Cell and tissue functions rely on an elaborate intracellular transport system responsible for distributing bioactive molecules with high spatiotemporal accuracy. The tubular network of the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) constitutes a system for the delivery of luminal solutes it stores, including Ca2+, across the cell periphery. The physical nature and factors underlying the ER's functioning as a fluidics system are unclear. Using an improved ER transport visualisation methodology combined with optogenetic Ca2+ dynamics imaging, we observed that ER luminal transport is modulated by natural ER tubule narrowing and dilation, directly proportional to the amount of an ER membrane morphogen, Reticulon 4 (RTN4). Consequently, the ER morphoregulatory effect of RTN4 defines ER's capacity for peripheral Ca2+ delivery and thus controls axonogenesis. Excess RTN4 limited ER luminal transport, Ca2+ release and iPSC-derived cortical neurons' axonal extension, while RTN4 elimination reversed the effects. Summary Intracellular transport through the lumen of the ER network is modulated through narrowing/dilation of ER tubules by a membrane morphogen – RTN4, a process controlling axonogenesis by limiting the delivery of ER-stored Ca2+.


Spices in food and beverages and compounds in tobacco smoke interact with sensory irritant receptors of the transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channel family. TRPV1 (vanilloid type 1), TRPA1 (ankyrin 1) and TRPM8 (melastatin 8) not only elicit action potential signaling through trigeminal nerves, eventually evoking pungent or cooling sensations, but by their calcium conductance they also stimulate the release of calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP). This is measured as an index of neuronal activation to elucidate the chemo‐ and thermosensory transduction in the isolated mouse buccal mucosa of wild types and pertinent knockouts. We found that the lipophilic capsaicin, mustard oil and menthol effectively get access to the nerve endings below the multilayered squamous epithelium, while cigarette smoke and its gaseous phase were weakly effective releasing CGRP. The hydrophilic nicotine was ineffective unless applied unprotonated in alkaline (pH9) solution, activating TRPA1 and TRPV1. Also, mustard oil activated both these irritant receptors in millimolar but only TRPA1 in micromolar concentrations; in combination (1 mm) with heat (45 °C), it showed supraadditive, that is heat sensitizing, effects in TRPV1 and TRPA1 knockouts, suggesting action on an unknown heat‐activated channel and mustard oil receptor. Menthol caused little CGRP release by itself, but in subliminal concentration (2 mm), it enabled a robust cold response that was absent in TRPM8−/− but retained in TRPA1−/− and strongly reduced by TRPM8 inhibitors. In conclusion, all three relevant irritant receptors are functionally expressed in the oral mucosa and play their specific roles in inducing neurogenic inflammation and sensitization to heat and cold.


We present Learning to Explain (LTX), a model-agnostic framework designed for providing post-hoc explanations for vision models. The LTX framework introduces an"explainer"model that generates explanation maps, highlighting the crucial regions that justify the predictions made by the model being explained. To train the explainer, we employ a two-stage process consisting of initial pretraining followed by per-instance finetuning. During both stages of training, we utilize a unique configuration where we compare the explained model's prediction for a masked input with its original prediction for the unmasked input. This approach enables the use of a novel counterfactual objective, which aims to anticipate the model's output using masked versions of the input image. Importantly, the LTX framework is not restricted to a specific model architecture and can provide explanations for both Transformer-based and convolutional models. Through our evaluations, we demonstrate that LTX significantly outperforms the current state-of-the-art in explainability across various metrics.


This is the final report of the European Commission funded research project "DRuMFISH" (service contract n° EASME/EMFF/2014/l.3.2.4/ SI2.721116). The main aim of the project was to develop models and strategies for providing advice for mixed fisheries that account for: (i) fishing mortality ranges consistent with MSY, (ii) all fish caught being landed, and (iii) significant components of the marine fish ecosystem lacking key biological information. In order to meet this aim, DRuMFISH delivered a review of assessment approaches for data-poor stocks, extended mixed fisheries simulation frameworks to include data-poor stocks. The assessment approaches and simulation frameworks were implemented in 7 case studies. These case studies were mixed fisheries in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Celtic Sea, the Bay of Biscay, the Western Mediterranean, the Adriatic Sea, and the Aegean Sea. Within the case studies, 35 data-poor stock assessments were done. These assessments provided exploitation status of data-poor stocks. Different harvest control rules were subsequently tested for their expected yields and stock biomasses from the mixed fisheries in the simulation frameworks. Now that data-poor stocks can be incorporated with in the mixed fisheries simulation frameworks, the design of new management plans can account for data-poor stocks in mixed fisheries.


We propose an accurate and computationally efficient 3D scattering model, multi-layer Born (MLB), and use it to recover the 3D refractive index (RI) of thick biological samples. For inverse problems recovering the complex field of thick samples, weak scattering models (e.g., first Born) may fail or underestimate the RI, especially with a large index contrast. Multi-slice (MS) beam propagation methods model multiple scattering to provide more realistic reconstructions; however, MS does not properly account for highly oblique scattering, nor does it model backward scattering. Our proposed MLB model uses a first Born model at each of many slices, accurately capturing the oblique scattering effects and estimating the backward scattering process. When used in conjunction with an inverse solver, the model provides more accurate RI reconstructions for high-resolution phase tomography. Importantly, MLB retains a reasonable computation time that is critical for practical implementation with iterative inverse algorithms.


This paper presents an experimental and numerical work on the effect of flat heat pipe construction on the cooling of an electronic component. The flat heat pipe is heated via 1-cm-diameter circular electrical resistance (the evaporator side), and the other side (the condenser side) is cooled by convection through a heat sink. In the experimental work, three types of wick construction are used in the heat pipe: (A) mesh + powder, (B) mesh, and (C) powder. A comparison is performed of the electronic component cooling from the heat pipe, copper block, and open heat pipe constructions. The numerical work studies the effect of wick porosity on the heat pipe performance for different wicks that we could not study experimentally. For forced convection, heat pipe A is more efficient for the electronic component cooling than the copper block and other heat pipe construction. For free convection, the copper block is the most efficient. The maximum variation of the heat pipe temperature is about 19% due to change of the heat pipe construction. When the wick porosity increases, the temperature increases and the pressure decreases. The rectangular groove construction produces the minimum temperature compared to the wrapped screen and packed sphere constructions.


Carrying out vascular sutures is often a serious trouble during the surgical preparation of arteriovenous fistulas for haemodialysis. A new technique is suggested to perform an end-to-end anastomosis by inserting the artery 5-6 mm into the vein and then cementing the vessels by means of a cyanoacrilic tissue adhesive. The duration of the surgical procedure is reduced to half and this technique is much more simple than the usual ones. In 6 patients thus treated no troubles could be found either immediately or afterwards.


A texture-based pattern recognition system is proposed for the automatic characterization of cervical intervertebral disc degeneration from saggital magnetic resonance images of the spine. A case sample of 50 manually segmented ROIs, corresponding to 25 normal and 25 degenerated discs, was analyzed and textural features were generated from each disc-ROI. Student's t-test verified the existence of statistically significant differences between textural feature values generated from normal and degenerated discs. This finding is indicative of disc image texture differentiation due to the degeneration of the disc. The generated features were employed in the design of a pattern recognition system based on the Least Squares Minimum Distance classifier. The system achieved a classification accuracy of 94{%} and it may be of value to physicians for the assessment of cervical intervertebral disc degeneration in MRI.


In this study, the colloidal stability and sedimentation behavior of crystalline TiO2 particles (∼300nm) in various organic solvents have been investigated by means of a backscattered light flux profile (Turbiscan) and a zeta potential measurement. The backscattered light flux profiles revealed that the TiO2 nanoparticles were readily sedimented in water, methyl alcohol, and ethyl alcohol due to a flocculation-induced particle growth, while a particle coalescence and a sedimentation of the TiO2 nanoparticles were hardly observed in isopropyl alcohol. The measured ζ potentials verified the differences of the colloidal stabilities of the TiO2 particles in the organic solvents, showing a good correlation with the migration velocity.


Twelve sheep experimentally infected with Chlamydia psittaci during pregnancy either aborted or gave birth to weak, low-birth-weight lambs as a result of uteroplacental infection. Subsequently, these ewes excreted chlamydial antigen from their reproductive tracts during estrus. About 1 year after pregnancy failure, immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction were used to examine sections of vagina, uterus, and oviduct for evidence of C. psittaci. Four noninfected control ewes were similarly examined. C. psittaci antigen or DNA was detected in vagina, uterus, and oviduct samples from chronically infected ewes. Endometrial cells in the basal stroma were the predominant site of infection. There was no obvious evidence of pathology associated with persistent infection, but increased numbers of plasma cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes were detected in the uterus. C. psittaci is a naturally occurring reproductive infection in sheep that persists following primary infection. Therefore, sheep provide an excellent model to study the host-parasite interactions that occur during natural infection and subsequent persistence.


A great variety of original audiovisual (AV) texts such as films, television series, teletext, videogames, live performances may include more than one language as an outcome of the director's initial intension. The producers of the AV texts tend to portray specific cultural aspects with different linguistic variations, which are also related to particular stylistic, pragmatic or discursive functions. In certain cases, translators of such AV texts face serious challenges. One of the thorny problems arises with the adaptation of the multilingual AV texts to the deaf and hard of hearing audience. Different strategies and methods of employing the multilingual AV texts for the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing audience have been adopted in various countries; however, nowadays Lithuania has only taken its first steps in developing a unified system of working out translating and subtitling strategies of the AV texts in general. This article aims at discovering professional translation and subtitling practices along with the norms, criteria and strategies of this specific translation activity in Lithuania and abroad. Firstly, the existing overseas reality of the translation and subtitling of multilingual AV texts is described and afterwards the tendencies within the Lithuanian adaptations of AV texts are discussed.


Design review is used throughout the product development process to evaluate the design in terms of costs, quality and delivery, to ensure that the most suitable knowledge and technology are incorporated into the design, and to resolve possible problems instead of passing them downstream. Business globalization has extended design review activities to involve interdisciplinary members within and outside the enterprise, either geographically collocated or dispersed. This paper first proposes a systematic and rigorous framework based on a Systematic Theory of Axiomatic Design Review for more efficient and effective design review. The resulting framework is adequately well-structured and generic, enabling it to become the basis for developing a web-based design review portal in the extended enterprise. The framework is extended further to formulate a new design review technique called FuzzySTAR (Fuzzy Set Theory Approach to design Review). This paper demonstrates how design review tools are accommodated within the design review enterprise portal and how to use FuzzySTAR for reviewing the design of a fuel pump.


Polyaniline (PANI) is one of the most popular conducting polymers. It displays high electrical conductivity, environmental stability, ease of preparation from common chemicals. We present the synthesis and characterization of composites of hydrophilic polyaniline colloids with two matrices. In the first par,t PANI was incorporated into siloxane resins during the hydrophilic stage of their synthesis via sol-gel. The goal was to combine the mechanical properties of the matrix and electrical ones of PANI. By changing the ratio of branching and linear monomers we were able to change the mechanical proprieties (characterized via DMTA). PANI dispersion was characterized via TEM. The composites' electrical conductivity was measured as well. In the second part we present hydrogel composites based on the hydrophilc poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) matrix and polyaniline (PANI). The aim was to obtain very fast temperature-responsive hydrogels, in analogy to previously prepared ones filled with nano-silica, but with conductive nanofiller able of inductive heating. Morphology, conductivity and mechanical properties of these composites will be discussed.


Background and Purpose: Studies on rescue therapy for acute posterior circulation stroke due to basilar artery occlusion (BAO) are limited in the modern era of mechanical thrombectomy (MT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of rescue stenting (RS) following MT failure in patients with BAO. Methods: Data were collected from the Endovascular Treatment Key Technique and Emergency Work Flow Improvement of Acute Ischemic Stroke (ANGEL-ACT) prospective registry in China. Patients who underwent MT for BAO with failure of recanalization were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into the RS and non-RS groups. Clinical and laboratory findings, procedural details, and clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results: Overall, 93 patients with acute BAO were analyzed. The RS group included 81 (87.1%) patients, and the non-RS group included 12 patients. A modified treatment in cerebral infarction (mTICI) score of 2b/3 was achieved in 75 (92.6%) patients in the RS group. Compared with the non-RS group, the RS group had a significantly higher rate of successful recanalization and favorable clinical outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score at 90 days post-procedure, 0–3: 16.7 vs. 51.9%, respectively; P = 0.023) without an increase in the rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage and a significantly lower mortality rate (58.3 vs. 18.5%, respectively; P = 0.006). Furthermore, the use of a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor improved the rate of recanalization of the target artery without increasing the rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. Conclusions: Permanent stenting appears to be a feasible rescue modality when MT fails and might provide functional benefits in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to BAO.


We derive a system of nonlinear equations that govern the dynamics of low-frequency short-wavelength electromagnetic waves in the presence of equilibrium density, temperature, magnetic field and velocity gradients. In the linear limit, a local dispersion relation is obtained and analyzed. New ηe-driven electromagnetic drift modes and instabilities are shown to exist. In the nonlinear case, the temporal behaviour of a nonlinear dissipative system can be written in the form of Lorenz- and Stenflo-type equations that admit chaotic trajectories. On the other hand, the stationary solutions of the nonlinear system can be represented in the form of dipolar and vortex-chain solutions.


With the exception of certain pyritized ammonites from a few horizons, notably the Tropidoceratids discussed below, the specimens from the Belemnite Marls are not in a good state of preservation. Some, like the Polymorphites of the lineatus type, from Bed 112, or Phricodoceras taylori from the base of the Marls, are not difficult to recognize, even in crushed impressions, while from the occurrence, in Beds 115–118a, of numerous small pyritized 'Uptonia bronni' (Rœmer) it may be inferred that the associated traces of larger whorl-fragments belonged to the adult Uptonia jamesoni. The poor state of preservation of the ammonites is all the more regrettable, since certain examples from the comparatively unfossiliferous lower three-quarters of the Marls cannot be definitely identified, even generically. Correlation with other areas where the jamesoni zone is well developed, for instance Pabay or Wurtemberg, cannot thus be more accurately established than in my previous paper (Spath, 1923, p. 6). Of the family Deroceratidæ of the lower beds, Apoderoceras Buckman and Phricodoceras Hyatt are alone definitely recognizable, while Metaderoceras Spath and Hyperderoceras Spath are represented only by imperfect specimens of uncertain affinities. Still more doubtful are the fragments provisionally referred to Tetraspidoceras Spath, and it is possible that at least some of these may belong to the Liparoceratid genus Parinodiceras Trueman. Of the presumed derivatives of Deroceratidæ, Cæloceras Hyatt, on the one hand, is represented by pyritized examples; but the forms of Liparoceras Hyatt, on the other, are badly preserved, as are the specimens of its probable 'degenerate'


Computer vision has widespread and growing application including robotics, autonomous vehicles, medical imaging and diagnosis, surveillance, video analysis, and even tracking for sports analysis. This book equips the reader with crucial mathematical and algorithmic tools to develop a thorough understanding of the underlying components of any complete computer vision system and to design such systems. These components include identifying local features such as corners or edges in the presence of noise, edge preserving smoothing, connected component labeling, stereopsis, thresholding, clustering, segmentation, and describing and matching both shapes and scenes. The extensive examples include photographs of faces, cartoons, animal footprints, and angiograms, and each chapter concludes with homework exercises and suggested projects. Intended for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students, the text will also be of use to practitioners and researchers in a range of applications.


This study forms the prolegomena to a forthcoming critical edition of the Vitarum Auctio and Piscator for the Teubner series. The author has examined all the manuscript evidence and other sources such as early printed texts, excerpts, marginal readings, and early Latin translations. An exhaustive description of the manuscripts is followed by a lengthy and sensible discussion of select readings in order to determine which manuscripts are necessary and sufficient for establishing the text, concluding with what the author calls not so much a 'stemma' as a 'diagrammatic illustration' of the present state of the text. The views of Mras (Die Uberlieferung Lucians, 1911) and of other scholars are brought under judicious critical scrutiny. There is a section in which orthographical and morphological variations are examined and the views of Fritzsche, Chabert, Schmid and others on Lucian's Atticism discussed, and a section considering the manuscript variations in the names assigned to the speakers in these two dialogues. It is a meticulous and useful introduction to Itzkowitz's forthcoming edition.


It is well-established that student engagement is a prerequisite and proxy for learning and development. Yet, despite its significance, student engagement has not received proper attention as an important construct in the literature of second/foreign language research, especially in research on listening skill. The current research contributes to the understanding of the phenomenon of student engagement in out-of-class L2 listening. The research was conducted at a university in Viet Nam and targeted at second-year and third-year majors of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). To attain the aims of gaining insight into student engagement in listening beyond classroom and innovating a design for enhancing student engagement, two studies were undertaken. The first or baseline study examined the status quo of student engagement within these learners' usual self-study setting. Meanwhile, the main study examined student engagement in the project's social networked or YouListen listening space. The research was a mixed methods case study, mobilizing survey questionnaires, a record of the learners' online activity and semi-structured interviews.
The results from the baseline study reveal a worrying status quo of student engagement in terms of time and effort investment, listening strategy use, readiness, confidence and willingness to listen to the target language beyond classroom. Besides, the learning condition and factors relating to the learners themselves were perceived to affect their engagement the most. Furthermore, several significant correlations between certain behaviours of engagement were statistically identified. Last, sharing experiences with peers, asynchronous communication, test-oriented resources and real life-oriented resources gained the learner's strong favour. The findings of the main study depict a diverse picture of student engagement in which variation in engagement was associated with different learners and different listening or sharing sub-spaces and within individual learners. In general, there were noticeable positive signs of engagement, such as being engaged with particular listening resources, the expression of positive emotions, and actively sharing listening comprehension and reflection, all of which seemed to suggest the potential of the project's listening space to engage learners to listen actively to English. Nevertheless, the prevalence of inflexible listening strategies and 'quiet' knowledge construction were identified. It was found that there was interplay of certain contextual and learner factors that might have contributed to the ways students engaged. Suggestions that might further promote student engagement were drawn and involved improvements in both the design and the learner. Based on the obtained research findings, pedagogical implications are recommended. The findings and recommendations will be of interest to EFL teachers, researchers, and policy makers.


Verb Phrase (VP) is one of the most important types of phrase for its function. It provides information about the subject of the sentence. Verb Phrase itself has more than one type. It also has ontological aspect, an aspect by which a certain situation is represented. This aspect is made up by features. This study aims at finding out and analyzing the types of VP and their ontological features in National Geographic's Visions of Mars. By analyzing and understanding the types of VP and their ontological features, readers understand the discourse more. They gain more perspective syntactically. This study employs syntactic approach and is qualitative in nature. The results yield three different types of VP, i.e. action, process, and state where action VP places the highest position. There are four ontological features found in Visions of Mars, i.e. dynamic, agentive, nonevolving, and evolving. The findings imply how Visions of Mars is structured. The deeds are mostly conducted or done by an agent and show


Heat cracks in brake discs are a frequent problem during development of brake systems for heavy-duty vehicles since their occurrence cannot be predicted. Earlier works have focused on the influence of the brake pad and the brake disc material on heat crack formation. However, these influences vary strongly during series production and no profound causal model explaining the heat crack formation is available. Primary objective of this work is the analysis of influences on heat crack formation in order to explain crack formation by an extended causal model. Accordingly, a series of experiments is conducted with five different brake discs on the dynamometer. While keeping brake pad composition and brake disc material steady, cooling channel geometry of the ventilated brake discs is varied for characterisation of this previously insufficiently examined influence. A profound experimental setup allows for continuous observation of brake disc surface temperature and disc deformation as well as for automatic capturing of lengths of all cracks on the disc after each braking cycle. The experimental series is complemented by material investigations and a Finite Element model.
Experimental evaluation is done based upon experimental hypotheses, which in turn are formulated based on the state of science and technology. Key finding is the fact that cooling channel geometry directly and indirectly influences crack formation. On the one hand, cooling channel pins cause extrusions on the friction surface, leading to stress peaks and finally guide crack paths. Consequently, cracks grow faster through radially aligned cooling channel pins in contrast to radially slightly staggered pins. Furthermore, variation of cooling channel pin arrangement in circumferential direction distorts evolution of harmonic waviness of the friction ring and therefore evolution of hotspots. Hotspots cause surface near microstructural transformations and define crack initiation zones. In contradiction to findings of previous studies, local presence of a hotspot is not required for propagation of open cracks. In fact, a convex deformation of the friction ring is sufficient for locally intensified crack growth. Finally, formation of a through-thickness crack reaching the cooling channel causes strongly convex deformation of the friction ring at the respective position, which intensifies load over again.
State of science and technology is extended and specified. Experimental methodology and gathered findings on the influence of brake disc geometry on the heat crack formation merits special mention.


We consider the recently proposed extra-large scale massive multiple-input multiple-output (XL-MIMO) systems, with some hundreds of antennas serving a smaller number of users. Since the array length is of the same order as the distance to the users, the long-term fading coefficients of a given user vary with the different antennas at the base station (BS). Thus, the signal transmitted by some antennas might reach the user with much more power than that transmitted by some others. From a green perspective, it is not effective to simultaneously activate hundreds or even thousands of antennas, since the power-hungry radio frequency (RF) chains of the active antennas increase significantly the total energy consumption. Besides, a larger number of selected antennas increases the power required by linear processing, such as precoding matrix computation, and short-term channel estimation. In this paper, we propose four antenna selection (AS) approaches to be deployed in XL-MIMO systems aiming at maximizing the total energy efficiency (EE). Besides, employing some simplifying assumptions, we derive a closed-form analytical expression for the EE of the XL-MIMO system, and propose a straightforward iterative method to determine the optimal number of selected antennas able to maximize it. The proposed AS schemes are based solely on long-term fading parameters, thus, the selected antennas set remains valid for a relatively large time/frequency intervals. Comparing the results, we find that the genetic-algorithm based AS scheme usually achieves the best EE performance, although our proposed highest normalized received power AS scheme also achieves very promising EE performance in a simple and straightforward way.


This study is to explore the effect of total flavonoids from Radix Tetrastigmae (TF) against hepatic cancer and discuss the acting mechanism. Proliferation of HepG2 cells was promoted by PGE2 and Butaprost. Using AH6809 as the positive control, the inhibitory effect of TF on additional cell line was detected through a CCK-8 assay, the apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry, and the nuclear morphology of cells were observed by Hochest33258 staining. Then PCR was applied to determine the mRNA expression. The corresponding Protein expression were determined by Western Blot. The effects of TF on the body weight, tumor growth volume and tumor inhibition rate were observed in nude mice model of human hepatocellular carcinoma by vivo experiments. The results showed TF had an obvious inhibitory effect on HepG2 cells with a significant dose-dependent manner (P<0.01). Pyknosis was found under the fluorescence microscope after TF treatment for 24h by Hochest33258 staining. Typical features of apoptosis were observed in HepG2 cells treated with TF and the apoptosis rate increased with increase of concentration of the TF. mRNA expression levels of GSK-3β, Akt, VEGF, COX-2 and β-catenin were down regulated greatly by the TF in HepG2 cells. Moderate and high concentrations of TF led to an obvious down regulation of GSK-3β, p-GSK-3β, Akt, p-Akt, VEGF, COX-2 and β-catenin in HepG2 cells, while p-β-catenin was up regulated. The tumor inhibition rates with high, medium and low dose of TF were 64.07%, 53.64%, 46.69%, respectively. The inhibitory effect of total flavonoids on tumor growth in mice was better than that of CTX, and the inhibitory effect of TF on tumor growth was less than CTX. TF exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on HepG2 cells, promoting the apoptosis of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. TF was also regulatory of the COX-2-Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which was presumed to be the working mechanism of Tetrastigmae.


This paper presents a mathematical programming approach for the strategic planning of hydrogen production from renewable energies and its use in electric power generation in conventional technologies. The proposed approach aims to determine the optimal selection of the different types of technologies, electrolyzers and storage units (energy and hydrogen). The approach considers the implementation of an optimization methodology to select a representative data set that characterizes the total annual demand. The economic objective aims to determine the minimum cost, which is composed of the capital costs in the acquisition of units, operating costs of such units, costs of production and transmission of energy, as well as the cost associated with the emissions generated, which is related to an environmental tax. A specific case study is presented in the Mexican peninsula and the results show that it is possible to produce hydrogen at a minimum sale price of 4200 $/tonH2, with a total cost of $5.1687 × 106 and 2.5243 × 105 tonCO2eq. In addition, the financial break-even point corresponds to a sale price of 6600 $/tonH2. The proposed model determines the trade-offs between the cost and the emissions generated.


As part of the Singapore MIT Alliance (SMA) we have established the Center for Polymer Microfabrication (CPM) with an initial focus on processes and systems related to volume production of microfluidic devices. This research has focused on topics as diverse as material processing property characterisation and simulation, tooling and equipment design and control, and process control and metrology. This paper details a unique project undertaken by this group to explore how all this related by disparate research can be combined to actually produce functional products in volume at acceptable production rates and quality levels. The goals of this work are not only to test the individual research findings of the group, but to explore and experience the needs that are added by such a production goal. For example we found that rate is an overwhelming constraint, and that tooling and fixturing are major requirements for successful production. Also, our metrology methods had to be adapted to meet our rate goals, which were set at a Takt time of less than four minutes.


Abstract Antennal sensilla of the Cochliomyia hominivorax were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Thirteen subtypes of sensilla were identified in the fly antenna. In the antennal funiculus, nine subtypes were found: one trichoid, three basiconic, and five coeloconic. Among these, olfactory sensilla were morphologically recognized. Long bristle sensilla presenting various sizes and distribution patterns were observed in the scape and pedicel. In this segment, two other types of tricoid sensilla were still observed. The three antennal segments were shown to be coved by smaller spinules of the microtrichia type. No type of sensillum was seen in the aristas of C. hominivorax. Consistent differences between the sexes in typology, topography, and quantity of antennal sensilla were verified. The great variety of sensillary subtypes, presenting wall pores and/or grooves, found in the funiculus of C. hominivorax, indicates the olfaction should play an important role in this species behavior and communication. The data of the current study, besides corroborating in the amplification of the morphologic and ultrastructural knowledge of C. hominivorax, can foment future electrophysiological studies for the development of volatile semiochemicals, to be uses as attractants in traps, as a new alternative to monitoring and/or controlling this fly.


We consider the two-dimensional TE and TM diffraction problems for a time harmonic plane wave incident on a periodic grating structure. An inverse diffraction problem is to determine the grating profile from measured reflected and transmitted waves away from the structure. We present a new approach to this problem, which is based on the material derivative with respect to the variation of the dielectric coefficient. This leads to local stability estimates in the case of interfaces with corner points.


Ceramic materials are of significant interest in aviation and power generation gas turbine engines due to their low density and ability to withstand high temperatures. Increased cycle thermal efficiency and higher specific power output is possible by incorporating ceramic components that enable high turbine inlet temperatures and lower required cooling airflow levels. However, ceramics can be difficult and costly to form into the complex shapes used in gas turbine components, often requiring specialized multi-step processes. Furthermore, ceramic components in the hottest areas of a gas turbine, such as vanes or blade shroud seals, will still likely require cooling which is challenging to implement in conventional ceramic manufacturing approaches. Therefore, this study presents a multidisciplinary approach that investigates the design, fabrication and overall cooling effectiveness evaluation of additively manufactured (AM), polymer derived ceramic (PDC) turbine vanes. A thermo-mechanically optimized vane design was generated, ceramic additive manufacturing of the complex cooling configuration was developed, and quantification of the increase in overall cooling effectiveness was performed in a 1X scale, high-speed facility using infrared thermography. This study produced a PDC AM process, capable of printing complex internal cooling schemes in 1X scale turbine vanes. It was found that the optimized vane more than doubled the overall cooling effectiveness observed in the baseline design, which reasonably agreed with thermomechanical optimization model predictions. Additionally, the optimized ceramic vane outperformed an identical metal vane, in terms of area averaged cooling effectiveness, suggesting that the ceramic vane could operate at reduced coolant flow rates to achieve comparable levels of cooling performance.


Empowerment means the transformation of structures of subordination, through radical changes in law, property rights, control over women's labor and bodies, and the institutions that emphasize and complete male authority. Women constitute 52 percent of the total population in Pakistan and they need to be empowered in a way that they can play a complementary role to make stronger the economy. However, the patriarchal framework of Pakistani society works at all levels to place the feminine in poorer position than men. The women are depriving of their basic rights of education, and they are not provided employment, health and decision-making authorities as men have. The status of women in Pakistan is not homogeneous because of the interconnection of gender with other forms of exclusion in the society. There is considerable diversity in the status of women across classes, regions, and the rural/urban divide due to irregular socioeconomic development.


Under normal operating conditions, a patient undergoing radiotherapy will receive a total dose of approximately=5 Gy per treatment in terms of monitor units. Since the overall half-life of the activity is of the order of 49 minutes, and the radiation shielding blocks are usually customized for the patient, there would be no further build-up of activity with daily treatments. This implies a dose equivalent rate of the order of 3 mu Sv h-1 will be received by the hands of radiographers handling the blocks. However the activity can and would be expected to increase with greater accelerator voltages. Even so, it is unlikely that dose equivalent rates will pose a radiation hazard. It is concluded that photonuclear reactions in Cerrobend do not result in significant exposure to radiographers and other staff in a radiation oncology facility (at least for photon beam energies up to 18 MV).


Chemically amplified (CA) resists are in widespread use for the fabrication of leading-edge microelectronic devices, and it is anticipated that they will see use well into the future. The refinement and optimization of these materials to allow routine imaging at dimensions that will ultimately approach the molecular scale will depend on an improved in-depth understanding of the materials and their processing. We provide here an overview of recent work in our laboratory on the chemical and physical processes that occur during post-exposure baking (PEB) of positive-tone CA resists. Our results provide a clearer understanding of how this critical step in the lithographic imaging process will affect extendibility of the CA resist concept to nanoscale feature sizes.


Ambient assisted living technologies and services make it possible to help elderly and impaired people and increase their personal autonomy. Specifically, vision-based approaches enable the recognition of human behaviour, which in turn allows to build valuable services upon. However, a main constraint is that these have to be able to work online and in real time. In this work, a human action recognition method based on a bag-of-key-poses model and sequence alignment is extended to support continuous human action recognition. The detection of action zones is proposed to locate the most discriminative segments of an action. For the recognition, a method based on a sliding and growing window approach is presented. Furthermore, an evaluation scheme particularly designed for ambient assisted living scenarios is introduced. Experimental results on two publicly available datasets are provided. These show that the proposed action zones lead to a significant improvement and allow real-time processing.


In this chapter we describe evolutionary algorithms (EAs) for constraint handling. Constraint handling is not straightforward in an EA because the search operators mutation and recombination are "blind" to constraints. Hence, there is no guarantee that if the parents satisfy some constraints the offspring will satisfy them as well. This suggests that the presence of constraints in a problem makes EAs intrinsically unsuited to solve this problem. This should especially hold when the problem does not contain an objective function to be optimized, but only constraints – the category of constraint satisfaction problems. A survey of related literature, however, indicates that there are quite a few successful attempts to evolutionary constraint satisfaction. Based on this survey, we identify a number of common features in these approaches and arrive at the conclusion that EAs can be effective constraint solvers when knowledge about the constraints is incorporated either into the genetic operators, in the fitness function, or in repair mechanisms. We conclude by considering a number of key questions on research methodology.


Abstract In regions where agricultural activities are highly intensive, nitrate concentrations in ground water are usually above the permissible level for nitrate in drinking water. There are several physicochemical and biological treatment processes typically used to remove nitrate contamination from ground water. In this study, an electrodialysis‐ion exchange hybrid process was used for the removal of nitrate from ground water obtained from an agricultural area in the Western Anatolia religion in Turkey. Nitrate was effectively removed from the ground water. The effect of other ionic species such as chloride and sulfates on nitrate removal by electrodialysis has also been studied using deionized water that was dosed with selected anionic and cationic species.


The displacement of a fluid in a capillary tube by gas injection occurs in many practical applications like enhanced oil recovery, coating of catalytic converters and gas-assisted injection molding. This situation has been extensively studied both by theory and experiments in the case of Newtonian fluids. However, the complete understanding of the effects of the rheological properties of the displaced fluid in this type of flow is still under investigation. Recent work has shown that, at a given Capillary number, the amount of shear thinning liquid deposited on the tube wall falls with decreasing power-law exponent, but a singular perturbation method was not able to capture this effect. The flow of viscoelastic liquids has also been analyzed experimentally by measuring the fractional coverage of the tube wall and by Particle Tracking Velocimetry. The main conclusion was that the flow near the interface presents strong extensional deformation and that the viscoelastic behavior of the liquid leads to larger deposited liquid layer on the wall. Flow simulation with non Newtonian liquids for this situation is rare. The presence of the free surface and the non linearities of the constitutive model make the problem extremely complex. In this work, the complete two dimensional solution of the free surface flow is obtained using the Galerkin finite element method. The rheological character of the liquid is modelled by two different constitutive equations: a simple Generalized Newtonian Liquid model, to analyze the effect of shear sensitive liquids; and a new algebraic constitutive relation that is capable of describing variable shear and extensional viscosity, first normal stress coefficient and second normal stress coefficient. This equation is used to analyze the effect of the viscoelastic properties of the liquid on the flow field.


The export-led growth (ELG) hypothesis is examined for nine Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries in three-variable vector autoregressive and error correction models. When considering total exports, the results reject the ELG hypothesis in almost all of these countries. When only manufactured exports are examined, no support is found for ELG in countries with relatively low shares of manufactured exports in total merchandise exports but strong support in countries with relatively high shares. These findings suggest that promoting exports may contribute to economic growth only after a certain threshold of manufactured exports has been reached.


Background: Adult patients with sickle-cell disease are at risk for the development of osteonecrosis of the hip. However, there is little information in the literature about the rate of progression of osteonecrosis once symptoms begin. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the natural history of the symptomatic hip in adult patients with osteonecrosis and sickle-cell disease. Methods: Ninety-two symptomatic hips in sixty-four consecutive adult patients with sickle-cell disease were initially evaluated between 1980 and 1987. Sixty symptomatic hips had radiographic evidence of osteonecrosis at the initial evaluation: forty-three were classified as stage II; two, as stage III; and fifteen, as stage IV, according to the system of Steinberg et al. The other thirty-two hips had lesions (stage I) that were evident only on magnetic resonance imaging. All patients were evaluated after a mean duration of follow-up of seventeen years. Results: Of the seventy-five hips without collapse of the femoral head at the initial evaluation, sixty-five demonstrated collapse within five years after the diagnosis. The average time between the diagnosis and collapse was forty-two months for stage-I hips and thirty months for stage-II hips. At the most recent follow-up examination, ninety hips had had collapse of the femoral head and eighty-eight of the ninety-two hips had had surgery because of intractable pain. Conclusions: Symptomatic osteonecrosis of the hip in sickle-cell disease has a high likelihood of leading to femoral head collapse, necessitating surgical intervention. When osteonecrosis develops, the deterioration is rapid and, in most patients, operative intervention is necessary because of intractable pain. Level of Evidence: Prognostic study, Level II-1 (retrospective study). See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.


In this study we re-examine the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth in 27 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries during the period 1990–2019. Unlike some previous studies, we clustered SSA countries into two groups, namely low-income and middle-income countries. We also employed three panel data techniques in a stepwise fashion, namely the dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS), and heterogeneous Granger non-causality approaches. Our results show that while the positive impact of FDI on economic growth is supported by both DOLS and FMOLS techniques in low-income countries, in middle-income countries only the DOLS technique supports this finding. This shows that the impact of FDI may be sensitive to the level of income of the recipient country. Overall, the results show that FDI inflows play a larger role in stimulating economic growth in low-income SSA countries than in middle-income SSA countries. These findings are also corroborated by heterogeneous Granger non-causality results. However, these findings are not surprising, given that many low-income countries tend to be more dependent on inward FDI inflows to stimulate their economic growth than middle-income countries. Policy recommendations are discussed.


Introduction: Reaching a specific diagnosis in any field of medical science is a learning process and diagnosis in rheumatology may have a steep learning curve. An easy solution for arriving at diagnosis in rheumatology is recommended to adopt two-step diagnosis.
Discussion: The first step based on symptoms and their duration defines the generic type of pathology in question and basic symptoms are related to anatomic compartment as source of symptom. After this first step, final diagnosis is not too far away. At the end of this first step, patient's condition is described as a rule, needing not more than ten words.
In the second step, detailed investigation to distinguish between conditions causing these symptoms is proceeded and explored leading to a differential diagnosis map, which is based on available rheumatological knowledge. The way it is structured should be on line of reasoning.
Structuring of clinical reasoning process necessarily improves with experience but rheumatic diseases are known to defy any rigid syndromic classification and systemic lupus erythematosus is a classical example presenting with predominant articular symptoms or a variety of extra articular symptoms.
Conclusion: Diagnosis of the syndrome and disease itself always requires a thorough well-planned questioning. It is not possible without a careful general examination of all the areas with presenting symptoms and thorough investigations.


The existing research of the flow behavior in emitter micro-channels mainly focuses on the single-phase flow behavior. And the recent micro-particle image velocimetry (PIV) experimental research on the flow characteristics in various micro-channels mainly focuses on the single-phase fluid flow. However, using an original-size emitter prototype to perform the experiments on the two-phase flow characteristics of the labyrinth channels is seldom reported. In this paper, the practical flow of water, mixed with sand escaped from filtering, in the labyrinth channel, is investigated. And some research work on the clogging mechanism of the labyrinth channel's structure is conducted. Computational fluid dynamics(CFD) analysis has been performed on liquid-solid two-phase flow in labyrinthchannel emitters. Based on flow visualization technology—micro-PIV, the flow in labyrinth channel has been photographed and recorded. The path line graph and velocity vector graph are obtained through the post-treatment of experimental results. The graphs agree well with CFD analysis results, so CFD analysis can be used in optimal design of labyrinth-channel emitters. And the optimized anti-clogging structures of the rectangular channel and zigzag channel have been designed here. The CFD numerical simulation and the micro-PIV experiments analysis on labyrinth-channel emitter, make the "black box" of the flow behavior in the emitter channel broken. Furthermore, the proposed research promotes an advanced method to evaluate the emitter's performance and can be used to conducting the optimal design of the labyrinth-channel emitters.


Background The aim of this study was to test if Procalcitonin PCT value at the time of admission is a predictor of mortality and/or a diagnostic marker of concomitant infection in exertional heatstroke. Methods 68 patients with exertional heatstroke admitted to the multidisciplinary intensive care unit were studied. Serum PCT was detected by means of a specific and ultrasensitive immunoluminometric assay within 2 h of admission. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score was evaluated within 24 h of admission. Results There was no significant difference in PCT levels between concomitant infection and non-infection patients (p=0.712). Elevated PCT level in exertional heatstroke patients was associated with a more critical pathological state. PCT values in patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) were significantly higher than those without MODS (p=0.007.). PCT values were also positively correlated with APACHE II scores (r=0.588, p=0.016). PCT values in non-survivors were higher than in survivors at univariate regression analysis (p=0.017). After adjusting for confounders, PCT concentration also remained an independent determinant of mortality (OR 2.98; 95% CI 1.02 to 4.41; p=0.039). Receiver operating characteristic curve for PCT concentration was located above the reference line, which shows an association with mortality. The area under the curve for PCT concentration (0.705; 95% CI 0.547 to 0.862) was statistical significantly (p=0.019). As a predictor of mortality, PCT value was inferior to APACHE II score. Conclusions PCT value at the time of admission is an independent predictor of mortality, but maybe not a good indicator of concomitant infection in exertional heatstroke.


This paper gives a review of finite element model for the analysis of fastening as practical points of view. Different mechanical properties of plate-fastener systems are analyzed. Calculations of the system properties are described as well as the technique of their application in model. Analysis has been performed for calculating the load distribution in multi-joint and the results are compared using the several models. The effects of fastener-hole clearance on the load distribution in multifastener joints are presented. And the stress analysis method have been reviewed for failure analysis of mechanical joint of composite laminate.


Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and aggressive primary brain malignancy, is incurable despite the best combination of current cancer therapies. For the development of more effective therapies, discovery of novel candidate tumor drivers is urgently needed. Here, we report that peroxiredoxin 4 (PRDX4) is a putative tumor driver. PRDX4 levels were highly increased in a majority of human GBMs as well as in a mouse model of GBM. Reducing PRDX4 expression significantly decreased GBM cell growth and radiation resistance in vitro with increased levels of ROS, DNA damage, and apoptosis. In a syngenic orthotopic transplantation model, Prdx4 knockdown limited GBM infiltration and significantly prolonged mouse survival. These data suggest that PRDX4 can be a novel target for GBM therapies in the future.


Objectives We evaluated whether our neoadjuvant intra-arterial chemotherapy (NAIC) effectively precludes the need for postoperative radiation therapy in patients treated by radical hysterectomy for IB2 to IIB cervical cancer. Materials and Methods Study subjects were 52 patients with a bulky cervical tumor diagnosed and treated at Juntendo University Hospital or Juntendo Nerima Hospital. The NAIC combined cisplatin, epirubicin, mitomycin-C, and 5-fluorouracil; and radical hysterectomy was to be performed after 2 cycles. The main variables analyzed were clinical and histologic response to NAIC, NAIC-related adverse events, adjuvant chemotherapies, relapse-free and overall survival, recurrence, and prognostic factors. Results Patients were judged eligible for radical hysterectomy, and 51 underwent the surgery. The overall positive response (complete response [CR] + partial response [PR]) to NAIC was 88.5%. Median follow-up time was 84 months (5–136 months). Three-year relapse-free survival and overall survival were 80.5% and 77.8%, respectively. The recurrence rate was 19.2% (10/52 patients). Seven (13.5%) of the 52 patients died from the disease during follow-up. Lymph node status (positive vs negative) and the histologic effect of NAIC (grades 0–1 vs grades 2–3) were shown to be prognostic factors (P = 0.024 and P = 0.021, respectively). Conclusions Our NAIC strategy seems to be well tolerated and beneficial for patients with bulky IB2 to IIB cervical cancer. With this strategy, radiation therapy remains an option in cases of recurrence. For cases in which lymph node metastasis is found or the histologic effect of NAIC is low, our adjuvant chemotherapy regimen may need adjustment to improve prognosis.


A central argument in the literature on economic crises and policy reform is that currency crises lead governments to liberalize their capital accounts in order to establish their credibility to international markets. I argue that the reverse is true: currency crises lead governments to restrict capital flows as a form of self-help. Using instrumental variables to account for the possibility that capital account liberalization causes currency crises, I show that currency crises are robustly associated with capital account closure across developing countries. The findings refocus the debate on currency crises and capital account liberalization and contribute to larger debates about the role of critical junctures in prompting neoliberal policy reform.


For needed changes to occur, we need to do gender in higher education and tenure differently. The way that tenure is established and reviews for tenure are conducted need to be based more on a system that allows for the development of the whole individual. The future health of academia rests on the development and refinement of a system that creates a healthy environment for all members of that system. All faculty members cannot and should not be held to standards that were created in another time, which constructed the academic role as a gendered role. Individuals need to consider how we do gender, and how that creates an impact on our organization, academia. A process for equitable review of all participants in the system requires that all individuals be involved in the process of defining the standards for a tenurable professor. Then all voices should and must be represented when we construct how we do tenure so that even minority voices still have their chance to speak. There is a better way to perform the roles we take in academia, there is a better way to perform our gender in this setting, and from recognizing this we can then move to a better way to do all this that is academia.


Postdevelopment studies show that, once in operation, about 70% of mines perform below the prediction of their feasibility studies, with underperformance usually caused by deficiencies in the collection of primarily geology related data prior to designing the mine and planning its operation. A major reason for these deficiencies is probably a generally narrow understanding by many geologists of metallurgy as well as geotechnical and mining engineering. Additionally, geologists often do not appreciate the types and quantities of data required by metallurgists, geotechnical engineers, and mining engineers for mine design, planning, and operations. Critically, there is commonly inadequate communication between all four professional groups. For obvious and logical reasons, the principal focus of geologists has generally been considered the discovery of a mineral deposit and subsequent resource definition and estimation of its grade and tonnage, leading to the creation of detailed geologic and grade models of the deposit. While grade and tonnage are cornerstones to mine development, equally important to mine design is the geotechnical model, which is constructed progressively over three stages of mining study using information obtained from four separate geology-related models. Enhanced understanding of mining and metallurgy by geologists plus appreciation of the metallurgical and mining uncertainties inherent in geologic data by metallurgists and geotechnical and mining engineers can contribute to significantly improved mining outcomes.


The loss of forest is a leading cause of species extinction, and reforestation is 1 of 2 established interventions for reversing this loss. However, the role of reforestation for biodiversity conservation remains debated, and lacking is an assessment of the potential contribution that reforestation could make to biodiversity conservation globally. We conducted a spatial analysis of overlap between 1,550 forest‐obligate threatened species' ranges and land that could be reforested after accounting for socioeconomic and ecological constraints. Reforestation on at least 43% (∼369 million ha) of reforestable area was predicted to potentially benefit threatened vertebrates. This is approximately 15% of the total area where threatened vertebrates occur. The greatest opportunities for conserving threatened vertebrate species are in the tropics, particularly Brazil and Indonesia. Although reforestation is not a substitute for forest conservation, and most of the area containing threatened vertebrates remains forested, our results highlight the need for global conservation strategies to recognize the potentially significant contribution that reforestation could make to biodiversity conservation. If implemented, reforestation of ∼369 million ha would also contribute substantially to climate‐change mitigation, offering a way to achieve multiple sustainability commitments at once. Countries must now work to overcome key barriers (e.g., unclear revenue streams, high transaction costs) to investment in reforestation.


Three randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers (E07, G17, and 596) linked to the Fom-2 gene, which confers resistance to race 0 and 1 of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis, were evaluated by RAPD-polymerase chain reaction for their linkage to Fusarium wilt resistance/susceptibility in diverse melon cultigens (48 resistant, 41 susceptible). Primer 596 was identified in the multiple disease-resistant breeding line MR-1, whereas E07 and G17 were identified in the susceptible 'Vedrantais'. The RAPD markers E07 (1.25 kb) and G17 (1.05 kb) correctly matched phenotypes in 88% and 81% of the cultigens. The validity of the RAPD scores was verified by Southern hybridization analysis for sequence homology and bulked segregant analysis of a selected cross population for the linkage. These results will facilitate the introgression of resistance genes into susceptible lines from multiple sources in marker-assisted selection.


Abstract The updating and rethinking of vegetation classifications is important for ecosystem monitoring in a rapidly changing world, where the distribution of vegetation is changing. The general assumption that discrete and persistent plant communities exist that can be monitored efficiently, is rarely tested before undertaking a classification. Marion Island (MI) is comprised of species‐poor vegetation undergoing rapid environmental change. It presents a unique opportunity to test the ability to discretely classify species‐poor vegetation with recently developed objective classification techniques and relate it to previous classifications. We classified vascular species data of 476 plots sampled across MI, using Ward hierarchical clustering, divisive analysis clustering, non‐hierarchical kmeans and partitioning around medoids. Internal cluster validation was performed using silhouette widths, Dunn index, connectivity of clusters and gap statistic. Indicator species analyses were also conducted on the best performing clustering methods. We evaluated the outputs against previously classified units. Ward clustering performed the best, with the highest average silhouette width and Dunn index, as well as the lowest connectivity. The number of clusters differed amongst the clustering methods, but most validation measures, including for Ward clustering, indicated that two and three clusters are the best fit for the data. However, all classification methods produced weakly separated, highly connected clusters with low compactness and low fidelity and specificity to clusters. There was no particularly robust and effective classification outcome that could group plots into previously suggested vegetation units based on species composition alone. The relatively recent age (c. 450,000 years B.P.), glaciation history (last glacial maximum 34,500 years B.P.) and isolation of the sub‐Antarctic islands may have hindered the development of strong vascular plant species assemblages with discrete boundaries. Discrete classification at the community‐level using species composition may not be suitable in such species‐poor environments. Species‐level, rather than community‐level, monitoring may thus be more appropriate in species‐poor environments, aligning with continuum theory rather than community theory.


In this paper we evaluate the performance and power of a processor-attached in-line accelerator. The accelerator provides high-performance SIMD computing and power efficiency by means of a very large register file and a set of vector multimedia extensions based on IBM's PowerPC VMX. Our experiments show significant performance improvements and power reduction, compared to a baseline vector execution unit, mainly due to the drastic decrease of memory accesses caused by the software-managed locality of the very large register file. Total execution time is, on average, reduced by 61%, while consuming 55% less energy.


Purpose – In the global competitive environment, managers of organizations must permanently rethink and renew their work, especially about the use of different managerial tools. A selection of suitable management tools for organization requires consideration of characteristics of the known tools, comparison of different tools, and consideration of demands and conditions of the organizations. But direct comparison of different management tools is not possible because of their content-related and methodological differences. In management theory, various authors tried to consider the use of management tools more deeply. The main purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of important organizational factors on usage of single management tools in Slovenian organizations. Thus, we consider: 1) usage patterns of management tools in different areas worldwide, 2) the influence of single organizational factors – i.e. education, position, and working years, on the usage of management tools in Slovenian organizations, and 3) the influence of a linear combination of selected factors on usage of management tools in Slovenian organizations. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative analysis is applied on the basis of the selected cognitions from Management, and Organization. The quantitative analysis includes desk research about the management tools, and analysis of the results from a survey about management tools in Slovenian organizations in 2010. In examining the impact of the considered organizational factors (separately and in combination) on management tools we use linear regression analysis to predict the influence of single factors and linear combination of the selected factors on the use of selected management tools. AMOS 17.0 was used for analysis. Findings – Intensity of management tools usage in Slovenian organizations is similar to the global patterns, while patterns of their usage are rather different. Examination of factors influencing usage of the top five management tools in Slovenian organizations reveal: education has the strongest impact on the usage of management tools, the impact of employees' position in organization is weaker, and the impact of working years is very weak. When we take into consideration all three predictors simultaneously, the impact of education and position becomes weaker, while the impact of working years becomes insignificant. We apply a deeper approach to gauge the influence of organizational factors on usage of the selected management tools. The impact of other considered factors, we find, is not significant. Research limitations/implications – Research is limited to a hypothesis, broader qualitative aspects encountered during desk research, and some quantitative analysis of results from our survey. We test our hypotheses and the chosen model on the top five management tools most used by employees in Slovenian organizations. Practical implications – Authors try to overcome the prevailing practice of very general consideration of management tools usage, especially regarding organizational factors, which influence the usage of management tools. Authors suggest a new approach, hardly known in the main-stream literature. They propose a more specific and target-oriented approach to consideration of management tools usage in business. Originality/value – Available management literature does not provide a similar solution for considering and researching the usage of management tools in business. This is useful for business practice in organizations, for advancing the usage of management tools, since the most important organizational factors on management tools usage are outlined. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.23.3.1933


The war, the revolution and the economic devastation that followed them dealt a heavy blow to the Russian scientific press in general and the Russian medical press in particular. others, after several attempts to come out in a reduced size, they completely ceased to appear in the light. But our scientific medical thought did not die out. Despite the extremely difficult external conditions, it continued to work hard, and as a result, as soon as the slightest opportunity arose, medical journals and newspapers began to reappear in various scientific centers of Russia. and of a special nature. Strictly speaking, there were too many of them in the coming year, if we take into account the available scientific forces and material resources of the country namely, over 50 and, naturally, the quantitative aspect of the matter turned out to be at the expense of the qualitative one. Many of these journals were published in the reporting year in the amount of only 2-3 of a very small volume. not able to boast of either their content or their appearance. Hopefully, they are just seeds from which lush sprouts will subsequently develop.


In the past, the focus for Labour administrations' responses to inequalities within the UK has been an anti-poverty strategy. Prime Minister Tony Blair has introduced a fresh perspective on such an analysis by drawing much wider relationship issues, as well as structural ones, to define the problem and therefore come up with the solution. The sound-bite summary of these issues is social exclusion. This expansion of the definition of the problem does have implications for health policy and health workers. The past focus dating from Beveridge (1942) on dealing with disease alone is deemed as a deficient approach. Social exclusion thinking links health into every aspect of the inequalities agenda, in order to deal with the basic problem of 'fatalism'.


In this paper, we develop a test to detect the presence of endogeneity in conditional quantiles. Our test is a Hausman-type test based on the distance between two estimators, of which one is consistent only under no endogeneity while the other is consistent regardless of the presence of endogeneity in conditional quantile models. We derive the asymptotic distribution of the test statistic under the null hypothesis of no endogeneity. The …nite sample properties of the test are investigated through Monte Carlo simulations, and it is found that the test shows good size and power properties in …nite samples. As opposed to the test based on the IVQR estimator of Chernozhukov and Hansen (2006) in the case of more than a couple of variables, our approach does not imply an infeasible computation time. Finally, we apply our approach to test for endogeneity in conditional quantile models for estimating Engel curves using UK consumption and expenditure data. The pattern of endogeneity in the Engel curve is found to vary substantially across quantiles.


Abstract The stress concentration factor in a plate with a hole is very important for joints. There are many different types of joints and forms. Plates are usually connected with bolted, riveted and pin joints. Connection parts need to consist of hole/holes to make a joint using these machine elements. Machine parts are exposed to different stresses. In this study, the stress concentration factor in a plate with a circular hole under axial tension stresses was invegistated. The emprical (Peterson's) stress concentration factor (Kt) was compared with the results of analytical model, regression analysis (REGA), finite element analysis (FEA), artificial neural network (ANN) model. The stress concentration factor (Kt) was modeled using 5 different methods and the accuracy of Peterson's model was tested. The best results were obtained using ANN model. The emprical results and ANN predictions were compared by using statistical error analyzing the absolute fraction of variance (R2 = 0.999999788), root mean square error (RMSE = 0.000934125) and mean error percentage (MEP = 0.033902049) with the test data. ANN model can be used instead of Peterson's model. Kt was determined by the ANN with an acceptable accuracy.


An infrastructure dependent Vehicular Ads hoc NETworks (VANET), is being an emerging fields of interest and developing field among researchers, business community of automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). A Mobility Model of VANET plays a vital role in the effective communication between each node. A Real time Trace-based Driver's Realistic Behavior (DRM) Mobility Model of VANET has been designed to achieve high packet transmission in the network. To provide an ensured packet delivery among the Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks (VANET) and to avoid the selfish node, an Optimizing Node Selections Routing Protocol (ONSRP) has been designed based on trust for an Enhanced Drivers Realistic Behavior (DRM) Mobility Model using a Trusted Computing Algorithms. The time complexity of Trusted Computing algorithm has been computed and proved to be efficient. The result shows that the Trusted ONSRP routings has a high performances measures than the existing routing protocols.


Background
 Damoctocog alfa pegol (BAY 94-9027; Jivi®) is a B-domain-deleted recombinant factor VIII (FVIII), site-specifically PEGylated with a single, dual-branched 60 kDa polyethylene glycol molecule to extend its half-life. A previous head-to-head crossover study demonstrated that damoctocog alfa pegol has an improved pharmacokinetic (PK) profile compared with efmoroctocog alfa (rFVIIIFc; Elocta®/Eloctate®), an extended-half-life (EHL), recombinant FVIII fusion protein. A single infusion of damoctocog alfa pegol resulted in 25% higher area under the curve (AUClast) and 20% lower clearance (CL) compared with efmoroctocog alfa. Owing to differences in batch-specific FVIII activity, the actual dose of efmoroctocog alfa administered was subsequently found to be higher than for damoctocog alfa pegol. Thus, to provide a more accurate assessment of the differences in PK parameters between these two products, actual dosing should be considered. In the present study, dose-normalized analyses considering the dosing based on actual potency were performed for an accurate and valid comparison of PK parameters between damoctocog alfa pegol and efmoroctocog alfa.
 Methods
 The head-to-head comparison of the PK of EHL FVIII products was a single-center, randomized, open-label, crossover study of damoctocog alfa pegol and efmoroctocog alfa (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03364998). Eligible patients were male, aged 18-65 years with severe hemophilia A (FVIII <1%). After a wash-out period of ≥3 or ≥5 days for prior treatment with standard-half-life or EHL FVIII products respectively, patients were randomized 1:1 to receive a single 60 IU/kg dose of either damoctocog alfa pegol or efmoroctocog alfa. Patients received a single dose of the other product following a ≥7-day wash-out after the dose of the first product. In the study, doses were determined based on the nominal potency value as labeled on the vial. In the present study, PK parameters including normalized AUC (AUCnorm), CL, normalized maximum concentration (Cmax norm), volume of distribution at steady state (Vss) and incremental recovery, were assessed using doses adjusted for actual potencies, according to the certificates of analysis provided by the manufacturers for the actual batches used.
 Results
 As previously described elsewhere, one patient with pre-existing anti-PEG antibodies was considered an outlier for the PK analysis and was excluded from this analysis. In total, 17 patients were included in this analysis, and had a median age of 34 years (Table 1). For both drugs, vials with nominal potency of 1000 IU/vial were used, while actual potencies of efmoroctocog alfa and damoctocog alfa pegol used in this study were 1093 IU/vial and 990 IU/vial, respectively. Hence, the actual dose of efmoroctocog alfa administered was approximately 10.4% higher than the administered dose of damoctocog alfa pegol. After potency-adjustment, AUCnorm and CL were in favor of damoctocog alfa pegol (Table 2). AUCnorm was significantly increased by 39% (P < 0.001) for damoctocog alfa pegol compared with efmoroctocog alfa; an increase with damoctocog alfa pegol compared with efmoroctocog alfa was observed in 16 (94.1%) out of 17 patients. Geometric mean CL was significantly reduced with damoctocog alfa pegol versus efmoroctocog alfa (0.0198 dL/h/kg vs 0.0273 dL/h/kg; P < 0.001), with 16 (94.1%) patients exhibiting a difference in favor of damoctocog alfa pegol. No significant differences in Cmax norm between the two products were observed.
 Conclusion
 In the precedent analysis, published elsewhere, damoctocog alfa pegol demonstrated improvements in AUC, CL and t½ compared with efmoroctocog alfa. The improvements are confirmed in this potency-adjusted analysis, while, compared with the unadjusted analysis, a greater improvement for AUCnorm is observed for damoctocog alfa pegol versus efmoroctocog alfa. These data further support the superior PK profile of damoctocog alfa pegol compared with efmoroctocog alfa.

 Solms: Bayer: Current Employment, Current equity holder in private company. Shah:Bayer: Current Employment, Current equity holder in private company. Wiegmann:Bayer: Current Employment. Ahsman:Bayer: Consultancy. Berntorp:Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; CSL Behring: Research Funding; Shire: Research Funding; Sobi/Bioverativ: Research Funding; Octapharma: Consultancy, Honoraria; Shire/Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria. Tiede:Biotest: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Novo Nordisk: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Octapharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria; Chugai: Consultancy, Honoraria; CSL Behring: Consultancy, Honoraria. Iorio:Bayer: Research Funding; BioMarin: Research Funding; CSL: Research Funding; Freeline: Research Funding; Grifols: Research Funding; Sanofi: Research Funding; Spark: Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding; Uniqure: Research Funding; NovoNordisk: Research Funding; Octapharma: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding. Mancuso:Center for Thrombosis and Hemorrhagic Diseases, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center - IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy: Current Employment; Bayer, CSL Behring, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Octapharma, Kedrion, Grifols, Catalyst, Kedrion, Sobi: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bayer, CSL Behring, Novo Nordisk, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Octapharma, Grifols, Sobi: Speakers Bureau; Bayer, CSL Behring, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Octapharma, Kedrion, Grifols, Sobi, PedNet Foundation: Consultancy. Zhivkov:Bayer: Other: Sub-Investigator of clinical trials, Research Funding; Apellis: Other: Sub-Investigator of clinical trials; Catalyst: Other: Sub-Investigator of clinical trials; Octapharma: Other: Sub-Investigator of clinical trials; Sanofi: Other: Sub-Investigator of clinical trials. Lissitchkov:Bayer: Other: Principal investigator of clinical trials ; CSL Behring: Other: Principal investigator of clinical trials ; Novo Nordisk: Other: Principal investigator of clinical trials ; Octapharma: Other: Principal investigator of clinical trials ; Sanofi: Other: Principal investigator of clinical trials ; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: lecturer; Shire: Other: lecturer; Sobi: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: lecturer; Catalyst Biosciences: Other: Principal investigator of clinical trials .


Hypoplastic left heart syndrome remains one of the most challenging pathologies in pediatric cardiac surgery. The surgical techniques, and anesthetic and intensive care management, have evolved over the last decades, which has resulted in improved outcomes. A central component in the postoperative management of hypoplastic left heart syndrome patients is to achieve an optimal balance between the pulmonary and systemic circulations. This article discusses the contemporary postoperative management of pulmonary and systemic circulations in detail.


Lymphocyte recirculation through peripheral lymphoid tissue depends primarily on the adhesion molecules L-selectin and α4β7 integrin. While most naïve lymphocytes express both molecules, subset-specific differences exist. These differences, along with tissue-specific expression of vascular ligands, results in preferential migration patterns among subsets. In the present studies, lymphocyte subset migration into peripheral (PLN) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) was examined following s.c. and oral immunization, respectively. Naïve CD4+ T cell migration into PLNs increased after s.c. immunization with KLH-alum, peaking at 72 h. Naïve CD8+ T cell migration started lower than CD4+ cells, but increased steadily following immunization, reaching equivalent levels after 7 days. By comparison, B cell migration increased little and plateaued after 24 h. Among memory/effector cells, CD8+ T cell migration increased gradually up to 5 days post-immunization, and decreased thereafter, while CD4+ T cells increased modestly and plateaued after 24 h. In contrast to activated PLNs, oral immunization with cholera toxin + KLH resulted in peak increases in migration of all T cell subsets into the MLN at 24 h post-immunization. Interestingly, no changes in migration into the Peyer's patches were observed. These results indicate that activated PLN and MLN have different recruitment kinetics for lymphocyte subsets.


Closing both the carbon and nitrogen loops is a critical venture to support the establishment of the circular, net‐zero carbon economy. Although single atom catalysts (SACs) have gained interest for the electrochemical reduction reactions of both carbon dioxide (CO2RR) and nitrate (NO3RR), the structure–activity relationship for Cu SAC coordination for these reactions remains unclear and should be explored such that a fundamental understanding is developed. To this end, the role of the Cu coordination structure is investigated in dictating the activity and selectivity for the CO2RR and NO3RR. In agreement with the density functional theory calculations, it is revealed that Cu‐N4 sites exhibit higher intrinsic activity toward the CO2RR, whilst both Cu‐N4 and Cu‐N4−x‐Cx sites are active toward the NO3RR. Leveraging these findings, CO2RR and NO3RR are coupled for the formation of urea on Cu SACs, revealing the importance of *COOH binding as a critical parameter determining the catalytic activity for urea production. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report employing SACs for electrochemical urea synthesis from CO2RR and NO3RR, which achieves a Faradaic efficiency of 28% for urea production with a current density of −27 mA cm–2 at −0.9 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode.


HUMAN FIGURE DRAWING'S VALIDITY FOR GOODENOUGH-HARRIS TEST AND KOPPITZ MATURITY INDICATORS IN SÃO PAULO CHILDREN'S. The Human Figure Drawing has been often used to assess child development. The assessment systems more known and more utilized internationally are the presented by Goodenough (1926), revised by Harris (1963) and the proposed by Koppitz (1973). The objective of this study was to investigate the concomitant validity between R-2 Test and the Human Figure Drawing, by both systems. The R-2, Non Verbal Intelligence Test for Children, evaluates the general factor of intelligence. The sample was composed by 1540 children, from 5 to 11.5 years old, of both sexes, students from São Paulo city. The children were assessed individually being asked initially to Draw a Man and the R-2 Test. Correlations between R-2 and Koppitz system was 0.575 and with Goodenough-Harris was 0.606 to global sample. Correlation between drawing assessments was 0.899, which is high and significant. It was concluded that both point systems of Man Drawing are suitable for children's cognitive assessment.


INTRODUCTION
We sought to investigate whether starting clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and elevated post-void residual (PVR) would improve urinary quality of life (QoL) and decrease risk of urinary tract infection (UTI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed an institutional data base for MS patients with PVR > 100 mL and obstructive LUTS. Patients were categorized by subsequent choice of treatment: CIC versus medical treatment. Outcomes compared over 1-year follow up included incidence of UTI, urinary QoL, emergency room visits, and adherence to therapy.

RESULTS
Between 2014 and 2017, 37 patients met inclusion criteria. Nineteen patients started daily CIC, while 18 patients had pharmacologic therapy. At 1-year follow up, the CIC group had less improvement in urinary symptoms (26% improvement from baseline versus 72%, p = 0.02) and 7 times greater odds of having minimum one UTI within 1 year (OR 6.8, p = 0.01). The CIC group was also more likely to start an additional treatment for LUTS, and to visit the ED (all p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
In this group of MS patients with LUTS and elevated PVR, initiation of CIC was associated with increased incidence of UTI and less improvement in urinary symptoms over the subsequent year compared to pharmacologic treatment.


The sensitivities of a group of 1-inch capacitor microphones over the audio-frequency spectrum from 39.8 Hz to 19.95 kHz have been obtained as a composite of closed-coupler response from 39.8 Hz to 1 kHz and free-field response from 316.2 Hz to 19.95 kHz. The region of overlap is low enough in frequency for it to be possible to draw convincing curves through the two sets of points which depart insignificantly from the coupler values up to 316.2 Hz and by less than 0.1 dB from the free-field values. The electrostatic actuator offers a more rapid means of routine calibration and the differences between the composite and electrostatic actuator responses have been studied. They have been found to be consistent to 0.1 dB over almost the whole range.


The objective of our work is to assess the quality of the dam Foum El-Khanga (east of Algeria) monthly during the year 2014. This study planned to make a physico-chemical characterization to highlight several parameters which come into play the determination of the quality of this water such as: temperature; pH; conductivity; turbidity; dissolved oxygen; title hydrotimetric; calcium; magnesium; title alcalimetric complet; nitrate; nitrite; ammoniacal nitrogen; sulfate; chloride; bicarbonate; phosphate; iron; biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demands (COD). The results of physico-chemical analysis show that the water of this dam is characterized by a significant mineralization as indicated by high values of electrical conductivity and chloride. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) clearly showed a stronger relation between the hot season and temperature. However, the cold season was strongly correlated with mineralization and pollution parameters.


Harmonic imaging has been shown to yield significant improvements in image quality over conventional ultrasound imaging. It has been proposed that harmonic imaging generates these improvements by the reduction in clutter from reverberation in the tissue layers underlying the transducer, a reduction in beam distortion from aberration, and a reduction in clutter due to suppressed sidelobes. There is little research indicating the exact sources of clutter and how they may relate to the improvements observed with in vivo harmonic imaging. We describe simulation and experimental studies in human bladders describing the sources and characteristics of clutter and discuss their relationship to the above proposed mechanisms. The results indicate that a large source of clutter is the product of reverberation in the abdominal layers. Experimental and simulated harmonic images indicate a 3-5 and 3-8 dB reduction in clutter over fundamental images, respectively, in the upper bladder cavity, lending support for the first mechanism described above. Scattering was also observed from off-axis sources in both the fundamental and harmonic images. Simulations of the fundamental point-spread-function (PSF) showed clutter magnitudes of -43 dB in the isochronous volume. Harmonic imaging marginally improved clutter magnitude to -47 dB in this same region. When aberration was removed from the simulation while keeping the impedance constant, the isochronous volume in the fundamental PSF marginally improved to -47 dB, while harmonic imaging improved this region to -58 dB, a reduction of 11 dB. This indicates that the image quality improvements seen with harmonic imaging are more dependent on the reduction in clutter from near-field layers than with reductions in clutter due to aberration.


Block maxima methods constitute a fundamental part of the statistical toolbox in extreme value analysis. However, most of the corresponding theory is derived under the simplifying assumption that block maxima are independent observations from a genuine extreme value distribution. In practice however, block sizes are finite and observations from different blocks are dependent. Theory respecting the latter complications is not well developed, and, in the multivariate case, has only recently been established for disjoint blocks of a single block size. We show that using overlapping blocks instead of disjoint blocks leads to a uniform improvement in the asymptotic variance of the multivariate empirical distribution function of rescaled block maxima and any smooth functionals thereof (such as the empirical copula), without any sacrifice in the asymptotic bias. We further derive functional central limit theorems for multivariate empirical distribution functions and empirical copulas that are uniform in the block size parameter, which seems to be the first result of this kind for estimators based on block maxima in general. The theory allows for various aggregation schemes over multiple block sizes, leading to substantial improvements over the single block length case and opens the door to further methodology developments. In particular, we consider bias correction procedures that can improve the convergence rates of extreme-value estimators and shed some new light on estimation of the second-order parameter when the main purpose is bias correction.


By designing a suitable response system to autonomous chaotic system base on the criterion of linear systems, we realize generalized synchronization for these chaotic systems. The method of obtaining the response system from chaotic system is proposed. The generalized synchronization of Lorenz system, Rossler system and hyper chaotic chen's system are achieved via the linear separation method. Numerical simulations are provided for illustration and verification of the proposed method.


The modified mapping method is further improved by the expanded expression of u(ξ) that contains the terms of the first-order derivative of function f(ξ). Some new exact solutions to the mBBM equation are determined by means of the method. We can obtain many new solutions in terms of the Jacobi elliptic functions of the equation.


As I processed the papers and other materials in the Margaret A. Porter Collection, I learned about much about Margaret's life and work but I also came to realize the importance of bringing such collections like this into the light. The Porter papers provide an excellent example of how significant archival material can document the life of someone from an underrepresented community and also demonstrate the struggles and achievements of a lesbian whose life spanned almost the entire twentieth century.Margaret Porter was most known for her poetry and for her translations from the French of poetry by Renee Vivien and Natalie Clifford Barney. In addition to Porter's original and translated poetry, the collection contains her personal diaries, which span over six decades of her life, photographs, and correspondence. In addition, there are materials from her activity in San Diego–based lesbian organizations and documents from her research on Vivien, Barney, and other women in expatriate France.


The variation in individual responses to psychotropic drug treatment remains a critical problem in the management of psychotic disorders. Although most patients will experience remission, some patients may develop drug-induced adverse effects that may range from troublesome to life threatening. Antidepressants are freely prescribed by general practitioners, and there should be constant awareness in the medical community about possible serious side effects. We describe two cases of adverse drug reactions on low dosage treatment that led to extreme psychotic episodes as examples of the potential for dangerous side effects. The patients developed adverse reactions on the normal recommended dosage of nortriptyline, a tricyclics antidepressant (TCA). Both were females, with no history of antidepressant treatment, unsocial behaviour, nor any family history of psychosis, but both experienced severe psychiatric symptoms. Pharmacogenetic tests can easily be performed and interpreted according to the likelihood of adverse reactions and should be included in toxicity interpretation.


The time course of development of functional tolerance to ethanol was investigated in mice during the inhalation of ethanol vapour, using loss of righting reflex as the behavioural end‐point. In male mice of the TO Swiss strain, weanling mice (18 days) showed no development of tolerance during continuous or repeated exposure to ethanol vapour for 6 h. Adolescent TO Swiss mice (35–40 days) showed rapid development of functional tolerance, reaching a state where 2x the original effective concentration of ethanol in blood was required to produce loss of righting reflex within 5 h. Older adult mice (150–200 days) showed some development of tolerance during continuous or repeated exposure to ethanol for 5 h but this was much less than that seen in adolescent mice. When adolescent males of the C57BL, TO Swiss and DBA2 strains were compared, marked differences were observed. C57BL mice showed very rapid development of functional tolerance to ethanol in which more than 2 × the original effective dose was required to produce loss of righting reflex after about 3 h of ethanol exposure. TO Swiss mice showed somewhat slower development of ethanol tolerance. DBA2 mice showed little evidence of development of functional tolerance over the time course of these experiments. Evidence was also obtained that similar age and strain differences may exist with respect to tolerance to the hypothermic effects of ethanol. These results are discussed in relation to current concepts of ethanol sensitivity, tolerance and physical dependence.


upon the fetus with respect to congenital malformation, physical growth, and mental development. Another noteworthy section is that on hereditary renal disease, in which M. D. Milne demonstrates the value of a knowledge of genetics in the study of renal physiology and directs attention to the curious relationship between hereditary renal disease, eye abnormalities, and deafness. Three chapters, which together occupy a third of the volume, are concerned with polymorphism of the complement system, serum alantitrypsin, and haptoglobin. Finally, W. C. Parker, a lawyer, considers the legal implications of sterilization, abortion, artificial insemination, sex control, and the XYY syndro,me. It is clear that this volume will be an essential book for medical geneticists, but all clinicians would benefit by dipping into it, where they would discover that medical genetics is no longer devoted to the study of rare disorders, but is concerned with medical problems of current interest.


A study of the $\J$-meson photoproduction at large transverse momentum at HERA energies via the charm quark excitation in the photon is presented. Based on perturbative QCD, nonrelativistic quark model and photon structure function formalism, our calculation demonstrates that the charm content of the photon may be very important for the $\J$ photoproduction at the large transverse momentum. It is shown that at HERA energies $\J$ production via the subprocess $\cg$ dominates over the resolved photon contribution via the gluon-gluon fusion at $\pt\ge 2$ GeV/c and over the leading order direct photon-gluon fusion contribution at $\pt\geq 15$ GeV/c.


Abstract. Vertical distributions (altitude profiles) of condensation nuclei (CN) and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and their spatial variations across the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) have been investigated based on air-borne measurements carried out during the SWAAMI field campaign (June to July, 2016) capturing the contrasting phases of the Indian monsoon activity in 2016; just prior to its onset and during its active phase. Prior to the monsoon onset, high concentrations of CN and CCN prevailed across the IGP and the profiles revealed frequent occurrence of elevated layers (in the altitude range 1–3 km). Highest concentrations and elevated peaks with high values occurred over the central IGP. The scenario changed dramatically during the active phase of the monsoon, when the CN and CCN concentrations dropped (CN by 20 to 30 % and CCN by 6 to 25 %) throughout the IGP with more pronounced changes at altitudes higher than 3 km where decreases as high as > 80 % were observed. These reductions have an east to west decreasing gradient; being most remarkable in the eastern IGP and very weak over the western IGP where the CN concentrations above 3 km increased during the monsoon. The activation ratios (AR) showed contrasting features, increasing with increase in altitude, prior to the onset of monsoon, reversing the trend to decrease with increase in altitude during the active phase of the monsoon. The supersaturation spectrum became flatter during the active phase of the monsoon indicating an increase in the hygroscopicity of aerosols, following the mixing of surface-based emissions with the advected marine airmass.