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Previous research suggests that there is a demonstrated need to provide instructional and assessment accommodations for students with special needs in Canada and worldwide. Therefore, we conducted nine semi-structured interviews to better understand how Canadian elementary special education teachers' perceived understanding of accommodations affected their practices before the COVID-19 pandemic, during school closures, and after school reopened in the province of Saskatchewan. Our interview data show that teachers' perceptions of accommodations did not align with research and theory. Elementary teachers tended to utilize groupwise strategies for students with special needs. Overall, teachers' perceptions and practices of accommodations remained constant prior to school closures and after school reopened, excepting some practices that were changed due to the COVID-19 safety protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A work-zone introduces unexpected conditions for road users and may cause severe safety issues. This study aims to understand drivers' pre-crash improper actions, which are the major contributing factor to the crash occurrence and outcomes severity in single-vehicle (SV) work-zone crashes. A mixed logit model with heterogeneity in mean and variance was developed using Florida's seven-year work-zone crash data. The estimated models investigated five pre-crash improper actions (no contributing action, careless driving, speeding, swerving lanes, and other pre-crash actions) in SV work-zone crashes. Year-paired likelihood ratio tests identified temporal instability existing in the dataset over the study period and suggested yearly model estimation to capture the temporal instability. The model results identified a wide range of variables that impact drivers' pre-crash improper actions, such as driver and weather conditions, work-zone type, and temporal and lighting characteristics. The findings of this study imply that driving psychology plays a critical role in safety-related driving behaviors in work-zone areas. Engineering or education countermeasures that could increase driver alertness of potential hazards are suggested to reduce improper actions by drivers and improve work-zone safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zymomonas mobilis is a gram-negative facultative anaerobic spore, which is generally recognized as a safe. As a promising ethanologenic organism for large-scale bio-ethanol production, Z. mobilis has also shown a good application prospect in food processing and food additive synthesis for its unique physiological characteristics and excellent industrial characteristics. It not only has obvious advantages in food processing and becomes the biorefinery chassis cell for food additives, but also has a certain healthcare effect on human health. Until to now, most of the research is still in theory and laboratory scale, and further research is also needed to achieve industrial production. This review summarized the physiological characteristics and advantages of Z. mobilis in food industry for the first time and further expounds its research status in food industry from three aspects of food additive synthesis, fermentation applications, and prebiotic efficacy, it will provide a theoretical basis for its development and applications in food industry. This review also discussed the shortcomings of its practical applications in the current food industry, and explored other ways to broaden the applications of Z. mobilis in the food industry, to promote its applications in food processing. Potential applications of Zymomonas mobilis in food industry summarized for the first time. Research status of Z. mobilis in food additive synthesis, fermentation applications, and probiotics are discussed in details. Future research perspectives of Z. mobilis in food industry further proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is limited research exploring the changing clinical practices among healthcare providers (HPs) care for patients with Emergency Department (ED)-initiated Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD). This scoping review followed the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley to map relevant evidence and synthesize the findings. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus for related studies from inception through October 12, 2022. Following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 16 studies were included. Subsequently, they were charted and analyzed thematically based on ecological systems theory. The main determinants in the four ecological systems were generated as follows: (1) microsystem: willingness and attitude, professional competence, readiness, and preference; (2) mesosystem: ED clinical practices, departmental factors; (3) exosystem: multidisciplinary approaches, discharge planning, and (4) macrosystem: stigma, health insurance, policy. The findings have implications for HPs and researchers, as insufficient adoption, implementation, and retention of MOUD in the ED affect clinical practices. Across the four ecological systems, ED-initiated MOUD is shaped by multifaceted determinants. The microsystem underscores pivotal patient-HP trust dynamics, while the mesosystem emphasizes interdepartmental synergies. Exosystemically, resource allocation and standardized training remain paramount. The macrosystem reveals profound effects of stigma, insurance disparities, and evolving policies on treatment access and efficacy. Addressing these interconnected barriers is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes in the context of MOUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism growth is a significant factor in the economic development around the globe, and eco-innovation and tourism policies could improve the tourism development and needs the researchers' attention. Thus, the present article investigates the impact of eco-product innovation, eco-process innovation, eco-organizational innovation, eco-tourism policies, and social media on sustainable tourism development in Indonesia. This article has used primary data collection methods like questionnaires to collect the data from the selected respondents. The research also applied the smart-PLS to check the association among variables and test the hypotheses. The results revealed that eco-product innovation, eco-process innovation, eco-organizational innovation, eco-tourism policies, and social media have a positive nexus with sustainable tourism growth in Indonesia. This shows that through social media, the tourism firms keep in contact with the stakeholders, can have information, and share their own ideas with them. In this way, they can keep their tourism practice innovative and according to the requirements of stakeholders. This article guides the regulators to develop effective policies that improve sustainable tourism growth using eco-innovation and eco-tourism policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Picture My Participation (PmP) is a picture-supported child-report instrument of participation of children with disabilities. This study described the development of a mobile application of the PmP Traditional Chinese version (PmP-C) and evaluated its usability. The PmP-C App includes features that allow the input of a child's demographics, identification of frequency and involvement of 22 culturally appropriate activities, selection of the three most important activities and the specification of the environmental facilitators and barriers. The usability test was conducted with 10 healthcare workers, who interviewed 10 children with disabilities aged 6–12 years. The healthcare workers completed a usability questionnaire and were asked to provide feedback on the ease of use, learning, satisfaction and perceived usefulness. The mean score for the usability questionnaire ranged from 2.7 to 4.6 out of 5.0. The feedback indicated that the interface was simple to operate by the healthcare workers and was attractive and motivating to children. Improvements of layout design, operation instructions and technical problems were recommended, which contributed to the app program optimization. The PmP-C App provides a practical tool with initial support for usability to enable active engagement and communication of children with disabilities with healthcare providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (Clock) and brain and muscle ARNT-like 1 (Bmal1) are two core circadian clock genes. They form a heterodimer that can bind to the E-box element in the promoters of Period circadian protein (Per) and Cryptochrome (Cry) genes, thereby inducing the rhythmic expression of circadian clock control genes. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are type I transmembrane proteins belonging to the pattern recognition receptor (PRR) family. They can recognize a variety of pathogens and play an important role in innate immunity and adaptive immune responses. Recent studies have found that the circadian clock is closely associated with the immune system. TLRs have a certain correlation with the circadian rhythms; Bmal1 seems to be the central mediator connecting the circadian clock and the immune system. Research on Bmal1 and TLRs has made some progress, but the specific relationship between TLRs and Bmal1 remains unclear. Understanding the relationship between TLRs and Clock/Bmal1 genes is increasingly important for basic research and clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use a cross-country cross-industry unbalanced panel dataset to examine whether countries with a higher degree of international financial integration exhibit a greater comparative advantage in the exports of industries that rely more on external financing. Our results indicate that financial integration can be a source of comparative advantage, especially for industries relying more on external finance. However, the benefits of financial integration also depend on a country's quality of economic and legal institutions. The pros and cons of international financial integration are still being debated in the literature. Our study adds empirical evidence to the beneficial effects of financial integration on real economic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study explored whether the growth of food-delivery services has affected motorcycle accident patterns. When riders check their phones for directions and orders, safety risks rise. The study conducted analysis on the spatial pattern of motorcycle accidents. Separate models for food delivery and non-food delivery motorcycle accidents (FDMAs vs. NFDMAs) were built to detect differences, and the relative importance of spatial features particular to FDMAs is discussed. Trends in motorcycle accidents in Taiwan changed from 2012 to 2019. The cross-sectional analysis revealed that hotel and restaurant density along with FDMAs reported in the previous year can predict the number of FDMAs; whereas the number of NFDMAs can be determined by population density and the number of 3-legged intersections. The spatial analysis of motorcycle accidents help increase couriers' risk awareness in specific workplaces, provide insurance companies with a benchmark for regional pricing differentiation, and offer support for distracted riding regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With this fundamental difference between the approaches of the UN and the Catholic Church identified, there is hope to articulate the reasons the UN protections for migrants designated as refugees should also apply to those who choose to seek refugee status justified by climate change. The UN instead must find ways to describe the threat of climate change under its definition of the kinds of things refugees flee, which must be persecution causing intentional harms, or recently might involve land imminently disappearing, resulting in a narrow definition of climate refugees. The first attempted claimants to the status of climate change refugees in Teitiota's region were not considered victims of persecution such that they were granted refugee status, in part because the environment impacts everyone living in that area indiscriminately. [Extracted from the article]

ATM deletions and/or mutations are recurrent in lymphoid neoplasms while rearrangements are rare. In this study, we used mate pair sequencing (MPseq) technology to characterize two novel ATM rearrangements in one patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and one patient with T-prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL). Both patients showed chromosome 11q22 aberrations encompassing ATM by conventional karyotype and fluorescence in situ hybridization: isolated t(11;13)(q22;q14) in CLL and a complex karyotype with apparent 11q deletion and unbalanced der(14)t(11;14)(q22;p11.2) in T-PLL. MPseq identified ATM-LINC00371 fusion in CLL and ATM-USP28 in T-PLL, both of which led to ATM inactivation, confirmed by loss of immunohistochemical protein expression. Next-generation sequencing mutation analysis detected concurrent ATM mutation(s) CLL patient, while T-PLL lacked ATM mutation. ATM rearrangements, not apparently detectable using standard laboratory technologies, represent another mechanism of loss-of-function. Recent high-throughput technologies such as MPseq can uncover novel pathogenic gene fusions and resolve complex chromosomal rearrangements in hematologic malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the failure mechanism and strengthening effect of a shield tunnel lining structure reinforced via steel plates with corbels. A detailed three-dimensional (3D) numerical model is established for the staggered-joint segmental lining structure of an actual shield tunnel in the Kunming metro-system, which is then validated via a full-scale simulation experiment of the shield tunnel segmental lining structure. Then, the actual loading conditions of the staggered-joint shield tunnel segmental lining structure in the Kunming metro-system are simulated, and the mechanical responses of the segmental lining are analysed in terms of the variation in its diameter, opening amount of the joints and stress of the bolts. The ultimate load-bearing capacity of the lining structure reinforced using steel plates with corbels is improved to 610 kN, which is 41.9% higher than the unreinforced structure with an ultimate load-bearing capacity of 430 kN. Moreover, the strengthening effect of the reinforcement using steel plates with corbels is discussed considering actual field monitoring data and other reinforcement methods. It is concluded that the results of this paper can provide an effective reference for similar reinforcement schemes of shield tunnels. The defined classification criteria can be adopted to determine the deformation stage of reinforced shield tunnels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the association between caregiver characteristics and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in patients with dementia (PWD) in a Taiwanese community-dwelling population. This cross-sectional study was conducted using the data of 190 patients with Alzheimer's disease/dementia and 190 informal matched caregivers in Taiwan. BPSD were examined using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire (NPI-Q). Correlation and regression analyses were used to explore associations between caregiver characteristics and the presence, severity, and distress of NPI-Q items. Only spouse primary caregiver was positively associated with presence of delusions in PWD. Caregiver education was positively correlated to severity of hallucinations, agitation/aggression, and apathy/indifference in PWD, while child primary caregiver was positively related to severity of disinhibition in PWD but negatively related to severity of anxiety in PWD. Spouse primary caregiver was positively related to severity of anxiety and appetite/eating in PWD while sole primary caregiver was positively related to severity of anxiety and nighttime behaviors in PWD. Caregiver education was positively correlated to distress of agitation/aggression in caregivers while child primary caregiver was positively related to distress of disinhibition in caregivers. Spouse primary caregiver was positively related to distress of anxiety and appetite/eating in caregivers while spouse caregiver was positively related to distress of nighttime behaviors in caregivers. Caregiver education, child and spouse primary caregiver were relevant to severity of PWD and distress of caregivers of BPSD. It is suggested that healthcare professionals provide caregivers with proper individualized interventions based on these results to enhance caring quality. Caregiver education was positively correlated to severity of hallucinations, agitation/aggression, and apathy/indifference, and distress of agitation/aggression. Child primary caregiver was positively related to severity and distress of disinhibition but negatively related to severity of anxiety. Spouse primary caregiver was positively related to severity and distress of anxiety and appetite/eating, and distress of nighttime behaviors [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tourism industry contributes eight percent to global carbon emissions, directly and indirectly. Indirect carbon emissions are often neglected because they are difficult to calculate. The traditional approach to calculating indirect emissions – Life Cycle Assessment – is expensive and requires an expert data analyst. We introduce an alternative approach, the Environmentally Extended Input-Output Analysis. We show how this approach – currently used at macro-level to estimate carbon emissions at national or regional level – can be applied to the business level using carbon emissions generated by one hotel room clean as an example. Our comparative analysis shows that Environmentally Extended Input-Output Analysis leads to similar results as Life Cycle Assessment, while being substantially cheaper and more user-friendly. Environmentally Extended Input-Output Analysis, we conclude, enables tourism businesses to estimate the indirect carbon emissions of their operations, which is the key to identifying target areas for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statins are widely used to treat people with metabolic and cardiovascular disorders. The effect of statins on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unclear. To investigate the association between statins and COVID-19 outcomes and, if possible, identify the subgroup population that benefits most from statin use. A systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies that included statin users and described COVID-19 outcomes through 10 November 2020. This study used the generic inverse variance method to perform meta-analyses with random-effects modelling. The main outcomes were evaluation of the need for invasive mechanical ventilator (IMV) support, the need for intensive care unit (ICU) care and death. All outcomes were measured as dichotomous variables. A total of 28 observational studies, covering data from 63,537 individuals with COVID-19, were included. The use of statins was significantly associated with decreased mortality (odds ratio [OR] = 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.55–0.92, I2=72%) and the need for IMV (OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.69–0.95, I2=0%) but was not linked to the need for ICU care (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.55–1.51, I2=66%). Subgroup analysis further identified five types of studies in which statin users had even lower odds of death. The use of statins was significantly associated with a reduced need for IMV and decreased mortality among individuals with COVID-19. Statins may not need to be discontinued because of concern for COVID-19 on admission. Further randomized controlled trial (RCTs) are needed to clarify the causal effect between statin use and severe COVID-19 outcomes. Participants in five types of studies were shown to have even lower odds of death when taking statins. The use of statins was significantly associated with a reduced need for invasive mechanical ventilation and decreased all-cause mortality among individuals with COVID-19. However, statin use did not prevent participants from needing care in the intensive care unit. The results justify performing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to validate the benefits of statins on COVID-19 outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses a capacitated vehicle routing problem with time windows and simultaneous pickup and delivery (VRPTWPD) for scheduling bus-type taxis formerly served by regular buses. The effects of varying the maximum number of passenger seats on service quality and costs are investigated. Taiwan's government has subsidized public transport in order to ensure consistency between service shifts and demands, improve the efficiency of public transport operations, and maintain an ongoing supply of services while reducing the number of scooters and/or private cars on roads to minimize traffic congestion. Ultimately, the intent is to reduce government subsidies further and maintain service quality at reasonable levels. Transit planners have also introduced the Demand Responsive Transit System (DRTS) to connect routes. Particularity in rural areas, local transit planners have replaced buses with taxis to form a bus-type taxi service that increases efficiency. As a consequence, the transit service in low-density or rural areas has not been abandoned. The study acknowledges that optimal routes for successful bus-type taxis services vary by area. Routing and scheduling results will assist route planners' efforts to provide sufficient transit services in rural areas. The study results also suggest that further reductions in government subsidies are possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibilities that medical students will take care of persons 65 years of age or older in hospitals and communities are increasing due to a growing aged population. This study marks one of the first in-depth attempts to explore willingness to care toward older peoples in Taiwan medical students. A cross-sectional research design was used. Stratified sampling was applied to recruit participants from six medicine colleges. There were 580 medical students who completed the questionnaire. A multiple regression analysis were conducted. The results found that the significant predictors of medical students' willingness to care for older adults were perceptions of getting together with older people, grandparents were major caregivers during childhood, and experienced of being a volunteer who served older people. The findings of this study can provide information to faculty members and clinical preceptors for designing curricula and related activities or arranging practica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selecting qualified suppliers from a group of candidates is important to procurement. Having several qualified suppliers to choose from can increase production flexibility and bargaining power. This research aims at selecting the substitute suppliers that can produce the parts with the same quality as the current supplier. Most of the existing supplier selection methods focused on univariate or linear profile data, which are insufficient to solve the supplier selection problem under nonlinear profile data. This research develops a step-up approach to select qualified suppliers for substitution under nonlinear profile data where there exists a nonlinear functional relationship between the quality characteristic and the explanatory variable. The proposed approach uses polynomial regression followed by the sequential test procedure to compare profile differences. The simulation results show that the proposed approach can reject the suppliers with different profile functions from the current supplier with satisfying power levels. To illustrate the effectiveness and practicality, the proposed approach is applied to select qualified voice coil motor (VCM) suppliers for a digital camera module manufacturer. Procuring the VCM from the selected suppliers can fulfill a higher demand, while maintaining the operational function and quality of the digital camera module. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote association requires players to use their mental transformation to identify objects' relationships by activating knowledge application. A Chinese Remote Association game was designed (example question: □樂□信□車, where the answer is快) to explore learners' cognitive and affective effects, and then eighth grade students were invited to play using their smartphones. Data were collected for confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation modeling. The results revealed that intrinsic cognitive load was negatively related to flow experience, while gameplay interest was positively related to flow experience, and flow experience was positively related to performance progress in Chinese association. The implication of this study is that using remote Chinese association as an application game can enhance players' flow experience and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript aims to synthesize what is known, and what is unknown, about immigrants' experiences of work-family interaction, specifically the work-family conflict, in the U.S. A systematic review method was conducted using multiple electronic databases. After applying inclusion criteria, six studies were included. Immigrant workers across studies in this systematic review reported experiencing work-family conflict. Four categories of factors associated with immigrants' work-family conflict were identified: (1) work-domain factors, (2) family-domain factors, (3) health outcomes, and (4) immigration, acculturation, and gender roles. In the work domain, job demands are positively associated with work-family conflict, while having job control and job support are negatively associated with work-family conflict. More domestic work demands and economic responsibilities in the family domain have contributed to work-family conflict, whereas having domestic support for childcare and housework helped mitigate work-family conflict. This review shows that work-family conflict has contributed to deteriorating physical and mental health outcomes among immigrants. Most importantly, this study reveals that immigration per se has uniquely shaped immigrants' work-family interactions through the separation from family and community, the salience of employment, losing networks of social support, transitioning from collectivist cultures to an individualistic culture, and modified gender roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main issue in lot streaming (LS) is determining the means by which to split jobs into sub-jobs to improve the makespan (or some other criterion). However, LS has been overlooked in most studies dealing with scheduling problems associated with specific kinds of job shops, where the job value exponentially deteriorates over time. The current study attempts to determine whether the expected benefits of LS would be evident in the job-shop scheduling problem (JSP) with the objective of maximising the total value of jobs. This study comprised two stages. In the first stage, we studied the influence of a fixed number of sub-jobs on the performance of the LS by systematically varying this parameter using the fixed number job splitting (FNJS) approach. We considered a total of 12 dispatching rules for the analysis of relative performance. Simulation results suggest that dividing each job into several sub-jobs increases the total value of jobs. In addition, dispatching rules incorporating information related to job value perform better than those without this information. In the second stage of the study, we proposed a genetic algorithm-based job splitting (GAJS) approach. The simulation results led us to conclude that the GAJS approach is superior to the FNJS approach in terms of the total value of the jobs and the average number of sub-jobs generated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper investigates relationships among gender, spatial anxiety, and operational performance of car navigation systems (CNSs) with a traditional Chinese interface. 600 study participants performed a route-locating task on a CNS and reported their competence to cope with spatial anxiety using the Spatial Anxiety Scale. The study found that gender predicted operational performance: female participants needed more time to perform the designated navigation task than male participants; gender predicted participants' competence to cope with spatial anxiety: female participants reported lower competence to cope with spatial anxiety than male participants, and CNS interface design predicted CNS operational performance. These findings play an important role in determining CNS adoption for drivers. Findings also provide manufacturers and marketers with reliable information regarding at whom they should target their CNS products to demonstrate that manufacturers should develop interfaces that fit small-display CNSs based on gender or create a gender-neutral user experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of colonial-era Taiwan's literary and cultural production have been growing steadily in number since the 1990s but are mostly dedicated to constructing a coherent resistance-centred postcolonial historiography. Such a reading has some validity but is limited and tendentious because it reduces the dynamic interactions between Japanese and Taiwanese to an artificial binary. This article takes the concept "folklore" and related terms such as "locality" as its main point of inquiry, offering a revisionist reading of the diverse nationalist articulations of "folklore" and locality in three case studies: the diverse voices in Minzoku Taiwan, the differences between Shimada Kinji and Huang Deshi's historiographies of Taiwanese literature, and Lü Heruo's works on Taiwan's cultural practices in the heyday of Japan's imperialisation campaign. Through textual analysis, this article argues that the colonisers' identity was in constant need of re-forging, whereas the colonial policies and what the colonised writers hoped to achieve were not always incompatible. The colonisers' call for revitalising local cultures, in all the cases in point, provided a discursive space and highly contested ground for the colonisers and colonised to redraw the imperial boundaries and negotiate their own identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protocells - precursors, or models of living cells formed by the innate, complex chemistry of molecules existing at the interface between oil and lye - while being induced by theatrical human performers are, however, animated by their own membranes: they are formed by an alkali solution released on a fatty milieu. There are two membranes that animate our understanding of protocells as non-human agents and "performers": the negotiation of porosity and transference in protocells' membranes; and the boundary between living and non- living matter. We began by testing different combinations of lye and oil in an attempt to understand the performance of the "membrane" The forces generated in its interior "animate" the droplet, thickening and weakening the membrane as it pushes the protocell to move. We used these tactics to create sites of transference and porosity across the membranes in our performance. [Extracted from the article]

Background and Purpose: Oxidative stress is involved in the development of infections. However, whether oxidative stress indicators can be used as markers of stroke-associated infection (SAI) is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to test the predictive values of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels for SAI incidence. Methods: A total of 45 consecutive patients with ischemic stroke who were admitted to our hospital were enrolled. A prospective study was carried out to observe the occurrence of SAI during the first 7 days after stroke. Accordingly, the patients were divided into SAI and non-SAI groups. The relationship between SOD and MDA serum levels and SAI was analyzed. Results: The patients in the SAI group had significantly higher serum SOD levels than those in the non-SAI group (41.638 ± 3.428 U/ml vs. 36.542 ± 9.114 U/ml, p = 0.033). However, there were no significant differences in MDA levels between the SAI and non-SAI group (p > 0.05). The discriminating ability of serum SOD level for SAI was measured using an ROC curve. Serum level of SOD >38.16 U/ml was useful in diagnosing SAI with a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 61%. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that the group with serum SOD level >38.16 U/ml had higher rates of SAI incidence (χ2 = 9.688, p = 0.002; log rank test). Furthermore, Cox regression analysis indicated that a serum SOD level >38.16 U/ml was an independent risk factor for SAI (hazard ratio = 5.836; 95% CI, 1.298–26.244; p = 0.021). Conclusions: Acute-phase serum SOD level could be a predictor of SAI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Nighttime crashes are overrepresented on the U.S. highway system. Roadway lighting, which provides additional visibility by supplementing vehicle headlights, has been identified as an effective countermeasure to improve nighttime safety. However, the existing literature does not provide a thorough understanding of the effects of street lighting photometric characteristics on nighttime crash occurrence on roadway segments. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between lighting photometric measures and nighttime crash risk on roadway segments and develop a crash modification function/factor (CMF). Methods: The research team collected horizontal illuminance data on 440 roadway segments between 2 successive signalized intersections in Florida for 2012-2014 and matched 4 years of nighttime and daylight crash data (2011-2014). Random parameter negative binomial models were estimated for both nighttime and daylight crash frequencies. The expected night-to-day crash odds ratio, as an equivalent of CMF, was derived from the fitted models with the correction of estimation variances. The confidence intervals (CIs) of the developed CMF were estimated using the Cox method. Results: The coefficient of the mean of horizontal illuminance is significantly negative in the nighttime model. The coefficients of the standard deviation of horizontal illuminance are significantly positive and normally distributed in both the nighttime and daylight models. The significance of the standard deviation in the daylight model captures the confounding effects-a high standard deviation correlates with high traffic exposures, poor safety design standards, and low maintenance quality. The CMF based on the expected daylight-to-day odds ratio was developed as an exponential function of the increments and the increment squares of the mean and the standard deviation of horizontal illuminance. Its 95% CIs indicate that the CMF is almost significant over the whole range. Other significant variables contributing to nighttime crash risk include annual average daily traffic, truck percentage, segment length, access density, undivided roads, and urban/city limits. Conclusions: Horizontal illuminance characteristics have a significant impact on nighttime crash risk on roadway segments. An increase in the mean of horizontal illuminance, indicating an improvement in average lighting level, tends to decrease nighttime crash risk; an increase in the standard deviation, representing a poor uniformity of lighting pattern on a roadway segment, is more likely to raise nighttime crash risk. Because the 2 measures are strongly correlated in a low mean range (<0.44 fc), the 2 photometric measures need to be considered together to interpret the safety effects of lighting patterns. The standard deviation shows better performance in measuring lighting uniformity on a roadway segment than the traditional ratios (max-to-min and mean-to-min). However, a new photometric measure is needed to capture the true lighting pattern influencing driver vision at night. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We spatially analyze 2016 data on logistics performance and country wealth using a linear regression framework to determine the relationships between a country's logistics performance index (LPI) and its domestic product (GDP) per capita, and between its LPI and those of its neighbours. We find that richer countries score better on logistics and GDP per capita appears to have limited ability in accounting for variations in logistics performance, but a country's LPI is closely related to those of its neighbours. We also find that very large differences in one country's GDP per capita do not significantly change the world's expected logistics performance level. We obtain the key insights that LPIs, each of which measures the performance along the logistics supply chain within a country, cannot in general be assumed to be mutually independent and that observations that are spatially close to one another are likely to be similar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our study was to determine the impact of high-risk disease (HRD) and MRD on outcomes in myeloma patients receiving bortezomib-based induction followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (auto-HSCT). HRD included t(4:14), t(14;16), del 17p, del 1p and/or amplification 1q by cytogenetics/FISH; all others were standard-risk disease (SRD). A subset of 165 newly diagnosed myeloma patients in a 2:1 ratio of HRD:SRD was generated using propensity score based nearest neighbor matching. Multiparametric flow cytometry (MFC) was used to detect MRD after auto-HSCT in select patients. MRD+ status at 3 months post auto-HSCT (hazard ratio (HR = 4.23, p = .028) and HRD (HR = 1.72, p = .026) were associated with a shorter PFS. Similarly, MRD+ 3 months post auto-HSCT (HR = 6.93, p = .08) and HRD (HR = 3.54, p < .001) and were associated with a shorter OS. Despite bortezomib-based induction, upfront auto-HSCT, and use of maintenance therapy, PFS and OS remained worse in MRD+ and HRD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: DNA methylation is a well-known epigenetic modification, and it can be iteratively oxidized to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5-fC) and 5-carboxylcytosine (5-caC). Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a severe hematological disease, and it is essential to find out new biomarkers to better diagnose and cure ALL due to the development of chemo-resistance and low cure rate in adult ALL. This study aims to describe the role of global methylation and demethylation intermediates in ALL. Methods: The levels of global methylation and its oxidation products in the peripheral blood (PB) of ALL patients and healthy controls were determined by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Results: In this study, we described that global 5-mC, 5-hmC and 5-fC levels were dysregulated in ALL, and they were associated with clinical characteristics and genetic abnormalities of ALL patients. Interestingly, 5-mC and 5-hmC were closely related to inflammation, and the levels of 5-hmC were inversely correlated with C-Reactive protein (CRP) and ferritin. Finally, 5-mC and 5-hmC were associated with complete remission (CR), and 5-hmC was revealed as an independent prognostic indicator for ALL. Conclusion: This study described a novel role for global methylation and demethylation intermediates in ALL detection and prognosis, and provided new clue to distinguish high-risk patients and improve the curative effect on ALL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to analyze the effects of health promotion efforts in relation to a workplace accreditation program and differing workplace sizes. The research population for the study consisted of 966 employees working at a total of 84 different worksites located in Taipei, Taiwan. The survey instructions used were developed by the European Network for Workplace Health Promotion (WHP). The results indicate that accredited workplaces have better WHP quality than nonaccredited workplaces (p <.001) and commonly implement health promotion measures related to specific health issues. It is recommended that the government provide more health-related resources in workplaces, especially those of small and medium companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southeastern China is characterized by an extensive Late Mesozoic (Yanshanian) tectono-magmatic-metallogenic event. Although Late Cretaceous volcanism gradually weakened during the epilogue of the Yanshanian event, its petrogenesis and geodynamic processes remain unclear. In this study, we present new zircon U-Pb-Hf isotopic, whole-rock elemental, and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions data, for volcanic rocks from the Zhaixia Formation of the Shimaoshan Group in Fujian Province. The lower member of the Zhaixia Formation consists of basalts and rhyolites, and the upper member is only rhyolites. These volcanic rocks erupted in the early stage of Late Cretaceous, with basalts erupting earlier (ca. 99-98 Ma) than rhyolites (ca. 98-94 Ma). These basalts record high-K calc-alkaline to shoshonitic, light rare earth element (LREE)- and LILE-enrichment, high field strength element (HFSE)depletion with negligible Eu anomalies, and uniform whole-rock εNd(t) (-3 to -6) and zircon εHf(t) (-3.3 to -14.1) values. The overlying rhyolites record peraluminous and high-K calc-alkaline characteristics, LREE- and LILE-enrichment with negative Eu anomalies, and Nb-Ta depletion. The whole-rock εNd(t) and zircon εHf(t) values of these rhyolites both increase from the lower member (εNd(t), -1.5 to -4.7; εHf(t), -5.1 to -16.1) to the upper member (εNd(t), -0.5 to 0.1; εHf(t), -0.3 to -4.3). The features imply that these basalts were derived from the partial melting of the enriched lithospheric mantle and the overlying rhyolites from the melting of the crustal components, respectively. Data from the rhyolites in the upper member indicate that more juvenile, Nd-Hf isotopically depleted materials were injected into their source. During the Late Cretaceous, the new, fast rollback of the subducting slab triggered lithospheric extension and asthenospheric upwelling beneath the coastal regions, which induced the melting of lithospheric mantle and crustal components. As continued, the new round of basaltic underplating provided necessary heat to cause partial melting of the deep crust, including the younger, juvenile, and isotopically depleted crustal components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In community-based natural resource management, there is an emerging body of research on the work of external actors and their influence in community-resource interrelationships and community management decisions. Contributing to this research, this study examined the work of external actors using findings from semistructured interviews and participant observations conducted in Klong Prasong subdistrict, Krabi Province, Thailand, in mid-2014. The external actors, through Janus-faced linkages, are able to influence community-resource interrelationships and management approaches both positively and negatively. This case study also revealed university researchers, ecotourists, and private investors as non-conventional external actors. By influencing decision-making structures and environmental stewardship, external actors impact on the governance of a community natural resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic vapor sensing properties of nanoporous ZnO microspheres coated on a quartz crystal microbalance were characterized. The ZnO nanoparticles were aggregated by aqueous synthesis into micrometer diameter spheres. The porous structure of the microspheres provided sufficient surface area for vapor adsorption and diffusion for gas exchange. The reversible response suggests that complete desorption without contamination was achieved. Sensing films on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) were characterized using five volatile organic compounds with different functional groups to compare the differences in selectivity between polyisobutylene (PIB) and nanoporous ZnO. The response time for nanoporous ZnO was half the value of the PIB-coated sensor. The results show that nanoporous ZnO microspheres are an alternative that provide selectivity and rapid response for QCM. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Students of Southeast Asian Heritage Learning Chinese (SSAHLC) in Taiwan have frequently demonstrated difficulty with traditional Chinese (a graphical character) radical recognition due to their limited exposure to the written language form since childhood. In this study, we designed a Chinese radical learning game (CRLG), which adopted a drill and practice mode, for SSAHLC to practice recognizing Chinese radicals. To facilitate Chinese writing, non-native learners need to use aspects of the radical knowledge as cues to encode characters, from which the contents of the game were built up for SSAHLC to master the Chinese written forms by playing the CRLG with gesture-based interactions. In addition, the game was used to explore the students’ intrinsic motivation relevant to online learning self-efficacy, as well as the experience of flow, to predict the degree of learning progress. Data were collected from 78 SSAHLC participating in the study, and 73 valid questionnaires were returned. After applying confirmatory factor analysis as well as structural equation modeling to the valid data, it was found that four constructs, namely intrinsic motivation, online learning self-efficacy, flow experience, and learning progress, were all positively correlated. Our results indicated that intrinsic motivation of Chinese learning predicted online learning self-efficacy, and that flow experience was relevant to the students’ learning progress. Moreover, the degree of learning progress could be predicted by the mediating factors. These findings imply that heritage language teachers may utilize the CRLG to enhance learners’ Chinese radical recognition ability, and eventually improve their Chinese character recognition ability. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There are no salient word spaces in Mandarin Chinese. Thus, it is unclear whether word spacing information differentially affects the reading speed of children with and without reading difficulties (RD). In the present study, native Chinese-speaking children of differential reading abilities were tested with Chinese text in un-spaced versus spaced versions at different time points during training. The results indicated that spaced texts slow down reading speeds in children without RD. In contrast, spaced texts improved reading speeds in children with reading difficulties after some training took place. These findings suggest that the effect of word spacing information on Chinese reading might vary as a function of individual differences in reading abilities. We argue that children with RD can accommodate to the spaced text better than children without RD and that they can take advantage of using bottom-up spacing information to segment and recognize words in text. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The immunization effect ofEurotium cristatumisolated from Fuzhuan brick-tea was evaluated. Ethyl acetate extraction (E2) had an increasing effect on T cell subset proportions. And then four compounds (physcion, echinulin, catenarin and emodin) were isolated fromE. cristatum. The immunization effect of echinulin was observed through determining T cell subsets’ percentage, DNA synthesis and cytokine levels. It suggested that the immunization effect of compounds might work in relation to its structure. In addition, echinulin accelerated protein of p65, IκBα upregulation and nuclear translocation of p65 by the NF-κB signaling pathway. The result showed that the immunization effect of echinulin is closely related to the activation of NF-κB activity. Meanwhile echinulin increased transcript levels of p65 and IκBα in T cells at 200 μM (middle dosages group). It demonstrated that the immunization effection of echinulin on T cells is enhanced by activating NF-κB signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Detecting cardioembolic stroke soon after acute cerebral ischemia has a major impact on secondary stroke prevention. Recently, the Score for the Targeting of Atrial Fibrillation (STAF) was introduced to identify stroke patients at risk of atrial fibrillation. However, whether the STAF score could be a useful approach to differentiate cardioembolic stroke from other stroke subtypes is unclear. Methods: Consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke that were admitted to our stroke center were enrolled. Each patient was assessed (age, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, left atrial dilatation and absence of vascular etiology) to calculate the STAF score. A follow-up visit was conducted for each patient during hospitalization to determine the diagnosed stroke etiology according to the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment criteria. Results: The median and interquartile range of the STAF score was significantly higher in the cardioembolic than in the non-cardioembolic group [6 (2) vs. 2 (3), p < 0.001]. The discriminating ability of the STAF score model was good as demonstrated by the receiver operating characteristic curve. The area under the curve (AUC) of STAF score (AUC = 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96–0.99) was significantly greater than B-type natriuretic peptide (AUC = 0.87; 95% CI, 0.83–0.91) (p < 0.05). The optimal STAF cut-off value was ≥ 5, which diagnosed cardioembolic stroke with a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 95%. Conclusions: The STAF score is a simple and accurate tool that can discriminate the cardioembolic stroke from other types during hospitalization for acute ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learners encounter science in a wide variety of contexts beyond the science classroom which collectively could be quite influential on student attitudes and abilities. But relatively little is known about the relative influence of different forms of informal science experiences, especially for the kinds of experiences that students typically access. We conduct factor and regression analyses on data collected from a large number of diverse public-school attending 6th and 8th graders drawn from two regions in the USA. Students completed a science reasoning measure and surveys of attitudes, previously completed informal science learning experiences, and demographic factors. Factor analyses identify four dimensions of informal science learning participation (in home, semiformal, nature, and museums). Regression analyses find a relative specificity of effects, with particular outcomes associated with a subset of the forms of informal science participation, highlighting the importance of controlling for correlated factors. There were also a few differences by grade level, with different experiences influencing the development of competency beliefs in science in early vs. late middle schoolers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: The aim was to investigate the visual outcomes of treatment with spectacles for bilateral high refractive amblyopia in children three to eight years of age.Methods: Children with previously untreated bilateral refractive amblyopia were enrolled. Bilateral high refractive amblyopia was defined as visual acuity (VA) being worse than 6/9 in both eyes in the presence of 5.00 D or more of hyperopia, 5.00 D or more of myopia and 2.00 D or more of astigmatism. Full myopic and astigmatic refractive errors were corrected, and the hyperopic refractive errors were corrected within 1.00 D of the full correction. All children received visual assessments at four-weekly intervals. VA, Worth four-dot test and Randot preschool stereotest were assessed at baseline and every four weeks for two years.Results: Twenty-eight children with previously untreated bilateral high refractive amblyopia were enrolled. The mean VA at baseline was 0.39 ± 0.24 logMAR and it significantly improved to 0.21, 0.14, 0.11, 0.05 and 0.0 logMAR at four, eight, 12, 24 weeks and 18 months, respectively (all p = 0.001). The mean stereoacuity (SA) was 1,143 ± 617 arcsec at baseline and it significantly improved to 701, 532, 429, 211 and 98 arcsec at four, eight, 12, 24 weeks and 18 months, respectively (all p = 0.001). The time interval for VA achieving 6/6 was significantly shorter in the eyes of low spherical equivalent (SE) (-2.00 D < SE < +2.00 D) than in those of high SE (SE > +2.00 D) (3.33 ± 2.75 months versus 8.11 ± 4.56 months, p = 0.0005). All subjects had normal fusion on Worth four-dot test at baseline and all follow-up visits.Conclusion: Refractive correction with good spectacles compliance improves VA and SA in young children with bilateral high refractive amblyopia. Patients with greater amounts of refractive error will achieve resolution of amblyopia with a longer time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years information technology has been integrated into education to produce a series of trends, beginning with “electronic learning” (e-learning), through “mobile learning” (m-learning) and finally to “ubiquitous learning” (u-learning), which aims to improve learner motivation through overcoming the conventional limitations of time and location. U-learning practices are still being developed, and learners frequently experience difficulty focusing on learning objectives, and effective learning strategy tools are still lacking. This study reports the design of a context-aware astronomy learning system. The system integrates several technologies, including radio frequency identification, wireless communication networks, handheld mobile devices, and databases to help students learn astronomical concepts. Two content modules were developed in the context of natural science education for fifth-grade elementary school students in Taiwan. Indicators of user experience with the system were collected for further phenomenographic analysis, based on four perspectives of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model to assess learner willingness to use this novel u-learning approach. Results show that ease-of-use and the availability of immediate operational or technical support are key factors in increasing learning motivation and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A new approach to moral education using blended learning has been developed. This approach involves 10 scenarios that are designed as a web-based game and serves as a basis for group moral-consequence-based reasoning, which is developed based on a hypothetical-deductive model. The aim of the study was to examine the changes in students' blended learning interest and reasoning ability in a time series experimental design. After playing the game with the 10 initial scenarios during the first week of the study, participants were subjected to five blended learning sessions that required them to discuss the consequences of one of the 10 scenarios using hypothetical-deductive reasoning. After six weeks, the data from the 110 participants were analyzed using time series statistics. The results indicated that players were highly interested in the game, although their interest had a tendency to decrease slightly over time. Repetitive game play (i.e. practice) was positively associated with the players' moral reasoning performance. The study results may lend support to the design of a game with additional or more highly complex content for players to further develop students' consequential reasoning ability. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Educational games can be viewed in two ways, “learning to play” or “playing to learn.” The Chinese Idiom String Up Game was specifically designed to examine the effect of “learning to play” on the interrelatedness of players' gameplay interest, competitive anxiety, and perceived utility of pre-game learning (PUPGL). Data from 288 subjects were validated and analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Results indicated that players' pre-game learning attitude (PGLA) served positively to predict participants' gameplay interest and reflected a higher level of PUPGL of learning gameplay. PGLA was negatively correlated to competitive anxiety but was not significantly associated with players' PUPGL of learning gameplay. These results implied that by enhancing players' willingness to learn before engaging in a competitive game can contribute to increased gameplay interest and reduced competitive anxiety, thereby reinforcing the benefits of educational games. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MYCandBCL2translocations in B-cell lymphomas are defined as “double-hit” associated with poor prognosis in adult patients. Such double-hit events are extremely rare in B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL), especially in pediatric patients or young adults. This study is to investigate the clinical manifestation ofde novo MYCyBCL2double-hit BCP-ALL in young patients. Two pediatric and one young adult patients were identified after a retrospective data review and all without previous history of lymphoma. There were two females and one male aged 15, 18, and 24, respectively. All patients had an unremarkable medical history before presenting with extensive bone marrow and central nervous system involvement at diagnosis. Flow cytometry immunophenotypic analysis showed an immature B-cell immunophenotype (CD10+, CD19+, TdT+, surface Ig-) and immunohistochemistry showed high expression of MYC and BCL2 in all cases. All patients showed complex karyotypes associated with 8q24 abnormalities in the form of t(8;9)(q24;p13) or t(8;14)(q24;q32) and t(14;18)(q32;q21) and fluorescencein situhybridization confirmedMYCandBCL2rearrangements. Two patients died of refractory disease or disease progression 7 and 13 months after initial diagnosis, respectively, and the third patient was treated with protocol AALL0232 under the Children's Oncology Group study, achieved complete remission and remained in remission for 53 months at last follow-up. Our study showed thatDe novo MYCyBCL2double-hit BCP-ALL is a rare disease that also occurs in pediatric and young adult patients and associated with complex karyotypes and poor prognosis. Younger patients may benefit from intensified chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify teacher candidates' needs for training in inclusive classroom assessment, the present study investigated teacher candidates' beliefs about inclusive classroom assessments for all students educated in regular classrooms, including those with special needs and English language learners. An innovative theoretical assessment model, consisting of four concepts of assessmentfor, as, oflearning as well as accommodations and modifications, was built to compare with questionnaire responses from a group of Canadian teacher candidates (n = 295). Our data yielded five factors: (1) beliefs about accommodations and modifications for students with diverse needs (ACC), (2) assessmentoflearning, (3) assessmentaslearning, (4) misconceptions of inclusive assessment, and (5) negative beliefs about assessment for learning (NAFL). Contrary to expectations, assessment concepts are not fully interrelated with each other in teacher candidates' belief systems. In addition, participating teacher candidates may have some misconceptions about inclusive assessments given that they possessed positive beliefs towards them. The implications for teacher education programmes and professional development were also discussed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Previous studies have reported that the total bilirubin (TB) level is associated with coronary artery disease, heart failure and atrial fibrillation. These heart diseases can produce cardiogenic cerebral embolism and cause cardioembolic stroke. However, whether the serum TB could be a biomarker to differentiate cardioembolic stroke from other stroke subtypes is unclear. Methods: Our study consisted of 628 consecutive patients with ischaemic stroke. Various clinical and laboratory variables of the patients were analysed according to serum TB quartiles and stroke subtypes. Results: The higher TB quartile group was associated with atrial fibrillation, larger left atrium diameter, lower left ventricular fractional shortening and cardioembolic stroke (P<0.001, P=50.001, P=50.033, P<0.001, respectively). Furthermore, serum TB was a statistically significant independent predictor of cardioembolic stroke in a multivariable setting (Continuous, per unit increase OR=51.091, 95%CI: 1.023- 1.164, P=50.008). Conclusions: Serum TB level was independently associated with cardioembolic stroke. The combination of clinical data and serum TB may be a feasible strategy to diagnose cardioembolic stroke in the acute phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveTo identify prenatal predictors for paternal childbirth participation in Taiwan. BackgroundIn recent years, certain hospitals in Taiwan have opened the delivery room to expectant fathers, to enable their involvement in the childbirth process. Although studies have revealed that paternal participation during labour yields positive outcomes, the specific characteristics of couples who wish for childbirth participation have not been identified. MethodThis cross-sectional study recruited 199 couples from a medical centre in Southern Taiwan. Structured questionnaires on socio-demographic characteristics, desire for paternal childbirth participation, social support and marital intimacy were administered to expectant mothers and their husbands in the 36th week of pregnancy. ResultsMore than 80% of both expectant mothers and fathers expressed a preference for paternal childbirth participation. Logistic regression analyses showed that women with a bachelor’s degree or higher were most likely to prefer paternal childbirth participation. Husbands with a bachelor’s degree or higher and those who perceived greater marital intimacy and greater support from healthcare professionals were most likely to prefer to participate in the childbirth process. ConclusionThis study revealed that most couples preferred paternal childbirth participation. Education level was a predictor of prenatal couples’ preference for paternal childbirth participation. Health care practitioners can effectively assess couples who desire paternal childbirth participation, and provide support to fit their needs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background The aim was to assess the macular parameters of glaucoma in highly myopic subjects. Methods In a retrospective study, we enrolled 72 highly myopic eyes (spherical equivalent up to -6.00 D), of which 31 had early to moderate glaucoma and 41 formed a control group. The diagnosis of early to moderate glaucoma was based on glaucomatous visual-field defects with a mean deviation better than -12 dB. All patients underwent imaging with Stratus optical coherence tomography. We subsequently performed analysis for macular volume and thickness parameters between two groups. Results Using Stratus optical coherence tomography, we found significantly lower values in both macular thickness and volume over outer superior, outer nasal, outer inferior, inner temporal and inner inferior regions in highly myopic eyes with early to moderate glaucoma than in the control group. The macular outer inferior average thickness, macular outer inferior average volume and total average macular volume on Stratus optical coherence tomography had a best combination of sensitivity and specificity (85.4 and 74.2 per cent, respectively). The outer inferior average volume and outer inferior average thickness parameters showed areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve value of 0.85 (95% CI 0.76 to 0.94), which were best for discriminating between early to moderate glaucoma and the control group. Conclusion Using Stratus optical coherence tomography, the outer inferior macular volume is the only independent predictor for detecting early to moderate glaucoma in high myopia. The macular outer inferior thickness and volume parameters showed good sensitivity, specificity and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. These parameters may provide a complementary glaucomatous diagnosis in highly myopic eyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]