Market based spectrum trading has been extensively studied to realize efficient spectrum utilization in cognitive radio networks (CRNs). In this paper, we utilize the concept of insurance in spectrum trading so as to improve spectrum efficiency in CRNs. We show that by additionally purchasing a specifically designed insurance contract from a PU, an SU can improve its utility since it will be insured against the potential accident, i.e., transmission failure incurred by excessively low SINR. Therefore insurance provides SUs more incentive to purchase PUs' channels and spectrum utilization in CRNs can be improved. In this paper, the original spectrum market including multiple PUs and multiple SUs are modeled as a hybrid market consisting of a spectrum market and an insurance market. In this hybrid market PUs serve as spectrum sellers as well as insurers and SUs act as spectrum buyers as well as insureds. We further model the hybrid market game as a four-stage Bayesian game between PUs and SUs. We characterize the second-best Pareto optimal (SBPO) market allocations and players' perfect Bayesian equilibrium (PBE) strategies. Furthermore, through extensive simulation, we have demonstrated that at the PBE, high risk and low risk SUs will respectively experience improvement in their utilities for approximately 23.5% and 4.6%.


This thesis is a short history of the social struggles of the Roman nation from the beginning of the Monarchy until the times of Julius Caesar in the late Republic. Some of the topics enclosed concern with the establishment of the Republic after the Monarchy, the creation and explanation of the offices of the Republic, the process of the Conflict of the orders, the class conflict between the patricians and the plebeians, and the creation of the Roman constitution. Other topics look at the expansion of Rome across the Mediterranean world through conquest during the Italian, Punic, Macedonian, and Seleucid Wars and how these events shaped the Roman government and social relations between the patricians and plebeians, as well as how the two classes came together during these times of crisis. The latter part of the paper deals with the rise of the Gracchi and the Roman Revolution, and how these events shaped the late Republic and allowed the rise of political figures such as Sulla, Marius, and Caesar. The conclusion finishes with the wrap up of the paper, as well as giving the reader a few small glimpses into the events after the Gracchan revolution.


The H19 lncRNA has been implicated in development and growth control and is associated with human genetic disorders and cancer. Acting as a molecular sponge, H19 inhibits microRNA (miRNA) let-7. Here we report that H19 is significantly decreased in muscle of human subjects with type-2 diabetes and insulin resistant rodents. This decrease leads to increased bioavailability of let-7, causing diminished expression of let-7 targets, which is recapitulated in vitro where H19 depletion results in impaired insulin signaling and decreased glucose uptake. Furthermore, acute hyperinsulinemia downregulates H19, a phenomenon that occurs through PI3K/AKT-dependent phosphorylation of the miRNA processing factor KSRP, which promotes biogenesis of let-7 and its mediated H19 destabilization. Our results reveal a previously undescribed double-negative feedback loop between sponge lncRNA and target miRNA that contributes to glucose regulation in muscle cells.


ONC201 is a small molecule originally identified as a TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) inducing compound currently being tested in phase1/2 clinical trials in multiple cancer types. Two recent studies reported that ONC201 also induces an atypical stress response mediated in part by ATF4 and CHOP. In this study, we tested ONC201 toxicity in breast cancer cell lines. ONC201 was obtained from Oncoceutics, Inc. Cell viability was tested with MTS assay and CytoTox-Glo assay. ATP level was measured with CellTiter-Glo 2.0 assay. RNA-seq and Western blotting were performed to investigate change of gene expression. Mitochondrial respiration was monitored by Seahorse XF analyzer. Live cell imaging was performed to examine the mode of cell death. Confocal and electron microscopy analysis were performed to study mitochondrial morphology. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number was analyzed by Quantitative PCR (qPCR). Mitochondrial defective (rho0) cell lines were generated by ethidium bromide treatment. We tested the effects of ONC201 on 18 human breast cancer cell lines that represent ER+, HER2-amplified, basal A triple-negative (TNBC), and basal B TNBC breast cancer. ONC201 reduced cell viability in breast cancer cell lines in all subtypes tested with IC50s ranging from 0.8-5 μM, similar to what has been reported for other cancer cell types. Unexpectedly, ONC201 toxicity was not dependent on TRAIL receptors or caspases. Live cell imaging revealed ONC201 induces cell membrane ballooning followed by rupture. By contrast, GST-TRAIL induced TRAIL-receptor dependent caspase mediated death and classic apoptosis morphology. These results suggested that ONC201 kills breast cancer cells via a caspase-independent, TRAIL-receptor-independent mechanism. Western blots confimed that ONC201 induces ATF4 and CHOP, consistent with reported observations. ONC201 also induced phosphorylation of AMP-dependent kinase (AMPK) and depletion of cellular ATP in multiple breast cancer cell lines. Cytotoxicity and ATP depletion induced by ONC201 were significantly enhanced in nonglucose (galactose) medium compared with glucose-containing medium, suggesting that ONC201 targets mitochondrial respiration. Supplementing glucose to cells grown in galactose medium rescued ONC201-dependent ATP depletion, cytotoxicity, and induction of p-AMPK, ATF4, and CHOP. Seahorse XF analyzer indicated that ONC201 inhibits mitochondrial respiration via an indirect mechanism. Confocal imaging revealed that ONC201 induces mitochondrial fission and reduces membrane potential. Electron microscopic analysis revealed that ONC201 induces mitochondrial structural damages, such as mitochondrial swelling, matrix lysis, and fragmentation. Confocal imaging and qPCR revealed that ONC201 decreases mtDNA. Importantly, ONC201 induced mitochondrial damage and mtDNA depletion even in ONC201-resistant cells, implying that cells that are not dependent on mitochondrial respiration are ONC201 resistant. Indeed, multiple rho0 cell lines were ONC201-resistant. RNAseq analysis confirmed that ONC201 inhibits expression of multiple mtDNA-encoded genes and nuclear encoded mitochondrial genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation and other mitochondrial functions, and Western blot reinforced those findings. In summary, our data demonstrate that ONC201 kills breast cancer cells by targeting mitochondria. Citation Format: Yoshimi Endo Greer, Samuel Gilbert, Celia Islam, Ashley Ubaldini, Christina Stuelten, Natalie Porat-Shliom, Roberto Weigert, Yun Ji, Luca Gattinoni, Ferri Soheilian, Kunio Nagashima, Xiantao Wang, Markus Hafner, Jyoti Shetty, Bao Tran, Vishal Koparde, Parthav Jailwala, Maggie Cam, Dan Crooks, W. Marston Linehan, Donna Voeller, William Reinhold, Vinodh Rajapakse, Yves Pommier, Stanley Lipkowitz. ONC201 kills breast cancer cells by targeting mitochondria [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2017 Oct 26-30; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2018;17(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B023.


The development of turbulent spots in- a separation bubble under elevated freestream turbulence levels is examined through direct numerical simulation. The flow Reynolds number, freestream turbulence level, and streamwise pressure distribution are typical of the conditions encountered on the suction side of low-pressure turbine blades of gas-turbine engines. Based on the simulation results, the spreading and propagation rates of the turbulent spots and their internal structure are documented, and comparisons are made to empirical correlations that are used for predicting the transverse growth and streamwise propagation characteristics of turbulent spots. The internal structure of the spots is identified as a series of vortex loops that develop as a result of low-velocity streaks generated in the shear layer. A frequency that is approximately 50% higher than that of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is identified in the separated shear layer, which is shown to be associated with the convection of these vortex loops through the separated shear layer. While freestream turbulence is noted to promote breakdown of the laminar separated shear layer into turbulence through the generation of turbulent spots, evidence is found to suggest coexistence of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, including the possibility of breakdown to turbulence through this mechanism.


How might the social scientific study of religion (SSSR) benefit from adjusting some of its journal article publishing standards and practices ? This article builds onfive presuppositions about the purpose and nature of good sociology in order to advance five specific proposals for changes in how we write, review, and make use of journal articles in the field. Those proposals concern the publishing of descriptive empirical research notes, meta-analysis review essays, detailed methodological information, arguments about causation, and analytical emphases on the substantive power of variables rather than mere statistical significance. The purpose and expected result of these proposed publishing adjustments is to increase the quality, value, and cumulative nature of the scholarship produced in the SSSR.


Insect cells (Aedes albopictus) were infected with Semliki Forest Virus. Cell-cell fusion was then induced by lowering the extracellular pH. The underlying processes were examined by monitoring the intercellular current flow, Ij. Experimentally, this involved the use of cell pairs in conjunction with a dual voltage-clamp method. This approach allowed us to monitor the kinetics of fusion at high temporal resolution. The fusion process began shortly after acidification (delay: 3-138 sec). Initially, Ij increased in a stepwise manner, later on it developed more gradually. Fusion between two cells reached a steady state within 7-70 sec. The steps in Ij are attributable to the formation of cytoplasmic connections between the cells, presumably involving proteinaceous fusion pores. The mean amplitude of Ij steps corresponds to a conductance of 300 pS, consistent with a pore radius of 1 nm. Cytoplasmic connections developed rapidly, i.e., Ij steps occurred within less than 1 msec. The absence of Ij flickering implies that formation of cytoplasmic connections, and hence SFV induced cell-cell fusion, is irreversible.


The experiment, for oil content analysis, was conducted for two growing seasons under rain fed condition (2012-2013) in Humera and Dansha, and in a single year (2013 cropping season) in Sheraro (a total of five environments). The experiment, comprised of 13 sesame genotypes, laid out in randomized complete block design of three replications with the objective of determining the magnitude of Genotype × Environment Interaction (GEI) and oil content. There was highly significant (p<0.01) oil content variation based on genotypes, environments and GEI resulting 26, 42.7 and 30.9% of the total sum of squares for the oil content variation, respectively. The grand mean of the oil content was 53.9%, yielding genotypes G4 and G11 with the highest oil content (55.1%) each and G8 with the lowest oil content (51.4%). G4 was the exceptional genotype with highest oil content (55.1%) and oil yield (512.9 kg/ha). Environments, E4 and E5 were the favorable environments and E1, E2 and E3 were unfavorable environments for sesame oil production. According to the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI1) bi-plot, genotypes G4, G13 and G10 were stable genotypes and genotypes G2, G8, G9, G3 and G1 were unstable genotypes in most of the environments. The AMMI 2 bi-plot showed that, genotypes G2, G3 and G9 were specifically adaptable genotypes and genotypes G10, G12, G4 and G7 were widely adaptable in most of the environments for their oil content. Oil content of sesame varies highly both across years and locations.

 Key words: Adaptable, additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI), bi-plot, environment, stability.


In this paper a novel approach is that the switches in parallel used to develop a interleaved boost dc-dc converter and pulse width modulation integrated circuits (PWM ICs) are used in order to maintain phase difference between switching pluses are 180°. These dedicated ICs makes closed loop operation of interleaved boost converter(IBC). With the input voltage about 52V and the output voltage about 218V with it can drive the load about 500W, with an efficiency of about 90%. In place of battery it can be replaced by solar string and with four batteries of each 12V with high current rated can be used to drive high power load with continuous conduction mode(CCM) of operation. In the following simplified schematic is included along with proposed circuit, the input and output filters can be smaller due to ripple current cancellation. Authors of this contribution report a simulation and hardware results of proposed topology of a two stage IBC with it has been shown that the size and cost can be minimized, possible extension to multiple topologies is indicated.


Salsola kali L. is a summer annual broad-leaved weed and C4, salt and drought-tolerant species belonging to Chenopodiaceae family. It is a prolific seed-producing weed. In order to investigate the Germination cardinal temperatures of Salsola kali L., seeds were collected from North Khorasan (faroj) and Razavi khorasan (mashhad) and a laboratory experiment was conducted at constant temperatures including, 5, 10, 20, 30, 35, 40 and 45 °C with a daily alternating photoperiod (12 h light/12 h dark) in a completely randomized design with four replications in Ferdowsi university of Mashhad. To determine the cardinal temperatures for seed germination, nonlinear regression methods of Quadratic Polynomial (QPN), Intersected-lines (ISL) and Five-parameter Beta (FPB) models have been used. The highest germination percentage was within the range of 10-40 °C, while the highest germination rate occurred in the 20-40°C range. FPB and ISL models showed most suitable fit based on highest R2adj for Razavi Khorasan and North khorasan, respectively. The cardinal temperatures for North khorasan seeds were 2.35, 34.8 and 48.35 °C and for Razavi Khorasan were 2.63, 32.55 and 45.42 °C. By These results, the broad temperature range of germination and invasion ability for this weed would be indicated.


This brief presents a molecular dynamics study on a molecular device proposed for terahertz signal processing. We conclude that signals following the movement of gold clusters attached to molecules can modulate vibrational modes in the terahertz spectrum of the internal coordinates defining molecular bonds. It is shown, that by using intensities involved in natural vibrational modes, which are experimentally recoverable in spectroscopy measurements, we can recover components due to couplings between local modes and, thus, provide a computational proof of the possibility of using molecular-vibrational modes for molecular electronics. The vibration of atoms can encode information that reflects local variations of electrical dipole and polarizability.


Although management of intractable pain using long-term intrathecal analgesic administration by implantable infusion systems has become acceptable clinical practice, this method presents unique challenges regarding the stability of the pharmaceutical agent(s) delivered. The stability and compatibility of a single drug such as hydromorphone or bupivacaine, as well as mixtures of morphine-clonidine, have previously been reported, but only using implantable infusion systems and syringes under simulated clinical use conditions, not from implanted intrathecal pumps. The objective of this study was to assess the compatibility and stability of drug mixtures from intrathecal pumps placed in patients. For this case-series, 5 patients with intrathecal pumps who presented to the pain clinic for refill were randomly selected. An aliquot of sample extracted from the pump and an aliquot of new medicine used for pump refill were collected. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to compare the 2 samples. Drug samples used were as follows: (A) hydromorphone only, (B) morphine and bupivacaine, (C) hydromorphone and ziconotide, (D) ziconotide and baclofen; and (E) hydromorphone, ziconotide, and baclofen. Samples B and E appeared to be stable when placed in situ in the SynchroMed II intrathecal pump based on the HPLC analysis. However, samples A, C, and D appeared to have undergone some degradation and/or byproduct formation as noted in the graphical display on HPLC. While sample A was a single-drug combination, the sample was in the pump for over 3 months; likewise, sample E was a 3-drug combination, however it was in the pump for only 30 days. Based on these results, it appears as though (a) when the length of time the drug stays in the intrathecal pump increases, or (b) when a combination of drugs is used in the intrathecal pump (as opposed to a single drug), some drug degradation and/or byproduct formation happens as seen on HPLC. This is the first reported study assessing the compatibility and stability of drug mixtures from intrathecal pumps. While the above reported HPLC data reveals quantitative differences, further qualitative analysis is required for confirmation and possible identification of possible degradation and/or byproducts.


This paper aims to analyze the effect of the vibration mode and forward speed in the reduction of the draft force in the vibrating scarifiers. To complete this objective the experimental research was develop in the areas of production of Agroindustrial Complex Sugar "Boris Luis Santa Coloma", belonging to the town of Madruga, Mayabeque province, where they analyzed the effects of self and forced vibrations (factor A) in the tensile strength of a prototype vibrating scarifiers. (Bayamo 81M). Also analyzed the effects of the forward speed (Factor B) in the draft force demand. The results showed that of these factors, the type of vibration exerted a significant influence on the variability of draft force, the forward speed effects was not found significant, as well as the interaction between both factors. Although was not significant the effects of speed, when exhibit values of 4,5 km/h the effects on the variability of draft force were higher than for the speed range of 1,044 to 3,96 km/h. Similarly it was found that the use of forced vibrations in scarification depth allows a reduction in draft force by nine percent, compared with the use of self vibrations.


Leibler pioneered the idea that long enough matrix polymers of length P will spontaneously dewet a chemically identical polymer layer, comprising chains of length N, densely end-grafted to a flat surface ("brush"). This entropically driven idea is routinely used to explain experiments in which 10-20 nm diameter nanoparticles (NPs) densely grafted with polymer chains are found to phase separate from chemically identical melts for P/N ≳4. At lower grafting densities, these effects are also thought to underpin the self-assembly of grafted NPs into a variety of structures. To explore the validity of this picture, we conducted large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of grafted NPs in a chemically identical polymer melt. For the NPs we consider, in the ≈5 nm diameter range, we find no phase separation even for P/N = 10 in the absence of attractions. Instead, we find behavior that more closely parallels experiments when all of the chain monomers are equally attractive to each other but repel the NPs. Our results thus imply that experimental situations investigated to date are dominated by the surfactancy of the NPs, which is driven by the chemical mismatch between the inorganic core and the organic ligands (the graft and free chains are chemically identical). Entropic effects, that is, the translational entropy of the NPs and the matrix, the entropy of mixing of the grafts and the matrix, and the conformational entropy of the chains appear to thus have a second-order effect even in the context of these model systems.


Abstract. Controllable and effective irradiation of lesions is among the key factors that affect the potency of photodynamic therapy (PDT). An optimization method for the irradiance distribution of treatment was proposed which can be used to improve the efficacy of PDT and allow more lesions to receive the desired irradiance level in a single therapy session. With the proposed digital illumination binocular treatment system, the preferred surface normal vectors, irradiation angles, as well as area and weight coefficients of lesions can be achieved and used as characteristic parameters to optimize the irradiation direction. Two port-wine stain phantom experiments were performed. The comparison of the illumination area between preoptimization and postoptimization showed that the proposed method can effectively guide the light source control, improve the distribution of light dose, and increase the effective treatment area.


Apricot is grown in a wide range of climatic conditions in Iran, however, it is frequently damaged by late spring frost. In this case, identification of new genotypes tolerant to cold stress is indispensably needed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic population and relationships among 27 apricot accessions (Prunus armeniaca) by 30 microsatellite markers and 11 morphological traits. Based on the PIC values, the SSR loci (UDP96001, UDP96003, UDP98412 and UDP98411) were the most informative markers. The morphological traits were categorized into three components which explained 91.23% of total variation. The two-dimensional PCA plot exhibited that the highest degree of fruit quality and quantity belonged to the susceptible cultivar of Shahrood 48 which showed to be the favorable parent for the production of resistant mutants with high value of fruit traits to late spring frost. Moreover, the close relatedness of Shahrood 48 and its mutants according to the molecular analyses (including a Bayesian clustering approach and a Partial repeated bisection) confirmed the results of fruit traits analysis. The findings suggest that the wide diversity present in Iranian apricot genotypes could be used as a genetic resource for conservation and development of new cultivars resistant to late spring frost and for designing further apricot breeding programs. The promising new mutant genotypes tolerant to cold stress will be evaluated based on morphological markers in further breeding studies.


In epidemiology, a typical measure of interest is the risk of disease conditional upon exposure. A common source of bias in the estimation of risks and risk ratios is misclassification. Exposure misclassification affects the measurement of exposure, i.e. the variable one conditions on. This article explains how to assess biases under non-differential exposure misclassification when estimating vaccine effectiveness, i.e. the vaccine-induced relative reduction in the risk of disease. The problem can be described in terms of three binary variables: the unobserved true exposure status, the observed but potentially misclassified exposure status, and the observed true disease status. The bias due to exposure misclassification is quantified by the difference between the naïve estimand defined as one minus the risk ratio comparing individuals observed as vaccinated with individuals observed as unvaccinated, and the vaccine effectiveness defined as one minus the risk ratio comparing truly vaccinated with truly unvaccinated. The magnitude of the bias depends on five factors: the risks of disease in the truly vaccinated and the truly unvaccinated, the sensitivity and specificity of exposure measurement, and vaccination coverage. Non-differential exposure misclassification bias is always negative. In practice, if the sensitivity and specificity are known or estimable from external sources, the true risks and the vaccination coverage can be estimated from the observed data and, thus, the estimation of vaccine effectiveness based on the observed risks can be corrected for exposure misclassification. When analysing risks under misclassification, careful consideration of conditional probabilities is crucial.


Vehicle position estimation for wireless network has been studied in many fields since it has the ability to provide a variety of services, such as detecting oncoming collisions and providing warning signals to alert the driver. The services provided are often based on collaboration among vehicles that are equipped with relatively simple motion sensors and GPS units. Awareness of its precise position is vital to every vehicle, so that it can provide accurate data to its peers. Currently, typical positioning techniques integrate GPS receiver data and measurements of the vehicles motion. However, when the vehicle passes through an environment that creates multipath effect, these techniques fail to produce high position accuracy that they attain in open environments. Unfortunately, vehicles often travel in environments that cause multipath effect, such as areas with high buildings, trees, or tunnels. The goal of this research is to minimize the multipath effect with respect to the position accuracy of vehicles.

The proposed technique first detects whether there is disturbance in the vehicle position estimate that is caused by the multipath effect using hypothesis test. This technique integrates all information with the vehicle's own data and the Constrained Weighted Least Squares (CWLS) optimization approach with time difference of arrival (TDOA) technique and minimizes the position estimate error of the vehicle. Kalman filter is used for smoothing range data and mitigating the NLOS errors. The positioning problem is formulated in a state-space framework and the constraints on system states are considered explicitly.

The proposed recursive positioning algorithm will be comparatively more robust to measurement errors because it updates the technique that feeds the position corrections back to the Kalman Filter as compared with a Kalman tracking algorithm that estimates the target track directly from the TDOA measurements. It compensates the GPS data and decreases random error influence to the position precision.

The new techniques presented in this thesis decrease the error in the position estimate. Simulation results show that the proposed tracking algorithm can improve the accuracy significantly.


An a posteriori error bound for the maximum (pointwise) error for the interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin method for a standard elliptic model problem on polyhedral domains is presented. The computational domain is not required to be Lipschitz, thus allowing for domains with cracks and other irregular polyhedral domains. The proof is based on the direct use of Green's functions and varies substantially from the approach used in previous proofs of similar $L_\infty$ estimates for (continuous) finite element methods in the literature. Numerical experiments indicating the good behavior of the resulting a posteriori bounds within an adaptive algorithm are also presented.


Globally, the pandemic caused by COVID-19, has put in brakes to activities in the entire world. As on 3 July 2020 world has 34,45,519 cases affected by virus and a death toll of 2,42,623. Except few countries like Nepal, Bhutan,Vietnam and North Korea almost all other countries are affected. The death toll varies from country to country; US having the maximum 65,960 deaths while Nepal, Bhutan, Vietnam. North Korea do not have any deaths so far.The control under certain conditions has been the most important factor in a nation and the strategies adopted by the leaders have played the crucial role. In China itself, it was controlled with a heavy hand. In India too the control has been very significant for low number of affected and deaths.The leadership qualities such as deep vision, formation of strategies, timely decision making, control of manpower, health administration, lockdowns,curfew and financial aspects to ensure minimum damage to men andeconomy. He has to maintain strict discipline to ensure lockdowns and curfews and also have to keep in mind the needs of the lower strata. He has multifarious task for which he has to select suitable persons to manage the affair and control. This paper does the critical analysis of the leadership qualities needed in pandemics and the strategizing, decision making and effective application of the decisions.


ABSTRACT Introduction The 1st Regional Experts on Infant Vaccination (REIV) meeting generated updated consensus recommendations to improve the control of various major vaccine preventable diseases (VPD) in Latin America. Areas covered Workshops highlighted recent changes in immunization schedules within the region, experience of countries incorporating combined acellular pertussis vaccines schedules and parenteral inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). The need to definitively replace oral polio vaccine (OPV) by IPV, and potential benefits of introducing new combined vaccines, were extensively discussed. Expert opinion REIV strongly advised immediate adoption of either complete IPV schedules for all Latin America or schedules including at least two initial doses of IPV. Use of fractional doses of intradermally administered IPV (fIPV ID) was not recommended due to lower immunogenicity, lack of evidence on long-term protection, and technical difficulty to implement. Routine pertussis vaccination of pregnant women in addition to health workers of neonatology units and any previously unimmunized parent was encouraged. Administration of HBV vaccine to newborns within the first 24 hours of life, and then at 2, 4, and 6 months, and of a booster dose of conjugate Hib vaccine at age 12 through 15 months, was also recommended. Incorporation of combined vaccines (CV) was considered potentially advantageous.


There is a widely recognised national trend for girls to outperform boys at all levels of compulsory schooling. With few exceptions, however, most recent research has reported that, in relation to academic performance at university, men are proportionately over‐represented at the First Class level. A number of general hypotheses have been put forward to explain this phenomenon, including those that assume gender‐linked differences in cognitive and/or personality traits. A smaller proportion of research has given explanatory primacy to the broad subject area studied. More specifically, it has been alleged that the over‐representation of men within the First bracket is largely a function of a 'compositional effect' whereby men achieve proportionately more Firsts as there are more of them within the First‐rich Sciences. Based upon analysis of 1,707,408 students graduating between 1995 and 2002, this paper seeks to provide the most comprehensive exploration, to date, of this effect. It confirms that a substantial proportion of the 'gender gap' can be explained with reference to the male propensity to take degrees in first‐rich disciplines.


Leigh syndrome French Canadian type (LSFC) is a mitochondrial disease caused by mutations in the leucine-rich pentatricopeptide repeat-containing (LRPPRC) gene leading to a reduction of cytochrome-c oxidase (COX) expression reaching 50% in skin fibroblasts. We have shown that under basal conditions, LSFC and control cells display similar ATP levels. We hypothesized that this occurs through upregulation of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR)-mediated metabolic reprogramming. Our results showed that compared with controls, LSFC cells exhibited an upregulation of the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1)/p70 ribosomal S6 kinase pathway and higher levels of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and its downstream target pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDHK1), a regulator of mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase 1 (PDH1). Consistent with these signaling alterations, LSFC cells displayed a 40-61% increase in [U-13C6]glucose contribution to pyruvate, lactate, and alanine formation, as well as higher levels of the phosphorylated and inactive form of PDH1-α. Interestingly, inhibition of mTOR with rapamycin did not alter HIF-1α or PDHK1 protein levels in LSFC fibroblasts. However, this treatment increased PDH1-α phosphorylation in control and LSFC cells and reduced ATP levels in control cells. Rapamycin also decreased LRPPRC expression by 41 and 11% in LSFC and control cells, respectively, and selectively reduced COX subunit IV expression in LSFC fibroblasts. Taken together, our data demonstrate the importance of mTORC1, independent of the HIF-1α/PDHK1 axis, in maintaining LRPPRC and COX expression in LSFC cells.


A set of 256 entries involving seven parents and their single, three-way and double crosses derived through half diallel were evaluated along with private/public hybrids for grain yield in a balanced lattice design at three environments during kharif 2015. ANOVA revealed that TWC × Parents, DC × TWC, DC × SC, DC × Parents, SC × Parents interaction were significant at all the locations. Mean squares for singles, double and three-way crosses were similar at Hyderabad, Karimnagar locations and at Palem location with high mean squares for three-way crosses. Data were also obtained on the variety × environment interaction patterns for the three types of crosses. Significant interaction deviate was higher for double crosses followed by three-way crosses and single crosses.Average yield of double crosses was 37 kg ha-1 greater than that for single crosses, and the average for single crosses was 143 kg ha-1 greater than for three-way crosses. The range of single crosses was 483 kg ha-1 less than that for three-way crosses and 30 kg ha-1 greater than that for double crosses. Stability analysis for grain yield showed significant genotype × environment interaction in all the three classes of hybrids and the crosses (BML-51 × BML-10) × (BML-6), (BML-51 × BML-32) × (BML-13 × BML-6) and (BML-13 × BML-7) × (BML-10 × BML-6) were found to be stable, had average response to all environments, hence these are need to be exploited to combat biotic and abiotic stresses arising through climate change.


To gain insight into the pathogenesis of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) and whether there is progression from normal-to-adenoma-to-carcinoma, we performed genome-wide gene expression, gene methylation, microRNA expression and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) analysis in human adrenocortical tissue (normal, adrenocortical adenomas and ACC) samples. A pairwise comparison of normal, adrenocortical adenomas and ACC gene expression profiles with more than four-fold expression differences and an adjusted P-value < 0.05 revealed no major differences in normal versus adrenocortical adenoma whereas there are 808 and 1085, respectively, dysregulated genes between ACC versus adrenocortical adenoma and ACC versus normal. The majority of the dysregulated genes in ACC were downregulated. By integrating the CGH, gene methylation and expression profiles of potential miRNAs with the gene expression of dysregulated genes, we found that there are higher alterations in ACC versus normal compared to ACC versus adrenocortical adenoma. Importantly, we identified several novel molecular pathways that are associated with dysregulated genes and further experimentally validated that oncostatin m signaling induces caspase 3 dependent apoptosis and suppresses cell proliferation. Finally, we propose that there is higher number of genomic changes from normal-to-adenoma-to-carcinoma and identified oncostatin m signaling as a plausible druggable pathway for therapeutics.


Abstract. Differential mobility particle size spectrometers (DMPSs)
are widely used to measure the aerosol number size distribution. Especially
during new particle formation (NPF), the dynamics of the ultrafine
size distribution determine the significance of the newly formed particles
within the atmospheric system. A precision quantification of the
size distribution and derived quantities such as new particle formation and
growth rates is therefore essential. However, size-distribution measurements in the sub-10 nm range suffer from high particle losses and are often derived from only a few counts in the DMPS system, making them subject to very high counting uncertainties. Here we show that a CPC (modified Airmodus A20) with a significantly higher aerosol optics flow rate compared to
conventional ultrafine CPCs can greatly enhance the counting statistics in
that size range. Using Monte Carlo uncertainty estimates, we show that the
uncertainties of the derived formation and growth rates can be reduced from
10 %–20 % down to 1 % by deployment of the high statistics CPC on a strong NPF event day. For weaker events and hence lower number concentrations, the counting statistics can result in a complete breakdown of the growth rate estimate with relative uncertainties as high as 40 %, while the improved
DMPS still provides reasonable results at 10 % relative accuracy. In
addition, we show that other sources of uncertainty are present in CPC
measurements, which might become more important when the uncertainty from
the counting statistics is less dominant. Altogether, our study shows that
the analysis of NPF events could be greatly improved by the availability of
higher counting statistics in the used aerosol detector of DMPS systems.


Vitamin D and its metabolites 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [24,25-(OH)2D], 25,26-(OH)2D, and 1,25-(OH)2D were measured after separation on high pressure liquid chromatography in sera from two hypoparathyroid patients treated with high doses of vitamin D2. Fractions with displacement activities in the competitive protein-binding assays were found which were not detectable in sera from controls not supplemented with vitamin D2. These fractions, presumably representing vitamin D2 metabolites, were quantitated separately from the vitamin D3 metabolites. After a change of treatment from milligram doses of vitamin D2 to microgram doses of 1 alpha OHD3, the serum metabolites of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 were followed from 8-13 months. During the first 2-3 months, there was an initial relatively rapid fall in serum vitamin D2 levels and metabolites, followed by a slower decline. High levels of vitamin D2 metabolites were still present after 13 months. Taking into account the marked preponderance of 25OHD2 to 25OHD3, the relative concentration of (OH)2D3 metabolites were higher than expected, which might indicate a preferential 25OHD3 hydroxylation or alternatively, a more rapid degradation of vitamin D2 metabolites in these patients. The high and sustained release of vitamin D2, presumably from fat stores, more than a year after vitamin D2 ingestion was stopped has obvious clinical implications and should be considered in the long term follow-up of patients shifted from the traditional high doses of vitamin D to the newly synthesized 1 alpha OHD3 or 1,25(OH)2D3.


This report summarizes the results of a hydrological analysis of two emplacement schemes being considered for the storage of commercial high-level nuclear waste at the Nevada Test Site. The analysis is two-dimensional, considers the flow of water in partially saturated tuff (the Topopah Springs member of the Paintbrush tuff in Yucca Mountain) and includes the effects of the heat source (waste canisters) on that flow. The results include measures of the heat flux entering the access and emplacement drifts, measures of the flow rates near the canisters and a comparison of the temperature fields. It was necessary in the analysis to approximate the boundary conditions at the walls of the access and emplacement drifts in order to simulate the ventilation process. As a result the analysis was done for several cases which were expected to bracket the actual situation. A discussion of this problem is also included in the report. It should be noted that these results are intended as a means of comparing emplacement schemes, not as a performance assessment. 72 figures, 6 tables.


Within this paper, we consider a group of mobile robots in a shared operation space controlled by a distributed model predictive control scheme, where each robot is assigned with individual start and target positions. Each robot solves an Optimal Control Problem, based on information about the predictions of the other robots, to calculate an optimal trajectory over a fixed horizon length. The information exchange among the robots is quantised by projecting the trajectory onto a grid. To reduce the communication overhead, the interval superposition principle is used by transmitting only the minimum and maximum coordinates of the trajectory, yielding a static interval of reserved cells. To attenuate the effect of many reserved cells, the dynamics and directional movement of the robot is incorporated to determine, which of the reserved cells are not needed by this robot anymore. This additional information can be transmitted without necessary overhead. Furthermore, the time instant can be excluded from the communicated cells. To this end, numerical simulations based on holonomic dynamics of mobile robots are presented and compared with the conservative approach.


Four dimensional geometric shell shaping (4D-GSS) is introduced and evaluated for reach increase and nonlinearity tolerance in terms of achievable information rates and post-FEC bit-error rate. A format is designed with a spectral efficiency of 8 bit/4D-sym and is compared against polarization-multiplexed 16QAM (PM-16QAM) and probabilistically shaped PM-16QAM (PS-PM-16QAM) in a 400ZR-compatible transmission setup with high amount of nonlinearities. Numerical simulations for a single-span, single-channel show that 4D-GSS achieves increased nonlinear tolerance and reach increase against PM-16QAM and PS-PM-16QAM when optimized for bit-metric decoding (RBMD). In terms of RBMD, gains are small with a reach increase of 1.6% compared to PM-16QAM. When optimizing for mutual information, a larger reach increase of 3% is achieved compared to PM-16QAM. Moreover, the introduced GSS scheme provides a scalable framework for designing well-structured 4D modulation formats with low complexity.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of CHOP regimen based on doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome in the initial treatment of elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

METHODS
Thirty-one patients with DLBCL treated from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2019 were analyzed retrospectively, their median age was 83 (71-95) years old, and all of them were in Ⅲ-Ⅳ stage, including 17 cases who had international prognostic index (IPI) ≥ 3. The patients were treated with R-CHOP and CHOP regimens based on doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome. The efficacy and safety were evaluated during and after treatment.

RESULTS
A total of 219 chemotherapy cycles and 7 median cycles were performed in 31 patients. The overall response (OR) rate and complete remission (CR) rate was 80.7% (25/31) and 61.3% (19/31), respectively, as well as 2 cases (6.5%) stable, 4 cases (12.9%) progressive. The main toxicities were as follows: the incidence of grade Ⅲ -Ⅳ neutropenia was 29% (9/31); two patients (6.5%) developed degree Ⅰ-Ⅱ cardiac events, which were characterized by new degree Ⅰ atrioventricular block; there were no cardiac events requiring emergency treatment and discontinuation of chemotherapy. The 1-year, 2-year and 3-year overall survival rate was 83.9%, 77.4% and 61.3%, respectively. The 1-year, 2-year and 3-year progression-free survival rate was 77.4%, 64.5% and 61.3%, respectively.

CONCLUSION
The chemotherapy regimen based on doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome has better efficacy and higher cardiac safety for elderly patients with DLBCL.


The purpose of this research is the manufacture of bioethanol by utilizing cassava peel, this process is through acid hydrolysis and fermentation processes. Making bioethanol with variations in the effect of the rate of fermentation time (5 th days and 10 th days), as well as with variations in the amount of mold concentrations (10%, 20%, and 30%). The mold used is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, then the mixed bioethanol is separated through the distillation process and will produce bioethanol. Based on the data obtained, the highest ethanol content was found in the variation of the addition of 30% mold on the 5th day of 8.09% and the lowest ethanol content was found in the variation of the addition of 10% mold on the 10 th days of 5.86%. This proves that each variation has an optimum value in producing bioethanol content from cassava peels.


The Lasso is one of the most popular methods in high dimensional statistical learning. Most existing theoretical results for the Lasso, however, require the samples to be iid. Recent work has provided guarantees for the Lasso assuming that the time series is generated by a sparse Vector Auto-Regressive (VAR) model with Gaussian innovations. Proofs of these results rely critically on the fact that the true data generating mechanism (DGM) is a finite-order Gaussian VAR. This assumption is quite brittle: linear transformations, including selecting a subset of variables, can lead to the violation of this assumption. In order to break free from such assumptions, we derive nonasymptotic inequalities for estimation error and prediction error of the Lasso estimate of the best linear predictor without assuming any special parametric form of the DGM. Instead, we rely only on (strict) stationarity and mixing conditions to establish consistency of the Lasso in the following two scenarios: (a) alpha-mixing Gaussian processes, and (b) beta-mixing sub-Gaussian random vectors. Our work provides an alternative proof of the consistency of the Lasso for sparse Gaussian VAR models. But the applicability of our results extends to non-Gaussian and non-linear times series models as the examples we provide demonstrate. In order to prove our results, we derive a novel Hanson-Wright type concentration inequality for beta-mixing sub-Gaussian random vectors that may be of independent interest.


PURPOSE
Detector lag, or residual signal, in amorphous silicon (a-Si) flat-panel (FP) detectors can cause significant shading artifacts in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) reconstructions. To date, most correction models have assumed a linear, time-invariant (LTI) model and lag is corrected by deconvolution with an impulse response function (IRF). However, there are many ways to determine the IRF. The purpose of this work is to better understand detector lag in the Varian 4030CB FP and to identify the IRF measurement technique that best removes the CBCT shading artifact.

METHODS
We investigated the linearity of lag in a Varian 4030CB a-Si FP operating in dynamic gain mode at 15 frames per second by examining the rising step-response function (RSRF) followed by the falling step-response function (FSRF) at ten incident exposures (0.5%-84% of a-Si FP saturation exposure). We implemented a multiexponential (N = 4) LTI model for lag correction and investigated the effects of various techniques for determining the IRF such as RSRF versus FSRF, exposure intensity, length of exposure, and spatial position. The resulting IRFs were applied to (1) the step-response projection data and (2) CBCT acquisitions of a large pelvic phantom and acrylic head phantom. For projection data, 1st and 50th frame lags were measured pre- and postcorrection. For the CBCT reconstructions, four pairs of ROIs were defined and the maximum and mean errors within each pair were calculated for the different exposures and step-response edge techniques.

RESULTS
A nonlinearity greater than 50% was observed in the FSRF data. A model calibrated with RSRF data resulted in overcorrection of FSRF data. Conversely, models calibrated with FSRF data applied to RSRF data resulted in undercorrection of the RSRF. Similar effects were seen when LTI models were applied to data collected at different incident exposures. Some spatial variation in lag was observed in the step-response data. For CBCT reconstructions, an average error range of 3-21 HU was observed when using IRFs from different techniques. For our phantoms and FP, the lowest average error occurred for the FSRF-based techniques at exposures of 1.6 or 3.4% a-Si FP saturation, depending on the phantom used.

CONCLUSIONS
The choice of step-response edge (RSRF versus FSRF) and exposure intensity for IRF calibration could leave large residual lag in the step-response data. For the CBCT reconstructions, IRFs derived from FSRF data at low exposure intensities (1.6 and 3.4%) best removed the CBCT shading artifact. Which IRF to use for lag correction could be selected based on the object size.


Five distinct heavy mineral assemblages are found in late Cenozoic and modern sediments along the central California coast. Nine heavy mineral provinces distributed in the central California Coast Ranges and adjacent continental shelf are formed by these assemblages. They are: (1) hornblende-sphene, derived from granodiorite and quartz diorite rocks; (2) hornblende-garnet, derived from mixed granitic and metamorphic rocks; (3) glaucophane-jadeite, derived from Franciscan rocks; (4) augite, derived from Cenozoic volcanic rocks; and (5) hornblende-augite-hypersthene, derived from volcanic and plutonic rocks. These assemblages are based on nonmicaceous, nonopaque minerals in the sand-size fraction of sediments. Micaceous and opaque minerals differ greatly in hydraulic properties from most heavy minerals. They are generally not indicative of provenance but instead are useful indicators of depositional environment.


This article aims to develop a precision methodology, to evaluate the work of a helical doser from a seed planter. The experiment was carried out in two conditions, a bench in laboratory, and, in a seed planter in the field, comparing the proposed evaluation methodology in the laboratory, linear methodology (LM), against the ISO 5690/2 (1984) method. In the laboratory's test, it was tested: 0°, +11° and -11° slope of doser. In LM, it was used a metal gutter with 125 polyethylene collectors, both placed next to the other. In the field, it was used only LM, and for such two doses were tested, 250 and 440kg ha-1. The variation coefficient (VC) in the LM, the 0º condition performed with the best dosage, varying from 10.15% to 13.76%, against 13.95% to 17.84% in the + 11° slope and 11.86% to 13.79% in the -11º. The VC compared in ISO 5690/2 method shows a very different result, indicating variations from 0.7 to 2.3%, which is 88% smaller than LM. In field, the VC increased to 25.70% to 40.96%. Comparing the VC of ISO 5690/2 with the field test, the differences are even bigger, 2.3% compared to 40.96%. The LM presents concise data to clearly observe variations in the working conditions of the fertilizer helical doser.


The Lithium Information Center's experience over the past 7 years is discussed. The center is a computer-based reference service which specializes in dissemination of information about the medical uses of lithium. At the heart of the center is the Lithium Library, a bibliographic retrieval system containing references to the lithium literature. More than 5,000 requests for literature searches and patient information have been answered by Lithium Library staff members since 1977. The center has recently expanded its services, creating the Lithium Index and Lithium Consultation, computerized programs that provide immediate answers to specific questions about lithium. The center's services are directed to patient care, lithium research, and medical and patient education. Because of topical specialization and use of computers, the Lithium Information Center has been able to provide more immediate, comprehensive, relevant, integrated, and up-to-date information than other bibliographic services.


Hysteresis, a frequently observed phenomenon in sorption studies, is inconsistent with the key assumption of sorption reversibility in most fate and bioavailability models. Therefore, a study of the underlying causes of hysteresis is essential. Carbon‐radiolabeled 1,4‐dichlorobenzene (DCB) isotope tracer exchange was carried out at select points along the isotherms of DCB in a brown coal and a peat soil, holding total DCB concentration constant. Tracer exchange was performed both in the forward (sorption) and reverse (desorption) directions at the bulk sorption points and in the desorption direction at the corresponding bulk desorption points. Bulk DCB isotherms showed concentration‐dependent hysteresis. However, tracer reequilibration in all cases was consistent with free exchange between sorbed and aqueous‐phase molecules. These results rule out common experimental artifacts and demonstrate that sorption of bulk DCB is truly hysteretic (i.e., irreversible). The differences in rates between bulk and tracer sorption and desorption are consistent with the coupling of bulk DCB diffusion to other processes that retard equilibration, which we assign to matrix swelling or shrinking. Hysteresis is attributed to matrix deformation—specifically, to inelastic expansion and creation of voids accommodating sorbate molecules in the matrix, which leads to enhanced affinity in the desorption step. Comparing the results to previous results for naphthalene in the coal, we find that irreversible effects are similar for DCB and naphthalene in the coal but differ for DCB between the two sorbents. An explanation based on the different physical properties of these sorbents is provided. Solid‐phase extraction of equilibrated DCB with Tenax® revealed a highly desorption‐resistant fraction. While too small to account for the observed hysteresis, this fraction may represent molecules that become trapped as the matrix collapses and simultaneously stiffens during abrupt desorption.


A spatial sampling criterion for sonar systems that allows all obstacles within a given radius from the sensor to be detected is described. The environment considered is a two-dimensional floor plan that is extended into the third dimension, in which the scanning is performed in the horizontal plane. In this environment, edgelike reflectors, such as edges of doors or doorways, and oblique surfaces are the most difficult to detect. By considering the physics of sound propagation, the sonar scanning density required to detect these objects is determined. An experimental verification is included. The limitations of detecting objects with sonar in a more general environment are discussed. These results can be used to determine the necessary spacing in a transducer ring array and the maximum step size that a mobile robot can translate without danger of collision. >


The on-going action and plan to revive old coal mines in Nigeria necessitated a study on the soil chemical characteristics at abandoned coal mine in Akwuke, Enugu State, Nigeria. A single factor experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications to obtain information on soil status of Akwuke mined site. Soil samples were collected randomly from ten different sampling points at 0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm soil depth in four cardinal points at north (N), south (S), east (E), west (W), and at the center (c) of crest, middle slope, and valley of Akwuke mined site. The samples were analyzed for heavy metals, macronutrient, soil pH, and organic matter content. Soil pH (4.29-6.14) in wet season is higher than 4.14-5.58 in dry season at Akwuke mine site. The values of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg in soil at Akwuke mine were higher in dry season than in wet season. The highest soil organic matter content (0.96±0.04%) at Akwuke mine is obtained in dry season at 0-10 cm valley. The concentrations of Ni, Pb, and Cd in soil at mined site ranged from 4.15±0.07 to 19.81±1.29, 6.11±0.13 to 21.10±0.85, and 0.01±0.00 to 3.06±0.08 mg/kg. Mg (89.60±1.41 to 251.9±1.41 cmol/kg). Cd and Ni in soil at the mined site was higher than their allowable limits in Austria, Germany, France, Netherlands, Sweden, and United Kingdom. The high concentrations of these metals (Cd and Ni) in soils could expose both animals and local inhabitants to high levels of Cd and Ni, thus, posing a serious health risks to the local people. Keywords: Seasonal variation, Akwuke mine, coal, chemical characteristics


A putative amethystic product was studied in two cohorts of human subjects. The amethystic product (Sobrietol) was applied according to the manufacturer's instructions while control subjects received water in place of the Sobrietol solution. The two cohorts were challenged with 1.2 ml/lb and 1.4 ml/lb of 80 proof liquor, respectively, with subsequent breath alcohol (BrAC) measurement. In cohort 1, Sobrietol reduced the area under the BrAC curve (AUC) by 15.1% (p = 0.003) relative to controls; in cohort 2 the AUC was reduced by 12.5% (p = 0.011) relative to controls. It appears that the amethystic product Sobrietol can eliminate significantly greater ethanol than ethanol eliminated by similar controls.


The objective of this paper was to study the extraction methods of tannin constituents from Semen Cuscutae and their anti-papilloma effects. Single factor test and orthogonal design methods were used to determine the optimal extraction method; the mouse skin papilloma model induced by DMBA/croton oil was established, which was a classic two-stage carcinogenesis model being used to observe and evaluate the anti-carcinogenic effects of tannins extracted from Semen Cuscutae in different stages. The optimal extraction method of Semen Cuscutae was a 20-fold volume of solvent, a temperature of 50 °C, three times of extraction, with 20 min each, skin papilloma experiment revealed that the number of bearing tumors gradually reduced, and the inhibition rate gradually increased with the increase of dose, in the high-dose group, its inhibition rate reached 70.2%. Tannin extract from Semen Cuscutae has an obvious inhibitory effect on skin papilloma development.


The aim of the current study was to investigate cyberbullying among Saudi's higher-education students. It also aimedto identify possible factors that may impact cyberbullying. A quantitative approach was implemented using an onlinesurvey questionnaire distributed to 287 students. The descriptive results indicated that students mainly avoidcyberbullying. However, about 27% of the students reported that they have committed cyberbullying at least once ortwice. Furthermore, 57% of the students observed at least one student being cyberbullied. Students encountercyberbullying usually by people whom they do not know and who contacted them over the Internet. In addition,students perceive cyberbullying as a serious issue. Thus, students seem to prefer asking cyberbullies to stop, butavoiding fighting back. Gender was found to impact on how often did students commit cyberbullying. Male studentswere involved in cyberbullying more than female students. In addition, single students more than married studentsencounter cyberbullying by people they know. Finally, students who access the Internet via personal devices observecyberbullying more than those using shared devices. Based on this, implications were analyzed and suggested wereproposed in relation to policy and practice.


A methodology to learn acoustical responses based on limited experimental datasets is presented. From a methodological standpoint, the approach involves a multiscale-informed encoder used to cast the learning task in a finite-dimensional setting. A neural network model mapping parameters of interest to the latent variables is then constructed and calibrated using transfer learning and knowledge gained from the multiscale surrogate. The relevance of the approach is assessed by considering the prediction of the sound absorption coefficient for randomly-packed rigid spherical beads of equal diameter. A two-microphone method is used in this context to measure the absorption coefficient on a set of configurations with various monodisperse particle diameters and sample thicknesses, and a hybrid numerical approach relying on the Johnson-Champoux-Allard-Pride-Lafarge model is deployed as the multiscale-based predictor. It is shown that the strategy allows for the relationship between the micro-/structural parameters and the experimental acoustic response to be well approximated, even if a small physical dataset (comprised of ten samples) is used for training. The methodology, therefore, enables the identification and validation of acoustical models under constraints related to data limitation and parametric dependence. It also paves the way for an efficient exploration of the parameter space for acoustical materials design.


A novel gyroscope design is presented that has potential to reach navigation-grade performance, i.e. bias instability < 0.01 °/hr and Angle Random Walk (ARW) < 0.001 °/√hr. The design is based on the incorporation of an optical transduction mechanism used to decouple drive and sense signals, a dual crystalline silicon spring fabrication approach along with a large drive mass and small sense mass to enhance Coriolis displacement.


The article analyzes the current trends in banking technologies and the future development of banking technologies in the process of transformation of banks around the world due to the increasing provision of banking services on the basis of remote mobile, Internet and other banking technologies. The results of this study are of practical importance for the development of remote banking services in the banking system of Uzbekistan.


Background:Rapid economic development and increasing urbanization have led to a dramatic rise in overweight among adults in many low-income countries. Paradoxically, overweight often coexists with persisting under-nutrition among members of the same household. Objectives: Assessing prevalence of dual forms of malnutrition and reasons for intra-familial disparity in nutrient adequacy. The study was carried out in Manipal, Karnataka. Households having 1-3 year old children living with their mothers were selected. 46.7% of the study population belonged to the Upper Middle Class, 60% were nuclear families, majority of mothers were between 25-30 years (50%) and 36.7% were graduates. Prevalence of "overweight mother underweight child pairs" was found to be 23%. Significant difference was observed between intake adequacy of cereals, vegetables, invisible fat, visible fat and fiber. Also Mean adequacy ratio (MAR) of nutrients concluded that mothers (50%) had better nutritional adequacy when compared to children (43.3%) and significant association between MAR of mother and child was obtained (p=0.01). SES had an association with adequacy of vegetables (p=0.027) & energy intake (p=0.015) in children and milk (p=0.025) and calcium adequacy (p=0.012) in mothers. Cereal (p=0.011), sugar (p=0.041) and carbohydrate adequacy (p=0.026) of mother was affected by her employment status. Conclusion: Dual forms of malnutrition exist within the same household; food intake adequacy of the child is influenced by mother's food intake and mothers had a better nutritional status when compared to the children. SES, type of family and employment status were the reasons for disparity between nutritional adequacy of the child and mother.


: This work presents a new algorithm for matrix power series which is near-sparse, that is, there are a large number of near-zero elements in it. The proposed algorithm uses a filtering technique to improve the sparsity of the matrices involved in the calculation process of the Paterson-Stockmeyer (PS) scheme. Based on the error analysis considering the truncation error and the error introduced by filtering, the proposed algorithm can obtain similar accuracy as the original PS scheme but is more efficient than it. For the near-sparse matrix power series, the proposed method is also more efficient than the MATLAB built-in codes.


Background Despite the growing recognition that the clinical symptom characteristics associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) persist into adulthood in a high proportion of subjects, little is known about the persistence of neurocognitive deficits in ADHD. The objective was twofold: (1) to conduct a meta-analysis of neuropsychological studies to characterize attentional performance in subjects with adult ADHD by examining differences in ADHD versus normal control subjects; and (2) to investigate whether these differences vary as a function of age and gender. Method Twenty-five neuropsychological studies comparing subjects with adult ADHD and healthy controls were evaluated. Statistical effect size was determined to characterize the difference between ADHD and control subjects. Meta-regression analysis was applied to investigate whether the difference between ADHD and control subjects varied as a function of age and gender across studies. Results Tests measuring focused and sustained attention yielded an effect size with medium to large magnitude whereas tests of simple attention resulted in a small to medium effect size in terms of poorer attention functioning of ADHD subjects versus controls. On some of the measures (e.g. Stroop interference), a lower level of attention functioning in the ADHD group versus the controls was associated with male gender. Conclusions Adult ADHD subjects display significantly poorer functioning versus healthy controls on complex but not on simple tasks of attention, and the degree of impairment varies with gender, with males displaying a higher level of impairment.


In the perspective of discussing a university management proposal that places an alternative epistemological conception and understands the multidimensionality of human beings and social systems (as a critique of economic instrumentality) and the multidimensionality of the educational phenomenon, this article presents a theoretical synthesis, an essay of idea, in the sense of proposing a model of solidarity management, in the perspective of its dimensions (Cosmopolitan Rationality; Multidimensional Model of Administration Management; Intercultural Translation). The solidary management of the university centralizes the debate on interculturalityfrom the perspective of emancipation, while activating the reflective process on how to strategically operationalize actions that are guided by an integrative rationality and coordinate the dimensions of the educational phenomenon, in this case: culture, politics, pedagogy and economics. It is in the scope of a democratization of knowledge that this management advances from the "societal" management, as it comprehends a perspective on participation that qualifies the knowledge and practices of social agents in building proposals as credible, and the social organization should focus its efforts and trigger the experiences of the subjects so that the intercultural translation process incorporates comprehensive and purposeful practices within symbolic interactions.


The ageing and stabilisation of elastomers are considered from the standpoint of chemical physics. A general method for the fitting to the kinetic curves of relations characterising the ageing of elastomers under the influence of oxygen, light, ozone, and mechanical stresses is discussed. Different principles and procedures for the stabilisation of elastomers are analysed. The bibliography includes 75 references.


The financial stability of an enterprise is determined by its performance in the reporting period. Its performance (profits) depends not only on the amount of capital available, but mainly on the investment strategy developed, which will involve it in specific business operations in such a way as to generate income to its owner. A human along with the skills, competencies and experience acquired, underlies the development of any strategy. The purpose of this article is to study the importance of accounting activities organization in banks and to highlight its significance for obtaining a quality information product.


This study defines a methodology to compute unitary costs for freight transportation modes. The main objective was to gather relevant costs data to support the formulation and evaluation of railway, road, pipelines and port projects. This article will concentrate on the following steps: Compilation and analysis of relevant modal cost studies, Methodological adjustments to make cost figures comparable between studies, Definition of typology and scope of transportation modes, Analysis and validation of cost values for relevant freight transportation modes in Chile. In order to define the comparison methodology for the costs between the different transportation modes, it was necessary to consider that the relevant cost depends on who performs the comparison. Thus, for the transportation user (e.g. exporter) the pertinent costs are the mode tariffs, whereas from the operators perspective (e.g. rail manager), the pertinent costs are the operating costs of each mode. Keywords—Intermodal costs, Logistics, Transportation costs.


The storage loss due to reservoir sedimentation has been found to exceed the storage added worldwide by the mid 1990s. Recovery of this lost storage is estimated to range between US$ 10 billion and US$ 20 billion per year, not accounting for the growth in world population. Reservoir sedimentation does not only impact water supply and power supply reliability, but also has significant impacts on the environment, including downstream river degradation, and impacts on recreation, flood management, infrastructure, and the economy. The article illustrates how sediment is trapped in reservoirs, provides empirical techniques for calculating the volume of sediment that can be trapped by reservoirs, outlines sediment management techniques, which includes flushing, dredging, dry excavation, hydrosuction, and bypassing, and introduces the life-cycle management approach. This approach to reservoir sedimentation management is in contrast to the conventional design life approach, which is inappropriate for the design, construction, and management of dams and their reservoirs. Numerous references for further reading are listed.

Keywords:

sedimentation;
reservoir;
flushing;
dredging;
dry excavation;
reliability;
water supply;
life-cycle management;
density current;
sediment transport;
delta;
topset slope;
frontset slope;
sediment management;
storage loss;
environmental impact;
sediment trap efficiency;
design life;
hydrosuction removal system;
bypassing


Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most frequent primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor. Despite the best treatment and advances in therapy, prognosis remains poor. One of the mainstays of therapy in GBM is surgical excision. Several studies have confirmed that the extent of resection (EOR) positively influences overall survival (OS) in patients with high-grade gliomas (HGGs). A literature search was performed using PubMed to assess the useful neurosurgical tools to achieve the best neurosurgical performance. In order to achieve the major extent of resection, preserving neurological function, many tools are now available, especially neuronavigation, intraoperative fluorescence, intraoperative ultrasound, and neuromonitoring. In addition to the maximal excision of tumor, the neurosurgeon can use photodynamic therapy (PTD) and local drug delivery (LDD) to improve the local control and bridge conventional radio and chemotherapy. EOR improves OS in patients with HGGs. There are technological possibilities for achieving a complete resection preserving neurological function, and it is not acceptable to perform only biopsy of these lesions.


In this work, a feasibility study has been conducted to produce NiTi intermetallic compound layer using mixed powders of Ni and Ti by plasma transferred arc welding. Wear characteristics of the coatings were evaluated by using a modified Okoshi-type wear tester.It was possible to produce intermetallic compound coatings from the simply mixed powders by plasma transferred arc welding. Hardness value reached up to 800 HV in deposited metal. The coating was identified as NiTi, TiFe and TiFe2 intermetallic compounds by an X-ray diffraction analysis. The wear resistance of the coatings was equivalent to that of Stellite No.6 coatings. The coatings show excellent wear characteristics under the condition of lower friction speed. The wear progress of the coatings reveal no sever wear regime and constant, low rate of wear.


Abstract Building on an action theoretical perspective, it is assumed that most television viewing is a routine response to frequently occurring situations, which together make up everyday life. This interplay between television viewing and everyday life was studied using data from a national survey among Dutch adults (n = 825) and their families. From this survey, data of 225 couples were analyzed using event history analysis. Results indicate that one cannot see television viewing as merely an alternative for other activities. For instance, participatory activities have two distinct effects: They tend to inhibit television viewing by the actor but stimulate television viewing by the actor's partner. The effect of contacts with other variables appears to be important as well: Being at home, engagement in child care, household work, and eating and drinking often enhances television viewing. But presence of non-family may inhibit television viewing. Education was shown to have a consistently negative impact on television viewing, and there appeared to be some gender specific inducements for termination of television viewing.


A method for monitoring the results of academic performance of students in a mathematical discipline is considered. As part of the monitoring method, a mathematics testing system was developed, implemented on the basis of the Moodle distance learning system platform. A bank of questions was compiled, including more than 600 tasks in elementary Mathematics and more than 900 tasks in Further Mathematics, on the basis of which tests were created to check the progress of students. To analyze the results of intermediate testing in mathematics, the rank correlation coefficients of Spearman and Kendall were calculated. A comparison of the results of tests conducted in the classroom and remotely.


Background Conventional management of malignant ascites is recurrent inpatient paracenteses. Patients have high associated morbidity. Alternative management is insertion of an indwelling peritoneal catheter (IPC) supported by NICE, reported to have infrequent complications and associated with estimated cost saving of £1051 per patient. Our trust has an established indwelling pleural catheter service. In order to provide symptomatic benefit pleural and surgical consultants with ultrasound training started inserting IPCs in operating theatre under strict asepsis. The palliative care team is crucial to patient selection and follow up. Methods We performed a retrospective trust-wide service evaluation followed by dissemination of results and clinical guideline production. A prospective service evaluation is ongoing. Results From January 2016 to April 2018, 11 patients had an IPC inserted. Median age was 67. Diagnoses were pancreatic cancer (3), mesothelioma (2), breast cancer (2), colorectal cancer (1), gastric cancer (1) and oesophageal cancer (1). Mean paracenteses prior to IPC was 3.45 and mean time from initial drainage to IPC and from IPC insertion to death was 53 and 55 days respectively. 1 complication (migration of the IPC precluding drainage) arose. Following the implementation of local guidelines, 8 IPCs were inserted insertions between April and September 2018 with no complications. Median age and diagnoses were similar. However mean paracenteses prior to IPC was 1.25 and mean time from initial drainage to IPC and from IPC insertion to death was 19 and 12 days respectively. In all cases IPC insertion was associated with significant symptomatic relief. Conclusions IPC insertion for malignant ascites is a feasible, safe and effective method of management of malignant ascites. A proactive service reduces patient's hospital visits and procedure rate significantly. Formal guidelines meant that IPCs were inserted sooner in patients who previously would have likely died with significantly symptomatic untreated ascites.


The article wishes to present an argument about how interdisciplinary modules can enhance legal education. This argument is developed against the backdrop of major disruption in higher education and transformation in legal education. Following a definition of interdisciplinarity, the benefits of this method are analysed and demonstrated through practical examples from an interdisciplinary pilot module based in a UK Law programme. Some selected issues from Equality law will be used to demonstrate how an interdisciplinary approach has enabled students to look more critically at what the law chooses to protect and the ways in which laws are drafted and applied. Such enhanced learning outcomes from interdisciplinary legal education can support the re-calibration of legal education and complement the traditional doctrinal approach to legal education. It is argued that experiences and good practice from comparative law can provide inspiration for the strengthening of interdisciplinary legal education.


A CD25-dependent IL-2 mutein expanded regulatory T cells and controlled spontaneous diabetes in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. Delivering IL-2 to Tregs Interleukin-2 (IL-2) not only promotes activation and expansion of conventional T cells but also plays a crucial role in regulating homeostasis and functions of regulatory T (Treg) cells. As expression of the high-affinity IL-2 receptor is largely restricted to Treg cells, engineering IL-2 variants, called muteins, that selectively bind to the high-affinity IL-2 receptor and potentiate Treg functions can be used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Here, Khoryati et al. have engineered a murine IL-2 mutein that selectively promotes expansion of Treg cells. They demonstrate that administration of this IL-2 mutein resolved ongoing diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice. This proof-of-principle study raises the possibility that engineered human IL-2 muteins could be used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) controls the homeostasis and function of regulatory T (Treg) cells, and defects in the IL-2 pathway contribute to multiple autoimmune diseases. Although recombinant IL-2 therapy has been efficacious in certain inflammatory conditions, the capacity for IL-2 to also activate inflammatory effector responses highlights the need for IL-2–based therapeutics with improved Treg cell specificity. From a panel of rationally designed murine IL-2 variants, we identified IL-2 muteins with reduced potency and enhanced Treg cell selectivity due to increased dependence on the IL-2 receptor component CD25. As an Fc-fused homodimer, the optimal Fc.IL-2 mutein induced selective Treg cell enrichment and reduced agonism of effector cells across a wide dose range. Furthermore, despite being a weaker agonist, overall Treg cell growth was greater and more sustained due to reduced receptor-mediated clearance of the Fc.IL-2 mutein compared with Fc-fused wild-type IL-2. Preferential Treg cell enrichment was also observed in the presence of activated pathogenic T cells in the pancreas of nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, despite a loss of Treg cell selectivity in an IL-2R proximal response. These properties facilitated potent and extended resolution of NOD diabetes with infrequent dosing schedules.


Since its launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has served as a platform with unique capabilities for remote observations of comets in the far-ultraviolet region of the spectrum. Successive generations of imagers and spectrographs have seen large advances in sensitivity and spectral resolution enabling observations of the diverse properties of a representative number of comets during the past 25 years. To date, four comets have been observed in the far-ultraviolet by the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), the last spectrograph to be installed in HST, in 2009: 103P/Hartley 2, C/2009 P1 (Garradd), C/2012 S1 (ISON), and C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy). COS has unprecedented sensitivity, but limited spatial information in its 2.5 diameter circular aperture, and our objective was to determine the CO production rates from measurements of the CO Fourth Positive system in the spectral range of 1400 to 1700 Å. In the two brightest comets, nineteen bands of this system were clearly identified. The water production rates were derived from nearly concurrent observations of the OH (0,0) band at 3085 Å by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS). The derived CO/H2O production rate ratio ranged from ∼0.3% for Hartley 2 to ∼22% for Garradd. In addition, strong partially resolved emission features due to multiplets of S I, centered at 1429 Å and 1479 Å, and of C I at 1561 Å and 1657 Å, were observed in all four comets. Weak emission from several lines of the H2 Lyman band system, excited by solar Lyα and Lyβ pumped fluorescence, were detected in comet Lovejoy.


The water samples collected from Shivnath river in Durg Dist., India, were analyzed for physical properties like color, temperature, turbidity and odor, chemical properties like pH, alkalinity, total hardness, calcium hardness, magnesium hardness, total solids {Total dissolved solids (TDS) and total suspended solids (TSS)}, sulphates, nitrates were analyzed. Microbiological characteristics like detection of coliforms, quantitative analysis and most probable number (MPN) of coliforms was also performed. Incidences of Escherichia coli 0157 (Thermo tolerant strain) and Salmonella species were analyzed. All stated properties were analyzed for both upstream and downstream sampling points to determine the effect of residential and industrial discharges on the quality of river water. The addition of discharges has shown many fold increase in all the analyzed physiochemical parameters. The MPN/100 mL for upstream sample was 900 and down stream sample showed rises up to 1600. The heterotrophic plate count (HPC) also increased from 1.30×104/100 mL to 1.53×104/100 mL. Incidences of E.coli 0157 (Thermo tolerant strain) and Salmonella species were both found even before the addition of discharges.


Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a large distributed system of servers deployed in multiple data centers on the Internet. Its main goal is to serve requests from users providing high availability and performance. It also reduces the system failure risk providing redirection to many replica servers. It can provide load balancing between servers, avoiding network bottlenecks and, therefore, ensuring greater performance and QoE (Quality of Experience) to the end user. One of the critical issues involving CDN networks is the algorithm used to choose the replica server, because it directly influences the performance and scalability of the network. In this paper, the FuzzyCDN algorithm is proposed. The algorithm chooses the best replica server in a CDN network using a Fuzzy logic decision-making algorithm. The proposal is compared in simulation against other algorithms in the literature.


An intrarenal haematoma, necessitating surgical evacuation, is described as a novel, late presenting, complication of percutaneous renal biopsy in a patient with amyloid disease.


The advent of high throughput spatial transcriptomics (HST) has allowed for unprecedented characterization of spatially distinct cell communities within a tissue sample. While a wide range of computational tools exist for detecting cell communities in HST data, none allow for characterization of community connectivity, i.e., the relative similarity of cells within and between found communities – an analysis task that can elucidate cellular dynamics in important settings such as the tumor microenvironment. To address this gap, we introduce the concept of analysis of community connectivity (ACC), which entails not only labeling distinct cell communities within a tissue sample, but understanding the relative similarity of cells within and between communities. We develop a Bayesian multi-layer network model called BANYAN for integration of spatial and gene expression information to achieve ACC. We use BANYAN to implement ACC in invasive ductal carcinoma, and uncover distinct community structure relevant to the interaction of cell types within the tumor microenvironment. Next, we show how ACC can help clarify ambiguous annotations in a human white adipose tissue sample. Finally, we demonstrate BANYAN's ability to recover community connectivity structure via a simulation study based on real sagittal mouse brain HST data. Availability An R package banyan is available at https://github.com/carter-allen/banyan. Contact firstname.lastname@example.com Supplementary information Supplementary data are available online. Author Summary The proliferation of spatial transcriptomics technologies have prompted the development of numerous statistical models for characterizing the makeup of a tissue sample in terms of distinct cell sub-populations. However, existing methods regard inferred sub-populations as static entities and do not offer any ability to discover the relative similarity of cells within and between communities, thereby obfuscating the true interactive nature of cells in a tissue sample. We develop BANYAN: a statistical model for implementing analysis of community connectivity (ACC), i.e., the process of inferring the similarity of cells within and between sub-populations. We demonstrate the utility of ACC through the analysis of a publicly available breast cancer data set, which revealed distinct community structure between tumor suppressive and invasive cancer sub-populations. We then showed how ACC may help elucidate ambiguous sub-population annotations in a publicly available human white adipose tissue data set. Finally, we implement a simulation study to validate BANYAN's ability to recover true community connectivity structure in HST data.


The first COVID-19 confinement has led to changes in the population's behaviour. However, little has been analysed about the changes in eating behaviour beyond the decrease in adherence to healthy dietary patterns. The aim of the CoV-Eat project was to identify factors related to each of the following eating behaviours (EB): cognitive restraints (CR), uncontrolled eating (UE), and emotional eating (EE) in adults from Spanish-speaking countries. Participants completed an anonymous online survey. EB was assessed using the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire and the scores were classified into tertiles. Socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyle habits including physical activity, sleep quality, screen use, smoking consumption, and relationship with food were also collected. A total of 9849 participants from 21 countries were included in this study. The median of CR, UE, and EE behaviours was 15, 24, and 9, respectively. We observed that higher age, days of confinement, number of times leaving home in the last week, changes in sleep quality, and their relationship with food were negatively associated with CR, EE, and UE, while being a man was positively associated with an increased in all these EBs. A higher household income was negatively associated with a higher score of CR, and a higher education level (>primary) was positively associated with a medium score of EE. Lower physical activity was a factor negatively associated with a medium score of EE and UE. Higher screen use showed the same negative association for a medium score of EE and UE and a high score of CR. In addition, higher tobacco consumption was found to be a protective factor against having a medium or high score of CR and EE. In conclusion, some sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle changes may be important factors for EB and should be considered in emergency situations such as confinement to prevent risky eating behaviour.


Juárez, M., Dugan, M. E. R., Larsen, I. L., Thacker, R., Rolland, D. C. and Aalhus, J. L. 2011. Oxidative stability in grinds from omega-3 enhanced pork. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 91: 623-634. In order to investigate the effect of enhancing n-3 fatty acid levels in carcasses on the retail and sensory characteristics of pork grinds, as well as the ability of increasing dietary levels of vitamin E to stabilize the increase in PUFA levels from flaxseed supplementation, 81 pigs were used in a 3×3 factorial experiment. Dietary treatments included three lengths of time (0, 3 and 6 wk) of flaxseed supplementation and three levels of vitamin E (40, 200 and 400 mg kg feed-1). α-Tocopherol tissue levels increased with dietary vitamin E supplementation (P<0.001), and fat softness (P=0.018) and total PUFA and n-3 fatty acids (P<0.001) increased with flaxseed supplementation. Most other animal performance, carcass and lean pork quality traits were not affected (P>0.05) by dietary treatments. In ground pork, the increase in TBARS after 6 d in retail was lower (P<0.001) with increasing dietary vitamin E levels. However, vitamin E had no effect (P>0.05) on the higher (P<0.001) TBARS levels observed in grinds from flaxseed fed pigs. The dietary addition of flaxseed negatively modified (P<0.05) all the sensory attributes of both cooked and reheated products. Increasing the fat content of the grinds up to 30% seemed to counteract (P>0.05) the negative effects of feeding flaxseed for 3 wk. Feeding vitamin E was not able to prevent negative effects (P<0.05) observed during retail display in grinds with either increasing fat content or higher n-3 fatty acids from dietary flaxseed. However, increasing dietary vitamin E only showed a protective effect (P<0.05) on retail appearance after long periods of ageing.


An overall summary of AIDS research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has been published. "Report of the NIH AIDS Research Program Evaluation Working Group of the Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council" is an evaluation of programs that constitute 85 percent of worldwide AIDS research. The evaluation's conclusions and recommendations are unusually strong, and the document has been received enthusiastically by AIDS organizations and advocates. It is available in printed copy or on the Internet; addresses are provided.


Major depressive disorder is common during antenatal period and many women are prescribed antidepressant drugs despite no antidepressant can be regarded as definitely safe in pregnancy. Previous studies have suggested links between gestational use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) and certain birth defects. VACTERL association is a rare group of congenital malformations which were observed to occur together more often than would be expected by chance. Diagnosis requires coexistence of at least three congenital malformations from vertebral (V), anal (A), cardiac (C), tracheoesophageal (TE), renal (R), and limb (L) regions. Here, a case of a newborn female whose mother's gestational history revealed venlafaxine use before and during her pregnancy is reported. This newborn had anal atresia, patent ductus arteriosus, tracheoesophageal fistula, and upper limb anomalies. To the best of authors' knowledge this is the first report of VACTERL association possibly related to gestational use of SSRI or SNRI.


Health care facilities can avoid service duplication and inefficiency through a more hard-headed marketing approach to consumer need and demand. Rather than assuming that all institutions can and should provide the same service, health care facilities must couple public service obligations with costs, demands, and capabilities.


Abstract In this meta-analysis, the aims were to examine the effects of resistance training with and without blood flow restriction on vascular function. Five databases were searched up to June 2020 for papers about resistance training with blood flow restriction influence on vascular function. The quality of each identified study was evaluated. Effect sizes were estimated in terms of the standardized mean difference. A subgroup analysis was conducted according to participants' age, training duration, and cuff pressure. The results of six studies on arterial compliance and five on vascular function were highly homogenous regarding responses to resistance training with or without blood flow restriction. Resistance training with blood flow restriction had a more positive effect for regulating arterial compliance than resistance training without blood flow restriction, but not for vascular function. Resistance training with blood flow restriction leads to a more positive effect on vascular function than resistance training when training for no longer than four weeks.


Deforestation affects environmental systems worldwide by increasing disaster risk and carbon emissions and also by reducing soil fertility rejuvenation and biodiversity. Here, we inspected the patterns and processes of deforestation in Zhejiang Province of China since 2000 under a background of national forest restoration. By integrating the Hansen high‐resolution forest cover change products and a field study, the relationship between forest loss dynamics and topography and also the proximity to settlement and rivers, were evaluated. The results show that the total forest loss in Zhejiang Province was 266,984 ha in 2001–2018. Forest loss magnitude reached a maximum in 2008 and has maintained a high level of annual loss about 17,000 ha since. While forest loss patches are mainly located on the mountaintops, the slope and altitude of the deforested patches reached maximal values in 2008, and both of them decreased since then even though the amount of forest loss remains high. The most significant forest loss was recorded at the south of Zhejiang Province around Lishui City and the least forest loss was in the area of Jiaxing city near Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang Province. The area of deforestation decreases while the distance to settlements increases. We analyze the spatiotemporal characteristics and potential factors that affect deforestation in Zhejiang Province and highlight the role of market and policy, which transformed land use. This study further enriches the forest transition theory and provides a basis for the future decision making on clearing forest for compensating farmland loss.


The operation of chemical vapor-deposited (CVD) graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) is highly sensitive to environmental factors such as the substrate, polymer residues, ambient condition, and other species adsorbed on the graphene surface due to their high defect density. As a result, CVD GFETs often exhibit a large hysteresis and time-dependent instability. These problems become a major roadblock in the systematic study of graphene devices. We report a facile process to alleviate these problems, which can be used to fabricate stable high performance CVD GFETs with symmetrical current-voltage (I-V) characteristics and an effective carrier mobility over 6000 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). This process combined a few steps of processes in sequence including pre-annealing in a vacuum, depositing a passivation layer, and the final annealing in a vacuum, and eliminated ∼50% of charging sources primarily originating from water reduction reactions.


Periodontal disease is a disease with multifactorial etiology that can occur in postmenopausal women. Objective: This research aims to know the description of the genetic polymorphism of IL-1β in postmenopausal women in Indonesia as a risk factor for periodontal disease. Methods: This study is a descriptive study on 55 biological stored amples. Sample's extracted DNA was analysed for polymorphisms IL-1β+3954 using PCR-RFLP method with Taqα1 restriction enzyme digests then the result was electroforized. Research results were analyzed using chi square test. Results: The genotype CC frequency was 85.7%, CT 14.3%, and TT was absent in normal people. CC 86.5%, CT 8.3%, and TT did not exist in people who have periodontal disease. Conclusion: Genetic polymorphisms IL-1β in Indonesia's postmenopausal women is not a risk factor for periodontal disease DOI: 10.14693/jdi.v18i1.52


Gully erosion is geographically a widespread problem. It is common in the semi-arid region, characterized by denuded landscape and flash floods. An estimated 4 million ha land in India and 29 million ha of land in Africa are affected by severe gully erosion. Gully erosion is more difficult and expensive to control than other types of soil erosion. A full understanding of erosion processes at various stages of gully development is essential to achieve gully stabilization. Without proper understanding often the measures taken for controlling gully were found unnecessary or ineffective. This report provides the basic knowledge of gully formation and its causes. The classification of gullies and the basic principles of its control are explained. Drawing primarily the experiences from the several on-farm watershed projects implemented by ICRISAT, the report provides the practical approach for gully control in the context of overall watershed development and management. The basic considerations and the design details of various gully control structures, viz, loose rock dam, double-row post-brush dam, double-row post-stone dam, single-row post-stone dam, stone wall dam, masonry check-dam, earthen check-dam and gabion structures are covered in detail. The key hydrological data, ie, runoff volume and peak runoffrate measured at the watershed scale along with design peak runoff rate for the various locations in India are given. These data will greatly assist the watershed implementing agencies in the selection, design, construction and maintenance of gully control structures.