This paper intends to figure out why immigrants remit, what characteristics they have and, in particular, which of these individual characteristics influence (and in what sense) their propensity to remit. In particular, through the application of an ordinal logistic regression model, it intends to verify the existence of a "time effect" during the migration process. The time effect supposes that the intensity of remittances becomes less consistent as far as the immigrant integrates into the host country and the ties with the country of origin become less intense. In practice, according to this hypothesis, the evolution of the migration plan towards stabilization in the new country, rather than to return home, would lead the migrant to invest more (humanly and economically) in the host country, while reducing his emotional and economical commitment to the family left in the country of origin. We use the 2009 IT-Silc survey "Reddito e condizioni di vita delle famiglie con stranieri" carried on around 6,000 households having at least one foreigner component. This survey provides many details on foreigner's characteristics, remittances attitudes and return plans, and allows us also to consider the composition of the family both in place of origin and of destination.


We propose a new method for estimating the relative pose between two images, where we jointly learn keypoint detection, description extraction, matching and robust pose estimation. While our architecture follows the traditional pipeline for pose estimation from geometric computer vision, all steps are learnt in an end-to-end fashion, including feature matching. We demonstrate our method for the task of visual localization of a query image within a database of images with known pose. Pairwise pose estimation has many practical applications for robotic mapping, navigation, and AR. For example, the display of persistent AR objects in the scene relies on a precise camera localization to make the digital models appear anchored to the physical environment. We train our pipeline end-to-end specifically for the problem of visual localization. We evaluate our proposed approach on localization accuracy, robustness and runtime speed. Our method achieves state of the art localization accuracy on the 7 Scenes dataset.


Behaviour of macrophages in experimental mice trichinellosis was investigated using the immunoenzymatic technique with monoclonal antibodies CD11b/CD18 within the framework of avidin-biotin-DAB. The maximum and earliest mobilization of macrophages 7 day post infection (dpi) was observed in the lamina propria of the intestinal mucosa. The highest level of macrophages in the muscles tissue was noted on day 21 of infection, however as early as in 28 dpi, their maximum level was observed inside the larval capsules. They line, especially between 35-42 dpi internal capsule surface.


ABSTRACT The European Zechstein is a Late Permian group of formations that consists of shale, limestone and dolomite, anhydrite, rock salt, and potash salts in cyclic alternation over 1,000 m thick. Some of the anhydrite formations contain (a) beds with a distinct fining-upward texture, sharp bases and gradational tops, here interpreted as turbidites; (b) other beds with tightly packed clasts of anhydrite up to one meter in size, here interpreted as mass-flow breccias, and (c) bedded anhydrite with folds and concave sliding planes which may represent slumps. The thickness variation of the sulphate body along with the facies pattern in the overlying and underlying carbonates suggests that the sulphates were piled up in a platform similar to a shallow-water carbonate platform along the basin margin. The sediments described in this paper were all found along the steep basinward slope of this platform. Depositional structures similar to those in the Zechstein have been described in the Messinian gypsum formation (Miocene, Italy) Here the evaporites were deposited on pre-existing topography and did not create the relief by their own accumulation as in the Zechstein. Both the Zechstein and the Messinian sulphate bodies, however, were shaped by a similar interplay of localized precipitation in shallow water (or adjacent sabkhas), reworking and downslope transport as clastic material, and not by in situ precipitation alone. During the evaporite stages sulphates accumulated in all parts of the basin from the marginal tidal flats to the basin interior.


Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is the most common form of focal, pharmacoresistant epilepsy in adults and is often associated with hippocampal sclerosis. Here, we established the efficacy of optogenetic and electrical low-frequency stimulation (LFS) in interfering with seizure generation in a mouse model of MTLE. Specifically, we applied LFS in the sclerotic hippocampus to study the effects on spontaneous subclinical and evoked generalized seizures. We found that stimulation at 1 Hz for 1 hr resulted in an almost complete suppression of spontaneous seizures in both hippocampi. This seizure-suppressive action during daily stimulation remained stable over several weeks. Furthermore, LFS for 30 min before a pro-convulsive stimulus successfully prevented seizure generalization. Finally, acute slice experiments revealed a reduced efficacy of perforant path transmission onto granule cells upon LFS. Taken together, our results suggest that hippocampal LFS constitutes a promising approach for seizure control in MTLE.


Sovereign risk analysis is central in debt markets. Considering different bonds and countries, there are numerous measures aiming to identify the way risk is perceived by market participants. In such environment, probabilities of default play a central role in investors' decisions. This article contributes by providing a parametric arbitrage-free dynamic model to estimate defaultable term structures of sovereign bonds. The proposed model builds on Duffie and Singleton's (1999) general reduced-form model by proposing a piecewise constant structure for the conditional probabilities of defaults. Once an average recovery rate value is fixed for the whole market, the proposed model estimates implied probabilities of defaults from bond prices, working as a parsimonious tool to quantify investor's perception of credit risk. We apply this methodology to analyze the behavior of default probabilities within the Brazilian sovereign fixed income market at three different recent economic moments.


Introduction Isthmin-1 (Ism-1) is a novel adipokine. However, little is known regarding the association between Ism-1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum Ism-1 levels and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in patients with T2DM. Research design and methods A total of 209 patients with T2DM were recruited into this retrospective study. Clinical data were collected. Fasting blood samples were collected for serum Ism-1 testing using ELISA kits. Based on the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), participants were divided into the normal eGFR group (n=167) and the decreased eGFR group (n=42). The relationship between Ism-1 and eGFR was assessed using linear and binary logistic regression analyses. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was employed to examine the predictive efficacy of Ism-1 for distinguishing patients with eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Results Compared with patients with normal eGFR, serum Ism-1 levels were increased in patients with decreased eGFR (p<0.001). Serum Ism-1 levels were negatively correlated with eGFR in patients with T2DM even after multiple adjustments (p<0.001). For each 0.1 ng/mL increment of Ism-1, the odds of having an eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 increased by 54.5% (OR=1.545; p<0.001) in patients with T2DM. ROC analysis showed that higher serum Ism-1 levels (>1.297 ng/mL) had predictive efficacy in patients with eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2, with an area under the curve of 0.908. Conclusions Serum Ism-1 levels were inversely associated with eGFR, and high Ism-1 levels may be used as a potential biomarker for predicting kidney function impairment in patients with T2DM.


Wind farms are considered to be negative loads from the point of view of a utility. As installed capacity of wind power retains a significant proportion of generation mix in the electric system, operators have the increasing expectation that wind turbines should function in some way similar to the conventional plants. This paper presents a control strategy to regulate active power for different wind turbines under various operating conditions, and create a simple model for wind farm, preliminarily calculating optimal output based on simplex method which is linear programming.


This article is preliminary research to explore the results of studies conducted in the field of Tourism SMEs by using systematic mapping studies (SMS) or systematic monitoring studies. The purpose of this Mapping is to discuss any SMEs Tourism topics that are reviewing. This research uses a qualitative method using a study library. The search was conducted on the Scopus database of 36 articles in the 2002-2019 publication which were published in the form of scientific journals included in the inclusion criteria. The results of this SMS can provide an overview of opportunities to explore new topics in SMEs Tourism or exploit existing topics about the biggest focus of ICT, tourism management, innovation, for the locus of Small Business Travel Agents / tour operators / Guides, Guides, Hotels and Motels, Cafes and restaurants, Adventure Tourism, Recreation and Camping. As for the trends of countries and continents which often plagiarize the UK and European continents.


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CREDIT: CHRIS BICKEL/ SCIENCE

The animal cell nucleus houses the genetic material of the organism and therefore protects and maintains the blueprint for the cell and all its progeny. However, the nucleus is more than a simple repository for chromosomes. A dynamic organelle, the nucleus goes through astonishing transformations during each cell cycle, breaking down completely during mitosis and reforming afresh in each daughter cell after cell division. Within the nucleus, chromosomes are replicated and their DNA is transcribed to provide information that programs the physiology of the cell. Also, ribosomes assemble in the nucleus, then leave and carry out protein translation in the cytoplasm. All of this activity requires complex machineries that can respond to the changing needs of the cell throughout the cell cycle and may vary during development and by cell type.

One of the defining features of the nucleus is its unique architecture. The nucleus is bounded by a nuclear envelope, a double layer of membranes punctuated by nuclear pores, which allow the passage of a huge variety of molecules into and out of the nucleus. The nuclear envelope is contiguous with the endoplasmic reticulum, a membranous labyrinth that provides the entry portal to the secretory pathway. The nuclear envelope is lined with a protein meshwork known as the nuclear lamina, which is composed of lamin proteins related to cytoplasmic intermediate filament proteins. Defects in the nuclear lamina have been linked to progeric diseases.

In this issue, three Reviews examine various aspects of nuclear organization and dynamics. Trinkle-Mulcahy and Lamond (p. [1402][2]) describe how a combination of state-of-the-art proteomics and imaging technologies is contributing to a greater understanding of the dynamics of nuclear function in living cells in real time. Stewart et al. (p. 1408) describe how the nuclear envelope influences events within the nucleus and throughout the cell. Terry et al. (p. 1412) explain how the bidirectional transport of proteins and nucleic acids through nuclear pores can be regulated at many levels, from individual cargoes to global changes in nuclear pore transport characteristics.

In a News story, Travis (p. [1400][3]) describes how a few researchers are making the case that proteins from the nucleus do double duty as components of a spindle matrix, a controversial structure alleged to help move chromosomes during cell division.

Two Perspectives at Science 's Signal Transduction Knowledge Environment ( ) highlight mechanisms controlling nuclear transport. Alvarez-Gonzalez describes how poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of p53 in response to DNA damage interferes with its nuclear export, and Swanson and Kopchick describe how the cytokine receptor GHR may traffic to the nucleus to regulate gene expression.

In the future, it will be important to continue to advance our understanding of how the nucleus interacts with the rest of the cytoplasm throughout the cell cycle and how these interactions program organismal physiology and development.

 [1]: pending:yes
 [2]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1142033
 [3]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.318.5855.1400


Today, referring to the small city means talking about a space that can be connected in every way to the rest of the World, and yet features a particular social and morphologic environment, which is different to that of large cities, and that may therefore be rather attractive. In the current situation of Generalized Urbanization, the meaning of middle and small cities is changing, with respect to what happened in the past. While it could long be asserted that urban growth was a very positive fact (the larger, the better), since the decade of the sixties, when the controversy about growth limits was raised, this perspective began to change. Nowadays it is certainly true that, in some cases, the lesser that growth is, the better, and in every situation, the most balanced it is, the better. Today, small cities may have significant advantages over large ones: they can be innovative, hold education centers, enjoy access to knowledge and culture, and be well communicated with areas of dynamic economic development. And besides all of this, they can be very agreeable places to live in.


In order to evaluate the performance of a large number of commercial FDC software, we conducted a benchmarking study at SEMATECH. The purpose of this paper is to report the tool data and the procedures that we were successfully able to use to benchmark the FDC software. These procedures can be used to compare FDC software based on similar or different principals. The results from this benchmarking have allowed the SEMATECH member companies to choose the software for beta-testing in the production environment. We conducted the benchmarking, by using the tool data obtained from three SEMATECH member companies, Texas Instruments, MOTOROLA and Lucent Technologies. Tool data was put on a secured FTP site with the instructions for solving the benchmarking problems. The software suppliers downloaded the data, analyzed the data and returned the results within the specified time-limits. The best results indicated that it may be possible to predict the tool faults in advance.


This paper aims at sketching an overview of the scientific production in the field of Strategy as Practice (SAP), recovering and expanding the bibliometric research presented in Maia and Alves Filho(2013), bringing in new aspects and replicating the study using Google Scholar. Concerning SAP, results signalize that: (1) SAP is still a young research field, with most of its publications after 2007; (2) Paula Jarzabkowsky and Richard Whittington are the most productive authors, although Google Scholar suggests a relevant author dispersion; (3) "Strategy" and "Practice" are the main research terms in Web of Science, while Google Scholar indicates relevant density of related terms; (4) both studies indicate that SAP production has not been published in classical journals, and there is important production in non-English publications and conferences. Concerning research sources: (1) size limits in Google Scholar make it impossible to calculate classic bibliometric indicators; (2) Google Scholar has generated a database with more than 30 times the results in Web of Science; (3) Google Scholar has generated a much more disperse and diverse base; (4) there are concerns in terms of using Scholar as a source of information: 15% of the documents do not present publication date while 27% do not present publication source.


Orbital ordering in V2O3 appears due to the orbital degeneracy of the doubly degenerate ground state of the V3+ ions and causes an antiferromagnetic phase transition in this compound. Assuming a crystal field of symmetry lower than cubic and spin-orbit coupling, the magnetic properties of this compound have been studied. Correlated effective-field theory is used to study the magnetic properties of the insulating phase. The magnetic structure observed at low temperature is also incorporated in the calculation.


Viet Nam has finished two national reports under the United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review. The Vietnamese national reports were prepared in accordance with the general guidelines of the Human Rights Council and experience learnt from other countries. However, the process of Viet Nam's preparation of its national reports reveals some shortcomings that should be considered. In order to fulfill the obligations of international human rights treaties of which Viet Nam is a party, the process of Viet Nam's preparation of national reports should be continuously improved to further ensure and promote fundamental human rights in Viet Nam.


Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that is characterized by edema, inflammation, demyelination and axonal loss. However, the mechanisms underlying the clinical evolution and ultimate progression of MS and their relationship to these pathological features are still poorly understood. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been an invaluable tool for the visualization of MS abnormalities in brain. In this thesis, patients with multiple sclerosis were compared to healthy controls using two non-conventional MR techniques believed to be related to myelin content. First, a model for the evolution of magnetization transfer (MT) abnormalities in patients with MS was proposed based on data collected from a relatively small sample size. The MT ratio (MTR) of normal appearing white matter (NAWM) in brain is normal at clinical onset and then slowly decreases over time, correlating strongly with disease duration. This suggests that the gradual progression in disease seen in patients with MS may be due not only to new lesion formation, but also due to global changes in NAWM. In the immediate months before lesion appearance on conventional MRI there is an abrupt decrease in MTR. Lesion recovery is variable, with some lesions showing good recovery of MTR and others showing no recovery or worsening. The early behaviour of lesions may be predictive of future recovery. Chronic stable lesions have a constant and low MTR. In a larger cross-sectional study, MS normal appearing white matter in brain was found to have a higher water content and lower myelin water fraction than controls. Lesions have increased water content, and a heterogeneous reduction in myelin water fraction. The cause of the water content increase in lesions could be due to either edema or inflammation. As our understanding of T 2 improves, we may be able to distinguish between these two pathologies from the shape of the T 2 distribution. A simple model suggests that the observed 2.2% increase in water content and 16% decrease in myelin water fraction in MS NAWM are the result of diffuse myelin loss. Next, MT and myelin water imaging were compared in lesions and white matter for both an MS patient group, as well as a control group. The myelin water fraction of some white matter structures were found to correlate with MTR, while in others they did not. This regional dependence of the correlation between MTR and myelin water fraction is unexpected and has not been observed elsewhere. Myelin water imaging and MT imaging do however indeed probe different properties of brain tissue: myelin water imaging specifically measures the amount of water trapped between the myelin bilayer based on a given T 2 relaxation time range (typically 0-50ms), while MT probes the interaction between all of the semisolid protons with all of the aqueous protons. The previously observed dissociation between MTR and myelin water fraction is reasonable as while myelin water imaging is a specific marker for myelin content, MT is influenced by many factors which are unrelated to myelin content including exchange rates between the semi-solid and aqueous proton pools, pH and distribution of galactocerebrosides. A change in the size of either the semi-solid or aqueous pool would also effect the measured MT ratio, for example: accumulation of cells such as astrocytes and macrophages which would serve to increase the size of the semi-solid pool, thereby increasing MTR without any increase in myelin content. Likewise, an increase in the aqueous proton pool due to oedema would decrease MTR without any reduction in myelin content. Finally, pathological correlations with myelin water imaging in MS were investigated to validate this technique as an in-vivo measure of myelin content. Twenty-five brain samples were examined and a very strong correlation was found between myelin water imaging and myelin staining as measured by luxol fast blue optical density. The close relationship between myelin and axons is reflected in the strong correlation between the luxol fast blue and Bielschowsky stains which also explains the good correlation between myelin water fraction and the Bielschowsky optical density. This study supports the use of myelin water imaging to study myelin pathology and the role of demyelination and remyelination in MS.


Purpose – Exploring responsible negotiation is like discovering the forest beyond the tree. The purpose of this paper is to develop seven steps that might be needed for negotiators to become more responsible. These steps take into account the people at the table, but also those behind and beyond the table, and those needed to sign, ratify and also implement the deal. A broad responsibility should also integrate legal, moral, systemic and environmental constraints, as well as the future of the next generation.Design/methodology/approach – Negotiation techniques may serve any goal, and therefore lead to irresponsible processes and outcomes. A selected review of the literature on negotiation theory is explored, and its current concepts are complemented to integrate responsibility.Findings – In total, seven levels of responsibility can be identified for negotiation: towards oneself, the other, respective principals, implementers, absentees, legal compliance, moral norms and values, and the next generation.Res...


The authors show how color and texture image segmentation, automatic image classification, camera calibration, and 3D scene representation can cooperate to solve a complex problem such as selective cutting. Attention is focused on the field of ore recognition, where significant improvement has been obtained by texture information. The research project considered involves the automation of the cutting operation of a roadheader for selective cutting in an underground potash mine near Barcelona in Spain. The system described is based on the use of computer vision to discriminate the different ore types found in the face (sylvinite, carnalite, and salt). Using the information about the ore distribution, paths are then planned for the computer-controlled cutting boom. It was shown that color information was important for minerals identification but texture information was absolutely necessary to get a good identification in all cases. The two kinds of information cooperate in an automatic image classification algorithm, which has been validated on many images of the mine face.<<ETX>>


New ionic liquids were developed based on triazolium salts and guanidinium salts. By introduction of functions, such as organocatalytic units, into these units task-specific ionic liquids could be obtained. These products can be used as efficient catalysts in asymmetric syntheses.


Potassium citrate is a new and exciting therapeutic approach which has considerably broadened our capability for the medical control of stone disease. The discussion summarizes the data supporting utility of potassium citrate in the management of renal tubular acidosis with calcium stones, hypocitraturic calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis ('idiopathic', or secondary to chronic diarrheal syndrome or thiazide therapy) and uric acid lithiasis with or without calcium stones.


Objective To explore the correlation among the level of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein(COMP) as well as the balancing relationship of helper T cell 17(Th17) /regulatory T cells(Treg) of serum in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Methods 40 patients with RA in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from May 2019 to May 2020 were selected as RA group, while 40 healthy subjects were collected as a control group. After collecting their serum, the figure of Th17, as well as Treg cells, were encountered by flow cytometry(FC), and the proportion of Th17/Treg was counted. Cytometric was also used to detect serum interleukin(IL)-17, IL-10 and IL-6 concentration. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA)was also applied to track down the concentrations of COMP as well as tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α). All indicators above were considered among groups, and the interrelationship between COMP and the expression of various cells as well as related cytokines was analyzed. Results The concentration of COMP, Th17 and Th17/Treg in RA group were higher than those in the control group, while Treg was lower than that in the control group, and the variation was statistically weighty(P<0.05). The levels of IL-17, IL-6 and TNF-α in RA group were higher than those in the control group, while the concentration of IL-2 was smaller than that of the control group, the differences were statistically weighty(P<0.01). Interrelationship analysis displayed that COMP was undeniably correlated with Th17, Th17/Treg, IL-17, IL-6 as well as TNF-α levels(r =0.687, 0.478, 0.759, 0.903, 0.813, all P<0.01). There was a negative correlation between the levels of COMP and Treg, IL-2(r =-0.356, -0.455, all P<0.01). Conclusion Compared with healthy people, COMP in peripheral blood of patients with RA is abnormally high, and there is obvious T cell immune abnormality, suggesting that COMP may participate in the development of RA by regulating Th17/Treg balance.


A new study performed in conjunction with THA uncovers how different types of hospitals involve physicians in strategic planning and operations decisions, and how they can do a better job of getting doctors to play a role in making key decisions.


Aims Early intervention in acutely unwell children reduces morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have demonstrated inadequate resuscitation knowledge in UK and New Zealand. Since the national implementation of resuscitation courses, e.g. Advanced Paediatric Life Support in 1992, studies have demonstrated improved knowledge. We aimed to ascertain the current knowledge of paediatric staff, by telephone questionnaire interviews. Methods Data on resuscitation training, position, background and level of experience was collected. A 9-part questionnaire was devised based on our previous audit of theoretical scenarios to assess resuscitation knowledge of common paediatric emergencies. These included weight and endotracheal tube estimations for children of different ages, interosseous route as a method of intravascular access and fluid resuscitation in septic shock amongst others. Answers were validated against current resuscitation guidelines and a maximum score of 17 was possible. Participants completed the questionnaire by phone or in person where possible. Results 54 paediatric staff from 8 hospitals completed the questionnaire. Overall, participants scored higher than the 1993 UK and 1998 New Zealand cohorts, bar the estimation of endotracheal tube sizing. Those with non-specialist training posts, less experience and no paediatric postgraduate qualifications had significantly lower mean scores. Conclusions Overall paediatric resuscitation knowledge has improved since the introduction of national resuscitation courses.Abstract G256(P) Table 1 % correct answers by cohortsAbstract G256(P) Table 2 Overall scores by paediatric posts, experience and post-graduate qualifications


The problem of rendering a transfer function strictly positive real using reduced-order observer is studied in this paper. It is shown that the problem always has a solution that is parameterized by a stabilizing feedback gain K and a positive definite matrix PK satisfying certain Lyapunov matrix equation. In addition, the resultant positive real transfer function is explicitly obtained and has the property that its Hinfin norm can be made arbitrary small if K and PK are properly chosen. The results are illustrated with some examples.


The paper presents laboratory model for evaluation of the effectiveness of tooth whitening agents on pure and technical hydroxyapatite (HAP) samples. HAP samples were exposed in distilled water, and colour measurements were taken after coloration in tea extract and using of "Blend-a-med delicate bleaching" ("Procter & Gamble", Germany) toothpaste. The proposed laboratory model allows imitating discoloration by food dye (tea) and measure the whitening toothpaste effect by significant change in colour characteristics in the CIE L*a*b* system.


The emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union countries of the Caspian region have much in common in their resource and economic conditions. The dynamics of their development is also largely identical. Therefore, the article considers the processes of modernization of the Kazakhstan's economy during the independence period as a typical state of the region. The author investigated the reasons for the choice of the resource model in the course of going to the world economy and the government actions on economic modernization and the beginning of the transition to innovation and industrial development.


This paper explores the effect of borrower and lender state-ownership on the consequences of corporate fraud in the debt market. Fraud revelations can increase a firm's information and credit risk, and are therefore expected to significantly affect future bank loan conditions. The Chinese economy provides a unique setting from which to study the influence of state-ownership on debt contracting because it is dominated by state-owned banks (SBs) and firms. Using a sample of bank loans and enforcement actions announced between 2001 and 2012, we find that, after fraud announcements, the cost of private debt increases significantly, but not for loans issued by SBs to state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Moreover, we find evidence that SBs grant, and SOEs receive, lower interest rates. Additional tests show that SOEs that received a more favorable interest rate after the announcement of fraud from a SB perform worse than other firms. These results indicate that despite the bank reforms SBs continue to favor SOEs and this could lead to sub-optimal lending.


Total protein and protein-associated mannan concentrations were measured, and individual proteins were identified during extraction into model wines over 9 months of aging on the yeast lees following completion of fermentations by seven wine strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In aged wines, protein-associated mannan increased about 6-fold (+/-66%), while total protein only increased 2-fold (+/-20%), which resulted in a significantly greater protein-associated mannan/total protein ratio for three strains. A total of 219 proteins were identified among all wine samples taken over the entire time course. Of the 17 "long-lived" proteins detected in all 9 month samples, 13 were cell wall mannoproteins, and four were glycolytic enzymes. Most cytosolic proteins were not detected after 6 months. Native mannosylated yeast invertase was assayed for binding to wine tannin and was found to have a 10-fold lower affinity than nonglycosylated bovine serum albumin. Enrichment of mannoproteins in the aged model wines implies greater solution stability than other yeast proteins and the possibility that their contributions to wine quality may persist long after bottling.


Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting synovial tissue in multiple joints. The inflammatory process in RA is regulated by several cytokines, especially TNF, which is produced not only by macrophages and dendritic cells (DC) but also by activated antigen-specific CD4+ T helper (Th) cells. IL-21 is a pleiotropic type 1 cytokine that shares the common cytokine receptor γ-chain, γ(c), with IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, and IL-15. IL-21 promotes differentiation of Th17 cells and is implicated in several autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus and RA. Recently it was shown that this inflammatory cytokine is secreted by T follicular helper cells (TFh). IL-21 regulates antibody production by B cells and induces osteoclastogenesis, mechanisms that contribute to RA pathology. In addition, administration of an IL-21R fusion protein to mice after the onset of arthritis reduced both the clinical and histological signs of collagen-induced arthritis. Objectives Taking into account the recent literature we investigated whether IL-21 might play a role in RA. Methods Expression of surface markers and cytokine production at the single cell level in peripheral blood (PB) and matched synovial fluid (SF) from RA (n=10) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA, n=7) patients, as compared to PB of healthy control (HC) subjects (n=25), was evaluated by flow cytometry following polyclonal stimulation ex-vivo. IL-21 concentrations were assessed by ELISA in cell-free SF samples of RA (n=15), PsA (n=14) and OA (n=5) patients and in 6 days supernatants of RA (n=6) and spondyloarthropathy (SpA, n=5) synovial biopsy cultures. Immunohistochemistry analysis was performed on synovial tissues (STs) of HD, RA, PsA and OA patients and sections were evaluated by digital image analysis. In addition we dissected the in vitro requirements for the differentiation of human IL-21-secreting CD4+ T helper (Th) cells from naïve T cells. Results We observed significant expansions of CD4+ Th cells secreting IL-21 in RA SF compared to matched PB (p=0.0005). Interestingly, while the % of IL-21+ CD4 in PB did not differ between RA, PsA and HC, the % of IL-21+ CD4 in RA SF was increased compared to PsA. In addition, the levels of IL-21 present in SF did not differ between RA and PsA but there was trend towards elevated levels of this cytokine in RA SF compared to OA SF (p=0.067). In ST, IL-21 expression in RA patients was significantly higher compared to HD (p=0.04). RA synovial biopsies released significantly higher levels of IL-21 compared to SpA. CD4+IL-21+ could be detected in RA ST that do not co-localized with IL-17 neither IL-22. Synovial IL-21-secreting cells did not phenotypically fit the TFh cell paradigm in that they did not express CXCR5. In humans, differentiation of naïve CD4+ T cells into IL-21-secreting cells in vitro was preferentially driven by IL-21 and/or IL-6 in the additional presence of transforming growth factor-β. Conclusions IL-21 and IL-21 blocking therapy is now being tested in a number of diseases. The results of this study enhance the rationale for a trial of IL-21 blockade in RA. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


In this paper we present the results of a statistical analysis undertaken upon the performance of students within the Software Engineering Programme at Oxford. The Software Engineering Programme is aimed at part-time students, most of whom are professional software engineers. The Programme offers a total of 26 courses within the broad spectrum of software engineering, with six being in the formal methods area. The focus of the research undertaken for this paper was the Software Engineering Mathematics course, which provides an introduction to (Z-style) predicate logic, set theory, and proof. In particular, we concern ourselves with the issues of whether performance within the Software Engineering Mathematics course is a good predictor of performance overall.


Semidefinite optimization problems are an expressive family of convex optimization problems that can be solved efficiently. We develop semidefinite optimization-based formulations and approximations for a number of families of optimization problems, including problems arising in spacecraft attitude estimation and in learning tree-structured statistical models. We construct explicit exact reformulations of two families of optimization problems in terms of semidefinite optimization. The first family are linear optimization problems over the derivative relaxations of spectrahedral cones. The second family are linear optimization problems over rotation matrices, i.e. orthogonal matrices with unit determinant. We use our semidefinite description of linear optimization problems over rotation matrices to express a joint spin-rate and attitude estimation problem for a spinning spacecraft exactly as a semidefinite optimization problem. For families of optimization problems that are, in general, intractable, one cannot hope for efficient semidefinite optimization-based formulations. Nevertheless, there are natural ways to develop approximations for these problems called semidefinite relaxations. We analyze one such relaxation of a broad family of optimization problems with multiple variables interacting pairwise, including, for instance, certain multivariate optimization problems over rotation matrices. We characterize the worst-case gap between the optimal value of the original problem and a particular semidefinite relaxation, and develop systematic methods to round solutions of the semidefinite relaxation to feasible points of the original problem. Our results establish a correspondence between the analysis of rounding schemes for these problems and a natural geometric optimization problem that we call the normalized maximum width problem. We also develop semidefinite optimization-based methods for a statistical modeling problem. The problem involves realizing a given multivariate Gaussian distribution as the marginal distribution among a subset of variables in a Gaussian tree model. This is desirable because Gaussian tree models enjoy certain conditional independence relations that allow for very efficient inference. We reparameterize this realization problem


The proliferation of private land conservation areas (PLCAs) is placing increasing pressure on conservation authorities to effectively regulate their ecological management. Many PLCAs depend on tourism for income, and charismatic large mammal species are considered important for attracting international visitors. Broad-scale socioeconomic factors therefore have the potential to drive fine-scale ecological management, creating a systemic scale mismatch that can reduce long-term sustainability in cases where economic and conservation objectives are not perfectly aligned. We assessed the socioeconomic drivers and outcomes of large predator management on 71 PLCAs in South Africa. Owners of PLCAs that are stocking free-roaming large predators identified revenue generation as influencing most or all of their management decisions, and rated profit generation as a more important objective than did the owners of PLCAs that did not stock large predators. Ecotourism revenue increased with increasing lion (Panthera leo) density, which created a potential economic incentive for stocking lion at high densities. Despite this potential mismatch between economic and ecological objectives, lion densities were sustainable relative to available prey. Regional-scale policy guidelines for free-roaming lion management were ecologically sound. By contrast, policy guidelines underestimated the area required to sustain cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), which occurred at unsustainable densities relative to available prey. Evidence of predator overstocking included predator diet supplementation and frequent reintroduction of game. We conclude that effective facilitation of conservation on private land requires consideration of the strong and not necessarily beneficial multiscale socioeconomic factors that influence private land management.


Parsimony-based phylogenetic analyses of the neotropical tribe Helieae (Gentianaceae) are presented, including 22 of the 23 genera and 60 species. This study is based on data from morphology, palynology, and seed micromorphology (127 structural characters), and DNA sequences (matK, trnL intron, ITS). Phylogenetic reconstructions based on ITS and morphology provided the greatest resolution, morphological data further helping to tentatively place several taxa for which DNA was not available (Celiantha, Lagenanthus, Rogersonanthus, Roraimaea, Senaea, Sipapoantha, Zonanthus). Celiantha, Prepusa and Senaea together appear as the sister clade to the rest of Helieae. The remainder of Helieae is largely divided into two large subclades, the Macrocarpaea subclade and the Symbolanthus subclade. The first subclade includes Macrocarpaea, sister to Chorisepalum, Tachia, and Zonanthus. Irlbachia and Neblinantha are placed as sisters to the Symbolanthus subclade, which includes Aripuana, Calolisianthus, Chelonanthus, Helia, Lagenanthus, Lehmanniella, Purdieanthus, Rogersonanthus, Roraimaea, Sipapoantha, and Symbolanthus. Generic-level polyphyly is detected in Chelonanthus and Irlbachia. Evolution of morphological characters is discussed, and new pollen and seed characters are evaluated for the first time in a combined morphological-molecular phylogenetic analysis.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate donor graft function, intraoperative blood consumption, and oxygenation and hemodynamic stability in patients undergoing lung transplantation.

DESIGN
Prospective pilot study.

SETTING
University hospital.

PARTICIPANTS
Forty-three patients undergoing lung transplantation from January 1999 to June 2001.

INTERVENTIONS
Hemodynamic monitoring, early extubation, and noninvasive ventilation criteria.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS
The 31 nonearly extubated patients showed a lower PaO(2)/fraction of inspired oxygen (F(I)O(2)), a higher mean pulmonary arterial pressure, extravascular lung-water index (EVLWI) and vasoactive drug support (norepinephrine), and more blood products consumption than 12 early extubated patients at the end of surgery. Seven of 12 early extubated patients did not show any signs of respiratory failure after tracheal extubation; they were alert and able to perform deep breathing exercise and coughing. In the other 5 patients, hypoxemia, hypercapnia, and an increase of respiratory rate >30 breaths/min were observed. The intermittent application of noninvasive pressure ventilation by face mask avoided endotracheal intubation.

CONCLUSION
The use of a short-acting anesthetic drug, appropriate intraoperative extubation criteria, epidural analgesia, and postoperative noninvasive ventilation make early extubation of lung-transplanted patients possible and effective.


This paper provides a summary of a comparative study of three different backing materials that can be used for ballistic testing of body armour. The study used standardised test packs, shot patterns, velocities and test rounds to build a data set. The aim being to understand how these mediums work and their use in the assessment of behind armour blunt trauma. In addition, the data set enables the variance of the different mediums to be greater understood. This is an extended abstract paper and associated poster summarising initial results of work conducted as part of my PhD at Cranfield University. The full paper is planned to be published in early 2018.


Optical bistability in semiconductor lasers under intermodal light injection is predicted using small-signal analysis. The optical bistability is a special case of sidemode injection locking and originates from the strong gain nonlinearity introduced by external light injection. The theory can be applied to the optical bistability under both intramodal and intermodal light injection. And the difference of the optical bistabilities between intermodal and intramodal light injection is discussed. Expression for the bistable loop width is presented. Optical frequency-bistability and power-bistability in semiconductor lasers can be realized by intermodal light injection, which imply that a small (a few GHz) change of the injected light frequency or a small (several /spl mu/W) change of the injected light power will induce a large (up to THz) change of the laser emitting frequency. Besides, hybrid optical bistability can be achieved by varying the bias current (only a few mA) of the laser. Dynamic properties, such as turn-on and turn-off delay and carrier overshoot during switching are discussed and some consideration of the practical aspects of the optical switching is presented.


We prove two results of strong continuity with respect to the initial datum for bounded solutions to the Euler equations in vorticity form. The first result provides sequential continuity and holds for a general bounded solution. The second result provides uniform continuity and is restricted to Holder continuous solutions.


Fresh water resources, human societies, and ecosystems are expected to be strongly impacted by climate change, with precipitation trends being one of the most important elements that will be closely monitored. However, the natural variability of precipitation data can often mask existing trends such that the results appear as statistically insignificant. Information on the limitations of trend detection is important for risk assessment and for decision making related to adaption strategies under inherent uncertainties. This paper reports on an effort to quantify and map minimal detectable absolute trends in annual precipitation data series on a global scale. Monte Carlo simulations were conducted to generate realizations of trended precipitation data for different precipitation means and coefficients of variance, and the Mann–Kendall method was applied for detecting the trend significance. Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC) VASClimO data was used to compute the mean and coefficient of variance of annual precipitation over land and to map minimal detectable absolute trends. It was found that relatively high magnitude trends (positive or negative) have a low chance of being detected as a result of high natural variance of the precipitation data. The largest undetectable trends were found for the tropics. Arid and semiarid regions also present high relative values in terms of percent change from the mean annual precipitation. Although the present analysis is based on several simplified assumptions, the goal was to point out an inherent problem of potentially undetectable high absolute trends that must be considered in analyzing precipitation data series and assessing risks in adaption strategies to climate change.


We demonstrate the functionality of spin-wave logic exclusive-not-OR and not-AND gates based on a Mach-Zehnder-type interferometer which has arms implemented as sections of ferrite film spin-wave waveguides. Logical input signals are applied to the gates by varying either the phase or the amplitude of the spin waves in the interferometer arms. This phase or amplitude variation is produced by Oersted fields of dc current pulses through conductors placed on the surface of the magnetic films.


Theoretical calculations are performed for the electron-energy-loss spectrum, in specular-reflection geometry, of a semi-infinite target made of two polar materials with a sharp interface perpendicular to the free surface of the target. First a general formalism is proposed, which allows for an arbitrary compositional variation of the target along one direction parallel to the surface. As an application, we next perform calculations for a GaAs/AlAs transverse-interface system. It is shown that electrons reflected at short distances (l20--30 nm) from the boundary between the two materials probe optical vibrations located on the interface, as well as phonons that propagate on the free surface of both mediums. The effects of the orientation of the electron plane of incidence, with respect to the interface of the target system, are also investigated.


The authors assessed, using ultrasonography, the volume of the thyroid gland in 93 women 4 days and then 3 and 6 months after parturition. The results were compared with a control group of women who were not delivered of a baby during the last 12 months. Women 4 days after delivery had on average a thyroid gland by 3.1 ml larger (P < 0.01) than controls. Three months after delivery there was still a significant difference in the volume between women who had a baby and the control group (P < 0.05). Goitre (volume larger than 22 ml) was observed after childbirth in 11 (11.8%), where as in the control group only in 3 women (5.3%). The authors analyze the causes which may bring about enlargement of the thyroid gland during pregnancy.


In the existing art, the description and evaluation of microwave systems is usually in terms of the complex wave amplitudes in the (assumed) uniform waveguide by which the components are interconnected. The interrelationships among these amplitudes are given by the scattering equations or indirectly by impedance parameters. This paper introduces an alternative description, based on power equations, where the basic parameter is the net power in the waveguide of interest. Compared with the circuit description, there is a substantial suppression of detail and the remaining parameters are placed in better perspective. In particular, the technique provides a simplified method of describing and evaluating mismatch corrections, in which the precision connector and uniform waveguide requirements have been eliminated.


In an increasingly competitive marketplace, today's engineering graduate must be equipped to meet the needs of industry and these needs are not limited to technical competence. They include the ability to: consider alternative solutions and their impact on various operations; work in interdisciplinary teams; manage projects; tie projects to the bottom line profitability of the enterprise; and communicate effectively. In many cases, graduates are ill-prepared to meet these challenges. The Penn State Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, USA, has designed, developed and conducted a senior capstone course to address certain key skill deficiencies of the engineering graduate. The course is conducted in cooperation with parallel sections in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and as a consequence, many of the student teams are composed of students from all three disciplines. The course provides the student with a realistic experience that helps with the transition from theory to the real practice of engineering. This paper identifies those elements in the design and conduct of the course that ensures a good experience for both industrial partners and students. Important concepts such as selecting good industrial sponsors and coaching versus supervising are discussed.


Background and objectives Sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM) is the most common form of myositis. The underlying cause of the disease is still unknown. Recently, the enzyme cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase 1A (cN-1A) was found to be a frequent target of serum autoantibodies in IBM but not other forms of myositis or other neuromuscular and inflammatory diseases.1 cN-1A, a member of the 5'-nucleotidase family, is known to catalyse the conversion of adenosine monophosphate to adenosine and phosphate but its subcellular localisation has not been well investigated. We aimed to characterise cN-1A distribution and localisation both in a variety of cell lines and in skeletal muscle tissues from patients with various forms of myositis and healthy controls. Materials and methods We investigated the cN-1A expression in various cell lines, both in untransfected cells and in cells transfected with cN-1A constructs encoding GFP-tagged or non-tagged cN-1A (mutant) protein: 1) pEGFP-cN-1A; 2) pcDNA4-cN-1A and 3) pcDNA4-cN-1A[D211A], a point mutant predicted to abolish cN-1A activity. A polyclonal anti-cN-1A antibody was used to visualise the non-tagged protein. We investigated cN-1A expression and localisation in skeletal muscle tissue from 8 IBM, 8 PM and 6 DM patients and compared this to healthy skeletal muscle tissue and tissues from other diseases. Results Endogenous cN-1A expression in acetone:methanol-fixed cell lines showed a diffuse cytosolic staining pattern. When GFP-tagged cN-1A was overexpressed we observed structures resembling, but not the same as, previously described 'Rods and Rings'.2 Intense accumulations of cN-1A in the cytoplasm and/or close to the nuclear membrane were also observed, particularly in cells overexpressing non-tagged cN-1A, and not cells expressing cN-1A[D211A]. In all skeletal muscle tissues, we observed a checkerboard pattern of cN-1A immunostaining which was more intense in type II fibres than type I fibres. We also observed perinuclear staining in all samples and localisation of cN-1A close to the Z-line in longitudinal fibres. In the skeletal muscle of IBM patients we found strongest cN-1A staining in small-sized and/or atrophied (type II) fibres and co-localisation of cN-1A with p62 in rimmed vacuoles. In fibres containing rimmed vacuoles, cN-1A was not restricted to co-localisation with p62. Conclusions Our cell culture experiments show that increased expression of active cN-1A alters its distribution and leads to accumulation of cN-1A in various cell lines. Together with our immunochemical findings, our results suggest that altered expression and accumulation of cN-1A could be of physiological relevance in IBM and requires further investigation. References Pluk H, van Hoeve BJA, van Dooren SHJ, et al. Autoantibodies to cytosolic 5′-nucleotidase 1A in inclusion body myositis. Ann Neurol 2013; 73 :397–407 Carcamo WC, Satoh M, Kasahara H, et al. Induction of cytoplasmic rods and rings structures by inhibition of the CTP and GTP synthetic pathway in mammalian cells. PLoS One 2011; 6 :e29690


There are purported relationships between fundamental motor skills (FMS), health-related physical fitness, physical activity, and obesity among children. The purpose of this observational, secondary data analysis was to further examine these associations in children from the 2012 National Youth Fitness Survey (NYFS). 121 five-year old children (51% female) from the NYFS database completed the Test of Gross Motor Development, 2nd edition (TGMD-2), muscular fitness measures of plank and modified pull-ups, and weight status based on body mass index (BMI) percentile. Significant positive correlations were identified between TGMD-2 scores and both pull-ups and plank. Linear regression models, controlling for sex, weight status, and Hispanic ethnicity also identified both modified pull-ups completed and plank time as significant predictors of TGMD-2 total raw score. No demographic factors were significant factors in any of the models. This secondary data analysis identified associations between FMS and health-related physical fitness (i.e., muscular fitness), with both modified pull-ups and plank performance, in five-year old children. Results underscored the importance of different facets of health-related physical fitness contributing significantly to FMS performance and the need for more work related to physical fitness in preschool-age children.


While the responsibilities of the depositary of a multilateral treaty are indispensable to the treaty functioning, the role of the depositary is commonly unknown. The chapter discusses the role and key features of the practice of the UN Secretary-General, as depositary of multilateral treaties, in the aspects that correspond to the general depositary functions as codified in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. Beginning at the turn of the century, the UN Secretary-General—by far the largest depositary in the world—began to engage in initiatives that have modernized and expanded the traditional depositary role. The UN Secretary-General has increasingly been involved in treaty-making during treaty negotiations, and in promoting participation in and dissemination of UN treaties, including through treaty events. The chapter also discusses key features of the depositary role in those aspects that are more innovative and peculiar to the UN Secretary-General.


Digital games have become considerable and influential cultural transmitters throughout the past years. As social sciences had grasped the importance of this medium as an object of study, the field of archaeology has increasingly taken notice of the digital leisure worlds of millions of players. Studying games as artefacts or archaeological sites have been therefore pioneering research programmes by scholars like Andrew Reinhard in order to test the boundaries of the archaeological framework, as also to generate important insight on our society by applying archaeological methodology on digital games. The aim of this paper is to discuss the possible role of archaeology in its conjunction with video games and tries to establish a critical perspective towards the enthusiastic first wave of the archaeology of video games.


This collection of essays is a seminal contribution to the establishment of translation theory within the field of Russian literature and culture. It brings together the work of established academics and younger scholars from the United Kingdom, Russia, the United States, Sweden and France in an area of academic study that has been largely neglected in the Anglophone world. The essays in the volume are linked by the conviction that the introduction of any new text into a host culture should always be considered in conjunction with adjustments to prevailing conventions within that culture. The case studies in the collection, which cover literary translation in Russia from the eighteenth century to the twentieth century, demonstrate how Russian culture has interpreted and accommodated translated texts, and how translators and publishers have used translation as a means of responding to the literary, social and political conditions of their times. In integrating research in the area of translated works more closely into the study of Russian literature and culture generally, this publication represents an important development in current research.


A new generation of information systems such as organizational memories, vertical aggregators, infomediaries, etc. is emerging nowadays. Such systems, termed Community Web Portals, intend to support speci c communities of interest (e.g., enterprise, professional, trading) on corporate intranets or the Web. More precisely, Portal Catalogs, organize and describe various information resources (e.g., sites, documents, data) for diverse target audiences (corporate, inter-enterprise, e-marketplace, etc.), in a multitude of ways, which are far more exible and complex than those provided by standard (relational or object) databases. Yet, in commercial software for deploying Community Portals, querying is still limited to full-text (or attribute-value) retrieval and more advanced information-seeking needs implies navigational access. Furthermore, recent Web standards for describing resources are completely ignored. In this paper, we propose a declarative language suitable for querying Portal Catalogs created according to the Resource Description Framework (RDF) W3C standard. Our language, called RQL, relies on a formal graph model, that captures the RDF modeling primitives and permits the interpretation of heterogeneous descriptions by means of one or more schemas. In this context, RQL adapts the functionality of semistructured query languages to the peculiarities of RDF but also extends this functionality in order to uniformly query both resource descriptions and related schemas. Then, RQL enables to query Portal Catalogs holding multipurpose descriptions of community resources while preserving a conceptually uni ed view of the Catalog for (sub-)communities employing di erent RDF schemas. RQL is actually used by several applications aiming at building, accessing and personalizing Community Web Portals. This work was partially supported by the European project C-Web (IST-1999-13479).


Steroid hormones play an influential role in neural development. In addition to androgens and estrogens of fetal and neonatal origin, the developing brain may also be exposed to progesterone. In this regard, identifying forebrain nuclei that are sensitive to progesterone during neural development may elucidate the impact of progesterone on the developing brain. Using immunocytochemistry, the present study documented the distribution of progesterone receptor (PR) expression in the rat forebrain from embryonic day (E) 17 through postnatal day (P) 28. The results indicate that PR expression in the developing brain is extensive, present in numerous forebrain nuclei, but transient, in that PR expression was absent in most nuclei by P28. Regions displaying the highest levels of PR‐immunoreactivity (PRir) were found in preoptic and hypothalamic nuclei including the medial preoptic, anteroventral periventricular, arcuate, and ventromedial nuclei. PRir was moderately abundant in the limbic region, particularly in subdivisions of the amygdala, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and hippocampus. The choroid plexus and neocortex were additional structures that demonstrated relatively abundant levels of PRir. The presence PR expression in the developing forebrain implicates the involvement of progesterone and PR in fundamental mechanisms of neural development. J. Comp. Neurol. 504:42–56, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The cooling of beams of exotic nuclei (both in energy spread and in transverse oscillations) is critical to downstream mass spectrometry devices and can be provided by collisions with light gases as in the Radio Frequency Quadrupole Cooler (RFQC). As in other traps, several electromagnetic systems can be used for beam deceleration confinement and deceleration, as a radiofrequency (rf) quadrupole, a magnetic solenoid and electrostatic acceleration. Since rf contributes both to beam cooling and heating, operational parameters should be carefully optimized. The LNL RFQC prototype is going to be placed inside the existing Eltrap solenoid, capable of providing a magnetic flux density component Bz up to 0.2 T, where z is the solenoid axis. Setup progress and related rf component development are reported; in particular simple matching boxes are discussed; the differential gas pumping system is also described.


Abstract. All-sky assimilation of infrared (IR) radiances has not yet become operational at any weather forecasting centre, but it promises to bring new observations in sensitive areas and avoid the need for cloud detection. A new all-sky IR configuration gives results comparable to (and in some areas better than) clear-sky assimilation of the same data, meaning that operational implementation is now feasible. The impact of seven upper-tropospheric water vapour (WV) sounding channels from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) is evaluated in both all-sky and clear-sky approaches. All-sky radiative transfer simulations (and the forecast model's cloud fields) are now sufficiently accurate that systematic errors are comparable to those of clear-sky assimilation outside of a few difficult areas such as deep convection. All-sky assimilation brings 65 % more data than clear-sky assimilation globally, with the biggest increases in midlatitude storm tracks and tropical convective areas. However, all-sky gives slightly less weight to any one observation than in the clear-sky approach. In the midlatitudes, all-sky and clear-sky assimilation have similarly beneficial impact on mid- and upper-tropospheric dynamical forecast fields. Here the addition of data in cloudy areas is offset by the slightly lower weight given to the observations. But in the tropics, all-sky assimilation is significantly more beneficial than clear-sky assimilation, with improved dynamical short-range forecasts throughout the troposphere and stratosphere.


Cryogenic mechanical alloying (cryomilling) was employed to fabricate aluminum matrix composite powder feedstock for additive manufacturing. The high energy milling of the powder system induces a homogenous distribution of reinforcement particles in the matrix powder by recurrent fracture and cold welding. In this study, aluminum matrix composite feedstock were produced via different cryomilling techniques at varying compositions, powder charges, and milling times. As-milled powders were characterized for particle size distribution, morphology, and homogeneity. Resultant powder demonstrated varying characteristics correlated to milling parameters. Powder metallurgy samples were also fabricated to understand as-sintered reinforcement distribution and the resultant strengthening. This research provides an indication of cryomilling capabilities to become an effective method for custom alloy powder production for powder bed fusion additive manufacturing.


Carotenoids pigments in crude and refined oils from Brazilian palm were analyzed. Beta-carotene was the principal fraction detected in all samples, varying from 142.6 micrograms/g to 314.25 micrograms/g in crude palm oils; from 132.55 micrograms/g to 612.16 micrograms/g in Brazilian palm kernels; and from 139.4 to 168.90 micrograms/g in refined palm oils. Alfa-carotene levels were 44.67 micrograms/g and 125.32 micrograms/g in the crude palm oil; 85.99 micrograms/g to 240.99 in palm kernel and 52.22 to 63.91 micrograms/g in refined palm oils. All-trans beta-carotene was the most important isomer; 9-cis and 13-cis alfa and beta-carotenes were also found. Vitamin A values were 2,065 and 10,255 RE in 100 g sample.


Abstract : This Final Presentation provides a summary of the work done under Increments A, B, E, and G of the Energy Engineering Analysis Program (EEAP) for Fort Polk Louisiana. The work was accomplished under Contract DACA63-80-C-0166 plus modifications with the Fort Worth District, Corps of Engineers. The vast majority of consumed energy at Fort Polk consists of electricity and natural gas. In FY75, Fort Polk used 48,399,000 kWh of electricity at a cost of $600,000. During that same period, 782,637 MCF of natural gas was purchased for $484,000. The total FY75 energy use was 1,368,327 MBtu.


The population of mobile communication subscribers keeps increasing exponentially with a growing industrial interest in the provision of improved quality of service. To maintain quality of service in a heterogeneous network built for high capacity utilization, the communication network must be stable as mobile users interact within the implemented coverage distribution. One of the basic mechanisms behind this communication metric is its ability to communicate wirelessly with respect to changing locations. Mobility is one critical benefit of mobile communication, which is made possible through the process of Handoff. One of the key performances in mobile communication is Handoff failure (call termination) rate, which is dependent critically on the handoff initiation mechanism. In this paper, the effect of traditional single parameter of either signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or throughput on handover threshold and hysteresis was investigated. Consequently, a cross layer enhanced adaptive handoff initiation algorithm using fuzzy logic was proposed. The proposed method exploits the capability of soft computing to handle the unpredictable nature of the radio propagation environment. Four critical handoff Network-link parameters were employed to vary the Handoff threshold and Hysteresis in test the adaptive functionality of the algorithm. The proposed algorithm was seen to be adaptive to throughput, SNR, mobile transmitting power (MTP) and mobile velocity, thereby resulting in improved quality of service, marked with a decrease in handoff failure probability rate. World Scientific News 120(2) (2019) 154-167 -155


To date, many gait generation strategies have been designed for robots with leg configurations that model those of natural creatures. However, their leg configurations are limited to the $2\times N$ type, such as hexapod or myriapod; hence, simultaneously, the potential ability of legged robots is implicitly limited. We consider single-legged modular robots that can be arranged to form a cluster with arbitrary 2-D leg configurations. By choosing configurations appropriately, these robots have the potential to perform several types of tasks, as is the case for reconfigurable modular robots. However, to use appropriate configurations for a given task, a unified gait generation system for various configurations of a cluster is required. In this article, we propose an autonomous distributed control system for each single-legged modular robot to collectively achieve static walking of the cluster with various leg configurations on planar ground. Moreover, our system is an autonomous distributed system with scalability and fault tolerance, in which each module determines the moving pattern of its foot through local communication without global information, such as the entire leg configuration of the cluster. We verified that several types of clusters achieved static walking using our system not only in dynamic simulations, but also in real robot experiments.


Web services have generated great interests in researchers recently due to its heterogeneous nature. These are based on existing Internet protocols and open standards. It can provide a flexible solution to the problem of application integration. These can be combined together through service composition to solve critical problems, which exists in current scenarios [3]. The service composition suffers from several limitations of security issues such as lack of native support for encryption, decryption and authorization [12]. In this paper, we have proposed a generalized framework for secure web service composition, which incorporates cryptography techniques. The current scenario get benefited by secure environment over network, prevent unauthorized access of services and support of encryption and decryption mechanism in terms of service composition with the help of proposed framework.


The Experience of Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in the Workplace by Josephine L. Harris MS, Walden University, 2019 MA, University of Phoenix, 2010 BS, University of Phoenix, 2009 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University February 2020 Abstract Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been associated with children for many decades, but it can continue into adulthood. However, little research has focused onAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been associated with children for many decades, but it can continue into adulthood. However, little research has focused on adults with ADHD or the specific processes through which such adults mitigate the challenges they face, especially in the workplace. The purpose of this qualitative, grounded theory study was to provide a better understanding of the strategies and support systems adults with ADHD use to overcome workplace challenges. Self-efficacy theory grounded the study, allowing for an understanding of the lived experiences of adults with ADHD in the workplace. The researcher conducted 12 semistructured interviews with adults with ADHD, from various employment backgrounds, who were currently working and had at least 3 months of work experience; the collected data were analyzed using a well-established, grounded theory coding procedure. Five themes emerged: (a) workplace challenges, (b) managing ADHD, (c) adaptive behaviors, (d) job satisfaction and levels of interest, and (e) acceptance and awareness. The results showed that many participants used to-do lists, calendars, peer reminders, assistants, and support from employers or coworkers to mitigate workplace challenges. As well as adding to the scholarly literature on adult ADHD, the study has several social change implications: The findings suggest several workplace changes that would mitigate the challenges for workers with ADHD, improve their productivity , and thus benefit themselves, their coworkers, and the organizations they work for. The Experience of Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in the Workplace by


Patients who are suffering from conductive hearing loss and single sided deafness cannot sometimes be rehabilitated by conventional air conduction hearing aids. Today, percutaneous Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA) is an important alternative for such patients. BAHA uses a titanium implant which penetrates the skin and can cause skin infection, skin redness and requires life-long commitment of care every day.
A novel Bone Conduction Implant (BCI) is designed as an alternative to the percutaneous BAHA, because it leaves the skin intact. It comprises an external audio processor and an implanted unit called the BCI Bone Bridge. Sound is transmitted to the implant via an inductive radio frequency (RF) link through the intact skin using amplitude modulation.
This paper presents an analog RF data and power link design as a first implementation for the BCI. The RF link is designed to operate in critical coupling to transmit maximum power to the implant. Maximum Power Output of the BCI was measured at 2 mm skin thickness and was found to be 105 dB relative to 1 µN at the transducer resonance frequency. This output force is fairly robust in 2 mm to 6 mm skin thickness range.


Implementing color constancy as a pre-processing step in contemporary digital cameras is of significant importance as it removes the influence of scene illumination on object colors. Several benchmark color constancy datasets have been created for the purpose of developing and testing new color constancy methods. However, they all have numerous drawbacks including a small number of images, erroneously extracted ground-truth illuminations, long histories of misuses, violations of their stated assumptions, etc. To overcome such and similar problems, in this paper a color constancy benchmark dataset generator is proposed. For a given camera sensor it enables generation of any number of realistic raw images taken in a subset of the real world, namely images of printed photographs. Datasets with such images share many positive features with other existing real-world datasets, while some of the negative features are completely eliminated. The generated images can be successfully used to train methods that afterward achieve high accuracy on real-world datasets. This opens the way for creating large enough datasets for advanced deep learning techniques. Experimental results are presented and discussed. The source code is available at http://www.fer.unizg.hr/ipg/resources/colorconstancy/.


It is commonly claimed that forest tenure reform that provides rural people with rights to access and use of forest resources can contribute to improved forest management and poverty alleviation. But, at least with respect to poverty alleviation, there are few experiences with formal forest tenure reform that have demonstrated this to date. Given how difficult it is to achieve pro-poor tenure reform, an important question is whether modest informal changes can achieve results. This paper argues that, in advance of full-scale tenure reform involving legislated changes to tenure laws, more modest locally negotiated changes and local 'informal' arrangements can lead to improved access to forests and provide people with the confidence that enables them to invest time and resources in forest management in the short and medium term. The modest informal changes can act as useful 'policy experiments' to support more formal change. This paper argues that secure tenure is not always a sufficient condition and is not always a necessary condition for enabling better management that benefits people. This paper examines experiences from the Forest Conservation Programme of IUCN, particularly the Livelihoods and Landscapes Strategy (LLS).


Striking spontaneous polarization of surface glycoproteins following exposure to Concanavalin A occurs in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PWN) In the Chediak-Higashi syndrome (C-H) which is associated with the absence of microtubules as visualized by the transmission electron microscope. We now show that impaired microtubule assembly also correlated not only with reduced chemotaxis and degranulation but with decreased granulocyte adherence (GA) as well. GA was measured by filtering purified PMN over nylon fibers contained in a ppsteur pipette and quantitating the percentage of PMN adhering to the fibers. GA in normal mink and mice was 74±1% and 64%; whereas, it was reduced in C-H mink and mice to 40±1%; and 32% respectively. Drugs previously shown to inhibit microtubule assembly in PMN were examined. GA was decreased to 27±6%, 29±2% and 19±9% with 10−5M colchicine, 5 uM dlamide, 500 uM tertiary butyrylhydroperoxide respectively in human PMN compared to nonnal values of 43±2%. When 5 ug/ml of cytochnlasin B was incubated with human PMN, a drug known to inhibit microfilamcnt polymerization, GA was also reduced to 33%. These studies support the notion that impairment of either cytoplasmic microtubule or microfilament assembly will lead to alterations in the surface properties of PMN membrane which, in turn, will affect the ability of the PMN to adhere to activated surfaces.


Recently, information recorded on paper has been changed rapidly to digital data. Backup systems emphasize prevention of data loss by disasters, mistakes of user operations, and so on. For robust backup, it is necessary that the data be distributed geographically. Using a distributed backup system, the possibility of all data becoming lost will definitely be low. However, several problems with distributed backup systems remain. First, preparing multiple computers is expensive. Second, the computational cost of encryption and redundancy is high. Third, user workloads necessary to manage and maintain the system are great. As described herein, to overcome those problems, we propose a distributed backup system using multi-agent technology. The agents can work autonomously depending on the environment. We first show a design of the promptitude type agent in a contemplation type agent framework. Then we present the results of experiments.


The main factor that hinders the high-quality superhard tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) films to grow thicker and to be used wider is the high internal compressive stress. To reduce the internal stress, the metal vapor vacuum arc (MEVVA) ion implantation technique was used, by which the Ni ions were implanted into the as-deposited ta-C film deposited by filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) process. XPS, XRD, Raman spectroscopy and SEM were employed to investigate the microstructure of the films. The results showed that the sp^3 content of Ni-doped film decreases, ie., there exists a graphitization and the graphite particle size in the film becomes smaller, while the Ni nanocrystals are found in singlet state and have been precipitated in the film. The particles about 10nm are distributed uniformly on the surface of the film. The change in the microstructure of the film due to Ni ion implantation is discussed.


Objective: To investigate the relative likelihood of pedestrian head injuries based on person, vehicular, and environmental factors in China. Methods: A team was established to collect passenger car–pedestrian accident cases occurring between 2006 and 2011 in Beijing, Shanxi Province, and Chongqing, China. Some key variables for person-, vehicle-, and environment-related factors on head injuries were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine relative risk/likelihood. Pedestrians were classified according to injury outcome and age. Pedestrian head injuries were scored using the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS). Results: A total of 285 vehicle–pedestrian crashes were collected and analyzed: 30 in Beijing, 20 in Shanxi Province, and 235 in Chongqing. The distribution in age and road type by study location differed. The injury outcome, head injury severity, and head contact site were different among 4 age groups. The variables including head contact site and impact speed were the common determinants for head injury severity. A higher pedestrian fatality risk was associated with age over 46, impact speeds over 40 km/h, and higher likelihoods of the victim's head striking the windscreen frame/A pillar and of the victim sustaining a head injury. Similarly, a higher risk of head injury was associated with being female, age over 60, impact speeds over 40 km/h, and a likelihood of the victim's head striking the vehicle rather than the ground. Impact speeds of over 40 km/h and head contact site on windscreen frame/A pillar retained a strong association with severe head injury (AIS 5–6) rate. Conclusions: Pedestrian age, vehicle impact speed, and head contact site were common pertinent factors for the risk of pedestrian head injury and the risk of death. Further studies would be valuable to fully characterize vehicle–pedestrian crashes in China and to develop targeted injury prevention strategies based on surveillance results. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Traffic Injury Prevention to view the supplemental file.


Poland syndrome is characterized by hypoplasia or absence of the breast or nipple, hypoplasia of subcutaneous tissue, absence of the costosternal portion of the pectoralis major muscle, absence of the pectoralis minor muscle, and absence of costal cartilages or ribs 2, 3, and 4 or 3, 4, and 5. The chest wall defect is often associated with a lung hernia. Clinical manifestations are extremely variable and rarely are all the features recognized in 1 individual. Fortunately it is invariably unilateral, allowing for an easier reconstruction. Single-stage reconstruction of the chest wall combined with simultaneous augmentation mammoplasty and transfer of an island pedicle myocutaneous flap of latissimus dorsi muscle are major improvements over previous multiple-stage procedures that provide less satisfactory cosmetic results in management of patients with Poland syndrome.


Monitoring water, sanitation, and hygiene programs in cholera outbreaks is critical to improve humanitarian response. The objective of this research was to evaluate, and improve, WASH in cholera monitoring tools currently used in northeast Nigeria. We collected 723 forms from 2019 from three form types, combined them into one database of 980 activities, and stratified data by form type, response, implementing organization, activity, month/day, and geographical area. We conducted seven key informant interviews (KIIs) with monitoring tool users and decision-makers. Data irregularities (including in design, collection, and entry) led to an inability to meaningfully analyze monitoring forms. In KIIs, eight themes emerged: ease of use of current tools, improvement in monitoring over time, lack of access to data, need for training, inconsistent reporting practices, need for modification of current questions, need for the addition of new questions, and connectivity issues. Although informants reported monitoring helped organizations identify gaps during the response, the scarcity and inconsistency of the reported data make it difficult to draw any conclusions about program effectiveness, accountability in humanitarian response, or to make recommendations for improving programming. To improve monitoring, we recommend refining data collection by increasing the quantity of data reported, data consistency, and data relevancy.


[1] Sea level reconstructions spanning the late Holocene (the past 2000 years) provide a preindustrial context for understanding the patterns and causes of contemporary and future change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assumed that global sea level change during the past two millennia (prior to the middle of the nineteenth century) was close to zero [Bindoff et al., 2007], but understanding of late Holocene sea level variability is limited. Glaciers and ice sheets changed significantly in size during this period, and therefore sea level likely oscillated on the order of several decimeters. In addition, ocean dynamics, solid Earth movements, steric (density) changes, and gravitational effects contributed to complex regional patterns of sea level change.


A new one-dimensional platinum mixed-valence complex with nonhalogen bridging ligands, namely catena-poly[[[bis(ethane-1,2-diamine-κ(2)N,N')platinum(II)]-μ-thiocyanato-κ(2)S:S-[bis(ethane-1,2-diamine-κ(2)N,N')platinum(IV)]-μ-thiocyanato-κ(2)S:S] tetrakis(perchlorate)], {[Pt(2)(SCN)(2)(C(2)H(8)N(2))(4)](ClO(4))(4)}(n), has been isolated. The Pt(II) and Pt(IV) atoms are located on centres of inversion and are stacked alternately, linked by the S atoms of the thiocyanate ligands, forming an infinite one-dimensional chain. The Pt(IV)-S and Pt(II)···S distances are 2.3933 (10) and 3.4705 (10) Å, respectively, and the Pt(IV)-S···Pt(II) angle is 171.97 (4)°. The introduction of nonhalogen atoms as bridging ligands in this complex extends the chemical modifications possible for controlling the amplitude of the charge-density wave (CDW) state in one-dimensional mixed-valence complexes. The structure of a discrete Pt(IV) thiocyanate compound, bis(ethane-1,2-diamine-κ(2)N,N')bis(thiocyanato-κS)platinum(IV) bis(perchlorate) 1.5-hydrate, [Pt(SCN)(2)(C(4)H(8)N(2))(2)](ClO(4))(2)·1.5H(2)O, has monoclinic (C2) symmetry. Two S-bound thiocyanate ligands are located in trans positions, with an S-Pt-S angle of 177.56 (3)°.


This paper presents a comparative study between Traditional and modern learning. Traditional learning involves a physical place where students and teacher can interact whereas modern learning is pursued in an e-space where a server and internet browsing interface is to be there. Due to a constant trend of growing student numbers across the world traditional learning will be expensive. The reason behind is the physical engagement of a teacher in this method which involves payment to the teacher for his service and other required support assets. Modern learning can be a method which can ensure reduced cost while enhancing the outcome in the learning system. Classroom education may not always succeed for online learning, when the instructor is not around which need to stimulate motivation and continual learning progress. Whether a particular education system is of high or low quality can be judged in terms of input, output and process. Until recently, however, much discussion of educational quality is centered on only system inputs in terms of the provision of teachers, teaching materials and other facilities, and on output in terms of students' achievement. However, due to financial constraints, the government has realized that improving the quality of education through improved input is more difficult. Thus, the government chooses to improve quality of education by improving the teaching-learning process, which it assumed as costeffective. The main objective of this article is to focus on the analysis of teaching techniques, ranging from the use of the blackboard and chalk in old traditional classes, using slides and overhead projectors and use of presentation software, to the video, electronic board and network resources now days.


Increasing emission of carbon dioxide from combustion of fossil fuels its effect on the earth's climate has led to increased research into renewable, clean energy solutions. Wind energy has been used as an alternative energy source for hundreds of years, however current research proposes the deployment of offshore wind farms in the deep waters of the oceans. A major challenge of deploying offshore wind farms is to safely and economically fix the wind turbines by means of anchors in the seabed. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether different anchoring concepts are suitable for securing floating offshore wind turbines in sandy soil conditions. For this purpose, an extensive literature review has been carried out to identify existing anchor capacity prediction models for three different anchor types. A 1-g model laboratory program was then developed and pullout tests using different anchor shapes in sand were performed. The laboratory testing program included pullout tests on shallow, vertically loaded square plate anchors, inclined square plate anchors, and drag embedment anchors in sands. For this purpose a testing facility (1.2 m width, 2.4m length and 0.9m height) was developed and a total of 11 pullout tests were carried out. The sand samples were prepared at a relative density of 22% and the tested depths varied from 0.15 m to 0.45 m. Tests results show an increase in capacity with increasing inclination angles. A comparison of the obtained test results and predicted capacities were used to evaluate the existing models. Best fit models were identified and loads derived from a state-of-the-art wind turbine were used to assess the feasibility of the proposed anchors to secure the 5-MW turbine. The results suggest that the examined anchor types are theoretically capable of mobilizing allowable capacities larger than the acting forces. The feasibility of anchor installation at the required embedment depths has to be proven in future research.


In past few years we have observed an increase in the usage of RGBD sensors in mobile devices. These sensors provide a good estimate of the depth map for the camera frame, which can be used in numerous augmented reality applications. This paper presents a new visual inertial odometry (VIO) system, which uses measurements from a RGBD sensor and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor for estimating the motion state of the mobile device. The resulting system is called the depth-aided VIO (DVIO) system. In this system we add the depth measurement as part of the nonlinear optimization process. Specifically, we propose methods to use the depth measurement using one-dimensional (1D) feature parameterization as well as three-dimensional (3D) feature parameterization. In addition, we propose to utilize the depth measurement for estimating time offset between the unsynchronized IMU and the RGBD sensors. Last but not least, we propose a novel block-based marginalization approach to speed up the marginalization processes and maintain the real-time performance of the overall system. Experimental results validate that the proposed DVIO system outperforms the other state-of-the-art VIO systems in terms of trajectory accuracy as well as processing time.


This work-in-progress paper briefly describes the uLab, a new method and framework for remote hardware design laboratories, which uses Linux and FOSS to provide real-time design and debug services to students over standard RDP channels. A secure, encrypted, plugin-based remote laboratory framework allows customization of programming and debug/test services to match physical laboratory resources. Industry standard technologies such as LDAP and Kerberos are utilized to ensure scalability, security, and ease of management. Emphasis is placed on direct access to real hardware, with the normal array of simulation tools and design software also being provided. In contrast with many of the remote laboratories currently in existence, this system places strong emphasis on direct, long-duration access to real, physical hardware for non-trivial design and evaluation tasks. In order to achieve this goal, secure, network-enabled hardware "pods" were created from inexpensive COTS components, and a blend of new and existing open-source software was used to connect with the overall laboratory framework. Hardware-design software and tools, including the software for physical hardware access, are preloaded and made available within the desktop session, allowing students to log in and start working almost immediately.


Studies were performed on Na and K transport by red blood cells of the freshwater turtle under anaerobic and aerobic conditions. Although it had previously been assumed that cation transport in turtle red blood cells was dependent on respiration, the present data show greater Na efflux rates in N2 than in O2. However, ouabain inhibited Na transport by the same amount quantitatively in O2 and N2 gas phases. Thus there was no difference in ouabain-sensitive or "pump" Na transport rates. Na influx rates were higher in nitrogen than in air and potassium influx rates were not significantly different under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Moreover in the absence of sodium in the bathing medium no difference between air and nitrogen could be discovered. Finally with ethacrynic acid plus ouabain there was an additional decrease in Na efflux but there was a persisting difference between air and nitrogen. These studies do not rule out the existence of a ouabain-insensitive ethacrynic acid-inhibitable flux; however, they suggest that at least part of the activation of Na efflux observed in N2 was due to increased exchange diffusion.


A simple self-transfer aid robotic system is proposed, and the evaluations on the human's physical burdens when using a transfer aid robotic system are presented in this paper. A person with weak leg muscles who uses a wheel chair is assumed to be the target user. By using the self-transfer aid robotic system, a user can transfer between a wheel chair and a toilet, for example. The proposed self-transfer aid robotic system is a two DOF system of a single link robotic arm with a saddle on the top, and a horizontal rotation mechanism driven manually. A user puts his/her belly on the saddle of the robotic arm, and then the robotic arm lifts the user's body. After rotating the user's body, the robotic arm lowers the user's body. The experiments on the measurements of the burden to human were conducted to design a simple self-transfer aid robotic system.


A new series of 6, 7-dihydroxy-3-(methylphenyl) chromenones, including three new derivatives, i.e. 6,7-dihydroxy-3-(2-methylphenyl)-2H-chromen-2-one (OPC); 6,7-dihydroxy-3-(3-methylphenyl)-2H-chromen-2-one (MPC); 6,7-dihydroxy-3-(4-methylphenyl)-2H-chromen-2-one (PPC) and one previously described, namely 6,7-dihydroxy-3-phenyl-2H-chromen-2-one (DPC), were synthesized. These compounds were investigated as inhibitors of human carbonic anhydrase I (hCA-I) and human carbonic anhydrase II (hCA-II) which had been purified from human erythrocytes on an affinity gel comprised of L-tyrosine-sulfonamide-Sepharose 4B.


Knowledge base is the way to store structured and unstructured data throughout the web. Since the size of the web is increasing rapidly, there are huge needs to structure the knowledge in a fully automated way. However fully-automated knowledge-base evolution on the Semantic Web is a major challenges, although there are many ontology evolution techniques available. Therefore learning ontology automatically can contribute to the semantic web society significantly. In this paper, we propose full-automated ontology learning algorithm to generate refined knowledge base from incomplete knowledge base and rdf-triples. Our algorithm is data-driven approach which is based on the property of each instance. Ontology class is being elaborated by generalizing frequent property of its instances. By using that developed class information, each instance can find its most relatively matching class. By repeating these two steps, we achieve fully-automated ontology evolution from incomplete basic knowledge base.


Intraoperative computerized tomographic (CT) scan findings in two cases during resection of glial tumor are described. These intraoperative CT images were obtained by an exclusively developed operating CT scanner system for use in the operating room. Repeated intraoperative CT scans taken during tumor removal showed shift of the brain including central structures and displacement of the cortical subarachnoid space in both cases. With contrast medium, the edge of the surrounding brain after resection was enhanced and a round enhanced area was observed in distant white matter. The distant enhancement, which we call 'remote enhancement', probably suggests damage to the blood-brain barrier due to surgical manoeuvre.


By means of a partial extracorporeal bypass, incorporating a bubble counting chamber, measured quantities of oxygen and of air microbubbles, having average diameters of 100 and 76 µ, respectively, were introduced into the carotid arteries of dogs. The desired number of bubbles was produced by varying the blood level and gas flow in the bubble oxygenator. Eighty per cent of dogs receiving oxygen in volumes up to 0.43 cc/kg (approximately 12.5 million microbubbles) survived without evidence of neurologic abnormalities. Seventy per cent of the control group, which received no microbubbles, survived. Of those perfused with air, all animals receiving up to 0.19 cc/kg (9.1 million bubbles) survived with no neurologic sequelae. Those perfused with air volumes greater than 0.19 cc/kg died within 24 hours, many exhibiting evidence of neurologic damage. The emphasis upon the introduction of oxygen microbubbles as the major fault of bubble oxygenators may be unwarranted. Air microbubbles are more deleterious than are oxygen microbubbles.


This article reviews the perspective from where the Communication studies look at the cinema as a communication phenomena, based on the hypothesis that there is an inclination to generalization in researches of this nature that frequently results in excluding definitions. Stemming from the experimental cinema as an example, the study considers that even though the communicational nature of the seventh art is undeniable, cinema finds itself displaced in this academic scope due to its multiple methods that cannot be conveyed by dominant perspectives. In that sense, this research aims to question the application of the semi-method, proposed by Ciro Marcondes Filho (2014), to the studies of cinema, in order to point out the need of a methodological distinction compared with other products in the field of Communication. Palavras-chave: Cinematic apparatus. Opacity and transparency. Communication phenomena. Semi-method.