In this paper, the optimum weight and cost of a laminated composite plate is seeked, while it undergoes the heaviest load prior to a complete failure. Various failure criteria are defined for such structures in the literature. In this work, the Tsai-Hill theory is used as the failure criterion. The theory of analysis was based on the Classical Lamination Theory (CLT). A newly type of Genetic Algorithm (GA) as an optimization technique with a direct use of real variables was employed. Yet, since the optimization via GAs is a long process, and the major time is consumed through the analysis, Radial Basis Function Neural Networks (RBFNN) was employed in predicting the output from the analysis. Thus, the process of optimization will be carried out through a hybrid neuro-GA environment, and the procedure will be carried out until a predicted optimum solution is achieved. Keywords—Composite Laminates, GA, Multi-objective Optimization, Neural Networks, RBFNN.


This paper reports a new laser conditioning method for micro-wheels with ultra-fine grit diamond, which are used for the micro grinding of micro-aspherical optics. Resinoid-bonded micro-wheels with ultra-fine grit diamonds are used for micro grinding. Such small wheels have the problem of poor ground surface roughness due to their few effective cutting edges and low peripheral speeds. In the present work, new truing and dressing methods are proposed to produce many effective cutting edges. The new method uses the third harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser, which is suitable for processing resinoid bond material. It was found that a SD1500B wheel treated using the new method had a higher cutting edge density than one treated using a conventional method, the cup truer method. A good surface roughness was obtained using the new method.


In the era of big astronomical surveys, our ability to leverage artificial intelligence algorithms simultaneously for multiple datasets will open new avenues for scientific discovery. Unfortunately, simply training a deep neural network on images from one data domain often leads to very poor performance on any other dataset. Here we develop a Universal Domain Adaptation method DeepAstroUDA, capable of performing semi-supervised domain alignment that can be applied to datasets with different types of class overlap. Extra classes can be present in any of the two datasets, and the method can even be used in the presence of unknown classes. For the first time, we demonstrate the successful use of domain adaptation on two very different observational datasets (from SDSS and DECaLS). We show that our method is capable of bridging the gap between two astronomical surveys, and also performs well for anomaly detection and clustering of unknown data in the unlabeled dataset. We apply our model to two examples of galaxy morphology classification tasks with anomaly detection: 1) classifying spiral and elliptical galaxies with detection of merging galaxies (three classes including one unknown anomaly class); 2) a more granular problem where the classes describe more detailed morphological properties of galaxies, with the detection of gravitational lenses (ten classes including one unknown anomaly class).


Grid computing requires network services beyond what is currently provided by the Best-Effort Internet. Among the different approaches towards network Quality of Service, aggregate scheduling, which maps micro-flows to a small number of different service classes, offers sufficient scalability up to the size of the Internet. The Differentiated Services architecture of the Internet Engineering Task Force is such an approach. Recently further Best-Effort like services have been proposed that are based on aggregate scheduling, like the less than Best-Effort Scavenger Service and the Alternative Best-Effort Service. In this paper we introduce the existing aggregate based approaches to Quality of Service. We take a heterogeneous mix of Transmission Control Protocol and User Datagram Protocol flows into account and complement services by adding transport protocol specific elements, if appropriate. In particular we show multi-class applications that are designed to apply a Guaranteed Rate Service and a Scavenger Service in parallel. Doing so we can show a performance gain and achieve a more economical use of the available resources without impacting responsive Best-Effort flows.


Objectives
Self-perceived diet quality is an important psychosocial factor that can influence dietary patterns. Several studies have found an association between this variable and health-related behaviors, such as eating fruits and vegetables and exercising regularly. However, this relationship has not been well studied among minority groups. The aim of this research was to examine the associations between sociodemographic and health-related variables and self-perception of diet quality among adults living in Puerto Rico.

Methods
This was a cross-sectional study. A researcher-designed questionnaire was distributed within a particular community. One questionnaire was given per household to be answered by everyone living in the house. A multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between the dependent variable, self-perceived diet quality (specified as excellent/very good/good or fair/poor), and the following independent variables: age groups, sex, education, poverty level estimate, self-rated health, intake of fruits or vegetables, sugar-sweetened beverages and fast-food, physical activity, recreational screen time (as a proxy for sedentary time), and BMI categories.

Results
A total of 106 questionnaires were distributed and 93 were returned, with data collected for 254 individuals. Children (n = 57) and adults with missing data (n = 5) were excluded from the analysis. The final sample consisted of 192 adults aged ≥18 years. Among these, 53.1% were females, 52.0% completed more than high school, 41.7% were below the poverty level estimate, and 61.5% were either overweight or obese. A total of 26.6% of the participants described their diet as fair/poor. Fair/poor self-perceived diet quality was associated with higher odds of reporting fair/poor self-rated health, consuming less than one cup of fruits or vegetables per day, eating at fast-food one or more times per week, and spending three hours or more per day using a screen for recreational purposes.

Conclusions
Self-perception of diet quality was associated with certain health-related behaviors in our sample. Future research should examine the association between self-perceived and objective diet quality, as previous research has shown that Puerto Ricans have poor knowledge of dietary recommendation.

Funding Sources
N/A.

Supporting Tables Images and/or Graphs


Club drug use is common among populations with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and populations at high risk for HIV infection. Club drugs have a myriad of acute and chronic medical consequences. Club drug-related visits to the emergency department and admissions for treatment of substance use have increased dramatically over the past 15 years. Most epidemiological data support the role of club drugs in increasing sexual risk behavior, with some studies demonstrating an independent association between use of certain club drugs and HIV infection. The direct influence of club drugs on progression of HIV disease remains to be determined; however, club drugs may interact with certain retroviral medications and have been associated with decreased adherence to medication. Clinicians should ask all patients about patterns of club drug use, counsel patients about the risks associated with club drug use, and refer patients to appropriate behavioral treatment programs for substance use when clinically indicated.


Dynamic Mechanical Analysis is an experimental technique commonly used to study the viscoelastic behaviour of materials over a range of temperatures and frequencies. Although considered as a forced non-resonance technique, the warned users perfectly know that resonant frequencies are inevitably encountered on the typical frequency range of DMA apparatus. In consequences, the measured properties in the area of the resonant frequencies are completely perturbed. This work proposes an analysis of the dynamic behaviour of a Bose Electroforce DMA. The resonant and perturbed frequencies have been identified in different experimental configurations using several materials. A straightforward analytical model was developed to simulate and predict the dynamic behaviour of our apparatus. The model parameters are identified using different experimental configurations. The simulations delivered by the model allow the user to predict the perturbed frequency areas and by this way authorise a strategic definition of the experimental protocol according to the sample characteristics.


Abstract This article reports the results of a static computable general equilibrium (CGE) model on the possible liberalisation of agriculture and food trade in the OECD countries. Liberalisation of trade was simulated assuming a reduction in import tariffs, the tax rate on factor use and export subsidies in four steps of 25% points each. Such simulations were run in the GLOBE model then adjusted and used as a policy shock to the PROVIDE model. The results show that the weighed average world price (adjusted) changes will range between −19.6 to +3.8% for imports and between −3.0 and +29.7% for exports at 75% liberalisation. The results from the single country CGE model show that the South African economy would respond positively to the world price changes, with government and macro variables showing minimal but positive responses. Household consumption expenditures generally show positive changes, implying increased factor incomes. Not all sectors will be positively affected even though the overall effect is positive.


In a European perspective, the electricity markets have been experiencing major changes via deregulation, new technologies and changes in the production mix. Together with the daily and seasonal peak hours on the demand side, the changing markets put pressure on increased flexibility to handle and sustain balance in the grid systems. This paper focuses on the demand side and analyzes preferences related to demand management of Swedish households' energy use. In a web-based choice experiment respondents were faced with three hypothetical electricity contracts. The choices of preferred contracts revealed preferences for attributes related to external control of heating, household electricity and information dissemination (integrity). The results show that people put a substantial value on not being controlled, illustrated by compensations up to thousands of SEK for accepting a contract characterized by external control of energy use in various dimensions. In addition, the results show that household composition, age, gender and income play a role for the perceived discomfort from the external control and information dissemination.


Abstract Background: Shopping centers (SCs) are social areas with a group of commercial establishments which attract customers of numerous people every day. However, analysis of urgent health conditions and provided health care in SCs has not been performed so far. Objective: The aim of the study was to perform a comparative analysis of clients visiting SCs and demographics, complaints, and health care of patients admitted to Emergency Medical Intervention Units (EMIU) located in grand SCs in Ankara, Turkey. Methods: Customer and health care records of nine grand SCs in Ankara from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 were evaluated retrospectively. Health care services in EMIUs of SCs were provided by employed medical staff. Data including demographic characteristics, complaints, treatment protocols, discharge, and referral to hospital of the patients were retrospectively analyzed from medical registration forms. Results: Medical records of nine grand SCs were analyzed. Number of customers could not be obtained in three SCs due to privacy issues and were not included in patient presentation rate (PPR) and transport-to-hospital rate (TTHR) calculation. Total number of customers in the remaining six SCs were 53,277,239. The total number of patients seeking medical care was 6,749. The number of patients seeking health care in six SCs with known number of customers was 4,498 and PPR ranged from 0.018 to 0.381 patients per 1,000 attendants. The median age of the recorded 4,065 patients (60.2%) was 28 (interquartile range [IQR]: 38-21), and 3,611 (53.5%) of the patients admitted to EMIUs were female. The number of patients treated in the SC was 4,634 (68.6%) and 189 patients (2.8%) were transferred-to-hospital by ambulance for further evaluation and treatment. Transportation to hospital was required in 125 patients who sought medical care in six SCs which provided total number of customers, and TTHR ranged from 0.000 to 0.005 patients per 1,000 attendants. No sudden cardiac death was seen. Medical conditions were the primary reasons for seeking health care. The most frequent causes of presentation were laceration and abrasions (639 patients, 9.4%). Conclusion: The PPR and TTHR in SCs are low. The most common causes of presentation are minor conditions and injuries. Majority of urgent medical conditions in SCs can be managed by health care providers in EMIUs.


The preliminary results of experimental osteoarthrosis modeling in dogs by the knee immobilization and femoral artery cutting are presented. The immediate results of the assessment of articular cartilage morphofunctional condition evidence the development of dystrophic changes, manifested themselves in death and destruction of a part of chondrocytes, disorder of extracellular matrix homogeneity and decrease of morphometrable parameters – cartilage thickness, volume and number density of chondrocytes. The changes mentioned appear as a result of disordering the metabolic processes in articular cartilage evidencing the decrease of synthesis and the prevalence of catabolic processes. Under these experimental conditions the articular cartilage cambium has been the most vulnerable – it is an intermediate zone, the cells of which are equidistant from both the vascular and synovial nutritional factors.


Twelve peach (Prunuspersica (L.) Batsch) seedling rootstocks (Lovell, Nemaguard, Flordaguard, 14DR51, five GuardianTM (BY520-9) selections, and three BY520-8 selec- tions) budded with 'Cresthaven' were planted in 1994 and evaluated through 2000 to determine performance under commercial management practices. Mesocriconerna xenoplax population densities were above the South Carolina nematicide treatment threshold of 50 nematodes/100 cm3 of soil after 1996. However, symptoms of peach tree short life (PTSL) were not observed. Tree mortality was less than 14% through 1999, with most of the dead trees exhibiting symptoms consistent with Armillaria root rot. About 13% of the surviving trees in 1999 were removed in 2000 due to symptoms of phony peach. There were no differences in tree mortality among rootstocks. Tree growth, photosynthesis, and suckering varied among rootstocks, but leaf conductance, internal CO,, and leaf transpiration did not. Foliar calcium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus varied among rootstocks, but all were within the range considered sufficient for peach trees. Fruit yield varied among rootstocks, but yield efficiency did not, indicating that higher yield corresponded with larger trees. Bloom date did not vary among rootstocks, but harvest date was advanced as much as 2 days for some rootstocks, compared to Lovell. Fruit weight varied among rootstocks but skin color, flesh firmness, and soluble solids content were similar. All rootstocks performed satisfactorily for commercial peach production.


In Riemannian geometry the prescribed Ricci curvature problem is as follows: given a smooth manifold $M$ and a symmetric 2-tensor $r$, construct a metric on $M$ whose Ricci tensor equals $r$. In particular, DeTurck and Koiso proved the following celebrated result: the Ricci curvature uniquely determines the Levi-Civita connection on any compact Einstein manifold with non-negative section curvature. In the present paper we generalize the result of DeTurck and Koiso for a Riemannian manifold with non-negative section curvature. In addition, we extended our result to complete non-compact Riemannian manifolds with nonnegative sectional curvature and with finite total scalar curvature.


Personal libraries of writers may be one of possible relevant research topics of book science. The first research works of memorial libraries of Lithuanian writers that were delineated purposefully and structurally appeared in the second half of the 70-iese of the past century. Their initiator and author was the book researcher professor Vladas Žukas. He published the investigation results of studying the personal libraries of writers Antanas Vienuolis-Žukauskas (1977), Petras Cvirka (1978), Mikalojus Akelaitis (1983), Sofija Kymantaitė-Ciurlionienė (1983), Maironis (1987) and Andrius Vistelis (1987). The interest was also shown in the personal libraries of writers Jonas Biliūnas, Vincas Krėvė, Vincas Mykolaitis-Putinas, Bronius Pranskus, Salomėja Nėris, Balys Sruoga, Antanas Venclova and others. Supervised by prof. V. Žukas, quite a number of Vilnius University students defended their diploma theses in the above mentioned area, naturally, more or less reflecting the attitude of the research tutor. The graduates investigated the personal libraries of P. Cvirka (1975), B. Sruoga (1977), Kostas Kubilinskas (1977), S. Kymantaitė-Ciurlionienė (1977), Kazys Boruta (1978), A. Venclova (1980), Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas (1982), V. Krėvė (1984) and Ieva Simonaitytė (1989). In the said period they used methodological experience of the Soviet Russia, where, starting with the 50-ies, the libraries of famous Russian writers of 18–20th centuries were investigated, numerous articles and catalogs were written, discussion were held on the issues of compilation methodology. This article aims to reveal and characterize scientific or other professional evaluations of personal libraries of Lithuanian writers as well as to review the experience gained during over half century and the work cultivated in the area of such activities. The basis for the research consists of published and unpublished historiographic material and other sources allowing to get a deeper and broader understanding of events. Historiography of the subject matter may be divided into two stages: 1) until 1990 and 2) after 1990. The first stage was rather strenuous and productive; in a short time much has been achieved. However, after regaining the independence of Lithuania, it is obvious that scientific research in personal libraries of Lithuanian writers has noticeably slowed down. Sometimes one or another writer's personal library in certain cases gains more attention from workers of memory institutions than from representatives of book science, librarianship or literature studies. Therefore it is imperative that potentialities of continuing the initiated tasks and compiling catalogs of memorial libraries of Lithuanian writers are considered.


Battery driven computing devices such as laptops and cellular phones have become a necessity in this era. Mobile applications help us in daily life activities and with the rise of Internet of Things (IoT) new opportunities are open up to automate different task. However, batteries have their own limitations such as weight, cost, and size. Multiple applications and background processes running in parallel easily drain phone's battery within 24 hours consequently annoying users by limited battery capacity. Repeated charge, recharge cycles steadily diminish the full capacity of batteries resulting in the immense decreased performance of the device. Therefore, mobile devices and mobile applications are in great need of energy-aware modules. In this paper, a survey is performed to identify the needs of the mobile user in the context of energy consumption problem. The results of survey lead authors to propose a middle layer energy aware framework to address this issue. The proposed framework highly relies on the association between the operating system, application, and end user. The main objective of the proposed framework is to maintain an energy-aware capability to facilitate end user and mobile applications. The major components of the proposed framework are processing engine, application classifier, application resource management, system profiling, application modes, power estimator and power policy management. Proposed framework also offers a policy manager algorithm based on research community feedback and survey's results. Proposed framework emphasizes on energy efficient execution of mobile operations for end user and operating systems.


According to Quintilian, poetry cannot be fully understood without a good knowledge of the
stars. As one example he cites the fact that poets frequently indicate the time of year by the
rising and setting of stars and constellations, a device familiar to us from Hesiod onwards.1
For Quintilian, who had the benefit of a stable civil calendar, there may have seemed little
reason beyond a desire for poetic expression to specify the date in this manner: but before
Caesar's calendar reforms in 45 BC, the appearance and disappearance of certain stars just
before sunrise and just after sunset provided a much more regular guide to the year than the
erratic calendars of Greece and Rome, which were often out of step with the solar year.2 It is
therefore not surprising to find the same method of specifying the date in prose authors too;3
and lists of these stellar phenomena, arranged in various calendar-like formats, are found in
both texts and inscriptions. These lists, known as parapegmata, can be traced back to fifth
century Greece, but the tradition may be considerably older.4
Whatever our reaction to Quintilian's claim, it is certainly the case that a good knowledge of
the stars is important for a full understanding of Ovid's calendar poem, the Fasti. To a large
extent the poem presents itself as a poetic version of the Roman calendar: each book covers a
different month, and as the year and the work progress, Ovid marks the dates of various
religious festivals and historical events, as in the real fasti. However, unlike many of the
extant fasti, Ovid combines this material with material from the parapegmatic tradition, giving
dates for the rising and setting of various stars and constellations, and for the journey of the
sun through the zodiac. The inclusion of the constellations – and of the aetiological tales
explaining their presence in the sky – enables Ovid to introduce a variety of Greek myths into
the Roman calendar, where they would otherwise have no place.


Mecillinam, a beta-lactam antibiotic specific to penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP 2) in Escherichia coli, blocks cell wall elongation and, indirectly, cell division, but its lethality can be overcome by increased levels of ppGpp, the nucleotide effector of the stringent response. We have subjected an E. coli K-12 strain to random insertional mutagenesis with a mini-Tn10 element. One insertion, which was found to confer resistance to mecillinam in relA+ and relA strains, was mapped at 75.5 min on the E. coli map and was located between the promoters and the coding sequence of the aroK gene, which codes for shikimate kinase 1, one of two E. coli shikimate kinases, both of which are involved in aromatic amino acid biosynthesis. The mecillinam resistance conferred by the insertion was abolished in a delta relA delta spoT strain completely lacking ppGpp, and it thus depends on the presence of ppGpp. Furthermore, the insertion increased the ppGpp pool approximately twofold in a relA+ strain. However, this increase was not observed in relA strains, although the insertion still conferred mecillinam resistance in these backgrounds, showing that mecillinam resistance is not due to an increased ppGpp pool. The resistance was also abolished in an ftsZ84(Ts) strain under semipermissive conditions, and the aroK::mini-Tn10 allele partially suppressed ftsZ84(Ts); however, it did not increase the concentration of the FtsZ cell division protein. The insertion greatly decreased or abolished the shikimate kinase activity of AroK in vivo and in vitro. The two shikimate kinases of E. coli are not equivalent; the loss of AroK confers mecillinam resistance, whereas the loss of Arol, does not. Furthermore, the ability of the aroK mutation to confer mecillinam resistance is shown to be independent of polar effects on operon expression and of effects on the availability of aromatic amino acids or shikimic acid. Instead, we conclude that the AroK protein has a second activity, possibly related to cell division regulation, which confers mecillinam sensitivity. We were able to separate the AroK activities mutationally with an aroK mutant allele lacking shikimate kinase activity but still able to confer mecillinam sensitivity.


Centrosome separation in Drosophila larval neuroblasts and asymmetric transport of embryonic determinants in oocytes are both microtubule-dependent processes that require Kinesin-1 activation by Ensconsin/microtubule-associated protein 7 (MAP7). However, the molecular mechanism used by Ensconsin to activate Kinesin-1 remains elusive. Ensconsin/ MAP7 contains an N-terminal microtubule-binding domain (MBD) and a C-terminal Kinesin-binding domain (KBD). Using rescue experiments in live flies, we show that KBD expression alone is sufficient to fully rescue Ensconsin-dependent centrosome separation defects, but not the fast oocyte streaming and the localization patterns of Staufen and Gurken proteins. Interestingly, we show here for the first time that KBD binds and stimulates Kinesin-1 binding to Mts in vivo and in vitro. We propose that the KBD/Kinesin-1 motor represents a minimal activation module that stimulates Kinesin-1 binding to Mts. Addition of the MBD, present in the full length Ensconsin allows this activation to occur directly on the Mt. Our data also suggest that in a very large cell with a complex microtubule network, but not in smaller cells, this dual activation by Ensconsin is essential for optimal Kinesin-1 targeting to the microtubule cytoskeleton.


Breadth-first Search (BFS) is a fundamental graph theory algorithm that is extensively used to abstract various challenging computational problems. Due to the fine-grained irregular memory accesses, parallelization of BFS can exhibit limited performance on cache-based systems. In this paper, we study the relationship between the topology of input graphs and the performance of BFS on multicore systems. We propose a model to estimate the scalability of BFS with respect to a given graph. Using this model, we propose a topologically adaptive parallel BFS algorithm on multicore systems. The proposed algorithm estimates scalability of each iteration of BFS with respect to the input graph at runtime. An adaptive barrier is developed for this algorithm, which dynamically adjusts the number of threads participating in the BFS according to the estimated scalability. In this way, we reduce the synchronization overhead. We evaluate the proposed algorithm using various graphs on state-of-the-art multicore systems. The proposed method exhibits improved performance compared with traditional parallel BFS algorithms for which the number of threads is fixed.


We present a method to include solvent effects described within the polarizable continuum model into the CIPSI multireference perturbation algorithm. In the methodology we have formulated and implemented, solvent interactions are explicitly included in the configuration interaction scheme and in the following perturbative corrections, through proper operators. The nonlinear character induced by such operators leads to an iterative procedure in which solute and solvent can mutually equilibrate. Applications to the electronic excitation spectrum of formamide are considered. In these cases, effects due to an incomplete electrostatic response of the solvent (nonequilibrium model) as well as repulsion interactions between solute and solvent have been included in the quantum mechanical description.


A new phase-controlled series resonant, DC/DC converter is described, analyzed, and experimentally verified. The circuit comprises a phase-controlled inverter and a Class D current-driven rectifier. The phase-controlled inverter consists of two switching legs, two resonant inductors, and a single resonant capacitor connected in series with an AC load. The phase shift between the voltages that drive the MOSFETs is varied to control the AC current of the inverter and thereby regulate the DC output voltage of the converter. A frequency-domain analysis is used to derive basic equations which govern the circuit operation. An important advantage of the converter is that the operating frequency can be maintained constant. For operation at a switching frequency greater than 1.15 resonant frequency, the load of each switching leg is inductive. The proposed converter has an excellent full-load and part-load efficiency. An experimental prototype of the converter with a center-tapped rectifier was built and extensively tested at an output power of 78 W and a switching frequency of 200 kHz. The theoretical and experimental results were in good agreement. >


Article history Received: 20 May, 2016 Revised: 10 Jun, 2016 Accepted: 13 Jun, 2016 Abstract This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of a probiotic (Yeasture®) at different rearing stages on intestinal microflora and blood biochemical parameter in broiler chickens. A total of 378 one day old, male and female (Ross 308) broiler chicken were randomly allocated to one of the 21 floor pens in a completely randomized design with seven treatments and three replicate groups and eighteen chicks in each group (9 male and 9 female). Experimental treatments consisted of seven groups, including: A (control), B (1-11 days), C (1-24 days), D (1-42 days), E (11-24 days), F (11-42 days) and G (24-42 days). The results of this study indicated that probiotic at different rearing period in the diet significantly increased blood glucose and calcium during the whole period and significantly decreased blood cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and uric acid. In addition, probiotic in diets at different rearing stage had a significant effect on Bifidobacterium and total aerobic bacteria counts. Gender and treatment interaction had no significant effect on the intestinal microflora population. Blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly lower in male broilers than female broilers. It is concluded that Yeasture® at whole rearing period (1-42 days) in diets improved intestinal microflora population and blood metabolites in broiler chickens.


Background
Community-based multi-chronic illness exercise programmes provide a resource efficient way to assist with the treatment/management of chronic illness. Despite the well-documented benefits of participation in community-based chronic illness exercise programmes (CCEP), adherence remains sub-optimal with positive effects of such programmes relying on optimal adherence. Difficulty remains in interpreting rates of adherence and correlates due to programme heterogeneity. Given the health benefits to be gained from regular attendance, empirically based interventions and strategies to optimise adherence are warranted. The purpose of this thesis was to i) identify rates of initiation, attendance and retention and to identify factors associated with adherence to a CCEP and ii) design, implement and evaluate the feasibility of an intervention aimed at optimising adherence.

Methods
Individuals with chronic illness were referred to a CCEP by health professionals. Study 1 (n=381) was a prospective study encompassing cross-sectional and prospective analysis designs to identify the rates and correlates of adherence. Primary statistical analysis included independent samples t-tests, bivariate correlations, logistic regression and negative binomial regression. An intervention based on Study 1 and the existing evidence base was designed and developed using the behaviour change wheel. Study 2 (n=295) was a feasibility study of a behaviour change intervention aimed at optimising adherence rates (composed of intervention at baseline, week-4 and 12). Study 2 also utilised a quasi-experimental research design to compare trends in rates of adherence over 24 weeks between those receiving the intervention and those not. xvii

Results
Study 1: The initiation rate was 73% and the mean number of sessions attended in the 24-weeks was 11. Bivariate analysis identified intentions, self-efficacy and BMI as correlates of initiation. Following adjusted analysis, the associations were no longer statistically significant. Further bivariate analysis indicated chronic illness group, distance to facility, intentions, self-efficacy for exercise and attendance in the first 4 weeks as correlates of 24-week attendance. In an adjusted analysis, age and distance to facility were the only as predictors of attendance. The first 4 weeks' attendance when added to the previous models was the only independent predictor of 24-week attendance.
Study 2: A theoretically informed behaviour change intervention was designed utilising the behaviour change wheel. The intervention was evaluated in terms of its feasibility, and with only 25.6% of participants attending all component of the intervention as planned it is deemed not feasible in its current form. The intervention was also evaluated using intention to treat and per-protocol analysis and using an intention to treat analysis trends indicate that retention was greater in the Intervention than the Standard group. There was no difference in initiation or attendance between the Intervention and Standard group. Per-protocol analysis found trends toward improvements in initiation (96% vs 73.2%,), attendance (mean  SD) (22.22 ±12.59 vs 11.13±12.42) and retention (56.3% vs 28.7%) in the Intervention compared to the Standard group.

Conclusion:
Bivariate correlates of adherence to a CCEP are diverse, with early stage attendance the strongest predictor of 24-week attendance. The inclusion of a xviii theoretically informed behaviour change intervention can improve adherence in those who attend all components of the intervention, however, the intervention did not prove feasible. Further research should identify correlates of adherence to CCEP to inform the design and implementation of interventions to optimise physical and mental health in men and women with chronic illness.


Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi causes typhoid fever, a serious life‐threatening systemic infection. In mice, a similar disease is caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. During typhoid fever, soon after attachment to the mucosal surface of the gut, bacteria come into contact with the dendritic cells (DCs). The ability to sample antigens, process and present them to naıÐve and mature T cells, in the context of major histocompatibility complex molecules, makes DCs indispensable for mounting a specific and efficient immune response to invading pathogens. These bacteria, however, have evolved a number of mechanisms to interfere with or subvert DC functions. This review aims to describe how Salmonella clashes with dendritic cells at different stages of infection as well as the war strategies of these two opposing sides.


A study of the mechanical behavior of three composite materials under compressive, flexural, hardness and impact stress is presented in this research. The experimental work consisted on manufacturing and characterizing the composites. Firstly, the volcanic ashes, clay, water and other adherent ingredients were mixed. Then, this mixture was winterized and vitrified to obtain the ceramic matrix composite. On the other hand, the ashes were mixed with epoxy resin and polyester resin, individually, to origin two polymer matrix composites. Next, physical and mechanical tests were done to determine their physical and mechanical properties. The hardness, compressive, flexural, and impact stresses were determined and analyzed to know the mechanical behavior of the materials and to study their failure. Due to the fact that the mechanical properties of these composites are strongly affected by characteristics of their microstructure, their physical properties such as density, porosity and water absorption were evaluated. Also, an analysis of the materials' microstructures in the scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffractometer was made. Finally, it could be observed that finer grain size helped reduce the volumes of open pores and stresses that develop at grain boundaries due to anisotropic expansion and contraction in the microstructures. Ceramic composites failed because of their low fracture toughness. However, this mechanism of failure in the polymer matrix composites was different, as the materials were subject to stresses. Considerable heating occurred near some pores and the inter-relationships between fatigue and creep. The results indicate that these products can be used like an added value in the industrial sector.


In the dairy industry, udder health is associated with mastitis management, of which blanket dry cow treatment has been an important part for decades. To prevent the udder from new intramammary infections during the dry period, the use of blanket dry cow treatment has been advocated for more than 50 years as part of the five-point mastitis prevention program. The goal of dry cow treatment is to reduce the prevalence of intramammary infections by eliminating infections already present at drying off and by preventing new infections from occurring during the dry period. Since 2012, preventive use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine is prohibited in the Netherlands. Therefore blanket dry cow treatment has been replaced by treatment of infected cows only, known as 'selective dry cow treatment'. Although selection of cows is an important part of selective dry cow treatment and has a great effect on the consequences, not much research had been done in this field. Therefore it was considered valuable to evaluate the effect of various approaches to select cows for dry cow treatment on parameters such as udder health, antimicrobial use, and economics. Understanding and balancing these effects contributes to an optimal strategy in dry cow treatment and to prudent antimicrobial use in the dairy industry. The aims of this thesis were to quantify the effects of selective dry cow treatment on clinical and subclinical mastitis, antimicrobial use and economics. The effect of different somatic cell count threshold-scenarios for selecting cows for dry cow treatment on these parameters were evaluated. The economic consequences of using different numbers of dairy cows with antimicrobials at drying off, were evaluated as was the attitude of the dairy farmer and the veterinarian with respect to selective dry cow treatment and to reduction of antimicrobial use on dairy farms in general. This thesis shows that reduction of antimicrobial use at drying-off leads to an increased risk of mastitis at the individual level. The effect at the herd level was, however, very small. Criteria chosen to select cows for dry cow treatment had a limited effect on udder health, while the effect on the amount of antimicrobials used was large. Economics was found not to be an argument not to reduce the use of dry cow antimicrobials by applying selective dry cow treatment, because in almost all scenarios selective dry cow treatment was economically beneficial over blanket dry cow treatment. Application of selective dry cow treatment appeared to be associated with farmers' and veterinarians' attitude. Their mindset towards reduction of antimicrobial use is crucial for successful implementation of a selective dry cow treatment strategy. Over the last years antimicrobial use in the dairy industry in the Netherlands decreased enormously, in which the introduction of selective dry cow treatment played an important role. Although reduction of antimicrobial use at drying-off leads to more mastitis at the individual level, it was successfully implemented in the Netherlands without dramatic effects on udder health. These changes were realized by constructive cooperation between farmers and veterinary practitioners in the field, supported by the main stakeholders.


Should governments use a discount rate that declines over time when evaluating the future benefits and costs of public projects? The argument for using a declining discount rate (DDR) is simple: if the discount rates that will be applied in the future are uncertain but positively correlated, and if the analyst can assign probabilities to these discount rates, then the result will be a declining schedule of certainty-equivalent discount rates. There is a growing empirical literature that estimates models of long-term interest rates and uses them to forecast the DDR schedule. However, this literature has been criticized because it lacks a connection to the theory of project evaluation. In benefit-cost analysis, the net benefits of a project in year t (in consumption units) are discounted to the present at the rate at which society would trade consumption in year t for consumption in the present. With simplifying assumptions, this leads to the Ramsey discounting formula, which results in a declining certainty-equivalent discount rate if the rate of growth in consumption is uncertain and if shocks to consumption are correlated over time. We conclude that the arguments in favor of a DDR are compelling and thus merit serious consideration by regulatory agencies in the United States. (JEL: D61)


AFLP markers provide a potential source of phylogenetic information for molecular systematic studies. However, there are properties of restriction fragment data that limit phylogenetic interpretation of AFLPs. These are (a) possible nonindependence of fragments, (b) problems of homology assignment of fragments, (c) asymmetry in the probability of losing and gaining fragments, and (d) problems in distinguishing heterozygote from homozygote bands. In the present study, AFLP data sets of Lactuca s.l. were examined for the presence of phylogenetic signal. An indication of this signal was provided by carrying out tree length distribution skewness (g1) tests, permutation tail probability (PTP) tests, and relative apparent synapomorphy analysis (RASA). A measure of the support for internal branches in the optimal parsimony tree (MPT) was made using bootstrap, jackknife, and decay analysis. Finally, the extent of congruence in MPTs for AFLP and internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-1 data sets for the same taxa was made using the partition homogeneity test (PHT) and the Templeton test. These analytical studies suggested the presence of phylogenetic signal in the AFLP data sets, although some incongruence was found between AFLP and ITS MPTs. An extensive literature survey undertaken indicated that authors report a general congruence of AFLP and ITS tree topologies across a wide range of taxonomic groups, suggesting that the present results and conclusions have a general bearing. In these earlier studies and those for Lactuca s.l., AFLP markers have been found to be informative at somewhat lower taxonomic levels than ITS sequences. Tentative estimates are suggested for the levels of ITS sequence divergence over which AFLP profiles are likely to be phylogenetically informative.


Patients with mild velopharyngeal incompetence (VPI) may have speech disorders, which are not sufficiently severe to warrant extensive surgical intervention, yet may not be amenable to correction by speech therapy alone. Augmentation of the posterior pharyngeal wall to aid in closure of the velopharyngeal sphincter may be beneficial in establishing better speech patterns, especially when combined with speech therapy. A variety of materials and techniques have been used in the past for this purpose. In this setting, autogenous fat may be transplanted without the risks incurred by augmentation with synthetic materials and involves very little donor site morbidity. The literature is somewhat contradictory, however, regarding the stability of the augmentation achieved using autogenous fat and there are no histologic studies describing the fate of fat injected into tissues of the oral cavity. Prior to introduction of this technique into clinical practice, this study was designed to investigate the fate of autogenous fat injected submucosally in the oropharyngeal region. Autogenous fat was injected into the anterior soft palate using the rabbit as a model. Histologic and gross inspections were performed at 2 days, 1, 2, and 4 weeks after injections. At the end of 4 weeks, at least 50% of the injection sites had visible evidence of augmentation, and 90% had histologic evidence of submucosal fat. In some instances most of the fat was resorbed; however, there were no instances of clinical infection or necrosis of the injection site. We conclude that submucosal injection of autogenous fat is a feasible alternative to using synthetic or other biologic materials for augmentation in the oral cavity.


The paper presents a discussion on the water crisis that occurred between 2013 and 2015 in the Metropolitan Region of Sao Paulo, the lack of integrated natural resources planning, and the reaction of social actors affected by the crisis. The region was affected by an extreme hydrological and climatological event, which was combined with the unsustainable management of water resources. The paper addresses, initially, the dynamics of water governance in the region, and the main aspects related to water availability and climate dependence that caused the water crisis. Then, we present an analysis of the process that led to the water crisis and its main developments, which is based on the follow-up of the different moments of the crisis and dialogues with its relevant stakeholders. The results indicate the relevance of emphasizing issues on matters such as the lack of transparency and highlight the role of societal initiatives. We conclude the paper with a proposition to discuss governance processes that can contribute to the development of more effective initiatives in order to reduce the impact of this visible change in water regimes, strengthen transparent management, and promote a more democratic interaction between social actors and the government.


Introduction Bacterial infection is a major cause of hospital admission in liver cirrhosis and patients are highly prone to nosocomial infection. Innate immune dysfunction is implicated in these patients. As there are no current strategies to reverse immune dysfunction, antibiotics are liberally used to treat patients in an era of increasing anti-microbial resistance. We aimed to determine whether progression to ACLF triggers a change in the receptor phenotype on innate immune cells reflecting impaired function. We also explored the response to inflammatory stimuli. Any changes in profile may reveal novel targets for immune therapy. Method Peripheral whole blood of healthy volunteers (HV), ambulant outpatients attending for drainage of ascites and acute decompensated (AD) cirrhotic patients was studied. Cells were analysed by flow cytometry for activation and cell type. Whole blood was stimulated ex vivo with 1 ng/ml lipopolysaccharide for 4 hours. Supernatants were analysed for cytokines. Cells were analysed by flow cytometry. Results Neutrophils demonstrated a significant decrease in CD88 (p=0.0006) from HV to ACLF, with decreasing trends of CD11b, CD54, CD66b and significant increases in CD62L (p=0.0298) observed as disease severity increased. When stimulated with LPS, increases in CD11b (p<0.0001), CD54 (p=0.0287) and CD66b (p=0.0340) were reduced in ACLF compared to HV. These observations were not seen in ambulant patients however trends in each marker were seen in the same direction as ACLF. In mononuclear phagocytes HLA-DR was significantly reduced between HV and both ambulant (p=0.0019) and ACLF (p<0.0001), and CD88 between HV and ACLF (p=0.0083). There were also trends of increased CD16, CD62L and CD64, with decreasing CD11b and CD54. When stimulated, there was a significant increases in CD64 (p=0.0004), and increasing trends in CD11b, CD54, CD32 and CD88 in ACLF patients, as well as a failure to increase HLA-DR. A significant difference was also observed between HV and ambulant patients in CD64 (p=0.0297), with trends in the other markers mirroring the ALCF patients but to a lesser degree. TNF levels in the supernatants of the stimulated blood were reduced in both ambulant and AD patients compared to HV. Conclusion The phenotype of innate immune cells in ACLF was altered reflecting immune dysfunction and potentially explaining increased rates of bacterial infection. The response of innate cells to stimulation was also modified. These changes reflect a markedly reduced bactericidal and phagocytic potential of these cells. This is mirrored by the reduced production of TNF-a by whole blood stimulation. Overall, we see an immune-fatigued phenotype in innate immunity. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


Mader first proved that high average degree forces a given graph as a minor. Often motivated by Hadwiger's Conjecture, much research has focused on the average degree required to force a complete graph as a minor. Subsequently, various authors have considered the average degree required to force an arbitrary graph $H$ as a minor. Here, we strengthen (under certain conditions) a recent result by Reed and Wood, giving better bounds on the average degree required to force an $H$-minor when $H$ is a sparse graph with many high degree vertices. This solves an open problem of Reed and Wood, and also generalises (to within a constant factor) known results when $H$ is an unbalanced complete bipartite graph.


Low pregnancy rate is an important issue in small ruminants. Superovulation protocols would serve as the possible techniques to increase the pregnancy rate in small ruminants due to the use of synthetic hormones. The present study aimed to assess the effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) after artificial insemination (AI) on the pregnancy rate of Romanov ewes breed. To this end, estrus was synchronized in 140 ewes using a controlled internal drug-releasing (CIDR) device. Following CIDR removal, all ewes received 400 IU Pregnant Mare's Serum Gonadotropin (PMSG). The ewes were assigned to three groups (control, n=20; experimental groups, each of them was divided into three subgroups, n=20). The first group in each experiment was assumed as control. The second and third groups received three levels of GnRH, (400, 500, and 600 µg, n=20) and hCG (200, 300, and 400 IU) administered by the intramuscular (IM) route. As soon as the signs of estrus were observed, the ewes were isolated from the others and artificially inseminated with fresh sperm using the transcervical method. The results indicated that there were no significant differences between experimental groups in ovulation and pregnancy rates on days 33 and 90 post-AI ( P >0.05). The highest twin birth rate (20%) was recorded in the hCG group (300 IU), as compared to GnRH and control groups ( P <0.05). The effect of GnRH and hCG on the plasma concentration of progesterone was significant ( P <0.01). The groups significantly differed in fecundity rate (Single birth, twin birth, and triple birth) ( P <0.05), all of these parameters were significantly higher in the hCG 300 IU group. It can be concluded that the injection of 300 IU of hCG hormone after insemination improves pregnancy rate in ewes.


Background: Mitigating resident burnout is a high priority for medical centers. Monitoring residents' overall perceptions of their training environments could be a reliable indicator of potential future burnout. Furthermore, recent national studies suggest procedural specialties have a higher burnout rate and lower satisfaction than non-procedural specialties. In the current study, we utilized institutional data from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) resident survey to better understand trends related to our residency program learning environments over time (2012-2018) and by specialty grouping (procedural versus non-procedural). Methods: Annual ACGME survey results from 2012 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed to determine trends in resident satisfaction. Specifically, satisfaction was defined as a "very positive" or "positive" response on the survey. Programs with an average of four or more residents were included. The programs were categorized into procedural versus non-procedural specialties and differential trends between the two groups were analyzed. Results: A total of 17 residency programs were included in this study (nine procedural and eight nonprocedural), with a combined average satisfaction score ("very positive" plus "positive") over all years of 89%, which is slightly better than the annual national means (87-88%). Using this combined average score, residents in procedural residency programs rated their satisfaction higher (93%) when compared to non-procedural specialties (87%). Further analysis demonstrated that procedural specialties had higher combined satisfaction scores every year of the study except for 2018. Conversely, residents in nonprocedural specialties had a higher "positive" rating when compared to procedural specialties (range of 28.5-44% versus 15-33%, respectively). Conclusion: The results of our study demonstrate that the overall satisfaction scores for our academic center are comparable to or better than the national patterns, with a favorable trend towards the procedural specialties.


Abstract The authors present a qualitative study which investigates the intersections between English Language Learner (ELL) status, disability, and special education in a mid-sized urban school district in Upstate New York. They explore how teachers conceptualize and implement New York State Education Department policies which affect the inclusive education of ELL students. The authors discuss how the discourse used in these policies, along with teachers' limited access to guidance and support, could lead to the exacerbation of educational inequities and exclusion of ELLs, despite the promise to support inclusion and success for all students. The Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) framework is used as an intersectional tool to help re-frame existing inclusive policies and practices.


Purpose
To investigate the potential neuroprotective effect of sildenafil on the ocular circulation in mice with/without optic nerve crush (ONC).

Methods
Male adult mice (n = 63) were treated with intravitreal (IVT) sildenafil 24 μg/3 μL, intraperitoneal (IP) sildenafil 24 μg/300 μL, or IP saline immediately before right ONC induction (ONC group). A second group (n = 123) received the same treatments without ONC induction (naïve group). Evaluations included fluorescein angiography (naïve group; day 0), molecular studies (days 1 and 3), and retinal and optic nerve histology (day 21).

Results
Maximal retinal vessel dilatation and increased choroidal effusion were detected within 30 minutes of sildenafil injection. In the ONC group, moderate retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss was noted at 21 days. However, molecular studies showed increased stress induced gene expression (IP superoxide dismutase [SOD]-1: 3.1-fold; heme oxygenase [HO]-1: 5.8-fold; IVT SOD-1: 1.47-fold), proapoptotic gene expression (IP BAX/B-cell lymphoma [BCL]-2 10.8-/2.3-fold), and glial gene expression (IP glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP]: 2.8- and myelin basic protein [MBP]: 2.5-fold). In the naïve group, IVT sildenafil was not associated with RGC loss or optic nerve stroke on histology, although in two samples, molecular parameters were compatible with stroke, showing increased gene expression of HO-1 (3.8-fold) and BCL-2 (2.5-fold). In the IP sildenafil subgroup, optic neuropathy was observed in 6/120 optic nerves, including 3 cyan fluorescence protein (CFP)-Thy-1 mice. Levels of antiapoptosis and anti-ischemia genes were decreased (<0.5-fold) except for three outliers.

Conclusions
Sildenafil affects retinal and choroidal perfusion in mice. When injected immediately before ONC, molecular parameters showed a preconditioning neuroprotective effect while histologic studies did not. In the absence of ONC, it is associated with neuropathy, possibly dose-dependent.


The origin of the fractional quantum Hall effect (FQHE) at 4/11 and 5/13 has remained controversial. We make a compelling case that the FQHE is possible here for fully spin polarized composite fermions, but with an unconventional underlying physics. Thanks to a rather unusual interaction between composite fermions, the FQHE here results from the suppression of pairs with a relative angular momentum of three rather than one, confirming the exotic mechanism proposed by Wójs, Yi, and Quinn [Phys. Rev. B 69, 205322 (2004)]. We predict that the 4/11 state reported a decade ago by Pan et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 016801 (2003)] is a conventional partially spin polarized FQHE of composite fermions, and we estimate the Zeeman energy where a phase transition into the unconventional fully spin polarized state will occur.


The topic "converging shock waves" is quite useful in Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF). Most of the earlier studies have assumed that the medium of propagation is ideal. However, due to very high temperature at the axis of convergence, the effect of medium on shock waves should be taken in account. We have considered a problem of propagation of cylindrical shock waves in real medium. Magnetic field has been assumed in axial direction. It has been assumed that electrical resistance is zero. The problem can be represented by a system of hyperbolic Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) with jump conditions at the shock as the boundary conditions. The Lie group theoretic method has been used to find solutions to the problem. Lie's symmetric method is quite useful as it reduces one-dimensional flow represented by a system of hyperbolic PDEs to a system of Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs) by means of a similarity variable. Infinitesimal generators of Lie's group transformation have been obtained by invariant conditions of the governing and boundary conditions. These generators involves arbitrary constants that give rise to different possible cases. One of the cases has been discussed in detail by writing reduced system of ODEs in matrix form. Cramer's rule has been used to find the solution of system in matrix form. The results are presented in terms of figures for different values of parameters. The effect of non-ideal medium on the flow has been studied. Guderley's rule is used to compute similarity exponents for cylindrical shock waves, in gasdynamics and in magnetogasdynamics (ideal medium), in order to set up a comparison with the published work. The computed values are very close to the values in published articles.


Dislocation photoluminescence (DPL) is studied at 4.2K in plastically deformed germanium single crystals containing predominantly 60fl dislocations of "relaxed" morphology. The DPL spectra were deconvolved into Gaussian (Gm) lines of two groups over the range 0.5-0.6 eV. One of these lines corresponds to the radiation of 60fl dislocations with the equilibrium stacking fault width F0. To clarify the origin of the other Gm lines, the effect of both the dislocation density ND, ranging from106 to 109 cm-2, and the annealing at temperatures above 600flC on the intensity of Gm lines was investigated. The origin of different lines in the DPL spectra of germanium and silicon is discussed.


Recent advances in commonsense reasoning have been fueled by the availability of large-scale human annotated datasets. Manual annotation of such datasets, many of which are based on existing knowledge bases, is expensive and not scalable. Moreover, it is challenging to build augmentation data for commonsense reasoning because the synthetic questions need to adhere to real-world scenarios. Hence, we present GraDA, a graph-generative data augmentation framework to synthesize factual data samples from knowledge graphs for commonsense reasoning datasets. First, we train a graph-to-text model for conditional generation of questions from graph entities and relations. Then, we train a generator with GAN loss to generate distractors for synthetic questions. Our approach improves performance for SocialIQA, CODAH, HellaSwag and CommonsenseQA, and works well for generative tasks like ProtoQA. We show improvement in robustness to semantic adversaries after training with GraDA and provide human evaluation of the quality of synthetic datasets in terms of factuality and answerability. Our work provides evidence and encourages future research into graph-based generative data augmentation.


and Implications Segregated early weaning (SEW) works well with pasture-farrowed pigs. The SEW pasture-farrowed pigs weighed about the same as conventionally weaned pigs at 9 weeks of age with lower death losses (about 2% less). For the period 5Ð9 weeks of age the SEW pigs gained more rapidly and were more efficient converting feed to live gain than pigs weaned at 5 weeks of age and moved to an open-front shelter. However, costs were presumably higher for the SEW pigs because of higher labor costs from multiple feedings per day, higher-priced pig feed for early weaned pigs, higher utility costs, and the added cost of a nursery unit. Based on the results of this trial, SEW is compatible with pasture farrowing. However, pasture farrowing may not be as compatible with the mechanics of SEW. For example, because pasture farrowing is seasonal, the SEW nursery may not be kept full at all times. This would reduce the throughput, the number of pigs through the unit, which would increase the fixed building costs per pig. A new approach of putting newly weaned 2-week-old, 10-lb pigs directly into a finishing unit would partially alleviate this situation or lower fixed cost SEW nurseries are needed that then could be used on a seasonal basis. On the other hand, the technique of early weaning pasture-farrowed pigs has the potential of extending the farrowing season while reducing piglet mortality and minimizing the negative effects of weather extremes. By its nature, a one-litter pasture-farrowing system may benefit less from SEW than other more intensive or continuous pig production systems. In a one-litter system considerable age segregation of pigs occurs on the farm at all times. The sows are sold after weaning. At most times throughout the year the pigs on the farm are the same age. If the herd already has a high health status, the advantages of SEW are much less. Therefore, SEW will work for pasture farrowed pigs but herd health status and overall SEW costs need to be carefully evaluated. A cost comparison of SEW for pasture-farrowed pigs is elsewhere in this report.


Auto-calibration is to estimate camera intrinsic parameters and extrinsic parameters from image observation. In the last decade, auto-calibration has been studied and applied in transportation surveillance. Image features from architectures, roads, vehicles and pedestrians provide the orthogonal constraints for calibration. In transportation surveillance, previous auto-calibration methods are mainly based on single-view geometry, while this paper proposes a method based on multiple-view geometry. The experiment results prove that our method is more robust to image noise than previous methods.


We studied the outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in 14 patients with end-stage HCV-related liver disease who received HCV-positive liver allografts. Viral sequences specific for donor and recipient were established by direct sequencing of PCR products from the NS5 region and by single-strand conformation polymorphism. Within a few months after transplantation the donor strain took over the recipient strain in 8 patients while in 6 patients it was the recipient strain which ultimately prevailed. Donor and recipient were infected by identical genotypes in 6 donor/recipient pairs and by different genotypes in the remaining 8 pairs. Subtype 1b and type 1 (1a + 1b) became the predominant strains in all recipient/donor pairs in which they were present. Patients retaining their own strain were found to have significantly more active liver disease than those infected by the donor strain. We show that HCV superinfection and overtake phenomena occur in humans and suggest that genotypes 1b and 1 (1a + 1b) may possess replicative advantages over other genotypes. Furthermore, we provide evidence of the existence of interference preventing simultaneous continuous infection even by the same genotype strains. The development of active liver disease associated with recipient strain infection and mild or no disease associated with infection from the donor suggests various pathogenic abilities of different HCV strains.


BACKGROUND
eHealth-literate consumers, consumers able to navigate and filter credible information on the Internet, are an important cornerstone of sustainable health systems in the 21(st) century. Various checklists and tools for consumers to assess the quality of health information on the Internet have been proposed, but most fail to take into account the unique properties of a networked digital environment.

METHOD
A new educational model and tool for assessing information on the Internet has been designed and pilot tested with consumers. The new proposed model replaces the "traditional" static questionnaire/checklist/ rating approach with a dynamic, process-oriented approach, which emphasizes three steps consumers should follow when navigating the Internet. FA4CT (or FACCCCT) is an acronym for these three steps: 1) Find Answers and Compare [information from different sources], 2) Check Credibility [of sources, if conflicting information is provided], 3) Check Trustworthiness (Reputation) [of sources, if conflicting information is provided]. In contrast to existing tools, the unit of evaluation is a "fact" (i.e. a health claim), rather than a webpage or website.

RESULTS
Formative evaluations and user testing suggest that the FA4CT model is a reliable, valid, and usable approach for consumers.

CONCLUSION
The algorithm can be taught and used in educational interventions ("Internet schools" for consumers), but can also be a foundation for more sophisticated tools or portals, which automate the evaluation according to the FA4CT algorithm.


Abstract Using a dual economic specification of a multiproduct technology, the structure of agricultural production was tested for five South Central states (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana). A comprehensive set of output supplies and input demands comprised the estimation equations in each state. Evidence of nonjoint production in a subset of commodities was detected in four of the five states. Several commodities also satisfied sufficient conditions for consistent aggregation. However, the specific outputs satisfying each structural property varied by state. Sufficient conditions for consistent geographic aggregation across the states were not satisfied. These results provide empirical guidance and important cautions for legitimately simplifying state-level model specifications of southern agricultural production.


The recognition of multi-causality and spatial non-stationarity in the determinants of large-scale biodiversity patterns requires to consider the role of multiple mechanisms, their interactions, and how these mechanisms vary in strength relative to each other across geographical space. Here, we challenge the view that historical climate stability primarily drives European patterns of groundwater crustacean diversity by testing also the role of spatial heterogeneity and productive energy. First, we predicted that the three mechanisms would be equally important at continental scale when analyzed separately, but that the importance of historical climate variability would weaken in joint analyses due to co-variation with the two other mechanisms. Second, we predicted that the three mechanisms would exhibit predictable latitudinal changes in their relative strength. To test these predictions, we selected predictors representing each mechanism and analyzed separately and jointly their effects and interactions using global regression models. We further mapped the independent and overlapping effects of mechanisms across Europe using partial geographically weighted regressions. When analyzed separately, the three mechanisms explained the same amount of variation in species richness, but in the joint analysis, the influence of historical climate stability became hidden in the variation shared with the other mechanisms. Topographic heterogeneity interacted synergistically with actual evapotranspiration and habitat heterogeneity on species richness. Spatial non-stationarity in the independent and overlapping effects of the three mechanisms was the most plausible expla- nation for the hump-shaped latitudinal pattern of crustacean species richness. Productive energy and spatial heterogeneity were important predictors at mid and southern latitudes, whereas historical climate stability overlapped with the two other mechanisms in northern Europe and productive energy in southern Europe. Multi-causality and spatial non-stationarity provide a broader perspective of groundwater biodiversity determinants that revives the importance of spatial heterogeneity and the strong dependence of subterranean communities on food supply from the surface.


Summary

1. The long-term persistence of fragmented plant populations is predicted to be threatened by a loss of genetic variability and increasing inbreeding, which might lower offspring fitness through inbreeding depression. Assessing plant progeny performance together with measurements of genetic diversity and mating patterns is therefore essential in the understanding of the role of the historical (i.e. genetic diversity in adults) and contemporary (i.e. current mating patterns) genetic effects of fragmentation on inbreeding depression, thus, on recruitment potential.

2. We evaluated genetic diversity, mating patterns and progeny performance at different life stages in seven populations of a Mediterranean shrub (myrtle Myrtus communis) that differed in size and degree of isolation (Large, Small-connected and Small-isolated populations). The study was conducted in the Guadalquivir Valley (SW Spain), a chronically and severely fragmented landscape characterized by c. 1% of woodland cover.

3. Parameters of genetic diversity (Ar, Ho and He) of adult plants were in general higher in the Large populations than in the two types of Small populations, which were similar. Outcrossing rates were higher in Small-connected populations (mean: tm = 0·62), intermediate in Large (tm = 0·35) and lower in Small-isolated populations (tm = 0·13), and were positively correlated with the genetic diversity of progenies.

4. Several measurements of progeny performance were higher in Small-connected populations, intermediate in Large and lower in Small-isolated populations, in particular those related with the quantity of viable seedlings produced (germination and survival). Outcrossing rates rather than the genetic diversity of adult plants were positively correlated with these measurements of progeny performance.

5. We thus conclude that contemporary mating patterns (outcrossing rates) have a more critical influence on progeny performance than either population fragmentation or the historical levels of genetic diversity.

6. Synthesis and applications. It may be possible to enhance either the fitness or certain levels of genetic diversity in progenies by promoting outcrossed matings in fragmented populations of self-compatible plant species. In our study species, this would be feasible either by controlling honeybee Apis mellifera hives or maintaining and/or enhancing landscape connectivity around small patches.


This thesis is a study of American local government in the 1920s and 1930s and the role played by political party machines. It reviews the growth of overtly corrupt machines after the end of the Civil War, the struggle by the Progressives to reform city halls throughout America at the turn of the twentieth century and the rise of second phase machines at the end of the First World War. It analyses the core elements of machines, especially centralization of power, manipulation of incentives, leadership and "bossism", and use of patronage. Throughout it emphasises that first and foremost, machines were small monopoly businesses whose vast profits, derived from improper and corrupt use of government levers, were allocated among a small group of senior players. Using the Kansas City Democratic machine of the infamous Tom Pendergast as a case study, it examines challenges to machines and the failure of the local press to expose Pendergast's wrongdoing. It analyses elements of machine corruption, first in the conduct of elections where numerous fraudulent tactics kept machines in power and, second, in the way machines corruptly manipulated local government, often involving organized crime. Finally, the thesis examines the breach of ethics of machine politics, measuring the breaches against the pragmatism of bosses. Numerous larger-than-life characters appear in the thesis from bosses such as Tweed of Tammany Hall infamy, Alonzo "Nuckie" Johnson, Frank Hague and Tom Pendergast, the gangster John Lazia, as well as men who did business with or fought Pendergast, such as future president Harry S. Truman, Missouri U.S. Attorney Maurice Milligan and even Franklin D. Roosevelt.


First historical findings on camel wrestling, which is now practiced as a festival in Turkey, particularly in certain regions (Marmara, Aegean, Mediterranean) date back to the 15th century. In terms of animal husbandry, parasitic diseases may result in negative outcomes ranging from loss of performance to death for camels. In the present study, annual camel wrestling arenas were visited between December and March (2010-2011), and stool samples were collected from camels from different cities for parasitological analysis. Stool samples of 109 camels from 7 different cities (Aydin, Izmir, Manisa, Denizli, Mugla, Balikesir, and Canakkale) were examined using Baermann-Wetzel stool culture, flotation, and sedimentation techniques for the parasites that live in gastrointestinal tract. The analyses revealed that 74% of the camels (81 of 109) were infected with one or more parasites: Trichostrongylus spp. (47.7%), Ostertagia spp. (27.5%), Dicrocoelium spp. (24.7%), Trichuris spp. (11.9%), Eimeria cameli (11.9%), Capillaria spp. (6.4%), Fasciola spp. (6.4%), Dictyocaulus viviparous (5.5%), Haemonchus spp. (4.5%), Oesophagostomum spp. (4.5%), Cooperia spp. (4.5%), Cooperia oncophora (3.6%), Nematodirus spp. (3.6%), Chabertia ovina (2.7%), Eimeria spp. (1.8%), and Paramphistomum spp. (0.9%). 16 different parasites, at the level of species and genus, were found, of which 14 were helminth (11 nematodes, 3 trematodes), and 2 were protozoans. The present study was the first to report Ostertagia spp., Fasciola spp. Dictyocaulus viviparus, Haemonchus spp., Oesophagostomum spp., Cooperia spp., Cooperia oncophora, Chabertia ovina and Paramphistomum spp. in camels in Turkey. As high as 74 percent of the incidence of parasitic diseases and the wide variety of parasites found in the present study suggest that parasitic infections may be overlooked entity in wrestling camels that are meticulously brought up.


Context: Intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) has been recommended for insertion within 10 min of placental delivery or within 48 h of delivery (postpartum IUCD [PPIUCD]) by the WHO. However, the acceptance across our country has been low. Aims: To determine the level of knowledge and the factors affecting it and the likely adoption of PPIUCD. Settings and Design: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the antenatal clinic and postnatal ward of a large tertiary care center in South India. Subjects and Methods: A total of 339 women were studied with the help of a validated structured pro forma. Proportions were expressed in percentage. Chi-square test was applied to compare proportions and univariate analysis for the factors affecting knowledge and likely acceptance. Results: Among the 339 women, 152 (44.8%) were aware of the method. Of the 152 women, 56 had a negative attitude about the method. Multiparity of the women was a significant factor affecting knowledge (χ2 = 8.068, P = 0.045). Women who were not exposed to formal health counseling were significantly associated with a lack of knowledge (χ2 = 23.332, P = 0.0001). Primiparity (χ2 = 14.683, P = 0.0001), husbands with skilled jobs (χ2 = 8.272, P = 0.0407), having shared information with their husband regarding the method (χ2 = 38.1, P < 0.001), and family support (χ2 = 58.25, P < 0.001) were the major factors associated with willingness to adopt the method. Conclusion: The level of knowledge about PPIUCD of our study population is 44.8%. Exposure to formal health counseling classes and prior discussion with husbands and family members could improve the knowledge and likelihood of acceptance of PPIUCD.


Abstract In order to be able to answer a natural language question, a computational system needs three main capabilities. First, the system needs to be able to analyze the question into a structured query, revealing its component parts and how these are combined. Second, it needs to have access to relevant knowledge sources, such as databases, texts or images. Third, it needs to be able to execute the query on these knowledge sources. This paper focuses on the first capability, presenting a novel approach to semantically parsing questions expressed in natural language. The method makes use of a computational construction grammar model for mapping questions onto their executable semantic representations. We demonstrate and evaluate the methodology on the CLEVR visual question answering benchmark task. Our system achieves a 100% accuracy, effectively solving the language understanding part of the benchmark task. Additionally, we demonstrate how this solution can be embedded in a full visual question answering system, in which a question is answered by executing its semantic representation on an image. The main advantages of the approach include (i) its transparent and interpretable properties, (ii) its extensibility, and (iii) the fact that the method does not rely on any annotated training data.


Patients suffering severe trauma frequently become immunosuppressed following injury. This can predispose patients to infectious sequelae. Biochemically, these patients synthesize excessive quantities of cyclooxygenase products (prostaglandins). It has been hypothesized that the prostaglandins cause the immunosuppression and that inhibition of the cyclooxygenase enzyme could thus prevent the immunosuppression. We investigated the effect of the cyclooxygenase inhibitor ibuprofen on the inflammatory response. Rats were subjected to a 30% total body surface area burn and were administered either ibuprofen for a period of 7 days or 14 days, or were administered the carrier for 14 days. The rats were then killed and multiple immunologic variables were measured. Ibuprofen was found to decrease neutrophil chemiluminescence, lymphocyte blastogenesis, and helper/inducer T-lymphocyte infiltration of a sponge matrix model. The same ibuprofen protocol decreased survival in a cecal ligation and puncture model. In conclusion, the cyclooxygenase enzyme system appears to produce metabolites essential for optimal survival following traumatic injury.


In many areas it appears possible to map soils, with some generalization, by combining stereoscopic interpretation of aerial photographs with field checks. As a test of this technique, the soil series were mapped on 4000 acres in the glaciated region of southern New York. The area was then mapped on foot in the usual manner. The stereo results came remarkably close to representing the true field conditions. Essentially the method relies on knowledge of the kinds of soil which occur in the area, then identifying certain features of the land related to soil patterns. The major features on airphotos important to soil identification are the landscape or land form, slope, position, color tone, vegetation, drainage pattern, and land use. In complex areas soil mapping obviously depends on field examination, but where stereo methods can be applied more maps could be made available for use, with a big saving in time and money.


Methods: Based on a power calculation 110 women with low-risk singleton pregnancies were recruited after written consent according to ethical approval. Inner diameter and peak blood velocity were measured in the IVC at the level below the ductus venosus outlet during rest and respiratory activity including peak inspiratory movement during the 3rd trimester. The Bernoulli equation was used to calculate pressure gradients. t-test and 95% CI of the mean were used to document differences. Results: At median gestational week 36 (range 32–38) the IVC was wider at rest than during respiratory activity, 5.3 mm (95% CI 5.1–5.5) vs. 4.7 (4.4–4.9), respectively, and considerably less during high-amplitude inspiratory movement, 1.7 (1.4–1.8). Peak systolic blood velocity increased from 41cm/s (38–47) during rest to 130 (121–140) during high-amplitude inspiration, which corresponds to an increase in pressure gradient from average 0.7 to 6.8 mmHg between the abdominal IVC and the atria. Conclusions: During high-amplitude fetal inspiration the abdominal IVC is almost completely blocked and the pressure gradient to the chest is increased by a factor of 10 supporting the concept that respiratory movements facilitate upper body venous drainage and CO2 washout, and additionally give preference to ductus venosus flow at the expense of IVC drainage.


Research shows that first-time freshmen in general and first-generation college students in particular who are underprepared in mathematics struggle to achieve academic success in engineering programs. Data also indicate that minority students are overrepresented in this group of underprepared students. Across the US, many efforts have been undertaken to help improve all of the college students' academic experiences and engineering retention. For many years, the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University has focused on initiatives that enhance the academic experiences of freshmen. One of these initiatives, the Learning to Excel in Engineering through Preparation (LEEP) Program, intends to improve students' academic readiness and thus, retention in engineering, especially for students from underrepresented groups. In this paper, characteristics of the LEEP program and lessons learned over four years are described. Currently, LEEP is a summer program consisting of three (3) credit-bearing courses focusing on mathematics, physics and engineering study skills. In addition to coursework, participants engage in community-building activities with their peers, upper class students, and university faculty and staff. Math SAT (SATM) (or ACT ([ACTM]) scores provide a readily available indicator of students who are likely to be underprepared for the freshman-year engineering curriculum. Based on this indicator, engineering students are invited to participate in LEEP the summer before they enroll in the fall. Fifty-five and 59% percent of the students who participated in the 2010 LEEP program were first-generation and/or URM college students, repectively. LEEP was first piloted in Summer 2007 and has been offered each summer since. This study reviews four cohorts of first-year students who participated in LEEP between 2007 and 2010. Assessment data includes participants' demographics and their mathematics and physics achievement over the course of the program. The overarching goal of this paper is to share with the engineering community results of LEEP and its positive influence on success of engineering students.


We provide a philosophical explanation of the relation between artificial intelligence (AI) explainability and trust in AI, providing a case for expressions, such as "explainability fosters trust in AI," that commonly appear in the literature. This explanation considers the justification of the trustworthiness of an AI with the need to monitor it during its use. We discuss the latter by referencing an account of trust, called "trust as anti-monitoring," that different authors contributed developing. We focus our analysis on the case of medical AI systems, noting that our proposal is compatible with internalist and externalist justifications of trustworthiness of medical AI and recent accounts of warranted contractual trust. We propose that "explainability fosters trust in AI" if and only if it fosters warranted paradigmatic trust in AI, i.e., trust in the presence of the justified belief that the AI is trustworthy, which, in turn, causally contributes to rely on the AI in the absence of monitoring. We argue that our proposed approach can intercept the complexity of the interactions between physicians and medical AI systems in clinical practice, as it can distinguish between cases where humans hold different beliefs on the trustworthiness of the medical AI and exercise varying degrees of monitoring on them. Finally, we discuss the main limitations of explainable AI methods and we argue that the case of "explainability fosters trust in AI" may be feasible only in a limited number of physician-medical AI interactions in clinical practice.


The COVID-19 pandemic was a source of significant stress due to health and safety concerns and measures to control the virus' spread, such as mobility restrictions. This measure was especially demanding for parents with school aged children, who had to find new work–family balance as their children participate in online education while attempting to work remotely. To evaluate parents' stress trajectories during the pandemic, we conducted Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMAs) during lockdown for 29 days in 68 families in Santiago, Chile. In addition, we evaluated the role of educational level and income, co-parenting, and number of children in parents' stress trajectories. Our results showed that during the first weeks of lockdown expected protective factors (i.e., income and co-parental support) were not able to influence parents' daily stress management. Moreover, parents with higher educational levels reported worse stress adaptation than less educated parents. On the other hand, co-parental conflict was significantly associated with parent's stress. Our study captured an acute response to COVID-19 related challenges. This study contributes to understanding how parents adjust to stress during adverse circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic.


Health selectivity posits that individuals who practice preventive health behaviors are more likely to migrate to the United States, and this has been proposed as one explanation of the Latino Paradox. This paper examines evidence for health selection in the context of reproductive health using national survey data from Mexico (the longitudinal Mexico Family Life Survey [MxFLS], 2002 and 2005 waves) and the United States (the National Survey of Family Growth [NSFG], 2002). We compared sexual behaviors and contraceptive practices of Mexican women residing in Mexico who subsequently migrated to the United States with those who remained in Mexico and with Mexican immigrants in the United States. MxFLS respondents who migrated to the United States had a younger mean age, and a larger proportion had no children compared to MxFLS nonmigrants. Within the MxFLS sample, a smaller proportion of women who migrated had ever had vaginal sex, though this difference was nonsignificant with adjustment for sociodemographic factors. No sexual behavior or contraceptive use measures varied between Mexican migrants and nonmigrants within the MxFLS. The mean lifetime number of sexual partners was lower for MxFLS respondents than for Mexican immigrants in the NSFG. Smaller proportions of MxFLS respondents reported using hormonal methods or condoms relative to NSFG respondents. We found no evidence for health selectivity with regard to sexual behaviors or contraceptive practices, underscoring the importance of continued attention to the factors that influence the adaptation trajectories following U.S. migration.


This paper reports on an action research study that aimed to investigate whether an online discussion board could provide feedback to a lecturer to cater for specific learning needs and improve student engagement and outcome in a first year undergraduate nursing unit delivered externally. And whether a reflective practice approach to content delivery based on student feedback could improve learning outcomes and student satisfaction. An online forum was used to identify students' learning needs, encourage collaboration, discussion of learning materials and create a learning community that is supportive of each other to enhance learning. A reflective practice approach was used to reflect upon student feedback and teaching practice that allowed modifying teaching materials and practice throughout the semester. At the end of week 10, students provided feedback on their learning experience that formed part of the qualitative data along with the researcher's reflective journal which were analyzed using thematic analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to compare student engagement with the School of Health average for the semester and grades between two semesters of the same unit. It was found that on average the student engagement with the unit was more than the average for the school of health and there was a marked improvement on student grade. Three themes emerge from the student feedback (sense of belonging, sense of satisfaction and sense of ownership). The themes that emerge from the researcher reflections were: lack of engagement/anxiety, developing trust and enjoyment with engagement. It was concluded that an online discussion forum could provide an educator the opportunity to identify students' learning needs and modify the educational materials and delivery according to the expressed needs. This has the potential to improve the time students spend on Learnline by enhancing their engagement with the learning materials and improving their academic performance. Keywordsreflective practice, student engagement, discussion forum, student learning, online


The interaction between available individual and collective resources in the determination of health is largely ignored in the literature on the relationship between poverty and health in developing countries. We analyse the role public resources play in the perception that rural women in Morocco have of their health. These resources are taken to contribute directly and indirectly to the improvement of individual health by, on the one hand, providing a health-promoting environment and, on the other, improving the individual?s ability to produce health. The empirical results of multilevel models confirm the expected associations between socioeconomic status, individual vulnerability factors and health. Furthermore, the random part of the model suggests that variation in state of health is also associated with the presence of collective resources. However, the higher the level of women?s individual wealth, the less the characteristics of the community in which they live seem to be associated with their health, and the less the potential vulnerability factors seem to constrain their ability to maintain or improve health. Our results suggest that collective investments derived from various areas of activity will be more favourable to improving health, insofar as they are adapted to the initial capacity of women to benefit from them.


This article seeks to revisit the law in relation to the sexual phenomenon of barebacking. Drawing upon queer theory, the article seeks to evaluate critically the development of the criminal law in relation to the practice of 'unsafe' sex by men with other men, known as barebacking, along with the broader casting of the judiciary as sexual custos mores. It will argue that the present heteronormative legal and cultural framework largely reflects a focus upon the 'good gay', de-sexed and constructed within a rights discourse, in contrast to Stychin's 'bad queer', sexual and defiant of a narrow heteronormative rights agenda, and embracing 'unsafe' and 'deviant' sexual practices. This article seeks to move the analysis of the criminal law on from the doctrinal debates that have dominated thus far, and onto a more theoretical exposition of the criminal law regarding barebacking as erotic play.


Carica papaya L. is a perennial plant cultivated mostly in tropical and subtropical lands including the Philippines, India, South America, Sri Lanka, and East Africa. Of all its parts, it is usually the fruit that is utilized for human consumption. Carica papaya L. comes in different varieties, including the Solo, Sinta, and Red Lady papayas. This study aimed to analyze and compare the total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity, and alkaloid presence of these three varieties in contrast to their total sugar content. Tests such as the Folin-Ciocalteu method, analysis of total flavonoid content, DPPH-scavenging activity assay and the Anthrone method were done. Descriptive statistics such as Levene statistics, means, standard deviations, ANOVA, and Tukey's test were used for data.


The surf clam Mesodesma donacium is one of the most valuable commercial species in Chile and Peru. Populations of the northern and central area of the geographic range can be decimated during El Nino events (Arntz et al. 1987). Although boring polychaetes represent a threat to native and commercial molluscs (Moreno et al. 2006), the effects of the association between Polydora bioccipitalis and M. donacium has not been studied yet. Clams covering the whole size range were sampled monthly at Hornitos (northern Chile) and classified into four infestation levels (0 to III) to study: i) the relationship between the prevalence of infestation and host size, ii) timing of infestation events and iii) effects on body condition (BCI) and reproduction (GSI). Additionally, different staining chemicals (alizarin red, calcein and strontium chloride) were tested for suitability of growth analyses, resulting in calcein to be the best stain. This method enabled comparisons of short-term growth differences between reared clams at different infestation levels. Furthermore, effects of the infestation on digging ability were tested as well in reared clams. The relationship between prevalence and host-size was well described (r2 = 0.959) by a logistic regression model: clams under 34 mm in shell length where never infested, which could be related to habitat segregation between juvenile and adult clams. A rapid increase of prevalence in medium-size clams was explained by gaping in shell closure. Main infestation events were coupled with BCI and GSI drops. Hence, infestation takes place during energy-demanding periods of the host after spawining events. As previously observed by Lleonart et al. (2003), effects of infestation depend on the severity of infestation and the host size: significant negative effects on body condition, growth and digging time were found only in heavily infested adult clams. No differences in GSI where observed between clams with distinct infestation levels, which suggests that even if infestations affect body conditions, the gametogenic cycle apparently is not affected and follows the natural rhythm. As the percentage of heavily infested animals of this population was low (7.6% of all infested clams) it seems to be capable of sustaining the thresholds of stress induced by this symbiosis. This, however, could significantly change under environmental stress and play a role in mass mortality events commonly observed in this species, given previous observations on the Polydora spp. infestation ability (Tinoco-Orta & Caceres-Martinez 2003) and the traits of M. donacium populations (Arntz et al. 1987).


BACKGROUND
Nocturnal hypoglycemia (NH) remains a major burden for people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Daytime physical activity (PA) increases the risk of NH. This pilot study tested whether cumulative daytime PA measured using a smartphone-based step tracker was associated with NH.

METHODS
Adults with T1D for ≥ 5 years (y) on multiple daily insulin or continuous insulin infusion, not using continuous glucose monitoring and HbA1c 6 to 10% wore blinded Freestyle Libre Pro sensors and recorded total daily carbohydrate (TDC) and total daily dose (TDD) of insulin. During this time, daily step count (DSC) was tracked using the smartphone-based Fitbit MobileTrack application. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to estimate the effect of DSC on NH (sensor glucose <70, <54 mg/dl for ≥15 minutes), while adjusting for TDC and TDD of insulin, and treating participants as a random effect.

RESULTS
Twenty-six adults, with 65.4% females, median age 27 years (interquartile range: 26-32) mean body mass index 23.9 kg/m2, median HbA1c 7.6% (7.1-8.1) and mean Gold Score 2.1 (standard deviation 1.0) formed the study population. The median DSC for the whole group was 2867 (1820-4807). There was a significant effect of DSC on NH episodes <70 mg/dl. (odds ratio 1.11 [95% CI: 1.01-1.23, P = .04]. There was no significant effect on NH <54 mg/dl.

CONCLUSION
Daily PA measured by a smartphone-based step tracker was associated with the risk of NH in people with type 1 diabetes.