Abstract Background  Evidence on hearing outcome measures when assessing hearing preservation following stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for adults with vestibular schwannoma (VS) has not previously been collated in a structured review. Objective  The objective of the present study was to perform a scoping review of the evidence regarding the choice of hearing outcomes and other methodological characteristics following SRS for adults with VS. Methods  The protocol was registered in the International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (INPLASY) and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses extension guidelines for scoping reviews. A systematic search of five online databases revealed 1,591 studies, 247 of which met the inclusion criteria. Results  The majority of studies ( n  = 213, 86%) were retrospective cohort or case series with the remainder ( n  = 34, 14%) prospective cohort. Pure-tone audiometry and speech intelligibility were included in 222 (90%) and 158 (64%) studies, respectively, often summarized within a classification scheme and lacking procedural details. Fifty-nine (24%) studies included self-report measures. The median duration of follow-up, when reported, was 43 months (interquartile range: 29, 4–150). Conclusion  Evidence on hearing disability after SRS for VS is based on low-quality studies which are inherently susceptible to bias. This review has highlighted an urgent need for a randomized controlled trial assessing hearing outcomes in patients with VS managed with radiosurgery or radiological observation. Similarly, consensus and coproduction of a core outcome set to determine relevant hearing and communication outcome domains is required. This will ensure that patient priorities, including communication abilities in the presence of background noise and reduced participation restrictions, are addressed.


Transcriptionally active chromosome (TAC) is a component of protein–DNA complexes with RNA polymerase activity, expressed in the plastid. However, the function of rice TAC proteins is still poorly understood. In this paper, we first report the identification of a new rice (Oryza sativa L.) mutant (tcm1) in the gene encoding TAC. The tcm1 mutant displayed an albino phenotype and malformed chloroplasts before the three-leaf stage when grown at low temperatures (20°C) and a normal phenotype at higher temperatures (>28°C). Map-based cloning revealed that TCM1 encodes a novel chloroplast-targeted TAC protein in rice. In addition, the transcript levels of all examined plastid-encoded polymerase (PEP)-dependent genes were clearly downregulated in tcm1 mutants at low temperatures, although partially recovering levels were obtained at high temperatures, comparable to wildtype plants. Furthermore, the TCM1 transcripts were ubiquitously expressed in all examined tissues, with high expression levels in green tissues. The data suggest that the rice nuclear-encoded TAC protein TCM1 is essential for proper chloroplast development and maintaining PEP activity under cold stress. C are semiautonomous organelles with limited coding information for components, including plastid machinery and photosystem genes (Sato et al., 1999; Leister 2003). Chloroplast development consists of a series of complex actions and can be classified into three phases, which are coordinately regulated Plant Genome 11:160065 doi: 10.3835/plantgenome2016.07.0065 © Crop Science Society of America 5585 Guilford Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). D. Lin, K. Zheng, Z. Liu, Y. Dong, Development Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Normal Univ., Shanghai 200234, China; S. Teng, Shanghai Inst. for Biological Sciences, Chinese Acad. of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; Z. Li, J. Xu, Inst. of Crop Sciences, Chinese Acad. of Agricultural Sciences, 12 South Zhong-Guan Cun Street, Beijing, 100081, Z. Li, J. Xu, Agricultural Genomes Inst. at Shenzhen, Chinese Acad. of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518120, China. Received 10 July 2016. Accepted 20 June 2017. *Corresponding author (email@example.com; firstname.lastname@example.com). Abbreviations: ΦPSII, photosynthetic efficiency; Chl, chlorophyll; Fv/ Fm, variable-to-maximum fluorescence ratio; GFP, green fluorescent protein; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; PEP, plastic-encoded polymerase; PSII, Photosystem II; pTAC, plastid TAC proteins; RT-qPCR, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction; TAC, transcriptionally active chromosome; WT, wild-type core Ideas • Transcriptionally active chromosome (TAC) is a component of protein–DNA complexes with RNA polymerase activity, expressed in the plastid. • Map-based cloning revealed that TCM1 encodes a novel chloroplast-targeted TAC protein in rice, in which a mutation leads to an albino phenotype and malformed chloroplasts before the three-leaf stage at low temperatures. • TAC protein TCM1 is essential for proper chloroplast development and maintaining plastid-encoded polymerase activity under cold stress conditions. Published December 14, 2017


We present a measurement of the probability distribution function (PDF) of the transmitted flux in the Lyman a (Lya) forest from a sample of 3492 quasars included in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey data release 3 (SDSS DR3). Our intention is to investigate the sensitivity of the Lya flux PDF as measured from low-resolution and low signal-to-noise ratio data to a number of systematic errors such as uncertainties in the mean flux, continuum and noise estimate. . The quasar continuum is described by the superposition of a power law and emission lines. We perform a power-law continuum fitting on a spectrum-by-spectrum basis, and obtain an average continuum slope of α v = 0.59 ± 0.36 in the redshift range 2.5 < z < 3.5. We take into account that the variation in the continuum indices increases the mean flux by 3 and 7 per cent at z = 3 and 2.4, respectively, as compared to the values inferred with a single (mean) continuum slope. We compare our measurements to the PDF obtained with mock lognormal spectra, whose statistical properties have been constrained to match the observed Lya flux PDF and power spectrum of high-resolution data. Using our power-law continuum fitting and the SDSS pipeline noise estimate yields a poor agreement between the observed and mock PDFs. Allowing for a break in the continuum slope and, more importantly, for residual scatter in the continuum level substantially improves the agreement. A decrease of ∼10-15 per cent in the mean quasar continuum with a typical rms variance at the 20 per cent level can account for the data, provided that the noise excess correction is no larger than ≤10 per cent.


According to the configuration and technical specification of the detector, which has multiple channels, channels mixing, high speed outputs and separate columns between odd and even, a real time digital processing unit based on the CPLD, FPGA and DSP has been developed to achieve the data synthesis and arrangement function and the parity correction algorithm. A special interface circuit with 4 CPLDs is designed to complete the first synthesis step where the 16 channels of data are combined into 4 channels. The second step is finished in FPGA and ROM address encoder where the 4 channels of data are combined into 1 channel. For output data synchronization, FIFO is adopted to achieve the delay of even channels in the parity correction. Data of odd channels enters the columns synthesis unit without any processing and even channels shall be processed in the columns synthesis unit after entering the FIFO unit first and experiencing the delay process. Thereby the pre-processing before image processing of the linear array thermal imager is accomplished.


Cloud computing allows dynamic resource scaling for enterprise online transaction systems, one of the key characteristics that differentiates cloud from the traditional computing paradigm. However, initializing a new virtual instance in cloud is not instantaneous; the cloud hosting platforms introduce significant delay in the hardware resource allocation. In this paper, we develop prediction-based resource measurement and provisioning strategies using Neural Network and Linear Regression to satisfy upcoming resource demands. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed technique offers more adaptive resource management for applications hosted in cloud environment, an important mechanism to achieve on-demand resource allocation in the cloud.


In this paper, taking into account the traveling wave type ultrasonic motor (TWUM) with diameter of 60 mm, authors apply the elastic contact principle to deduce the TWUMs simulation model. According to the actual TWUM's structure parameter, the operational characteristic is presented. In this paper, given the varied applied torque, and applied axial force, the TWUM's operation performance is obtained. It makes it possible to predict most of the behavior and performance characteristics of TWUM as a function of the external loading parameters. The motor measurement is also executed. The simulation results agree with the test results. And it shows this simulation model is valid


We study a novel interacting dark energy − dark matter scenario where the anisotropic stress of the large-scale inhomogeneities is considered. The dark energy has a constant equation of state and the interaction model produces stable perturbations. The resulting picture is constrained using different astronomical data aiming to measure the impact of the anisotropic stress on the cosmological parameters. Our analyses show that a non-zero interaction in the dark sector is allowed, while a non-interaction scenario is recovered within 68 per cent CL. The anisotropic stress is also constrained to be small, and its zero value is permitted within 68 per cent CL. The dark energy equation of state, |$w$|_x, is also found to be close to '−1' boundary. However, from the ratio of the CMB TT spectra, we see that the model has a mild deviation from the ΛCDM cosmology, while such deviation is almost forbidden from the CMB TT spectra alone. Although the deviation is not much significant, but from this data, we cannot exclude such deviation. Overall, at the background level, the model is close to the ΛCDM cosmology, while at the level of perturbations, a non-zero but a very small interaction in the dark sector is permitted. Perhaps, a more accurate conclusion can be made with the next generation of surveys. We also found that the region, |$w$|_x < −1, is found to be effective to release the tension on H_0. Finally, from the Bayesian analysis, we find that ΛCDM remains still preferred over the interacting scenarios.


In this Chapter, many of the basic concepts and tools of theoretical chemistry are discussed only at an introductory level and without providing much of the background needed to fully comprehend them. Most of these topics are covered again in considerably more detail in Chapters 6-8, which focus on the three primary sub-disciplines of the field. The purpose of the present Chapter is to give you an overview of the field that you will learn the details of in these later Chapters.


Heterotrophic respiration, an important item in ecosystem carbon balance, is the process which is addressed in the global carbon cycle models and Earth system models. The seasonal cycle of the heterotrophic respiration is determined by seasonal changes in climatic conditions and in the storage of litter (i.e., in the amount of organic substrate available as a food source for organisms composing the heterotrophic community). The model component presented in this paper is focussing at effects produced by seasonal depletion in litter storage. The seasonal changes in litter storage are modelled by ordinary differential equations, which are solved analytically to make model spin-up runs unnecessary. The steady seasonal cycle is calculated by using solutions of the differential equations expressed in functional form.


In this paper we introduce new, easily implementable designs for drawing causal inference from randomized experiments on networks with interference. Inspired by the idea of matching in observational studies, we introduce the notion of considering a treatment assignment as a quasi-coloring" on a graph. Our idea of a perfect quasi-coloring strives to match every treated unit on a given network with a distinct control unit that has identical number of treated and control neighbors. For a wide range of interference functions encountered in applications, we show both by theory and simulations that the classical Neymanian estimator for the direct effect has desirable properties for our designs. This further extends to settings where homophily is present in addition to interference.


This paper introduces to otologists and pediatricians a simple device useful for inflating the Eustachian tubes and middle ear spaces. The device allows compressed air from a toy balloon to be propelled into the middle ear spaces during the act of swallowing. Its primary value is assisting in clearing the "fluid car" problem and maintaining a middle ear space in postoperative tympanoplasties.


The Linac device controllers (front-end computers) and mini-computers for the KEK PF, which has been operating for more than ten years, had to be renewed during 1993 because there was no longer support from the hardware manufacturers. In 1994, the B-Factory project at KEK was approved and will start from 1998, and this requires the Linac to be upgraded from 2.5GeV to 6GeV. The control system also needs an increase in size for the additional klystrons, magnets, vacuum systems and so on At the same time, the console programs must be modified to be suitable for B-factory operation. In the modification phase, in order to reduce the maintenance and development costs, some of the device controller SBCs (Single-Board-Computers) will be replaced by PLCs (programmable logic controllers). Investigations[1] were launched late in 1994 in order to determine the I/O stability and network possibilities. In this paper, the software for the device layer controller (PLC) and the human interface layer to the B-factory are discussed on the basis of the Object Oriented Concept.


Michael Beesley made many important contributions to the development of Cost Benefit Analysis. The M1 was the first CBA in the UK which can claim to be economically satisfactory. The Victoria Line study was a further step to comprehensiveness and its second stage showed how practically important fares policy could be. In subsequent work he and others attempted to develop more satisfactory methods of using CBA, especially in an urban environment. His work on the valuation of time was pioneering, as was his work in establishing the economic and competitive significance of taxis. The unravelling of the related economic problems associated with subsidies, traffic restraint and road pricing was thorough and illuminating. By the end of his career Michael Beesley may not have fully reconciled his earlier adherence to CBA and the improvement of the public sector with his later Austrian beliefs; but the length of his experience, his creativity and imagination give him a phenomenal influence on the development of privatisation, regulation, and other aspects of economic liberalisation under the Thatcher government, so that he was not only one of the best but also one of the most influential applied economists of the second half of the 20th century in Britain, and among the greatest who applied himself to transport. © The London School of Economics and the University of Bath 2001


CASE We report the case of a 51-year-old-man with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refractory to adalimumab. His treatment was subsequently changed to infliximab. After initiating infliximab 800 mg every 8 weeks, his IBD symptoms improved; however, he developed a round tender nodule on the medial aspect of his right lower extremity. The nodule evolved rapidly into a necrotic ulcer suggestive of pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) (Fig.). A skin biopsy showed dermal and subcutaneous mixed (acute and chronic) inflammatory cell infiltrate with sclerosis suggestive of PG. The patient's PG was temporally associated with the initiation of infliximab, suggesting immunogenicity as the etiology of PG. Serologies including antinuclear antibody, anti–double-stranded DNA, and anti-infliximab antibodies were negative. Infliximab levels were performed and were undetectable. The interval of infliximab infusions was decreased to every 4 weeks, and his PG improved.


3 Abstract: This work was carried out to evaluate the ability of clays, vitamin C and E on detoxification of Diazinon (DZN) in rabbit diets. Eighty growing New Zealand White (NZW) male rabbits were randomly divided into 8 equal groups (10 in each). The first group served as control (without contamination), the second group was contaminated with 12.5 mg DZN / kg diet (1/8 LD ). The other experimental groups were contaminated by 50 the same level of DZN plus clays ( at levels 0.5 or 1 % / kg diet), vitamin C (at levels 500 or 750 mg / kg diet) and vitamin E (at levels 25 or 50 mg/kg diet). The obtained results showed that addition clays (at levels 0.5 or 1% / kg diet), vitamin C (at levels 500 or 750 mg / kg diet) and vitamin E (at levels 25 or 50 mg / kg diet) were significantly (p<0.05 or 0.01) improved daily feed intake, feed conversion, water intake, final body weight, daily body gain, digestibility of all nutrients, dressing percentage, liver weight , kidney weight , rectum temperature, respiration rate, blood biochemical (including serum total protein, albumin, blood glucose, uric acid, createnine, ALT and AST) and blood haematological (including RBC's, Hb and WBC's). The serum globulin insignificantly decreased in rabbits fed polluted with DZN only in comparison with fed DZN plus additives and control. On the other hand, the weights of liver and kidney as % of carcass weight were significantly (p< 0.01) increased with DZN. In conclusion, the addition of clays (at levels 0.5 or 1% / kg diet), vitamin C (at levels 500 or 750 mg/ kg diet) and vitamin E (at levels 25 or 50 mg / kg diet) to growing rabbit diets were safe and practical method to minimize the DZN toxicity.


A bag for explosives is provided that includes an inner liner of plastic material that has a quantity of granular explosive material therein, and wherein a woven outer member has the liner arranged therein, girdle sleeve portions on the lower end of the bag, and wherein the upper and lower end(s) of the bag are closed.


Although studies using student response systems (SRSs) within the English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom are relatively rare, there is increasing evidence from a range of disciplines to highlight the potential behind application of these systems for student learning. Consequently, this study contributes to filling this gap by demonstrating the efficacy of SRS-integration in the EFL reading classroom for formative assessment when supported by teacher-interaction and peer-interaction utilization techniques. Relying on a quasi-experimental design, results suggest that a Plickers SRS-integrated classroom can provide a digitally interactive learning environment and active learning opportunities, particularly when coupled with a peer-interaction technique. It also enhances Korean EFL learner engagement with content while supporting the development of reading comprehension skills. Further, findings indicate that learners are receptive to ongoing SRS utilization as an alternative to traditional methods, viewing it as useful for highlighting their knowledge gaps, focusing their attention, and stimulating their engagement.


We have constructed a eustatic sea-level curve based on the stratigraphy of the tectonically stable Russian Platform. Sea-level variations measured against this reference frame were chosen as reliably representing the long-term relation of global ocean-basin volume and ocean-water volume. In constructing the curve, we backstripped stratigraphic data from numerous wells distributed across the Russian Platform and then used the present elevation of various stratigraphic horizons to tie the resulting curve to present sea level. Most strata observed represent very shallow water deposition (


Using the related annual statistical data in Taiwan, Japan and South Korea in 1985~2008, 1980~2008 and 1987~2008 respectively, this research will investigate the influential factors toward natural gas demand represented by whole consumption of the natural gas by multiple regression method. This empirical study establishes two models. Model one, the dynamic log-linear demand model , investigates the short-term and long-term price elasticities as well as income elasticities, and the crossed elasticity of alternative energy. Model two, asymmetric price demand model established by price decomposition method, analyzes the natural gas demand, to probe whether the application is similar to that in the oil demand analysis, may obtain the quite reasonable analysis result? The empirical result in model one shows that the electricity price, the average national income and the lagged natural gas demand have the significant influence to the Taiwanese natural gas demand; Electricity price, average national income, the Heating Degree Days Index and the lagged natural gas demand show the significant influence to the Japanese natural gas demand; Furthermore, the natural gas price, electricity price and the lagged natural gas demand have the significant influence to the South Korean natural gas demand. The alternative energy price, the fuel oil price, have no significant influence to Taiwanese, Japanese or South Korean natural gas demand. The crossed elasticity is really low. The long-term income elasticity in these three countries is higher than the short-term income elasticity. When the Kyoto Protocol signed in 1998, it doesn't have the positively significant influence to Taiwanese, Japanese or South Korean natural gas demand immediately until 3 to 6 years later. The empirical result in model two shows that applying the asymmetric price demand model in the natural gas demand analysis is unable to obtain the quite good analysis result, which like applying the same model in the oil demand analysis. Therefore, the empirical result of the asymmetric price demand model can't forecast the natural gas expends anticipated psychology of these three countries completely.


Reductive decarboxylation of a series of bicyclic and polycyclic acids in which the carboxyl group is attached to the bridgehead position has been investigated. Conversion of the acids into thiohydroxamic esters occurs via reaction of the derived acid chlorides with N- hydroxypyridine-2-thione. Decomposition of the esters proceeds smoothly in boiling benzene in the presence of t-butyl mercaptan to give the reduced product in high yield. The procedure appears to be generally applicable, and is unaffected by functional groups such as esters and acetals.


On the basis of the current legislation situation of protecting business confidenticalities in China,this paper analyses the existing problems in business confidentinality legislation and puts forward four suggestions on perfecting the legislation:establishing specific business confidentinality law strengthening the penalty compensation system by increasing the sum of penalty compensation,inversing the burden of testimony,restricting the right competitive behavior which could infringe business.


Chapter 6 develops a theory of epistemic justification designed to capture the epistemic role of phenomenal consciousness: namely, phenomenal mentalism. Section 6.1 defines epistemic justification within the framework of evidentialism. Section 6.2 defines mentalism about epistemic justification and explores its connection with evidentialism. Section 6.3 argues for phenomenal mentalism, the thesis that epistemic justification is determined solely by your phenomenally individuated mental states, by appealing to intuitions about clairvoyance, super-blindsight, and the new evil demon problem. Section 6.4 argues for a phenomenal conception of evidence, which says that your evidence is exhausted by facts about your current phenomenally individuated mental states, and defends it against Timothy Williamson's arguments for the E = K thesis. Finally, section 6.5 outlines an explanatory challenge for phenomenal mentalism, which sets the agenda for the second part of the book.


This study analyzed changes in African long-term (1901–2015) Potential Evapo-Transpiration (PET), precipitation, minimum (Tmin) and maximum (Tmax) temperature. Correlation among precipitation, PET, Tmin and Tmax was assessed. Warming and drying trends were dominant across the continent. The 1979–2015 warming was stronger than that from to 1940. Some cooling occurred from 1941 to the mid–1970s. Annual Tmax, Tmin, and PET on average increased across the continent at rates of 0.18 °C, 0.22°C, and 1.04 mm per decade, respectively. Annual precipitation over the periods 1960–1990 (1901–2015) showed that the continent experienced drying at average rate of about -28(-14) mm per decade. However, areas around the Lake Victoria in East Africa and along the western coastline south of the Equator experienced wetting at rates up to 36 mm per decade. Significant ( p 0.01). Because sensitivity of Tmin to local influences is higher than that of Tmax, areas with strong negative correlation were larger for Tmax than those of Tmin. These results call for planned measures to tackle food insecurity in the sub-Saharan Africa.


Focal depths of majority of earthquakes at crater are very shallow and amplitudes are also small,therefore,Tianchi volcano seismic monitoring network construction should meet the following three requirements.First one is that the network must have monitoring capacity for small earthquakes and volcanic tremor in volcanic region.Secondly,network must have high resolution for volcanic earthquakes and tectonic earthquakes.Thirdly,the special geography of Tianchi volcano must be seriously counted.According to the requirements above,layout and monitoring performance of 18 seismic stations in range of 0~60 km range in Tianchi volcano of Changbai Mountain are analyzed,which will provides basic information for earthquake monitoring,early warning and prediction study.


A DISCUSSION Of the relationship between society's stratification system and its educational institutions requires first a normative judgment: does one conceive of education as an agent for the preservation of a society's heritage and class structure or does one conceive of education as an agent for social change and development. It would seem that much of the recent discussion in this field tends toward


Gender differences in faculty productivity, satisfaction, and salary were studied using 2 large datasets, the 1999 Higher Education Research Institute Faculty Survey (n=55,081) and the 1993 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty (n=25,780) . Findings show very little evidence of gender differences in productivity, especially at the lower productivity levels. Although the gender gap remains at the higher productivity levels, among faculty at universities women are more likely than men to have published between one and 4 articles over the past 2 years. Overall job satisfaction for male and female faculty members was virtually identical, but differences in stress and rank are apparent. The area that shows the greatest difference between men and women is salary. Men and women are paid differently, although the reasons why are not so clear. The best way to change the culture and practices of higher education to enable female faculty members to be full-fledged members of the academy is to examine and adjust the reward structure to be fair and equitable for all. (SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Gender Differences in Faculty Productivity, Satisfaction, and Salary: What Really Separates Us? By Linda Serra Hagedorn PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEE GRANTED BY nob TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) I7)This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. O Minor changes have been made to improve remoduction quality. INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Points of view or opinions stated in this 1 document do not necessarily represent official OERI position cr policy. 2 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Gender Differences in Faculty Productivity, Satisfaction, and Salary: What Really Separates Us? Linda Serra Hagedorn, Ph.D. Associate Professor & Senior Research Associate Lsh @usc.edu Certainly we live in a gendered world (Wood, 1997). Despite the fact that the number of women on college campuses, both students and faculty members, continues to increase, the gender divide remains firm and intact (Blackburn & Lawrence, 1995; Finelstein, Seal, & Schuster, 1995). For example, while the number of female faculty has risen, they remain very under-represented among the higher faculty ranks, are over-represented among the nontenure/non-tenure-track, and are more likely to be employed by institutions of lower prestige. These gender differences are frequently explained by differences in the perceived desire to teach over conducting research and publication (Collins, 1998). But are the differences between male and female faculty members so easily contained in teaching/research variations? In these analyses I attempt to tease out gender differences in three specific areas; faculty productivity, faculty satisfaction, and faculty salary. To insure representation, I have used two very large national datasets; the 1999 Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) Faculty Survey, (n=55,081) and the 1993 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty (n=25,780). First, let me set the stage by presenting Table 1 that provides some basic demographic comparisons of faculty across gender. The data is from the 1999 Survey by the Higher Education Research Institute. Table 1. Com arison of Postsecondarv Faculty by Gender Variable % within Males % within females African-American 1.8% 2.8% Full Professor 39.5% 17.7% % PT preferring to be FT 40.0% 49.1% Research I 8.7% 5.7% 2-year college 30.3% 40.6% Tenured 72.1% 27.9% Dependent child 41.4% 34.5% Married 86.2% 69.3% Sexually harassed 2.7% 11.4% Interrupted career for health/fainily 4.3% 24.8% Note that women are less likely to be full professors and/or tenured, more likely to teach in a 2-year college, and if teaching part-time are more likely to prefer to be teaching full-time. The actual number and proportion of part-time faculty is difficulty to ascertain, however it is generally accepted that women are more likely to be teaching part-time than full-time (Gappa, in press).


Selenacalix[3]triazines, cyclotrimeric metacyclophanes with direct Se linkages between the heteroaryl constituents, were shown to associate with various guest species. The preorganization of three electron deficient triazine rings allows for anions to bind through anion-π interactions, and alignment of the central nitrogen lone pairs and the well-defined size of the macroring enable association with a single proton. Extended UV/Vis titration studies indicated a clear difference in complexation behavior depending on the outer-rim substitution pattern. The host–guest properties of analogous selena- and thiacalix[3]triazines were found to be notably different.


The present paper classifies different kinds of research in "operational research" and describes stages and implementation of every method. Other issues considered in this paper include types of research in "operational research, research methodology in solving real-world problems, problem extraction, modeling, model definition, the goal of using a model, reasons of using a model, objective of studying systems and operations through models, types of models, modeling principles, classical models of operational research, model simplification, solving the model, research methodology of theory development and general techniques.


Several conference participants were interviewed and asked for their evaluation of the conference, their greatest area of concern, and their estimates of future developments. The main area of concern for most was the need for a massive program to repair or replace the many deteriorating highway bridges in the United States.


Based on the SEIR model and the modeling of urban transportation networks, a general-purpose simulator for the spread of epidemics in Chinese cities is built. The Chinese public transportation system between over 340 prefectural-level cities is modeled as a multi-layer bi-partite network, with layers representing different means of transportation (airlines, railways, sail routes and buses), and nodes divided into two categories (central cities, peripheral cities). At each city, an open-system SEIR model tracks the local spread of the disease, with population in- and out-flow exchanging with the overlying transportation network. The model accounts for (1) different transmissivities of the epidemic on different transportation media, (2) the transit of inbound flow at cities, (3) cross-infection on public transportation vehicles due to path overlap, and the realistic considerations that (4) the infected population are not entering public transportation and (5) the recovered population are not subject to repeated infections. The model could be used to simulate the city-level spread in China (and potentially other countries) of an arbitrary epidemic, characterized by its basic reproduction number, incubation period, infection period and zoonotic force, originated from any Chinese prefectural-level city(s), during the period before effective government interventions are implemented. Flowmaps are input into the system to trigger inter-city dynamics, assuming different flow strength, determined from empirical observation, within/between the bi-partite divisions of nodes. The model is used to simulate the 2019 Coronavirus epidemic in Wuhan;it shows that the framework is robust and reliable, and simulated results match public city-level datasets to an extraordinary extent.


The stated purpose of the book is to provide a "crisp and enthusiastic survey of the field"; and to give "critics and offenders of current practice and methodology" an opportunity to "describe their orientations and state their opinions." I believe this purpose was fulfilled quite well, though this is a book that must be read and re-read if one is to attempt to absorb the intellectually challenging material and to gradually understand the full implications of the panel discussions. Naturally, the subject matter of this book will be of extreme interest to any working mental health professional. I think, however, that a student who has not yet spent 3 to 4 years working with schizophrenics, might justifiably tire of reading the book because the contributors are a rather select club dedicated to the treatment of schizophrenia, and their audience requires a similar dedication. Despite the complexity of the subject matter, most of the papers and discussions are written sufficiently clearly that the basic thrust emerges upon the second reading. There are a fair number of spelling errors but these are not significant. This is not a book to be read from start to finish. I found it best to read the summary discussion of each of the four parts first, followed by the general discussion, then to proceed to whichever paper in the section seemed to attract me first. The first two papers by Hilde Bruch and Helm Stierlin do provide a gentle introduction to the entire book. The price of the book is reasonable in that, for about $34.00 Canadian, you get something that will require many readings and many months to absorb.


Short and ultrashort infrared radiation pulses were produced by double consecutive generation of the difference frequency between two lasers, when one of them (for example, a CO2 laser) determined the spectrum and emission line and the other provided the necessary pulse duration. This method was used to generate pulses of 20 nsec duration and 10 kW/cm2 intensity in the CO2 laser emission range.


The new Balanced Scorecard has revolutionized the way that Business has been formulated and executed. A natural evolution that builds on the success of the first version of Balanced Scorecard in the beginning of the nineteen's. With the development of the BSC including the Strategy Mapping has been the subject of recent books, articles and discussions. This discourse has greatly raised practitioner awareness and interest in the value of integrated strategic scorecard systems by focusing on what these tools are, why companies adopt them and by providing high level implementation frameworks and examples from practice. As a result of the increasing challenges that companies face today to remain competitive, the comprehensive scope of the BSC makes it the management method of choice for small & medium size enterprises (SME). A purely financial view is no longer sufficient for enterprises. The Balanced Scorecard is a revolutionary performance measurement system that allows SME to quantify critical intangible assets, such as people, information and culture. The BSC in line with the strategy allows companies to describe the links between intangible assets and value creation so all aspects of strategy can be implemented in a manner that ensures sustained value creation. The BSC allows managers to align investments in people, technology and organization capital for the greatest impact. Realizing the full power of BSC initiative calls on top managers to commit to describing and communicating their Business in a way that will guide decision making away from a short-term focus on financial figures.


Abstract : Substantial progress was made in the development of a diagnostic system capable of assessing the extent of burn injury and a laser-based debridement system that rapidly, precisely and bloodlessly removes burn eschar under automatic feedback control. An ICO fluorescence imager was constructed and shown to be successful in assessing burn depths in small and large animals. The distribution of ICG into burns and normal tissue was also studied supporting steps in deriving segmentation algorithms. The technique was also safely used in a pilot clinical trial. Laser speckle was evaluated successfully in a Teflon phantom mimicking burns and more recently in porcine skin burns. A laser burn debridement system was constructed and tested on porcine skin burns. Burns were tangentially excised bloodlessly and equivalent percent engraftment rates and Vancouver scar scores were obtained from laser debrided sites and sharply excised controls. Progress has been made in developing a feedback control mechanism for controlling the laser debridement system. Identifying the transition zone between burn eschar and underlying healthy tissue appears possible using reflectance spectroscopy. Finally, a more elegant laser debridement burn diagnostic robotic system has been designed via a cooperative research agreement with Sandia National laboratories.


Though we may not always understand the pope's actions, we must trust him to do God's will. God's will is not always clear to us right away, so often we must silence our hearts and listen, for when God speaks, we must be ready to hear.


Robotic networks, particularly of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are benefiting from increased on-board computing capabilities. The aim of our work is to minimize the total communication energy required by a UAV-assisted network to achieve certain mobility and data throughput objectives. We capture the full cost of communication by defining communication energy as the sum of transmission energy and propulsion energy used for the purpose of facilitating transmission. Simulation results show how joint optimization of mobility and transmission schemes results in significant energy savings and increased network capacity.


Objective To observe Kushen compound gel on the clinical effect of cervical erosion.Methods Compound Kushen gel will be directly applied in 80 cases of patients with cervical erosion surface,once every two days,8 days for a treatment course of 1~2 with mild,moderate and severe course of 3~4 months to observe the effect and adverse reactions.Results The results of 80 cases of patients,70cases fully recovered,6 show effect,4 cases of valid,invalid cases were found,but also found no adverse reactions.The total recovery rate was 93.8%,total effective rate was 100%.Conclusion Compound Kushen gel in the treatment of cervical erosion with good clinical efficacy.


The Los Angeles Region Seismic Experiment (LARSE) is a series of passive and active seismic surveys designed to image crustal and upper mantle structures in the Los Angeles area. As part of the second phase of this project, a land seismic reflection survey was shot in October of 1994. The survey consists of 62 shots recorded by 649 receivers, along with 3 quarry blasts. Three component data were recorded at approximately one third of the receiver stations. The survey was run along a line approximately 160 km long trending northwest from Seal Beach, through the Los Angeles Basin and the San Gabriel mountains, ending in the Mojave Desert near Barstow, CA. The survey was designed to obtain high resolution images in the San Gabriel Mountains and northern San Gabriel Valley, and lower resolution images in the Los Angeles basin and Mojave Desert (Murphy et al. 1996). Previous processing of the 1994 LARSE survey, (Fuis et al 1996; Ryberg and Fuis 1998) has produced evidence of a reflective zone at depths of 20-30 kms. The processing techniques employed in these studies are appropriate for detecting large scale reflective zones, but not to achieve the higher resolution necessary for fault imaging. This paper presents new crustal images from the 1994 LARSE survey which show improved resolution of both shallow and deep structure. These images were obtained using a combination of first arrival tomography and pre-stack depth migration. First arrival tomography is used to estimate the velocity field necessary for depth migration. Shot ordered finite difference pre-stack depth migration is used to image reflectors in the presence of lateral velocity variations, elevation differences, and wide angle reflections. Method Several factors contribute to make imaging of the LARSE 1994 data set difficult. These are primarily acquisition related and must be addressed in planning an imaging strategy. The first difficulty is the generally poor signal strength. Very few reflection events can be identified in the raw shot gathers. In the CMP domain, no reflection events can be reliably identified. However, the first arrivals are of generally good quality throughout the survey. The second difficulty is the erratic acquisition geometry. Due to access limitations and imaging objectives, there are large variations in both shot and receiver spacing as well as deviations from a straight survey line. These variations in shot and receiver spacing result in an irregularly sampled wavefield. In order to reconstruct reflectivity, migration algorithms require an adequately sampled wavefield. In pre-stack migration, the problem is even more difficult since the wavefield needs to adequately sampled in each the pre-stack gather. The third difficulty is the large variation in shot and receiver characteristics. A wide variety of instrumentation and shot strength were used in the survey acquisition. Combined with a large variation in source and receiver coupling, these differences result in significant trace to trace variation in amplitude, frequency and signal-to-noise.


We compared the efficacy of a simple virtual environment (VE) training system with two media more commonly used to train people: paper and video tutorials. Participants learned how to solve a spatial puzzle in one of the three training media. People who trained with the VE spent more time training, however they performed significantly better than people in the other groups a week later.


Job performance refers to how effective employees a re in accomplishing their tasks and responsibilitie s related to direct patient care. Improving the perfo rmance of employees has been a topic of great inter est to practitioners as well as researchers. The aim of th e study is to analysis the impacts of job performan ce level on nurses' performance working in public hospitals. In order to achieve the study objective, a survey conducted. Questionnaires distributed to the public sector hospital's manager in Saudi Arabia. The fin dings of the study turn out to be true; the study will co ntribute to both theory and practice. Through the p resent study, the researcher expects the findings to shed light on the research conducted regression to analy sis the impacts of job performance level on nurses' in publ ic sector hospitals in Saudi Arabia.


Purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) is one of the major enzymes in the purine salvage pathway. It is responsible for the elevation of deoxyguanosine, and thus considered as the potent target in T-cell lymphoma. The present study examined acyclovir, reported as a low-affinity PNP inhibitor, for the rational design of new acyclovir derivatives by incorporating halogens, hydroxyl, and bulky amino groups. The molecular actions of designed derivatives were investigated by employing density functional theory, molecular docking, and binding energy calculations. The results revealed that the newly designed compounds were highly stable and showed more affinity to PNP than the parent compound, acyclovir. The quantum mechanics and molecular docking studies suggested that modification of side chains with bulky polar groups provided better binding affinities than substitutions with halogens. The resultant derivatives have strong polar interactions like His257 and Tyr88. Furthermore, the designed derivatives were within the ideal range of ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination, and toxicity) analysis. Considering that, these findings recommend further validation of designed acyclovir derivatives in wet lab confirmatory analysis with the emphasis on the further improvements in the treatment of T-cell-mediated diseases.


Based on the ANSYS finite element method,technology of Hot-Structure coupling is applied to simulate the influence of the welding joint residual stress on the different postweld heat treatment for thick-wall nuclear pressure vessel.Focus on the influence of the completed saddleshaped weld on the residual stress after the same heat treatment temperature under different heat treatment time.The results show that the residual stress eliminating most with the whole pressure vessel in temperature of 610℃ for two hours.


We add flippers-specialist investors who attempt to profit from buying low and selling high to a canonical housing market search model. These agents facilitate the turnover of mismatched houses on behalf of end-users and they may survive even if they face an arbitrarily large cost of financing vis-a-vis ordinary households. Multiple equilibrium may exist. In one equilibrium, most, if not all, transactions are intermediated by flippers, resulting in rapid turnover, a high vacancy rate, and high housing prices. In another equilibrium, few houses are bought and sold by these agents. Turnover is sluggish, few houses are vacant, and prices are moderate. When flippers face a lower cost of financing, their presence can, rather unexpectedly, decline. There may then be lower, not higher, housing prices to follow an interest rate decline.


25 Statistical Reports on the Development of Chinese Internet and 5 Survey Reports on the Chinese Network Information Resources published by China Internet Network Information Center are taken for analysis. From the point of view of domain name, web site and web page respectively, the paper conducts detailed analysis on the growth of basic network information resources in China. The statistical analysis on network information indicates expandness and logic growth on Chinese network information resource. Causes and current problems in change processes of Network information resources through the past 13 years are explored.


: We proposed a new elliptical near-Ąeld transducer (NFT) and V-shaped waveguide design, which provides multiple pathways to control and optimise the thermal performance of the optical delivery paths for heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). The principle of operation of the design utilises the properties of the localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the metallic elliptical NFT. We demonstrated a peak temperature in the recording media normalised to the incident laser power ( T Media / P In ) ranging from ∼ 128 K/mW to more than 181 K/mW. We also achieved tunable thermal gradients as high as 23.0 K/nm and 18.7 K/nm in the recording mediaŠs down-track and cross-track directions, respectively. Moreover, we exempliĄed that the inevitable temperature rise in the plasmonic NFT could be tuned to remain under 400 K for maximum heat in the recording media > 700 K. The best thermal performance obtained corresponded to the aspect ratio of the antenna a/b ∼ 0.89 with the minor axis of the antenna a = 85 nm.


Ionic molecular glasses can be conveniently prepared by reacting 1,5-dimexylbiguanide with a wide variety of carboxylic and sulfonic acids. A library of 51 salts has been prepared and studied by differential scanning calorimetry, 25 of which readily form glassy phases and do not recrystallize upon heating or standing. The crystal structures of 1,5-dimexylbiguanide and six of its salts have been solved and studied, and show extended hydrogen-bonded networks. Curiously, 1,5-dimexylbiguanide, which is extremely stable toward crystallization, crystallized in a close-packed, regular structure, unlike most related glass-forming compounds. This apparent paradox was probed with density functional theory calculations which revealed the presence of two conformers of similar energy, thus contributing to frustrate crystallization.


Abstract A comprehensive set of quality parameters has been recorded for meat and fat from groups of castrate and ram lambs raised on pasture and slaughtered in groups of six at 91‐day intervals from 122 to 668 days of age. These include mechanical evaluation of meat tenderness, sensory evaluations of meat flavour and fat odour, and measurements of fat colour, fatty acid composition, vitamins C and E, free glucose and iron in the meat, and of the concentrations of the flavour compounds indoles, phenols, and branched chain fatty acids in the fat. There was significant variation in many parameters between slaughter days, including markedly lower meat tenderness in one slaughter group, probably in response to unfavourable pasture conditions. Older ram lambs tended to be less tender than castrates of the same age. However, no longer‐term age‐related trends were observed in tenderness or flavour quality. Concentrations of free glucose in rigor muscle and vitamin C showed a declining trend with age. Concentrations of the branched chain fatty acids 4‐methyloctanoic and 4‐methylnonanoic acids in fat increased with age. Sex category effects were observed for the branched chain fatty acids and for indole and skatole. Higher concentrations were observed in ram lambs. The data indicate there is only a limited decline in lamb meat quality characteristics up to nearly 2 years of age, but that pasture feeding conditions may affect quality significantly.


Graphene has been employed as electrode materials in various electrochemical biosensors due to its excellent electrical, mechanical, thermal and optical properties. In the present study, Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) and epitaxial graphene on SiC were examined as material for electrochemical biosensing application. The surface of both types of graphene were characterized using Raman spectroscopy as well as with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). As the key point for the comparison, the impedance spectroscopy measurements of different graphene films using deionized water and saline 0.9% NaCl solution were performed as well. The method of impedance measurements applied to graphene films expands the range of possibilities for using this material as sensitive biosensors. Based on the comparative tests results, it is possible to draw the first simple conclusions about the advantages of CVD or epitaxial graphene. Based on the results of impedance spectroscopy, it is possible to draw a simple conclusion – single layer graphene has the higher sensitivity.


This paper describes the experience gained by Yorkshire Water in the construction and operation of a wastewater treatment plant to deal with the effluent from Europe's largest canning and bottling factory (at Wakefield, West Yorkshire). The process which was chosen was the 'Biothane' upward-flow anaerobic sludge blanket system. Commissioning of the plant was fraught with difficulties due to the erratic organic load being discharged from the factory, along with larger than anticipated volumes of caustic solution.


The Minister of Health, Mr. Ernest Brown, in a speech at a luncheon given by the Corporation of Brighton during his tour of the borough's health services, spoke at some length on the Emergency Hospital Service, in particular on the arrangements for rehabilitation, defined by the Delevingne Committee in 1939 as " the restoration of the working capacity of people injured by accidents." Mr. Brown reminded his audience that at the beginning of hostilities all countries made plans to meet large-scale air attack. The part the hospitals were assigned to play was to rieceive the thousands, even the hundreds of thousands, of casualties to be expected. But there was a lull until the last four months of 1940, during which four months the emergency casualty services dealt with over 80,000 patients in hospitals and first-aid posts. The lull extending over the first year of war, and the fact that even when it ended the total of casualties which the enemy had been able to inflict was less than that for which.preparation had been made, enabled the Emergency Hospital Service to strengthen and extend itself. In addition to air-raid casualties and Service patients, it took in civilians who had left evacuation areas for reception or neutral areas, members of the civil defence organizations, and the Home Guard, transferred workers in industry, members of the Mercantile Marine, sick and away from home, and members of the Women's Land Army.


Background The transcriptional factor T-bet is required for Th-1 differentiation and important for regulating Th-17 differentiation, which plays a critical role in the development of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Previous studies reported that overexpression of T-bet suppresses Th-17 differentiation via inhibition of retinoic acid-related orphan receptor (ROR) γt and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) (1, 2). However, the function of T-bet in the development of CIA remains largely unknown. Objectives To clarify the role of T-bet on the pathogenesis of CIA. Methods 1) T-bet knockout (T-bet-/-) mice (C57BL/6, B6 background) were generated as previously described (3). T-bet-/- mice were immunized with CII with CFA, and the incidence and severity of CIA was assessed. 2) Anti-CII antibodies in the sera from T-bet-/- mice on day 60 after the first immunization were measured. 3) Lymph node cells from B6 or T-bet-/- mice immunized with CII were analyzed by flow cytometry using antibodies specific for CD3, CD4, CD8, CD11b, CD11c, CD19, Gr1 and NK1.1. 4) The lymph node cells described above were cultured in the CII containing medium, then the cytokine production was assayed by ELISA. Results 1) CIA developed in the T-bet-/- mice was more severe than that of B6 wild-type mice and the incidence of arthritis was around 1.5-fold higher. 2) The levels of total IgG, IgG1, IgG2b, IgG3 antibodies against native chicken CII were significantly higher in T-bet-/- mice. However, IgG2a antibody production was significantly lower in T-bet-/- mice compared to B6 mice. 3) The number of CD4+ T (CD3+CD4+), CD8+ T (CD3+CD8+), B (CD19+), dendritic cells (CD11c+), macrophage (CD11c-CD11b+Gr1-), neutrophil (CD11c-CD11b+Gr1+), NK cell (CD3-NK1.1+) in the lymph node was not different but the number of NKT (CD3+NK1.1+) cells was significantly decreased in T-bet-/- mice. 4) The level of IL-17 and IL-22 in the culture supernatant was significantly higher in T-bet-/- mice, whereas that of IFNγ was comparable in the two groups. Conclusion CIA was significantly severe in T-bet-/- mice. The mechanisms of severe arthritis might be mediated through the up-regulation of IL-17 and IL-22 by Th-17 differentiation in the T-bet deficient and IFNγ independent manner or the decrease of NKT cells. References [1] Kondo Y, et al. Overexpression of T-bet gene regulates murine autoimmune arthritis. Arthritis Rheum2012;64:162-72. [2] Yokosawa M, et al. T-bet over-expression regulates aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated T helper type 17 differentiation through an interferon g-independent pathway. Clin Exp Immunol2016;188:22–35. [3] Szabo, et al. Distinct effects of T-bet in TH1 lineage commitment and IFNg production in CD4 an CD8 T cells. Science. 2002;295:338-42. Disclosure of Interests Masaru Shimizu: None declared, Yuya Kondo: None declared, Kotona Furuyama: None declared, Masahiro Yokosawa: None declared, Hiroto Tsuboi: None declared, Isao Matsumoto: None declared, Takayuki Sumida Grant/research support from: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Speakers bureau: Bristol-Myers Squibb


For a better understanding of the climate influence on the trees biomass storage the analysis of height increment and radial growth response of Norway spruce from the Moldovita River Basin to climate variation was done. In this paper is presented the first study of the influence of climate on trees height increment and radial growth in Romania. The comparative analysis between diameter and height growth indices series was done separately for each sample area and at regional level. In the case of both diameters and heights, a negative influence of temperature from previous JulySeptember was highlighted. Temperature from current January negatively influence height increment, but precipitation from January negatively influence diameter increment, statistically significant being only precipitation. Precipitation during the current summer positively influence both diameter and height increment, excepting July which has a negative influence on height increment. A dendroclimatic analysis accomplished for a certain area and species displays bigger advantages when it relies on the study of both radial growth and height increment.


We report the structural and relaxation investigations of an achiral bent-core compound in SmAPA phase. The studied material undergoes transition from one biaxial state to the other via a uniaxial state under electric field. These transformations are explained as successive transition from antiferroelectric to ferroelectric states, where, the intermediate uniaxial state has the molecular secondary directors in the neighbouring smectic layers perpendicular to each other. We also found that near SmAPR to SmAPA phase transition the second harmonic electro-optic response, induced polarization, and the dielectric behaviour hint softening behaviour in the material.


A KNOWLEDGE of the distribution of wavelengths and energies involved in the production of keratitis by ultraviolet radiation has theoretic and practical importance. Such information is fundamental to an understanding of the harmful photobiologic processes in the cornea and is prerequisite to the determination of exposure hazards and protective devices. The present report attempts to show quantitatively what bands of the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum are responsible for the production of keratitis and what relation the keratitis band has to the erythema band, to the characteristic absorption bands of some proteins and to the absorption of several types of common glass. A curve relating wavelength to the quantity of energy just necessary to produce keratitis represents the action spectrum for keratitis, whereas a curve relating wavelength to the absorption of the corneal epithelium represents the absorption spectrum of the corneal epithelium. It is one aim of this study to


A normal distribution with varying standard deviation has been considered in this note. Statistical properties of the distribution and the estimation of the parameters involved therein are also discussed.


This is a Mid-Term Evaluation Report (MTER) for the Pacific Microfinance Initiative (PMI or the Program). The PMI was developed by a funding agency and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, to promote innovative ventures to broaden access to basic financial services to 'underserved' people, especially the underserved poor in Timor-Leste (TL), Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Pacific Islands (The 'Pacific region'). This evaluation applied the five Development Assistance Committee (DAC) criteria (relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability) as well as three additional criteria (additionally, monitoring and results measurement, cross-cutting issues).


Labeling data comprehensively and efficiently is a widely needed but challenging task. With limited computing resources, given a data stream and a collection of deep-learning models, we propose to adaptively select and schedule a subset of these models to execute, aiming to maximize the value of the model output. Achieving this goal is nontrivial since a model's output on any data item is content-dependent and hard to predict. In this paper, we present an Adaptive Model Scheduling framework, consisting of 1) a deep reinforcement learning-based approach to predict the value of unexecuted models by mining semantic relationship among diverse models, and 2) two heuristic algorithms to adaptively schedule models under deadline or deadline-memory constraints. The proposed framework does not require any prior knowledge of the data, which works as a powerful complement to existing model optimization technologies. We conduct extensive evaluations on 30 popular image labeling models to demonstrate the effectiveness of our design.


This chapter addresses the question of spacial unlocatability in trauma. To what extent, this chapter asks, does the drive to reconcile psychoanalysis with neuroscience risk participating in a movement of appropriation, an attempt to reduce the event of psychoanalysis? This chapter shows how the neuro-psychoanalytic attempt to locate a psychoanalytic understanding of the mind in the brain does not end up correlating psychoanalysis with neuroscience. Rather it points to another, less conciliatory model for their relationship. In psychoanalysis, neurology encounters a Fremdkörper (foreign body), something unassimilable to its inside, something forever inside-outside any neurological theory of trauma. This Fremdkörper prevents neurology from reducing neurological traumas to mere cerebral laws; it is what makes every neurological trauma traumatic in its own way.


Based on the analysis of inertia weight, global convergence and convergent speed as well as accuracy, a novel adaptive particle swarm optimization (LAPSO) was proposed. This landscape method was applied to investigate three different Benchmark functions. Compared with the experimental results of LWPSO and LKPSO, the results show that LAPSO is more performance in speed and accuracy convergence. Therefore, LAPSO is a global particle swarm optimization.


An investigation into the dynamics of liquid in an enclosed container experiencing low frequency, small amplitude roll oscillations was performed. Previous research suggests that under dynamic conditions can decrease the lower flammability limit; however characterization of the fluid dynamics in these tests was not performed. This study examined these dynamics by utilizing a motion simulator and a 2.1 m capacity rectangular tank. Water depths of 0.265 m, 0.371 m, and 0.530 m were examined. The tank experienced a two dimensional roll oscillation at frequencies between 0.25 Hz to 0.45 Hz at oscillation amplitudes of 2.42°, 3.50°, and 4.71°. The formation of a hydraulic jump was observed at tank oscillations near the resonance frequency of the liquid volume and the formation of these jumps occurred at the frequency, but out of phase, of the driven tank oscillation. At lower frequencies, wave/wave interactions were observed that caused spray formation in specific locations of the tank ullage.


In this article the importance of language for the formation of one's self through organizing one's experience into a coherent core narrative is emphasized, especially as it relates to the micro-sensory experience of the body for which vocabulary is often inadequate. The importance of attuned caregivers helping the developing child name reality is outlined. The importance of movement, oscillations, pulsations, and sensations being included in a full experience of a psycho-somatic self is argued. The still open issue of finding adequate cortical representation of the felt sense of these neuroceptive movements is raised.


This study examined the use of acoustic-phonetic cues to syllable boundaries in on-line lexical segmentation. Two word-spotting experiments manipulated the alignment between word and surface syllable boundaries. A misalignment cost was observed for obstruent-liquid clusters but not for /s/ + obstruent clusters. Durational analyses of the materials as well as of a large corpus of utterances showed systematic variations in segment durations as a function of boundary location in obstruent-liquid clusters only. We conclude that the availability of acoustic-phonetic cues to word boundary location in consonant clusters depends upon the cluster class. When available, these cues are exploited in on-line lexical segmentation of speech.


Online emulation" technology proposes a kind of replacement emulation device method.The key part is controlling procedure, emulation procedure and the communication between PC and one-chip computer.In a situation that two parts of procedures cooperate , Utilizing IAP/ISP technology can debug the system in real time. User needn't buy emulation device and can save expenses.Thus it offers a new way for one-chip computer teaching.


DSC was used to follow the degree of conversion (DC) for the methacrylic groups in the case of some hybrid systems based on urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) monomer and various polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) structures (HISO-POSS, CPENTYL-POSS, and MA-POSS). The chemical structure of the POSS compound directly influences the DC value. The conversion of the methacrylic groups from the hybrid composites after thermal curing was determined by measuring the residual heat of reaction. Both SEM and AFM techniques were additionally used to performed an advanced morphological characterization for the obtained POSS-nanocomposites. The DSC data have been corroborated with those resulted from the NIR spectroscopy. The introduction of POSS compound within the UDMA matrix leads to a decrease of the hybrid material transparency due to the formation of agglomerates also pointed out by SEM analysis. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011


A fully relativistic electron-impact ionization cross section is calculated as a triple partial-wave expansion of the first Born scattering amplitude. The target atomic ion is described by a Dirac-Fock approximation, a jj subconfiguration average method is used to calculate the scattering algebra, and the radial partial waves (epsilon-clj) are computed in distorted-wave potentials. The resulting general computational scheme is applied to electron-impact ionization of U/sup 89+/. The fully relativistic cross-section results are compared with those obtained from both nonrelativistic and semirelativistic theories.


The small and medium-sized enterprise is pivotal to the building of Chinese harmonious society,but the financing difficulty is very prominent that contradicts its development.The reason of enterprise's financial predicament is analyzed,and the effective system and methods in the reforming time are explored,based on Chinese actuality and the mature procedure and advanced experience of development country.


An important step any researcher should take is establishing a framework in which to conduct research. This article assists with the setup of a case study methodology in information technology (IT) by explaining the different phases that could be followed. Quite a number of approaches are available but established research often argues for its own research. In this article the author therefore discusses the case study and grounded theory approach that can be used to investigate IT in South Africa.


Pulpectomy and endodontic
treatment in a single appointment
seems to be a rational approach,
considering the reparative role of
inflammation after pulp extirpa-
tion and the absence of infection.
However, endodontists or clini-
cians may face the single appoint-
ment as a very difficult procedure
to be done, making the root canal
dressing an important require-
ment. This paper aims to highli-
ght, through a literature review,
the use of intracanal dressing
following pulpectomy, concerning
its effects; indications, properties
and mechanism of action.
Key words: pulp devitalization,
pulpectomy, root canal treatment,
intracanal dressing, dental pulp.


FIELD: biochemistry.SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the use of eco-biopreparation "Centrum-MMS" as a biological decomposer of nitrocellulose.EFFECT: invention reduces concentration of nitrocellulose of industrial wastes of chemical enterprises.1 cl, 4 tbl


The tailoring of the charge transfer between support material and transition metal active phase is an effective strategy for fine tuning the electronic structure of the catalyst active site, and hence improving the activity and stability of the reaction. This works presents that Co nanoparticles supported on N‐doped mesoporous hollow carbon nanospheres (Co/NMHCS) decouple the effect of electronic structure on catalytic performance. The detailed experimental and theoretical results reveal the charge distribution at the Co/NMHCS interface due to N‐doped MHCS. With tuning the electron redistribution, the interface between Co nanoparticles and NMHCS as the active site shows the strong capability to adsorb and reduce the OOH* and proton, thus leading to the optimal ORR, OER, and HER activity in Co/NMHCS. Furthermore, Co/NMHCS‐based Zn–air battery exhibits high power density of 185 mW cm−2, and high gravimetric energy density of 753 mAh gZn−1. Density functional theory (DFT) reveals the electrons accumulate directly on the NMHCS support, which originates from an interplay between Co nanoparticles and the NMHCS support. This work provides constructive guidance for precisely regulating the interface electronic structures to achieve excellent electrocatalytic performance.


To screen and evaluate protein biomarkers for the detection of gliomas(Astrocytoma grade Ⅰ-Ⅳ) from healthy in-dividuals and gliomas from brain benign tumors by using surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spec-trometry(SELDI-TOF-MS)coupled with an artificial neural network(ANN)algorithm.SELDI-TOF-MS protein fingerprinting ofserum from 105 brain tumor patients and healthy individuals,included 28 patients with glioma(Astrocytoma Ⅰ-Ⅳ),37 patientswith brain benign tumor,and 40 age-matched healthy individuals.Two thirds of the total samples of every compared pair as trainingset were used to set up discriminating patterns,and one third of total samples of every compared pair as test set were used tocross-validate;simultaneously,discriminate-cluster analysis derived SPSS 10.0 software was used to compare Astrocytoma gradeⅠ-Ⅱ with grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ ones.An accuracy of 95.7%,sensitivity of 88.9%,specificity of 100%,positive predictive value of 90% andnegative predictive value of 100% were obtained in a blinded test set comparing gliomas patients with healthy individuals;anaccuracy of 86.4%,sensitivity of 88.9%,specificity of 84.6%,positive predictive value of 90% and negative predictive value of85.7% were obtained when patient's gliomas was compared with benign brain tumor.Total accuracy of 85.7%,accuracy of gradeⅠ-Ⅱ Astrocytoma was 86.7%,accuracy of Ⅲ-Ⅳ Astrocytoma was 84.6% were obtained when grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ Astrocytoma was comparedwith grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ ones(discriminant analysis).SELDI-TOF-MS combined with bioinformatics tools,could greatly facilitate thediscovery of better biomarkers.The high sensitivity and specificity achieved by the use of selected biomarkers showed greatpotential application for the discrimination of gliomas patients from healthy individuals and glioma from brain benign tumors.


The paper takes the developed setting-out of eccentric station in the project as the application example,introduces the successful methods and steps for the developed setting-out by using two-dimension and three-dimension CAD technique,and indicates the technique breaks through the traditional developed setting-out model,solves the problems,such as the complicated calculation and the difficulties in projecting graph in previous years.


Focusing on the period of the Japanese occupation,this paper analyses the aim,the main content and the characters of City Planning in Shanghai.It is argued that the implementation of the plan during that period of time has helped change the city's structure and spatial arrangement.


Fracture of distal quart of the leg becoming more frequent with accidents on the highway. They pose many problems for diversity of forms anatomicopathological and by the choice of therapeutics methods. We have reviewed 54 cases of patients treated at the service traumatology and orthopaedics in the hospital CHU Ibno Rochd Casablanca, during the period January @2006 to December 2010 by intramedullary nailing. The age bracket most vulnerable is between 20-40 years. The average distance between the fracture and the articular surface of pilose baceous is 30 mm-60mm, twelve fractures was stage I of Cauchoix and Duparc and six stage II. The locking was static in all cases. The fibular bone is synthesize In 22,22% of cases 44,44% of results are anatomical, this figure is less good compared to all others in the literature and did not join the result obtained by plate screwed. In our series there was a rest in 90 days, one delay consolidation, and one superficial sepsis. The indications of intramedullary locked nail can be extended to distal tibial fracture; indeed, the resumption of the support is earlier and comes less than sepsis for reductionnels comparable results with osteosynthesis plate. Our results and those of other series it can be concluded that intramedullary nailing is possible in the measure remains intact or a portion there of 2 to 6 cm metaphyseo-epiphyseal distal likely to receive a nail plywood and 2 screws of locking. The reduction is easy with the us of the scopy. Thesynthesis of fibular bone necessary for the reduction and stabilization of the tibia.


This report presents a planned reactor test program in support of the research and development study to investigate the formation of radioisotopes in reactor cooling water and to devise means of reducing the amounts of those radioisotopes formed which result in significant exposures to downstream users of the Columbia River water. The effects of water treatment process changes and reactor operation on the formation of radioisotopes of radiological interest will be studied utilizing four of the 1706-KE single-pass tubes together with special demineralizer and water treatment facilities to be obtained in 1961. Specially treated water containing no salts, single salts, mixtures of salts, special additives, and complexing agents will be investigated. The effects of varying water composition and pH, of using aluminum and zirconium reactor tubes, and of varying reactor conditions of tube outlet temperature, water flow rate, flux, and power level will be tested. 1 ref.


A critical problem with the practical utility of controllers trained with deep Reinforcement Learning (RL) is the notable lack of smoothness in the actions learned by the RL policies. This trend often presents itself in the form of control signal oscillation and can result in poor control, high power consumption, and undue system wear. We introduce Conditioning for Action Policy Smoothness (CAPS), an effective yet intuitive regularization on action policies, which offers consistent improvement in the smoothness of the learned state-to-action mappings of neural network controllers, reflected in the elimination of high-frequency components in the control signal. Tested on a real system, improvements in controller smoothness on a quadrotor drone resulted in an almost 80% reduction in power consumption while consistently training flight-worthy controllers. Project website: http://ai.bu.edu/caps


Recently, the use of application of quality tools and lean six sigma
methodologies are widespread in most of the industries, especially
pharmaceutical industries that are intended to reduce waste time,
eliminate defects in the process and increase the capability of the
process [1].


Objectives: To characterize the indications of performing bone marrow examination and the frequent diagnoses encountered in a referral hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and to correlate the indications with the yield of specific pathologic diagnosis. Methods: The bone marrow records in the Hematology section of the Department of Pathology at King Khalid University Hospital over a 12-year period from May 1983 - May 1995 were reviewed. The records were reviewed for age, sex, main indication for performing bone marrow examination and primary bone marrow diagnosis. Results: There were 3494 bone marrow examinations, 2375 (68%) were from adults and 1016 (29%) were from children. The M:F ratio was 1.5:1. The three most common indications were evaluation of postchemotherapy bone marrow in acute leukemia 26.2%, suspected infiltration by lymphoma or carcinoma in 10.3% and thrombocytopenia in 9.9%. The three most common specific diagnoses encountered were acute leukemia 27.3%, malignant lymphoma 13% and multiple myeloma 8.3%.


The bachelor thesis deals with sports fans. The thesis is mainly about ice hockey fans in the Czech Republic, especially in Hradec Kralove. Based on actions of fans, this thesis focus on Pierr Bourdieu´s Habitus and problems which can be detected in a community of ice hockey fans. A participant observation reveals a background of this phenomenom. The observation also showed everyday life of sports fans. This fans suited their lifestyles to cheering and to prove sports fan Habitus.


Abstract This research aimed to evaluate the floristic composition, phytosociology and species diversity of the regenerating woody stratum of a small fragment (0.5 ha) of Semideciduous Forest, after 10 years of abandonment, in the municipality of Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil. All woody individuals (height ≥ 1 m dbh 90%) of species of early successional stages (pioneer and early secondary). Reflecting the strong observed ecological dominance, exercised primarily by the high density of the species Dalbergia nigra and Siparuna guianensis , species diversity value (Shannon index H '= 2.38) was much lower than the values found for mature forest fragments in this region. Although a small fragment, isolated and in early stages of secondary succession, the multivariate analysis (cluster and DCA) revealed the formation of distinct floristic groups and a strong differentiation in the arrangement of the species, showing the tropical forests typical heterogeneity. Although it has a low diversity, this urban fragment has ecological and social importance to the region, that present lack of green areas to conserve the native flora.


Adjustment and programme lending operations by the multilateral development banks and the IMF have been developed over the last decade in response to structural macroeconomic and sectorial problems and now constitute as much as 25 per cent of new lending.

The central questions pertaining to such macro policies and the economic models developed and used by the agencies and governments in preparation for the design of such programmes are as follows:

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Have adjustment operations caused environmental degradation?

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Do their particular policy objectives make them a likely cause of such degradation?

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Do they take enough account of environmental implications?

Three studies have reviewed such operations by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank and the following answers represent how far our present understanding has progressed:

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Far from being a major source of environmental degradation in developing countries, adjustment and programme lending operations appear, on balance, to have a bias in favour of the environment;

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With adequate complementary measures to make sure they are implemented correctly, the policies can be manipulated to achieve environmental as well as economic objectives.


A litter of ACI rat strain, foster bred by a female colon cancer-prone WF-Osaka rat, developed colon carcinoma in the ascending colon at the age of 4 months. We assumed that some microbial infection during their suckling might cause colon carcinoma of WF-Osaka rats, and that the high incidence of spontaneous regression of the colon carcinoma might be an immunologic reaction against microbial agent in the cancer cells. In this report, we showed that new born rats of ACI, LE and W/Shi strain developed colon carcinoma by the intraperitoneal injection of the serum from cancer carrying WF-Osaka rat within 2 months after birth, and that this microbial agent was transmissible among rats regardless the strain. The etiology of colon carcinoma of WF-Osaka rat was considered to be virus-like infection as we found FITC positive granular materials in the cytoplasm of tissue culture cells of colon carcinoma (C2) and tissue specimen of transplantable gastric carcinoma (S3). Supernatant of tissue culture medium of colon carcinoma (C2) also induced colon carcinoma. Solid-phase immune electronmicroscopy study revealed round to oval particles, measuring approximately 40-50 nm in diameter, in the sediment of tissue culture medium of the transplantable gastric carcinoma (S3), which explain that oncogenic viral agent is substantially related to the induction of colon carcinoma in WF-Osaka rat strain.


Permeation of gases and vapors through microporous membranes, principally zeolite membranes, is reviewed, focusing on macroscopic diffusion models, measurement techniques, and applications of models to experimental data. Brief reference is made to the choice of adsorption isotherms for single components or mixtures. Concerning diffusion, the Maxwell−Stefan (M-S) model is reviewed in some detail, as it is the one universally adopted in recent literature. Emphasis is placed on the coverage dependence of the diffusion coefficients and on the proper handling of the cross terms. In the experimental technique section, the key distinctions are between steady state and transient measurements, and between the use or nonuse of a sweep gas. A few special techniques are also briefly reviewed. Interpretation of transient measurements using the time lag method is reviewed in some detail, especially for coverage-dependent diffusion coefficients. Several of the studies reviewed focus on the ability of the M-S model to match the measurements, and specifically on the suitability of various simplifying approximations. Two common approximations are (i) to treat the M-S diffusion coefficients as coverage-independent and (ii) to neglect the cross terms.


The purpose to build nature reserves in developing countries should be to improve the local environment, to serve the development of local economy and society. The construction of nature reserves should do according to its abilities, and the institution property should be emphasized and defended. The nature reserves have not the duty to develop the local economy. No matter how the natural resources in nature reserve are utilized, it run counter to the institution property of nature reserve. Semi-military management should be put into practice in nature reserve.


Smartcards for the storage of medical information a re not new [1]; however, their use has been constrained. The major problems are that cards have limited memory, may use a non-universal framework and are liable to loss or theft. When de aling with a single health provider these disadvantages outweigh potential advantages, such a s availability at many points of care and reassurance of confidentiality. This work focuses o n the requirements for a smartcard that acts as a personal health node, controlling access to data rather than holding the data itself. This approach allows interaction with multiple health pr ovider systems, potentially complex data sharing and access control requirements, and emerge ncy needs. Previous work has emphasised the need to use structured data sources in limited data space [2]. The data stored on the personal health node smartcard will comprise an encoded XML document that includes pointers to the location of clinical data, access control rules con cerning that data and a minimum emergency subset of this data The use of radio-frequency iden tification (RFID) technology allows increased flexibility, both in the ability to read data without contact and the opportunity to make data reading conditional on other factors. One particula rly important aspect is the ability to make data accessible only when another card ‐ e.g. that of a trusted clinician or advocate, is also within range of the reader. The readers may be incorporate d in mobile devices, giving assurance of control of access to data anywhere and improving th e acceptability of data sharing [3].


Molecular mechanics calculations have been performed on several bishomocubane derivatives in order to better understand their reactivities and properties. Strain energies of the five bishomocubane hydrocarbons, (CH) 8 (CH 2 ) 2 , calculated by the MM2(87) method increase in the order 1,4<1,3<1,3'<1,2<1,1. The values are 73.34, 76.63, 90.14, 93.12, and 112.57 kcal/mol, respectively. The order of the 1,4 and 1,3 isomers is reversed from that of previous calculations using the Allinger 1971 and Engler 1973 force fields. Approximately the same order was found for the corresponding compounds that contained only the cyclobutane portions of these bishomocubanes


This essay is an investigation of the United States' policy toward Africa, and Africa's place in America's "war on terrorism." In the firm belief that one cannot understand current U.S. policy toward Africa without providing a historical context, the essay starts by briefly assessing the destructive effects of American policies on Africa during the era of the Cold War. It then analyzes post-Cold War U.S. policy toward Africa under the administration of president Bill Clinton between 1993 and 2000, arguing that, despite the administration's rhetorical support for democracy in Africa, this policy was often marked by political inconsistency, cynical opportunism, and willful neglect, as dramatized most vividly by support for non-democratic leaders and policy debacles in Somalia and Rwanda. Clinton's trade policy, however, produced some results in efforts to increase trade with Africa. We also assess the Africa policy of the current U.S. president, George W. Bush Jr., placing our analysis within the global context of the "war on terrorism" and the recent American invasion and occupation of Iraq. We focus particularly on African reactions to these events, and also assess the policy battles and views of some of the senior officials within the Bush administration on Africa-related issues. The essay concludes by offering some policy recommendations for a more enlightened U.S. policy toward Africa.


A statistical test of hypotheses regarding the strategic interaction between legislators and third-party agents, such as lobbyists, bureaucrats, or experts, requires some ``bridging'' method to place each type of actor into preference spaces that are comparable. Current solutions to the bridging problem either attempt to place both legislators and agents into an arbitrary preference space entirely disconnected from the institutional setting, or they attempt to place agents into a legislative roll-call preference space mistakenly as if agents were themselves legislators. I propose a new method that leverages the observed behavioral hypotheses to identify a set of agent-specific bridging parameters that place agents directly into legislative roll-call preference space as agents, rather than counterfactually as legislators. I apply my method to test whether members of Congress condition their questioning of witnesses in committee hearings on preference similarity within the legislator-witness dyad, as a test of lobbying models for strategic information transmission.


The Nimbus 7 Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) instrument, which began taking data in November 1978, was the first instrument to make solar UV irradiance measurements covering both the minimum and maximum activity levels of a solar cycle. The currently archived irradiance data set was processed with an instrument characterization which fails to completely account for sensor degradation in the later part of the data record, thus limiting the accuracy of estimated long-term solar activity variations and the scientific value of the data. In this paper, we describe an improved Nimbus 7 SBUV spectral irradiance data set, which utilizes a more accurate model for instrument sensitivity and treats other time-dependent problems in the archived data. Estimated long-term irradiance changes during solar cycle 21 are 8.3(±2.6)% at 205 nm, and 4.9(±1.8)% at 240 nm. The revised Nimbus 7 SBUV irradiance data are in good agreement with predictions of solar cycle variations from the Mg II index proxy model. These solar irradiance changes are also consistent with overlapping irradiance data from the declining phase of solar cycle 21 measured by the Solar Mesosphere Explorer (SME). The Nimbus 7 SBUV irradiance data represent the earliest component of a 20+ year continuous record of solar spectral UV activity.


Defines "Hawala" as an Arabic word meaning "change" or "transform". Describes it as a system which goes back to 11th century India and allows money to be transferred around the globe without actual money movement or wire transfers, depending on a system of family, clan or ethnic connections. Outlines the benefits of hawala remittance as its cost effectiveness, reliability, efficiency, speed, and convenience for foreign workers who may be semi‐illiterate and certainly not familiar with formal banking systems. Relates this to actual hawala money changers in Malaysia's Klang Valley, who provided the information for this article, and to the potential of the hawala system to facilitate money laundering and, ultimately, terrorism. Reports that Malaysia is a country named by the Pentagon as a country in which terrorists launder funds, and that it has implemented focused and wideranging measures to combat this menace.


PurposeThe study considers time-varying risk premium in investigating the capability of technical analysis (TA) to predict and outperform a buy–hold strategy in Bitcoin exchange rate returns.Design/methodology/approachThe study tests the technical trading rule of fixed moving average (FMA) on daily actual and equilibrium returns of Bitcoin exchange rates. The equilibrium returns are computed using dynamic CAPM in conjunction with a VAR-MGARCH (1, 1) system. The empirical evaluation of the study uses a case study of four Bitcoin exchange rates (BTC/AUD, BTC/EUR, BTC/JPY and BTC/ZAR) for the period 19 June 2010 to 30 October 2020.FindingsThe findings are consistent with related studies in conventional foreign exchange markets that find TA to be profitable, especially in emerging markets. Nevertheless, the consideration of risk premium has the effect of reducing the abnormal returns. Also, further robust tests reveal that Bitcoin returns possess a momentum effect which prompts further study in efficient market hypothesis research.Practical implicationsThe empirical findings of this study should benefit portfolio managers and active investors on the strength of TA to predict returns in a speculative market like the Bitcoin exchange rate market.Originality/valueThe study takes cognisance that cryptocurrency trading is speculative in nature which renders it a good candidate for TA methods. While there are studies that have explored the value of TA in Bitcoin exchange rates, these studies fail to incorporate the effects of time-varying risk premiums, the strength and focus of the current paper.


Understanding biological invasions requires information on the history of spatial spread, as well as measures of landscape and biotic features that control habitat invasibility. Because invasive species often spread quickly over large areas, attaining these two sets of information simultaneously is uncommon. We studied the spread of a fatal nonnative root pathogen, Phytophthora lateralis, across a heterogeneous landscape of its host, Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana). Within our 37-km2 study area in southwestern Oregon and northwest California, Port Orford cedar populations are generally restricted to riparian zones along creeks. The pathogen is spread between watersheds in two ways: (1) by spore-infested material being dislodged from vehicles, and (2) by animals or people moving infested mud (i.e., via foot traffic). Using dendrochronological techniques, we determined the date of infection for dead cedars and reconstructed spread history across our study area from 1977 to 1999. Twenty-six of t...


INTRODUCTION
Preoperative anxiety is a common phenomenon. It is therefore necessary to investigate whether quantitative self-reporting anxiety scales can be helpful in the anaesthetic clinic and research. The aim of this study was to compare the state trait anxiety inventory (STAI), symptoms checklist 92 (SCL 92), the subscales anxiety and phobic anxiety, and a visual analogue scale for anxiety (VAS).

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Thirty-eight women consecutively referred for elective breast surgery filled in the rating scales the day before the operation.

RESULTS
A statistically significant correlation was found between STAI, SCL 92, anxiety, and VAS. The patients' STAI and SCL 92 anxiety scores were markedly higher than that of the background population.

DISCUSSION
In this study the STAI scale, SCL 92 anxiety, and VAS measure all essential features of the phenomenon. SCL 92 anxiety is nevertheless considered to be the most appropriate rating scale, because it has been validated in a Danish population.