were 95.2% and 97.6%, respectively, in the chronic AF group (P = .95) and 97.8% and 94.7%, respectively, in the SR group (P = .93). Conclusion Whole-heart CT enables evaluation of coronary arteries with high image quality, low radiation exposure, and high diagnostic accuracy in patients with chronic AF, with a diagnostic performance similar to that in patients with SR. © RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article.


Bt maize has become increasingly popular with United States (U.S.) growers since it was commercially available in 1996. Yield protection, reduced need for insecticides, improved grain quality, and ease of use are benefits that motivated growers to plant 32 percent of total acres to Bt maize in 2004. Rapid adoption of a technology raises many questions concerning product longevity and how the technology will influence the maize agricultural ecosystem. Overuse could result in the development of resistant insects, economic populations of secondary pests, or influence populations of non-target organisms. Grower strategies for using Bt maize in the U.S. vary regionally and depend on targeted and secondary pests, cropping practices, and insect resistance management requirements. A challenge for scientists and educators has been to try to keep grower recommendations uniform and grounded in principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The talk will highlight a project funded by United States Department of Agriculture Risk Avoidance and Mitigation Program (USDA–RAMP) that uses site-specific high-resolution information to help merge transgenic technology with traditional insect IPM tools.


This paper describes a Markov Chain transition model for predicting expected numbers of successful graduates and unsuccessful dropouts from an education system, thus the Double absorbing states. This is an improvement on the Single Absorbing State model (see Musiga et al 2010) where successful and unsuccessful dropouts were grouped together. The major limitation of the Single Absorbing State model was the inability to determine the proportions of students who successfully graduated from and unsuccessfully dropped out of the system. The theory of Absorbing Markov Chains is used due to its adaptability to the representation of absorbing rates, transition rates and dropout rates for both successful and unsuccessful students, from an education system. The Double Absorbing States model enables us to predict the numbers of expected qualified personnel vis-a-vis the numbers of unsuccessful dropouts from a system.


The ISO 5832-1 austenitic stainless steel used as biomaterial is largely applied in the area of orthopedics, especially in the manufacture of implants, such as temporary or permanent replacement of bone structures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the localized corrosion resistance of the ISO 5832-1 stainless steel used in orthopedic implants by electrochemical tests in two different solutions. The results of this study are of great interest to evaluate the corrosion of metallic implants that can result in the release of corrosion products into bodily fluids causing possible adverse biological reactions. The determination of the chemical elements in the composition of the ISO 5832-1 stainless steel was performed by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The samples for electrochemical tests were grinded with silicon carbide paper up to #4000 finishing, followed by mechanical polishing with diamond paste. The open circuit potential measurements and anodic polarization curves were obtained in solution of 0.90 wt. % of NaCl and of simulated body fluid (SBF). The results indicated that the ISO 5832-1 stainless steel presented a high resistance to crevice corrosion in simulated body fluid solution but high susceptibility to this form of corrosion in the chloride solution.


ABSTRACT In the debate over the origin of insular phosphorites, found in the top parts of more or less uplifted atolls, evidence is provided by both organic geochemistry (abundance and composition of humic compounds and lipidic biomarkers) and carbon-isotope geochemistry for the formation of phosphatic peloids, as well as phosphatized bioclasts, in environments containing mostly cyanobacterial and microbial organic matter. The composition of hydrocarbons and fatty acids suggests that this organic matter has been altered through bacterial processes. The abundance of humic compounds and the common presence of concentrically laminated structure of many peloids indicate that these particles formed during early diagenesis in a microbiologically active environment. Our data were obtained from (1) elemental analysis of bulk organic matter associated with atoll phosphorites as well as of their acid-soluble and humic compounds, (2) Rock-Eval pyrolysis of bulk organic matter and, (3) chromatographic analyses of hydrocarbons and fatty acids. The conclusion of this study is that, whatever the source of phosphorus (guano, supermarine reef organisms, marine waters, or possibly endo-upwelling), phosphatogenesis proceeded through growth of lagoonal cyanobacterial biomass, the phosphorus of which being partly recycled during subsequent diagenetic steps. If closed lagoons are indeed favorable for preservation of organic matter and, therefore, of phosphorus, a closed morphology is not a prerequisite for the course of such processes. Similar d13C values in apatite CO3 and in total dissolved organic carbon in recent microbial atoll deposits suggest that such deposits may be precursors to such peloidal insular phosphorites.


Cutis laxa (CL) is a rare connective tissue disorder associated with mutations in extracellular matrix genes that leads to loose, redundant, lax skin and is often accompanied by cardiovascular, pulmonary, musculoskeletal or neurological complications. Literature suggests that individuals with CL have distinctive craniofacial features. Prior reports have been inconsistent and to date no quantitative, objective analysis of the craniofacial phenotype has been carried out on this population. To address this deficit, state-of-the-art 3-dimensional (3D) imaging was used to capture quantitative facial measurements in a sample of individuals with cutis laxa and compare the facial morphology of affected individuals to matched controls. The hypothesis that different forms of CL (acquired vs congenital) exhibit different craniofacial phenotypes was also tested. Subjects were recruited as part of the Genetics of Extracellular Matrix in Health and Disease Study and 3D images of the head and face were acquired using a 3DMD portable stereophotogrammetry system. Twenty-four facial landmarks were identified on each subject's 3D facial image, and from these landmarks, a set of standard anthropometric facial measurements was calculated. These shape coordinates were then subjected to principal components analysis to quantify and compare the major aspects of facial shape variation within and among groups. Congenital CL showed marked narrowing and lengthening of the face and subjects with ELN mutations had the most severe facial phenotypes. The craniofacial shape did not correlate with the individual's skin elasticity supporting the conclusion that the craniofacial phenotype of CL is primarily caused by altered craniofacial development rather than skin laxity. The public health significance of this study is that craniofacial dysmorphism can occur as a part of many genetic syndromes. This type of quantitative study can be applied to any genetic disease with a distinct craniofacial phenotype and may assist the development of accurate, objective, sensitive and specific diagnostic criteria.


Background Although the use of heparins is widespread, a proper evaluation of their clinical use is often difficult due to differences in the Regulatory Guidance Drug Registration (RGDR) for each type of indication and dosage. Purpose By following the Drug International Guidelines, we aimed to evaluate the use of all prescribed heparins over 3 months at our hospital. Material and methods All 'single dose' prescriptions, derived from all clinical and surgery divisions except for the orthopaedic division, were recorded and validated by the hospital pharmacy using a central computerised system. All prescriptions were analysed by selecting the type of heparins used associated with the diagnosis for each patient. The drug use evaluations were calculated (%) by analysing the type of indication (I) and dosage (D) for each patient. The indications and dosages were compared with the RGDR. Results 1090 patients were treated with enoxaparin (2.7%), fondaparinux (11%), reviparin (6.7%), parnaparin (16.4%) and nadroparin (63.2%). The most common diagnoses were: (1) deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis in major surgery patients (50%) and (2) high risk of deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis in medical patients (41.9%). In line with the international guidelines, 457 medical patients were at a high risk of deep vein thrombosis: heart failure (24%), respiratory or cardiac failure (20%), cancer and chemotherapy (13%), atrial fibrillation (11%), previous stroke or myocardial infarction (8%), high risk pregnancy (6%), decompensated diabetes (4%), sepsis (3%), burns or paraplegia (2%) and more (9%). Drug use evaluation was as follows: enoxaparin (I=100%-Dα=49%); fondaparinux (Iβ= 78.4%-Dα=49%); reviparin (I=100%-Dα=19.6%); parnaparin (I=100%-Dα=30.7%); and nadroparin (Iπ=40.4%-Dα=47.3%). αUse higher dosages not indicated in (1) and (2). βUsed in (2) in non-acute patient. πUse in (2) not indicated in RGDR. Conclusion Our study demonstrated that the proper use of heparins may not always be in line with the RGDR. This may be due to the fact that clinicians prescribe heparins in the prophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolism without indicating the specific type of molecules but considering them as a unique type of drug. Therefore, the use of heparins may be ameliorated by providing clinicians with a more guided treatment plan that follows the RGDR. References and/or Acknowledgements Drug International Guidelines (ACCP, NICE). No conflict of interest.


Background: To determine Cytopenia in age of ≤ 1 to 95 patients both male and female are included.
Methods: In this study, patients from ≤ 1 to 95 ages were considered only to find out the cytopenia with the help of Complete Blood Count. CBC shows us complete profile of patients having cytopenia.
Result: This study was conducted on 403 (100%) were enrolled during five month and twenty seven days of study for examination of multiple conditions of Cytopenia in relative to age and gender patients in which 165 (40.9%) male and 238 (59.1%) female. The age limit from ≤ 1-95 year and outcome of data are, anemic (47.1%), Leukopenia (6.2%) and Thrombocytopenia (76.7%).
Conclusion: Anemia was the prevailing cause of Pancytopenia and in order Thrombocytopenia and lastly Leukopenia in Patients of Hayatabad medical complex.