Background: Patients with plasma cell dyscrasia are at a higher risk of developing a severe Coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) infection. Here we present a systematic review of clinical studies focusing on the immune response to the COVID-19 vaccination in patients with plasma cell dyscrasia. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the immune response to COVID-19 vaccines in patients with plasma cell dyscrasia and to utilize the results to improve day-to-day practice. Design: Systematic Review Methods: Online databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Ovid, and Cochrane) were searched following the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Only articles published in the English language were included. Out of 59 studies, nine articles (seven prospective and two retrospective studies) were included in this systematic review. Abstracts, case reports, and case series were excluded. Results: In all nine studies (N = 1429), seroconversion post-vaccination was the primary endpoint. Patients with plasma cell disorders had a lower seroconversion rate compared to healthy vaccinated individuals and the overall percentage of seroconversion ranged between 23% and 95.5%. Among patients on active therapy, lower seroconversion rates were seen on an anti-CD38 agent, ranging from 6.5 up to 100%. In addition, a significantly lower percentage was recorded in older patients, especially in those aged equal to or greater than 65 years and those who have been treated with multiple therapies previously. Only one study reported a statistically significant better humoral response rate with the mRNA vaccine compared to ADZ1222/Ad26.Cov.S. Conclusion: Variable seropositive rates are seen in patients with plasma cell dyscrasia. Lower rates are reported in patients on active therapy, anti-CD38 therapy, and elderly patients. Hence, we propose patients with plasma cell dyscrasias should receive periodic boosters to maintain clinically significant levels of antibodies against COVID-19. Registration: PROSPERO ID: CRD42023404989


The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of selected prosocial play behaviors in children to moral reasoning, participation in youth sports, and perception of sportsmanship. A prosocial play behavior inventory which utilized teachers' observations of children was developed by the investigator and 16 elementary school teachers. This inventory was used to assess the prosocial play behavior of the children studied. A reliability coefficient of r = .98 was obtained for the inventory using the split-half method for estimating the internal consistency of a test. Assessment of the children's moral reasoning followed the method described by Kohlberg et al. (1976).


Is there a "best" way to set up national systems to develop and transfer better agricultural technology? The answer is of particular significance to African countries, which are struggling to solve their food problems. Drawing on a comparison of two developing countries, this article argues that a matrix structure, in which there are multiple organisational links reaching upward and across the system, is essential to propagate new farming technology. Successful restructuring of technology systems along these lines, however, requires political mobilisation of farmers, something few African governments have been willing or able to do.


ABSTRACT Social marketing techniques have been tested and proven useful within the health sector worldwide. In Fiji, social marketing was introduced in the early 1990s, and more rapidly during the last decade to improve national response to an increasing incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Given the limited amount of research in the area of program evaluation in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), this study systematically analyzes five Fijian HIV/AIDS prevention programs through Andreasen's benchmark criteria, in order to identify gaps in program design that ultimately impact program effectiveness. Assessment results unveil some interesting trends regarding the focus and applications of past Fijian HIV/AIDS prevention programs in the past decade. This article discusses these findings and other valuable lessons for future HIV/AIDS prevention strategies in Fiji and elsewhere.


As with the examples provided in the September/October 2005 issue, these articles describe cutting-edge research in scientific grid computing. Although it's also possible to use grid computing to address small-scale scientific computing needs, our aim in assembling both these issues has been to focus on large-scale work--indeed, work that can't be done in any other way, for want of computational resources. In the end, we believe that grid computing's impact on computational science ought to be judged by what new natural science it enables us to discover.


A bottleneck usually is a sub-process in the main process which delays the process. The performance of a process can be increased by eliminating the bottlenecks. To this end, opportunities to analyze and mitigate bottlenecks by using process mining techniques can be an interesting direction to utilize. This paper aims to classify literature on process mining bottleneck analysis techniques and propose a model for operational support regarding bottleneck analysis utilizing process mining. To this end, we first propose a model for classifying bottleneck analysis techniques. Then, we conduct a systematic literature review to identify existing papers that address bottleneck analysis by utilizing process mining techniques. The results indicate that many researchers are focusing on detecting bottlenecks, while limited attention is paid to predicting bottlenecks or recommending actions on what to do with bottlenecks. The proposed classification model is validated through a demonstration, showing how process mining bottleneck analysis techniques can be applied to a logistics case


The contribution of four variables, namely Chlorophyll -a (Chl- a ), Sea Surface Temperature (SST), diffuse attenuation coefficient (Kd_490 or Kd), and Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR), in predicting the catches of major pelagic fish species (Indian mackerel, horse mackerel, Bombay duck, oil sardine, and other sardines) was evaluated using Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA). The outcome of the analysis was compared with those obtained by using the following models and methods: the Generalized Linear Model (GLM), the Generalized Additive Model (GAM), connection weight methods, and the explanatory methods of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). Both the sets of results were in agreement. Neither the GAM nor the ANNs method showed any clear advantage over each other, although the GAM performed better than the GLM.


Internet security is the topic of this paper. Software as a service (SaaS) is a well-established, cost-effective means to deliver traditional software applications without investing in infrastructure and qualified personnel. A natural extension of cloud services is to extend platform independence via virtualization to a security model. This paradigm allows for the distributed provisioning of common security services. This model and its application demonstrate the viability of "security as a service" for cloud computing. Security as a service can enable cloud customers to implement and maintain the protection they need in an efficient, cost-effective manner that can be tailored to meet their risk profile. The paper discusses the aspects of security as a service.


VA ECMO is nowadays widely recognized as part of the armamentarium for fighting refractory acute heart failure. However, this system pays immediate gratification with high flows provided and rapid whole-body reperfusion but there is often a price to be paid a day later when the lungs become white. This phenomenon is secondary to the flow changes from the femoral artery which significantly affects the pressure-volume (PV) loop of the left ventricle. Therefore, although the use of VA ECMO is an exciting tool to resuscitate patients dying from acute heart failure, overall survival in this scenario remains poor especially if we target for myocardial recovery of the native heart (1).


A Mississippian clastic facies in the southern United States is within one of several regionally extensive clastic wedges that record the evolution of the Appalachian-Ouachita orogenic belt along the eastern and southern margin of the North American craton. In the eastern fringe of the wedge in Alabama, the Hartselle Sandstone is a northwest-trending linear sandstone along the regional facies boundary between clastic-wedge rocks (Floyd-Parkwood) and carbonate rocks (Monteagle-Bangor) typical of the shallow-marine shelf of the craton. Internal facies distribution in the Hartselle Sandstone defines a depositional system consisting of a northwest-trending barrier-island complex on the southwest and migrating sand bars on a shelf on the northeast. Barrier-island facies include horizontally laminated foreshore sandstone that contains limestone interbeds, as well as crossbedded longshore bar sandstone that contains fossil logs. The shallow shelf was dominated by migration of bars, wave reworking, and deposition of fine sediment from suspension in interbar areas. These processes are indicated by a complex vertical succession of crossbedded sandstones, rippled sandstones, and mudstones. Shelf processes reworked the upper part of the barrier-island sediment during regional southwestward marine transgression that is confirmed by southwestward extent of the Bangor Limestone over the Hartselle Sandstone. The northwest-trending barrier island of the Hartselle indicates sediment supply from the southwest, and that sediment dispersal system suggests uplift at a tectonically active converging continental margin along the Appalachian-Ouachita orogen during the Mississippian.


The response of respiratory motor neurons to graded elastic loading was assessed in anesthetized dogs by recording the electromyogram (EMG) from the diaphragm (ED) and the intercostal muscle (EIC). Elastic loads were applied for 1-20 breaths. The effects of changes in PCO2 on respiratory motor neuron output was assessed by applying loads during the course of CO2 rebreathing. On the first loaded breath, ED and EIC increased reflexly due chiefly to prolongation of inspiration. Vagotomy or vagal cooling to block the Hering-Breuer reflex eliminated the increase in ED and diminished the increase in EIC. During the second to fifth breath, the level of EMG activity was disproportionately high for the level of PCO2, suggesting an additional reflex component over and above the reflex activity present on the first loaded breath.


Rubrics are assessment instruments designed to assist in identifying and evaluating qualitative differences in student performance. Research into scoring rubrics has shown that they can serve two purposes: (1) aid assessors in achieving higher levels of consistency when scoring performance tasks, and (2) promote learning and/or improve instruction by making assessment expectations explicit and aiding the feedback process. In this chapter we summarize research on the formative use of rubrics, in order to identify how the use and design of rubrics may be optimized for the purpose of supporting student learning in an environment that often stresses independence and management of own learning. The presentation is organized around two different pathways through which rubrics may support student learning. These are through (a) facilitating the understanding and use of feedback and through (b) supporting students' self-regulated learning. We also analyze what is known about the implementation of rubrics in higher education, with a particular focus on more sustained and widespread implementations. The implications of these findings for both practice and future research on rubrics are discussed.


Background Mozambique has experienced a series of tobacco industry consolidation both in tobacco leaf buying and processing, and in cigarette manufacturing and marketing. The growth of the tobacco industry presence in Mozambique was followed by an increase in tobacco industry's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. This is the first paper to describe the history of tobacco industry activities in Mozambique, a party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Methods We reviewed industry documents and associated web-based information. Industry documents (1990–2021) were identified through University of California San Francisco's Truth Tobacco Industry Documents Library. We followed with a search of web-based sources pertaining to the tobacco industry in Mozambique. We complemented our analysis with select media sources to identify statements by government officials in relation to the tobacco industry. We mapped major tobacco industry players, industry partnerships and corresponding CSR activities. Results Tobacco production increased substantially in Mozambique in the 1990s when tobacco companies began targeting African countries. The increased attention to tobacco production, trade and sales in Mozambique was coupled with greater industry involvement in CSR activities. We identified 10 tobacco industry CSR programmes in Mozambique. Most of the CSR programmes focus on health including HIV/AIDS, social issues and environmental issues. Conclusions Similar to other tobacco-growing countries, the industry facilitated an increase in tobacco production and continues efforts to increase the tobacco consumption market while engaging in CSR activities focused on social and environmental issues. As in other countries, CSR initiatives in Mozambique enhance industry's reputation. Importantly, these CSR programmes and partnerships breach national laws and the provisions of the FCTC. The continuation of these programmes suggests limited attention within government to protect public policy from industry interference in compliance with Article 5.3 of the FCTC.


This report presents the latest compilation and quantitative assessment of data on coral reef health by the regional monitoring networks in the WIO, adding to the global GCRMN reports published from 1999 to 2008. The main objective of this report is to provide updated information on the status of coral reefs in the region, up to and including the impact of the 2016 third global coral bleaching event. Secondary objectives are to a) illustrate broad patterns that explain the differing health status of various reefs, and the prospects for reef management in relation to this, and b) present regional drivers of change and how they may evolve in coming years, to help countries in planning for impacts and recovery of coral reefs. It is a joint output of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), the Indian Ocean Commission, Coastal Oceans Research and Development in the Indian Ocean (CORDIO), the United Nations Environment's Nairobi Convention Coral Reef Task Force and the International Union for the Conservatoin of Nature Species Survival Commission's (IUCNSSC) Coral Specialist Group.


This research analyzes the main news frames used in coverage of migration in Chile. Over the past two decades, this South American nation has become an important destination for local migration, nearly quadrupling its migrant population. The analysis of a representative sample of news disseminated in 2019 on four different platforms—print media, television, radio, and the Internet (N = 411)—shows that although a negative portrayal of foreign nationals dominates, the most used frames are not related to crime (as reported in recent literature), but to conflict and political discussion. Beyond these general trends, the findings show significant differences between media platforms and various migrant communities. Regarding the diverse migrant communities, essential differences are observed in the favorable treatment of Venezuelans (whose immigration is being driven by political and economic factors) and the negative way in which the media treat other Latin American immigrants.


Shape memory alloy was firstly used commercially as a hydraulic coupling in the Grumman F14A in 1971. It is today used among others to improve structural behaviours such as buckling of composite plates in the aerospace vehicles. In this paper, finite element model and its source code for thermal post-buckling of shape memory alloy laminated composite plates is presented. The shape memory alloy wires induced stress that improved the strain energy, stiffness and thus the buckling behaviour of the composite plates. The finite element formulation catered the combined properties of the composite and shape memory alloys, the addition of the recovery stress and the temperature dependent properties of the shape memory alloys and the composite matrix. This study showed that by embedding shape memory alloy within layers of composite plates, post-buckling behaviours of composite plates can be improved substantially.


This special issue of the Journal of School-Based Counseling Policy and Evaluation presents the outcomes of the research of a team of international scholars seeking to better understand the nature of the variability of schoolbased counseling practice across countries and the contextual determinants of this variability. A lead article describes a large, ten-nation, factor analytic study of schoolbased counselors' ratings on the International Survey of School-Based Counseling Activities (ISSCA) that identified five dimensions that describe cross-national variability. Five articles use this five-dimensional framework to describe the mode of practice for school-based counseling within a single country (India, Kenya, Malta, Nigeria, and the United States) and to organize a discussion of the contextual factors related to these modes of practice. One article used the five-dimensional framework to compare the modes of practice in two countries (Costa Rica and Venezuela). The last article reported the results of two separate factor analyses from respondents in Hong Kong and supported the validity and utility of the five dimensions presented in the lead article. Implications, future directions and limitations were discussed relating to the promotion of cross-national, comparative research in school-based counseling.


The teaching of modern foreign languages within Swedish educational system has been a subject of a number of alarming reports in recent years. Several studies have shown that students lack motivation to learn any language but English. Of particular concern is the young males' underachieving and disinterest in foreign languages. In the meantime, a number of international studies and the statistical data from Swedish national agencies of secondary and higher education (Skolverket and Hogskoleverket) have indicated that Russian is one of the languages that are favoured by males. The primary goal of my case study was, therefore, to examine students' motivation to learn Russian and their attitudes towards language, community and Russian-speaking people. Another objective was to investigate gender differences in motivational factors.The study was conducted at the Department of modern languages of Uppsala University and the empirical data was collected using a mixed methodology. The questionnaire for the students was based on Gardner's Attitude / Motivation test battery (AMTB), adapted for the goals and objectives of my research. To place the students' responses in a wider context, semi-structured interviews with teachers of Russian were conducted.The analysis revealed a high level of both integrative and instrumental motivation for students of both genders as well as intrinsic motivation towards learning Russian. It is seen as a challenging subject to master but this is not perceived as an obstacle; rather, a stimulating factor (especially for males). The results indicate that although male students think of themselves as less motivated than females, the gender differences, in general, were not significant. Both male and female participants are integrative-orientated. However, women are more likely to identify themselves with the country (or its culture), while men are more fascinated by the language itself.


Rake probes are commonly used in turbomachinery applications to measure distorted inlet flows, including both pressure and swirl distortions. An especially common configuration is the 40 probe rake array, consisting of eight identical arms equally spaced circumferentially around the inlet, each arm having five sensing locations spaced along centers of equal area. By measuring many locations simultaneously, rake probes have the advantage of expedited data collection when compared to traversing probes. However, this reduction in test time comes at the cost of rigid geometry with limited measurement locations. As a result, it is possible for rake probes to miss or exaggerate significant areas of the flow profile, such as large gradients or small features, based on the fixed location of the probe and the particular details of the distortion. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a procedure that can be used to evaluate the ability of any desired probe configuration (40 probe rake or otherwise) to sufficiently and accurately measure a non-uniform flow profile. Results of this procedure for a range of profiles and probe configurations are also presented.
 In order to accurately determine the impact of discrete sampling on the results, two broad sets of data were generated numerically and analyzed. The first set consists of four fundamental total pressure distortions: once-per-rev circumferential, twice-per-rev circumferential, hub radial, and tip radial. The second set consists of three realistic turbofan distortion patterns: two analytic (though not fundamental) profiles, and one generated from S-duct computational results.
 For all investigated patterns, Radial Distortion Intensity and Circumferential Distortion Intensity are calculated in the manner described by ARP 1420, a guideline issued by the S-16 Turbine Engine Inlet Flow Distortion Committee for measuring total pressure distortions in turbomachinery. Additionally, interpolated total pressure contours are generated for each measurement configuration. These were then used to make point-to-point comparisons between the actual and estimated data. While total pressure distortion was used as the variable of interest for the majority of this paper, the conclusions may be applied to swirl, temperature, or any other flow property measured using a probe rake or traversing probe.


Chung and Cox (1994) provided an intuitively appealing stochastic model indicating that superstars may exist regardless of talent, giving rise to the Yule distribution. We adopt a different empirical approach and test its goodness of fit using a parametric bootstrap and several powerful test statistics. Just like the discrete Pareto distribution, it is overwhelmingly rejected: it is a fairly accurate approximation of the lower quantiles of the superstar distribution but overestimates the snowball effect that makes consumers purchase records of the most successful artists. In other words, the Yule distribution captures stardom, but not superstardom. A generalization of the Yule distribution provides an excellent fit in two of the three data sets.


We examine how various producer-level and farm-level factors affect producers' support for marketing orders, focusing on the California fresh peach and nectarine industries and the 2011 referendum vote in which their marketing orders were terminated. We form hypotheses regarding the effects of different factors. We then employ marketing order referendum voting data and additional data collected via a producer survey to test these hypotheses empirically. Some of our results conform to our predictions. For example, we find that producers with greater production of peaches and nectarines were less likely to vote for continuance of the marketing order. However, some results did not conform to our predictions. We found that gross income from farming and related activities to be insignificant and producers with some organic production or some direct sales are both more likely to vote for continuation. Our results suggests important dimensions of differentiation between producers for policymakers, regulators and industries to consider as they ponder the future of marketing orders.


Background; This study was conducted to document frequency of medical complications among ischemic stroke patients to determine magnitude of the problem in our local population. Objective; To determine the morbidity pattern in patients with ischemic stroke at a tertiary care hospital. Material and Methods; All the cases of ischemic stroke (181), fulfilling inclusion criteria were recruited in this cross – sectional study. Once registered these study cases was assessed for different complications (UTI, shoulder pain, arrhythmia, pneumonia and hyponatremia) after undergoing baseline investigations like urine test, blood tests and ECG. Data was entered and analyzed by computer program SPSS-18. Results; Of these 181 study cases, 101 (55.8%) were male patients while 80 (44.2%) were female patients. Mean age of our study cases was 50.68± 7.18 years. Of these 181 study cases, 80 (44.2%) were from rural area while 101 (55.8%) from urban areas, 43 (23.8%) were diabetic and 118 (65.2%) were hypertensive. Mean body mass index (BMI) of our study cases was 23.58 ± 3.29 kg/m 2 and obesity was present in 29 (16%). History of smoking was present in 43 (23.8%) of our study cases. Previous history of stroke was present in 21 (11.6%) while family history of stroke was noted in 37 (20.4%) of our study cases and 130 (71.8 %) were illiterate and 51 (28.2%) were literate. Mean serum sodium level was noted to 136.29 ± 2.01 mEq/L, urinary tract infection (UTI) was noted in 87 (48.1%), shoulder pain in 72 (39.8%), pneumonia in 43 (23.8%), arrhythmia in 58 (32 %) and hyponatremia in 51 (28.2%) of our study cases. Conclusion; Our study results indicate high proportion of medical complications in patients with ischemic stroke. Urinary tract infection was the most commonest complication followed by shoulder pain, arrhythmia, pneumonia and hyponatremia. All clinicians treating such patients should carefully monitor such patients to take preventive measure against these complications, this will decrease disease morbidity and hospitalizations in these patients. Keywords; Ischemic stroke, medical complications, Frequency.


Till today there are no separate rules or regulations for private sector procurement including banking sector. As such the Public Procurement Act, 2006 is the only established law for procurement in any sector in Bangladesh. In the Public Procurement Act, 2006 (PPA 2006), the term 'procurement' has been defined as 'the purchasing or hiring of goods, or acquisition of goods through purchasing and hiring, and the execution of works and performance of services by any contractual means'. In line with that banking procurement can broadly be defined as the purchasing, hiring or obtaining of goods, works or services by the banking sector by any contractual means. Banking procurement is alternatively described as the acquisition of goods, works or services if such acquisition is effected with resources from bank's funds. The items involved in banking procurement range from simple goods or services such as clips or cleaning services to large commercial projects, such as the development of infrastructure, data centre, banking software etc. Procurement in the banking sector hardly differs from that in the private sector. The purpose of procurement in the private sector is basically straightforward whereas that in the public sector complex as considers the economic development and welfare of the country rather than the commercial profits. Furthermore, unlike other private procurement, banking procurement needs to address the considerations of integrity, accountability, national interest and effectiveness since banks deal with common people's money. Sustainable Procurement (SP) is procurement that is consistent with the principles of sustainable development, such as ensuring a strong, healthy and livable society for all, living within environmental limits, and promoting good governance. Sustainable procurement is an approach that takes economic, environmental and social sustainability into account when making any purchasing decisions. An analysis through the review of Banking Sector procurement considering Standard Bank Limited as a subject of case study to find out the possible scope of sustainable procurement in present Banking Sector procurement framework reveals that although there are some provisions in the PPR, 2008 and STDs which relate to the sustainability issues, these are not sufficient in introducing sustainability in the Banking Sector procurement. What to talk about a Private Bank like Standard Bank Limited the Procurement Policy of Bangladesh Bank itself does not have clear guideline on Sustainable Procurement related performance measures and way to achieve the Key Performance Indicators of Sustainable Procurement. The current scenario of sustainable procurement practice in the banking sector has been studied through analyzing the Annual Report, interviews with key procurement professionals and survey with procurement officers of Standard Bank Limited addressing three aspects namely economic, environmental and social aspect of sustainable procurement. The analyses indicate that although there are a few cases where some sustainability issues are in practice, these are not very common as a whole in the banking sector of Bangladesh. Existing tendering system in Bangladesh is still based on the lowest price approach and whole life costing approach is rarely considered in banking sector organizations. Majority of the banks do not have any provision as such an environmental management system with the exception of a few. The study indicates that at present there is virtually no mechanism in our banking sector procurement system to check the environmental performance of contractors/ suppliers. Sustainability criteria should be embedded in the tendering system of any organization. Knowledge and awareness at the individual procurement professional level seem important in order to make active sustainable procurement choices. A clear commitment is necessary from the very top of the management which has to be transferred to everyone involves in procurement or consumption. For any bank it is necessary to formulate a sustainable procurement policy and to align the procurement framework with the policy. The Board of Directors of the Banks needs to come forward to remove the barriers to sustainable procurement whether actual or perceived. Awareness campaign should be arranged focusing on how to take account of non-monetary benefits of sustainable procurement. Finally, there is a huge scope to further study about the sustainability issue. Advanced research needs to be conducted in order to get a deeper insight into the sustainability issue in relation to the banking sector procurement in Bangladesh.


Beef feedlot runoff is a potential environmental contaminant. As such, it should be managed properly to preserve water quality. Primary treatment of feedlot runoff often relies on sedimentation techniques; thus, accurate knowledge of feedlot runoff physical properties is required. This study characterized the physical and chemical properties of runoff effluent from earthen and concrete beef feedlots in Iowa with the objective of providing the necessary information to improve solid settling basin design and performance. Results, although not statistically significant (p = 0.11), indicated that solids in runoff from concrete lots tended to settle more slowly than solids from earthen lots. Particle size distribution and particle density measurements indicated that the poorer settleability of concrete lot runoff was primarily caused by lower particle densities: 1.47 ±0.17 g cm-3 (average ± SD) for concrete lots as compared to 1.89 ±0.11 g cm-3 for earthen lots. Runoff composition was analyzed before and after settling to relate nutrient reduction to solids removal. Results indicated an average of 41 g total Kjeldahl nitrogen per kg total solids and 16 g total phosphorus per kg total solids were removed during settling.


risk hypertension, sex, and age. However, smoking is generally as the most important risk factor. 4,5 Heritability estimates as high as 70% have been found, and recently, several genes and loci have been associated with abdominal aortic aneurysms ( DAB2IP , LRP1 , CDKN2B-AS1 , CNTN3 , LPA , IL6R , and the sortilin-1 [ SORT1 ] locus). 6–15 In on TAA, which have an even stronger genetic component, with 20% of patients positive family 16,17 This is also likely to be underestimated because developing TAA usually remain asymptomatic. TAA can develop at the ascending Abstract: Aortic aneurysm, including both abdominal aortic aneurysm and thoracic aortic aneurysm, is the cause of death of 1% to 2% of the Western population. This review focuses only on thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. During the past decade, the genetic contribution to the pathogenesis of thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections has revealed perturbed extracellular matrix signaling cascade interactions and deficient intracellular components of the smooth muscle contractile apparatus as the key mechanisms. Based on the study of different Marfan mouse models and the discovery of several novel thoracic aortic aneurysm genes, the involvement of the transforming growth factor-β signaling pathway has opened unexpected new avenues. Overall, these discoveries have 3 important consequences. First, the pathogenesis of thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections is better understood, although some controversy still exists. Second, the management strategies for the medical and surgical treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections are becoming increasingly gene-tailored. Third, the pathogenetic insights have delivered new treatment options that are currently being investigated in large clinical trials. (Circ Res. 2013;113:327-340.)


Motion style transfer is a primary problem in computer animation, allowing us to convert the motion of an actor to that of another one. Myriads approaches have been developed to perform this task, however, the majority of them are data-driven, which require a large dataset and a time-consuming period for training a model in order to achieve good results. In contrast, we propose a novel method applied successfully for this task in a small dataset. This exploits Sparse PCA to decompose original motions into smaller components which are learned with particular constraints. The synthesized results are highly precise and smooth motions with its emotion as shown in our experiments.


Abstract:A new proportional weighting algorithm is proposed to bridge multiple-race counts to single-race estimates based on 2010 Decennial Census data. The proposed weighting method is based on Census data alone with traceable procedure and reproducible results. It enables researchers to estimate population size of any race category of interest at any level of granularity stratified by other demographic information available in the Census data. If researchers have specific criteria or priorities for classifying certain races, the proposed algorithm can be easily modified to meet their specific needs. The new algorithm provides an intuitive and straightforward alternative for determining single-race population estimates. As an illustration of this approach, we provide the population estimates of the five most populous ethnic groups in Hawaii using the 2010 Census data.


Background Measurement of respiratory mechanics during non-invasive ventilation (NIV) precludes use of the traditional airway flow sensor. Increasing use of NIV in premature infants necessitated novel instrumentation for measuring airflow without interfering with the nasal/oral interface. Respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP), in addition to providing chest wall motion analysis, may be used for volume and airflow measurements when properly calibrated. Objective To develop an efficient RIP calibration technique to allow bedside measurement of respiratory mechanics and to validate it's accuracy against traditional pneumotachometer (PNT) measurements while simultaneously computing thoracoabdominal asynchrony indices in premature infants. Design/methods RIP ribcage and abdominal signals were recorded simultaneously with facemask PNT signals. RIP was calibrated by qualitative diagnostic calibration and multiple linear regression algorithms on artefact-free breaths with amplitudes within the mean±1SD. A sequence of optimising iterations for computer breath selection produced best-fit regression coefficients with the PNT flow. Transpulmonary pressure was measured by esophageal catheter. Lung compliance and airway resistance were computed by a least mean square technique. Ribcage to abdominal phase angle (phi), Laboured breathing index (LBI), and phase relation in total breath (PhRTB) were computed from analysis of RIP ribcage and abdomen excursions. Validation measurements were performed on 18 infants of 28–35wks GA. Results Correlation coefficients for compliance and resistance by PNT vs. RIP were r2=0.9737 and 0.8980 respectively. LBI for these infants was 1.2 ± 0.6, phi was 54.4 ± 7.4 degrees and PhRTB was 33.4 ± 3.1%. Conclusion When properly calibrated, RIP derived respiratory mechanics measurements provide sufficient diagnostic accuracy in infants receiving NIV support. Abstract O-077 Figure 1


Transit-oriented development (TOD) often raises land values and can promote gentrification and the displacement in low-income communities. Little research, however, has shown how communities have organized to fight for more equitable TOD processes and outcomes within particular metropolitan contexts and dynamics of neighborhood change. This case study examines the role of neighborhood-based advocacy and organizing in fighting for equitable TOD and tackling key political and planning challenges in a predominantly Latinx immigrant inner-ring suburb. Their successes show the strengths of community-based, cross-sector coalitions in generating more equitable and inclusive TOD processes, plans, and policies that target conditions of place-based precarity.


Background: DSM-IV-TR is the standard for making psychiatric diagnoses in many countries. The diagnostic categorization of DSM-IV-TR is valued for its reliability, however it is well accepted that patients with the same diagnosis demonstrate substantial heterogeneity. In order to quantitatively characterize the degree of possible heterogeneity that can exist, combinatorial mathematics was used to calculate the number of possible ways to satisfy symptom criteria for the diagnosis of bipolar disorder as an example of this problem. Sampling and Methods: The formula n!/(r!(n – r)!), which calculates the number of different ways of choosing an unordered number of items without repetition from a larger set, was used to calculate the number of combinations which meet the criteria for the core episodes of bipolar disorder and the specifiers. Results: The number of possible combinations for the core episodes ranged from 163 for a manic episode to 37,001 for a mixed episode. When the full collection of specifiers that DSM-IV-TR applies to bipolar disorder was used, the number of combinations was over 5 billion. Conclusions: The precision of medical communication about bipolar disorder is called into question by the billions of different ways that the criteria for this diagnosis can be met. As DSM-V is developed, the possible combinations for each diagnostic criterion should be calculated, and the effect this number has on clinical communication should be considered.


Abstract The essay attends to a paradox found in some crucial poetic efforts by Wallace Stevens and John Ashbery. In some of their most important poetic works Stevens and Ashbery take on the task of positioning the poem toward the plurality of reality, the plurality that is concentrated in the phenomenon of change. As they do so, they invariably encounter a tension within the poem itself: as the poem merges with the flow of changes in the external world-the physical changes in time and space-it also calls up permanent forms of imaginative purposive capability of attending to change, envisioning it, or, indeed, of installing it. These forms must be more permanent than it is postulated by some theories of the poetics of transitiveness, which are polemically discussed in the text. The tension between the element of change and permanence is what allows the poems of Stevens and Ashbery-each poet finding his own aesthetic and epistemic strategy-to put the poem forward not as an external "representation" of change, but as the very source of the abundant possibilities of producing world descriptions in which the notion of change may be meaningful. Such positioning of the poem is what I am calling "the poetics of plenitude." This poetic strategy makes the poem an aesthetic counterpart to the epistemic action of developing an inquiry, and I am building a definition of this term by reference to the classical pragmatist theory of inquiry. This move is related to my treating Stevens and Ashbery as the poets belonging to the Emersonian-pragmatist intellectual and aesthetic tradition. The paradoxes of change and permanence discussed in the text are treated as inherent in this tradition.


Well-being is a core concept for both individuals, groups and societies. Greater understanding of trajectories of well-being in later life may contribute to the achievement and maintenance of well-being for as many as possible. This article reviews two main approaches to well-being: hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, and shows that it is not chronological age per se, but various factors related to age that underlie trajectories of well-being at older ages. Next to the role of genes, heritability and personality traits, well-being is determined to a substantial extent by external circumstances and resources (e.g., health and social relationships), and to malleable individual behaviors and beliefs (e.g., self-regulatory ability and control beliefs). Although many determinants have been identified, it remains difficult to decide which of them are most important. Moreover, the role of some determinants varies for different indicators of well-being, such as positive affect and life satisfaction. Several prominent goal- and need-based models of well-being in later life are discussed, which explicate mechanisms underlying trajectories of well-being at older ages. These are the model of Selection, Optimization, and Compensation, the Motivational Theory of Lifespan Development, Socio-emotional Selectivity Theory, Ryff's model of Psychological Well-Being, Self-Determination Theory, and Self-Management of Well-being theory. Also, interventions based on these models are reviewed, although not all of them address older adults. It is concluded that the literature on well-being in later life is enormous, and, together with various conceptual models, offers many important insights. Still, the field would benefit from more theoretical integration, and from more attention to the development and testing of theory-based interventions. This remains a challenge for the science of well-being in later life, and could be an important contribution to the well-being of a still growing proportion of the population.


Background: Clinical trial data show that reduction in total energy intake enhances weight loss regardless of the macronutrient composition of the diet. Few studies have documented dietary patterns or nutrient intakes that favor leanness [BMI (in kg/m)#25] in freeliving populations. Objective: This investigation examined associations of usual energy, food, and nutrient intakes with BMI among US participants of the International Study of Macro-/Micronutrients and Blood Pressure (INTERMAP). Design: The INTERMAP is an international cross-sectional study of dietary factors and blood pressure in men and women (ages 40– 59 y) that includes 8 US population samples. The present study included data from 1794 Americans who were not consuming a special diet and who provided four 24-h dietary recalls and 2 timed 24-h urine collections. Multivariable linear regression with the residual method was used to adjust for energy intake; sex-specific associations were assessed for dietary intakes and urinary excretions with BMI adjusted for potential confounders including physical activity. Results: Lower energy intake was associated with lower BMI in both sexes. Univariately, higher intakes of fresh fruit, pasta, and rice and lower intakes of meat were associated with lower BMI; these associations were attenuated in multivariable analyses. Lower urinary sodium and intakes of total and animal protein, dietary cholesterol, saturated fats, and heme iron and higher urinary potassium and intakes of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and magnesium were associated with lower BMI in both sexes. Conclusion: The consumption of foods higher in nutrient-dense carbohydrate and lower in animal protein and saturated fat is associated with lower total energy intakes, more favorable micronutrient intakes, and lower BMI. Am J Clin Nutr 2012;96:483–91.


Due to the similarities between electrode model and their CNC machining process, process design could be finished efficiently using the electrode automatic classification system as well as the existed standard process template. This study developed an automatic classification retrieval system of electrode model by applying a statistical approach, namely SVM model, to the classification of electrode model, where 3D Polar-Radius Surface Moment was used to extract the feature vector of the electrode model. Experiments showed a promising result with an average classification accuracy up to 85.72% in addition to the high efficiency and usability. Most important, the developed approach is capable of reusing existing knowledge and experience and as a result it makes the CNC programming process easier.


This comprehensive monograph has followed a recent fortunate trend in radiographic textbooks: it is a diagnostic atlas with an effort to correlate roentgenographic findings with clinical picture. The authors are certainly experts in their field, and the text should become a radiographic classic. The basic approach is that of "pattern recognition," an interpretive technique emphasized in the senior author's lectures and courses. The first chapter details the technique of roentgenographic examination of the small bowel. It emphasizes the importance of this examination even though abnormalities are found on upper-gastrointestinal tract study or on barium enema. The authors advise against use of USP barium sulfate for this examination due to its tendency to flocculate; micropulverization of the contrast media and the addition of a suspending agent has facilitated the recognition of small-intestinal diseases. They also advise against hypertonic iodinated water-soluble compounds in patients with chronic or incomplete obstruction; they recommend


Malignant mesothelioma is caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos, and countries that have used asbestos nearly always have cases of mesothelioma. Tracking the disease has proved difficult, however, because not all developing countries that use asbestos collect mesothelioma incidence data. In a new global estimate of unreported mesothelioma, researchers predict that at least one case of disease goes unreported for every four to five known cases worldwide [EHP 119(4):514–518; Park et al.].

The authors compared cumulative asbestos use from the U.S. Geological Study with disease cases reported to the World Health Organization. Because symptoms of mesothelioma often appear decades after exposure, the authors examined the relationship between the 15-year cumulative number of reported mesothelioma cases during 1994–2008 and cumulative asbestos use during 1920–1970 among countries with data on both mesothelioma and asbestos use. The resulting relationship helped them predict the number of unreported mesothelioma cases in countries providing information on asbestos use but not on mesothelioma.

The authors found that cumulative asbestos use in 89 countries totaled more than 65 million metric tons during 1920–1970. Of the 56 countries also reporting mesothelioma data, there were more than 174,000 estimated cases and 92,000 reported deaths during 1994–2008 (most mesothelioma patients succumb to the disease shortly after diagnosis, so numbers of new cases are very similar to numbers of deaths from the disease). When extrapolating these data to the 33 countries not reporting mesothelioma, the authors estimated an additional 39,000 cases would have occurred during that same 15-year period.

This estimate is conservative, say the authors, and they warn that because asbestos has a long industrial life span, and its use has quintupled since 1970, many countries should anticipate a higher disease burden in the years to come. The new study does not account for this 40-year increase.

The authors propose that developed countries share their experience and technology to help developing countries better diagnose, report, and manage cases of mesothelioma. They also argue that all countries should move toward a complete ban on asbestos—although the long latency period means mesothelioma deaths would continue for decades, the disease would eventually disappear as asbestos use is phased out and exposure is eventually eliminated.


Older adults make up an ever-increasing number of patients presenting for surgery, and a significant percentage of these patients will be frail. Frailty is a geriatric syndrome that has been conceptualized as decreased reserve when confronted with stressors, although the precise definition of frailty has not been easy to standardize. The 2 most popular approaches to define frailty are the phenotypic approach and the deficit accumulation approach, although at least 20 tools have been developed, which has made comparison across studies difficult. In epidemiologic studies, baseline frailty has been associated with poor outcomes in both community cohorts and hospitalized patients. Specifically in cardiac surgery (including transcatheter aortic valve implantation procedures), frailty has been strongly associated with postoperative mortality and morbidity, and thus frailty likely improves the identification of high-risk patients beyond known risk scores. For perioperative physicians then, the question arises of how to incorporate this information into perioperative care. To date, 2 thrusts of research and clinical practice have emerged: (1) preoperative identification of high-risk patients to guide both patient expectations and surgical decision-making; and (2) perioperative optimization strategies for frail patients. However, despite the strong association of frailty and poor outcomes, there is a lack of well-designed trials that have examined perioperative interventions with a specific focus on frail patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Thus, in many cases, principles of geriatric care may need to be applied. Further research is needed to standardize and implement the feasible definitions of frailty and examine perioperative interventions for frail patients undergoing cardiac surgery.


The aim of this study was to understand how care staff in residential care perceive and work with elderly mental health and how these perceptions and work is related to aging. We have gathered our empirical material through eight qualitative interviews and vignettes with care staff in residential care. The study was conducted in a municipality with 10 000 to 20 000 inhabitants in southern Sweden. The material was analyzed with use of ageism as a theoretical frame of reference. The results showed that the care staff had different perceptions of mental illness in general and regarding the elderly. The results also showed lack of resources in terms of education, time and staffing. Care staff had the ambition to provide the time and support for older people with mental illness, but this ambition was most of the time not possible to implement due to the lack of resources. Medication treatment was therefore the common treatment method. Caring staff advocated psychological assistance to mental health in general, however this treatment was never mentioned as a suitable therapy for the elderly.


OBJECTIVE To investigate the feasibility, safety, and associated time delays of interhospital transfer in patients with acute myocardial infarction for primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). DESIGN AND PATIENTS Prospective observational study with group comparison in a single centre. 68 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction transferred for primary PTCA from other hospitals (group A) were compared with 78 patients admitted directly to the referral centre (group B). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Patient groups were analysed with regard to baseline characteristics, time intervals from onset of chest pain to balloon angioplasty, hospital stay, and follow up outcome. RESULTS Patients in group A presented with a higher rate of cardiogenic shock initially than patients in group B (25% v 6%, p = 0.01) and had been resuscitated more frequently before PTCA (22%v 5%, p = 0.01). No deaths or other serious complications occurred during interhospital transfer. Median transfer time was 63 (range 40–115) minutes for helicopter transport (median 42 (28–122) km, n = 14), and 50 (18–110) minutes by ground ambulance (median 8 (5–68) km, n = 54). The median time interval from the decision to perform coronary arteriography to balloon inflation was 96 (45–243) minutes in group A and 52 (17–214) minutes in group B (p = 0.0001). In transferred patients (group A) the transportation associated delay and the longer in-hospital median decision time (50 (10–1120) minutes in group Av 15 (0–210) minutes in group B, p = 0.002) concurred with a longer total period of ischaemia (239 (114–1307) minutes in group A v 182 (75–1025) minutes in group B, p = 0.02) since the beginning of chest pain. Success of PTCA (TIMI 3 flow in 95% of all patients), in-hospital mortality (7% v 9%, mortality for patients not in cardiogenic shock 0% v4%), and follow up after median 235 days was similarly favourable in groups A and B, respectively. Only one hospital survivor (group A) died during follow up. CONCLUSION Interhospital transport for primary PTCA in high risk patients with acute myocardial infarction is safe and feasible within a reasonable period of time. Short and medium term outcome is favourable. Optimising the decision process and transport logistics may further improve outcome by reducing the total time of ischaemia.


Molecular phylogenic analysis of the suborder Cephaloziineae is performed, with the special attention to the family Cephaloziaceae s.l. and its implications for taxonomy are discussed. A combined alignment of nuclear ITS1-2 and chloroplast trnL-F DNA sequences of 121 species (209 samples) from the families Scapaniaceae, Anastrophyllaceae, Cephaloziaceae s.l., Cephaloziellaceae, Adelanthaceae, and Jamesoniellaceae are analyzed. The topologies of phylogenetic trees constructed by maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods show the principal congruence with previously achieved phylogenies, with exception of ambiguous position of the Cephaloziellaceae. The genus Hygrobiella does not reveal affinity to the Cephaloziaceae s.l., which supports its segregation in the monotypic family Hygrobiellaceae. The Odontoschismataceae are resolved sister to the Cephaloziaceae s.str., supporting their classification into two families expedient also from morphological evidences. The former family preliminarily includes, besides Odontoschisma and Cladopodiella, the genera Iwatsukia and Alobiellopsis from the subfamily Alobielloideae. The relationships of the subfamily Schiffnerioideae remain uncertain. The genera Cephalozia, Odontoschisma and Cladopodiella appear to be polyphyletic, but the existing section subdivisions for Cephalozia and Odontoschisma are partly supported. The genus Nowellia is found in the sister position to Cephalozia bicuspidata-complex and C. macoinii. The rest of studied Cephalozia species compose an intermingled clade with the monotypic genera Pleurocadula and Schofieldia. Thus only species of the Cephalozia bicuspidatacomplex and C. macoinii are accepted in Cephalozia, whereas other Cephalozia species and Schofieldia are transferred into the genus Pleurocadula. Infraspecific nucleotide sequence variation suggests the species status for Cephalozia affinis and Odontoschisma elongatum, whereas O. prostratum and O. sphagni appear to be conspecific.


In various engineering disciplines visual modeling techniques are used for the definition as well as representation of complex systems. Besides the pictorial illustration, the included structural information is often used for application-specific procedures. This paper presents a few engineering systems for quite different application fields, but they use a common graph-based model. This model is part of a framework that underlies these applications. Various kinds of applications can be developed on the basis of this framework by means of configurations and extensions. The development of new applications is supported by convenient assemblies of suitable system functions and layout methods as well as by integration of application functionalities. The introduced framework is the basis for a product line of graph-based engineering systems.


Locally linear embedding (LLE) is an effective nonlinear dimensionality reduction method for exploring the intrinsic characteristics of high dimensional data. This paper mainly proposes a hierarchical framework manifold learning method, based on LLE and growing neural gas (GNG), named growing locally linear embedding (GLLE). First, we address the major limitations of the original LLE: intrinsic dimensionality estimation, neighborhood number selection and computational complexity. Then by embedding the topology learning mechanism in GNG, the proposed GLLE algorithm is able to preserve the global topological structures and hold the geometric characteristics of the input patterns, which make the projections more stable and robust. Theoretical analysis and experimental simulations show that GLLE with global topology preservation tackles the three limitations, gives faster learning procedure and lower reconstruction error, and stimulates the wide applications of manifold learning


We report the case of a 20-year-old woman, with no medical history, who in a short period of time developed the association of a bilateral vestibulocochlear deficit and a nonsyphilitic interstitial keratitis, the usual clinical presentation of Cogan's syndrome. This rare disease was named after David Cogan, the ophthalmologist to whom we owe the description of the first series of cases. The precise aetiology of Cogan's syndrome has yet to be defined, but clinical and biological evidence point toward an immunopathological process. Some authors distinguish between a typical and an atypical form of Cogan's syndrome, the former being associated with interstitial keratitis, the latter with other forms of ocular involvement. The diagnosis of Cogan's syndrome is mainly a clinical one, the association of a bilateral vestibulocochlear deficit and a non-syphilitic keratitis being almost specific. Cogan's syndrome is frequently associated with general signs and cardiovascular, neurological, rheumathological and digestive involvement. Laboratory data usually show nonspecific inflammatory signs (elevation of the white cell count and of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate). The mortality of the disease is essentially determined by its cardiovascular involvement, mostly aortic insufficiency, which should therefore actively be sought for in every patient. It is useful to emphasise that the typical form of Cogan's syndrome carries a higher risk regarding the development of aortic insufficiency, whereas the atypical form is more often associated with a systemic vasculitis. Treatment is mandatory, based upon corticosteroids, and must sometimes be intensified by the administration of a steroid-sparing immunosuppressive drug. Although our patient perfectly met the diagnostic criteria of Cogan's syndrome, the vestibular symptoms preceded the visual complaints, the reverse temporal sequence being more often reported in the literature. Systemic signs and cardiovascular involvement are frequently seen in Cogan's syndrome, but were notably absent in our patient. Blood samples showed inflammatory signs, whereas both lumbar puncture and cerebral MRI were normal, which is the usual pattern encountered in Cogan's syndrome. Following the rapid initiation of immunosuppressive therapy (Prednisone), the visual symptoms due to the bilateral keratitis resolved in a matter of days, whereas the vestibulocochlear deficit was only partly - but dramatically - reduced. This is in accordance with literature data, showing that a severe and permanent auditory deficit occurs at some time in the majority of patients suffering from Cogan's syndrome. Tapering off Prednisone unfortunately reactivated the audiovestibular and ocular symptoms of the disease in our patient so that a steroid-sparing immunosuppressive drug had to be added (azathioprine, followed by mycophenolate mofetil because the patient developed hepatic intolerance). Only after these therapeutic measures could the disease be stabilised. With this case report, we would like to emphasise the importance of rapidly identifying the clinical picture of Cogan's syndrome, so that immunosuppressive therapy can be started without delay, which may significantly reduce both morbidity and mortality of this disease.


Biofilms are communities of microorganisms associated by a matrix of extracellular polymers. In this state, microorganisms occupy an ecological niche distinct from their freefloating, planktonic counterparts. Also, biofilm bacteria become biologically unique as they form communities and lose motility. The acquisition of these physiological attributes enables the biofilm to persist through harsh environmental conditions, including antimicrobial induced stress and to resist sanitization efforts. Because of these features, biofilms can rapidly disseminate across numerous surfaces and as they establish, become challenging to remove. This is a particular issue for the food industry as processing plants offer favorable conditions for biofilm formation by providing complex surfaces composed of diverse materials that are frequently inoculated with pathogens and provide an abundance of nutrients and water. This thesis initiates investigations into the mechanisms behind biofilm formation in processing plants, and with such knowledge potentially result in novel treatments in the future. In particular, Salmonella enterica, one of the most prevalent foodborne pathogens worldwide, can produce biofilms that are difficult to remove. The thesis starts with a literature review detailing the mechanisms behind biofilm formation, evaluating the state of biofilms in food processing, and finishing with current and future mitigation strategies (Chapter 1). Next, this thesis includes four research chapters, with the first evaluating the ability of disinfectants to reduce Salmonella biofilms (Chapter 2); the second with a genome announcement about our genomic elucidation of four Salmonella strains isolated from poultry sources that are known to produce biofilms (Chapter 3); the third detailing our exploration of the pellicle forming properties of Salmonella with a focus on the lesser studied Kentucky serovar (Chapter 4); before ending with an evaluation of transcriptional dynamics of poultry isolates of different Salmonella serovars during biofilm formation (Chapter 5). Data presented herein will provide novel insight into Salmonella biofilm dynamics, mitigation, and


Mean-variance model, value at risk and Conditional Value at Risk are three chief methods to measure financial risk recently. The demonstrative research shows that three optional questions are equivalence when the security rates have a multivariate normal distribution and the given confidence level is more than a special value. Applications to real data provide empirical support to this methodology. This result has provided new methods for us about further research of risk portfolios.


The aim of this study was to develop a freeze-drying protocol facilitating successful processing of plant material containing the small surface antigen of hepatitis B virus (S-HBsAg) while preserving its VLP structure and immunogenicity. Freeze-drying of the antigen in lettuce leaf tissue, without any isolation or purification step, was investigated. Each process step was consecutively evaluated and the best parameters were applied. Several drying profiles and excipients were tested. The profile of 20°C for 20 h for primary and 22°C for 2 h for secondary drying as well as sucrose expressed efficient stabilisation of S-HBsAg during freeze-drying. Freezing rate and postprocess residual moisture were also analysed as important factors affecting S-HBsAg preservation. The process was reproducible and provided a product with VLP content up to 200 µg/g DW. Assays for VLPs and total antigen together with animal immunisation trials confirmed preservation of antigenicity and immunogenicity of S-HBsAg in freeze-dried powder. Long-term stability tests revealed that the stored freeze-dried product was stable at 4°C for one year, but degraded at elevated temperatures. As a result, a basis for an efficient freeze-drying process has been established and a suitable semiproduct for oral plant-derived vaccine against HBV was obtained.


Hemolysin is one of the major pathogenic factors among Vibrio species, which shows hemolytic activity against erythrocytes. It is associated with different Vibrio spp. that manifest either wound infection or intestinal infection as their clinical symptom. V. vulnificus and V. alginolyticus are well-known causative organisms for wound infection, whereas the gastrointestinal infection is caused by V. cholerae , V. mimicus , and V. parahaemolyticus . There are two major groups of hemolysins in Vibrio spp.: the thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) from V. parahaemolyticus and the HlyA (El Tor hemolysin) from V. cholerae . These hemolysins have homology in certain degrees; however, the essential amino acids for the activity are variable depending on the species. This chapter summarizes the functions and features of hemolysins from Vibrio species, which has been reported so far.


The mouse T-lymphoma (S-49) cell line is useful for individually studying RNA- and DNA-directed effects of 5-fluoropyrimidines. On the basis of their metabolic activation, biochemical effects on pyrimidine nucleotide metabolism, and biological toxicity, we hve established that incubation of S-49 cells with 5-fluorodeoxyuridine produces only DNA-directed toxicity (thymidylate synthetase inhibition), incubation with 5-fluorouracil (FUra) + thymidine only RNA-directed toxicity, and incubation with FUra alone produces both DNA- and RNA-directed toxicity. The DNA component of 5-fluoropyrimidine toxicity causes immediate growth inhibition of asynchronous S-49 cell cultures, which is self-limited within 12 hr both by the accumulation of intracellular deoxyuridine 5'-monophosphate competing for thymidylate synthetase binding and by the excretion of deoxyuridine into the cell medium which competes with 5-fluorodeoxyuridine uptake. The RNA-directed component causes growth inhibition and cell kill after a delay of 1 doubling time in asynchronous cultures. Studies with cells synchronized by centrifugal elutriation indicate that the RNA-directed FUra effects are expressed only in the G1 phase of the cell cycle and cause rapid cell lysis, while the DNA-directed component is specific to the S phase. Experiments using continuous exposure of synchronized cells to FUra alone demonstrate that the activities of the RNA- and DNA-directed components interact with each other. Specifically, DNA-directed toxicity arrests cells in S phase, preventing them from progressing into G1 where RNA-directed toxicity is expressed, which may account for the augmentation of FUra toxicity by thymidine as reported in other systems.


Objective: To delineate the factors contributing to overdiagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) among patients seen in one neuro-ophthalmology service at a tertiary center. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed new patients referred with a working diagnosis of IIH over 8 months. The Diagnosis Error Evaluation and Research taxonomy tool was applied to cases referred with a diagnosis of IIH and a discrepant final diagnosis. Results: Of 1,249 patients, 165 (13.2%) were referred either with a preexisting diagnosis of IIH or to rule out IIH. Of the 86/165 patients (52.1%) with a preexisting diagnosis of IIH, 34/86 (39.5%) did not have IIH. The most common diagnostic error was inaccurate ophthalmoscopic examination in headache patients. Of 34 patients misdiagnosed as having IIH, 27 (27/34 [79.4%]; 27/86 [31.4%]) had at least one lumbar puncture, 29 (29/34 [85.3%]; 29/86 [33.7%]) had a brain MRI, and 8 (8/34 [23.5%]; 8/86 [9.3%]) had a magnetic resonance/CT venogram. Twenty-six had received medical treatment, 1 had a lumbar drain, and 4 were referred for surgery. In 8 patients (8/34 [23.5%]; 8/86 [9.3%]), an alternative diagnosis requiring further evaluation was identified. Conclusions: Diagnostic errors resulted in overdiagnosis of IIH in 39.5% of patients referred for presumed IIH, and prompted unnecessary tests, invasive procedures, and missed diagnoses. The most common errors were inaccurate ophthalmoscopic examination in headache patients and thinking biases, reinforcing the need for rapid access to specialists with experience in diagnosing optic nerve disorders. Indeed, the high prevalence of primary benign headaches and obesity in young women often leads to costly and invasive evaluations for presumed IIH.


It is common in business analyses to invoke different efficiencies generated by scale. Growth is associated with declining average costs/sales and rising profit margins. Factors cited include the relatively fixed nature of some costs, increased bargaining power, and network effects. We investigate how different cost lines evolve for a sample of US firms after their IPO. To our surprise, costs/sales do not generally decline and margins do not increase, even during the early years when growth is highest. We observe similar results for other samples of domestic and overseas firms, both public and private. We explore possible explanations for our results and discuss implications, especially for cost allocation and financial projections.


ABSTRACT The First World War centenary has invigorated research into the Belgian refugee presence, especially at the local level. However, as this article argues, the responses which Belgians elicited locally, as well as the 'quality' and longevity of the memory culture surrounding them, were intimately tethered to ideas about and experiences of 'place' during the war and after. Exiled Belgians were almost uniquely positioned to communicate the totality of war as well as stand as silent representatives of the trauma of displacement. Yet, this case study of the North West county of Cheshire demonstrates how wartime tragedy with regional consequences, as well as a preoccupation with combatant internees and casualties, eclipsed the everyday reality and the post-war memory of the Belgians.


Past research has shown that, as workers age, their participation in education and training declines, which is a problem in our fast changing society and economy. This study focuses on the stimulating and prohibiting reasons for participation in formal learning activities. It investigates whether employees in the second half of their career differ from their younger colleagues in terms of the reasons for participation in formal learning activities. 628 employees from the public health sector completed the questionnaire and after performing factor analysis, several ANOVA analyses were undertaken. Employees older and younger than 45 years of age and groups with varying levels of experience within their organisation (employees with more or less than 20 years service) were compared. Results showed that younger employees were more stimulated by their organisation's steering than their older colleagues. However, younger employees were less keen than older employees to participate in formal learning due to the required investments of time, financial costs, distance and assignments. In comparing more and less experienced employees, it was found that employees with less experience were more stimulated by the organisational steering and wish to progress. More experienced employees were discouraged by dispositional barriers; for example, they felt that they had learned enough or could not learn any more and also dreaded the idea of 'going back to school'. The differences found in this study support the statement that age and educational participation are not (or less) directly related than has been suggested. Rather, the differences between different age groups seem to be more related to differences in the personal or private lives of employees, while any differences between experienced and less experienced employees appeared to depend on job-related issues.


BACKGROUND: One of the most prevalent side effects of hemodialysis is intradialytic hypotension and its symptoms. Using sodium profiles 3 and ultra filtration profile 3 and cold dialysate are the ways to overcome this problem. Since none of these methods could control this complication lonely, this study was done to investigate the effect of combination of two methods on intradialytic hypotension. METHODS: This study was a cross over clinical trial in which 24 patients experienced intradialytic hypotension frequently, underwent three different methods of treatments during 9 successive hemodialysis sessions, group 1 used sodium profile 3 and ultra filtration profile 3, group 2 underwent hemodialysis with cold dialysate, and group 3received combination of both methods. Blood pressure was controlled before, during (3 times) and after hemodialysis. Data were analyzed via SPSS version 15, using x2 and ANOVA test. RESULTS: Findings showed that although there was no significant difference considering intradialytic hypotension and its symptoms in two groups of sodium profile 3 and ultra filtration profile 3 and cold dialysate and the combination group (p > 0.05), but there was a significant difference considering the mean of blood pressure in three groups (p < 0.05). In combination group, drop of systolic and diastolic blood pressure was less than groups using each of methods. CONCLUSIONS: Concerning the decreased rate of hypotension using combination method, nurses can use this method to decrease intradialytic hypotension and help the patients undergo hemodialysis for enough time and improve their quality of life.


We present variational calculations for quantum spin-half models based upon modifications to nearest-neighbour dimer states. Using a sequence of projections we can attempt a sort of finite-size scaling, in the number of variational parameters, towards the exact solution. For the simple nearest-neighbour Heisenberg model we achieve an error of only 0.005% in energy for our most accurate calculation, much better than an equivalent Lanczos calculation. With which we compare. Due to the fact that we control the total spin in our wavefunctions, we can evaluate the coherence lengths associated with cyclic-exchange permutations (the spin-half sector) and for spin-spin correlations (the spin-one sector), yielding, for example, a convincing numerical confirmation that the spin-one biquadratic-exchange Hamiltonian has a finite correlation length. We perform a study of the one-dimensional J1-J2 model, trying to predict the onset of the phase transition by searching directly for the divergence of the correlation length. Our calculations predict the phase transition near J2/J1 approximately 1/4, as expected. We also perform a study of the ladder geometry, giving further evidence that infinitesimal coupling between ladders yields an immediate gap in the spectrum. The only complication is that the minimization over our space of variational parameters is subtle: surprisingly complicated and difficult to find structure is observed in our low-energy solutions which might make our approach of limited use.


Reactivation of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) may evoke a protective cellular immune response or may be complicated by the development of EBV-lymphoproliferative disease (EBV-LPD). So far, very little is known about the incidence, recurrence, and sequelae of EBV reactivation following allo-SCT. EBV reactivation was retrospectively monitored in 85 EBV-seropositive recipients of a T-cell--depleted (TCD) allo-SCT and 65 EBV-seropositive recipients of an unmanipulated allo-SCT. Viral reactivation (more than 50 EBV genome equivalents [gEq]/mL) was monitored frequently by quantitative real-time plasma polymerase chain reaction until day 180 after SCT. Probabilities of developing viral reactivation were high after both unmanipulated and TCD-allogeneic SCT (31% +/- 6% versus 65% +/- 7%, respectively). A high CD34(+) cell number of the graft appeared as a novel significant predictor (P =.001) for EBV reactivation. Recurrent reactivation was observed more frequently in recipients of a TCD graft, and EBV-LPD occurred only after TCD-SCT. High-risk status, TCD, and use of antithymocyte globulin were predictive for developing EBV-LPD. Plasma EBV DNA quantitatively predicted EBV-LPD. The positive and negative predictive values of a viral load of 1000 gEq/mL were, respectively, 39% and 100% after TCD. Treatment-related mortality did not differ significantly between TCD and non-TCD transplants, but the incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease was significantly less in TCD patients. It is concluded that EBV reactivation occurs frequently after TCD and unmanipulated allo-SCT, especially in recipients of grafts with high CD34(+) cell counts. EBV-LPD, however, occurred only after TCD, and EBV load quantitatively predicted EBV-LPD in recipients of a TCD graft. (Blood. 2001;98:972-978)


Abstract The purposes of this study were (1) to describe linguistically constraint done by village administrator, (2) to describe extra-linguistic factor caused it, and (3) to identify linguistically error on the village administration books. The subjects of this study were (1) village administration and the stake holder of the book village administration, that was A, B, and C model, and (2) documentation of the village administration such as public administration, population and financial administration. The objects of this study were the opinion of village administration and error of linguistic. The sample of this study was determined by quota sampling so that these were 19 villages (5% from all villages in Yogyakarta Special Area). The sample of documentation was taken from those villages and there were 171 books of village administration involved A, B and C model. The determined sample of page book administration was done randomly. The instruments of the study were questioner and conservative guide. The method used to analyze data were distributional  and "padan" methods. The result of this study showed that the village administrator had linguistically constraint in applying of linguistically aspect of village administration. Village administrators very often had difficulties in choosing term (1.3%) combine sentences (9.2%) choosing words (10.5%) and often had difficulties in choosing terms (5.3%). Village administrator sometimes had difficulties in choosing words (30.3%), choosing terms (38.9%) and combining sentences (32.9%). Another linguistically constraints was that the village administrators did not know about some administrative technical terms, such as perihal, tentang , uraian , and  keterangan . These linguistically constraints were happen because of some factors, those were:mother tongues, using Javanese in conducting a meeting , propose, speak with another village administrator, and speak with guesses in the office, a government communication, and tacle of education village administration. Linguistically error found  in the village administration books were (1)using capital letter (15.7%). (2) cutting of the words (20.3%). (3) using words(20.3%). (4) using the numeral (26.3%). (5) using the borrowing words (18.7%), (6)using of intonation symbols (29.%), (7)formation of words (16%), (8)phrase structures (18.6%), (9) sentence structure (37,5%) and (10) choosing of words and terms (3.3%). In side of those, it can be found the speaking error in the implementation of book administration, as the lexical or grammatical interference from the Javanese to Indonesian Language. Keywords: Linguistically Constraint, standardization implementation of village administration


Our research challenges the limitations of extant knowledge of social formation by its focus on the ordinary, everyday lived reality of maintaining community and on identifying its operations from the internal perspective of civil society. We aim to explore the actual mobilising processes and structures that underpin the formation of social capital in the community. We examine how networks emerge and operate.


The hereditary spastic paraplegias are an expanding and heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by spasticity in the lower limbs. Plasma biomarkers are needed to guide the genetic testing of spastic paraplegia. Spastic paraplegia type 5 (SPG5) is an autosomal recessive spastic paraplegia due to mutations in CYP7B1, which encodes a cytochrome P450 7α-hydroxylase implicated in cholesterol and bile acids metabolism. We developed a method based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry to validate two plasma 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-OHC) and 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OHC) as diagnostic biomarkers in a cohort of 21 patients with SPG5. For 14 patients, SPG5 was initially suspected on the basis of genetic analysis, and then confirmed by increased plasma 25-OHC, 27-OHC and their ratio to total cholesterol. For seven patients, the diagnosis was initially based on elevated plasma oxysterol levels and confirmed by the identification of two causal CYP7B1 mutations. The receiver operating characteristic curves analysis showed that 25-OHC, 27-OHC and their ratio to total cholesterol discriminated between SPG5 patients and healthy controls with 100% sensitivity and specificity. Taking advantage of the robustness of these plasma oxysterols, we then conducted a phase II therapeutic trial in 12 patients and tested whether candidate molecules (atorvastatin, chenodeoxycholic acid and resveratrol) can lower plasma oxysterols and improve bile acids profile. The trial consisted of a three-period, three-treatment crossover study and the six different sequences of three treatments were randomized. Using a linear mixed effect regression model with a random intercept, we observed that atorvastatin decreased moderately plasma 27-OHC (∼30%, P < 0.001) but did not change 27-OHC to total cholesterol ratio or 25-OHC levels. We also found an abnormal bile acids profile in SPG5 patients, with significantly decreased total serum bile acids associated with a relative decrease of ursodeoxycholic and lithocholic acids compared to deoxycholic acid. Treatment with chenodeoxycholic acid restored bile acids profile in SPG5 patients. Therefore, the combination of atorvastatin and chenodeoxycholic acid may be worth considering for the treatment of SPG5 patients but the neurological benefit of these metabolic interventions remains to be evaluated in phase III therapeutic trials using clinical, imaging and/or electrophysiological outcome measures with sufficient effect sizes. Overall, our study indicates that plasma 25-OHC and 27-OHC are robust diagnostic biomarkers of SPG5 and shall be used as first-line investigations in any patient with unexplained spastic paraplegia.


Responding to current economic trends, Added Value? will question the value of contemporary craft within the present-day landscape of branding and luxury. Investigating differing perceptions of value, the exhibition will explore the increasing desire for authenticity, quality and craftsmanship, which is redefining our understanding of luxury.
Each featured object in the exhibition will be accompanied by newly commissioned photography and film. Bruce Montgomery, Professor of Design Craftsmanship at Northumbria University was the curatorial advisor to the exhibition.


Abstract The Permian–Triassic transition was an important time for many marine groups, including echinoderms. However, the fossil record of ophiuroids through this interval is poorly understood. Recent discoveries in Lower Triassic rocks from northern Italy and western US suggest that ophiuroids were more common during this time than previously has been appreciated. Evidence from resting traces (Asteriacites lumbricalis) indicates that Early Triassic ophiuroids lived on fine-grained siliciclastic sediments in oxygenated, shallow-marine environments within storm wave base. No resting traces have been recorded from deeper and/or oxygen-restricted settings. However, following death and decay, ophiuroid skeletal elements sometimes were transported into offshore, low-oxygen environments. All known occurrences of Early Triassic ophiuroids fall within the paleotropics, but this is attributed to sampling bias. Articulated body fossils and their trace fossils are most common in latest Lower Triassic (Olenekian) rocks, but disarticulated ossicles occur throughout the Induan and Olenekian. At times and places, ophiuroids were the dominant marine benthos, carpeting the substrate in prodigious numbers. However, at other times, they also comprised minor components of diverse benthic assemblages, living alongside crinoids (Holocrinus), bryozoans, bivalves, gastropods, and brachiopods. Morphological comparison with extant ophiuroids suggests that all known Early Triassic taxa were small surface-dwellers.


Fifty-four ITP patients were treated by the protocol proposed by Japanese Idiopathic Disease of Hematopoietic Organ Research Committee. Forty-eight patients were treated with corticosteroid (CS). Twenty-eight patients out of 30 patients who were refractory to CS were splenectomized. To study natural courses of splenectomized patients, 25 patients were splenectomized without elevation of platelet counts at the operation and were followed up their platelet counts and PAIgG for one month without treatment. Clinical courses after splenectomy were classified into four types by the platelet increment followed by splenectomy and the platelet counts at one month after splenectomy; type I (markedly over-shooted platelet peak and normalized platelet counts), type II (moderate platelet peak and 50 approximately 100 x 10(3)/microliters platelets), type III (minimal platelet peak and less than 50 x 10(3)/microliters platelets), and type IV (elevation of platelet counts at day 7 or later of splenectomy and normalized platelet counts). The results of analyses from 25 patients indicated that the numbers of type I, II, III and IV were 10, 5, 6 and 4, respectively. The clinical course of type IV suggests that platelet production may be impaired by anti-platelet antibodies.


Teaching vocabulary is a fundamental factor in English language teaching, as breadth
of vocabulary is closely related to success in other areas of language learning such
as reading, writing, speaking and listening. ICT has a potentially important role in
teaching vocabulary within English as a foreign language, including through such
media as the Interactive WhiteBoard (IWB), offering as it does a range of presentation
formats that may facilitate the deeper and more effective processing of language.
Despite this, relatively little is known about how teachers actually use the IWB, or
indeed how they perceive it as a teaching tool. Understanding these issues is
important in terms of informing the future development of the training offered to
teachers in the use of the IWB.
The current study includes the use of mixed methods, including a survey (319
responses). Six teachers participated in the qualitative part of the research, with four
classroom observations of six teachers at three private and three state primary
schools, followed by interviews with these same teachers. For the quantitative
research, frequencies and descriptive statistics were computed to give an overview of
teachers' reported use of the IWB and their attitudes towards it. Spearman Rank Order
correlations and Mann-Whitney U-tests were employed in order to explore the
relationships between key variables and whether different groups of respondents
reported different perceptions and uses of the IWB. Teachers' perceptions and uses
of the IWB were then further explored through a qualitative analysis of the interviews
and classroom observations.
Three complementary theoretical frameworks underpinned the study design and data
analysis: Borg's (2003) work exploring language teachers' cognition and mental lives;
the "Levels of Processing Hypothesis" (Craik & Lockhart, 1972) that outlines principles
for vocabulary acquisition and retention; and Social-Cultural theory (Vygotsky, 1978),
which guided the exploration of the classroom environment and how teachers scaffold
learning from a low level to a high level through the IWB. The findings of this present
study suggest a positive relationship between teachers' levels of skill/training in ICT
and the frequency with which they make use of the IWB and the range of strategies
for teaching vocabulary. The observations revealed that teachers who were trained in
III
ICT tended to use more varied teaching methods than those with less developed ICT
skills. The interview analysis suggests that the majority of teachers believed that the
use of the IWB in lessons assisted them in improving their students' new vocabulary
retention. These findings make an important contribution to the field of educational
technology for language learning by emphasising the link between training in ICT and
the development of language teaching pedagogy.


This paper proposes a decentralized nonlinear autoadaptive controller for reducing system losses by the optimal management of the reactive power supplied by the inverters of photovoltaic (PV) units. This ancillary service can be furnished on the base of standard needs or on voluntary basis. The control design is based on an optimization procedure involving the sensitivity theory in conjunction with the Lyapunov function and provides control laws acting as references of the PV inverter local controller. PV inverters must operate in a decoupled manner in order to provide the reactive power imposed by the control law and to transfer the active power produced by PV modules. The experiences and results conducted in an indoor laboratory as well as on an actual distribution network managed by ENEL Distribuzione S.p.A. demonstrate its effectiveness in reducing system losses.


Purpose
With mobile phones now becoming an almost ubiquitous technology the time seems ripe for libraries to take advantage of this maturing technology, in particular text messaging (SMS) which is available to almost all mobile phone users.
Design/methodology/approach
The article outlines some examples of best practice across the world in using SMS to support our users, particularly in teaching information skills.
Findings (mandatory)
Text messaging can be used for a range of activities within our libraries and some services can be introduced for minimal or zero expenditure.
Practical implications (if applicable)
Librarians and library managers should be able to take ideas and suggestions from this article to develop mobile friendly services that the majority of their users can access.
Originality/value (mandatory).
The article outlines some examples and suggestions for services that have not been widely written about or introduced in our libraries to date, including previously unpublished examples from the University of Huddersfield.


Traditional games are ancestral estates that need to be maintained and preserved. Rarely are they played in PAUD due to the fact that they have been replaced by modern games, whereas there are a lot of traditional games in every region. The Batak Toba traditional games can stimulate both motor skills and social-emotional development in early childhood. Types of games researched are Marsibahe, Marsitekka, and Marampera. This research aims to find out results on motor skills and social-emotional stimulation in early childhood through Batak Toba traditional games. The research was conducted to 18 children in a range of 5-6 years old in PAUD Anugerah in Tomok Village, Simanindo District, Samosir District in July-October 2015. The data collection instrument is arranged based on their achievement levels of motor skills and social-emotional development referring to Permendikbud No. 137 in 2014 as many as 16 points of observation. A quasi-experiment design method with pretest and posttest is used to recognize field validation, meanwhile the significant of the program is examined by using a correlated t-test. The results show t > t (10.34 > 2.11) so that it can be inferred that there are significant changes on score acquired by the learners before and after playing Batak Toba traditional games at 5% significant level.


The upper Campanian (Cretaceous) of the Hacimehmet area (south of the city of Trabzon; Eastern Pontides) is mainly composed of calciclastic turbidites. The basinal unit of the 119 m thick succession includes thin red pelagic limestone interlayers and conglomerates dominated by volcanic clasts. The overlying upper slope and lower slope units of the sequence consist of an alternation of allochthonous calcarenite /calcirudite beds and pelagic marls and mudstones. Calcarenite / calcirudite beds dominate the upper slope unit of the succession and are composed of transported material, including benthic foraminifers, red algae, bryozoan, crinoid and rudist fragments, inoceramid bivalve prisms and neritic and pelagic carbonate lithoclasts. The occurrence of Helicorbitoides boluensis (Sirel) extracted from the calcarenite/calcirudite beds indicates a Campanian age. Identifiable rudists such as Joufia reticulata Boehm, Bournonia cf. anatolica Ozer, Biradiolites  cf. bulgaricus Pamouktchiev and ? Biradiolites sp. from the upper slope unit of the succession indicate a late Campanian–Maastrichtian age. The planktonic foraminifers within the red pelagic limestone beds, marls and mudstones throughout the succession consist mainly of Campanian–Maastrichtian forms and suggest mainly basinal depositional conditions. The presence of Radotruncana cf. calcarata (Cushman) accompanied by Globotruncanita elevata (Brotzen) in the basinal unit of the succession indicates an early late Campanian age for the lower part of the succession. Inoceramid bivalves have been collected from the upper part of the succession. The fauna is dominated by ' Inoceramus ' tenuilineatus Hall and Meek, 1854 and Cataceramus haldemensis (Giers, 1964); other taxa recognised are: ' Inoceramus ' algeriensis  Heinz, 1932, Platyceramus vanuxemi (Meek and Hayden, 1860), ' Inoceramus ' cf. nebrascensis Owen, 1852, Cataceramus  aff. barabini (Morton, 1834), Cataceramus gandjaensis (Aliev, 1956), and ' Inoceramus ' sp.; the assemblage indicates the ' Inoceramus ' tenuilineatus Zone; corresponding to the middle–late Campanian boundary interval. The uppermost part of the succession is characterized by the presence of the trace fossils Scolicia strozzii and Scolicia isp., indicating a mixed Skolithos-Cruziana ichnofacies. This ichnofacies suggests a well-oxygenated environment.


In this work a 50Ni50Ti at % powder mixture, commercially pure, prepared by mechanical alloying in an attritor with the following conditions: the milling speed and the ball charge were 1500 rpm and 15:1 respectively. The milling time was 1h under a nitrogen atmosphere at room temperature. After milling it was determined the particles size distribution, the phases by Xray diffractions (XRD) and the powder morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The powders after milling were compacted and hot extruded at 600 °C with an extrusion ratio of 3 to 1 and characterized by evaluation the density and microstructural determination by optical microscopy. The obtained results are discussed to show that this route could be an alternative route to prepare the shape memory alloy.


The Lower Savannah River Project was established in 1986 to improve our understanding of the hydrogeologic conditions in west-central South Carolina. Six progress reports have been written since 1987. This report covers the period from July 1, 1994, to June 30, 1995. During the current phase, work focused on locating and procuring suitable sites for future well clusters; drafting well-construction specifications and bid packages; drilling monitoring wells at site C-7; and completing two comprehensive reports. Land was acquired for three future well-cluster sites: C-11, C-13, and C-15. Site C-11 will be located at the Oakwood Fire Tower in Aiken County. This land was made available through the South Carolina Forestry Commission. Land for site C-13 was donated by the Wildlife Division of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and will be located at Little Hell Landing on the Savannah River flood plain southwest of Millet in Allendale County. Site C-15 will be located at Gillisonville in northern Jasper County. A 0.9-acre parcel of land was purchased from Westvaco, Inc., for this site. Well specifications and bid packages were drawn up for the construction of seven monitoring wells at site C-10, three at C-13, and two at C-15. Specific-capacity valuesmore » of nine wells at site C-7 range from 0.3 to 20.6 gpm/ft (gallons per minute per foot of drawdown). Two deep Cretaceous wells were drilled at site C-7, one each in the Midville and Dublin aquifer systems. An upward hydraulic gradient exists between the aquifers. Two comprehensive reports were completed during this phase of the project: (1) a compilation and interpretation of data collected from the project since its inception in 1986, and (2) a detailed description of the hydrogeologic framework of west-central South Carolina and the hydrologic characteristics of the aquifers and confining units.« less