Despite the widely varying estimates about the strength of the global Internet economy, there is general agreement among experts about the dramatic influence of this medium on consumers as well businesses. However, one area that has generated conflicting views is the issue of Internet privacy. As businesses develop more sophisticated technologies to collect, store and disseminate information on consumers, privacy and security of this information are raising concerns among consumers and public policy advocates. Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that consumers in some European countries view privacy protection as a very important issue. Investigates consumer attitudes in the Federal Republic of Germany. The findings indicate that consumers in Germany have very strong views about protecting their privacy. They believe that both companies and governments are obligated to protect the information of their consumers and citizens. To this end, German consumers are willing to support stricter legislation. Result...


ABSTRACT This study focuses on demonstrating the differences and similarities between and among Western and Asian customers in terms of travelers' evaluation of satisfaction, perceived value, and attribute quality in a Hong Kong hotel setting. It has been noted that national culture has a substantial impact on travelers' expectations and perceptions. The results show that satisfaction, perceived value, and hotel attribute evaluations are significantly higher for Western than Asian travelers. We also found considerable similarities between Australian, Canadian, and British travelers and also between Singaporean and Chinese travelers. In addition, American travelers' ratings are closest to the average of the total sample compared with travelers from other countries, while Japanese travelers demonstrate the highest expectations and needs among the target nations.


This paper is on human–robot collaborative site inspection and target classification. We consider the realistic case that human visual performance is imperfect (depending on the sensory input quality), and that the robot has constraints in communication with human (e.g., limited chances for query, poor channel quality). The robot has limited onboard motion and communication energy and operates in realistic channel environments experiencing path loss, shadowing, and multipath. We then show how to co-optimize motion, sensing, and human queries. Given a probabilistic assessment of human visual performance and a probabilistic channel prediction, we pose the co-optimization as multiple-choice multidimensional knapsack problems. We then propose a linear program-based efficient near-optimal solution, mathematically characterize the optimality gap, showing it to be very small, and mathematically characterize properties of the optimum solution. We then comprehensively validated the proposed approach with extensive real human data (from Amazon MTurk) and real channel data (from downtown San Francisco), confirming that the proposed approach significantly outperforms benchmark methodologies.


The aim of this article is to examine the socioeconomic conditions that enable avant-garde artists to work for multinational corporations without sacrificing their individual aesthetic. A close reading of Julie Taymor's critically acclaimed and commercially successful staging of Disney's The Lion King will show that in our predominantly visual late-capitalist societies a sophisticated postdramatic visual aesthetic can be commodified without alienating the mass audiences. This commodification forces us to reevaluate the traditional modernist definitions of art in immanent aesthetic terms in a postmodern culture that witnesses the thorough commodification of high art and the high aestheticization of popular culture. These modifications in the cultural and aesthetic spheres will be analyzed through a Marxist theoretical frame that puts the modernist rigid dichotomies between high and popular art in a historical perspective.


Series Introduction vii Young Henry James, Critic (1949) / Laurence Barrett 1 Henry James, Lecturer (1951) / Marie P. Harris 17 James's Portrait of the Southerner (1955) / Charles R. Anderson 30 The Triple Quest of James: Fame, Art, and Fortune (1956) / Alfred R. Ferguson 53 James's Last Portrait of a Lady: Charlotte Stant in The Golden Bowl (1957) / Jean Kimball 77 James's "Moral Policeman": William Dean Howells (1958) / Oscar Cargill 97 Past Perfect Retrospection in the Style of James (1962) / Hisayoshi Watanabe 125 James and the Morality of Fiction (1967) / Robert J. Reilly 142 A "Shade of a Special Sense": Henry James and the Art of Naming (1970) / Joyce Tayloe Horrell 172 Marriage and the New Woman in The Portrait of a Lady (1975) / Annette Niemtzow 190 Feminist Sources in The Bostonians (1979) / Sara deSaussure Davis 209 Criticism and Autobiography in James's Prefaces (1979) / William R. Goetz 227 Strategies for Survival in James's The Golden Bowl (1983) / Catherine Cox Wessel 243 The Selfish Eye: Strether's Principles of Psychology (1984) / Susan M. Griffin 258 James's Rewriting of Minny Temple's Letters (1986) / Alfred Habegger 272 Hypothetical Discourse as Ficelle in The Golden Bowl (1989) / Arlene Young 294 Index 311 Notes on Contributors 315


This study was to explore leisure of foreign Korean wives focusing on social relations. Leisure could have significant influences for migrant women adjusting to Korean society and social relations had effects on facilitating leisure activity participation. To explain this phenomenon, five focus group interviews were conducted, 23 foreign Korean wives were interviewed from March 5th to April 14th in 2010. The results showed that their leisure activities were mainly passive ones like using the internet, watching TV and listening to music. They also spent their leisure time with their husbands or friends from their home country. They had experienced 'ignorance', 'isolation' and 'suppressed feelings' in their daily lives. These experiences had direct or indirect influences on their leisure activities. Also, they felt constraints on their leisure activities due to limited social relations and had desires for new leisure relations. However, they tried to change their leisure pattern from passive to active leisure activities following their adaptation to Korean society.


The adsorption of sodium N-phenylanthranilate on iron surfaces from aqueous solutions was studied by the in situ methods of ellipsometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It has been shown that partial replacement of water by ethylene glycol decreases the adsorption of the organic anion.


Why can the world go against the law of entropy increase and produce self-organizing structures?Does the entropy of an isolated system always increase and never decrease?Can the thermodymamic degradation and the self-organizing evolution be united?How do they unite?This paper,starting from the nonequilibrium entropy evolution equation,proves that a new entropy decrease may spontaneously emerge in a nonequilibrium system with internal attractive interactions.This new entropy decrease coexists with the traditional law of entropy increase,and they countervail each other,so that the total entropy of an isolated system can decrease.It not only makes an isolated system but also helps an open system to produce self-organizing structures.A statistical formula for this new entropy decrease rate is derived and compared both in its mathematical form and in the microscopic physical foundation with the statistical formula for the law of entropy increase,which was derived by the author of this paper some years ago.Then,the formulas for the time rate of change of total entropy in an isolated system and an open system are given.That for an isolated system is equal to the sum of the entropy increase according to the law of entropy increase and that according to the new entropy decrease rate,the time rate of change of total entropy in an open system is the algebraic sum of the entropy increase,entropy decrease and entropy flow.All of them manifest the unity of thermodynamic degradation and self-organizing evolution.As an application of the new theoretical formulas,this paper discusses qualitatively the emergency of inhomogeneous structure in two real isolated systems and clarifies the inference about the heat death of the universe.


Significance Despite its centrality to public and political discourse, we lack even basic information on fundamental questions regarding undocumented immigrants and crime. This stems largely from data constraints. Going beyond existing research, we utilize data from the Texas Department of Public Safety, which checks and records the immigration status of all arrestees throughout the state. Contrary to public perception, we observe considerably lower felony arrest rates among undocumented immigrants compared to legal immigrants and native-born US citizens and find no evidence that undocumented criminality has increased in recent years. Our findings help us understand why the most aggressive immigrant removal programs have not delivered on their crime reduction promises and are unlikely to do so in the future.


More than sixty years after Berle and Means published The Modern Corporation and Private Property,' corporate governance is back on the policy agenda. Now, as in the 1930s, public concern over the form and style of management in large corporations has been prompted by a growing inequality of pay and rewards, a number of spectacular financial scandals, and the apparent impotence of shareholders in the face of entrenched managerial interests. Longer-term forces are also at work. As a consequence of nearly two decades of privatization and deregulation, the powers of corporate management have been enormously enhanced, as 'countervailing power' in the form of the state and organized labour has been weakened. Companies are subject to intense and increasing competitive pressures in final and intermediate product markets; however, the removal of regulatory constraints, including controls over the transnational mobility of resources, has left them free to pursue a wider range of strategic options as means of achieving their economic goals. The impact of corporate decision making on interests and communities outside the firm has always been considerable. What has changed is that a large part of the political and institutional structure through which corporate decisions were at one time mediated, has been dismantled. As a result, attention has been focused back on to the internal governance mechanisms of companies.


Direct aerosol radiative effects during a heavy pollution episode that occurred in October 2004 over northern China are explored on the basis of ground‐based and satellite‐retrieved data. Aerosol loading rapidly built up due to a strong inversion and high relative humidity, with aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 550 nm increasing steadily from about 0.1 on October 1 to more than 1.0 six days later. Reflected irradiances at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) and surface irradiances change dramatically in response to the variation of the AOD. At the peak of the heavy pollution episode, the instantaneous reflected irradiances at the TOA increased by about 50 Wm−2, while the instantaneous irradiances at the surface decreased by about 350 Wm−2, resulting in solar heating of the atmosphere on the order of 300 Wm−2. Solar radiation reflected to the space increased due to the build up of aerosols, indicating an overall cooling effect of the aerosols in the region.


In the paper, the progresses on the thermodynamic properties of several alkalis borates including lithium borates, sodium borates, potassium borates, rubidium borates and cesium borates at present were summarized, and the new trend in the future was also pointed out.


Background: The taste of carbohydrates may drive their intake. Sensitivity to carbohydrate taste varies among individuals, thus, it is important to understand how differences in sensitivity influence eating behaviour and body mass. Objective: The aims of this study were to assess associations among carbohydrate taste sensitivity, habitual and acute food intake, and body mass; as well as assess the reliability of the carbohydrate detection threshold (DT) test within and across days. Methods: Carbohydrate DT was assessed six times across three sessions in 36 healthy adult participants (22 female) using a three-alternate forced choice methodology. Moreover, 24 h diet records were completed on the days prior to testing sessions, and food intake at a buffet lunch was collected following each session. Anthropometry was also measured. Linear mixed regression models were fitted. Results: The DT test required at least three measures within a given day for good reliability (ICC = 0.76), but a single measure had good reliability when compared at the same time across days (ICC = 0.54–0.86). Carbohydrate DT was associated with BMI (kg/m2: β = −0.38, p = 0.014), habitual carbohydrate intake (g: β = −41.8, p = 0.003) and energy intake (kJ: β = −1068, p = 0.019) from the 24-h diet records, as well as acute intake of a buffet lunch (food weight (g): β = −76.1, p = 0.008). Conclusions: This suggests that individuals who are more sensitive to carbohydrate are more likely to consume greater quantities of carbohydrates and energy, resulting in a greater body mass.


The idea of "development journalism," central to many discussions of mass communication and development in the Third World, needs to be reconceptualized because deliberations about its validity and usefulness have been bogged down in arguments structured by Western notions of press freedom. The debate has diverted attention from important questions about how journalism can contribute to participatory democracy, security, peace, and other humanistic values.

This article argues that social transformations are deeply rooted in changing ideas and practices related to space and time. Thus, as background for reconceptualizing development journalism, the expectations and actual impacts of the dominant models of mass communication and development are analyzed, with particular attention to the relationships among mass communication, space, and time. Then the concept of emancipation is explicated and a normative model for "emancipatory journalism" is outlined. The model specifies an activist role within "new social movements" for journalism and journalists in the process of national development. The relationship between emancipatory journalism and social change is considered in the final section.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the effectiveness of direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS) in the assessment and improving operative skills of postgraduate residents in urology.

STUDY DESIGN
Comparative study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY
Department of Urology, Institute of Kidney Diseases (IKD), Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, from March till December 2016.

METHODOLOGY
Twenty postgraduate residents in urology were assessed for three commonly performed procedures in urology with structured proforma, specially designed for DOPS, using Likert scale from 1 to 5. Formative feedback was given to all the residents highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. During second phase, all the three procedures were performed by four consultants respectively with residents as learner in the second phase of DOPS. During the third phase, a repeat assessment of e-residents was performed to study the overall improvement in operative skills, respectively.

RESULTS
In pre-DOPS assessment, only 7 (35%) out of 20 residents, passed in skill of cystoscopy, 6 (30%) residents passed in transurethral resection of prostate (TURP), while 3 (15%) residents passed in skills of uretero-renoscopy (URS). The mean score of overall ability to perform procedure during first phase of DOPS were 2.7 ±1.3 for cystoscopy, 2.1 ±0.97 for TURP, and 2.5 ±1.1 for ureterorenoscopy. Significant improvement (p 0.04) in passing was observed in third phase with 17 (85%), 14 (70%), and 14 (70%) residents were declared passed in cystoscopy, TURP and URS, respectively. The mean score of overall ability to perform procedure during the third phase was 4.7 ±0.7 for cystoscopy, 4.5 ±0.94 for TURP, and 4.7 ±0.94 for ureteroscopy.

CONCLUSION
DOPS is effective tool for assessing and improving the skills of postgraduate residents in urology.


Abstract : The mission/objective of this work has been to identify a new class of hybrid polymers based on carbosilane/carbosiloxane chemistry, the objective being to create elastomers having excellent solvent resistance, high initial modulus, elasticity greater than 600%, and tensile strengths 2X greater than existing elastomers. Polymers have been synthesized and are being examined for their performance. All the required parameters for performance have been met excepting the tensile strength goal of 2X existing elastomers. While the project is now concluded from a funding perspective, we continue to examine the concept of dual latent crosslinking to achieve the tensile strength goal.


Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) whose development and anti-tumor functions can be critical for the successful treatment and long-term disease-free survival of patients with hematologic malignancies. In humans, NK cells derive from bone marrow resident hematopoietic progenitor cells that traffic to secondary lymphoid tissues (SLTs) where they complete their terminal differentiation and maturation through a series of developmental stages before returning to the blood as mature NK cells. Although major stages of human NK cell development in SLTs have been clearly defined according to the differential surface expression of CD34, CD117, CD94, NKp80, CD16, and CD57 among lineage antigen (Lin) negative lymphocytes, continued investigation has revealed additional phenotypic and functional heterogeneity at each developmental stage. Through extensive ex vivo single-cell RNA sequencing and flow cytometry analyses we have identified two subsets of tonsil-resident Lin -CD34 -CD117 +/-CD94 +NKp80 -CD16 -CD57 - stage 4A NK cells. These two subsets differ in their expression of the inhibitory receptor, CD200R1, which is not expressed by mature NK cells in the peripheral blood from healthy individuals. The majority of stage 4A cells expressed high amounts of surface CD200R1, which correlated with low gene and undetectable protein expression of intracellular cytolytic granules (perforin and granzymes A, B, K, and M), killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs), and transcription factors required for terminal NK cell maturation (EOMES, T-BET). In addition, upon ex vivo stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin, CD200R1 + stage 4A NKDIs did not produce interferon-gamma (IFN-g), a hallmark feature of mature NK cells. In contrast, many CD200R1 - stage 4A cells constitutively expressed perforin, granzymes, EOMES, and/or T-BET; many expressed KIRs; and many produced IFN-g upon ex vivo stimulation. Furthermore, the frequency of KIR + cells among CD200R1 - stage 4A cells was significantly higher than that among autologous tonsil stage 4B NK cells (Lin -CD34 -CD117 +/-CD94 +NKp80 +CD16 -CD57 -) (20.8 ± 1.65 vs. 8.12 ± 1.66; p < 0.01; n = 14), suggesting that as a population CD200R1 - stage 4A cells are potentially out of sequence in terms of the linear NK cell developmental pathway. Based on these ex vivo findings, we hypothesized that CD200R1 + stage 4A cells represent NK cell precursors, whereas the CD200R1 - stage 4A population contains more mature NK cells that lack NKp80, CD16, and CD57. To further address this hypothesis and to determine their ex vivo potentials for NK cell and non-NK ILC differentiation, we cultured CD200R1 + and CD200R1 - stage 4A cells in vitro in the presence of OP9-DL1 stroma and recombinant human IL-7 and IL-15, conditions previously shown to support all human ILC and NK cell subset differentiation. Under these conditions, both stage 4A populations generated NKp80 + NK cells in bulk and single-cell clonal assays, whereas neither population gave rise to ILC2s (CD294 +) which precede stage 4A NK cells in the developmental scheme. However, while the majority of cultures derived from CD200R1 + stage 4A clones contained ILC3s (CD94 -NKp44 +), significantly fewer clones from CD200R1 - stage 4A cells produced ILC3s (7 of 26 CD200R1 - clones vs. 20 of 23 CD200R1 + clones; p = 0.000587). Moreover, none of the CD200R1 - stage 4A-derived clonal cultures that contained KIR + NK cells contained ILC3s, suggesting that the majority of CD200R1 - stage 4A cells are lineage committed NK cells. Collectively, these data further characterize the heterogeneity of the human tonsil stage 4A NK cell population and identify CD200R1 as a marker distinguishing uncommitted precursor cells from a minor population of cells with otherwise mature NK-associated phenotype and function. In light of the role of CD200R1 in regulating lymphocyte functions in the setting of cancer, further research is warranted to determine its potential role(s) in regulating human NK cell development.

 Blachly: KITE: Consultancy, Honoraria; INNATE: Consultancy, Honoraria; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria.


In this article, a flatness based approach is proposed for the control of a popular walking biped toy consisting of two legs and a central rotating body. The proposed approach allows for "smooth" walking with steps of reasonable arbitrary lengths and, moreover, without leg impacts on the floor. Computer simulations are presented in the form of animation snapshots.


This question has particular pertinence at this time when demand far exceeds the supply of nurses who have had preparation beyond that provided in the basic course. It is to help meet this demand that the federal government has awarded funds to a number of colleges and universities as announced in the news pages of the November Journal and on page 90 of this issue. The need is particularly evident in the fields of nursing education and public health nursing since both are of vital importance if the profession is to maintain standards while expanding its services. A considerable part of the sum awarded each institution is to be used to decrease, for individual nurses, the cost of some of the courses.–The Editors.


giously observant region of the country. Obviously, migration to the capital from outside the UK has been an important factor in this development, but other explanations are also significant, including the tendency of the metropolis to attract gifted and energetic religious leaders. Field's evidence further indicates the need to recognize geographical diversity and specificity within the overall trend that he documents. For example, in 1881 the index of attendance – that is the total attendance at church services expressed as a percentage of population – ranged from 91.3 in Dysart (Fife) to 16.5 in Widnes (then Lancashire). These were the extreme figures, but Field's tables show extensive variation within the 20 to 80 range, suggesting that the periodization of secularization looks significantly different in different communities. Moreover, such variation cannot be explained by simplistic generalizations about the size of towns or broad regional differences. A full understanding is likely to require close attention to the specifics of local economy and geography alongside human and spiritual factors, such as the positive or negative impact of particular religious leaders. Hence, despite Field's herculean efforts, there remains much to be done. This book, however, is an important landmark in the study of secularization in Britain, bringing evidential rigour and balanced nuanced analysis to a scholarly inquiry in which such essential qualities have sometimes been lacking.


Mathematical morphology has been widely used in recent years in the image processing area. Due to the nonlinear nature of morphological operations, their application to some image noise removal problems have achieved very impressive results. However, of the morphological algorithms by far most use only a single structuring element. To optimize the performances on various parts of an image, we introduce morphological operations using an adaptive structuring element for noise removal of binary and grayscale images. These techniques were used in the preprocessing of character recognition problems at CEDAR, SUNY at Buffalo, New York. Demonstrations of the improved performance of the algorithm are provided.


ABSTRACT This work presents the experimental results showing the impact of relative density of coal on its properties and combustion behavior. Coal of different mean relative densities (RDm) in the range of 1.375 to 2.0 was prepared through sink–float method of coal beneficiation from the crushed run of mine (ROM) coal. All the RDm fractions were characterized for proximate analysis (PA), ultimate analysis (UA), and gross calorific value (GCV). Combustion behaviors of different coals were carried out by thermogravimetric analysis in the oxygen atmosphere. Important combustion characteristic temperatures like ignition temperature (), peak temperature (), burnout temperature (), and maximum combustion rate () were evaluated from differential thermogravimetric (DTG) data. Further different combustion parameters like ignition index (), burnout index (), combustion performance index (S), combustion rate intensity index (), and activation energy (AE) were evaluated to access the effects of RDm on combustion behavior of coal. Experimental results showed that, with increase in RDm, from 1.375 to 2.0, ash increased from 12.2% to 62.1%, GCV decreased from 8,254 to 3,084 kcal/kg, increased from 357 to 421ºC, increased from 459 to 488ºC, varied from 543 to 553ºC, and decreased from 6.735 to 4.831 wt%/minute. With increase in RDm from 1.375 to 2.0, decreased from 5.8 wt%/minute4, decreased from 9.8 to 4.1 wt%/mintute4, and S decreased from 11.3 × 10−8 to 4.0 × 10−8 wt %2/minute2C3 signifies difficulty in combustion process which was further confirmed by an increase in AE from 92.7 to 173.5 kJ/mole. Overall, experimental and theoretical analysis briefs that coal having lower RDm have better combustion properties compared to higher density coals.


While all regions are exposed to natural hazards, most disasters (such as droughts, earthquakes, extreme temperatures, floods, slides, storms, volcanoes and wildfires) tend to occur in developing regions. Underdeveloped countries and poor people concentrate the un-natural impact of natural hazards, deepening the existent inequalities within and across countries. The paper analyzes the empirical evidence on the incidence of disasters and maps worldwide disaster risks, to then assess the factors as to why disaster risk concentrates on certain people, areas and countries. It uses a conceptual framework on the links among risk, vulnerability, and impacts to understand the multi-dimensionality of disaster effects and the increasing challenges that countries have to overcome in the face of climate change.


Orexins (OX-A and OX-B), also referred to as hypocretin 1 and 2, are neuropeptides synthesized by neurons located in the perifornical and lateral regions of the hypothalamus. Orexin neurons have extensive connections with the prefrontal cortex, limbic structures, hypothalamus, and brainstem, including areas involved in control of arousal, reward mechanisms, and autonomic control, and exert a primarily excitatory effect on neuronal activity via OX1 and OX2 receptors. The functions of the orexin system have been investigated using pharmacologic approaches and, more recently, knockout models. Since their discovery in 1998,1,2 orexins have been linked to multiple physiologic functions such as arousal, energy homeostasis, feeding, thermoregulation, and neuroendocrine and cardiovascular control, which are associated with or mediated by changes in the autonomic nervous system. The progress of knowledge in this area has been fueled by comparative approaches on different species, which show substantial similarities in basic biology of the orexin system. Loss of orexin signaling is associated with narcolepsy with cataplexy (NC) in both animal models and humans. Patients with NC have changes in body weight and cardiovascular function that may predispose to cardiovascular morbidity. However, the contribution of loss of orexin signaling in these manifestations is incompletely understood. The organization and multiple functions of the orexin system have been the subjects of recent comprehensive reviews.3–6 The present review focuses on the role of the orexin system in autonomic control and its potential implications in human NC.


Swarm robotics is a new technology that is becoming more popular these days. We can utilize swarm robotics in different applications and environments. It is a right time to think about security challenges about swarm robotics, Since this idea is becoming popular. We should consider possible security issues and their practical solutions. We should consider some uniqe security challenges because of several idiosyncrasies of swarm intelligence. Swarm robotics employs wide variety of communication channels. It also deals with special considerations and types of identity. Besides, it exhibits adaptive behavior that can be changed and controlled by an intruder. It is better to consider these issues now, since the applications that use swarm intelligence are becoming more popular these days.


This paper studies the problem of end-to-end windows mining directly from detection output. Traditional object detection systems approach this problem in an ad-hoc manner, say, Non-Maximum Suppression (NMS). Beyond NMS, multi-class context modeling has been explored thoroughly recent years. But all these methods put their emphasis on eliminating false positive windows rather than improving recall. To address this problem, we firstly study this problem and propose semantic windows mining. To improve recall, we propose Selective Forward Search (SFS) which keeps most of the semantic windows while substantially reduces the number of false positives. After SFS, to improve precision, we present the end-to-end windows mining by means of similarity refining optimized for mean Average Precision (mAP) and overlap regression. We show a noticeable improvement on the PASCAL VOC datasets in both recall and precision.


The present study has been aimed at evaluating the effects of the dietary inclusion of the live yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii (LSB) administered at increasing concentrations (0, 100, and 300 mg kg−1 of feed, here referred to as LSB 0, 100, 300) for 90 days, on the health conditions of European sea bass. The main zootechnical parameters, histological and morphological analyses, innate immunity response parameters (intestinal cytokine expression, lysozyme content, spontaneous hemolytic and hemagglutinating activities, antibacterial activities, and peroxidase activity) were measured as fish welfare parameters. LSB did not impair either growth parameters or the morphometric indexes. LSB down-regulated interleukin-1β transcription in the distal gut of fish treated with 5.4 × 105 CFU g−1 (LSB100) for 21 days. The interleukin-6 mRNA level decreased significantly in the proximal gut for both doses of yeast, after 21 days of feeding; the gene expression of interleukin-6 was significantly lower in the sea bass fed 10.81 × 105 CFU g−1 (LSB300) probiotic. The levels of TNF-α mRNA were not influenced by probiotic supplementation. Increases, although not significant, in the hematological and immunological parameters were also recorded. The data collected in the present study suggests that an LSB-supplemented diet acts on the gut immune system of sea bass by modulating the expression of the key inflammatory genes.


In Tasmania, introduced predators are becoming more common. How Tasmanian prey respond to novel predator cues is of particular interest for their survival and management. Prey response to predator scents may depend on whether predator and prey share an evolutionary history and may be influenced by indirect risk cues such as perceived shelter or safety in the environment. To simultaneously explore the effects of indirect and direct risk cues (predator scent) on free-living Tasmanian pademelons (Thylogale billardierii) and brush tail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), we placed dingo (Canis lupus dingo) urine scents inside and outside a 25 -m2 selective feeding enclosure to mimic a heterogeneous risk landscape. Despite the lack of a historical relationship between dingoes and Tasmanian fauna, pademelons and possums demonstrated flight and vigilance when confronted with the novel scent outside the enclosure. According to our index of deterrence, number of successful entries/approaches, both species were deterred. However, responses inside the safe enclosure differed according to species. For instance, pademelons made more approaches/entries into the enclosure and fled more following approaches to scent marks both inside and outside the enclosure. In comparison, possums only exhibited similar responses outside the enclosure, and there was no effect of stimulus inside the safe compound. Our findings suggest that small animals may be pre-adapted to avoid some predators they have not previously been in contact with, and that brush tail possums are more likely to respond to predation cues when exposed and vulnerable. Ultimately, the cumulative effects of direct and indirect risk cues may either increase or reduce a repellent response.


This article reports a low-noise magnetic sensor front-end with an 18-bit Zoom ADC for detecting temporal magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) relaxation. Techniques such as dynamic element matching (DEM) and magnetoresistive correlated double sampling (MRCDS) are proposed to remove the sensor and analog front-end (AFE) 1/<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${f}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> noise while a fast-settling Miller compensation (FSMC) technique is proposed to reduce the amplifier power. Collectively, these result in state-of-the-art input-referred noise performance (9.7 nTrms) and a figure-of-merit (FoM) that is 6.6<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> and 210<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> better than previously reported magnetic sensor and relaxation-based AFEs, respectively. A relaxation-based magnetic immunoassay (MIA) was performed to demonstrate the concept. This design is implemented in a 0.18-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> CMOS process and consumes 4.32 mW from a 1.8-V supply.


The current study investigates the potential of ERS-1 SAR data for rice field mapping and rice crop monitoring. The selected study area is approximately 15/spl times/15 km in size and is located in Kanchanaburi province, West-Thailand. The rice growing area is irrigated, flat, homogeneously managed, and has large individual fields of at least one hectare size. As regards rice field mapping a digital classification based on multi-temporal, speckle-filtered ERS-1 SAR images was carried out to determine rice field acreage. The classification accuracy for rice fields is 89%. As regards rice crop monitoring the radar backscattering coefficient /spl sigma//sup 0/ [dB] of rice fields was related to various phenological parameters on a field-by-field basis, such as plant height, plant moisture content, stalk diameter, leaf size, occurrence of standing water and crop yield. It was found that there is a good correlation between plant height and /spl sigma//sup 0/ and between crop yield and /spl sigma//sup 0/, respectively.


The invention discloses a device and a method for automatically setting parameters of household appliances. The method includes the steps: recording a setup parameter set of preset household appliances in preset time; calculating according to the setup parameter set to acquire habitual setup parameters of the preset household appliances; automatically setting parameters of the preset household appliances in current operation on the basis of the habitual setup parameters. The device and the method for automatically setting the parameters of the household appliances have the advantages that the habitual setup parameters can be automatically set for the preset household appliances in operation of the preset household appliances, manual parameter setup operations are avoided, operations for setting the parameters of the household appliances are reduced, and accordingly more convenience is achieved.


Scaffolding is a technique developed to improve learning activity. The technique was designed to help students noticing their goals and to provide support for the students' needs. It is important to realize that each student has their own development tempo or Zone Proximal Development (ZPD). Therefore, every teacher is required to be able to provide teaching in accordance with each student's ZPD. This individual difference will affect student's method of learning and its result. In this case, this study employed a descriptive-qualitative method in order to describe the implementation of scaffolding in Situation-Based Learning (SBL). The respondents of this study were the fifth-grade elementary school students (10-12 years old) who studied the concept of Force. It was found that scaffolding technique that was optimally provided by teacher could improve students learning activity in understanding the concept. To conclude, it was revealed that learning activity using scaffolding could improve students' learning result.


The current flow mechanism in Schottky-Barrier MOSFETs (SB- MOSFETs) is investigated. A method to examine the current flow mechanism is developed and verified through comparison of measurement results with simulation data. Using the developed method, it was found that the off-state current flow mechanism is changed from tunneling (TU) to thermionic emission (TE) as the back bias (Vbs) increases due to lowered Schottky barrier height. Finally, by using this mechanism, a novel operation scheme for the 1T- DRAM is provided. INTRODUCTION SB-MOSFETs have been considered as an alternative to conventional MOSFETs due to their excellent short-channel effect immunity and low parasitic components (1). The on-state transport mechanism has also been widely researched, whereas the off-state transport has seen relatively less studied. Since the mechanism for the off-state current in SB-MOSFETs is physically different from that in conventional MOSFETs, it is timely to study the current flow mechanism of the off-state. In this study, PMOS and NMOS by using PtSi and ErSi were fabricated. A refined effective extraction method of Schottky-Barrier-Height (SBH) is developed and then verified through comparison with numerical simulation data. The dominant transport in the off-state associated with the Vbs is investigated. Finally, the fabricated SB-MOSFETs are applied to the 1T-DRAM by using this mechanism. EXPERIMENTS A schematic of the device and process flow are shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, respectively. Fig. 3 also shows a STEM image of SB- MOSFETs. The measured sheet resistance for PtSi and ErSi is 15 ohm/square, although the line width is narrower than 120nm. A numerical simulation is carried out with consideration of TU and TE transport models for analysis. Temperature characteristics were measured with a hot-chuck system from 300K to 450K.


Cognitive radio, and more concretely cooperative spectrum sensing, has been identified as a promising solution for the spectrum scarcity in 5G cooperative wireless networks, which is envisaged as a fundamental part of the Internet of Everything. Cooperative spectrum sensing, however, is threatened by specific attacks such as Spectrum Sensing Data Falsification (SSDF) and Incumbent Emulation (IE) attacks, which have fostered relevant research works. Among these works, the most recent are based on lightweight cryptography that has shown noticeable efficiency when compared with its non-secure counterparts. In this paper we evaluate the efficiency of a cryptography-based SSDF counter-mechanism, based on message authenticated codes (MAC), under noisy channels, which cater for a more realistic vision than previous studies that consider error-free channels. The paper concludes that the MAC-based approach is still effective under realistic noisy channels, however it may have limitations in harsh wireless environments with high bit error probabilities.


The purpose of this paper is to provide an empirical investigation of workplace spirituality (WS) and employee commitment (EC). EC is presumed as a mindset which is generally influenced by spiritual culture and the prospective outcomes are in the form of sense of calling and sense of membership with one's profession and organisation. Drawing on the proposition of Tepper's (2003), organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) was proposed as a mediator between spirituality and commitment. The study also tests whether emotional intelligence (EI) moderates the relations among them.,Data were collected from 761 executives working in Indian manufacturing and service organisations. SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 18.0 were used to analyse the data.,The results confirmed that an insignificant mediation of OCB and moderation of EI among WS and EC. However, WS is found to be a strong and consistent predictor of EC. The findings highlight the necessity of suitable HR intervention for instrumentalizing personal role-organisational goal fitment to create an engaging and committed workforce.,The study is among the few to empirically investigate the role of WS on employee commitment at work. The study is first of its kind to explore the mediating role of OCB and interactive role of EI at work in explaining the relationship between WS and EC.


The ecological ecosystem of Lake Balkash is a unique natural complex, where 5 climatic zones are located on a relatively small territory, starting from the glaciers of Tanirtau and ending with the hot deserts of the Balkash region. This study examines the issues of dynamic changes in the water level and the associated area and volume of water in the lake. The level of Lake Balkash is one of the main indicators of the state of the entire ecosystem of the basin. Prior to the regulation of the flow, the lake level cyclically changed, mainly between the marks 341 and 342 m BS, recently due to the period of high-water content of the incoming river flow, the lake level is between these marks. The uniqueness of the lake is that it is divided by a narrow strait into two parts with different water compositions – in the western part it is almost fresh, and in the eastern part it is brackish. Field studies were conducted in the Uzynaral Strait in the autumn of 2022, the article presents the results of this expedition.


The salt-resistant grape rootstock Kangzhen No.5 and salt-sensitive rootstock Macadams were used as materials for studying the effect of NaCl stress on the membrane permeability,the content of MDA and organic osmolytes in the leaves of grape. The results showed that the membrane permeability,MDA content of leaves all increased under NaCl stress,which showed the membrane had been destroyed intensively. Through the analysis of organic osmolytes of leaves,the results showed that proline and soluble sugar contents in the leaves of grape increased significantly under salt stress,while the change of soluble protein content was inconsistent,which indicated that the proline and soluble sugar were very important osmotic adjustable organic substances to grapes under salt stress.


On the basis of traditional theory and instrument of transient plane source for thermal conductivity measurement,a new pattern of heating and temperature sensing probe are designed and developed,problem of transient heat conduction of half-infinite plane while being heated is studied,a modified mathematical model of transient plane source method is established,data processing method of mathematical iteration and regression analysis is used and the modified transient plane source probe is used to achieve the measurement of both thermal effusivity and thermal conductivity coefficient of material.According to the data of experiments,the instrument which this paper designed has a high precision of 5 % and a wide range of 0.003 ~ 40 W /(m·K),and achieves the measurement of single sample which can not be tested by traditional transient plane source method and also insitu measurement.


Methods . The scientific tools selected for the research include the abstraction method when determining the essence of the category of «innovative marketing»; systems analysis, retrospective analysis, standard methods of marketing research when analyzing the practice of hotel industry innovative marketing; critical analysis methods for rethinking the elements of the hospitality marketing complex. Results. The article is devoted to the study of innovative marketing tools and their usage in the hotel industry. The relevance and importance of creating an innovative hotel marketing mix with a focus on the use of sensory marketing has been proven. One of the elements of the hotel's marketing mix, «material evidence of services» is considered. When considering the innovative complex of hotel marketing, positive experience is summarized, and practical examples of the best world hotels are systematized. Conclusions are made on the basis of the analysis of the practice of applying innovative solutions to influence the senses of customers to create a «physical evidence of services» in the current conditions of permanent competition growth in the hotel business market, modernization and the emergence of new consumer trends, fast dynamics and perturbation of customer requests and preferences. the studying have practical value for hotel marketing professionals who are working on creating a diverse marketing complex that could reach various types of customers with different preferences and priorities.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a unified optimization design method and apply it to handle the brake squeal instability involving various uncertainties in a unified framework.

Design/methodology/approach
Fuzzy random variables are taken as equivalent variables of conventional uncertain variables, and a unified response analysis method is first derived based on level-cut technique, Taylor expansion and central difference scheme. Next, a unified reliability analysis method is developed by integrating the unified response analysis and fuzzy possibility theory. Finally, based on the unified reliability analysis method, a unified reliability-based optimization model is established, which is capable of optimizing uncertain responses in a unified way for different uncertainty cases.

Findings
The proposed method is extended to perform squeal instability analysis and optimization involving various uncertainties. Numerical examples under eight uncertainty cases are provided and the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Originality/value
Most of the existing methods of uncertainty analysis and optimization are merely effective in tackling one uncertainty case. The proposed method is able to handle the uncertain problems involving various types of uncertainties in a unified way.


Along with the rapid development of market economy,the macro-control role of tax has caused by carelessness increasingly.As the sign of general tax burden,the reasonableness of marco-incidence is doubtless the focus of attention.Then, what is the authentic tax marco-incidence? This level is reasonable? The author hold that,olny by synthesizing various factor can we reach a objective conclusion.


The invention relates to a CFD model of an airlift three-phase loop bioreactor and a method and a device for purifying odorous waste gas. The CFD model is characterized in that: flowing, mass transfer and reaction are coupled, the model is verified by a fluid test and a waste gas purification test, and the result of simulation is highly consistent with an experimental value; and the model is used to predict the local transient component distribution of a liquid phase and a solid phase, quantitatively study the correspondence between mass transfer and reaction and discuss the speed limitation step of a toluene waste gas purification process in the airlift three-phase loop bioreactor. Based on the study of odorous waste gas purification behavior of the airlift loop two-phase bioreactor, the fixed P.WQ-03 odorous waste gas purification dynamic behavior of the airlift loop three-phase bioreactor is further studied, a gas-liquid-solid three-phase three-dimensional (3D) transient CFD model is constructed, and flowing, mass transfer and reaction are coupled. The hydromechanic properties, component concentration field and speed limitation step in the reactor are predicted, and the model has an instructive significance for the selection of an operation condition and the design of a reactor.


The low cost, easy operation and high sensitivity of hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometer(HG-AFS) make it attractive as an on-line element-specific detector of capillary electrophoresis(CE) for speciation of hydride-forming elements. A few important practical aspects for the on-line coupling of CE to AFS are critically discussed. These include adaptation of conventional atomic fluorescence spectrometer for CE, design of an efficient interface, gas-liquid separator and AFS atomizer, and elimination of the effect of backpressure on CE separation. The application of the developed CE-HG-AFS for the speciation analysis of arsenic in water and urine samples is highlighted.


This essay addresses the issue of management higher education appreciation on labor context in Mexico. Some aspects and factors involved in the current phenomenon which seems that do not match the objectives of High Education Institutions (HEI) to the needs of the business sector of the country are exposed. Education competency, implementation and certification of quality systems as important factors in order to develop students holistically in those skills than the workforce demand arise. The conclusion that there are inconsistencies in the premises stated, due the fact of having a career is not synonymous of getting a good job and proper wage. It is required coordination and cooperation among agencies, institutions and companies to improve this situation, creating fast and efficient strategies to achieve an effective implementation.


For many applications, such as electric vehicles and washing machines, flux-weakening control is required for permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) drives to extend the operation speed range and maximize the power capability under the voltage and current constraints. Voltage magnitude feedback flux-weakening control is widely employed due to its advantages of simple and standard control structure, robustness against parameter variation, both linear and over modulation flux-weakening operation, and automatic flux-weakening operation. However, stability problems are prone to occur in the flux-weakening region since the PMSM drive will operate on the boundary of the voltage limit. In this thesis, based on a non-salient-pole PMSM, the factors that could cause stability problems in the flux-weakening region with voltage magnitude feedback flux-weakening control are investigated and the corresponding solutions are developed.
Firstly, based on a d-axis current voltage feedback controller, an adaptive control parameter method is proposed for the PMSM machine without maximum torque per voltage (MTPV) region, which aims to ensure the stability in a wider speed range. Then, a current reference modifier (CRM) and a voltage limit reference modifier (VRM) are incorporated with the conventional voltage feedback controller in order to improve the stability in the over modulation region. As for the PMSM machine with MTPV region, an extra feedback controller is introduced with an MTPV penalty function. The MTPV penalty function is optimized in terms of its effect on the steady-state performance, the dynamic performance, and the stability in the MTPV region. Afterward, the MTPV controller is properly selected and designed. Furthermore, two flux-weakening control methods accounting for MTPV, i.e. dq-axis current based feedback flux-weakening control, and current amplitude and angle based feedback flux-weakening control, are developed and compared in terms of the stability. It shows that the two methods exhibit complimentary merits and demerits in different regions, and consequently, a hybrid feedback flux-weakening control is proposed to combine their synergies and overcome their demerits. As the feedback voltage ripples that origin from the non-ideal drive system can be amplified by a conventional speed PI controller, the oscillation may even occur if a good speed dynamics is required in the flux-weakening region. An adaptive fuzzy logic speed controller is proposed and implemented to reduce the feedback voltage ripples while maintaining good speed dynamics.


Plastics have varied application and have become an essential part of our daily lives. The use of the plastics has increased twenty-fold in the past half-century and is expected to double again in the next 20 years. As a global estimate, around 330 million tonnes of the plastics are produced per annum. The production, use and disposal of the plastics emerged as a persistent and potential environmental nuisance. The improper disposal of the plastics ends up in our environment, resulting in the deaths of millions of animals annually and also the reduction in fertility status of the soil. The bioplastics products are manufactured to be biodegradable with similar functionality to that of conventional plastics, which has the potential to reduce the dependence on petrochemicals based plastics and related environmental problems. The expansion and development of the bioplastics and their products would lead to the increase in the sustainability of environment and reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases. The bioplastics innovation would be a key to the long-term solution for the plastic pollution. However, a widespread public awareness is also essential in effecting longer-term change against plastic pollution.


Two common diseases of large span bridge,i.e.beam downwarping and inclined crack were analyzed and discussed,the occurring reasons of these problems were generalized,the corresponding countermeasures were proposed,at last,the large span bridge design and construction suggestions were proposed so as to avoid the bridge occur similar disease and enhance its service life.


The removal of sulfur from the coals is necessary before using it. It is due to the environmental and technological problems that it causes. In this work, the results of the study by Mössbauer spectroscopy of the gamma-irradiation effect on the pyrite in three Colombian coals are analyzed. They were exposed to different gamma-irradiation doses using a 60Co source.


In this report evaluates how a firedevelopment can be systematically described and how statistics from these descriptions can serve as basis for descisions in fire brigades.


Abstract : The goal of this research program is to develop a sensitive diagnostic technique based on quantitative elasticity imaging permitting surrogate palpation of deep lying breast lesions. The remote measurement of elasticity in breast tissues may provide unique information which could increase detection and/or characterization of potentially malignant masses not accessible to manual palpation. The primary technical objective of this study is to refine and test a novel MRI method for the acquisition of high resolution 3-dimensional spatial displacement data through the imaged object for quantitative estimation of internal strain and elastic modulus. Proof-of-concept of the proposed 3D displacement-encoding, stimulated echo technique has been completed and recently published using two-dimensional test objects. Design, fabrication, and refinement of an MRI pulse-sequence controlled, pneumatic deformation device is now complete. Initial tests confirm this device provides highly reproducible deformations as required by the method. Stable phantom materials and fabrication procedures have been determined for production of test objects. Extension of elasticity reconstruction and boundary detection algorithms to accommodate dimensionality of the MRI data are underway, with initial 3D-phantom tests planned for the first quarter of project year #2.


The official's persuasion played an important role in the establishment of Baoding Business Association.The highly developed Baoding business organization and the resulting agreement of the official persuasion in modern industry and business is an important factor.The traditional merchants played essential role in the foundation of Baoding Chamber of Commerce.


The invention discloses a 3D display device and a 3D display method thereof. The 3D display method includes the following steps that first signals are sequentially supplied to the 3D display device, and then left eye images and right eye images are sequentially supplied; second signals are supplied when the left eye images and the right eye images are switched, and then black images are inserted; different 3D display qualities can be acquired by adjusting time for inserting the black images. Through the mode, the requirements of users for the different 3D display qualities can be met, and user experience is improved.


Relationship marketing has been an excellent way for banks to establish a unique long-term relationship with their customers. It offers a solution for service companies to avail benefit of a lasting relationship with the customer or client, while improving operations and customer satisfaction. This study aims to investigate the impact of adherence to the fundamentals of relationship marketing. 210 respondents consisting of bank customers of the ten public and private sector Banks from major cities of Rajasthan state in India were included in the study from a balanced mix of various demographic factors. Having used Factor Analysis revealed the significant number of factors related to relationship banking affects client's satisfaction in the banking industry.


The sufficient condition for ensuring the robust stability of a self-tuning controller is given in this paper.The conclusion is used to self-tuning controller of a non-minimum phase system with time-varying parameters and the system output may follow the servo-input as fast as possible,and a simulation example is presented.


A novel 50 W narrow linewidth 1178 nm Raman laser involving amplification of the second Stokes in a 1121 nm resonance cavity is reported. 1121 nm cavity power along with Stimulated Brillouin Scattering are important design considerations.


When customers require the vehicles to pickup and delivery goods simultaneous,we just consider how to arrange the path of every vehicle.However,if costomers further propose the vehicles to complete within time windows,costumers' waiting time which is regarded as the criterion of customers satisfaction must be considered,that is,the shorter,the higher the satisfaction.Therefore the goal is to minimize the total length of vehicles' paths,and to minimize the sum of all customers' waiting time.In this paper,combining into a single objective function by weight,initial solution,obtained by the nearest neighbor method and the cheapest insertion method,can be improved by tabu search algorithm.Finally solutions of different parameters are compared.


This article investigates interactions between institutional designs and values upheld by states on institutional effectiveness, for the purpose of understanding why particular institutions perform better than the others in extracting compliance and cooperation from countries. I contend that institutional effectiveness — defined as the ability to extract states' compliance and foster cooperation — is explained by dynamics between institutional functions and actors' governing principles. The higher the compatibility between these two factors, the higher the degree of institutions' effectiveness, and vice versa. This argument was validated through cases of non-tariff barrier (NTB) elimination and trade facilitation under the ASEAN Economic Community framework.


The study of hemodynamic effects on embryonic cardiovascular development has been limited by technology. Here we present an extension to Doppler OCT which may provide insight in the relationship between blood flow and heart development.


Edy Suryono, NIM: S951208004, 2015. FABRICATION OF LITHIUM IRON PHOSPHATE CARBON AS CATHODE MATERIAL OF LITHIUM ION BATTERY. Supervisor I: Prof. Muhammad Nizam,Ph.D. Supervisor II: Dr. Eng. Agus Purwanto, S.T., M.T. Thesis. Master on Mechanical Engineering. Graduate School. Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta. Abstract This research was aimed to produce LiFePO4/C particles with a mole ratio between the concentration of Fe and P of 1:1, 1:1.1, 1:1.2 and 1:1.3. Synthesis of FePO particles with FeSO4.7H2O materials and (NH4)2HPO4 using assisted flame spray pyrolysis with 1M HNO3 solvent. LiFePO4 produce by the solid state reaction methode with of the weight ratio between FePOxH2O and HLiO.H2O the ratio of (w/w) of 1:1, and with addition of 30% glucose as the carbon source; followed by annealing process at a temperature of 7000C. Characterization of LiFePO4/C particles was used to determine the size of the LiFePO4/C particles and crystals with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Cylindrical lithium ion batteries composed of cathode, anode, separator, electrolyte, case and cover. Battery performances were tested with BST8 SERIES battery analyzer through charge and discharge capacity and efficiency. LiFePO4/C particles have been successfully produced with Fe and P concentration ratio of 1:1. It was found the LiFePO4/C particles had average size around 340 nm. Results showed that the highest battery capacity, i.e. 95.37 mAh/g was achieved when the concentration ratio of Fe and P 1:1.2. The lowest capacity, i.e 22.17 mAh/g was achieved when the concentration ratio of Fe and P 1:1.1. The highest efficiency, i.e. 97.20% was achieved when the concentration ratio of Fe and P 1: 1.2, with an average depreciation capacity, i.e. 1.49 mAh/g in 20 cycles. Keywords: Flame assisted spray pyrolysis (FASP), solid state reaction, LiFePO4 / C, cathode, lithium ion batteries.


Sir, We read with great interest the article by De La Torre, et al. recently published in Lupus. The authors, through clinical and flow cytometric evaluations, demonstrate that there is an increased expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) agonistic receptor gp130 on peripheral lymphocytes, drawn from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In addition, they interestingly report a significant association between gp130 expression and disease activity score, suggesting that gp130 could provide a useful tool for monitoring patients with SLE. In agreement with these findings, we report the results of a small longitudinal study, which we performed in patients with lupus nephritis, in order to evaluate the relationship among IL-6 release from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), proteinuria and disease activity. In this study, we demonstrate a strong correlation between IL-6 spontaneous release and both systemic and renal disease activity. Moreover, we supply evidence that an effective treatment results in decreasing clinical disease activity and IL-6 production by PBMCs. Fourteen patients (36.5 10.7 year, 12 women) affected by SLE, as defined by American Rheumatism Association criteria, with renal involvement (histological findings:WHO class III for six patients, class IV for five patients and class V for three patients) were enrolled. These patients underwent induction therapy with intravenousmethylprednisolone, followed by oral prednisone, and 6-monthly boluses of intravenous cyclophosphamide. After the induction, patients started the maintenance therapy with oral prednisone combined with either cyclosporine A (eight patients) or mycophenolate mofetil (six patients). A 12-month follow-up was performed. SLE disease activity index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) was calculated every 3 months, as previously reported. Similarly, urine protein/creatinine (P/C) ratio and creatinine clearance on 24-h urine collection were calculated. IL-6 spontaneous production by PBMCs was evaluated before the initiation of the induction treatment (basal condition) and after 12 months. PBMCs were isolated from blood samples by lymphoprep gradient density centrifugation and were cultured for 24 h. At the end of the incubation period, cell-free supernatants were collected, and IL-6 concentration was evaluated by ELISA, as described elsewhere. IL-6 release by cultured PBMCs was significantly higher in basal condition when compared with posttreatment values (443.0 84.1 vs. 27.4 17.8 pg/mL; P< 0.001) (Figure 1A), whereas there was no significant difference in IL-6 levels between patients treated with mycophenolate or cyclosporine (20.2 10.5 vs. 32.7 20.9 pg/mL, ns). At 12month check-up, patients showed a significant decrease of both proteinuria and SLEDAI-2K, when compared with basal values (P/C ratio 1.76 1.25 vs. 0.69 0.38, P< 0.05, and 8.4 2.2 vs. 4.9 2.4, P< 0.01, respectively). Creatinine clearance did not significantly change (basal value 81.4 18.8 vs. 12-month value 81.3 17.2). IL-6 production resulted significantly associated to both SLEDAI-2K and P/C ratio (rs1⁄4 0.4180, P1⁄4 0.0002 and rs1⁄4 0.2670, P1⁄4 0.0049, respectively) (Figure 1B). However, this association could be due, at least in part, to the fact that an effective treatment may independently decrease both SLEDAI and IL-6 levels, acting as a confounding factor. High serum and urinary IL-6 levels have already been reported in lupus nephritis, but the relationship between IL-6 production and disease activity is still debated. Showing a close correlation between IL-6 spontaneous release and SLE activity, our data, in addition to those reported by De La Torre, could contribute to better define the important role of IL-6 activation in lupus nephritis. Longitudinal and bigger studies are required to confirm these findings and to discriminate the effects of different treatments on inflammatory status in patients with lupus nephritis.


A system of N identical nonabelian sources interacting with a nonabelian vector potential in 2+1 dimensions is considered. The Lagrangian for the potential is the Chern-Simons term. All solutions of the field equations are constructed. The statistics of the sources is found to exhibit several novel features. In particular, it depends on the potential by which they interact and is not unique. For the gauge group SU(2), among the possible statistics is that of a 1/2 fermion. Self interaction is explicitly shown to generate an intrinsic spin for the nonabelian source just as for the abelian source. Although only the group SU(2) is considered in detail in this paper, most of its results generalize to other groups.


We have fabricated poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/copper phthalocyanine (CuPc)/fullerene (PC71BM) ternary blend films. This photoactive layer is sandwiched between an indium tin oxide (ITO)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT/PSS) photoanode and a bathophenanthroline (Bphen)/Ag photocathode. The thin films have been characterized by atomic force microscope (AFM) and ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy in order to study the influence of CuPc doping on the morphological and optical properties of the photoactive layer. We have also compared the J-V characteristics of two different organic solar cells (OSCs): ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT0.5:PC71BM0.5/Bphen/Ag and ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT0.3:CuPc0.3:PC71BM0.4/Bphen/Ag with and without annealing. Both structures show good photovoltaic behavior. Actually, the incorporation of CuPc into P3HT:PC71BM thin film improves all the photovoltaic characteristics. We have also seen that thermal annealing significantly improves the optical absorption ability and stabilizes the OSCs making it more robust to chemical degradation.


Electromyogram (EMG) signals are mostly affected by a large number of artifacts. Most commonly affecting artifacts are power line interference (PLW), baseline noise and ECG noise. This work focuses...


Summary

In 2003, the US Army Corps of Engineers initiated the Pallid Sturgeon Population Assessment Program (PSPAP) to monitor pallid sturgeon and the fish community of the Missouri River. The power analysis of PSPAP presented here was conducted to guide sampling design and effort decisions. The PSPAP sampling design has a nested structure with multiple gear subsamples within a river bend. Power analyses were based on a normal linear mixed model, using a mixed cell means approach, with variance estimates from the original data. It was found that, at current effort levels, at least 20 years for pallid and 10 years for shovelnose sturgeon is needed to detect a 5% annual decline. Modified bootstrap simulations suggest power estimates from the original data are conservative due to excessive zero fish counts. In general, the approach presented is applicable to a wide array of animal monitoring programs.


1. The name of the product design: bags (hot sauce). 2. Purpose of product design: packaging. 3. The design features of this design: pattern. 4. The best indicator of design elements or photographs: the main view.


Background In this study, we explored whether awake prone position (PP) can impact prognosis of severe hypoxemia coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Methods This was a prospective observational study of severe, critically ill adult COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Patients were divided into two groups: group G1, patients who benefited from a vigilant and effective PP (>4 hours minimum/24) and group G2=control group. We compared demographic, clinical, paraclinical and evolutionary data. Results Three hundred forty-nine patients were hospitalized during the study period, 273 met the inclusion criteria. PP was performed in 192 patients (70.3%). The two groups were comparable in terms of demographic characteristics, clinical severity and modalities of oxygenation at intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The mean PaO2/FIO2 ratios were 141 and 128 mm Hg, respectively (P=0.07). The computed tomography scan was comparable with a critical >75% in 48.5% (G1) versus 54.2% (G2). The median duration of the daily PP session was 13±7 hours per day. The average duration of spontaneous PP days was 7 days (4–19). Use of invasive ventilation was lower in the G1 group (27% vs. 56%, P=0.002). Healthcare-associated infections were significantly lower in G1 (42.1% vs. 82%, P=0.01). Duration of total mechanical ventilation and length of ICU stay were comparable between the two groups. Mortality was significantly higher in G2 (64% vs. 28%, P=0.02). Conclusions Our study confirmed that awake PP can improve prognosis in COVID-19 patients. Randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm this result.


As the amount of information which becomes available to users grows, finding condensed sets of useful information becomes more difficult. The manual evaluation and discovery for content valuable to individual users needs thus grows in conjunction with the size of the dataset. Ideally, providing as condensed set of accurate information as possible results in a significant increase in user productivity and with decreased mental effort. While this concept of information foraging has been in the literature since the 1990's, its application to specific information domains has proven to be of a continual challenge. In this paper we examine the process of global matchmaking across the whole spectrum of activities between research development, innovation. As a concrete example, we investigate the European Research Area and introduce a three tiered search approach embedded in a tool called The Opportunity Finder, which increases the ease of finding matches in a user friendly and intuitive manner.


It provided a method for object recognition, the system and support mechanism. Movable handheld terminal can operate as a standalone device. Fixing member may be connected to the handheld terminal for a portal. The handheld terminal includes one or more sensors automatically or manually activated. It comprises a fixing member for removably connecting the handheld terminal member fixed to the base member.


Purpose: To find out safety and effectiveness of supratarsal injection of Triamcinolone in cobble stone papilla e in VernalKeratoconjunctivitis (VKC). Design: Prospective, uncontrolled trial. Period: June 2009 to January 2010. Setting: Department ofOphthalmology KMU Institute Of Medical Sciences Hospital KDA Kohat. Material and Methods: One hundred and fifty diagnosed patientsof VKC, of both sexes and age group between 5 – 40 years were included in the study. Patients with glaucoma, or steroid responder, postherpeticcorneal scar, active infection of cornea or conjunctiva, tightly closed eyelids, patients who lost follow-up, and patients unwillingto be enrolled in this study were excluded from the study. The patients were enrolled and informed consent was taken. Supratarsalinjection of Triamcinolone was given. Their record was maintained and all the patients were followed up for six months for evaluating theireffectiveness and side effects. Results: We treated two hundred and seventy five eyes of one hundred fifty patients. Among them 80%were males. Mean age was 14 years (range: 5—40 years). All of the patients had itching of eyes, redness, watering, photophobia,cobble-stone papillae and Tranta's dots. Mean duration of disease was 27 weeks (Range: 4 weeks to 10 months). Patients were followedup and multiple injections were given for controlling disease. Transient redness was the most common side effect of injection therapy.Study shows 100% effectiveness of supratarsal injection of triamcinolone acetonide in VKC although


Continuous pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patient care at home of Lampang Hospital wasplanned in 2004. There were 526 patients registered as new cases of TB patient, an average was 31patients per month. The highest numbers of TB patient in Amphur Muang Lampang obtained fromSrihmuadklao Primary Care Unit. How to prevent and control TB in community are really important.Descriptive study was done to determine characteristics of TB patients that promoting ability inself - care at home. TB patients who were undertook area of primary care unit in Aumphur MuangLampang and were visited by health personnel during September 1, 2006 to January 31, 2007 werestudied. Data of patient characteristics were collected. In addition, patients were interviewed to obtaindata regarding knowledge and practice of patient's self - care, and health environment around patients'home. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Significant level was considered when p-value< 0.05. The results revealed that of all 60 studied TB patients, three quarters were male and half ofthem were married. An average age was 53 years. There were 90% of the patients had knowledgeregarding tuberculosis. The patients who were considered as the middle level of self - care knowledgeand good level of self - care practice were 51.7% and 68.3%, respectively. The health environmentaround patients' home was in the good level equal to 43.3%. The characteristics of TB patients thatpromoting ability in self - care practice at good level significantly were married status (63.4%), havingperson to look after the patients (80.5%), always exercise before finding disorder (51.2%), having agood level of self - care knowledge (48.7%) and having a good level of health environment aroundpatient's home (56.1%). Thus in visiting TB patient's home, health personnel shouldemphasize TB patients how to do self - care appropriately, provide relevant knowledge intensivelyand prepare patients' family to participate in looking after the patients closely in order to promoteability in self - care of TB patients. Key words : Tuberculosis, self - care


Generalized F tests were introduced for linear models by Michalski and Zmyślony (1996, 1999). When the observations are taken in not perfectly standardized conditions the F tests have generalized F distributions with random non-centrality parameters, see Nunes and Mexia (2006). We now study the case of nearly normal perturbations leading to Gamma distributed non-centrality parameters.


Objective. To study the validity of a recently developed test battery for normal hearing adults with central auditory processing problems.

Materials and methods. The test battery comprised a questionnaire 1 and seven central auditory tests. 2 This test battery was administered in 10 normal hearing adults who visited our clinic because of speech perception problems.

Results. The test scores of the subjects was compared with those of a reference group (n = 28). On average, test scores were significantly lower for the speech-in-noise test, filtered speech test and backward masking test. In addition, individual scores were examined, based on percentile scores. A significant relationship was found between the subjects complaints (as quantified by the questionnaire) and test scores.

Conclusion. First results suggest that the test battery is valid.


Background—The effect of orthostatic stress on dynamic cerebral autoregulation (CA) in normal subjects and patients with recurrent vasovagal syncope (VVS) is unclear. This study assessed the dynamic CA responses of both groups to head-up tilt. Methods and Results—Seventeen patients with recurrent VVS and 17 pair-matched control subjects underwent 70° head-up tilt for up to 30 minutes. Bilateral middle cerebral artery blood flow velocities (CBFV) were measured with transcranial Doppler ultrasound along with noninvasive beat-to-beat blood pressure (BP), heart rate, and transcutaneous and end-tidal CO2 concentrations. Indices of dynamic CA were derived for periods before, during, and after tilt. Eight normal subjects who developed VVS in an identical protocol but who had no previous clinical history of syncope were also studied. CBFV and transcutaneous and end-tidal CO2 levels declined significantly during head-up tilt in all groups (P <0.0001). Dynamic CA indices were unchanged throughout tilt in nonsyncopal control subjects and were initially unchanged in patients but deteriorated significantly in patients and syncopal control subjects in the minutes before (P =0.027 and P =0.012, respectively) and after (P =0.002 and P =0.007, respectively) syncope. Conclusions—Dynamic CA is preserved in patients and control subjects initially after head-up tilt. Autoregulatory function remains intact in nonsyncopal control subjects during prolonged orthostasis but deteriorates in patients and syncopal control subjects immediately before and after VVS.


Mediations and pre-trial settlement conferences have become an established way of life in civil litigation in both federal and state courts. As a result, there are tens of thousands of court-ordered and private mediations and settlement conferences each year. The latest statistics show that around 98% of all civil cases settle at some point, most prior to trial either at or after a mediation or settlement conference. Notwithstanding the commonplace nature of these proceedings and the likelihood of dispute resolution as a result, many lawyers employ tactics that are ineffective. This article contains tips based upon real-world observations from an experienced mediator on what to do and what not to do at the mediation table.


Method for modifying a window with a frame associated with an audio signal is described. Signal is received. The signal is divided into a plurality of frames. Determination of whether the frame with in the plurality of frames is associated with a non-speech signal. If the frame is determined to be associated with non-speech signals, the modified discrete cosine transform (MDCT) window function is applied to the frame, generating a first zero pad region and the second zero pad region to. The frame is encoded. Window decoder is identical to the window of the encoder.


India is blessed with great Himalayas as well as hilly areas in peninsular and central areas providing opportunity for hydro power at all scale including Small Hydropower (SHP) development. Water is diverted from the streams for hydro power generation using suitable diversion structures. Conventional types of raised-crest weirs are not well suited for hill streams having steep slopes and boulder movement during floods. Inflatable dam or also known as rubber dam is one type of diversion structure to control and regulate the water for power generation.The experience of inflatable dams in India is very limited even though worldwide over 4,000 installations exist and more than 10 manufacturers offer this type of weir. There are only three installations so far used for irrigation or municipal purposes and not a single rubber dam for hydropower projects in India. For selecting a suitable diversion structure, economic and technical aspects are to be carefully considered. Different types of diversion weirs including rubber dam used for diverting water for Small Hydropower (SHP) projects are studied and presented. The design of diversion weir depends on the quantity of water withdrawal and width of stream. This study is an attempt to study the rubber dam technology for Small Hydropower in India. Five different sites were selected for the present study. Rubber dam was also compared with conventional raised gravity weir, trench weir (Tyrolean), bush and boulder weir and "mathu bund" (a local name). The life cycle of these different types of weirs for same hydraulic conditions and for different discharge were computed and compared with that of imported rubber dam as well as Indian rubber dam. The cost of rubber dam was estimated based on personal communications with the experts of manufacturers and practitioners of the subject area, as well as case studies of already constructed rubber dams in India installed for purposes other than hydropower. Operation and maintenance cost and different losses on account of head, water loss and repair were taken into account for different types of weirs for calculating life cycle cost. Possible damage that may be caused by major flood for different types of weir was also calculated monetarily in terms of power loss. The ease of inflation and deflation reduces the flood damage cost, O & M cost, sediment removal cost and repair work cost. With the comparative analysis, it is found that average life cycle cost of raised gravity weir, bush and boulder, mathu bund and trench weir (Tyrolean), is 2,3, 5 and 6 times respectively more than imported rubber dam. Life cycle cost of Indian rubber dam and average life cycle cost of imported rubber dam is about three times more than Indian rubber dam. It is recommended to use inflated weir in Small Hydropower projects being cost effective and energy efficient.


Spirulina polysaccharides are native compounds that have very important bioactivity.This paper discusses their preparation,bioactivity,structure,structure-activity relationship,and the prospect of development and application.This paper can offer some reference to deep research and development of Spirulina polysaccharides.


Abstract Purpose We examined the unidimensionality and Rasch reliability of both Jenkinson's and MacIsaac's eight-item short versions of the Stroke Impact Scale (SF-SIS), a questionnaire for assessing overall health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Methods This study was a secondary data analysis in which 263 persons with stroke completed the SIS. The 263 persons, on average, had age of 60 years, mild stroke, and moderate disability of self-care. The unidimensionality of both versions was validated via testing of model fitting and principal component analysis (PCA) of residuals using the Rasch analysis to determine the Rasch reliability and measures. Results The eight items in both SF-SIS versions met the criteria of infit and outfit MNSQ (<1.4 and >0.6), indicating good data-model fit. The PCA showed that no dominant factors existed in the residuals of the items. The person reliability of Jenkinson's and MacIsaac's SF-SIS versions was 0.80 and 0.79, respectively. The Rasch measures (i.e., person measure in logits) ranged from −1.06 to 1.87 in Jenkinson's SF-SIS and −0.82 to 1.88 in MacIsaac's version. Conclusions The unidimensionality of both versions was supported. The Rasch measures of both appear valid for representing overall HRQOL levels. Both versions also showed acceptable reliability for research purposes. Implications for rehabilitation The unidimensionality was justified for both versions (Jenkinson's and MacIsaac's eight-item short-versions of Stroke Impact Scale). The Rasch scores of both versions appear valid for representing overall health-related quality of life. Both versions showed acceptable reliability for research purposes, but not sufficiently reliable for clinical use.


The utility model discloses a recovery device for tail gas generated in polypropylene production process, belonging to the technical field of fine chemical engineering waste gas recovery. The recovery device comprises a gas holder, a compressor, a condenser, a gas-liquid separation tank, a low temperature condenser and a membrane separation device. The gas subjected to membrane separation is separated into two paths, one path is discharged to a torch and the other path is discharged to the gas holder for recovery. By the above technology, the tail gas generated by a polypropylene production device is collected through the gas holder, the tail gas is further treated by compression, condensation and liquid-gas separation, thus, the liquid hydrocarbon is conveyed to a liquid phase hydrocarbon storage tank for recovery. The uncondensed gas is further recovered after being partially condensed into liquid by the low temperature condenser; at the moment, the hydrocarbon content in the gas is lowered, the gas entering into the membrane can be separated effectively, and the operating load of the membrane component is reduced. The nitrogen after separation is discharged to the torch, and the hydrocarbon gas is recovered in the gas holder for further use. The technology lowers the unit consumption of the device, protects the environment, and has the characteristics of being simple in structure, low in investment, complete in separation and beneficial for recovery, and so on.


All Rhode Islanders, all people, deserve an equal opportunity to harness their talents, share their gifts, and achieve their dreams, no matter their race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, gender orientation, or level of education or income. One of the most effective ways to ensure this movement towards equity is to address the inequity of social and environmental factors that contribute to health disparities. We have made some gains in this area in our state and across the country, but our work is ongoing. In Rhode Island, for example, men are at significantly greater risk of dying of drug overdose; non-high school graduates have a life expectancy seven years shorter than graduates; African Americans experience double the infant mortality of Caucasians; and more than half of Native American children (54%) live in poverty. We should not accept these kinds of disparities, because together they represent a profound form of social injustice. And we should not accept these kinds of disparities because we don't have to accept them. Once we understand the importance to health of social and environmental factors, health disparities are preventable, if we work smarter, if we better organize our social capital, and if we seek new opportunities to promote health equity for all communities. We can work smarter by incorporating continuous quality improvement into everything we do, and by engaging academia in major public health initiatives. To this end, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) was an early adopter of the Lean Government Initiative, a continuous quality improvement program introduced by Gov. Gina M. Raimondo to eliminate waste and backlogs and to increase agency efficiency. We have also developed the RIDOH Academic Center and are entering into dynamic academic partnerships with colleges and universities throughout the state to enhance information sharing, teaching, public health research, and evaluation. We can better organize our social capital by encouraging communities to define the health issues they experience, and then to assist these communities as they enact the responses they have designed. What does this look like? One example is RIDOH's Health Equity Zone (HEZ) Initiative, which provides communities with frameworks to achieve health equity by eliminating health disparities through place-based strategies. Currently, RIDOH is supporting 10 statewide HEZs in their work to prevent chronic diseases, improve birth outcomes, and improve the social and environmental conditions of their neighborhoods. Each HEZ is led by a backbone organization that is coordinating with residents, municipal leaders, educators, law enforcement officials, business people, healthcare providers, people in public health, and many more. We can seek new opportunities to promote health equity by stretching outside the limitations of federal or categorical funding so that we can diversify our capacity to address public health issues in all their complexity. This is happening through the HEZ Initiative, as RIDOH has taken this "braided" approach of funding from several categorical sources to increase the collective impact of our public health work, such as increasing access to healthy food as a means to address diabetes risk, and improving the safety of neighborhood environments to increase the physical activity of residents.


A 38-year-old woman presented with 1-month history of restlessness, decreased sleep, religious song auditory hallucination and delusion of persecution and reference. She had no insight into her illness. She was not on any long-term medications. There was no history of head trauma or exposure to toxins. She suffered from postpartum psychosis during both her pregnancies (8 and 11 years ago) which warranted inpatient treatment with antipsychotics and mood stabilisers. She defaulted treatment both times once she got better and did not experience any recurrence of symptoms until current episode. She had no other comorbidities or significant family history. Her general medical and neurological examination findings were within normal limits. Routine laboratory tests did not reveal any abnormality. A brain MRI diffusion weighted imaging sequence demonstrated cavum vergae (CV, figure 1A) and MRI brain apparent diffusion coefficient sequence showing CV and thinned out cavum septum pellucidum (CSP, figure …


The β-dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) contents of 46 macroalgal species from the tropical island of Hainan, People's Republic of China, were determined by gas-liquid phase chromatography. In almost all investigated green, brown and red algal species, DMSP could be detected. The highest concentrations were measured in members of the green algal order Ulvales, and these were similar to those of isolates from polar and temperate regions. The tropical Ulvales from Hainan are comparable in their DMSP contents with temperate species of this order. Polar species, in contrast, exhibit significantly higher DMSP values.


Plain abdominal roentgenograms are valuable in making a presumptive diagnosis, but barium enema examination clearly shows the exact location of lower intestinal obstruction in the newborn and allows the physician to differentiate among its various causes. Ileal atresia, meconium ileus (fibrocystic disease), Hirschsprung's disease, and meconium plug syndrome are most commonly seen.


Image segmentation plays an important role in the field of image processing, and it has been widely used in practice. Because the classical method has inaccurate edge location and wide edge non - single pixel, which is easily disturbed by noise, we present an adaptive threshold method of multi - grade complex object by image edge field. With the comparison of the various methods, the method has more noise - immune ability and stability and it is full automatic. The effectiveness of our method is demonstrated by examples shown in the paper.


The success of political societies depends as much upon political culture, the "unwritten constitution," as upon legal and constitutional institutions. For a premise so generally accepted, politica...


Using a sensitive in vitro microperfuslon method, the effects of selective and potent agils of NK1, NK2, and NK3 tachykinin receptors {[ProSP, [Lys5,MeLeue, NklJNKA-(4-10), and [Pro7]NKB, respectively} on the presynaptic control of doine relase were investgted in striosomal-enriched (area rich in [3Hnlxone bi mg sites) and matrix-enriched areas of the rat riatum. Marked differences could be demonstrated as follows: (a) when used at 0.1 F&M, the NK1 agonist simulated the release of [Hjdopamine continuously synthesized from [3H1tyrosine in both compartments, while the NK2 and NK3 agon e d the release of (3Hldopamlne only In the matrix; (it) the stimuat effect of the NK3 agonist was less pronounced than those of the NK1 and NK2 agonists; (ii) the NK1 agonist-evoked _were tetrodotoxin (1 FM) sensitive, while those of the NK2 and NK3 agonits were, respectively, partially and totally tetrodotoxin int; (iv) specific receptors are involved in these responses since the stiulatory effects ofthe NK1 and NK2 agoni were, respectively, blocked by potent antagonists ofNK1 (RP-67580; 1 FM) and NK2 (SR-48968; 1 FM) receptors, while these antagonists did not affect the NK3 agonist-evoked response; (v) the i t simulator effect of the NK1 agonist was partially reduced under local blockade ofcholinergic to in the matrix but not in the striosomal-enriched area. Interestingly, this study aiso revealed mismatches between autoradlegraphic data and receptor-mediated responses, since NK2 binding sites could not be observed in the staum while NK3 but not NK1 binding sites were visualized in the striosomal-enriched area. In several species, including humans, the striatum is divided into two main anatomical compartments, the striosomes (or patches) and the matrix, which can be distinguished by several biochemical markers such as acetylcholinesterase (1, 2) and ,u opiate binding sites (3) found in large amounts in the matrix and striosomes, respectively. These compartments also differ in some of their cortical, thalamic, or mesencephalic afferents and by the target structures oftheir efferents (4, 5). According to studies performed in the cat and rat, distinct populations of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons innervate the striosomes and the matrix (6, 7). This has led us to investigate the presynaptic regulation of dopamine (DA) release in striosomaland matrix-enriched areas by an in vitro superfusion procedure (8). Marked differences could be demonstrated between these compartments in the pattern or amplitude of the acetylcholineand N-methyl-D-aspartateevoked release of DA (8, 9). The present study was undertaken to determine whether additional functional differences between striosomes and matrix could be shown by examining the effects of specific agonists ofNK1, NK2, and NK3 tachykinin receptors on the presynaptic regulation of DA release in striosomaland matrix-enriched areas of the rat striatum. This choice was made for several reasons: (i) substance P (SP), neurokinin A (NKA), and neurokinin B (NKB), the endogenous ligands of NK1, NK2, and NK3 receptors are present in the striatum (10, 11), and NK1, NK3, but not NK2 binding sites have been shown in this structure (12). (ii) SP-containing neurons have been visualized in both compartments, but fibers enriched in SP immunoreactivity are particularly dense in striosomes (13). (iii) According to in situ hybridization studies, a slightly larger proportion of tachykinin-containing neurons is present in striosomes than in the matrix (14) and the rate oftachykinin synthesis is higher in striosomal neurons (15). (iv) mRNA for NKB precursors are expressed in striatopallidal neurons (16), which are all located in the matrix (17). (v) SP stimulates the release of DA through a tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive process from whole striatal slices of rat (18). MATERIALS AND METHODS Autoradographic Experiments. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (250-300 g; Charles River Breeding Laboratories) were killed by decapitation and their brains were rapidly removed and frozen in isopentane at -400C. Series of saggital sections (20 jum thick) taken at lateral (L = 4.7-4.0; matrix enriched) or medial (L = 3.0-2.0; striosome enriched) levels of the brain were cut with a cryostat at -200C and then mounted onto gelatin-coated glass slides. Alternate sections were used for either [3H]naloxone or one of the 125I-labeled tachykinin ligands. Binding experiments with [3H~naloxone (56.1 Ci/ mmol; 1 Ci = 37 GBq; Amersham) were performed as described (19). Tachykinin binding experiments were performed as described by Saffroy et al. (12). 125I-labeled Bolton-Hunter SP (1251-BHSP; 200,000 cpm/mI = 65 pM; NEN), 125I-NKA (275,000 cpm/ml = 100 pM; NEN), and 125I1 Bolton-Hunter eledoisin (1251-BHE; 200,000 cpm/ml = 65 pM; NEN) were used to label NK1, NK2, and NK3 receptors, respectively, with nonspecific binding being determined by adding corresponding selective agonists at a concentration of 1 A&M, [Pro9ISP, [Lys5,MeLeu9,Nle'0]NKA-(4-10), and [ProI]NKB for NK1, NK2, and NK3 receptors, respectively. Autoradiographic films were developed for 40 sec, 2 min, or 3 min for experiments made with either 125I-BHSP, 1251-BHE, or 125I-NKA, respectively. [3HJDA Releae. As described (8,9), male Sprague-Dawley rats (250-300 g; Charles River Breeding Laboratories) were killed and their brains were rapidly removed and cooled. Thick saggital slices (1.0-1.3 mm) were cut with a Vibratome Abbreviations: SP, substance P; BHE, Bolton-Hunter eledoisin; BHSP, Bolton-Hunter SP; DA, dopamine; NKA, neurokinin A; NKB, neurokinin B; TTX, tetrodotoxin. 11214 The publication costs of this article were defrayed in part by page charge payment. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. §1734 solely to indicate this fact. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89 (1992) 11215