In this paper we present an experimental and theoretical study of weak bubble plumes in unstratified and stationary water. We define a weak bubble plume as one that spreads slower than the linear rate of a classic plume. This work focuses on the characteristics of the mean flow in the plume, including centreline velocity, plume spreading and entrainment of ambient water. A new theory based on diffusive spreading instead of an entrainment hypothesis is used to describe the lateral spreading of the bubbles and the associated plume. The new theory is supported by the experimental data. With the measured data of liquid volume fluxes and the new theory, we conclude that the weak bubble plume is a decreasing entrainment process, with the entrainment coefficient $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}$ in the weak bubble plume decreasing with height $z$ , following $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}\sim z^{-1/2}$ , and taking on values much smaller than those in a classic bubble plume. An additional non-dimensional diffusion coefficient, $\hat{E_{t}}\sim E_{t}U_{s}^{2}/B_{0}$ , is also needed to describe the evolution of the volume and kinematic momentum fluxes for the mean flow in the weak bubble plume. Here, $E_{t}$ is the effective turbulent diffusion coefficient, $U_{s}$ is the terminal rise velocity of the bubbles, and $B_{0}$ is the kinematic buoyancy flux of the source. Finally, we provide a unified framework for the mean flow characteristics, including volume flux, momentum flux and plume spreading for the classic and weak bubble plumes, which also provides insight on the transition from classic to weak bubble plume behaviour.


Massive stratiform and vein-type Zn-Pb-Fe-F-Ba mineralizations, associated with Namuro-Westfalian metasediments, occur in the Cinco Villas Paleozoic massif. These mineralizations were previously considered to be the result of the precipitation of hydrothermal fluids liberated by the Aya granitic intrusion. However, the orebodies show several metamorphic features typical of similar mineralizations described in the geologic literature, suggesting a preintrusive genesis of probably exhalative sedimentary nature.The sedimentary sequence consists of two formations: (1) the Aranaz limestones, dated as Namurian, and (2) a Westphalian schistose formation, composed of pelitic, semipelitic, and psammitic rocks, with some conglomeratic tuffs, albite-rich laminae, tourmalinites, and interlayered basic sills. These materials have been affected by the Hercynian deformation and a low-pressure regional metamorphism ranging from anchizone to biotite zone. Mesoscale structural data and microscopical observations suggest three periods (D 1 , D 2 , and D 3 ) of progressive deformation, accompanied by fracturing and shearing phenomena. D 2 , the main deformation, developed isoclinal to recumbent folds and a regional foliation (S (sub 0-2) ). The more important metamorphic traits are produced during this deformation, and at the same time, the Aya granitoid intrusion was emplaced.The orebodies exhibit a lenticular to tabular morphology concordant with host rocks or forming a variable angle with S . Sphalerite, galena, and different proportions of pyrite, pyrrhotite, and chalcopyrite represent the major sulfide minerals. Quartz, carbonates, fluorite, and barite are the main gangue minerals. Regional deformation and metamorphism have caused uneven but important effects on the geometry and primary textures of the orebodies. However, there is evidence of some premetamorphic textures, such as debris-flow breccias, slump folds, and particularly in pyrite, framboidal relicts and colloform textures. Folding, foliation, transposition, shearing, "durchbewegung," and vein-type ores are common metamorphic features in ore layers where the sulfides and gangue minerals have responded differently to deformation. Thus, textures in pyrite denote a fundamentally brittle behavior, but in some cases there is evidence of cataclastic flow, kinking, deformation bands, and recrystallization. In contrast, sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, and pyrrhotite exhibit different textures indicating that dislocation glide and creep, mechanical twinning, and recrystallization have generally been important mechanisms. These processes suggest deformation under temperatures <400 degrees C which is consistent with the degree of metamorphismon in the host rocks. Micro- and mesoscale remobilization of gangue and ductile sulfides due to a mixture of both mechanical and chemical processes is a generalized phenomenon in all deposits; probably a major-scale remobilization has been operative. This would explain the existence of important vein-type mineralizations in this region.


Choosing Xinzhuang Town in south Jiangsu Province as study area, and by using 1980, 1991, 2001, and 2009 high-resolution remote sensing images and GIS spatial analysis technology, an integrated expansion degree index model was established based on the existing indicators of construction land expansion, and the general and spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics of construction land expansion in the Town in three time periods of 1980-2009 were quantitatively analyzed. In 1980-2009, with the acceleration of rural urbanization and industrialization, the area of construction land in the Town increased significantly by 19.24 km2, and especially in 2001-2009, the expanded area, expanded contribution rate, and expansion intensity reached the maximum. The construction land expansion had an obvious spatial differentiation characteristic. In 1980-1991, the newly increased construction land mainly concentrated in town area. After 1991, the focus of construction land gradually spread to the villages with developed industries. Most of the increased construction lands were converted from paddy field and dry land, accounting for 88.1% of the total increased area, while the contribution from other land types was relatively small.


Hashemi S, Ghorbani R, Kymaram F, Hossini SA, Eskandari G, Hedayati A. 2016. Relationship of physicochemical factors with fish biomass and production in Shadegan Wetland, Iran. Biodiversitas 17: 515-522. The biomass of fishes was estimate in the Shadegan Wetland with Leslie model. Also the relationships between fish biomass and physic-chemical parameters of were studies. Sampling was carried out seasonally at five stations; include Atish, Khorosy, Mahshar, Rogbe, and Salmane from April 2013 to March 2014. During this study, 2795 specimens were measured and weighed. The highest fish biomass and lowest fish biomass were in spring and winter seasons and Khorosy and Rogbe stations have highest and lowest fish biomass. The mean biomass of fish in four seasons Shadegan, 243±35 (kg/ha) and the amount of biomass in different seasons were not significantly different (P>0.05). Average values of water physicochemical parameters in different seasons were no significant (P>0.05), however average values of salinity stations were significant differences (P<0.05). Fish biomass regressions was estimated as Fish Biomass = 0.41 (temperature) . CCA ordination explained temperature, salinity, PH and DO, as the most important variables influencing the variation of fish composition in the Shadegan Wetland. Multi-layer artificial neural network showed four parameters (temperature, salinity, depth and DO) have the greatest impact on fish biomass.


This analysis of one Xavante group's innovative projects to represent Xavante culture to nonindigenous audiences reveals multiple and complex perceptions of instrumentalities as well as political goals. Unlike many contemporary Native (Amazonian and other) groups that use aspects of their culture to attract support and achieve concrete political goals, local objectives are relatively abstract and future oriented, having to do with public "image" and "existential recognition." Analysis illustrates that local ideas about indigenous cultural displays aimed primarily at nonindigenous audiences, including "identity politics" and apparently straightforward cultural commodification, may not neatly correspond with anthropologists' or other outsiders' expectations. Overly narrow interpretive foci may cause anthropologists to overlook the potential for multiple and complex objectives and a diversity of locally significant dimensions.


Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative organism of Lyme disease, has been linked to the development of scleroatrophic skin conditions including morphea, although this association remains controversial. The possibility that tick bite with or without concurrent Borrelia infection instigates that morphea development is important to recognize because this could prompt further workup for Lyme disease, or other tick-borne illness, which, when untreated, can have devastating consequences. Here, we report a case of a woman with a history of previous tick bite in the location of morphea. This prompted further workup, including serologies that were negative for borrelia. The patient declined empiric treatment with doxycycline. It is important to be aware that morphea may represent a consequence of tick bite because this can alter patient management.


In this paper we want to present the tools and a methodology to realize web based simulations according to the didactic model defined for the Virtual Scientific Experiment. The strategy that we suggest intends to satisfy all the requirements for the actors involved in the learning process according to the adopted didactic model. These requirements provide that: the tools for building the simulations have to serve a teacher instead of a programmer of web based simulations; the simulation outputs showed at the learner have to focus his attention on the contents instead of the modalities to interact with the presentation; and last but not least, the simulation must not be static, but it evolves according to the different phases expected from the adopted didactic model. From a practical point of view the results reached by us until now are realized by IWT (Intelligent Web Teacher). IWT is a distance learning platform designed with the precise purpose to lay the foundation for the next e-learning generation. We extended IWT with the instruments required to support the new methodology.


Guava (Psidium guajava L.) can be propagated by seed, layering, air layering, grafting (budding or grafting), cuttings (root or shoot) or tissue culture. Propagation by seed is used for rootstock production and for raising populations for screening at early phases in the breeding programs. Vegetative propagation methods are used to clone selected genotypes from these programs and commercial orchards because it perpetuates all characteristics of each cultivar. This review addresses different methods that can be used to propagate guava, the methods commercially adopted and the progress obtained in recent years. There are several propagation technologies available, however, the adoption levels are rather different between producing countries. Needs for improvement on the production of guava trees will be discussed.


Progesterone (P4), a major steroid hormone produced by the ovarian corpus luteum (CL) and the placental syncytiotrophoblast, is considered essential for the successful maintenance of mammalian pregnancy. It has been demonstrated in our laboratory and in the laboratories of others, that the baboon (Papio anubis/cynocephalus) is an excellent model for study of the endocrinology of human pregnancy. Results from both in-vivo and in-vitro experiments indicate that oestrogen stimulates placental P4 production by regulation of cholesterol side chain cleavage cytochrome P-450 and through the uptake of cholesterol via the low density lipoprotein (LDL) pathway. Thus, LDL uptake by the baboon placental syncytiotrophoblast increases in response to maternal oestrogen concentration, which increases with advancing gestation. Conversely, both placental LDL uptake and maternal peripheral P4 concentration decline significantly at mid- to late gestation as a result of oestrogen deprivation by either anti-oestrogen administration or the removal of fetal androgen oestrogen precursors through fetectomy. Utilizing these methods, it has been possible to decrease cellular uptake of LDL-cholesterol and, hence, maternal peripheral P4 to only a small fraction of their normal concentrations, although P4 is still detected in the maternal periphery in concentrations adequate for preservation of the conceptus. We postulate that such levels of maternal P4 are derived from cholesterol precursor provided by sources alternate to the classical LDL-receptor pathway and are produced throughout gestation by the placental syncytiotrophoblast and perhaps during late pregnancy by a resurgent CL. We further postulate that regulation of these ancillary sources of cholesterol substrate is subject to LDL-cholesterol availability in the maternal peripheral circulation and to possible ontogenetic changes in both primary and secondary cholesterol-yielding mechanisms, which may be divergently regulated in the steroidogenically active syncytiotrophoblast from those in proliferative non-endocrine placental constituents.


Aluminium doped zinc oxide thin films (4 at.% Al) were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering technique and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), four point probe technique and optical spectrophotometry. High heterogeneities were observed as a function of sample position in the chamber. The chemical analyses did not reveal significant change in composition. Optical investigation showed a strong variation of the density of free carriers, through the Burstein-Moss effect, suggesting that Al dopants were partially inactivated.


Objectives: This study examined associations among social capital indicators (social participation and generalized trust) at the individual level and alcohol use, which was quantified using Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores. Methods: In total, there were 8800 participants in community health interviews, including 220 adults sampled systematically from a resident registration database of each of 40 sub-municipal administrative units of local (city or county) governments. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using polychotomous logistic regression. Results: The aORs for abstainers versus people with AUDIT scores of 0-7, based on 3 questions on generalized trust, in comparison to those with no positive responses, were 1.15 (95% CI, 0.99 to 1.34) for 1 positive response, 1.16 (95% CI, 0.98 to 1.37) for 2 positive responses; and 1.39 (95% CI, 1.20 to 1.61) for 3 positive responses. The aORs for abstainers versus people with AUDIT scores of 0-7, in comparison to participation in no organizations, were 0.61 (95% CI, 0.54 to 0.69) for participation only in informal organizations; 2.16 (95% CI, 1.57 to 2.99) for participation only in religious organizations; 2.41 (95% CI, 1.10 to 5.29) for participation only in volunteer organizations; and 0.65 (95% CI, 0.57 to 0.74) for participation in formal organizations. Participants in formal social organizations, regardless of their participation in informal organizations, were more likely to have AUDIT scores of 8-15 (aOR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.60) or ≥16 (aOR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.22 to 2.23) than to have scores of 0-7. Conclusions: Our findings may have implications for health policy to reduce alcohol problems.


Recently, UPPA was granted the label Initiatives Science Innovation, Territoires, Economie (I-SITE) in the frame of the second Programme d'Investissements d'Avenir (PIA 2) with its project Energy Environment Solutions (E2S). To become an attractive international reference in research in these two areas, E2S UPPA has implemented different research tools, including scientific research chairs: 'Chaires d'Excellence Partenariales'. The proposed position is in the framework of one of these partner-based chairs: MANTA MAriNe MaTeriAls.


Background: Candidiasis has gained much attention in recent decades due to its increasing prevalence in immunocompromised patients. Usually, antifungals such as fluconazole and amphotricin B are used for treatment of candidiasis, but one of the major clinical problems is the emergence of antifungal resistance. Combination antifungal therapy is one of the most commonly used methods to alleviate the problem of antifungal resistance. Methods: The effect of fluconazole alone and in combination with amphotericin B on C. tropicalis isolates were performed using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) reference method. Eventually hypha formation, time kill study, proteinase and phospholipase activity and expression of PLB and SAP2 genes were carried out to investigate the enzymes inhibitory properties of antifungal tested against C. tropicalis. Results: Results showed the significant synergic effect of fluconazole in combination with amphotericin B in inhibiting the growth of C. tropicalis isolates, with fractional inhibitory concentration indices ranging from 0.06 to 0.5. The combination of fluconazole with amphotericin B reduced the number of yeast form and inhibited the yeast to hyphae transition in C. tropicalis. The antifungals tested were able to show the effect of down regulating expression of the selected genes significantly in fluconazole/amphotericin B ranging from 1.42- to 2.27-fold. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that the synergistic interaction of fluconazole/amphotericin B would be worth exploring for the management of candidiasis. In addition, PLB and SAP2 genes could be probable molecular targets in the synergistic interaction of fluconazole/amphotericin B in C. tropicalis.


The iron-containing Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have attracted a great deal of attention in the areas of gas separation, catalytic conversion, and drug delivery, due to their high surface area and activity, as well as the non-toxicity of iron. In this study, Fe-based MOFs using BDC ligands, MIL-101(Fe), MIL-53(Fe) and Amino-MIL-101(Fe) are synthesized by a solvothermal method and characterized by conventional methods such as BET, SEM, and TGA. Afterwards, the synthesized MOFs are investigated from the point of view of the adsorbing capability of carbon dioxide at different pressures and temperatures, and also their resistance to water and solvent. The results showed that Amino-MIL-101(Fe) achieved more CO2 adsorption than MIL-101(Fe) and MIL-53(Fe), equal to 13 mmol g−1 at 4 MP. Although MIL-53(Fe) has the best temperature resistance, around 350 °C, Amino-MIL-101(Fe) is more stable against water and ethanol and its surface area is increased from 670 to 915 m2 g−1 after washing with ethanol. The adsorption study reveals that CO2 is adsorbed not only by a physical adsorption mechanism, but also by chemisorption of acidic carbon dioxide by basic NH2 agent in the structure of Amino-MIL-101(Fe).


Background. Alaska Native children experience extremely high rates of hospitalization for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. We evaluated the effect of palivizumab prophylaxis on the incidence of RSV hospitalizations in high risk Alaska Native children. Methods. We analyzed two retrospective cohorts. The first analysis, of southwest Alaska Native children hospitalized with acute respiratory infections during 1993 to 1996 and 1998 to 2001, compared RSV hospitalization rates among premature and nonpremature infants born before (1993 to 1996) and after (1998 to 2001) palivizumab use. The second analysis, of Alaska Native infants with a history of prematurity or lung disease during 1998 through 2001, compared RSV hospitalization among children receiving palivizumab during protected periods (within 32 days after a dose of palivizumab) and unprotected periods. Results. First RSV hospitalizations in premature infants from southwest Alaska meeting criteria for palivizumab prophylaxis decreased from 439 per 1000 births before to 150 per 1000 births after palivizumab (relative rate, 0.34; 95% confidence interval, 0.17 to 0.68), whereas the rate in nonpremature infants remained stable (148 per 1000 births compared with 142 per 1000). Among high risk Alaska Native children during 1998 through 2001, the rate of first RSV hospitalization was 0.55 per 1000 protected days and 1.07 per 1000 unprotected days (relative rate, 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.28 to 0.93). Conclusions. Palivizumab reduced RSV hospitalizations in high risk infants in a region with high rates of RSV hospitalization.


Highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (OH.) attack the amino acid phenylalanine to give ortho-, meta-, and para-tyrosines. An improved HPLC-based separation of these products is described. Both D- and L-phenylalanine are attacked by OH., although only the latter is a substrate for the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase. Use of this improved aromatic hydroxylation assay to detect OH. is illustrated by measuring OH. in ozonized aqueous solutions at pH 7.4, and by showing that blood from some premature babies appears to be capable of catalyzing OH. formation.


Late Cenozoic volcanism along the eastern margin of the Basin and Range province in northern Arizona and Utah has created a suite of essentially alkalic basaltic lavas similar to those occurring in other regions of recent uplift, extensional tectonism, and high heat flow. The lavas were derived from a series of partial melts of the mantle, modified to varying degrees by polybaric fractionation of olivine and possibly plagioclase and clinopyroxene during ascent to the surface. Basanite and alkali olivine basalt melts originated at depths of at least 65 km and possibly as much as 95 km (20 to 30 kb) by variable but generally small degrees of partial melting. More voluminous hawaiite magmas originated at shallower depths by a somewhat greater degree of partial melting and were more substantially modified by crystal fractionation prior to extrusion.

Magmas parental to the lava extrusions became increasingly divergent in composition with time, reflecting a broadening depth interval of partial melting in the mantle. Concurrent eruptive activity and block faulting generally shifted eastward with time at a rate of approximately 1 cm/yr. These time-space-composition variations, in combination with the observed essentially marginal localization of basaltic volcanism for the whole Basin and Range province, are explained in terms of upper mantle dynamics. We envisage upwelling mantle or plume activity beginning sometime in the middle to late Cenozoic in the core area of the Basin and Range province and causing progressive thinning or "erosion" of the lithosphere. Erosion ultimately produced a steep, keellike asthenosphere-lithosphere boundary beneath the Colorado Plateaus and the Basin and Range transition zone. Eastward-flowing mantle peridotite from the core of the plume was throttled against this keel, causing localized shear heating. This heat enhanced partial melting so that sufficient liquid was created to separate from the refractory residuum and to rise to the surface. Diapiric uprise of magma, or partially melted mantle in the uppermost mantle, or injection of a swarm of dikes into the lower crust, might have weakened and attenuated the overlying brittle crust, causing concurrent faulting. Eastward erosion of the keel and site of partial melting as time progressed allowed eruptive and fault activity to also migrate.


The steaady decline in the virtulence of diphtheria acnd scarlet fever which has been in progress during the presenit century has thrown into sharper prominence the continued severity and fatality of measles. Taking epidemic and non-epidenic vears together, measles is responsible for 08 per cent. of (leaths fromiall causes in this coutntry, aand imust be held responsible for much chronic ill-health, as al resuilt of its pulmonary complications. In average epidemics all but a negligible proportion of the deaths occur within the first five y1ears of life in comninmnities in which nmeasles is endemic.


Urgent demand for the prevention and diagnosis of physiological diseases is driving the development of biomarkers and physiological temperature fluorometric sensors. In this paper, a rare trinuclear lanthanide metal-organic framework (MOF), [(CH3)2NH2][Eu3(μ3-OH)(2,6-NDC)3(HCOO)3]·(solv)x (Eu(2,6-NDC), where 2,6-H2NDC = 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid) was synthesized using reticular chemistry via reducing the symmetry of the organic ligand from axisymmetric 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid (1,4-H2NDC) to non-axisymmetric 2,6-H2NDC. Eu(2,6-NDC) shows exceptional chemical and thermal stability in acid-base solutions, PBS solution, and boiling water, and even under an air atmosphere up to 300 °C. As-synthesized Eu(2,6-NDC) exhibits ratiometric detection abilities for P1,P5-di(adenosine-5') pentaphosphate (Ap5A), for use as a biomarker of dry eye disease, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.031 μM, as well as excellent anti-interference properties. As far as is known, it is the first Ap5A sensor based on MOFs. In addition, the results show that the ratiometric parameters of co-doped Eu0.001Gd0.999(2,6-NDC) deliver a good linear luminescence response to physiological temperatures (20-60 °C) with high sensitivity.


Modular multiplication forms the basis of many cryptographic functions such as RSA, Diffie-Hellman key exchange, and ElGamal encryption. For large RSA moduli, combining the fast Fourier transform (FFT) with McLaughlin's Montgomery modular multiplication (MLM) has been validated to offer cost-effective implementation results. However, the conditional selections in McLaughlin's algorithm are considered to be inefficient and vulnerable to timing attacks, since extra long additions or subtractions may take place and the running time of MLM varies. In this work, we restrict the parameters of MLM by a set of new bounds and present a modified MLM algorithm involving no conditional selection. Compared to the original MLM algorithm, we inhibit extra operations caused by the conditional selections and accomplish constant running time for modular multiplications with different inputs. As a result, we improve both area-time efficiency and security against timing attacks. Based on the proposed algorithm, efficient FFT-based modular multiplication and exponentiation are derived. Exponentiation architectures with dual FFT-based multipliers are designed obtaining area-latency efficient solutions. The results show that our work offers a better efficiency compared to the state-of-the-art works from and above 2048-bit operand sizes. For single FFT-based modular multiplication, we have achieved constant running time and obtained area-latency efficiency improvements up to 24.3 percent for 1,024-bit and 35.5 percent for 4,096-bit operands, respectively.


This technical note investigates the effect of footing embedment depth on tunnel-structure interaction using geotechnical centrifuge testing. A two-story framed building on separate footings, either resting directly on the surface or embedded in the soil, and subjected to tunneling induced displacements is modeled. Measurements of the displacements of the footings and underlying soil, ground deformations, and structural distortions are presented. Results show that footing embedment increases foundation differential settlements and horizontal displacements, thereby causing a greater level of distortion within the frame. Furthermore, the embedded footings result in a larger magnitude of ground displacements and shear strains of the soil. Finally, modification factors and relative stiffness parameters are presented, indicating a greater effect of the embedment on horizontal deformations than the angular distortion of the bays.


BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY
Chronic mitral regurgitation (MR) causes volume overload on the left ventricle and, if uncorrected, will over time lead to left ventricular remodeling and heart failure. The benefits of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) in primary MR are not well defined.

METHODS
MEDLINE was searched for studies in which the effects of ACE inhibitors and ARBs on chronic MR had been examined. The inclusion criteria required the patient population to have chronic MR, a normal left ventricular ejection fraction, and to report a quantitative measure of the change in MR severity. Studies in which patients had secondary MR were excluded.

RESULTS
Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria (13 daily therapy, five single-dose, and one combined study). The pooled mean decrease in regurgitant fraction (RF) was 7.7% [95% CI 4.9, 10.6] and 9.3% [95% CI 3.4, 15.2] for studies in patients with daily therapy and single-dose therapy, respectively. Among studies which reported changes in regurgitant volume (RV), the pooled mean decrease was 7.9 ml [95% CI 1.4, 14.5]. For patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP), the pooled mean reduction in RF was 8.1% [95% CI 4.3, 11.9] and in rheumatic disease it was 3.4% [95% CI 13.2 - 7.0]. Across the seven studies of daily therapy which reported a change in left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI), the mean decrease was 11.5 ml/m2 [95% CI 2.4, 20.6].

CONCLUSION
ACE inhibitors and ARBs each reduced the RF, RV, and left ventricular size by a modest degree in chronic primary MR.


Owing to the loss of subcarrier orthogonalities in high-speed applications, the use of conventional frequency-domain-based channel estimation in high mobility orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems such as mobile WiMax may give rise to an unacceptable high channel estimation error floor. To alleviate this problem, the authors develop some basis expansion model (BEM)-based estimation schemes for the OFDMA uplink. Specifically, the authors express the time-varying channel as a superposition of a small number of complex exponential basis functions spanning the entire Doppler range, and then formulate least square (LS) and linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE) algorithms to estimate the basis coefficients for two different types of pilot patterns. The authors also derive the respective Cramer-Rao lower bounds for these estimators. It has been shown that the time domain BEM using a pilot scheme where pilots are placed over time axis will give better performance under a high Doppler scenario. Lastly, using simulation results, the proposed algorithms have been found to have better estimation accuracy over current frequency domain estimation techniques. This is in addition to the advantage that the proposed algorithms have in general a lower computational complexity.


The essential peel oil of Citrus limetta var. Mitha (Sweet lime) extracted by hydro-distillation was assessed for chemical constituents, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. Gas chromatographic analysis identified 17 constituents among which limonene (95.98 %) was found as major component followed by camphene (1.79 %), while the remaining terpenes were less than 1%. The results of antimicrobial activity of essential oil tested by disc diffusion method, against different against bacteria and fungi showed that it exhibited maximum zone of inhibition against Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579 (28 mm) and Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 (26 mm) followed by Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 (21 mm), where as the minimum zone of inhibition was shown by Fusarium oxysporum ATCC 48122 (11 mm) after 48 h of incubation at their respective temperature (37°C for bacteria and 25°C for fungi). The inhibition zones, measured after 48 and 96 h, showed that it was active against all tested bacteria and fungi. The results of its antioxidant activity showed that it was able to reduce the stable radical 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) to yellow-colored DPPH-H reaching 87.77% of DPPH scavenging effect at its 100% concentration comparative to ascorbic acid as reference standard being a strong antioxidant reagent. The results of our study showed that essential oil of C. limetta var. Mitha peel can be an effective medicine against different pathogenic microbes.

 Key words: Citrus limetta var. Mitha, essential oil, antimicrobial activity, antioxidant, pathogenic microbes.


Orofacial clefts are one of the most common birth defects and the most common craniofacial malformation worldwide. The most common orofacial clefts (OFCs) are congenital cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL ± P) and isolated cleft palate (CP). The incidence of OFCs varies depending on region and ethnicity; however, it affects approximately 1 in 600 newborns worldwide. In most cases, CL ± P and CP are multifactorial congenital malformations, where both exogenous and genetic factors play an important role. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency of potential risk factors associated with the development of CL ± P and CP in Mexican population. Patients were referred for multisystemic treatment, from private and public institutions in different regions of the country (center, north, and south). Sociodemographic information, prenatal and parental history were obtained through direct interviews with the patients or the patients' mothers in the case of underaged patients. Referred patients were invited to participate in the study. No interventions were applied for this study. The relationship between these factors and the prevalence of CL ± P and CP was studied. A total of 554 patients were included, the majority with CLP (30% to 7%), statistically significant differences were found for folic acid (P = 0.02) consumption. Familial aggregation did not reach statistical significance for first-degree family members (P = 0.34) but was significant for second-degree family members (P = 0.007). More risk factors associated with CL ± P and CP may still be unknown, prompting more epidemiological research and research in other little-studied areas, such as; specific genetic factors in Mexican population.


THERE evidently lurks in the soul of every American an intense yearning to see China. Beginning in the fall of 1971 down to the time in which I write, a week does not pass without my receiving a letter, phone call, or personal query, in varying styles, the essence of which is "How can I get a visa to China?" The variations on the theme are many. Many are straightforward travel enthusiasts who have been everywhere and are accustomed to the habit that an American tourist is surely welcome everywhere, and now want to add China to their travel list. Other queries fall into the category of "I was there in 1941 and I cannot believe that the flies, beggars, famine, etc, have stopped. I want to go look again." Still others have varied reasons: "I collect porcelains and..." "I have to give a report for my book club about


In this paper, we propose a novel numerical method for solving fuzzy differential equations with generalized differentiability. The algorithm proposed here is based on a Generalized Characterization Theorem of ODE. Using the Generalized Characterization Theorem we can translate a fuzzy differential equation into two ODE systems. By a new numerical method, we obtain two approximate solutions of first order fuzzy differential equation. A numerical example is presented and discussed.


The application mainly represents mobile tour guide system with augmented reality. Tourism is travel for pleasure; also the business process of entertaining tourists, attracting and accommodating and the business of operating tours. Augmented reality is nothing but direct or indirect view of the physical environment whose element is changed by computer generated sensory input. To guide tourist with respect to visit, there exist numerous applications. All of them are paper-based and Mobile based having restrictions of interactive visualization and accurate navigations. By considering restrictions of above applications, this system application provides a portable tour guide application with increased the augmented information, called Tour Guide System. The system provides visitors to have more intelligent, instructive and client specific experiences with expanded reality by perceiving or following the contents of a visit booklet. The GPS functionality is also available for the tourist to search tourist places. This Paper describes the features and related work on different android applications based on augmented reality.


An additional uncommon muscle fasciculus, Cleido Occipitalis Cervicis (COC) from the anterior border of the trapezius muscle was found during routine dissection. The variant muscle slip was separated from the trapezius muscle and was inserted on the posterior surface of medial two third of shaft of the clavicle as a separate tendon and forms the cleido occipitalis cervicis triangle in the neck. Remaining muscle fibers of trapezius inserted in to the clavicle and scapula as usual. The left external jugular vein was the content of the COC triangle. These variations of the trapezius muscle should be kept in mind during surgical operations or MR imaging observations of the neck region.


The present study provides a survey of relationships in current use to quantify sorption of reactive solutes by soil. Its purpose is to examine present concepts and to indicate active research directions. Both equilibrium and first-order kinetic sorption models are reviewed. Equilibrium models discussed include the linear, Freundlich, Langmuir, two-surface Langmuir, and competitive Langmuir isotherms. Kinetic sorption models reviewed are the reversible linear, reversible nonlinear, kinetic product, bilinear, mass transfer, Elovich, Fava and Eyring, and two-site kinetic model. The models reviewed appear to provide a reasonably good basis for extrapolation and interpolation of data. There is a continuing need, however, to upgrade these methodologies as demand for accuracy and realism increases. It is expected that the state-of-the-art review provided by this survey will assist in this process.


The aim of this paper is to analyze, specify and isolate components that form the anticipated multiplier and crowding-out effects of state aid and to discuss its impacts on the public budgets. The author shows that some qualitative and hardly measurable aspects should be included in the multiplier effect. At the same time, various present crowding-out effects partially offset the expected positive results. Several key aspects of state aid are identified to influence the balance of public budgets. First, the distortion of prices of the production factors lead to adjusted tax and social security payments. Second, long-term changes of potential product caused by the provided state aid may create conditions for enhanced economic activity. Last but not least, administration costs connected to state aid should be carefully measured and evaluated.


Attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR-IR) and Raman spectroscopies are used to identify the complexed species of mercury(II) with acetate and some aliphatic derivatives in aqueous solutions, as a function of pH and metal-to-acetate ratio. The spectra of the free carboxylate ions, in their sodium salt solutions, and of the protonated molecules are shown for comparison and assigned below 1800 cm−1. Whatever the stoichiometries assumed [HgCH3COO+ up to Hg(CH3COO)42-], one structure is observed, principally via the stretching modes ν(CO2) and ν(CC), although two strong bands have a νs(CO2) character owing to an accidental coupling of this mode with δs(CH3) in all the acetate complexes. This coupling is demonstrated with the isotopic ligand CD3COO, which displays only one νs(CO2) band on account of the separation of this mode from δs(CD3). The splitting between νa(CO2) and νs(CO2) increases up to about 260 cm−1 for all the carboxylates under study, the value pointing to a hydrated monodentate form.


Identification and assignments of metabolites is an important step in metabolomics and is necessary for the discovery of new biomarkers. In nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy-based studies, the conventional approach involves a database search, wherein chemical shifts are assigned to specific metabolites by use of a tolerance limit. This is inefficient because deviation in chemical shifts associated with pH or temperature variations, as well as missing peaks, impairs a robust comparison with the database. We propose here a novel method based on matching the pattern of peaks rather than absolute tolerance thresholds, using a combination of geometric hashing and similarity scoring techniques. Tests with 719 metabolites from the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) show that 100% of the metabolites can be assigned correctly when accurate data are available. A high success rate is obtained even in the presence of large chemical shift deviations such as 0.5 ppm in (1)H and 3 ppm in (13)C and missing peaks (up to 50%), compared to nearly no assignments obtained under these conditions with existing methods that employ a direct database search approach. The method was evaluated on experimental data on a mixture of 16 metabolites at eight different combinations of pH and temperature conditions. The pattern recognition approach thus helps in identification and assignment of metabolites independent of the pH, temperature, and ionic strength used, thereby obviating the need for spectral calibration with internal or external standards.


The vaginal microbiota forms the first line of defense against sexually transmitted infection (STIs). Population-based surveys of the bacteria inhabiting the vagina have shown that several kinds of vaginal microbiota exist, that differs in bacterial composition and abundance. Further, in some women, these communities are dynamic and can change over short period of time, while in other, they are highly stable and do not change. The impact of both composition and dynamic of the vaginal microbiota on the susceptibility to diseases is still poorly understood. The application of modern genomic technologies, ecological principles and in vitro modelling affords a better understanding of the role of vaginal microbiome in health and diseases. Metagenomic sequencing provides a comprehensive view of the genetic make up of the bacterial species comprising the vaginal microbiome, and highlights associations between different genomic species of the same genus, or strains of the same species and their contribution to the protective properties of the vaginal microbiome. For example, the genomic make up of certain vaginal bacteria correlates with their ability to maintain a stable and protective vaginal microbiome. Further, the use of in vitro three-dimensional models of cervical epithelial cell lines is a good surrogate to evaluate the contribution of microbial products to the function of the vaginal microbiome. Using a 3D model of cervical epithelial cells, we have shown that the production of different isomers of lactic acid by Lactobacillus spp. is associated with protection against chlamydial infection in a pH dependent manner. Understanding the vaginal microbiome structure and functions is critical to devise novel and personalised strategies to maximise women's health.


The purpose of this study was to clarify the efficacy and safety of direct adsorption of lipoprotein low-density lipoprotein apheresis (DALI LDL apheresis) in patients with severe homozygous and heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia who showed minor adverse effects during treatment with the usual DALI configuration (AC 1:20) through the use of a new system with low-dose citrate anticoagulation (AC 1:40) developed in order to minimize citrate-related adverse effects. Serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) showed a decrease of 57% to 61%, and 62% to 67%, respectively, in the 2 patients. Serum lipoprotein (a) (Lp[a]) was higher in the homozygous patient (Patient 1: MD) and within the normal range in the heterozygous patient (Patient 2: ES). In the former, Lp(a) was reduced by 52%. Serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) showed a statistically insignificant acute reduction: 15% to 19%. The observed reduction is mainly related to the well-known effect of hemodilution. The cardiovascular risk (total cholesterol/HDL-C) was reduced in both patients (46% to 54%) as expected. Serum triglycerides were reduced by 33% to 49%. The mean blood volume processed per session was 7,600 ml. Fifteen treatments for each patient have successfully been completed without the appearance of any clinically significant subjective and objective symptoms related to treatment with the new system.


We find that luminol can react with artemisinin (ART) to produce chemiluminescence (CL) in the absence of a catalyst and ascorbic acid (AA) can quench luminol-ART CL. Based on its efficient inhibition effect on luminol-ART CL, a new AA detection method is established. The calibration curve for the determination of AA is in the linear range of 5 × 10-7 M to 1 × 10-4 M with a detection limit of 50 nM, which is more sensitive than many other reported methods. This CL approach was utilized to detect AA in vitamin C tablets by applying the standard addition method, and the recoveries of 104.0%, 96.8% and 103.4% were obtained, respectively, at concentrations of 1 μM, 5 μM and 10 μM with a RSD value of less than 3.6%. This developed method for AA assay is distinguished by its fastness, reproducibility, easy operation and good selectivity.


Background We aimed in this interim report to compare two registered generic sofosbuvir products for the degree and speed of virologic response to a dual antiviral treatment protocol within the first 2 weeks of treatment. Methods Data collected during the period of this interim report from the first 25 patients randomized to either one of two generic sofosbuvir products (Grateziano or Gratisovir) at a daily dose of one 400 mg tablet plus a weight-based ribavirin dose were analyzed for both the degree and speed of virus load reduction at the end of 1 and 2 weeks from starting treatment. Results The baseline Log10 transformed virus load (Log polymerase chain reaction) showed a fairly similar marked and significant reduction in both groups by more than 4 and 5 Logs at the end of week 1 and 2 of starting treatment, respectively. The differences between the two treatment groups at both analysis points were not statistically significant (P>0.05) by repeated measures factorial analysis of variance test. The differences in proportions of patients with ultra-rapid virologic response at the end of week 1 and very-rapid virologic response at the end of week 2 in both groups were also not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion We can conclude from this interim report that the two generic products Gratisovir and Grateziano are almost equally fast and efficacious in reducing the hepatitis C virus load in our study setting.


Doctor Lowry has compiled and edited this interesting monograph on the physiology and psychology of hyperventilation and the relationship to the mind-body problem. There are five other contributors who have written on such subjects as the history of hyperventilation, physiology of hyperventilation, psychodynamic aspects of respiration, conversion hysteria, and the electroencephalogram. Also included are two studies: one is concerned with hyperventilation in military recruits; the other discusses the Minnesota Multiphasic personality inventory in patients with hyperventilation. In general the book is well designed. There are references for each chapter with a total of approximately 400. They are current through 1966. This is a very readable book and covers many aspects of the problem of hyperventilation. It has a very strong orientation toward the psychiatric aspects of hyperventilation. This book will be of value to those interested in this specific problem.


Wheat is an important cereal crop in Brazil and one of the major source of carbohaydrates for baking. Grain losses on roads cause losses beyond the economic scope. Grains that fall around the highway are seeds with the potential to germinate, making it a "green bridge" for the transmission of diseases or hybridization between traditional, commercial and transgenic cultivars. The objective of this study was to establish the quantitative losses along the roads during the transportation of wheat grains in Paraná, as well as to verify the influence of short and long distance load on grain losses. The research was developed through a partnership between the National Supply Company Original Research Article Pereira et al.; JEAI, 37(6): 1-11, 2019; Article no.JEAI.49656 2 (CONAB) and the Nucleus of Storage Technology, at the Federal University of Mato Grosso. at the Federal University of Mato Grosso. A survey of wheat grain losses was carried out in the BR-376, approximately 295 km distance between the Port of São Francisco in Santa Catarina and Ponta Grossa in Paraná between March and April 2018. A total of 26 collection points were established along the highway. At each collection point an area of 1 m 2 was measured with the aid of a fixed frame of wood with the same area, at a distance of 1.3 m from the highway margin, in the northsouth direction of the highway, which is the direction of the grain flow in BR-376 in the section considered). The grains were collected on the side of the road, along the gutters and near the lawn, with a broom, brush and dustpan. The collected material was placed in plastic bags properly identified and taken to the laboratory for separation and weighing. The experiment was carried out in subdivided plots, 26 plots (collection points), 4 subplots (collection times) and 3 replicates (collection areas at points). Statistical analyzes were performed using Assistat software. Differences among treatments were verified using analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the F test. When significant to the comparison of means for the treatments was performed by the Scott-Knott test. The section of the data referring to the short route that presented the highest loss index was the route in the interior of the city of Ponta Grossa-PR. The Ponta Grossa/Ponta Grossa destination also had the highest total loss, even though it was an average distance of 25 km. The route between the municipalities of Uraí/Ponta Grossa was the destination with the highest losses (122.55 kg of grains per trip). In almost all sections of the route denominated as long losses higher than acceptable in contracts (0.25%). The percentage of wheat grains lost is associated with the quality of the highways and trucks used in transportation.


Inflammation is a major component in keeping the body in homeostasis. However, an overwhelmed inflammatory response may be associated to a loss of this homeostatic status, which may lead to tissue injury or organ dysfunction. A huge number of drugs interacts with the inflammatory response in a positive, negative or "dual" manner. Among these drugs, ketamine seems to have a significant positive effect on the regulation of inflammation. This NMDA-receptor antagonist acts at different levels of inflammation, interacting with inflammatory cells recrutment, cytokins production, and inflammatory mediators regulation. The resultant effect of these interactions confers to ketamine a anti-proinflammatory effect by limiting exacerbation of systemic inflammation without affecting local healing processes. This review makes a complete overview of the immunomodulatory properties of this complex anesthetic substance.


The analysis of carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) in crop plant remains from archaeological sites may help to assess water availability for early agriculture. This study presents the analysis of Δ in seeds of naked wheat (Triticum aestivum/durum), lentil (Lens orientalis/culinaris), and flax (Linum sp.) found at the archaeological site of Tell Halula in the valley of the Middle Euphrates (Syria). This Neolithic site is the oldest in this region of the Fertile Crescent where the cultivation of domesticated plants has been reported, with seed remains ranging from 9550 to 8465 BP. Most of the seeds analysed showed Δ values greater than 16 ‰, reaching 20 ‰ for some samples of flax. For wheat, Δ values were much higher than those reported in present‐day (1996) durum wheat crops cultivated under rainfed conditions in north‐west Syria under environments with somewhat higher rainfall than Tell Halula. Similarly, grains of present‐day (1997) barley cultivated in the archaeological site also showed lower values than those found in archaeological kernels. An empirical relationship between Δ of mature kernels and total precipitation (plus irrigation where applicable) from heading to maturity (r2 = 0.82, n = 11) was established for durum wheat, currently cultivated in different environments of the Mediterranean basin. The resulting relationship was applied to the data on Δ of wheat fossil kernels from Tell Halula to estimate the accumulated water inputs during the time (about 6 weeks) the kernels were produced. Calculated water inputs for wheat during early agriculture were (over 110 mm) at least 5 times higher than current‐day rainfall accumulated in Tell Halula during the same phenological period. These results strongly suggest that early agriculture wheat was cultivated at Tell Halula under much wetter conditions than are currently to be found in the area. The presence of flax and its very high Δ values also support this conclusion. Whether such humid conditions during cultivation were due to moister conditions prevailing at this time, by planting in alluvial areas or by irrigation works is discussed.


BACKGROUND
Numerous practice guidelines (PGs) relevant to child and youth mental health (CYMH) are available, but their quality is uncertain. We used systematic review methodology to identify the methods employed to develop PGs in CYMH and assess whether they align with international quality standards.

METHODS
We used prespecified inclusion criteria to search for CYMH PGs (2009-2014) in journals of professional associations or websites of organizations who produce or house PGs. Eligible PGs and organization websites were screened to identify PG development methods. Two reviewers assessed the alignment of the PG development methods with PG quality criteria using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) domains and Institute of Medicine (IOM) standards.

RESULTS
Five sets of eligible development methods were identified in 70 eligible PGs. Three sets adhered to all (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) or most (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force) AGREE II domains and IOM standards, and were used to develop 31.4% of PGs. The two remaining sets of development methods had important weaknesses (e.g. lack of mandatory rigorous systematic reviews, multidisciplinary development groups, or transparent conflict of interest methods) and were associated with 21.4% of PGs. No development methods could be identified in 40.0% of PGs; ineligible development methods were referenced in 7.1% of PGs.

CONCLUSIONS
Up to 69% of available CYMH PGs may have been developed using methods that do not align with AGREE II quality criteria or IOM standards. The quality of available CYMH PGs needs to be assessed, and strategies designed to guide practitioners to high quality PGs and facilitate adherence by PG developers to international quality standards are needed.


The communication and sharing of information is a fundamental need to computer users. The number of users who have needed to communicate with others has rapidly increased. Over the last decade, the network domains have become very complex structures. Hence, many faults may occur, which cause them to operate outside their required quality of service. The use of management techniques is required to handle the complexity of computer networks in order to detect and control the behaviour of system resources. Currently, the management systems run on a central station (client-server), where data needs to be transferred from the client to the server and vice versa. This may lead to inefficiency if the network is very large in scale. The use of Mobile Agents (MA) is a new technology based on mobile code that can migrate from one node to another in order to collect, analyse and make decisions locally or remotely on behalf of a centralized network management station.


Despite extensive epidemiological and biochemical studies, the effects of a thyroid dysfunction on the incidence and progress of human cancer have been, for many years, a controversial subject. Endocrine manipulations on laboratory animals clearly demonstrate the influence of thyroid hormones on the induction and growth of several types of experimental tumors: lymphomas, mammary tumors, primary or transplanted hepatomas. In vitro, triiodothyronine also plays an early and critical role in the neoplastic transformation of cultured cells by X-rays, chemical carcinogens and RNA- and DNA-viruses. At the molecular level, the effects of thyroid hormones on the alterations of gene expression accompanying neoplasms remain unknown. Yet, the presence of nuclear triiodothyronine receptors in experimental and human tumors and the recent discovery, by several authors, that the cellular counterpart of a viral oncogene (v-erb A) encodes a thyroid hormone receptor, suggest: either a direct influence of the hormone on the initiation and/or the progress of these tumors; or an indirect effect, via the modulation of another metabolic regulator, for example a polypeptide growth factor (Epidermal Growth Factor, Transforming Growth Factor).


Transparent electrically conducting SnO2 films were prepared by chemical vapour deposition technique. The films were obtained at various deposition temperature ranging from 350 to 500 degrees C by stannous chloride oxidation. The SnO2 films thus produced have a conductivity of 50-700 (ohm cm)-1, an n-type carrier concentration of 1*1019-6*1020 cm-3 and a Hall mobility of 7.8-31.2 V-1 s-1 depending on the deposition conditions. The studies on the variation of conductivity with temperature indicated two donor activation energies for the films.


Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are differentially sensitive to blockade by the competitive antagonist dihydro-beta-erythroidine. Both alpha and beta subunits participate in determining sensitivity to this antagonist. The alpha subunit contribution to dihydro-beta-erythroidine sensitivity is illustrated by comparing the alpha 4 beta 4 receptor and the alpha 3 beta 4 receptor, which differ in sensitivity to dihydro-beta-erythroidine by approximately 120-fold. IC50 values for blocking alpha 4 beta 4 and alpha 3 beta 4, responding to EC20 concentrations of acetylcholine, were 0.19 +/- 0.06 and 23.1 +/- 10.2 microM, respectively. To map the sequence segments responsible for this difference, we constructed a series of chimeric alpha subunits containing portions of the alpha 4 and alpha 3 subunits. These chimeras were coexpressed with beta 4, allowing pharmacological characterization. We found determinants of dihydro-beta-erythroidine sensitivity to be distributed throughout the N-terminal extracellular domain of the alpha subunit. These determinants were localized to sequence segments 1-94, 94-152, and 195-215. Loss of determinants within segment 1-94 had the largest effect, decreasing dihydro-beta-erythroidine sensitivity by 4.3-fold.


Multi-beam phased array antennas are employed in wireless communications, where RF direct down-conversion, timing synchronization, and analog-to-digital are of important functions. Design of a novel all-optical ADC using spectral technique is presented, where sampling speeds as high as 40 GSPS with 6 bits of resolution is attainable.


Context: Research methodology in traditional Indian system of medicine. Aim: To determine the knowledge level of investigators conducting clinical trials in traditional medicines (TMs) including Ayurveda. Materials and Methods: This was a questionnaire survey conducted for selected researchers trained in any specialty and working in TM. 2087 researchers were selected based on selection criteria. A validated and pretested questionnaire containing the questions regarding regulatory issues, literature search, evidence-based medicine, clinical trial design, patient selection, and study reporting were sent either through E-mail or post. The answered questionnaires were analyzed. The parameters were analyzed based on median and interquartile range (IQR). Results: Forty two responses were received through E-mail and 21 researchers responded through post. Out of 63, six researchers sent incomplete responses. Among the remaining 57 respondents; 34 (59.6%) investigators had postdoctoral degree, 43 investigators (75.4%) did not receive any structured training on research methodology, 23 (40.4%) had two decades of research experience. Thirty three (74%) of investigators who received government funding didn′t have any training on research methodology. Ayurveda experts group had better knowledge compared to pharmaceutical sciences and basic science group although they had a dilemma about conducting clinical evaluation of TM within the specific framework of rigorous clinical pharmacological principles without ignoring the Ayurvedic concepts such as Dosha, Prakruti etc., Investigators below 30 years possessed higher knowledge of research methodology when analyzed based on the age. The respondents working in research organizations, government organizations, and academic institutions had lower knowledge compared to those who were in private organizations/practice. Conclusions: It is recommend that investigators, peer reviewers, and fund managers involved in traditional medicine research need training especially in research methodology.


We fabricated a spring-supported piezoelectric unimorph cantilever (SPUC) with enhanced energy-harvesting characteristics by using a 0.69Pb(Zr0.47Ti0.53)O3–0.31Pb(Ni0.6Zn0.4)1/3Nb2/3)O3 + CuO (0.5 mol%) thick film sintered at 950 °C; a spring having a spring constant of 14,320 N/m was used as the cantilever support. The SPUC could generate an output power as high as 29 mW with a spring constant of 14,320 N/m across a resistance of 150 kΩ; this corresponded to a power density of 34 mW/cm3. We, therefore, that the thus-fabricated SPUCs when supported by a spring can harvest increased levels of energy.


This article assesses the current seroprevalence of HIV worldwide examines the patterns of infection over the past 10 years and discusses the future impact of HIV. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 8 million people have become infected with HIV since the early 1980s. As of November 1990 WHO estimates that some 800000 people have developed AIDS. 54% of the HIV infections have occurred in Africa 35% in the Americas and 8% in Western Europe. The main HIV transmission routes are: 1) sexual intercourse with an infected partner (accounting for 75% of all infections); 2) HIV-infected blood or blood products which include blood transfusions (5%) IV drug use (10%) and other needle (<0.1%); and 3) perinatal transmission from infected mother to infant (10%). The article describes the 3 patterns of HIV infection so far: 1) In industrialized countries and in Latin America HIV infections appeared in the early 1980s among homosexual men or IV drug users and then spread to the heterosexual population; 2) In Eastern and Central Africa where heterosexual sex has been the main transmission route infections began in the late 1970s; 3) In the rest of the world HIV was not introduced until the mid-1980s and because of the low prevalence rate the main transmission route has not yet been determined. By the year 2000 WHO expects some 15-20 million HIV infections among adults and some 5-6 million AIDS cases among adults. In some industrialized countries AIDS could become the leading cause of death among 20-40 year olds during the 1990s. At the same time AIDS will have a devastating effect on sub-Saharan Africas urban population which will see a great increase in child mortality rates and in the number of orphaned children.


Andrena humilis is an endangered oligolectic solitary bee and has declined in recent decades throughout western Europe. The aim of this study was to explore the pollen harvesting pattern and to determine the reproductive rate in specialized andrenid bees. We measured the amount of pollen required to produce one brood-cell, the pollen harvesting rate and compared our results with data for other specialized andrenid bee species. Pollen-foraging trips were registered and the activity events (entering, leaving or digging) recorded at the nests. The mean number of pollen-foraging trips per day was 5.3 and an average bee nest was active (and open) 88 min day(-1). The bees were highly efficient in harvesting pollen and spent on average 10.7 min to complete one pollen-foraging trip. Most pollen-foraging trips (77%) were completed in less than 15 min. The duration of pollen-foraging trips increased over the day, presumably because pollen became more costly to harvest. Based on pollen counts (pollen loads on bees and pollen provisions) an average bee required 3.85 foraging trips to complete one brood cell and one bee managed to accomplish 1.37 brood cells in one day with suitable weather. In the literature we found data on an additional 19 specialized andrenid bee species. Andrena humilis seems to be extremely efficient compared with most other species, with an average trip for pollen lasting almost one hour (average for andrenid bees = 46 min). An extremely low reproductive rate seems to be a common trait among specialized bees in the family Andrenidae with an average 0.9 offspring produced per day and less than ten offspring produced during the whole lifetime. The high degree of specialisation and the low reproductive rate among andrenid bees can explain the severe decline in many species today.


The paper examines symbolic names in multimodal texts of Russian political advertising video clips of the late 20 th —early 21 st centuries. The research is aimed at discovering pragmatic and linguoculturological particularities of using symbolic names in political advertising videotexts. The study is conducted in compliance with the linguoculturological approach and the method of semantic analysis. As a result, the following semantic groups of symbolic names have been discovered in the studied videotexts: names of historical personalities, geographical names, names of famous buildings, names of sculptural compositions and names of paintings. The multimodal aspect of their use implies interaction between verbal and non-verbal signs designed to communicate topical political messages. Overall, symbolic names in the studied videotexts are used for creating a candidate's image, discrediting his/her political competitors and establishing a certain emotional state of the target audience, which is necessary for the desired electoral behaviour of the latter.


ML-powered code generation aims to assist developers to write code in a more productive manner, by intelligently generating code blocks based on natural language prompts. Recently, large pretrained deep learning models have substantially pushed the boundary of code generation and achieved impressive performance. Despite their great power, the huge number of model parameters poses a significant threat to adapting them in a regular software development environment, where a developer might use a standard laptop or mid-size server to develop her code. Such large models incur significant resource usage (in terms of memory, latency, and dollars) as well as carbon footprint. Model compression is a promising approach to address these challenges. Several techniques are proposed to compress large pretrained models typically used for vision or textual data. Out of many available compression techniques, we identified that quantization is mostly applicable for code generation task as it does not require significant retraining cost. As quantization represents model parameters with lower-bit integer (e.g., int8), the model size and runtime latency would both benefit from such int representation. We extensively study the impact of quantized model on code generation tasks across different dimension: (i) resource usage and carbon footprint, (ii) accuracy, and (iii) robustness. To this end, through systematic experiments we find a recipe of quantization technique that could run even a $6$B model in a regular laptop without significant accuracy or robustness degradation. We further found the recipe is readily applicable to code summarization task as well.


Treatment of full thickness defects of weight bearing articular surfaces is one of the most challenging problem of the daily orthopaedic practice. Recently published statistical evaluations of different arthroscopic findings support that 80% of full thickness defects of weight bearing areas leads to early osteoarthritis in a 5-10 years period. Beside traditional resurfacing procedures in the last two decades several new techniques have been developed to promote a hyaline or hyaline-like repair of the defected area. Basic science data, experimental results and preclinical evaluations supported wide clinical use of microfracture technique and autologous osteochondral mosaicplasty. Insurance company data confirm that yearly more, than 200 000 resurfacing procedures are performed according to the above mentioned two techniques all over the world. Beside these two popular resurfacing options autologous chondrocyte implantation may be a promising future alternative to treat extended defect areas. Beside basic science information and experimental data clinical experiences of more, than 8000 human implantations support such an application of cell therapy. This paper gives an outline of actual clinical resurfacing options and summarizes recent advances of cartilage repair.


The Gravitational, Electromagnetic, Weak & the Strong force are here brought together under a single roof via an extension of Reimann geometry to a new geometry (coined Reimann-Hilbert Space); that unlike Reimann geometry, preserves both the length and the angle of a vector under parallel transport. The affine connection of this new geometry – the Reimann-Hilbert Space, is a tensor and this leads us to a geodesic law that truly upholds the Principle of Relativity. The geodesic law emerging from the General Theory of Relativity (GTR) is well known to be in contempt of the Principle of Relativity which is a principle upon which the GTR is founded. The geodesic law for particles in the GTR must be formulated in special (or privileged) coordinate systems i.e. gaussian coordinate systems whereas the Principle of Relativity clearly forbids the existence of special (or privileged) coordinate systems in manner redolent of the way the Special Theory of Relativity forbids the existence of an absolute (or privileged) frame of reference. In the low energy regime and low spacetime curvature the unified field equations derived herein are seen to reduce to the well known Maxwell-Procca equation, the none-abelian nuclear force field equations, the Lorentz equation of motion for charged particles and the Dirac Equation. Further, to the already existing four known forces, the theory predicts the existence of yet another force. We have coined this the super-force and this force obeys S U(4, 4) gauge invariance. Furthermore, unlike in the GTR, gravitation is here represented by a single scaler potential, and electromagnetic field and the nuclear forces are described by the electromagnetic vector potential (Aμ) which describes the metric tensor i.e. gμν = AμAν. From this (gμν = AμAν), it is seen that gravity waves may not exist in the sense envisaged by the GTR.


There are no doubt about the important role of free radicals and reactive oxygen species in the processes of cell activity. The disturbances of intracellular redox processes are often accompanied with the development of such common pathologies as diabetes, myocardial infarction, neurodegeneration, broncho-pulmonary diseases, cancer, etc. To date, there are a large number of antioxidant enzymes related to different redox biology systems, the key role among them is played by enzymes belong to the thiol oxidoreductases superfamily, which consists of thioredoxin, glutaredoxin, peroxiredoxin, protein disulfidizomeraz, glutathione peroxidase families, and a number of other proteins. In addition to the antioxidant function, thiol oxidoreductases display the ability to recycle of hydroperoxide to form specific disulfide bonds within and between proteins that significantly extends the range of their functionality. Therefore, biochemical characterization and elucidation of functional mechanisms of the superfamily proteins is a highly actual problem of redox biology.


The 4.29 and 3.65 eV emission of CsI:Pb crystals has been studied at 4.2 - 300 K under excitation in the exciton as well as in the lead-induced absorption bands. The results have been compared with those obtained for the corresponding emission of CsI:Tl as well as for the emission of the on-centre and the off-centre self-trapped exciton in a pure CsI crystal. It has been found that, unlike the case in CsI:Tl, in CsI:Pb the 4.29 and 3.65 eV emission is excited not only in the exciton bands but also in the absorption bands of electron impurity centres optically created at 4.2 K together with the centres by photons of 5.1 - 4.0 eV energy. In the latter case this emission is of nature. The optical creation of the centres has been confirmed by luminescence polarization and ESR spectrum measurements.


Abstract Face detection entails the technology that identifies the human face in digital images. Face detection can be used in various applications. One of the major areas of application of face recognition is in security systems. We know that a smart security system is the need of the hour and has become a necessity in today's time. It is the basic need of humans to be able to protect one's home and belongings. The security system needs to be smart and efficient. Hence, it avoids intruders and protects your possessions by minimizing break-ins. Installing a home security system helps in protecting your home and valuables from burglars. The security system developed has a camera module that will give access to only authenticated persons to unlock the main door of the house using facial recognition technology. This discrete system is developed using an electronic board called as Raspberry Pi can detect intruders as well as send off an alarm to nearby police stations using SMS or Email. Keywords: Home security; Face Recognition; Internet of Things (IoT); RaspberryPi Microcontroller; Control; Smartphones Cite this Article Ayush Yadav, Shaam Garg, Shivam Jamloki, Aanchal Sadana, Kusum Tharani. Home Security using Facial Recognition. Current Trends in Signal Processing. 2020; 10(2): 5–11p.


In cancer clinical trials, the evaluation of treatment options is often dominated by patient survival. However, treatment improvements have permitted survival to be measured in years rather than months for many cancer patients. This trend is likely to persist and the quality of survival as reported by patients will become an increasingly important end point. Additionally, when new cancer therapies show small survival gains, the quality of this survival period from the patient perspective should be assessed in order to adequately evaluate the new agent and to inform clinicians and patients about tradeoffs in the form of treatment-related side effects. This article describes the rationale for measuring health-related quality of life outcomes in cancer trials, and key design and methodological considerations in clinical trial settings.


This paper presents a novel piezoelectric harvester to convert ambient vibrations into usable electrical energy. Unlike the normal cantilever beam structure, the piezoelectric harvester developed in this paper is based on the wafer-stack config- uration, which is appropriated for large force vibrations. Firstly, two electromechanical models (without and with a rectifier circuit), considering both the mechanical and electrical factors of the harvester, were built to characterize the harvested electri- cal power across the external load. Exact closed-form expressions of the electromechanical models have been given to analyze the maximum harvested power and the optimal resistance. It was shown that the harvested electrical power depends on the external vibration characteristics, the natural frequency, the mechanical damping factor, the normalized electrical load, the stiff- ness of the harvester and the overall electromechanical coupling coefficient of the harvester. Finally, a shake table experimental testing was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed piezoelectric wafer-stack harvester under standard sinusoidal loadings. Experimental results show that the harvester can generate a maximum 16 mW DC electrical power for sinusoidal loading with 3040 N amplitude and 2 Hz frequency, and the harvested electrical power is proportional to the strength of the exciting vibration.


Rich empirical evidence has shown that visual object recognition in the brain is fast and effortless, with relevant brain signals reported to start as early as 80 ms. Here we study the time trajectory of the recognition process at the level of minimal recognizable images (termed MIRC). These are images that can be recognized reliably, but in which a minute change of the image (reduction by either size or resolution) has a drastic effect on recognition. Subjects were assigned to one of nine exposure conditions: 200, 500, 1000, 2000 ms with or without masking, as well as unlimited time. The subjects were not limited in time to respond after presentation. The results show that in the masked conditions, recognition rates develop gradually over an extended period, e.g. average of 18% for 200 ms exposure and 45% for 500 ms, increasing significantly with longer exposure even above 2 secs. When presented for unlimited time (until response), MIRC recognition rates were equivalent to the rates of full-object images presented for 50 ms followed by masking. What takes the brain so long to recognize such images? We discuss why processes involving eye-movements, perceptual decision-making and pattern completion are unlikely explanations. Alternatively, we hypothesize that MIRC recognition requires an extended top-down process complementing the feed-forward phase.


PURPOSE Depression commonly accompanies diabetes, resulting in reduced adherence to medications and increased risk for morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to examine whether a simple, brief integrated approach to depression and type 2 diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes) treatment improved adherence to oral hypoglycemic agents and antidepressant medications, glycemic control, and depression among primary care patients. METHODS We undertook a randomized controlled trial conducted from April 2010 through April 2011 of 180 patients prescribed pharmacotherapy for type 2 diabetes and depression in primary care. Patients were randomly assigned to an integrated care intervention or usual care. Integrated care managers collaborated with physicians to offer education and guideline-based treatment recommendations and to monitor adherence and clinical status. Adherence was assessed using the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS). We used glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) assays to measure glycemic control and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to assess depression. RESULTS Intervention and usual care groups did not differ statistically on baseline measures. Patients who received the intervention were more likely to achieve HbA1c levels of less than 7% (intervention 60.9% vs usual care 35.7%; P <.001) and remission of depression (PHQ-9 score of less than 5: intervention 58.7% vs usual care 30.7%; P <.001) in comparison with patients in the usual care group at 12 weeks. CONCLUSIONS A randomized controlled trial of a simple, brief intervention integrating treatment of type 2 diabetes and depression was successful in improving outcomes in primary care. An integrated approach to depression and type 2 diabetes treatment may facilitate its deployment in real-world practices with competing demands for limited resources.


The resolution of current head-mounted displays leads to poor readability of text inrealistic virtual reality (VR) simulations. This results in unnatural user behavior. Here, three approaches for improving the readability of text in VR have been investigated:1) constantly magnifying a part of the screen (version "lens"), 2) magnifying sceneelements such as signs depending on the gaze direction (version "magnify") and3) augmenting the scene by adding floating texts (version "AR"). These approaches havebeen implemented as prototypes and tested by twelve users, using a virtual supermarketas an exemplary VR scene. The participants filled out a questionnaire, rating theirexperience with the different approaches. Additionally, the time required for readinggiven texts (price tags) has been measured and compared for each approach. With theAR version, the reading time was significantly shorter than the reading time without anyaids. The other versions offered no advantages. The AR version was also rated best in thequalitative evaluation. However, the other versions offer potential for improvement, which can be addressed in future research.


Distribution of snow water equivalence (SWE) was measured in the Emerald Lake watershed located in Sequoia National Park, California, by taking hundreds of depth measurements and density profiles at six locations during the 1986, 1987 and 1988 water years. A stratified sampling scheme was evaluated by identifying and mapping zones of similar snow properties on the basis of topographic parameters that account for variations in both accumulation and ablation. Elevation, slope, and radiation values calculated from a digital elevation model were used to determine the zones. Of the variables studied, net radiation was of primary importance. Field measurements of SWE were combined with the physical attributes of the watershed and clustered to identify similar classes of SWE. The entire basin was then partitioned into zones for each survey date. Statistical analysis showed that partitioning the watershed on the basis of topographic and radiation variables does produce superior results over a simple random sample.


Abstract Objectives To determine the use of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the pre- and posttreatment evaluation of skull base chordomas. Design Retrospective study. Setting Tertiary care university hospital. Participants In total, 17 patients with histopathological diagnosis of chordoma who had magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and DWI were evaluated. Of them, 13 patients had posttreatment MR imaging including DWI. Main Outcome Measures Three apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were obtained from tumor, and an ADC value was measured from pons for the purpose of normalization. ADC values of the subtypes of chordomas (typical and chondroid chordomas) were compared. Results Ten (59%) masses had increased signal on trace DWI at pretreatment evaluation. The mean ADCentire tumor/ADCpons was calculated as 1.55 ± 0.44. The mean ADCentire tumor values of typical and chondroid chordomas were 1.26 ± 0.29 × 10−3 mm2/s and 0.99 ± 0.46 × 10−3 mm2/s, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between ADC values of the subtypes (p > 0.05). For posttreatment evaluation, DWI enabled detection of residual tumor in the majority (85%) of cases. Conclusions DWI is useful in diagnosis and posttreatment evaluation of skull base chordomas. However, ADC values in our series did not distinguish the subtypes of chordomas.


The Golgi complex is a central organelle of the secretory pathway where sorting and processing of cargo occurs. While Golgi structure is important for the efficient processing of secretory cargo, the unusual organization suggests additional potential functions. The Golgi is disassembled after various cellular stresses, and we hypothesize that Golgi disassembly activates a stress signaling pathway. This pathway would function to correct the stress if possible, with irreparable stress resulting in apoptosis. Neurons appear to be particularly sensitive to Golgi stress; early disassembly of the organelle correlates with many neurodegenerative diseases. Here, Golgi stress and potential signaling pathways to the nucleus are reviewed.


Abstract Oysters are widely distributed worldwide, but are mainly concentrated in tropics and subtropics. Total lipid (TL), fatty acid (FA) composition of TL and polar lipid (PoL) fractions, phospholipid (PL) class, and molecular species composition in soft tissues of Crassostrea lugubris were investigated for the first time from Vietnam. Phosphatidylglycolic acid (PGA) is the new phospholipid class first identified in marine species in general and Crassostrea lugubris in particular. Main eight classes of PL were determined in PoL fraction: diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylserine (PS), ceramide aminoethylphosphonate (CAEP), CAEP with hydroxylated FAs (CAEP‐OH), and lysophosphatidylcholine. PE and PC accounted for approximately 63% of total known PL. Polyunsaturated FAs accounted for more than 30% of TL. Ninety molecular species of glycerophospholipids, including PGA, PE, PC, PS, PI, DPG, and PG, and sphingophosphonolipids (CAEP) were identified in PoL. Alkenyl‐acyl forms of glycerophospholipids were predominated in the molecular species of PGA, PE, and PS. PGA 38:1 (p18:0/20:1), PE 40:6 (p18:0/22:6 and p18:1/22:5), PC 30:0 (14:0/16:0), PS 38:1 (p18:0/20:1), PI 40:5 (20:1/20:4), PG 32:0 (16:0/16:0), DPG 88:24 (22:6/22:6/22:6/22:6), and CAEP 34:2 (d18:2/16:0) were major molecular species.


Hydrogen is a main factor in cold cracking or hydrogen-induced cracking. The most crack susceptible region of a steel welded joint is the heat affected zone (HAZ). The formulation and functional-analytical solution of the one-dimensional problem of hydrogen diffusion in an inhomogeneous butt-welded joint considering weld and joint dimensions and initial hydrogen distribution as well as hydrogen diffusion coefficients and solubilities are presented. It is shown that the peak hydrogen concentration in the HAZ of inhomogeneous joints varies in direct proportion to the initial hydrogen concentration in the weld metal. It is inversely proportional to the ratio of hydrogen solubilities in the weld metal and the HAZ metal and is nonlinear in the diffusion coefficient ratio of these metals. The peak hydrogen concentration in the HAZ can exceed 170% of the average initial concentration in the joint if martensitic steel is welded using low-carbon low-alloy welding consumables. The utilization of austenitic consumables leads to a dramatic reduction in the hydrogen concentration in the HAZ in comparison with the non-austenitic consumables. No direct relationship was found between the hydrogen concentration in the HAZ and the hydrogen evolution from the joint surface.


Objective Despite increasingly sophisticated medical technology, the prognosis of patients with advanced gastric cancer is still not objectively certain. Therefore, it is urgent to identify new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. To identify potential critical genes related to gastric cancer's staging mechanism and to the prognosis of gastric cancer. Methods Dynamic trend analysis was conducted to find genes with similar trends in gastric cancer staging in order to explore the differentially expressed genes in gastric cancer and identify the intersection of the results of the dynamic trend analysis. Functional predictive analysis were performed on the obtained genes to observe the expression of prognostic genes in gastric cancer and in gastric cancer stages as well as the correlation with tumor immune cell infiltration. Gastric cancer samples were collected and sequenced for follow-up analysis based on the results of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database analysis. Results The expression of genes enriched in module 0 had a similar trend in gastric cancer staging. 3213 differential genes were screened. A total of 50 intersection genes were obtained among genes with similar trends, of which only 10 genes have prognostic significance in gastric cancer. These 10 genes were correlated with macrophage infiltration in varying degrees. In addition, we found that AGT was significantly abnormally expressed in the results of sample sequencing. AGT was related to the occurrence of gastric cancer and interacted with brd9, golph3, nom1, klhl25, and psmd11. Conclusion AGT has prominent abnormal expression in gastric cancer and may promote gastric cancer progression. This study provides a new direction for further exploring potential biomarkers and molecular targeted gastric cancer therapy.


When continuous random variables are truncated at one or two points and point mass assigned to the truncation points, the distribution of the average of the random variables may not have an analytical form. This article presents an algorithm for computing exact percentiles of the sampling distribution of averages of small numbers of independent, truncated random variables. This methodology may be applicable to cases where there is a mixture of a continuous random variable with discrete part at one or both end points. Applications can be in areas of reliability and survival analysis where censoring is widely used; however, we were looking at using this method in new quality control schemes, whereby an item in batch or lot may be evaluated as defective, marginal or effective. Although the defective and effective can assume values of 0 and 1, respectively, the marginal part may be a continuous random variable assuming values between 0 and 1. Such distributions will open up an area of sampling distributions of mixed random variables that are not elaborately covered in textbooks dealing with the theory of sampling distributions.


Geoffrey Robinson conjectured in 1996 that the $p$ -part of character degrees in a $p$ -block of a finite group can be bounded in terms of the center of a defect group of the block. We prove this conjecture for all primes $p\neq 2$ for all finite groups. Our argument relies on a reduction by Murai to the case of quasi-simple groups which are then studied using deep results on blocks of finite reductive groups.


Although motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) in children are common, pediatric rectal perforations secondary to MVAs leading to transanal evisceration of the small bowel are very rare. Herniation of bowel through breach in the rectal wall seen eviscerating through the anus is a surgical emergency requiring laparotomy and necessary surgical procedure. We report case of a 3-year-old boy, victim of run-over MVA accident, presenting with bilateral fracture shaft femur, fracture of the left humerus, and transanal small bowel evisceration. About 30–40 cm long, gangrenous, small bowel loop was hanging outside the anal canal. Two consecutive surgeries were performed to manage this unusual and complex case with an excellent outcome. This report is presented for an extremely rare presentation of MVA injury in a child.


While the importance of institutions for explaining cross-country income di erences is widely recognized, comparatively little is known about the origins of economic institutions. One strand of the literature emphasizes cultural di erences while another points at exogenous environmental factors such as mortality and climate. Both are supported by some empirical evidence. I reconcile the two schools of institutional origins by proposing a theory of self-selection of colonists to di erent geographic destinations. Exogenous characteristics such as climate, mortality and factor di erences determine which type of settler decides to move to a particular colony. Settler type, in turn, shapes the institutional quality of the new country. The model is used to con rm observed regularities reported by previous researchers. Furthermore, robust new evidence is presented in support of this selection process. The results suggest that any theory of colonial development that does not take selection into account will be incomplete.


Li and colleagues (2014) in this issue report that dietary nicotinic acid (NA) supplementation ameliorates ethanol-induced hepatic steatosis, but a deficiency does not worsen injury induced by alcohol alone. The authors further present some mechanistic insights into the protective role of NA supplementation. Results of this and other previous studies in the context of alcoholic liver injury raise one important question as to what should be an adequate dose of NA that will provide the maximum benefit to hepatic and extrahepatic tissues and with minimum adverse effects.


: This paper proposes to utilize a structure of thin BOX FDSOI in analog circuit design. The thin BOX layer is utilized to create area e ffi cient capacitors. The design experiment shows that the combination of the thin BOX layer capacitor and a metal fringe capacitor improves the capacitance by 92% in comparison with the metal fringe capacitor only. Another advantage of the thin BOX FDSOI technology is the high controllability of the threshold voltages of transistors. As a demonstration of utilizing the advantage in analog circuit design, we designed a PMOS-type Dickson charge pump with dynamic threshold voltage control. The designed charge pump achieves 5.7 times larger output current and 3.5 times higher energy e ffi ciency than a conventional charge pump.


ABSTRACT Elemental magnesium and sulfur powders were ball milled to prepare a nanocomposite material, Mg·S. Ignition of the prepared powder was characterized using both a heated filament experiment and electric spark. Combustion of individual particles was studied by injecting the powder into a premixed hydrocarbon-air flame. Combustion of powder clouds was examined using a constant volume explosion chamber. Biocidal effect of the produced combustion products against aerosolized endospores of Bacillus thuringiensis (simulant of Bacillus anthracis) was quantified. The powders ignited at lower temperatures, compared to pure magnesium. Delayed ignition was observed for powders initiated by spark and for powder clouds ignited in a constant volume chamber by a heated wire. The delay is likely due to the formation of an evaporated sulfur cloud preceding ignition. The composite material burned faster than pure magnesium, which was shown by shorter measured burn times for individual particles, and by higher rates of pressure rise in the constant volume explosion experiments. The optical emission spectra produced by burning Mg·S nanocomposite powders exhibited an unusually strong emission at short wavelengths; additional spectroscopic studies of such flames are of interest. Combustion products generated by Mg·S composite powders effectively inactivated aerosolized spores; the effectiveness of inactivation was comparable to some previously examined formulations, including aluminum-based composite powders containing iodine.


Purpose of reviewWe review the advantages and drawbacks of biomarkers in the diagnostic and prognostic assessment of systemic infections. Recent findingsSince the signs and symptoms of severe infections can be ambiguous, biomarkers provide a more reliable tool in ascertaining the presence of a relevant bacterial infection, its severity and treatment response. Procalcitonin and, to a lesser extent, C-reactive protein and interleukin-8 can improve the diagnostic assessment of infections and guide antibiotic therapy. Promising prognostic biomarkers include cortisol, proadrenomedullin, copeptin and natriuretic peptides. The strengths and weaknesses of biomarkers must be recognized in order to use them rationally and safely. Cutoff ranges of biomarkers must be chosen according to the specific clinical context and they should be used as a complementary tool, to reinforce the clinical diagnostic workup. Biomarkers cannot determine the causative organisms and associated patterns of antibiotic susceptibility. SummaryIf used in the proper setting, serial measurements of diagnostic biomarkers may allow treatments to be adjusted at an early stage in patients with severe infections. This may involve either intensifying treatment when infection levels stay high or avoiding unnecessary prolonged courses of antibiotics when levels rapidly decrease, thereby improving the allocation of healthcare resources.


The paper presents a novel concept of processor aimed at symmetric-key cryptographic applications. Its architecture is optimized for implementation of common cryptography tasks. The processor has 128-bit separated data and key registers, dedicated instruction set optimized for key generation and management, embedded cipher, and embedded random number generator. From an architectural point of view, the most important characteristic of the proposed crypto-processor is the physical separation of data and key registers and buses, insuring that confidential keys will never leave the system in clear. This way, the processor enables to separate protected and unprotected security zones easily and also achieve complete physical isolation of key management and data zones inside the single FPGA. The first version of the processor implemented in Xilinx Virtex 5 FPGA device achieves the frequency of 160 MHz and it occupies 1343 configurable logic blocks and 21 embedded memory blocks.


This paper presents a new method for measuring and classifying spatter in gas metal arc welding (GMAW) by optical monitoring of the weld pool and surrounding area via a high-frame-rate camera. Image processing and tracking algorithms are described that extract and classify individual spatter events from raw camera images. This new sensor is then used to investigate the relationship between workpiece contamination and weld spatter.