Evaluation of kinesthetic-tactual displays using a critical tracking task

The study sought to investigate the feasibility of applying the critical tracking task paradigm to the evaluation of kinesthetic-tactual displays. Four subjects attempted to control a first-order unstable system with a continuously decreasing time constant by using either visual or tactual unidimensional displays. Display aiding was introduced in both modalities in the form of velocity quickening. Visual tracking performance was better than tactual tracking, and velocity aiding improved the critical tracking scores for visual and tactual tracking about equally. The results suggest that the critical task methodology holds considerable promise for evaluating kinesthetic-tactual displays

Quasideterminant solutions of a non-Abelian Hirota-Miwa equation

A non-Abelian version of the Hirota-Miwa equation is considered. In an earlier paper [Nimmo (2006) J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. \textbf{39}, 5053-5065] it was shown how solutions expressed as quasideterminants could be constructed for this system by means of Darboux transformations. In this paper we discuss these solutions from a different perspective and show that the solutions are quasi-Pl\"{u}cker coordinates and that the non-Abelian Hirota-Miwa equation may be written as a quasi-Pl\"{u}cker relation. The special case of the matrix Hirota-Miwa equation is also considered using a more traditional, bilinear approach and the techniques are compared

Overlooked gall-inducing moths revisited, with the description of Andescecidium parrai gen. et sp. n. and Oliera saizi sp. n. from Chile (Lepidoptera, Cecidosidae)

There are still many gall systems associated with larvae of Lepidoptera in which the true gall-inducers have not been identified to species. Reports on misidentification of gall inducers have been recurrent for these galls, particularly in complex gall-systems that may include inquilines, kleptoparasites, and cecidophages, among other feeding guilds such as predators and parasitoid wasps. Here we describe and illustrate the adults, larvae, pupae and galls, based on light and scanning microscopy, of Andescecidium parrai gen. et sp. n. and Oliera saizi sp. n., two sympatric cecidosid moths that are associated with Schinus polygamus (Cav.) Cabrera (Anacardiaceae) in central Chile. Adults, immatures, and galls of the former did not conform to any known cecidosid genus. Galls of A. parrai are external, spherical, and conspicuous, being known for more than one century. However, their induction has been mistakenly associated with either unidentified Coleoptera (original description) or Oliera argentinana Br糨es (recently), a distinct cecidosid species with distribution restricted to the eastern Andes. Galls of O. saizi had been undetected, as they are inconspicuous. They occur under the bark within swollen stems, and may occur on the same plant, adjacent to those of A. parrai. We also propose a time-calibrated phylogeny using sequences from mitochondrial and nuclear loci, including specimens of the new proposed taxa. Thus in addition to clarifying the taxonomy of the Chilean cecidosid species we also tested their monophyly in comparison to congeneric species and putative specimens of all genera of Neotropical and African cecidosids.Fil: Silva, Gabriela T.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Moreira, Gilson R. P.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Vargas, Héctor A.. Universidad de Tarapacá de Arica; ChileFil: Gonçalves, Gislene L.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil. Universidad de Tarapacá de Arica; ChileFil: Mainardi, Marina D.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: San Blas, Diego German. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Davis, Donald. National Museum of Natural History; Estados Unido

The Integration of HIV/AIDS Care and Support into Primary Health Care in Gauteng Province

The information contained in this publication may be freely distributed and reproduced, as long as the source is acknowledged, and it is used for non-commercial purposes.This study aimed to assess the integration of HIV/AIDS care and support in Gauteng’s primary health care (PHC) services. With this aim in mind, the research sought to provide answers to three main sets of questions. Firstly, are care and support services for people with HIV/AIDS being provided at PHC clinics, what is the quality of these services, and to what extent are these services being utilised? Secondly, are the inputs (e.g. staff knowledge and attitudes) and support systems (e.g. drug supplies), necessary for good quality, accessible HIV/AIDS care, present in the PHC infrastructure? Thirdly, what if any, systems changes are required to improve the access and quality of PHC services for people living with HIV/AIDS? This research was conducted in collaboration with, and partly funded by, the Gauteng Provincial Department of Health which is in the process of disseminating primary health care clinical guidelines in the Province.Funders of the Health Systems Trust include : Department of Health (South Africa) Department for International Development (UK) Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (USA) Commission of the European Union Rockefeller Foundatio

Incomplete reversibility of estimated glomerular filtration rate decline following tenofovir disoproxil fumarate exposure.

BACKGROUND: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) has been linked to renal impairment, but the extent to which this impairment is reversible is unclear. We aimed to investigate the reversibility of renal decline during TDF therapy. METHODS: Cox proportional hazards models assessed factors associated with discontinuing TDF in those with an exposure duration of >6 months. In those who discontinued TDF therapy, linear piecewise regression models estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) slopes before initiation of, during, and after discontinuation of TDF therapy. Factors associated with not achieving eGFR recovery 6 months after discontinuing TDF were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: We observed declines in the eGFR during TDF exposure (mean slopes, -15.7 mL/minute/1.73 m(2)/year [95% confidence interval {CI}, -20.5 to -10.9] during the first 3 months and -3.1 mL/minute/1.73 m(2)/year [95% CI, -4.6 to -1.7] thereafter) and evidence of eGFR increases following discontinuation of TDF therapy (mean slopes, 12.5 mL/minute/1.73 m(2)/year [95% CI, 8.9-16.1] during the first 3 months and 0.8 mL/minute/1.73 m(2)/year [95% CI,.1-1.5] thereafter). Following TDF discontinuation, 38.6% of patients with a decline in the eGFR did not experience recovery. A higher eGFR at baseline, a lower eGFR after discontinuation of TDF therapy, and more-prolonged exposure to TDF were associated with an increased risk of incomplete recovery 6 months after discontinuation of TDF therapy. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that a decline in the eGFR during TDF therapy was not fully reversible in one third of patients and suggests that prolonged TDF exposure at a low eGFR should be avoided

Thirty Years After Michael E. Porter: What Do We Know About Business Exit?

Although a business exit is an important corporate change initiative, the buyer’s side seems to be more appealing to management researchers than the seller’s because acquisitions imply growth, i.e., success. Yet from an optimistic viewpoint, business exit can effectively create value for the selling company. In this paper we attempt to bring the relevance of the seller’s side back into our consciousness by asking: What do we know about business exit? We start our exploration with Porter (1976), focusing on literature that investigates the antecedents of, barriers to, and outcomes of business exit. We also include studies from related fields such as finance and economics.1 Through this research we determine three clusters of findings: factors promoting business exit, exit barriers, and exit outcomes. Overall, it is the intention of this paper to highlight the importance of business exit for research and practice. Knowing what we know about business exits and their high financial value we should bear in mind that exit need not mean failure but a new beginning for a corporation

Risk-shifting Through Issuer Liability and Corporate Monitoring

This article explores how issuer liability re-allocates fraud risk and how risk allocation may reduce the incidence of fraud. In the US, the apparent absence of individual liability of officeholders and insufficient monitoring by insurers under-mine the potential deterrent effect of securities litigation. The underlying reasons why both mechanisms remain ineffective are collective action problems under the prevailing dispersed ownership structure, which eliminates the incentives to moni-tor set by issuer liability. This article suggests that issuer liability could potentially have a stronger deterrent effect when it shifts risk to individuals or entities holding a larger financial stake. Thus, it would enlist large shareholders in monitoring in much of Europe. The same risk-shifting effect also has implications for the debate about the relationship between securities litigation and creditor interests. Credi-tors’ claims should not be given precedence over claims of defrauded investors (e.g., because of the capital maintenance principle), since bearing some of the fraud risk will more strongly incentivise large creditors, such as banks, to monitor the firm in jurisdictions where corporate debt is relatively concentrated

Optimization of human papillomavirus-based pseudovirus techniques for efficient gene transfer

Human papillomavirus (HPV) L1 and L2 capsid proteins self-assemble into virions capable of efficiently packaging either its 8 kilobase genome or non-viral DNA. The ability of HPV capsids to package non-viral DNA makes these a useful tool for delivering plasmids to study proteins of interest in a variety of cell types. We describe optimization of current methods and present new protocols for using HPV capsids to deliver non-viral DNA thereby providing an alternative to DNA transfection. Using keratinocyte generated extracellular matrices can enhance infection efficiency in keratinocytes, hepatocytes and neuronal cells. Furthermore, we describe a suspension-based efficient technique for infecting different cell types

Patterns of impact resulting from a 'sit less, move more' web-based program in sedentary office employees.

PURPOSE: Encouraging office workers to 'sit less and move more' encompasses two public health priorities. However, there is little evidence on the effectiveness of workplace interventions for reducing sitting, even less about the longer term effects of such interventions and still less on dual-focused interventions. This study assessed the short and mid-term impacts of a workplace web-based intervention (Walk@WorkSpain, W@WS; 2010-11) on self-reported sitting time, step counts and physical risk factors (waist circumference, BMI, blood pressure) for chronic disease. METHODS: Employees at six Spanish university campuses (n=264; 42±10 years; 171 female) were randomly assigned by worksite and campus to an Intervention (used W@WS; n=129; 87 female) or a Comparison group (maintained normal behavior; n=135; 84 female). This phased, 19-week program aimed to decrease occupational sitting time through increased incidental movement and short walks. A linear mixed model assessed changes in outcome measures between the baseline, ramping (8 weeks), maintenance (11 weeks) and follow-up (two months) phases for Intervention versus Comparison groups. RESULTS: A significant 2 (group) × 2 (program phases) interaction was found for self-reported occupational sitting (F[3]=7.97, p=0.046), daily step counts (F[3]=15.68, p=0.0013) and waist circumference (F[3]=11.67, p=0.0086). The Intervention group decreased minutes of daily occupational sitting while also increasing step counts from baseline (446±126; 8,862±2,475) through ramping (+425±120; 9,345±2,435), maintenance (+422±123; 9,638±3,131) and follow-up (+414±129; 9,786±3,205). In the Comparison group, compared to baseline (404±106), sitting time remained unchanged through ramping and maintenance, but decreased at follow-up (-388±120), while step counts diminished across all phases. The Intervention group significantly reduced waist circumference by 2.1cms from baseline to follow-up while the Comparison group reduced waist circumference by 1.3cms over the same period. CONCLUSIONS: W@WS is a feasible and effective evidence-based intervention that can be successfully deployed with sedentary employees to elicit sustained changes on "sitting less and moving more"

Studying complex interventions : reflections from the FEMHealth project on evaluating fee exemption policies in West Africa and Morocco

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