Background Post-craniotomy pain has been reported to be moderate to severe. Management of post-craniotomy pain is often inadequate, yet limited by the side effects of opioids. We aim to find out the efficacy of oral oxycodone as compared to oral codeine for the treatment of post-craniotomy pain in our institution.Methods A randomized, double blinded controlled trial was used to evaluate the efficacy of oral oxycodone versus oral codeine. 40 patients were randomized to the control group of codeine (n = 20) or the experimental group receiving oxycodone (n = 20) in addition to regular oral paracetamol for both groups of patients.Results There was no difference in the visual analogue scale scores at 24 hours (2.78 versus 1.85, p = 0.11) or side effects in the oxycodone group compared with the codeine group.Conclusions Oral oxycodone had similar efficacy as oral codeine in the management of post-craniotomy pain. ,


This article reports a survey of 4531 users of Itiraf.com ('Confession.com'), a confessional website based in Istanbul, Turkey, where people make personal confessions, tell stories and establish online and offline relationships with other users. Adopting a uses and gratifications approach to the web-based survey, to determine why the contributors to this website return so regularly and what uses they make of the site, the study adds to the limited information available on Turkish internet users. The major finding of the study is that diversion drives most reading on the site, but social interaction provides the largest gratification to those who participate through writing confessions, commenting on others' confessions and meeting people offline. Some differences in use patterns were found among Turkish respondents who lived in other countries. A rapidly changing social environment in the country provides a partial explanation of website activity.


Background: The worldwide spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020, followed by lockdowns, forced children to be in home confinement with increased screen time, leading to rapid progression of myopia and an increase in the prevalence of myopia. This study was aimed at determining if myopia progression seen in evidence-based practice resulted from the COVID-19 lockdown or delayed follow-ups.
Methods: A retrospective review of case sheets of patients visiting the pediatric department of a tertiary care eye hospital in Mumbai, India, was conducted from 2017 onwards. We enrolled all children with myopia who had attended at least one follow-up visit before the COVID-19 lockdown and at least one follow-up visit post-lockdown. The spherical equivalent (SEQ) of refractive error values at baseline and pre- and post-COVID-19 lockdown follow-ups (hereinafter referred to as the "first" and "second" follow-ups, respectively) were recorded. The duration between baseline and the first follow-up visit and between the first and second follow-up visits were noted.
Results: We enrolled 112 eyes of 56 children, including 35 (62.5%) boys and 21 (37.5%) girls, with a mean (standard deviation [SD]) age of 9.54 (2.82) years. The mean (SD) SEQ values at baseline and first and second follow-ups were - 4.74 (3.83), - 5.46 (3.81), and - 6.42 (3.66) D, respectively. The mean change in SEQ, mean SEQ myopia progression, and rate of myopia progression per month differed significantly between the baseline and the first follow-up visit versus between the first and second follow-ups (all P < 0.05). However, the change in myopia degree did not differ significantly between these two periods in eyes with low, moderate, or high myopia (all P > 0.05). The mean (SD) duration between the baseline and the first follow-up visit was 14.57 (5.68) months, while that between the first and second follow-ups was 27.96 (9.18) months, showing a significant difference (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that a longer gap between follow-up visits and myopia progression per month should be factored into the management of myopia. Considering that young children are more vulnerable, preventive measures and school reforms should be urgently implemented in India. Further retrospective multicenter studies with a larger sample size of eyes, including various refractive errors over a longer period, are required to verify these findings.


Regular exercise has been shown to improve psychological and physical health (Malt, 2008; Peluso and Guerra de Andrade, 2005). On the contrary, indulging in excessive exercise may bring about adverse effects (Berczik et al., 2012). In other words, exercise does not always provide people with benefits such as physical development and alleviation of stress, depression, or apprehension, but could instead result in negative effects if engaged in indiscriminative or nonsystematic exercise programs. For instance, physical injuries resulting from overuse or overtraining can lead to chronic musculoskeletal deformation, pain, or a decrease in physical performance (Brenner, 2007). According to Shephard (2001), long durations of high intensity physical activity was concluded as a possible cause of injury that can exacerbate inflammatory responses or decrease immunity, which eventually affects the ability to recover from injuries. Gleeson (2007) also reported that the immunological responses which increase in accordance with long durations of high intensity exercises could be temporarily reduced upon the termination of such exercises and could thereby weaken the immune system. This phenomenon is referred to as 'exercise addiction'.

Exercise addiction was first reported by Baekeland (1970) while he was screening subjects for his study examining the influence of exercise deprivation on sleep. The subjects were compensated monetarily for their participation in that study, but revealed a strong desire to continue the exercise program, even without compensation. Finally, the response of the subjects defined the symptoms of exercise addiction. Since then, successive studies have tried to describe such behaviors. Will and Campbell (1995) employed the term 'commitment' which connoted the sense of attachment to something while Scanlan et al. (1993) defined such behavior as a psychological state by distinguishing the concept of indulgence in sports or leisure activities into three factors that influence the amount of desire to participate in such activities: hope, belief, and confidence. The behaviors were characterized as a dependency on exercise, excessive exercise, compulsive exercise, negative exercise, or obligatory exercise (Basson, 2001). Consequently, the behaviors became referred to as exercise addiction to indicate the inability to suppress the psychological desire to exercise which resulted in excessive exercise. In 1981, Sachs defined exercise addiction as engaging in excessive exercise or yearning for additional exercise 24–36 hr after the termination of the last exercise. Carron et al. (2003) reported that approximately 9% of people who exercise regularly have exercise addiction. Approximately 40% of exercisers also reported that they had experienced symptoms similar to those of exercise addiction. Thus, approximately 50% of people who regularly exercised seemed to experience symptoms similar to those of exercise addiction or became addicted to exercise. In particular, the detection of exercise addiction requires careful observation because symptoms may not be noticed due to stress, nervousness, cramps, strains, anxiousness, sense of guilt, or slothful emotions (Sachs, 1981). Recently, Berczik et al. (2012) reported that excessive exercise has the potential to have adverse effects on physical and mental health.

Exercise addiction can be positive in that it can provide psychological or physical vitality. On the other hand, it can be negative in that it can adversely control the behavior of the addict. Debates on the effects of exercise addiction, such as whether they would be as negative as narcotism, are still ongoing. Some researchers argue that exercise addiction can be viewed as a positive addiction in that it could promote health or alleviate anxiousness. On the contrary, other researchers insist that exercise should be regarded as a negative addiction because it could induce injuries, as well as social problems (Sachs, 1981). Positive exercise addiction is important in that it can allow people to enjoy exercise and attain mental and physical energy to promote personal achievements. Contrary to positive exercise addiction, negative exercise addiction can cause psychological or physical instability and even social isolation. Negative exercise addiction was first introduced by Morgan (1979) in which he postulated two conditions: when exercise is felt to be a daily necessity; when withdrawal symptoms appear upon stopping exercise. In addition, the extent of personal relationships of exercise addicts was reported to be considerably limited. This was because of the limited number of relationships outside of exercise-related connections (Park, 2000). Problems with defecation, unstable heart rate, and depression due to extremely excited states were reported as withdrawal symptoms of exercise addiction (Glasser, 1976; Sachs and Pargman, 1984).

Exercise addiction is similar in concept to other addictions in that it shares a link with an underlying condition. Since regular exercise is a desired behavior of health promotion and maintenance, efforts should be redirected to maintaining an active lifestyle while rebalancing the role that exercise plays in one's life. Because exercise is often recommended as a desirable substitute for many compulsive acts, it can become compulsive for those inclined to addictive behavior. Therefore, treating the exercise addict necessitates a multipronged approach, and it is likely that professional approaches to its cure will be effective. Initially, an exercise specialist should determine the person's state of health, including physical and emotional well-being. Further analyses from nutritionists and psychologists should focus on the patient's dietary habits, motivation for recovery, redirection of exercise goals, and capacity for the implementation of coping strategies. Treatment therapies for exercise addicts should also include the development of healthy eating habits, strategies for improving and maintaining a healthy self-esteem and body image, gradual incorporation of healthy alternative recreational pursuits, and the monitoring of progress over time. It is likely that recovery from exercise addiction may take months or even years, so it must address any underlying issues or other conditions (Graham, 2015). Even as the research into treatment efficacy progresses, individual counseling and monitoring will remain critical to achieving recovery from exercise addiction.


The ubiquity of mobile devices led to a surge in intensive longitudinal (or time series) data of individuals. This is an exciting development because personalized models both naturally tackle the issue of heterogeneities between people and increase the validity of models for applications. A popular model for time series is the Vector Autoregressive (VAR) model, in which each variable is modeled as a linear function of all variables at previous time points. A key assumption of this model is that the parameters of the true data generating model are constant (or stationary) across time. The most straightforward way to check for time-varying parameters is to fit a model that allows for time-varying parameters. In the present paper we compare two methods to estimate time-varying VAR models: the first method uses a spline-approach to allow for time-varying parameters, the second uses kernel-smoothing. We report the performance of both methods and their stationary counterparts in an extensive simulation study that reflects the situations typically encountered in practice. We compare the performance of stationary and time-varying models and discuss the theoretical characteristics of all methods in the light of the simulation results. In addition, we provide a step-by-step tutorial for both methods showing how to estimate a time-varying VAR model on an openly available individual time series dataset.


Objective The objective of the present study was to identify new risk factors associated with longer hospitalization following bariatric surgery. Methods Patient clinical, social, and biochemical data in addition to multidisciplinary team experience were analyzed in a cohort that included all patients undergoing bariatric surgery at our hospital. The primary outcome was length of hospital stay (LOS). Mortality was recorded to validate the obesity surgery mortality risk score (OS-MRS). Results This study included 299 sequential patients, 41 ± 10 years of age, and BMI of 50 ± 8 kg/m2 who underwent bariatric surgery. Two thirds (196) of patients were hypertensive, a third (86) were diabetic and a third (91) were current or former smokers. Overall, LOS was 8 ± 5 days. The predictors of a longer LOS were smoking (P < 0.05) and less multidisciplinary team experience (P < 0.05). Looking at only the last three years of data, LOS was 6 ± 5 days, and the predictors of a longer LOS were low educational attainment (P < 0.02) and smoking (P < 0.01) but not team experience. The global mortality was 2.6%, with the OS-MRS identifying a high-risk group. Conclusion Excluding the initial learning phase, longer LOS independent predictors were patient low educational attainment and smoking. These predictors can help guide care to reduce complications.


Benzothiazoles and thiazolopyridines are widely prevalent in pharmaceuticals and organic materials. Herein, we report a metal- and reagent-free method for the uniform synthesis of benzothiazoles and thiazolopyridines through 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl radical (TEMPO)-catalyzed electrolytic C–H thiolation. This dehydrogenative coupling process provides access to a host of benzothiazoles and thiazolopyridines from N-(hetero)arylthioamides. Mechanistic studies suggested that the thioamide substrate was oxidized with the electrochemically generated TEMPO+ through an inner-sphere electron transfer to afford a thioamidyl radical, which undergoes homolytic aromatic substitution to form the key C–S bond.


The first protein crystallography group in Switzerland was installed at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel approximately 40 years ago. Since then protein crystallography has grown and matured remarkably and is now established in the molecular biology, biochemistry or biological medicine departments of most major Swiss Universities as well as in the pharmaceutical industry and in biotech startup companies. Swiss X-ray biocrystallography groups have made remarkable contributions from the beginning and have brought Switzerland to the forefront in biostructural research during the last 5 to 10 years. Switzerland has now a leading position in the areas of supramolecular complexes, membrane proteins and structure-based drug design in pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Protein crystallography on the outer membrane protein ompF as well as the development of the lipidic cubic phase crystallization methodology has been pioneered at the Biozentrum. The latter found its somewhat late recognition through the recent explosion in structure determinations of the seven transmembrane helix G-coupled receptors. Highlights from Swiss structural biology groups in the field of supramolecular complexes include the structures of ribosomal particles, of the nucleosome and the pilus assembly complex of uropathogenic E. coli. On the membrane protein side advances in the field of ABC transporters and ion channels are world-recognized achievements of Swiss structural biology. Dedicated laboratories at many academic and industrial institutions, their current research programs, the availability of excellent infrastructure and the continuing efforts to build new facilities such as the SwissFEL indicate an even brighter future for structural biology in Switzerland.


Reasonably accurate approximations of the financial costs of schizophrenia are the foundation for making judgments about the socioeconomic impact of the disorder and the cost-effectiveness of treatment modalities. The financial costs of schizophrenia to society can be divided into direct and indirect costs. Direct costs include treatment provided in inpatient, outpatient, and long-term care, as well as criminal justice costs, medication costs, and publicly owned capital such as state mental health facilities. Indirect costs mostly arise from the productivity loss suffered by individuals with schizophrenia, family members, and caregivers. The cost of schizophrenia in the United States in 2002 was estimated to be $62.7 billion. Compared with a 1991 estimate, inpatient costs have declined, whereas outpatient costs and medication costs have increased. When interpreting any data regarding costs, people should be aware of factors that influence results, such as the perspective from which the analysis was undertaken, the measures used in the analysis, and planned or unplanned bias.


Author(s): Sun, Wu | Advisor(s): Seibt, Ulrike | Abstract: Carbonyl sulfide (COS) is a trace gas participating in key processes of the terrestrial carbon cycle. Despite its low mixing ratio in the troposphere (400–550 pmol mol–1), the amplitude of seasonal variability of COS greatly exceeds that of CO2 and is in phase with the gross photosynthesis of the terrestrial biosphere. Over the recent decade, COS has emerged as a promising tracer for quantifying terrestrial gross primary productivity (GPP) independently from respiration across the ecosystem to the global scales, because of the parallel uptake of COS and CO2 through leaf stomata. While leaf uptake of COS dominates surface COS flux on land in the absence of industrial and biomass burning emissions, soil COS flux is another smaller but significant component. Neglecting the soil component in ecosystem COS budget may bias GPP estimates derived from COS measurements. Soil may also vary from a sink to a source of COS depending on temperature and microbial sulfur metabolism. Due to the presence of potential interference from soil COS activities, using COS as a photosynthetic tracer requires soil COS flux to be separated from the net ecosystem COS exchange. This dissertation is dedicated to the mechanistic understanding of the soil–atmosphere exchange of COS using process-oriented modeling and field observations.A reactive transport model for soil COS processes is constructed to simulate soil–atmosphere COS flux from environmental variables. This model takes into account the dual-phase diffusive transport and the microbial sources and sinks of COS in the soil column. COS uptake and production rates are parameterized with enzyme kinetics and thermodynamics, consistent with lab incubation data. Leaf litter layer is explicitly resolved to account for litter COS uptake, whenever a litter layer is present. The model is evaluated against published field data of COS flux and demonstrates good skill in predicting both soil uptake and emission of COS. Model simulations further confirm that COS flux dependence on soil moisture is a result of two rivaling controls—the diffusive limitation on COS supply and the water limitation on microbial activity.Field observations on soil COS exchange have been conducted at an oak woodland in southern California and a boreal pine forest in southern Finland using automated soil chambers and mid-infrared quantum cascade laser spectrometer. Soils at both sites show consistent uptake behavior related to soil moisture and respiration. At the semi-arid oak woodland in California, microbial COS uptake is strongly limited by water availability in the dry season. The intact leaf litter layer contributes a significant portion to the overall soil COS uptake. Litter COS uptake increases with moisture content and shows a strong pulse immediately after the rain event, indicating a rapid reactivation of litter microbial activity following alleviated water stress. In the Finnish pine forest, soil COS uptake is limited by the diffusional supply of COS to soil microbes, according to the negative correlation with soil moisture. The contrasting responses of soil COS uptake to moisture in semi-arid and humid ecosystems reflect the coupling of diffusion and microbial uptake controls on COS flux. At both sites, soil COS uptake correlates well with respiration and the COS : CO2 flux ratio varies with temperature. The temperature dependence of COS : CO2 flux ratio may be a common feature of soils and indicate underlying shifts in active microbial groups.This dissertation advances knowledge of the physical and biological drivers of soil–atmosphere exchange of COS. Anticipated applications of the findings will be to better constrain global soil COS flux and derive COS-based estimates of GPP, which will be useful in understanding the responses of photosynthesis to climate variability.


Self-efficacy plays a major role in the behaviour of a human being by how he/she approaches a goal, task or a challenge so that a desired level of performance is produced. The objective of this paper is to review and analyse literature on self-efficacy and clinical performance among professional nurses regarding quality of care in implementation of NIMART programme.

 A literature review was conducted using online resources. Search engines included EBSCO, Google Scholar, Medline, PubMed, Psych info and BIOMED Central articles and journals published between 2007 and 2017. Relevant papers on self-efficacy and clinical performance regarding the implementation of NIMART programme in South Africa were analysed.

 278 papers were identified and 22 eligible papers were selected for analysis. Reviewed literature exhibited that self-efficacy is very crucial in the clinical performance of nurses in the implementation of NIMART. Self-efficacy helps to predict motivation and performance of individuals. Lack of mentoring, support and exposure to clinical practice had negative effect on nurse's self-efficacy.

 Given the paucity of information on self-efficacy and clinical performance of NIMART in the South African context, future studies are warranted to gain more understanding of self-efficacy in the clinical performance of professional nurses.


Information extraction is a process that extracts limited semantic concepts from text documents and presents them in an organized way. Unlike several other natural language tasks, information extraction has a direct impact on end-user applications. Despite its importance, information ex traction is still a difficult task due to the inherent complexity and ambiguity of human languages. Moreover, mutual dependencies between local predictions of the target concepts further increase difficulty of the task. In order to enhance information extraction technologies, we develop general approaches for two aspects—relational feature generation and global inference with classifiers.
It has been quite convincingly argued that relational learning is suitable in training a complicated natural language system. We propose a relational feature generation approach that facilitates relational learning through propositional learning algorithms. In particular, we develop a relational representation language to produce features in a data driven way. The resulting features capture the relational structures of a given domain, and therefore allow the learning algorithms to effectively learn the relational definitions of target concepts.
Although the learned classifier can be used to directly predict the target concepts, conflicts between the labels of different target variables often occur due to imperfect classifiers. We propose an inference framework to correct mistakes of the local predictions by using the predictions and task-dependent constraints to produce the best global assignment. This inference framework can be modeled by a Bayesian network or integer linear programming.
The proposed learning and inference frameworks have been applied to a variety of information extraction tasks, including entity extraction, entity/relation recognition, and semantic role labeling.


Introduction: Invasive cervical cancer (ICC) is an HIV-associated cancer that is preventable and precancerous stages including early ICC stages could be detected through screening offering opportunities for treatment and cure. The high incidence in women living with HIV and late presentation often at advanced stages of ICC with limited treatment facilities often result in early mortality. We sought to compare the epidemiologic characteristics and survival differences in HIV status of ICC patients in Nigeria. Methods: We conducted a cohort study at two federal academic hospital-based research sites in Jos University Teaching Hospital, and Lagos University Teaching Hospital Nigeria, between March 2018 and September 2022. We enrolled women with histologically confirmed ICC with known HIV status, and FIGO staging as part of the United States of Americas National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute funded project titled Epigenomic Biomarkers of HIV-Associated Cancers in Nigeria. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality with assessment of overall survival (OS) and time to death after ICC diagnosis. OS distribution was estimated using the method of Kaplan-Meier and compared between groups using the log-rank test. Results: A total of 239 women with confirmed ICC were enrolled and included in this analysis, of whom 192 (80.3%) were HIV-negative (HIV-/ICC+), and 47 (19.7%) were HIV-positive (HIV+/ICC+). The HIV+/ICC) patients were younger with median age 46 (IQR: 40-51) years compared to 57 (IQR: 45-66) among HIV-/ICC+) (P<0.001. Squamous cell carcinoma was the commonest histopathologic variant in 80.4% of ICC diagnosis, moderately differentiated tumor grade in 68.1% in both groups. HIV+/ICC+ diagnosis was at FIGO advanced stages in 64.9% compared to 47.9% in HIV-/ICC+. The HIV-/ICC+ women had better OS compared to HIV+/ICC+ participants (p=0.018), with 12-month OS 84.1% (95%CI: 75% - 90%) and 67.6% (95%CI: 42%-84%) respectively. Conclusion: ICC is diagnosed at a relatively young age in women living with HIV, with a significantly lower overall survival probability compared to women without HIV. The trend of presentation and diagnosis at advanced stages in women living with HIV could partly explain the differences in overall survival.


The concept of skill and its measurement has been central in contemporary discussions of labour market issues. Such issues as the rise in earnings inequality and changes to the skill composition of employment have served to highlight the limitations of definitions of skill and the problems that these pose for analysis of labour market changes. This paper argues that current measures of skill contain numerous limitations and ambiguities. Part of the reason is that the concept is complex and ill defined. This paper suggests that a more robust and detailed definition of skill is imperative. Furthermore, definitions and measures of skill used in the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) provide an advanced and more useful background for skill measurement and analysis than current measures. Such an approach would be beneficial to adopt in Australia, as it would provide a broader, more accurate and detailed understanding of the nature of occupations, issues related to skill and skill shortages, and labour market change.


A new concept for ex situ endocrine organ bioengineering is presented, focused on the realization of a human bioartificial thyroid gland. It is based on the theoretical assumption and experimental evidence that symmetries in geometrical coordinates of the thyroid tissue remain invariant with respect to developmental, physiological or pathophysiological transformations occuring in the gland architecture. This topological arrangement is dependent upon physical connections established between cells, cell adhesion molecules and extracellular matrix, leading to the view that the thyroid parenchyma behaves like a deformable "putty", moulded onto an elastic stromal/vascular scaffold (SVS) dictating the final morphology of the gland. In particular, we have raised the idea that the geometry of the SVS per se provides pivotal epigenetic information to address the genetically-programmed, thyrocyte and endothelial/vascular proliferation and differentiation towards a functionally mature gland, making organ form a pre-requirementfor organ function. A number of experimental approaches are explored to obtain a reliable replica of a human thyroid SVS, and an informatic simulation is designed based on fractal growth of the thyroid intraparenchymal arterial tree. Various tissue-compatible and degradable synthetic or biomimetic polymers are discussed to act as a template of the thyroid SVS, onto which to co-seed autologous human thyrocyte (TPC) and endothelial/vascular (EVPC) progenitor cells. Harvest and expansion of both TPC and EVPC in primary culture are considered, with specific attention to the selection of normal thyrocytes growing at a satisfactory rate to colonize the synthetic matrix. In addition, both in vitro and in vivo techniques to authenticate TPC and EVPC lineage differentiation are reviewed, including immunocytochemistry, reverse trascriptase-polymerase chain reaction, flow cytomery and proteomics. Finally, analysis of viability of the thyroid construct following implantation in animal hosts is proposed, with the intent to obtain a bioartificial thyroid gland morphologically and functionally adequate for transplantation. We believe that the biotechnological scenario proposed herein may provide a template to construct other, more complex and clinically-relevant bioartificial endocrine organs ex situ, such as human pancreatic islets and the liver, and perhaps a new approach to brain bioengineering.


In the modern world forming and using the positive image of state actors can be considered among the most important elements of their actions on the international stage. Today it becomes obvious that the efficient use of social mechanisms as new forms of international cooperation, especially in the humanitarian field, is carried out by means of public diplomacy, which actively forms the target audience and creates the basis for the formation of country's positive image. The targeted actions of world politics centers aimed at expanding the scope of their humanitarian presence on the international stage determine the relevance of wider use of the Institute for Public Diplomacy as a mechanism of foreign cultural policy development. Today, public diplomacy is becoming the demanded mechanism in international youth environment where there is a growth of involvement of active representatives of nongovernmental organizations who have specific knowledge and skills in international communication. These aspects of public diplomacy determine the need to address issues related to the qualitative characteristics of youth diplomacy, especially with the criteria of its effectiveness.This article analyzes one of the modern forms of aggravated international youth activity, which represents the significant mechanism in the formation of a positive image of Russia in the international youth sector. In fact, it is the first attempt to understand the role of diplomacy in organized youth sector, for which new opportunities of interaction with their peers from other countries are opened. The author refers to the history of the emergence of the term "international youth diplomacy" and offers the author's version occurrences of the term in the scientific and journalistic usage. The article identifies some problematic aspects and main directions of its development in the context of youth organizations activity with a number of public institutions. "Small" part of the country's youth involved in this process indicates the absence of specific federal programs of youth activity institutions for action on the international stage. However, the analysis of practical results of their activity, contributing to the new forms of international youth activity, which should be considered as the channels for creating the favorable conditions aimed at promoting the positive image of Russia among the international youth, reveals the increasing attention of state and non-governmental organizations to this issue in light of the growing demand. Despite of the fact that the variety of institutional activity forms in the international youth activity and its impact on country's image is beyond the research interest, today its further studying can open new horizons of discourse regarding the prospects of youth factor, in order to implement effective foreign cultural policy in Russia. Lack of theoretical and practical study of youth diplomacy requires not only consideration of many factors that directly affect the nature of its implementation, but should also focus the attention of scientific community representatives to the need of understanding its perspective role in the foreign cultural policy of the country, therefore, having certain influence on forming the positive image of the country among young people from different cultures and nations.


OBJECTIVES
Currently available cardioplegic solutions provide excellent protection in patients with normal surgical risk; in high-risk patients, however, such as in emergency coronary artery bypass surgery, there is still room for improvement. As most of the cardioplegic solutions primarily protect myocytes, the addition of substances for protection of the endothelium might improve their protective potential. The nitric oxide donor, S-nitroso human serum albumin (S-NO-HSA), which has been shown to prevent endothelial nitric oxide synthase uncoupling, was added to the newly developed histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarat (HTK-N) cardioplegia in an isolated heart perfusion system after subjecting rats to acute myocardial infarction (MI) and reperfusion.

METHODS
In male Sprague-Dawley rats, acute MI was induced by ligation for 1 h of the anterior descending coronary artery. After 2 h of in vivo reperfusion hearts were evaluated on an isolated erythrocyte-perfused working heart model. Cold ischaemia (4°C) for 60 min was followed by 45 min of reperfusion. Cardiac arrest was induced either with HTK (n = 10), HTK-N (n = 10) or HTK-N + S-NO-HSA (n = 10). In one group (HTK-N + S-NO-HSA plus in vivo S-NO-HSA; n = 9) an additional in vivo infusion of S-NO-HSA was performed.

RESULTS
Post-ischaemic recovery of cardiac output (HTK: 77 ± 4%, HTK-N: 86 ± 7%, HTK-N + S-NO-HSA: 101 ± 5%, in vivo S-NO-HSA: 93 ± 8%), external heart work (HTK: 79 ± 5%, HTK-N: 83 ± 3%, HTK-N + S-NO-HSA: 101 ± 8%, in vivo S-NO-HSA: 109 ± 13%), coronary flow (HTK: 77 ± 4%, HTK-N: 94 ± 6%, HTK-N + S-NO-HSA: 118 ± 15%, in vivo S-NO-HSA: 113 ± 3.17%) [HTK-N + S-NO-HSA vs HTK P < 0.001; HTK-N + S-NO-HSA vs HTK-N P < 0.05] and left atrial diastolic pressure (HTK: 122 ± 31%, HTK-N: 159 ± 43%, HTK-N + S-NO-HSA: 88 ± 30, in vivo S-NO-HSA: 62 ± 10%) [HTK-N + S-NO-HSA vs HTK P < 0.05; in vivo S-NO-HSA vs HTK-N P < 0.05] were significantly improved in both S-NO-HSA-treated groups compared with HTK and HTK-N, respectively. This was accompanied by better preservation of high-energy phosphates (adenosine triphosphate; energy charge) and ultrastructural integrity on transmission electron microscopy. However, no additional benefit of in vivo S-NO-HSA infusion was observed.

CONCLUSIONS
Addition of the NO donor, S-NO-HSA refines the concept of HTK-N cardioplegia in improving post-ischaemic myocardial perfusion. HTK-N with S-NO-HSA is a possible therapeutic option for patients who have to be operated on for acute MI.


The influence exerted by a number of non-steroid antiphlogistic agents on the fermentative mechanism responsible for the formation and decomposition of kininines in an inflammation focus and on the permeability of vessels in a skin changed under the effect of exogenous bradykininine was studied. Bradykininine, chigamin, sodium salicylate and mephenaminate are shown to inhibit "in vitro" the kininogenic and intensify the kininase activity of the exudate in rats with turpentine-induced pleuritis, while indometacin affects only the activity of kininogenases. Butadion, chingamin and sodium mephenaminate merely reduce the reactivity of the skin with respect to exogenous bradykininine.


Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of adding bevacizumab to paclitaxel and carboplatin and as maintenance in a larger cohort of patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma. Methods We retrospectively identified endometrial cancer patients treated with paclitaxel (175 mg/m2 per 3 hours), carboplatin (area under the curve, 5) and bevacizumab (15 mg/kg) and maintenance bevacizumab treated in a post–protocol treatment cohort and evaluated them with our previously published phase 2 trial of this regimen. Results Twenty-seven additional patients were identified; 19 received the regimen as first-line therapy, and 8 received the regimen as second-line therapy after prior paclitaxel and carboplatin. The 19 patients who received first-line therapy were analyzed alone and with the 15 patients enrolled on protocol. The 2 cohorts were similar with respect to risk factors. Overall survival curves were not statistically different between the protocol and the postprotocol patients (log-rank test; P > 0.1). Collectively, a total of 266 courses (median, 6 courses; range, 1–20 courses) of carboplatin, paclitaxel, and bevacizumab combination therapy and 305 courses (median, 16 courses; range, 0–45courses) of bevacizumab maintenance therapy were administered as first-line therapy. Collectively, the median progression-free survival was 20 months, and median overall survival was 56 months. Among 29 patients with measurable disease, the response rate was 82.8% (95% confidence interval, 69.0%–96.5%; 15 complete responses and 9 partial responses). Among the 8 patients who received paclitaxel and carboplatin and bevacizumab as second-line therapy after paclitaxel and carboplatin, the response rate was 87.5% (6 complete responses, 1 partial response). Their median progression-free survival and median overall survival were not reached after a median follow-up of 23.5 months. Conclusions Although there are inherent limitations to small retrospective studies, this second analysis confirms the high response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival in the bevacizumab, paclitaxel, and carboplatin regimen as first-line therapy in advanced and recurrent endometrial carcinoma.


Georgia offers the most generous incentives for motion picture and video production in the United States, providing a tax credit of up to 30 percent of qualified expenditures for film and video production within the state. Though the tax credits represent a significant cost to Georgia's treasury in terms of forgone tax revenue — $800 million in 2018 and over $4 billion total over the past decade — the subsidy is often justified as providing a significant economic impact to the state. The Georgia Department of Economic Development reports that the film industry had a $9.5 billion impact on the state's economy in 2018. The Motion Picture Association of America reports that the motion picture and television industry is responsible for more than 92,000 jobs in Georgia. However, these estimates rely on incredible multipliers and dubious data. This report examines these commonly reported economic impact estimates and provides alternate estimates of the film industry's contribution to Georgia's economy. Though tax credits have incentivized filming in the state, film production remains a rather small part of Georgia's economy ($3 billion, approximately 0.5 percent). Official government employment statistics indicate that Georgia's film and video industry employs approximately 16,000 workers. More realistic (though still speculative) multipliers that account for potential additional economic activity throughout the economy indicate that the film industry produces no more than $4.2 billion and 32,000 jobs. However, even these lower estimates should be interpreted with caution due to uncertainties surrounding multipliers. Assuming every film job in Georgia is the result of the tax credits approved, the cost is $64,000 (full-time and part-time) to $119,000 (FTE) in tax credits per job. The $800 million subsidy through tax credits in 2018 is equivalent to 3 percent of Georgia's state-funded budget or $220 per household.


Among the fossil shells of the oolite undescribed or imperfectly known, is one, only recently discovered, which is remarkable as presenting characters tending to approximate certain known genera heretofore widely separated. The locality of this genus is one peculiarly rich in the remains of Testacea. These will be illustrated in a forthcoming memoir to be published by the Palæontographical Society. The locality belongs to the Minchinhampton district of the great oolite formation, the geological position of the shell being as follows. About 70 feet above the Fuller's earth is the base-line of a series of limestone beds, which have an aggregate thickness exceeding 20 feet; the lowest bed is a calcareo-siliceous rock, of a cream colour, exhaling an argillaceous odour when breathed upon, and is peculiarly compact and homogeneous in its structure. Its two divisions have a united thickness of 5 feet. The beds above this have a browner aspect, are usually less compact and homogeneous, and are for the most part destitute of organic remains, although locally these are met with in some abundance. Pachyrisma occurs in a vertical thickness of only half a yard ; it occupies the upper 9 inches of the lowest or white bed, and the entire thickness of the superimposed browner bed ; the shells are clustered together in great numbers, the valves being both separated and in apposition ; and it is worthy of notice that they constituted almost the sole testaceous animals within the narrow limits of their habitat ; no other


In modern medicine, physicians are frequently forced to balance immune suppression against immune stimulation to treat patients such as those undergoing transplants and chemotherapy. More-targeted therapies designed to preserve immunity and prevent opportunistic fungal infection in these patients could be informed by an understanding of how fungi interact with professional and nonprofessional immune cells in mucosal candidiasis. In this study, we intravitally imaged these host-pathogen dynamics during Candida infection in a transparent vertebrate model host, the zebrafish. Single-cell imaging revealed an unexpected partitioning of the inflammatory response between phagocytes and epithelial cells. Surprisingly, we found that in vivo cytokine profiles more closely match in vitro responses of epithelial cells rather than phagocytes. Furthermore, we identified a disconnect between canonical inflammatory cytokine production and phagocyte recruitment to the site of infection, implicating noncytokine chemoattractants. Our study contributes to a new appreciation for the specialization and cross talk among cell types during mucosal infection. ABSTRACT Candida yeasts are common commensals that can cause mucosal disease and life-threatening systemic infections. While many of the components required for defense against Candida albicans infection are well established, questions remain about how various host cells at mucosal sites assess threats and coordinate defenses to prevent normally commensal organisms from becoming pathogenic. Using two Candida species, C. albicans and C. parapsilosis, which differ in their abilities to damage epithelial tissues, we used traditional methods (pathogen CFU, host survival, and host cytokine expression) combined with high-resolution intravital imaging of transparent zebrafish larvae to illuminate host-pathogen interactions at the cellular level in the complex environment of a mucosal infection. In zebrafish, C. albicans grows as both yeast and epithelium-damaging filaments, activates the NF-κB pathway, evokes proinflammatory cytokines, and causes the recruitment of phagocytic immune cells. On the other hand, C. parapsilosis remains in yeast morphology and elicits the recruitment of phagocytes without inducing inflammation. High-resolution mapping of phagocyte-Candida interactions at the infection site revealed that neutrophils and macrophages attack both Candida species, regardless of the cytokine environment. Time-lapse monitoring of single-cell gene expression in transgenic reporter zebrafish revealed a partitioning of the immune response during C. albicans infection: the transcription factor NF-κB is activated largely in cells of the swimbladder epithelium, while the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is expressed in motile cells, mainly macrophages. Our results point to different host strategies for combatting pathogenic Candida species and separate signaling roles for host cell types. IMPORTANCE In modern medicine, physicians are frequently forced to balance immune suppression against immune stimulation to treat patients such as those undergoing transplants and chemotherapy. More-targeted therapies designed to preserve immunity and prevent opportunistic fungal infection in these patients could be informed by an understanding of how fungi interact with professional and nonprofessional immune cells in mucosal candidiasis. In this study, we intravitally imaged these host-pathogen dynamics during Candida infection in a transparent vertebrate model host, the zebrafish. Single-cell imaging revealed an unexpected partitioning of the inflammatory response between phagocytes and epithelial cells. Surprisingly, we found that in vivo cytokine profiles more closely match in vitro responses of epithelial cells rather than phagocytes. Furthermore, we identified a disconnect between canonical inflammatory cytokine production and phagocyte recruitment to the site of infection, implicating noncytokine chemoattractants. Our study contributes to a new appreciation for the specialization and cross talk among cell types during mucosal infection.


Gallium oxide is an emerging wide band-gap material that has the potential to penetrate the power electronics market in the near future. In this paper, a finite-element gallium oxide semiconductor model is presented that can predict the electrical and thermal characteristics of the device. The finite element model of the two-dimensional device architecture is developed inside the Sentaurus environment. A vertical FinFET device architecture is employed to assess the device's behavior and its static and dynamic characteristics. Enhancement-mode device operation is realized with this type of device architecture without the need for any selective area doping. The dynamic thermal behavior of the device is characterized through its short-circuit behavior. Based on the device static and dynamic behavior, it is envisioned that reliable vertical transistors can be fabricated for the power electronics applications.


The study intended to examine the effect of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intentions of students studying business education in different universities. More over the mediating effect of attitudinal factors on the relationship of intended variables was also explored. Six hundred graduate students were surveyed through a questionnaire from three public universities. The findings displayed that entrepreneurship education was significantly affecting entrepreneurial intentions of the students. Attitudinal factors have a strong mediation for entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions of higher education students. It can be concluded that entrepreneurial curricula and instruction along with attitudinal factors can add significantly to advance entrepreneurial intentions of students. It is suggested that the students of higher education, may be exposed towards entrepreneurship knowledge through regular instructional process, seminars and workshops to enhance their entrepreneurial capacities.


Partial-depth modulation of the rf power in a capacitive discharge is used to investigate the relative importance of negative ions and neutral radicals for particle formation in low-power low-pressure silane plasmas. For less than 85% modulation depth, anions are trapped indefinitely in the plasma and particle formation ensues, whereas the polymerized neutral flux magnitudes and dynamics are independent of the modulation depth and the powder formation. These observations suggest that negative ions could be the particle precursors in plasma conditions where powder appears many seconds after plasma ignition. Microwave interferometry and mass spectrometry were combined to infer a rough estimate of anion density of which is approximately twice the free electron densit in these modulated plasmas.


ABSTRACT The genus Actinopus Perty, 1833, is revised for Argentina, comprising a total of 23 species. The female of A. insignis (Holmberg, 1881) is described for the first time; the species is found in northern Buenos Aires, southern Santa Fe, and Uruguay. The female of A. longipalpis (Koch, 1842), previously known only from the male type from Uruguay, is described for the first time, and the species is newly cited for Argentina (Entre Ríos). Twenty new species are recognized, described and illustrated. Thirteen of the new species are based on males and females (A. reycali, sp. nov., from Jujuy and Salta; A. clavero, sp. nov., from Córdoba; A. szumikae, sp. nov., from Córdoba, southern Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and Corrientes; A. coylei, sp. nov., from Salta and Santiago del Estero, A. argenteus, sp. nov., from Santiago del Estero, Córdoba and Catamarca, A. ramirezi, sp. nov., from Misiones, A. patagonia, sp. nov., from Chubut, La Pampa, Río Negro and southern Buenos Aires, A. gerschiapelliarum, sp. nov., from Córdoba, northern Buenos Aires, southern Santa Fe, northern La Pampa and Canelones in Uruguay, A. pampa, sp. nov., from La Pampa, A. septemtrionalis, sp. nov., from Salta, Tucumán, Catamarca, and Formosa, A. taragui, sp. nov., from Corrientes, Chaco, and Misiones, A. excavatus, sp. nov., from Córdoba, A. casuhati, sp. nov., from southern Buenos Aires). Only one of the new species described is based on females only (A. indiamuerta, sp. nov., from Tucumán); and the remaining six on males (A. puelche, sp. nov., from southern Buenos Aires and Uruguay, A. cordobensis, sp. nov., from San Luis and Córdoba, A. magnus, sp. nov., from Córdoba, A. ariasi, sp. nov., from Formosa, A. palmar, sp. nov., from Entre Ríos, and A. balcarce, sp. nov., from southern Buenos Aires). New morphological characters that can help solve phylogenetic relationships within the genus are described. A dichotomous key for all the species from Argentina is provided, as well as maps of the known geographic distribution for all the species. Three of the species treated here (A. gerschiapelliarum, A. puelche, and A. insignis) are recorded also for Uruguay.


With respect to intuitionistic fuzzy multiple attribute decision making problems with completely unknown weight information, some operational laws of intuitionistic fuzzy numbers are introduced. To determine the attribute weights, a model based on the information entropy, by which the attribute weights can be determined, is established. Then, based on the TOPSIS method, calculation steps for solving intuitionistic fuzzy multiple attribute decision-making problems with completely unknown weight information are given. The weighted Hamming distances between every alternative and positive ideal solution and negative ideal solution are calculated. Then, according to the weighted Hamming distances, the relative closeness degree to the positive ideal solution is calculated to rank all alternatives. Finally, an illustrative example for evaluating the web service quality is given to verify the developed approach and to demonstrate its practicality and effectiveness


Stellar ages have traditionally been used to constrain cosmological models by setting lower limits to the age of the universe. We quickly review the basic cosmological concepts that underpin the derivation of a finite age, and the constraints given by the measure of cosmological parameters at a redshift z ∼ 1000. The most direct way of measuring stellar ages through the abundance of radioactive elements is shown to suffer from systematics in the evaluation of the production ratios, to the extent that the constrains are less stringent that previously thought. The discrepancy between the ages of the oldest stars and the cosmologically inferred age of the universe may well be dominated by systematc effects in the predicted evolution of low-mass stars.


The 1982 film version of Sophie's Choice completed a cycle of mainstream novels, films, stage plays and TV dramas which in the sixties and seventies had increasingly appropriated the Holocaust for artistic purposes. No film in this cycle has commanded more attention and respect that Lina Wertmuller's Seven Beauties (1976), and no scholar has been more provocative in assessing its virtues-and defects-than Bruno Bettelheim. Although Wertmuller's stature as a filmmaker has diminished considerably in recent years, Seven Beauties remains a classic of the Holocaust genre. It is frequently revived at art houses, and Bettelheim's essay on the film, "Surviving," first published in 1976, has become standard reading in the humanities curriculum, along with his book on fairy tales, The Uses of Enchantment, published the same year. "It is every Italian director's dream to be loved in America," Wertmuller said on her first trip to this country in 1975.' Seven Beauties, her fourth American release, was declared "a masterpiece" by the exacting-and frequently eccentric-John Simon, and lavishly praised by American critics generally. In reaction to its acclaim, Bettelheim filled fifty columns of The New Yorker with misgivings about its moral and political implications and objections to Wertmuller's perversion of fact in her treatment of concentration camp life.1 A survivor of Auschwitz and Buchenwald, Bettelheim was offended by the concentration camp setting for what Time had suitably called a "death-house-comedy."4 The success of Seven Beauties indicated to him the inability of the present generation to comprehend traumatic events suffered by their elders. For all the tribute Bettelheim pays Wertmuller's artistry, the skill with which she neutralizes horror with macabre comedy, he cannot accept the use of a concentration camp setting which falsifies and degrades experiences he and others survived during the War. He would remain silent on the subject of Seven Beauties , he tells us, were it not for the fact that the comedy of survival the film presents is a travesty of true survival. He rejects the idea that crude claims of the body alone can sustain the will to survive and holds himself, along with other concentration camp survivors, an embarrassing witness to the truth that without a sense of meaning in life there can be no survival. Accepting Hannah Arendt's thesis on the banality of evil in her book on the Eichmann trial. Bettelheim advises us to be on guard against that very banality: we must not allow it to desensitize us to the fact of evil and its consequences. In his view, Pasqualino, the protagonist of Seven Beauties, is banality personified. "The trouble with Eichmann," Arendt wrote, "was precisely that so many were like him, and that the many were neither perverted nor sadistic, that they were and still are, terribly and terrifyingly normal."* Pasqualino is banal in this sense, to be sure, but he is no Eichmann. Nowhere in Seven Beauties is he devoid of moral conscience. He is not a bureaucrat for whom genocide is all in a day's work. Throughout his criminal career, he is an honor-bound, conscience-stricken stumbleburn who agonizes over his crimes and pays for them in descending circles of hell until, having learned the price of political apathy, he is equivocally reborn at the end of the film. At the height of his beauty, groomed to kill with full moustache and slicked-back hair, Pasqualino Settebellezze as played by Giancarlo Giannini is a Chaplinesque Valentino blithely approaching an obstacle course which will take him from sunny Naples to a foggy chamber of horrors called Appleplatz. As he strolls the streets of Naples, all the young women moon over him, but the only one to whom he gives serious attention is an organ grinder waif named Carolina. Reduced to tears by her heckling audience, Carolina is consoled by Pasquilino. "If someone is disrespectful," he tells her, "you tell them you're engaged to me. …


Here we report a patient with symptomatic mobile kidney (nephroptosis) who was treated successfully with transperitoneal laparoscopic nephropexy with the use of nonabsorbable polymer clips. In this procedure, clips were used on Gerota's fascia to fix the kidney to the transversus abdominis fascia and the triangular ligament. This method is easier and requires less time than previously reported techniques.


ABSTRACT Streptococcus pneumoniae is a fermentative microorganism and causes serious diseases in humans, including otitis media, bacteremia, meningitis, and pneumonia. However, the mechanisms enabling pneumococcal survival in the host and causing disease in different tissues are incompletely understood. The available evidence indicates a strong link between the central metabolism and pneumococcal virulence. To further our knowledge on pneumococcal virulence, we investigated the role of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), which converts pyruvate to lactate and is an essential enzyme for redox balance, in the pneumococcal central metabolism and virulence using an isogenic ldh mutant. Loss of LDH led to a dramatic reduction of the growth rate, pinpointing the key role of this enzyme in fermentative metabolism. The pattern of end products was altered, and lactate production was totally blocked. The fermentation profile was confirmed by in vivo nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements of glucose metabolism in nongrowing cell suspensions of the ldh mutant. In this strain, a bottleneck in the fermentative steps is evident from the accumulation of pyruvate, revealing LDH as the most efficient enzyme in pyruvate conversion. An increase in ethanol production was also observed, indicating that in the absence of LDH the redox balance is maintained through alcohol dehydrogenase activity. We also found that the absence of LDH renders the pneumococci avirulent after intravenous infection and leads to a significant reduction in virulence in a model of pneumonia that develops after intranasal infection, likely due to a decrease in energy generation and virulence gene expression.


The faculty at Texas A&M University anchored the development of a new architectural engineering program with industry consultation and feedback to enable its graduates to meet evolving demands of the building sector and societal expectations for the built environment. Architectural engineering is inherently an interdisciplinary field of study and profession that spans across several disciplines such as engineering, architecture, construction science and management, mathematics and physics. The program design brought together faculty from six departments housed in the College of Architecture and the College of Engineering, whose collective areas of expertise cover most of the key technical knowledge areas of architectural engineering. Industry input was collected from building engineering firms through consultation workshops early on in the process, as well as maintained throughout, using the ABET learning outcome requirements as a foundation for the development of the proposed knowledge and skills for each graduate. The data collected resulted in further industry engagement in program implementation and outreach and helped develop a learning program that will equip architectural engineering students with the ability to adjust to the evolving demands of the building sector. The paper will highlight experiences throughout the process, a review of similar programs, as well as examples of the program outcomes, rubrics, and curriculum map.


This book aims to demonstrate Fielding authorship of 41 essays published anonymously in "The Craftsman" from 1734 to 1739. Fielding's connection with "The Craftsman", the leading opposition journal of the Walpole era, has never been established, nor has anyone suspected how regular and prolonged it was. Since Fielding ranks among the greatest masters of English prose, and since "The Craftsman" played such a signifiant role in contemporary politics, the argument of this volume may be said to disclose not only one of the best-kept, but one of the most important, secrets of 19th-century literature. Because the case for Fielding's authorship of these essays rests entirely on internal and circumstantial evidence, two distinct and independent approaches were adopted in order to test the argument as rigorously as possible and to improve its cogency. After proposing a set of principles for the treatment of such evidence, Professor Battestin, in the first approach, adduces numerous parallels and correspondence between the attributed essays and Fielding's known writings and circumstances. In the second approach, Michael Farringdon subjected the attributed essays to a stylometric analysis employing the most advanced computer-assisted techniques. A description of these techniques is provided. In addition to the 41 essays, Battestina also includes reprints of nine other pieces from roughly the same period that have been attributed to Fielding elsewhere. Should these attributions come to be accepted as Fielding's work, the reader will have in one volume all of Fielding's earliest published prose.


This paper proposed a coding mode selection method for video transmission over wireless networks. Unlike previous mode selection methods disregarding channel distortion or assuming constant packet loss rate (PLR), this method includes a cross-layer controller to collect both source and channel information. The mode selection process is formulated as a delay constrained distortion minimization problem. The three components in the resulting Lagrange cost function, namely distortion, Lagrange multiplier and packet delay, are estimated with online channel information feedback. Sub optimal coding decision and physical layer modulation and coding scheme (MCS) are determined by the controller for each packet. In our experiment, three coding modes, intra, inter and down sampling, are tested under various channel conditions. Compared to conventional method, 3.6dB to 7.5dB average reduction in distortion is achieved under different channel condition, while down sampling further gains up to 2.2dB distortion reduction in low data rate transmission.


Aims, Objectives and Background The purpose of this study is to unpack the cognitive dimensions of learning and the subjective internalisation that resulted from Twitter activity by investigating the following research questions: 1) What types of information were shared on Twitter pre and post-publication of the CRASH-3 trial? and 2) Did this information signify knowledge translation? This topic is important because translation of medical research into medical practice can take up to 20 years and Twitter-aided knowledge translation has the potential to shorten this. This study is the first to analyse tweets thematically through two methods, including Bloom's Digital Taxonomy (BDT), bringing the realities of Twitter users to the foreground. Method and Design Pre-publication tweets (n=92) and post-publication tweets (n=742) were analysed using 1) Braun & Clarke's six-step thematic analysis framework and 2) BDT. The highest-order thinking skill (HOTS), during BDT analysis, was assigned following a consensus meeting between two independent coders. Abstract 1754 Table 1 BDT HOTS Pre-Publicationn (%) Post-Publicationn (%) Remembering 80 (86.96%) 388 (52.29%) Understanding 7 (7.61%) 185 (24.93%) Applying 1 (1.09%) 30 (4.04%) Analysing 0 (0%) 9 (1.21%) Evaluating 3 (3.26%) 62 (8.36%) Creating 1 (1.09%) 68 (9.16%) Results and Conclusion Eight overarching themes emerging from the pre-publication phase: emotion and feeling (90.21%), hashtagging (40.21%), tagging (26.09%), education-related information (10.87%), research-related information (9.78%), conference (7.61%), statement (3.26%) and poll (2.17%). 16 overarching themes emerged from the post-publication phase: hashtagging (56.06%), tagging (36.79%), article posting (23.05%), emotion and feeling (21.83%), education-related information (19.54%), summarising (14.42%), notification of results (9.57%), media outlook (7.01%), conference (6.74%), commenting (6.06%), open questions (5.26%), judging (4.99%), research-related information (4.04%), recommending (1.75%), quoting (1.48%) and comparing trials (0.40%). Some tweets applied to more than one category of themes. There was an increase in HOTS during the post-publication" phase, signifying an increase in the cognitive dimensions of learning and the subjective internalisation of information. This was likely due to the increase in social media activity and information sharing following the release of trial outcomes. These findings support the role of "Twitter, through the social capital model, in facilitating higher-order learning.


The courtyard house, a residential compound with buildings surrounding a courtyard on four (or sometimes three) sides, has been representative of housing patterns for over one thousand years in China. It has been a historical heritage deeply rooted to the specific Chinese traditions and culture. From the collapse of the last imperial dynasty (1911) to the establishment of the People's Republic of China (1949), China underwent a series of wars which entailed destructive impacts on the development of the courtyard houses. Due to some inappropriate policies after 1949, most traditional houses faced changes and deterioration. In addition, there has been a tendency since the 1980s to excessively replace the traditional courtyard houses by multi-storey buildings. All of this has seriously affected the cultural continuity of the traditional Chinese housing form. From the 1990s, some housing projects have been initiated in Beijing and are called redevelopment and renewal of dilapidated traditional residential areas. Some new types of courtyard houses have been explored in an attempt to balance the house shortage and the social inheritance due to the rapid growth of population. The construction principles of traditional courtyard houses are being utilised to set the new courtyard house system. Having outlined the above, the purpose of this paper is to examine the following issues: (a) the various aspects of the traditional courtyard house and its transitions; (b) the impact of social changes and the influence of national policies on the transition of the traditional courtyard houses; and (c) the identification of the main characteristics of the new courtyard house system.


this difficult to understand I, too, have tried it, with similar results. The difficulty is that the non-clinical student has not yet become accustomed to the sick man and takes such a great interest in his clothes and in the human side of the cases generally that he fails to pay attention to the reactions of the nervous system. There is no doubt that applied physiology should be taught, but it should be when the students have become accustomed to clinical examinations and preferably have had six months' medicine and surgery. Then, as has been my experience at St. George's Hospital, students become almost embarrassingly eager to learn the exact scientific explanation of signs and symptoms.-I am, etc.,


The food plant varietal effect of muga silkworm, Anthereae assamensis Helfer was analysed on the six characters viz. effective rate of rearing (ERR), cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio (SR%), percentage of valid moth and fecundity by rearing on Som, Persea bombycina Kost. and Soalu, Litsea polyantha Juss during five different seasons. We observed higher cocoon weight in soalu than that of som while shell ratio was significantly higher in som than that of soalu in most of the seasons. In grainage parameters, soalu exhibited significant higher values than som in all the seasons indicating its superiority as seed crop. It can be deduced that commercial rearing of muga silkworm Anthereae assamensis Helfer can be taken up on both the food plants while for seed crop rearing should be conducted on soalu plants irrespective of seasons.


In recent years, libraries have become increasingly involved in financial education, and Extension educators are collaborating with them to deliver programs for their staff and the general public. Benefits to Extension educators include increased visibility, access to new audiences, having program logistics and marketing provided by others, access to grant subcontract funding for the development and delivery of financial education workshops, and new collaborative partnerships for future programs after the funded financial program ends. This article describes the author's experiences with development, delivery, and evaluation of financial classes for two libraries that received financial education funding.


Microphytoplankton composition and its relationships with hydrology and nutrient distributions were investigated over 24 months (December 1993 - November 1995) in the Bay of Tunis ( SW Mediterranean Sea). A new index, the 'Specific Preference Index' (SPI) obtained by computing the median value of each parameter weighed by the numerical value of each species density was developed. Using this index, the relationships between each species and temperature, salinity and major nutrients were analysed. The distribution of chlorophyll a did not show a clear correlation with microplankton abundance suggesting that other factors contribute to chlorophyll concentration, such as smaller phytoplankton size fractions or detritus. The winter-spring diatom blooms did not show a regular pattern during both years. High nutrient inputs in late summer, associated with mild meteorological conditions, contributed to the development of a large diatom bloom in autumn 1995 where significant silicate depletion was witnessed. Generally, diatoms were more stenotherm than dinoflagellates in the Bay, whereas dinoflagellates were more stenohaline than diatoms. The statistical analyses showed that the two species, Bellerochea horologicalis , and Lithodesmioides polymorpha , var., tunisiense , appeared in a wide range of environmental conditions. An excess of phosphateversus nitrate appeared to be associated with red tides of, Gymnodinium spp, whereas Peridinium quinquecorne , showed the opposite. Phosphate concentrations appear to be crucial in this coastal environment, where diatom blooms are often limited by low silicate availability.


............................................................................................................................. ix Chapter I – INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 The Human Vision System ....................................................................................... 1 1.1.2 Overview of Stereo Vision ........................................................................................ 2 1.2 Purpose of Study .............................................................................................................. 4 1.2.1 Problems of 3D Reconstruction in Underwater Environment .................................. 4 1.2.2 Research Purpose ...................................................................................................... 6 1.3 Related Work .................................................................................................................... 7 1.4 Data Acquisition and Description .................................................................................... 8 1.5 Thesis Outline ................................................................................................................ 10 Chapter II GEOMETRY IN COMPUTER VISION .............................................................. 11 2.1 Single-View Geometry ................................................................................................... 11 2.2 Camera Calibration and Image Correction .................................................................... 14 2.3 Two-View Geometry ...................................................................................................... 16 2.3.1 The Fundamental Matrix ......................................................................................... 16


Two polygalactolipids, designated as components A and B, were isolated from spinach chloroplasts and were also obtained from glycolipid products synthesized with chloroplast enzymes using uridine diphosphate galactose as a galactose donor. These lipids were purified by column and thin layer chromatography. Chemical analysis of component A indicates that the lipid is trigalactosyl diglyceride, whereas component B behaves like tetragalactosyl diglyceride on a thin layer plate. The major fatty acid in trigalactosyl diglyceride was α-linolenic acid. Relative amount (molar ratio) of galactolipids in spinach chloroplasts was monogalactosyl diglyceride:digalactosyl diglyceride:trigalactosyl diglyceride:(tetragalactosyl diglyceride) = 60:30:5:1.


In measuring the power output of an engine, the engine has to be coupled to a load device known as dynamometer. The coupling is done by means of a solid shaft. The proper couplings and shaft are required for the connection to avoid any failure to the engine or the dynamometer. Unsuitable selection could lead to undesired problems such as torsional vibrations, vibration of the engine and dynamometer, whirling of the coupling shaft, damage of the bearings, engine starting problem or immoderate wear of the shaft line components. The commonly encountered problem is the resonance in torsional vibration, which results in disastrous failure of the shaft due to excessive vibration. This project is aimed to study the appropriate design of the shaft to be used in the dynamometer-engine coupling to prevent the system from undergoing unwanted problems. The theoretical calculations involve in the design are presented. The dimension of the coupling shafts for engines with various maximum torques are estimated. It is shown that the diameter of the shaft is proportional to the maximum torque of the engine given that the same coupling is used for every system, whereas the length of the shaft is almost equal for every engine. The diameter of the shaft is a vital parameter compared to its length. For engines with the maximum torque vary from 40 to 200 Nm, the same shaft length of 500 mm can be used but with increasing shaft diameter as the maximum torque increases. For a 40 Nm engine, the shaft diameter of 20 mm generated acceptable result. The shaft diameter was increased by 5 mm as the maximum torque increases and acceptable results were obtained. On the other hand, by using aluminium instead of steel as the material of the shaft, lower critical engine speed is obtained given that the same dimension of the shaft is used. This is due to the fact that aluminium possesses lower modulus of rigidity in comparison to steel.


This guide provides access to resources for exploring research related to creative, innovative, engaging, and effective teaching in higher education.


The process of dealing with real worl problems often requires solutions that would not be totally acceptable in the world of "pure" scientific research. A systems analytic viewpoint demands that everything possible be done to define the constraints of the system and that the procedures used to construct a model out of imperfect data be specified. Four types of problems are encountered in doing systems research: (1) specification of output measures, (2) data incompatibility where different instruments are used, (3) data incompatibility where the concept is not precisely captured by existing data, and (4) missing data. Procedures for solving the problems in each of these problem areas are suggested. (HW) EA 001 461


Like many North African, Francophone, and world writers whose lives span the historic divide of independence from colonialism, Abdelkebir Khatibi's work focuses in large part upon the idea of encounter, or, in French, "rencontre." In this paper I focus upon the figure of the orphan in La memoire tatouee and Le lutteur de classe a la maniere taoiste , two of his earliest texts. By focusing upon the orphan as a multivalent term, and by following Khatibi's emphasis upon language, literature, and even life itself as a game or experiment, we can see how Khatibi creates an ethics of encounter that derives its meaning from recuperating a negatively connotated word and transforming it into a term of positive value. With the term "orphan," he shows how through encountering the Other, by extending beyond into the unknown, by exceeding the circumscriptions of ancestry, identity, and national culture, the individual rises into a new status of free living. Moreover, it is equally through the practice of writing that life redounds with life; writing for Khatibi is never a mimetic representation of life per se but a space for experimenting, for discovery, and for exceeding the parochial nature of an individual's physical placement in the world. In this sense, the orphan status of his writing shows itself through his aggressively restless, polyphonic, and ageneric writing that uses the localization of genre only as a hinge to push against in the quest to articulate a new relation to the world.


Reanalysis data is widely used to develop predictor-predictand models, which are further used to downscale coarse gridded general circulation models (GCM) data at a local scale. However, large variability in the downscaled product using different GCMs is still a big challenge. The first objective of this study was to assess the performance of reanalysis data to downscale precipitation using different GCMs. High bias in downscaled precipitation was observed using different GCMs, so a different downscaling approach is proposed in which historical data of GCM was used to develop a predictor-predictand model. The earlier approach is termed "Re-Obs" and the proposed approach as "GCM-Obs". Both models were assessed using mathematical derivation and generated synthetic series. The intermodal bias in different GCMs downscaled precipitation using Re-Obs and GCM-Obs model was also checked. Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project-5 (CMIP5) data of ten different GCMs was used to downscale precipitation in different urbanized, rural, and forest regions in the Ganga river basin. Different measures were used to represent the relative performances of one downscaling approach over other approach in terms of closeness of downscaled precipitation with observed precipitation and reduction of bias using different GCMs. The effect of GCM spatial resolution in downscaling was also checked. The model performance, convergence, and skill score were computed to assess the ability of GCM-Obs and Re-Obs models. The proposed GCM-Obs model was found better than Re-Obs model to statistically downscale GCM. It was observed that GCM-Obs model was able to reduce GCM-Observed and GCM-GCM bias in the downscaled precipitation in the Ganga river basin.


Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease, affecting predominantly small joints of hands and feet. The current gold standard for assessment of radiographic progression in RA is the Sharp/van der Heijde scoring method (SvdH), scoring both bone erosions and joint space narrowing (JSN). The SvdH scoring method is observer-dependent, and its scores are on an ordinal scale with skewing of the distribution of scores towards 0. These aspects limit the sensitivity of SvdH scoring, which is increasingly an issue in the light of limited radiographic progression in early RA nowadays. The aim of the research presented in this thesis was to develop an automated system for radiographic hand JSW measurement in early RA, for an objective and potentially more sensitive JSN assessment compared to the conventional scoring methods. Firstly, two methodological differences between conventional and automated methods in JSN assessment were investigated, viz. the difference in the joints to be assessed and the difference in the reading strategies. It was shown that the influence of these differences to JSN (progression) assessment was limited. Subsequently, automated methods for quantification of radiographic joint space width (JSW) of fingers and wrist were presented, respectively, including joint location detection, margin delineation and JSW measurement. Based on the proposed methods, a software package 'Joint Space Width Quantification' (JSQ) was developed and evaluated in a sub-group of a treatment strategy trial in early RA, in which no statistical differences in JSN progression were observed using SvdH scoring. Quantified using JSQ, the rate of yearly JSW change of the hands was higher in the group initiating placebo in addition to conventional treatment than in the group initiating prednisone in addition to conventional treatment. Moreover, the effect size was larger when using JSQ than SvdH scoring. This proof of concept study shows that the automated software package JSQ is sensitive to JSW change of the hand in an early RA clinical trial, in which only limited radiographic progression was present. As is known, assessment of radiographic progression is prone to variation due to differences in positioning during radiograph acquisition. Possible benefits of using a hand position-fixing mould during radiograph acquisition were thus investigated, both for the conventional SvdH scoring method and for the automated hand JSW measurement by JSQ. It was shown that using the hand mould resulted in similar reliability and better repeatability of joint damage assessment for SvdH, but not for automated JSW measurement by JSQ. However, with the use of the hand mould, a slight improvement was observed for the repeatability of the automated JSW measurement of the proximal interphalangeal joints (PIPs). To summarize, an automated system for hand JSW measurement has been developed and its value on the quantification of hand JSN in early RA has been preliminarily validated. It is recommended to incorporate the system into quantitative assessment of radiographic progression of RA in clinical trials.


ABSTRACT Helm, C.W.; Carr, A.S.; Cawthra, H.C.; De Vynck, J.C.; Dixon, M.; Stear, W.; Stuart, C.; Stuart, M., and Venter, J.A., 2022. Possible Pleistocene pinniped ichnofossils on South Africa's Cape south coast. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(4), 735–749. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Exposed surfaces of cemented foreshore deposits and aeolianites on the Cape south coast of South Africa have been demonstrated to contain numerous Pleistocene vertebrate tracksites. Two ichnosites have recently been identified that appear to demonstrate traces made by seals. These would be the first seal trace fossils thus far described in the global fossil record. The sites are situated 560 m apart in the Goukamma Nature Reserve. One site exhibits apparent flipper traces and a furrow, and the other site exhibits impressions consistent with moulds of juvenile seals. In conjunction with new luminescence dating of the associated sediments, these findings suggest a seal presence on Cape south coast beaches ∼75,000 years ago in the mild glacial period of Marine Isotope Stage 5a.


Growth of CdS0.08Se0.92 nanocrystals embedded in glass is studied through the combinative analysis of optical absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy at room temperature. The quantum confinement effect is observed in these structures. Average nanocrystal radii are found to be in the range of 2.3–4.2 nm with the help of a quantized state effective mass theory. Photoluminescence spectra are studied by means of the model of Ravindran et al (1999 Nanostruct. Mater. 11 603). The difference between the energies of the deep trap peak and first exciton peak is found to be ∼0.2–0.3 eV. The possible sources of the overall shift in these peaks are also discussed.


All galaxies are thought to reside within large haloes of dark matter, whose properties can only be determined from indirect observations. The formation and assembly of galaxies is determined from the interplay between these dark matter haloes and the baryonic matter they host. Although statistical relations can be used to approximate how massive a galaxy's halo is, very few individual galaxies have direct measurements of their halo masses. We present a method to directly estimate the total mass of a galaxy's dark halo using its system of globular clusters. The link between globular cluster systems and halo masses is independent of a galaxy's type and environment, in contrast to the relationship between galaxy halo and stellar masses. This trend is expected in models where globular clusters form in early, rare density peaks in the cold dark matter density field and the epoch of reionization was roughly coeval throughout the Universe. We illustrate the general utility of this relation by demonstrating that a galaxy's supermassive black hole mass and global X-ray luminosity are directly proportional to their host dark halo masses, as inferred from our new method.


The experiment was carried out in Gemechis, Chiro and Tulo districts of West Hararghe Zone with the objectives of enhancing production and productivity of faba bean on farmers' fields and to improve linkage among stakeholders and create awareness on improved faba bean varieties. Three kebeles were selected purposively based on faba bean production potential. Accordingly, Walenso Defo kebele from Gemechis, Arbarakate from Chiro district, and Terkanfata kebele from Tulo district were selected. Seven farmers and one Farmers Training Center were included participated depending on their interest to the technology, managing the experiment, have appropriate land for the experiment and taking the risk of experiment. Two improved varieties namely Hachalu and Tumsa with local variety were shown and evaluated. The experiment was demonstrated on 100 m2 demonstration plots and DAP 100 kg/ha at the time of sowing applied to each demonstration plot with recommended seed rate. Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected through observation, group discussion on field day and data recording sheet. Descriptive statistics like mean and tabulation were used to analyse the crop performance concerning yield of the experiment harvested from demonstration plot. Improved varieties along with local variety were also analysed through independent t-statistics. While qualitative data were analysed through simple ranking and summarization. Partial budget analysis was also used to analyse the economic benefit gained from the experiment. The result of the study indicated that Hachalu was ranked first in terms of yield, seed color and disease resistance. As discussed from partial budget analysis, Hachalu variety has more economic advantage than both Tumsa and local variety. Therefore, Hachalu variety was recommended for further popularization and scaling up in study area and similar agro ecology.

 Key words: Faba bean, demonstration, varieties, yield advantage.


Cameleons are genetically-encoded fluores- cent indicators for Ca2+ based on green fluorescent protein variants and calmodulin (CaM). Because cameleons can be targeted genetically and imaged by one- or two-photon exci- tation microscopy, they offer great promise for monitoring Ca2+ in whole organisms, tissues, organelles, and submicro- scopic environments in which measurements were previously impossible. However, the original cameleons suffered from significant pH interference, and their Ca2+-buffering and cross-reactivity with endogenous CaM signaling pathways was uncharacterized. We have now greatly reduced the pH- sensitivity of the cameleons by introducing mutations V68L and Q69K into the acceptor yellow green fluorescent protein. The resulting new cameleons permit Ca2+ measurements despite significant cytosolic acidification. When Ca2+ is ele- vated, the CaM and CaM-binding peptide fused together in a cameleon predominantly interact with each other rather than with free CaM and CaM-dependent enzymes. Therefore, if cameleons are overexpressed, the primary effect is likely to be the unavoidable increase in Ca2+ buffering rather than spe- cific perturbation of CaM-dependent signaling.


Background: Systemic corticosteroids are widely used in management of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As dosage, route of administration and duration of treatment are not yet determined for patients undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation (MV), intensivists and pulmonologists face a dilemma between respiratory improvement and dose-related side effects of corticosteroids.
Aim: To assess to what extent 60mg compared to 240mg of intravenous (IV) methylprednisolone daily reduces ventilator-free days (VFD) in individuals presenting severe exacerbation of COPD requiring invasive MV.
Methods: Multicenter, randomized, controlled, double-blinded clinical trial with two parallel arms in five ICUs of tertiary centers in Brazil. Primary endpoint is VFD, i.e., the number of days between extubation and day 28 after study enrollment. Estimated final sample size is of 250 individuals.
Perspectives: Prevention of adverse effects related to high dose of corticosteroids might have a dramatic impact on patients' general health and on hospital resources.


Gene expression silencing at mRNA level by microRNAs is a well-established form of post-transcriptional regulation.1,2 Such silencing is achieved through microRNA binding to microRNA response elements (MREs) residing mainly in the 3′ untranslated regions of the target mRNA. Over 1000 human microRNAs have been identified,3 and the prevalence of microRNA regulation in a broad range of biological processes and disease often attributes to the fact that a single microRNA can repress hundreds of different mRNAs.4 Interestingly, a single target mRNA often possesses MREs of distinct microRNAs in its 3′ untranslated regions.5 Questions have been raised regarding the need for this redundancy in regulation, and these multiple MREs were once thought to serve as regulatory buffers of different microRNAs. In a recent seminal work, a novel theory, termed the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA), was proposed to provide a plausible explanation for this interesting phenomenon from a new perspective of gene regulation.6 According to the ceRNA theory, MREs function as letters of this new regulatory system, and ceRNAs, or sets of RNAs including mRNA, pseudogenes, and long noncoding RNAs, can communicate or regulate each other, through competition for common MREs. As such, ceRNA regulatory networks provide a unifying system for regulations among transcriptome-wide RNAs, greatly expanding the functions of RNAs.6 Alteration of this competition between ceRNAs could modify normal state gene expression and in return alter the status of biological pathways to promote an oncogenic program, for example. To that end, a PTEN ceRNA network was uncovered and shown to potentially regulate oncogenesis.6

The fact that this new level of RNA regulations could be prevalent in cells has prompted research to identify ceRNAs of genes related to disease. However, the complexity of ceRNA …


Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition that affects 50% of men in their 50 th decade. There have been many advances in the treatment of this condition, which aim to improve the patient's quality of life.1 Although there is no cure for BPH, but there are many useful options for treating the problem. Treatment focuses on prostate growth, which is the cause of BPH symptoms. Once prostate growth starts, it often continues unless treatment starts. The prostate grows in two different ways-in one type of growth, cell multiply around the urethra and squeeze it whereas in the second type of growth is middle lobe prostate growth in which cell grow into the urethra and the bladder outlet area. This type of prostate growth typically requires surgery. The first line of care for treating BPH is often medication.2   Efficacy of Vasti therapy an Ayurvedic therapeutic procedure was studied in 75 patients of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). The treatment was given for 21 days, and then the effect was assessed clinically and objectively. Objective observations include determination of size (weight) of prostate and residual urine in the urinary bladder by ultrasonography, estimation of blood urea, serum creatinine and routine, microscopic and microbiological study of urine was also done. After the therapy in 70.67% of 75 patients, the size of the prostate was found regressed, and in 82.14% of 56 patients, the residual urine volume was decreased along with other objective and subjective improvement.


Background Dengue is a febrile illness transmitted by mosquitoes, causing disease across the tropical and sub-tropical world. Antibody prevalence data and serotype distributions describe population-level risk and inform public health decision-making. Methodology/Principal findings In this cross-sectional study we used data from a pediatric dengue seroprevalence study to describe historical dengue serotype circulation, according to age and geographic location. A sub-sample of 780 dengue IgG-positive sera, collected from 30 sites across urban Indonesia in 2014, were tested by the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) to measure the prevalence and concentration of serotype-specific neutralizing antibodies according to subject age and geography. PRNT results were obtained from 776 subjects with mean age of 9.6 years. 765 (98.6%) neutralized one or more dengue serotype at a threshold of >10 (1/dil). Multitypic profiles were observed in 50.9% of the samples; a proportion which increased to 63.1% in subjects aged 15–18 years. Amongst monotypic samples, the highest proportion was reactive against DENV-2, followed by DENV-1, and DENV-3, with some variation across the country. DENV-4 was the least common serotype. The highest anti-dengue antibody titers were recorded against DENV-2, and increased with age to a geometric mean of 516.5 [1/dil] in the oldest age group. Conclusions/Significance We found that all four dengue serotypes have been widely circulating in most of urban Indonesia, and more than half of children had already been exposed to >1 dengue serotype, demonstrating intense transmission often associated with more severe clinical episodes. These data will help inform policymakers and highlight the importance of dengue surveillance, prevention and control.


In the present investigation, Lernaea parasite was reported in the examined fish species, collected from the Mashkid River basin, Southeast of Iran in 2012 and 2013. Lernaea parasites were isolated from the external surface of eye, fins, operculum and body of the Bangana dero, Cyprinion microphthalmus, Gonorhynchus diplocheilus (Cyprinidae), Aphanius dispar (Cyprinodontidae), Channa gachua (Channidae) in different water bodies. The highest infection was found in native fish, B. dero with nine parasites in single specimen. The exotic fishes were not infected.


The changes in texture and microstructure that occur during superplastic deformation (SPD) of a suitably thermo-mechanically processed (TMP) Al alloy AA7010 containing Sc at a temperature and strain rate combination of 475°C, 1.9x10-2s-1 have been examined. It is observed that during the early stages of SPD, there is a significant increase in the Brass {110}<112> component as well as a considerable increase in the S {123}<634> component. Whilst, these components gradually decrease leading to the randomization of texture as the SPD process progresses to larger strains. These results are discussed in terms of the nature of the TMP together with significant variations in the number density of Al3ScxZr1-x dispersoids and percentage recrystallization with strain.


Abstract This article is the fifth in a series of five articles explaining the findings of a constructivist grounded theory study. The theory is named RESPoND: Reflection in the Education and Socialization of Practitioners: Novice Development. Participants in the study included a cohort of audiology students, clinical faculty, and preceptors. This particular article focuses on the third of three facets that together explain the role of reflection in novice development, in the context of the RESPoND theory. The facet of focus in this article explains reflection as a developing behavior. This article also explores the overall RESPoND theory as a whole, as a process through which audiology students and novices develop and socialize into the profession, as understood through reflective processes. Audiology is a relatively young health profession with emerging literature on professional identity, professional socialization, and professional development. Rigorous research focused on understanding and representing the complex processes of becoming an audiologist and being an audiologist engaged in lifelong learning may be helpful in moving the profession forward as an autonomous and constantly improving profession. This article provides insight into the evolutionary journey form audiology student to novice audiologist, the development of reflective behavior within this process, and the intertwined processes of reflective development and professional development as audiologists are educated and socialized toward professional practice. These findings are presented as theory that is grounded in one cohort's experience. Yet, although contextually tied, the theoretical implications may extend to others involved in audiology education and practice.