The literature on bounded rationality and learning in macroeconomics has often used recursive algorithms to depict the evolution of agents' beliefs over time. In this thesis we assess this practice from an applied perspective, focusing on the use of such algorithms for the computation of forecasts of macroeconomic variables. Our analysis develops around three issues we find to have been previously neglected in the literature: (i) the initialization of the learning algorithms; (ii) the determination and calibration of the learning gains, which are key parameters of the algorithms' specifications; and, (iii) the choice of a representative learning mechanism. In order to approach these issues we establish an estimation framework under which we unify the two main algorithms considered in this literature, namely the least squares and the stochastic gradient algorithms. We then propose an evaluation framework that mimics the real-time process of expectation formation through learning-to-forecast exercises. To analyze the quality of the forecasts associated to the learning approach, we evaluate their forecasting accuracy and resemblance to surveys, these latter taken as proxy for agents' expectations. In spite of taking these two criteria as mutually desirable, it is not clear whether they are compatible with each other: whilst forecasting accuracy represents the goal of optimizing agents, resemblance to surveys is indicative of actual agents behavior. We carry out these exercises using real-time quarterly data on US inflation and output growth covering a broad post-WWII period of time.Our main contribution is to show that a proper assessment of the adaptive learning approach requires going beyond the previous views in the literature about these issues. For the initialization of the learning algorithms we argue that such initial estimates need to be coherent with the ongoing learning process that was already in place at the beginning of our sample of data. We find that the previous initialization methods in the literature are vulnerable to this requirement, and propose a new smoothing-based method that is not prone to this critic. Regarding the learning gains, we distinguish between two possible rationales to its determination: as a choice of agents; or, as a primitive parameter of agents learning-to-forecast behavior. Our results provide strong evidence in favor of the gain as a primitive approach, hence favoring the use of surveys data for their calibration. In the third issue, about the choice of a representative algorithm, we challenge the view that learning should be represented by only one of the above algorithms; on the basis of our two evaluation criteria, our results suggest that using a single algorithm represents a misspecification. That motivate us to propose the use of hybrid forms of the LS and SG algorithms, for which we find favorable evidence as representatives of how agents learn. Finally, our analysis concludes with an optimistic assessment on the plausibility of adaptive learning, though conditioned to an appropriate treatment of the above issues. We hope our results provide some guidance on that respect.


At least two cortical collecting duct (CCD) intercalated cell populations mediate HCO3- secretion and reabsorption. The present study examined the membrane location of intercalated cell Cl-/base exchange activity and the axial distribution of CCD intercalated cells. CCD were studied using in vitro microperfusion in CO2/HCO3(-)-containing solutions; intracellular pH was measured using 2',7'-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein. The A-type intercalated cell (A cell) and B-type intercalated cell (B cell) were identified functionally by the absence and presence of apical Cl-/HCO3- exchange activity, respectively. When a 0 mM Cl-, 0 mM HCO3- luminal solution was used, removal of Cl- from the peritubular solution caused intracellular alkalinization in all B cells. The alkalinization required neither extracellular Na+ nor changes in membrane potential. Peritubular 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS) (10(-4) M) inhibited A cell but not B cell basolateral Cl-/base exchange activity. In comparison to studies performed with a 0 mM Cl- 0 mM HCO3- luminal solution, the use of a 0 mM Cl-, 25 mM HCO3- luminal solution inhibited both the identification and the magnitude of B cell basolateral Cl-/base exchange activity. When CCD from the inner and outer cortex were separately studied, only 7% of outer CCD intercalated cells were A cells, whereas 93% were B cells. In contrast, in the inner CCD, 58% of intercalated cells were A cells and 42% were B cells. Under stop-flow conditions, outer CCD alkalinized the luminal fluid, whereas inner CCD acidified the luminal fluid. These results indicate that all CCD intercalated cells possess basolateral Cl-/base exchange activity; however, A cell and B cell basolateral Cl-/base exchange activity differs, at least in terms of sensitivity to DIDS. Furthermore, there is axial heterogeneity in both intercalated cell type and function.


We prove that on a large family of metric measure spaces, if the `carr\'e du champ' $\Gamma$ satisfies a $p$-gradient estimate of heat flows for some $p>2$, then the metric measure space is ${\rm RCD}(K,\infty)$. The argument relies on the non-smooth Bakry-\'Emery's theory. As an application, we provide another proof of the von Renesse-Sturm's theorem on smooth metric measure space.


Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is known to initiate a series of chemical cascades resulting in neuronal dysfunction and death. Epidemiology studies have found that a prior incidence of TBI is the most important cause of remote symptomatic epilepsy in young adults and children. TBI‐induced changes in neuronal sensitivity to stimulation may contribute to acute seizures and the eventual generation of epilepsy. This study examined TBI‐induced changes in neuronal sensitivity to stimulation by measuring intracellular calcium ([Ca++]i) responses in neurons during glutamate application in vitro. Initial experiments examined neuronal and glial cell death and determined that a 31% mechanical strain trauma to mixed neuronal‐astrocyte rat cortical cultures produced a trend, but no significant cell death at 48 h after injury. Subsequent experiments utilized this magnitude of trauma to examine the sensitivity of cortical neurons to changes in [Ca++]i in response to 100‐μm glutamate at five time points postinjury (1, 6, 24, 48, and 72 h). Traumatically strain‐injured neurons responded with a dynamic change in the accumulation of [Ca++]i, with a significant increase at 48 h and a significant decrease at 72 h as compared to uninjured cultures. These data highlight that TBI leads to abnormal responsiveness to stimulation, an indicator of neuronal dysfunction in surviving cells. Such changes in sensitivity to stimulation may also be associated with changes in excitability in the first hours to days after TBI, and may play a role in early posttraumatic seizures observed in patients with TBI. In addition, this study provides an in vitro paradigm for testing the function of surviving cells following treatment interventions targeted at reducing cell death and dysfunction.


Since Bowers 1993, it has been accepted that nonverbal small clauses are headed by a functional head, Pred0, whose function is to obligatorily mediate all nonverbal predication. I argue against this hypothesis by critically reanalyzing the original syntactic arguments for PredP, examining possible semantic support for mediated predication, and reviewing the putative crosslinguistic evidence for overt equivalence of Pred0. I first demonstrate that the facts originally taken as motivating a functional head in small clauses can now be accounted for by independently needed assumptions. I then show that standard Montagovian semantics treating NPs, APs, and PPs as unsaturated functions requires no mediating projection and that suggested alternative meanings for Pred0 either fail or cannot be used as motivation for its existence. Finally, I provide evidence that the syntax of copular particles and other "overt predicators" is different from that expected of Pred0 in such ways that they cannot be taken as prima facie evidence for it either. I sketch an alternative theory linking the use of predicative particles to nominal predication and provide evidence for it from crosslinguistic lexicalization patterns of copular particles. In sum, neither theoretical nor empirical considerations require a mediating functional head in small clauses, and therefore the PredP hypothesis should be abandoned.


This paper presents a control algorithm for a voltage source converter (VSC) that is used for connection of photovoltaic (PV) modules. The algorithm enables decoupled control of the PV generation system active and reactive power. Moreover, it enables the operation with unbalanced voltages. In case of unbalance, the negative-sequence currents are regulated to zero and the reference active and reactive power are maintained constant. The algorithm therefore extends the functionality of a PV generation system. Besides delivering the PV modules active power to the network, the PV system gains the functionally of VSC based active compensators. Such PV system could be used, for example, for voltage support or for power factor correction. For the evaluation of the proposed algorithm a PV generation system model is developed in PSCAD. The algorithm shows a good dynamic response and stable operation also in the case of relatively deep voltage sags


IntroductionWe now have the opportunity to disentangle the complexities of lifespan brain health through linking rich birth cohorts data to novel information utilizing health informatics techniques. Wellcome Trust evidenced that efforts to manage and link digital health data require exploring the attitudes of public and data guardians towards this initiative.
Objectives and ApproachOur teams in Aberdeen, Mysore and Mumbai have established general population cohorts that have provided evidence on the early-life origins of later-life diseases. In 2016, we engaged with the participants of the Aberdeen Children of the 1950s (62-68,N~8,400) in an event attended by 350 study members. We are also engaging with members and data guardians of Mysore Parthenon Cohort (20-21y,N~500), Mysore Birth Records Cohort (51-83y,N~750), and Mumbai Maternal Nutrition Cohort (5-11y,N~1,600). This qualitative project utilises focus groups and individual interviews. The goal is to understand their attitudes and perceived public benefits towards future novel data collection, data platforms and biorepositories.
ResultsThe ACONF event attendees were very willing to volunteer for further studies. The highest support was for 'provide a blood sample' (92%) and the lowest for 'take an online survey' (83%). They were satisfied with data governance but had incomplete understanding of linkage possibilities with their data. Through the ongoing activities in Mysore and in Mumbai, we aim to achieve the following: 1) Develop awareness of health informatics through public engagement with participants and researchers; 2) Explore attitudes and potential barriers to creation of secure data linkage between imaging, laboratory, health data and outcomes to facilitate future linkage studies; 3) Understand what is required for interoperable, secure data storage and plan future biorepository as a resource for researchers that will build over time in India.
Conclusion/ImplicationsThe proposed activities will inform preparation of a large scale grant to investigate the hypothesis that early life environment affects future risk of mental illness and cognitive ability globally. They will also begin to create a platform of enduring value for future cross-cultural population research.


The Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and its variations have been well-studied for their applications in the prediction of industrial control and loading problems. Despite showing satisfactory performance in terms of accuracy, the ANN models are notorious for being slow compared to, e.g., the traditional statistical models. This substantially hinders ANN model's real-world applications in control and loading prediction problems. Recently a novel learning approach of ANN called Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) has emerged and it is proven to be very fast compared with the traditional ANN. In this paper, an Intelligent Quick Prediction Algorithm (IQPA), which employs an extended ELM (ELME) in producing fast, stable, and accurate prediction results for control and loading problems, is devised. This algorithm is versatile in which it can be used for short, medium to long-term predictions with both time series and non-time series data. Publicly available power plant operations and aircraft control data are employed for conducting analysis with this proposed novel model. Experimental results show that IQPA is effective and efficient, and can finish the prediction task with accurate results within a prespecified time limit.


The metabolism of 2- and 3-hydroxyacetanilide was examined in incubations with mouse liver microsomes. Metabolic products were determined by a comparison of both chromatographic and electrochemical properties with that of reference materials. Using this technique, 3-hydroxyacetaminophen and 2-acetamidohydroquinone were positively identified as microsomal metabolites of 3-hydroxyacetanilide. Incubation of 2-hydroxyacetanilide with liver microsomes resulted in the formation of 2-acetamidohydroquinone. Deacetylation products, ortho- and meta-aminophenol were observed but were apparently formed through NADPH-independent processes. Tentative identifications were made for the formation of sulfhydryl adducts from 3-hydroxyacetanilide, 2-acetamidohydroquinone, and 2-hydroxyacetanilide but not from 3-hydroxyacetanilide. The microsomal metabolism was compared with in vivo metabolism through the analysis of urine from mice administered 200 mg/kg (ip) dosages of the hydroxyacetanilides. The parent compounds and their dihydroxylated metabolites were excreted primarily as sulfate and glucuronide conjugates. Conjugated o-aminophenol was detected in urine following 2-hydroxyacetanilide administration, but m-aminophenol was not observed in urine from mice receiving the meta isomer. Mercapturates of the above compounds were not detected in any of the urines.


Vascular permeability factor/vascular endothelial growth factor (VPF/VEGF) exerts its multiple functions by activating two receptor tyrosine kinases, Flt-1 (VEGFR-1) and KDR (VEGFR-2), both of which are selectively expressed on primary vascular endothelium. To dissect the respective signaling pathways and biological functions mediated by these receptors in primary endothelial cells with two receptors intact, we, recently developed chimeric receptors (EGDR and EGLT) in which the extracellular domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor was fused to the transmembrane domain and intracellular domain of KDR and Flt-1, respectively. With these fusion receptors, we have shown that KDR is solely responsible for VPF/VEGF-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation and migration, whereas Flt-1 showed an inhibitory effect on KDR-mediated proliferation but not migration. To further characterize the VPF/VEGF-stimulated HUVEC proliferation and migration here, we have created several EGDR mutants by site-directed mutagenesis. We show that tyrosine residues 1059 and 951 of KDR are essential for VPF/VEGF-induced HUVEC proliferation and migration, respectively. Furthermore, the mutation of tyrosine 1059 to phenylanaline results in the complete loss of KDR/EGDR-mediated intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and MAPK phosphorylation, but the mutation of tyrosine 951 to phenylanaline did not affect these events. Our results suggest that KDR mediates different signaling pathways for HUVEC proliferation and migration and, moreover, intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and MAPK phosphorylation are not essential for VPF/VEGF-induced HUVEC migration.


ABSTRACT In Escherichia coli, division site placement is regulated by the dynamic behavior of the MinCDE proteins, which oscillate from pole to pole and confine septation to the centers of normal rod-shaped cells. Some current mathematical models explain these oscillations by considering interactions among the Min proteins without recourse to additional localization signals. So far, such models have been applied only to regularly shaped bacteria, but here we test these models further by employing aberrantly shaped E. coli cells as miniature reactors. The locations of MinCDE proteins fused to derivatives of green fluorescent protein were monitored in branched cells with at least three conspicuous poles. MinCDE most often moved from one branch to another in an invariant order, following a nonreversing clockwise or counterclockwise direction over the time periods observed. In cells with two short branches or nubs, the proteins oscillated symmetrically from one end to the other. The locations of FtsZ rings were consistent with a broad MinC-free zone near the branch junctions, and Min rings exhibited the surprising behavior of moving quickly from one possible position to another. Using a reaction-diffusion model that reproduces the observed MinCD oscillations in rod-shaped and round E. coli, we predict that the oscillation patterns in branched cells are a natural response of Min behavior in cellular geometries having different relative branch lengths. The results provide further evidence that Min protein oscillations act as a general cell geometry detection mechanism that can locate poles even in branched cells.


Open-angle glaucoma is a multifactorial optic neuropathy characterized by progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells and their axons. It is an irreversible disease with no established cure. The only currently approved treatment is aimed at lowering intraocular pressure, the most significant risk factor known to date. However, it is now clear that there are other risk factors involved in glaucoma's pathophysiology. To achieve future improvements in glaucoma management, new approaches to therapies and novel targets must be developed. Such therapies may include new tissue targets for lowering intraocular pressure, molecules influencing ocular hemodynamics, and treatments providing neuroprotection of retinal ganglion cells. Furthermore, novel drug delivery systems are in development that may improve patient compliance, increase bioavailability, and decrease adverse side effects.


Aims The aim of the current study was to gain an understanding of the experiences and aspirations of young people living with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) in their own words. Methods 11 young people aged 11 to 16 years with a prior diagnosis of DCD were identified from child health records of two participating NHS trust. The sample included seven boys and four girls, from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds living in different parts of one large urban area in England. In depth semi-structured interviews and subsequent focus group discussions were carried out with the young people. Interviews were enhanced using participatory arts-based techniques to add depth to specific questions. All interviews were recorded verbatim and transcribed. Narrative data was analyzed using Lindseth's interpretive phenomenology to elicit understanding of lived experiences. The study was approved by local research and ethics committee. Results The central theme of 'We're all different' described how the young person saw themselves and encompassed the formation of identity. Subthemes illustrated the attitude of the young people to their day to day lives, their difficulties and strategies used by the young people to overcome these difficulties in school and at home. As the majority of time was spent in school, the attitude of the school to difference, the presence of bullying, the accepting nature of the class, teachers and peers were vitally important. Areas of life that encouraged a positive sense of identity and worth included being part of a social network that gave the young people a sense of belonging, potentially one that valued differences as well as similarities. The young people felt that this sense of belonging needed to be supported by parents, teachers, therapists and the ethos of the school. Conclusion The current work highlights the need for services to adopt an empowered model of DCD where the young person talks about what they can do and considers strategies of overcoming their difficulties. This has implications for education and future intervention strategies that focus on fostering psychological resilience and educational coping strategies rather than simply attempting to improving motor skills.


Immersive virtual reality (IVR) may boost neglect recovery, as it can provide an engaging experience in a 3D environment. We designed an IVR rehabilitation game for neglect patients using the Oculus Rift. Multisensory cues were presented in the neglected visual field in a patient-tailored way. We acquired pilot data in 15 neurologically healthy controls and 7 stroke patients. First, we compared cybersickness before and after VR exposure. Second, we assessed the user experience through a questionnaire. Third, we tested whether neglect symptoms corresponded between the VR game and a computerized cancelation task. Fourth, we evaluated the effect of the multisensory cueing on target discrimination. Last, we tested two algorithms to tailor the game to the characteristics of the neglected visual field. Cybersickness significantly reduced after VR exposure in six stroke patients and was low in healthy controls. Patients rated the user experience neutral to positive. In addition, neglect symptoms were consistent between a computerized cancelation and VR rehabilitation task. The multisensory cue positively affected target discrimination in the game and we successfully presented sensory stimulation to the neglected visual field in a patient-tailored way. Our results show that it is promising to use gamified patient-tailored immersive VR for neglect rehabilitation.


Modern hormone replacement therapy (HRT) regimens contain oestrogen and progestogen, given either in a cyclical or continuous combined manner. Most endometrial biopsies from women on sequential HRT show weak secretory features. Approximately 15% show proliferative activity, although this figure may be less if more than nine days of progestogen is given in each cycle. A small proportion will show an inactive or atrophic endometrium. Up to 50% of biopsies from women on continuous combined HRT contain minimal endometrial tissue for histopathological analysis: this correlates well with an atrophic endometrium with no appreciable pathology. Of the 50% with more substantial material, approximately one half will show endometrial atrophy, and one half will show weak secretory features. Proliferative, menstrual, and pseudodecidual changes are rare. Approximately 20% of women given unopposed oestrogen for one year develop endometrial hyperplasia. The relative risk of endometrial carcinoma is two to three. This is dramatically reduced by the addition of progestogen to the regimen, but cyclical progestogen as part of a sequential HRT regimen does not completely eliminate the risk of carcinoma. The prevalence of endometrial hyperplasia associated with sequential HRT is 5.4%, and that of atypical hyperplasia (endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia) is 0.7%. Continuous combined HRT is not associated with the development of hyperplasia or carcinoma, and may normalise the endometrium of women who have developed complex hyperplasia on sequential HRT. The probability of a histopathologist finding clinically relevant pathology in an endometrial biopsy specimen of a patient on HRT is low and is more likely to be a manifestation of pre-existing disease.


We report a {Cu16} embedded within a {W44} cluster containing four cubane-like [Cu4O4] units within an isopolyoxotungstate (isoPOT) in a {Na4Cu4[(H2W11O38) (CH3COO)(OH)3]}4·88H2O (1) and a polyanion Cu-linked {W11} chain Na6Cu2[(H2W11O38)(CH3COO)(OH)]·26H2O (2). Electronically, the redox properties show that both compounds 1 and 2 undergo irreversible reductions resulting in the demetalation of the compounds, whilst the magnetic behavior of 1 and 2 shows a weak antiferromagnetic and a stronger ferromagnetic coupling, respectively.


THERE is a disease of man which is most typically manifested as a gradually progressive weakness of the muscles of the eyelids and of the external muscles of the eyeballs. The disease begins insidiously in early life (before the age of 30) and gradually involves more and more of these muscles until finally, after many years (30 to 40), severe ptosis and external ophthalmoplegia are present. The process may be bilateral or unilateral; it may be asymmetric in degree of involvement; progress of the disease may stop temporarily or permanently at any point, but remissions do not occur; the pupils remain unaffected; family incidence has been noted, and other muscles of the face, limbs, or trunk may show a similar kind of progressive weakness and wasting. The literature on this disease has recently been summarized by Kiloh and Nevin,1and it is they who have furnished a full and


The design and the atomic composition of Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs) make them unique for investigations of single energetic particle events. As detector system for ionizing particles they detect single particles with local resolution and near real time particle tracking. In combination with its properties as optical sensor, particle transversals of single particles are to be correlated to any objects attached to the light sensitive surface of the sensor by simple imaging of their shadow and subsequent image analysis of both, optical image and particle effects, observed in affected pixels. With biological objects it is possible for the first time to investigate effects of single heavy ions in tissue or extinguished organs of metabolizing (i.e. moving) systems with a local resolution better than 15 microns. Calibration data for particle detection in CCDs are presented for low energetic protons and heavy ions.


The high-energy laser melts the cladding materials which coagulate onto the surface of the base materials. The laser cladding coatings are produced mainly in two methods: powder feeding and prefabricating. The grain-strengthening composite coatings could be formed more easily by prefabricating method than by powder feeding method. In this paper, Ni/SiC ceramic composite coating on carbon steel (45 steel) was made by prefabricating method. The microstructure and wear-resistance of Ni/SiC cladding coating on the 45 steel were studied using scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and wear test. The results showed that the microstructure of cladding coatings included bonding layer, thermo-affected layer and heat-affected layer after laser cladding. The microstructure of cladding coating was mainly of dendrite and cell-like crystals. The resultant multilayered coating had excellent adherence with the base steel. The addition of SiC particles into cladding coatings significantly reinforced the microhardness of laser cladding coating. Compared with Ni60A cladding coating, Ni60A/SiC cladding coating had high microhardness, which was attributed to not only the dispersion intensification effect of the SiC particle, but also by the new complicated phases. During laser cladding process, SiC particles may decompose and dissolve into the coating and result in solid solution strengthening effect which increases the microhardness of the composite coatings. The base material and Ni-based laser cladding coatings with and without SiC were tested to assess the wear-resistance property. The test results demonstrated that the laser cladding coatings had better wear resistance than the base material. Furthermore, the laser cladding coating with SiC particles had higher wear-resistance than the coating without SiC.


1. Although the home range is a fundamental ecological concept, there is considerable debate over how it is best measured. There is a substantial literature concerning the precision and accuracy of all commonly used home range estimation methods; however, there has been considerably less work concerning how estimates vary with sampling regime, and how this affects statistical inferences. 2. We propose a new procedure, based on a variance components analysis using generalized mixed effects models to examine how estimates vary with sampling regime. 3. To demonstrate the method we analyse data from one study of 32 individually marked roe deer and another study of 21 individually marked kestrels. We subsampled these data to simulate increasingly less intense sampling regimes, and compared the performance of two kernel density estimation (KDE) methods, of the minimum convex polygon (MCP) and of the bivariate ellipse methods. 4. Variation between individuals and study areas contributed most to the total variance in home range size. Contrary to recent concerns over reliability, both KDE methods were remarkably efficient, robust and unbiased: 10 fixes per month, if collected over a standardized number of days, were sufficient for accurate estimates of home range size. However, the commonly used 95% isopleth should be avoided; we recommend using isopleths between 90 and 50%. 5. Using the same number of fixes does not guarantee unbiased home range estimates: statistical inferences differ with the number of days sampled, even if using KDE methods. 6. The MCP method was highly inefficient and results were subject to considerable and unpredictable biases. The bivariate ellipse was not the most reliable method at low sample sizes. 7. We conclude that effort should be directed at marking more individuals monitored over long periods at the expense of the sampling rate per individual. Statistical results are reliable only if the whole sampling regime is standardized. We derive practical guidelines for field studies and data analysis.


therefore, that we see a translation of Cajal's text book, which more or less representsa compendiumof the investigationsof the illustrious author and his disciples, and which, moreover, gives us an opportunity of seeing how the great masterpresentshis subject to his classes.' The translatorhopesthat this work "will serveas a guide to Spanishhistology and inspire the reader to investigate more deeply Spanish medical literature, with the assurancethat a veritable mine of pleasureawaits him". The present work is a translation of the elementary student's text book, as used in all Spanish-speaking universities,in which thesystemof instructiondiffers somewhat from that obtaining in English-speakingcountries. The translation closely follows the original text, and the nomenclature,phraseologyand syntax,often appeara little unusual. The translatorhas followed this procedurewith the set purposeof making English readersfamiliar with many of the vivid teaching locutions so characteristicof Cajal's lecture room. The first seven chaptersare devoted to cytology, and represent a very thorough presentation of the most important facts of this difficult branch of histology. Of the remaining sections, those which deal with muscular and nervous tissues call for special comment. These subjects receive a fuller treatment than is usually attemptedin an elementarytext book, that of the nervous tissue alone occupying two hundred pages. This is to be expected,as it is just in this branch of histology that Cajal is so famous. Those familiar with his eminencewill welcome this compendiumcompiled by Cajal himself. All other sections of the work are adequatelytreated and are comparablewith similar sections in other first class text books. A large chapter and appendix are devoted to histological methods. This is especially valuable as the main proceduresfor the preparation of material, as used in the Cajal laboratories, are given in adequatedetail. The whole work is profusely illustrated with large, clear and informative figures, and a great number are either original or are products of Cajal's disciples and set a very high standard as text book illustrations.


We present a complete specification of a new architecture for the Manufacturing Message Specification (MMS) protocol. This architecture is based on a client/multi-server model adopted by the MMS standard. A client invokes a service request that implies the cooperation of many servers to execute the requested service and satisfies the client demand. This architecture permits the definition of distributed objects, each of them is composed of simple MMS objects distributed over many servers. The coordination of the MMS services execution across the distributed cooperated servers as well as the coherence of the distributed object are guaranteed by the services and the protocol offered by the ISO Commitment, Concurrency, and Recovery (CCR) application service element. The specification of the secured MMS multi-server protocol is introduced by a finite state machine model. This model is used as a base for a formal validation using the Calculus of Communicating Systems (CCS).


This paper examines sustainability of the fiscal stances of South Korea, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa and Turkey. Using the usual intertemporal borrowing constraint, we have tested for a long-run relationship between revenue and expenditure plus interest payments. In our empirical analysis of the sustainability of fiscal stances, cointegration approaches have been used. Empirical results suggest that there exists a unique long-run or equilibrium relationship among variables for South Korea and Turkey. The cointegration results suggest that the Turkish and South Korean fiscal stances satisfy the weak sustainability condition. In the case of Mexico, the Philippines and South Africa cointegration results suggest that in these countries the fiscal stance is not sustainable (and violates their intertemporal budget constraints) in the long run.


We show how coarse grain dataflow semantics (CGD) applied to SPMD algorithms makes application development and design space exploration simpler compared to message passing, at the same time providing on par performance. CGD applications are specified as dependencies between computation modules and data distributions. Communication and synchronization are added automatically and optimized for specific architectures, relieving programmers of this task. Many high level algorithm changes are easy to implement in CGD by redefining data distributions. These include exposing communication overlap by decreasing task grain, and aggregating communication by replicating data and computation. We briefly present a coordination language with dataflow semantics that implements the CGD model. Our implementation currently supports MPI, SHMEM, and pthreads. Results on Altix 4700 show our optimized CGD FT is 27% faster than original NPB 2.3 MPI implementation, and optimized CGD stencil has a 41% advantage over handwritten MPI.


Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Christians details the processes through which LGBT Christians resolve the fraught tensions between their religious, sexual and gendered identities, and examines the associated changes to their religious practice in the pursuit of "authenticity." The book moves between richly described first-person accounts and clear theoretical analysis, contextualising the disucssion within contemporary theories of religion and same-sex attraction. Through careful qualitative research with LGBT Christians in the Australian Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), and the Uniting Church, Bronwyn Fielder and Douglas Ezzy show that although painful self-questioning and struggle is experienced by some LGBT Christians, many people ultimately find a resolution and a sense of peace with their sexual identity as LGBT Christians. The pursuit of authenticity is shown to be driven by participants' essentialist understanding of sexuality and gender, and the centrality of religiosity to their sense of self. Offering insight into how participants transform their relationships, emotions, beliefs, and ritual practices in order to make this authentic life possible, this study is an important contribution to the field of religion and sexuality.


If two or more program entities (e.g., files, classes, methods) co-change frequently during software evolution, these entities are said to have evolutionary coupling. The entities that frequently co-change (i.e., exhibit evolutionary coupling) are likely to have logical coupling (or dependencies) among them. Association rules and two related measurements, Support and Confidence, have been used to predict whether two or more co-changing entities are logically coupled. In this paper, we propose and investigate a new measurement, Significance, that has the potential to improve the detection accuracy of association rule mining techniques. Our preliminary investigation on four open-source subject systems implies that our proposed measurement is capable of extracting coupling relationships even from infrequently co-changed entity sets that might seem insignificant while considering only Support and Confidence. Our proposed measurement, Significance (in association with Support and Confidence), has the potential to predict logical coupling with higher precision and recall.


We investigated characteristics of mesosphere echoes over Syowa Station (69S) in the Antarctic, which were detected by the Program of the Antarctic Syowa Mesosphere, Stratosphere and Troposphere/Incoherent Scatter (PANSY) radar (47 MHz) and Medium Frequency (MF) radar (2.4 MHz). Winter echoes from the PANSY radar and low altitude MF echoes below approximately 70−75 km mostly coexisted, appearing during the daytime as well as for a few hours post sunset. Summer echoes in the lower height region were absent in both radar observations, suggesting a close relationship in the generation mechanisms of these two radar echoes. High correlation between local K-index and the occurrence of winter echoes suggested that electron density enhancement due to ionized particle precipitation was one of the triggers of echo generation. Angles of arrival of the MF echoes were more isotropic in winter. Because gravity wave activity is much higher in winter over Syowa, higher turbulence energy caused by gravity wave breaking may also be responsible for the generation of the winter echoes and their isotropic behavior. The horizontal wind velocities of the two systems were further compared and agreed well throughout the height region of 60−90 km. (Citation: Tsutsumi, M., K. Sato, T. Sato, M. Kohma, T. Nakamura, K. Nishimura, and Y. Tomikawa, 2017: Characteristics of mesosphere echoes over Antarctica obtained using PANSY and MF radars. SOLA, 13A, 19−23, doi:10.2151/sola.13A-004.)


In vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) safety applications, the source vehicle that detects an accident can generate a warning message and propagate it to the following vehicles to notify other drivers before they reach the potential danger zone on the road. Recent studies have shown that sparse vehicle traffic leads to network fragmentation, which poses a crucial research challenge for safety applications. In this paper, we analyze and quantify the improvement in VANET connectivity when a limited number of roadside units (RSUs) are deployed and to investigate the routing performance for broadcast-based safety applications in this enhanced VANET environment. Our results show that, even with a small number of RSUs, the performance in terms of the probability of network connectivity, the rehealing delay, the number of rehealing hops, and the message penetration time can be significantly improved in highway VANET scenarios.


Retrospective analysis of surgical treatment of 153 patients with traumatic damage to the pancreas is discussed. The injury was closed in 67.3% and open in 32.7% of cases. All cases were grouped in 4 degrees of severity: 1st degree--contusion of the gland without damage to the capsule (22.2%); 2nd degree--rupture of the gland without injury to the pancreatic duct (34.6%); 3rd degree--rupture of the gland with damage to the duct; 4th degree--combined pancreatoduodenal injury (15.7%). The therapeutic tactics was determined by the degree of injury inflicted to the pancreas. In 1st degree operation on the pancreas was not needed. In 2nd and 3rd degrees "abdominization" with drainage was the operation of choice. Distal resection was expedient only in crushing of the organ. The tactics in pancreatoduodenal injuries depended on the character of the duodenal wound. Thirty-nine (25.5%) patients died, 24 (61.5%) of them died in the first two postoperative days from shock. Pancreatitis was the prevailing postoperative complication, it occurred in 41 (31.8%) patients. All patients with injuries to the pancreas should be managed as cases of potential pancreatitis.


We present a room-temperature strategy for the preparation of dextran-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in this contribution by employing dextran, which acts as both a reducing agent and a stabilizer, and thus well dispersed, uniform and biocompatible AuNPs could be successfully prepared in one pot. The investigations, including toxicological effect on cells and the capability of resisting aggregation in high ion medium, have demonstrated that the as-prepared AuNPs are biocompatible and stable even if in a medium of high ionic strength. In order to identify the practicability of the dextran-capped AuNPs, colorimetric detection of dihydralazine sulfate (DHZS) in uric samples based on the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the AuNPs is made with the recovery in the range of 98.3–102.5%.


We propose to build and operate a detector based on the emulsion film technology for the measurement of the gravitational acceleration on antimatter, to be performed by the AEgIS experiment (AD6) at CERN. The goal of AEgIS is to test the weak equivalence principle with a precision of 1% on the gravitational acceleration g by measuring the vertical position of the annihilation vertex of antihydrogen atoms after their free fall while moving horizontally in a vacuum pipe. With the emulsion technology developed at the University of Bern we propose to improve the performance of AEgIS by exploiting the superior position resolution of emulsion films over other particle detectors. The idea is to use a new type of emulsion films, especially developed for applications in vacuum, to yield a spatial resolution of the order of one micron in the measurement of the sag of the antihydrogen atoms in the gravitational field. This is an order of magnitude better than what was planned in the original AEgIS proposal.


Silicon dioxide gel fibers were prepared by hydrolysis reaction of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). TEOS was used as basic materials, anhydrous ethanol (EtOH) as solvent and hydrochloric acid (HCl) as the catalyst. The best proportion of the chosen materials (TEOS, EtOH, H2O and HCl) was 1:1:1.5:0.03(molar ratio).Gel fibers were investigated by thermogravimetry (TG). Silicon dioxide fibers were obtained by treating the gel fibers at different temperatures. The calcined fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The optimal sintering schedule was obtained. Silicon dioxide fiber dried at 200°C for 1 hour then calcined at 800°C for 3 hours was the best.


Safely interacting with humans is a significant challenge for autonomous driving. The performance of this interaction depends on machine learning-based modules of an autopilot, such as perception, behavior prediction, and planning. These modules require training datasets with high-quality labels and a diverse range of realistic dynamic behaviors. Consequently, training such modules to handle rare scenarios is difficult because they are, by definition, rarely represented in real-world datasets. Hence, there is a practical need to augment datasets with synthetic data covering these rare scenarios. In this paper, we present a platform to model dynamic and interactive scenarios, generate the scenarios in simulation with different modalities of labeled sensor data, and collect this information for data augmentation. To our knowledge, this is the first integrated platform for these tasks specialized to the autonomous driving domain.


The present study was done to check the bioleaching feasibility of brown shale for the recovery of copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), magnesium (Mg) and manganese (Mn) ions using Ganoderma lucidum. Different experimental parameters were optimized for the enhanced recovery of metals ions. Effect of different substrates like glucose, molasses, saw dust and cotton seed cake on the recovery of metals ions was investigated under shaking as well as non-shaking conditions. Significant difference in leaching of metal ions by G. lucidum was observed under shaking and non shaking conditions. Maximum leaching of Al (90.7%), Mg (96.46%), Mn (66.3%) and Cu (73.45%) was observed using glucose under shaking conditions with 5, 3, 4 and 3% pulp densities respectively. The results show that maximum solubilization up to 68.89, 77.03 and 38.37% was achieved for Cu, Al and Mg ions respectively using molasses as substrate, whereas, 57.74% recovery of Mn was achieved with saw dust. The recovery of metal ions indicated that this low grade discarded ore may be a potential source of metal ions in future.


For over one hundred years speculation has occurred in regard to the permeability of the bladder wall to physiologic as well as foreign substances. The reason for again taking up the subject is that a possible clinical application arose that seemed to warrant investigation. In a patient of this clinic, following an injury that amounted to transection of the cervical cord a marked cystitis developed, a complication that persisted in spite of cystotomy and generous lavage of the bladder. With this, there developed an abnormally high nonprotein nitrogen content of the blood, though a high fluid intake and output had been maintained, and though the function of the kidneys as measured by phenolsulphonphthalein excretion was good. In a conversation with Dr. Frank Fremont-Smith of the Harvard Neurological Unit, the possibility of reabsorption from the bladder was suggested as responsible for this turn of events, and the inquiry outlined here was


In this paper, means of enriching computer entertainment experiences by emphasizing physical and social game elements are discussed. A conceptual framework in which the relations between the virtual, the physical, and the social domains are modeled is presented. Interfaces that mediate between the domains are discussed along with a complementary software architecture that helps developing hybrid computer games. Finally, sample games that follow the approach of physical and social augmentation are presented.


: A high fat Western-style diet leads to hepatic steatosis that can progress to steatohepatitis and ultimately cirrhosis or liver cancer. The mechanism that leads to the development of steatosis upon nutritional overload is complex and only partially understood. Using click chemistry-based metabolic tracing and microscopy, we study the interaction between Kup ff er cells and hepatocytes ex vivo. In the early phase of steatosis, hepatocytes alone do not display significant deviations in fatty acid metabolism. However, in co-cultures or supernatant transfer experiments, we show that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) secretion by Kup ff er cells is necessary and su ffi cient to induce steatosis in hepatocytes, independent of the challenge of hepatocytes with elevated fatty acid levels. We further show that free fatty acid (FFA) or lipopolysaccharide are both able to trigger release of TNF from Kup ff er cells. We conclude that Kup ff er cells act as the primary sensor for both FFA overload and bacterial lipopolysaccharide, integrate these signals and transmit the information to the hepatocyte via TNF secretion. Hepatocytes react by alteration in lipid metabolism prominently leading to the accumulation of triacylglycerols (TAGs) in lipid droplets, a hallmark of steatosis.


Uncertainty in semiconductor fabrication facilities (fabs) requires scheduling methods to attain quick real-time responses. They should be well tuned to track the changes of a production environment to obtain better operational performance. This paper presents an adaptive dispatching rule (ADR) whose parameters are determined dynamically by real-time information relevant to scheduling. First, we introduce the workflow of ADR that considers both batch and non-batch processing machines to obtain improved fab-wide performance. It makes use of such information as due date of a job, workload of a machine, and occupation time of a job on a machine. Then, we use a backward propagation neural network (BPNN) and a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to find the relations between weighting parameters and real-time state information to adapt these parameters dynamically to the environment. Finally, a real fab simulation model is used to demonstrate the proposed method. The simulation results show that ADR with constant weighting parameters outperforms the conventional dispatching rule on average; ADR with changing parameters tracking real-time production information over time is more robust than ADR with constant ones; and further improvements can be obtained by optimizing the weights and threshold values of BPNN with a PSO algorithm.


Gain in the S-band is demonstrated in a thulium-doped tellurite fiber amplifier using dual pump and bidirectional pumping schemes. Two pump schemes were employed: 795/1064 and 1047/1550 nm. The gain profile is broader than achieved in a fluoride fiber and overlaps with the C-band of the erbium-doped fiber amplifier. We reach a fiber-to-fiber gain of 11 dB and an internal gain of 35 dB.


Background: Treatment of perio-endo lesions is challenging for the clinician. A combination of root canal treatment and periodontal treatment is needed in order to provide good results. There is a high failure rate due to the diffi culty in eliminating the microfl ora that colonizes and complicates the lesion. Conventional root canal treatment (RCT) sometimes is not enough to prevent failure in such lesions. Hence the Aim of this study was to evaluate of use of LSTR (Lesion Sterilization Tisssue Repair) therapy in conjunction with, periodontal therapy and RCT in management of combined perio-endo lesions. Materials and methods: This study was conducted on 26 patients with perio-endo lesions, The affected teeth were tender to percussion, presented no mobility, and meticulous periodontal probing revealed all pockets to be more than 6 mm in depth. Periapical radiographs of the teeth confi rmed the extensive coronal carious lesion involving the pulp and revealed large periapical lesion. The patients were classifi ed into two groups, each of 14 patients, control group (A) RCT done by using conventional sealer, and group (B), RCT done by mixing sealer with LSTR material in equal proportions. All teeth were treated by open fl ap debridement. Results: In group B patients, after follow-up for 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, we found excellent prognosis (98%), with no symptoms of pain and there was marked improvement in periodontal parameters for all teeth. However, on the other hand, in group A patients, the prognosis was found to be 90%. Conclusion: According to results of this study, we highly recommend the use of LSTR with sealer in RCT together with ORIGINAL RESEARCH 1,2Assistant Professor, 3Associate Professor 1Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia Department of Operative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry Almansoura University, Egypt 2Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, Division of Periodontics, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha Saudi Arabia; Department of Oral Medicine and Periodontology Faculty of Dentistry, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt 3Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, Division of Biomaterials, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha Saudi Arabia Corresponding Author: Hossam A Eid, Assistant Professor Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, Division of Periodontics, Grager Campus, PO-3263, Abha-61471, Saudi Arabia Phone: 0530834985, e-mail: dentaleagle2011@gmail, hosam@ kku.edu.sa 10.5005/jp-journals-10015-1257 periodontal treatment in management of perio-endo lesions to decrease the rate of failure and improve the periodontal condition.


The analysis of bipartite networks is critical in a variety of application domains, such as exploring entity co-occurrences in intelligence analysis and investigating gene expression in bio-informatics. One important task is missing link prediction, which infers the existence of unseen links based on currently observed ones. In this paper, we propose MissBiN that involves analysts in the loop for making sense of link prediction results. MissBiN combines a novel method for link prediction and an interactive visualization for examining and understanding the algorithm outputs. Further, we conducted quantitative experiments to assess the performance of the proposed link prediction algorithm and a case study to evaluate the overall effectiveness of MissBiN.


This study examined the emergency nurse practitioner candidate (ENPC) scope of practice in a Victorian emergency department (ED). The emergency nurse practitioner (ENP) role is relatively new in Victoria and the scope of the ENP(C) practice is yet to be defined. International research literature regarding the ENP role has focused on outcomes such as patient satisfaction, waiting times and/or ED length of stay, accuracy and adequacy of documentation, use of radiography, and patient education, health promotion and communication issues. A prospective exploratory design was used to conduct this cohort study. There were 476 ENPC-managed patients between 14 July 2004 and 31 March 2005 with an average age of 29 years. The majority (77.2%) of ENPC-managed patients were discharged from the ED. The majority of the ENPC time was devoted to clinical practice (55%) and development of clinical practice guidelines (25%). Of patients managed by the ENPC, 49.6% required medications, 51% required diagnostic imaging and 8.6% required pathology testing during their ED stay. The most common discharge referrals were made to local medical officers (73.5%) and the most common referrals made for patients requiring admission were made to the plastic surgery (37.3%) and orthopaedic (35.5%) units. Extensions to the current scope of emergency nursing practice are pivotal to effective management of specific patient groups by ENP. The ENP model of care is an important strategy for the management of increased service demands in Victoria; however, little is known about the scope of the ENPC practice and many outcomes of the ENP care are yet to be defined. Further research to better understand the relationships between ENP outcomes is required if the contribution that ENPs make to emergency care is to be accurately quantified.


Let Q be an acyclic quiver. The dimension vectors of indecomposable rigid representations are called real Schur roots. We give a conjectural description for real Schur roots of Q using non-self-intersecting paths on Riemann surfaces, and prove it for certain quivers of finite types and for the quivers with three or less vertices and multiple arrows between every pair of vertices. Each of such paths gives rise to a reflection of the Weyl group of the corresponding Kac--Moody algebra and determines a real Schur root uniquely.


The therapeutic utility of theophylline and the recommended range for serum concentrations are debated in a series of three editorials by noted contributors in this area. In the first, it is pointed out that the role of theophylline has evolved into an "adjunctive" therapy for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Serum concentrations of 10 to 15 µg/mL do not sacrifice significant clinical benefit, whereas there is increased risk for adverse effects at higher concentrations. Changing laboratry report forms to designate a lower therapeutic range of 5 to 15 µg/mL for an increased margin of safety (with >20 µg/mL continuing as the lower limit of the toxic range) is advocated and a stepwise approach for implementing this change is proposed.
 The second paper supports the view that theophylline remains more important than a third- or fourth-line agent in the treatment of asthma, particularly in selected patients. A higher target serum concentration range of 10 to 15 µg/mL may be desirable in more severe asthmatics (requiring oral steroids despite treatment with inhaled steroid), those with nocturnal symptoms, acute exacerbations requiring hospitalization and mechanical ventilation, and in patients for whom this is a more economical or preferable therapy. In these patients a serum concentration of 5 µg/mL may be too low to achieve sufficient benefit. Designation of "10 to 15 µg/mL (5 to 20)" as the therapeutic range is suggested to emphasize the midrange as the target while indicating that levels between 5 and 20 µg/mL are acceptable, although not ideal from either an efficacy or safety standpoint.
 In the third and final viewpoint presented, much data supporting the efficacy of theophylline in the treatment of chronic asthma and its relationship to serum concentrations are presented. Evidence for potential anti-inflammatory effects of theophylline is also reviewed. Severe toxicity, a rare event, is noted to be not a result of serum concentrations slightly above the therapeutic range, but from massive overdosage and/or drug interactions or concomitant illnesses that alter elimination of the drug. No changes in the recommended therapeutic range of theopylline, which might alter its effectiveness, are proposed. Rather, more careful use and monitoring through education of prescribers is advocated.


Spider silk has long been a subject of scientific research due to its remarkable mechanical properties. Until recently, there has been no way to effectively obtain spider silk except by harvesting it from individual spiders. With advances in technology, the genes that code for the individual spider silk proteins have been isolated and genetically engineered into other hosts to produce recombinant spider silk proteins (rSSp) of varying molecular weights, ranging from 10 kDa to 250 kDa. Larger molecular weight rSSp have correspondingly greater mechanical properties that will be endowed to any ensuing products. When utilizing current production methods, larger molecular weight rSSp cannot be produced in commercially viable quantities while simultaneously maintaining low levels of impurities. Small molecular weight rSSp (10 - 80 kDa) are easier to produce in genetically engineered systems while maintaining favorable yields and purities. To alleviate current production constraints, the expression of small molecular weight rSSp can be achieved by utilizing current production methods that result in large quantities of proteins with a high degree of purity. After the small molecular weight rSSp are expressed and purified, they can be polymerized to form larger molecular weight rSSp. There are two unique systems that can cause this polymerization via the autocatalytic nature of the Spy System peptides and inteins. These two systems require no external cofactors or enzymes and occur spontaneously once initiated. The expression and purification of rSSp from both of these systems have been characterized. When utilizing the intein system, yields of approximately 5 g/L have been achieved. The rSSp from this system has been made into biomaterials, such as films, gels, and aerogels. The mechanical properties of these biomaterials are comparable to biomaterials from other heterologous expression systems and show statistically significant differences in material properties when compared to biomaterials


Understanding the habitat preference of the Stone Partridge (Ptilopachus petrosus) is a crucial step for its conservation and management across different ecosystems. This study was focused on the environmental factors and the vegetation data of the species habitat which were collected from 60 plots surveyed along 6 perpendiculars transects. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between the Stone Partridge and the environmental variables. Phytoecological data were analysed using a Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) to identify the different plant communities from which Shannon and Pielou indices have been measured. The analyses identified the proximity of the rocks as the environmental variables which determine the Stone Partridge presence. Three plant communities were associated with the Stone Partridge presence. The plant families most represented were the Poaceae followed by Leguminosae-Papilionoideae, Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae, Rubiaceae, Combretaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Asteraceae, Leguminosae-Mimosoideae and Cyperaceae. The phanerophytes and therophytes were the life forms most represented. The Shannon diversity indices for the plant communities varied from 2.12 at 4.53 bits. The identification of preferred habitats are a valuable tool for managers interested in the conservation of this species, however constant monitoring that identifies changes in the habitats is required to identify detrimental habitat change.


The problem of mobile robot localization by using sensor information appeals to different communities since the need for accurate position has become crucial for many robot subtasks. The Kalman filter (KF) has been acknowledged as an appropriate tool for a suitable dynamic combination of the different measurements using the state and measurement models. However, when there are discrete uncertainties about the models, without additional restrictions, the performance of KF degrades drastically as the predicted estimate tends to be updated by a wrong measurement. This paper focuses on a suboptimal multiple model filter to deal with the associated measurement/model. Experimental and simulated results are achieved, which prove the feasibility of the proposal. The experimental setup consists of a structured environment constituted of elementary features such as walls and corners, while a possibly unmodeled obstacle may be encountered. The robot is equipped with odometry and a set of ultrasonic sensors.


The intravenous injection of one large dose of serum into rabbits caused a variety of changes of considerable complexity. 1. There was an immediate proliferation of mesenchymal cells, including plasma cells, particularly in heart, lungs, and spleen. 2. The signs of serum disease developed only at the time of abundant antibody formation, before significant quantities of antibody were laid down in the vascular connective tissue. 3. Allergic arteritis, marked glomerular nephritis, myocardial necrosis, and Aschoff body-like structures were seen only after hypersensitivity had developed. It appears that most, if not all, of these pathological alterations were true Arthus phenomena. 4. There were at least two distinct varieties of allergic arteritis and glomerular nephritis, namely a proliferative one, following the first injection, and a a necrotizing one, seen only after 2 injections. It appears that the first was a subacute Arthus phenomenon, while the latter was an acute Arthus phenomenon superimposed on a subacute one. The subacute experimental glomerular nephritis resembled the intracapillary glomerulonephritis in man, while the acute variety was like human extracapillary glomerular nephritis.


Supply chain policies and design efforts are traditionally focused on efficiency objectives such as reducing operational costs. With the occurrence of the most devastating pandemic in decades and the continually increasing prevalence of natural disasters, this focus has been challenged, and the need to focus on supply chain resilience has become apparent. Achieving long-lasting sustainable development in supply chains requires a balance of efficiency-focused measures that enhance economic and environmental sustainability and resiliency measures. Ecological Network Analysis has revealed a unique balance between pathway efficiency and redundancy in ecosystems' network architecture. This enables both efficient operations under normal circumstances and resilience to perturbations. This same analysis can be used to evaluate the balance of sustainability and resilience in supply chain networks, providing insights into what kind of supply chain design and policy decisions lead to more ecosystem-like architectures. This study lays the groundwork for such efforts by studying four supply chain topologies (formed by prevalent supply chain strategies) using ENA. Inventory (storage) is not well understood in the typical flow analysis used in ENA but is an essential facet of supply chain design and must be included in a supply chain analysis. This study overcomes this limitation by proposing a method to include inventory in the ENA framework. The analysis conducted revealed two significant insights: (a) the agile supply chain strategy is the most ecologically similar and (b) it is possible that there are optimal inventory levels (given partnership strategies) to utilize bio-inspiration in supply chain design.


Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) form a subgroup of patients whose optimal clinical management and access to care remain a challenge and whose survival lacks behind that of children diagnosed with histologically similar tumors. Understanding the tumor biology that differentiates children from AYA-RMS could provide critical information and drive new initiatives to improve the final outcome. MicroRNA (miRNA) and gene expression profiling (GEP) was evaluated in a RMS cohort of 49 tumor and 15 non-neoplastic tissues. miRNAs analysis identified miR-223 over-expression and miR-431 down-regulation in AYA, validated by Real-Time PCR and miRNA in situ hybridization (ISH). GEP analysis detected 793 age-correlated genes in tumors, of which 194 were anti-correlated. NOTCH2, FGFR1/2 were significantly down-modulated in AYA-RMS. miR-223 was associated with up-regulation of epithelial mesenchymal translation (EMT) and inflammatory pathways, whereas miR-431 was correlated to myogenic differentiation and muscle metabolism. GEP showed an increase in genes associated with CD4 memory resting cells and a decrease in genes associated with γδ T-cells in AYA-RMS. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis demonstrated an increase of infiltrated CD4, CD8, and neutrophils in AYA-RMS tumors. Our results show that aggressiveness of AYA-RMS could be explained by differences in microenvironmental signal modulation mediated by tumor cells, suggesting a fundamental role of immune contexture in AYA-RMS development.


Abstract The crystal structures of two analogs of Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2 (1), containing a gamma-lactam conformational constraint in place of the -Leu-Gly- sequences, are described. The highly biologically active (S,R)-diastereomer 2a is semi-extended at the C-terminus, with the N-terminal Pro residue in the unusual "C5" conformation [psi 1 = -0.8(15) degrees] stabilized by a (peptide)N-H...N(amino) intramolecular H-bond [the N(3)...N(4) separation is 2.687(11)A]. Conversely, the N,N'-isopropylidene aminal trihydrate of the (S,S)-diastereomer 2b, compound 3, adopts a beta-bend conformation at the C-terminus, as already reported for 1. However, the backbone torsion angles [phi 2 = 57.4(4), psi 2 = -129.9(3) degrees; psi 3 = -92.3(4), phi 3 = 6.4(5) degrees] lie close to the values expected for the corner residues of an ideal type-II' beta-bend. A weak intramolecular 4----1 H-bond is seen between the Gly carboxyamide anti-NH and Pro C = O groups. In the newly formed 2,2,3,4-tetraalkyl-5-oxo-imidazolidin-1-yl moiety the psi 1 torsion angle is 12.9(4) degrees and the intramolecular N(3)...N(4) separation is 2.321(4)A.


The MISR Interactive eXplorer (MINX) software functions both as a general-purpose tool to visualize Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument data, and as a specialized tool to analyze properties of smoke, dust, and volcanic plumes. It includes high-level options to create map views of MISR orbit locations; scrollable, single-camera RGB (red-greenblue) images of MISR level 1B2 (L1B2) radiance data; and animations of the nine MISR camera images that provide a 3D perspective of the scenes that MISR has acquired. NASA Tech Briefs, September 2008 55 The plume height capability provides an accurate estimate of the injection height of plumes that is needed by air quality and climate modelers. MISR provides global high-quality stereo height information, and this program uses that information to perform detailed height retrievals of aerosol plumes. Users can interactively digitize smoke, dust, or volcanic plumes and automatically retrieve heights and winds, and can also archive MISR albedos and aerosol properties, as well as fire power and brightness temperatures associated with smoke plumes derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. Some of the specialized options in MINX enable the user to do other tasks. Users can display plots of top-of-atmosphere bidirectional reflectance factors (BRFs) versus camera-angle for selected pixels. Images and animations can be saved to disk in various formats. Also, users can apply a geometric registration correction to warp camera images when the standard processing correction is inadequate. It is possible to difference the images of two MISR orbits that share a path (identical ground track), as well as to construct pseudo-color images by assigning different combinations of MISR channels (angle or spectral band) to the RGB display channels. This software is an interactive application written in IDL and compiled into an IDL Virtual Machine (VM) ".sav" file.


Abstract We studied the ecology of Anolis nitens brasiliensis during late-dry and early-wet season 2005 in a Cerrado habitat in Tocantins state, Brazil. Most lizards were found on tree trunks or leaf litter in non-flooded igapó forest. Most were found in shade or filtered sun on both cloudy and sunny days. Body temperatures (Tbs) averaged 30.6°C and did not vary among microhabitats. Microhabitats exposed to direct sun consistently reached extremely high temperatures whereas microhabitats in shade or filtered sun provided temperatures throughout the day allowing lizard activity. Nineteen prey categories were found in lizard stomachs, but the diet was dominated by spiders, crickets/grasshoppers, ants, and beetles. Although lizards that ate large prey ate fewer prey, no correlation existed between size or number of prey and lizard body size (SVL). Males were larger in SVL and mass than females, and males had relatively longer hind limbs than females. Females were variable but larger in body width. In general, the ecology of Anolis n. brasiliensis is similar to that of its Amazonian relatives, with the exception that it lives in a more thermally extreme environment and is active at slightly higher Tbs. Ecological traits of this lizard, particularly its reliance on relatively low Tb for activity, suggest that it might be particularly vulnerable to local extinction if its habitat is altered. The presence and apparent widespread distribution of A. n. brasiliensis in the Cerrado provides further evidence that the "vanishing refuge" theory cannot account for geographical patterns of distribution in the A. nitens complex.


In January 2014, the European Commission proposed a framework for its climate and energy policy up to 2030. It includes targets for reducing greenhouse gases and using renewable energies, but no specific targets for increasing energy efficiency. By 2030, greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced by 40 percent over 1990 figures. Another element of the proposal is the introduction of a market stability reserve for the European Emissions Trading Scheme. However, its impact would be too late and too weak. In regard to renewable energy use, the Commission has proposed a goal to achieve a share of 27 percent of gross final energy consumption throughout Europe. This appears unambitious against the background of developments to date. In addition, there is no mandatory division of these goals among the individual member states. The Commission's calculations are based on implausible technical and economic assumptions in the power sector. The estimated costs for nuclear power are too low, and it is assumed there will be a breakthrough in carbon capture technologies that seems unlikely from today's perspective. In contrast, cost assumptions in the field of renewable energies remain too high and outdated. In light of previous experience, specific goals for 2030 are required on three levels: greenhouse gas emissions reductions, renewable energies, and energy efficiency. According to the Commission's impact assessment, energy system costs would hardly increase even with more ambitious objectives. In addition, creating an appropriate framework would also enable positive developments in investment, exports, and employment. The German federal government should continue its commitment to an ambitious European policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to increase the use of renewable energies, and to boost energy efficiency.


Rome, after being an inescapable stopover on the European Grand Tour for centuries, has changed its iconic physiognomy attracting a different public and awakening different emotions. Irish travellers of the past had visited Rome mostly because of its classical associations and religious significance. The palimpsest of antiquity and modernity that Rome is nowadays, instead, offers a glittering surface of globalisation reminiscent of the Celtic Tiger to modern Irish visitors such as Elizabeth Bowen, Colm Tóibín, Sean and Julia O'Faolain. Yet, all four writers in their search for a fixed point that might allow them to grasp the contemporary essence of the city also preserve some remnants of an earlier, colonial approach.1


Many recent studies in accounting no longer see the discipline as an independent craft. Rather, accounting may be understood as a symbol which cannot be separated from its organisational and social contexts. It inherently intertwines with values, perceptions, and perspectives of members of a society within which it is conceived as a social product and has a powerful influence on shaping social realities. This study realises that the social realities are crucial, as they are capable of influentially driving and placing the life of individuals in their networks. Viewing the issues, self is central to this study as the construction of reality is apparently driven by the self. By making use of "extended" symbolic interactionism (a combination between symbolic interactionism and Islamic values) as a means to amass first-hand knowledge, this study not only attempts to capture and analyse the meanings of the realities, but also tries to comprehend the process of how self s perspective is socially moulded and of how realities are socially constructed. This study explores the realities in the framework of the Islamic values of "faith, knowledge, and action" through symbolic interactions, the indications of which signal that selves' perceptions of realities (in particular, organisation and accounting) are diverse, but the realities are seen predicated upon the same applied values Shari'ate ethics. This study also argues that selves look upon organisation as a trust (amanah). It normatively implies that there is a need for ethically constructing a trust metaphorised organisational reality and a zakat metaphorised organisational reality for social and business organisations respectively to realise the organisations' ultimate goal, that is, disseminating mercy. In accordance to the realities, accounting is imagined as a medium that utilised to reflect the organisational realities. Therefore, to attain a high accuracy of reflections, it is propounded that the philosophical foundations of accounting knowledge should be ethically reshaped based on Shari'ah; the ethics upon which the organisational realities are also predicated. By doing so, organisational and accounting knowledge can be enlightened towards Shari'ate ethics-based knowledge. It is intended to be the "real" knowledge that may guide individuals towards selfconsciousness to worship only God through their luxuriant actions.


We present a review of the aquatic mammal species occurring in the Mexican Caribbean. Several published sources were reviewed to find information about aquatic mammals reported for the Mexican Caribbean. Additionally, we consulted 29 national and international collections and museums. Based on documents, collections, direct records and local news, we analyzed 18 confirmed species of aquatic mammals for the study area [Tursiops truncatus, Stenella clymene, S. frontalis, S. longirostris, Steno bredanensis, Grampus griseus, Globicephala macrorhynchus, Peponocephala electra; Pseudorca crassidens, Orcinus orca, Physeter macrocephalus, Kogia breviceps, K. sima, Ziphius cavirostris, Mesoplodon europaeus, Trichechus manatus manatus, Lontra longicaudis annectens and Monachus tropicalis (extinct)]. In order to gather solid baseline information that enhances efficient long-term management, regular and systematic population censuses of the aquatic mammal community are recommended. We recommend the use of the "Mexican Caribbean" area as a separate unit of management and conservation, differently as has been included in the macro region "Gulf of Mexico/Mexican Caribbean".


Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have evolved over the last ten years into a powerful tool for investigating the genetic architecture of human disease. In this work, we review the key concepts underlying GWAS, including the architecture of common diseases, the structure of common human genetic variation, technologies for capturing genetic information, study designs, and the statistical methods used for data analysis. We also look forward to the future beyond GWAS.


Pancreatic cancer is highly resistant to chemotherapeutic agents, and therefore new therapeutic and chemopreventive agents are needed. In the present study we examined the effect of pomegranate extract (PE) on human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. We studied two human pancreatic cell lines, the aggressive AsPC line derived from pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and the slow growing PANC‐1 cell line derived from pancreatic epitheloid cell carcinoma. PE inhibits proliferation in both the cell lines in a concentration‐dependent manner, with an IC50 of 100 (both cell lines) µg per ml of culture medium. PE caused a concentration‐dependent cell cycle arrest in G2/M in AsPC cells. Higher concentrations of PE were cytotoxic to both cell lines, with an IC50 of 250 (AsPC) and 150 (PANC‐1) µg per ml of culture medium. There was a concentration‐dependent increase in caspase‐3 activity in both cell lines, suggesting that PE induces apoptosis. These results are the first demonstration of an inhibitory effect of PE on human pancreatic cancer cells, and suggest that PE holds promise for further development as a chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agent against pancreatic cancer. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(1 Suppl):B68.


In the task of visual object categorization, semantic context can play the very important role of reducing ambiguity in objects' visual appearance. In this work we propose to incorporate semantic object context as a post-processing step into any off-the-shelf object categorization model. Using a conditional random field (CRF) framework, our approach maximizes object label agreement according to contextual relevance. We compare two sources of context: one learned from training data and another queried from Google Sets. The overall performance of the proposed framework is evaluated on the PASCAL and MSRC datasets. Our findings conclude that incorporating context into object categorization greatly improves categorization accuracy.


A wavelet-based method was investigated to identify time-varying properties of joint dynamics. Wavelet decomposition was used to expand each time-varying coefficient of an autoregressive with exogenous input (ARX) model into a finite set of basis sequences, and singular value decomposition was used to obtain more robust parameter estimates of the expansion. With a set of well-selected basis, the time-varying ARX coefficients could be well approximated by a combination of a small number of basis sequences, which simplified the identification of the time-varying parameters. The estimated time-varying ARX parameters were converted to a second-order continuous-time system characterizing joint dynamics with joint stiffness, viscosity and limb inertia. Simulation based on a time-varying joint dynamics model showed that the method tracked the time-varying system parameter closely.


This article is concerned with the periodic flow induced by non-torsional oscillations of two porous disks rotating about distinct axes. While the porous disks are initially rotating with the same angular velocity about non-coincident axes, they start to execute non-torsional oscillations in their own planes and in the opposite directions. An analytical solution corresponding to the velocity field in the periodic state is obtained. The variations in the components of the horizontal force per unit area exerted by the fluid on the top and bottom disks with the time are investigated for the suction/injection velocity parameter, the Reynolds number, the ratio of the frequency of oscillation to the angular velocity of the disks, and the dimensionless velocity amplitudes of oscillation. It is shown that the horizontal force on the upper disk is not equal to that on the lower disk.


The CD6 lymphocyte receptor has been involved in the pathophysiology of different autoimmune disorders and is now considered a feasible target for their treatment. In vitro data show the relevance of CD6 in the stabilization of adhesive contacts between T-cell and antigen-presenting cells, and the modulation of T-cell receptor signals. However, the in vivo consequences of such a function are yet undisclosed due to the lack of suitable genetically modified animal models. Here, the in vitro and in vivo challenge of CD6-deficient (CD6−/−) cells with allogeneic cells was used as an approach to explore the role of CD6 in immune responses under relative physiological stimulatory conditions. Mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assays showed lower proliferative responses of splenocytes from CD6−/− mice together with higher induction of regulatory T cells (Treg, CD4+CD25+FoxP3+) with low suppressive activity on T and B-cell proliferation. In line with these results, CD6−/− mice undergoing a lupus-like disorder induced by chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) showed higher serum titers of anti-double-stranded DNA and nucleosome autoantibodies. This occurred together with reduced splenomegaly, which was associated with lower in vivo bromodesoxyuridine incorporation of spleen cells and with increased percentages of spleen follicular B cells (B2, CD21+CD23hi) and Treg cells. Interestingly, functional analysis of in vivo-generated CD6−/− Treg cells exhibited defective suppressive activity. In conclusion, the data from MLR and cGvHD-induced lupus-like models in CD6−/− mice illustrate the relevance of CD6 in T (and B) cell proliferative responses and, even more importantly, Treg induction and suppressive function in the in vivo maintenance of peripheral tolerance.


This lecture is based on ongoing work towards the completion of my book Securing Legality. It demonstrates a paradigmatic shift towards the securitization of the rule of law in international practice. This lecture showcases a comprehensive analysis of documentation referring to the rule of law within both international agencies and domestic government departments. It also refers to interviews conducted with actors who are responsible for rule of law work within these agencies. These interviews explore and test the analysis of the primary sources produced by their agencies. At the end of the lecture I address the theoretical concerns raised by this move towards a securitized conception of the rule of law, and some scholarly responses in this field.


The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a highly contagious infectious disease. Even though there is a large pool of articles that showed the potential of using chest X-ray images in COVID-19 detection, a detailed study using a wide range of pre-trained convolutional neural network (CNN) encoders-based deep learning framework in screening viral, bacterial, and COVID-19 pneumonia are still missing. Deep learning network training is challenging without a properly annotated huge database. Transfer learning is a crucial technique for transferring knowledge from real-world object classification tasks to domain-specific tasks, and it may offer a viable answer. Although COVID-19 infection on the lungs and bacterial and viral pneumonia shares many similarities, they are treated differently. Therefore, it is crucial to appropriately diagnose them. The authors have compiled a large X-ray dataset (QU-MLG-COV) consisting of 16,712 CXR images with 8851 normal, 3616 COVID-19, 1485 viral, and 2740 bacterial pneumonia CXR images. We employed image pre-processing methods and 21 deep pre-trained CNN encoders to extract features, which were then dimensionality reduced using principal component analysis (PCA) and classified into 4-classes. We trained and evaluated every cutting-edge pre-trained network to extract features to improve performance. CheXNet surpasses other networks for identifying COVID-19, Bacterial, Viral, and Normal, with an accuracy of 98.89 percent, 97.87 percent, 97.55 percent, and 99.09 percent, respectively. The deep layer network found significant overlaps between viral and bacterial images. The paper validates the network learning from the relevant area of the images by Score-CAM visualization. The performance of the various pre-trained networks is also thoroughly examined in the paper in terms of both inference time and well-known performance criteria.


Great Driffield, a thriving market town serving an extensive agricultural hinterland, stands at the junction of the Yorkshire Wolds and Holderness. The centre of an important Anglo-Saxon manor, in royal hands in the early middle ages, the main settlement was transformed from a large village into a boom town following the opening of a canal in 1770 that linked it to the expanding markets of Hull and the West Riding; its social, religious and political life flourished in the Victorian period particularly. This volume covers its history and that of its adjoining rural townships of Little Driffield, Elmswell and Kelleythorpe, from the Neolithic period to the beginning of the twenty-first century; it provides the first detailed account of the town's trades and industries, as well as exploring landownership, local government, and social, religious and political life. The editors are former staff of the University of Hull.


Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based systems are widely employed nowadays to make decisions that have far-reaching impact on individuals and society. Their decisions might affect everyone, everywhere, and anytime, entailing concerns about potential human rights issues. Therefore, it is necessary to move beyond tradi-tional AI algorithms optimized for predictive performance and embed ethical and legal principles in their design, training, and deployment to ensure social good while still benefiting from the huge potential of the AI technology. The goal of this survey is to provide a broad multidisciplinary overview of the area of bias in AI systems, focusing on technical challenges and solutions as well as to suggest new research directions towards approaches well-grounded in a legal frame. In this survey, we focus on data-driven AI, as a large part of AI is powered nowadays by (big) data and powerful machine learning algorithms. If otherwise not specified, we use the general term bias to describe problems related to the gather-ing or processing of data that might result in prejudiced decisions on the bases of demographic features such as race, sex, and so forth. This article is categorized under: and this paper, we survey recent technical approaches on bias and fairness in AI-based decision-making systems, we discuss their legal ground 2 as well as open challenges and directions towards AI-solutions for societal good. We divide the works into three broad categories:


Introduction: Lymphedema
is a condition of the lymphatic system characterized by tissue swelling of body
parts especially the limbs as a result of fluid retention. This debilitating
condition may result in morbidity and immobility, incapacitating and causing
economic burdens as well as affects the individual's physiological and
psychological well being. Aim: The aim of the review is to
expound extensively on lymphedema and its associated complications and their
management. Methods: Information was obtained by
searching on-line literatures, published articles and news reports on
lymphedema, causes, diagnoses, complications and personal clinical experience.
Also patients' data were obtained from Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Plastic
Surgery Consulting Room and Surgical Operative Records in Kumasi, Ghana. Results: Extensive information was
obtained from the various sources which formed the basis of this article
highlighting especially the complications which include infections and
lymphangiosarcoma resulting from long-standing untreated lymphedema.Conclusion:
Since management of the condition is possible, patients are encouraged to seek
early treatment when they experience any form of swelling. Long-standing
lymphedema may result in serious complications includinginfections:
cellulitis, lymphangitis and lymphangiosarcoma resulting from severe cases of
untreated lymphedema.


In 1945 a group of scientists from Jan Kazimierz University of Lvov came to Wroclaw. They undertook a difficult task of rebuilding the local Medical University, which was severely destroyed during the World War II, and organizing medical studies in postwar Wroclaw. 17 of 26 directors of theoretical chairs and clinics which were opened between 1945-50 came from Lvov. In the restored institutions they continued researches which they had begun before the outbreak of the war in 1939.


Biological hydrogen production was investigated using biomass in palm oil
mill effluent (POME) and artificial wastewater containing 1% glucose, 0.2%
yeast extract and 0.018% magnesium chloride hexahydrate under anaerobic
fermentation in a batch process. Activated POME sludge and different types
of composts were collected as sources of inocula for the study. The anaerobic
microflora were found to produce significant amounts of hydrogen.
In the study with artificial media, 500 ml batch bioreactor was used. The
experiments were carried out without pH control and at different
temperatures. The maximum yield of 108.4 mmol-Hz/L-med (2.01 mol-
H2/mol-glucose) at the maximum evolution rate of 182 rnl/(L-med hr) was
obtained with Crest compost at 400C.
Hydrogen production from POME was studied using a 5-L bioreactor
optimal hydrogen production was observed at 600C and a pH range of 5.5 to 6.0, the maximal hydrogen yields of 179 mrnol/L-POME and 189 rnmol/LPOME
at evolution rates of 454 ml/(L-POME hr) and 421 rnl/(L-POME hr)
were obtained respectively.
Fed batch hydrogen production was conducted to study the reproducibility
of microflora for hydrogen production from POME. Two liters of reaction
medium was removed and 2 liters of fresh POME was added to the reaction
medium every 24 hr (15 times) and the reproducibility of the fed batch
process was checked by changing feeding time every 8 hr (10 times). A yield
of 2382 1x11-Hz/ L-POME and 2419 rnl-Hz/ L-POME at maximum evolution
rates of 313 ml-Hz/ (L-POME hr) and 436 ml-Hz/(L-POME hr) were obtained
respectively. Moreover, when the hydrogen production from POME using
rnicroflora was scaled-up to 10 L bioreactor, hydrogen yields of 140 mrnol/LPOME
and 96 mrnol/L-POME at evolution rates of 361ml/(L-POME hr) and
188 ml/(L-POME hr) were obtained at pH of 5.5 and uncontrolled pH
respectively.
Overall, hydrogen production was accompanied with the formation of
acetate and butyrate. The experimental results showed that the gas
composition contained hydrogen (66-68%) and carbon dioxide (32-34%).
Throughout the study, methane gas was not observed in the evolved gas
mixture. It was also found that the addition of nitrogen source in the
medium caused a change in the hydrogen yield.A simple model developed from Gompertz Equation was applied to estimate
the hydrogen production potential (P), hydrogen production rate (R,) and
lag phase time (A), based on the cumulative hydrogen production curve. This
study suggests that POME is suitable for biohydrogen synthesis without
addition of any other nutrients. The finding of this study was highly reliable
and showed that POME has potential for biological hydrogen production.


We study a price-based rate control mechanism for random access networks. The mechanism uses channel feedback information to control the aggregate packet arrival rate. For our analysis, we use the standard slotted Aloha model with an infinite set of nodes. We show that the resulting Markov chain is positive recurrent. In addition, we characterize the throughput and delay at the operating point of the system and show how the operating point can be set a priori by appropriately choosing the control parameters. We illustrate our results using numerical experiments.


Continuous chemotherapy was administered to 82 patients through the hepatic artery via Infusaid pumps. In order to obtain a primary status and to evaluate the success of therapy, the perfusion patterns of the liver and of the existing tumor masses in the liver were estimated by conducting arterial angiocomputed tomographies (AACTs) immediately after pump implantation of every 3 months thereafter. In 70% of the patients, findings showed both liver lobes to be homogeneously perfused, 24% demonstrated distinct inhomogeneities. The response of the latter cases should depend primarily on the efficacy of the administered cytostatic agent. Six percent of the patients showed selective perfusion of either the left or right hepatic lobe. In these cases, only the perfused liver regions exhibited stable disease or regression of the metastases, whereas the metastases of the nonperfused regions progressed. At 3-month follow-up, the majority of the patients (50-57%) showed homogeneous hepatic perfusion. Inhomogeneities were found in 26-36% of the patients, 12 patients demonstrated incomplete perfusion. There was no association between the perfusion patterns of the metastases or of the prechemotherapeutic liver involvement and the response of the metastases to regional chemotherapy. In regional chemotherapy, liver perfusion should be controlled both intraoperatively or directly postoperatively and during therapy.


Quantum degeneracy in error correction is a feature unique to quantum error correcting codes, unlike their classical counterpart. It allows a quantum error correcting code to correct errors even when they can not uniquely pinpoint the error. The diagonal distance of a quantum code is an important parameter that characterizes if the quantum code is degenerate or not. If code has a distance more than the diagonal distance, then it is degenerate, whereas if it is below the diagonal distance, then it is nondegenerate. We show that most of the CWS codes without a cycle of length four attain the upper bound of diagonal distance d+1, where d is the minimum vertex degree of the associated graph. Addressing the question of degeneracy, we give necessary conditions on CWS codes to be degenerate. We show that any degenerate CWS code with graph $G$ and classical code C will either have a short cycle in the graph $G$ or will be such that the classical code C has one of the coordinates trivially zero for all codewords.


Various authors have demonstrated the importance of plotting backscattering amplitude as a function of both aspect angle and frequency for thin cylindrical shells in water. Some interesting features of analogous plots for a thick finite cylindrical shell with the frequency range extending above the coincidence region have been investigated. Impulse response measurements taken with an improved PVDF sheet source [Kaduchak et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 97, 2699–2708 (1995)] reveal a backscattering enhancement in the coincidence frequency region for aspect angles in the vicinity of end‐on incidence. Though the cylinder was capped, the features of interest appear to be identified with waves on the coupled shell–fluid system. Similar features are present in backscattering computations for a simply supported thick cylindrical shell and they may be useful in high‐frequency inverse scattering. [Sponsored in part by the Office of Naval Research and by the UT:ARL Independent Research and Development Program.]


ABSTRACT An emphasis on cellular immunity against Rickettsia has led to neglect of analysis of the role of antibody. The availability of an excellent mouse model of spotted fever rickettsiosis enabled investigation of a potential role of antibody in immunity to Rickettsia conorii. C3H severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice were passively transfused with monoclonal antibodies against rickettsial outer membrane protein A (OmpA), OmpB, or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), polyclonal anti-R. conorii serum, Fab fragments of polyclonal antiserum, or no antibodies and then challenged 48 h later with 10 50% lethal doses (LD50) of R. conorii. All mice that received monoclonal antibodies against OmpA and two of four mice that received monoclonal antibodies against OmpB or polyclonal antisera were completely protected, but the recipients of anti-LPS antibodies or the Fab fragments were not protected. Polyclonal antibody treatment of C3H SCID mice that had been infected with 10 LD50 of R. conorii 4 or 5 days earlier prolonged the life of the infected mice from 10.4 to 22.5 days and resulted in decreased levels of infectious rickettsiae in the spleen and liver 24 and 48 h later. Treatment with protective antibodies resulted in the development of large aggregates of R. conorii antigens in splenic macrophages and intraphagolysosomal rickettsial death and digestion. The kinetics of development of antibodies to R. conorii determined by immunoblotting revealed antibodies to LPS on day 6 and antibodies to OmpA and OmpB on day 12, when recovery from the infection had already occurred. Antibodies to particular epitopes of OmpA and OmpB may protect against reinfection, but they may not play a key role in immunity against primary infection. Antibodies might be useful for treating infections with antibiotic-resistant organisms, and some B-cell epitopes should be included in a subunit vaccine.