Simultaneous display of spectrum and image in a single plane, and the realization of a lensless coherent optical processor

A novel method, designated the holographic spectrum reconstruction (HSR) method, is proposed for achieving simultaneous display of the spectrum and image of an object in a single plane. A study of the scaling behaviour of both the spectrum and the image has been carried out and based on this study, it is demonstrated that a lensless coherent optical processor can be realized.

Many-body effects in electrochemisorption : Part III. Beyond mean field and hartree-fock

Several channels provided by many-body couplings — both fermion-fermion and fermion-boson — for the evolution of the chemisorption system are discussed. This provides an opportunity of a systematic study of the effects of correlations reflected through the intricate pole structure of the absorbate Green functions. The results of Newns, Anda and others in the context of chemisorption are generalized.

Many-body effects in electrochemisorption : Part IV. Multi-boson formalism

Several boson subsystems may be involved in electrosorption phenomena. To accommodate this possibility, the one-boson formalism described in Parts I–III is extended to this case. The hierarchy in the superoperator scheme, the evaluation of operator averages for closure and several special cases are indicated. As an illustration, some calculations are presented to indicate the trends of many-body corrections in chemisorption.

Oral health behaviour, conditions and care among dentate elderly patients in Lithuania: preventive aspects

The present cross-sectional study aimed to assess oral health behaviour, dental and periodontal conditions, dental care, and their relationships among elderly dentate patients in Lithuania. The target population in the study were dentate patients aged 60 and older attending public dental services in Kedainiai, Lithuania. The data collection took place between the autumn of 1999 and the winter of 2001. Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire for all (n=174) and a clinical examination targeting about half of the subjects (n=100). The questionnaire inquired about oral health behaviour, the life-first and also the most recent dental treatments, sources on and self-assessed knowledge of oral self-care, a self-reported number of teeth, and socio-demographic information. The clinical examination included basic dental and periodontal conditions. A total of 82 women and 92 men completed the questionnaire; their mean age was 69.2 and their average number of teeth was 16.2 (CI 95% 15.4-17.1). In all, 25% had 21 or more teeth and 32% indicated wearing removable dentures. The oral health behaviour, the participants reported, was poor: 30% reported twice daily toothbrushing, 57% responded that they always use fluoride toothpaste, 19% indicated daily interdental cleaning, nearly all said they take sugar in their coffee and tea, and 30% indicated going for check-ups. As the main source of information on oral self-care, the subjects indicated health professionals (82%), followed by social contacts (72%), broadcasted media (58%), and printed media (42%). A total of 34% assessed their knowledge of oral self-care as good, and their self-assessed knowledge correlated (r=0.52) with professional guidance they had received about oral self-care. In their most recent treatment, conservative (39%) and non-conservative (34%) treatments dominated, and preventive ones were the least reported (7%). Regarding guidance in oral self-care, 54% reported having received such about toothbrushing, 32% about interdental cleaning, and 33% had been given visual information. Clinical examinations revealed the presence of plaque, calculus, bleeding on probing and deepened pockets in all of the subjects; 70% of the subjects were diagnosed with pockets of 6mm and deeper, 94% with caries, and 73% with overhangs of restorations. Those subjects assessing their knowledge of oral self-care as good and reporting a higher intensity of guidance in oral self-care as received, indicated practicing the recommended oral self-care more frequently. Twice daily toothbrushing was associated with good self-assessed knowledge of oral self-care (OR 4.1, p<0.001) and a university education (OR 5.6, p<0.001). Those subjects with better oral health behaviour had a greater number of teeth. Having 21 or more teeth was associated with good self-assessed knowledge of oral self-care (OR 4.1, p=0.03). Better periodontal conditions were associated with a higher frequency of toothbrushing. The presence of periodontal pockets of 6mm and deeper was associated with the level of self-assessed knowledge of oral self-care being below good (OR=3.0, p=0.04) and the level of dental cleanliness being poor (OR=2.7, p=0.02). To conclude, oral health behaviour and conditions call for improvement in elderly subjects in Lithuania. To improve the oral health of their elderly dentate patients, dentists should apply all the available tools of chair-side prevention and active guidance. The latter would be an effective means of updating the knowledge of oral self-care and supporting recommended oral health behaviour. A preventive approach should be strongly emphasized in countries with limited resources for oral health care, such as Lithuania. Author’s address: Sonata Vyšniauskaite, Department of Oral Public Health, Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, P.O.Box 41, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland. E-mail: sonata.vysniauskaite@helsinki.fi

Analysis of body composition in individuals with high bone mass reveals a marked increase in fat mass in women but not men

Context: High bone mass (HBM), detected in 0.2% of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans, is characterized by raised body mass index, the basis for which is unclear. Objective: To investigate why body mass index is elevated in individuals with HBM, we characterized body composition and examined whether differences could be explained by bone phenotypes, eg, bone mass and/or bone turnover. Design, Setting, and Participants: We conducted a case-control study of 153 cases with unexplained HBM recruited from 4 UK centers by screening 219 088 DXA scans. Atotal of 138 first-degree relatives (of whom 51 had HBM) and 39 spouses were also recruited. Unaffected individuals served as controls. Main Outcome Measures: We measured fat mass, by DXA, and bone turnover markers. Results: Amongwomen, fat mass was inversely related to age in controls (P<.01), but not in HBM cases (P<.96) in whom mean fat mass was 8.9 [95% CI 4.7, 13.0] kg higher compared with controls (fully adjusted mean difference, P<.001). Increased fat mass in male HBM cases was less marked (gender interaction P = .03). Compared with controls, lean mass was also increased in female HBM cases (by 3.3 [1.2, 5.4] kg; P<.002); however, lean mass increases wereless marked than fat mass increases, resulting in 4.5% lower percentage lean mass in HBM cases (P<.001). Osteocalcin was also lower in female HBM cases compared with controls (by 2.8 [0.1, 5.5]μg/L; P = .04). Differences in fat mass were fully attenuated after hip bone mineral density (BMD) adjustment (P = .52) but unchanged after adjustment for bone turnover (P < .001), whereas the greater hip BMD in female HBM cases was minimally attenuated by fat mass adjustment (P<.001). Conclusions: HBM is characterized by a marked increase in fat mass in females, statistically explained by their greater BMD, but not by markers of bone turnover. Copyright © 2013 by The Endocrine Society.

Time Dimension in Consumers’ Image Construction Processes: Introducing Image Heritage and Image-in-use

This paper focuses on the time dimension in consumers’ image construction processes. Two new concepts are introduced to cover past consumer experiences about the company – image heritage, and the present image construction process - image-in-use. Image heritage and image-in-use captures the dynamic, relational, social, and contextual features of corporate image construction processes. Qualitative data from a retailing context were collected and analysed following a grounded theory approach. The study demonstrates that consumers’ corporate images have long roots in past experiences. Understanding consumers’ image heritage provides opportunities for understanding how consumers might interpret management initiatives and branding activities in the present.

Value of Image in Service

Purpose This paper takes a customer view on corporate image and value, and discusses the value of image in service. We propose a model depicting how the customer’s corporate brand image affects the customer’s value-in-use. Methodology/approach The paper represents conceptual development on customers’ value and image construction processes. By integrating ideas and elements from the current service and branding literature a model is proposed that extends current views on how value-in-use emerges. Findings From a current service perspective it is the customer who makes value assessments when experiencing service. Similarly, if branding is a concept used to denote the service provider’s intentions and attempts to create a corporate brand, image construction is the corresponding process where the customer constructs the corporate image. This image construction process is always present both in service interactions and in communication and has an effect on the customer’s value-in-use. We argue that two interrelated concepts are needed to capture corporate image construction and dynamics and value-in-use – the image-in-use and image heritage. Research implications The model integrates two different streams of research pointing to the need to consider traditional marketing communication and service interactions as inherently related to each other from the customer’s point of view. Additionally the model gives a platform for understanding how value-in-use emerges over time. New methodological approaches and techniques to capture image-in-use and image heritage and their interplay with value-in-use are needed. Practical implications The company may not be able to control the emergence of value-in-use but may influence it, not only in interactions with the customer but also with pure communication. Branding activities should therefore be considered related to service operations and service development. Additionally, practitioners would need to apply qualitative methods to understand the customer’s view on image and value-in-use. Originality/value The paper presents a novel approach for understanding and studying that the customer’s image of a company influences emergence of value-in-use. The model implies that the customer’s corporate image has a crucial role for experienced value-in-use.

Examination of the role of follicle stimulating hormone in estrogen biosynthesis Image Image and Image Image in the ovary of cyclic hamster

The effect of neutralizing endogenous follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) or luteinizing hormone (LH) with specific antisera on the Image Image and Image Image synthesis of estrogen in the ovary of cycling hamster was studied. Neutralization of FSH or LH on proestrus resulted in a reduction in the estradiol concentration of the ovary on diestrus-2 and next proestrus, suggesting an impairment in follicular development.Injection of FSH antiserum at 0900 h of diestrus-2 significantly reduced the ovarian estradiol concentration within 6–7 h. Further, these ovaries on incubation with testosterone(T) Image Image at 1600 h of the same day or the next day synthesized significantly lower amounts of estradiol, compared to corresponding control ovaries. Although testosterone itself, in the absence of endogenous FSH, could stimulate estrogen synthesis to some extent, FSH had to be supplemented with T to restore estrogen synthesis to the level seen in control ovaries incubated with T. Lack of FSH thus appeared to affect the aromatization step in the estrogen biosynthetic pathway in the ovary of hamster on diestrus-2. In contrast to this, FSH antiserum given on the morning of proestrus had no effect on the Image Image and Image Image synthesis of estrogen, when examined 6–7 h later. The results suggest that there could be a difference in the need for FSH at different times of the cycle.Neutralization of LH either on diestrus-2 or proestrus resulted in a drastic reduction in estradiol concentration of the ovary. This block was at the level of androgen synthesis, since supplementing testosterone alone Image Image could stimulate estrogen synthesis to a more or less similar extent as in the ovaries of control hamsters.

Quest for authenticity - representation of the Sami image in Christmas tourism

Tourism is one of important livelihoods in Lapland. Christmas tourism was launched in the early 1980s and it became a success story - being labelled as the most epochal tourism product in Finland. Hence, today Christmas tourists are one of the most significant foreign groups arriving to Lapland during the winter season and contributing considerably to the economics of the northeastern periphery of the EU. Christmas tourism concentrates around Father Christmas who uses reindeer for transportation. The Sämi are the only indigenous people in the EU. They are all stereotypically perceived to be reindeer herders. Somehow these three, that is, Santa Claus, reindeer and the Sämi, have been incorporated into same fairytale dominion. In practice, this has happened by using the most visible cultural but also significant identity marker of the Sämi, the Sämi costume. This, in turn, has created controversy over authenticity due to manners in which the costume is used in tourism - often in imitational, mismatched forms by non-Sämi. In this thesis, after relevant literature review I intend to establish how the Sâmi are represented in Christmas tourism through visual data consisting of ten images from three foreign sources. Then I clarify why and to whom it matters of how the Sâmi are represented in Christmas tourism with the aid of 65 questionnaires and nineteen expert interviews collected mainly in the Finnish Sâmi Home Region in October 2009. Through the multiplicity of the voices of various interest and ethnic groups and by using critical discourse analysis I attempt to give an overview of the respondents' opinions and look at some preliminary solutions to the controversy. Based on my data, the non-Sami appear to accept the Sami costume usage in Christmas tourism most readily. Consequently, respect and attitudinal changes have become the respondents' propositions in addition to common set of rules of how the Sami image could be appropriated without violating the integrity of the Sami people, or a similar system of S¿m¡ Duodji trademark guaranteeing the authenticity of the tourism products. Additionally, though half of the interviewees explicate Sami presence in Christmas tourism by adding local flavour to otherwise commercial enterprise, the other half see no rationale to connect facts with fiction, that is, the Sami with Santa Claus.

Quest for authenticity - representation of the Sami image in Christmas tourism

Tourism is one of important livelihoods in Lapland. Christmas tourism was launched in the early 1980s and it became a success story - being labelled as the most epochal tourism product in Finland. Hence, today Christmas tourists are one of the most significant foreign groups arriving to Lapland during the winter season and contributing considerably to the economics of the northeastern periphery of the EU. Christmas tourism concentrates around Father Christmas who uses reindeer for transportation. The Sämi are the only indigenous people in the EU. They are all stereotypically perceived to be reindeer herders. Somehow these three, that is, Santa Claus, reindeer and the Sämi, have been incorporated into same fairytale dominion. In practice, this has happened by using the most visible cultural but also significant identity marker of the Sämi, the Sämi costume. This, in turn, has created controversy over authenticity due to manners in which the costume is used in tourism - often in imitational, mismatched forms by non-Sämi. In this thesis, after relevant literature review I intend to establish how the Sâmi are represented in Christmas tourism through visual data consisting of ten images from three foreign sources. Then I clarify why and to whom it matters of how the Sâmi are represented in Christmas tourism with the aid of 65 questionnaires and nineteen expert interviews collected mainly in the Finnish Sâmi Home Region in October 2009. Through the multiplicity of the voices of various interest and ethnic groups and by using critical discourse analysis I attempt to give an overview of the respondents' opinions and look at some preliminary solutions to the controversy. Based on my data, the non-Sami appear to accept the Sami costume usage in Christmas tourism most readily. Consequently, respect and attitudinal changes have become the respondents' propositions in addition to common set of rules of how the Sami image could be appropriated without violating the integrity of the Sami people, or a similar system of S¿m¡ Duodji trademark guaranteeing the authenticity of the tourism products. Additionally, though half of the interviewees explicate Sami presence in Christmas tourism by adding local flavour to otherwise commercial enterprise, the other half see no rationale to connect facts with fiction, that is, the Sami with Santa Claus.

Inclusion of body doping in compact models for fully-depleted common double gate MOSFET adapted to gate-oxide thickness asymmetry

Since it is difficult to find the analytical solution of the governing Poisson equation for double gate MOSFETs with the body doping term included, the majority of the compact models are developed for undoped-body devices for which the analytical solution is available. Proposed is a simple technique to included a body doping term in such surface potential based common double gate MOSFET models also by taking into account any differences between the gate oxide thickness. The proposed technique is validated against TCAD simulation and found to be accurate as long as the channel is fully depleted.

The role of tusks, musth and body size in male-male competition among Asian elephants, Elephas maximus

The evolution of sexually dimorphic, elaborate male traits that are seemingly maladaptive may be driven by sexual selection (male-male competition and or female mate choice). Tusk possession in the Asian elephant is sexually dimorphic and exaggerated but its role in male-male competition has not yet been determined. We examined the role of the tusks in establishing dominance along with two other known male-male signals, namely, body size and musth (a temporary physiologically heightened sexual state) in an Asian elephant population in northeastern India with equal proportions of tusked and tuskless males. We observed 116 agonistic interactions with clear dominance outcomes between adult (>15 years) males during 458 field days in the dry season months of 2008-2011. A generalized linear mixed-effects model was used to predict the probability of winning as a function of body size, tusk possession and musth status relative to the opponent. A hierarchy of the three male-male signals emerged from this analysis, with musth overriding body size and body size overriding tusk possession. In this elephant population tusk possession thus plays a relatively minor role in male-male competition. An important implication of musth and body size being stronger determinants of dominance than tusk possession is that it could facilitate rapid evolution of tuskless males in the population under artificial selection against tusked individuals, which are poached for ivory. (C) 2013 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-Term Sustained Release of Salicylic Acid from Cross-Linked Biodegradable Polyester Induces a Reduced Foreign Body Response in Mice

There has been a continuous surge toward developing new biopolymers that exhibit better in vivo biocompatibility properties in terms of demonstrating a reduced foreign body response (FBR). One approach to mitigate the undesired FBR is to develop an implant capable of releasing anti-inflammatory molecules in a sustained manner over a long time period. Implants causing inflammation are also more susceptible to infection. In this article, the in vivo biocompatibility of a novel, biodegradable salicylic acid releasing polyester (SAP) has been investigated by subcutaneous implantation in a mouse model. The tissue response to SAP was compared with that of a widely used biodegradable polymer, poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), as a control over three time points: 2, 4, and 16 weeks postimplantation. A long-term in vitro study illustrates a continuous, linear (zero order) release of salicylic acid with a cumulative mass percent release rate of 7.34 x 10(-4) h(-1) over similar to 1.5-17 months. On the basis of physicochemical analysis, surface erosion for SAP and bulk erosion for PLGA have been confirmed as their dominant degradation modes in vivo. On the basis of the histomorphometrical analysis of inflammatory cell densities and collagen distribution as well as quantification of proinflammatory cytokine levels (TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta), a reduced foreign body response toward SAP with respect to that generated by PLGA has been unambiguously established. The favorable in vivo tissue response to SAP, as manifest from the uniform and well-vascularized encapsulation around the implant, is consistent with the decrease in inflammatory cell density and increase in angiogenesis with time. The above observations, together with the demonstration of long-term and sustained release of salicylic acid, establish the potential use of SAP for applications in improved matrices for tissue engineering and chronic wound healing.