Geochemical and geochronological data were collected from S-type, peraluminous granites (Salihli and Turgutlu) that intrude a detachment that bounds the northern edge of the central Menderes Massif core complex (Aegean region, western Turkey). The granites may have been generated due to subduction of the Eastern Mediterranean floor along the Hellenic trench. In situ Th-Pb ion microprobe monazite ages from the rocks range from 21.7±4.5 Ma to 9.6±1.6 Ma (±1σ), which could record their exhumation history. Higher uncertainty in the ages is attributed to monazite common Pb, but the range is consistent with cathodoluminescence (CL) images that document complex textures within the granites. Salihli and Turgutlu granites share many similar characteristics, including multiple generations of plagioclase, plagioclase replacing K-feldspar and the development of myrmekite, evidence for fluid interaction, and multiple generations of microcracks. Ages reported here are similar to dates constraining extension reported elsewhere in the Aegean, but indicate additional complexities when linking movement within the Menderes Massif to large-scale geodynamic processes that created other metamorphic core complexes in the region. Difficulties exist in linking the ages obtained from the granites to specific tectonic events due to the presence of secondary alteration textures, generations of mineral growth and multiple episodes of deformation.


The study describes the periodic use of cervical and breast cancer screening by women residing in Spain, according to their country of origin, and analyzes whether the observed associations are modified by social class. A cross-sectional design was used, with the study population consisting of women residing in Spain in 2006, ages 25–65 years (N = 10,093) and 40–69 years (N = 6,674) in the cervical and breast cancer screening groups, respectively. The information source was Spain's National Health Survey of 2006. The dependent variables were: undergoing periodic cervical cancer screening (every 5 years or less) and breast cancer screening (every 2 years or less). The independent variables were: country of origin, social class, health care coverage, cohabitation, and age. A descriptive analysis was carried out, and robust Poisson regression models were fitted. Women from low-income countries underwent fewer periodic screening exams for cervical cancer and breast cancer. Independent of country of origin, women from the manual classes underwent fewer screening exams than those from the non-manual classes. In the 50–69 years age group, it was mainly women from the manual classes from low-income countries who underwent fewer periodic mammograms. Having only public health care coverage and not cohabiting with a partner were also associated with lower prevalences of use.


Objective To analyze the relationship between overweight/obesity and high arterial stiffness(hAS) in community residents.Methods Cluster random sampling method was used to choose 1 254 community residents aged over 18 years from Inner Mongolia and a total of 1 220 subjects were enrolled in this study excluding 34 residents due to incomplete data.Taking BMI≥24 kg / m2as diagnostic criteria of overweight,BMI≥28 kg / m2as that of obesity,the subjects were divided into groups overweight / obesity(O / O group,n = 764),non-O / O(n = 456);taking ba-PWV≥1 400 cm / s as criteria of hAS,the subjects divided into groups hAS(n = 594),non-hAS(n = 626).The relationship between BMI and the hAS,and the risk factors of hAS were analyzed.Results BMI was positively correlated with ba-PWV in both males and females(r = 0.089,0.083,P 0.05).Ba-PWV and the incidence of hAS were higher in O / O group than in non-O / O group(P 0.05),and higher in community residents aged 40 and 40 ~ 59 years of O / O group than in those of non-O / O group(P 0.05);there was no significant difference between residents aged ≥60 years of 2 groups(P 0.05);there was difference between varying age groups of 2 groups(P 0.05).Ba-PWV and the incidence of hAS were higher in ≥60 age group than in 40 ~ 59 age group,higher in 40 ~ 59 age group than in 40 age group(P 0.05).The age,BMI,pulse pressure(PP),the incidence of O / O,hypertension,diabetes,hyperlipemia,coronary heart disease(CHD) were higher in hAS group than in non-hAS group(P 0.05);there were no significant difference in gender composition,renal dysfunction rate,smoking rate between 2groups(P 0.05).In Logistic regression model,OR(95% CI) of continuous variable BMI predicting hAS was 1.589(1.163,2.015) after correction of age,PP,hypertension,diabetes,hyperlipemia,CHD(P 0.05);when BMI was categorical variable,OR(95% CI) of O / O predicting hAS was 1.611(1.194,2.028)(P 0.05).Conclusion The hAS incidence of O / O group is higher than that of non-O / O group.Overweight / obesity,an independent risk factor of hAS,should be attached importance to and community prevention and control of overweight / obesity and cardiovascular diseases be strengthened.


Halal cosmetics is one of the halal products that are in demand by Muslim and non-Muslim communities in Indonesia. Public interest in halal cosmetics is influenced by several factors. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors of religious beliefs, self-identity, media exposure, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and attitudes towards behavior through the intention to consume halal cosmetics. The hypothesis of this study states that the factors of religious beliefs, self-identity, media exposure, behavioral control, subjective norms, and attitudes have an influence on behavior through the intention to consume halal cosmetics. This study used survey data from the distribution of questionnaires totaling 243 respondents, using SEM analysis and AMOS software. The results showed that a significant influence on consumer behavior to use halal cosmetics was the intention. Suggestion from this research is if the research uses the maximum likelihood approach, it will not be recommended to use more than 200 respondents, because it causes goodness of fit to be bad, but this research can also be presented with more respondents using other methods and analysis.


Coiling temperature is one of the most important targets of hot strip rolling. The coiling temperature can be controlled by laminar cooling system. A lot of measured data were got by many experiments in considering of the characteristics of hot strip rolling and the strip temperature change characteristics in laminar cooling area. To overcome the defects of traditional model, a new coiling temperature setting control model based on mended genetic algorithms neural network is set up. The new model has been used and results of industrial application show that the model has high precision. The temperature control error within ±20°C (contract target) is 100% while ±10±C is 93%.


Vapor-phase and suspended particulate (<50 {mu}m) samples were collected on polyurethane foam (PUF) and quartz fiber filters in rural North Dakota to determine the air concentrations of pesticides in an area where agriculture is a primary source of semivolatile pollutants. Samples were collected at two sites from 1992 to 1994 that were at least 0.4 km from the nearest farmed fields and known application of pesticides, and analyzed for 22 different organochlorine, triazine, and acid herbicide pesticides. Fourteen pesticides were found above the detection limits (typically <1 pg/m{sup 3}). Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners were much lower (<50 pg/m{sup 3} in all cases) than many of the pesticides. These results demonstrate that pesticides are among the most prevalent chlorinated semivolatile pollutants present in rural North Dakota, that significant transport of pesticides occurs both in the vapor-phase and on suspended particulate matter, and that blown soil may be a significant mechanism for introducing pesticides into surface and ground waters. 32 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs.


Taking a single-tower cable-stayed bridge as the engineering background, this paper simulates the cable replacement process of the bridge by finite element analysis method, and improves the structural stress state by optimizing the cable force. Combined with the construction technology of demolishing old cables and installing new cables, the force of stay cables is controlled. The results of construction control and load test are compared and analyzed. It is found that bridge structure is safely stressed in the construction process, with no excessive displacement for main girder and bridge tower. Furthermore, after the cable is replaced, the overall stiffness of the bridge is significantly improved, and the load-bearing capacity and reinforcement effect are increased.


This paper presents Etna, a new advanced graphical tree representation of music seen from a composer ́s point of view of music as a process of elaboration. It emphasizes and encloses a proper formal foundation and a one-to-one relation to a practical linear symbolic notation. Etna is inspired by the Generative Theory of Tonal Music (GTTM), but abstract enough to match other transformational music theories. First applied in AVA, a semi-automated two-phase composition system, Etna demonstrated a high degree of practicability and straight-forward implementability. Etna is predestined to be reused beyond AVA, for instance in computer-assisted music analysis and/or synthesis. 1 Why yet another representation? Etna delivers a representation with features that I found lacking in other reduction/elaborationorientated music representations: 1. Represent "music as a result of elaboration": The representation should show the music it represents from a composer ́s view. It should clearly display the various parts as they are elaborated into more refined sub parts which in turn are elaborated further. Such a "constructive" view seems best suited to express the organic character of a composition, making its offals available for inspection, analysis or/and further (re-)composition. 2. Provide a solid formal foundation: The representation should support scientific methodology. A formalization is needed to obtain precision, clarity and unambiguity. 3. Include a linear notation for the graphical representation: The representation should be easily transferrable into a notation (and vice-versa) that allows algorithmic processing which is otherwise difficult if only a graphical representation is available. 4. Stress the visualization of elaboration/reduction and of different elaboration levels: The representation should clearly denote the pairs of music connected by a relation of elaboration/reduction i.e. it should always be clearly visible which part is an elaboration of another part. Moreover, its topology should show all elements ordered according to their degree of elaboration. 5. Allow superposition: The representation should harmonize with a superposed representation to point out certain elaborations while keeping representation clarity. This is achieved by any tie-like notation (e.g. the ties in CMN) such as the representation of so-called groundlines [Chico-Töpfer; 1998, Chico-Töpfer; 2001]. They illustrate how visually clear superposing can be as a consequence of carefully designing a representation to accomodate a superposition. For space reasons, this is not further detailed in this paper. Consequently, the approach is to properly define a number of required terms which is done mathematically (point 1). This results in the formulation of a notation as required in point 2. Finally, it is transformed into a graphical counterpart that complies with points 3-5. Elaboration-orientated Tree Notation for AVA Conventional Music Notation


The American newspaper industry was largely spared the internal security witch-hunts that so racked the motion picture and broadcast industries in the decade following World War 11. While a few newspaper staff members lost their jobs for refusing to admit whether they had past or current ties with the Communist Party,! there was really only one congressional investigation specifically aimed at the newspaper industry. During that 1955-1956 investigation by the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee into allegations of Communist infiltration of the newspaper industry, the press, while ready to defend its own right to publish news and opinion, failed to safeguard adequately the cognate and derivative constitutional right of freedom of association. House and Senate investigating committees ranged freely, seeking out evidence of subversion in many areas and institutions of American life. The House began its work of exposure as early as ' For accounts of firings of newspaper employee who refuscd to answer questions propounded by legislative or congressional committccs. see Editor & t%blidur Vol. RI (July 10. 1948). p. 7: Editor & F'uhluher Vol. 85 (Aug. 16. 1952). p. 9 Editor A Acbluher Vol. 86 (July 18. 1953), p. 8: Editor & F'ublishrr Vol. 86 (Dec. 19. 1953). p. 7: Editor A F'ublishrr Vol. R7 (July 10. 1954). p. 74.


To explore how managers ascribe meaning to employees' conduct as they determine whether or not to believe accounts, managers' statements about accounts they received from employees were analyzed. Analysis revealed that managers' choice to believe or disbelieve accounts is influenced by their judgments of employees' past reputations, the plausibility of the accounts to the manager, and the availability of evidence to corroborate accounts. These findings suggest that accounts are not evaluated on a case‐by‐case basis, but rather by assessing present accounts against a background of prior problematic events, accounts, and evaluations.


The thermodynamic analysis of Ni2+-Mn2+-NH3-OH--H2O in co-precipitation system was carried out, and the precursor Ni1/2Mn1/2(OH)2 was prepared by hydroxide co-precipitation method. The analysis showed that the best pH value of mixed solution is 11 and the ammonia concentration is 0.4 mol/L, when NaOH is precipitating agent and ammonia is chelating agent. When the pH value is 11, the SEM images confirm that the morphology of Ni1/2Mn1/2(OH)2 is the best.


One way to resolve the energy problem is to increase the efficiency of energy use. Air conditioning system is one of the equipment that needs to be considered, because it is the biggest energy user in commercial building sector. Research currently developing is the use of phase change materials (PCM) as thermal energy storage (TES) in the air conditioning system to reduce energy consumption. Salt hydrates have been great potential to be developed because they have been high latent heat and thermal conductivity. This study has used a salt hydrate from calcium chloride to be tested in air conditioning systems type chiller. Thermal characteristics were examined using temperature history (T-history) test and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The test results showed that the thermal characteristics of the salt hydrate has been a high latent heat and in accordance with the evaporator temperature. The use of salt hydrates in air conditioning system type chiller can reduce energy consumption by 51.5%.


We aim to validate Real Time Tomographic Reflection (RTTR) as an image guidance technique for needle biopsy. RTTR is a new method of in situ visualization, which merges the visual outer surface of a patient with a simultaneous ultrasound scan of the patient's interior using a half-silvered mirror. The ultrasound image is visually merged with the patient, along with the operator's hands and the invasive tool in the operator's natural field of view. Geometric relationships are preserved in a single environment, without the tool being restricted to lie in the plane of the ultrasound slice. The present experiment illustrates the effectiveness of needle biopsy using RTTR on a phantom consisting of an olive embedded in a turkey breast and discusses several prototypes of calibration phantoms.


Results of an investigation of collisional deexcitation of the metastable 6s6ph{sup 3}P{sub 0} state in atomic ytterbium by helium and neon buffer gases are reported. We find upper limits for the quenching cross sections to be {sigma}{sub He}{lt}13{times}10{sup {minus}22}hcm{sup 2} and {sigma}{sub Ne}{lt}8{times}10{sup {minus}22}hcm{sup 2}. The small cross sections may allow an ytterbium parity nonconservation experiment to be performed in a vapor cell. We have also measured the pressure broadening and shift of the 6s6ph{sup 3}P{sub 0}{r_arrow}6s7sh{sup 3}S{sub 1} and 6s{sup 2}h{sup 1}S{sub 0}{r_arrow}6s6ph{sup 3}P{sub 1} transitions by helium and neon. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}


Arousing students′ interest in English and their enthusiasm for study is the key to achieving good results of English teaching. Making students clear about the purpose of their study, setting up good relationship between teachers and students and adopting various teaching activities are the effective approaches to cultivating students′ interest in studying English.


A method for performing genetic testing of a fetus, comprising isolating, by fractionation of size, a sample of nucleic acid from a sample of cervical mucus obtained starting from a female subject containing the fetus, the sample nucleic acid depolinucleotidos consists essentially in a size ranging from about 50 base pairs to about 300 debase pairs, and wherein the result of a genetic test in the nucleic acid sample is indicative of fetal genetic unacomposicion.


The therapeutic failure of infliximab therapy in patients with ulcerative colitis remains a challenge even 2 decades after its approval. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) has shown value during maintenance therapy, but induction therapy has still not been explored. Patients may be primary nonresponders or underexposed with the standard dosing regimen. We aimed to: (i) develop a population pharmacokinetic‐pharmacodynamic model; (ii) identify the best exposure metric that predicts mucosal healing; and (iii) build an exposure–response (ER) model to demonstrate model‐based dose finding during induction therapy with infliximab.


The modulation instability in monomode optical fibers with fifth-order nonlinearity, fiber loss, higher-order dispersion, and the temporal variation of third-order nonlinearity is studied. Yielding conditions and maximal modulational growth rate are discussed in detail. The results obtained show that the modulation instability can be produced in the range of not only anomalous dispersion but also normal dispersion.


A specification for Java in safety critical systems is being developed by The Open Group under the Java Community Process. The JSR-302 Expert Group has begun work to create this specification based on the Real-Time Specification for Java (RTSJ) that will include a set of reduced functionality for safety critical applications. The goal is to facilitate safety critical Java applications capable of DO-178B Level A certification.


The COMPASS physics program covers two domains, 1/ the study of nucleon spin structure using a muon beam, which includes the measurement of the gluon contribution to the nucleon spin and of the transversely polarized parton distributions; 2/ the hadron spectroscopy using hadron beams, in particular the study of charmed hadrons, hadron polarisabilities and exotic hadrons. The COMPASS spectrometer has been commissioned in 2001 and the physics data taking has started in 2002. We discuss here the plans for the future data taking and for the set‐up improvements.


Paget's disease of bone (PDB) is a benign chronic focal disorder of older people. Affected bones have greatly accelerated bone turnover, a chaotic structure, and are highly vascular. People with PDB are commonly asymtomatic but can also suffer chronic bone pain. Affected bones may become enlarged and deformed, and they are also liable to fracture. The long-term complications of the disease, which may take many years to evolve, include secondary osteoarthritis and, if the skull is affected, deafness and a need for larger hats. Rarely, thedisease undergoesmalignant transformation to osteosarcoma. Bone turnover markers, such as plasma alkaline phosphatase (ALP), are variably increased, depending on the extent of skeletal involvement and disease activity. The etiology of PDB and many aspects of its pathogenesis and natural history remain mysterious, but there have been remarkable developments in treatment, based on the availability of agents that can suppress the accelerated bone turnover. The first effective therapy for this hitherto intractable andoften disabling disorderwas calcitonin, introduced in 1968. Calcitonin's effects were, however, incomplete and short-lived, and it was rapidly superseded by bisphosphonates, with etidronate being first used in 1973. Over the following 40 years, bisphosphonates of progressively greater potency and duration of action have been developed and introduced into clinical practice. In many parts of the world, potent bisphosphonates such as zoledronate, with their effectiveness attestedbydata from randomized clinical trials, havebecome the de facto agents of choice for treating PDB. There is good evidence that suppressing bone turnover with bisphosphonate treatment improves pagetic bone pain, heals lytic lesions, reduces bone turnover, and restores more normal bone structure. It is probable that they are also effective in the rare complication of paraparesis due to vertebral involvement. However, there is much less certainty as to whether complications such as fracture, deformity, osteoarthritis, and deafness can be prevented by the long-term suppression of abnormal bone turnover. It was in this context that theMulticentre Randomised Controlled Trial of Symptomatic versus Intensive Bisphosphonate Therapy for Paget's Disease (PRISM) study was conceived in 2001. The stated aim of the PRISM trial was to examine whether intensive therapy with potent bisphosphonates, sufficient to give long-term suppression of bone turnover, would be superior to symptomatic treatment in improving clinical outcome and preventing complications of Paget's disease. In the "symptomatic treatment only" arm of the study, researchers were encouraged to give analgesia or NSAIDs for symptoms and only if this strategy was insufficient to control pain to use short courses of lowormedium-potency oral bisphosphonates. In the "intensive treatment" arm, treatment with an intravenous bisphosphonate (pamidronate) was given irrespective of symptoms, with the aim of keeping bone turnover suppressed (as assessed by plasma ALP measurements). The 1324 participants were followed for a median 3 years. The results showed that, as expected, bone turnover was somewhat lower in those receiving intensive bisphosphonate treatment, but there was no observable effect on fracture, the need for orthopedic surgery, audiometry, quality of life, or bone pain (although the symptomatic treatment group did take more analgesia). The researchers concluded that striving to maintain normal ALP levels through intensive bisphosphonate treatment offered no clinical benefit above a "symptom only" approach. The trial was subject to a number of criticisms. First, it was designed and powered to compare the two regimens' effectiveness based on the total number of fractures, not specifically fractures occurring in pagetic bone (the latter were less frequent in the intensive group). Second, the original protocol's aim of determining if there was radiologic evidence of osteoarthritis developing or progressing in the hips or kneeswas not reported; instead, the authors reported the "need for orthopedic surgery" (mainly hip or knee arthroplasty), but did not specify whether pagetic bone was involved. Third, a high proportion of the subjects (70%) in PRISM had already been treated with bisphosphonates before the study began, so the trial could not be taken as a guide to managing treatment-na€ıve patients. Finally, the trial was too short in duration to assess realistically the rate of development of chronic complications. In response to the latter point, Tan and colleagues, in the current issue of JBMR, present a follow-up study (PRISM-EZ) of 38% of the original cohort (502 subjects) from the PRISM study, who continued in their original allocated treatmentgroups for a further 3 years, to an average follow-upof 7.3 years. The subjects in the follow-up study were drawn from the younger part of the original cohort, but nonethelesswereonaverage76 years old at entry into theextension study, andmost had disease of limited extent (two-thirds had only 1 or 2 bones involved). A surprisingly high proportion (53%) were said tohave "bonedeformity,"but it isnot clearhowthiswasdetermined. The majority of subjects in the "symptom only" arm were treated with bisphosphonates at some stage: 59% had received bisphosphonates before and 66% during PRISM; 39% received bisphosphonate treatment for PDB (most commonly pamidronate


Plasmonic nanostructures are capable of driving photocatalysis through absorbing photons in the visible region of the solar spectrum. Unfortunately, the short lifetime of plasmon‐induced hot carriers and sluggish surface chemical reactions significantly limit their photocatalytic efficiencies. Moreover, the thermodynamically favored excitation mechanism of plasmonic photocatalytic reactions is unclear. The mechanism of how the plasmonic catalyst could enhance the performance of chemical reaction and the limitation of localized surface plasmon resonance devices is proposed. In addition, a design is demonstrated through co‐catalyst decorated plasmonic nanoparticles Au/IrOX upon a semiconductor nanowire‐array TiO2 electrode that are able to considerably improve the lifetime of plasmon‐induced charge‐carriers and further facilitate the kinetics of chemical reaction. A thermodynamically favored excitation with improved kinetics of hot carriers is revealed through electrochemical studies and characterization of X‐ray absorption spectrum. This discovery provides an opportunity to efficiently manage hot carriers that are generated from metal nanostructures through surface plasmon effects for photocatalysis applications.


The paper describes a study involving field measurements of nitrogen oxides and atmospheric particulate matter, and analysis aimed at estimating the uptake coefficient (gamma) and yield of nitryl chloride (f) in the heterogeneous processing of dinitrogen pentoxide in the reaction: N2O5 + Cl= ClNO2 + NO3-. The measurement site is at 800m altitude in a rural location in Western Germany, which is influenced by pollution from the adjacent Rhein-Main conurbation, and by long range transport of air of marine origin containing sea salt aerosol. This is the latest of several papers appearing in the literature reporting estimates of N2O5 uptake coefficients and reaction paths on ambient atmospheric aerosol of more or less defined composition. It is known from lab-


The aim of this paper is two-fold: first, we test whether there has been an increase in indicators of educational attainment and/or an acceleration in progress towards goals set by the Education for All (EFA)-movement in 2000. Second, we project progress towards universal achievement of these targets. The indicators considered in both tasks are the fraction of a cohort that has ever been to school, the primary school completion rate, and the lower secondary completion rate. Our results indicate that progress towards education goals has seen a large boost that benefited cohorts that were affected from policies implemented c. 2000. We estimate that an additional 34m children born before 2010 will eventually gain access to education that would not do so had previous trends continued. While in most countries, cohorts that will attain universal access have already been born, our projections also suggest that, on average over all countries, universal completion of lower secondary will only be attained by cohorts born after 2050 in most regions.


To solve quantum mechanical eigenvalue problems using the algorithmic methods recently derived by Nikiforov and Uvarov (1988 Special Functions of Mathematical Physics (Basel: Birkhäuser)) and Ciftci et al (2003 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 36 11807), one needs to first convert the associated wave equation into hypergeometric or closely related forms. We point out that once such forms are obtained, the eigenvalue problem can be satisfactorily solved by only imposing the condition that the regular infinite series solutions of the equations should become polynomials, and one need not take recourse to the use of the algorithmic methods. We first demonstrate the directness and simplicity of our approach by dealing with a few case studies and then present new results for the Woods–Saxon potential.


Abstract Intermediate spaces are useful for obtaining maximal regularity when studying reaction-diffusion equations. We give a definition of exponential dichotomies in these spaces. Roughness of the exponential dichotomies and other basic properties are also proved. We then use these notions to investigate the stability of a periodic orbit in a predator-prey model studied by Conway and Smoller when diffusion terms are added.


Purpose: There is evidence that Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells in classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) could display some molecular and morphologic markers of cellular senescence (CS). We hypothesized that CS mechanisms may have potential prognostic relevance in cHL and investigated whether the expression of the well-established CS biomarkers p21 and p16 by HRS cells might be predictive of the probability of event-free survival (EFS). Experimental Design: The study analyzed a retrospective cohort of 147 patients and the results were validated on a cohort of 91 patients independently diagnosed and treated in a different institution. p16 andp21were categorized as dichotomous variables (< or 30% of HRS cells at diagnosis) and evaluated in univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: Both molecules were independent prognostic factors. A positive staining of one of the twomolecules inmore than 30% HRS cells predicted a better EFS (P < 0.01). p16/p21 together as a unique categorical variable (both <30%, either <30%, both 30%) sorted out three prognostic groups with better, intermediate, or worse outcome either overall or within I–II, bulky and advanced stages. The presence or the lack of the robust expression of p21 and/or p16 defined the prognosis in our series. Conclusions: These findings point to (i) the relevance of CS-related mechanisms in cHL, and to (ii) the prognostic value of a simple, reproducible, and low-cost immunohistochemical evaluation of p16 and p21 expression. Clin Cancer Res; 21(22); 5164–72. 2015 AACR.


BACKGROUND
Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a minimally invasive technique to treat patients with symptomatic vertebral hermangiomata.

OBJECTIVES
We present a single-operator series of cases to demonstrate the clinical outcomes and complication profiles for this technique.

STUDY DESIGN
This is a retrospective multi-center cohort study.

SETTING
Procedures were performed across multiple hospitals in Italy by a single proceduralist.

METHODS
All patients with symptomatic vertebral hermangiomata that had percutaneous vertebroplasty over a 14-year period (March 1999 to April 2013) by a single proceduralist were included in this study. Information collected included demographic data, vertebral level of intervention, cement volume used, and the Visual Analogue Score for pain that was assessed pre- and post-intervention. Patients were followed up for a minimum of one year.

RESULTS
Percutaneous vertebroplasty was performed for 50 patients. All patients had an improvement in pain, with 39 patients (78%) reporting complete pain relief. A unipedicular approach was undertaken in 41 cases (82%), and bipedicular approach in 8 patients (16%), while a transoral approach was used in one patient. The mean cement volume per vertebral level was 6.8 mL (1 - 18 mL). Recurrent symptoms occurred in 2 patients (4%) requiring repeat vertebroplasty. There were no cases of symptomatic cement leak, and no cases of procedural morbidity or mortality.

LIMITATIONS
As a multicenter study conducted over a 14-year time period, there may be heterogeneity in procedural technique and rehabilitation protocols. There were no cases of cement leakage in our study, which could be an underreporting of cases. This is could be due to none of our patients receiving a post procedural computerized tomography scan, which is more sensitive in detecting cement leakage when compared to procedural fluoroscopy.

CONCLUSION
Percutaneous vertebroplasty is associated with good post-procedural outcomes in patients with vertebral hermangiomata. Complications such as neurological injury and cement leakages are rare.


Single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) fullerene solar cells have recently attracted attention due to their low‐cost processing, high environmental stability, and near‐infrared absorption. While SWCNT–fullerene bulk‐heterojunction photovoltaics employing an inverted architecture and polychiral SWCNTs have achieved efficiencies exceeding 3% over device areas of ≈1 mm2, large‐area SWCNT solar cells have not yet been demonstrated. In particular, with increasing device area, spatial inhomogeneities in the SWCNT film have limited overall device performance. Here, 1,8‐diiodooctane (DIO) is utilized as a solvent additive to reduce fullerene domain size and to improve SWCNT–fullerene bulk‐heterojunction morphology. Under optimized conditions, DIO elucidates the influence of SWCNT chiral distribution on overall device performance, revealing a tradeoff between short‐circuit current density and fill factor as a function of the chirality distribution present. The combination of SWCNT chirality distribution engineering and improved spatial homogeneity via solvent additives enables area‐scaling of SWCNT–fullerene solar cells with performance comparable to small‐area cells.


In order to investigate the influence of the grade parameters and the characteristic dimension on the crack-tip stress fields in Functionally Graded Materials(FGMs),a crack in an infinite plate of FGMs subject to anti-plane shear impact loading is analyzed using non-local theory.The shear modulus and mass density of FGMs are assumed to be of exponential form and the Poisson's ratio is assumed to be constant.The mixed boundary value problem is reduced to dual integral equation through the use of Laplace and Fourier integral transform method.The crack-tip stress fields in FGMs are obtained by solving the dual integral equations using Jacobi's polynomials and Schmidt's method.The numerical results show that no stress singularity is presented at the crack-tip and the stress near the crack tip tends to increase with time at early stage and then decrease in amplitude.At the same time,the stress at crack tip decreases with the increase of the grade parameters and the characteristic dimension.


The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted clinical placements, not just in the United States, but globally. A Call to Action is proposed to consider the 2:1 model of fieldwork as a viable solution to combat the potential fieldwork crisis that is looming on the horizon. The 2:1 model pairs two students for each fieldwork educator. Although the efficacy of this model has already been proven through prior research, a standardized framework is lacking for implementing the use of the 2:1 model. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of fieldwork educators and students on the successful factors of the 2 to 1 model in clinical education. A survey study was completed with occupational and physical therapy students (N=10) who participated in the 2:1 model of fieldwork. Results showed the students perceived the 2:1 model to be an effective model of clinical supervision. Communication, not individual time spent with the student, was what students reported as the most important factor to the effectiveness of the model. Limitations of the study include a small sample size and lack of validation of the survey tool. Future research on the perspectives of the fieldwork educators is recommended.


A major report from the MTC has called on UK manufacturing to increase its reliance on automation in the face of skills shortages and supply chain worries


The generation of electrical energy from solar energy is one of the most promising utilization of solar energy technology and it can be achieved by the application of solar photovoltaic (PV) panel. In this paper an experimental study has been conducted to examine the effect of solar radiation and ambient temperature on the surface temperature of the solar photovoltaic panel. With the help of experimental measurements, a multi-linear regression model is developed relating the three quantities. The developed model validated with the actual measured values shows good accuracy with small values of root mean square error. During the study, the recordedvalue of maximum panel temperature was 78.50°C for the atmospheric condition which having solar radiation of 1140 W/m2 and ambient temperature of 36°C. The developed relation and subsequent outcomes of the study will help the PV panel designers and manufacturers incomprehending the effects of atmospheric parameters on the temperature of the photovoltaic panel.


KEY POINTS
Despite universal access to publicly funded physician and hospital care, wide disparities in health outcomes exist among communities across Alberta.[1][1] For instance, the age-standardized prevalence rate of diabetes is roughly 4.5 to 16.1 per 100 000 people across Alberta communities.[2


An algorithm is described that is capable of determining and analyzing the placement of features within the target's image using the available edge information. This approach allows for the improved placement of the target gate about the target and the ability to select a terminal homing point for endgame or terminal tracking. The algorithm is simple but apparently effective against various targets situated against nominally cluttered backgrounds and is implementable as a real-time digital process with a relatively small amount of hardware. The approach is based on the use of thresholded edge information found within the target track gate.


Summary

The effect of different modified atmosphere packaging conditions, 75 kPa O2 (high-oxygen atmosphere, HOA), 3.0 kPa O2 + 5.0 kPa CO2 (low-oxygen atmosphere, LOA) and passive atmosphere (PA) on the antioxidant properties of ready-to-eat honey pomelo slices stored at 4 °C was investigated. Both ascorbic acid content and antioxidant capacity underwent a significant depletion under HOA in comparison with LOA and PA. Total phenolic content among the samples stored under HOA and PA decreased significantly, but not for LOA. Moreover, HOA was more effective in maintaining the firmness of the slices. The hue angle values among different packaging atmosphere conditions were significantly affected, but chroma values were not. Both high oxygen and low oxygen concentrations inhibited the growth of spoilage microorganism of honey pomelo slices.


With 18 fatal road accidents per day and a population of 27million, Saudi Arabia experiences five times the road deaths of its European counterparts. Issues such as a migrant population of over 20% also present huge problems for traffic management and security. The ATVAM program (Automated Traffic Violations Administering and Monitoring) is tackling these issues with an unprecedented investment estimated at over $1.5Bn in ITS systems countrywide over a 6 year period. The program is integrating law enforcement, traffic management and security systems to improve traffic safety & mobility in the Kingdom. (6 pages)


This research discussed about addressing terms which is used in the
dialogue or conversation in a text play, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar
Wilde. This research is done to describe how the characters addressing each other.
It also explains the factors that affect the use of a certain addressing types.
The type of the research is descriptive qualitative research with
documentation method. The source of data comes from Oscar Wilde's The
Importance of Being Earnest. The theory by Janet Holmes, social factors and
dimension are used to analyze the data. It was also used Jacobson's theory, the
function of speech categories to analyze the addressing terms function. Politeness
theory is also used to analyze the data.
The result of the research finds that there are eight types of addressing
terms in the text play. Those are 77 first name (FN), 76 title followed by a last
name (TLN), 13 kinship terms (KT), kinship terms followed by a first name
(KTFN), 78 endearment terms (ET), 37 title alone (T), 14 nickname (Nn) and 17
last name (LN). The characters use a certain type of addressing because of several
factors. The factors that influence the characters in choosing an addressing type
are participants' relation, setting of social, topic, and function of addressing.


Introduction Pesticides are the most common solution used by French apple growers to deal with the numerous pests and diseases that damage the fruits. But European consumers are concerned about the impact of pesticides on the environment and health. Through the Sustainable Pesticide Use Directive, public authorities encourage growers to decrease their pesticide use. Thus, assessing the use of pesticide at crop, farm and regional level becomes instrumental for informing all the stakeholders involved in the apple supply chain. The Treatment Frequency Index (TFI) was created in the 80s in Denmark to better understand pesticide consumption and evaluate their intensity of use (Halberg, 2005). This study aims to analyze the values and limits of this indicator for evaluating and comparing different types of protection strategies.


The principal term in the asymptotic expansion of the variance of the periodic measure of ball in Rd under uniform random shift is proportional to the (d + 1)st power of the grid scaling factor. This result remains valid for a bounded set in Rd with su ciently smooth isotropic covariogram under an uniform random shift and an isotropic rotation, and the asymptotic term is proportional also to a (d− 1)-dimensional measure of the object boundary. The related coe cients are calculated for various periodic grids constructed from a ne sets.


The absence of adverse health outcomes later in development and the similarity of defining features of "colic" across cultures suggest that an evolutionary perspective may give us some insight into the nature of this puzzling condition. Evidence suggests that the larynx evolved first as a protective valve and later as a means to stabilize the upper thorax momentarily for precision upper arm movements. Recently, we found another physiological role for the larynx in regulating respiratory function to promote the recovery of young rats from severe hypothermia. In the process, bursts of calling were emitted by unconscious pups, which were nevertheless effective in eliciting maternal search and retrieval. These unexpected findings reveal how infant calling may have evolved as a communicative signal derived from more primitive physiological functions of the larynx. Repetitive calling in the normal young rat when isolated from its littermates and mother is regulated by multiple sensory cues present in the infant's social interactions, and in the paper it is described how this sensory input projects to central neuromodulatory systems known to be active in the control of anxiety behaviors in adult rats and humans.


This research project focuses upon the wake behind a two-dimensional blunt-trailing-edged body. Data are obtained numerically by means of a Direct Numerical Simulation code. The body has an elliptical nose followed by a straight section that ends in a blunt base. The present paper is dedicated to the analysis of the onset of the shedding process. The effort is certainly worthwhile, because, in contrast to the case of the circular cylinder, the boundary layers's separation points are defined and fixed. This allows a better assessment of the vital influence of the boundary layers upon the wake, in a controlled way. This is not the case for the circular cylinder, because, in this instance, the separation points oscillate in relation to a mean position. In the present analysis, the relationship between the onset of shedding Reynolds number, Re h K , and the aspect ratio, AR, is obtained. To this end, a wide range of aspect ratios, between 3 and 25, was investigated. The result represented by this relationship is a novelty in the literature. Values of Re h K are strongly influenced by the aspect ratio for the case of the short cylinders — for which AR is low. After AR about 9, the curve flattens and the influence of the aspect ratio upon the shedding Reynolds number is very mild. Besides, the paper discusses another very important aspect; the overall stability of the pre-shedding laminar bubble at the base of the body. It is important to stress that the latter study relies on the fact that the boundary layers separation points are fixed.


Of three main orientations to pricing in industrial markets − cost-based, competition-based and customer value-based − most marketing and pricing scholars consider the latter superior – but few firms use it. The literature is silent about how organizational and behavioral characteristics of industrial firms may affect pricing orientation and, more specifically, value-based pricing. Semi-structured interviews with 44 managers of small to medium size U.S. industrial firms yielded insights into firm pricing orientations, processes and decision making patterns. We identified five organizational characteristics common to firms implementing value-based pricing: ability to effect deep transformational change, presence of a champion, skill in diffusing organizational capabilities, organizational confidence, and center-led pricing process specialization. Our data demonstrates that value-based pricing is not simply adopted but internalized through a long, tenuous and deep transformation process supported by an experiential and transformative learning environment.


Introduction: A cervical spine lesion (CSL) is common among polytrauma patients. Injuries may be life threatening. The clinical impact of CSL in multiple injured patients is the focus of this study. Methods: A retrospective investigation on a total of 62,903 patients of the Trauma Register DGU from 2009 and 2014 was performed. Preclinical and clinical data were analyzed. Results: The cohort depicted the typical severity in polytrauma (mean age 51 ±21; mean ISS of 22 ± 12). 1,321 patients sustained a CSL with an AIS 4-6 including complete spinal cord syndrome. The number of male patients was more than twice as high as of female patients. Leading causes for CSL were car accidents, falls from <3m height and falls from >3m height. 12,023 patients were unconscious (GCS 8). The majority had a CSL of AIS <2. 406 unconscious patients suffered from a CSL with an AIS 4-6. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed in 2,000 patients in the preclinical setting and 1,003 patients received CPR in the resuscitation bay. Severe CSL (AIS 4-6) had a significantly lower blood pressure (102mmHg ± 46) and a significantly lower heart rate (74/min ± 34) than patients with less severe CSLs (AIS <2). Hospitalization was extended with the severity of CSL. Early mortality was high. More than half of the patients with CSLs (AIS 2-6) died within the first 24 hours. 404 patients were transferred to a rehabilitation facility. Conclusion: Cervical spine lesions imply a peculiar element among polytrauma patients. Early mortality correlates with the severity of CSL. Rehabilitation facilities are mainly the end point.


We and other researchers have shown that companion animals (pet cats and dogs) are susceptible to natural SARS-CoV-2 infections. A recent report1 indicates that pet cat can transmit SARS-CoV-2 to human via direct contact raises a legitimate concern that infected pets can pass the virus on to their human pet's owners. In this letter, we reviewed known cases of animal-to-human transmissions as well as human-to-animal transmissions of SARS-CoV-2 and assess the levels of risks in these scenarios. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


The problem of increasing the service life of the friction unit parts (wedge, bar) due to technical measures related to increasing the intensity of quenching cooling of low-carbon steels – 20L,25L, 20GL (wedge); steels 20, 20L (bar). Examples of equipment providing the technological process of quenching and the results of studying mechanical properties of wedge materials after carrying out technological operations for intensive quenching cooling are given. It is shown that the proposed technological measures provide a guaranteed mileage of 500.0 thousand km of a friction unit made of three steel grades – 20L, 25L, 20GL; cast–iron - Ch25, Ch35, Ch70 and friction bars made of 20L, 20 steels. For mass production of steel friction wages and solid board of the truck model 18-100, draft specifications are prepared.


The innovative asymmetric trapezoidal gate (ATG) structure has a relatively narrow drain-side width as compared to the source-side width, giving the trapezoidal shape of ATG MOSFETs. In this paper, an analytic model including the DC drain current and AC dynamic capacitance is demonstrated. The DC linear/saturation drain current has been derived by Poisson's equation, with Green's function method. The subthreshold current is also deduced by Poisson's equation, with the polynomial function as our main strategy. On the AC dynamic capacitance, we follow Ward and Dutton's channel charge scheme to partition Q/sub D/ and Q/sub S/, thus all the capacitance can be obtained. Above all, in comparisons with the simulation results, our model is in good agreement with the measurement data. Besides, our model provides an effective and economic way to describe the characteristics of the ATG devices.


This article explores the application of an integral framework for sociological practice to a case study of White Afrikaans-speaking identity in South Africa. In addition to the introduction of the framework, identity is conceived as a multi-dimensional phenomenon which is formed and shaped biologically, psychologically and socially. Using the empirical examples of the case study, the socially constructed aspects of identity are interpretively investigated. The stories and their narrative repertoires, structures and contents are integrally reconstructed and analysed by means of an approach that includes in-depth interviews, a hermeneutical interpretation and the contextualisation of these stories within the broader meta-narrative of South African history. The analysis demonstrates that White Afrikaans-speaking identity has diversified since the end of apartheid in 1994, i.e. the self-definitions and self-understandings of White Afrikaans-speakers do not (exclusively) refer anymore to the formerly dominant notion of the Afrikaner. The analysis concludes that there exist three contemporary White Afrikaans-speaking identities in South Africa, namely the Afrikaners, the Afrikaanses, and the Pseudo-Boers. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1501201


This paper proposes a resistance compression dual-band differential CMOS RF energy harvester for harvesting power at dual frequencies. The use of resistance compression dual-band matching network minimizes the sensitivity of the RF-DC converter for the variation in the input power and the rectifier load. The proposed system can work at 914 MHz and 2.4 GHz for arbitrary complex impedance simultaneously. The design is fabricated in a standard CMOS $0.18~\mu \text{m}$ technology and provides a regulated output voltage of 1 V. The cumulative efficiency in the presence of two frequencies shows an improvement of 14.2% with concern to single frequency (914 MHz at −14 dBm). Also maintains the efficiency of >20% for the input power range of −16 ~ 0 dBm. Also studied and analysed the implication of Wi-Fi bandwidth (72 MHz), OFDM modulation, and 64-QAM modulation on the efficiency and sensitivity of the system concerning continuous input signal. Observed the improvement in the efficiency with the peak-to-average power ratio.


The Softmax activation layer is a very popular Deep Neural Network (DNN) component when dealing with multi-class prediction problems. However, in DNN accelerator implementations it creates additional complexities due to the need for computation of the exponential for each of its inputs. In this brief we propose a simplified version of the activation unit for accelerators, where only a comparator unit produces the classification result, by choosing the maximum among its inputs. Due to the nature of the activation function, we show that this result is always identical to the classification produced by the Softmax layer.


Reading is a hobby to open the knowledge windows. Besides, it can provide the inspiration and spirit to face this life. By this way, concomitant with the technology development, many companies serve the e-book or book in soft file. The system of this book of course will be much easier. No worry to forget bringing the the ordinary is extraordinary how children under three learn book. You can open the device and get the book by on-line.


FIELD: transport. SUBSTANCE: device is essentially construction in which unbalanced weights rotating in one plane reciprocate and provide unidirectional continuous action of weight inertia forces. Device employs geometric property of inscribed circles with weights, diameter ratios 1:2, and rolling one inside the other without slipping. EFFECT: enlarged operating capabilities. 4 dwg


In this paper, we report on a relatively new scintillator -LaBr3 for gamma ray spectroscopy. Crystals of this scintillator have beengrown using Bridgman process. This material when doped with cerium hashigh light output (~;60,000 photons/MeV) and fast principal decayconstant (less than 25 ns). Furthermore, it shows excellent energyresolution for gamma-ray detection. Energy resolution of 3.2 percent(FWHM) has been achieved for 662 keV photons (137Cs source) at roomtemperature. High timing resolution (260 ps - FWHM) has been recordedwith LaBr3-PMT and BaF2-PMT detectors operating in coincidence mode using511 keV positron annihilation gamma-ray pairs. Details of itsscintillation properties, and variation of these properties with changingcerium concentration are reported. Potential applications of thismaterial are also addressed.


Free Radical Binding involves temporary interaction with chemically unstable and highly reactive molecules (free radicals) having an unsatisfied electron valence pair. Agents of tissue damage through exposure to radiation, environment chemicals, and aging, reactive free radicals stabilize themselves by appropriating an electron from a nearby molecule and damaging that molecule by altering the electron number in its outermost electron shell.


Laboratory is the important place for teaching and science research in university and scientific and research institute, and the laboratory waste disposal is one of urgent matters in laboratory businesses. Most of the laboratory waste was discharged without treatment, and the potential threat had been posed to the personal security and environmental pollution. Waste is complex and diverse in biotechnology laboratory. In order to improve the management of waste, the forms, principles and common disposal methods of biotechnology laboratory waste were proposed based on the learning of laboratory waste disposal guidelines form three foreign universities so as to provide helpful references and communions for the safety management of biotechnology laboratory waste.


Abstract. Ice discharge from large ice sheets plays a direct role in determining rates of sea-level rise. We map present-day Antarctic-wide surface velocities using Landsat 7 and 8 imagery spanning 2013–2015 and compare to earlier estimates derived from synthetic aperture radar, revealing heterogeneous changes in ice flow since ∼ 2008. The new mapping provides complete coastal and inland coverage of ice velocity north of 82.4° S with a mean error of


(54) METHOD OF DETECTING MICROSCOPIC (56) References Cited DEFECTS EXISTING ON A SILICON WAFER U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS (75) Inventors: Takayuki Homma, Tokyo (JP); Christopher E. D. Chidsey, San 25. : 'E pinski et al. ..................... 255. WGNS. CAS), Masaharu 5,602,329 2/1997 Haubensak. ... 73/82 atanabe, Tokyo (JP) 6,087.179 7/2000 Berliozkina et al. ..................... 436/5 6,097484 8/2000 McIntosh et al. ................ 356/237.5 (73) Assignees: Komatsu Electronic Metals, Co., 2Y--f COS e a f Kanagawa (JP); The University Board * cited b of Trustees of the Leland Stanford cited by examiner


Synthetic aperture is a way to overcome the spatial resolution limitation given by limited physical of an observation instrument. Active synthetic aperture techniques at optical wavelengths are presented. We show that 2D arrays of detectors overcome the co-phasing problem of the sub-pupils provided there is an overlap between each acquisition. This technique was applied to short range imaging at 633nm in laboratory environment, yielding to diffraction limited pupils 16 times larger than the original pupil without external measurement of the pupil phase history.


In this study, we paid special attention to the role of inspection tours in knowledge transfer from one municipality to another. Using the city of Sasayama and its Basic Ordinance for Local Government as a case, we investigated 1) what kind of knowledge did inspectorates from other municipal governments try to obtain from Sasayama through tours, 2) commonalities and differences of knowledge looked for by inspectorates and 3) why such commonalities and differences arose. Questionnaire and interview survey were employed. Our analysis clarified that category and concreteness of questions raised by inspectorates in tours differs significantly depending on their awareness about and progresses of the draft up of ordinances because, under given time constraints, inspectorates tended to collect knowledge and information with priority which would be useful for their practices.


Zoltán Kodály became seriously interested in Transylvanian folk music when he had learnt about the results of Béla Bartók's collecting fieldworks in Székelyföld. The wealth of old-style tunes and classical ballads, and – above all – the recognition of the importance of pentatony inspired Kodály to take part personally in the exploration of Székely folk music. Székely musical folklore obviously intrigued him both as an ethnographer and as a composer. He collected nearly 600 tunes in 15 Székely localities in the Gyergyó Basin, the valley of the Kászon stream, and Bukovina. He arranged 66 of these melodies within such compositions as e.g. the Dances of Marosszék, the musical play The Spinning Room, Hungarian Folk Music (57 ballads and folk songs for voice and piano), Székely Lament for mixed voices, Bicinia Hungarica, Kádár Kata and Molnár Anna (both with chamber orchestra accompaniment), and Pentatonic Music. Apart from his own collection, he also used those of some of his contemporaries. The paper discusses the specificities of Kodály's techniques of arrangement. His inspiring advice for younger folklorists had an essential role in triggering the in-depth investigation of Central Transylvanian folk music.


With the appearance of environmental crisis aroused by industrial civilization,western scholars began to introspect the relations between mankind and nature,and a trend of thoughts on research of environmental ethic have been formed.In this paper,major academic views of scholars were arranged and reviewed.


1. Introduction Harriet Bulkeley, Vanesa Castan Broto, Mike Hodson and Simon Marvin Part I 2. The Role of Cities in Technological Transitions: Analytical Clarifications and Historical Examples Frank Geels 3. Governing Urban Low Carbon Transitions Harriet Bulkeley, Vanesa Castan Broto and Anne Maassen 4. The Carbon Calculus and Transitions in Urban Politics and Political Theory Aidan While 5. Can Cities Shape Socio-Technical Transitions and How Would We Know If They Were? Mike Hodson and Simon Marvin Part II 6. Urban Energy Transitions in Chinese Cities Shobhakar Dhakal 7. The 'Eco-Cities' Freiburg and Graz: The Social Dynamics of Pioneering Urban Energy and Climate Governance Philipp Spath and Harald Rohracher 8. The Rise of Post-Nnetworked Cities in Europe? Recombining Infrastructural, Ecological and Urban Transformations in Low-Carbon Transitions Olivier Coutard and Jonathan Rutherford 9. Living Laboratories For Sustainability: Exploring The Politics and Epistemology of Urban Transition James Evans and Andrew Karvonen 10. Municipal Bureaucracies and Integrated Urban Transitions to a Low Carbon Future Alex Aylett 11. Community-led Urban Transitions and Resilience: Performing Transition Towns in a City Amanda Smith 12. Building Liveable Cities: Urban Low Impact Developments as Low Carbon Solutions? Jenny Pickerill 13. Conclusions Mike Hodson, Simon Marvin, Harriet Bulkeley and Vanesa Castan Broto


This paper deals with the design of a C-band fourth-order cross-coupled dual-behavior resonator (DBR) filter integrating two 3rd-order low-pass filters and one capacitive-coupled dual behavior resonator (CCDBR) filter. The aim was the control of the spurious resonances on each side of the bandpass response. Moreover, to enhance the rejection and obtain a flat group-delay, we used the cross-coupled technique. The proposed topology is described at first. Then, the experimental data produced by this filter realized on an alumina substrate are compared with those of a classical hairpin filter. This filter is dedicated to equip a satellite.


The only specimen suitable for typification of Hieracium caesium was discovered in UPS and is here designated as the lectotype. This name appears to have been misapplied and superfluous when originally published at specific rank, but is legitimate according to Art. 52.3. Correct names proposed for three species of the group Caesia (H. caesium = H. basifolium, H. laeticolor and H. plumbeum) are given with infraspecific variants and some more important synonyms. The names H. caesium subsp. laeticolor, H. imitans, H. caesium var. nemorum, H. plumbeum are also lectotypified. Two new combinations H. caesium var. basifolium and H. caesium var. imitans are proposed.


Objective To study the method of isolated culture of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs),to establish the rat model of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion,and observe the effect of MSCs to the hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.Methods MSCs of rats were cultured in vitro,rats were divided randomly into the treated group and the negative control group.The treated group were injected MSCs 0.5 ml,the control group were injected normal saline 0.5 ml.The normal rats were blank control group.Results All animals blood were collected after 1 and 2、4weeks to observe the serum activities of ALT,AST,MDA and SOD.At first week,the serum activities of ALT、AST and MDA in treated group and negative control group were higher than the blank control group(P0.05).There's no much difference between the treated group and negative control group(P0.05).At second week,the serum activities of ALT,AST and MDA in treated group were lower than negative control group(P0.05),but the serum activities of SOD in treated group was higher than negative control group(P0.05).At four week,the serum activities of ALT,AST and MDA in treated group were lower than negative control group(P0.05),and ALT,AST have no difference between blank control group(P0.05),but MDA,SOD have much difference(P0.05).Conclusion MSCs can promote cells proliferation of the hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury.


The effects of Cu2+ and Hg2+ on activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) were detected in liver and kidney of Misgurnus anguillicaudatus;and the differences of SOD activity between liver and kidney were compared.M.anguillicaudatus was exposed to different concentration solutions with Cu2+(1.00,1.50,2.00,2.50,3.00 mg/L)or Hg2+(0.05,0.10,0.15,0.20,0.25 mg/L) under laboratory conditions;and the tissue SOD activity was detected after 24,48,and 72 hours.It was found that the SOD activity showed similar tendency when exposed to Cu2+ or Hg2+ in liver or kidney.SOD activity was induced when exposed to the low concentration of heavy metals,while suppressed in high concentration of heavy metals.The inhibition effect of high concentration was more and more severe with the prolongation of time.


This paper, we show detailed analysis on different scenarios to answer whether an automated system generated protocol [using Remy] with some prior assumptions, trained and tested on a subset network behavior can be extend to real networks. Will it be able to surpass the performance of conventional manually-created protocols on complex and unpredictable realtime network scenarios? We have also examine and formalize the following concerns through detailed experimental analysis. For example, following concerns as stated by (J. Wroclawski, ) 1. Are we performing better by narrowing down the range of operating conditions or is it the ML that chooses best conditions among the desired range of conditions space. 2. Whether Remy suffers from "works today but not tomorrow syndrome". If narrowing down the conditions help then in future when a rare event occurs, will it provide equally good performance? Code Availability: Our code is available at https://github.com/matrixrevolution/Experimental-Study-ondifferent-Congestion-Control-Schemesgenerated-Using-REMY


A Chua circuit, known to exhibit chaotic behavior, has been constructed and studied. The circuit was built with a potentiometer as a control resistor, and chaotic dynamics such as limit cycles and attractors were measured and compared to a numerical simulation. The circuit showed intermittent chaos from 1307Ω to 1777Ω, and were in agreement with the numerical simulation within an 11.81% to 18.81% relative error range. Two Chua Circuits were then successfully synchronized using the bidirectional method.


At a global level, buildings constitute one of the most significant energy-consuming sectors. Current energy policies in the EU and the U.S. emphasize that buildings, particularly those in the residential sector, should employ renewable energy and storage and efficiently control the total energy system. In this work, we propose a Home Energy Management System (HEMS) by employing a Model-Based Predictive Control (MBPC) framework, implemented using a Branch-and-Bound (BAB) algorithm. We discuss the selection of different parameters, such as time-step, to employ prediction and control horizons and the effect of the weather in the system performance. We compare the economic performance of the proposed approach against a real PV-battery system existing in a household equipped with several IoT devices, concluding that savings larger than 30% can be obtained, whether on sunny or cloudy days. To the best of our knowledge, these are excellent values compared with existing solutions available in the literature.


The problem of ontological foundations of the non-classical epistemology is discussed in this article. Two ways of the ontology forming "from subject" and "from object" and two epistemological positions realism and constructivism are comparated. It is suggested to combine these trends for non-classical epistemology basis creation


The short channel effects and performance parameters of double gate junctionless transistor are analyzed at different channel lengths. In this paper various graphs like Drain Induced Barrier Lowering, Subthreshold Swing, On current, Off current, on/off ratio and Threshold voltage variations at different channel lengths are discussed. Junctionless transistor is a new technology device with no junctions and with the easy fabrication when scaling is done. Reasons for variations of parameters at different channel lengths (20nm, 25nm and 30nm) are discussed. Double Gate Junctionless transistor provides better control over the carriers flowing in the device, as front gate and back gate controls the flow of current. We need a heavy doping to analyse the parameters as there is only one type of doping which is done in junctionless transistor. Doping is kept at 1.5E+19cm-3. Doping is responsible for the current to flow in the device.


The methodology of the probabilistic assessment of NPP safety under aircraft impact is described. The probability of an aircraft fall onto the NPP building, as well as other random parameters, such as the aircraft class, velocity and mass, the place and angle of its impact on the building structure are taken into account. The proposed probabilistic analysis can justify the reduction of the required structure strength. It can also be useful when assessing the safety of existing NPP.


Research in the field of cognitive neuroscience has provided extensive evidence in support of a strong relationship between time, space, and number in the human brain. In 1993, Dehaene et al. discovered the SNARC (spatial-numerical association of response codes) effect and suggested that numbers may be internally represented along a spatial dimension, with low numbers on the left of a mental number line, and high numbers on the right. The investigation of this effect has been studied through the use of different methodologies and recent insights have extent this effect also to decisional processes (Daar and Pratt, 2008; Loetscher et al., 2008; Vicario, 2012, 2013).

Similar relationships were also documented in research investigating link between space and time (DeLong, 1981; Vicario et al., 2007, 2009, 2011a,b; Ishihara et al., 2008; Vallesi et al., 2008; Fabbri et al., 2013) as well as between time and numbers (for instance see Dormal et al., 2006; Vicario et al., 2008; Lu et al., 2009; Vicario, 2011).

This literature corroborates the suggestion of common cortical metrics for space time and numbers (Walsh, 2003). However, despite the 10 years that have elapsed since Walsh (2003) published his theoretical work, the debate about "A theory of Magnitude" (ATOM) is still object of discussion.

This research topic entitled "On a generalized magnitude system in the brain: insights from experimental evidence" contains 10 state-of-the-art original research articles exploring the relationships between time, space and number. These research articles provide original contributions about the representation of magnitude in different research fields including childhood participants (Bottini and Casasanto, 2013; Lonnemann et al., 2013; Tokita and Ishiguchi, 2013), genetic polymorphism (Julio-Costa et al., 2013), clinical populations such as schizophrenia (Martinez-Cascales et al., 2013) and right brain damaged patients (Ishihara et al., 2013), investigations on healthy adults (Baker et al., 2013; Blini et al., 2013; Crollen et al., 2013; Viarouge and de Hevia, 2013).

A lively contribute to this debate is also provided by the mini-review of Leibovich and Henik (2013) and six opinion articles (Agrillo and Miletto Petrazzini, 2013; Arzy et al., 2013; De Simone, 2013; Tzelgov et al., 2013; Van Opstal and Verguts, 2013; Vicario et al., 2013). These theoretical contributions address ATOM from different perspectives, revealing the strengths but also the weaknesses of this model.

Much more work needs to be done and many issues remain to be addressed before we fully understand the brain mechanisms underlying the existence of analogies (Vicario and Martino, 2010) between magnitudes.

It has been a great pleasure and honor to be involved in this Research Topic. I would like to thank all of the authors, reviewers, and Frontiers staff for helping to make this Research Topic possible and I look forward to further explorations of the brain mechanisms underlying ATOM.


Cystic fibrosis, also named mucoviscidosis, is the most frequent hereditary pulmonary disease and is produced by mutations in the CFTR gene, encoding an anionic channel for chloride and bicarbonate involved in the regulation of salt and bicarbonate metabolisms. Currently, about half of the patients with cystic fibrosis can benefit personalized therapy consisting in modulators, drugs which restore or improve the functionality and stability of CFTR. Moreover, presently, other therapies, such as gene therapy using the CRISP/CAS-9, modified antisense oligonucleotides or the insertion of the wild-type gene using nanolipidic particles or viral vectors, are being developed. This article aims to take stock of the principal types of cystic fibrosis therapies which have been approved or are in clinical trials.


In order to reduce the fuel consumption and the emissions of automobile,the energy management system(EMS) for Parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicle(PHEV) was investigated.The algorithm based on fuzzy control of EMS for PHEV was built in Matlab/simulink.Then,the fuzzy algorithm was embedded in parallel vehicle of the Advisor software.Simulation results show that the fuzzy control of EMS not only has rapidly reduced the fuel consumption per hundred kilometers,but also has cut down the emissions of HC,CO and so on,compared with electric auxiliary control strategy.


A test of fit for the extreme-value distribution with unknown parameters is adapted from the work of Vasicek. This test, based on sample entropy, has desirable power compared with analogues of some nonparametric tests and the Mann test. The test statistic is easily calculated by use of the coefficient tables for the MVLUE.


ABSTRACT The effects of alumina (Al2O3) and zinc oxide (ZnO) fillers on the curing characteristics, thermal and mechanical properties of silicone rubber were studied. Rheometer results indicate that the incorporation of ZnO fillers retards the curing process, whereas an enhancement in cure rate was observed for Al2O3. Higher maximum torque (MH) and minimum torque (ML) values was also observed for ZnO silicone rubber compounds compared to Al2O3. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that ZnO silicone rubber compounds are thermally more stable than Al2O3; however, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the Al2O3 silicone rubber compounds are lower than that of ZnO. Comparison in mechanical strength between the two silicone rubber hybrids indicates that ZnO is a better reinforcement filler, as evidenced in the tensile strength, elongation at break, and modulus at 300% elongation.


The authors demonstrate p-type modulation-doped strainedlayer In0.35 Ga0.65As/GaAs multiquantum well lasers which achieve a 3dB direct modulation bandwidth of 20 GHz at a low CW drive current of 50mA in a simple 3 × 200 μm2 mesa structure. For the same device dimensions, a modulation bandwidth of 30 GHz was measured at a CW drive current of 114mA. This is the highest direct modulation bandwidth reported for any semiconductor laser.


One year sampling of juveniles of the four sparids from Diplodus sp. were carried out in shallow (between 0.3 m and 5 m depth) meadows of marine phanerograms (Posidonia oceanica, Cymodocea nodosa and Zostera noltii) on several stations in Kornati Archipelago. Data were collected using a 50 m long small beach seine. Observations on the presence and abundance of juveniles were also carried out by using the non-destructive visual census method. Empirical total size-frequency distributions were used for constructing age-length key with 3 mm length intervals and the Gompertz equation was used for juvenile growth estimation. Growth parameters were estimated by the nonlinear least squares method. First settlers of D. annularis, D. vulgaris and D. puntazzo were recorded in July, in January and in November, respectively. For those three species, their juveniles were censused during whole sampling period. D. sargus were censused from June to September. Peak of juvenile densities were recorded a month after first settlers entered in coastal habitats. Thus, those sparids were closely linked to marine phanerogam meadows for settlement. Moreover, those habitats provide to their juveniles shelters and nurseries. Growth parameters as indicators of habitats facilities and specific biological characteristics are as follows: D. annularis (c = 0.042 mm days-1 ; R2 = 0.942), D. vulgaris (c = 0.062 mm days-1 ; R2 = 0.902), D. puntazzo (c = 0.038 mm days-1 ; R2 = 0.832) and D. sargus (c = 0.114 mm days-1 ; R2 = 0.897). Obviously, species, which' s youngest, spent less time in winter months had higher growth slope. Also, the highest growth of D. sargus is probably tactic of being able to avoid predators and associate to adults as soon as possible. Future studies should attempt to determine to what extent habitat conditions modify the growth pattern of species in different stages of their development.


The article considers the evolution of Darwin's religious thinking on the basis of autobiographical documents. It shows the link between Darwin's elaboration of the theory of evolution and his theological queries. The role of death in evolution leads Darwin to breaking away from the theistic convictions of his youth as well as to questioning natural theology. His agnosticism is rooted in the irrelevance of natural theology as confronted to the problem of evil. For all that Darwin never leaves off promoting a vision of life where man enjoys a specific position, which testifies to an acknowledgment of transcendence. Darwin therefore enables us to understand the new orientations of Christian apologetics in the XXth century.


The electromagnetic couple loop of the inductive setting transformer is analyzed by using ANSYS software. Rules are given that how the distribution of the couple loop changes with frequency of the stimulation, counts of the coil and size of the magnetic core. Further research on magnetic field intensity, magnetic flux density and nodal current density is carried out under the condition of fuze volume restriction which will be a good theoretical reference on the design of the couple structure of the inductive setting system.


This paper reflects upon the concept of social innovation and its role in islands' energy transition. As isolated energy systems, islands typically depend on energy imports from the mainland and mostly use fossil fuels for electricity, heating, and transport, which are significant sources of carbon emissions. At the same time, islands have an abundance of locally available renewable energy sources (RES) at their disposal, which makes them ideal test-beds for energy transition, or the technology-based switch of the energy system, from fossil-based to renewable energy. However, new RES technologies must be incorporated into society and, thus, to enable successful decarbonisation, technological innovations must be coupled with social innovations. Different authors stress that energy transitions are not strictly technical but socio-technical since they are also comprised of policies, politics and other artefacts, not just technological. Nevertheless, the role of social innovation in local energy transitions is still under-studied, and this paper aimed to contribute to this lack of literature, focusing on the local energy transitions of islands.
By combining theoretical and empirical research, this paper aims to explore the role of social innovation in energy transition and analyse whether social innovation can be considered a success factor in the energy transition process of the case-study island, the small Croatian island of Unije.


The towers for large-crossing transmission lines are usually high and located on the riverside or seashore,where the climate conditions are poor.As the operation requirement of the large-crossing towers is increasing,such requirements as comfort and convenience are also proposed for the tower-ascending facilities on the prerequisite for safety.The paper summarizes the functions and design method of various common tower-ascending facilities such as the shackles,ladders,elevators and tower-climbing machines,which can be used as a reference for designing auxiliary structures of large-crossing towers.


OBJECTIVES
To test primary stability of delayed implants placed in post-extraction ridges preserved with autogenous mineralized dentin matrix (MDM) versus xenograft granules. Clinical, histological and pain experience outcomes were further assessed.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
From March 2018 to July 2020, patients requiring ridge preservation in preparation for delayed implant placement in post-extraction sites were included. Participants were randomly allocated to either the test (MDM) or control group (xenograft granules) prior to ridge preservation. Visual analogue scale and analgesic consumption were measured every day for a week. Six months after preservation trephine cores were harvested for histomorphometry prior to implant placement. Implants were then placed and implant stability was measured immediately as well as two months after placement. Marginal bone loss, and presence of mucositis/peri-implantitis were registered up to 18 months after prosthetic loading.

RESULTS
Fifty-two patients (66 implants) completed the study. MDM and xenograft groups presented similar primary (77.1 ± 6.9 vs. 77.0 vs. 5.9) and secondary (81.8 ± 5.1 vs. 80.1 ± 3.8) implant stabilities. The percentage of newly formed bone in MDM (47.3%) was significantly higher than xenograft (34.9%) (p<0.001), and the proportion of residual graft was significantly lower (12.2% in MDM and 22.1% in xenograft) (p<0.001). No significant differences were found as far as clinical, radiographic and patient-related outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS
Implants placed in sites preserved with MDM had similar primary stability in comparison to xenograft granules. MDM showed a significantly higher quantity of newly formed bone and lower amount of residual graft in histomorphometry results and equal clinical and patient-related outcomes.


The nonlinear optical properties and the saturable absorption performance of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) were experimentally investigated. The experimental results revealed strong saturable absorbed properties of CdSe/ZnS QDs at λ = 1.06 μm, which guarantee QDs passively Q-switched lasers. Subsequently, as an application, CdSe/ZnS QDs as saturable absorber passively Q-switched Nd:GdVO4 laser at 1.06 μm was demonstrated. The Q-switched pulse train with a duration of 233 ns at a repetition rate of 556.2 kHz was generated.


In a bench-scale demonstration, researchers have successfully used a continuous process to turn 11 L of low-activity radioactive and hazardous chemical waste into a durable glass form. The project marks the first time researchers have used the process to vitrify waste from underground storage tanks at the U.S. Department of Energy's former weapons plant at Hanford, Wash. Previous tests had been done in batches. The waste remains from nuclear weapons plutonium production stretching back to before the Cold War, and several of the tanks are leaking. More than 20 years in preparation, the continuous approach is designed to become a key part of a treatment chain to address some 210 million L of liquid and semisolid waste held in 177 tanks. The system being constructed at Hanford will use a filtration and ion exchange system to remove solids and cesium from tank waste and pump the resulting low-activity waste to


Two standard setting procedures were employed by two groups of judges to set pass-fail levels for comparable samples of a nationally administered examination. These procedures were both designed to set standards in relation to the minimally qualified examinee. The study was undertaken to determine whether similar standards would be set for the same examination content when determined by different groups of judges, and whether the two procedures employed would result in similar standards for comparable samples of test content. In addition, the extent to which group consensus judgments might differ from individual judgments was also investigated. The results suggest that different groups of judges do set similar examination standards when using the same procedure, and that the average of individual judgments does not differ significantly from group consensus judgments. Significant differences were found, however, between the standards set by the two procedures employed. This finding was observed for both groups. The nature of these differences is described, and their implications for setting examination standards are discussed.


This paper proposes integral sliding mode control (ISMC)-based robust bidirectional platoon control methods in the longitudinal platoon for vehicles with unknown acceleration and mismatched disturbance. A finite time robust estimator (FTRE) is presented to estimate the practically unknown acceleration and mismatched disturbance of adjacent vehicles. In addition, the matched disturbance in the vehicle is also compensated for to further ensure the robustness of the platoon control. A modified constant time headway (MCTH) policy that removes the influence of the initial spacing and velocity error is defined to improve the transient response of the platoon control. Two robust platoon control methods, a nonlinear disturbance observer (DOB)-based ISMC and an adaptive dual-layer super-twisting ISMC (STISMC), are proposed. The proposed methods based on the nonlinear DOB and ISMC are more effective against highly nonlinear disturbances than the existing linear DOB-based methods and the disturbances can be compensated at all times by eliminating the reaching mode, unlike the exiting SMC-based methods. Furthermore, the proposed adaptive dual-layer STISMC provides a continuous control input that guarantees the finite time convergence of the sliding mode variables to zero without requiring an upper bound on disturbance. Both simulation and experimental results are provided to demonstrate the superior platoon control performance of the adaptive dual-layer STISMC method compared to both the existing linear DOB-based robust platoon control method using ISMC and the nonlinear DOB-based ISMC method.


Abstract The β-isozyme of mushroom tyrosinase is composed of an equilibrium mixture of polymeric forms with the tetramer predominating. What appears to be a similar equilibrium mixture is also present in fresh mushroom juice. In the purified β-isozyme, under moderate conditions of ionic strength, temperature, and protein concentration, the interconversion among the forms is slow. The equilibrium is shifted toward association to the higher polymers by increasing protein concentration. Dissociation is facilitated by elevated temperature (50°), increased ionic strength (0.2), and the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (0.25%). Dissociation of the tetramer is also brought about by 1 mm EDTA and is completely reversed by the presence of 1 mm Ca++. Certain chemical modifications of the enzyme such as succinylation, acetylation, or iodination are accompanied by dissociation. Band III of gel electrophoresis is identified with the tetramer, and the other prominent bands, I-Ia, II, and V, are tentatively identified as monomer, dimer, and octamer, respectively.


Operation principle of SIMENS PGC302 industrial gas chromatograph is introduced. The problems occurred in using it and the ways to tackle them by improving its original design are presented from the view of maintenance.


A new method has been developed to fabricate multilayer films by superimposing free-standing films and the resulting film was utilized as the barrier coating to control the drug release. First, the poly(lactic acid) (PLA) free-standing film was prepared by using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a sacrificial layer. Then the PLA film was transferred or layer-by- layer overlaid on the drug-loaded film. Finally, the drug release process of the as-covered drug-loaded film was investigated. The prepared PLA free-standing film was smooth and robust, and the thickness increased linearly with the solution concen- tration. It is worth mentioning that on the bottom surface of the PLA film there was the PVA residue from the sacrificial layer, which can't be completely removed. That may facilitate the fabrication of the multilayer by superimposing because the PVA could provide interaction between the layers through hydrogen bonding. The free-standing films with about 50, 100 and 200 nm thickness were transferred and overlaid. The SEM observation shown that the transferred film could fully cover the target surface and the morphology was basically smooth. The thickness of the multilayer film was in agreement with the ex- pected value. All of these indicated that the multilayer fabrication was successful. The multilayer PLA films can efficiently control the drug release. Moreover, the transferred film was more efficient than the in-situ spin film and the multilayer film was more efficient than the monolayer film. This may be attributed to the gap between the transferred free-standing films, which holds the released drug, retarding the release rate. The concept to fabricate the multilayer by superimposing free-standing film provides a new approach to control drug release and has great potential in the biological materials and medical implant devices. Keywords layer-by-layer assembly; poly(lactic acid); free-standing film; blocking layer; controlled release


This article aims to analyze how language is used to represent women in two biblical letters of the New Testament from the standpoint of the Systemic Functional Grammar, by Halliday and Matthiessen (2004). Therefore, we used categories that realize the three language metafunctions. From the ideational experiential metafunction we used the transitivity system; from the interpersonal metafunction we focused on the MODE system and polarity; and from the textual metafunction we concentrated on the thematic structure. The whole analysis of these categories showed that the choice of the Ideational Theme conjugated to the speech function toward women and the lexicogrammar functions of Actor, Senser and Carrier performed by this participant represent women primarily as submissive to men, husband, society and the laws and rules that govern it.


BACKGROUND
Time to symptom resolution measures were used in outpatient coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment trials without prior validation.

METHODS
ACTIV-2/A5401 trial participants completed a COVID-19 diary assessing 13 targeted symptoms and global experience (overall COVID-19 symptoms, return to pre-COVID-19 health) daily for 29 days. We evaluated concordance of time to sustained (2 days) resolution of all targeted symptoms (TSR) with resolution of overall symptoms and return to health in participants receiving placebo.

RESULTS
The analysis included 77 high-risk and 81 standard-risk participants with overall median 6 days of symptoms at entry and median age 47 years, 50% female, 82% white, and 31% Hispanic/Latino. Correlation between TSR and resolution of overall symptoms was 0.80 and 0.68, and TSR and return to health, 0.66 and 0.57 for high- and standard-risk groups, respectively. Of the high- and standard-risk participants, 61% and 79%, respectively, achieved targeted symptom resolution, of which 47% and 43%, respectively, reported symptom recurrence. Requiring >2 days to define sustained resolution reduced the frequency of recurrences.

CONCLUSIONS
There was good internal consistency between TSR and COVID-19-specific global outcomes, supporting TSR as a trial end point. Requiring >2 days of symptom resolution better addresses natural symptom fluctuations but must be balanced against the potential influence of non-COVID-19 symptoms.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION
NCT04518410.


Proton therapy offers dosimetric advantage over conventional photon therapy due to the finite range of the proton beam, which improves dose conformity. However, one of the main challenges of proton beam therapy is verification of the complex treatment plans delivered to a patient. Thus, 3D measurements are needed to verify the complex dose distribution. A 3D organic scintillator detector is capable of such measurements. However, organic scintillators exhibit a non-linear relation to the ionization density called ionization quenching. The ionization quenching phenomenon in organic scintillators must be accounted for to obtain accurate dose measurements. We investigated the energy deposition by secondary electrons (EDSE) model to explain ionization quenching in 3D liquid organic scintillator when exposed to proton beams. The EDSE model was applied to volumetric scintillation measurement of proton pencil beam with energies of 85.6, 100.9, 144.9 and 161.9 MeV. The quenching parameter in EDSE model ρq was determined by plotting the total light output vs the initial energy of the ion. The results were compared to the Birks semi-empirical formula of scintillation light emission.


bone imaging are dental X-rays, justifying the reason they have Abstract The aim of the present work is to review data of the OSTEODENT project, whose purpose was to compare dental X-rays with DXA results in order to determine the possibility of diagnosing osteopenia and osteoporosis, in advance. OSTEODENT project provided us with up-to-date data which are presented directly and briefly in this paper in order to compare techniques and methodologies that have been used by each research group. Researchers examined pre - existing dental panoramic and periapical X-rays on subjects of specific criteria, primarily women 45-70 of age. Measurements of bone density were calculated on these X-rays using pre-existing classifications, consequently they were compared to accurate bone density measurements according to DXA. Comparing the results, researchers were able to determine the accuracy, in question, of the methods used. These data have been processed by four university institutes in Europe, using pre-existing classifications, yet the aforementioned project provided the background for new merged clinical classifications as well as new documentation systems. All studies agree towards the direction that there is a larger need for further research on craniofacial imaging and metabolic bone diseases.


Abstract This paper initiates the discussion on the temporal dimensions of systemic risk, building on the pioneering work of Ortwin Renn and colleagues. Temporality is implicit in the key characterisations of systemic risk, but never addressed specifically as a concept or a framing devise in risk research. This paper, therefore, explores what a temporal approach to systemic risk might constitute at the conceptual level. An initial attempt at operationalising a temporal lens is applied to the example of green bonds, bringing to light how the processes of creating a bond structure and securitisation bundles together multiple temporalities into the network of the bond on the one hand, and multiples other temporalities on the other. This leads to higher levels of inter-dependencies and co-movements within and across systems, with greater risk that failure in one part of the network can quickly lead to systemic failure. This is not to dismiss the many strengths of green bonds in dealing with climate change but calls for a deeper reflection on synchroneity and better techniques and processes to improve time coordination among the different financial and non-financial actors. This opens up new avenues for future research.


Radiative opacity is an important quantity in the modeling of stellar structure and evolution. In the present work we recall the role of opacity in the interpretation of pulsations of different kinds of stars. The detailed opacity code SCO-RCG for local-thermodynamic-equilibrium (LTE) plasmas is described, as well as the OPAMCDF project dedicated to the spectroscopy of LTE and non-LTE plasmas. Interpretations, with the latter codes, of several laser and Z pinch experiments in conditions relevant to astrophysical applications are also presented and our work in progress as concerns the internal solar conditions is illustrated.


In calculating damages for wrongful death, consideration should be given to the loss to the survivors or loss to the estate of the decreased because of lost future income. Based on the legal principle of restoring damaged parties to the position they would have had if not for the wrongful death, calculations of damages should also include compensation for related employment benefits. The relevant measure of damages should be based on the economic value of fringe benefits which otherwise would have accrued to the survivors or the estate of the deceased. As such, three issues are raised: (1) which future fringe benefits, if any, should be included? (2) should the damages for future fringe benefits reduced to present value? (3) and, if so, at what discount rate? Not all employer-paid fringe benefits of the deceased may be used in the calculations of damages. For example, in states where recovery is limited to the damages suffered by the spouse or children of the deceased, calculations of damages should not include all the fringe benefits but rather only those fringe benefits which would have benefitted the deceased's spouse or children. Thus, recovery for medical insurance coverage paid for by the deceased's employer would be limited to that portion of the medical insurance cost paid by the employer and for the benefit of the deceased's spouse or children. Care should also be taken to avoid counting both lost future income and the lost fringe benefit of paid vacation or counting both lost future income and fringe benefits paid by the worker--these double counting errors overstate the loss and may lead to overcompensation of the injured plaintiff. Once careful analysis of the basis of recovery and the future economic cost of includable fringe benefits is made, future damages are generally reduced to present value through selection and application of an appropriate discount rate. ~ In reducing future income the future fringe benefits to present value, economic experts and courts have generally used discount rates based on "safe" low-risk investments. However, notwithstanding the courts' desire to avoid placing investment risk on the injured party, calculations of damages for lost fringe benefits should also include consideration of the risk associated with future receipt of the fringe benefit. As we have argued elsewhere? to the extent the deceased's future is uncertain and his or her ability to earn future pay and future fringe