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Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a tool that can be used to administer treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder, although the clinical efficacy is still rather modest. Overly general stimulation protocols that consider neither patient-specific depression symptomology nor individualized brain characteristics, such as anatomy or structural and functional connections, may be the cause of the high inter- and intraindividual variability in rTMS clinical responses. Multimodal neuroimaging can provide the necessary insights into individual brain characteristics and can therefore be used to personalize rTMS parameters. Optimal coil positioning should include a three-step process: 1) identify the optimal (indirect) target area based on the exact symptom pattern of the patient; 2) derive the cortical (direct) target location based on functional and/or structural connectomes derived from functional and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data; and 3) determine the ideal coil position by computational modeling, such that the electric field distribution overlaps with the cortical target. These TMS-induced electric field simulations, derived from anatomical and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data, can be further applied to compute optimal stimulation intensities. In addition to magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography can provide complementary information regarding the ongoing brain oscillations. This information can be used to determine the optimal timing and frequency of the stimuli. The heightened benefits of these personalized stimulation approaches are logically reasoned, but speculative. Randomized clinical trials will be required to compare clinical responses from standard rTMS protocols to personalized protocols. Ultimately, an optimized clinical response may result from precision protocols derived from combinations of personalized stimulation parameters.

BackgroundInflammation and metabolic dysregulation are age-related physiological changes and are associated with depressive disorder. We tried to identify subgroups of depressed older patients based on their metabolic-inflammatory profile and examined the course of depression for these subgroups.MethodsThis clinical cohort study was conducted in a sample of 364 depressed older (⩾60 years) patients according to DSM-IV criteria. Severity of depressive symptoms was monitored every 6 months and a formal diagnostic interview repeated at 2-year follow-up. Latent class analyses based on baseline metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers were performed. Adjusted for confounders, we compared remission of depression at 2-year follow-up between the metabolic-inflammatory subgroups with logistic regression and the course of depression severity over 2-years by linear mixed models.ResultsWe identified a ‘healthy’ subgroup (n = 181, 49.7%) and five subgroups characterized by different profiles of metabolic-inflammatory dysregulation. Compared to the healthy subgroup, patients in the subgroup with mild ‘metabolic and inflammatory dysregulation’ (n = 137, 37.6%) had higher depressive symptom scores, a lower rate of improvement in the first year, and were less likely to be remitted after 2-years [OR 0.49 (95% CI 0.26–0.91)]. The four smaller subgroups characterized by a more specific immune-inflammatory dysregulation profile did not differ from the two main subgroups regarding the course of depression.ConclusionsNearly half of the patients with late-life depressions suffer from metabolic-inflammatory dysregulation, which is also associated with more severe depression and a worse prognosis. Future studies should examine whether these depressed older patients benefit from a metabolic-inflammatory targeted treatment.

One of the main aims of the Erasmus programme is to promote a sense of European identity. Whereas several empirical studies have already investigated this relationship, few studies investigate what students actually mean when they refer to ‘Europe’. Therefore, in this paper I investigate the different latent dimensions of the concept Europe, as well as which of these dimensions are particularly associated with an exchange period abroad. The analyses are based on an online survey conducted with higher education students in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Poland and Sweden in 2011 ( n = 4278). The presented models reveal four latent dimensions, namely a ‘cultural’, ‘political’, ‘rights’ and ‘experiential’ dimension. Furthermore, the analyses suggest that exchange students are largely a self-selected group, being a priori more likely to identify with Europe and score higher on the four dimensions.

In this paper, we present a new multibiometric fusion method for the identification of persons using two modalities, the iris and the fingerprint. Each modality is separately processed to generate a vector of scores. The fusion method is applied at the score level. A preliminary study based on the k-means clustering method, for each modality, led us to split the score range into three zones of interest relevant to the proposed identification method. The fusion is then applied to the extracted regions using two approaches. The first one achieves the classification by the decision tree combined to the weighted sum (BCC), while the second approach is based on the fuzzy logic (BFL). Several tests were conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed methods on standard biometric databases using four metrics, namely, False Accept Rate, False Reject Rate, Enrollee False Accept Rate and Recognition Rate. The obtained results are very interesting since they illustrate clearly that the proposed fusion approaches outperform those based on a single modality. In addition, we showed that the BCC fusion approach achieves slightly better performance compared to the BFL.

The dynamic experimental and numerical analysis of cracked beams has been studied with the aim of quantifying the influence of depth crack on the dynamic response of steel beams. Artificial Neural Method ANN has been used where a numerical simulation was improved in Matlab. A finite element model has also been developed by using the Ansys software, and the obtained results were compared with exact crack length. The study takes into account different hidden layer values in order to determine the sensitivity of the predicted crack depth. The results show that the response of the beam (frequencies) is strongly related to the crack depth which significantly affects the beam behavior, especially when the crack is very deep where the ANN allows us to identify the crack in lower computational time. Based on the provided results, we can detect that the effect of hidden layer size can affect the results.

The 19th-century Italian art critic Giovanni Morelli contributed significantly to the theory and practice of attribution of paintings by prominent Renaissance masters. His methods, based on the profound knowledge of human anatomy and the analysis of artists’ professional skills, influenced not only the history of visual arts but also the development of forensic science, forensic medicine, the theory of psychoanalysis, and the practice of psychotherapy. The article provides the analysis of Giovanni Morelli’s scientific heritage for the identification and attribution of the works of fine art and for solving forensic tasks requiring the investigation of human skills and habits.Morelli’s methods and the capabilities of a comprehensive forensic study of artistic and cultural values with the involvement of the appropriate instrumental base and specialized knowledge in the field of art history, forensic traceology, and materials science, as well as digital technologies, can significantly increase the reliability of the results of attribution activities of museums, art scientists, experts of world auction houses and amateur collectors.

The epidemic situation and etiological factors of enterovirus infection in Russia and Vietnam were analysed and compared. The identified strains of enteroviruses of 47 types, which circulated in Russia in 2018–2019, belonged to different species: Enterovirus species A (CV-A2, CV-A4, CV-A6, CV-A8, CV-A10, CV-A16, EV-A71), as well as Enterovirus species B and Enterovirus species C. The strains isolated from 87 children from southern Vietnam hospitalised in 2018–2019 into infectious hospitals while having enterovirus infection with exanthema were also studied. All identified strains were represented by Enterovirus species A: EV-A71 — 59 strains, CV-A10 — 20 strains, CV-A16 — 5 strains, CV-A6 — two strains and CV-A2 — one strain. Out of 59 viruses EV-A71, 53 strains belonged to genotype C4 and 6 strains belonged to genotype B5. The sequences of EV-A71 strains of genotype C4 from South Vietnam formed a monophyletic cluster with the sequences of EV-A71 viruses which circulated during 2016–2018 in different provinces of China, and they were very close to EV-A71 strains of the same genotype from the Yunnan Province. These strains were genetically different from Russian viruses and Vietnamese viruses identified in the years 2003–2005 and 2011– 2012. Most of the cases of enterovirus infection from southern Vietnam (78%) caused by EV-A71 virus of genotype C4 were reported in three provinces located in southern Vietnam in the Mekong Delta. The epidemic process and the etiology of enterovirus infection in Russia and Vietnam have common features. At the same time, the epidemic situation in these countries is not the same. The incidence of enterovirus infection is influenced by geographic, climatic, economic and demographic factors that differ in two countries. In the majority of territories of Russia, the climate is temperate or cold, seasonal rises in the incidence rates of enterovirus infection usually occur in the summer, when people go on vacation, spend a lot of time outdoors and swim in open reservoirs. In Vietnam, a constant high-level temperature, a high population density and a large proportion of children determine the higher incidence of enterovirus infection, especially in the southern provinces of Vietnam, compared to Russia. The fact that more than 20% of the Vietnamese population lives in the Mekong Delta, which is the largest river in Indochina, has a significant impact on the epidemic process of enterovirus infection in South Vietnam. The Mekong River which flows through China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, and carries huge streams of water, including rainstorm waters and sewages, from all of these countries into the southern provinces of Vietnam, which have the highest incidence rates of enterovirus infection in the country. The results of the research underline the importance of active epidemiological and virological surveillance of enterovirus infection, which plays the key role in informing the public health authorities about the changes in the epidemic situation in order to take appropriate measures and develop the prevention strategies. The goal of anti-epidemic and preventive measures is to reduce the incidence of enterovirus infection and the economic burden of this infection for Russia and Vietnam.

Rationale: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a condition punctuated by acute exacerbations commonly triggered by viral and/or bacterial infection. Early identification of exacerbation triggers is important to guide appropriate therapy, but currently available tests are slow and imprecise. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be detected in exhaled breath and have the potential to be rapid tissue-specific biomarkers of infection etiology. Objectives: To determine whether volatile organic compound measurement could distinguish viral from bacterial infection in COPD. Methods: We used serial sampling within in vitro and in vivo studies to elucidate the dynamic changes that occur in VOC production during acute respiratory viral infection. Highly sensitive gas chromatography–mass spectrometry techniques were used to measure VOC production from infected airway epithelial-cell cultures and in exhaled breath samples from healthy subjects experimentally challenged with rhinovirus (RV)-A16 and from subjects with COPD with naturally occurring exacerbations. Measurements and Main Results: We identified a novel VOC signature comprising decane and other long-chain alkane compounds that is induced during RV infection of cultured airway epithelial cells and is also increased in the exhaled breath from healthy subjects experimentally challenged with RV and from patients with COPD during naturally occurring viral exacerbations. These compounds correlated with the magnitude of antiviral immune responses, viral burden, and exacerbation severity but were not induced by bacterial infection, suggesting that they represent a specific virus-inducible signature. Conclusions: Our study highlights the potential for measurement of exhaled breath VOCs as rapid, noninvasive biomarkers of viral infection. Further studies are needed to determine whether measurement of these signatures could be used to guide more targeted therapy with antibiotic/antiviral agents for COPD exacerbations.

The inclusion of peptide retention time prediction promises to remove peptide identification ambiguity in complex LC-MS identification workflows. However, due to the way peptides are encoded in current prediction models, accurate retention times cannot be predicted for modified peptides. This is especially problematic for fledgling open modification searches, which will benefit from accurate retention time prediction for modified peptides to reduce identification ambiguity. We here therefore present DeepLC, a novel deep learning peptide retention time predictor utilizing a new peptide encoding based on atomic composition that allows the retention time of (previously unseen) modified peptides to be predicted accurately. We show that DeepLC performs similarly to current state-of-the-art approaches for unmodified peptides, and, more importantly, accurately predicts retention times for modifications not seen during training. Moreover, we show that DeepLC’s ability to predict retention times for any modification enables potentially incorrect identifications to be flagged in an open modification search of CD8-positive T-cell proteome data. DeepLC is available under the permissive Apache 2.0 open source license and comes with a user-friendly graphical user interface, as well as a Python package on PyPI, Bioconda, and BioContainers for effortless workflow integration.

The effectiveness of differentiation of bacterial pathogens using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry depends on the quality of sample preparation, compliance with mass spectrometric analysis parameters and statistical approaches used, implemented by various modern software tools. The review provides a brief description of the most known software used in the processing and bioinformation analysis of time-of-flight mass spectrometry data. A list of computer platforms, programs and environments, both commercial and publicly available, is presented. The results of indication and identification of pathogens of particularly dangerous and natural-focal infections by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry using publicly available software – programming language R, Mass-Up, MicrobeMS, licensed – MatLab, ClinProTools, as well as free web applications, including, Speclust, Ribopeaksare provided. The data on usage of such well-known platforms as MALDI BioTyper, SARAMIS Vitek-MS and Andromas (Andromas SAS, France) for inter- and intra-specific differentiation of closely related species are presented. Results of identification and differentiation of microorganisms applying MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry based on detection of specific proteins for cross-comparison – biomarkers – are given. The analysis shows that the programming language R environment is one of the publicly available universal platforms with an optimal combination of algorithms for processing and interpreting of a large array of mass spectrometric data.

Overhead cranes carry out an important function in the transportation of loads in industry. The ability to transport a payload quickly and accurately without excessive oscillations could reduce the chance of accidents as well as increase productivity. Accurate modelling of the crane system dynamics reduces the plant-model mismatch which could improve the performance of model-based controllers. In this work the simulation model to be identified is developed using the Euler-Lagrange method with friction. A 5-step ahead predictor, as well as a 10-step ahead predictor, are obtained using multi-gene genetic programming (MGGP) using input-output data. The weights of the genes are obtained by using least squares. The results of 15 different genetic programming runs are plotted on a complexity-mean square error graph with the Pareto optimal solutions shown.

Although unprecedented sensitivity and specificity values are reported, recent glaucoma detection deep learning models lack in decision transparency. Here, we propose a methodology that advances explainable deep learning in the field of glaucoma detection and vertical cup-disc ratio (VCDR), an important risk factor. We trained and evaluated deep learning models using fundus images that underwent a certain cropping policy. We defined the crop radius as a percentage of image size, centered on the optic nerve head (ONH), with an equidistant spaced range from 10-60% (ONH crop policy). The inverse of the cropping mask was also applied (periphery crop policy). Trained models using original images resulted in an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.94 [95% CI 0.92-0.96] for glaucoma detection, and a coefficient of determination (R-2) equal to 77% [95% CI 0.77-0.79] for VCDR estimation. Models that were trained on images with absence of the ONH are still able to obtain significant performance (0.88 [95% CI 0.85-0.90] AUC for glaucoma detection and 37% [95% CI 0.35-0.40] R-2 score for VCDR estimation in the most extreme setup of 60% ONH crop). Our findings provide the first irrefutable evidence that deep learning can detect glaucoma from fundus image regions outside the ONH. Research Group Ophthalmology, KU Leuven; VITO NV; Flemish Government; European Commission

Background: Work exposures play a significant role in adult-onset asthma, but the mechanisms of work-related asthma are not fully elucidated. Objective: We aimed to reveal the molecular mechanisms of work-related asthma associated with exposure to flour (flour asthma), isocyanate (isocyanate asthma), or welding fumes (welding asthma) and identify potential biomarkers that distinguish these groups from each other. Methods: We used a combination of clinical tests, transcriptomic analysis, and associated pathway analyses to investigate the underlying disease mechanisms of the blood immune cells and the airway epithelium of 61 men. Results: Compared with the healthy controls, the welding asthma patients had more differentially expressed genes than the flour asthma and isocyanate asthma patients, both in the airway epithelia and in the blood immune cells. In the airway epithelia, active inflammation was detected only in welding asthma patients. In contrast, many differentially expressed genes were detected in blood cells in all 3 asthma groups. Disease-related immune functions in blood cells, including leukocyte migration and inflammatory responses, and decreased expression of upstream cytokines such as TNF and IFN-gamma were suppressed in all the asthma groups. In transcriptomephenotype correlations, hyperresponsiveness (R similar to vertical bar 0.6 vertical bar) had the highest clinical relevance and was associated with a set of exposure group-specific genes. Finally, biomarker subsets of only 5 genes specifically distinguished each of the asthma exposure groups. Conclusions: This study provides novel data on the molecular mechanisms underlying work-related asthma. We identified a set of 5 promising biomarkers in asthma related to flour, isocyanate, and welding fume exposure to be tested and clinically validated in future studies.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between olfactory cleft width/volume and COVID-19-related anosmia. Methods: This study consisted of PCR-proven COVID-19 patients. Cases with COVID-19-related anosmia constituted Group 1 and cases without any olfactory dysfunction (OD) throughout COVID-19 infection or after recovery constituted Group 2. A total of 50 patients were included in the study, comprising 24 cases in Group 1 and 26 cases in Group 2. Group 1 patients underwent a 4-item-odor identification test during active symptoms and a Sniffin’ Sticks test after reconversion of PCR results to negative. All patients in Group 2 also underwent the Sniffin’ Stick test to document normosmia. All cases had paranasal sinus CT performed. Olfactory cleft widths and olfactory volumes were measured. The differences in width and volume between groups and the correlation with odor test scores (threshold-discrimination-identification [TDI]) were calculated. In addition, regression analyzes analysis was performed for cleft widths, volumes, and TDI scores according to age. Results: Olfactory cleft widths and olfactory volumes were significantly higher in Group 1 than those in Group 2 (p = 0.001; p < 0.01). There was a significant negative correlation between total TDI scores and olfactory cleft widths and total olfactory volumes (r = −0.665; r = −0.731, respectively). Patients younger than 40 years of age had significantly higher right olfactory cleft width, left olfactory cleft width, and olfactory cleft volume than those in patients older than 40 years of age (p = 0.004, p = 0.005, p = 0.003; p < 0,01, respectively). However, patients younger than 40 years of age had a significantly lower total TDI score and in all other values individually (t-d-i) than those in patients older than 40 years of age (p = 0.004; p < 0.01). Conclusion: Patients with COVID-19-related OD had larger olfactory cleft width and volumes than those without OD in this study. Total TDI score was found to be inversely correlated with cleft width and volume.

Ensuring food safety is a legal obligation of the manufacturer or of the entity that places the product on sale. Traceability is one of the tools that are used to ensure food safety. It allows the withdrawal of a dangerous or non-compliant product from the market and determines the source of a threat. The aim of the study was to compare the functioning and effectiveness of traceability systems in selected approved meat industry plants. The system functioning in a large meat processing plant, in which the circulation of documents was implemented in a computer system, was compared with two smaller ones, in which paper documentation was carried out, but supported by a computer system. In these plants, the traceability system was based on internal procedures. Properly developed traceability procedures and simulations support and enable response in a crisis. Computer systems streamline and facilitate the traceability process. However, the comparative analysis showed that the use of paper records allowed for efficient identification of the source of the threat. The possibility of performing product traceability was confirmed in these plants. Internal markings and codes and documentation flow, staff training, and awareness proved helpful.

The paper proposes an identification technique of objects on the Earth’s surface images based on combination of machine learning methods. Different variants of multi-layer convolutional neural networks and support vector machines are considered as original models. A hybrid convolutional neural network that combines features extracted by the neural network and experts is proposed. Optimal values of hyperparameters of the models are calculated by grid search methods using k-fold cross-validation. The possibility of improving the accuracy of identification based on the ensembles of these models is shown. Effectiveness of the proposed technique is demonstrated by the example of images obtained by synthetic aperture radar.

Objectives The colonoscopic identification of stigmata of recent hemorrhage (SRH) in patients with colonic diverticular bleeding (CDB) is difficult. Factors that influence the identification of SRH in the diagnosis of CDB were investigated. Methods This was a retrospective study of 487 early colonoscopy patients with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding who were diagnosed with CDB. Comorbidities, medications, bowel preparation, use of a transparent cap, use of a water-jet scope, colonoscopy by an expert colonoscopist, and use of a nontraumatic (NT) tube were assessed. A multivariate analysis was used to estimate the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Results Of the 487 colonoscopy patients diagnosed with CDB, 191 (39%) were definitively identified with SRH. The use of a transparent cap, a water-jet scope, an expert colonoscopist, and an NT tube were independent predictive factors for SRH on univariate analysis. A multivariable logistic regression model showed that colonoscopy by an expert colonoscopist and the use of an NT tube were predictive factors for SRH. Conclusions Intradiverticular water injection with an NT tube by an expert colonoscopist is useful in identifying CDB, and may help achieve effective endoscopic hemostasis.

Background Visceral artery aneurysms (VAAs) can be fatal if ruptured. Although a relatively rare incident, it holds a contemporary mortality rate of approximately 12%. VAAs have multiple possible causes, one of which is genetic predisposition. Here, we present a striking family with seven individuals affected by VAAs, and one individual affected by a visceral artery pseudoaneurysm. Methods We exome sequenced the affected family members and the parents of the proband to find a possible underlying genetic defect. As exome sequencing did not reveal any feasible protein-coding variants, we combined whole-genome sequencing of two individuals with linkage analysis to find a plausible non-coding culprit variant. Variants were ranked by the deep learning framework DeepSEA. Results Two of seven top-ranking variants, NC_000013.11:g.108154659C>T and NC_000013.11:g.110409638C>T, were found in all VAA-affected individuals, but not in the individual affected by the pseudoaneurysm. The second variant is in a candidate cis-regulatory element in the fourth intron of COL4A2, proximal to COL4A1. Conclusions As type IV collagens are essential for the stability and integrity of the vascular basement membrane and involved in vascular disease, we conclude that COL4A1 and COL4A2 are strong candidates for VAA susceptibility genes.

Lutein, a type of carotenoids, is found to delay the onset and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Several lutein supplementation studies showed that after an initial increase, lutein serum levels demonstrated a subsequent decrease despite continuous supplementation. In this systematic literature review, this obscure phenomenon was tried to be explained. The subsequent drop in lutein levels was postulated due to down-regulation of lutein receptors scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) in the gastrointestinal tract, upregulation of lutein degrading enzyme β-carotene dioxygenase (BCDO2), or perhaps a combination of both. Some single nucleotides polymorphisms (SNPs) that could have influence on the occurrence of this phenomenon. To date, an exact scientific explanation for this phenomenon has not been established. Further research is needed to investigate this phenomenon in depth to reach an irrefutable explanation, giving that lutein is proven to be effective in delaying the onset and progression of AMD and its metabolism in the human body becomes of equal importance.

Purpose Aberrant inflammation and immune dysregulation are known pathogenic contributors in dry eye disease (DED). Aim of the study was to determine the proportions of immune cell subsets on the ocular surface (OS) of DED patients. Methods 15 healthy controls (22 eyes) and 48 DED subjects (36 eyes with evaporative DED – EDED; 60 eyes with aqueous deficient DED – ADED) were included in the study. Tear break up time (TBUT), Schirmer's test 1 (ST1), corneal staining (CS) and ocular surface disease index (OSDI) scoring were recorded. OS wash was used to collect immune cells on the OS of study subjects. The cells immunophenotyped using flow cytometry include leukocytes, neutrophils, macrophages, natural killer–NK cells and T cell subsets (CD4; CD8; double positive–DP; gamma delta–γδ and NK T cells). Results Significantly higher proportions of leukocytes, neutrophils, CD4 T cells, CD8 T cells, DP T cells and CD4/CD8 T cells ratio were observed in EDED and/or ADED patients. Significantly higher proportions of neutrophils and lower proportions of NK cells were observed in ADED subjects with corneal staining compared to those without and controls. Neutrophils/NK cells ratio was significantly higher in EDED and ADED subjects compared to controls. Correlation analysis revealed pathological relationships between proportions of leukocytes, neutrophils, CD4 T cells and Neutrophil/NK cells ratio with DED clinical parameters. Conclusion OS immune cell subset proportion changes in DED patients were associated with DED types and severity. The data suggests the potential for a new generation of therapies targeting immune cells on the ocular surface.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynaecological tumor in developed countries and its incidence is increasing. Approximately 80% of newly diagnosed EC cases are estrogen-dependent. Type 1 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17 beta-HSD-1) is the enzyme that catalyzes the final step in estrogen biosynthesis by reducing the weak estrogen estrone (E1) to the potent estrogen 17 beta-estradiol (E2), and previous studies showed that this enzyme is implicated in the intratumoral E2 generation in EC. In the present study we employed a recently developed orthotopic and estrogen-dependent xenograft mouse model of EC to show that pharmacological inhibition of the 17 beta-HSD-1 enzyme inhibits disease development. Tumors were induced in one uterine horn of athymic nude mice by intrauterine injection of the well-differentiated human endometrial adenocarcinoma Ishikawa cell line, modified to express human 17 beta-HSD-1 in levels comparable to EC, and the luciferase and green fluorescent protein reporter genes. Controlled estrogen exposure in ovariectomized mice was achieved using subcutaneous MedRod implants that released either the low active estrone (E1) precursor or vehicle. A subgroup of E1 supplemented mice received daily oral gavage of FP4643, a well-characterized 17 beta-HSD-1 inhibitor. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was used to measure tumor growth non-invasively. At sacrifice, mice receiving E1 and treated with the FP4643 inhibitor showed a significant reduction in tumor growth by approximately 65% compared to mice receiving E1. Tumors exhibited metastatic spread to the peritoneum, to the lymphovascular space (LVI), and to the thoracic cavity. Metastatic spread and LVI invasion were both significantly reduced in the inhibitor-treated group. Transcriptional profiling of tumors indicated that FP4643 treatment reduced the oncogenic potential at the mRNA level. In conclusion, we show that 17 beta-HSD-1 inhibition represents a promising novel endocrine treatment for EC.

This experiment (N = 591) tests whether audiences adjust their standards for what qualifies as fair journalism based the transparency of news editors, the source of the news, and the target of an accusation. In the context of a whistleblower scandal, the results suggest the relationship between the audience member’s ideology and the news story publisher and target influence what details the audience thinks journalists should reveal. Additionally, we find transparency from editors can alter those perceptions. Accepted version

This paper focuses on the dangers assoicated with the entry into aircraft fuel tank. The analysis will help to demonstrate that in the future a mobil robot will make this work easier for the human factor. There are number of advantages from this automation to make the job of the human factor easier and to work in a safe environment. The risk of contamination with harmful substances is reduced because we can put the robot to work. After detailed analysis of the working environment to which a mechanic is exposed in the aviation world, it has come to light that the introduction of a robot makes it minimal. I tried to analyze several types of mobile robots, and after this analysis I decided that the most suitable mobile robot is the hexapod.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Background: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is an inherited disease characterized by ventricular arrhythmias and progressive ventricular dysfunction. Genetic testing is recommended, and a pathogenic variant in an ARVC-associated gene is a major criterion for diagnosis according to the 2010 Task Force Criteria. As incorrect attribution of a gene to ARVC can contribute to misdiagnosis, we assembled an international multidisciplinary ARVC Clinical Genome Resource Gene Curation Expert Panel to reappraise all reported ARVC genes. Methods: Following a comprehensive literature search, six 2-member teams conducted blinded independent curation of reported ARVC genes using the semiquantitative Clinical Genome Resource framework. Results: Of 26 reported ARVC genes, only 6 (PKP2, DSP, DSG2, DSC2, JUP, and TMEM43) had strong evidence and were classified as definitive for ARVC causation. There was moderate evidence for 2 genes, DES and PLN. The remaining 18 genes had limited or no evidence. RYR2 was refuted as an ARVC gene since clinical data and model systems exhibited a catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia phenotype. In ClinVar, only 5 pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (1.1%) in limited evidence genes had been reported in ARVC cases in contrast to 450 desmosome gene variants (97.4%). Conclusions: Using the Clinical Genome Resource approach to gene-disease curation, only 8 genes (PKP2, DSP, DSG2, DSC2, JUP, TMEM43, PLN, and DES) had definitive or moderate evidence for ARVC, and these genes accounted for nearly all pathogenic/likely pathogenic ARVC variants in ClinVar. Therefore, only pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in these 8 genes should yield a major criterion for ARVC diagnosis. Pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants identified in other genes in a patient should prompt further phenotyping as variants in many of these genes are associated with other cardiovascular conditions.

This article proposes a method for hand identification, adapting the method of Viola-Jones for identifying two different objects. The main objective of this work is to solve the problems of hand identification. Thus, our approach based on learning for two objects as one package. Also, the proposed method folds into three parts; the first part is training for both objects, second detection of both objects, and third the identification step to identify if the hand is wearing a glove or not, then labeling each one with a suitable state. Moreover, to test our method, we have proposed a new dataset, which includes a variety of cases with different compositions of hand. As a result, 8 cases were used to test the method. The method was able to detect a human hand successfully. Additionally, it could identify whether the hand was or was not wearhing a glove. The accuracy of detecting a hand without a glove was about 63%, and the accuracy of detecting a hand with a glove on was about 61%. Even though the tests scored different accuracy, as a first step towards solving this problem, it is a big achievement to even reach this level of accuracy.

Funding Information: This work was made possible with support from grants from the Academy of Finland and Business Finland. Academy of Finland Project Number 310252. Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s). Statistical quality control is used in foundries to identify special cause defects and root causes by correlating process input variations with casting defects. A difficulty exists in associating process data collected with individual cast parts as the parts are processed through the foundry and then out into the supply chain. Typically, alphanumeric labels for marking castings and manual identification of the castings with route-paper based tracing approaches have been used. Such manual-based systems make root cause analysis of quality defect issues tedious. This study presents the development of a semi-automated approach using 3D printed sand mold inserts shaped as 2D matrix codes which thereby permit directly cast identification code into the parts. This enables automated part tracking at the very beginning of the casting process including mold making. Automated scan based tracking of parts through a foundry and subsequent supply chain allows for statistical process data collected to also be associated with each part processed with unique identification, building upon the part history and pedigree.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multifactorial pathology and comprises a wide range of distinct phenotypes. In this context, the characterization of the different molecular profiles associated with each phenotype can improve the classification of OA. In particular, OA can coexist with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study investigates lipidomic and proteomic differences between human OA/T2DM(-) and OA/T2DM(+) cartilage through a multimodal mass spectrometry approach. Human cartilage samples were obtained after total knee replacement from OA/T2DM(-) and OA/T2DM(+) patients. Label-free proteomics was employed to study differences in protein abundance and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) for spatially resolved-lipid analysis. Label-free proteomic analysis showed differences between OA/T2DM(-) and OA/T2DM(+) phenotypes in several metabolic pathways such as lipid regulation. Interestingly, phospholipase A2 protein was found increased within the OA/T2DM(+) cohort. In addition, MALDI-MSI experiments revealed that phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin species were characteristic of the OA/T2DM(-) group, whereas lysolipids were more characteristic of the OA/T2DM(+) phenotype. The data also pointed out differences in phospholipid content between superficial and deep layers of the cartilage. Our study shows distinctively different lipid and protein profiles between OA/T2DM(-) and OA/T2DM(+) human cartilage, demonstrating the importance of subclassification of the OA disease for better personalized treatments.

In view of the expanding range of banking services in Ukraine, the issue of introducing innovative means of protecting consumers against illegal actions in the field of banking becomes relevant. This paper aims to determine the effectiveness of biometric technologies for customer identification during banking transactions, the legality of their use, and to identify areas for the development of state policy focused on the legal use of biometric data in order to protect the rights and legitimate interests of individuals and legal entities. Based on analysis and systematization of scientific publications and regulatory framework, it was found that a potential direction for banks to implement the customer focus concept in their services to establish the appropriate level of security is the use of biometric technologies that ensure the proper storage of personal data. The summarized information on the actual application of biometric identification methods in the banking sector allows stating that the factors stipulating the criminal offenses using biometric data can be neutralized by the subjects of counteracting such offenses and through effective legal remedies. Contradictions arising between the state of regulatory support and the actual needs for the use of biometric technologies in the field of banking in Ukraine decelerate the use of effective security tools with a high degree of reliability in the banking sector. It is concluded that further implementation of biometrics in the banking sector in Ukraine requires a comprehensive approach and consideration of the best world practices.

Background Candidemia caused by uncommon Candida species is increasing and misidentification may compromise optimal antifungal therapy. This multicenter study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of species-level identification of uncommon Candida. Methods Uncommon causative species of candidemia identified in routine laboratories using CHROMagar, API-32C and VITEK-2 Yeast ID system were collected from July 2011 to June 2014. These isolates were further identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) system and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer and 28S rRNA gene. Susceptibility of the isolates was determined. Results Of 85 isolates evaluated, Candida guilliermondii (n = 36) was the most common, followed by Candid sake (n = 7) and Candida famata (n = 4). Using DNA-sequencing analysis as standard, none of C. sake and C. famata was correct, while VITEK MS correctly identified 10 of the 11 isolates. With the exclusion of one unspecified Candida by DNA-sequencing methods, the accuracy of conventional methods and VITEK MS was 64.3% and 86.9%, respectively (p = 0.001). Eight isolates were confirmed to be yeasts other than Candida. Compared with other Candida species, C. guilliermondii showed elevated minimal inhibitory concentration of echinocandins. Conclusion Misidentification of uncommon Candida species was common using the conventional methods, especially for C. sake and C. famata. MALDI-TOF MS assisted by DNA-sequencing methods should be considered.

Background: Cranial index, primarily used as an indicator of race had been studied by various workers in view of its morphometric difference in sex prediliction. Hence it would be useful to identify sex of an individual from skeletal remains. Similar studies from our geographic region, if at all present might be very few. Aims and Objective: Based on maximum breadth and length of skull the study aimed at whether there was any statistically significant difference in the cranial index of male and female. Materials and Methods: We used 96 dry,intact skulls preserved in the departments of Forensic Medicine and Anatomy of various Medical Colleges in Kottayam, Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala state, India. Skull typed as male or female by observation method was measured for its maximum breadth andlength, cranial index derived and the data was entered against corresponding serial number. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS software. Results: The mean percentage values of cranial index for female and male were respectively 77.68±4.53 and 73.71±4.05 with the p-value noted as 0.0001from their ranks determined by Mann- Whitney U test whichshowed statistically significant difference in cranial index of the two sexes. Literature could reveal similar results in studies conducted by other authors. Conclusion: Hence this morphometric study proved that it is valuable to include the application of cranial index in the identification procedure of skeletal remains. Further metric studies in this field are needed with a wider usage of other indices.

Objective:Forensic Microbiology, which is a new field and mentioned about these microscopic evidences in forensic science, comes into question in terms of defining microorganisms for protecting innocents and defining guilty as a result of changing social life. Considering that oral microflora streptococcus might be on various objects, this study was planned to investigate whether these microorganisms could be used in forensic identification.Methods:In this study, 200 different swab mediums, including mouth, apple, chewing gum and cigarette swabs of 50 people, underwent the culture growth process. All microorgnisms of the individuals in oral microfloras were examined. According to the obtained data, alpha hemolytic streptococci was detected to be the most predominant species among these microorganisms. The presence of some rare microorganisms in individuals’ oral floras was found to make them special for indentification. In this case, it has been possible to say that microorganisms existing in the bite mark left in any place, in any event and in any objects will be an evidence that can cause that person to be caught.Results:In this respect, this study, which is carried out in the case of degraded or insufficient DNA procedure obtained from the bite marks of the suspects in the criminal investigation or in order to obtain a complementary result in addition to genotypic approaches, has been brought to forensic sciences.Conclusion:A contribution was made to identification with a different approach to these bacteria Streptococcus, which are important for clinics and forensic science.

Aim: Analysis of enterovirus infection morbidity and characteristics of the etiological agents of this infection on some territories of Russia in 2017.Materials and methods: We investigated 7858 samples of the biological material from the patients suffering from enterovirus infection. The isolation and identification of enteroviruses were conducted by virological and molecular methods.Results: The epidemic process and the clinical picture of enterovirus infection on different territories had some peculiarities. On some territories enterovirus meningitis was the predominant form of infection, on other territories enterovirus infection with exanthema prevailed. In Saint-Petersburg, Archangel and Saratov regions the percentage of enterovirus infection cases with the clinical picture of enterovirus meningitis was significantly higher than the percentage of enterovirus infection with exanthema. In the Komi Republic, Leningrad and Murmansk regions the percentage of infection with exanthema was statistically higher than the enterovirus meningitis portion. Enteroviruses of 30 serotypes were detected in the samples of patients suffering from enterovirus infection. We determined the etiology of sporadic and epidemic cases of enterovirus infection represented by different clinical forms. On some territories the epidemic foci of enterovirus infection among children were revealed. The etiological agents of enterovirus meningitis foci in Saint-Petersburg, Murmansk and Saratov regions were Coxsackievirus B5, Coxsackievirus B4 and Echovirus 30. The foci of enterovirus infection with exanthema in Archangel, Leningrad, Murmansk and Novgorod regions were caused by Coxsackieviruses A10, A16 and A6.Conclusion: The clinical forms of enterovirus infection on some territories were provoked by enteroviruses which dominated in the circulation on one or other territory. Enteroviruses of species B, mainly Echovirus 30, Echovirus 6 and Coxsackieviruses B1–6 were the etiological agents of enterovirus meningitis. The etiological factors of enterovirus infection with exanthema were Enteroviruses of species A, mainly Coxsackieviruses of different serotypes as well as Enterovirus 71.

Aims/hypothesis We aimed to assess and contextualise 134 potential risk variables for the development of type 2 diabetes and to determine their applicability in risk prediction. Methods A total of 96,534 people without baseline diabetes (372,007 person-years) from the Dutch Lifelines cohort were included. We used a risk variable-wide association study (RV-WAS) design to independently screen and replicate risk variables for 5-year incidence of type 2 diabetes. For identified variables, we contextualised HRs, calculated correlations and assessed their robustness and unique contribution in different clinical contexts using bootstrapped and cross-validated lasso regression models. We evaluated the change in risk, or ‘HR trajectory’, when sequentially assigning variables to a model. Results We identified 63 risk variables, with novel associations for quality-of-life indicators and non-cardiovascular medications (i.e., proton-pump inhibitors, anti-asthmatics). For continuous variables, the increase of 1 SD of HbA1c, i.e., 3.39 mmol/mol (0.31%), was equivalent in risk to an increase of 0.53 mmol/l of glucose, 19.8 cm of waist circumference, 8.34 kg/m2 of BMI, 0.67 mmol/l of HDL-cholesterol, and 0.14 mmol/l of uric acid. Other variables required an increase of >3 SD, which is not physiologically realistic or a rare occurrence in the population. Though moderately correlated, the inclusion of four variables satiated prediction models. Invasive variables, except for glucose and HbA1c, contributed little compared with non-invasive variables. Glucose, HbA1c and family history of diabetes explained a unique part of disease risk. Adding risk variables to a satiated model can impact the HRs of variables already in the model. Conclusions Many variables show weak or inconsistent associations with the development of type 2 diabetes, and only a handful can reliably explain disease risk. Newly discovered risk variables will yield little over established factors, and existing prediction models can be simplified. A systematic, data-driven approach to identify risk variables for the prediction of type 2 diabetes is necessary for the practice of precision medicine. Graphical abstract

From the invention of Perkin’s Mauve in 1856, to publication of the first edition of theColour Indexin 1924, more than 1200 synthetic organic colourants were introduced. Some achieved commercial success, while others were rarely used for reasons such as high cost, low fastness, and toxicity. This turbulent period of innovation was largely driven by demand of the textile industry; however, synthetic colourants were subsequently adopted in many other applications. An understanding of the most common materials and their properties is therefore important to the study of heritage collections and their preservation. The risk of light damage during exhibition of objects is often a concern due to the fugitive nature of many synthetic colourants.To provide a foundation for focused research on synthetic dye identification and lightfastness, work was carried out to identify the most prominent of these colourants used in North America up to the year 1924 when the first edition of theColour Indexwas published. Information was compiled and analysed from several sources including multiple editions of theColour Index, and government documents related to the manufacture and trade of synthetic dyes that provide data from 1914 onwards. Cross-referencing between the information sources provided a summary of parameters for each colourant including the date of introduction, number of manufacturers, lightfastness, and quantity produced or imported in the United States.A document published in 1916 by the US Department of Commerce listed 259 colours with Schultz number imported during the 1913–1914 fiscal year, in quantities above 10,000 lb (4536 kg). Adding domestic products to the list, and removing duplicates, gave 289 individual colours with Schultz number imported and/or produced in the US. In addition, there were some imports of unknown composition: 96 azo, 23 sulphur, and 68 unclassified. Further review of census data from 1917 through the 1920’s suggested that less than one quarter of the dyes listed in theColour Indexwere imported or manufactured in significant amounts. The results of this analysis are presented as summary statistics, which are complemented by an open dataset publication to facilitate future research.

Summary We introduced virtual fracture liaison clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to support clinical care while DXA services were down-turned. We observed that virtual FLS clinics are effective in delivering fracture risk assessment, health promotion, and clinical management and are well received by patients with positive patient experience. Introduction We examined the impact of virtual FLS telephone clinics, as an alternative to face-to-face clinics during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods Patients presenting with low trauma fracture were recruited according to standard criteria. A structured telephone clinic appointment was offered, which included fracture risk and health promotion assessment and a treatment plan. Risk factors, demographics, fracture type, FRAX scores, and outcomes were analysed. We assessed patient experience with an anonymised patient survey. Results Clinical outcomes from virtual clinics were assessed (77F/33M; mean age 65.7 years). The mean 10-year observed fracture risk for major osteoporotic fracture was 18.2% and 7.0% for hip fracture. We observed high ‘attendance’ rates at 79%; however, a significant number were still not available for telephone review (11%) or cancelled their appointment (10%). A recommendation for bisphosphonate treatment was made in 54% of the cohort based on National Osteoporosis Guidelines Group (NOGG) criteria. Follow-up DXA assessment is planned for 64%, according to fracture risk and NOGG guidance. We received 60 responses from the initial patient survey. Ninety percent rated their overall experience of service at 4 or 5 (very good to excellent). Ninety-eight indicated they would recommend the service to others. Conclusions Virtual clinics are effective in delivery of fracture risk assessment and clinical management with positive patient experience. While a significant proportion will require DXA follow-up to complete the clinical assessment, virtual clinics have mitigated delays in fracture prevention interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose A procedure is needed for bodies with disfiguring injuries to the face and the use of their portrait for visual identification. Method We present the application of a simple image processing procedure, otherwise known as ”bubbling,” which is based on the concept of ”perceptual filling-in,” to images for visual identification in the forensic context. The method is straight forward and can be performed using readily available software and hardware.. Results The method is demonstrated and examples are shown. The visual recognition of known persons using “bubbled” images was successfully tested. Conclusion The “bubbling” procedure for visual identification enhancement is quick and straightforward and may be attempted before escalating to more involved identification methods and procedures.

Objective: The aim of the study was to propose an efficient chairside clinical strategy for the identification of undiagnosed hyperglycaemia in periodontal clinics. Material and methods: Alpha chairside system was used for assessment of glycated hemoglobin 1c (HbA1c) and active Matrix Metalloproteinase-8 levels (aMMP-8) were analyzed by immunotest in patients (n = 150) who fulfilled the criteria for screening of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Full-mouth periodontal parameters were assessed and various data such as Body Mass Index (BMI), smoking and education were recorded. Results: Thirty-one patients out of 150 tested were found with unknown hyperglycaemia (20.7%). Regarding sex, education, parent with diabetes, normal BMI, smoking, age >= 45 years and prior testing for diabetes, no differences were observed between subjects displaying HbA1c = 5.7% (Pearson's Chi-square test, p > .05). Subgroups differed regarding BMI (kg/m(2)), tooth count, percentages of 4 and 5 mm pockets (Mann-Whitney and z-test, p = 5.7 was tested by Receiving Operator Characteristic curves and Areas Under the Curve (AUC) for the following: age >= 45 years and BMI (AUC 0.651, p = .010), the above and aMMP-8 (AUC 0.660, p = .006), age >= 45 years, BMI and Stage of Periodontitis (AUC 0.711, p = 45 years, BMI, aMMP-8 and stage of periodontitis (AUC 0.713, p

Background Persons aged ≥ 65 years are currently the world’s fastest growing age group. An important complication of age is the increasing risk of falls. Falls have multifactorial etiology and modifiable risk factors open for interventions in prevention and rehabilitation, are of high interest. In this context, strong hip abductors seem to be important to prevent falls. A newly adapted measurement device to measure hip abductor strength (HAS) in a closed chain position was developed. We aim to assess feasibility, intra- and inter-tester reliability and construct and criterion validity of the new measure. Methods In two subsequent parts a feasibility, reliability and validity study with an adapted measurement instrument for the assessment of HAS (index test) in a closed chain position in persons aged ≥ 65 years will be conducted. Part I investigates feasibility of the measure in clinical settings as well as reliability of the new HAS test (n = 26). Part II evaluates construct and criterion validity (n = 169). Construct validity will be assessed cross-sectional, criterion validity by comparison with prospectively followed up fall history for 12 months (external criterion) and other functional fall risk assessments (Short Physical Performance Battery, Timed Up and Go test, usual gait speed and hand grip strength). Discussion Results of feasibility, will give insight in its applicability in daily clinical life and clinimetric properties will show if measurements of HAS in a closed chain position should be encouraged to include in fall risk assessments in older adults.

This paper presents an offline deep learning approach focused to model and identify a 270 V-to-28 V DC-DC step-down converter used in on-board distribution systems of more electric aircrafts (MEA). Manufacturers usually do not provide enough information of the converters. Thus, it is difficult to perform design and planning tasks and to check the behavior of the power distribution system without an accurate model. This work considers the converter as a black-box, and trains a wavelet convolutional neural network (WCNN) that is able of accurately reproducing the behavior of the DC-DC converter from a large set of experimental data. The methodology to design a WCNN based on the characteristics of the input and output signals of the converter is also described. The method is validated with experimental data obtained from a setup that replicates the 28 V on-board distribution system of an aircraft. The results presented in this paper show a high correlation between measured and estimated data, robustness and low computational burden. This paper also compares the proposed approach against other techniques presented in the literature. It is possible to extend this method to other DC-DC converters, depending on their requirements.

In this research, biometric authentication, which has been widely used for different purposes in the last quarter-century, is studied. Dorsal hand veins are used for biometric authentication. “Deep learning” (DL) and “generative adversarial networks” (GANs) are used together as keys in the study. A DL-GAN is obtained by combining deep learning and GAN. The developed DL-GAN method is tested on two separate databases. The adversarial network (DL-GAN) method is developed to increase the authentication process’s proportional value. For identity verification, dorsal hand veins with biometric physical properties are used. A multistep approach is used for selecting hand dorsal features, including preimage processing and effectively identifying individuals. The deep learning productive antinetwork method is used to effectively identify individuals based on the information obtained from the dorsal hand vein images. For the test in the study, two open access databases are used. These databases are the Jilin University - dorsal hand vein database and the 11K hands database. The results of the experiments performed on the dataset related to the dorsal hand vessels show that the DL-GAN method reaches an identity accuracy level of 98.36% and has an error rate of 2.47% and a standard accuracy of 0.19%. The accuracy of the experimental results in the second dataset is 96.43%, the equal error rate is 3.55% and the standard accuracy is 0.21%. The improved DL-GAN method obtains better results than physical biometric methods such as LBP, LPQ, GABOR, FGM, BGM and SIFT.

Cytarabine and daunorubicin are old drugs commonly used in the treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Refractory or relapsed disease because of chemotherapy resistance is a major issue. microRNAs (miRNAs) were incriminated in resistance. This study aimed to identify miRNAs involved in chemoresistance in AML patients and to define their target genes. We focused on cytogenetically normal AML patients with wild-type NPM1 without FLT3-ITD as the treatment of this subset of patients with intermediate-risk cytogenetics is not well established. We analysed baseline AML samples by small RNA sequencing and compared the profile of chemoresistant to chemosensitive AML patients. Among the miRNAs significantly overexpressed in chemoresistant patients, we revealed miR-15a-5p and miR-21-5p as miRNAs with a major role in chemoresistance in AML. We showed that miR-15a-5p and miR-21-5p overexpression decreased apoptosis induced by cytarabine and/or daunorubicin. PDCD4, ARL2 and BTG2 genes were found to be targeted by miR-15a-5p, as well as PDCD4 and BTG2 by miR-21-5p. Inhibition experiments of the three target genes reproduced the functional effect of both miRNAs on chemosensitivity. Our study demonstrates that miR-15a-5p and miR-21-5p are overexpressed in a subgroup of chemoresistant AML patients. Both miRNAs induce chemoresistance by targeting three pro-apoptotic genes PDCD4, ARL2 and BTG2. ispartof: JOURNAL OF CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE vol:25 issue:1 pages:575-585 ispartof: location:England status: published

Healthcare organisations rely on their financial stakeholders for capital to invest in state-of-the-art buildings, equipment, innovation and the delivery of healthcare services. Nevertheless, relations between healthcare organisations and their financial stakeholders have not been well studied. Here, we studied the relations between Dutch healthcare organisations and two of their main financial stakeholders (banks and health insurers) against the backdrop of system reforms and the financial crisis. We conducted a survey of healthcare executives to evaluate their relations with banks and health insurers in terms of power, legitimacy and urgency. These three attributes are based on the salience model of Mitchel, Agle and Wood (1997). We further tested for differences in power, legitimacy and urgency across organisational sector and size. The results showed that healthcare organisations value banks as legitimate stakeholders with a well-demarcated influence and a clear-cut function. The relationship with health insurers is more complex. Healthcare organisations experience considerable influence from health insurers but question the legitimacy of their claims. Since health insurers play a crucial role in the Dutch healthcare system, these findings question the workability of the relationship between healthcare organisations and health insurers and the position of health insurers in the overall healthcare sector. Our results are relevant to countries with public-private health systems and contribute to the development of the salience model by showing the individual value of stakeholder attributes and the relevance of context.

Modern microwave radar technologies and systems are taking important roles in healthcare, security, and human-machine interface by remote sensing of human life activities. This paper first reviews the developments in the past decade on the sensing front-end, transponder tag, and leveraging of other wireless infrastructure such as Wi-Fi. Based on the state-of-the-art engineering technologies, several emerging applications will then be studied, including continuous authentication, behavior recognition, human-aware localization, occupancy sensing, blood pressure monitoring, and sleep medicine. As radio frequency spectrum becomes a scarce resource, the allocation and spectrum sharing of life activity sensing bandwidth with other wireless infrastructures will be discussed. Several future research directions will be laid out to solve challenges for ubiquitous deployment of these sensing technologies at the human-microwave frontier.

We present new information on the diversity and distribution of palms, family Arecaceae, in Assam state, India. The family is represented in the state by 44 species belonging to 19 genera. Our study is based on surveys, a literature review, and a herbarium examination. Identification keys to genera and species, diagnostic characters, vernacular names, and updated information on the distribution, flowering, and fruiting of both wild and cultivated palm species occurring in Assam are provided.

Aim: General movements’ assessment (GMA), based on Gestalt perception, identifies infants at risk of cerebral palsy. However, the requirement of ample experience to construct the assessor's inner criteria for abnormal movement hampers its widespread clinical use. This study aims to describe details of general movements (GMs) in various body parts and to investigate their association with GMA-Gestalt. Methods: Participants were 24 typically developing infants and 22 very-high-risk infants. GMs were assessed during the writhing (0-8 weeks) and/or fidgety GM phase (2-5 months) by GMA-Gestalt and a semi-quantification of the duration of simple movements and complex movements in various body parts. Results: During both GM phases, the quality of movement often varied within a single assessment, but the degree of complexity and variation of movements in trunk, arms and legs were interrelated (ρ = 0.32-0.84). Longer durations of complex movements in arms and legs (P

Professional officer training in Sweden has gone through some major changes in the last 30 years. The current officer system is a two-category system, where officers complete the three-year academic Officers’ Programme, and specialist officers complete 18 months of vocational training at the Swedish Armed Forces’ training schools. The aim of this study was to investigate newly graduated officers’ and specialist officers’ perceptions of their officer training. Results showed that their perceptions could be covered by three overriding themes: identification, vertical versus horizontal career paths and the perceived relevance of the officer training. Furthermore, the respondents’ officer identification seemed to have developed before officer training, and the individual motivators concerned deliberate choices of becoming either an officer or a specialist officer. Coaching was crucial to both officers and specialist officers. However, the officers stated that coaching came at an early stage of their basic military training, whereas specialist officers were coached at a later stage in their career. The implications for the Swedish Armed Forces is that identification and career path are issues that need to be addressed early in a soldier’s military career, and that officer training needs to be more focussed on defining career paths, especially for specialist officers.

Досліджено особливості формування конкурентних переваг підприємства сфери послуг в умовах переходу до економіки знань – від загальних підходів стратегічного управління, ресурсної теорії до компетентнісного підходу. Виокремлено ключові постулати компетентнісного підходу до формування конкурентних переваг підприємства сфери послуг в умовах переходу до економіки знань.Обґрунтовано, що в основі формування конкурентних переваг підприємства сфери послуг в умовах переходу до економіки знань знаходяться ключові сфери компетенції підприємства, які є унікальною сукупністю активів знань, досвіду та організаційних зв’язків, які у поєднанні з ресурсами і технологіями втілюються у створення нових процесів, продуктів і послуг з новими споживчими властивостями. Ключові сфери компетенції є активами знань та утворюються на основі унікального для кожного підприємства сполучення знань та організаційних зв’язків, що зумовлює необхідність ідентифікації таких активів, їх упорядкування, оцінювання з метою визначення унікальності ключових сфер компетенції підприємства. З цією метою в статті запропоновано загальну схему ідентифікації ресурсів знань, які формують конкурентні переваги підприємства сфери послуг., The high level of the development of information and telecommunication technologies has led to the acceleration of the processes of introduction and dissemination, copying by competitors of new knowledge-intensive technologies and other scientific developments. In these conditions, the enterprise's competitive advantages are determined by its uniqueness in a competitive environment and are formed on the basis of internal hard-to-imitate intangible resources and key areas of competence, which becomes a source of sustainable competitive advantages of the enterprise.The features of the formation of competitive advantages of an enterprise in the service sector in the context of the transition to a knowledge economy – from general approaches of strategic management, resource theory – to a competency-based approach are investigated. The key postulates of the competence-based approach to the formation of competitive advantages of a service sector enterprise in the transition to a knowledge economy are identified.It has been substantiated that the competitive advantages of an enterprise in the service sector are based on the enterprise's key areas of competence, which are a unique set of assets of knowledge, experience and organizational ties, which, in combination with resources and technologies, are embodied in the creation of new processes, products and services with new consumer properties. Key areas of competence are knowledge assets and are formed on the basis of a combination of knowledge and organizational ties that is unique for each enterprise, which leads to the need to identify such assets, order them and evaluate them in order to determine the uniqueness of the key areas of competence of the enterprise. For this purpose, the general scheme for identifying knowledge resources that form the competitive advantages of a service sector enterprise have been proposed in the article.

The paper deals with the hermeneutic approach to drama interpretation on the material of «The Tragedy of Coriolanus» by W. Shakespeare. The offered model includes a two-fold coordinate system: the analysis of the plot from the point of view of its identification, comprehension and attitude formation, on the one hand, and its semantic, pragmatic and stylistic explanation, on the other hand. The application of this approach to understanding of the tragedy in question makes it possible to define the subject of the play, its genre and the main characteristic features of its heroes. This is a semantic aspect of the identification stage of the play. A pragmatic aspect of the identification consists in describing the main evaluative positions of the heroes as expressed in their words and actions. A stylistic aspect of identification allows us to describe the main linguistic means used to create artistic images. The comprehension level of the text analysis viewed semantically is aimed at the reconstruction of its social and historical context explained by scholarly studies of Shakespeare and his epoch. The pragmatic aspect of analysis on the comprehension level is centered around the motives of the characters’ behavior, the logic of their actions, and the inevitability of their fate. The stage of action in interpretation corresponds to formation of attitudes to the meaning of the text connected with the present days. The tragedy of Coriolanus is a story about a great person who intentionally cuts off his ties with reality and about people around him who fail to come to rescue and thus make him perish.

Background and objective: Human identification and anthropological evaluation of mass graves are the key step towards scientific documentation and achieving justice. This study aimed to investigate the exhumation, anthropological evaluation, and individual victim identification of a mass grave in Busaya in Samawa governorate. Methods: The investigation included excavation of the graves and identification of the victims. The field study was started after taking testimonies and witnesses for locating the site of graves. The sites were determined, which were excavated according to the scientific standard procedures. Gender determination and age and stature estimation were performed on the remnant skeletons in the laboratory of the medico-legal institute in Erbil. Results: The grave included 93 bodies, 66 (71%) were males, 24 (26%) were possibly males, while the others were not identified because of degradations of the bones. The results of age estimation reported that the number of young bodies under 20 years old were five cases (5.4%), while 53 cases (57%) were young bodies between 20-29 years. The rest were more than 30 years old, except for eight cases that could not be identified. The results of stature revealed that more than half of cases had stature more than 166 cm, while only six cases were less than 155 cm. All the remained bones were recorded in detail for more documentation. Conclusion: These findings described the anthropological evaluation of a large Barzanian mass graves in Busaya desert in the south region in Iraq. The majority (or all) of the victims were males and young people. Keywords: Mass grave; Barzanian victims; Busaya; Exhumation; Identification.

Russian enterprises of manufacturing complex are facing financial crisis because of the dramatic drop in demand for products due to the pandemic. Since a significant part of the population is employed in this sector, measures to support production in manufacturing industries are discussed at various levels. Based on the mathematical model of production, taking into account unstable demand, we propose a methodology for analyzing the effectiveness of support measures. Financial performance of the enterprise are calculated using an analytical solution of the Bellman equation that determines the valuation of the company, as well as the ergodicity property of the random process of product sales. The application of the methodology is illustrated by the example of KAMAZ Group.