Introduction: Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is the most common benign neoplasm of the major salivary glands arising primarily from the parotid gland. Computed tomography (CT) is one of the primary imaging modalities used to assess the tumors of salivary glands. However, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may provide additional information over CT. Case Report: We report the case of a 60-year-old male with a slowly enlarging, well-defined, round, painless, non-fixated, rubber-like swelling over the left ramus region below the ear, measuring about 4 × 4.5 cm, covering the lower border of the mandible near the angle. A provisional diagnosis of PA was given and CT and MRI were used to study the lesion. Discussion: Through this case, which was suspected to have undergone malignant transformation because of indistinct margins and focal hypodense areas on CT but was later confirmed to be a benign salivary gland tumor on MRI, we illustrate the role of CT and MRI as diagnostic aids in PA and emphasize on what should be the choice of imaging modality for parotid tumors.


DNA computing holds out the promise of important and significant connections between computers and living systems, as well as promising massively parallel computations. Before these promises are fulfilled, however, important challenges related to errors and practicality have to be addressed. On the other hand, new directions toward a synthesis of molecular evolution and DNA computing might circumvent the problems that have hindered development, so far.


Insulin initiation and titration can be challenging for many primary care providers who are involved in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes. Despite the introduction of advanced insulin analogs and improvements in insulin delivery devices, many patients with type 2 diabetes continue to experience suboptimal glycemic control. With an increasing number of treatment options available, type 2 diabetes management is moving away from a "one-size-fits-all" approach and toward individualized treatment regimens based on particular patient needs. Given this, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and certified diabetes educators are becoming increasingly valuable resources in busy primary care practices.


This study aims to determine the reading interest of fifth grade students through the application of the KWL (Know-Want To Know-Learned) Method Assisted Reading Model. This type of research is a quantitative study with a Quasi-Experimental Design. The research design used was Nonequivalent Control Group Design, in this study was given certain treatment (treatment), namely the control class and the experimental class.The sample in this study were students of class V in Cluster VII, Biringkanaya District, Makassar City, totaling 48 students. The data collection technique used was giving questionnaires. The data analysis technique used was descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, hypothesis testing T and manova.The results showed that the results of the fifth grade students' reading interest questionnaire in the experimental class used the KWL (Know-Want To Know-Learned) Assisted Reading Model. ) obtained an average value of r ata 83.09 which means the students' interest in reading is very good. So it can be concluded that there is an influence of the Guided Reading model assisted by the KWL (Know-Want To Know-Learned) method on the reading interest of Class V students throughout Cluster VII, Biringkanaya District, Makassar City


Here, we characterize the duration of exogenously triggered perceptual switches in an ambiguously rotating structure-from-motion display and demonstrate their independence on visual awareness. To this end, we triggered a perceptual reversal by inverting the on-screen motion and systematically varied the posttrigger presentation duration, while collecting observers' reports about the initial and final directions of illusory rotation. We demonstrate that for the structure-from-motion display, perceptual transitions are extremely brief (≤ 20 ms) and can be considered instantaneous from an experimental perspective. We also report that although very brief posttrigger intervals (10-20 ms) reliably initiate a perceptual reversal, observers become aware of perceptual switches only if the posttrigger presentation continues for at least 80 ms. Additional experiments demonstrated that an observed lack of visual awareness for brief posttrigger presentation intervals cannot be attributed to either a systematic delay of visual awareness or to backward masking. Our results show that exogenously triggered perceptual reversal can occur in the absence of visual awareness, extending earlier work on spontaneous reversals that indicated that neither awareness nor attention may be required for multistable perception. Methodologically, the brevity and the short latency of induced perceptual reversals make them particularly suitable for finely timed experiments, such as magneto/electroencephalography studies.


This paper studies the early-aged chloride binding capacity of various blended concretes including OPC(ordinary Portland cement), PFA(pulversied fly ash), GGBFS(ground granulated blast furnace slag) and SF(silica fume) cement paste. Cement pastes with 0.4 of a free water/binder ratio were cast with chloride admixed in mixing water, which ranged from 0.1 to 3.0% by weight of cement and different replacement ratios for the PFA, GGBFS and SF were used. The content of chloride in each paste was measured using water extraction method after 7 days curing. It was found that the chloride binding capacity strongly depends on binder type, replacement ratio and total chloride content. An increase in total chloride results in a decrease in the chloride binding, because of the restriction of the binding capacity of cement matrix. For the pastes containing maximum level of PFA(30%) and GGBFS(60%) replacement in this study, the chloride binding capacity was lower than those of OPC paste, and an increase in SF resulted in decreased chloride binding, which are ascribed to a latent hydration of pozzolanic materials and a fall in the pH of the pore solution, respectively. The chloride binding capacity at 7 days shows that the order of the resistance to chloride-induced corrosion is 30%PFA > 10%SF > 60%GGBFS > OPC, when chlorides are internally intruded in concrete. In addition, it is found that the binding behaviour of all binders are well described by both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms.


A model of Saturn's internal planetary magnetic field based on data from the Cassini prime mission has been derived. In the absence of a determination of the rotation rate, the model is constrained to be axisymmetric. Non‐axisymmetric models for a range of plausible planetary rotation periods have also been derived and we evaluate upper limits on the asymmetry of the internal magnetic field based on those models. We investigate whether a maximum in the non‐axisymmetric magnetic field can be identified at a particular rotation rate thus providing insight into the rotation rate of the planet's interior. No such peak can unambiguously be identified. An axisymmetric octupole model is adequate to fit the data and addition of higher order terms does not improve the goodness of fit. The largest value of the dipole tilt obtained from non‐axisymmetric models (<0.1°) confirm the high degree of symmetry of Saturn's magnetic field.


While the Iraqi education system was widely regarded as one of the best in the Middle East and enjoyed near-universal primary enrollment until the 1980s, the next decade marked a serious downturn in results. The sector witnessed low primary and secondary enrollment and attendance, outdated curriculum content, and deteriorating learning outcomes. In order to get children back to school, the government needed large, fast, and quality investments in the education system. 100 million dollars was allocated to the education sector under the World Bank Iraq Trust (ITF), set up jointly by the World Bank Group (WBG) and the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) to administer donor funding for Iraqi reconstruction. This quick note summarizes how innovative approaches to procurement led to exemplary service delivery results in Iraq's education sector. The focus is on two breakthrough achievements: large-scale textbook printing and delivery, under the emergency textbook provision project and school construction in the newly rehabilitated marshlands of Southern Iraq under the marshlands school construction project.


This dissertations aims to review the benefits of socio-dramatic play on pre-school aged children. It focuses on children from the ages of 3 to 5 and investigates the effects of engaging in socio-dramatic play experiences for their learning and development. Recent research is consistent in highlighting socio-dramatic play as a vehicle for young children's learning experiences and cognitive, social and emotional development. For this reason, this dissertation sets out the process of learning through play based on constructivist theories which includes individual learning and adult supported activities. It also explores how socio-dramatic play activities can be used as support for the learning and development of children with specific needs by drawing upon empirical research and observations. It emerges that socio-dramatic play experiences are a means of extending learning and building children's development with appropriate adult support and the effective provision of an enabling environment where children can play a range of scenarios, acting different roles and challenging themselves within the safety of their play scene.


A physics-based compact model of insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) for power electronic circuit simulation is presented. The compact model is constructed as a combination of a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) part and a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) part with a conductivity-modulated base resistance in between them and is named "HiSIM-IGBT." The model considers the potential distribution from the MOSFET channel to the two BJT junctions explicitly by solving important internal node potentials self-consistently. The IGBT output current at the collector terminal is governed by the base resistance of the bipolar part and the MOSFET characteristics, which is confirmed to be described accurately. The model is verified to accurately reproduce measured transient behaviors of switching test circuits which are basic components of practically used power electronic circuits.


The paper presents a refined instruction task to assist evaluation of prosodic phrase (PPh) boundaries by naive listeners. The results from the perceptual experiments were compared to the boundaries produced by online automatic tagger. The Kappa evaluation shows the average of 85% on inter-rater agreement. More than 60% of the boundaries which are detected by the automatic tagger matched the reference boundaries, showing that the refined instruction task can be used to evaluate perception on phrase boundaries on continuous speech.


Correlation of the organic shales in the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley has much economic importance. Investigation of micro-organisms indicates that the upper 4,000 feet of this shale is equivalent to the shale at Monterey where early Miocene sediments are lacking. Local variations in these deposits make stratigraphic subdivisions of general application very difficult but microscopic fossils appear to afford a basis for recognition of different parts of the shale body.


A genetic map of barley with 224 AFLP and 39 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers was constructed using a doubled haploid (DH) mapping population from a cross between the varieties Tallon and Kaputar. Linkage groups were assigned to individual barley chromosomes using the published map locations of the SSR markers as reference points. This genetic map was used to identify markers with linkage to agronomic, disease, and quality traits in barley. The population, which comprised 65 lines, was tested in a range of environments across Australia. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) analyses were performed using software packages MapMaker, MapManager, and Qgene. Significant associations with markers were found for several traits. Grain yield showed significant association with regions on chromosomes 2H, 3H, and 5H over a range of sites throughout Australia. Regions on chromosomes 2H and 3H explained 30% and 26% of variation in lodging, respectively. Among quality traits, diastatic power was associated with regions on chromosomes 1H, 2H, and 5H (R2 = 37%). Hot water extract was associated with a region on chromosome 6H and a marker not assigned to a chromosome (R2 = 45%). There were also environment-specific QTLs for the traits analysed. The markers identified here present an opportunity for marker assisted selection of lines for these traits in barley breeding programs.


The chapter on neuroleukin was particularly informative. Chapter 4 also merits a mention for the clear manner in which dissection of ganglia, preparation of collagen gels and nerve growth factor activity tests were described. Various culture systems (retinal, PC12 and chromaffin cells) and their use for bioassay of growth factors were detailed in chapters 6-8. One chapter is devoted to histological aspects of nerve growth factor. The authors demonstrate how to localise it at both light and electron microscopical levels. The second part of this contribution details the localisation ofnerve growth factormRNA using isotopically and non-isotopically labelled cRNA and cDNA probes by means of easy to follow protocols. Chapter 10 provides interesting reading on the various means of in vivo administration of nerve growth factor and includes useful tables which summarise the known effects using various regimes. Explicit protocols are given which possibly have a general applicability for other mRNAs which occur in low copy numbers. The book thus brings together a wide range of up to date techniques. It is excellent value for money and would be a useful guide for any researcher embarking on a new field of study on nerve growth factors. JULIAM POLAK


Abstract Canada is a relatively young country, spanning a vast geographical area; yet, it has matured quickly, becoming a diverse, prosperous, and proud nation. The development of group psychotherapy in this country has followed a similar path: its roots can be traced back to fairly recent times, but it has given rise to a rich fabric of practice, teaching, and research traditions. This article provides a brief synopsis of how group therapy is provided, taught, and studied in Canada. Given the growing emphasis on providing group therapy, we recommend that Canadian mental health services invest in continuing education in group therapy; accrediting bodies require that foundational knowledge in group principles be taught to all trainees; and institutions encourage researchers to engage clinicians in practice-based research.


We introduce EGIC, a novel generative image compression method that allows traversing the distortion-perception curve efficiently from a single model. Specifically, we propose an implicitly encoded variant of image interpolation that predicts the residual between a MSE-optimized and GAN-optimized decoder output. On the receiver side, the user can then control the impact of the residual on the GAN-based reconstruction. Together with improved GAN-based building blocks, EGIC outperforms a wide-variety of perception-oriented and distortion-oriented baselines, including HiFiC, MRIC and DIRAC, while performing almost on par with VTM-20.0 on the distortion end. EGIC is simple to implement, very lightweight (e.g. 0.18x model parameters compared to HiFiC) and provides excellent interpolation characteristics, which makes it a promising candidate for practical applications targeting the low bit range.


Iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia are global health problems and common medical conditions seen in everyday clinical practice. Although the prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia has recently declined somewhat, iron deficiency continues to be the top-ranking cause of anemia worldwide, and iron-deficiency anemia has a substantial effect on the lives of young children and premenopausal women in both low-income and developed countries.1 The diagnosis and treatment of this condition could clearly be improved. Iron is crucial to biologic functions, including respiration, energy production, DNA synthesis, and cell proliferation.2 The human body has evolved to conserve iron in several ways, including the recycling of iron after the breakdown of red cells and the retention of iron in the absence of an excretion mechanism. However, since excess levels of iron can be toxic, its absorption is limited to 1 to 2 mg daily, and most of the iron needed daily (about 25 mg per day) is provided through recycling by macrophages that phagocytose senescent erythrocytes. The latter two mechanisms are controlled by the hormone hepcidin, which maintains total-body iron within normal ranges, avoiding both iron deficiency and excess. Iron deficiency refers to the reduction of iron stores that precedes overt irondeficiency anemia or persists without progression. Iron-deficiency anemia is a more severe condition in which low levels of iron are associated with anemia and the presence of microcytic hypochromic red cells. Iron-restricted erythropoiesis indicates that the delivery of iron to erythroid precursors is impaired, no matter how replete the stores.3,4 Stores may be normal or even increased because of iron sequestration in cases of anemia of chronic inflammation, which is observed in patients with autoimmune disorders, cancer, infections, and chronic kidney diseases.3,4 The presence of both iron deficiency and anemia of chronic disorders is common and may be seen in elderly patients5 and patients with chronic kidney disease.6 However, a substantial fraction of the anemia that is typical in elderly patients occurs in the absence of iron deficiency or elevated hepcidin levels.7 Functional iron deficiency is a state of iron-poor erythropoiesis8 in which there is insufficient mobilization of iron from stores in the presence of increased demands, as is observed after treatment with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents.9 (See the Glossary for definitions of terms related to iron-deficiency anemia.) This review reconsiders iron deficiency and its anemia in light of advances in the understanding of systemic iron homeostasis and examines causes, pathophysiological features, and treatment options in adults. Readers are referred elsewhere for information on the presentation, symptoms, and diagnosis of iron-deficiency anemia through laboratory tests and on issues that are specific to children or pregnancy.10-13 From Vita Salute University and San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan. Address reprint requests to Dr. Camaschella at Vita Salute University, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 58, 20132 Milan, Italy, or at camaschella . clara@ hsr . it.


Camels are very resilient and can survive up to 14 days without water. They can also keep producing milk when other livestock succumb during drought. This makes camel the suitable animal to harness for climate change. Currently, there are no formulated camel feeds for feeding camels during the drought when the shrubs and vegetation dries up. This has led to conflicts between camel herders and crop farmers. In the recent past as recent as this year, 2022, it has resulted to loss of human lives and camels in an alarming rate. It is estimated that during drought there is loss of at least 100 lives pa as a result of this conflict. The loss of camels due to drought is hundreds of thousands.  This study aimed at formulating and processing camel feeds with locally available ingredients which can be stored to be used during drought. The study was carried out at Garemara, Isiolo. The feeds were formulated with locally available materials including acacia pods and local grass. The feeds were analysed for the crude protein content and nutrient content. The camels were supplemented at a rate of 1.5 % of the body weight. Ten camels were purchased for the study. Five camels were supplemented while the other five camel were un supplemented. The camels were weighed fortnightly to monitor weight changes. The formulated camel feed has a crude protein of 17%. The camels supplemented with climate-smart feed increased the weight at a rate of 15% while those unsupplemented increased the weight at 10%. Climate smart feeds can be formulated and used to supplement camel feeds during drought and avert loss of camels and human conflicts.


Clopidogrel is a novel antiplatelet agent that has a different mechanism of action to aspirin. Clopidogrel is chemically related to ticlopidine, both of which are more effective than aspirin in preventing some thrombotic events, but it has a safer side-effect profile than ticlopidine. It is likely to add to the antithrombotic armoury and reduce vascular mortality and morbidity more than current therapies.


Abstract Non-thermal radio emission has been detected from dMe stars, RS CVn binaries and W T Tauri stars. Polarisation and intensity measurements of the quiescent (i.e. non-flaring) emission indicate that the emission is gyrosynchrotron emission from mildly relativistic electrons spiralling in a magnetic field. A three-dimensional dipole magnetic field model for the stellar field is presented and the quiescent gyrosynchrotron emission from such a model is calculated and compared with observations. The model can account for many phenomenological features of quiescent emission. Quantitative comparisons of model results with observations indicate that the electron distribution in the emission region may be a magnetic mirroring distribution.


Magnetic micro-/nanoparticles are extensively explored over the past decade as active diagnostic/therapeutic agents for minimally invasive medicine. However, sufficient function integration on these miniaturized bodies toward practical applications remains challenging. This work proposes a synergistic strategy via integrating particle functionalization and bioinspired swarming, demonstrated by recombinant tissue plasminogen activator modified magnetite nanoparticles (rtPA-Fe3 O4 NPs) for fast thrombolysis in vivo with low drug dosage. The synthesized rtPA-Fe3 O4 NPs exhibit superior magnetic performance, high biocompatibility, and thrombolytic enzyme activity. Benefiting from a customized magnetic operation system designed for animal experiments and preclinical development, these agglomeration-free NPs can assemble into micro-/milli-scale swarms capable of robust maneuver and reconfigurable transformation for on-demand tasks in complex biofluids. Specifically, the spinning mode of the swarm exerts focused fluid shear stresses while rubbing on the thrombus surface, constituting a mechanical force for clot breakdown. The synergy of the NPs' inherent enzymatic effect and swarming-triggered fluid forces enables amplified efficacy of thrombolysis in an in vivo occlusion model of rabbit carotid artery, using lower drug concentration than clinical dosage. Furthermore, swarming-enhanced ultrasound signals aid in imaging-guided treatment. Therefore, the pharmacomechanical NP swarms herein represent an injectable thrombolytic tool joining advantages of intravenous drug therapy and robotic intervention.


The hydrodynamic and transport characteristics of the Baltic Sea in the period 2000–2009 were studied using a fully calibrated and validated 3D hydrodynamic model with a horizontal resolution of 4.8 km. This study provided new insight into the type and dynamics of vertical structure in the Baltic Sea, not considered in previous studies. Thermal and salinity stratification are both addressed, with a focus on the structural properties of the layers. The detection of cooler regions (dicothermal) within the layer structure is an important finding. The detailed investigation of thermal stratification for a 10-year period (i.e., 2000–2009) revealed some new features. A multilayered structure that contains several thermocline and dicothermal layers was identified from this study. Statistical analysis of the simulation results made it possible to derive the mean thermal stratification properties, expressed as mean temperatures and the normalized layer thicknesses. The three-layered model proposed by previous investigators appears to be valid only during the winter periods; for other periods, a multi-layered structure with more than five layers has been identified during this investigation. This study provides detailed insight into thermal and salinity stratification in the Baltic Sea during a recent decade that can be used as a basis for diverse environmental assessments. It extends previous studies on stratification in the Baltic Sea regarding both the extent and the nature of stratification.


Karyotypes of the house shrew (Suncus murinus) collected from 8 different localities in East, Southeast and Southwest Asia were examined with an interest of the geographical variation and distribution of this animal. Specimens collected from 7 localities in Japan, Indonesia and India had always 40 chromosomes (basic type), with apparent geographical variations in the size and shape of the Y chromosome. Specimens collected from Sri Lanka, on the other hand, had 32 chromosomes, among which 4 pairs were large metacentrics, probably derived from the Robertsonian fusion of 8 acrocentric pairs in the basic karyotype. Referring to the present and other studies, it is suggested that the house shrews with 40 chromosomes should have distributed originally in India, and then migrated to Southwest, Southeast and East Asia. The chromosome number reduction could have occurred in the animals moved to southern India and then they migrated to Sri Lanka. Mechanism of the karyotype evolution in the house shrew is discussed in relation to the environmental mutagens.


This communication presents the design and experimental verification of a substrate integrated waveguide fed lens antenna for 79 GHz automotive radar applications. The proposed integrated lens antenna consists of a six layer cylindrical Luneburg lens illuminated by 17 source elements of substrate integrated waveguide fed by a planar log periodic dipole antenna array. The Luneburg lens is developed by using a unique foam material AirexR82 ( $\varepsilon _{r} = 1.12$ ), which is drilled and pressed to achieve the different dielectric constant needed to follow the index law inside the lens. The return loss and the radiation characteristics of the proposed integrated lens antenna are investigated and validated by measurements. A good agreement between the measured and simulated results is observed. The measured results confirm the beam scanning capability of the proposed integrated lens antenna for a wide scan angle of ±85° in azimuth plane having a maximum antenna gain of 15 dBi at 82.5 GHz and gain drop of less than 2.75 dB for the edge feeds. The estimated radiation efficiency of the antenna is found to be 67% at 82.5 GHz.


The intent of this paper is to explore the future role of ebooks in the publishing industry. Emphasis is put on the impact it has on the supply chain of the industry. Issues dealing with the legal ramifications and financial implications, such as sales taxes, will also be addressed. The first section describes characteristics of e-books and the current developments in e-books from the consumer's point of view. With the handling of the content of publications in digital form, intellectual property rights will become more complex and will require new regulations to deal with the new medium. These and other related legal issues are addressed in the third section. With the likelihood of utilizing the Internet for the distribution of the e-book to consumers, the collection of sales taxes will be difficult for government agencies to handle. The situation will be further complicated due to the globalization of the market place. Which policies are in effect, how will they are enforced, and who are responsible for their collection are emerging issues that will need to be addressed in the global and local arenas. Then it will be followed by the impact it has on the supply chain of the industry. For example, one of the benefits of ebooks is the reduction of logistical costs throughout the supply chain. Also, due to the ease of distribution, there most likely will be consolidation of certain levels within the supply chain. It may trigger a shift of competitive power among the various levels. The likely scenario of the future business environment of the publishing industry is discussed in the concluding section.


Today we are living in a social networking era and the use of social media is a popular trend among people. Social media websites and applications are designed to enable people to share any information in fast and more efficient manner. It is a set of information technology that facilitates interaction and networking. Recently communication technologies and information has sparked the creative incorporation of social media into current pedagogical applications and processes. Social media includes wide range of web-based services and tools that were designed to promote community development through collaboration and information sharing. Keeping the above facts in mind the present study was carried out to create awareness about water conservation techniques through whatsapp messages. For this ten messages were designed and developed on different water conservation techniques. These messages were sent to 40 rural women of Burack and Gawar villages of Hisar district through Whatsapp. Later the effectiveness of WhatsApp messages on water conservation were judged on five different parameters viz; Clarity of printing, font size, Clarity of picture, Appropriateness of language and Usefulness of information. The results highlighted the fact that majority of the respondents (75% - 90%) perceived all the messages as very appropriate in terms of clarity of printing, clarity of picture and appropriateness of language used in the picture. They also perceived them as highly useful and understandable. Hence these messages can be effectively use on whatapp to create awareness about water crisis and how to conserve water at domestic front in rural areas.


We investigated the effectiveness of a simplified program for the treatment of stuttering in children. The simplified treatment included awareness training, in which the subjects learned to detect every occurrence of stuttering; training a response incompatible with stuttering, which involved relaxation and regulation of air flow over the larynx when speaking; and social support, which involved parent-delivered prompts and praise of children's use of the techniques in everyday environments. Eight children were treated in their homes with the simplified treatment, in a multiple baseline across subjects design, and all reached the criterion level of less than 3% words stuttered. In addition, the reduction in stuttering generalized to the school setting and was maintained at posttreatment (10 to 13 months). The subjects' rates of speech remained stable throughout baseline and treatment. Pretreatment and posttreatment ratings by the parents showed that they found treatment to be both acceptable and credible. Finally, social validity measures revealed a noticeable improvement in the subjects' speech to parents and speech pathologists.


Abstract Future needs and challenges, the respective contributions of practice and research, and the state of education are constant preoccupations of the planning profession. These issues are regularly canvassed in academic and professional forums. This paper provides an Australasian (Australia and New Zealand) perspective in reporting the findings from an online survey of over 250 planners and planning academics from our part of the world. The survey was inspired by the work of Klaus Kunzmann and Martina Koll-Schretzenmayr who have conducted two major "state of the art" surveys in Europe and Asia since 2014. There are three main foci. The first is how academic and professional planners define the major challenges for the planning profession and the productiveness of their engagement. The second is knowledge exchange across the academic research/practitioner divide in enhancing the profile and contributions of the profession generally through constructive dialogue. The third is an assessment of the present state of and future needs for planning education. This professional self-assessment yields overall positive results amid guardedness and caution. There is common ground with the European and Asian surveys albeit falling short of the same sense of grimness and crisis moving forward.


We present a neural transducer model with visual attention that learns to generate LaTeX markup of a real-world math formula given its image. Applying sequence modeling and transduction techniques that have been very successful across modalities such as natural language, image, handwriting, speech and audio; we construct an image-to-markup model that learns to produce syntactically and semantically correct LaTeX markup code over 150 words long and achieves a BLEU score of 89%; improving upon the previous state-of-art for the Im2Latex problem. We also demonstrate with heat-map visualization how attention helps in interpreting the model and can pinpoint (detect and localize) symbols on the image accurately despite having been trained without any bounding box data.


The prediction of losses in transonic flow in turbines is an important step in the design of turbine stages, but at the same time requirements of simplicity and speed are needed to allow the work of designers. The paper presents a procedure developed to match this goal. It uses classical codes, experimental correlations and simple geometrical models of the shock system. The result of a time marching method with standard mesh is used to run an Integral Boundary layer calculation in which shock wave interaction effects have been included. The shock system is made up of this information plus empirical correlation and a suitable procedure. A mixing calculation is then performed to get the downstream total pressure. The method has been tested with various kinds of turbine blades of which losses and data for calculations have been published. The results are quite good and the procedure appears simple and fast.Copyright © 1985 by ASME


The maximum entropy analytic continuation (MEAC) and ring polymer molecular dynamics (RPMD) methods provide complementary approaches to the calculation of real time quantum correlation functions. RPMD becomes exact in the high temperature limit, where the thermal time betavariant Planck's over 2pi tends to zero and the ring polymer collapses to a single classical bead. MEAC becomes most reliable at low temperatures, where betavariant Planck's over 2pi exceeds the correlation time of interest and the numerical imaginary time correlation function contains essentially all of the information that is needed to recover the real time dynamics. We show here that this situation can be exploited by combining the two methods to give an improved approximation that is better than either of its parts. In particular, the MEAC method provides an ideal way to impose exact moment (or sum rule) constraints on a prior RPMD spectrum. The resulting scheme is shown to provide a practical solution to the "nonlinear operator problem" of RPMD, and to give good agreement with recent exact results for the short-time velocity autocorrelation function of liquid parahydrogen. Moreover these improvements are obtained with little extra effort, because the imaginary time correlation function that is used in the MEAC procedure can be computed at the same time as the RPMD approximation to the real time correlation function. However, there are still some problems involving long-time dynamics for which the RPMD+MEAC combination is inadequate, as we illustrate with an example application to the collective density fluctuations in liquid orthodeuterium.


David Hare's A Map of the World brings together, an African politician, an Indian novelist, an English journalist, an American actress and a UN conference on world poverty in a dramatic clash of cultures, politics and mores. Using a theatrical device of shifting perspectives it not only challenges the assumptions of what the audience are witnessing, but exposes the way the conference is appropriated by some of the delegates and manipulated by the media.


Abdominoscrotal hydrocele is encountered rarely in child age. The authors present an account on two patients with abdominoscrotal hydrocele in a three- and fifteen-year-old boy. They discuss its development, draw attention to the not very marked clinical manifestations, diagnostic pitfalls and the contribution of sonography to diagnosis.


Laryngeal contact granuloma, also known as vocal cord granuloma, is the non-neoplastic inflammatory granulation tissue occurring in the vocal cord around. The cause is unclear, morbidity and cure rate is low, the recurrence rate is high, leading to a poor clinical treatment. But some symptoms of the sound disorder, pharyngeal foreign body sensation seriously affect the quality of life of patients, increase the psychological burden of patients. With the increasing awareness of the disease, the deepening of the research, there have been different treatment methods. This paper reviews the previous literatures, and summarizes LCG treatment for the status.


ABSTRACT This work demonstrates the significance of the synthesis routes, namely microwave and hydrothermal methods, of green-emitting carbon dots prepared from the same precursors in the selective detection of Hg2+ ions. Aside from providing the advantage of a shorter time scale for the synthesis of C-dots (5 min) compared to the hydrothermal route (8 h) at a synthesis temperature of 180°C, the C-dots prepared via the microwave synthesis route exhibit higher absolute quantum yield (1.8 times) while retaining similar pH and concentration-dependent emission properties. Due to the difference in surface nitrogen content, the microwave synthesized C-dot fluorescence emission exhibit a linear behavior from 8 nM to 64 nM of Hg2+ ions and provides a limit of detection of 3.09 nM whereas hydrothermally synthesized particles exhibit linear variation from 0.5 µM to 4 µM with a detection limit of 0.22 µM . Graphical Abstract


Cardioversion of atrial fibrillation as an element of rhythm control strategy is indicated in patients with first episode of atrial fibrillation, hemodynamic instability, recurrent atrial fibrillation with low probability of spontaneous conversion, or severe symptoms. Early cardioversion is performed within 48 h of onset of atrial fibrillation. The best point in time is still unknown. It can be performed by pharmacological, or, preferentially, by electrical cardioversion. The advantages of electrical cardioversion are higher efficacy and no proarrhythmic risk, however, short time general anaesthesia is needed. Electrical cardioversion is most effective when biphasic shocks are delivered. For pharmacological cardioversion, several antiarrhythmic drugs are available which have to be considered individually. Thromboembolic risk does not differ between the two methods. Early cardioversion and maintenance of sinus rhythm is most effective in atrial fibrillation of short duration, normal left atrial size and no or only mild structural heart disease.


AMANDA is a first-generation high energy neutrino telescope, which has taken data at the South Pole in its final configuration since 2000. Results from seven years of operation are presented here, including observation of the atmopheric neutrino flux and searches for astrophysical neutrinos from cosmic ray accelerators, gamma ray bursts, and dark matter annihilations. In 2007, AMANDA was incorporated into the IceCube neutrino telescope, where its higher density of instrumentation improves the low energy response. In the near future, AMANDA will be replaced by the IceCube Deep Core, a purpose-built low energy extension of IceCube.


Esthesioneuroblastoma is a rare and malignant upper nasal cavity neoplasm involving the anterior skull base. Treatment includes surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or a combination. The ideal treatment modality has yet to be determined. Esthesioneuroblastoma often lies in proximity to the optic nerves, optic chiasm, and the orbit. Resection risks damaging these critical structures, and radiotherapeutic techniques, similar to those applied for paranasal sinus tumors, may damage these vital structures and result in late sequelae such as blindness and cortical necrosis. Management strategies for this neoplasm lack uniformity, and there is no universally accepted staging system. In this paper the authors discuss the clinical presentation, radiological and pathological features, and treatment of this rare, malignant skull base neoplasm, as well as review the literature. They also present their results and treatment regimen, which includes preoperative radio- and chemotherapy or 1) craniofacial resection if the lesion has a significant intracerebral component, or 2) frontal sinus resection if little intracranial extension exists.


Surface complexation models use experimental adsorption measurements to calculate stability constants that quantify the thermodynamic stability of adsorbed species. However, these constants are often poorly constrained due to nearly complete removal of the solute from solution and/or because the tested adsorbate:adsorbent ratios are not varied sufficiently. Using data sets that quantify the adsorption of U(VI) to multilayered graphene oxide (MLGO), we tested whether three different U(VI):MLGO ratios (3 ppm U; 20-210 mg L-1 MLGO) affect the ability of nonelectrostatic and diffuse layer models to predict U(VI) adsorption behaviors across a range of ionic strength (1-100 mM) and pH (2-9.5) conditions. Model formulations assumed interactions between discrete MLGO surfaces sites and the most abundant aqueous U(VI) complex(es) within a given pH range. We determined that the observed extents of U(VI) binding require adsorption of more than one U(VI) species (UO22+ and uranyl hydroxide(s) and/or carbonate(s)) and calculated the respective stability constants for the important U(VI)-MLGO surface complexes. The results also unequivocally illustrated that models using adsorption data from treatments with higher U(VI):MLGO ratios provide better fits throughout the tested range of experimental conditions, meaning that the U(VI)-MLGO stability constants calculated herein can be confidently applied to a range of natural or engineered systems.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine if administration of mixed medium-chain triglycerides (MCT)/long chain triglycerides (LCT) fat emulsion would increase net fat oxidation and if carbohydrate intake would influence net fat oxidation.

STUDY DESIGN
Stable infants receiving total parenteral nutrition were studied after surgery. Respiratory gas exchange was measured by indirect calorimetry and urinary nitrogen excretion by the micro-Kjeldahl method. Intravenous fat (4 g/kg/day) was given as either pure LCT fat emulsion or 50/50 MCT/LCT fat emulsion. Carbohydrate intake was either "high" (15 g/kg/day) or "low" (10 g/kg/day). Four groups of patients were studied: group 1 = LCT and high-carbohydrate; group 2 = LCT and low-carbohydrate; group 3 = MCT/LCT and high-carbohydrate; group 4 = MCT/LCT and low-carbohydrate.

RESULTS
At a carbohydrate intake of 15 g/kg/day, the calories available from glucose exceeded the measured resting energy expenditure (REE), and no differences were seen in either energy expenditure or net fat oxidation between patients receiving LCT and MCT/LCT fat emulsions. However, at a carbohydrate intake of 10 g/kg/day, when glucose calories were less than REE, net fat oxidation was significantly higher in patients receiving MCT/LCT (median, 1.94; range, 1.05-2.24 g/kg/day) compared with patients receiving LCT (median, 0.60; range, -0.09 to 1.35; P =.03).

CONCLUSION
Providing that carbohydrate calories do not exceed REE, partial replacement of LCT by MCT in intravenous fat emulsions can increase net fat oxidation in infants after surgery.


The exploration and development of Mars will require abundant surface power. Nuclear reactors are a low-cost, low-mass means of providing that power. A significant fraction of the nuclear power system mass is radiation shielding necessary for protecting humans and/or equipment from radiation emitted by the reactor. For planetary surface missions, it may be desirable to provide some or all of the required shielding from indigenous materials. This paper examines shielding options that utilize either purely indigenous materials or a combination of indigenous and nonindigenous materials.


We report a case of situs ambiguous associated with particular vascular anomalies resulting in secondary arterial hypertension. Renal ultrasonography performed in this case has oriented diagnosis.


The mud crab Scylla serrata is an export fishery item in Bangladesh and the supply for export and for domestic consumption is mainly dependent on wild sources. The aim of the present study is to isolate and identify the Vibrio bacteria from wild mud crab and their surrounding waters from the Chakoria coast of Bangladesh and to investigate their antibiotic resistances. Live crabs were collected, washed and dissected into shells, gills, guts and muscle tissues and plated onto thiosulphate citrate bile salts sucrose (TCBS) agar media and tryptone soy agar (TSA). Based on the morphological, biochemical and physiological characteristics, in addition API 20E and 20NE test strip, the isolated species were Vibrio alginolyticus, V. cholerae, V. harveyi, V. fluvialis, V. parahaemolyticus and V. mimicus. Among them V. harveyi was the dominantly isolated species. All the bacterial isolates showed sensitive to ciprofloxacin (91.90%), chloramphenicol (83.79%) and norfloxacin (83.78%) and resistant to ampicillin, erythromycin, kanamycin, nalidixic acid, neomycin, oxytetracycline, penicillin, streptomycin and tetracycline. Much variation was observed in bacterial populations among the tissues. A total of 82 bacterial strains consisting of 6 bacterial species from various tissues of wild mud crab in which highest numbers of bacteria were observed in the gills and lowest numbers in muscle tissue. The study is helpful to assess the safety of human food concern regarding the multi-resistant Vibrio bacteria found in edible mud crab.


Due to the advantages of organizational mechanism and profession knowledge, NGOs have increasingly become an important force to deal with public crisis management and played essential role in modern society. Thus governments should create a benignant environment for the development of NGOs and expand their scope of development. At the same time, NGOs should also improve themselves so as to full play their important role in the public crisis management. According to the characteristics of NGOs, the paper analyses the definition and characteristics of NGOs, examines the essential role of NGOs in the public crisis management and puts forward the specific measures from the bodies of management, social dimensions and institutional construction.


ESM (Earth system model) is an important tool not only to understand climate and environmental evolution mechanism, but also to estimate global potential scenarios in the future[1]. Output data of ESM has many characteristics, such as massive, time-varying and multi-dimensional, so it brings new demands and challenges to scientific visualization. In order to support ESM research, this paper designs and implements script-based visualization template library. By supporting parallel visualization, providing key-framing animation techniques, and integrating numerous filter and rendering methods, it can solve various problems in ESM visualization. By encapsulating underlying code and defining template function for typical scene, it provides users with easy-to-use interface. Application examples verify that script-based visualization template library is powerful, user-friendly, and can improve work efficiency greatly.


Parasites with complex life cycles often alter the phenotypic appearance of their intermediate hosts in order to facilitate ingestion by the final host. However, such manipulation can be costly as it might increase ingestion by less suitable or dead-end hosts as well. Species-specific parasitic manipulation is a way to enhance the transmission to suitable final hosts. Here, we experimentally show that the altered body colouration of the intermediate host Gammarus pulex caused by its acanthocephalan parasite Pomphorhynchus laevis differently affects predation by different fish species (barbel, perch, ruffe, brown trout and two populations of three-spined stickleback) depending on their suitability to act as final host. Species that were responsive to colour manipulation in a predation experiment were more susceptible to infection with P. laevis than unresponsive species. Furthermore, three-spined stickleback from different populations responded to parasite manipulation in opposite directions. Such increased ingestion of the intermediate host by preferred and suitable hosts suggests fine-tuned adaptive parasitic manipulation and sheds light on the ongoing evolutionary arms race between hosts and manipulative parasites.


Background Nigeria, like other developing nations, has an increasing burden of hypertension. Electrocardiography is an integral part of the diagnostic work-up for the newly diagnosed hypertensive subjects. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic yield of electrocardiography in hypertensive patients of a southwestern Nigerian hospital. Patients and Methods This was a retrospective descriptive study of electrocardiographs of hypertensive patients over a six-year period. Electrographic variables of interest were cardiac rhythm and rate, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), left atrial enlargement (LAE), T wave abnormalities, cardiac axis, blocks, complexes, QT segment abnormalities, atrial fibrillation (AF)/flutter, supraventricular tachycardia and pre-excitation syndrome. The Pearson's chi square was used to test for differences across age groups (15–44yrs, 45–64yrs and >65yrs) and between male and female subjects with the significance level set at 5% (p< 0.05). Results Hypertension was the indication for 40% of electrocardiographs completed and comprised of 3713 electrocardiograms (ECG) over a six-year period. The commonest abnormalities were left axis deviation (LAD) (32.2%), LVH (20.7%), rhythm abnormalities (16.7%) and LAE (14.5%). The diagnostic yield (presence of at least one electrographic abnormality) was 51% in 15–44 yrs age group, 64% in middle aged and 76.5% in the >65 yrs age group. While the male subjects in this study had a slightly increased likelihood of having an abnormal finding (odds ratio 1.18: 95% CI 1.02–1.35), the odds ratio for an abnormal ECG in subjects younger than 45 years was 0.48 (95% CI 0.41–0.57). Conclusion The diagnostic yield of electrocardiography in this study was considerable, although lowest in subjects younger than 45 years and increased with age. This may reflect an increased burden and earlier onset of hypertension and its complications. This should also engender prompt and aggressive management of hypertension, especially in the elderly in whom the cardiovascular complications from hypertension is most severe.


Mixed research synthesis is the latest addition to the repertoires of mixed methods research and systematic review. Mixed research synthesis requires that the problems generated by the methodological diversity within and between qualitative and quantitative studies be resolved. Three basic research designs accommodate this diversity, including the segregated, integrated, and contingent designs. Much work remains to be done before mixed research synthesis can secure its place in the repertoires of mixed methods research and systematic review, but the effort is well worth it as it has the potential to enhance both the significance and utility for practice of the many qualitative and quantitative studies constituting shared domains of research.


Increasing information emphasize the relevance of the prevention, early diagnosis and early treatment of periodontal diseases in children. In order to avoid erroneous diagnosis and unnecessary treatments, the pediatric dentist is required to differentiate between pathologic processes and normal changes that take place in the periodontum with age. The present review outlines structural and functional changes of the periodontal structures, the establishment and maturation of the oral microflora and immune defense reactions to periodontal pathogens in children and adolescents. The age-related tendency to develop gingivitis, that is evident in children and adolescents, may be related to changes in the bacterial composition of the dental plaque, the inflammatory cell response, hormonal changes, morphological differences, tooth eruption and shedding. The hormonal influence on the gingival tissues and the composition of the dental plaque are of particular relevance during puberty. Large ranges for the prevalence of attachment loss, periodontitis or destructive periodontal disease in children and adolescents have been reported. The variance in values may be related to population characteristics, method of examination or diagnostic criteria that may include measurements of attachment loss and distances from the cementoenamel junction to the alveolar bone crest, both of which may be either physiological or pathological. The pediatric dentist should be able to diagnose gingival inflammation, attachment loss or distances from the cementoenamel junction to the alveolar crest which are out of proportion to the child's age and the amount of dental plaque. These may be indicative of a high susceptibility to periodontal diseases or reflect systemic conditions that affect the periodontum.


In this review, we will provide an overview of the current state of the art of perioperative practices for open and laparoscopic oesophagus surgery from the anaesthetist's perspective. Morbidity and mortality after oesophagectomy is still high despite multidisciplinary and enhanced recovery pathways showing promising results. The anaesthetist has an important role in the complex care of the oesophageal cancer patient. Minimizing unnecessary fluid administration, adequate pain management, hypotension, and protective lung ventilation are examples of proven strategies that can improve outcome after this high-risk surgery.


At present, experimental studies on the primary genetic lesion in Ay/Ay embryos are restricted by the absence of techniques designed to identify Ay homozygotes prior to the onset of secondary defects. This paper describes a methodology to enrich the yields of Ay homozygotes in experimental populations by taking advantage of an early homozygous Ay expression-lagging development in 4-cell embryos.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the efficacy of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) combined with Ulinastatin (Uti) in the treatment of newborns with capillary leak syndrome (CLS).

METHODS
A total of 60 newborns with CLS admitted to four hospitals were selected as the study subjects, and were randomly divided into the control group (n = 30) and the observation group (n = 30) in accordance with the random number table. The control group was treated with HES alone, while the observation group was treated with Uti combined with HES.

RESULTS
At 5 d after treatment, the incidence rates of systemic edema and pulmonary edema, the levels of CRP, NE, and BUN, and the duration for the improvement of systemic edema, pulmonary edema and NICU hospital stay in the control group were superior to those in the observation group, while the 24-h urine output, PaO2 and MAP levels, the levels of A, SCr, ALT, and IL-10 in the observation group were superior to those in the control group (P < 0.05). After 3 months of follow-up after treatment, the mortality rate of newborns in the observation group (13.33%) was lower than that in the control group (36.67%) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION
HES combined with Uti can effectively alleviate edema, control inflammatory levels, and improve hepatic and renal functions and neonatal survival rate of newborns with CLS.


We develop an alternate characterization of the statistical distribution of the inter-cell interference power observed in the uplink of CDMA systems. We show that the lognormal distribution better matches the cumulative distribution and complementary cumulative distribution functions of the uplink interference than the conventionally assumed Gaussian distribution and variants based on it. This is in spite of the fact that many users together contribute to uplink interference, with the number of users and their locations both being random. Our observations hold even in the presence of power control and cell selection, which have hitherto been used to justify the Gaussian distribution approximation. The parameters of the lognormal are obtained by matching moments, for which detailed analytical expressions that incorporate wireless propagation, cellular layout, power control, and cell selection parameters are developed. The moment-matched lognormal model, while not perfect, is an order of magnitude better in modeling the interference power distribution.


The use of specific inhibitors towards mutant BRAF (BRAFi) and MEK (MEKi) in BRAF-mutated patients has significantly improved progression-free and overall survival of metastatic melanoma patients. Nevertheless, half of the patients still develop resistance within the first year of therapy. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of BRAFi/MEKi-acquired resistance has become a priority for researchers. Among others, oxidative stress-related mechanisms have emerged as a major force. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of Nrf2, the master regulator of the cytoprotective and antioxidant response, in the BRAFi/MEKi acquired resistance of melanoma. Moreover, we investigated the mechanisms of its activity regulation and the possible cooperation with the oncogene YAP, which is also involved in chemoresistance. Taking advantage of established in vitro melanoma models resistant to BRAFi, MEKi, or dual resistance to BRAFi/MEKi, we demonstrated that Nrf2 was upregulated in melanoma cells resistant to targeted therapy at the post-translational level and that the deubiquitinase DUB3 participated in the control of the Nrf2 protein stability. Furthermore, we found that Nrf2 controlled the expression of YAP. Importantly, the inhibition of Nrf2, directly or through inhibition of DUB3, reverted the resistance to targeted therapies.


Colorectal cancer (CRC), the third most common cancer in the world, has been recently rising in emerging countries due to environmental and lifestyle factors. Many of these factors are brought up by industrialization, which includes lack of physical activity, poor diet, circadian rhythm disruption, and increase in alcohol consumption. They can increase the risk of CRC by changing the colonic environment and by altering gut microbiota composition, a state referred to as gut dysbiosis. Prebiotics, which are nutrients that can help maintain intestinal microbial homeostasis and mitigate dysbiosis, could be beneficial in preventing inflammation and CRC. These nutrients can hinder the effects of dysbiosis by encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria involved in short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) production, anti-inflammatory immunity, maintenance of the intestinal epithelial barrier, pro-apoptotic mechanisms, and other cellular mechanisms. This review aims to summarize recent reports about the implication of prebiotics, and probable mechanisms, in the prevention and treatment of CRC. Various experimental studies, specifically in gut microbiome, have effectively demonstrated the protective effect of prebiotics in the progress of CRC. Hence, comprehensive knowledge is urgent to understand the clinical applications of prebiotics in the prevention or treatment of CRC.


The advent of high-speed networks will enable the deployment of data-server systems (currently used in LANs) over WANs. The users of these systems will have the same high expectations with respect to performance parameters (such as the transaction throughput, response time and system reliability) as in the case of LANs. Thus, it is important to study the performance of existing distributed database protocols in the new networking environment, identify the performance bottlenecks and develop protocols that are capable of taking advantage of the high-speed networking technology. As a first step, in this paper, we examine the scalability of the server-based two-phase locking (s-2PL) protocol, and discuss three optimizations which allow the s-2PL protocol to be tailored for high-speed WAN environments where the size of the message is less of a concern than the number of rounds of message passing. These optimizations, collectively called the group two-phase locking (g-2PL) protocol, reduce the number of rounds of message passing by grouping lock grants, client-end caching and data migration. In a simulation study, 20-25% improvement in the response time of the g-2PL protocol over that of the s-2PL protocol was observed.


The larvicidal properties of the dietary leaf litter originating from the vegetation surrounding the subalpine mosquito breeding sites were investigated by using 10‐month decomposed alder leaf litter against different field collections of culicine taxa of various ecological origin (Aedes cantans, Aedes caspius, Aedes cataphylla, Aedes detritus, Aedes punctor, Aedes pullatus, Aedes rusticus, Anopheles claviger, Culex hortensis, Culex pipiens, Culiseta morsitans). Larvae originating from sites with polyphenol‐poor vegetation appeared more sensitive to ingested leaf litter than those originating from sites with polyphenol‐rich vegetation. Within a given taxon (e.g., A. rusticus, A. cataphylla, C. hortensis), the overall levels of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and esterase activities appeared higher in larvae able to feed on leaf litter than in pupae and adults unable to feed on leaf litter. This suggests the involvement of these enzymes in the detoxification mechanisms responsible for larval tolerance to polyphenols of the dietary leaf litter. Such a tolerance of the larval stage thus appears as fundamental in the ecotoxicological adaptation of mosquito taxa to the polyphenolic profiles of the riparian vegetation.


The production and the acceleration of ions by means of high-intensity laser irradiating thin foils is an appealing field of research which has seen a growing attention during the past decade. The emitted ions and, in particular, protons pulses contain large particle numbers between 1010 and 1013 with energies in the MeV [1,2] and multi-MeV range [3–6] and are tightly confined in time (~ps) and space (source radius of a few micron). These outstanding characteristics triggered speculations about a wide range of applications in nuclear and medical physics. More specifically, laser-matter interaction experiments involve high energy ions generated in the interaction of laser pulses with solid targets [7,8], gas jets [9,10], and clusters [11,12]. Part of the current research in this area is directed towards the development of a compact neutron source, while several other nuclear applications have recently been proposed: isotope production and start-up of fission reactions.


This article aims at traversing historical traces, concepts, and characteristics of magical realism and how it is pertinent in literary analysis. The pivot of the conceptual framework of this article in on Faris' perspective on magical realism. The approach of this study is grounded theory. The data are quotations taken from referential books and journals. The techniques of data collection are documentation and quoting. The technique of analysis is thematic interpretation. This article figures out that magical realism deconstructs the status of magical and the real into a somersaulting realm. Western historical narrative establishes the real through rationality and alienates the magical which is identical to the East, the Other, or the indigenous. This rational narrative is propagandized and turns to be power relation. Therefore, magical realism, through some literary works, deconstructs the rational perspective with logical-magical narrative as one of postcolonial studies.


The limited memory BFGS method pioneered by Jorge Nocedal is usually implemented as a line search method where the search direction is computed from a BFGS approximation to the inverse of the Hessian. The advantage of inverse updating is that the search directions are obtained by a matrix–vector multiplication. In this paper it is observed that limited memory updates to the Hessian approximations can also be applied in the context of a trust–region algorithm with only a modest increase in the linear algebra costs. At each iteration, a limited memory BFGS Step is computed. If it is rejected, then we compute the solutions for trust-region subproblem with the trust-region radius smaller than the length of L-BFGS Step. Numerical results on a few of the MINPACK-2 test problems show that the initial limited memory BFGS Step is accepted in most cases. In terms of the number of function and gradient evaluations, the trust-region approach is comparable to a standard linesearch implementation.


Socially assistive robots have the potential to improve group dynamics when interacting with groups of people in social settings. This work contributes to the understanding of those dynamics through a user study of trust dynamics in the novel context of a robot mediated support group. For this study, a novel framework for robot mediation of a support group was developed and validated. To evaluate interpersonal trust in the multi-party setting, a dyadic trust scale was implemented and found to be uni-factorial, validating it as an appropriate measure of general trust. The results of this study demonstrate a significant increase in average interpersonal trust after the group interaction session, and qualitative post-session interview data report that participants found the interaction helpful and successfully supported and learned from one other. The results of the study validate that a robot-mediated support group can improve trust among strangers and allow them to share and receive support for their academic stress.


The techniques of Bayesian inference have been applied with great success to many problems in neural computing including evaluation of regression functions, determination of error bars on predictions, and the treatment of hyper-parameters. However, the problem of model comparison is a much more challenging one for which current techniques have significant limitations. In this paper we show how an extended form of Markov chain Monte Carlo, called chaining, is able to provide effective estimates of the relative probabilities of different models. We present results from the robot arm problem and compare them with the corresponding results obtained using the standard Gaussian approximation framework.


Mucociliary clearance protects the respiratory epithelium against inhaled particles. There is in vitro evidence that some bacteria produce factors that cause ciliary slowing, dyskinesia, and stasis. These changes may predominantly affect ciliary function alone or be associated with epithelial disruption and cell death. Some factors act immediately, while others can take up to a number of days to achieve effect. It is postulated that rapidly acting factors may be involved during bacterial colonization, allowing the bacterium time (by slowing clearance) to penetrate the mucociliary barrier and reach putative receptors on the epithelial surface. The compounds might similarly facilitate contiguous spread through the bronchial tree and augment the tissue damage caused by the host inflammatory response during chronic bronchial sepsis. Future work should define more clearly the in vivo significance of the largely in vitro observations made to date.


Phenylketonuria (PKU) is efficaciously treated by low-phenylalanine (Phe) diet but the views on the acceptable range of Phe constantly evolve. In 1997, German guidelines allowed Phe concentrations of up to 20 mg/dL (1200 µmol/L) in adults.1 Currently, American and European recommendations are discordant, promoting Phe levels below 6 and 10 mg/dL (360 and 600 µmol/L) from adolescence onwards, respectively.2 3 There are insufficient data to prefer one over the other recommendation, which reduces patient motivation, and the objective tools to resolve the dispute or elucidate unexplored vulnerability factors are scarce.4 5 An easily interpretable, accessible and non-invasive biomarker of neural damage in PKU is lacking. We demonstrate that retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT) may associate with PKU control and cognition.

This observational study enrolled 15 patients with classical PKU diagnosed through newborn screening and aged 15.2±5.2 years (mean±SD; 5 men and 10 women). All patients gave informed written consent for their participation in the study. All the participants underwent a standard eye examination, which was unremarkable, followed by retinal OCT scanning (DRI OCT Triton, Topcon, Tokyo, Japan). The peripapillary RNFL thickness in four sectors (nasal, inferior, temporal and superior) was extracted from the acquired three-dimensional OCT datasets using built-in software of the instrument. Psychological assessment was conducted using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale or the revised Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children by one practitioner (ABP) who has been providing care to the …


Membrane is usually subject to fouling by various organic foulants, such as yeast, protein and sodium alginate during filtration. Backwashing is a common practice to reduce membrane fouling. It is essential to evaluate the effects of backwashing on fouling in order to optimize operational parameters. In this experiment, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membranes were used to filter organic foulants from suspensions in a dead-end stirred cell. Three types of organic foulants including yeast, protein and sodium alginate which were stained with fluorescent dyes before filtration were used with different combinations in the experiments. After filtration, the PVDF membrane was backwashed. Consequently, a stack of images, instrumental data and sample data were captured from the fouling layers on the PVDF membrane surface using confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) and its associated image acquisition software LAS AF. Then, the quality of the images was enhanced for better visualization and a set of quantitative fouling data were derived by using the software code developed by the project team at Deakin University. This collection contains raw image data of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane's fouling layer when three types of organic foulants present, which are captured by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and its software, and the instrumental and sample metadata, the processed image data and the geometrical structure properties of the fouling layer. By comparing with the same membrane without backwashing, the efficiency of backwashing was computed. This data collection would be useful to evaluate the backwashing efficiency of PVDF membrane in order to optimize frequency and operational conditions of backwashing by membrane materials researchers and water researchers.


Problems related to non-biodegradable waste coming from vulcanized rubber represent one of the pre-eminent challenges for modern society. End-of-life tyres are an important source of this typology of waste and the increasingly high accumulation in the environment has contributed over the years to enhance land and water pollution. Moreover, the release into the environment of non-degradable micro-plastics and other chemicals as an effect of tyre abrasion is not negligible. Many solutions are currently applied to reuse end-of-life tyres as a raw material resource, such as pyrolysis, thermo-mechanical or chemical de-vulcanisation, and finally crumbing trough different technologies. An interesting approach to reduce the environmental impact of vulcanised rubber wastes is represented by the use of degradable thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) in tyre compounds. In this thematic review, after a reviewing fossil fuel-based TPEs, an overview of the promising use of degradable TPEs in compound formulation for the tyre industry is presented. Specifically, after describing the properties of degradable elastomers that are favourable for tyres application in comparison to used ones, the real scenario and future perspectives related to the use of degradable polymers for new tyre compounds will be realized.


A household-level switching regression model is implemented to examine potential selectivity bias for rural households under high and low levels of investments in soil conservation in El Salvador and Honduras. In the presence of selectivity bias, separate stochastic production frontiers are estimated for low and high adopters. The main results indicate that households with higher levels of investments in soil conservation show higher average TE than those with a lower level of investments. Constrains in the rural land and credit markets are likely explanations for these differences. The results also indicate that for farms with lower levels of investments in soil conservation access to credit is a significant factor explaining the sources of inefficiency. Conversely, households with higher levels of investments have the highest partial output elasticity for land, the highest levels of TE and the smallest farms. These results are consistent with the presence of a failure in the land market which would limit access to land to the more efficient producers.


We consider the effects of adding a scale-invariant R2 term to the action of the scale-invariant model (SIM) studied previously by one of us (Guendelman E I 1999 Mod. Phys. Lett. A 14 1043). The SIM belongs to the general class of theories, where an integration measure independent of the metric is introduced. To implement scale invariance (SI), a dilaton field is introduced. The integration of the equations of motion associated with the new measure gives rise to the spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) of SI. After SSB of SI in the model with the R2 term, it is found that a non-trivial potential for the dilaton is generated. This potential contains two flat regions: one associated with the Planck scale and with an inflationary phase, while the other flat region is associated with a very small vacuum energy (VE) and is associated with the present slowly accelerated phase of the universe (SAPH). The smallness of the VE in the SAPH is understood through the see-saw mechanism introduced in SIM.


Lead tri‐iodide methylammonium (MAPbI3) perovskite polycrystalline materials show complex optoelectronic behavior, largely because their 3D semiconducting inorganic framework is strongly perturbed by the organic cations and ubiquitous structural or chemical inhomogeneities. Here, a newly developed time‐dependent density functional theory‐based theoretical formalism is taken advantage of. It treats electron–hole and electron–nuclei interactions on the same footing to assess the many‐body excited states of MAPbI3 perovskites in their pristine state and in the presence of point chemical defects. It is shown that lead and iodine vacancies yield deep trap states that can be healed by dynamic effects, namely rotation of the methylammonium cations in response to point charges, or through slight changes in chemical composition, namely by introducing a tiny amount of chlorine dopants in the defective MAPbI3. The theoretical results are supported by photoluminescence experiments on MAPbI3−mClm and pave the way toward the design of defect‐free perovskite materials with optoelectronic performance approaching the theoretical limits.


In a previous communication on precipitin reactions, we brought forward observations which led to the conclusion that the precipitum is derived mainly from the antiserum and not from the homologous protein. In a recent review of our paper the suggestion was made that gravimetric evidence might be more conclusive. Acting on this suggestion, we have carried out experiments in which a considerable amount of antiserum was allowed to interact with a known small amount of homologous protein. As soon as the interaction was completed, the deposits were collected, washed, and weighed. In every case the amount of dried precipitum exceeded the amount of dried homologous protein. The smallest precipitum obtained weighed more than twice, the largest more than 25 times, the homologous protein employed in the interaction. Former observations had revealed that antisera require very different amounts of protein to ensure the formation of maximal deposits. It was, therefore, to be expected that considerable variations would be obtained in the weight of deposits produced by small amounts of protein in different antisera. Method of Experiment . The antiserum was obtained from rabbits which were bled on the day of the experiment. One milligramme or 2·5 milligrammes dried egg-white or blood serum was dissolved in 10 c. c. salt solution and added to the homologous antiserum, together with about 90 c. c. salt solution. The whole of the available clear antiserum, with the exception of less than 1 c. c. reserved for control observations, was employed. The dried protein was prepared under aseptic conditions, and very precaution was taken to exclude micro-organisms during the experiment. After 48 hours the clear superfluids were removed, and were usually subjected to further experiment, either by addition of more homologous protein, or by addition of fresh antiserum from another immunised animal. Since it had been shown that different homologous antisera might interact to yield a precipitate, appropriate controls were carried out which showed that no trace of deposit occurred as the result of the interactions with one another of the antisera used in these experiments.


The authors conducted a population-based case-control study of 810 cases with histologically confirmed incident kidney cancer and 3,106 controls to assess the effect of obesity, energy intake, and recreational physical activity on renal cell and non–renal cell cancer risk in Canada from 1994 to 1997. Compared with normal body mass index (BMI; 18.5 to <25.0 kg/m2), obesity (BMI, ≥30.0 kg/m2) was associated with multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of 2.57 (2.02-3.28) for renal cell cancer and 2.79 (1.70-4.60) for non–renal cell cancer. The OR (95% CI) associated with the highest quartiles of calorie intake was 1.30 (1.02-1.66) for renal cell cancer and 1.53 (0.92-2.53) for non–renal cell cancer. Compared with the lowest quartile of total recreational physical activity, the highest quartile of total activity was associated with an OR (95% CI) of 1.00 (0.78-1.28) and 0.79 (0.46-1.36) for the two subtypes. There were no apparent differences between men and women about these associations. The influence of obesity and physical activity on the risk of renal cell and non–renal cell cancer did not change by age, whereas the effect of excess energy intake was stronger among older people. No significant effect modifications of physical activity on BMI among both genders and of energy intake on BMI among men were observed, with a synergic effect of obesity and high energy intake on renal cell cancer risk found among women. This study suggests that obesity and excess energy intake are important etiologic risk factors for renal cell and non–renal cell cancer. The role of physical activity needs further investigation. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(12):2453–60)


Creativity is typically defined as a disposition to produce valuable ideas. We argue that this is a mistake and defend a new definition of creativity in terms of the imagination. It follows that creativity has instrumental value at most and then only in the right circumstances. We consider the role of tradition and judgment in worthwhile creativity and argue that there is frequently a tension between greater creativity and the production of value.


Catalytic conversion of solar energy into chemical energy has been frequently investigated to develop clean energy sources in the last few decades. Metal oxide complexes show high potential for the catalytic conversion process, but the biochemical process in green plants has better efficiency than artificial photocatalysts consisting of metal oxides. In this work, the water splitting process is theoretically investigated using two synthetic model complexes whose structures are similar to the manganese-based oxygen evolving complex in photosystem II. Model A consists of four Mn atoms, and model B consists of three Mn atoms and a Ca atom in the core. Model A shows a better ability for water splitting than model B when comparing the highest reaction energy. The highest reaction energies are 2.56 and 2.99 eV for models A and B, respectively. In model B, the first oxidation in the water splitting process is exothermic, which is different from model A. In both models, the molecular oxygen generation step is endothermic by about 1.0-2.5 eV.


Today, learning another language has become quite popular. Although learning and teaching a foreign language is not a new field, but like any other filed of science it is still experiencing a lot of problems, and teachers are looking for new solutions to overcome this task with much more success. As instructors we are placed in  the middle of the challenging position of making the lesson meaningful to our learners. This will be fulfilled by introducing concept maps into the curriculum of the students. Recently, the appropriate time for introducing concept mapping into the education is suggested to be early in education. The present study aims to review the benefits of teaching and creating concept maps to make EFL students learn much more easily.


An archive of Poker Flat Mesosphere, Stratosphere and Troposphere (MST) radar observations has recently been completed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Aeronomy Laboratory in Boulder, Colo. The Poker Flat MST radar was one of the first wind-profiling Doppler radars. Construction began in 1978 near Fairbanks, Alaska, with the support of the National Science Foundation, and the radar was in routine operation from early 1979–1985.

The archive includes observations of vertical and horizontal velocities, Doppler spectral width of horizontal and vertical motions, and signal strength. The observations are essentially continuous in time and cover an altitude range of about 5–30 km and 55–95 km, depending on season and time of day. In preparing the archive, data were carefully checked for consistency, and a special effort was made to optimize the retrieval of data from altitudes with low signal-to-noise ratio.


Considering the effect of the actual landform and the pile-soil dynamical interaction, this paper uses the dynamic time interval analysis to analyze the response of horizontal seismic load of different segment lengths of high-piled wharfs. It makes research on the relative displacement, the acceleration, the maximum stress and the shear stress of the wharf construction and the variation of the shear force, the bending moment and the torque of the pile in the action of acceleration in true earthquake records. It determines the reasonable subdivision length of high-piled wharf in actual coast. Calculations show that, the wharf torsion caused by the asymmetry of terminal structure and pile, and the uneven stratum facilitates the response, and increases the shear stress of the pile. The placement of piles and the uneven stratum are the main factors of the internal force of terminal structure in action of earthquake, The optimal design of partial reinforcement should be adopted due to the considerable shear stress on the bezel panel. This method can provide reference to the design of the terminal structure in deep sea as well.


Introduction This paper reports on the diagrammatic reasoning component of RedSoar, a knowledge system for identifying red blood cell antibodies. Expert blood bank technologists make heavy use of information recorded on paper-based diagrams while solving antibody identification problems. During problem solving there is a constant interaction with the diagram, both as a source of data and as a scratch memory for recording intermediate results. Red,Soar (Johnson, et al., 1991) was designed to mimic the experts' use of these diagrams. RedSoar accesses the external diagrams in ways similar to those used by experts and displays a limited ability to learn how to use the diagrams more quickly. Our work highlights both the utility and the difficulties of using such approaches for building knowledge systems. The analysis of the diagrammatic reasoning and the approach used are potentiaUy applicable to a wide range of domains.


This paper aims at developing a support vector machine for identity verification of offline signature based on the feature values in the database. A set of signature samples are collected from individuals and these signature samples are scanned in a gray scale scanner. These scanned signature images are then subjected to a number of image enhancement operations like binarization, complementation, filtering, thinning and edge detection. From these pre-processed signatures, features such as centroid, centre of gravity, calculation of number of loops, horizontal and vertical profile and normalized area are extracted and stored in a database separately. The values from the database are fed to the support vector machine which draws a hyper plane and classifies the signature into original or forged based on a particular feature value. The developed SVM is successfully tested against 336 signature samples and the classification error rate is less than 7.16% and this is found to be convincing.


We have measured the magnitude of flow in the uterine artery (ua) and in ovarian artery (oa) in the isolated reproductive organs of pig (100-130 kg/per head) perfused with their own blood or Krebs-Henseleit's solution. The pressure was kept on the constant level 100 mm Hg. Were administered intraarterially Oxytocin (O), vasopressin (W), histamine (H), serotonin (5-HT) and hypertensin (A). Their possible influence on the processes of regulation of blood flow in the porcine reproductive organs during oestrus cycle was analysed. It was stated that O produced a decrease of blood flow (bf) in the periovulatory period (1-2 and 16-18 day of cycle). On the other hand doses many times bigger did not cause significant changes in ua in the luteal phase and in oa in all phases of the cycle. Action of O is connected with its pressing action on the uterine vessels, contracted by the smooth muscular coat of this organ. Limiting bf action of W and A is mainly connected with their direct vasoconstructive effect. Our results indicated that in physiological conditions during oestrous cycle O, W and A did not evoke significant changes in the regulation of blood flow in the porcine reproductive organs. High sensitivity of the investigated vessels on 5-HT in the luteal phase and lower sensitivity in the periovulatory phase could indicate serotonin's influence on the regulating changes of blood flow during oestrous cycle. Vessels of both investigated areas were very sensitive to H. Especially high sensitivity of oa vessels on H is correlated with an increase of sensitivity of the vessels on 5-HT and catecholamines in the luteal phase. It seem that H has significant importance as a factor antagonising influence of 5-HT and catecholamines in the luteal phase of cycle in the pig. Sensitivity of oa vessels on the investigated drugs was lower in all phases of the cycle studied than sensitivity of ua vessels, the only exception was when H was used. We observed similar reaction on used drugs, both in experiments with perfusion with the blood and with the Krebs-Henseleit's solution. It may suggest that vessels reaction depends upon the functional state of the organ and it is not directly connected with the hormones present in the blood.


Abstract Multispecies coalescent (MSC) is the extension of the single-population coalescent model to multiple species. It integrates the phylogenetic process of species divergences and the population genetic process of coalescent, and provides a powerful framework for a number of inference problems using genomic sequence data from multiple species, including estimation of species divergence times and population sizes, estimation of species trees accommodating discordant gene trees, inference of cross-species gene flow and species delimitation. In this review, we introduce the major features of the MSC model, discuss full-likelihood and heuristic methods of species tree estimation and summarize recent methodological advances in inference of cross-species gene flow. We discuss the statistical and computational challenges in the field and research directions where breakthroughs may be likely in the next few years.


Robot Behavior
Cooperation between people depends on a willingness to establish common ground. Zanatto et al. asked how the basic rules of human cooperation apply when the other entity is a robot that has as much decision-making range as a human (like HAL 9000 in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey ). In a money-investment game in which cooperativity enhanced gain, just as between two humans, the human-robot pair rewarded cooperativity and punished selfishness. But the human response was tuned according to whether the game was more or less successful than expected and whether the robot was more anthropomorphic or more machinelike. In a benign setting, the machinelike robot elicited more cooperation from the human game players. In a less rewarding setting, the more anthropomorphic robot elicited more cooperation from the human. The authors speculate that in the more hostile environment, people draw more on social attributes to develop cooperation.

PLOS ONE 14 , e0225028 (2019).


Understanding the socio-economic and environmental implications of rural change
requires the active participation of many research disciplines and stakeholders.
However, it remains unclear how to best integrate participatory and biophysical
research to provide information useful to land managers and policy makers.
This paper presents findings of a RELU scoping study that has formulated and
applied a research framework based on stakeholder participation and adaptive
learning to model rural change in the Peak District National Park in the north of
England. The paper describes a learning process that integrates different types
of knowledge to produce future scenarios that describe possible economic and
environmental changes due to a national review of burning practices on heather
moorland and blanket bogs. We stress the need for using social network
analysis to structure stakeholder engagement and outline how a range of participatory
approaches can facilitate more inclusive environmental planning and policy
development.


The article focuses on employees of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) as an essential component of community resilience. Forty women, professionals in the helping professions, were interviewed about their work experiences as employees in social service NPOs. The interviews were conducted from 2019 to 2020, mostly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand those employees' perceptions of work conditions, contracting-out of social services, professional community and relationships with co-workers, work–life balance, job satisfaction, and their future plans. The findings present loneliness at work and lacking of a sense of community and a strong sense of mission while facing a challenging environment and work conditions in NPOs. In the discussion, we offer a complementary understanding of solidarity and resilience in NPOs—and we elaborate on the lack of professional "communitiness" and its possible harmful effect on the resilience of wider communities in times of crisis—when resilience is mostly needed. The paper presents NPOs employees as critical actors in producing resilience, hence there exists a need to examine their work environment, job perceptions, and the latter's contribution to their own resilience.


Abstract Research Findings: The study examined the beliefs of kindergarten teachers (K-teachers) regarding the goals of kindergarten. We asked K-teachers to reflect on their own beliefs, their understanding of parents' beliefs, and their understanding of the beliefs that guide agents of the education system. We further examined differences between K-teachers based on the type of kindergarten in which they worked (religious or secular) and the socioeconomic status of children's families (middle-high or middle-low). A total of 120 K-teachers responded to closed questionnaires, and 12 teachers also participated in a semistructured interview. The results revealed an incongruence between K-teachers' perspectives and their understanding of the positions of parents and of agents of the education system. K-teachers evaluated fostering children's positive self-esteem as the most important goal and promoting literacy and mathematics skills as the least important. They believed, however, that parents and agents of the education system regard children's advancement in literacy and mathematics skills as the most important goal. Practice or Policy: Recognizing this incongruence facilitates understanding of the rationale behind K-teachers' actions and their relationships with parents and professional partners. It enables identification of topics that need to be addressed by the professional education community in order to create a dialogue among K-teachers, families, and policymakers.


Abstract Objectives. This study aimed to measure and compare tooth size ratios in a Bangladeshi population across the following groups: those with normal occlusion, crowding or spacing; those with normal, increased or decreased overjet; those with normal, increased or decreased overbite; those with or without dental mid-line discrepancy; and those with or without lip competence. It also presents a graphical overview of the anterior and overall ratios from the study and using available global data. Materials and methods. This study was performed on dental casts of 260 Bangladeshi individuals, comprising 114 males and 146 females (age range, 18–24 years, mean age = 20). The Bolton anterior ratio and overall ratio were determined for the following groups: those with normal occlusion, crowding or spacing; those with normal, increased or decreased overjet; those with normal, increased or decreased overbite; those with or without dental mid-line discrepancy; and those with or without lip competence. Results. There were statistically significant differences in the anterior tooth size ratios between those with or without dental mid-line discrepancy, with a mean value of 78.83% and 80.05%, respectively. Statistically significant differences were also found in overall tooth size ratios between those with normal, increased or decreased overjet and also between those with normal, increased or decreased overbite. Graphical presentations of anterior and overall ratios from the present study and using global data showed variations between populations. Conclusion. In the Bangladeshi population, increased tooth size ratios in subjects with dental mid-line discrepancy (anterior ratio) and also in those with decreased overjet or decreased overbite (overall ratio) may be predictors of tooth size discrepancies. The graphical overview also suggests that different international ethnic groups display unique Bolton ratios.


We consider the distributed setting of N autonomous mobile robots that operate in Look-Compute-Move (LCM) cycles and communicate with other robots using colored lights (the robots with lights model). We study the fundamental problem of repositioning N autonomous robots on a plane sothat each robot is visible to all others (the Complete Visibility problem) on this model; a robot cannot see another robot if a third robot is positioned between them on the straight line connecting them. There exists an O(1) time, O(1) color algorithm for this problem in the semi-synchronous setting. In this paper, we provide the first O(log N) time, O(1) color algorithm for this problem in the asynchronous setting. This is a significant improvement over an O(N)-time translation of the semi-synchronous algorithm to the asynchronous setting. The proposed algorithm is collision-free - robots do not share positions and their paths do not cross.


Modern machine learning systems such as image classifiers rely heavily on large scale data sets for training. Such data sets are costly to create, thus in practice a small number of freely available, open source data sets are widely used. We suggest that examining the geo-diversity of open data sets is critical before adopting a data set for use cases in the developing world. We analyze two large, publicly available image data sets to assess geo-diversity and find that these data sets appear to exhibit an observable amerocentric and eurocentric representation bias. Further, we analyze classifiers trained on these data sets to assess the impact of these training distributions and find strong differences in the relative performance on images from different locales. These results emphasize the need to ensure geo-representation when constructing data sets for use in the developing world.


. The article discusses an adaptive load balancing algorithm for applications using containerization technology. Theoretical examples of the implementation of such an algorithm based on a multilevel system are given. A theoretical descrip-tion of the operation of the algorithm at different levels of the system is given. The operation of an application deployed using containerization technology requires the mandatory use of a synchronizer, which must be endowed with an optimal balancing algorithm to maximize the use of available resources. In this case, one should consider the peculiarity of requests that are inher-ent in a particular application, and their heterogeneity in time; for this, it is proposed to introduce a parallel system for processing and static analysis of incoming requests. The article provides criteria that, when some of the algorithms are achieved, can be used instead of the existing ones.