With this research topic we provide an overview of the main tools regenerative medicine and stem cells research have to better understand and modulate bone and cartilage cell fate, both during natural healing processes and during the development of joint pathologies. Moreover, the contribution to the research topic with original research articles allow a further exploration toward the most advanced research in the field.What is the role of mechanical loading to determine cell fate during bone development? How can we modulate biomaterial proprieties to drive cellular differentiation of stem cells toward cartilage and bone? What we can learn about bone and cartilage cell fate by following natural healing processes and osteoarthritis development? This Research Topic explores these and other crucial questions in the field of bone and cartilage regeneration, with the intention to trigger the development of new research lines and further increase of knowledge.Hendrikson et al. show how different scaffold architectures have significant influence on stress and strain distribution, but also on the effective pore size and shape, which subsequently influence the fluid shear stress distribution.  Angelozzi et al. discuss how the use of microfibrous alginate scaffolds containing gelatin or the more innovative urinary bladder matrix (UBM) are able to stimulate dedifferentiated chondrocyte to re-acquire their natural phenotype. Mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (MSC) are often use to recapitulate the endochondral ossification process. For this reason Carroll et al. used MSC as a model to explore the role of cyclic tensile strain during their differentiation showing that this specific mechanical stimuli can play a role in promoting both intramembranous and endochondral ossification of MSC in a context-dependent manner. Dynamic mechanical compression is also one of the most used strategies to regulate cellular phenotype. However, as highlighted by Anderson and Johnstone, the lack of standardized methods and analysis to study chondrogenic differentiation and maintenance under this mechanical regimes make the comparison between the current literature difficult.Scaffold manufacturing and specific types and regimes of mechanical stimulation are known to be essential for supporting and promoting cellular differentiation. Specifically, Lo Sicco and Tasso provide an overview on the novel findings that impact bone fracture healing, with a particular focus on the role of inflammation, progenitor cell recruitment and their differentiation. Lozito TP's group, on the other hand, used the lizard tail regeneration model to determine the cellular origin of regenerated cartilage and muscle following tail loss, interestingly showing how cartilage cells can contribute to the regeneration of both muscle and cartilage tissue .Understanding the role and the mechanism of action of endogenous bone and cartilage repair by progenitor cells is pivotal to increase the knowledge around endogenous progenitor cell function and therefore improve the development of tissue repair strategies. Wong et al. reviewed the molecular pathways that (may) play a role in modulating cellular fate during endochondral fracture healing, Lesage et al. discussed the current methodologies to analyze cell differentiation during endochondral ossification using computational modeling and Javaheri et al. reviewed the interesting recent findings supporting the idea that hypertrophic chondrocytes have pluripotent capacity and may transdifferentiate into osteoblastic cells. To complete the overview on fracture healing, the group of Correa D proposed a comprehensive summary on tissue engineering strategies for fractures and bone defects, discussing not only the role of the cells but also the impact of the use of different biomaterials and grow factors to stimulate the healing process .In order to have a whole overview on endochondral fracture healing, Raman et al. addressed the key inflammatory factors and the main epigenetic changes that occur in chondrocytes during OA and how we may be able to reverse them. In parallel, the group of Welting TJM discussed the current knowledge regarding the cartilage endochondral changes occurring during OA , overall covering most of the literature available in the field up to date. It is also interesting to observe how knowledge on the endochondral ossification process can also derive by the observation of physiological processes apparently non related to it. One great example are vascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, where vascular calcification is observed, with many aspects of the process of endochondral ossification apparent. Leszczynska and Murphy reviewed this scenario focusing on the (circulating) cellular players contributing to form ectopic bone and cartilage during atherosclerosis.Sometimes a pathological situation can be very useful to study physiological processes. Osteoarthritis (OA), a pathology of the diarthoroidal joints, is a diseased state where all the joint tissues are involved, leading to cartilage and bone changes. The issues discussed in this Research Topic address several important biological aspects that determine the fate of cells in the cartilage and bone leading to the repair of damaged tissues or the onset of disease. Improving our understanding of these processes will allow us to further refine regenerative medicine based approaches to the treatment of many bone and cartilage related pathologies.All authors listed have made a substantial, direct and intellectual contribution to the work, and approved it for publication.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


This symposium describes the development and implementation of an interdisciplinary and novel person-centered care (PCC) communication tool in nursing homes (NH). PCC is a philosophy that recognizes “knowing the person” and honoring individual preferences. The communication tool is based on an assessment of NH resident likes and dislikes via the Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory (PELI). The PELI is an evidenced-based, validated instrument that can be used to enhance the delivery of PCC. In 2016, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) mandated NHs use the PELI as one of the factors that determine the quality portion of their daily Medicaid reimbursement rate. The Preferences for Activity and Leisure (PAL) Card was developed to communicate important resident preferences across care team members. In 2018, the PAL Card Project was approved by the Ohio Department of Aging as a Quality Improvement Project. The first presentation will describe the implementation of PAL Cards with n=43 NH providers. The second presentation will present data regarding the acceptability, feasibility, and appropriateness of the communication tool as rated by providers. The final presentation explores provider qualitative responses regarding the characteristics of the PAL Card communication tool related to effective implementation. The Discussant, Dr. Howard Degenholtz will discuss the implications of initiatives to address the quality of resident care.


SFP) is a serious problem in the egg production industry with regard to animal welfare and performance. The multifactorial causes of SFP are discussed in the areas of genetics, feeding, husbandry, stable climate and management. Several studies on the influence of manipulable material on the incidence of SFP in different environments and housing systems have been performed. This review presents current knowledge on the effects of litter and additional enrichment elements on the occurrence of SFP in pullets and laying hens. Because SFP is associated with foraging and feed intake behaviour, the provision of manipulable material in the husbandry environment is an approach that is intended to reduce the occurrence of SFP by adequate exercise of these behaviours. As shown in the literature, the positive effect of enrichment and litter substrate on SFP in a low‐complexity cage environment is evident. On the other hand, consistent results have not been reported on the influence of additional enrichment material in housing systems with litter substrate, which represent the most common type of husbandry in Northwestern Europe. Thus, further research is recommended.Severe feather pecking ( SFP) is a serious problem in the egg production industry with regard to animal welfare and performance. This review presents current knowledge on the effects of litter and additional enrichment elements on the occurrence of SFP in pullets and laying hens. While the positive effect of enrichment and litter substrate on SFP in a low complexity cage environment is evident, consistent results have not been reported on the influence of additional enrichment material in housing systems with litter substrate.Severe feather pecking ( Scientific papers were included if the effects of litter and/or enrichment elements on FP in pullets and/or laying hens housed in cage or barn systems were investigated in experimental or field studies and if a control group was implemented in the study. In Germany, stabling of beak‐trimmed pullets has been abandoned since 2017 by a voluntary agreement between the poultry industry and the Federal Government  or whether the animals were kept in an environment with litter and, thus, within conditions of alternative housing regarding the presence of a floor substrate. Most previous investigations on the influence of manipulable material on SFP compared litter‐free systems on perforated floors (cages or enriched cages) to husbandry on different litter substrates but did not examine the effect of additional enrichment material in housing systems with litter.2In a series of studies, the presence of manipulable material was shown to improve the plumage condition in pullets and laying hens Figure . BlokhuiWith the knowledge that manipulable materials can reduce behavioural disorders, several groups compared the applicability of different litter substrates. Huber‐Eicher and Wechsler  kept chiIn a study on the preferences of different substrates for pecking, scratching and dust‐bathing, chicks preferred sand to straw and wood shavings to feathers in the first weeks of life  Can the incidence and the severity of SFP be reduced by permanent or transient offers of additional enrichment material? (b) What role does the provision of these materials play during the rearing period and in possible switches (addition or omission) between the rearing and laying period? (c) What effects can be expected on the biological performance and on the economics of egg production? and (d) What is the suitability of the different groups of enrichment material  with regard to the effects on SFP and does a combined use of several substrates increase the effects on behaviour?The authors declare no conflicts of interest.This work is based on a review of the literature. The authors confirm that they have adhered to the ethical policies of the journal, as noted in the author guidelines for publication.


If I should die, think only this of me:That there’s some corner of a foreign fieldThat is forever England.Rupert Brooke, 1914Most military cemeteries overwhelm one with the vast number of markers that represent once living soldiers now buried far from home. Occasionally one finds a lonely, single grave of an unremembered death and wonders what must have happened many years ago. Most people will know of the famous poet Rupert Brooke who died of bacterial sepsis just prior to the Gallipoli landings, who is buried on the Greek island of Skyros and whose quotation appears above. However, not long before Gallipoli, another amphibious operation had taken place on the other side of the world and both the landing and its casualties are now largely forgotten. During antimalarial drug testing on Bougainville sixteen years ago, the staff of the Australian Army Malaria Institute came upon a lonely grave in Keita and its photograph appears as The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (ANMEF) was one of the first military actions of the First World War, deploying from Sydney in August 1914. The ANMEF was a rapidly raised, independent Australian force consisting of a mixed contingent of 2000 men sent north to capture the German colony of New Guinea [The several hundred men of the residual Australian forces in New Guinea then had to establish a civil-military administration across many islands with little infrastructure other than scattered coastal plantations. Small detachments were sent to the outlying areas to keep the appearance of government functioning including Madang on the northern coast, Lorengau on Manus, Angorum up the Sepik River, and Kieta on Bougainville. Usually these isolated outposts consisted of one to three officers , 20 other ranks, and some local policemen initially with no radio capability or dedicated boats for transport . BougainP. falciparum infection killed the last known Australian soldier to die of malaria in December 1965 in South Vietnam, mid-way in time between PTE Read’s death and the present [P. falciparum remains one of the few infectious diseases capable of rapidly killing an otherwise healthy adult and requires a high level of awareness following visits to endemic areas, as recently demonstrated during a successfully treated malaria outbreak on the HMAS Newcastle while on patrol in the Indian Ocean.In January 1915 a long drought was broken and the subsequent rains initiated a malaria epidemic which infected most of the Rabaul garrison and filled the hospital. The outpost at Angorum was abandoned following malaria deaths of two soldiers. Daily compulsory quinine administration  for paraShortly after the end of the war, the Australian War Memorial’s Roll of Honour was formed and postal inquiries were sent to family members to obtain further details of those who had died. PTE Joseph Read was a 50-year-old plasterer living in South Australia, originally from England having immigrated to Australia in 1912. PTE Read would have been one of the few experienced soldiers in the ANMEF, having served in the Second Battalion of the Dorsetshire (39th) Regiment during the South African War in 1900–1901, and he had been awarded the Queen’s South Africa medal with five bars. There was no mention of surviving family members other than a brother in England.PTE Read’s grave is a solitary one being the only Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial in the Kieta cemetery. Other ANMEF malaria deaths occurred in Madang and Lae. Disease deaths seem to be often discounted against the apparently more noble image of death by missile injury in the face of the enemy. There were all too many of such traumatic deaths to follow during the First World War, as the massive cemetery at Tyne Cot, France with 11,956 burials and 34,946 memorials for those with no known grave, attests. As medical persons interested in tropical medicine we should strive, particularly during the events commemorating the centenary of the First World War, to remember those whose deaths were caused by infectious diseases and not let their equal sacrifice go un-noticed. Our struggle against infectious diseases is far from over and Bougainville remains one of the most malarious islands of the Pacific.


The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) of humans and non-human primates plays a key role in the sensory and motor transformations required to guide motor actions to objects of interest in the environment. Despite decades of research, the anatomical and functional organization of this region is still a matter of contention. It is generally accepted that specialized parietal subregions and their functional counterparts in the frontal cortex participate in distinct segregated networks related to eye, arm and hand movements. However, experimental evidence obtained primarily from single neuron recording studies in non-human primates has demonstrated a rich mixing of signals processed by parietal neurons, calling into question ideas for a strict functional specialization. Here, we present a brief account of this line of research together with the basic trends in the anatomical connectivity patterns of the parietal subregions. We review, the evidence related to the functional communication between subregions of the PPC and describe progress towards using parietal neuron activity in neuroprosthetic applications. Recent literature suggests a role for the PPC not as a constellation of specialized functional subdomains, but as a dynamic network of sensorimotor loci that combine multiple signals and work in concert to guide motor behavior. Humans and non-human primates make skillful reaching-to-grasping movements that are tightly coordinated in space and time  recorded caudally and responses coding locations in head-, body- and hand-centered frame rostrally  has been instrumental in understanding the relationship in neural activity across brain areas. The LFP is composed of synaptic and spiking activity in the vicinity of the recording electrode  movements  offer some hope in helping remedy these difficulties. A BMI is a device that can record neural activity from the brain while subjects think about a certain task, and then Most commonly, electrodes are implanted in the primary motor and premotor areas while patients use motor imagery to provide the necessary input to these BMIs (Markowitz et al., However, Musallam et al.  went on However, soon after this, trajectory information was successfully decoded from the medial bank of the IPS as well as the dorsal convexity to allow control of a 2-dimensional (2D; Mulliken et al., The clinical relevance of the PPC to neural prosthetics was demonstrated in the first human trial of a BMI that utilized neural signals from the PPC (Aflalo et al., Despite decades of research, a definitive understanding of how individual brains areas are defined, perform distinct computations, and interact with other brain areas remains elusive. The PPC has proved an ideal test bed for understanding how the underlying neural architecture supports a range of sensory, motor and cognitive functions. Anatomy and physiology provide distinct lines of evidence for characterizing the brain areas of the PPC less as a cluster of finite regions and more as a network of integrated areas that may flexibly form the neural basis for diverse functions. The future of systems neuroscience is in understanding how these brain areas work in concert with one another and how the neural dynamics can be used for powering the next generation of prosthetic devices.KH, SB, YW and MH contributed to the preparation, writing and revising of this text.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


Family members of stroke survivors experience high rates of depression and burden. The majority of stroke survivors return to their homes and need assistance to perform activities of daily living. These demands coupled with the lack of preparedness for their new roles lead to a high risk for developing depression and other negative outcomes among caregivers. Studies indicate that Hispanic caregivers report higher levels of depression compared to others. However, no interventions have focused on this population. Our objective is to develop culturally-relevant interventions to help reduce disparities Hispanic Veterans post-stroke and their caregivers. We tailored our Spanish RESCUE intervention for the Puerto Rican population. The goal of the problem-solving telephone support & educational intervention is to reduce caregiver burden and depressive symptoms by teaching them a creative and optimistic approach to solving caregiving related problems. The intervention was developed to reflect specific characteristics of the target population. To enhance the cultural relevance of the intervention, we used recommendations from Key Stakeholders and guidelines from authoritative sources such as: 1) involving persons from the target population in all phases of the project; 2) emphasizing themes valued by the PR culture; 3) assuring that the language and wording of the materials is at appropriate reading level; 4) using certified translators and Spanish-speaking experts, and 5) having Hispanic research members, fluent in Spanish, and knowledgeable about the PR culture conduct the intervention and assessments. The intervention is currently been tested in a RCT.


The aim of the study is to assess the degree of adherence of medical laboratories to Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) 2012 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in laboratory practice in Czechia and Slovakia.An electronic questionnaire on adherence to KDIGO 2012 guideline was designed by an external quality assessment (EQA) provider SEKK spol. s.r.o. The questionnaire was placed and distributed through website to all medical biochemistry laboratories in Czechia and Slovakia (N = 396).A total of 212 out of 396 laboratories responded to the questions, though some laboratories only answered some questions, those applicable to their practice. A total of 48 out of 212 laboratories adopted the KDIGO 2012 guideline in full extent. The metrological traceability of creatinine measurement to standard reference material of SRM 967 was declared by 180 out of 210 laboratories (two of the responding laboratories did not measure creatinine). Thirty laboratories are not well educated on traceability of creatinine measurement and seven laboratories do not calculate estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Both urinary albumin concentration and albumin to creatinine ratio are reported by 144 out of 175 laboratories .Majority of laboratories in Czechia and Slovakia adopted some parts of the KDIGO 2012 guideline in their practice, but only 23% of the laboratories apply them completely. Thus, further education and action should be conducted to improve its implementation. The questions of the questionnaire on adherence to KDIGO 2012 guideline in Czechia and Slovakia are shown in th to January 25th 2019. The entry of results could be monitored by a link to the website. Participation in the survey was voluntary. In addition to the questionnaire, data on the type of creatinine method used among laboratories were collected from the results of first basic clinical chemistry EQA scheme (the number of participants was 188). Information on the type of creatinine method was not derived from the survey. These data were collected as a creatinine enzymatic method is recommended by KDIGO 2012 guideline. In the end, 212 laboratories participated in the study. All data were collected and no laboratory response was excluded. We did not compare results among different kinds of laboratories. The ideal target is full guideline implementation. Full guideline implementation was defined as the adoption of the KDIGO 2012 guideline in full extent including cystatin C traceable method and eGFR. Partial guideline implementation was defined as creatinine measurement traceable to standard reference material SRM 967. After the survey had been completed, all participants received interpretative comments from the EQA supervisors, containing references to related pages of the KDIGO 2012 guideline. These comments were not part of the questionnaire.An electronic questionnaire on adherence to KDIGO 2012 guideline was designed by an EQA provider SEKK spol. s.r.o., with registered office in Pardubice, Czechia. The questionnaire was placed and distributed through EQA SEKK’s website Data were collected to Microsoft Excel Office 2007 program . The total absolute number of specific responses of each specific question and their relative percentages compared to the total number of responses to the particular question were calculated. The denominator of the percentages for full and partial guideline implementation was the total number of participants of the survey (N = 212).The response rate to the questionnaire was 54% (212 out of 396 laboratories). The answers to the questionnaire by laboratory participants on adherence to KDIGO 2012 guideline are provided in et al. performed a similar study with the purpose to improve education of laboratories and harmonization of KDIGO 2012 guideline implementation in Croatia  laboratories. Biljak et al. reported overestimation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by eGFRcrea compared to isotopic reference method in oncology patients before cisplatin treatment  equation is the new alternative for estimation of GFR from standardized serum cystatin C concentration (The KDIGO 2012 guideline recommends confirmation of CKD by estimated glomerular filtration rate from serum cystatin C (eGFRcys) when eGFRcrea is below 60 mL/min/1.73met al. showed that eGFR based on CKD-EPI equations correlated significantly with endemic nephropathy (The MDRD study group which enrolled 1628 patients with CKD was used for the development of the MDRD eGFRcrea equation (et al. demonstrated that low number of patients with CKD had albuminuria measurement. They found the care gap among all patients with CKD. Authors suggest the measurement of albumin to creatinine ratio in patients at risk for CKD development as a quality indicator (et al. reported that combining eGFR and albumin to creatinine ratio level was more accurate in predicting risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. Serum creatinine with calculation of eGFRcrea and urinary albumin to creatinine ratio should be regularly monitored in diabetic patients. Early intervention to halt or even reverse the progression reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. The findings call for more aggressive screening and intervention of albuminuria in diabetic patients (The work by Manns et al. reported 6 key factors for laboratories implementing the national guidelines for the diagnosis and management of CKD. The first factor is good communication between laboratory and clinicians (The number of decimal places in reporting serum creatinine and cystatin C concentrations is the issue of uncertainty of measurement. Each series of calibrator should be accompanied with the information on its uncertainty (The limitations of the study are low survey response rate and not asking about participants’ creatinine method in the survey, but obtaining it in a different way instead. Further, some participants did not respond to all questions. Information from participants may not reflect the real situation. We were not able to compare results of hospital laboratories, specialized centre laboratories, and private laboratories. In summary, a majority of laboratories in Czechia and Slovakia adopted some parts of the KDIGO 2012 guideline in laboratory practice but there is still further need of education on traceability of measurement, the importance of eGFR calculation, and harmonization of reporting of results in some cases.


Concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) members have been widely employed as major structural members carrying axial or vertical loads and the interface bond condition between steel tube and concrete core plays key roles in ensuring the confinement effect of steel tube on concrete core. An effective interface debonding defect detection approach for CFSTs is critical. In this paper, an active interface debonding detection approach using surface wave measurement with a piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) patch as sensor mounted on the outer surface of the CFST member excited with a PZT actuator mounted on the identical surface is proposed in order to avoid embedding PZT-based smart aggregates (SAs) in concrete core. In order to validate the feasibility of the proposed approach and to investigate the effect of interface debonding defect on the surface wave measurement, two rectangular CFST specimens with different degrees of interface debonding defects on three internal surfaces are designed and experimentally studied. Surface stress waves excited by the PZT actuator and propagating along the steel tube of the specimens are measured by the PZT sensors with a pitch and catch pattern. Results show that the surface-mounted PZT sensor measurement is sensitive to the existence of interface debonding defect and the interface debonding defect leads to the increase in the voltage amplitude of surface wave measurement. A damage index defined with the surface wave measurement has a linear relationship with the heights of the interface debonding defects.  With advanced structural performance including high load-carrying capacity, good ductility and energy dissipation capability under strong dynamic excitations, convenience and economy in construction, concrete-filled steel tubes (CFSTs) have been extensively employed as major vertical and/or axial load-carrying structural members in civil infrastructure such as long-span bridges, super high-rise buildings and off-shore platforms in harsh environments . MoreoveIn the last decades, various global structural identification approaches for different types of civil engineering structures have been investigated using structural dynamic characteristics such as frequencies, damping ratios and modal shapes extracted from structural dynamic response measurements ,5,6. UnfIn recent years, piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT)-based approaches have been widely recognized as one of the most promising active structural health monitoring (SHM) techniques for engineering structures using stress wave measurement and electromechanical impedance ,14,15,16PZT based stress wave measurement approaches also play active roles in the bonding condition monitoring between concrete and rebar in RC structures ,27. SharFor the interface debonding detection of CFSTs, Xu et al. firstly proposed a novel PZT based active approach, where PZT patches mounted on the outer surface of the steel tube or embedded in concrete core are used as actuator or sensors and the changes in the wavelet energy and wavelet energy spectrum of the PZT sensor measurements are employed to detect the interface debonding defects, and the feasibility of the proposed approaches was validated experimentally and numerically considering the piezoelectric effect of PZT materials and the coupling effect between PZT patches and CFST members ,35,36,37In fact, in the above interface debonding detection approaches, the embedded PZT sensor measures the bulk wave traveling across the steel tube and concrete core. The shortages of the defect detection approaches using bulk wave include the wave attenuation in concrete core and the inconvenience of the installation of embedded SAs in concrete core before concrete pouring. The wave attenuation in steel tubes of CFST members is smaller than that in concrete and it is more attractive to develop interface debonding approaches using surface wave measurement for CFST members . Schaal Most recently, a non-destructive early corrosion detection technique in steel tubes of CFST members using surface wave measurement was proposed and experimentally investigated . HoweverIn this study, to overcome the shortcomings of the current interface debonding detection approaches using embedded PZT patches, an active interface debonding detection approach using surface wave measurement with PZT patches mounted on the identical surface of steel tube of CFST member as actuator and sensors is proposed. In order to demonstrate the feasibility and the performance of the proposed approach, experimental studies on two rectangular CFST members with different interface debonding defect scenarios are carried out. The measurements of the surface waves propagating from the surface-mounted PZT actuator and passing through different interface debonding defects are compared. The relationship between the measurement and the interface debonding widths and heights is investigated. An evaluation index is defined based on the surface wave measurement and its linear relationship with the heights of the interface debonding defects is found. Experimental results show the proposed approach is efficient for interface debonding condition monitoring for CFST members with surface wave measurement.The interface debonding defect approach presented in this study uses surface wave measurement along the steel tube. a × b = 400 mm × 400 mm and a height of 400 mm, as shown in t was 4.0 mm. The four sides of the specimen No. 1 were named Sides A, B, C and D, while those of the specimen No. 2 were labeled as Sides E, F, G and H, as illustrated in In this study, two rectangular CFST specimens with identical dimensions were designed. As shown in In this study, six interface debonding scenarios were designed and the corresponding dimensions of each mimicked debonding defect are shown in The arrangement of PZT actuators and sensors mounted on the identical outer surfaces of the two tested specimens, the embedded SAs and the location of the mimicked interface debonding defects shown as shaded regions are illustrated in detail in As shown in A continuous sinusoidal signal with a frequency of 10 kHz and an amplitude of 10 V generated by an arbitrary waveform/function generator was used to excite the PZT actuators on each side of the tested specimen. The output voltage signals of both PZT sensor and the embedded SA sensor were recorded using a high-frequency data acquisition system with a sampling frequency of 102.4 kHz. The interface debonding defect may attenuate or block the stress wave propagation from steel tube to concrete core, and then lead to the decrease in the measurement of SA sensors and the increase in the amplitudes of the voltage signals measured by PZT patches. Moreover, from the test measurements, it can be seen that the amplitude of the response voltage induced by the surface waves increased with the enlargement of the debonding height. The reduction of the voltage amplitude measured by SAs due to the existence of debonding defect met the findings from the collected literature ,34.To further demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed surface wave measurement based interface debonding detection approach, the measurement from three PZT sensors on an identical side of each specimen were compared and analyzed. As detailed in DI) based on the measured signal amplitude defined as follows was employed to reflect the degrees of interface debonding defects.Dn and H respectively denote the amplitude of the voltage signals measured by PZT patch n located in the areas with and without interface debonding. Here, the voltage amplitude of the output signals from the PZT sensors is employed to identify the existence and to evaluate the degrees of interface debonding. As the width and thickness of interface debonding were constant for each specimen, the relationship between the variance of voltage amplitude with the height of the defects was investigated. A damage index (DI(n) corresponding to PZT sensors in the second column of each side of the two tested specimens, which changed with the height of interface debonding defects, respectively. It can be seen that this damage index was sensitive to the existence of debonding defect located in the surface stress wave propagation path from the actuator to the sensor. Moreover, the proposed DI had a clear linear relationship with the change in debonding height no matter what the width of the interface debonding defect was. DI and the height of interface debonding, the height of interface debonding can be identified quantitatively, which is very meaningful in practice. Here, the measurements of the PZT sensors on the first and the third columns on Sides C, D, G and H are compared. As shown in Based on the relationship between It is clear that the interface debonding detection approach using surface stress wave measurement with a pitch and catch pattern is capable of detecting interface debonding defects along the surface stress wave propagation path. However, the proposed method is insensitive to the interface debonding defects apart from the propagation path of surface stress wave. In practice, scanning the surface with a smaller interval is helpful to detect the width of interface debonding if a pitch and catch measurement pattern is employed.Interface debonding leads to an increase in the voltage amplitude measured by surface-mounted PZT patches and a reduction in the voltage amplitude measured by embedded SAs. Interface debonding blocks the propagation of stress wave from steel tube to the concrete core. Therefore, the increase in the voltage amplitude can be used to evaluate the existence of interface debondings;When the width of interface debonding is constant, the measured voltage amplitudes present an obvious increment with the enlargement of debonding defect heights. The amplitude of the voltage signal has a clear relationship with the change in debonding height. The defined index is efficient to identify the existence as well as the height of interface debonding;The PZT sensor measurement is sensitive to the existence of interface debonding defect along the stress wave propagation path from the actuator and sensor on the surface of CFST structures with a pitch and catch measurement pattern.This paper proposed a surface wave measurement based active interface debonding defect detection approach for CFST structures using PZT actuating and sensing technologies. This approach only uses the PZT patches mounted on the outside surface of the steel tubes and there is no need to embed PZT transducers in concrete core. To demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method, two CFST specimens with different degrees of interface debonding defects are established for comparison. Besides the surface-mounted PZT patches, SAs embedded in concrete core are employed to investigate the effect of interface debonding on the wave propagation along the surface and into the concrete core of CFST excited by PZT actuators. A continuous sinusoidal signal is applied to excite PZT actuators and the response voltage signals measured by the surface-mounted PZT sensors are analyzed to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method in detecting the existence and degrees of debonding defects in CFST structures. Based on the experimental study, the following conclusions can be made:The surface wave measurement based debonding detection approach is convenient when compared with the bulk wave measurement-based approach where embedded SAs are required. Further experimental studies on the feasibility of the proposed approach considering the randomness and irregularity of interface debonding defects and numerical studies on the wave propagation mechanism will be carried out for practical application.


Although she regained some degree of motor function of the left upper and lower extremities, there was decreased strength with pronation, supination, and wrist and finger extension with significant wasting of the intrinsic muscles on the right side. Furthermore, she also experienced persistent loss of sensation along the distribution of the right tibial and medial and lateral plantar nerves and the right antebrachial cutaneous nerve.Treatment of cervical radiculopathy often involves conservative measures including steroid injections.Serial radiographic imaging showed intramedullary contrast extending from the occiput to C7 and extension into the medulla. A magnetic resonance imaging performed 14 months later demonstrated degenerative changes and myelomalacia extending to the right dorsal medulla and cervical cord (Fig. The patient presented more than 2 years after the initial injury and underwent exploration and decompression of the right carpal tunnel, cubital tunnel, and Guyon’s canal and the right tarsal tunnel. Microneurolysis and epineurectomy was performed of the ulnar nerve of the arm and elbow and the nerve to the flexor carpi ulnaris. The tibial nerve, medial plantar nerve, and lateral plantar nerve were also serially released. The sural nerve was harvested from the bilateral lower extremities and used as grafts from the left greater auricular nerve and the left supraclavicular nerve to the medial cutaneous nerve of the right arm and forearm in an end-to-side fashion respectively. The medial cutaneous nerve of the arm was also neurotized into a partial neurotomy of the sensory component of the ulnar nerve.There were no postoperative complications and the patient reported improved sensation in the right hand and forearm after 4 weeks and increased grip strength accompanied by a positive Tinel sign at 10 weeks. Sensation in the right upper extremity continued to improve with an advancing Tinel sign across the chest, and the patient reported significant improvement in the sensation of the sole of foot. After 13 months, sensation returned to the tips of the fingers with 6–7 mm 2-point discrimination. Even though intrinsic hand muscle weakness was still apparent, there was improved function of the flexi carpal ulnaris and the fourth and fifth flexor digitorum profundus muscles.The treatment of cervical radiculopathy is particularly challenging but becomes even more devastating in a young patient, especially when the symptomatology is compounded by myelomalacia due to an iatrogenic injury. Fortunately, exploration and decompression of the right upper extremity nerves at the level of the carpal tunnel, cubital tunnel, and Guyon’s canal with bilateral sural nerve harvest and contralateral grafting was successful. Certainly, evaluation and treatment by a multidisciplinary team with experience in reconstructive surgery with peripheral nerves and the brachial plexus are paramount in achieving optimal outcomes.


Objective: The internationalization of teaching and studying as well as increasing numbers of students with increasingly heterogeneous educational biographies and lifestyles require universities to develop awareness of this diversity and the need for adequate diversity management. For some diversity criteria at least it has been proven that they can influence the individual study success of students. The Dean’s Office of the Medical Faculty of the University of Cologne has empirically determined a stable prognosis parameter for study progression on the basis of selected criteria in order to enable early detection of students in need of guidance. This will then be used for targeted, diversity-oriented study guidance. On the one hand a correspondingly adapted guidance offer should take into account individual study progressions. On the other hand, measures to improve the equal opportunities of students with regard to their academic success can be discussed.Methodology: With the help of study progression analyses, study progress of cohorts can be recorded longitudinally. The study progression analysis implemented in the control of faculty teaching serves as a central forecasting and steering tool for the forthcoming concept of diversity-oriented study guidance. The significance measurement of the various features is determined using binary logistic regression analyses.Results: As part of the study progression analyses, the study success rate after the first semester has the strongest influence on the concordance with the minimum duration of study in the pre-clinical phase, followed by the characteristics age at commencement of studies and place of university entrance qualification. The school leaving grade only just misses the required significance level of p <0.05. As a predictor gender provides no explanatory contribution in the considered model.Conclusion: In order to do justice to the heterogeneity among the students, university administrators and lecturers should understand the recognition of diversity as a cross-cutting task and keep an eye on diversity-related aspects and discrimination-critical topics for different target groups as well as individual guidance services in the context of individual study guidance. Within the scope of this study, we were able to empirically prove the stable prognosis parameter study success rate after the first semester allows reliable detection of students in need of guidance. The explanatory contribution is larger than any of the individual criteria examined in this study. The specific causes that led to a delay in studying will be analyzed in the context of downstream and diversity-oriented study guidance. A follow-up study will deal with the question of whether the success of students requiring study guidance can be significantly improved by subsequent study guidance. For higher education, the question arises as to which diversity-oriented strategies and measures are needed in study guidance in order to enable students with different personal requirements to successfully complete their studies . S. Sage efplace of the university entrance qualification of the Leaving Certificate have shown that students with a German Abitur, which points to socialization within the German education system, study much faster and tend to comply with the minimum period of study more often than their fellow students who, having non-German Leaving Certificates and thus differing educational socialization, perform worse overall. As stated at the outset, this differentiation primarily aims to explain that the specific path to university admission and the preceding explicit and implicit educational socialization in relation to students with a migrant background should be examined with much greater attention to the heterogeneity and peculiarities of the migrant group than plain questions regarding nationality or origin allow  Number of students at NRW universities continues to increase, 06.07.2016”. The authors declare that they have no competing interests.


Cell encapsulation is a bioengineering technology that provides live allogeneic or xenogeneic cells packaged in a semipermeable immune-isolating membrane for therapeutic applications. The concept of cell encapsulation was first proposed almost nine decades ago, however, and despite its potential, the technology has yet to deliver its promise. The few clinical trials based on cell encapsulation have not led to any licensed therapies. Progress in the field has been slow, in part due to the complexity of the technology, but also because of the difficulties encountered when trying to prevent the immune responses generated by the various microcapsule components, namely the polymer, the encapsulated cells, the therapeutic transgenes and the DNA vectors used to genetically engineer encapsulated cells. While the immune responses induced by polymers such as alginate can be minimized using highly purified materials, the need to cope with the immunogenicity of encapsulated cells is increasingly seen as key in preventing the immune rejection of microcapsules. The encapsulated cells are recognized by the host immune cells through a bidirectional exchange of immune mediators, which induce both the adaptive and innate immune responses against the engrafted capsules. The potential strategies to cope with the immunogenicity of encapsulated cells include the selective diffusion restriction of immune mediators through capsule pores and more recently inclusion in microcapsules of immune modulators such as CXCL12. Combining these strategies with the use of well-characterized cell lines harboring the immunomodulatory properties of stem cells should encourage the incorporation of cell encapsulation technology in state-of-the-art drug development. Additional diabetes studies followed  and guluronic acid (G) subunits  allows a more controlled pore size of the microcapsules  in alginate preparations through the pattern recognition receptors (PRR)  and biochemical characteristics of the molecules, such as the molecule's molecular weight, size, shape and presence of charged groups. While the weight of the molecule is only partially responsible for the molecule's ability to diffuse in and out of the capsules, it is a useful parameter when comparing the ability of different signaling agents to influence the immune response against the capsules . HoweverLive cells secrete numerous products of metabolism, some of which, such as advanced glycation end products (AGE) and uric acid can be recognized as damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) by the host , which is considered a rather weak antigen. Compared with mice immunized with FIX protein in complete Freund's adjuvant (a standard for immunization), mice transplanted with microencapsulated cells had a much higher antibody titer to FIX  ligand (CXCL12) into alginate by Alagpulinsa et al.  remarkabin vivo implementation of the technology. Despite the challenges, the recent use of immune modulators to avoid fibrotic overgrowth is an exciting and potentially game-changing development. Together with the rigorous polymer purification protocols available today and the use of human stem cell lines it may provide the final missing element for successful cell encapsulation applications. These recent developments should encourage clinical trials with renewed hopes for the field of cell encapsulation.The concept of transplanting cells with therapeutic potential enclosed in polymeric microcapsules is highly relevant for the modern pharmaceutical industry. However, a major barrier to implementing cell encapsulation technology in the clinical setting is the immune response generated against the microcapsules and their contents. Therefore, a thorough characterization of the immune mechanisms involved in anti-capsular response is important for successful AA and GH conceived and wrote the first draft of the review. SY drew the figure, compiled the table, and wrote the immunology sections. AA and BN performed literature search and compiled references. All authors contributed to the writing of the manuscript, critically reviewed the manuscript draft, and approved the final version of the article.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


The development of smart cities calls for improved accuracy in navigation and positioning services; due to the effects of satellite orbit error, ionospheric error, poor quality of navigation signals and so on, it is difficult for existing navigation technology to achieve further improvements in positioning accuracy. Distributed cooperative positioning technology can further improve the accuracy of navigation and positioning with existing GNSS  systems. However, the measured range error and the positioning error of the cooperative nodes exhibit larger reductions in positioning accuracy. In response to this question, this paper proposed a factor graph-aided distributed cooperative positioning algorithm. It establishes the confidence function of factor graphs theory with the ranging error and the positioning error of the coordinated nodes and then fuses the positioning information of the coordinated nodes by the confidence function. It can avoid the influence of positioning error and ranging error and improve the positioning accuracy of cooperative nodes. In the simulation part, the proposed algorithm is compared with a mainly coordinated positioning algorithm from four aspects: the measured range error, positioning error, convergence speed, and mutation error. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm leads to a 30–60% improvement in positioning accuracy compared with other algorithms under the same measured range error and positioning error. The convergence rate and mutation error elimination times are only  With the development of smart cities, navigation and positioning techniques are now more important in daily life. However, it is extremely difficult to improve the accuracy of navigation and position with existing satellite navigation systems, Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), and other navigation systems. The services required by smart cities, such as autonomous vehicle driving and unmanned aerial vehicles, require the support of high-precision navigation and positioning services. The existing navigation and positioning technology mainly improves the accuracy of navigation and positioning by improving the signal quality of satellite navigation systems , enhanciK, and the position of cooperative node k can be expressed ask. Then, the vector of the position of all cooperative nodes In distributed cooperative positioning, because of the large ranging error, the introduction of cooperative positioning creates more positioning errors . TherefoK sets of subgraphs of some cooperative nodes due to factor graph theory [k is set ask with the other cooperative nodes that have a communication link with cooperative node k. The range value between cooperative node k and cooperative node i can be expressed asThe network topology of distributed cooperative positioning h theory . The disk and any other two cooperative nodes The position of a cooperative node can be obtained by more than three groups of distance equations in a cooperative positioning network . HoweverCombining Equations  and 4),,4), Equai adjacent to cooperative node k has the highest belief information among all cooperative nodes, the belief information of cooperative node i is set as the standard belief information for cooperative node k; then, the index of cooperative node i is set as k is the standard distance. Then, the distance difference between cooperative node j and k and cooperative node k is as follows:The belief information is constructed and is transferred between cooperating nodes to obtain the optimal position information of a cooperative node. Belief information is the information describing the mean and standard deviation of the range value between the cooperating nodes and the positioning error of a cooperative node. If cooperative node To obtain the position of the cooperative nodes, the aim function can be constructed by multiple sets of Equation , and theThe elements of matrix i is constructed as follows:K represents the total cooperative node, k and i, k and i, and k and i. The overall positioning optimal cost function S can be expressed as the sum of cooperative node cost function Due to the positioning information accuracy variation of cooperative nodes, it is difficult to obtain the optimal position by fixed cooperative nodes . To solvFactor graph theory has two types of nodes: variable nodes and function nodes. Each edge is connected with a variable node and a function node. In our proposed distributed cooperative position algorithm, the variable node represents the cooperative node, and the function node represents a factor graph local function and achieves nonlinear fusion of belief information in every computation cycle, so there is no link between different variable nodes. The factor graphs method can split a complex multivariate global function into the product of several simple local functions, so the optimal position is obtained by the local function instead of the optimal position of the global function. In product theory of the factor graph, the belief information is transferred between variable nodes and function nodes to obtain the optimal position information of a cooperative node. The structure of distributed cooperative position based on factor graph is shown in The belief information passed from the cooperative node to the function node is the product of the belief information of all the other neighbor function nodes arriving at the cooperative node. For example, the belief information based on the transfer from the cooperative node The belief information passed from cooperative node S.Because the maximum value of the belief information in the factor graph is 1, if the number of cooperative nodes is larger, the actual value of the belief information is different by triangulation and leads to larger calculation errors. The normalized weight factor is adopted in our proposed algorithm to abate calculation error and is expressed asith line of matrix ith row vector of ith line of matrix Combining Equations  and 10)10), the ith row of the residual matrix. The optimal position of cooperative node i can be expressed as follows by decomposing Equation (To obtain the optimal position of cooperative nodes, Equation  can be rDXest+ΔDXThe optimization problem of Equation  is a minTherefore, the optimization problem required by Equation  can be eEquation  can be rThe partial derivative of function By expanding Equation , the folThe optimal position of cooperative nodes Equation . When ‖XIn the cooperative position system, positioning accuracy is mainly affected by the positioning error of the cooperative node and the ranging error, which is measured between cooperative nodes. In the first part, the ranging error is simulated with the ideal position condition, where the standard deviation of the positioning errors of cooperative nodes is 0 m. Our proposed algorithm is compared with the cooperative position method based on distance measurement assistance in , semi-deFrom From In the cooperative position system, in addition to the ranging error, the position error of cooperative nodes will have a significant impact on the accuracy of the cooperative position system. In the second part, the positioning errors of cooperative nodes are simulated with the ideal range condition, where the standard deviation of the ranging error is 0 m; our proposed algorithm is compared with the cooperative position method based on distance measurement assistance in , the semIn In In the cooperative position system, nodes have both moving and static states, so the convergence speed of the algorithm will affect the actual performance of the algorithm; a faster convergence rate will bring better positioning performance. Therefore, the STD of the ranging error and nodes positioning error is 1 m, a value that depends on the existing GNSS position accuracy of cooperative nodes. Our proposed algorithm is compared with the cooperative position algorithms proposed in ,6,7,9; tIn ithms in  ignore tithms in  take intIn the cooperative position system, the GNSS position result of the cooperative nodes depends on the quality of the GNSS signal. Satellite signal interference, signal scattering and deceptive signals will affect the GNSS signal and lead to mutation error, which will degrade the the position performance of cooperative nodes, so the cooperative position algorithm should reduce the influence of mutation error on the cooperative positioning system. Under a standard deviation of the ranging error and node positioning error of 1 m, three nodes in the cooperative position network are added to the mutation positioning error in the third moment after the cooperative positioning network is stable; the simulation result of 1000 Monte Carlo is shown in In In response to the bottleneck in improvements to positioning accuracy in the existing navigation and positioning technology, the cooperative position algorithm can further improve positioning accuracy based on the interactive position information of the cooperative node. However, the ranging error and node positioning error have a greater impact on the accuracy of a cooperative positioning network and even reduce positioning accuracy. Our proposed factor-graph-assisted distributed cooperative position algorithm establishes the corresponding belief information model of the cooperative node by the ranging error and node position error and combines the total least squares method to obtain the optimal position of the cooperative position network. It can effectively restrain the influence of ranging error and node positioning error on the whole cooperative positioning system. This paper compares our proposed algorithm with the existing algorithms in terms of ranging error, cooperative node positioning error, convergence rate, and mutation error; the simulation results show that the positioning accuracy of our proposed algorithm is improved by 30–60%. In terms of convergence rate, our proposed algorithm utilizes the sum-product principle of the factor graph to achieve faster convergence than the other cooperative position algorithms. Importantly, when the cooperative node itself has a mutation error, our algorithm can quickly eliminate the effect of the mutation error on the entire coordinated positioning network. Our method has good application value in the field of navigation and positioning.


Bioelectric oscillations occur throughout the nervous system of nearly all animals, revealed to play an important role in various aspects of cognitive activity such as information processing and feature binding. Modern research into this dynamic and intrinsic bioelectric activity of neural cells continues to raise questions regarding their role in consciousness and cognition. In this theoretical article, we assert a novel interpretation of the hierarchical nature of “brain waves” by identifying that the superposition of multiple oscillations varying in frequency corresponds to the superimposing of the contents of consciousness and cognition. In order to describe this isomorphism, we present a layered model of the global functional oscillations of various frequencies which act as a part of a unified metastable continuum described by the Operational Architectonics theory and suggested to be responsible for the emergence of the phenomenal mind. We detail the purposes, functions, and origins of each layer while proposing our main theory that the superimposition of these oscillatory layers mirrors the superimposition of the components of the integrated phenomenal experience as well as of cognition. In contrast to the traditional view that localizations of high and low-frequency activity are spatially distinct, many authors have suggested a hierarchical nature to oscillations. Our theoretical interpretation is founded in four layers which correlate not only in frequency but in evolutionary development. As other authors have done, we explore how these layers correlate to the phenomenology of human experience. Special importance is placed on the most basal layer of slow oscillations in coordinating and grouping all of the other layers. By detailing the isomorphism between the phenomenal and physiologic aspects of how lower frequency layers provide a foundation for higher frequency layers to be organized upon, we provide a further means to elucidate physiological and cognitive mechanisms of mind and for the well-researched outcomes of certain voluntary breathing patterns and meditative practices which modulate the mind and have therapeutic effects for psychiatric and other disorders. Berger in the early 20th century revealing Alpha waves  neural assemblies of the brain  on an EEG are the ionic current producing membrane potential activities of individual neurons; the dendritic and postsynaptic potentials  has been explored previously by ourselves and other authors. Coordination and communication between the autonomic bodily system and the brain have been demonstrated in several studies .Current literature supports the assertion on a unified hierarchical nature to neural oscillations which have focused on spatial scales . Crucial for neocortical function, the membrane potential of nearly all neocortical neurons undergo 10–20 mV oscillations conscious cognitive function to screen internal and external stimuli for salient motivational cues that indicate a possible threat or reward Basar, . While tThe phenomenal aspect of the foundation of this layer, considering the role of the biological oscillations, consists of basic homeostatic drives functionally founded in the most basic division of self-vs-other. Emotional and primordial sensations are thought to have arisen on the back of a more general capacity for basic self-awareness  connections between the limbic system and an array of neocortical areas (corticolimbic circuits) are key to higher-order processing of emotions  throughout evolution may have developed to not only to serve communicative functions but facilitate a proper mental and behavioral response to solving a diverse range of adaptive problem domains that influence the chance of reproductive success  and may be responsible for higher-order consciousness necessitated by the lower layers responsible for primitive consciousness. We suggest this layer is responsible for sensory consciousness, sensory qualia, and higher cognitive functions which we suggest are superimposed cognitively, phenomenally, and physiologically upon the respective components of the lower layers. For instance, sensory qualia are superimposed upon the sensory frameworks of which they correspond. Certain cognitive capabilities are coordinated by emotional activity or “affect programs.” In essence, these higher levels of cognition and sensory experience are dependent on the lower layers we have described to be part of a global metastable continuum.There is still debate among neuroscientists as to whether Gamma oscillations ( >30 Hz) play a functional role in consciousness and cognition, from being completely non-functional to being a neural correlate of consciousness  literature in general support or view that lower frequency activity represents more basic and widespread activity while higher frequency activity is more localized and information-rich Orpwood, . While Bvia descending projections  of the higher-frequency activity observed in the contrasting states of distress and higher awareness achieved through meditation are fundamentally different and this notion should be researched further. One likely difference is an asymmetry of oscillatory activity in the two hemispheres of the brain in the distressed state, with symmetrical sites of the cortex showing large differences in the frequency of oscillations present . We support the assertion that the integrated experience of consciousness is thus achieved when the myriad of distinct and highly-local high-frequency synchronies among neural assemblies are metastably synchronized together at a much more global, abstract, and complex scale. While the hypothesis we have presented is not based on our own empirical research, we believe the significance of our assertions may provide a deeper understanding on the nature of the previously proposed isomorphism between the integrated phenomenal experience and the global bioelectric architecture of the brain. Understanding the full nature of this isomorphism will be key in bridging the explanatory gap between the phenomenal mind and biological mechanisms of the brain and in developing theories on the biological and ultimately physical nature of consciousness.In this theoretical article, we have advanced a novel perspective on the hierarchical nature of biological oscillations which identifies an isomorphism among the frequency-based superimposition of neural oscillations and the superimposition of the contents of consciousness. The contents of consciousness have been previously proposed to consist of a superimposition of qualia upon objects and scenes further superimposed upon a 3D virtual coordinate matrix. We expand upon this assertion by including emotions and some aspects of cognition. This superimposition is identified Theory developed by RJ with some writing. CB wrote the majority of the manuscript with theoretical contributions. Images done by MJ.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


The vascular system develops in response to auxin flow as continuous strands of conducting tissues arranged in regular spatial patterns. However, a mechanism governing their regular and repetitive formation remains to be fully elucidated. A model system for studying the vascular pattern formation is the process of leaf vascularization in Arabidopsis. In this paper, we present current knowledge of important factors and their interactions in this process. Additionally, we propose the sequence of events leading to the emergence of continuous vascular strands and point to significant problems that need to be resolved in the future to gain a better understanding of the regulation of the vascular pattern development. The development of the continuous conductive system is one of the most important morphogenetic processes occurring in plants. Proper construction and functioning of this system are necessary for the transport of water and nutrients, as well as the movement of signaling molecules Dengler . VasculaCurrent knowledge about the process of vascularization is based mainly on studies of the venation pattern formation in the first vegetative leaf of Arabidopsis, one of the main models for research on vascular tissue development , MP (MONOPTEROS), ATHB  and DOF (DNA-BINDING WITH ONE ZINC FINGER)  and the precise definition of all stages of vascular tissue emergence is necessary for a more complete understanding of the mechanisms of venation pattern formation.The first strand of procambial cells, defined as elongated, but not yet longitudinally dividing cells, emerges in the central part of the leaf blade simultaneously along its entire length, and determines the location of the future primary vein Fig. , 2008. DIt is believed that the manner of procambium formation is related to the level of endogenous auxin. Simultaneous emerging of procambium strands, probably reflects the effective flow of auxin during the initial stages of leaf development, resulting from inefficient biosynthesis of auxin and its low concentrations. On the other hand, nonsynchronous procambium differentiation, separately in marginal and lateral vein of the third loops, can be associated with higher levels of auxin, which is synthesized in adjacent hydathodes  reaction–diffusion prepattern and (2) canalized auxin flow (Nelson and Dengler Polar auxin transport (PAT) represents auxin movement from cell to cell, and involves the influx and efflux carriers located in the plasma membrane  are expressed in the first leaf of Arabidopsis and are able to potentially regulate the direction of auxin transport during vascularization  mutant  gene encoding the Golgi-associated retrograde protein (GARP) complex has been identified as also involved in venation development , PHABULOSA (PHB), PHAVOLUTA (PHV), CORONA (CNA), and ATHB8, which bind to DNA, regulating of the gene expression in many developmental processes  and the MP gene regulates expression of PIN1, because the expression domains of these genes partially overlap during leaf vascularization, and the mutation in the MP gene reduces the levels of PIN1 proteins  MP proteins may occur at different concentrations in different regions of the leaf primordium and only the future procambial cells have these proteins in concentrations sufficient to activate ATHB8 gene expression  proteins from the same family as ATHB8, which can bind to its promoter , fkd (forked), van3/sfc (scarface) (Hardtke and Berleth In the sequence of events outlined here, auxin and its polar transport play primary and central roles. However, despite substantial evidence about the association of auxin transport via polarized PIN1 proteins with the formation of vascular tissues, the mechanism of PAT-dependent vascularization is still not fully elucidated and remains very important goal for future research. Moreover, some studies have shown that vascular differentiation may occur without the involvement of PAT and in the absence of PIN1 proteins in plasma membranes, which strongly suggests the existence of additional mechanisms regulating vascular development Banasiak . It is hAB contributed conception and design of manuscript; MB collected and processed the data; AB and MB wrote the chapters of manuscript, read and approved the submitted version.


There are errors in the second and third sentences of the second paragraph of the Methods, as well as errors in the second and third equations. Please see the corrected sentences and equations here:xi can be calculated by x onward, lrx, can then be calculated byω denotes the highest age attained. Hence, the fraction alive and healthy at age For simplicity, we will write The following changes occurred after the adjustment for the incorrect summation index:Myocardial infarction: slight increase in the lifetime risk estimatesColorectal cancer: slight increase in the lifetime risk estimates, the total change between the two lifetime risks compared, and the contributions of changes in disease incidenceHip fracture: slight increase in the lifetime risk estimates, the total change in the two lifetime risks compared, and the contribution of changes in survival; slight decline in the contribution of changes in disease incidenceThese changes are represented in an updated The incorrect summation index also appears in the S2 Appendix(PDF)Click here for additional data file.


The main objective of this paper is to present the data set which depicts faculty commitment and effectiveness of job responsibilities in a changing world and the moderating role of the university׳s support system. The population of the study consisted all the 1912 Faculty members of six selected private universities in Southwest, Nigeria  Specification TableValue of the data•The data covers a representative sample of private universities in Nigeria, thus enhancing external validity of the findings.•University management can leverage on the data, if analysed, for the purpose of decision making regarding employee commitment and job responsibilities•The analysis of this data can give valuable insights into the roles which university support plays in enhancing job commitment and responsibilities. See •The data can be used as a platform for further investigation by other researchers.•The data provided here can be used for educational and change management purposes.•The research instrument can be adopted or adapted for similar studies•This data can be used to determine the unique dimensions of relationships and significant effects of faculty commitment, university support and effectiveness of job responsibilities of faculty members.1The data comprised raw statistical data on the influence of faculty commitment on the effectiveness of job responsibilities, with the role of the university system as a moderating factor. Descriptive design was adopted for this data set. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and AMOS 22. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to determine the strength of relationship and resultant effects of the observed variables and the latent constructs. 2n = the desired sample size to be determinedN = total populatione = accepted error limit (0.05) on the basis of 95% confidence level.In order to determine the sample size, The data presented above was based on the quantitative study. To investigate the effect of faculty commitment on the effectiveness of job responsibilities, survey research design was adopted. The best six private universities in Southwest Nigeria were sampled . The study population consisted all the ranks of the 1912 faculty members of the selected universities. Four hundred (400) of the faculty members were selected across all colleges to participate in this study with the use of a structured questionnaire. However, information on the details of the study population can equally be accessed in The data provides insight into the role institutional support plays in enhancing Faculty commitment and effectiveness of job responsibilities. The data presented in this article may assist the management of the institutions of higher learning to have deep insight and understanding into the significant role of institutional support in enhancing faculty commitment and effectiveness of job responsibilities. This suggests that management of the selected universities may leverage on the data for the purpose decision making, educational and change management purposes. The data presented could also be used for further investigation.


Such information would aid in the development of evidence-based heat therapy protocols for both sporting and clinical situations.MI, JP and SR conceived and contributed to writing the manuscript. All authors provided critical feedback approved the final version of the manuscript.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


Bilateral ligamentum teres (BLT) hepatis is a very rare anomaly defined as the connection of the bilateral fetal umbilical veins to both sides of the paramedian trunk, and it has never been reported in the English literature.A 72-year-old man who presented with obstructive jaundice was referred to our hospital. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed that the patient had right-sided ligamentum teres (RSLT) and left-sided ligamentum teres (LSLT). The umbilical portion of the left portal vein, which the LSLT connected, became relatively atrophic in this patient. The RSLT attached to the tip of the right anterior pedicle and formed the umbilical portion of the right portal vein. The patient was diagnosed with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma which had invaded the root of the posterior branch of the bile duct, LHD, and intrapancreatic bile duct. The central bisectionectomy, in which the liver parenchyma was resected along the RHV on the right side and the LSLT on the left side, and caudate lobectomy combined with pancreatoduodenectomy were performed.The presence of the patient with BLT is important for ascertaining the mechanism of the development of RSLT. Two umbilical veins are present initially during the embryonic stage. In general, the right-sided vein disappears, and the atrophic left-sided vein remains connected to the left portal vein originating from the vitelline vein. Several papers on the mechanism of the development of RSLT have been published. Some authors have mentioned that a residue of the right umbilical vein and the disappearance of the left umbilical vein are the causes of RSLT. On the other hand, some authors have asserted that RSLT is the result of atrophy of the medial liver area. The presence of BLT in patients indicates that the mechanism of the development of RSLT is characterized by a residue of the right umbilical vein and the disappearance of the left umbilical vein.The mechanism and origin of RSLT can be understood through cases of BLT, and surgeons must pay attention to anomalies of the portal and hepatic veins in patients with abnormal ligamentum teres. Bilateral ligamentum teres (BLT) hepatis is a very rare anomaly defined as the connection of the bilateral fetal umbilical veins to both sides of the paramedian trunk, and it has never been reported in the English literature.A 72-year-old man who presented with obstructive jaundice was referred to our hospital. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed that the patient had right-sided ligamentum teres (RSLT) and left-sided ligamentum teres (LSLT) Fig. a. The umThe ligamentum teres hepatis is a remnant of the umbilical vein that exists in the embryonic stage. The ligamentum teres hepatis connects the LUP and the Arantius duct (ligamentum venosum), which is an important landmark during liver dissection. Only one ligamentum teres hepatis exists in most cases, but we experienced a case of two ligamentum teres hepatis and demonstrated some concerns raised during surgical dissection; we also ascertained the mechanism of the development of RSLT, which exhibits a reported prevalence of 0.1–1.2% .From the viewpoint of surgical resection, surgeons must pay attention to the anomalies of the portal and hepatic veins. In this case, the RSLT was attached to the tip of the right anterior pedicle and formed the RUP, and the LSLT formed the relatively atrophic LUP. The Arantius duct was continuous with the left portal vein. The middle hepatic vein (MHV) had shifted to the left side, and the branch of the MHV drained the anterior inferior and left paramedian sections as well as part of the left lateral inferior section. The artery and bile duct in this BLT patient ran along the portal vein similar to what is found in normal patients, though the anterior inferior branch and anterior superior branch of the artery and the bile duct ran beside the RUP. Preoperative simulation is important in patients with planned BLT hepatectomy, and surgeons should perform hepatectomy with consideration for these features.The presence of the patient with BLT is also important for ascertaining the mechanism of the development of RSLT. The mechanism of the development of RSLT has been discussed in recent decades. Two umbilical veins are present initially during the embryonic stage. In general, the right-sided vein disappears, and the atrophic left-sided vein remains connected to the left portal vein originating from the vitelline vein . SeveralThe mechanism and origin of RSLT can be understood through cases of BLT, and surgeons must pay attention to anomalies of the portal and hepatic veins in patients with abnormal ligamentum teres.


The functional roles of kainate receptors (KARs) are less well defined but they play a role in some forms of synaptic plasticity. Both receptor types have been shown to be highly developmentally and activity-dependently regulated and their functional synaptic expression is under tight cellular regulation. The molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate the synaptic localisation and functional expression of AMPARs and KARs are objects of concerted research. There has been significant progress towards elucidating some of the processes involved with the discovery of an array of proteins that selectively interact with individual AMPAR and KAR subunits. These proteins have been implicated in, among other things, the regulation of post-translational modification, targeting and trafficking, surface expression, and anchoring. The aim of this review is to present an overview of the major interacting proteins and suggest how they may fit into the hierarchical series of events controlling the trafficking of AMPARs and KARs.


The global travel and tourism industry has been rapidly expanding in the past decades. The traditional focus on border screening, and by airline and cruise industries may be inadequate due to the incubation period of an infectious disease. This case study highlights the potential role of the hotel industry in epidemic preparedness and response.This case study focuses on the epidemic outbreaks of SARS in 2003 and H1N1 swine flu in 2009 in Hong Kong, and the subsequent guidelines published by the health authority in relation to the hotel industry in Hong Kong which provide the backbone for discussion.The Metropole Hotel hastened the international spread of the 2003 SARS outbreak by the index case infecting visitors from Singapore, Vietnam, Canada as well as local people via close contact with the index case and the environmental contamination. The one-week quarantine of more than 300 guests and staff at the Metropark Hotel during the 2009 H1N1 swine flu exposed gaps in the partnership with the hotel industry. The subsequent guidelines for the hotel industry from the Centre of Health Protection focused largely on the maintenance of hygiene within the hotel premises.Positive collaborations may bring about effective preparedness across the health and the tourism sectors for future epidemics. Regular hygiene surveillance at hotel facilities, and developing coordination mechanism for impending epidemics on the use of screening, swift reporting and isolation of infected persons may help mitigate the impact of future events. Preparedness and contingency plans for infectious disease control for the hotel industry requires continuous engagement and dialogue. The global travel and tourism industry has expanded rapidly in recent years. The global number of international tourist arrivals increased from approximately 541 million in 1995 to 1161 million in 2014 .The search identified 34 records from MEDLINE of which five were relevant ,A medical professor from Guangzhou in China arrived in Hong Kong on 21 February 2003 and checked into a room on the ninth floor of the Metropole Hotel in Kowloon . During On 8 March 2003, the Singapore Ministry of Health reported to the Hong Kong Department of Health that three patients who presented with pneumonia were admitted to hospital after returning to Singapore from Hong Kong. They had all stayed in the Metropole Hotel. During the conversation, laboratory investigations were pending and there was not sufficient evidence to suggest that their illnesses had been related to the Metropole Hotel .On 12 March 2003, the WHO issued a global alert about unusual cases of an acute respiratory syndrome. On 14 March 2003, the index case for the significant outbreak at the Prince of Wales Hospital was identified. It was not until 19 March 2003, after multiple enquiries, the patient revealed that he had visited the Metropole Hotel around that period as a visitor but not a guest . On the The Metropole Hotel exemplified the potential international spread of infectious diseases. The index cases in the Hong Kong, Toronto, Singapore and Hanoi outbreaks were all associated with the hotel. SARS patients in Ireland and United States had also visited the Metropole Hotel around the same time when there were other sick guests present in the hotel –14, 18. Little was known about the new disease SARS when the outbreak began at hotel and hospitals in February and early March. The WHO did not issue its first emergency travel advisory naming the illness as SARS until 15 March 2003 . There wA number of researchers estimated the basic reproduction number of SARS by fitting models to the initial growth of the epidemics in a number of countries . ModelliA 25-year-old male from Mexico arrived in Hong Kong on 30 April 2009, and stayed at the Metropark Hotel. He attended hospital on the same evening where he was admitted to an isolation ward. He subsequently developed a fever and was confirmed to have swine flu on 1 May 2009 .Emergency Preparedness Plan for Influenza Pandemic. An ‘Emergency Response Level Steering Committee on Human Swine Influenza (Flu A H1N1) Pandemic’ was also established on the 1st May to formulate the overall disease control strategy [The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government raised the response level to ‘Emergency’ on the same day under the strategy .Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance, the Director of Health ordered that all guests and staff at the Metropark Hotel should be quarantined on the evening of 1 May 2009 [Under the May 2009 . The quaThe quarantine ended 1 week later, which covered the incubation period of influenza of 1 to 7 days. For those persons who had completed the quarantine period without showing symptoms of being infected, they were issued with Certificates of Conclusion of Quarantine.At the same time, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), other government departments and relevant agencies conducted contact tracing starting on the 1st May 2019. Close and selected social contacts were prescribed chemoprophylaxis and put under medical surveillance. The hotel and nearby streets, as well as other public places, were cleansed and disinfected. Hygiene guidelines had been issued to all licensed hotels/guesthouses and rented rooms to encourage enhanced cleansing and improvement of hygiene. All industrial associations had been informed of the situation and reminded the need to take precautionary measures. The Occupational Safety and Health Council had organised public seminars to raise public awareness of preparedness for influenza in the workplace . Table 2Both the Metropole Hotel at Kowloon (now renamed Metropark Hotel Kowloon) and the Metropark Hotel at Wan Chai (now renamed Kew Green Hotel) were four stars hotels situated at busy part of the city. Both hotels were managed by the same management group – the China Travel Service (Holdings) Hong Kong Limited. The two hotels were no different in terms of access to public health facilities and general standard of care. The difference in the timing of public health actions by the health authority was likely contributed by experience of SARS preceding swine flu.After the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong the health authority established the Guidelines for Hotels in Preventing Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)  and GuidThe CHP organised Infection Control Seminars for the Hotel Industry on a regular basis. For instance, in response to the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa in 2014–2016, the CHP provided advice for the local hotel industry on receiving guests with a travel history or residence in an Ebola virus disease affected area. The guideline stressed the importance of enquiring about the travel history of guests and outlined procedures on handling these guests who may feel unwell. The guideline reiterated the need to keep a record of staff and residents who had stayed in the hotel, with their personal and contact details, for possible future public health actions and contact tracing .Ideally, hotels should be setting their own standards of hygiene measures and providing training to staff before an outbreak occurs. Further roles and responsibilities included contingency arrangement, plan of acquisition of protective equipment, disease reporting and surveillance mechanism during outbreak period .From our online and database internet search, however, there is little mention of collaboration between the government and the hotel industry. No documentation was found on setting up of task forces or committees, or of invitation to hotel representatives to the working group advising on infection control guidelines in Hong Kong.SARS served as the classic example of how tourism and international travel can present challenges to the global health system. The spread of the illness within a single hotel and the subsequent international air travel of the victims contributed to and accelerated the speed of the spread of SARS across the globe.The experience from SARS in Hong Kong had a profound impact on the public health reform especially on the infectious disease surveillance and epidemic response . These iAccording to subsequently published literature, application of appropriate measures had likely reduced the number of people who were infected, requiring medical care and died during the influenza pandemic . It has The decision of quarantine created enormous tension between the government, guests and the hotel management. The decision of the need for quarantine and the scale of the quarantine needs to be scientifically justified. The negative effects overall of such a policy on the tourism attractiveness of a destination cannot be neglected. The quarantine at the Metropark Hotel during swine flu also highlighted the extensive assistance needed for the quarantined persons, and the cooperation necessary in the possible future need for a hotel quarantine. Pre-established partnerships and coordination between the government and the hotel industry is key in epidemic preparedness and response.Studies have shown that the psychological impacts of SARS and the government restrictions on travel, had a great impact on the travel industry far beyond the region of SARS hit areas . For theHotels are often the first point of contact for tourists arriving at a host country. Hotels could provide an additional line of defence beyond entry border screening, and they could offer another layer of protection against illnesses that border screening processes may have missed, for example in the situation where travel occurs during the incubation period of an infectious disease. In view of this, the capacity of hotels in the detection of potential illness and the launching of an initial response should be fully recognised and utilised.The WHO pandemic influenza risk management recommended involving civil society and the private business sector in pandemic preparedness planning and national committees . The casThe epidemic preparedness and infection control measures mounted against SARS and H1N1 swine flu demonstrated a role that needed to be filled by the hotel industry. During SARS, late recognition of the environmental contamination of hotel facilities and the failure of timely intervention on the hotel guests with close contact contributed to the spread of the disease internationally. While the appropriateness and best method of quarantine in future pandemic influenza warrants further research, the 2009 swine flu hotel quarantine exposed gaps in the partnership with hotel industry. Health authorities in Hong Kong had since provided guidelines mostly in the area of disinfection and hygiene, and focused on educating hotel workers on basic hygiene to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. The potential to establish traveller screening, timely reporting and isolation for the infected guests during epidemics could be explored. The capacity of the hotel industry in controlling infections should be recognised not only in Hong Kong but also in other parts of the world.


The composition of the terrestrial arthropod community of a tidal marsh islet in the Gulf of Gabes (Tunisia) was studied during two seasons . The study was conducted on a small islet located in an area where the highest tidal excursions of the Mediterranean occur. Standard trapping methods  were used to evaluate specie richness and abundance in different areas of the islet. Diversity indices were calculated for coleopterans and isopods alone. The structure of the arthropod community varied a great deal from one season to the other and differences were found when seaward areas were compared with landward ones. El Bessila presented a particularly rich beetle community whereas only few isopod species occurred. The moderately high diversity levels found for the beetle indicate the influence of the high tidal excursions in modelling the structure of the community.


Population dynamics studies and harvesting strategies often take advantage of body size measurements. Selected elements of the skeletal system such as mandibles, are often used as retrospective indices to describe body size. The variation in mandibular measurements reflects the variation in the ecological context and hence the variation in animal performance. We investigated the length of the anterior and posterior sections of the mandible in relation to the conditions experienced by juveniles of 8–10 months of age during prenatal and early postnatal life and we evaluated these parameters as ecological indicators of juvenile condition as well as female reproductive condition in a roe deer population living in the southern part of the species range. We analyzed a sample of over 24,000 mandibles of roe deer shot in 22 hunting districts in the Arezzo province  from 2005 to 2015 per age class. Mandible total length in juveniles is equal to 90% of total length in adults. In this stage of life the growing of the mandible’s anterior section is already completed while that of the posterior section is still ongoing. Environmental conditions conveyed by forest productivity, agricultural land use, local population density and climate strongly affected the growth of the anterior and posterior sections of the mandibles. Conditions experienced both by pregnant females and offspring played an important role in shaping the length of the anterior section, while the size of the posterior section was found to be related to the conditions experienced by offspring. Temporal changes of the length of the anterior section are a particularly suitable index of growth constraints. Anterior section length in fact differs according to more or less advantageous conditions recorded not only in the year of birth, but also in the previous year. Similarly, the sexual size dimorphism of the anterior section of the roe deer mandible can be used to describe the quality of females above two years of age, as well as habitat value. Hence the anterior section length of the mandible and its sexual size dimorphism are indexes that can provide cues of population performance, because they capture the system’s complexities, while remain simple enough to be easily and routinely used in the majority of European countries where roe deer hunting period extends from early autumn to late spring. Ovis aries, Gaillard et al. . See (DOCX)Click here for additional data file.