Aim: To present our experience with single-stage adjustable strabismus surgery (SSASS) under topical anesthesia and propofol. Materials and Methods: Sixteen patients who either had diplopia before the surgery or were at risk of developing diplopia after the surgery were selected for this operation after evaluating their tolerance for an eyelid speculum. Recession of the lateral recti, recession, resection and advancement of the medial recti, anteriorization of the inferior oblique and marginal myotomy to the superior rectus were the procedures done under topical anesthesia and propofol. The operations were done in two phases; in the first phase, the patients were sedated for 10 minutes with intravenous propofol (2 mg/kg) and the operation was done under topical anesthesia with 2% lidocaine. In the second phase, the patients were conscious and the adjustments were made. Results: None of the patients complained of significant pain during the surgery. No complications occurred during and after the procedure and no patients had diplopia during the postoperative follow-up. Conclusions: Single-stage adjustable surgery is practical and avoids the risks of regional and general anesthesia. The only disadvantage is the pain that some patients experience. We found that it is feasible to use propofol for this surgery; it provides deep sedation and prevents pain from being felt during the operation, and its short elimination half-life provides rapid awakening for the adjustment phase.


The study presents a novel methodology to retrieve snowflake mass and geometrical properties from the simultaneous observation of the snow particle by multiple viewing angles. The authors developed a GAN algorithm to address this problem. It is worth noting that this is no trivial challenge since the shape of snowflakes is highly irregular. Finding a methodology for the automatic estimation of snowflake mass, on a single particle level is still an area of active research since it poses significant challenges. The problem is also very relevant for many applications ranging from microphysical studies of snow to remote sensing simulations. For this reason, I consider the study of great interest for an AMT publication. The paper is logically structured and easy to follow. The graphics are clear and the text is well written. The methodology is well described and made easier to apply by other researchers thanks to the open code and data sharing. The limitations of the proposed methodology are appropriately discussed and the application example helps to illustrate the relevance of the study.


Power control is an important approach to improve capacity of wireless channels. Provided that the channel state is known at both the transmitter and the receiver, the optimal power control is a water-filling strategy which depends on the channel state. In this work, we establish some properties of the water-filling power adaptation strategy and propose an algorithm for the transmitter to automatically tune the water-filling strategy. Numerical examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.


Abstract On the British stage, political theatre, which emerged in the twentieth century, has been linked with the problems of the working class as initiated in the 1920s until the early 1960s. With the end of the official censorship of theatre in 1968, political theatre in Britain experienced a period in which socialist works marked the stage. Nevertheless, the 1990s challenged the association of political theatre with the conditions of the working class. Considering the current political and social events in Britain and around the world, it is appropriate to underline that political theatre is not only in a constant flux, but its definition has been once again challenged. In this regard, Brexit can be considered as one of the most significant movements to influence the understanding of political theatre in the twenty-first century. Consequently, this study aims to analyse Brexit Shorts: Dramas from a Divided Nation (2017), a co-production by the Guardian and Headlong Theatre Company and discuss their contribution to the changing definition of political theatre. Brexit Shorts will be further explored regarding their influence on the popularity of monologues as a mode of performance.


The need to provide effective tools for analyzing and querying spatial data is becoming increasingly important with the explosion of data in applications such as geographic information systems, image databases, CAD, and remote sensing. The SEE (Spatial Exploration Environment) is the first effort at applying direct-manipulation visual information seeking (VIS) techniques to spatial data analysis by visually querying as well as browsing spatial data and reviewing the visual results for trend analysis. The SEE system incorporates a visual query language (SVIQUEL) that allows users to specify the relative spatial position (both topology and direction) between objects using direct manipulation. The quantitative SVIQVEL sliders (S-sliders) are complemented by the qualitative active-picture-for-querying (APIQ) interface that allows the user to specify qualitative relative position queries. APIQ provides qualitative visual representations of the quantitative query specified by the S-sliders. This increases the utility of the system for spatial browsing and spatial trend discovery with no particular query in mind. The SVIQUEL queries are processed using a k-Bucket index structure specifically tuned for incremental processing of the multidimensional range queries that represent the class of queries that can be expressed by SVIQUEL. We have also designed a tightly integrated map visualization that helps to preserve the spatial context and a bar visualization that provides a qualitative abstraction of aggregates.


In order to improve bandwidth efficiency and bit error rate (BER) performance, a new hidden pilot scheme using a precoder is proposed for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. We show that the inevitable data interference of the hidden pilot, which degrades the performance of channel estimation, can be reduced successfully by the precoder design for each antenna with the aid of an iterative scheme. We also show that frequency diversity gain can be achieved due to the spreading effect of the precoder. Computer simulations are presented in which the proposed scheme is compared with conventional methods with respect to channel estimation, BER and bandwidth efficiency.


The oxidation of the Electrodeposited RE-Ni-W-P-SiC Composite materials at high temperature is investigated. The results show that during high temperature oxidation the relationship between the mass change of pure Ni, Ni-W-P, Ni-W-P-SiC or RE-Ni-W-P-SiC coatings and the oxidation time follows a mixed curve, i.e. it is approximately a linear relationship when the oxidation time is less than 60 mins while it is a power function relationship when the oxidation time is over 60 mins. The order for the oxidation rate of the four coatings is Ni Ni-W-P Ni-W-P-SiCRE-Ni-W-P-SiC. The mass change of Ni-W-P, Ni-W-P-SiC or RE-Ni-W-P-SiC coatings increases exponentially with a rise of oxidation temperature. The high temperature-oxidation resistance of RE-Ni-W-P-SiC composite material is 3-4 times than that of Ni-W-P alloy coating. The cross section morphologies and X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that the high temperature-oxidation resistance of RE-Ni-W-P-SiC composite coating is better than any other coatings.


. The genetic resistance to stem lodging of cultivated oat of the Western Siberian selection with different levels of mineral nutrition in the conditions of the Northern Trans-Urals has been studied. The experimental scheme provided for three new varieties of intensive oat: Talisman, Otrada, Foma. Various levels of the agricultural background were created by applying mineral fertilizers that ensure the planned yield of 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 t/ha of grain. In the course of research, it was found that the Talisman variety has a tendency to lodging at the genetic level. The Otrada variety is able to withstand a yield of up to 5.0 t/ha of grain, Foma – at least 6.0 t/ha. It was revealed that the resistance to lodging has a negative correlation with the length of the upper internode ( r =-0.7) and panicles ( r =-0.8), as well as a positive correlation with the plant height ( r = 0.8). Resistance to stem lodging by 34.3% depends on the level of mineral nutrition, 11.5% - on the genetics of the variety and 6.1% - on the growing season's weather conditions.


Bowel ultrasonography (BUS) is an accurate imaging method for detecting and monitoring inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. This technique is recommended by current guidelines besides gold standard endoscopic assessment in managing IBD patients. Several BUS characteristics strongly correlate with biological markers of inflammation suggesting that these tests could be used in monitoring IBD patients but is yet unknown how these features predict the patient's evolution.

 Our study included 95 consecutive IBD patients (24 diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, 71 with Crohn's disease) with both active and inactive disease at presentation. IBD diagnosis was established endoscopically and histologically. Patients with superimposed infection (viral or bacterial) and patients that had solely rectal involvement of the disease were excluded. BUS was conducted at baseline by one skilled examiner blinded to biological data. Biological markers were evaluated at baseline and all cases were prospectively followed-up for the need of therapy escalation during the next 6 months. The following BUS characteristics were registered in every patient: bowel wall thickness, alteration of wall structure, thickened mucosa or submucosa, presence of hyperechoic spots in the mucosal wall, irregularity of the external wall, Doppler signal, presence of mesenteric hypertrophy, presence of lymph nodes, and an overall assessment of the examination. No special preparation was needed before BUS.

 Of all the monitored sonographic features, the following characteristics correlated with the need of increasing treatment in the following 6 months: bowel wall thickness, altered structure of the wall, hypertrophic mucosa, Doppler signal, and the overall assessment of the examination (p < 0.001). The presence of the lymph nodes, hyperechoic spots in the mucosa, thickened submucosa and the irregularity of the external wall were not statistically significant correlated with the need for treatment escalation. The strongest correlation with the need for increasing treatment was documented for a mean bowel wall thickness > 5 mm and for Doppler signal presence in the bowel wall (p < 0.00001). In the multivariate analysis, Doppler signal presence was the only independent predictor for the need treatment escalation during a 6-month follow-up.

 The most important sonographic features with an impact on therapeutic decision making in IBD patients are: bowel wall thickness, Doppler signal, altered stratification of the wall and mesenteric hypertrophy. In our analysis, the Doppler signal was the only independent predictor for the need for step-up therapy.


Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), also called liquid silicone, belongs to a group of polymeric compounds that are commonly referred to as silicones. These filling agents have been used as injectable filler for soft tissue augmentation. There are limited experiences about management of the severe complications related to filler migration associated with PDMS injection. We present a 35‐year‐old female with severe erythema, edema over her cheeks and neck, and multiple irregularities following cosmetic lip augmentation with PDMS. Further studies are required for management of this complicated case of PDMS injection.


Recent studies suggest that HIV-1 budding occurs selectively from detergent-insoluble membrane domains, referred to as lipid rafts. Palmitoylation is thought to be one of the factors responsible for targeting membrane proteins to lipid rafts. The cytoplasmic domain of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (gp160) contains two palmitoylated cysteine residues. In this work, we studied the solubility of gp160 after detergent extraction. We show that wild-type gp160 is mostly insoluble after ice-cold Triton X-100 extraction, but that it becomes almost completely soluble at 37 degrees C. In contrast, we find that a mutant gp160, in which the two palmitoylated cysteine residues are replaced by serine, is Triton X-100 soluble even under ice-cold extraction. These findings are consistent with the properties of proteins that localize to lipid rafts and strongly suggest that gp160 is associated with lipid rafts. Further, removal of both palmitoylation sites results in the formation of virus with low levels of gp160 incorporation as well as a decrease in viral infectivity by 60-fold. Our results strongly support the suggestion that HIV-1 buds from lipid rafts and point to a role for rafts as a viral assembly hub.


Biometrics is an automatic method of recognizing a person based on his physiological characteristic. Face recognition system (FRS) is an emerging field in biometrics. FRS can be used for identifying a person in highly secured areas as well as where person authentication is required; it is one of the best methods because face structure cannot be copied like a password. In most of the face recognition system front pose face images are considered when the database is created. But when the query image is not its front face image but side view of the face or any other pose or facial expression other than the image in the database, the system fails to identify the person. In this paper a method to solve this problem is given. The database contains the facial images of different persons with different facial expressions and poses. The features are extracted using Singular value decomposition method (SVD). A HMM (Hidden Markov Model) is used to train these features of the images from the given set of data. These resultant HMM's then compared with the HMM of the available face image to identify the person. This method gives good results compared to other 2D face recognition systems which are affected by pose variations and intensity of the 2D image. The system is tested using ORL standard database and the algorithm for this system is simulated using MATLAB software.


In India, the construction field streams towards the hike with the advent of new innovative technologies. The increase in the quantity of construction seeks the superior quality from the researchers in terms of effective methodologies which reduce the requirement of manpower and material with increased efficiency and pace of construction. One of the most promising solutions for this issue suggested by the researchers is the precast construction. Precast construction entirely restructures the conventional construction process to improve the quality and pace of the construction. The predicaments with precast construction are shrinkage of filling material between the wall which leads to crack formation and also cause leakage of water. The occurrence of shrinkage is initiated and leaded by the compacting or filling problem in filling materials up to ground level due to the use of coarse aggregate and the usage of non flexible and improper bonding of sealant in the wall joints. In order to reduce these structural problems, we investigated the method of SIFCON (slurry infiltrated fibre concrete) with varies mix proportion 1: 1, 1:1.5 and 1:2 with the replacement of coarse aggregate by perlite. The sealant we used is poly sulphide sealant and the watercement ratio of the filling material varies between 0.3 and 0.4. Even though the conventional practical way of using fibres in SIFCON is limited up to 12%, we investigated the usage of fibres up to 20% in this experiment. The results obtained from the experiment shows that the filling material with the cement mortar ratio of 1:1.5 with 5% glass fibre applied in the method of Slurry Infiltrated Fibre Concrete successfully arrests the leakage of water between the wall joints.


Fusion genes play an important role in the tumorigenesis of many cancers. Next generation sequencing (NGS) methods such as RNA-seq provide accurate, high-resolution data, which makes unbiased fusion detection much more feasible. Most fusion detection tools based on RNA-seq data report a great number of candidates (mostly false positives), making it hard to prioritize candidates for validation. I therefore developed confFuse, a scoring algorithm to reliably select high-confidence fusion genes which are likely to be biologically relevant.

Compared with alternative tools based on 96 published RNA-seq samples from six different tumor entities, confFuse dramatically reduces the number of fusion candidates (301 high-confidence from 8083 predicted fusion genes, ~3.7%) and retains high detection accuracy (recovery rate 85.7% of previously validated fusions). Another analysis of 27 unpublished tumors of various origins, results in a recovery rate of ~93% (25/27). Furthermore, a screen of 22
GBM tumors shows 242 high-confidence fusions from 6,018 candidates (~4%), of which ~62% (150/242) were previously validated or harbor supporting reads in DNA-seq. Similarly, in 11 published prostate cancer tumors ~72% high-confidence fusions (17/24 from 849 predictions) have supporting evidence. Validation of 18 high-confidence fusions detected in three primary breast tumor samples resulted in a 100% true positive rate. When applying confFuse on three CLL samples, 15 of 18 candidates were successfully validated. In summary, confFuse can reliably select high-confidence fusion genes that are more likely to be biologically relevant, achieving both high validation rate and high detection accuracy, while reducing the number of candidates to a restricted number for validation.

A genetic analysis of primary and refractory breast cancer tumors identified different aberrations in CNVs, SNVs/Indels and rearrangements. Mutations of microtubule-associated serine-threonine kinase (MAST) and 1-phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate phosphodiesterase beta (PLCB) gene family members were only detected in refractory tumors (3/50 and 4/50, respectively). Mutations of members of the calcium channel, voltage-dependent, alpha (CACNA) gene family members, which are involved in the MAPK signalling pathway, are highly prevalent in refractory tumors (24%, 12/50) compared to primary tumors (~2%, 1/46). Rearrangements of CACNA were also identified in one primary and two refractory tumors, and PLCB in three refractory tumors. This suggests that mutations of MAST, CACNA or PLCB gene families may be a novel acquired resistance mechanism in addition to ESR1 mutation.

Hundreds of known or novel fusion genes were identified by confFuse in seven unpublished tumor cohorts, including more than 60 highly reliable fusion proteins in breast cancer. Furthermore, different chromosome-wide enrichments of fusion genes were identified across tumor entities. Overall, a comprehensive landscape of fusion genes in different tumor entities was provided to give an insight for biomarker discovery, especially in breast cancer.


Abstract: This research is based on the researcher's interest to know more deeply and then to describe the implementation of character education in a high school / vocational school. As one of the SMK "suburbs", SMK Tekom MBM has a heavier task compared to the favorite SMA / SMK / MA because of the condition early students in vocational "suburbs" in lower quality, lower discipline, less good character. Although there are some students who already have a positive character, but the conditions in general are very different. They also come from underprivileged economic conditions. Schools "outskirts should certainly try harder to help learners get better change during their educational process. In the context of this research is how SMK Tekom MBM conducts character education by developing character values as outlined by the Ministry of National Education but inspired by the teachings of Islam. This research produces findings of character development based on religious values in SMK Tekom MBM implemented by: (1) integrated with subject learning process; (2) integrated in extracurricular activities; (3) integrated in the activities of intra-school organizations (OSIS); (4) Integrated in extra-school organizational activities, ie IPNU-IPPNU; (6) integrated in school culture.
Keyword: karakter religius, pendidikan karakter, pendidikan karakter di sekolah, pendidikan karakter religius di SMK


PMFV, a type D retrovirus isolated from a malignant human embryo cell line, was compared with Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV) in a sensitive tannic acid enhanced indirect immunodiffusion test. In addition to the previously shown common antigens, both viruses contain identical group-specific antigenic determinants on their p 10--12 as demonstrated with a specific p 10--12 MPMV test system. Interspecies mammalian type C virus antigens were not detected in highly concentrated PMFV preparations.


Low elevation coastal zones (LECZ) are extensive throughout the southeastern United States. LECZ communities are threatened by inundation from sea level rise, storm surge, wetland degradation, land subsidence, and hydrological flooding. Communication among scientists, stakeholders, policy makers and minority and poor residents must improve. We must predict processes spanning the ecological, physical, social, and health sciences. Communities need to address linkages of (1) human and socioeconomic vulnerabilities; (2) public health and safety; (3) economic concerns; (4) land loss; (5) wetland threats; and (6) coastal inundation. Essential capabilities must include a network to assemble and distribute data and model code to assess risk and its causes, support adaptive management, and improve the resiliency of communities. Better communication of information and understanding among residents and officials is essential. Here we review recent background literature on these matters and offer recommendations for integrating natural and social sciences. We advocate for a cyber-network of scientists, modelers, engineers, educators, and stakeholders from academia, federal state and local agencies, non-governmental organizations, residents, and the private sector. Our vision is to enhance future resilience of LECZ communities by offering approaches to mitigate hazards to human health, safety and welfare and reduce impacts to coastal residents and industries.


Confirmatory factor analysis with robust weighted least squares estimation of the 103 dichotomously scored items of the Child Behavior Checklist/6-18 (T. M. Achenbach & L. A. Rescorla, 2001) in a sample of 516 girls adopted from China (ages 6.0-15.7 years; M = 8.2, SD = 1.9) indicated that the fit of the 8-factor model was good (root-mean-square error of approximation = .047) and was slightly better than what T. M. Achenbach and L. A. Rescorla (2001) reported for the same model (.06). Support for the 2nd-order factor structure of Internalizing and Externalizing Problems also was provided. Comparisons of the mean scores for the syndromes and Internalizing, Externalizing, and Total Problems revealed mostly small differences between the sample of adopted Chinese girls and T. M. Achenbach and L. A. Rescorla's normative samples.


Abstract Recent successes in the control of lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis need continuing research in order to sustain the achievements and to develop further tools to tackle the new questions that arise when only reduced infection prevalences prevail. In this regard, in a symposium held at the Xth European Multicolloquium of Parasitology (August 2008, Paris) questions such as the impact of filarial immunosuppression, and its lack following filarial control, on the outcome of co-infections were addressed, as were new approaches to treatment with promising drugs such as moxidectin or the antibiotic chemotherapy against Wolbachia endosymbionts in filariae. In particular, longer treatment courses of doxycycline could be carried out by community-directed treatment at high coverage, thus potentially allowing its use in restricted areas with suboptimal responses to ivermectin against onchocerciasis, or in areas with co-infection by loiasis where onchocerciasis or lymphatic filariasis need to be controlled. New, more potent drugs, or eventually vaccines, will be of importance because in many vector–filarial parasite relationships worldwide, transmission efficacy increases with low numbers of ingested microfilariae, and since ivermectin may render treated hosts more susceptible to new infection.


According to new research, health care workers and medical students are reluctant to receive vaccinations. This recent research found that hesitancy was often observed in age groups. This obstacle, though, does not prevent medical personnel from caring for virus-infected patients. With the appropriate education and advice, apprehension and anxiety will be substituted by confidence in the battle against coronavirus disease.


Uncertainty in radiative forcing caused by aerosol–cloud interactions is about twice as large as for CO2 and remains the least well understood anthropogenic contribution to climate change. A major cause of uncertainty is the poorly quantified state of aerosols in the pristine preindustrial atmosphere, which defines the baseline against which anthropogenic effects are calculated. The Southern Ocean is one of the few remaining near-pristine aerosol environments on Earth, but there are very few measurements to help evaluate models. The Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition: Study of Preindustrial-like Aerosols and their Climate Effects (ACE-SPACE) took place between December 2016 and March 2017 and covered the entire Southern Ocean region (Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans; length of ship track >33,000 km) including previously unexplored areas. In situ measurements covered aerosol characteristics [e.g., chemical composition, size distributions, and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) number concentrations], trace gases, and meteorological variables. Remote sensing observations of cloud properties, the physical and microbial ocean state, and back trajectory analyses are used to interpret the in situ data. The contribution of sea spray to CCN in the westerly wind belt can be larger than 50%. The abundance of methanesulfonic acid indicates local and regional microbial influence on CCN abundance in Antarctic coastal waters and in the open ocean. We use the in situ data to evaluate simulated CCN concentrations from a global aerosol model. The extensive, available ACE-SPACE dataset (https://zenodo.org/communities/spi-ace?page=1&size=20) provides an unprecedented opportunity to evaluate models and to reduce the uncertainty in radiative forcing associated with the natural processes of aerosol emission, formation, transport, and processing occurring over the pristine Southern Ocean.


Complex predicates are defined as constructions consisting of preverb/converb/coverb + 'light verb' (Bowern 2006). Each component of the complex construction contributes to the internal argument structure. The typology of complex predicates exhibits cross-linguistic similarities and differences. This study investigates the complex predicate constructions in Uzbek, which possesses a rich variety of light verb constructions. Novel data from Uzbek is provided, and it is analyzed on the basis of proposed criteria in the government and binding theory (GB) literature for complex predicates. The analysis reveals that these constructions express simultaneity, cause and effect, and consecutivity. Both verbs in complex constructions share the same subject, and they describe a single event. However, the object may or may not be shared by both verbs. What is significant about Uzbek light verbs is that they both host inflection, and contribute to the event structure. That is, tense and agreement markers, as well as aspectual markers are carried by the light verb. The constituency is strict in complex predicates, and there cannot be an intervention between the converb and the light verb by such elements as interrogatives, negation, or temporal adverbs.
Key words: Complex predicates, light verbs, Uzbek language, construction, derivation


In prolonged complete obstruction of the ureter intravenous urography will show no excretion of contrast medium on the side involved. Once the kidney has ceased to function, clinical and urographic examinations are usually of little value in assessing the chances of functional restoration on removal of the obstruction. In such cases renal angiography is the only method available for estimating the extent of parenchymal destruction. Discrepancies are, however, sometimes found between the angiogram, the operative findings or the roentgenograms taken during follow-up. The purpose of the present investigation was to estimate the range of these discrepancies. A survey of the literature is followed by a description of the material, methods and technique used. Parenchymal destruction was produced by ligation of the ureter. Renal angiograms were taken before ligation of the ureter, during stasis, and after stasis had been relieved by ureterostomy. Changes in the width of the renal artery, in the appearance of the intrarenal arteries, and in the nephrographic effect were studied and are recorded graphically. Renal function was assessed shortly after ureterostomy. The kidneys were afterwards examined macroscopically and microscopically. An analysis is presented of the angiographic findings of the obstructed side and the thickness of the cortex and the histologic findings are studied for any variation with the duration of stasis. A similar analysis covers the angiographic findings and renal function after ureterostomy. The anatomic, functional, and angiographic findings made before and after ureterostomy are likewise compared. These factors are afterwards analysed for any variation with direct measurements of the renal blood flow. The individual correlations found between various pathologic, functional, and angiographic findings are given graphically and, finally, the angiographic and pathologic changes on the control side are described and discussed. Autoreview.


The invention concerns a method for marking a material characterized in that it consists in incorporating into the material: either a phosphor capable of producing, following excitation, two light emissions whereof the respective wave lengths and the emission decay times are different, or several phosphors capable of producing, following excitation, a light emission whereof the wavelength and the emission decay time are different from the wavelength and emission decay time of the other or other phosphors. The material can in particular be of the paper, board, paint, textile, ink, glass or macromolecular material type.


The purpose of this study was to determine the perception of the role of farmers in the village agricultural extension Rasi, District Ratahan, Southeast Minahasa Regency. The study was implemented for 4 months, namely from March to June 2016. This study uses primary data and secondary data. The primary data obtained through interviews with farmers based on a list of questions (questionnaire), while secondary data obtained from the Office of Agricultural Extension Agency for Fisheries and Forestry (BP3K), District Ratahan, Southeast Minahasa Regency. The sampling method in this study is using a non-probability. Analysis of data using a Likert Scale based on the answers of 25 questions to measure the perception of the role of farmers to extension workers with total respondents as many as 36 people. These results indicate that the total score of the level of farmers' perceptions of the role of agricultural extension for 3678 and are in the perception index of 81 percent, thus the perception of farmers as very good. Perception is in excellent farmers also on an indicator of increased productivity results, level of innovation ease of extension can be easily put into practice, the results of innovation extension can be easily seen or observed, productivity increased output is larger than before farmers using agricultural extension innovation.


Ever since its formulation by A. S. Eddington, the mass-luminosity relation has been viewed as a triumph for theoretical astronomy and astrophysics. The idea that the luminosity of the stars could be controlled solely by their mass was indeed a revolutionary concept. The proof involved
 two central aspects: (1) the belief that stars could be treated as ideal gases in hydrostatic equilibrium, and (2) that the opacity of Capella could be used as a reference mark applicable to other stars. Yet, when the mass-luminosity relation was advanced, no thought was given to the need
 for thermodynamic balance. Within thermodynamic expressions, not only must the dimensions (hence units) be consistent on each side of the equals sign, but the extensive nature of the properties must also balance. Namely, thermodynamic expressions must be balanced by properties which are extensive
 to the same degree. In this regard, mass is an extensive thermodynamic property and can be represented by a homogenous function of degree 1. Conversely, the luminosity of a star is neither extensive nor intensive, but rather can be represented by a homogenous function of degree 2/3. Consequently,
 the mass-luminosity expression is thermodynamically unbalanced and stands in violation of the laws of thermodynamics.


Onboard autonomy technologies such as planning and scheduling, identification of scientific targets, and content-based data summarization, will lead to exciting new space science missions. However, the challenge of operating missions with such onboard autonomous capabilities has not been studied to a level of detail sufficient for consideration in mission concepts. These autonomy capabilities will require changes to current operations processes, practices, and tools. We have developed a case study to assess the changes needed to enable operators and scientists to operate an autonomous spacecraft by adopting a common model between the ground personnel and the onboard algorithms. We assess the new operations tools and workflows necessary to enable operators and scientists to convey their desired intent to the spacecraft, and to be able to reconstruct and explain the decisions made onboard and the state of the spacecraft. Mock-ups of these tools were used in a user study to understand the effectiveness of the processes and tools in enabling a shared framework of understanding, and the ability of the operators and scientists to effectively achieve mission science objectives.


The objective of this work is to develop an automatic method for estimating glottal opening instants (GOIs) using Hilbert envelope (HE). The GOIs are secondary major excitations after glottal closure instants (GCIs) during the production of voiced speech. The HE is defined as the magnitude of complex time function (CTF) of a given signal. The unipolar property of HE is exploited for picking the second largest peak present in a given glottal cycle and hypothesize as glottal opening instant (GOI). The electroglottogram (EGG) / speech signal is first passed through the zero frequency filtering (ZFF) method to extract GCIs. With the help of detected GCIs, the secondary peaks present in the HE of dEGG / residual are hypothesized as GOIs. The hypothesized GOIs are compared with secondary peaks estimated from the dEGG / residual. The GOIs hypothesized by the proposed method show less variance compared to peak picking from dEGG / residual.


Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common cause of chronic inflammatory joint disease. Plant extracts contain several bioactive factors which can re-establish the homeostasis of joints and joint cartilages. Objectives This study aim to evaluate synergism of ethanolic extracts of Jatropha tanjorensis leaves with Ibuprofen and Sulfasalazine as an antirheumatic agent. Methodology 25 adult male Wistar rats were subjected to different types of treatment (110 days); A: Positive control, B: Ibuprofen, Sulfasalazine and Low dose of extract, C: Ibuprofen, Sulfasalazine and Medium dose of extract, D: Ibuprofen, Sulfasalazine and High dose of extract, E: Normal control. Groups A-D were collagen-induced arthritic (CIA) models. One week before sacrifice, anterior-posterior and lateral diameters of both ankles, physical appearance and weight were assessed. After sacrifice, histological analysis of ankles using modified Mankin scoring system was done. Results Groups B, C and D had significant improvements in direct proportion to the dosages of J. tanjorensis extract administered. Increased doses slowed down the progression of cartilage destruction evidenced by prevention of joint swellings and preservation of chondrocytes and its histological features. Group A (positive control) exhibited cartilage destruction but no cartilage changes noted in group E (normal control). Conclusion We demonstrated synergistic effects of J. tanjorensis with Ibuprofen and Sulfasalazine combination therapy on animal model of collagen-induced rheumatoid arthritis. The evaluation of these effects were assessed by several means; physical appearance, assessment of weight, anterior-posterior and lateral diameters, and histological examination of both ankles of the animal that characterizes the originality of the study. Summary What is already known on this topic – The current therapeutic regimen for RA has some disadvantageous side effects. What this study adds – An alternative to the conventional management of RA with lower side effects. How this study might affect research, practice or policy – There is need to standardize dosages of newer herbs identified to be therapeutic.


The availability of active monoclonal antibodies, either as single agents or in combination with cytotoxic agents, has improved treatment results in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Despite this and the increasing number of available active monoclonal antibodies, alone or conjugated with radioisotopes, not all types of lymphoma are sensitive to these biological agents and often they become resistant because of different molecular mechanisms. New molecular targets in neoplastic cells are emerging and provide the rationale for novel discovery initiatives. In fact, a greater knowledge of the biology of lymphoma and the identification of compounds selectively active against a potential therapeutic pathway have already improved the time to progression and survival time of patients with some subtypes of NHL. The growing list of new drugs provides the exciting prospect of developing disease-specific and even patient-specific therapies. The aim of this review is to identify and discuss non-monoclonal antibody new therapeutic agents in terms of mechanism of action and clinical results. The preclinical and clinical features of proteasome inhibitors, histone deacetylase inhibitors, thalidomide and lenalidomide, mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors, antisense oligonucleotides, heat shock protein inhibitors, protein kinase C inhibitors, antiangiogenic agents, and new cytotoxics are reviewed.


This paper presents the coexistence of two promising technologies for 5G and beyond mobile networks, namely Cognitive Radio-based Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (CR-NOMA) and millimeter-wave (mmWave) wireless communication. The decoding performance of successive interference cancellation (SIC) significantly affects the coverage probability of the CR-NOMA network serving the primary and secondary users within a single frequency resource block. In this paper, we propose a user pairing algorithm to allocate primary and secondary users in an uplink mmWave CR-NOMA network, where the multi-antenna base station utilizes beamforming technology. The coverage probability is aimed to be maximized by selecting a secondary user in such a way that the Quality of service (QoS) requirements of both users are satisfied using the QoS-based SIC; otherwise, the channel state information-based SIC is utilized by selecting the secondary user with the best channel condition. We conduct Monte Carlo simulation experiments by varying the transmit power of the users, the number of antenna elements at the base station, and the number of secondary users in the network. The numerical results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm provides the optimum coverage probability with lower complexity, especially in higher signal-to-noise ratio regimes.


Quadcopters, as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have great potential in civil applications such as surveying, building monitoring, and infrastructure condition assessment. Quadcopters, however, are relatively sensitive to noises and disturbances so that their performance may be quickly downgraded in the case of inadequate control, system uncertainties and/or external disturbances. In this study, we deal with the quadrotor low-level control by proposing a robust scheme named the adaptive second-order quasi-continuous sliding mode control (adaptive 2-QCSM). The ultimate objective is for robust attitude control of the UAV in monitoring and inspection of built infrastructure. First, the mathematical model of the quadcopter is derived considering nonlinearity, strong coupling, uncertain dynamics and external disturbances. The control design includes the selection of the sliding manifold and the development of quasi-continuous second-order sliding mode controller with an adaptive gain. Stability of the overall control system is analysed by using a global Lyapunov function for convergence of both the sliding dynamics and adaptation scheme. Extensive simulations have been carried out for evaluation. Results show that the proposed controller can achieve robustness against disturbances or parameter variations and has better tracking performance in comparison with experimental responses of a UAV in a real-time monitoring task.


Abstract The paper presents the use of the two-dimensional finite element method for modelling the three-phase squirrelcage induction motor by using circuit-field coupled method. In order to analyze the machine performances, the voltage source is considered. The flux 2D magnetic analysis software is used for calculating the magnetic field of an induction motor having a cage fault. The simulation results of transient and steady state are given, which verifies the reliability of this method. The experimental results prove that the proposed approach constitutes a useful tool for the study and diagnostics of induction motors.


Abstract. Sandanayake CLT, Weerakoon SR, Karthikeyan N, Somaratne S. 2022. Yield performances of rice varieties (Oryza sativa) under nano-CuO and nano-ZnO micronutrient fertilizers. Nusantara Bioscience 14: 95-103. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a major staple food in the world. There is an extreme need for higher rice yield to meet the ever-increasing demand with the rise in population despite the hampering impact of climatic changes. Nanotechnology plays a potential role in food security and introduces nano fertilizers as an alternative to conventional fertilizers. Therefore, the present research was carried out to determine the effects of nano micronutrient fertilizers; nano-CuO, and nano-ZnO on the yield of selected rice varieties, Bg360, BW364, Kaluheenati, and Kuruluthuda. Sol-gel and thermal decomposition methods synthesized nano-fertilizers used in the study. Nano-ZnO, nano-CuO, and nano-CuO-ZnO composite treatments were applied as a foliar spray at concentrations of 30 mg L-1 (T1), 60 mg L-1 (T2), and 120 mg L-1 (T3) and double deionized water served as the control (T0). The synthesized nano-fertilizers were applied during the growth stage [at 48-58 days after sowing (DAS)] and grain filling stage [100-105 DAS], while the plants were provided with appropriate levels of N, P, and K fertilizers, as recommended by Department of Agriculture. A Complete Randomized Block Design was employed with three blocks and five replicates in each block. The Yield parameters were recorded at the harvesting stage. Descriptive statistics such as mean and standard error of mean and inferential statistics were performed on the data obtained. ANOVA with interaction terms was performed to assess the significant differences between the treatments. The descriptive analyses show an increase in the yield of the rice varieties under the application of nano-fertilizers. ANOVA suggests a significant effect (p ? 0.05) of nano-CuO and nano-ZnO on the yield of rice varieties used in the study. Both traditional and inbred rice varieties indicated yield response to applied nano-fertilizers.


Open Source Software (OSS) project success relies on crowd contributions. When an issue arises in pull-request based systems, @-mentions are used to call on people to task; previous studies have shown that @-mentions in discussions are associated with faster issue resolution. In most projects there may be many developers who could technically handle a variety of tasks. But OSS supports dynamic teams distributed across a wide variety of social and geographic backgrounds, as well as levels of involvement. It is, then, important to know whom to call on, i.e., who can be relied or trusted with important task-related duties, and why.
In this paper, we sought to understand which observable socio-technical attributes of developers can be used to build good models of them being future @-mentioned in GitHub issues and pull request discussions. We built overall and project-specific predictive models of future @-mentions, in order to capture the determinants of @-mentions in each of two hundred GitHub projects, and to understand if and how those determinants differ between projects. We found that visibility, expertise, and productivity are associated with an increase in @-mentions, while responsiveness is not, in the presence of a number of control variables. Also, we find that though project-specific differences exist, the overall model can be used for cross-project prediction, indicating its GitHub-wide utility.


Men's friendships have traditionally been described as being activity-based but little research has examined older men's friendships. The current study aimed to explore meanings of friendship with older men who belonged to formal men's groups or not. A thematic analysis of focus group data identified three manifest themes (constructing friendship: friends, mates or acquaintances; the dynamic nature of friendship; and the importance or beneficence of friendship) and one latent theme (community of men). Friendship was constructed as a multifaceted concept contingent on context. The importance of maintaining friendships were discussed as either self-driven or the responsibility of the other. Talking to like-minded men, regardless of group membership, was valued not just for doing activities but for the emotional support it provided.


A descriptive, prospective, longitudinal study of 230 odontogenic cysts of the oral cavity was carried out, which were surgically treated in the Maxillofacial Surgery Department of "Saturnino Lora" Provincial Teaching Clinical Surgical Hospital of Santiago de Cuba, from 2000 to 2008, to characterize them from the clinical, epidemiological and therapeutic points of view. The main results revealed a higher incidence of inflammatory cysts than development cysts, with ratio of 1.8:1. Male sex prevailed in both groups, with ratio of 2.4:1 relative to female sex. The overall mean age was 38.4±11.2 years (with a range between 18 and 71 years) and the size of 3.01±1.54 cm. There was a prevalence of mandibular cysts in these groups, being the areas of molar bicuspids (maxilla) and of lower third molar the most affected. The technique of choice treatment was cystectomy, associated or not with filling in cystic cavity. Overall recurrence rate was low and cystectomy had a higher percentage due to keratocysts. Peroperative and postoperative complications showed low morbidity.


We demonstrate an all-optical buffering method that can handle contention of three optical packets. We have employed a laser neural network as an all-optical arbiter that decides whether packet contention takes place. The laser neural network drives a wavelength routing switch that is used to route the data packets into fiber delay lines. Experimental results are presented.


AIM
This study aimed to adapt a culturally suitable and functional Turkish version of the Self-Care of Coronary Heart Disease Inventory to evaluate its reliability and validity to measure Turkish coronary heart disease patients' levels of self-care.

METHODS
The study was performed at the cardiology clinics of three hospitals in Istanbul, Turkey. Content validity index, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were used in the validity analyses. In the reliability analyses, pearson's correlation coefficient, cronbach's α scores and test-retest reliability were used. The validity and reliability analyses were conducted with 222 coronary heart disease patients, whereas the test-retest analysis was carried out with 50 patients.

RESULTS
The three subscale and 22-item Turkish Inventory's factorial structure was similar to the English version. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed a good model fit. Cronbach's α ranged from .63 to .95, and no statistically significant differences were found in the test-retest reliability analysis (P > .05).

CONCLUSION
Turkish version of the Self-Care of Coronary Heart Disease Inventory is a valid and reliable tool for determination of coronary heart disease patients' self-care in Turkey.


Treating a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) extending to the tendon or bone can be a challenge for physicians. Recent studies have shown positive results of micronized acellular dermal matrix (ADM) treatment for treating DFU. However, studies on such ADM with a long‐term follow‐up are rare. Thus, the objective of this study was to retrospectively analyse patients treated with micronized ADM with a long‐term follow‐up to assess the effectiveness of the treatment and determine the recurrence rate. The rate of success of complete healing was 62.96% and the time of complete healing was 86.96 days in this study. The recurrence rate of DFUs was 41.17% in the overall group. However, it was only 23.52% in the micronized ADM group. The average duration of recurrence was 720.50 ± 505.12 days. The recurrence rate was 50% in weight bearing areas such as the plantar and heel. It was 12.5% in toes and non‐weight bearing areas. In conclusion, micronized ADM can be used to effectively treat DFUs that have invaded ligaments or bones. A close follow‐up of weight bearing area wounds will allow us to identify and treat recurrence early.


Abstract. The summertime air pollution events endangering public
health in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area are connected
with typhoons. The wind of the typhoon periphery results in poor diffusion
conditions and favorable conditions for transboundary air pollution. Random
forest models are established to predict typhoon-associated air quality in
the area. The correlation coefficients and the root mean square errors in
the air quality index (AQI) and PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2
and O3 concentrations are 0.84 (14.88), 0.86 (10.31 µg m−3), 0.84 (17.03 µg m−3), 0.51 (8.13 µg m−3), 0.80 (13.64 µg m−3) and 0.89 (22.43 µg m−3), respectively.
Additionally, the prediction models for non-typhoon days are established.
According to the feature importance output of the models, the differences in
the meteorological drivers of typhoon days and non-typhoon days are
revealed. On typhoon days, the air quality is dominated by local source
emission and accumulation as the sink of pollutants reduces significantly
under stagnant weather, while it is dominated by the transportation and scavenging effect of sea breeze on non-typhoon days. Therefore, our findings suggest that
different air pollution control strategies for typhoon days and non-typhoon
days should be proposed.


The lectures delivered at the Royal Academy of Arts by Joshua Reynolds, its first president, and William Hunter, F. R. S., its first professor of anatomy, belonged to the same basic enterprise. Through the educational programme of the Academy, they were aspiring to raise the intellectual standards, levels of aesthetic achievement and institutional status of the visual arts in England. Observers of English achievements in other fields, most notably literature and the sciences, could hardly fail to notice the absence of painters who might be regarded as equal in stature to a Milton or a Newton. The Italian popularizer of Newton, Count Francesco Algarotti, noted in 1764 that 'the English nation claims the superiority ... in the world of science', whereas 'Painting has only recently engaged the attention of the English so far as to inspire them with a design of contending with the Italians'. In the dedication of his Discourses to King George III, Reynolds acknowledged that 'by your illustrious predecessors were established marts for manufacturers, and colleges for science; but for the arts of elegance, those arts by which manufactures are embellished, and science is refined, to found an Academy was reserved for your Majesty'.


We present a systematic investigation of molecule-metal interactions for transition-metal phthalocyanines (TMPc, with TM = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) adsorbed on Ag(100). Scanning tunneling spectroscopy and density functional theory provide insight into the charge transfer and hybridization mechanisms of TMPc as a function of increasing occupancy of the 3d metal states. We show that all four TMPc receive approximately one electron from the substrate. Charge transfer occurs from the substrate to the molecules, inducing a charge reorganization in FePc and CoPc, while adding one electron to ligand π orbitals in NiPc and CuPc. This has opposite consequences on the molecular magnetic moment: In FePc and CoPc the interaction with the substrate tends to reduce the TM spin, whereas, in NiPc and CuPc, an additional spin is induced on the aromatic Pc ligand, leaving the TM spin unperturbed. In CuPc, the presence of both TM and ligand spins leads to a triplet ground state arising from intramolecular exchange coupling between d and π electrons. In FePc and CoPc the magnetic moment of C and N atoms is antiparallel to that of the TM. The different character and symmetry of the frontier orbitals in the TMPc series leads to varying degrees of hybridization and correlation effects, ranging from the mixed-valence (FePc, CoPc) to the Kondo regime (NiPc, CuPc). Coherent coupling between Kondo and inelastic excitations induces finite-bias Kondo resonances involving vibrational transitions in both NiPc and CuPc and triplet-singlet transitions in CuPc.


In England, there have been concerns that some primary teachers lack the necessary skills to teach the National Curriculum. The aim of this research was to ascertain the level of confidence of students completing a one-year primary teacher-training programme in relation to teaching in general and teaching music in particular. 341 students from four higher education institutions in England completed a short questionnaire. While almost all teachers had confidence in their ability to teach, only about half were confident about teaching music. There were statistically significant differences in response depending on whether the students played one or more musical instruments. Instrumentalists were more confident, those playing more than one instrument exhibiting the highest levels. Most students believed that more time should be spent on training, although they praised its quality. The implications of the findings are discussed and alternative ways of addressing the problem are considered.


As in humans, sub-clinical infection by arboviruses in domestic animals is common; however, its detection only occurs during epizootics and the silent circulation of some arboviruses may remain undetected. The objective of the present paper was to assess the current circulation of arboviruses in the Nhecolândia sub-region of South Pantanal, Brazil. Sera from a total of 135 horses, of which 75 were immunized with bivalent vaccine composed of inactive Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) and Western equine encephalitis virus(WEEV) and 60 were unvaccinated, were submitted to thorough viral isolation, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and neutralization tests for Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV), EEEV, WEEV and Mayaro virus (MAYV). No virus was isolated and viral nucleic-acid detection by RT-PCR was also negative. Nevertheless, the prevalence of neutralizing antibodies in horses older than seven months was 43.7% for SLEV in equines regardless of vaccine status, and 36.4% for WEEV and 47.7% for EEEV in unvaccinated horses. There was no evidence of MAYV infections. The serologic evidence of circulation of arboviruses responsible for equine and human encephalitis, without recent official reports of clinical infections in the area, suggests that the Nhecolândia sub-region in South Pantanal is an important area for detection of silent activity of arboviruses in Brazil.


In this paper, we present a distributed control algorithm to locate multiple mobile radio frequency (RF) targets using cooperative unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped only with Global Positioning System (GPS) sensors and angle of arrival sensors. The proposed control algorithm considers the number of UAVs involved, sensor schedules, and sensor trajectories to increase the performance of cooperative UAVs localizing ground targets. The UAVs use optimal recursive estimation techniques to minimize target localization errors and differential geometry techniques to generate UAV (sensor) trajectories


Fault estimation plays an important role in the fault diagnosis system since provides information about the fault magnitude and temporal evolution. In this paper, we present an approach that allows to obtain a simultaneous estimation of the fault, state and associated uncertainty intervals of a uncertain Takagi-Sugeno (TS) system. The fault estimation is obtained using a TS interval observer augmenting the system state with the fault and considering the system uncertainty in a bounded context. A set of Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs) have
been derived to design the TS interval observer. With the purpose of illustrating the performance of TS interval observer for fault and state estimation, a case study based on a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM)
fuel cell is used.


When banquets are performed on the early modern stage, devils can be seen beside the eaters. This is notably the case when grace has not been said properly before the meal. This article focuses on a group of four texts: Thomas Dekker's If This Be Not a Good Play, The Devil Is In It (1611), Thomas Heywood and Richard Brome's The Late Lancashire Witches (1634), William Winstanley's The Essex Champion (1690?), and Christopher Marlowe's Dr Faustus (c.1592). These texts contain particularly striking examples of an early modern anxiety about the importance of saying grace and eating piously rather than greedily for maintaining hierarchies within the state and the household. They also show the ways in which debates about the Eucharist underlie, and can be mapped on to, representations of saying grace. The article demonstrates that the theatre makes visible early modern concerns about souls imperilled and household hierarchies destabilised by improper eating practices.


To control mobile robot BCAR-01 remotely, a teleoperation system is presented with a multiple viewpoints virtual scene of the robot and its worksite. The constructed scene is used to get knowledge of the robot and its working environment, besides the real video feedback from the robot vision system. It can present images in multiple person viewpoints. In a complex task, operators can conveniently select different viewpoints to get the information of the robot status or target for different task process. Finally, the effectiveness of the teleoperation system is illustrated by experiments that the operator manipulates mobile robot BCAR-01.


Electrophysiologic effects of intravenous E-4031 and MS-551, novel class III antiarrhythmic agents, were evaluated in 5 and 6 patient with ventricular tachyarrhythmia, respectively. Six patients had sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) and 5 had ventricular fibrillation (VF). Electrophysiologic study was performed before and after administration of E-4031 and MS-551 [E-4031; loading infusion 9 micrograms/kg for 5 min + 0.15 microgram/kg/min, MS-551; loading infusion 0.3 mg/kg for 5 min + 0.01 mg/kg/min]. The QT intervals were significantly prolonged after administration of E-4031 and MS-551 from 409 +/- 37 to 455 +/- 49 msec (11%), and from 359 +/- 52 to 411 +/- 63 msec (14%), respectively. The QTc intervals were significantly prolonged from 457 +/- 17 to 494 +/- 24 msec (8%), and from 410 +/- 36 to 452 +/- 47 (10%), respectively. There were no significant differences in the QT and QTc intervals between these two agents. The right ventricular effective refractory period (VERP) with E-4031 was prolonged at 600 (from 244 +/- 27 to 270 +/- 31 msec, 11 +/- 2%), 400 (from 222 +/- 23 to 242 +/- 24 msec, 9 +/- 3%), and 300 msec (from 206 +/- 19 to 218 +/- 25 msec, 6 +/- 4%), and those with MS-551 were prolonged at 600 (from 240 +/- 23 to 268 +/- 23 msec, 12 +/- 2%), 400 (from 225 +/- 22 to 250 +/- 24 msec, 11 +/- 4%), and 300 msec (from 213 +/- 14 to 228 +/- 18 msec, 7 +/- 4%). Both E-4031 and MS-551 prolonged VERP in a "reverse" use-dependent manner without changing the conduction velocity. E-4031 prevented the induction of VT in one patient. MS-551 prevented the induction of VT and VF in one patient each. Further evaluation of these selective class III agents may be needed to determine if higher doses are required to achieve the pharmacological effects in patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias.


Biosurfactants are amphipathic molecules exuded by bacteria that play critical roles in a variety of bacterial and environmental processes due to their interfacial interactions. The involvement of biosurfactants in these processes has vast potential to enhance bioremediation and expedite swarming motility, to name a few, and research into this arena is pivotal. Surface tension reduction by surface active agents can induce swarming motility lending competence of plant growth-promoting soil inocula. Bioavailability of inaccessible petroleum hydrocarbons can be promoted by biosurfactant presence by a myriad of mechanisms. Many new biosurfactants are still being found from microbes living in petroleum concentrated soils and novel habitats such as natural asphalt seeps should be considered. The Crowley lab first revealed bacteria in the Rancho La Brea tar pits where they have adapted degradative enzymes to grow on aromatic hydrocarbons and produce biosurfactants to enhance the bioavailability of these petrochemicals. Extracted bacterial cells were enriched on monoaromatics and a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (phenanthrene). Isolates were screened for biosurfactant production with a variety of techniques using a novel medium. Thirty percent of the isolated bacteria were able to produce biosurfactants and were exclusively enriched on BTEX compounds. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia RB91B, Pseudomonas sp. RB91F, and Shewanella sp. RB91G were shown to produce biosurfactants that could lower surface tension down to 52 ± 0.6, 35 ± 3.1, and 54 ± 0.7 mN/m, respectively. Leading off from Chapter Two, the most potent biosurfactant was used along with a phenanthrene-degrading bacterium, to assess if mineralization of 14C-phenanthrene was affected and what possible mechanisms are involved. Pseudomonas sp. RB91F was shown to produce a polymeric surface active agent comprised of carbohydrate, protein, and lipid that could lower surface tension down to 36 ± 0.4 mN/m at a CMC of 925 mg L-1 and could emulsify kerosene, n-hexane, toluene, xylene, and gasoline. Degradation by Delftia tsuruhatensis RB91H was enhanced by the polymeric bioemulsifier produced by Pseudomonas sp. RB91F depending on amended CMC levels. At each CMC level, unique mechanisms appear to be dominant based on cell surface hydrophobicity, growth on bioemulsifier, as well as micellar transport and sequestration. The Orwin lab discovered a Variovorax paradoxus strain capable of swarming motility that may produce a biosurfactant within its wetting agent. Using specially designed extraction and purification techniques, the wetting agent was assayed for surface activities and any biosurfactant present was characterized. The results strongly suggest that V. paradoxus EPS produces a lipopeptide biosurfactant that can lower surface tensions to 30 ± 0.5 mN/m at a CMC of 215 mg L-1. The biosurfactant has a molar mass of 679.3 m/z and is currently being structurally characterized to determine if it's a novel surface active agent. The data seems to suggest that variowettin is related to the serrawettin class of lipopeptide wetting agents produced by members of the Serratia genera. This dissertation, therefore, identifies environmental isolates with biosurfactant-producing capabilities that have a range of critical functions to enhancing bacterial and environmental processes.


The Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) has been used globally as a sound screening tool for sleep problems in children, and it has been increasingly adopted in China. However, its psychometrical properties have not been examined among preschool-aged Chinese children. This study examined the reliability and validity of the CSHQ in urban, preschool-aged Chinese children. Questionnaires were distributed to 3850 kindergarteners and completed by their parents or other guardians. Another 113 CSHQ questionnaires were distributed to examine the test-retest reliability, which was determined by the intraclass correlation coefficient. Internal consistency was evaluated by Cronbach's α. The construct validity was explored by both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Of the 3850 distributed questionnaires, 3324 (86.3%) were returned, and for test-retest questionnaires, 106 of 113 (93.8%) were returned. Cronbach's α ranged from 0.44 (Night-time awakenings) to 0.63 (Daytime sleepiness); test-retest reliability ranged from 0.54 (Night-time awakenings) to 0.76 (Sleep anxiety), with an exceptionally low subscale of 0.38 (Sleep duration). Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the original eight-domain structure was not well suited for preschool-aged Chinese children, and exploratory factor analysis revealed an acceptable eight-factor structure after certain items were deleted and some items were loaded on two factors. Although the results were not optimum, the CSHQ demonstrated basically acceptable reliability, except for Night-time awakenings and Sleep duration subscales, in urban, preschool-aged Chinese children. However, because of factors such as culture and age difference, the CSHQ's structure must be modified to adapt the preschool-aged Chinese children.


Australian health care management is of increasing interest to Asian organisations, and there have been many advances in the conduct of informative tours. Points to consider when conducting such tours for Japanese visitors are described under the mnemonic STUDY TOURS: Specifications, Translation, Understanding culture, Delivering education, Yen, Timing, Organisation, Unique needs, Residents' values and Safety.


The impact of hydrocarbon discharges on the intertidal and subtidal meiobenthos of the North Sea is examined primarily by a consideration of two field investigations. The first study examines the effects of an oil refinery discharge on intertidal meiofauna in the Firth of Forth, while the second describes the impact of oil platform discharges on the surrounding meiobenthos. The impact of the refinery effluent is only clearly distinguishable upstream of the discharge, as downstream the effects are confused with those of a second petrochemical discharge. The meiofaunal community is only strongly affected on the upper shore and this appears to be chiefly the result of an organic enrichment effect causing a raising of the redox potential discontinuity (RPD) layer. All meiofaunal taxa examined are sharply reduced in density and species richness within 320 m of the discharge but at 600-900 m from the discharge meiofaunal densities are enhanced or depressed, relative to clean sediments, dependent upon the seasonal pattern of the RPD layer. Farther down the shore the impact is only felt at most by a slight reduction in species richness and subtle change in species abundance patterns on the middle shore for a distance of about 600 m. The meiofaunal responses to the petrochemical discharges seem similar to those described for the macrofauna in the same area, although a small meiofaunal population persists in the most polluted sediments in the absence of macrofauna. The discharge of drilling cuttings, contaminated with oil-based drilling mud, was found to strongly modify meiofaunal densities within 800 m of the Beryl A Platform. Nematode densities are strongly reduced in the vicinity of the platform and it is thought that the impact on this infaunal taxon may be due to slow degradation within the sediment of toxic fractions of the diesel base of the drilling mud. By contrast copepod densities were greatly enhanced in one survey and the difference in impact is considered to be due to the epibenthic habit of the species involved, enabling them to flourish in conditions of high food or low predation and competition or all three. The species involved seem typical members of meiofaunal communities of organically enriched sediments. Some improvement in meiofaunal densities throughout the period 1984-85 is thought to be possibly the result of a switch from diesel-based to low-toxicity drilling muds. It is concluded from these and other studies that hydrocarbon discharges into the North Sea are unlikely to be causing extensive damage to meiofaunal communities.


BACKGROUND
 Given their growing popularity, mobile health (mHealth) apps may offer a viable method of delivering psychological interventions for people with an atypical appearance (ie, visible difference) who struggle with appearance-related distress. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a third-wave cognitive behavioral approach, has been used effectively in mHealth and is being increasingly applied clinically to common psychosocial difficulties associated with visible differences. We planned to design an ACT-based mHealth intervention (ACT It Out) for this population.

 OBJECTIVE
 The aim of this study is to gain key stakeholder input from user representatives and psychological clinicians to optimize the intervention's design for future development and uptake. To do so, we explored considerations relating to mHealth as a delivery platform for adults with visible differences and elicited stakeholders' design preferences and ideas based on initial author-created content.

 METHODS
 Within a participatory design framework, we used a mix of qualitative methods, including usability sessions and a focus group in a face-to-face workshop, and interviews and textual feedback collected remotely, all analyzed using template analysis. A total of 6 user representatives and 8 clinicians were recruited for this study.

 RESULTS
 Our findings suggest that there are likely to be strengths and challenges of mHealth as an intervention platform for the study population, with key concerns being user safeguarding and program adherence. Participants expressed design preferences toward relatable human content, interactive and actionable features, flexibility of use, accessibility, and engaging content.

 CONCLUSIONS
 The findings offer valuable design directions for ACT It Out and related interventions, emphasizing the need to carefully guide users through the intervention while acknowledging the limited time and space that mHealth affords.


Glandular odontogenic cysts (GOCs) are rare intrabony solitary or multiloculated cysts of odontogenic origin. The importance of GOCs lies in the fact that they exhibit a propensity for recurrence similar to keratocystic odontogenic tumors and that they may be confused microscopically with central mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Thus, the oral and maxillofacial radiologists play an important role in definitive diagnosis of GOC based on distinctive cases; though they are rare. In large part, this is due to the GOC's complex and frequently non-specific histopathology. This report describes a case of GOC occurrence in the posterior mandibular ramus region in a 17-year-old female, which is a rare combination of site, age, and gender for occurrence.


SUMMARY Digitization of archival materials and finding aids can potentially become a powerful tool to provide information about and access to archival collections. This paper discusses the status of digitization of archival materials generally and applies this to the specific case of Russian materials. Digitization can offer benefits for both researcher and archivist, by making documents or finding aids available online, limiting the need to travel or handle delicate papers. However, it is an expensive process and much work needs to be done to ensure protection of intellectual property rights.


Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) based silicon pressure sensors were the first micro mechanical transducers developed. They have undergone a significant growth in the last few years. In this paper the effect of the size of the piezoresistor which forms the whetstone bridge of the sensor, on the sensitivity has been studied and reported. In addition to that the proper positioning of the resistor on the diaphragm has been analyzed. There are four resistors diffused in to the diaphragm in such a way that two of them are arranged parallel to the membrane edge (Group-A) and the other two are arranged perpendicular to the edge (Group-B). The simulation results clearly indicate that the dimension of Group-B resistor plays an important role in determining the sensitivity of the pressure sensor. Sensitivity can be improved by optimization of resistor size or by proper positioning of the resistor on the diaphragm.


Abstract Much has been said on the role of judges, legal officials, and courts in the making of colonial regimes. Nevertheless, historiography lacks specific methodological reflections on lawsuits in the Iberian Empires. In order to raise some methodological issues concerning lawsuits as primary sources, I argue that historians could also engage with legal files by looking at instead of just looking through them. In this sense, I seek to establish a dialogue with discussions that anthropologists and social scientists put forward concerning the role of documents as constitutive of bureaucracies and administrative institutions. In order to do so, I will focus on specific aspects of the Benguela District Court collection of legal files.


The existing publicly available datasets with pixel-level labels contain limited categories, and it is difficult to generalize to the real world containing thousands of categories. In this paper, we propose an approach to generate object masks with detailed pixel-level structures/boundaries automatically to enable semantic image segmentation of thousands of targets in the real world without manually labelling. A Guided Filter Network (GFN) is first developed to learn the segmentation knowledge from an existed dataset, and such GFN then transfers the learned segmentation knowledge to generate initial coarse object masks for the target images. These coarse object masks are treated as pseudo labels to self-optimize the GFN iteratively in the target images. Our experiments on six image sets have demonstrated that our proposed approach can generate object masks with detailed pixel-level structures/boundaries, whose quality is comparable to the manually-labelled ones. Our proposed approach also achieves better performance on semantic image segmentation than most existing weakly-supervised, semi-supervised, and domain adaptation approaches under the same experimental conditions.


Malaria has been associated with acute acalculous cholecystitis, a very uncommon complication in children. We present a 5-year-old girl, originally from Equatorial-Guinea, diagnosed with severe malaria with acute kidney injury, thrombocytopenia and acute acalculous cholecystitis. She was treated with intravenous quinine and clindamycin, plus cefotaxime and metronidazole with a full resolution without surgery.


ABSTRACT Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is an ubiquitous human herpesvirus which can lead to infectious mononucleosis and different cancers. In immunocompromised individuals, this virus is a major cause for morbidity and mortality. Transplant patients who did not encounter EBV prior to immunosuppression frequently develop EBV-associated malignancies, but a prophylactic EBV vaccination might reduce this risk considerably. Virus-like particles (VLPs) mimic the structure of the parental virus but lack the viral genome. Therefore, VLPs are considered safe and efficient vaccine candidates. We engineered a dedicated producer cell line for EBV-derived VLPs. This cell line contains a genetically modified EBV genome which is devoid of all potential viral oncogenes but provides viral proteins essential for the assembly and release of VLPs via the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT). Human B cells readily take up EBV-based VLPs and present viral epitopes in association with HLA molecules to T cells. Consequently, EBV-based VLPs are highly immunogenic and elicit humoral and strong CD8+ and CD4+ T cell responses in vitro and in a preclinical murine model in vivo. Our findings suggest that VLP formulations might be attractive candidates to develop a safe and effective polyvalent vaccine against EBV.


We report a rare case of the endovascular treatment of a ruptured aneurysm of the right vertebral artery with an aberrant right subclavian artery(ARSA). A 60-year-old woman was urgently admitted because of consciousness disturbance. Brain CT showed subarachnoid hemorrhage, and CT angiography showed a right vertebral ruptured aneurysm. Endovascular treatment of the aneurysm was performed via a transfemoral approach. During the endovascular treatment, the right subclavian artery was found to diverge from the descending aorta on the periphery of the left subclavian artery. An ARSA was detected, and the right vertebral artery(VA)originated from the ARSA. The guiding catheter was passed through the right VA via an ARSA, and the aneurysm was completely embolized. The patient was transferred to another hospital on day 44 without any motor weakness. To our knowledge, this is the first case of an ARSA with a ruptured aneurysm in the right VA for which endovascular treatment was successfully performed via the ARSA. In patients with an ARSA or aberrant left subclavian artery, the artery could merge with Kommerell's diverticulum(KD)at its origin and be histologically fragile. Thus, in patients with an ARSA, attention should be paid to catheterization to avoid injuring the KD. CT angiography of the aortic arch might be considered before endovascular treatment.


The time is ripe, especially in view of the passing of the controversial 1988 Education Reform Act, for a scholarly work of reflection and assessment. Readers of this volume will not be disappointed...The book will clearly serve as the new standard text for some time to come. History of Education Review "This lucid and well-informed study provides a very helpful introduction to current debates about educational policies." The Times Higher Educational Supplement "Not least it is valuable in being based on information rather than misinformation, on evidence rather than on belief, and on a good sense of time and context rather than the incense of ideology. It therefore offers a timely uplift in the intellectual level of what has become a highly polarized and politicized debate...For students of educational policy this is the ideal introductory text." History of Education Quarterly


A review of the literature on zinc and wound healing shows the many gaps of knowledge which still exist. This study of the histologic appearance of wound healing in rats fed various diets demonstrates the serum zinc levels achieved by such diets. No significant improvement was observed in the rate of healing for any one group, but a number of histologic differences were observed.


This study is part of the OECD Center for Educational Research and Innovation's project Teaching, Assessing and Learning Creative and Critical Thinking Skills in Education and uses action research methods. It seeks to elaborate a teaching format to develop 21st century skills within the framework of a particular school subject, making participation in such classes available for as many teachers and students as possible. The study puts forward an approach to designing contextual problems that students are offered to solve collaboratively in the classroom. Key components of such assignments are described, which allow for fostering creativity within specific school subject domains. The results from testing the validity of such assignments are presented. Accessibility of subject-specific teaching practices enhancing 21st century skills is assessed by analyzing the outcomes of focus groups consisting of teachers and students who participated in the assignment validity assessment.


The tolerability of the compound AWD 26-06 (which is to classify as a M1-antagonist in consequence of the pharmacological investigations) was investigated in 11 healthy male persons with increasing dosage from 5 to 150 mg. Dryness of the mouth and scratch in the throat were observed by a dosage of 50 mg onwards, a diminuation of the flow of saliva and the accommodation were observed by a dosage of 100 and 150 mg, respectively. The frequency of the heart, but not the blood pressure, is increased by 150 mg of AWD 26-06. The influence on the secretion of the gastric juice was investigated in normal conditions and after stimulation by Pentagastrin with a dosage of AWD 26-06 of 25 mg in comparison with a placebo on 7 healthy male persons. The volume of gastric juice was diminished by 35% in all fractions, but the secretion of HCl, measured as basal acid output and peak acid output, was diminished in 5 of the 7 persons by 20%. A further investigation in order to check the therapeutic effect in patients with ulcus ventriculi and ulcus duodeni, respectively, is necessary and useful.


A new crack model which enables us to evaluate crack parameters such as crack energy density and its distribution, COD and COA under arbitrary load history is proposed and the availability of the proposed model is demonstrated through finite element analyses of elasto-plastic crack. The contents are as follows ; (1) A crack model considering the discontinuity in the cracked plane is introduced and the constitutive equation for a plane with discontinuity is formulated on as elasto-plastic case. (2) The finite element formulation of the model is carried out by introducing a plane element. (3) An elasto-plastic crack expressed by the proposed model under monotonic loading is analyzed by finite element method and the availability of the model is verified through the evaluation of crack energy density.


"This book is about much more than just Promise Keepers. It offers critical insight into shifting ideas about masculinity, family, multiculturalism, fraternal associations, men and sports, subcultural boundary work, and grassroots social movements."--Sally K. Gallagher, author of Evangelical Identity and Gendered Family Life The evangelical men's movement widely known as the Promise Keepers--"PK" for short--captured America's imagination and generated intense controversy during the 1990s. PK promoted adherence to a strict code of conduct that masculinized conservative religious and social values. However, the movement now evokes little more than a hazy memory of football stadiums teeming with tear-stained faces and clasped arms that signaled spiritual transformation. What factors contributed to their demise, and what broader insights can be gleaned from the rapid rise and fall of the movement? This is the first book to consider the turbulent forces that contributed to the group's wild popularity, declining fortunes, and subsequent efforts to reinvent itself. John P. Bartkowski provides a broad and balanced portrait of the movement while evaluating its impact on the landscape of American religion. He argues that there is much to be learned about the changing contours of religion, culture, and social life through a study of the Promise Keepers. By carefully examining the character and contagious appeal of the movement, he sheds new light on evangelicalism, gender, family, therapeutic culture, sport, and multiculturalism. John P. Bartkowski is an associate professor of sociology at Mississippi State University. He is the author of Remaking the Godly Marriage: Gender Negotiations in Evangelical Families and the co-author of Charitable Choices: Religion, Race, and Poverty in the Post-Welfare Era.


Background Previous reports have demonstrated a bidirectional relationship between depression and diabetes mellitus (DM), accentuating a need for more intensive depression screening in DM patients. There is a relative paucity of data on the mortality of depressed DM patients in Korea. Methods Retrospective data from January 2003 to December 2013 were collected for adult type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients older than 30 years using the National Health Information database maintained by the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS). Demographic characteristics were analyzed with descriptive statistics, and the annual prevalence of depression was estimated. Mortality rates and hazard ratios for each age group (stratified into six age groups) of patients diagnosed with T2DM in 2003 were estimated using a Cox proportional hazard method, with the Kaplan-Meier cumulative survival curve showing the overall survival rates according to the T2DM status until the given year of 2013. Results The annual prevalence of depression was consistently higher in T2DM group from 2003 to 2013. The mortality hazard ratio was higher in the depressed in all age groups, and the risk was higher in male groups and in younger-aged groups. Conclusion Depression was significantly associated with a high mortality risk in T2DM patients; hence, a more systematic surveillance of T2DM patients to identify risk factors for depression might contribute significantly to reducing mortality risk in this group of patients.


Basil (Ocimum basilicun L.) belongs to the family Lamiaceae and is an important aromatic and medicinal plant, which it widely cultivated in many countries. This plant is a good source of phenolic com- pounds and natural antioxidants. The main aim of present study was to determine effect of jasmonic acid on total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract from the aerial parts of the purple and green landraces of basil. The pot experiment was conducted in an experimental field with cold and semiarid climate in southwestern Iran. Treatments comprised control (water), ethanol as solvent, 200 and 400 pLjasmonic acid. The total phenolic content of the extract by Folin-Ciocalteu method and the antioxidant activity using DPPH assay were determined. Results indicated that the different levels of jasmonic acid had significant effects on total phenolics content and antioxidant activity of the extracts. Foliar-applied jasmonic acid in particular 400 μL increased total phenolic content in the plants as compared to untreated plants. In conclusion, it is suggested that jasmonic acid as an abiotic elicitor could be a promising material used to increase biological activity and pro-health functional value of basil plants.


Purpose: There has been a recent shift towards operative management of mid-shaft clavicle fractures in adults and adolescents. This has been largely based on studies in the adult population that showed reduced rates of nonunion, symptomatic malunion and better short-term functional outcomes.  For injuries with a comminuted "Z-type" fracture pattern, characterized by vertical positioning of a segmental fragment, it is commonly accepted to treat surgically due to concerns about healing and bony prominence. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical, radiographic, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROs) in adolescents with comminuted Z-type mid-shaft clavicle fractures by comparing an operative and nonoperative cohort.
Methods: Patients aged 10 to 18 years treated for a diaphyseal clavicle fracture between August 2013 and February 2016 at one of eight geographically diverse pediatric centers were screened and enrolled at the time of injury. Inclusion criteria were a comminuted Z-type fragment ≥1cm in size, with >35 degrees of angulation relative to the long axis of the clavicle, and >100% fracture displacement at time of presentation. Clinical course, complications, validated PROs, quality of life metrics, and satisfaction scores were analyzed and compared between the operative (Op) and nonoperative (NonOp) cohorts.
Results: Eighty-two patients (37 NonOp, 45 Op) were included, 60 (73%) of whom provided 2-year PROs with similar response rates between treatment cohorts. There were no significant differences in demographics or fracture characteristics in the two cohorts other than fracture shortening being greater in the operative cohort (mean 29mm) compared to the nonoperative cohort (mean 23mm, p=0.01). This confounder was controlled for in both regression analysis and propensity score matching. There was no statistically significant difference in the rates of nonunion (none), delayed union (Op 2%, NonOp 0%, p=1.0), symptomatic malunion (Op 0%, NonOp 3%, p=0.4), refracture (Op 4%, NonOp 3%, p=1.0), unexpected surgery (Op 11% vs. NonOp 5%, p=0.45), or clinically significant complications (Op 16%, NonOp 5%, p=0.17) between cohorts. There were no differences in PROs (Table 1), even when controlling for fracture shortening.
Conclusions: Z-type mid-shaft clavicle fractures are one of the most severe fracture patterns seen in adolescent shoulders. Yet, in this comparative investigation of 2-year PROs and complications, surgery appears to offer no benefit over nonoperative management.
Significance: The comparable natural histories between this study's operative and nonoperative cohorts are critical for surgeons and their adolescent patients to understand when deciding appropriate management, particularly when reviewing what are often very concerning appearing initial radiographs.


Gastrointestinal lipomas are rare benign non-epithelial tumours, usually single and slow growing. Most of colonic lipomas were detected incidentally during surgery, endoscopy or autopsy with incidence ranges from 0.2% to 4.4%. While lesion measures smaller than 2cm in diameter are usually asymptomatic, a larger lesion more than 2cm, can cause symptoms such as intestinal obstruction, rectal bleeding, intussusception, constipation, diarrhea or prolapse. Pre-operative diagnosis is challenging as symptoms and imaging mimic malignancy. Direct visualization of the submucosal lipoma can be done by endoscopy. It is seen as smooth, rounded yellowish polyps with a thick stalk or broad-based attachment. Its typical features are the "tent sign" (elevation of the mucosa over lipoma with biopsy forceps), "cushion sign" or "pillow sign" (pressing forceps against the lesion results in depression or pillowing of the mass) and the "naked fat sign" (extrusion of yellowish fat at the biopsy site). In some cases, with large sized flat shaped lesion and ulceration may lead to an impression of malignant lesion. If the endoscopic biopsy is not taken at accurate site, for example at inflamed mucosal of adjacent tissue, it can give false impression of "nonspecific colitis". We describe a patient with persistent diarrhea and hematochezia who underwent open right hemicolectomy for the presumptive endoscopic and imaging diagnosis of caecal adenocarcinoma. However, histological examination confirmed benign caecal lipoma. International Journal of Human and Health Sciences Vol. 05 No. 01 January'21 Page: 122-126


Test scheduling is an important issue for testing the SoC. This work proposes a modified shuffle frog-leaping algorithm for test scheduling to reduce the test application time under the peak power constraint. It is applied to the 2D as well as the 3D SoC and experimental results on benchmark circuits show that it is one of the most effective algorithms in solving the problem.


Most investigators believe that the pulmonary endothelial damage that is characteristic of the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requires the action of neutrophils. In a retrospective review of patients with ARDS, we looked for cases that had developed in patients who already had neutropenia. Four clinical criteria were required for the diagnosis of ARDS: the occurrence of a precipitating event, diffuse bilateral pulmonary infiltrates on a chest x-ray film, a normal intravascular volume (as reflected by a wedge pressure of less than 18 mm Hg), and arterial hypoxemia. During 2 1/2 years, 11 patients fulfilled these clinical criteria, had severe neutropenia that antedated the onset of ARDS, and had pulmonary histologic specimens obtained during the early stages (less than seven days) of clinical respiratory distress. Five of these specimens showed diffuse alveolar damage without evidence of infectious pneumonitis (the histopathological finding characteristic of ARDS), and none had a neutrophil infiltrate. We conclude that ARDS can occur in the setting of severe neutropenia, without pulmonary neutrophil infiltration.


This paper describes a method for answering definition questions that is exclusively based on the use of lexical patterns, and, therefore, that is language independent. This method applies two main text-mining steps. The first step focuses on the discovery of a set of surface lexical patterns from definition examples downloaded from the Web. Subsequently, it uses these patterns to extract a set of concept-description pairs from a given target document collection. The second step applies a text-mining algorithm to determine the most adequate answer to each specific question. Experimental results were obtained using the datasets from the CLEF 2005 and 2006 for the monolingual tasks in Spanish, French and Italian. These results demonstrate the relevance of the method which showed very high precisions for the three languages.


In this paper, the far-field pattern of a Cassegrain reflector is formulated. A novel illumination function is used to approximate the field distribution at the aperture of the reflector. The defined illumination function takes into account the central aperture blockage created by the subreflector. Using the illumination function, a closed-form expression describing the far-field radiation pattern of the Cassegrain reflector is formulated. The radiation pattern obtained from the derived equation is compared with the results obtained from physical optics and physical theory of diffraction. The results are found to be consistent with each other. It is found that the derived results show an impressive accuracy of 99.8% over the main-lobe region. The accuracy is found to be over 91 and 84% for the first and second significant side-lobe region, respectively, which can be considered satisfactory for many applications.


Commercial driving is a complex multifaceted task influenced by personal traits and external contextual factors, such as weather, traffic, road conditions, etc. Previous intelligent commercial driver-assessment systems do not consider these factors when analysing the impact of driving behaviours on road safety, potentially producing biased, inaccurate, and unfair assessments. In this paper, we introduce a methodology (Expert-centered Driver Assessment) towards a fairer automatic road safety assessment of drivers' behaviours, taking into consideration behaviours as a response to contextual factors. The contextual moderation embedded within the intelligent decision-making process is underpinned by expert input, comprising of a range of associated stakeholders in the industry. Guided by the literature and expert input, we identify critical factors affecting driving and develop an interval-valued response-format questionnaire to capture the uncertainty of the influence of factors and variance amongst experts' views. Questionnaire data are modelled and analysed using fuzzy sets, as they provide a suitable computational approach to be incorporated into decision-making systems with uncertainty. The methodology has allowed us to identify the factors that need to be considered when moderating driver sensor data, and to effectively capture experts' opinions about the effects of the factors. An example of our methodology using Heavy Goods Vehicles professionals input is provided to demonstrate how the expert-centred moderation can be embedded in intelligent driver assessment systems.