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Our aim was to conduct a population-based projection to estimate the number of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cases in Germany until 2040. Data obtained from a report published in 2017 (doi:10.20364/VA-17.08) were used for future prediction analysis. The data were originally collected by the German Central Institute for Statutory Health Insurance. We used the illness–death model to estimate future numbers of RA cases, considering nine possible scenarios based on different incidence and mortality rates. In the baseline scenario, the number of women with RA is projected to increase by 417 000 cases and men by 179 000 cases by 2040, compared with 2015. Peak numbers of cases are concentrated in the 70–80-year-old age group, particularly among women. In the most favourable scenario (scenario 2), assuming a decreasing incidence, the total number of RA cases is projected to rise by 284 000 by 2040, reflecting a 38% relative increase from 2015 to 2040. The least favourable scenario (scenario 9), assuming an increasing incidence, projects a significant burden on the healthcare system. The total number of RA cases is expected to rise by 1.16 million by 2040, marking a substantial 158% relative increase from 2015 to 2040. Our research emphasizes a discernible trend: with an ageing society, improving treatment effectiveness, and declining all-cause mortality, we anticipate a rise in the absolute numbers of RA cases in Germany in the coming years. Our models robustly support this viewpoint, underscoring impending challenges for healthcare systems. Addressing these challenges demands multifaceted interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Florida Keys comprise a unique ecological and archaeological setting in the southeastern United States yet have remained relatively understudied archaeologically for much of the twentieth century. Anecdotal accounts of "Spanish wells," employed by sailors and settlers during the colonial and early modern eras, have long posed questions about the availability of freshwater resources to Indigenous communities in the islands and how this availability may have impacted settlement patterns. Herein, we conduct the first systematic investigation of the "Spanish wells" in English-language historical records and compare their descriptions and locations to those of known Indigenous archaeological sites in the archipelago. In total, 22 distinct water sources in and near the Keys were attested to in documents and personal accounts from 1601 CE to 2021 CE. Geospatial analysis of their distribution relative to local archaeological sites returned few statistically significant results, however, likely influenced by the extensive history of site loss in the region. While the exact nature of most "wells" remains unclear, descriptions of their reliability and their broad spatial distribution bolsters the possibility of these water resources supporting year-round Indigenous communities in the archipelago prior to colonization. Future investigation focused on the identified water sources could shed further light on their exact nature and possible exploitation by Indigenous communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popular prioritization of climate change issues over biodiversity loss in environmental archaeology and palaeoecology has been argued to be in part due to agenda-setting created by the ripple effects of widespread media coverage of climatic change. In this paper, we argue that direct scientific evidence for past human landscapes can act as a powerful tool in modern conservation efforts to combat species loss when taking regional identities, historical ecology, and modern political ecologies into account. How to rank and prioritize conservation efforts in the Anthropocene and best make use of archaeological data are lingering questions within Anthropocene anthropology and archaeological science. By engaging with notions of deep-time enchantment and identity, archaeology can aid conservation biology with revealing the religio-philosophical dimensions that exist between humans and other species, in particular charismatic megafauna that lend themselves to high engagement at a local or regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characteristics of specific Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) pulses can result in increased motion of the occupant, which can lead to the occupant being out-of-position such that when a crash occurs protection may be compromised. Quantifying these variations across the modern fleet is crucial to understand the loading environment to which vehicle occupants are exposed. Therefore, we categorized the AEB pulses based on acceleration pulse features such as deceleration magnitude, jerk, and ramp time. A total of 2278 AEB vehicle tests (years 2013–2019) were extracted from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) database and analyzed. The following pulse characteristics were extracted: Jerk (g/s), Ramp-time (s), and Maximum deceleration (g). A subset of tests in which the tested vehicle did not contact the foam target (n = 1665) was analyzed further, with the following additional variables extracted: Deceleration time (s), Steady-state deceleration (g), and Duration (s). Other non-pulse related features were also considered: Test speed (20 and 40 km/h), Curb weight (Kg), and Vehicle Model Year. Using machine learning methods, the pulses were categorized into clusters. One-way ANOVAs for continuous variables and X2 for categorical features were used to assess differences between clusters (p ≤ 0.05). Using the entirety of the AEB vehicle tests extracted (n = 2278), a total of 3 clusters were selected. The three clusters showed significantly different Jerk, Ramp-time, and Maximum deceleration (p < 0.001). Target contact decreased in AEB tests with more recent vehicle model years (rate of contact 66% in 2014 vs 1.7% in 2019). In one cluster, Jerk and Maximum deceleration increased with vehicle model year. Using the subset of tests in which there was no contact with the foam target (n = 1665), 4 categories of pulses were selected. In both sets of clusters, Ramp-time and Jerk showed moderate inverse correlation (r = –0.7), while all other features showed a low correlation. These results show that AEB technology improved over the years in obstacle avoidance. The identification of AEB pulse clusters is important in order to describe distinct approaches to achieving AEB and to be able to reproduce representative AEB pulses in the laboratory and understand the influences of those pulses on occupants' motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The STRiDE project sets out to support the development of effective dementia policy in middle-income countries (Brazil, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, and South Africa). As part of this it will generate new data about the prevalence of dementia for a subset of these countries. This study aims to identify the current estimates of dementia prevalence in these countries and where the gaps lie in the current literature. A systematic review was completed on 30th April 2019 across electronic databases, identifying dementia prevalence literature originating from any of the seven countries. Four hundred and twenty-nine records were identified following de-duplication; 28 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review. Pooled estimates of dementia prevalence ranged from 2% to 9% based on DSM-IV criteria; these figures were generally higher in studies using other diagnostic criteria (e.g. the 10/66 algorithm). Available prevalence data varied between countries. Only Brazil, Mexico and India had data derived from studies judged as having a low risk of bias. Irrespective of country, studies often were not explicit in detailing the representativeness of their sample, or whether there was non-response bias. Further transparent and externally valid dementia prevalence research is needed across the STRiDE countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Fertility, pregnancy, and the postpartum period can pose many challenges for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in sub-Saharan Africa. We explored the perceptions and experiences of South African women relating to fertility and pregnancy.Method: In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 consenting women with SLE. We explored their perceptions and experiences on conception, pregnancy, and sexuality. Data were analysed using Nvivo software.Results: Participants had a mean age of 30.9 years (range 22-45 years) and mean disease duration of 4.5 years (range 1-5 years). The majority were black Africans, and the remainder were of mixed racial ancestry. Unemployment, low educational level, and singlehood status were the most predominant sociodemographic features. Most participants had been pregnant and a few reported being sexually inactive. Participants described many negative pregnancy outcomes including lupus flares, miscarriages, premature deliveries, prolonged hospitalization, and unexpected caesarean sections. Conflicting medical advice on conception, together with conflicting personal, cultural, and societal pressures to procreate, resulted in emotional turmoil and pessimism. Participants frequently described intimacy problems, loss of libido, and infidelity by partners leading to sexually transmitted infections. Aesthetic and physical concerns were perceived as the main causes of infidelity. Most participants felt confined to these relationships as they were financially dependent on their partners, which added to their stress.Conclusion: A combination of patient-centred care focusing on safe, effective contraception and medication targeting remission state, constant counselling, consistent information, and a pregnancy managed jointly by an obstetrics and rheumatology team could achieve optimum results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two of the major cancerous diseases associated with asbestos exposure are malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) and lung cancer (LC). In addition to asbestos exposure, genetic factors have been suggested to be associated with asbestos-related carcinogenesis and lung genotoxicity. While genetic factors involved in the susceptibility to MPM were reported, to date the influence of individual genetic variations on asbestos-related lung cancer risk is still poorly understood. Since inflammation and disruption of iron (Fe) homeostasis are hallmarks of asbestos exposure affecting the pulmonary tissue, this study aimed at investigating the association between Fe-metabolism and inflammasome gene variants and susceptibility to develop LC or MPM, by comparing an asbestos-exposed population affected by LC with an "asbestos-resistant exposed population". A retrospective approach similar to our previous autopsy-based pilot study was employed in a novel cohort of autoptic samples, thus giving us the possibility to corroborate previous findings obtained on MPM by repeating the analysis in a novel cohort of autoptic samples. The protective role of HEPH coding SNP was further confirmed. In addition, the two non-coding SNPs, either in FTH1 or in TF, emerged to exert a similar protective role in a new cohort of LC exposed individuals from the same geographic area of MPM subjects. No association was found between NLRP1 and NLRP3 polymorphisms with susceptibility to develop MPM and LC. Further research into a specific MPM and LC "genetic signature" may be needed to broaden our knowledge of the genetic landscape attributed to result in MPM and LC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We extend the 'No-dynamic-arbitrage and market impact'-framework of Gatheral [Quant. Finance, 2010, 10(7), 749-759] to the multi-dimensional case where trading in one asset has a cross-impact on the price of other assets. From the condition of absence of dynamical arbitrage we derive theoretical limits for the size and form of cross-impact that can be directly verified on data. For bounded decay kernels we find that cross-impact must be an odd and linear function of trading intensity and cross-impact from asset i to asset j must be equal to the one from j to i. To test these constraints we estimate cross-impact among sovereign bonds traded on the electronic platform MOT. While we find significant violations of the above symmetry condition of cross-impact, we show that these are not arbitrageable with simple strategies because of the presence of the bid-ask spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A specially constructed simulated assembly task was used to test the effectiveness of several multichannel communication combinations. The assembly task was a pegboard with a 4 4 matrix of 1/4 in. diameter, 3 in. long wooden dowels placed on 1 1/4 in. centres. Three types of wooden washers were made to fit on to the matrix of wooden pegs. The washers were assembled on to the pegs according to a set of instructions presented to the subject.
The three primary communication modes under study were the verbal mode, pictorial mode, and the written mode. Instructions for the verbal mode were presented via a prerecorded taped message. The pictorial instructions consisted of the presentation of a 35 mm coloured slide of the assembly task to be completed. The written instructions were also 35 mm slides, but of a typewritten message. The three primary modes were combined to form a series of multichannel messages, that is, information presented via two channels.
Two groups of 90 subjects each, 90 industrial subjects and 90 university students, performed the assembly task. The hypothesis under investigation was that cue summation provides an initial insight into the explanation of multichannel communication. The specific hypothesis was that when multichannel cues summate there will be facilitation in performance. Also, the effects of interference and redundancy were investigated. The primary results were that the cue summation principle does not seem to present adequate depth to form a basis for a theory of multichannel communication; however, in the absence of a basic theory the pictorial channel still seems to be the most efficient communication medium for industrial procedure instructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses the statistical tool of analysis of variance to look at the recommended operating values for chemical machining. The results obtained agree in general with those published by The Chem-Mill Division of Turco Products Inc., except that there was an indication of some deterioration of surface finish when using sodium aluminate in the solution. The results obtained should not be used in general, but only applied where the material arid method are comparable to the one used in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of asbestos bodies (ABs) in lung parenchyma is considered a histopathologic hallmark of past exposure to asbestos fibers, of which there was a population of longer fibers. The mechanisms underlying AB formation are complex, involving inflammatory responses and iron (Fe) metabolism. Thus, the responsiveness to AB formation is variable, with some individuals appearing to be poor AB formers. The aim of this study was to disclose the possible role of genetic variants of genes encoding inflammasome and iron metabolism proteins in the ability to form ABs in a population of 81 individuals from North East Italy, who died after having developed malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). This study included 86 genetic variants distributed in 10 genes involved in Fe metabolism and 7 genetic variants in two genes encoding for inflammasome molecules. Genotypes/haplotypes were compared according to the number of lung ABs. Data showed that the NLRPl rs12150220 missense variant (H155L) was significantly correlated with numbers of ABs in MPM patients. Specifically, a low number of ABs was detected in individuals carrying the NLRPl rs12150220 A/T genotype. Our findings suggest that the NLRP1 inflammasome might contribute in the development of lung ABs. It is postulated that the NLRPl missense variant may be considered as one of the possible host genetic factors contributing to individual variability in coating efficiency, which needs to be taken when assessing occupational exposure to asbestos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modelling the dynamics of (il)liquidity across assets is an important yet complicated task, especially when considering significant deteriorations of liquidity conditions. Here, we propose a peak-over-threshold method to identify abrupt liquidity drops from limit order book data and we model the time-series of these illiquidity events across multiple assets as a multivariate Hawkes process. This allows us to quantify both the self-excitation of extreme changes of liquidity in the same asset (illiquidity spirals) and the cross-excitation across different assets (illiquidity spillovers). Applying the method to the MTS sovereign bond market, we find significant evidence for both illiquidity spillovers and spirals. The proportion of shocks explained by illiquidity spillovers roughly doubles from 2011 to 2015, suggesting an increased synchronization of extreme illiquidity across assets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many mountain pastures consist of a mosaic of grassland and shrub communities. Ongoing changes in mountain agriculture have affected the balance between the two elements of the mosaic. In order to understand the consequences of these changes for ecosystem functioning, we studied patterns in vegetation, root structure and soil properties along transects of varying grassland-to-shrub proportions. Our hypothesis was that differences in the vegetation aboveground are accompanied by differences belowground, related to soil properties and depth. The research was conducted at a subalpine site in the Trentino region (South-eastern Alps), consisting ofNardus strictagrasslands alternating with shrub patches ofRhododendron ferrugineum. Our investigation showed that the composition of vegetation was mainly governed byR. ferrugineumcover and less by soil properties. Plant species richness peaked at low to intermediate degrees of shrub cover and composition between transects became more similar with increasing shrub cover. WhereR. ferrugineumcover was higher, Hemicryptophytes caespitosae were replaced by Nano-phanerophytes with consequences for belowground structures. At increasing shrub cover, root length density decreased, especially in the top soil, while root weight density remained stable and C content increased insignificantly. We discuss that theses structural changes along the gradient ofR. ferrugineumcover affect a number of ecosystem services. The presented evidence suggests that maintaining grasslands with a low cover ofR. ferrugineumbalances a number of services, namely plant species diversity, carbon stabilization in soil and the prevention of soil erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rise of clinical management, new skills of medical doctors stand out, including leadership skills. Medical doctors organize medical work and improve patient care. The training of frontline leadership skills, however, is weakly developed in residency programmes. Medical professional cultures tend to resist organizational techniques and values. This paper analyses cultural interventions in health-care organizations, aimed at overcoming ‘clashes’ between professional and organizational logics in frontline domains. These interventions do not work against, but ‘use’ professional traditions, styles and customs as cultural resources. We use one particular project to illustrate this, a project in which internal medicine residents are invited to join quality improvement sessions, during which they identify critical (organizational) experiences with care provision and realize change. We show how residents feel enabled to establish results and cooperate with other professionals. We also show how this project links organizational responsibilities and medical professionalism – how complementarity (instead of conflict) is established. This is done in practical ways, which commit instead of alienate medical professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents several experiments performed at the free electron laser (FEL) facility Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FERMI) in Trieste, Italy to image magnetization dynamics on the nanoscale after a localized optical excitation. The experiments involved the use of several principles, techniques and devices including Laser-Driven Spin Transport, Fourier Transform Holography, and the Diffraction and Projection Imaging beamline.

Nephilid systematics has been subject to several changes in the last years, and the use of non-classical characters could be useful for evolutionary considerations. In this study, we analyzed the mitotic chromosomes of two nephilid spiders,Nephila clavipesandNephila sexpunctata, using standard staining, silver nitrate impregnation and C-banding techniques, aiming to discuss the chromosomal similarities of Nephilidae and Tetragnathidae, and chromosome evolution withinNephilaandNephilingis. The basic karyotype characteristics observed in these two species (2n♂ = 22 + X1X20 and monoarmed chromosomes) were similar to those registered for most araneoid families, i.e., Araneidae, Linyphiidae, Nephilidae, Nesticidae and Tetragnathidae. However, the occurrence of both prominent secondary constrictions and nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) is a shared characteristic between Nephilidae and Tetragnathidae, considering that these regions were not observed in any other Araneoidea species cytogenetically examined. Furthermore, in the present study we showed that withinNephilaandNephilingisspecies, change in the number and location of NORs as well as in the quantity and distribution of constitutive heterochromatin were the main events responsible for chromosome evolution, and that these differences can be useful in the cytotaxonomy of this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendritic cells (DC) are antigen-presenting cells (APC) that are important for innate and acquired immune responses. Owing to their involvement in autoinflammation, autoimmunity and cancer, DC are useful cellular models for biomedical research. Appropriate DC production in vitro could aid the study of DC in many human diseases. We used fluorochrome-based flow cytometry assays to analyze the effects of culture period and maturation of monocyte-derived DC (MoDC) on their viability and necrosis, purity, CD11c expression and phagocytic capacity. The morphological changes that occur as purified monocytes become DC were assessed at 24 and 72 h, and 6 and 9 days in culture. The dynamics of certain cell surface markers of monocytes and mature MoDC (mMoDC) also were assessed using fluorescence-based assays. We found that day 6 of culture yielded the most functional immature MoDC (iMoDC) with maximal viability, purity, CD11c expression and appropriate phagocytic capacity. Mass production of viable MoDC could be useful for immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, aligned multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) arrays were electrodeposited with manganese oxide as electrode material for capacitor application. The electrode material was prepared in a double-stage process. The first stage, the preparation of the MWCNT array on thin nickel foils by chemical vapour deposition is well known and has already been published. This study has its focus on the second step, the electrodeposition of manganese oxide on MWCNT. Electrodeposition was performed by pulse plating of manganese oxide from a manganese acetate electrolyte. The mechanism and kinetics of this deposition process were electrochemically characterised. Additionally, the manganese oxide modified MWCNT arrays were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Furthermore, the capacitor performance and the increase in the capacitance of the modified MWCNT arrays were investigated by cyclic voltammetry in a sodium sulphate electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The free-electron laser (FEL) sources FLASH in Hamburg, LCLS at Stanford, and FERMI in Trieste provide XUV to soft X-ray radiation (FLASH and FERMI) or soft to hard X-ray radiation (LCLS) with unprecedented parameters in terms of ultrashort pulse length, high photon flux, and coherence. These properties make FELs ideal tools for studying ultrafast dynamics in matter on a previously unaccessible level. This paper first reviews results obtained at FEL sources during the last few years in the field of magnetism research. We start with pioneering experiments at FLASH demonstrating the feasibility of magnetic scattering at FELs [1, 2], then present pump–probe scattering experiments [3, 4] as well as the first FEL magnetic imaging experiments [5], and finally discuss a limitation of the scattering methods due to a quenching of the magnetic scattering signal by high-fluence FEL pulses [6]. All of the presented experiments exploit the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism effect [7, 8] to obtain element-specific magnetic scattering contrast, as known from synchrotron experiments [9–12]. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Alternate assessments of modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS) must be designed, developed, implemented, and validated following the same rigorous principles and procedures used for other assessments. However, the uniqueness and unfamiliarity of the target population for these assessments requires innovative thinking, especially in regard to writing relevant performance level descriptors (PLDs) and setting appropriate achievement standards. In this article we discuss considerations for (a) likely designs of AA-MAS; (b) the writing of PLDs that are relevant to the target examinee population for these assessments; and (c) standard setting methods that would be appropriate for these assessment designs, as well as special considerations relevant to those standard setting methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broad boundary is generally used to replace one-dimensional boundary for spatial objects with vague shape. For regions with broad boundary, this concept should respect both connectedness and closeness conditions. Therefore, some real configurations, like regions with partially broad boundary (e.g. lake with rocky and swamp banks), are considered invalid. This paper aims to represent different levels of shape vagueness and consider them during the identification of topological relations. Then, an object with vague shape is composed by two crisp components: a minimal extent and a maximal extent. Topological relations are identified by applying the 9-Intersection model for the subrelations between the minimal and maximal extents of objects involved. Four subrelations are then represented through a 4-Intersection matrix used to classify the topological relations. For regions with broad boundary, 242 relations are distinguished and classified into 40 clusters. This approach supports an adverbial expression of integrity constraints and spatial queries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. This article discusses the current efforts to measure disability in a comparable manner internationally, the effects of using different types of wording in questions, and the implications of the approach of asking about 'difficulties' rather than 'disability' on the use of disability statistics. Method. The study design was qualitative. Twenty-one focus groups were run with adults responding for themselves. Nine groups were classified a priori by the author as 'disabled', six as 'unsure', and the last six as 'non-disabled'. The participants completed a questionnaire using the Washington Group on Disability Statistics (WG) Short Set, the South African Census 2001 question, and the question 'Are you disabled?'. This was followed by group discussion on these questions and on how the concept of disability is understood by group participants. Results. Participants understand disability as being a permanent, unchangeable state, mostly physical, and where a person is unable to do anything. The participants in the three groups of allocated disability status (disabled, unsure and non-disabled) provided quite different responses on the three questions. All participants in the 'disabled' and 'unsure' groups reported having 'difficulty' on the WG questions, but the 'unsure' groups did not identify as being 'disabled' on either of the two other questions. Conclusions. Using questions that ask about 'difficulty' rather than 'disability' provides a more comprehensive and inclusive measure of disability with a clearer understanding of what is being measured. Asking about 'difficulty' provides an improved measure of disability status for effective data collection and analysis to promote development, implementation and monitoring of disability-inclusive policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Current developments in the management of Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) focus on adoption of therapeutic strategies to avoid complications of both the disease and its therapy. Systematic analyses with respect to the reproductive system in WG are missing. Methods: Data of a cross-sectional study of sexual hormones in 19 male WG patients were analysed. Disease extension was classified according to the ears, nose, and throat (E), lungs (L), and kidneys (K) classification (ELK classification) and to the disease extent index (DEI). Laboratory investigation included measurement of gonadotrophins, oestradiol, and total serum testosterone. Hypogonadism was defined by an increase in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) beyond twice the upper reference range in the presence of low serum testosterone. Thirty-eight age-matched men served as controls. Results: Hypogonadism was found in 52.6% of the patients but was not detectable in any of the controls (p<0.0001). No significant correlation to any clinical factor of systemic vasculitis, current or past medication was detected. In particular, testosterone or FSH levels were not correlated with current or cumulative use of cyclophosphamide or corticosteroids (p = 0.417, p = 0.293; p = 0.893, p = 0.317). Conclusion: Data of our study revealed an unexpected high rate of hypogonadism irrespective of cyclophosphamide use, and subclinical involvement of the testes by the vasculitis itself might be an alternative explanation. Screening during the course of the disease is reasonable as hypogonadism might severely affect patients' quality of life. Further prospective studies with respect to gender-specific changes in the reproductive system are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first processes for “furfurylation” of wood (wood modification with furfuryl alcohol) were developed several decades ago. Furfuryl alcohol is a renewable chemical since it is derived from furfural, produced from hydrolysed biomass waste. Over the last decade modernised processes for furfurylation of wood have been developed. These new processes are based on completely new catalytic systems and process additives. The properties of furfurylated wood depend on the retention of grafted/polymerised furfuryl alcohol (PFA) in the wood. At high modification levels (high retention of PFA) the enhancement of a wide variety of properties are achieved: an exceptional hardness increase, exceptional resistance to microbial decay and insect attack, high resistance to chemical degradation, increase in MOR and MOE, and high dimensional stability. At lower modification levels many property enhancements also occur, however to slightly lower extent. Notable are resistance to microbial decay and insect attack, increase in MOR and MOE, and relatively high dimensional stability. Two main processes for production of furfurylated wood have been developed for Kebony ASA (Former Wood Polymer Technology ASA) by the authors. KebonyTM for hardwood modification and VisorWoodTM for soft wood modification, where the name reflects the colour of the material produced by the process. Commercial production according to the Kebony process has been running since October 2003, mainly for flooring. A small Kebony production plant is now in operation in Lithuania. A Kebony/VisorWood production plant was started during of 2003 in Porsgrunn, Norway. There are now planed for an expansion of this plant, and plans for a large Visorwood plant is ongoing. Further commercialisation of the technology will be done through licences issued by Kebony ASA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable and timely information about the health of populations is part of the World Health Organization's mandate in the development of international public health policy. To capture data concerning functioning and disability, or non-fatal health outcomes, WHO has recently published the revised International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). In this article, the authors briefly outline the revision process and discuss the rationale for the ICF and the needs that it serves in rehabilitation. The ICF is shown to be an essential tool for identifying and measuring efficacy and effectiveness of rehabilitation services, both through functional profiling and intervention targeting. Existing applications of the ICF in rehabilitation are then surveyed. The ICF, in short, offers an international, scientific tool for understanding human functioning and disability for clinical, research, policy development and a range of other public health uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reviews the technical issues associated with item development and scaling that resulted from striving to provide the arts community with an authentic assessment of students' abilities in the arts. Purpose and design of the U.S. National Assessment of Educational Progress 1997 Arts Assessment; Use of four-bar phrase performance-based items; Need for the music education community to determine whether measuring the music achievement of students who study music better informs instruction and shapes policy.

Meandering-tube pulsating heat pipes (PHPs) have already found some applications in cooling power/microelectronic components. Reliable experimental data for PHPs is very limited, especially in the wake of the ongoing miniaturization process and efforts to combine electronic components and heat spreaders on the chip level. In fact, the basic operation of PHPs is far from being fully understood, and there are no available design tools for given microelectronics cooling requirements. A logical next step for further applications of PHPs in microelectronics cooling is to design integral structures, i.e., PHPs as an integral part of thermal spreader/substrates, having typical dimensions as applicable for multichip modules or printed circuit boards (PCBs). In this article, experimental results for flat-plate, closed-loop PHP structures (rectangular and circular, D[sub hyd] &assymp; 2.0 mm) which are integrally machined into an aluminum substrate (115 × 36 × 3 mm³) and covered by a glass plate for visualization are presented. Working fluids employed are water and ethanol To verify certain observed phenomena, another PHP setup is made consisting of 10 glass tubes (ID 2.0 mm) connected by copper U-turns. As input parameters, fill rate, heat load, and tilt angle are varied. Axial temperature distribution is recorded with thermocouples. By means of a high-speed video camera and a thermo-camera, the evaporation/condensation processes and the individual liquid-vapor plug characteristics are studied. The results enable explanations for operational characteristic and performance limits, which are influenced by capillary resistance, gravity, and thermofluid dynamic effects. Preliminary design rules are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many attempts to upgrade polystyrene have been made in the past. One of the last and most popular examples is the upgrading of polystyrene by stereo-controlled polymerization of styrene monomer, yielding a syndiotactic material. But the property profile of polystyrene can also be improved by stiffening the polymer chain with bulky groups. 1,1-Diphenylethylene (DPE) was selected as a monomer with such a bulky group and was copolymerized anionically with styrene to give an amorphous copolymer with a statistical chain structure which was called 'super-polystyrene'. In this paper the conditions of the anionic polymerization and the properties of the resulting materials are described. Depending on the DPE content, the glass transition temperature can be varied from 104°C to 180°C. Up to a DPE content of 15%, these styrene-DPE copolymers are miscible with GPPS as well as with syndiotactic polystyrene. Toughening of the transparent polymers was achieved with glass fibers and grafted rubber particles. Block copolymerization with minor amounts of butadiene yielded a tough and transparent polymer. Thermoplastic elastomers with an enhanced softening point having the block sequence S/DPE-b-Bu-b-S/DPE and S/DPE-b-EB-b-S/DPE were also prepared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]