The gene nirM, coding for cytochrome c-551 in Pseudomonas stutzeri substrain ZoBell, was engineered to mutate Met61, the sixth ligand to the heme c, into His61, thereby converting the typical Met-His coordination of a c-type cytochrome into His-His, typical of b-type cytochromes. The mutant protein was expressed heterologously in Escherichia coli at levels 3-fold higher than in Pseudomonas and purified to homogeneity. The mutant retained low-spin visible spectral characteristics, indicating that the strong field ligand His 61 was coordinated to the iron. The physiochemical properties of the mutant were measured and compared to the wild-type properties. These included visible spectra, ligand binding reactions, stability to temperature and chemical denaturant, oxidation-reduction potentials, and electron-transfer kinetics to the physiological nitrite reductase of Pseudomonas. Despite a change in potential from the normal 260 mV to 55 mV, the mutant retained many of the properties of the c-551 family.


Analytics is very important in all fields in order to make decisions over certain facts. Social media analytics is the process of collecting information from various social media platforms, websites and blogs. This analytics is done to make effective business conclusions. The usage of social media has become the latest trend in today's world. Social data analytics is not about just collecting likes and comments shared by individuals but it has become the platform for many trademarks to bring out promotion. Applications such as marketing, elections widely used social data to make predictive decisions. Some of the approaches followed are forming hypothesis, getting deep into the data, mapping events etc. This analytics can also be done in applications such as business, Change in amendments, Education, Demonetization etc. The challenges faced are metrics formed by social media should reach the right people, unstructured data being difficult to process. This paper discusses about the model, theme, performance evaluation, advantages and disadvantages under literature survey.


Conformational dynamics in riboswitches involves ligand binding and folding of RNA, each of which can be influenced by excluded volume effects under "crowded" in vivo cellular conditions and thus incompletely characterized by in vitro studies under dilute buffer conditions. In this work, temperature-dependent single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) spectroscopy is used to characterize the thermodynamics of (i) cognate ligand and (ii) molecular crowders (PEG, polyethylene glycol) on folding of the B. subtilis LysC lysine riboswitch. With the help of detailed kinetic analysis, we isolate and study the effects of PEG on lysine binding and riboswitch folding steps individually, from which we find that PEG crowding facilitates riboswitch folding primarily via a surprising increase in affinity for the cognate ligand. This is furthermore confirmed by temperature-dependent studies, which reveal that PEG crowding is not purely entropic and instead significantly impacts both enthalpic and entropic contributions to the free energy landscape for folding. The results indicate that PEG molecular crowding/stabilization of the lysine riboswitch is more mechanistically complex and requires extension beyond the conventional picture of purely repulsive solvent-solute steric interactions arising from excluded volume and entropy. Instead, the current experimental FRET data support an alternative multistep mechanism, whereby PEG first entropically crowds the unfolded riboswitch into a "pre-folded" conformation, which in turn greatly increases the ligand binding affinity and thereby enhances the overall equilibrium for riboswitch folding.


The effect of Na-acetoacetate injections on blood coagulation factors was studied. No change in blood coagulation factors occurred in 4 weeks, but continued treatment of acetoacetate for 8 weeks was found to cause hastening of blood coagulation. The hydrolyzed product of glucose cycloacetoacetate was found to prevent the acceleration of blood coagulation in acetoacetate-treated animals.


The aim of the present in vivo study was to monitor real-time fluctuations of cortisol (Cr) in the wall of preovulatory follicles using a microdialysis system (MDS) implanted in the theca layer as well as changes in ovarian venous plasma (OVP) and jugular venous plasma (JVP). Seven cows were superovulated using FSH and prostaglandin F2alpha injections. Dialysis capillary membranes were surgically implanted into the theca layer of mature follicles and connected to a microdialysis system. Fractions of the perfusates were collected from Day -1 (Day 0=LH surge) to Day 3. No difference in the concentrations of Cr between JVP and OVP was detected throughout the experiment. Circulating concentrations of Cr ranged from 20 to 35 ng/ml 8 h after surgery in ovulatory and anovulatory cows. In five ovulatory cows, the Cr concentration decreased to basal levels (<10 ng/ml) between 12 and 24 h after surgery, however, two anovulatory cows retained high Cr levels (>10 ng/ml) up to 42 h after surgery. There was a clear increase in the local concentration of Cr from 13.3+/-2.1 pg/ml at -24 h to 27.5+/-1.7 pg/ml at 0 h (peak of the LH surge) within the wall of ovulatory follicles. This increase was not detected in anovulatory follicles. This transient increase in Cr occurred only in the follicle wall, but not in the OVP or JVP, indicating that the presence of a local regulatory mechanism for Cr production/conversion in ovulatory follicles, and this mechanism may modulate the inflammatory-like reaction induced by LH surge in the follicle wall. The present results demonstrate that the glucocorticoid environment in the follicular wall adjusts at the local level in bovine ovulatory follicles. This mechanism may protect follicles from the adverse effects of glucocorticoid, and it may prevent excess inflammatory reactions associated with ovulation by temporarily increasing local concentrations of glucocorticoid, thus forming an integral part of the regulatory mechanism in ovarian physiology.


Levels of cadmium, chromium, cobalt, nickel and lead were determined in cabbages, tsunga (mustard), green beans and tomatoes from Mbare Musika vegetable market in Harare and one of its major supplier, Mutoko. Cabbages and tsunga exceeded the stipulated safe limit for lead levels whereas the tomatoes and sugar beans went above the 0.02 ppm threshold for cadmium. Hazard Quotients of the vegetables showed adult health consequences especially on lead and cadmium and also Hazard Indices were all above unit according to ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry). Horticultural inputs assessment showed that irrigation water exceeded WHO stipulated thresholds for cadmium and chromium. Chromium and lead levels were high in fertilizers indicating most heavy metals within the horticultural system in Mutoko are of anthropogenic origin. There is need for an intervention in regulating heavy metals levels in the agricultural inputs.


Recent observations point to the presence of structured dust grains in the discs surrounding young brown dwarfs, thus implying that the first stages of planet formation take place also in the sub-stellar regime. Here, we investigate the pot ential for planet formation around brown dwarfs and very low mass stars according to the sequential core accretion model of planet formation. We find that, for a brown dwarfs mass 0.05M⊙, our models predict a maximum planetary mass of∼ 5M⊕, orbiting with semi-major axis∼ 1AU. However, we note that the predictions for the mass - semi-major axis distribu tion are strongly dependent upon the models chosen for the disc surface density profiles and th e assumed distribution of disc masses. In particular, if brown dwarf disc masses are of the order of a few Jupiter masses, Earth-mass planets might be relatively frequent, while if t ypical disc masses are only a fraction of Jupiter mass, we predict that planet formation would be extremely rare in the substellar regime. As the observational constraints on disc profiles, m ass dependencies and their distributions are poor in the brown dwarf regime, we advise caution in validating theoretical models only on stars similar to the Sun and emphasise the need for observational data on planetary systems around a wide range of stellar masses. We also find tha t, unlike the situation around solar-like stars, Type-II migration is totally absent from the planet formation process around brown dwarfs, suggesting that any future observations of planets around brown dwarfs would provide a direct measure of the role of other types of migration.


This paper presents and discusses the first demonstration of aerodynamic wall pressure measurement using a thermal Pirani effect based micro-sensor. The thermal micro-sensor is designed as a suspended micro-hot-wire separated from the substrate by a nanoscale gap, and mechanically supported by perpendicular micro-bridges. The micro-sensor was calibrated for pressure measurement from 10 kPa to 800 kPa. It was then used as aerodynamic wall pressure sensor in a turbulent boundary layer wind tunnel and successfully measured the 1.1 kPa depression occurring in the wind tunnel when the flow velocity goes up to 40 m/s. (Abstract)


Egg white proteins provide essential nutrients and antimicrobial protection during embryonic development. Although various biological functions of major egg white proteins have been investigated via embryogenesis, understanding of global changes in low-abundance proteins has been limited. In the current study, a proteomic analysis of low-abundance egg white proteins was conducted using combinatorial peptide ligand libraries (CPLL), two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight with two mass analyzers for tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS/MS) during the rapid embryonic growth period. Significant increases in the relative abundance of 88 protein spots (P ≤ 0.05), of which 47 spots were found to correspond to 10 proteins from 8 protein families were identified over 16 d incubation. During this developmental process, the protein concentration increased and the amount of albumin solid material decreased in the residual egg white. Clusterin precursors were observed over a wide range of pH values and the tenp protein increased continuously during embryonic development. Low-abundance proteins were identified in a comparison of optimal incubation conditions to the altered conditions of 2 control groups to better understand the function of these proteins in egg whites. Collectively, these findings provide insight into the supportive role of the egg white during embryonic development, enabling a broader understanding of chick embryogenesis.


An increasing number of adults with Down syndrome live in our communities. These adults usually have families who are involved with them in a range of ways. Many parents continue to share their home with their adult child and in cases where the individual does not live with family there generally remains a high level of contact and engagement. Many changes occur in the lives of adults with Down syndrome as they age and these changes have an impact on the family members who care for them. It is important to recognise that as the individual with Down syndrome ages, so too, do his/her family members. This book deals with the issues that face families as their members grow older and the consequent adjustments that families make as they adapt to the changes in the individuals who comprise their family. We have tried to identify issues relevant to family members, rather than those relevant to the adult with Down syndrome, although sometimes there is substantial overlap. We have identified aspects of family life that need consideration and summarised the available research evidence; however, some topics have been relativle neglected by researchers. This book reflects the authors' understanding that families recognise positive outcomes from having their son/daughter/brother/sister as a member of their family and adopts a quality of life perspective to the material presented. The importance of the quality of life approach is that it ensures that those aspects of life that are functioning well, and from which families get enjoyment, purpose and a sense of competence, are not ignored in favour of those in which difficulties are being encountered. This is not to deny that there may be challenging aspects to having an adult family member with Down syndrome. The book raises a number of the issues that families may need to consider as they face changing demands over the life courses of their individual members and of the family as a unit. Even desired and positive changes are stressful and families with an adult with Down syndrome may also experience changes that they perceive to be negative for their family. Some of the material in this book is aimed at assisting families to find ways to manage these strains and to minimise their impact on family life. Different approaches to family life and its challenges will be effective for different families, however consideration of and preparation for predictable demands should help all families to maintain equilibrium.


The purpose of this study is to build a stronger evidence base on the role of faith-inspired and private secular schools in sub-Saharan Africa using nationally representative household surveys as well as qualitative data. Six main findings emerge from the study: (1) Across a sample of 16 countries, the average market share for faith-inspired schools is at 10-15 percent, and the market share for private secular schools is of a similar order of magnitude; (2) On average faith-inspired schools do not reach the poor more than other groups; they also do not reach the poor more than public schools, but they do reach the poor significantly more than private secular schools; (3) The cost of faith-inspired schools for households is higher than that of public schools, possibly because of a lack of access to public funding, but lower than that of private secular schools; (4) Faith-inspired and private secular schools have higher satisfaction rates among parents than public schools; (5) Parents using faith-inspired schools place a stronger emphasis on religious education and moral values; and (6) Students in faith-inspired and private schools perform better than those in public schools, but this may be due in part to self-selection.


We present a WKB analysis of planar surface waveguides with truncated arbitrary refractive index profiles. It is shown that the phase change at the turning point on the substrate side approaches zero near the cutoff. The validity of the conventional assumption of constant phase change of \pi/2 at the turning point is investigated, and the consequent errors near the mode cutoffs are analyzed for index profiles of practical interest.


Baptist and Methodist Faiths in America is the second of two books in the Faith in America series dealing with the many communities tied to the Protestant Christian faith. Focusing on those groups formed after the European Reformation who broke with the idea of a state-related dominant church in a given country, and organized denominations unattached to government control, this book explores the beliefs of Methodists, Baptists, Cumberland Presbyterians, Pentecostalists, and Disciples of Christ. Exploring the history of groups deeply rooted in America, from the first immigrants in the 1600s to the Great Awakening of the 1700s and the rise of fundamentalism in the 1800s to today's media-savvy preachers with television congregations, Baptist and Methodist Faiths in America examines the impact of these faiths on the cultural, social, and political life of America. Often evangelical in nature; active participants in the arts and in the field of communications, especially broadcasting; and professing strong positions in the debates over social issues, such as abortion and gay rights, and the policies of the government, including everything from school prayer to education funding; these groups have played and continue to play an important role in American society.


This paper proposes a new current source inverter using a coupled inductor, which is derived from the circuit of the matrix converter using an additional inductor. The proposed circuit has the bidirectional power conversion ability, providing step-up and step-down operation in each direction, and can switch the direction of the power flow instantaneously. This paper describes the principle of operation, the simulation results and the experimental results of the proposed circuit.


This paper examines the role of changing factor endowments in the growth and decline of industries and regions. The implications of an endowment-based Heckscher-Ohlin trade model for plant entry and exit are tested on 20 years of data for the entire US manufacturing sector. The trade model provides predictions for which industries will see growth through the positive net entry of plants. A multi-region version of the same model has predictions for which regions will see high turnover and net entry of plants. In a country such as the U.S. that is augmenting both its physical and human capital, the least capital-intensive, least skill-intensive industries are correctly predicted to have the lowest rate of net entry. In addition, increases in regional capital and skill intensity are associated with higher probabilities of shutdown, especially for plants in industries with low initial capital and skill intensities.


Competing with cultivated plants for the main life factors, weeds absorb a significant amount of nutrients and moisture from the soil, shade out crops and hinder their vegetation. In addition, they differ from cultivated plants; they have a lower level of requirements for growth factors; they are characterized by the strong development of root systems, which determines their higher competitive ability in the struggle for living conditions. Therefore, crop protection against weediness plays a leading role in the system of measures aimed at obtaining high yields of winter rye. The purpose of our study was to look into the species composition and noxiousness of the weed component of winter rye agrocoenoses in the Ukrainian Polissia. Field studies were conducted during 2016–2019 with an organic crop rotation (vetch and oat mix – winter rye – field beans – white mustard – winter spelt – buckwheat) at the experimental field of Polissia National University. The results of the studies showed that 13 weed species were found in the winter rye agrocoenoses. Annual weeds are represented by various biological groups: ephemera, early spring, late spring, overwintering. Perennial weeds are represented by three species: milk gowan, field bindweed, and field milk thistle. Centaurea cyanus (All.) Dost., Stellaria media (L.) Vill., Sonchus arvensis L., and Convolvulus arvensis L. dominated in the winter rye agrocoenosis; their share of the total weeds was 19.5, 18.0, 11, 3, 9.8% respectively. Other weed species were small in number, ranging from 0.1 to 0.9 pc/m2. According to the results of correlation-regression analysis, a close inverse relationship between the grain yield indices and the number of weeds in winter rye crops was established. Thus, with increasing crop weediness, there is a direct correlation between the decrease in yield (r=-0.74). If weeds, especially perennial, exceed the economic threshold of noxiousness, the grain yield is reduced at a rate of 3.5 kg/ha for one species. Thus, 18,2% of the grain yield fluctuations are caused by changes in the level of crop weediness. Prospects for further research will be aimed at the improvement and substantiation of ecologically safe systems of protection of winter rye against spreading of segetal vegetation in crops.

Keywords: Winter rye; Species composition of weeds; Weediness; Agrocoenosis; Noxiousness

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Abstract:In the chaotic aftermath of Burmese independence, Britain officially maintained a policy of non-intervention in the domestic affairs of its former colony. However, the conservative dissatisfaction with what was perceived as a hurried independence soon found expression in "The Friends of the Burma Hill People," an organization founded in London in 1947 in support of the Karen nationalist movement. This paper aims at shedding new light onto the internal dynamics and motives underpinning the underground activities of the group, focusing on its charismatic founder: Lieutenant Colonel John Cromarty Tulloch, Force 136 veteran and ardent supporter of the Karen independence cause. By relying on archival material from the British Library's India Office Records, recently declassified Secret Service personal files, as well as on Tulloch's wartime memoirs, this paper serves a twofold purpose. First, it sets to offer a new degree of accuracy in reconstructing the dynamics and connections of Tulloch's network, providing a more nuanced insight of the motives and strategies of the "Friends of the Burma Hill People". Second, it challenges the widespread tendency either to dismiss Tulloch's endeavor as the machinations of a nostalgic veteran, or of interpreting it within a Cold War logic. Instead, it highlights the role played by colonial narratives of "martial race" and "loyalty" in fuelling British conservative opposition against the new Burma–which are well and alive to this day.


The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to facilitate the development of universal health coverage (UHC) wherever possible. One of its major concerns is the epidemic of non-communicable disease (NCD). For health systems to address this epidemic, countries need primary health care systems which are affordable, accessible, integrated and comprehensive. This commentary addresses that issue with reference to the paper by Fisher et al with respect to the structures, actors, and ideas identified in the paper. It focuses mainly on funding models to address structural issues and control actors, and on the importance of constant lobbying to address the ideas needed to achieve UHC.


This present paper gives some general background of the origins of heraldry and its development in Scotland, and briefly examines early use of Scottish heraldry in colonial Australia. The lecure on which this paper is based went on to show examples of heraldic use by Alexander Macleay and his kinfolk, and it is the author's hope that, once further research is undertaken, these can also be discussed. While not all of the arms that can be connected to Alexander Macleay via ancestry or marriage are Scottish in origin (in particular those of his Harrington, Dumaresq and Onslow sons-in-law), they are worthy of as much analysis as those that are (including Barclay, Innes and Campbell) in what they might tell us about identity, aspiration and kinship in the Scottish diaspora in colonial New South Wales.


A lipid transfer complex (LTC) isolated from human plasma catalyzes equimolar exchange of cholesteryl ester and phosphatidylcholine between low density (LDL) and high density (HDL) plasma lipoproteins. Activation parameters for LTC-catalyzed exchange of neutral and polar lipid are equal and are not influenced by the degree of purity of the catalyst. Activation parameters for exchange of both cholesteryl ester and phosphatidylcholine are influenced by the extent of saturation of phosphatidylcholine fatty acyl groups. The activation parameters also depend on the amount of HDL present in the assay. The flux rates of lipid exchange depend on the concentration of both LDL and HDL. At constant HDL concentration, flux rates become independent of LDL concentration when the ratio of [LDL]:[HDL] exceeds 9:1 (based on cholesteryl ester); at constant LDL concentration, facilitated LDL,HDL lipid exchange is inhibited at high HDL concentration, suggesting preferential HDL,HDL exchange. Analysis of the dependence of initial lipid exchange rate on LDL concentration at two constant HDL concentrations suggests that, in the reaction pathway, LTC mediates a productive collision (ternary complex) between LDL and HDL. A kinetic mechanism consistent with the data is one in which lipid exchange occurs in a ternary complex consisting of LTC, HDL and LDL. At low HDL concentration, this complex is formed by a random sequential route; at high HDL concentration, the mechanism is ordered sequential since the reactants are an LTC-HDL complex and LDL.


In 2011, the World Bank announced its intention to conduct a holistic review and reform of its procurement framework. This reform was intended to ensure that its procurement system, which is the means through which the Bank disburses developmental loans and grants is in line with modern trends in procurement, is flexible enough to respond to unforeseen challenges and is coherent. This paper examines both how Bank procurement has evolved since the first formal regulations were issued in 1964 and the implications of the recent reforms for the Bank and its borrowers. Readers will see that ongoing reforms evidence a significant change for the Bank's approach to procurement and its relationship with its borrowers and will dramatically affect the way the Bank-funded procurements are conducted.


The effect of ion motion on rotating magnetic field (RMF) current drive in field reversed configurations is studied using a fully two-dimensional numerical code that solves the two fluid equations with massless electrons and constant uniform temperature. The ion momentum equation includes viscosity and collisions with neutrals, which remain fixed. The electrons are described with an Ohm's law that includes the Hall and pressure gradient terms. For full penetration of the RMF, ion spin-up due to collisions with electrons reduces the current drive efficiency and a large fraction of neutrals is needed to prevent the ions from acquiring high azimuthal velocities. For conditions that would result in incomplete penetration with the fixed ion model, ion rotation and variable density can facilitate the penetration of the RMF, thus increasing the efficiency. The rotation modifies the density profile and can trigger rotational instabilities.


Visual Abstract To make full use of optogenetic and molecular techniques in the study of motor control, rich behavioral paradigms for rodents must rise to the same level of sophistication and applicability. We describe the layout, construction, use and analysis of data from joystick-based reaching in a head-fixed mouse. The step-by-step guide is designed for both experienced rodent motor labs and new groups looking to enter into this research space. Using this platform, mice learn to consistently perform large, easily-quantified reaches, including during a two-armed bandit probabilistic learning task. The metrics of performance (reach trajectory, amplitude, speed, duration, and inter-reach interval) can be used to quantify behavior or administer stimulation in closed loop with behavior. We provide a highly customizable, low cost and reproducible open-source behavior training platform for studying motor control, decision-making, and reaching reaction time. The development of this software and hardware platform enables behavioral work to complement recent advances in rodents, while remaining accessible to smaller institutions and labs, thus providing a high-throughput method to study unexplored features of action selection, motivation, and value-based decisions.


Background Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe mental disorder that affects attitudes toward the body. However, whether this condition also affects body schema and perceptual body image remains unclear. Previous questionnaire-based studies found dissatisfaction with one's body in patients with BPD. In addition to attitudinal body image, our study investigates whether body schema and perceptual body image are disturbed in patients with BPD. Method Our study included 31 patients diagnosed with BPD (25 women) and 30 healthy individuals (19 women) (Mage = 29 for both groups). The SCID-5-PD interview was used to determine personality disorder. Attitudinal body image was measured using the Body Attitude Test (BAT) factors. Body schema and perceptual body image were measured by two conditions of a body representation task, the body portraying method (BPM). Results BPD patients achieved higher scores in all three BAT factors and were more susceptible to misinformation in both conditions of BPM. Based on the results, BPD patients appear to have more negative attitudes toward their bodies and worse perceptual body image and body schema. Conclusion The novel finding of our study is that, besides the previously found attitudinal dissatisfaction with the body, individuals with BPD also show disturbances at the levels of body schema and perceptual body image. Our findings concerning disturbances in body schema and perceptual body need further research into their etiological factors and provide new therapeutic targets for the treatment of BPD.


Background and Objective: Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the most common chronic bacterial infections all over the world, particularly in the developing countries. LeoA gene plays an important role in pathogenesis, and the main role of this gene is to increase the bacterial toxin secretion. This study was conducted to isolate and clone the leoA gene in a pEGFP-C2 expression vector and evaluate its expression in eukaryotic system. Methods: In this laboratory study, the leoA gene was amplified from the standard strain of Helicobacter pylori genome (ATCC 43504) by PCR method. It was then inserted into the pTZ vector by cloning T/A. Sub cloning of this gene was performed in a pEGFP-C2 expression vector with a ligase enzyme. The final structure of pEGFP-C2-leoA was transformed by electroporation in CHO (Chinese hamster ovary) cells and the expression of the leoA gene was evaluated by SDS-PAGE and RT-PCR. Results: The results of PCR indicated that the 1758 bp fragment was amplified from the leoA gene. Cloning of this gene was performed successfully in pTZ and pEGFP-C2 vectors, respectively. The enzyme digestion with two KpnI and SacII enzymes, as well as sequencing, confirmed the accuracy of gene cloning. The observation of the protein product of the leoA gene in CHO cells indicated the successful expression of the LeoA gene in the eukaryotic system of Helicobacter pylori. Conclusion: The final construct of pEGFP-C2-leoA had a successful expression of the leoA gene in animal cells.


This paper proposes a layered hybrid ant colony and genetic algorithm to solve the multi-objective optimization of dynamic job-shop scheduling problem in manufacturing grid. This algorithm is constructed in a layered structure, where the out layer uses ant colony algorithm to select the machine and the inner layer uses genetic algorithm with neighborhood search to optimize the job scheduling. We use a test example to show the feasibility and efficiency of the algorithm. Keywords-manufacturing grid (MG); dynamic job-shop scheduling; multi-objective optimization; ant-genetic algorithm


The constriction of the pupils in response to light is a reflex that has long been of interest to physicians because its loss is a cardinal feature of the well known Argyll Robertson syndrome. Although an extensive literature has accumulated in the past forty years on the Argyll Robertson phenomenon, its mechanism still remains one of the unsolved problems in neurology. It is apparent that a major obstacle to an explanation of the syndrome has been the uncertainty regarding the localization in the brain stem of the pathway of the light reflex. A dorsal view of the brain stem (fig. 7) shows some of the structures which must be taken into consideration in any discussion of this pathway. The superior and inferior colliculi of the corpora quadrigemina are situated dorsal to the cerebral aqueduct and form the roof or tectum of the midbrain. Between the superior colliculus and the


The structure of a DSP multiprocessor subsystem is discussed, which is designed to meet the requirements of a kind of voice mail box system. This multiprocessor subsystem is based on the TDM (time division multiplexed) port of the TMS320C50. Detailed information about the initialization and frame scheduling is also given. It can be applied in other situations which require multichannel digital signal processing, not just in the field of speech processing.


In this work, steam-based gasification is investigated as a technology for fuel gas production for topping combustion in a biomass air turbine (BAT) cycle. For different systems, based on flash or conventional pyrolysis, the characteristics of the product gas quality are studied. The gas composition and the heating value of the produced gas are simulated by changing the main system parameters such as the moisture content of the biomass, the operating temperature and the composition of the biomass.A model of the gasification process has been developed to evaluate each process. The model is based on mass conservation, the thermodynamic equilibrium of the water-gas-shift reaction and the methane yield during pyrolysis.A gasification system with flash pyrolysis is identified as a promising technology for fuel gas production for use in topping combustion. The major features of the system are: first, the system provides a gas with a heating value of near to 16 MJ/Nm3 and small amounts of nitrogen gas; second, the application of a water knock out unit eliminates the influence of the water content in the feedstock on the product gas quality; third, the gasification process can be conducted in a tubular reactor within the furnace of the BAT cycle. This reduces the number of reactors and keeps the costs low.Copyright © 2000 by ASME


This article addresses the potential impact of emerging technologies and solutions, such as software defined networking and network function virtualization, on carriers' network evolution. It is argued that standard hardware advances and these emerging paradigms can bring the most impactful disruption at the network's edge, enabling the deployment of clouds of nodes using standard hardware: it will be possible to virtualize network and service functions, which are provided today by expensive middleboxes, and move them to the edge, as close as possible to users. Specifically, this article identifies some of key technical challenges behind this vision, such as dynamic allocation, migration, and orchestration of ensembles of virtual machines across wide areas of interconnected edge networks. This evolution of the network will profoundly affect the value chain: it will create new roles and business opportunities, reshaping the entire ICT world.


Purpose
While the literature has focused on the benefits granted by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals to undocumented youths in the USA, the purpose of this paper is to focus on the challenges encountered during the application process.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on 60 semi-structured interviews with Latino undocumented youths living in the New York City and northern New Jersey metropolitan area.

Findings
The policy was intended to improve the inclusion of some undocumented youths in the USA by temporarily shielding them from deportation and providing them with a social security number. Analyses indicate great variation in youths' experiences while applying for DACA, including program knowledge, financial impact, and application assistance – some of which was alleviated by respondents' political engagement. This paper shows that participants suffered from anxiety due to the manner of implementation of the program.

Research limitations/implications
This research is based on the self-disclosure of participants as undocumented youths. Fieldwork also took place in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, which is traditionally considered as more "immigrant-friendly" context than other areas of the USA.

Originality/value
This paper provides much needed information on the ways in which undocumented youths navigate the federal immigration system and the anxiety associated with it. This paper demonstrates the possibility that a federal policy whose goal is inclusionary could be implemented at the local level in such a way as to promote anxiety and alienation. It also highlights the role of political engagement in shaping immigrant youth's experiences in the USA.


Recent experiments in high-energy molecular spectroscopy have shown that coarse grained molecular spectra are often very simple, characterized by a few frequencies or correlation times. Experiments in molecular scattering such as the hydrogen exchange reactions have demonstrated the existence of short-lived resonances. I show that these seemingly differing experiments may be interpreted and assigned in terms of the normal modes of periodic orbits, which are determined by a linear stability analysis. Specific examples include three-dimensional resonances of the hydrogen exchange reaction as well as three-dimensional high-energy bound states of the Hg molecular ion. A new semiclassical quantization method based on unstable periodic orbits is presented and used to explain the observed scarring of high-energy quantum states.


Organic-inorganic metal hybrid halides (OIMHs) as a new kind of photoelectric material have gained much attention in recent years because of their excellent performance in solid-state lighting applications. However, the preparation of most OIMHs is complex and requires a long preparation time in addition to the solvent providing the reaction environment. This greatly limits their further applications. Here, we synthesized zero-dimensional lead-free OIMH (Bmim)2InCl5(H2O) (Bmim = 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium) by a facile grinding method at room temperature. Through Sb3+ doping, Sb3+:(Bmim)2InCl5(H2O) shows a bright broadband emission centered at 618 nm under UV excitation, which could be attributed to the self-trapped exciton (STE) emission of Sb3+ ions. To explore their ability in the field of solid-state lighting, a white-light-emitting diode (WLED) device based on Sb3+:(Bmim)2InCl5(H2O) with a high color rendering index of 90 was fabricated. This work enriches In3+-based OIMHs and provides a new direction for the simple fabrication of OIMHs.


The examination of the wound process in 140 patients after the alloplasty, according to the standard method «on-lay» and developed method with the use of the flaps of the hernial sac was carried out. All patients were divided into 2 groups. The main group was consisted of the patients treated by the developed method using the flaps of the hernial sac, the control group of patients -by means of the standard method «on-lay». According to the data of the cytological study of the exudates in the both groups it has been found that the flaps of the hernial sac situated in the subprosthetic space contribute to the high content of the cells having the macrophage activity (neutrophils, macrophagocytes) in the surgical intervention field. In the main group, the mean volume of the secretion was 113ml, it was in 2 times less than the volume of the serous drainage in the patients of the control group. Decrease of the exudates volume in the main group influenced to the drainage terms (3 days average) and to the hospital stay (as many as 8 bed-days average). The absence of the infectious complications in the patients treated by method with the use of the hernial sac flaps is explained by the effective activity of the cells immunity factors in the wound.


Intelligent transportation systems have integrated a broad range of AI-based technologies into both the transportation infrastructure and vehicles themselves. Although the future of ITS is promising, the field is anything but futuristic. Various ITS products and services are already at work throughout the world, significantly improving transportation safety, mobility, and productivity


Almost one fourth century has passed since the existence of antinuclear antibody (antinuclear factor) which participates in autoimmune disease was known. In the present study, the author considered antinuclear antibody (ANF)from a stand as a obstetrician. In such a case, -especially when considering the relationship between mother's physical conditions and the fetus-, it seems to be the most reasonable to investigate the dynamics of transplacental Immunoglobulin G of antinuclear antibody (IgG ANF), and, consequently, the author selected randomly 60 subjects hospitalized in Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fussa Hospital, and the antibody units of IgG ANF in serum of mothers were measured at the delivery and in the puerperal stage (one month after delivery) and those of babies were measured at the birth. On the basis of these measured values, studies were made from various viewpoints. From the obtained results, the author had impression that, although the newborns from the mothers having always higher antibody units of IgG ANF presented no abnormalities in physical examinations, they were more susceptible to reduction in vitality for about 3 weeks following their birth, and that the birth of boys tended to be more often among such mothers.


Vol. 3, No. 1 Abstract Finite Difference Time Domain analysis of metallic nanowires has been performed to determine the effect of diameter change on absorption and scattering cross-sections and on local electric field intensity. Silver and Gold nanowires have been selected for the analysis. It has been found that, for Silver nanowire of radius 35 nm, the absorption cross-section shows a peak value of about 138 nm at around 342 nm wavelength and scattering cross-section shows a peak of about 173 nm at 352 nm wavelength whereas for Gold nanowire there exists no sharp peak in any cross-section. Similar analysis has been performed for radii of 28 nm, 27 nm, 26 nm, 25 nm, 24 nm, 20 nm and 15 nm, and it has been realized that the reduction in the radius of Silver nanowire causes negligible shift in wavelength at which the absorption cross-section peak occurs while the peak for scattering cross-section shifts to lower wavelength and also reduces the scattering cross-section to values lower than the absorption cross-section. It has also been found from the local electric field intensity distribution for different radii that Gold nanowires exhibit better resonance at lower dimension than Silver nanowires.


Given the low production of high quality forage and environmental issues related to livestock at the regional level, this paper shows a proposal for the implementation of tree and shrub species under agroforestry models in the systems of cattle production areas tropical high. The alternative use proposals are based on first identifying a baseline of 17 tree and shrub species with forage skill utilization in bovine production systems for cold climate areas of the Department of Cauca. The research was developed from the recognition and primary data collection with the help of local producers, followed by the systematization and analysis to identify species with higher occurrence, while the definition of criteria for use based on information provided by producers and field observations. Thus, agroforestry models shown in this document is intended to provide some basis for its implementation in the field contribute thereby allowing the use of trees and shrubs zonal more efficiently.


The optical properties of amorphous-nano-crystalline thin films deposited by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) were studied in correlation with the size distribution of individual crystal sizes and the crystalline to amorphous fraction. A possible application as active part in solar cells was tested by integrating the actual Si layers in a typical p-i-n solar cell structure. The nano-structural properties were examined by Grazing Incidence Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (GISAXS), Grazing Incidence Wide Angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) and High-Resolution Electron Microscopy (HRTEM). X-ray scattering measurements were done at the Austrian SAXS beam-line (Synchrotron Elettra, Trieste). The in-depth size distribution of the nano-crystals was found either uniform across the sample, or the crystals were slightly larger when located closer to the surface. Typical sizes were between 2 and 5 nm while the Raman crystal fraction varied from 15 to 30 vol. %. Measurements of the optical properties showed that the spectral distribution of the absorption coefficient in a whole range of crystal to amorphous fractions remained similar to pure amorphous silicon in the visible part of the spectrum and showed square dependence on the photon energy (Tauc gap). The average optical gap was larger for smaller nano-crystals and a higher crystal fraction just confirming the quantum size effects that correspond to quantum dots. The spectral response of solar cells with the examined thin films as active elements showed a narrower spectral distribution and a blue shift comparing to pure amorphous solar cells. The effect was larger for samples with a higher nanocrystal fraction and smaller crystals suggesting a possible application in multi-layer solar cells. © 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V. PACS: Type pacs here, separated by semicolons ;


The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has been testing free-piston Stirling convertors for potential use in radioisotope power systems. These convertors tend to be in the 35 to 80 watt electric power output range. Tests at GRC have accumulated over 80,000 hours of operation. Test articles have been received from Infinia Corporation of Kennewick, WA and from Sunpower of Athens, OH. Infinia designed and built the developmental Stirling Technology Demonstration Convertors (TDC) in addition to the more advanced Test Bed and Engineering Unit convertors. GRC has eight of the TDC's under test including two that operate in a thermal vacuum environment. Sunpower designed and developed the EE- 35 and the Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC). GRC has six of the EE-35's and is preparing for testing multiple ASC's. Free-piston Stirling convertors for radioisotope power systems make use of non-contacting operation that eliminates wear and is suited for longterm operation. Space missions with radioisotope power systems are often considered that extend from three to 14 years. One of the key capabilities of the GRC test facility is the ability to support continuous, unattended operation. Hardware, software, and procedures for preparing the test articles were developed to support these tests. These included the processing of the convertors for minimizing the contaminants in the working fluid, developing a helium charging system for filling and for gas sample analysis, and the development of new control software and a high-speed protection circuit to insure safe, round-the-clock operation. Performance data of Stirling convertors over time is required to demonstrate that a radioisotope power system is capable of providing reliable power for multi-year missions. This paper will discuss the status of Stirling convertor testing at GRC.


The US press's assertions of credibility stem from the post-World War I decade. Disillusioned with its own earlier credulity regarding the Committee on Public Information's (CPI) wartime propaganda, the press gradually professionalized during the 1920s. During those years, it focused on developing fact-oriented work routines that allowed it to claim it was more accurately reporting the "truth." During that same decade, PR pioneer Edward L. Bernays claimed that propaganda served as a pro-social mechanism, offering new minority viewpoints that the press may overlook. Bernays' advocacy of propaganda during that decade aggravated news worker concerns about post-war domestic propaganda; the press attacked propaganda as corrosive and his claims as elitist, disingenuous and irresponsible. Not surprisingly, journalism's professionalization movement gained further momentum, asserting a scientific approach that emphasized gathering facts contextualized by experts. However, this same technique for guarding against propaganda had the unintended effect of news workers turning to PR sources for the data and contacts needed to report stories. Journalistic claims of autonomous authenticity continue to exhibit a dissonance that has roots in these dynamics.


Bacterioplankton are major biogeochemical agents responsible for mediating the flux of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and subsequent cycling of nutrients in the oceans. Most information about the composition of bacterioplankton communities has come from studies along well-defined biogeochemical gradients in the northern hemisphere. This study extends observations of spatial and temporal dynamics for SAR11, Actinobacteria and OCS116 in the North Atlantic by demonstrating distinct spatial variability in the abundance and distribution of these and other lineages across the South Atlantic gyre and in the Benguela upwelling system. We identified shifts in SAR11, Actinobacteria, OCS116, SAR86, SAR116 and members of the Roseobacter clade along basin-scale gradients in nutrients, chlorophyll and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Distinct SAR11 subclades dominated the western and eastern regions of the gyre, and Actinobacteria, OCS116 and members of the Roseobacter lineages were most abundant at the deep chlorophyll maxima. SAR86 and SAR116 accounted for a significant fraction of coastal and open ocean communities, respectively, and members of the gamma sulfur oxidizer (GSO) clade persisted in the Benguela upwelling system. These data suggest that distinct communities are partitioned along basin-scale biogeochemical gradients, that SAR11 community structure varies across the gyre and that Actinobacteria, OCS116, and members of the Roseobacter clade are closely associated with phytoplankton in the gyre.


Women addiction phenomenon is more hidden layers and greater dimensions of addiction. Statistics show that the rate of women with addiction problems is growing. In recent years this topic as well as problems arising from it involved many institutions and organizations and across the country, the people and the authorities have faced challenges. This article aims to review the causes and consequences of women's tendency to drug abuse, to review and explaining the context, background and the main variables involved in addiction trends affecting women. The research method for library studies and taking notes and reading documents. Studies show that women tend to addiction significant relationship with factors such as gender, age, education level, marital status and type of job. Other factors such as the causes of individual, family and community can have a significant impact on the propensity to abuse women. The results showed a reduction of marriage opportunities in addicted girls, family rejection, lack of parental roles, family breakdown, lack of monitoring children's behavior, inappropriate pattern of behavior, family relationships and reduce the risk of family members to AIDS may be the consequences of women addiction. The results show that this research presents a clear picture of the factors affecting women's tendency to addiction and the consequences of it, can be a major contributor to the growth mechanism of the women drug prevention programs .


A special place belongs to the historical thought of the late 19th - early 20th centuries in the spiritual heritage of the Tatar people. In a short time, Tatar historians have achieved significant results in the reconstruction and study of the national past. Their successes were appreciated by Russian and European scholars and orientalists, and their unconditional leadership among other Turkic Muslims was generally recognized. The works by Sh. Mardzhani, R. Fakhrutdinov, G. Akhmarov, H. Atlasi, G. Gubaidullin are being republished today and are returned to the reader. Their work is being successfully studied, but there are no works where the formation and development of Tatar historical science at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries would be considered specifically. A systematized study of the historical thought of the Tatars during the Jadid period, the determination of the characteristics, trends, and the directions of its development remains an urgent task of modern science. This scientific article examines the features of Russian-Tatar relation coverage by Tatar historians of the late 19th - early 20th centuries, reveals the information and analytical activities of censorship and its special attention to historical writings, contains an overview of little-known sources - popular editions and publications in time-based press, dated to the centenary of The Patriotic War of 1812 and the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov, the authors of which, showing the commonality of the historical fate of Russians and Tatars, substantiated the thesis of "equal rights in a common Fatherland". The obtained analytical results are very effective in increasing the level of education of educators in this field.


Revisiting the political and social history of Seoul, Korea, in 1945, this article assesses responses to Japanese defeat and the end of empire in the context of American military occupation. The arrival of the Americans forced Japanese and Koreans alike to rethink their positions in the world. Drawing on past colonial practices, Japanese residents used the immediate post-surrender moment to ponder their future prospects, recording those thoughts in a number of public and private sources. They negotiated the passage from a colonial to a post-imperial society, I argue, by embracing a consciousness of a defeated people while disregarding criticisms of colonial rule. This investigation seeks to interpret the immediate post-World War II moment in Seoul less as a founding moment of the Cold War and more as an important transition in the history of decolonization.


While deep learning methods have demonstrated classification performance comparable to human readers in tasks such as computer-aided diagnosis, these models are difficult to interpret, do not incorporate prior domain knowledge, and are often considered as a "black box." We present a novel interpretable deep hierarchical semantic convolutional neural network (HSCNN) to predict whether a given pulmonary nodule observed on a computed tomography (CT) scan is malignant. Our network provides two levels of output: 1) low-level semantic features; and 2) a high-level prediction of nodule malignancy. The low-level outputs reflect diagnostic features often reported by radiologists and serve to explain how the model interprets the images in an expert-interpretable manner. The information from these low-level outputs, along with the representations learned by the convolutional layers, are then combined and used to infer the high-level output. Our experimental results using the Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC) show that the proposed method not only produces interpretable lung cancer predictions but also achieves comparable results with the state-of-the-art methods.


Since various functions of phagocytes can be affected by protease inhibitors, the ability of alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha 1PI) and alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) to modulate the H2O2 production by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) was studied. The preincubation of PMNL for 30 min with these protease inhibitors at concentrations which may occur in human blood diminished in a dose dependent manner their H2O2 generation induced with phorbol myristate acetate. At alpha 1PI 600 mg/dl and alpha 2M 800 mg/dl the H2O2 response decreased to 61 +/- 2 and 58 + 3% (p less than 0.001, n = 4) of the control value obtained with cells preincubated in phosphate buffered saline with glucose, respectively. Autologous serum alone and with addition of pure alpha 1 PI or alpha 2M also suppressed H2O2 release from PMNL. It is suggested that inhibition of H2O2 generation from PMNL may be another additional way by which these serum protease inhibitors may protect tissues (especially lungs) from acute injury related to inflammation.


The microwave heating of a material with temperature-dependent, nonohmic con-ductance is considered both analytically and numerically. In the case when the microwave amplitude is small, it is shown using a multiple scales expansion that the heating is governed by a Ginzburg–Landau type equation. This equation does not possess the solitary wave solutions of the full Ginzburg–Landau equation. Approximate solutions in the form of a slowly varying soliton and a front are found in certain parameter limits; these solutions compare very well with numerical solutions of the full governing equations. Initial-boundary value and initial value problems are considered numerically with particular emphasis on the structure of fronts.


Clones of ectomycorrhizal fungi can colonize new areas through production of vegetative mycelium or spore dispersal, but the relative importance of these processes in nature is not known. In this study, sporocarps of an ectomycorrhizal fungus, Suillus grevillei, were mapped and sampled from a Larix kaempferi stand at the foot of Mt Fuji. DNA was extracted directly from each sporocarp, and DNA polymorphism was analysed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) regions primed by (GTG)5, (GCC)5 and (GACA)4. Different sensitivities to detect polymorphism were found among the three primers, with (GACA)4 showing the highest sensitivity. Forty seven sporocarps were analysed by the three ISSR primers and divided into 34 genets based on combination of PCR fingerprints. In the population 28 genets were represented by individual sporocarps. In most cases, sporocarps grown in aggregation (within a circle of 50 cm diameter) showed some different ISSR band patterns. These results suggest that genets of S. grevillei at the test site are relatively small. The genetic similarities between the 34 genets were also calculated and similarity groups were determined by the criterion that all similarity F values of genets within a group were not <80%. In general, the genets within a similarity group located close to each other. The results of multiple different but highly related genets in a small area suggest that the population of S. grevillei in this stand is not spread and maintained by clonal mycelium extension but is reproduced by spore dispersal.


Purpose
With the technological innovation dominating higher education, the university libraries, as physical spaces, continue to play a crucial role in connecting students with knowledge. The emergence of the "Learning Commons" serves as a catalyst in the design of library spaces, renewing libraries' roles and missions and making them popular to Millennials for new reasons. This study aims to record Greek librarians' views on the current situation in Greek academic libraries regarding physical space design, services provided and the existence of the "Learning Commons" model characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach
This study was conducted through an online survey structured questionnaire (closed-ended, five-point Likert scale, multiple-choice and statements questions). This study population comprised librarians working in 37 academic institutions and colleges. The collected data were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis. The research questions were answered using variables creation and the tests, t-test, ANOVA and Kruskal–Wallis. The groups of questions were tested for their reliability using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient.

Findings
In total, 186 librarians responded to this study. The responses revealed that participants were willing and ready to accept and support a different approach to academic library physical spaces use, according to the shared learning spaces model. However, this requires changes in the organization's vision, further growth and evolution. Although recently most Greek academic libraries have made significant progress in developing their services to function as information and digital hubs, they do not function as learning collaborative hubs, since the "Learning Commons" model is not reflected in their buildings.

Originality/value
The creation of new academic libraries according to the "common" model is a rapidly evolving issue that affects Greek libraries. This paper highlights the characteristics of libraries that should be adopted in the modern era, the new roles of academic librarians and the importance of an appropriate design of the physical space to achieve optimal learning outcomes. At the same time, this paper is one of the few that illustrates librarians', and not users', perceptions of these changes. This paper is a good research example, and the methodology for measuring this type of context could be used by other future research approaches in other countries.


A case is reported of the replantation of a maxillary incisor with an immature apex following a traumatic avulsion. A 14-month follow-up clinical examination revealed the patient to be asymptomatic, the tooth to be still functional, and a recall radiograph showed no evidence of renewed periradicular breakdown. The indications for, and limitations of, replantation of an avulsed permanent incisor with an immature apex are discussed.


[1] A spherical coordinate version of the unstructured grid 3-D FVCOM (finite volume coastal ocean model) has been applied to the Arctic Ocean to simulate tides with a horizontal resolution ranging from 1 km in the near-coastal areas to 15 km in the deep ocean. By accurately resolving the irregular coastlines and bathymetry in the Arctic Ocean coastal regions, this model reproduces the diurnal (K1 and O1) and semidiurnal (M2 and S2) tidal wave dynamics and captures the complex tidal structure along the coast, particularly in the narrow straits of the Canadian Archipelago. The simulated tidal parameters (harmonic constituents of sea surface elevation and currents) agree well with the available observational data. High-resolution meshes over the continental shelf and slope capture the detailed spatial structure of topographic trapped shelf waves, which are quite energetic along the Greenland, Siberia, and Spitsbergen continental slope and shelf break areas. Water stratification influences the vertical distribution of tidal currents but not the water transport and thus tidal elevation. The comparison with previous finite difference models suggests that horizontal resolution and geometric fitting are two prerequisites to simulate realistically the tidal energy flux in the Arctic Ocean, particularly in the Canadian Archipelago.


Background: We reviewed all patients presenting to our institution with a traumatic thoracic aortic injury (TTAI) between January 2006 and May 2007. Age, gender, injury severity score (ISS), location of injuries, surgical intervention, and length of stay were assessed to determine what characteristics might be predictive of survival. Of the 56 patients who were identified, 23 (41%) were dead on arrival, 15 (20%) died on that admission, and 18 (32%) survived to discharge. Injury severity score was elevated in mortalities (57) compared to survivors (34). Penetrating and blunt aortic injuries had 89% and 58% mortality rates, respectively. Female gender was associated with increased survival (P = .032), as was receiving surgical intervention (P = .03). Patients with a prolonged ICU stay demonstrated increased survival. All eight patients who received thoracic endovascular aortic repair survived to discharge. Injury severity score, mechanism, thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), female gender, and surgical treatment were associated with survival after TTAI.


In this paper, we propose a statistical framework for clustering spherical data which are usually found in machine learning, data mining and computer vision applications. Our framework is based on finite Langevin mixture models which provide a very natural representation of normalized vectors in high dimensional spaces in which the data lie on unit hypersphere. Moreover, we developed minimum message length (MML) criterion for the selection of finite Langevin mixture components from which different probabilistic information divergence distances are then derived. Through empirical experiments, we demonstrate the merits of the proposed learning framework through challenging applications involving spam filtering using visual email content and email categorization.


We show how phasing between tandem bioinspired fins flapping at high-stroke amplitudes modulates rear fin thrust production and wake characteristics. Load cell thrust measurements show that the rear fin generates 25% more thrust than the front fin when it lags the latter by a quarter cycle, and performs 8% worse when it leads the front fin by the same amount. The flow interactions between the fins responsible for these observations are analyzed using two-dimensional particle image velocimetry measurements and three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics simulations. Distributions of velocity elucidate variations in the effective flow induced on the rear fin for different phase offsets. Vortex structure interactions and particle rakes reveal the contributions of the leading- and trailing-edge vortices shed by the front fin in modulating the suction at the rear fin leading edge. Furthermore, the wake structure far downstream of the fins changes in its coherence, axial and radial extents for the different phase offsets. These findings are relevant for the design and performance optimization of various unmanned underwater vehicles that utilize such tandem systems.


ABSTRACT Two anthranilic diamide insecticides, chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole, were evaluated as seed treatments on soybean, Glycine max L., for control of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith). Bioassays were conducted using 2nd instars and plants grown from the field and greenhouse. In field-grown soybeans, cyantraniliprole and chlorantraniliprole significantly lowered survival of fall armyworm larvae at the V7 growth stage (51 DAP), and, at the R6 growth stage (112 DAP), and survivorship was significantly lower on plants treated with both chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole. In 6 out of 9 total post treatment evaluations, survivorship was significantly lower in chlorantraniliprole seed treatments than in cyantraniliprole seed treatments. Greenhouse grown plants treated with cyantraniliprole and chlorantraniliprole significantly reduced survival at the V3 growth stage, 2, 3 and 4 days after infestation when compared with other seed treatments. These products could be useful in reducing the number of foliar applications required for lepidopteran pests.


Why are the churches taking a deeper interest in education? How can the dialogue between Christian faith and education take place? Three models for the relationship are discussed ‐the traditional Lutheran view, the more modern view ('deductive integration') which characterizes much recent ecumenical thinking, and finally the '(self‐) critical interpretation'.


Several investigators (12, 13, 14) have confirmed Aufdemgarten's (1, 2) finding that a transient uptake of CO, often occurs when a leaf is illuminated in an atmosphere containing a relatively high CO2 concentration. This uptake occurs at the onset of illumination andl stands out as a prominent feature of the gas exchange during the photosynthetic induction period. Van der Veen, who used the same gas analysis methods as Aufdemgarten to study the uptake of CO., during the induction period, labeled this uptake of COO the "initial uptake". A valuable contribution from his extensive study was the determination of conditions which would isolate this phenomenon from normal photosynthesis. Veljby (14) has essetntially repeated some of Van der Veen's measurements. Some important data have come from the work of Massini (9) on the assimilation of C1409 during the initial uptake. The purpose of the present paper is a restudy of this phenomenon. In this investigation O. as well as CO., were measured so that the assimilatory quotient could be determined. In order to account for the abnormally high quantum yields found by some workers, Franck (6) postulated that at the beginning of a period of illumination, when the CO, acceptor was absent, respiratory intermediates were photochemically reduced. The similar hypothesis which will be developed here is that the initial uptake of CO, which is different from the normal photosynthetic fixation of CO2 is due to a light-induced reductive carboxylation of a respiratory intermediate.


Heterotrimeric G proteins are involved in numerous biological processes, where they mediate signal transduction from agonist-bound G-protein-coupled receptors to a variety of intracellular effector molecules and ion channels. G proteins consist of two signaling moieties: a GTP-bound alpha subunit and a beta-gamma heterodimer. The beta-gamma dimer, recently credited as a significant modulator of G-protein-mediated cellular responses, is postulated to be a major determinant of signaling fidelity between G-protein-coupled receptors and downstream effectors. In this review we have focused on the role of beta-gamma signaling and have included examples to demonstrate the heterogeneity in the heterodimer composition and its implications in signaling fidelity. We also present an overview of some of the effectors regulated by beta-gamma and draw attention to the fact that, although G proteins and their associated receptors play an instrumental role in development, there is rather limited information on beta-gamma signaling in embryogenesis.


We propose an algorithm which improved our previous cuckoo search in RBF (Radial Basis Function) neural network by incorporating Gaussian distribution. Our algorithm can be used to forecast flood level in a river to assist in decision-making. Problems with training network in the classical method is that the best solution might unintentionally derive from local minima rather than the global one where we preferred. Hence, we train differently the parameters of neural network using a cuckoo search algorithm. The modified cuckoo search algorithm in RBF neural network uses Gaussian distribution in generating a cuckoo egg. We implement our algorithm using the actual water level from Little Wabash River as the input. The root mean squared errors of the previous results are improved by three new changes; increasing the number of input neurons, increasing the number of RBF nodes and changing the way the algorithm generated cuckoo eggs. Our results show that using cuckoo search via Gaussian distribution in the training phase of RBF neural network are preferable in both terms of time taken and prediction error.


Endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration (EUSFNA) has become the most accurate modality for characterization of pancreatic cystic and solid lesions, for differential diagnosis of indeterminate pancreatic masses and for locoregional staging of pancreatic and extrahepatic biliary tumours. EUS-FNA should also be performed in distant lymph nodes, ascites, liver, adrenal and mediastinal metastatic locations. Experienced groups reach a sensitivity over 85% with a 90-100% specificity, a positive predictive value of 98-100%, a negative predictive value of 44-80%, and an accuracy of 75-84% in evaluation of pancreatic masses. Morbidity rate (acute pancreatitis, infection, haemorrhage, perforation) is very low being around 1-2% and risk of peritoneal seeding was shown to be significantly lower than percutaneous CT guided FNA. The performance of this technique is dependent on the endoscopist and cytopathologist experience, the location, size and consistency of the tumour and the number of passes in the lesion. The type of echoendoscope or needle used does not influence the results, whereas it remains debated if presence of the cytopathologist on site might improve FNA performances. These last years, a new liquid-based cytology technique has been developed to process the specimen. Different methods exist to prepare this type of material and all these techniques improve EUS-FNA performance by decreasing the number of inadequate specimens and by increasing the possibility to obtain cell blocks allowing for ancillary techniques such as immunohistochemistry and molecular biology.


Particle settling is relevant for several aspects of drilling and completion operations, and is directly related to safety and operational efficiency. The primary function of particles added to drilling fluids is to provide density stabilizing the wellbore and hinder influx of fluids and gas, causing a kick situation. Keeping the particles suspended in the fluids is also critical to avoid problems such as stuck down hole equipment, poor cementing of casings, lost circulation and avoid formation damage. The main objective of the present work is to improve the understanding of particle settling in non-Newtonian drilling fluids. The work focuses on identifying parameters critical for particle settling which are directly relevant for everyday handling and use of drilling and completion fluids. To identify these parameters, laboratory techniques have been developed that allow continuous monitoring of the particle settling process in a fluid. The majority of the parameters identified have previously not been studied by the oil industry. This includes parameters such as the composition of the internal brine phase of oil based drilling fluids, added shear energy during preparation of these and the effect of particle morphology on settling. Operational parameters, such as vibrations during drilling, and the efficiency of solids removal equipment have also been discovered to have significant impact on the particle settling rate. Throughout this work the complexity of particle settling in the fluids has clearly been demonstrated. Conventional settling models have shown not to predict the effect of this phenomena accurately. The complexity of the sag phenomena requires the development of significantly improved practical equipment to optimize and monitor the sag stability of drilling fluids at the rig site.


Prior to public procurement reform in Ethiopia, non compliance with the country's public procurement rules and regulations was observed. These include inefficiency, non transparent procurement processes, and lack of knowledge of rules and regulations. The main objective of this study is to identify factors leading to effective public procurement implementation in Ethiopia with particular reference to Amhara regional bureaus and other government institutions found in Bahir Dar town. The study used data from a survey of 42 public procurement officers. The data were collected using questionnaire containing close-ended items of Likert scale type with five points. The data had been analyzed using multiple linear regression. The findings indicate that familiarity in public procurement rules and regulations, transparency in public procurement processes, ethics in public procurement and efficiency in public procurement processes have a positive and statistically significant impact on effective public procurement implementation. The accountability in public procurement, though have positive associations with effective public procurement implementation, did not have a significant impact on effective public procurement implementation. Keywords : Public procurement, Government institutions, Ethiopia


Fluorosilicone polymers combine the properties of both fluorocarbons and siloxanes, yielding materials with unique properties. Novel crosslinked fluorosilicone polymers were synthesized by grafting diisocyanate-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to hydroxyl-functionalized fluoropolymers of poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-vinyl acetate- co-vinyl alcohol) (PTFE-VAc-VA), as confirmed by elemental bulk and surface analysis. The fluorosilicone polymers containing 34 mol% of TFE were thermally stable with a degradation temperature of 267 °C. Fluorosilicone films were found to be more hydrophobic than the parent, non-grafted fluoropolymers; dynamic advancing and receding water contact angles for PTFE-co-VAc-co-VA-g-PDMS were 104° ± 1° and 61° ± 1°, respectively, whereas for PTFE-co-VAc they were 90° ± 2° and 59° ± 2°. The combined properties of thermal stability and hydrophobicity suggest that these fluorosilicones may be useful for coating and paint applications.


BACKGROUND
Casopitant is a potent and selective NK-1 receptor antagonist that has shown clinical efficacy in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced and postoperative-induced nausea and vomiting.

METHODS
In an embryo-fetal development study, pregnant mice were given vehicle (sterile water) or doses of 30, 100, or 300 mg/kg/day casopitant on Gestation Day (GD) 6 to 15. Fetuses were evaluated for external, visceral, and skeletal abnormalities on GD 18. In a follow-on study to investigate casopitant-induced hormonal changes during the developmental period for palate formation, pregnant mice were given vehicle (sterile water) or 300 mg/kg/day casopitant once daily on GD 6 to 13. Blood was collected on GD 13 at various time-points for measurement of plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticosterone (CRT) concentrations.

RESULTS
There was no evidence of developmental toxicity in mice at 30 or 100 mg/kg/day but 9% of fetuses at 300 mg/kg/day had cleft palate. Mice are sensitive to glucocorticoid-induced cleft palates, and NK-1 antagonists are known to modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis leading to increases in corticosterone. On GD 13, mean plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone levels at 300 mg/kg/day were elevated by approximately twofold from vehicle-treated levels at 1 hr post-dose and mean plasma CRT levels were elevated by 3, 5, and 10-fold at 0.5, 1, and 2 hr post-dose, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
The increased level of CRT was in the range previously shown in the literature to cause cleft palates in mice and was likely the underlying mechanism behind casopitant-induced cleft palate in mice.


Transgenic gene deletion/over-expression studies have established the cardioprotective role of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). However, it remains unclear whether nNOS-mediated heart protection can be translated to gene therapy. In this study, we generated an adeno-associated virus (AAV) nNOS vector and tested its therapeutic efficacy in the aged mdx model of Duchenne cardiomyopathy. A PDZ domain-deleted nNOS gene (ΔPDZ nNOS) was packaged into tyrosine mutant AAV-9 and delivered to the heart of ~14-month-old female mdx mice, a phenotypic model of Duchenne cardiomyopathy. Seven months later, we observed robust nNOS expression in the myocardium. Supra-physiological ΔPDZ nNOS expression significantly reduced myocardial fibrosis, inflammation and apoptosis. Importantly, electrocardiography and left ventricular hemodynamics were significantly improved in treated mice. Additional studies revealed increased phosphorylation of phospholamban and p70S6K. Collectively, we have demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of the AAV ΔPDZ nNOS vector in a symptomatic Duchenne cardiomyopathy model. Our results suggest that the cardioprotective role of ΔPDZ nNOS is likely through reduced apoptosis, enhanced phospholamban phosphorylation and improved Akt/mTOR/p70S6K signaling. Our study has opened the door to treat Duchenne cardiomyopathy with ΔPDZ nNOS gene transfer.


We investigated infection by canine parvovirus and genetic variation of the VP2 gene. We collected feces samples of 50 diarrheal dogs in Sichuan Province, China. Analyses polymerase chain reaction (PCRs), agarose gel electrophoresis, and amplification of the complete sequence of canine parvovirus were done. We observed 19PCR-positive samples. Sequencing analyses of 15PCR-positive samples based on amplification of the complete VP2 gene showed all to be CPV-2a,and to be polymerized with Sichuan isolates. These results suggest that the common epidemic strain in Sichuan Province is CPV-2a,and may originate from the same strain. Compared with reference strains, there were no significant variations in canine parvovirus in Sichuan Province, China.


This two-site exhibition enabled Fox to present a new body of work and to make a site-specific installation for the Museum of Contemporary Art, London. The programme within which Fox was selected to exhibit aims to couple younger artists with historical or established artists, in this instance Fox's work was presented in counterpoint with Picabia's 'Femmee aux Perles', and enabled comparison between the hetero-erotic content of Picabia and the homo-erotic of Fox's imagery.

The exhibition represented Fox's concerns with eroticism and desire, using contemporary notions of the historical Arcadian narrative painting as the platform for this body of work. Moving away from the more literally phallic imagery that had been the focus of his work in the previous two years, these paintings investigated how a more subtle use of imagery could amplify the eroticism suggested in the painting. Referencing historical narrative painting, Victorian photography and other more contemporary erotic outputs this work explores a decorative painterly tradition and investigates how the more familiar platform of everyday domestic objects can be read in relation to more traditional two-dimensional painting. These three-dimensional 'paintings' are made of reproduction Edwardian tables covered with a 'tablecloth' of acrylic paint featuring decoupage and drawn and painted surfaces. Further pieces made for the show were 'Tableau', an 18ft long single skin of paint, made directly for the space. This site-specific piece drew parallels with Picabia's work by duplicating the seductive surface patination and mirrored its narrative content while investigating connecting decorative codes and symbols.

Funded by the Royal Academy of Arts, MOCA London, St James Homes and Futurecity, this exhibition has resulted in initial discussions with The Michaelis Collection, Cape Town (The National Gallery of South Africa) in developing a body of work in response to their permanent Flemish collection.


BACKGROUND
Nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) are the most frequent pituitary tumors. Due to the lack of hormonal hypersecretion, posttreatment follow-up evaluation of NFPAs is challenging.

OBJECTIVE
To create evidence-based guidelines in an attempt to formulate guidance for posttreatment follow-up in a consistent, rigorous, and cost-effective way.

METHODS
An extensive literature search was performed. Only clinical articles describing postoperative follow-up of adult patients with NFPAs were included. To ascertain the class of evidence for the posttreatment follow-ups, the authors used the Clinical Assessment evidence-based classification.

RESULTS
Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria with respect to answering the questions on the posttreatment radiologic, endocrinologic, and ophthalmologic follow-up. Through this search, the authors formulated evidence-based guidelines for radiologic, endocrinologic, and ophthalmologic follow-up after surgical and/or radiation treatment.

CONCLUSION
Long-term radiologic, endocrinologic, and ophthalmologic surveillance monitoring after surgical and/or radiation therapy treatment of NFPAs to evaluate for tumor recurrence or regrowth, as well as pituitary and visual status, is recommended. There is insufficient evidence to make a recommendation on the duration of time of surveillance and its frequency. It is recommended that the first radiologic study to evaluate the extent of resection of the NFPA be performed ≥3 months after surgical intervention. The full guidelines document for this chapter can be located at https://www.cns.org/guidelines/guidelines-management-patients-non-functioning-pituitary-adenomas/Chapter_8.

ABBREVIATION
NFPA, nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma.


Objectives: The purpose of this study is to find out the effect of various concentrations of Hwangnyeonhaedok-tang (HTT) pharmacopuncture on ST25 (天樞) in rats with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. Methods: Colitis was experimentally induced by feeding rats with water mixed with 5% (w/v) DSS for 20 days. The rats were divided into 5 groups: the normal group (Nor, n=5), the control group - colitis induced rats with no treatment (Con, n=5), the acupuncture group - colitis induced rats with acupuncture applied on ST25 (Acu, n=5), the pharmacopuncture group 1 - colitis induced rats with 0.729 mg/250 g/40 μl of pharmacopuncture applied on ST25 (PA-1, n=5), the pharmacopuncture group 2 - colitis induced rats with 3.645 mg/250 g/40 μl of pharmacopuncture applied on ST25 (PA-2, n=5). The changes in weight, excrement concentration and hemafecia were observed 5 times every 2 days. The colon lengths were measured from appendix to the end of colon after the experiment. Hematological and serological exams were conducted the day after the last treatment by cardiac puncturing anesthetized rats. Results: ST25 is the abdominal front point (募穴) of large intestine meridian and is known to have effect in colitis. Various concentrations of HTT pharmacopuncture (HTTP) applied on ST25, in rats with DSS-induced colitis inhibited decrease in colon lengths and body weight in both PA-1 and PA-2 groups. Hematological and serological exam results also showed that HTTP has significant effect on colitis in both PA-1 and PA-2 groups. Conclusions: Colon lengths were significantly increased in the acupuncture group, PA-1 group and PA-2 group, compared to the control group. The body weight was significantly increased (p<0.05) in PA-2 group after the first treatment, compared to the control group. TNF-.., IL-6, AST were significantly decreased in PA-1 and PA-2 groups, compared to the control group.


Summary The sub-lethal effects of catch-and-release angling have been poorly studied because of the difficulties in monitoring physiological parameters in free-swimming fish. Laboratory studies provide the opportunity to examine sub-lethal effects in controlled environments, but do not incorporate site-specific characteristics. In this study we angled free-swimming largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) equipped with heart rate transmitters to exhaustion using rod and reel, and exposed fish to air for 30 s. Experiments were repeated at four water temperatures (13, 17, 21, and 25� C). These field data were compared with published findings from largemouth bass collected at the same water temperatures in a controlled laboratory setting using Doppler flow probes. Field collected heart rate data increased with increasing water temperatures (Q10 values 1.30–1.37). Pre-disturbance heart rates were � 30% higher for free-swimming fish in the field than previously collected laboratory data at the same water temperatures. Fish angled in the field exhausted � 40% more rapidly than fish chased in the laboratory. Maximal heart rate was � 15% higher for free-swimming fish in the field than for data collected from laboratory restrained fish, but scope for heart rate was reduced by up to 20% in the field, especially at higher water temperatures. Heart rate in free-swimming fish was highly variable at all times, obscuring clear recovery patterns. Conversely, laboratory cardiac parameters exhibited less variable patterns, peaking clearly following disturbances and recovering in about 135 min, independent of water temperature. Based upon these findings, we suggest that comprehensive studies incorporating both laboratory and field experiments are needed for truly understanding the effect of catch-andrelease angling on fish.


Background: There is an increased global awareness among health professionals about the health hazards owing to biomedical waste (BMW) and appropriate management techniques, but the level of awareness in India is found to be unsatisfactory. Adequate knowledge about the health hazards of hospital waste, proper techniques and methods of handling the waste, and practice of safety measures can go a long way toward the safe disposal of hazardous hospital waste and protect the community from various adverse effects of the hazardous waste

Objective: To find out the knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding BMW management among the health-care workers (HCWs).

Materials and Methods: This hospital-based, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in a 998-bedded multispeciality teaching hospital, in Delhi, from March 2 to April 10, 2013. The study consisted of 120 HCWs as participants, which included 30 doctors, 30 nurses, 30 laboratory staffs, and 30 sanitary staffs. A predesigned structured questionnaire consisting of 24 questions was administered to the participants after obtaining their consent and briefing them about the study. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods applying 2-test to the frequency tables as a test of significance.

Result: Correct color coding for waste disposal was known to 84.2% of respondents, and awareness about transmission of important diseases such as HIV infection and hepatitis B through BMW was known to 66.7% of the participants. The practice of recapping of used needles, which is one of the important risk factors for needle-stick injuries was found among 25.8% of respondents and was the highest among the sanitary staffs (83.3%). Awareness about the practice of initiating accident reporting pro forma on contact with blood/body fluids of HIV-infected patients was found to be 77.5% overall and only 10% among the sanitary staffs. Similarly, the awareness about the practice of postexposure prophylaxis for the prevention of HIV infection was found to be 71.7% overall and only 10% among the sanitary staffs, which could be owing to their poor literacy status. However, the attitude of all HCWs including the sanitary staffs toward BMW management was positive and favorable.

Conclusion: Training of the sanitary staff on all aspects of BMW management will lead to a further improvement in BMW disposal in the hospital.


Objective To study the prevalence and factors associated with syphilis among female sex workers (FSWs) in Indonesia. Methods Direct and indirect FSWs were sampled in 10 major cities in Indonesia. A behavioural survey was conducted and samples obtained and tested for HIV (Bioline and Determine) and syphilis (RPR and Determine). Syphilis prevalence and potential factors associated with syphilis were assessed in bivariable and multivariable analysis. Syphilis prevalence among brothel-based sex workers from previous surveillance in 2003 and 2005 was compared to 2007. Results A total of 2436 direct and 1888 indirect FSWs participated in both the behavioural and biomarker surveys. Prevalence of active syphilis (RPR≥1:8) was high among direct and indirect FSWs (7.5% vs 3.1%) and was not lower among those who had visited an STI clinic in the last 3 months. Prevalence of active syphilis was lower among those who had received at least one dose of a prior periodic presumptive treatment programme (PPT) for chlamydia and gonorrhoea with 1 g azithromycin and 400 mg cefixime compared to those who had not received PPT (3.9% vs 6.0%; p=0.008). Older age (AOR=1.4), longer duration of sex work (AOR=1.7) and PPT (AOR=0.6) were associated with active syphilis in multivariable analysis. Syphilis prevalence among brothel-based FSWs increased from 2005 to 2007 (7.8% vs 14.5%; p<0.001). Conclusions Syphilis prevalence among FSWs in Indonesia was high and increased from 2005 to 2007. Receipt of PPT was associated with lower syphilis prevalence. Current syphilis control programmes need to be evaluated and the possibility of alternative syphilis treatment with azithromycin explored.


Capital structure is one of the most important decisions in financial management. The primary objective of the firm is to maximize shareholders' wealth by an appropriate mix of the main sources of finance, including retained earnings, ordinary shares, preference shares, and debt. The primary objective of the study was to identify the key determinants of capital structure in the Indian sugar sector. The data for the study was collected from the financial statements for a sample of twenty-five companies in the Indian sugar sector for the period 2003-11 from the Capitaline database. The analysis was performed using pooled regression (OLS), and panel regression (GLS fixed-effects and random-effects) modeling. The latter approach is a contribution to the capital structure literature, viz. comparing the results of pooled and panel regressions in order to overcome the limitations pooled regression methodology, and to examine the role of firm-specific factors in capital structure decisions. The results of the study suggest that financial leverage is significantly positively related with collateralizable value of assets, and significantly negatively related with profitability. Thus, in a highly capitalintensive industry as the sugar industry, companies prioritise their sources of financing, preferring internal funds, followed by debt, and finally equity issues, as sources of finance.


This study examines two point-of-care products: DynaMed® and UpToDate®. These resources were evaluated based on four criteria: search result counts, search result answers, reference counts, and currency of updates. The results of the study suggest that of the four areas evaluated, two indicate a statistical advantage of one database over the other. DynaMed contained updates that were more current, and UpToDate had a more significant total number of references used in a topic. The other two criteria, of initial search result counts and if there was an exact answer to the clinical question, did not produce a statistically significant difference.


In this paper we describe a maximum a posteriori likelihood (MAPL) state and parameter estimator for a scalar discrete-time system with multiplicative noise. We develop a MAPL function and show that its maximization leads to parameter estimation equations which are coupled together with a nonlinear two-point boundary-value problem (b. v. p.) from which we obtain state estimates. We present an iterative procedure for obtaining MAPL estimates which decouples the state and parameter estimates. Simulation results, which illustrate convergence properties of the iterative procedure, are included.