Cognitive decline accompanies acute illness and surgery, especially in the elderly. Surgery engages the innate immune system that launches a systemic inflammatory response that, if unchecked, can cause multiple organ dysfunction. We sought to understand the mechanisms whereby the brain is targeted by the inflammatory response and how this can be resolved.


Since the Asian financial crisis in 1997, Thailand has become highly dependent on exports as the main engine of economic growth. In 2008, the ratio of export to GDP was about 76.5 percent. The global economic crisis triggered by the sub-prime loans debacle in the United States has prompted Thailand to rethink its high dependence on export. This paper examines the options for external and internal economic rebalancing strategies for Thailand. External rebalancing will require Thailand to rely more on regional markets and less on the Western markets for its exports. The paper examines the possibility of promoting greater intra-regional trade and Thailand's regional trade strategies. As for internal rebalancing, the paper emphasizes the need to boost domestic public and private investment in terms of both quantity and quality to narrow the current saving–investment gap, bearing in mind the need to ensure fiscal sustainability. Finally, the paper examines broader rebalancing strategies that will help Thailand to become less dependent on exports. These include the need to (1) improve productivity; (2) increase economic efficiency; (3) deepen the production structure and create new dynamic industries; and (4) generate new growth poles.


R J Kent's 2007 History Of Political Economy article ends with the claim that "…But there certainly are many unanswered questions concerning Keynes's role in the development of the multiplier…". Pace Kent, anyone who has read Keynes's chapter 26 in the A Treatise on Probability in 1921 and compared the mathematical analysis provided there with the mathematical analysis presented in Richard Kahn's June, 1931 Economic Journal article, will immediately recognize that Kahn's formal representation is identical to Keynes's except for the specific variables used by Keynes and Kahn, q for Keynes and k for Kahn.

There are no more "unanswered questions concerning Keynes's role in the development of the multiplier…". Keynes developed the logical and mathematical theory of the multiplier at least 10 years before the publication of Kahn's article and applied his knowledge by providing an application of the multiplier theory in May of 1929, at least two years before the publication of Kahn's article, as shown by Kent in his paper.

Paul Samuelson missed a golden opportunity in his 1977 Journal of Economic Literature to end the mystery of the multiplier, but overlooked Keynes's technical analysis in his analysis of Keynes's risk analysis in chapter 26 of the General Theory. The real unanswered question is why it took nine decades for economists to recognize that it was Keynes who showed Kahn how to apply the multiplier and not the other way around.


Mobile computing has emerged as a new field, distinct from conventional distributed computing by its focus on mobility and its consequence. The physical and logical mobility needs of applications with new requirements: built-in mobility, adaptability and flexibility. Providing a system architecture that simplifies the task of implementing the mobile applications with adaptive behavior is the objective of the ongoing ISAM project. In order to achieve its goal, ISAM uses, as strategies, an integrated environment that: (a) provides a programming paradigm and its execution environment; (b) treats of adaptation process through multilevel collaborative model, in which both the system and the application contribute for that. We present the ISAM architecture and introduce the relative issues to the treatment of adaptive mobile applications.


Laboratory based X-ray micro-CT is a non-destructive testing method that enables three dimensional visualization and analysis of the internal and external morphology of samples. Although a wide variety of commercial scanners exist, most of them are limited in the number of degrees of freedom to position the source and detector with respect to the object to be scanned. Hence, they are less suited for industrial X-ray imaging settings that require advanced scanning modes, such as laminography, conveyor belt scanning, or time-resolved imaging (4DCT). We introduce a new X-ray scanner FleXCT that consists of a total of ten motorized axes, which allow a wide range of non-standard XCT scans such as tiled and off-centre scans, laminography, helical tomography, conveyor belt, dynamic zooming, and X-ray phase contrast imaging. Additionally, a new software tool 'FlexRayTools' was created that enables reconstruction of non-standard XCT projection data of the FleXCT instrument using the ASTRA Toolbox, a highly efficient and open source set of tools for tomographic projection and reconstruction.


This January-February 2020 issue marks the start of the Hastings Center Report's fiftieth volume. The issue introduces the column Looking Back, Looking Forward, which we plan to run in this volume only. Conceived by Hastings Center fellows Douglas Diekema and Lainie Friedman Ross, the column will explore the significance of landmark publications from the first fifty years of bioethics. For the first installment, Diekema looks at the unconventional moral position Hans Jonas took in his 1969 essay "Philosophical Reflections on Experimenting with Human Subjects." In the lead article, "Trust, Risk, and Race in American Medicine," Laura Specker Sullivan contextualizes patient mistrust within a history of racism in general and in the nation's biomedical research and clinical institutions specifically. Specker Sullivan proposes ways for individual clinicians to improve relationships with distrustful patients and their families. Two commentaries provide additional insights and recommendations about the work of earning patient trust.


The discovery of superconductivity with critical temperature exceeding 55 K in the iron-pnictides (FeSC) compounds has offered the community a new set of materials hosting high temperature superconductivity [1]. In this talk, I will discuss some of our most important results obtained with complementary soft x-ray spectroscopies such as core level and Angle Resolved Photoemission (ARPES) and x-ray absorption (XAS) on different families of FeSC compounds. Results concerning two main aspects particularly important for the physics of the FeSC materials will be discussed, namely 1) the bonding topology/orbital symmetry, and 2) the presence of spin fluctuations. The symmetry of the orbitals and their hybridization play a central role in the interplay between magnetism and superconductivity, and in the nature of the superconducting pairing. I will discuss the symmetry and topology of the occupied and unoccupied orbitals by presenting results of polarization-dependent ARPES and element-specific XAS measurements of the electronic structure in the normal state of BaFe2As2 and BaFe1.8Co0.2As2 single crystals. I will then focus on discussing how the presence of exchange multiplets in the Fe 3s photoemission spectra in different FeSC materials are indicative of the presence of fluctuating spin moments on the Fe sites. Due to extremely fast time scales involved, the detection of magnetic fluctuations by means of magnetic probes has so far remained elusive. Our experiment provides a strong test case for the occurring of itinerant magnetic fluctuations, whose detection has been made possible by the extremely fast time scales proper of the photoemission process. The Fermi surface topology revealed by ARPES experiments in different FeSC compounds and its possible relation to the presence of magnetic fluctuation will also be discussed.


Several substances modulate the function of pancreatic acinar cells in vitro through specific receptors. All of them may also act in vivo, but the relative importance of their effect under physiological conditions is highly variable. The aim of this study was to assess the respective participation of cholinergic nerves and cholecystokinin (CCK) in the interdigestive pancreatic exocrine secretion and in the pancreatic response to intragastric or intraduodenal nutrients. Unanesthetized rats, equipped with a semichronic (5 days) pancreatic fistula, were used. They received a test-meal in the stomach (42 kJ) or the duodenum (21 kJ), and were infused intravenously with an antagonist of muscarinic (atropine, pirenzepin), nicotinic (hexamethonium), or CCK (L364718, lorglumide, Boc-Tyr(SO3)-Nle-Gly-D-Trp-Nle-Asp-NH-CH2-CH2-C6H5) receptors. Basal interdigestive pancreatic exocrine secretion decreased significantly after atropine, pirenzepine or hexamethonium. Protein output decreased more (peak inhibition 60 to 80 percent according to the drugs, p less than 0.01 to p less than 0.001) than volume or bicarbonate output (peak inhibition 25 to 65 percent according to the drugs, p less than 0.05 to p less than 0.01). CCK antagonists did not change the interdigestive pancreatic secretion. The cumulated response to the intraduodenal meal did not change after hexamethonium or pirenzepin, but increased after atropine (by approximately 50 percent, p less than 0.001 for volume and bicarbonate output, and nearly 100 percent, p less than 0.05 for protein output). The CCK antagonists entirely suppressed the protein response to the intraduodenal meal, decreased the volume response by 70 percent (p less than 0.01), and the bicarbonate response by 50 percent (p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


M.H. Pitkethly and M.S. Bader (see ibid., vol.20, p.315-22 (1987)) used the Weibull two-parameter distribution Pf(L)=(1-exp(-L( sigma / sigma 0)w)) to model the probability of failure of a fibre of length L under an applied stress sigma where omega and sigma 0 are the Weibull shape and scale parameters, respectively. The authors considered that these parameters depend on the specific material and the length of the fibre being tested. This interpretation leads to the determination of a set of constants sigma 0 and omega for each fibre length with the same material. In this paper, it is shown that a unique set of parameters allows Weibull two-parameter distribution to model the probability of failure of one type of fibre.


Abstract This work describes X-ray imaging of mouse using colloid solution of silica coated Au (Au/SiO2) nanoparticles surface modified with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) (Au/SiO2/PEG). A colloid solution of Au nanoparticles was prepared by reducing Au ions (III) with sodium citrate. Au/SiO2 nanoparticles were fabricated by a sol–gel method using tetraethylorthosilicate, water and sodium hydroxide in ethanol in the presence of Au nanoparticles surface modified with (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane. A computed tomography value of the Au/SiO2 colloid solution with an Au concentration of 0·083M was as high as 1421·2 Hounsfield units, which was higher than that of a commercial X-ray contrast agent with the same iodine concentration. Surface modification of the Au/SiO2 particles with PEG, or PEGylation of the particle surface, was performed using (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane and PEG for the Au/SiO2 particles. Tissues of mouse could be imaged by injecting the colloid solutions of Au/SiO2 particles or Au/SiO2/PEG particles into it. The PEGylation provided an increase in residence time of particles in the mouse.


This paper presents strong fluorescence of spin-coated fluorescent solid organic dye films (SODF) enhanced by surface plasmonic resonance (SPR). In order to manifest the influence of SPR effect on enhancement of organic dye (OD) fluorescence, the organic dye embedded Ag@SiO2 fluorescent films were developed on the glass sheet substrate, in which Ag@SiO2 nanoparticles were embedded in the middle and organic dye was as upper layer. The morphology of the SODFs with and without Ag@SiO2 particles was studied by SEM and EDX, and the tests revealed that the Ag@SiO2 nanoparticles distributed evenly between glass sheet and OD layer. Optical properties were characterized by UV absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy; the lifetime of SODF was tested to discuss the mechanism of SPR enhancement of fluorescence. The results proved that the existence of Ag@SiO2 particles enhanced the fluorescence intensity for 7 times and thus proved the SPR effect for organic dye, especially when the organic dye is the solid films. Therefore, the most important is the creation that the SPR effect of Ag@SiO2 particles works very well under solid organic dye coverage.


After having explored some of the many ways in which topographic features of the substrate may affect the statics and dynamics of wetting, let us now turn to something more subtle. Instead of sculpturing the solid support into topographic shapes, we may as well keep it geometrically smooth (as far as this is experimentally possible), and only pattern its chemical surface properties. Many technical methods of preparing such surfaces are meanwhile well-known, micro-contact printing probably being the most popular. As the contribution by Geoghegan et al has demonstrated, the impact on wetting and dewetting may be tremendous. Will it be possible to use chemical substrate patterning to stabilize and control liquid morphologies? The first two papers tackle this question mainly from a static point of view. Lipowsky et al explore theoretically the interaction of a liquid interface with a substrate bearing a stripe pattern of wettability. Minimiziation of the total energy, which in the case of vesicular interfaces includes bending rigidity, yields a large variety of different morphologies. In the experimental work by Mugele et al, it is shown that by continuously varying the effective wettability of such stripes by means of the electro-wetting effect, one may not only form the various shapes predicted by theory, but also deliberately, and reversibly, switch between them. We then cross over to dynamics. Dietrich et al consider the dynamics of wetting on chemical (wettability) patterns, with particular emphasis on nanoscopic effects. It is shown that down-scaling patterns like those discussed in the previous papers leads to qualitative changes in both the static and the dynamic aspects of wetting. The two consecutive papers (Mock et al, Michel et al) do not dwell on the nanoscopic aspects, but strongly on dynamics, investigating the behaviour of a liquid drop impacting on a chemically patterned solid surface. It is demonstrated that chemical patterns may even tame, and position, a drop approaching at high speed. The last paper (Meyer and Braun) draws the attention to a completely different aspect of chemically patterned substrates. Depending on the chemical composition of the solid support, the coating deposited upon it may exhibit strikingly different phase transformation properties. The crystallization of thin polyethylene oxide films is guided (almost) at will by virtue of the underlying chemical pattern.


Artificial Intelligence (AI) has gradually attracted attention in the field of artistic creation, resulting in a debate on the evaluation of AI artistic outputs. However, there is a lack of common criteria for objective artistic evaluation both of human and AI creations. This is a frequent issue in the field of dance, where different performance metrics focus either on evaluating human or computational skills separately. This work proposes a methodological approach for the artistic evaluation of both AI and human artistic creations in the field of robotic dance. First, we define a series of common initial constraints to create robotic dance choreographies in a balanced initial setting, in collaboration with a group of human dancers and choreographer. Then, we compare both creation processes through a human audience evaluation. Finally, we investigate which choreography aspects (e.g., the music genre) have the largest impact on the evaluation, and we provide useful guidelines and future research directions for the analysis of interconnections between AI and human dance creation.


The contents of active substances were determined in a preparation TP-4 (tablets) containing paracetamol, ascorbic acid, caffeine and phenylephrine hydrochloride. For the determination of paracetamol and ascorbic acid a non-specific (cerometric and titration of 2,6-dichloroindophenol) method based on a redox reaction was used. Validation of the methods, performed on model mixtures, proved those methods to be accurate, precise, reproducible and linear within the range from 50% to 150% of the amount declared in the preparation. The content of paracetamol and ascorbic acid in TP-4, Thompayrin, Panadol Extra, Ring N, Polopiryna C, Efferalgan Vitamin C and Vitaminum C 0.2 satisfies the FP V demands (+/- 10% of the declared amount).


A cornerstone of diabetes treatment is attention to lifestyle. Unhealthy lifestyles, such as lack of physical activity and excessive eating, initiate and propagate the majority of type 2 diabetes. As discussed in previous articles in this series,1,2 the incidence and prevalence of obesity is rising quickly, both in the United States and in the rest of the world. The frequency of diabetes has risen in tandem with overweight and obesity in essentially all age-groups and ethnicities in the United States, and not by coincidence. Studies have thoroughly demonstrated strong relationships between excess weight and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Physicians are frequently challenged with the task of motivating patients to lose weight and exercise to improve patients' diabetes control and slow or even reverse the natural course of the disease.

Lifestyle modification, although different, is an equally integral part of type 1 diabetes management. Patients with type 1 diabetes, because of their universal need for insulin, must learn to count or at least closely estimate the amount of carbohydrate they consume to help regulate their blood glucose levels and adjust their insulin doses. Failure to do so can lead to dangerous hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia.

It is difficult to overstate the importance of the relationship between lifestyle and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A recent study demonstrated that both women and men who have a BMI > 35 kg/m2 had a 20-fold increase in their risk of developing diabetes compared to people with a BMI of 18.5-24.9 kg/m2.3Furthermore, prospective studies have demonstrated that lifestyle modification in the form of diet and regular moderate exercise sharply decreases the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes in high-risk individuals who have impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose. The …


Upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy is one of the most common endoscopic procedures performed in companion animal practice, and encompasses examination of the oesophagus, stomach and proximal small intestine. It is possible to examine the oesophagus with a rigid endoscope (which may also be useful for foreign body removal) but a flexible endoscope is preferred for diagnostic investigation of the oesophagus, and is essential to be able to examine the stomach completely and to intubate the small intestine. And whilst early flexible endoscopes were only able to permit observation of the GI tract, modern gastroscopes can now also be used for sampling tissues and liquids and even for some therapeutic procedures. This chapters describes the Role of endoscopy in investigating GI disease; the Indications; the Contradictions; the Instrumentation; Patient preparation; Premedication and anaesthesia; Patient positioning; Procedure; Rigid oesophagoscopy; Normal findings; Pathological conditions; Foreign body removal; Oesophageal stricture; Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube placement; Jejunostomy tube placement; and Complications of upper GI endoscopy.


Ultrasound is one of the emerging technologies that were developed to minimize processing, maximize quality and ensure the safety of food products. In recent years, ultrasound technology has been used as an alternative processing option to conventional thermal approaches. Although Ultrasonication methods have been used for years in research and diagnostics, major advances have been made in the last decade. The applications for which high power ultrasound can be used range from existing processes that are enhanced by the retrofitting of high power ultrasonic technology, to the development of processes up to now not possible with conventional energy sources. The present paper reviews the generation, principle mechanism, properties, process parameters, applications, merits and demerits and future trends of the ultrasound technology in the food processing.


SUMMARY: Five mutants of Escherichia coli which grow to a greater or less extent when the minimal medium is supplemented with vitamin B6 have been studied. They fall into two groups according to the further effect of serine + glycine on growth. (1) Two strains showed full and rapid growth with pyridoxine alone and serine + glycine neither replaced this vitamin nor enhanced growth in its presence. (2) Three strains showed delayed and suboptimal growth with pyridoxine alone. With these serine + glycine had two effects: (a) it decreased the lag and enhanced the final extent of growth when added with pyridoxine; (b) it permitted suboptimal growth in the absence of pyridoxine. The second effect was dependent on (two strains), or greatly increased by (one strain), the concurrent addition of glycolaldehyde.


ABSTRACT The heavy mineral suite of the St. Peter sandstone is rather uniform over large areas, but there is a pronounced concentration of leucoxene and ilmenite in south-central Wisconsin. Zircon, tourmaline, leucoxene, and ilmenite compose about 97 per cent of the heavy minerals, with anatase, ceylonite, apatite, rutile, staurolite, and garnet constituting the other 3 per cent. Pyrite, celestite, jarosite, and dahllite are present in minor quantities, but in some cases they flood the sample. The heavy mineral inclusions within the quartz grains were recovered by means of a new procedure and were found to be different from those associated with the quartz grains and to consist of zircon, apatite, biotite, hornblende, titanite, rutile, ilmenite, garnet, pyrite, tourmaline, fluorite, kyanite, and leucoxene. The quartz grains, classified on the basis of inclusions as suggested by Mackie, indicate that the ultimate source of the sands of the St. Peter was largely a granitic terrane. The immediate source seems to have been a sedimentary terrane.


The Federal Reserve's interest rate policy was insufficient, on its own, to achieve the Federal Reserve's goals during the recent financial crisis. Acquiring the legal authority to pay interest on reserves allowed the Federal Reserve to implement monetary policy using a floor system and thereby divorce interest rate policy from balance sheet policy. Although the floor system entails immediate benefits, such as eliminating the implicit tax on reserves and reducing the credit risk associated with daylight overdrafts, the remote effects include potentially large costs. More specifically, the Federal Reserve's balance sheet policies may reduce longer-run economic growth and risk the institution's independence. To maintain the floor system's present benefits, the Federal Reserve should therefore continue to implement interest rate policy through interest on reserves. To protect against the floor system's future costs, the Federal Reserve should, however, restrict its balance sheet policy to Bagehot's principles for last-resort lending.


In this paper, we propose a forensic analysis system called crime investigation system using the relative importance (CISRI) that helps forensic investigators determine the most influential members of a criminal group, who are related to known members of the group, for the purposes of investigation. In the CISRI framework, we describe the structural relationships between the members of a criminal group in terms of a graph. In such a graph, a node represents a member of a criminal group, an edge connecting two nodes represents the relationship between two members of the group, and the weight of an edge represents the degree of the relationship between those two members. Using this representation, we propose a method that determines the relative importance of nodes in a graph with respect to a given set of query nodes. Most current approaches that study relative importance determine the relative importance of a node under consideration by estimating the contribution of each query node individually to the importance of this node while overlooking the contribution of the query nodes collectively to the importance of the node under consideration. This may lead to results with low precision. CISRI overcomes this limitation by: 1) computing the contribution of the overall set of query nodes to the importance of a node under consideration and 2) adopting a tight constraint calculation that considers how much each query node contributes to the relative importance of a node under consideration. This leads to accurate identification of nodes in the graph that are important, in relation to the query nodes. In the framework of CISRI, a graph is constructed from mobile communication records (e.g., phone calls and messages), where a node represents a caller and the weight of an edge reflects the number of contacts between two callers. We evaluated the quality of CISRI by comparing it experimentally with three comparable methods. Our results showed marked improvement.


Inconsistency between the income concept and the needs associated with its use can yield seriously misleading welfare assessments in comparisons concerning different household types. Equivalence scales are typically estimated from expenditure data that make them compatible with welfare adjustments involving cash income. However, if the welfare analysis extends to economic benefits other than cash income, the equivalence scale must be adjusted to account for needs relevant to the particular form of benefit. This paper derives needs-based equivalence scales for public health care utilization. The scales are estimated from the health care utilization data of different services. In addition, redistributional analysis is used to investigate the effects of adopting various income concepts and allowing for health care needs in the equivalence scale. The results clearly reveal the conceptual importance of accounting for health status, household size and age in welfare comparisons concerning non-cash transfers. It is also shown that the redistributive effect of public health care is heavily dependent upon assumptions made about its scope.


The tendency of orders to increase in variability as one moves up a supply chain is commonly known as the bullwhip effect. We study this phenomenon from a behavioral perspective in the context of a simple, serial, supply chain subject to information lags and stochastic demand. We conduct two experiments on two different sets of participants. In the first, we find the bullwhip effect still exists when normal operational causes (e.g., batching, price fluctuations, demand estimation, etc.) are removed. The persistence of the bullwhip effect is explained to some extent by evidence that decision makers consistently underweight the supply line when making order decisions. In the second experiment, we find that the bullwhip, and the underlying tendency of underweighting, remains when information on inventory levels is shared. However, we observe that inventory information helps somewhat to alleviate the bullwhip effect by helping upstream chain members better anticipate and prepare for fluctuations in inventory needs downstream. These experimental results support the theoretically suggested notion that upstream chain members stand to gain the most from information-sharing initiatives.


In moving beyond words and taking action on diversity in the library and information field globally, equity, inclusion, accessibility and development need to be addressed. Diversity has been espoused to address inequality in our field including the lack of diverse representation in our professional and faculty ranks; women, ethno-racial minorities and developing nations being disadvantaged in science publishing; BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) voices not represented in our collections; and discrimination, harassment and lack of accommodation in the workplace and in education. Inequality is experienced globally and has been created and maintained by systems and structures that advantage and privilege some (mainstream society or majority culture), and discriminate against others. Recently, and especially, since the 2020 murder of George Floyd, there have been calls to decolonize knowledge and the academy as a strategy that recognizes systemic barriers, and critically engages and deconstructs inequitable structures in knowledge systems. What implications do decolonizing journal publishing in library and information science (LIS) have for equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and development (EDIAD), and how do we go about doing this in an international context?
The issues raised by these questions are being engaged from an antiracism and inclusion lens by different organizations and coalitions. For example, the Coalition for Diversity and Inclusion in Scholarly Communications (C4DISC) https://c4disc.org/, initiated in June 2017 by representatives of 10 trade and professional associations in scholarly communications, which aims to address diversity and inclusion issues in scholarly publishing, has published four important toolkits for equity https://c4disc.org/toolkits-for-equity/, namely: Guidelines on Inclusive Language and Images in Scholarly Communication; the Antiracism Toolkit for Allies; the Antiracism Toolkit for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; and the Antiracism Toolkit for Organizations. To understand the realities of systemic oppression, The Scholarly Kitchen published "On Being Excluded: Testimonies by People of Color in Scholarly Publishing" (Part I in April 2018 https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2018/04/04/excluded-testimonies-people-color-scholarly-publishing/ and Part II in May 2018 https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2018/05/10/excluded-testimonies-people-color-scholarly-publishing-part-ii/). In 2022, a learning lab at the Annual American Library Association (ALA) Conference, explored individual and collective actions to decolonize LIS journal publishing internationally.
 This panel will focus on examining ways to decolonize LIS journal publishing internationally, in content and practice, through bearing witness to publishing injustice, identification of factors that create inequalities in publishing, and development of strategies to decolonize LIS journal publishing. The panel will set the context, introduce past work, engage the participants in critical discussion of bias in LIS journal publishing that will challenge them to consider solutions, which will be followed by interactive engagement on short-term (1-2y), mid-term (3-5y), and long-term (>5y) actions to decolonize LIS journal publishing in international context. The panel will be co-facilitated by the co-editors of Library Trends, and the speakers will include editors and authors who will provide testimonies and share their expertise.
Jaya Raju will bring a global south perspective in deconstructing inequitable 'colonial' structures, systemic barriers and injustices in current LIS journal publishing, and within this context, problematize the concept of decolonization. "Decolonization demands more than understanding the predatory modes of settler colonialism for resistance to them (as is often the stated goal within settler colonial studies), but also the resurgence of alternative modes of being, alternative futures." (Ritskes, 2016)
Clara M. Chu will present the outcomes from the 2022 ALA learning lab engagement, sharing the short-, mid-, and long-term actions that LIS professionals and stakeholders prioritized. This data will set the context to stimulate continued discussion in the proposed session, and from which a complementary action agenda can be created.
Bharat Mehra will interrogate past injustices and current systemic inequalities in LIS journal publishing and discuss actual/potential actions, drawing on select experiences and multiple perspectives from the vantage positionality as existing member of several journal editorial boards, author/co-author of  >180 publications on EDIA/international social justice content, book Series Editor of Advances in Librarianship (Emerald Group Publishing), PI/co-PI on EDIA-related grants, and as the EBSCO Endowed Chair in Social Justice and Professor in a white-entrenched institution.
All three speakers, in presenting their unique and diverse perspectives and expert knowledge, will address questions associated with the implications of decolonizing journal publishing in LIS for equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and development, and how to  navigate the challenging international terrain for transformational change. Robust interaction with the audience of academics, researchers, and professionals will also allow for engagement with these important questions to generate effective solutions and actions.
Educators, scholars, students, and other stakeholders in LIS are invited to engage in this session to understand past injustices, acknowledge current systemic inequalities, and spell out ways to decolonize LIS journal publishing. They will also participate in setting an action agenda where LIS journal publishing is a generative and transformative space that embraces multiple ways of knowing and counters suppression, subversion, resistance and silencing of non-Western epistemologies, non-scientific methods, and other modes of knowledge production.


Under article 44 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), State Parties are required to submit an Initial Report within two years of ratification of the Convention and thereafter submit periodic reports every five years. South Africa ratified the CRC on 16th June 1995. Consequently in line with article 44, it submitted its Initial Report to the CRC Committee on 4th December 1997. The Report is available at http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G98/162/94/PDF/G9816294.pdf?OpenElement. The second, third and fourth periodic reports were therefore due in 2000, 2005 and 2010 respectively. Although these long overdue reports are yet to be submitted, the Government has taken steps towards the preparation of these reports (as a combined second, third, and fourth periodic report spanning 1998 to 2014) and it is hoped that they will be submitted to the CRC Committee in 2015.


Although many monogenic diseases are understood based upon structural changes of gene products, less progress has been made concerning polygenic disease mechanisms. This article presents a new interdisciplinary approach to understand complex diseases, especially their genetic polymorphisms. I focus upon primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). Although elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) and oxidative stress are glaucoma hallmarks, the linkages between these factors and cell death are obscure. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) promote the formation of oxidatively truncated phosphoglycerides (OTP), free fatty acids, lysophosphoglycerides, oxysterols, and other chemical species that promote membrane disruption and decrease membrane surface tension. Several POAG-linked gene polymorphisms identify proteins that manage damaged lipids and/or influence membrane surface tension. POAG-related genes expected to participate in these processes include: ELOVL5, ABCA1, APOE4, GST, CYP46A1, MYOC, and CAV. POAG-related gene products are expected to influence membrane surface tension, strength, and repair. I propose that heightened IOP overcomes retinal ganglion cell (RGC) membrane compressive strength, weakened by damaged lipid accumulation, to form pores. The ensuing structural failure promotes apoptosis and blindness. The linkage between glaucoma genotype and phenotype is mediated by physical events. Force balancing between the IOP and compressive strength regulates pore nucleation; force balancing between pore line tension and membrane surface tension regulates pore growth. Similar events may contribute to traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease, and macular degeneration.


Arend Lijphart's typology of democratic systems has been perceived as one of the major contributions to comparative political science in the last decades. His differentiation between consensus and majoritarian democracies has been widely adopted and expanded by other researchers. However, it has also been fiercely debated. This review summarizes the discussion by asking how useful Lijphart's typology of consensus and majoritarian systems is as a typology of democratic systems. It finds that the typology is a useful tool to categorize established democracies but is incapable of capturing patterns beyond the scope of the original sample. This is due to Lijphart's inductive approach that cannot sever the intricate connection between culture and institutions built into the typology. Moreover, this connection makes it difficult to predict differences in policy performance.


Factors affecting student retention were examined in the context of international programs at Thai private higher education institutions for the development of a leadership strategy to affect retention. A mixed-methods study involving both quantitative and qualitative aspects was employed to determine factors affecting student retention and current practices utilized.Students, faculty and administrators of international programs were surveyed and interviewed to obtain data for this study. Results indicated that retention of students in international programs at Thai private universities were influenced by academic, social, advising, and financial issues as well as levels of degree commitment, scholastic conscientiousness and academic efficacy. Current practices utilized included academic remediation, tutoring, advising, and student monitoring systems.These findings suggest that implementation of practical interventions supported by retention research and leadership commitment to increasing academic improvement will benefit students and have an impact on student retention.


Bach1 is a member of the basic leucine zipper transcription factor family, and the Bach1/small Maf heterodimer specifically represses transcriptional activity directed by the Maf recognition element (MARE). Because Bach1 is a repressor of the oxidative stress response, we examined the function(s) of Bach1 in keratinocytes subjected to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress induced by H2O2 led to an increase in MARE activity and expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an inducible antioxidant defense enzyme. Bach1 depletion by small interfering RNAs or by deletion of Bach1 enhanced HO-1 expression in the absence of H2O2, indicating that Bach1 is a critical repressor of HO-1 in keratinocytes. Although Bach1-deficient or -reduced keratinocytes expressed higher levels of HO-1 than control cells in response to H2O2, Bach1 down-regulation did not attenuate the production of reactive oxygen species by H2O2. In contrast, Bach1 overexpression abolished HO-1 induction by H2O2, which led to increased reactive oxygen species accumulation. HO-1 was induced during keratinocyte differentiation, but MARE activity did not change during differentiation. Furthermore, Bach1 overexpression did not inhibit differentiation-associated induction of HO-1 expression, suggesting that HO-1 induction in differentiation is independent of Bach1. Thus, in response to oxidative stress, Bach1 regulates the oxidation state through the negative control of HO-1 expression prior to terminal keratinocyte differentiation. However, Bach1-mediated repression is negated during keratinocyte differentiation.


Effect of norepinephrine on the phosphorylation of nuclear proteins was examined in cultured rat cardiocytes. Differential effects of phorbol esters, endothelin and platelet activating factor on the phosphorylation of a nuclear acid soluble fraction were evaluated. A specific phosphorylated nuclear acid soluble protein was identified in response to norepinephrine. The increase in phosphorylation in the norepinephrine-treated cardiocytes is significantly greater than 8 fold (p < 0.001) as compared to the control group. This nuclear acid soluble protein has a high content of serine (> 12%) as well as acidic amino acids (> 20%) which is distinctively different from the histones as analyzed by amino acid composition. The specific phosphorylation of this nuclear protein (Mr 31 Kda) can be induced by norepinephrine within 5 minutes, indicating of an early gene activation event which modulates nucleosomal structure by phosphorylation.


In this paper I will discuss some issues related to a recent trend in experimental philosophy (or x-phi), and try to show the reasons of its late (and scarce) involvement with aesthetics, compared to other areas of philosophical investigation. In order to do this, it is first necessary to ask how an autonomous experimental philosophy of aesthetics could be related to the long-standing tradition of psychological experimental aesthetics. After distinguishing between a "narrow" and a "broad" approach of experimental philosophy, I will then make a distinction between topics in aesthetics pertaining to perceptual and cognitive processes, and traditional issues involved in the analysis of general and culturally-laden concepts. The narrow program of experimental philosophy, focused on the investigation of folk intuitions, is particularly effective only when two general conditions are met: the use of hypothetical scenarios (testing of thought experiments) and the heuristic role of folk intuitions in drawing philosophically relevant conclusions. I will argue that, when aesthetics is concerned, these requirements are not easily met. These difficulties notwithstanding, I will support a pluralistic view where aesthetics is revealed as an instructive example of how experimental approaches and traditional "armchair" philosophy integrate, and enrich each other.


Deterioration of semantic memory is one of the primary neuropsychological deficits caused by Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we hypothesize that the breakdown of semantic memory in the mild-to-moderate stage of AD is due to the disruption of the semantic network that links the concepts. Furthermore, the loss of these links is not homogeneous through the semantic association categories (i.e., Superordinate, Contiguity, Part/Whole, Attribute, Function). Twenty-two subjects (11 patients with mild-to-moderate dementia and 11 control subjects matched on demographics) participated in the study. Both controls and patients with AD underwent extensive neuropsychological evaluation and three experimental tasks: (1) Naming Task, (2) Semantic Association Task, and (3) Semantic Knowledge Task. Results showed that: (1) The AD group was significantly different from the normal controls group in all the experimental tasks; (2) the Semantic Association Task was significantly worse than the other tasks; (3) for the AD group, the scores of the Function and Part/Whole association categories were higher than in the other categories; and (4) living stimuli were more impaired than nonliving. These data confirm prior research showing the semantic association is differently impaired in AD patients.


The current study endeavored to closely compare the detection rate of 68-Gallium labelled prostate-specific membrane antigen ([68Ga]Ga-PSMA) versus [18F]Fluorocholine in men with prostate cancer (PC), to investigate the benefits and pitfalls of each modality in the setting of various patient characteristics. We retrospectively analyzed 29 biopsy-proven PC patients in two categories, staging and restaging, who underwent both scans within a maximum of 30 days of each other. Variables including patient demographics, prostate specific antigen (PSA) level, Gleason score, clinical course, and following treatments were recorded. The number and location of suspicious lesions as well as uptake values were noted. A total of 148 suspicious lesions were detected, of which 70.9% (105/148) were concordantly visualized in both imaging modalities. [68Ga]Ga-PSMA positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) revealed a higher number of metastatic lesions per patients (91% vs 78%). The mean of maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max) in concordant lesions was significantly higher in [68Ga]Ga-PSMA compared to [18F]Fluorocholine PET/CT (14.6 ± 8.44 vs. 6.9 ± 3.4, p = 0.001). Discordant lesions were detected by both modalities, but more frequently by [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT (20.3% in [68Ga]Ga-PSMA versus 8.8% by [18F]Fluorocholine PET/CT). In patients with PSA levels below 1.0 ng/mL and <2.0 ng/mL, [18F]Fluorocholine PET/CT detection rate was half (57% and 55%, respectively) that of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT. Tumor, nodes and metastases (TNM) staging, and subsequently patient management, was only influenced in 4/29 patients (14%), particularly by [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT with PSA values under 0.5 ng/mL. [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT revealed superior diagnostic performance to [18F]Fluorocholine PET/CT in staging and restaging of PC patients, especially in cases with low PSA levels. However, in a few hormone resistant high-risk PC patients, [18F]Fluorocholine PET/CT may improve overall diagnostic accuracy.


The present invention is a reception terminal apparatus, designated on the screen showing a program broadcast in the goods, presents merchandise information of the merchandise at any time after the end of program broadcasting. The receiving terminal device to be displayed on a screen object image information showing the object, and the object image to be displayed in the display time information corresponding to the stored object image according to the received stream displayed on a screen, the user is received a case where the first instruction, in this case acquired command timing information, identifies the object image information is displayed in the display indicating time information and the time stored in advance, in case of receiving the second user's instruction, the specified object image information for object images displayed on the screen.


This paper tries to examine the long run relationships between the aggregate consumer prices and some cost-based components for the Turkish economy. Based on a simple economic model of the macro-scaled price formation, multivariate cointegration techniques have been applied to test whether the real data support the a priori model construction. The results reveal that all of the factors, related to the price determination, have a positive impact on the consumer prices as expected. We find that the most significant component contributing to the price setting is the nominal exchange rate depreciation. We also cannot reject the linear homogeneity of the sum of all the price data as to the domestic inflation. The paper concludes that the Turkish consumer prices have in fact a strong cost-push component that contributes to the aggregate pricing.


This paper proposes an emergency load shedding scheme aimed at stopping a developing voltage instability before system disruption. The proposed scheme has a wide-area view of the system, adapts itself to the emergency situation to be handled, and works in closed-loop. It relies on the detection of voltage instability from synchronized measurements recently proposed by the authors. It inherits the assumptions of this detection method (availability of a rich phasor measurement set and communication infrastructure). The method is adaptive in so far as the voltage thresholds used by this undervoltage load shedding scheme are determined from the measurements of the system evolution itself, and the curtailed power is adjusted to the severity of the situation. The features of the proposed scheme are illustrated on a small but realistic system.


Abstract 'Agere Contra' is a term introduced by St. Ignatius. The term comes from the Latin, meaning 'to act against' or 'to act otherwise.' In more depth, what conventional traders do does not necessarily go against government regulations. But they do the opposite, because on the basis of a higher than all, namely life. They are willing to sacrifice for their families to 'go against' government regulations, so that all their family members can still eat and survive in the current crisis situation.


Our goal in this work is to train an image captioning model that generates more dense and informative captions. We introduce "relational captioning," a novel image captioning task which aims to generate multiple captions with respect to relational information between objects in an image. Relational captioning is a framework that is advantageous in both diversity and amount of information, leading to image understanding based on relationships. Part-of-speech (POS, i.e. subject-object-predicate categories) tags can be assigned to every English word. We leverage the POS as a prior to guide the correct sequence of words in a caption. To this end, we propose a multi-task triple-stream network (MTTSNet) which consists of three recurrent units for the respective POS and jointly performs POS prediction and captioning. We demonstrate more diverse and richer representations generated by the proposed model against several baselines and competing methods.


The aims of this study were to investigate the combined effects of a natural compound 1′S-1′-acetoxychavicol acetate (ACA) with cisplatin (CDDP) on HPV-positive human cervical carcinoma cell lines (Ca Ski—low cisplatin sensitivity and HeLa—high cisplatin sensitivity), and to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) modulated in response toward ACA and/or CDDP. It was revealed that both ACA and CDDP induced dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity when used as a stand-alone agent, while synergistic effects were observed when used in combination with a combination index (CI) value of 0.74 ± 0.01 and 0.85 ± 0.01 in Ca Ski and HeLa cells, respectively. A total of 25 miRNAs were found to be significantly differentially expressed in response to ACA and/or CDDP. These include hsa-miR-138, hsa-miR-210, and hsa-miR-744 with predicted gene targets involved in signaling pathways regulating apoptosis and cell cycle progression. In conclusion, ACA acts as a chemosensitizer which synergistically potentiates the cytotoxic effect of CDDP in cervical cancer cells. The altered miRNA expression upon administration of ACA and/or CDDP suggests that miRNAs play an important role in anticancer drug responses, which can be manipulated for therapeutic purposes.


200 mg/m2 methotrexate given intravenously in a running drip for 6 h has been used as an initial adjuvant therapy in 38 patients with advanced head and neck cancer. The response rate is as high as 80%, with 21% achieving complete remission. Histologically, specimens were tumor free in 3 patients. Toxicity in 38 patients included leukopenia (4), mucositis (6) and diarrhea (1). This particular dose of methotrexate appears to be safe and usually does not need leucovorin rescue. Also, when given as initial treatment, it is effective in reduction of tumor bulk. A prolonged randomized trial is essential to determine its role in improving long-term survival.


In Exp. 1, weight change, backfat thickness, and litter size were compared for gilts fed individually or with a computer-controlled electronic sow feeder provided by Osborne Ind., Inc. and NEDAP-Poiesz, B.V. Twenty gilts were fed by each method, and no treatment effects were observed. In Exp. 2, electronic monitoring of visits to a boar were studied to evaluate the potential of the data to predict time of estrus. A very good correlation between boar visitation and estrous behavior was obtained. The data indicate that gilts can be fed with computercontrolled equipment under outside housing conditions in Kansas. Further, there is potential for developing a computer controlled system to electronically detect estrus in pigs.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 19, 1992


In this article, we examine the debate that surrounds prescribed reading lists in the English National Curriculum. In particular, we attempt to locate the role which ideas about heritage and social and moral values have played in constructing this debate. We begin by examining the English National Curriculum's origin in the 1980s as a conservative exercise in stemming cultural crisis, and the discourse about literature's role in the curriculum which this helped construct. We then examine how this discourse has influenced, and continues to influence, the educational policy of prescribing a list of authors and consider the assumptions that are embedded in this policy. Finally, we reflect upon how the material conditions of the classroom provide a site of resistance, or difficulty, for the officially sanctioned discourse concerning literature's role in the curriculum.


AbstractWind ramps present a significant challenge to the wind energy industry and are a source of inefficiency for wind farm owners and power grid operators. One approach to investigating wind ramp predictability is ensemble sensitivity analysis (ESA), which relates a scalar response function to an atmospheric variable at an earlier time. Applying ESA to wind ramps is challenging because the transient nature of the events makes it difficult to capture the ramp with a traditional response function that is fixed in space and time. This study introduces four response functions that are allowed to vary in space and time in order to identify key features of the wind ramp, such as the timing of the ramp and the largest horizontal extent of the ramp. Comparing these event-based response functions to a traditional response function reveals key differences in the sensitivity, which indicates that different aspects of the wind ramp event are sensitive to different atmospheric features. The use of multiple response...


Prior studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Deep Learning (DL) in automated software vulnerability detection. Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have proven effective in learning the graph representations of source code and are commonly adopted by existing DL-based vulnerability detection methods. However, the existing methods are still limited by the fact that GNNs are essentially difficult to handle the connections between long-distance nodes in a code structure graph. Besides, they do not well exploit the multiple types of edges in a code structure graph (such as edges representing data flow and control flow). Consequently, despite achieving state-of-the-art performance, the existing GNN-based methods tend to fail to capture global information (i.e., long-range dependencies among nodes) of code graphs. To mitigate these issues, in this paper, we propose a novel vulnerability detection framework with grAph siMplification and enhanced graph rePresentation LEarning, named AMPLE. AMPLE mainly contains two parts: 1) graph simplification, which aims at reducing the distances between nodes by shrinking the node sizes of code structure graphs; 2) enhanced graph representation learning, which involves one edge-aware graph convolutional network module for fusing heterogeneous edge information into node representations and one kernel-scaled representation module for well capturing the relations between distant graph nodes. Experiments on three public benchmark datasets show that AMPLE outperforms the state-of-the-art methods by 0.39%-35.32% and 7.64%-199.81% with respect to the accuracy and F1 score metrics, respectively. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of AMPLE in learning global information of code graphs for vulnerability detection.


A study has been made of the interfaces of sintered Ag-(100) InP metal-semiconductor contacts. The experimental conditions associated with the fabrication of the contacts have been identical to those used in the manufacture of the silver cathodes that are utilised in indium phosphide microwave oscillators. The examination has been performed with a systematic Auger profiling of a number of junctions. The Auger profiles have been complemented by direct examination of the contact's interface with scanning electron and optical microscopy. Following the sintering procedure considerable cross-diffusion of the constituent elements forming the contact has been seen to occur. The resulting Auger profile is shown to be a consequence of the formation of a solid solution of indium in silver, recrystallisation occurring within the silver metal, and the development of a silver phosphide compound within the silver metal close to the interface.


The increase of age-related diseases such as musculoskeletal and neurological dysfunction will require increased use of rehabilitation therapy. The effectiveness of this treatment depends of the skill of the therapist and the functionality inherent in the therapeutic device used. Here, a new EMG biofeedback controlled therapeutic traction machine was developed to relieve neck pain or cervical compression syndrome. Through EMG biofeedback and traction force control, muscle injury, neck soreness or pain, after traction can be avoided. This traction modality not only provides safety and quantitative assessment of traction therapy, but also demonstrates the feasibility of applying computer controlled biofeedback technologies in the use of medical devices.


Five trisaccharide derivatives designed for detailed exploration of the acceptor specificity of glycosyltransferases involved in termination of N-acetyllactosamine-type structures have been synthesized: beta-D-Gal p-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glc pNAc-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Man p-(1-->0)(CH2)7CH3 (1), 4-deoxy-beta-D-Gal p-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glc pNAc-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Man p-(1-->O)(CH2)7CH3 (2), 4-O-methyl-beta-D-Gal p-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glc pNAc-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Man p-(1-->O)(CH2)7CH3 (3), 4-deoxy-4-fluoro-beta-D-Gal p-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glc pNAc-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Man p(1-->O)(CH2)7CH3 (4), and beta-D-Glc p-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glc pNAc-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Man p-(1-->O)(CH2)7CH3 (5). A general disaccharide acceptor octyl 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-2-O-(3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-2-phthalimido-beta-D -glucopyranosyl)-alpha-D-mannopyranoside was synthesized by condensation of 4-O-acetyl-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-2-phthalimido-alpha, beta-D-glucopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate with octyl 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside, followed by deacetylation. 2,3,4,6-Tetra-O-acetyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate and 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate were used as the glycosyl donors in the syntheses of 1 and 5. The modified galactosyl derivatives required subtle anomeric activation. Suitable donors for 2 turned out to be 2,3,6-tri-O-acetyl-4-deoxy-alpha-D-xylo-hexopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate and ethyl 2,3,6-tri-O-acetyl-4-deoxy-1-thio-alpha, beta-D-xylo-hexopyranoside; for 3, ethyl 2,3,6-tri-O-acetyl-4-O-methyl-1-thio-alpha, beta-D-galactopyranoside; and for 4, 2,3,6-tri-O-acetyl-4-deoxy-4-fluoro-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate. It was concluded that thioglycosides were most appropriate for stereoselective coupling of activated synthons (carrying deoxy or O-methyl groups), whereas trichloroacetimidates gave high yields with deactivated (fluorine-containing) synthons.


Reeb graphs are widely used in a range of fields for the purposes of analyzing and comparing complex spaces via a simpler combinatorial object. Further, they are closely related to extended persistence diagrams, which largely but not completely encode the information of the Reeb graph. In this paper, we investigate the effect on the persistence diagram of a particular continuous operation on Reeb graphs; namely the (truncated) smoothing operation. This construction arises in the context of the Reeb graph interleaving distance, but separately from that viewpoint provides a simplification of the Reeb graph which continuously shrinks small loops. We then use this characterization to initiate the study of inverse problems for Reeb graphs using smoothing by showing which paths in persistence diagram space (commonly known as vineyards) can be realized by a path in the space of Reeb graphs via these simple operations. This allows us to solve the inverse problem on a certain family of piecewise linear vineyards when fixing an initial Reeb graph.


This final rule sets forth the circumstances under which HCFA will consider establishing special reasonable charge payment limits for physicians' services reimbursed under Part B of the Medicare program. The rule describes the factors that HCFA will consider and establishing the limits. The purpose of this rule is to bring the regulations into conformance with the provisions of section 9333 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986. As amended, the law stipulates the specific circumstances under which the Secretary may establish special reasonable charge limits for physicians' services. The rule also responds to the public comments received on the final rule with comment period that set forth the general principles for establishing special reasonable charge limits.


Various methods and technological tools have been utilized to meet the unique needs of adult learners. One of the recent methods is gamification, in which game elements and mechanics were utilized within a non-gaming context. This chapter reviews the literature and presents an overview of gamification implementations to develop systematic understanding of how gamification can be integrated into the adult learning process. An electronic search of articles from 2009 to 2019 was conducted, and 23 studies were reviewed in detail. The study shows gamification has mainly been utilized within the workplace environment and in the health education. The principle investigated constructs were satisfaction, motivation, engagement, and knowledge acquisition. Although the reviewed papers reported promising results in terms of utilizing gamification for adult learning, further research is needed.


An effective interaction between trapped ions in thermal motion can be generated by illuminating them simultaneously with a single laser resonant with the ionic carrier frequency. The ac Stark shift induces simultaneous "virtual" two-phonon transitions via several motional modes. Within a certain laser intensity range these transitions can interfere constructively, resulting in a relatively fast, heating-resistant two-qubit logic gate.


The use of synthetic-based muds (SBMs) can improve drilling performance and reduce the volume of pollution generated by offshore drilling operations. Investigations into the environmental impact of SBMs to date have concentrated on the seafloor. The biodegradation rate of an SBM is an important factor in determining the overall environmental performance. Laboratory biodegradation tests are an inexpensive alternative to conducting field studies. However, most of the tests have been designed for water-soluble compounds and reproducible results are difficult to obtain with regularity for hydrophobic materials like SBMs. For this study, a variety of base fluids were tested using the SOAEFD (Scottish Office of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department) solid-phase test. This paper will evaluate SOAEFD solid-phase test results against other biodegradation protocols using a set of criteria designed to identify the best biodegradation test for SBMs.


The aim of this work is to radiologicaly estimate the width, height and depth of bodies of thoracic and lumbal vertebras. Charts of one hundred and seventeen patients with implanted internal fixateur on the thoracic and lumbal spine, between 01.01.2008. and 31.3.2010. at the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology - Clinical Centre Sarajevo, were retrieved, and only 14 patients, with totally 46 vetrtebras have meet including criteria (clearly visible measured structures on X-ray and CT scans, and data about implants dimensions). Digitalized anteroposterior and laterolateral X-ray, and transversal and sagital CT scans were basic inputs for measurement of height, width and depth of the vertebral body--CH, CW, CD. The correction of enlargement on X-ray pictures was performed according to known dimensions of implants and the length scale on CT scans. Enlargement of those parameters, from T1 to L5 spine level was from 60 to 100%, except the stagnation in the mid-thoracic region, and decreasing of corporal depth on the L5 vertebra (CD/L5), in comparison to the fourth vertebra (CD/L4). The clinical importance of this work is in estimation and comparison of dimensions of vertebral bodies measured on X-ray and CT scans, as the basic inputs during surgical procedures of vertebroplasty and anterior spondilodesis.


Although centred on the European Central Bank, the international representation of the European System of Central Banks also relies on the national central banks. This article analyses the requirement of unity of the international representation of the ESCB, assesses the current means through which it is implemented, and identifies areas of possible improvement in the coordination of the respective international activities of the European Central Bank and of national central banks. The article argues that the principle of sincere cooperation can play a significant role, both within and beyond Article 6 of the ESCB/ECB Statute. Although the existing soft-law arrangements within the ESCB are more effective than for the EMU in general, improvements are possible regarding the conclusion and implementation of international cooperation agreements. Stronger synergies with the activities of national central banks would also help the emergence of a more proactive and influential international cooperation strategy.
European System of Central Banks, Eurosystem, national central banks, international representation


ABSTRACT:Acts of interpersonal moral address depend upon a shared space of social visibility in which human beings can both display themselves and perceive others as morally important. This raises questions that have gone largely undiscussed in recent philosophical work on moral address. How does the social mediation of interpersonal perception by forces such as ideology shape and limit the possibilities for moral address? And how might creative acts of putting oneself on display make possible unanticipated forms of moral address, especially under ideological conditions? In this paper, I propose that we can make progress towards answering such questions by treating moral address as a fundamentally aesthetic phenomenon. I begin by drawing examples from literature that invite the idea that humans and animals possess ethically value-laden features that are open to empirical view, and argue that approaches to moral address that do not avail themselves of this idea face serious limits, focusing on Stephen Darwall's The Second-Person Standpoint. I then illustrate the role of the aesthetic in moral address by offering a reading of the "Capitol Crawl," a 1990 direct action in which people with disabilities left behind assistive devices in order to ascend the stairs leading to the US Capitol. Drawing from some ideas in Iris Murdoch, I argue that the aesthetically striking features of this collective act of moral address are inseparable from the moral demands it expresses, and that, read as an aesthetic whole, its morally expressive power extends beyond the discursive while nevertheless remaining a part of the space of reasons.


The mode dynamics of a random laser is investigated in experiment and theory. The laser consists of a ZnCdO/ZnO multiple quantum well with air-holes that provide the necessary feedback. Time-resolved measurements reveal multi-mode spectra with individually developing features but no variation from shot to shot. These findings are qualitatively reproduced with a model that exploits the specifics of a dilute system of weak scatterers and can be interpreted in terms of a lasing network. Introducing the phase-sensitive node coherence reveals new aspects of the self-organization of the laser field. Lasing is carried by connected links between a subset of scatterers, the fields on which are oscillating coherently in phase. In addition, perturbing feedback with possibly unfitting phases from frustrated other scatterers is suppressed by destructive superposition. We believe that our findings are representative at least for weakly scattering random lasers. A generalization to random laser with dense and strong scatterers seems to be possible when using a more complex scattering theory for this case.


The paper raises an actual issue of the mechanisms for foreign students' socio-cultural adaptation in modern conditions of education in the Russian Federation, as a measure to counter extremism. The authors analyze the results of their own sociological research conducted among foreign students of Volgograd State University. Based on the data obtained, the authors came to the conclusion that properly developed mechanisms of foreign students' socio-cultural adaptation to new living conditions positively affects the quality and quantity of students' knowledge, skills and abilities. Moreover, integration of foreign and Russian students is essential, but the emphasis in educational field should take into the account foreign students' socio-cultural specifics. A student can show high rates of entry into the proposed socio-cultural environment, acceptance of attitudes, values, norms of the host country. In order to conduct a competent policy of intercultural interaction, it is necessary to create a clear program for the prevention of interethnic conflicts and extremism among students.


Event tracing is a reliable and low-intrusiveness method to debug and optimize systems and processes. Low overhead is particularly important in embedded systems where resources and energy consumption is critical. The most advanced tracing infrastructures achieve a very low footprint on the traced software, bringing each tracepoint overhead to less than a microsecond. To reduce this still non-negligible impact, the use of dedicated hardware resources is promising. In this paper, we propose complementary methods for tracing, that rely on hardware modules to assist software tracing. We designed solutions to take advantage of CoreSight STM, CoreSight ETM and Intel BTS, which are present on most newer ARM-based systems-on-chip and Intel x86 processors. Our results show that the time overhead for tracing can be reduced by up to 10 times when assisted by hardware, as compared to software tracing with LTTng, a high-performance tracer for Linux. We also propose a modification to the Perf tool to speed BTS execution tracing up to 65%.


This entry is our analysis of a study considered particularly relevant to improving outcomes from drug or alcohol interventions in the UK. The original study was not published by Findings; click Title to order a copy. Free reprints may be available from the authors – click prepared e-mail. Links to other documents. Hover over for notes. C lick to highlight passage referred to. Unfold extra text . The Summary conveys the findings and views expressed in the study. Below is a commentary from Drug and Alcohol Findings.


The temporal variability of the telluric sodium layer is investigated by analyzing 28 nights of data obtained with the Colorado State University LIDAR experiment. The mean height power spectrum of the sodium layer was found to be well fitted by a power law over the observed range of frequencies, 10 microHz to 4 mHz. The best-fitting power law was found be be 10(beta)nu(alpha), with alpha=-1.79+/-0.02 and beta=1.12+/-0.40. Applications to wavefront sensing require knowledge of the behavior of the sodium layer at kilohertz frequencies. Direct measurements at these frequencies do not exist. Extrapolation from low-frequency behavior to high frequencies suggests that this variability may be a significant source of error for laser guide star adaptive optics in large-aperture telescopes.


Marine resource management and related stakeholder conflicts have been clearly defined in recent decades as pressing issues worldwide. This article provides a comparative study of the management regimes of the Gulf of Castellammare Fishery Reserve and the Egadi Islands Marine Reserve in Sicily, Italy. What managers in these two reserves have neglected to include in management is a social science evaluation scheme to ensure the development of more effective overall management. This is a significant problem in both Italy and the rest of the Mediterranean, where few sociocultural and economic studies have been conducted. Using data collected with standard anthropological field methods, analysis was conducted on how artisanal fishers are impacted by reserves, the extent of their knowledge regarding regulations, their opinions on management, and demographics. The results indicate that while fishers in the two case studies are all aware of the marine reserves where they fish, most fishers are not well informed of the associated regulations. Fishers feel alienated from the management process, and would feel more comfortable with reserve managers and regulations if they were involved in management. The article concludes by showing how such data could help to develop more useful and practical management practices in both these and other MPAs with similar problems.


Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for vulvar cancer. FIGO staging requires histopathological detail of the primary tumor and inguinofemoral lymph nodes but groin node dissection carries a substantial risk of short and long-term morbidity. The trend in current practice is towards sentinel lymphadenectomy for cancers with a low risk of metastases. Full lymphadenectomy is undertaken if the sentinel lymph node contains metastasis. The predictive value of 18F-FDG-PET in preoperative assessment of the groin in vulvar squamous cancer was assessed in retrospect at a single institution. A period of three years prior to the introduction of sentinel lymph node mapping was chosen in order to have full histopathological assessment of inguinal and femoral lymph nodes available as the gold standard for correlation with positron emission tomography-computerized tomography (PET-CT) to determine the accuracy of the enhanced radiological technique. In patients with histologically proven metastases to groin nodes, comparisons between PET-CT positive (True-positive/TP) and negative (False-negative/FN) groups vis-à-vis histology showed a tendency towards higher FDG avidity in the vulvar lesions, more bilateral nodes, multiple metastases, larger metastases and more extra-capsular extension in the TP group. Calculations per patient for PET-CT yielded a sensitivity of 50% and specificity at 100%. The positive predictive value (PPV) was 100% and the negative predictive value (NPV) was 57.1%. The test accuracy was 70% per patient. The high positive predictive value of PET-CT can be used to advance treatment planning prior to surgical staging of patients identified with Stage III disease. The poor sensitivity makes it unsuitable as a substitute for staging lymphadenectomy.


Scene, as the crucial unit of storytelling in movies, contains complex activities of actors and their interactions in a physical environment. Identifying the composition of scenes serves as a critical step towards semantic understanding of movies. This is very challenging – compared to the videos studied in conventional vision problems, e.g. action recognition, as scenes in movies usually contain much richer temporal structures and more complex semantic information. Towards this goal, we scale up the scene segmentation task by building a large-scale video dataset MovieScenes, which contains 21K annotated scene segments from 150 movies. We further propose a local-to-global scene segmentation framework, which integrates multi-modal information across three levels, i.e. clip, segment, and movie. This framework is able to distill complex semantics from hierarchical temporal structures over a long movie, providing top-down guidance for scene segmentation. Our experiments show that the proposed network is able to segment a movie into scenes with high accuracy, consistently outperforming previous methods. We also found that pretraining on our MovieScenes can bring significant improvements to the existing approaches.


This paper uses neural network as a predictive model and genetic algorithm as an online optimization algorithm to simulate the noise processing of Chinese-English parallel corpus. At the same time, according to the powerful random global search mechanism of genetic algorithm, this paper studied the principle and process of noise processing in Chinese-English parallel corpus. Aiming at the task of identifying isolated words for unspecified persons, taking into account the inadequacies of the algorithms in standard genetic algorithms and neural networks, this paper proposes a fast algorithm for training the network using genetic algorithms. Through simulation calculations, different characteristic parameters, the number of training samples, background noise, and whether a specific person affects the recognition result were analyzed and discussed and compared with the traditional dynamic time comparison method. This paper introduces the idea of reinforcement learning, uses different reward mechanisms to solve the inconsistency of loss function and evaluation index measurement methods, and uses different decoding methods to alleviate the problem of exposure bias. It uses various simple genetic operations and the survival of the fittest selection mechanism to guide the learning process and determine the direction of the search, and it can search multiple regions in the solution space at the same time. In addition, it also has the advantage of not being restricted by the restrictive conditions of the search space (such as differentiable, continuous, and unimodal). At the same time, a method of using English subword vectors to initialize the parameters of the translation model is given. The research results show that the neural network recognition method based on genetic algorithm which is given in this paper shows its ability of quickly learning network weights and it is superior to the standard in all aspects. The performance of the algorithm in genetic algorithm and neural network, with high recognition rate and unique application advantages, can achieve a win-win of time and efficiency.


In recent years, pass-through cameras have resurfaced as inclusions for virtual reality (VR) hardware. With modern cameras that now have increased resolution and frame rate, Video See-Through (VST) Head-Mounted Displays (HMD) can be used to provide an Augmented Reality (AR) experience. However, because users see their surroundings through video capture and HMD lenses, there is question surrounding how people perceive their environment with these devices. We conducted a user study with 26 participants to help understand if distance perception is altered when viewing surroundings with a VST HMD. Although previous work shows that distance estimation in VR with an HTC Vive is comparable to that in the real world, our results show that the inclusion of a ZED Mini pass-through camera causes a significant difference between normal, unrestricted viewing and that through a VST HMD.


To understand how deuterium and fluorine substituents influence the supramolecular architecture of pyridine N-oxide crystals, the crystal structure of 3-fluoropyridine N-oxide (PNO-3F) was determined and the crystal packing motives of non-deuterated pyridine-N-oxide (PNO), partial-deuterated pyridine-N-oxide (PNO-D) and PNO-3F were analyzed based on ab initio quantum-chemical calculations of the intermolecular interaction energy, using the MP2/6-311G(d,p) method. The appearance of the weak-directing substituents deuterium and fluorine leads to significant changes in the crystal organization of the isotropic packing of PNO molecules.


Analysis of data from vessel monitoring systems and automated identification systems in large-scale fisheries is used to describe the spatial distribution of effort, impact on habitats, and location of fishing grounds. To identify when and where fishing activities occur, analysis needs to take account of different fishing practices in different fleets. Small-scale fisheries (SSFs) vessels have generally been exempted from positional reporting requirements, but recent developments of compact low-cost systems offer the potential to monitor them effectively. To characterize the spatial distribution of fishing activities in SSFs, positions should be collected with sufficient frequency to allow detection of different fishing behaviours, while minimizing demands for data transmission, storage, and analysis. This study sought to suggest optimal rates of data collection to characterize fishing activities at appropriate spatial resolution. In a SSF case study, on-board observers collected Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position and fishing activity every second during each trip. In analysis, data were re-sampled to lower temporal resolutions to evaluate the effect on the identification of number of hauls and area fished. The effect of estimation at different spatial resolutions was also explored. Consistent results were found for polling intervals <60 s in small vessels and <120 in medium and large vessels. Grid cell size of 100 × 100 m resulted in best estimations of area fished. Remote collection and analysis of GNSS or equivalent data at low cost and sufficient resolution to infer small-scale fisheries activities. This has significant implications globally for sustainable management of these fisheries, many of which are currently unregulated.


The paper proposes a digital image extraction and segmentation algorithm based on color features. The traditional transformation from RGB model to HSI model is improved, meanwhile the leaf color information is extracted by similarity distance between pixels. The green component of leaf image in the RGB model is strengthened, and then the digital image is transformed to the HSI model by the improved method. Finally the image is divided by similarity distance of pixels' H weight which determines whether the pixel belongs to the blade. The results of simulation experiment shows that this algorithm can achieve a good image segmentation effect, and it has a high degree of accuracy as well as a clearly distinguish degree and many other advantages such as good consistency with human visual system. It completely meets the effectiveness and clarity requirements of image segmentation.


Nurse educators face many challenges in evaluating textbooks to meet the needs of their students and preparing professional nurses who will practice in the next millennium. Using four phases of development, the Texas Textbook Evaluation Tool (T-TET) was created to develop a reliable and valid textbook evaluation instrument. The T-TET may be used to evaluate all levels of textbooks, including specialty textbooks in nursing.


While there is a burgeoning literature on diverse aspects of intergroup communication and some attention to media depictions of police officers and policing, very little research addresses communicative dimensions of police-civilian encounters. This is important to the extent that while it has been estimated that the vast amount of police training is devoted to physical compliance issues, 98% of actual law enforcement practice revolves around communicating with the public and its safety needs. Thus, the communication between police officers and civilians warrants examination. In this chapter, we overview the separate literatures on attitudes toward the police and communication accommodation theory. The findings of three studies are presented exploring the role of accommodation, alongside socio-demographic and other variables, in predicting attitudes toward police. The three studies encompass three different populations: English-speaking adults, Spanish-speaking adults, and university students. Analyses reveal similar results across the samples. In general, accommodation by officers predicts civilians' rating of officer performance as well as satisfaction when interacting with the police. These findings suggest that more attention should be directed at developing communication skills in general and accommodative ones in particular.


This paper discusses the design and implementation of processes and tools to support the collaborative creation and maintenance of multilingual wiki content. A wiki is a website where a large number of participants are allowed to create and modify content using their Web browser. This simple concept has revolutionized collaborative authoring on the web, enabling among others, the creation of Wikipedia, the world's largest online encyclopedia. On many of the largest and highest profile wiki sites, content needs to be provided in more than one language. Yet, current wiki engines do not support the efficient creation and maintenance of such content. Consequently, most wiki sites deal with the issue of multilingualism by spawning a separate and independent site for each language. This approach leads to much wasted effort since the same content must be researched, tracked and written from scratch for every language. In this paper, we investigate what features could be implemented in wiki engines in order to deal more effectively with multilingual content. We look at how multilingual content is currently managed in more traditional industrial contexts, and show how this approach is not appropriate in a wiki world. We then describe the results of a User-Centered Design exercise performed to explore what a multilingual wiki engine should look like from the point of view of its various end users. We describe a partial implementation of those requirements in our own wiki engine (LizzyWiki), to deal with the special case of bilingual sites. We also discuss how this simple implementation could be extended to provide even more sophisticated features, and in particular, to support the general case of a site with more than two languages. Finally, even though the paper focuses primarily on multilingual content in a wiki context, we argue that translating in this "Wiki Way", may also be useful in some traditional industrial settings, as a way of dealing better with the fast and ever-changing nature of our modern internet world.


In this paper, a CLL resonant tank fed by an asymmetrical pulsewidth-modulated (APWM) drive train is presented as an attractive option for low-power point-of-use power supplies used in telecom applications. This configuration can guarantee zero-voltage switching (ZVS) for an extended input voltage range of 35-75 V, while significantly reducing the associated conduction loss present in existing topologies. Proper resonant tank design will ensure efficient operation over the entire working range by maintaining ZVS for all line and load conditions, as well as minimizing the conduction loss by decreasing the circulating-current commensurate with load. Analysis of the converter topology is conducted, and a design procedure is presented. Experimental results from a 25-W 48-V/2.5-V proof-of-concept prototype are presented to validate the analysis and simulation results and to highlight the merits of the proposed topology. The proposed converter is shown to provide a 7%-14% efficiency improvement over a reference topology.


Clonal propagation of fruit trees and other plant species through tissue culture is based on the concept of cell totipotency first expressed by Virchow in 1858 (54) which derived from the cell theory that Schleiden proposed in 1838 (46). Technical problems made it impossible to put these ideas into practice, and more than a century passed before plants could be cultured in vitro. Plant tissue culture developed with the improvement of technology; thus, it has not been a revolution in theory but an evolution of techniques. The origins of plant tissue culture trace to studies by Haberlandt (14), who aseptically cultured single cells on a liquid medium supplemented with sugar. The cells remained alive, but were unable to proliferate.


In this article entitled "A Distributed Temperature Profiling System for Vertically and Laterally Dense Acquisition of Soil and Snow Temperature", the authors have presented an inexpensive DTS system to monitor snowpack temperature profile, soil temperature profile as well as snow depth. However, similar research is presented by Lundquist & Lott (2008) (DOI: :10.1029/2008WR007035) using the exact same DTS device. A similar approach has been adopted in Sodankylä, Finland (see DOI: 10.1029/2020MS002144). More recently, a similar snow temperature profiler has been used for various application: derivation of snowpack cold content (DOI: 10.5194/tc-2021-98) and in temperature index snow model (DOI: 10.3390/w12082284). Also, a similar approach has been adopted to understand the permafrost dynamics (DOI: tc-13-2853-2019). Therefore, the applicability of snow temperature profiler (DTS system) is immense. However, I believe this is not a novel work.


Across the United States, many faculty members are developing new mixed research courses. However, before embarking on teaching these courses, it would be helpful for instructors to be aware of the challenges faced by instructors and students in mixed research courses. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative-dominant mixed research study was to document these challenges. Participants were 11 instructors of mixed research courses from institutions around the United States who were selected purposively via critical case sampling such that they represented a diverse set of instructors. The following four themes emerged that represented dimensions of challenges: Time, Diversity, Format/Life Situations, and Preconceived Bias. Three of these themes yielded 10 subthemes. Moreover, a correspondence analysis of the four themes revealed that they each fell somewhere on a continuum that lay from internal influences that characterized an interaction between instructors and students (i.e., Diversity, Format/Life Situations) to external influences that characterized an interaction between instructors and curricula pertaining to the rapidly evolving field of mixed research—yielding the meta-themes of Internal Influence and External Influence. Implications for instructors and students undertaking mixed research courses are discussed.


Differential evolution (DE) is recognized as a simple but powerful algorithm in the family of evolutionary algorithms. Over the past two decades, many advanced DE variants with significantly improved performance have been proposed. However, the variants may only achieve the best performance on a certain type of functions. Moreover, a specific optimizer may not always be suitable for the whole optimization process. To overcome these weaknesses, this paper proposes a multiple variants coordination (MVC) framework with two mechanisms, namely, the multiple variants adaptive selecting mechanism and the multiple variants adaptive solutions preserving mechanisms (MV-APM). In MVC, the evolution process is divided into nonoverlap segments with equal numbers of generations. Each segment includes the learning generations (LGs) and executing generations (EGs). In LG, all the candidate DE optimizers are utilized independently. The best performing optimizer is determined and then utilized in EG in the same segment. Furthermore, MV-APM maintains the population by adaptively preserving promising solutions generated by multiple optimizers. Numerical experiments on the CEC2014 benchmark suit show that the proposed MVC framework can significantly improve the performance of the baseline algorithms and the resulted algorithm significantly outperform the start-of-the-art and up-to-date DEs. Moreover, as a general framework, MVC can also be applied to coordinate multiple improved DE variants to further enhance their performance.


Background: Nuclear constituent such as histone protein, double stranded (ds) DNA, DNA/histone complexes (nucleosomes), various nuclear enzymes and other protein/ribonucleoproteins are common target antigens for antinuclear antibodies (ANA). On this base, different intranuclear immunofl uorescent ANA staining patterns can be detected in SLE. Objective: To study a different ANA patterns in our patients with SLE and to detect the associations between ANA patterns and clinical manifestations of SLE in our patients. Methods: The study included 126 SLE patients who were registered in rheumatology out patient's clinic in Tripoli Medical Center in Libya in the period from January 2015 to January 2018. All patients met ≥ 4/11 of the 1982 American College of Rheumatology (ACR-82) criteria. Age, sex and clinical manifestations of their illness at diagnosis were recorded. ANA analysis by immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy (HEP-2cells) was sent to Bioscientia laboratory Ingelheim, Germany for all patients. Anti double stranded DNA (crithidia luciliae) analysis was also sent to the same laboratory for all patients. Results: One hundred and twenty six patients (124 females and 2 males) were included in the study. Their mean age was 32.46 years. The most common ANA pattern in our patients was combined homogenous and fine speckled (HSANA) which present in 50/126 (39.7%) of patients followed by speckled pattern (S-ANA) in 37/126 (29.4%) of patients. The classical homogeneous pattern (H-ANA) was present in only 13/126 (10.3%) of our patients. Nucleolar pattern (N-ANA) ± other patterns were recorded in 14/126 (11.1%). Clinical manifestations as renal disorder was associated with HS-ANA, H-ANA, and S-ANA patterns more than N-ANA± other patterns (p<0.00001). Arthritis was less associated with S-ANA pattern than other patterns (p - value=0.0049).  Haematological disorders occurred more in H-ANA pattern than other patterns (p<0.00001). Positive anti dsDNA analysis was associated more with HS-ANA and H-ANA than N-ANA± other patterns and S-ANA (p<0.0001). Conclusion: Combined homogenous and fine speckled (HS-ANA) is the dominant immuno fluorescent antinuclear antibody pattern among Libyan patients with SLE which was more associated with renal disorders and positive anti dsDNA antibodies than other patterns. Nucleolar pattern ± other patterns were recorded in 11.1% of our patients and associated with least renal disorders and positive anti dsDNA antibodies. Keywords: Antinuclear antibodies, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Antids DNA antibodies


Because the mobility ratio of thin film transistors is too low, it is recognized that flat detector can not be used in CT machine.The current research direction is to find the detector material with higher mobility ratio, but with little success. This study puts forward a new scheme to solve the core problem that limits the application of CT, which is the mobility of thin film transistors:by moving various TFT functions in the thin film transistor to the peripheral circuit, the restriction of the mobility of thin film transistor on the CT machine is completely overcome, and the reading speed of the flat panel detector becomes very fast, which can perfectly meet the requirements of the scanning speed of the CT machine.This will provide new research ideas for the application of flat panel detector in CT machine.


Highly sensitive and reliable hydrogen detection is prerequisite for the large‐scale implementation of green energy hydrogen. It remains a tough challenge to get a highly selective H2 sensor to low concentration H2 gas with low working temperature. In this work, high performance flexible hydrogen sensor using ultrathin SnO2 film decorated by Pd nanoparticles (NPs) on polyimide (PI) was developed based on versatile atomic layer deposition (ALD) and cluster beam deposition (CBD). The influence of Pd NPs loading amount and operating temperature on the performance of hydrogen sensors was studied. The sensors obtain an extremely high response over 20000 to 30 ppm H2 at the relatively low operating temperature of 75–125 °C. The Pd NPs@SnO2/PI sensor achieves a wide detection range of 0.1‐5000 ppm with the limit of detection (LOD) of 100 ppb at 125 °C. A low LOD of 250 ppb can still be achieved at room temperature. The sensors also exhibit outstanding sensing selectivity for hydrogen over interfering gases and excellent mechanical resistance after 2000 bending cycles. The mechanism for improved sensing performance of ALD ultrathin film with CBD‐derived noble metal NPs decoration may be a feasible strategy for the construction of highly sensitive, selective, and flexible hydrogen sensors.


The medium compositions such as carbon and nitrogen sources, moisture content and inorganic salt affected the microbial protein (MP) production. Imbalance of carbon-nitrogen ratio in apple pomace (AP) limited the microbial utilization. Hence, those conditions must be optimized to achieve maximum MP. In this work, AP was pretreated by extrusion technology to obtain extruded apple pomace (EAP). Subsequently, the medium compositions were optimized using Plackett-Burman design (PBD) and Box-Behnken design (BBD). PBD determined four significant factors (bran, glucose, packing quantity (PQ), water to material ratio (W/M)) out of the eight variables. The BBD results showed that optimal true protein content (10.42%), effective viable count (1.94×109 CFU/g) and crude protein content (18.73%) were achieved at bran 16.22%, glucose 8.09%, PQ 9.88 g and W/M 1.56. Compared with AP, the true protein and crude protein content of optimal fermented EAP (FEAP) were increased by 152% and 216%, respectively. According to fluorescence microscopy, the cellulose of AP was little effected by extrusion technology while was mostly degraded by mixed strains (Aspergillus niger, Candida utilis, Geotrichum candidum and Lactic acid bacteria). Combination of extrusion and fermentation, the medium compositions were optimized to promote the bioconversion of AP into MP feed.