The conventional model of a rising divorce rate during the process of modernization is a staple element of the sociological theory of the family. This generalization is challenged, however, by traditional high-divorce societies, primarily in Islamic Southeast Asia, which have experienced a "decline" in divorce with modernization. In this study, based on micro-level survey data, the authors explore the social roots of marital disruption in Indonesia and Malaysia and in another Southeast Asian society, Thailand, which has not been identified as a high-divorce society. Comparable survey data from the 1970s (from the World Fertility Survey) allow for an in-depth analysis of traditional patterns of divorce before the rapid modernization of recent decades. Two major findings emerge from the multivariate analysis. First, there is a common pattern across all three societies of higher levels of divorce among "traditional" women-those who live in rural areas, marry at young ages, and have lower levels of education. Second, the authors find significant sociocultural (ethnic, regional, religious) differentials in divorce within each country that cannot be explained by demographic and socioeconomic composition. They present an interpretation of how moderately high levels of divorce were accommodated in traditional Southeast Asian societies. Copyright 2003 by The Population Council, Inc..


Determination of chemosensitivity/chemoresistance is becoming increasingly important for individualization of breast cancer chemotherapy. We developed a simple non-destructive test of cellular activity (NTCA) for assessment of the cytopathic effect of antitumour drugs in vitro. Contrary to routinely used methods (e.g. MTT), besides the comparative evaluation of metabolic activity using pH (given by the medium colour), the NTCA enables the simultaneous assessment of proliferation and morphology of cultured cells (phase-contrast microscopy) at any time during the incubation with cytostatics. Moreover, the regenerative potential of the cells can be examined by cell recovery and growth after drug removal. We provide evidence for the relevance of NTCA in chemosensitivity testing of primary breast cancer cells and breast cancer cell lines for cisplatin, gemcitabine and tamoxifen. NTCA represents a simple addition to the chemosensitivity assessment and could also serve for rapid screening of new antitumour strategies.


This article derives closed-form expressions for correlation values of quantization errors in a set of uniform quantizers with arbitrary representation levels, operating on a vector of Gaussian stochastic variables. The problem is relevant to subband coding of random vectors using linear filter hunks, a technique that may be useful fur lossy compression of micro-array images. The results obtained here generalize previous results in which the representation levels are constrained to be midpoints of uniform quantization intervals. In particular, a set of expressions for auto-and cross-correlation values of the quantization error vector are derived. Monte-Carlo simulations are used to verify the validity of the given expressions, which indicate a very good match between numerical results and the values predicted by the derived expressions.


Bidirectional energy transfer capability is the central part of a lot of modern power conversion systems. Preferably, for reduction of size, weight and cost these systems use a single high efficiency power electronic conversion system. A dual active bridge converter having two DC-AC converters connected back to back through an AC inductor/transformer is a common topology used for obtaining high efficiency bidirectional power conversion. Some characteristic features of the DAB converter topology are bidirectional power flow capability, inherent soft switching, high power density, high efficiency, galvanic isolation and low number of passive components. In this paper, circuit operation, design, and comparison of efficiency, switch stress, and closed loop operation for step load variation are discussed. Two advanced control strategies namely double phase shift, and triple phase shift are compared and respective waveforms are shown.


DOI: 10.15448/1980-6108.2017.1.25250 Aims: To compare the level of pain, physical activity, and quality of life of female and male adolescents with patellofemoral pain. Methods: A total of 46 female adolescents and 46 male adolescents aged 12 to 18 years were recruited from public and private schools in the town of Presidente Prudente, Sao Paulo, Brazil. To be included in the study, adolescents needed to report knee pain of insidious onset, exacerbated in some activities, and lasting for at least 6 weeks. In addition, adolescents should report worse pain over the previous week of at least 30 mm on the Visual Analog Scale and could not show signs, symptoms or any occurrence of any other knee dysfunction. The participants were requested to mark their self-reported knee pain in the last month on a Visual Analog Scale. The level of physical activity was evaluated by the Baecke Questionnaire of Habitual Physical Activity and the quality of life subscale of the Knee Outcome in Osteoarthritis Survey questionnaire was used to investigate the participants' quality of life. The independent t-test was used to find differences between the groups regarding the level of physical activity, quality of life, and knee pain. Results: According to the Visual Analog Scale, male adolescents presented a level of knee pain of 5.1±1.4 in the previous month and female adolescents, of 4.4±1.6 (p = 0.029). The physical activity score was 8.8±1.3 for male adolescents and 7.5±1.6 for female ones (p<0.001). The quality of life subscale scores were 77.9±19.0 for adolescent girls and 70.8±13.5 for male adolescents (p=0.042). Conclusions: Among adolescents with patellofemoral pain, males had a higher level of knee pain, higher level of physical activity, and lower quality of life compared to female adolescents.


Objectives : Under the World Anti-Doping Code coaches have designated anti-doping roles and 27 responsibilities. Yet, their experiences, opinions and behaviours in relation to these 28 expectations are poorly understood. This study responds directly to this absence of evidence in 29 order to move the field forward. 30 Design: A qualitative thematic analysis approach. 31 Method : Twelve football and rugby league coaches, working in a performance development 32 context, took part in semi-structured interviews to explore their (anti-)doping experiences, 33 opinions and behaviours. Nine coaches participated in follow-up interviews where particular 34 attention was paid to existing anti-doping policy directives. All interviews were analysed using 35 inductive thematic analysis. 36 Results : Coaches were supportive of anti-doping efforts and exerted their influence by 37 monitoring, giving advice and creating the 'right' culture. Performance prioritisation rendered 38 coaches reluctant to engage proactively in addressing anti-doping in their practice; a situation 39 exacerbated by a lack of self-efficacy to advise/act in accordance with the rules. Consequently, 40 coaches tended to rely on others (both internally and externally to their club) to provide anti- 41 doping support, and anti-doping is deemed unnecessary/irrelevant. Critically, coaches' current 42 behaviours were not driven by policy, as they were unaware of expectations and consequences 43 outlined in the Code. 44 Conclusions: Coaches are willing to support anti-doping efforts, but are generally passive in 45 their everyday practice. The gulf between anti-doping policy and coaching practice raises cause 46 for concern for anti-doping policy makers. To bridge this gap systematic programming of 47 activities designed to ensure coaches are able and willing to take a proactive role in doping 48 prevention is required. 49 50


Buddhism spread from northern India throughout the Asian continent from the first century BC onwards. As it spread, it changed and adapted to suit the new peoples and customs with which it came into contact. In recent years, studies have been undertaken on the landscape archaeology of Indian, Central Asian and Southeast Asian Buddhism. By focusing on China, this study represents a preliminary step in attempting to illuminate a new aspect of early Buddhist practice in China. It considers the chronological implications of the way in which the sites are positioned within the landscape. The study is based on survey work and site visits undertaken over the last five years, during the course of which certain patterns began to emerge. Based on these observations, an initial hypothesis was formed which states that the visibility of the locations into which cave sites are carved increases over time. Visibility is taken as the presence or prominence of a site within the physical landscape. This study focuses only on rock-cut cave-temples because they can still be clearly seen within their (nearly) original landscape settings. They can also be dated with relative accuracy on stylistic grounds. The same cannot be said of surface religious structures.


This paper mainly deals with concept of Vehicle tracking, Monitoring and providing security by theft. This system is based on ARM7, GSM and GPS is proposed. GSM technology is used to send information about the vehicle by using GPS receiver, information contains location, speed, temperature of vehicle and control message to stop the vehicle in case of theft. ARM7 TDMI-S core processor with LPC 2148 microcontroller collects the information and sends to the Monitoring system using GSM modem. The Monitoring system uses GUI to display the received information. GUI is developed by using Visual Studio 2010. The Monitoring system can turn OFF the vehicle engine by using relays in case of theft.


ABSTRACT An important hypothesis about the disease burden of air pollution is that high levels of exposure in childhood can result in a lifetime of health problems, leading to increased mortality rates at older ages. I evaluate this hypothesis using a proprietary data set—Medicare records matched to Social Security records that identify birthplace. I analyze old-age mortality among 390,000 individuals born in small cities and towns in Pennsylvania during the years 1916 through 1927. Some of these individuals were born in places with steel production, and thus likely had exposure to high levels of air pollution in childhood. These individuals have significantly higher rates of mortality post–age 65 than those born in comparable towns that did not have steel production facilities. There are three notable features of the excess mortality among those born in steel towns: (1) the relationship holds for comparisons within counties, (2) the excess mortality is higher in towns that had relatively higher levels of steel production, and (3) old-age mortality is especially high for individuals born in locations with relatively high levels of steel production and relatively low elevation—a finding consistent with the possibility that low-elevation locations were subject to atmospheric inversions that trapped air pollution. By matching the SSA/Medicare data with death certificate data, I am able to establish that the excess mortality associated with childhood exposure to air pollution is due primarily to elevated levels of cancer.


In spite of soliton was discovered firstly by J. S. Russell as an unusual wave on the water (1834), its rediscovery was made by Zabusky and Kruskal (1965) in connection with the problem of heat transfer in lattice of solids, stated by E. Fermi et. al, which poses the question about nonvalidity of the Fourier law (1822). M. Toda (1979) formulated that in nonlinear lattices the energy is mainly transported by solitons. In 1992 we found experimentally the Wave of Reflection and Conduction (WRC), that can present solitonic mechanism of heat transfer in solids. It has a threshold approximately 10 kW/cm2 and some solitary wave features: (1) the WRC amplitude is all the time of one sign, (2) its velocity UWRC is nearly constant; (3) it reflects from sample surfaces without changing the velocity. WRC-reversible photoinduced phenomenon which appears and could be important in many laser-surface interaction studies. As example, it could be important for the investigation of processes in the materials after pulse laser irradiation, especially in the case of pulse-periodic irradiation. WRC is excited by IR pulse laser and consist from the whole series of more than 20 solitary kind waves, which velocity drop twice starting from speed of sound to less than cm/s. WRC shows an universal character: it can translate the pulse of heat energy through the samples of any of 4 main crystal types and of some amorphous solids (glasses) in the manner different from usual diffusion. WRC characteristics were measured from variation: (1) of the optical constants (by reflection on the surface or absorption in the bulk); (2) of the temperature (by thermovision camera) on the sample surfaces; (3) of the pressure (by pressure pick up); (4) of the conduction on the surface and in the bulk (in the case of conducting samples). Results of investigations are agreeable in spite of experiments were made in 4 laboratories (Russia, France, Japan) by different schemes. A new V.I. Emel'janov's theory of defect recombination wave describes solitons with UWRC approximately cm/sec in solids, preconditioned by the action of powerful short laser pulse and could be considered as a possible physical mechanism of WRC.


The robust synchronization problem is studied in this paper for uncertain chaotic Lur'e systems. It is assumed that the mismatched parameter uncertainties appear in the master system and are norm bounded. An integral sliding mode control approach is developed to address this problem. First, a suitable integral sliding surface is constructed, and a delay-dependent condition by means of linear matrix inequalities is derived under which the resulting error system is globally asymptotically stable in the specified switching surface. Then, an integral sliding mode controller is designed guaranteeing the reachability of the specified sliding surface. When the bounds of the mismatched parameter uncertainties are unknown, an adaptive integral sliding mode controller is further designed. Finally, the Chua's circuit is provided as an example to demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed approach.


The use of incentive schemes is very common in construction projects. Primarily, construction incentivization arrangements are either positive reward (incentive) or penal (disincentive) in nature. This research aims to investigate under what circumstances incentive or disincentive should be used. Review of literatures on incentivization and theories of motivation suggest that: i) disincentives are useful for projects with well-defined budget and design; ii) incentives should be used to balance hidden risks; iii) incentives should be used to enhance relationship when the projects involved many team members; iv) disincentives are useful for building works; and v) incentives are useful for civil and infrastructural projects. Respectively, five scenarios were prepared to solicit views of practicing construction professionals. In general, all the suggestions were agreed by the respondents. The findings of the study inform how incentive schemes can be arranged to derive maximum benefits according to the project particulars. The study is useful to both researchers and practitioners.


Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nails of the fingers and toes and is difficult to cure. A previous 24-week, placebo-controlled study demonstrated that a solution containing propylene glycol, urea and lactic acid (K101) was well-tolerated and effective in the treatment of onychomycosis. Patients who received K101 judged that their condition had improved from Week 2 of treatment onwards. The aim of the current study was to further evaluate and document early visible effects on nail appearance after application of topical K101 in an 8-week baseline-controlled study in 75 patients. Patients graded the appearance of their nail compared with baseline using a four-point scale. Compared with baseline, 91.8% (67/73; 95% confidence interval (CI): 83.0%, 96.9%) of the patients experienced at least some improvement in their target nail after 8 weeks of treatment. At Week 2, the proportion showing some improvement was 76.7% (56/73; 95% CI: 65.4%, 85.8%) with this number increasing to 87.7% (64/73; 95% CI: 77.9%, 94.2%) at Week 4. Proportions of patients reporting less thickened, less discoloured, less brittle and softer nails increased over the course of the study. No safety issues were identified. In conclusion, K101 provided early visible improvements in nails affected by onychomycosis.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated the correlation of age and intraocular pressure (IOP) with visual field damage in patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) and asymmetric visual field defects.

METHODS
A total of 88 NTG patients (176 eyes) were investigated. Patients in whom visual field defects were more severe in the eye with higher IOP than in the fellow eye were grouped as IOP-visual field-concordant patients, and the others as IOP-visual field-discordant patients. Mean 24-hour IOP was used as an indicator of IOP, and mean deviation (MD) as an indicator of visual field defects. Patients were also compared by age tertile.

RESULTS
The IOP-visual field-concordant group comprised 53 of the 88 patients (60.2%), among whom the >70-years tertile had significantly greater absolute values for MD asymmetry. In contrast, no significant differences in asymmetry by age tertile were seen in the IOP-visual field-discordant group.

CONCLUSION
Elevated IOP is a cause of visual field defects in many NTG patients. Among IOP-visual field-concordant patients, particular attention is required to visual field changes in the eyes of patients with higher IOP.


The territory of Sao Paulo contains, in its inland, different cultural landscapes, which were formed in the course of time and underwent profound changes in recent centuries in the face of: accelerated processes of replacement of the vegetation cover by the production of diverse goods, cattle rearing, and agriculture for export; massive influx of population groups coming from different regions of Brazil and of the world (about 70 ethnic groups); intensity of urbanization (within centuries XIX and XX); the complexity of the distribution systems (drovers roads, railways, highways, aviation), among others, which enabled the former captaincy, later a province and currently a state, to overcome the Serra do Mar mountain ridge (which had kept it isolated from the colonial dynamics over centuries XVI to XVIII), and to establish commercial and production bonds between rural regions and the coast. Particularly within the last 160 years, the intensity and strength of certain processes taking place largely outside the State area have proved themselves able to delete (ranging the boundaries between decimating and incorporating) the ancient presence of indigenous peoples, while diluting centenary marks of original enculturation (indigenous and european) to give rise to landscapes fully altered in their original economic, social, cultural and political bases. The portuguese expression "paulista", used to distinguish a population different due to its habits, language, customs and mixed ways of life, shortly started designating a population deformed by such an amount of cultural aspects, bonds and motivations now linked to transnational capital. In the study of the Metropolitan Region of Campinas we have found evidences of different landscapes.


This research investigated the variety of language styles of sarcasm in the Mandok Hata New Year celebration. By analyzing the style of language, the researcher found the true meaning of an utterance in accordance with the intention of the speaker. In this research, the writer conducted the analysis of Mandok Hata in the New Year celebration by analyzing four videos. The use of sarcasm typically lessens and sometimes enhances the negativity inherent in a sarcastic statement. Using a realistic informal format, participants read either a sarcastic or a non-sarcastic aggressive argument between same-gendered interlocutors and rated the pragmatic goals being expressed using a range of measures taken from previous studies. The results of the study showed all five types of sarcasm could be found in the videos: contrast between a positive sentiment and a negative situation (frequency 4); contrast between a negative sentiment and a positive situation (frequency 13); contrasting connotations (frequency 1); verity negation (frequency 1); and temporal facts extraction (frequency 4). The most dominant style of sarcasm was the contrast between a negative sentiment and a positive situation.


We study the limitations for entanglement due to collisional decoherence in a Bose-Einstein condensate. Specifically we consider relative number squeezing between photons and atoms coupled out from a homogeneous condensate. We study the decay of excited quasiparticle modes due to collisions in condensates of atoms with one or two internal degrees of freedom. The time evolution of these modes is determined in the linear response approximation to the deviation from equilibrium. We use Heisenberg-Langevin equations to derive equations of motion for the densities and higher correlation functions which determine the squeezing. In this way we can show that decoherence due to quasiparticle interactions imposes an important limit on the degree of number squeezing which may be achieved. Our results are also relevant for the determination of decoherence times in other experiments based on entanglement, e.g. the slowing and stopping of light in condensed atomic gases using dark states.


SrTiO3-based semiconducting ceramics are widely used to electric devices such as dielectric condensers and varistors due to their properties of high dielectric constant, high dispersion frequency and small temperature dependence of the dielectric constant. The electric properties of these ceramic devices have been studied and found to be deeply influenced by the crystal growth mechanism, the grain boundary layer characteristics and the sintering atmosphere that is represented by such factors as oxygen partial pressure and processing temperature which relate to the atom vacancy formation. Atom vacancies, which play an important role to the electrical properties, have been detected by cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A ceramic condenser (Sr0.94Ca0.05Ba0.01)0.99TiO3 was investigated by Hitomi el at: using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The material is a boundary layer (BL) semiconducting ceramic condenser, having dielectric layers between semiconducting grains. The same condenser material was investigated in this report at the grain boundary region using high resolution (scanning) transmission electron microscope (TEMSTEM) capable of High Angle Annular Dark Field (HAADF) technique.


A 3-D taxonomy has previously been proposed to define different distraction mitigation strategies that focus on enhancing immediate driving performance. These dimensions include the degree of automation of the mitigation strategy, the type of initiation, and the type of task being modulated by the strategy. The degree of automation can range from a simple driver alert signal to complete system control, with the automation levels being initiated either by the driver or the automation and can modulate either the driving task or the in-vehicle task. This chapter describes characteristics of different feedback types and the benefits they can provide for enhancing performance and modifying driver behavior. The chapter proposes an additional dimension in designing distraction mitigation strategies--the temporal dimension--which considers the immediate effect of the system on driving performance as well as the long-term effect on drivers' willingness to engage in a distracting activity.


We report our experience of herpes simplex virus infection in a series of 51 recipients of heart lung transplantation (HLT). Nine patients, all of whom were seropositive for the virus preoperatively, developed HSV infection. Seven episodes of culture-proved mucocutaneous HSV infection without evidence of pulmonary involvement occurred in four patients. Six episodes of HSV pneumonia were seen in a further five patients, one of whom died. Diagnosis of HSV pneumonia was by histological appearances on transbronchial biopsy, together with culture of lung tissue or bronchoalveolar lavage. Concomitant cytomegalovirus infection occurred in four patients. All patients who developed HSV pneumonia did so within the first two postoperative months; in four patients following augmented immunosuppression. We now suggest that HLT recipients who are HSV antibody–positive should receive prophylactic acyclovir for the first two months after surgery and at times of augmented immunosuppression.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the incidence rate and risk factors of acute kidney injury (AKI) after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG),and to compare the effects of AKI on complications after operation and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) after 3 years' follow-up.

METHODS
In the study, 299 consecutive patients who underwent scheduled off-pump CABG from January 2010 to March 2012 were included. The patients were divided into AKI group with AKI and control group without AKI after operation. The data during perioperative stage were compared, and multivariable Logistic regression modeling was used to identify the risk factors of AKI. The complications were compared after surgery and the patients were followed up for 3 years to observe the difference of MACCE between the two groups.

RESULTS
AKI occurred in 37.1% patients (111/299). The elevated serum creatinine levels(Wald=9.276, P=0.002, 95%CI 1.006-1.028), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) (Wald=3.469,P=0.063,95% CI 0.950-7.630), decreased left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)(Wald=4.414,P=0.036,95% CI 0.965-0.999),and implantation of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) before or after operation(Wald=6.745, P=0.009, 95% CI 1.336-7.925)were risk factors of AKI in multivariable logistic regression modeling. More complications occurred in AKI group, such as the duration of mechanic ventilation, the time of ICU and the length of stay post operation, reintubation, pulmonary infection, stroke, hemorrhage of digestive tract, the volume of blood transfusion (plasma and red blood cell) and renal replacement therapy(P <0.05). The difference of mortality rate had no statistical significance between the AKI group and the control group, but two patients died in the AKI group. The difference of MACCE between the two groups had no statistical significance after 3 years' follow-up either.

CONCLUSION
The incidence of AKI was high (37.1%) after off-pump CABG. The elevated serum creatinine levels, COPD, decreased LVEF,and implantation IABP before or after operation were independent risk factors of AKI in multivariable Logistic regression modeling. More complications occurred in AKI group during perioperative period, but the difference of MACCE between the two groups after 3 years' follow-up had no statistical significance.


We describe a four-column, high-pressure capillary liquid chromatography (LC) system for robust, high-throughput liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS(/MS)) analyses. This system performs multiple LC separations in parallel, but staggers each of them such that the data-rich region of each separation is sampled sequentially. By allowing nearly continuous data acquisition, this design maximizes the use of the mass spectrometer. Each analytical column is connected to a corresponding ESI emitter in order to avoid the use of postcolumn switching and associated dead volume issues. Encoding translation stages are employed to sequentially position the emitters at the MS inlet. The high reproducibility of this system is demonstrated using consecutive analyses of global tryptic digest of the microbe Shewanella oneidensis.


This paper deals with labor market structures in developing countries and the impact of government policies on rural and urban labor markets. The central concern in analyses of employment is absorption of labor. Governments try to influence the demand for labor so that more members of the labor force are absorbed into productive employment. Employment outcomes are often the by-products of government policies that affect economic growth as a whole. This paper concentrates on factors that influence the structure and functioning of labor markets. In Chapter 1, a schematic picture of labor markets is presented. Chapters 2 and 3 analyze the salient features of the workings of rural and urban labor markets and discuss some important government policies that affect the functioning of these markets. The paper concludes that Government intervention in both rural and urban labor markets has often been less than successful, sometimes because their policies were based on incorrect assumptions. At other times, these policies have achieved less because the government also adopted other policies that tended to contradict the goal of providing jobs.


I use the unanticipated and large additional tariffs the US imposed on European Union products due to the Airbus-Boeing conflict to analyze how exporters reacted to a change in trade policy. Using firm-level data for Spain and applying a difference-in-differences methodology, I show that the export revenue in the US of the firms affected by the tariff hike did not significantly decrease relative to the one of other Spanish exporters to the US. I show that Spanish exporters were able to neutralize the increase in tariffs by substituting Spanish products with products originated in countries unaffected by tariffs and shifting to varieties not affected by tariffs. My results show that tariff avoidance is another margin exporters can use to counteract the effects of a tariff hike.


This paper proposes a post-positivist methodological approach to describe the dynamics of a flow of social events developed under a specific set of social structures that relies on the epistemological assumptions of Critical Realism. This philosophy of science stance suggests case study as the preferred research strategy to explain such complex, dynamic, and context-sensitive social phenomena. The proposed process tracing methodology for case study uses a qualitative sequence analysis procedure deduced from Generative Grammar Theory. It describes the sequential patterns of events analytically based on the prior theoretical propositions and the observed empirical divergences with them. Such divergences result in the necessary modifications to the initial descriptive model of a process-like social phenomenon to achieve greater level of explanatory power.


Cell division is critical for development, organ growth, and tissue repair. The later stages of cell division include the formation of the microtubule (MT)-rich central spindle in anaphase, which is required to properly define the cell equator, guide the assembly of the acto-myosin contractile ring, and ultimately ensure complete separation and isolation of the two daughter cells via abscission. Much is known about the molecular machinery that forms the central spindle, including proteins needed to generate the antiparallel overlapping interzonal MTs. One critical protein that has garnered great attention is Protein Regulator of Cytokinesis 1 (PRC1), or Fascetto (Feo) in Drosophila, which forms a homodimer to crosslink interzonal MTs, ensuring proper central spindle formation and cytokinesis. Here, we report on a new direct protein interactor and regulator of Feo we named Fascetto Interacting Protein (FIP). Loss of FIP results in a significant reduction in Feo localization, rapid disassembly of interzonal MTs, and several cytokinesis defects. Simultaneous reduction in Feo and FIP results in tumor-like, DNA-filled masses in the brain. In aggregate our data show that FIP functions upstream of, and acts directly on, Feo to ensure fully accurate cell division.


Chirality-selective functionalization of semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) has been a difficult synthetic goal for more than a decade. Here we describe an on-demand covalent chemistry to address this intriguing challenge. Our approach involves the synthesis and isolation of a chemically inert diazoether isomer that can be switched to its reactive form in situ by modulation of the thermodynamic barrier to isomerization with pH and visible light that resonates with the optical frequency of the nanotube. We found that it is possible to completely inhibit the reaction in the absence of light, as determined by the limit of sensitive defect photoluminescence (less than 0.01% of the carbon atoms are bonded to a functional group). This optically driven diazoether chemistry makes it possible to selectively functionalize a specific SWCNT chirality within a mixture. Even for two chiralities that are nearly identical in diameter and electronic structure, (6,5)- and (7,3)-SWCNTs, we are able to activate the diazoether compound to functionalize the less reactive (7,3)-SWCNTs, driving the chemical reaction to near exclusion of the (6,5)-SWCNTs. This work opens opportunities to chemically tailor SWCNTs at the single chirality level for nanotube sorting, on-chip passivation, and nanoscale lithography.


The procedure of sharing the diagnostic medical reports and the scanned images of patients among doctors in a secured fashion with corresponding suggestions for joint treatment creates greatest care for the patients through quicker and crucial decisions. Intrusion Detection is the essential part of Information and Network Security domain in opposition against illegal access or malicious attacks. In this context, a new mechanism has been projected to detect offline Intrusion Detection System over the medical images. The proposed scheme deals with Image Blocks matching for the intrusive and normal pattern detection. From the experimental results, the proposed scheme detects the attacks namely: R2L, U2R and DoS. The observation shows that the proposed model offers high efficient detection and accuracy. This model gives realistic results over the Biomedical Images (Ex. DICOM).


Orthodox Jewish women may follow an ancient tradition that requires sexual abstention during her menses and for the seven days that follow. Once the woman has completed the period of sexual abstention she immerses in a ritual bath to purify her soul and then is encouraged to have intercourse with her husband but when your patient experiences infertility, how do you treat the infertility while maintaining respect for her religious traditions?


The paper uses the data of exchange rate and ratio of GDP deflators of Bangladesh and India covering the period 1971-2011 to justify the presence of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) between the two countries. Unit roots test has been used to confirm the stationarity of the data. Cointegration test is used to verify the existence of a long-run relationship between exchange rate and the relative cost of bundles. While these two variables are not observed to be in equilibrium in the long run, Granger causality test finds no causal relationship between the two. This disequilibrium is further escalated due to the imposition of trade restrictions or other conditions affecting the bilateral trade relationship. These obstacles need to be addressed in order to ensure the stability of the exchange rate and maintain favourable trade relationship based on PPP.


Purpose: To evaluate the clinical and radiographic results of the treatment of a proximal humerus fracture with a locking compression plate(LCP). Materials and Methods: This study reviewed the results of 24 cases of a proximal humerus fracture treated with a LCP from January 2005 to April 2007, after a follow up of more than 12 months. There were 8 males and 16 females with a mean age of 68.9(33-90) years. The clinical results were evaluated using the Neer`s evaluation criteria, and the radiographic results were evaluated using the bone union time and Paavoleinen method. Results: The mean time for bone union was 11.9 weeks. Using the Neer`s functional evaluation, 21 cases of the 24 patients (87%) showed excellent or satisfactory results. Twenty two cases (91%) showed good results according to the Paavoleinen method. The complications encountered were metal failure (1 patient), AVN of the humeral head (1 patient) and joint stiffness (1 patient). Conclusion: The LCP demonstrated good results in the treatment of a proximal humerus fracture and has relatively fewer complications than other internal fixators.


To examine carcinogenesis by estrogens, we investigated the reactivity of 6-hydroxyestrogen 6-sulfates. Two epimeric 6-sulfates, pyridinium 3-methoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-6 alpha-yl sulfate (1) and its 6 beta-isomer (2), were synthesized as model compounds and reacted with adenine under mild conditions to give two common products in the ratios of approximately 3:1 and 5:1, respectively. The major product was identified as N6-[3-methoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-6 beta-yl] adenine (10), accompanied with its 6 alpha-isomer (9), by comparison with synthetic specimens. These results imply that, in the metabolism of naturally occurring estrogens, hydroxylation at the C6-position and subsequent sulfoconjugation of the benzylic hydroxyl group may produce sulfates which react with DNA to initiate carcinogenesis.


In this study, we focused on the combination of blast furnace slag mixed cement that imparts alkalinity, and nitrite that has proven in rust prevention treatment method of reinforced concrete. Also influence of these compositions on rust prevention of iron and verified the mechanism was dissassed. In order to observe the influence of alkaline powder and nitrite on iron, iron plates were immersed in aqueous solutions in which these additives were added as model samples. XPS analyses of the surface of iron plate immersed for 14 days, revealed that a large amount of adsorbed oxygen considered to nitrite ion was existed on the iron surface of the sample treated in containing nitrite. As for the energy state of iron, only the test piece containing nitrite ion showed lower peak, suggesting the adsorption of nitrite ion to the iron surface. In the actual steel sheet sample, an intermediate layer was composed of mainly iron and oxygen was confirmed at the interface between under coat containing nitrite and steel plate.


Objective BI6727, an ATP-competitive PLK1 inhibitor, has been shown to cause cell death in multi-tumors. This study aimed to investigate the anti-tumor effect and potential molecular mechanism of BI6727 in human Burkitt lymphoma (BL) cell lines. Methods We assessed polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) expression in BL patient tissues and cells, also investigated the cytotoxic effect using CCK8 assay and flow cytometry. In addition, western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays were used to explore the molecular mechanisms of BI6727 in human BL cell lines. Results PLK1 was overexpressed in BL cells compared with normal cells. The PLK1 inhibitor BI6727 reduced activated PLK1 expression and caused mitotic arrest in BL cells. Additionally, BI6727 suppressed cellular proliferation and induced apoptosis in BL cell lines. BI6727 treatment also decreased C-MYC protein and mRNA expression, blocked the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, and stabilized the FBXW7 protein. Conclusions Our findings explained a potential molecular mechanism of BI6727 in BL cells and suggested that BI6727 might be a new therapeutic agent for BL in the future.


BACKGROUND
The enigma of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), reflected in recent scientific literature, is its uncertain consequences, variability of the final prognosis with apparently similar TBI, necessity for peripheral biomarkers, and more specific predictive models.

OBJECTIVES
To study the relationship between serum S100B and survival in TBI patients in various serious situations; the S100B level in patients without traumatic pathology or associated tumour, subjected to stressful situations such as neurological intensive care unit (NICU) stay; the possible overestimation caused by extracerebral liberation in TBI patients and associated polytraumatism; the predictive cutoffs to determine the most sensitive and specific chronology; and achieve a predictive prognostic model.

METHODS
Patients admitted to the NICU within 6 hours after TBI were selected. We measured: a) clinical: exitus yes/no; age and gender, traumatic mechanism, polytraumatism yes/no, GCS score, unconsciousness duration, amnesia duration, neurological focality, and surgical interventions; b) radiological: CT scan for radiological lesions; c) biochemical: serum SB100B at 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours after TBI and drug abuse detected in the urine; d) GOS on hospital discharge.

RESULTS
N: 149 TBI patients, independent of polytraumatism, mean serum S100B at 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours: 2.1, 1.3, 1.2, and 0.6 microg/L, respectively; N: 124 without associated polytraumatism, S100B at 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours: 2.0, 1.4, 1.3, and 0.6 microg/L; N: 50 control I S100B 24 hours: 0.17 microg/L (0.04 - 0.56) and 25 healthy subjects S100B 0.057 microg/L (0.02-0.094).

CONCLUSIONS
Significantly higher S100B levels are observed on exitus, with excellent TBI prognosis and evolution performance. Hospital stay in the NICU produces significant increases in S100B compared to healthy subjects, without invalidating it as a biomarker. Polytraumatism associated to TBI does not significantly alter S100B levels. S100B at 24 hours > or = 0.90 microg/L appears to predict unfavourable TBI evolution with a NPV: 94.2% and PPV: 54.9%. We propose a predictive model when we associate S100B at 24 hours with amnesia duration over 30 minutes with a NPV of 85.5% and a PPV of 83.3%.


How are universities imagining themselves in the information age? This article describes the shift in some universities' policies from an emphasis on knowledge for knowledge's sake towards harnessing the university to the growing information economy. Universities embracing the distributed, student-centred learning model are replacing their process-oriented curricula, where the emphasis is on critical thinking and creativity, with commodified knowledge, the "content" that can be conveniently sold in the information economy. The U. of Alberta, the U. of British Columbia, and the STENTOR and CANARIE projects are studied in this context.


In order to identify prognostic factors in angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy (AIL), 30 directly diagnosed patients were prospectively followed for more than 42 months. Age and sex distribution, clinical and laboratory findings and evolution were not different from previously reported series. Median duration of survival was 24 months. Parameters associated with a longer survival in our series were localized adenopathies (P = 0.01) and the achievement of a remission (P < 0.0001). Features associated with a shorter survival included drug exposure in relation to the onset of the disease (P = 0.02), rash (P < 0.0001), lymph node eosinophilia (P = 0.03) and elevated serum lactic dehydrogenase (P = 0.03). Drug exposure and rash were, however, significantly dependent (P = 0.02). In addition, lymphopenia, the presence of circulating immune complexes, and the absence of polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia may indicate a poor prognosis, although the significance level is not achieved in this short series. None of the parameters tested was significantly related to the lymphomatous transformation of AIL, which occurred in four cases. It is concluded that multicentric prospective studies of AIL are necessary in order to better define this disorder, to find prognostic factors, and to optimize therapy. Cancer 59:208–212, 1987.


Targeting the oxygen-sensing mechanisms of the hypoxiainducible factor (HIF) pathway provides pharmacological ways of manipulating the HIF response. Because HIF-1α-specific prolyl-4 hydroxylases (PHDs) prime degradation of HIF-1α, we have made an effort to find a small molecule capable of up-regulating the HIF pathway by inhibiting prolyl hydroxylation. Through an in vitro high-throughput screen, we have discovered a PHD2 inhibitor baicalein, which is also found to abrogate asparaginyl hydroxylation of HIF-1α. Such inhibitory effects are reversed by the addition of excess 2-oxoglutarate and iron(II), suggesting the involvement of baicalein's binding at the enzyme active sites, which has also been corroborated by spectroscopic binding assays between baicalein and enzyme. In addition, baicalein suppresses ubiquitination of HIF-1α, which works in concert with the inhibition of the HIF-specific hydroxylases to increase the HIF-1α content, leading to induction of HIF-1-mediated reporter gene activity and target gene transcription in tissue culture cells, whereas it induces HIF-independent activation of other genes. Furthermore, in vivo organ models based on the chick chorioallantoic membrane assay demonstrate that baicalein promotes new blood vessel formation. Together, our results indicate that baicalein possesses a proangiogenic potential and thus might have the therapeutic utility in the treatment of ischemic diseases.


The 2004-2005 hurricane season caused severe infrastructure damage and economical loss to power systems. A good estimate of hurricane frequency, intensity, and duration is of great importance to emergency planners of utilities in vulnerable coastal areas. However, considerable uncertainty in hurricane characteristics makes the modeling a complicated task. This paper presents a probabilistic model that can simulate a hurricane year for Florida. This model determines the number of hurricanes landed in Florida in a year; and each simulated hurricane is probabilistically assigned landfall information such as location, approach angle, translation velocity, maximum wind speed, and radius to maximum wind. As the hurricane moves across Florida, its inland features including wind speed decay rate, central pressure filling rate, wind field profile, and duration are further simulated. Through Monte Carlo simulation, this hurricane model is able to generate a large number of random hurricane years so as to estimate the long-term risk levels arising from hurricanes and assist associated planning.


Lean construction projects are understood as temporary production systems that eliminate waste, allow collaboration and optimize structures of the value added chain. Remaining crucial challenges in construction are the coordination of the involved trades and the tracking of construction progress. Current research in Lean Construction Management (LCM) targets automated digital methods that support work package planning and make inferences about states of progress. The scope of the presented work focuses on closing the feedback loop of lean construction planning, progress tracking, and status control by using 4D information from Building Information Modeling (BIM) as well as Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology for reporting actual progress.


Background: This article presents a methodology to categorize scientific publications according to the targets of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. For the above, a dataset with bibliographic and descriptive attributes of 2,379 articles from 2017 by co-authors affiliated to the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases, was used. Methods: The methodology considered three relevant and consecutive milestones: establishment of the reading level that was applied for each publication record, which considers a proportional amount of information; assignment of one of the 18 categories identified for the analysis of the information, which include the 17 SDGs and the option "unclassified" and one of the 169 subcategories corresponding to the specific goals; and, finally, recording the status of the review process carried out, which allowed control of the progress and quality of the cross-review. Results: The results show that 58.6% of the articles contribute to a primary target, of these 233 contribute to a secondary target; goals 3, 4, 9, and 11 are the most frequent in the process of assigning SDGs. There is an 81% increase in the use of alphanumeric targets when they are assigned as secondary targets. At the same time, crosschecking is shown to be beneficial when allowing the reclassification of 190 articles to some of the targets. Finally, it is established that levels 2 and 3 enabled better classification, given that the contents considered provide more information; however, it is significant that through level 1, 355 articles were categorized as "unclassified". Conclusions: It is concluded that the methodology allows for a conclusive, exhaustive, rigorous, extensive, and varied classification through the different milestones and actions carried out, providing strategic information for decision making and research management in the academy-society relationship. Open Peer Review Reviewer Status AWAITING PEER REVIEW Any reports and responses or comments on the article can be found at the end of the article. Emerald Open Research Page 1 of 14 Emerald Open Research 2021, 3:21 Last updated: 28 SEP 2021


as safe as Dr Jackson-Moore believes them to be; they undoubtedly have great promnise. Nevertlheless, at the present time we would reconmmend for at-risk patients an up-to-date inactivated vaccine rather than live A/England vaccine.-ED, BM7. Thrombocytopenia during treatment with clonazepam SIR,-We think it is desirable to publicise as a matter of some urgency a potentially dangerous thrombocytopenia developing probably as a reaction to the drug clonaze-pam (Rivotril). The patient is a 52-year-old woman resident at a hostel for mentally subnormal women under the control of Botleys Park Hospital. She has an IQ of 55 and is able to carry on a useful conversation. There is a history of head injury at age 3 followed by epilepsy. There is no reliable history of her development before that. Until recently she had no epilepsy after childhood. On 25 September 1974 while drinking morning tea at work she was noticed to be oblivious of her surroundings; her right hand was shaking and she was spilling her tea. She recovered completely in a few seconds. She had a similar attack the next day, another in October, and one in November. Investigations including blood glucose and calcium, lumbar puncture, and electroencephalography were negative. She was free of attacks until June 1975, when treatment with phenytoin 150 mg daily was started. She had further attacks and clonazepam 0-5 mg twice daily was added on 30 July. Following a further attack in August this was increased to 1-0 mg twice daily. On 5 September she had a mild epistaxis and two days later more severe epistaxis and purpura. She was admitted to St Peter's Hospital, where her nostrils were found t be blocked with clotted blood and she was bleeding from the lower gum, the upper being edentulous. Multiple purpuric spots and bruises were present on both legs. All drugs were stopped. Examination of the blood showed a platelet count of 6 x 109/1 (6000/mm3), but was otherwise normal. A sternal marrow puncture the following day showed an excess of megakaryocytes and no other abnormality. Prednisone 20 mg three times a day was started. The puncture site continued to ooze for 2-3 days. Platelet counts performed on 8 and 10 September showed a fall to less than 1 x 109/1 (1000/mm3). On 12 September the patient had a grand mal fit and was started on phenobarbitone 30 mg three times a day. On 19 September the platelet …


The Chuanzang black (CB) pig is a new crossbred between Chinese local breeds and modern breeds. Here, we investigated the growth performance, plasma indexes, carcass traits, and meat quality characteristics of conventional DLY (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) crossbreed and CB pigs. The LC-MS/MS-based metabolomics of pork from DLY and CB pigs, as well as the relationship between the changes in the metabolic spectrum and meat quality, were analyzed. In this study, CB pigs presented lower final body weight, average daily gain, carcass weight, and eye muscle area than DLY pigs (p ˂ 0.05). Conversely, the ratio of feed to gain, marbling score, and meat color score of longissimus dorsi (LD) were higher in CB than DLY pigs (p ˂ 0.05). Moreover, psoas major (PM) showed a higher meat color score and a lower cooking loss in CB than DLY pigs (p ˂ 0.05). Interestingly, CB pigs showed lower myofiber diameter and area but higher myofiber density than DLY pigs (p ˂ 0.05). Furthermore, the mRNA expression levels of MyHC I, PPARδ, MEF2C, NFATC1, and AMPKα1 were higher in CB than DLY pigs (p ˂ 0.05). Importantly, a total of 753 metabolites were detected in the two tissues (e.g., psoas major and longissimus dorsi) of CB and DLY pigs, of which the difference in metabolite profiles in psoas major between crossbreeds was greater than that in longissimus dorsi. Specifically, palmitic acid, stearic acid, L-aspartic acid, corticosterone, and tetrahydrocorticosterone were the most relevant metabolites of psoas major meat quality, and tetrahydrocorticosterone, L-Palmitoylcarnitine, arachidic acid, erucic acid, and 13Z,16Z-docosadienoic acid in longissimus dorsi meat were positively correlated with meat quality. The most significantly enriched KEGG pathways in psoas major and longissimus dorsi pork were galactose metabolism and purine metabolism, respectively. These results not only indicated improved meat quality in CB pigs as compared to DLY pigs but may also assist in rational target selection for nutritional intervention or genetic breeding in the swine industry.


Road safety has become a major concern and many strategies have been introduced to reduce road risk and mitigate severe consequences of unavoidable crashes. This paper presents an innovative methodology which aims at monitoring in real time and even anticipating crash risk on Swiss motorways based on individual traffic data recorded by detectors devices.


We present the group fused Lasso for detection of multiple change-points shared by a set of co-occurring one-dimensional signals. Change-points are detected by approximating the original signals with a constraint on the multidimensional total variation, leading to piecewise-constant approximations. Fast algorithms are proposed to solve the resulting optimization problems, either exactly or approximately. Conditions are given for consistency of both algorithms as the number of signals increases, and empirical evidence is provided to support the results on simulated and array comparative genomic hybridization data.


We introduce a new sufficient dimension reduction framework that targets a statistical functional of interest, and propose an efficient estimator for the semiparametric estimation problems of this type. The statistical functional covers a wide range of applications, such as conditional mean, conditional variance and conditional quantile. We derive the general forms of the efficient score and efficient information as well as their specific forms for three important statistical functionals: the linear functional, the composite linear functional and the implicit functional. In conjunction with our theoretical analysis, we also propose a class of one-step Newton-Raphson estimators and show by simulations that they substantially outperform existing methods. Finally, we apply the new method to construct the central mean and central variance subspaces for a data set involving the physical measurements and age of abalones, which exhibits a strong pattern of heteroscedasticity.


BACKGROUND
The thiourea drugs take a few weeks to control the symptoms of hyperthyroidism whilst iodine containing radiographic contrast agents (iopanoic acid and sodium ipodate) have a more rapid effect. There is no report on the use of iopanoic acid administered in conjunction with carbimazole, so we evaluated the efficacy of this combination in the early medical management of patients with hyperthyroidism.

METHODS
Thirty hyperthyroid patients diagnosed by clinical and biochemical criteria were randomized into two treatment groups. Group A (n = 16) received iopanoic acid (500 mg orally twice a day for the first 3 weeks) and carbimazole (30 mg orally in three divided doses) while group B (n = 14) received carbimazole alone. Clinical examination and estimation of serum total T3, total T4 and TSH were done by radioimmunoassay at the start of therapy, weekly for 4 weeks and then at 6, 8 and 12 weeks.

RESULTS
In the initial 3 weeks, iopanoic acid induced a significantly greater fall in mean serum total T3 levels (Z = 2.298, p < 0.02) and a slower fall in mean serum total T4 (Z = 2.396, p < 0.05) in group A patients compared to those in group B. This was accompanied by earlier clinical improvement in group A patients. The mean serum total T3 and T4 values rose to higher levels in group A at 4 weeks, one week after discontinuation of iopanoic acid. At the end of 12 weeks, however, there was no significant difference in the mean serum total T3 and T4 levels between the two groups (p > 0.05). Biochemical euthyroidism (i.e. total T3 < 3 nmol/L and total T4 < 170 nmol/L) was achieved later in group A patients than in group B (10.4 +/- 5.0 weeks v. 3.6 +/- 1.2 weeks, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS
Iopanoic acid given together with carbimazole induces rapid clinical improvement in hyperthyroid patients than carbimazole alone. However, the delayed achievement of euthyroidism may preclude its routine use in the management of patients with hyperthyroidism except in those with thyrotoxic emergencies.


The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C13H20NO+·PF6 −, contains two cations, one complete anion and two half hexafluorophosphate anions having crystallographically imposed twofold rotation symmetry. In the cations, the morpholine rings are in a chair conformation. In the crystal, ions are linked by weak C—H⋯F hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional network.


BACKGROUND: Our objective was to examine the clinical properties of two anesthetic regimens, propofol target-controlled infusion (TCI), or desflurane using remifentanil TCI under bispectral index (BIS) guidance during ear, nose, and throat (ENT) procedures. METHODS: Forty consenting patients who scheduled for ENT procedures were prospectively studied and were included in one of the two groups: TCI group or desflurane (DES) group. General anesthesia was induced with 3 ng mL-1 and 4 μg mL-1 effect site concentrations (Ce) of remifentanil and propofol, respectively, with TCI system. After intubation, while propofol infusion was continued in the TCI group, it was ceased in the DES group and desflurane with an initial delivered fraction of 6% was administered. The Ce of propofol infusion and inspired fraction of desflurane was adjusted in order to keep BIS as 50 ± 10. RESULTS: General mean values of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) for the TCI group was significantly higher than DES group (89.3 mmHg and 72.4 bpm vs. 77.1 mmHg and 69.5 bpm). Early emergence from anesthesia did not significantly differ between the groups. The rate of patients' Aldrete score (ARS) to reach 10 was found to be 100% at the 15th min in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Bispectral index guided combinations of remifentanil TCI either with propofol TCI or desflurane anesthetic regimens are both suitable for patients undergoing ENT surgery. The lower blood pressure in the remifentanil TCI with desflurane anesthetic regimens may be a significant advantage.


Since ancient times, humans have fought a still-unwinnable battle against aging and time. The possibility of processing our own blood in order to obtain certain precious substances for a particular purpose has opened the gates for the development of new treatments, indications, and techniques. In this study, we obtained an autologous serum with very high concentrations of some growth factors and anti-inflammatory cytokines using a special syringelike device that exposed the blood to medical-grade glass spheres in a closed system. The application of this autologous conditioned antiaging serum achieved local beauty enhancement results by improving skin hydration, smoothness, and elasticity.


Maximum-likelihood (ML) theory presents an elegant asymptotic solution for the estimation of the parameters of time-series models. Unfortunately, the performance of ML algorithms in finite samples is often disappointing, especially in missing-data problems. The likelihood function is symmetric with respect to the unit circle for the estimated zeros of time-series models. As a consequence, the unit circle is either a local maximum or a local minimum in the likelihood of moving-average (MA) models. This is a trap for nonlinear optimization algorithms that often converge to poor models, with estimated zeros precisely on the unit circle. With ML estimation, it is much easier to estimate a long autoregressive (AR) model with only poles. The parameters of that long AR model can then be used to estimate MA and autoregressive moving-average (ARMA) models for different model orders. The accuracy of the estimated AR, MA, and ARMA spectra is very good. The robustness is excellent as long as the AR order is less than 10 or 15. For still-higher AR orders until about 60, the possible convergence to a useful model will depend on the missing fraction and on the specific properties of the data at hand.


Sipuleucel-T is an FDA approved autologous cellular immunotherapy indicated for the treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic castrate resistant (hormone refractory) prostate cancer. It consists of autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells, including antigen presenting cells (APCs), which have been activated during a defined culture period with a recombinant human protein, PAP-GM-CSF, consisting of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP), an antigen expressed in prostate cancer tissue, linked to granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), an immune cell activator. The development history will be summarized; the regulatory milestones will be described; and the lessons learned during the development of this novel approach to the treatment of prostate cancer will be discussed. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2011 Nov 12-16; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2011;10(11 Suppl):Abstract nr PL04-01.


This study first tests whether the national and East Asian regional-based particularity of employment patterns in South Korea and Japan — the M-shaped labor force participation rate of women by age and the low labor market participation rate of educated women — is diminished in globalized cities that are closely entangled with diverse nations and cultural regions (Welsch 1999). Using the 2008 data from the Korean Labor and Income Panel Study (KLIPS) and the Japanese General Social Survey (JGSS), the estimation of weighted proportion found that the specific employment patterns in Japan remain stronger in the country's cities. The dynamics in labor force participation of educated women partially conform to the hypothesis, but do not follow the Western style in either country. Findings reveal the diversity of work–life styles in the hybridization of culture within globalization, which would be important in policymaking in the labor market for women.


This paper describes a new concept to control the output voltage of boost and buck-boost converters by combining some different control techniques such as input current prediction, output current feedforward and cycle-by-cycle (also called charge control) average-current control. The controller design is intended to force the output voltage to follow a time-varying reference signal such as a sinewave superimposed over a DC level (often called tracking control). Sliding-mode method is utilized but under a very simple form similar to the output current feedforward method because the converter model is now reduced to be only a first order system. Simulation results are shown for both boost and buck-boost converters in order to verify the control principle.


Two linear tetradentate phosphine ligands, meso-Ph2PCH2P(Ph)CH2XCH2P(Ph)CH2PPh2 (X = CH2 (meso-dpmppp), NBn (meso-dpmppmNBn; Bn = benzyl)) were utilized to synthesize unsymmetrical dinuclear RhI complexes, [Rh2Cl2(meso-dpmppp)(L)] (L = XylNC (1a), CO (1b)) and [Rh2Cl2(meso-dpmppmNBn)(L)] (L = XylNC (1c), CO (1d)), where electron-deficient RhI → RhI centers with 30 valence electrons are supported by a tetraphosphine in an unusual cis-/trans-P,P coordination mode. The RhI dimers of 1a-d were treated with HCl under air to afford the RhI → RhIII dimers with 32 e-, [Rh2Cl4(meso-dpmppp)(L)] (L = XylNC (4a), CO (4b)) and [Rh2Cl4(meso-dpmppmNBn)(L)] (L = XylNC (4c), CO (4d)), via intermediate hydride complexes, [{RhCl2(μ-H)RhCl(L)}(meso-dpmppp)] (L = XylNC (2a), CO (2b)) and [{RhCl2(μ-H)RhCl(L)}(meso-dpmppmNBn)] (L = XylNC (2c), CO (2d)), and [{Rh(H)Cl2(μ-Cl)Rh(L)}(meso-dpmppp)] (L = XylNC (3a), CO (3b)) and [{Rh(H)Cl2(μ-Cl)Rh(L)}(meso-dpmppmNBn)] (L = XylNC (3c), CO (3d)). The hydride intermediates 2 and 3 were monitored under nitrogen by 1H{31P} and 31P{1H} NMR techniques to reveal two reaction pathways depending on the terminal auxiliary ligand L. Further, the reductive dechlorination converting RhIRhIII (4b,d) to RhI2 (1b,d) was accomplished with a CO terminal ligand by reacting with various amines that acted as one-electron reducing agents through an inner-sphere electron transfer mechanism. DFT calculations were performed to elucidate the electronic structures of 1a-d and 4a-d and to estimate the structures of the hydride intermediate complexes 2 and 3.


Paleontologists using thin sections or acetate replicas of colonial skeletons can standardize their biometric procedures by using the methods of quantitative stereology, thereby removing errors, inconsistencies, and redundancies, and enriching their pool of available morphological information. From three fundamental quantities, counted as interceptions of structures with randomly oriented test grids, lines, and areas, seven useful derived quantities can be calculated using simple formulas. Stereology allows the discrimination of two kinds of constructional gradients in stenolaemate bryozoans. In a case study of the Ordovician trepostome Amplexopora filiasa, structural variation reflects both an astogenetic trajectory as well as phenotypic deviations from it, which lead (in one direction) to surfaces of minimum area caused by close packing. Inflecting acanthostyles are inferred to increase intrazooidal surface area (as measured by perimeter length) as a compensation for surface area loss in close packing, thus maintaining a developmental buffering system.--Modified journal abstract.


Tympanoplasty results depend on the severity of middle ear disease present preoperatively. Various grading systems were developed for this. The present study was carried out to determine the Middle Ear Risk Index (MERI) score and categorise the patients into mild, moderate and severe MERI and study the relation between MERI and outcome of tympanoplasty. The study consisted of 50 patients undergoing tympanoplasty for mucosal or squamous type of CSOM. The MERI score was calculated. The patients were categorised into those with mild, moderate and severe MERI. The graft uptake status was assessed. The relation between MERI score and graft status was assessed by T test. The overall graft uptake was 76%. Patients with a high MERI score had low graft uptake. This study shows that MERI score is a prognostic indicator of tympanoplasty results. It is inverserly proportional to graft uptake. Keywords: Middle Ear Risk Index, Tympanoplasty, Graft uptake, Chronic suppurative otitis media


In this paper, our objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of strategic management simulations as a learning-bydoing tool so that university students can learn to work in a team, that is they can enhance their knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) for effective teamwork. In order to do this, we have carried out an analysis of the effect of strategic management simulation on the teamwork KSA with a group of undergraduates studying in the School of Business. The results show that the teamwork KSA can improve and that the initial knowledge of those teamwork KSA, at the individual level, is the only factor which conditions their learning.


Normal pressure hydrocephalus is a form of non-obstructive hydrocephalus characterized by the triad of symptoms. These symptoms are typical or atypical. Because of its potential reversibility, researchers have paid attention to its diagnosis and in differentiating it with other forms of dementia such as brain atrophy. To determine the intracranial compartment volumes and their differences among patients with NPH and Brain Atrophy (BA). This was a cross-sectional study involving consenting patients diagnosed with NPH and BA who were referred for routine brain CT. Medical conditions known to influence intracranial volume were excluded. Age -matched normal control were clinically and radiologically confirmednormal and were also recruited. Intracranial volumes and CSF distribution determination was based on Cavalieri test point computation principle. Test point summation was on a locally developed software for this purpose. Overall, the values of BA recorded higher mean values for most of the intracranial compartment volumes. Intraventricular volume was consistently higher in NPH groups. Statistical difference exists among intraventricular and total intracranial CSF volume across patients with BA, NPH and control. A post hoc test revealed control-NPH comparison across these variables. Control-BA comparison was evident in total intracranial CSF volume only. Higher mean values of intracranialcompartment volumes were observed in patients with BA than among patients with NPH and their control. Anthropometric indices did not show any difference between patients with BA, NPH and their control. These indices can be used as basis in objectively differentiating NPH from BA.


The field of gratings of large cylinders in a unit cell of square, rectangular, or infinite-strip pattern is studied. Solutions are provided for alternating potential use being made of suitable arrangements of line charges. The complex potential corresponding to a given cylinder is found by correlation of the spacing of the line charges and the size of the cylinder. This method is also suitable for solution of fields of one-dimensional gratings of elliptical cylinders at alternating potential. Detailed results are presented in tables as well as in plots of typical field configurations.


The article presents the results of experimental modeling of additional equipment and means for monitoring the technical condition, increasing the level of testability and adaptability to diagnosing parts of the drive shaft of the Kirovets tractor gearbox in ordinary operation.


Hemiarthroplasty of the elbow with an endoprosthesis has been reported very infrequently; only about 20 cases have been reported previously in the literature. This case merits reporting because of the youth of the patient (age 19), the uniqueness of the prosthetic component, and the long-term follow-up observation. The patient had posttraumatic bony ankylosis of the elbow with a painful supracondylar pseudoarthrosis and loss of bone from the proximal metaphysis. A custom humeral endoprosthesis was inserted, and anatomic reconstitution of the sigmoid notch of the ulna was provided. Reasonably good, painless, stable motion was achieved, which has not deteriorated in the subsequent 21 years of observation. The clinical significance of this case is that in a nonweight-bearing hinged joint, endoprosthesis arthroplasty can be an excellent option when given the proper indications and carried out with meticulous planning.


( ABSTRACT Aim : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of two denture adhesives on incisal bite force until denture dislodgement without and with the adhesive. This in-practice study assessed also patients' perception regarding the use of adhesive. Materials and Methods : A total of 6 patients )2 men, 4 women( who wore complete maxillary and mandibular dentures were tested for denture performance both without and with denture adhesive. A locally constructed digital biting force device was used to measure the incisal bite force. Two adhesives pastes )Kin oro and Bony plus( were used in the study. Patients were asked to bite on the digital biting force device and the readings of incisal bite force were recorded. Patient perceptions )instant perception and delayed perception( after 1 week of using the denture adhesive were also assessed by a questionnaire and analyzed for denture performance on chewing and mastication, retention and fitness, confidence, comfort, and speaking. Results : The result showed that denture adhesives improved the incisal bite force of complete denture wearers significantly. The incisal bite force )in kg( )mean : without adhesive 1.78, with Kin oro 3.04, and with Bony plus 3.21(. There was an improvement in chewing and mastication, retention and fitness, confidence, comfort, and speaking after using both types of denture adhesives. Conclusions : The use of denture adhesive was found to be significantly effective in improving the incisal bite force of complete dentures until the dislodgement of upper denture. Bony plus paste adhesive was found to be more effective than Kin oro paste. Subjectively, the patients reported an improved perception of denture performance and that the use of adhesive provided greater confidence when using the


Seven species belonging to three stromatoporoid genera are described from two localities at Empire Beach, southern Ontario. Stromatoporella is the most diverse genus, to which five species are assigned. The most common species is Syringodictyon tuberculatum (Nicholson), represented by ten of the twenty-four collected specimens. One genus, Syringodictyon, and one species, Stromatoporella megastrorhizifera, are new. Stromatoporella cf. S. composita Yavorsky is unassigned. The species range in age from Emsian, or possibly Siegenian, to Frasnian. They correlate well with stromatoporoids described from strata equivalent to the lower Detroit River Group, Edgecliff Member (Onondaga Formation), as well as with the Couvinian–Eifelian horizons of Europe.


This article explores the multi-accentuality of the sign 'gastarbajteri', used as title word in an exhibition on labour migration that took place in Vienna, Austria, in 2004. Based on an ethnographic study of the exhibition, it addresses a variety of readings of this word, both at the level of production and reception. The analysis of texts shows, firstly, the divergent rationales of the two agents who cooperated as exhibition producers, the minority NGO who wished to signal self-empowerment of migrants on the hand and the city museum who aimed at selling the exhibition to a mainstream audience on the other hand. Secondly, it juxtaposes them with the plurality of readings by its recipients, which range from the recognition of an appeal to migrants via the mis-reading as 'guestworker' and its upvaluation through to an insider-perspective based on the knowledge of the word's connotations in the former Yugoslavia.


An apparatus has been constructed and tested at pressures to 200 ATA which meets the basic requirements for intracellular microelectrode work. Standard microelectrodes, unaffected by pressure in this range, were used with lobster axon and frog sartorius fibers and action potentials have been recorded at pressure up to 151 ATA. The chamber itself has a simple roll-in door and a modular design that recommends it as a highly convenient multipurpose vessel for work at moderately high pressures.


Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a eukaryotic quality-control mechanism that detects and degrades aberrant transcripts prematurely terminating translation. NMD may be elicited by intergenic transcripts that contain premature termination codons (PTCs), but chimeric mRNAs of genes that have introns of identical phase would be predicted to lack PTCs and escape NMD. We examined intron phase I-containing HLA class II genes for the presence of intergenic mRNAs and found an extraordinary diversity of correctly spliced and polyadenylated intergenic transcripts. They lacked a significant homology at the chimeric joins and had no PTCs. Their expression levels were very low and positively correlated with the expression of natural transcripts. In contrast, pair-wise mixtures of separately transcribed plasmids carrying full-length HLA-DQB1, -DQA1, -DRB1, and -DRA cDNAs produced only hybrid molecules that lacked canonical exon boundaries, had homologous chimeric joins, and occasionally contained PTCs, implicating in vitro artifacts generated by template switching of Taq polymerase and reverse transcriptase. A differential exon structure of hybrid molecules observed in vitro and in cellular RNA preparations suggests that intergenic mRNAs with canonical exon boundaries arise in vivo during exon joining and/or transcription. Since the observed intergenic mRNAs may encode mixed class II heterodimers that were previously shown to present antigens it will be interesting to determine functional properties of such molecules in future studies.


This presentation highlights how asset management practitioners, at the local level, are always aware of the importance of the service provider. The International Infrastructure Management Manual contains guidance and advice on asset management information systems. Theory is important for setting direction. However it is "practice" that will ultimately determine the effectiveness of efforts. A business framework must support the theory of asset management practices. The value of data is also discussed. Priorities are often conflicting - the needs of service providers, auditors, insurers, and customers must be recognized and understood. A systems approach to asset management is essential if an asset management system is going to deliver optimal outcomes for an organization. Acquiring and maintaining knowledge about infrastructure assets requires an organization to identify its corporate and business needs for data and information. To develop any "system", whether it be a management or an information system, the objectives to be achieved must be clearly defined. The pressures placed on Council Officers to have knowledge about all assets in the public domain is increasing, as is the need to understand the performance of assets for which Council has custodial responsibility. Recognizing and understanding these pressures allows an organization to adopt a holistic approach to the way in which it manages its assets. A systems approach recognizes these differences, and allows the two-way communication of asset related knowledge between the infrastructure planners and the service providers. Many organizations have formally recognized the strategic importance of the role that service provider knowledge, about the assets they are managing and / or maintaining, plays in a modern asset management framework. Developing and implementing strategies that will make use of new technologies and mobile computing devices are ways to progress this strategic objective. However, most organizations are still (at best) only thinking about how to implement this change. Victoria's Road Management Act provides the background to which each organization must become aware of the existing status of their own asset management and organizational culture, and identify the desired position. An agreement or at least an understanding of current problems is required by all stakeholders if consensus is to be reached on the outcomes. Different people have different perceptions of the same problem.


James Nash correctly states that the biblical writers are more interested in the health of agricultural land than in biological diversity. Yet, far from being opposed, those two concerns are integrally related in key biblical passages, as well as in our current crisis, when industrial agriculture itself may constitute the largest threat to biodiversity and ecosystem function. The Bible's agrarian sensitivity reflects the fragile ecological zone that is the central highlands of Canaan, the core area of Israelite occupation. Multiple passages point to the need for cultural practices of restraint in both material consumption and manipulation of natural systems. Thus the Bible may be helpful in generating particularized visions of what is good for both natural systems and the human communities that depend upon them for their own existence.


A new approach to compute optimal forcing functions for nonlinear dynamic systems expressed by differential equations and stemming from the sliding mode control (SMC) problems is presented. SMC input achieves generation of a desired trajectory in two phases. In the first phase, the input is designed to steer the state of the nonlinear dynamic system towards a stable (hyper) surface (in practice, it is generally a subspace) in the state space. The second phase starts once the state enters a prespecified neighbourhood of the surface. In this phase, the control input is required to drive the system state towards the origin while keeping it in this neighbourhood. It is shown that by appropriate selection of the objective functions and the constraints, it is possible to model both phases of this problem in the form of constrained optimization problems, which provide an optimal solution direction and thus improve the chattering. Generally, these problems are not convex and therefore require a special solution approach. The modified subgradient algorithm, which serves for solving a large class of nonconvex optimization problems, is used here for solving the optimization problems so constructed. This article also proposes a generalized optimization problem with a unified objective function by taking a weighted sum of two objectives representing the two stages. Validity of the approach of this work is illustrated by stabilizing a two-link planar robot manipulator.


One of the problems in rheumatology research is the variation in reported results ofthe anti-rheumatic effects ofnew substances. This paper presents methods of eliminating the variables which are felt to be responsible for the diversity of views of investigators in this field, together with data on the relative anti-rheumatic activity of several steroids. The effect of ACTH and cortisone, pregnenolone, acetoxypregnenolone, testosterone, and other steroids has already been studied in rheumatoid arthritis, but a quantitative assay of their anti-rheumatic activity is needed. The more definite anti-rheumatic effect of cortisone and ACTH offers a good standard of comparison. Previous studies have indicated interesting metabolic effects of testosterone in rheumatoid arthritis, and a further study of the possible anti-rheumatic activity of testosterone was therefore undertaken. It is apparent that the basis of the variation in the reported anti-rheumatic effects of new substances lies in certain uncontrolled variables, of which the following are the most significant in rheumatoid arthritis:


Objectives The aim of this study was to adapt the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) into Turkish and evaluate its reliability and validity among Bornova Municipality employees. Patients and methods The questionnaire was given its final Turkish form after its translation by two independent translators, a consensus meeting with both translators and the revision of the back-translation. An expert panel was organized for face validity and expert opinions were collected for content validity. The data of the study were collected in Municipality of Bornova district, Izmir province of Turkey between August 2016 and November 2016. Test-retest was used for reliability, International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used for concurrent validity, and a pedometer was used for criterion validity. Among a total of 2,137 workers, a sample size of 352 employees was determined using 33% prevalence with 5% error margin, 95% confidence interval, and 20% non-response rate. The participants were selected with systematic sampling and 287 (81.5%) workers (183 males, 104 females; mean age: 38.9±8.5 years; range, 22 to 63 years) participated in the study. Results Reliability coefficients were substantial, near perfect (Kappa 0.74-0.87, p<0.001; Spearman rho 0.77-0.91, p<0.001). A substantial, near perfect relationship was found between IPAQ and GPAQ (r=0.79-0.94, p<0.001). For criterion validity, a fair relationship was found between the pedometer results and GPAQ (r=0.32, p=0.001). As for discriminant validity, the participants with physically active jobs had higher levels of physical activity compared to others (median: 3,240, 960 metabolic equivalent [MET]-min/per week, p<0.001). Those with an income below the poverty line had median 2,400 MET-min/week compared to 1,200 for participants above the poverty line (p<0.001). A significant difference was found among different education duration of employment groups. Conclusion The Turkish version of GPAQ is reliable and valid. Further validity and reliability studies of the GPAQ among non-working groups such as housewives, students, and unemployed ones can be recommended. Based on these findings, the GPAQ can be used as a valid and reliable tool in the Turkish population.


The distribution of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) diaphorase staining and its colocalisation with nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity was examined in neurons of the quail gastrointestinal tract. Immunoreactivity and enzyme activity were found in identical populations of neurons. Nitric oxide synthase activity was present in 30-40% of myenteric nerve cells in each region. Numerous reactive cells were also in the submucous plexus and many positive nerve fibres innervated the muscle. In the small intestine, some of the fibres innervating the circular muscle formed a deep muscular plexus and in the large intestine there was a submuscular plexus. Nerve fibres formed baskets around nerve cells of myenteric and submucous ganglia. Intramural arterioles were innervated, most prominently in the oesophagus and stomach. Very few fibres innervated the mucosa, except for some oesophageal glands and the core of villi in the cloaca. It is concluded that nitric oxide is probably involved in transmission to muscle of the avian intestine, as it is in mammals, and that it is probably also produced at neuroneuronal and neurovascular junctions.


A double-antibody procedure has been developed for the isolation of α1-fetoprotein (AFP)-synthesizing polysomes from Morris hepatoma 7777. The polyadenylic acid-containing RNA, subsequently purified by differential sedimentation on sucrose gradient and oligodeoxythymidylic acid-cellulose chromatography, migrates as a single 21S component in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; in a cell-free translation system, it yields a peptide product immunoprecipitable by anti-rat AFP antiserum, but not by anti-rat albumin, and which migrates slightly faster than serum AFP on sodium dodecyl sulfate-urea-polyacrylamide gels. This messenger RNA fraction was used for the synthesis of a radioactive complementary DNA. In hybridization assays, the complementary DNA reassociated with its purified template at a Cr t 1/2 [product of RNA concentration (mol of nucleotides per liter) × half-time (sec)] of 1.5 × 10-2. By reference to this value, hybridizable sequences were found to constitute 3, 2, and <0.01% of total polyadenylic acid-containing polysomal RNA of Morris hepatoma 7777, 10-day-old-rat liver, and adult rat liver, respectively. The high specificity of the polysome immunoprecipitation system, the electrophoretic homogeneity of the isolated messenger RNA fraction, its selective translation into AFP, and the specificity of the hybridization probe indicate that the procedure described yields a highly purified rat AFP messenger RNA.


The insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor (IGF2R) plays a major role in binding and regulating the circulating and tissue levels of the mitogenic peptide insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2). IGF2/IGF2R interaction influences cell growth, survival, and migration in normal tissue development, and the deregulation of IGF2R expression has been associated with growth-related disease and cancer. IGF2R overexpression has been implicated in heart and muscle disease progression. Recent research findings suggest novel approaches to target IGF2R action. This review highlights recent advances in the understanding of the IGF2R structure and pathways related to muscle homeostasis.


Low noise amplifier is the front end block of radio-frequency receiver system. Its design required various characteristics such as power gain, noise figure, insertion losses and power consumption. In this paper we have proposed a single stage low noise amplifier design with high gain and low noise using inductive source degeneration topology for frequency range of 3 GHz to 7 GHz and also use the active biasing devices. A range of devices like inductors and capacitors are used to achieve 50 Ω input impedance with a low noise factor. The design process is simulated process is using Advance Design System (ADS) and implemented in TSMC 0.18 μm CMOS technology. A single stage low noise amplifier has a measured forward gain 25.4 dB and noise figure 2.2 dB at frequency 5.0 GHz.


Ageing society problems are relevant for many European and world countries. The word "old age" which is often associated with many negative associations, reveals the reason of this fact . One of the reasons is the fear of old age, with another being the negative attitude towards old people, called "Ageism". The aim of the research - reveal college students' attitudes to the elderly, using culturally adapted Kogan's questionnaire (KAOP), which is designed to assess attitudes to the elderly people. The research methodology. Kogan's Attitudes Toward Old People Scale (N. Kogan, 1996) has been used for the research. This scale consists of 34 questions (statements): 17 of which represent a positive attitude of older people, while the other 17 represent negative ones. In addition, several questions have been submitted which reflect students'communication experience with older people. There were also 3 questions, evaluating the students' sociodemographic characteristics. Research methods. Analysis of scientific literature, statistical data analysis using SPSS 21 (descriptive statistics, psychometric analysis, T-test, Anova test). Kogan's standardized questionnaire Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the total scale is 0,73. Research subjects. The research involved 124 final year students of one of the Lithuanian colleges: 71 general practice nursing, 32 social work, and 21 occupational therapy degree program student. Results. Total positive statements reflecting attitudes towards older people is on average slightly higher than the negatives. The biggest strength of the assent to positive Kogan scale statements were by occupational therapy students. The lowest assent to positive Kogan scale statements was set among the youngest students who took part in the study, aged 18-25 years. Future general practice nursing, social work, and occupational therapy study program graduates are determined to work with the older. Irrespective of greater or lesser assent to positive scale statements, students equally prefer working with this group. Students' attitudes towards older people did not differ according to their communication experience with older people relatives in the immediate environment (family).


ABSTRACT. Paleoenvironmental analysis of the slope deposits on the Kotick Point Formation (Lower Cretaceous) at 5toneley Point, James Ross Island, Antarctica (64°5). The Kotick Point Formation (Aptian•Albian), exposed at Stoneley Point, James Ross Island, Antarctica, is interpreted as having been deposited on a fault controlled slope. Eight lithofacies have been defined, forming three distinct depositional elements: slope foot wedge, open slope and sand lobes. Lithofacies A (breccias and conglomerates with projected clasts) and B (graded or massive sandstones) make up the slope foot wedge where sandy debris flows, fluidized f10ws and high•density turbidity currents were the dominant processes. A large Jurassic glide block is associated to this coarse grained wedge. Lithofacies e (medium•grained conglomerates to coarse sandstones) represents the development of a unique channelized turbidite system. Open slope is represented by lithofacies D (very fine sandstones with lag deposit); E (highly bioturbated medium to fine•grained sandstones); F (parallel stratified tabular sandstones) and G (non lithified mudstones). The latter is dominant, suggesting suspension sedimentation, whereas the former three represent deposition from esporadical turbidity currents and probable bottom currents reworking. Sand lobes are characterized by progradational cycles of lithofacies H (finegrained sandstones to mudstones).lntrabasinal tectonism and sea level changes played a major role in slope sedimentation. High sea level stand and tectonic quiescence are inferred for the deposition of hundreds of meters of mudstone packets. Formation of the slope foot wedge and the channelized turbidite system may have been related to fault reactivation.


I have developed and solved the constant-Q model for the attenuation of P- and S-waves in the time domain using a new modeling algorithm based on fractional derivatives. The model requires time derivatives of order m 2 applied to the strain components, where m 0,1,... and 1/tan 1 1/Q, with Q the P-wave or S-wave quality factor. The derivatives are computed with the Grunwald-Letnikov and central-difference fractional approximations, which are extensions of the standard finite-difference operators for derivatives of integer order. The modeling uses the Fourier method to compute the spatial derivatives, and therefore can handle complex geometries and general materialproperty variability. I verified the results by comparison with the 2D analytical solution obtained for wave propagation in homogeneous Pierre Shale. Moreover, the modeling algorithm was used to compute synthetic seismograms in heterogeneous media corresponding to a crosswell seismic experi ment.


Two-wheeler engines still use carburetor as a fuelling system in many Asian countries, owing to its low cost andless maintenance. The usage of carburetor to handle the upcoming stringent emission norms gets difficult, due to the absence of a closed-loop fuel correction. An electronic fuel injector (EFI), on the other hand, with the help of an electronic control unit (ECU), can correct the fuel quantity and set the air-fuel mixture close to stoichiometric, based on the feedback obtained from the oxygen sensor placed in the exhaust pipe. In this context, an innovative injection system has been developed, that can be applied for such electronic fuel injection in two-wheelers. In this design, the pump and injector are integrated into a single unit, making the system, simple, compact and less expensive. The integrated injector uses a solenoid and spring arrangement, for pressurizing the fuel in a small chamber, and the pressurized fuel is then injected through orifices to produce spray in the intake port. Two-wheeler engines can operate in the order of 10,000 rpm and it poses a big challenge in such injector designs, and therefore the time response of the mechanical and magnetic components of the injector become critical. High-speed back-lit imaging helps in understanding the time response of such injector, by visualizing the spray, while injecting continuously over a period of time. This paper presents the results of high-speed images, obtained from the spray of this new-concept gasoline pump injector (GPI). This exercise, demonstrated that this injector can work at a frequency as high as 83 Hz and also consistently. The spray pattern was found to be very unique and different from the conventional PFIinjection sprays. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4796