Introduction: Most patient decision aids rely heavily on written information and require patients to have above average literacy skills, a potential barrier for the medically underserved. Individuals with limited literacy are restricted in their ability to make appropriate health decisions and to act on health information. We developed and evaluated the "A Patchwork of Life" (PLife) patient decision aid to assist medically underserved women with limited literacy in making a breast cancer treatment decision. The PLife is computer-based, culturally and linguistically appropriate learning environment that involves two key components, soap opera segments and related learning modules designed to support breast cancer (Stages I-IIIA) surgery decision-making and to encourage communication about treatment decision with their provider, relatives and friends. The objectives of the project were to: 1) determine the effectiveness of PLife in assisting patients make informed breast cancer treatment decisions, and; 2) evaluate patients' perceptions of the usefulness of the intervention for aiding in their decision-making. Experimental Procedures: The study was a randomized controlled trial including an intervention and control group. The intervention group viewed the PLife program and the control group received usual care including additional breast cancer educational material provided by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Both groups consisted of patients who were candidates for lumpectomy or mastectomy. Patients were identified through pathology and other medical records and physician referrals. Those who consented completed all baseline assessments before implementation of the PLife decision aid. A Patient Navigator arranged for a convenient time for the patient to view the program. Immediately after viewing the program, patients answered a questionnaire rating the program. Follow-up data collection with patients took place via phone 2-weeks after viewing the program. At 2-week, and 6-month follow up patients answered questions about breast cancer knowledge, decisional conflict, and treatment preferences. Questionnaires were administered in Spanish and English. Summary of Data: A total of 100 patients diagnosed with Stage I-IIIA breast cancer were randomized to either a control (n = 49) or intervention group (n = 51). Median age of the sample was 49 ± 11.6 years, 15% were Non-Hispanic White, 56% African American, and 49% Hispanic. The majority of patients chose mastectomy over lumpectomy, regardless of study group assignment (60.8% intervention vs 53.1% control). Intervention group exhibited greater improvement in breast cancer knowledge compared to control group (60.5% vs 37.7%, respectively). At six month follow-up, patients who viewed the PLife program felt more informed about their treatment options, risks and benefits (p = 0.01), and showed significant improvement in decision certainty about breast cancer treatment (p = 0.01) compared to control group. Usability analysis revealed a high level of user satisfaction with the PLife program. Conclusions: Results suggest that the PLife program improved patients' knowledge about breast cancer. Additionally, patients who interacted with the PLife program exhibited an overall greater treatment decision certainty compared to usual care group. Taken together, these findings suggest, that the PLife program is a suitable strategy to help medically underserved women with breast cancer maximize their understanding of the implications of breast cancer treatment options. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2011;20(10 Suppl):A31.


The new complex of Zn(II) with 4-ammino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine, [C9H22N2]ZnCl4, has been prepared and characterized by various physicochemical studies. This compound crystallizes in the monoclinic system, with the space group P21/c and the following cell parameters: a = 9.8682(7), b = 7.5164(5), c = 21.019(2) A, β = 99.003 (7)°, V = 1539.8(2) A3 and Z = 4. The crystal structure was solved and refined to R = 0.024 using 3070 reflections. The atomic arrangement can be described by slightly distorted tetrahedral ZnCl42- anions and 4-ammmonio-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinium cations holding together by different interactions. The four chlorine atoms of the ZnCl42- tetrahedron are acting as acceptors of hydrogen bonds. The crystal packing is influenced by cation-to-anion N-H…Cl and C-H…Cl hydrogen bonds leading to open framework architecture.


Understanding how membrane forming amphiphiles are synthesized and aggregate in prebiotic settings is required for understanding the origins of life on Earth 4 billion years ago. Amino acids decyl esters were prepared by dehydration of decanol and amino acid as a model for a plausible prebiotic reaction at two temperatures. Fifteen amino acids were tested with a range of side chain chemistries to understand the role of amino acid identity on synthesis and membrane formation. Products were analyzed using LC-MS as well as microscopy. All amino acids tested produced decyl esters, and some of the products formed membranes when rehydrated in ultrapure water. One of the most abundant prebiotic amino acids, alanine, was remarkably easy to get to generate abundant, uniform membranes, indicating that this could be a selection mechanism for both amino acids and their amphiphilic derivatives.


The Albemarle Group is one of the major defining stratigraphic units of the Carolina terrane, the best-known division of the southern Appalachian peri-Gondwanan block of Carolinia. As such, the group has been recognized as important for correlating Carolinia with other peri-Gondwanan Appalachian blocks. Until recently, it had been considered a conformable sequence of mainly Late Neoproterozoic age; however, this age assignment has been in question due to reports of Paleozoic (Late Cambrian and younger) fossils from two quarries in the group. To accommodate the reported fossil finds, significant revisions to the stratigraphy and structure of the group were proposed.
This study focused on resolving the stratigraphy and structure of the group in the vicinity of JacobA¢â'¬â"¢s Creek Quarry, one of the reported Paleozoic fossil locations. Measurement of a 20-meter stratigraphic section across the Cid mudstone and Flat Swamp member contact, recently proposed as a regionally significant thrust, identified an intercalation of mudstone, greywacke, epiclastics and tuffaceous siltstone indicative of a conformable and gradational contact. No significant tectonic structures, other than a weak regional cleavage that is observed throughout the study area, were observed.
Facies associations also suggest that the Cid and Floyd Church Formations form part of a conformable, coarsening upward sequence. In addition, field and facies evidence did not reveal evidence of Paleozoic outliers. Therefore, the rocks in the vicinity of JacobA¢â'¬â"¢s Creek Quarry are considered Neoproterozoic and changes to our understanding of the stratigraphy and structure of the Albemarle Group are unwarranted.
A secondary objective of this investigation was to compile in digital geospatial format, geological field maps produced by previous graduate students from North Carolina State University that are contiguous to the area studied herein. This was done by direct digitization of paper maps produced as part of unpublished theses. The product is a geological map of contiguous portions of the Morrow Mountain, Badin and Handy quadrangles.


The work presented in this thesis was undertaken by the author, except where it is indicated by reference, within the Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre at the University of Nottingham during the period July 2001 until November 2004. The initial objective of the PhD was to investigate possible applications of long range dipolar field effects, but other problems involving the effects of susceptibility induced magnetisation have also been discussed. The work on the long range dipolar field involved: • The study of the evolution at high field of the various orders of quantum coherences and 2D spectroscopy experiments based on long range dipolar fields; • The optimisation of parameters for imaging with the double quantum CRAZED sequence and derivation of phase cycles that allow the elimination of undesired signals such as stimulated echoes and refocused spin echoes; • Simulations of the effects of field inhomogeneities on the long range dipolar field and signal evolution after a double quantum CRAZED sequence; The work relating to the fields generated by susceptibility induced magnetisation involved: • Application of a methodology originally derived for evaluating the long range dipolar field to the rapid calculation of field inhomogeneities due to induced magnetisation (dipoles). Studies were performed using a digitised body model. The effect of head movement and breathing were simulated allowing the evaluation of the consequences of these inhomogeneities for imaging; • The methodology referred above was used to compare the BOLD contrast, due to both the intra and extra-vascular compartments, resulting from infinite cylinders and a realistic vascular model (based on the rat cortex); • Development of a methodology for monitoring variation of field inhomogeneities with movement in functional studies, that can be used to apply an undistortion for each echo planar image acquired.


Reinforcement Learning (RL) is one of the most dynamic research areas in Game AI and AI as a whole, and a wide variety of games are used as its prominent test problems. However, it is subject to the replicability crisis that currently affects most algorithmic AI research. Benchmarking in Reinforcement Learning could be improved through verifiable results. There are numerous benchmark environments whose scores are used to compare different algorithms, such as Atari. Nevertheless, reviewers must trust that figures represent truthful values, as it is difficult to reproduce an exact training curve. We propose improving this situation by providing access to the original evaluation data to validate study results. To that end, we rely on the concept of replay traces. These allow re-simulation of action sequences in deterministic RL environments and, in turn, enable reviewers to verify, re-use, and manually inspect evaluation results without needing large compute clusters. It also permits validation of presented reward graphs, an inspection of individual episodes, and re-use of result data (baselines) for proper comparison in follow-up papers. We offer plug-and-play code that works with Gym so that our measures fit well in the existing RL and reproducibility eco-system. Our approach is freely available, easy to use, and adds minimal overhead, as replay traces allow a data compression ratio of up to $\approx 10^{4}$: 1 (94 GB to 8 MB for Atari Pong) compared to a regular MDP trace used in offline RL datasets. The paper presents proof-of-concept results for a variety of games.


Herein, a simple wet-chemical pathway has been demonstrated for the synthesis of silver nanoparticle conjugated reduced graphene oxide nanosheets where dimethylformamide (DMF) is judiciously employed as an efficient reducing agent. Altogether, DMF reduces both silver nitrate (AgNO3) and graphene oxide (GO) in the reaction mixture. Additionally, the presence of polyvinylpyrolidone (PVP) assists the nanophasic growth and homogeneous distribution of the plasmonic nanoparticle Ag(0). Reduction of graphene oxide and the presence of aggregated Ag NPs on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets are confirmed from various spectroscopic techniques. Finally, the composite material has been exploited as an intriguing platform for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based selective detection of uranyl (UO2(2+)) ion. The limit of detection has been achieved to be as low as 10 nM. Here the normal Raman spectral (NRS) band of uranyl acetate (UAc) at 838 cm(-1) shifts to 714 and 730 cm(-1) as SERS bands for pH 5.0 and 12.0, respectively. This distinguished Raman shift of the symmetric stretching mode for UO2(2+) ion is indicative of pronounced charge transfer (CT) effect. This CT effect even supports the higher sensitivity of the protocol toward UO2(2+) over other tested oxo-ions. It is anticipated that rGO nanosheets furnish a convenient compartment to favor the interaction between Ag NPs and UO2(2+) ion through proximity induced adsorption even at low concentration.


This cross-sectional descriptive study was done to analyse the current trends of using antimicrobials in various surgical procedures at Obstetrics and Gynaecology department in Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Mymensingh from July 2014 to June 2015. Among 300 postoperative obstetrics and gynaecological surgery cases, samples were selected as non-random purposive selection method where pattern of using antimicrobials were analysed by SPSS method 20.1 versions. The incidence of antimicrobial resistance is on continued rise with a threat to return to the pre-antibiotic era. This has led to emergence of such bacterial infections which are essentially untreatable by the current armamentarium of available treatment options. Now-a-days variation of choosing antibiotic are quietly accepted in Obstetrics and Gynaecology department as prophylaxis purpose to control life threatening conditions such as postoperative wound infection, septicaemia, urinary tract infection etc. The data analysis revealed that among 300 obstetrical and gynaecological surgeries, Nitroimidazoles (93.33%), Cephalosporins (91%) and Aminoglycosides (59%) group were most commonly used antimicrobials in both obstetrics and gynaecological surgeries. Metronidazole (93.33%), Ceftriaxone (68.66%), Gentamicin (60.33%), Cefuroxime (48%), Flucloxacillin (42%), Cefixime (27%) were the most commonly used antimicrobials at obstetrics and gynaecology department. Combination of Ceftriaxone, Metronidazole and Gentamicin (37.66%), Ceftriaxone and Metronidazole (25.33%), Cefuroxime, Metronidazole and Gentamicin (16%), Ciprofloxacin, Metronidazole and Gentamicin (5.33%) were most commonly used antimicrobials postoperatively. Total mean duration of antimicrobial therapy was 10.45 days. Antibiotics are useful in prevention of infection. But indiscriminately use of antibiotics without any guideline may lead to antimicrobial resistance. So, antimicrobial surveillance committee should be formed by hospital authority to know the local using pattern of antibiotics.


ABSTRACT This study explored the perceptions of 25 secular teachers employed in American, Australian, and Israeli Jewish religious schools regarding disparities between their secular identity and their school's religious habitus. It also examined the ways these teachers cope with such disparities. Findings suggest that teachers' challenges were anchored in their freedom of religion and conscience, educational credo, and framed organisational position. However, the teachers acknowledged student benefits such as students' exposure to diversity and support offered to those experiencing religious and identity conflict. Identified patterns of teachers' coping strategies included opposition, adaptation, and fence-sitting. We drew upon the literature on passing and everyday forms of resistance in schools having rigid public transcripts to explain these strategies' moral and emotional costs. The study's implications apply to other religious schools and educational settings characterised by rigid public transcripts of discipline and accountability policies that may conflict with teachers' identity and educational credo.


Massive virtual models are one of the most computer graphics pieces required on the Internet, especially the ones that simulate three-dimensional urban scenarios. Additionally, the integration of "artificial life" components in these environments, demanding for a virtualization of life involving the static geometry, pioneer in computer games research. This clearly reveals a growing interest for various kinds of analysis in several areas of activity. In this scenario "virtual public facilities" had captured a lot of attention and research efforts when used to simulate and act without certain human constraints that we can find easily in real world. Integrating both Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computer Graphics (CG) models and strategies it is possible to create effective virtual environments where agents are able to interact with each other and, naturally, with the environment where they are located. This paper presents an integrated model to support agents' behavior when integrated in a threedimensional urban scenario, describing its basic characteristics and presenting some simulation tests using a great number of agents at different abstraction layers.


ABSTRACT Hematopoietic lineage commitment is regulated by cytokines and master transcription factors, but it remains unclear how a progenitor cell chooses a lineage in the face of conflicting cues. Through transcript counting in megakaryocyte–erythroid progenitors undergoing erythropoiesis, we show that the expression levels of the pro-erythropoiesis transcription factor EKLF (also known as KLF1) and receptor EpoR are inversely correlated with their pro-megakaryopoiesis counterparts, FLI-1 and TpoR (also known as MPL). Notably, as progenitors commit to the erythrocyte lineage, EpoR is upregulated and TpoR is strongly downregulated, thus boosting the potency of the pro-erythropoiesis cue erythropoietin and effectively eliminating the activity of the pro-megakaryopoiesis cue thrombopoietin. Based on these findings, we propose a new model for exclusive decision making that explicitly incorporates signals from extrinsic cues, and we experimentally confirm a model prediction of temporal changes in transcript noise levels in committing progenitors. Our study suggests that lineage-specific receptor levels can modulate potencies of cues to achieve robust commitment decisions. Summary: Progenitor cells can make robust commitment decisions in the face of conflicting cues by modulating the expression levels of lineage-specific receptors.


"The body's cross-roads," in Rilke's words, "are the celestial streets that form what we are" (p. 227). "The evidential sensation of the whole body, not only of its weight, but also of its size, extension and sense of fullness" (Federn, p. 41), is with us all the time. Yet to much of this body feeling we pay no attention at all. The experience of the body is not independent of the environment, but is influenced by the interchange between an individual and the sensations which his environment gives to him. Of these sensations, the most important are clearly those produced by the complex stimuli of the social world. It is my thesis that body feeling is influenced by one's form of personal relationship, and that aspects of this bodily experience may be expressed in some modern sculpture. In addition, these changes in bodily experience may be determined by the working of a "sensory filter" and so have a neurophysiological basis.


A mathematical model has been developed to predict the temperature distribution through a slab during rough rolling. The heat transfer model is based on two-dimensional heat flow, and includes the bulk heat flow due to high speed slab motion, but ignores heat conduction in the rolling direction. At high temperature, an oxide scale forms due to exposure to air and must be considered in the heat transfer analysis. The thick scale which forms during reheating helps to insulate the slab during transportation of the slab to the rolling stands. Prior to rolling, the heavy oxide is removed by the descale sprays, and a much thinner oxide layer is formed during the very short exposure of the slab to air during rough rolling. The temperature results predicted by the model have been validated by comparison with another model. The results show that the work roll chilling has a significant effect on the temperature distribution in the slab in the roll gap and approximately 33% of the total heat lost by the slab is extracted by the work rolls; however, the chilling affect is confined to a very thin surface layer on the slab, approximately 2.5% of the slab thickness. To measure the roll chilling effect, pilot mill tests have been conducted at CANMET and UBC. In these tests, the surface and the interior temperatures of specimens during rolling have been recorded using a data acquisition system. The corresponding heat transfer coefficients in the roll bite have been back-calculated by a trial-and-error method using the heat transfer model developed. The heat transfer coefficient has been found to increase along the arc of contact and reaches a maximum and then declines until the exit of the roll bite. It is important to note that the mean heat transfer coefficient in the roll gap is strongly dependent on the mean roll pressure. At low mean roll pressure, such as in the case of rolling plain carbon steels at elevated temperature, the maximum heat transfer coefficient in the roll bite is in 25-50kW/m 2-°C range. As the roll ■ pressure increases, the maximum heat transfer coefficient also increases to approximately 700 kW/m2-°C. Obviously, the high pressure improves the contact between the roll and the slab surface thereby reducing the resistance to heat flow. The mean roll gap heat transfer coefficient at the interface (HTC) has been shown to be linearly related to the mean roll pressure. These results were employed to calculate the thermal history of the slab during industrial rough rolling; the results are in good agreement with the data in the literature. In addition to the thermal history, the strain and strain rate distribution also affect the evolution of microstructure of rolled steels. In the present project, heat transfer and deformation during rough rolling of a slab have been analyzed with the aid of a coupled finite element model based on the flow formulation approach. In the model, sliding friction is assumed to prevail along the arc of contact and the effect of roll flattening has been incorporated. The model has been validated by comparing the results from the pilot mill tests. It confirms that the deformation of a slab in the roll gap is inhomogeneous and just beneath the surface very high strain rates of approximately 5-10 times the nominal strain rate are reached due to the redundant shearing. The maximum strain rate is attained at the entrance to the roll bite just beneath the rolls. The corresponding strain distribution through the thickness is also non-uniform, being lowest at the center and highest at the surface. The temperature gradient near the surface of the slab is very large due to work roll chilling; this is consistent with results obtained from the finite-difference model. The predicted roll forces are in good agreement with the measured values for the 9-pass schedule currently employed on the roughing mill at Stelco's Lake Erie Works and the pilot mill tests.


D7 family proteins are among the most expressed salivary proteins in mosquitoes. They facilitate blood meal intake of the mosquito by scavenging host amines that induce vasoconstriction, platelet aggregation and pain. Despite this important role, little information is available on the impact of insecticide resistance on the regulation of D7 proteins and consequently on the blood feeding success. In this study, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses were performed to investigate how pyrethroid resistance could influence the expression of genes encoding D7 family proteins in Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles funestus s.s. mosquitoes from Elon in the Central Cameroon. Out of 328 collected mosquitoes, 256 were identified as An. funestus sl and 64 as An. gambiae sl. Within the An. funestus group, An. funestus s.s. was the most abundant species (95.95%) with An. rivulorum, An. parensis and An. rivulorum-like also detected. All An. gambiae s.l mosquitoes were identified as An. gambiae. High levels of pyrethroid resistance were observed in both An. gambiae and An. funestus mosquitoes. RT-qPCR analyses revealed a significant overexpression of two genes encoding D7 proteins, D7r3 and D7r4, in pyrethroids resistant An. funestus. However, no association was observed between the polymorphism of these genes and their overexpression. In contrast, overall D7 salivary genes were under-expressed in pyrethroid resistant An. gambiae. This study provides preliminary evidences that pyrethroid resistance could influence blood meal intake through over-expression of D7 proteins although future studies will help establishing potential impact on vectorial capacity.


Pasolini's body was found in a deserted field outside Rome in November 1975. He had been murdered by a homosexual prostitute, but it is possible that the murder was in fact politically motivated. This is a study of one of the most remarkable Italian writers and artists since World War II. Pasolini first earned national attention as a poet trying to resolve Christian and Marxist ideology; later, he made his own homosexuality a subject of his poetry and two of his famous novels explored the rough world of Roman youth. In the 1960s he began making movies which include "The Gospel According to Saint Matthew", "Teorema", "The Decameron", "The Canterbury Tales" and "Salo". In this study, Siciliano discusses Pasolini's life and work, his early years and homosexual experience; the literary and political controversies, the scandals and the court trials; his love affairs and his friendships with such people as Alberto Moravia, Elsa Moravia and Maria Callas.


Advances in gas turbine technology have led to levels of turbine inlet temperature that preclude the use of thermocouple and simple gas analysis techniques for gas temperature determination. Simple gas analysis schemes rely on the measurement of a very limited range of species in the gas sample, typically CO2, CO and hydrocarbons (UHC). A method of estimating the other important species is required. Simple gas analysis schemes that rely only on elemental mass balance equations to determine the concentration of species are inadequate where high temperature results in significant dissociation.A method has been developed to enable temperature determination at levels that render simple schemes inaccurate. The procedure is based on the measurement of CO2, CO, UHC and oxides of nitrogen in the exhaust gas. Other species concentrations are calculated using an assumption of partial thermodynamic equilibrium. This allows the calculation of many important combustion parameters. The method has been implemented as a computer code, with an object orientated design approach using the C++ language.The paper details the theory behind the approach and its implementation. The expected errors for practical applications are discussed and quantified. The method is illustrated by an exhaust temperature pattern factor investigation of an annular combustor. Temperatures determined by thermocouples are compared with those calculated from gas samples.Copyright © 1998 by ASME


Haptics, the technology which brings tactile or force-feedback to users, has a great potential for enhancing movies and could lead to new immersive experiences. In this paper we introduce \textit{Haptic Cinematography} which presents haptics as a new component of the filmmaker's toolkit. We propose a taxonomy of haptic effects and we introduce novel effects coupled with classical cinematographic motions to enhance video viewing experience. More precisely we propose two models to render haptic effects based on camera motions: the first model makes the audience feel the motion of the camera and the second provides haptic metaphors related to the semantics of the camera effect. Results from a user study suggest that these new effects improve the quality of experience. Filmmakers may use this new way of creating haptic effects to propose new immersive audiovisual experiences.


Traffic offloading via small cells is important to realize the benefits of multi-tier heterogeneous networks (HetNets). Currently, the user association techniques are under the influence of single slope path loss model. The densification of networks and irregular cell patterns have increased the variations in both the link distances and interferences; making single slope path loss models less accurate. In this paper, we consider the downlink of a HetNet with picocells overlaid on a macrocell and propose a framework for user association with dual slope path loss model. Simulation results show that the dual slope model improves the system performance compared to the standard single slope model by offloading more traffic from macro-tier to pico-tier; the effect being more significant at higher edge user density. Furthermore, the user association is highly dependent on the path loss exponents in a dual slope model.


Telerehabilitation systems that support physical therapy sessions anywhere can help save healthcare costs while also improving the quality of life of the users that need rehabilitation. The main contribution of this paper is to present, as a whole, all the features supported by the innovative Kinect-based Telerehabilitation System (KiReS). In addition to the functionalities provided by current systems, it handles two new ones that could be incorporated into them, in order to give a step forward towards a new generation of telerehabilitation systems. The knowledge extraction functionality handles knowledge about the physical therapy record of patients and treatment protocols described in an ontology, named TrhOnt, to select the adequate exercises for the rehabilitation of patients. The teleimmersion functionality provides a convenient, effective and user-friendly experience when performing the telerehabilitation, through a two-way real-time multimedia communication. The ontology contains about 2300 classes and 100 properties, and the system allows a reliable transmission of Kinect video depth, audio and skeleton data, being able to adapt to various network conditions. Moreover, the system has been tested with patients who suffered from shoulder disorders or total hip replacement.


Haemostatic defects or thrombosis associated with secondary erythrocytosis is well known in adult patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD).1 One of the most serious complications of this haematological derangement is a cerebrovascular event,2 although a large study of adult patients with CCHD showed no increased risk of stroke.3 Although these patients may not develop apparent stroke, they often have various neurological symptoms, such as headache, dizziness, and tinnitus, in association with blood hyperviscosity.1 To our knowledge, no systematic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the brain in this condition have been reported. Investigating the relation between brain MRI findings and blood coagulation abnormalities may be important for adequate management of patients with CCHD.

We studied 15 consecutive patients with CCHD aged 18–45 years (median age 24) who had been examined and followed up at the Tsukuba University Hospital for more than 10 years. None of the patients had undergone a radical operation for cardiac defects because of high pulmonary vascular resistance for Fontan circulation in eight patients (three with single ventricle, two with tetralogy of Fallot, two with double outlet right ventricle, and one with corrected transposition of the great arteries and ventricular septal defect (VSD); the latter five patients also had pulmonary atresia, hypoplastic pulmonary arteries, or hypoplastic left ventricle) and because of extremely high pulmonary arterial resistance with a right to left shunt (Eisenmenger's syndrome) in seven (two with VSD, two with VSD and ductus arteriosus, two with atrioventricular septal defect, and one with VSD and transposition of the great arteries). Two patients had undergone Blalock-Taussig anastomosis but the postoperative courses were uneventful. None of the patients had had cardiopulmonary bypass or catheter intervention. Patients with …


This paper examines the design problem H∞ of the reduced order model for two-dimensional (2D) discrete systems described by the Roesser model with a control input assumed to operate in a finite frequency (FF) domain. Given an asymptotically stable system; our goal is to find a stable reduced order system so that the error of the transfer functions between the original system and the reduced order is limited to a range FF. Using the well-known generalized lemma of Kalman Yakubovich Popov (gKYP) and the Finsler's lemma, sufficient conditions for the existence of the reduction of the H∞ model for different FF ranges are proposed and then unified in terms of solving a set of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). An illustrative example is provided to show the utility and potential of the proposed results.


Despite of the fact that conservative treatment of the shaft fracture of the clavicle is still the treatment of choice of this injury, the introduction of new techniques of osteosynthesis give us the possibility to define new aspects of indication of surgical treatment of this fracture. First experiences with the new technique of intramedullary stabilization of clavicle fractures shows encouraging results. Between 7/2001 and 6/2004 in our department 67 patients with a shaft fracture of the clavicle were treated with an intramedullary stabilization with a titanium elastic nail (TEN). 3 of this fractures were open fractures. The main cause of injury were bycicle accidents. In 31 cases closed reduction was possible, in 36 cases open reduction had to be performed. Average duration from accident to operation was 7 days in the group of closed reduction and 13 days in the group of open reduction. As complications we saw migration of the TEN and in one case a lesion of the arm plexus caused by a haematoma. As conclusion the stabilization of shaft fractures of the clavicle with the intramedullary TEN became the new standard method for operative treatment of this injury in our department. The minimal invasive approach, easy implant removal, the lack of re-fractures after implant removal and low rate of complications demonstrate the technical benefit of this new technique. Additional a fast mobilization is possible after successful operation.


The existing literature fails to identify to which extent the utilization of social media could be relevant for increasing the effectiveness of knowledge management, in respect to overall business operations. In order to shed some light on this area we define three goals. Firstly, we investigate to what extent the different activities of clients on social media (SM), are important to the processes of knowledge management (KM) in companies. Secondly, we examine to what extent KM functions can be relevant in attaining the quality of IT services. Thirdly, we analyze to what extent KM mediates between SM and the quality of IT services, that is, which client activities on SM should be formalised in the form of KM processes so as to influence the quality of IT services. In order to asses these goals, the decision tree method was used at the sample of B2B companies, more specifically at the sample of those companies offering Knowledge Intensive Business Services (KIBS). The study has shown that: (i) SM client activities have the largest importance for building efficient KM; (ii) KM functions are relevante to the overall quality of IT services, and (iii) those SM options and activities have been identified, whose importance for the assessment of the quality of IT services is indirectly transmitted through KM. This paper offers new empirical evidence which can lead to a better understanding of the role of KM in KIBS. Thanks to the obtained findings, managers will be able to define the goals of their companies in relation to the utilization of SM, more specifically: their presentation on SM, monitoring the outcomes of the SM, usage improving their KM practices and, thus, define strategies to increase the quality of the IT services they offer.


Even though rail is more energy efficient than most other transport modes, the enhancement of energy efficiency is an important issue for railways to reduce their contributions to climate change further as well as to save costs and enlarge competition advantages involved. This thesis is motivated by the challenges in improving energy efficiency of train operations. The main objectives are to develop the modelling and solution methods for the train trajectory optimization problem to improve the model accuracy and the computation time, to apply the methods in a train driver advisory system development, and to develop a multi-train trajectory optimization method to solve the delay recovery and the energy-efficient timetabling problem.


The authors report the first results experimentally demonstrating the ability of a reconfigurable mesh reflector to adaptively form a null in the sidelobe region of an arbitrarily shaped pattern, with no a priori knowledge of the angular location of the source of interference. Using a prototype mesh reflector antenna with additional hardware and software in a compact antenna test range (CATR), deep nulls have been successfully formed for a number of simulated scenarios and some typical results are presented. It is shown that a null may be formed to a depth of –60 dB with respect to the pattern peak after less than 50 iterations of the nulling algorithm. It is believed that this represents the first demonstration of adaptive nulling using control of a reflector surface rather than the excitations of array or feed array elements.


Totally 140 women, aged 25-50 years, were examined clinically. They were divided into two groups. Group I, the controls, (n - 50; mean age 40.1 +/- 8.7) not exposed to carbon disulfide, and Group II (n = 90; mean age 39.7 +/- 9.1) exposed to carbon disulphide at concentration of 9.36-23.4 mg/m3. Concentration of serotonin in plasma and blood platelets was determined using Manuchin's colorimetric method. Student t-test and the Pearson linear correlation coefficient "C" were used for statistical analysis. It was found that women chronically exposed to carbon disulfide showed significantly higher values of serotonin concentration in plasma and thrombocytes (p < 0.001) that the controls. Also positive linear correlation was noted between concentration of serotonin and hypertension in women exposed to CS2.


Validation of a new methodology of loads identification generated by the traveling vehicles on the road surface is presented. The proposed approach is based on the concept of monitoring of strain development in a deformable body (Load Detecting Device, LDD) affected by a moving load. The paper is focused on the feasibility study of the new type of the Weight-In-Motion (WIM) concept. The research was aimed at the validation of the investigated technique, for the inverse problem algorithm which is dedicated for the proposed device. The research includes a computer simulation by means of the Finite Element Method used for the preliminary development of the LDD concept. Moreover, the laboratory tests were curried out for the preliminary experimental verification of the FE model and to obtain the calibration factors. Finally, a full-scale experimental validation of the WIM device has been performed in field tests.


It is an important and difficult research point to recognize the age of Chinese liquor rapidly and exactly in the field of liquor analyzing, which is also of great significance to the healthy development of the liquor industry and protection of the legitimate rights and interests of consumers. Spectroscopy together with the pattern recognition technology is a preferred method of achieving rapid identification of wine quality, in which the Raman Spectroscopy is promising because of its little affection of water and little or free of sample pretreatment. So, in this paper, Raman spectra and support vector regression (SVR) are used to recognize different ages and different storing time of the liquor of the same age. The innovation of this paper is mainly reflected in the following three aspects. First, the application of Raman in the area of liquor analysis is rarely reported till now. Second, the concentration of studying the recognition of wine age, while most studies focus on studying specific components of liquor and studies together with the pattern recognition method focus more on the identification of brands or different types of base wine. The third one is the application of regression analysis framework, which cannot be only used to identify different years of liquor, but also can be used to analyze different storing time, which has theoretical and practical significance to the research and quality control of liquor. Three kinds of experiments are conducted in this paper. Firstly, SVR is used to recognize different ages of 5, 8, 16 and 26 years of the Gujing Liquor; secondly, SVR is also used to classify the storing time of the 8-years liquor; thirdly, certain group of train data is deleted form the train set and put into the test set to simulate the actual situation of liquor age recognition. Results show that the SVR model has good train and predict performance in these experiments, and it has better performance than other non-liner regression method such as the Partial Least Squares Regression (PLS) method, and can also be applied in the practice of liquor analysis.


The Nusplingen Plattenkalk is a Solnhofen-type fossil Konservat-Lagerstaette in the southwestern part of the Swabian Alb, which is scientifically exploited by the Stuttgart Natural History Museum. The Nusplingen Plattenkalk formed in a deep lagoon surrounded by islands. The highly diverse and exceptionally preserved fossil fauna and flora allow a reconstruction of the Late Jurassic marine food-web and the palaeoenvironment. The complete outcrop area is preserved as a national heritage site within the Swabian Alb Geopark. Information for the public is provided by guided tours, a geological trail with a small public sampling site and fossil exhibitions.


This paper discusses the use of computers in calculating the unserviceable probability of a class of telecommunication networks. The unserviceable probability for a pair of terminals in the network is derived and is so complicated that it is not feasible to calculate without the use of a computer. Under the condition that every junctor in the network has a small ratio of mean service time to mean time between failures, it is shown that the computer-aided methods available for calculating network unreliability and network blocking probability are also applicable to network unserviceable probability. For the general expression of the network unserviceable probability, no simple computer-aided method is yet known. However, no urgent need for a computer-aided method for the general expression of the network unserviceable probability is envisaged since practical networks usually have small ratios of mean service time to mean time between failures for each of its junctors.


Background Maternal antibodies are believed to play an integral role in protecting immunologically immature wild-passerines from environmental antigens. This study comprehensively examines the early development of the adaptive immune system in an altricial-developing wild passerine species, the house sparrow (Passer domestics), by characterizing the half-life of maternal antibodies in nestling plasma, the onset of de novo synthesis of endogenous antibodies by nestlings, and the timing of immunological independence, where nestlings rely entirely on their own antibodies for immunologic protection. Methodology/Principal Findings In an aviary study we vaccinated females against a novel antigen that these birds would not otherwise encounter in their natural environment, and measured both antigen-specific and total antibody concentration in the plasma of females, yolks, and nestlings. We traced the transfer of maternal antibodies from females to nestlings through the yolk and measured catabolisation of maternal antigen-specific antibodies in nestlings during early development. By utilizing measurements of non-specific and specific antibody levels in nestling plasma we were able to calculate the half-life of maternal antibodies in nestling plasma and the time point at which nestling were capable of synthesizing antibodies themselves. Based on the short half-life of maternal antibodies, the rapid production of endogenous antibodies by nestlings and the relatively low transfer of maternal antibodies to nestlings, our findings suggest that altricial-developing sparrows achieve immunologic independence much earlier than precocial birds. Conclusions/Significance To our knowledge, this is the first in depth analyses performed on the adaptive immune system of a wild-passerine species. Our results suggest that maternal antibodies may not confer the immunologic protection or immune priming previously proposed in other passerine studies. Further research needs to be conducted on other altricial passerines to determine if the results of our study are a species-specific phenomenon or if they apply to all altricial-developing birds.


Studies in the research laboratory have demonstrated the complex relationship between fetal and newborn asphyxia and brain damage, a balance between the degree, duration and nature of the asphyxia and the quality of the cardiovascular compensatory response. Clinical studies would support the contention that the human fetus and newborn behave in a similar manner. An accurate diagnosis of asphyxia requires a blood gas and acid base assessment. The clinical classification of fetal asphyxia is based on a measure of metabolic acidosis to confirm that fetal asphyxia has occurred and the expression of neonatal encephalopathy and other organ system complications to express the severity of the asphyxia. The prevalence of fetal asphyxia at delivery is at term, 25 per 1000 live births of whom 15% are moderate or severe; and in the preterm, 73 per 1000 live births of whom 50% are moderate or severe. It remains to be determined how often the asphyxia recognized at delivery may have been present before the onset of labor. There is a growing body of indirect and direct evidence to support the contention that antepartum fetal asphyxia is important in the occurrence of brain damage. Although much of the brain damage observed in the newborn reflects events that occurred before delivery, newborn asphyxia and hypotension, particularly in the preterm newborn, may contribute to the brain damage accounting for deficits in surviving children


Platinum(ii) bis(N-(4-ethynylphenyl)carbazole)bipyridine fullerene complexes, (Cbz)2-Pt(bpy)-C60 and ((t)BuCbz)2-Pt(bpy)-C60, were synthesized. Their photophysical properties were studied by electronic absorption and emission spectroscopy and the origin of the transitions was supported by computational studies. The electrochemical properties were also studied and the free energies for charge-separation and charge-recombination processes were evaluated. The photoinduced electron transfer reactions in the triads were investigated by femtosecond and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. In dichloromethane, both triads undergo ultrafast charge separation from the (3)MLCT/LLCT excited state within 300 fs to yield their respective triplet charge-separated (CS) states, namely (Cbz)2˙(+)-Pt(bpy)-C60˙(-) and ((t)BuCbz)2˙(+)-Pt(bpy)-C60˙(-), and the CS states would undergo charge recombination to give the (3)C60* state, which subsequently decays to the ground state in 22-28 μs.


The effect of the smear layer on the penetration depth of three different root canal sealers into the dentinal tubules was examined in 64 recently extracted single-rooted teeth. After chemomechanical preparation, the samples were randomly divided in two equal groups. The smear layer remained intact in group A, whereas complete removal of the smear layer was performed in group B. Two roots from each group were used as controls. Ten roots from each group were obturated with laterally condensed gutta-percha points and sealers AH Plus, Apexit, and Roth 811, respectively. Examination in scanning electron microscope revealed that the smear layer obstructed all the sealers from penetrating dentinal tubules. In contrast, smear layer removal allowed the penetration of all sealers to occur to a varying depth. These findings suggest that smear layer plays an important role in sealer penetration into the dentinal tubules, as well as in the potential clinical implications.


Cubital tunnel syndrome is one of the most frequently occurring compression neuropathy in the upper limb next to carpal tunnel syndrome. Recent minimal invasive technique has prompted us to gain clinical experience with simple in situ decompression with minimal skin incision for idiopathic cubital tunnel syndrome. Sixty six consecutive patients with cubital tunnel syndrome were treated using minimal skin incision technique. The mean age of the patients was 49.7 (range: 15-77) years and average follow up period was 23.9 months (range: 12-60 months). The severity of ulnar neuropathy was classified according to the McGowan classification: there were 17 in grade I, 47 in grade II and 2 in grade III. A preoperative nerve conduction study was done by inching method, which revealed motor conduction delay around the medial epicondyle. All operations were carried out in a day surgery unit under local anesthetics. The postoperative outcome was evaluated by Messina classification. The mean duration of the operation was 12 minutes. The technique was highly satisfactorily esthetic for all. Over 80% of the patients were completely satisfied with the procedure taking into consideration their symptoms. Postoperative outcome measures and patient satisfactions (pain, return to normal activities and work, scar and pillar tenderness) were comparable with published series of anterior transposition. The overall satisfactory results were recorded 81% in the patients of McGowan stage I and II. There were 2 cases of hematoma as a postoperative complication. This procedure is comparably effective alternative which involves less surgical trauma, morbidity and rehabilitation time with good surgical outcomes especially in mild and moderate degrees. Minimal skin incision is a simple, safe and effective method to treat patients with idiopathic cubital tunnel syndrome.


The adenosine analogue 3-deazaadenosine (c3 Ado) induces differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells in vitro. c3 Ado affects in vitro viability and growth of cells involved indirectly (cytokine-producing cells) and directly (transformed myeloid cells) in leukemic cell differentiation. Growth inhibition of proliferating cells is achieved at c3 Ado concentrations between 10-100 microM. Concentrations higher than 100 microM affect viability of proliferating and nonproliferating cells.


The standard production route for mild steels for automotive purposes is still based on conventional continuous casting (CC) and hot strip rolling (HSR). The current trend towards the "zero-carbon car" will demand the abating of material emissions in the future. Thin slab casting and direct rolling (e.g., Arvedi endless strip production (ESP)) is an approach to reduce CO2 emissions by 50% compared to CC and HSR. One of the main limitations in applying ESP for the production of ultra-low carbon/interstitial free (ULC/IF) steels is clogging. Clogging is the blockage of the submerged entry nozzle due to the build-up of oxide layers or an oxide network. The high clogging sensitivity of IF steels results most probably from the FeTi addition, and hence, a general change of the deoxidation practice might be an option to overcome these problems. In the present work, the thorough refining process of ULC steel was simulated by addressing the different deoxidation routes and the influence of titanium (Ti) alloying on steel cleanness. The developed ladle furnace (LF) and the Ruhrstahl Heraeus (RH) refining models were applied to perform the simulation. Before the simulations, the models are briefly described and validated by the published industrial data.


LHRH agonists are being increasingly used in ovulation stimulation protocols in IVF programmes. We have compared the results of two methods of utilization of LHRH agonists. In the long protocol, gonadotrophin stimulation was only commenced after a preliminary period of pituitary desensitization with LHRH agonist. In the short protocol, exogenous gonadotrophins were administered shortly after the start of LHRH agonist therapy, benefiting from the gonadotrophin flare-up effect. One-hundred-and-eighty-six patients were divided equally between the two treatments. There was no difference in the ovarian response on the day of HCG or the number of mature oocytes recovered. The cleavage rate of mature oocytes was higher in the short protocol (70, versus 56, P less than 0.01). The ongoing pregnancy rate per treatment cycle was similar in both groups (18, in the long protocol and 16, in the short protocol). Analysis of the luteal phases revealed a trend for higher progesterone values in the long protocol although this was only significant on the second day following oocyte retrieval. As the clinical results were similar other factors should be taken into account when deciding therapy. These include patient convenience, cost and side-effects. Other schedules of ovulation stimulation using LHRH agonists are discussed.


SUMMARY: In the case study dealt with here, the factory treatments of dry Municipal Solid Waste are aimed primarily at materials recovery; restraining energy recovery to the hardly recyclable by-products. The main input consists of the so-called multipak from MSW source-sorted collection; plus packaging waste, paper and cardboard and other similar waste from curb-side collection. The principal fractions produced by the selection plant, own and operated by the Public Company in charge of MSW management, in the Year 2012 were 27 064 tonnes of plastics, 5 066 of paper, 3 014 of tin coated steel and 4 886 tonnes of extraneous fraction to dispose of. A minor – though valuable – product was aluminium. The immediate energy consumption indices were calculated for multipak processed in the factory; the homogeneous overall index is 238 MJ / t.


The existing energy-aware routing algorithms in ad hoc networks, select a path with a large number of small-distance hops. But such a formulation based solely on the energy spent in a single transmission is misleading —the proper scheme should include the total energy (including that expended for any retransmissions necessary) spent in reliably delivering the packet to its final destination. Our main idea is to find a new routing scheme which is capable of including delay, energy, as well as link reliability factors to increase the operational lifetime of the network. The proposed analytical model successfully captures the key characteristic of a reliable power saving system: the data delivery procedure starts periodically at the previously negotiated time, but ends at a rather random time with its distribution depending on the end time of data delivery in the last delivery period as well as the arrival rate of incoming traffic.


The emergence of complex global challenges at the convergence of human, animal, and environmental health has catalyzed a movement supporting "One Health" approaches. Despite recognition of the importance of One Health approaches to address these complex challenges, little effort has been directed at identifying the seminal knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for individuals to successfully contribute to One Health efforts. Between 2008 and 2011, three groups independently embarked on separate initiatives to identify core competencies for professionals involved with One Health approaches. Core competencies were considered critically important for guiding curriculum development and continuing professional education, as they describe the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to be effective. A workshop was convened in 2012 to synthesize the various strands of work on One Health competencies. Despite having different mandates, participants, and approaches, all of these initiatives identified similar core competency domains: management; communication and informatics; values and ethics; leadership; teams and collaboration; roles and responsibilities; and systems thinking. These core competency domains have been used to develop new continuing professional education programs for One Health professionals and help university curricula prepare new graduates to be able to contribute more effectively to One Health approaches.


Gastrointestinal helminth infection as a public health problem among primary school children was assessed using Kato-thick smear technique in five schools. Six hundred and thirty two (632) faecal samples were collected, examined and the result analysed. An overall prevalence rate of 32.1% was observed with intestinal helmith parasites in the district. The parasites encountered were: Teania spp (20.7%), hookworm (20.1%), Ascaris lumbricoides (16.1%), Trichuris trichiura (13.9%), Strongyloides stercoralis (6.6%) and Schistosoma mansoni (4.7%). The relationship between rate of infection and school was influenced by age as the 8-10 years age class had the highest infection rate of 39.2%. Boys were more infected (38.5%) than girls (18.9%), although there was no significant difference (P = 0.05). This is because boys are more active and are involved in more outdoor activities than girls. Multiple infections (36.1%) were more common than single infection (24.7%). Control measures that could be intensified to achieve better health standards should include; good sanitation, provision of portable drinking water, health education and hygienic practices, enlightenment campaigns and curative measures by providing good health services to the communities especially and specifically provision of deworming tablets to school children free of charge periodically is stressed. KEY WORDS: Gastrointestinal, helminth, prevalence, hygiene and education. Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Vol.11(2) 2005: 193-196


Metalloprotein design and semiconductor nanoparticles have been combined to generate a reagent for selective fluorescence imaging of Pb(2+) ions in the presence red blood cells. A biosensor system based on semiconductor nanoparticles provides the photonic properties for small molecule measurement in and around red blood cells. Metalloprotein design was used to generate a Pb(2+) ion selective receptor from a protein that is structurally homologous to a protein used previously in this biosensing system. Parameters for the Pb(2+) ion binding site were derived from crystallographic structures of low molecular weight Pb(2+) ion complexes that contain a stereoactive lone pair. When the designed protein was produced and attached to ZnS-coated CdSe nanoparticles, two Pb(NO(3))(2)-associated binding events were observed (2-fold emission decrease; K(A1) = 1 x 10(9) M(-1); K(A2) = 3.5 x 10(6) M(-1)). The fluorescence response had a 100 pM Pb(NO(3))(2) detection limit, while no response was observed with Ca(2+) ions (10 mM), Zn(2+) ions (100 muM), or Cd(2+) ions (100 muM). Metal ion selectivity presumably comes from the coordination geometry selected to favor lone pair formation on Pb(2+) ions and electrostatically disfavor tetrahedral coordination. Replacement of ZnS-coated CdSe with ZnS-coated InGaP nanoparticles provided similar biosensors (100 pM limit of detection; K(A1) = 1 x 10(9) M(-1); K(A2) = 1 x 10(7) M(-1)) but with excitation/emission wavelengths longer than the major absorbance of red blood cell hemoglobin (>620 nm). The InGaP nanoparticle-based biosensors provided a 5 nM Pb(NO(3))(2) detection limit in the presence of red blood cells. The modularity of the biosensor system provides exchangeable Pb(2+) ion detection around red blood cells.


Typical methods for localisation in multipath environments focus on separating line-of-sight (LoS) from non-line-of-sight (NLoS) paths and only using LoS paths for localisation. A few works exploit NLoS paths but the methods are designed for some special settings. This paper presents a localisation method in which both LoS and NLoS paths are exploited for much more general settings. Its core is a convex optimisation formulation which handles multipath in a unified way, avoids error propagation between multiple stages, and guarantees a global convergence. In one of the case studies, single-antenna access points (APs) can locate a single-antenna mobile device (MD) even when all paths between them are NLoS, which according to the authors' knowledge is the first time in the literature.


In this work, we consider a quasi-homogeneous, corank $1$, finitely determined map germ $f$ from $(\mathbb{C}^2,0)$ to $(\mathbb{C}^3,0)$. We consider the invariants $m(f(D(f))$ and $J$, where $m(f(D(f))$ denotes the multiplicity of the image of the double point curve $D(f)$ of $f$ and $J$ denotes the number of tacnodes that appears in a stabilization of the transversal slice curve of $f(\mathbb{C}^2)$. We present formulas to calculate $m(f(D(f))$ and $J$ in terms of the weights and degrees of $f$.


PHTH 1260. The American Healthcare System. (4 Hours) Introduces the organization and dynamics of the healthcare system and the role of consumers. Explores basic elements of healthcare including financing, personal insurance, high-risk status, and patient rights within the context of the U.S. system. Central to this exploration is an analysis of healthcare issues requiring informed consent from patients: patient bill of rights, healthcare directives, and the use of a proxy for decision making. Introduces the roles and responsibilities of various healthcare workers within the framework of an interdisciplinary model of healthcare.


Introduction: Dead space management following intramedullary debridement and reaming can be challenging and several alternatives have been described. The main objective of this study was to investigate the clinical outcome and resolution rate in patients treated for fracture-related Cierny and Mader anatomical type 1 intramedullary chronic osteomyelitis by means of continuous irrigation (modified Lautenbach system) as dead space management following intramedullary reaming. Materials and Methods: A consecutive series of thirty patients with Cierny and Mader type 1 chronic osteomyelitis, treated between May 2016 and September 2019, were evaluated retrospectively. Patient history and clinical information, including imaging and laboratory results, were reviewed. Treatment procedures and antibiotic profiles were also recorded. Results: The initial cohort included 30 cases with 18 tibias, 11 femurs, and one humerus. Seven patients were excluded; three patients did not return for follow-up and four patients had <6 months of follow-up. Of the remaining 23 patients, 91% (21/23) achieved resolution of infection over a median follow-up period of 16 months (interquartile range [IQR] 7–21 months). Infecting organisms where isolated in 65% (15/23). The median duration of hospital stay was 6 days (IQR 4–7 days). Postoperative complications were noted in two cases and involved a tibial and femoral refracture, respectively. Both patients however achieved union without recurrence of infection following surgical intervention. Conclusion: Continuous irrigation is a cost-effective single-stage surgical option for dead space management during the treatment of intramedullary chronic osteomyelitis. It provides the advantage of instilling high dose intramedullary antibiotics and negates the need for a second surgical procedure while achieving similar outcomes than other dead space management techniques. Level of Evidence: IV, single-center retrospective study


Aspergillus fumigatus is an ubiquitous fungus capable of causing severe infections such as aspergilloma, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, and invasive aspergillosis, especially in immunocompromised patients. Monitoring the number of Aspergillus fumigatus spores in the air is crucial for infection control. In the present study, a novel approach for the quantification of Aspergillus fumigatus, based on solid-phase cytometry (SPC) and immunofluorescent labeling, was developed. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay were confirmed by testing pure cultures. Paecilomyces variotii and Rhizopus stolonifer were codetected but could be excluded on the basis of morphology of the microcolonies. The SPC method has considerable advantages compared to the culture-based method, including its low detection limit (4 cells/m3), its speed (results are obtained within 24 h), and the straightforward microscopic identification of Aspergillus fumigatus. Additionally, comparison of results obtained with both methods demonstrated that they are equally accurate for the quantification of Aspergillus fumigatus in environmental air samples.


Background and Purpose— We assigned a threshold to arterial spin–labeling (ASL) perfusion-weighted images (PWI) from patients with acute ischemic stroke and compared them with dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion images to examine whether mismatch can be determined. Methods— Pseudocontinuous ASL was combined with dynamic susceptibility contrast PWI in 23 patients with acute ischemic stroke. Scans were obtained within 24 hours of symptom onset. PWI volumes were defined by ASL cerebral blood flow (<15, <20, and <25 mL/100 g per minute) and dynamic susceptibility contrast–mean transit time (MTT) thresholds (>10 s) that show a strong association with cerebral blood flow <20 mL/100 g per minute in Xenon CT studies. Agreement between the ASL–diffusion-weighted imaging and MTT–diffusion-weighted imaging mismatch and the correlation between penumbra salvage and infarct growth, defined as the difference between the baseline PWI and the baseline diffusion-weighted imaging lesion, respectively, and the final infarct volume were assessed. Results— The lesion volumes defined by MTT>10 s and ASL<20 mL/100 g per minute showed an excellent correlation. There was 100% agreement on the mismatch status between MTT>10 s and ASL<20 mL/100 g per minute. The correlation between infarct growth and penumbra salvage volume was significantly better for PWI lesions defined by ASL<20 mL/100 g per minute and MTT>10 s. Conclusions— In acute ischemic stroke, PWI lesions based on ASL threshold of <20 mL/100 g per minute can provide a reliable estimate of mismatch in correspondence at MTT threshold of >10 s.


Kidney stone disease is an oldest known and widespread medical condition characterised by its high prevalence in all over the world. Literature suggests that around 9–12% of population in industrialised countries have kidney stone disease in their lives with the 30–50% of reoccurrence rate. Because of high prevalence, recurrent and unpredictable nature of stone formation and its predominance mainly in adults contributes to the substantial impact on society, individual and health care system. In light of these trends, it's imperative to use optimum preventive strategies to reduce the burden of kidney stone disease on individual and society. The aetiology of kidney stone disease is a multifactorial and it's related to diet, environmental factors, genetics, metabolic syndromes and various life style factors. Its noteworthy that dietary and life style modification are the major contributors in the prevention of kidney stone reoccurrence. Dietary interventions aim to reduce the urinary abnormalities known to promote lithogenesis. Therefore, modification in the dietary factors is appealing way to patients and physicians in the treatment and prevention of stone recurrence as it is relatively inexpensive and safe. So, the present chapter is focusing on the role of dietary supplements in prevention of renal stones.


Crystalline -nickel hydroxide was prepared by the addition of nickel nitrate to sodium hydroxide solution followed by ageing in mother liquor, while, -cobalt hydroxide was procured from commercial source. The electrochemical performances of -nickel hydroxide and -cobalt hydroxide was investigated using cyclic voltammetry and charge–discharge studies. A specific capacitance of 150 F g -1 was obtained in aqueous KOH in the potential range of 0 to 0.6 V (vs. Hg/HgO) for -nickel hydroxide. For cobalt hydroxide, the specific capacitance of 550 F g -1 in the potential range of -0.6 to 0.45 V (vs. Hg/HgO) was observed. The crystalline phase of -cobalt hydroxide exhibits better electrochemical supercapacitor compared to -nickel hydroxide.


This study aimed to examine the association between the hemoglobin glycation index (HGI) and carotid artery plaque (CAP) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 10,778 patients with CHD. The participants were divided into three groups by HGI tertiles (T1 HGI<-0.44, T2 -0.44 ≤ HGI ≤ 0.15, T3 HGI>0.15). The presence of CAP was used to diagnose by carotid ultrasonography. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between the HGI and CAP. The association between HGI and CAP was also assessed according to sex, age, smoking status, and drinking status. We further assessed the association between HGI and the ultrasound characteristics of CAP. The baseline analysis showed substantial differences in relevant parameters between the three groups of patients with CHD according to the tertiles of the HGI. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that HGI was significantly associated with CAP (odds ratio [OR] 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26-1.39). The association between HGI and CAP exists among different sex, age, smoking, and drinking status. Furthermore, there was a significant and positive association between HGI and all four different echogenicities of the CAP.


Because quantum dots (QDs) grown by self-assembling techniques show high emission efficiency, they are now being incorporated into optical devices such as laser diodes). However, obvious characteristic improvements still have not been made mainly because of a wide inhomogeneous broadening which originates from the dot size distribution. When the dot size uniformity is improved so that the luminescence linewidth becomes narrower than the width of ordinary quantum wells (QWs), a reduced threshold current and a high characteristic temperature will be expected in QD lasers. Recently, highly-uniform InAs QDs have been fabricated by using a strained coverage layer (InGaAs) instead of the usual GaAs-based layer. The strain of InAs is reduced due to expansion toward the surface resulting in long-wavelength emission from structures on GaAs substrates. A narrow linewidth of 21 meV is observed in InAs QDs covered with 7 nm-thick strained In/sub 0.2/Ga/sub 0.8/As, presumably because of suppression of In segregation and interface diffusion. Typical photoluminescence (PL) spectra are reported. The linewidth is reduced by almost half in the GaAs-covered QD structure and is almost comparable to the best results observed in ordinary QW structures. Thus, using these strain-reduced QDs will improve device characteristics by reducing the state density of carriers.


Granular cell tumors are uncommon soft tissue neoplasms that arise from cells of neural origin. We present three patients with this rare tumor: one with a benign tumor, one with a malignant tumor, and one with a histologically benign tumor that later metastasized to the lung. We studied the difficulty in differentiating between the benign and malignant variants using only histology. We also compared the clinical, radiographic, and pathologic features and the criteria for malignancy, natural history, and prognosis.


In this article we analyzed and designed air flow controllers that protect the fuel cell (FC) stack from oxygen starvation during step changes of current demand. The steady-state regulation of the oxygen excess ratio in the FCS cathode achieved by assigning an integrator to the compressor flow. Linear observability techniques were employed to demonstrate improvements in transient oxygen regulation when the FCS voltage is included as a measurement for the feedback controller. The FCS voltage signal contains high frequency information about the FC oxygen utilization, and thus, is a natural and valuable output for feedback. We used linear optimal control design to identify the frequencies at which there is a severe tradeoff between the transient system net power performance and the stack starvation control. The limitation arises when the FCS system architecture dictates that all auxiliary equipment is powered directly from the FC with no secondary power sources. This plant configuration is preferred due to its simplicity, compactness, and low cost. The FCS impedance given the closed-loop air flow and perfect humidification and temperature regulation captures the FC current-voltage dynamic relationship. It is expected that the closed-loop FCS impedance will provide the basis for the systematic design of FC stack electronic components.


The development and performance of X-band traveling-wave maser (TWM) systems with effective input noise temperature of 3.5 K and bandwidths varying from 65 to 108 MHz is discussed. These TWMs are used on the 64-meter antennas at Deep Space Stations 14, 43 and 63 at 8420 MHz to meet the requirements of the Voyager-Saturn encounter. The TWMs use shortened and cooled signal input waveguide to reduce noise and are equipped with superconducting magnets and solid-state pump sources to provide the required stability performance.


I argue that the televisual cosmetic surgical makeover is usefully understood as a contemporary manifestation of normalization, in Foucault's sense—a process of defining a population in relation to its conformity or deviance from a norm, while simultaneously generating narratives of individual authenticity. Drawing on detailed analysis of "Extreme Makeover," I suggest that the show erases its complicity with creating homogeneous bodies by representing cosmetic surgery as enabling of personal transformation through its narratives of intrinsic motivation and authentic becoming, and its deployment of fairy tale tropes.


Knowledge management (KM) has become part of common vocabulary in academic circles as well as in the business world. Whilst an increasing number of companies have embarked upon knowledge management initiatives, it remains unclear the extent to which these programmes have delivered benefits. In this paper we address a very important gap in the field of KM, by providing empirical evidence on KM success or otherwise by focussing in on the issue of measurement. By examining the extent to which companies measure, and the way they measure KM it becomes possible to ascertain the extent of progress in KM implementation that has hitherto been achieved. The paper ends by defining the key obstacles and barrier faced in KM programmes.


Search of novel chemical compounds to manage disorders of inflammation is always on demand. Herein we report FPX-113 a novel small molecule to exhibit excellent anti-inflammatory properties in human whole blood (HWB), peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), RBL-2H3 and THP-1 cells. FPX-113 showed an inhibition of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-17 release from HWB and PBMC with IC50 values of 364.6 nM, 505.2 nM, 160.2 nM, 369.1 nM 371.2 nM, 459 nM and 64.14 nM, 92.30 nM, 49.88 nM, 151.7 nM, 108.9 nM, 92.70 nM respectively. The compound inhibited neutrophil migration and elastase in a dose dependent way. Further, FPX-113 inhibited the degranulation of rat mast cell basophils in RBL-2H3 cells with an IC50 of 280.5 nM. A dose dependent inhibition of Akt phosphorylation in RBL-2H3 and THP-1 cells and down regulation of NF- κB in PBMCs, RBL-2H3 and THP-1 cells by FPX-113 were evidenced when induced with 5 μg/mL PHA + 50 ng/mL PMA for 30 min. Taken together, the results suggest FPX-113 exhibits anti-inflammatory mechanism signaled via Akt/ NF- κB pathway. These findings will provide a wide scope for FPX-113 and its close analogues to be developed as novel anti-inflammatory agents for various diseases.


Endoscopic lithotripsy is a procedure used for the removal of large stones in the common bile duct that cannot be removed after sphincterotomy. This procedure causes fragmentation of large stones, which allows easier retrieval of stones by other instruments such as balloons or baskets. There are currently two types of mechanical lithotripsy: one type uses an instrument called a mechanical lithotriptor, and the second type uses an electrohydraulic lithotriptor. This article focuses on mechanical lithotripsy. Since it is vital for the operator of this equipment to understand its function, assembly, disassembly, and maintenance, specific guidelines are provided.


Cloud computing is a widely adopted model for the management of computing resources. Elasticity, an important characteristic of cloud computing, is the ability to allocate and release computing resources according to demand. An elasticity controller has the responsibility of performing decisions regarding when resources are provisioned or released and which types of resource are necessary. Developers have expectations of allocating the least amount of resources required and reaching optimal states using the least number of costly actions. Therefore, the task of controlling elasticity is challenging, especially in cases where the elastic application is composed of components with complex dependencies among themselves. In this documentation, we introduce CEController, an elasticity controller for applications orchestrated with Cloudify. CEController introduces a novel elasticity strategy that takes into account dependencies between components and differences between metric dimensions. CEcontroller is evaluated in an environment created to test the controller, which includes the adaptation of a previously used application, and use of a load generation tool. Finally, we discuss the results obtained using CEController in a web application and discuss the results.


The benefits and harms of cervical cancer screening are delicately balanced, and in that sense, many argue that participation should be based on an informed choice. Information pamphlets play a central part in the process of obtaining informed consent from women, and therefore adequate communication about health and risk is essential. However, pamphlets on screening have been shown to be information poor and biased in favour of participation, and little attention has been paid to how the pamphlets are understood. The aim of this study was twofold: 1) to develop evidence-based information material on cervical cancer screening; and 2) to investigate how women understand and interpret this information. We carried out semi-structured interviews with 17 women aged 23–55 in two interview rounds. We analysed the transcribed interviews using meaning condensation theory, which we followed with a second order analysis guided by approaches to cognitive dissonance. Generally, we found that the newly developed information succeeded in presenting understandable health and risk information on cervical cancer screening. Participants, however, still sometimes struggled with understanding the numerical risk and their preconceptions about screening led them to focus on the benefits and downplay the harms. According to cognitive dissonance theory, our second finding points to the use of defence mechanisms which create a perception gap between the written information and the participants' understanding of the information. We conclude by arguing that breaching the perception gap is necessary if we want to increase possibilities for making an informed choice about participation in cervical cancer screening.


Internal symmetry of a protein structure is the pseudo-symmetry that a single protein chain sometimes exhibits. This is in contrast to the symmetry with which monomers are arranged in many multimeric protein complexes. SymD is a program that detects proteins with internal symmetry. It proved to be useful for analyzing protein structure, function and modeling. This web-based interactive tool was developed by implementing the SymD algorithm. To the best of our knowledge, SymD webserver is the first tool of its kind with which users can easily study the symmetry of the protein they are interested in by uploading the structure or retrieving it from databases. It uses the Galaxy platform to take advantage of its extensibility and displays the symmetry properties, the symmetry axis and the sequence alignment of the structures before and after the symmetry transformation via an interactive graphical visualization environment in any modern web browser. An Example Run video displays the workflow to help users navigate. SymD webserver is publicly available at http://symd.nci.nih.gov.


This paper analyzes the perception of the Eastern European revolutions of 1989 through the Chilean press, in the context of the process of political change that Chile was experiencing at that time. The research relies on the critical review of various contemporary media: newspapers, magazines, and written testimonials, which allow us to approximate the impact produced in the public sphere, political actors and the media. The 1989 revolutions led to the fall of communist governments in various European countries, which consequently had repercussions on the end of the Cold War and the Soviet Union.


We review some aspects of the rapid isolation of, screening for and characterization of jumbo phages, i.e., phages that have dsDNA genomes longer than 200 Kb. The first aspect is that, as plaque-supporting gels become more concentrated, jumbo phage plaques become smaller. Dilute agarose gels are better than conventional agar gels for supporting plaques of both jumbo phages and, prospectively, the even larger (>520 Kb genome), not-yet-isolated mega-phages. Second, dilute agarose gels stimulate propagation of at least some jumbo phages. Third, in-plaque techniques exist for screening for both phage aggregation and high-in-magnitude, negative average electrical surface charge density. The latter is possibly correlated with high phage persistence in blood. Fourth, electron microscopy of a thin section of a phage plaque reveals phage type, size and some phage life cycle information. Fifth, in-gel propagation is an effective preparative technique for at least some jumbo phages. Sixth, centrifugation through sucrose density gradients is a relatively non-destructive jumbo phage purification technique. These basics have ramifications in the development of procedures for (1) use of jumbo phages for phage therapy of infectious disease, (2) exploration of genomic diversity and evolution and (3) obtaining accurate metagenomic analyses.


The N-WASP protein is involved in regulating the assembly of muscle actin filaments. Sarcomeres, the smallest contractile units of striated muscle cells, have regular structures, but are constantly renewing their filaments. It has been difficult, however, to explain how the tens of thousands of sarcomeres present in many muscle cells carry out the apparently incompatible tasks of performing contractile work while rebuilding their machinery. On page 1536 of this issue, Takano et al. (1) identify a new player in the process: N-WASP, a protein involved in regulating the assembly of muscle actin filaments. The finding could help researchers better understand muscle cell enlargement (hypertrophy) and muscle-related disease.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the impact of implementation of the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) program in Florida on access to and quality of primary care for Medicaid enrollees, measured by hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs).

DATA SOURCES
We examine inpatient data obtained from the Agency for Health Care Administration for 285 hospitals in Florida from January 2010 to June 2015. The analysis includes 3,645,515 discharges for Florida residents between the ages 18 and 64 with a primary payer of Medicaid or private insurance.

STUDY DESIGN
We use a difference-in-differences approach, comparing the change in the incidence of ACSC-related inpatient visits among Medicaid patients before and after the implementation of SMMC, relative to the change among the privately insured.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
After implementation of SMMC, Medicaid patients experienced a 0.35 percentage point slower growth in overall ACSC-related inpatient visits, and a 0.21 percentage point slower growth in chronic ACSC-related inpatient visits. The effects were significant in counties with above median Medicaid managed care penetration rates.

CONCLUSIONS
Implementing mandatory managed care in Medicaid in Florida leads to slower growth in inpatient visits for conditions that can potentially be prevented with improved access to outpatient care.


Aquatic animals commonly oscillate their fins, tails, or other structures to propel and control themselves in water. These elements are not perfectly rigid, so the interplay between their stiffness and the fluid loading dictates their dynamics. We examine the propulsive qualities of a tail-like flexible beam actuated by a dynamic moment over a range of frequencies and flow speeds. This is accomplished using the equations of fluid-immersed beams in combination with a set of tractable expressions for thrust and efficiency. We solve these expressions over the velocity-frequency plane and show that the flexible propulsor has regions of both positive and negative thrust. We also show the behavior of a sample underwater vehicle with fixed drag characteristics as an illustration of a realizable system.


THE SCIENCE OF SEEING differs somewhat from the science of vision with which most of us are generally familiar. The science of vision is a relatively old subject and deals with the eyes, their functions and limitations. The science of seeing, however, treats the human being as a seeing machine, particularly as regards its behavior, efficiency, and welfare.


Date Presented 04/04/19
 The 5Minutes4Myself companion mobile app aims to improve wellness for caregivers of children with autism. It provides efficient access to an occupation-based wellness program that includes habit-building features and mindfulness podcasts. We examined usability of the 5Minutes4Myself app via the Modified System Usability Scale, usage data, and focus groups. The app had above-average usability, suggesting it can be a practical tool for stress reduction in populations with elevated stress levels.
 Primary Author and Speaker: Jenna Sherman
 Additional Authors and Speakers: Elizabeth Larson, John Newlon, McKenzie Rowley


The paper considers the generalized problem of processing telemetry data. The solution of this problem in real time is due to the requirement of the operational stage of processing telemetry information in the form of a report on the flight of rocket and space technology. At the operational stage, 10% of the total number of telemetry parameters is processed. The consequence is that the results obtained are insufficient for an operational and reliable analysis of the technical condition of on-Board systems of rocket and space technology. To eliminate the insufficiency, it is necessary to increase the completeness of the results of processing telemetry information. A conceptual formulation of the problem of processing rapidly changing telemetry parameters is formulated, taking into account the requirement to include rapidly changing parameters in the processing of telemetry information at the operational stage. A model of the processing rapidly changing parameters in real time is constructed, which is based on the method of discrete linear mathematical programming. Restrictions on processing time, processing nodes, and completeness of the processing result are defined. Taking into account the constraints, the Pareto optimal set of acceptable solutions is determined. A narrowing of the set of acceptable solutions based on the use of nonlinear partial quality indicators is described. Conclusions are made about the expected results of the decision, as well as about the course of further research.


In solid-state physics, the phenomenon of localization is usually perceived as arising from extrinsic disorder that breaks the discrete translational invariance of the perfect crystal lattice. Familiar examples include the localized vibrational modes around impurities or defects in crystals and Anderson localization of waves in disordered media [1]. The usual perception among solid-state researchers is that, in perfect lattices excitations must be extended objects as well, essentially plane wave like. Such firmly entrenched perceptions were severely jolted since the discovery of discrete breathers (DB), also known as intrinsic localized modes (ILM). These states are typical excitations in perfectly periodic but strongly nonlinear systems, and are characterized by being spatially localized, at variance to plane wave states [2–4].


The purpose of this study is to consider the public conception
of land possession through relation with and land policy and
residing form under the condition in small sized land area as
in Korea
Especially, urban problem and land is in inseperable relation.
A point of view like this;
First:illumination on land system of foreign countries and reality
of Korea, Second:grasping legal
relation through law from residing form of Korea and Japan,
Third:grouped for a device of political embodiment about the public
conception of land possession of our country for meeting the 21st
century.


Both the dredging operations and the management of dredged materials may have heavy impacts on coastal and marine ecosystems. Dredged materials, in particular, have been considered for a very long time nothing more than a waste meant for disposal. Now the time has come to move from the 'disposal approach' to the 'waste recovery' or, even better, to the 'waste can be a non-waste' ones. Unfortunately, the management of dredged materials is committed to a congeries of rules, which build up a framework of law that appears plainly fragmentary and incoherent. The road is still long (and winding).


By applying the continuation theorem of coincidence degree theory, we establish new results on the existence and uniqueness of 2π-periodic solutions for a class of nonlinear nth order differential equations with delays.


ABSTRACT Introduction: Shifts in the sociopolitical context of Latin America have led to steep increases in recent Latinx immigrants (RLI) arriving in the US within the context of forced migration. Yet, little is known about how adverse experiences of RLIs before and after immigration may impact their health including drug use. The purpose of this study was to examine prescription drug and cannabis use before and just after immigration among RLIs and how this drug use is influenced by pre-and post-immigration factors. Methods: This study utilized baseline data from a study examining pre- to post-immigration drinking and driving trajectories among RLI in the United States (US). Baseline criteria included: self-identifying as a Latinx immigrant, 18 − 34 years old, who recently immigrated from a Latin American country. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to determine predictors of drug use both prior to and after immigrating. Results: There were 540 RLI, 50.2% male and 47.8% subjected to forced migration. Prescription and illicit drug use decreased post-immigration with sedatives being the most common. Higher levels of education was associated with increased odds of pre-immigration prescription drug use and cannabis use. Those experiencing forced migration were more likely to engage in prescription drug use before and after immigration, while no associations were found for cannabis use. Conclusion: Findings suggest a need for increased substance use and mental health services among RLIs arriving within the context of forced migration. More research is needed to understand the trajectories of drug use among RLI as their time in the US increases.


Apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 genotype, which increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD), predicted severe COVID-19 infection in one UK Biobank (UKB) cohort. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the bridging integrator 1 (BIN1) gene indicate the second highest odds-ratios for sporadic AD, exceeded only by APOE variants. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of BIN1 and the SNP rs744373 on COVID-19-relaetd survival using UKB-derived data. In addition, the interaction and alignment of BIN1 and SARS-Cov-2 were evaluated. For this purpose, the major (non-Alzheimer's) BIN1 allele was designated as BIN and the SNP rs744373 minor (Alzheimer's) allele as RS7. To evaluate the interaction and alignment of BIN1 and SARS-Cov-2, Protein Data Bank (pdb) entries were searched on the RCSB Protein Data Bank. The results revealed that the BIN RS7 heterozygote was associated with the lowest mortality rate (11.7%), followed by the BIN BIN homozygote (17.2%). The RS7 RS7 homozygote was associated with the highest mortality rate (28.1%). Logistic regression analysis was also performed using survival or mortality as the dependent variable, and sex, age, genotype, AD and coronary heart disease (CHD) as independent variables. The effects of sex, age and genotype were significant at the 95% level. The male sex and older-aged subjects were more likely to succumb to test-confirmed COVID-19 than females and younger subjects. The effects of AD and CHD were insignificant. Protein molecule alignment analyses suggested that the BIN allele may interfere with the replication of the SARs-Cov2 virus. The findings of the present study demonstrate that the risks for COVID-19 mortality are not simply related to an advanced chronological age or the comorbidities commonly observed in aged subjects, such as CHD and AD, but also with AD genes.


Gender differences show about position of women is weak from men and
women destiny is always to serve men, and it's cause gender not fair. Women
considered to "the second sex"that always called 'the second member'which is
the position is not to count. If the gender is not fair, it can be arouse feminism
operation. Feminism is an ideology, like communism, is try to erase a history and
change every think that contradictory with the dominant idea. Feminism just not
tries to adapt word, but also grammar, and protect gender from language that
shape from gender section. Now, every woman with shiver start to launch word
of 'emancipation'in every activity. Women begins stronger, sometimes the
destiny become upside down and deviation is happen. There is like to command
her husband because she feels get more money, and also become lesbian because
she feels stronger like man and able to protect other women who are weak.
Novel Gerhana Kembar tells about love story of lesbian which is from
honesty. From the symbols, writer wants to mean the meaning from lesbianism
represented. This research hopes, can give benefit for development studies of
communication semiotics and give knowledge that lesbian also have good side
and not always identical with bad behaviors.
This research characteristic is descriptive qualitative, that purpose to
describe with exactly individual characteristic, exists, phenomenon, or frequency
there is certain relationship between the phenomenon and other phenomenon in
society. Material collecting does with the book and other references. The analysis
does with communication semiotics method with Pierce process meaning to know
everything about meaning inside of the Novel Gerhana Kembar that relationship
with lesbianism meaning based on categories the love, the feel, and the attitude.
Validities that are use in this research are triangulation resource technique.
Analysis result from this research shows in this novel lesbian also a usual
human that have a dream and hopes. Love affairs that happen between them
shows from interesting feels, amazement, and express of feeling love to their
couple. The lesbian feeling same like a usual human, in this novel shows from
happy feeling, disappointed, and afraid. Sometimes they also have feeling guilty
because they have deviation destiny and loving the same sex. Lesbian attitude that
show in this novel are kissing one another, embrace, walking side by side, take a
seat together, to flatter each other and cheer up one another.
xiii


Magnetic monopoles are hypothetical particles carrying isolated magnetic charges, analogous to electrically charged particles. They have never been observed in experiments, but there are theoretical indications that they might exist. Several experiments have been carried out over the years in order to detect monopoles, or to set upper limits on their abundance in the Universe.In this work, underlying theory of the properties of magnetic monopoles is presented, together with some of the experiments performed in the past, the present and the future. Emphasis is put on AMANDA and other Cherenkov neutrino telescopes. Results of the described experimental searches are summarized.


A real-world sensing application, which senses and analyzes the situation in the real world via sensor devices, has attracted increasing attention for providing new services to mobile users. In this paper, for targeting the application, we propose a highly adaptive resource control method that can control the amount of local computing resources, which is provided by the Mobile Edge Computing technology and the amount of network resources necessary for service provisioning. A basic idea is to express various information, such as the amount of sensor information and the amount of user access, into a simple potential field, and then update the potential field in a short cycle in a self-organized manner. Numerical results show that our resource control method based on the potential field is adaptive for the movement of users.