In the last 20 years, musicians specializing in the performance of Korean tradi tional music (kugak) have been drawn in increasing numbers to participate in hybrid musical combinations of Korean instruments, vocal styles, and repertory with music originating in other parts of the world?primarily, but not exclu sively, the West. What Korean musicians produce under the general rubric of "fusion music" (p'yuj?n ?mak)1 is often immediately recognizable as Korean not so much from musical form, melody, or even from rhythmic pattern, as from instrumental timbre.2 The issue of timbre has often appeared in the scholar ship on Korean music, especially in writings identifying the unique qualities of Korean traditional music. Lee Byong Won (Yi Py?ngw?n)3 states flatly that "A kind of raspy or buzzing sound quality seems to be the preferred timbre in Korean music" (1997, 53), from the "extremely raspy" sound of the pdnsori singers and Southwestern folksinger s voices to a wide variety of Korean instru ments: the raspy sound of the bowed zither (ajaeng), the two-stringed fiddle (haeg?m) and the double reeds (p'iri and taepy?ngso), the "dark," "rough," "scrap ing and scratching" (Lee Byong Won 1997,55) sounds of the 6-stringed plucked zither (k?mungo), to the "buzzy" sound of the side-blown flute (taeg?m), and the "piercing," "trebly" sound of the small flat gong (kkwaenggwari) and the upper-register playing of taepy?ngso and haeg?m. There are whole chapters or sections thereof on timbre in Lee Byong Wons Styles and Esthetics in Korean Traditional Music (1997) and in So Inhwas (So Inhwa) Theoretical Perspectives on Korean Traditional Music: An Lntroduction (2002), among others. It would seem, therefore, that careful attention should be paid to timbre in the new forms of Korean music emerging in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, including Koreas increasingly prominent fusion music. Hybridity has become an increasingly central concern of much contempo rary scholarship in ethnomusicology, but scholars of Korean music, with the notable exception of Lee So Young (Yi Soy?ng) (1999, 2003, 2005a, 2005b), Song Hyejin (2000), Yun Chunggang (2004), Ch?n Chiy?ng (2004), and Keith Howard (2002), have had relatively little to say about the recent surge of fusion music, and even less about the role of timbre in fusion music. Koreas indig enous stringed, wind, and percussion instruments all have distinctive timbres,


The Southern Pescadero Basin is a recently discovered hydrothermal vent area located at the southern mouth of the Gulf of California at a depth of 3650 m. Here, vent fluids enriched in oil and gases migrate from the seafloor and support distinct microbial communities within anoxic sediments and hydrothermally-precipitated minerals, usually coupled to sulfate reduction. Using a combination of environmental metagenomics, laboratory microcosm experiments, geochemical and mineralogical analyses, we characterized the diversity and metabolism of archaea involved in methane and hydrocarbon oxidation, with a focus on the diverse members of the ANME-1 order, which are the most abundant anaerobic methane oxidizers in both habitats. Our working hypothesis within the Pescadero vent ecosystem is that different substrate habitats (e.g. mineral rocks vs. sediments) support distinct ANME-1 clades with diverse metabolic capabilities. Hydrothermal sediment cores and rock samples were collected from the Auka vent field. Sediment cores were collected within grey-orange mats, supported by the highly reducing sulfidic sediments near the seabed. Mineralogical analysis of the rock samples revealed they were predominately comprised of barite, with some of them impregnated with oil. We performed metagenomic analysis on four rocks and two sediment samples and reconstructed metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) affiliated with ANME-1. Two dominant ANME-1 groups were present in our sample set. Rock samples were dominated


Sepedon fuscipennis Loew was reared in the laboratory under constant temperature regimes to determine the effect of temperature on several life history features. Developmental and oviposition rates are greatest at 30/sup 0/C. Total survival of the immature stages is greatest at 33/sup 0/C. The intrinsic rate of increase is positive over the 15--33/sup 0/C range, and it peaks at 30/sup 0/C where r/sub m/ = 0.137 day/sup -1/. Adult longevity increases as temperature decreases. Total fecundity is highest at 21/sup 0/C. In the laboratory, most adults live beyond the age at which they contribute significantly to the intrinsic rate of increase. S. fuscipennis is a typical polyvoltine species exhibiting imaginal facultative diapause. Diapause is characterized by cessation of ovarian development, cessation of spermatogenesis, and hypertrophy of fat bodies. Both temperature and photoperiod influence diapause induction in the sensitive and responsive adult stage.


The utility model discloses an automatic drilling machine, which comprises a work bench, a drill arranged on the work bench, a feeding device for conveying workpieces to the work bench, and a receiving device for taking the workpieces away from the work bench, and is characterized in that: the feeding device comprises a collecting device and a taking device for sending the workpieces from the collecting device to the work bench. The automatic drilling machine provided by the utility model can automatically complete the sending, drilling and receiving of the workpieces by mutual matching of cylinders, and has the advantages of simple structure, high efficiency, high degree of automation and the like.


Many neural architectures including RBF, SVM, FSVC classifiers, or deep-learning solutions require the efficient implementation of neurons layers, each of them having a given number of m neurons, a specific set of parameters and operating on a training or test set of N feature vectors having each a dimension n. Herein we investigate how to allocate the computation on GPU kernels and how to better optimize the problem parameters (neural structure and training set size) as well as the GPU parameters in order to maximize the acceleration (relative to a CPU implementation). It is shown that by maximizing the load (number of threads on each computational GPU core) and by a proper allocation of the GPU global memory, very large speedups (100–250 times) with respect to the CPU implementation can be achieved while using the convenient NUMBA Python package supporting CUDA programming of GPU. Consequently, it is shown that given a problem to be posed to a neural network a convenient decomposition of the network can be done in order to allocate optimally the parts of the computation to the GPU in order to maximize efficiency. Also, for CPU implementations it was found that Intel's MKL library (called from NUMPY package) can offer efficient implementation of neural layers, comparable to what is achieved using GPU.


Butterflies are usually associated with flowers and have even been called flying jewels of nature or flying flowers. Skolly butterflies are not associated with flowers at all and are rather untidy, mothlike creatures that you would hardly notice if they flew by. Their life histories however, are very unusual in that their early stages, larvae and pupae, are completely dependent on Pugnacius Ants (Anoplolepis custodiens). In an article 'A tale of skollys, pugnacious foster parents and addiction', in the September 2011 issue of Veld & Flora, I described the association of the larvae of two black Skolly butterflies, the Peninsula and Riley's Skolly with their host, the Pugnacious Ant. In this article the association between the larvae of a yellow Skolly, known as the Basuto Skolly, as well as the unusual symbiosis of a fish moth, with the Pugnacious Ant is described. Other yellow Skolly butterflies include the Langeberg Mountain Skolly (Thestor pictus) that occurs on the slopes below the Sleeping Beauty of the Langeberg Mountains, Riversdale, as well as Strutt's Skolly (Thestor strutti, named after its discoverer Suttcliff Strutt) that flies on another landmark, the Twin Peaks, and an adjoining mountain range near Wolseley. Their larvae and pupae have also been observed by my colleagues and me in nests of Pugnacious Ants under rocks.


Excerpt In 1936 Goldman and Smyth (1) reported the first cases of hyperparathyroidism in siblings. It is now generally accepted that familial hyperparathyroidism can occur both with (2) and without...


Introduction: Using a rat model, we aimed to confirm the inhibitory effect of dorsal spinal root (afferent) stimulation and test if bilateral stimulation is more effective than unilateral stimulation. External urethral sphincter (EUS) electromyography (EMG) is also assessed in conjunction with cystometrogram. Materials and Methods: Eighteen female Sprague-Dawley rats were tested following urethane anesthesia. Via urethral catheterization, the bladder was infused with normal saline to evoke rhythmic bladder reflex contractions (BRC). L6 spinal nerves were isolated and stimulated. Results: L6 stimulation was effective in inhibiting BRC. L6 bilateral dorsal root (DR) stimulation of 50% intensity was required to cause inhibition as compared to unilateral stimulation. In EUS EMG recordings, there was a strong association between EUS EMG activities and bladder contraction. When the bladder contraction was inhibited effectively by L6 DR stimulation, a considerable reduction was also found in the EUS EMG activities. Conclusions: L6 DR stimulation abolished BRC in our rat model. Bilateral L6 DR stimulation produced a 50% reduction in stimulation intensity, providing a similar BRC block. Abolishing BRC also appeared to coincide with a reduction in EUS EMG, implicating that sacral neuromodulation might act centrally, at least rostrally at the T8-9 spinal level.


Isolates of Septoria avenae and related fungi were analyzed for pathogenicity to oats and wheat and found to be either pathogenic on oat or wheat. Two compounds were identified in methanolic extracts of oat leaves that inhibited the growth of wheat-attacking isolates. Analysis of these compounds by thin-layer chromatography and fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry supported their identification as the steroidal saponins 26-desglucoavenacosides A and B. Oat-attacking (but not wheat-attacking) isolates of Septoria were able to detoxify these saponins by enzymatic hydrolysis of the sugar chain attached at carbon 3. An enzyme that carried out this hydrolysis was purified from the culture filtrate of S. avenae f. sp. avenae. This enzyme (avenacosidase) was capable of removing both L-rhamnose and D-glucose molecules from the C-3 sugar chain of the saponins. The enzyme had a molecular mass of 110 kDa, an isoelectric point between pH 3.8 and 4.1, and optimal β-D-glucosidase activity at pH 5.4.


Australian macadamia production is threatened by a disorder known as abnormal vertical growth (AVG), for which the aetiology is unknown. AVG is characterized by vigorous upright growth and reduced lateral branching, flowering and nut set that results in over 70% yield loss annually. Six commercial macadamia orchards were surveyed in 2012 and again in 2018 to examine spatio-temporal dynamics of the epidemic. Data were subjected to point-pattern and geostatistical analyses. AVG incidence of all orchards showed better fit to beta-binomial distribution than binomial distribution. AVG incidence level of orchards varied between 5% and 47% in 2012, and 13% and 55% in 2018. AVG spread at a slow pace in all orchards, averaging at about 2% increase in disease incidence per annum. Spatial patterns of AVG were highly aggregated on both survey years by a number of tests at different scales and spread was mainly between neighbouring trees in a row or trees that were opposite to each other in different rows. Semivariograms showed large range values (ca. 15 - 120), indicating aggregation of AVG-affected trees beyond quadrat levels. Furthermore, clusters of disease were mainly at the edge of the orchard on the first survey date and the disease progressed towards the centre of the orchard over time. It is concluded that AVG is caused by an infectious agent, and based on patterns of spread, we hypothesise that spread is facilitated by root grafting or root-to-root contact. Furthermore, a vascular-limited pathogen could be involved that modulates plant hormone production.


After underlining the importance of the biographic questionnaire in the demographic approach to the habitat the A. illustrates the macroscopic role of the social networks in the difficult solution of the lodging problem in the town of Dakar. After investigating the ductility of the family networks and the originality of some recent solidarity experiences such as the Ndey-dike system, the A. points to what point the social is built from the habitat and how fragmentarily the networks are spangled in the social space. In condusion he focuses on the sociocultural and political process of intermediation which is essential in the lodging research and is marked by a clientage policy.


The aim of this research is to assessment the effect of  oxidase silver nanoparticles outside the body of the organism by exposure the samples diagnosed using the modified acid fast stain and microscopic and isolated examination using the floatation into three concentrations per  nano-material is(01, 0.03 and 0.05). And then examined the samples at half an hour after exposure using trypan blue stain half an hour later and calculate  living and dead oocytes using the (hemocytometer) and the percentage  of oocystes at The concentration of (0.01) nano-silver is (46.57%) and the concentration (0.03) nano silver was the percentage of dead oocystes (43.93%), the lowest while the dead parasite oocsyts were (48.38%).


The pharmacokinetics of prenalterol in healthy young volunteers after i.v. and oral dosing has been studied. There is evidence of non-linearity following the i.v. dosing. Evidence of dose-dependent pharmacokinetics following i.v. dosing has been obtained. The sustained-release formulation is very effective: almost 12 h were needed to achieve 50 per cent of the total AUC.


There is a growing interest in ad hoc wireless networking internationally, due to the great cost in infrastructure and the time delay for deployment for new "traditional" wireless networks for a specific purpose (i.e. cellular systems). The interest arises from the possibility of delivering telecommunication services rapidly and with the reduced needs for costly generic infrastructure. Examples of such services include, among others, a convention where a large number of people are concentrated in a limited geographical area, a university campus with a great density of telecommunication users, or even a disaster area where the fixed infrastructure have been damaged. In most examples, ad hoc wireless networks may complement or replace the existing wireless telecommunications infrastructure. One flavor of ad hoc wireless networks that is of interest in this context, and is well adapted to the Lebanese market, are wireless mesh networks (WMN). We propose that the proliferation of WiFi hotspots in high-density areas of population in Lebanon forms the basis of deployment of mesh routers for a WMN. Of specific interest is to be able to use the dense infrastructure of GSM-EDGE (and in the future HSUPA) cellular networks in Lebanon to interconnect those routers in specific locations where it will be hard to deploy additional fixed and cumbersome cellular infrastructure. Locations where hotspots are already deployed (commercial centers, university campuses, business areas, etc.) or could be deployed for special events (conventions, concerts, etc.) could thus be interconnected in a hybrid wireless network, resulting in significantly increased capacity of the network for local voice and data traffic at little additional infrastructure cost. Furthermore, this could a preliminary step for direct connection between the mesh routers and not via the cellular network, into what will become a full- fledged WMN. The structure of the paper is as follows: section the author gives an introduction on ad hoc wireless networks; section II describes WMN and define the design issues of WMN; in section III, we look at a proposed scenario for deployment of WMNs in the Lebanese market and the issues of interconnection with the GSM networks. We will conclude in section IV.


Sediment and water samples wcrc taltcn at 17 stations in a nearshore area off the southern coast of Anvers Island, Antarctic Peninsula. The scdimcnts arc diamictons and display great lateral variability. Their organic carbon content falls within the range of values for oceanic sediments; variations can perhaps be cxplainecl in tams of specific local cnvironmcnts of deposition. Silica concentrations in the interstitial water of thcsc sediments seems to bc controlled by biogenic processes of sedimentation. Bacteria. arc prcfcrcntially associated with scdimcnts rich in clay-sized materials and show little or no correlation with organic carbon in these samples; the surface properties of the fine scdimcnt may bc important. Bacterial nmnbcrs in the water column arc similar to those rcportcd for open-ocean arcas below 200 m in lower latitudes. Nutrient values arc high, but many nitrite values arc low rclativc to nitrate as in lower latitudes before the growth season and in the open ocean below the cuphotic zone. Thcsc similarities may indicate that primary proclnctivity at the time and place of investigation was low. A study was carried out in Arthur IIarbor and vicinity, An tactic Peninsula, in Fehruary and March 1967 (Fig. 1), to establish the characteristics of bottom scdimcnts and the overlying water column, to dctcrminc the bacterial numbers in water and scdimcnt samples, to rclatc thcsc qllantitics to scvcral environmental paramctcrs, and to dctcrminc which, if any, of them act as dctcrminnnts of bacterial distribution. In addition, the possibility of bactcrinl liberation of nutrients from the surrounding rock outcrops, and their addition to the ncarshorc nutrient budget, wcrc to bc invcstigatcd. The arca was chosen bccnusc WC felt that in the rclativc abscncc of disturbance by man and his animals, and in the absence of any pcrcnnial streams, the direct influcncc of the landmass on the ncarshore 1 This work was supported by National Scicncc Fonndation Grants GA-264, GA-657, and GA-1320. water mass could best bc evaluated. WC thank K. 0. Emcry and S. Z. El-Saycd for cons tructivc criticism.


From frontier gas basins in North West Queensland to potential unconventional gas reserves in the far south-west, several areas in Queensland have potential for new or expanded resource activity over the coming decade. Lessons of the past have highlighted the importance of early engagement, by industry and government, in building and maintaining constructive relationships with local communities and achieving successful coexistence. The way in which local communities are introduced to new resource activity, and their first impressions, contribute to future attitudes and expectations. In some cases, the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy (DNRME) is taking a lead on early activities to facilitate resource exploration and development, such as pre-competitive exploration and release of tender areas for potential exploration. DNRME's approach for engaging with resource communities involves developing robust relationships with local stakeholders, namely local government, landholders, Traditional Owners and local organisations, and a deep understanding of their interests and the local context. Second, it focuses on providing information to local communities about resource activity and ensuring that they have a channel for raising questions and concerns.


In the light of viewpoints that pedagogy has been an obvious missing category in considerations of scholarly supervisory work, the author argues that the existing theory on the (more established) scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) may be successfully adapted to make it highly applicable to supervisory scholarship. Research supervision has, however, been acknowledged as an advanced and complex kind of teaching-learning activity with its specific products and challenges. Special knowledge and skills are therefore needed. The point of departure is that SoTL (and consequently the scholarship of postgraduate supervision, SoPgS) integrates Boyer's four types of scholarship (discovery, integration, application and teaching). In addition to suggestions for the adaptation and/or extension of the SoTL, a developmental road for SoPgS is considered, with culmination in a proposal for different levels of performance in postgraduate supervision. Two related issues are touched upon: acceptable 'products' of a SoPgS and possible criteria for recognition and reward.


The paper mainly discusses landscape planning and greening design of waterfront park of Foshan. The large area of plants makes it possible for the waterfront park to become the "green lung" of Foshan city. According to the idea of persistent development, human must know nature well, respect nature, protect and recover environmental ecology.


A molecularly imprinted nano-porous film for melamine adsorption was electrochemically generated in situ on a paraffin-impregnated graphite electrode with a melamine/chitosan/nano-silver/polyquercetin complex.The film displayed a 3D network structure as characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,infrared spectroscopy and electrochemical techniques.The modified electrode exhibited a highly selective enrichment for melamine.Oxidation peak current and melamine concentration in the range of 1 × 10-7-1 × 10-5 mol/L showed an excellent linear relationship.The detection limit of the method was 1 × 10-8 mol/L(3σ).The modified electrode had excellent anti-interference performance and allowed the determination of melamine in milk.


Education was strongly influenced by technological advances, moreover, teachers were required to be creative and innovative. One of them which can be applied for learning media was following existing technological developments. This study aims to produce learning media for ethnomathematics based visual novel games and to determine the validity, practicality and effectiveness to be suitably used by junior high school students. The development model used in this research was the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) development model. This studied was involved 30 students and mathematics teacher at the analysis stage, three experts at the product validation stage and 10 students at the implementation stage. The resulted of the development research were in the form of ethnomathematics-based visual novel game media with a validity score of 86.7% (very valid criteria), a practicality score of 3.3 (good criteria), a score of 90% student learning completeness (complete) and a conceptual understanding of 83.7 % (very good criteria). From the resulted of the study it was concluded that the media was suitable to be used and increased students' conceptual understanding because it met the valid, practical and effective criteria.


In many applications of Global Navigate Satellite Systems the meteorological time-series play a very important role, especially when representing source of input data for other calculations such as corrections for very precise positioning. We are interested in those corrections which are related to the troposphere delay modelling. Time-series might contain some non-homogeneities, depending on the type of the data source. In this paper the outlier detection is discussed. For investigation we used method based on the autoregressive model and the results of its application were compared with the regression model.


Abstract
 Rhagodera costaefragmenta Krinsky, new species, from San Clemente Island, California is described. It is only the second insular species of Rhagodera Dejean known. It resembles Rhagodera tuberculata Mannerheim but is distinguished from that species by its interrupted elytral costae. A revised key to the species of Rhagodera found north of Mexico is provided.


Much research linking technology and economic growth and what drives innovation tends to be examined in an abstract sense with a number of studies not even justifying the effort taken to explain th...


In this review I have attemptedto give a description of thenephropathies, in which thevarioustypes have beengiven clearandconsistentoutlines. There will come to the minds of most of you, no doubt, many patientswho do not fit in easily to a definite subdivision. This is likely in any scheme, but, I think, less in this than in any other. Certainly the stages of glomerular nephritis are not sharply defined; there is no single sign whose appearance determinesthat at some definite date, some finite period, the acute stagebecomesthe latent, or the active chronic, or that the benign type of nephrosclerosishasbecomemalignant. Nevertheless, these stages are clearly recognizablewhen established. Also the sharpedges ッセ the picture are often somewhat blurred in the "mixed types", so-called, but these matters are secondary in importance to definite conceptionsof the pathogenesis, the course, the time relationsand the prognosisof one of the largest, most frequent and most important groups of dtseaseswhich we arecalled upon to treat. •


Geographical census is a nationwide,sustained production tasks and the software of national conditions plays an important role in the entire state of production. In this paper,according to the application of the geographical conditions information extraction software Geoway For NC,it analyzes the work flow of geographic census,describes the extraction method of State element and summarizes the production experience in using of the software. Hoping this paper can be helpful for the state of production in using related software.


A magnetic filtration system comprises one or more collection units (1), said collecting means comprises a magnet (4) disposed between a pair of metal plates (2, 3), a metal plate is magnetized to the north pole, the other a magnetized to the south pole. A metal plate is provided with a hole facing and pole pieces facing into the recess is the particle to be sucked and held therein to the collecting region between the oppositely disposed plate portions repelled hole.


Pharmaceutical cocrystal is a multicomponent crystalline solid composed of an API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) along with one or more GRAS (generally regard as a safe) coformers exist through noncovalent interactions in the crystal lattice. "Pharmaceutical cocrystal" was introduced into the terminology of pharmaceutical research by Almarsson and Zaworotko and has gained remarkable impetus from the last decade because of the potential implications to modify the properties of an API/bioactive molecule as functional materials in pharmaceutics. The principle advantages with cocrystals are the improving the physical/chemical stability, hygroscopicity, kinetic dissolution rate/thermodynamic solubility, permeability and enhanced bioavailability of APIs/bioactive molecules. All these properties will play a vital role in delivering an API/bioactive molecule by oral administration at right time, place and at the appropriate dose to improve the potency of the drug. Apart from fixed stoichiometry cocrystals, there are very few examples of multi-component solids forming solid solutions and alloys (multivariate stoichiometric cocrystals) in organic systems. Here we describe the cocrystals/alloys applications to improve the pharmaceutical properties of andrographolide (natural herb, AP), sulfamethizole (antibiotic, SMT) and nitazoxanide (anti-protozoan, NTZ). Andrographolide is derived from the leaves of Andrographis Paniculata, a plant known as "king of bitters". AP is known for diverse pharmacological activities, such as anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-malarial. Despite being safe at high doses of 17 g/kg per day in humans, the efficacy of AP is limited in the clinical application by poor aqueous solubility (46 mg/L) and oral bioavailability of 2.67% because of rapid metabolism (chemical instability). Here we addressed the chemical instability and solubility through novel andrographolide-salicylic acid (AP-SLA) cocrystal.1 While SMT is a sulfonamide class antibiotic drug and it has better solubility (1.05 g/L at 37 °C) even though it has a short half-life (2.1 h) due to rapid metabolism leads to fast elimination. Most of the sulfonamide class drugs exhibit moderate to high solubility but bioavailability is limited due to rapid metabolism and fast elimination. As a result, the dosage strength of sulfonamide drugs has to be higher. Cocrystallization approach is adaptable to modulate the solubility towards higher or lower levels by rational selection of coformers to addressing the poor bioavailability of highly soluble drugs. We highlight the solubility lowering ability of cocrystals and salt of SMT which may be better solid forms than pure SMT.2 NTZ is a prodrug used as an anti-protozoan agent and its active metabolite is tizoxanide. However NTZ has poor aqueous solubility (7.55 µg/mL) and lower bioavailability (258 ng/mL). Two isomorphous cocrystals nitazoxanide with p-aminosalicylic acid (PASA) and p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) as well as their alloys were prepared by grinding and slurry techniques. The cocrystals exhibit improved dissolution rate and pharmacokinetic properties compared to the reference drug and surprisingly the cocrystal alloy of NTZ-PABA: NTZ-PASA exhibited higher bioavailability of NTZ in sprague-dawley rats. This is the first report of cocrystal alloy pharmaceutical solid showed enhanced bioavailability and open opportunity for the repositioning of nitazoxanide as an anti-TB drug.3


Reading the academic literature is an essential part of a scientist's job. David Smith argues that reading fiction can be even more important for creativity and productivity than papers and reviews.


This paper examines capital structure decisions in the 1990s. We test a number of capital structure theories and find notable differences between investment- and junk-grade issuers in this period. Consistent with the trade-off theory, 67% of junk-grade issues were equity as opposed to only 9% of investment-grade issues. In addition, consistent with the trade-off theory, for junk-grade issuers, we find a direct relationship between collateral and debt issuance and an inverse relationship between debt issuance and the treasury yield. However, contrary to the predictions of the trade-off theory, we do not find similar evidence for investment-grade issuers. Moreover, our analysis suggests that junk-grade issuers are concerned with the wealth-transfer consequences of choosing equity over debt; this does not seem to be the case for investment-grade issuers. We find some evidence in support of market timing and little evidence for the pecking order theory or the equity undervaluation hypothesis.


It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 16th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Information Processing in Sensor Networks (IPSN 2017). This year, IPSN continues a tradition of being one of the premier events that brings together researchers and professionals from academia, industry, and government to address the array of current challenges, to discover new challenges, and expand the concepts of sensor networks. This year is the 10th year that IPSN has been part of CPS Week. Together with our four sister conferences---HSCC, ICCPS, IoTDI, and RTAS---and an array of workshops, all participants can explore various aspects of research and development in Cyber-Physical Systems including Embedded Systems, Hybrid Systems, Real-Time Systems, Internet of Things, and Sensor Networks.


We tackle the problem of estimating correspondences from a general marker, such as a movie poster, to an image that captures such a marker. Conventionally, this problem is addressed by fitting a homography model based on sparse feature matching. However, they are only able to handle plane-like markers and the sparse features do not sufficiently utilize appearance information. In this paper, we propose a novel framework NeuralMarker, training a neural network estimating dense marker correspondences under various challenging conditions, such as marker deformation, harsh lighting, etc. Deep learning has presented an excellent performance in correspondence learning once provided with sufficient training data. However, annotating pixel-wise dense correspondence for training marker correspondence is too expensive. We observe that the challenges of marker correspondence estimation come from two individual aspects: geometry variation and appearance variation. We, therefore, design two components addressing these two challenges in NeuralMarker. First, we create a synthetic dataset FlyingMarkers containing marker-image pairs with ground truth dense correspondences. By training with FlyingMarkers, the neural network is encouraged to capture various marker motions. Second, we propose the novel Symmetric Epipolar Distance (SED) loss, which enables learning dense correspondence from posed images. Learning with the SED loss and the cross-lighting posed images collected by Structure-from-Motion (SfM), NeuralMarker is remarkably robust in harsh lighting environments and avoids synthetic image bias. Besides, we also propose a novel marker correspondence evaluation method circumstancing annotations on real marker-image pairs and create a new benchmark. We show that NeuralMarker significantly outperforms previous methods and enables new interesting applications, including Augmented Reality (AR) and video editing.


Background: Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPis) lead to synthetic lethality when used in cancers with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD). However, the development of resistance to PARPis is a recurrent problem thus limits the duration of response and hence the clinical utility of these agents. Here, we describe the antineoplastic and immunomodulatory effects of OX425, a first-in-class oligodeoxynucleotide that operates as a PARP1 decoy, resulting in constitutive PARP1 hyperactivation and consequent exhaustion of the DNA damage response.
 Methods: OX425-induced PARP trapping, hyperactivation and cell cytotoxicity were examined in vitro in HRD and homologous recombination proficient (HRP) human cancer cells, as well as in non-transformed cell lines. DNA repair efficacy was monitored by analyzing repair protein recruitment to damage sites. OX425 effects on the innate and adaptive immune responses were assessed by following STING activation and T-cell mediated anti-tumor cytotoxicity. RNAseq analysis in HRP/HRD tumor cells treated with OX425 or PARP inhibitors was employed to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying OX425 effects. The anticancer efficacy of OX425 was assessed in vivo in different HRD and HRP tumor models. OX425-induced PARP activation and tumor infiltration by immune cells were analyzed by flow cytometry.
 Results: At odds with conventional PARP inhibitors, OX425 bound to and hyperactivated PARP1 with high affinity in a dose-dependent manner, resulting in elevated cytotoxicity to multiple cancer cells (breast, ovarian, prostate, colon, hematological, endometrial cancers) irrespective of HR status. Interestingly, long-term treatment with OX425 did not show any mutagenicity compared to PARPi. The activity of OX425 was specific to tumor cells, as no significant effect on cell viability was observed for normal cells, at odds with PARP inhibitors. In line with in vitro results, OX425 mediated considerable anticancer effects in vivo. Moreover, OX425 triggered activation of the STING pathway and CCL5 secretion in the EMT6 mouse mammary carcinoma model. The anticancer effect of OX425 was coupled with tumor-targeting T cell responses. In MPA/DMBA-driven mammary tumors, OX425 mediated considerable anticancer effects in monotherapy and synergistic effects in combination with PD1 inhibition. Moreover, OX425 treatment significantly delayed acquired resistance to olaparib in BRCA1 mutated MDA-MB-436 cell-derived xenografts.
 Conclusions: Our results provide preclinical rationale for using OX425 to trigger DNA damage exhaustion and STING activation in cancer cells and initiate inflammatory responses that can be actioned by immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients bearing HRD or HRP tumors
 Citation Format: Vlada Zakharova, Claudia Galassi, Chloé Doizelet, Vincent Hayes, Lorenzo Galluzzi, Wael Jdey. PARP1 hyperactivation by the decoy oligodeoxynucleotide OX425 mediates DNA repair abrogation and unleashes the anti-tumor immune response [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 6200.


Hydroxyapatite (HA) have been used as coatings on implants for orthopedics,neurosurgery and dentistry owing to their biocompatible properties. Recently,pulsed laser deposition (PLD) was investigated to produce HA films of high crystallinity and bonding strength. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the present situation of HA films deposited by pulsed laser and systematically review the effect of various parameters of the PLD process on the properties of films,including target properties,ambient gas,substrate temperature,buffer layer,laser wavelength and energy density. Mechanical properties and bioactivity were analyzed,and the application foreground was also prospected.


The FOMC currently uses what has been called a flexible inflation-targeting framework to set monetary policy. It is briefly described in the FOMC?s statement on longer-run goals and monetary policy strategy.1 In my view, this framework has served the FOMC well in effectively promoting our policy goals. A milestone was reached in January 2012 when the U.S. adopted an explicit numerical inflation goal. I am certain that Charles remembers very well the careful analysis and discussions that helped the FOMC reach a consensus on the explicit 2 percent goal and the statement that describes the FOMC?s approach to setting policy to promote its congressionally mandated goals of price stability and maximum employment. The FOMC is currently reviewing its policy framework. I am very supportive of this initiative.


Thermoelectric power generation is a helpful method for harnessing waste thermal energy, particularly covering a middle temperature range between 500 and 800 K. A β-Zn 4 Sb 3 compound has become the focus of attention as a thermoelectric material applicable to thermoelectric power generation around 700 K. In this research, a method combining the mechanical alloying with the pulse discharge sintering was adopted to obtain the sintered compact of β-Zn 4 Sb 3 . Pure zinc and antimony powders were used as the starting material for mechanical alloying. These powders were mixed in the stoichiometry ratio of 4 to 3, or more Zn-rich. The mechanical alloying was carried out by planetary ball milling under conditions of fixed revolution speed and variable milling time. The influence of the milling time on the synthesis of β-Zn 4 Sb 3 was investigated. The sintering was executed at two sintering temperatures and under fixed conditions of sintering time, pressing pressure, and atmosphere. The influences of the sintering temperature of pulse discharge sintering on the polycrystalline grain size and the thermoelectric properties were also studied. The following results were clarified. The phases of ZnSb and Zn are easily obtained by mechanical alloying for 50 h or longer time. These phases change to a single phase of β-Zn 4 Sb 3 through pulse discharge sintering under the optimum condition of Zn-rich mixing. The sintered compact of β-Zn 4 Sb 3 with 1.17 of nondimensional figure of merit can be obtained at 673 K with the proposed mechanical alloying with pulse discharge sintering method.


Karst geomorphy has a wide coverage in China.There is a high possibility for the construction of highway tunnel cut across karst caves.Taking an example,this paper proves the safety and possibility of the bridge construction technology for highway tunnel cut across karst caves.It affirms some advantage of the construction,such as its high quality,right schedule,and little disturbance to tunnel.The paper also discusses all methods in each construction step and matters needing attention.


Shortage of conventional feed ingredients makes it imperative to search for alternate feed resources for reducing the cost of chicken feed. A study was conducted to observe the effect of dietary incorporation of alkali (2% NaOH, w/w) processed solvent extracted karanj cake (SKC) supplemented with or without protease and liver tonic. Two hundred and sixteen commercial layer chickens (Lohmann) at the age of 41 weeks were procured, leg banded, weighed individually and distributed in a completely randomized design (CRD) into 9 treatments, which were further replicated in 6 and fed on diet containing soybean meal, and those of test groups were fed diets containing SKC and NaOH treated SKC partially replacing soybean meal. The FCR (Feed intake/dozen eggs) was signed (P<0.05) higher in the raw SKC and NaOH treated SKC supplemented with liver tonic. This solvent extracted karanj cake could be incorporated after alkali (2% NaOH, w/w) processing at an enhanced level of 10%, replacing soybean meal nitrogen, in the commercial layers without deleterious effects in comparison to control on the feed intake, FCR (Feed intake/dozen eggs), serum biochemical parameters and economics.


Promissory prohibition of business strife agreement is the premise of promissory prohibition of business strife obligation,and the promissory prohibition of business strife agreement is the basis for the demission employees to take on their obligation.Besides the conditions for the general agreements to go into effect,there are some other conditions and restrictions for promissory prohibition of business strife agreement to take effect.Only the legality and reasonable promissory prohibition of business strife agreement has force and effect and those promissory prohibition of business strife agreement which offend the law or go against rationality belong to invalidation agreement,and has no sanction.


Anxiety and depression are commonly comorbid with each other, with anxiety often temporally preceding the development of depression. Although increasingly research has begun to investigate the role of sleep problems in depression, no study has examined insomnia as a mediator in the longitudinal relationship between anxiety and subsequent depression.


Ceramic art design covers ceramic craftsmanship and ceramic decoration, and the diversification of ceramic molding crafts promotes the development of modeling. Throughout the ages, humans have created rich and diverse three-dimensional shapes based on morphological consciousness through existing craftsmanship. Computer-aided design Rhino, as a software, turns the two-dimensional plane into the three-dimensional shape with real shape and effect, which plays an important role in the rendering of the effect drawing in the systematic design process of ceramic art design. This article briefly describes the characteristics and advantages of computer-aided design Rhino, shows the application of computer-aided design Rhino software in ceramic art design teaching, and finally analyzes the effectiveness and characteristics of computer-aided design Rhino in the teaching process, which is the teaching of ceramic art design Add powerful tools and references.


The risk of a blood donation contaminated with hepatitis E virus (HEV) entering the blood supply before introducing universal HEV‐RNA screening in France was estimated to assess the benefit of such a measure.


On the basis of examination of current situation of ecological regulation of reservoirs at home and abroad, the author makes analysis on the important influence of reservoir on the river ecosystem, puts forward the concept and target of the reservoir ecological regulation, and explores the existing problems in the research on the reservoir ecological regulation as well as the development trend of reservoir ecological regulation research.


It has been found possible to increase the strength and toughness of two high-strength stainless steels, AFC 77 and AFC 260t by austenitizlng at temperatureb that are in the range where both austen te and delta ferrite are stable. The delta ferrite is then removed by isothermal transformation in the ran^e l800 to 2000F. This technique resuJts in a greater solution of carbide 1 and intermetallic particles and consequently in a greater amount of retained austenite than is possible at austenitizing temperatures below the delta-ferrite range. In addition, the technique permits optimum mechanical proper ies to be obtained over a wider compositional range.


English films,which integrate sound with image,can make College English classes active and lively.When watching English films in class,students' interest can be aroused;their skills of listening,speaking,reading,writing and translation as well as their intercultural communication ability can be developed.The analysis of the advantages and current situation of the application of English films in college English teaching as well as the practical teaching design and the development prospect may bring a breakthrough to college English teaching.


Vaccination for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) has been proven safe and effective from the age of 5 years, and is recommended by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).1 COVID19 vaccines provide varying degrees of protection against infection and transmission, but all give high levels of protection against severe disease and death from infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV2) — the virus that causes COVID19.2 While severe outcomes from SARSCoV2 infection in children are rare, leading some to question the need to vaccinate children, the risk– benefit analysis remains clearly in favour of vaccination. In Australia, the mRNA vaccines (BioNTech– Pfizer COVID19 vaccine [Cominarty; INN, tozinameran] and Moderna [Spikevax; INN, elasomeran; also known as mRNA1273]) are currently available for anyone aged 12 years and older but look certain to be offered to children from 5 years of age in 2022. The most serious but rare side effects of the mRNA vaccines requiring medical attention are myocarditis and pericarditis, occurring more frequently in males aged 12– 30 years. These episodes typically occur within days of the second dose, are usually mild and selflimiting, and respond well to antiinflammatory medication — occurring at a rate of about one in 20 000 vaccines in the 12– 19 year age group.3


OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of an electrostatic adsorption method for air disinfection to improve air quality in dressing room of emergency.METHODS The test group used an electrostatic adsorption of method for air disinfection in dressing room of emergency vs nothing used in control group.Their air samples were collected before,during and after treatments and compared.The total number of germs were counted.RESULTS The Z value of total bacterial count between two groups before,during and after treatments was 13.58,41.14 and 30.94 in favor of test group(P0.01).CONCLUSIONS The electrostatic adsorption method can reduce the bacterial count significantly.


A display panel, a display method and a display device. The display panel comprises sub-pixel units of red (R), green (G), blue (B) and another colour (X), and the sub-pixel units are arranged in a sub-pixel unit array. Each sub-pixel unit in the sub-pixel unit array is in a cross shape, the cross shape being formed by rectangles respectively with a length-to-width ratio of 3:1 both in the horizontal direction and longitudinal direction, and the lengths, both in the horizontal direction and longitudinal direction, of the cross shape are equal. The sub-pixel units in the sub-pixel unit array are sequentially interlaced with each other and periodically arranged. By means of the display panel, a pixel structure can be more compact, and the public characteristic of pixels is more obvious.


The principals and methods of information selection from distorted by noise signal with the help of filtration, identification of mathematical models of information signal, decision making about reliability of information selected are applied to analyze the results of numerical experiment for its accuracy and reliability. With the help of these methods the investigation of results of two elementary numerical methods performance is made. Some paradoxical at first sight regularities are found and explained.


Aims The aim of this study is to investigate the expression profiles of cell cycle related proteins in nasal extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKTCL). Methods The expression profiles of cell cycle related proteins were assessed with a cell cycle antibody array and validated by immunohistochemistry. Correlations between the expression levels of proteins and clinical outcomes of patients with nasal ENKTCL were evaluated. Results The expression of full length ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) in nasal ENKTCL significantly decreased compared with that in nasal benign lymphoid proliferative disease (NBLPD), but the expression levels of p-ATM, CHK2 and RAD51 significantly increased in nasal ENKTCL compared with that in NBLPD. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the expression levels of p-ATM and CHK2 in nasal ENKTCL were inversely related to overall survival (p=0.011 and p=0.025, respectively). Conclusion Abnormalities in the ATM pathway may play a crucial role in the oncogenesis and chemoradiotherapy resistance of nasal ENKTCL.


We have analysed the 2-200 m ISO spectra of two bright Herbig Ae stars, AB Aur and HD 163296, in order to derive the composition and mass over temperature distribution of the circumstellar dust. We find that the two stars have a sim- ilar composition of the dust, however also with some important differences. We address the onset of the strong near-infrared emission between 1-4 m. We show that this emission can be explained with thermal emission from metallic iron or dust species containing iron. The circumstellar dust surrounding both stars shows two distinct regimes in the mass over temperature distributions with temperatures of 10 3 and 10 2 K. Mod- elling of the ISO spectra further reveal a significant deviation of the derived grain sizes compared to the interstellar grain size distribution. A population of large ( 1 mm) grains is required to explain the observed (sub-) millimetre fluxes of HD 163296. The presence of crystalline silicates and the larger grain sizes in HD 163296 compared to AB Aur suggests that the former star is a more evolved system. Amorphous silicates make out the bulk of the dust mass in both stars. It is likely that a significant fraction of the dust is carbon-rich. We find strong evidence for a 20-30 m band which we tentatively attribute to FeO.


The test as one kind of important mechanism to exam the quality of teaching.It has the important meaning on the teaching to the university.But repeatedly failure to prohibit the phenomenon of examinee cheated seriously influence test fairness and the examination result authenticity.Considering university's test characteristic,the motive and the method of the students test cheated,analysis the harm of the test cheated,has discussed the countermeasure which to stop test cheated.


Substrate integrated waveguide is a planar circuit with periodic discontinuities. Periodicity of the structure results to electromagnetic band gaps. Moreover due to higher order modes generation, mode conversion phenomenon happens in the structure at some specific frequencies. In this article, two dimensional multiport method is used to analyze substrate integrated waveguide. As the results show, mode conversion and classical electromagnetic band gaps affect propagation characteristics of substrate integrated waveguide. These phenomena are investigated by employing two simple examples of periodic structures.


The state,local officials and gentries had always been developing the Gannan's school education Since the Song and Ming,and steadily implemented the hannization of the She people with the Confucian ethical enlightenment.with the everlasting interaction between the She and Han peoples,the She people has established the identity to Chinese culture and state slowly,and participated in the imperial examination actively,persisted in defending the right of access to education,taken the initiative to transform the national culture,and gradually had the same political and cultural psychology with the Hans until the complete Hannization.


This paper aimed at raising the perception of secretaries about interferences or redimensions in the usage of their skills, due to the remote work modality, imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. A qualitative research was carried out through semi-structured interviews with eight executive secretaries working in the private sector. Among the main results obtained, it was found that most of the interviewees noticed changes in the usage of their skills, due to the varied changes in their work scopes, as well as the new environment, providing them more autonomy and freedom. In the post-pandemic context, most respondents confirmed that the companies they work for, will not return to work in the same way and perspective as it was before.


Analysis Of Radiation In The Operating Room From C-Arm Radiation By Thermoluminiscence Dose (TLD).Measurement of C-arm radiation exposure in the surgery room is very important to know the amount of radiation scattered, so that we can ascertain the amount of radiation received by the doctor, nurse or radiology operator in the room. C-armRadiation dose was meansured in the surgery room at Awal Bross Hospital, Bekasi, by using Thermoluminenscence Dosimeters. Radiation dose in the operation room was meansured at 12 points in the room and 1 point at the center of the room. From this study, the highest radiation dose is at the center of the room, 1,021 mSv. The maximum radiation dose at 1 meter from the center is 0,047 mSv and the minimum dose is 0,013 mSv. The maximum dose at 2 metrs from the center of the room is 0,039 mSv and the minimum dose is 0,028 mSv. This all result is still in dose limit value for one examination.


Soil nitrogen mineralization of in situ and exchange-location incubation was studied in Pinus elliottii.plantations along a 30 km urban-suburban-rural transect in Nanchang City.The results showed that the effects of incubation soil source on the rates of ammonification,nitrification and net mineralization were significant at the levels of P0.001 and P0.05,respectively.The ammonification rate for different incubation soil sources showed an increase tendency with further away from the urban,they were-2.02 mg·kg-1·30 d-1,-0.92 mg·kg-1·30 d-1,and 0.11 mg·kg-1·30 d-1 respectively in urban,suburban and rural soils.However,the rate of nitrification in rural source soil(0.44 mg·kg-1·30 d-1) showed much lower than that in suburban source soil(3.18 mg·kg-1·30 d-1)and urban source soil(3.35 mg·kg-1·30 d-1).The net mineralization rate showed contrary tendency,0.54 mg·kg-1·30 d-1,1.16 mg·kg-1·30d-1,2.43 mg·kg-1·30 d-1 showed in urban,suburban,rural soil.The effects of soil incubation location on the rates of nitrification and net mineralization was significant at the level of P0.001,while the effect on ammonification rate was no significant(P0.05).Both of the rates of nitrification and net mineralization for different soil incubation locations showed the lower rates in rural source soil(0.68 mg·kg-1·30 d-1 and-0.29 mg·kg-1·30 d-1)and suburban source soil(1.78 mg·kg-1·30 d-1 and 1.06 mg·kg-1·30 d-1),but the rates are much higher in urban source soil(4.51 mg·kg-1·30 d-1 and 3.36 mg·kg-1·30 d-1).In conclusion,soil nitrogen mineralization process was influenced by soil characteristics as well as urbanization process.


The frequency of large‐scale anomalous precipitation events associated with heavy precipitation has been increasing in Japan. However, it is unclear if the increase is due to anthropogenic warming or internal variability. Also, it is challenging to develop an objective methodology to identify anomalous events because of the large variety of anomalous precipitation cases. In this study, we applied a deep learning technique to objectively detect anomalous precipitation events in Japan for both observations and simulations using high‐resolution climate models. The results show that the observed increases in anomalous heavy precipitation events in Western Japan during 1977–2015 were not made only by internal variability but the increases in anthropogenic forcing played an important role. Such events will continue to increase in frequency this century. The increases are attributable to the increasing frequency of tropical cyclones and enhanced frontal rainbands near Japan. These results highlight the mitigation challenge posed by the increasing occurrence of unprecedented precipitation events in the future.


In an important and instructive article published a few years ago, Professor Fred Robinson discussed the value of investigating the Anglo-Saxon penchant for onomastics, the study of biblical and nonbiblical names and name meanings.' Robinson's main concern in his onomastic researches was to show how a knowledge of relevant works by the chief patristic and early medieval authorities on scriptural names (such as Jerome, Isidore, and Bede) could be of considerable help in the elucidation of textual problems in Anglo-Saxon texts. At the same time, he made it clear that detailed study of this "neglected phase of the Old English literary imagination" could produce some rewarding insights into the "broad features of Old English narrative art." 2 He demonstrated this in the closing section of his article where he explained the meanings of the names "Guthlac" and "Hygelac" and their thematic importance in Guthlac A and Beowulf, respectively.3 In the following pages I examine, from a similar point of view, some details of Cynewulf's narrative art in the Elene,4 a poem which only in recent years has begun to receive critical appreciation and analysis of the sort it deserves.5 There is one outstanding piece of onomastics in the Elene: it occurs roughly three-quarters of the way through the poem, at lines 1058-62. After Judas has unearthed the True Cross for Elene and successfully rebuked an angry devil, he formalizes his conversion from Judaism to Christianity and is baptized (1032 ff.). Elene in the meantime has sent for Eusebius, Rome bisceop, and he consecrates Judas bishop of Jerusalem. It is Eusebius who then has the idea of giving the new bishop a new name, Cyriacus. In his treatment of this particular section of the story, Cynewulf follows the Latin version of the legend quite closely.6 But in


Background

High mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) is known to be associated with progression, metastasis, and poor prognosis of several solid tumors, but the role of HMGB1 in prostate cancer (PCa) has remained unclear. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the clinical significance and the biological mechanism of HMGB1 in PCa.
Methods

To explore the clinical significance of HMGB1 in PCa, we performed IHC analyses using paraffin-embedded tissues from patients with low-, intermediate-, and high-risk PCa and from patients with BPH. Biological role and mechanism of HMGB1 in PCa were analyzed using cell viability, cell cycle, Western blot analyses, proteome profiler antibody array, and co-immunoprecipitation assay.
Results

We showed that increases in the expression of HMGB1 correlated with an increased risk of aggressive PCa, and high expression of HMGB1 was associated with poor biochemical recurrence-free survival in a Korean cohort. The inhibition of HMGB1 expression significantly reduced cell proliferation and increased cell cycle arrest in the sub-G0 phase. It also inhibited the invasive capacity of PCa cells in vitro. The above processes were mediated through the binding with TNFR1, leading to tumor progression by activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway.
Conclusions

We identified that HMGB1 is a critical factor in the development and progression of PCa by regulating the HMGB1/TNFR1/NF-κB signaling pathway. HMGB1/TNFR1 could serve as a novel therapeutic target for improving PCa therapy.


This paper presents a comparative analysis of mathematical and full-scale models in determining the aerodynamic nose drag coefficient. According to the results of experimental tests of a full-scale model obtained by 3D printing, it is possible to calculate the value of the aerodynamic nose drag coefficient by obtaining the pressure drop values total losses for the corresponding given air flow rates. The discrepancy between the values of the aerodynamic nose drag coefficients in this case did not exceed 15% and is explained by methodological errors associated with the approaches in calculating the aerodynamic model of the nasal cavity, in particular, the impossibility of taking into account all local disturbances and their mutual influence, and the properties of the plastic surface of the air channels of the full-scale model during experimental tests


One of the current design objectives for a liquid metal reactor (LMR) is the inherent shutdown-cooling capability of the reactor, such that the reactor itself can safely reduce power following a total loss of pump power without activating the reactor shutdown system (RSS). Following a loss-of-flow (LOF) accident and a failure of RSS, in EBR-II, reactor core damage and plant restartability is of considerable interest. In the LOF event, high temperature in the reactor causes negative reactivity feedback that reduces reactor power. After an accident, reactor fuel performance is one of the factors used to assess the restartability of the plant. A thermal-hydraulic-neutronic analysis was performed to determine the response of the plant and the temperature of individual subassemblies. These temperatures were then used to assess the damage to driver fuel elements caused by the station blackout accident. The maximum depth of cladding wastage from molten eutectic at temperatures >715/sup 0/C was found to be 0.0053 mm for the hottest subassembly; this value is considerably less than the 0.28 mm cladding thickness. 12 refs.


The authors show that the arguments of Doktorov and Sakovich (1985) against the validity of the Painleve test are unfounded, being based on an incomplete singularity analysis.


Materials and Methods: A total of 18, 4×8 mm tapered-type implant (active II, Neo-biotech, Korea) was placed at 3 human cadaver's right and left maxillary posterior area. All cadavers have sufficient bone volume so that don't need bone graft and favorable bone quality (D2 or D3). All placement procedures have done by single operator. ITV was recorded simultaneously with implant placement. After implant placement, ISQ was measured four time from buccal and palatal side. The average of ISQ was used for analysis. FD value was gained by White&Rudolph1's method. 50×50 pixel size region of interest (ROI) was selected at second (FD_coronal) and seventh (FD_apical) thread. For the analysis of correlation with each methods, Pearson correlation test was done with SPSS ver 20.0.


The hydrodynamic problem of slamming generated by a rotating flap, commonly known as Oyster in the wave energy sector, plunging into water, is analysed based on the incompressible velocity potential theory. The problem is solved through the boundary element method in the time domain. Two typical case studies are undertaken. One is the flap plunging into calm water and the other into an incoming wave. The splash jet formed during the flap plunging is included in the simulation. When the jet meets the main flow, it is treated through the domain decomposition method without taking account the secondary impact, which is similar to the mathematical method of Riemann's second sheet in the complex plane. The problem is solved in each non-overlapping subdomain, and the velocity and pressure continuity condition is imposed on the interface of the subdomains. Detailed results for the flap plunging into water with different velocities or accelerations are provided. The gravity and wave effects are also investigated.


SUMMARY The aim of this work has been the implementation and testing in real conditions of a new algorithm based on the cell-mapping techniques and reinforcement learning methods to obtain the optimal motion planning of a vehicle considering kinematics, dynamics and obstacle constraints. The algorithm is an extension of the control adjoining cell mapping technique for learning the dynamics of the vehicle instead of using its analytical state equations. It uses a transformation of cell-to-cell mapping in order to reduce the time spent during the learning stage. Real experimental results are reported to show the satisfactory performance of the algorithm.


Recent phylogenetic analyses have yielded conflicting results regarding relationships among ferns and other major groups of vascular plants and have prompted some authors to propose novel patterns of tracheophyte phylogeny based on analyses that include only living taxa. The results of one such study resolve seed plants as the sister group to all nonlycophyte pteridophytes and place equisetophytes and psilotophytes within a clade that also includes all of the living ferns. That hypothesis of phylogeny differs markedly from the results of a recent analysis that utilizes morphological data from both living and extinct taxa, which resolves ferns as a polyphyletic assemblage. To evaluate these competing hypotheses and to increase our understanding of the differing results, several tests were performed. Tests identify a high level of character conflict among the various gene sequence data matrices used in the analysis of living taxa. Contrary to the expectations of some, inclusion of extinct taxa in analyses of morphological characters produces striking changes in the topology of the resulting vascular plant tree when compared with the analysis of living taxa only. Together, these tests reveal that relationships among major groups of vascular plants are far less completely understood than claimed by some and that ferns s.l. are probably a polyphyletic assemblage. They also suggest that the impressive successes of gene sequence data in resolving relationships within smaller clades may not be easily duplicated when addressing deep internal nodes of the polysporangiophyte tree. Additional refinement of morphological characters for a combination of living and well‐reconstructed extinct taxa, improved character/taxon ratios, fuller sampling of extinct clades, and tests that utilize rare genetic markers and developmental pathways may hold the greatest promise for ultimately resolving the overall pattern of vascular plant phylogeny.


Glucocorticoid hormones act in the nucleus of the cell to alter expression of specific genes and change cell metabolism. In liver, these hormones have been reported to increase mitochondrial respiratory activity, which is regulated by both nuclear and mitochondrial gene products. We examined the effects of the synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, on the expression of mitochondrially encoded genes in a rat hepatoma cell line, H-4-II-E cells. Dexamethasone treatment of these cells increased mitochondrial RNA (mtRNA) levels 3- to 4-fold without changing the amount of mitochondrial DNA mtRNA levels could increase by enhanced mitochondrial gene transcription, by decreased degradation, or by some combination of the two. To determine if messenger RNA (mRNA) stabilization contributed to the increase in mtRNA levels, we compared the decay rates of cytochrome b mRNA from dexamethasone-treated and control cells after inhibition of RNA synthesis; cytochrome b mRNA half-life was 80 min in both treatment conditions...


We successfully demonstrated 25.8 Gbps error free transmission through an 11.4km-long fiber using 1.3 μm directly modulated DFB lasers at the CWDM wavelengths for temperatures as high as 85°C.


The invention provides a cefoperazone sodium/sulbactam sodium composition, comprises the following components of: cefoperazone sodium, sulbactam sodium, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, disodium hydrogen phosphate and sodium chloride. The invention also provides a preparation method of the cefoperazone sodium/sulbactam sodium composition. The method comprises the following steps of: weighing components as prescription; dissolving the components in water, and adjusting pH to 5.0-6.5 with phosphoric acid or sodium hydroxide solution; and adsorbing with activated carbon, filtering with microporous filtering film, filling, freeze drying, subpackaging under aseptic condition, or freeze drying, pulverizing, sieving and then subpackaging under aseptic condition. The composition adds sodium dihydrogen phosphate, disodium hydrogen phosphate and sodium chloride in the prescription, so as to improve the stability of the compound preparation. The composition can be stored in a dark, cool and dry place, so as to ensure product quality within validity period.


Expanding from the customer-service perspective, the present research investigated emotional labor, defined as "service with authority," in an academic context. Drawing from previous research on display rules and power, tenure and gender were hypothesized to influence the extent to which college faculty labored to provide "service with authority" when interacting with entitled students. Survey results revealed that faculty low in power (untenured faculty) exhibited higher levels of emotional labor when interacting with students, as compared with colleagues high in power (tenured faculty). Additionally, tenure had a mitigating effect on emotional labor amongst male faculty, but heightened stress amongst female faculty. Together, the data suggest that, compared to customer-service settings, emotional performance requirements in academia are both different and dynamic.


One of the joys of being Executive Editor of Behaviour and Information Technology is that I receive a steady stream of manuscripts, from all over the world, on a wide range of topics related to the human aspects of information technology. As I have reminded readers before, unlike some journals, we do not have a single type of paper which we will accept or even prefer. Historically, I have found that broadening our range is welcomed by most readers and sometimes, taking a slight risk, pays off handsomely. I remember the first time I published a case study which was very close to being little more than an extended anecdote. In fact it was one of the few papers on which I have ever received unsolicited positive feedback. Unfortunately, although this issue of BIT has a healthy range of paper types, it does not contain a case study. Instead, we have a thoughtful review of the impact of text layout on reading from a screen, a survey of the influence of computer efficacy on computer use, a model of internet privacy concerns, a short paper on a novel teaching technique, an interesting experimental technique for measuring anxiety, an intriguing experiment on 3D sounds and a book review.


Thirty-seven percent of family physicians who belong to the AAFP have fully implemented an EHR, and another 13 percent are in the process of implementing a system, according to a recent AAFP survey.


A screen printed graphite electrode has been developed for a simple and sensitive determination of phenolic compounds in an aqueous solution. The electrode developed uses a simple and effective screen printing technique with α-Cyclodextrin(α-CD) modified graphite ink. Phenols were captured on the surface of the αCD modified electrode through complex formation. The phenol/α-CD complex was deposited and quantified electrochemically using cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV). The optimization of the experimental parameters was performed in regard to electrode composition, pH, temperature, sample preconcentration time. Interferences from other organic compounds were investigated. The detection limit for phenols was 500 ± 7 nM for DPV, with the linear range of 0.5 µM 25.0 µM and 30 ± 2 nM for SWV, with the linear range of 30 nM - 50µM, respectively.


Objective To study whether rice wine can inhibit the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2) in cultured rat vascular endothelial cells(VECs) induced by homocysteine(Hcy) and its mechanisms.Methods We carried out isolation,cultivation,purification and identification of VECs in rat aorta in vitro.Cell passages 3 and 4 were used for all studies.Either cells were incubated with different doses of Hcy(0,50,100,500 and 1 000 μmol/L) for 48 h,or with 100 μmol/L Hcy for 24,48 and 72 h to observe the effect of Hcy on mRNA and protein expressions of MMP-2 using fluorescent quantitative PCR(FQ-PCR) and Western blotting.The optimal concentration and time of Hcy were selected.The VECs were incubated with one type of wine(10,12,14,16,18,20 mL/L) and 100 μmol/L Hcy for 48 h;then the optimal concentration of each type of wine was selected.In another experiment,cells were divided into 5 groups: control,Hcy,Hcy+rice wine,Hcy+red wine,Hcy+ethanol groups and then incubated for 48 h.The FQ-PCR was used to test MMP-2 expression at the mRNA level and the Western blotting was applied to detect MMP-2 expression at the protein level.Results The results showed that within the concentration range of 50 and 1 000 μmol/L,Hcy could significantly increase the mRNA and protein expressions of MMP-2 compared with those in the control group(P0.05 and P0.01),and could reach the maximum at 500 μmol/L.At 24 h,48 h and 72 h after stimulation by Hcy at the concentration of 100 μmol/L,MMP-2 expression at the mRNA and protein levels was significantly increased compared with that in the control group(P0.01),and could reach the maximum at 48 h.Compared with those in Hcy group,MMP-2 expression at the mRNA and protein levels in rice wine and red wine groups was significantly decreased(both P0.01).No significant difference was found between ethanol group and Hcy group(P0.05).Compared with ethanol group,use of rice wine and red wine also significantly reduced the mRNA and protein expressions of MMP-2,and there were significant differences(both P0.01).However,the rice wine and red wine groups did not differ significantly(P0.05).Conclusion The results suggest that Hcy promotes the mRNA and protein expressions of MMP-2,which may play an important role in pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.Extracellularly added rice wine and red wine can decrease Hcy-induced MMP-2 production.The inhibitory effect of rice wine and red wine on mRNA and protein expressions of MMP-2 might contribute to their beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system.


The characteristics of church communities in Oceania and beyond raise the question of how to consider physical, ecclesial and technological location as aspects of church life. Members of early Christian communities, particularly the churches founded by Paul in cities such as Thessalonica, developed practical ways to deal with the challenges that being in various physical locations brought them. Moreover, they possessed an ecclesial unity that helped them transcend their physical separation. Today we can consider the Pauline letters as "witnesses to various experiments in shaping or reshaping community" (Ellen Bradshaw Aitken), in the hope of refreshing our vision for the churches today and in the future. The essay concludes with some reflections along these lines from the author's perspective as an urban, Western-cultural Roman Catholic, with an emphasis on how the Internet and related communication tools can provide a quasi-spatial realm of contact mediated through technology and hence be of great benefit, as some recent papal statements have recognised.


School websites are providing education settings with the opportunity to transform and enhance the schooling experience. However, the perceived importance of school websites and the resources invested in developing and maintaining them varies considerably across settings. There is a need to better understand what constitutes an effective website that provides a school with an avenue for delivering innovation in teaching and learning, and complements how a school operates. This study reviewed school websites, specifically how 30 south Australian schools used their website as a teaching learning portal, to support administrative operations and as a marketing platform. Three key questions framed the research. First, what variables should be examined to establish how schools are using their website. Second, what constitutes an engaging and useful school website, and finally what development framework can be devised to assist schools to map their website's strengths and areas requiring further development. The evaluation criteria addressed website design, purpose, content and technology integration. Indicators of progressive and emergent school websites were identified through a deductive content analysis of the websites, which informed a proposed website development framework. The framework and suggested recommendations promote a holistic approach when developing a website to accurately portray a school's identity and effectively address stakeholders' needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]


Despite the challenges of higher costs of developing drugs, increased regulatory requirements, and limitations on reimbursement for health care, the key to success in the pharmaceutical industry has been—and still is—innovation.


The relative abundance of deuterium (D) in the solar atmosphere is not known. D is not only destroyed in stars, it is also synthesized in the atmospheres of active stars (Prodanovic & Fields 2003). In several cases, production of D in the sun has been detected when solar flares occur, using both energetic particle measurements (Anglin 1975) and by detection of 2.223 MeV gamma rays emitted by D (Terekhov et al. 1996; Shih et al. 2009). We describe a project to measure the abundance of deuterium in the solar wind, and to monitor its evolution during a several-year period. The instrument consists of two grids, a tritium target, and semiconductor particle detectors. The grids, which are hemispherical and concentric, accelerate the incident solar wind ions using a potential difference on the order of ~80 to 100 kV and concentrate the ions on the tritium target. A fraction of the solar wind deuterons thus accelerated interact with the target to produce 3.6 MeV alpha particles, some of which are recorded by adjacent semiconductor detectors. A similar instrument was successfully tested in space in 1975 in order to observe positive auroral ions in a hydrogen aurora.


The separation of carbon dioxide CO$_2$ from nitrogen gas (N$_2$), the main component of flue gas, has become an emerging action to mitigate climate change. Feasible and efficient approaches to exploring the separation properties of materials are molecular dynamics (MD) and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. In these approaches, a careful choice of force fields is required to avoid unrealistic predictions of thermodynamic properties. However, most studies use Lorentz-Berthelot combining rules (LB) to obtain the interaction between different species, an approximation that could not capture the essence of interfacial interactions. In this context, we verified how accurate LB is in describing the interaction of N$_2$ molecules and carbon nanostructures by comparing the interaction energies from LB with those from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We selected carbon nanomaterials because they are considered promising materials to perform N$_2$/CO$_2$ separation. The results show that the LB underestimates the interaction energies and affects the prediction of fundamental properties of solid-fluid interfacial interactions. To overcome this limitation, we parametrized a Lennard-Jones potential using energies and forces from DFT, obtained through the van der Waals functional KBM. The proposed potential show good transferability and agreement to ab-initio calculations. Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations were performed to verify the effects of employing LB in predicting the amount of nitrogen gas adsorbed inside different CNTs. LB predicts a lower density inside them. Moreover, our results suggest that LB leads to a different characterization of the adsorption properties of carbon nanotubes, by changing significantly the adsorption isotherm.


Objective:To investigate the effect of gabapentin on plasma TNF-α level in the patients with painful diabetic neuropathy.Methods: The plasma protein level of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α were detected using ELISA in three groups: patients with painful diabetic neuropathy,diabetic mellitus patients without painful neuropathy and healthy control subjects.There were 24 cases in each group.Results: The level of TNF-α in diabetic mellitus patients was higher than that in the healthy control subject(P0.01).Patients with painful diabetic neuropathy had a higher level of TNF-α than diabetic mellitus patients without painful neuropathy(P0.01),and the TNF-α concentration in these patients was not decreased with oral administration of gabapentin(P0.05).Conclusion: Gabapentin is effective for the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy and its adverse effects are mild.Although the activation of the TNF-α involves in the development of painful diabetic neuropathy,gabapentin has no significant influence on the plasma TNF-α level in the patients with painful diabetic neuropathy.


Background. Previously, we have shown that in patients the entropy of HRV and spectral power density (SPD) of loci of EEG as well as of Immunocytogram (ICG) and Leukocytogram (LCG) is characterized by a large variation. The method of cluster analysis is revealed that in members of the major cluster (60%), the entropy of EEG, HRV, ICG and LCG varies within the normal range (-0,5σ ÷ +0,5σ). The members of the next largest cluster (23%) are characterized by a moderately increased entropy of the SPD of EEG in combination with the normal entropy of the ICG and the moderately reduced entropy of HRV and LCG. The members of the third cluster (9%) noted a significantly lower entropy (negentropy) of the SPD in loci F3, F4, T3 and C4; in addition, there is a moderate decrease in the entropy of the LCG. Instead, members of the last cluster (8%) noted the negentropy of SPD in paired loci Fp1 and Fp2, T5 and T6, T3 and T4, F7 and F8 as well as O1 and O2; in addition, there is a moderate decrease in entropy of the ICG. The entropy of other EEG locus as well as of HRV and LCG is within the normal range. The purpose of this study is to analyze variants of changes in entropy under the influence of natural adaptogens and to determine the possibility of their prediction. Material and methods. In basal conditions in 37 men and 14 women with chronic pyelonephritis and cholecystit is in remission as well as without clinical diagnose but with dysfunction of neuro-endocrine-immune complex and metabolism, we recordedtwice, before and after balneotherapy at the spa Truskavets', EEG ("NeuroCom Standard") and HRV ("Cardiolab+VSR"). In blood we determined relative content of components (RCC) of Immunocytogram (ICG) (T helper, T cytolytic, B and NK lymphocytes) and Leukocytogram (LCG) (Eosinophils, Stub and Segmentonucleary Neutrophils, Lymphocytes and Monocytes). Than we calculated for each locus of EEG and HRV as well as for ICG and LCG the Entropy (H) of normalized SPD or RCC using Shannon's formula. Results.Three groups of persons were created, significantly different from each other in terms of entropy changes, while the differences between the members of each group were much smaller. Balneotherapy has a generalized negentropic effect on EEG of 66,7% patients (members of first cluster). On the other hand, the members of the other two clusters have substantially increased EEG entropy overall, but there are significant differences with respect to individual loci. The entropy changes of HRV, ICG, and LCG are within ±0,5 σ, which we consider to be insignificant. According to the results of the discriminant analysis, changes in entropy only 11 loci EEG and ICG were identified as characteristic of the clusters. It is shown that both the decrease in entropy in the first cluster and its increase in the third cluster (13,7% of patients) is normalizing. Instead, in the second cluster (19,6%), like the first cluster, only 4 EEG parameters change, whereas the entropy of most parameters rises above the upper limit of the norm, ie the true proentropic effect of balneotherapy takes place. The entropy change directionality is driven by 19 predictors, primarily the initial entropy levels of EEG, HRV, ICG, and LCG, as well as Popovych's Adaptation and Strain Index and gender, but not the age of the patients. Conclusion. Differentially directed entropy changes under the influence of natural adaptogens are, as a rule, normalizing in nature and predetermined by both its initial levels and other predictors.


Head-space solid phase micro-extraction method(HS-SPME) and simultaneous distillation extraction method(SDE) were compared for their sampling effectiveness in GS-MS analysis of volatile components in chestnut rose juice.Totally 52 compounds were identified,including 17 hydrocarbons,12 esters,7 alcohols,5 acids,3 phenols,3 ketones,3 aldehydes and 2 heterocycles.Thirty-seven volatile components were identified by HS-SPME method and 19 by SDE method.Compared to SDE method,HS-SPME method has the advantages of rapidity,simplicity,avoidance of organic solvents,more kinds of identified components,non-destructive sampling and is therefore more suitable for the analysis of volatile components in chestnut rose juice.


Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder in which granulomatous deposits occur at multiple sites within the body, but which often involves the hypothalamo-pituitary axis (HPA). Although diabetes insipidus (DI) is a well recognized complication, the frequency of anterior pituitary and other nonendocrine hypothalamic (NEH) involvement has not been well defined, particularly in adult patients with the disease. We have evaluated the frequency and progression of LCH-related anterior pituitary and other NEH dysfunction and their responses to treatment in 12 adult patients with histologically proven LCH and DI. They were followed up for a median of 11.5 yr (range, 3–28 yr) after the diagnosis of DI was made. Study evaluations comprised clinical (including formal psychometric assessment where appropriate), basal and dynamic pituitary function tests, and radiology with computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Eleven patients received systemic treatment, and 5 patients received external beam radiotherapy confined to the HPA. The median age at diagnosis of DI was 34 yr (range, 2–47 yr); DI was the presenting symptom in four patients, whereas the remaining eight each developed DI 1–20 yr (median, 2 yr) after the diagnosis of LCH. Eight patients developed one or more anterior pituitary hormonal deficiencies at a median of 4.5 yr (range, 2–22 yr) after the diagnosis of DI: GH deficiency developed in eight patients (median, 2 yr; range, 2–22 yr), FSH-LH deficiency in 7 patients (median, 7 yr; range, 2–22 yr), and TSH and ACTH deficiency in five patients (median, 10 yr; range, 3–16 and 3–19 yr), respectively; five patients developed panhypopituitarism. In addition, seven patients with anterior pituitary dysfunction also developed symptoms of other NEH dysfunctions at a median of 10 yr (range, 1–23 yr): five morbid obesity (body mass index, .35), five short term memory deficits, four sleeping disorders, two disorders of thermoregulation, and one adipsia. All patients developed disease outside of the hypothalamus during the course of the study, and no fluctuation of disease activity in the HPA region was noted. Radiological examination of the HPA was abnormal in each of the eight patients with anterior pituitary involvement and in the seven patients with NEH dysfunction (one or more abnormalities): seven had thickening of the infundibulum, and one had hypothalamic and thalamic signal changes. All patients who had a magnetic resonance imaging scan had absence of the bright spot of the posterior pituitary on the T1-weighted sequences, and in four patients with DI and normal anterior pituitary function this was the only abnormality. The five patients who received radiotherapy to the HPA achieved a partial or complete radiological response, and there was no evidence of tumor progression in this region. No form of therapy, including chemotherapy, improved any established hormonal deficiencies or symptoms of NEH. In summary, in our adult patients with hypothalamic LCH and DI, anterior pituitary hormonal deficiencies developed in 8 of 12 patients; these occurred over the course of 20 yr. They were frequently accompanied by structural changes of the HPA, although these were often subtle in nature. In addition, symptoms of NEH dysfunction developed in up to 90% of such patients and complicated management. Radiotherapy may be useful in achieving local control of tumor, but established anterior, posterior pituitary, and other NEH dysfunctions do not improve in response to current treatment protocols. Patients with LCH and DI, particularly those with multisystem disease and a structural lesion on radiology, should undergo regular and prolonged endocrine assessment to establish anterior pituitary deficiency and provide appropriate hormonal replacement. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 85: 1370–1376, 2000) L cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disease characterized by aberrant proliferation of a specific dendritic (Langerhans) cell belonging to the monocytemacrophage system (1). These atypical but mature cells of monoclonal origin can infiltrate many sites of the body and may occur as localized lesions or as widespread systemic disease (2). Infiltration of the hypothalamo-pituitary axis (HPA) has been reported in between 5–50% of autopsy patients with LCH (3–6). Diabetes insipidus (DI) is the most common endocrine abnormality, reported in 15–50% of patients with LCH (2, 5–7). Anterior pituitary dysfunction, although well recognized, has been reported in only 5–20% of patients (5, 8–12); however, anterior pituitary function has rarely been systematically studied, whereas most of these clinical details are derived from studies in children (7, 12, 13). LCH has been thought to occur even more rarely in adults and to have a different clinical phenotype from that seen in children; skin, lung, and bone involvement and DI are common, whereas involvement of the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, and bone marrow is much less frequent (7, 13). Received October 4, 1999. Revision received December 1, 1999. Accepted December 9, 1999. Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Prof. A. B. Grossman, Department of Endocrinology, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, United Kingdom ECIA 7BE. E-mail: a.b.grossman@ mds.qmw.ac.uk. 0021-972X/00/$03.00/0 Vol. 85, No. 4 The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Printed in U.S.A. Copyright © 2000 by The Endocrine Society 1370 D ow naded rom http/academ ic.p.com /cem /article-abs5/4/1370/2851283 by gest on 17 Sptem er 2019 Because the disease is rare in adults, leading to a paucity of long term follow-up studies, the prevalence and biological predictors of the specific deficits of anterior pituitary function have not been well defined (4, 7, 13, 14). In addition, although symptoms of generalized hypothalamic dysfunction have been described in patients with LCH and central nervous system (CNS) involvement, the prevalence, severity, and clinical implications of such involvement are unknown (13). Disease activity in some sites, such as skin and bone, is known to fluctuate spontaneously, but whether this is so in other sites in adults is less certain. Further, responses to treatment have not been clearly delineated in adults (2, 7, 13). This study was undertaken to determine the frequency of defects in anterior pituitary function in adult patients with DI and LCH followed for a prolonged period. We have attempted to identify whether there is any particular pattern of evolution of pituitary dysfunction, to detemine the presence of biological predictors with relation to structural changes observed on computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning, and to monitor the progress of the disease and its response to treatment. Furthermore, we have investigated the development of generalized nonendocrine hypothalamic (NEH) dysfunction and its implications for the management of these complex cases. Subjects and Methods We reviewed retrospectively the case notes of all patients above the age of 16 yr with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of LCH, initially referred to our department with DI, for complete endocrine and radiological evaluation of the HPA. The case notes of 12 patients referred over a 20-yr period (1975–1998) were complete for analysis (7 females); 3 patients had childhood-onset LCH. The diagnosis of LCH was established according to proposals of the Writing Group (15); particular attention was paid to clinical symptoms/signs, endocrine and radiological features of the HPA, as well as the presence of other nonendocrine hypothalamic involvement and their responses to treatment. According to the Gramatovic and D'Angio classification (16), LCH was divided into localized and multifocal forms. Localized disease was defined as LCH involving one soft tissue site with or without one site of bone involvement. Multifocal disease was defined as the involvement of two or more soft tissue sites with or without bone involvement. Disease activity was defined as chronic progression, local disease recurrence after successful initial therapy, or new symptomatic, histologically verified, organ extension based on clinical, biochemical, and radiological features (17). Symptoms/signs suggestive of 1) mass effects specific to the HPA either at presentation and/or at regular follow-up, 2) anterior and posterior pituitary hormone deficiencies, and 3) other NEH involvement (appetite, thirst, sleep disturbances, memory deficit, temperature, and food intake dysregulation) were particularly recorded. Complete endocrine evaluation consisted of baseline serum hormonal measurements (serum cortisol, T4, T3, TSH, PRL, LH, FSH, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and GH/insulin-like growth factor I levels), early morning plasma and urinary osmolality measurement, and, when appropriate, dynamic endocrine tests: the insulin tolerance test for assessment of GH and/or ACTH/cortisol reserve, TRH and GnRH stimulation tests, and a water deprivation test for assessment of partial states of vasopressin deficiency (18). Neuroendocrine assessment was performed at the time of diagnosis of DI in nine patients, 1 yr after the diagnosis in two patients, and 11 yr after the diagnosis in one patient. Five patients received treatment before the first neuroendocrine assessment; two patients had been given chemotherapy 1 and 15 yr previously, two had been given systemic corticosteroids, and two had been given localized radiotherapy (one of whom was also given corticosteroids). Whenever there was clinical suspicion of NEH involvement, formal neuropsychologicalpsychometric evaluation was performed. The assessment included tests of general intellectual functioning, memory, attention, and concentration and in some cases the Halstead-Reitan battery. Assessments were carried out at intervals over a period of more than 20 yr, and the tests used have varied as test revisions and innovations have appeared; the t


An extended comparison and a classification of the control algorithms for rearrangeable switching networks is tried in this study. Besides of the failure probability P/sub f/ a new evaluation criterion is introduced, the mean number of rearranges R, the network performs in order to satisfy incoming calls. A simulation comparison for eight control algorithms concerning Clos-type networks and networks with 2/spl times/2 elements is attempted with very helpful results for the network design. Furthermore, some deadlock conditions discovered in one of these algorithms are completely recovered. The comparison is carried out for both evaluation criteria (R/sub m/ and P/sub f/) and it is shown that the new criterion leads to a deep insight of the systems, necessary for a successful network design.


We introduce Yarg code, a binary numeral system for QAM symbol mapping designed to yield improved physical layer security. The simulation results show that Yarg code reduces the security gap from 17.33 dB to 9.42 dB for 16 QAM, and from 17.7 dB to 7.18 dB for 64 QAM with respect to the Gray code. The improved security properties come at the cost of increased required SNR by 6~9 dB.


Abstract In this paper, we state the positive real lemma and the strictly positive real lemma (KYP lemma) for non-minimal realization systems. First we show the positive real lemma for stabilizable and observable systems under only the constraint on the regularity of the systems, by using the generalized algebraic Riccati equation. Moreover we show that the solution of the Lyapunov equation in the positive real lemma is positive definite. Next we similarly derive the KYP lemma for stabilizable and observable systems with only the above constraint and show that the corresponding solution in the KYP Lemma is positive definite. Finally, as the duals of these problems, we show that the positive real and KYP lemmas for controllable and detectable systems have both positive definite solutions.