: This paper aims to explore the new features of Chinese poetry creation in the turn of Vietnamese literature from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. This paper takes the Chinese poetry published in Vietnam's Nanfeng Magazine as an example, based on the data of combing the literature of Chinese poetry. The study points out that the creation of Chinese poetry by Vietnamese literati in this period had new characteristics of the times, that is, the number of female poets has been increased in the main body of poetry creation, new themes of the times have been added to the content of poetry creation, and new formats have been tried in the form of poetry creation. These new features reflected the social changes of Vietnam in the collision of eastern and Western cultures at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, and also showed the new era thoughts of Vietnamese scholars in this period.


Background Cancer registry data suggest that conditional survival prognosis in patients with aggressive malignancies improves over time. We investigated conditional survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Patients and Methods In this retrospective study, we included all patients with advanced pancreatic cancer treated at four Swiss hospitals between 1994 and 2004. Main outcome was 6-month conditional survival, defined as the probability of surviving an additional 6 months conditional on being alive at a certain time point. Further analyses included 6-month conditional survival stratified by CA 19-9 levels and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status. 6-month conditional survival results were compared to an open-access online calculator. We used the Kaplan-Meier method and a landmark analysis to calculate 6-month conditional survival. Results We included 483 patients; most with stage IV (81%). After a median follow-up of 9.1 months, 448 patients had died. At diagnosis, 6-month survival probability was 67% (95% CI, 63%-71%). For those patients still alive at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after diagnosis respective 6-month conditional survival was 56% (95% CI; 50%-62%), 58% (95% CI, 51%-66%), 52% (95% CI, 43%-63%), and 71% (95% CI, 58%-85%). High CA 19-9 levels and low Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status at diagnosis were significantly associated with inferior survival, but did not affect 6-month conditional survival over time. Conclusion In contrast to previous reports and to a registry based calculator, 6-month conditional survival remains stable and above 50% for the first 2 years after diagnosis. Our results provide important information for counselling patients with advanced pancreatic cancer during treatment and follow-up.


Studies of sequence learning have outlined one possible mechanism by which complex mental representations are constructed out of simpler primitives: the human ability to extract complex nested structures from sequential inputs.
Experiments in infants, preschoolers, and adults without access to education have demonstrated the existence of innate "core knowledge" for space, endowing humans with spontaneous intuitions of geometry.
The question therefore arises whether a capacity for the internal representation and manipulation of nested sequences also underlies the acquisition of mathematics.
We propose to formalize the human sensitivity to mathematical rules through a "language of thought" that allows the formation of complex


Fifth AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, Nov 12-15, 2006

B72

Exogenous α-defensin increases motility of prostate, follicular thyroid and pancreatic cancer cell lines. Introduction: α-Defensin (α-DEF) is a cytotoxic peptide with a recognized role in pathogen killing and the innate immune system. We have previously published that α-DEF, also known as human neutrophil protein-1, is more highly expressed in invasive than non-invasive transitional cell carcinoma of bladder (TCC) in vivo and that exogenous peptide significantly increased the proliferation, motility and invasiveness of TCC in vitro . The current studies were designed to determine whether α-DEF increases the motility of other cancer types including prostate cancer, follicular thyroid cancer and pancreatic cancer. Methods: Doses of α-DEF ranging from 0.8μg/ml to 25μg/ml were analyzed for cell motility changes Boyden chamber motility assays. The cell lines examined included the prostate cancer cell line DU-145, the pancreatic cell line Pan-C1 and two follicular thyroid cell lines from the same patient. The first was FTC-133 derived from the primary tumor and the second was FTC-238 derived from a lung metastasis. Results: These studies demonstrated that exogenous α-DEF increased cancer cell motility for all the cell types studied as demonstrated for TCC. There were several unexpected results however. For all the TCC lines previously studied the optimum dose for motility was 12.5μg/ml reaching a maximum motility index (MMI) of only 1.4. Every cell type examined in these studies was more responsive to α-defensin than the TCC cells. The MMI for FTC-133 was 2.7 at the 3.1μg/ml dose and 5.37 for FTC-238 at the same dose. Pan-C1 cells were the also responsive to the peptide with the MMI of 4.64 at 6.3 μg/ml. DU-145 cells were evaluated at doses from 3.1-25μg/ml and these cells reached their MMI of 3.48 at the lowest dose tested. Conclusions: These studies demonstrate that α-DEF is able to dramatically increase the motility of every cancer type studied at lower doses and with greater increases than demonstrated for TCC. These results indicate that α-DEF may be an important molecule for progression of several cancers linking inflammation and cancer progression in a previously unappreciated way extending the work of the previous TCC studies. Future studies will evaluate changes in cell invasion with this peptide and investigate the mechanism(s) by which this peptide exerts its influence upon cancer.


It may be useful to begin with a number of distinctions. If we can see what theology is not, we are in a better position to see its identity or what it is called to do. to begin with, theology is not a neutral discipline because, unlike "religious studies," it is grounded in a commitment of faith. Similarly, it is not an individual project only but takes place within an ecclesial community of believers, and hence it is rooted in a rich tradition of reflection. But to insist on these two contexts for theology (faith and a community of faith) should not restrict theology to narrowly religious themes or only to being an ecclesial specialization. although its focus is on god and revelation, theology also deals with all things in relation to god (as thomas aquinas said). although it is grounded in a long history of thinking, it is asked to reinterpret or mediate that tradition for different audiences today—not just for the Church, but also for a pluralist society and for a pluralist intellectual world (as david tracy has argued). although its foundation lies in god's Word, written and handed on, it is rooted also in the transforming experience of god's love (as Bernard lonergan insists). although in an older meaning theology claimed to be a science, it differs radically from modern empirical sciences which begin from external data. theology can never claim that kind of evidence about its object which involves the mystery of god. It begins from revelation  and faith, and aims at a different and relational kind of truth: in other words, as Vatican I put it beautifully, theology seeks obscure, imperfect and yet fruitful understanding of mysteries, and it does so mainly through analogies. this also means that theology cannot be equated with doctrine alone but also with understanding the spiritual depth and cultural significance of doctrinal truths. Therefore, it is not a question of repeating "a monolithic body of doctrine" as abstract theories, as Pope Francis has said, but ultimately of serving the "freshness" of faith for today, and doing so through discerning dialogue with "human experiences" and cultures.


Infiltration of ceramic materials into a pre-formed ceramic scaffold is an effective way of fabricating a solid oxide fuel cell with nano-structured ceramic electrodes by avoiding detrimental interfacial reactions through low-temperature processing for achieving high performance using hydrogen as well as carbonaceous fuel. However, there are, however, significant concerns about the applicability of this method because of the difficulty in fabricating a large-area gas-tight but thin electrolyte between two highly porous ceramic and the multiple repetitions of infiltration process. Here, a large-area (5 cm by 5 cm) scaffold with a thin yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte sandwiched between two identical porous structures is prepared by tape casting and co-firing, and then solution precursors are impregnated into the porous scaffolds to prepare nano-structured La 0.8 Sr 0.2 FeO 3 (LSF) and La 0.7 Sr 0.3 VO 3-  (LSV red ). The thus prepared solid oxide fuel cell with 10 wt.% ceria + 1 wt.% Pd as catalyst in anode shows a peak power of 489 mW/cm 2 (~6 W per cell) at 800 o C using H 2 as fuel and air as oxidant. This large-area fuel cell retained the integrity of the thin electrolyte and high performance after the reducing-oxidation cycle at 900 o C, showing superiority over the conventional Ni(O)-YSZ based support.


We have previously discovered and characterized a novel essential enterobacterial protein, the Ssc protein of Salmonella typhimurium and found that the mutation Val291----Met in this protein inhibits bacterial growth at 42 degrees C and the function of its outer membrane permeability barrier at 37 degrees C [7]. In the present paper we prepared, by site-directed mutagenesis, a series of novel plasmid-encoded Ssc mutant proteins and tested their ability to compensate the loss of wild-type Ssc. The mutant proteins Met288----Lys and Gly289----Asp completely lacked this ability, and accordingly, were very defective. Ssc mutants Met288----Leu, Met290----Lys, and Met292----Lys were partially defective. Mutants Met290----Leu and Met292----Leu were non-defective as were also four randomly made mutant proteins with mutations outside the 288-292 region. The S. typhimurium derivative which contained both the chromosomally encoded Ssc Val291----Met and the plasmid-encoded Ssc Gly289----Asp had an outer membrane defect more severe than that caused by SscMet291 only. The mutant Ssc proteins had very little, if any, effect on the outer membrane function in the presence of wild-type Ssc. Even though the function of Ssc is not yet known, our results indicate that region 288-292 is important and that SscAsp289 is thus far the most defective mutant Ssc.


Simple practical techniques which sense ac line current afford protection of motor windings for many applications. A more complete protection system is described which continuously monitors average winding resistance and hence temperature by means of an easily applied dc injection technique. No additional motor connections are required.


Introduction The aim of this study was to evaluate the engagement of aging dogs with a cognitively challenging and potentially frustrating task (the impossible task). Based on previous observations, we predicted that dogs showing signs of cognitive impairment in other cognitive tests and owner-completed questionnaires would show reduced engagement with the task. Methods In this task, dogs were shown a piece of food in a clear container that they could not open; time spent interacting with the container and the experimenter was measured. While the impossible task has not been used as a measure of frustration, the parameters of the test design creates a potential frustrate state, making this assessment appropriate. Thirty-two dogs enrolled in a longitudinal aging study participated in the study. Owners were asked to complete two cognitive dysfunction screening questionnaires (Canine Dementia Scale [CADES] and Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating Scale [CCDR]) as well a questionnaire assessing general frustration. Dogs participated in multiple measures of cognitive function as well the impossible task. Results Latency to disengage from the impossible task was faster for dogs with higher total (more impaired) CADES (p = 0.02) and total CCDR (p = 0.04) scores. Latency to disengage also correlated with decreased performance in cognitive tests observing social cues (p = 0.01), working memory (p ≤ 0.001), spatial reasoning and reversal learning (p = 0.02), and sustained attention (p = 0.02). Discussion The high correlation with several cognitive measures and the ease of administration of this test makes it a useful tool in evaluating canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome, however it is unclear if increased frustration or other cognitive processes are contributing to the observed changes.


Abstract Beyond studying the influence of the past on the construction of the self, analytic writers have a growing interest in the process and function of visualizing one's self in the future and its impact on becoming who one envisions oneself to be, despite cultural and societal pressures. Existentialists suggest that we struggle to become who we are through our "fundamental project;" that is, the way we "hurl" ourselves into the future as free agents. In this article, I examine the application of these theoretical perceptions to explain the analytic therapist's internal professional developmental processes. I suggest that when supervisors help their supervisees reflect on their implicit fundamental professional projects, they minimize the need to analyze supervisees' countertransferential responses, facilitating the supervisees' construction of the professional self. Furthermore, after learning about a supervisee's envisioned future professional self, the supervisor helps the supervisee either consolidate the fundamental project or replace it when it ceases to express the supervisee's core sense of self-as-therapist.


The high-dimensional feature vectors of hyper spectral data often impose a high computational cost as well as the risk of "over fitting" when classification is performed. Therefore it is necessary to reduce the dimensionality through ways like feature selection. Currently, there are two kinds of feature selection methods: filter methods and wrapper methods. The former kind requires no feedback from classifiers and estimates the classification performance indirectly. The latter kind evaluates the "goodness" of selected feature subset directly based on the classification accuracy. Many experimental results have proved that the wrapper methods can yield better performance, although they have the disadvantage of high computational cost. In this paper, we present a Genetic Algorithm (GA) based wrapper method for classification of hyper spectral data using Support Vector Machine (SVM), a state-of-art classifier that has found to be success in a variety of areas. The genetic algorithm (GA), which seeks to solve optimization problems using the methods of evolution, specifically survival of the fittest, was used to optimize both the feature subset, i.e. band subset, of hyper spectral data and SVM kernel parameters simultaneously. A special strategy was adopted to reduce computation cost caused by the high-dimensional feature vectors of hyper spectral data when the feature subset part of chromosome was designed. The GA-SVM method was realized using the ENVI/IDL language, and was then tested by applying a HYPERION hyper spectral image. Comparison of the optimized results and the un-optimized results showed that the GA-SVM method could significantly reduce the computation cost while improving the classification accuracy. The number of bands used for classification was reduced from 198 to 13, while the classification accuracy increased from 88.81% to 92.51%. The optimized values of the two SVM kernel parameters were 95.0297 and 0.2021, respectively, which were different from the default values as used in the ENVI software. In conclusion, the proposed wrapper feature selection method GA-SVM can optimize feature subsets and SVM kernel parameters at the same time, therefore can be applied in feature selection of the hyper spectral data.


OBJECT
Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) is becoming a standard treatment for vestibular schwannoma (VS); it is ranked with microsurgery from the perspective of tumor control and audiofacial nerve function preservation. A new treatment technique that will improve the tumor shrinkage ratio, shorten the patient's recovery time, and even recover some cranial nerve function is described.

METHODS
Along with advances in the GKS system, the authors have developed magnetic resonance imaging sequences specific to particular treatments. These newly developed sequences provide much clearer visualization of the distribution of the cranial nerves, especially in the area from the cisterns to the internal acoustic meatus. Magnetic resonance images have been fused with computed tomography scans to facilitate better delineation of the anatomical relationships. These dose-planning images allow for a higher isodose line (80%) inside the tumor. The aim is to shrink the tumor and not just to control it. To date 130 patients have been treated with GKS in conjunction with this new technique. Of the 130, 91 patients were observed for more than 12 months. The tumor shrinkage rate was 65.9% (76% for patients with > 24 months of follow up), the facial nerve preservation rate was 98.9%, the hearing preservation rate was 92.3%, and four (4%) of 91 patients recovered hearing function. Transient tumor enlargement was observed in most cases, but no severe complications were found.

CONCLUSIONS
Although these results are preliminary, they would appear to represent a potential breakthrough in the treatment of VS. Longer follow-up periods and additional cases will firmly establish this method as an absolute treatment option for patients with a VS.


We consider the problem of global stabilization of an unstable bioreactor model (e.g., for anaerobic digestion), when the measurements are discrete and in finite number ("quantized"), with control of the dilution rate. The measurements define regions in the state space, and they can be perfect or uncertain (i.e., without or with overlaps). We show that, under appropriate assumptions, a quantized control may lead to global stabilization: trajectories have to follow some transitions between the regions, until the final region where they converge toward the reference equilibrium. On the boundary between regions, the solutions are defined as a Filippov differential inclusion. If the assumptions are not fulfilled, sliding modes may appear, and the transition graphs are not deterministic.


With regard to dentistry, these are indeed the best of times. We have available materials and techniques that visionaries could only dream of 25 years ago. We can predictably replace missing teeth with implant-supported prosthesis, regenerate tissues lost to disease and trauma. Yet as our profession hurdles ahead these are also the worst of times. The new technologies are so enamoring that the collective common sense is lost. This paper attempts to review the periodontal therapy and evidence based approach.


Objectives Compensation claims are a useful source of information on patient safety research. The purpose of this study was to determine the main causes of surgical compensation claims and their financial impact on the health system. Methods A descriptive observational study with analytical components was carried out on compensation claims brought against the surgical area of the Murcia Health System between 2002 and 2018. We analyzed the frequency, causes, consequences, locations and surgical settings of these claims, the time of judicial procedure, and compensation adjusted to the Consumer Price Index. Results There were 1172 compensation claims. "orthopedic surgery and traumatology" (27.4%), "gynecology and obstetrics" (25.7%), and "general surgery" (17.2%) were the main surgical settings involved. The most frequent causes were surgical error (42.4%) and treatment error (30.9%). The main sequelae were musculoskeletal (20.0%), neurological (17.7%), and obstetric (17.7%). The average time from incident to resolution of claims was 6.3 years. A total of 20.1% of these claims were successful, particularly those involving retained surgical foreign bodies (71.4% successful claims; P < 0.001). The total compensation paid was €56,338,247 (an average of €17,207 per claim). Compensation was higher in cases with respiratory sequelae (median, 131,600; P = 0.033), death (75,916; P < 0.001), and neurological (60,000; P = 0.024). Conclusions Compensation claims associated with surgical procedures are made on a variety of grounds. They are drawn-out proceedings, and patients are only successful in 20% of cases.


Purpose To predict whether a patient has osteoporosis/osteopenia using the attenuation of trabecular bone obtained from knee computed tomography (CT) scans. Methods Retrospective analysis of 273 patients who underwent contemporaneous knee CT scans and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) within 1 year. Volumetric segmentation of the trabecular bone of the distal femur, proximal tibia, patella, and proximal fibula was performed to obtain the bone CT attenuation. The data was randomly split into training/validation (78%) and test (22%) datasets and the performance in the test dataset were evaluated. The predictive properties of the CT attenuation of each bone to predict osteoporosis/osteopenia were assessed. Multivariable support vector machines (SVM) and random forest classifiers (RF) were used to predict osteoporosis/osteopenia. Results Patients with a mean age (range) of 67.9 (50–87) years, 85% female were evaluated. Seventy-seven (28.2%) of patients had normal bone mineral density (BMD), 140 (51.3%) had osteopenia, and 56 (20.5%) had osteoporosis. The proximal tibia had the best predictive ability of all bones and a CT attenuation threshold of 96.0 Hounsfield Units (HU) had a sensitivity of .791, specificity of .706, and area under the curve (AUC) of .748. The AUC for the SVM with cubic kernel classifier (AUC = .912) was better than the RF classifier (AUC = .683, P < .001) and better than using the CT attenuation threshold of 96.0 HU at the proximal tibia (AUC = .748, P = .025). Conclusions Opportunistic screening for osteoporosis/osteopenia can be performed using knee CT scans. Multivariable machine learning models are more predictive than the CT attenuation of a single bone. Visual Abstract


UNLABELLED
IMPACT OF THE RECESSION: The 2007-2009 recession has taken its toll on the percentage of the population with employment-based health coverage. While, since 2000, there has been a slow erosion in the percentage of individuals under age 65 with employment-based health coverage, 2009 was the first year in which the percentage fell below 60 percent, and marked the largest one-year decline in coverage. FEWER WORKERS WITH COVERAGE: The percentage of workers with coverage through their own job fell from 53.2 percent in 2008 to 52 percent in 2009, a 2.4 percent decline in the likelihood that a worker has coverage through his or her own job. The percentage of workers with coverage as a dependent fell from 17 percent in 2008 to 16.3 percent in 2009, a 4.5 percent drop in the likelihood that a worker has coverage as a dependent. These declines occurred as the unemployment rate increased from an average of 5.8 percent in 2008 to 9.3 percent in 2009 (and reached a high of 10.1 percent during 2009). FIRM SIZE/INDUSTRY: The decline in the percentage of workers with coverage from their own job affected workers in private-sector firms of all sizes. Among public-sector workers, the decline from 73.4 percent to 73 percent was not statistically significant. Workers in all private-sector industries experienced a statistically significant decline in coverage between 2008 and 2009. HOURS WORKED: Full-time workers experienced a decline in coverage that was statistically significant while part-time workers did not. Among full-time workers, those employed full year experienced a statistically significant decline in coverage from their own job. Those employed full time but for only part of the year did not experience a statistically significant change in coverage. Among part-time workers, those employed full year experienced a statistically significant increase in the likelihood of having coverage in their own name, as did part-time workers employed for only part of the year. ANNUAL EARNINGS: The decline in the percentage of workers with coverage through their own job was limited to workers with lower annual earnings. Statistically significant declines were not found among any group of workers with annual earnings of at least $40,000.

DEMOGRAPHICS
Workers with a high school education or less experienced a statistically significant decline in the likelihood of having coverage. Neither workers with a college degree nor those with a graduate degree experienced a statistically significant decline in coverage through their own job. Workers of all races experienced statistically significant declines in coverage between 2008 and 2009. Both men and women experienced a statistically significant decline in the percentage with health coverage through their own job. IMPACT OF STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE WORK FORCE: The movement of workers from the manufacturing industry to the service sector continued between 2008 and 2009. The percentage of workers employed on a full-time basis decreased while the percentage working part time increased. While there was an overall decline in the percentage of full-time workers, that decline was limited to workers employed full year. The percentage of workers employed on a full-time, part-year basis increased between 2008 and 2009. The distribution of workers by annual earnings shifted from middle-income workers to lower-income workers between 2008 and 2009.


JamPatoisNLI provides the first dataset for natural language inference in a creole language, Jamaican Patois. Many of the most-spoken low-resource languages are creoles. These languages commonly have a lexicon derived from a major world language and a distinctive grammar reflecting the languages of the original speakers and the process of language birth by creolization. This gives them a distinctive place in exploring the effectiveness of transfer from large monolingual or multilingual pretrained models. While our work, along with previous work, shows that transfer from these models to low-resource languages that are unrelated to languages in their training set is not very effective, we would expect stronger results from transfer to creoles. Indeed, our experiments show considerably better results from few-shot learning of JamPatoisNLI than for such unrelated languages, and help us begin to understand how the unique relationship between creoles and their high-resource base languages affect cross-lingual transfer. JamPatoisNLI, which consists of naturally-occurring premises and expert-written hypotheses, is a step towards steering research into a traditionally underserved language and a useful benchmark for understanding cross-lingual NLP.


We have studied growth kinetics during the transformation of Mg1.8Fe0.2SiO4 San Carlos olivine to its high-pressure polymorphs wadsleyite (β phase) and ringwoodite (γ phase) at 800°–1200°C and nominal pressures of 16–20 GPa. In experiments in which a large (500–600 μm) olivine single crystal (contained in a matrix of either fine-grained olivine or NaCl) was transformed, reaction rims of wadsleyite/ringwoodite form on the margins of the single crystal by incoherent grain-boundary nucleation and interface-controlled growth. Contrary to theoretical expectations, the growth rate of these reaction rims decreases sharply as a function of time; for instance, at 1100°C and 18 GPa, growth ceases on an experimental timescale after the rim width reaches 20–25 μm. In order to explain this observation, we develop an elastic model based on the theory of a misfitting inclusion. Comparing the results of this model with the experimental data suggests that elastic strain energy, which develops because of the large volume decrease associated with the transformation, is responsible for the decreasing growth rates. On the other hand, experimental and theoretical results suggest that elastic strain energy is relatively unimportant when grains of the product phase are randomly dispersed and distinct reaction rims do not form; this is the case when the nucleation rate is low, the growth rate is fast, and the reactant olivine is fine grained. On a geological timescale in subducting lithosphere, where the grain size of the olivine is large, the growth rates of grain-boundary nucleated reaction rims are likely to be controlled by viscoelastic relaxation. Therefore current kinetic models of olivine metastability in subducting slabs, which are based on simple extrapolations of experimental data and on the assumption that the growth rate is constant at fixed temperature and pressure, need to be reevaluated.


Early detection of health problems needs to be supported by optimal hospital service quality subsystems through an integrated Hospital Management Information System. Artificial intelligence (AI) as a modern technology has entered the mainstream of clinical medicine. Diagnostics has traditionally been one of the main areas of AI in medicine. AI will broadly transform diagnostic and predictive analysis of medical images in the coming years. Studies in the fields of pathology and dermatology have demonstrated the ability of AI to outperform human diagnostics in accurately detecting and classifying various types of cancer. Artificial intelligence technology in the health aspect is useful in disease diagnosis and can analyze medical images to identify certain diseases so that they are able to distinguish between benign and malignant diseases. AI can also help identify the risk of mental illness and identify the risk of suicide among patients with psychiatric disorders or among certain populations, such as prisoners and soldiers. This helps doctors quickly get disease information and provide a more accurate disease diagnosis, thereby saving time for disease treatment.


Copper (Cu) homeostasis is integral to many plant physiological processes, including lignification of plant cell walls. This link occurs through Cu's role as a cofactor in the apoplastic laccase enzymes that oxidize monolignols that then polymerize to form the hydrophobic lignin polymer, which provides rigidity and strength to the water transport system. In this study, we investigated the effect of Cu deficiency on lignin content and chemistry in poplar stems. We also examined the effect of Cu deficiency on the stiffness of stem wood and the hydraulic properties of leaves. Cu deficiency resulted in a significant reduction in lignin content, an increase in the syringyl to guaiacyl monomer ratio of stem xylem, and no change to stem modulus of elasticity. Accompanying these stem traits, Cu-deficient leaves had higher (less negative) turgor loss points and markedly stiffer mesophyll cell walls. Our results may reflect a novel response in poplar whereby structural stiffness and mechanical stability are maintained in the face of Cu deficiency and reduction in the guaiacyl lignin monomer content.


This articles is a short analysis of the first entry in Aleksander Kozhevnikov's (Kojève) Diary of a Philosopher, dedicated to the battle of Arginusae and subsequent trial of Athenian generals. A great discrepancy between facts – as presented by young Kozhevnikov – and ancient sources and their interpretation in modern scholarship leads to an attempt to find out the contemporary inspiration of this short text, followed by some remarks on previous interpretations of this very first 'philosophical' essay of young Kojève.


This paper proposes a novel crowd simulation method which integrates not only modelling ideas but also advantages from both data‐driven methods and crowd dynamics methods. To seamlessly integrate these two different modelling ideas, first, a fusion crowd motion model is developed. In this model the motion of crowd are driven dynamically by different forces. Part of the forces are modeled under a universal interaction mechanism, which describe the common parts of crowd dynamics. Others are modeled by examples from real data, which describe the personality parts of the agent motion. Second, a construction method for example dataset is proposed to support the fusion model. In the dataset, crowd trajectories captured in the real world are decomposed and re‐described under the structure of the fusion model. Thus, personality parts hidden in the real data could be locked and extracted, making the data understandable and migratable for our fusion model. A comprehensive crowd motion generation workflow using the fusion model and example dataset is also proposed. Quantitative and qualitative experiments and user studies are conducted. Results show that the proposed fusion crowd simulation method can generate crowd motion with the great motion fidelity, which not only match the macro characteristics of real data, but also has lots of micro personality showing the diversity of crowd motion.


The warming of water as a result of climate change affects fish habitat. Variations in water temperature affect fish physiology almost totally. The rise in water temperature due to climate change leads to hypoxia following decreased oxygen solubility and decreased binding capacity of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin. This study was conducted to evaluate the health status of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fry at elevated water temperatures (20°C) compared with optimum water temperature (15°C). The method facilitated the detection of biomarker genes using NGS RNAseq analysis and evaluation of their expression pattern using RT-qPCR analysis. The biomarker genes included interferon alpha-inducible protein 27-like protein 2A transcript variant X3, protein L-Myc-1b-like, placenta growth factor-like transcript variant X1, fibroblast growth factor receptor-like 1 transcript variant X1, transferrin, intelectin, thioredoxin-like, c-type lectin lectoxinThr1-like, ladderlectin-like and calponin-1. The selected biomarker genes were sensitive to changes in water temperature based on NGS RNAseq analysis. The expression patterns of these genes based on RT-qPCR were similar to those of NGS RNAseq analysis.


This paper is concerned with the relationship between complexity and variation. The main goal is to lay out the conceptual foundations and to develop and systematize reasonable hypotheses such as to set out concrete research questions for future investigations. I first compare how complexity and variation have synchronically been studied and what kinds of questions have been asked in those studies. Departing from earlier surveys of different definitions of complexity, here I classify the majority of complexity studies into two broad types based on two ways of defining this concept. The first type determines and measures linguistic complexity by counting numbers of items (e.g., linguistic forms or rules and interactions between forms). The second type makes use of transparency and the principle of One-Meaning–One-Form. In addition, linguistic complexity has been defined by means of concepts from information theory, namely in terms of description length or information content, but those studies are in the minority. Then I define linguistic variation as a situation when two or more linguistic forms have identical or largely identical meaning and it is possible to use either the one or the other variant. Variation can be free or linguistically or socially conditioned. I argue that there is an implicational relationship between complexity of the first type that is defined in terms of numbers of items and variation. Variation is a type of complexity because it implies the existence of more than one linguistic form per meaning. But not every type of complexity involves variation because complexity defined on the basis of transparency does not necessarily imply the existence of more than one form. In the following I discuss extralinguistic factors that (possibly) have an impact on socially conditioned variation and/or complexity and can lead to an increase or decrease of complexity and/or variation. I conclude with suggestions of how to further examine the relationship between complexity and variation.


INTRODUCTION
This study aimed to develop and examine the validity and reproducibility of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) among Malay pregnant women in Kelantan, Malaysia.

METHODS
A total of 177 Malay pregnant women participated in the validation study while 85 of them participated in the reproducibility study which was carried out in the antenatal clinic of Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital. The newly developed FFQ was validated against two 24-hour dietary recalls (DR). The FFQ was repeated 20 to 28 days apart.

RESULTS
Results showed that the FFQ moderately over-estimated the nutrient and food intakes compared to the DR. Spearman correlation coefficients for nutrients ranged from 0.24 (fat) to 0.61 (calcium) and for foods, ranged from 0.13 (organ meats, onion and garlic) to 0.57 (malt drink). For nutrients, 72 to 85% of women were classified into the correct quartiles from the FFQ and the DR while for foods, 67 to 85% of women were classified correctly. Bland-Altman plot showed relatively good agreement between these two dietary methods. The intra-class correlation (ICC) was used to estimate reproducibility. It ranged from 0.75 (vitamin C) to 0.94 (phosphorus) for nutrients while it ranged from 0.73 (confectionary) to 0.96 (coffee) for foods.

CONCLUSION
On average, at least 90% of pregnant women were correctly classified into the quartiles for nutrients and foods from the two sets of the FFQ. The FFQ presented acceptable reproducibility and appears to be a valid tool for categorising pregnant women according to dietary intake.


Recently, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Universities have been subject to a radical change, as they were forced to rapidly and massively shift from residential to online education. In this scenario, e-learning, which has been studied for several years, has attracted an unprecedented attention and revealed many advantages and disadvantages, thus feeding a debate about its efficacy. In an attempt to contribute to such debate, a study in different Latin-American countries has been conducted, in order to understand teachers' and students' perceptions about the experienced online setting during the lockdown. This paper describes the results of this preliminary study and reflects on factors that need to be improved to increase the quality of online education.


Objectives: To describe the epidemiological and clinical profile of the evacuated patients, to analyze the means of evacuation as well as the cost of the evacuation, and finally, to evaluate the maternal-fetal prognosis of the evacuated patients.Material and methods: We carried out a prospective study going from January to December 2015 covering all obstetric emergencies evacuated at the Ourossogui maternity ward. Study variables: epidemiological; evacuation conditions, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects and prognostic aspects.Results: The frequency of obstetric evacuation was 66.2%. Our patients were primiparous (39.2%), out of school (85.6%), married (97.7%) and low income (94.7%) with an average age of 24.8 years. The average number of CPNs was 2.6. More than one in three women had 4 CPNs or more (33.6%). The distance traveled averaged 45.6 km with extremes of 1 km to 160 km. The ambulance was used in 90% of cases. The reasons for evacuation were dominated by obstructed labor in 29.4%; hemorrhages in 26.5%. Eight home deliveries and four en route were noted. The maternal prognosis was favorable in 98.6%. Seventeen cases of death were recorded, ie 1.4%. The child was alive and well in 83.2% and deaths accounted for 16%. Maternal deaths most often occurred among illiterate, low-income, multi-gesting women with fewer than 4CPNs under 35 years of age who traveled long distances and were evacuated by unskilled staff.Conclusion: Emergency obstetric evacuation represents a major challenge for the health system in the Matam region. Improvements include literacy training for the population, continuous training of health personnel and recruitment of practitioners.


Using the original setup described in Gallee et al. (2013), the MAR regional climate model including a coupled snowpack/aeolian snow transport parameterization, was run at a fine spatial (5 km horizontal and 2 m vertical) resolution over 1 summer month in coastal Adelie Land. Different types of feedback were taken into account in MAR including drag partitioning caused by surface roughness elements. Model outputs are compared with observations made at two coastal locations, D17 and D47, situated respectively 10 and 100 km inland. Wind speed was correctly simulated with positive values of the Nash test (0.60 for D17 and 0.37 for D47) but wind velocities above 10 m s −1 were underestimated at both D17 and D47; at D47, the model consistently underestimated wind velocity by 2 m s −1. Aeolian snow transport events were correctly reproduced with the right timing and a good temporal resolution at both locations except when the maximum particle height was less than 1 m. The threshold friction velocity, evaluated only at D17 for a 7-day period without snowfall, was overestimated. The simulated aeolian snow mass fluxes between 0 and 2 m at D47 displayed the same variations but were underestimated compared to the second-generation FlowCapt ™ values, as was the simulated relative humidity at 2 m above the surface. As a result, MAR underestimated the total aeolian horizontal snow transport for the first 2 m above the ground by a factor of 10 compared to estimations by the second-generation FlowCapt ™. The simulation was significantly improved at D47 if a 1-order decrease in the magnitude of z 0 was accounted for, but agreement with observations was reduced at D17. Our results suggest that z 0 may vary regionally depending on snowpack properties, which are involved in different types of feedback between aeolian transport of snow and z 0 .


Within a standard model of international trade with heterogenous firms and two asymmetric countries, we derive sufficient conditions for monotone comparative statics (MCS) for the industry composition. This model outcome is defined as first‐order stochastic dominance shifts in the equilibrium distributions of all activities across active firms. MCS for the industry composition occurs in a country that experiences a decline in its costs of serving the foreign market and meanwhile experiences an increase in its level of competition. In the other country, the industry‐level implications are exactly opposite. These clear industry‐level results hold while firms respond asymmetrically to the trade shock.


Ground Probing Radar (GPR) devices is adopted for the analysis of thickness and the mechanical properties (density) of the snow cover in some test site in Alps, in Northern Italy. The performances of standard radar systems for the snow cover characterisation are analysed, the main aim is to assess the reliability of the method to estimate the snow density, the snowpack thickness and the depth resolution in terms of capability to detect thin layers. The main relationships between the electrical permittivity and the density of the dry-snow are applied to estimate the density vertical profiles inferred by the GPR investigation. The data were calibrated and compared with the results coming from direct measurements of the density and thickness.


Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is an uncommon neoplasm of mature T lymphocytes associated with infection by human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1), which is increasing in incidence in areas of the United States with large immigrant populations. Human T-lymphotrophic virus 1 infection is asymptomatic in most patients and has been associated with ATLL as well as tropical spastic paraparesis. Because there is considerable histologic overlap with other cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, high suspicion and clinical features must be present to make the diagnosis of ATLL.


Neuropsychiatric symptoms in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are varied. The exact etiology and appropriate treatment are difficult to determine. We describe a 43-year-old woman who was diagnosed 18 years earlier with SLE. She developed dementia, gait disturbance, urinary incontinence and deterioration of consciousness. Her cerebrospinal fluid pressure was not elevated. Brain computerized tomography scan revealed enlarged ventricle and cortical sulci. Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) was diagnosed. She was treated by establishing a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt, resulting in the return of normal consciousness. But she still had slurred speech, slow mentation and poor calculation ability. Her urinary incontinence persisted. Along with a literature review on NPH, we discuss its etiology, diagnosis and treatment.


Computing shortest paths is a fundamental operation in processing graph data. In many real-world applications, discovering shortest paths between two vertices empowers us to make full use of the underlying structure to understand how vertices are related in a graph, e.g. the strength of social ties between individuals in a social network. In this paper, we study the shortest-path-graph problem that aims to efficiently compute a shortest path graph containing exactly all shortest paths between any arbitrary pair of vertices on complex networks. Our goal is to design an exact solution that can scale to graphs with millions or billions of vertices and edges. To achieve high scalability, we propose a novel method, Query-by-Sketch (QbS), which efficiently leverages offline labelling (i.e., precomputed labels) to guide online searching through a fast sketching process that summarizes the important structural aspects of shortest paths in answering shortest-path-graph queries. We theoretically prove the correctness of this method and analyze its computational complexity. To empirically verify the efficiency of QbS, we conduct experiments on 12 real-world datasets, among which the largest dataset has 1.7 billion vertices and 7.8 billion edges. The experimental results show that QbS can answer shortest-path-graph queries in microseconds for million-scale graphs and less than half a second for billion-scale graphs.


The greenhouse effect and the limited fossil oil resources have increased the demand for renewable fuels. Zeolite membranes have potential applications in numerous separation processes, and could b ...


KLOE-2 extends the physics program of the forerunner KLOE experiment, especially in the field of discrete symmetries tests with neutral kaons. KLOE and KLOE-2 have collected together the largest sample of electron-positron collisions at an energy equal to the φ-meson mass, corresponding to about 2.4×1010 produced φ mesons.
The latest results on neutral kaon physics at KLOE will be reviewed, together with the status and prospects of the analyses of KLOE-2 data. A new measurement of the charge asymmetry in KS semileptonic decays with 1.7 fb−1 of KLOE data, which improves the sensitivity of previous measurements of about a factor two, will be presented. Furthermore, the status of the analysis devoted to directly test T and CPT symmetries in neutral kaons transitions, as well as the search of the pure CP-violating KS → 3π0 decay using part of the recently acquired KLOE-2 dataset, will be presented.


The bacterial cytosine deaminase (CD) gene, associated with the 5-fluorocytosine (5FC) prodrug, is one of the most widely used suicide systems in gene therapy. Introduction of the CD gene within a tumor induces, after 5FC treatment of the animal, a local production of 5-fluorouracil resulting in intratumor chemotherapy. Destruction of the gene-modified tumor is then followed by the triggering of an antitumor immune reaction resulting in the regression of distant wild-type metastasis. The global effects of 5FC on colorectal adenocarcinoma cells expressing the CD gene were analyzed using the proteomic method. Application of 5FC induced apoptosis and 19 proteins showed a significant change in 5FC-treated cells compared with control cells. The up-regulated and down-regulated proteins include cytoskeletal proteins, chaperones, and proteins involved in protein synthesis, the antioxidative network, and detoxification. Most of these proteins are involved in resistance to anticancer drugs and resistance to apoptosis. In addition, we show that the heat shock protein Hsp90β is phosphorylated on serine 254 upon 5FC treatment. Our results suggest that activation of Hsp90β by phosphorylation might contribute to tumor regression and tumor immunogenicity. Our findings bring new insights into the mechanism of the anticancer effects induced by CD/5FC treatment. [Mol Cancer Ther 2007;6(10):2747–56]


This project proposes a new method for removing organic sulfur from Illinois coals using readily available farm products. It proposes to use air and vegetable oils to disrupt the coal matrix, oxidize sulfur forms, increase volatiles, and desulfurize coal. This will be accomplished by impregnating coals with polyunsaturated oils, converting the oils to their hydroperoxides, and heating. Since these oils are relatively inexpensive and easily applied, this project could lead to a cost effective method for removing organic sulfur from coals. Moreover, the oils are environmentally safe; they will produce no noxious products and will improve burning qualities of the solid products. Preliminary experiments showed that IBC 104 coal catalyzes the formation of hydroperoxides in safflower oil and that more sulfur is extracted from the treated than untreated coal. During the first quarter the requirement of an added photosensitizer was eliminated, the catalytic effect of coal was confirmed, and the existence of a complex set of reactions was revealed. During this second quarter working with IBC-108 coal (2.3% organic S. 0.4% pyrite S), the effects of different ratios of oil:coal, different extraction solvents, and different temperatures were examined. A new pretreatment which combines alkali with linseed oil was discovered. Best organic sulfur removal is approximately 26% using alkali pretreatment combined with linseed oil at 1OO{degree}C. BTU loses can be kept to a minimum of 3% with proper use of solvents.


It is well known that cognitive disorders at cerebral ischemia-reperfusion are followed by neuronal death. The inflammation of nervous tissue occurs, but the role of microgliocytes in neuroprotection is poorly understood. The aim of our work was to study microgliocytes in rats with cognitive disorders in delayed postischemic period after focal transient cerebral ischemia. In an experiment we used male rats (n=15), weighing 200-250. The model of focal brain ischemia was performed in anaesthetized rats (intraperitonealy, chloralhydrate 450 mg/kg). Microsurgical introduction monofilament to the left middle cerebral artery was made by J. Koizumi technique. Time of middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion was 30 minutes with the subsequent reperfusion period. Testing in eight-arm maze was performed within seven days twice with a two-day interval during which each animal carried out a 5-minute session 3 times with a 3-minute interval. For identification of microgliocytes used polyclonal goat antibodies to Iba1 antigen. At behavior assessment in an eight-arm maze there were errors of working memory revealed and prolongation of time of task performance. Cognitive disorders at cerebral ischemia, perhaps, serve as the neuroinflammation indicator. Microglia is likely involved in mechanisms of neuroprotection and compensation for cognitive disorders.


ABSTRACT Background Signal transducers and activators of transcription 6 (Stat6) is involved in the interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 signaling pathway. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether polymorphisms in the 5′-flanking region of the Stat6 gene are associated with allergic diseases in Japanese children. Methods The Stat6 gene polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fragment length polymorphism analysis and the IL-4 receptor Ile50Val polymorphism was examined using PCR methods. Results Novel dinucleotide repeat polymorphisms were found in the 5′-flanking sequences, positioning at −865 (Pro A) and −690 (Pro B) of the Stat6 gene starting codon. The GT repeats in the 5′-flanking sequences were highly polymorphic (Pro A: 14–29 repeats; ProB: 14–20 repeats) with no significant differences in the frequency of allelic and genotypic distributions observed between allergic subjects and controls. In the GT repeat polymorphism of Stat6 exon 1, there was a significant difference in the frequency of genotypic distribution between the two groups (P = 0.003). The Stat6 exon 1 variant had significant linkage disequilibrium with Pro B variants, but not with Pro A. The GT repeat polymorphism was not associated with the IL-4 receptor Ile50Val polymorphism. Conclusions Variants of the Stat6 gene may be useful markers for predicting allergic diseases in Japanese children.


Veterinary medicines or their metabolites could be discharged to the environment through different exposure routes, and had potential impacts to ecosystem in different levels, including individual, population, community and ecosystem. Their fate and potential impact have been widely researched in the world. This paper reviewed their exposure routes, fate in the environment, and impact on organisms in soils and waters and on soil processes. The significance of their environmental risk assessment was also analyzed.


Purpose: This study aimed to identify and explore how perioperative scrub nurses embody their situational awareness to elucidate the association between research and application.Methods: This qualitative study employed an analytical induction approach. The analytical method reconstructed by Bloor (1978) and modified by Johnson (2004) was used to investigate and analyze the phenomenon in clinical practice. The study was conducted from January 12 to May 20, 2019. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews; the study subjects included 12 perioperative scrub nurses working at three university hospitals.Results: Perioperative scrub nurses embodied situational awareness by comparing and identifying general and abnormal situations throughout surgical procedures, setting priorities in their tasks, responding to situations according to the degree of emergency in the operating room, and developing an integrated view. Perioperative scrub nurses embodied situational awareness through typical patterns involving empirical cases based on experiences, apprenticeship-oriented training, information exchange among surgical team members, and self-directed simulation. Professional responsibility and the level of surgical emergency played an essential role in embodying these patterns.Conclusion: These findings will provide practical categories that will contribute to the development of strategies for practical education of novice perioperative scrub nurses and nursing students.


Model compositions of the Moon and Earth were calculated on the assumption that these planets had experienced the same nebular fractionation processes as the chondrites. The proportions of 7 basic components (early condensate, metal, etc.) were estimated from geochemical constraints, such as K/U, bulk U and Fe abundances, etc., and used to construct abundance tables for 83 elements. When lunar and terrestrial basalt data are normalized to these model compositions (to cancel differences in bulk composition), the abundance patterns become strikingly similar. This would seem to demonstrate the essential sameness of igneous processes on both planets. The model correctly predicts the abundance ratios of certain volatile/ refractory element pairs (e.g. Cd/Ba, Ga/La, Sn/Th, and Pb/U), the density of the Moon, and the major rock types. The model is also used, in the reverse direction, to reconstruct the composition of the eucrite parent body. It resembles the Moon to a remarkable degree, except for a lower content of refractory elements. Because of this similarity, it is unlikely that the Moon acquired its composition by some unique chance event, such as disintegrative capture. More likely, such compositions represent the natural outcome of nebular fractionation processes, which may have been more extreme in the inner solar system than in the asteroid belt. All input data required by this model can be obtained by unmanned spacecraft or ground-based observations. Thus, if this model proves viable, it will permit construction of a detailed geochemical profile of a differentiated planet after a single visit by an unmanned spacecraft.


A low-pass filter is inserted in a repetitive controller to guarantee the stability of the modified repetitive-control system. The control precision strongly depends on the parameter of the filter. This study presents a method of simultaneously optimising the parameters of the low-pass filter and state feedback of a modified repetitive-control system in which the plant contains a class of uncertainties. First, the relationship between the control precision of a repetitive-control system and a low-pass filter is explained. Next, a linear matrix inequality (LMI)-based robust-stability condition is derived for fixed state-feedback gains. This condition is transformed into a generalised eigenvalue problem and is used to calculate the maximum cut-off angular frequency of the low-pass filter. Then, another LMI-based robust-stability condition is derived for a fixed low-pass filter, and is employed to find H∞ static-state-feedback gains. Moreover, an iterative algorithm that combines these two robust-stability conditions is designed that yields the largest bandwidth while guaranteeing closed-loop robust stability. The conservativeness of the result produced by the algorithm is the same as that of the less conservative of the two robust-stability conditions. Finally, two numerical examples demonstrate the validity of the method.


The frequency of allergic diseases has increased in recent decades. Asthma is one of the most prevalent conditions and a leading cause of morbidity. It affects 3-4% of the population in our geographical setting and extrinsic allergens are detected as the disease's etiological agent in around half of these cases. IgE is one of the molecules involved in the allergic process. Most of the time and resources at asthma units are devoted to corticosteroid-dependent patients. International guidelines for asthma treatment recommend a stepwise therapeutic approach; in the last step, the use of oral corticosteroids is advised when control is not achieved with long-acting beta-2-agonists and high doses of inhaled corticosteroids. No alternatives or complements to oral corticosteroids had been proposed until November 2006, when the latest GINA update included the IgE blocker omalizumab in the last step of asthma treatment. In this paper we discuss the pathogenesis of the allergic reaction and the key importance of IgE in this process in order to highlight the beneficial effects of a drug able to block the circulation of the free form of this immunoglobulin. We also review the most important studies and patents for the efficacy and effectiveness of the drug in the treatment of adults and pediatric patients with asthma and other diseases.


The oil palm fruit is one of the richest sources of carotenoids. However,
little is known about the pathway for carotenoid synthesis in the oil palm.
Therefore, the aim of this study is to provide some basic information on carotenoid
synthesis in the oil palm mesocarp. In order to do so, we needed to firstly extract
carotenoids from the oil palm mesocarp. A technique for extracting carotenoids
from the oil palm meso carp was optimised. Cold saponification was used to remove
unwanted lipid materials from the crude carotenoid extract. Ultra violet-Visible
(UV -Vis) spectrophotometry was utilized to compare the absorbance profiles of the
carotenoid extracts of oil palm fruits at different stages of development i.e 15-20
weeks after anthesis (W AA). The results showed that in unripe oil palm fruit,
carotenoids absorb strongly in the UV range while in ripe fruit the carotenoids
absorb strongly in the visible range as more carotenoids are formed. Reverse phase
high pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) coupled with a photo-diode array
(PDA) detector was used in this study for characterizing the carotenoid profiles of


Background & Objectives: Early laboratory confirmation of dengue viral infection is vital to minimize its fatal outcomes. There is no information on the relationship between reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) results and different blood parameters of patients with dengue fever (DF) in Sri Lanka. Therefore the objective was to analyze the blood parameters and RTPCR results in clinically suspected dengue patients. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 111 in-ward clinically suspected adult male dengue patients during the febrile phase of the infection. RNA was extracted from serum samples and single tube multiplex RT-PCR was performed. Total white cell count (WBC), differential count, platelet count, haemoglobin concentration (Hb), pack cell volume (PCV), aspartate aminotransferase concentration (AST) and alanine aminotransferase concentration (ALT) were quantified. Results: Of the 111 samples, 48 were positive with RT-PCR. All positive samples were of DEN-2 serotype. WBC, platelet counts, percentage of neutrophils and lymphocytes, Hb, PCV, AST and ALT showed a significant difference (p< 0.05) between RT-PCR positive and negative samples. Increased ALT levels was the most significant as more than 50 IU/ L of ALT levels was observed in 90% of the RT-PCR positive patients whereas its increase was observed only in 3% of the RT-PCR negative patients. Conclusions: ALT was the most significantly affected parameter in RT-PCR positive group and appears to be the best serological parameter among the tested, in early identification of patients with DF.


Severe inflammatory challenges are frequently coupled to decreased food intake and disruption of reproductive function, the latter via deregulation of different signaling pathways that impinge onto GnRH neurons. Recently, the hypothalamic Kiss1 system, a major gatekeeper of GnRH function, was suggested as potential target for transmitting immune-mediated repression of the gonadotropic axis during acute inflammation, and yet key facets of such a phenomenon remain ill defined. Using lipopolysaccharide S (LPS)-treated male rats as model of inflammation, we document herein the pattern of hypothalamic kisspeptin immunoreactivity (IR) and hormonal responses to kisspeptin during the acute inflammatory phase. LPS injections induced a dramatic but transient drop of serum LH and testosterone levels. Suppression of gonadotropic function was associated with a significant decrease in kisspeptin-IR in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) that was not observed under conditions of metabolic stress induced by 48-h fasting. In addition, absolute responses to kisspeptin-10 (Kp-10), in terms of LH and testosterone secretion, were significantly attenuated in LPS-treated males that also displayed a decrease in food intake and body weight. Yet pair-fed males did not show similar alterations in LH and testosterone secretory responses to Kp-10, whose magnitude was preserved, if not augmented, during food restriction. In summary, our data document the impact of acute inflammation on kisspeptin content at the ARC as key center for the neuroendocrine control of reproduction. Our results also suggest that suppressed gonadotropic function following inflammatory challenges might involve a reduction in absolute responsiveness to kisspeptin that is independent of the anorectic effects of inflammation.


This thesis describes investigations into the synthesis and secondary structural properties of novel carbohydrate-derived peptidomimetics. The syntheses from diacetone-D-glucose of five diastereomeric 3-azido-tetrahydrofuran carboxylates are described. These highly functionalised β-amino acid equivalents are accessed via the diacetone-3-azido-3-deoxy sugars and 3-azido-3-deoxy-1,4-lactones. An acid-catalysed rearrangement results in the formation of the tetrahydrofuran ring with the protected amine functionality already in place in a position β- to the carboxylate group. Attempts to synthesise "carbopeptoids" via various oligomerisation strategies, including three novel approaches to oligomerisation, are delineated. The first approach attempted involves an iterative addition of a bicyclic lactone, which acts as the activated acid component, to the substrate containing an amine functionality. A new solid-phase oligomerisation strategy, whereby the coupling reagent is tethered to the polystyrene support and the substrates remain in solution, is described. The third attempted novel oligomerisation strategy involves activation by microwave irradiation, in the absence of coupling reagents. The conventional coupling using a carbodiimide coupling reagent proves to be a highly efficient means to access oligomers up to six residues in length, and is utilised for the synthesis of the homooligomers of four diastereomeric carbohydrate-derived β-amino acids. The prospect that the carbopeptoids may emulate the helical conformations reported for closely related 2-aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid oligomers is investigated. Different methods of spectroscopic analysis of the tetrameric and hexameric oligomers are discussed. Circular dichroism spectroscopy provides a rapid diagnostic tool for the investigation of peptide bond orientations and forms the basis for a postulation on a possible stabilised hydrogen-bonding secondary structural conformation in two tetrameric species. Several nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic experiments are performed, enabling the assignment of each signal in the proton spectrum for a hexameric oligomer. However the resulting data does not provide sufficient evidence for a well-defined secondary structural motif, and so the potential conformational preference postulated on the basis of circular dichroism spectroscopy is not confirmed.


In his epilogue to this special issue's collection of essays on early modern drama and realism, Tom Cornford returns to Stanislavsky's studio and to the practices which gave rise to his "System." This approach is often cited as the means by which realism came to dominate the aesthetics of theater-making in the last hundred years, and yet, as Cornford shows, it was also an attempt to go beyond realism and was inspired as much by the challenges of staging Shakespeare as it was by any other form of drama. Stanislavsky's studio practice was widely influential and this article focuses, in particular, on Harley Granville Barker's ideal of an "exemplary theatre" (described in his 1922 book of that title). This was intended as a theatre "founded upon corporate study by the actors," a model which is employed by Barker to redescribe Shakespeare's work as well as to inspire innovations in future practice. Turning to the present day, Cornford uses Barker's ideal to evaluate some current developments in studio-based theater-making before setting out his vision of a Shakespearean studio for the future.


Growing evidence suggests greater vulnerability of women than men to the adverse effects of alcohol on mood and sleep. However, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here, we examined sex difference in resting state functional connectivity in alcohol use disorder using a whole-brain data driven approach and tested for relationships with mood and self-reported sleep. To examine whether sex effects vary by severity of alcohol use disorder, we studied two cohorts: non-treatment seeking n = 141 participants with alcohol use disorder (low severity; 58 females) from the Human Connectome project and recently detoxified n = 102 treatment seeking participants with alcohol use disorder (high severity; 34 females) at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. For both cohorts, participants with alcohol use disorder had greater sleep and mood problems than healthy control, whereas sex by alcohol use effect varied by severity. Non-treatment seeking females with alcohol use disorder showed significant greater impairments in sleep but not mood compared to non-treatment seeking males with alcohol use disorder, whereas treatment-seeking females with alcohol use disorder reported greater negative mood but not sleep than treatment-seeking males with alcohol use disorder. Greater sleep problems in non-treatment seeking females with alcohol use disorder were associated with lower cerebello-parahippocampal functional connectivity, while greater mood problems in treatment-seeking females with alcohol use disorder were associated with lower fronto-occipital functional connectivity during rest. The current study suggests that changes in resting state functional connectivity may account for sleep and mood impairments in females with alcohol use disorder. The effect of severity on sex differences might reflect neuroadaptive processes with progression of alcohol use disorder and needs to be tested with longitudinal data in the future.


The purpose of the study was to compare the disposition of pharmacologic markers for cytochrome P-450 (CYP) metabolism, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and extracellular (ECFV) and total body fluid volumes (TBFV) of Greyhounds and Beagles. Six healthy Greyhound and six healthy Beagle dogs were studied. Antipyrine, a marker for CYP metabolism and TBFV, and inulin, a marker for the GFR and ECFV, were administered i.v. Samples were collected at predetermined times and plasma was analyzed by validated high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods. There were no differences in the disposition or pharmacokinetic parameters for inulin between the dog breeds. However, the clearance of antipyrine (mean = 8.33 mL/min/kg) in Greyhounds was significantly slower than Beagles (13.42 mL/min/kg, P = 0.004). The volume of distribution of antipyrine was significantly larger in Greyhounds (0.789 L/kg) than in Beagles (0.644 L/kg, P = 0.01). The half-life of antipyrine was significantly longer in Greyhounds (1.09 h) compared with Beagles (0.55 h, P = 0.002). The in vitro plasma protein binding of antipyrine was significantly less in Greyhounds (28%) compared with Beagles (40.3%, P = 0.008). Greyhounds exhibited significantly slower CYP metabolism, higher TBFV, and lower in vitro protein binding of antipyrine compared with Beagles. No differences in GFR or ECFV were found.


Abstract : We reviewed a DoD Hotline complaint concerning the relocation of an auditor in the Defense Contract Audit Agency's (DCAA) Western Region for independence reasons. According to the complaint, the auditor's independence was not impaired, and management should not have acted on a DoD contractor's request to relocate the auditor. We determined that the relocation of the auditor was justified. However, our review disclosed that DCAA field audit office management failed to take measures necessary to eliminate the auditor's independence impairment in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. DCAA did not reassign three audits affected by the independence impairment to another auditor for completion. In addition, DCAA field audit office management did not initiate an investigation of DoD contractor complaints made against the auditor, even though some of the complaints would have constituted misconduct. In May 2011, we issued a Notice of Concern to the Director of DCAA, recommending several corrective actions for eliminating the independence impairment and improving related controls. In response to our Notice of Concern, DCAA took several actions. Among them, DCAA management rescinded an audit report issued on one of the audits affected by the impairment, and assigned the audit to another field audit office to redo and supervise; assigned the other two audits affected by the impairment to another field audit office for completion; issued an alert to all DCAA employees which emphasized the need to fully eliminate independence impairments in a timely manner; and revised its training on the identification and removal of auditor independence impairments.


Australia has moderately high fertility compared to many Western-industrialized countries. The current total fertility rate is around 1.88, but fertility levels are not uniform across the country. There is a distinct geographic pattern with the total fertility rate about 0.5 higher in remote and very remote Australia (2.33) compared to major cities (1.82). In this paper, we examine 2 explanations for this pattern: the compositional hypothesis and the contextual hypothesis. Using event-history methods with joint modelling to investigate parity progression, we find that after taking into account differences in age, country of birth, indigenous status, relationship status, education levels, and economic activity, women living in smaller towns in regional Australia are more likely to have a first, second, and third birth. Further, there is lower propensity to have a first child in inner or middle city areas that are characterized by smaller and more expensive housing than suburban or regional areas.


Solitary gallbladder metastasis from melanoma is a rare phenomenon, in this case manifesting as biliary symptoms during and following pregnancy. It is important to consider uncommon causes of biliary symptoms to aid in prompt diagnosis and treatment. This patient was successfully treated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy and adjuvant immunotherapy.


This study was performed to evaluate the effect of both cow and chicken manures application on the immobilization of Ni and Zn in soils. Effect of cow and chicken manures on the bulk density, pH and the distribution of Ni and Zn in various chemical fractions of an alkaline, sandy loam soil was explored in a PVC columns study. Cow and chicken manures were mixed at rates of 10, 20 and 30 g/kg of soil. The soil-manure mixture was incubated for two months at room temperature. Sequential extraction procedure was performed on all samples from each column to determine Zn and Ni in different fractions (soluble-exchangeable, organic, carbonates and residual). Results obtained showed a decrease in soil bulk density with an increase of 0.3 units in soil pH as compared to the control. After 60 days of incubation, Ni concentrations were found to be 28 and 34% of inorganic fraction, while the residual reaction accounted for 58 and 53% for cow and chicken manure respectively as compared to the corresponding control. In case of Zn, soil organic matter fraction accounted for 53-57% of the total Zn. The soluble and exchangeable fraction which, although, slightly increased with time remained very low (2-4%) for the two metals. Therefore, the addition of the manures resulted in improved soil bulk density and showed a good potential in immobilizing both two metals in the studied soil.


Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection endemic to the Southwestern United States which is associated with high morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised hosts. Serology is the main diagnostic tool, although less sensitive among immunocompromised hosts. (1→3)-β-D-glucan (BDG) is a non-specific fungal diagnostic test that may identify suspected coccidioidomycosis and other invasive fungal infections. We retrospectively investigated the utility of BDG between 2017 and 2021 in immunocompromised hosts with positive Coccidioides spp. cultures at our institutions. During the study period, there were 368 patients with positive cultures for Coccidioides spp.; among those, 28 patients were immunocompromised hosts, had both Coccidioides serology and BDG results available, and met other inclusion and exclusion criteria. Half of the patients had positive Coccidioides serology, and 57% had a positive BDG ≥ 80 pg/mL. Twenty-three (82%) had at least one positive test during their hospitalization. Among immunocompromised hosts with suspicion for coccidioidomycosis, the combination of Coccidioides serology and BDG can be useful in the initial work up and the timely administration of appropriate antifungal therapy. However, both tests failed to diagnose many cases, underscoring the need for better diagnostic techniques for identifying coccidioidomycosis in this population.


One of the most important processes in smart antennas, is beam forming. The major function of beam forming is to change the beam pattern of the antenna for a given angle. If the antenna does not change its direction based on the receiving signal, the signal losses will be high. So, in order to increase the efficiency and to reduce the signal losses in the system, here a new method is proposed for beam forming in smart antenna along with spatial diversity using fuzzy interference system and neural network (NN). In order to provide training for NN and fuzzy logic, a huge personalised training dataset is generated using Genetic Algorithm. Given a desired angle as input, the proposed method gives the corresponding antenna parameters and phase angle as output. The length of the beam, interference, phase angle, number of patterns and spatial diversity are the smart antenna parameters that are considered in the proposed method. In addition, the proposed method increases the efficiency in determining the smart antenna parameters. The proposed method is implemented and the results are analysed. The comparative and analytical results prove the performance of the proposed method over other existing methods.


We report the experimental phenomenon of large resistance change in plasma oxidized TiOx/TiNx film fabricated on W bottom-electrode-contact (W-BEC) array. The W-BEC in diameter 260 nm is fabricated by a 0.18 μm CMOS technology, and the TiOx/TiNx cell array is formed by rf magnetron sputtering and reactive ion etching. In current–voltage (I–V) measurement for current-sweeping mode, large snap-back of voltage is observed, which indicates that the sample changes from high-resistance state (HRS) to low-resistance state (LRS). In the I–V measurement for voltage-sweeping mode, large current collapse is observed, which indicates that the sample changes from LRS to HRS. The current difference between HRS and LRS is about two orders. The threshold current and voltage for the resistance change is about 5.0×10−5 A and 2.5 V, respectively. The pulse voltage can also change the resistance and the pulse time is as shorter as 30 ns for the resistance change. These properties of TiOx/TiNx film are comparable to that of conventional phase-change material, which makes it possible for RRAM application.


In the title complex, [CoCl2(C25H21N5)], the CoII atom is coordinated by two Cl atoms and two N atoms, provided by a tridentate pyrazolylpyridyl ligand, forming a slightly distorted tetrahedral geometry [range of angles: 96.51 (10) (chelate ring) to 118.60 (9)°]. The dihedral angle between Cl/Co/Cl and N/Co/N planes is 86.83 (7)°. The chelate ring has the conformation of a distorted boat. The dihedral angle between pyridyl ring and the coordinated pyrazolyl ring is 56.16 (12)°. The uncoordinated pyrazolyl ring is almost perpendicular to the pyridyl ring with the dihedral angle of 87.49 (10)°. In the crystal packing, intermolecular phenyl-C—H ⋯π(pyridyl) interactions generate dimeric aggregates. These are connected into a zigzag supramolecular chain along the c-axis direction via π–π interactions [inter-centroid distance between pyridyl and phenyl rings = 3.664 (2) Å].


The adaptive nonlinear predistorter is an effective technique to compensate for the nonlinear distortion existing in digital communication and control systems. However, available adaptive nonlinear predistorters using indirect learning are sensitive to measurement noise and do not perform optimally. Other available types are either slow to converge, complicated in structure and computationally expensive, or do not consider the memory effects in nonlinear systems such as a high power amplifier (HPA). In this paper, we first propose several novel adaptive nonlinear predistorters based on direct learning algorithms - the nonlinear filtered-x RLS (NFXRLS) algorithm, the nonlinear adjoint LMS (NALMS) algorithm, and the nonlinear adjoint RLS (NARLS) algorithm. Using these new learning algorithms, we design adaptive nonlinear predistorters for an HPA with memory effects or for an HPA following a linear system. Because of the direct learning algorithm, these novel adaptive predistorters outperform nonlinear predistorters that are based on the indirect learning method in the sense of normalized mean square error (NMSE), bit error rate (BER), and spectral regrowth. Moreover, our developed adaptive nonlinear predistorters are computationally efficient and/or converge rapidly when compared to other adaptive nonlinear predistorters that use direct learning, and furthermore can be easily implemented. We further simplify our proposed algorithms by exploring the robustness of our proposed algorithm as well as by examining the statistical properties of what we call the "instantaneous equivalent linear" (IEL) filter. Simulation results confirm the effectiveness of our proposed algorithms


Physicians across the care continuum are increasingly aligned around the belief that coordinated care can improve patient outcomes. As the principal caregivers for one of the most medically fragile patient groups in healthcare, nephrologists are especially attuned to the potential value of integrated care. Medicare Advantage (MA) offers one way to test this hypothesis. By law, end-stage renal disease patients currently cannot enroll into an MA plan, but if they develop ESRD while in such a plan, they may continue to be enrolled. The contrast between these patients and their counterparts who carry Medicare fee for service (MFFS) thereby represents a natural experiment that affords an opportunity to examine whether enrollment in a coordinated care system may improve outcomes. In order to promote (unbiased) comparison of patients in a non-randomized context, we propensity score-matched incident dialysis patients enrolled in MA versus those in MFFS. The data demonstrate that patients who were enrolled in an MA plan upon initiation of dialysis had a 9% lower mortality rate than their MFFS counterparts. This beneficial association of MA enrollment was found to be sustained over the first two years of dialysis treatment.


Biofuel made from conventional (e.g., maize (Zea mays L.)) and cellulosic crops (e.g., switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and Miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus)) provides alternative energy to fossil fuels and has been considered to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. To estimate the large‐scale carbon and nitrogen dynamics of these biofuel ecosystems, process‐based models are needed. Here, we developed an agroecosystem model (AgTEM) based on the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model for these ecosystems. The model was incorporated with biogeochemical and ecophysiological processes including crop phenology, biomass allocation, nitrification, and denitrification, as well as agronomic management of irrigation and fertilization. It was used to estimate crop yield, biomass, net carbon exchange, and nitrous oxide emissions at an ecosystem level. The model was first parameterized for maize, switchgrass, and Miscanthus ecosystems and then validated with field observation data. We found that AgTEM well reproduces the annual net primary production and nitrous oxide fluxes of most sites, with over 85% of total variation explained by the model. Local sensitivity analysis indicated that the model sensitivity varies among different ecosystems. Net primary production of maize is sensitive to temperature, precipitation, cloudiness, fertilizer, and irrigation and less sensitive to atmospheric CO2 concentrations. In contrast, the net primary production of switchgrass and Miscanthus is most sensitive to temperature among all factors. Nitrous oxide fluxes are sensitive to management in maize ecosystems, and sensitive to climate factors in cellulosic ecosystems. The developed model should help advance our understanding of carbon and nitrogen dynamics of these biofuel ecosystems at both site and regional levels.


A U-shaped antenna which is integrated in the wall of the Tokamak is proposed for use in the ion cyclotron frequency range. A theoretical description is given of this new launching system which presents no frequency cut-off and can be fed directly from a coaxial line. The coupling properties of this slot antenna are very similar to those of the conventional antenna presently used for ICRH in Tokamaks.


Two simultaneous three wave mixing processes are analyzed, where an input frequency is converted to an output frequency via an intermediate stage. By employing simultaneous phase-matching and an adiabatic modulation of the nonlinear coupling strengths, the intermediate frequency is kept dark throughout the interaction while obtaining high conversion efficiency. This feat is accomplished in a manner analogous to population transfer in atomic stimulated Raman adiabatic passage. Applications include conversion between remote frequencies, e.g., mid-IR to visible, and study of electronic crystal properties in the UV absorption band.


Nanocellulose fibers were extracted from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB) fibers by a chemo-mechanical treatment process. The aim of this study is to observe and investigate the morphological structure and fiber dimension characteristic of each stage in the nanocellulose production. The fiber structure characterization of the raw, purified pulps, extracted cellulose and nanocellulose fibers were controlled by observation and investigation under Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Image Analyzer. The morphological observation illustrated that the isolation of nanocellulose fibers had greatly decreased from micron to nanoscale, up to 5-10 nm in diameter, and therefore suitable to be used as quality nano-reinforcement in the polymer matrix for a potential environmental green nanobiocomposites development. Keywords: nanocellulose fibers; morphological observation; fiber dimension; SEM; TEM


This paper presents detailed measurements of the film-cooling effectiveness for three single, scaled-up film-cooling hole geometries. The hole geometries investigated include a cylindrical hole and two holes with a diffuser-shaped exit portion (i.e., a fan-shaped and a laid-back fan-shaped hole). The flow conditions considered are the crossflow Mach number at the hole entrance side (up to 0.6), the crossflow Mach number at the hole exit side (up to 1.2), and the blowing ratio (up to 2). The coolant-to-mainflow temperature ratio is kept constant at 0.54. The measurements are performed by means of an infrared camera system, which provides a two-dimensional distribution of the film-cooling effectiveness in the near field of the cooling hole down to x/D = 10. As compared to the cylindrical hole, both expanded holes show significantly improved thermal protection of the surface downstream of the ejection location, particularly at high blowing ratios. The laidback fan-shaped hole provides a better lateral spreading of the ejected coolant than the fan-shaped hole, which leads to higher laterally averaged film-cooling effectiveness. Coolant passage cross-flow Mach number and orientation strongly affect the flowfield of the jet being ejected from the hole and, therefore, have an important impact on film-cooling performance.


Polymeric lenses have been increasingly used to replace glass lenses due to advantages of light weight, high refractive index, and ease of making into complicated shapes. However, a severe constraint to their wider application lies with their intrinsic weakness in hardness that can lead to mechanical damages by abrasion. During service, fogging remains another unsolved challenge to optical lenses, which may significantly reduce the users' visibility or even cause accident. Therefore, it is imperative to develop mechanically reliable and transparent antifogging coating on polymeric lenses. In this work, a two‐step protocol is developed comprising a room‐temperature oxygen plasma treatment of polymer substrate followed by antifogging silica thin film deposition using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The oxygen plasma treatment modifies the surface chemistry to allow a strong adhesion between the polymer substrate and the silica coating. Due to the porous nature of the PLD deposited nanosilica film, the coating also displays an antireflection effect. This mechanically reliable and highly transparent superhydrophilic silica coating opens great opportunity for the eyewear and high precision optics industries.


We have demonstrated two-photon-absorption induced chiral surface relief formation in an azo-polymer film by the illumination of picosecond 1-μm optical vortex pulses. The chiral surface relief formation required at least several times the response time of trans-cis isomerization of the azo-polymers. The resulting chiral surface relief exhibited a diameter of 3-μm, corresponding to 0.7 times the diffraction limit. We also observed spin-orbital angular momentum coupling in the surface relief formation, even via two-photon-absorption. © 2019 The Author(s)


Nowadays, autonomous vehicles are gaining traction due to their numerous potential applications in resolving a variety of other real-world challenges. However, developing autonomous vehicles need huge amount of training and testing before deploying it to real world. While the field of reinforcement learning (RL) has evolved into a powerful learning framework to the development of deep representation learning, and it is now capable of learning complicated policies in high-dimensional environments like in autonomous vehicles. In this regard, we make an effort, using Deep Q-Learning, to discover a method by which an autonomous car may maintain its lane at top speed while avoiding other vehicles. After that, we used CARLA simulation environment to test and verify our newly acquired policy based on the problem formulation.


Purpose To construct a prognostic signature composed of DNA repair genes to effectively predict the prognosis of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Methods After downloading the transcriptome and clinical data of HNSCC from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), 499 patients with HNSCC were equally divided into training and testing sets. In the training set, 13 DNA repair genes were screened using univariate proportional hazard (Cox) regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis to construct a risk model, which was validated in the testing set. Results In the training and testing sets, there were significant differences in the clinical outcomes of patients in the high- and low-risk groups showed by Kaplan-Meier survival curves (P < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that the risk score had independent prognostic predictive ability (P < 0.001). At the same time, the immune cell infiltration, immune score, immune-related gene expression, and tumor mutation burden (TMB) of patients with HNSCC were also different between the high- and low-risk groups (P < 0.05). Finally, we screened several chemotherapeutics for HNSCC, which showed significant differences in drug sensitivity between the high- and low-risk groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion This study constructed a 13-DNA-repair-gene signature for the prognosis of HNSCC, which could accurately and independently predict the clinical outcome of the patient. We then revealed the immune landscape, TMB, and sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs in different risk groups, which might be used to guide clinical treatment decisions.


Though the U.S. federal investment tax credit (ITC) was permanently repealed in 1986, statelevel ITCs have proliferated over the last few decades. Are these tax incentives effective in increasing investment within the state? How much of this increase is due to investment drawn away from other states? Based on a panel dataset for all 50 states, we find a significant channel for state tax incentives on own-state economic activity and document the importance of interstate capital flows. Whether state investment incentives are a zero-sum game is less certain and depends on the definition of the set of competitive states. JEL Code: H71, H77, H25, H32.


Internet of Things (IoT) prevails in the technological world among various technologies. The creation of IoT brings about a renaissance in the smart connected world. The security issues in IoT have risen alarmingly in recent years. These security issues are inalienable in IoT network. Particularly, attacks in IoT network layer exploit the entire IoT system. The most common attack which makes a big impacts on RPL based IoT network is rank attack. The impacts of rank attack could be reduced by providing efficient technique to identify and mitigate the rank attack. In this paper, a technique "LEACE" is proposed to identify and mitigate rank attack based on the level of the nodes in the network. Rank and level of the nodes are corresponded in the IoT system. For identifying rank attack, the level and rank of the nodes are checked whether the nodes' rank are corresponded with their level. The proposed technique outperforms the VeRa technique. It provides better results than the VeRa in terms of packet delivery ratio, detection accuracy and throughput.


ABSTRACT: As a result of the economic, political and cultural influence of Britain and the US, and the emergence of English as an international language, many world languages have absorbed loanwords from English, especially during the twentieth century. Japanese contains thousands of such borrowings, many of which are well-established and in universal use. A domestic phonetic script is available to both represent and distinguish non-native sounds. This paper outlines the historical and cultural contexts of borrowing from English into Japanese, processes of nativization, and functions served by English loanwords. Orthographical, phonological, morphological, semantic and syntactic modifications to borrowed words aid their assimilation into the native language. However, linguistic and cultural borrowing is to some extent kept separate from native language and culture, resulting in a Japanese/Western dichotomy in Japanese life and language.


The disseminated BCG infection is a rare and serious complication of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine. We report a case of probable disseminated BCG infection in a 10-month-old child who had been vaccinated by BCG vaccine at birth. No incident was noted on the first days of vaccination. At the age of 40 days, she developed left supra clavicular and axillar abcessed lymph nodes. She was treated by surgical flattening of the lymph adenopathy. The same lymph node recurred at the age of 6 months and was treated with surgery. Few weeks after the second episode, cutaneous ulcerative lesions appeared. Cutaneous biopsy was performed and showed lesions compatible with tuberculosis. X-rays showed osteolysis of P1 of the middle finger in the left hand. She was treated by anti-tuberculosis antibiotics.


Objective: Most contemporary data concerning the frequency and causes of multiple sclerosis (MS) misdiagnosis are from North America and Europe with different healthcare system structure and resources than countries in Latin America. We sought to determine the frequency, and potential contributors to MS misdiagnosis in patients evaluated at an MS referral center in Argentina. Methods: The study was a retrospective medical record review. We included patients evaluated at the MS Clinic at Fleni between April 2013 and March 2021. Diagnoses prior to consultation, final diagnoses after consultation, demographic, clinical and paraclinical data, and treatment were extracted and classified. Results: Seven hundred thirty-six patients were identified. Five hundred seventy-two presented with an established diagnosis of MS and after evaluation, misdiagnosis was identified in 89 (16%). Women were at 83% greater risk of misdiagnosis (p = 0.034). The most frequent alternative diagnoses were cerebrovascular disease, radiological isolated syndrome (RIS), and headache. Seventy-four (83%) of misdiagnosed patients presented with a syndrome atypical for demyelination, 62 (70%) had an atypical brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 54 (61%) were prescribed disease-modifying therapy. Conclusion: Sixteen percent of patients with established MS were subsequently found to have been misdiagnosed. Women were at higher risk for misdiagnosis. Expert application of the McDonald criteria may prevent misdiagnosis and its associated morbidity and healthcare system cost.


Accurate quantification of local heat transfer coefficient (HTC) is imperative for design and development of heat exchangers for high heat flux dissipation applications. Liquid crystal and infrared thermography (IRT) are typically employed to measure detailed surface temperatures, where local HTC values are calculated by employing suitable conduction models, e.g., one-dimensional (1D) semi-infinite conduction model on a material with the low thermal conductivity and low thermal diffusivity. Often times, this assumption of 1D heat diffusion and ignoring its associated lateral conduction effects leads to significant errors in HTC determination. Prior studies have identified this problem and quantified the associated errors in HTC determination for some representative cooling concepts, by accounting for lateral heat diffusion. In this paper, we have presented a procedure for solution of three-dimensional (3D) transient conduction equation using alternating direction implicit (ADI) method and an error minimization routine to find accurate HTCs at relatively lower computational cost. Representative cases of a single jet and an array jet impingement under maximum crossflow condition have been considered here, for IRT and liquid crystal thermography, respectively. Results indicate that the globally averaged HTC obtained using the 3D model was consistently higher than the conventional 1D model by 7–14%, with deviation levels reaching as high as 20% near the stagnation region. Proposed methodology was computationally efficient and is recommended for studies aimed toward local HTC determination.