The Determinant of Customer's Satisfaction to Centro Futsal Branch of Daan Mogot The aim of this research is to analyze the determinat of consumer satisfaction at Futsal Centro. This research is using multiple regression as tools of analysis. The independent variables of this research are service quality, promotion, and location. The result shows that the most influence in providing customer satisfaction is the location amounted to 0.364 and then followed by the variable of service quality amounted to 0.349 and followed by the promotion variable equal to 0.229. Then through the F test showed that the variables of service quality, well-deserved promotions and locations to test the dependent variable customer satisfaction on leasing futsal field. Through correlation R value is 0.811 or 81.1% and the determination coefficient value (R 2 ) is 0.657, or 65.7. DOI: 10.15408/ess.v6i2.3574


This study aimed at analyzing the influence of different levels of environmental integrity of streams of the Ivinhema river basin (Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil) on the diet of A. altiparanae . Samplings were performed from July 2001 to November 2011 at 101 sites, using sieves, seining and gill nets, and electrofishing. Streams were classified into three levels of environmental integrity. We analyzed 664 stomachs with the methods of frequency of occurrence and volumetric analysis index, combined in the Importance Index (AI). The species was omnivorous, with predominance of allochthonous resources. At the least impacted sites, the most representative resource was allochthonous plant material; and in the altered sites in the rainy period the most consumed item was allochthonous arthropods. On the other hand, at the most impacted sites in the dry period there was a lower consumption of allochthonous plant material and allochthonous arthropods, compared with other levels of environmental integrity considered, with higher consumption of autochthonous arthropods. The results evidenced that in the least impacted sites there was greater contribution from allochthonous resources, probably because these environments show a more preserved riparian forest.


Based on a new tripodal hydrosilane ligand, two isoreticular metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been synthesized by in situ selective transformation of the ligand from hydrosilane to silanol. Control experiments have been carried out to study the synthetic mechanism and demonstrate that the initially formed coordination clusters facilitate the in situ ligand oxidation, and synergistically the oxidized silanol ligands serving as hydrogen-bond donors impel the assembly of the specific hydrogen-bonded 2D MOFs (HMOFs). SiMOF-2 manifests a high CO2 sorption of 55.5 cm3 g−1 at 273 K.


A damage assessment procedure has been developed using artificial neural network (ANN) for prestressed concrete beams. The methodology had been formulated using the results obtained from an experimental study conducted in the laboratory. Prestressed concrete (PSC) rectangular beams were cast, and pitting corrosion was introduced in the prestressing wires and was allowed to be snapped using accelerated corrosion process. Both static and dynamic tests were conducted to study the behaviour of perfect and damaged beams. The measured output from both static and dynamic tests was taken as input to train the neural network. Back propagation network was chosen for this purpose, which was written using the programming package MATLAB. The trained network was tested using separate test data obtained from the tests. A damage assessment procedure was developed using the trained network, it was validated using the data available in literature, and the outcome is presented in this paper.


The original hypoxemia, hypercapnia, high pulmonary hypertension, high resistance of microcirculation vessels, right volumetric ventricular overload, persistent sub-edema of pulmonary intersticium as well as disparity of ventilation and perfusion between both lungs are the main problems in patients with chronic obstructive disease of the lungs (CODL). Such patients are, as a rule, intolerant to the independent lung collaboration or artificial single-stage ventilation (ASV). Patients with respiratory insufficiency, stages 2 and 3, and with a pronounced impaired type of ventilation have originally a deranged blood gas composition, like hypoxemia or hypercapnia. The application of volume-controllable bi-pulmonary ASV in such patients maintains an adequate gas exchange hemodynamics. However, ASV is accompanied by a significantly reduced gas-exchange function of the single ventilated lung and by essentially worsened intrapulmonary hemodynamics. Therefore, what is needed is to use alternative methods of independent lung ventilation in order to eliminate the gas-exchange impairments and to enable surgical interventions at thoracic organs in such patients (who are intolerant to ASV). A choice of a method and means of oxygen supply to the independent lung is of great importance. The possibility to avoid a high pressure in the airways, while maintaining, simultaneously, an adequate gas exchange, makes the method related with maintaining a constant positive pressure in the airways (CPPA) a priority one in case of CODL patients. The use of constant high-frequency ventilation in the independent lung in patients with obstructive pulmonary lesions does not improve the gas exchange or hemodynamics. Simultaneously, a growing total pulmonary resistance and an increasing pressure in the pulmonary artery are observed. Consequently, the discussed method must not be used for the ventilation support of the independent lung in patients with the obstructive type of the impaired external breathing function.


CD4(+) T cells are thought to play a major role in the initiation and perpetuation of T helper cell, type 2 (Th2)-like allergic airway inflammation. However, it is not clear whether activation of resident antigen-specific CD4(+) T cells is in itself sufficient to induce such a phenotype. Using ovalbumin (OVA)-specific alphabeta-T cell receptor transgenic Balb/c DO11.10 mice, we were able to test this hypothesis. Nonsensitized DO11.10 mice but not wild-type mice responded to a primary OVA aerosol with a rapid and impressive bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) neutrophilia followed by a smaller but significant eosinophilia. Responses in DO11.10 mice were mediated by OVA-specific activation of CD4(+) T cells because in vivo depletion of CD4(+) but not CD8(+) T cells abrogated inflammatory cell influx. Cytokines measured in BAL fluid (BALF) after OVA aerosol exposure of DO11.10 mice were indicative of a T helper cell, type 1 (Th1)-like immune response. Further, neutralization of interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) with antibody enhanced eosinophil influx, suggesting that IFN-gamma production was limiting the development of a Th2 response. Despite this, an increased prevalence of cells staining for mucus was seen in the bronchial epithelium, a feature more commonly associated with a Th2-immune response. Unlike what was seen in OVA-sensitized wild-type mice, multiple OVA aerosol exposures of DO11.10 mice failed to induce airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to inhaled methacholine. In conclusion, in vivo stimulation of resident lung CD4(+) T cells with antigen caused lung inflammation with characteristics of both a Th1- and Th2-immune response but was insufficient to directly induce AHR.


In 45 patients with chronic uraemia the basal acid output was the same as in 22 controls. Maximal acid output in uraemic patients was less than in the controls but not significantly so. In uraemia the maximal acid output was directly related to the duration of uraemia and inversely related to both haemoglobin level and age; it was not related to the height of the blood urea. Neutralization of gastric acid by ammonia probably occurred in the basal juice, but not when acid secretion was maximally stimulated. The presence of secondary hyperparathyroidism was associated with a 50% increase in the maximal acid output, but the increase may have been due to the younger age of this group. Successful renal transplantation was followed in two out of seven patients by a considerable increase in acid output and both patients showed evidence of peptic ulceration.


The purpose of this paper is to provide a formal conceptualization of emerging mobile ecosystems as value-creation networks and characterize the role played by external developers, conceptualized as Lead Users (VonHippel 1986), in the evolution of these networks in the mobile industry. Based on quantitative data from a survey conducted between seasoned developers mediation models for panel data are built. The results are triangulated with semi-structured interviews and corporate data as reported by companies. The empirical study confirms that external developers are paramount to absorb external knowledge and transform it into knowledge of explicit nature and therefore of high value for other participants in the network. This paper finds evidence on the influence that external developers, conceptualized as Lead Users (VonHippel 1986), exert on firms' ability to compete in the mobile industry.


B. Obama's election campaign messages system in 2007-2008 is analyzed on the basis of E. Rosenstock-Huessy's methodology of humanities. The possibility of diversifying W.L. Benoit's defense function into the reactive and proactive types of defense is shown.


Self-reports of role confusion with the parent in childhood are associated with a variety of adverse outcomes. However, role-confusion has been studied primarily from the point of view of the child. The current study evaluated an instrument for assessing role confusion from maternal interviews rather than from child observations or self-reports in adulthood. Fifty-one mothers participating in a longitudinal study since their own child's infancy were administered the Experiences of Caregiving Interview (C. George & J. Solomon, 1996) when the child was age 20. Interviews were coded using the newly developed Parental Assessment of Role Confusion (PARC; L. Vulliez-Coady & K. Lyons-Ruth, 2009). Maternal PARC scores were related to observational measures of role-confusion in interaction with the child both in infancy and late adolescence. PARC scores also were related to mothers' hostile-helpless states of mind on the Adult Attachment Interview (C. George, N. Kaplan, & M. Main, 1984, 1985, 1986) and to the extent of Unresolved loss, but not Unresolved Trauma. PARC scores also were related to mothers' self-reports of helplessness experienced in the parenting role. Discriminant validity of the PARC was demonstrated in that role confusion on the PARC was not related to hostile or disoriented forms of parent-child interaction. Implications for clinical assessment of role confusion are discussed.


A new genus and three new species of the spider family Palpimanidae Thorell, 1870 from Kenya are described. Sceliscelis Oketch & Li, gen. nov. is close to Sarascelis Simon, 1887 and Scelidocteus Simon, 1907 but differs in the structure of the male palp. The new species reported are Sceliscelis marshi Oketch & Li, sp. nov., Scelidocteus taitave Oketch & Li, sp. nov., and Hybosida machondogo Oketch & Li, sp. nov. Sceliscelis marshi sp. nov. is described from males and females collected from Tsavo in south Kenya. Scelidocteus taitave sp. nov. can be distinguished from other congeners, as well as from the morphologically similar Scelidomachus socotranus Pocock, 1899, by the shape of the palpal "conductor". Hybosida machondogo sp. nov. differs from other six-eyed Hybosida spp. by possessing rudimentary posterior median eyes.


A study was conducted to introduce an actuation mechanism, called shape memory alloy-piezoelectric active structures (SMAPAS) that combined the advantages of the piezoelectric shape memory alloy (SMA) materials to achieve self-resetting bistable composites. The approach used piezoelectric actuation to provide a rapid snap-through with significant degree of control and a relatively slow, but high-strain SMA actuation to reverse the state change. A thin cantilever beam of carbon-fiber or epoxy material was used to demonstrate the two-way actuation. The composite lay-up procedure was a standard method for the manufacturing of carbon laminates through a standard cure cycle to a maximum cure temperature of 125°C and a pressure of 85 psi. A macrofiber composite piezoelectric actuator was used to conduct the investigations and it consisted of aligned piezoelectric fibers with an interdigitated electrode to direct the applied electric field along the fiber length.


By applying the micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) fabrication technology, we developed a micro-thermal sensor to measure surface shear stress. The heat transfer from a polysilicon heater depends on the normal velocity gradient and thus provides the surface shear stress. However, the sensitivity of the shear-stress measurements in air is less than desirable due to the low heat capacity of air. A unique feature of this micro-sensor is that the heating element, a film 1 µm thick, is separated from the substrate by a vacuum cavity 2 µm thick. The vacuum cavity prevents the conduction of heat to the substrate and therefore improves the sensitivity by an order of magnitude. Owing to the low thermal inertia of the miniature sensing element, this shear-stress micro-sensor can provide instantaneous measurements of small-scale turbulence. Furthermore, MEMS technology allows us make multiple sensors on a single chip so that we can perform distributed measurements. In this study, we use multiple polysilicon sensor elements to improve the dynamic performance of the sensor itself. It is demonstrated that the frequency-response range of a constant-current sensor can be extended from the order of 100 Hz to 100 kHz.


The impact that occurs on learning in every school is greatly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. This study reveals how the learning situation during the pandemic at the Madrasah Darussalam Foundation, Gunung Tua Paluta. In this study, the method used is a qualitative research method with this method intended to find more factual data in the field for further analysis. As for the results of the study, the difficulties of teachers in conducting online learning in madrasas, difficulties in understanding by students, especially arithmetic subjects. student achievement and grades tend to experience a continuous and overall decline. online learning hurts the entire academic community in madrasa


A low-dimensional Kalman filter method is adopted in time and frequency-selective fading environment in Channel estimator based on block-type pilot signals for WiMAX which adopt OFDM physical layer. For simplicity, we use autoregressive process to model the time-varying channel. The algorithm take advantage the structure of OFDM symbol which has two-dimensional of time-frequency, first, the one-dimensional Kalman filter estimator is used to estimate per sub-carrier of channel; Then take least square algorithm to obtain the fading factor a. The second, a minimum mean-square-error combiner is used to refine one-dimensional Kalman estimates. The third step is to reduce high complexity of getting the inverse matrix utilizing the relationship of frequency response.


BACKGROUND
The positive effect of cooling on tissue cells is known. The aim of this research was to study the intensiveness of neo-vascularisation and follicular development in ovarian tissue after 24 hours cooling to 5 degrees C before cryopreservation.

METHODS
Fifty six pieces from 7 patients were divided into the following four groups: Group 1: pieces cultured just after operation, Group 2: pieces cooled after operation to 5 degrees C for 24 hours and then cultured, Group 3: pieces frozen-thawed just after operation and then cultured, Group 4: pieces cooled after operation to 5 degrees C for 24 hours, frozen, thawed, and then cultured. Culture of ovarian pieces was performed in a chorioallantoic membrane (CAM)-system for 5 days. The efficacy of the tissue cooling was evaluated by the development of follicles and intensiveness of neo-vascularisation (by Desmin).

RESULTS
For Group 1, 2, 3, and 4, mean density of follicles per 1 mm3 was 10.1, 11.1, 9.8, and 12.0, respectively (P1-2, 3-4 < 0.05). For these groups 91%, 92%, 90%, and 90% preantral follicles were morphologically normal (P1-2, 3-4 > 0.1). The immunohistochemical analysis showed that the intensiveness of neo-vascularisation observed in ovarian tissue of Group 2 (pre-cooled before culture) and Group 4 (pre-cooled before cryopreservation) was drastically increased.

CONCLUSIONS
The 24 hour cooling to 5 degrees C before cryopreservation is beneficial for cryopreservation of human ovarian tissue.


Belgrano was a town project near Buenos Aires launched during the Confederation. We claim that among its features, it was supposed to help solving the new problem of urban garbage, besides giving room to a growing well-off social class. In order to discontinue home wells and move to systematic recollection using it together with the rubble of works and demolitions to fill low ground, demarcate the city from the river and solve almost without cost what was seen to emerge as serious problems: the growth of a class with needs for specific architectures (the houses in downtown Buenos Aires were structured to have slaves), as well as the generation of waste by the new consumer society, and trying to fill the coastal zone. The town was created where there was a high zone and another adjacent low one. That lower part was later ignored in local chronicles and histories because it ended up generating social problems, floods and unhealthiness.


Increased awareness of consequences associated with Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria (ARB) has given rise to considerable research on how and where resistance to antimicrobial agents occurs. A recent investigation that utilized DNA sequencing-based technologies to characterize bacterial communities suggests that ARBs are generated on cattle feed yards and dispersed into the environment via wind-blown Particulate Matter (PM). Despite compelling evidence that bacterial DNA was prominent in fugitive PM, it remained unclear whether the bacterial DNA was derived from viable microorganisms. Thus, the narrow focus of this investigation was to determine whether bacteria associated with airborne PM emanating from cattle feed yards are viable, and if so, whether any cultivable bacteria were resistant to antibiotics. Numerous viable aerobic, microaerophilic, and anaerobic bacteria were successfully cultured from aerosolized, feed yardderived PM. Several cultured isolates were resistant to an assortment of antibiotics. This confirms that viable antimicrobial resistant bacteria do indeed travel on airborne PM emanating from cattle feed yards. Thompson KN, Wooten KJ, Hensley LL, Smith PN* and Mayer GD


Phytotherapy has been used for many years due to anticancer and anti-proliferative effects. In this study our purpose was to show the anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of oleocanthal and pinus pinaster on MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, 67NR and 4T1 breast cancer cell lines. Biological effects of these plants were researched via morphology, MTT assay for cytotoxicity (IC50), immunocytochemical procedure for oxidative stress (eNOS), angiogenesis (VEGF) and TUNEL method for apoptosis. Statistical analysis was performed with the H-score. Oleocanthal and Pinus pinaster extracts showed significant dose and time-dependent inhibition of growth of breast cancer cells. A significant increase in iNOS staining was observed while a decrease in VEGF staining was observed after extract application at IC50 dose. The results showed a significant increase in apoptosis in extract-treated breast cancer cell lines. We showed that the toxic effect of Oleocanthal and Pinus pinaster extracts created by oxidative stress mechanisms. The increase of oxidative stress in breast cancer cells caused the inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis. Our results indicated that these plants suggest potential agents in breast cancer treatment. Future studies will focus on the identification of the molecules responsible for anti-cancer activity of these substances in order to improve the quality of life of the patients.


The first part estimates the maximum tensions which can be generated in water contained in a steel Berthelot tube, assuming that no prior cavitation occurs. These results give an upper limit to the inherent potential of the method. Secondly, a thermodynamic analysis of the Berthelot tube experiments is given on the basis of the previous experimental curves of Richards and Trevena (1976) and the production of the cavitation bubbles is also considered.


. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of flooding and draw-down on the germination from the coastal grassland seed banks and to determine whether the effect of flooding varies between the delta and the seashore. Seed bank samples were collected from three shore transects in SW Finland, two on the shore of the Baltic Sea and one on the delta of River Kokemaenjoki. Samples were germinated in non-flooded and flooded conditions for over a month, after which both treatments were maintained in non-flooded conditions. A total of 9267 seedlings of 47 species germinated and mean density of seeds in the soil was ca. 84 000/m2. Most of the seedlings were monocots (98%) and perennials (98%). Ca. 30–40% of the species found in the above-ground vegetation had a seed bank including the majority of the most abundant species. The number of seeds and species richness increased as the organic layer became thicker. The organic layer was thicker in the seashore samples and the seed bank was significantly larger than in the delta. The flooding and draw-down treatment significantly increased the number of germinating seedlings in the seashore and also increased species richness in two transects, one in the delta and the other in the seashore. Two species, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani and Typha latifolia, had significantly higher germination in the flooded treatment than in the non-flooded. Apparently, many species in these coastal grasslands have adapted to flood disturbance and for seeds of some species flooding may work as a positive signal, possibly breaking dormancy.


This study aimed to investigate the symbiosis between Streptococcus thermophilus CICC 6038 and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus CICC 6047. In addition, the effect of their different inoculum ratios was determined, and comparison experiments of fermentation characteristics and storage stability of milk fermented by their mono-cultures and cocultures at optimal inoculum ratio were performed. We found the time to obtain pH 4.6 (tpH4.6) and ΔpH during storage varied among 6 inoculum ratios (1:1, 2:1, 10:1, 19:1, 50:1, 100:1). By the statistical model to evaluate the optimal ratio, the ratio of 19:1 was selected which exhibited high acidification rate and low post-acidification with pH values remaining 4.2 - 4.4 after a 50-d storage. Among the 3 groups included in our analyses, i.e., the mono-cultures of S. thermophilus CICC 6038 (St) and Lb. bulgaricus CICC 6047 (Lb) and their cocultures (St+Lb) at 19:1, the coculture group showed higher acidification activity, improved rheological properties, richer typical volatile compounds, more desirable sensor quality after the fermentation process than the other 2 groups. However, the continuous accumulation of acetic acid during storage showed that acetic acid was more highly correlated with post-acidification than D-lactic acid for the Lb group and St+Lb group. Our study emphasized the importance of selecting an appropriate bacterial consortium at the optimal inoculum ratio to achieve favorable fermentation performance and enhanced post-acidification stability during storage.


The authors report a case of a patient with isolated synchronous splenic metastasis from obstructing colon cancer. A 43 year old Thai female presented with abdominal distension and obstipation. CT scan of whole abdomen demonstrated a mass located at the splenic flexure and an isodense mass at the superior pole of the spleen, which was considered to be an isolated splenic metastasis. With the presumptive diagnosis of obstructing colon cancer at splenic flexure with isolated splenic metastasis. The patient underwent total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis concomitant with splenectomy. These procedures are a successful curative option and safe for the management of this condition. Adjuvant chemotherapy following the operation to achieve long term survival and long term follow up with monitoring of serum CEA levels, CT scan of abdomen and colonoscopy are necessary for long-term follow up.


Pupil absenteeism remains a significant problem for schools across the globe with negative impacts on overall pupil performance being well-documented. Whilst all schools continue to emphasize good attendance, some schools still find it difficult to reach the required average attendance, which in the UK is 96%. A novel approach is proposed to help schools improve attendance that leverages the market target model, which is built on association rule mining and probability theory, to target sessions that are most impactful to overall poor attendance. Tests conducted at Willen Primary School, in Milton Keynes, UK, showed that significant improvements can be made to overall attendance, attendance in the target session, and persistent (chronic) absenteeism, through the use of this approach. The paper concludes by discussing school leadership, research implications, and highlights future work which includes the development of a software program that can be rolled-out to other schools.


CYPs (cytochrome P450s) catalyze the conversion of numerous numbers of xenobiotics including carcinogens and drugs. CYPs can be involved in metabolic pathways of activation of procarcinogens and/or inactivation of carcinogens during the tumorigenic processes. Recently, increasing number of cancer tissues as well as normal tissues have been found to express a variety of CYPs. The local expression of CYPs in tumors appears to be very important for the management of cancers since CYPs expressed in tumors may be involved in activation and/or inactivation of anticancer drugs. The expression of CYPs in tumors may also convert endogenous substrates to metabolites that facilitate cancer development. In this review, we summarize the association of CYP expression in cancer tissues with carcinogenesis and cancer treatment.


In the article the results of a set of works directed to providing the prolongation of service life of the traction assemblies OPE1A (ОПЭ1А) are presented.


The relation between signs and symptoms of Paget's disease of bone was studied in 180 patients consecutively submitted for treatment. In these patients 826 lesions were identified by scintigraphy. The intensity of scintigraphic uptake was correlated with long-term calcium uptake in bone. The frequency distribution of lesions over the patients was compatible with a 65 per cent chance of local disease once the patient had been exposed to an extraneous agent. The spatial distribution within a skeleton was related to the local density of the osteoclast population. The particular frequency distribution resulted in a log-normal distribution diagram for anatomical spread. Within lesions, increases in numbers of osteoclasts and osteoblasts were proportional and these too had a log-normal distribution. Increases of alkaline phosphatase levels and hydroxyproline excretion were closely related and reflected anatomical spread on the one hand and local activity on the other. They were also closely correlated with overall calcium fluxes. It was shown that alkaline phosphatase is the more sensitive and hydroxyproline the more accurate of the biochemical signs. Maximum values, corresponding to total skeletal disease, were approximately 25 times the upper limit of normal. Equilibrium between bone formation and resorption was not always maintained. There were, indeed, wide variations of urinary calcium, which were significantly related to the difference between bone formation and resorption, but the extracellular calcium homeostasis was generally maintained. This may explain the frequent occurrence of normocalcaemic and hypercalcaemic hyperparathyroidism. The hypercalciuria constitutes an additional risk for urolithiasis in men. The most frequent complaint was pain (86 per cent). Extent of lesions was important, but a major decisive factor was the specific nature of the bone affected. The findings allowed assessment of the relative importance of the various signs, symptoms and locations as criteria of disease severity and as indications for treatment.


In modern competitive environment, eco-branding constitutes one of the main prerequisites for the effective development of the country's economy. In an unstable economic situation, the reformatting of Ukrainian society is too inert, while the problems are growing rapidly, which is undoubtedly exploited by dishonest players in the consumer goods market. This study considers the lines of development of Ukrainian and world commodity markets, pointing to the need to develop the market of environmentally friendly products based on oil flax, improving the quality of flax-containing products due to the use of advanced technologies and innovative equipment. The research methodology included the monographic method, comparison, analysis, mathematical planning, and graphic method. It is determined that the main prerequisite for sustainable development of the country in the context of economic globalisation, limited resources, and technology development is the use of eco-branding. To increase the efficiency of processing of fibrous material, a method of processing oilseed flax has been developed, which allows expanding the range of processing products of oilseed flax and to create waste-free technology. A method for obtaining the same type of fibre from bast-fibre crops has been developed, which makes it possible to process oil flax stalks. Prospects for the use of the presented technical and technological developments can contribute to the modernisation of the light industry, its further development, expansion of the Ukrainian market, increase jobs and attract highly qualified specialists in the field, increase the competitiveness of Ukrainian products on the world market


To ensure you're up on zombie culture and prepared in the event of a zombie apocalypse, check out our collection of books, DVDs, and websites devoted to all things zombie.


Many of us dream of exploring space, but there are not many ways to do so. Although it is difficult to get into deep space, near space is within our grasp. High altitude balloons are released into the stratosphere, generally reaching between 60,000 to 120,000 feet before they burst and their payload is returned to earth by parachute. Modern balloon systems generally contain electronic equipment such as radio transmitters, cameras, and GPS receivers, as well as a variety of scientific instruments. Not only is high altitude ballooning a great way to introduce the electronics and programming skills needed to collect and analyze data from the spacecraft, it provides a fun way to explore scientific concepts from pressure, temperature and volume to cosmic radiation. We have begun offering summer camps to high school students in order to capitalize on the excitement of ballooning to get them interested in physics.

In July of 2016, we will offer the five-day camp for the third time, with student numbers increasing from 2 to at least 6 with registrations still coming in. After a brief introduction to atmospheric science, students explore the relationship between rate of ascent, weight, and volume of helium, before using space flight prediction tools to determine potential flight paths. They also learn about a variety of cameras, sensors and data loggers and design and build data collection systems that their group will incorporate into their box for a flight near the end of the camp. Finally, each group prepares and presents a short report on the results of the flight. The numbers of students involved for any statistically significant results to be determined from surveys, but anecdotal data suggests that students' interest in STEM fields and specifically physics and computer science is enhanced by the HAB camp experience.


The etching rate of silicon in fluoride-containing solutions was found to show a remarkable pH dependence, having a sharp peak at about pH 6.4. A very similar pH dependence was also observed for the anodic current of n-type silicon electrodes in the fluoride-containing solutions. The chemical reactions of silicon occurring in the fluoride-containing solutions were attributed to the oxidative breaking of the surface Si-Si bonds by HF 2 + ions on the sites where the fluorine atom is bonded. Under acidic conditions, the surface is very stable because it is terminated with hydrogen atoms. In solutions at pHs higher than 7, the reaction rate becomes low owing to the very low concentrations of HF 2 - ions in these solutions. These factors are concluded to be the reasons for the appearance of peaks at pH about 6.4 for the etching rate and the anodic current.


Cytokinins may reflect soil water status and regulate rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain filling. This study investigated the changes in cytokinin levels in rice plants and their relations with grain filling under alternate wetting and drying irrigation. Two 'super' rice cultivars were field grown. Three irrigation regimes, alternate wetting and moderate soil drying (WMD), alternate wetting and severe soil drying (WSD), and conventional irrigation (CI, continuously flooded), were imposed after flowering. No significant differences in grain-filling rate, grain weight, and cytokinin content were observed for the earlier-flowering superior spikelets among the three irrigation regimes. For the later-flowering inferior spikelets, however, their grain-filling rate and grain weight were significantly increased in the WMD and significantly reduced in the WSD when compared with those in the CI. Cytokinin contents in shoots (inferior spikelets and the flag leaves) in the WMD at the soil drying time were comparable with those in the CI, but they were significantly increased when plants were rewatered. The WSD significantly reduced cytokinin contents in the shoot either during soil drying or during the rewatering period. Cytokinin contents in roots showed no significant difference between the WMD and CI regimes. The WSD increased trans-zeatin-type cytokinins, whereas it reduced isopentenyladenine-type cytokinins, in roots. Grain-filling rate and grain weight of inferior spikelets were very significantly correlated with cytokinin contents in these spikelets. The results suggest that a post-anthesis WMD holds great promise to improve grain filling of inferior spikelets through elevating cytokinin levels in the rice shoot.


This study compared the nutritional status of patients with emphysema and chronic bronchitis and examined the relationship between lung dysfunction and nutritional depletion in patients with emphysema. There was no evidence of nutritional depletion in patients with chronic bronchitis (n = 4). In contrast, patients with emphysema (n = 14) were somatically depleted. They exhibited lower values for percent ideal body weight (%IBW), arm muscle circumference (AMC), and triceps skin fold thickness (TSF) (p less than 0.05) than did patients with chronic bronchitis. The creatinine height index (CHI) was also lower in this group, but the difference was not significant (p = 0.08). In patients with emphysema, there was a good correlation between the degree of airflow obstruction and of somatic depletion (FEV1 vs %IBW, r = 0.699, p less than 0.001). The single-breath diffusing capacity (DCO) also correlated well with %IBW (r = 0.6052, p less than 0.019). These results confirm that patients with emphysema are frequently nutritionally depleted and suggest that nutritional depletion contributes to lung dysfunction in emphysema.


A class of atomized measures on compacta, which are generalizations of regular real-valued measures, is introduced. It has also been shown that the space of normalized (weakly) atomized measures on a compactum is a free object over this compactum in the category of (strongly) semiconvex compacta.


BACKGROUND
Biomaterials are commonly used to augment the maxillary sinus floor prior to or in conjunction with dental implant installation. Recently, porous titanium granules (PTGs) have been used in oral implant surgery to stabilize implants and function as an osteoconductive matrix.

PURPOSE
To evaluate if PTGs can be safely used in a larger population of patients, treated by different surgeons, when sinus floor augmentation was required in conjunction with implant installation. The primary endpoint was 12-month survival rate of the dental implants. Biopsies for histology were taken from the augmented area.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
At five centers, 40 subjects with uni or bilateral posterior edentulism and atrophy of the posterior maxilla (3-6 mm) were enrolled. In a single-stage procedure, PTG and one to three dental implants were installed in each quadrant. In total, 70 implants were included in the study.

RESULTS
One immobile implant was removed. The mean marginal bone loss was 0.5 mm and 0.8 mm, on the mesial and distal side, respectively. Histologically, all biopsies demonstrated bone ingrowth.

CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that PTG can be safely and effectively used as augmentation material in the sinus floor when used with dental implants in a one-stage procedure.


Most recent historians have expressed a negative opinion of the quality of legal education at the English universities between 1400 and 1650. The academic study of law at Oxford and Cambridge, they have stated, was easy, antiquated and impractical. The curriculum had not changed from the form it assumed in the thirteenth century, and it did little to prepare students for their careers. This article challenges that opinion by examining the inner nature of the ius commune, the law that was applied in the courts of the church, and also by examining some of the works of practice compiled by English civilians during the period. Those works show that the negative opinion rests in part upon a misunderstanding of the nature of legal practice during earlier centuries. In fact, concentration on the texts of the Roman and canon laws, as old-fashioned as it seems to us, was well suited for the tasks advocates and judges would face once they left the academy. It also provided the stimulus needed for advance in the law of the church itself; their legal education made available to potential advocates and judges skills that would permit a sophisticated application of the ius commune, one better suited to their times. The article provides evidence of how this happened.1


Introduction: The patient safety culture constitutes the basis for the development of safe processes and better outcomes for the patients, as it favors the implementation of safe practices. Objectives: The present study aims to assess the patient safety culture in the perception of a multidisciplinary team. Methods: This was a quantitative and qualitative cross-sectional study with 284 professionals who answered the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture questionnaire adapted to Brazil, which measures 12 safety culture dimensions. The reliability of the instrument was verified by the Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. The dependent variables were the percentages of positive answers to estimate strengths and weaknesses in each dimension. EpiData 3.1, the Stata 14.2 software and IRAMUTEQ 0.7.2.0 were used for data processing. Results: The dimensions best assessed were "Supervisor/Manager expectations and actions promoting patient safety" (68.0%) and "Organizational learning and continuous improvement" (67.0%). The aspects requiring improvements were "Non-punitive response to error" (20.0%) and "Staffing" (31.0%). Other organizational weaknesses were identified from the comments regarding infrastructure, work processes and management support, which can have repercussions in the adoption of the safe practices. In this study, Cronbach's Alpha presented a global value of 0.60. The "time working in the profession" variable (p-value = 0.033) presented an association with the "overall patient safety grade"; whereas "age" (p = 0.004) was associated with "number of adverse events in the last year". Conclusion: The findings indicate the need for changes in the patient safety culture and in organizational management. Key words: Patient Safety, Organizational Culture, Attitudes and Practice in Health, Quality of Health Care, Hospital Services.


Proximity effect is a phenomenon such that an electric current density distribution becomes asymmetric when an alternating current flows in conductors arranged at a short distance. This effect possibly raises problems in the case when cylindrical conductors are arranged at a highly short distance like in compact and large capacity GIS. For example, unexpected local concentration of an electric current may cause welding or arcing especially in contact joint areas. Therefore, detailed study on the proximity effect is important. In this paper, it is shown that this effect can be quantitatively evaluated with an experiment and two kind of computations, finite element method and approximated lumped parameter circuit. Finally, ideas for improvement of GIS arrangement are suggested.


The term "smart" has been used in many ways for describing systems and infrastructure such as smart city, smart home, smart grid, smart meter, etc. These systems may lie in the domain of critical security systems where security can be estimated in terms of confidentiality, integrity and some cases may involve availability for protection against the theft or damage of system resources as well as disruption of the system services. Although, in spite of, being a hot topic to enhance the quality of life, there is no concrete definition of what smart system is and what should be the characteristics of it. Thus, there is a need to identify what these systems actually are and how they can be designed securely. This work firstly attempts to describe attributes related to the smartness to define smart systems. Furthermore, we propose a secure smart system development life cycle, where the security is weaved at all the development phase of smart systems according to principles, guidelines, attack patterns, risk, vulnerability, exploits, and defined rules. Finally, the comparative study is performed for evaluation of traditional security modeling techniques for early assessment of threats and risks in smart systems.


Different breeds of cows affect the form of fat exist in dairy products and the final functionality, which depended mainly on the composition of the milk fat globules(MFG). However, the relationship between the composition and breeds has not been illuminated. In our study, differences in the lipid content and fatty acid composition of native bovine, buffalo and yak MFG were investigated by confocal Raman spectroscopy. The research offers the possibility of acquisition and analysis of the Raman signal without disruption of the structure of fat globule. The results showed that yak MFG had a higher ratio of band intensities at 2 885/2 850 cm(-1), indicating yak MFG tend to have a triglyceride core in a fluid state with a milk fat globule membrane in a crystalline state. The buffalo and yak MFG had a higher level of unsaturation compared to bovine MFG, shown by a higher ratio of band intensities at 1 655/1 744 cm(-1). The results indicate that small MFG of buffalo is more unsaturated than yak, while the large MFG of buffalo is less unsaturated than the yak. Thus, selective use of cream with yak MFG would allow a harder and more costly churning process but lead to a softer butter. Buffalo milk which contains larger MFG is more suitable for cream and MFG membrane separation.


Shock waves from underwater and air explosions are significant threats to surface and underwater vehicles and structures. Recent studies on the mechanical and thermal properties of various phase-separated elastomers indicate the possibility of applying these materials as a coating to mitigate shock-induced structural failures. To demonstrate this approach and investigate its efficacy, this paper presents a fluid-structure coupled computational model capable of predicting the dynamic response of air-backed bilayer (i.e. elastomer coating – metal substrate) structures submerged in water to hydrostatic and underwater explosion loads. The model couples a three-dimensional multiphase finite volume computational fluid dynamics model with a nonlinear finite element computational solid dynamics model using the FIVER (FInite Volume method with Exact multi-material Riemann solvers) method. The kinematic boundary condition at the fluid-structure interface is enforced using an embedded boundary method that is capable of handling large structural deformation and topological changes. The dynamic interface condition is enforced by formulating and solving local, one-dimensional fluid-solid Riemann problems, which is well-suited for transferring shock and impulsive loads. The capability of this computational model is demonstrated through a numerical investigation of hydrostatic and shock-induced collapse of aluminum tubes with polyurea coating on its inner surface. The thickness of the structure is resolved explicitly by the finite element mesh. The nonlinear material behavior of polyurea is accounted for using a hyper-viscoelastic constitutive model featuring a modified Mooney-Rivlin equation and a stress relaxation function in the form of prony series. Three numerical experiments are conducted to simulate and compare the collapse of the structure in different loading conditions, including a constant pressure, a fluid environment initially in hydrostatic equilibrium, and a two-phase fluid flow created by a near-field underwater explosion.


A stable optical beat-signal with frequency >; 160 GHz is produced by injection-locking two narrow-linewidth semiconductor lasers emitting at frequencies spaced by the beat-frequency to a low-jitter 10-GHz optical comb. The generated beat-signal with broadband noise suppression of >; 75 dB is temporally compressed by factors of up to four in a high stimulated Brillouin scattering threshold aluminosilicate highly nonlinear fiber. The generated subpicosecond pulses have a root mean square (rms) timing jitter below 150 fs measured over 1 s.


Children with familial high-risk of schizophrenia (FHR-SZ) or bipolar disorder (FHR-BP) are frequently affected in a range of domains known to be precursors of severe mental illness. No previous studies have gathered known precursors to examine whether they distribute evenly across familial high risk (FHR) children or if they cluster among a smaller group. Since such examination holds the potential to identify high and low risk of severe mental illness groups, we aimed to cluster FHR and control children affected to various degrees.

 In The Danish High Risk and Resilience Study VIA 7, a clinical cohort study, 514 7-year-old children with FHR-SZ or FHR-BP and matched controls were assessed in domains of motor function, neurocognition, emotional control, behavior, social cognition, self-perception, language, psychotic experiences and psychopathology, and grouped using cluster analysis. Associations between clusters and parents' level of education, functioning, caregiver status, child's level of stimulation and support in the home, and polygenic risk scores were examined.

 A total of four groups including one of broadly affected children were identified. The broadly affected group was represented 4-5-fold (18.1%) amongst FHR-SZ children and 2-3-fold (10.2%) amongst FHR-BP children, compared to controls (4.1%) (p<0.001), and the broadly affected group had lower levels of caregiver functioning (p<0.001) and stimulation and support at home (p<0.001).

 Precursors of severe mental illness distribute unevenly among FHR children; while approximately half are not affected in any domains, the other half are affected to various degrees. Targeted support towards the affected groups is indicated.


Two experiments (field and pot) were conducted to evaluate the ability of partial least square regression (PLSR) using physiological and root traits to predict grain yield of maize. The genetic materials used for the experiments were six maize genotypes. Data was recorded on some growth, physiological and root traits. Data was analyzed using PLSR model of XLSTAT. There was a good prediction of grain yield of maize using phenological traits (R2 = 0.99 and RMSE = 17.73). The model gave a good fit in predicting grain yield with Sammaz 14 having the best prediction. Prediction model of grain yield using root and seedling traits also gave a good fit (r2 = 0.96). Sammaz 14 and TZE-COMP 5 had better fits. Prediction of grain yield of maize using some physiological traits of maize also produced a good fit (R2 = 0.86 and RMSE = 90.94). Prediction accuracy for Sammaz 14 was higher than the other genotypes. The good fits observed for all the predictions indicates the ability and usefulness of PLSR in predicting grain yield of maize and this can reduce the time of breeding programs in developing maize varieties that are tolerant to drought.

 Key words: Partial least square, maize, drought, root, and physiological traits.


This study aimed to investigate the problems and challenges met by novice teachers in Johor, Malaysia. This study explores the perspectives of the novice teachers on issues related to the problems and challenges and also supports in place to assist them in their transition from pre-service to in-service. Qualitative case study research method was adopted for this study. There are eight participants undergo interview session. The content of the interview was transcribed and analysed using manual analysis. The result show that novice teachers in Johor, Malaysia face challenges in aspect of self, teaching profession, students, school community, and students' parents Their biggest concern is about classroom management and students. The problems and challenges met by the novice teachers should be concerned in order to reduce problem of leaving and shortage of new teachers in teaching profession.


Hemophilia is a rare inherited disease which causes bleeding due to Factor VIII or Factor IX deficiency. It is usually X‐linked recessive and typically affects males. Arthropathy occurs as a result of cartilage damage and chronic synovitis due to recurrent intra‐articular bleeding in hemophilic patients and is mostly seen in the knee, shoulder, hip and ankle joints. There are many other diseases that cause chronic synovitis ankylosing spondylitis (AS), which is a subtype of spondyloarthropathies that cause chronic low back pain, more common in men younger than 45 years of age. In addition to axial involvement, peripheral arthritis, uveitis, enthesitis and dactylitis can be seen. Although the etiology is not fully known, genetic and environmental factors are responsible for the pathogenesis. In this study, we aimed to present congenital hemophilia and AS coexistence in a 22‐year‐old male patient.


Despite the great development that the industry has achieved in the field of self-driving cars, However, there are difficulties encountered in detecting traffic lights, in this research, an intelligent system was designed to recognize traffic lights at different times and conditions (day and night). The system is based on digital image processing techniques, which consists of three main stages: image subtraction, traffic signal segmentation, and traffic signal discrimination using two methods, Circular Hough Transform (CH) and morphological operations and comparison between them. The results indicated the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed system in both methods where Traffic lights are detected and the area of each signal is determined over time and the decision is made to detect whether the signal is bright or dark over time.


Fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) have been recently used in retrofitting and strengthening of existing steel structures. Pervious researches indicated that bonding FRP composites to steel elements is associated with undesirable brittle failure of the adhesive at the FRP-steel interface. An emerging strengthening technique, which involves attaching hybrid fiber reinforced polymer (HFRP) composites to steel elements using steel bolts, has proven its efficiency in rehabilitating steel structures. This study investigates the structural behavior of HFRP-steel joints with FRP bolts. An experimental program was conducted on twenty double-lap HFRP-steel joints with different bolt diameters and sheared edge distances. The findings revealed insignificant effect of the sheared edge distance on the joint response. Increasing the bolt diameter enhanced the load carrying capacity of the bolted joints significantly. Experimental outcomes suggested using FRP bolts with 13 mm diameter to connect the HFRP laminates to steel plates while maintaining a sheared edge distance that is three times the bolt-hole diameter. For the particular configurations tested in this study, a simplified nonlinear load-slip model was developed to describe the interfacial behavior of the HFRP-steel joints formed using FRP bolts. The model was then compared to a previously developed load-slip relationship for HFRP-steel joints that use steel bolts.


The high pace rise in the number of customers for communication systems and associated service provisioning has alarmed the requirement for certain optimal communication technique for optimal service of provisioning. The global system for mobile communication (GSM) has emerged as one of the most potential candidate to for communication systems. There is an inevitable need to enhance the key components of GSM systems such as, modulators and signal decoders. The assurance of these factors can lead low SNR communication in major application scenarios. Furthermore, ensuring efficient synchronization can be of great significance for GSM systems. In this paper, a highly robust and efficient system for low SNR, GMSK synchronization scheme has been developed for GSM system. The proposed joint synchronization scheme encompasses, symbol timing offset estimation, carrier frequency offset and carrier phase offset estimation scheme. To enhance the demodulation, a symbol-by-symbol (SBS) decoder has been developed. The bit error rate performance analysis affirms that the proposed system can be a significant development towards enhanced GSM communication system.


Abstract:For this study, we searched academic journal databases and journal lists from China, Japan, and Korea, dating up to July 2018, to determine the percentage of domestic journals published in English in these three East Asian countries. This study differs from most previous studies that relied on article indexes and abstracts for determining the language of academic journals. We took advantage of the full-text searching capabilities that online journal archives allow. We found that journals labelled 'English-Japanese mixed' or 'Korean and English' typically have only English metadata and not English articles and that the vast majority of domestic journals in China, Japan, and Korea are still published in the national language with no English full text. Due to China's fast development and its low percentage of English journals, the world may experience, for the first time in nearly a century, a decrease in the worldwide percentage of active academic journals published in the English language.


BACKGROUND
Leishmaniasis is caused by a protozoan parasite, Leishmania. It is common in more than 98 countries throughout the world. Due to insufficient availability of antileishmanial chemotherapeutics, it is an urgent need to search for new molecules which have better efficacy, low toxicity and are available at low cost.

OBJECTIVES
There is a high rate of diabetic cases throughout the world that is why we planned to test the antileishmanial activity of glyburide, an effective sugar lowering drug used for the treatment of diabetes. In this study, glyburide showed a significant decrease in the parasite growth and survival in vitro in a dose-dependent manner.

METHODS
Anti-leishmanial activity of glyburide was checked by culturing Leishmania donovani promastigotes in the presence of glyburide in a dose and time dependent manner. Docking study against Leishmania donovani-Trypanothione synthetase (LdTrySyn) protein was performed using Autodock Vina tool.

RESULTS
Growth reversibility assay shows that growth of treated parasite was not reversed when transferred to fresh culture media after 7 days. Moreover, docking studies show efficient interactions of glyburide with key residues in the catalytic site of Leishmania donovani- Trypanothione synthetase (LdTrySyn), a very important leishmanial enzyme involved in parasite's survival by detoxification of Nitric Oxide (NO) species, generated by the mammalian host as a defense molecule. Thus this study proves that the drug-repurposing is a beneficial strategy for identification of new and potent antileishmanial molecules.

CONCLUSION
The results suggest that glyburide binds to LdTrySyn and inhibits its activity which further leads to the altered parasite morphology and inhibition of parasite growth. Glyburide may also be used in combination with other anti-leishmanial drugs to potentiate the response of the chemotherapy. Overall this study provides information about combination therapy as well as a single drug treatment for the infected patients suffering from diabetes. This study also provides raw information for further in vivo disease model studies to confirm the hypothesis.


In the present study the particle export flux in the water column of 3 sampling stations (one of them near the pipeline outfall of the Waste Water Treatment Plant—WWTP of Psitalia) in the Eastern Saronikos gulf, Central Greece, is investigated based on the disequilibrium ratio of 234 Th with its parent 238 U. This approach is based on direct measurements of the activity concentrations of 234 Th and calculated ones of 238 U from the respective salinity measurements. From the derived results, the values of the activity concentrations of particulate and dissolved fraction of 234 Th in the surface layer of the studied area range from 2.7 ± 1.4 to 3.8 ± 1.8 Bq m -3 and 13.2 ± 1.4 to 28.2 ± 1.9 Bq m -3 respectively, which educe fluctuation according to the station environmental features. Regarding the vertical distribution of radionuclides, the observed profile curves from the 3 sampling stations follow the same pattern of dispersion in the water column. However, the calculated export flux (sinking rate) of particles associated with 234 Th results to a wide range of values depending on the sampling station. From the calculated residence times in the 3 stations, the station near the WWTP shows the longer residence time for the dissolved fraction, which is attributed to the sewage outflow. Besides, total suspended matter (TSM) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) have been analyzed in the samples and the correlation coefficients with the particulate and dissolved 234 Th have been calculated on the basis of the relation of 234 Th cycling with particulate matter and organic substances.


Quantifying how the rugged nature of the underlying free-energy landscape determines the entropic cost a protein must incur upon folding and ligand binding is a challenging problem. Here, we present a novel computational approach that dissects the protein configurational entropy on the basis of the classification of protein dynamics on the landscape into two separate components: short-term vibrational dynamics related to individual free-energy wells and long-term conformational dynamics associated with transitions between wells. We apply this method to separate the configurational entropy of the protein villin headpiece subdomain into its conformational and vibrational components. We find that the change in configurational entropy upon folding is dominated by the conformational entropy despite the fact that the magnitude of the vibrational entropy is the significantly larger component in each of the folded and unfolded states, which is in accord with the previous empirical estimations. The straightforward applicability of our method to unfolded proteins promises a wide range of applications, including those related to intrinsically disordered proteins.


Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean L. (Verdc.)) is an underutilised African legume crop which shows a high degree of drought tolerance. It continues to be an important leguminous crop in tropical Africa and is grown mainly by women who are small-scale farmers in Africa under traditional low input agricultural systems. It is grown mainly for its protein and carbohydrate, as a fixer of agricultural nitrogen and for its high levels of drought tolerance. Genetic studies into this species could provide important data for breeding programmes and to enhance food security in sub-Saharan Africa. The main project work was to construct two initial genetic linkage maps for Bambara groundnut and to carry out a trait QTL analysis. Genomic DNA was extracted from 73 bulked lines (effectively F3) derived from a cross between the DipC and Tiga necaru landraces. A set of 94 pre-tested SSR primers designed from a 454-sequenced microsatellite-enriched library were tested for segregation in this cross. Thirty primers were polymorphic and revealed that the residual heterozygosity in this population was around 25%, consistent with an F3 population. DArT markers for Bambara groundnut were previously developed and 236 polymorphic markers have also been applied in this study. The genetic map consisted of 231 markers in 25 linkage groups of two or more linked markers, totalling 498cM and covering a predicted 44% of Bambara groundnut genome. The high marker-marker linkage (at 87%) suggests a more comprehensive coverage. Nine QTL loci were identified on 7 LGs. A major QTL was identified for internode length on LG3, explaining 41% of phenotypic variation. The 'Narrow' map, in contrast with wide cross population, was constructed from two domesticated landraces and would be expected to segregate for agronomically important traits, rather than domestication traits. The development of molecular tools for mapping and QTL analysis potentially allows more rapid breeding progress to be achieved in this species.


This paper describes an interior point method for nonlinear programming endowed with infeasibility detection capabilities. The method is composed of two phases, a main phase whose goal is to seek optimality, and a feasibility phase that aims exclusively at improving feasibility. An important feature of the algorithm is the use of a step-decomposition interior-point approach in which the step is the sum of a normal component and a tangential component. The normal component of the step provides detailed information that allows the algorithm to determine whether it should transition from the main phase to the feasibility phase. We give particular attention to the reliability of the switching mechanism between the two phases. The algorithm proposed in this paper has been implemented in the knitro package as extensions of the knitro/cg method. Numerical results illustrate the performance of our method on both feasible and infeasible problems.


Introduction Gut dysbiosis has been noted in humans and animals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, little is known about the gut microbiome in canine patients with CKD. This study aimed to analyze and compare the gut microbiome profiles of healthy and CKD dogs, including differences in the gut microbiome between each CKD stage. Methods The study was conducted on 29 client-owned dogs who underwent physical examination, complete blood count (CBC), serum biochemistry, and urinalysis. The gut microbiome profile of healthy dogs (n = 10) and dogs with CKD (n = 19) was analyzed employing 16S rRNA sequencing. Results Significant differences were seen in the composition of the gut microbiome, with increased operational taxonomic units from the phylum Proteobacteria (p = 0.035), family Enterobacteriaceae (p < 0.001), and genus Enterococcus (p = 0.002) in dogs with CKD, and a decrease in the genus Ruminococcus (p = 0.007). Furthermore, an increase in both the progression of CKD and abundance of genus Klebsiella (Jonckheere-Terpstra test statistic value (JT) = 2.852, p = 0.004) and Clostridium (JT = 2.018, p = 0.044) was observed. Discussion Our study demonstrated that in dogs with CKD, the composition of the gut microbiome varied depending on the stage of CKD. Alterations in gut microbiome composition observed in CKD patients are characterized by an increase in proteolytic bacteria and a decrease in saccharolytic bacteria. These findings suggest specific gut microbiota could be targeted for clinical management of uremic dogs with CKD.


Background and Purpose. The risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in patients receiving antithrombotic therapy is well known. However, there is sparse literature regarding the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage in patients receiving warfarin, who have an intracranial meningioma. Methods and Results. We report a case of a 66‐year‐old man who developed multifocal ICHs in the context of supratherapeutic anticoagulation. There was sparing of the intracranial meningioma despite the development and growth of multiple intraparenchymal hemorrhages that resulted in death. We also review the literature evaluating the risk of ICH in anticoagulated patients with an intracranial meningioma. Conclusions. The findings of this case lend further support to the gradually developing notion of relative safety of anticoagulation in patients with meningioma. They also underscore the importance of close monitoring of the INR.


Abstract We studied lichen communities along forest edge-to-interior gradients on opposite sides of a major highway and along a remote lakeshore in central North Carolina, U.S.A., to investigate highway pollution effects on this sensitive ecosystem component. At each site we sampled lichens on trees at 10 m intervals along each of five parallel transects established at the forest edge and at 25, 60, 100, and 150 m into the forest in the highway sites, with a similar layout along a nonlinear lakeshore in a similar forest type, from which transect distances from the forest edge were estimated using average tree distances from the nearest shoreline. Lichen communities were inventoried on tree trunks from the base up to 1.5 m height, then compared both among and within sites. Species richness was highest in the control site, and did not differ between the two highway sites. The highway sites were more similar to one another than either was to the control site, based on Bray-Curtis similarity indices. No associations were detected among sites and sampled lichen biotic components in terms of growth form, photobiont type or reproductive mode. In the highway sites, total transect species richness increased from the forest edge to 150 m distant. In the control site, species richness decreased from the forest edge to the most distant transect. Findings suggest a negative effect of highway pollution on species richness of lichen communities, but not on species composition by habit, photobiont type or reproductive mode. Despite the elevated NOx concentrations recorded along the highway, known nitrophilous species were largely absent, suggesting that other factors, including other pollutants, were affecting community structure near the highway.


An important group of interest for industrial tribunals in Australia is those workers who are reliant on awards for their pay and other employment conditions. Research on award reliance and its consequences, however, has long been hampered by the lack of good quality microdata. Most obviously, there are relatively few data sets in Australia that identify the method by which pay is set and also provide detailed information about individuals and the households in which they live. The HILDA Survey, however, is an exception to this, with information about award reliance, and methods of pay setting more generally, being collected for the first time in its 8th survey wave (in 2008). This paper reviews the quality of the data on award reliance that is being collected from this source. It then provides two examples of how these data can inform policy-relevant research questions: (i) to what extent are award-reliant workers found living in income-poor households; and (ii) what role does award reliance play in contributing to the gender pay gap? The results confirm that award-reliant workers are not especially concentrated in poor households, and that for award-reliant workers there is no evidence of any gender-based pay gap.


The aim of this study was to examine if the soils and waters of Puertollano area are affected by pollution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their quantification. The results show that PAHs concentrations are higher in all samples than the reference levels gathered in the Spanish legislation. The possible actions for the coal waste remediation (re-wash of waste dumps, photodegradation and biorremediation) seems to be unviable in this case because of the large volume of materials affected, the slowness of these processes, and the geomorphological characteristics of the carboniferous Puertollano basin. During the spatial regional planning, maps showing the concentration of PAHs should be made to adapt the soil for its corresponding use. It is proposed to consider as contaminants more PAHs, such as naftalene or fluorantene in waters, and phenanthrene and benzo[ghi]perilene in soils.


This paper applies to microeconomics a classic distinction of the philosophy of language, i.e., that between analytical and synthetic propositions. A further paper will combine it with the epistemological distinction between a priori and a posteriori knowledge. We start by reconsidering the main definitions of the analytical and the synthetic. We rebut Quine's famous objections to them, and then show how they operate on the theory of Giffen goods and substitute goods. The distinction makes it possible to clarify decisions that microeconomists leave implicit, at the risk of falling into semantic traps. In the particular instance, it reinforces the existing critique of Hicks's definition of substitutes. As a secondary contribution, we show that economic methodology wrongly identifies analytical propositions with tautologies, and synthetic propositions with testable ones.


In the conference on 'Annotation in Scholarly Editions and Research', we would like to discuss our work to facilitate third-party annotations in the digital edition: annotations on an edition made by researchers unaffiliated to the edition project, as a contribution to the explanatory material already present on the site, for purposes of private study or for publication in conjunction with a scholarly article. The more specific question that we want to explore is how to facilitate anchoring the annotation to a specific location in the digital edition. We need to make sure that (1) the annotation addresses a component in the logical information structure that defines the edition (and not a location in an HTML page which is merely one representation of an edited text), and (2) the information structure is described in sufficient detail to distinguish the edited text or document (the object of editing) from its (multiple) representation(s) in the edition. It should be possible to annotate (parts of) the document or work being edited (e.g. a manuscript page or a canonical location in a work) as well as its transcription, its translation or a page image. In the work, we might want to explain an obscure sentence; in the transcription, we might want to discuss an incorrect reading; in the translation we might want to point out a translation error. This paper continues our earlier work on the subject. In Boot, Haentjens Dekker, Koolen and Melgar (2017) we argued RDFa provides a suitable technology for embedding the required information in the edition's HTML pages. In Boot and Koolen (2018) we discuss an FRBROO- based ontology of the editorial domain, capable of describing both the objects of editing (Text and Document) and their representation in the edition. We have a fully functional and open source prototype of an annotation tool that over the coming years will be actively developed, for use in multiple disciplines, in the Dutch CLARIAH (= CLARIN + DARIAH) infrastructure. In the Wuppertal conference we would like to show how an ontology-aware annotation tool can use the ontology in the context of an edition of the letters of Vincent van Gogh. In that edition, four representations of the letter are available: a line-by-line (diplomatic) transcription, a running (critical) text, a translation into English and a page image. We will show how annotations made in the context of one such representation can be made to address either that specific representation or the underlying abstract text, and thus be displayed either in one representation only, or in all representations. Being able to accomplish this on a technical level is neat, but only a first step. We will also discuss the potential impact on humanities research practice: the possibility to (collaboratively) create, organize and share annotations of different types offers researchers access to layers of interpretation made by others. This could have fundamental implications for the transmission of knowledge in the humanities.


Sugarcane (Saccharum hybrid) cultivar NCo310 was transformed with the pat gene, which confers resistance to the herbicide Buster (glufosinate ammonium; Bayer CropSdence, Monheim am Rhein, Germany). The effect of the expression of this gene on the agronomic performance of a successful transgenic line, 22.2, was investigated. Field testing showed that the pat gene was stably expressed during three rounds of vegetative propagation. Morphological and agronomic characters such as stalk height, diameter, population, fiber, disease resistance, and yield, measured in the first ratoon, were not significantly different in the transgenic line and its untransformed counterpart. Of four weed treatments applied to transformed and untransformed plots, there were two scenarios in which significantly higher yields were observed: (i) untransformed cane treated using the conventional (non-Buster) herbicide protocol, widely used for weed control in the South African sugar industry, and (ii) transformed cane treated with a conventional preemergence cocktail, followed by two 5-L ha -1 Buster applications. However, the most economical weed control treatment is dependent on the cost of the herbicide to which resistance has been engineered. Buster currently costs (in South African Rand) ZAR150 (US $14.01) L -1 . For Buster treatments to be cost effective for commercial growers, the price would have to be considerably lower. However, since hand-hoeing is deleterious to the cane, small-scale growers currently controlling weeds manually would find herbicide use an advantage. If they were to adopt transgenic sugarcane, Buster costs would need to be reduced only slightly for them to increase their returns.


Atherosclerosis is characterized by a build-up of foam cells in the arterial wall, resulting from excess cholesterol uptake and accumulation of cytosolic lipid droplets (LDs). Autophagy has been shown to be atheroprotective in part by promoting the catabolism of LDs which liberates free cholesterol for efflux out of foam cells to cholesterol acceptors (ApoA-I or HDL) for removal from the body. Apart from macrophages (MΦ), vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) comprise 50-70% of foam cells in the plaques. Unlike MΦ, the capacity of VSMC foam cells to metabolize cholesterol via autophagy is unknown. Here, w
 e performed a comparative analysis of the autophagic capacity and cholesterol efflux of arterial foam cell subtypes of the atherosclerotic plaque
 .

 Atherosclerosis was induced in hypercholesterolemic autophagy reporter mice (GFP-LC3 mice receiving PCSK9-AAV and fed a Western diet). Autophagic flux in aortic digests was assessed by quantifying GFP-LC3 fluorescence after
 ex vivo
 treatment with the autophagy inhibitor Bafilomycin A1 or vehicle. MΦ foam cells displayed functional autophagy as shown by an accumulation of GFP-LC3 upon autophagy inhibition. In contrast, VSMC foam cells did not similarly accumulate GFP-LC3 upon bafilomycin treatment, suggesting dysfunction autophagy in these cells. Additionally, immunostaining of late-stage aortic roots showed MΦ, but not VSMC, foam cells induction of the active autophagy marker pATG16L1. Cell culture studies of lipid loaded MΦ and VSMC corroborated this inability for VSMCs to initiate autophagy
 in vivo
 .

 In vitro
 , MΦ foam cells effluxed cholesterol to ApoA-I (14%) and HDL (50%), whereas VSMC foam cells minimally effluxed cholesterol to HDL (7%) but not apoA-I. However, unlike MΦ foam cells, VSMC efflux was pharmacologically induced by treatment with metformin.

 Our data therefore demonstrates a lack of functional autophagy in VSMC, as compared to MΦ foam cells, which impairs their ability to perform cholesterol efflux. This autophagy defect in VSMC foam cells can be increased by autophagy activation using metformin, highlighting both the importance of understanding cholesterol metabolism in all foam cell populations and a new avenue to treat atherosclerosis.


In this case study, we have presented a rare case of concomitant human papillomavirus condylomata lesions of both breast nipples and giant vulval warts in an HIV-positive woman on antiretroviral therapy. The woman underwent successful surgical excision and reconstruction for both breast nipple condylomata and vulval warts. Histology of the excised breast nipple and vulval tissue confirmed low-risk human papillomavirus infection. Concomitant vulval and bilateral breast nipple condylomata pose a management dilemma. It is possible that the pathogenesis of these lesions is through both direct contact spread as well as haematogenous dissemination of the human papillomavirus.


The mid-infrared spin-wave spectrum of antiferromagnetic YBa2Cu3O6.0 was determined by infrared transmission and reflection measurements (k∥c) at T = 10 K. Excitation of single magnons of the optical branch was observed at Eop = 178.0 meV. Two further peaks at 346 meV ( ≈ 1.94Eop) and 470 meV ( ≈ 2.6Eop) both belong to the two-magnon spectrum. Linear spin-wave theory is in good agreement with the measured two-magnon spectrum, and allows to determine the exchange constant J to be about 120 meV, whereas the intrabilayer coupling J12 is approximately 0.5J.


Flexible alternating current transmission systems(FACTS) technologies opens up new opportunities for controlling power and enhancing the usable capacity of present as well as new upgraded lines. FACTS devices use power electronics components to improve system performance. This paper will discuss and demonstrate, how fixed capacitor thruster controlled reactor (FC-TCR) and static synchronous compensator (STATCOM), Unified power flow controller (UPFC) are applied to control transmission system dynamic performance for system disturbance and effectively regulate system voltage. SVC and Static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) is basically a shunt connected Static VAR generator whose output is adjusted to exchange capacitive or inductive current so as to maintain or control specific power variable; typically the control variable is the SVC bus voltage. One of the major reasons for installing SVC is to improve dynamic voltage control and thus increase system load ability. Unified power flow controller (UPFC) which is used in transmission line and distribution system to improve power transfer capability and to enhance power system stability this paper shows the performance of the system for SVC, STATCOM and UPFC devices in improving the power flow in transmission line. All the simulations are carried out by using MATLAB/SIMULINK software. The simulation result shows the performance of FACTS devices in transmission line.


Heated discussions of conditionals have been carried out from various theoretical aspects. In this article the author is trying to examine conditionals from truth-functionality, non-truth functionality, and suppositional theories and semantically from these three domains, thus offering a comprehensive understanding of conditionals.


A mixed methods approach was applied to examine the effects of a naturally occurring teamwork intervention supported with training. The first objective was to integrate qualitative process evaluation and quantitative effect evaluation to examine how and why the training influence intervention outcomes. The intervention (N = 328) was supplemented with four training conditions (no training, team member training, team leader training, and a combination of training types). The second objective was to examine whether different training conditions support team member training in isolation, but not in combination, led to positive outcomes. The integrated analysis of qualitative and quantitative data indicated that a number of contextual factors interacted with training experiences and outcomes to influence the success of team intervention.


Two control diets with different sucrose contents (44% and 22%) were given to weanling rats for 55 d. The test diets were supplemented with an F + Mg combination, 75 parts/10(6) F as NaF + 50 parts/10(6) Mg as MgO and 38 parts/10(6) F + 25 parts/10(6) Mg, respectively, i.e. using the same supplement/sucrose ratio in each test diet. The supplementation in each test diet caused the same percentage fissure caries reduction, but the absolute mean caries scores were higher in the high-sucrose groups than in the respective low-sucrose groups. Enamel solubility was reduced by the supplementation. Despite the high fluoride supplementation, no untoward effects were recorded in growth and in aortic, heart, and renal calcium contents. Bone mineral density was reduced in the low-sucrose controls and slightly reduced in the high-sucrose F + Mg supplemented rats, as compared with the high-sucrose controls.


Alternative splicing in voltage-gated sodium channels can affect pathophysiological conditions, including epilepsy and pain. A conserved alternative splicing event in sodium channel genes, including SCN1A, SCN2A and SCN9A, gives rise to the neonatal (5N) and adult (5A) isoforms. Differences in the ratio of 5A/5N in Nav1.1 (encoded by SCN1A) in patients may lead to different predisposition to epilepsy or response to antiepileptic drugs (AED). Previous HEK293T whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings showed that Nav1.1-5N channels recover more quickly from fast inactivation than 5A. However it was unknown whether this effect is conserved in Nav1.2 (encoded by SCN2A) and Nav1.7 (SCN9A) channels, or what the functional consequences of this splicing event are for neurons. This project used whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings on heterologously expressed neonatal and adult channels to compare the biophysical properties of the splice isoforms for all three channel types and their modulation by AEDs. It also used current-clamp and dynamic-clamp recordings on transfected hippocampal cultured neurons to assess the effect of splicing on neuronal properties during epileptiform activity. Biophysical analysis in HEK293T cells revealed that splicing profoundly regulates fast inactivation and channel availability during fast, repetitive stimulation, with neonatal channels showing higher availability compared to adult channels and this difference was conserved among Nav1.1, Nav1.2 and Nav1.7. The change in inactivation imposed by splicing can be modeled as a modification of the stability of the inactivation statein resting channels. This change can be eradicated by administration of the AEDs phenytoin and carbamazepine. Current-clamp recordings in transfected neurons showed that the alternatively spliced variantmodifies the rising phase of action potentials for Nav1.1 and Nav1.2 at high firing frequencies, implying a consistent splice-dependent modulation of channel availability. For Nav1.1 in interneurons, this translated to higher firing frequency for the neonatal isoform, which also conferred a higher maximal firing rate during epileptiform events imposed under dynamic-clamp recordings.


Many complex properties of cancer cells are effectively under selection within the in vivo microenvironment or following therapeutic insult. This critical combination of instability and shifting selection drives the heterogeneity of tumour cell populations in terms of many critical features. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive, rapidly metastasizing neoplasm with an ability to develop resistance against chemotherapeutic agents. New SCLC therapeutic strategies are urgently needed that contain spreading disease without further compromising tumour chemosensitivity. Variants for attachment to tissue culture plastic of the NCI-H69 cell line, which grows in suspension but generates low frequency appearance of adhesion variants, were enriched, without prejudice for any specific extracellular matrix directed advantage, and then allowed for any proliferation/survival advantage in vitro to impact on the evolution of variation. Two sub-lines were generated representing two stages in variant enrichment. The developed SCLC model, which encompasses elements of variation and heterogeneity, provides opportunities to link in vitro behaviour of SCLC with in vivo characteristics with particular reference to the challenges faced in the management of SCLC such as the accrual of drug resistance. The variant model was characterized using microscopy, flow cytometry and microarray analysis, revealing variation in adherence and morphology impacting on SCLC behaviour, proliferative rate and polysialylation of the neural cell adhesion molecule. The microarray analysis has also revealed new cancer biomarkers that can be explored in clinic studies. This unique SCLC model was used to gain insights into links with chemoresistance. The studies revealed that the variant selection did not result in expansion of a drug resistant clone. Moreover, evidence of clonal evolution/selection was uncovered together with the finding of the absence of CSCs, even in enriched variants, as defined by the classical side population phenotype. The defined PSA expression patterns of the variants allowed for screening of carbohydrates-based agents for polysialylation knock-down.


Several natural-based compounds and products are reported to possess anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity both in vitro and in vivo. The primary target for these activities is the inhibition of eicosanoid-generating enzymes, including phospholipase A2, cyclooxygenases (COXs), and lipoxygenases, leading to reduced prostanoids and leukotrienes. Other mechanisms include modulation of protein kinases and activation of transcriptases. However, only a limited number of studies and reviews highlight the potential modulation of the coupling enzymatic pathway COX-2/mPGES-1 and Th17/Treg circulating cells. Here, we provide a brief overview of natural products/compounds, currently included in the Italian list of botanicals and the BELFRIT, in different fields of interest such as inflammation and immunity. In this context, we focus our opinion on novel therapeutic targets such as COX-2/mPGES-1 coupling enzymes and Th17/Treg circulating repertoire. This paper is dedicated to the scientific career of Professor Nicola Mascolo for his profound dedication to the study of natural compounds.


Actual vegetation plays a key role in stream habitat as well as a continuous physical structure of stream condition. Therefore, it is currently in need of a research regarding both scientific and systematic assessment technique to diagnose and to assess the vegetation. This research was studied to suggest an vegetational assessment indicator and criterion in physiognomic level, including both application of hierarchial system for assessment-unit and data use of high resolution images to correspond the integrated objective of stream environment management overcoming the limitation of the previous assessment system. The vegetational assessment indicator this study developed consists 1) an index of vegetation heterogeneity to quantify the vertical structure of physiognomic vegetation patch of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, 2) an index of vegetation diversity, focused on dominant species in the uppermost layer to figure out the horizontal structure, and 3) an index of vegetation naturalness to assess the anthropogenic disturbance of the same vegetation patch mentioned earlier. It was proved that the vegetational assessment indicator of this study, when it was applied to the experimental stream, was capable to sufficiently reflect the contemporary status of the stream condition; and also the assessment indicator was proved to be both rapid and scientific assessment system, based on analysis of high resolution images. However, it was found that to set quantitative criterion due to the application of the assessment indicator is to reflect features of each stream segments accurately; therefore this should be verified in further studies through application of several experimental streams in broad region.


On alloys of the copper-palladium-cobalt system an investigation is made of the influence of ordering by the discontinuous mechanisms on decomposition of the supersaturated solid solution. It is found that there is a discontinuous complex reaction involving ordering and decomposition. As the Pd and Co concentration increases it becomes possible for cells with a crystallographic relation between the matrix lattices to grow on the boundary of the ordered and disordered solutions


This paper describes nondestructive characterization techniques for module reliability. These techniques include light and dark current versus voltage and related analysis such as resistance, diode quality factor, and dark current. The use of the NREL laser scanner at zero volts and forward bias is also described as a technique to uncover cracks, shunts, and open-circuit regions in a module. Quantum-efficiency measurements of isolated cells or regions in a module are also possible. The interpretation of laser-scanning data is enhanced by hot-spot testing with an infrared camera or thermographic paper. Specialized nondestructive techniques have also been developed to determine the shunt resistance of individual cells in a module by selective shading of cells under sunlight. Ultraviolet fluorescence and reflectivity measurements at NREL have proven useful in evaluating encapsulant stability.


BACKGROUND/AIMS
The aim of this study was to investigate the hypertrophic effect of portal embolization in various types of liver and clarify useful variables, for predicting efficacy of portal embolization.

METHODOLOGY
Portal embolization was performed for 46 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 30), biliary tract cancer (n = 9), or metastatic liver tumors (n = 7). The hypertrophic effect of portal embolization in relation to diseases, clinical liver conditions, histological fibrosis, and liver function were examined.

RESULTS
The hypertrophic effect of portal embolization was impaired in the patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, chronic hepatitis/cirrhotic liver, and advanced liver fibrosis. ICGR15 (indocyanine green dye retention rate at 15 minutes) was revealed to be an independent adverse predicting factor. Especially in hepatocellular carcinoma patients, platelet count was significantly correlated with the hypertrophy ratio. In patients who underwent major hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma, not only the incidences of posthepatectomy liver failure but also survival rate were similar between patients with and without portal embolization, although patients with portal embolization originally had a limited liver function.

CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative portal embolization made major hepatectomy possible in hepatocellular carcinoma patients, although portal embolization was less effective compared with other diseases. ICGR15 and platelet count may be novel variables to predict the hypertrophic effect of portal embolization in all and hepatocellular carcinoma patients, respectively.


This article reports on the comparative study of the hot deformation behaviour of virgin (steel A) and rejuvenated heat treatment creep-exhausted (steel B) P91 steels. Hot uniaxial compression tests were conducted on the two steels at a deformation temperature range of 900–1050 °C and a strain rate range of 0.01–10 s−1 to a total strain of 0.6 using Gleeble® 3500 equipment. The results showed that the flow stress largely depends on the deformation conditions. The flow stress for the two steels increased with an increase in strain rate at a given deformation temperature and vice versa. The flow stress–strain curves exhibited dynamic recovery as the softening mechanism. The material constants determined using Arrhenius constitutive equations were: the stress exponent, which was 5.76 for steel A and 6.67 for steel B; and the apparent activation energy, which was: 473.1 kJ mol−1 for steel A and 564.5 kJmol−1 for steel B. From these results, steel A exhibited better workability than steel B. Statistical parameters analyses showed that the flow stress for the two steels had a good correlation between the experimental and predicted data. Pearson's correlation coefficient (R) was 0.97 for steel A and 0.98 for steel B. The average absolute relative error (AARE) values were 7.62% for steel A and 6.54% for steel B. This study shows that the Arrhenius equations can effectively describe the flow stress behaviour of P91 steel, and this method is applicable for industrial metalworking process.


35 years ago, a new subject informatics was appeared in the schools of the Soviet Union. Today it is believed that this was a landmark event that subsequently changed the entire system of education. But his path to school was not easy and quite long. The analysis is carried out which sciences have formed the methodological basis of informatics, which concepts have determined its content, and which of the scientists stood at its origins. It is considered what factors influenced the content of the first textbook of informatics and subsequent ones, how the domestic informatization of education was born, how a new pedagogical specialty "teacher of informatics"was created. It is noted which works of scientists, authors and research teams formed the basis of modern theory and methods of teaching information and informatization of education. It is shown how the content of the subject changed, what factors influenced, as well as what problems are facing school informatics and in what direction its transformation will take place in the near future.


Measurements of motion of an in vitro preparation of the alligator lizard basilar papilla in response to sound demonstrate elliptical trajectories. These trajectories are consistent with the presence of both a translational and rotational mode of motion. The translational mode is independent of frequency, and the rotational mode has a displacement peak near 5 kHz. These measurements can be explained by a simple mechanical system in which the basilar papilla is supported asymmetrically on the basilar membrane. In a quantitative model, the translational admittance is compliant while the rotational admittance is second order. Best-fit model parameters are consistent with estimates based on anatomy and predict that fluid flow across hair bundles is a primary source of viscous damping. The model predicts that the rotational mode contributes to the high-frequency slopes of auditory nerve fiber tuning curves, providing a physical explanation for a low-pass filter required in models of this cochlea. The combination of modes makes the sensitivity of hair bundles more uniform with radial position than that which would result from pure rotation. A mechanical analogy with the organ of Corti suggests that these two modes of motion may also be present in the mammalian cochlea.


Camouflage is frequently used in the animal kingdom in order to conceal oneself from visual detection or surveillance. Many camouflage techniques are based on masking the familiar contours and texture of the subject by superposition of multiple edges on top of it. This work presents an operator, Darg, for the detection of three-dimensional smooth convex (or, equivalently, concave) objects. It can be used to detect curved objects on a relatively flat background, regardless of image edges, contours and texture. We show that a typical camouflage found in some animal species seems to be a 'countermeasure' taken against detection that might be based on our method. Detection by Darg is shown to be very robust, from both theoretical considerations and practical examples of real-life images.


The effects of catabolite repression and nutrient abundance on the activities of Vibrio harveyi enzymes known to be related to aldehyde metabolism were investigated. The growth of cells in complex medium containing glucose, which decreases in vivo luminescence and luciferase synthesis, also resulted in decreases in the specific activities of V. harveyi aldehyde dehydrogenase and acyl carrier protein acyltransferase as well as in the degree of fatty acylation of three bioluminescence-specific polypeptides (32, 42, and 57 kilodaltons), as monitored by sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This repression was partially alleviated in glucose medium containing cyclic AMP. The acylation of the above-mentioned proteins, in addition to light emission and luciferase and acyltransferase activities, was also repressed when cells were grown in minimal medium, with partial recovery of these functions upon the addition of arginine. In contrast, aldehyde dehydrogenase activity was increased in minimal medium. These results suggest that the 42-, 57-, and 32-kilodalton proteins, which are responsible for the supply and reduction of fatty acids to form aldehydes for the luciferase reaction, are regulated in the same way as luciferase under the above-described conditions. However, aldehyde dehydrogenase, whose role in V. harveyi aldehyde metabolism is not yet known, is regulated in a different way with respect to nutrient composition.