We determine the strongly layer-dependent exciton binding energies in few-layer black phosphorus by infrared spectroscopy. The attraction between electrons and holes in semiconductors forms excitons, which largely determine the optical properties of the hosting material, and hence the device performance, especially for low-dimensional systems. Mono- and few-layer black phosphorus (BP) are emerging two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors. Despite its fundamental importance and technological interest, experimental investigation of exciton physics has been rather limited. We report the first systematic measurement of exciton binding energies in ultrahigh-quality few-layer BP by infrared absorption spectroscopy, with layer (L) thickness ranging from 2 to 6 layers. Our experiments allow us to determine the exciton binding energy, decreasing from 213 meV (2L) to 106 meV (6L). The scaling behavior with layer numbers can be well described by an analytical model, which takes into account the nonlocal screening effect. Extrapolation to free-standing monolayer yields a large binding energy of ~800 meV. Our study provides insights into 2D excitons and their crossover from 2D to 3D, and demonstrates that few-layer BP is a promising high-quality optoelectronic material for potential infrared applications.


We consider the case of transient three-dimensional, incompressible and isothermal channel flow of a newtonian fluid past a symmetrically confined obstacle of square cross section at zero incidence. The blockage ratio (ratio of cylinder diameter to channel width) is fixed at 1/4. Results from both Laser Doppler (LDV) experiments and direct simulations upto Reynolds numbers have been reported.

Starting from the onset of instability (), close examination of the apparent region of influence that envelopes the cylinder reveals a clear vortex shedding signature which extends up to about three diameters upstream. While the fundamental vortex shedding frequency displays a fairly steady monotonic increase with Reynolds number, the Strouhal number (St) shows an inflexion point around . No signs of hysteresis were detected around this region. Furthermore, incommensurate harmonics observed for Reynolds numbers in the range suggest a quasi-periodic transition to three-dimensionality. This is shown to be followed by an intermediate periodic window starting around . Results from direct simulations performed using OpenFOAM (the Open Source CFD Toolbox) are used not only to enhance confidence in the accuracy of the reported LDV measurements, but also to help explain the observed phenomena through frequency power spectra and spanwise velocity correlations. Finally, it is concluded that only a parametric variation of transverse and spanwise blockage ratios can bring closure to the subject of bluff-body wake transitions.


A novel multi-electron-ion coincidence spectrometer developed on the basis of a 1.5 m-long magnetic-bottle electron spectrometer is presented. Electrons are guided by an inhomogeneous magnetic field to a detector at the end of the flight tube, while a set of optics is used to extract counterpart ions to the same detector, by a pulsed inhomogeneous electric field. This setup allows ion detection with high mass resolution, without impairing the high collection efficiency for electrons. The performance of the coincidence spectrometer was tested with double ionization of carbon disulfide, CS(2) → CS(2)(2+) + e(-) + e(-), in ultrashort intense laser fields (2.8 × 10(13) W/cm(2), 280 fs, 1030 nm) to clarify the electron correlation below the rescattering threshold.


Current strategies for improving the care of millions of elderly people living in nursing homes (NH) include the implementation of information technology (IT). Few studies exist about the implementation of NH IT although there is evidence of increasing NH IT sophistication globally. NH IT sophistication includes a measure of the maturity and diversity of IT used to support resident care, clinical support, and administration. The current paper includes a case study of 1 NH known to have high IT sophistication in the Midwestern USA. The NH was purposively selected from 185 NHs taking part in a statewide evaluation of NH IT sophistication in Missouri. This NH reported the highest IT sophistication among 185 NHs. The research aim was to explore communication strategies for evidence based pressure ulcer preventions in NH IT. Focus group and observational data were collected to assess facilitators and barriers to communicating pressure ulcer preventions.


CONTEXT
Individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) demonstrate reduced spinal reflex modulation and corticospinal excitability of the soleus, which may contribute to decreased balance performance.

OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of a single session of balance training on Spinal-reflexive excitability modulation and corticospinal excitability in those with CAI.

DESIGN
Randomized controlled trials.

SETTING
Research laboratory.

PARTICIPANTS
Thirty participants with CAI were randomly assigned to the balance training (BAL) or control (CON) group.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Modulation of soleus spinal-reflexive excitability was measured by calculating relative change in normalized Hoffmann reflexes (ratio of the H-reflex to the M-wave) from prone to single-leg standing. Corticospinal excitability was assessed during single-leg stance using transcranial magnetic stimulation, outcomes of which included active motor threshold (AMT), motor evoked potential, and cortical silent period (CSP). Balance performance was measured with center of pressure velocity in anterior to posterior and medial to lateral directions. Separate 2 × 2 repeated-measures analyses of variance were employed to determine the effect of group (BAL and CON) and time (baseline and posttraining) on each dependent variable.

RESULTS
There were significant group by time interactions in the modulation of soleus spinal-reflexive excitability (F1,27 = 4.763, P = .04); CSP at 100% AMT (F1,27 = 4.727, P = .04); and CSP at 120% AMT (F1,27 = 16.057, P < .01). A large effect size suggests increased modulation of spinal-reflexive excitability (d = 0.81 [0.03 to 1.54]) of the soleus in BAL compared with CON at posttest, while CSP at 100% (d = 0.95 [0.17 to 1.70]) and 120% AMT (d = 1.10 [0.29 to 1.84]) was reduced in BAL when compared with CON at posttest.

CONCLUSION
After a single session of balance training, individuals with CAI initiated increases in spinal reflex modulation and corticospinal excitability of the soleus. Thus, individuals with CAI who undergo balance training exhibit positive neural adaptations that are linked to improvements in balance performance.


Multiple landfill mining investigations of municipal solid waste landfills have been carried out worldwide in the past decades. Some of these studies have led to the conclusion that landfill mining is not feasible and could represent more of a problem than a solution for old landfill sites. This is the case to a certain extent because, to this day, material and energy recovery in landfill mining has been restricted to the coarse fractions (>10 mm to >60 mm) in most projects, while the fine fractions (<10 mm to <60 mm) have been often re-directed to the landfill with poor or no treatment at all despite their recovery potential. The fine fractions account for 40-80 wt.% of the total amount of the landfill-mined material. Its material composition is characterized by about 40-80 wt.% decomposed organic matter or weathered mineral fractions which cannot be hand-sorted, followed by significant amounts of calorific fractions and a small amount of metals. The main chemical compound found in landfill mining fine fractions is SiO2, mostly present as quartz and minor amounts of sheet silicates, followed by CaO, mostly present in carbonate minerals. MgO, Fe2O3 and Al2O3 represent minor components. Heavy metals are present in concentrations of few to several hundreds of mg/kg without a clear general trend of enrichment compared to the coarse fractions. In contrast, the net calorific value of the fine fractions (about 3-9 MJ/kg DM) can be several times lower than that of the coarse fractions (about 10-30 MJ/kg DM). These data clearly indicate that both a mineral fraction for waste-to-material and a calorific fraction for waste-to-energy might be recovered if suitable mechanical processing technologies can be employed. The potential of the fine fractions for material and energy recovery, as well as the main technological challenges to unlock it, are the main topics discussed in the present review article. This article has been elaborated within the framework of the EU Training Network for Resource Recovery through Enhanced Landfill Mining – NEW-MINE.


One hundred and forty-two kids of the Damascus breed of goat were used over a 10½-mo period to study the effects of early castration (at 7 days of age) on growth, feed conversion efficiency and carcass quality and late castration (at 7½ mo of age) on the presence or absence of taint in goat meat. Intact male kids grew faster and used feed more efficiently than castrates until they were about 9 mo old (56 kg live weight). There- after intact kids exhibited strong sexual activity and as a result their growth ceased completely whereas castrates continued growing. Early castrates produced fatter carcasses than those of intact kids. Castration of male kids at the age of about 7½ mo (44 kg live weight) was not successful in this trial and the kids performed very poorly. A taint of varying intensity was present in the meat of intact goats but not in that from any of the early or late castrates.


A particular kind of altered state of consciousness, as it occurred during the course of a lengthy analysis, was analysed. Its structure was that of a hysterical symptom and it was based on a 'reminiscence' from the past. The rather specific pathogenic effect of a series of seduction/assaults, which formed the nidus for this symptom complex was carefully outlined. As a result certain defensive manoeuvres were set in motion. First a hypnoid state, based on a primitive identification with his mother and resting upon a fantasied symbiotic union with her, was activated. Then a specific defence, based upon the mechanism of denial and fostering a far reaching turning away from reality and espousing the primacy of a special type of fantasy formation which substituted for and acted as the emotional tie to this same parent was described. The importance of both the hypnoid state and the accompanying imagery (fantasy) formation for aiding in discharging the excitement of the overstimulated state was commented upon.


Aim: In this study, it was aimed to investigate the reasons that motivate undergraduate students to physical activity according to the stages of behavior change. Method: A total of 598 students, including 328 male and 270 female students, voluntarily participated in the research conducted with the screening model. Independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance and LSD tests were used for statistical operations. Results: The difference between interest and physical fitness dimension scores between male and female students was statistically significant (p<.05). In the dimension of interest and physical fitness, female's scores are higher than male's. In the study, statistically significant differences were found in interest, ability, appearance, physical fitness and social dimensions according to age category (p<.05). Statistically significant differences were found in all sub-dimensions when comparing the sub-dimensions of the reasons that motivate to participate in physical/sports activity according to the behavioral change steps (p<.01). Conclusion: It has been determined that while the factors that motivate undergraduate students to physical activity are different in terms of interest and physical fitness, they are similar in terms of ability, appearance and social dimension. It has been observed that physically active people are better in interest, physical fitness, ability, appearance and social dimensions than those who are not physically active. It is recommended to direct undergraduate students to be more physically active. Keywords: Behavior, Physical activity, Motivation


In the recent past, many researchers have developed control algorithms for visual servo applications. In this paper, we introduce a new hybrid switched system approach, in which a high-level decision maker selects between two visual servo controllers. We have evaluated our approach with simulations and experiments using three individual visual servo systems and three candidate switching rules. The proposed method is very promising for visual servo tasks in which there is a significant distance between the initial and goal configuration, or the task is one that can cause an individual visual servo system to fail.


The gain saturation coefficients were measured for strained and unstrained multiple quantum-well distributed feedback (MQW-DFB) lasers. The gain saturation coefficient depends on the deviation of the laser's transverse-magnetic (TM) mode gain peak wavelength from its transverse-electric (TE) mode gain peak wavelength delta lambda , which is related to the strain on the active-layer wells. The gain saturation coefficient epsilon increased with increasing compressed strain on the active-layer wells. The coefficient epsilon of the unstrained MQW DFB laser with a wavelength deviation delta lambda of -350 AA was 2.45 x 10/sup -17/ cm/sup 3/, and epsilon increased up to 12.6 x 10/sup -17/ cm/sup 3/ in the SL-MQW DFB laser with a wavelength difference delta lambda of -890 AA.


Purpose . Hospital report cards are commonly produced using administrative data. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of unmeasured clinical data on the accuracy of hospitals' report cards. Methods . Monte Carlo simulations were based on both administrative and detailed clinical data for patients hospitalized with an acute myocardial infarction in Ontario, Canada. Data were simulated such that the true performance of each hospital was known. Both clinical and administrative risk scores were randomly generated for each patient. The ability of hospital report cards to correctly identify hospitals that truly had higher than acceptable mortality was compared when both clinical and administrative data were used and when only administrative data were used. By using Monte Carlo simulations, we were able to incrementally increase the divergence between the 2 risk scores. Results . In a wide range of settings, sensitivity and specificity of hospital report cards was only negligibly greater when both administrative and clinical data were used compared to when only administrative data were used. Conclusions . Unmeasured clinical data have at most a minor impact on the accuracy of cardiac hospital report cards.


The dipolar oxathiazyne-like sulfinylnitrene RS(O)N, a highly reactive α-oxo nitrene, has been rarely investigated. Upon flash vacuum pyrolysis of sulfinyl azide CF3S(O)N3 at 350 °C, an elusive sulfinylnitrene CF3S(O)N was generated in the gas phase in its singlet ground state and was characterized by matrix-isolation IR spectroscopy. Further fragmentation of CF3S(O)N at 600 °C produced CF3 and a novel iminyl radical OSN, an SO2 analogue, which were unambiguously identified by IR spectroscopy. Consistent with the experimental observations, DFT calculations clearly support a stepwise decomposition mechanism of CF3S(O)N3.


Carcinoma-specific antibodies would be a useful tool in immunocytology of serous effusions. We tested the carcinoma-'specific' monoclonal antibody KC4 with cells obtained from pleural effusions evaluated by thoracoscopy and pleural biopsies. KC4 reacted most strongly with carcinoma cells. However, activated mesothelial cells also expressed this marker strongly. Lymphocytes stimulated with phytohemagglutinin were also stained by KC4. Thus KC4 appears to detect a proliferation antigen rather than a carcinoma-specific antigen.


An increase in collaboration amongst visual artists, performance artists, musicians, and programmers has given rise to the exploration of multimedia performance arts. A methodology for audio-based visualization has been created that integrates the information of sound with the visualization of physical expressions, with the goal of magnifying the expressiveness of the performance. The emphasis is placed on exalting the music by using the audio to affect and enhance the video processing, while the video does not affect the audio at all. In this sense the music is considered to be autonomous of the video. The audio-based visualization can provide the audience with a deeper appreciation of the music. Unique implementations of the methodology have been created for three compositions. A qualitative analysis of each implementation is employed to evaluate both the technological and aesthetic merits for each composition.


Abstract. The United Nations (UN) has performed field operations worldwide such as peacekeeping or rescue missions. When such an operation is needed, the UN dispatches an operation team usually with a GIS (Geographic Information System) customized to a specific operation. The base maps for the GIS are generated mostly with satellite images which may not retain a high resolution and the current situation. To build an up-to-date high resolution map, we propose a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) based automatic mapping system, which can operate in a fully automatic way from the data acquisition of sensory data to the data processing for the generation of the geospatial products such as a mosaicked orthoimage of a target area. In this study, we analyse the requirements for UN field operations, suggest a UAV mapping system with an operation scenario, and investigate the applicability of the system. With the proposed system, we can construct a tailored GIS with up-to-date and high resolution base maps for a specific operation efficiently.


In order to facilitate commercialization of cultivars of carioca type dry beans, the grains must have the lightest possible cream color and this phenotype must be persistent (late seed-coat darkening). There are reports of genetic variability for this trait. The objectives of this study were to obtain information regarding genetic control of the trait, with emphasis on the estimate of heritability and if it varies according to days after harvest, to verify the effect of locations and/or crop season on seed-coat darkening of the grains and to estimate the genetic and phenotypic correlations of the trait with cooking time, tannin content and grain yield. F 2:3 and F 2:4 progenies derived from crossing of the cultivar BRSMG Madreperola (late seed-coat darkening) and the line RP-2 (early seed-coat darkening) were used. It is concluded that seed-coat darkening is influenced by the environment, crop season or locations; nevertheless, the interaction progenies x environments and progenies x locations is predominantly simple, not expressively changing classification of the progenies. Although the heritability of the darkening scores tends to increase with the storage time of the grain, the interaction progenies x time periods of assessment was not observed. Grains with late seed-coat darkening present a lower tannin content and require less cooking time. The genetic correlation between a dark seed-coat and grain yield was practically null.


The current study investigated the relationship between isokinetic knee strength, jump performance, agility, linear and repeated sprinting capacity and Yo-Yo IR1 test performance and the fatigue indices of some of these variables in semi-professional soccer players. Twenty semi-professional soccer players participated in this study, performing 6 tests: bilateral concentric isokinetic strength tests of the knee extensors and flexors (60◦.s-1 and 300◦.s-1), jump tests (countermovement, squat and repeated jumping), linear sprints (10 and 30 m), agility (Illinois test), Bangsbo repeated sprints (7 x 34.2 m), and Yo-Yo IR1 tests. While no isokinetic variables were significantly correlated with field test results, some jump test results correlated with AgiWB, 10and 30-m sprint times, RSTMEAN and FIRS. Furthermore, the knee isokinetic strength (60◦.s-1 and 300◦.s1) indices and jump capacities demonstrated moderate to strong relationships with each other. In addition, AgiWB correlated with the 10-m sprint times and RSTMEAN, 30-m linear sprint times correlated with 10-m sprint times and AgiWB, and FIRS and RSTMEAN correlated with the Yo-Yo IR1 test results. The results suggest that power output during CMJ and RJ tests and not isokinetic knee strength are informative in determining field conditioning parameters for semi-professional soccer players.


The effects of late fall grazing, application of picloram (4 amino-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid), and seeding on the reinfestation by knapweed (Centaurea diffusa Lam.) were investigated on a knapweed-infested grassland range in southern British Columbia. The seeding treatments were an unseeded control, crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum L.), Russian wildrye (Psathyrostachys junceus (Fisch.) Nevski)), 'Drylander' alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), and a rangeland seed mix. The spraying treatment was applied (0.56 kg a.i. per ha.) to only the unseeded control, Russian wildrye, and crested wheatgrass treatments. Re-establishment of knapweed and establishment of seeded and indigenous species were observed over 4 years. Knapweed cover never exceeded 10% on sprayed plots but ranged from 35% to 60% on unsprayed plots. Knapweed cover was greater on unsprayed grazed plots and re-establishment was more rapid on sprayed grazed plots than on ungrazed ones. Seeding produced little difference in knapweed cover but crested wheatgrass and rangeland mix (which contained crested wheatgrass) had the lowest coverage of knapweed on unsprayed plots. Russian wildrye did not establish and this failure plus the disturbance created by seeding provided ideal conditions for a surge of knapweed growth. No differences in knapweed cover were detected among seeding treatments on sprayed plots. It is concluded that spraying is far more important than seeding for controlling knapweed, and grazing pressure must be carefully controlled to prolong the effects of treatment.


Abstract Cystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by Echinococcus granulosus remains a serious problem worldwide for issues relating to public health and the economy. The most predominantly affected sites are the liver and the lungs, but other organs such as the heart, the spleen and the peritoneum can also be infected. Access to cysts from uncommon sites has limited genomic and molecular investigations. In the present study, genotypes of E. granulosus sensu lato were identified from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues (FF-PETs) implicated in human CE. Tissue samples were obtained from 57 patients with histologically confirmed CE. DNA samples were analysed using Egss 1 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) specific to the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene of E. granulosus sensu stricto. All cysts were typed as E. granulosus sensu stricto with up to 35% of the liver and 16.6% of lungs being the most frequently infected, and up to 48.4% of samples being from rare sites. No correlation was found between cyst site and either the gender or the age of patients. This study demonstrates the possibility of exploiting atypical cysts using FF-PET samples and highlights the predominance of E. granulosus sensu stricto species in the Tunisian population, even in unusual infection sites.


Physical and occupational therapists play important roles in the evaluation and management of patients receiving botulinum toxin injections for spasticity. Baseline evaluation includes areas beyond the muscles being injected, since local spasticity reduction may lead to more widespread functional changes. Because the evaluation itself influences tone, a consistent order of muscle evaluation is recommended. The range of preinjection assessments includes evaluation of tone, mobility, strength, balance, endurance, assistive devices, and others. After injection, therapeutic interventions have multiple aims, including strengthening and facilitation increasing range of motion, retraining of ambulation and gait, improving the fit and tolerance of orthoses, and improved functioning in ADLs.© 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Spasticity: Etiology, Evaluation, Management, and the Role of Botulinum Toxin Type A, MF Brin, editor. Muscle Nerve 1997;20(suppl 6):S221‐S231.


Abstract Studies were conducted to evaluate density-dependent effects of common ragweed on weed growth and peanut growth and yield. Common ragweed height was not affected by weed density and peanut canopy diameter. Weed height exceeded peanut height throughout the growing season, indicating that competition for light occurred between the two species. Common ragweed aboveground dry biomass per plant decreased as weed density increased, but total weed dry biomass per meter of crop row increased with weed density. The rectangular hyperbola model described the effect of weed density on percent peanut yield loss. With the asymptote constrained to 100% maximum yield loss, the I coefficient (yield loss per unit density as density approaches zero) was 68.3 ± 12.2%. Common ragweed did not influence the occurrence of tomato spotted wilt virus, early leaf spot (Cercospora arachidicola), southern stem rot (Sclerotium rolfsii), and Cylindrocladium black rot (Cylindrocladium crotalariae). However, as common ragweed density increased, the incidence of late leaf spot (Cercosporidium personatum) increased. Results indicate that common ragweed is one of the more competitive weeds in peanut and a potential economic threat to peanut growers. Nomenclature: Common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. AMBEL; peanut, Arachis hypogaea L. 'NC 7'.


Agent Oriented Methodologies have become an important subject of research in advanced Software Engineering. Several methodologies have been proposed, as a theoretical approach, to facilitate and support the development of complex distributed systems. An important question when facing the construction of Agent Applications is deciding which methodology to follow. Trying to answer this question, a framework with several criteria is applied in this paper for the comparative analysis of existing multiagent system methodologies. The results of the comparative over two of them, conclude that those methodologies have not reached a sufficient maturity level to be used by the software industry. The framework has also proved its utility for the evaluation of any kind of Agent Oriented Software Engineering Methodology.


This mixed methods study examined and analysed the impact of instruction based on
Toulmin elements on the argumentative writing performance of four NNES learners and
uncovered their perspectives on how the instruction of reasoning elements influenced
their argumentative essays. The objective of this study was to a) assess the argumentative
essays produced by NNES learners to find problems that occur during their writing
performance, b) to determine to what extent the instruction based on The Toulmin Model
of Argument affect the NNES learners' argumentative writing performance, and c) to
uncover the NNES learners' perspectives on how the instruction of Toulmin elements
impact their argumentative essays. The findings of the study will benefit the NNES
learners in relation to their need to improve their argumentative skills in their academic
writing. This study used the convergent parallel mixed methods design which involved
the collection of quantitative and qualitative data. The two sets of data were then
compared and analysed to yield an overall interpretation of results. Four NNES learners
participated in the eight-week long study and were asked to produce argumentative essays
from the pre-, post-, and delayed post-tests. The argumentative essays were then coded
for presence of Toulmin elements. Additionally, the essays were assessed for reasoning
quality using an argumentative writing scoring rubric adapted from Qin and Karabacak
(2010). The quantitative findings revealed that some Toulmin elements were not present
in the participants' pre-test essays and exposed several problems in the quality of their
argumentative essays. After receiving instruction, the NNES learners employed Toulmin
elements in the argumentative essays produced in the post- and delayed post-test and had
shown improvement in their use of the reasoning elements. The assessments also revealed that the argumentative essays from the post- and delayed post-test contained more rich
and complex reasoning compared to the argumentative essays written in during the pretest.
The qualitative results revealed that during the early stages of the instruction, they
perceived the Toulmin elements data, qualifier, and rebuttal challenging to comprehend
and apply in their argumentative essays. Nevertheless, further instruction of Toulmin
elements facilitated their understanding of the reasoning features, their function, and
application. The semi-structured interview revealed that the NNES learners found the
instruction of Toulmin elements useful to their argumentative writing due to several
factors. The conclusion of this study recommended that argumentative writing models
and reasoning features must be introduced to NNES learners at an earlier stage in order
for them to achieve an expected standard of reasoning required in tertiary education
levels.


BACKGROUND
Dairy safety has caused widespread concern in society. Unsafe dairy products have threatened people's health and lives. In order to improve the safety of dairy products and effectively prevent the occurrence of dairy insecurity, countries have established different prevention and control measures and safety warnings.

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to establish a dairy safety prediction model based on machine learning to determine whether the dairy products are qualified.

METHOD
The 34 common items in the dairy sampling inspection were used as features in this study. Feature selection was performed on the data to obtain a better subset of features, and different algorithms were applied to construct the classification model.

RESULTS
The results show that the prediction model constructed by using a subset of features including "total plate", "water" and "nitrate" is superior. The SN, SP and ACC of the model were 62.50%, 91.67% and 72.22%, respectively. And it was found that the accuracy of the model established by the integrated algorithm is higher than that by the non-integrated algorithm.

CONCLUSION
This study provides a new method for assessing dairy safety. It helps to improve the quality of dairy products, ensure the safety of dairy products, and reduce the risk of dairy safety.


Dictionaries and encyclopedias represent bundles of choices. No book is large enough to address every aspect of its topic. Space is always at a premium. There are always more terms or variants that could be included. Publication due dates always limit how much more time one could devote to a project. The choices made by authors of these two books listing terms describing books shape the works, of course, but also provide the basis for judging them together. There is merit in a head-to-head comparison.


Abiotic and biotic reductive dechlorination with chlorinated ethene dense non-aqueous-phase liquid (DNAPL) source zones can lead to significant fluxes of complete and incomplete transformation products. Accurate assessment of in situ rates of transformation and the potential for product sequestration requires knowledge of the distribution of these products among the solid, aqueous, and organic liquid phases present within the source zone. Here we consider the fluid-fluid partitioning of two of the most common incomplete transformation products, cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC). The distributions of cis-DCE and VC between the aqueous phase and tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) DNAPLs, respectively, were quantified at 22 °C for the environmentally relevant, dilute range. The results suggest that partition coefficients (concentration basis) for VC and cis-DCE are 70 ± 1 L(aq)/L(TCE DNAPL) and 105 ± 1 L(aq)/L(PCE DNAPL,) respectively. VC partitioning data (in the dilute region) were reasonably approximated using the Raoult's law analogy for liquid-liquid equilibrium. In contrast, data for the partitioning of cis-DCE were well described only when well-parametrized models for the excess Gibbs free energy were employed. In addition, available vapor-liquid and liquid-liquid data were employed with our measurements to assess the temperature dependence of the cis-DCE and VC partition coefficients. Overall, the results suggest that there is a strong thermodynamic driving force for the reversible sequestration of cis-DC and VC within DNAPL source zones. Implications of this partitioning include retardation during transport and underestimation of the transformation rates observed through analysis of aqueous-phase samples.


Based on ethnographic research done in Moscow, Russia, this article describes how some Muscovites articulate their moral consciousness, that is, the ways in which persons articulate to themselves and others how they conceptualize morality. While it may be possible, and indeed is often the case, that these concepts influence how people act and help guide individuals toward moral behavior, what is more important for our purposes is that these concepts provide a way for persons to give meaning, both for themselves and for others, to their moral worlds and experience. Thus, what I hope to do in this article is describe just one of the conceptual frameworks within which moral experience is rendered meaningful for my Muscovite interlocutors. In doing so, I will consider how certain concepts of the moral person that have their origins in turn of the century Russian religious philosophy, Russian Orthodox Christianity, and Soviet ideology have all come together to make up various aspects of this moral consciousness.


Sir, Increased foreign travel has exposed many European travellers to 'tropical' diseases with which Western doctors are unfamiliar, but which may nevertheless present in routine clinical practice. We describe such a case, in a patient who had recently returned from a holiday in Belize. A 37 year old man presented with a one month history of abscesses on his upper arm and back which developed at the site of two insect bites sustained 5 weeks earlier, shortly before his return. The abscesses discharged small amounts of blood-stained pus, from which Staphylococcus aureus was cultured. Although his symptoms initially responded to a course of erthyromycin, one week before admission he developed increasing pain and swelling and the blood-stained discharge recurred. On examination he had two tender, bluish, indurated subcutaneous lesions 2-3 cm in diameter, each with a central punctum from which a small amount of dark blood-stained fluid could be expressed. The surrounding skin was mildly erythematous, although there was no accompanying leucocytosis. At operation, each lesion was found to contain a single writhing larva approximately 1.5 x 0.7 cm in size, buried within the subcutaneous fat (Figure 1). These were extracted and the underlying cavities curetted and lightly packed with an iodine-soaked wick: 2 weeks later, the wounds had healed completely. The larvae were subsequently identified as those of the human bot-fly Dermatobia hominis, an insect with a fascinating, ifsomewhat


We evaluate the impact of a gigabit network on the implementation of a distributed chemical process optimization application. The optimization problem is formulated as a stochastic Linear Assignment Problem and was solved using the Thinking Machines CM-2 (SIMD) and the Cray C-90 (vector) computers at PSC, and the Intel iWarp (MIMD) system at CMU, connected by the Gigabit Nectar testbed. We report our experience distributing the application across this heterogeneous set of systems and present measurements that show how the communication requirements of the application depend on the structure of the application. We use detailed traces to build an application performance model that can be used to estimate the elapsed time of the application for different computer system and network combinations. Our results show that the application benefits from the high-speed network, and that the need for high network throughput is increasing as computer systems get faster. We also observed that supporting high burst rates is critical, although structuring the application so that communication is overlapped with computation relaxes the bandwidth requirements.


ABSTRACT We discuss, apply and validate several physics-based criteria for air entrainment into flows on steep stepped spillways, using laboratory observations and numerical results published elsewhere. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a validation of these criteria is undertaken for any chute flow in general, and for the skimming flow in steep stepped spillways in particular. To undertake the validation, we employed experimental and numerical data covering a considerable range of volume flow rates and step heights. We observed an overall good performance of most of the criteria, especially taking into account the intrinsic difficulties in defining the time-averaged location and depth of the inception point of air entrainment experimentally. Finally, we present two novel non-dimensional numbers designed to facilitate the physical interpretation of the location of the inception point of air entrainment.


Background and Objectives: Postoperative pain is a common symptom of a flare-up after root canal treatments (RCTs). Insufficient instrumentation, extrusion of irrigation solutions and debris, and the existence of a periapical lesion are the factors affecting postoperative pain after root canal treatments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the postoperative pain and instrumentation time of the single-file reciprocating system and multiple-file Ni–Ti rotary system in children ages 9–12 years old. Materials and Methods: Our study was conducted on 51 permanent mandibular molars with the diagnosis of irreversible pulpitis. Patients were randomly assigned into two groups, and RCTs were completed with either the Reciproc Blue or Protaper NEXT file systems. Instrumentation time for each system was noted, and patients were given a pain scale that included a visual analog scale for 6, 24, 48, and 72 h after treatment. Postoperative pain scores and instrumentation times were analyzed statistically with a chi-square test and Student's t-test. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative pain between the Reciproc Blue and Protaper NEXT systems at all time intervals. Instrumentation time was significantly shorter in the Reciproc Blue group in comparison with the Protaper NEXT group. Conclusions: Postoperative pain findings following RCT using single-file reciprocating systems were similar to the rotary system group. However, chair time in the reciprocating system group was significantly lower. This provided a comfortable and patient-friendly treatment approach for children, and could enhance their cooperation.


The effect of hydrocortisone on the phenomenon of specific immunosuppression and on antibody formation was studied in old mice. The decrease of immune response in the old CBA X C57BL F1 mice appears to be due to a high suppressive activity of cells-regulators which are accumulated in the spleen with senescence. It is suggested that these cells-suppressors belong to the population of non-specific T-cells sensitive to hydrocortisone. The effector T-cells-suppressors participating in specific suppression of the immune response to sheep erythrocytes in young CBA X C57BL F1 mice are resistant against hydrocortisone.


NASA launched its Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) in January 2003. The primary goal of this laser altimeter mission is to provide determination of volumetric changes in the ice sheets, specifically in Antarctica and Greenland. The instrument performance requirements are driven by the scientific goal of determining a change in elevation on the centimetre level over the course of a year's time. One important aspect of the altimeter data is the time of measurement, or bounce time, associated with each laser shot, as it is an important factor that assists in revealing the temporal changes in the surface (land/ice/sea) characteristics. In order to provide verification that the laser bounce time is accurately being determined, a ground-based detector system has been developed. The ground-based system methodology time-tags the arrival of the transmitted photons on the surface of the Earth with an accuracy of 0.1 ms. The timing software and hardware that will be used in the ground-based system has been developed and extensively tested. One particular test utilized an airborne laser equipped to produce a similar signal to that of ICESat. The overflight of the detectors by the aircraft was successful in that the signals were detected by the electro-optical devices and appropriately time-tagged with the timing hardware/software. There are many calibration and validation activities planned with the intention to help resolve the validity of the ICESat data, but pre-launch analysis suggests the ground-based system will provide the most accurate recovery of timing bias.


Background/Aim: The clinical outcomes of post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) without bolus remain to be fully examined, so that we evaluated clinical outcomes of PMRT without bolus and to measure the chest-wall dose surface histogram (DSH) parameters. Patients and Methods: Fifty-two patients with breast cancer who received PMRT without bolus were retrospectively analyzed. DSH values of the percentage of maximum dose (Dmax) were measured. Results: All patients completed the treatment; the median follow-up period was 22.1 months. The 2-year overall survival and local control rates were 85% and 95%. Five patients developed grade 2 acute radiation dermatitis, and none developed grade 2 or higher late radiation dermatitis. The median Dmax in patients who developed grade 0-1 and grade 2 acute radiation dermatitis was 5,178 and 5,365 cGy (p=0.03). Conclusion: PMRT without bolus resulted in a low frequency of grade 2 or higher radiation dermatitis without increasing locoregional recurrences, and the Dmax was the contributing factor for developing acute radiation dermatitis.


Using a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM), we observe that Co adatoms are unusually strongly bound to a particular type of pinning centers on the Cu(111) surface. Using density-functional-theory calculations, the pinning centers are identified as Ag substitutional atoms embedded in the topmost atomic layer of the surface. These impurities are hardly detectable in the STM images as they have low topographic height and produce no standing-wave patterns. They do not affect the exchange coupling of the Co adsorbate with the substrate electrons; thus, the Kondo resonances measured on pinned and free Co adatoms show no detectable differences. Whereas free Co adatoms undergo significant surface diffusion already above 8 K, Ag-stabilized Co adatoms remain pinned up to 12.7 K.


OBJECTIVE
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the frequently occurring malignancies, but effective treatments are lacking. It is believed that exploring new molecular targets could help us to improve the treatment of OSCC. Therefore, we hope to find a new miRNA target to control OSCC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
qPCR and Western blots were used to test the expressions of miR-802 and target gene in OSCC tissues and cell lines. Luciferase reporter assay was performed to check whether miR-802 could directly target MET. CCK-8, wound healing, cell invasion, colony formation, and tumor growth assays were used to determine the functions of miR-802 and MET in the malignant biological behavior of OSCC.

RESULTS
The results suggested that miR-802 was low expressed in OSCC tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-802 inhibited the cell viability, colony formation, migration and invasion of Tca8113 and SCC9 cells, and tumor growth in vivo. It was predicted that miR-802 might target the mRNA of proto-oncogene MET. Overexpressing miR-802 suppressed the expression of wild-type MET at both protein and mRNA levels in Tca8113 and SCC9 cells. Moreover, the expression of MET was high and significantly correlated with the low expression of miR-802 in OSCC tissues. Overexpression of MET in Tca8113 and SCC9 cells reduced the tumor-suppressive effects, which was induced by miR-802 overexpression.

CONCLUSIONS
MiR-802 suppresses the malignant biological behavior of OSCC by targeting proto-oncogene MET. This work provides a new potential molecular target for treating OSCC.


The most distinctive feature of conundrum is the deliberate misinterpretation in the course of its application. The present paper attempts a new cognitive approach to the understanding of conundrums. Based on psychological laws of mankind, the conundrum begins with the questioner's leaving a certain linguistic item on purpose, which will definitely cause deliberate misinterpretation. The process of its understanding is the result of the replier's taking advantage of the impartment and inheritance of the connotation and denotation to disguisedly replace another concept.


The research has been carried out in April 2012 at the Laboratory of Food Chemistry Analysys Faculty of Agriculture University of Sumatera Utara. The aim of this research was to investigate whether ripening processes in barangan banana fruits which are delayed by modified atmosphere packaging for 2 weeks, could be initiated with ripening stimulants treatment and produce good quality of ripe fruit. The type of modified atmosphere packaging consisted active modified atmosphere packaging and stored in 15 0 C and in ambient temperature, passive modified atmosphere packaging and stored in 150C and in ambient temperature. The samples were stored for 15 days and after termination of storage, they were shifted to ambient temperature and air normal of atmosphere, tretated with ripening stimulant for 2 days. The ripening stimulant used consists of ethepon 250 ppm, ethylene gas 250 ppm, asethylene gas 250 ppm, and calsium carbide 0,5%. The results showed that the method of packaging and the kind of ripening stimulant had a significant effect on the quality of ripe barangan banana fruit. The best result was obtained in a combination of active modified atmosphere packaging that stored in 15 0 C for 15 days followed by ethylene gas treatment with the concentration of 250 ppm. In this treatment the level of moisture content was 48,161%, level vitamin C content was 22,568 mg/100g, total acid was 22,568%, total sugar was 13,328%, total soluble solid (TSS) of 12,0oBrix, hardness of 3,859 kgf, weight reduction was 1,964%, ratio of pulp and skin was 1,332, color score was 6,000 and acceptable organoleptic value.


The paper aims at identifying the general performance of the public institutions, their production efficiency, profitability and financial performance after transferring their ownership to the private sector. It also aims to clarify the efficiency of private sector institutions in employing their financial and human resources better than public sector institutions.

This paper is based on the following hypotheses:

Changing ownership leads to the promotion and increased commercial competition of state-owned enterprises, resulting in improved financial performance and productive efficiency.

The profitability of state-owned enterprises is lower than the profitability of privately owned enterprises. Private sector organizations attract and use their financial and human resources more efficiently than public sector institutions. The paper used the descriptive and comparative analytical methodology in order to evaluate the performance of the company before and after its transfering to the private sector, the data is analyzed using various financial analysis tools such as profit and debt ratio and total return on assets.

The Paper depends on many sources for data collecting such as interviews with the company adminstration, company workers, beside the secondary sources such as books, references, periodical, university theses and working papers. The paper included four axes which contain: introductory part, the Paper theortical frame work, privatization experience in the Sudan , in addition the case study before and after privatiztion, beside the results and recommendations. The Paper finding that privatization of the company realized some positive results such as the increase in the company rates of the profitability and the improvement of the efficiency of productivity, However from the other side it contributed in increase of unemployment ,and did not contribute positively neither to the national income nor to the improvement of balance of payments.
Keywords: Privatization, economic reform, productive efficiency, structural adjustment, public sector, private sector.


Large-scale scientific applications are often expressed as workflows that help defining data dependencies between their different components. Several such workflows have huge storage and computation requirements, and so they need to be processed in multiple (cloud-federated) datacenters. It has been shown that efficient metadata handling plays a key role in the performance of computing systems. However, most of this evidence concern only single-site, HPC systems to date. In this paper, we present a hybrid decentralized/distributed model for handling hot metadata (frequently accessed metadata) in multisite architectures. We couple our model with a scientific workflow management system (SWfMS) to validate and tune its applicability to different real-life scientific scenarios. We show that efficient management of hot metadata improves the performance of SWfMS, reducing the workflow execution time up to 50% for highly parallel jobs and avoiding unnecessary cold metadata operations.


The application of narrative analysis to the Books of Samuel makes it possible to see in a new light the ascent of Saul to the throne of Israel, i. e., to understand better the beginnings of monarchy as they are exposed by the omniscient narrator. The story about the lost donkeys plays a special role in the narrative, as it provides the background for introducing Saul to the prophetic world governed by Samuel. The divine pro-monarchic revelation to Samuel(1 Sam 9, 15–16) structurally represents the central part of the passage.


The urban railway station is a structure that consumes a large amount of electric energy. Thus, the rationalization of using electric power is acutely demanded, but statistical data and design criteria that consider operating power load characteristics and structures, are very insufficiency. Therefore, this study investigated and analyzed that electricity consumption a year, characteristics, gross floor area of the station, structure, and etc, on the basis of Seoul metro station 1~4 line. Through regression analysis theory, we verified the overall features and the main tendency by analysis of specific parameter value(average, maximum, minimum, etc). The object of this study is the analysis about power density considering structure of the urban railway station, managing electric energy for the rationalization and setting a new standard of maintenance and construction.


The effects of soil conditioners TerraCottem, Frisol, Bio-algeen and fertilisers Silvamix Forte and Cererit on the survival rate and growth of European ash seedlings until the stage called established plantation were observed on two experimental plots with different anthropogenic substrates. Eight-year experiments showed that under the given conditions the tested agents fulfilled the declared effects only partially. The application of TerraCottem was statistically insignificant both in the survival rate and in the growth. In the applied dose, Frisol manifested itself as an agent that may cause problems with the survival of plants, but at the same time also as a preparation improving the overall growth of young plants statistically significantly. Its effective dosage largely depends on the soil character. Bio-algeen had a very good effect on the survival rate of plants, but it did not surpass the control plants in the initial growth of plants. Silvamix Forte did not cause the mortality of seedlings and influenced the growth of plants statistically significantly for 1–3 years. In the applied dose, Cererit caused a high mortality of seedlings. The application of soil conditioners and Silvamix Forte did not markedly accelerate the growth and development until the stage of the established plantation. Until that time, the costs of the application of conditioners were higher by 4–13% as compared with the costs in the control plants.


This article identifies and classifies various types of equity structures of noncorporate entities. It recognizes that equity structures fall into two general groups: allocation-dependent structures and distribution-dependent structures. The article describes the differences between those two general groups of structures and the typical types of structures within each of those groups. As noncorporate entities continue to gain prominence more and more such entities appear to be adopting distribution-dependent structures. Such structures can become quite complex, often incorporating finance concepts. The article therefore provides the financial tools needed to properly understand the more complex structures, especially those that incorporate internal rate of return ("IRR") and Microsoft Excel's XIRR function. After identifying some of the shortcomings that can appear in such structures, the article recommends a better way to incorporate IRR in situations where business owners insist upon using it. Finally, the article briefly discusses some of the basic tax issues that distribution-dependent equity structures raise.


Various ways to create interdisciplinary approaches in product design and engineering studies have been increasingly adopted in higher education. This paper describes how an engineering and industrial design program attempted to develop a new collaborative pedagogy, instead of single-discipline approaches, using a real industry-based project as the vehicle. The co-alignment of teaching and learning processes illustrates the common goals which are rationally beneficial to both programs. In conclusion, the interdisciplinary-learning framework is recapitulated to suggest more opportunities for collaboration between both academy and industry.


The paper proposes that the evolution of software systems is determined by the type of application and that one must distinguish between static and dynamic applications. Static evolution can be anticipated and planned. Dynamic evolution is by nature ad hoc and must be reactive. Some degree of stability can be brought to dynamic systems by dividing them into components, based on their propensity to change. In the world of electronic commerce, evolution has become the standard mode of development.


System design starting from high level models can facilitate formal verification of system properties, such as safety and deadlock freedom. Yet, analyzing their QoS property, in our context, per-flow delay bound, is an open challenge. Based on xMAS (eXecutable Micro-Architectural Specification), a formal framework modeling communication fabrics, we present a QoS analysis procedure using network calculus. Given network and flow knowledge, we first create a well-defined xMAS model for a specific application on a concrete on-chip network. Then the specific xMAS model can be mapped to its network calculus analysis model for which existing QoS analysis techniques can be applied to compute end-to-end delay bound per flow. We give an example to show the step-by-step analysis procedure and discuss the tightness of the results.


To isolate the hepatoprotective active compounds from the ethanolic extract of Citrullus colocynthis L. & to investigate its possible hepatoprotective activity against polluted water induced hepatotoxicity in albino rats. The use of plants as a source of remedies for the treatment of many diseases dated back to prehistory & the people of all the continents have this old tradition. Citrullus colocynthis L. is a medicinal plant traditionally used as an abortifacient & to treat constipation, oedema, bacterial infection, cancer & diabetes. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the plant showed the presence of large amounts of phenolics & flavonoids. The rats were divided into six groups of six animals in each group. Group 1. Served as a normal control received only distilled water. Group 2. Served as a diseased control & received polluted water orally for 10 days to induce hepatic damage. Group 3 & 4 served as test groups & received 100 & 200 mg / kg bw of the 90% ethanolic extract of Citrullus colocynthis L. respectively. Group 5. Served as a standard & received silymarin at a dose of 100 mg / kg b.w. Different hepatic biochemical parameters viz. Aspartate transaminase (AST), Alanine transaminase (ALT), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Total proteins, Bilirubin, Body weight before & after treatment were evaluated to investigate the hepatoprotective activity. Among different hepatic biochemical parameters total proteins were reported less in group 2 i-e in diseased group as compared to the normal control. Rests of the parameters were significantly increased in diseased group which is the prime indication of hepatic damage. Administration of 200 mg /kg b.w of Citrullus colocynthis L. effectively reduced these pathological damages & promotes the body weight in albino rats. The results of the present investigation indicate that the ethanolic extract of Citrullus colocynthis L. possesses good hepatoprotective activity.


New technology-based firms (NTBFs) are usually restricted by limited ownership and management structures. This paper explores whether acquisition, particularly that by multinational enterprises (MNEs), promotes the growth of NTBFs. Based on micro-level longitudinal data, we construct a large sample of Swedish NTBFs entering from 1997 to 2002 and follow them until 2009. This paper uses fixed effects models combined with inverse-probability-of-treatment weights (IPTW) to account for endogeneity of acquisition arising from both time-invariant and time-variant heterogeneity across firms. The findings show that acquisition by Swedish MNEs significantly improves the growth of NTBFs, but only when it comes to the growth in employees. In contrast, acquisition by both foreign MNEs and Swedish domestic enterprises are not found to have any significant effects on the growth in either employees or sales of NTBFs. JEL codes: L22, G34, F23, O33


Abstract A vast effort has been invested in the identification of driver mutations of cancer. However, recent studies and observations call into question whether the activating mutations or the signal strength are the major determinant of tumor development. The data argue that signal strength determines cell fate, not the mutation that initiated it. In addition to activating mutations, factors that can impact signaling strength include (i) homeostatic mechanisms that can block or enhance the signal, (ii) the types and locations of additional mutations, and (iii) the expression levels of specific isoforms of genes and regulators of proteins in the pathway. Because signal levels are largely decided by chromatin structure, they vary across cell types, states, and time windows. A strong activating mutation can be restricted by low expression, whereas a weaker mutation can be strengthened by high expression. Strong signals can be associated with cell proliferation, but too strong a signal may result in oncogene-induced senescence. Beyond cancer, moderate signal strength in embryonic neural cells may be associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, and moderate signals in aging may be associated with neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's disease. The challenge for improving patient outcomes therefore lies in determining signaling thresholds and predicting signal strength.


Tewtrakul, S., Subhadhirasakul, S., Rattanasuwan, P and Puripattanavong, J HIV-1 protease inhibitory substances from Cassia garrettiana Songklanakarin J. Sci. Technol., 2007, 29(1) : 145-149 Cassia garrettiana Craib, a Thai medicinal plant locally known as Samae-sarn, was investigated for its active constituents against HIV-1 protease (HIV-1 PR). Bioassay-guided fractionation of the heart wood of this plant led to the isolation of a stilbene derivative (1, piceatannol) and an anthraquinone derivative (2, chrysophanol). Piceatannol exhibited appreciable inhibitory effect against HIV-1 PR with an IC50 value of 25.4 μg/ml, whereas that of chrysophanol was 73.5 μg/ml. In addition, other two stilbenoids together with three anthraquinone derivatives were also investigated for their anti-HIV-1 PR activities. The result indicated that resveratrol possessed anti-HIV-1 PR activity with an IC50 value of 85.0 μg/ml, whereas other stilbenoid (oxyresveratrol) and anthraquinone derivatives (emodin, aloe-emodin, rhein) were inactive (IC50 > 100 μg/ml).


Gly 680 of Dictyostelium myosin II sits at a critical position within the reactive thiol helices. We have previously shown that G680V mutant subfragment 1 largely remains in strongly actin-bound states in the presence of ATP. We speculated that acto-G680V subfragment 1 complexes accumulate in the A.M.ADP.P(i) state on the basis of the biochemical phenotypes conferred by mutations which suppress the G680V mutation in vivo [Wu, Y., et al. (1999) Genetics 153, 107-116]. Here, we report further characterization of the interaction between actin and G680V subfragment 1. Light scattering data demonstrate that the majority of G680V subfragment 1 is bound to actin in the presence of ATP. These acto-G680V subfragment 1 complexes in the presence of ATP do not efficiently quench the fluorescence of pyrene-actin, unlike those in rigor complexes or in the presence of ADP alone. Kinetic analyses demonstrated that phosphate release, but not ATP hydrolysis or ADP release, is very slow and rate limiting in the acto-G680V subfragment 1 ATPase cycle. Single turnover kinetic analysis demonstrates that, during ATP hydrolysis by the acto-G680V subfragment 1 complex, quenching of pyrene fluorescence significantly lags the increase of light scattering. This is unlike the situation with wild-type subfragment 1, where the two signals have similar rate constants. These data support the hypothesis that the main intermediate during ATP hydrolysis by acto-G680V subfragment 1 is an acto-subfragment 1 complex carrying ADP and P(i), which scatters light but does not quench the pyrene fluorescence and so has a different conformation from the rigor complex.


Detecting volatile amines is a significant topic in quality control of food and medical diagnosis. Selectively sensing a given gaseous amine from other analogues, however, still remains a formidable challenge in solid-state fluorescence sensing because of the lack of specialized binding sites. Herein, we demonstrate a new supramolecular strategy for selectively sensing aniline based on the aggregation of perylene-cyclodextrin conjugate 1. Compared with our previous results based on perylene-bridged bis(permethyl-β-cyclodextrins), the present system achieves a pronounced improvement of both selectivity and reversibility. The sensory material was constructed from the π-stacking aggregate of 1 embedded in poly(vinylidene fluoride) membrane, which ensures benign solid-state fluorescence with potential amplification mechanism as well as convenient preparation and practical operation. Grafting cyclodextrin receptors endows the sensory material with desired selectivity as a result of diverse binding abilities. Especially, the thermodynamically reversible host-guest inclusion leads to the excellent sensing reversibility. The present research opens the way to build new n-type fluorescence sensory materials for detecting volatile amines instantly with compelling selectivity, sensitivity, and reversibility.


The planning and application of green infrastructure (GI) system contribute to protection of nature and the quality of urban life by supporting the ecological, economic and social functions of urban areas. Uncontrolled urban sprawl, illegal settlement and land use which neglects the sustainability of landscapes and open-green spaces negatively affect both the ecosystem functions in the city of Van and its immediate surroundings and the quality of urban life. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to determine the current state of the green infrastructure components of the city of Van and its surroundings in order to inform green infrastructure planning. To determine these components, consisting of the elements such as core areas, and corridors, nine ecological and cultural parameters were chosen; soil composition, vegetation, important natural areas and habitats, hydrological elements, slope, land use/land cover, protected areas, transportation networks and population density. In the study, following the field observations, the analytical procedures were completed using the Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst tools in the ARCGIS 10.2 software. Ten core areas, sixteen matrixs and four corridors were determined as the green infrastructure components in the study area. The fact that more than 50% of the study area proved to be made up of green infrastructure components shows that the existing green infrastructure in the city and its near surroundings are interconnected. Core areas are mainly composed of wetland habitats along the shores of Lake Van and its tributaries, and a relatively smaller proportion of which were steppe, made up a small area (15%) in the study. The limited, small area covered by the core areas points to the threat of landscape fragmentation in wetland and steppe habitats in the study area as well as to biodiversity loss. The lack of green infrastructure components in Van city center and the determination that this region is unsuitable for the development of green infrastructure components shows that urgent attention should be given to the development of large and small green areas within the city. Taking both natural and historical protected areas together when choosing parameters for determining the GI components ensured that the core areas were assessed as important GI components not only in terms of their ecological functions, but also taking their cultural values into account. With this kind of integrated approach in planning future green infrastructure system in the city, core areas can play a role in protecting natural and cultural landscape components as well as providing cultural ecosystem services. Keywords : Urban Sprawl, Wetlands, Steppe Habitat, Natural and Cultural Protected Areas, Open-Green Spaces DOI : 10.7176/JSTR/5-2-38


The interactive effect of inoculants and dried jujube powder (DJP) on the fermentation and nitrogen fraction (PA, PB1, PB2, PB3 and PC fractions) of alfalfa silage was investigated. Three of the Lactobacillus plantarum inoculants (LP1, LP2 or LP3) were used. The DJP was added at rates of 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 or 15% of the whole fresh forage. The combination of DJP and inoculants decreased the pH value and ammonia nitrogen content and increased the PC portion. As the DJP ratio increased, there was a peak in lactic acid : acetic acid ratio (12% of DJP ratio) and PB2 fraction (9% of DJP ratio) while the PA content decreased linearly. The LP1 and LP2 had the highest lactic acid content. Inoculants decreased the PB1 portion of true protein. The LP1 treated silage had the highest acetic acid content with the lowest lactic acid : acetic acid ratio and had lower PB3 and PC and higher PB2 than LP2 or LP3 treated silages. The result showed that the application of DJP or inoculants have positive effect on the fermentation, nutrition and N fraction value in the high moisture alfalfa silages, and the combination of DJP and inoculants preserves best.


Abstract Background: The aims of this study were to evaluate the incidence of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) in term and near-term infants who fail hearing screen (target screening), the incidence of congenital CMV infections in infants born before 33 weeks of gestation (universal screening) and the incidence of infants who need pharmacologic treatment for congenital CMV associated sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study that assessed two groups of infants born between 2014 and 2017. The first group consisted of infants born between 33 and 42 weeks gestation and the second group, of infants born before 33 weeks gestation. Targeted CMV screening was performed in the first group who either failed neonatal hearing screen or were growth retarded. Universal screen was performed in the second group of infants. CMV DNA was tested in urine samples using real time PCR soon after birth. Results: In the first group, 2078 infants were assessed, 19 (0.9%) were found to be CMV positive and in 9 (42%) valganciclovir treatment was initiated. In the second group, out of 549 urine samples/infants, none was positive for CMV DNA soon after birth. Conclusions: A joint strategy of targeted CMV screening in infants who fail hearing screen test with universal screen of premature infants can select infants at risk of hearing impairment due to congenital CMV soon after birth, allows for timely initiation of treatment and prevents dilemmas regarding congenital CMV diagnosis in infants who fail hearing screen in a later age until universal screen will be widely adopted.


The paper presents an analysis of an isotropic circular axisymmetric perforated plate loaded with concentrated force Pi applied in the geometric center of the plate using finite element software ANSYS. The test plate with diameter D = 300 mm has holes arranged at ten different radial spacings. The plate has holes with diameter d1 = 3.5 mm on the first inner circle, and holes on the tenth outside circle have a diameter d10 = 20.5 mm. The plate of the above geometry was free supported and loaded with different values of concentrated force. By means of numerical calculations using the finite element method, the coordinates of equivalent (von Mises) stress concentration zones in the perforated plate were determined. These zones were located on the plate bridges between perforation holes. The most hazardous place in the analysed perforated plate is associated with the outer circle, Z10, with the hole radius d1 = 3.5 mm at the circle radius R1 = 22.5 mm, where the highest stress concentration occurs. In this zone, the equivalent (von Mises) stress is σred max = 416.90 MPa (point with the coordinates x, y, z [mm], i.e. P10 [-69.9; 72.5; 0.0]). The results of numerical calculations were verified with experimental results. The differences between the results of numerical calculations of the state of stress and those obtained experimentally did not exceed 31%.


The Space Instrumentation Group at The Open University is investigating microwave sintering of lunar regolith/simulant as a potential fabrication method of 3D printing on the Moon to build lunar habitats. This has enabled us to integrate our existing expertise in 3D Concrete Printing and knowledge of lunar science and ISRU potential on the Moon to perform a series of microwave sintering experiments aiming to develop a potential fabrication method of an extraterrestrial construction process.
As part of this initiative, we have designed an industrial bespoke microwave heating apparatus. This apparatus will allow a thorough experimental investigation of the sintering mechanism of lunar regolith/simulant in the cavity. The mechanical properties of sintered specimens produced under optimal conditions can then be explored. The experiment will also be validated using COMSOL Multiphysics simulation software. In this contribution, we discuss the first outcomes using the bespoke microwave heating apparatus, and how COMSOL has been employed to understand the different characteristics of lunar regolith when subjected to microwave heating.


: Five myocardial scintigrams are shown, where there were difficulties in interpretation. In the first three examples, there was excessive distance of the collimator from the heart, resulting in poor quality scintigrams and leading to possible misinterpretation. Two further myocardial scintigrams are shown in patients who had eaten before the scan. In a further patient, there was insufficient cardiac ergometric stress. The problem is discussed briefly.


Several new electroactive diquinone and dihydroquinone derivatives of calix[4]arene bearing anchor functional groups were designed, synthesized and characterized. A method for selective protection of the hydroquinone -OH groups with trimethylsilyl groups (TMS) either on lower-rim or on upper-rim was developed. Four selected molecules - with sulfide anchor groups and carboxylic anchor groups - were adsorbed onto Au(111) single crystal surface using ex-situ and insitu self-assembly methods. Adsorbed molecules were then electrochemically probed with cyclic voltammetry. All adsorbed molecules showed redox response which changed during cycling. After conditioning CVs stabilized and showed two distinct current peaks for all molecules. Synthesized and electrochemically probed molecules are of interest to: Li-ion batteries (as cathode materials and overcharge protection), beyond Li-ion batteries and redox-flow batteries.


Melatonin (MLT) is present in seminal plasma (SP) of mammalian species, including pigs, and it is credited with antioxidant properties. This study aims to identify the sources of variation and the role of boar SP MLT on sperm quality and functionality and in vivo fertilizing ability of liquid-stored semen doses used in AI programs. The SP MLT was measured using an ELISA kit in a total of 219 ejaculates collected from 76 boars, and reproductive records of 5,318 AI sows were recorded. Sperm quality was assessed according to motility (computer-aided sperm analysis) and viability (cytometry evaluation). Sperm functionality was assessed according to the cytometric determination of intracellular HO generation, total and mitochondrial O production, and lipid peroxidation in liquid AI semen samples stored at 17°C over 144 h. The concentration of SP MLT differed among seasons ( < 0.01) and day length periods ( < 0.001) of the year, demonstrating that the ejaculates collected during the increasing day length period (9.80 ± 1.38 pg/mL, range: 2.75-21.94) had lower SP MLT concentrations than those collected during the decreasing day length period (16.32 ± 1.67 pg/mL, range: 5.02-35.61). The SP MLT also differed ( < 0.001) among boars, among ejaculates within boar, and among portions within the ejaculate, demonstrating that SP from the first 10 mL of sperm-rich ejaculate fraction (SRF) exhibited lower MLT concentrations than post-SRF. The SP MLT was negatively related ( < 0.001) to mitochondrial O production in viable sperm. The SP MLT did not differ among AI boars ( = 14) hierarchically grouped according to high and low fertility outcomes. In conclusion, SP MLT concentration in AI boars varies depending on the season of ejaculate collection and differs among boars, ejaculates within boar, and portions within ejaculate. The SP MLT may act at the mitochondrial level of sperm by reducing the generation of O. However, this antioxidant role of SP MLT was not reflected in sperm quality or in vivo fertility outcomes of AI semen doses.


Aberration correction leads to reduced focal depth of field in the electron microscope. This reduced depth of field can be exploited to probe specific depths within a sample, a process known as optical sectioning. An electron microscope fitted with aberration correctors for both the pre- and postspecimen optics can be used in a confocal mode that provides improved depth resolution and selectivity over optical sectioning in the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). In this article we survey the coherent and incoherent imaging modes that are likely to be used in scanning confocal electron microscopy (SCEM) and provide simple expressions to describe the images that result. Calculations compare the depth response of SCEM to optical sectioning in the STEM. The depth resolution in a crystalline matrix is also explored by performing a Bloch wave calculation for the SCEM geometry in which the pre- and postspecimen optics are defocused away from their confocal conditions.


The synergy afforded by the combination of biofunctionalised nanoparticles and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has expanded the analytical toolbox for clinical diagnostics and therapeutics. Since their inception, SERS-active nanoparticles have been developed into biofunctional nanoparticles (BFNPs) using a variety of methods to attach biomolecules and pacification layers to nanoparticles to enable detection of various diseases or cancers in vitro and in vivo. However, while there are many reports of the use of BFNPs for diagnostic or therapeutic applications, very few are implemented in a "real" clinical setting, for example, detection of disease biomarkers in tissue or the delivery of drugs to affected cells. This review covers recent advances made in the development of BFNPs for SERS-based detection of clinical samples using in vitro and in vivo methods.


The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), a large scale neutron production facility, routinely operates with 30-40 mA peak current in the linac. Recent measurements have shown that our RF-driven internal antenna, Cs-enhanced, multi-cusp ion sources injects ∼55 mA of H(-) beam current (∼1 ms, 60 Hz) at 65-kV into a Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) accelerator through a closely coupled electrostatic Low-Energy Beam Transport system. Over the last several years a decrease in RFQ transmission and issues with internal antennas has stimulated source development at the SNS both for the internal and external antenna ion sources. This report discusses progress in improving internal antenna reliability, H(-) yield improvements which resulted from modifications to the outlet aperture assembly (applicable to both internal and external antenna sources) and studies made of the long standing problem of beam persistence with the external antenna source. The current status of the external antenna ion source will also be presented.


The primary objective of this paper is to explore whether COVID-19 affects nurses' behavior on updating assessment results in EMRs in an intensive care unit (ICU) and analyze how the patterns of updating assessment results can be different. The study considered information from March (before the pandemic) and July (during the pandemic) in terms of average process time and frequency. In this study, the response-time measurement system data was used to analyze ICU nurses' workflow related to EMR documentation. After that, multiple hierarchical task analysis (HTA) charts were developed to find different EMR documentation patterns for assessment results. The results revealed that these patterns were significantly different in terms of average process time and frequency before and during the pandemic. The finding of this study might reveal the possible impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the patterns of updating patient assessment results and how nurses' preferences can be different in terms of average process time and frequency.


Plan of the western portion of Lot 65 (No.173). Estate of Mrs Lydia Wright. Roads, leased land[?] and freehold land on the Estate of Mrs. Lydia Wright. Tenant names appear on the sub-lots, which are numbered with area given in acres. Wooded areas and marshlands depicted. Depths represented by stippling. Bodies of water, which include Elliot River, Long Creek, Dog River, Northumberland Strait and Allen Cove (now Canoe Cove), are coloured blue. Adjoining estates include those of George Wright, the Earl of Selkirk (Township 31), and Reserved Land with the name of Mrs. Charles Wright written in pencil. Detail shows land cover. Updates to map in red ink and pencil. Bar scale in chains. Compass rose with north and magnetic north arrows.


Magnetic field driven domain wall velocities in [Co/Ni] based multilayers thin films have been measured using polar magneto-optic Kerr effect microscopy. The low field results are shown to be consistent with the universal creep regime of domain wall motion, characterized by a stretched exponential growth of the velocity with the inverse of the applied field. Approaching the depinning field from below results in an unexpected excess velocity with respect to the creep law. We analyze these results using scaling theory to show that this speeding up of domain wall motion can be interpreted as due to the increase of the size of the deterministic relaxation close to the depinning transition. We propose a phenomenological model which allows to accurately fit the observed excess velocity and to obtain characteristic values for the depinning field $H_d$, the depinning temperature $T_d$, and the characteristic velocity scale $v_0$ for each sample.


The leopard cannot change its spots, or so goes the old saw. This seems to be the case with republics of the former Soviet Union in the military-diplomatic arena. Tim Shea reveals how these republics still use the old Soviet strategy of maskirovka-- measures that deceive, distort, mislead, and misinform-to counter the effects of U.S. peacetime military engagement. A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. - Sun Tzu MASKIROVKA is a component of statecraft-a diverse spectrum of stratagems employed to distort the enemy's view of Soviet positions, designs, and missions and to alter the perception of their own side and their clients as well. Maskirovka, simply defined, was a set of processes employed during the Soviet era designed to mislead, confuse, and interfere with anyone accurately assessing its plans, objectives, strengths, and weaknesses.1 This Soviet concept included, but was not limited to, deception, disinformation, secrecy, and security.2 Since independence almost 10 years ago, the world has not witnessed large-scale purges or witch hunts of former Soviet or party officials in countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, or Uzbekistan. The reinvented communist nomenclatura, as heads of state and chiefs of the power ministries in most of the former republics, has adapted maskirovka to protect its new nonideological self-interests. The Soviet successor states use passive and active measures of maskirovka in varying degrees to their advantage to manage aspects of bilateral relationships with the United States to serve their own ends while resisting or subverting U.S. shaping efforts. The rise of the reinvented Soviet Committee for State Security (KGB) security organs to prominence and power, the crippling effect of rampant corruption, and increasing state control of the media have inhibited the deepening of U.S. bilateral relations in the region.3 Maskirovka is used to counter the effects of U.S. peacetime military engagement. Peacetime Military Engagement A unilaterally imposed fog of war that distorts the truth for both external and domestic consumption clouds peacetime military engagement inside these countries. Maskirovka permits regional military leaders to feed on U.S. freebies while feigning interest in transparency, professing pro-NATO strategic orientations, or claiming support for democratic models. These symbiotic, or even parasitic, bilateral relationships have evolved to conceal the fact that many post-Soviet leaders depend on, even in partnership, forces and interests that view real reform as a threat to their place in society. In some cases, official and criminal structures have effectively merged. The strategic ambiguity that has followed the end of the Cold War has given birth to a concept whereby the United States engages the world to influence and advocate adopting Western ideals. While many might consider it pretentious to think the United States could have dictated what happened in the former Soviet Union, the United States often readily assumes blame for all that has not gone well. All too often, when planning or executing engagement activity, maskirovka is ignored or viewed as a minor irritant instead of the countermeasure it really is. The engagement lobby plays a large role in this debacle and exists on both sides. These interest groups benefit almost entirely from the money and missions processes as bureaucracies, but they have no stake in actually measuring progress or achieving concrete results. As individuals and organizations, these groups tout numbers of events and quantities of programs as indicators of progress. Because the activity is largely funded externally, engagement activity can justify creating and maintaining organizations to administer these programs and associated hefty increases in personnel authorizations. Examples include the Army National Guard State Partnership Program and the U. …


Carbazole structures are of high interest in photopolymerization due to their enhanced light absorption properties in the near-UV or even visible ranges. Therefore, type I photoinitiators combining the carbazole chromophore to the well-established phosphine-oxides were proposed and studied in this article. The aim of this article was to propose type I photoinitiators that can be more reactive than benchmark phosphine oxides, which are among the more reactive type I photoinitiators for a UV or near-UV light emitting diodes (LED) irradiation. Two molecules were synthesized and their UV-visible light absorption properties as well as the quantum yields of photolysis and photopolymerization performances were measured. Remarkably, the associated absorption was enhanced in the 350–410 nm range compared to benchmark phosphine oxides, and one compound was found to be more reactive in photopolymerization than the commercial photoinitiator TPO-L for an irradiation at 395 nm.


The decreasing breastfeeding rate in México is of public health concern. In this paper we discus an innovative regulatory approach -Performance Based Regulation- and its application to improve breastfeeding rates. This approach, forces industry to take responsibility for the lack of breastfeeding and its consequences. Failure to comply with this targets results in financial penalties. Applying performance based regulation as a strategy to improve breastfeeding is feasible because: the breastmilk substitutes market is an oligopoly, hence it is easy to identify the contribution of each market participant; the regulation's target population is clearly defined; it has a clear regulatory standard which can be easily evaluated, and sanctions to infringement can be defined under objective parameters.

RECOMMENDATIONS
modify public policy, celebrate concertation agreements with the industry, create persuasive sanctions, strengthen enforcement activities and coordinate every action with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.


The effect of dressing with Duoderm (hydrocolloid) and treatment with hyperbaric oxygen was investigated on the healing of ischaemic incisional wounds and on flap survival in rats. After 10 days, Duoderm dressing of ischaemic wounds decreased all strength parameters (load*S, stress*S) by 41%-44% and the improvement of ischaemic wound healing by hyperbaric oxygen treatment shown in our previous study was not seen. After removal of Duoderm on day 10 the biomechanical properties had improved but not returned to normal on day 20. In the dressed animals the shrinkage of ischaemic wounds and the extension of necrosis on the ischaemic flaps were reduced. Dressing may be useful clinically in preventing superficial dermal necroses. One must, however, be aware of the impairment of the wound strength of the incisional wounds.


A scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) in ac mode is used for the characterisation of the adsorption process during the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in sulfuric acid solution. It is shown that this technique allows quantitative analysis of the adsorption process, and measurements of the differential capacitance with the frequency as parameter are obtained. The time constant for relaxation of adsorbed hydrogen (H(ads)) is approximately 2 Hz, and analysis of the Nyquist plot allows direct evaluation of the charge involved. In addition, the direct comparison of the usual electrochemical impedance data and ac-SECM results obtained simultaneously permits characterisation of processes occurring at the surface and in solution.


A unified but simple method for solution of four-wave mixing equations in photorefractive crystals in both transmission and reflection geometries is presented. The method is applied to the problems of double phase conjugation and two-wave mixing with crossed polarizations in cubic crystals.


Background:

The specific nature of systemic inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is still poorly understood. Dendritic cells (DCs) control immunity, however, there is little information on specific characteristics of circulating DCs in COPD.

Methods:

Four-colour flow cytometry was used to compare DC phenotypes in peripheral blood of 54 patients with COPD (spirometric GOLD stages 2 - 4, median FEV1: 38% predicted, median CAT score: 24) with two control groups: 21 current smokers with normal lung function and 21 never-smokers with normal lung function.

Results:

Concentrations of plasmacytoid and myeloid DCs and the ratio of myeloid to plasmacytoid DCs did not significantly differ between the groups. Markers of systemic inflammation (concentrations of leukocytes, c-reactive protein and fibrinogen in peripheral blood) and some DC surface molecules (such as CD86, BDCA-1 or BDCA-3) were increased compared with never-smoking controls, but did not significantly differ between current smokers with normal lung function and patients with COPD. In contrast, patients with COPD were specifically characterised by a decreased expression of the anti-inflammatory marker PD-L1 on plasmacytoid DCs and an increased expression of the pro-inflammatory marker OX40 ligand on myeloid DCs, as compared with both control groups.

Conclusion:

COPD is characterised by an imbalance in the expression of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory surface molecules on circulating dendritic cells.


The gene encoding the protein 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase (ACC synthase) has been extensively studied in plant species because of its role in regulating the formation of the plant hormone, ethylene. Although the ACC synthase gene has been heavily studied in angiosperms, it has never been cloned from a gymnosperm species. This dissertation presents the cloning of a gene, PTACS-1, with high homology to ACC synthase, from Pinus taeda (loblolly pine), a commercially important tree in the southern U.S. Additionally, a shorter nearly identical transcript, PTACS-1s was identified. Expression of the PTACS-1 and PTACS-1s transcripts was measured using quantitative PCR in tissues throughout the tree, and in response to known elicitors of ACC synthase gene transcription. Further, the expression of PTACS-1 and PTACS-1s were monitored in response to known elicitors of compression wood, a reaction wood formed in gymnosperms. Putative roles for PTACS-1 in compression wood development are discussed. INDEX WORDS: ACC synthase, compression wood, ethylene biosynthesis, Pinus taeda, mechanical stress, gravisitmulation. IDENTIFICATION OF A PUTATIVE 1-AMINOCYCLOPROPANE-1-CARBOXYLATE SYNTHASE FROM PINUS TAEDA: EVIDENCE FOR ROLES IN SIGNALING THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPRESSION WOOD


Recently, one of the problems that hinder dam development is land acquisition. Some landowners are reluctant to give up their land to the compensation values offered by Land Supply Committee. The landowners often demand higher price than the platform, but there is no strong legal basis to pay higher than the platform. Whereas the existing land price calculation model is mainly based on tangible aspects (taxes, distance, area, function, slope, and condition), lands also hold intangible values for the owners. This research use qualitative method, conducted in four locations: Karian dam, Batutegi dam, Sermo dam, and Jatibarang dam. The research shows three important intagible variables in socio-cultural aspect, namely magical-religious value, ways to own the land, and the duration of ownership. The variables could be accomodated in calculation of land price. The alternative variables address both various characteristics of land price and landowners' expectation more objectively and accountably. Therefore, the role of land brokers which often exaggerate the land price could be minimized and consequently, in the future, land acquisition will no longer be a dominant issue hampering dam development.


Classifying sequential data as early and as accurately as possible is a challenging yet critical problem, especially when a sampling cost is high. One algorithm that achieves this goal is the sequential probability ratio test (SPRT), which is known as Bayes-optimal: it can keep the expected number of data samples as small as possible, given the desired error upper-bound. However, the original SPRT makes two critical assumptions that limit its application in real-world scenarios: (i) samples are independently and identically distributed, and (ii) the likelihood of the data being derived from each class can be calculated precisely. Here, we propose the SPRT-TANDEM, a deep neural network-based SPRT algorithm that overcomes the above two obstacles. The SPRT-TANDEM sequentially estimates the log-likelihood ratio of two alternative hypotheses by leveraging a novel Loss function for Log-Likelihood Ratio estimation (LLLR) while allowing correlations up to N (∈ N) preceding samples. In tests on one original and two public video databases, Nosaic MNIST, UCF101, and SiW, the SPRT-TANDEM achieves statistically significantly better classification accuracy than other baseline classifiers, with a smaller number of data samples. The code and Nosaic MNIST are publicly available at https://github.com/TaikiMiyagawa/SPRT-TANDEM.


In a normal pregnancy the average woman accumulates about 8 5 1. of water. Some 6 1. of that can be attributed to water contained in the product of conception, enlarged maternal organs such as uterus and breasts and the expanded maternal blood volume; the remaining 2-5 1. appears to be all in the maternal extracellular space (Hytten 1970). The added extracellular water is a little greater in women with lower limb cedema but considerably greater, averaging 5 1., in women with generalized cedema, although clinically this is almost always trivial and manifested as no more than a tight wedding ring (Hytten et al. 1966). Some late pregnancy cedema is of the classical Starling type and may be attributable to the relatively high venous pressure in the lower limbs and the reduced colloid osmotic pressure of plasma (Robertson 1969). But most of the extracellular water is probably held in the connective tissue ground substance because of cestrogen-induced changes in the mucupolysaccharide component. Evidence for this is discussed by Hytten (1970). It seems likely every normal pregnant woman stores considerable amounts of water in her connective tissue ground substance and the wide differences in the manifestation of clinical cedema remain to be explained. The excretion of water is also modified by pregnancy. Because of progesterone-induced overbreathing the pregnant woman reduces her Pco2, and plasma bicarbonate must be lowered to maintain pH. Sodium is excreted with bicarbonate, leading, with other changes, to a fall in plasma osmolality of about 10 mosmol/kg in the first few weeks which is maintained throughout pregnancy (Hytten 1968, Robertson 1969). Such a fall might be expected to lead to a diabetesinsipidus-like state and this may occur transiently in many women. However, subjects on salt-free diet, for example, can adjust to a slowly induced fall in osmolality and, while avoiding continuous diuresis, are able to produce only a small diuresis after a water load. The pregnant woman also avoids continuous diuresis but, by contrast, has an enormously enhanced ability to excrete water, up to 30 ml/min (Hytten & Klopper 1963). It seems likely that the osmoreceptors are reset in pregnancy to accept and preserve the new low level of osmolality in the same way that the respiratory centres are reset to accept and preserve the greatly reduced Pco2 of pregnancy. Lying supine in late pregnancy has long been known to reduce urine flow, sometimes but not necessarily associated with reduced renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate. Lindheimer & Weston (1969) have shown that when women in late pregnancy are given DOCA and infused with hypotonic saline, lying supine induces an immediate increase in sodium reabsorption in the proximal nephron; the 'third hormone' may be implicated.


Estrogen production by the trophoblast is considered important in early equine pregnancy and leads to high concentrations in yolk-sac (Y-S) fluid. The embryo proper is a potential site for their action. We examined estrogen metabolism in the embryo proper because some actions of estrogens are derived from locally formed metabolites. The embryo proper, as well as separated extraembryonic tissues, of conceptuses collected about day 25 of pregnancy, were incubated with (3)[H]-estrone (E(1)) and (3)[H]-estradiol (E(2)). Steroids were recovered from media by solid-phase extraction and eluted separately as unconjugated and conjugated fractions. Profiles of free and sulfo-conjugated fractions were obtained by HPLC. Some differences and similarities were noted for the embryo proper as compared to the extraembryonic tissues. No reduction of E(1) to E(2) was noted for the embryo proper and allantois, but some was seen with the bilaminar Y-S wall. Less conversion of E(2) to E(1) occurred in the embryo proper than in the extraembryonic tissues. Profiles for hydrolyzed sulfates from incubation of the embryo proper were very similar for both substrates, mainly with E(1) present. Thus, low levels of reductase and high levels of oxido- activities were apparent for the 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes. Further evidence of an active role for the embryo proper was seen as minor, polar products, and an unknown compound eluting between E(2) and E(1). These findings show, for the first time, that the embryo proper can metabolize estrogens that are found in Y-S fluid - a function of potential significance at this stage in its development.