Abstract The corporate responsibility to respect human rights was formally introduced in 2011 with the unanimous endorsement of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) by the UN Human Rights Council. It is grounded in social expectations and forms part of the companies' "social license to operate." This paper argues that this responsibility is progressively turning into a legal duty for lead companies to respect human rights in those types of value chains which are characterized by a high level of control by a lead company over its business partners. Our argument rests on two recent legal developments. Firstly, the article analyzes the judicialization of the corporate responsibility to respect in the case law on parent company liability in various jurisdictions, which, we argue, is highly likely to have some implications in relation to certain types of value chains so as to trigger the liability of lead companies for the human rights harms arising out of the activities of entities over which they exercise sufficient control. Secondly, the article delves into the legislative developments which increasingly require lead companies to exercise due diligence so as to prevent and address adverse human rights impacts in their own activities and global value chains.


In many studies, we want to determine the influence of certain features on a dependent variable. More specifically, we are interested in the strength of the influence -- i.e., is the feature relevant? -- and, if so, how the feature influences the dependent variable. Recently, data-driven approaches such as \emph{random forest regression} have found their way into applications (Boulesteix et al., 2012). These models allow to directly derive measures of feature importance, which are a natural indicator of the strength of the influence. For the relevant features, the correlation or rank correlation between the feature and the dependent variable has typically been used to determine the nature of the influence. More recent methods, some of which can also measure interactions between features, are based on a modeling approach. In particular, when machine learning models are used, SHAP scores are a recent and prominent method to determine these trends (Lundberg et al., 2017). In this paper, we introduce a novel notion of feature importance based on the well-studied Gram-Schmidt decorrelation method. Furthermore, we propose two estimators for identifying trends in the data using random forest regression, the so-called absolute and relative transversal rate. We empirically compare the properties of our estimators with those of well-established estimators on a variety of synthetic and real-world datasets.


Based on a detailed analysis of the specifics of teaching the foundations of forensic engineering and construction forensics, as well as distinguishing features of the forensic field itself, the authors identify a number of significant didactic problems and offer solutions. Emphasizing the importance of this type of expertise in modern legal proceedings, a convincing case is made for continuous efforts to improve professional training of the next generation of specialists in the field of construction forensics.


Peer assisted study sessions (PASS) are a type of supplemental instruction (SI) that provide students with out-of-class study review sessions with a group of peers. A student, who has successfully completed the subject and acts as a mentor, facilitates the voluntary sessions. Results of the PASS program at the University of Wollongong have been quite positive in that students, on average, who attend more PASS, achieve higher marks. However, a simple comparison does not control for self-selection bias. We control for self-selection in two ways. Firstly, we use Heckman's two-stage correction technique to analyze the 2002 cohort. Secondly, students in the 2003 cohort were randomly allocated into three groups of equal size: - A control group that was allocated to normal tutorials with standard class sizes and ineligible to attend PASS - A group that was eligible to attend PASS and had normal tutorials of standard sizes - A group that was ineligible to attend PASS but allocated to normal tutorials with smaller class sizes. The results of both methods are consistent and indicate the PASS program has a positive impact on the academic performance of students after correcting for selection bias.


The purpose of this study is to determine student perceptions of the methods used to teach pharmacology content via Problem Based Learning (PBL) cases with respect to student: comprehension application of pharmacology content, confidence in their own pharmacology knowledge after completion of PBL instruction, and confidence in treating clinical patients who are taking multiple medications. Our hypothesis is that the most effective presentation of pharmacology content is one that focuses on broad drug classes and includes: a pharmacology assignment, a postassignment group discussion and consensus, and a graded group response for the assignment. At Indiana University School of Dentistry (IUSD) the subject of pharmacology is introduced near the end of the first semester, as a module called Pathology and Pharmacology in a larger course, Systems Approach to Biomedical Sciences. This basic introduction to pharmacology includes five lectures concerning pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, therapeutics and prescription writing. Subsequently, students are exposed to pharmacology again during the third year, when the Pharamcotherapeutics Module is presented as part of a larger course, Dental Sciences III. The Pharmacotherapeutics Module is an intense 16 week lecture-based class, a "bolus" of pharmacology. PBL can be a bridge to impart more pharmacology knowledge to the students to prepare them for the Pharmacotherapeutics Module in the third year. Three teaching strategies were integrated into PBL cases over the last three years; (1) the "Basic 5", (2) emphasis on pharmacodynamics/pharmacokinetics and (3) homework. The goal of this study was to identify which teaching strategy students perceived to be the most effective means of using PBL to facilitate the learning of pharmacology material. A trend in the data shows the closer the student is to graduation the less they valued the pharmacology knowledge taught in PBL. Their responses seem to indicate that the newer teaching methods, a pharmacology assignment, a postassignment group discussion and consensus, and a graded group response for the assignment employed in PBL cases lead to better understanding of pharmacology concepts and confidence in the students own pharmacology knowledge.


Up to 20.7 W CW, 3.5 MHz linewidth, 1178 nm continuous-wave laser has been obtained at ESO laser labs by Raman amplification of a distributed feedback diode laser. To our knowledge it is the highest power obtained at such a narrow linewidth with Raman fiber amplifiers. The 1178nm laser has a linear polarization-extinction-ratio of 25dB. Frequency doubling with an LBO-based SHG commercial cavity has given 83% conversion efficiency and 14.5W CW at 589nm. The source is suitable to produce mesospheric laser guide stars as reference stars for adaptive optics. The presented narrow-band, high power Raman amplification technique might be used for a large number of different wavelength ranges.


This paper proposes a fair extension of Keller-Segel equation based in the argument that bacteria exhibit proporties electric in their composition. The new mathematical form of this extension involves the integer-order Bessel functions. With this one can go through the electrodynamics of the representative scenarios in order to understand the social behavior of bacteria. From the theoretical side this paper demonstrates that, charged electrically, aggregation of bacteria would give rise to electric currents that hypothetically are the reasons for social organization and disruption among them. The electrical properties of bacteria from this mathematical proposal might be relevant in a prospective implementation of so-called Internet of Bio-Nano Things network, that aims to be characterized for having a very high signal/noise.


Results of treatment of HIV-infected patients with surgical diseases are analyzed. These results are compared with ones at non-infected patients. The standards of surgical operations at HIV-infected patients are that permits to optimize surgical tactics at HIV/AIDS patients and to improve treatment results.


Activated B-cell-like (ABC) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the major constituent of nongerminal center B-cell-like (non-GCB) DLBCL, is associated with poorer survival outcomes than GCB-type DLBCL. In Phase II studies, lenalidomide combined with R-CHOP (R2-CHOP) improved outcomes relative to historical R-CHOP in newly diagnosed DLBCL, particularly in non-GCB cases. ROBUST (CC-5013-DLC-002) is a randomized, double-blind, global, Phase III study of oral lenalidomide (15 mg, days 1–14) plus R-CHOP21 × 6 versus placebo-R-CHOP21 × 6 in patients with previously untreated ABC-type DLBCL. Subtyping is done within 3 calendar days by central laboratory gene-expression profiling of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded biopsy tissue. The primary end point is progression-free survival. Secondary end points include response rates, overall survival and health-related quality of life.


The development objective of the Nurek Hydropower Rehabilitation Project for Tajikistan is to promote sustainable growth, improve public administration, and develop human resources. Some of the negative impacts are includes: (i) potential pollution due to refurbishment wastes (hazardous and non-hazardous), (ii) health and safety risks that may affect workers but also local communities and (iii) regular operation of the power plant. No impact has been identified regarding downstream hydrology, upstream reservoir level and downstream water demand or use. (iv) asbestos removal and manipulation represent a major health risk that requires special precaution with respect to workers' health and safety. (v) dismantling, installation and testing phases in such projects represent electrical hazards for workers; (vi) during the manipulation of electrical components or devices, involuntary stoppage of one or several units can occur. This can lead to a reduction of electrical production and the fluctuation of the voltage in the electricity grid. Some of the mitigation measures are includes : (i) local residents, including women, children, elderly, disabled, living adjacent to the only road connecting Nurek to the capital city and which will be using for transporting goods and materials during the project implementation. (ii) unique wildlife reserve protecting rare species of tugay, or riparian forest, ecosystems (flora and wild animals). (iii) farmers and users of water resources located downstream Vakhsh river, who are potentially impacted by the flooding risk and water discharge or modification of water flows.


We demonstrate the coherent interactions of lattice soliton trains, including in-band solitons (IBSs) and gap soliton trains (GSTs), in optically induced two-dimensional photonic lattices with self-defocusing nonlinearity. It is revealed that the π-staggered phase structures of the lattice soliton trains will lead to anomalous interactions. Solely by changing their initial separations, the transition between attractive and repulsive interaction forces or reversion of the energy transfer can be obtained. The 'negative refraction' effect of the soliton trains on the interaction is also discussed. Moreover, two interacting IBSs can merge into one GST when attraction or energy transfer happens.


This investigation explored whether there are significant differences between cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) manikin techniques based on instructor observation and critique of key skill elements and previously approved CPR techniques based on review of manikin-generated strips. The purpose of the study was to validate a decision to discontinue reliance on manikin-generated strips to document satisfactory performance of CPR manikin practice skills. One-rescuer and two-rescuer CPR strips were blindly collected from all CPR course participants during a six-month period. The results indicated no significant difference (p > or = .05) between the two methods of evaluation.


Background: Antenatal care has proven to be an effective way to reduce maternal mortality and save the life of newborn. Nepal also follows the World Health Organization's recommendations of initiation of four antenatal care visits that has helped in decreasing the maternal mortality of the country. Still, the country has to do a lot in improving the antenatal care provision. Objective: The objective of this study was to find out the antenatal care practices among the women with children less than five years of age in a district of eastern Nepal. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among residents of Aurabani village of Sunsari district. Non probability convenient sampling technique was used to collect data from 15th January to 30th January, 2015. Data of 100 women having children less than five years of age were collected and analyzed in descriptive and inferential ways. Results: Women with nuclear family are more likely to have antenatal care visits (73.8%) compared to women with joint family (66.7%). The study showed that attendance of antenatal care visits among the educated women was higher (71.8%) than those illiterate (66.7%). In the study, 84.8% of women of primi-gravida completed antenatal care visit which was significantly higher than women with multi gravida (59.3%) (p 30 meters distance (52.9%). An almost similar trend was found among pregnant women taking iron tablets and vitamin A. Furthermore, walking distance shows stronger association with women taking albendazole during pregnancy (p <0.001). Conclusion: A large percentage of women completed all four recommended antenatal visits. Women and their husbands who were educated placed high importance on antenatal visits. Gravida of the pregnancy was also related to the antenatal care visit. High number of primi-gravida women completed antenatal care visits than women with multigravida. Use of medicines like iron tablets, albendazole tablets, vitamin A and tetanus toxoid injection was directly related with the walking distance to the health center. Journal of Kathmandu Medical College Vol. 5, No. 3, Issue 17, Jul.-Sep., 2016, page: 89-94


This paper presents a new workflow comprised of using hydraulic fracture modeling outputs (effective length, height, and conductivity) for the next step – a discrete fracture flow model which visualizes the drainage pattern in 3D based on history matched production data. The first part of the paper is designated to fracture forward modeling and prediction of the proppant placement geometry and conductivity of hydraulic fractures in a multistage horizontal well. The influence of wellbore deviations and other local initial conditions are all taken into account and explain localized fracture initiation, fracture asymmetry, and propagation, as well as proppant placement efficiency. The primary model focus is on the creation of fracture conductivity maps, one for each transverse fracture. The second part of this study shows the process of import and conversion of 2D fracture conductivity maps for further use in fluid flow allocation to the individual fractures. The 3D Drained Rock Volume (DRV) is rendered based on 2D streamline and time-of-flight maps for drainage, velocity and pressure depletion with 5 ft vertical resolution layers representing the reservoir. Instead of using a grid-based numerical simulation, we apply a meshless flow model based on Complex Analysis Methods (CAM) to solve linear differential equations. The fluid velocity field is computed for narrowly discretized time steps, which allows high-resolution visualization of hydrocarbon flow near and into each of the discrete fractures. Honoring critical physical interaction of fracture fluid, rock mechanics, proppant transport, the fracture propagation model coupled with the flow model for discrete fractures, provides a powerful tool to pinpoint the drained rock volume. Our systematic study highlights trade-offs between fracture design inputs and the total drained rock volume. Field data from the Wolfcamp Formation, Midland Basin in West Texas, provides a real-world case to demonstrate our workflow. Recommendations are made for adjusting frac design and improving the recovery factor of hydrocarbons in place.


Perceived control is an important variable for various demands involved in successful aging. However, perceived control is not set in stone, but rather changes throughout the life course. The aim of this study was to identify cross-sectional age differences and longitudinal mean-level changes as well as rank-order changes in perceived control with respect to sex and education. Furthermore, changes in income and health were analyzed to explain trajectories of perceived control. In a large and representative sample of Germans across all of adulthood, 9,484 individuals gave information about their perceived control twice over a period of 6 years. Using LOESS curves and latent structural equation modeling, four main findings were revealed: (a) Perceived control increased until ages 30 to 40, then decreased until about age 60, and increased slightly afterwards; (b) The rank order of individuals in perceived control was relatively unstable, especially in young adulthood, and reached a plateau at about age 40; (c) Men perceived that they had more control than women did, but there were no sex differences in the development of perceived control; (d) Individuals with more education perceived that they had more control than those with less education, and there were slight differences in the development of perceived control dependent on education. Taken together, these findings offer important insights into the development of perceived control across the life span.


Objectives To assess the impact of a biplanar ascending opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) on the alignment of the knee extensor mechanism and patellar height using preoperative and postoperative MRI. Methods Medical records of all patients submitted to ascending biplanar OWHTO between July 2008 and March 2017 were retrospectively assessed. Five parameters of the patellofemoral joint—tibial tubercle–trochlear groove distance (TT-TG), patellofemoral (PF) axial engagement index, lateral patellar tilt, Blackburne-Peel index (BPI) and Caton-Deschamps index (CDI)—were measured by two blinded independent observers on both preoperative and postoperative MRIs. Interobserver reliability was assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Paired t-test was performed to compare preoperative and postoperative measurements. The association of the amount of HTO opening and the assessed PF joint parameters was also investigated with Pearson correlation coefficient. Results 26 patients who underwent ascending biplanar OWHTO were enrolled in this imaging analysis (63.4%) with a mean follow-up of 16.3 months (SD, 16.9). ICC for all measurements ranged between 73.3% and 89.3%. Postoperatively, TT-TG distance significantly increased by 2.0 mm±2.3 mm (p<0.001). Patellar height significantly decreased when evaluated by the BPI (p<0.001) and CDI (p=0.001). The amount of osteotomy opening significantly correlates with the postoperative BPI (p=0.023) and CDI (p=0.013). Conclusion This study comprehensively reports significant increase on TT-TG distance after an ascending biplanar OWHTO using MRI. Small but significant decreases in patellar height were also observed and are correlated to the amount of axis correction. Level of evidence Level IV, retrospective case study.


High-purity, crystalline [001]-oriented GaN nanotubes with outer diameters of 200 nm or more, rough surfaces and irregular internal channels were synthesized under epitaxial growth on [001]-oriented sapphire substrates. Elastic property measurements on free-standing individual GaN nanotubes, using the in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) electromechanical resonance technique, pointed at an average Young's modulus E of 37 GPa and minimum quality factor of 320. These numbers are notably lower than those for previously reported GaN nanowires. The crystallography and chemistry of the GaN nanotubes were analyzed using TEM and energy dispersion x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). It is suggested that the lowered Young's modulus and quality factor of the nanotubes are mainly due to the surface roughness and defectiveness.


Mesozoic thickening and Cenozoic extension resulted in the juxtaposition of upper and middle crustal rocks in the eastern Mojave Desert, southeastern California and western Arizona. The application of 40Ar/39Ar thermochronology to rocks in this region provides information about the timing and nature of thrusting, plutonism, metamorphism, denudation, and detachment faulting. The 40Ar/39Ar ages of 175 to 125 Ma from the Clipper, Piute, Turtle, Mohave, Bill Williams, and Hualapai Mountains are interpreted to be the result of a middle Mesozoic thermal event(s) caused by crustal thickening. The 40Ar/39Ar data from the Clipper and Piute Mountains suggest that this thermal event was followed by a period of cooling at rates of 1°–5°C/m.y. Orogenesis culminated during the Late Cretaceous when rocks exposed in the Old Woman-Piute, Chemehuevi, and Sacramento Mountains attained temperatures >500°C which reset the K–Ar systems of minerals from Proterozoic rocks. High-grade metamorphism in the Old Woman Mountains area was caused by the intrusion of the Old Woman-Piute batholith at 73±1 Ma. Cooling rates following batholith emplacement in the Old Woman Mountains were ∼100°C/m.y. between 73 and 70 Ma and 5°–10°C/m.y. from 70 to ∼30 Ma. Between 65 and 25 Ma the entire eastern Mojave Desert underwent a period of cooling at a rate of 2°–10°C/m.y. By 30 Ma, rocks exposed in the Old Woman-Piute, Marble, Ship, Clipper, and Turtle Mountains were below ∼100°C. The 40Ar/39Ar ages from the Sacramento Mountains suggest that mylonitization caused by the onset of regional extension occurred at 23±1 Ma. When extension started in the Chemehuevi Mountains, rocks exposed in the southwestern and northeastern portions of footwall to the Chemehuevi detachment fault were at ∼180°C and ∼350°C, respectively. This suggests that the exposed part of the Chemehuevi detachment fault initiated at a dip of 5°–30° or as a series of higher-angle faults that cut to a depth of 10–12 km and were later rotated to their present dip. Unroofing of the footwalls to detachment faults in the Sacramento and Chemehuevi Mountains resulted in average cooling rates of 10°–50°C/m.y. between 22 and 15 Ma.


Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from dairy farms are significant contributors to global warming. However, much of the published work on GHG reduction is focused on either methane (CH4) or nitrous oxide (N2O), with few, if any, considering the interactions that changes to farming systems can have on both gases. This paper takes the raw data from a year of activity on a 300-cow commercial dairy farm in Northern Ireland to more accurately quantify GHG sources by use of a simple predictive model based on IPCC methodology. Differing herd management policies are examined together with the impact of integrating anaerobic digestion (AD) into each farming system. Whilst significant success can be predicted in capturing CH4 and carbon dioxide (CO2) as biogas and preventing N2O emissions, gains made can be lost in a subsequent process, negating some or all of the advantage. The process of extracting value from the captured resource is discussed in light of current farm parameters together with indications of other potential revenue streams. However, this study has concluded that despite the significant potential for GHG reduction, there is little incentive for widespread adoption of manure-based farm-scale AD in the UK at this time.


We analyze fracture-density variations in subsurface fault-damage zones in two distinct geologic environments, adjacent to faults in the granitic SSC reservoir and adjacent to faults in arkosic sandstones near the San Andreas fault in central California. These damage zones are similar in terms of width, peak fracture or fault (FF) density, and the rate of FF density decay with distance from the main fault. Seismic images from the SSC reservoir exhibit a large basement master fault associated with 27 seismically resolvable second-order faults. A maximum of 5 to 6 FF/m (1.5 to 1.8 FF/ft) are observed in the 50 to 80 m (164 to 262 ft) wide damage zones associated with second-order faults that are identified in image logs from four wells. Damage zones associated with second-order faults immediately southwest of the San Andreas Fault are also interpreted using image logs from the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) borehole. These damage zones are also 50–80 m wide (164 to 262 ft) with peak FF density of 2.5 to 6 FF/m (0.8 to 1.8 FF/ft). The FF density in damage zones observed in both the study areas is found to decay with distance according to a power law . The fault constant is the FF density at unit distance from the fault, which is about 10–30 FF/m (3.1–9.1 FF/ft) in the SSC reservoir and 6–17 FF/m (1.8–5.2 FF/ft) in the arkose. The decay rate ranges from 0.68 to 1.06 in the SSC reservoir, and from 0.4 to 0.75 in the arkosic section. This quantification of damage-zone attributes can facilitate the incorporation of the geometry and properties of damage zones in reservoir flow simulation models.


Recent studies have suggested that the enhanced release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of clinical inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the free radical scavengers edaravone and tempol in the development of experimental dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Male BALB/cA mice were fed 4% (w/w of diet) DSS in standard powder chow for 8 days. Edaravone, tempol, or vehicle saline were then injected subcutaneously twice per day. After the experimental period, the colonic length, histological damage score, and mucosal myeloperoxidase (MPO) and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were measured. Edaravone (15 mg/kg/day) and tempol (5-15 mg/kg/day) suppressed the colonic shortening and the damage score. In particular, tempol at 15 mg/kg/day significantly attenuated the colonic shortening and damage score. Edaravone and tempol suppressed the serum IL-6 levels, and significantly suppressed the increased colonic MPO levels. These results strongly support the involvement of ROS in the pathogenesis of DSS-induced colitis. A clinical effect for edaravone and tempol in IBD patients is strongly expected.


The worldwide increasing energy demand and 2050 net zero carbon target urge the globe to solve the energy challenge. Thermal Energy Storage (TES) has received significant attention in recent years as TES can be integrated into heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems where the energy would be stored during low-demand times and dispatched during high-demand times, resulting in controlling the peak load and improving energy savings. Material development is an integral part of TES. Salt hydrates are appealing due to cost-effectiveness, low- to no toxicity, and their high melting enthalpy, where energy is stored as latent heat. However, most salt hydrates are prone to incongruent melting (i.e., phase separation upon melting), which results in poor stability and large supercooling. In this study, we produced a highly stable novel energy storage material at a composition of 32 wt% sodium sulfate decahydrate, 52 wt% sodium phosphate dibasic dodecahydrate, 12 wt% milled expanded graphite, and 4 wt% borax. The material has a melting temperature of 28°C and an energy storage capacity of 167 kJ/kg with a supercooling of less than 3°C. The system showed no loss in energy storage performance after 150 cycles. The findings suggest that the novel energy storage material developed in this might be utilized in building heating and cooling applications.


Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) play an important role in cell-cell and cell-substratum interactions, and undergo specific changes during neutrophil development. Previous studies (Luikart, S.D., Maniglia, C. A., and Sartorelli, A. C. Cancer Res., 44: 2907-2912, 1984) have shown that both dimethyl sulfoxide and 4-beta-phorbol-12-beta-myristate-13-alpha-acetate decreased GAG production by a hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase-deficient clone of HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells prior to the appearance of a mature myeloid or monocytoid phenotype. To expand these investigations further, GAGs were analyzed by cetylpyridinium chloride precipitation and DEAE-Sephacel ion-exchange chromatography after labeling of parental HL-60 cultures with [35S]sulfate and D-[3H]glucosamine for 6 h, following treatment with 1 microM all-trans retinoic acid (RA). Chondroitin sulfate represented the major GAG species produced, although endo-beta-galactosidase-sensitive undersulfated macromolecules which possibly might be keratan sulfate, were also identified. GAG production decreased over a time period of 144 h in culture. RA treatment reduced the amount of radiolabeled cell-associated GAGs by 50% after 48, 96, and 144 h of exposure. In contrast, commitment to myelocytic maturation of the majority (i.e., approximately 60%) of the cells occurred between 72 and 96 h of RA treatment. Concurrently with the appearance of mature granulocytic cells, two-thirds of the radiolabeled GAGs were recovered from the medium, compared to one-third in untreated cultures, a phenomenon that resulted in an overall alteration in the distribution of GAGs. When RA was removed by washing after either 48 h (i.e., precommitment to differentiation) or 96 h (i.e., postcommitment to differentiation), a 1.5- to 3.5-fold increase in GAG production was noted 48 h later; this increase was unrelated to the medium change or to alterations in cell cycle distribution. The amounts of endo-beta-galactosidase-sensitive macromolecules were unaltered. Thus, although 1 microM RA inhibited the synthesis of chondroitin sulfate by HL-60 leukemia cells, this inhibition was reversible by removal of the drug and appeared to be unrelated to the commitment to myelocytic maturation.


The views of two modern Catholic figures, John Paul II and Hans Urs von Balthasar, on the Jewish religion and the State of Israel are informed by their theological reflections that go back to the Christian Scriptures. There they identify the radical newness of Christianity and at the same time its profound roots and continuing debt to the Jewish Scriptures and to the continuing existence of the Jewish people and the Jewish religion. The tortured past history of relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people and their religion apparently turned on the political exigencies of 'protecting' the daily exercise of Catholicism. In the modern historical period where on the one hand, the independent State of Israel exists and where on the other hand, Catholicism has no intrinsic need of a specific land, the theological principles of the need of and debt to Israel as the 'elder brother' and as the 'stock' onto which Christianity is inescapably grafted, has come to the fore and has led to a number of agreements, under John Paul II, between the Vatican and the State of Israel.


Your museum's success is directly connected to its ability to communicate with the public. It is for this reason that public relations are so important to each and every museum. However, creating a relationship with the community can often be difficult. Thankfully, Donald Adams' Museum Public Relations, the first book dedicated to public relations as a form of museum management, provides the direction to put your institution in touch with those it seeks to serve. Moreover, it demonstrates in an organized and easy-to-read manner ways to identify and evaluate your museum's relationship to its public, while also suggesting how to develop programs that strengthen this relationship. Museum Public Relations contributes an extensive list of references, directing you where to go for more information, while also providing examples of fact sheets, visitor surveys, press releases, feature stories, and public service announcements as models for better understanding how it's all done.


An attempt was made to obtain the paternal parental stock to hybridize evergreen azaleas (seed parent) with Rhododendron japonicum (A. Gray) J. V. Suringar f. flavum Nakai (pollen parent). To examine the variation in hybridization barriers and crossability, pollen from nine accessions of R. japonicum f. flavum were used to pollinate one plant of R. eriocarpum (Hayata) Nakai. Significant differences among R. japonicum f. flavum accessions appeared in fertilization rate, mature seed numbers per capsule, albino rate, survival rate, and the crossability. Pollination with pollen of R. japonicum f. flavum accessions 27026136 and 27026139 yielded a relatively large number of viable seedlings per pollinated flower as compared to the others. Our results suggest that it is important to select highly crossable R. japonicum f. flavum plants as the pollen parent to obtain true hybrids.


Pine wilt disease (PWD) caused by the pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is a globally distributed destructive disease of pine forest. To study the PWD pathogenic mechanism, the cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase gene (BxCAD-1) from B. xylophilus was selected. The BxCAD-1 gene was amplified by PCR from the cDNA library of B. xylophilus and cloned into the expression vector pET-15b to construct the recombinant vector pET-15b-BxCAD-1. The recombinant cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase protein was purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography from Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) harboring pET-15b-BxCAD-1 induced by IPTG. The effects of pH, temperature, metal ions and substrates on the activity of BxCAD-1 were determined, showing the highest catalytic activity at pH 8.0 and 40 °C with cinnamyl alcohol as substrate and Zn2+ as an activator. To elucidate the functions of BxCAD-1 in B. xylophilus, the expression of the gene was down-regulated by RNA interference. Results showed that the movement, feeding, reproduction, spawning rate, hatching rate, lifespan, infectivity and sensitivity to ethanol decreased compared with negative controls. RNA interference also affected the development of B. xylophilus from the larval stage to the adult stage. In situ hybridization showed that the gene was expressed in the digestive tract of male and female adults. This study revealed a promising target for PWD control.


The study was embarked upon with the aim of determining the nature of the relationship between service quality and brand loyalty of banks in Bayelsa State of Nigeria, and this was done using responsiveness and reliability as dimensions of service quality and brand advocacy as a measure of brand loyalty, bringing about two research questions and study hypotheses which was put to the test by the use of the Pearson correlation coefficient method with the aid of SPSS software. The study adopted the descriptive design and used a questionnaire as a means of gathering data from the customers of selected banks in Bayelsa State amounting to a total of 140, but a total of 130 copies of the questionnaire were retrieved and used for the analysis of data which informed the conclusion and findings of the research. The study revealed a significant relationship between both reliability and responsiveness as dimensions of service quality and brand advocacy as a measure of brand loyalty. The study therefore concluded that there is a significant relationship between the variables and thus made the following recommendations; Banks should give prompt and quick response to its customers" compliant by creating a simple and fast compliant handling system; Banks must let its customers feel safe and secured in any transaction; Banks should create a strong feedback system that enables them to relate effectively with customers and understand them better; Banks should fasten their service processes.


Tax cuts can deepen a recession if the short-term nominal interest rate is zero, according to a standard New Keynesian business cycle model. An example of a contractionary tax cut is a reduction in taxes on wages. This tax cut deepens a recession because it increases deflationary pressures. Another example is a cut in capital taxes. This tax cut deepens a recession because it encourages people to save instead of spend at a time when more spending is needed. Fiscal policies aimed directly at stimulating aggregate demand work better. These policies include 1) a temporary increase in government spending; and 2) tax cuts aimed directly at stimulating aggregate demand rather than aggregate supply, such as an investment tax credit or a cut in sales taxes. The results are specific to an environment in which the interest rate is close to zero, as observed in large parts of the world today.


Background: Nitric oxide (NO) plays a vital role in vascular homeostasis and in the pathophysiology of coronary heart disease. Its metabolites, nitrite and nitrate, have vasculoprotective properties, whereas peroxynitrite, an oxidant metabolite of NO, is cytotoxic and can aggravate myocardial damage during ischaemic reperfusion injury. Peroxynitrite nitrates free and protein bound tyrosine residues to produce nitrotyrosine. The measurement of nitrotyrosine provides an indirect estimation of plasma peroxynitrite concentrations. Aims: To measure plasma nitrotyrosine concentrations to see whether peroxynitrite could contribute to myocardial dysfunction during myocardial ischaemia induced by an exercise tolerance test (ETT). Materials/Methods: Plasma free nitrotyrosine concentrations were compared before and after exercise in 29 subjects with a positive ETT and 34 subjects with a negative ETT. Results: Plasma nitrotyrosine concentrations were similar in patients with exercise induced myocardial ischaemia and controls. Conclusion: Peroxynitrite does not contribute to the myocardial dysfunction in reversible myocardial ischaemia.


Background Healthcare workers (HCWs) have a substantially higher risk of Covid-19 infection but there is a paucity of information on the risk factors of disease transmission in high-burden real-world settings. The study objective was to determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among healthcare workers in a high-burden Covid-19 setting and to estimate the incidence and identify the risk factors of infection. Methods This was a prospective observational cohort study amongst doctors and nurses working at a dedicated Covid-19 tertiary care government hospital in Delhi, India. A baseline blood sample (2-3ml) was collected from all the participants to test for the presence of total SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The HCWs that were seronegative (non-reactive) at baseline were followed-up for ≥21≤28 days with the collection of a second blood sample to assess for the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results A total of 321 (51.3%, 95% C.I 47.4, 55.3) HCWs were detected with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies on baseline examination. The seroprevalence, when adjusted for assay characteristics, was 54.5% (95% C.I 50.3, 58.6). On bivariate analysis, SARS-CoV-2 antibody positivity lacked statistically significant association with either age, sex, occupation, cumulative duty duration, and smoking status. The incidence of seroconversion in the baseline seronegative cohort on follow-up after 21-28 days was observed in 35 (14.9%) HCWs (n=245). Furthermore, the self-reported adherence to infection prevention and control measures did not show a statistically significant association with antibody positivity in the HCWs, neither at baseline nor on follow-up. Conclusions The high risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in HCWs may be substantially reduced by adherence to Infection Prevention Control (IPC) and protective measures.


The thermal conductivity κ of the iron-based superconductor FeSe was measured at temperatures down to 75 mK in magnetic fields up to 17 T. In a zero magnetic field, the electronic residual linear term in the T=0  K limit, κ_{0}/T, is vanishingly small. The application of a magnetic field B causes an exponential increase in κ_{0}/T initially. Those two observations show that there are no zero-energy quasiparticles that carry heat and therefore no nodes in the superconducting gap of FeSe. The full field dependence of κ_{0}/T has the classic two-step shape of a two-band superconductor: a first rise at very low field, with a characteristic field B^{⋆}≪B_{c2}, and then a second rise up to the upper critical field B_{c2}. This shows that the superconducting gap is very small (but finite) on one of the pockets in the Fermi surface of FeSe. We estimate that the minimum value of the gap, Δ_{min}, is an order of magnitude smaller than the maximum value, Δ_{max}.


There is still an ongoing scientific controversy whether exposure to electromagnetic fields is associated with an increased cancer risk in humans. Epidemiological studies have shown a consistent association between exposure to extremely low-frequency (ELF) magnetic fields and the risk of leukemia in children, but even after decades of investigations it is unclear whether the observed association is causal or due to bias and limitations of the studies. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has therefore classified ELF magnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans. Several studies of different designs investigated the association between radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields related to the use of cellular telephones and the risk of brain tumors. While short-term use of cell phones of less than ten years was not related to any increased tumor risk, uncertainty remains particularly for longer term heavy users. Cell phone studies are methodologically challenging and future study protocols need to reduce limitations observed in studies available today.


The chaotic coherent atomic tunneling between two periodically driven and weakly coupled Bose-Einstein condensates has been investigated. The perturbed correction to the homoclinic orbit is constructed and its boundedness conditions are established that contain the Melnikov criterion for the onset of chaos. We analytically reveal that the chaotic coherent atomic tunneling is deterministic but not predictable. Our numerical calculation shows good agreement with the analytical result and exhibits nonphysically numerical instability. By adjusting the initial conditions, we propose a method to control the unboundedness, which leads the quantum coherent atomic tunneling to predictable periodical oscillation.


Although emotion regulation has traditionally been conceived as a deliberative process, there is growing evidence that many emotion-regulation processes operate at implicit levels. This special issue of Cognition and Emotion showcases recent advances in theorising and empirical research on implicit emotion regulation. Implicit emotion regulation can be broadly defined as any process that operates without the need for conscious supervision or explicit intentions, and aims at modifying the quality, intensity, or duration of an emotional response. Implicit emotion regulation is likely to be pervasive in everyday life and may contribute considerably to the effectiveness of emotion regulation. Research in this area has developed several valid methods for measuring and manipulating implicit emotion. The contributions to this special issue highlight the significance of implicit emotion regulation in psychological adaptation, goal-directed behaviour, interpersonal behaviour, personality functioning, and mental health.


: VEP changes in MS patients are due to the demyelinating process which causes conduction alterations as well as inhibitory mechanisms. The pattern-shift VEP can show a delay of the main positivity, a diminished amplitude or/and an altered shape and duration. Concerning to series from the literature and own observations on more than 500 MS patients 4 different types of VEP alterations can be observed: 1. NPN complex with P2 delay; 2. broadening with loss of N2 and P2 delay; 3. bifid P2, P100-P135 complex; 4. deformation and dissociation with loss of P2, N105 dominance and amplitude reduction.


We have trapped a cold sample of cesium atoms in a magneto-optical trap. The damped harmonic force of magneto-optical trap was used to capture and trap the cesium atoms directly from a room temperature vapor. About 1.5 × 107 cesium atoms with a density of 3 × 109 atoms/cm3 formed a 4 mm3 cesium atomic cloud with temperature below 500 μK.


Equations relating the first and second partial derivatives of the lattice energy (with respect to the unit-cell constants) to the components of the elastic stiffness tensor have been obtained for orthorhombic crystals. By assuming a Born-Mayer model for the lattice energy, and using Ewald's method for calculating the electrostatic term, formulas are derived for the computation of the lattice-energy derivatives. In these expressions, the repulsive coefficients and the atomic charges appear as unknown parameters which can be determined by solving the above equations, provided that experimental data about elasticity and thermal-expansion tensors are available.


To investigate the immunochemical properties of proteins reacted with malondialdehyde (MDA), which is a major degradation product of lipid oxidation, the antibody responses of mice immunized with MDA-modified bovine serum albumin (BSA) were examined. The specific IgE response to MDA-BSA was 4 to 8 times higher than that to native BSA, suggesting that the specific IgE antibody response to MDA-modified protein was enhanced by MDA bound to the surface of the protein. The antibodies to MDA-BSA did not distinguish the modified protein from the native one, and the antibodies raised against the modified proteins were not specific for the MDA portion but were for the carrier proteins.


The Ricegrowers' Cooperative Limited is a single‐desk seller of NSW Japonica rice on the export market. Confidential monthly price data supplied by the Cooperative were used to examine 'pricing‐to‐market' in four of its major export markets. The hypothesis of a competitive market was rejected. The Cooperative has been able to vary mark‐ups over different markets and with respect to the importer's currency in each market. The exchange rate results in particular suggest that the Cooperative has been able to exercise market power to obtain price premiums.


Background: Reference values for maximum inspiratory pressure are varied among different studies and this variability is generalized by demographic differences and test performance measurement. Objective: To acquire a comprehensive set of Reference values for respiratory pressures in a general adult population and to evaluate possible associations with sex, age and body mass index (BMI). Methods: The study design was cross-sectional and sample was drawn through simple random sampling technique. The sample size was calculated using 584 based on parent article, divided on gender 292 participants each. Inclusion criteria was age between 18-40, both genders, Healthy people and moderately active. Exclusion criteria were Signs of ischemia/infarction, Stenosis or insufficiency of the cardiac valve, Systolic and diastolic failures. Data was collected from Sialkot, Pakistan. Basic anthropometric values for age, height, weight and BMI were measured. Spirometry values for FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, VC, and PEF were measured. Descriptive measures were in the form of mean and standard deviation was calculated through SPSS version 25. Pearson Correlation between variables was also found. Results: Among male gender PEF have significant correlation (P< 0.00) with age while BMI have no significant correlation. FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, VC do not show any significant correlation with age, weight, height and BMI among male gender. Among female gender PEF showed significant correlation (P< 0.00) with age only. FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, VC do not show any significant correlation with age, weight, height and BMI among female gender. Clinical Significance: this research provided the knowledge about basic respiratory parameters and its correlation with anthropometric measurements. It can help develop the basis for occurrence of respiratory disturbances in long term due to deviation from normal parameters. Conclusion: Among males age, gender, height weight and BMI doesn't affect normative values for respiratory pressure. While among females' normative values of respiratory pressures are only affected by age. Keywords: Respiratory Pressure, Adult, Population, Reference values.


Background Si-Mo-Tang oral liquid (SMT) has been widely used to treat functional dyspepsia (FD), but the effectiveness is still controversial. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were performed to assess the efficacy and adverse effects of SMT for FD. Methods Investigators searched for articles with publication dates to June 21, 2016, from 9 English and Chinese electronic databases. Comparisons were SMT alone or SMT in combination with western medicine as experimental intervention, and western medicine or placebo as the control. We used the Cochrane collaboration tool for assessing risk of bias to evaluate methodologies. Data were synthesized with RevMan 5.3 software. (PROSPERO Registration #CRD42016042003) Results Twenty-seven RCTs were included in the review, involving 2,713 participants: 1,383 subjects were in the experimental group and 1,330 in the control group. SMT showed a significant improvement in clinical efficacy (RR 1.14; 95% CI 1.09, 1.20; P<0.00001), but the heterogeneity was also significant (P = 0.0002, I2 = 56%). Because of the different interventions in the 2 groups, we performed subgroup and sensitivity analyses to investigate potential sources of heterogeneity. The heterogeneity was smaller after subgroup analysis and the exclusion of a study by Zhu from 2009. The corresponding pooled RR has no obvious change (RR 1.17; 95% CI 1.13, 1.21; P<0.00001). Subgroup analysis by age and drugs administered in control interventions between SMT and western medicine also showed improvement in the efficacy rate. But a data synthesis that excluded high risk of bias in the blinding of participants and personnel showed no significant difference (RR 1.14; 95% CI 0.97, 1.35; P = 0.12). Three studies measured gastric emptying. Two of these studies reported no significant difference between the experimental and control groups, while 1 study showed that SMT reduced the time of gastric emptying. The relapse rate and adverse effects had no difference between 2 groups. Conclusions This meta-analysis suggests that SMT is an effective and safe therapy option for patients with FD. However, because of the high clinical heterogeneity, poor quality, high risk of bias and small sample size of some included studies, further standardized large-scale and strictly designed studies are needed.


Religion is an important factor that influences decisions. Researches predicted that income plays a significant role in this process and religiosity. In this paper an empirical research on the relationship between income and religiosity among Dutch individuals is conducted. Using data from the LISS panel on around 4000 individuals in the Netherlands between 2007 and 2012, the effect of income on church attendance and praying frequency has been measured. The relationship is tested against the plausible effect of region and education and unemployment is used to discover a causal effect. Outcomes show that, against expectations from theories and other researches, income is a poor prediction of religiosity


The article discusses and interprets the Basque mentality values and their evidence in the contemporary political discourse and media. An important task of communication science and medialinguistics is the study of pragma-linguistic properties of media texts and their impact on the audience.
The contemporary Spanish media feature an impressive range of sources representing and interpreting the multicultural and multi-ethnic situation in Spain, as well as ongoing socio-political and socio-economic changes. Together with the Spanish language being the official state language, the Catalan, the Galician and the Basque have been established co-official languages by the Spanish Constitution. Basque Autonomous Community, or the Basque Country, is one of the most prosperous and steadily developing Autonomous Communities of Spain, which affects the socio-political situation in the region and the discourse of political parties. A vast majority of Basque people are bilingual.
The hypothesis of this study states that the contemporary reality of the Basque Country finds its reflection in value dominants of the discourse of political parties of the Basque Country. This discourse is objectified by the Mass Media rhetoric, studying which the authors determine and discuss the value dominants of Basque linguistic culture, their linguo-pragmatic features and their use in the media language, as well as their lexical, semantic, morphological and syntactic features. All this builds up the topicality of the research into pragma-linguistic parameters of media texts and mechanisms of their impact on the audience.
The authors infer that the media rhetoric includes onomastic dominants (naming units of Spanish Basque Country and French Basque Country and their paraphrases, of Spain, Basque people, and the Basque language), and keywords of the Basque mentality introduced into a Spanish text in Basque. Moreover, being integral components of the discourse of political parties in the Basque Country, these linguistic means acquire and realize their cultural and symbolic potential, and reflect the mentality, values, and traditions of Basques in the modern Basque and Spanish media.


Paper provides analysis of Russian technical regulation reform. Several questions of reform realization, which on our opinion, are of the primary importance, are taken within the focus of research. These are: national standards of old system (GOSTs) and international standards, involvement in reform of production companies, potential gains due to reduction of trade costs.


In this paper, we propose a structural analysis of present and past participles in two constructions: open and closed adjuncts. The crucial difference between the two types of adjuncts to be accounted for concerns the availability of an explicit (for the closed type) or an implicit (for the open type) DP subject. Our analysis is based on data from French and German in the OMC corpus. These data allow us on the one hand to identify the idiosyncratic properties of the constructions in the two languages, and on the other to test our hypotheses concerning the structural properties of the various participial constructions in a cross-linugistic perspective.


Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is used off-label for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and systemic vasculitis. The study aim was to investigate clinical use and treatment results with MMF in patients with SLE and systemic vasculitis. This study included patients with SLE or systemic vasculitis with ongoing or previous MMF treatment. Data on treatment outcome were obtained through medical record reviews. A total of 135 of 648 (21%) patients with SLE and 43 of 455 (9%) patients with systemic vasculitis had ongoing or previous MMF treatment. Among SLE patients, the most common organ manifestation at baseline (treatment start) was renal involvement (50%). Most of the systemic vasculitis patients had Wegener's granulomatosis (GPA) (65%). Median dose of MMF was 2000 mg/day. Glucocorticoid (GC) doses were significantly reduced during MMF treatment from 21.7 mg/day at baseline to 8.3 mg/day at 12 months (p < 0.05). Forty-six percent of the patients were good responders after 12 months. The most common adverse events (AES) leading to discontinuation were side effects in the gastrointestinal tract (40%) and general side effects (30%). "Survival-on-drug" analysis suggested that 40% of the patients remained on long-term MMF treatment. In conclusion, MMF was used in 21% of the SLE patients and 9% of the systemic vasculitis patients. MMF appeared to be effective with a reasonable survival-on-drug and a GC-sparing effect.


• To the extent that is has been theorised, work on DH pedagogy has tended to be very strongly tied to the classroom experience. A classroom experience, however, exists within a particular social and institutional framework (students seeking knowledge, experience or qualification from instructors who master a specific body of knowledge) which is quite different from the operational and distributed nature of Research Infrastructures such as DARIAH.
• Research infrastructures seldom possess the kinds of specialised procedures, staff, resources and expertise to deliver formal educational programmes, but the strength of RI's lies in the provision of and reflection upon the experience of acculturation and professionalization in "real" cross-institutional and often cross-cultural projects in which peer learning, skills transfers and network building are a rule rather than an exception.
• Research Infrastructures such as DARIAH have a specific role to play in the European educational landscape by complementing rather than replacing the pedagogical models prevalent in HEIs today.
• RI's such as DARIAH should focus not only on DH or even on a discipline in which a student or researcher seeks to use DH methodologies, but also on highlighting how these practices engage interdependent communities of practice with intersecting concerns.
• DARIAH should intensify effort to position itself as pedagogically relevant beyond the individual humanities disciplines in terms of what it can contribute to the development and dissemination of early-career researchers' transferable skills and competences as identified by the Eurodoc 2018 Report.
• DARIAH should establish an active educational partnership network in order to validate a new approach to the skills needs of humanities students and researchers, looking beyond the frame of what is currently available in the context of formal educational programmes.
• DARIAH should develop a curricular model and, if possible, an internship program, to enable fluid exchange of knowledge and students between university programmes and the applied contexts of the research infrastructure.
• DARIAH should continue to create and maintain essential filtering and contextualising layers for training materials, which are now available through
DARIAH-Campus, in order to coordinate and enhance open educational resources with other stakeholders in the field.
• DARIAH should aim to apply and test its learning resources in different HE contexts in order to profit from unforeseen synergies and unexpected outcomes such as, for instance, the initiative to publish young researchers' data papers using the DARIAH-Campus Event Capture Template, which emerged out of the DESIR Workshop at the University of Neuchâtel.
• Building on currently identified needs, DARIAH should develop foresight models to predict future needs within the Higher Education sector.


Stability, defined as resistance to external perturbation, was evaluated for two devel- opmental stages of an estuarine subtidal fouling community subjected to a biological patch-forming disturbance. Three stability criteria: (1) magnitude of response, (2) rate of response, and (3) recovery, were assessed on the basis of differences between control and perturbed panel communities with respect to physical structure (percent bare substrate, and sessile species volume), species richness (S), evenness (V,,,), interaction diversity (H'), and community similarity, over time. Both motile and sessile species assemblages were examined, and responses of individual species were also determined. The older fouling community was found to be less stable than the younger one in terms of both measures of physical structure, for all three stability criteria. This was also true for species richness. Differences in evenness and H' between control and perturbed communities showed no consistent trend in this regard, and motile and sessile species exhibited different degrees of response. Multiple discriminant analysis indicated that fewer species contributed to the discriminant function in the younger community than in the older one. Community similarity between control and perturbed panel communities was lower overall for the older community. Individual species responses that contributed to these effects were examined. The results of our study, as well as an examination of other empirical evidence from the literature, reveal a lack of consistent support for traditional hypotheses of community stability. We conclude that evolutionary pressures, and resulting ecological strategies, are more important in determining community resistance stability than statistical properties such as species diversity.


Sharply reduced proportions of T cells with Fc receptors for IgG (TG cells) were observed in blood samples from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), mainly with active disease. This T‐cell subset has previously heen shown to be a suppressor in the pokeweed mitogen (PWM)‐dependent B‐cell differentiation. In contrast, the percentages of T cells with Fc receptors for IgM (TM cells), which have been shown to help inimunoglobulin production, were not different from those of normals. TG cells present in the circulation of SLE patients were analysed for their functional capacities in antibody‐dependent cell‐mediated cytotoxicity and in the suppression of a PWM‐induced B‐cell differentiation. In both these assays TG cells from SLE patients had normal effector cell activity. This suggests that the T‐cell defects present in SLE patients are mainly of a quantitative rather than a qualitative type.


Steganography helps to conceal information between the sender and intended recipient so that others are not aware of the message presence, largely, it is to hide information. Digital steganography applies to different media like executable files, images, audio and videos, text and games. Steganalysis aims to check the presence of hidden data in the suspected image file. This paper applied some techniques in LSB algorithms to analyse four major open sources steganography tools (rSteg, OpenStego, ImageStegano and StegTool) by analysing their performances based on the stego size and extraction time taken and also, extracting out their hidden text. The result shows that OpenStego performs better irrespective of the size of the hidden data and time taken.


In 1876, Sir James Paget1reported before the Medical and Chirurgical Society of London five cases of a rare and strange malady of the bones, to which he gave the name "osteitis deformans." Since that time, it has come to be known as commonly by his own name as by the one which he gave to it. Forty-seven years have elapsed since that time and yet the literature yields us only about 250 cases which may be definitely recognized as Paget's disease of bone. Thus, in contrast to what we usually find after a careful and accurate description has been made of some disease entity which has before escaped our recognition, it still merits the descriptive adjective "rare." Cutler2found seven in 285,000 outpatient admissions at the Massachusetts General Hospitalbetween 1903 and 1915; Hurwitz,3only three in 30,000 medical admissions to the Johns Hopkins Hospital; Da Costa,


Behind the academic and innocently descriptive title of this book is to be found one of the most explosive works of biblical scholarship to be published this century. Certainly many of those who read it on its firs appearance were never the same again, and it signalled the end of what had hitherto been a flourishing literature on 'biblical theology'. 'In recent years,' Professor Bar wrote in his Preface, have come to believe that one of the greatest dangers to sound and adequate interpretation of the Bible comes from the prevailing use of procedu, which, while claiming to rest upon a knowledge of the Israelite and Greek ways of thinking, constantly mishandle and distort the linguistic evidence of the Hebrew and Greek languages as they are used in the Bible. The increasing sense of dependence upon the Bib h. the mode:a church only makes this danger more serious. The fact that these procedures have never to my knowledge been collected, analysed and criticized in detail was the chief stimulus to my undertaking of this task myself.' His conclusions were devastating and drew down on him a good deal of often hurt criticism: however, twenty years later, they still stand and the passage of time has made them more widely accepted Certainly this book, issued for the first time in a paperback edition, ' essential reading for any student of the Bible, if he is to learn from the mistakes of others.


The liquid lead used in fast nuclear reactor has been known to be able to cause a significant damage to the steels. Therefore, finding new materials with high corrosion resistance is the goal of much research current days. Likewise, developing a way to prevent corrosion is also the goal of designers of nuclear reactors. In the present study, we studied materials: Fe, FeNi, FeNiCr, and FeNiCrTi (a type of SS 316L austenite steel), comparing their structural stability when interacted with molten liquid lead at 750 °C. The performance of each steel is compared under high-temperature molten lead coolant, checking the structure's stability to see the material resistance to corrosion attack of liquid lead. The corrosion can also be seen from the data of iron diffusion coefficient. The larger of the iron diffusion coefficient can be associated with larger corrosion because there is a high solubility of iron atoms from the steel surface to the molten lead. The popular way to prevent more corrosion is by injecting oxygen into the lead coolant. This current work uses the molecular dynamics method to simulate the corrosion and inhibition phenomena. The research aims to compare the performance of Fe, FeNi, FeNiCr, and FeNiCrTi under liquid lead at a temperature of 750. The diffusion coefficient of iron of material will be calculated to describe quantitatively the corrosion level of those structural materials and the corrosion inhibition by oxygen injection. The study has produced important results that adding Ni, Cr, Ti into a pure iron crystal to build alloy steel will make the material stronger, structurally compact, and more resistant to corrosion. For specific composition of steels, from weaker to stronger that resist from corrosion attack, it is possible to make ordering: Fe<<FeNi<FeNiCr<FeNiCrTi. The composition of FeNiCrTi steel in this work is Fe(75)Ni(10.57)Cr(14.05)Ti(0.40). The high corrosion of FeNiCrTi in the liquid lead is effectively reduced by injecting 0.0112 wt % oxygen into lead coolant as a limit value for maximum corrosion inhibition


The leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) affects multiple types of leukemia cells in vitro through the functional LIF receptor (LIFR), which comprises a complex of the LIFR α-chain (LIFR α) and gp130. As Jak2/STAT3 has been proven to be a significant mediator in the LIF-induced differentiation of promyeloid leukemia cells, we constructed a recombinant vector, pcDNA3.0-CT3 (containing the structurally conserved triple YXXQ motifs of LIFR α, termed LIFR α-CT3), and its specific tyrosine-mutated counterpart, pcDNA3.0-MUT, to determine the sites and examine the corresponding mechanisms involved in STAT3 phosphorylation. We found that the triple YXXQ motifs of LIFR α-CT3 are capable of up-regulating phosphorylated levels of STAT3 in a Jak2-independent manner prior to the induction of myeloid differentiation by LIFR α-CT3 in the human promyeloid cell line HL-60. By specifically blocking Jak2 using the AG-490 inhibitor, we observed that the LIFR α-CT3 group of HL-60 cells still demonstrated up-regulation of phosphorylated STAT3 and this up-regulation could result in the myeloid differentiation of HL-60 cells. These results may shed light on acute promyeloid leukemia therapy in future clinical practice.


Antibiotics are the major tool for treating bacterial infections. With rising antibiotic resistance in microbes, strategies that limit further evolution and spread of drug resistance are urgently needed, in individuals and populations. While classical recommendations favor longer and aggressive treatments, more recent studies and clinical trials advocate for moderate regimens. In this debate, two axes of aggressive treatment have typically been conflated: treatment intensity and treatment duration, the latter being rarely addressed by mathematical models. Here, by using a simple mathematical model of a generic bacterial infection, controlled by host's immune response, we investigate the role of treatment timing and antibiotic efficacy in determining optimal duration of treatment. We show that even in such simple mathematical model, it is impossible to select for universally optimal treatment duration. In particular, short (3 day) or long (7 day) treatments may be both beneficial depending on treatment onset, on the criterion used, and on the antibiotic efficacy. This results from the dynamic trade-off between immunity and resistance in acute, self-limiting infections, and uncertainty relating symptoms to the start of infection. We find that treatment timing can shift the trend between resistance selection and length of antibiotic exposure in individual hosts. We propose that major advances in predicting impact of antibiotics on bacterial infections must come from deeper experimental understanding of bacterial infection dynamics in humans. To guide rational therapy, mathematical models need to be constrained by data, including details of pathology and symptom thresholds in patients, and of host immune control of infection.


Descemet's stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) is a relatively new technique that is rapidly replacing full-thickness procedures for those patients needing corneal transplantation for endothelial dysfunction. Benefits of DSEK include a faster recovery, reduced astigmatism, fewer postoperative complications and retained structural integrity. This article reviews the surgical indications, technical considerations, outcomes and potential complications associated with the DSEK procedure. We also comment on our surgical experience, including the advantages and improved patient satisfaction with the DSEK procedure relative to older techniques.


Targeting antigens to dendritic cells (DCs) by using hybrid monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against DC receptors is known to improve activation and support long-lasting T cell responses. In the present work, we used the mAb αDEC205 fused to the Trypanosoma cruzi amastigote surface protein 2 (ASP-2) to identify a region of this protein recognized by specific T cells. The hybrid αDEC-ASP2 mAb was successfully generated and preserved its ability to bind the DEC205 receptor. Immunization of BALB/c mice with the recombinant mAb in the presence of polyriboinosinic: polyribocytidylic acid (poly (I:C)) specifically enhanced the number of IFN-γ producing cells and CD4+ T cell proliferation when compared to mice immunized with a mAb without receptor affinity or with the non-targeted ASP-2 protein. The strong immune response induced in mice immunized with the hybrid αDEC-ASP2 mAb allowed us to identify an ASP-2-specific CD4+ T cell epitope recognized by the BALB/c MHCII haplotype. We conclude that targeting parasite antigens to DCs is a useful strategy to enhance T cell mediated immune responses facilitating the identification of new T-cell epitopes.


Preventing and reducing the impact of counterfeiting activities are among the most important preoccupations for modern companies to preserve and protect the value of their work. Some technologies use LASER marking to code information in 2D, directly on material surface. In this work, deep marking of several materials is investigated. The purpose is to use the depth of a marked surface (for different materials : metals and dielectrics) as a third data storage axis. The idea is to convert a performed depth in a grey level in the reading procedure. This marking depth can be then used for coding. Best results are obtained with polymers when transmission lightening is used for reading.


Bayesian estimation methods for sparse blind deconvolution problems conventionally employ Bernoulli-Gaussian (BG) prior for modeling sparse sequences and utilize Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods for the estimation of unknowns. However, the discrete nature of the BG model creates computational bottlenecks, preventing efficient exploration of the probability space even with the recently proposed enhanced sampler schemes. To address this issue, we propose an alternative MCMC method by modeling the sparse sequences using the Normal-Inverse-Gamma (NIG) prior. We derive effective Gibbs samplers for this prior and illustrate that the computational burden associated with the BG model can be eliminated by transferring the problem into a completely continuous-valued framework. In addition to sparsity, we also incorporate time and frequency domain constraints on the convolving sequences. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods via extensive simulations and characterize computational gains relative to the existing methods that utilize BG modeling.


This paper explores how insider trading law addresses computer hackers who employ cyberattacks in connection with the purchase or sale of securities. Current securities law is ill-equipped to deal with such hackers because, unlike the typical defendants in insider trading cases, hackers owe no fiduciary duty to shareholders and no duty of confidentiality to insiders that provide material non-public information. In order to bring hacker-traders within the ambit of federal securities law, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) developed a novel theory of liability that treats hacking and trading as a form of deception in violation of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. However, the viability of the SEC's theory remains to be seen as only one decision has endorsed it—SEC v. Dorozhko, 574 F.3d 42 (2d Cir. 2009). This paper argues that, from a normative perspective, the Second Circuit correctly expanded Section 10(b) to hacking and trading. However, this paper takes issue with the Second Circuit's proposition that hacking amounts to deception only when the hacker misrepresents his or her "identity in order to gain access to information that is otherwise off limits, and then steal[s] that information" for purposes of securities trading.

Currently, there is little scholarship that thoroughly explores the potential for hackers to use innovative cyberattacks in order to avoid liability for securities fraud. This paper adds to the existing literature by arguing that even if the judiciary were to adopt the SEC's reconceptualization of insider trading, it is unlikely that the theory would apply to certain sophisticated cybersecurity schemes—such as informed cyber-trading, whereby investors trade "on the basis of advanced knowledge of a cybersecurity breach." In addition, it is unlikely that Dorozhko would apply to schemes in which a group of hackers short a corporation's stock and then initiate a cyberattack, such as a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack, in order to cause a decline in the stock price. Such conduct would not amount to "deceptive hacking" under Dorozhko because even though the hackers masqueraded their identities, they did not do so in order to obtain the type of confidential information typically at issue in illegal insider trading schemes.


Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer is one of the most important medicinal herbs in China. It is known for its high medicinal value and economic value. The ginseng root rust rot (RRR) has always been one of the important diseases troubling the ginseng industry. The yield reduction rate of RRR is ~30%. To understand why the Cylindrocarpon species bring about the ginseng RRR in Northeastern China, this study isolates 45 strains from samples collected in Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang provinces. The rDNA-internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence was analyzed to identify the pathogenic species. The morphological characteristics of colonies and conidia of each strain on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium were observed, and the pathogenicity difference between different pathogenic species was analyzed by pricking method and determining the cell wall degrading enzyme activity. The BLAST alignment analysis shows that the homology of rDNA-ITS between 45 strains and Cylindrocarpon is more than 99%, among which 28 are identified as Cylindrocarpon destructans, three are identified as C. destructans var. destructans, and 14 are identified as Ilyonectria robusta. The colony diameters of all 45 isolated range from 4.21 ± 0.16a to 7.78 ± 0.25c cm after several days of incubation. Among all the species, I. robusta has the fastest growth rate, and C. destructans var. destructans has the slowest growth rate. Pathogenicity test results show that the pathogenicity of C. destructans var. destructans is the strongest, followed by C. destructans. I. robusta has relatively weak pathogenicity.


OBJECTIVES
The main object of this study was to evaluate the effect of delayed pushing on the second phase of delivery and the second one was to analyze the maternal and fetal consequences.

MATERIAL AND METHOD
This was a meta-analysis of randomized prospective studies. The inclusion criteria were nulliparous women with epidural analgesia, singleton cephalic presentation at term and a spontaneous or induced labor.

RESULTS
There was a significant increase in the number of spontaneous deliveries when pushing was delayed (p=0,019). On the other hand, no significant difference could be found in the incidence of perineal trauma (p=0,64). Post-partum hemorrhage and maternal fever could not be accurately evaluated because of insufficient data in the selected publications. Concerning the neonatal outcomes, the criteria for evaluation were too heterogeneous for analysis.

CONCLUSION
In nulliparous parturients under epidural analgesia the fetal descent must be respected, so long as the fetal heart rate is unremarkable, in order to increase the probability of a spontaneous delivery, without apparent adverse consequences for the mother or the neonate.


Investigates the feasibility of the addition of security services directly into the B-ISDN protocol stack. A complete design of a security system for B-ISDN based networks is proposed. This design is validated through simulation. Based upon the simulation results and the current standards, the addition of a security system within the B-ISDN protocol stack is demonstrated as a viable method of securing the ATM traffic.


Duplex stainless steels are desirable for use in power generation systems due to their attractive combination of strength, corrosion resistance, and cost. However, thermal embrittlement at intermediate temperatures (~475°C) via α-α' phase separation limits upper service temperatures for many applications. The development of low Cr and Ni equivalent lean grade alloys potentially increases the upper service temperature of these alloys by delaying the onset of α-α' phase separation. The present work assesses the thermal stability of a relatively new lean grade of duplex stainless steel, alloy 2003. In this paper, alloy 2003 has been compared to the most widely used duplex alloy, 2205, through a series of isothermal agings between 260°C and 538°C for times between 1 and 10,000 hours. The thermal stability of these alloys was primarily characterized by changes in microhardness. The microhardness data were fit to a JMA-type equation to quantify embrittlement rates and predict microstructural changes out to 50 years. Additionally, as-received specimens were characterized with the scanning electron microprobe to quantify the chemistry within the ferrite grains relative to the bulk material. Alloy 2003 was shown to be much more resistant to thermal embrittlement than alloy 2205. For 50 years of service at 288°C, it is predicted that alloy 2003 components will have a change in microhardness of about 25 HK where alloy 2205 components would increase approximately 175 HK, which indicates significant embrittlement. These findings show that lean grade alloys will have a greater service temperature range than standard grades. However, additional data, characterization, and modeling are needed to better predict embrittlement kinetics over component lifetimes.


Whereas the end of the Cold War sparked debates within and among paradigms in the field, the response to September 11 has been comparatively muted. Some observers have questioned the significance of September 11, while others have cast doubt on the ability of realism to account for an outcome that falls outside of its emphasis on great-power conflict. Realism must not only address outside critics but also overcome internal resistance in the face of these changes. This resistance entails reluctance by theorists to address a novel phenomenon, as well as axiomatic impediments that lie in the hard core of the realist research program. The mechanism of "monster-adjustment," discussed by Imre Lakatos, is offered as a way in which realism can extend its scope beyond centralized territorial states. This process subjects the underspecified assumption of the necessity of unit isomorphism in international systems to increased scrutiny, offering a way to extend the explanatory capacity of realist frameworks. With realism released from these constraints, opportunities for productive engagements with other paradigms may be realized.


This paper evaluates how the focal depth, the geographic location, and magnitude affect the incidence of aftershocks and the occurrence of temporal clustering of nearby events for selected deep earthquakes (h > 70 km) in the catalog of the International Seismological Centre. For comparison, we also evaluate shallow (h < 70 km) and deep earthquakes for which locations and moment tensors are reported by the Harvard group. The primary conclusions are as follows: 1) The incidence of aftershocks depends strongly on focal depth, with aftershocks being less common for events between 100- and 450-km depth than for shallower or deeper events. Events with focal depth shallower than 40 km have a higher incidence of aftershocks and more pronounced temporal clustering than do deeper events. 2) For the data available at present, the incidence of aftershocks and amount of temporal clustering for deep events are independent of geographic region, except for dependence caused by regional differences in the focal depths of events. 3) Deep earthquakes with large magnitudes are more likely to have aftershocks than are smaller magnitude events, in accordance with models where the number of aftershocks is a Poisson random variable that is a function of magnitude. However, several large events are anomalous in that they have many more aftershocks, or many fewer aftershocks, in the catalog than predicted by the model.


This paper presents the design and implementation of signaling splitting scheme in hyper-cellular network on a software defined radio platform. Hyper-cellular network is a novel architecture of future mobile communication systems in which signaling and data are decoupled at the air interface to mitigate the signaling overhead and allow energy efficient operation of base stations. On an open source software defined radio platform, OpenBTS, we investigate the feasibility of signaling splitting for GSM protocol and implement a novel system which can prove the proposed concept. Standard GSM handsets can camp on the network with the help of signaling base station, and data base station will be appointed to handle phone calls on demand. Our work initiates the systematic approach to study hyper-cellular concept in real wireless environment with both software and hardware implementations.


Most models previously considered for assortative mating were such that no change in gene frequencies occurred, or that one-sided assortative mating was occurring. Two-sided assortative mating is more realistic for human populations, and in this paper a model of two-sided assortative mating is analysed for two autosomal alleles with dominance, an important case for human genetics. The concept of a relative probability of matin between two phenotypes is used, and this variable can take into account factors such as different propensities for assortment in the various phenotypes and so forth. It is shown that the gene frequency may vary from generation to generation and conditions for the establishment of a stable polymorphism are given. For instance, Stanton (1947) has considered a special case of two-sided assortative mating with two autosomal alleles and a constant correlation between mates, where the value expressed by the heterozygote is numerically exactly half-way between the values exhibited by the two homozygotes. Also he has considered a special form of assortative mating, where the probability of occurrence of matings between the same homozygotes has been increased in each generation by the same constant factor as the probability of occurrence of matings between different homozygotes has been decreased. The probability of occurrence of matings involving heterozygotes remains the same as if mating were random. For this particular model the frequency of the genotypes in those who mate in generation t is the same as for the general population in generation t, but the genotypic frequencies change from generation to generation, reaching an equilibrium value. Stark (1976) has also considered a similar model to Stanton's (1947), the major difference occurring in the construction of the mating frequencies, which in this case occurs according to the canonical decomposition of the 2-way table of mating frequencies. Stark shows the correspondence between the results for this model and those given by Malécot (1939, 1948). The results for all these models depend on the particular values assigned to the genotypes. Also these models could be extended as outlined in this article for the case of two autosomal alleles with dominance.


Chemoresistance is a key obstacle in the clinical treatment and management of activated B cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (ABC-DLBCL), which leads to the poor prognosis of patients. Exploring novel biomarkers to early warn drug resistance and ameliorate the patients' outcome in ABC-DLBCL is urgent and crucial. Previously, we found that insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) was remarkably associated with immunochemotherapy treatment response through microarray screening. Based on a retrospective cohort (n = 160) and a GEO cohort (n = 292), here we determined the positive expression rate of IGFBP3 and analyzed the role of IGFBP3 in treatment response and prognostics in ABC-DLBCL. The results demonstrated that the complete response (CR) rate of R-CHOP treatment was higher in ABC-DLBCL with IGFBP3 positive expression than those with IGFBP3 negative expression (42.0% vs 26.4%), and IGFBP3 positive expression in ABC-DLBCL was significantly correlated with enhanced therapeutic response (P = 0.037). High level of IGFBP3 was negatively correlated with tumorigenesis and development and predicted favorable survival time in ABC-DLBCL. In conclusion, IGFBP3 may be utilized as a promising biomarker for prognosis evaluation and a potential therapy target in ABC-DLBCL patients.


3536 Background: Biomarker analyses have shown that patients (pts) with RASwild-type (WT) mCRC can achieve overall survival (OS) benefits with first-line pmab plus chemotherapy. Other biomarkers may exist that could optimize pt selection. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligand (eg AREG) levels have been correlated with OS during anti-EGFR therapy. Here we investigate the relationship between AREG expression and treatment outcome in a single-arm first-line mCRC study of pmab + FOLFIRI. Methods: Qualified reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays were used to measure AREG RNA expression in archival formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tumor samples from mCRC pts in two pmab trials (STEPP and 314). The STEPP analysis was used to establish a cut-off point in AREG expression that identified the best responders. This cut-off was applied prospectively to samples previously analyzed for RAS in the 314 trial. Using the RAS MT subgroup as a non-responding comparator, Cox pro...


Real-time system (RTS) correctness and timeliness are critical. Modeling and simulation techniques have been widely used for testing particular conditions on these systems. Recently, the DEVS formalism has been successfully used as a framework for RTS validation. Nevertheless, we need to address dynamic adaptation to dynamic changes in the environment. Dynamic structure DEVS focuses on the possibility to change system structure dynamically according to the system real requirements, which is useful for RTS (in which sometimes it is impossible to interfere with the running of the system, and auto-adaptation is needed). We present a new algorithm derived from the DSDE and the dynDEVS formalisms. We use the DSDE formal specifications, and parts of the dynDEVS simulation algorithms


Angiotensin II (Ang II) induces stress-induced premature senescence in human vascular smooth muscle cells (hVSMC) via reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation.1 This effect may explain some of the cardiovascular anti-ageing effects of angiotensin receptor blockers. The current study aimed to investigate the source of ROS mediating this premature senescence. Primary hVSMC were obtained from saphenous veins. Following exposure to Ang II (10–100 nM) with or without inhibitors, superoxide production was measured by lucigenin chemiluminescence and cell senescence by senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining, morphology and growth analysis. Ang II (10 nM) induced a twofold increase in premature senescence in hVSMC. Senescence was blocked by co-incubation with inhibitors of mitochondrial complex I or II (rotenone or TTFA). Therefore, production of ROS by mitochondria was investigated as a possible signalling mechanism. Low concentrations of a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant (mito-TEMPO) completely prevented Ang II- induced senescence, strongly implicating mitochondrial ROS. Moreover, in lysates derived from Ang II-treated cells, addition of rotenone or TTFA suppressed superoxide generation suggesting that a portion of the Ang II derived ROS was due to mitochondrial electron transport. Mitochondrial ROS detected by mitoSOX fluorescence reporter were elevated by Ang II. These data suggest that Ang II induces premature senescence via a mechanism that involves mitochondrial ROS signalling and therefore, add to the evidence for a role of mitochondrial ROS in accelerated cardiovascular cell ageing.


Prediction of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) growth is of essential importance for the early treatment and surgical intervention of AAA. Capturing key features of vascular growth, such as blood flow and intraluminal thrombus (ILT) accumulation play a crucial role in uncovering the intricated mechanism of vascular adaptation, which can ultimately enhance AAA growth prediction capabilities. However, local correlations between hemodynamic metrics, biological and morphological characteristics, and AAA growth rates present high inter-patient variability that results in that the temporal-spatial biochemical and mechanical processes are still not fully understood. Hence, this study aims to integrate the physics-based knowledge with deep learning with a patch-based convolutional neural network (CNN) approach by incorporating important multiphysical features relating to its pathogenesis for validating its impact on AAA growth prediction. For this task, we observe that the unstructured multiphysical features cannot be directly employed in the kernel-based CNN. To tackle this issue, we propose a parameterization of features to leverage the spatio-temporal relations between multiphysical features. The proposed architecture was tested on different combinations of four features including radius, intraluminal thrombus thickness, time-average wall shear stress, and growth rate from 54 patients with 5-fold cross-validation with two metrics, a root mean squared error (RMSE) and relative error (RE). We conduct extensive experiments on AAA patients, the results show the effect of leveraging multiphysical features and demonstrate the superiority of the presented architecture to previous state-of-the-art methods in AAA growth prediction.


'Concrete Filled Steel Tubes (CFST)'/ 'Concrete Filled FRP Tubes (CFFT)' comprises of a steel/ 'Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP)' hollow pipe of circular or rectangular shape filled with plain or reinforced concrete. Need of such composite columns in the field of building construction is due to advancements in technology, need of bigger space in smaller land area, ease in construction workability, and a lot of other modern time requirements. This paper defines an experimental and computational project carried out by testing a total of 49 CFST columns and 60 CFFT columns. Three Finite Element models were also made using the software pack ABAQUS. Variables for the study were aspect ratio of columns, Shape of columns (i.e. square, circular or rectangular) and material (i.e. steel or FRP). Basic aim of the project was to find structural parameters like load-deflection behaviour, deflection pattern, maximum load carrying capacity etc. The Steel reinforced concrete-filled fiber reinforced polymer (FRP)tubular column is proposed as a new form of composite column to obtain higher mechanical performance. A comparative analysis was also carried out using three main resulting indices like Ductility Index (DI), Strength Index (SI) and Concrete Contribution Ratio (CCR). Comparative observations between CFST/CFFT columns of different shapes and sizes is carried out, also experimental results were compared with analytical results obtained from ABAQUS software.


This article analyzes the increase in the precariousness of Mexican public education since the approval and implementation of the Educational Reform in 2013. The basis of the study is the analysis of the discourse of public basic education teachers in Ciudad Juarez regarding the loss of earned labor rights. For example, the inability of new teachers to receive the same salaries and benefits as the previous generation of teachers, as well as the increase in responsibilities, activities, and obligations. In addition, teaching flexibilization allows teachers to recognize working conditions as precarious, compared to previous jobs, they conceive it as stable employment. This research shows how managerialism, Toyotism, flexibilization and outsourcing models according to the international neoliberal trend eliminates the union identity of the teaching profession and reconfigures it on the basis of the logic of efficiency and effectiveness through standardized and decontextualized evaluations, as a recent phenomenon in the Mexican teaching profession.


We present evidence for the absence of a gap in a class of S = 1 antiferromagnetic exchange models. The spin exchange is long ranged, of the type where . We have shown previously that without the alternating factor the model for (the S = 1 Haldane - Shastry model) has a gap, exponentially decaying correlation functions and exponentially small susceptibility at very low temperatures. In the case of the alternating interaction the stabilizing next-nearest-neighbour ferromagnetic interaction changes the behaviour of the system qualitatively. We have studied the ground state and first excited state using a modified Lanczos algorithm for system sizes up to 16 sites. Also, we performed exact diagonalization for systems up to 8 sites and obtained the thermodynamics. The correlation functions decay with distance like a power law. These models define a new class of integer spin chains that do not show a Haldane gap. The results may be relevant for describing impurity spins coupled by a RKKY interaction through a half-filled conduction electron band.


An approximate identification result for a semilinear Laplace equation is given. To achieve this goal the problem is reformulated into an approximate controllability problem. Some results are already known in the linear case. The framework of the paper consists of the combination of unique continuation properties, convex analysis methods and the application of a fixed point theorem.


The goal of gene mapping is to identify the genetic loci that are responsible for the apparent genotypes such as complex diseases. In this work, a review and comparison of three different gene mapping methods is presented along with the assumptions and imposed constraints. The first method relies on standard statistical techniques and follows a probabilistic approach to deal with the problem. The second method is based on a well-known concept from information theory. The idea is to model the available data as random variables and measure the dependence between them using mutual information. The last method explores blind source separation techniques by finding a suitable model that involves mixing various sources so that independent component analysis can be applied


Staff training is considered as an effective tool to help organizations and businesses develop sustainable competitive advantage based on human resources. However, the investment of enterprises in this training activity is still very limited. The article provides an thorough understanding of why businesses do not emphasize human resource training. The analysis results imply that the enterprise's decision to invest in vocational training may depend on the Intellectual capital of employees. Vocational training is reflected from the experimental research on 983 workers in more than 100 enterprises and from group discussions of managers, employers and teachers, with more than 60 people in Binh Duong Province. The analysis (quantitative methods - Correlation and multivariate Binary logistic regression, and qualitative methods - in-depth interviews and focus group discussions) in the context of high demand for human resources in Binh Duong Province, indicates that: (1). The Intellectual capital of the human resources is not high; (2). The proportion of employees receiving training in enterprises is very low; (3). This opportunity mainly belongs to the qualified labour. Therefore, recommendations are proposed to promote vocational training for the workforce in Binh Duong Province in the future.