This paper reviews the state of the art in offshore wind farm operations and maintenance with a focus on decision support models for the scheduling of maintenance. Factors influential to maintenance planning are collected from the literature and their inclusion in state-of-the-art models is discussed. Methods for modeling and optimization are presented. The methods currently used and possible alternatives are discussed. The existing models are already able to aid the decision-making process. They can be improved by applying more advanced mathematical methods, including uncertainties in the input, regarding more of the influential factors, and by collecting, analyzing, and subsequently using more accurate data.


Water pollution may be defined as the presence of one or more contaminants or combinations thereof in such quantities and of such durations in the water tend to be injurious to human, animal or plant life,(aquatic life) or property, or which unreasonably interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property. In easier words, it is the contamination of water bodies like lakes, rivers, ponds, seas, oceans and even groundwater. This is due to discharge of environmental pollutants or effluents into water bodies without treatment. Water pollution affects the entire biosphere, including not only the individual species but also their natural biological communities. It results in the death of much of the aquatic life residing inside the contaminated water body. It also leads to various diseases like cholera, dysentery, diarrhea, malaria, dengue, chickingunia, etc. and even fatal in some cases if that water is consumed without treatment


Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has a psychological effect on people who are anxious. In terms of individual psychological suffering, a major factor that is important in psychological resilience. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the level of anxiety and the level of resilience of families who have the elderly in the COVID-19 pandemic at Ketajen Village, Gedangan District. Methods: The design of this study used a cross-sectional design with a sample of 171 respondents. Sample technique is selected by using simple random sampling. Reference levels are measured using a Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and anxiety levels are measured using a Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HRS-A) with a spearman rho analysis test (p< 0.05). Results: The results showed that most families had moderate levels of resilience, as many as 121 respondents (70. 8%) and most families experienced mild anxiety levels as many as 121 respondents (70.8%). Spearman Rho test shows that the value of r = -0.313 with a value of = 0.000 (ρ%). The results show that there is a relationship between the level of resilience and the level of anxiety of families who have the elderly in the COVID-19 pandemic at the Ketajen Village, Gedangan District. Conclusion: The implications of this study suggest that high levels of resilience allow for lower levels of anxiety. So, with the ability of a person's resilience, they will be able to take the meaning of failure and try better than they ever did, thereby reducing the risk of anxiety.


Recent advances in on-policy reinforcement learning (RL) methods enabled learning agents in virtual environments to master complex tasks with high-dimensional and continuous observation and action spaces. However, leveraging this family of algorithms in multi-fingered robotic grasping remains a challenge due to large sim-to-real fidelity gaps and the high sample complexity of on-policy RL algorithms. This work aims to bridge these gaps by first reinforcement-learning a multi-fingered robotic grasping policy in simulation that operates in the pixel space of the input: a single depth image. Using a mapping from pixel space to Cartesian space according to the depth map, this method transfers to the real world with high fidelity and introduces a novel attention mechanism that substantially improves grasp success rate in cluttered environments. Finally, the direct-generative nature of this method allows learning of multi-fingered grasps that have flexible end-effector positions, orientations and rotations, as well as all degrees of freedom of the hand.


Design of durable and recyclable superhydrophobic materials for oil/water separation is a major concern in the field of wastewater treatment. Functionalization of a biodegradable matrix with controllable grown crystals brings out a new research perspective. In this study, multiscale zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) were grown and decorated on a polylactic acid (PLA) nonwoven fabric (NWF) to construct a superhydrophobic material by an in situ growth method and a spraying process. The stable superhydrophobic layer contains two kinds of ZIF crystals showing microscale flake-like structures and nanoscale particles. The morphology and surface energy of such a hierarchically structured ZIF-modified PLANWF is controllable by the adjustment of experimental parameters. The as-prepared PLA hybrid materials exhibit high separation efficiency and recyclability as for water-nitromethane and water-toluene mixtures. Based on the wetting envelopes of the ZIF-modified PLA material, its separation performance for various oil/water mixtures can be preliminarily assessed before the application.


Determining a scattering medium's absorption and scattering coefficients from measurements of the light reflected or transmitted from the medium is a common problem in various fields. The aim of this thesis was to calculate the errors in the determined coefficients using different combinations of light "metrics" such as reflectance and mean flight time under realistic noise conditions, as a result of which the optimum metric combination could be found.

This was investigated by the forward modelling of various metrics of detected light from a semi-infinite, homogeneous medium using the Diffusion Approximation. The normalised intensity and cumulants of the light's temporal point spread function (TPSF), were investigated as possible metrics and their form over a range of optical coefficients corresponding to in vivo human tissue described fully. These metrics were then used to provide simultaneous equations from which the medium's scattering and absorption coefficients could be calculated.

Errors in the metrics will propagate through to errors in the determined coefficients and a general method to calculate the extent of this propagation was described. To simulate realistic metric errors, a typical streak camera (Hamamatsu C5680) was modelled to determine its effect on the measurements of the metrics. Using this model, "error maps" showing the expected error in each metric's value over the range of absorption and scattering coefficients were produced. These were then applied to the general error analysis method. In full-field detection mode, it was shown that the combination of normalised intensity and first cumulant gave the most accurate answer for the medium's coefficients, while for spatially resolved detection, various combinations of reflectance and the mean time of flight were found to be the optimum metric pairs under different conditions.

Finally, a method of using the known characteristics (either from modelling or experiment) of a detector such as the streak camera to improve the accuracy of the determined coefficients was described.


Background: Varicose veins is a common problem in Pakistan with multiple treatment options. One of its recommended and commonly performed surgical treatment includes the flush ligation of Saphenofemoral junction (Trendelenburg procedure) with stripping of great saphenous vein and avulsion of varicosities which is a cumbersome process. This study aims to evaluate the effect of stripping of great saphenous vein on the recurrence rate.
Patients and methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in the Surgical Unit I, Services Hospital, Lahore over a period of 22 months from 20-09-2016 to 20-07-2018. Seventy patients were divided equally into two groups of 35 patients each i.e. Trendelenbrug procedure and avulsion of varicosities with stripping down to the knee, (Group A) versus Trendelenbrug procedure and avulsion of varicosities without stripping (Group B). Recurrence at 12 weeks was noted. SPSS version 17.0 was used to analyze data. Comparison of recurrence and stratified confounding factors such as age, gender, and BMI were assessed by the chi-square test (significant p-valve ≤0.05).
Results: In group A, 32 out of 35 patients were male (91.43%) and 3 (8.57%) were female. While in group B, 31 out of 35 patients were male (88.87%) and 4 (11.43%) were female. Four out of 35 (11.43%) patients in group A whereas 6 (17.14%) group B patients (p-value=0.494) had a recurrence in the perforators below the knee at 12 weeks. Stratification (p-values) of recurrence rate with respect to age (<40 years: 0.41 versus ≥ 40 years:0.905), gender (female: p-value not applicable versus male: 0.96) and BMI was done (<25 kg/m2: 0.36 versus ≥ 25 kg/m2: 0.901)
Conclusions: Stripping does not significantly affect the outcome of varicose vein surgery in relation to the recurrence rate at 12 weeks and recurrence was independent of age, gender, and BMI of patients.


Blood tubings commonly represent an integral component of hemodialysis circuits. Different factors may influence their biocompatibility, such as the type of material, the sterilization mode and the geometry. In vivo the final biocompatibility may be further complicated by the individual host response, the flow parameters, and the impact of mechanical trauma on blood's cellular components (i.e. erythrocytes). In this in vitro study we evaluated some commercially available blood tubings sterilized by different methods as to their interaction with normal leukocyte population and tested the response of these cells in terms of cytokines (IL-lβ, IL-1Ra, TNF-α). As a positive control, leukocytes were incubated with 0.5 ng/mL of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or with Cuprophan of comparable surface. The results showed that cytokine production was markedly reduced, particularly in the case of γ-ray-sterilized tubings. Of interest, it was not always related to the adherence. However in some cases, particularly of γ-ray sterilization, adherence was none, despite the cytokine production.


Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL

BDNF is a known survival factor for neuroblastomas (NB) and is implicated in the development of their chemoresistance. NPY, on the other hand, is a sympathetic neurotransmitter, which is highly released from NB tumors. The elevated NPY levels in NB patients are associated with poor clinical outcome, which is in agreement with its Y2 receptor (Y2R)-mediated proliferative effects on NB cells and pro-angiogenic activities. In normal sympathetic neurons, BDNF has been shown to up-regulate NPY expression, while NPY itself has been implicated in promoting their survival. Therefore, we sought to determine if similar interactions between BDNF and NPY systems occur in NB cells.

We have found that BDNF up-regulates expression of both NPY and its Y2Rs in native NB cells, as well as SH-SY5Y cells transfected with BDNF receptor – TrkB (SH-SY5Y/TrkB). However, even more dramatically, BDNF induces expression of another NPY receptor – Y5R, which is not detectable in most NB cell lines under basal conditions. In agreement with this, expression of Y5Rs correlated with TrkB and BDNF expression in human NB samples. In addition, Y5R seems to be directly involved in BDNF signaling. In SH-SY5Y/TrkB cells, BDNF-induced activation of p44/42 MAPK is significantly reduced by selective Y5R antagonist, CGP 71683, but not by Y2R antagonist, BIIE 0246. Interestingly, the Y5R antagonist had no effect on Akt activation stimulated by BDNF. Thus, these data suggest specific cross-talk between TrkB and Y5R signaling leading to activation of p44/42 MAPK pathway.

Since BDNF is a known survival factor for NB cells, we sought to determine if pro-survival activity of BDNF is mediated by NPY. Chemotherapy was found to up-regulate the expression of both BDNF and NPY systems. This was further supported by elevated expression of NPY and its Y5Rs in cells derived from a chemotherapy-treated patient (CHLA-20, SMS-KANR) as compared to cells derived from primary tumors of the same patient (CHLA-15, SMS-KAN). In the functional studies, NPY mimicked the anti-apoptotic effect of BDNF in chemotherapy-treated NB cells. Moreover, as observed with MAPK activation, blocking Y5Rs, but not Y2Rs, reduced the pro-survival activity of BDNF in these cells.

In summary, while Y2R is the main NPY R constitutively expressed in NBs and responsible for its proliferative effect, expression of Y5R is induced by BDNF and chemotherapy, subsequently enhancing the pro-survival functions of NPY. These anti-apoptotic actions of NPY can additionally augment the known direct survival effects of BDNF.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4337. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4337


This paper reports the findings of a study that investigated 252 University of Ilorin students' awareness of the benefits of physical fitness and the need for empowering them for lifetime productivity. Data were collected using a self developed questionnaire and analysed using frequency counts, percentage and chi-square. It reports that students are aware of the benefits inherent in healthy fitness lifestyles and that they know that stress in academics can be reduced and productivity can be enhanced by maintaining a lifestyle of physical activity. Ironically, many of the students were found to be vicarious participants in sports. The students expressed need for a health and fitness facilities. Keywords: Student services management, Sports, Co-curricula activities


OF DISSERTATION HUSSERL'S DYADIC SEMANTICS Husserl's Logical Investigations contain an apparent discrepancy in their account of meaning. They first present meanings, contra psychologism, as commonly available, reiterable, invariant, possibly valid, and independent of our "acts of meaning". They then present meaning, almost psychologistically, as a kind of intentional experience on which all truths and other transcendent meanings depend. I offer a critical developmental study of this problem within Husserl's semantics. I argue (a) that Husserl had reason to adopt his dyadic account of signification, (b) that this "two-sided" account shaped, and was reciprocally informed by, the two-step phenomenological method, and (c) that Husserl's proposed resolution to the strain within his semantics, while driven by legitimate motivations, is precarious. (a) I begin with the Logical Investigations and their context. I represent their two sets of semantic claims, recalling how the discord between claims of those sets would have been especially conspicuous when the Investigations were published, amid much debate over psychologism, in 1900-01. I then show why Husserl embraced two discordant views of meaning. I survey the 19th century sources for these views, confirming Jocelyn Benoist's genealogical thesis that Husserl's semantics took its psychological and logical sides primarily from Franz Brentano and Bernard Bolzano, respectively. And I present the Bolzanian arguments and Brentanian descriptions that served as grounds for Husserl's semantics, showing how these pieces of reasoning were appropriated, and weighing their strength. (b) Next, I trace how Husserl's two-sided theory of meaning, and its apparent incoherence, both inspired and determined the transcendental and eidetic reductions. I then examine how Husserl subsequently used the phenomenological method to reinforce, to integrate, and to revise his theory of meaning. And I address a methodological criticism that this circular development prompts. (c) Finally, I assess Husserl's attempt to explain the division within the phenomenon of meaning by reference to what he called "transcendental subjectivity". I consider two contrary objections to this explanation. I indicate how Husserl's explanation is responsive to the insight behind each objection, but contend that it is perhaps not adequately responsive to the insight behind either.


Objectives Our aim was to identify baseline characteristics associated with disease progression and malignant transformation in low-risk suspected intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs). Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of prospectively maintained databases of pancreatic cysts at 3 international, academic institutions. Five hundred fifty-nine adult patients with clinically suspected asymptomatic IPMN evaluated by radiologic studies or endoscopic ultrasound between 2003 and 2013 without worrisome features and under surveillance for 12 months or longer were included. We evaluated the relationship of baseline demographics and cyst features to disease progression (size increase, development of worrisome features, or high-grade dysplasia/cancer). Results After a median of 44 months follow-up, 269 (48%) patients experienced cyst size increase, 68 (12%) developed worrisome features, and 11 (2%) developed high-grade dysplasia/cancer. In multivariable Cox-regression analysis, no baseline characteristics were associated with size increase. An initial cyst size of 2 cm or greater, multifocality, history of prostate cancer, and smoking were the strongest predictors of development of new worrisome features. Univariable analysis found male sex, diabetes, and recent weight loss associated with development of high-grade dysplasia/cancer. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that low-risk suspected IPMNs carry a small but clinically relevant risk of disease progression and provides data on baseline characteristics that may help in risk stratification.


An overview of research on the outcome of anorexia nervosa in the last 25 years is presented. Findings in the areas of mortality, nutritional status, eating difficulties, menstrual function, psychiatric status, psychosexual and psychosocial adjustment, and treatment effects are discussed.


Neuropsychological test is an essential tool in assessing cognitive and functional changes associated with late‐life neurocognitive disorders. Despite the utility of the neuropsychological test, the brain‐wide neural basis of the test performance remains unclear. Using the predictive modeling approach, we aimed to identify the optimal combination of functional connectivities that predicts neuropsychological test scores of novel individuals. Resting‐state functional connectivity and neuropsychological tests included in the OASIS‐3 dataset (n = 428) were used to train the predictive models, and the identified models were iteratively applied to the holdout internal test set (n = 216) and external test set (KSHAP, n = 151). We found that the connectivity‐based predicted score tracked the actual behavioral test scores (r = 0.08–0.44). The predictive models utilizing most of the connectivity features showed better accuracy than those composed of focal connectivity features, suggesting that its neural basis is largely distributed across multiple brain systems. The discriminant and clinical validity of the predictive models were further assessed. Our results suggest that late‐life neuropsychological test performance can be formally characterized with distributed connectome‐based predictive models, and further translational evidence is needed when developing theoretically valid and clinically incremental predictive models.


The future Compressed Baryonic Matter experiment to be built at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research in Darmstadt, Germany, will create the highest particle densities ever created in a laboratory. One of its components, the Time-of-Flight Wall, will be comprised of Resistive Plate Chambers. The high particle fluxes expected at the most inner region, close to the beam pipe, have led to the research of new low-resistive materials to be used as electrodes. Si3N4/SiC composites are a very good candidate for this function. Their bulk resistivity, in the order of 109–1010 Ω cm, allows for increased rate capabilities up to 106 s−1 cm−2. In this report, the properties of these new materials will be discussed. Also, the performance of resistive plate chambers with ceramic electrodes under irradiation in electron and proton beams will be presented.


There is no doubt about the assertion that high intellectual abilities of different kinds play a substantial role in conceptions of giftedness. At the same time most researchers in theory agree that giftedness is not identical with high intelligence. An analysis of literature though is reflecting a different picture (Bartenswerfer, 1990, Feger, 1990; Carter & Swanson, 1990; Heller & Menacher, 1992; Rogers, 1989): Wherever giftedness is discussed, nothing but intellectual giftedness is meant. In many publications we find IQ scores, with differing cut-off-levels of 125, 130, 140, 150 points, as the only indicators for giftedness. Such an "IQ-diagnosis" has found many critics within research on gifted education.


This chapter is divided into four sections. The first begins with a discussion of the development in the first year of the ability to process speech and produce vocalisations. This is followed by discussion of the role of social interaction in language acquisition, and the differences between communication and language. The second section considers explanations of language acquisition that emphasise the role of innate abilities, while the third considers the opposite perspective, which emphasises the role of experience. Evidence for and against these perspectives is evaluated and discussed. The final section considers the development of literacy; reading is a way of acquiring information that involves language, and the development of literacy appears to be associated with a number of linguistic abilities.


The huge global burden of oncological diseases is growing and measures to counter this complex challenge are high on national health agendas. The Russian National Long-Term Oncology Strategy 2030 defines priorities, goals and directions in the fight against cancer. Italso contains action plans for more effective prevention, earlier and more specific diagnosis and more effective treatment options. Against this backdrop, experts now suggest to complement standard oncology treatment strategies by adding Patient Blood Management (PBM). For many clinical disciplines where a low blood count and considerable blood loss are commonly encountered, this bundle of care is the new standard. Based on clinical and scientific evidence, it aims to optimise medical and surgical patient outcomes by clinically managing and preserving a patients blood. The principles of this comprehensive concept can and must be transferred to oncology, thus offering value in improving cancer care and the efficacy of medical institutions. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that anaemia and iron deficiency, but also thrombocytopenia, blood loss and coagulopathy are independent risk factors for adverse patient outcomes including morbidity, mortality, reduced quality of life and prolonged average length of hospital stay in both surgical and medical patients. For the timely and effective detection and correction of these risk factors, an international network of multi-disciplinary clinicians and researchers has developed PBM. The rapidly growing body of evidence for PBM not only shows improved patient outcomes, but also reduced resource utilisation including the use of allogeneic blood components. The reduction of allogeneic blood transfusion further improves patient safety and outcomes, since transfusion is another independent risk factor for adverse outcomes. Supported by WHO endorsements and following the recommendations of an increasing number of state or national health authorities, PBM is about to become a new standard of care. However, even though the aforementioned risk factors are highly prevalent in oncology settings due to chemo-/radiotherapy and the pathology of the disease, the integration of PBM in standard oncology treatment pathways is lagging behind. Thus, and in support of the Russian National Long-Term Oncology Strategy 2030 to improve quality of oncological care, with the support of the National Association of Specialists in PBM (NASPBM), the PBM Oncology Working Group of the Russian Federation was created, consisting of national and international experts in oncology and PBM. On July 9, 2020, the Working Group met to discuss the rationale for PBM in oncology and to assess the need to implement PBM in Russian oncology care. As a result, the Group recommended to include PBM as an integral part of standard oncology treatment pathways, delineated the action required from facilitating stakeholders in the Russian Federation, determined a roadmap for implementation and developed a national resolution as a call to action on the matter. Presented herein, this resolution acknowledges the global and local impetus to reduce cancer mortality, and the rationale for PBM interventions to improve patient outcomes and alleviate the social and economic burden of cancer on the healthcare system.


Biliary complication is the Achilles' heel for live donor liver transplant. Bile leak is particularly difficult to manage as the anastomotic site was often angled acutely. We described a patient with bile leak managed by a modified rendezvous technique whereby the endoscopist and radiologist work simultaneously under fluoroscopy. Unlike the traditionally described rendezvous technique where the grasping of guidewire occurred at the duodenum, the grasping of guidewire occurred at the biloma in this modified technique. Insertion of biliary stent could then be performed over the guidewire through the duodenoscope. The bile leak resolved after keeping the biliary stents in situ for 12 months.


The sorption of water vapor by cellulosic materials is modeled with an exponential relationship between the Gibbs free energy change and equilibrium moisture content. The utility and simplicity of the model are illustrated with applications to several sets of sorption data in the literature. Adsorption and desorption isotherms generally are described with an accuracy of ±0.5% moisture content up to relative humidities of about 90%. Effects of temperature and sorption hysteresis are examined briefly.


One hundred six patients with histologically confirmed pancreatic carcinoma were randomized to one of three radiation treatment programs: 1) radiation therapy alone to 6000 rads; 2) 6000 rads plus 5-FU; or, 3) 4000 rads plus 5-FU. Patient survival was the primary study parameter. Both 4000 rads plus 5-FU (p < .02) and 6000 rads plus 5-FU (p < .01) were associated with a significantly longer patient survival than 6000 rads alone. Respective median survivals were 36 weeks, 40 weeks, and 20 weeks. The survival difference between 4000 rads plus 5-FU and 6000 rads plus 5-FU was not statistically significant at the time point selected.


PowerPoint can be viewed as boring and commonplace (Craig & Amernic, 2006). While it is a great tool, using a more dynamic presentation editor may better capture the attention of a class or any other group of people. Having an editor that is cloud-based allows for more flexibility and collaboration than is possible with PowerPoint (Settle, Abrams, & Baker, 2011). Prezi is a cloudbased presentation editor that allows the user to create presentations that zoom. The goal is to make presentations more dynamic in nature and not as linear in structure. Being able to access your presentation from the internet also allows for a much more flexible working environment. Presentations can be edited at any place and any time. A link is available that will allow others to view the presentation as well. Also, any changes made to a presentation will be reflected in what a viewer sees. Students can use Prezi to much more easily work collaboratively on projects.


The six-band ultraviolet light curves of beta Lyrae obtained with the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO) A-2 in 1970 exhibited a very unusual behavior. The secondary minimum deepened at shorter wavelength, indicating that one was not observing light variations caused primarily by the eclipses of two stars having a roughly Planckian energy distribution. It was then suggested that the light variations were caused by a viewing angle effect of an optically thick, ellipsoidal circumbinary gas cloud. Since 1978 beta Lyrae has been observed with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite. We have constructed ultraviolet light curves from the IUE archival data for comparison with the OAO A-2 results. We find that they are in substantial agreement with each other. The Voyager ultraviolet spectrometer was also used to observe this binary during a period covered by IUE observations. The Voyager results agree with those of the two other satellite observatories at wavelengths longer than about 1350 A. However, in the wavelength region shorter than the Lyman-alpha line at 1216 A, the light curves at 1085 and 965 A show virtually no light variation except an apparent flaring near phase 0.7, which is also in evidence at longer wavelengths. We suggest that the optically thick circumbinary gas cloud, which envelops the two stars completely, assumes a roughly spherical shape when observed at these shorter wavelengths.


Background: Characterization of acute otitis media (AOM) caused by nontypable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is important, particularly in view of the efforts to develop vaccines against NTHi. To characterize NTHi AOM a large database of culture-positive AOM cases was analyzed. Methods: All culture-positive AOM episodes (NTHi, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Streptococcus pyogenes) in children <5 years old from 1999 through 2006, processed in our center were included. One isolate was counted per episode (≤30 days). Demographic and clinical data were retrieved from charts or by telephone interviews. Multivariable regression analysis models were used. Results: Twelve thousand eight hundred twenty-three (8145 culture-positive) episodes were included. NTHi was recovered in 4928 episodes; S. pneumoniae in 4399 episodes, M. catarrhalis in 499, and S. pyogenes in 447 episodes. Independent risk factors for NTHi AOM (in culture-positive episodes) were: winter (odds ratio [OR]: 1.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05–1.33, P = 0.006); bilateral AOM (OR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.12–1.42, P < 0.001); >3 previous AOM episodes (OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.11–1.47, P = 0.001); and antibiotic consumption in previous month (OR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.15–1.46, P < 0.001). ORs for these variables remained significant when the analysis was conducted on single-pathogen AOM only. For both NTHi and S. pneumoniae, risk factors for mixed episodes were older age and bilateral AOM. Conclusion: NTHi AOM is characterized by higher occurrence in winter, bilaterality, recurrence, and previous antibiotic treatment compared with that caused by S. pneumoniae. These findings are in agreement with data associating NTHi with protracted or recurrent morbidity. The finding that S. pneumoniae and NTHi mixed episodes are more likely to occur in older children and in bilateral AOM suggests that interaction between these 2 pathogens contributes to chronicity or complexity of AOM.


Despite advances in treatment options for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), there are still limited high quality data to inform clinicians regarding its appropriate treatment.


Various gene signatures of chemosensitivity in breast cancer have been identified. When used to build predictors of have chemosensitivity, many of them have their prediction accuracy around 80%. Identifying gene signatures to build high accuracy such predictors is a prerequisite for their clinical tests and applications. To elucidate the importance of each individual gene in a signature is another pressing need before such signature could be tested in clinical settings. In this study, Genetic Algorithms (GAs) and Sparse Logistic Regression (SLR) were employed to identify two signatures. The first had 28 probe sets selected by GA from the top 65 probe sets that were highly overexpressed between pathologic compete response (pCR) and residual disease (RD) and was used to build a SLR predictor of pCR (SLR-28). The second had 86 probe sets (Notch-86) selected by GA from Notch signaling pathway and was used to develop a SLR predictor of pCR (SLR-Notch-86). These two predictors tested on a training set (n=81) and validation set (n=52) had very precise predictions measured by accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value with their corresponding P value all zero. Furthermore, these two predictors discovered 12 important genes in the 28 probe set signature and 14 important genes in the Notch-86 signature. Our two signatures produced superior performance over a signature in a previous study, demonstrating the potential of GA and SLR in identifying robust gene signatures in chemo response prediction in breast cancer.


In Shakespeare's Rape of Lucrece, the audience's sense of Lucrece's consent concludes her ordeal, both within the poem and as a method of political and critical response. This essay suggests that Shakespeare turns away from consent as a legal and political remedy for Lucrece's sorrow and turns to sympathy to imagine both his protagonist's plight and the formal possibilities of his poem. By treating Lucrece's ordeal as a search for sympathy, Shakespeare casts himself among her audience, an audience whose impulses and desires might not be authorized by Lucrece herself. Shakespeare formalizes this uncertainty in the relationship between tears and marble in his poem, practicing a poetics of "impression" that argues for the ethical priority of receptive observation over prescriptive voyeurism in the experience of sympathy. Ultimately, the ethics of sympathy that Shakespeare discovers in his poem constrains the politics of consent with which the poem ends and questions Shakespeare's own capacity to speak for Lucrece. However, Shakespeare discovers a realm where his poetic voice is defined by sensitive observation, as opposed to the celebration of poetic virtuosity. The essays also considers Milton's recognition of Shakespeare's poetry of "deep impression" as a new model of reckoning poetic power.


Dengue viruses (DENVs) cause the greatest public health burden globally among the arthropod-borne viruses. DENV transmission risk has also expanded from tropical to subtropical regions due to the increasing range of its principal mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti. Focal outbreaks of dengue fever (dengue) in the state of Florida (FL) in the USA have increased since 2009. However, little is known about the competence of Ae. aegypti populations across different regions of FL to transmit DENVs. To understand the effects of DENV genotype and serotype variations on vector susceptibility and transmission potential in FL, we orally infected a colony of Ae. aegypti (Orlando/ORL) with laboratory and wild type DENV-1 through -4. Wild type DENVs were more infectious to and transmissible by ORL mosquitoes. We used these same DENVs to examine natural Ae. aegypti populations to determine whether spatial distributions correlated with differential vector competence. Vector competence across all DENV serotypes was greater for mosquitoes from areas with the highest dengue incidence in south FL compared to north FL. Vector competence for wild type DENVs was significantly higher, revealing that transmission risk is influenced by virus/vector combinations. These data support a targeted mosquito-plus-pathogen screening approach to more accurately estimate DENV transmission risk.


Background Physician recruitment and retention is a priority for many Canadian provinces. Each province is unique in terms of recruitment strategies and packages offered; however, little is known about how medical students evaluate these programs. The purpose of the current study was to determine which factors matter most to New Brunswick (NB) medical students when considering their location of future practice. Method A survey of NB medical students was conducted. Descriptive statistics were produced and a linear regression model was developed to study factors predictive of a student's expressed willingness to practice in NB. Results 158 medical students completed the online survey, which is a response rate of 55%. Job availability and spouse's ability to work in the province were ranked as the top factors in deciding where to practice. In the final regression model, factors predictive of an expressed desire to practice in NB include being female, living in NB prior to medical school, attending medical school at Université de Sherbrooke, participation in the NB Preceptorship program, and a desire to practice family medicine. Conclusions This study provides insight into what medical students consider when deciding where to practice. This research may be used to inform physician recruitment efforts and guide future research into medical education and policy.


Regulation of synaptic AMPA receptor levels is a major mechanism underlying homeostatic synaptic scaling. While in vitro studies have implicated several molecules in synaptic scaling, the in vivo mechanisms linking chronic changes in synaptic activity to alterations in AMPA receptor expression are not well understood. Here we use a genetic approach in C. elegans to dissect a negative feedback pathway coupling levels of the AMPA receptor GLR-1 with its own transcription. GLR-1 trafficking mutants with decreased synaptic receptors in the ventral nerve cord (VNC) exhibit compensatory increases in glr-1 mRNA, which can be attributed to increased glr-1 transcription. Glutamatergic transmission mutants lacking presynaptic eat-4/VGLUT or postsynaptic glr-1, exhibit compensatory increases in glr-1 transcription, suggesting that loss of GLR-1 activity is sufficient to trigger the feedback pathway. Direct and specific inhibition of GLR-1-expressing neurons using a chemical genetic silencing approach also results in increased glr-1 transcription. Conversely, expression of a constitutively active version of GLR-1 results in decreased glr-1 transcription, suggesting that bidirectional changes in GLR-1 signaling results in reciprocal alterations in glr-1 transcription. We identify the CMK-1/CaMK signaling axis as a mediator of the glr-1 transcriptional feedback mechanism. Loss-of-function mutations in the upstream kinase ckk-1/CaMKK, the CaM kinase cmk-1/CaMK, or a downstream transcription factor crh-1/CREB, result in increased glr-1 transcription, suggesting that the CMK-1 signaling pathway functions to repress glr-1 transcription. Genetic double mutant analyses suggest that CMK-1 signaling is required for the glr-1 transcriptional feedback pathway. Furthermore, alterations in GLR-1 signaling that trigger the feedback mechanism also regulate the nucleocytoplasmic distribution of CMK-1, and activated, nuclear-localized CMK-1 blocks the feedback pathway. We propose a model in which synaptic activity regulates the nuclear localization of CMK-1 to mediate a negative feedback mechanism coupling GLR-1 activity with its own transcription.


The advent of private and commercial cloud platforms has opened the question of evaluating the cost-effectiveness of such solution for computing in High Energy Physics . Google Compute Engine (GCE) is a IaaS product launched by Google as an experimental platform during 2012 and now open to the public market. In this contribution we present the results of a set of CPU-intensive and I/O-intensive tests we have run with PROOF on a GCE resources made available by Google for test purposes. We have run tests on large scale PROOF clusters (up to 1000 workers) to study the overall scalability of coordinated multi-process jobs. We have studied and compared the performance of ephemeral and persistent storage with PROOF-Lite on the single machines and of standard PROOF on the whole cluster. We will discuss our results in perspective, in particular with respect to the typical analysis needs of an LHC experiment.


Difficulties arise when extrapolating in vitro derived toxicity data to in vivo acute toxicity data because in vitro results are highly variable and occasionally less sensitive. Differences in the free concentration of a test chemical between in vitro and in vivo systems and within in vitro systems may in part explain this variability and sensitivity difference. Generally, only the free concentration of a chemical is considered available to tissues. However, in vitro effect concentrations are normally expressed as 'nominal' or total concentrations. The measurement or estimation of the free concentration in these systems has thus far been very limited. The aim of this thesis was to determine what assay components and physicochemical properties influence the free concentration of organic chemicals in basal cytotoxicity assays and how differences in the free concentration affect the in vitro-in vivo acute toxicity extrapolation. This thesis found a good correlation between basal cytotoxicity and acute toxicity data from fathead minnow of 82 industrial organic chemicals. However, significant improvements to the correlation could be made if a) multiple cell types and endpoints are included in an in vitro test battery and b) the free concentration is determined for hydrophobic and volatile chemicals. Indeed, the free concentration of volatile and hydrophobic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was found to be significantly lower than the nominal concentration because these chemicals strongly bind to serum protein, sorb to microtiter plate plastic, partition into cells, and evaporate. By measuring the sorption coefficients of PAHs to the various assay components and by correlating these coefficients to the volatility and hydrophobicity of the PAH, the free concentration of PAHs in a basal cytotoxicity assay could be successfully modelled. Moreover, the loss of free concentrations in vitro could be adequately reduced by using solid phase dosing instead of conventional dosing.


BACKGROUND
Low birth weight is a major public health problem in Pakistan. So there is a need for identification of its modifiable risk factors like periodontitis which will reduce its burden on the society. The objectives of the study were to find out the association between maternal periodontitis and low birth weight in new-borns of all gestational ages delivered in a tertiary care hospital of Abbottabad as well as to see the frequency of periodontitis severity in these subjects.

METHODS
A hospital-based matched case-control study was conducted among 160 postpartum mothers in Gynaecology/Obstetrics- B ward Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad. The 80 cases were mothers of low birth weight babies (< 2,500 g), the 80 controls were mothers of normal weight babies (> 2,500 g) matched with maternal age and gestational age. Data was collected through the hospital records, interview and a periodontal examination.

RESULTS
Periodontitis was more in the cases than in the controls (OR: 4.167, 95% CI: 2.142-8.109, p = 0.000). On multivariate logistic regression, periodontitis was found to be a significant independent risk factor for low birth weight (aOR: 3.173, 95% CI: 1.429-7.047, p = 0.005). Other significant risk factors were educational level (aOR: 3.408, 95% CI: 1.452-7.996, p = 0.005), socioeconomic status (aOR: 3.173, 95% CI: 1.366-7.368, p = 0.007), maternal nutrition (aOR: 3.071, 95% CI: 1.392-6.778, p = 0.005) and moderate/severe anaemia (aOR: 3.035, 95% CI: 1.052-8.756, p = 0.040).

CONCLUSIONS
Periodontitis is found to be a strong, independent, and clinically significant risk factor for low birth weight. So periodontal therapy should form a part of the antenatal care of the pregnant women in Abbottabad.


Treatment options for immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in pregnancy are limited, and evidence to guide management decisions is lacking. This retrospective study of singleton pregnancies from 2 tertiary centers compared the effectiveness of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and corticosteroids in treatment of ITP. Data from 195 women who had 235 pregnancies were reviewed. Treatment was not required in 137 pregnancies (58%). Of the remaining 98 pregnancies in 91 women, 47 (48%) were treated with IVIg and 51 were treated with corticosteroids as the initial intervention. Mean maternal platelet count at birth did not differ between groups (IVIg 69 × 10(9)/L vs corticosteroids 77 × 10(9)/L; P = .71) nor did the proportion of mothers who achieved a platelet count response (IVIg 38% vs corticosteroids 39%; P = .85). There were no fatal or severe maternal, fetal, or neonatal hemorrhages. Of 203 neonates in whom platelet counts were available, 56 (28%) had a birth platelet count <150 × 10(9)/L and 18 (9%) had platelet counts <50 × 10(9)/L. Nadir platelet counts for most affected neonates occurred at birth, although for some neonates, nadir platelet counts occurred up to 6 days postnatally. Intracranial hemorrhage was noted in 2 neonates (nadir platelet counts were 135 and 18 × 10(9)/L). There were no neonatal deaths. The majority of pregnant women with a history of ITP did not require treatment, and neonatal outcomes were comparable for mothers who received IVIg or corticosteroids for treatment of maternal ITP.


Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of health education on the number of elderly visit to the elderly health center in Puskesmas Sekijang. This study used quasi-experimental methods with pre and post-test without control (self-control) approach. This research was conducted at Sekijang health center with 33 respondents. This research used accidental sampling technique. This study used an observation sheet to measure the elderly visit. The analysis used univariate and bivariate using Wilcoxon test. The results showed that  health education was effective to increase the number of elderly visit to the elderly health center with p value 0,018.It isrecommend forhealth workers forprovidehealth education aboutelderly health centre to ederly usingaudiovisualmedia so thatthe knowledgeandmotivation of elderlyto visitsthe elderlyhealth centre can beincreased. Keywords: elderly visits, health education, elderly health centre


The rapid development of Artificial IntelligenceGenerated Content (AIGC) has brought daunting challenges regarding service latency, security, and trustworthiness. Recently, researchers presented the edge AIGC paradigm, effectively optimize the service latency by distributing AIGC services to edge devices. However, AIGC products are still unprotected and vulnerable to tampering and plagiarization. Moreover, as a kind of online non-fungible digital property, the free circulation of AIGC products is hindered by the lack of trustworthiness in open networks. In this article, for the first time, we present a blockchain-empowered framework to manage the lifecycle of edge AIGC products. Specifically, leveraging fraud proof, we first propose a protocol to protect the ownership and copyright of AIGC, called Proof-of-AIGC. Then, we design an incentive mechanism to guarantee the legitimate and timely executions of the funds-AIGC ownership exchanges among anonymous users. Furthermore, we build a multi-weight subjective logic-based reputation scheme, with which AIGC producers can determine which edge service provider is trustworthy and reliable to handle their services. Through numerical results, the superiority of the proposed approach is demonstrated. Last but not least, we discuss important open directions for further research.


The ISO/IEC 17020 and 17025 standards both include requirements for impartiality and the freedom from bias. Meeting these requirements for implicit cognitive bias is not a simple matter. In this article, we address these international standards, specifically focusing on evaluating and mitigating the risk to impartiality, and quality assurance checks, so as to meet accreditation program requirements. We cover their meaning to management as well as to practitioners, addressing how these issues of impartiality and bias relate to forensic work, and how one can effectively evaluate and mitigate those risks. We then elaborate on specific quality assurance policies and checks and identify when corrective action may be appropriate. These measures will not only serve to meet ISO/IEC 17020 and 17025 requirements, but also enhance forensic work and decision‐making.


We describe a three-year-old boy who had a growth and psychomotor retardation associated with inappropriate lack of thirst and vasopressin secretion in the presence of chronic plasma hyperosmolarity. Computed brain tomography revealed bilateral supratentorial sub-ependymal and cortical calcifications. Dissociation in the plasma vasopressin response to osmotic change was demonstrated in this patient. Treatment with a vasopressin analogue, desamino-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) and forced intake of water restored plasma osmolality and serum sodium levels to normal.


This paper studies the constraint conditions for coherence destruction in tunneling by using perturbation theory and numerical simulation for an AC-field with bias and Coulomb interaction between electrons in a quantum dot molecule. Such conditions can be described by using the roots of a Bessel function Jn(x), where n is determined by both the bias and the Coulomb interactions, and x is the ratio of the amplitude to the frequency of the AC-field. Under such conditions, a coherent suppression of tunneling occurs between localized electronic states, which results from the dynamical localization phenomenon. All the conditions are verified with numerical simulations.


We introduce a simple multi-scale algorithm for connected component labeling on parallel computers, which we apply to the problem of labeling clusters in spin and percolation models. We give numerical evidence that it is only logarithmically slowed down in the critical limit. We also discuss, in light of the proposed Teraflop computers optimized for lattice gauge theories and other lattice problems, the minimum requirements for computer switchboard architectures for which one can efficiently implement such multi-scale algorithms.


Objective: We aim to investigate the effect of curcumin on preventing cancer anorexia–cachexia syndrome (CACS) via through mechanism of inhibition on NF-kB signal pathway. Outcome measurement for primary end point was improvement of body tissue composition, and the secondary end points were body weight and body mass index, hand grip muscle strengthening, and safety. Methods: This is randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase ll a study, 33 patients with CACS in solid malignancy were enrolled and randomized in 1:1 to receive oral curcumin (at a dose of 800 mg twice daily) or placebo for 8 weeks. Results: All parameters of body compositions were not statistically significant different between two groups, which were consist body fat mass [-1.25(SEM 0.87) vs. +0.63(SEM 0.55); p=0.119], skeletal muscle mass [-0.35(SEM 0.60) vs.+0.33(SEM 0.42); p=0.408] and percent body fat [-0.47(SEM 0.95) vs. -0.29(SEM 0.82); p=0.893] including with basal metabolic rate [-13.47(SEM 21.94) vs. +15.30(13.76); p=0.336]. The average of weight loss was also not statistically significant different between two groups. [-1.4 kg(SEM 0.89) in curcumin vs-1.12 kg(SEM 0.73), p=0.810]. Notably, patient with curcumin had less reduction of hand-grip muscle strength on both hands [Rt. handed: -2.47 in curcumin vs. -5.36 in placebo; p=0.318] [Lt. handed: -1.98 vs. -5.43; p=0.317], and basal metabolic rate than placebo group. Most adverse events were grade 1 on both groups similarly. Conclusion: Curcumin was not shown to be superior to placebo with regard to increasing the body composition in cancer patients with CACS. However, curcumin might show some clinical benefits, including slow progression of hand-grip muscle strength loss, and basal metabolic rate. Further investigations should be explored.


DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A MICROWAVE PLASMA ION SOURCE Çınar, Kamil M.Sc., Department of Physics Supervisor : Prof. Dr. Sinan Bilikmen February 2011, 56 pages This thesis is about the designing and constructing a microwave ion source. The ions are generated in a thermal and dense hydrogen plasma by microwave induction. The plasma is generated by using a microwave source with a frequency of 2.45 GHz and a power of 700 W. The generated microwave is pulsing with a frequency of 50 Hz. The designed and constructed microwave system generates hydrogen plasma in a pyrex plasma chamber. Moreover, an ion extraction unit is designed and constructed in order to extract the ions from the generated hydrogen plasma. The ion beam extraction is achieved and ion currents are measured. The plasma parameters are determined by a double Langmuir probe and the ion current is measured by a Faraday cup. The designed ion extraction unit is simulated by using the dimensions of the designed and constructed ion extraction unit in order to trace out the trajectories of the extracted ions.


throughout its convex surface; it was much flattened, its tissue very confused, soft, friable, in many parts nearly pulpy, and was throughout of an ochre colour. The gall. bladder healthy, its interior studded with tubercles; it was empty, but coated within with gamboge-coloured tenacious liquid. The stomach was quite displaced, it was tilted down into the left side of the abdomen, so as to be entirely on the left side of the middle line, and to occupy the left hydochondrium, and upper part of the left lumbar region of the abdomen; it was nearly empty. The transverse colon adhered so closely to the pylorus, that for some time it was believed to be a greatly distended duodenum. The small intestines presented their natural calibre; their folds admitted of being separated. The ascending, and particularly the transverse colon, were much distended with flatus; the descending colon very much contracted and contorted by the adhesions; sigmoid flexure of the upper part of the rectum was greatly contorted by the adhesions; it was contracted also in its calibre. The coecun3 contained a little stiff feces. The stomach was healthy internally; the mucous membrane throughout the intestinal canal, was healthy, except that it was very pale; the walls of the stomach and intestines attenuated; omentum much thickened and contained tubercular matter; kidn@ys, pancreas, and spleen healthy; one ovary was converted into a small cyst, with thick dense walls. With reference to the haamorrhage I should add, thatXthe d r grt pallor, but did not attach any importance to it, from her dying condition.


Optimizing the nitrogen (N) timings and rate can improve nutrient uptake, and nutrient-efficiencies, especially of N in wheat under the changing climate scenario. Climatic stress in the form of high temperature and drought resulted in the decreased crop physiology and, ultimately, grain yield. Taking the example of rainfed wheat, we quantified the impact of N application rates as full and split-dose at three variable sites of rainfed Pothwar, Pakistan by conducting field experiments for two years (2013-14 and 201-15). Treatments include, T1 = Control (No fertilizer applied), full dose of N applied at the time of crop sowing, i.e. T2 = 50 kg N ha-1, T3 = 100 kg N ha-1 and T4 = 150 kg N ha-1 and split application of N at different timings during different stages of the crop called as split application of N, i.e. T5: Application of 50 kg N ha-1 (15 kg N ha-1 (Sowing) : 20 kg N ha-1 (Tillering) :15 kg N ha-1 (Anthesis), T6: Application of 100 kg N ha-1 (30 kg N ha-1 (Sowing): 40 kg N ha-1 (Tillering) : 30 kg N ha-1 (Anthesis) and T7: Application of 150 kg N ha-1(45 kg N ha-1 (Sowing) : 60 kg N ha-1 (Tillering) : 45 kg N ha-1 (Anthesis). Three study sites include viz. Islamabad (High rainfall with optimum temperature), University Research Farm (URF)-Koont (Medium rainfall with moderate temperature), and Talagang (low rainfall with high temperature). Results showed that the highest stomatal conductance (0.80 mole m-2 sec-1), net photosynthetic rate (20.07 μmole m-2s-1), transpiration rate (9.58 mmole m-2s-1), intercellular CO2 concentration (329.25 μmole CO2 mol-1 air), SPAD values (58.86 %) and proline contents (35.42 μg g-1) were obtained for split application of N (T6 = Split N100) compared to control and full dose of N treatments. Among sites, these physiological traits remained highest at Islamabad and lowest at Talagang, while among years, maximum values of the measured parameters were obtained in 2013-14. A similar trend was observed for crop total N, N efficiencies, and agronomic traits of the crop. Our results suggest that optimum N application rate and its suitable timings can help to harvest real benefits of N as in our findings, split dose resulted in the maximum performance of the crop from physiological parameters to the agronomic traits of the rainfed wheat crop.


Ensemble learning plays an important role in pattern recognition. It combines multiple generated models to solve learning problems, such as classification, regression and feature selection. Existing ensemble methods combine classifiers which are generated and run in parallel. In this paper, a novel ensemble learning approach for semi-supervised learning is proposed. Different from existing ensemble methods, classifiers used for prediction are not generated in parallel. Instead, they are generated evolutionarily in the process of iterative semi-supervised learning. As we know, in the iterative semi-supervised learning the labeled set is increased gradually, based on which multiple classifiers would be generated. This evolutionary ensemble tries to combine the classifiers generated evolutionarily in the process of semi-supervised learning to tackle the learning problems. Compared to traditional semi-supervised learning, the proposed method can generate multiple classifiers with no added training time. Some classifier combining rules are also evaluated in this paper. Moreover, the single-view scenario is generalized to the scenario of multiple-view for a wide application. In order to assess the proposed method, four experiments including single-view and multiple-view problems are implemented. The empirical results indicate that our proposed method can significantly improve the accuracy and reliability of semi-supervised learning.


yielded vigorous heterokaryons. Most weak responses were not detectable until three days had elapsed and negative tests were often held for three or more weeks without noticeable growth. All mutant strains used in this study that were not direct derivatives of inos 89601 were obtained in the 89601 genetic background after five successive backerosses. Growth rates were measured by the method of IRyan et al.8 at 30 + 2°C. mutants and the heterokaryons grow at rates not too different from leu-1 by leu-2, and leuA by leu-2 heterokaryons, it seems unlikely that leu-2 or leu-3 is responsible for the production of a specific diffusable inhibitor or repressor.


This paper reports the findings of a retrospective study of 'tracked' grouping in a mathematics department in a co-educational comprehensive school in Greater London. Tracking consisted here of just two tracks, a 'fast track' for the top 25-30% of a cohort, and 'mixed tracks' for the remainder. The paper outlines the reasons for introducing tracking and explores the effects of this through analysis of interviews with teachers and data on the progress of students from age 14 to age 16. The teachers reported that tracking impacted differently on different students, and this is borne out by the quantitative data. It was not possible to provide for 'setting' across all the mathematics classrooms in the focal cohort, and one mixedability class was created. The use of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models shows that fast-track students were not significantly advantaged by their placement in these tracks, but the progress of students in the mixed-ability group showed a significant interaction between progress and prior attainment, with placement in the mixed-ability group conferring a significant advantage on lower-attaining students, while the disadvantage to higher attaining students was much smaller.


Social experiences are central to the adolescent experience (Hartup & Stevens, 1997). The current study examined how this emphasis on social behavior would be reflected in both quantitative and qualitative measures. To do this, 57 adolescent girls (aged 11-19 years) completed questionnaires about their achievements and social and relaxation activities. They also composed a sample of a personal experience. Results demonstrated that social activities were among the most time-consuming and enjoyable activities of their day and were engaged in voluntarily. Analysis of their writing samples demonstrated that adolescents incorporated more affiliation themes than achievement or power themes. However, quantitative measures did not predict qualitative measures. Such findings demonstrate the importance of incorporating multiple methods of measurement in adolescent research.


Background and Aim of Study: Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic immune/antigen-mediated esophageal disease characterized clinically by symptoms related to easophageal dysfunction and histologically by eosinophilpredominant inflammation. This study was performed to determine the prevelance of eosinophilic Esophagitis in Adult patients with Upper Gastrointestinal symptoms in Ismailia Governate, Egypt. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study recruited all patients with Upper Gastrointestinal Symptoms omitted for endoscopic evaluation at Suez Canal University Hospital, Endoscopic Unit, after giving written consent. Esophageal biopsy samples were obtained and histological evaluation for the presence of eosinophils was performed for every patient. EoE was defined with at least 15 eosinophils were present in a single high-power field. Results: Out of 354 adult patients with Upper Gastrointestinal symptoms underwent upper endoscopy, only 35 cases (10.2%) diagnosed as EoE based on presence of 15 eosinophils/HPF in esophageal biopsies. Conclusion: Patients with persistent symptoms of severe GERD, who do or do not respond to PPI should undergo UGI endoscopy with multiple biopsies to exclude EoE.


This study analyzed the ability of fibrin gels to deliver added recombinant transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta1) in a controlled manner and biologically active form. First, the effects of the amount of TGF-beta1 on the release kinetics were analyzed using a single fibrin gel formulation (fibrinogen complex (FC) at 25 mg/mL, thrombin at 2 IU/mL). Then, the effects of FC and thrombin concentrations were analyzed. Finally, to test the biological activity of the released TGF-beta1 from the gels, medium supernatants taken from gels at day 3 were used as culture medium for human mesenchymal stem cell (HMSC) monolayers. Cell proliferation was analyzed after staining with calcein dye, and changes in cell morphology were observed under fluorescence microscopy at days 1, 4, and 7. At day 7, HMSC chondrogenic differentiation was assessed by Alcian Blue staining and osteogenic differentiation by alkaline phosphatase activity and Alizarin Red staining. Results showed that TGF-beta1 added to fibrin gels was gradually released from the gels and increased with the amount of TGF-beta1 initially seeded, with a total of approximately 50% of the initial amount released by day 10 (with gels containing 25 mg/mL of FC and 2 IU/mL of thrombin). The release was lower with increasing FC concentrations, suggesting a binding affinity of TGF-beta1 with the FC component. Varying the thrombin concentration had a lesser effect. HMSC monolayers cultured with medium supernatants collected from gels at day 3 and containing released TGF-beta1 showed a change in morphology (squared to polygonal), lower cell proliferation, positive Alcian Blue staining but low levels of osteogenic differentiation markers. These results demonstrated that released TGF-beta1 was still bioactive and tended to induce mainly chondrogenic differentiation of the HMSC. Overall, the present study demonstrated that fibrin gels could be used as a carrier matrix for controlled release of bioactive TGF-beta1 by adjusting the concentrations of FC and thrombin in the gels.


Fish behavioral responses are sensitive to chemicals in the water. We tested rare minnow tested for their shoal preference, and the shoal (school) factors including nutritional status, body size, and shoal (school) size that can make their preference most stable were measured. Then shoal preference was measured again while fish and shoal were subjected to a concentration gradient of chemicals (cadmium ion [Cd2+], tricaine methanesulfonate [MS222], and p‐chloroaniline). The results showed that single rare minnow preferred shoals over blank control tanks. In addition, this preference was most stable when the shoal was well fed and contained 20 individuals 2 cm long. Although there was no significant response after exposure to p‐chloroaniline, the time spent from entering the tank to start moving decreased greatly at concentrations of Cd2+ >3 mg/L and MS222 >11 mg/L. The time the test fish spent close to the shoal significantly decreased at Cd2+ >3 mg/L, MS222 >11 mg/L, and p‐chloroaniline >10 mg/L, and the frequency of boundary line crossing increased at the same concentrations. The behavioral parameters changed by 20, 5, and 8 min once the lowest‐observed‐effect concentrations of Cd2+, MS222, and p‐chloroaniline, respectively, were added. Our study provides useful information on rare minnow shoal preference that may be used for a biological early warning system. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:2018–2027. © 2020 SETAC


The present article provides a critical analysis of Christian von Ehrenfels' dissertation Uber Grossenrelationen und Zahlen. Eine psychologische Studie. As many other students of Brentano, Ehrenfels engaged repeatedly with the philosophy of mathematics, but until now his dissertation remained nearly completely unknown. Ehrenfels' dissertation, however, fits perfectly within the Brentanist philosophy of mathematics and actually occupies an important place therein, precisely because it occurs outside of the vertical master - student lineage that goes from Brentano via Stumpf to Husserl. Indeed, Ehrenfels dissertation shows many parallels and anticipations to Husserl's early works in the philosophy of mathematics.


The reduction of pore pressure caused by depletion can induce significant reservoir compaction, especially in unconsolidated reservoirs. Experiments using unconsolidated core samples are often sparse and costly. We develop a numerical approach based on computer-based simulations of rock samples and mechanical tests. The numerical sample consists of crushable grains simulated with the discrete element method (DEM) and the bonded-particle model (BPM). Model parameters are calibrated through numerical single-grain-crushing tests which reproduce the experimentally-measured sand strength. Grain crushing induced by the uniaxial strain stress path results in a pronounced reduction of porosity and permeability, which manifests more readily for samples with large grain size. The change of particle size distribution indicates that the high effective stress causes grain crushing and produces a significant amount of fines. We perform numerical uniaxial strain tests on numerical samples comprising stiff and soft mineral grains. Simulation results indicate that the presence of soft grains and inclusions (e.g. shale fragments) facilitates the grain crushing. Reservoir simulations, incorporating the change of porosity and permeability as a compaction table, show that the upscaled compaction can enhance production due to compaction drive but also reduces production rate by impairing the reservoir permeability. This multiscale numerical workflow bridges particle-scale compaction behavior and field-scale reservoir production. In this paper, (a) DEM simulations provide a useful tool to investigate compaction effects and complement laboratory experiments; (b) the multi-scale numerical approach can predict the depletion-induced evolution of reservoir production.


Gravity anomalies in parts of the Niger Delta region, Nigeria, were investigated through the interpretation of aerogarvity data with the objectives to determine the thickness of the sedimentary basin, establish the basement topography, density contrasts and the geological models which will give information about variation of geological structures. Four sheets of digital airborne gravity data were used for the study.  Source parameter imaging (SPI), Standard Euler deconvolution and forward and inverse modeling techniques were employed in quantitative interpretation. The Bouguer anomaly of the study area varied from -20.0 to 37.7 mGal, while the residual Bouguer anomaly varied from -19.6 to 25.7 mGal. The SPI gave depth values ranging from -539.7 to -4276.0 m for shallow and deep lying gravity anomalous bodies. The windowed Euler-3D for Bouguer gravity result revealed the depth range of 1355.5 to -1518.1 m for structural index of one; 2384.5 to -3283.2 m for structural index of two and 2426.0 to -5011 m for structural index of three. The forward and inverse modeling gave the density values for the modeled profiles 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 as 1.820, 2.410, 0.720, 2.310 and 2.100 gcm-3, respectively, with their respective depths of 3872, 4228, 4880, 3560 and 2527 m. The results from this study have shown that the depth to basement and density contrast have influence on the petroleum/hydrocarbon accumulation.

 Key words: Aerogravity, basement, density contrast, sedimentary.


Densities, viscosities and ultrasonic velocities of the binary mixtures of N,N-dimethylacetamide + 2-methoxyethanol and + water have been measured at temperatures 298.15 ~ T/K ~ 318.15. The excess molar volumes, viscosity deviations and isentropic compressibility changes of the mixtures from the ideal mole fraction rule have been calculated from these data. The computed results have been fitted to the Redlich-Kister polynomial. The results have been interpreted in terms of structural effects of the solvents.


This paper focuses on the evaluation of manufacturing processes that are competing with Selective Laser Melting (SLM). In 3D-part production of serial parts SLM is starting to be an economic choice for manufacturing. An integrated technology evaluation model (ITEM) is presented that helps decision makers to determine the potential of SLM while comparing with conventional manufacturing technologies. In contrast to conventional evaluation methodologies the ITEM considers interactions between product and process innovations generated by SLM. The paper closes with a technical and economical evaluation of a test part from Festo AG to validate two important parts of the ITEM.


OBJECTIVES Schizophrenia may result from disturbed attentional processes and/or defective internal cueing. Attention for subsequent action within a cued movement task was therefore studied, testing specific hypotheses of hemispheric dysfunction and of impaired interhemispheric communication. METHOD Fifteen patients with schizophrenia and 15 matched controls were either cued or uncued when moving a pen to a target on their right or left side with their right or left hand. Pen tip position was sampled at 200 Hz on a WACOM SD420 graphics tablet for subsequent kinematic analysis. RESULTS Patients with schizophrenia were slower initiating rightwards movements without a cue. Patients also exhibited reduced abductive/adductive differences in the shape of their movement trajectories, implying differences in interhemispheric communication. CONCLUSIONS It is speculated that schizophrenia is a form of cue dependent right hemineglect.


This paper is focused on regional airports and their ownership structures. The first part defines the basic terms such as airport and regional airport from a legal point of view. It describes airport ownership models in general, focusing on the traditional organizational ownership model, and then it describes processes such as decentralization, corporatization, commercialization and privatization. This part also contains the advantages and disadvantages of privatization. In the second part, it is focused on the current state of the issue, when there are described selected scientific studies that address the issue of ownership models. Attention is also focused on the Covid-19 pandemic, which had a strong impact on the regional airport. The main goal of the paper is to analyse the ownership structures of selected regional airports, which are located in Austria and the Czech Republic. In connection with ownership structures, it also monitors the achieved economic result of regional airports.


PT. Prima Timah Utama is one of the companies that received a Production Operation Mining Permit from the Bangka Regency Government in May 2014. The company has been carrying out mining activities since Mei 2014, with a maximum production level of 500,000 m3 of ore per year. This study made a field study of the impact of mining activities carried out by the company, looked at the success rate of reclamation, and calculated the ideal costs to improve environmental quality after mining activities. Reclamation planning for mining operations at PT. Prima Timah Utama is included in the type of non-experimental qualitative research conducted desktop study and field observations in the mining field. This research will analyze and make a reclamation plan based on the criteria of success of ex-mining land that is standard for sustainable mining. The results of the study show a lack of guarantee of the implementation of reclamation guaranteed by the Company to the government of ± 50% of ideal conditions. Based on the results of the study, the company will use plants that are able to have a high level of adaptation to critical environments. One type of plant chosen is Acacia mangium. The costs needed to carry out the ideal reclamation activities to improve the quality of the environment after mining are IDR 3,642,427,321.- or IDR 65,629,324.- / hectare


Two basic types of physical-optics (PO)-based radar cross section (RCS) analysis codes have come to maturity in today's HF electromagnetic analysis environment. These are facet based and curved surface based codes. Facet codes have very fast analysis rates, while curved-surface codes are usually considered more accurate. At McDonnell Douglas Aerospace (MDA), the need for very reliable RCS results to guide the aircraft design process has led us to develop a curved surface based high-frequency code. This code is called CADDSCAT (computer-aided design drafting scattering). Various aspects of CADDSCAT's curved surface and facet based analysis capabilities are described and compared. Topics covered include the genesis of curved surface based PO techniques, a discussion of first-bounce PO computations, and multiple-bounce PO interactions. CADDSCAT's first-bounce and multiple-bounce PO algorithms include options for treating radar absorbing materials (RAM). The CPU needs for the ray-tracer algorithms, for curved and faceted models, are compared. Gap diffraction, resistive-card modeling, and sea-surface modeling are briefly discussed.


We assessed whether personal exposure to household air pollution [PM2.5 and black carbon (BC)] is associated with lung functions (FEV1, FVC, and their ratio) in non-smoking adults in rural Bangladesh. We measured personal exposure to PM2.5 using gravimetric analysis of PM2.5 mass and BC by reflectance measurement between April 2016 and June 2019. The average 24-hour PM2.5 and BC concentration was 141.0μgm-3 and 13.8μgm-3 for females, and 91.7 μgm-3 and 10.1 μgm-3 for males, respectively. A 1 μgm-3 increase in PM2.5 resulted in a 0.02 ml reduction in FEV1, 0.43 ml reduction in FVC, and 0.004% reduction in FEV1/FVC. We also found a similar inverse relationship between BC and lung functions (9.6 ml decrease in FEV1 and 18.5 ml decrease in FVC per 1μgm-3 increase in BC). A higher proportion of non-smoking biomass fuel users (50.1% of the females and 46.7% of the males) had restrictive patterns of lung function abnormalities, which need further exploration.


The purpose of this paper is to investigate the through-thickness stresses of woven glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite laminates under combined tensile and shear loading. Tensile tests were carried out with cross specimens at room temperature under various stacking angles, and the through-thickness strength properties of the woven GFRP laminates were evaluated. The failure characteristics of the woven GFRP laminates were also studied by optical microscopy observations. A three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) was carried out to calculate the stress distributions in the cross specimens, and the failure conditions of the specimens were examined. The numerically determined interlaminar tensile and shear stresses at failure location were consistent with Hoffman and Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria when the stacking angle was relatively small. This work is the first attempt to quantify the relation between interlaminar tensile and shear strengths of GFRP composite laminates under tensile and shear loading simultaneously using a combined numerical and experimental approach. A method based on finite element stress analysis was developed for estimating the through-thickness strength of the composite laminates using the experimentally determined fracture load and location. The results suggest that the through-thickness strength under combined tensile and shear loading can be determined effectively by this approach for relatively small stacking angles.


In June 2008, we installed a geodetic network at 9°50′ N on the East Pacific Rise to track the long‐term movement of magma following the 2005/6 eruption. This network consists of 10 concrete benchmarks stretching from the ridge to 9 km off‐axis. During three campaign‐style surveys, measurements of vertical seafloor motions were made at each of these benchmarks by precisely recording ambient seawater pressure as a proxy for seafloor depth with a mobile pressure recorder (MPR). The MPR was deployed using the manned submersible Alvin in 2008 and 2009 and the remotely operated vehicle Jason in 2011. The MPR observations are supplemented with data from a multiyear deployment of continuously recording bottom pressure recorders (BPRs) extending along this segment of the ridge that can record rapid changes in seafloor depth from seafloor eruptions and/or dike intrusions. These measurements show no diking events and up to 12 cm of volcanic inflation that occurred from December 2009 to October 2011 in the area of the 2005/6 eruption. These observations are fit with an inflating point source at a depth of 2.7 km and volume change of 2.3 × 106 m3/yr located on the ridge axis at approximately 9°51.166′ N, 407 m from our northernmost benchmark, suggesting that the magma chamber underlying this segment of the ridge is being recharged from a deeper source at a rate that is about half the long‐term inflation rate observed at Axial Seamount on the Juan de Fuca Ridge. These data represent the second location that active volcanic uplift has been measured on a mid‐ocean ridge segment, and the first on a nonhotspot influenced segment.


Fungi are primitive eukaryotes and have adapted to a variety of niches during evolution. Some fungal species may interact with other life forms (plants, insects, mammals), but are considered as pathogens when they cause mild to severe diseases. Chemical control strategies have emerged with the development of several drugs with antifungal activity against pathogenic fungi. Antifungal agents have demonstrated their efficacy by improving patient health in medicine. However, fungi have counteracted antifungal agents in several cases by developing resistance mechanisms. These mechanisms rely on drug resistance genes including multidrug transporters and drug targets. Their regulation is crucial for the development of antifungal drug resistance and therefore transcriptional factors critical for their regulation are being characterized. Recent genome-wide studies have revealed complex regulatory circuits involving these genetic and transcriptional regulators. Here, we review the current understanding of the transcriptional regulation of drug resistance genes from several fungal pathogens including Candida and Aspergillus species.


Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-cariogenic property (Fluoride ion release and its antibacterial properties) among four types of glass ionomer cements used as a permanent filling of caries cavities. Materials and Methods: Four types of glass ionomer cements were used in this study. [1] Fuji IX (GC, Japan); Conventional glass-ionomer cement, [2] Fuji II LC (GC, Japan); Resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC), [3] Dyract AP (Dentsply, Konstanz, Germany); Polyacid-modified composite resin (compomer) and [4] Ketac N100 (3M ESPE St. Paul, MN, USA); Nano-filled resin-modified GIC. The antibacterial activity of each material was evaluated against the Streptococcus mutans after day 2,7,14 and 30. Results: All types of GIC restorative materials developed antibacterial activity but decreased depending increased the tested time. Conclusion: The best one developed antibacterial activity was Fuji IX (GC, Japan); Conventional glass-ionomer cement followed by Ketac N100 (3M ESPE St. Paul, MN, USA); Nano-filled resin-modified GIC while the least one was Dyract AP (Dentsply, Konstanz, Germany); Polyacid-modified composite resin (compomer).


Nurse practitioners are in a unique position to make a significant impact on the provision of primary health care in the presence of health care reform. To insure proper positioning in a managed health care system, NPs must take action at the national, state, and local levels. Proactive suggestions for NPs in the work setting, in the community, and at the state and national levels are presented in this article.


An investigation of non-Gaussian speckle produced by a random phase screen which has Gaussian probability density function and correlation function is presented using a 1-D computer simulation. Rms phase fluctuations around and greater than 2pi rad are considered. The results significantly differ from previous theoretical results. Comparison between the results of the computer simulation and those of early experiments using a ground glass is also given.


Anxiety is one of the most common mental disorders and has attracted attention of more and more researchers. A number of behavioral studies suggest that attentional bias towards threat among anxious populations is a relatively robust phenomenon. The attentional biases are observed not only across different experimental tasks but also across different anxiety disorders. However, studies of the neural mechanisms of this phenomenon are currently rare and inconsistent. It was found that compared to low trait anxiety(LTA), high trait anxiety(HTA) evoked different P2 between angry and neutral faces, with a larger P2 to the angry face in some studies. In contrast, others found that threatening stimuli elicited a larger P2 in both groups. Similarly,inconsistent findings also exited for the P1. In addition, the N1 effect on the attentional bias to fearful imageswith a complex context is still unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed at investigating the electrophysiological markers of attention bias for fearful images with a complex context in anxiety.Participants were selected out of a pool of 70 undergraduate students. The participants were screend on the basis of their response to Spielberger's Trait Anxiety Inventory. Those with scores in the top quartile of the distribution(n=17, 6 males and 11 females) were assigned to the HTA group, and those in the bottom quartile of the distribution(n=17, 10males and 7 females) were assigned to the LTA group. All participants were right-handed, and had normal or corrected normal vision. ERPs were recorded when subjects viewed 30 fear and30 neutral pictures which were presented twice. ERP data from five midline electrode sites was selected for further statistical analysis: Fz, FCz, Cz, CPz, and Pz. We measured mean amplitudes in four windows following stimulus onset: 120~140 ms(N1), 230~250 ms(N2), 300~500 ms(P3), and 500~1000 ms(Slow wave, SW).Anxiety group(HTA vs. LTA) ×picture type(fearful vs. neutral) ×electrode sites(Fz, FCz, and Cz) analysis of variance(ANOVA) was conducted on the amplitude of N1, N2, P3, and SW. For all analyses, the significance level was set at 0.05. Post-hoc testing of significant main effects was conducted using BONFERRONI method.Significant interactions were analyzed using simple-effect models.Results showed that the HTA group exhibited a enhanced N1 in comparison to the LTA group, F(2, 64) =19.28, p 0.01. And the interactions of the three factors was significant, F(1, 32) = 11.94, p0.01. The interactions between picture and group was significant [Cz: F(1, 32) = 6.93, p0.05, FCz: F(1, 32) = 5.22,p0.05]; compared to LTA, HTA elicited different N1 amplitude between fearful and neutral images, with enhanced N1 to the fearful images. LTA elicited enhanced N2 compared with HTA, F(1, 32) = 4.83, p 0.05. A significant relation between N2 and the trait score was found by using the stepwise regression analysis, F=6.97,p0.05, R2=0.18.These results indicate that the HTA group allocated more attention resource to fearful images at the early emotional process stage(120~140 ms), whereas LTA group began to distinguish fearful from neutral at the later stage(230~250 ms). The executive function of inhibition might decrease with HTA, These results provide new evident to support the cognition-motivation model.


Authors : Mehmet Bulent Ozdemir, Sultan Çagirici, Sahika Pinar Akyer, Fikri Turk Abstract : Neuroanatomical appearance can be correlated with clinical or other characteristics of illness. With the introduction of diagnostic imaging machines, producing 3D images of anatomic structures, calculating the correlation between subjects and pattern of the structures have become possible. The aim of this study is to examine the 3D structure of hippocampus in cases with Alzheimer disease in different dementia severity. For this purpose, 62 female and 38 male68 patients's (age range between 52 and 88) MR scanning were imported to the computer. 3D model of each right and left hippocampus were developed by a computer aided propramme-Surf Driver 3.5. Every reconstruction was taken by the same investigator. There were different apperance of hippocampus from normal to abnormal. In conclusion, These results might improve the understanding of the correlation between the morphological changes in hippocampus and clinical staging in Alzheimer disease.


DNA sequences are well suited to international collaboration due to the universality of their simple nature, making them easy to be exchanged and understood. In addition, the output of modern automated sequencers is electronic, making the raw data themselves easy to exchange electronically. Software programs have also been significantly improved, and researchers are tending to focus on standardised ones, which contributes to increased ease of communication. The major problem confronting modern systematics is that large analyses, made possible by all the technological improvements in DNA sequencing and the ability of widely separated researchers to pool data, have been viewed as untenable, simply due to their size. We present evidence here that such large analyses are not as impractical as has been thought, particularly those that are combined analyses of multiple genes. When there is increased signal, as there is in many combined analyses, starting trees generally are much closer to the ultimate shortest trees than any of the individual analyses. Combined with increased ease of analysis, the large angiosperm matrices are providing congruent ideas about relationships, and this makes possible the initiation of the re-classification process, which should also utilise the capacity for rapid information transfer by electronic media. The first truly synthetic and phylogenetic angiosperm classification is in reach, and it should ideally involve all interested systematists in its production, making it also the first broadly collaborative taxonomic system.


The aim of the work is to present the influence of unreconciled grief in a family for functioning and growth of a child. The paper is based on some examples of clinical work from the field of family therapy, where developmental problems of children followed their carer's inability to cope with death and bereavement. Presented cases from family therapy serve as examples of possible therapeutic interventions in such situations. They show examples of developmental disturbances and psychopathology of the child who stays in relationship with deeply bereaved intimates.


Understanding factors controlling root dynamics and functioning can lead to more efficient and profitable vineyard management. However, our current understanding of root dynamics and their regulation by plant and environmental factors is limited, particularly under field conditions. This paper presents current understanding of grape root dynamics, highlighting studies using minirhizotron cameras, which directly assess root dynamics, and experiments on roots of known age, which link root phenology and function. Data summarised here show timing of grape root production varies widely among different regions, as well as among rootstocks and canopy management systems in the same region. Timing of production can be responsive to differences in soil moisture. Lifespan of grape roots, however, appears less affected by soil moisture because of nocturnal hydraulic redistribution. Root function, such as capacity for P and N uptake, declines rapidly with root age. Differences in timing and spatial distribution of root production can effect above-ground growth and vineyard water-use efficiency. Improving our understanding of when roots grow and are functionally active in agricultural systems can lead to improved water and fertiliser applications, and more precise vineyard management. Because both environmental and biological factors affect root dynamics, simple predictions of timing of root production or standing populations with shoot development are unlikely to be achieved. However, with multi-year data on root dynamics, and environmental and biological factors, regionally specific models of root populations and their functioning may be possible to develop.


Abstract The aim of this paper is to conduct a systematic review of knowledge management maturity models, indicating shortcomings, identifying relevant factors for the models and suggesting improvements. This study can be characterized as a theoretical research based on a systematic literature review. This paper contributed through a review and analysis of existing knowledge management maturity models to bring forth their contributions and drawbacks; the main criticisms and shortcomings of these models and factors relevant to the development of knowledge management maturity were identified, systematic and conceptually, which must be confirmed and explored through empirical research.


The present paper reports on an empirical study conducted in 2008-09 investigating the role of German and English in International Study Programmes. Our  main interests are the language usage and the linguistic experience of students and lecturers / professors in such multilingual study settings and the constellation of multilingualism in the university and in the students' enviroment. Additionally, the study investigates the types of language support offered and their implementation, as  well as the ways in which students perceive and use them. The first section outlines the design and methodological approach of the study.This is followed by a summary of the students' language test results in English and German. The second section presents some of the major findings of our study, drawing on data from the students and teacher questionnaires and interviews. The final section provides a brief discussion of some pedagogical, linguistic and language policy implications of the present study.


Eutrophication in Chinese lakes is one of the most serious water-pollution problems present and will still be in the near future. It is very important to forecast the occurrence of cyanobacteria bloom in lakes and then find a way to reduce its impact on the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to get comprehensive knowledge about the cyanobacteria bloom-forming mechanism in eutrophic lakes. The aim of this paper is to explore the bloom-forming mechanism based on the past and present research works about the development of water bloom in aquatic ecosystems. We tried to expound the dominant physical, chemical and biological factors that might induce the formation of water bloom. We also discussed the reason why cyanobacteria, especial Microcystis, become the dominant species in phytoplankton community. Our discussion considered that the high nutrient level is just one of the factors that control the water bloom formation in Taihu Lake. We suggested that the future research should deal with not only the cyanobacteria bloom occurring period in summer but also the colony accumulating and settling process to the sediment surface in autumn and the recruiting process in spring. We also suggested the further investigation that should be interested for us: (1) What is the over-wintering survival strategy of Microcystis? (2) What is the colony composition really like? (3) How does the Microcystis turn from small size with only a couple of individual cells into large size with hundreds of cells, then conglutinated together by sheath to form water bloom? (4) How does the alga obtain the threshold valve that induce its recruitment in spring? (5) What is the biochemical and physiological characters that make cyanobacteria dominated in phytoplankton community? We considered that the outbreak of a bloom in short time is just an apparent phenomena. In fact, the bloom is the result of a variation of vertical position of large volume of algal biomass that is gradually developed and accumulated for long time. According to the ecological theory and the in situ observation of the water bloom in Taihu Lake, we raised the four-phase development hypothesis on the process of the cyanobacteria bloom-forming: dormancy in winter, recruitment in spring, growth and float to the water surface in summer and sink to the sediment in autumn. There are different factors that will influence the status of algae in different phases. For example, in the dormancy phases, it is likely to be controlled by low temperature and illumination; and during the recruitment; the main factors may be the temperature and dissolve oxygen on the sediment surface. In addition, the algal growth rate is controlled by the nutrient and energy needed for photosynthesis and cell division. We concluded that (1) the hydrological and meteorological condition would cause the algae to float up to the water surface and then form the water bloom; (2) the further pertinence survey is necessary to control the cyanobacteria bloom before it starts to recruit, develop and bloom.


The Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Her Excellency Begum Khaleda Zia; the Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Bhutan, His Excellency Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk; the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, His Excellency Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee; the President of the Republic of Maldives, His Excellency Mr Maumoon Abdul Gayoom; the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal, Right Honourable Mr Sher Bahadur Deuba; the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, His Excellency General Pervez Musharraf; and the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Her Excellency Mrs Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga met at the Eleventh Summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in Kathmandu, Nepal, from 4 to 6 January 2002.


The intensity and the spectral energy distribution within ranges found in natural daylight have a certain effect on the interpretation of pseudo-isochromatic plates. A variation of illumination between 270 and 1000 lx affects color defectives; the error percentage on plate tests decreasing slightly with higher illuminations. This decrease is chiefly found in deuteranomalous subjects. The color temperature of the illumination affects the number of errors made by both normals and color defectives. As the color temperature is increased, the error percentage increases slightly in normals, distinctly in deuteranomalous and less noticeably in deuteranopes. Protanomalous and protanopic subjects do not show a significant effect. On the average, the same percentages of errors result when either a Macbeth easel daylight lamp or a fluorescent daylight lamp is used for the illumination of the plates, provided the same intensity is present.It is recommended that only artificial daylight of a standardized color temperature and intensity be used to obtain comparable results in pseudo-isochromatic plate tests.


Nowadays, we face an ever increasing interest in new technologies and solutions for the maritime surveillance (MS) domain. In such a context, oceanographic high-frequency surface-wave (HFSW) radars have started to get significant attention. In fact, they are operated to provide remote sensing information of wide open-sea areas, but they may also contribute with useful cost-effective track-based information to current operational MS systems. In this paper, specific interest is devoted to the analysis of the system detection and tracking capabilities under different meteo-oceanographic (METOC) conditions. Experimental data are acquired by three HFSW radars operated by the Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG) at the German Bight, North Sea, within the Coastal Observing System for Northern and Arctic Seas (COSYNA). Here, they operationally retrieve continuous sea state and currents. In this work, ship reports from the Automatic Identication System (AIS) are the ground truth information used for evaluating HFSW radar system capabilities, while METOC data are directly acquired from COSYNA. Preliminary results are presented and discussed, together with outlines for future research.